#i have looked for a second job but nowhere near me will take someone that can only work weekends

[rafeslittleangel]

One night only...right?

In which you and Natasha are on a mission and lose all communication from Shield, forcing you to stay at a motel.

Warnings: Smut, tribbing, fingering, edging, mommy kink, oral f receiving, slight mentions of injury

Words: 2.6k

18+ mdni

"All clear" 

Nat whispers, pressing the earpiece to hear your response. 

"They're heading your way, Romanoff. I see thermal signatures of three." You mumble, looking at the small screen attached to your sleeve. "Stay on comms. I'll come in when you need me to."

Natasha smirks, her eyes flitting to the entrance of the room, waiting for the incoming. Rubbing her lips together, almost hungrily, she mutters...

"I'd like to make you come in other ways sweetheart."

You blush furiously, so glad Natasha couldn't see you right now. Before you could even respond, you heard the voice of the one and only Nick Fury, who was sitting back at base, guiding you through the mission. Your mission was to take down agents from a small organization that had recently popped out of nowhere, following the Hydra framework and belief that SHIELD and the Avengers knew all too well. They were on a mission to recover important information from an old hydra facility. Your job was to get your hands on it first.

"Focus on the mission, Romanoff; you can go back to your y/n fantasies later."

Fury's voice rings in your ears, bringing you back to reality. 

"Oh, I'm sure she wasn't, uh, fantasizing about me. Just an offhand comment, right?" You whispered unsurely, laughing nervously.

"Oh angel, I was doing much more than just fantasizing."

Normally you would blush and laugh it off, completely oblivious (maybe a little aware) of Natasha's advances, but you saw a flickering movement on your screen that made you squint, zooming in on the building schematics.

"Nat on your right, you have incoming through entrance four. I count 2, one armed, one strapped."

You widened your eyes, making sure you were looking at the signatures properly.

"Strapped to a bomb vest, Natasha, do not engage!" You yelled into the mouthpiece frantically, sprinting towards the room she was in. You neared entrance four, kicking down the other guy while you gingerly approached the human bomb, threatening to blow at any second.

"Romanoff, we need to evacuate. Where are you!?" You utter desperately, watching as the bomb vest turns red hot and the man dressed in it grins maniacally.

"Right behind you," Natasha knocks out a man who had gone unnoticed and was right behind you, peering at his figure on the ground. You hadn't even realized that someone was behind, let alone someone who was probably planning to blow you up. Natasha wraps her arm around your waist urgently, looking at the live bomb.

"Run"

You both sped across the hallways, her protective hold on your body tightening with every turn. You didn't slow down as you ran out of the facility, not looking back once.

"GET DOWN!"

Natasha screamed, pushing you to the ground and covering your body with hers. You heard a loud reverberation that echoed for so long that it felt like hours.

A few more minutes passed before she let up. You rolled around on your back, looking up at her tiredly to see a shit-eating grin on her face.

"This is not how I imagined we'd be when we laid down together for the first time."

At this, you giggled, looking away. She offered you a hand, and you took it, your hair bouncing as you got up.

You reached to tap your earpiece, wanting to let Fury know you're both safe. You pressed it, only to hear static. You took it out and groaned to see that it was broken. You looked toward Natasha to see her having the same luck. The vibrations from the explosion and the frantic escape must have damaged it. You sighed and looked around.

"Where's our ride? Do we go back to base?"

Natasha looks at you guiltily. "Well..." You widen your eyes, shooting her a wary glance.

"Nat...."

"I was supposed to call for the quintjet through comms. We have no forms of communication left to call Fury."

"Wh-UGH what about the bike?"

She looks around, examining every nook and corner of the destroyed facility and the grounds around it. "It blew up". You groaned, looking away from her, dread filling your heart. You had never been stranded before. You were a young avenger, comparatively new one. You bit your lip and surveyed the ground underneath you.

Natasha looks at you sympathetically. "We can't go back y/n. This just got way more serious than it should be. We need that intel, whoever it's with. And we need to find out why they would blow up their own facility. What were they hiding in here?" She thought out loud. "We'll have to camp out here for a few. Even if we had a means of transportation or communication, we would have to stay to figure this out."

You nod reluctantly. Friend or not, Natasha was still your senior. You looked into the pitch black sky. "Where do we start?"

She lets out a laugh, looking you over. "I might be tough on you hon, but I'm not a monster. We're gonna get some rest, recuperate and prepare, starting with stitching that ugly cut up."

Natasha brings her hand to your cheek, a borderline concerned look on her face. You tensed up. You hadn't even realized you were hurt.

She gently traced the pad of her thumb below the lacerated skin, her eyebrows pinched together. You observe her face, which was practically glowing, even in the darkness of the night. She blinked, as if put out of a trance when she notices you staring. She withdraws her hand, almost hesitantly (you notice) and cleare her throat.

"Uh...l-let's go look for a motel to spend the night at huh?" You caught a glance of the faint blush that spread on her cheeks, right before she turned away, walking quickly. You stood there, dumbfounded.

Natasha fucking Romanoff was...nervous?

You shook your head, laughing softly. "Wait for me!" You rushed behind Natasha, who was practically speed walking by now.

_______________________________________________

You stood in front of the bathroom mirror, wrapped up in a towel. You'd just gotten out of the shower, the gash on your cheek pulsing. You winced, letting out a few yelps of pain as you a attempted to put a measly bandaid on it. You hear three loud knocks an you jump, your knuckle hitting the cut.

"Fuck!" You screamed. Hearing the noise, Natasha barged in, gun in her hand.

"Are you okay?" She asked, eyes suddenly fixated on the towel hugging your body.

"I was until you knocked on the door, making me hit my cheek!" You huffed out, annoyed. Natasha chuckled and put her gun down.

"I just wanted to ask if you need help sweetheart. And apparently, you do.." She peered at the bandaid on your face. "You don't put bandaids on cuts like that sweetheart."

You looked at yourself in the mirror, then at Nat, suddenly feeling so stupid as you look down at the first aid kit in your hands.

"I-I didn't have anything else..."

Natasha smiles, caressing your side gently. "You'll need stitches princess." She takes out her own first aid kit, finding the sterilized needle and thread she kept.

"Will you get on the counter for me sweetheart?"

Natasha was taller than you, so it made sense for you to sit on the counter so that she could stitch you up more easily. You felt your cheeks get hot at her choice of words but get on the counter anyway, clutching your towel as it ridea up your legs.

She starts working on the cheek carefully and gently, inserting herself between your legs. You screw your eyes shut at the pain, needing something to hold on to as you grip her thigh, digging your nails into her flesh. She let out words of appreciation, hating to see you in pain.

"Almost done princess, just hang on..."

She whispers, doing the last stitch, finally cutting up the thread to look at you.

"All done sweetheart, you can open your eyes now."

You let go of a breath you didnt realize you were holding, as you turn to look in the mirror, inspecting your cheek. You look at Nat in the mirror, who was already looking at you. You felt your throat go dry as you looked into her eyes.

"T-thank you..." You stuttered out, looking back at her. She smiled and put the things back in the first aid kid, not moving away as her thigh rested dangerously close to your almost exposed pussy. You felt Natasha's gaze burn into you as she traced your inner thighs with her fingers.

"Can I kiss you?"

She whispered, lips inches away from yours. You nodded slowly, lost in her eyes. She didn't waste a second to crash her lips onto yours, hands funding your lower back. You let go of the towel loosely wrapping your torso, the fuzzy cloth dropping to reveal your body as you kept your hands on her neck to pull her closer.

Natasha stops, eyes relishing every nook and corner of your naked body as she looks you up and down.

"Sweetheart..." She whisper, completely entranced, bringing her thumb to stroke your soft nipple, playing with it until it becomes a small hard nub. A rush of euphoria hits you and you whimper, your hands finding her waist.

She looks up at your face and smiles, delighted to see your head thrown back, eyes screwed shut. She brings her mouth to your other nipple, licking and sucking it harshly, dragging a real, loud moan out of your throat.

Natasha pressed herself closer to your core, your legs involuntarily wrapping around her waist. She picks you up, carrying you out of the bathroom and to the medium-sized bed, which was the best that the run-down roadside motel you were at could offer. She gently placed you on the matress, looking at you hungrily as she spread your legs. She knelt down, her thumb reaching your clit, gauging you for a reaction. You bit your lip, whimpering and looking down at her as she pressed her thumb on the bundle of nerves, bringing her teeth down to graze the sensitive bud.

You were soaked by now, squirming and begging for some kind of friction as Natasha carelessly traced her fingers on the work of art between your legs.

"M-Mommy please!"

You whimpered out, bucking your hips towarda her fingers. All movement stopped as she looked up at you, a mocking pout on her lips.

"Please what sweetheart? Use your pretty words angel, can't get everything by begging and whining can you?"

You moaned, your hand reaching down to rub your clit. "Need you s-so bad." Natasha shoves your hand away from your clit, delivering a slap to your pussy. You cry out, your hole tightening around nothing.

"Did I say you could touch yourself?" She asks, reaching up to pinch your nipple.

"Answer me." She brought her hand down on your pussy again, smirking as you hiss in pain.

"I-I'm sorry-" You mumble, closing your eyea and biring your lip. Natasha lights taps your cheek, gesturing for you to look at her.

"Sorry what?"

"I'm sorry m-mommy!" You choke out as Nat plays with your clit. She smiles and takes your pretty bud in between her lips, sucking on it while forcing your legs open, even as you struggle to close them from the sensations. You gasp when her tongue enters your wet hole, eagerly lapping up your juices.

You thrust your pelvis into her face, causing her to hold you down as she aggressively licks your pussy like it was her last meal. Your hands reach to her scalp, stroking and pulling her red hair as the knot in your abdomen threatens to unravel.

You moan with pleasure, eyes falling shut when you shudder, so wo close-

"Fuck!" You cry out, tortured swollen pussy pulsing as Nat looks up at you, your arousal dripping down her chin.

"No...no why'd you stop!?" You sniffle, tears in your eyes.

Natasha licks her lips, bringing her face down to kiss your neck, biting and sucking so hard it left a large purple mark. You gasped, nails digging into her hips.

"Well you haven't been the best girl for mommy... didn't think you deserved a release." She whispers, rolling both your nipples betwen her fingers. You shudder with pleasure running down your torso.

"I'll be better...I-I promise I'll be better...Please Na-mommy!" Your best, puppy dog, princess face was on, playing at Natasha's heartstrings but she was not that easy. She settled onto the bed, gesturing for you to come towards her.

"C'mere sweetheart..." She whispered, arms out as you crawled towards her. She takes off her shirt and jeans, left in a red lingerie that could make anyone salivate at the sight. She scooped you up, laying you down in front of her. She spread your legs, blowing air to your core, watching as more arousal leaks through your hole.

"Aw sweetheart... baby's eager isn't she?" She whiapered out, eyes fixated to your insanely wet swollen cunt. You nodded and whimpered, nails digging into the matress of the bed.

She teased you, slowly sliding in one finger as she looks at your pretty face, whines falling out of your mouth. She keeps the finger inside, unmoving, looking at your eyes shut at just one.

"My princess can take another can't she?"

You nod eagerly, thrusting your bottom further down the finger. Natasha puts her hand on your jaw, pressing harshly.

"Didn't I ask you to use your words sweetheart?" She whisper, threatening to pull out the first. You babble, trying to find your speech.

"Another one m-ma please..." You bite your lip, anxious for friction.

Nat joins her index finger with her middle finger, finally starting to move them, thrusting them into you. She curled her fingers inside, grazing the squelchy, spongy spot inside that made you moan and shut your eyes.

She was breathing heavily, touching herself over the thin material of the panties, seeing your little hole get so stretched by just two fingers. Without warning, she slid another one in, making you gasp and hold her wrist.

She slapped your hand away, thrusting her fingers harder, pulling down her own, soaked through underwear. She felt your pussy clench around her fingers and she withdrawed them completely, leaving you clenching around nothing. You cried out, having yet aanother orgasm ripped away from you. The desperation was short lasting however, as Natasha pulled you to her lap, thrusting her bud onto yours, placing your wet and slippery pussy on hers.

She moaned loudly, her grip on your ass tightening as she made you grind into her pussy. You squealed as she flipped you over, rolling her hips into yours, rubbing herself on you without a break. Squelching noises filled the room as your slick coated pussy caressed against hers, your orgasm threatening to burst for the third time that night.

"Come on princess, I know you're close, gonna cum for me huh? Gonne show me who made you feel this well?"

With that, you reached your climax, your pussy pouring out everything it had, Nat's hands supporting your convulsing body as she herself let go, feeling her orgasm. You blacked out for what it felt like was seconds, but when you woke up, you saw that Natasha had already cleaned you up, her shirt on your torso. She stroked your hair, sitting beside you.

She kissed your cheek, seeing you wake up and smiled. You rubbed your eyes.

"W-what happened?" You whispered, snuggling closer into her chest. She laughed and pulled you closer.

"You squirted sweetheart. What a pretty sight it was too..." She whispered, drawing patterns on your thighs.

"Go to sleep angel, you've had a long day."

#natasha romanoff smut #natasha romanoff #natasha romanov #natasha x reader #natasha x you #natasha smut #marvel mcu #marvel smut #nick fury #mcu smut #natasha marvel #Rose <3 speaks #natasha romanoff fluff #dom!natasha #black widow #black widow x reader #black widow x y/n #black widow x female reader #black widow x you #black widow smut #black widow fluff #black widow fanfiction

[sseastar]

✶ meet me at the net ; riize.

info. riize ot7 + reader. fluff. platonic mostly but can be interpreted as more. description. riize as the volleyball team you’re the team manager for. word count. 2.7k warnings. volleyball-sustained bruises (sohee be careful pls). listen to. orange by spyair.

as always, please leave feedback and reblog with feedback and tags as it’s the most important thing when it comes to motivating writers on here! without feedback, i have less motivation to keep writing so pls pls pls do not just like and empty reblog! it gets very draining and unmotivating to see when that happens!

쇼타로 、OSAKI SHOTARO !

position: setter, team captain.

the surprisingly powerful setter that many people usually look over. because of his pure personality, not many fear shotaro, an insanely quick witted player who seems to know the opponent’s weakness even at the last second. hits when people expect him to set someone up, dinks when people expect him to spike, because of this is such a powerful asset to their team. always does the unexpected even when players are already aware of his playing style and yet always has something up his sleeve. his bubbly personality disappears as soon as he steps onto the court. but he doesn’t turn into a huge, tall, intimidating opponent. instead, he’s quiet and swift and quick and somehow that’s even more terrifying to play against. despite being calm and stable on the court, when he’s on the sidelines with the others, he’s hyping everyone up with loud cheers - that’s when his bright personality shows and the opposing team is always so confused - especially since they’ve only ever seen him in the zone.

shotaro dotes on his teammates, always making sure they’re eating enough between matches and drinking enough water. “no wonbin, you cannot survive off of gatorade chews the whole day.” dotes on you as well, making sure you have enough space to sit on the bench if he ever gets subbed out and pushes the ball cart so you don’t have to when you move courts for a new match. will always find you between matches to help set up everyone’s lunches and folding chairs and helps you calm down the others if they’re being too rowdy and chaotic and just overall tries to make your job as the team manager easier. loves to braid your hair to calm himself down between matches, and asks if you can hold the earrings he always forgets he can’t wear during games.

은석 、SONG EUNSEOK !

position: opposite hitter

the most underrated hitter on the team just because of his position. because many focus on outside hitters, his skills are sometimes overlooked. yet when eunseok gets the chance to showcase them, he leaves everyone absolutely speechless with how well he is able to execute the quick back-sets shotaro sends him. sometimes, people don’t understand where he came from, seemingly popping out of nowhere on the court. people are further shocked at how good he is at line shots and cross shots, underestimating his quick thinking, especially with his high vertical that allows him the easily see the open gaps in their opponents’ set up. eunseok is quick on his feet, and never hesitates to dive to save the ball that nears the floor. has no problem with jousting up at the net and is always amazing at getting the ball out of it. he’s known for his powerful topspin jump serve as well, one that he’s definitely received aces for. he’s a quiet player, often only shouting when needed and quietly celebrating in the center while his teammates are the ones shouting. is not easily affected by intimidating players on the other team.

eunseok takes care of the team quietly. you’ve noticed that he’s the one picking up items that the others might forget, or quietly placing water bottles he had refilled back near the bench. he drapes towels on the others’ necks without a word, and yet he masks his caring ways under his quick retorts and unbothered personality. not that anyone never noticed - you along with everyone on the team knows of his considerate, caring nature. sure, he loves to tease you between or even during matches as he sees how much more stressed you are than the actual players and their coach, but that doesn’t nullify all his small acts of service for everyone. eunseok is often found standing at your side between matches, usually because he finds your presence calming before a big game. sometimes, you wake up with his warm up jacket covering you on the drive to the tournament venue in the early morning. seemingly the one to always let you borrow something of his and will have a knowing smug look on his face when he overhears someone compliment you for it, only to say “yeah, i agree,” without disclosing the fact that it’s his.

성찬 、JUNG SUNGCHAN !

position: middle blocker

with his height, sungchan was easily positioned as the middle blocker that would switch out for sohee, their libero. however, it is not only his height that catches people’s attention, nor his extremely handsome face that has onlookers' heads turning. sungchan is smart, and can easily read the opposing team’s next moves. hits rarely get past him, and when they do, he makes sure that instead of allowing the ball to drop straight through his hands to the floor, he makes sure to angle himself in a position that gives the defensive specialists a perfect angle to bump the ball back up. he knows how to turn a hard hit into an opportunity for their team. sungchan is a wall when it comes to blocking, and his height only adds to his wit and thinking as he plays in the front row. not only is sungchan and extremely powerfully blocker, but his long history of playing with shotaro allows him to hit the most unstoppable spikes. no one ever seems to know what these two have planned up their sleeve, not even their own team. but it always works.

sungchan is a ball of energy. he reminds you of a big puppy with the way he’s always hyping the team up, making sure to reassure them when the team happens to be stuck in a rut. he’s probably one of the loudest on the court. he refuses to let the others think badly about their plays, shutting down any possible thoughts of blaming themselves for losing a set or game. his bright energy catches everyone’s attention, and many people seem to fall for him. but sungchan sticks to your side between matches, making sure you always have everything you need and are eating enough while you make sure the team eats enough because “you need to take care of yourself too.” he always tries to gives up his seat for others, especially you, but you insist that he has to rest for their next match. insists on helping you make sure the air pressure in each ball at practice is full just because he likes to spend time with you. before each hit during warm-ups at matches, he turns and points to you, only to laugh when you shake your head after he shouts, “this is for you!” then proceeds to completely miss the quick set shotaro had sent him.

원빈 、PARK WONBIN !

position: defensive specialist, setter

he’s quiet. that’s for sure, though he always seems to get the job done and more. wonbin is a reliable silent threat, and not many people pay attention to him especially since he’s in the back row acting as one of the defensive specialists. he doesn’t mind that his role is underrated because it doesn’t matter to him. he knows how important his role is in the back row, backing up sohee (his fellow defensive player) to dig whatever spike comes at him. he’s especially good with overhead passes and can even act as a setter if shotaro happens to get the first touch. he may be silent, but when wonbin is playing, the ball never touches the ground. he’s quick on his feet and always seems to play scrappy - pulling out tricks that no one seems to even think about. he can hit back row spikes, for sure, but he prefers not to. one thing that makes people fear him are his floater serves. although his aren’t flashy jump serves, his floaters always seem to change direction in the most unrealistic way, swerving past the players on the other side of the net.

wonbin is very similar to haikyuu’s kenma, often not taking care of himself. he seems to take care of the team before himself, even if he’s about to collapse from exhaustion from back to back matches. that’s where you (and shotaro) come in, doting on him to make sure he eats. he’ll only refuse the first few times, so you shove a plate of food into his hands and sit down in front of him to make sure he eats. he’s shy as well, preferring to stick to you to hover his face over your shoulder as his teammates socialize with other teams. however wonbin has another side to him that only the team knows, one where he gets really crazy during practice and ends up busting out the most out of pocket sentences that have the whole team cracking up. it’s one of your favorite moments when wonbin seems to cut tension after losing a match, or mentioning something everyone noticed about something they saw during the day but never brought up because they were too embarrassed to. it has everyone laughing comfortably hysterically, because of course wonbin, the reserved one, is the one to bring it up unexpectedly.

승한 、HONG SEUNGHAN !

position: defensive specialist, opposite hitter, setter

the bright, positive player who seems to bring energy to a match on both sides of the court. he’s always talking despite his introverted personality, and he views it one of his strengths despite being an analytical defensive player on the court. he loves hitting back row, and kind of hates that he rarely gets to do it, but loves to fulfill any role that the team needs. seunghan has exceptional ball control, seemingly able to pass any serve that comes at him regardless of the skill level. he angles it so perfectly to shotaro, allowing the rest of the team to execute a perfectly-set up attack, and that alone has him satisfied. at first, he didn’t think he had an important role, but you had made him realize that defense is just as important if not more, than offense. seunghan can read dinks versus spikes very well, and his agility allows him to get to the ball quick, making him a valuable asset to the back row. seunghan also always encourages his teammates whether they earned a point or made a mistake, never allowing them to even think about blaming themselves.

the most excited, seunghan is the mood maker of the team. he’s the one to bring the most energy to matches, always extremely hyped up and bringing a portable speaker everywhere. seunghan loves to joke around and keeps up with a lot of the trends, being the one to convince you to create a team social media account. he practically runs it with the way he always seems to steal your phone to film the others and themselves between matches, goofing off and having fun. he’s the one to suggest filming one of those videos where the team crowds around the front camera from above, throwing balls, shoes, knee pads, whatever above their head and seeing who gets hit. he can get bummed out if he doesn’t do well, and at these times he finds you, clinging to you during lunch. you’ll be sitting on a bench with your plate out, and he’ll just be at your legs with his head in your lap or leaning against your knees. this is when his introverted personality shines through, and the team does everything to get their mood maker back to his best. after all, it’s what seunghan always does for them.

