#i remember watching this and saying to myself

[sincerelybubbles]

i've noticed you

pairing: spencer reid x profiler!reader

warnings: fluff, not proof read (as is the usual oops), slightly slightly suggestive

word count: 2.6k

it's a late night in the office. dim light casts shadows across the bull pen. you squint your tired eyes to focus them on the document in your hand. hours have passed since everyone else went home but you stayed behind. something about pushing into the early hours of the weekend to finish off a long week is better for your mental health than leaving the documents for monday. the totality of closing the folder, marking it complete, and filing it away allows you to push the details of your cases to the back of your mind. you can't forget them entirely, of course, and nightmares still haunt you, but this is the best system you've found to make yourself feel better, even if only marginally.

a call of your name, soft and familiar, startles you. you jump, chair pushing back a few inches. you look up to see spencer standing in the doorway, giving you a confused look. his bag is strapped across his chest, hands clutching it, eyebrows raised. he's dressed more casually than you're used to: a plain blue shirt, khaki pants, his usual dress shoes. his hair is messy and his eyes look sleepy behind the confusion, like he'd only just woken up.

"hey, reid," you say, catching a yawn in the middle of saying his name. "you scared me."

"i could say the same to you. what are you doing here at," he checks his watch, flicking his wrist to right it in a movement that has your chest tightening. "3:46 in the morning on a saturday?"

"i could say the same to you," you mimic him, sending him a wide smile. you lift up your documents when he sends you an unamused look, waving the folder. "just finishing up before the weekend."

"you have over two weeks to have those reports filed, though?"

"helps me sleep better to have them done, i guess. you never answered me, though -- why are you here?"

"ironically, to help myself sleep," spencer answers, crossing the room in swift, long strides to reach his desk behind yours. he deposits his bag and turns to you, running a hand through his hair to push it out of his eyes. "i get nightmares and sometimes the best thing to do is try to get some work done. helps my conscious, i guess. or, at least keeps me busy."

you nod and watch him make his way to the kitchen. "that makes sense."

"i'll be back," he calls to you over his shoulder.

you hear his return a few minutes later, eyes trained on your file again. you don't look up this time, now that you know who it is. you're too focused on finishing these last few documents and fully aware that it's sort of hard to stop looking at spencer once you start.

the gentle click of a mug hitting your desk grabs your attention, though, and you tear your eyes from the page to look up.

spencer is leaning across your desk, nudging a yellow mug toward you, smiling widely. your throat tightens, a quick flash of pleasant awareness of him, and you swallow it away.

"what's this?" you ask, reaching for the mug. he doesn't let go as you expected and your fingers brush against each other. he shrugs instead of answering, leaning back against the desk next to yours and taking a sip from his own mug.

"coffee."

you take a sip, surprised to find it made exactly how you like. you can't remember ever telling him what you like and your cheeks heat at the gesture. you're grateful that the only lamp on is yours, hiding the heat from him.

"how'd you know how i like it?" you ask, taking a sip.

"i pay attention," he says, eyes trained on yours.

"to people's coffee preferences?"

"to yours, sure."

before you can properly allow that to sink into your exhausted mind, spencer sets his mug on your desk before grabbing his own files. "mind if i join you?" he asks, dragging the nearest chair over. "at least until you go home for the night."

"yeah, sure, i could use the company," you say, clearing space for him.

||||

5:53 AM

you: [attached image]

you: i promise i'm on the way, just having the worst morning. once i get this tire fixed, i'll let you know

you sigh, throwing your phone in your bag and squatting down to examine your blown tire. you don't know what you hit but you do know it's the start to an already sour morning.

you slept with your window propped open, despite how many times you've seen that go poorly for victims, and it rained, drenching your curtains. you didn't get to pack a lunch after dealing with that and usually, you eat breakfast at the office, so now you're on the side of the wet road, blown tire, and late for the first time in years.

your phone buzzes twice and you stand to dig it out of your bag.

5:55 AM

morgan: bad morning, pretty girl?

hotchner: don't worry about it, stay safe.

you roll your eyes at morgan, chest feeling lighter at hotch's reply. you hadn't expected him to be angry, this wasn't something anyone could foresee, but his answer still lessens the anxiety in your chest.

you climb into your car, turning on the heat and holding your hands to the vent for a few moments. you sit there for a few minutes past when you've thawed, dreading reentering the wet morning to change the tire.

the sound of a car door opening and shutting grabs your attention and you look in the rearview to see spencer walking toward you, hitting the button to lock one of the company vans. he's holding a bag in his hands, walking briskly to avoid getting too wet in the morning mist.

you throw open the passenger door when he gets close enough and watch as he folds himself in the car, shutting the door and adjusting his jacket.

"hello," you say, amused, "fancy seeing you here. did hotch send you?"

"i volunteered, here." he hands you the bag. you look at him for a moment longer, watching as he fixes his hair. you return your focus to the bag when he looks over at you, embarrassed to be caught.

you find one of the kitchen muffins and a banana in the bag. you stare at it for a moment, fully aware that this is exactly what you eat most mornings at work.

"i know you usually eat at work and didn't know if you had anything here," spencer explains.

"you noticed that?"

"i noticed you," he says. your eyes snap up to meet his, heart fluttering in your chest. he doesn't look embarrassed, eyes meeting yours steadily.

you struggle to find words, heart beyond touched by the gesture. you end up muttering, "thank you, spencer."

"you're welcome." there's a moment's pause while you come to terms with the fact that this can no longer be considered one of your worst mornings. "also, there was betting about if you could change a tire."

"ah, so you're here because you didn't believe in me?"

"well," he says, cheeky, smiling over at you. "you are just sitting in your car, decidedly not changing your tire."

"i was working myself up to it!" you say in defense. it's insane to you how quickly he has shifted your mood in just a few minutes.

he shakes his head at you, smiling slightly, and pops his door open, "open the back," he says, stepping out.

you do as he says, opening the trunk and getting out after him.

"i really was going to do it, you don't have to," you say, following him around the back of the car and watching him shift the things around to find your spare tire.

"i got it. go sit in the car, it's cold." he rolls his sleeves up, sending you a look.

you watch his hands as he moves the fabric up, exposing his forearms. you swallow, mouth dry, as he moves to the other arm, wrists flexing and bringing his veins into focus.

"i'm not sitting in my car while you do all the work," you refute, voice wavering, tearing your eyes away from his hands. you feel like a silly schoolgirl, ogling at her crush. or, better yet, like a scandalized victorian man seeing a hint of ankle for the first time, entranced by the barest hint of innocent skin. still, under the heat of embarrassment, you can't stop yourself from shifting your weight from foot to foot watching him lift the tire from your trunk.

"why not?" he asks, carrying the donut under one arm and walking over to the flat tire. you watch him, entranced, as he crouches down to examine the flat.

"it feels wrong! really, spence," you say, walking over to him and leaning down to catch his forearm and get his attention. "you don't have to change it for me, i'm more than capable."

"i know," he says, turning to look up at you from under his lashes. he smiles, still just a hint at the corner of his lips, and nods toward the car. "still, go sit, it's cold."

"spence-" you start and he rolls his eyes, standing up so he can look down at you and crossing his arms.

he says your name lowly, leaning back against the car and raising an eyebrow. "get in the car, this will only take me a minute."

he doesn't wait for your answer, pushing himself off of the car and walking to the trunk to grab the tool kit. stunned and slightly turned on, you slowly walk back to the drivers side of the car.

"good, now eat, too," he calls.

you grab the bag of food when you sit down, letting your legs hang down outside of the car. he stands up straighter to see you over the hood of the car and grins at you, "thank you."

||||

hands sweating and heart racing, you press the button on the elevator and watch the door close. you clutch the little bag between two of your hands, rolling your head back to stretch it and stare at the ceiling.

you're a profiler, you know people, you know that your ever-growing crush on spencer is reciprocated. his face as he said "i noticed you" is the last thing you see before you sleep and you know you aren't misinterpreting the signs. still, anxiety pools when the elevator dings and you step off.

you roll out your shoulders and step into the bull pen with confidence you have to fake, putting a smile on your face and holding the little bag behind your back slightly.

"morning angel," penelope calls to you, swinging around the corner and linking her arm with yours. "did you have any fun hot dates this weekend? please say yes, i am in desperate need of someone to live vicariously through -- my love life is dry in all definitions of the word."

"sorry love," you say, patting her arm and sending her a sympathetic look. "still working on that plan i mentioned a few weeks ago."

"wait," she says, suddenly stopping and forcing you to as well. "really? because you were all gung-ho about maintaining a sense of workplace appropriate behavior and all of that other blah hr speak."

"well," you say with a shrug, smiling at the ground, "i don't know, can't a girl change her mind?"

"she most certainly can. in fact, i have right now!" you look up at her suddenly ultra cheerful voice and see spencer walking into the room, hands in his pockets and heading right for you with a smile as a greeting. "i have decided that i'm not walking you to your desk and we'll chat over lunch instead. bye!"

just as quickly as she arrived, penelope left, scampering away to her office with a grin stretching across her face. she's your best friend, the one person you tell everything, and also the source of your greatest annoyance, leaving you alone in the hallway.

"what was that about?" spencer asks, reaching you and stopping only half a step away.

"just garcia being garcia," you say, shrugging.

"well, goodmorning," spencer says, tucking his chin down to look at you better. "have a good weekend?"

"i did," you say, swallowing in a deep breath to steel your nerves. "i actually managed to go to that bookstore you told me about."

"oh really?" spencer asks, excitement animating his face. "did you talk to the store owner? she's super cool, i actually learned a lot from her about book binding last time i visited. she has a little workshop in the back."

"i did, actually. i had to get her help finding a specific book," you say, holding the bag out to him.

"oh, which one?"

"open it and see."

"it's for me?" spencer asks, looking genuinely caught off-guard. he takes the bag slowly, as if expecting you to rip it away. you nod encouragingly and he takes the cue to lift the paper out of the bag and then the book. "wait, no way. this is so cool! i've been searching for it for ages."

you watch as he opens the book and his eyes widen finding it signed. he slowly, reverently, flips the pages to look at the publication date and his eyes flick to meet yours.

"this is a first edition?"

"yeah."

"this is- how did you know?"

"i noticed you, too," you say, voice soft and hesitant. you take the half step forward so your toes are touching. surprisingly, your anxiety is nowhere to be found as you look up at him, smiling, chest warm and fingertips tingling. "i hope that's okay."

"beyond, actually," spencer answers, voice softer. the hand holding the bag and book falls, his other one lifting to your cheek, hesitant. he brushes his fingers across your cheekbone gently before moving his hand to cup the back of your neck and bringing you in for a hug. .

it's exactly how you expected hugging spencer to be, warm and all-consuming. he laughs, gentle, a vibration you can feel through his chest and into yours.

"what?" you ask, face buried in his chest.

"it's amazing how hard i'm fighting to not kiss you right now. i always thought i would be too nervous - i mean, obviously, i've kissed people before. not that that's what i should be talking about right now, but, i just mean, it's different with you. you make me happy in a way that makes me nervous, you know?"

"i know," you say, softly, cutting off his rambling with a hidden smile. he's still holding you in the empty hallway and you would love nothing more than to hear his rambling but you're also very aware that someone could walk in any moment.

you just hope that whatever this is leads to more of his thoughtless rambles - you've missed them, noticed how he's held himself back more, and you think nothing will make you happier than being the person he turns to with them.

"yeah. um, thank you. but now i'm not nervous, i'm just annoyed we're at work."

you laugh, pushing away from him, fixing his tie. "we have plenty of time, it's okay."

he doesn't say anything, his hand still on the back of your neck. instead, he slowly leans down to press his lips to your forehead. it's gentle, as if he's afraid the wrong move will break you or send you running, and you melt from it.

"plenty."

part two of it's a date will come soon!! i hope!!!! please take this as a peace offering <3 i got the idea of spencer changing a tire on my head and could NOT LET IT GO !!!! like i'm ngl, i made myself blush w this so i hope u all enjoy it as much as i enjoyed writing it :)

also also!! i usually like to keep my notes short but this is a reminder that my asks/inbox are always open!! and i read every reblog and comment and smile and giggle like a little kid when i see them. you all make my day every day and ily u all

#bubbs.writes #criminal minds #cm #x reader #spencer reid #criminal minds x reader #spencer reid fanfiction #fluff #spencer reid x reader #bau team #dr spencer reid #criminal minds fic #bau #criminal minds fandom #spencer x reader #dr spencer reid x reader #getting together fic #tooth rotting fluff #enjoy enjoy enjoy!!!

[str4wbaeby]

Obliviously homophobic gay best friends with nsfw? Yandere male best friend x male reader with both of them acting extremely gay to one another(teasing, perverted jokes, cuddling, cute nicknames but as a joke, watching porn together, masturbating together to said porn) but still having the AUDACITY to say they're straight and still act homophobic about the LGBTQ after all of that. (And yes, it is just Internalized homophobia but mostly on the Yandere's part since he might have a tiny whiny yandere crush on Y/N but would never EVER admit it.)

𝓷𝓸𝓫𝓸𝓭𝔂 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓼 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾

ᵒᵇˢᵉˢˢᵉᵈ ᵐᵃˡᵉ ᵇᵉˢᵗ ᶠʳⁱᵉⁿᵈ ˣ ᵐᵃˡᵉ ʳᵉᵃᵈᵉʳ

Kallias Belmont was the true embodiment of beauty, in your eyes. tall and lean, with a natural grace to his movements, he possessed a rugged charm that drew eyes wherever he went. his dark hair, perpetually tousled in a way that seemed effortlessly cool, framed a face that could have easily graced magazine covers.

"hey there, handsome", his deep voice rumbled as it broke you out of your trance. lost in your thoughts about the said man, you didn't even notice when he approached you slowly, now leaning casually against the row of lockers as his eyes pierced into yours.

"h-hey, man! didn't notice you there", you stummered, cheeks softly heating up as a soft flush spread across your face from a slight embarrassment and possibly at the unexpected petname.

Kallias softly chuckled at your antics. "I could see that, darling. too handsome for you to keep your eyes off of me?"

"n-no, it's nothing like that! you're not that handsome. plus, what's with the petnames, today? why are you acting so gay?", you jokingly asked, hitting him lightly in the chest.

"me? and gay? huh, you wish!", Kallias rolled his eyes as he laughed condescendingly. "I'd rather kill myself than be one of those fags. they're nothing but a bunch of retarded freaks.", he sneered, face scrunching up into an expression of disgust but it changed almost immediately when he looked at you awkwardly standing there, "but honestly though, you should have seen your face. you looked pretty adorable", he said, playfully pinching your cheeks while shooting you a wink

you just chuckled in response, ignoring the latter part of the comment. "you're such a tease, man! what's gotten into you, anyway? class is gonna start in 5, let's go"

Kallias just hummed, wrapping an arm around your broad shoulders as the two of you made your way down the busy corridor.

thankful that class hasn't started yet, you quickly took a seat with Kallias occupying the one next to yours, arms now wrapped around your torso as he nudged his face into your nape, inhaling your scent. can you really blame him though? you smelled so sweet, how could he resist you?

the intimate gesture would've apperead to be romantic to any bystander but for you two? it was totally normal. you two weren't doing something gay . . . you were just best friends who loved each other a little too much.

after all, you never seemed to mind when his broad hands caressed the small of your back, occasionally tugging on your soft curls, just to feel you

or when his hands would effortlessly find their way between your thighs, softly rubbing circles on the delicate skin of your inner thighs soothingly

or when he'd gently cup your face, forcing you to look deep into his warm hazel eyes whenever you seemed to be swayed by endless cycle of meaningless thoughts . . . he should be the only one on your mind

or when he'd come crying to you after every breakup, trying to find solace within your arms as you cuddled him in your warm embrace, sweet words consoling his broken heart

or when he punched someone in the face just because they looked at you in a way, that only he was allowed to look in

you didn't waver away from his touch when he offered to teach you how to pleasure yourself properly. he still remembers that night, memories filling up his empty senses like it was just yesterday.

sprawled between his thighs, laid your limp body; tired after multiple orgasms were ripped out mercilessly from your body . . . how long has it been? 4 hours? 5 even? you didn't care when you felt this good. loud moans and whimpers filled the room as Kallias worked his fingers into your sopping wet hole, thick fingers stretching you open while his other hand skillfully worked on your throbbing shaft, swiftly alternating between the tip and balls. he knew you were close, body spasming from the intense pleasure as your back arched while he repeatedly hit your prostate. "shhh... it's okay, baby... you're doing so well", he cooed, watching you shoot out ropes of thick cum onto his newly changed bedsheet as he held you in his arms, soft lips kissing your forehead. face flushed from the sweaty session, you looked upto him with half lidded eyes, only to have your lips met with his. the kiss was hungry, his tongue prying open your bottom lip in a desperate attempt to taste you

he needed to have you, to taste you, to feel you. he needed you. you were his pretty boy, his best friend, his everything. he couldn't afford to share you with someone else, let alone have someone else touch you like this . . . let someone else even see you like this. this was only reserved for him. he'll never have anyone else have you, you belonged to him

Kallias blushed as the memories started to flood in. shaking his head to clear 'em off, he looked over at you. you were now looking at the blackboard, intently copying down what your teacher seemed to scribble on, but he could care less about anyone else when you were what his thoughts consisted of. smiling, he swept away a stray strand of hair from your forehead, his hands subconsciously coming down to caress your cheek.

he sometimes wondered if all he had you for were just platonic feelings . . . he could never even imagine himself being with a man but then why did the idea of being with you never felt disgustingly suffocating? maybe, he did love you more than he should have . . . maybe that's why he never really cared when he blurred the lines between friends and lovers . . . maybe he really was just a coward, too scared to face the reality . . . too scared to lose you . . . too scared to be perceived as anything other than "normal"

but if he ever allowed himself to be honest, will you laugh at him? will you hate him more than he hated himself?

among a bunch of "what ifs", the only thing he knew was that you were his, whether you liked it or not ♡

#yandere imagines #yandere scenarios #male oc #x male reader #x male y/n #x reader #x reader insert #yandere oc #yandere x reader #male yandere x male reader #obsessive love #yandere smut #slight smut #mochiii.writes #mochiii.answers #divider creds: cafekitsune

[tsunami-of-tears]

Someplace better

Azriel x Reader

A/N: This is dark. There are no happy endings. Please read the warnings.

