#Somedays I'm just dreamy and can't help it

[it-happened-one-fic]

Your Highness - Silver

Author's Notes: Going through one's backlog of fics can be a fearful thing. I do remember writing this one though. I was in a horribly sappy mood and I was listening to the song "Fairytale" by Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell which I'm sure a great many of you would recognize from the film "Shrek." This fic was also written shortly after I saw @thegoldenshi-shi's art for a Celtic flavored Silver that has braids (Check it out! it's really good!), hence the braids in the fic. Reader is female. I hope you all enjoy!

Type: Female Reader /Fluff/ Romance/ Wedding is heavily implied

Word Count: 1321

You sat quietly outside, your hands resting on your lap as you mulled over many, many different things. Your life had changed drastically since you’d first come to Twisted Wonderland. You’d met more incredible people than you’d ever dreamed of and now you were living in a country that looked like it came straight out of a fairytale.

But then, it was the home of the fae. Well, the home of the fae, and the home of the young man you’d grown to love over your time at school.

You looked down at the aged flower crown in your hands. Your fingers curled slightly around the fragile, pale flowers. Life had been different when you’d made this, sitting between Sebek and a sleeping Silver as you’d woven the ring and listened to Sebek’s nigh endless chatter about his beloved Lord Malleus and the palace you would soon call home.

“To think you will be living with Lord Malleus, in his home and so close to him even though you are but a mere human,” There was a tinge of envy to his tone that had caused you to smile slightly. Because Sebek would be spending most of his days there as a guard so even if he was envious, he too would be at Malleus’s side. 

“Hey Sebek,” The green-haired young man had turned to face you right as you’d plopped the flower crown on your head and posed ever so slightly, “What do you think? Do I look like a princess yet?”

He scoffed at your light-hearted joking, but before he could respond another voice spoke up, startling both of you slightly.

“Indeed, Your Highness,” You’d twisted to see Silver, who’d awoken at some point and was looking at you with his usual stoic expression.

You’d barely even paid attention when Sebek spoke up from your other side, “You look no more like a princess than you did before Her Majesty agreed to take you in.”

“Sebek, you should treat them with more respect now,” Despite Silver’s chiding tone there had been a slight smile on his face as he looked towards the soon-to-be knight.

But his words had turned out to be all too true. After Malleus’s grandmother had agreed to take you in as an adopted grandchild as per Malleus’s request, your relationship with Sebek and Silver had been forced to change. Because you were no longer fellow students.You were now a princess whom they were charged with guarding.

Lilia and Malleus were still able to treat you the same, and after much verbal jousting you’d managed to convince Sebek your relationship didn’t have to be just that of royalty and bodyguard. You could still be friends.

But Silver and you had seemed to have fallen into some odd limbo and you’d feared that it was partially your fault. You’d fallen for the young man before you’d ever joined the Draconia family. 

This was something both Lilia and Malleus knew of and that was why you were certain they’d jointly appointed Silver as your personal guard.

A move that had eventually led to all of the recent events that had been occurring as of late. Joyous events that left you giddy with anticipation.

The sounds of horses whining alerted you to the approach of the young man. Silver had at last returned from whatever it was Lilia had wanted Silver for. And it was only a few moments before the young man in question appeared around the corner, head swiveling as he looked for you. 

You grinned at the very sight of him, but it wasn’t often that you got to see Silver in his more formal wear and this time he had the intricate braids going through his hair.

 Soft aurora hued eyes found yours and you could see him relax just before he dismounted. Strolling forward he knelt in front of you and looked up, “I have returned, Your Highness.”

You were still smiling slightly despite his incredibly formal greeting, because this was how things had been between you two for a very long time.

 A careful balance between formalities and an incredible amount of closeness. You tilted your head as you looked down at him, “And that's a good thing, considering I was beginning to miss you.”

A hint of a smile flickered across his face, but he managed to maintain his characteristically stoic expression. He’d always been a better actor than you. 

You gestured for him to rise and sit next to you, a request he followed immediately and without hesitation. “Did you enjoy your trip? I’m sure the girls in town were happy to see you.”

“It was pleasant,” Calm as ever and refusing to take the teasing bait you’d laid out. He looked towards you, eyes briefly flickering down at the flower crown in your hands before meeting your gaze once more, “Has all been well with you, Your Highness?”

You rolled your eyes, not wanting to be the first to crack and break the act but desperately wanting him to use your name. But you’d promised yourself you’d win this time. You would outlast Silver.

“Fine. Do you remember this?” You held up the flower crown carefully and he nodded without ever taking his eyes off you.

“Your first tiara.”

You hummed, looking back down at it and briefly letting another wave of nostalgia sweep through you before you looked back his way and straightened. Doing your best to look vaguely commanding, “Then kneel, oh knight of mine.”

Yet again, Silver did as commanded, though he did so this time with a flicker of humor in his eyes.

Carefully, you placed the crown on his head while he continued to gaze up at you, “There, a gift to my loyal knight.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.” 

You wrinkled your nose almost instantaneously at his measured response. Obviously completely unperturbed by anything you did and you knew, right then, he was going to win this time too, “Fine, you win. Just quit calling me that ridiculous title and use my name instead.” 

This time his smile was fully visible as he stood and looked down at you, “As you wish, Y/n.”

You eyed him with a slight frown, a bit disappointed in yourself for having given way so easily. But Silver was far better at this game than you were and he knew it.

But even then you couldn’t deny that your day could hardly get any better. After all, you were no longer the princess in a fairytale waiting for her love to return. He was standing there right in front of you.

He held his hand out and you easily accepted, letting him pull you to your feet before he began escorting you through Malleus’s immense rose gardens just outside the palace.

“I guess this’ll be the last I’ll see of you till tomorrow evening?” Your question drew his attention to you and he nodded.

“As per tradition, yes. But don’t worry, the day will pass quickly,” A part of you wanted to deny his words. You just knew tomorrow was going to crawl by until you got to see him again that evening.

“Will you be wearing those braids again tomorrow for the ceremony?” You watched as he absentmindedly reached up towards his hair as if to remind himself of what sort of style it was in.

“Yes… Father was practicing,” His gaze found yours meaningfully and you had to swallow a laugh. You doubted there were many who were more excited than Lilia was about tomorrow.

“Well, he has every right to be excited, it’s not everyday your son gets married to a royal,” A small smile appeared on your husband-to-be’s face at your words and he nodded.

“True, but I can promise he isn’t nearly as pleased as I am.”

Your smile mirrored his as you bumped your shoulder with his, “As can I Silver. As can I.”

#twisted wonderland imagines #Silver x reader #Twisted wonderland x reader #briarvalleyarchives #Somedays I'm just dreamy and can't help it #forgive meee #I'm a sap and hopeless romantic at heart #But why are so many embarrassingly sappy fics for Silver... #It worries me and makes me question myself #twst #twst silver #female reader #fluff #romance #wedding implied #reader is adopted princess of Briar valley #Diasomnia #Silver x you #Silver x y/n #Twisted wonderland x you #Twisted wonderland x y/n #twst x reader #twst x you #twst x y/n #flower crowns #fairytale #Shrek soundtrack #fanfiction #mywritings #Disney TW

[ghost-proofbaby]

you showed me colors (eddie munson x fem!reader)

"YOU SHOWED ME COLORS YOU KNOW I CAN'T SEE WITH ANYONE ELSE."

summary: the soulmate au based on "illicit affairs" by taylor swift that almost no one asked for.

warnings: ANGST, HURT/NO COMFORT, MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH, strategic use of pet names, allusions to sex but none described, reader is referred to as a girl a few times, no use of Y/N, canon compliant. not really edited (cause i'm not putting myself through this shit again).

wc: 15.1k+

a/n: im genuinely sorry for once. blame @abibliophobiaa and @breddiemunson for this. also, thank you @hellfire--cult for helping me with the header!!! please take all those warnings very seriously. please. (also shout out to ash who got her own divider sort of so she'd know when to stop reading because my baby doesn't like angst 😅)

The first thirteen years of your life, you only had second hand accounts to trust when it came to colors. 

The sky is blue, soft and dreamy, nearly translucent until grey wisps of clouds would overrun it on stormy days (although, the clouds, you could make out). Most grass is green, verdant and rich as it sprouts from the hard dirt. Even the yellowing strands are most likely gorgeous, a sign of life and death, a sign that someone once stood atop the green and held their ground. Roses come in a rainbow of shades, but everyone seems to adore the staunch red ones the best. The plush pink of a lover’s kiss-bitten lips, the warm brown fur of the dogs you passed by on the street, the deep violet of the plums your mother proclaimed as her favorite fruit. A range of colors you had only ever heard of, never experienced yourself. 

For thirteen years, all you had was stories. Nothing tangible, nothing solid in your palms. Mere crumbs of a promise of what you would have one day, when you met your soulmate.

When you met him. 

It wasn’t the most pleasant of circumstances in which you two met. You’d spent a lot of your childhood fascinated with the concept and lost in daydreams about it – maybe they’d be a stranger you caught the eye of on the train, or maybe they’d be the one making your coffee at a quaint cafe in a big city someday. Whoever they would be, you wanted them to be made of all the fairytales. You wanted a meeting to challenge every romantic story you’d been fed through your youth, you wanted a love that would shake the very Earth you wandered from the first time your eyes met theirs. 

Your reality seemed as far from earth-quake inducing as they could get, at the time. Looking back, though, you wish you could plead and change your youthful mind. Because the day wasn’t perfect, the situation was terrible shades of melancholy, but none of that really matters; what matters is that on that sunny Wednesday afternoon, you met him. 

Scraped knees. You had scraped knees, sitting embarrassed and frazzled beneath a tree as you tried to sink into the shade surrounding its base and erase the memory of what had just transpired. You could still hear all the other kids’ taunts echoing through your mind, cruel and unnecessary words that were suited to follow you the rest of your days. Comments on your looks and teases of things you couldn’t change. Seeds of insecurity that were hard to swallow at the beginning of your teen youth. 

You were still picking at the edges of your open wounds with slow drying tears still coating your cheeks when his shadow joined the tree’s. 

“Are you alright?” 

You looked up immediately to find a boy standing there. Your eyes had traveled slowly, taking in his baggy jeans with patchwork knees and his oversized faded t-shirt first. Even with the hand-me-down clothes, you could recognize his gangly limbs beneath it all. A frail frame and hunger-panged face. An overgrown buzz cut, no doubt prickly as the hairs stood to attention. Sunken in eyes brimming with concern for you. Whatever shade they were, they had to be dark; they were nearly black in the shades of grey your eyes could currently pick up on.

The thing about soulmates, is the colors don’t happen until you touch your soulmate. 

“I’m fine,” you stubbornly replied, wrapping your arms around your shins and tucking your knees beneath your chin despite the sting. 

“You don’t look fine.”

“Then stop looking.” 

He threw his hands up defensively, shrugging a bony shoulder, “Sorry.” 

He wasn’t sorry. Even with the wince that graced his face, he wasn’t sorry for checking in on you. You knew it the moment you caught the broken skin on his knuckles, nearly matching the cuts on your knees. You had fallen on the pavement as you’d tried to run away from the bullies, determined to not let them see you cry. The entire ordeal had been mortifying. You wished you would have just stood there and cried, let them hear your sobs and let them crown you the school’s newest crybaby. 

“What happened to your hands?” you sniffled, moving to wipe at your nose. Your cheeks were drier now, the skin nearly stiff where the tears marks remained. 

When you mentioned it, he suddenly shot his hands out before him, flexing each hand for emphasis as he looked down with boredom, “What? The cuts? Carver has sharp teeth, ‘s all.”

“Carver?” One of the kids who had just partaken in tormenting you. 

“Yeah,” the boy nodded, suddenly plopping himself onto the ground beside you. You flinched and he grimaced in a silent apology once more, “I think he was in the middle of saying something when I punched him, but that’s not surprising. He always has his big mouth open-” 

He was cut off mid-insult by a soft snort of laughter. Looking up, all of the previous annoyance at his injured knuckles melted away as he caught you fighting back your laughter. 

“What? I say somethin’ funny?” he was biting back his own grin, raising an eyebrow. 

You only laughed more, shoulders shaking now with entertainment rather than sobs. “I- Yeah, sorry, I just- God, you’re right. Carver does have a big mouth.” 

“The absolute biggest.”

“Bigger than the Atlantic ocean.”

His chuckling joined yours, along with a face splitting grin and eyes that you swore shone between the monotonous tones. “God, bigger than the fucking Pacific ocean. Every ocean, as a matter of fact.” 

You both leaned back against the rough bark of the tree, just close enough you could feel his heat through the summer air but not quite touching. Not yet. You let the back of your head thump against the trunk and tried to not think about any of the debris sure to end up in your hair. 

“So…” you sighed once the two of you composed yourself from your laughing fits, “I’m assuming you punched Carver?” 

He only nodded in answer.

“Can I ask why?”

Part of you wanted to assume that the two events were connected; Carver bullying you, and this boy punching him. But you didn’t want to make such a bold assumption about some stranger. Fellow peer or not. 

“Because he made fun of you.” 

The assumption wasn’t so bold. Your chest constricted, you remembered the sting of your knees, heard the echoes of the other students’ laughter at your fall once more. 

“You punched him just because he made fun of me?” you tried to force out a joking tone, as if it wasn’t a big deal, as if it wasn’t making your heart swell, “You don’t even know me.” 

“Doesn’t matter. He made fun of you,” the boy said with concrete decisiveness. There wasn’t a quiver of doubt to be seen, as if the logic made perfect sense to him. Your heart swelled more, painfully so. He looked down at one of his hands for a moment, before suddenly shrugging and rolling his head to look at you, sticking it out towards you, “I’m Eddie, by the way.”

A certain security blanketed the moment. This kid, Eddie, had punched a guy for making fun of you. You’d never even spoken to him before that day, much less would you have considered bruising your own knuckles for him. But he had for you. Without hesitation, apparently. Just some boy with a sliver of a gap still between his front teeth, a promise of freckles across the bridge of his nose, and blood on his hands as a reminder of your honor. 

Teachers were certainly going to be coming to find the two of you soon. There would be consequences, most likely more on Eddie’s part than yours, but that didn’t matter. There, in the shade of an oak tree of a middle school you’d soon be departing only to join the ranks of some awful high school with bigger and badder bullies, with larger and crueler problems than skinned knees, you had a friend. 

“I’m-” you started, reaching out your hand to meet his halfways. But you stopped, because the moment your palm met his, it happened. Suddenly, quickly, unexpectedly. It nearly gave you an instantaneous migraine; the flood of color was so overwhelming. 

The first color you saw was the soft, whiskey brown of his eyes. Two warm and comforting orbs, blown out to be as wide as your own, as his face echoed back the same shell-shock on your own. His eyes were brown. Not grey, not black, but something more, something russet. Brown. 

Colors. You were seeing colors for the first time. You both knew what it meant. 

“You,” he breathed out with a boyish grin, letting you catch the pink of the tip of his tongue as he finished your introduction for you, both of your excitement buzzing in the breeze, “are my soulmate.” 

—

Fifteen was the age of awkwardness. Thirteen had been awful, sure, full of changes and growth and such, but fifteen made it seem like a cake walk. 

You wouldn’t have survived it without Eddie. 

Two years into the friendship, the two of you were inseparable. You had always spent your entire childhood assuming that when you found your soulmate, it would all fall into place, romantically speaking. But then Eddie happened. Eddie, your soulmate, fell right into your lap and you realized all of your childish dreams were pale in comparison. 

He was your best friend first and foremost. Even if he hadn’t been revealed as your soulmate on that day, you have no doubt that the trajectory of your friendship would have stayed on this path. From the beginning, both of you decided to Hell with society’s expectations of soulmates. Sure, most people didn’t find their soulmates until later in life, when it made sense for the sparks of romance to fly instantly, but the adults still seemed to expect that when the news broke. Your parents had been concerned, Eddie’s Uncle Wayne had been weary, your teachers had been blatantly confused. 

It was fun for the two of you, though. The thrill of introducing each other as, “This is my best friend. Oh, also my soulmate, but, hey. Technicalities, am I right?” 

Most of the kids in your grade hadn’t met their soulmates quite yet, especially those first few years. A sense of superiority sprouted in both of you to be able to know, to experience, to lavish in a world of color. To have the weight of finding your better part lifted off your shoulders so soon in life. 

You and Eddie had an entire lifetime to figure out the romantic aspect of it all. For now, he was your best friend, and you were his, and that was enough. 

Once you two had entered high school, one thing did become very clear: the parading of being soulmates had to cease. 

Jason Carver had been enough of a menace in middle school, but grew into a fully formed monster once he joined your ranks in high school. People were not kind to Eddie – they hadn’t been in middle school, when he first moved to Hawkins, and they weren’t going to change their tune suddenly in high school. The bullying you had endured had begun to fade, but his age of torment had just begun. 

You never once left his side. It didn’t matter to you if the entire school knew you were soulmates or not. It didn’t even matter that you two were soulmates; he was your best friend, and you would be damned before you left him to battle the tides alone. 

“I hate this,” he mumbled as he sat on the toilet of his shared bathroom with Wayne in their trailer, you kneeling between his legs as you blotted at his split lip with an alcohol wipe, “I should have punched the asshole back.” 

“No, you shouldn’t have,” you scowled, furrowing your brows even deeper in concentration, “And stop talking – you’re making it worse.”

He opened his mouth to reply, but you quieted him with a glare. 

Just as you wouldn’t have survived the Age of Awkwardness without Eddie, he wouldn’t have survived it without you. 

You finished cleaning off the dried blood before tossing the wipe into the overfilled trash can, sighing heavily as you fell back onto the ground and supported yourself against the wall opposite of him. 

You leveled each other into a staring contest, eyes blankly boring into each other with emotionless expressions. 

“You’re lucky Wayne isn’t home, y’know,” you finally broke the silence, shooting a hand out to grab his ankle and give it a squeeze, “He’d probably be driving down to the school right now and-”

“Yeah, yeah,” Eddie waved you off, shaking his head, “I know. Trust me, I know. I think Principal Higgins is starting to hate him more than he hates me.” 

“Principal Higgins doesn’t hate you.”

“You’re right – he loathes me.” 

The hand that was squeezing his ankle quickly traveled up to his knee to slap it, “Eddie.” 

He raised his hands up in the air, lifting his brows for emphasis as he exclaimed, “What? You know I’m right, kid.” 

Kid. The loving nickname Eddie had adorned you with the moment he found out he was a mere six months older than you. You hated it, and he loved that you hated it. 

“The day you’re right is the day pigs fly, old man.”

Old man. The nickname that served as your attempt at a rebuttal. It didn’t work, not as intended. 

He chuckled softly at that, as he usually does when you call him that, and only smacked his palms onto his thighs, “Well, doc, I must say – you’ve done an exquisite job. Am I free to go?” 

