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katiexpunk · 5 months

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Sex On Fire, Part 1 | Pairing Firefighter!Joel Miller X Fem!Reader

Series Summary: You're a country girl in the big city, thanks to your generous aunt. You expected to have adventures your first year in New York, but what you didn't expect was for your hot, firefighter neighbor, Joel, to be part of them. Part 1 Summary: You move to New York, after a little coaxing from your aunt. You meet your new neighbor, Joel, and quickly learn he's a Captain with the NYFD and good with his hands. Rating: 18+ Minors DNI Word Count: ~6.7K Warnings: Sexual tension, sexual tension, sexual tension. This one is dripping in it. No age gap specified. No explicit smut (yet, there's uh...gonna be a lot in part 2), but a nice lead up to it in the end that will probably blue ball you. Groping. Alcohol. Hardcore flirting. Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones, and Kings of Leon song references. Uniform kink. Joel has a hard on for seeing reader in his shirt. Reader's mom has passed. Texas/small town vibes. New York City. There are no specific descriptors for reader, except that she has hair. Ya'll, these two are just down for each other so fucking bad it's not even funny. Authors Note: This one is for my darling moot @darkheartgatita. Pia, thanks for putting Firefighter!Joel into my brain. I hope you enjoy. As always, thank you to my Slutty, Smutty, Sister @sydneyinacoma who inspires me every day and shares her filthy thoughts on the reg. And to everyone who gives my little blog love -- I fucking love you all so much. Part 2, Fall and Winter, will drop next Saturday.

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S P R I N G Spring blooms, bringing with it a new beginning for you. Of all the places you’d thought you would be, New York was not one of them.

Life back in Texas wasn't terrible, a bit dull sometimes, but not awful.

Yet, in the mundane moments, your mind often drifted to daydreams – visions of swapping your Levi's for a sleek black dress and trading quiet farmland for the lively hum of city bars. You’d think of Samantha from Sex and the City sitting on your porch at sunset, drinking Bud Light, wishing your fairy godmother would appear and magically turn it into a dry Martini.

That was until three weeks ago, when your rich aunt, visiting from New York, decided to sprinkle a bit of magic into your life.

“I’m gonna move to Italy for a while,” she casually said over family dinner as if she was just announcing that she was going to the store for milk. You should have been surprised, but she’s always been the kind to never stick around for too long. Single and child-free, she’s spent her adult life dancing to her free-spirited rhythm, bouncing around from one place to the next. Not because she had to, but because she could. You, on the other hand, were the total opposite. After your mom passed away, leaving the cocoon of the familiar felt like too much. Despite your aunt's protests and encouragement to just go, you resisted, not wanting to leave behind your dad and the comfortable life you'd known. But if there's one thing you've learned about your aunt, it's that she's relentless – and yanking you out of your comfort zone was precisely what she wanted, and she had just the plan to do it.

She handed you the keys to her Lower East Side apartment, turning your once silly little daydreams into a reality. “Sweetie, you need this – you’re meant for so much more, your dad will be fine. Please go,” she encouraged.

Despite your initial reluctance, you caved, and before you knew it, you were on a plane bound for JFK.

++++ You feel like a small fish in a big pond as you navigate the city. Trying to figure out the subway turns into a whole saga of you getting lost more than once. You eventually find the right borough, but not without a fair share of unhelpful people brushing you off along the way. Yep, you're definitely not in Texas anymore.

While walking through the city, it hits you that a new pair of shoes is in order; something made clear to you by the little blister on the back of your heel that’s screaming at you. Despite the annoyance, you’re enjoying the walk to the apartment, your new home. The city's buzzing with life, and even the faint smell of urine in the air doesn't bother you. It's a wild, trippy feeling to be in the city, to feel like the main character of your own story.

You grab your phone, itching to double-check the building your aunt texted and ensure you have the right address. Remembering her advice about the unassuming exterior but spectacular view, you get ready for the big reveal. The key affixed to a keychain with a little apple on it meets the lock, and as you turn it, the door swings open, revealing a spacious wooden staircase.

As you step inside, you notice there's a bit of mail scattered on the slightly dusty floor. You collect the envelopes and magazines with your aunt's name on them and neatly stack the other pieces for Joel Miller into a pile on the bottom step.

After climbing the – Jesus, really fucking narrow – stairs, you're faced with doors opposite each other. While a brief doubt nudges you to recheck the apartment number, your gut tells you that the door with the welcome mat showing lemons and a pot of fake flowers is the one — a stark difference from its neighbor with a simple grey mat and no decor. Trusting your instincts, you decide that the lively entrance is the one.

As you step inside, you're greeted by a cozy space that, despite its age, radiates warmth and character. The walls are adorned with paintings that seem to tell stories of bygone eras, while rays of sunlight filter through the window, revealing glimpses of the bustling cityscape below.

Though small, the apartment is meticulously decorated, each corner telling a tale of adventures and cultural escapades. Remnants of your aunt’s travels, collected with care, add a touch of global flair to the modest space. Posters from Broadway plays hang proudly on the walls, as do family pictures. It’s lived-in; the kind of lived-in that feels comfy and embraces you like a warm hug.

You look at the frames on the wall and pause when you see one of your favorites – a photo of you as a little girl, smushed between your mom and your aunt, a cake three sizes bigger than your tiny head lit up with birthday candles in front of you. You can't help but trace the edges of the frame with your fingertips, connecting with the warmth radiating from your mother's beaming smile. Miss you, mom escapes your lips as your eyes linger on the photograph for a heartbeat longer before the rest of the room demands your attention.

In the compact kitchen, a handwritten note from your aunt beckons, strategically placed beside a bottle of wine on top of a stack of takeout menus. Her words resonate with warmth and encouragement. "Welcome to your new home! I am so proud of you for taking me up on my offer. Disregard the bedroom chaos—I started painting the walls but didn't quite finish before taking off. Feel free to pick up where I left off if the mood strikes. And if you ever need a hand with anything, Joel Miller across the way is a nice guy. I've already told him that you’ll be staying for a while, or who knows, maybe forever. Love you!" The paper carries the unmistakable fragrance of her perfume, and a smile graces your face after you finish reading it.

Setting the heartfelt note aside, your attention shifts to the menu for Sang Garden, a vibrant pink post-it exclaiming, "Right down the street! Super yummy!" Hunger gnaws at your stomach; the last meal was a distant memory from this morning, and you're ravenous. Without hesitation, you dial the number on the menu, your choice a steadfast favorite: orange chicken. “10 minutes,” the older lady on the phone tells you, not bothering to say goodbye before hanging up. Huh, efficient, you think.

As the aroma of anticipation fills the air, you finish unpacking your suitcase and weave through your new space until your food is ready. Only having to go down a flight of stairs and less than a block down the street to pick it up is a new feeling for you. If you wanted something like this at home you’d have to drive at least 20 minutes to pick it up.

You finish the entirety of the meal within minutes curled up on the couch, Sex and the City on the T.V.. Your aunt was right, it’s good. Probably the best orange chicken you’ve ever had in your entire life; just the right amount of zest and sweetness. You can already tell you’ll be a regular. Everyone always talks about the pizza in New York, but nobody bothered to tell you about the Chinese. You can tell you’ll probably have a lot of moments like that, discovering new things for yourself instead of hearing about it from magazines or seeing the photos on Instagram.

With your belly now full of the sticky goodness, you settle into bed for the night. You stare at the ceiling, paying no mind to the smile that’s been plastered on your face for the past three hours. You feel giddy, like a little girl seeing the stars for the first time. You’re doing it. You’re really doing it.

The city is still thrumming to life, but the distant sound of sirens and honks eventually turns to white noise as you drift off to sleep.

++++

The next morning, you rise with purpose; new life breathed into you. You brew a cup of coffee and decide to savor it on the fire escape, enjoying the not-yet-thick spring, and still slightly chilly, spring air. As the city stirs awake beneath you, you’re determined to craft an agenda for the day. With another few days to spare before your new job starts, your thoughts drift to the bedroom, where the abandoned paint cans await.

It's been a while since you've had the chance to dive into something genuinely productive, or creative for that matter, and you decide that this is the perfect opportunity. Your aunt chose a deep, rich shade of green, one that harmonizes seamlessly with the space; not too dark, but not puke or pea green, either. It’s pretty. She always has had good taste.

And while you like the color, it’s not particularly one you’d like to see splattered all over your clothing, having only brought what you could fit into a small suitcase. Your aunt must have something, you think. The woman has more clothes than a department store and there is no way she could have brought them all to Italy, although you don’t put it past her to try.

You make your way to the guest bedroom and rummage through the dresser located there. The top drawer is full of nothing but scrapbooks, the middle drawer has only sweaters, but luck strikes in the bottom drawer, where you locate a handful of old shirts.

You pull out a dark blue, oversized “New York Fire Department” cotton t-shirt; the front of it has an emblem, and the back says “Rescue 1 FDNY” in faded blocky white letters, obviously well-loved. This will do, you tell yourself, quickly exchanging your tiny crop top for the large shirt. It hangs over your body, the bottom nearly hitting your knees. Why your aunt has such a large shirt in her collection you’ll never know, but you wager it’s probably from one of her many “friends” over the years.

++++

The sounds of Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" fill the room, you stand in the center of the bedroom, paintbrush in hand, ready to transform the space. The nostalgic chords of Stevie Nicks' voice in Dreams infuse the air, blending with the scent of fresh paint as you dip the brush into the can, and begin. “Like a heartbeat drives you mad,” you sing, slightly off-key, but no one is around to listen and you don’t mind. “Thunder only happens when it’s rainingggggg,” you belt, using the paintbrush as a microphone.

While most of the paint makes it on the walls, you have to admit that painting isn’t your strong suit and a fair amount of it has splashed back onto your face, shirt, and even your hair. You’re having fun, more fun than you’ve had in a while, even if you make a mess while doing it. Not like you’re gonna see anyone today anyway.

“Players only love you when they’re plaaaaaying…” doing your best Stevie twirl.

More and more green covers the walls, but as you’re about to get started on the final white wall, you’re interrupted by a loud steady stream of knocks at your door.

You hit pause on the music, and make your way to the door, unsure of who would possibly be knocking. You peer through the peephole to take a look, but you can only see the back of a man in a simple white shirt, his back turned to face away from the door. You undo the chain lock and swing the door open.

As the man pivots to meet your gaze, his presence sweeps over you, an unexpected force that leaves you momentarily disarmed. He’s handsome in a way that unmoors you; a mass of a man with broad shoulders, sun-kissed skin, and sculpted biceps that redefine your sense of composure. Whoa.

“Hi,” you murmur, your eyes conveying a blend of softness and curiosity, "Can I help you?"

The man looks at you, and you feel yourself heat under the attention of his gaze. His eyes gently caress your frame; lingering a little too long on the emblem sewn into the fabric, just above your breast.

"Uh," he clears his throat, his hand rising to his face, fingers subtly grazing the beard hair on his cheek, as if grappling for words. "Yeah, well – no, uh," he stumbles, the words caught in a momentary struggle. "Hi, ‘m Joel Miller, I live across the way," he greets, angling his body to signal to the door directly across the foyer. “Oh right, my aunt told me about you you,” you say, introducing yourself, voice smooth like honey. “She mentioned you were a nice guy and to call you if I ever needed anything,” you say, taking up space in front of him by leaning into the door. “Just stopping by to say hi, then? Or do you need a cup of sugar or something like that?” you ask with a playful tone.

Suddenly, the last thing he wants to do is admit that there's something you could help him with—like turning down your music. He likes Fleetwood Mac as much as the next guy, but the last three days on shift have left him craving peace, not a soundtrack reverberating through the thin walls.

Plus, he wasn’t expecting you to be so damn attractive.

And he definitely wasn’t expecting to be wearing his shirt when you answered the door.

“Ha, no, don’t need any sugar,” he chuckles, “just thought I’d make myself known.” He pauses, eyes locked onto yours. You notice the subtle flecks of amber in his deep brown eyes and the furrow of his brow. He’s painfully handsome. Just as you’re about to say something, he breaks the silence first, “But I'll let you get back to whatever it is you’re doin’...you look busy,” he tilts his chin to the paint that’s splotched over your bare legs. You can tell he’s looking for the story behind the mess.

His left hand leaves his pocket and he places it on the doorframe. He leans into it, and your eyes catch the firmness of his bicep flexing under the strain of his lean before meeting his face once more.

“Cute shirt, by the way” he says, his voice low and even.

“Oh thanks, you like it?” you ask, pulling the fabric out in a tent from the center, noticing the little splatters of paint as you do. “It’s my aunt’s, I just borrowed it while I finish up some painting.”

“Yeah, I have the same one,” he adds, “looks a helluva lot better on you than it does me, though,” a little laugh leaves his chest and his cheeks flush, a little embarrassed that he just said that. Fuck, it’s been so long since he’s tried to flirt with a woman.

Your skin prickles with heat, and you’re suddenly very self-aware of what a wreck you must look like, but you decide to be bold anyway. “Maybe we’ll have to compare sometime,” you playfully retort.

“Yeah, maybe we will,” he responds, looking you up and down, hoping the meaning behind his words isn’t too obvious.

“Well if ya ever need anything, ‘m just across the way,” he says, dropping his hand from the doorframe, hitting his thigh with a slight sound of a pat. “Nice to meet ya, Darlin’,” he says. You don’t miss the way his eyes flicker down to your chest once more, your stiff nipples now peeking through the fabric. He turns on his heels and turns his back to walk back to his apartment.

“Nice to meet you, Joel,” you purr. His head peers over his shoulder back at you, and the corners of his lips turn up in a little smirk.

Oh god.

You’re so fucked.

++++

Later that night, you text your aunt that you just met Joel Miller. You curse her for not telling you how incredibly hot he is. You also tell her that you decided to finish the painting, sending a selfie of you in front of the freshly updated walls with the message. You also add that you borrowed one of her shirts and that you’ll do your best to get the paint out of it.

Her response causes your breath to hitch in your throat, and your stomach swirls into a tight knot.

“The walls look amazing! Oh and by the way, that’s not my shirt, it’s Joel’s. I must have forgotten to give it back to him; the shared laundry downstairs sometimes causes mix-ups. Be a doll and give it back to him, will ya? Oh and quarters for the machines are in the clay pot next to the door.”

Fuck. Of course you would answer the door to your incredibly hot neighbor, covered in paint, in his shirt. You shake your head in embarrassment.

You look down at the shirt and notice just how much paint is all over it. You strip it from your body, bring it over to the sink, and begin to scrub the paint out of it with dish soap. As you watch the paint fade into the warm water, you notice the tag on the inside of the shirt and the rank inscribed in permanent marker on it.

Your fingers prune in the water, but you eventually get all of the paint out of the fabric. Satisfied with your cleaning job, you hang it up to dry and scribble out a note.

The following morning, on your way out to explore the city, you leave it neatly folded on Joel’s doorstep. You don’t bother to knock, you’re certain you might combust from embarrassment if you did.

Shortly after, on his way to work, Joel opens the door and notices the shirt by his boot, a little envelope placed on top of it.

“You could have told me it was your shirt, Captain Miller.”

Joel smirks. The cat’s out of the bag on that little secret then. He places it inside and lets out a little sigh. The image of your perky nipples, exposed legs, and messy paint-riddled hair flashes in his brain.

God, he wishes you would have kept it.

S U M M E R

As spring transitions into summer, the city experiences a gradual warming trend. Cherry blossoms and tulips from spring slowly give way to vibrant green foliage. Parks become lively with people enjoying the pleasant weather, and outdoor events become more frequent. The temperature rises, and there's a noticeable shift towards a warmer atmosphere with longer days.

It’s a shift you also feel in yourself, having found your niche, carving out your place in the ecosystem of the city. You’ve gradually adjusted, figured out how to successfully navigate the complexities of the subway system, and are starting to rely less and less on Google Maps to get around. You frequent a bodega around the corner from you, know where to find a decent bagel, and are a recognizable regular at Sang Garden.

Your new job keeps you busy. It’s tough work being a bartender in the city, but it’s granted you more than one opportunity to meet people from all walks of life, people you’d never get the opportunity to meet back in your hometown.

People like the gregarious and charismatic trader, who’s more than happy to make it clear he works in the financial district, even when nobody asks. People like the countless young professionals unwinding after a long day with their colleagues; some with sexual tension so obvious you can taste it. Designers. Architects. Engineers. Writers. Musicians. Actors. You don’t like them all, but you don’t have to, you’ll never see most of them more than once anyway.

You quickly learn the art of making a good martini, one you think would make Samantha proud. It’s all so posh. So far from your usual. But the money is good, and without having to pay rent – a luxury you now realize; having almost fainted when your coworker told you how much he pays in rent – it allows you to pocket most of it.

Your first few months in New York have been good, although a tad lonely. Making friends was never really a strong suit of yours, and you’re finding the city to be a particularly hard place to get to know people in any real way. Most of your free time is spent curled up with a good book or watching Friends for the millionth time, wishing Central Perk was a real place.

You see Joel in passing now and then, the in-between times when he’s coming home from work, and you’re just leaving for yours. Sometimes you pass each other on the stairs, and you have to angle your bodies side-to-side just to fit on the narrow stairs as you navigate around one another. You sometimes have to collect your composure when you leave for work and notice the faint smell of his cologne still in the hallway, it smells so good it makes you dizzy.

You find excuses to talk to him every now and then – a squeaky fire detector, to hand him his mail, or even for a stupid cup of sugar. Every time you find yourself knocking on his door, the butterflies congregate in masses as if preparing to migrate. You feel like a school girl with a crush for the first time, but as far as you can tell, Joel doesn’t feel the same, and you’re okay with that. At least that’s what you try to tell yourself.

The exchanges are always short; little blips in the grand scene of time, but that doesn’t stop you from feeling like you might faint under the intensity of his scorching gaze. Which doesn’t help, considering it’s already sweltering outside.

You severely underestimated how hot summer would be. Of course, you’re used to the oppressive Texas sun, but something about the way the buildings and concrete reflect the rays makes it feel like New York is at least 10x hotter.

The temperature in your apartment isn’t much better than outside. The air hangs heavy inside as you lay on your mattress, clad in only a bra and underwear, on crisp white sheets, attempting to cool yourself with a damp towel on your forehead. You listen to the feeble hum of the wall crying out for help.

As luck would have it, the overworked unit decides to give in to the heat. Beads of sweat form on your forehead as you attempt to fix it, but it’s pointless. You stare at the lifeless unit, realizing that the city’s relentless heat has claimed it as a victim. Time for a new one.

Once the sun dips past the skyline, you venture out to your local hardware store to grab a new one. You wish you would have had some forethought to bring a cart or something, not thinking about the fact that you were going to have to carry the heavy unit eight city blocks. Coulda, shoulda, woulda, you think to yourself. Once back to your apartment, you balance the quirky box on your hip, holding it steady with one arm as you fumble to grab the key from your purse outside the entrance of the building. Your cheeks are warm, you’re drenched in sweat even at this hour, and your hair is starting to stick to the nape of your neck. You manage to grab it, but inadvertently drop it, your fingers clammy.

“Shit,” you mutter, frustrated and hot.

“Need some help there, Darlin’?” Joel asks, making his way up the stoop. You turn to face him and oh.

Of all the times you’ve seen Joel, you’ve never seen him in uniform. The sight catches you off guard. His crisp, navy blue uniform emphasizes his broad shoulders and neatly tucked shirt, the shiny FDNY badge on his chest. He flashes a charming smile, revealing a hint of dimples, as he picks up your fallen key with ease. You’re not sure how he always manages to look so put together, a stark contrast to the way you always seem to look in front of him.

"Rough day?" he asks, unlocking the door, and for a moment, you forget the oppressive heat, captivated by his charm. “Here, lemme take that for you,” he offers, and you kindly accept. You shift the box out of your arms into his, and your stomach swoops when you watch the way his biceps flex as he grabs the unit with ease.

Grateful for the assistance, you offer a sheepish smile, “Yeah, you could say that” you reply, opening the door, holding it open for him. He begins to ascend the staircase ahead of you, giving you a full view of his ass in his uniform pants; it’s toned, and his thick thighs match. You walk behind him, trying to ignore the stickiness that’s beginning to pool in your underwear. You allow yourself to perv out for a moment, at least while his back is to you. He’s just helping you out, stop being weird.

Joel waits at the top of the steps for you to open your door. Once unlocked, you enter and he follows behind you. “Oh shit, it’s hotter than hell in here,” he says once inside, the irony is not lost on you that a literal man who fights fires for a living thinks it’s hotter than hell. He bends to place the box down near the front door and rises to full height, bringing both hands to his hips. You notice the little sheen of sweat that has now collected on his thick neck, fighting the impulse to lap up the perspiration. “You’re telling me, I’m rendering lard,” you say, letting your Southern roots shine through. You cringe a little at yourself, watering your accent down to not stick out as much, but you’re reminded of the age-old saying you can take the girl out of the country…

You wipe the back of your hand on your forehead to push away the sweat that’s been collecting there all day and look at him. “Thanks for the help carrying it up,” you say, offering him a kind smile.