Wordcount: <1K

Warnings: angst doesn’t even cut it; emotionally abusive family dynamic; suicide; it does not end well, you’ve been warned.

My mother is a horrible wench. 

We just had yet another fight that ended in screaming and tears and slammed doors. 

I thought our relationship was getting better. I was trying to open up about the struggles I’ve been having, only to have them all thrown back in my face. 

“Before you point the finger at everyone else, maybe you need to consider that you’re the problem,” she sneers. 

I’d been trying to tell her how overwhelmed I felt, that I felt stuck and couldn’t see a way out. I can feel myself starting to crack under the pressure, pieces of me splintering as I try to be everything for everyone. 

No matter how hard I try, it’s not enough. There’s always something I’m not doing, something not done right. 

‘You’re a failure and a burden,’ that little voice says, harmonising with my mother’s insults.

“I can’t help you if you won’t help yourself,” she says dismissively. 

So much for motherly love… 

————

Later that evening, I’m heading to the River House for a family dinner. These events have become less frequent with everyone’s busy schedules, and I’m looking forward to seeing my friends. 

Rhysand greets me at the door, pulling me into a hug. “Y/N, it’s been too long,” he smiles down at me warmly. “Everyone else is here already, come in.” 

“It’s good to see you, I’ve missed everyone,” I give Rhys a tight smile in return. 

Time appears to stop as we walk down the hallway. The awkwardness drags on for what feels like forever. My thoughts race with things I could say, but my tongue cannot form the words. Rhys notices my silence, furrowing his brows at me. I plaster a huge smile on my face, attempting to conceal my inner turmoil. I can’t tell if Rhys picks up on my forgery. 

We enter the living room which is alive with chatter between my friends. 

Mor, Feyre and Cassian are laughing together, likely about something Cassian said. 

Amren and Nesta are engaged in a heated discussion.

And then Azriel… He’s with Elain, talking softly together about gods knows what. My heart starts to crack at the sight. 

I really don’t want to get between Nesta and Amren, and I can’t face Azriel and Elain together, so I sit next to Cassian as Rhys perches on the arm of the chair beside Feyre. He leans down to kiss her softly on the top of her head and I look away quickly, the crack growing until I feel like my heart is split in two.

Cassian gives me a quick peck on the cheek as I sit before returning to his conversation with Feyre and Mor. 

I struggle to engage with anyone, feeling more alone than ever while surrounded by my chosen family. 

————

The rest of the night is much of the same. 

Every single word is a monumental effort. 

I’m hyper-aware of every single person around the table. Every single smile and hidden touch. I feel as if I’m watching from behind a window. I’m on the outside. Alone.

‘They’ll be fine without you,’ that little voice whispers in my ear. ‘Look how happy they are. They don’t need you. All your efforts are wasted. You are a waste.’

After dinner I bid everyone goodnight, heading up to my room. 

I miss the concerned glances between my friends, who noticed I’ve been extra quiet tonight.

I miss the shadows that follow behind me. 

I miss the way Azriel zones out from what Elain is saying as he watches me leave. 

————

I can’t remember the last time I stayed in this room but all my things remain untouched. Clothing, journals, even some beauty products - all where I left them. 

I pick up one of my old journals and flip through the pages. I mostly write down the bad stuff. It usually helps get the feelings out, but right now, it’s only adding to the storm that’s brewing inside me. 

I carefully set down the books in a stack on my nightstand, picking up a scrap of parchment. As I always do, I write. 

I’m sorry to do this here, tonight, but I cannot go on any longer.  I truly believe this is for the best. The world was not made for people like me. I’m far too soft.  I love you all. Y/N

I set the note down on the bed and rummage through my various medicines. I’ve always struggled to sleep, so I should have some extra tonics in here somewhere… 

I find four bottles of sleeping tonic in one of my drawers, plus the one in my pocket. 

I arrange them on the nightstand in a straight line. 

I pick up the first bottle, uncorking it and raising it in the air. 

A toast, to finding someplace better.

I bring the glass rim to my lips, chugging the clear liquid. 

One down. Just a few more. 

I make short work of the remaining bottles, though I feel a bit queasy from the sheer volume. 

As I set down the last bottle, a wisp of darkness curls around my wrist and snakes between the empty bottles. 

“You’re too late,” I tell it. 

The shadow vanishes and my eyes start to droop. 

I lay down on the bed, my entire body feeling heavy. 

As I feel myself losing the battle for consciousness, a mass of dark shadows appears next to the bed. 

Azriel. 

He is frantic as he reaches towards me. 

So close. He was so close. 

I never get to feel those hands again as the world fades to black and I give myself over to the endless sleep. 

A/N: I’m not gonna lie and say I’m okay when clearly I’m not, but I’m not unsafe tonight. 

Mental Health Resources*:  If you’re in immediate danger please call your country’s emergency number. Australia: Beyond Blue: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ Mental Health Hotline: [phone] Lifeline: 13 11 14 USA:  Crisis Line (call or text): 988 UK:  Lifeline: 0808 808 8000 *If I have gotten anything wrong or if you have other resources to add, please let me know

#azriel angst #azriel shadowsinger #azriel acotar #azriel x reader #azriel x you #azriel x y/n #acotar #a court of thorns and roses #acotar angst

[calaisreno]

Diagnosis

974 words / Prompt: Night / CW: Sad

After, I stayed at Baker Street as long as I could, but every morning that I woke up and found him gone plunged me into darkness. Everything reminded me. 

When I couldn’t sleep, I walked. I could never escape the memories, though. If I did sleep, they were there, waiting for me. 221B was full of memories, lacking him. At night, walking was better than lying in bed, sleepless, with the past. 

Sometimes at night I saw him. Wherever I walked, he would eventually appear, waiting in a doorway, sitting on a bench in the park. Without speaking, he would fall in step with me.

“You must be a vampire,” I told him one night. “I only see you after dark.” 

Vampires are not real, he said. 

“Are you real?” I asked. 

I could almost hear him smiling. You didn’t invent me.

Once I asked him if he would come home with me. He didn’t answer. 

I drank during the day, walked at night, and thought about going back to work. 

I slept in his bed. Even to myself, I seemed crazy. I thought about dying.

After a month of this, drinking and walking, it came to me that I had to leave. Mrs Hudson was lovely, but it was impossible for me to explain it to her, so I just left a note, promising to stop in at some point and pick up my things. 

I waited until night, took my bag and slipped out the door like a thief. As I looked back, I saw a tall figure in a Belstaff coat following me.

I’d travelled back in time to a depressing bedsit. To a life where Sherlock didn’t exist, where those few months at 221B were something I’d dreamed. 

The first day I returned to work at the hospital, a few people stopped me to offer polite condolences. I thanked them, saying the same empty things over and over. After a couple days, nobody reminded me that he was dead and I was alone. On my way home I bought more liquor. Vodka this time, since it didn’t leave much odour on the breath.. 

 Like a sleepwalker, I trudged along for weeks, not sure where I was heading. Life was just eating and sleeping, taking the bus to work and coming home, watching the telly, smiling at people, saying meaningless things. 

At night, I walked in a liminal space where he might still exist.

“This patient came in,” I told him one night. “Five years old, high fever, skin peeling right off his palms, bright red eyes.”

He glanced at me, intrigued. Diagnosis? 

“Kawasaki disease. Never saw a case before.”

What tipped you off?

“When he stuck out his tongue and I saw how swollen and red it was, I remembered reading about that and it all just clicked together.” 

Satisfying when that happens, he said, nodding.

He seemed as restless as I was, and began turning up in places I didn’t expect. There were always the all-night convenience shops, and if I had something to pick up he would follow me inside, just out of eyeshot, reminding me to get the biscuits he liked, recommending jams that I might want to try. What about these chocolate biscuits? Or maybe the ones with apricot filling. 

Sometimes he was there in the A&E, making observations and acting bored when I ignored him, as I had to. “Can’t have people thinking I’m losing my mind, talking to people who aren’t there,” I muttered.

I heard him scoff. No, we can’t have that.

But usually I only saw him when I wasn’t working. When I arrived at my sad little flat after work in the early morning, he would be leaning on the door, waiting for me. Almost every day I had a story for him, a new case to describe. He asked odd questions: Did you look at his fingertips? Did his breath smell like ammonia? Did she have freckles, not the usual kind, but darker? Did her skin look waxy? 

He’d always said, People see, but they do not observe. As I examined my patients, I tried to use his eyes to observe the things that might solve the case. And gradually I realised that I’d become the go-to doctor for bizarre diagnoses. The Sherlock Holmes of Barts Hospital.

Impressive, Dr. Watson, he said. You’ve become quite the detective. 

“You taught me,” I said. “It was from you that I learned to see everything differently. As you always say, the world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance observes.” 

He smiled but said nothing. Though he loved receiving compliments, he was stingy in his praise of others. Once he’d praised something, there was no need to say it again just so my ego could bask in it. 

At other times, he was critical. You’re rotting your brain, he said one afternoon when I got out of bed and looked at my bloodshot eyes. You have talent — why are you doing this to yourself?

I didn’t point out that he had often rotted his brain with worse things. He had more or better brain cells, I suppose, and often needed to slow his mind down just to keep it from crashing out of exhaustion. 

But he was always more solicitous of my health than of his own. He scolded me now. You’re not taking care of yourself.

“I’m sorry,” I told him. “I’m really fucked up and I don’t know what to do about it. I miss you so much.”

I felt, rather than heard his chuckle. Try to remember all the things that used to annoy you. Try to remember what a prat I was.

“You weren’t,” I told him. “You were wonderful. I love you.”

The room was silent. When I looked up, he was gone.

#mayprompts2024

[goldsbitch]

Hypochondria

part 3 to p1, p2

It's time to tell you exactly what makes me your soulmate. Disaster dinner continues.

20:19

Is it possible to miss someone you've never met? In what strange corner of the universe would this make sense? It felt just like that to Lando - as if he just reunited with an old friend and desperately searched for a way how to connect again. Where to start?

Anita solved that one for him. "Y//N is one of the medics on grid. She was so lovely today. Helped me a lot!" She turned to Lando and then Y/N in a search of some reaction, but those two were stuck in their own silence. She brushed it off and continued. "I figured it would be nice to take her out for a dinner. Wanted to have her join for the club later, but I am afraid it's for invited only, sorry..." she said, with fake modesty. Lando scoffed, completely unbothered by anyone noticing. Anita was doing it again, luring people in and then making sure she nonchalantly pointed out that she is more "VIP" then they are. He usually brushed it of and sometimes found it funny, but this time it made him fuming.

"You are more than kind to do this," Y/N replied and Lando had to close his eyes in order to hide how overcome he was instantly by hearing her speak. Her own voice was always blurry in his visions. Hearing it now, in real life...It was like getting new headphones. "But remember, you should not drink today after the heatstroke...I just need to point that out, can't stop myself," she said semi jokingly.

"Oh course, sweetheart," she replied and took a sip of her cocktail.

Y/N felt a little out of her place in the restaurant, not really sure what she was doing there and why she agreed to come with them. They were a couple, so why was she there playing the third violin? She tried to stop all her intrusive thoughts about Anita's boyfriend. But how could she, the most gorgeous and alluring guy was sitting right there. She secretly watched all of his little moves, the way how he twitched his fingers while holding the menu and wondered how his skin would feel on her own. She cursed herself for being so easily distracted by him. Barely glancing at the menu, she waited for what the two would order and was planning on matching them.

A charming waiter came, shared few words with Anita and recommended some dishes from the special menu.

"I'll have the truffle pasta, sounds great," Anita said, smiling flirtatiously at the waiter. There was an awkward silence, which Y/N tried to fill in. "Yes, I'll have the same, sounds great."

Lando did not even think twice before speaking up. "Um, actually, I really think you should try their salmon. It's to die for. I think you'll love it." He was not able to look at her, while she did the exact opposite. She was taken back by his forward comment. Salmon was her absolute favorite dish. What a strange coincidence that he would recommend it. "Can we get two of the salmon dishes? If that's ok with you, Y/N," he continued, this time finding the courage to look at Y/N. She panicked. "Yeah, yeah. Salmon. Great."

It was like a fire was lit in Lando. He opened the can of worms and there was no way going back. Suddenly, he had all the answers right at arms lenght. And the questions just started flowing.

"How do you like working at the formula 1 medics team?" "Will you be tracking the whole season?" "Do you like traveling so much?" "Are you missing your friends and family?"

It might have been too much for someone to be bombarded with questions, but she found herself excited and eager to overshare. Those two danced a dance of their own, laughing gently and speaking over each other, while also eagerly listening to what the other one had to say.

Anita felt like she was sinking into the chair deeper with every minute that passed. She knew the feeling all to well. Lando, without knowing probably, found anyone apart her interesting. Practically inhaling every word Y/N said. Or at least that's how it felt. Poor girl had absolutely no idea how different this situation was for her this time. Unlike Lando, Y/N still took Anita into account.

"So, Anita, you're a model, right?"

She came back alive and started sharing model related stories, while Y/N listened. Ever-so-impatient Lando just stared at her and started biting his lip in order to stop him from speaking for a moment, realizing that he is in fact not alone with Y/N, but still in a very much public social setting. Y/N listened to Anita, while all familiar phantom pain kicked in, this time in her lips. She kept glancing over to Lando, because it was just too hard not to look at him, when she noticed how vigorously he was biting his own lip. It sometimes happened that her own inexplicable pain aligned with the actions of other. Nothing special.

Lando was at the peak of rude that evening, impatience getting the better of him. "So, Y/N, why have you decided to study medicine?" he said, when Anita took a breath, fully intending on continuing her story. The same way as he interrupted her, she did not give Y/N any room to answer.

"You know what Lando, I am getting real sick of you publicly making it obvious that you don't give a shit about me or what I have to say," she said straight to his face, internally begging for him to deny it.

"I'm sorry, it's just....not every day you meet someone who really does something special with their life," he said, as if Y/N was the first medic he had ever encountered.

"Wow, that's rich. So on top of you not caring what I have to say, you also don't think what I do is interesting."

Lando knew she was right. He knew it all along, but he was also aware of the fact that most of the times, the relationship had been beneficial to both of them. So many emotions mixing in him got him holding his fragile glass real tight.

"Don't play the innocent card," he started, looking deeply into Anita's eyes. "We both know the moment I'm not on the grid, you're jumping to someone else."