You tried to fight your smile, tried to linger in the anger sparked from seeing Eddie hurt. Your disdain wasn’t directed at him; it was always a loaded gun pointed at whoever dared to lay a hand on your boy. You probably could have had a spotless reputation without Eddie Munson in your life, but you’d found your fists quick to fly in his defense. 

Your parents hated it. Wayne secretly adored it, even when he’d still join in scolding you and Eddie alike on avoiding violence. 

“Sure,” you shrugged, before grabbing his calves through denim to stop him. Dark blue denim, a deep shade of navy that you still hadn’t grown used to seeing. You hadn’t even realized jeans came in so many different shades until you met Eddie, and you’d always chastised him when he’d opt for a boring black pair, “But first, a payment is required.”

“A payment?” Eddie tilted his head, looking down at you curiously.

“A payment.” 

“And what would this payment be?” 

“A movie night,” you grinned wildly, finally letting your grip on him go, taking in the chestnut highlights of his curls and the red font of his t-shirt, a band shirt you’d never heard of but that he had recently gotten into, “Snacks provided by my loving host, you, of course.” 

He exaggerated his pondering, bringing a hand to his chin, stroking dramatically. As if he was ever capable of saying no to you. 

“Hm,” he hummed, his voice echoing through the tiny space and encasing you in warmth. As serene as that first summer day when he’d taken the leap of sitting down next to you in the grass, back to a tree, palm in your palm as colors had swarmed your vision, “I suppose that can be arranged.” 

—

Movie nights were a frequent occurrence. A sanctuary from the shit show of your small town. Sometimes, they had been the illusion of a bargain like that night, and others, they were an unspoken agreement. You’d show up to Eddie’s trailer or he would end up on your doorstep, your favorite candies in hand, and the two of you would just know. No words needed as you’d situate yourself on whoever’s couch, legs intertwining and blankets shared across laps. A bowl of popcorn that usually ended up being spilled inevitably. 

Movies were more fun in color. Some of your friends didn’t get it, still living in a world of black and white, but Eddie loved to listen to your rambles about how the vivid shades appeared across the screen. He loved the way your eyes would light up passionately, he loved how you still smiled so widely at special effects that were made more poignant by this gift the two of you had been given. 

Time. You two had been given the time most soulmates weren’t allotted. A gift you always thanked the Universe for. 

The latest Slasher film that had been released was currently displayed on the small television in Eddie’s living room, the two of you practically molded to the worn cushions of his sofa. Wayne had left within the first ten minutes for his shift, bidding the two of you a farewell with the warning of behaving. Vibrant reds splashed across the screen as one of the protagonists takes a stabbing, and while you should be shying away from the gruesome scene, you can’t help but stare in awe.

Even after years of experiencing colors, they took away your breath.

“Jesus,” you sighed wistfully, “How do they even make the fake blood? It’s so… so…”

“Red?” Eddie laughed from the other side of the couch, prodding at your thigh with his sock clad foot, “Probably food dye. Maybe some corn syrup.”

“It’s just so bright,” you eagerly leaned in closer to the TV, squinting with a wide smile, unaware of his stare. 

He was quiet for a moment, simply enjoying your joy. Your awe and wonder at the world, the way it seemed as if you two had just met that day rather than years before. As if colors were still a fascinating color to you. Eddie had grown used to them, let them become a part of his daily routine, but you always seemed to shine a new light on them for him. 

Around you, all the colors seemed a little bit brighter. 

“How do you do that?” he whispered so softly, it nearly got lost in the noise of the movie’s climax.

You hummed in response, eyes never leaving the screen. You were watching the movie in fascination, and he was watching you in serenity. 

His miracle. His gift. His soulmate. 

“You just…” he trailed off, no longer caring about the movie, “You always treat them like they’re brand new.” 

It caught your attention. The way his tone was so… velvety, so caring, so affectionate. You looked at him, “I treat what like they’re brand new?” 

“The colors.”

“Because they are.” 

The same assuredness as he used that very first day. As if it were obvious, as if it were simply a matter of fact and not such an endearing trait. Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion and it only made his heart clench tighter. 

You were his soulmate. 

“We lived without them for thirteen years, old man-”

“Thirteen years and six months, in my case,” he piped up in interruption, wearing a Cheshire grin. 

You nodded and rolled your eyes, “Yes, in your case. Thirteen years, give or take. I just… I don’t know. They still… they still get to me. I don’t think I can ever get used to them. Are you?” 

“What? Used to them?”

“Yeah.”

He didn’t know how to explain it to you, not at that moment. How could he articulate to you that after so many years, the colors had dulled ever so slightly? The novelty had worn off, had run its course. The only time they’d ever become as vivacious as the first time was when he looked at you. 

He couldn’t. He couldn’t explain it to you, so he only shrugged, “I guess.” 

I guess, except when I see the color of your eyes, and I realize they’re my favorite color. Except when I notice the varied shades of your hair, and realize how lucky I am to see them in their full glory rather than shades of grey. Except when you wear that favorite mauve lipstick of yours, and I can’t get over the shape of your lips. Except when you wear that pretty red dress, and your confidence has my head spinning. 

I guess, except when it’s you. 

“Well, that’s just sad,” you huffed, focusing back on the movie after kicking gently at his shin. You lapsed into a comforting silence for a few more minutes, letting the movie fill the air. The same cycle; you watched the screen, he watched you, and the Universe watched both of you with a smile as it knew that the right choice had been made. The two of you were meant for each other. In this life. In the past lives. In the next lives. The two of you were the epitome of soulmates, even if the concept had never existed before. 

Thank the Universe it existed. Thank the Universe that he found you that day, below an oak tree, scraped knees and all. 

His voice shook as he quietly confessed, “I love you, you know that, right?” 

The movie faded in a blur for you instantly. Your neck could have snapped from how quickly you turned your attention to him. “What?”

“I love you,” his voice continued its waver, not from being unsure but from pure emotion. The flood of love that pulsed through his veins currently. 

You smiled, the apples of your cheeks punctuated and the chip in your tooth from your youth he hadn’t had the privilege of being apart of on showcase, “Well, yeah. Duh. I’m your soulmate. You kind of have to love me.” 

“Even if we weren’t soulmates,” he rushed to clarify, suddenly leaning forward and grabbing your knee beneath blankets that smelled of home, “Even if you weren’t my soulmate, I would love you.” 

Your face softened. He wished he would have kissed you in that moment. 

But the vulnerability was terrifying, and all that could echo through your mind is the fact that you two had time. So instead of matching his serious tone, you joked, “Well, it’s a good thing I am your soulmate, then. It might have been awkward for your hypothetically soulmate you would have had instead in that scenario, trying to explain why you love your best friend more than them.” 

“Shut up,” he laughed, squeezing your knee tighter, “I’m being serious, kid. I love you. I really, really fuckin’ love you. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” 

“You’re only saying that because I’m the reason you see colors.”

“Fuck the colors,” he was quick to reply, “The Universe can take back the colors, as long as I still have you.” 

There it is. The earthquake you dreamt of as a little girl. The trailer’s across the park never felt it, the kids surely getting into trouble in the forest behind Eddie’s home didn’t notice it, but you felt it. A rumble through your chest, a groundbreaking discovery, a world-ending confession. Your world began, and your world ended, and your world restarted with Eddie Munson. 

“You don’t believe me,” he noted, suddenly shimmying out from beneath the blanket.

“Wait, hold on-”

“Stay here.” 

You stayed frozen in your seat, wide eyes following his broad back and the army green of his t-shirt. No longer a frail frame, face filling out with puberty. He was becoming a man. No longer the young boy who took punches and threw them back twice as hard. 

He was becoming a man, he was your soulmate, and he loved you. He loved you enough he would give up what everyone else considered the greatest gift, just for you. 

Eddie Munson didn’t need colors to love you so ardently. And you knew, at that moment, that the same could be said for you. You would have loved him no matter what. The moment his shadow had spread over you beneath wide leaves and simmering heat, he was destined to hole up in your heart, never to leave again. 

By the time he had returned to the living room, you had paused the movie, eyes locked on where he emerged from the hallway with a polaroid camera in hand and a mischievous grin gracing his features. The camera had been a joint gift from your parents and his uncle the previous Christmas. 

Your eyes weren’t on the camera. They were on him. His hair had grown over the years, wild auburn curls finally surpassing his ears. The awkward style made for ridiculous bed head, something you’d been witness to many mornings after impromptu sleepovers. 

You were fascinated with the way the sunlight caught each strand as they bounced with his eager steps. The trace of gold you could outline. Shades of autumn you loved to run your fingers through when he’d offer the opportunity.

He shook the camera into the air for emphasis, finally catching your eyes’ attention, before he propelled himself back down onto the couch across from you, both of you sitting up instead of being reclined now. “Let me show you something.” 

“O-Okay,” you stuttered out, unsure. 

He fiddled with the camera for a few moments before he brought it up to his face, resting against his cheek as his eye peered into the small peephole. You were so busy memorizing him like that, that the flash of the camera took you off guard and effectively blinded you for a few seconds. 

“What the-” you started with a scowl, hands flying up to rub your knuckles into your eyes in a sorry attempt to rush away the stars blocking your vision. 

“Just wait,” he insisted, snatching up the polaroid the moment it printed from the camera. When you flashed him an unconvinced look, he continued on, “Trust me.” 

He didn’t have to ask twice. You always trusted him with your entire being, whether for better or for worse. 

The polaroid was slow in developing. Eddie hummed to fill the silence, occasionally fanning around the small capture of you that was slowly filling out in color rather than blinding white. You spent your energy on trying to decipher what song was stuck in his head and not focus on how slow those damned photos always seemed to be in coming to fruition. 

It had only been a few minutes, but it had felt like an eternity when you finally gave up on figuring out the song and succumbing to your impatience with a sigh, “This is the world’s slowest magic trick ever.”

Eddie rolled his eyes, but tossed you the camera. You thanked the Heavens for fast reflexes as you were able to catch it rather than let it fall to the ground. The two of you would have never heard the end of it if you managed to break such an expensive gift. 

“Hey!” you shouted as you clutched the camera tightly to your chest, “Be careful with this thing, Eddie. It’s fragile.”

His eyebrows raised from behind where he held up the polaroid he took of you to his face, “Is it? Can we really be sure that it’s that fragile if we don’t knock it around for good measure?” 

“We can,” you snappily replied, glaring down at the camera and fighting amusement, “If you want to throw it around, be my guest. But you’ll explain to Wayne why you broke it – not me.” 

“Of course, kid,” he grinned so wide that it spread to his cheeks peeking out either side of the photo still obnoxiously close to his face, “What else is a best friend good for? Basically signed up to be your permanent scapegoat until the end of time the moment I gave you the gift of colors.”

“And yet, I’m the one usually talking us out of trouble,” you dramatically called back, finally looking up at him and holding up the camera, “What am I supposed to do with this?” 

“I dunno. Break it, take a picture of me. The choice is yours, sweetheart.” 

He still hadn’t put the photo of you down, so you finally reached across the sea of blankets to yank on his forearms. Once you were faced once more with those warm doe eyes rather than the blank back of a photo, you narrowed your eyes at him in indecision. 

He was still smirking. Wide enough that his teeth just barely peeked out between his barely parted lips. You recalled the tales of kiss-bitten lips, the way you’d heard adults describe that deeper shade of pink, and for a second, you considered that it would look good on Eddie. Something about imagining him flushed and bruised by love and lust rather than malice made your gut twist stormily. 

“Picture it is,” you muttered, “Put that stupid polaroid down and smile for the camera, pretty boy.” 

“You think I’m pretty?” 

The camera went off mid-teasing, his dimples on full display and eyes shining wonderfully with the flash of the camera. 

“Nope,” you mumbled, “Just said it so you’d keep smiling.” 

It was a lie. A horrible, pathetic, and badly-veiled lie. 

The photos developed faster. Yours is finally in full color and detail by the time the two of you can make out the shape of Eddie in his, and he was quick to toss it to the side before he shoved yours into your lap. 

“There, look.” 

It wasn’t anything magnificent to look at. Just another photo. The same old color of your hair, baby hairs frizzing at the edges. Same old eyes fighting from crinkling in adornment at the boy before you. You weren’t anything special, not in your eyes. But Eddie’s expectant stare told you that there had to be something more there, something he was waiting for you to pick up on. You scoured the background of the photo for pops of color only to come up empty-handed. All you could find were the tired dark tones of the Munson’s furniture and living room behind yourself in the picture.

“Eddie, what am I supposed to be looking at?” you squinted, bringing the photo closer and trying to figure out the useless puzzle he had presented you with, “It’s just a picture of me-”

“Exactly,” he interrupted, “A picture of you. My soulmate. That right there,” he leaned over and plucked the photo from your hands, holding it up tauntingly just out of reach, “Is a picture of the girl I love. A picture of the one person who makes colors worth seeing, and makes colors worth losing.” 

The sentiment had you choked up. 

“You’re my favorite person,” his voice dropped to a whisper, and he held up his hand with his knuckles facing you as he put down the polaroid in his lap, “Have been since that very first day.” 

There was still a faint scar, right there, clear as day. It casted over the knuckles of his ring and middle finger as a permanent reminder of that fateful day. As if the colors weren’t enough, as if the swell of your heart inside your chest wasn’t enough reminder of the love and care you’d always felt pulsing from Eddie.

You reached out to the coffee table suddenly, picking up the photo of him, glad to see it finally developed. You didn’t even glance at it before you held it up to him, “And this is a photo of my favorite person.”

“You didn’t even look at the picture.”

“I don’t need to,” you breathed out, moving the picture out of your vision to look at him dead in the eyes, “He’s right here in front of me. In full color, treating me far kinder than I deserve.” 

His touch was ginger as he pinched the corner of the photo and took it from your grasp, placing it down atop the polaroid of you, “Don’t do that. You always deserve my kindness – you deserve the entire world’s kindness. I’ll kick the ass of anyone who argues otherwise.”

A soft and shy smile ripped at your lips, made the corners and your cheeks ache as you shrugged, “Whatever you say, old man.” 

He only looked at you, only wore the lovesick look of a man face-to-face with his soulmate.

The movie was long forgotten. All snacks carefully put on the table before Eddie threw the blanket off of the two of you and scooted backwards while leaving a space large enough for you between his legs.  

“C’mere,” he beckoned, motioning for you to crawl forward and fit your head to his chest as he wrapped his arms around you. He pressed you impossibly close to him, until your cheek was tight to his t-shirt and your ear was thundering with his racing heartbeat. 

You melted into him easily, letting your own arms encase him to the best of their abilities in this position. You took a few selfish moments to just be there with him, to just let his words sink in beneath your skin and the reality of them weigh heavy on you. The heavier it weighed, the further into his embrace you pressed. 

The warmth of serenity and peacefulness of the picture perfect moment nearly lulled you to sleep. But even in the drowsiness, you felt the kiss he pressed to the crown of your head. 

“I love you, too,” you admitted, muffled by his chest. You hoped he felt the words and wouldn’t teasingly make you look him in his eyes as you confessed, “I love you so fucking much. I couldn’t do this without you.” 

“Sure you could-” he began, but was cut off but the abrupt lifting of your head, just as he fingertips had started on a path down your spine.

“I couldn’t,” you insisted, “I really, really couldn’t. I need you to stick around for a long time, Munson. I’m not in the business of losing my soulmate until we’re old and grey and gross. I want to keep you around until I lose count of all your wrinkles and weird moles.”

He chuckled, and the force vibrated against your shoulder digging into his torso. 

You retrieved those two polaroids before you resettled against him, your back now pressed to his chest as you held the two snapshots side by side for both of you to look out. 

He was right. You think you get it. 

When you look at the photo of yourself, you see nothing extraordinary. But when you look at the photo of Eddie, everything just… the world seemingly stops, all moving parts suddenly snapping into place. A boy vibrant with color and glee, a boy who tugged on every heartstring you’d hung in your chest throughout your lifetime. It sent warmth to every crevice of you, from the top of your head where the ghost of his lips still lingered to the tips of your toes wiggling beside his within thick socks. 

It’s more than an earthquake or the world stopping. Eddie doesn’t just stop or begin your world – he is your world. 

A world of wild hair, charming smiles, unfiltered laughter and fierce adoration. Even the brightest shades out there that you had yet to discover were dim compared to the boy photographed in time for you. 

His arms slide around your shoulders, tugging you in even closer,“Just out of curiosity, what is your cap on wrinkles you can count? Because I’ve seen Wayne, and some photos of my old man, and let me tell you – time is not kind to us Munson men.” 

You rolled your head and pressed a kiss to one of his forearms before smashing your cheek into it, breathing deeply as his fingertips drew random shapes over the spot on your chest that your heart rests beneath. 

“As many as it takes, old man.” 

“Whatever you say, kid.” 

You brought a hand up to curl around the arm, right beside when you kept your cheek nuzzled. He finally laid his palm flat against your chest, and you wonder if he can feel the way each beat of your heart called out his name. It was okay if he didn’t – he had all the time in the world to figure it out. 

—

“I just don’t understand why you’re so mad!”

“I’m not mad, Eddie – I’m fucking pissed!” 

“Okay, then I don’t understand why you’re so pissed!” 

Seventeen is the age of being reckless and redundant. Of big feelings and reckless decisions. It is the time in your life for being an absolute idiot. 

Eddie Munson was proof of it as the two of you stood outside of his van, the whistle of the winds around you two from the impending storm lost on your current screaming match. 

“Figure it out,” you seethed, stomping your feet almost childishly as you began to turn away from him, “And while you do that, leave me the fuck alone.” 

“I- Hey!” he reached out for you, but you’re already quickening your pace and hopping up onto the sidewalk, “Hey! Don’t fucking walk away from me!” 

You didn’t reply, only widening your strides. 

He called out your name, and you heard his frustrated groan before he easily caught up with you. 

Damn him and his newfound height. 

“Would you just listen to me?” he shouted, latching onto your bicep and spinning you around harshly to face him.

You yanked yourself out of his touch quickly, eyes blazing, “Why should I? I’ve seen what I needed to see, Eddie. Just go back inside to your preppy girlfriend. Forget about me. Pretend like she’s never stood to the side while her boyfriend bullied you like- like- like some asshole.”

His hair was longer now. Ringlets that cascaded to brush over the top of his shoulders – shoulders that had broadened impressively as he neared the end of his youth. His newest clothing staple covered them; a denim vest you’d helped him distress and sew multitudes of patches onto, a display of his favorite bands that had only painted a new target onto his back. 

Satan worshiper. That’s what they called your soulmate in terrified whispers amongst the halls at school. That’s what all the PTO mothers’ eyes silently cursed when they’d see him with you at the grocery store. 

He’d made quite the image for himself. And you’d stayed by his side, defending his honor at every chance. Your best friend, your soulmate. 

Only to find him eating the face off of some cheerleader at that goddamned party. 