소희 、LEE SOHEE !

position: libero

even the slight angle of a setter’s wrist allows him to know who the setter is setting to, and sohee quickly adjusts himself to where that hitter had hit last. his brain is almost a computer with how much information he remembers: where the hitters tend to send their ball, how each player serves, which player on the other team seems to have a weakness they can use to their advantage. if sohee has a suggestion in a play, the others immediately follow because it always works. because of his cute aura and the reduced spotlight on back row players, no one expects him to be the mastermind behind the intense plays of the team. and that’s what makes it work. sohee is a secret weapon, because not only is he extremely meticulous, but he is not afraid to get on the floor to dig a hit. he refuses to let a ball drop without even trying for it, and if it does, punishes himself by diving post-play because he should’ve done it to get the ball in the first place. nevertheless, it’s rare for that to happen because sohee reads hitters and setters perfectly. sohee will not hesitate to run across the court to send the ball back over the net on the last touch if he needs to, and you can’t even count the amount of times you’d had to help him ice his shins after crashing into the bleachers to save a ball.

sohee is the team’s charger. everyone clings to him because just being around him is healing. and although he might not be used to the affection and all the skinship, he wills himself to get used to it because he knows how much it helps the team. he happily helps you with your managing duties, especially when you try to find recordings of the teams they’ll be playing against, helping you and their coach analyze it and relaying the information to shotaro. sometimes follows you like a duckling, both at tournaments or at practice, and is one to initiate dodgeball games with the volleyball at the end of practice, usually by throwing a ball in the air which “accidentally” hits anton while he sips on some water. always helps you set up the net for training too, making sure you don’t drop the heavy poles or fall from the post where the referees usually stand.

앤톤 、LEE CHANYOUNG !

position: outside hitter

if anything, he and sungchan are the most feared on the team, primarily due to their large stature. despite his soft spoken nature, anton is one of the physically strongest players on the team, having the hardest hits to pass. that makes him so qualified for being an outside hitter because his spikes often push past the blocks of the other team. he’s still a little new to jousting up at the top of the net, but sungchan’s been teaching him well - how to not feel bad for pushing against the opponents’ hands and how to make sure to be ready for the ball to drop back onto their side. anton was a newcomer to the team but advanced quickly, earning such an important offensive position early into his athletic career. he’s also a quiet player and had trouble calling for the ball at first, but as soon as he experienced the satisfaction of hitting such a perfectly executed spike that even sohee couldn’t pass during practice, he stopped hesitating to call shotaro to set him up. he’s still learning but he learns fast, much to the dismay of opposing teams, especially with his strong jump serve.

as the youngest, the team looks to dote on anton a lot. despite being used to being an older brother, he allows the team to cling to him as long as he can to you. he tries his best not to get in the way and just wants to make sure everything runs smoothly, refusing to let any disputes linger between the team by gently speaking up to try to clear the air. it’s rare that he has to do that, but the team usually calms down once they realize that anton’s the one who’s confronting the issue. anton is another to cling to you when socializing with other teams, though if he gets comfortable enough with the other players he’ll leave you with wonbin at your side. he also follows you around like a duckling, always asking if there’s anything he can do to help with your managing duties and always offering to help you set up for practice.

⌕. author’s note ; currently inspired by my long-lasting haikyuu hyperfixation and my disappointment when i found out they’re squeezing the rest of the manga into a movie instead of more seasons. this is coming from my experience playing volleyball for a good number of years (although keep in mind it’s been while!)

ꗃ. taglist ; @enhacolor @soobin-chois @koishua @chrysbibi

#riize imagines #riize headcanons #riize scenarios #riize reactions #riize fluff #riize x reader #riize au #shotaro imagines #eunseok imagines #sungchan imagines #wonbin imagines #seunghan imagines #sohee imagines #anton imagines #shotaro x reader #eunseok x reader #sungchan x reader #wonbin x reader #seunghan x reader #sohee x reader #anton x reader #riize x you

[thegayestmferintown]

Hi I’m sorry if this is too silly a request, but can you do savannaclaw and octavinelle (separately) x reader who has really soft cheeks and how they find out about their soft cheeks + what they do with this knowledge? Thank you! <3

Yup!

And if you haven't noticed, I quit colour-coding names and pronouns simply because I'm lazy

And this is my first time writing Ruggie and Jack so, please forgive me if they're bad 😭

The Reader is Yuu and is gender neutral

@nisobird because Azul is in this

Warnings ;; None

Relationship ;; Romantic

Type ;; Headcanons

OCTAVINELLE

Azul Ashengrotto ;; Octavinelle Housewarden ;; Second Year

Azul would more than likely find out during his overblot, although he wouldn't much care or notice it at the time.

With his magic, you'd get thrown to the ground and your cheek would squish up against the hard floor.

Upon returning to his normal self, his immediate reaction would be to run to you and tilt your face up toward him.

Despite still being in shock over what happened to him, he remembered how your cheeks squished up against the floor.

Despite how your cheeks don't look squishy, they are, and Azul takes total advantage of this.

After finding this out, he kisses your cheeks much more often.

Jade Leech ;; Octavinelle Vice-Housewarden ;; Second Year

Jade would've found out through his job at the Lounge

You'd more than likely bump into him and end up squishing your cheek against his back or his chest.

Upon learning this information, he'd be similar to Floyd in terms of reaction.

No matter who's around, what's going on, if it suits his needs, he'll randomly squish and your cheeks and give a light chuckle at your facial expression.

Floyd Leech ;; Octavinelle ;; Second Year

Floyd would more than likely find out from a normal squeeze.

He'd squeeze you, and because he's so tall, he'd feel your cheek squish against either, his own, or his chest.

He can and he will use this against you.

I would run if I were you.

He is not afraid to just randomly bite your cheeks, especially in front of people.

Your cheeks are like stress toys for him and don't even ask why.

He'll come running up to you while on break and just squish at your cheeks, he will not care who's around.

SAVANACLAW

Leona Kingscholar ;; Savanaclaw Housewarden ;; Third Year

Leona would most likely find out during a nap.

You'd try to wake him up and he'd try to swat you away, lightly smacking your cheek in the process.

After that, he immediately sat up before pulling you onto his lap.

He'd mess with your cheeks for a solid five minutes before laying back down and taking you with him.

It honestly took him by surprise, because your cheeks looked nowhere near as soft and squishy as they were.

Of course, he never actually made this known, simply laying back and going back to sleep with you in his lap.

Ruggie Bucchi ;; Savanaclaw ;; Second Year

Ruggie would have found out through a simple dare.

Using his signature spell on you and pinching his cheeks, and in return, making you pinch your own.

Ruggie would've immediately released the spell before taking your cheeks in between his pointer fingers and thumbs.

Just like the others, it took him by surprise.

And he will use it against you to get doughnuts, even though it's nothing to "use against you"

Jack Howl ;; Savanaclaw ;; First Year

Jack would more than likely find out through someone else.

He's very respectful of your boundaries and wouldn't ever want to cross them.

So when he sees Ace or Deuce squish at your cheeks, he asks you why.

You explain to him that your cheeks are just naturally soft and squishy, and that you really don't mind it.

Jack would nod and completely understand.

But even knowing this situation, he still wouldn't even touch you unless he had your firm, verbal permission.

#twst wonderland #twistedwonderland #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland x reader #azul ashengrotto x reader #jade leech x reader #floyd leech x reader #octavinelle x reader #leona kingscholar x reader #ruggie bucchi x reader #jack howl x reader #savanaclaw x reader #asks #anon ask #romantic x reader #x reader #anon

[thatfreshi]

You mentioned you wanted to try writing for Astarion. I've tried in the past, but that was back in early access. Now I fear all my stuff is outdated, what with the new information we all have on him. You've got a slightly easier job, I'd say 🤣.

On that note, think you could write something with him and an elven white dragon sorcerer female where she just spends time cuddling him and telling him that she understands a lot of what he went through, and she thinks just because they both came out of their traumas differently, she's grateful they found each other? Idk, I feel like he has so much sex content that softer would be nice to read.

Hope you enjoy!

Recommended Song: Means to a Mend - Adam Melchor

You and Astarion often spend time laying under the stars, in whatever nice patch of grass you can find near camp. Sometimes it’s not even to look at the stars, you just wrap yourselves up in each other, laughing about everything and nothing. And sometimes, you don’t speak at all. Sometimes he just lays his head on your chest and you both sit there in silence, bathing all of your thoughts in the moonlight. This evening however, you just stared up at that stars, and the words poured out. Somehow, talking about everything with each other in the middle of nowhere, it was safe. The others knew not to pry, as you did this with Astarion most nights. Both of you have trouble sleeping, trouble escaping the past.

“Is it terrible of me that I miss it sometimes, that grimey cell, the screams down the hall?”

You look over for a moment, studying his face to see if he’s pulling another trick on you. He’s staring straight up into the sky, a sorrowful look on his face. 

“I don’t think so. Can’t we all miss horrific things, even if we know we’re better off?”

“But, why do we miss those things? I hate him, I despise everything I went through.”

“I mean I miss the bad parts of my past too, the things I did that I regret sometimes look appealing from afar. You’re free, but that comes with fear.”

“It’s been so long since I’ve been free, what does the word even mean?”

“Hard to say.”

You turn to look at him, but he keeps his gaze pinpointed above the both of you, above the world, as if trying to find another life where none of this happened to him.

“But I found what freedom means to me, and you can too. Words are just constructs, things we make up to try and express an idea, but they don’t have to mean the same thing to all of us. I mean think of Shadowheart. She has dedicated her entire life to worship Shar, but she still makes choices, she still lives life on her own terms. Would that be freedom to you or I?”

“No, of course not.”

He chuckles at the thought.

“Your life is yours now, and that can mean whatever you want it to mean. And if that means you miss the past sometimes, then so be it. After all, at least under Cazador you know what each day is like. Now, everything’s up to chance.”

“Luckily chance quite likes me.”

Astarion turns to meet your gaze. You smirk at his quip, 

“And I think chance led you to me, and I to you. If anything I’m the lucky one, to be stuck with such a charming and insightful being.”

He stays silent, as he still has a little trouble taking a sincere compliment. 

“I think you’re right.”

A brief moment, a blip in time, yet this is what you love about him. Passing seconds, that to anyone else would seem meaningless, but look at where you’ve both gotten. It’s nice to celebrate that with someone, especially when the stars are this bright.

#angst #comfort #astarion x reader #astarion #astarion x tav #baldur's gate 3 #baldurs gate astarion

[thefrogdalorian]

The Best of Both Worlds: Chapter Twelve

Din Djarin x F!Reader Modern!AU

❁ Series Masterlist ❁ My Masterlist ❁ Read on AO3 ❁

Summary: When filming overruns and conspires to keep Din from the fun weekend he planned for you, he agonises over his decision. Fortunately, he manages to salvage the weekend, even after a calamity involving a rowboat...

Word Count: 13k ❁ Rating: Teen ❁ Content Warnings: Alcohol consumption, suggestive language. ❁ Author's Note: This is a very long one but I regret nothing, and I just reached 100k for this fic! Quite a milestone and I still feel nowhere near done, really. I get slightly carried away writing these two but I cannot resist. They're so cute, and writing their love fills me with so much joy! Thanks to @decembermidnight for being my beta. I appreciate your help amo!

12. The Calm [Din's POV]

Din tapped his brown boot anxiously against the carpeted floor of his room at the studios. He watched helplessly as the minutes ticked by on the large white clock that hung over the door, powerless to do anything but sit there as the original time he had arranged to meet you ticked by. The new time he had set came and went. Then, the time after that, too. 

The Friday evening that Din had planned and the one which was unfolding before him were worlds apart from what he had originally intended.

 First, Din planned to meet you after work and take you to the hotel he had booked. In a break from tradition, this time he had made the reservation under his name. Din had taken the precaution to avoid a repeat of the situation when a bottle of champagne had been delivered with Jim’s name emblazoned across it. After that, Din had planned an entire weekend of fun for the two of you. There would be some sightseeing and good food enjoyed by both of you. It would be the break both of you needed.

Din had even taken the luxurious step of booking a second suite for Grogu and Kuiil so that the two of you could enjoy some privacy in your room. After checking in, if you two could keep your hands off each other long enough to head out, Din had planned to take you for dinner. It was nowhere too pretentious but just something to help you wind down after a difficult week with some good food. Then he had booked a tour of London for the following day for him and Grogu and you, before an evening in the spa. Din hoped that it would be the exact treat you needed, given how hectic you had told him work was. Alas, it seemed that the universe had other ideas.

Now, Din was trapped at the studios, while you had finished work with no one to greet you. Din felt terrible. He knew how much you had been looking forward to seeing him. Even though it was far beyond his control, he still felt guilty. Din hated when plans were not kept to and schedules not followed. The uncertainty was by far the most distressing part of it all.

Din’s foul mood was not helped by the fact that it had been a particularly stressful day on set. One of those days when nothing was going smoothly and every shot seemed to be wrong. The most frustrating thing was that it was not one individual’s fault. Din Djarin was not the kind of man to lash out at people, his fury simmered deep below the surface. Yet, at least if there was someone for him to silently fume at, it may have distracted his agitated mind from the rage that bubbled within him.

The problems on set were not caused by a case of incompetence, of people not doing their jobs properly. The scenes were taking much longer to film than expected due to the intricate set. With so many components, it took so long to rearrange between takes and  the cast and crew had to do a lot of waiting around. After each take, involving several stunts as Mando was tasked with fighting off a horde of enemies, the entire set was practically destroyed. It was a thoroughly frustrating process for all involved.

The hours that Din was required to be present on set had kept extending further throughout the day and now they were eating into precious time with you, a thoroughly unacceptable outcome. 

While Din was frustrated that he was letting you down, he was downright devastated about the impact such a turn of events was surely having on Grogu. Din knew that his son was safe and being cared for at home with Kuiil, which was a relief. Yet, the separation anxiety that he felt when he was away from his boy was something that he had never managed to get comfortable with. Being away from Grogu caused Din to feel tremendously guilty 

The only small comfort came from knowing that Grogu was with Kuiil, there was no one else – bar you, perhaps – that Din would trust more with his son.

Din was also relieved to know, courtesy of a picture you had sent him showing you in the hot tub, that you had successfully checked into the rooms at the hotel that he had booked. It was nice to know that the amenities weren’t going to waste, at least.

Yet, the selfie had caused Din further anguish, in a very different sense. Seeing the warm expanse of your skin, tantalisingly bare in the selfie, which revealed enough without being downright explicit, was causing his frustration levels to grow. How unfair that he was stuck here, while you looked so beautiful and all alone in that suite. Din was just grateful for how understanding and patient you were with him. Still, it didn’t give him bountiful new reserves of patience.

Din was irritable and lonely. The extended hours were miserable when he couldn’t even hang around with the rest of the cast without constantly fearing that his cover was to be blown. Peli was not required for this episode and Din missed his best friend. Din was alone with his thoughts as he frantically paced his room, waiting for a runner to fetch him when things were set up for the next take.

The knock on the door however does not herald the news that Din was hoping for, as an apologetic crew member informs Din that they were calling it a night and everyone would be required to return to set the following morning. Despite how frustrated he is, Din does not take it out on the young man who appears incredibly apologetic at the inconvenience. He knew that the crew member must have pulled the short straw to have to confront a fully armoured Mandalorian with such news.

As Din finally took a seat in the car that would drive him the short distance to his home, he was tired and irritated. Although he was careful not to take it out on the driver, Din is frustrated that he had spent hours longer away from Grogu than he had wanted, that he was forced into cancelled plans with you and even after both of those things, he had been told that he would have to return the following day. Not having anyone to blame it made it even worse. There was no one to silently seethe at and curse for their incompetence.

When Din eventually returned to his cottage it was almost midnight. After relieving Kuiil of his duties, Din wasted no time and immediately headed upstairs to his son’s room. Despite the old man’s reassurances that Grogu had gone to sleep without a hitch, Din knew that he would not be able to sleep without seeing that his boy was okay. It was a force of habit, a nervous question that needed answering. 

Fortunately, when Din peeked around the doorframe, he was greeted with the soothing sight of his son sleeping peacefully. Grogu’s breaths were even, indicating that he was fast asleep, blissfully unaware of the turmoil that his father was experiencing. Din could not resist making sure that Grogu was tucked in and comfortable, kissing his son’s head carefully before he headed for a few fitful hours of rest himself.

✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

Despite beginning the morning in as optimistic a mood as he could muster, Din soon discovered that the next day on set would run no smoother than the last. 

He had returned to set what felt like only minutes after he had left. The cast and crew were being pushed to their limits of endurance, hardly having any rest between arduous days of filming. Unfortunately, such a demanding schedule was necessary due to the tight deadline that was looming over them from the executives who were near-unanimously despised by practically everyone on set.

The fact that their well-being was shunned in favour of satisfying goals and targets set mostly by people who had never stepped foot on a set in their entire lives was a fact that irritated Din. It made him rue the day he had ever decided to work for such a mega-corporation. But he had. He was here now. That fact could not be helped. 

Fortunately, Din believed that the weekend was still salvageable. If the shoot was concluded in the middle of the afternoon, there would still be time for him to join you for a portion of the tour and then dinner. He thought it was pointless to ruin Grogu and Kuiil’s weekend too, so the two of them had left to join you that morning. Din was relieved to know that you were not completely alone. The selfie you had sent him confirming their arrival had certainly buoyed Din’s spirits.

After lunch, Din returned to the set, optimistic that the stars would align and he would be able to join you as quickly as he wanted to. 

Unfortunately, those hopes were soon scuppered. The shoot was just not moving as quickly as it should have been. With the way things were progressing, there was no way Din would be able to make it to the hotel before the evening. 

With his tail between his legs after the latest disastrous take, Din retreated to his room. Once he had secured the door, he pulled his phone out to call you, his heart aching as he did so.

“Hi, Sunflower,” Din said, as soon as you answered.

“Hi, Din,” you cheerily responded.

Din felt terrible at the excitement that was palpable in your voice. After all, he had texted you that morning and said that he would ring you when he had news. Judging by the tone of your voice, you assumed it was good news. Unfortunately, you were about to be bitterly disappointed. Din braced himself for the news he had to impart to you.

“I’m so sorry about this but it looks like I’m going to be held up at work even longer than I was hoping. Looks like I might be able to join you at around eight if things go well, but no guarantees. I hate to let you down,” Din sighed, his voice cracking with guilt.

The heavy sigh Din heard down the phone made him feel even more anguished. He knew that you hoped just as much as he did that things would go differently today. Instead here he was, letting you down again.

“It’s okay, Din,” you said quietly, “I know it isn’t your fault. It seems like your job is unpredictable, I know you would be with me if you could be.”

“Thank you for being so understanding,” Din said, gratefully.

“Don’t worry, honey. I understand. Work is work, these things happen,” you said sympathetically.

Din knew you didn’t understand, that was the entire problem. It made him feel so much worse about the entire situation. He knew that if he had just been honest and told you the truth that day when he had planned to, there was a chance you could have journeyed to his cottage to await his return with Grogu. Instead, due to Din’s cowardice, there you both were; miserable and missing each other when you were both in the same city. It was all so needlessly painful.

Still, Din knew that you had Kuiil and Grogu with you at least. It went some way to soothing his anguish.

“Besides, I have Grogu and Kuiil here for company now,” you added brightly, “We’re heading out on a tour shortly.”

“Sounds wonderful, Sunflower,” Din smiled, “I wish I could join you.”

“I wish you could too, Din,” you sighed. “I can’t wait to see you. I really hope you can be here tonight, I was so lonely in this big hot tub. It’s far too big for one person,” you add flirtatiously.

“Ugh, don’t, Sunflower,” Din murmured warningly. “If it was under my control I’d be there in an instant,” Din rasped, his voice suddenly husky with want.

“I know you would be, Din. We’ll be together soon,” you reassured him. With your sweet voice reassuring him, Din almost dares to believe it himself. 

Unfortunately, before his conversation with you can continue in any more optimistic terms, there is a knock at the door. Duty calls as Mando is required on set.

“Got to go, a colleague is calling me. I’ll see you soon, Sunflower,” Din said, repeating your reassuring words to you, “I love you.”

“I love you too, Din. Bye,” you reply.

Din sat there for a few seconds after hanging up. While he still felt awful about letting you down, he would never tire of hearing you tell him that you loved him. It went some way to soothing his anguished state of mind. Yet there was another part of him that felt intensely guilty for his failure, to be honest with you. 

Despite your words suggesting otherwise, the pain in your voice as you reassured him that it was fine made Din feel awful. Even worse than that was the bright way you had reassured him that you understood how unpredictable his job could be. Your innocence broke his heart. 

Even more so because Din knew how much you had been looking forward to a little getaway with him. You had texted him many times that week, complaining about how stressful work was for you. It seemed that the final rush before the summer holidays ended had brought all kinds of families and their children to the museums. Din had consoled you as you complained to him about how you were expected to provide information and be personable to them all, despite how difficult they could sometimes be. It sounded far more draining than his job. Although doing stunts for a Hollywood production was physically demanding and required a lot of fitness, Din did not have to be personable. He could hide his face. Those two things were enormously important for him. If he had to face the world as you did, he was sure that he would not last a day. 

Din replaced his helmet and headed back out onto the set. He pushed his shoulders back and transformed into a stoic Mandalorian warrior, rather than the anxious, frustrated man he was beneath all of the beskar… 

✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

It was almost entirely dark by the time Din was finally heading towards central London. Towards you.

Knowing that it would not be long until the two of you were reunited was causing little bubbles of excitement to spread throughout Din’s stomach. He could not wait to spend what remained of the weekend alongside you and was practically giddy with excitement. 

Of course, Din enjoyed the domestic bliss whenever you visited his cottage in Nevarro. It was homely and comfortable. Yet he loved the thought of booking a luxurious room for the pair of you in one of the most exclusive hotels in London just as much. When Din had initially moved to London, he felt self-conscious and uneasy that such luxuries were at his disposal. However, since he had started dating you, he had become more grateful for such extravagances.

Din had always relished being a provider. Whether that be for his covert of Mandalorians or his son. Now he had someone else to provide for: his Sunflower. 

He loved to take care of you at the weekend, after a long week of work. It went some way to alleviating the guilt that he felt at being paid many times more than your salary to do something that was, on the surface, a lot less demanding than the job you did. 

Although the stunts Din was required to perform could be physically demanding on occasion, it was nothing compared to some of the arduous jobs he had had in the real world. It was all scripted and risks were assessed before the cameras ever began rolling. Since he had started his role as The Mandalorian, Din had been pampered in a way that was unusual to him, unfamiliar. Din had never been luxuriated in his entire life. It took some getting used to, to know that there were so many things such as the opulent hotel he had booked for the two of you that was available to him on only a moment’s notice. 

It was an enormous contrast from the simple, solitary existence he had led for most of his life. Yet Din was becoming more used to this life and the luxuries that were on offer to him. As the hotel came into view through the window, Din found himself looking forward to a relaxing weekend there as much as he was looking forward to seeing you again. 

All of the amenities were tantalising, especially when Din was so exhausted. He had been looking forward to this break all week, knowing that it would provide the rest and recuperation he so badly needed. The endless hours on set had proved incredibly stressful, Not just due to the scenes he was filming and the stunts he was required to do, but also the fact he had to be separated from Grogu for so many hours per day. So Din needed this break just as much as badly as he knew you did. He needed the time with his son and the opportunity to recuperate after filming for the final episode had been so intense. The stunts and physical acting were taking it out of him, though Din would certainly prefer that to the numerous children that he knew you had to deal with every week. 