The walls felt like they were closing on Y/N. Witnessing couple's fight, however quiet, was never pleasant. All the more when you'd literally just met these people. They played their little verbal tennis, while keeping the decorum composed, as they seemed to be quite skilled at that. Until Lando slipped up. His tight grip on the thin crystal finally ending up with a thousand tiny shiny glass pieces everywhere. It was like a slap to the couple, making them wake up and notice their surroundings. The good old clean up and apology dance began between the guests and the waiters, all of them rushing to help the F1 star with a minor cut that bled crimson drops on the white table cloth. Everybody was so focused on him, that they all missed the second wave of drops hitting the table, this time coming from Y/N hand. She stared at her hand and time stopped. It's not that she was scared of blood. It wasn't that it was the first time something like that happened out of nowhere. It was precisely because it did not happen out of nowhere. Her veins were rushing with panic, instead of blood. She grabbed one of the napkins and pressed hard on her hand, praying that nobody had noticed. Thousands of ideas appearing out of nowhere. So wait, anytime he got hurt, she got hurt as well? Or was it more people? Another coincidence? Her brain was an analytical one. She ran through all the possible little pains that a formula driver could have. It somehow checked out.

She stared at him, completely missing the whole scenery happening in front of her. Anita making a scene, waiters rushing around and Lando trying to calm everyone down.

"When did you crash last time? Like a big one, hospital one," she shot out, as if it was the most important piece of information known to mankind.

Lando felt her panic and intensity for a few moments before she managed to silence everyone, but was equally surprised by her question as everyone else.

"Um, I'd say...yeah, Las Vegas, November." He gave her a questioning look, trying to figure out what was going on her mind, while gesturing the staff of the restaurant to leave them alone.

A massive wave of panic settled over her, images of herself getting admitted to a hospital at that time flashing by. She had to get out there, immediately. And Lando felt that.

"No! No, you're not going anywhere. This is important, you can't just run away like you always do," he said, before she even had a chance to move, because he knew what she was doing. Seen it enough times to recognize the look. If nobody stopped her, she'd be out of there in seconds, not even saying goodbye. A true flight type of person. As if she hadn't been perplexed enough by this point.

"How do you-" she started to ask before being interrupted by Anita, who had have enough.

"I'm sorry, but do you guys know each other?" she asked, with a tone of annoyance barely hidden behind a fake smile.

Lando froze once again, like he had many times that evening. It was not his fault. His soon-to-not-be girlfriend set this seventh circle of hell up. How was he supposed to respond to that?

Y/N hesitantly responded. "No, of course not. I mean, I've only worked with the team here for few weeks anyway."

"Seems like you do, by the amount of questions you're asking" Anita said directly at Lando, fully ignoring Y/N at that point.

"If I had known her, I would not have had to ask questions, right?" he responded, failing at letting his sassy side dormant.

"Is that why you never ask me any questions? Because you know me?"

He bit his tongue. Lando was trying to be good.

Anita made her signature "I knew it" smile once again, which finally set Lando off.

"One asks when they want to hear an answer."

"Great. Charming as ever. You know what? I've had enough."

"Ani, I am really sorry. This is going to sound incredibly rude. I apologize. It's nothing personal. But this is really between me and Y/N."

Absolutely mortified Y/N did not even dare to look at Anita. What the fuck was his game. That was his girlfriend, she was just a random girl.

Anita replied, without missing a beat. "You two can go and play your weird little game without me."

Heavy silence fell, as Anita hastily grabbed all of her things and walked out. Y/N was waiting to see if Lando would even consider getting up and rushing over to her, but knew well enough that that was not the case.

Lando cared. He deeply cared about what Y/N thought of him. "Before I say anything else, please know that I plan on breaking up with her and sorting it out like an adult. This is not how I usually am."

"Ok. I mean, you do you. This is all very...personal," she said, her mind still caught up in her recent discovery. "I'm sorry, this is going to sound strange, but bare with me, this evening is already so much drama, this will not be a great addition."

She was talking to him! Getting curious. Lando would be willing to sit there for hours and listen to her. "Go for it".

"Do you get that weird pain in your left elbow?"

"Yes, after a heavy work out."

"Do you bite your tongue out of nowhere?"

"Only when I'm nervous."

"Ok, ehm. Your wisdom tooth is growing, right?"

"Yup, and it hurts like hell sometimes." This time, it was her shooting questions and him trying to follow in a direction he could not yet fathom. But it was like she was in a trance.

"Ok, ok. You'll think I'm crazy."

"I know you think that," he smirked, knowing they were reaching break through.

"What?" she snapped out of it back to reality.

"You first. I think I also have something you should know." Lando was half excited, half terrified to get his truth out. After all those years, this was all happening in a matter of hours. His life was turning upside down.

Y/N took a deep breath. "The reason I went into medicine is because I have a condition. Random inexplicable pains, cuts, bruises with no real cause of correlation to what's happening with my body. Nobody knew what it was when I was growing up, so I was determined to figure it out on my own." She took out her own blood stained hand from below the table. Lando's eye's went wide. She reached out with her other hand to gesture him that all is fine and no help is needed.

"I think my body mirrors what happens to yours."

"I can feel your emotions. And see glimpses of your life," he blurted out, unable to hold this in for any longer.

//

They did not stay in the restaurant for long. Felt all to public for this type of conversation. Instead, they were back at his hotel apartment, having to sneak in to avoid any unwanted publicity. Once again, they were sitting opposite each other in his living room area.

"So wait...you feel everything I feel? Like physically?"

"Apparently," she said, flabbergasted. For some reason, the two emotions mixing with each other was anger and relief. Her biggest life mystery solved, in the weirdest way possible. Without saying a word, she kicked him in the shin.

"Ouch," he said and she flinched.

"Yep, checks out."

"I can feel your anger, you know? And frankly I don't understand why you're mad at the moment." He was fascinated. The possibilities that laid ahead of them were thrilling.

"I believe at this stage you should also be able to see my anger. Pray tell me why, why did you have to pick a career that is so physically exhausting!" she moaned, causing him to laugh out loud. Yeah, that was really unfortunate on his part. He made a note mentally to hire a physical therapist for her one day.

She calmed down a bit, slowly coming to term that her emotions were not a private thing anymore - well, technically they never were.

"So what, you just casually know what I feel and see random glimpses of my life?"

"I think it's the strong emotions I feel. It seems the closer I am, the stronger it is."

She was silent, hoping to get a little more out of him. He took a deep breath, desperately trying to ease up the mood.

"Your first nights at the university apartment you shared with those three loud girls. No idea about their names, but I remember the excitement about leaving your home. And jesus, the massive mess the four of you made the first week. How at one point you had to wash your dishes in the bathtub, because it was just too much. And how much fun you'd had while doing it."

She couldn't help but smile at that very specific memory. Gone were the unhinged early uni days, for better probably. It was absolutely breaking her mind in two, knowing he had these random glimpses in her life.

He saw (and felt) the positive emotions that entered the chat, so he tried to sway the conversation that way. "Oh, and the incredibly awkward morning when your brought that one guy home, did not realize that one of the girls was in the room the whole time and how in the morning it turned out to be her ex."

"My god, you saw that?" she said, absolutely mortified. He just nodded, his heart jumping when he made her squeamish.

"It was like being there during the incredibly awkward breakfast."

"Well," she gulped, trying to switch attention from her. "Nobody knows this, but...pain is not the only thing I feel."

She dropped the ball and watched it rolling, wondering if he'd catch up.

"What do you mean? Like exhaustion?"

"That as well."

He was still not connecting the dots.

"Had a fun night last night, didn't you?"

His eyes went wide and a strange rush of guilt washed over him. He just stared at her, finally getting why one of her first reactions was an angry one. Not that he felt that way, but the level of intrusion he must have presented to her was a lot to take in.

"Well...you're welcome, I guess?" he said cheekily, smirking because he knew exactly what she would do.

Shocked, she opened her mouth and smacked his hand jokingly, not realizing it would hurt both of them.

"Fuck this shit," she exclaimed and once again, he could not hold his laugh in as she tried to shake the pain out of her hand.

"This is going to be very funny."

"I'm sorry, Lando - this all just so bizarre. I'm barely taking it in. Literally don't understand how you're so calm."

He laughed gently. "Well, I did have few extra days to process. And hearing my name roll of your tongue is distracting enough," he said flirtatiously.

Her cheeks went red and her mind stopped, mind getting filled with desire and arousal. Lando lips turned into a wide smile, him feeling her arousal as if she was screaming it loudly to his face.

"Glad to see my words have an effect on you. This is indeed going to be fun..."

#lando norris #lando norris x reader #lando norris x you #lando norris fanfic #ln4 imagine #formula 1 #formula one x reader #f1 fanfic #f1 imagine #soulmate au #fluff #lando norris fluff #formula 1 fluff #formula 1 fanfic #ln4 x reader #ln4 x y/n #lando norris x y/n #formula 1 one shot #f1 one shot #f1 soulmate au

[centrally-unplanned]

Adam Tooze giving some pitch-perfect pornography targeted at me specifically with Israel's "Gaza 2035: A three-step master plan to build what they call the Gaza-Arish-Sderot Free Trade Zone", capped with an AI generated Gaza-Dubai:

I'm in love, this is so glorious. "The world if Israel could play around with Gaza like a little set of Legos" tell me this is not identical energy:

Except its not a shitpost its an actual report from the Office of the Prime Minister. And folks we have got it all! The most convoluted administration system you could possibly imagine for no reason:

The new free trade zone would be administered by Israel, Egypt, and what the Israeli Prime Minister calls the Gaza Rehabilitation Authority (GRA)—a proposed Palestinian-run agency that would oversee reconstruction in Gaza and “manage the Strip’s finances.”

A cutesy little minimalist graphic of all the brand new industries that will magically become globally competitive in export markets because Israel says so:

The beach resorts are in my beloved!! But what are the little factories you ask? Oh nothing, just electric car production facilities!

Remember, before building your first factory, you need 18 Burj Khalifas. We economists call this "infrastructure development", take notes.

It will have high-speed rail through its center, oil projects on the coast, and of course, I'm saving the best for last - a rail project to NEOM:

 🥳The 🥳Line 🥳Mentioned 🥳

The legend on the map literally just says "a mega project" like, oh yeah, one of those! See em all the time.

Now, you might be asking - Ash, if this is your goal wouldn't you have not destroyed every square inch of habitable urban infrastructure in Gaza and shredded their economy into scraps of paper soaked in blood if your plan was to Singapore-on-the-Sea the place? You sweet summer child, those apartments? They are apartments of the past, darling, you don't need organically developed urban ecologies built over time to compliment human habitation. That is for fucking libs. All of this "war" thing was just set-up to create a blank slate for the construction of The Line 2: Its Definitely Real This Time!

I am going to murder James C Scott myself just so I can hover this plan over his corpse and watch the sheer hubris of this monument to the state's desire for legibility and technocratic solutionism resurrect him from the goddamn grave.

"Well....at least after all this they would have to recognize Palestine as a stat-" Woah woah woah woah, hold on:

The final stage would be when Palestine signs the Abraham Accords signaling “Palestinian self-rule,” albeit without statehood

Lets not...lets not get overambitious here. Baby steps, you know? We have to be careful.

Anyway this is the most ludicrously ill-considered and ill-presented reconstruction plan I have ever seen in my life and I shudder to think that, instead of it being an off-hand drip of propaganda intended solely to brush off nosey reporters and diplomats, it might actually be serious. Bibi hasn't let me down yet on the "thinking things through" front!

But tbc if this was fiction - instead of a ruthlessly grim reality - the Regional Deputy Minister of Trade charged with implementing this technocratic abortion would be my precious little blorbo and I would stan her to hell and back.

#i/p conflict #technocracy '''''fanblog'''''

[ifeelthereforeimnot]

Almost exposed myself at work as an Insane and Unwell.

Coworker: you watch Supernatural? Who's your favorite, Sam or Dean?

My fuckin eyes just glaze over as I mentally regress to 14 and try to remember my life when it was simple and Destiel was a crazy delusional ship

Me: uhhhhhh

My autism, against my will: Sam and Dean. Together. Together-together. Say it. SAY IT.

Me: I just think they're both neat :) <3

#spn #supernatural #sam winchester #dean winchester #wincest

[xoxochb]

can you make a Jason x fem reader hc but reader has glasses, just basic hcs abt their relationship ?

˗ˋ what if your eyes looked up and met mine one more time ˊ˗

warnings: dangerously short

pairing: jason grace x reader with glasses

summary: all in the request

A/N: I truly love this request because I have glasses myself, and honestly I think about this a lot

OMG

okay…

I really love this, oh my lord

hear me out on this:

he probably takes off his glasses and takes off yours and makes you try on his while he tries on yours!

“can I see your glasses for a second?” he says looking up at you, taking off his glasses in the process

“yeah sure, why?” you say handing them to him, and he gently takes them from your hand, putting them on

“oh my gods, you’re blind,” he says handing you his glasses “put mine on”

and you do

“what is the point of this?” you laugh, confused with his antics

“just for fun…” he says, watching you struggle to adjust to the new lens, “you look good with my glasses- really good”

you blush and take them off, placing them back on his face with a kiss to his forehead

I need him

anyways…

I think it’s cannon that he looses his glasses a lot, I don’t remember if this is true or not, but I saw someone say something about it so…

I have this irrational fear of loosing my glasses idk how he does it

so, you made this spot somewhere (literally could be anywhere, you choose) where he can put his glasses whenever he isn’t wearing them so he doesn’t loose them as often

it doesn’t really help though

he’s the type of person to call you a nerd for wearing glasses (what a hypocrite!)

he probably takes your glasses off before kissing you because I know that cannot be comfortable

I feel like he was kind of insecure of wearing glasses at first because he never really saw anyone with glasses, but then he met you and was really happy to see someone else with glasses! 🫶🏼

anywaysss, that’s really it, I struggled to think of anything else and I didn’t want to leave this in my drafts for too long

and with that, to wrap this up I have got to say, this dynamic is so cute and I’m obsessed

#percy jackon and the olympians #pjo series #percy jackson #pjo fandom #pjo spoilers #pjo #percy series #pjo fanfic #pjo x reader #pjo hoo toa #heroes of olympus #jason grace imagines #jason grace #jason grace x y/n #jason grace x you #jason grace x reader

[bean-bean2000]

The Maid - Part 12

Pairing: Loki x reader

Warnings: Angst, mentions of violence, depression, mentions of suicide, despair, feeling trapped. Mentions of abuse and rape.

Please read at your own risk. Your own media consumption is not my responsibility. Please read and review the warnings before proceeding.

Sorry for the wait, I had writer's block and wasn't feeling very inspired but I think the story is coming along how I want it to now!

Thank you and enjoy!

Part 11

Series masterlist Main Masterlist

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

He slams the door to his chambers closed and stalks towards two royal guards.

"Nobody enters besides her and myself, for all rooms during her duty hours. No harm is to come to her or I will see to it myself!" Loki barks his orders as he rushes past them towards his library. The two guards scurry quickly to the doors and immediately stand watch as the king disappears around the corner. They give each other a confused look, baffled by the kings sudden emotional outburst in relation to a maid, but they shrug it off as a potential lover's quarrel.

Loki rushes into the royal library and scours for any book he can find on purple auras. He went through countless books, spending hours at the desk flipping through page after page, with no luck.

Frustrated he slams the book closed.

"Don't take your frustration out on the book, dear. It did not wrong you." the Allmother says as she slowly walks up to meet Loki at the table.

"Not now mother." Loki snips at her as he presses the palms of his hands to his eyes to ease the growing headache.

"What ails you so, my son?" she asks as she places her hand gently over his, moving his hands from his face so he can look at her.

"Dark purple auras. Do you know of any book or research I can find on it?" he asks with a deep sigh.

"Dark purple auras? My, I haven't spoken of this since you were a boy. You already know, I doubt I have to repeat myself." she states.

"Yes, mother, I remember. Surely you know more than what you told me when I was a boy. Is there truly no other research out there?" he groans in annoyance as he huffs and crosses his arms on his chest.

"It's the maid, isn't it?" she asks him with her brows raised and slight smile tugging at her lips.

"I haven't seen you act like this since you last had an interest in a woman as deeply as you do her. For you to spend hours researching this must be related to her, hm?" she questions him.

Loki sighs deeply.

"There's something odd, mother. She is not Asgardian."

"And? Many immigrants come to and fro Asgard." Allmother states.

"No. It's not that. I read her mind. I know Mother, I shouldn't have but I had to. Her father, well adoptive father, found her as a babe, in between the realms as he was travelling to import and export items."

"How is that possible?" Allmother asks.

"I know, mother. I asked myself the same question but she is not lying. I would know."

"This has never been heard of. Surely if such a thing were to happen we would have gotten word of it!" Frigga exclaims.