Yeah, you didn’t need to listen to him. You really had seen enough. 

“She’s not my girlfriend!” he waved his arms wildly, the storm roaring loader with his increased volume.

“What is she then?” you insisted with venom, crossing your arms and effectively closing yourself off from him as you took another step back, “Just some one night stand? Some fun to have before you have to accept that you’re shackled to me for the rest of your life?” 

You hated the way your eyes burned. You cursed the tears gathering as you glared at him viciously, masking all the pain with as much rage as you could muster. 

He wouldn’t even kiss you, his soulmate. But he would kiss her. 

“Stop putting words in my mouth,” he warned lowly, tone no longer making a spectacle of the two of you, “You know that’s not how I see it.” 

“You won’t even kiss me.” 

He was stunned into silence. As you spat out the words, the first few tears slipped.

It was about more than the pretty blonde girl you’d found him with. It was about more than the fact he was kissing someone else. 

“I… What?” he whispered, his entire body going slack with defeat. 

The tears fell more rapidly now as you replayed the moment in your head. The two of you were only at the stupid party for Eddie to deal weed from some weird guy he’d met in the arcade, a way to make extra cash. Cash he claimed he was putting towards your future together. You had no idea how you’d gone from sitting on the couch together to tipsy, joining a circle of fellow peers who momentarily forgot their cruelness between shots of whiskey and pours of vodka. 

You were going to hate the game of Spin the Bottle for the rest of your life. You were sure of it. 

When Eddie’s turn had arrived, when the neck of that dingy beer bottle casted shades of ambers in your direction, you had been so excited. Your heart had been in your throat, your head dizzy with the excitement of him finally kissing you. Your soulmate by Nature, your best friend by choice, finally would be kissing you. You had been so sure it was an affirmation from the Universe that the right choice had been made when it came to the two of you. That it was all real, and the colors weren’t a product of your delusion. 

And then he said no. 

“You wouldn’t kiss me,” you choked out, pulling your arms around your torso tighter to fight back any shivers or shaking, “The bottle landed on me, on your soulmate, and you wouldn’t even fucking kiss me. The one person you should have kissed. And you didn’t.” 

Eddie’s eyes widened in shock, a deer caught in your headlights, as he started to stutter out a sorry excuse. 

You didn’t want to hear it. You only threw your head back in bitter laughter, spinning on your heel and preparing to leave him behind once more.

“Wait,” he begged, grabbing your shoulder this time. 

You shrugged it off harshly, “For what? For you to make up some bullshit excuse for it? I don’t want to hear it, Eddie. I get it. I’m so sorry that I’m your soulmate. I’m so sorry you’re stuck with me. I’m so-” 

He cut you off by rounding in front of you, blocking your escape route and cradling each of your cheeks with determination as he forced you to meet his fiery gaze, “Stop putting words in my mouth! That’s not why I did it, okay? It’s not!” 

Your tears fell more rapidly, so quickly that his thumbs couldn’t have kept up with swiping them away if he tried. Instead, he let them puddle against his palms, focus solely on your eyes as he bore into them and whispered, “That’s not why I said no. And it’s not why I kissed that girl, okay? You’ve got to believe me, kid.” 

“Don’t-” you started, but he shook his head, determined.

“No, no. Hear me out. Please. You know I don’t see it that way. You- You’re- I’m not shackled to you. You aren’t some sort of damnation for me. Do you get that? You aren’t some life sentence or burden – you’re….” he trailed off, and you could see the tears gathering in his eyes. Constellations in his lashes to match your own. “I said no because I’m terrified. O-Okay? I said no to kissing you because… because… what if you’re the one shackled to me?” 

The crack in his voice reverberated through you. Aftershocks rattled your bones at his confession. 

“I- We haven’t crossed that line. And I just… if I crossed that line, and if you decided I wasn’t what you wanted…” his eyes searched yours for answers you couldn’t provide to him, not as your brows creased and your chest tightened, “If I kissed you and you decided that the Universe made a mistake, that I’m not actually your soulmate… I- Fuck, I couldn’t take that, kid. I couldn’t.” 

You’re no longer poised to run, to escape him and all the emotions drowning your lungs. You felt your shoulders drop, your defenses burned to ash as you stood with two solid feet on the quivering ground below you. 

There were a million reassurances on the tip of your tongue, but instead you only said, “Why did you kiss her?” 

The question that had pinned you as a flight risk. Because if what he told you was true, and you did believe him, then it didn’t make sense. Nothing that had happened that night made sense if what he said was true. 

“I don’t know,” he seemed even more confused than you, “And- God, I’m fucking sorry for such a shitty cop-out of an answer. But I just… I don’t know. I just did. She was there, and she kissed me, and I kissed back. I pretended she was you, like a fucking idiot.”

The honesty threatened to shatter you, but you decided it was better to hear his truth than risk being lied to. You could move past the anguish in both your eyes, the confusion and the hurt having brewed – you wouldn’t have been able to move past some half-assed lie in an attempt to save your feelings. 

“I regret it,” he whispered, “The moment I kissed her back, I regretted it.”

“Why?”

An opportunity to seal a bandage over the bleeding wound. A chance for him to make it all better. 

“Because she isn’t you. She isn’t my soulmate - she never could be. It’s you, and it was always going to be you, even if the Universe didn’t agree with me.” 

You took a moment to try and picture a world in which the man stood before you wasn’t your soulmate. A world where your palms touched, and your world hadn’t exploded in technicolor. Another Universe where the first color you had seen hadn’t been warm, brown, honey coated eyes. A twisted timeline where you hadn’t been awarded the gift of memorizing the red of his guitar, his sweetheart, or the calm blue tint his room bathed in every early morning. A world where you don’t know the shade his skin turns in during golden hour, or can’t see the way his few tattoos he’d gathered in the past year on his skin are actually a fading shade of blue-green rather than stark black. A world where you couldn’t pick up the Fruity Pebbles stuck between his teeth as he rushed to class late and you teased him mercilessly for it. A world without color - a world without the guarantee of Eddie Munson. 

A breeze roared by, and you could hear the Universe you were in whispering to stop it, to not do this. Because you weren’t living in a world without color. Your world had burst to life when your palm met his. You knew all the colors of his lifeline like the back of your hand. 

“It wasn’t worth it?” You knew the answer. You still needed to hear him say it.

And say it he did, nodding in confirmation, “It wasn’t worth it. She wasn’t worth it.” 

He could have left it at that and you would have offered him your forgiveness anyways. Even if the bond formed between you two didn’t feel like a shackle of chains binding you two together, you knew that there would always be an invisible string wound around your soul and connected to his. You could have spent longer being mad, you could have still walked yourself home and left him broken in the middle of that neighborhood street. But even if you did, you would have eventually found your way back to him. Whether you left in anger, whether you left in sadness, whether you left in mourning – your final destination remained the same. Him.

You may have all the time in the world with Eddie, but even a second spent upset with him felt like a second wasted. 

Not even forever felt like long enough. You knew that now, glaringly obvious by the chain of events the night had followed. 

And so he could have left it at that. And all would be well. Wounds would heal and time would soothe the ache that echoed. But he didn’t. 

He took a step closer. Took a shaky, deep breath. And then another step. One foot after the other until he was toe-to-toe with you as he breathed out, “You’re my future. You’re everything to me. Soulmate or not, you’re all I want. I want to grow old with you until I lose count of your wrinkles, and then some.” 

His chin tilted down, lips daring closer and closer to yours as your stare into his eyes refused to waver. 

Deep, deep brown. Endless, molten, a kind of comforting that says you’re home, you can rest now. How fortunate you were to see the twisting of lively carob and umber rather than lifeless greys. 

Your eyes tried to flutter close, but you couldn’t let them, not yet. Not until he was close enough to feel his breath on your chin before he let out a raspy, “Baby.” 

You folded immediately, took the plunge as your eyes finally shut and you pressed forward with fervent. 

It wasn’t like the movies. It wasn’t fluid and instantaneous. There was hesitancy and there was awkwardness, and your noses bumped one anothers hard enough to make both of you chuckle into the rarity of space left between your mouths as you both gasped in waves of air before returning to one another. His hand took its time before it grabbed your waist, and it trembled the entire time. Your arms shook the entire way they lifted until they wrapped around his neck and shoulders, unsure of where exactly to lay comfortably. 

But none of that mattered. Because he was kissing you – your soulmate was finally kissing you. And you had never kissed another soul before that night, but you knew immediately you’d never want to kiss another soul. 

It wasn’t like the movies or fairy tales, but it was enough. 

And you knew he felt the same way when the kiss was broken by the grin that split his lips just as the sky began to spit out the beginning of its inevitable downpour. 

—

You hadn’t heard from Eddie in three days. Which, fair enough. Finals season was nearly upon you two and you knew he had been stressed. Since the night of that party nearly a year before, you two had become even more inseparable if possible. You two had finally crossed a line, had finally accepted your status of soulmates, and no one would dare to demand the two of you detach from each other’s sides once you made the announcement that you were officially together. 

Wayne had worn a knowing smile. Your parents had simply warned Eddie to not hurt you (as if that was even an option for him at this point). Even Principal Higgins had offered a polite smile when he caught you two holding hands in the hallway, surprisingly not commenting on the public display of affection. You two were officially dating, officially succumbing to the status quo of what soulmates should be. 

Everyone had already sort of known there was something there between you two, but making it official removed any sliver of doubt any of them may have harbored. 

And so it was fine if Eddie needed space. It had been that way before your first kiss, occasionally learning how to stand as your own entities rather than solely a joint force, and it could continue to be that way after your first kiss. 

But after three days, you had started to worry. 

Pacing your room, you told yourself you were being ridiculous. This was fine. Space was good – space was needed. 

Space didn’t help with all your what-ifs, though.

What if he was hurt? What if he was sick? What if he was mad at you? What if the longer you gave him that space, the starcher of a revelation he would have that he didn’t need you? What if the two of you had flown into all of this too fast, too quickly, too soon? It may have taken years to get there, but what if Eddie suddenly decided the last year had been too much? 

You were in your car, driving recklessly down the streets that would lead to his house, before you could even think of another what if. 

If it was that last thought that crossed your mind, if everything between the two of you had become simply overwhelming for him, you convinced yourself it would be okay. It would be just fine, you could handle it as long as he told you as much to your face rather than hiding behind distance put between you. It remained a mantra spinning through your storming mind the entire drive; it will be fine. It will be okay. As long as he says it, I can handle it. Anything for him.

You never considered that one of the other possibilities was more likely. Not until you had your car haphazardly parked in front of the Munson’s trailer, fist banging on their front door before Wayne threw it open with tired eyes and wrinkles bunched in concern. 

“Is he here?” you breathed out in lieu of a proper greeting, breathless from your jog up to the damn porch from your car that you hadn’t even bothered with locking up.

It will be fine. It will be okay. As long as he says it, I can handle it.

Wayne understood immediately, stepping to the side as he nodded and motioned for you to come in, “He’s in his room. But listen, he got some news, and he’s not do-”

You didn’t hear the rest of Wayne’s warning, too busy storming past him and flying to Eddie’s bedroom door. You didn’t even knock, bursting through the door and already fighting tears as you geared up to hear Eddie say that he needed time and space, that he had gotten sick of you, that he wanted to experience more life before you guys really gave any of this a fighting chance. 

“Eddie, can you please tell me why you’ve just up and disappeared-” you cut off your plead the moment you laid eyes on him. 

He wasn’t facing the door. He was curled up in bed, back to you, clad in nothing but a t-shirt and boxers. You could see the stubborn knots that had built up in his hair, immediately keyed in on the way he was trying to collapse into himself. His knees were nearly buried in his chest, and if you squinted into the dark room, you’d see the outline of his spine beneath the flash of skin peaking out from where the back of his shirt had raised. 

It wasn’t just the state of him; the state of the room also immediately silenced you. 

Almost as if a war path had been torn through it days before, the bedroom was messier than normal. Eddie was never the most organized or pristine person, but he kept his living space well enough to… well, live. Kept the floor always within sight, tried to never let any collection of trash overflow on the tops of his dressers or desk. He even found himself emptying his ashtrays without your reminding most of the time. Usually, most of the clutter simply came from mountains of papers detailing campaigns or writing new songs, or different sets of dice being left out from planning said campaigns. A t-shirt here, a pair of ripped jeans there – sure. He was a teenage boy. It was expected.

It looked as though a level five hurricane had hit Eddie Munson’s room. 

Clothes strewn everywhere, dresser drawers thrown open and never closed. Beer cans collected across each surface and both ashtrays were overfilling with cigarette butts. You even spotted two half smoked joints on his bedside table. His sweetheart had been taken off of its wall mount and laid to rest on the floor. He would never have let his prized possession be discarded like that. Ever.

Your voice came out weak as you took a step closer to the bed, “Eddie?” 

You’re surprised he heard your whisper. He stirred, and your eyes followed the dust particles dancing in the single stream of sunlight that was bursting through a hole forgotten in his makeshift curtains. Navy blue sheets the two of you once used to make a pillow fort in the Munson living room, thinned to the illusion of a sky blue in some patches.

You’d always warned him they make shit curtains; he’d always shrugged and said it added to his feng shui. 

“Eddie,” you whispered again, knees knocking against the edge of the mattress as you looked down at his broken form, “I… What happened? Are you… are you okay?” 

You hadn’t known how to approach it. Whatever happened was even worse than the first time he’d received a phone call from his dad in prison. 

He mumbled something against the pillow he has one arm curled under.

“What?” you questioned, nearly ready to climb into that damn bed and force him onto his back, force him to look at you if only so you could guarantee there were no tear tracks on his cheeks. 

You don’t have to, though. Eddie finally loosened his grip on that pillow and rolls ever so slightly, just enough for you to see half his face and feel your heart break at the confirmation of tears. Translucent pink eyes, glossy wet cheeks, the tip of his nose glowing as his gaze met yours. He looked tired.

“I’m getting held back,” he croaked, “I fucking- I flunked. I’m not graduating.” 

You nearly sighed in relief. For his sake, you don’t, but the weight on your shoulders lifted immediately. 

“Oh, sweet boy,” you murmured, giving into the need to crawl into the bed. You folded your knees as you situated yourself on the bed behind him, and the moment you’re situated, he wasted no time twisting himself to face you and bury his face into your side, “Why didn’t you call? You had me losing my goddamn mind-“ 

A strangled sob rattled against your side. One of his hands gripped your thigh, fingertips holding on for dear life, “Because your soulmate is a fucking loser.” 

Your chest cracked further, a valley beginning to form as a hand buried into the back of his head, holding him to you as the other hand moved to rub his back in soothing motions.

“My soulmate is not a fucking loser,” you tried to keep a gentle tone rather than scold him at the moment. He didn’t need scolding — he needed patience, he needed care, he just needed you to be there, “Keep talking about him that way, and I’ll have to get the fighting gloves.” 

He wetly laughed into your t-shirt, and you were sure that there would be tear stains when he finally lifted his head, “I’m the one who taught you how to throw a punch, baby.” 

“Exactly. Which means I’ll have you on your ass in ten seconds flat.” 

It was a few minutes of silence that followed; just you holding him, just him clinging onto you. His life line — his single ship of hope in what had been a terribly rocky sea the last few days. An irreplaceable peace settled across all the wounds and damage that had been done in private. You had been right. He should have called you immediately. He should have known that if anyone could make the situation feel less like his world was ending, it was you.

His soulmate.

“Do you want to talk about it?” you questioned in a soft, lulling tone. The endless patterns you’d drawn on his back had nearly put him to sleep, “Maybe be a bit kinder to yourself this time?”

“I just…” he started, finally removing his face from being buried against you, “I sort of had a hunch. O’Donnel wouldn’t round my grade, you know? And I’ve skipped a lot of classes, I know. But hearing Higgins say it just… just…”

“Made it real?” you offered a weary ending to his sentence.

“Yeah,” he nodded, “Real. It made it really fucking real.” 

He didn’t feel judged at that moment. He felt seen as you continued on, “It is real, and it sucks. But it’ll be okay, Eds. I mean, I was already planning on the community college for my first year, maybe even taking a year off. If you need any help with classes, you just gotta ask me. Don’t forget I was one of O'Donnell's pets, as unfortunate as it was. I know how to work that woman into rounding up some grade.”

You rambled on a little more, all the while still stroking his hair and back, offering even more solutions. The longer you spoke, the better Eddie felt. You made it all sound so easy — like this was nothing, like it was the smallest of blips in plans that had been years in the making. You weren’t upset, you weren’t disappointed. He deserved your negativity, and instead only received your optimism.

You were with him for the long haul, he realized. Truly. It wasn’t just some one off promise or chain of the Universe holding you to him. He wasn’t dragging you down.

When you finally trailed off, his lids finally heavier than his heart, he sighed, “I love you. You know that?” 

“I love you,” you smiled, “That’s kind of part of the soulmate package, isn’t it?”

“Fuck the soulmate part,” he lifted out of your hold despite everything in him screaming to stay put, to let you to continue to coddle him, “I’ve seen plenty of people be shitty to their soulmates. I watched my dad-“ he cut himself off, throat tightening with memories of his parents. You don’t make him finish that sentence, only nodding in understanding, “The Universe doesn’t force you to be a good person. You choose to be that. Every single day, you choose to stand by my side. You always have. You could have made me feel shitty about this, could have let me see how bummed you really are about sticking out another year here, but…” 

But you didn’t. 

Your eyes softened, a stormy shade of his favorite color, “Do you remember the way you punched Carver that day, before you even knew me?” 

That very first day. The day two souls destined to intertwine had come in contact. The day the Universe had sighed in relief as your palm met his.

He nodded.

“You didn’t have to do that,” you whispered, “You didn’t even know me. And yeah, whatever, maybe the Universe nudged you to do it, whatever. But there’s tons of people who know their soulmates for years and never realize it. Tons of people go to school and never interact with their soulmates. But that very first day… the first day you were at that school, the first day you saw me — we met. You defended me. And that counts for something. And I like to think it speaks more about us than it does about the grand scheme of things,” you brought a hand up, wiped away whatever tears were left on his cheeks with enough tenderness he almost started to sob again, “You didn’t know I was your soulmate. I was just some random classmate, and you defended me without even thinking about it. And I will always do the same for you. Always.” 

You always had, you always will. The two of you had proven, time and time again, that you will always choose one another. It was never about that inevitable bond. 

“I don’t deserve you,” he confessed, quickly moving to keep your palm there, resting on his stubbled cheek, “You deserve a soulmate who isn’t a fuck up. Someone good, someone who can give you the world and someone who… who isn’t repeating another year of fucking high school.”

“You still don’t get it,” you grinned sadly. Your fingertips press into that soft spanse right before his ear, cradling him more urgently on their own accord, “I don’t want or need someone else. You do give me the world- you are my world, you idiot.” 