He couldn’t wait to take advantage of the spa and room service. Din knew that if you wanted to, neither of you would have to move a muscle for the entire weekend. Well, apart from the muscles Din knew that he would use in pursuit of your pleasure. 

It would be utterly blissful, especially because Grogu and Kuiil would have their own space while Din enjoyed your company in the privacy of your room. Staying in this hotel was the escape from real life that Din relished. It was something that he did not feel anywhere else. Whenever you visited his cottage out in the country the times spent together were a blissful sense of domesticity that Din did not feel like he deserved. Still, it was preferable to spending time in your flat, a place where Din had never felt comfortable. Not due to its size or simplicity but because of the poster that adorned the walls. 

So, to be granted an opportunity to escape your normal lives and just enjoy each other’s company here was a luxury that Din was immensely grateful for.

After exiting the car, Din practically sprinted through the hotel towards you. He could not wait to be back with you again. Gone were the times when he would stress about exposing his identity when he gave his name at check-in. You were waiting for him upstairs.

Now, nothing was stopping Din from being back with you again once again. 

He smiled at the thought that he was only moments away from seeing you again and taking you in his arms. It would have been even sooner if the elevator would hurry up and arrive. Din tapped his foot frustratedly on the polished marble floor as he waited for it to arrive in the lobby with a ding.

When it finally did, he did not waste a second before he hastily entered and pressed the number of the floor you were staying in. His heart thundered as he made his way through the corridor, towards your room. Din feared it might well beat out of his chest as he stood there after rapping on the dark wooden door, waiting for you to answer.

Thankfully, you got the door pretty rapidly. When it finally swung open, there were a few seconds where Din stood unmoving, staring at you with his mouth agape in disbelief that you were finally back together. It was an expression that was mirrored on your face.

Then, he finally broke free of his trance and stepped forward to envelop you in a tight hug. Din could barely believe that you were in his arms again. He resented the fact that it had taken so long for you to be reunited. All the days of pain faded away, however, as Din gathered you close to him. He struggled to find words to express his emotions.

Fortunately, you spoke first.

“I missed you so much,” you whispered into Din’s shoulder, where you had tucked your head into the crook of his neck. He smiled as he felt your voice reverberating there, a reminder that this was real. 

“I’m here now, Sunflower,” Din replied, his deep voice muffled into your hair, “I’m so sorry it took me so long.”

At that, you pulled away. Din saw how much love was there in your eyes that it floored him all over again. He wasn’t sure how he ever found someone to love him so much. All he knew was that your presence in his life had made him painfully aware of the fact that he had been missing something for so long. 

He felt as though he had been sleepwalking through life. Existing rather than living, in the weeks it had been since he last saw you. Now you were back together, that difference was acutely obvious to him. Din closed the distance and claimed your lips with his, attempting to convey what he could not yet find with his words. He roamed his hands across the warm expanse of your back, before grabbing your waist and pulling you closer to him.

There was no doubt that things would have escalated further, were it not for the sudden presence of a certain child.

Din first heard Kuiil shouting at Grogu to come back and pulled away from you regretfully. Any feelings of disappointment were soon eclipsed by the relief he felt to once again be back with his son. 

It had not even been an entire day since Din had parted ways with Grogu, but he missed his boy so much that he was so relieved to be back with him. The irrational fear that Grogu would think he was abandoning him had been gnawing at him all day. Coupled with the frustration of being stuck behind at the studios, it was an unpleasant combination.

Thankfully, Grogu seemed to be as cheerful as ever. He appeared to be in good spirits, which was unsurprising after the day he had spent with his two favourite people. 

Din picked his son up and walked over to the sofa, placing him on his lap and doting on the little boy whom he had missed so much.

✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

Although Din had every intention of quickly leaving the hotel again, after dumping his belongings and making sure that Grogu was settled, his plans soon fell by the wayside. Din had intended to take you out for a meal after the tour he had planned for you as part. Nothing fancy, but it was a Saturday night and he wanted to make the occasion feel special. 

However, after Din exited the bathroom to see you lounging on the bed, you looked so relaxed and almost sleepy in the suite, he was happy to instead spend the rest of the evening in your spacious suite.

After all, it had been such a draining week for the pair of you. You deserved a relaxing evening. So, Din’s dinner plans were soon forgotten. 

“I was planning to take you out for a nice dinner somewhere to spend some time just the two of us,” Din explained, “But I was thinking, since Kuiil is here and the food here in the hotel is so incredible… how about we just order room service?”

The way your eyes lit up proved to Din that it was a wise decision. The way you leapt off the bed and threw your arms around him and voiced your agreement only confirmed that. You seemed instantly relieved that Din was thinking along the same lines as you. Din wanted to show you again that there was never any pressure between the two of you to the expectations of what constitutes a ‘proper’ date. It was something that had defined your relationship ever since that evening when Din had tried to take you out to a fancy restaurant and instead, both of you had ended up in the noodle shop. Merely spending time with you was all Din needed to feel happy. Any time with you was incredibly precious to him.

After you and Din had finally made up your minds and ordered something from the extensive room service menu, Din went to check how Kuiil and Grogu were and inform them of his plans. He wanted to give you some space while you changed into some more comfortable clothes, but he was also eager to check on how Grogu was.

Din could not help but feel guilty for leaving Grogu for much of the day and how he would again tonight, even though he knew the boy was happy with the old man and Din would only be next door. Kuiil was as close to family as Grogu and Din had. A kindly old grandfather figure that they could always depend on for comfort and companionship. Din felt a lump in his throat as he hovered at the door, watching the two of them interact. 

Kuiil had Grogu sitting on his lap, facing him. The old man was regaling him with tales from his childhood in his distinctive gruff voice. Watching the pair of them gave Din a familiar sensation of how he felt whenever he saw you interact with Grogu. The warm, tight feeling in his chest at the achingly familiality of it. 

Family was a difficult subject for Din Djarin. 

There was the family Din had lost when he was young and had never truly got to know. There was the family he had found with Mandalorians and the golden-haired woman who was the leader of his tribe. Then, of course, there was the little boy whom he had been unable to resist when he had seen him bundled beneath that threadbare blanket in the dismal attic. 

Din had decided to rescue Grogu instinctively. Without much thought or planning, which was unlike a man who ordinarily prided himself on his meticulousness. 

The abruptness of such a life-altering decision meant that Din sometimes doubted whether he was the right person to take care of Grogu, or whether Grogu deserved someone better. Din frequently felt woefully ill-equipped to deal with a toddler, especially one with as many needs as Grogu.

His love for the little boy won out every time. 

Their connection was too great for Din to ever give up. He knew that he was not a perfect father, but he was determined to be the best one he possibly could be.

As he hovered in the doorway and took a brief moment to appreciate the fruits of his labour, and Kuiil’s labour, reflecting on how much progress Grogu had made, Din felt humbled by how precious fatherhood was.

When Grogu noticed his father standing there watching him, his big brown eyes lighting up when he laid eyes on the man who had saved him, Din’s chest swelled with pride. 

It was these precious moments that made Din realise that he could do it; he was a capable father to Grogu. 

He thought back to the first days onset, when he had arrived there terrified with his boy in tow. How Peli would scold him, telling him that he had an awful lot to learn about raising a young one after she caught Din not warming Grogu's baby food properly. The curly-haired woman had not been impressed. Din had been mortified. He hadn’t expected to see her just storm into his trailer like that. Those days seemed like distant memories now, but they were an important part of what had made Din the attentive father he eventually became.

Finally, Din moved from the doorway and joined Kuiil on the couch. He listened intently to the end of the story that the elderly man was telling his son in his characteristic breathy tone. Din had always admired the elderly man for the way he spoke to Grogu as though he were a real person, not just a cute baby. 

“Everything okay, Mr Djarin?” Kuiil asked and Din shook his head slightly at the old man’s insistence on referring to him by a title. 

“We’ve decided to stay here for dinner. I ordered something for Grogu and yourself and I thought we could eat together?” Din asked.

“Thank you, that sounds wonderful,” Kuiil smiled appreciatively. “I know this one has had a long day. I should imagine he'll soon go to sleep after he’s eaten and bathed.”

“Wonderful,” Din nodded.

Before the conversation could continue any further, the sound of the door opening tore Din’s attention away from Kuiil and his son. 

Din was mesmerised by the sight of you, his brown eyes instantly brightening at the sight of you as you stepped through the door. Even though you were wearing something far less formal than you would have been wearing had you ventured out for dinner together, you were no less beautiful to Din.

You shuffled in wearing sweatpants and an oversized hoodie. Even with your body hidden by your comfortable clothes, Din was still on fire for you. Your outfit was not necessarily befitting such opulent surroundings. Then again, Din would not have picked this hotel out for himself. It was still a shock to his system to be surrounded by such an embarrassment of riches. 

Din was distracted from checking you out by a knock at the door. Dinner had arrived.

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Contrary to Kuiil’s hypothesis, Grogu had not immediately been ready to go down to sleep after dinner. It required a lot of attention from three weary adults and plenty of playtime before the mischievous boy was finally content to sleep. 

With Grogu sound asleep and Kuiil eager to get some rest of his own, Din thought it was finally time for the two of you to retire to your quarters. It was, after all, a considerable amount of time since the last time the two of you had spent some quality time together. Now Din knew that Grogu was happy and settled, after receiving more than enough attention from the three adults whom he loved very much, he was content to leave his boy behind. Din knew that he would be there the second Grogu woke up the following morning.

Although it was tempting to take advantage of the spacious bed with its luxurious sheets, Din was determined to spend some quality time with you. He suggested watching something on the sizable flatscreen TV together while cuddling on the couch of course. Spending time with you and feeling your body on his was an intoxicating thought for Din. That closeness and companionship was something he had missed as much as the sex.

So, while you sprawled on the enormous sofa, Din hovered around by the minibar, fixing the pair of you something to drink. Din was content to leave you flicking through the various channels for something to watch. It reminded him of the time he had visited your flat when you cooked dinner for him and the two of you could not decide what to watch, despite the number of titles. This time, you were in control. He did not doubt that you would pick out something good. Or if you did not, he was certain that the pair of you would find other ways to amuse yourselves…

As he glanced up towards the screen, however, Din felt his stomach drop as you hovered over the streaming platform that The Mandalorian was on. He shook his head, hands suddenly trembling as he took the glass bottles in his hands. There was no way that he could watch the show with you. He hadn’t even seen it himself, too embarrassed to watch himself on screen.

“Looks like this hotel has a pretty nice collection of streaming services. Why don’t we watch my favourite show?” you said enthusiastically as you opened the app.

“What’s that?” Din replied, jokingly feigning ignorance. Hoping that you would not detect the terror that had suddenly settled in the pit of his stomach. 

“You know what my favourite show is!” you exclaimed, thoroughly offended.

“Oh that Star Trek one, right?” Din replied, ducking as you threw a cushion across the room at him. 

“Din!” you exclaimed.

“What, Sunflower?” Din replied, a cocky smirk on his face as he padded across the room and set your drinks down, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. 

Although he may not get all the nerdy references, by confusing your favourite franchise with Star Trek, Din Djarin knew exactly what he had done. He felt lighter already. Laughing like that and knowing exactly how to push your buttons made Din feel as though everything was completely normal. The burden of the secret was temporarily lifted.

When he joked with you like this, it was so easy for Din to pretend that the jokes he was telling about the show were like any other people in a relationship. Teasing banter. It was a sense of normality. But the reality was that Din used such jokes to deflect from the truth. 

He was the man behind your favourite character from your favourite TV show. No amount of jokes could hide that fact.

As Din padded across the room to fetch some cushions and blankets to snuggle up on the spacious couch, the guilt felt as though it was eating him up inside. He struggled to contain his emotions. Din knew that he was doing a terrible thing by lying to you. He was well aware that you would probably be disappointed when you discovered the truth.

Yet, Din also knew that the connection the two of you had was genuine. It had nothing to do with the character he portrayed, despite the way he had first encountered you. After that day at the convention, Din knew that he would have fallen for you regardless. Your brain and wits had stood out to him at the museum tour. Not to mention the way you had bonded with Grogu. 

Anyone who was going to capture Din Djarin’s heart was going to have to realise that he and Grogu were a package deal. You had done that effortlessly.

When he finally sat next to you on the couch, threw a blanket over you and drew you into his side, all of that anguish was forgotten. Din felt your warmth all around him, the safety and security he drew from your touch whenever he was close to you. It was enough to make him forget the secret he was hiding from you. 

With your head on his chest and your legs kicked up on the sofa as you cuddled up together and a terrible movie starting to play on Netflix, it was effortless to forget everything else beyond the here and now. 

It was easy for Din to pretend that everything about how the two of you had met was normal. That there was no devastating secret lingering over you. That it was love and fate, rather than a combination of his job and your love for the show he starred in, which had initially caused your paths to cross. 

Din wished that time would freeze and he would always be as happy as he was together with you in that suite. Curled up with his Sunflower, as you watched a terrible movie together. 

Yet Din Djarin was a pragmatic man. Perhaps because of everything he had been through in his life. He realised, with a sickening, sinking feeling spreading in his stomach, that this happiness was fleeting…

✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

That sinking feeling was a distant memory the following day, however. Din was strolling hand in hand with you through Hyde Park in London. Grogu was toddling alongside you, on a toddler lead. It was a beautiful, sunny day. You were both enjoying each other’s company, the anguish that the pair of you had felt for most of the weekend at being separated beyond circumstances that were out of your control was long forgotten. The quality time with each other was more than making up for lost opportunities. Din knew that it had been a more limited weekend than he had hoped, but he was still glad to spend time with you.

It was a warm, sunny day in the park. Unseasonably beautiful for mid-September. It was probably one of the last sunny days before the leaves would turn brown and copper and a colder breeze would be present in the air. So, naturally, most of the population had seemingly had the same idea as the one suggested to Din by you that morning, as you ate breakfast in the suite: to visit Hyde Park. 

Despite the crowds, it was a spacious park, with plenty of room for all of you. Kuiil had been left at a cafe near the entrance, insisting that he was too old to join the rest of you, despite Din’s insistence that he would be more than welcome to join. Still, Din did not push him too hard. The kindly old soul had more than earned his pay this weekend. 

Din squeezed your hand in his, enjoying the warm, comforting reminder of your presence as he strolled along at your side. He kept stealing glances at you, making sure that you were enjoying yourself.

Your eyes were covered by your sunglasses, but the small smile you wore near-permanently on your face proved to him that you were having as much fun as he hoped you were. 

Din had been watching you extra closely this weekend. He always did, but he wanted to make sure that the time spent apart had not affected you. He knew how upset you had been, he was anxious to ensure that he had made up for the upsetting start to your weekend. Din found that his eyes were drawn to you. He could not get enough of looking at you. There was something palpably electric about the way the two of you would steal glances at the other. 

The three of you stopped for an ice cream from a van sitting on benches as you licked the refreshing sweet treats. Grogu, naturally, ended up with far more ice cream around his mouth than actually in it. The contented coos of the little boy proved that he was enjoying himself, at the very least. Even though he had also spilt ice cream over his clothes. 

The only part of him that was stain-free was his green bucket hat. The brown shirt with green shorts that he had selected for himself had fallen victim to his ice cream exploits. Green and brown was his favourite colour combination and Din had enjoyed the way you had gushed at the sight of him that morning. 

After finishing your ice creams, you suggested that the three of you take a walk towards the water’s edge of the lake which was one of the main features of the park. At first, Din’s eyes were drawn towards the swans and ducks that were splashing around in the water there, as well as the people participating in various watersports and making their way across the calm, blue water’s surface on boats. He could have watched them all day, but his attention was taken away from them by the sound of your voice calling out to him.

“Din! Look!” you exclaimed enthusiastically, “There are boats we can hire!” you gasped as you turned to face him and pointed towards a boathouse with a few small rowboats tied up on the jetty in its vicinity which protruded into the water. “Can we hire one, please?”

Din released a sigh that was usually reserved for Grogu, an exasperated tired noise that ordinarily came out when his toddler was troubling him. But the childlike wonderment in your voice and face was too endearing for him to refuse. When you looked at him like that, Din knew he would have done anything for you. 

The prospect of hiring a rowboat was something that Din would never have done on his own. With you, hiring a boat at the park suddenly seemed like an idea that he could at least entertain the prospect of. Din knew this was probably going to end in tears somehow, but he couldn’t resist indulging you and Grogu. Not when the pair of you looked at him with wide, expectant eyes. Waiting for him to give permission.

“Fine,” Din sighed, leaning his weight onto one leg and folding his arms in a way that was so characteristic of him.

It was a careless mannerism, one that was so distinctively Din Djarin. It was also unmistakably Mando. A gesture he often employed on the show, was to strike fear into the hearts of his enemies with just a lean and a sigh. 

Din felt his blood run cold as he noticed the way that you stared at him for a beat longer than was usual. There was a terrible few seconds of silence where he was terrified that a glimmer of recognition had flickered in your eyes.

Fortunately, you soon snapped out of it. Shaking your head you took Grogu’s hand and led him towards the boathouse so you could figure out how to hire the boats. 

When you turned your back, Din shut his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. Without even realising it, he had slipped into one of his mannerisms that he had been so desperate to hide from you. The way he had stood and sighed was something that Mando would do. And he was certain that you had connected those dots. 

Fortunately, you had hurried off before he had to lie to you, again. With his breathing back under control, Din paced over to the boathouse to catch up. You and Grogu were already at the desk, selecting the boat that you wished to hire. 

After exchanging funds and a brief safety talk, with matching yellow life jackets to boot, the three of you were all set for your adventure in a rowboat. Din knew as he climbed into the boat that this was probably going to be a bad idea. Despite his reservations and hesitation and the grumpy dad facade that he was putting on, he was secretly intrigued by what this was going to entail. 

“Have you ever done this before, Din?” you asked, as though you could sense his trepidation. 

“No,” Din huffed, “Never.”

Din watched you shake your head at him with a smile on your face. He was confused by your apparent amusement, wondering what was so funny. Before you could continue teasing him, Din handed Grogu – who was wearing an adorable little yellow life jacket of his own – to you, and ungracefully clambered aboard the wobbly boat behind you.

As Din took a seat on shaky legs, you seemed intent to continue teasing him:

“Well, there’s a first time for everything, I’m sure you’ll be great!” you said cheerfully.

“You’re not rowing with me?” Din said, aghast. It had been your idea to hire this damn boat, after all.

“Oh, there’s only one set of oars. I think you can take the reins here, honey,” you smiled.

Then you proceeded to thoroughly ignore Din’s existence and his predicament, pointing out a tree in the distance to Grogu who was babbling contentedly on your lap.

Din shook his head with a huff and grabbed the ends of the wooden oars. He began to move them with trepidation. The weight was not an issue, especially not for someone with as hulking muscles as Din. But it was difficult to find the knack for the movements. He was uncoordinated at first, the wooden boat wobbling around as Din found his rhythm. 

Din murmured a string of apologies but once he eventually got into the groove, the little boat hurtled away into the middle of the lake. Happy with the position, Din paused his movements and the boat came to a stop. With the sounds of the water sloshing as it hit the sides of the boat, a chorus of birds tweeting and Grogu’s giggles floating into the sweet, warm air… Din wondered if it was possible to feel any more content than he did at that moment. He closed his eyes and sighed in contentment, appreciating the sounds as the sun beat down on his face. 

“I wouldn’t mind having a turn rowing,” you said eventually, breaking Din out of the tranquil state he had fallen into.

“Okay,” Din agreed. 

What happened next seemed to happen in slow motion. 

First, Din watched as you placed Grogu onto the seat next to you. Second, Din stood up to allow the two of you to swap places on the two benches that were facing each other on the rowboat. Thirdly, he became acutely aware of how the motion of him taking a step towards you caused the little boat to rock as you stood up and your forces acted upon the tiny vessel. 

The sum of your forces sent you hurtling over the edge with a yelp. 

The splash which was produced when your body hit the water sent droplets of the lake all over Din and Grogu, who watched the entire thing with a scared look on their faces.

For a few, terrible seconds it seemed as though the entire world had stopped spinning on its axis as Din waited for you to reemerge from the lake. 

Once he knew that you were okay, he felt certain he was about to get the biggest scolding of his life. He leaned over the edge of the boat, calling your name. 

When you finally reemerged, hair wet and sticking to your face, Din breathed a sigh of relief. Principally, because you had survived your unplanned entrance to the water unscathed but mostly because you did not look like you wanted to murder him. A fact he was extremely grateful for. Instead of fire and fury, you were giggling breathlessly at the sensation. 

Your airy laughs were the perfect accompaniment to the rippling waters of the lake.

“I hate you, Din Djarin!” you yelled between giggles.

It was a joke, there was no malice whatsoever behind those three words. Still, Din couldn’t help but wince slightly as you said such a thing to him. There were three words he never wanted to hear you say again. 

Considering how well you were taking your impromptu dunking, Din thought he had escaped your wrath. He should have known that you would never allow him to get away with the predicament you found yourself in that easily. 

Din leaned over the side of the boat to offer his hand out to you. He knew he would have no trouble pulling you back into the boat. You gladly took his hand and Din began pulling you inside the boat.

Except, Din’s helpful gesture was not met entirely with receptiveness from you. 

It was turn for Din to let out a yelp of his own, this time as you placed all your weight on him and tugged him into the water. 

It all happened so quickly that Din struggled to process what had just happened. For a second, everything was dark and murky. And cold. So cold. 

Eventually, Din resurfaced, dramatically spitting a mouthful of water into the air and throwing daggers at you. There was darkness in those brown eyes, perhaps you would regret the day you ever pushed a Mandalorian into the water. 

Din would deal with you later.

His first concern was for Grogu, who had been left in the boat all by himself. Din wanted to make sure that his son was okay. 

Din discovered, as he pushed himself up to peer over the side that the water was incredibly shallow. He could easily touch the bottom. He felt instantly relieved once he peered over the edge of the boat and locked eyes with his son. 

Except, rather than seeing Grogu’s expressive brown eyes full of concern towards his father’s predicament, there was a rather different expression across Grogu’s face. Din instead rolled his eyes as his son sat there, giggling at the scene unfolding in front of him and clapping his chubby hands together in glee. Din rolled his eyes and turned to face you, pushing his soaked brown hair up out of his eyes and onto his forehead.

Din stood there in the water, shaking his head and laughing at you in disbelief. Here he was, this man who was usually so hesitant to push himself even slightly out of his comfort zone, in the middle of a lake after an impromptu rowboat adventure.

Din looked at you, mesmerised by the way your face was bathed in the warm glow of a sunny afternoon in the park. Your eyes were shining a different colour than usual. Din was transfixed by the sight of you, the glow that seemed to surround you. As though you were an angel, brought to life. Your shirt was wet and clinging to your body, accentuating your figure which Din loved so much.