“No problem at all, need some help installing it? These units can be tricky,” he asks, trying his best to ignore the fact that your white shirt has gone see-through from your sweat, allowing him a perfect view of your breasts. No bra again, he notes. He shifts his stance a little, trying to prevent his cock from hardening at the sight.

“Are you sure?” you ask, a little unsure, but deep down you know you need the help. As much as you’d like to think of yourself as an independent and capable woman, you’ve never been one to be good with anything mechanical, and the heat has left your brain feeling like the static of a T.V. channel with no reception.

“Course. I’m a servant to public safety. Can’t have you accidentally pushing it out the window and crushing a person below, it’d be a lot of paperwork” he chuckles and takes out a knife from his pocket to undo the tape on the box. It’s an ordinary act, yet somehow you’re mesmerized by his dexterity and competency.

Midway through the process, Joel pauses, feeling the heat, and glances at you with a lighthearted grin. “Mind if I take this off?” he asks, tugging at the collar of the uniform shirt. You nod, suddenly feeling warmer than before. “Sure, go ahead.”

His large fingers fumble with the buttons on the shirt, eventually revealing a white tank top underneath. The fabric clings to him, highlighting his defined chest, and a little bit of belly. You practically drool at the sight, once again resisting an impulse to want to sink your flesh into the softness above his belt.

He has an awful farmer's tan, but he wears it well; his forearms are a nice shade of golden and his shoulders are pale. You see from the lack of collar on the tank that he has a bare chest. He throws the uniform shirt onto a nearby chair and goes back to work installing the unit. You watch as he works to position it in the window, stealing glances at his glistening skin as he does. You think you’re being sly about it, but Joel can tell, he can feel your eyes heavy like bowling balls on him.

“So, how long have you been a firefighter?” you ask.

“About 15 years,” he responds. “Sorta always knew I wanted to do it, I was a contractor for a while, but wasn’t my thing.”

“Oh no? You seem like you’re pretty good with your hands,” you reply, your words suggestive.

“Never said I wasn’t, Darlin,’” he replies, shooting you a wink.

He plugs the unit in, and the screen comes to life. He sets the temperature as low as it will go, and the fan on high; the unit is about to put in overtime to make the air tolerable again.

“Well, that should do it,” straightening back up from his bent-over position, clapping his hands together as if to dust the task off. “Probably gonna take a while for it to cool down in here. You’re uh, more than welcome to hang out at mine for the time being. Don’t need you overheating on me,” trying to mask his excitement at you being in his space by carding his fingers through his salt and pepper curls.

You glance at the unit, and you can tell he’s right. “Alright, why not,” you say, offering him a smile. “Just gonna use the restroom fast,” you say, looking for an excuse to make yourself at least somewhat presentable and confirm that you don’t smell like a sweaty subway car.

Inspecting yourself in the harsh, exposing light of the bathroom, you grimace at your appearance. Not that you’d been expecting to look your best, but still. You pat the extra moisture off your skin with a clean towel, when you notice that nipples are straining against the fabric of your wet t-shirt, leaving nothing to the imagination. You briefly consider changing shirts, but the cheeky side of you decides to leave it be. You give yourself a quick smile and internal encouragement in the mirror and you step out of the bathroom.

Joel waits in the foyer by the door for you, taking the opportunity to learn a little more about you, drinking in the details of your space for any glimmers of insight it might give him about your life.

He’s been in the space before, but it’s different this time – updated. It still has many of the same things your aunt had put up, but you’ve added new additions to the walls; photos of you with friends, and family, and vinyl covers in frames. His eyes gravitate to a photo of you at your college graduation; your smile ear to ear, a bottle of champagne in your hands. You always seem happy. He likes that about you. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t look for a photo of you with another guy, a hint that you might already be taken, but he’s relieved when he doesn’t find one.

The bathroom door opens with a soft creak, and you stroll out, shooting him a casual but confident smile. As you do, you casually tuck a loose strand of hair behind your ear, giving off an easygoing vibe. It's a simple move, but there's a certain charm to it that doesn't go unnoticed by Joel.

“Ready?” you ask, and he clears his throat, trying to hide his pleasure that you opted not to change your still slightly transparent shirt. “Let’s get outta here,” he says, yanking on the handle, the door groans and opens with a loud creak. “Don’t wanna hit traffic.” Oh god, that’s a dad joke if you’ve ever heard one. You try to hide the stupid smile that graces your face, but Joel sees it, and matches it. Your shoulder brushes against his chest as you walk through the door, and Joel straightens in response, a little tingle shooting up his spine from the brief touch. Get a fucking grip, Miller, he thinks to himself, pulling the door closed behind him.

++++

Once inside his apartment, you gasp. It’s not at all what you expected.

If his front doorstep was any indication, you expected his apartment to be full of Ikea furniture, bare walls, and maybe a fake plant in the corner somewhere. You’re pleasantly surprised when you find that it’s the exact opposite; you feel like you’ve just wanted into some swanky bar. The air smells like palo santo, but above all, it’s cool. You let out a sigh of relief.

“Can I get you a beer” he asks, and you nod your head in response. He walks into the kitchen, and you’re mesmerized by his space. It’s a similar layout to your apartment, but somehow it feels bigger, even a tad cozier, plus he has exposed brick, a detail you wish your apartment had.

“Your apartment is amazing,” you tell him, spinning around to get a full 360 view of the space. You hear him yell something like thanks from the kitchen.

You find your seat on the cognac-colored couch and run your hand up and down the texture of it. The leather is cool on your skin, and your body temperature slowly begins to return to normal.

Joel returns from the kitchen, and hands you a Bud Light. And for once, you don’t wish for it to turn into a martini. Now having spent a few months in the city, you’re starting to realize that you’re more of a bud girl than a cocktail girl, and that fairy godmothers are a tad overrated.

You’re not sure when he did it, but your ear tunes to the classic sound of Beast of Burden by the Rolling Stones playing in the background at a low volume, adding a funk you adore to the moment.

He finds a seat on the couch next to you and throws his arm behind you on the ledge. He crosses his legs over one another, and you squirm, not out of discomfort, but nerves.

“I am impressed with your apartment, it’s well decorated,” you compliment him, bringing the bottle of beer to your lips.

“Had a bit of help, ‘f I’m being honest,” he replies. Your stomach flips.

“Oh?” you say, a bit breathless, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Of course, he would have a girlfriend. You see it plain as day now, the feminine touches built into the apartment, hanging on the walls in plain sight, taunting you with the obvious. He even has like ten live plants for fucks sake. Joel Miller is taken.

“My daughter, Sarah,” he replies, bringing the beer to his mouth for another swig. You try not to make your sigh of relief too obvious. “Oh!” you squeak and turn your body to face him. You don’t know if you’ve scooted closer or if he did, but your thighs are now touching.

“She’s studying interior design. Begged me this past year to let her fix up my apartment, and well…I didn’t have the heart ta say no,” he replies. “Said my apartment resembled a frat boys bachelor pad,” he lets out a gruff little chuckle and you smile at him.

His arm drifts close to you, his hand nearly touching your shoulder. It’s not quite there, but you can feel the heat, the electricity, his fingertips shoot to your skin. So much for cooling down.

“Well, if you didn’t decorate the space, what’s your favorite part about it then?” you ask, taking another swig at the bottle. Joel stares at your lips as they latch around the glass, admiring how plush and warm they look. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t wonder what they might look like around his cock.

“Ah, good question,” he says, bringing his hand to cover his crotch with the bottle, all while subtly trying to adjust himself from his previous thought. He’s surprised he even heard your question at all. “Probably the table over there,” he says, nodding his head back to signal to the dining room.

“Made it myself,” he says, a bit of pride in his voice.

You crane your neck to look, but can’t get a good view with how plush the cushions are. You slightly angle your body upwards, coming onto your knee on the couch to look, bringing your chest closer to Joel’s face.

“Well I’ll be damned, you really must be good with your hands,” you playfully tease, letting your body sink by his side once more, feeling the warmth he exudes. Your words cause his gaze to go dark. “Mhmm,” he murmurs, taking another sip of his beer, sure if he said any more he might regret it.

You notice the music switches to Kings of Leon, a favorite tune of yours echoing through the air. “Oh shit, I love this song,” you exclaim, barely able to contain your excitement, much to Joel’s delight.

“Yeaaaaaah, your sex is on fireeeee,” you belt, and you inadvertently tilt your beer bottle a little too far down in the process of your solo, and a splash of beer pours out onto Joel’s lap. The action abruptly causes you to stop.

“Ah, I’m so sorry,” you apologize profusely, setting the nearly empty bottle on the coffee table in front of you, noticing the box of tissues as you do.

“Don’t worry about it, Darlin’,” he says, voice mellow, placing his beer on the table, too.

You frantically grab a handful of tissues and bring them over to the wet spot pooling on Joel’s crotch. “Here, let me,” you say, dabbing at the liquid, the realization not fully hitting you that your hands are literally on his crotch until – oh.

Joel’s been walking the fine line of a stiff one all night, and your simple gesture throws him over the edge, the dabbing causing blood to rush to his cock.

You continue to blot at the liquid and notice him stiffening underneath you. A heavy rush of arousal courses through you, and heats your core. Joel’s hand darts to grab your wrist, the size of it completely swallowing up your entirety of it, his fingers wrapped around it, and you’re certain he feels your pulse quicken under his touch.

You look up at him with big doe eyes, only to find his own pupils are blown open wide with lust, his jaw tense. His other hand finds the side of your face, and he holds you up to look at him. You both pause there, letting the tension of the moment swallow you whole. He looks at you like you're a juicy summer peach, ripe for the picking.

His grip on your wrist softens, and you flatten your hand to palm at his growing bulge. Joel lets out a deep groan in response to the full contact. “Shit darlin’,” he says, voice wrecked. His hand drifts to the column of your neck, and he begins to pull you up so you’re face-to-face with him.

The anticipation builds, and just as your lips are about to meet, a sudden shrill sound shatters the moment – the fire alarm.

“Fuck.” Joel groans.

TO BE CONTINUED - READ PART 2

Tagging moots and those who I think might like this: @endlessthxxghts @theoasisofthings @bastardmandennis @untamedheart81@lavema @not-a-unique-snowflake-blog @dugiioh @nervoushottee @milly-louise @ghostwritesthings@josephquinnswhore @drunk-and-capable @peachmy @survivingandenduring@darkheartgatita @hotgirlbedtimescenarios @dins-riduur-anthe @ohheypedrito @joeldjarin @nerdieforpedro As always, feel free to let me know if you'd like to be added to my tag list, or removed (even if we're moots, no hard feelings). Might transition to a notifs blog soon.xx

#joel miller x reader #joel miller x female reader #joel miller smut #joel miller fanfic #joel miller x you #joel miller fluff #joel miller #pedro pascal character #pedrohub #pedro pascal #new york #firefighter smut #pedro stories

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ashwhowrites · 3 months

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Older! Rockstar! Eddie Munson x Rockstar! Reader, what if they have to do like a tour together, and they realize that they hate each other, like hate to share the stage, hate to spend time together, until the two of them end up hooking up after some drinks at some bar, then, they find each other being like all nervous with each other, because of what happened and bc they're catching feelings, but they hate each other, right? (You can write a tiny bit of angst for the "hate" part, smut and fluff!)

I hope this is what you wanted and you enjoy it! I had a lot of fun with this 🫶🏻 thank you for requesting

We got angst, we got smut and we got fluff

Rockstar love

Y/N was excited as hell when her manager, Samantha, told her she had a summer tour lined up. Y/N was a small independent artist and she couldn't headline a tour on her own, she was grateful for the opportunity to be an opener for one of the biggest artists in the industry, Eddie Munson.

She loved his music and she loved his style. Their writing dynamic was very similar and their music blended well. Even Eddie's manager couldn't pick a better person to open for him.

So Y/N was all packed up and ready for the summer of her life, on tour with someone that she admired. She couldn't possibly think of one bad thing to change her mind.

Well, that was until she met Eddie.

"Hi! I'm Y/N, I'm so ex-" Her introduction was cut off when Eddie's painted nails waved in her face.

"I know, baby. You are so excited to finally meet me, and you're my biggest fan. But I'm in a rush, so why don't you just give me your number and I'll call you tonight?" His smirk was so confident and smug. She couldn't believe he was this conceited.

She scoffed and crossed her arms. "Is that how you talk to women?"

Eddie blinked at her aggressive tone but shook it off. "Women? Nah, that's how I talk to my girl of the night. So interested or not? Like I said I'm in a rush for a meeting." He checked his watch, knowing he was meant to meet whoever his opener was going to be for his tour.

"Not. Nice to meet you, asshole." She gagged and walked off.

This summer started a whole lot worse than she thought.

"Eddie! Glad you made it!" Samantha said with a big smile, no idea Y/N already had a run-in with the man of the hour.

"I'd like you to meet Y/N, she'll be your opener for the tour!" Eddie's eyes switched over to the girl that sat at the table. He choked a little on his spit when he realized it was the girl from outside the building.

"Oh shit, you're my opener?" Eddie asked. He did not make a good first impression.

"I know, baby. You are so excited to finally meet me, but I'm in a rush so can we sign the contract and get a move on?" Y/N said, his words leaving her tongue in a sassy way that Eddie couldn't help but like and hate.

Eddie sent a glare her way but signed the papers.

After the meeting, Y/N was quick to leave. Eddie ran out after her, an apology on his tongue.

"Hey, look, I'm sorry for how I talked to you. Can I make it up to you? Maybe dinner?" Eddie asked, a hopeful smile on his face.

Y/N debated for a while but figured making amends might be better for the summer ahead.

"Dinner is good."

Y/N applied the final touch of her lipstick before she walked out of the small hotel room. Eddie's room across from her. She knocked on the door, waited, and waited.

She huffed when she checked the time and realized she'd been outside his door for five minutes. She gave up and went back into her room, figuring she'd just wait there until he came to her.

But he never did. After two hours, she heard his voice slurring in the hallway as he tried to open his door. She looked out the peephole and saw his arm wrapped around another girl.

She gave up on him immediately.

~~~

Half the summer was sour, they hated to be in the same room with each other. She knew she had a right to be pissed, but Eddie didn't. He hated her because she hated him. He never bothered to apologize or admit he was a selfish asshole. And that's all she wanted.

"Can you stop moving off your X? It's there for a reason!" Y/N snapped, she groaned as they had to stop rehearsal, yet again.

"I'm a rockstar! I'm meant to move around!" Eddie argued. He wasn't used to sharing the stage and he hated it.

"I'm one too! And in case you haven't noticed, I'm doing perfectly fine on my X!"

"You want a fucking gold star for being boring? Difference between an opener and the main show" Eddie snapped, Y/N didn't fight back. She just growled and began the song again.

"Y/N, THAT WAS SO GOOD!" Samantha cheered as Y/N walked off the stage. The first night of your was in the books and Y/N loved the way she felt on the stage. The crowd seemed to like her and she felt like she got them pumped for Eddie's set.

Even though she hated him, she looked his way for approval. After all, she was his opener and cared what he thought about his tour.

"Why the hell are you looking at me?" He asked, his guitar strapped to his body as he waited for his cue.

"I don't know. Just maybe thought you'd like to share your thoughts?" She said, a little shy that she had to admit she wanted to know.

Eddie was taken aback by the nervousness in her eyes, for once she looked vulnerable and not ready to shoot fire. But he couldn't give in, the hatred between them was too powerful and he refused to give in first when she chose to be a bitch towards him.

"I've seen better, you're nothing special." He shrugged and jumped on the stage as his cue was hit. The screams of the arena sounded muted as his words rang in her ears.

She marched off into her dressing room. She didn't bother to watch his set. Unlike him, she can admit when someone has talent and he doesn't deserve her compliments. Instead, she focused on the anger she felt and put it into a song. If he wanted special, she'd show him special.

Within a week, she finished the song and began performing it. It was full of anger and the crowd loved it. The music was loud and it shook the whole place.

Eddie knew the song was about him. She stood there, banging on her guitar as she swore about the big-headed men in her life. He was pissed, it was his tour and here she was bad-mouthing him to his fans. The fans didn't know it was about him, they just related it to a man in their life. But still, he didn't take the disrespect lightly.

And she didn't care. Ever since that first show on tour, she never asked for his thoughts again. She'd get off stage, place down her guitar, and walk straight to the dressing room.

It bothered Eddie that she never sat to watch his set, but he refused to let her know that he cared.

~~~

About a month and a half into the tour, they barely spoke. And if they did, it was to tear each other apart.

But when Y/N's new song was officially released and hit the radio, the crew wanted to go out to celebrate. And to her shock, Eddie showed up.

"I'd like to make a toast!" Y/N slurred, already a few shots in and the alcohol was taking over her body. The table raised a glass, and Eddie rolled his eyes. He might have been a little irritated by all the success she earned from a song that was about him.

"...and thanks to Eddie, the man who inspired the song. Thanks for being an asshole and treating me like shit. Cheers!"

Eddie bit his tongue as he took the shot in front of him, he didn't want to make a scene in a public place. He knew better than that. There would be cameras everywhere.

As the night went on, the more drunk she and Eddie became. The crew called it a night and left. Bad move to leave them alone.

"You know that I can't fucking stand you sometimes." Eddie hissed, trying to ignore the way her lips were wet and glossy from all the drinks she had.

"Yeah, I got the message." She laughed sarcastically. She hated how he got hot and had to throw his hair in a bun. With stupid curls hanging down to frame his perfect face.

"Why did you write the song? Just knew making money off me would be a career move?" He argued, the venom on his tongue was strong and she knew a fight was brewing.

"Oh fuck off. I'm going to the bathroom." She said as she rolled her eyes and walked off.

But Eddie was too mad to let it go. He followed her into the bathroom, locking the door behind them.

"Are you crazy!? This is a bathroom!"

"Answer my fucking question!"

"Yes, Eddie. It was a career move! You were a complete dick the second I met you and looked down on me all because I was an opener! I was grateful for the opportunity and now I realize, you are a selfish prick who only cares to get his dick wet." Her words were knives and perfectly sliced into Eddie's skin. Her eyes are dark as she gets in his face. Every word against his lips as he puffed and huffed.

The fire in his body with all the anger he felt. She stood tall and confident. Right in his face with no care in the world. Her lip snarled and her eyebrows scrunched.

"Jealous or something baby?" He smirked, he noticed the flicker of lust in her eyes before she remained unbothered.

"Of what?" She sneered

"The girl I took to my hotel room instead of you." His smirk was a target and she wanted to smack it off his face. He knew she was waiting and watching. And he had the nerve to never once apologize.

"Not. I like to end my nights with an orgasm." She said with a bitter smile, her hand reached behind him to grab the door but the growl that left his lips made her stop.

She looked up into his eyes and knew she struck a nerve. And she couldn't help but feel how wet her underwear became.

Before she could say another word, insult, or make a noise, his hot mouth was on hers. His hands dived into her hair as he took over her body. His tongue was in her mouth before she could blink. And she hated how easily she moaned.

Her body was against the sink as his hands scrammed to take off her jeans. He pulled away to unbuckle his belt and yank down his jeans, she took a second to catch her breath and remove her shirt. Her head against the mirror as his mouth attached to her chest, his teeth biting down on the flesh as she whined out.

She wasn't thinking, and she knew that. But his mouth felt so good and her cunt ached.

"Is that what this has always been about? Jealous I wasn't fucking your cute cunt?" Eddie teased, and he pulled away his mouth, which allowed her to understand his words.

"No, it's not. You were a dick the second I met you, and discredit me because I'm younger and newer to the industry. Don't flatter yourself." She scoffed. He was so big-headed and she couldn't believe he still didn't understand where he went wrong. "plus I wouldn't care about the girl if I wasn't waiting for you for dinner." She barked out. The hatred and anger filled her body again. Almost like it reminded her why she shouldn't be doing this. She pushed him back and reached for her shirt.

"Oh come on! Don't take it so personally. I forgot we had plans, okay?" He tried to defend but she was already throwing on her shirt.

"Forgot? Or decided that getting a quick fuck meant more?" Maybe in a way, she was hurt by the fact he completely shoved her off for someone else. She liked Eddie, and she always found him attractive and it sucked to meet him and see he was nothing like she thought.

"DO YOU WANT ME TO ADMIT THAT? Would that even make it better?" He laughed out, he couldn't believe it was even a big deal. "if I sat here and told you straight to your face that I wanted some wet pussy wrapped around me instead of sitting at a dinner with you, that make it BETTER? Huh?"

She shouldn't care, she really shouldn't. They weren't even friends and she had no reason to feel the burning jealousy in her stomach that someone got to spend the night with him when it was supposed to be her. She hated that no matter how much he made her hate him, she still felt something pulling her towards him.

She didn't have words, and she wasn't sure how to respond.

All she wanted was an apology

"Because that pussy was the best I've ever had and I don't regret it." He seethed out, and that struck a nerve in her. Apart from the jealousy and stupid high school games, he felt she wasn't worth apologizing to. She realized she'd never get that apology.

