#it fills in the close as strangers gaps and moves forward

[wileys-russo]

filling the void (3) II a.putellas x sister!reader

prequel one two

since you all wanted to be hurt so bad here is more angst! and for the sake of the broken and left behind younger sibling support club, a little comfort and some steps forward too - song i listened to when writing was we might be dead by tomorrow by Soko! filling the void (3) II a.putellas x sister!reader

after your outburst it worried eli to watch you retract into yourself, and for an entire week bar going to work you hardly left your room.

something out of character for someone like yourself who since your sisters decided they didn't want to spend time with you anymore, had thrown yourself head first into social activities with people who did.

you still saw your friends at work and when they drove you home or picked you up for a shift, but you had a variety of excuses to avoid the dinners or hang outs you were invited to outside of that, alarming not only eli but also your friends now.

your friends had all of course been filled in on the discourse of your apparent abandonment, having assured you time and time again that it wasn't your fault.

they spent time affirming to you that it was just an unfortunate side affect of the large age gap which wasn't something you had any control over. they all did their best to make you feel supported in your emotions whilst also encouraging you not give up on the relationship with your sisters entirely.

something that probably would have benefited both alexia and alba to know, at first feeling sorry for themselves after your outburst. this was then channeled into a disapproval for these new older friends you kept close.

guards went up from both of your sisters about how these strangers were trying to replace their space in your life, they were your older sisters not these new girls hanging around.

eli had all but banned alba and alexia from coming over throughout the week following your explosion at them, warning you needed space and time and that the more they pushed you the further away you'd pull, case in point your outburst in the first place which had spawned from both of them going at you too hard and too fast.

but when the weekend rolled around and still you made no move to leave the comfort of your bedroom or the family home eli decided maybe it was time she step in a little, unable to see any change in your antisocial behaviour unless she offered a somewhat forceful helping hand.

"hija." you looked up from a book your head was buried in with a raised eyebrow. "i am going to watch alexia's game soon." eli started as you noted she was dressed in a barcelona jersey with alexias name and number proudly on the back.

"okay." you nodded with a small frown of suspicion, unsure why she was really telling you this and sensing maybe there was more to it.

"you should come with me." the woman continued encouragingly with a warm smile. "are you asking me or telling me mami?" you questioned with a sigh making the older woman chuckle.

"telling. you have not left the house all week nena and i am worried about you." her voice softened the last few words as you sighed. "mami i'm fine! i am going to see my friends tomorrow night." you promised as she hummed.

"really? that is good then." eli smiled happily as you hummed. "sí, they said if i did not come willingly they would break in here and kidnap me, so i didn't really have a choice." you sighed making your mami chuckle.

"bien. now get dressed we leave in ten minutes!" eli clapped as you made a face. "wait i still have to come?" you asked with a small groan as she nodded. "sí, i was telling not asking." the woman smiled as you groaned again but snapped your book shut.

and sure enough ten minutes later you were following her out the door albeit begrudgingly, your airpods confiscated the moment you tried to put them in, deflating even further as you slid into the car.

"don't look so miserable fresa, watching one football match will not kill you." eli chuckled throwing the car into reverse as you sighed dramatically. "i could only dream of being so lucky." you mumbled sliding on a pair of sunglasses.

"why are we here?" you questioned a little anxiously as you recognized the street she turned down a little while later. "picking up your hermana, she is also coming." eli spoke with a slight air of caution, glancing to you as you frowned clearly a little lost in your thoughts.

"mi hija i know your sisters have really hurt you i am not dismissing that, and i will not push you any further then you are ready to when it comes to letting them fix it. but you are all still my daughters and i enjoy spending time with all of you, together." eli tried to put it as gently as she could as you sighed but nodded none the less.

when you didn't say anything further eli didn't prompt you to do so, waving at alba who locked up her place behind her and made her way to the car, surprise flickering clearly across her face seeing you sat in the front seat.

"hola mami." your sister slid into the back, leaning forward and kissing eli's cheek, contemplating for a brief second whether to greet you in the same way but thinking better of it and settling back in her seat.

"hi fr-hermana." alba was quick to catch herself, eli flashing her a small smile through the rear view mirror as you hummed and mumbled back a greeting, gaze trained out the window.

you zoned out of the conversation which followed the duration of the drive to the stadium, alba trying a couple of times to include you but when she only received one word replies she recognized that was likely doing more harm than good and ceased her efforts.

you stuck out a little once you all arrived, finding your seats in the friends and family section and you were one of the only spectators sat without a jersey on.

you of course had more than enough to choose from. as you grew up alexia had gifted you with countless jerseys both for spain and barcelona.

some she'd played in during important games and wanted you to have over anyone else, and some were just spares, getting most of your immediate family members the latest kits as soon as they dropped.

but when you'd stopped bothering to go to her games you had assumed this ceased. but unbeknownst to you alexia had a whole horde of jerseys at her home for you, but at her own fault barely having spent much time with you had disallowed her to be able to gift them to you.

so even though you could have easily worn a barcelona jersey, you were still upset with both of your sisters. so to wear alexia's name and number on your back felt a little too close to home for the time being which eli had respected enough not to bring up when she'd noticed.

you'd managed to busy yourself with your phone for a good half an hour, sat on one side of your mami as alba sat on the other, the two engaged in their own conversation that your anti social behaviour prompted you not be involved in.

but everything changed when eli stood to use the bathroom before kick off, alba then taking it upon herself to slide across one seat now sat right beside you causing a small sigh to drop from your lips.

"hermana." alba started gently and you recognised where she'd be angling this conversation from the soft tone of her voice.

"alba por favor i really do not want to talk about the other night, i do not even want to be here." you exhaled honestly, watching the warm ups on the pitch and avoiding her eyes.

"then why did you come?" your sister asked curiously, propping her arm over the back of her chair to rest her head on her fist. "mami made me." you grumbled in annoyance crossing your arms across your chest with a frown.

"so you don't have a curfew and go out at all hours of the night doing whatever you want with her permission but mami can still make you come to ale's games?" alba spoke as your head whipped around to snap at her though seeing the teasing smile on her face you realized she wasn't serious.

"sí." a small smile crept onto your lips which disappeared quickly. "saw that." alba commented quietly, turning her eyes back to the pitch as yours rolled.

thankfully before you were subjected to anymore small talk eli returned, but to your dismay alba didn't move seats and instead was now sat still beside you as eli sat on her other side.

when warm ups finished alexia's eyes drifted to the crowd, spotting olga sat with a few friends and waving before looking for her family. she spotted eli with a grin, waving again as alba did the same and for a moment alexia's eyes glanced over you without a second thought.

but then they snapped right back and widened in shock, not having seen you at a game for a long time now she hadn't even realised the figure sat beside alba was you.

"mami made her come!" alba mouthed giving the captain a subtle thumbs up as you missed the entire thing, attention focused on your phone.

catching eli's eye next alexia mouthed a thank you as the older woman smiled and gave a curt nod, alexia hurrying off to follow after the team to the change room.

upset with her or not and no matter how long it had been since you were at estadi johan cruyff there was no denying your sister was a force to be reckoned with on the football pitch, and she was enigmatic to watch play.

just before she was subbed off in the second half alexia lined up near the goal when caro stepped up to take the corner, delivering the ball in perfectly for your sisters head to knock it into the back of the net.

you looked around as the crowd errupted, chanting alexia's name as you of course clapped her goal though without quite as much enthusiasm as those around you.

you watched your sister turn toward where the three of you were sat and make a weird signal with her hands, blowing a kiss at your mami before racing back for kick off.

"you saw that, sí?" alba nudged you with a grin as you gave her an odd look. "qué?" you questioned a little confused as to what you were supposed to have been looking at.

"ale's celebration. E, A, F." alba recreated it with her own hands as the strange look didn't drop from your face and your older sister rolled her eyes.

"e-" she pointed at eli beside her. "-a-" she pointed at herself. "-f." she pointed to you as it clicked. "oh." you mumbled, dropping your sunglasses down over your eyes and remaining quiet for the duration of the match.

"can i go wait at the car?" you asked hopefully, glancing to eli as the stadium had now mostly cleared and the girls friends and families were making their way down to the pitch to greet the team on their six to nil win.

"no, stay where i can see you please hija there are a lot of people around still. i think you should come say hi to your hermana, but i will not push you." eli squeezed your shoulder with a gentle smile as you nodded, staying in your seat as she headed down to the barrier where alexia was already speaking with olga and alba.

you pulled your knees up to your chest and sighed, doom scrolling through your social media's to try and pass time as you attempted to ignore the internal battle your mind was having whether to go greet your sister or not.

"well well well, hola diablillo." you jumped a little in shock as a new body dropped down into the seat beside you, sunglasses snatched from your face and placed onto her own as you couldn't help but grin.

"you are so annoying maría give them back!" you laughed reaching for them as she clicked her tongue and pushed your hand away each time you reached to take them back.

"no i think i will keep them, they look better on me anyway no?" mapi teased before pulling you into a hug. "it has been some time since we've seen you here diablillo." mapi's voice was a little softer now and you weren't sure if alexia had filled her in at all on what had happened lately.

"sí, i have been busy." you shrugged dismissively making mapi chuckle. "ohh because you are so grown up now, just a little worker girl hm? too grown up to slum it with your sisters friends at a football match." mapi teased pinching and pulling at your cheeks playfully.

as you caught up with the older girl who seemed in no rush to go greet the rest of her teammates you were too occupied to feel alexia's eyes where she watched on from the barrier.

eyebrows furrowing and a strange feeling twisting in her stomach at the way you easily conversed with her best friend, rough housing around with her and laughing, just like how you used to with alexia.

"amor." olga's hand caught her wrist as she jumped the barrier to head up toward you, giving her girlfriend a slight look of warning as alexia tugged her hand away.

"i am just going to say hi." alexia promised as olga still looked unsure but nodded, turning around as someone called her name and alexia headed off up into the stands.

"you know diablillo you are nearly old enough for some of these of your own, maybe you come over and i will bust out my gun sí?" mapi grinned wolfishly, showing you a few of her new tattoos.

your eyes lit up in awe as they traced the deep inkings which wrapped around the older girls limbs, the exact same way they had as a child when you first laid eyes on her.

"i don't know how our mami would feel about that maría, stop being a bad influence." alexia's tone was teasing but she didn't miss the way your entire body seemed to tense at her arrival, mapi grinning up at her best friend none the less.

"me? capitana i would never." mapi gasped, standing to her feet and messing up your hair before handing you back your sunglasses. "you call me and we can talk more about it. adios diablillo!" mapi addressed you now with a wink, messing up your hair before making her way down to where ingrid was waiting, the tall norweigan sending you a kind smile and a wave which you returned.

"hola." alexia recaptured your attention now, your body stiffening as she sat down beside you, your sister frowning a little as you leaned your body away from hers just slightly.

"did you enjoy the match?" alexia asked, cautious of her every word as you nodded. "sí, it was a good win." you acknowledged, resting your chin on your knee as your fingers drummed anxiously against your thigh.

"i am glad you came, i have missed seeing your face in the stands." alexia's next words sent a strange feeling through you. "you didn't even notice i stopped coming." your words came out before you could stop them, alexia deflating a little as still you refused to look at her.

"fresa-lo siento hermana." alexia was quick to correct, trying her best to remember snippets of what you said the other night. "i know i did not and i really really want to-" she couldn't even finish her sentence before you shot to your feet.

"i need to go to the bathroom." you were gone before alexia could blink, scrambling away like a startled deer as your sister sighed and tiredly dragged her hands down her face.

there was a soft touch to her shoulder and she glanced up to see her girlfriend looking down at her sympathetically. "no luck?" olga winced slightly as she sat down and alexia shook her head.

"i barely said two words and she was gone. she looked terrified, and of me!" alexia struggled to get out with another deep sigh as olga rubbed her back.

"we talked about this ale, slow. fresa needs time and i know you want to fix it cariño but you have to let her come to you, she needs to want to fix things." olga reminded softly as alexia nodded, kissing the girls cheek appreciatively before the two of them stood and made their way back down to the pitch.

your airpods finally returned to you they were quickly stuffed in your ears as you allowed alba the front seat and slipped into the back, swaying your head a little to the music bouncing around your head as eli drove home.

you were snapped back to attention as someone tapped your knee, pausing your music and pulling one of them out, alba having turned around from the front to smile at you as you were now stopped outside her house.

"would you want to get breakfast tomorrow?" your older sister asked careful not to come on a little too strong but it was hard not to miss the hopeful look in her eye.

"i have plans already." you declined as your sister nodded in understanding. "maybe another time then." she squeezed your knee quickly and kissed your mami's cheek goodbye, thanking her for driving before she was gone.

"are you going to get in the front nena or make me drive you home like a taxi?" eli caught your eye with raised brows making you grin, unbuckling yourself and moving to the front seat, your door closing and belt re-buckling before she drove off.

"i thought your friends were kidnapping you tomorrow night?" eli hinted subtly as you looked out the window and hummed. "they are." you confirmed with a small nod.

"do you have other breakfast plans then?" "no." you sighed, sensing some sort of lecture might follow.

"i'm not ready yet mami." you added on honestly, still trying to come to terms with it all and what you thought was best for you going forward now you had some time to process everything.

"fair enough fresa, take all the time you need. but know your hermana's do love you, very very much."

~

"this is nearly done, go choose something to watch." eli nodded as you moved off the stool you'd been sat on and headed toward the living room, clicking on the tv.

"something funny? a love story? action movie?" you called out as you flicked through the genre's. "mami do you have a pref-" you glanced toward her right as there was a loud clatter and your eyes widened.

"mami! estás bien?" you were by her side in an instant, the older woman clutching her chest and rapidly shaking her head as you panicked. "mierda!" you fumbled around in your pockets, pulling out your phone and calling for help.

you rattled off quickly what was happening, your anxiety sky rocketing as suddenly the older woman fell to the ground still clutching at her chest as the medical officer on the other end of the line calmly told you an ambulance was dispatched and talked you through what to do.