Before he was conscious of what he was doing, he had closed the distance between you. His hands were buried in your wet hair, it felt just as he had imagined it would, all silken and wet. His lips caressed yours in a slow, gentle kiss. Something about the way the water had caused your t-shirt to get so wet that it was clinging to your body had awakened something in Din. He was kissing you here in public, without a care for any onlookers.

“Everything okay here?” an unfamiliar voice behind Din caused him to snap out of the embrace in an instant.

Din cleared his throat and turned to face the mystery intruder. It was a lifeguard in a rubber dinghy, who had seen two people enter the water and been dispatched to make sure everything was okay. The man was probably close to retirement age and looked thoroughly unimpressed by Din’s antics, causing his skin to flush in embarrassment. 

“Oh… uh, yes. Thank you,” Din stammered. Sorry, we were trying to switch places in the boat and then, this happened,” Din added with a nervous laugh.

“Well, there’s a kid in there you might want to return to,” the man in the boat observed as he nodded towards Grogu who still sat there with a grin on his face.

The blush that crept across Din’s face was unmistakable as the man in the motorised dinghy made his exit, the engine gradually becoming more and more distant. He could hardly look at you as he helped you back onto the boat, lifting you and pushing you back on there, careful not to disturb Grogu. When you eventually made it back onto the boat, you unceremoniously flopped down on the deck like a fish.

✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

The rest of the afternoon was spent lying on the bank next to the lake on fluffy towels. Thankfully, the boathouse had provided them to help dry you out from the soaking you had received. Din had resisted all calls on your part for him to take his shirt off so he would dry quicker. He knew it was just a cheap plea on your part to get to ogle him. He was too self-conscious to contemplate such an act. Despite the ease with which he had stepped out of his comfort zone by agreeing to a spontaneous boat excursion before, his typical shyness had returned. 

Yet, as the sun fell lower in the sky and afternoon turned to early evening, Din decided that it was probably time to begin heading home. He knew a long filming day stretched out ahead of him tomorrow. A day that he knew was going to begin early, just after dawn had broken. Likewise, he knew that you would have to work early. And your job was far more draining and demanding than his.

The three of you had spent much of the afternoon in the same position. You cuddled up on Din’s warm chest as his hands rested around your waist, while Grogu leaned into his shoulder as the little child napped, exhausted from all the excitement. Din hated to move from this position. He would have been quite content to stay here forever. 

“We should probably think about heading home soon,” Din whispered into your hair, nuzzling into the soft strands which were still slightly damp after your dip in the lake.

You nodded in agreement. Din carefully picked Grogu up and gathered him to his chest, grunting slightly as he stood up. Din noticed that you could barely meet his gaze as he offered you his hand and hauled you to your feet.

The three of you set off for the cafe where Kuiil had spent much of the day, Din once again laced his fingers through yours. 

“Would you like to get a ride back with us or would you prefer to make your way home?” Din eventually asked as you approached the gates to leave the park.

Din had noticed the way you had become gradually more withdrawn and quiet. He wasn’t sure what had caused it, but he sensed that the tension in you was probably because you wanted to leave for home. It was a Sunday afternoon, turning into an evening after all. Din knew that you had work the following morning. But then Din noticed how your bottom lip was trembling as you looked at him. He knew that your idea of a peaceful, relaxing weekend had been ruined by his job. His heart ached for the disappointment which surely still lingered. 

“Din, I don’t want to make you feel guilty. I hate to sound so clingy… but I feel like I hardly spent time with you this weekend. I thought I would see so much more of you and it’s been great to see you today… but we’ve been with Grogu pretty much the entire time and I,” you sighed, looking away from him as you attempted to compose yourself. “I miss you, Din. 

“Oh, Sunflower, I understand. Don’t worry. I think this little one is tired so he probably wants to head home but, if you want, you can come back to the cottage,” Din offered.

When he saw the way your eyes lit up, he knew he had made the right decision. 

“Perhaps we can go for a walk there and maybe have dinner together before you head home?” Din suggested.

He noticed the way that your shoulders immediately lifted. The thought of going back to work the following day without having seen as much of him as you were hoping seemed to be upsetting you deeply, Din could tell. So anything he could do to ease that pain made him instantly feel better. Din never wanted to see you upset.

“I’d love that, Din,” you smiled at him. 

Your smile was one of the features that Din loved the most. Especially when you gave him one that made your eyes crinkle. Knowing that you were feeling better soothed Din’s shaky nerves. He thanked his lucky stars that the pair of you would not end this weekend with one of you feeling upset.

✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

The Nevarro Arms was the most defining feature of the tiny village of Nevarro itself, aside from the huge studios, The Volume, that stood right next to it. It was where most residents of Nevarro spent their evenings, drinking and chatting with each other. 

Although they were a staple of the British countryside, pubs seemed small, intimate and terrifying to Din. 

Despite how much time he had spent in the UK and how much he was enjoying his time here, this was not the country of his birth. There were certain cultural oddities that he could not get used to, no matter how hard he tried. Pub culture was evidently one of them.

Fortunately, you were slightly more of a local than Din. So, you insisted, when you passed it at the village cross on your way to walk the path around the hill where you had infamously been caught in the rainstorm a few weeks back, that he had to at least have a pint in his local. 

“You haven’t even been to a pub since you got here?” you asked, astounded, as the two of you walked hand in hand through the tiny village of Nevarro. 

Except for The Nevarro Arms and a couple of small shops which sold basic groceries, there was nothing else really of note here. Besides The Volume, of course. 

“No,” Din replied with a smirk. He found it adorable how worked up you seemed to be getting over something as simple as never having visited a pub.

“Din! That’s ridiculous!” you said, exasperated.

“Sorry,” he shrugged, “Just didn’t appeal to me.”

“Well, we’re changing that today,” you smiled at him, “On the way back from our walk, you’ll have a pint, and you'll enjoy it!

Din was relieved to see how much you had brightened up since he had invited you here, you had been visibly upset at the prospect of leaving him. He still felt awful about the whole thing, about his work keeping him from you, but he was grateful for how patient and understanding you were with him. 

Din was transfixed by the sight of the sun setting as the two of you strolled around a dirt path, bugs buzzing as the sun set, the two of you hand in hand. You started swinging your joined hands playfully. Din giggled at the sight. He loved the zest for life that you possessed. That something as simple as just taking a stroll at sunset with him seemed to perk your spirits up and make you so playful. 

He would need every bit of those positive emotions to carry him through his first time stepping foot in his local. 

Din felt his stomach churning with nerves as the two of you entered The Nevarro Arms. It was an old building with a slightly sloped doorway, indicating its age. 

Din immediately felt like an outsider, an alien.

Part of what had prevented him from ever visiting the quaint old building was a fear that there would be a barrage of questions from the owner of the pub.

Din was nervous that they would suss him out somehow. He suspected that the pub did not get many foreigners in it. Once they realised how close Din lived to The Volume, that would be it. They would know he was The Mandalorian.

Although it was an irrational fear, Din looked and sounded much different than the character he portrayed, the terror at the prospect of being discovered never really left him. He was constantly checking himself, trying to speak differently and disguise the gait of his walk. He had found that it was surprisingly easy to blend in, given how people were never really going to imagine what Mando looked like without the suit of armour.

Still, as he stepped into his local pub for the first time, his clammy hand clasped in yours, Din was a bundle of nerves. It was amusing that he could fight people off physically like it was no more physically demanding than opening a jar of pickles. When it came to people… Din felt out of his depth.

Fortunately, it transpired that his fears were misplaced, for the pub landlord – not owner, you had corrected Din on the proper terminology – was just as much of an outsider as Din was. 

Greef Karga was not from this part of the world either, like Din he had once been employed at the studios here. An actor from the US, after concluding his job here, had just never left. He explained how he had fallen in love with the environment here and bought a cottage close by.

When the former landlord of The Nevarro Arms had sold up, Greef had decided to step in and buy the pub to save it from closure. It was an icon of the surrounding area that desperately needed saving. Greef had heeded the call.

Upon seeing how relaxed and friendly Greef was, Din felt instantly relieved. The image he had feared of a nosy old lady with grey hair, mottled skin and too much time on her hands, who wanted to know everything about Din’s life as well as yours had been his biggest fear. With Greef, he needn’t have worried.

The only thing that did worry him, though, was how extensively Greef had talked about the studios here. 

Now there was no way to avoid it. Surely you were going to bring it up. 

When Greef finally got distracted by some other customers, Din followed you through the pub to find a table. He was appreciating the low beams of the pub, the unmistakable smoky feeling produced by the real wooden fire. He was finally beginning to feel calm and relaxed. 

Until he saw it. 

His heart dropped at the sight of it.

You were walking directly towards a huge display of Star Wars memorabilia. Various posters and autographs were framed, and hanging proudly on the walls. There was no way around it. No way you weren't going to stop and bring it up.

Everything Greef had just told you would have been a perfect segue for Din to come clean, to tell you the truth, that it was no coincidence that he lived in Nevarro, given its proximity to The Volume. That he was The Mandalorian. 

When you inevitably stopped in front of the impressive display of memorabilia at The Nevarro Arms, it would provide a perfect conversation starter. He could just slip it in carefully. There would be no more paranoia that you would find the terrible secret he had been keeping from you. He would not have to hide such an enormous part of his life from you any longer. He could tell you all about how much being a Mandalorian meant to him. He could be honest with you about what kept him from you on long shooting days.

Once again, Din took the coward’s way out.

Right before you reached the display of memorabilia, Din called your name.

You turned away from it abruptly, spinning around to face him. 

“I thought we could sit here, by the fire?” Din said as he gestured towards a cosy table tucked away in the corner. 

“Sure,” you nodded and moved to join him.

Din breathed a sigh of relief as he sat down opposite you. Anxious that the conversation would not circle back to The Volume, or anything about the memorabilia on display, Din asked you a question that he knew would serve a dual purpose; that would keep you distracted and talking, while also pulling your mind far away from Star Wars. 

“What’s the history behind Sunday Roasts?” Din asked, inquisitively. “I mean, I saw a sign for them outside here ‘Try our famous Sunday Roast!’ but I’ve never heard of one before.”

At once, you pivoted from someone Din was on a date with into your full historian mode. You launched yourself into an enthusiastic lecture, telling him all about Sunday roasts.

“So, British food has a bad rep around the world and that’s pretty fair. Some of this island’s cuisine is truly terrible. But I think the history of the roast is quite interesting and amusing,” you started, eyes twinkling with delight at finally getting to share your knowledge. “A lot of countries put pride and time into their cooking, but I think British people have always been a little more lazy than that. We think the Sunday Roast or Roast Dinner as we know it first started in the Middle Ages. After a busy week of working in the fields, the peasants would just shove a joint of meat into a roasting tin and leave it to cook over the fire while they went to church. So when they returned, I’m not sure what was tougher, the boots they wore to work in the fields all week or the meat!” you giggled.

“Yeah, I wonder,” Din laughed, “Interesting history, though. Never heard anything about it before. Thanks for the lecture,” Din added with a wink.

“Oh, there I go again,” You said timidly, biting your lip in embarrassment, “Off on another one of my lectures. You can take the girl out of the museum but you can’t take the museum out of the girl.”

“No, Sunflower,” Din whispered, smiling as he propped his elbow on the table, resting his hand on his chin, “I love it when you go off on your little tangents about things. Your passion and enthusiasm… it’s infectious. You’re also incredibly cute when you do it.”

“Din…” you scoffed. 

Din smiled at your bashfulness. He loved how much more open you seemed to be to receiving compliments from him. You had been so shy at first and now you seemed to be getting increasingly comfortable with him admiring you and appreciating your presence.

“I mean it, Sunflower,” Din nodded, as he laced his fingers with yours.

Here, in this tiny, cosy pub, as the sun set and the fire crackled in the corner, Din thought you looked perfect. Your beauty was on full display to him, both inside and outside. The twinkle in your eye that was evident after the compliments he had paid you only added to your gorgeousness.

Din knew then that he had made the right decision. How could he ever let you go? 

“Thank you,” you said with a wink, “Let me go and get us another round, do you want your usual?”

“A what?” Din added in confusion. He knew he understood the words you were saying, but some of them seemed so alien in this context. 

“In the UK, it's common to buy a round of drinks rather than everyone going up to the bar individually. Saves time and as long as everyone sticks to the same drinks, it pretty much works out at the same cost. And your usual is just what you had before, so in your case a pint of the cider Greef recommended?”

“Oh,” Din nodded, fascinated as he was introduced to this new culture he knew nothing about. “I'll have another pint of cider but let me pay, baby,” Din insisted, placing his hand out to try and stop you.

“No, Din. I insist. I want to buy a pint,” you smiled as you walked away from his outstretched hand.

Din had no real concept of how long the process of ordering a pint should take. But as the minutes ticked by, he struggled to remain rational about what was taking you so long at the bar. After a few minutes, he became concerned about whether something had happened to you. 

It wasn’t like The Nevarro Arms was the busiest pub in the universe, given the tiny village that it served. So, despite his reservations and fear that he was being overbearing, Din moved from the table and went to the bar. 

Thankfully, he spotted you straight away and some of the tension that had been building inside of him was somewhat relieved when he caught sight of you standing at the bar.

However, his heart instantly sank when he saw who you were talking to. A familiar figure, who Din instantly recognised. 

It was Migs Mayfeld, a security guard from The Volume. 

Din suspected that Mayfeld was already slightly inebriated. Din locked eyes with the bald man, but Migs broke contact and resumed chatting with you. 

He tried to quell his panic by remembering that Migs would have no idea who he was. After all, the only way that he would have known that Din Djarin was The Mandalorian was if he was standing there with a big suit of armour on.

But Din was not wearing armour. He was wearing jeans and a sweater. 

You hadn't spotted him yet, your back turned as you continued chatting away to Mayfeld. Din suddenly felt guilty and awkward about his paranoia. He turned to leave, seeing that you had only been chatting to Greef and Migs and there were no more sinister reasons for how long you had taken. At that moment, you must have spotted him because from across the bar, he heard you call his name.

Din turned to face you and heard you say:

“Oh Migs, this is… uh, my boyfriend, Din.”

Din froze. There was no option now, he had to go and greet the man who had accompanied him to set so many times and checked him in at the little security hut at the entrance to The Volume. Din was silently praying that the armour hid enough of his build and voice so that Mayfeld did not guess who he was.

“Pleasure to meet you. Mayf– Migs, was it?” Din asked, his heart skipping a beat as he almost said the man’s surname. The nickname that everyone at work used for him. Luckily, Din corrected himself just in time.

Din noticed the way Mayfeld regarded him as he moved in to shake his hand, hoping that the flicker of recognition he thought he saw was something else. 

“Nice to meet you Din, you got a wonderful girl here, I must say,” Mayfeld smiled.

The way Mayfeld turned to smile at you unsettled something in Din. He felt his blood turning hot. Luckily, you were on hand to diffuse the situation.

“Well, nice to speak to you Migs,” you nodded in the bald man’s direction, “And Greef,” you smiled at the man pulling pints behind the bar. “We’ll go sit by the fire and enjoy our pints. It's Din’s first time in a pub and he’s pretty excited to be here,” you smiled.

Din watched speechless as you walked towards him and grabbed his arm. 

“You okay?” you asked, linking your arm through his as you led him back to the table.

Din nodded, although he wasn’t entirely sure that was the truth, because of how you had referred to your relationship with him to Mayfeld. The fact that you had just referred to him as your boyfriend was running through his brain on an endless loop.

The pride, the happiness that he saw in your eyes when you said that word. It was something that the two of you had not officially discussed, but it felt so right. It would be wrong to refer to you in any other way. 

After he had met you, there was no question for Din of there being anyone else. It was always you, only you. 

Now, due to his cowardice, he felt immense guilt. That title, your relationship becoming something official was exactly what Din wanted more than anything else in the world. There were no doubts in his mind that you were the one for him. 

You had brought him out of his shell, including earlier in the day on the boats in the park. It was something he never would have considered on his own but with you, it just felt so right and Grogu had the best time. Your relationship with Din’s son was just as special as the relationship you had with Din, it was plain to see how much joy you had brought to the special little boy’s life.

Rather than feel the sheer joy he should have felt at your decision to bestow such a beautiful title on him, Din suddenly felt heavy and burdened by it. As you slid back into the cosy table to enjoy the freshly pulled pints of cider, there was one emotion Din was plagued with above all. 

Guilt.

Din knew he should never have allowed to get it to this point, such a serious step, without saying something first, telling you the truth about who he was. The guilt threatened to engulf him, it was eating him up inside. Din’s heart broke when you took his inner turmoil as a sign that he was not happy with the way you had just referred to him.

“I hope you uhh… you didn’t mind me saying that. I mean calling you my boyfriend. I know we didn’t talk about it or anything but uh…. I don’t think Mayfeld was flirting really but I just wanted him to know I was seeing someone and it’s serious,” you said, anxiously looking up at Din over your glass as you took your first sip from your pint.

Din felt awful about the anxiety that he saw there, that you were so worried you had been upset when you had done nothing of the sort. Now that he looked at you before him and thought of you as his girlfriend, it caused a sensation in Din’s chest that was quite unlike anything he had experienced before. Somewhere between pride, security and a dash of possessiveness – knowing that you were his. No one else’s. He moved to reassure you, he could not leave you thinking that it was something he would not have chosen for himself. Din placed his arms on the table and took both of your hands in his, gazing at you adoringly.

“I do not mind for a single second, Sunflower,” Din beamed at you, “We didn’t talk about it, that’s true, but to me, it feels right. I am honoured to hold your heart.”

Din brought his lips to your hands, marvelling at how soft your skin was as he placed a firm kiss on the back of your hand. The sigh of relief he heard you release was noticeable in the quiet of the pub, and Din was happy that he had managed to reassure you.

“And I am honoured that you want to,” you said, beaming at Din adoringly. “Despite how useless I am when it comes to rowing boats.”

Din laughed at that, the memory of your earlier exploits in the park was going to live with him for a long time and comfort him in his darkest days, Din was sure of that. 

“Well, you can’t have it all. It would be unfair on the rest of the world, otherwise,” Din said as he took a sip from his cider.

“Din…” you scoffed, unused to such a beautiful compliment.

To Din, you did look so beautiful. The firelight illuminated your features as the sky behind the window your table was against turned to a dark blue behind you. The wooden panels of the pub combined with the traditional decor and crackling fire all contributed to the scene before Din. He thought it was one of the most stunning sights he had ever seen. Here was a man who, thanks to his work, had travelled the world and dined in many of the most luxurious, exclusive establishments. It turned out the greatest one of them all was this small, quaint, pub in the English countryside. All thanks to you.

It was such a beautiful moment, Din was almost swept up in it completely. But then he remembered what he was hiding from you, and the sickening feeling in his stomach came back. He was so terrified of ruining this, the most incredible thing in his life aside from his son, that he was tongue-tied. It would have been a perfect opportunity to tell you. 

Instead, he sat there, a warm feeling spreading in his chest. Whether from the love he felt for you or the crackling fire, he wasn't entirely sure. Still, Din basked in the moment. Committing every single sight and sound to memory as he watched you. 

✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

The rest of the night was passed with pleasant chatter and laughter. Din could tell that you wanted to stay overnight, and he wanted you to. He didn’t want the laughter by the fire on this pleasant summer evening with the delicious pints of cider to end. But even if it would have been possible for you to blag a sick day, that was impossible for him, especially not with how filming was coming to a climax. It would never wash.

So, reluctantly, after one more pint, Din walked you outside and placed you into a waiting car that would take you home, thanks to the driver that the company supplied for him to use whenever he needed it. Din could tell that you felt hesitant to use such a luxury, but he had repeatedly assured you that it wasn’t coming out of his pocket. 

Even if he was, he could surely afford it. Din usually felt embarrassed by the riches that were afforded to him, but wherever he could use a perk of the job to spoil you, it all felt worthwhile to him. Din watched the car leave down the narrow country lane one way before he turned around and headed back towards the cottage, back to his son who was surely asleep, having been lulled off by the dulcet tones of Kuiil. Din was always happy to get back to Grogu, but he missed you already.

Din returned to Grogu and the cottage. He hummed a happy tune, feeling a buzz from the cider. Blissfully unaware that something as simple as a visit to his local pub could have changed everything. 

As he stood in the door, watching Grogu sleep peacefully, Din Djarin had no idea that by finally taking you to The Nevarro Arms, he had just set in motion a chain of events that would change the future for the two of you in the most dramatic way…

Taglist: @survivingandenduring @readingiskeepingmegoing

#din djarin fic #din djarin fanfiction #din djarin x reader #din djarin #din djarin x you #the mandalorian x reader #mando x reader #mando x you #pedro pascal characters #my fics #tbobw

[writingforatwistedworld]

Phantom bride event-Player is the last option Pt.2

Self-aware au

Characters: Sebek Zigvolt, Trey Clover, Floyd Leech

I do not take any responsibility for you reading this no matter which age group you are from!

WARNINGS: Yandere themes, cannibalism (a bit), kidnapping, violence, murder, obsession, possessiveness

First of all, how dare they to , are you work for them and secondly, HOW DARE THEY??!

But as we know Sebek is too much in awe to really yell in this situation

And then he remembers that everyone is frozen and that you are in grave danger

(Despite me being the author of this I sometimes feel bad of the Self-aware-au-you....)

Nu uh! Not on his watch!

If this was you simply being there as one of the many options in between and someone could still move then he would have been a lot calmer, probably planned your wedding already, and was sure that whoever could still move would protect you

But no, that is not the case

Instead you are standing there, without anybody to shield you, and proposing to a.... to a spoiled brat!

Dying young or not, this is unacceptable!

How shameful that someone like her shares the same rank with his master!

Sebek would duel her for your hand in marriage if things were normal (and he wouldn't be frozen) but this situation?

Planning to grind her into dust

Usually Sebek would try to look as best as possible so he wouldn't be a embarrassment for Malleus but that is thrown out of the window

He is screaming and if he could he would also be kicking

No one is safe from his wrath, not even you

Well then, if he can’t have you then no one can... Sebek is that some sort of red sauce of why is that... oh God, that is a real sword!

Trey already got your first “oath of eternal love” stolen from him and now you are also there? Alone? IN EVEN GRAVER DANGER??!

At this point he could rival Riddles angry... No he beats Riddles angry face, that's how red he gets

And then he starts to place the fault on himself

Why did he not try more?

Why did he not practice in advance?

The moment you stepped foot into this world he wanted nothing more than to be your one and only!

How useless could he get??!

And then rage returns

I swear, his emotions are more turbulent than the sea during a storm....

The guard near him is nervously sweating

Oh, you ask why?