This time, she did go to smack the smirk off his face. Her right hand was high in the air as she aimed for his cheek, but his hand caught her. A deadly look in his eyes. They were breathing hard into each other's faces. She felt her cunt pulse, and he felt his cock pulse in his boxers, his jeans still on the floor.

She whimpered as he took control, again. He kept his grip on her arm, turning her around and pressing his cock against her ass. He held her arm behind her back, she was trapped between him and the sink.

No words were said, both relieving their aches as his free hand ripped off her underwear. The sound made her clench, then his fingers were inside of her. She moaned as he didn't care to be soft or gentle. Three fingers deep inside her cunt as his cock pressed against her ass. She moaned out and her head was thrown back into his shoulder.

His hand let her arm free, and she moved it to grip the sink, his fingers pumping inside of her. He was skilled, experienced, and knew exactly how to hit the right spots. Her head was fuzzy as she got lost in the feeling. With his free hand, he grabbed her chin and turned her head towards him. Her eyes closed in bliss as his lips touched hers.

His fingers moved faster inside of her as his lips tasted her. He felt the moan in the back of his throat as she clenched around him. His stomach flipped when her warm tongue worked inside of his mouth. He growled as her tongue dominated his.

The aching in his boxers became too much, he removed his fingers, smirking as she whined at the lost touch. But he was quick to fill her again, but this time with his pulsing cock. She moaned as she fucked into her. Nothing about it was romantic. It was heavy breaths, growls, moans, and the sound of their skin smacking. Her nails dug into the sink as he destroyed her. His mouth was on hers again as he moved his hips against her, loving the way she clenched around him. Her knees were weak when his fingers began to rub her clit.

She couldn't focus on anything except that burning feeling in her stomach and the build-up of her orgasm.

"Eddie." She squeaked, her hands moved up her body and reached behind her, feeling him underneath her fingertips.

"Shh, I know, baby. Let it go. I got you. Cum for me, gorgeous. Be right here." He said softly, she didn't think she'd ever heard him sound so sweet. She nodded as she gasped, letting herself go. She shook on his cock as she came. The relief she felt from every aching part of her body vanished.

She hissed as he slipped out of her, but she was fast to wrap her hand around him. Jerking him off as she looked in the mirror ahead. His forehead was against her shoulder as he breathed hard. His hands gripped her hips and he moved his hips to her rhythm.

"Watch yourself." She said, her tone demanding. He looked up, his blown-out lustful eyes took in their reflection. The sight of her hand wrapped around his red cock made his thighs shake.

He kept his eyes on her reflection as he painted the sink and her hand with his cum. He panted hard as she needed him off through it.

She washed off her hands and got dressed. Awkwardly handing Eddie his clothes.

He silently grabbed the jeans from her hands and put them on. He watched as she dressed herself.

"I'm, um, I'm sorry for the way I treated you and for ditching you," Eddie whispered, not to her but to the floor.

"Thanks, Eddie." She said, and she meant it. She knew that's all she would get. She gave him a small smile and walked out.