"mami? mami? mami!" you repeated, struggling to breathe yourself as suddenly the older womans eyes closed and she went limp and unresponsive. the operater encouraging you stay on the line and assuring the ambulance would be there any second now.

"i don't know if she's breathing!" you cried out, unsure how to check for a pulse as rapid knocks were heard at your door and you forced yourself away from eli's limp body, two paramedics barreling in the moment you unlocked the door.

the operator now hanging up a third paramedic gently assured you were doing all the right things and eli needed to go to hospital, promising you that she was still breathing as you nodded.

"is your papi here querida?" the paramedic asked softly as you watched them carefully load your mami onto a stretcher. "he's dead." you replied bluntly, panic peaking as the other two spoke so fast you couldn't understand but they were saying but you knew it was serious.

"venga, go get your shoes and you can ride with your mami in the ambulance." the older woman squeezed your shoulder with a kind smile, repeating the words and shaking you lightly when you remained rooted in spot watching them push the stretcher into the back of the ambulance.

your worry only continued when no one could really give you any answers, only repeating you would be at the hospital soon as they lowered an oxygen mask onto eli and spoke to one another in what felt like a second language over her head.

it was worse when you finally did arrive to the hospital, your mami wheeled off and out of sight as you panicked when you were informed you couldn't go with her and would need to sign it at the front desk and wait in emergency for further information.

"how old are you cariño?" the receptionist asked carefully when taking down your information. "seventeen." you replied, eyes straying every few seconds to the doors eli had been wheeled away into as if willing she would miraculously walk back out and all would be fine.

"you need to be over eighteen to be an emergency contact and sign the paperworker for your mami. is there anyone else who could come?" the lady asked as you sighed but nodded, knowing exactly who you needed to call as you excused yourself and pulled out your phone.

"alexia? algo malo sucedió, i need you."

~

alexia thanked the gods that she wasn't caught by police as she flew down the streets of barcelona going easily double the speed limit, barely saying two words to olga before she had her keys in hand and was sprinting out the door already on the phone to alba.

finding a park she locked her car and raced across the lot, chest tightening as she stepped into the emergency department, eyes scanning the waiting room before finally spotting you.

you'd always been shorter than her but sat on the chair in the waiting room drowned in a hoodie which was two sizes too big and staring off into space you looked positively tiny in alexia's mind.

you jolted and tensed up as arms were thrown around you, alexia noticing right away and letting go trying not to focus on how much it pained her that even in the current situation you couldn't hug her.

"you have to go fill in the admission paperwork at the front desk." you mumbled with a nod, refusing to even look her in the eye as you tucked your knees to your chest resting your chin on them.

spotting alba over your shoulder alexia caught her eye and stepped away toward the front desk leaving you with her, glancing repeatedly to the two of you every few seconds as she filled in the necessary documents.

"someone will be out later with more information." was the only answer she got when asking for an update on eli's condition, frustrated but knowing that now all you could all do was wait.

"hermanita what happened?" alexia crouched down in front of you as alba sat beside you, you shifted a little uncomfortably under the intensity of their stares but sighed.

"i don't know. mami was making dinner and everything was fine, i stepped away to find something for us to watch and i looked over when she dropped something and she was just grabbing at her chest-" you began to recount, your sisters hanging off your every word.

"-she couldn't speak she didn't even yell out or cry in pain or anything she was just silent but she looked terrified. then i called the ambulance and she fell down and her eyes closed and she went limp, i didn't know if she was breathing." you exhaled shakily and paused for a second before continuing.

"she didn't respond to anything i said or did she just laid there. and then the paramedics came and put her on a stretcher and we went in the ambulance and came here. then they wheeled her off back there and wouldn't tell me anything because i'm not eighteen." you puffed out air through your nose at that last part.

"they wouldn't tell me anything either, just said someone will be out with more information later." alexia sighed wearily, standing to her feet and sitting on your other side.

"oh fresa." alba started sympathetically, stretching an arm across your shoulders intending to draw you into her side but you shrugged her off. "please don't touch me." you muttered, your sisters sharing a concerned look over your head.

"hey nena we just-" alexia tried next, her hand which sat on your leg pushed away as you wordlessly stood and moved to a different row of chairs on the other side of the room sitting back down.

"just give her some space ale, she's clearly shaken up." alba stopped alexia where she stood to follow you. "even now she runs away like she's scared. mierda we're in the hospital!" alexia snapped as alba pulled her into a hug.

"she's not scared of you alexia she's just hurt, and we both know she has every right to be." alba reminded as the older girl exhaled and sunk back into her chair with a nod, both of them watching you cautiously as you seemed on another planet just looking off into space.

"segura?" around an hour later an official looking woman in scrubs and a clipboard called out, both of your sisters up and on their feet as you were quick to follow.

"daughters?" the woman clarified as you all nodded.

"your mami went into mild cardiac arrest, she's mostly stable but still out while we run some more tests to try and determine the cause. her heartbeat is quite irregular and she's having trouble breathing on her own so we've got her hooked up to a ventilator." the woman explained reading off her clipboard.

"can we see her?" alexia asked hopefully, deflating at the shake of head that followed. "she's in the coronary ward but she's being taken for some more tests soon. once we get the results of these initial ones she's just had someone will come speak to you, but all three of you don't need to be here." you frowned as that last sentence was clearly directed your way.

"gracias but we will all be staying." alexia stepped up protectively, the woman nodding before she stepped away and alexia rolled her eyes. "hey, have you eaten?" alba suddenly realised looking at you as you shook your head.

"vamos, the cafeteria should still be open." alba encouraged as you made no move to argue with her, tucking your hands into the pockets of your hoodie and nodding.

"go call olga. do you want a coffee?" alba checked as alexia nodded appreciatively, all three of you parting ways. you seemed lost in your own head as you arrived to the cafeteria, alba bumping you gently with her shoulder and nodding for you to pick something.

anxious and uptight you simply chose a sandwich, not really wanting to eat but knowing your sister well enough that if you didn't pick something she'd just pick for you.

"coffee?" alba offered as you shook your head, quickly paying for your sandwich before she could. "hey! i would have gotten that." your sister shoved you lightly as you shrugged, alba relieved when you didn't complain about the slight touch. "i have money." you replied dismissively, moving to take a seat while alba waited for their coffees.

it would seem you were hungrier than you realised as you polished off the sandwich in a few bites, finishing right as alba grabbed the coffees and you stood to follow her back to the waiting room, grateful she wasn't trying to push a conversation.

you took your seat again on the other side of the room to your sisters, missing the way their eyes raked over you with concern at how you stared blankly off into space, not a hint of emotion present in your features.

you of course were plagued with emotions, especially a growing anxiousness toward all the 'what ifs' which came with your mami's hospitalization and all the unknown details.

but determined to prove once and for all you weren't a baby anymore you'd bottled these feelings up, keeping them under lock and key in your own mind as you did your best not to let them show.

though as more time passed that anxiety grew and grew and grew and suddenly you couldn't seem to rid your brain of all the worse case scenarios racing around on repeat, sending your body into a sort of shock as you blocked out the world around you.

shaking your head and trying to zone back in you stood, needing a drink of some sorts and remembering having passed a vending machine on your way back from the cafeteria.

alexia watched you go with a small frown, alba having somehow fallen asleep in the hard chair next to her as the time was now nearing midnight and still they'd had no further news.

the overprotective older sister in her told her to call olga and have her come pick you up and take you to their home, though the slightly quieter but more rational side knew if she even suggested that it would only upset you and you'd refuse.

when a few minutes passed and you didn't return alexia grew a little worried, shaking a grumpy alba back awake and shoving half a cold coffee into her hand before following after you.

you glared at the vending machine in annoyance as again you tapped your phone to pay and punched in the numbers for the drink you wanted but it made no move to deliver it to you.

"vamos!" you shook it hoping that might help though to no avail as again nothing happened. trying another two times you were getting dangerously close to a breakdown as all of your bottled up emotions simmered on the surface and you gave the machine a hard kick.

finally the arm moved and grabbed the drink you wanted, but your eyes widened in disbelief as it seemed to die before it could drop into the awaiting chute, the entire machine going dark.

and that, that was what caused you to snap.

a string of curses left your mouth and hot tears welled up in the corner of your eyes as you kicked the machine over and over, missing alexia appear at the end of the hallway and race toward you.

"hey hey hey." you tensed as her arms grabbed your biceps and pulled you away, delivering one last hard kick to the machine before alexia had tugged you out of reach.

"get off!" you grunted though it came out as more of a choked up broken sob as alexia's heart dropped and despite the warning voice in the back of her head she refused to let go.

"alexia let go of me!" you cried out trying to pull away but your sister shook her head. "no." you weren't sure if it was the tone of her voice, your sheer exhaustion or the final overflow of the emotions which had been simmering for the last few hours but you gave in.

it was now alexia who tensed up in surprise as you suddenly turned in her arms and hugged her tightly, fists balling at her jumper as alexia relaxed and held you.

"está bien fresa, está bien. mami will be fine, everything will be fine." your sister cooed, hand rubbing small circles on your back as the other cradled your head which pressed into her shoulder.

a nurse walking past gave alexia a sympathetic smile which she returned, whispering assuring words in your ear and holding you tightly, no different than she would when you were upset and much younger.

after a few minutes you managed to calm yourself down a little, and realising who it was that was actively holding you had you pulling away and wiping your eyes with the corner of your sleeves.

"do you want to go for a walk?" alexia offered softly, and as much as the prospect of being alone with her wasn't ideal you really weren't up for returning to the silent stark white waiting room just yet so you nodded.

"wait." alexia held up a finger, glancing around to make sure no one was around before quite literally ramming her body shoulder first into the vending machine as your drink dropped down into the chute from the force.

"needed a footballers touch." your sister smiled handing it to you as you quietly thanked her. not really with any destination in mind the two of you started to wander, a comfortable distance between you as alexia ignored the urge to tuck you into her side like she would when you were younger.

"i do not think i have been in hospital this time of night since you broke your arm." alexia chanced a conversation, sending you a look which you met with a frown.

"i didn't break it alba broke it." you muttered with a slight huff causing a smile to curl onto your sisters lips at the memory.

you were eight years old and eli was working a night shift which left you in the care of both your older sisters for the evening.

showered and dinner had you'd all been watching a movie, dirty dancing, one you found incredibly boring and made a point to tell both your sisters this repeatedly throughout the entire film.

"he's strong!" you marveled as suddenly the main actor lifted his female counterpart into the air, holding her up easily and turning her around mid air. "pft thats easy!" alba dismissed with a scoff as you lifted your head from alexia's lap.

"you couldn't do it, chicken legs." you challenged as alba shot you a filthy glare which had you shrinking into your eldest sister who'd fallen asleep not long after the movie started, having trained twice today and gotten up early for a run.

"could too!" alba shot back as you shook your head. "could not." "could too!" "could not!" "could too!" "could not!"

"cállate por favor!" alexia interjected with a tired groan, eyes fluttering open and her hand moving to cover your mouth as you went to continue the argument.

"you are arguing with an eight year old?" alexia sighed at alba who rolled her eyes but ignored the question. "i could fresa. vamos, we will do it right now!" your middle sister stood and gestured for you to do the same as you wrenched alexia's hand off you.

"what are you both doing now? she should be in bed alba!"" alexia exhaled deeply, her own bed also calling her name. "bah! in a minute. go get a run up hermanita." alba ordered as you shrugged and jumped down from the couch.

"i do not even know what is happening and i know its a bad idea." alexia sighed rubbing her eyes with a shake of her head. "vale fresa, on my count!" alba encouraged readying herself as alexia watched on with a raised eyebrow.

"tres, dos, uno!" you sprinted on one, jumping as she grabbed you and indeed lifted you easily into the air. "muy bonito. the putellas hermanas everyone!" alexia's voice dripped with sarcasm as she clapped slowly with a roll of her eyes.

but what all three of you failed to miss was alba backing up dangerously close to the coffee table, alexia noticing just a millisecond too late.

"alba watch out for the-" the brunette started to warn before your sister made contact and tripped backwards. you hardly blinked then your body was dropping to the ground and a sickening crunch was heard.

"ay dios mio!" alba sat up and paled seeing your arm as you let out a scream, alexia dropping to her knees without a second thought and scooping you up. "get the car keys now!" she barked at alba who scrambled to her feet and raced off.

"hey hey hey fresa está bien, estás bien. don't cry nena don't cry!" alexia cooed, covering your eyes so you couldn't look down at your arm which was very clearly broken, your sobs muffled into her jumper as she sprinted out to the car, alba sliding into the drivers seat as alexia sat beside her still cradling you tightly in her arms.

"ale shouldn't she sit in the ba-" "drive alba! now!"

"she might have broke it but i'm the one who got in trouble for it!" alexia rolled her eyes with a small smile as you both turned around and headed back the way you came.

"i still was the worst off because it was my arm that was broken!" you reminded with a grunt. "hey you got a cast and jenni drew all over it, closest you got to having tattoos." alexia shrugged and you allowed yourself a small smile.

"and then you yelled at jenni and made her scribble over what she drew." you chuckled as alexia groaned. "because you were not going to school with detailed female anatomy on your arm." alexia sighed.

"it was educational!" "don't quote her! it was very inappropriate for an eight year old."

"that cast was so itchy it was the worst!" you sighed with a shake of your head. "then you threw a tantrum because it was white and not coloured." alexia teased lightly as you rolled your eyes.

"because liliana also broke her arm the week after and she got a red cast, and then everyone said she was faster than me." you frowned at the memory. "sí because red is the fastest colour?" alexia laughed beside you.

"obviously alexia, everybody knows that." you sighed as you both returned to the waiting room and at the tense atmosphere you clamped up again, falling silent and returning to your chair making your sister frown.

"anything?" alexia asked taking her own seat next to alba again. "she is done with tests for the night but still out of it, her breathing is better but her heart beat is still very irregular so they will monitor her closely." alba explained with a sigh, her eyes hovering over to you.

"anything?" her younger sister echoed the question back to alexia in regards to you now. "she had a slight meltdown but she didn't want to talk about it, got a hug out of her though and then we went for a walk and talked about when you broke her arm trying to do that stupid lift." alexia explained.