Well, at this point he looks more like a vengeful spirit than a ordinary, capable of magic, human

Curse the princess! Curse her so that she will never be happy in her entire life!

It might be that h actually cursed her for real because in the future you will learn that she and her dear one seperated

(Chill Trey, don't just steal Maleficent's job!)

But after this you won't see the light of day ever again! Heck, you couldn't even dream of it because of the many heavy looks on your door and there not being any windows in the room

Floyd is already enraged enough by you being dressed like this for a entirely different person

But now you are also the last choice

You? Being send here by the headmage??!

Seems like there will be crow on tonights dining plan

But back to the problem we face right now

You can almost hear the treat in his head snap

Suddenly he goes all silent and glassy-eyed

In truth the eel is right now searching for any spell in his head which might help him in this situation

Wasn't there one that would throw someone's mind into madness for all eternity?

But oh, sadly he isn't powerful enough for that one.... (oh thank the princesses lucky stars!)

Afterwards you might want to... uh on second thought no

You don't want to talk it out with him

Floyd starts to be violent, and I mean much more than usual, even towards his bother

It was stolen from him! And you were in danger as well!

He can't trust anybody with your safety after this which leads to you having a fishtail and living somewhere in the sea in the middle of nowhere

See, isn't it nice down here? Just you and him and him and you and him! And with you of course!

#yandere twisted wonderland #yandere twst #yandere twisted wonderland x reader #yandere twst x reader #yandere sebek #yandere sebek x reader #yandere sebek zigvolt #yandere trey #yandere trey x reader #yandere trey clover #yandere floyd #yandere floyd x reader #yandere floyd leech #tw: yandere #tw: cannibalism #tw: kidnapping #tw: violence #tw: murder #tw: obsession #tw: possessiveness

[i-read-and-write-barely]

Ethan (Pan) meeting and falling in love with a fellow cat lover.

a/n: I don’t think there’s any warnings? I wrote this entirely on a whim, Ethan’s a little ooc. If you enjoyed this let me know :D

Word count: 654

You frequently wander around your town serching in the small nooks and crannies for cats you can pet. Quite often you can find more cats then you can handle but that doesn’t bug you much. 

Sometimes you will make little beds for the cats out of some cloth and fabric or you’ll feed the cats near your house. 

Eventually Ethan notices the little gifts for the felines and his interest is immediately peaked. Most people will walk on by the stray kitties without a second thought. But now they’re being spoiled on the daily.

The cats tell Ethan about the friendly stranger they’ve met that sometimes indulges them. He’s a little curious about this new cat protector, so he sets up a chance meeting with the cats help.

Later the following day you ‘just so happen’ to run into a friendly esper that has goat horns and a tiny one-eyed cat companion. He’s feeding some of the cats and appears to be chatting with them. 

You strike up a conversation and start petting the little cat that follows him, after a few seconds it seems the feline really likes you as evidenced by the way it’s purring and rubbing against any limb you provide.

”Oh! It seems my friendly friend has taken quite a liking to you. I was talking with the cats here and it seems someone has been taking care of them, was that you?” 

You reply yes and his entire face lights up with a smile. “I didn’t know there was someone who cared about these cats like I do.” He scans over your work for a minute. “You’ve done a good job. The cats have all they need and they speak highly of you.” 

After chatting for a little while longer you go home thinking of the new friend you made. 

On your next adventure around your local cat spots you run into the one-eyed kitty again. With Ethan nowhere in sight, you wait around a bit to see if he’ll make an appearance. After it gets dark you take the cat home to keep them safe.

The next day you walk around town trying to find Ethan with the cat in your arms. After minimal luck you head to the All-Trades Agency hoping to find him at work. With a new strain of luck you find him slighty stressed out at the dissapearance of his feline friend, too stressed out in fact to notice you.

Until you plop his cat on the desk right in front of him that is. Then he is brought to attention and quickly starts petting and lightly berating the fluffball for dissapearing. He thanks you and offers to meet up with you again later and go out to eat as thanks. 

”Hmm... Looks like it all went to plan my friend.”

A few days later you both meet up and have a lovely evening chatting about cats and other animals. At the end of the dinner you walk around town and help out the cats in the neighborhood. Ethan walks you home and asks if you’d want to do this all again sometime. You agree and from there your relationship blossoms. 

You both continue to go on dates and sometimes you even help out with his pranks and help bail him out of any trouble he gets into. 

Sometimes you go out and help build cat shelters for critters to sleep in when it gets cold. Or you’ll run around and feed all the kitties or play with them to keep them happy.

One day Ethan’s one eyed feline runs up to you with a piece of paper in its mouth. On the paper are the words “I love you, do you feel the same?” You hear a voice behind you say the words and spin around to see Ethan with a gift for you.

It’s up to you whether you accept or not. 

#dislyte x reader #ethan x reader #dislyte #ethan dislyte #pan dislyte #ethan pan #Can you tell I lack skill in writing characters talking? #Ethan dislyte x reader #Ethan x reader dislyte

[thebadgerclan]

With Child

Pairing: Nikolai Lantsov x reader

Summary: The Queen is with child...

This takes place in the “Rags to Riches” universe

You knew it would happen eventually, hell, you’d been bracing for it, but that didn’t make it sting any less.  Queen Isabella Kir-Taban-Lantsov, Daughter of Heaven, was pregnant, and Ravka rejoiced.  It was something Nikolai had made clear before he officially made you his mistress: he had to father a child by his wife, and that child had to be undoubtedly his.  It was an unpleasant thought, that the man you loved had lain with another woman, but you knew it had to be done.

The pregnancy had been announced at a court ball, where you stood at Nikolai’s left side, the place reserved for the Duchess of Os Alta, and it had been a true feat to arrange your features into a smile when Isabella had revealed her news.  “I am delighted to tell you all that I am with child!” she’d said, and while she held no love for her husband, you could tell she already loved the babe growing within her.  “Male or female, this child will sit the Ravkan throne after our dear King Nikolai. But perhaps my Shu ancestors will look kindly upon us and give us a Queen with both Taban and Lantsov blood.”

Toasts were made to the Lantsov heir, and you raised your glass alongside them, pasting a smile onto your face.  You couldn’t quite place what you were feeling, jealousy, anger, fear that Nikolai would tire of you, but all you wanted was to return to your rooms and cry.  But you knew your duty, and tonight, it was to remain at the King’s side with a smile on your face.  A while later, you found yourself grazing at the dessert table, when someone cleared their throat behind you.

When you turned, it was to find Nikolai standing behind you, a soft smile on his face.  “Hi darling,” he said, offering his arm to you. You took it, accompanying him as he walked around the perimeter of the ballroom.  “How are you doing?  I can’t imagine this is easy for you.”  You looked at him, seeing the sincerity and love on his face, and you let your resolve crumble a bit.  “It’s not,” you admitted.  “I don’t know why I feel this way; I knew this would happen, Saints, I knew when it was happening, but… I don’t know.”

You had known exactly when Nikolai was visiting his wife’s chambers.  The Healers had tracked the Queen’s cycles for three months and informed Nikolai when she was most likely to fall pregnant, and those were the nights he went to her.  On said nights, you did your best to busy yourself, to keep your mind off of where your lover was and what he was doing.  When Nikolai returned to your rooms, he pulled you close to him, kissing your forehead, whispering words of love against your skin.

Nikolai took your hand and kissed it, tugging you a bit closer.  “I know, my love.  I can’t imagine what this must be like with you.”  You shook your head.  “It’s just….the thought of what you did, and the fact that you enjoyed it enough to–”  “Let me interrupt that train of thought right there, sweetheart,” the King said, lifting your chin gently.  “First, it was a struggle to, shall we say, be at attention long enough to get the job done.  Because she’s not you, Y/N.  Objectively, yes, she’s beautiful, but nowhere near as beautiful and desirable as you.

“And second, I thought of you every second.  I don’t think there would be an heir if your face hadn’t been in my mind.”  You were stunned at his admission, and Nikolai pressed a fleeting kiss to your lips, all he could truly get away with in public, especially with his wife a stone’s throw away.  “I love you, Y/N.  I have loved you from the moment I saw you mopping my bedroom floor, and I will love you for the rest of my life.  Isabella, I respect her.  We’re friends, but I could never feel for her how I feel for you.”

You felt tears pricking at your eyes, and Nikolai kissed your forehead.  “After this child is born, I will never have to visit her bed again.  I will be completely and utterly yours, for the rest of our lives.”  You smiled, and Nikolai felt his heart burst at the sight.  “Completely and utterly mine?”  “Mhmm.  We can have ourselves a brood of princes and princesses if that’s something you want.”  You laid a hand on the King’s chest, inching ever so closer to him.  “I think I’ll just enjoy having you all to myself for a while.”

“As Her Grace wishes,” Nikolai said, and he kissed you, not caring if his court or his wife say.  “Pardon me.”  Nikolai broke the kiss, and you saw Queen Isabella standing before you, and you dipped into a curtsey.  “Moya tsaritsa,” you said.  “My congratulations on your news.”  “Thank you, Your Grace.  Might I have a word with you?”  “Certainly, Your Majesty.”  Nikolai kissed your temple and left you and the Queen, accepting hearty congratulations from his advisors.

“I wanted to speak to you personally,” Queen Isabella said.  “Before the gossips start their whispering.”  You cocked your head, and the Queen continued.  “I feel nothing beyond friendship for Nikolai.  Our joinings were to-the-point and purposeful, and when the rumor mill inevitably starts saying he spent hours in my bed, I wanted you to hear the truth from me.”  “I appreciate it, Your Majesty.  Thank you.”  “Of course.  And there is something else.  In the Shu Han, a Queen has multiple consorts so none can claim the child as his.  And as such, the children do not know who their father is.

“However, each of the consorts plays a role in the child’s upbringing, acting as uncles of a sort.  So, if it is something you wish, I would be honored if you would be my child’s aunt.”  Overwhelmed, you simply dipped into another deep curtsey.  “It would be my greatest honor, moya tsaritsa.”  Isabella smiled, taking your hand in hers.  “Now, go have some wine for me.”  You laughed as you curtsied again, joining Nikolai as he spoke to his advisors.

#nikolai lantsov x reader #shadow and bone fanfiction #nikolai lantsov x you #shadow and bone reader insert

[always-andromeda]

Eating Out | Eddie Munson x fem!Reader

Eddie Munson x fem!Reader

Word Count | 3,422

Summary | Eddie can't afford to take you out to dinner. Naturally, he decides to treat you to an enlightening night at Chez Eddie.

Author’s Note | remember that time I said I'd write a thing where Eddie rails you after making you dinner??? so yeah, about that, I slightly adjusted the idea to make a pun with the title...if y'all want a sequel, I am very up for it (I'm begging, please someone give me an excuse to write a sequel because if y'all want it I will do it, I know we're gonna need some fun content after the new episodes come out tomorrow lol)

Warnings | smut (MDNI), oral (male receiving), mentions of drugs, nothing else I can think of!!

Eddie Munson hates spending money on dates. He's not a cheapskate. It's just that he can't exactly spend money he doesn't have. Sure, he does odd jobs around the trailer park to make some cash on the side and gets paid in singles to play at that hole in the wall bar in Hawkins. But it's nowhere near the kind of money that would allow him to take you somewhere like Enzo's. Enzo's wouldn't be his speed anyways. If he walked into a joint like that, they'd tell him to march right back out of there after their eyeballs were done popping out of their sockets.

He loves you. God, he loves you immensely. But he'd rather pitch himself into the quarry than treat you to fine dining. That doesn’t matter anyways, he has a better idea in mind.

Eddie tells you to come to his trailer after school on Friday night. His uncle is working. You are already well acquainted with this routine. You come with minimal makeup (Eddie will end up making it run anyways) and a short skirt with panties he can easily pull aside. But when you’re knocking on the trailer door and he opens it, it’s not the Eddie you’re used to seeing. 

He’s wearing a white t-shirt that’s a little too small on him, as if it’s been a few years since he’d first gotten it. The most shocking part is the bowtie sitting right above his collarbone. It's not real, of course, but drawn on. You can see the marker streaks that reveal how he attempted to spruce up the ill-fitting garment. Your mouth hangs open at the fabric stretching across his chest, accentuating the full shape of his torso and exposing his midriff. Somehow, it’s more suggestive than if he didn't have a shirt on.

“Good evening, mademoiselle. Are you ready for an extravagant night at Chez Eddie?” He asks with a wink and a smile that shows he knows exactly what he's doing with the ensemble. His jeans hang dangerously low as he sways his hips ever so slightly. He knows exactly what’s running through your mind as you drink up his delectable figure. 

You cough and bring your gaze back to his eyes, “Excuse me?” You stare at him, brow raised. You’re used to his antics by now, but this was a new one.

Eddie rolls his eyes, “Just come inside, you dork.”

Then you’re wandering in the dim trailer where Eddie has set up a fold up table in the middle of the tiny living room. Two fold up chairs are pushed in on either side of the table.

Eddie leads you to the chair that faces away from the kitchen and pulls it out, saying, “Sit. Dinner will be out shortly.”

He disappears behind you. You hear him moving things around in the kitchen and it finally sets in what he’s trying to do. You smile and look down at your hands. There’s even a little candle on the table! Wait…that’s-- that’s a stick of butter that Eddie stuck a rolled up toilet paper wick in on a plate. You’re taken aback but still smitten at the effort.

A few seconds later, Eddie comes around with two bowls, setting one down in front of you and the other on his side of the table.

“From our esteemed Chef Campbell we have…chicken noodle soup.” You hold back a giggle when you see the familiar watery soup of your childhood, little pieces of chicken and vegetables floating along the surface. Eddie has lived in the trailer park with his uncle long enough that he knows how to get by when it comes to food. He has a taste for junk food, knows how to mix things together to make something that’s just edible enough. Your tastes must be a little more refined, he figures.

So he had pulled out some of the dried herbs and spices from the kitchen cabinet that never got used. Fuck, they’re so old that the expiration date has long since passed. Eddie just shrugged. That just means the flavor has faded a little, right? He’ll just have to use a little extra. 

Thyme? He’s got all the time in the world for it. Rosemary? Sounds nice. Oregano? Fuck yeah. Chef Campbell can make a mean soup, but Eddie is a wizard with seasonings.

When the spoon is in your mouth, you're hit with the flecks of flavor that don't quite make sense together. But Eddie looks at you with an anticipation that forces you to smile through the strange bite.

"It's good!" you chirp.

Eddie grins and holds his hands up, "What can I say? You've got a man who knows his way around a kitchen, princess."

No, I absolutely do not. 

But you laugh and take another spoonful of the soup. If this will make him happy, then you can suffer through the assault on your taste buds.

The next course is grilled cheese, though it's quite obvious that Eddie had burned the bread while cooking it. That's the one Eddie gets nervous about. With money being so tight, it had been a while since he or his uncle went grocery shopping. He only had so many pieces of bread left. He tried to keep an eye on them as they cooked. But it was just his luck that in the few minutes he took to rifle through the fridge, looking for a drink option, the kitchen became engulfed in the bitter charred stench. Hoping you would notice, he sprayed some artificial floral air freshener and scraped the burnt bits of bread off the side he'd overcooked.

You actually didn't mind the grilled cheese too much. Sure, it wasn't the prettiest sandwich to look at, but it tasted alright. The plastic cheese was overpowered by the toasted bread that tore at the roof of your mouth. Your throat overwhelmingly dry, you drank from the glass of liquid that Eddie poured out for you. Apple juice. Thank god. You could drink apple juice all day if it got the rancid aftertaste of the soup out of your mouth.

About an hour had passed since you'd first arrived. The butter candle had long since burned out, leaving you mostly in the dark. The sun was quickly disappearing from the view of the living room window and you wonder when the dinner will be over and the real fun part of the night will arrive. Being around Eddie was always fun. But nothing beats the feeling of his hands running over your thighs and up your shirt. And as the night gets later, you clench your thighs more and more, impatiently waiting for some sort of relief.

"Now, we have our dessert!" Eddie walks back into view. “This one is extra special.”

In both his hands is a plate. A sad, lumpy cake placed on top. You can tell that he must've ran into some sort of problem during the baking process.

Of course Eddie couldn't make a boring old box cake mix without it turning into a fiasco. The cake mix was old, but the frosting had been the only thing he’d splurged to get. What goes better with chocolate cake with chocolate frosting? He was no cake decorator and he was pretty sure he was supposed to let it cool before frosting it, but who cares? It was gonna taste damn delicious anyways.

“Wanna have the first slice?” He hands you a butter knife, excitement and obvious pride in his eyes. He looks almost like a little kid with his big brown eyes, waiting for you to praise him for the dinner’s grand finale.

But the top is sunken in. And you know exactly what that means. Still, you slice into the cake and grimace a little when the insides start to run from the piece you’ve removed.

"Um--" Eddie looks at you expectantly and you clear your throat, "Baby, it's a little...underdone..."

Eddie scrunches up his nose at the sight of the cut open cake, the inside oozing out, "You gotta be shitting me. I followed the directions exactly." If he hadn’t thrown the box away already, he’d be scanning the package, double checking that he’d added every ingredient. Maybe…maybe the weed had messed up the mixture somehow? He’d asked Reefer Rick if he had any good dessert recipes, but none of them involved a box cake mix…so he improvised.

He heated it up just like he was supposed to and added in just enough to get both of you high. Eddie had never baked a cake before, he had no clue what any of it was supposed to look like. Improvising didn’t seem like it was too good of an idea anymore.

"Fuck..." Eddie whispers under his breath. "At least the rest of the dinner was okay, right?"

You stare blankly for a second before replying, "Oh, yeah, totally!"

Finally, Eddie sees right through the mask. He isn’t even hurt that you lied to him. Hell, he couldn’t be mad at you even if he tried. He wasn’t even disappointed that he wasted some of his stash on a shitty recipe that didn’t work. He’s more upset that the night wasn’t going as he planned.

“Shit,” he sank down on the couch, leaning back and taking a deep breath. He wanted to do something nice for you. 

You pushed your chair back and went to sit beside him. Tucking your legs underneath you and resting your head on his shoulder, you place your hand over his veiny one. You turn it, feeling the calloused pads of his fingers intertwine with yours.

“I just wanted to give you a good night.” He mumbles.

“Aw, baby,” you coo, “You always give me a good night.” And god, the heat pooling between your legs is begging for another one. But his downcast expression makes some of your arousal subside.

He brushes away your reassurance, “You know what I mean. You deserve a guy that can give you all the fancy shit.”

His despondency shatters your heart, “I don’t need fancy shit. I just need you.” You slot your arm behind his back and fully embrace his body.

Eddie simmers in your words. He’d never been able to imagine a world in which he would actually matter. A guy like him doesn’t have much use as a cog in the machine. But there was some comfort in knowing that if he stuck to you, there was always a chance he’d have a place in the world.

You interrupt his daydreaming, “Besides, I have to give my compliments to the chef.”

"The chef did a terrible job.” He scoffs.

You drift one of your hands down the middle of his too tight shirt, taking special care to linger at his exposed midriff right above the buttons of his jeans, "The chef did the best he could. And I’m planning on leaving a really big tip."

Goosebumps enticingly prickle his skin where your hand teases him. Eddie’s belly rises and falls with suspense. He’s not quite sure what you’re planning in that sweet little head as he says, "Hopefully not just a tip?"

“Mmmmm,” a laugh rumbles from your throat, “You’re getting too greedy now.”

“I think I can afford it, princess.” He snickers before nuzzling his nose against yours and kissing you gingerly. His hand comes up to cup your cheek and you smile into the kiss like he’s just told you a secret.

No one else in Hawkins had a clue how tender your precious freak really was. So you’re glad you’re the only one who gets to see what he looks like from below as you situate yourself on the floor between his legs. Of course, Eddie handed you one of the throw pillows for you to rest your knees on.

It was suddenly becoming painfully obvious to him what you had in store.

"You sure you wanna do this?" Eddie asks, staring down at you through his dark lashes. You'd never used your mouth on him before. Though he’d dreamt of it, he'd never asked because he was too worried about making you feel disrespected. But he'd gone down on you plenty of times. If it felt that good when he was doing it to you, you could only imagine how the same thing would feel for him. So you nod quickly, already proceeding to unbuckle his jeans.

Eddie grabs your wrists before you can continue, "I need you to say it, princess." His gaze is pointed.

You shift on your knees a little, almost hesitant to say it out loud, "I-I wanna suck you off." You clear your throat so your voice doesn't sound as shaky, "Please, baby."

Eddie slowly releases his grip and rasps, "Good girl. Go ahead." He lifts his hips to help you get his bottoms off and tosses the jeans along with his boxers to the floor next to you. The sight of him has your mouth watering. It's nothing you haven't seen before; his thick cock is rigid, twitching, and just starting to swell red at the tip. But knowing it's going to be in your mouth is an entirely different matter. Your cunt aches and you have to stop yourself from reaching your fingers down to relieve the burn at your clit. Though you’ve been waiting all night to be touched, your mind is set on rewarding your boyfriend.

Eddie watches your expression carefully and tucks your hair behind your ear, "You see what your pretty little voice does to me?"

You look up at him again, seemingly surprised, "Really?" The power it gives you makes your heart swell in your chest.

"Yeah..." he trails off when he feels your breath tickle his bare thighs. "Wanna touch it?"

Without answering, you gently take him in your hand the way you'd seen him do it before. He sucks in a breath at your soft, delicate touch. Your fingers have a little trouble wrapping around his girth and he has to stifle a laugh at how innocent you are. You mimic the way you think he'd want it, grasp loose as you sloppily pump him.

Eddie can't help the little laugh that escapes him this time, "Here, princess, lemme show you how."

Just as you feel the embarrassment creep at your cheeks, Eddie takes your hand and spits on it. Then he tightens your hold so your fingers are almost touching. He puts his hand over yours, moving it up and down. As soon as he thinks you can follow his lukewarm pace, he lets go. You see the tension start to melt from his shoulders as he finally relaxes against the back of the couch with a deep moan. With the help of his spit, you go just a tiny bit faster, upping the ante just enough that he his eyelids flutter and his breathing gets faster

"I bet my mouth would feel a lot better," you mumble more to yourself. Before Eddie has a chance to object, your tongue is leaving a long, wet stripe up the side of his cock and ending with a flourish around the tip. You taste the musk of his skin and the slight saltiness of his leaking head.

"That feel good?" You ask sweetly. As if you hadn’t completely wrecked him right where he sat. He only wants more of that magnificent tongue.

"Fuck...yeah..." Eddie struggles a little bit to cum right then and there, "Jesus, princess, have you done this before?" You shake your head back and forth, wide eyed and pursing your lips.

Jesus fucking Christ, you're going to kill him. 

Eddie lets out an almost haunted breath of air, "Okay, you're gonna want to hollow your cheeks out. You just let me know if you wanna stop. I don't want to hurt you." 