Idiot sounded perfectly aligned with lover as he leaned forward, burying his face in your neck. Home — he was home as you wrapped your arms back around him, pulled him a little closer in your embrace, clung to him as tightly as he clung to you. 

All the colors in the world, and the only ones the two of you cared about were the ones confined to that small space for the time being, shades of you and shades of him, all overlapping perfectly in sync. 

—

You stay true to your word. The first time Eddie repeats his senior year, and the second time. 

Endless nights are spent studying, you forcing him to focus when he couldn’t, trying to invent new ways to learn that work for him rather than against him. He’s brilliant; you never let your boy forget that. 

It’s nice for a while. Sickly sweet kisses and teasing exchanges. Enough lovesickness to make even those around you two nauseous. Nights spent out by Lover’s Lake, exchanges of promises of a future to come and discussions of whether your kids will have his eyes or your eyes. Kids. You two were discussing fucking kids. And it had scared Eddie half to death to even bring it up, but you hadn’t been phased. You’d answered terrifying question after question with ease, had even joked about what color flowers the two of you would have at your wedding and listened to Eddie describe the house he’d want to grow old in with you in excruciating detail. Sometimes the two of you even brought up what kind of dog you’d have, fantasized about the big yard which would not have a white picket fence (because, according to Eddie, that shit was too cheesy even for him in all his adoration for you). It made Eddie realize that after all these years, maybe you had become the brave one.

You’d both succumbed to the stereotypical soulmate trope. Become exactly what society had expected from the two of you since the beginning. And honestly, you couldn’t even be mad about it. You get it – you got the allure as you had laid with a head pressed to Eddie’s chest, observing all the stars again, a night sky the vision of black and white as your vision went blurry with fatigue. 

“You know, that house sounds awfully expensive,” you yawned, curling a bit tighter into his side. You’re in nothing but his t-shirt, his chest still bare from the night’s activities.

Another new development. Even after all your time together, you two continued to find novelty to explore. New ways to learn each other, new ways to love each other, new ways to further tie your two souls together. An unbreakable knot. If anyone, the Universe included, tried to loosen it, you would spill blood without second thought. 

“Oh, it absolutely will be,” he chuckled, vibrations echoing in your eardrum, “But that’s fine. We’re going to tap into that rockstar money, baby.” 

In between talks of the future, more honest versions had arisen. Eddie and his band. You and your aspirations. Things that neither of you laughed at quite as much as the talk of children or houses with wraparound porches because they were in reach. 

“Do you think you’ll have groupies?” your voice was a murmur, mouth half pressed into his skin as you lazily traced circles on his pec you aren’t using as your own personal pillow. 

It made him chuckle once more, “Groupies? Sure. Don’t think any of them will be very successful, though.”

“Bold of you to assume I meant just you,” you’re able to snark back even half asleep, “Gareth deserves to be fawned over, too. Jeff is definitely a ladies killer.” 

Your hand moved just fast enough out of the way for Eddie to lazily mimic stabbing himself in the exact muscle you were painting invisible imagery across, “You wound me, sweetheart.” 

From this angle, you could catch the exact shade of brown that his faded freckles shone. You could see the differences in tan skin, see where he’d left a pair of sunglasses on his chest during a lake day over the summer and the tanline had remained stubborn. That had been a good day – Eddie had thrown you off the dark, wrapping his arms around you and turning the world to a blur of passing greens and blues before you’d been dunked beneath the lake’s surface. The cold water had stunned you, but him joining you seconds later hadn’t. Always by your side, even when he was being a little shit.

You’ve gone quiet on him, mind overcome with fond memories as the silence came naturally only for a few seconds before Eddie felt the need to fill it again. 

“What are you thinking about?” he asked, the hand that had mock-stabbed himself now curling around your forearm. 

Your hand against his chest turned to a fist, pressing deeper into the skin, just to feel him closer, before you teased him, “How do you even know I’m thinking? What if my mind is just blank right now?”

“Psychic-soulmate-telepathy powers,” he answered without hesitation. When you only huffed, clearly unimpressed, he pressed a kiss to your temple before whispering in honesty, “You were smiling.” 

You took a deep breath, closing your eyes. Usually, you loved memorizing all the colors of him. You loved taking in his doe brown eyes and the harsh blush of his swollen lips. You’d memorize the twinkling of pink staining his skin across his chest and up his neck. You’d pick at the vibrant cherry shade of his painted nails, a sharp contrast from the usual black or sharpie scribbles he’d wear on them instead. 

That silver glint of his rings. The forest green of his plaid boxers. All shades in the palette of Eddie Munson, your soulmate. 

You love him so much, your chest is ready to burst from it. And you told him as much, too.

“I’m just really glad I have you,” you said for only him and only the trees to hear, “I’m really happy you came after me that day.” 

There’s no rush to memorize all his colors and all his shades. You had all the time in the entire world, and then some. The only reason anyone had ever reported losing their colors was due to the death of their soulmate, and he wasn’t in any danger at the moment. He was there, sturdy beneath you, deep breaths syncing with your own. 

If you didn’t learn them in this life, you wouldn’t rest until you found him in the next to finish what you had started. 

“Yeah?” you could hear his grin as he held you a bit tighter. Another deep breath, another expansion of his ribs, and you feel all that time laid out at your feet. A lifetime of learning and memorizing Eddie Munson. A life well spent, “I’m glad, too.” 

“Did you have even a single moment where you…. I don’t know, hesitated coming after me?” your speech began to slur, and you knew you were one foot in unconsciousness at that point. 

“Never,” that same certainty he has always held since day one laced his tone, “Never. I just- I went for it. I made Jason Carver eat his words, and I ran after you. The only thing I’ll ever regret is not throwing a second punch at the asshole.”

Your smile widened, and you knew he felt it. Imagined the comfort he felt at the feeling. Imagined the peace that was washing over him just as it encased you, “But not about coming after me?” 

“I don’t regret coming after you,” he told you, not growing the slightest bit annoyed at your need for constant reassurance. His fingers and palm slowly spread across your lower back, the warmth of their weight carrying you into sleep, “I’ll always come back to you, baby.” 

—

It wasn’t supposed to go this way. 

Spring break was supposed to be nice. Time spent with friends, lazy mornings that you and Eddie slept through, night drives spent screaming out in relief to empty highways because he made it – you both made it. The college transfer was already put into motion, making it so you’d start the fall semester at a University in upstate Indiana. Eddie had taken a few roadtrips with you at his side, already having gotten on the good side of a boss at one of the car shops within range of where you’d be attending. You two had littered his floor with ads for apartments, the ones in your price range circled in brilliant and glaring red. Everything had been perfectly in line. Everything was set in place. Spring break was supposed to be a break to just be kids one last time – it was supposed to be nice. 

But then Chrissy Cunningham happened. And Jason Carver, and an entire town of people who had always hated your soulmate. Suddenly, your own plan for the future had been scrapped, and in its spot a line of new dominos had been placed. One falling down after the other, too quick for you to keep up with.

A group of strangers had banged down on your front door. Had demanded to know where Eddie was, claimed they were friends trying to help him. You hadn’t even seen the news yet. They’d tried to fill you in, but only confused you more in the process, because the words Eddie and murderer should have never been used together in a sentence in the way they claimed the entire town was currently spewing. 

You were his soulmate. They were sure you’d know where he was, but you didn’t. 

That didn’t matter, though. The young boy, Dustin, had been determined. You’d heard all about him from Eddie – about the brilliant mind hidden beneath baseball caps and unruly curls, about the smart mouth you witnessed mouthing off to Steve Harrington first hand as you’d been searching for your boy. 

It reminded you of Eddie. It made you ache. It made you only more voracious in your search. 

And you’d found him – terrified, alone, trembling and crying. A version of him you’d never been privy to had pinned Steve fucking Harrington to the wall of Reefer Rick’s boathouse with a broken bottle to his throat. Wild, scared eyes and hands that shook harder than the day his father had called him and he’d put a goddamn hole through his kitchen wall. More desperation on his face than the day he’d informed you he’d be repeating his senior year for the first time. Shoulders more tense than the night you’d nearly walked away from him over some silly kiss with a cheerleader. 

When he saw you, he’d shattered completely.

The sight of you had him collapsing into your arms, unable to explain himself in full sentences as he gasped and panicked and clung to you. And you had held him, had forced the others to give him time. You were like a feral animal, standing between him and them, friends or not. Your claws and teeth alike had been out, ready to mar anyone who would dare to lay a hand on your soulmate. 

He’d calmed down. He’d explained. And then they had explained and reassured Eddie that he wasn’t crazy. His eyes had found yours over and over, and not a single time did they hold a single doubt for him in them. You believed him; you would always believe him. The cries of the town had been nothing more than static noise. You knew the man before you, you loved the man before you. Your soul knew his intricately, intimately. It would always know him, no matter the circumstance and no matter the troubles to come. In this life and the next.

The colors were never the gift. The gift the Universe had offered you had always been him. 

You stayed with him those short few days. Ran from Carver and his posse, swam in the lake and had kept a level head as you formulated a plan. Find a walkie-talkie. Call for Dustin, call for help. 

When the rest of them had jumped into the lake after Steve, you’d put a selfish hand on his bicep. For a moment, the only thing you were thinking of was him. You couldn’t lose him. 

When he jumped in after Robin and Nancy anyways, you’d followed, no hesitation. 

A dreary, nightmarish world. You’d followed him into Hell – quite literally, it seemed. Except they didn’t call it Hell, they called it the Upside Down. A place made up of all the things children fear, of awful creatures that only served to attack, to kill, and terrible storms of flashing red lightning. A blue tint to the town you’d come to know. Shades of flesh and shades of grey – shades of death – flooded the place. And only you, Eddie, and Nancy could see them. 

Nancy’s soulmate was somewhere far away. Somewhere safe. But she understood that protective stance and the way you’d stuck staunchly at Eddie’s side. She got it. 

A stolen RV, shields made of trash can lids and nails rather than make believe, goddamn spears made at the hand of people all far too young to be handling these things. They were handling the end of the world, and you suddenly hadn’t felt as brave as Eddie always claimed you were. The plan was formulated, and the entire time, you had a sinking feeling in your stomach. You watched Eddie play fight with Dustin, real weapons discarded to the ground, and you listened to Robin whisper the same sentiment to Steve. 

“I just have this terrible, gnawing feeling that… it might not work out for us this time.”

You agreed with Robin. You hated that you agreed with Robin.

And so you stood like a watch dog at Eddie’s side, nearly lashed out when it was suggested you might be more helpful joining everyone else going after this Vecna rather than staying with Eddie. 

It was his turn to put a hesitant hand on your bicep. Brown, russet, umber eyes that flashed with the unspoken question of are you sure you want to do this? 

But he was sure. And just as quickly as you’d followed him into that lake, just as quickly as you had dismissed those awful claims against him, you’d nodded. Because if he was sure, if he was going through it, you would follow him. 

You should have insisted on staying with him and Dustin. 

Because your group of rag tags re-entered that Hellish landscape, and you flinched with each flash of red, not even soothed by Eddie’s hand in yours. And the people around you were now friends; you’d realized in a few short days that you would do almost anything to protect all of them as well, but you knew there was nothing that you wouldn’t do to keep Eddie alive. 

“Hey,” he insists once the two of you stand outside this alternate version of his trailer, somewhere that you should know all too well but that has morphed into something unfamiliar in this world. 

His hand holding yours spins you to face him, a few steps off to the side from the rest of everyone. 

“Hi,” you whisper back, trying to only focus on him. Not the bleak colors of the landscape around you two, but the vibrancy of his shades. You hate the weakness written all across your features, unable to offer him any reassurance in return for all that he had given you over the years. You were terrified. As Robin had said, a terrible gut feeling was gnawing at you from the inside out. You couldn’t help the tears gathering, couldn’t unravel the restriction of your throat. 

“It’s going to be okay, alright?” he does the talking, nodding and lowering his chin to stare right into your eyes. His favorite color now wet with emotion, shining even in the dullest of environments, “Can’t be worse than punching Jason Carver, right?” 

It could be. It could be much, much worse. Everything you two had endured together was children’s play compared to this. But you don’t say that; you nod in dishonesty, biting your lip to stop from letting a whimper escape. 

“I’ll always come back to you, I promise,” he swears so vehemently, voice spitting with determination. Those brows half hidden by the bandana atop his head furrow, his forehead nearly brushing yours.

That, you at the very least, believe. Just as you would find him every time, in this life and the next, he would find you. 

“You better,” you choke out, hands reaching up just to latch onto him one more time. To feel him, sturdy beneath your palms. Alive. Your gift from the Universe, the boy who let you see colors. You almost regret spending so long fascinated with the shades you’d discovered when you should have allotted more time to imprint the features of his face to memory. You should have cared more about that freckle beneath his right eye, the slight crook to his nose, the way each of his calluses feel against your bare shoulders. Shades of blue, red, green, violet, yellow – none of them matter as much as the boy before you. They only matter because they paint the picture of him for you fully. They only matter because he matters, “I still need your rockstar money to pay for that wraparound porch.” 

He laughs at that. And God, he’s gorgeous – his head thrown back, eyes crinkling with genuine joy for the first time in days. No one else catches the tear that slips from one of those pinched eyes, the hidden sadness for only you to catch onto. 

That gnawing feeling – the one you and Robin felt. He felt it, too. 

“Of course,” he finally sighs, opening his eyes back to yours and now holding so many words that neither of you have the time to exchange. It kills you – you don’t have time. You thought you’d always have more time. “Think of this as a test run for that rockstar money. See how a crowd of bats feel about my rockstar skills.” 

“Careful,” your voice cracks, a few tears slipping that he’s quick to swipe away, “I hear they’re a tough crowd.” 

He smiles at your joke, but doesn’t waste his breath on laughing. His lips find yours instead, pouring out every single thought and emotion possible. You feel a tug on that knot you’d tied between you two, everything in your being protesting from pulling back from the kiss. You try to move your lips in a response, to tell him it’ll be fine, to tell him you’ll both return to each other. To tell him you’ll have more time. 

When he pulls back, realizing you can’t, his hand falls from you only to reach into the pocket of his jeans. You don’t understand until suddenly, he’s thrusting a laminated square into your hand. 

You know what it is before you even turn it over. Your entire body strangles down the broken sob as you look down at a polaroid of a younger Eddie. Somewhere safe and somewhere that time is still yours. 

“Keep that safe for me, yeah?” his voice wavers as he produces his own polaroid – the picture of you, “I mean, I’ll have yours, obviously. But… but just… it’s gonna be worth a lot of money once I’m the next big thing in the Upside Down.” 

He’s trying so hard to make you laugh just one more time. It only surges more tears to burn your vision. 

“All I’ll have to show Vecna is this,” you start to joke back, letting more tears stain your cheeks, “And- and-” 

You can’t finish the joke. He gets it, putting a hand over yours, forcing you both to put away those polaroids. 

“I know,” he assures you, “I know. Show him my ugly mug, and he’ll go down without a fight. That’s exactly why I’m giving it to you, baby.” 

Another tear, only for you, slips. You trace it all the way down his cheek, memorize the way his skin looks in the horrid blue tint and try to remember the shade it glows during golden hour instead. 

“I love you,” you say. But once isn’t enough, “I love you.”

“I love you,” he takes your hands in his palms, finally presses his forehead to yours, shares his breath for a moment as he focuses on your sad eyes, “So fucking much. You always were prettier than all the colors combined. Better stay that way till I come back to you.” 

He releases you. Wipes away his tears, has to give you an encouraging shove on your shoulders to force you to join Nancy and Robin’s sides. 

Steve catches your eye, a look on his face telling you he’d been watching the entire interaction. Something yearning crosses his features, and then something clicks. As if this is the first time he’d ever witnessed soulmates. As if he’s the one seeing colors for the first time. 

Maybe that’s why he gives his little speech. Maybe that’s why he tries to plead your case and make sure that Eddie and Dustin don’t do anything stupid. 

After Eddie has made his final request to Steve, to make him pay, he looks at you one last time. A ghost of a grin, wearing his bravest mask to date as he mouths I love you. 

You echo the silent sentiment. A silent prayer. For the Universe to bring him back to you. To bring you back to him. 

—*ash, stop reading here*—

The only way to lose your colors is if your soulmate has died. It’s one of the first things you learn when school first broached the sensitive topic. Your soulmate dies, they take the colors with them. They never told you how the soulmate takes the colors with them – never discussed whether it would fast and sudden like the moment you first touched your soulmate, if the colors would drain from you in real time and leave a path of chromatic grey behind, or if you’d watch them flicker from sight, just as one might watch the life flicker from the eyes of the one they loved.

You’d always wondered how it happened.

You’d been morbidly curious that day in class despite finding it all a bit dramatic. Had looked around a black and white classroom and processed your classmates' different greyscale reactions. Some were forlorn, some were snickering beneath their breath. Some just looked plain bored. It made sense; you were all kids, none of you had ever seen the blue sky or the verdant grass. Only heard about it. Only listened to adults drone on and on about it wistfully. It was never something tangible, something to have and to hold and to lose. 

You wonder how younger you would have looked upon you now. As you faced down an alternate dimension’s fiercest villain, hand paused midair, prepared to launch a lit molotov cocktail with aim to kill, when you suddenly paused.

The shades of the fire burning brightly in front of you have dulled. Microscopically. The smallest of flickers in vibrancy. 

“What are you doing?” Steve screams when he notices your hesitation, “Throw it! Jesus Christ, throw it before-”

Robin cut him off, being the closest to you and reaching over to snatch the ticking time bomb of a bottle, tossing it for you. 

As it explodes against the mangled being before you, another flicker occurs. You swear you feel a stabbing pain in your side, as if that gnawing has taken to ripping you apart.

You swear the bright flashes of yellow amongst the flames have turned to white. The orange has gone so faded, the dullest bits have shadowed over in grey. 

Nancy takes another shot, but you can’t move. You watch it all in slow motion: she doesn’t miss, her shot ricochets dead center, Vecna stumbles before crashing through the wall behind him. 

The world flickers a final time, and all the air leaves your lungs. 

It’s black and white. 

The floorboards, all of your sudden friends beside you, the walls of the old house, the lightning flashing amongst storm clouds in the sky outside.

It’s black and white. Shades of grey monotone. 

As everyone rushes to look out the hole, your knees collide with splintered wood. 

The colors are gone. It’s black and white. 

“Where’d he-” Steve starts to question before he turns and sees you. You’re folding into yourself, no longer breathing as you look down at your palms. Grey. Not a single sliver of flesh tone to be seen. “Are you okay?” 

The colors are gone. 

A cold washes over you like never before, and even if you wanted to take another breath, you couldn’t. It’s not ash burning your eyes – it’s tears, hot and vicious as your face begins to crumple in panic. 

Eddie. 

You don’t even hear them cross the room back to you. Can’t hone in on what’s happened, if the evil has been defeated and if you’d all won. It doesn’t matter; your colors are gone. 