"and i proved i could do it!" alba defended as alexia gave her a side eye. "alba that is what you take from what i said?" the eldest putellas scoffed as alba shrugged, though before either girl could say anything the nurse from earlier reappeared and waved alexia over.

"you and your sisters should go home. you will not be able to see your mami until she is awake and more stable which will not be before tomorrow at least. she cannot afford anything to stress her out or affect her heart rate further until we have more answers on what caused the cardiac arrest." the nurse explained as alexia frowned but nodded.

"you are her emergency contact sí? we will call you once things change and you can all see your mami. but for now go home and rest, you cannot do anything else for her right now and she is in the best place being well looked after." the nurse encouraged before leaving again.

your eldest sister quickly filling alba in you were so zoned out you hadn't even seen her speak to the nurse, staring off into space as alexia took the seat beside you and bumped her shoulder into yours softly to gain your attention before filling you in.

"okay." you nodded quietly, glancing anxiously over your shoulder toward the doors where you'd last seen eli with a pained expression. "hey, they are right hermana there is nothing else we can do. you will come home with me and stay the night and we can go and see mami once she is awake." alexia's words had you shaking your head.

"its fine just take me home, i will be fine." you declined the offer firmly.

"i wasn't asking. you will stay with olga and i tonight and we can talk more about it tomorrow, its late and i think we all need some sleep. i will sleep better knowing you aren't in that house by yourself." alexia spoke softly but firmly, admittedly surprised when you gave in with a curt nod, making no move to argue.

"and you will call me as soon as you hear anything?" alba stressed as alexia sighed tiredly, unlocking her car for you to get into a little while later. "sí. as soon as i hear anything you will know!" alexia promised, drawing her younger sister into a hug before alba walked off to her own car and alexia slid into the drivers seat.

respecting that it didn't seem you were in any mood to talk alexia didn't try to make you, having already paid for her parking she slipped the ticket in and pulled out of the lot.

you watched the dimply lit streets of barcelona fly past in a blur, music filling the somewhat awkward tension in the car helping it to ease a little and before you knew it alexia was parking in the garage of her complex.

you exited the car and followed her into the elevator, still not a single word shared between either of you as your sister twirled her keys around on her finger and you both stepped out onto her floor.

alexia hadn't even turned the key in the door before it was swinging open, olga stood there with a sympathetic smile as you shuffled inside, wrapping your arms around yourself a little awkwardly as your sister kissed her girlfriend hello and closed the door.

"hermana do you want a shower? something to eat? drink?" alexia tried with a smile as you shook your head. "i'm tired." you hinted heavily, shifting from one foot to another and sending olga a small smile.

"vale, spare rooms all made up." alexia nodded behind you and with a quiet good night mumbled you were gone, door closing after you with a click as alexia seemed to deflate now you were no longer there.

"vamos mi amor, you look exhausted." olga encouraged softly, grabbing her girlfriends hand and alexia made no move to fight as she was pulled to her own bedroom, quickly changing and laying down in bed before filling olga in on everything.

"hey that sounds like some steps forward cariño? even just baby ones." the younger girl smiled softly as alexia hummed, the two finished speaking about eli and now moving onto you.

"and she came to your game, no?" olga continued as alexia shrugged. "because mami made her, and she'd rather talk to mapi than me." a slightly jealous pout curled onto her lips making her girlfriend chuckle and run a hand through her hair.

"she posted about going to the game? thats something." olga tried again as alexia gave her an odd look. "where? i did not see that." your sister frowned as olga grabbed her phone and clicked into instagram.

"see? shows she is not embarrassed to be at your game." olga showed your story as alexia's frown deepened and she was quick to grab her own phone from the nightstand.

"i don't see it?" your sister showed that your profile showed no story, comparing it side by side to olga's screen.

"amor what does this mean?" she pointed to the green trim around the edges of your story on olga's screen. "its on her close friends story." olga explained as alexia's eyes widened.

"she has a close friends story? why?" "a lot of people have them for privacy and stuff hermosa, especially teenagers." "privacy?" "sí, they might post stories that they do not want all their followers to be able to see so they have a close friends story where they can control who see's certain things." "and you....you are on her close friends." "sí, and lo siento mi amor but it looks like you are not."

"qué! i'm not going to show her stories to mami!" alexia scoffed as olga avoided her eyes. "why would she not want me on her close friends? i am a cool older sister!" alexia protested, clearly spiraling at this new information

"what? you want to say something, what?" alexia sat up a little and pressed her girlfriend who sighed. "querida. te quiero, mucho mucho mucho." olga started, grabbing alexia's hands in hers and kissing her knuckles.

"but you are...awkward ale. very very awkward!" olga winced as alexia's mouth formed a small o and she pulled her hands away. "no i am not! i play for barça, i go to fun events, i go to restaurants and bars and i travel and take nice photos. i take lots of photos of you all the time! i'm cool, i am!" alexia spiraled further as olga grabbed her hands again.

"you are thirty alexia, she is seventeen. i am sure its not personal! you are very cool amor, very cool." olga cooed in an attempt to soothe the blonde who scowled, crossing her arms and laying back down in bed.

"you are to your hermanita probably just...a little too old for her close friends story mi vida." "olga!"

~

you jolted upright in bed, body drenched in sweat and chest heaving as you struggled to catch your breath, tucking your knees up to your chest and rocking slightly with your eyes closed.

you hadn't had a nightmare in years but the one you'd just awoken from after the day you'd had meant your entire body was rigid and coiled with a cocktail of anxiety and dread.

being in your older sisters house in a bed and room that wasn't yours was not helping in the slightest. as your eyes adjusted to the darkness you kicked off the unfamiliar sheets which felt sticky and foreign against your skin.

managing to slow your breathing down a little you found your throat was dry, stripping off your hoodie and quietly leaving your room. a quick glance down the hall showing alexia's bedroom light was off you made a beeline for the kitchen.

you checked a few different cupboards before finally finding the glasses, doing your best to be quiet as you filled it with water and chugged it down, not hearing the soft footsteps which followed yor own.

"hermana?" you jumped a foot in the air and just caught the now empty glass by your fingertips as you nearly dropped it, grabbing at your chest and bending over a little as alexia stepped more into view.

"don't do that!" you warned in a harsh whisper, filling up the glass again and stepping aside as alexia grabbed her own glass and did the same. "lo siento. why are you up?" your sister asked with a concerned frown as you pointed to the glass in your hand and took a seat at the counter.

"did you have a nightmare? you only used to get up for water in the middle of the night when you had a bad dream." alexia asked softly once a few minutes passed and you hadn't made a move to return to your room.

you stayed silent as alexia leaned on the counter, not wanting to push you but watching the look of internal termoil clear on your face as your hands gripped the glass sat in front of you.

"if mami died i'd be all alone."

your words caught alexia off guard, a horrible sinking gut wrenching heart crushing feeling settling in her stomach as neither of you moved or spoke a word for at least a minute.

then once she seemed to snap out of the trance she'd been sent into she was rounding the counter, the thump of her glass against the counter bringing you back down to earth too and before you could take a breath there were hands either side of your face.

"no, no no no no. fresa you would never ever ever be alone. i would not let that happen no matter what i promise. i love you mi hermana, far too much to ever let you be alone. i would do anything for you!" alexia whispered out, holding your face firmly in your hands and her heart ached more seeing the tears pool in the corner of your eyes.

"then why did you stop trying to show me that? i have felt alone for the last year alexia! i felt like i have only had mami for the last year!" you could barely get your words out without your voice cracking, alexias stomach plummeting.

"because i am stupid and selfish and i saw you having friends and a life and i assumed you didn't need me around as much which was so wrong. i stopped checking in, i stopped making an effort and i hurt you. it is my biggest regret fresa, and not a day will go by where i will not wish i could change what has happened but i can't!" alexia's own eyes bore into yours filled with remorse.

"i know you are grown up now, but you will always be mi baby hermana. the same baby i held when you were born, watched learn how to talk and walk and whose hand i held when i walked you to school, who would steal my clothes or hide my boots so i didn't have to go to training because you would miss me and you couldn't come with me." alexia rambled, too far gone now to stop herself from word vomiting.

"the same baby who copied everything i did and snuck into my bed at night because you didn't like to sleep alone, who i would carry to the car when you fell asleep under the table at christmas dinner, who i tried to force to like football and accidentally knocked your front teeth out when i hit you in the face with the ball." alexia exhaled and finally stopped to take a breath before looking like she was going to continue.

"alexia." you sighed and pulled her hands away from your face.

"i know you and alba are trying, but it is really hard for me to see it as sincere when i tried for so long to tell you how i felt and neither of you listened." you spoke calmly, having swallowed the tears which wanted to burst forward.

"it is late and i am tired and it has been a really long night, i can't talk about this with you right now." you stood to your feet and went to leave, your sister grabbing your wrist gently as you paused.

"nena you would never be alone, vale? never." her lips ghosted your forehead but you were grateful she didn't pull you in for a hug, worried that would be the thing to tip you over the edge still actively swallowing back tears.

nodding at her words she let you go and the both of you returned back to your rooms though sleep didn't grace either you nor your older sister, both laying now wide awake and staring at the ceiling.

and alexia meant every word, she would fix this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

four

#woso community #woso #woso x reader #alexia putellas x reader #alexia putellas #woso imagine #woso fanfics #woso blurbs #🍓☀️

[pookiebearmick]

Laughing/smiling into kisses; pulling away and looking at each other with softened smiles !

this one is so cute!!! i'm doing a little bday moment for ian <3

The last thing Ian expected to wake up to on his birthday was an empty bed. He rolled over to find that his husband was gone, which was definitely out of the ordinary because Ian always had to coax Mickey out of bed after their multiple alarms let them know it was time to get up and ready for work.

Ian checked the time, 7:52AM, earlier than their usual 8AM alarm. This made it even stranger that Mickey wasn't in bed with him. He listened closely to see if he could hear anything to signal that Mickey was moving around somewhere in their small apartment. Strangely, he felt like he could hear a pin drop.

"Mick?" he called out to what seemed to be an empty apartment.

No reply. He rolled back to his other side and reached out for his phone, pulling up his messages to shoot Mickey a quick "where tf r u" text. It was Thursday, after all. They needed to be ready to leave their apartment by 9:30 to get to the growhouse for their first pickup of the day, and Ian was really hoping to have some lazy birthday sex before hopping in the shower.

He gave himself a couple more minutes in bed, scrolling on Instagram and responding to some "Happy Birthday Ian!!" text messages from his siblings, before he decided that it was time for him to get up and start some coffee. Fiona had sent him a french press and some coffee grounds from her favorite local shop in Florida for his birthday, and Ian was enjoying his fancy new kitchen gadget.

Mickey still hadn't responded to his text, so Ian started calling him as he measured out the grounds. He listened to the line ring two or three times before hearing jingling of keys and the unlocking of their apartment door.

"Where'd you go off to before 8 in the morning?" Ian asked, glancing over at the door as it opened before ending his phone call and grabbing the kettle to fill up with water.

"Well," Mickey started, shuffling out of his boots and moving into the kitchen, "I was hoping to surprise you with some breakfast from that café you're always talking about, but it seems the cat's outta the bag on that one."

Ian chuckled softly, setting the kettle on the burner and cranking it to high heat. "I told you you didn't have to do anything for my birthday, Mick. Getting together with the family for dinner and cake feels like a celebration enough for me."

He turned to face his husband, who was standing next to their small table with a soft smile and eyebrows raised. Mickey had just set down two styrofoam boxes of take out on the table, but still had a small bouquet of blue flowers in his hand.

"Wanted to," he said quickly to Ian, stepping forward and closing the gap between them.

Ian wrapped his arms around Mickey's waist and leaned down to kiss him, pulling Mickey in closer as he slotted their lips together.

He pulled back and looked at the flowers in Mickey's hand. "Sap," he teased with a small giggle, before leaning in and kissing Mickey again.

"Yeah, yeah," Mickey grumbled. "Your birthday's so close to Mother's Day that all the shops had flowers on sale. Couldn't fuckin' get out of there without someone putting flowers in my face." Despite the grumbling, Mickey was smiling softly up at Ian.

Ian absolutely loved that his husband was sweet and loving with him like this, getting up early to get him flowers and a special breakfast for his birthday. "Sure, Mick," he said sweetly, smiling back at Mickey. He leaned down and kissed Mickey once more through a big smile.

"Happy Birthday, lover," Mickey spoke softly, smiling sweetly back at Ian and meeting his gaze.

#happy birthday ian! #thank youuuuu #<3 #gallavich #gallavich fic #ian gallagher #mickey milkovich #deckard's words #librarenaissance #writing prompt #fluffy stuff

[therealmrszenin]

Toji Fushiguro x fem!reader

One shot maybe??

Pairing: Stepfather Toji x y/n

Warnings: Age gap, pet- names, touching, not proofread

Y/n stood in front of the stove, stirring the saucepan of boiling water, her hands moving gracefully back and forth, her mind lost in thought. Her mother was out shopping, leaving you alone with Toji, something you dreaded. Since your father's death, Toji had stepped in as the head of the household, taking care of everything from paying the bills to disciplining y/n when she misbehaved.

Despite his best efforts, y/n felt like they were strangers living under the same roof - there was no warmth or affection between them. Tonight, as they prepared dinner together, the tension seemed visible; neither one daring to speak first, both lost in their own thoughts.

As you pulled a pan full of pasta out of the oven, its delicious aroma filling the air, you caught Toji watching you from across the room. His dark eyes lingered on your curves before flicking away.

Y/n could feel her heart racing as she placed the pan onto the countertop, feeling the heat radiating through her fingers. Their attraction toward each other was evident despite their attempts to deny it. Finally, Toji broke the silence. "This smells delicious, babygirl" he said gruffly, nodding toward the steaming pasta dish on the table. You smiled weakly in response before turning around to grab some plates from the cupboard above your head. You felt him come up behind you, his strong arms wrapping around your waist and pulling you close against his chest.