Where the hell do they stand now?

~~~

After that event, things between them got blurry. They found themselves feeling something different. Almost like they got out every bit of anger inside of them. Like the anger was just the first layer. And now other feelings were being revealed.

Y/N couldn't help but notice she was putting more work into her appearance. More makeup touches and asking for more sexier clothes for when she performs. She almost felt like she wanted Eddie's eyes on her all the time. Because she couldn't help but have her eyes on him.

Eddie couldn't help but stare whenever she was near. It was like his eyes automatically found her in the room and he couldn't get enough. He noticed things about her that he didn't see at first. He always found her attractive, but now it was deeper than that. He found a new favorite thing about her every day. He started watching more of her performances and found the compliments slipping off his tongue.

The air changed between them. Now they were nervous and didn't know what to say. They didn't talk about what happened but both wished that the other still thought about it.

They tried to ignore how nervous they were and how awkward it made things. Y/N felt like they both needed to talk about what happened to either go back to normal or discuss what was next for them because this situation was too weird.

It was nearly midnight when they made it back to the hotel after their show, Eddie went to head into his room when Y/N spoke up.

"Do you think we could talk?" She asked, the shakiness in her voice made it clear she was nervous.

"Uh sure," Eddie said, his nerves kicked in as he unlocked the door.

She followed behind and took a seat on the bed. He removed his shoes and then took the spot next to her. His shoulder against hers as he waited for her to speak.

"About the thing that happened," she started, already hating the conversation. Eddie coughed awkwardly as he stared at his hands. "I'm just going to be fully honest and I can leave right after. But, it hasn't left my head. I know it was full of hatred and anger. And it probably didn't mean anything and I didn't think it would. But it almost feels like I let out all that anger and now I'm left with other feelings." She admitted, slowly looking towards him to read his expression.

"What kind of other feelings?" He asked, he turned his head to look at her. He hoped she meant the same feelings he'd been feeling. The feeling of wanting each other again. And maybe wanting each other always.

"Feelings like that I like you and my stomach hurts when I think about all the girls in the crowd that want to go home with you." She admitted, looking down at her own hands as she blushed.

She was surprised when Eddie reached for her hand and laced their fingers together. He reached over and used his pointer finger to tilt up her chin. Her eyes looked into his as she anxiously waited for him to speak.

"I tend to be a dick so girls want anything to do with me after sex. But, I'm fucking grateful to hear you still like my dumbass." He joked, a smile on his face as she laughed. "Even though we had sex out of anger, there was something so real there and it hasn't left my mind. The way you pulled so much emotion out of me. I've never had someone do that. I like you too, and I'd like a chance to take you on a date and treat you the way you always should have been treated."

She felt her heart skip at his words, and a feeling of excitement bubbled in her stomach.

"I'd like that." She said as she tried to bite back her smile.

"Perfect, let's go right now." He said he stood up with their hands still laced.

"What? Right now! It's midnight!" She argued, her eyes looking to the clock.

"Don't care. I'm not wasting a second to take you out. The world is asleep, let's go have our fun before it wakes up ." He said with a wink, smiling as she stood up and together they ran out of his room like idiots.

Maybe the summer was finally looking up.

Tags!

@bmunson86 @mxcheese @ladymunson @michaelfuckinglangdon @z0mbie-blah @biittersweet @mirrorsstuff @somethingvicked @micheledawn1975 @ago-godance @magnificantmermaid @tlclick73 @hargrovesswifee @cityofidek @manyfandomsfanvergentreblogs @silky-luxe @lokiofasgard616 @loving-and-dreaming @eddiemunsonsbitch69 @thegemaqua @ashlynnkennedy @strangerthingsstories5255 @harringt8ns @pleasinghellfire @whoscamila @stusdollface93 @gretavankleep37 @bellaisswagger

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ultralightpoe · 4 months

Text

Full House llll l -Eddie Munson

Authors Note: And with this final chapter we say goodbye to the Munson family. Thank you to everyone who has read this series.

Warnings: angst, mentions of ptsd and fear of suicide but not a lot.

Word Count: 10,129

Part One HERE - Part Two HERE - Part Three HERE - Part Four HERE - Part Five HERE -

(Thanks for the gif @spookynebula )

Enjoy! -Warning. This chapter had mentions of depression and ptsd. Reader hints at suicide-

It was insane how fast things escalated that night.

Friday nights had become somewhat of a massive tradition in the entire group, since that was the one night that EVERYONE had off. It became a family dinner/ game night all around.

Everyone brought over plates of food, the kids all got to spend time together and the DnD party got a night to catch up on their campaign. Anyone who didn’t want to play got some time to relax with friends.

Tonight was an extra special night because everyone was celebrating Dustin and Erica’s son, Luke’s birthday.

So the second you all got home from all the activities and clubs and meetings everyone got cracking and starting setting up. Ziggy cleaned the downstairs living room that became the kids play room with the help of Halen.

You helped clean up the living room before leaving Eddie and Ozzy to set up their DND tables for their respective campaigns as you went to start the food.

By 7, an hour earlier than her normal time, Motley comes in with a smile that has you on edge immediately.

It’s not that she was a bad kid, you loved your daughter more than the world itself, you just didn’t like her current path. And you had gotten used to the coming in and stomping straight into her room so this smile told you something was up.

“Hey ma!” She smiles, moving forward to kiss your cheek.

“Hi angel.” You mumble, making a kiss noise back as you focus on the food. “We’re doing chicken Alfredo tonight for everyone so-“

“I was actually hoping I could go to Samantha’s for a movie night.” She smiles, watching you pause and then look at her.

“Again?” It had been a year since she had attended one of these family dinners since her and Samantha did movie nights. “Wait, I thought you were mad at Samantha for something. When I was doing laundry you were on the phone talking about her.”

“You were eavesdropping?!”

“No, I was doing your laundry and you were talking loudly!” You snap. “And I’m gonna have to say no to the movie night because it’s Luke’s birthday. A special event.”

“And next week it will be Uncle Jonathan’s birthday and after that Sara’s birthday-“ a small smile spreads across your face at the mention of Sara, the cute toddler girl Mike and El had brought into the world. She was so sweet and reminded you of your kids back then.

“That’s the thing about birthdays. They happen every year?” You mumble, confused on why you have to explain this as she curses under her breath.

“I just mean it’s always something with this family.”

“Okay. I already said no so suck it up buttercup.” You snap, turning back to the food.

Eddie comes into the kitchen with an excited smile when he sees Motley home, and you already know what’s coming.

“Hey Metalhead. You wanna see how cool I am?”

“Sure.” She snaps, rolling her eyes at him.

“People say I’m magic, cause I always have a few Twix up my sleeve.” Just as he says it he makes the Twix candy bar slide down into his awaited palm with such excitement.

“Wow dad.” She sighs. “This is an all time low.”

“Oh! Twix!” Halen snatches it and dashes to go fine his best friend.

“You eat today?” Eddie asks Motley, trying not to let her mood get at him. “We have snacks set up already-“

“Why do you constantly feel the need to ask me if I’ve eaten?!” She snaps.

“What?! I just want to make sure my daughter actually eats instead of that dieting smell a carrot bullshit!”

“UGH! Just leave me alone! This house sucks!” She stomps downstairs and Eddie turns to you.

“What’d I do now?”

“I actually told her no to something before you came in so it was me.” You explain, using the spoon to pull out a noodle and move to feed it to him.

And before you know it everything is packed with people.

Steve and Nancy came in a bundle of hugs, Eddie making a tall joke to their tallest son which makes Vinny laugh nervously as he moves out of the way for his three younger brothers to come in.

Vinny takes his spot at Ozzys table, getting his dice ready as two of his brothers join him while the third dashes to follow Ziggy to go play with Zeppelin.

Steve takes a seat at Ozzys table as well, since he wanted to play but didn’t really know how he was playing Ozzys campaign to learn the basics of the game.

Jonathan and his son arrive soon enough, Halen snatching his friend and they dash upstairs to play video games as Jonathan takes a seat on the couch where you Nancy and Robin always sit and talk shit about anyone and anything.

Eddie tries to call Motley up for dinner but she doesn’t answer so he just shrugs and starts his campaign, missing the pointed eye roll Vinny had.

“He prefers to be called Vince now.” Nancy explains over her wine. “And Steve found not one but 4 little notes from girls or guys asking him out. All unanswered and just shoved into his desk drawer.”

“I still can’t believe you’re raising a valedictorian. Any idea on where he’s applying to colleges?” Jonathan asks.

“Oh come on. The kid is tall, attractive, has amazing grades and an all around good student. Not to mention the star baseball player for the team. It doesn't matter where he’s applying because they are all going to be reaching out to him.” Robin scoffs, making Nancy smile.

You hear a bunch of groans coming from Ozzys table and look over to see your son smiling just like his dad as the table is panicking on what to do.

When you look over at Eddie you see he is already smiling from ear to ear as he watches before the sound of Zeppelin barking in the back yard pulls your attention.

“What was that?” Mike asks, trying to look out the window.

“Probably just heard a car door. Dogs on about everything lately.” Eddie sighs, focusing back up on the game.

Then some more time passes and he begins to get to get more and more anxious. Motley hadn’t eaten so she should come up.

“Hey Zig?” He calls. “Send your sister up please!”

There’s a slight rustle downstairs and he hears Ziggy knock before swinging the door open. His first sign of trouble is when he doesn’t hear Motley immediately scream at her sister to get out of her room.

But he thinks that maybe she managed to fall asleep, she did come from cheer practice after all.

That is until Ziggy dashes upstairs and Eddie is met with her wide eyes that makes everything fall into a panic for him.

“What’s up?”

“She’s not there.”

“She’s not where?”

“She’s not in her room-“ Eddie is zipping out of his chair to zoom downstairs and check for himself, barging into her room to find it empty. “You’ve gotta be kidding me-“

He moved to see that she had somehow shimmied out of the small window she had and he gets pissed.

How long has she been doing that?!

He storms back upstairs, snatching the phone angrily as you come closer, watching him dial Perez' number and wait.

“Hello, this is Eddie Munson. I just need to make sure my daughter got to you house safely-“ he stops, heart thundering in his rib cage at the man’s response as you keep peering at him. “What do you mean she’s not there?”

Vinny is watching you both, an annoyed look on his face as everyone’s mood immediately drops, once again for Motley. She ruined everything these days.

“She’s at a party.” He sighs. “Her boyfriend Aaron and his best friend Henry are throwing a huge rager tonight.”

“I thought she wanted to go to Samantha’s?” He asks you, confused since that’s what you told him earlier.

“Her and Samantha haven’t actually been friends for months. Samantha is too nerdy now.” Vinny explains and Steve sighs.

“Vin, why didn’t you say anything?”

“She’s not my business. I try to stay far away from her these days-“

“Why?” You ask, getting defensive of your daughter.

“Because they make everyone’s lives miserable. They just constantly bully Mickey about his stuttering. Samantha is bullied about her weight and all they do is walk through the halls making everyone miserable. And she just lets it happen with a laugh. She thinks it’s great.”

Your heart breaks, imagining all the things he is saying as Eddie is losing patience.

“The party's address. Where is it?” He snaps, moving to grab his keys.

“Eds..” you mumble, reaching out to stop him but the second he has the address he is out the front door.

So you, and everyone else, wait.

Sending all the kids including your twins down stairs to watch a movie as the adults and teens sit around and wait for Eddie’s car to emerge again.

And when they do you already know it’s gonna be bad based on the way they both slam the doors.

He’s yelling before they even make it to the front door.

“I’m sick of this bullshit with you!” He shouts. “When’s it gonna stop, huh?!”

“Fuck off!” She screams back, obviously crying. “You just ruined my life!”

“No Motley, I just helped it!” He yells, opening the door. “I can’t fucking believe you.”

“Why do you care so much?!” She screams as they both come into view. “IT WAS JUST A PARTY!”

“YOU WERE DRINKING AND SMOKING!” He screams back, both red in the face. “I HAD TO PULL THAT FUCK OFF OF YOU! DO YOU REALIZE WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED MOTLEY?!

“Right. So you’re the hero once again right? You barge in and take control over everything and now everyone is gonna say what a wonderful guy you were and how my mom is so lucky she found you.” She sneers, tears streaming down her face and makes her eyeliner stain her cheeks. “Thank god for Eddie fucking Munson. My family was fine before she met you! We were fine without you!”

“I don’t know what you’re on about but you’re on thin ice tonight.” He warns.

“Just fucking say it! Say I remind you of my dad! That’s why you hate me right?!” She snaps and his eyes widen.

“Motley- you don’t. Wait-“ your husband tries, you see the panic on his face as he realizes that this situation was spinning out far too quickly.

Meanwhile Eddie felt like he couldn’t breathe. He had just found his daughter half asleep with some jock on top of her at a party and he was freaked the fuck out. He was mad and stressed and scared but the feeling he was getting as she glared at him made him go cold.

He had his tiffs with her, these days all he could seem to do was irritate her but this was something entirely different.

“I’m Billys kid right? That’s all I am to you? I look and act like him! That’s all you see! Right?!”

“You’ve had a lot to drink.” Eddie sighs, rubbing his face. “Maybe you should go get some rest.”

“You talk all this bullshit about how it’s the people that raise us and not the ones we’re made from. But you know what I think? I think you’re lying because you know that’s not true. I’ll always be like Billy and you will always be like Alan.” She continues and Eddie feels something cold in his chest, a cracking feeling as his ears start ringing. He hears you shuffle closer already trying to diffuse the situation but neither of them look at you.

When he doesn’t respond she keeps going, like a feral animal backed into a corner.

“You think I haven’t heard the stories?! Huh?! Alan Munson arrested for drug abuse and manslaughter. Eddie Munson, the schools fucking freak that sold drugs and killed Chrissy Cunningham.”

“I am nothing like him-“ Eddie snaps, skin hot and fists clenched. Alan was an abuser, who had hit Eddie more than he hugged him. Eddie had never hit you, or the kids. He had never killed anyone, not even Chrissy and sure he sold drugs but he always made sure everyone was safe when using them.

Is that how she saw him?

“You’re just like him! Nothing but a low life fucking freak. You can take your cheap fucking necklace back, freak.” She sobs, tearing off the necklace he made her and chucking it at his chest. Some of the chain hits his cheek at how hard she threw it, and it falls to the floor beneath him with a clank.

And just like that he’s back to nothing. All the hard work he’s done to run from his name and all the hard work he’s put into supporting people is gone. She’s right. He’s nothing but a freak. Always has been and always will be.

Her face falls from one of pure anger to shock and sadness as she watches him. He doesn’t know what he looks like but by your devasted face it can’t be great.

“I’m going to bed.” He announces, voice sounding bland and empty, kicking his mothers ring away from his feet and moving upstairs without another word.

“W-wait dad-“ she gasps out, sobering up a bit. “Please just-“

He doesn’t hear. Or he just blatantly ignores her as the bedroom door slams harshly.

“No. No no no.” She sobs, falling to her knees to try and find where the ring had gone after Eddie kicked it. Her fingers grasp around the chain, sobbing harder when she sees it snapped and broken.

Ziggy comes into view then, eyes wide as she watches her sister scramble across the floor.

“Ziggy. You need to go downstairs-“ you try and control the situation, moving your daughter to head back only to find that all of the kids were standing in the kitchen and had heard everything.

“I think it’s time we go.” Steve mumbles, not looking at Motley as everyone begins to grab their kids and make their way out.

She can’t breathe, she can’t breathe and she can’t find the ring.

“Z-zig- help me p-please. I can’t find it.” She sobs, reaching her arm under the couch to try and feel for it.

Ziggy doesn’t move to help her sister, and you can only watch with tears streaming down your face as your oldest breaks down.

“Ididntmeanit!” She sobs. “Pleasebelieveme-“

“I think everyone needs to go to bed.” You state calmly. “Motley we will discuss all of this in the morning once we’ve all had room to breathe. Okay?”

She nods, still violently sobbing as Ziggy walks away from her and storms downstairs. Halen has tears streaming down his own face as Ozzy grabs his arm to lead him upstairs, hearing nothing but silence coming from their parents room.

You shuffle away too, trying not to look at her and trying not to cry. You had no clue what to do right now.

She searches for a couple minutes before realizing the point was mute since she couldn’t actually see from her eyes anymore with how hard she was crying and finally she gave up, shuffling downstairs.

At first she walks to her room, but the second she hits the door she realizes she doesn’t want to be alone so she moves closer to Ziggys door and knocks softly.

Back when you first moved in, Motley and Ziggy were terrified to sleep in the basement, both so sure ghosts were real. Motley often let Ziggy in her room so they could sleep together.

Now it was her knocking on her baby sister's door, chest aching as it opens a bit. “C-can I sleep with you Zig? I-I don’t want to-“

“Why do you have to ruin everything?!” Ziggy cries, shoving Motley away. “Why do you have to chase him away?!”

“Zig-“ Motley sobs but her sister doesn’t hear her.

“You ruin everything! And he’s gonna leave because of you!” And then the door is slammed in her face once more.

So Motley shuffles to the couch, curling into the cushions as she sobs. Eddie’s face stuck in her mind.

She had never seen him look so…. Broken and empty. She did that.

And he had never walked away from a fight with her.

“I want dad…” she sobs, shoving her face into the pillow to sob. “I’m sorry dad.”

You were going to be sick.

Never before had you seen such silence from your husband.

By the time you made it to the room he was just sitting on the bench in front of your bed, just staring at the wall.

“Eddie?” You mumble, moving closer to him and try to rub his cheek. “Do you want to talk about it?”

He just shakes his head no. Not actually looking at you as he brings his hand up to pull yours away from him.

There’s a crater in your chest as your husband pushes your hand away, this gaping hole just gushing out blood as you try and figure out how to fix this. But before you can think of something he stands and walks past you to go into the bathroom, locking the door and turning the shower on.

You’ve thankfully passed out by the time Eddie gets the courage to leave the bathroom, he can’t look at you right now.

He’s a coward.

A freak.

We were fine without you.

She thought he was Alan. She probably heard everyone at school making fun of her dad.

Nothing but a low life fucking freak.

Freak. Freak. Freak freakfreakfreak.

“You’re nothing Edward. You hear me boy?” Alan calls, watching Eddie dash to his room to hide.

Later that evening his mother would give Eddie a buzz cut, the hair being the thing that got him in trouble in the first place.

He could do nothing but stare into the mirror as she did so, looking at the deep purple bruise that covered most his cheek as she worked on his hair.

Nothing.

He didn’t mean to stay awake all night, sitting there staring at a wall. But he somehow managed to.

So he unplugs his alarm clock before it can wake you, shuffling around to get dressed silently. He was used to doing chores on the weekends, for the yard or the family cars.

Today he chose to head out for a bit. Leaving a tiny kiss on your forehead as he grabbed his wallet and keys before heading out.

Motley wakes up to the front door closing, her neck aching from the spot on the couch she had slept on and her head blaring from crying so much last night.

It takes her a moment to get up, shuffling upstairs half asleep until she is in the main part of the house, when she sees no one there she shuffled up the stairs to sneak into your room.

Her heart plummets when she sees it’s only you, her anxiety and guilt heightening as she crawls into bed to lay with you, pulling the blanket close as you turn to cuddle your daughter.

“I’m sorry mommy.” She cries.

“I know.” You mumble, still half asleep as you keep her close.

Soon enough the boys wake up, dashing downstairs, and you have to get up to go feed everyone. Motley stays close to you, sitting at the table awkwardly as you get the twins set up with cereal.

They don’t look at her. Neither of them even look near her as they eat silently which upsets her more.

“Have you decided what song you’re going to do for your performance, Oz?” She tries to break the tension, watching her brother shrug.

“Dad and I were going over some stuff. Doesn’t matter.” He shrugs again, spinning his cereal around the bowl as you go downstairs to grab Zeppelin for his daily walk and wake up Ziggy.

You rush Zeppelin out, the older dog excited as he is every morning and the second you leave the front door Ziggy emerges from downstairs.

“Morning Zig.” Motley tries to smile, stomach clenching when her sister ignores her.

“Hey Zig? Can I borrow your charcoal markers?” Halen asks, excited to see his sister. “I have this really cool idea to take my Halloween mask and make it look like the words are-“

Motley zones out watching all three of her siblings talk excitedly amongst each other. It had been a family tradition for as long as she’s known to have breakfast together on Saturday, just the 6 of them. A tradition she’s blatantly ignored in favor of spending time with her friends.

“I have a new eyeliner, Zig, if you want to try it?” Motley offers, once again trying to break the tension.

“I’m good.” Ziggys is quick to shut her down, moving to clean up her mess. “Remember guys. Dads birthday is coming up and we all gotta keep it a surprise what we got.”

“Right.” Ozzy smiles, tossing his bowl in the sink before dashing off while Ziggy rushes downstairs.

Halen is the only one left and Motley turns to him. “What’d we get dad?”

“I don’t know what you got him. But we all chipped our allowance in for something.” Halen mumbles, hands clenched.

“Why didn’t you guys tell me? I would have-“

“Why does it matter? He’s not your dad right?” Her brother mumbles out, getting up to slam his bowl in the sink as well. He stomps off soon after that, and soon enough the sound was mixed with the sounds of Ozzy practicing cello and Halen dashing around for his project. Ziggy playing music in her room.

“DADS HOME!” Halen yells excitedly, dashing down the stairs to come into the kitchen where you were preparing lunch. “I saw him pull in.”

“Good.” You smile, some of the anxiety easing as the kids collect at the table around where Motley was sitting and doing homework. “We’re going to eat lunch together. No fighting guys.”

The front door opens and shuts and Motley stands up awkwardly, both of you waiting for Eddie to enter.

When he does you are silent, eyes wide as he blinks at you slowly. “Y-your hair?”

It was cut, short. There were still some curls at the top of his head but the rest was gone.

“I….. yeah I thought I needed a change.” He mumbles, reaching a hand up to pull through it awkwardly. “Thought the mop head was a little outdated.”

I didn’t want to look like a freak. You know that’s what he meant even if he didn’t say it.

“Dad. I am so sorry about what I said. I didn’t mean any of it and I can’t believe-“ Motley begins, wiping her cheeks as some fresh tears roll down her face.

“Hey hey hey.” Eddie stops her. “It’s fine. Okay? No hurt feelings Motley. You had some stress and needed to get it out. I get it.”

She shakes her head. “I didn’t mean any of it dad.”

“I know.” He nods. “I’m not upset at you Motley.”

And that was settled. But he doesn’t move forward to hug her, he doesn’t even touch her, instead he shuffles to sit down and look at the others staring at him.

“Does it look bad?” He asks as they all blink at him and his new hair. Immediately after he asks they all rush out to tell him no and that it looks good.

Motley takes a seat again and so do you, everyone beginning to eat silently.

Eddie had said it was fine, but everyone at the table knew it wasn’t.

Eddie didn’t try to crack any cheesy jokes or pull you into an embarrassing kiss that would make them all gag. He didn’t ask about their plans or if they all wanted to hang out. Eddie ate in silence. And the silence was the loudest part of the meal.

Things remained tense for the rest of the weekend and by the time Motley had to go to school she was tired and stressed.

Her bad was still shut down, he tried not to be but he was. And things were just so…..wrong now.

This morning was awkward enough. She had told Aaron she didn’t want a ride, and she really didn’t want her dad seeing him in general.

But he left early for work and you had assumed she already had a ride so you took the rest of the kids, which left her to walk to school.

She showed up drenched from the rain, bumping into Samantha by the door and dashing to the bathroom quickly.

By the time she gets out first period is already over and the hallways were already packed with people moving for their next class.

She just wanted to cry. She was cold and soaked and missed her dad.

She broke her dad.

“Motley! Hey!” Aaron calls, and she tenses, casting him a look before dashing down the hall and bumping into Vince harshly.

He manages to catch her as her heeled boots slip, hauling her easily into an empty classroom the second he sees the tears rushing down her her cheeks. He closes the door and pulls the blinds of the window down.

“Just take a moment.”

“I have to get to class.” She sniffles.

“It’s biology with Fitz. He barely takes attendance and we’ll be fine.” He tries to joke. “Just take a breather.”

“I can’t! I can’t catch my breath at all.” She snaps, and he moves closer to wipe at her eyes as she sobs before she is latching herself onto him with her face pressed into his chest as she sobs. “I’m sorry Vinny.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snitched on you like that.” He mumbles.