Your hands finally fumble without thought, patting down your person until you catch the corner of the polaroid. You yank it free, breaths finally strangling into your throat without purchase, your shoulders shaking.

It’ll be in color. It has to be in color. He has to be in color. 

That familiar and well loved photo stares back at you. Your boy, curly hair wild and unruly, grin soft and fond. A twinkle captured in his eye and all that adoration that had been rolling off of him in waves somehow frozen in time. 

Frozen in time, frozen in black and white. 

Steve shakes your shoulders, Robin begins to pace and match your panic. They don’t understand. 

Gritted sobs leave your mouth, tears blinding you as you look at the shadow of what must be Nancy.

She understands.

Even through the strangled breaths, earth-shattering sobs that make you nearly incoherent, she knows. 

“Eddie,” you manage to gasp, fist curling around the photograph. 

The only way to lose your colors is if your soulmate has died.

“Eddie,” you manage a mangled sob as Steve pulls back, horror-stricken as he looks down at the polaroid, slowly piecing together what was happening.

Fast and sudden like the moment you first touched your soulmate. Draining from you in real time and leaving a path of chromatic grey behind. Flickering from sight, just as one might watch the life flicker from the eyes of the one they loved.

“Eddie!” 

You’d always wondered how it happened.

You finally had your answer. You wish you didn’t. 

#my writing #eddie munson #eddie munson angst #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson one shot #eddie munson fanfic #gonna run and hide now sorry bye #Spotify

[bg-sparrow]

23 for the music asks?

For this music ask game, I was also sent this number by @moonlightandstarshimmer, as well as numbers 13 and 17. I’m just gonna do them all now!

23. A song that you think everyone should listen to

(Since I got this one twice, y’all are getting two songs!)

The Mariner’s Revenge Song by The Decemberists

This is a song I discovered in college and enthusiastically dissected for my Poetry and Song final. I love it because it’s piratey and the instrumentation compliments the story being told perfectly.

“You may not remember me I was a child of three And you, a lad of eighteen But I remember you And I will relay to you How our histories interweave”

Saturn by Sleeping at Last

This song is gorgeous. The lyrics don't start until halfway through the song, but you won't notice because the music is stunning. And I can honestly say this is one of maybe three songs where I am enamored with every lyric and the dreamy imagery and ideas they paint.

"I couldn't help but ask for you to say it all again I tried to write it down, but I could never find a pen I'd give anything to hear you say it one more time That the universe was made just to be seen by my eyes"

13. One of your favorite 80s songs

Uptown Girl by Billy Joel

This was the toughest one. I love so many songs from the 80s, and my favorite is very dependent on my mood, but Uptown Girl always gets me in a good mood. The romantic in me also enjoys the hardworking, blue-collar-type pining for the (seemingly) unobtainable, unhappy rich girl trope. :)

"Uptown girl You know I can't afford to buy her pearls But maybe someday when my ship comes in She'll understand what kind of guy I've been And then I'll win"

(And let's not forget how fun it is to sing all those "Ohs!")

17. A song that you would duet with on karaoke

Be My Forever by Christina Perri (feat. Ed Sheeran)

This might be the only legit duet I have on my "Smile Guaranteed" playlist. It's just a bright, happy, feel-good song, and I love the harmonies. Be warned, though: as an Alto II, I'm singing Ed Sheeran's part.

"You're my bright blue sky You're the sun in my eyes Oh baby you're my life You're the reason why"

Thanks again for the asks, guys! And apologies again for taking forever to answer! <3

#ask game #music ask game

[leelei1980]

Part 35 - Beauty and the Freak

Perfect

Eddie

I walked into Family Video on a mission, first of all, I needed to pick up a movie for Friday night movie night, with very specific instructions on what to get and then I needed to pull Robin aside and ask her a very important question.

" Hey Munson." Steve was leaning across the counter, looking like he was not accomplishing much. " Friday the 13th again?"

" No, it's Ronnie's turn to pick so it's Sixteen Candles?"

Steve laughed." Oh, your just going to love that. Jake Ryan is so dreamy, but all is not lost, you'll get to see some boobs."

" I'm pretty sure I'll get to see some boobs tonight regardless." I smirked.

Harrington rolled his eyes. " Just rub it in., just rub it right in. Nancy is out of town for the weekend so I just might rent myself Fast times so I can see some boobies this weekend too."

" Have fun with that. Is a Robin around?"

" You rang?" She popped out from behind one of the shelves."What's up Munson?"

" Can we talk somewhere?"

" Something wrong?" She asked concerned.

" No, not at all I just, well it is kind of a secret."

" A secret?" Steve spoke up. " A secret you aren't going to tell ME? "

" I just didn't think you would be interested."

"Me, not interested?" Steve stood up and crossed his arms in front of his chest." Your best friend not interested."

" Well it's kind of a girl thing."

" Oooh, so now I am super intrigued."

" I can trust you two not to go blabbing to anyone right?"

" I am offended."Robin faked shock

" I am mostly talking about Harrington."

" I'm not going to ruin any surprise, so just spill it."

" I wanted to ask Robin if she would go shopping with me for a ring for Ronnie."

" Like a Ring Ring??" Steve asked raising his eyebrows.

"No not an engagement ring, I don't have the money for that yet. I want to get her a promise ring before she goes to college. There is no doubt in my mind that she is who I want to marry, but she is also only 18 years old, and looking to start a career she is very passionate about. I don't want to rush or get in the way of her dreams. I can wait for her, I just want her to know how serious I am about us.

" That's noble.You don't have the money for an engagement ring? " Steve lowered his voice," You're a dealer,sell a shitload of drugs and you will have the money do it. "

"I'm getting out of the business Steve and I am not going to buy her a ring with drug money. Could you imagine telling our kids that story some day?"

" Kids? Wow , you think about this a lot?"

" First time in my life I ever have. I thought I would die alone. Now I have someone I want to share my life with. I want to be the Dad that I never had, someday."

"I think it is romantic." Robin fluttered her eyes." Do you know what size ring she wears?"

" She has tried on mine before and they are all too big. I can't casually slip a ring off her finger."

" I could take one from her jewelry box for you. I would steal in the name of love."

" Not steal, just borrow. Think you could get it before Sunday?"

" Sure."

" That would be super helpful. Thank you. So where do we go to look for a ring? Like a jeweler or like, the Mall?"

"What are you looking for?"

" She likes dainty, colorful jewelry. I will buy her the biggest ring I can afford."

" She would cherish a ring from a bubble gum machine if you gave it to her."

" I know. It just means a lot to me to give her something pretty."

" Do you know what you are going to say? How your going to do it?" Steve asked.

" I have no idea. I was thinking of taking her to the overlook where we had our first date, setting up a picnic , the works. She loved it last time."

" That would be perfect." Robin smiled. " I will come up with some kind of plan to get it tomorrow. Then we can go Sunday."

" Can I go too?" Steve asked.

" You really want to go?" Robin asked.

" She is my friend too!"

" Whatever, it's fine. Just don't say anything." I looked at my watch. " I've got to head out. So Sixteen candles, sour patch kids and a box of junior mint's please." Steve went back to grab the movie and I paid Robin. " Thanks again Robin."

" Anything for love."

Steve put the movie on the counter. Keep me in the loop ok?"

" Sure thing. Have a good night guys." I walked out and went to pick up my girl.

*************************************

Sunday I called Robin who then called Steve and we went to the mall to look at rings. Robin went to Ronnie's house Saturday and asked if she could barrow an outfit and accessories for her cousins wedding, and Ronnie let her pick out whatever she wanted so it was easy enough to get the ring. Veronica was going to visit her grandmother so we had the whole day to complete our mission without worry.

" Ok guys point me in the right direction. I never come to this place."

" Are you going to get her birthstone or just something we think is pretty?" Robin asked.

" I was kind of hoping I would see something and it would just pop right out at me."

" Let's start out at the jewelry store on the lower level, remember the one across from Scoops Ahoy?"

" Yeah, that one seemed nice." Robin took my hand and dragged me through the mall.

When we walked in the woman behind the counter looked at me and smiled. Definitely not an expression I was used to.

" Anything I can help you find?"

" I'm looking for a ring, for my girlfriend. "

" An engagement ring?"

" A promise ring. Something pretty and colorful."

She smiled at me and brought me over to a case with a million rings in it. There were so many different colors and different shapes."Guys, over here." Robin and Steve came over.

" There are so many options." Robin scanned the case.

" I kind of like the Purple stones, the Amethyst? She wears purple all the time." I looked over the stones.

" I think that would be a good choice. They are very pretty. " Robin agreed.

" So what shape? "

" I feel like round is classic, the oval is kind of unique, different. I think she would like something different than the norm." Steve commented and I think he is definitely right.

" I think Amethyst are supposed to be good at helping with anxiety and alleviating fear."

"Perfect!" I looked and saw an oval shaped Amethyst with little tiny diamonds on either side of it. I felt like this was the one." Can I see this one please? And can we check on the size of this ring?"

" Sure thing!" She opened up the case and pulled out the tray that the rings were on. I handed her the ring we had and she tried it on a model." It is a size 6."

"Alright, and this ring?" I pulled it out of the holder and looked at the tag. 6, perfect. Then for the scary part, the price tag. Yikes, high but within my range. " This is it, guys."

" Yup, I think it is perfect for her."

" I concur. Oh my god this is so exciting!" Robin clapped her hands together. " We should go get shakes to celebrate!"

" What kind of shake do you want Munson? We will order it and meet you at Scoops."

" Chocolate, always. Thanks, I'll meet you over there."

The Saleswoman came over and put the ring in a box." It is a beautiful piece. She is a lucky girl."

" Thanks, but I am luckier to have her." I took out my wallet to pay.

She smiled at me." Your so sweet." She looked me over. " Were you in the band Corroded Coffin? "

I smiled, completely shocked that someone would remember me from a performance."Yeah, have you been to a show?"

" Saw you at the battle of the bands. You guys won, you played a Kiss song."

" We did! Wow, good memory."

She blushed." I thought you were cute."

I felt myself blush. " Do you remember the Drummer?"

" She was the only female in the competition and she was pretty badass."

" That's who the ring is for. My girlfriend, She is a total badass. I hope she loves it."

" She will, especially coming from you." She smiled again and handed me my receipt. "She's a lucky girl. If anything happens to the ring you can bring it back in. There is a protection plan on it."

" Perfect, thanks a lot for your help. Have a great day!"

" Enjoy your Chocolate shake."

" Thanks." I zipped the ring box up in my pocket and went to meet Steve and Robin at Scoops Ahoy. They were sitting in a booth in the back corner.

" There he is." Steve pushed my shake across the table as I sat down. " She was flirting with you hardcore."

" She recognized me from the Battle of the Bands. I told her that the drummer was my girlfriend, that is who I was getting the ring for, she said that she was a badass." I smiled.

" You should have just flirted, maybe you could have gotten a discount." Steve smiled."She was a total Badass playing those drums."

I shook my head." Nah, I'm not a charmer like you. " I held up my cup and we did a cheers. "I have two weeks left with her before she leaves, then it is going to be the longest month of my life."

" Yeah but then your taking the next step, living together. That's when the fun will begin."

" Am I doing the right thing by giving her a month? I just don't want to smother her, ya know? She is going to have enough to get use to without throwing me into the mix."

" I think it's smart, she can get into a routine, get settled, grounded- as much as I love you Ed's, I believe you might be quite-distracting. Especially since it is going to be just the two of you living together." Robin agreed.

" I'm worried about her."

" She will be fine. She is probably one of the most capable people I know. We will all call and check on her.We are only three hours away if she needs anything." Steve took a sip of his shake.

I took the ring box out of my pocket and flipped open the top and sighed.

" What's wrong lover boy?" Steve smirked

" I want it to be perfect."

" Don't worry Eddie ,It will be."

#eddie fanfic #eddie munson smut #eddie stranger things #eddie munson

[blondrichclosetwitch]

9:31 but I ain’t letting up until the day I die

10:31 Kate bush “…if I could just have more control over it, I could get more of what I wanted to be said and so far it’s worked. I definitely think there has been a change. I still have problems especially in media anything to do with the mention of sex. people are taking me much more seriously as an artist.”

11:31 i’ve got a real life Kewpie doll

11:31 My sorry name has made it to graffiti

I was looking for someone to complete me

Not anymore dear

Everything has changed

12:31 blood sugar sex magik—shes magik sex magick sex magick (spirits got very loud about this)

Uncontrollable notes from her snow-white throat (that’d be me. that’s on tape)

1:31 spoonman—Come on while I get off

2:31 diamond dogs —(There's gonna be sorrow) try and wake up tomorrow

3:14 agent orange —

“But you know that sadness when you know your relationship is over and you’re still alive? You know you’re not dead. You’ve got all your body parts. You’re all there. You’ve got a date. He’s got a new love…(long dreamy pause)..and you go on with it.”

314 I know—Baby, I can't help you out while she's still around*

So for the time being, I'm being patient*

just consider this, even if it don't make sense all the time…Give it time*

The crowd becomes your burden

331 What have you been doing to yourself?

It's the last thing you should do

4:31young Americans—She took his ring, took his babies

531 pretty good year: Maybe a bright sandy beach Is gonna bring you back

Some things are melting now*

What's it gonna take Til my baby's all right?

631 Sara 3/10/79 live— since six is love,… You get the gist

731spiderbite song—Love is the greatest thing a heart can know

But the hole that it leaves in its absence can make you feel so low

8:31 take good care of it—

For the love that you send will come back to you someday

9:31 oh jim—All your two-bit friends

They're shootin' you up with pills*

They put you on the stage

They thought it's good for a laugh

22:31 high ideals—You're so far away and she's right here by your side

12:31 don’t you know that I would never hurt you?

#31

[jlf23tumble]

dorothrry has killed me pls give me ur best harry in a dress recs!

1I LOVE HER!! I feel like I do one of these every now and again, but they're all so slightly different that it's worth relooking? At any rate, I know I'm missing a few because a) the very best have been deleted (and rightfully so), and b) there's only so much tagging that can help me on a broad one like this because I have at least two hundred of those bookmarked, I stg. HANYWAY, I sprinkled in some new and some old and some beloved and some underrated, hope they help! (I'll keep the list below to h/l, but I did Harry/others earlier today...the guy sitting next to me on the plane, reading up on El Chapo while I created this masterpiece WISHES he had these recs!)

I wanna see the way you move for me baby, Tomlinsontoes, 3.3k. Gettin' walked in on during tour!

She Feels So Good (plus gorgeous sequel, Turns Out She's a Devil), zedi, 4k. That second one doesn't pass the safety check lmao!

venus as a boy, docklands/ @hershelsue, 4.5k. Title is as labeled!

in this dress, cabinbythesea, 5.4k. Lights Up was the inspo!

makin' heads turn, can't stop looking at you, bananapop, 5.9k. Little black dress inspo!

sweet baby, our sex has meaning, publunchesownmyass, 8k. The lace dress, roxy girl hours!

little black dress (it's all right), istajmaal, 8.1k. The first story in a brilliant series!

Becoming, @homosociallyyours, 8.5k. The fluidity all the way down to the text itself!

just close your eyes and dream about it, itiswhatitisbutterfly, 8.5k. Someday I'll just go back through the decade-old tag for this! The visuals!

Tuxedo Classic Dance Party, SirTranscelot, 8.7k. The HIJINKS in this perfect sequel to my perfect fave!

My Sweet Girl, @fournipplesau, 10k. This series, this author, their wheelhouse!

fallin' and laughin' at the drinks we spilled, enbyharry/ @non-binharry, 14k. I want to see this movie so BADLY, it's so good!

Ever Since I Tried Your Way, @flowercrownfemme, 25k. Another one that feels like a dreamy movie!

Nothing You Can Do, Teumessian, 28k. The pinterest fic!

hush., wankerville, 41k. FAVE FIC ALERT (fave author, too)!

Harry Styles Cooks..., sunsetmog, 61k. His Belle dress! Everything about this fic, I adore it so fucking much!

Time Passed, coffinofachimera, 66k. WAHHHHHHH! MY BELOVED!

You were a beam of light, lit up my broken sky, CuckooTrooke/ @larrydoinglaundry, 84k. The build to it!

Second Spring, vondrostes, 100k. The beauty of it all, swoon!

UPDATING THIS TO ADD ONE I JUST READ:::: There’s No Place Like Home, Fearain, 1.5k. THIS IS FROM TWO DAYS AGO!

#fic rec #one direction #harry styles in a dress #or skirt! #jesus they're all so good #dorothy SENDS ME

[ivesambrose]

Pick a gif which tugs at your heart and/or evokes a long lost memory or a dream. 💙

To book a personal reading with me DM or email me at [email protected] 💫

1.

2.

3.

1.

You've prayed for them, manifested them into your life. You've asked and received.

They've broken tradition in some way. Either in their family, social group/community or they will be the one who breaks your usual type.

A very good listener. Has a penetrative gaze, their facial expressions are actually very emotive. You'd actually find it fascinating.

Anytime they're stressed they'll go and take a walk or be out in nature. They gather inspiration from there as well. They value they quiet time but they also work well with others. They know several people likely but trust very few. Probably have this same set of close friends for the past several years. They don't really open up easily but their aura is comforting. Pretty non judgemental and grounded.

A leader / has latent leadership qualities in a group setting. (can have a strong Aries or Mars influence in them)

Might be into puzzles, board games, putting things together.

Experimental and changes their look often. But they pull it off brilliantly.

Looks really good in red and / or white.

Strong morals, strong sense of right and wrong. They could be going through something but it's not easily visible on their face. Could have an air rising (gemini, libra or aquarius) or can keep a poker face.

Very attractive. Since they do change their appearance often they have definitely bleached their hair at one point. Fair skin with a sun-kissed glow / tan to them. Broad - strong shoulders, narrow waist, strong legs. Might have played sports or is good at sports. This is someone who learns things relatively quick given how attentive they are.

I'm tempted to say they have daddy vibes. Yes even if they identify as female. They have the BDE.

Ambivert but leaning a little more towards the introvert side. However in social settings they do handle things well given their confidence regardless of how shy they can be. However once you get to know them they'd be very quirky and funny around you. The kind to randomly do a weird tik tok challenge but for you/close friends/cuz they felt like it and not the camera

Cinematography, cinema, editing, photography.

Well travelled, street smart and knowledgeable.

They love hoarding knowledge, you'd be surprised.

You'll meet them when you leave a place/location or situation that's been causing you stress and giving you more anxiety and repression than peace and progress. Highly likely during travel or once you've relocated to some place.

2.

Sensual. So damn sensual and captivating. They look unreal sometimes honestly it's intimidating.