You couldn't help but let out a small gasp as you felt his hot breath on your neck, sending shivers down your spine and right between your legs. "Thank you for helping me tonight, baby" he whispered softly into your ear, his voice thick with emotion.

The tension between them dissipated instantly, replaced by a sudden burst of passion. Y/n turned around to face him, their bodies mere inches apart. Toji's gaze drifted southward, taking in every curve of her body hungrily.

Y/n felt her cheeks flush at his attention, unable to look away from those piercing green eyes. Suddenly, Toji leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers in a fiery kiss that left her breathless. It was the kind of kiss that made your heart skip a beat, that left you weak-kneed and lightheaded.

As their lips parted, you looked up at him, your eyes wide with surprise. "W-W-What was that for, Toji?" You asked hoarsely, still reeling from the intensity of the moment.

Toji shook his head slightly, his eyes never leaving yours. "That was just a taste," he replied quietly, his voice sharp and low.

You could feel yourself falling under his spell, unable to resist his irresistible charm. You found yourself drawn to him even though you knew you shouldn't be. After all he was your mothers husband, but there was something about him that was irresistibly alluring, almost magnetic. As you two sat down to eat dinner, you couldn't stop stealing glances at Toji across the table.

There was something incredibly sexy about how he held himself - the way he slouched back in his chair, manspreading showing of his big, meaty thighs,one hand wrapped around his glass of whiskey, his eyes fixed intently on you. You could feel your heart racing again, your breath coming faster than usual.

"S-So...what do you want to do after we finish eating?" You asked shyly, hoping to break the tension that had been building between you all night. Toji looked up from his plate, smirking at you.

"I think you already know what I’m going to do after, or rather who I’m going to do," he began slowly, his voice low and raspy.

#dilf toji #fushiguro toji smut #fushiguro x reader #jjk fushiguro #jjk smut #jjk toji #jjk x you #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen toji #jujutsu toji #toji fushiguro #toji x you #toji smut #toji zenin #toji x reader #toji x y/n #jjk gojo #jjk season 2 #jjk x reader #jujutsu nanami #my fanfiction #stepfather #daddy issues #daddy’s babygirl #daddy's good girl #older daddy

[sevikasupremacy]

By My Side - Chapter 15

LOYALTY - Sevika x Reader Series

Warning: None

Words: 1.1k

Previous Chapter

Summary: Despite tough circumstances you both faced, Sevika couldn’t help but express her gratitude to you.

“Ugh… my head…” 

You blinked rapidly as the world slowly came back into focus. 

The same neon lights shone through the dark city as you regained consciousness. Your eyes travelled down to your injuries, wincing at the sight of it.

As you try to stand up, a hand grabs onto your forearm, stopping you from moving.

“Let me go.”

You pushed the stranger’s hand away, still struggling to balance yourself.

You didn’t know how long you were unconscious, but it seemed that everything had gone quiet.

As you looked around to identify the faces that were around you, you realized that all of them were Silco’s goons. Their expressions were a mixture of confusion and stress as they anticipated the fight in The Last Drop. Not only that, you noticed that you somehow ended up on a worn-out sofa in a familiar alley. 

The same worn-out sofa that Sevika was sitting on before reuniting with you.

With blurry visions, you took a step forward, following the green neon lights. 

“Sevika wants you to stay out of it.” One of Silco’s goons exclaimed, making you turn around to glare at him. 

“So you guys are just going to stand there and let it happen?” You scoffed in disbelief, shaking your head.

“This is the only time that I’m not going to listen to her.” 

You walked out, ignoring the calls from others.

——

Observing the gap in the door, you became aware that the entire tavern was shut down. You leaned in closer, trying your best to make out anything in the pitch-black darkness.

Afraid that Vi might still be inside, you listened intently for any sounds that could give you a clue.

But what you got in return was silence.

You took a deep breath and pushed the door open, only to find the entire place in ruins. Your eyes scanned the tavern, noticing the shattered pool table that was split in half and the red glowing mark plastered on the wall.

Your eyes widened, realizing that Sevika had used the plasma blade you had built for her in case of emergencies.

“Sevika…?” You called out her name but no response was heard.

"Sevika!" you shouted, cupping the side of your mouth with your hand.

You reached your arm out, trying to locate where you were when you tripped on something metallic, causing you to fall over, landing with a loud thud.

You looked ahead and froze in horror at the sight of your most beautiful invention being torn apart, the purple glow of shimmer still shining as if pleading for help.

Tears streamed down your cheeks as your trembling hands gently held the broken piece, the metal claw hanging limply in your grasp.

“Sevika..?” Your voice cracked as you called your lover’s name once more, desperate for an answer.

After a moment of silence, you rose to your feet, the broken mechanical arm still cradled in your arms as you used it to guide your way toward the stairs. Although your vision was blurred, you could still recall the layout of the tavern.

As you proceeded up the stairs with caution, a low grunt coming from Silco's office caught your attention, causing you to fasten your pace before stumbling once again, your already injured knees colliding with the wooden floor.

Clutching the broken mechanical arm with one hand, you turned the doorknob and pushed your limping body inside before collapsing onto the ground, finally releasing Sevika's arm.

“Y/N!”

You looked up to see Sevika, a shocked expression on her face as she struggled to stand up and reach you. She groaned in pain, sinking back down into the couch, her arm still extending as if begging you to come closer.

You crawled toward her before resting your chin on her knee, your teary eyes looking up at her in concern.

Silence filled the office as the two of you shared glances at each other, refusing to exchange any words.

You closed your eyes, trying to calm yourself down before you felt a hand on top of your head, causing you to open your eyes again and look up at the older woman.

That's when you witnessed an expression from Sevika that you never expected. Her gentle gaze and warm smile were directed at you as if she was looking at the most exquisite creation ever crafted in Zaun.

Her hand traveled down to the side of your face.

“Come here.” She urged, gently tugging you by the arm, “Sit here.”

The older woman tapped the empty spot between her legs. You nodded and climbed up slowly, settling yourself sideways with your legs draping over her thigh, making sure not to apply too much pressure on her injuries.

“I should go get some medicine for you.” You mumbled, feeling her arm wrap around your shoulders, cradling you.

“You’re my medicine,” Sevika smirked, planting a kiss on the crown of your head.

"You're still flirting in this situation?" you frowned, causing the older woman to chuckle and pull you into a tighter embrace.

After a moment of silence, the older woman leaned in close to your ear. As you waited for her next movement, Sevika pulled away as if she had second thoughts.

“What?” You raised an eyebrow.

“It’s nothing.”

“Oh come on, just say it.” You groaned, your hands cupping the older woman’s face so she wouldn’t look away.

“It’s just…” Sevika sighed, closing her eyes before whispering her answer, “Thank you.”

“Thank you?”

“For sticking by my side.”

You chuckled at the sight of embarrassed Sevika before kissing her on the lips, earning a soft hum from the older woman.

“You don’t need to thank me,” You whispered, “Even if you push me away, I’ll still be here no matter what.”

"Whatever happens, I'm always by your side. It has always been like that."

Sevika smiled, hugging you tighter as she burrowed her face into the crook of your neck, sneaking in another kiss.

“I love you so much.” The older woman mumbled, tickling you with her lips.

Sevika pulled away before bringing her forehead to meet yours.

The two of you held each other for comfort, a million thoughts racing through your minds.

What’s going to happen to Zaun? How is Silco going to handle this? What other challenges do we have to overcome?

But those thoughts were interrupted the moment you felt the steady rhythm of Sevika's heartbeat. You rested your head against her chest, concentrating on the comforting pulse before relaxing into her touch.

You didn’t know what the future held. But as long as Sevika is in it, you know that everything will be okay.

.

.

.

Notes: Finals is finally over and I’m flying back to Thailand in like a week 🤩 I’m so excited

Look how far we’ve come!

Just want to give you guys a little heads up that the next chapter will be the final chapter. Thank you for reading this series until the end 💗

.

Taglist: @holysmokesblog @moonknightys @honeyr4ven @im-sidney @meetmeinthervng @uwuttaja @tiptoeingquietly @trashbod @Doc-blu @mayalopxz @pinkiedash101 @gabrielsellesty @rockyroad-is-bomb @jkkwin @idcplss @pinkrose1422 @thesevi0lentdelights

#arcane #arcane x reader #sevika #sevika arcane #sevika x reader #sevika imagine #arcane fanfic #sevika x you #sevika x female reader #sevika x y/n

[late-to-the-party-81]

Apparently words can hurt me

AN: I’m back again, filling multiple challenge squares in one fic, and indulging my love of pre-serum Stucky. This fic is for the following fills;

Into the Juniverse - Squares C1,3 and 4 - Modern, Bookstore, Medical - @buckybarnesevents 

The Slumber party, May challenge - “Who did this to you?” @the-slumberparty

BBB Y1 - Sticks and stones @buckybarnesbingo 

Beta’d by @sparkagrace 

Mood board by me, dividers by @firefly-graphics 

Master list

Relationship: ER Doctor Steve Rogers x Bookstore Owner Bucky Barnes

Word count: 2.8k

CW: Fluff, minor angst, suggested Smut, implied bottom Bucky, pre-serum Stucky, alcohol consumption, fast burn, strangers to lovers to friends, meet cute/meet ugly, Special guest star Alpine, Nat and Sam are a good bros (even if they give their friends shit), alternating pov, Human disaster Bucky Barnes, implied age gap (Bucky late 20’s, Steve, mid 30’s)

“So, Steve - how’s your first day going?”

Steve turned, hanging his stethoscope around his neck, and smiled up at his friend and colleague, Sam. He clasped hands with the man he’d known since medical school and allowed himself to be pulled into a hug. Not that he really could have stopped it - Sam was over half a foot taller than him, and was obviously a big fan of both arms day and legs day. The man’s muscles had muscles, and Steve, well, didn’t really. He’d tried building muscle in the past but his metabolism was so ridiculously fast that he’d almost bankrupted himself trying to up his protein intake.

“It’s going great, man. It’s good to be back on the East Coast, even if it does seem to be a lot wetter.”

“I think trading sunshine for working with a friend is still a definite upside.” Sam’s sunny mood never failed to make Steve smile. “You were wasted in L.A.”

Steve nodded, thinking back to the circumstances that had led to him packing up and moving to the other side of the country after he’d qualified, and then the circumstances that had led to him returning and taking up residence at King's County. It had been a while since he’d worked in an ER, but it was like falling off a bike. Or rather patching up someone who’d fallen off a bike.

“Well, I’d best get back to it - I’ve got a suspected fracture of the tibia in bay three.”

“Drinks - tonight - seven - Gallis. Don’t be late, Rogers.” Steve chuckled as Sam shot him finger guns, before heading back down the corridor to Obstetrics.

He’d missed Sam. He’d missed New York. Most of all, he’d missed himself - missed what he’d hidden of himself while he’d been away. He was back now, though and ready to get on with the rest of his life. He strode towards Bay Three and picked up the chart attached to the bed. He sat down next to the forlorn looking teenager who was probably the same height as him.

“Now, Mr Parker. How did you manage this?

“Nat! Naaaaaat!” Bucky called out to his best friend-slash-co-owner, desperately trying to keep the large stack of books balanced in his arms. Something bumped his ankles and he peered down. “No. Not you, Alpine. You don’t have opposable thumbs.” The white ball of fluff just continued to purr and rub against her human’s legs. Bucky tried to nudge his baby away, but the change in balance caused the top book to slide, bumping against Bucky’s cheekbone.

“Nat! Help!”

“What’s up, Buckminsterfullerene?”

Nat appeared as if by magic, riding the roll-along ladder like Belle from Beauty and the Beast. If Bucky could have pinched the bridge of his nose he would have. Instead he just settled for a sigh.

“You know completely what’s up, and you’re just waiting for the right moment to say ‘I told you so’. I’ve overestimated how many books I can put away at once, again. Now will you please help me?”

She jumped down, her red hair swinging around her shoulders.

“What’s in it for me?”

“I’ll take you for drinks at Gallis once we’ve closed up? We can people-watch, maybe find a couple of guys to flirt with and buy us more drinks?”

Nat stepped forward and took a handful of books off the top of the stack, holding them in one arm and started to put them away. She pursed her lips as if she was trying to decide, but Bucky knew she wouldn’t be able to resist that offer - it was their favourite Friday evening activity, which said a lot about their respective love lives.

“You’re on, Barnes, but tell me you got something cute upstairs in your wardrobe that I can borrow.”

“Nat, you know full well that half your wardrobe is upstairs, pushing mine out. You’re here that often.”

“Hey! I resemble that remark. And anyway, it gives you more options.”

Bucky huffed, and blew a lock out of his brown hair out of his eyes, before realising that the stack of books left in his arms was now actually manageable and could be put away.

“I might be slim, but I’m not that slim.”

“Betcha $10 that I can make an outfit out of my stuff for you to wear this evening.”

Nat smiled at him, eyes twinkling and he grinned back.

“You’re on, Romanoff!”

“So you’re telling me that your patient really thought he could scale down from a second storey window?” Sam’s expression was a mixture of amusement and disbelief. Steve grabbed an olive from the bowl in front of them, threw it up and caught it in his mouth.

“Yup. Kid thought that if he covered his hands and feet in some kind of sticky resin he could go up and down the wall like a spider. No lie. Not even drunk. Just a clever kid with too much time on his hands and not enough common sense.”

Sam laughed, and wiped a tear of mirth from his eye.

“God, man. I’m glad I’ve left general medicine behind.”

“Yeah, now you just have to deal with a load of…”

“Don’t say it! Don’t you dare say it. That joke gets old, real fast. So, other than an idiotic teenager, you enjoying being back? Ready to put yourself out there?”

Steve took a swig from his beer, more to give him a second’s space than the need to actually slake his thirst. Sam looked at him expectantly, and Steve knew he wasn’t going to get out of answering.

“Yes to the first and maybe to the second.”

Sam raised his eyebrow.

“Maybe? Come-on, dude. It’s been like, what, four… five months since you broke up. I’m not saying go out and propose to the first person you meet, but there’s no harm in a little flirting, a little dancing. And I can tell you, there’s a young man over there who hasn’t been able to take his eyes off you.”