"No, Mother. Nobody claimed her. All the realms who knew of her existence deemed her to be a curse. They wanted her gone. When her adoptive parents decided to keep her, everyone swore silence to prevent being cursed by the girl. When her mother passed, her father kicked her out, blaming her and her curse. He passed soon after. She has been alone for years now. I see a purple aura surrounding her, mother. I do not know who she is but she is powerful." Loki rants to his mother with a pep in his step as his passion grows on the subject, yearning for his mother's approval and opinion.

"We need to speak to your father about this."

"No! Please, Mother. Let me try to figure this out on my own. If it gets out of hand, I will request you and father's help." Loki pleads.

"Very well. As soon as it becomes an issue, I will intervene. Here, these are all of the scripts and books we have accumulated over centuries on purple auras. They're kept in the secret vault. Bring them back to me when you are done."

Three books and a few scriptures appear on the table between them.

"Yes, Mother." Loki says and she walks out of the library, slowing shutting the door closed behind her.

As soon as she's gone, he sits at the table and begins reading the books on by one.

The first sighting of the aura dates back centuries. There was a rise in sightings following the first Great War, one which took the most deaths recorded in Asgardian history.

Only the most skillful in magic were able to detect this aura. For years, the most powerful healers were unable to cure them and extract their true aura. Those effected were mainly soldiers who fought in the battle, who suffered greatly, who everything they knew and loved. This aura worked as shield around their heart, protecting them from the trauma and horrific memories, as a result, they also lost their sense of emotion.

Cases have been reported where neighbours claimed that they were once a vibrant, enthousiastic and lively people who now walked the grounds as if their souls were in a trance, trapped, lost and confused.

Only one case was reported where the dark purple aura was reversed. A mother, who sacrificed herself for her nephew, her only living relative when Frost Giants attacked Asgard. Her love for the boy pushed through the trance and made her jump in front of him, taking the blow from the giant, striking her to the ground. As she lay there, her nephew crying and holding her head, pleading her to stay alive, she professed her unconditional love for him. In her last moments, her aura turned light blue, and she smiled, tears falling down her face as she felt again before falling limp in his arms.

Though it was brief, it was still observed by many and recorded thoroughly, albeit being the one and only to ever be seen again.

Others who suffered with the dark purple aura either lived the rest of their days in that emotionless trance, fulfilling their days with meaningless tasks, or they simply stop living all together and pass away in their sleep.

The strongest soldiers who possessed magic were the most unpredictable. Some cases have been recorded of soldiers burning down entire forests, simply from a nightmare or flashback. Others have flooded entire cities while they cried at night. Their deep onset of emotions were being expressed through their magic, coming through erratically and dangerously.

As a result, it was decided by the Allfather that they must be laid to rest, to stop any further suffering to themselves and others.

A warning to any who may cross the path of a powerful soul possessing magic with a dark purple aura: Do not engage. Kill on sight. There is no hope. They only bring destruction in their path.

....

Loki flips through the remaining pages of the book only to find them blank. That was the last entry. The other scripts were detailed maps of the recorded sightings.

He closes the book with a loud thump and sits back in his chair, breathing out a long frustrated sigh. The last words replaying in his mind:

Do not engage. Kill on sight. There is no hope. They only bring destruction in their path.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once you finish your work, you open the door and notice a pair of guards following you but shrug it off as you arrive to the king's office. The guards stop and stand guard by the door.

You look back at them and shake your head, heading to your room at the back.

Once you sit on your cot you begin to decompress and meditate to ground yourself. You close your eyes and listen to the sound of your breathing and the birds chirping outside, remembering the days events. You breathe in and out deeply before your mind wanders back to an old memory, one you haven't thought of in a long time. The most heartbreaking betrayal you have ever had. It left you broken for years. The feelings begin bubbling deep inside you as anger replaces the guilt and sorrow.

I gave him everything and he tore my heart and shattered it into pieces. He gained my trust just to drug me, sell me, and throw me away like a piece of meat.

Your mind is racing as the angers builds inside you, replaying the exchange with Loki over and over again. Your anger is rising with each second until you feel a pair of hands on your shoulders. You eyes bolt open as you stare into green ones in front of you.

Loki jumps back in shock as he looks into red eyes , flames burning in the irises.

You look around and notice your room is scorched. Everything around you is burnt to a crisp, but you are unharmed.

"Hey hey it's okay." Loki tries to soothe you.

You turn to his voice and your anger flares again when you remember he read your mind without your consent.

He sees your anger build as the heat in the room begins to rise astronomically. Loki teleports to you and puts two fingers on your temples, pulling you to sleep.

As you fall limp in his arms, the temperature in the room drops.

He looks around the remnants of the room then back to your sleeping form in his arms in disbelief, his mind flashing the warning from the books behind his eyes.

Do not engage. Kill on sight. There is no hope. They only bring destruction in their path.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tag list:

@gruftiela

@elegantcheesecakecrown

@chxco-hyujin

@cheshire-salvatore-mikaelson

@i-am-amora-the-enchantress

@cakesandtom

@dorck26

@buckitostan

@princessdragon23

@classicsandfantasy

@wolfsmom1

@stardream14

@em0220

@goblingirlsarah

@meow-meowmotherfucker-blog

@huntress-artemiss

@lunazeichnet

@luxky-aish

@the-paynetrain29

#fanfic #marvel #angst #loki x reader #loki of asgard #loki odinson #loki #loki fanfiction #enemies to friends to lovers #asgardians

[the-broken-truth]

Yuu - Child of the Great Seven [5]: The Sea Witch in Octavinelle

Summary: The Sea Witch visits Mostro Lounge in Octavinelle with her trusted Eel Familiars while waiting for her child to arrive from Ramshackle. How will Azul react?

Jamil: Hey! I thought you said Scarabia was next!

Broken: Sorry about that, Jamil. Your chapter is next.

Note: To keep my sanity, the Eels shall have their canon names.

[To say that Azul Ashengrotto was trying his best to keep his composure and not fanboy right where he was standing was a complete understatement, and if he were to fanboy, could anyone honestly blame him? The Sea Witch - A Member of the Divine Great Seven & Mom to his Most Precious Pearl, Yuu - was currently standing [She's Currently In Human Form - She has Legs] in the middle of the Mostro Lounge with her hands resting on her hips as her heels clicked with each step she took through the lounge with a smile on her face.]. Floyd and Jade standing beside him while their eyes were glued on the large eels that floated around in the air while not leaving the Sea Witch's Side; using their magic to maintain a small bubble of water to keep their skin moist, they had human forms, but they preferred to remain eels.]

Flotsam: Our Lady, Most Generous Sea Witch! We must say-

Jetsam: -this place is far more interesting than we assumed it to be. However, that is to be expected-

Flotsam & Jetsam: When an ASHENGROTTO runs the show! (Laughing)

Sea Witch: Now. Now. Boys, remember to behave: We are guests here and these young men mean something to my Little Pearl.

Flotsam: Speaking of the Little Octopi, where are they hiding?

Jetsam: Yes! The Little Octopi is never late for important business!

[Just then: the door of Mostro Lounge opens and Yuu walks in with an outfit that is mixed between the Octavinelle Dorm Unform and the Sea Witch's Dress with a shell necklace around their neck.]

Yuu (Walking over to the Sea Witch): Forgive me for being late, Mom; I was trying to mentally prepare myself for today.

Sea Witch: Oh, don't worry about that, My Little Fry; your friends have been most accommodating to me. Such polite boys. [Yuu smiles as Flotsam and Jetsam swim over to them.]

Flotsam: Oh, brother! Oh, brother! Who is this I see before me?

Jetsam: The Little Octopi? Could it be?!

Flotsam: Did you come to sing and play?

Yuu: That depends: How much will you pay?

Flotsam & Jetsam (Laughing): Ah, yes! It has been a long time, Little Octopi. We thought you were going to forget the Number One Eel Rule.

Yuu, Flotsam, and Jetsam: Always profit!

Sea Witch (Claps): Oh, yes! Profit is important, but what is most important, Little Fry?

Yuu: Always make the deal fair - you'll get more business and money that way.

Sea Witch: I taught you well.

Jade: Hm. With rules like that, I can understand why the Mostro Lounge got a sudden increase in funds that day.

Azul: Day? What day?

Jade: Oh, that's right. We failed to inform you.

Floyd: Remember when ya go sick and you asked Jade and me to watch the Lounge?

Azul: I remember asking Jade.

Floyd: We're Twins! We do everything together! The thing is Jade and I asked Shrimpy to help us!

Azul: What?! Why didn't you tell me you bothered Pearl with that?!

Jade: You were sick and stressed.

Floyd: And we were bored! So, we grabbed Shirimpy when the Baby Seal wasn't looking, dragged them to Mostro Lounge, and left them there to take care of it!

Jade: Imagine our surprise when the Prefect not only managed to run the lounge with no prior experience but increased our normal sales by 3 for the consistency of a week.

Azul (Brain Loading): Daily Sales increase by 3x...for a week?

Jade: Yes. Didn't you see it in the Ledger? I wrote it down.

[Without a word: Azul went back into his office and was gone for about 10 minutes.]

Yuu (Being nuzzled by Jetsam and Flotsam): Hm... Is he okay in there?

Jade: Give him a moment.

[After another 4 minutes: Azul comes back into the Lounge.]

Yuu: There you are, Azul-senpai. (Sees a Golden Contract in Azul's Hand) What are you going to do with that?

Azul (Holds the contract out to Yuu): Sign it.

Yuu: Why?

Azul (Walks towards them like a robot): Sign it.

Yuu: I am not signing that.

Azul: Sign It! (Runs at Yuu)

Yuu: AHHH! (Runs around the Mostro Lounge with Azul chasing them)

Azul (Chasing Yuu): DON'T RUN, PEARL! THIS IS OUR DESTINY! SIGN IT!!!

Yuu (Still Running): I DON'T WANNA!

Azul: BECOME MY BUSINESS PARTNER, PEARL!!!

Yuu: I'M NOT READY FOR THAT KIND OF COMMITMENT!!!

[The Sea Witch, Leech Twins, and Eels sit in a booth and watch Azul chase Yuu around the Mostro Lounge.]

Jade: Should we help the Prefect? Azul is gaining on them.

Flotsam & Jetsam: Nope.

Sea Witch: My Little Octopi will be okay.

Floyd: Run, Little Shrimp, Run!

[One Hour Later]

Yuu (Trapped in Octo-Azul's Tentacles while being pulled into the Octopus Pot) (Clawing at the carpet): NO! NO! I WANT TO LIVE!

[Yuu gets pulled into the Pot]

Yuu (Lunges out with their hand reaching for the door): I WANT TO LIVE!!! (Gets yanked back into the Octopus Pot)

Jade: Well... We won't be seeing them for a while.

Sea Witch: Is he normally like that?

Jade: Indeed. When Azul is stressed or overworked, he uses the Prefect as a Cuddle Buddy. The Prefect was the first person who saw Azul as a decent person, even after he attempted to swindle them.

Floyd: That's Shrimpy for ya.

[In The Octopus Pot]

Octo-Azul (Hugging Yuu, who is petting his hair): Thanks for always being there for me.

Yuu: It's okay, Azul; you're kinda like the Big Brother I always wanted to have.

Octo-Azul: If that's the case... Will you sign a contract stating that I am your brother?

Yuu (Rolls Eyes): I'm not signing a contract, Azul.

Octo-Azul: Why not?

Yuu: Knowing you, you would put in the terms and conditions that I have to answer all your phone calls, have dinner with you every weekend, have study sessions with you, and I'm not allowed to date anyone who you don't approve of; and you don't approve of anyone around me. Also, I know tat you would pull the 'Elder Brother' Card on me whenever you can.

Octo-Azul: No, I wouldn't.

Yuu: What did I say about lying?

Octo-Azul: It only works for Ace, Deuce, Grim, and Floyd.

Yuu: Are you any of them?

Octo-Azul: No.

Yuu: Exactly.

[END]

#twisted wonderland #the great seven au #the great seven #yuu has magic #octavinelle #the sea witch #azul ashengrotto #floyd leech #jade leech #flotsam and jetsam

[lunajay33]

Taste for Older Men Part.2

•⚰️🍂🍑•

Summary: Growing up with you never had much interest in boys your age but when your dads best friends stuck around more everything changed

Pairing: Cowboy Negan x f!reader

Warnings: age gap, evil boyfriend

Part.1

•Masterlist•

It’s been a week since everything happened, my parents have been extremely over supportive always, when I’d come down for breakfast they’d have wide smiles and cheery voices but I couldn’t hate them for it they’re just trying to make me feel better even though I was already happier than I’ve ever been in my life

I still work everyday at Negans farm but my parents still don’t know that we’re together and we’re not quite sure how to tell them, I mean he’s my dads best friend and I don’t want to ruin that but I also can’t give up Negan he’s all I’ve ever wanted so there’s got to be a way

I was in the barn pitch forking up some loose hay when I feel Negans arms wrap around my waist

“You know if I was gonna get more help around here I’d have told you my feelings way earlier” I laugh as I lean back into his chest

“Watch yourself lil lady I’m still your boss remember”

“Oh I remember” he spins me in his arms resting my hands on his shoulders

“So how do we tell my parents I don’t want to sneak around I want to be able to be with you when we’re around other people”

“I know sunshine, old man invited me over tonight to watch football might tell him then, and you can talk to your mother” I feel nervous about this but it needs to be done

“Hopefully they don’t rip my head off”

“If they’re going that route it’ll be me they rip apart” me smiles as he leans down to kiss me his grey speckled beard scratching against my face but it was something I craved when he wasn’t around

“Come on let’s finish up our chores before you get carried away like last time” I laugh as he groans

I got home early as Negan let me off to get ready for tonight and go through everything I want to say to my mom, he wanted that time too he had more to worry about but my father is an understanding man I just home he can understand this too

I stripped off my dirty work clothes and hoped in the shower, relaxing as the dirt and sweat from the day washed away down the drain, after I was all squeaky clean I got dressed in a casual pair of black leggings and a red long sleeve shirt, putting two braids in my hair then waiting on my bed anxiously

After another hour I picked up my phone and dialed Negan, after two rings I hear his voice and everything seemed to not be as stressful

“Hey baby ya alright?”

“Yeah I’m better now, just nervous”

“Don’t stress honey I’m on my way over now, we’ll get this settled” he said with a calming tone

“Okay I’ll see you soon”

We hung up and I made my way downstairs sitting at the kitchen island waiting to hear the rumble of his truck, soon the headlights shine through the window and he’s knocking at the door

I want to rush to the door and through my arms around him but contain myself and let my dad answer, Negans technically his guest anyways

“Negan! You excited for the game buddy?” My dad asked cheerfully as he patted him on the shoulder

“You bet, I meet you in the lounge soon I’ll go say hi to your wife and y/n!”

“Always with the southern hospitality!”

Negan rounded the corner and came into the kitchen where me and my mother sat I couldn’t help the huge smile that stretched my cheeks

“Negan so wonderful to see you again, last time was a bit crazy” I looked down a little embarrassed by that whole fiasco

“Lovely to see you too, and of course my dear little farm hand” he said brushing his hand down my back out of my mothers gaze making my skin chill

“Oh Negan she’s still behaving well isn’t she?”

“Mother of course I am”

“Don’t worry she’s always a great help, got myself a lil working lady”

I look up at him with so much joy and admiration before my mother clear her throat and snaps us out of our moment

“Well here’s two beers, better get in there before he makes a big deal about us stealing you away again” she laughed handing over the beers and began left the room

I look back at my mother who had a knowing look on her face, raised eyebrow with a slight smirk

“What?”

“I’m not stupid sweetie, I’ve seen the way you looked at him since he started coming around, only recently he’s been giving you the same look soooooo you have something to tell me dear”

“Don’t be mad, what I feel for him is real, how he treats me really show how badly Mike treated me and how much Negan treats me like a goddess, he’s a good man”

“I’m not mad, I’m glad you found a man who can treat you the way you deserve, hopefully your father will look at it the same way”

I down now we wait to either hear a fight or Negan comes out smiling

“WHAT?” I hear from the lounge, oh no

I rush into the lounge seeing my dad up in Negans face and he looked more betrayed than angry

“Dad, calm down it’s okay”

“How is this okay my best friend with my daughter”

“I love her f/n” he went silent and so did I this was the first time Negans declared his love

“You love me?” I ask as I step closer

“Of course I do, you’re a wonderful woman every moment with you I feel more happier and at ease than I’ve ever been”

“I love you too sunshine” I lean up to wrap my arms around his neck and he held me tight

“F/n, you know Negan and he’ll treat her right compared to that excuse for a boyfriend she had before” my mom said then hearing my dad sigh

“I know it’s just a lot to wrap my head around, when did this happen?”