“No. No. It actually was for the better.” She moves to sit down after breaking from the hug, sliding against the door and sitting with her back to it.

He follows and they are side by side.

“I’m thankful my dad showed up.” She admits. “There was a split second where I was so fucking happy he was there actually. I saw him when he tore Aaron off of me and I knew I’d be safe.”

“Did Aaron….?”

“Oh. It’s….. I was just too out of it.” She mumbles, trying to get comfortable.

He moves slowly, unzipping her boot slowly to take it off and doing it to the other so it was easier to sit without the heels.

“Then what happened?”

“I…. Saw the look on my dads face when he dragged me out of there. And I just felt like….. Billy.” She admits, swiping the tears. “I remembered what you said and-“

“I lied.” Vince blurts. “Motley you had to have known that I lied. Your dad would never say that.”

“You lied?”

“I lied. I was trying to hurt you because you…. I was being a dick.”

She sniffles quickly, laughing a little. “Vinny.”

“I’m sorry Motley.”

“Oh my god.” She laughs and he can only blink at her from guilt. “I spent the past year bullying you with my friends and you’ve been holding back your punches.”

“I just….there is no excuse.” He mumbles but she just keeps laughing with tears still springing down her face.

“Don’t feel bad. I was…. Out of control and you ended up saving my ass.” She rushes out. “And then I just completely destroyed my life after.”

“You didn’t. I’m sure this can all be fixed.” He sighs. “Your dad is one of the…. Best.”

“He is.”

“And he forgives my dad after years of king Steve’s bullshit.” He mumbles. “Now they are best frie-“

Before he can finish his sentence her lips are on his. Warm and soft.

He can taste the salt from her tears, and his heart is beating through his rib cage as the girl he’s been dreaming about for years finally kisses him.

But then he pulls back, blinking at her. “Sorry.” He blurts out.

“Why are you sorry? I kissed you.” She blushes.

“Motley.” He begins, not really knowing what to say. “You’re beautiful.”

“I know.” She smiles, laying her head on his shoulder. “You are too.”

Family dinner was quiet, and Eddie spent most his time pushing the food around on his plate and everyone ate in silence.

Motley leans over, elbow pressing into his as she whispers. “Have you eaten today?”

A tiny smile breaks out, and Motley can’t tell if it’s real or fake. So she leans back and keeps pushing around her own food.

“I think I’m gonna drop out of the concert.” Ozzy blurts, pulling Eddie’s attention quickly.

“Why?”

“I’m just…. Not really feeling it.” Her little brother mumbles, shrugging.

Everyone turns to Eddie, waiting for him to talk Ozzy into it. This is what he did. A problem arose and Eddie was there to make them all feel better. He would talk Ozzy into the concert, get rid of all the anxiety and stress he was carrying about it.

But it didn’t come.

“Okay well….. just let your teacher know yeah?” He mumbles, picking up his plate to clean it before heading out of the room quickly.

“I hate you.” Ziggy snaps at Motley, storming off.

“EW! Absolutely not!” Motley snaps, slapping Vinny’s hand away which makes him laugh. “I refuse!”

“Go fish. Go fish!” He laughs, waving the card in her face again.

“No! I refuse!”

“That’s the point of the game!”

Motley and Vinny had been eating lunch together in the abandoned science classroom everyday for the past week. They did homework together and played card games. He told her about his mom and dads most recent fight where Steve had managed to break their bedroom door handle and trap them both in the room on accident.

“No it’s not. I win.” She mumbles, shaking her head as he groans out. “Which means I deserve a victory kiss.”

Whenever she won he had to kiss her. And whenever he won she had to kiss him. Oh how miserable life was.

He smiles, leaning forward to kiss her lips nervously which makes her giggle. When he pulls back he scratches the back of his neck. “So… the Sadie Hawkins Hawkins dance is coming up.”

“Yes. I hear them announce it every morning.” She teases. “Who you gonna ask?”

“Oh ha ha.” He scoffs right as the bell rings. “I have practice after school. You good to get home?”

“I’ll be good.” She smiles, watching as he stands up and heads out.

It was weird seeing Eddie like this, so bland and empty. It really scared you.

He had never shut down like this before, and you were getting to the point where you had begun to hide all the sharp objects and pills.

Today he sat on the bed, well more or less laid on the bed splayed out as he watched the ceiling fan turn slowly. It had been 2 weeks since that fight with Motley, and he had nightmares anytime he managed to fall asleep which wasn’t often.

You knew what he was dreaming about of course, between his father, Chrissy or Wayne’s passing he always woke up calling one of their names in a panic.

“Hey Eds?” You call, trying to get his attention. “Do you wanna try sleeping? I can lay with you.”

“No.” He mumbles out, not moving as the bed dios while you curl into his side.

“You need sleep.” You murmur, kissing his shoulder, taking your hand to rub circles on his stomach.

“I just need…..” What did he need? You’d give him anything.

“She didn’t mean it.” You whisper, tears beginning to burn your eyes.

“I know.” He whispers back. “I just can’t shake it.”

“Maybe, we should look into some therapy.” Your whisper, watching as he finally switches to lay on his side facing you pushing until it’s his forehead against your chest.

“If I start dreaming about them-“

“I’ll wake you up.” You promise.

Eddie’s first therapy session falls on a Monday, so you drop the kids off at all their clubs before taking him and waiting in the car as he spends the next 2 hours in the session.

You catch up on some of your book and when he gets back in the car you are happy to note that he seems a little better. Not a lot but he’s not too empty.

“You haven’t eaten in a minute. Want to go get a burger?” You ask and he shrugs. “You wanna wait for the kids to eat?”

“I just want to sleep.” He answers truthfully and you smile, because at least he was answering. So you turn down the radio and drive to pick up all the kids from their clubs.

First are the boys, Halen still in his karate outfit and Ozzy without his cello. When you ask he simply mutters since he didn’t need to practice he was gonna leave it there tonight.

Eddie closes his eyes like he is in pain when Ozzy says that, but no one says anything.

Next is Ziggy, but you are shocked to find both sisters standing together outside of Ziggys school.

“Motley? Why aren’t you at practice?”

“They end at 5.” She answers.

“Then why did you keep coming home at 8?”

She looks guilty as she shrugs, looking between you and Eddie as he keeps his eyes shut. “I’m sorry.”

“Jesus.” You grunt, feeling like a crap mother.

Later that night you knock on her door, and when she lets you in you shut the door, sitting her on her bed so you could have a long conversation about sex and boys.

It was a little too late as you had come to find out. But she ended up telling you everything.

Friday rolled around and it was DND night, but no one set up any campaign tables and no one bothered to get excited.

Eddie helped you in the kitchen and Motley tried asking about any ideas he had for another campaign.

“Have you ever done a dragon one?”

“Yes.”

“Well maybe you can do a futuristic one then?”

“I actually think I’m done for a bit.” He shrugs. “It’s a game meant for kids.”

He shuffles off to the garage to grab the drinks for tonight as Motley looks at you.

“Hey mom?” Ziggy asks, coming up the stairs. “I have this project I’m doing and it smells really bad cause of the paint. Do you think dad will let me work in the garage?”

“I don’t care. Go for it.” Eddie snaps, walking in with the sodas. “Have at it. Take what you want.”

He drops the drinks by the coolers before walking up the stairs.

“He hates us.” Ziggy mumbles. “He hates us now.”

“He doesn’t hate you. Enough of that.” You snap. “You two have absolutely no clue what he’s been through or what he’s done to be where he is now. You throw Chrissy in his face and his father in his face and all he ever does is try to cheer you guys up constantly.”

They both blink at you.

“He’s upset. He’s gonna be upset from his trauma and it shouldn’t constantly be about you two. Have you bothered to ask if he’s okay ever?” You snap, irritable. “Go clean something.”

They disperse quickly and you turn back to keep cooking, slamming everything as you go.

“You okay?” Eddie asks, leaning against the door.

“No I’m not.” You snap. “I’m so sick of everything. When did this get so hard and - and you’re listening to me complain again. Even when I’m stressed about you carrying all our burdens I still give you more.” You laugh bitterly.

“I don’t mind taking in your guys’ burdens.” He sighs, moving closer.

“This isn’t working.” You snap. “None of this is working.”

“I know.” He sighs.

“I think it’s time we take a look at the next step here.” You mumble, turning away from him. “Because I don’t think I can do this anymore.”

“I don’t think I can either.” He whispers.

“Then….” You can’t even put it into words, what are you saying? “I need to finish cooking.”

He doesn’t say anything, just merely disappears again.

“Divorce?” Robin scoffs. “You find out your daughter is a slut and this is where you end up?”

“No. Not divorce. We just need another strategy.” You mumble, not looking in the direction that Eddie was sitting in. “It’s like playing tug of war through a brick wall. Whenever either of us begins to make movement the other just hits the brick at full speed.”

Tonight’s ‘family dinner’ was extremely different. It felt more like an awkward party than a family dinner.

Motley sat on the stairs with Vinny, pretending to study as Ziggy sat in the corner sketching.

No dnd, no fun conversations. Your family was truly beginning to crumble under pressure.

“And I feel like absolute crap because how did I now see that my daughter had a sex life?”

“I hear that Aaron kid is a jackass.” Robin sneers.

“From Jonathan. His photography teacher.” Nancy clarifies.

“What great intel.” You sneer and she sighs, rollling her eyes.

You spend the rest of the night talking about Robins most recent girlfriend, and why it ended. By the time you said goodnight to everyone you truly thought you knew too much about her love life.

You wave off her car, being the last to leave, and you shut the door before pressing your forehead to it with a sigh.

When you turn around you are surprised to find Eddie standing there waiting for you and the kids still in sight watching you.

“Goodnight everyone.” You mumble, locking the door and moving to start picking everything up.

“I’m craving donuts.” Eddie blurts, making everyone look at him. “When’s the last time we had an actual Munson meal?”

“What?” Ozzy laughs. “We had dinner together yester-“

“No no. I mean an actual Munson meal.” Eddie shakes his head.

Ziggy catches on then, a smile spreading on her face as Motley soon gets it.

“Guys, I’m tired so maybe we should-“ you don’t get to finish your sentence because Eddie is there, pulling you to the kitchen with the kids to prep for Munson dinner.

A little while later you are all sat on the floor, knees connecting all of you together as you pass around the snacks and laugh.

Homemade donuts and ham wrapped around cheese sticks. Sliced apples and peanut butter with grapes. Any snack you could think of was in the center of the circle.

You all had pillows and blankets, and there was a cartoon playing in the background as Ziggy told you guys the story of how her math teacher broke his foot by dancing in class.

You’re laughing too hard, tears streaming down your face as you try to breathe in while she imitates his crying.

“Stop!” Motley cries. “He did the same dance thing when I had him!”

“Do the dance one more time.” Eddie laughs. “I gotta see it.”

So Ziggy does, looking like an absolute fool as she does but everyone is still laughing and having fun.

Halen catches you up on his drama club, and how he got the old grandma as a roll. “It’s not funny!”

“Its not!” Ozzy laughs. “But your costume is!”

“Wait. Tell them about your concert!” Halen mumbles to which Ozzy shakes his head quickly.

“What’s going on with the concert?” Eddie asks, leaning to snatch an apple slice out of your hand.

“I…. They….. well they gave my solo up before I quit.” He admits.

“What? Why would they do that?” You mumble, worry striking you. “Ozzy,”

“They said I lacked control.” He blushes.

“That’s not fair. You’re the best in that group.” Eddie snaps.

“Every parent says that about their kid.” Ozzy groans.

“Well yeah but I’m not just saying that because you are my kid.” He mumbles. “You’re fucking amazing Ozzy. And if they think you’re not then we need to look for another program.”

“But-“

“Dads right, Ozzy. You play better than any of them.” Motley mumbles.

“We’ll look for another program. Rather than the school.” You nod, and he shrugs with a small smile playing on his lips.

“What’s going on with you?” Eddie asks. “How is life at school, you know after I….”

“Life is better.” She cuts him off. “I actually…. I spend all my free time with Vince now and-“

She starts blushing, and Eddie and yourself are shocked by this image. It had been forever since you saw your daughter with no makeup and in her cheesiest pajamas.

“Well I like all my makeup and outfits but there is no stress of how I look around him so I get to have more fun with it all. You know?” She’s getting redder and redder now. “And the Sadie Hawkins is coming up and Iwastryingtofigurrouthowtoaskhim.”

She mumbles the last part out but everyone heard it, excitement jumping through the group.

“Oooo. Motley and Vincent sitting in a tree-“ a pillow hits Ziggy in the face as Ozzy and Eddie are already talking over each other with ideas.

“How about you write it on a baseball?” Halen asks, and everyone stops at his idea before Motley lights up.

“That would be very sweet.” You smile.

“I don’t have a baseball though.”

“That’s easy. Send Zeppelin outside for 5 minutes and he’ll find one.” Eddie teases.

“I have paint for it!”

“Then we have a plan.”

Eddie sighs, shifting a bit as he tried to conjure up what he needs to say. “I think we’ve been failing as a family lately.”

“How so?”

“When’s the last time we’ve actually talked? Actually sat down together and talked about life? We have all been so caught up lately that we haven’t made time for our best team and that needs to change.”

“How so?”

“I propose that we do family dinners like this from now on. Actually talk. Actually take time for each other and tell eachother everything.” He sighs. “But in order for that then there has to be complete honesty. And I have not given you guys that.”

It’s silent as everyone stares back. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out something.

It takes you a minute to register it. It’s a bat tooth.

“Who wants the truth about Chrissy Cunningham and my scars?”

It’s around 3 am when you wake up, confused and groggy.

Somehow everyone had managed to cuddle together on the couch, everyone connected somehow. You were all merged as one, sleeping in a pile, with Halen snoring loudly.

You blink a couple times, wondering what had woken you up, so you sit up, making Halen stir a bit and try your best to sneak out.

You limp to the sound that had been waking you up, tense from the awkward position you had been sleeping before you shuffle to open the window and look out at what was outside.

A small laugh escapes you when you realize that you had left Zeppelin out and he was whining. “I am so sorry baby boy.” You coo, shuffling to the door quickly to let him in. He dashes to the couch to crawl his way into the pile.

You catch Eddie staring at you, trapped underneath all the kids as he nods his head for you to come back. So you do. Finding your spot and falling asleep with your family once more.

“Would you just take a breath?” Eddie laughs, watching his oldest daughter rush around in a flurry of panic.

He is standing in the center of the living room, doing his best to help her as she struggles to find her shoe.

“Dad I can’t find it..” she mumbles. “He’s gonna be here any minute and I-“

“Just sit down a moment.” He mumbles, moving her to sit before he starts looking. He instantly finds, throwing it at her to catch easily before shuffling back to the kitchen to find you sitting with Ziggy as she shows you her most recent project.

“How’s it going in there?” You ask, looking up at him for a second.

“Found her shoe. I came to get you for pictures.” And within a moment you are up, kissing Ziggys head and dashing to find your camera for the photos.

Eddie shuffles closer, snatching a chip from her bag as he looks at the oil painting. “Jesus. Did a teenage mutant ninja turtle possess you?”

“Huh?”

“You know? Micheal Angelo, Donatello-“

“Oh my god dad.” She groans as he picks up the painting.

“This is really good. You're gonna submit it for something?” He asks.

“My art teacher says I should compete in this art show thing.” Ziggy mumbles, watching him look at the painting. “That one is called lifeline.”

An extravagant oil painting with a blurry faced female holding a leather jacket. And when he tilts the photo he realizes that she had hidden bats into the jacket, using another paint so if it moved in the light you might be able to see the bats she had hidden. His bats. His tattoo but with them in a purplish paint hidden just the same were 4 birds.

“You’re really talented.” He mumbles, fingers tracing over the birds.

“Yeah yeah.” She blushes, snatching the painting back and shoving him away.

“HES HERE!” Motley screams from the other room and Ziggy moves to go into the living room to watch Vinny park the car and take a moment to prep himself.

He fixes his jacket and Motley is inside making sure all her makeup is set and perfect as he walks up the pathway.

“Oh my god. Oh my god. Be cool.” She warns you and Eddie, trying to breathe.

“We’re cool. You’re the one over there hyperventilating.” Eddie teases and she snatches a pillow to throw at him.

The knock sounds at the door and Motley rushes to answer, tripping unceremoniously so Eddie has to catch her before she breaks an ankle.

He helps her stand straight and moves to answer the door himself.

“Vincent.”

“Mr. Munson.” He smiles, already blushing.

“Is there going to be drinking?”

“No sir.”

“Smoking?”

“No sir.”

“Sex?”

“N-no sir.”

“You know I can kick your ass if you hurt her. Right?”

“My dad said the same thing.”

“That he can kick your ass?”

“No. That you could.” And Eddie can’t help but laugh, letting Motley pass.

It’s another 30 minutes of you taking pictures and him giving her a corsage before they are taking off in his car, Motley smiling from ear to ear.

“Wait…” Eddie mumbles, looking at you with panic. “Something is wrong.”

“What’s that?”

“She’s leaving and I don’t feel that punching feeling in my gut.” He murmurs, looking genuinely confused. “I don’t feel the need to follow her and make sure she makes it there.”

“Yeah. Well if I trust anyone to protect my daughter it would be Harringtons kid.” You laugh. “Because we all know she will be the one throwing the punches and he will back her up.”

There was a nervousness in her stomach that she hadn’t gotten before, a blush on her cheeks as she does her best not to seem like she is going insane with panic.

“I’m…. shit- sorry. I am really nervous.” He mumbles after messing with the radio awkwardly.

“I’m nervous too.” Motley admits, smiling at him.

“You? Nervous? What for? I am the one dating way above my natural league here.” He mumbles. Before she can respond he is pulling into the school parking lot. The Sadie Hawkins Dance. Hawkins High School went all out.

There are balloon gates leading into the front doors and streamers covering the door itself. She kept a firm hold on his arm as they went to get the tickets, ignoring the way Aaron and his friends snicker when they see the both of them together.

“Drinks first?”

“Lead the way.” Motley smiles.

Eddie lays on the couch, reading the eragon book that Ozzy and Halen wouldn’t shut up about, with your head on his lap as you doze off.

You had spent the morning helping your daughter get ready, and now you were tired. So he offered to help you fall asleep, and you had taken the chance, letting him play with your hair as you closed your eyes. He made it seem like he was doing you some huge favor, but truth was you were doing him a favor.

Laying on the couch with you was his favorite thing, well laying with you in general. Gone were the days of having to jump all over each other, now you both were getting to the part in life where you just needed to be near each other. You rooted Eddie to this earth and he needed you like a hurricane needed wind.

He would be nothing without you or the kids. Would still be a freak, spiraling into the unknown but you had given him everything he never knew he needed.

Soon enough he found himself dropping the book on the floor, focusing on you, doing his best to memorize all your features the best he could as you slept peacefully.

He understood Ziggys painting now. Lifeline. You were his lifeline.

By the end of the night Motley and Vinny sat side by side on her front porch, laughing loudly as they shared a gallon of icecream they had stolen from the fridge.

Her feet ached so she had taken off her heels and when he walked her to the door (he was very serious about Eddies curfew) but he hadn’t been ready to say goodnight yet so they decided on hanging out on the porch. She was technically home so her curfew was fulfilled.

“Oh my gosh, Mr. Fitz tried to dance when the YMCA came on!” She giggles. “Smacked Margaret right in the face.”

“WHACK!” He laughs, imitating the slap.

“That poor girl definitely left with a bruise.”

“And Aaron left with a bruised ego.”

“HE DID!” Motley cackles loudly before covering her mouth when she realizes someone might hear her.

“I should get going.” Vinny mumbles, watching her. “But I…. I have something for you.”

“Yeah?”

“I…. well I found this the other night at DnD night…” He murmurs, digging into his pocket to pull out a chain with a really familiar necklace linked to it.

“Oh my god.” Motley gasps, dropping her spoon. “Vinny-”

“I should have given it to you immediately but then I had this idea to- that was wrong wasn’t it? I should have just given it to you I am so sorry-” She leans forward quickly, kissing him before he could keep rambling.

“That was the sweetest thing you could have ever done.” She whispers before hearing a thump from inside and pulling her attention to the door.

“Goodnight.” He murmurs.

“Goodnight.” She answers back, he kisses her again at the door before making sure she gets in without a problem and then walks to his car.

Eddie is shuffling to the couch, eyes wide when he meets his daughters eyes. “I was not spying. I went to grab a blanket for your mother and I.”

Motley smiles, moving to hug him.

“Did you have fun?” He asks, kissing the top of her head.

“So much fun. He was the perfect gentleman.” She whispers. “Goodnight dad.”

“Goodnight metalhead.” She moves to walk away and he calls out once more. “Your mother and I’s first date ended on the kitchen floor of that apartment you guys used to live in.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. She had to get home to relieve the babysitter and I never wanted to let her go.” He smiles.

“I’m glad you didn’t.” She smiles back before moving to go down the stairs.

Time passes, quicker than Eddie would like, and yet as slow as they can be.

He wants so badly to see his kids grow up and yet he just isn’t ready to let them go, he wants to see every second.

Motley and Vinny go to prom together, and Steve and Nancy all get drunk with you and Eddie that night after you say bye to them.

Soon enough he was saying goodbye to his firstborn daughter as her and her nerdy boyfriend drove off to college. He cried, so did you. Steve sobbed.

Ziggy grew into this very hippie lifestyle, most of her clothes looked like they came from Steve Nicks closet and she smelled of incense more than anything. She focused on art, excelling at it truthfully, and as she went through high school Eddie found that he didn’t need to be as worried about boys taking advantage of one of his babies since she seemed absolutely disgusted by them.

She came out to him in her sophomore year, he had been sitting with her in the garage, helping her staple a new canvas that was bigger than his car. She had been panicking all day about something, even Zeppelin had been feeding off her energy and whining.

But then she blurts it out, a quick and simple “I like girls.”

He stops, unplugging the staple gun to turn and look at her, watching her face pinch with anxiety.

“You got a girlfriend?” He asks. She shakes her head no and he nods. “You got a crush on someone?”

There was a nod on that one and he smiled. “Well any girl that gets ya will be a lucky son of a gun. And I mean that, because you are a very freaking special Ziggy. Always have been.”

She hugs him tightly, crying into his chest that night.

Zeppelin passes away two months later, and Eddie finds himself with the grief of losing a child. He tells the kids that it was time, time for him to move on and find Wayne. He is completely devastated by it, but he tries to keep a brave face for Ziggy since she just lost her oldest best friend.

He keeps his collar on the fireplace right next to Wayne's ashes and a photo of all of them at the park..

Once the boys hit freshman year their biggest fight starts…. Over another boy. Well more specifically Ozzy makes a friend and Halen gets mad that he never sees his twin anymore.

The fight led to physical blows, and soon enough Eddie had to move Ozzy into Waynes old room just to get them to chill out.

Ziggy graduates, barely (his poor sweet baby), and gets accepted into an art school so he has to say bye to yet another child. He had a gaping hole in his chest.

When everyone comes back for Christmas that year it's a time for shock. Eddie’s two biggest shocks? The hole in his son's face and the ring on his daughter's finger.

Ozzy looked different with his new piercing, a new punk grunge look that Eddie tried to support. He really did. But the piercing looked so infected and gross.

“Did you do that in the bathroom with one of your moms earrings?” He teases, trying not to laugh straight in sons face.

“Yes?” Ozzy answers which makes everyone laugh.

“Next time just let me take you to get it pierced.”

For the boys’ 16th birthday Eddie takes them to get a tattoo. They chose something silly, shocker. Eddie however added 5 bird silhouettes by his bats to symbolize the 5 most important people in his life.

The day Vinny and Motley get married he walks her down the aisle, kissing her head once they reach the end and handing her off to Vinny. They get married with a red piece of yarn, just like you and Eddie had.

They move into an apartment in Hawkins, and have a baby girl soon enough and Eddie is ecstatic to be a grandfather. He is at the hospital the day she is born, and once everyone is allowed into the room they rush to see the new baby while he rushes to see Motley. Kissing her head and wiping the hair out of her face as she cries happily. (I saw a tiktok where it said ‘everyone went to see my baby and my dad immediately went to see his baby and immediately thought of Eddie)

He gets to hold the baby girl first, which makes Steve complain loudly but Vinny decided that Motley pushed her out so she got to decide who in the family held her first.

For the boys’ highschool graduation Ziggy comes home and everyone takes a picture with them in their matching cap and gown.

Ziggy in her fleetwood mac outfit, smiling from ear to ear as she hugs Halen close. Halen had decided on a buzz cut that suited him well, with one ear pierced. He smiled, arms linked with Ozzy who was a spitting image of Eddie. Motley hugged Ozzy tight, and the picture had caught the moment she realized her baby brother had a snake bite piercing, everyone laughing as she cursed out at him.