Steve knew who he meant - it had been difficult not to notice the certified twink propped up against the bar drinking cocktails with his red-headed friend. The young man looked like he’d been poured into those black skin-tight jeans, and the rather feminine, purple button-up, left open over an equally feminine black crop top, accentuated his pale skin and red, pouty lips. Steve would be a liar if he said he wasn’t interested - part of him definitely was, but the more cautious part of him, the part that was still nursing his battered and bruised heart, wasn’t sure.

“Go on, Steve. Buy him a drink. Or at least offer.”

Sam was nothing if not persistent. Steve downed the rest of his bottle, trying for a bit of dutch courage. Apparently, he wasn’t getting out of this either.

“This hasn’t got anything to do with the fact that you want to speak to his friend, does it?”

Sam smiled around his bottle neck before placing it, now empty, back on the table.

“I plead the fifth on that.” Steve smiled back, but rolled his eyes dramatically.

“Come on, before I chicken out. But one drink. That’s all.”

“Uh-huh? I bet you’ll want to stay for more.”

Damn-it!

Steve hated it when Sam was right. He’d almost forgotten how insufferably smug his friend could get, but he had no doubt he would be reminded in the morning. Or rather later in the morning, because it was 4.30am and Steve was quietly trying to find his pants.  

He’d never been a one-night stand kinda guy before, and truly, he hadn’t intended to go home with this man - Bucky - but with each swig of beer, each whispered flirtation, each dance, it had seemed like a better and better idea. They’d gone back to Bucky’s - a small apartment above a bookstore - and, well, things had escalated quickly.

Now, Steve wasn’t going to say he regretted it, because whoo-ee, was Bucky something - very hot, very talented - but now, as the alcohol and post-orgasmic haze was wearing off, he was feeling… awkward?

Bucky was lying on his front on his bed, head turned to the side and lightly snoring. A shaft of light from the street outside shone through the somewhat ratty curtains, highlighting Bucky’s glorious cheekbones and kissable lips. Steve felt a pull inside him, a pull to just get back into the warm bed, wrap his arms around Bucky and go back to sleep but he shouldn’t. He couldn’t. It was too soon got anything like that.

Locating his slacks, he tugged them on. Groping around further he found his shirt, one sock and both shoes. Gathering them to himself, Steve crept towards the bedroom door, opened it a slither, and snuck out.

As he took a step forward something soft and warm brushed against his foot. Somehow he managed to stifle his scream.

“Mmmerp?”

A pair of large eyes looked up at him in the darkness. Juggling his armful of clothes, Steve pulled out his phone, and turned on the torch.

“Oh, thank fuck. You’re just a cat.”

The animal tilted its white fuzzy face.

“Mmmerp?”

Steve shuffled over to the sofa, resting his phone on the coffee table as he stuffed his arms into his shirt.

“Sorry, little one. I have no idea where your owner keeps your kibble. You’ll have to manage.”

He pulled on his lone sock and slipped on his shoes, making a face at how his bare foot stuck to the leather inner. Laces tightened, he picked up his phone and quietly made his way over to the front door.

“Do me a favour, kitty? Give Bucky a kiss for me, yeah?”

“Mmmerp!”

Carefully shutting the door behind him, and trying not to think too hard about the heaviness in his heart, Steve pulled up his ride share app, and booked himself a cab home.

“So, he just bailed on you?”

Bucky stared down at the account book open in front of him, hoping that the numbers would just start to make sense on their own. And hoping that Nat would just drop it.

“Uh-huh. Gone when I woke up. Left a sock behind though.”

“A veritable Cinderella, then.”

“Ha-ha, Nat. Very funny. His name was Steve.”

Bucky shut the ledger with a snap, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“I don’t even know why I’m so cross. It’s not like I haven’t done the moonlight flit before.”

Nat leant against the counter, checking her pristine make-up in her compact mirror.

“It hurts, cos you were on the receiving end this time. My advice? Let it go. You got a good lay out of it, yes?”

“Yes…” It might have been begrudgingly, but he had to agree - the sex had been spectacular. Maybe that’s why he was so sour? Upset that he didn’t get to get up close and friendly to Steve’s dick again? For a short guy, he’d definitely been packing… Oh, well.

“Well, ride the high of a good fuck and move on.”

“Okay, okay. What about you and his friend?”

Nat turned her head and gave a coy smile.

“Sam? A lady doesn’t kiss and tell.”

“Yeah, but you ain’t no lady. Ow! Don’t hit me!” 

Bucky laughed as he raised his arms to fend off Nat’s friendly blows.

“Uncle! Uncle! I give in, I’m sorry.”

“Hhmmff. I suggest you get on with some work. Maybe you should do the book sorting and I’ll do the accounts?”

“Sounds like a plan. And Nat?”

“What?”

“Love you!”

“Love you, too.”

Why had he drunk so much last night?

The lights in the ER were far too bright, and he was now 10 hours into an 8 hour shift. And why on earth did people insist on inserting things that shouldn’t be inserted into places that shouldn’t have things inserted?

“Dr Rogers? Are you able to check over the patient in Bay 5?”

“Hmmm?” Steve turned to see the face of Wanda, the triage nurse looking at him expectantly. He bit back a moan as he wiped his hand over his face. “I mean, sure. What’s the story?”

“He says he had an accident at work, but something heavy has impacted his face. His left orbit is bruised and there’s a large edema, which is interfering with his vision.”

Wanda was chewing her lip and Steve could tell she wasn’t sure if the guy’s story was true.

“Okay - I’ll take a look. You’ve got his chart?”

“Right here. And thank you, Steve.”

“No problem.”

Steve pushed up from the desk where he’d managed to find all of two minutes' peace and skimmed through the chart for his new patient as he made his way over to the bay.

“Okay… James, is it?” As he pulled open the curtain and looked up, he froze. “Bucky?”

“Steve?” 

Wanda hadn’t been kidding - Bucky was pretty banged up, but he was still as beautiful as Steve remembered.

The clipboard clattered to the floor and suddenly Steve found himself right in front of Bucky, gently cradling his bruised face in his hands.

“Who did this to you?”

For a heartbeat, Bucky just stared at him and then…

“What? What do you mean?”

“Was it a jealous boyfriend? If so, I’m so sorry. But also, give me his name. I’ll make sure he never sees the light of day again.”

Bucky’s eyes - well, one of them - went wide with understanding before he hissed and winced. Steve picked up the ice pack that had been discarded on the side table and pressed it to the purpling side of Bucky’s face.

“Steve, slow down. It wasn’t somebody else. There’s no boyfriend. No any-one. I had an accident, that’s all.”

“But what? How?”

Bucky chuckled, then winced again.

“Nat’s not going to let me live it down. I do it all the time, and finally, it backfired. I was putting the books away, you know, in my shop.” 

No, Steve didn’t know. Hadn’t realised that the shop below the apartment had been Bucky’s shop. To be fair, he was a little distracted at the time. However, he nodded anyway, aware that he was probably gaping like a fish.

“Well, I have a tendency to overestimate how many books I can carry at once, and then I overbalanced, and crrsshhh,” he gestured wildly. “A dozen hardbacks were bouncing off my face. And I thought I was safe with words. Isn’t it supposed to be sticks and stones that break my bones?”

Another heartbeat of silence and then…

“Oh my God, Bucky. You didn’t just say that?” Steve slapped a hand over his mouth to stifle the chuckle that threatened to burst out. “Come on. Let me have a look. We might have to send you to X-ray though.”

Bucky couldn’t believe it. Steve - Sexy Steve from last night - was a doctor. He was certain it was only the pain in his face that stopped his dick from standing straight to attention when Steve had walked in, all professional in his white coat with a stethoscope around his neck.

He also couldn’t believe he’d made that cheesy joke, and that Steve had been all worried about him. 

While Steve did his thing, gently probing and taking notes, and asking him about his pain levels, Bucky ruminated on Steve’s reaction.

“Steve…”

“Mmmhhmmm?” Steve was still looking down at the papers, pen in between his lips, and God, if he hadn’t looked sexier.

“Were you really worried that someone had assaulted me?”

“What? Umm… well…yes. I was worried it was my fault too. Look, Bucky, it was really shitty of me to leave like I did this morning. I’m not... I mean I don’t…” His cheeks turned pink with embarrassment and Bucky took pity on him, leaning over and pressing his finger to Steve’s lips.

“Hey. It’s okay. I don’t think either of us was communicating properly last night - well, communicating in a non sex-specific manner - I think we got that down, don’tcha think?”

Steve gulped.

“Umm, well…”

“Let’s start again, okay? I’m James Buchanan Barnes, Bucky to my friends. I own and run a bookstore with my best friend Natasha, and I’m rubbish at relationships.”

He stuck out his hand towards Steve, who looked at it, before reaching out with his own.

“I’m Steve Rogers, ER doctor, here at King’s County. I’ve just returned from several years in LA, and having my heart broken in the process. I’m looking to take things slow.”

“I can do slow. Say, when we both get out of here, if anywhere’s still open, would you like to go and get a coffee?”

“I think I’d like that a lot, Bucky.”

Tag list: @jobean12-blog @yarnforbrains @sidepartskinnyjeans @flordeamatista @krissy25 @bodeckersdiamonddoll @goldylions @luxeavenger @wheezy-stucky @doasyoudesireandlive @chemtrails-club @seitmai @peaches1958 @pono-pura-vida @writing-for-marvel

#stucky fic #stucky au #pre-serum stucky #steve x bucky #late writes #connect4au #navy and roo’s sleepover #buckybarnesbingo2023

[krikeymate]

Fic title: "touch without hurting me"

Tara doesn't make a sound, but Sam can still hear the whimper in her trembling lips, in the way she squints her eyes, in her shaking hands.

She'll carry the sound of Tara's cries with her to the grave. She hears it in every silent moment, sees the creep of blood beneath bandages every time she closes her eyes.

Standing in the doorway of her sister's bedroom, the shadows transport them. Tara's no longer safe, tucked away in bed. She's in a hospital corridor, crawling for her life, begging. She's a floor below, terrified and confused, being thrown to the ground and stabbed and stabbed and stabbed and-

"Sam?"

- She's been caught in the act.

Sam can't find her voice, doesn't want to. The silence protects them, from stilted conversations, awkward silences, ugly truths. The darkness is a protective shroud; reality fades away in the twilight and Sam can be the watchful guardian she should have been all along.

Tara turns her lamp on anyway, banishes away the fog.

"What're you doing?"

Her sister sounds confused, not scared.

She should be scared, Sam thinks. There's a stranger in the doorway.

"Hey," she whispers, barely more than a sigh. She's too caught up in watching the way Tara's arm quivers as it holds herself up to notice wide eyes, downturned lips, and a furrowed brow.

But Sam's always been too engrossed in Tara's pain to notice her concern. That's never changed.

A pained hiss fills the room as Tara shifts, legs dragging themselves to the edge of the bed.

"What are you doing?!" Sam cries, too loud, as she steps forward to stop her. It feels wrong, like a disturbance. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. She was supposed to watch over her and Tara was supposed to stay sleeping and never knowing.

This is all wrong.

"You're crying," Tara says simply, blinking up at her, as if that explains anything. As if it means anything.

Sam doesn't need to check. Now that it's been pointed out to her, she can feel the sting in her eyes, the path down her cheeks, the taste of salt on the corner of her lips. The tears that escape her even now.

She should wipe them away. She doesn't want Tara to see her like this. But she can't move her hands, they remain hovering over her sister, stuck in orbit. Fear repelling them away, fear holding them close.

She just wants to hold her sister close. To know she's ok, that she's safe, that she's still here and that Sam has a chance to fix this mess she's made of them. That she can make this up to her.

That it's not too late.

But the only thing that's ever been worse than the idea of losing her sister, is the thought of being the one to hurt her.

"Sam..." Tara murmurs, breaching the gap for her. Her sister's hand on her cheek burns, like a knife in her side by a man she was beginning to love. Then she twists the blade, fingers brushing over the wound in her abdomen. "Does it hurt?"

Sam has to close her eyes in shame as a sob erupts from her throat. "I should be asking you that," she chokes out. What does Sam know of pain?

"It's not a competition," Tara says wryly, tugging at Sam's collar. "Although if it was, I would obviously win."

Sam doesn't remember the last time she cried this much. She doesn't remember it leaving her so light, so free. It leaves her exhausted, and helpless to resist as Tara pulls her onto the bed with her.

She's never had any defenses against her sister, why even try to defy her?

The situation Sam had been trying to avoid rears its head as Tara struggles to lie back down. Despite her best efforts to push it away, a groan still escapes her.

"Stop moving," Sam demands, wrapping her arms around her sister and holding her to her chest.

The way Tara suddenly tenses in her grip has her fearing the worst, but then she melts, face nestling under her chin and hands gripping at Sam's arms.

"I've missed this," Tara confesses, under her breath.

She wasn't supposed to hear that, Sam thinks, watching the way Tara's hands slip over her own.

"I love you," she whispers back.

I've got you.

I've missed you too.

#/mp #ask box #Scream #Sam Carpenter #Tara Carpenter #my writing tag #-touch #-5 to 6 #i was interpreting this very literally and then it made itself abstract #fic title prompt

[daegudrama]

Daegudrama’s Spicy Festa Special D-2

Title: Club Nabi

Pairing: Reader/Park Jimin

Summary: Reader meets a stranger at the club and ends up in a compromising position in the bathroom.

Word Count: 1604 words

The cold wind nips at your bare legs as you wait in line outside Club Nabi. Not even the shots you had at your best friend's apartment are warming you up. You pull your leather jacket tighter against your body as the line finally starts to move. In front of you two men are laughing at something on the taller one’s phone. For a moment you try to listen to what they are saying but it doesn’t seem very interesting or polite. 

Sakura, your best friend of many years, pulls on your arm, snapping you out of your eavesdropping.  You are in front of the bouncer now scrambling to get your ID out. After a quick glance he lets the two of you in with no problem. Though his eyes linger on your exposed collarbone a little longer than necessary. 