“The day we had the barbecue, he came and made me feel better about everything that happened and well our feelings just came out”

“I mean me and your mother knew how you felt about Negan it was pretty obvious, I guess I can eventually get use to this”

“My god was it that obvious?” I ask looking up at Negan and he had a sly smirk

“You didn’t make it sneaky when you’d look at me darlin”

Taglist: @azanoni @scorpioempress @fanficwriter5 @elliesr1fle @imimatcha4life @indigosparkle444

#twd fanfiction #negan smut #negan x reader #negan imagine #negan fanfiction #twd negan #the walking dead negan #negan #negan x y/n #negan x you #negan smith #negan smith series #negan smith smut #negan smith x y/n #negan smith x you #twd daryl #twd x reader #twd fluff #daryl dixon #daryl dixon x reader #daryl dixon twd #negan cowboy #Negan smith cowboy

[pinky-mouse]

The Sorrow of The Blue (Prt. 2)

Note: Sorry if this is very erratic looking. (T-T)

“You can’t just—just abduct random people!” Pearl squawked, her hands grasping at her hair as if she were ready to rip it out. Knowing her, she probably was.

“I didn’t abduct anyone,” You reply, a little taken aback by everyone’s reaction. Your face becomes crestfallen as you look around you. “I just wanted the human to meet you all. He was so wonderful to me, I thought that I should share his wisdom with you all.”

Before Pearl could get another incoherent stammer out, the door to the house swung open.

“Blue!” Greg frantically rushes out of his coastal home, his son Steven following behind him.

You smile again, looking hopeful as you bend down to look at him at a more suitable level. “Hello again, Greg. It’s been a while.”

“Hi to you too,” He nods, a trickle of sweat running down his forehead as he looks at the older man next to your form. “Blue, you can’t just take whoever you please.”

“I didn’t take him, he came willingly.” You replied softly, your eyebrows turning upward with disappointment again. “He didn’t protest at all. And he reminded me so much of you, I thought you two should become acquainted.”

Everyone around you, minus Steven and the older gentleman who you had not taken the time to know the name of sighed and shook their head.

“What’s the matter?” You ask wearily. You felt so isolated and alone all of a sudden. You’ve done something wrong again, haven’t you?

The lump in your throat returned, and you couldn’t swallow it down. Your droopy eyes began to dampen, and unbeknownst to you, the environment around began to envelop in the blue embrace of your persistent despair and hurt.

“I’m sorry,” You murmur, large tears rolling down your cheeks. “I’m sorry, please don’t look at me like that…”

No matter how many times you’ve (accidentally) affected the gems with your sorrowful energy, they’ve never gotten used to it. It was like an anchor, weighing them down to the furthest depths of the dark and cold ocean.

And that was just a crumb of your pain. Even though your ability was so strong, you still bore the brunt of it all. Nobody could understand— fathom your agony.

Except Steven. “It’s okay,” He said quietly to you, snapping you out of your daze. His hand, which was so small in comparison to your giantess figure, pressed against your cloak. “you’re going to be okay, Blue. Just tell us what happened.”

You wiped your eyes, your lips parted slightly in awe at how quickly the boy took you out of that pit of self deprecation. He was so much like Pink. You almost shed a few more tears before you shook your head.

No, answer the question. You told yourself. Stop crying, that’s enough. You’ve done enough harm already.

“I was traveling through the human cities. And I found myself in a dark little place called Gotham City.” You say slowly, as if you can’t remember what you’ve done or have been to.

“I felt so…so helpless there. There’s so much suffering there, and I couldn’t bear to witness it anymore. So I found somewhere quiet to rest.” You look for the man you had taken with you from New Jersey all the way to Beach City, a place near Ocean City, Maryland.

You don’t seem him anywhere.

“Where is the human?” You question, your eyebrow raising as you look around him. Just as you had gone from bashful to distraught, your attitude was quickly souring. “Where has he gone off to?”

Greg was missing as well.

Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, and Steven watched you get yourself worked up silently.

Your fists clenched at your sides. “Why will none of you answer me? Where is the human?”

“He’s with my dad, inside.” Steven speaks up, his hand never leaving the fabric of your garments. “Don’t worry, he’s just helping Alfred get back to his family.”

“Family?” You repeat, your own hands loosening. “Alfred, his name is Alfred. How peculiar. You humans have the strangest names.”

“Uh, sorry?” The fourteen year old apologizes sheepishly, not sure what else he could say.

Garnet shifts, her hand going up to adjust her silver shades. “You,” She begins in her cool tone. “took the butler of Bruce Wayne.”

Everyone goes silent, the only things being heard was the sounds of the waves softly crashing against the shore and the seagulls flying overhead.

“WHAT!?” Pearl wails as Amethyst snorts. “YOU KIDNAPPED A BUTLER!?”

Even Steven gasps. “The billionaire?”

“What, what’s happening?” You ask. Is there supposed to be some significance to this? You don’t get it. “Bruce Wayne? Who is that?”

“An elite, very powerful businessman.” Pearl breathes, she looks as if she’s going to faint.

Amethyst chimes in. “Yeah, we’re probably going to get into a lot of trouble when he gets here.”

Despite everything that’s happened with Steven and the Crystal Gems, a majority of people outside the city didn’t know they existed. At all. So you kidnapping the servant of a prestigious human man was going to blow everyone’s cover.

“I’m sorry,” You sigh, running a hand down your arm. You didn’t have the energy to cry. Or do anything else, really. “I’m very sorry, everyone.”

“We-we’ll figure something out, don’t worry!” Steven says encouragingly. You almost smile, had it not been for the way he immediately turned to the others with a look of worry.

Of course he was looking at you like that. Like you were pitiful. You were.

You needed to leave, you’ve done more harm than good at this point.

As you went around to the back of the house, you shrunk your form so that you were no longer as large and problematic as you had once been.

You had no clue how long you had been sitting on that large rock, letting the ocean water splash against the hem of your clothings. You still didn’t crying you refused to.

You held your head in your hands, a headache worming its way into your body. Whispers etched themselves into your mind, and your chest tightened.

The only thing that brought you back to the real world was the yelling coming from Steven, and as you lifted your head, you heard his words more clearly.

The boy was running to you, his hand outstretched and a look of fear on his face as he cried, “No! Don’t!”

‘Don’t, what?’ You wanted to ask, but before you could get the words out, before you could turn your head to see who he was pleading to, you felt a piercing stab in your stomach.

You looked down, mouth agape as you saw the sharp blade sticking out of you. Just you blinked, your mind catching up with your eyes, you went *(Poof!)*

And your gem splashed into the icy waters of the ocean.

#dc universe #steven universe #blue diamond #alfred pennyworth #jason todd #tim drake #dick grayson #damian wayne #nightwing #dc robin #red robin #red hood #batman #batfam #crystal gems #steven universe crossover

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

The Truth of the Matter

A Four Part Miniseries

@wonderland-girl143-blog @gregre369 @420-hun

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Steve, Robin, Nancy, and Chrissy stood in Steve's living room watching Eddie. He was sitting cross-legged on the coffee table pouring over his spellbook, his tongue poking out.

"You know, I have perfectly good couches," Steve said, crossing his arms, and Eddie hummed without looking at him. "He's lucky he's so cute."

"Okay. . .okay, it sounds like this spell is going to be difficult, especially with all of us, and it says I need to be. . .stronger for this. Fuck, I have to be a certain level? Well, what fucking level am I?" Eddie asked. "And how do I gain experience? More spells? You know, whoever wrote this book should have had this damn thing coded. You know, write in the margins which ones are for beginners."

"Well, considering the few spells that you have done, I think you're very much still a beginner," Robin said.

"If this is too much, we can wait. . .save up money. . . Buy plane tickets," Steve said.

"Baby, we're going to see this through, and your mother's waited long enough. . .you're worth it, Steve Harrington. . .now, shut up, I'm thinking," Eddie said.

"Oh, oh! I think I remember your father mentioning something about using magical creatures like conduits," Chrissy said.

"Yeah, no, I'm not using either one of you like that. And if my father suggested it, then I'm definitely not going to do it," Eddie scoffed.

"Well, what if we want to do it?" Steve asked.

"I can do the spell myself," he replied.

"Yeah, but it doesn't mean you should," he said.

"How in the hell is this relationship supposed to work if we're both equally stubborn?" Eddie asked with a scowl.

"Well, if we're both determined enough, we'll make it work," Steve replied.

"Eddie, it sounds like we both want to do this," Chrissy said softly.

"Are you sure?" Nancy asked.

"Very," Chrissy said, and Nancy smiled. "I want to do everything that I can to help Steve find his mom or dad. Not just because we're both fae but because it's the right thing to do."

"Thanks, Chrissy," Steve said softly and then paused. "Wait, what do you mean, mom or dad? My dad's dead, remember?"

"Oh. Did I not mention?" Chrissy asked with a frown.

"Mention what?" He asked.

"Fae can have children with anyone regardless of their gender. I had two mothers," Chrissy replied. "And some fae are what they themselves call genderfluid. . .depending on what they feel like. So, this person could be your mother, father, or both. Being transgender and queer is also more commonly accepted amongst fae. It's because of their beliefs that the fae had to remain hidden in the shadows, hiding with their illusion and glamor magic. They would come out of the shadows to help lost humans, whether they be fae, humans, or Wiccans, especially if they're children and rejected by their community because of who they love."

"Wow," Steve breathed. "Okay, so you know a lot more than I do."

"Do the fae have like their own city or country I could move to?" Robin asked.

"I don't know. If they do, it's probably hidden," Chrissy said. "There wasn't much in my mother's journal."

"Okay, let's do this shit. . .let's go find this Steve’s mommy or daddy. . .even more so now. Although, I suddenly realized that I'm going to be meeting my boyfriend's parent for the first time, and I hadn't even taken him on a date yet," Eddie said.

"And I just found out that my girlfriend neglected to tell me that she could get me pregnant," Nancy said.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! It slipped my mind. . .I was going to tell you, and then this happened," Chrissy said, looking guilty. "And besides, we can only get each other pregnant if we both wanted to. . .no accidents!"

"I figured you were going to say something like that when Mike barged into the house," Nancy said, wrapping an arm around her waist. "I'm messing with you, baby."

"I can get Steve pregnant!" Eddie yelped.

"Down boy, buy me dinner first," Steve said dryly.

"Okay, let's get to Lenora Hills before I get completely distracted," Eddie said. "Nancy, focus, and then we can study fae anatomy later. . ."

"I'm so getting a better grade than you," Nancy smirked, and Chrissy giggled.

"Fuck off, Wheeler!"

Lenora Hills, California. . .

"Fuck!" Eddie screamed.

He dropped Steve and Chrissy's hands immediately as he fell to his knees. Eddie bent over and began to make retching sounds. Steve pulled his hair back just as he vomited. He wiped Eddie's face with a tissue Chrissy gave him and helped him stand up. Eddie's whole body shuddered, and Steve wrapped his arms around him to hold him up. Steve watched as the other man's eyes turned purple.

"Eddie?" Steve asked.

"Is anyone else hearing music?" Eddie asked as blood gushed from his nose. "Did I just gain another level? Hmm, maybe it's something I ate."

Eddie's fading purple eyes rolled back into his head, and he collapsed into Steve’s arms. Steve picked him and held him close.

"I don't want to be a bummer, but I think Eddie missed by a few blocks," Robin said.

"Well, it was his first time performing the spell," Steve said. "Let's go."

They finally found the house they were looking for, and when they did, they discovered that the front door had been left wide open. Someone had clearly left in a hurry. When they entered, they found it in a stay of disarray, like someone had packed quickly. It was similar to the one in Indianapolis, except the furniture had been left behind. Drawers were opened and emptied. . .papers and takeout menus were littering the floor. Someone had clearly lived here a while, but it looked as though someone had left recently. Steve hurried to lay Eddie on the couch for a moment. He cleaned his face and listened closely to make sure he was just sleeping. He was.

"Is he okay?" Nancy asked.

"Yeah, just sleeping. That spell took a lot out of him," Steve replied. "Let him sleep, and we can look around. Maybe whoever left here is going to come back."

Of course, they searched the house for hours and came up with nothing. Robin, Nancy, and Chrissy let Eddie have the bedroom in the back, considering he drained his batteries getting them all to California. He laid Eddie on the bed and sprawled out next to him. He watched the man snore loudly before flopping onto his stomach. Steve ran his hand over his back, smiling when Eddie sighed in his sleep. He laid down on the pillow, wondering if his parent had laid their head on this very pillow. Steve closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Steve was dreaming. He was sure of it. He felt smaller than usual, and he was lying in a . . . Cage? No, a crib. He was a baby, and he was looking up at his mobile made of stars. A face appeared above him. It was a younger, fresher faced Bob Newby. He had hazel eyes just like Steve.

"He's made of stars just like you," Bob said proudly.

"Freckles and moles, my love," a garble voice said.

"Stars, stars to guide his way back to us," Bob said softly.

"He's not going to be like the others, I won't allow it," the voice said.

"There's more of them than there are of us," Bob said sadly. "It's happening more and more lately."

"Bobby. . ."

Wait, was his other parent British? Steve tried to reach for them as they moved closer to the crib.

"I'm right here," Steve tried to call out. "I'm right here!"

When he woke up, Eddie was staring at him.

"Hey, you feeling any better?" Steve asked as he immediately sat up.

"A little, but I don't think I'm at full power yet," Eddie said. "I'm fucking hungry."

"Yeah, okay, we get out of here, and we can find something to eat," Steve said.

"Just a moment," Eddie yawned.

He pulled Steve closer to him and nuzzled his neck. Eddie pressed his lips there, peppering his soft skin with tiny kisses. Steve sighed for a moment and leaned into it. He rolled over onto his side to face Eddie.

"Why are you going through all this trouble? I mean, I know you care about me, but we barely started whatever this is, and you're nearly killing yourself to help me," he said.

"I don't know. . .I mean, I guess it's because of the assumptions I made about you but also because I would give anything. . .chase any lead that gives me any hope that my mama's alive and looking for me. She's not, though. She's been dead for a long time. I can't do it for myself, but I can do it for you," Eddie replied.

Steve wrapped his arm around him, pulled him closer, and kissed him deeply. He poured every ounce of affection he had for the man into that kiss. He broke away and leaned his forehead against his.

"Come on, let's see what the girls are up to," Steve said.

They wandered into the kitchen to find Nancy, Chrissy, and Robin leaning over a phone book.

"Eddie!" Chrissy exclaimed. "How are you doing?"

"Better once I get some food in me," Eddie said.

"Well, we were actually going to order something. I was thinking pizza. Laura never lets me have any," Chrissy said.

"Pizza sounds fucking awesome," Eddie exclaimed.

As they waited for the pizza to arrive, they sat in the living room to discuss their options. Eddie still needed to recharge and get some food in him before doing any sort of spells. In the meantime, they wait it out here and see if the person comes back. Steve was trying not to get his hopes up, but the closer they got to find his parent, the more hopeful he got. Robin leaned over the arm rest of the couch. Nancy, Chrissy, and Eddie were talking amongst themselves.

"You doing okay?" Robin asked.

"Trying to keep it all in, you know?" Steve said and paused. "I had a dream about my dad, about Bob. I think it was a memory. I couldn't see my other parent, but I know they were British, and Bob said I was made of stars like them. They have moles like me. . .what else did I get from them? Will I ever see them again? Do they know what happened to Bob?"

"I'm sure that you'll find your way back to each other," Robin said.

"That's what Dad said. . .that my stars would guide my way back to them," Steve said. "It was happening to so many fae children. . . They knew it was going to happen to them."

"You're going to find each other," Robin said softly.

Before Steve could say anything else, the doorbell rang. Nancy went to answer it but paused when they heard arguing coming from the other side. Steve shared a look with Nancy.

"Is that Jonathan?" Steve asked.

"I didn't even think about it," Nancy laughed quietly. "I ordered from Surfer Boy."

"Argyle! What are the odds that my ex-girlfriend is here in Lenora Hills while my current boyfriend is the one delivering her pizzas?" they heard Jonathan yell. "It is not the same Nancy Wheeler. She's still in Hawkins."

"Man, fate has a funny way of bringing people together!" Argyle laughed loudly.

Nancy covered her giggle with her hand and went to answer the door, but Chrissy stopped her. Chrissy pulled the front door open and grinned.

"Hi, I'm Nancy Wheeler," she laughed.