Now it's your turn to laugh at him, "Eddie, you could never hurt me." You're looking a bit more confident in yourself when, again, you lick up the length of a vein on his cock. “I want you to use me.”

Eddie squeezes his eyes shut. He can’t look this time, you take his tip into your mouth and sink your lips down all the way until you feel the end of him hitting your uvula.

You begin to panic when the instinct to gag kicks in. But you don't want to stop. You fight through the tears that form in the corner of your eyes and try to ignore the gag. Eddie feels your throat constrict around him and is caught between wanting to curse at the new wave of pleasure and wanting to pull you off of him immediately. His care for you wins that internal battle. But you push his hand away as it goes to relieve you from your struggle.

"Baby, you don't have to keep going." He manages to croak.

You shake your head slightly, trying to keep him in your mouth. You bring your hands to his thighs, caressing his skin in order to put him at ease. Your touch softens the tension in his muscles.

Eddie isn’t sure what to do with himself if he’s not worrying about you. He chooses to hold one of your hands and grip the other on the edge of the couch cushion. He allows himself to really feel your mouth. Your throat is impossibly smooth and slick with your spit. And warm. Possibly warmer than your cunt. He’s not too concerned about differentiating between the two sensations. His head is swimming in the pleasure you’re delivering as your cheeks hollow around him, just like he told you too. 

As you drag your lips along his length, Eddie’s thighs jolt almost involuntarily. You feel him fuck deeper into your throat and you take it in stride, working through the way the movement chokes you.

“Fuck— you’re so good for me, princess. Soooo goooood…” Obscenities fall from Eddie’s lips like they’re nothing. The suction your lips have formed around his cock has him feeling like he’s in the clouds, simply floating his way off into the distance. The only thing keeping him from losing himself is your hand clutching his and your nails digging little half moons into his thigh. That’s when he opens his eye. He nearly feels guilty at how the sight of you, almost choking on him as he fucks himself into your mouth, has him groaning. 

He wipes one of the tears away from your cheek and whispers, “So fucking beautiful…taking my cock…” a strangled sound vibrates deep from within your throat and it feels fantastic.

He almost can’t tell when he’s about to finish until the cord snaps almost entirely, getting ready to send him careening into an orgasm.

“I’m gonna cum, fuck, baby, I’m gonna—” his voice breaks and you feel his warm load shooting down your throat. He grips both of your hands now, keeping himself grounded; his hips threatening to spasm even more violently. His back arches against the back of the couch. He’s riding out the last waves of his peak. You begin to slip him out of your mouth, the final spurts of him dripping out onto your tongue as he goes limp.

You swallow every drop down and feel satisfied knowing his sticky spend coats the inside of your stomach instead of your cunt this time.

Eddie still feels like he’s flying. He can close his eyes and fall asleep if he really wants to. Seeing him fucked out and draped back on the couch makes you bite your lip and smile. His lips are parted, though nothing but his ragged breath leaves them.

“I hope I look that pretty after you go down on me.” You giggle, plopping down where you had sat beside him before.

With a shaky hand, Eddie runs a hand through his hair to clear the sweat that makes his locks stick to his forehead. “Nah, you’re waaaaay prettier.” His voice sounds far off like he’s still recovering.

“Alright for my first time, huh?” Eddie stares at you for a few seconds, mentally running through options for where he can go from here. 

He decides that you look too smug for your own good. You yelp as he sweeps you from your position and pins you on your back to the couch. You look at him, disoriented, with your brows pinched together.

Nestling himself between your legs now, Eddie chuckles darkly, "Oh, princess, that was just the first course."

#eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson smut #eddie munson #stranger things #stranger things 4 #˚ʚ meda writes ɞ˚

[totesnothere04]

Day to Day Norm: Deleted Scene

300 Follower Special, this is completely in Norm's perspective. I hope you guys enjoy! 😁

Norm Spellman x F!Quaritch!Reader

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the fanart, screenshots, or gifs.

Warnings: Major angst (to me atleast). It's nowhere near as long as an actual chapter since it's a deleted scene, but I've added a little more detail than what was in it when it was in the actual story. Also, I'm terrible at writing angst so I'm sorry if it's not as sad as you'd like for it to be.

I also wanted to take a second and acknowledge my prolonged leave of absence. I had a severe anxiety attack that had me in physical pain for nearly a week after it. I haven't had the motivation to write because I'm afraid of spiking my anxiety again, but I'm trying my best to get back into writing longer stories again.

Avatar Masterlist

Norm's POV

I was standing right outside of the mobile unit with Jake in my human body since my avatar had been shot in the shoulder. It was a good thing that I stayed here instead of running off because Simmens was able to find his way here. I had been able to keep him back until Jake came crashing down through the trees and killed him. But now... Now we had won and all that's left for us to do is get the rest of the human population to leave Pandora. I'd beable to continue my research and settle down with (Y/n), and maybe even have a couple of kids. I heaved a sigh of relief that it was all over and I sat down on the stairs.

Jake took a few steps away as he started talking to someone, probably Neytiri or (Y/n) since Tsu'tey is gone. Jake's face remained stoic for a moment, then shock, a quick flash of sadness as his eyes cut over to me, and finally his hand fell from his neck. He stood still for a moment before he took a deep breath and his head hung for a moment. He finally lifted his head as he turned to me and I looked at him confused.

"What's wrong, Jake?" I ask him as I try to read his expression. "Oh God... Is Neytiri okay?"

"Neytiri is alright. Colonel Quaritch is dead, he died protecting Neytiri." Jake said and finally looked me in the eye. "Norm... (Y/n)'s gone." Jake finally said quietly, and it felt like all the air had been knocked from my lungs. I'm sure that if I had been standing my legs would've given out from under me. Everything dulled out and a high-pitched ringing took over my hearing.

"You're..." I take a deep breath. "You're sure that she's gone?" I ask him quietly.

"I'm so sorry Norm. Neytiri is bringing her body to the Tree of Souls." Jake says. His ears are drooped and his eyes are filled with tears. "As her mate it's your job to... Prepare her for burial. I'll help since she claimed me as a brother."

After Jake ensured that my avatar had been treated for the gunshot wound in my shoulder, I linked with my avatar. The moment my consciousness was in my avatar I could feel it. The pain my avatar was feeling from losing (Y/n). I took a deep breath and got up from the mat I was lying on and walked in a sort of haze. Walking to the area Jake said (Y/n)'s body is in. The moment I got to the tent her body is in I hesitated to open the flap. A hand on my back startled me and I turned my head to find Jake.

"I'm with you the entire way." Jake says and gives me a small sad smile, and I take a deep breath as I open the flap. The shape her body was in was... grotesque. Bullet wounds riddle her torso and her blood is smeared from where large hands had picked her up. I drop to my knees beside her and reach out to her with shaky hands. A sob tears itself from my throat as my hands make contact with her cold skin. The tears are free flowing and the sobs are loud and painful. Tearing at my vocal cords like a thanator as my throat constricts, and my eyes burn with how many tears are escaping my eyes. So many different types of pain coursing through my body right now that I can't think clearly. The pain in my throat from the sobs, the pain in my eyes from the tears, the pain in my shoulder from where I was shot, but none of them compared to the pain in my tswin. The feeling of the severed connection is the worst pain I've ever felt. Both physically and mentally.

"I don't-" I started to try and speak but I couldn't. My throat was just too constricted for words to form.

"I know. I'm so sorry Norm." Jake says and sets two bowls of water down on either side of (Y/n)'s body and a rag in each bowl. A large bowl of water sat next to her head and for a moment all I'm able to do is stare at her. I picked up her arm and held her hand with both of mine... My beautiful mate. Jake goes to remove her top and I stop him.

"What are you doing?" I ask still feeling protective of her privacy.

"I'm removing her top so we can clean her." Jake says confused and I shake my head.

"Right... Sorry." I say and decide that I would be the one to remove her blood-soaked clothes. I look at her face and remember the first day I saw her in her avatar. Smirking next to Grace as I chased Jake through the avatar yard trying to get him to go back inside.

"If you need a moment you can take it. I can clean her if you need a breather." Jake says and I take a deep breath. Jake takes a moment to observe me and he sighs. "Norm... It's not healthy to try and bottle up your emotions."

His words broke a dam and everything I had been trying to hide came crashing. My chest tightened and I let everything pour out of me. The anger, the sadness, everything. Tears coated my cheeks, sobs tore through my vocal chords, and I held (Y/n)'s hand, desperately wishing for her to come back. Jake seemed surprised by my outburst but he quickly jumped over (Y/n)'s body and held me. To me, it felt like everything was falling apart around me. The world as I knew it was crumbling and I couldn't stop it. My lungs burned, my ears were ringing, my eyes ached, my throat is searing with pain as I think of all the good times with (Y/n), and how we won't beable to make anymore of those memories. All I had now was good memories and nobody to share them with...

But there's also Miles. He's only a baby and wouldn't remember either his sister or his father, but I could try my best to make him feel loved and appreciated. The way his sister would've tried to make him feel. I can't duplicate her loving personality, but I can try my best to treat him the way that she would have. My best chance to make her happy, and still have a connection to her.

'I have to make her proud.' I think to myself as I look at her face and I bring her hand to my lips and plant one last kiss on her knuckles. I let myself ride out this wave of pain, knowing that soon I would step out of it and dedicate myself to more than just my research.

Miles needs me, and I need him. I might not be his father, but I'll be the best big brother figure he could ask for. For both of our sakes.

Taglist: @nisaoneil810, @drinking-tea-and-be-obsessed, @ducks118, @avatarlover67, @kenzi-woycehoski, @isimpforfictionalppl, @belos-simp69, @vivangothic, @dyingofcookies, @levilovely1, @perseny, @criticalroleobssedperson.

If your URL is in red I was unable to tag you.

#avatar #norm spellman #norm spellman x reader #avatar 2009

[guesswho2568]

O-04-475 "The Yearning Milepost"

O-04-475 is a stationary signpost with signs of sentience, it yearns for those who come near it to stay with them forever.

A sign can help those who are lost on their way, and can point them in the right direction. And for this signpost, it was a very special one. It had the magical ability to point anyone lost in any way to the right direction. For example, one day a man was stumbling around, just recently he had lost his job and had nowhere to go. Collapsing at the base of the sign post, the man started to cry.

With the sound of scraping metal, the man soon looked up to find the sign had changed its wording to "Hope". And had pointed itself towards a single paper ad on a nearby power line. Skeptical, but with nowhere else to go, the man checked out the ad.

He would soon find himself with a wonderful job not 5 days later.

One day, someone with stars for eyes had found themselves with no one to love. Around this time, the magical element of the signpost had been passed around in whispers, so they looked up to the signs on the signpost and asked for a favor.

"Oh signpost, please, I feel lost, is there any direction you can point me to?"

The signpost, wanting to help them, once again bent metal and pointed towards a young man. That young man was a long lost friend of the lost. And upon seeing them, soon ran over to them. They would soon find themselves in love, and would live the rest of their lives never lost.

As the years went on, more and more looked for help from the signpost, and each time, the metal bent, and the post pointed them to where they should go. But soon, the metal hurt to bend, and the signpost soon found itself wanting.

It had always pointed away, sending those it cared for away. They would never come back, no longer needing a signpost to show them the way.

So, it started to bend in strange ways, those who sought its guidance would find a sign bending in all sorts of shapes. Its guidance would take longer to understand, if only to have them for a few seconds more. But soon it wasn't enough, the signpost started to not point at all, instead giving riddles, once again just to keep them for a little longer.

But it still wasn't enough, then one day, a friend of mine had been waiting for me under the very signpost. He wasn't lost, but the signpost cared for it all the same. I'd arrive a little later than I expected, a costly mistake. The signpost had never been with someone for so long, it had now begun to fear.

Afraid of once again sending those it cared about out to the world, it could never follow them, it could never point them in the right direction once they left. Fearing this outcome, it acted irrationally, and swung down on my friend, burying it deep into his shoulder.

It was a step even it knew was taken too far, quickly pulling itself out of my friend. He was bleeding badly, but wasn't dead. Not that it mattered, the signpost had done something terrible, and knew it would not be forgiven. It soon disappeared after, but some say they see it around, with the simple phrase "Home" written on it, still bloodied.

It no longer showed the way to others, it only yearned for the company of others, no matter what.

I've done another fan abnormality, this was based off a real signpost that I walk by, it usually starts creaking when I walk near.

#writing #fanart #fanwriting #lobotomy corporation #project moon #abnormality #firealpaca #digital drawing #blood

[astronomyandfrogs]

𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐂𝐊 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐂𝐊

or, you snuck in your boyfriend room hoping in some decent sleep.

the last time you felt the urge to sleep was actually months ago. which is the reason you are walking back and forth on the perimeter of the hotel of a room where you were supposed to be asleep after many hours of been awaken in a pool of horrors.

"couldn't sleep?" you touched your chest, eyes closed in fright.

"jesus, luke. do you have padded shoes?".

"that's the weirdest comeback someone ever said to me, honestly" his head was tilted on the side, amusement written all over his face. you shrug.

"what can i say, my brain is very original" he chuckled at your joke.

"anyway, what are you doing awake at four am on a lonely bench of a lonelier hotel in the middle of a even lonelier city in the middle of nowhere?" you asked, pointing at the forest that covered two of the sides of the inn's perimeter.

"couldn't sleep so i went to get a bottle of water and then i found a friend on a lonely bench — was wondering if she was fine" you smiled at him.

"couldn't sleep either" you admitted, he sat next to you.

"this job can take many things from you and on top of that list there's sleep, for sure" you nodded and breathed out a deep sigh that you didn't even know you were holding.

"if you want a tip, usually sleeping near someone helps, especially if it's someone you really care about" you smiled at him, shaking your head.

"i don't have anyone like that".

the answer was a very deadpanned 'ah-ah' that could have been paraphrased as a 'you are not fooling anyone'. he quickly got up, only now you realised that he was wearing the usual clothes for running.

"well, i doubt i'm going back to sleep with a snorer like that in my room, so I just might anticipate my morning run for an hour and an half" that said he run off the narrow street that lead to the center of the city.

the snorer like that was actually spencer that right now was sleeping in the room 3F — the room he shared with alvez for the night.

you quickly left the bench to catch the elevator. you pushed the button with the big (and partially removed) three. you walked past 3C, the room you shared with emily, that was still sleeping soundly.

as you raised your hand to knock on the door, these was already opening on its own. when spencer saw you, you thought that he was going to shout at top of his lungs, but he just took a step back. his muscles relaxed when he recognised you.

"what are you doing?" he asked. you took a second more to answer him just to ink the view under your eyelid: his eyes were basically closed because of the bright light coming from the hall, his hair were in a total state of wilderness and his lips were plumper then the usual — which says a lot.

"saw alvez go for a walk and though 'it must not be safe to sleep alone for a babe like spencer when there's a serial killer on the loose".

his reaction was divided into two: his face was turning a little reddish for the compliment, at the same time there was a grimace of confusion.

"the victimology is low risk blonde woman, i'm high risk brunette man" you couldn't help but genuinely smile.

"i was trying to be cute, spence" his mouth morphed into an 'o', displeased at his taking everything to the letter.

"what were you doing?" you continued.

"i wake up seconds ago and saw that alvez was out so i wanted to see if you were up" he whispered. he only needed his words to reach the person to who's they were intended for, and no one else.

you smiled shyly, closing the distance between the two of you to kiss him. it was very simple and chaste: a quick exchange of love between two people who trusted each other to the bone.

"wanna sleep in my bed?" you smiled broadly. your answer was said with an almost non existent voice, that not even some fish with impressive range haring could have heard it.

he led you to the bed while holding your hand, which he let go off only to pick a shirt for you to wear for the night. as you changed he looked at some files on his desk to give you the privacy he thought you wanted.

as you sat on the bed, that creaked under your weight, he turned around. you laid your head on his chest, so close to his heart that you could almost feel it beat right into your skin.

the bed was so little for two people that you gave up hope for falling asleep. but at seven am, when his alarm ringed, you opened your eyes for the first time in three and you didn't know what it was — maybe his breath on your hair, or his warm hand on your lower back, even his light snoring — but you fell sound asleep. unfortunately, for three hours only.

#🖇.writing #🖇.spencerreid #🖇.criminalminds #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid #criminal minds

[cow-dyke]

Ocean (S.R.)

Summary: The reader can’t seem to love herself. Spencer lets her in on how amazing she really is.

Pair: Intersex!Fem!Reader + Spencer Reid

Category: Comfort

Content Warnings: Internalized intersexism/transphobia, insecurities (common masculine features, body hair, and being overweight), self-hatred. 

Word Count: 600

Note: Happy Pride month! I am writing this blurb for @the-guilty-writer ‘s writing challenge! This character is loosely based on me and my struggle with being someone with PCOS. PCOS being acknowledged in the intersex community has helped me better understand myself. I don’t usually see it being represented (PCOS or intersexuality) so I decided to write this. Also, I wrote the reader with the intention of her being an intersex woman but there is nothing stopping you from thinking she is transfeminine. This is the first fanfic I have written so please don’t judge me if it is not the greatest. Hope you enjoy it!

I love daisies. I love their white petals growing out of the yellow base with their fine stem under the sun so gracefully. I wish I was like a daisy: delicate, elegant, petite, and pretty.

I looked in the mirror at myself not being able to get over what I saw. I always wanted to be a pretty girl. That is all. All I wanted was a hairless body, a feminine physique, and most of all, to be a normal girl. But I am not, and I don’t want to accept that. I never understood why I was created this way. I mean, I know why I am like this but not why it had to be me. Why did I have to be the girl who could grow a beard and have hair all over her body and male-like features? Why couldn’t I be like a daisy? Why can’t I be naturally feminine?

By this time, I stopped looking at my body and went to the bedroom where Spencer lay awaiting me. Spencer, being the profiler he is, could sense my lack of confidence. As I crawled into bed with him, he immediately embraced me in his arms with the warmth of his body.

“I can tell something is wrong” he states.

“It’s nothing Spencer” I replied.

“No, I don’t think so. Please be honest with me. I want to make you feel better.”

I wiggle out of his arms and sit up straight as he does the same. As hard as it is, I owned up to my inner thoughts.  

“I don’t feel good about the way I look. I don’t feel like a real woman. I see women all the time on the streets, at my job, in magazines, and on TV who just look so perfect. They have thin bodies, smooth skin, and most of all…they’re so feminine. Like, naturally feminine. They don’t need to even try. And…I’m just nothing like them.”

Spencer takes a second to process what I had said but I can tell he understands. He always does.

“You know, a flower and the ocean are both beautiful, but they're nowhere near the same. To me, you're like the ocean.”

He pauses to stroke my hair. “You're strong, wondrous, mesmerizing, and even though you might not believe it…beautiful. Other people's appearance doesn't change how gorgeous you are. You don’t need to look like anyone else to be pretty in my eyes.”  

Spencer lets his hand fall to my arm covered with the coat I was ashamed of. He caressed it, showing me love for the parts of myself which I had a hard time appreciating.

“And, maybe my opinion doesn’t matter, but I think the ocean is much more captivating than a flower.”

Maybe I’m not a daisy. Maybe I am not like all the other women I wish I was, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be something else that is just as lovely; like the ocean. I didn’t say anything in response, but I got closer to Spencer and laid into his chest. He accepted my form of gratitude and let me into his home of peace.

From this, I learned to love the ocean. I love its variation of blue complexions as it flows throughout the earth, making waves and sheltering many kinds of creations. I learned to love myself.

#spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid blurb #spencer reid x reader #criminal minds #lgbtqia #intersex #shay writes

[rindecisions]

Valentine's Day '85 You Know Where to Find Me Part 1

Explicit | 10k | Sexual Exploration

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Steve spent his senior year valentine’s moping. The previous year he had Nancy, this year, he had no one. It was probably the first valentine he’d spent single in at least three years. He just couldn’t bring himself to date anyone else after her. The last bell of the day was his salvation from the mushy couples and especially Nancy and Jonathan. He was just glad he didn’t have basketball practice today; he didn’t want to deal with Billy and Tommy’s taunting.

He got to his locker and opened it, surprised when there was a black, heart-shaped box sitting on top of his books. How the hell? He looked around and there were only the tiny vents on the front of his locker. There was no way that box could fit through it. Someone had to open his locker in order to put that there. Yeah, that’s not creepy at all. He opened the cardboard box; it was filled with chocolates. On the lid underside, there was a short note:

Sattler Quarry

-E.

“E’?” Steve couldn’t think of anyone he knew whose name started with an E other than El, and he knew for a fact it wasn’t her. He put the box in his backpack and left. The quarry cliff was in the direction of his house anyway, so when he got in his car, he decided to at least take a peek. He hated taking the road that passed the quarry. It was mainly gravel, so he worried about his car’s paint job, but sure enough, there was someone sitting on the cliff. There wasn’t much snow left on the ground, and what remained was mainly in the brush on either side of the cliff access.

The dark shoulder-length wavy hair made him think it was Nancy for a second, but the person he was looking at seemed fairly tall, and nowhere near as delicate. Who on earth? Steve was worried he had a stalker or something, but figured he might as well confront her now.

He took the box from his bag and got out of the car. It was mild as far as mid-February went. The temperature hung somewhere just above freezing. He sighed and started walking over. “Hey, I don’t think I-”

“Holy shit!” The person jumped. “You showed.”

That’s a man! Steve was completely thrown off by that fact.

Eddie smiled up at him. “I thought you’d ignore it.”

“I-” Steve looked at him, confused. “Do I know you?”

Eddie snorted and looked back over the deep quarry; one leg was hanging over the cliff while he leaned on the other. “We have two classes together.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t-”

“It’s cool.” Eddie interrupted and pat the gravel next to him, offering for Steve to join him. “Name’s Eddie.”

E. Steve heaved a heavy sigh and sat down, keeping an arm’s distance between them. At least he didn’t need to fight off some crazy stalker, but what the hell did this guy want? “Steve.”

Eddie chuckled and glanced over at him. “Who doesn’t know Steve Harrington?”

Steve smirked. “Fair.” He may not know this man, but something about his casual demeanor made it easy for him to relax. He held up the box of chocolates. “So, this was your doing?”

“Guilty as charged,” Eddie laughed, picking up a pebble and sending it for a two-hundred-foot ride to the quarry below.

“Why though?” Steve set the box on the ground between them.

“I don’t know why I went through with it, but ever since they started putting up valentine’s decorations, you’ve been moping.”

“I have not!” Steve defended.

“Oh, you so have. Whenever you saw a couple or, god forbid, you saw Wheeler, you would.” He mimed one of Steve’s pouts and sighed dramatically. “At them.”

Despite his best effort, he couldn’t stop himself from snorting at Eddie’s face. “I do not look like that.”

“Well, your face, same expression,” Eddie said flatly.