This is your first time here and you are amazed by the way they’ve made butterflies for a club aesthetic. Subtle glowing butterflies are scattered across the walls with neon flower signs. There are a few booths off in the corners but the dance floor is the main feature. The floor is already filled with bodies swaying back and forth to the pounding music. 

“Let’s get a drink.” Sakura says, linking her delicate arm through yours.

She’s been here a few times and swears it’s the best place to let off steam. With how stressful work has been lately you could really use a little bit of fun. Sakura pays for the first round opting for simple shots of soju. You remove your coats leaving them near the bar. Each of you takes two shots before heading to the dance floor.

You and Sakura are in your own world dancing together for quite awhile before her eyes widen. She raises an eyebrow and backs away telling you with her facial expressions to look behind you. Your best friend turns to a tall man and shakes her hips in time to the music. 

You turn to see possibly the most beautiful man you’ve ever laid eyes on. His black hair is pushed away from his forehead. The man’s eyes sparkle with a tantalizing charm only enhanced by the smallest amount of dark eye makeup. His confidence radiates around him in a way that is almost as sexy as the smile on his pillow lips. 

“Hello beautiful.” His voice is low as he leans in to speak in your ear sending a shiver down your spine. “I’m Jimin.”

He hasn’t touched you waiting for you to make the first move. The alcohol running through your veins gives you a surge of courage you wouldn’t normally have. You reach forward, taking his hands and placing them on your hips. You tell him your name as you dance into him.

Jimin’s body is inching closer to yours as you continue to dance. His hands are warm through the thin material of your black body con dress. He presses his fingertips harder into your skin warming your stomach. He takes your hand spinning you around before pulling you close until your noses are almost touching. He pauses for a moment, hands grasping your waist again before he closes the gap between your lips. Jimin tastes like expensive whiskey and somehow that pulls you in further. 

You wrap your arms around his neck urging him closer until your bodies are flush. His hand slides to your ass kneading it with his fingers. You deepen the kiss allowing his smooth tongue to explore your mouth. A low hum sounds from his throat and somehow you wish you were even closer to him. 

Jimin pulls away first, taking you in his arms with your ass pressed against his cock. He’s already tenting his pants from just kissing you. You shake your ass in time with the music and he grabs your hips. His lips are parted when you look over your shoulder at him. His drags his hands to your breasts cupping one in each hand as you continue to move against him. 

It’s several minutes before you can’t take it anymore and turn around to kiss him again. Your hand reaches for his cock stroking it through his slacks. He hisses sucking harshly at your neck. After a minute of this he pulls your hand away grasping it tightly in his. Jimin leads the way through the crowd holding tightly to your hand. 

He stops in front of the bathroom peeking inside before continuing on. The bathroom is washed with red light and is surprisingly empty. There are a variety of butterfly murals covering the walls. Jimin backs you against the sink only stopping when you are pressed against the counter.

“Let me have a taste.” He says picking you up with ease and setting you on the counter.

Not a word passes your lips as you spread your legs inviting him to take you however he wants. He hooks his fingers under the band of your lace panties and pulls them to your ankles without prompt. Jimin leans down and pushes your dress up to lick a bold strip across your slit. You feel like you’ve been waiting ages for someone to touch you. Your body is more sensitive than usual only heightening the pleasure you feel as he flicks his tongue over you. 

One of your hands takes a fist full of his hair and a soft moan leaves his mouth which only leads you to tug harder. He loves the sensation, returning the favor with precise swirls of his tongue on your clit. You are trying to keep quiet but you can’t stay silent when his tongue feels so good lapping at your pussy.

A sharp breath enters your lungs when he pushes two fingers into your cunt without warning. He gives you all of two seconds to adjust before he begins quickly thrusting his fingers in and out of you. You lean your head against the mirror behind you not knowing what to do. He continues sucking and licking at your pussy while his fingers work deep inside your soaked pussy. 

You are almost embarrassed by how quickly you feel your orgasm building. Jimin is so incredibly sexy and skilled that it’s hard to control yourself. The man is so effortlessly handsome. He sucks your clit into his mouth looking up at you through his lashes and you lose it. You cum all over his fingers chanting his name like he’s some famous idol and not a man you just met in a club. He certainly has the charm and looks to be an idol. 

“So pretty, baby.” He says standing to pull you in for a soft kiss. “Can I fuck you against this counter?”

“Please!” You whine almost surprising yourself with how desperately you want this man’s cock to fill you up. 

The man lifts you off of the counter then turns you around. He pushes your head towards the counter and you bend over. Jimin enjoys the view of your pretty pussy ready for his leaking cock. He wastes no time unbuttoning his pants and pulling the zipper down along with his boxers. You hear the sound of Jimin opening a condom and in the mirror you see him roll it on. 

Jimin smacks your ass before he lines himself up with your pussy. He’s made you so wet that he slides inside you with no resistance. He curses as he bottoms out inside of you. Jimin fills your cunt so nicely you wish he would stay in you forever. 

He slowly pulls out before snapping his hips, pushing himself back inside of you. He grabs a fist full of your hair and pulls your head back so you have no choice but to watch yourself in the mirror. Jimin thrusts into again with more force this time. Your eyes widen as your jaw drops, breathy moans leaving your lips. Your breasts are bouncing as he opts for shallow fast thrusts. The sting of your scalp only makes the sensation of his cock slamming into you that much better. 

There is a pleased smirk on Jimin’s lips as he looks at you in the mirror. His other hand is gripping your hip keeping in place so he can use you as he pleases. This is the first time you’ve ever had sex in public and the man behind you is making sure it’s the best you ever have. 

The chance of someone walking in sends a thrill to your chest. His thrusts become more erratic as he nears his high. Pretty moans are filling the air as he lets go of your hair. Jimin pushes deep inside of you grabbing your breasts as he cums into the condom inside you. He rests his head against your shoulder kissing the exposed skin. 

He pulls out dealing with the condom while you just stand there. Where do you go from here? You pull your panties back into place and Jimin puts a hand on your cheek. He leans in for a chaste kiss pulling back when his phone buzzes. His brows furrow together before he leaves without another word.  You try to follow him but he easily gets lost in the over packed crowd.

You find Sakura at the bar alone and she raises an eyebrow silently asking what the fuck just happened. Of course, you tell her in painstaking detail just like she wants. She wants to look for him but you hold her arm. If he wanted anything else he would’ve said so. If anything else is meant to happen you’ll see him again. 

#bts fanfic #bts smut #jimin x reader #jimin x you #jimin x y/n #jimin smut #club nabi #fuck boy jimin #park jimin #daegudrama’s spicy festa special

[guess-my-next-obsession]

hiii !! first of all, CONGRATULATIONS ON 800 !! although im pretty new here, i absolutely adore your work; your writing its very beautiful and I'm always looking forward to read what you publish 💗

whit that being said, if it isn't too late, I'd like to ask for a bit of fluff with my man Javier P (specially number 3 if possible)

thank you !!💐

You Are In Love

pairing: javier peña x reader

warnings: age gap relationship, post-cali!javi, language, maybe little implications of smut but not really imo (disclaimer: i’m a horny adult so most of my fics will have some allusion to sex), all around FLUFF

words: 1.8k

One look, dark room, meant just for you. Time moved too fast, you play it back.

Laredo was an uneventful town, to say the least. Most everyone knew each other their entire lives, and those who were unlucky enough to have moved here were quickly roped into the small-town lifestyle. There was no space for new romances, given the fact that everyone in your age bracket had already dated each other in some capacity since elementary school. So, when a handsome stranger walked in to the wedding reception in red flannel and a mustached smile, you were a bit taken aback.

“Who’s that?” You leaned over and whispered to your mother. She looked pestered as she lifted her head from her plate of food, squinting as she searched for the person in question.

“Quien, mija?” She snapped in frustration. You sighed and gestured at the man passing behind your table, your mother immediately blushing as though she was a school girl.

“Mama, are you blushing?” You chuckled and temporarily forgot about the man’s close presence. She shushed you and stood up, wiping her face and hands off before walking over to him with a flirty smile. Your eyes followed her as she greeted him, kissing his cheek and pulling him in for a hug.

“Javier! It’s been a while,” You sat firmly in your seat, watching the two interact nosily. The lights were dimmed at this point in the evening, the bright lights from the disco ball occasionally shining on their faces, allowing you glimpses of his smile as he spoke to her about his absence.

Who was he? Your mother knew him. Hell, everyone in the fucking building seemed to know him. And yet…here you were, clueless—and pining.

“Ah, si. How is your family?” You overheard him ask, his voice deep enough to send shivers down your spine. Reel it in.

“Do you want to come say hi? They’re all here, aside from my oldest. He’s off at school.” She didn’t wait for a response, tugging his arm and pulling him over to the table. You quickly turned back to your plate, grabbing your fork and pretending as though you had been busy eating. “Okay, so over there is my youngest, though I think he was only a baby when you left for school.”

“Hi,” You watched as your little brother shyly greeted the man, knowing that your turn was coming. With a hand on your shoulder, your mother turned the attention to you, causing you to turn around. He looked tall as he stood behind your chair, looking down at you with a surprised smile.

“This is my middle baby, though she’s all grown up now. I think she was too little to remember you. She was asking who you were when you walked in—“

“Mama!” You scolded quietly through gritted teeth as you stood up, chuckling as you held your hand out. “Sorry about her, it’s nice to meet you…”

“Javi,” He filled in, eyes softening as he slid his hand into yours, shaking it for a second too long to have been strictly friendly.

“Nice to meet you, Javi.” You mumbled back, taken aback by his…existing. You quickly withdrew your hand from his and sucked in a sharp breath. “Well. Gonna go get myself a drink. Enjoy the party, bud.”

Bud? What the fuck was that?

You felt restless as you stood at the cooler, drinking your second beer in the last twenty minutes since practically running away from your encounter with Laredo’s last bachelor. It all happened too quickly. You stood as stiff as a statue as you ran through the memory over and over. Did he look at everyone like that? No wonder your mother smiled like a little girl with a crush the minute she spotted him.

“Are they cold?” You jumped when you heard his voice speak into your ear over the music, clutching your heart in effort to make it stop thumping so loudly.

“What?”

“The beers.” He nudged his head at the cooler you were guarding. You looked down at the white chest and nodded, not playing it cool in the slightest.

“Yeah. There’s ice…in there.” You winced at the words leaving your mouth, making Javier chuckle. “Sorry, I just…you’re…you’re a very attractive man and my mom just loves to embarrass me, and—“

“You think I’m attractive?” He asked, raising an eyebrow as he leaned across your body to open the cooler, reaching in and grabbing himself a beer like it was the most casual thing in the world.

“Did I say that out loud?” You asked in a chuckle, watching as he stood upright with a smirk, nodding. “Well, then, shouldn’t repeat myself.”

“I think you’re attractive too. Does that help ease your…tension?” He gestured to your tense and closed off stance, making you chuckle and loosen up a bit—ignoring the fact that he just called you attractive because…what? “Your mom has always been very kind to me. I worked for your families ranch for a couple summers during high school, but I don’t remember you.”

“I was probably getting my diaper changed.” You tried to joke, but quickly realized it may have not been the best plan of action to bring up your age difference in such an…odd way. “That was…shouldn’t have said that.”

“You always this awkward? Or is it just for me?”

Dear god.

“Is it working?” You asked with a hopeful smile, making him chuckle as he weighed his head back and forth.

“It’s not not working.”

•••

Morning, his place. Burnt toast, Sunday. You keep his shirt, he keeps his word, nd for once, you let go of your fears and your ghosts. One step, not much but it said enough.

One bliss-filled month later and you were waking up in his bed, satisfied and happy just like every night you spent with him. Today, though, you woke alone. Sitting up and wrapping the bedsheet around your body, you scanned his bedroom for any trace of him, but came up short. Climbing out of bed, you tossed on one of his t-shirts that you attempted to sleep in before Javi ruined that plan. Stepping down the stairs of his and his father’s ranch home, you followed the smell of something burning to the kitchen. Javier and his father were running around the kitchen trying to get rid of the smoke filling the room, bickering like two children.

You slinked back upstairs without being noticed, needing to put on a bit more than just his thin t-shirt since his father was home. Quickly showering and changing into the spare set of clothes you brought for your sleepover, you remembered to take the shirt of his and pack it with your things—thievery? Perhaps.

“Baby,” Javier called from outside of his bedroom, knocking on the door softly.

“I’m awake.” You called back and watched the door open, Javi’s smile growing wide as he took you in.

“I—uh—do you always look this good in the morning?” He got distracted by the way you looked in your comfy clothes, curled up on his bed again after your shower. “Anyways, uh, I cooked breakfast. If you want to come down,”

“You cooked?” You stood up and walked to him, sliding your hands around his waist until you were hugging his body. Javier nodded proudly and watched as you squinted up at him. “And nothing managed to burn?”

“Nope.” He lied, making you grin. “Ugh, fine. How’d you know? Did you smell it from up here?”

“I went downstairs to find you and saw you and Chucho getting rid of the evidence.” Javier blushed and hid his face in your neck, kissing your collarbone before lifting his eyes back to yours. Reaching up, he pinched your chin, leaning in for a smiley and playful kiss.

“Well, I remade it all anyways, so…unburnt food waiting for you if you’re done with your teasing.”

One night he wakes, strange look on his face. Pauses, then says, “you're my best friend”, and you knew what it was—he is in love.

It was still dark out, the clock on Javier’s nightstand reading 3 a.m. when he looked over at it, a cold-sweat covering his body. He’d just had another nightmare, but this time it wasn’t his partner getting caught in the crossfire of his time as an agent, wasn’t one of the girls from Medillin or Bogota—it was you. The images, hardly coming back to mind even though the emotions they inflicted still felt fresh, were haunting. If it hadn’t been for your leg touching his underneath the blankets, he would’ve sworn it had all been real.

His heart raced as he leaned closer to your sleeping form, kissing your shoulder and nuzzling into your neck as he spooned you. You groaned as his kisses stirred you awake, sure that he was just trying to seduce you for the third time that night.