"Oh, shit, man, you were right," Argyle said.

"No. . .that's Chrissy Cunningham. She goes to Hawkins High," Jonathan said.

"Oh, what are the odds?" He asked, and Jonathan elbowed him in the side.

Nancy nudged Chrissy out of the way and appeared in the doorway.

"Nancy?!" Jonathan asked.

"Hey, Jonathan," Nancy said meekly.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"It's a long story," Nancy said. "And I'll tell you later, I promise."

Jonathan looked at her doubtfully and then looked at Argyle before sighing. He knew that something strange was up, but he couldn't say it in front of Argyle. He accepted their tip and dragged Argyle back to the yellow van, leaving them with their pizzas. Once they ate, Eddie took a nap, and when he awoke again, he started to work on doing the location spell again. Eddie looked down at the paper and made a disgruntled sound with his mouth.

"What?" Steve asked.

"It says Hawkins, but it doesn't give me an address. . .just a bunch of random letters and numbers. It's like someone doesn't want us to know. . .hm, maybe there's a spell preventing us from knowing," Eddie said.

"Well, people place runes on the fae children to prevent the parents from finding them. Maybe they put runes on their houses too," Chrissy said.

"Shit, maybe it's my house or rather the Harringtons," Steve scoffed.

"Well, the only thing left to do is to check it out," Eddie said. "I'll start preparing the spell to travel back to Hawkins."

"Eddie, are you sure you're well enough for that?" Steve asked.

Eddie smiled. He cupped Steve’s face and pressed a hard kiss to his lips before he leaned his forehead against his.

"I'm fine, big boy."

Once they were in Hawkins, Eddie once again vomited and collapsed. They were just outside of Steve’s house. Steve picked him up and carried him into the house. Eddie's eyes fluttered open, and he groaned as he tried to sit up.

"Eddie!" Steve exclaimed. "You should be resting."

"I don't want to miss this," Eddie said sleepily, wiping the blood from under his nose.

Before Steve could say anything else, they heard a figure coming from upstairs. Everyone downstairs tensed up, preparing for a fight. A woman entered the room. Her hair was long and carmel colored with warm golden highlights like Steve’s with moles scattered across her tan skin. She had Steve’s nose and his lips, but her eyes were a bright blue. Her flowered colored dress was as blue as her eyes.

"You're my mom," Steve gasped.

"Today, anyway," she smiled Steve’s smile.

Steve ran into her arms without even thinking. She hugged him tightly, sobbing. This felt right. . .her hug held more warmth than the hugs he received from the Harringtons, theirs being nothing more than cold detachment. His mother's hug felt like home. He could feel her now, too, in the back of his mind. There were so many emotions going through his head, and there was one question that was on his forefront of his mind. He pulled back, tears in his eyes.

"I don't even know your name," Steve said.

"Farran Kelley," she laughed, tears in her own eyes, and she tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. "Oh, you have your father's eyes."

"Yours too," Steve grinned as he felt his eyes glow green.

Farran laughed as her eyes glowed green as well.

"Your father was a fairy too, you know," she chuckled, and her smile dropped. "He should be here. . ."

"I'm sorry. . .I was there. . . I mean, I didn't watch him die, but I was in the middle of all of it," Steve frowned.

"Well, we warned the humans for years about meddling with that world. . .if I had known you were in the middle of all of it. . .I missed so much," Farran said sadly. "You're so grown."

"There's so much left to teach me. I still don't know everything there is to know about being a fairy," Steve said.

"Oh, so many wonderful things," Farran said and cupped his face. "My sweet boy. . .however, did you get that rune removed?"

"That was me!" Eddie exclaimed, waving from his spot on the couch.

Farran peered around Steve with a grin. Steve moved beside Eddie, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Mom, this is - "

"Eddie, my God, you've grown so much!" Farran said delightfully. "I haven't seen you since you were an ankle biter."

"You know me!" Eddie exclaimed.

"I was mates with your mum," Farran said.

"You were at her funeral!" He realized. "If you were friends with my mom, then why would my dad. . .I know he's an asshole. . ."

"So, you figured out that he was the one who kidnapped my son?" She asked.

"Well, I had to remove the rune that was on his back, and I had to be blood related, so. . .and kidnapping fae children is the kind of shit my dad would do," Eddie scowled.

He sat all the way up, and Farran sat down next to him.

"Your father loved your mother very much. She was the only person in the world who could make him cut all his bullshit but even though he loved her. . .he still didn't treat her very well. He left her all the time, and I was there for her when she had all those miscarriages. She had complications when she gave birth to you, and after that, it was harder to get pregnant. I did what I could being a fae healer, but not even magic has the answers to everything. It's something your father could never understand. Lizzie and I became close when she got to town. I was there when Al refused to be. That's what really drove him mad. He couldn't forgive himself for it. When I became pregnant, Lizzie became so excited. She hoped our children would be friends. A few months after we had you, Steve was taken from us. I didn't believe it at the time that Al had anything to do with, but his jealousy had been too obvious over the years. He always thought there was something between Lizzie and I, but she had become enamored with someone else. Even though Bobby and I split up, my heart always belonged to him," Farran said.

"My father's a dick," Eddie spat, and then his furious face fell. "Is there anything redeemable about my dad?"

"There's a part of me that still hopes that his love for Lizzie, for you, and Wayne will wake him up, but the rational part of me knows that will probably never happen. You know that you look like him, but I always knew that you got your heart from your mother even when you were a child," Farran said. "It's not wrong to hope that your father might do the right thing by you or the right thing, period."

"It's a small world, isn't it? You were best friends with my mother, and now I'm dating your son," Eddie laughed, and then he slapped a hand over his mouth. "I've gotten a little too comfortable."

"It's alright," Steve grinned.

"Oh! That's wonderful," Farran gasped. "Oh, Lizzie would be so happy!"

"Don't get too excited, mom. It's only been - wait, what day is it?" Steve asked and paused. "Eddie's only recently found out he's a witch, but he's the reason we found each other at all. He's exhausted himself so much to do it."

"Definitely Elizabeth's son," Farran said fondly. "Oh, sweetheart, you look exhausted. We should probably get back to my house. Steve, we should probably get you back to our house."

"We have a house?" Steve asked.

"Well, your father's family home. It's nestled out in the woods," Farran said. "You and your friends are more than welcome to come with us."

"OH! Mom, these are my friends. Well, Nancy's my ex-girlfriend, but now she's one of my best friends," Steve said, and Nancy smiled softly at him. "This is Chrissy. She's also a kidnapped fae child."

"If you don't mind, how did you know Steve’s name?" Nancy asked. "Didn't he have a different one?"

"No, Steve is the name we gave him. It was my father's. I guess the Harringtons were too lazy to change it," she replied, scowling.

"Oh! And this is my best friend in the whole world, my platonic soulmate, Robin Buckley," Steve grinned.

"Hi, Steve’s mom!" Robin exclaimed, hitting his chest. "I told you would find each other, dingus!"

Farran laughed and hugged her tightly.

"So, we're going to your house then?" Eddie asked.

"Steve, is there anything that you want to bring?" Farran asked.

"Oh, I've been wanting to leave for a while now. What I need is already packed," Steve grinned and ran up the stairs.

He came back downstairs with his hands carrying two large suitcases. He had the largest grin on his face. Farran helped Eddie up while Chrissy did the same on his other side as Farran promised Chrissy that she would teach her all about being a fae.

"How are we getting there?" Eddie asked.

"By car," Farran said. "Why? Did you think I had a carriage being pulled by unicorns?"

"Well, now I don't," Eddie scoffed, looking disappointed.

"Unicorns live in Scotland," Farran replied with a laugh. "And are a protected species."

"They're real," Eddie gasped with delight.

Steve laughed as he followed them to the front door. He walked out the front door with them, leaving the name Harrington behind. The name Newby-Kelley slid back into place. He was going home.

Months later. . .After the spring break from hell. . .

Steve stumbled through the trees, clutching his sides. Despite all the medicines Farran used on his son, the bites still hurt.

"It's just up ahead," Steve said.

"So, why did you move?" Hopper asked.

"It's my family home," Steve said.

"Figures John Harrington has more than one home in Hawkins," Hopper snorted.

"John Harrington isn't my father," he sighed. "He never was. Him and his wife hired someone to kidnap me. This is my real family home."

"Jesus," Joyce said.

"It's okay. I found my parents. I mean, my father is dead, but my other father, who is also sometimes my mother, is very much alive and is waiting for us," Steve said.

"I'm lost," Hopper said.

"No, it's just up ahead," he replied.

"That's not what I - "

It was a spacious four bedroom cottage type house in the woods with a stone pathway leading up the front door. Vines covered the house, sealing over every opening as though they were protecting it. There were vines sprouting around the house like a bubble as well. Steve approached the vines, and his eyes glowed green. The vines moved to create a doorway for them.

"What the hell?" Jonathan asked. "Hey, does this have anything to do with you guys being in Lenora a few months ago?"

"You were in Lenora?" Joyce asked.

"We were tracking down my father," Steve said. "We had to come back to Hawkins, though, because he had been tracking me too and tracked my last location to the Harringtons. He was my mother then."

"I'm lost again," Hopper said.

"Man, we're here," Steve said. "How are you getting lost? You're right behind me."

Hopper sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Joyce laughed and patted his arm.

"I think he doesn't understand about your parent being both your mother and your father," Joyce said.

"Oh! Some faes can change their gender if they wish. Today, Farran Kelley is a man," Steve said. "He's been my father the last few weeks."

"Faes. . .as in fairies?" Will asked.

"Oh, yeah, I'm not human," Steve grinned. "Let's get inside, and we can talk about this."

They went inside the brick house where they were led into an open space living room and kitchen. On the other end of the house was a fireplace where a cool, blue fire crackled. The walls were lined with shelves, and the shelves were stuffed with books. Pictures hung on the walls very neatly. Sitting on the couch in front of the fire was Nancy. Robin and Vickie sat on either side of her, rubbing her back as she cried. Steve felt his chest tighten painfully. Mike pushed his way through the group and ran towards his sister. Farran came down the stairs with Dustin. It always startled Steve to see how much Farran looked like him as a man. It was a good thing, though.

"Holy shit, is that a picture of Bob?" Jonathan said as he glanced at a picture on the wall.

"It is," Joyce said. "Why do you have a picture of Bob?"

"He was my husband," Farran said. "And this was his family home."

"Bob never said he was married," Joyce said, frowning.

"Divorced. We split after Steve was taken from us," Farran said.

"Steve is Bob's son?!" Will asked.

"He never said. . . ," Joyce trailed off. "Actually, he said he didn't have kids he was aware of."

"Steve was kidnapped and hidden from us by wiccan magic. We searched for years, and then Bob stayed here, waiting for him to come home, never knowing he was right in front of us," Farran said softly.

"He does have Bob's eyes," she said as she smiled at the both of them.

"I'm glad Bobby had love in his life before he died," Farran said, patting her hand.

"Okay, tell us everything from the beginning," Hopper sighed.

Farran shared a look with his son before launching into the story.

". . . And we did everything we could, but Vecna overpowered us," Farran said.

"Eddie. . .," Steve choked. "He and Chrissy. . .they died."

Suddenly, everything was hurting. Eddie wouldn't be here anymore. Steve wouldn't wake up next to him. . .no more dinners with Farran, Wayne, and Eddie. It would he a somber affair now with a piece of their family missing. No Chrissy coming in with Nancy to join them. No more double dating with Nancy and Chrissy. No double wedding under fae law. They were supposed to travel to Saoradh, the hidden land of the fae, this summer. Not to get married yet (that was far off) but to view the beautiful land and all it had to offer. Chrissy and Steve were supposed to learn more about their magic, their ancestors. Now, Chrissy was gone, and so was Eddie. Eddie.

"I'm so sorry," Joyce said softly.

Steve glanced at Nancy, who was hugging Jonathan tightly. Argyle stood somberly off to the side. Nancy pulled away and shared a glance with Steve. They moved towards each other. Nancy threw her arm around Steve, still crying. Steve sniffled and wrapped his arms around Nancy. What was going to happen now?

"I am here now," El said. "And I am stronger than ever. I believe together we can destroy Henry."

Meanwhile, in the Upside Down. . .

A figure jumped down into the gate from the Munsons' trailer. The hooded figure moved outside and glanced at the red sky filled with lightning. He pulled the hood down. Al Munson moved through the Upside Down, not stopping until he came to his son's body. He fell to his knees and placed his hands on Eddie's cold forehead.

"I've fucked up, son. I've done everything wrong, and I let my anger get the best of me. I wasn't there for your mom, not the way I should have, and I spent so much time blaming other people. You shouldn't have had to pay for my mistakes. There's one thing that I did right, and that was bringing you into this world with your mom. There's one other thing that I could do, and that's bringing you back. . . I still have time. It's going to take everything that I've got," Al said. "I love you."

Al cut up his son's shirt and began painting runes on his chest. Al took off his shirt before painting the same rune on his chest. He opened his spellbook and began chanting. Al felt his lifeforce begin to flow out of him, purple light floating from his chest. With the spell, Al told it where to go. The light began to pour into Eddie's rune. The last bit of light escaped Al's body and went into his son's. He collapsed on the ground, and as he took his last breath, Eddie gasped for his. Eddie awoke, clutching his chest. Shit, didn't the bats eat him alive? There were no wounds. . .only purple scars. Eddie turned his head to find his father's lifeless eyes staring back at him.

"Dad?" Eddie asked and knelt over him. "Dad?!"

Eddie sobbed. He already knew what Al did for him. . .but why? Why?! Eddie hated him for so many reasons, but now he was grateful to him. It was twice now that this man gave him life. Eddie sat up and took his dad's hand only to discover there was a note in his palm.

"I know sorry isn't going to be enough for how much I fucked up. I let you down so many times. Let Lizzie down. If you've discovered what I've done. . .no apology is ever going to be good enough to make up for what I did to those kids. On this paper, there is a list of names. Kids I sold, witches who have also sold kids. . Do with it what you will. You're already a better man than I am. . .I love you, kid. I know wherever your mom is. She's proud of you. Your story isn't over yet."

A couple of hours later. . .

Everyone stood their ground in the woods. Steve was fighting off the demogorgons and the demobats. His father was fighting beside him. Red lightning flashed over head. Steve held his nailbat, his eyes glowing green as emerald flames erupted around his bat. He swung the bat and hit a demogorgon. It whimpered as it hit the tree and exploded into green flames. More demogorgons came out from the trees, ready to pounce. The party was surrounded. The demogorgons launched themselves into the air.

"ENOUGH!" Henry's voice rang out.

They all heard him but they couldn't see him. The demogorgons paused, standing before them and waiting for their next orders. Steve scanned the treelines for any sign of the bastard. Silence fell as the party gathered together in a circle, back to back. Dustin was one side of him while Farran was on the other. Suddenly, they heard footsteps move closer, the snapping of branches echoing throughout the forest. She appeared, her eyes red and her smile menacing.

"Chrissy," Nancy gasped.

Fred followed after her, then came Patrick, and finally, Max.

"Max," Lucas gasped and moved to get to her, but Nancy grabbed his arm.

"Let me introduce you to my wonderful puppets. . .why would I kill them when I can use them for their power? Oh, I would have gotten to you too, Steve. . .if it hadn't been for Eddie. . .I had to do away with him - "

Suddenly, Henry was cut off by the sound of music. . .specifically the strumming of a guitar. Purple smoke, flashing with light, started to spill through the trees.

"What the fuck?" Will asked.

The purple smoke surrounded Chrissy, Fred, Patrick, and Max. Amongst the smoke, their eyes turned a bright, furious green. The smoke swirled around the bats and the demogorgons as well.

"NO! NO! NO!" Henry screamed as he appeared through the smoke. "WHAT IS THIS?!"

A shadowy figure appeared and started moving towards them. The music got louder and louder until a person appeared carrying a guitar covered in runes. Steve grinned at the familiar guitar and at the ring covered hands playing them. He recognized those hands. He came out of the smoke like a god, his eyes a furious purple and his grin feral. He was shirtless and covered in runes.

"Eddie," Steve gasped.

Eddie grinned and began to sing his spells. He was an angel and devil. Both menacing and beautiful. Steve was ready to get down on his knees for Eddie right then and there. The demogorgons and the demobats turned on Henry. Chrissy, Fred, Patrick, and Max all turned on him as well.

"NO! YOU'RE SUPPOSE TO BE MINE!" Henry screamed.

"We belong to no one," Chrissy said.