Baby Stevie sat on Eddie's hip, smiling happily at her grandfather as he cooed at her. It had been a constant running joke on whether Stevie was named after Steve or if Motley had just been following the rock theme.

We all know the answer.

Ozzy went to New York after graduation while Halen ended up getting into a college in michigan.

The very first you and Eddie have in your empty house is spent on the kitchen floor, eating macaroni and cheese straight from the pot as you both cry softly.

It seemed like neither of you could decide whether you wanted to be upset or happy for your kids.

It became a habit with you two, to sit on the floor to eat side by side just as you always used to.

Stevie’s first Munson dinner happened the weekend of her first birthday.

Everyone had come home for it, including all her aunts and uncles, and had chosen to stay in the house just like old times. This time with the addition of Vinny, who seemed so excited to be there in general.

“Alright, you know the rules.” Eddie smiles at everyone, knees pressed to your own and Motleys. “I want to hear everything.”

Stevie giggles in the center of the circle, tearing apart the muffin she had been given before marching over to where her uncle Ozzy was sitting and plopping herself in his lap which makes everyone laugh.

Ziggy tells them about her classes at the art school, and all the paintings she had been selling. She talks about a new girlfriend and jokes about the time she got trapped in her bathroom for an entire day until her girlfriend came home from work. She talks about struggling with being so far away from the family all the time.

Halen talks about his classes, complaining very loudly about his grades before moving on to complain about his dorm mate that never stopped jacking off which makes Eddie laugh. He talks about wanting to drop out, and what he would do after. Eddie is quick to let him know they had his back no matter what, even if he wanted to sell all his stuff and go traveling around the world.

Ozzy goes on a rant about the girl that lives across the hall. He rants about how he hates her hair and her choice in music, and how his roommate is constantly checking her out. He says she is the most annoying person on the planet and Eddie risks a knowing look with you. Smiles on both your faces as he continues to rant. By the time he is done he looks around the group as everyone holds in their laughter. “What?”

“You’re just…. So oblivious.” Vinny mumbles which makes Ozzy flip him off.

“Says you!” Ozzy snaps. “You chased after my sister for years you whiny little-”

“Cuss in front of my granddaughter and I will end your life.” Eddie mumbles quickly which makes Ozzy roll his eyes while smiling.

Motley just tells stories about things that have happened with Stevie, which everyone loves.

Eddie catches them up on his therapy sessions, and you catch the kids up on your health. The family close together once more.

Eddie Munson was home, and he would have it no other way.

-And with that we say goodbye to the Munson family. I do have more Eddie works coming out. Let me know if you would like to be tagged and I truly hope you all liked the story. -

Taglist:: (lmk if you want to be removed)

@dontcrydaddy @valentine-ger @mariamayhemrsmunson @hippiefairy02 @alyisdead @thehuntresswolf @username199945 @peaches-roses-sins @bl1ssfulbaby @friendly-neighborhood-boricua @avenjames-anderson @nodont1 @bethanyzed @caseyqdilla @zooboomanfu @hazydespair @costellation-hunter @vanessav03 @r-a-d-i-0-n-0-w-h-e-r-e @kidd3ath @katzarantos @peaches-roses-sins @friendly-neighborhood-boricua @ilovetaquitosmmmm @emilyshortcake @jjsbongwater @morgthemagpie

#eddie #munson #eddie munson #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson smut #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson angst #eddie munson stranger things #eddie munson imagines #eddie munson fanart #eddie munson x reader #stranger things #stranger things fanart #stranger things fan #stranger things imagine #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things x reader #stranger things 4 #stranger things fic

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peachhcs · 29 days

Text

seven minutes in heaven | the wonder years

hughes!sister x will smith au (samy + will)

the one where samy and will do something that friends would definitely 100% do (never) — taken place at the end of samy’s junior year of hs

1.2k words

i’m having a small writers block trying to write requests so i produced this trying to get out of it and i think it’s actually so hilarious because samy 100% believes friends would do this and it’s the way they never talk about it ever again

au masterlist

APRIL 2022

in reality, the idea was slightly stupid and were they all too old for the game? yes. did drew and ryan insist anyway? yes. samy's friends were all for it, so the group sat themselves in a circle going around playing the simple game of truth or dare.

aram and a few others really wanted to meet samy's friends and samy's friends really wanted to meet her "hot guy friends" (their words), so the brunette decided to host a friday get together on a night the boys didn't have a game nor saturday morning practice—what a blessing, truly. someone threw in the childhood truth or dare game and no one really objected.

“marcie, go. truth or dare,” drew’s lips turned into a smirk while the girl flushed.

“truth.”

“who’d you kiss in this room?” a few hoots came from the group worsening marcie’s flush into a red blush.

her eyes flicked across the group scattered around the living room while everyone waited in slight anticipation for her answer—the boys especially. her lips curved at the corners before finally pausing on gabe.

“perreault,” the girl bravely and confidently answered.

the guys were immediately on gabe’s back where he covered his face probably hiding his blush. samy and her other friends grinned in marcie’s direction knowing how much she’s talked about the dark-haired boy at any chance she got.

“okay, okay. my turn,” the girl’s eyes scanned the group again, her soft smile turning into a smirk.

when her gaze landed on samy the brunette immediately knew she was in for trouble. her friends knew everything, things the guys didn’t even know and they never held mercy when they did these types of things.

“samantha hughes,” marcie pulled out the full government name.

“oh great. dare, i guess,” she knew either was bad coming from marcie, so she picked dare hoping it’d be something stupid for once.

for a second, marcie’s eyes met her other friends’ lingering gazes. the others shared an exchange no one but them understood until marcie’s gaze flicked back to samy looking incredibly mischievous.

“i dare you to play seven minutes in heaven with william smith.”

a beat of silence passed through the group until the guys broke out in more hollers grabbing ahold of will’s shoulders. samy’s face paled as she took in her friend’s words.

“really mar?” the brunette mumbled.

“what? you don’t like him so it shouldn’t be a big deal,” the girl shrugged simply.

samy’s friends were also extreme shippers of the two. they never believed it when either of them said there were no feelings, so they liked to poke fun in an attempt to prove that there were feelings.

knowing they weren’t getting out of this one, will followed samy to bathroom. the girl leaned herself against the wall while will stood across from her against the bathroom sink. once the door shut, the two shared a heartfelt laugh.

“they’re never gonna give it up, i swear,” the brunette shook her head.

“how did it even start?” will shared her sentiments.

“marcie and lila have always been like that. the guys poked fun at us as soon as they met me,” samy giggled thinking back to last august.

“they’re the most annoying people ever,” the boy shook his head.

“tell me about it. i can’t believe there’s another whole year of that.”

the two grinned before settling into another comfortable silence. they could hear their friends snickering from the living room most likely talking about them. listening to them laugh made something almost snap in the girl’s head.

she knew they’d never shut up about it. what if they gave them something to shut up about? the teasing never bothered either of them too hard, but boy, would samy love to quiet them and prove that her and will would always be friends no matter what.

“you know what? let’s just do it. let’s just kiss,” samy suddenly said catching will off guard,

“what?”

“they’re never gonna shut up so what if we just kiss and prove to them that we can do this and have it not even mean a thing. like what if we die tomorrow and we spent our last night being cowards in the bathroom because of our friends?” samy rambled maybe because of nerves or maybe because of something else.

“you wanna kiss me?” will asked just to make sure he was hearing things right. he adam’s apple bombed violently when he swallowed.

“yes?” she said it almost unsurely.

“it won’t mean anything?” the blonde raised his eyebrow.

“no, no. just to shut them up, you know. friends kiss each other all the time anyway,” the youngest hughes rambled again.

will was already licking his lips as his gaze zeroed in on samy’s lips and everything in the next minute happened way too quickly. one or both of them closed the space and their lips were on each other a second later like it was natural. neither of them could imagine this ever happening in all the years they’ve been friends, yet here they were making out in samy’s childhood home that will also grew up in on breaks, long weekends, and summers.

the blonde quickly shifted his hands down to samy’s hips wanting to pull her closer—getting lost in the moment. their breaths mixed together along with saliva and wet-swollen lips. the scene was such a stark contrast to their friendship and something deep within them never wanted the moment to stop.

three knocks on the door quickly broke the two apart like they just got caught. nearly five feet formed between them as the realization of what just occurred started setting in. the only sound was their slight pants trying to regain the breath they lost.

“yeah, they’re definitely gonna shut up,” samy nodded approvingly while straightening herself out.

will didn’t say much still reeling in the fact he just made out with his best friend. the blush on his cheeks and the lip gloss stained across his lips was definitely only going to prove their friends’ points.

they walked back into the living room with every single eye on them trying to figure out if anything happened. gabe knew right away when he saw his friend’s slightly disheveled state.

“oh my god. you guys actually kissed,” he mumbled earning a gasp from almost everyone in the room.

“you’re lying!” marcie exclaimed and shot her gaze towards samy.

“like it meant anything. now you guys can shut up about will and i all the time because we’re just friends,” samy argued her case that definitely didn’t believe anyone.

“you’re telling me you just kissed will and it means nothing to either of you?” ryan asked in disbelief.

“yup,” the girl nodded.

“mhm,” will mumbled quietly.

no one said anything because what was there to say after that? will’s sudden quietness and lingering blush told them all they needed to know that maybe it did mean something to one of them at least.

“my turn now. ryan, truth or dare.”

samy and will didn’t talk about it ever again nor did any of their friends, except the teasing hardly died down and will actually didn’t stop thinking about that kiss for the entire rest of the summer.

#hughes!sister x will smith au #will smith hockey #samy x will #boston college #boston college hockey #samy hughes #umich hockey #will smith imagine #will smith x oc #uofmichigan #will smith hockey fluff #will smith fluff #bc hockey #ryan leonard #drew fortescue #jacob fowler #gabe perreault #aram minnietian #umich soccer

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yourmomazfav · 10 months

Text

Love In The Face Of Death (Part One)

Tara Carpenter x fem reader

Part Two

Warnings- Mentions of ghostface

Word Count- 1028

Tara Carpenter, literally the love of your life. She didn't know that of course, all you wanted was for her to know.

And you would tell her don't get me wrong, just...

Not now

Especially since Ghostface was back, the second time now for you and your friends. By this time you had all been forced to stay at Sam and Tara's apartment, in order to keep you all together and safe.

Initially you had thought it was a good idea, but if the killer is 'always someone you know' maybe all of us being in the same place was a bad idea.

You knew the killer wouldn't be Sam or Tara, you definitely didn't think it was Chad or Mindy, it wasn't Mindy's girlfriend Anika. However you never liked Ethan, he was annoying and such a weasel. Quinn seemed insignificant enough that you wouldn't be surprised if it was her.

The 'stayin' alive five' as Chad referred to you, Tara, Sam, Mindy and himself. Were all situated in the kitchen having a mini meeting on suspects.

''I personally think it's Ethan.'' Mindy whispered raising her hands above her hand, then to point at you.

''Agreed.'' You nodded, Tara looked up at you.

''What makes you both think it's him?'' Sam asked.

''Well if it's always supposed to be someone we know and not any of us five, then y'know. It's between Ethan, Anika and Quinn. And I just don't think it could be Anika.'' You shrug taking a sip of your juice.

''No way it would be Anika, poor girl's too sweet and squeamish.'' Mindy nodded back.

''Well maybe it's a front and it is really her.'' Sam countered, Mindy giving her an annoyed glare. ''Look I know you don't want to imagine it's your girlfriend, but unless we are sure all three of them are suspects.''

''Then by that logic everyone is a suspect.'' Mindy huffed jumping up to sit on the countertop. Causing Sam to shake her head.

''Okay, but who would the second one be?'' Tara asked crossing her arms.

''What do you mean?'' Chad questioned.

''There's always two isn't there, we aren't just thinking of one person. There's two.'' Tara answered.

''What about Quinn then, her dad's a cop. Perfect cover up if you ask me.'' You shrugged.

''Always a possibility.'' Sam agreed.

''Why aren't we having this conversation with the others?'' Chad asked. Causing Mindy to smack her hand against her forehead, making Chad glare at his sister.

''Oh dear sweet Chad. If one of those three were the killer, it would be silly for them to know we suspect them right?'' She says slowly as if trying to explain it to a child.

''Ooooh right.'' He nodded.

''Guys you might wanna come see this!'' Anika called from the living room.

You all exchanged looks before moving to the living room where Anika and Ethan were staring at the TV, the news channel was on, claiming 'Samantha Carpenter Prime Suspect', it made her stomach drop as she shook her head storming back off into the kitchen. Tara rushing off behind her sister.

''Why don't we just turn this back off.'' You say breaking the silence turning the TV off. Mindy nodded and pointed to the kitchen, walking there with you and Chad following.

Walking through the kitchen to the dining room, Sam was sitting with her head in her hands and Tara had her hand on her sister's shoulder, reassuring her.

You sat opposite Tara and Mindy sat next to you, Chad sitting at the end of the table.

''You know none of us think it's you Sam.'' You tried to comfort her, all she managed to reply with was a small smile.

''Exactly, we're the fucking stayin' alive five.'' Mindy jested immediately cringing after.

''You said it!'' Chad cheered. All of you doing a silly handshake over the middle of the table.

''If it is any of the people we think it is, we should probably come up with hiding spots in the apartment, or know that the windows can be broken.'' Sam said becoming serious again.

''Already back to business, damn.'' Mindy muttered. ''So the hiding spots?''

''Well there's the closets-.'' Sam starts.

''Oh nope, not again Sammy, I spent half my life in the closet I don't need to die in one too.'' You cut her off, shaking your head.

They all look at you before laughing. Tara reaching across the table to past your shoulder. Causing you to fake cry.

Maybe you could tell her now

But ultimately you might have to wait especially with all that's going on.

Eventually you all moved back into the living room to watch a movie. You threw yourself onto the couch, Tara sitting beside you. Everybody scattered around the room except from Quinn who must have been with one of her gentlemen callers (as she liked to call them), the rest of you called them manwhores.

Everything was going to be fine rig-

CRASH!!!!

And then a scream...

CRASH!!!!

And then silence...

#Scream #Scream 5 #Tara Carpenter #Tara Carpenter x reader #Fem reader #Ghostface

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minihotdog · 11 months

Text

Fearless Magazine

Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3

Prompt:

A mysterious stranger leaves an item of the main character’s front door with a note attached saying “For a rainy day”

***

“If you like him just go and tell him,” Lynn says to me curtly

“And what if he doesn’t like me and is just trying to use me?” I say exasperated.

Lynn looks up from her lunch to face me, “He kissed you, what more do you need? A proposal?”

I sigh and rest my head on my hand, “We both know his reputation.”

Eric was well known for a loner but when he did entertain the presence of a woman it was always a hit and quit.

“Yeah, he’s a whore,” Lynn spits out the statement as if she was claiming that water is wet. “However, he did more with you than he’s done with any other girl.”

“What’s that?”

“Talked to you and acknowledged your presence afterwards,” She says before stuffing her face with food. “He’s probably been laying awake at night thinking about his beautiful Y/n,” Lynn says mockingly, she hugs the air and makes kissy noises. I ball up a napkin and throw it at her while she laughs.

“He made his move, your turn.”

“Ugh! Why is this so complicated?” I ask myself while rubbing my forehead with my fingers.

“I still can’t believe big bad Eric is a softie for you!”

“Whatever! I’m going back to work!”

***

All day Eric and I caught eachother’s eye. At one point he even winked at me.

I don’t wanna be another girl you charm and then throw off to the side.

I sit on my bed against the wall. My thoughts going back to the night he kissed me, the way his hands felt on me, his soft lips on mine.

The dating cultures of Amity and Dauntless were complete opposites. Dauntless moved too fast. You meet someone and by the first date you are together, left to figure things out as you go.

In Amity, you begin by leaving a gift of the person’s doorstep and if theyre interested, they’ll leave on on yours. Each gift comes with a note telling them about yourself and your favorite things, in hopes that you have some in common. From there you’ll meet in person and go for a walk or sit down and get to know each other.

Maybe I should give him a gift.

Eric’s Pov

I sit on my couch with my useless leg propped up by a pillow flipping through a book I’ve read a thousand times. *Knock* *Knock*

Who the fuck is that?

I grab my crutch off the coffee table and rock myself forward in a huff. I frown to myself thinking about all the times I took having two working legs for granted.

I look through the peephole.

Oh my fucking god not this again.

I open the door and come face to face with the last person I wanted to see: the faction gossip.

“Hello, Samantha. What can I do for you?” I try my best to be nice to an elder but pieces of my dislike for her seep through.

“What’s this someone left on your doorstep?” She pries.

“I don’t know, I didn’t know it was there.”

She looks at me suspiciously pursing her lips, the deep wrinkles on her face showing contempt.

“You better not be fooling around with anymore girls,” She warns me before handing me the box that she no doubt opened before knocking on my door.

“I never was,” I defend myself. The glare she shoots my way almost makes mine look like child’s play. “Ma’am,” I add quickly hoping she’d put the glare away.

“Boy, don’t lie to me. I’ve seen the girls coming in and out of your room.” She puts her finger on my chest, poking me to emphasis her words. “There was that one with the funny accent and then a blonde one that was here the other day.”

“First off, the one with the accent was my ex girlfriend of two years, who hasn’t been here in months. And second, I didn’t have a blonde woman in my room recently.”

“Of course you did! She was the weird looking one with the short hair.” She argues.

“FOUR!?” I blurt out coming to the realization.

“Young man don’t you raise your voice at me!”

“Yes, ma’am, I didn’t mean to. Can I please go inside, I need to take my medication.” I lie while motioning to my cast, desperately trying to get away from her.

She waves her hand in a “go away” motion before turning away from my door.

I shut the door almost leaning against it with relief. I crutch my way back to my spot on the couch, sitting with the box on my lap. I examine the unexpected gift, I almost chortle at the polka-dot box stuck to the top as I open it. Inside lies a container with hot chocolate written across in red with a little santa in a sleigh and a note: “For a rainy day 🙂” written in cursive.

I flip the note looking for a sender but find nothing. I can only assume it’s from Y/n, trying to court me with her Amity-ness.

My grin stifles as I remember what Elder Samantha said, “You better not be fooling around with anymore girls!”

Is that what she’s been telling the faction? That I’m hopping bed to bed!?

My heart begins to feel heavy at the thought of Y/n hearing the rumors. I can only wonder what she’ll think of me when she does hear. As fierce as she is, deep down she’s still shy and delicate. She hasn’t been entirely conditioned to dauntless and the viciousness of the elders that live to complain about the changes in the faction, even improvements from when they were young.

What if she already knows?

Y/n’s Pov

“I forgot to put my name on it!”

Lynn hits her forehead with her hand.

“Who else could it have been from?!” She looks at me flabbergasted. “I don’t understand these dating rituals. In Candor you just go up to someone and tell them ‘I like you’. None of these theatrics,” She says disgruntled.

I frown at her, “I’d hate to get broken up by a Candor. They’d probably sit there and tell you every little thing that’s wrong with you until shrink,” I cross my arms.

“That’s the good part! It helps you improve as a person.”

We go silent upon hearing Eric’s crutch echo down the hallway. He comes through the door, usually he’d at least glance in my direction but today he looked at the ground when he passed me.

“Uh oh,” Lynn whispers before taking a sip of her latte. “Maybe he’s allergic to chocolate and thought you were trying to kill him.”

I shoot her a sharp look.

***

That day I noticed Eric was more to himself than usual. He didn’t stay late with me as he had the last two days. I wanted to ask him if he was alright but didn’t want to step out of bounds.

Maybe he changed his mind. Maybe he found another girl.

I fuss to myself. It was a friday night and I was cooped up in my bedroom ignoring Lynn’s texts telling me to come out.

Maybe I should go out and get my mind off him.

#divergent #eric coulter #eric coulter imagine #eric coulter x reader #eric divergent #divergent fanfiction #divergent imagines #eric dauntless #four divergent #eric coulter x oc

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midnightstar-90 · 9 months

Text

"Is It Bad To Say No?"

Chapter 2

Taglist | Requests | Wattpad Main Masterlist | Harry Potter Masterlist Somewhere Only We Know Masterlist Previous | Next ｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ Summary: You’ve received Cedric’s letter, and now it’s time to meet up. Will his news be good or bad? And how will Cedric react to your letter? ｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ Warnings: Angst, Fluff, Angry Cedric, Papa Sirius, A Dream Of Something Only Fanfic Readers Would Dream About, Probably More (The Whole Story's A Warning In Itself) ｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ A/N: It's late. Yes, I know. It's been a struggle, but I got it done. ｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ Words: 6.4K

Around 10 o’clock, the Slytherin prefects called “lights out”, sending everyone to bed before their last round of hall sweeps. I didn’t want to go back to my dorm, afraid Samatha would be there with the two drones that followed her around, ready to deliver the meanest insults. I hesitantly stood from my spot in the armchair and walked back to my dorm. To my surprise, Samatha and her friends had yet to show.

I assumed they would soon make their way back, considering the prefects would catch them if they didn’t. The short time that I had alone felt so peaceful. Closing the door, behind me, I stood at the entrance, taking note of the room around me. I noticed that one of the bedding was scrunched up and sunken in, meaning someone had placed something somewhat large on the bed or someone was sitting on it. One of the girls left their trunk with some type of clothing hanging out of it, keeping it from closing properly.

I moved away from the door and toward my bed, where I noticed a small banner above my bed. In some sort of black ink, it wrote: “Losers Sleep Here”. I huffed, snatching the banner off the canopy railing. I glared down at the sign, irritated by the constant bullying that I was forced to endure.

I moved over to the chest that was left slightly ajar and opened it. Inside were several very expensive pieces of clothing and accessories, along with a few photos of a young girl with an older male figure. The two looked happy in the photos. The more I looked at the photo the more I realized that the little girl looked an awful lot like Samantha.

Something quite familiar washed over me as I stared down at the picture. It was the same feeling that came to me whenever I saw people having a good old time with their families. Seeing Samantha with her father, all happy like that, awoke a sense of jealousy within me because it was something that I would never get to have. Something that I yearned for, and only recently began to receive. I would never get the time without my father back, and it was something that I had to learn to understand.

I thought about setting some of Samatha’s stuff on fire as payback for constantly being picked on for 6 years, but then I thought about the relationship that I had with my father. Would he really want me to destroy a girl’s things, just because she called me a few names? I imagined my father standing in front of me with a disappointed look on his face. A look I wished to never see on his face.

I clenched the photo in my hand as my head rolled back. I loudly sighed, looking up at the ceiling before properly closing the trunk. I stood from my spot and began to get ready for bed. I threw on some green silk pajamas that had little golden tigers on them that my father got me over the summer. I liked them- not just for the feel of them, but also because they matched my Patronus.

As soon as I was “ready for bed” I quickly shut off the lights and climbed into the large canopy bed. The door creaked open and all that was heard was Samatha’s high-pitched whines as she babbled on to her friends. My eye’s slammed shut as one of the girls turned the bright lights on. My eyelids naturally blinked, whilst still shut, from the brightness of the lights.

The girls continued to talk to each other before they noticed the lump in my bed. “Looks like Black’s already asleep,” Carly, one of Samantha’s friends spoke, making the other girls turn their heads. I tried my best not to fidget while the feeling of their beady eyes was still present.