“Javi, let’s just get some rest. I’ll fuck you in the morning.” You grumbled, and your voice alone was enough to shoo away all his worry and panic. He chuckled as he kissed your shoulder, his eyes closing shut in relief. You were here. Safe. In his arms.

It was as if in that tiny moment, him having just woken up from a nightmare, his heart racing from panic and fear, the incredible simplicity of your voice being the one thing that seemed to take it all away, he knew. This wasn’t just some hometown romance, wasn’t a fling—he was in love.

“I just…” His voice was shaky, apparently not as soothed as the rest of him quite yet, and the sound caused you to wake up fully. You turned your head over, shifting your body so that you could get a better look at him in the dark room illuminated only by sheer curtain filtered moonlight. Your brows were furrowed as you took him in, the sweat on his forehead as he pressed it to your shoulder, the trembling in his hands as he held your side, his heartbeat loud against your arm.

“Jav? Are you okay?” You asked, reaching one hand to cup his cheek, surprised when he nuzzled against your palm.

“You’re my best friend.” He confessed, breathy but sincere. Your brows furrowed more as you tried to understand the situation, but once he leaned down and kissed you, it all seemed to make perfect sense. He may have not said it yet, in plain terms, but you could feel it. Just like you never seemed to be able to say it in plain terms, but hoped he could feel it too.

“You’re mine too.” You breathed out in barely a whisper as you held his stubbly cheek, foreheads pressed together in the dark.

'Cause you can hear in the silence. You can feel it on the way home. You can see it with the lights out. You are in love, true love.

For now, that would be as close as the two of you came to telling each other how you really felt. The day would come where it felt right—where you felt ready to admit such a vulnerable thing, that your heart loved his and all that came with it—but for now, this felt enough.

taglist: @joelmillerscoffee @ajeff855 @wildemaven @axshadows @sherala007 @browneyes-issac @tooflef @mariasabana @tae27 @kimm4710 @stxrrylunatic @sara-alonso @paulalikestuff @jbh-castaway @oceandolores @mandomover @chxpsi @auberosier @mashomasho @vanemando15 @vinaispunk @marvel-sw-lover @jediknight122 @harriedandharassed @star-wars-fan-2005 @alwaysdjarin @trickstersp8 @idkifimaliveanymore (sorry if your tag isn’t working!)

#pedro pascal #pedro pascal fic #pedro pascal fanfiction #javier pena #javier peña x you #javier peña fluff #javier peña x y/n #javier peña x reader #narcos fanfiction

[joe-mazzello-archive]

baby we're a dying breed - part two

eddie munson x fem!reader (no y/n)

w/c: 17.9k (i'm sorry)

warnings: slow burn, s4 spoilers, canon divergent, reader has fear of being in/on water, references to alcohol and drugs, violence/gore/blood, supernatural elements (it's stranger things, y'all), smut (p in v)

a/n: here we are! part two of this monster of a fic. i have about six bonus scenes planned if y'all are interested (including some from eddie's pov). i aged ten years with all of the plot holes i had to fix so the duffers will be receiving a bill from me. i did also use a time jump, but some of the bonus scenes will fill in the gaps. hope you enjoy!

It’s eerily quiet.

The commotion from the shoreline has died down and the water around the boat has gone still. It’s just you, laying down, floating alone in silence, trying not to have a complete meltdown.

He left you. He left you behind. In the middle of the fucking lake.

You cannot fathom why.

He must have known you wouldn’t jump in after him. Maybe he assumed he would help save Steve and then just…swim back up? You cannot for the life of you understand what his game plan was.

And either Eddie and the other teens were killed by whatever dragged Steve into the depths of the lake or they all drowned…or they all went through the gate.

You have to believe it’s the third option. You don’t know what you’ll do if it’s not.

You’re also assuming the kids left on the shore were found by the cops. Meaning that even if you manage to steel yourself and make it back to shore, every single person who could have any idea of what to do next is unavailable.

Why did Eddie have to dive into the fucking water?

You then remember some of what the others told you about the Upside Down. It’s full of creatures and vines that all share a hive mind. And those idiots are in there with no weapons and no protection. And considering Steve’s shirt, socks, and shoes are strewn randomly throughout the boat, he’s strolling around the Upside Down barefoot and shirtless.

You don’t want to even imagine what they’re experiencing down there. You just want Eddie – all of them – to be back. And safe. That’s all you’ve wanted since this whole thing started.

You don’t know what to do.

But you do know you need to get back to shore.

So you take a deep breath, and you sit up.

It’s your worst nightmare. The boat rocks with your movement and your stomach churns unpleasantly. The shoreline seems like it’s miles away and you swear the night has gotten darker somehow. You try to focus on your breathing in hopes of calming your pounding heart, and you reach for one of the abandoned oars. As your fingers wrap around the old wood, you close your eyes and try to think of something to distract yourself. A happy thought - just to center your mind while you make your journey back to land.

Your mom comes to mind at first. You think about the time you got home from school to find her excitedly waving an envelope in the air – it turned out to be your acceptance letter for school. She had wrapped you in a tight hug and took you out to dinner that night.

Then you think of your friends, the people you spent your years of high school with. You think about the band dinners at Benny’s, the sleepovers at Carolyn’s house, the nights you would sneak out to smoke in the forest.

And then you think of Eddie. The way his eyes light up every time he gets a rise out of you. His toothy grin when you bite back at him. His eyes when he told you that he’d be there for you in a heartbeat.

You focus on the memory as you open your eyes and hesitantly plunge the oar into the water. With a weak push, you manage to move the boat a little bit, the shakiness only slightly terrifying. You take another breath before bringing the oar up and forward, your second stroke a little more powerful than the first. Then you do it again. And again. And before you know it, you’re steadily moving towards the shore.

When the boat hits the edge of the forest, you practically launch yourself from the vessel, and you don’t even mind that you land smack on your back.

You made it.

The ground feels amazing under you, and you begin to laugh in relief. You let your eyes fall closed and you just lie there, basking in the accomplishment of actually making it back to shore.

“Steve? Nancy? Anyone copy?”

Dustin’s voice is muffled by your bag as it crackles through the walkie talkie. Your eyes snap open at the sound and you jump to your feet, reaching for where your purse still sits in the boat.

“Hey, it’s me,” you say into the receiver, almost breathless from how fast you got up.

Dustin sighs your name, clearly relieved to hear your voice.

“Where are you guys? We’ve been collared by the law.”

“Yeah, I saw,” you reply. You hesitate for a moment before continuing. “Um…I’m still at the lake, I just got back to shore.”

“Where’s everyone else?”

“I think they…I think they went through the gate.”

Dustin doesn’t respond at first. For a moment, you’re unsure if he even heard you.

“They what?!”

“Yeah, I think –”

“No I heard you, I just can’t believe they would be stupid enough to go through Watergate without a plan or any weapons –”

“To be fair, I don’t think Steve had a choice in the matter –”

“Shit, I’ve got to go –”

“Wait, Dustin, what should I do? Dustin?”

You get nothing but silence.

With a sigh, you drop the radio back into your bag. With no plan and no experienced teenagers to guide you, your only option is to try and get back home. So you take another deep breath, adjust the strap of your bag, and begin another hike through the woods.

As you walk, you can’t help but let your mind wander to Eddie. You’re so unbelievably upset with him for leaving you in the boat. Despite your intense fear of the water that he was well aware of. Despite everything the two of you went through the past few days. Despite the fact that you practically begged him not to leave you. He still jumped in. You just cannot understand it. If you do somehow reunite with him…you’re not sure what you’re gonna do…but slapping him isn’t completely off of the table.

But at the same time, you’re so worried about him. The idea of him being trapped in another realm with monsters and mind-controlling demons with nothing but his wit doesn’t sit well with you. You’re angry with him, yes – but fuck, you’re so scared for him. Part of you suspects that if you do see him again, you’ll be so relieved that he’s okay that you’ll forget you’re mad at him.

It feels like you’ve been walking for hours by the time you reach a main road, but luckily you’re not far from your house. Your plan is to head home, shower and change – you’re on day four of the same clothes for fuck’s sake – and wait for some sort of instructions from Dustin. He must be figuring out a plan. At least you hope so.

You know it’s crazy, but part of you wishes you could find a way into the Upside Down yourself, at least to be reunited with Eddie and the others. You don’t think you’d be very good at fighting monsters, but at least you wouldn’t be alone.

And then it hits you.

The gate opened where Patrick was killed. Which means there must be a gate where Chrissy was killed.

You immediately spin on your heels and start to head to Eddie’s trailer.

You begin to pick up the pace, your new plan giving you a renewed sense of energy and purpose. You don’t have any idea what you’re going to do when you get there. And hell, maybe the theory isn’t correct and the gate at Lover’s Lake was a fluke. But you have to try.

Because he said it himself – Eddie would do it for you in a heartbeat.

You’re almost in a full run by the time you turn down the street right before the trailer park. All of a sudden you hear shouting, and after a moment you realize it’s your name being called. You peek over your shoulder to see four silhouettes on bikes heading straight for you. With a squint, you quickly discover it’s Dustin, Max, the other boy from earlier who’s name you didn’t catch, and another younger girl whom you’ve never met.

The quartet pulls up next to you and Dustin signals you to jump on the back of his bike.

“Why is it that every time you show up you have a new random child with you?” you ask Dustin as you plant your feet on the back axle of the bike and grab his shoulders.

“We were gonna call you as soon as we got to the trailer,” he explains, ignoring your comment. “I take it you figured out there would be a gate there.”

“Yeah,” you confirm as the teen kicks off the ground and begins to ride again. “I had no plan for what I was actually going to do when I got there.”

“Luckily, we have a plan,” he replies, his tone smug. “We were able to make contact with the others through Nancy's sister's LiteBrite.”

You blink twice.

“You know what, I’m not even going to ask for an explanation.”

You feel the breeze of the evening across your face as you cruise down the street, your legs grateful for the break after running and walking for miles. The trailer park comes into view, and your stomach flutters - you haven’t been to Eddie’s trailer in years, not since high school when you bought from him. Something about returning after all this time makes you nervous – especially after everything you’ve been through the past few days. And of course…the fact that someone was murdered there a few days ago.

Dustin slows to a stop in front of the familiar trailer, and you hop off the bike. The other kids all drop their bikes and begin to make their way up the steps and through the surprisingly unlocked front door. You hesitate for a moment, all of your conflicting emotions swimming around in your head. But you eventually take a deep breath before entering the trailer yourself.

Your eyes are immediately drawn to the ceiling, where a large crack glows red, and weird, black vines grow from its center. It almost looks alive in the way it thrums and moves. It’s not a clean hole - there appears to be a layer of film across it, like it’s never been used – which you suspect is the case.

You’re not sure what you expected these gates to look like, but you can’t say you expected them to look like this.

The five of you stare up at it for a few moments before Dustin finally moves. He grabs a broom that’s propped by the front door and centers the handle right against the glowing crack.

“Well, here goes nothing,” he says before he begins to push the handle through the gate. The film holds at first, looking almost spongy in the way the handle pushes it inward. Dustin pulls the broom down for a moment before he violently slams the handle through the film, tearing it. The gate squelches as he thrusts the long handle through the hole, clearing the rest of the film and gunk in the way.

The five of you all walk closer, congregating directly under the gate, and at first you’re not sure what you’re looking at. But you soon realize you’re looking at an upside down version of the very trailer you’re standing in now…maybe that’s where they got the name from.

You’re about to ask what the next step of the plan is when suddenly a familiar face appears. Steve slowly walks into view, also upside down. He’s followed by Nancy, then Robin, and then finally Eddie. You let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding when you finally see his face.

Dustin lets out a laugh as he waves at the quartet above you, and you can’t help but smile yourself. The teens wave back as they stare in awe at the open gate. You’re mesmerized by the sight too – if you had any doubts about all of this Upside Down shit, they’re certainly gone now.

Your eyes lock on Eddie and you find him staring back at you. His face is unreadable once again, and you hope yours is too – you want to keep up the facade of being mad at him no matter how much you can feel it slipping.

“Alright, let’s get them out of there,” Dustin announces, breaking everyone’s trance. “I have a plan but we’re gonna need something long for them to climb and something soft for them to land on.”

Without another word, Max and the other two kids immediately start roaming around the trailer and you feel like you missed further instruction – the way these kids can silently communicate with each other and just know exactly what to do will never not astound you.

You’re just kind of awkwardly standing there, not sure what to do when Max taps you on the arm.

“Come help me with this,” she requests, and you simply follow, grateful for more specific instructions. You trail her down the hall and through a door, but you immediately freeze in your tracks as you realize where you are.

You’re in Eddie’s bedroom.

You scan the messy room, eyes drinking in as much as you can. You know it’s wrong to snoop like this, but you feel like you stepped into Eddie’s brain. The walls are littered with posters, and every surface is cluttered with random objects from beer cans and cassette tapes to magazines and items of clothing.

“Hey! I said help me!” Max snaps, grabbing your attention. She’s on Eddie’s bed, pulling at his sheets and you scramble to assist her, trying to ignore the fluttering in your stomach as you grab the sheets off of the bed.

“Bring these to Dustin, I’ll try to find more,” she explains, pushing all of the fabric into your hands. “And then come back and help me move this mattress.” You follow her orders without hesitation, spinning on your heels and heading back to the living room. Eddie’s familiar scent wafts off of the sheets and fills your nose as you walk, and that fluttering never stops. You practically throw the sheets at Dustin before quickly heading back to the bedroom, worried that you’ll get distracted by the sight of Eddie in the ceiling again.

So much for being angry at him.

You grab one side of the mattress as Max grabs the other, and you try not to linger on the sight of a few stains on the surface. The two of you manage to manhandle the mattress through the door and down the hallway before plopping it right below the gate’s opening. Dustin and the other two kids have already managed to get the sheets tied into a rope, and you simply watch as he tosses the fabric upward, through the ceiling.

And it stays there.

These kids are way smarter than you.