Her hands lit up with green flames. She Fred's then Fred took Patrick's, and then Patrick took Max's. All their hands glowed with a bright green flame, and they shot out at Henry. The green flames encircled him, and he screamed as they began licking at him, burning his flesh. The demogorgons growled and dove into the flames along with the demobats. They all began tearing at his flesh, not caring that they were dying in the process. They all watched the flames until everything died out. Henry Creel was dead. The purple smoke was gone now, and the skies had cleared. Lucas rushed to Max immediately, hugging her tightly. Max crashed her lips to his. Nancy ran to Chrissy and immediately jumped into her arms, wrapping her legs around her waist. She kissed Chrissy deeply, shaking with sobs. Chrissy gripped Nancy's thigh and pressed her up against a tree to steady her. Steve stood and stared at Eddie in shock. The runes disappeared from him and his guitar. Eddie gave his guitar to Dustin.

"I'm real, big boy," Eddie said softly.

Steve let out a sob, and Eddie pulled him close. He dipped Steve and kissed him. Unable to keep their balance, Steve and Eddie stumbled to the ground.

"Well, hell, is anyone going to kiss us?" Patrick asked.

"We could kiss each other," Fred joked.

Patrick stared at him, and the smile slipped off of Fred's face. Patrick grinned as he looked him up and down.

"Yeah, okay, you're cute," Patrick said.

"What?! I mean. . .yeah!"

FIVE YEARS LATER. . .Saoradh. . .

Steve couldn't believe he was here, standing in his homeland with Chrissy, Eddie, and Nancy. Robin brought Vickie as well. All of their family and friends were there, including all of the fae children they had saved over the years. It had taken Eddie, Steve, Chrissy, and Nancy traveling in a cramped RV all over the country to find them all. Eddie hadn't been able to use his magic all the time. He was still amazed every time they came here. Steve gazed at the purple and pink sky, sighing happily. This is it.

"You nervous?" Robin's voice asked.

"Not at all," Steve grinned.

"He's totally nervous," Dustin said.

He pulled his head from the window and back into the small wooden building. He turned towards Robin and Dustin, glaring playfully.

"I'm ready for this," Steve said and tucked his hair behind his ears.

He clipped the fairy wings to his ears and checked his makeup in the mirror one last time. It had been centuries since the fae had lost their wings, but they still made sure to remember they once had them. Steve adjusted his yellow suit. It had been tough choosing between the suit and the fairy wedding robes, especially since the robe had lovely flowing sleeves. Steve chose the suit because his ass looked great in the pants, and he loved to see Eddie drool. Steve was more than willing to wear the jewelry, and if he knew Eddie, which he did, he had chosen the long flowing robes. Farran popped her head in, wearing fairy robes with glittering and moving flowers. Her carmel hair was piled on top of her head, with strands of hair framing her face.

"Oh, you look so beautiful, my love," Farran gasped.

"Thanks, Mama," Steve grinned. "You look beautiful too."

"Oh, I can't believe this is happening. Bobby and Lizzie should be here to see this," Farran said tearfully.

"In a way, I think they are," Steve grinned. "I feel them."

Farran patted his cheek and pulled him down to kiss his forehead.

"Are you ready?" She asked.

"Yeah."

Farran took his arm and led him outside. Dustin ran ahead to stand beside Eddie as his best man. Robin took Steve’s other arm.

"Hey, you're supposed to be my best man," Steve said in amusement.

"I've decided to give you away as well," Robin said. "I feel like it's my right as your platonic soulmate."

Farran and Steve laughed. Farran and Robin led Steve towards a cluster of trees. The tree branches moved aside, opening up to a large clearing where a lot of people were gathered. Eddie was up there already, Wayne crying and trying to get him to settle down. He adjusted Eddie's red, long flowing robes before stepping aside. Dustin was grinning with tears in his eyes. There was a large space next to them where Fred was standing up as Nancy's best man, and Patrick was standing up as Chrissy's. The music had already started. Nancy appeared first in her pastel blue suit, and her wild curls set loose. Ted and Karen stood on either side of her, crying. Steve watched as they led her down the aisle, and he laughed when Eddie high fived her before she got in place.

Next came Chrissy in her pink pastel suit, and her strawberry blonde hair loose around her shoulders. Argyle was happily giving her away, laughing when Eddie high fived her too. Finally, Steve was next. Farran and Robin guided him down the aisle where Eddie was waiting for him. With tears in his eyes, Steve couldn't help but think about how all of this started. Eddie had been in robes then, too, clueless about the unknown. He had guided Steve home, led him to discovering the truth about himself, and in the process, they had done so much good. It doesn't matter where you were, really, the people who were the most important to you, they were what made a house a home. As Steve walked towards Eddie, he had the same feelings as he did the day he met Nancy, the day Dustin came into his life, the same emotions swirling around him when he became friends with Robin and it was like when he hugged his mom for the first time since he was a baby. The truth of the matter. . .is that coming home happens more than once, and Steve was lucky to get so many.

#stranger things #eddie munson #steve harrington #stranger things s4 #joseph quinn #eddie stranger things #eddie munson lives #steddie #steve x eddie #steve harrington x eddie munson #bisexual steve harrington #bisexual eddie munson #lesbian robin buckley #robin & steve #platonic soulmates #platonic with a capital p #platonic stobin #nancy wheeler #chrissy cunningham #nancy wheeler x chrissy cunningham #sleuthcheer #pansexual nancy wheeler #bisexual chrissy cunningham #the party #dustin henderson #henderfam #stranger things fanfiction #rueleigh writes

[ripleylove]

Better Judgement

pairing: Rhea Ripley x fem!reader.

genre: angst (i swear ill make some fluff)

summary: during a hot day of August,you discover you were just another option for Rhea.

A/N: guess what? This is based off better judgement by wendy! (I really get inspired by songs if u didnt notice) ALSO!! I appreciate the support every single one of you gave me onmy first post!! I love you <3 hope u like it!!

⋆ ˚｡⋆𔓘⭒๋࣭

You still remembered all of it very vividly.

The purple sunrise,her icy blue eyes,her pure smile that made her eyes look like crescents,the days where you laughed with her until you cried,and her love for you.

Both of you were inexperienced child-like adults,and you didn't know if your relationship would last. After all,it was,for you and Rhea,your very first serious relationship.

You met during the hot and fun months of summer,precisely in July,and Rhea didn't need to do much to slowly become your first love. She made you discover what true love was,but she also made you experience a huge heartbreak.

Your relationship with her was like an unfinished book,but you had to bid her farewell after what she did.

It was a hot Sunday of August, you and Rhea went,as usual,to the beach to have your familiar fun with the sand and the water.

"Hi,little strawberry!" She waved at you. She used to call you strawberry because your cheeks would always become as red as strawberries when you were with her or when she gave you a kiss (and she loved it).

You ran to her,your favourite book now forgotten on the sand,and gave her a very tight hug. Your left cheek was squished against her shoulders,while your arms circled gently her waist,longing to feel her warmth and her touch.

"Come on,let's sit on that bench." You took her hand in yours,and you pulled her to a nearby bench.

But,as you started to notice her expression, she looked a bit off. "Rhea,are you okay? You look nervous. Did something happen at home?" You asked her with worry evident in your voice,and you watched as she gulped.

"No,nothing happened at home,but I need to tell you something." She said while still looking on edge. You encouraged her to go on with a nod of your head.

"So-" Rhea's speech got interrupted by a high-pitched and girly voice. A girl with beautiful melanin skin,and soft-looking wavy hair came to sit beside Rhea,and kissed your girlfriend's plump cheek.

"Who's this girl?" The new addition to your and Rhea's little date asked,but she didn't even give Rhea time to answer before she continued. "Oh! I'm sorry,I didn't even introduce myself. My name is Ilenia and I'm Rhea's girlfriend." She said with a beautiful smile,with her cute dimples coming out. But wait,she was what?

You looked at Rhea with a confused expression,waiting for an explanation. She was panicking, and she hurriedly took your hand and started to drag you off from that bench. You heard Ilenia calling for Rhea,but she didn't dare to turn around.

She brought you behind a tree far from her girlfriend and started to talk.

"I-I don't know what to say. This isn't how I wanted to tell you,but-" You interrupted her speech,and started yours.

"So what you're telling me is that I'm your side chick? Are you kidding me?" She didn't answer,but she just nodded her head. So you really were her side chick.

"I hate you,fuck the hell off. And,at least, tell your girlfriend how the situation really was between me and you,have respect for her and her time." Your tears were threatening to spill at any moment,but you managed to hold them until you started walking away from Rhea. That was really your breaking point.

You put a hand over your mouth to try to silence your sobs,but there wasn't any way to hold them in. You were devastated,after all the kisses,the affection, the laughs and the moments togheter, for her you were just a side chick?

You started to realise that everything in the world always changes,like the places where you laughed and cuddled with Rhea,or your feelings for her.

You knew it was a bad goodbye,but it was meant to happen.

"Now I don't want you."

#rhea ripley x reader #rhea ripley oneshot #rhea ripley #rhea ripley angst #rhea ripley imagine

[mysilaan]

Hi!! Could I request some headcanons for Thomas (MCL NG), when he starts falling in love with Candy/Ysaline? 💕 Thank you

I had a hard time imagining it ‘cause… I DON’T KNOW ??? So I just decided to write some kind of ‘chapter 2’ of my last Thomas headcanon ⭐

(note : if you want to read the part.1, there's a "mcl ng headcanons" category on my blog to find it more easily)

__

THOMAS MCL NG HEADCANON PART.2 🍒

⭐

As promised, after a long day at work, Thomas was waiting for you in order to give you a ride on his motorbike. You had to admit that you spent most of the day thinking about this long-awaited evening. You joined your colleague at the exit and greeted him with your best smile. “I hope I didn’t make you wait too long.” you asked. “It’s okay.” You were now used to Thomas' way of ‘making conversation’; you remembered how impolite you found him when you first joined Devenmentiel, but you eventually ended up understanding that it was not in his intention to be rude: it was just the way Thomas was. When you finally reached his motorcycle, he opened the trunk and handed you a black helmet as he put his on. You thanked him and put it on your head properly… or you thought so… Thomas’ hands approached your face without any warning. You stepped back a little, startled at first, but accepted it when you realized he just wanted to tighten the straps correctly. “Oh… Thank you.” The moment was a bit awkward as Thomas scrutinized your face to see if your helmet was on properly without saying anything. “We’re good.” he finally said. He hopped on his bike and gestured for you to do the same. You slid behind him and put your hands around his waist, which made him tense up a little. “Sorry! Do you want me to put my hands somewhere else?” “No, it’s fine… Which restaurant did you choose to go to?” “Oh, right !” You almost forgot to give him the address. Once you did, you both were ready to ride through the city. Feeling the motorcycle growl beneath you was absolutely thrilling, and as you finally started moving, the adrenaline filled your head. Thomas wasn’t riding too fast, considering he had a passenger, but he was still going at a thrilling speed to your delight. It wasn’t the first time you were riding a motorbike with someone, but the sensation was always the same: it was liberating and immensely soothing. You were even slightly disappointed when you parked up in front of the restaurant. As the two of you took off your helmets, Thomas was about to ask you what you thought about the ride, but seeing your ear-to-ear smile was answer enough. He smiled to himself, satisfied that you liked it, which you decided to express verbally anyway. “It was insane! I absolutely loved the sensation! I’m tempted to get my license and buy one myself now…” “Why don’t you?” he asked honestly as you were heading in the restaurant. “Uhh... Lack of time? Or will… I don’t really know. It's something I always wanted to do but never had the courage to. Watching other people is cool, but once I'm in control, I find it pretty terrifying... Same for cars, that’s why I still take the bus,” you laughed.

The conversation paused as a waiter led you to your table and gave you the menu, but Thomas continued it anyway. “I understand it seems scary, but at the beginning, you have instructors all around you. Once you understand how it works, it's easy to trust yourself.” “Yeah, I know… But the hardest part with these things is taking the first step.” Thomas simply nodded, his eyes were fixed on an invisible point, he was deeply thinking about something but his attention quickly went back to you. During the dinner, you had the chance to talk about things other than work with Thomas. It was mainly about motorcycles at first, but the subject ended up drifting away, and you found more interests in common to talk about. You listened to him talk about his passion for hacking things, with that rare spark in his eyes that always appeared when he talked about something he liked. In return, he listened to you talk about your hobbies with genuine interest. It felt nice having someone listen to you without being judgmental. You left the restaurant, knowing a little more about each other and wanting to know even more. It was a strange feeling, as if your mind were connected at that moment and that, without talking, you were telling the other that this won't be the last time you’d go out together. Something even scraped the back of your mind. Could you consider this a date? But you chased away the thought, blushing a little, hoping that the red-haired man beside you didn’t notice. When you approached the motorcycle again, Thomas didn’t get on immediately. “Hey, would you like to try riding it?” You thought you didn’t hear well. “What?” “You said you were hesitant to get one yourself. If you’d like to try and see how it feels, you can. I’ll still help with the controls, of course; I wouldn’t want you to wreck my bike.” Was it okay for you to accept? But before you could weigh the pros and cons, you nodded and approached the bike. “Your helmet.” Thomas reminded you before doing anything. You put it on, the right way this time, and hoped on the bike once again, but on the pilot seat this time. It felt so weird… Thomas sat behind you, leaning on you a bit to show you the commands. “Here you have the brake lever, and you press here to start the bike: it’s the starter pedal.” You listened intently to his instructions and looked up at the nearly empty parking lot in front of you. All you had to do was to go straight ahead, with Thomas’ help on top of that, but you were so scared to mess it up. “Keep your hands firmly on the handlebars, and like when you learn to ride a bicycle, watch straight ahead.”

His voice was calm as always, yet firm. He was really involved in his improvised role as motorcycle instructor. He continued to explain to you many other things, and you suddenly became aware of how close your bodies were, he was almost leaning over you, but wasn’t even noticing.  “Are you listening?” “Yes! Yes… sorry, I am… I’m just a little nervous.” “There’s no need, I’ll make the most of it, just try to hold the handlebar well.” “Alright.” You firmly grabbed the handlebars as if your life depended on it (which it did, in a way), and it felt like you were back in your younger days, learning to balance on a bicycle, except this one had a motor. You startled a little when Thomas’ hands wrapped yours, for safety reasons… “Let’s go.” he finally said, making the vehicle move forward. You weren’t going fast at all, but it was already quite hard to maintain the handlebar still and go straight ahead without damaging anything; thankfully, Thomas’ strong grip over yours helped to avoid any unnecessary accident. When he braked the motorcycle after a few meters, you let out a relieved sigh.  “Wow… It’s definitely harder than it seems. It was great though!” You couldn’t see Thomas’ face behind you, but you could swear you felt him chuckle a little against your back. “I can’t say you did well but I hoped it gave you the will to learn now.” “Thank God I know you… If it had been me before, I would never set foot on a motorcycle again!” you joked. “Sorry.” Thomas was sorry? Now that was unusual. “I was just joking, don’t worry!” He didn’t answer, but knowing him, he probably just nodded. You got off the bike to give Thomas his place back, and took yours behind him, wrapping your arms around his waist one more time. The ride back to your house was as thrilling as the one to the restaurant, but the mood had changed a bit. The air around you was chilly, yet you couldn’t help but feel warm against Thomas. Despite the city being filled with motor and honking noises, you were in your own bubble, shared with the man in front of you, shutting out any noise coming from outside. It felt like you were on a different planet. Letting him go of your embrace made you cold all of sudden, a shiver ran down your spine, but you had to accept that it was the end of your little trip. You handed back his helmet to Thomas, and offered him a sincere, gratifying smile. “Thank you for tonight… You didn’t have to do all that, but I’m thankful you did.” When you said that, something changed in Thomas' attitude but you couldn’t say exactly what. “You’re welcome. It was… nice?” You chuckled softly, knowing it was the best he could express his feelings. “Yeah, it was nice.” you repeated “Get home safe, thank you again. I’ll see you tomorrow!” You waved him off and headed home.As you searched for the right key to unlock your door, Thomas waited silently without moving. He was thinking that he’d like having other moments like this with you. He liked your presence and talking about anything with you. It really felt nice, but he couldn’t say why. When you finally opened your door and waved one last time at him, he watched you close your door, thinking that he was really looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.

#mcl new gen #amour sucre #my candy love #mcl ng #mclng #mcl thomas #mclng thomas #mcl new gen thomas #thomas rheault #my candy love new gen #corazon de melon #my candy love new gen thomas #amour sucré new gen #beemoov #mcl ng fanfiction #candy x thomas #my writing #writing #mysilaan mcl ng headcanons #mysilaan headcanons #mcl new gen headcanons

[cetaitlaverite]

Why All This Music?