Something about their voice is downright so enchanting and sexy. You can't help but feel attracted to them, it's almost annoying how drawn you feel. (possible lilith rising, could have scorpio and taurus or capricorn placements) I mean I wouldn't be surprised if they sing, have an asmr channel, are a speaker, spokesperson or representative etc

Very dreamy, rather spiritual as well. They definitely have faith in something that they feel is above them. They seem a little prone to really vivid dreams as well as nightmares. Might even be a bit clairvoyant or Clairsentient.

Secure in their business and career might own a business actually. Thing is there is a lot of goals they want to accomplish. But they're not the kind to stall it, they actively go for it. They don't care, they'll achieve it. Especially if you tell them that they can't, then they definitely will. However their ambitions aren't the shallow kind, they really do want to leave a mark or simply express themselves for how they are on the inside.

Either they look like a complete softie, care bear, mom friend or they look like a siren or what Christian Grey thought he was or they have the aura Eric Draven had in The Crow or Maleficent carries. There's no in between. They switching positions like that Ariana song.

They have the most kissable lips.

Highly likely have tattoos because they love the sensation of getting inked.

Tall, lean, Dark hair, dark eyes, beauty spots, really nice hands. Look really good in every shade of blue and green, black (definitely black) and even certain floral or geometric prints. They may also like wearing accessories a lot.

For some reason I saw a crown.

Emotional and intense, they need a creative outlet of expression or they shut down. Like, I kid you not they need to at least once completely lose themselves in something then come home and pass out on the sofa.

Expect a lot of thoughtful random gifts and display of affections from them. They're a bit possesive, I almost feel they can be a little bratty but oh when they look at you, they have eyes only for you. Talking to them is finding a best friend from a life you have no knowledge of but yet it feels right.

Sincere

Trust

Romantic

Passionate

Beach baby / loves the water. Doesn't really like the cold as much.

They may have a pet? They seem to be very good with animals.

You'd meet them when you feel really good about yourself, you'd be really feeling yourself or would have achieved something. Making travel plans or setting your next goals it might even be night. It'll feel perfect actually, right it happened at the right time. You'd be getting signs though but I feel you'd be preparing yourself for other exciting stuff to take proper note of them and boom it happens.

3.

An explorer, a seeker, a student who wants to keep learning, keep being a ray of sunshine in everyone's life.

They seek their soul family/found family or would really want a family of their own someday. Very good with kids likely or at most, very patient with different types of people.

Honestly if they were a Pokémon they'd be bulbasaur.

Regardless of their age they're very youthful, the inner child is intact.

They might dress very vintage or old school. Very laid back actually. Also something about walking barefeet on wooden floors came up. They look they belong in a old photograph / polaroid almost. I'm not getting much on their looks besides they look like they belong in a painting or old polaroid. They feel like home, they feel like laying in a field and relishing the golden hour, they feel the the type whose hand you'd hold and run off with. Red and browns are definitely their color, they pull of the muted tones really well. (almost thought of Taylor Swift's Willow music video)

Might have a strong aquarius and capricorn influence in their chart as well.

Their upbringing may not have been in the best conditions but they've worked very hard or are working very hard to improve their quality of life or give back to their family in some way. In some way they've turned their life around. They did a full 180. Crazy.

Deep voice. Warm whispers.

Honey in tea.

Carnations, lilies and red grapes.

They'd like to celebrate the little victories in their life with you. They get happy over the simple things so much, I can just feel my heart melt because of this person and their smile. They're so affectionate and kind and it's making me tear up almost. Wow.

Also they smell really nice. Flowery notes maybe?

They love touching foreheads.

Might play an instrument or paint.

Honestly, I kid you not. They feel straight out of a fantasy book. The closest characters I can think of is Westley from Princess Bride, Aurora from Maleficent and Belle from Beauty and the beast.

You'll likely meet them when you've shut out something toxic in your life. You may not even be looking for love, this might be after a break up even, you may even be escaping a situation or be away from a gathering and be around New people / faces you aren't as familiar with when this happens. Your anxiety will ease around this person. You might even had a passing thought or dream of this scenario before it happens but you'll brush off the thought thinking that isn't possible or something, then you'll be in for a surprise regardless.

#free readings #tarot community #divination community #Pick a card #Pick a gif #pick a picture

[lovelytarou]

fixer upper — sero hanta

pairing: sero hanta x reader

genre: fluff

word count: 1.5k

a/n: i'm sorry this took so long, but this got longer than intended and i'm proud to announce that i am a sero simp now 🤧 part 6/7 of the event!!! also sorry for the header my braincells run out and it was p last minute, this is also not proofread

having sero as your lover has been amazing. he's a gentleman, he's patient with you, he understood you, and most of all he cares for you more than he liked to admit. 

your relationship consisted of showing each other your endless affection through actions, words and in many ways you both possibly could. one of your favorites about sero's way of showing his love to you is by paying attention to the smallest disarray in you and fixing it. 

you admit that you loved it when he doted on you, fussed over you like a mother hen would. but it just shows even in the trivial things, you see that he cared. 

it made your heart race and beat wildly inside your ribcage that prisoned your restless heart whenever he does so. leaning close to you unknowingly, his breath fanning your face and mingling with yours, feeling his warmth, seeing the crease in his eyebrows as he tried to fix whatever it is he found in your physique. 

you'd thank him right after. claiming that 'you didn't notice' and proceed as if nothing happened. as if what he just did didn't make you fall for him harder and as if you didn't do it intentionally. 

that's why you took your date night as the perfect opportunity to 'test' your boyfriend and see just how far his limits go with him being caring for you. call it a little social experiment without his knowledge. it's not to take advantage of him, but more like, a challenge perhaps. 

before exiting your shared bedroom, you made sure you let one strand of hair untucked and the necklace that he gave you lie on top of your collar bones in the wrong way.

you greeted him with a smile, ready and giddy for tonight. he looked handsome as ever with his usual self. hell, he can wear whatever and you'd still find him gorgeous and breathtaking. 

“wow,” he breathed out in shock as if he just saw you for the first time. “you look stunning,” 

“thank you, you look...hot.” you complimented him back, not without your face feeling hot which he so definitely noticed. 

he stared at you in awe for a minute or two. you counted in your head, it was only a matter of time before he's unable to resist himself. the slight movement of his hand caught your eye and it was already moving to tuck the loose hair behind your ear, beaming at you with a starry gaze. 

“let's go?” he offered his arm for you to take and you both walked out of the house. 

and it was the perfect opportunity to execute the second step of the plan. it was rather chilly out that night, good thing you purposely left your coat inside the house and now as you're rubbing your arms, sero definitely noticed how you shivered in your bones. 

“i told you to always bring a jacket, my love.” he had a worried frown on his face but nevertheless, took off his own jacket and placed it on the top of your shoulders like the gentleman he is. your heart just about celebrated inside your chest at the action even though you had planned it all along. 

 his jacket and his shirts that you loved to wear even if sometimes they don't fit you, offered their services when he was busy during work and he wasn't there to cuddle you. they became your secondary source of comfort while he's away. 

“i know, but i love it when you lend me yours.” you smirked up at him, snuggling close. “plus it smells better, smells like you.” it smells like home, is what you wanted to say.

“you're lucky you're cute,” he teased, kissing your temple as you both walked towards the designated place you're going to have your date. 

it was a lovely retro looking restaurant. granted, not many people are around at that time but it's because sero may have slipped in a coin or two just so no one else will bother you. it took your breath away – the scene can only be seen from the movies or posters alike. they even have old songs playing inside the diner and the staff have uniforms that fit the theme. 

“hanta, this is amazing!” you giggled like a child on christmas. it truly was amazing, they even had their own jukebox at the corner, and the decors are what you really loved. you made a mental note to take a photo here later. 

“it definitely is,” sero mumbled back, eyes focused on you as yours roamed with newfound wonder at the place. he loved that awestruck look on your face, immortalizing it in his mind and happy that he get to be the one to put it on your beautiful visage. 

he led you both to a booth and sat down. not a moment longer, a waitress walked up to the two of you to get your orders. after that, you were both left alone as you waited. 

you stared back at sero in slight confusion, patiently waiting for him to bite into your next plan which he still hadn't noticed yet. 

that was an exaggeration, obviously, but you were thankful for this date night tonight. you were just adding a bit of spice to it per se. 

“how did you know about this place?” you attempt at small talk, anything to divert yourself from talking about your motives for tonight. you're not going to lie, you appreciated that he made time for the two of you to have a date despite him being busy all the time with his work that he barely get to squeeze in this date night without going through so many obstacles and yet here you are, analyzing him like a scientist pointing a magnifying glass on an ant. 

“oh, i once stopped here for some coffee then i thought i should probably get you here someday because this place is awesome and you definitely need to try their food!” sero enthusiastically explained, eyes sparkling in excitement as he animatedly moved his arms while talking.

on that note, the waitress was back carrying a tray of food you ordered. after thanking her, you both digged in and started eating. sero was right, their food was worth trying. 

“this is so good!” you moaned after taking mouthfuls of your burger.

“i feel like i'm in heaven,” sero added, eyes closing as he bite into his. 

“we definitely need to go back here again, babe.” their burger was like a luxury and you wanted to savor every last moment of it. your tastebuds and senses were clearly satisfied and you can't wait to go back for more. 

“wait,” he put down his burger and grabbed a few napkins. he leaned across the table to gently hold your face in place, the other holding a napkin dabbing softly at the mess you have made on yourself while eating. 

at last, he had succumbed to the next step.

fighting back a smile, you thanked him and proceeded to eat. the both of you stayed at the diner for as long as you could, mainly to not disturb the ambience you both created and because you still wanted to stay there longer with your lover.

once you're completely satisfied, you both walked out and basked in the chilly night air. sero's arm hugged you close to his warm body as you strolled peacefully as if you have all the time in the world. well it was peaceful until he turned to you with a focused expression. 

“i can't believe you'd go out looking like that,” he clicked his tongue in mock annoyance, shaking his head as he leaned closer and he finally, finally noticed the necklace that's been sitting on the wrong way dangling on your neck. 

you can't help the smile stretching your lips at his kind act, letting him do his thing. his soft, gentle fingertips arranging the cold metal of his initial on your neck before sliding up the necklace and onto the side of your neck. 

you were no longer smiling as the spaces between you two became smaller and smaller. he stared deep into your eyes, his searching and absolutely in awe of you no matter how frazzled you look, you know he's ready to fix it in a heartbeat. the moonlight shining from behind him along with the twinkling stars truly provided a romantic, dreamy and magical background to the same thing you are feeling right now. 

he took your breath away for the nth time that night – his plump (and burger tasting) lips met yours, massaging and moving against each other in a slow dance, caressing it softly and then you felt his wet tongue poke at the corners of your lips and you can't help but mash it with your own, the kiss turning passionate as you slid your arms up – wrapping it around his neck while his own hands went down to your waist. 

it felt like eternity after he pulled away, eyes hazy and a faint blush you weren't able to see due to the low lighting of the place but you certainly felt the heat emanating from it. yours were heating up from the passionate kiss you shared, smiling at each other filled with nothing but affection. 

“you had ketchup on your lips,” sero chuckled before pulling you close as you walked home. 

general taglist: @chibishae34 @bukojuiice @heyheysey

#WAAAAAH IT'S FINALLY POSTED AFTER 253749473 YEARS 🤧🤧 #sero hanta date me challenge #okay but i feel like he'd be such a gentleman if he would take you on a date tho #also not me getting kinda turned on while writing that makeout scene 👀👀 #tarou writes 🌹 #tarou at 200 🎉 #💫. sero hanta #sero hanta #sero hanta x reader #sero x reader #sero fluff #sero hanta fluff #sero imagines #sero hanta imagine #bnha #bnha fanfiction #bnha x reader #bnha imagine #bnha fluff

[non-stop-imagines]

Baby Daddy Stark (Part 6)

Here's Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Pairing: Tony Stark x Black!Reader

Word Count: 4.2k

A/N: As you guys can see, I'm on a bit of a writing rampage. After writing that Bucky piece last night it felt right to go and update one of my series. It feels good writing again especially after the weird depression moment I had when it was official that all of my classes for the rest of the semester were gonna be online. I would also like to just thank everyone that have been so supportive as I begin to write again and even through my hiatus and hopefully I can get much more writing done. But any way, here's part 6! Hope you all like it! Love you all!!!💛💖💛💖💛💖

Warnings: Some mention of throwing up, Some curse words, Reader being mama bear, Tony on the come up as a dad, Travis develops a little crush, I'm telling y'all right now this is 99.9% fluff

UNIVERSAL TAGS LIST: @beautifulwisdom2001 @iamzion-therealhabesha @thottio @jetaimeamore @shakzer00 @mixedfandxms @here-for-your-bullshit

Baby Daddy Stark Tags List: @blackreaders-assemble @blueoz @mixedfandxms @walawalaboom

Masterlist

_____

It's been about 2 weeks since Travis' tournament and since then the calls from Tony have become more frequent and lengthy. He would call every other day at around 7 at night because he knew you got home at about 6:30 every day and liked that half an hour to come down from whatever mood that work had you in but it's not too late so he has more than enough time to sit and talk with Travis until his bedtime. Even though you didn’t want to admit it, Tony was really making an effort to be more present, and it confused you. Why would a man in his prime put so much effort into being in the life of a son he just found out he had? Your thoughts were broken when the timely sound of your ringtone came through.

“IS THAT TONY?!” You hear Travis yell from his room. A large smile grew on your face once you heard his excitement.

“Yes, but you can’t talk to him until your done with homework!” You yell back from the kitchen, then answer the phone. “Hey Tony. How was your day?” You put the phone on speaker and place it on the counter so you can wash your hands to start dinner.

“Fine, I’m actually getting ready to come upstate tomorrow. How was your day?” Your smile dims to something like a dreamy grin, more than likely matching the smile on his face at the moment.

“Great, I have a presentation for a new surgical robot that I’ve been working on for years. Since Travis was, wow, seven?” You grab the package of defrosted chicken that sat on the counter, grinning at the satisfaction of being able to tell your child to put the chicken in the sink to defrost it before you got home, something you don't think you’ll ever get tired of.

“What is this innovation that I’m going to be seeing in hospitals worldwide someday?” His smile travels through the phone, causing you to have to fight an even larger smile from your face as you finish cleaning the chicken, preparing to season it.

“Well…” You continue on into a long explanation about your innovation that makes brain surgery 15% safer which, in the world of neurology, is an immense difference. Once you got to the point where you were basically giving the exact presentation you were going to give the next day, Travis came into the kitchen looking slightly exhausted.

“Homework done, I am ready to talk to Tony.” His words came out as a sigh, eyes hooded with a hoodie on in the 78 degrees house.

“Okay.” You turn to the phone. “Hey, Tony, here’s Travis.” You go to hand him the phone but stop mid-transfer. “Baby, you look sick. And you feel warm.” You retract your hand from Travis’s forehead and hand him your phone.

“Eh, I’ll be fine. I have a test tomorrow, so I can’t stay home but-” His words come out as a groan before your attempted to say something he is obviously used to. “I know, I know. I’ll go to the nurse if I’m not feeling good.” A sad and somewhat pain smile flashes across his face before you fluffed his hair and sent him off. “Dinner will be ready in a bit. You’re going to eat, take some medicine and go to bed, okay?”

“Yes ma’am.” He smiles back at you from the couch then goes to talk to Tony. You smile when you hear a faint ”Hey, kiddo!” then turn back to the stove to finish cooking.

_____

“Y/N, you ready for today? I know how hard you’ve been working on it.” Your coworker, Kate, pops her head into your office then steps in. Her smile has always been calming for you from your first day there. Her heels click across the floor as she makes her way to the seat in front of your desk. “So, how do you feel?”

“Ahhh, excited. Nervous as hell. And it doesn’t help that I’m just waiting to get a call from the nurse at Travis’s school which would only further postpone the presentation and would do just short of killing me.” You twist a coil of your low pulled back hair around your finger.

“And the, uh, Tony Stark thing?” She leans close and whispers to you, allowing some light brown hair that didn't make it into her bun fall in front of her glasses. Other than Naomi, Kate is the only other person who knows about Tony.

“It's going surprisingly well.” You lean in toward your computer monitor, looking closely at an email before quickly answering it. “He calls… gosh, everyday at a perfect time. Talks to me and Travis-" You stop midway through your gushing, realizing the feeling you get when you even just think about Tony. You love feeling so happy, comfortable and open with another person but it's not just you in this new relationship. Your son is there too, probably just as enamored by the feeling of having his father, having THE Tony Stark as his father. Whenever these thoughts flood through your mind you can't help but think about the hurt that could happen if something-

"Uh, Y/N… your cell." You break from your slowly darkening thoughts and look at your phone. Seeing the somewhat familiar number of Travis's school. You quickly answer it, apologizing to Kate for answering the phone during your conversation to which she hastily dismisses it with a smile, leaving you alone in your office.

"Hello, Ms. Y/L/N? This is Mrs. Johnson, the nurse at North Albany Middle School." Your heart drops. You knew you shouldn't have let him go to school.

"Hello, how are you doing today?" You try hard to continue the conversation as normal as possible.

"I'm doing fine, thank you. I'm calling because I have Travis in here with a fever and just a couple of minutes ago he threw up. I believe it would be the best to have you or an emergency contact come pick him up and take him home." As you were about to answer, you receive a text from Tony.

Tony:

Hey, just wanted to let you know that I just got to the Upstate Compound. Hoping to see you and Trav tonight 😊

"Umm, hold on one secondd… I just have to send this text real quick." You quickly type out a text to Tony.

About how far away from North Albany mid school?? Travis isn't feeling well and I want him to get somewhere and rest as soon as possible and I'm an hour and a half away, not including any possible traffic. Could you pick him up?

Barely ten seconds later you receive a response and sight in relief.

Tony:

Only 25 min. Of course I'll pick him up.

"Hi, I'm so sorry I left you waiting. I'm actually quite far from the school but his uh… dad is just under a half an hour away so he'll come and pick up Travis. I'll give you his contact information so you can get in touch with him. His name is Tony… uh just Tony." You look at the clock on your desktop. Five minutes until your presentation. If you're late, you're late and they're just gonna have to wait.

"Uh, Ms. Y/L/N, I'm gonna need a last name." The nurse giggles her response, slightly confused. You sigh and whisper into the phone.

"Tony Stark. Please keep this private. And his phone number is…" Once you give the phone number you thank her for calling. Then hang up. You quickly gather your things needed for your presentation and head out your office quickly going to and tapping on Travis's contact in your phone. One ring. Two rings.

"Hi, mama." He groans into his phone.

"Hey, baby boy. How are you doing?" You continuously press on the elevator button, quickly hopping in when the doors open and then swiftly removing your heels.

"My stomach feels a bit better but my head and throat are killing me. Mrs. Johnson gave me some apple juice and saltines to eat while I wait for you to pick me up." The elevator dings on the floor you need and you high tail it out of the elevator.