I kept my eyes clamped shut, hoping my eyes wouldn’t twitch so much. The feeling of something poking me in my shoulder a few times made it very difficult to continue my facade, but I stayed strong. I kept my sleep-like composure, convincing whoever was next to me that I really was asleep, even if I wasn’t.

Samatha’s voice sounded right next to me. “Fast asleep,” She said with a scoff. I could practically hear the smug grin creep onto her face. “Looks like when you have no friends, all you can do is sleep.” She laughed and her friends joined in.

I cringed internally at the insult. I wanted to correct her, but that would blow my cover. I have friends. It’s just that my social group isn’t all that big. It consisted mostly of Cedric, but I have begun something of a friendship with the golden trio. My mind slowly moved back onto Cedric as my eyelids began to feel heavy. The thought of Cedric being more than a friend rushed through my head. And soon, I was asleep.

I awoke to something a lot more comfortable than the thing I fell asleep on. My eyes blinked open as my eyes adjusted to the bright light blaring in my eyes. “What?” I softly spoke. Everything around me was unfamiliar to me. I was in a large, comfortable bed wrapped in soft grey and yellow bedding. The room around me was lined with plush carpet and cream-coated walls.

Next to me sat a nightstand. On the nightstand was an unlit candle lamp, a vase filled with vibrant colored flowers, and a photo frame with a motion photo of Cedric and I on our- ‘Huh?’ -On our wedding day.

I attempted to move out of my lying position, only to be halted by a tight grip around my waist. I looked down seeing an arm wrapped around me. I followed the arm to find none other than Cedric lying in the bed right next to me. He slept peacefully letting out quiet snores as he pulled me closer to him. My back pressed up against his naked chest, and his face fell into the crack of my neck.

I tried to move once more, but once again, Cedric’s arm stopped me from moving. I smiled at the boy’s actions until I no longer heard the snores. ‘He’s awake’ I said to myself. The smile I once wore had drifted away, as I stared wide-eyed at the wall in front of me. A small moan left the boy’s mouth, tickling my neck. My heart stopped as I heard the boy’s groggy voice as he moved his head out of my neck. “Where do you think you’re going, love?” Cedric asked playfully, now slightly hovering above me. He wore a sleepy grin that caused butterflies to erupt in my stomach.

“I-”

I was speechless. I didn’t know what to say, nor did I know where to look. My line of sight drifted from the Hufflepuff’s bright gray eyes and onto his bare chest. Cedric was in really nice shape from what I remembered. I wanted to touch him, but it felt wrong.

Two fingers made their way to my chin, lifting it to sit parallel to Cedric’s. He chuckled, “How are you always so pretty in the morning? It’s hard to believe that I’m married to a goddess like yourself.” My cheeks gave off a cherry-red blush as I tried to look away from the handsome man in front of me, but Cedric wouldn’t allow me to look away.

Nothing felt natural about all of this. I knew that this was a dream. Cedric would never say these things to me… Not in the real world. He was oblivious to how I felt, and I was fine with keeping it that way. Did I like it? No. But if it kept our long-lasting friendship from ending, I would be completely fine with it.

“You’re just as beautiful as you were the day I first met you,” He whispered, moving slightly closer to my face. His eyes toggled between my eyes and my lips as he continued to move closer. We were only centimeters away from each other when he stopped. “I love you, Y/N,” he said with a loving smile, and my world stopped. My body tensed up and suddenly the basic task of breathing became a challenge.

“Can you say that again?” I asked, tantalized by the man above me.

He let out a soft laugh. “I love y-”

“CEDRIC!” I yelled out, now awake from the forbidden fantasy that I had just experienced. Realizing what just happened, I looked around the room, noticing that I was back in my dorm. The lights were out, the only light being from the large window where the moonlight hit the lake’s waters, and all 3 girls were asleep in their respective beds.

I was still riled up from the dream, so I tried taking deep breaths to calm myself down. I closed my eyes and rolled my head back to face the ceiling before rolling it forward to face the floor. I did this a few more times, along with the deep breathing, before my body began to relax, and my breathing became normal again.

I looked over at the small alarm clock on my bedside table. The time was 11:45. It was almost time to meet up with Cedric. I slid out of my bed, causing a small thud from my feet hitting the floor. I shuffled over to my trunk, finding my hoodie, and using it to cover myself. I placed my wand in my hoodie pocket and began on my mission.

The walk through the school was surprisingly easy, having yet to run into any prefects, head boys/girls, or professors. I entered the central hall, which was kind of dark since it didn’t have any windows, but there were still dim lights that brightened the area. I quickly moved through the room, getting closer to my checkpoint, when all of a sudden, I began to hear footsteps behind me.

I quickly used the disillusionment charm, hiding behind a suit of armor, for safekeeping. The footsteps got louder, and when whoever it was finally made it to the room I was in, I saw the familiar brown head of hair in black and yellow robes I had seen for years. I revealed myself to the Hufflepuff.

“Cedric.”

The Hufflepuff jumped slightly and turned around. I let out an amused giggle, seeing the surprised look the boy was giving me. He must have been on his way to the black lake because that was where he told me to meet him. He began to step closer to me, sporting that same loving smile that he gave in my dream.

“Y/N?” Cedric asked. “I was just about to meet you at the lake.”

“Yeah, I was too, but I thought you may have been another prefect or a professor,” I claimed.

Cedric let out a soft laugh. I meticulously stared at his beautiful smile, studying every part of his lips. Cedric smiled pretty often, mostly because he hung around people who could make him laugh, but something was different today. Maybe it was because we were finally alone together. Or maybe it had to do with the mind-boggling dream I just had about him. I took a mental picture of the image before pulling myself back into our conversation.

“I’m glad you weren’t caught,” Cedric said with an amused grin.

“Me too. I’m glad it was I who caught you,” I teased.

There was a pause between us. We both just stared at each other until I began to fidget in my spot. “Well, shall we get going then?” I suggested, awkwardly using my hand to motion toward the door. Cedric nodded before looping his arm with mine. I tightened his hold, not wanting to ever let go of the young Hufflepuff, but he didn’t seem to notice, or he at least wasn’t showing it.

We continued our walk making small talk until we got to the lake. Our conversation stopped when we made it to our destination. We stood at a slight distance from the lake, arms still looped together, as we stared out at the moonlit lake. It was beautiful, and to be here with Cedric, at night and along, was truly a dream come true.

Cedric let go of the hold he had on my arm as he invited me to join him on the dirt-filled floor. When I felt my bottom hit the sandy floor, I looked over at Cedric to see him already looking at me. I felt a blush appear on my cheeks that the moonlight just had to place on a spotlight.

“I like your pajama shorts. Are those tigers?” He asked with a small laugh.

Somehow, my cheeks tinted a darker redder when he said that, and I felt my heart begin to pound hard, in my chest. I looked down at the pajama shorts I put on earlier, letting out a small, “Thank you.”

“So, why did you call me here? I know you said you had news.”

“Straight to the point. Okay.” He clicked his tongue. “I’m thinking about signing up for the Triwizard Tournament.”

My heart stopped pounding in my chest and suddenly dropped. I frowned at the thought of Cedric as a Triwizard contestant. It was a dangerous game to play… Literally. It had been banned by the ministry for centuries, and now Cedric just wants to participate like it’s a game of quidditch. My body went rigid at the thought.

“What?” I asked, nervously biting my lip

“I want to participate in the Triwizard Tournament,” He spoke slowly, this time.

I remained silent as my teeth sank deeper into my lip. A metallic taste flooded my taste buds.

‘Did he understand the risks? Did he even care? What could possibly possess him to want to do something like this?’ My mind was bombarded with question after question.

This tournament was banned for there being too many deaths. I couldn’t lose Cedric if he chose to go through with this. But Cedric was smart. I knew that I wasn’t giving him credit for the amazing things he could do, nor was I giving him a chance to prove himself, but I couldn’t just look past the traumatizing images of Cedric dead in my head.

“Remember me saying that my father was acting all buggy this morning. I think this is why. He works in the ministry. He must have heard about this earlier and that was his way of telling me without spoiling it,” Cedric said, beaming.

Me on the other hand, well I was scared. I shook my head and looked back up at Cedric, showing him the long frown that I wore. His smile quickly shifted as he studied my face.

“You’re not happy. Do you not want this for me?”

“Is it bad to say no?” I grimace.

Cedric scoffed in disbelief. He turned away from me while angrily licking his lips. “How could you say that? You’re my best friend. You should be happy for me,” he spoke. He looked down as he spoke, keeping his voice low. The pain and anger radiated off of him.

It hurt to see Cedric this upset with me. It was something I had never wished to do since the day I met him. Cedric’s always been there for me. He expressed his support for me even when no one else believed in me. I could only imagine the amount of betrayal he was feeling right now.

I let out a shaky breath, scared to see what would happen next. I attempted to meet Ced’s eye, but he was too upset to even look at me. His gaze was set on the ground, and his jaw continuously clenched and unclenched. It looked like he was thinking.

“Ced…” I attempted to speak, but immediately paused, not wanting to say something I would regret later.

I looked down at the now sandy pajamas that I decided to wear. A slight breeze moved through the air causing me to shiver. On a normal day, Cedric wouldn’t hesitate to offer me something to give me warmth, but at this moment, he could care less if I was cold or not.

“The Triwizard Tournament is dangerous. I don’t want you to do something that could possibly hurt you, or worse… get you killed. You tend to do things that please your father, and I can’t let you do something this reckless if this isn’t for you. So let me ask you- Is this something you truly want to do, or is this Amos Diggory speaking?”

Cedric scoffed at my words, clearly offended by them. He stood from his spot and mumbled a low, “Goodnight, Y/N.”

“No, Cedric. Wait!” I quickly stood from my seated position and moved to grab his robe sleeve. He spun around, livid. He stood tall, glaring down at me with the most ferocious eyes I had ever seen on a person. I cowardly stood in my, letting go of the boy’s sleeve. I heard a small whimper leave my lips as I looked up at Cedric. Nervously, I said, “I just want what’s best for you… I lost my father for 13 years of my life. I can’t lose you to something as dumb as dying for a trophy in a deadly race.”

“Well, you just did,” he seethed before dramatically turning away from me and storming off. Normally, I would have laughed at the Professor Snape-like exit, but I was too upset to joke around. The tears that I had tried so hard to keep in began to rush out of my eyes. I looked up at the night sky, just as a shooting star flew through the sky. I simply closed my eyes and took a deep breath, wishing for the safety of my friend.

When my eyes fluttered open, I was still at the lake… alone. Was honesty really the right go-to? I didn’t know. I thought that maybe hearing honest feedback from a friend would ease the pain, but instead, it just made things worse. I had lost a friend. But I kept my head up and hoped that Cedric would come to his senses and realize that I was only looking out for him.

The next day, I woke up and started my day like any other school day. I washed up a bit before getting dressed in my Slytherin uniform. After gathering everything I would need for today’s classes, I began making my way to the Great Hall for breakfast.

I walked through the halls quietly. Groups of friends talked to each other, all while either walking or pushing past me. I paid them no mind and continued to my desired destination.

When I got to the Great Hall, my eyes immediately went to the Hufflepuff table. There Cedric sat playfully laughing and eating with his friends. My jaw clenched and my hands balled up into fists as a wave of jealousy washed through me. I ignored it, knowing that maybe this was good for the Hufflepuff. Hanging around others who didn’t constantly remind him of the girl who broke his heart, was his way of taking his mind off things.

I began to make my way to the Slytherin table before I heard someone yell my name, behind me. I turned, looking for the owner of the voice to see Harry sitting with Ron, Hermione, and all the other Gryffindors. They smiled, waving me over to their table. Reluctantly, I went over there with a false smile on my face.

“Hello, Y/N. I didn’t see you at all yesterday. I wanted to see how your summer was,” Harry said casually. I joined the group at the table, not placing my entire body on the inside of the table.

I nodded at the boy. “It was good. Father and I had 13 years to catch up on. You would think that even with the loss of time together, your dad would know that you’re too old for clown pancakes, dolls, and hide-n-seek,” I laughed.

The memory of my father waking me up as the sun was still rising, ran through my head. The bright smile on his face was vivid in my mind as he happily began to blindfold me. He led me down the steps of the Black family house, and into the kitchen. When he took the blindfold off, I remember being ecstatic to find my surprise… that was until I saw that it was everything that I had enjoyed before he was sent to Azkaban. It was hard reminding him that I was now a 17-year-old girl. That I was soon to be out of Hogwarts and working as a young woman.

When I told him, he was a little disappointed, but he understood, saying that, “It’s hard knowing that I missed so much of you growing into the magnificent girl standing in front of me, today. It’s a nightmare for every father to see their little girl grow up.” I felt bad for my father, but he was quick to stop me, telling me that we would somehow catch up on everything in the past 13 years. I’m not gonna lie. I had the best time of my life with my father. It was everything I wished for.

“How was the quidditch world cup? I heard the Weasleys invited you out. Must have been nice to get away from those pesky Dursleys, huh?” I asked, giving the boy a smirk. He laughed at my facial expression and began to speak again. “Oh, it definitely was nice to get away. Even if it was ruined by death eaters. But I met Cedric,” Harry said taking a bite of his food.

“Really?” I asked, looking up, to face the Hufflepuff table once more. Cedric sat there staring at me with hurt eyes before turning back around in his seat. I continued to stare and Harry continued to speak. “Yeah. He seemed nice if you ask me. The twins didn’t like him. I think they’re still upset about the quidditch match from last year…” He paused, taking a bite of his porridge. When he started to speak again, he spoke with his mouth full, quickly saying, “He couldn’t stop talking about you,” before immediately shutting his mouth once more. He swallowed and said, “I was surprised he even knew you.”

“Yeah, what is he? Your boyfriend?” Ron teased mockingly, with a goofy grin on his face. His mouth was full of breakfast pastries as Hermione smacked the boy upside the head so hard that I could hear the slap from my seat. I laughed as I watched Ron’s hand drop the food he was holding to comfort his sore spot. “Bloody hell,” he moaned. He sent the younger girl a brief glare before receiving a nudge from her. The boy stopped all jokes, going back to his food.

“Cedric seems like a nice boy, Y/N. I’m glad that you have someone like that in your life,” Hermione smiled. I frowned remembering what went down less than 12 hours ago.

I felt as if someone was watching me from afar, so I looked up to see Cedric once more, looking my way. His face was blank, but if you looked close enough, you would see the sadness in his eyes. I sent him a small wave, but Cedric didn’t care for it. He just looked away. My face dropped completely as I let out a shaky breath. I hadn’t realized that the golden trio had also seen this interaction, looking at each other with sad looks before focusing on me.

“Did something happen?” Harry asked. The boy gave me a concerned look, but I looked away not wanting to talk about what happened.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I mumbled loud enough for Harry to hear. His face sunk, seeing my sad expression. He placed his hand on top of mine, attempting to comfort me, but it didn’t give me much comfort. My mind had yet to let go of the fact that my oldest friend was no longer my friend.

The four of us all went quiet, creating a very tense and uncomfortable environment around us. I stayed in my spot, staring into an open space, for about 2 more minutes before standing. I bid the trio goodbye before storming out of the large room.

I cried as I made my way out of the castle. I walked past the quidditch stadium and out the castle gates. I continued walking until I eventually made it to Hogsmeade. Because it was the beginning of the school day, at the beginning of the school year, the streets of Hogsmeade weren’t as full. Not many were skipping classes like I was doing.

The warm breeze, surrounding Hogsmeade, illuminated the delightful smells from all the food and drink shops in the area. There was a hint of a warm vanilla and butterscotch smell that reminded me a lot of butterbeer. It reminded me of all the nights Cedric and I spent talking until it was almost time for curfew. It still surprised me to this day how we never got caught, even when we were late.

The aroma of the village shifted into a nutty, yet chocolatey smell, mixed with peppermint. I imagined that the smells came from Honeydukes, where they sold mind-boggling candies… literally. They carried just your regular candies, but there was also a wizarding effect to some of them that were great for pranks. While the Weasley twins, Fred and George, openly expressed their love for pranks, Cedric and I meticulously planted candies that ranged from causing one to float to causing one's ears to emit a load of steam. Many believed it was just the Weasleys’ source of entertainment, but they never found the true culprits.

The more I walked through Hogsmeade, remembering all the fun times I had with Cedric, I realized that I’d never really been away from Cedric during the school year. We were always together. The only times we weren’t were if we had different classes and to go to sleep. But all the time we spent together allowed us to be kids and enjoy life. We got away with so much. Our time together was never boring, and I loved that. I never had the same connection that I have with Cedric with anyone else, and without him, life felt like a timeless loop of nothingness. Everything I once loved was contaminated with the nostalgia I got from being around Cedric for most of my life.

In the middle of Hogsmeade Square, my thoughts were silenced as my line of sight was directed at something that left me confuddled. There was a dog with shaggy dark fur, similar to my father’s, staring right at me. I turned thinking something was behind me, but when I turned back, the dog was still there. Knowing it got my attention, it began to walk into a little alleyway.

I furrowed my eyebrows, watching the dog disappear. It was strange. The dog looked almost familiar like I had seen it before. Right as I was about to start walking again, an arm came from behind the wall where the dog left to. They pointed to the alleyway as if they wanted me to follow.

I slowly approached the flower shop that was next to the alleyway. When I got a little closer to the arm I heard a distant voice say, “Psst. Y/N, over here.”

The voice was extremely familiar. Realizing how familiar the voice and dog sounded to me, I finally figured out who it was. “Dad?!” I spoke in a whisper-yell.

“Come here,” he said, grabbing my arm and pulling me into the alleyway. His grip on me was hard, and when he swung so fast, I felt as if I would hit the brick wall, next to him. I braced myself for impact but was instead met with my father’s chest. He pulled me into his arms, giving me a big hug. A blissful smile appeared on my face as I returned the hug, giving him a tight squeeze.

“Oh, I know it’s been a day, but I’ve missed you, Pumpkin,” he spoke into my hair before placing a kiss on my head.

“I missed you too, Dad. What are you doing here?” I asked, pulling away from the hug as I gave him a sideways glance.

He chuckled. “I was using my newfound freedom to catch up on all my favorite places as a child. Of course, I can’t go to Hogwarts, but as always, when all else fails, you go to Hogsmeade.”

“So you disguised yourself as a dog?” I questioned.

He stopped looking down at me with his mouth hung open. “Not everyone agrees with the ministry about my- wait. Why am I telling you this? You should be in class, young lady.” He tried to be stern with me, but instead, it made me laugh.

“Ah! Hahahaha! Dad, you’re so funny. You were the king of not doing as you told me, and now you’re judging me. Yeah, hilarious, Dad,” I laughed.

He paused, repeating everything in his head. He knew I was right. He had no right to judge me, but he also knew that something was wrong, because I never did the things he did at my age. But instead of saying that, he just left.

Confused, I followed. “Where are we going?” I asked, receiving no response from him. He led me to a shop named Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop. The building was made of stone with pink-painted windows, doors, and trims. The windows displayed tea cups and pots stacked on top of the window. In all honesty, the place looked calm, and besides all the pink, I believe that I could come around to making this a quiet little hangout.

We walked in and there were even more tea cups and pink-painted walls. It reminded me of what muggles had described their grandmother’s house to look like- if she were obsessed with collecting tea cups and China.

I was looking around when all of a sudden, someone snuck up on me and yelled out loud, “Hello!” I jumped, turning to face whoever was speaking. It was a small, pudgy woman in a green dress and a white apron wrapped around her waist. “Welcome to Madam Puddifoot’s. Can I interest you in a pot of Earl Grey?” She offered with a warm smile.

“Yes, please,” my father said, sitting down at the closest table. He kicked the chair, silently telling me to sit down. I obeyed, pulling the chair back and sitting down across from him.

My father placed his hand on top of mine. “Talk to me.” I bit my lip and gave my father a sad look before starting my story. I told him everything from the time I got on the train to everything that happened last night. As I talked, I watched as my father gave me a mean glare. It wasn’t meant to be pointed at me, as much as it was directed at Samantha and Cedric. He wanted to kill anyone who hurt his daughter, but he also knew that that wasn’t what I wanted.

“And when I-”

“Hold on,” He said, holding up his index finger to stop me from continuing. “These girls- they’ve been bullying you since your first year?” He asked. I nodded, silently answering his question before he continued. “What would make you believe that I wouldn’t want you to get your revenge. Do you even know your father? I was ready to kill a man last year. I literally had to be held back.”

I looked down at my tea cup with a smile. The teacup was almost as full as when I started drinking. I had yet to really have time to drink the tea because I was talking with my father. But I took extremely small sips every now and then. I stirred the cup with my hand before taking another small sip, this one slightly bigger than the last.

As I placed the cup back on the table, I shrugged, “I don’t know. I sometimes forget what it’s like to have you as a father. I’ve only ever known from what I see other dads do.

My dad frowns, but he covers it up with a smirk and a sly remark. “Well I’m not most dads, am I?” I let out a soft laugh while shaking my head at my father’s antics.

I knew he wasn’t like most dads. Hanging out with my dad over the summer was more like hanging out with your fun uncle, rather than your father, even before he was sent to Azkaban. My mother used to tell me about how I was the light in my father’s eye, making it hard for him to say “no” to me. And she was right. My father hardly disciplined me. He was carefree. That was until someone would mess with me. If you say something to me that I don’t like, best believe that Sirius Black or even Cleod will be there.

“If someone hits you, you hit them back.”

“I thought you can’t fight fire with fire,” I argued.

“Oh, please. That’s just something authority figures say to keep people from fighting back. What your doing is enabling them,” My father said, waving off the saying. “They will continue to pick fun at you until you show them you mean business.”

I listened carefully, still a little confused. Sure, I wanted to hurt Samantha the same way she hurt me, but it didn’t feel right. I never wished to harm anyone. But the feelings I got when I thought about setting Samantha’s stuff on fire opened my eyes to something darker within me. I looked down at my hands, watching as my fingers picked at the fingers on my other hand.

“I don’t know, Dad.”

My dad took my hands in his and pulled them apart. I looked up at him as he said, “You’re strong, just like your mother. You have her caring heart, also. I see a lot of your mother in you, but what you were describing earlier was me. Your letters of you and that boy, Cedric, who I’ll get to in a sec, show me that you have a hidden love for mischief, just as I had. You’re a kid. I want you to have that.”

I looked away from my father with a dark red blush on my cheeks and my lips sporting a smile. I thought back to the fun memories I had with my mother. The way she would stop what she was doing to cheer me up, or how we played hide-n-seek in the large forest behind our cottage. I missed my mother.

As my mind went back to her death, my smile slowly descended. Suddenly, it became harder to breathe. My eyes closed as I tried to focus on my breathing. I couldn’t see it, but I could imagine the concerned look on my father’s face. I heard a chair scoot across the floor and some shuffling before a pair of arms pulled me in for a hug.

“I miss her, Dad,” I cried.

My father pulled my head to his chest as his arms slowly rubbed my back. “I know. I do too, kiddo,” He said with a shaky breath. “You’ve lost so much. It’s okay to let it out,” he spoke in a comforting voice as I began to cry harder. My tears fell from my face and soaked into his sleeve.