Masters of the Air - Rosie Rosenthal x OC

i believe an update was requested? ;) masterlist is linked here <3

22. The One Left Behind

When she woke up in an empty hut, Freddie was confused for a few moments. She was lying beneath two blankets, one she recognised as an old blanket from her footlocker and the other was a standard issue quilt everyone who lived at Thorpe Abbotts had. All of the beds in the hut were empty, except the bed beside hers which still had its top sheet and pillow.

Sitting up, Freddie noticed the sound of a shower for the first time. And then she remembered where she was.

It would be Rosie in the shower, trying to wash away the inevitable hangover. And it was his hut she’d been sleeping in because the rest of the Riveters had left yesterday and she hadn’t wanted to leave him alone. He must have laid his duvet over her when he got up.

Sighing, Freddie sat back to lean against the wall. She rubbed her eyes and wiped the corners of her mouth to make sure she hadn’t dribbled, then smoothed out and readjusted her nightdress to make sure nothing was on show that she didn’t want to be. True, Rosie had already seen it all, but that didn’t mean he was allowed to see it now.

The shower turned off. Freddie listened to Rosie dry off and then get changed, then brush his teeth. He was clearly surprised to find her awake when he re-entered the main room.

“Hi,” Freddie greeted softly.

“Hi,” Rosie replied. He looked as though he was holding his breath, waiting for her to start shouting at him or else just to leave. But she simply sat there quietly, looking at him. He lingered only a moment in the doorway, then crossed the room to replace his things in his footlocker.

Freddie watched him idly, fiddling with the blanket in her lap, until she realised she was cold and lifted Rosie’s quilt to drape over her shoulders.

Rosie came to sit on the edge of his bed, facing her with his elbows on his knees. His face was drawn in a frown. “Can we talk?” he ventured carefully. His eyes were clearer than they had been last night and the deep bags under them were slightly less prominent even after one night’s rest. He looked better but still not entirely himself.

Freddie nodded, scrunching up one corner of the quilt in her hands. “I’m already here, so we may as well.”

“I, uh,” Rosie began tentatively, clasping his hands together in the gap between his legs, “I’m sorry about last night.”

“Oh,” Freddie said, caught off guard. “No, that’s - that’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”

“I didn’t mean to embarrass you or cross any lines or anything,” he went on. There was a slight embarrassed hue creeping up his cheeks.

Freddie nodded, looking away so she didn’t stare. “That’s okay.” She fixed her eyes on the bed directly across from her, a skeletal frame with an empty mattress on top of it. These huts were so cosy and joyful when they were full, so cold when they were empty.

“And I know you don’t wanna hear any more explanations but I just wanna make sure you know that I wouldn’t have decided to re-up if I felt that there was any part of me that could get on with my life instead,” Rosie hurried to add when Freddie didn’t say anything more. “I just - I just really had to do it, Fred. And I know it hurts you real bad and that hurts me more than I can say, but I had to do it. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t do it.”

Freddie’s eyes fell to the blanket where she was fiddling with it. “I know,” she mumbled quietly, picking at a fraying seam. “You wouldn’t be who you are if you could stand to let someone else take over.” She laughed quietly, reluctantly, sadly. “I already knew this about you, really. I worried from the instant I heard about the brass upping the tours that you would stick around. I just thought you’d discuss it with me first before going ahead and telling the colonel.”

“I know,” Rosie said softly. “I’m sorry. The decision wasn’t made until I stepped into his office. I didn’t know I was gonna do it, I swear.”

“I would have liked to know you were considering it at all, Rosie,” Freddie told him, finally meeting his eyes. “I tell you everything, even when it’s hard.”

“I know,” he said again. “I’m sorry. You were right the other day, I was being a coward.”

Freddie nodded. She wasn’t going to deny it.

“When you’re in a relationship,” she began slowly, keeping her eyes locked on his, “it’s not just you you have to think about anymore. Your decisions don’t just affect you. Even if you didn’t know you were going to decide to do it beforehand, you should have let me in to hear about it and consider how I felt about it, too. And of course we would have fought about it - I would’ve been upset and tried to stop you and you would’ve been angry with me for trying to stop you. But at least I would have been prepared. I shouldn’t have had to accept the reality of the situation without being able to sit with the possibility of it first.”

Rosie nodded, his blue eyes solemn. “I know. I’m real sorry, Fred.”

“I just…” Freddie sighed, letting her head tip back to rest against the wall behind her. The ceiling above her was dirty, its whitewash long since faded to grey. “I need time. And space. I know the decision’s already been made and the damage has already been done but I need to wrap my head around it.”

“Sure,” Rosie agreed immediately. “Of course. Yeah. Absolutely.”

“I need to learn to trust you again, Rosie,” Freddie apprised him quietly.

It was clear he hadn’t been expecting this. The light he’d just started to recover in his eyes went out all at once.

“But I don’t want you to be alone,” Freddie pushed on, forcing some semblance of strength back into her voice. “I don’t want you to sleep here by yourself and then go to breakfast by yourself and spend all day being a leader but having no one to talk to.”

He let a hopeful smile tug at the corner of his lips.

Freddie sighed, her eyes falling closed. “We’ll be friends,” she decided. “Nothing more. Not just yet. But I think you need a friend right now and I think I might be qualified for the position.”

Rosie didn’t say anything for a moment. All Freddie could hear was his quiet breathing.

Prying open her eyes, she glanced over to find him with his own eyes resignedly closed. He looked like he was in pain. “Fred, I love you,” he said.

Freddie smiled sadly. “I know.” And she did know. Every denial of this fact she’d made had been out of anger and hurt and resentment. She knew he loved her, she’d just been trying to protect herself. “I’m not telling you not to love me, Rosie, I’m telling you I need time to let you.”

He dropped his head forward. “I messed up real bad, huh?”

Reluctantly and in spite of herself, Freddie laughed softly. “Kind of, yeah.” She reached out and stroked the back of his hair because she couldn’t help it. In spite of what she needed, what she wanted was to cuddle him and shower him in affection. All she would let herself have was this.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his words directed at the floor.

Freddie smiled sadly. “I know. But it’ll - it’ll work itself out.”

“I don’t wanna lose you.”

“You won’t.”

If Freddie had been reluctant to extend an olive branch to Rosie, Millie and Jem were downright throwing a tantrum about it.

“He doesn’t deserve it!” Jem exclaimed as they stood around the back of the mess hall after breakfast. They hadn’t liked walking in to find Freddie and Rosie sitting together.

“He made a mistake, Jem, he’s only human,” Freddie insisted.

“A really fucking big mistake if you ask me, Fred!” Millie argued. “Pretending everything is fine while he’s plotting a second tour, perfectly happy to get you into bed every evening but not to tell you what he’s thinking.”

“If you’re angry about it, imagine how I feel!” Freddie volleyed back. “But I’m so tired of being angry about it! I loved Daniel and I lost him. I thought that was the end of it. Then I find Rosie and he’s everything I could ever have wished for but he makes one mistake - a big one, yes, but still just one - and all of a sudden I’m right back at square one? No. I’m not. I refuse to be. I want him. I’m choosing him. Not right now, because I’m still hurting, but when I’m ready I’ll be with Rosie because that’s what I want. And I never allowed myself to want that before so I’m going to fight for it now.”

Millie sighed and fell back to rest against the mess hall wall. “Oh, Fred.”

“What if he dies?” Jem asked abruptly. “What if he re-ups and he gets shot down and he dies?”

“Jem,” Millie snapped.

“I can’t live my life that way, Jem,” Freddie replied calmly. Even just considering the possibility made her heart drop into her stomach, made it skip over a couple of its beats. “It’s him or it’s no one. I’m not just going to go and find someone else because he won’t be in the line of fire. I want Rosie. I don’t want anyone else. I can either have him now and lose him if that’s the way god’s decided it, or I can never let myself have him at all. I know which one I’d prefer.”

Jem passed a hand over her eyes.

Millie drew in a deep breath. “Alright,” she decided.

Jem let her hand fall to her side and nodded reluctantly. “Alright,” she agreed. “But don’t expect me to be best friends with him. I’m still so pissed at him I could strangle the bastard.”

“We’ll be civil,” Millie declared, shooting a meaningful look at Jem. “But he’s got a lot of work to do before I welcome him back in with open arms.”

Freddie breathed a smile, relieved to have won this battle, at least. “For me as well,” she assured Millie. “But at least he’s getting the chance.”

Freddie moved all of her everyday essential belongings to Rosie’s hut and took to living there while they waited for his new crew to arrive. It was against the rules but no one was going to say anything, not to the two of them. 

Meatball couldn’t have been happier about the arrangement, since it meant he got a bed of his own with his little dog bed he’d gotten for Christmas sat on top of it. His bed was the one opposite Rosie’s while Freddie remained in the one beside Rosie’s, the one which used to belong to Pappy.

It was torture for Rosie to live that way, to have Freddie so close but so far. But she wasn’t budging. She needed time and space, and she was being a good friend to him but she’d been serious when she’d told him he’d be getting nothing more. His fingers kept itching to brush her hair back from her face when she read before bed and he’d find himself having to fight the habit of dropping a kiss on her forehead as she passed him to go into the bathroom. This distance he’d fought so hard to close was firmly back in place, even more rigid than it had been before.

The two of them ate breakfast together - well, the two of them and Meatball, of course. After a while Millie joined them, and then Jem and Emma, until Rosie just joined the wireless operators’ table. And they were frosty with him, to be sure, but just because they were protective. They started to warm up as the days went by.

Rosie found his closest confidant in Croz. They’d been friendly before, naturally, but with all of Croz’s friends, the men he’d started all of this with, having gone down in Münster and with all of Rosie’s friends now back in the States, they found in each other someone who could understand the loneliness of being the one left behind better than anyone else.

Croz confided in Rosie about the affair he was having with a British officer of the Auxiliary Territorial Service, a woman named Sandra he’d met while attending a conference in Oxford. The fact of it made Rosie uneasy but he didn’t say anything. Croz was a grown man who made his own decisions and it was probably for the best if Rosie didn’t go ruining one of the only friendships he had left by sticking his opinions in where they weren’t wanted.

Instead, he focused on the fact of Croz visiting Oxford. Rosie had known he was going off base to a conference at a university while he was at the flak house but he hadn’t known he’d gone to Oxford. That was where Freddie went to university before the war.

“Yeah,” Croz told him with a small grin. “They put me up in one of the university dorms. There was obviously some sort of mix up in administration so my roommate - Subaltern Westgate - turned out to be a woman. Sandra.”

“Freddie’s from Oxford,” Rosie informed him.

Croz rolled his eyes. “I know. Just in case you forgot, Rosie, I’ve known her longer than you have.”

“Right.” He gave a sheepish laugh.

Croz laughed at him. “I went to visit her parents when I was there - she asked me to deliver a letter and some chocolate she stole from the mess hall,” he said. “Nice house she’s got, huh? Cute dogs, too. I liked the little one.”

“Earnie,” Rosie supplied, smiling at the memory of the little white dog he’d met over Christmas. “Yeah, I like him too.”

Croz rolled his eyes as he watched Rosie grin at the memory of one of Freddie’s dogs. “When’s the wedding, Rosie?” he teased, smirking into his coffee.

Rosie rolled his eyes with a scoff. “Shut up, Croz.”

When Rosie’s new crew arrived he was a lot more himself again. He helped Freddie move back into her own hut and left her with a kiss on the forehead before heading off to greet the men he’d be flying with from now on. It was so strange to imagine flying with anyone other than Pappy beside him but this was what he’d chosen. This was what he’d risked everything for.

The new guys were alright, they were just green. It was impossible to know how good they’d be at their jobs before they ever went up so Rosie didn’t try to draw any conclusions, he just tried to make them feel comfortable with him. 

It was jarring, the way all the men looked at him now. They looked at him the way he’d once looked at Majors Egan and Cleven. He wasn’t just Rosie to his new crew but instead Major Rosenthal, the man who’d survived twenty-five missions and stayed behind to continue the fight. They all looked at him with admiration as he passed, likely in awe of his bravery. He wanted to tell them not to admire him for it - he hadn’t done it out of courage but because he hadn’t been able to not do it, and it had damn near cost him everything.

“How are they?” Freddie wanted to know in the officers’ club that night. “Are they all nervous?” She didn’t speak much to the new boys anymore, not after Münster.

“Yeah,” Rosie admitted, glancing at her sidelong as they leaned against the bar. “They all look at me like I’m so much higher above them.”

“They’ve experienced no combat flying yet,” Freddie reminded him. “You’ve done an entire tour. Plus, you’re a major now. To them you may as well be a hero.”

“Only one hero around here, Fred, and it ain’t me,” Rosie replied, a reference to the night they met. That was the day Freddie had talked a German fighter pilot into landing at Thorpe Abbotts after he’d gotten confused in the air. She wouldn’t now be a leader in her own right if not for that.

Freddie laughed, rolling her eyes and hitting him playfully in the arm.

Rosie ordered and paid for their drinks but they stayed leaning against the bar. Rosie lingered wherever Freddie was these days, soaking up all the time she spared him before she inevitably left him to his own devices.

Freddie turned to face the rest of the room, leaning back against the bar as she sipped her lemonade through her straw, but Rosie turned to face her. He wanted to ask her to dance but knew she wouldn’t let him. The baby steps they were taking now felt slower, even, than the ones he’d had to take before he’d screwed everything up. 

“Thoughts?” Freddie asked him, feeling his eyes on her profile. 

“I miss you,” Rosie said. These days he liked to make a habit of always saying exactly what he was thinking. He had learned from his mistake and he wanted to prove it.

Freddie smiled at him, her brown eyes warm. “I’m right here.”

So close and yet still so very far.

“I got my first mission with my new crew next week,” Rosie informed her in place of a response to that. There was nothing else constructive he could say on the matter. “Next Thursday.”

Freddie nodded. Rosie was aware she likely already knew - Croz showed her his flight plans in advance in case she had any information on where the Luftwaffe resistance was likely to be the strongest, and she got advance warning to work through manipulation strategies anyway. But he’d wanted to be the one to tell her. 

“We’re flying over France,” he added.

“Over Bordeaux,” Freddie acknowledged. “I’ve always wanted to go.”

“To Bordeaux?” Rosie asked.

“Mh-hm,” Freddie hummed. “To anywhere in France, really. I’ve always dreamed about Paris.”

“I’ll take you,” Rosie offered. “Once it’s liberated.”

“Then I’ll take you to Vienna,” she decided in return. “It’s only fair.”

Rosie grinned. “Can’t wait.”

Freddie laughed. “I’m counting down the minutes.”

As her laughter slowly faded she considered Rosie thoughtfully, sipping on her lemonade, her fingers holding her straw steady. Her gaze was strong and resolute. Rosie felt like she was analysing every thought he’d ever had.

Finally, satisfied with whatever she saw in him, Freddie smiled. “I have leave this weekend,” she announced. “I’m going back home, naturally. If you can get leave as well then I would like for you to come. Friday to Sunday. I’ll be leaving here at eight Friday morning and getting back probably about six o’clock Sunday evening.”

Rosie nodded. He was fighting to tame his wide smile. He knew what this meant to her, letting him return home with her. He was making progress. “Yeah, I’d love to,” he replied. His heart was racing. “I’ll check with Jack to make sure he doesn’t need me for anything. Since we’ll be back before Monday I don’t see why he would.”

Freddie laughed quietly to herself. “I already checked with Jack.”

“Oh.”

“He says it’s fine. You just have to put in the request with Bennett, and seeing as he doesn’t seem to deny you anything these days I imagine he’ll approve it readily.”

Rosie didn’t know what to do with that little jab about his re-upping so he elected to ignore it. “Right,” he said. “I’ll ask first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Good,” Freddie said. “Do. Mum would like to know in advance.”

“Sure,” Rosie agreed. “I’ll let you know as soon as possible.”

Freddie eyed him curiously before nodding. “Alright.” Then she left him without another word to go and sit with her friends.

Rosie spent the rest of the evening talking to Croz and Jack, pretending not to look at her. He wasn’t fooling anyone.

#watm #my writing #mota #masters of the air #masters of the air x oc #masters of the air fanfic #masters of the air fanfiction #hbo war #hbo war x oc #rosie rosenthal #robert rosie rosenthal #rosie rosenthal x oc #rosie rosenthal fanfic #rosie rosenthal fanfiction