“Whatever.” Steve shook his head. “But that still doesn’t explain why you did it.”

“I felt bad for you, man.” Eddie shrugged. “For some reason, it bugged me for you to go home and pout all night.”

“I wasn’t going to pout.”

Eddie quirked his brow at Steve. “Then what did you have planned?”

Steve leaned back on the heels of his hands as he looked up at the dimming sky. ”Probably go home, watch a movie or two, jerk off, and pass out.”

“So, mope.”

Steve swept some gravel at Eddie, making him laugh. “So, these are pity chocolates?” Steve briefly picked up the box.

Eddie huffed a small laugh. “If you want to look at them like that.” Eddie flicked a couple of the larger pebbles off of his lap and over the cliff.

“What would you call them then?”

He swept the rest of the gravel off of his lap. “A friendly peace offering?” He shrugged.

“Peace offering?” Steve furrowed his brow.

“Well, you’re a jock that likes to beat up guys like me.”

Steve sighed. “I’ve never liked that. I don’t know why I’m telling you this, but it was all for my image.”

“I guess my peace offering worked.”

Steve laughed. “Sure, let’s say that’s it, but I have to ask.” He glanced over at Eddie, their eyes meeting for the first time, making him freeze momentarily before blinking and continuing. “How did you get that in my locker?”

Eddie chuckled and tossed another pebble into the quarry. “Those padlocks are easy to crack if you know what you’re doing.”

“Are you some kind of criminal?” Steve said warily.

Eddie shrugged. “When you’re raised by one…” He sighed and leaned on his knee, watching the sunset.

Steve pursed his lips in sympathy. “You aren’t alone in the shitty parent department.”

Eddie raised a skeptical eyebrow at Steve. “You have shitty parents?”

Steve snorted. “Oh, hell yeah.”

“So, is that whole ‘perfect family’ image fake as well?”

“Yup.”

Eddie nodded and sucked on his lips. “So, why did you come?”

“To reject a stalker or something.”

Eddie glanced away and curled his lips in further than before.

“But turns out it was just some weirdo trying to be friendly.” Steve smiled playfully at Eddie, who spat a quick laugh.

“This ‘weirdo’ isn’t keeping you here. You can leave whenever.”

“I know, but I think I want to stick around. I've never really hung out around here.” Steve sat up and stared at the sunset. “Plus, you’re right. I’d just mope if I went home.”

“Wheeler really ripped your heart out, didn't she?” Eddie rested his head on his knee and looked over at Steve.

“It's not that straightforward. I technically broke up with her.” He sighed and pulled a knee up to lean on. “She seemed happy with Jonathan, and I told her to be with him instead.”

Eddie huffed. “That's love if I've ever seen it.”

“I guess.” Steve groaned and put his forehead on his knee. “Have you ever known someone so incredibly perfect, have them within your grasp and see them on a daily basis, but have to just watch them be happier with others than they'd ever be with you?”

Eddie's expression softened as he stared at Steve. He scanned his body and sighed. “Yeah, I can say I’m pretty damn familiar with that feeling.”

“Then you know how much it sucks.” He glanced over at Eddie, meeting his eye.

Eddie took a deep breath and nodded. “Unfortunately, I do.” He turned back to the almost fully set sun. They sat in a sorrowful silence for almost a minute before Eddie broke it. “Hey man, want a beer?”

Steve was taken aback by the sudden offer. “I don't know. I have to drive.”

“Same, I was just going to chill here until I was sober enough.”

Steve shook his head and gently chuckled. “Fine, why not?”

Eddie beamed and jumped to his feet, hurrying around the corner of the road and out of sight. Steve turned his attention back to the sliver of sunlight on the horizon and waited for Eddie to return. Maybe all he needed was a change of pace. He felt better than he had in months. It wasn’t long before Eddie came around the corner with a six-pack hanging off of each hand.

“You just had these in your car?” Steve laughed as Eddie set the two six packs down.

Eddie rubbed his hands together and warmed them up with his breath. “Trust me, that's not the worst thing in there.”

Steve raised an eyebrow. “You know what? I’m not going to ask.”

Eddie laughed and handed Steve a can. “Probably for the best.”

He took the can and opened it. “Don’t say it like that, I’ll get curious,” he laughed and took a long drink.

Eddie opened his own and watched Steve chug the beer, keeping his eyes on his throat and collar, just visible from under his jacket. He sighed and drank from the can in his hand. After Steve crushed his empty can and put it down, Eddie picked it up and set it on the gravel in front of him. He laid on his stomach behind the collapsed can and looked at it seriously before he flicked it, hurling it over the cliff. Steve laughed as he watched the can fall out of sight. Eddie finished his beer, crushed the can as much as possible, and tossed it straight into the air, batting it with his hand as it fell. The impact sent it spinning into the quarry below. “Try it, it’s fun.”

Steve laughed, opened another can, chugged it, crushed it, tossed it into the air, and punched it. Eddie clapped and cheered as he watched the can disappear. It was a lot more fun than Steve had expected. “Hang on.” Steve got up and ran to the trunk of his car. He grabbed the normal bat, deciding he didn’t want to explain why he had a murder bat in his car to a stranger. Once Eddie realized what Steve was doing, he popped open another beer and downed it. He crushed the can as he approached with the bat. Steve squared up a few feet away from him, twirled the bat, and tapped it on the ground. “Let ‘er rip.”

Eddie grinned and gave the can the best throw he could. Steve managed to hit the pathetic pitch and sent the can soaring over the cliff. Eddie whistled as he watched it. “Nice.”

“You gotta work on your arm,” Steve teased.

“I don’t play sports,” Eddie said plainly, opening another can.

“Obviously.” Steve sat on the ground next to Eddie, setting the bat beside him, and looked up at the twilight sky as he grabbed a beer. “Let me guess, you play video games, read comics, and play that weird fantasy board game.”

“D&D is much more than a board game.” He finished the beer and tossed it over the cliff before lying on the ground with his hands behind his head.

“So, I hear.” Steve crossed his arms over his knees and sipped at his beer.

Eddie snorted. “You know people that play D&D?”

Steve laughed. “Surprisingly, yes.”

“That is surprising.” Eddie stared at the growing number of stars in the sky.

The box of chocolates caught Steve’s eye. He picked it up and set it between them. “Wanna split it?” he offered, opening the box.

Eddie laughed and grinned a little too happily. “Sure.” he picked up one of the chocolates and smiled at it before popping it into his mouth, watching Steve do the same.

Steve finished it with a contemplative expression. “What flavor are these?”

“Cannabis,” Eddie snorted.

“What?” Steve said in shock, pausing just before eating another.

Eddie laughed. “Weed, Marijuana, THC.”

“Are you saying these are edibles?” he said in disbelief, holding the chocolate between his fingers.

Eddie nodded with a big grin, eating another.

“You gave me a box of edibles?!”

“Yep,” he said before swallowing.

“What if I got home and ate all of them without knowing?”

Eddie shrugged. “You’d have a good night? They’re not that strong and I didn’t think you’d show up, so I wanted to make sure you didn’t spend the day moping.”

Steve sighed and ate the one in his hand. Eddie’s face fell in awe as he watched Steve lick the melted chocolate off of his index finger and thumb. Steve caught Eddie staring. “What’s up?”

Eddie quickly glanced back at the quarry. “No- nothing. I’m just, uh, surprised you’re still okay with eating them.”

“It’s not the first time I’ve gotten high, man.”

“Seriously?” Eddie looked back at Steve with a surprised and pleased expression.

“Yeah?” Steve didn’t know why Eddie would be surprised at that. “It’s not like I’m some goody-two-shoes or whatnot.”

Eddie chuckled with a small nod. “True.” He sat up and faced Steve. “You’re not the same person you portray at school.”

Steve sighed and looked over at Eddie. “I’m trying to change that.”

Eddie tilted his head. “You want to be a douche?”

“No,” Steve groaned in annoyance. “The other way around.”

“You’re trying to be this at school?” He was almost impressed.

“Ish.” He opened another beer but shook his head before taking a drink. The world spun. “Whoa.”

“Hitting you too?” Eddie chuckled with a chocolate in his mouth.

“Yeah, what the hell?” Steve set the beer down and got his bearings.

“Drinking makes the high hit harder and faster.”

“No shit. Fuck.” Once he got used to the rush, he started sipping at the beer.

Eddie had one more chocolate and pushed the box to Steve. “Rest are yours, man.”

Steve chuckled and picked up one of the few remaining candies. “Why?” Steve asked softly, staring at the piece of chocolate.

“I already had half-”

“No, not that,” Steve interrupted, eating the candy. “Why did you care enough to do this for me?”

Eddie sighed, leaned back on his hands and shrugged. “As I said, I saw you moping around and had the urge to do something about it.”

“Even though I’m a ‘jock that likes beating up guys like you’?”

“Hey, I never said I was smart.”

Steve chuckled.

“But I make a point not to judge people too harshly before I get to know them.”

“You’re a better man than me.”

Eddie shook his head. “I highly doubt that.” He got himself a beer.

“Don’t sell yourself short. Not many people would do something like this for a total stranger.”

“You really do live in your own little world,” Eddie chuckled.

“What do you mean?” Steve sipped at his beer.

“We've had at least one class together every semester for the last four years.”

“Shit, seriously?”

“Yeah, man.”

“Sorry, maybe I do get caught up in my own shit a bit too much.”

“Eh, don't worry about it.” Eddie swept a handful of gravel toward the cliff. The sounds of the rocks tumbling down the steep edge echoed into the night. “We all got our own shit going on.”

“Doesn’t excuse me ignoring you.”

Eddie looked at Steve. “You aren’t right now, are you?”

“I guess.” Steve knocked back the last of the beer and fell backward. He crushed it and tossed it in the air. When he tried to hit it, his hand flew past the can and it landed beside him, rolling into the brush. “I think I’m officially high.” Steve chuckled and looked up at the sky, putting his arms under his head.

Eddie gazed at him. A part of him was bummed that Valentine’s was in winter because Steve had a semi-thick windbreaker on. He looked down at the box and saw there was still one candy left. “You still have one more.”

Steve chuckled. “I don’t want to move.” He opened his mouth with an, “ah.”

Eddie laughed and picked it up, dropping it into Steve’s open mouth, making him flinch and cover it with his hand.

“I didn’t think you’d do it,” he laughed around the chocolate.

Eddie smiled and tossed the empty box like a frisbee over the quarry pit. He laid down beside Steve and joined him in looking at the stars. The milky way had become visible. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the cold winter air. The feeling of his hair moving made Eddie jump and look at Steve, who had a lock of his hair in his hand and was staring at it. “Everything okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Steve said hazily, twirling the lock in his fingers. “Your hair looks like Nancy’s.”

“Oh,” Eddie swallowed as he watched Steve examine his hair.

“Thanks, by the way,” Steve said, letting go of Eddie’s hair and rolling onto his side to get a better look at him. “I needed this.”

Eddie huffed a small laugh and smiled. “Seriously, not an issue. I would have done this same thing, just alone in my room. So, I’m glad you decided to come confront your stalker.”

Steve laughed through his nose and closed his eyes. He was enjoying the sensation of being buzzed and high. With his eyes closed, it felt like the world was moving around him. Eddie sighed softly as he stared at Steve’s content face. He wanted to run his thumb over his plush pink lips. The blend of the cold air and being intoxicated made the tip of his nose and his cheeks slightly pink as well. When Steve opened his eyes, he saw Eddie staring at him and he smiled. He reached out and poked Eddie’s nose. “Boop,” he said softly with a giggle.

“What the fuck?” Eddie reeled back, laughing awkwardly and in complete confusion.

Steve snorted and started laughing. “Sorry, I have really bad impulse control when I’m high.”

Eddie laughed nervously. “Um, okay. That’s fine, just don’t go hurling yourself over the cliff or anything.”

Steve rolled onto his back, chuckling. “Don’t worry, I don’t think I’m going to move from this spot until the world decides to settle the fuck down.”

Eddie snorted. “May be awhile.”

“Then I guess you’re keeping me company.”

“What, am I your babysitter?”

“That would be a change of pace.”

“Huh?” Eddie squinted at him.

“It’s a long story.” Steve waved his hand dismissively.

Eddie shrugged and rolled onto his back, resting his hands loosely beside his head, twiddling with the rocks. “I’m not following you if you do decide to jump off.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to.” Steve tilted his head lazily toward Eddie. The rings on his hand caught his attention.

Eddie froze when he felt Steve grab his hand and examine his rings. Steve pulled on his hand, causing him to scoot closer so Steve could hold the hand over his face. He blinked and tried to focus on the bulky decorative rings. As he did, he felt Eddie’s rough fingers.

“You have callouses.” He turned Eddie’s hand around and looked at it, running his thumb over the rough pads of his fingers.

“I play guitar. Of course, I have callouses.”

“You do?!” Steve sounded excited.

Eddie smiled. “Yeah.”

“That’s so cool.” He continued to stare at Eddie’s fingers and gently rubbed them, feeling the coarse texture.

Eddie’s heart rate was up, and not just because of his intoxication. This was by far the closest he’d ever been to Steve. Even in the dim light of the night, he could see a dark freckle on his neck and a smaller one on his cheek. “Keep it up. You may just buff the callouses off.”

Steve chuckled. “Sorry, I like the texture of them.”

“No need to apologize.” He swallowed. “I kind of like you touching them. It’s like a massage.”

Steve paused and rested Eddie’s hand, palm up, on his chest as he continued to fiddle with it. “Hey, Eddie? Can I say something weird?”

“Um, alright?” He tried to regulate his breathing and not focus on the fact that Steve was pressing his hand against his chest.

“I kind of wish you were a woman,” he said simply.

“What?” Eddie was almost offended, but mainly confused. “Why?”

Steve smiled. “I told you it was weird, but I haven’t felt this comfortable around anyone in a long ass time. And I think if you were a chick, I would have made a move on you by now.”

“Excuse me?” Eddie let Steve keep his hand as he propped himself up to get a better look at Steve’s face. “How high are you?”

Steve snorted. “Pretty high.”

“Are you saying you’re into me?” Eddie said warily.

“No,” Steve giggled, lazily shaking his head. “The girl you.” He lifted a hand and plucked his fingers over Eddie’s lips.

Eddie licked his lips as his heart pounded in his throat. “Why do I have to be a girl?”

Steve blew a raspberry. “Men don’t kiss each other.” He spun Eddie’s middle finger ring around.

“What are you talking about?” Eddie shook his head. “Men kiss each other all the time.”

“Really?” He blinked with his whole face and looked at Eddie. “Isn’t it like illegal or something?”

Eddie laughed. “It’s not illegal to kiss, and they lifted the sex law as well.”

“Huh,” Steve didn’t have the brainpower to think about anything deeply.

“Plus, we’re already breaking the law by drinking and being high.”

“True.” Steve closed his eyes. “Fuck the police,” he mumbled, followed by a faint snort.

Eddie wasn’t sure if he should take his opportunity or not, but it was very tempting. He looked so vulnerable with his eyes closed and head vaguely tilted in his direction. I’m not drunk enough for this shit. He sat up and took his hand back.

“Aw,” Steve quietly complained as the hand slipped out of his.

Eddie grabbed a beer and immediately chugged the whole thing, tossing the crushed can into the bushes.

“Why aren’t you as high as I am?” Steve asked with a faint complaint in his voice.

“I’m not all that affected by THC. I feel it, but I can handle it.”

“Ah,” Steve nodded.

Eddie chugged one more can, tossing that one into the quarry. He took a deep breath and turned to Steve. “Still only want the chick version of me?”

“Dude, I can’t figure that shit out right now,” Steve laughed and looked up at Eddie. “But I do kind of want your hand back.”

Eddie chuckled. “You really like my callouses, don’t you?”

“Yeah.” Steve closed his eyes again, snickering. He jumped and opened them back up when he felt Eddie run his fingers over his lips and cheek. He relaxed and grabbed Eddie’s hand, rubbing it on his face.

Eddie bit his lip nervously as he watched Steve nuzzle his hand. “Is it better on more sensitive skin?”

Steve nodded, facilitating his fingers dragging over his cheek. With a deep, shuddered breath, Eddie slid his hand onto the side of Steve’s neck, making him shiver and chuckle. He couldn’t believe Steve was letting him touch him like this. He kind of felt like he was taking advantage of Steve’s inebriated state, but he also didn’t want to miss what was likely his only chance. He didn’t intend for things to go even this far, let alone where they could go from here. Steve’s skin was softer than he expected, or it was just the intoxication. He swallowed as he dragged his hand off Steve’s neck and down the front of his jacket, pulling the zipper with it. The soft smile on Steve’s face was reassuring and concerning. When he unlatched the end of Steve’s jacket, he huffed at the small sliver of belly visible between his polo shirt and pale jeans. He had Steve exactly where he wanted him, but was uncertain how to approach him being so out of it. Tentatively, he grazed his fingertips over the warm, visible skin, causing Steve’s stomach to twitch involuntarily and making him snicker. Steve took a deep breath when Eddie pushed up the hem of his shirt.

Steve chuckled. “What’re you doing?”

“You like my hands, right?” He placed his whole palm on Steve’s stomach and pushed it under his shirt. Steve took a sharp breath and closed his eyes at the feeling.

“Yeah.” Steve looked at Eddie. “I’ve never had a guy touch me like this.”

“Did you want me to stop?” Eddie slid his hand back, partially removing it from the shirt.

“No, not particularly.” Steve reached up and brushed his fingers through the hair that was dangling over Eddie’s shoulder. The feeling of Eddie sliding his hand further under his shirt and onto his waist made him sigh. He scanned over Eddie’s face, his eyes lingering on his lips. Eddie’s words ran through his mind, ‘Men kiss all the time’. Steve propped himself up onto his elbows, startling Eddie.

“I thought you weren’t going to move until you sobered up?” He chuckled nervously at how close Steve’s face was. Unintentionally, he tightened his grip on Steve’s waist.

Steve’s eyes darted frantically all over Eddie’s face. “For a guy, you’re really pretty.” He heaved a half-laugh.

“Pardon?” Eddie stiffened.

“I-” Steve placed a hand on the back of Eddie’s neck and gently tugged him closer. “I said you’re pretty,” he whispered as he pulled Eddie’s face closer and pressed their lips together.

Eddie’s eyes were impossibly wide at Steve’s kiss. He’d stopped breathing and was certain his heart had paused as well. He didn’t know if he was allowed to reciprocate or not, but was unable to stop himself from giving in. He closed his eyes, sighed, and leaned into it, pushing his hand around Steve’s back and gently holding him. When Steve pulled away, Eddie stared at him in disbelief.

Steve smiled and fell back to the ground. “Hmm,” he giggled. “That wasn’t gross.”

“What?” Eddie asked in a daze.

He snorted. “I was always told kissing a guy was gross, but it’s not.”

“Um.” Eddie continued to caress Steve’s side. “Then would you… mind if I did it again?”

Steve chuckled and gazed up at Eddie. “Fine by me.”

Eddie swallowed and crawled over Steve, pushing his hand up to his ribs as he lined their faces up. He licked his lips and gazed at him in awe. The vision of Steve below him was one he wished he could capture an image of. His content smile and hooded eyes were borderline ethereal. He grunted when Steve placed a hand back on his neck and pulled him down. As soon as their lips touched, Eddie closed his eyes and gasped through his nose. He gripped Steve’s ribs and pressed into the kiss, unable to believe that Steve was the one holding him in place. The desire for more was strong, so he tested the waters by gently pressing his tongue against Steve’s lips. Immediately, Steve opened his mouth and slid his tongue into Eddie's. Humming into the escalated kiss, Eddie pressed his own tongue into it as well. His whole body was on fire at finally feeling the inside of Steve’s mouth, something he’d craved for years. If Steve was willing to do this, what else was he willing to do? How far could he push it?

In order to put more force into their kiss, Steve slightly propped himself up onto an elbow, completely locking their mouths together. Eddie’s body quivered at the increase in passion, and he slid his hand onto Steve’s back, caressing the soft skin and indulging in the feeling of Steve’s tongue dancing around his own. Maybe it was due to his mind being clouded, but at least in that moment, Steve didn’t care that Eddie was a man, he was just lost in his touch. He still wanted more, so he moved the hand from Eddie's neck and used it to open his well-worn jacket in order to feel over his slender waist. Eddie groaned into Steve’s mouth when he felt the hand on his skin. There was no way this was actually happening. Eddie almost didn’t want to let himself believe it, but he couldn’t deny the reality. He shivered as Steve ran his hand over his chest and was startled out of the moment when he heard him burst into laughter. “What’s up?” Eddie asked, staring down at his amused face.

“Sorry,” Steve huffed, trying to calm his giggle fit. “I was just thrown off because you don’t have tits.”

“No, I don’t,” Eddie said flatly. “Is that a deal breaker?”

“Oddly enough, no.” Steve laid back on the gravel, caught his breath, and pulled Eddie down to him, locking their mouths together again.

Eddie slid his other hand over the side of Steve’s face and into his hair as he explored his mouth and torso. With one arm wrapped around Eddie’s neck and the other pressing on his back, Steve had him firmly in place. He twitched when he felt a thumb graze over his nipple. Eddie’s touch had already been causing his body to respond, but something about that small gesture was intimate enough for him to fully acknowledge the direction things were going. His initial reaction was to reject it, so he pushed Eddie away. Their eyes met, both with their own startled stare. The only sounds that broke the silence of the night were their heavy breaths and the rustle of an approaching gust of wind. The cold winter air flowed between them, blowing Eddie’s hair over his cheek. A swell of tension built in Steve’s chest, and as soon as Eddie’s hair settled to its original position, he dove back into the kiss with more vigor than before.

Eddie’s mind was spinning from the substance high and the high of their passion. Steve’s body was well built, but had a soft suppleness to it that drove Eddie wild. He hummed as he sunk his fingers into one of Steve’s pecs with a gentle squeeze. Out of everywhere on Steve’s luscious body, the part Eddie wanted to touch more than anything was Steve’s ass. He’d stared at it so many times and dreamed of pressing his fingers into the plush globes. The last couple beers were kicking in and it made it hard for him to deny himself the luxury. He pressed his palm into Steve’s pec and slid it onto his waist, following his erotic curve to the top of his jeans. He felt Steve’s fingertips press into his back as his hands moved across his body. The feeling of Eddie pushing his fingers below his belt and onto his hip made Steve freeze. The sudden change in Steve’s state made Eddie pause and lift out of their kiss. “You good?” he asked hazily.

“Uh,” Steve blinked dramatically and looked up at Eddie. There weren’t many thoughts going on in his head, but he didn’t want Eddie to stop touching him. “Yeah,” he sighed.