“You know, I don’t blame you for telling that boy that you don’t want him to join that tournament.” He paused. “I can’t get mad at him either, because I did the same thing. Your mother warned me to not join the war against Voldemort, and look where it got me. One of my closest friends, who I trusted, betrayed me and killed my best friend. I ended up in Azkaban, and I couldn’t be there to protect you and your mother. I got mad at her for telling me not to join, but she was right. I wanted to protect the wizarding world so that you could grow up without the pain and suffering, but I guess that would have been inevitable. Sometimes I think to myself, what would really happen if I didn’t join. I think your mother, James, Lily, and a boatload of more people would still be alive. It was my job to be the secret keeper, but I knew it wasn’t right…”

We released from the hug, allowing me to look up at my father with a sad smile. I wiped my tears and listened. “I think that there would have been a lot more deaths if you weren’t there. You sacrificed so much, but you still fought hard. Without you, we would have never learned that there was a rat on the team. Literally. The war isn’t over, and all we can do is fight.”

“Yes, I definitely agree with you. We should fight for what we believe in. So why are you giving up?”

Now I’m confused.

“What?” I asked, giving my father a questioning look.

“Your best friend is about to fight a battle alone. Even though I was mad that your mother didn’t want me to fight, we still stood by each other’s side. Cedric wants to risk his life, let him risk it knowing that he still has someone at his side. Don’t let him go through it alone, even if you have different ideas on something.”

My father’s words were surprisingly inspirational. Was I really just going to give up on Cedric. Could 6 years of friendship really go down the drain that easily? No. I could never leave Cedric. He’s never left me, and now it’s my turn to walk alongside him.

A bright smile appeared before I excitedly jumped out of my chair. I pulled my father into a quick hug, mumbling a small “thank you” into his ear before running out of the small tea shop, and away from Hogsmeade.

I have a friendship to save.

A/N: This took way too long to write, but it's actually one of my longest stories to write. I honestly don't know where I am going with this, but I do know that Samantha is only here to build the reader's character for what's going to happen in the 2nd part of this mini-series. But anyway, I hope you guys liked this, and I wish you all a bright and beautiful day. ❤️

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ IF YOUR USER IS IN RED, I COULD NOT FIND YOU. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU’D LIKE TO BE RE-ADDED OR REMOVED FROM MY TAGLIST. Taglist: @siriusstwelveyears @linetaylorsversion @alexxavicry @kaitieskidmore97 @alex-snap3 @sebbybucky12 @ofherscarlettwitchways @avada-kedavra-bitch-187 @liltimmyst @soph69420world @esposadomd @buckysmainhxe @savnana @fluffybunnyu @tractsnook @i-am-typing @harleycao

#fanfic #x reader #fanfiction #request #angst #fluff #cedric diggory x reader #cedric diggory imagine #cedric diggory #sirius black x daughter!reader #sirius black x reader #sirius black #mini series #slytherin x hufflepuff #hufflefluff #syltherin #slytherpuff

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livelovecaliforniadreams · 7 days

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Angela Well, now Pam and Cece are in the car and they call Jim. They call daddy. This is really cute. So sweet.

Jenna But this is where Pam is going to find out that Jim is still in Philly and he's not going to make the recital. This investor might back out and Jim can't leave.

Angela So Jim says Pam will you please film the recital. And he sort of starts talking to her, kind of condescending about how to film it. And she's like, look, I know how to point a rectangle at something and film it.

Jenna And then he's like, okay. And then it's time to say goodbye. And then there's this pause, and then he's like, hey, Pam, you have to press end, you know, which is sort of meant to be like a dig at her phone skills. Lady...

Angela Why can't Jim just hang up the phone?

Jenna This is the scene.

Angela Oh, that people were pissed off about?

Jenna For so many reasons. I saw the mail for this episode, and I couldn't believe it. Where should I begin? I'll begin with Amanda C from Montreal, Canada. Amanda says, I have to go on a little rant about Jim, but maybe not from the moment you think. What absolutely grinds my gears about Jim's behavior is when Pam is on the phone with him in the car, and he implies that she doesn't know how to use her phone to video the recital by saying, See, Pam, you still need to hang up the phone. Excuse me, sir. She is driving. Can you not hang it up yourself? And then it will automatically end the call on her phone. Samantha L from Tampa, Florida said, The thing I actually cannot get past is the incident when Pam is in the car on the way to Cece's recital. Why is Jim giving Pam such a hard time for being bad with technology because she doesn't hang up the phone? Pam is driving with your child in the backseat. You hang up the phone, Jim! You're not the one that would need to take your hand off the wheel of a moving vehicle! Let's see. Samantha goes on to say, Who's the one who's really bad with the cell phone technology, huh? Spoiler alert, not Pam. Another letter from Nora E in New Orleans, Louisiana. I want to go on record to say that the tipping point moment when Jim has clearly gone full ass (BLEEP) is in this episode, when he's on the phone with me and he berates her for not hanging up the phone. She's driving. He's at work. He's clearly not in a huge rush to return to his meeting, since he's able to stay at his desk and what? Have a gotcha moment with his own wife? This scene in the car makes me so deeply angry. I need this full dickhead moment to be acknowledged.

Angela I love that she puts full in front of her curse word.

Jenna I know.

Angela Full (BLEEP). I want to use that. He's gone full (BLEEP).

Jenna I know. I know. So Ange, it's literally what you said. You said it. You're like, why can't he hang up the phone? This is just three of the letters we got about this moment. But this is very good foreshadowing for what is going to happen later, and I think an interesting dynamic in their relationship, which is that and I think some relationships have this. They've got the gotcha person. Oh, I got to point out the little thing. Gotcha. You know, you said that you are good at cleaning out the fridge, but- gotcha. Found a rotten tomato or whatever it is. You know, the gotcha people, the gotcha moments which are just, like, so toxic for a relationship.

Angela It's petty.

Jenna Pettiness.

Angela It's pettiness.

Jenna Yeah. But Jim's in a mood. He's stressed. He's not handling it well. In conclusion, I hope that us discussing it today on the podcast has brought some of you relief, because the number of heated letters we got about this moment, I felt it.

Angela We also asked Kelly Cantley about directing this scene, and here's what she had to say.

Kelly Cantley Cece in the car. Surprisingly, Cece in the car was really hard to shoot because Cece was a little girl and little kids don't do lines. So Jenna, I don't know if you remember, we shot all of your dialogue and then we shot lots of both of us taking turns just saying the lines. I think we started with you doing it. And then we wanted to go from you to the little girl so we would see you talking. So you did it a few times where you would just say her line and she would say it back. And I believe I did it a bunch of times on the speaker in the car. So I actually had forgotten that until I watched the episode again.

Jenna actually did remember that. I had such a great rapport with those little girls. Not to toot my own horn, but I'm 50 now, which is the decade of tooting your own horn.

Angela It's time to toot.

Jenna Bailey and Sienna. I just loved them so much, and we would do a thing where we would do, like, repeat me. So I would say their line and they would say their line, and we made a little game out of it. They did great.

Angela I thought it was so cute. Those girls were so cute.

#the office ladies #the office #the office edit #the office edits #theoffice #theofficeedit #theofficeedits #jim x pam #jim and pam #jim halpert #pam beesly #john krasinski #jenna fischer

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crazycatgirl420 · 1 year

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Out Of Options, Threads of Hope

DpxDC fic crossover. Vlad is an (implied) Creep. Teenage Dad Danny. Toddler Clone Child Danielle. Bad Parents Maddie and Jack(?) Adopted Fenton Danny. Biological Son of Bruce Wayne Danny. Paulina/Danny Ship. Good but Stuggling Batfam.

Part 1 | Part 2 [N/A]

When Paulina imagined her Graduation from High School, she never would've pictured this for herself. She was Eighteen, turning Nineteen this summer. She thought she'd be dating Dash or Star, that she'd be taking photos and going out to dinner with either of them or maybe the cheer team would meet up.

Of course she never would've predicted Phantom. Couldn't have imagined Fenton. And you can't predict an unexpected baby. That's what makes them unexpected.

But here she was. Kneeling on the grass of the football field, blue Graduation gown the only thing protecting her JJ House designer dress from stains, and her heels starting to sink into the dirt.

"Grad-u-lates Pauli," Ellie said, carefully, with a toothy smile and her happy bright blue eyes. Her little arms went up, hands grabbing at the air. "Uppies?"

Paulina picked Ellie up, meeting Jazz's eyes, before glancing around. Danny was making his way from the seats, his own gown hanging awkwardly on him.

It had been Jazz's gown. No wonder it didn't fit Danny properly. Jazz was tall and thin, like a runway model. Danny meanwhile, had developed all sorts of fun muscles these past few years.

"Daddy!" Ellie cheered, wiggling in Paulina's arms.

"Hello Princess," Danny said. It was habit by now, passing the little girl to Danny who held her on one hip, then being pulled into a hug on the other side. "And you too Pauli,"

She rested her head, carefully because she had it pinned up to curl and hold just so, on his shoulder. His arm around her waist. Her hand on his chest. Ellie patting a slimy hand over Paulina's as she too cuddled Danny.

"I wish I could let you give onlookers cavities," Jazz said. " but this sweet cuddle fest needs to get a move on."

Paulina sighed. Where you can find one reason the Fentons were awful people there were a dozen hidden nearby. Danny having to wear Jazz's old Graduation gown? Jazz being the only one here to support him at the ceremony? Oh, and then there was the whole...ghost hunter thing. It was racist...speciest? Speciesist? Xenophobia? was a phobia or an ism or an ist, no matter what it was it was horrible.

Paulina's parents had been here. Her own Dad had left the keys to her new apartment in her car, before he left for a meeting he bailed on to watch her walk the stage. Ma had been here too, and had left a care package in the trunk. They were busy with their careers, but they always made time to support her.

She didn't realize how lucky she was for that basic care until she started dating Danny. The contrast was stark and had clawed guilt into her throat until she broke down crying - last year was a mess okay?

Now she and Danny would be leaving Amity Park. Jazz was going to collage in Metropolis, just a short drive away from Gotham, where they were moving. Paulina would open her own shop, they'd live in the apartment above the shop, and Danny would be the stay at home father and full time Defender of the Realms, and Danielle would get attending a decent early child care and education center.

It is not the life she foresaw for herself specifically. She thought she'd go to art or design school, or get on Project Runway or Next Top Model. Instead she's jumping into a career and following her boyfriend and his daughter halfway across the country.

"Pauli, want yum yums," Ellie said around the thumb in her mouth.

Danny gave her a smile, his eyes hopeful too.

"Alright fine," Paulina sighed playfully. "I'll make some enchiladas before we leave. Do you want to join us Jazz?"

"I'd love to,"

Sam and Tucker already had plans with their families for after the ceremony, so Paulina didn't bother looking for them.

It was weird being sort of friends with Sam again. When Samantha became Sam became wannabe activist Paulina had lost touch. Then it was middle school, and Paulina's parents divorced so she went to public school. Then high school and suddenly Paulina was dating her ex-best friend's ex-boyfriend.

Tucker was...tolerable. She was sure after a few more years she might even consider him her friend. Until then though he was Danny's friend. Honestly she was just happy they took her seriously now. Being treated like a brainless buffoon just because she was on the cheer team or liked fashion was so patronizing.

Danny placed a kiss on her forehead, and Paulina absently wiped the powered foundation off his chin.

"Thank you," Danny said.

"I'm not cooking in my dress, you will wait for me to change,"

"I know."

Paulina sighed, again, a smile twisting her lipstick frozen lips.

It might not have been what she expected, but she wouldn't change it for the world.

#dpxdc #O3TH

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nebulouscoffee · 4 months

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much love to you 🫂🫂🫂 here's a star trek ask: what do you think ezri's childhood was like? or alternatively: do you think seven and naomi wildman stay in contact after voyager, and if yes, how do you see that friendship developing?

Thank you friend!! And these are both great questions :D

I think Ezri's childhood was, for lack of a better term, very confined- which is why I'm always so moved by the fact that her destiny (hehe) was to take on an existence so fundamentally expansive. I think her mother did spend a lot of time with her, but it wasn't necessarily time invested in Ezri's needs or dreams for the future- it was more training her in how to be a ruthless hash tag girl boss so she could eventually take over the mining business. We know from canon that her father was barely ever around (mostly because of his bad relationship with her mother), so I think he was originally in the family business but started taking up work elsewhere to get away more, and eventually just never came back? Maybe he took her out on business trips once or twice, and this is where she came to see travel as an escape. She was infused with a lot of curiosity about the galaxy, I mean who knew there was soo much more out there than just mining and business! And this is what gave her this deep desire to explore and meet people of different species and cultures (which her mother never approved of- she wanted all her kids to stay in the Sappora system), which motivated her to join Starfleet- I mean, if she was looking for a way to get out and "seek out new life and civilisations", that was it. (I think given that the place she was born was called "New Sydney", there must've been a fair amount of Humans too- plenty of walking Starfleet brochures lol!) I also think she was raised to be a perfectionist, and that's why she's so hard on herself in canon- I don't think Ezri was this adorkable goof who couldn't do anything right pre-joining, I actually think she was one of those people who literally did everything fine but was just never satisfied with herself. Canon also says she and her brother Norvo were super close; I think he was fundamentally an underachiever so they never really had a competitive relationship (while Janel was more the "model" kid). I think they often took solace in each other and gave each other a much-needed safe space to simply suck at things and be otherwise vulnerable, and so he secretly felt very abandoned when she left

As for Seven and Naomi, lol I'm way too much of a softie to imagine them falling out of touch! I think, given that neither of them really had much of an "Earth/Alpha Quadrant equals home" association, they'd sort of rely on each other to deal with the loneliness that would undoubtedly come with being the only ones not going back, but just... going somewhere else. Samantha would be thrilled to see her home and friends and husband (here's hoping Greskrendtregk survived the Dominion War!!!) but to Naomi, all these people are just strangers. Seven also has extended family on Earth, but she doesn't know any of them, and she's still finding her feet re social skills- she wouldn't immediately feel comfortable going Out There and making new friends imo. I think they'd help each other a lot! And I think, as Seven comes to understand herself more and more, she'd reexamine the dynamics she had with Janeway and the EMH, and then her own mentorship-like dynamic with the Borg kids- and feel sort of like determined not to make her relationship with Naomi a mentorship of any kind. I see it turning into a cool older sister type of vibe :)

#ask game #thanks so much again! you're always so sweet <3

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marcmarcmomarc · 2 months

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Continuation of this post, which is inspired by this post:

———————————————————————————

(In Shade, Ruby puts on her new Vacuo clothes and grabs Crescent Rose.)

RUBY: (SINGING) One day more Another day, another tough mission While global unity is coming to fruition This can still turn bad on a dime But we can stop it all in time One day more

(At Salem’s base, Mercury sits alone.)

MERCURY: I did not live until today How can I live when we are parted?

RUBY: One day more

(Emerald and Mercury sing together, but distant.)

EMERALD AND MERCURY: Tomorrow you’ll be worlds away And yet, with you, my world has started

(Velvet also sings alone.)

VELVET: One more day that I have shown

EMERALD AND MERCURY: Will we ever meet again?

VELVET: One more day with her not seeing

EMERALD AND MERCURY: I just want to be with you

VELVET: What a life I might have known

EMERALD AND MERCURY: And I swear I will be true

VELVET: But she never saw me there

(We cut between Ruby’s Faction gearing up and Raven contemplating.)

MARIA: One more day before the storm

RAVEN: Do I follow where they go?

JOANNA: At the barricades of freedom

RAVEN: Shall I join my brother there?

MAY: When our ranks begin to form

RAVEN: Do I stay or do I dare?

WEISS: Will you take your place with me?

RUBY’S FACTION: The time is now The day is here

RUBY: One day more…

(At her base, Salem addresses her inner circle.)

SALEM: One more day till mass destruction We will nip it in the bud

CINDER: We’ll be ready for these children They will wet themselves with blood

RUBY: One day more…

(Tyrian and Carmine get giddy.)

TYRIAN: Watch them run amuck

CARMINE: Catch them as they fall

TYRIAN AND CARMINE: Never know your luck When there’s a free-for-all

JAX: Here a little dip

GILLIAN: There a little touch

JAX AND GILLIAN: Most of them are goners So they won’t miss much

(At the refugee camps, Professor Peach’s section of Ruby’s Faction gear up.)

RUBY’S FACTION: One day to a new beginning Raise the flag of freedom high Every man will be a king And every girl will be a queen There’s a new world for the winning There’s a new world to be won Do you hear the people sing?

(In Shade, Raven joins the gang.)

RAVEN: My place is here I fight with you

(The Rose-Xiao Long-Branwen family non-verbally thanks Raven for finally turning around.)

RUBY: One day more…

SALEM: We will join these people’s heroes We will follow where they go

EMERALD AND MERCURY: I did not live until today

THE CROWN: Watch them run amuck Catch them as they fall

VELVET: One more day all on my own

CINDER: We will learn their little secrets We will know the things they know

EMERALD AND MERCURY: How can I live when we are parted?

JAX AND GILLIAN: Here are little dip There a little touch

RUBY: One day more…

SALEM: One more day to revolution We will nip it in the bud We’ll be ready for these children

JAX AND GILLIAN: Watch them run amuck Catch them as they fall Never know your luck when there’s a free-for-all

EMERALD AND MERCURY: Tomorrow you’ll be worlds away

VELVET: What a life I might have known

EMERALD AND MERCURY: And yet, with you, my world has started

RUBY: Tomorrow we’ll be far away

RUBY AND SALEM: Tomorrow is the judgement day

(Peach and her section head to the city. Salem and her inner circle walk to a balcony, as do Ruby and her faction.)

RUBY AND SALEM’S FACTIONS: Tomorrow, we’ll discover What our Gods in Heaven have in store One more dawn One more day One Day More

———————————————————————————

Cast:

Cristina Vee as Robyn Hill

Lindsay Jones as Ruby Rose

Aaron Dismuke as Oscar Pine

Katie Newville as Emerald Sustrai

@caitiward as Velvet Scarlatina

Kara Eberle as Weiss Schnee

Barbara Dunkelman as Yang Xiao Long

Samantha Ireland as Nora Valkyrie

Neath Oum as Lie Ren

Burnie Burns as Taiyang Xiao Long

Jason Liebrecht as Qrow Branwen

Howard Wang as Whitley Schnee

@arrynxzech as Blake Belladonna

@milesluna as Jaune Arc

@taraplatt-blog as Kali Belladonna

Anna Hullum as Raven Branwen

Anairis Quiñones @anairisq as Harriet Bree

@michaeljones as Sun Wukong

@dawnmbennett as Elm Ederne

Shannon McCormick as Professor Ozpin

Yuri Lowenthal as Mercury Black

Melissa Sternenberg as Maria Calavera

Marissa Lenti as Joanna Greenleaf

Sena Bryer as May Marigold

Casey Lee Williams as singing voice of Weiss Schnee

Jen Taylor as Salem

Jessica Nigri as Cinder Fall

Robbie Daymond as Tyrian Callows

Carrie Keranen as Carmine Escaldos

Matt Mercer as Jax Asturias

@jessicadicicco as Gillian Asturias

Stephanie Sheh as Umber Gorgoneion

Kira Buckland as Rosa Schwein

Ray Chase as Argento Pocoron

Additional Voices (murmurs, sobs, “Ooh”, gasps, “Aww”, cheers, and laughter/additional singers):

Ashley Burns as Coco Adel

Tiana Camacho as Glynda Goodwitch

@camclarkevoices as Bartholomew Oobleck

Michele Everheart as Fiona Thyme

@davefennoyisca as Dr. Pietro Polendina

Gavin Free as Scarlet David

Caitlin Glass as Willow Schnee

Lauren Landa as Carmella Lindt

Mick Lauer as Marrow Amin

Cherami Leigh as Ilia Amitola

Joe MacDonald as Yatsuhashi Daichi

Aaron Marquis as Nolan Porfirio

Elizabeth Maxwell as Winter Schnee

@laniminella as Rowena Sunnybrook

@maxmittelman-blog as Fox Alistair

Josh Ornelas as Sage Ayana

Anthony Sardinha @antfishvo as Peter Port

Keith Silverstein as Professor Theodore

Kerry Shawcross as Neptune Vasilias

J. Michael Tatum as Klein Sieben

Kent Williams as Ghira Belladonna

Anne Yatco as Xanthe Rumpole

Additional Voices (additional singers in Salem’s Faction):

Major Attaway as Hanlon Fifestone

@emilyjfajardo as Trifa

Rebecca Honig as Mina Lavender

Nick Landis as Yuma

Derek Mears as Corsac Albain

Mike Pollack as Marton

Laura Post as Beatrix “Lady Beat” Browning

Lucas Schuneman as Amoncio Glass

Patrick Seitz as Vermillion Raddock

Kyle Taylor as Perry

Jeannie Tirado as Khaki

Maggie Tominey as Deery

Eric Vale as Sil

@chriswehkamp as White Fang Lieutenant

Yong Yea as Bram Thornmane

Additional Voices (additional singers in Professor Peach’s section of Ruby’s Faction):

Orion Acaba as Harold Mulberry

César Altagracia as Crimson

Amalee as Ivy Thickety

Yssa Badiola as Ciel Soleil

William Ball as Saber Rodentia

Ryan Bartley as Arslan Altan

Brian Beacock as Roch Szalt

Laila Berzins as Starr Sanzang

Grace Bono as Nebula Violette

Jen Brown as Red Haired Woman & Lisa Lavender

Reba Buhr as Lily’s Younger Sister

Billy B. Burson III as Branwen Bandit 2

Paige Campbell as Dew Gayl

Bruce Carey as Captain

Dani Chambers as Iris Marilla

Clifford Chapin as Shay D. Mann

Luci Christian as Lil’ Miss Malachite

Greg Chun as Green

Alfred Coleman as Merchant

Adam Ellis as Cardin Winchester

Dorothy Fahn as Slate

Melissa Fahn as Lily

Erin Fitzgerald as Rae Noire

Flynt Flossy as Flynt Coal

Jim Foronda as Russet Ka

Sandy Fox as Ariadne Guime

Scott Frerichs as Mata

Grant George as Ivori

Christopher Guerrero @mindshawk as Dudley & Blacksmith

Claire Hogan as Octavia Ember

Victoria Holden as Mata’s Mother

Xanthe Huynh as Claret Berbere

Chad James as Asher Mora

Chris Kokkinos @christhefer as Fenix Nemean, Spider Bodyguard 2, Branwen Bandit 1, & Crew Member 2

Anjali Kunapaneni as Cye Ayu

Skye Lafontaine as Olive Harper

@aleksle-blog as Nadir Shiko

Judy Alice Lee as Ruda Tilleroot

Mela Lee as Caroline Cordovin

Marissa Lenti as Oscar’s Aunt

Joel Mann @aspacedmann as Drunk Mann

Bryan Massey as Bertilak Celadon

Dustin Matthews as Drinking Buddy

Kyle McCarley as Sky Lark

Mike McFarland as Mayor

Ryan Mitchum @chongoblog as August Caspian

Cassandra Lee Morris as Kandi Floss

Kim Newman as Higanbana Waitress

Brooke Olson as Mantle Child

Colleen O’Shaughnessey as Thumbelina Peach

Bryce Papenbrook as Russel Thrush

Jack Pattillo as Hei “Junior” Xiong

Paul St. Peter as Edward Caspian

Kyle Phillips as Nubuck Guards

Anairis Quiñones @anairisq as Councilwoman Camilla

Eden Riegel as Elektra Fury

Sam Riegel as Finn Asturias

Jon Risinger @roysyesterdayjam as Bolin Hori

Cindy Robinson as Ann Greene

Patrick Rodriguez as Shopkeep & Cyril Ian

Kristi Rothrock as Zure Ayu

Andrew Russell as Kobalt

Ian Russell as Mossius Berbere

@alejandrosaab as Dove Bronzewing & Henry Marigold

Kerry Shawcross as Pyke Rite

Lindsay Sheppard as Saphron Cotta-Arc

Jamie Smith as Terra Cotta-Arc

Gus Sorola as Fiona’s Uncle

Laura Stahl as Roane Ashwood

Christine Stuckart as Grandmother

Jenn K. Tidwell as Mother & Spider Bodyguard 1

Alexis Tipton as Bianca Prisma

Maggie Tominey as Miltia & Melanie Malachite

Meg Turney @megjourney as Neon Katt

Natalie Van Sistine as Cerise Claire

Erin Winn as Reese Chloris

Kimberly Woods as Olive Gashley

Yunhao Xhong as Crew Member 1

Laura Yates as Arrastra Skye

Mylissa Zelechowski as Gwen Darcy

Molly Zhang as Mikado Lem

Derreck Ziegler as Matte Skye

Additional Voices:

Dalton Allen as Manta Three-Four & Atlas Soldiers

César Altagracia as Atlas Soldiers

Felicia Angelle as Atlas Trophy Wife

Lauren Aptekar as Female Dinner Guest

J.D. Arredondo @arredondojd as Atlas Soldiers

Burnie Burns as Vale Detective

Billy B. Burson III as Atlas Pilots & Atlas Commanders

Andrea Caprotti as Blue Three

Joe Clary as Manta Two-Four

Amber Lee Connors as Atlas Businesswoman

Gio Coutinho as Menagerie Guard 1

Alexia Cruz as Atlas Child

Matthew Cruz as Atlas Father

@chrisdemaraisblog as Atlas Civilian

@emilyjfajardo as Heather Shields’ Daughter

Josh Flanagan as Atlas Soldiers

Jonathan Floyd as Atlas Soldiers

Scott Frerichs as Atlas Businessman

Cody Hawkins as Atlas Soldiers

Quentin Holtz as Atlas Soldiers & Mantle Civilians

Markus Horstmeyer as Crow Bar Bartender

Ariel James as Faunus Civilians

Kirk Johnson as Schnee Manor Waiter 2 & Atlas Soldiers

Willem W. Keetell as Faunus Civilians

Jeb-Aguilar Kendrick as Atlas Soldier

Danzer Koehler as Argus Air Control

Chris Kokkinos @christhefer as Atlas Husband

Nick Kramer as Atlas Soldiers

Nick Landis as Angry Atlas Businessman & Ramen Shop Owner

Alena Lecorchick as Atlas Air Traffic Female, Atlas Soldiers, & Mantle Civilians

Stan Lewis as Menagerie Guard 2 & Mistral Pilot

William Lopez as Xiong Goons

Penny Parker @snapscube as Atlas Commanders

Chris Martin as White Fang Goons

Emily McBride as Schnee Corp Operator

Richard Norman as Mantle Team Delta

Connor Pickens as Kuroyuri Blacksmith, Terminal Guard, & Mantle Patrol

Andrea Ratsos as Atlas Soldiers

Jon Risinger @roysyesterdayjam as Atlas Soldiers

Patrick Rodriguez as Faunus Civilians & Atlas Soldiers

Zane Rutledge as Just Rite Bartender

Tony Salvaggio as Atlas Soldiers

Kerry Shawcross as Atlas Soldiers

Jamie Smith as Mistral Police Captain

Kyler Smith as Schnee Manor Waiter 1

Nikita Steele as Mantle Civilians

Melanie Stern as Manta Two-One

Christine Stuckart as Schnee Manor Waitress & Faunus Civilians

Nicolas Swift as Atlas Soldiers & Mantle Civilians

Jenn K. Tidwell as Menagerie Guard 3 & Mantle Civilians

Isaiah Torres as Xiong Goons

Zack Watkins as Atlas Commanders

@chriswehkamp as Vale Councilman

Ed Whetstone as Atlas Soldiers & Mantle Civilians

Noël Wiggins as Manta Two-Two & Atlas Soldiers

Todd Womack as Atlas Pilots

6 notes · View notes