"Actually, Tony is already upstate and much closer than I am, so he's gonna pick you up. He'll be there in about 20 minutes and then once I'm done I'm gonna come up the Compound to pick you up and take you home, okay?" After a couple of minutes of walking down a long straight hallway, you get to the meeting room, smiling at Kate, who was doing an amazing job at stalling for you, through the large glass wall.

"Oh, okay." You can hear the small smile grow on his face. "Also, I lasted through my test in math. I think I did alright, considering that right after I turned in my test I ran to the bathroom to throw up." He chuckles then groans at what you assume to be irritation of his throat and pain in his head.

"Alright baby, I'm gonna go into my meeting now. Try and take a nap while you wait, and call me or text me if you need anything. Okay? Love you." You finish pulling on your heels and smooth out your skirt in the reflection produced by the dark windows of the empty meeting room next door.

"Okay, love you too." You give him a kiss through the phone and after receiving one from him, you two share one last goodbye and you wait for him to hang up before heading into the meeting room to give the best presentation of your life.

_____

"North Albany, North Albany…" Tony recites to himself as he drives his large SUV down the street the school is presumably on, when out of nowhere he hears the voice of what sounds like a GPS come from the very back row telling him in 1000ft his destination is in the right, almost giving him a heart attack.

"Crap, crap, crap!" He hears an all too familiar voice in a frantic panic as tussling and tapping on a phone screen comes from the back.

"Pete, what the actual fuck are you doing in the back of my car? Aren't you supposed to be in school or something?" Tony takes peeks into his rear view mirror watching as Peter slowly sits up from his previously laying position.

"We had early release today and I told Aunt May that you were heading upstate and may have made it sound like you invited me so I jumped into your car as quick as possible." By the time Peter was done rambling, Tony was already parked in a visitors parking space, look at Peter over his dark sunglasses.

"Get in the passenger seat, Parker. I'll be right back." He sighs, then gets out the SUV, leaving the keys in the transmission. "Make sure you lock the door." He reminds Peter before making his way to the front office. He walks in and up to the the front desk labeled "Pick Up/Drop Off", patiently waiting for the receptionist to speak to him.

"Hello. Picking up or dropping something off?" She asks as she finishes typing something.

"Uh, I'm here to pick up my son from the nurse's office." He hesitantly removes his sunglasses and taps them in his hand, hoping it would make him seem less suspicious.

"Okay, first and last name and date of birth?" She looks up at him, a hint of shock passing through her expression before going back to her job.

"Uh, Travis Y/L/N. And date of birth is..uh… oh. Date of birth 2-18-2009." He smiled at his ability to remember fairly new information.

"Okay, and your name and phone number sir?" She smiles at her need to ask this question, knowing fully well who was standing in front of her.

"Tony Stark. And my phone number is…" After giving his number she politely thanks his cooperation and gives him directions back to the nurse's office. He take a deep breath before knocking on the office door before opening it. "Hi, I'm Tony, Travis's dad, and I'm here to pick him up." The nurse, who was and old black lady, looking to be close to her mid 60's, looks up from what she was writing, surprised to actually see Tony Stark standing in front of her, nervous as hell.

"Oh, Mr. Stark. I-uh- nice to meet you. Travis is just laying in bed 3 but first I'm just gonna need you to sign him out. Just put his name here, your name here, your phone number here, your wi- his mom- Ms. uh-Y/L/N's number here and the date here, please." Tony does as told then makes his way over to his son's bed, giving him a gentle shake to wake him up.

"Hey, kiddo. Ready to go?" He pushed some rouge curls that fell from his pulled back hair while he was sleeping. He touched his head with the back of his hand, feeling the overwhelming warmth radiate. He earns an affirmative groan from his awakening son which prompts his to stand from his kneeling position, picking up his surprisingly heavy backpack in the process. He slings the backpack onto his right shoulder then helps his still partially asleep son from the bed and to the door. "Thank you so much, uh-"

"Mrs. Johnson." The old lady smiles at him. "Please pass onto your wife to make sure to contact the school if Travis is still too sick to come to school Monday. It was very nice to meet you." She smiles politely at Tony then shifts her attention to Travis. "Hope you start feeling better soon, Travis." Travis quietly thanks her then the two leave the nurse's office and out the front office door, but not before thanking the receptionist.

"Alright, you get in the backseat here since Peter decided to tag along. Make sure to buckle up and once you do you can lay down." He helps Travis into the backseat and then gets into the driver's seat, handing Peter Travis's backpack. "We're gonna head over to the compound and you're gonna wait there for your mom, okay" Travis grunts and okay and greets Peter before quickly falling back asleep.

"Dang, what does he have in here? Cinder blocks?" Peter places the backpack in front of him then looks at the sleeping ten year old in the back seat as Tony pulls out of the parking lot.

_____

It's been about half an hour since Tony got Travis and Peter to the Compound and around 15 minutes since you texted Tony and Travis that you were coming to pick Trav up. Travis just woke up from his nap, fully for the first time since Tony picked him up from school, this not including the two times he woke up for no more than a minute to throw up. He sits up on the couch he was sleeping on, taking a moment to let the thumping pain in his head subside, before standing up and beginning to roam around the compound, immediately heading for an elevator not far from where he sat. He pressed the only button present outside of the elevator which pointed down and entered once it opened. He looks at the destinations that labeled each button and decided to go down to the floor labeled "Kiddy Lab", then pulled out his phone to see your text.

Mama (ICE) 🐻:

I'm on my way to the compound, should be there by 330 or 400. Text me when you wake up. 😘

He quickly texts back when he finishes reading.

Just woke up a couple of minutes ago. Head still hurts and so does my throat but my stomach feels a lot better.

He pressed send right as he reached the destined floor, slightly surprised to hear Kendrick Lamar blast through the speakers in the ceiling of the shockingly large and well equipped lab. He walks further in, tightening the blanket around his shoulders, and turns a corner to see Peter at a workbench, seeming to be doing homework and ever so slightly moving to the music.

"Hey, Peter." Travis musters his first full sentence that he's said within the last 45 minutes.

"Oh, hey Trav! How are you feeling?" He places down his pencil and turns around on the lab stool to look at him. His eyes scan down his lanky body, slightly jealous of his height at such a young age, but the overwhelming feeling of practically being a big brother overshadowing everything else.

"Better. Throat and head still hurt…" he looks around the bright lab, somewhat confused about why the lab has what seems to be very advanced technology. "Is this all your's. Like, did… did Tony make this for you?"

"Oh, ha, not exactly. I share this lab with Shuri, who is somewhere around here. Most of this stuff was transported from her lab in Wakanda." Peter calls out for Shuri a few times, knowing of her incoming presence when he hears the volume of the music decrease. From around a large machine comes a dark skinned, tall, thin girl, hair in a ponytail of long braids, streaks of blue flowing through them. She had on black skinny jeans, a large light blue t-shirt with "The Birds Work for the Bourgeoisie." written across the chest in simple black letters and baby blue Air Max's.

"What's up, Spider Boy?" Her thick accent was like heaven to Travis's ears as he took in Shuri's presence.

"Shuri, this is Travis, Tony's son. Travis, the is Princess Shuri of Wakanda and arguably the smartest person in the world." He whispers that last part but still earns a smack from Shuri.

"He just doesn't want to admit that I'm smarter than his beloved Mr. Stark." She turns back to Travis with her hand out and a bright beautiful smile on her face. "Nice to meet you Travis."

"N-n-nice to-uh- meet you too, your majesty." Travis does an awkward hybrid hand shake bow, unsure what to do and too nervous to even look into her eyes.

"Please, just call me Shuri. So, Trav, how old are you?" She begins to walk back around the large machine in the middle of the lab, to which Travis swiftly follows suit.

"I'm, uh, t-ten. Eleven in February." He shivers from the cold air in the lab and wraps his blanket tighter around him.

"That's cool. So, being Tony's son, you must be into something science related, right?" She goes over to a large holographic computer-type set up and types something on the keyboard embedded in the table.

"I like robotics, but it's mainly because my mom is a biomedical engineer and mainly works with robotics. B-but I have always felt some connection to Tony Stark, though." He tries to puff his chest out at his more fanboy-like intuition but has to move quickly to cover his mouth with the crook of his elbow when he feels a cough coming on.

"That's cool. So, you've got smarts on both sides. Do you do anything else? Sports or something?" She manipulates something in the hologram and then continues to type.

"I'm in my schools robotics club, we actually got 4th place at our most recent competition. I'm also on a club baseball team because my mom used to play softball and I liked the stories she used to tell me about her playing and though it sounded cool." At the moment his rambling siezed, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, promoting him to take it out, knowing it's a text from you.

Mama (ICE) 🐻:

I'm here. Be ready to go in 5. I just need to talk to Tony real quick.

Travis groans at the text, coughing at the irritation he imposed on his throat. "My mom is here. I have to get going." He says loud enough for Shuri and Peter to hear.

"Hey, Shuri, we should go up with him. You have to meet his mom. She's super nice." Peter gets up from his stool and makes his way over to the two.

"Alright. I just need to finish one last thing and we'll head up." She looks back at Travis, lowering her gaze ever so slightly when she realizes that Travis just so happened to be slightly shorter than her.

____

Hey, I'm in the compound where are you?

You press send on the text to Tony then head to the elevator, picking up Travis's backpack as you pass it. You press the button and wait for the doors to open, and once they do you enter and press the button labeled "Lab". A minute later you arrived at the end of a short hallway, one side with concrete walls and the other side with tall glass windows allowing all visibility into the lab. As you walk to the end of the hallway where the door was you look in and wave at Tony, adjusting Travis's backpack on your shoulder along with your purse.

"Welcome, Ms. Y/L/N." You hear a female A.I. voice greet you as you open the door into the lab, light rock music playing in the background.

"Hey, Y/N. Uh-how was your presentation?" Tony meets you halfway, which just so happened to be next to a workbench that he decides to lean against.

"I think it went well. The reason I'm coming so late is because they had me take them to the hospital where the robot is being held to show them how it's used. They seemed quite pleased." A quiet fell over the two of you which gave you a second to look around his lab as he watched you admirably. "Oh, uh, thank you so much for picking up Travis and taking care of him for me. It really helped take a load off of my day." You grin at Tony, the natural sparkle in your eye making him melt.

"It was no problem at all. And if you ever need me to do anything at all just text, call, email, face time…" You two giggle at the last suggestion and sit in now more comfortable silence.

"Well, I guess we better get back up to the, uh, main room." You turn to the door that exits back out to the short hallway but stop when you hear Tony call your name.

"Are you free, say, next Friday? I passed a restaurant, uh, Italiano Roma. It seemed right up your alley and I mean we have to celebrate your great presentation. I heard it's pretty new…" He does an open arm gesture and raises his eyebrows, waiting for your answer.

"Yeah, new and expensive." You laugh and begin to walk to the door again.

"Come on. It's all on me." Tony rushes from behind you to open the door. You sigh and turn to look at him holding open the door.

"Fine, next Friday. " You smile and continue out the door and down the hallway.

_____

You and Tony finally make it to the main room, and your heart swells when you see Travis pulling on his shoes, wrapped in a blanket and laughing with Peter and another teenager, a very pretty dark skin girl.

"Mama!" Travis calls over to you then coughs after the sudden throat irritation.

"Hey baby. You ready to go home?" You remove the blanket from his shoulders and help him pull his jacket on.

"Yeah. But before we go, I wanted you to meet Shuri. She's from Wakanda, practically a genius, and only 16." You look at the dreamy look in your son's eyes then at Shuri who already had her hand out.

"It's a pleasure meeting you, Ms. Y/L/N. Your son is a delightful and very bright boy." She smiles a bright smile and gives you a slight bow.

"It's a pleasure meeting you too. I'm glad that Travis has been exposed to such bright talented young adults like you and Peter. Actually…" You briefly at Tony, then back at the teens. "Would you two mind watching Travis next Friday? I made plans with someone and I feel like you two would be the best people to watch him and make sure everything runs smoothly. I'll pay you both, say, $10 and hour?"

"We would love to, Ms. Y/L/N, right Shuri?" Peter walks by Shuri and nudges her.

"Oh, yes. Of course, it would be no problem at all." She smiles.

"Oh, thank you both so much." You look over at where Travis was previously sat only to find that he moved. You turn around to see him talking to Tony. "Trav, time to go." You give him a sorry smile which he nods to, then proceeds to hug Tony and bid everyone in the room goodbye. "Tony, I'll text you when we get home, okay?"

"Okay." He gives you a bright smile and watches as you walk Travis out, feeling his forehead with the back of your hand then rubbing back his rouge curls.

#tony stark x black reader #tony stark imagine #tony stark x reader #tony stark #iron man imagine #iron man x reader #iron man #robert downey jr #marvel #marvel imagine

[literaphobe]

DEATH SENTENCE IS A THING?? god.. I remember the first time you said you were from Singapour I was like "maaaan that has to be dope!" bc places like that, like new zeland or australia, sound so dreamy to me (I'm latin lol). But death sentence sounds SO fucked up and so does the marriage thing. I just can't picture a place like that. I'm sorry is this isn't really a happy anon, I hope you can someday move somewhere else and be happy and free, and I also hope Singapour changes soon. +

i hate it here ❤️ only come here if you’ve got a high paying job and you’re not gay then it’s like. fantastic. also helps if ur light skinned 🙃 and if you don’t have any form of neurodivergence

#ask #do NOT go through this country’s education system #gkdkdjdjdjdjdjdjd #like bro don’t grow up here #genuinely this country.... #like every country has its flaws #but bro 😭😭😭 #get me outta here 😭😭😭

[one-piece-dumpster-fire]

QueennNnn!! Your art isn't awful! Its friggin beautiful and you can't change my mind!!💖💖💖💖💖 Also, while I'm sending an ask, can I have some more information about your adorable babies👀👀 (I wanna make more drawings for them uwu💕)

Ahhhh alrighty alrighty, I’m not gonna argue with you sweetie hehe😂💖! I’m just,,, super happy that you all like my art so much huhuhu, and thank you for always being such a dear to me💖💖💖!!!

AahhaAAAAh, about the babies—-🙈🌠💖! I’d be absolutely honored and delighted to tell you more about them!!! I don’t know if I should put this under a cut or not though because…. phew…. it’s gonna be a bit long xD (and I also don’t have any good drawings left of them and unfortunately need to use some terrible old sketches because??? I don’t draw our children often enough??? Pffff that still needs to change💕)

here’s a warning for me being indulgent and swooning over my Crachelle babies up ahead xD!

——–

Trifle

She’s a true Daddy’s girl through and through xD Her hair color is actually a very light pink but with slightly purple undertones, basically a mix of Angel’s and Big Mom’s hair- aaaand she got my bright, blue eyes😂 Trifle is a very open-hearted and kind girl, although she tends to be a bit too dreamy sometimes! Her father is her ultimate hero and she wants to be just like him while growing up. Many of her clothes are actually mirroring that as well, and she even started to put a special kind of fire-crackers into her hair to further showcase her close bound with Papa Cracker lol. Unfortunately though… she never really knows what she actually wants and is more than once lost in her own little fantasies, which can occasionally come to bite her. Flambe is Trifle’s favorite aunt and often helps her when she’s dealing with yet another girl crush again huhu xDD

Fun fact: when she was little she used to plant ‘magic seeds’ (rocks) in our garden, hoping that they would grow to give her a little sister someday. (yes, Cracker and I really regret watching Thumbelina with her)

Pretzel

Although Trifle tries to imitate her Papa as good as possible, it’s actually Pretzel who is stuck with resembling Cracker the most- but only appearance-wise! As you can probably tell, he’s the spitting image of his dad… minus the lack of eyebrows and some other little details haha xD Pretzel is a bit of a shy boy who tends to overthink certain things and often has some difficulties with making new friends- but once someone spends a bit of time with him, he truly thaws up to be one of the coolest people around! His relationship with his father is rather strained, mostly because Cracker has many high expectations for his oldest son, and if he doesn’t live up to them…. well, things can get a bit problematic xd Pretzel also got a hearing problem and communication is a little difficult, but he’s always doing his best to let people know about how he feels! His favorite uncle is Oven, who often helps him with training and getting stronger.

Fun fact: Pretzel actually dislikes his name. A lot. The fact that he was basically named after a sword constantly haunts him, even if he tries not to think about it lol

Eclair/Anne

Nothing about her ever stays the same for long, since Eclair is a true free spirit! Her natural hair color is a rich brown with some lilac undertones, but it can be rather hard to tell because she loves to change it on an almost monthly basis! Out of all the siblings she’s probably the smartest and most cunning, and always knows just how to get her way xD Eclair often pretends to be naive or even somewhat stupid so people will leave her alone or to avoid certain duties lol, but depending on the situation she might actually show her true colors to help those that are dear to her! She prefers to do things that bring her fun or pleasure rather than strict chores, and one of her favorite hobbies is painting pictures to express herself! She’s the anti-social bee of the family, although her parents often nudge her to be a bit more open and find friends xD Her favorite uncle is Mont-d’Or and she also enjoys spending time with Amande, since they can both understand her more introvert behaviour and love for artistic outlets!

Fun fact: she’s actually a bit short-sighed and supposed to wear glasses, but she never does! And if her parents were to ask her about it, she’ll simply respond and say that she ‘lost’ them again lol

Dodger

Did you ever ask yourself… ‘what if there was a kid that’s basically just like Cracker, only 100 times worse?’ no? Well too bad, because that is exactly what you’re getting with Dodger! Oh boy, where to start… as far as appearance goes, he’s a pretty solid mix of his parents- his hair is similar to mine (only more wild and spikey) while his eyes and face resemble his father. But his personality is just…. too much to handle for the both of us! Dodger is truly the definition of ‘troublemaker’, as there is not a single day where he doesn’t get caught up in some drama! He’s an unstoppable bundle of energy and keeps his good traits hidden for most of the time, since it’s soooo much more fun to just get on people’s nerves xD To make matters worse, he also has a deep love for stabbing things. Mostly inanimate objects though, but still!!! Best be careful around him! Other than that, he actually dreams of becoming strong and powerful like his Papa, and sometimes sneaks into the Seducing Woods to train his ‘intimidation tactic’ on some unsuspecting homies. (He basically wants to be able to make them wither away in fear, similiar to what Cracker did xD) His favorite aunt is Angel, whom he always plots new pranks with!

Fun Fact: His relationship with his Pa is pretty good, but there was one incident that left Dodger slightly fearful of him…

Last but not least, Cherry!

Cherry is,,, the currently reigning baby of the family- she’s just,,, hhh,,, so tiny and precious ;^; With her big ruby eyes and bubblegum-pink hair she really looks like a wildcard, but there is at least one physical similarity she shares with her father- the lack of eyebrows xD Cherry loves her parents more than anything (and tbh gets a bit coddled by us too), but that doesn’t mean she won’t get into trouble! She’s an adventurer at heart and likes nothing more than to run into a forest, befriend some random animals, and discover new things! Together with her pet bunny Bun Bun she’s ready to take on any adventure, and of course, be home again by dinnertime! 