With a small nod, Eddie pushed his fingers a little further under the tight belt and grazed them over his hipbone. Steve moved his hands to Eddie’s chest and gently pushed him into a sitting position. Eddie didn’t fight him and sat back on his heels. He watched in awe as Steve closed his eyes and unclasped his belt, pulling it free from the belt loops and tossing it aside.

“There,” Steve said sleepily.

Eddie couldn’t believe his eyes. Steve was obviously hard. To be fair, so was he, but that’s to be expected when you have the man of your dreams in your hands. Was Steve actually hard for him? There was no way. He was snapped out of his trance when Steve picked up both of Eddie’s hands and placed them on his chest, over his shirt.

“Keep.” He gave Eddie a hooded gaze and chuckled feebly. “Keep touching. I like it.” He closed his eyes and pressed Eddie’s hands into his pecs, then delicately stroked his fingers over his rings.

Eddie’s jaw dropped, and he huffed in complete disbelief. Even though it was likely just the inebriation, Steve was still asking, borderline begging for his touch, and he had no intention of denying him that request. He slid his hands back under Steve’s shirt and enjoyed watching him take a deep breath and smile. “Where do you want me to touch?” Eddie dragged his thumbs over the faint happy trail.

“Anywhere,” Steve said with a drowsy laugh, peeking his eyes open slightly and watching Eddie bite his lip.

“Anywhere, huh?” Eddie smiled coyly and moved his hands so he could loop his pinkies under the hem of Steve’s pants and dragged them around his hips. Steve sighed and closed his eyes, allowing Eddie to gently lift his hips and graze his fingers over his lower back.

Eddie took a deep shuddered breath as he pushed his hands into Steve’s pants, under his boxers, and finally got his prize. He groaned and rolled his eyes up as his fingers sunk into the amazing texture of Steve’s ass cheeks. They were far better than anything he could have imagined. He wasn’t sure if it was possible for him to get even harder than he already was, but if so, that did it. He set his spinning head on Steve’s chest as he indulged in massaging the supple ass. He could feel Steve's chest heave with heavy breaths and involuntary laughs. He glanced up at Steve’s euphoric expression, bit his shirt, and pulled it up so he could kiss around his diaphragm. Steve took a sharp breath at the new feeling, but didn’t push him away, instead he placed a hand on Eddie’s shoulder and gently gripped him.

Steve’s grip didn’t prevent his movements as Eddie kissed around his torso. Eddie’s heart raced like never before at Steve’s acceptance. Tentatively, he slid his hands off of Steve’s ass, letting him relax his hips back to the ground. One hand joined Eddie’s lips in exploring his chest, the other rubbed Steve’s thigh over his jeans, inching its way higher. Steve’s grip on Eddie’s shoulder tightened before he ran it down the arm of his jacket and onto the hand on his thigh. Eddie froze when Steve gripped the hand. Slowly, Steve dragged the hand higher, increasing Eddie’s anxiety as he did, and heaved a deep groan when Steve pressed his hand to the hard bulge in his jeans. Holy shit! He gently gripped the dick through the jeans, receiving a relieved sigh from Steve.

“A-are you sure?” Eddie lifted himself so he could get a clear view of Steve’s face, unable to stop himself from grazing his fingers over the outline of the dick in his hand.

Steve pressed Eddie’s hand firmly against it and grunted. “Does that answer your question?”

Eddie nodded nervously.

“Good.” He continued to grind Eddie’s hand on his groin as he lifted himself onto an elbow and kissed Eddie’s slightly parted lips.

Eddie’s head spun in the best way as their lips met. He pressed his tongue into Steve’s mouth as he quickly popped the button on the jeans and unzipped them. He pushed into the kiss, lowering Steve back to the ground while he slid the impressive cock out of the front of his boxers. Steve groaned into their kiss at the first stroke. Eddie smiled and sighed as he gripped it and ran his hand over the soft skin of the shaft. He was actually touching Steve’s dick, something he was certain would only remain in his fantasies. Steve was panting for him, and it sounded more erotic than he expected it would. His own jeans were very uncomfortable, but he didn’t want to take either hand off of Steve’s body in order to give himself relief. He nearly lost it when Steve started moving his hips, thrusting into his hand. He added more vigor to their kiss as he started stroking faster. Every pant, moan, and groan Steve offered was just another box checked on his list of desires.

In order to hear Steve more clearly, Eddie pulled from the kiss and moved to tease his ear with his tongue. Steve shuddered a fairly loud sigh and pressed a hand to the back of Eddie’s head, tangling his fingers in his wild hair. As he’d hoped, the sounds Steve made rang clear into the night. They were soft and erratic. Eddie wanted more; he wanted him louder. He tightened his grip and sped up his pace, receiving his prize of a deep guttural groan and a firm grip on the back of his head. He gasped when he felt Steve touch his waist and slide his hand under his shirt. Eddie closed his eyes and let Steve feel his back and sides freely as he focused on getting Steve off. He treated Steve’s dick as his own, focusing on all the same motions he liked, and it seemed to be working.

Eddie gently kissed down Steve’s neck. When Steve tensed at the teasing sensation, Eddie licked and clamped his lips around a flexed tendon. He ran his tongue over the skin as he delicately sucked on it. Steve sighed a soft groan and gripped Eddie’s slender waist. Even though he was a man, his body was pretty similar to his type, lean with a narrow waist. The only thing that was missing were the boobs. He ran his hand up Eddie’s flat chest, gently circling his finger around his soft areola. It didn’t feel like much, but Eddie was enjoying any attention Steve was willing to offer him. Eventually, Eddie started to taste a hint of something metallic and released his suction on Steve’s neck. Licking and kissing his claim.

When Eddie ran his thumb over the head of Steve’s dick, he swooned at feeling the slick build-up of pre-cum smear over it. He locked their mouths back together and huffed when Steve was the first one to force his tongue through their lips. Eddie quivered as he stroked Steve with only one goal in mind. He relished Steve’s moans and flexes at the increase in intensity. The feeling of Steve’s body writhing below him as he got closer to orgasm was torturously sexy. Steve dug his short nails into Eddie’s back as his panting and groans got louder and more rapid. He broke the kiss and tipped his head back. Eddie took the opportunity to kiss down his throat and around his Adam’s apple. Once Eddie felt the familiar warning flexes, he moved his hand near the head of the dick, catching the cum in his hand before it shot over Steve’s shirt and jacket. Steve moaned loud enough for it to faintly echo around them. The warm flood of semen coated Eddie’s fingers as he continued to stroke the last few spurts out of him.

Steve groaned and let his body go limp, panting. Eddie lifted himself so he was sitting on his heels and looked at the cum coating his hand, Steve’s cum. He turned his attention to Steve himself, who was panting, one hand still limply resting on Eddie’s hip. He perked when Steve started chuckling. “What’s so funny?”

Steve shook his head. “Nothing really, but I’ve never gotten off to someone giving me a hand-job before.”

Eddie smirked. “That’s understandable, you’ve only gotten hand-jobs from women. I have a dick, so I know what feels good.”

Steve nodded lazily, closing his eyes. “Makes sense.” He shivered as Eddie put his dick away for him and closed his pants back up.

“I’m going to go wash this off.” He flicked his cum covered hand, sending some of it flying to the gravel beside them.

“Mmkay,” Steve chuckled and closed his eyes.

Eddie shook his head, trying to get some sense of stability as he grabbed the two remaining beers and ungracefully walked to the back of his van. After he opened the back doors, he set the beers inside and grabbed a water bottle from a torn open pack beside his amp. He opened it with his teeth and spat out the cap into the back. He took a long drink from it before pouring it onto his hand, rubbing his fingers over his palm to remove the bulk of the cum. He was still in disbelief at what just happened, to think that Steve Harrington would let a man touch him like that, let alone the town freak. He was positive that this night was going to end with him having the worst case of blue balls he’s ever experienced. With a heavy sigh, he wiped the rest of the water and cum on his pants before grabbing a few more bottles of water and returning to Steve.

When he got back, Steve was still laying on the ground, spinning the empty six-pack ring on his finger. Eddie smiled and sat next to him, handing him a bottle of water.

“Thanks.” Steve let the plastic ring fall off of his finger as he took the bottle and sat up. He cracked it open and chugged half of it in one go. Eddie opened one for himself and casually drank it, keeping his eyes locked on Steve’s profile. He watched Steve’s lips move as he spoke. “I really expected that to be weirder than it was.”

Eddie laughed briefly and leaned back on a hand, looking over the quarry. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Steve swirled the water in his bottle. “My brain isn’t back on-line yet, but it’s odd to think I could be gay.” He snorted.

Eddie nearly choked on his water and looked back at him. “Trust me, Steve. You are not gay.”

“Really?” Steve glanced over at Eddie.

“Really,” he laughed.

“Well, that’s a relief.” Steve tipped the last of the water into his mouth.

“Don’t like the idea of being gay?”

“I just like boobies too much to want to switch to dick.”

Eddie laughed at Steve’s naivety. He wasn’t going to put out the effort to explain the complexities of sexual orientation to an intoxicated, rich boy.

“Wait,” Steve yawned as he laid back down. “So, are you gay?”

“Gay as they come,” Eddie said plainly.

Steve nodded. “So, were the chocolates actually you trying to hit on me?”

Eddie smiled and lay down beside him. “Maybe to some degree. I mean, you are a very attractive man.”

Something about hearing that from another man made the compliment hit harder. Steve huffed through his nose and smiled at Eddie. “Is that why you’re still pitching?” the bulge in Eddie’s pants caught his attention.

“Yup,” Eddie said unashamed, staring at the sky with his hands behind his head.

“Why don’t you just jerk off?”

Eddie raised his eyebrows at Steve in shock. “That has to be the weed talking.”

“Nah,” Steve chuckled. “You’ve never jerked off around your friends before?”

“No!” Eddie’s eyes were wide at Steve’s words.

“I used to do it all the time with Tommy.” Steve shrugged as he spoke casually.

“Hagan?” Eddie furrowed his brow at this flood of new, baffling information.

“Yeah.”

“Sometimes I swear straight guys are gayer than we are.”

“I don’t see how it’s gay. We watch porn of women and jerk off. It’s not too different from watching a movie with a friend.”

“That’s all well and good, but me masturbating next to you would be like you beating one off beside Nancy. A.K.A. a little more than awkward. Also, why are you trying to convince me to jerk it in front of you?”

“Not trying to convince. Just letting you know it wouldn’t bother me.” He glanced over at Eddie. “Y’know, if you wanted to avoid blue balls. It’s not like I’m going to touch you or anything.”

“It’d be less weird if you did,” Eddie mumbled under his breath.

“Did you want me to?” Steve offered simply.

Eddie whipped his head to Steve. “What?” ******************************Steve did not just offer that!

“Did you want me to return the favor?”

“You don’t have to do that!” Eddie stated loudly.

Steve shrugged. “Only seems fair.” He sat up and got closer to Eddie, who was propping himself up on an elbow. “Did you not want me to?”

“I- I mean, I won’t say no, but I didn’t expect anything in return.” He swallowed as Steve inched up to him.

Steve smiled and gave Eddie a gentle kiss, making him relax a little.

“You really don’t have to do this, Steve.” Every nerve in his body was on high alert. “I can just take care of it when I get ho-” He was cut off by Steve pressing his tongue into his mouth. He closed his eyes and shivered when he felt Steve’s hand on his thigh. As soon as Steve pulled from the kiss, Eddie frantically stated, “Steve, seriously, you do-” Once again, he got cut off by Steve’s mouth on his own.

Steve pulled away and smiled, sliding his hands further up Eddie’s thigh. “What if a part of me is curious?” He watched Eddie’s eyes roll up as he pressed his hand over the trapped erection. Eddie’s resolve to fight Steve was thin to begin with, but that entirely broke any desire to push Steve away.

Fuck it. Eddie grabbed the back of Steve’s head and plunged his tongue into his mouth, receiving a faint sigh as their tongues intertwined. Steve did his best to stay in the kiss as he unbuckled Eddie’s belt. There was a taboo to what he was doing, a feeling that he rarely let himself indulge in, and a thrill to it as he pulled the belt free and started in on the button to Eddie’s jeans. Steve’s eagerness was more than Eddie could have asked for. Maybe Steve actually was bi. Did he have any chance of this becoming more than a one-night stand? He dared not hope for something so outlandish and chose to just let himself enjoy the moment as it was.

Eddie groaned loudly into Steve’s mouth when his dick was finally freed and touched. It was the first time anyone other than himself had touched it, and it was vastly different from him doing it himself. He just couldn’t accept that the first man ever to touch him like this was Steve Harrington. Eddie let himself fall back and out of the kiss, closing his eyes and focusing on the feeling of Steve’s soft hand stroking him. He stretched out, panting, and running his hands through his hair.

Steve swallowed. He didn’t hate the experience as much as he thought he would. What started as a curiosity had transformed into a fixation. Eddie’s back arched, his jacket falling to the side as his chest lifted from it, revealing just how slender he was. Steve was still pretty high and buzzed, but he had come down enough to be fully aware of his actions and there was no denying he had a dick in his hand and was stroking it with the intent to get another man off, a man that had just done the same for him. From everything he’d been told, he was certain this would feel gross or wrong in some way, but it didn’t. In fact, he kind of liked it. He just treated the dick the way he would want someone to treat his, and Eddie looked like he was losing his mind. The rapid heaving of Eddie’s chest, his lustful sounds, and the way his body writhed was surprisingly attractive. He honestly couldn’t tell if he would prefer Eddie to be a woman or not.

Eddie was embarrassed, not only by Steve doing this, but also because he was already getting close. He wasn’t able to stop himself from moving his hips and moaning loudly as he was pushed to the brink of orgasm. Steve was so distracted by watching Eddie’s body convulse and the sounds of his pleasure ringing through his ears, that he didn’t notice Eddie was getting close until a bit of cum hit him on the cheek, the rest spilling onto Eddie’s exposed stomach as he groaned dramatically and arched his back. Steve stared at his cum covered hand, not something he was unfamiliar with, but it was the first time it was someone else’s. His eyes settled past his hand and onto the softening cock and mess of semen around it. He’d just gotten a man off, he’d just gotten off to a man, and his body was almost urging him for more if the new pressure in his jeans was any indication.

Eddie let his body relax as he panted in relief. When he opened his eyes, he saw Steve staring at his cum drenched hand. He chuckled weakly. “There’s an unopened water bottle behin-” His mouth fell open when Steve turned to face him and he noticed the streak of cum on his cheek. “Shit, sorry.” Eddie sat up and wiped it off with his thumb, startled when Steve took the opportunity to kiss him. He closed his eyes, wiping the cum from his thumb and onto his still-open jeans. He leaned into the kiss and slid a hand up the arm Steve was using to support himself, bummed there was a jacket between his hand and Steve’s skin. “Was that as weird as you thought it would be?” Eddie asked playfully as they parted.

Steve sighed and grabbed the water bottle. “No…” Eddie helped him open it. “It wasn’t that weird at all, honestly.” He poured the water over his hand and used his shirt to dry it off and wipe off the left-over cum. After his hand was clear, he drank half of what remained and handed it to Eddie, who smiled and finished it off. “You sure I’m not gay?” There was a hint of worry in his voice.

“You can like both, you know?” Eddie said plainly, finally catching his breath. He used the bottom of his shirt to wipe up what cum he could and fixed his pants.

“You can? I thought it was a one or the other thing.”

“It’s not that simple. I won’t get into the grit of it, but do you like women’s bodies?”

“Absolutely,” Steve answered quickly.

“Did you like my body?” Eddie asked, sitting up.

Steve glanced away in thought. “Yeah, I think I did.”

“Then you like both. There’s no shame in that.” He shrugged and stretched. He could feel the effects of the high slowly waning.

“Huh…” Steve sat up and crossed his legs and arms. He’d never really thought about it like that, but he’d also never thought about jerking a guy off.

“How’re you feeling, anyway?”

The question snapped Steve out of his thoughts. “Getting there. Wouldn’t trust myself behind a wheel yet, though.”

Eddie chuckled. “Same.” He felt a strange, nervous elation as he laid back down. He watched his breath in the cool air. It made him want a cigarette, but he didn’t want to go back to his car where he left them.

Steve gazed over at Eddie and moved so that when he laid down, their heads were perpendicular. “Ever done that before?” He stared up at the night sky.

“Nah, that was my first hand-job.”

“Giving or receiving?”

“Both.”

Steve raised an eyebrow. “Shit. Are you a virgin?”

Eddie laughed weakly. “Yeah.”

“Don’t tell me that was your first kiss, too?”

“It was,” he snickered.

“Shit, man, sorry.”

Eddie laughed and rested the back of his hand on Steve’s chest. “Don’t be. I’m glad it was you.” He twitched when Steve grabbed his hand and started messing with his rings and callouses again.

Slowly, reality settled in and Steve sighed, giving Eddie’s hand a firm squeeze. “I hate to ask this, but… could we act like this never happened?”

Even though Eddie was expecting it, the words still stung. “Yeah…”

“Sorry, I jus-”

“Don’t worry, man. I get it.” He gripped Steve’s hand.

“Thanks.”

They laid there in silence while Steve continued to passively toy with Eddie’s hand. “Oh,” Eddie broke the silence. “I gave you a hickey, sorry.”

Steve laughed. “It’s fine. No one would think it was from a man, so I’ll just avoid talking about it.”

“Yeah, who would ever think that Steve Harrington, the king of Hawkins High, would ever touch another man’s cock?”

He shook his head at the absurdity of what he'd done. “I was right there with them until tonight.”

“I’m flattered I was the one to open your eyes to the other side.”

Steve chuckled. “I’ve got to hand it to you. That’s not an easy feat.”

“You already did.”

Steve lightly hit Eddie in the chest, unable to repress a laugh. “Shut up.”

“I know you don’t know me well, but that’s something that has been deemed impossible by everyone that does.”

“Seems to be a common trait with your kind.” Steve took his hand off of Eddie’s chest and returned to playing with his rings.

“My kind?”

“Nerds,” he said plainly.

“I still can’t wrap my brain around you hanging out with freaks and nerds.”

“It’s a long story that I’d rather not get into, but yeah, I know at least four little shits that adore that fucking game.”

“And they’re children? Aren’t you full of surprises?”

“They’ll be in high school next year, actually.”

“If I fail another year, I’ll keep an eye out for them.”

“Another?”

Eddie laughed. “Yeah, this is my second senior year.”

“And I thought my grades were bad.”

“If I can’t be the best, why not be the worst?”

Steve snorted. “Interesting way to look at it.”

“Eh, it’s not like rock stars need good grades.”

“Rock star, huh?” Steve said skeptically.

“You’ll be eating that tone when you see my name on billboards.”

“Got a band?” He turned his attention from Eddie’s rings to his callouses.

“Hells yeah.” Steve rubbing his fingers was relaxing. “Corroded Coffin, baby.”

“Quite the name. What do you play?”

“Only the sickest metal. You should come see us sometime.”

“You have a show?”

“There you go with that tone again. And yes, of course, we have a show. We play every Tuesday night at the Hideout.”

“I’ll have to keep it in mind.” He squeezed Eddie’s hand and set it aside, sitting up. His head didn’t immediately spin. “I think I’m good enough to at least make it the mile-ish home.”

Eddie sighed and sat up. “You sure?”

“What?” Steve smiled cockily. “Don’t want me to go?”

Eddie chuckled. “I am enjoying the company.”

“Me too, but I’m beat. And if I don’t head home soon, I’ll pass out at the wheel.” Steve stood and stretched with a yawn.

Eddie stood as well and picked up Steve’s baseball bat, meekly handing it to him. “So I guess this is goodbye. After you leave, we’ll just be back to strangers.”

Steve’s face softened at Eddie’s disappointed expression. He wanted to tell him otherwise, but was unable to. “Yeah…” Steve swung the bat in his hand. “Thanks again for tonight. I’m glad I showed up.”

“Me too.” Eddie smiled softly. They nodded to each other, and Steve walked away. “Hey, Steve,” he impulsively called after him, taking a step forward. He froze as soon as Steve looked at him. “This, uh,”

Steve raised his eyebrow at Eddie being awkward. It was strangely adorable.

“This may be a little weird, but do you think…” He pulled at his lip with his teeth. “Do you think I could get one last kiss?”

Steve smiled at the request and set the bat down by the back tire of his car. He quickly walked up to Eddie and pulled him into a kiss by his waist. Eddie groaned on contact and wrapped his arms around Steve’s neck. He was grateful Eddie asked for it because he’d been wanting to kiss him since they laid down.

“Thanks,” Eddie said shyly as they pulled away.

Steve shook his head. “I wanted to anyway.”

“Really?” Eddie tried to step back, then smiled when he noticed Steve was firmly holding him in place.

“Eddie…”

Hearing Steve say his name so intimately made Eddie’s whole body tingle.

Steve brought a hand to Eddie’s cheek and caressed his thumb over his lips. “Just because I want us to act like this didn’t happen, doesn’t mean I’m going to forget it ever happened.”

Eddie smiled happily.

“You’ve given me a night to remember, that’s for sure.” He cupped the back of Eddie’s head and pulled him into a kiss.

Eddie tightened his grip around Steve’s neck and pressed desperately against his lips. “Right back at ya.” They shared another brief kiss before stepping away from each other. Steve ran his fingers through the ends of Eddie’s hair. After a deep breath, Eddie stole one more kiss. “If you want a round two, you know where to find me.”

Steve huffed a small laugh and nodded, unsure if he’d ever actually take up the offer.

“Now get out of here before I decide to take you home myself.” He watched as Steve put the bat in his trunk and walk to the driver’s side. “Drive safe, Harrington,” he called with a wave.

Steve waved back. “You too.”

“Oh, I’m never safe, don’t worry.”

Steve laughed and shook his head as he got in the car. He gave Eddie one more glance before driving off. Watching the taillights disappear around a corner filled Eddie with a deep heaviness. He sighed and turned back to the cliff, collecting anything they left. He smiled when he saw that Steve had forgot his belt. He brought it with him and returned home.

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The next day, Eddie felt a sense of pride when Steve wore a shirt that clearly showed off the hickey he left. He enjoyed watching him get teased for it and he got goosebumps every time their eyes met. For the first time, he knew Steve actually saw him and wasn’t seeing through him. None of Eddie’s friends knew he was gay, so he didn’t exactly have anyone to talk to about what happened, but if he did, and he hadn’t made that promise, he’d be talking their ear off.

༒༒༒༒༒༒༒༒༒༒༒༒༒༒༒༒༒༒༒༒༒༒༒༒

Steve did his best not to stare at Eddie anytime they were near each other, and just as he’d stated, they had two classes together and frequently passed each other in the halls. At the end of the day, he went to his locker and started laughing when he saw his belt in it. He picked it up and noticed a piece of paper tucked in the buckle. It had a phone number on it followed by ‘-E’. Steve smiled to himself and tucked the note in his pocket and the belt in his bag before leaving.

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