Fun fact: when she was still a very smol baby, her older brother Dodger once tried to ship her off to an orphanage because her babbling/crying was too loud lol

in conclusion: I love my babies very much, thank you xD And I definitely need to draw them more often!!! hhhHHh there are a few small comics I’m already working on but psssssttt xD Also I’m really sorry for the bad sketches on this one, I just don’t have enough good pictures aaahh

#i hope this is enough information??? xDD #long post #michelle answers things<333 #michelle and her bestie<3 #selfship #selfship community #crachelle #me and my biscuitdaddy<3 #and babies lol #crachelle babies #charlotte cracker #terrible sketches #michelle's awful art #for real this time #lol #op #fankids #oc x canon

[zxntavc-blog]

“Together”

*WARNING:(suicidal content,curse words,etc)

*Hyungwon x Reader ANGST

*I'm also sorry if there are any spelling mistakes,grammatical errors, And typos.

it's my first time writing here, So I'd really appreciate some feed-backs.

You sat down at the edge of the bed,You then looked over at the picture frame that is hanged on the wall.

You couldn't help but sigh,"When will this suffering ever end?" you asked yourself.

"(Y/N)" a familiar voice spoke out.

You looked over to see a man looking staright at you in the eyes, You stared back.His eyes we're red from crying,"O-oh wonho" you chuckled as you tried to hide your sadness.

"It's time to check up on him" Wonho took my hand and motioned me to follow him down stairs. I followed like a lost dog on the streets as we went outside and into his mustang.

I looked outside the car nervously,shaking and sweating I then looked at Wonho who is now busy driving.

What ifs came to my mind..

What if...We came there too late.

Chae Hyungwon,The man you fell inlove with was now in a very complicated position. Where he suddenly looses control over-himself.

He gets very suicidal and the last month was the fourth time he tried taking his own life. You could imagine the horrible stuffs he previously did to himself,He once drank a whole bottle of medicine,Tried bleeding himself to death,Drowned himself in the bath tub,And throwing himself off the building.

Hyungwon lives in a very secured house, But still manages to get himself killed.

He is being taken care by a bunch of "Doctors" and assistants who takes care of him 24/7.

You frowned,"I couldn't even take care of him myself" you muttered. Wonho looked over at you sighing," You know damn right you can't (Y/N) he hates seeing you cry over him"

"And i hate seeing him like that Wonho! He can't even control himself a-and i feel really bad when all i could do is pray that someday he'll stop acting like this!" your tears started falling down making Wonho a little guilty of what he said.

But he actually has a point, Hyungwon doesn't want (Y/N) around because he could get her hurt too,Not physically but emotionally. Hyungwon really hates it when (Y/N) cries cause of her.

The car stopped infront of a large gate where the inside helds a big house. Wonho went oustide and opened the door for you.

You smiled and took his hands before getting up, Both of you looked over at the large metalic gate infront of you. Two guards motioned for the both of You to follow them.

You both followed them as they opened the gate,One of the guards gestured for You and Wonho to come in.

You looked down not wanting to even get your eyes on the house.

This very large house was suppoaed to be You and Hyungwon's house.

But now it's juat only him.

You both planned to buy this house and now it's here,Wonho looked at you with a small smile. "Let's come inside Hyungwon's waiting"

"I hope he is" you thought to yourself

You and Wonho went inside, Both anxious at the same time. "It'll be alright" Wonho whispered to you quietly,You smiled giving him a thumbs up.

As You both were walking up stairs a loud banging sound a loud scream was heard inside the entire house. "SHIT!THE PATIENT" you heard a man said as you saw him ran to the opposite direction.

You looked at Wonho nervously and he did so too, "HURRY" you took his hand and runned off to where you saw the others are.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?!" you shouted as you bursted inside the room,Your heart dropped when you saw hyungwon.

Standing at the edge of the balcony's room holding a gun.

"Where on earth did he get that gun from?!" Wonho said frustrated

Ever since Hyungwon's grand mother passed away,This caused a big infact to Hyungwon and He suddenly became suicidal and blamed himself for her death.

You looked at Hyungwon who is now looking back at you with those dreamy but teary eyes of his.

"I'm sorry baby,Will you forgive me if i jumped?"

You couldn't say a word, Flashbacks from when you were happy with him started flooding back in.

-

"Ugh cafe again? Aren't you tired of drinking the same caffeine every dayy?" your friend Seung-Hee rolled her eyes as both of you entered the small lively cafe nearby.

"Shh! It's not cause of the coffee you idiot" you shushed her making her grin a little.

"Then—is it because of him?" She pointed at a young handsome cashier, His name tag showed that he is "Hyungwon".

"Ohh (Y/N) (Y/N) (Y/N)~" Seung-Hee chuckled teasingly as she stared at the Handsome cashier,"Why don't you go order me a hot cocoa or something?" she pushed you over near the line as you only gave her a glare.

Seung-Hee giggled and walked over to a table and started texting, Ypu looked at the line and only two people were ahead of you. You gulped as you suddenly turned red

He looked like an angel. Fuck.

"Hi what can i possibly get you for today?" He smiled sweetly

Oohh does he know he's killing me?

"U-uhm" you looked at the menu nervously,"Can i-i uhm uh get a hot cocoa and just an iced coffe please?"

He nodded and wrote down your orders, You stared at him in disbelief. How could someone be so perfect?

"And what will the size be?"

"U-uhm grandes?" you looked away blushing

"alright a hot cocoa and one iced coffe both are grandes is that right miss?"

You nodded.

That's where it all started.

After that your relationship with Hyungwon began. It was really nice

He always had a small present for you when he goes home from work. He would always kiss you on the lips before work and You would always make sure that he has a warm hug when he wakes up in the morning.

It was all Perfect, Too perfect to even last. You have to admit that you missed all those good times together but.

You still stayed.

You promised him that even at hard times you'll be there with him,"Together?" Hyungwon smiled as he held his pinky to yours.

"Forever".

"DON'T I BEG YOU" your tears fell down slowly as he stared at you,He looked away. "Don't do that please" Hyungwon muttered

"None of this was your fault!" you said looking at him straight in the eyes. "I know.." He smiled,"But the thought of it still haunts me and i couldn't help but blame it all onto me even if I convince myself that it was never me" he sighed and looked above the sky.

"stop him!" the doctor said and pointed to his assistants.

"dont" You managed to speak out.

"Thank you baby" He smiled sadly

“Setting you free was hard,But seeing you in pain was sadder”

I had to.. Let my angel fly away.

[latenightdrabble-blog]

Spring -Part 2

Thanks to @byul-bit-arae for letting me use this moodboard! ❤

Here's part two of this little fic. Find part one here. Also, you don't really need to have read part one to read this, it's up to you!

~~~~~~

Excitement coursed through your veins as you woke up in your hotel room. Never have you been excited when you woke up. Usually, you didn't even speak to anyone until an hour and cup of coffee later. The fact that you were in Japan, for a vacation with Taeyong though, was enough to make you throw the covers off.

"Tae wake up WAKE UP!" you said, nudging him softly in the side. He was snuggled into the blanket and you almost felt bad for interrupting his sleep.

"Five more minutes..." he mumbled, pulling the covers closer to his chin.

"Tae we have SEIZE THE DAY! Just because you made your Japan debut now and have travelled here many times, it doesn't mean that you can laze around like this!"

"Baby girl lemme sleep a little more" he said and turned away from you.

Nah ah. This would not do. You quickly formed a plan of attack.

You quickly got up and went over to his side of the bed, and settled on your knees.

"Tae~ wakey wakey!" you said as you attacked him with kisses. You climbed on top of him and continued to do so as his eyes flew open. "Wha- what are you doing?" he said, a blush covering his face. He flipped you over and settled on top of you. You squealed as he began tickling you.

"Two can play at this game!"

After a lot of convincing and a couple more kisses, the two of you finally got out of bed. You looked forward to going out and exploring the Osaka. Getting dressed quickly, you headed out for breakfast.

~~~~~~~

Half the day passed by blissfully and you had to pinch yourself to believe it was all true. You made sure you had asked Yuta for places to visit and restaurants to eat at, and slowly worked through the list. Taeyong made sure to get the other members a little something a well.

The last stop of the evening, before sunset, was one of the cherry blossom viewing gardens.

You had indulged in everything cherry blossom flavoured so far, from your latte in the morning, to the box of pocky in your hand. Taeyong found it very amusing, and his heart swelled with happiness to see you finally enjoy yourself and be fully relaxed. He knew how much you needed this trip and this time together.

"You've shown me a different side of you" he said, grinning and pulling you close.

"What do you mean?"

"Remember you used to hate pink? Now you've done nothing but eat pink things" he said, chuckling.

"Tis the season Tae! Plus, I used to hate pink, not anymore."

"Tis the season indeed. Except that Sakura beer was kind of silly, it didn't even taste like it!"

"I know!! But the can was cute."

"The can was cute" he repeated, mocking you as you both burst out laughing.

~~~~~

The path led you to the gardens, and as soon as you laid your eyes on the trees, your mouth fell open in delight.

"Woaaahhhhh! It's so BEAUTIFUL!" you said and ran ahead toward the trees. It indeed was a beautiful sight, the blossoms gently swaying in the breeze, the pretty pink dusting giving it an other worldly look. "It's so much better than all the anime I've watched..!"

"All the anime you've watched? Seriously?" Taeyong asked, catching up to you.

"Yeah~" you said dreamily. You were too taken in by the sight to focus on what he was saying. He took this opportunity to get some great candid pictures of you. it took you a while to realize but when you did, you ran up to him and said, “Tae! You sneaky little snake, you.”

“I can't help it when you're so pretty.” 

“The blossoms are prettier.”

“I doubt that.” 

“Okay you're prettier.”, you said, teasingly.

Taeyong walked ahead ahead, to pick up a flower. In his attempt to find the perfect one, you found an opportunity to get back at him. You whipped out your phone and began clicking pictures of him. He soon noticed what you were doing, and being the diva he is, threw up a few peace signs and said, “Everything I do is a pose.”

"Yeah yeah whatever.”, you said, giggling. You continued taking pictures of him, and in one of those moments, you had an epiphany. You slowly lowered your phone and stared at him, slightly in awe, with a million thoughts racing through your head. You couldn't help but think about how lucky you were to be with such a wonderful man. He had been nothing but supportive, patient and understanding, no matter how tough things got. You both understood each other so well, it almost scares you. You don't believe in soul mates, but if you did, he'd be pretty close to being one. 

"Hey, what's wrong?” He asked, seeing that you were just staring at him, not doing anything. “Is everything okay?”

“Tae” you breathed out, your voice almost a whisper, as you tried to form a coherent sentence. 

“Yeah?”

“I don't think I've ever said this but....thank you.”

“Thank you for what?”

“For always being here, no matter what. Thank you for being the absolute best. I never understood it when people used to talk about their significant others and gush about them and how they've changed their life for the better but now I do. All those stupid love songs finally make sense. I...... I don't quite know what it is I'm feeling right now because I've ever felt it before. I know you're not perfect, none of us are. I know we all have our faults, but that's just the beauty of being human. To put it simply, you make my life a lot better and I hope I can do the same for you. To be honest, I would like you to be a part of my life for a longer time.” 

“What are you trying to say? He asked, tears brimming in his eyes. 

You walked up to him and took his hands in yours. “What I'm trying to say, Lee Taeyong, is that I'd like to marry you someday. Maybe this is too soon, maybe we're not ready, maybe you don't want to, I don't know, I just had to say it. I need you to know.” 

“Wha-what?”, he asked, shock overtaking his face. He was too choked up to respond to what you had said.

“I mean it.” You said, and pulled him into a hug. You felt soft tears wet your shoulder as tears began streaming down your face as well. Honestly who knew the cherry blossoms would make you so emotional?

 Maybe it wasn't the cherry blossoms. Maybe this is what they call love. 

~~~~~~~~

“Oh my gosh hyung you are the least manliest man I know!” Yuta said with a huff, when you went back, and Taeyong told them what had transpired. “I can't believe your girlfriend had to propose to you.”

“Oh Yuta, quit it!” you said, laughing at his silly joke. 

“It's not my fault! I didn't know she was going to propose? I don't think she knew either.” Taeyong said, trying to defend himself.

“Yeah that's the truth. I didn't know. Plus, it wasn't like some proper proposal. I just said we should... Y’know.... Probably just make this official.”

“That's not what you said.” Taeyong said, teasingly.

“Oh shut up, cry baby” 

“Hey, you cried too!”

“Okay, okay, I concede. I love you!” you said, leaning forward to kiss him. Of course, you kind of forgot that there were other people in the room and deepened the kiss. 

“Listen, you guys are my OTP and all but- “ Jaehyun said, but he was cut off by Yuta who shouted, “There are children here!” before covering Sicheng’s eyes.

“Hyung, I'm literally the same age as Jaehyun, I don't understand why you're doing this.” Sicheng said with a sigh. 

“I guess you'll always be everyone's baby.”, you said, laughing. 

“But not yours, you're not that much older than I am.” Sicheng retaliated. 

“That's right. I've only adopted the dreamies.”

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

You can find my masterlist here.

#taeyong #lee taeyong #taeyong drabble #taeyong imagine #nct #nct u #nct 127 #taeyong fan fiction #fluff #i'm sorry this took so long! #thank you byul-bit-arae ! #i kind of had feelings... and just wrote them. #taeyong is husband material af #and this is me resting my case #i hope you enjoy! #❤❤❤

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

So, I'm not totally sure the timelines match up, but do you think that Rachel's sisters (especially Sarah who is younger and more naive) could have watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer and decided that Rachel is the Slayer? Goes out at night, all hours, secret boyfriend who only visits her at night, can't tell their single mom, etc.

[First of all: the timelines do actually match up quite well.  In #20 there’s a brief mention of David’s dad (of all people) watching Buffy on TV, and although Animorphs started and ended first most of its run overlaps with Buffy.  Second, I LOVE this idea so much.  Rachel and Buffy are two of the people who were massively influential in teaching me and my friends that it was possible to be girly and tough at the same time.  Third… Voila.]

It starts as a way to distract her sisters, on the nights when their mom can’t make it home and their dad is too busy to call—Rachel will put on whichever Buffy episode she’s got saved in the DVR and all three of them will watch it together.  However, all three of them fall in love with the show over time, until they’re catching each episode live: Sarah laughs at all the puns and hums along with the theme song while Jordan waxes poetical about how dreamy Spike and Angel are.  

Rachel just loves Buffy herself, because there aren’t enough girls on TV that can look that fabulous and kick butt at the same time.  It becomes a weekly ritual, one that Rachel sometimes has to miss if Cassie or Jake calls with urgent news, but she’ll put aside anything short of the alien invasion to catch it with her sisters.

*****************

Jordan meets Rachel at the door, which is a bad sign because their mom and Sarah are both asleep and Rachel herself went to bed six hours ago.  The mission was long, nasty, and exhausting, the way they always are, and Rachel’s too keyed-up from the adrenaline rush to think of a proper excuse for why she’s sneaking in.  

She and Jordan stare at each other in silence for a few seconds, Rachel leaning on the door frame, Jordan holding a comic book in both hands as she sits on the end table in the foyer.  Jordan becomes the first one to speak.  “Sarah and I were talking,” she says.  “And I think we figured it out.”  

Rachel feels her stomach churn.  She’s not as careful with her sisters as her mom.  She never has been.  “Figured what out?”

“It’s okay.”  Jordan clutches her comic book a little more closely, expression solemn.  “We won’t tell Mom.”

Rachel crosses her arms.  “Won’t tell her what, exactly?”

Jordan thrusts the comic book at Rachel.  The cover shows a girl—Buffy Summers, judging by the title—holding a wooden stake in one hand and a sword in the other, her blond hair whirling around her as she thrusts the sword at a spike-covered greyish creature in the corner of the frame.  

Rachel takes a step back from the comic, not sure whether to laugh or to cry.  

“It explains everything.  Where you sneak out to almost every night.  Why you’ve got blood under your fingernails half the time when you get home.  Why you’ve got a secret boyfriend who only comes out at night—”

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” Rachel says reflexively.

Jordan nods, eyes wide.  “Uh-huh.  So you definitely weren’t seen by half the school at last week’s dance with a mysterious guy who has blond hair and is never seen around town.  You don’t have a boyfriend, even though I’ve heard people talking in your room in the middle of the night.  And you always leave your window open, even—especially—when it rains.  Almost like you’re waiting for a secret vampire boy—”

Rachel snorts a laugh.  “Tobias isn’t a vampire.”

Which has exactly the opposite effect than the one she intended.  “Oh my god,” Jordan whispers.  “Tobias as in that guy who disappeared last year? Everyone thought he died—” She gasps.  “Unless he did die.  And now he’s back!”

Much as Rachel wants to laugh and keep laughing until she falls over, she understands that this conversation actually has serious implications.  With effort she sobers herself.  “Look,” she says at last.  “There are things… Things I can’t tell you.  You wouldn’t be safe if I did.”  

She looks Jordan in the eye.  Jordan is taking this conversation seriously—probably more seriously than Rachel herself, for that matter.  “I understand,” Jordan says.  

“As soon as…”  As soon as the war’s over.  “As soon as it’s safe.  I’ll tell you everything.  Right now, there are things I can’t talk to you, or to Mom, about.  But someday I will.  I promise.”  Rachel can’t be more honest than that.  

“Okay.”  Jordan bites her lip.  “I just wanted you to know your secret’s safe with me.  And if you ever need help, like, hiding a body…”

Rachel smiles, overwhelmed with fondness.  “Thanks.”  She yawns.  “Now, if it’s all right with you, Dawn…”

Jordan makes a face.  

“I’m wiped, so I’m going to bed.”  She walks past Jordan and up the stairs to her room.  

“Rachel!”

She turns around.  Jordan is standing at the bottom of the stairs, hugging her comic book against her chest with both hands.  

“On the show,” she says haltingly.  “They say a lot about how slaying’s a dangerous job.  About how most slayers don’t live to be twenty.”  There’s real fear in her eyes, as she looks up at her sister.  

Rachel grins, tossing her hair over her shoulder.  “Really, Jordan, you should learn not to believe everything you see on TV.  After all, it’s just a show.  No vampire’s gonna take me down.”  

****************************

“You know, my sister thinks you’re William the Bloody.”

«Who’s that, a spokesman for Kotex?»

***************************

She doesn’t get much input on the actual headstone; she’s too young for that.  She does, however, manage to put in a special request for the plaque on the statue they erect outside of Washington D.C., a proud grizzly bear rearing up to defend the Capitol.  

Rachel Daniella Berenson, the plaque reads.  She saved the world.  A lot.  

#asks #answers #zarohk #animorphs #ficlet #rachel berenson #jordan berenson #buffy the vampire slayer #xena warrior princess