You all take turns pulling on the suspended material, and you’re amazed to find it holding strong. The teens above you do the same, and they all exchange looks before Robin decides to really test it out. You watch as she climbs towards you, fighting to reach the opening, before she flips upside down and drops at your feet, the mattress breaking her fall.

“Holy shit,” she says as she sits up. “That was fun.” Dustin pulls her to her feet and your eyes shoot up to see who’s next.

Eddie grabs the rope and starts to climb, shaking his head to clear the hair from his face. His tongue pokes out between his lips in concentration as he pulls himself towards the opening. He finally clears the divide and he flips too, landing on his back on the mattress with a bounce.

“That was fucking trippy,” he says as he sits up. You hold a hand out for him and he grabs it, allowing you to pull him to his feet.

You’re suddenly very close to him.

For a moment you’re pressed chest to chest, his brown-eyed stare piercing. You know your own eyes are wide, your head swirling with a thousand feelings. You’re upset with him but you’re glad he’s okay but you want to hit him but you want to wrap your arms around him but he’s way too close but he’s not close enough –

“Listen, about the boat –”

You don’t let him finish, your hand striking him across the cheek with a loud crack.

“Oh fuck,” he whimpers, immediately covering his cheek with his hand. “Okay yeah, yeah, I probably deserved that.”

But before he can get too far you wrap your arms around him, your head coming to rest on his chest. You know he wasn’t expecting this either, but after a second his arms come around you, and he squeezes, holding you tightly against him. The thrumming of his heart under your head is comforting. He’s here, he’s okay. You’re both okay.

“Nancy? Nancy!” Steve’s panicked voice sounds above you. Your focus shoots up to the hole in the ceiling, where Steve is shaking Nancy by the shoulders, but her eyes are rolled back into her head.

“Shit! He’s got Nancy!” Dustin practically shouts. “We need to find her some music, now!”

Your eyes meet Eddie’s once again.

“Fuck, I have a ton of tapes in my room,” he announces, and all of you scramble back down the hallway. Once you’re through the door your eyes find a stack of tapes on Eddie’s dresser and you immediately start combing through them. They’re all bands you don’t recognize – each name sounds more violent than the last. You glance around to find the others not finding any success either.

“Steve says you need to hurry!” the young girl shouts from the hallway.

“Yeah no shit!” Dustin growls back, frantically digging through Eddie’s desk.

“We’re trying,” Max argues. “I can’t find anything.”

“Seriously, what is all this shit?” Robin counters.

“Well what are we even looking for?” Eddie asks angrily, clearly offended by Robin’s comment.

“Madonna? Blondie? Bowie? Beatles? Music, we need music!”

“THIS IS MUSIC!”

“HEY!” you shout, as loud as you can, drawing the group’s attention. Eddie’s eyes widen, obviously not used to hearing you at that decibel. “Getting at each other’s throats is not going to help Nancy. Just shut up and look for something she might know!”

It does the trick, the group resorting back to silently searching through tapes, the only sounds in the room being the clacking of plastic against plastic.

Only a few seconds pass before the young girl comes running back down the hallway.

“She’s back! She’s awake!”

You all pile back out into the living room as a visibly shaking Nancy sits up from the mattress on the floor, a haunted look on her face. Robin and Dustin fly to her side immediately, helping her up and over to a chair. Steve finally flips through the opening and lands on the mattress, and just like that, your group is finally entirely reunited.

Steve immediately moves to kneel in front of Nancy, his hand rubbing small circles on her knee. Her stare is empty, and you watch as she wipes at her face. You feel a hand come to rest on your shoulder before giving it a small squeeze, and you don’t have to look to know it’s Eddie.

The room is tense, the events of the past few hours weighing heavily on everyone. You have no idea what Eddie and the others experienced in the Upside Down but by the level of grime the group is covered in and the injuries that Steve is sporting, you know it couldn’t have been a walk in the park. And then to almost lose Nancy to Vecna…this shit is getting real.

This is so much bigger than protecting Eddie from the cops or the basketball team. This is life or death. For all of you.

Max is the first to break the silence.

“We should probably relocate to my trailer,” she announces. “We can get some food and some rest while we figure out our next move.” She’s met with silent nods from everyone, the group beginning to meander towards the front door of the trailer.

Eddie squeezes your shoulder once more before letting you go and taking a step forward. You quickly grab him by the wrist and pull him back.

“Uh uh,” you say. “You are going to grab a change of clothes first. You reek, Munson.”

That trademark Eddie grin that you’ve grown attached to returns.

“Always full of good ideas, Major.”

He disappears into his room, quickly returning with a pile of clothes in his hand. You immediately realize it’s another pair of black jeans and a Hellfire Club shirt.

“What, is that your uniform or something?” you comment, crossing your arms.

“I have a signature look,” he defends as he passes you, and you roll your eyes before trailing behind him.

–

You and the rest of the group manage to sneak over to Max’s trailer without anyone noticing. Dustin and Lucas – who’s name you finally know – raid her fridge to find food for everyone, while Max attempts to grab as many blankets and pillows as she can for folks to use.

You try to head for the shower, but your plans are foiled when you find that no water comes out of the showerhead or the sink. Max’s cheeks turn red as you reveal your discovery, and she mutters an apology, explaining her mom is likely behind on the rent payment. She digs through the bathroom cabinet and produces a package of hand wipes. You smile and give her a soft thanks. She disappears down the hall and you take the opportunity to run a wipe over your hands and face.

Your stomach growls, so you opt to wander into the kitchen where Lucas and Erica have teamed up to make everyone PB&Js. You grab two off of the pile, throw them on a plate, and head back to the living room, where you find a freshly changed Eddie emerging from the bathroom. You cock your head and signal him to follow you, and you take a seat on the couch. He plops down next to you and goes to reach for a sandwich and you grab his wrist.

“You’re not about to eat food with your hands covered in Upside Down filth,” you scold, pulling another hand wipe from the package. You begin to clean his hand, starting with his palm.

As you center your focus on wiping away the grime from his skin, you can feel his stare. He’s watching you, and you’re afraid to look back up at him, knowing his eyes will just turn you into jelly. You gently clean around his rings, trying not to think about how the cool metal feels against your own skin. You eventually finish and grab his other hand, and you ignore that the intense fluttering in your stomach has returned. You’re so close to him, his body heat radiating and warming your own body pleasantly.

You’re aware of the strange intimacy of the situation and it’s your own fault – you could have just tossed him the package of wipes and told him to clean himself up. But no, you chose to pull his hands into your lap and take care of it yourself. 

You also realize that he hasn’t said a word this entire time. No snappy comeback to your quip about Upside Down grime. No witty remark about you being his mom or anything like that.

You finish his other hand and it’s then you decide to finally look up at him. He’s looking at you with so much warmth, and a soft smile forms on his face.

“Thanks, sweetheart,” he says before giving your knee a squeeze. You offer a small smile in return before reaching for a sandwich and sitting back against the couch. He mirrors you, and the two of you silently enjoy your meal together.

The others are scattered throughout the living room and kitchen, all either having a sandwich or setting up a spot to settle in for the rest of the evening. You notice Max standing at the phone hung on the wall, attempting to call someone, but not receiving an answer. She then looks to Steve before shaking her head, and he nods.

Eddie finishes his sandwich before you, practically inhaling it, and gets to his feet. You immediately miss his body heat, but you try to stamp down your disappointment and finish eating so you can get a little bit of sleep.

You’re finishing the last bite of your sandwich when you notice why Eddie got up – you watch as he lays out some blankets along the floor in a spot that no one had claimed yet. He then grabs two pillows and lays them side by side before stretching out on one of the blankets and laying his head on a pillow. His eyes meet yours and he vaguely motions to the spot next to him.

You bite your lip to hide the smile that threatens to take over – him making a spot for you next to him is such a sweet gesture. It reminds you of your first night in the boathouse – which feels like a lifetime ago – when he created you a bed out of life vests.

After returning the dirty plate to the kitchen and stopping to check on Nancy, you finally venture over to the spot next to Eddie. You settle down and he turns to face you.

“You okay?” he asks and you almost scoff at the question. The guy who’s been on the run for days and just returned from an alternate dimension where he was in constant danger is asking you if you’re okay.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” you say, your voice small. “Are you okay?”

He smiles and you swear your heart skips a beat.

“Yeah, right now I’m okay,” he replies.

You smile in response, and after a few moments he speaks up again.

“My face kind of hurts though,” he quips, and you let out a snicker.

“You said it yourself, you deserved it,” you counter and he chuckles.

“Get some sleep, Major.”

“You too, Munson.”

Your eyes flutter closed, and you’re out like a light.

–

When you come to, you immediately clock a warmth across your middle and against your back. The feeling is pleasant – you feel safe, warm, protected, happy. It almost feels like you’re in a dream, but it also feels so real.

When you finally open your eyes, you’re suddenly reminded of the reality of your situation. You’re still sprawled across the floor of Max’s trailer, you’re still in your clothes from days ago, and there’s still an evil demon trying to kill everyone in Hawkins.

And then you notice the reason you’re so warm.

Eddie’s arm is thrown across your torso, and his body is pressed against your back. You can feel his steady breathing against your spine.

As uncomfortable as you are on the floor, you find yourself not wanting to move. Feeling Eddie against you comforts you and settles your nerves. And you want him to get as much sleep as he possibly can. So you decide to let your eyes fall closed once again.

You’re not sure how long you’re out before you’re awoken by several soft pats on your shoulder.

“Time to get up,” Eddie says and you let out a groan. You manage to sit up, your aching muscles practically screaming at you. Fuck, you’re so over this whole not-sleeping-in-a-bed thing.

The trailer is tense – everyone is still shaken up from the past few days. But Nancy seems the most haunted. Given how she’s still seated in the same spot as last night, you’re pretty sure she didn’t get any sleep.

But it seems like she’s ready to talk about it.

You and the rest of the group all settle around the living room, you and Eddie squeezing onto the couch next to Erica. You all listen intently as she recounts her encounter with Vecna. She explains who he is – how he’s Victor Creel’s son and how he was behind the original murders. How he was the first experiment that eventually led to Eleven, the super powered girl they told you about before. How she was the one who banished him to the Upside Down and how he’s behind everything that has happened in the past three years. 

Then she explains how he showed her things that haven't happened yet. She describes terrifying visions of Hawkins succumbing to the Upside Down – an army of creatures destroying everything and attacking everyone. Her entire body shakes as she describes seeing the bodies of her family members.

As she speaks, Eddie’s leg bounces where it sits next to yours. You can tell he’s anxious. You calmly place a hand on his knee to get him to stop. The movements cease, and you’re about to move your hand when he places his own hand on top of yours, interlacing your fingers. You spare a glance his way and find him already looking at you, an unreadable expression on his face. You give your joined hands a squeeze, and he responds with a small smile.

Nancy is describing her vision of four gates spreading throughout Hawkins when Max speaks up.

“Four chimes,” she says, shaking her head in disbelief. “Vecna’s clock always chimes exactly four times. He’s been telling us his plan all along.”

“Four kills,” Lucas speaks up. “Four gates. End of the world.”

“If that’s true, he’s only one kill away,” Dustin adds.

You feel Eddie tense, and you watch as he runs his free hand over his face. You cover your joined hands with your free hand, running your thumb across his skin to try and soothe him.

Steve instructs Max to try and call more of their friends, and you start to feel your own stress rising. The plot twist of Vecna being someone who was once just a boy living in Hawkins shakes you to your core. How many other super powered beings are just wandering around this town?

Max is unsuccessful once again, and then Nancy drops a bomb on you all.

“We need to go back there. Back to the Upside Down.”

“No, no way, nope!” Eddie argues and you can’t help but agree. Nancy and Steve begin to argue, with Robin, Dustin, and Lucas eventually joining in. They reason that while Vecna is completing his kills, his physical body is vulnerable. Dustin argues that if the group goes in, distracts the army of bats, and attacks Vecna in his lair, they can kill him. Max volunteers to be bait, knowing that Vecna already has a target on her back.

The others all exchange looks, doing that silent communication thing they always do.

“I guess we have a plan,” Steve concedes and the others nod in agreement.

You turn to Eddie.

“Are you sure about this?”

“No,” he admits, his tone pretty defeated. “But I think we have to.”

You let out a sigh, and you nod in understanding, before giving his hand one more squeeze and letting it go.

“Anyone have any ideas on how we can get weapons?” Robin asks. Eddie perks up.

“I might have an idea,” he announces as he gets to his feet. “Red, you guys got a phone book?”

Max fishes a phone book out from a cabinet and hands it to Eddie, who skims through it before plopping it down on the dining table. Everyone gathers around him.

“Here, The War Zone,” he explains as he points to one of the ads on the page featuring a Rambo-esque man sporting a gun in front of an American flag. “I’ve been there once, it’s got everything you need for…uh…well, killing things, basically. It’s just far enough outside of Hawkins. We just need to steer clear of main roads to avoid cops or…angry basketball players.”

“How are we even going to get there?” Dustin points out. “It’ll take all day to bike there and back, and we don’t have that kind of time.”

“Who said anything about riding bikes?” Eddie counters, and you can practically hear the gears in his head turning as he comes up with a plan.

“What, do you have some secret car we don’t know about?” Steve asks incredulously.

“It’s not exactly a car,” he reveals. “But it will do. Anyone up for some grand theft auto?”

Everyone grabs their stuff, and trails behind Eddie, now sporting his bandana tied around the bottom of his face to hide his identity – as if his outfit wouldn’t be a dead giveaway to bystanders. He leads all of you across the way to an RV, the owners of which happen to be sitting right outside. You sneak around the back of it, and you watch as Eddie slides open a window and climbs inside. You all follow suit, taking turns pulling yourselves and each other through the small opening. Eddie heads to the front of the vehicle with his bag of tools, and you and Steve follow him. Eddie yanks out some wires from under the dashboard and begins snipping away.

“Where did you learn to do this?” Steve asks the question you’re wondering yourself. Eddie lets out a soft huff.

“While other dads were teaching their kids how to fish or catch a ball, mine was teaching me how to hot-wire,” Eddie explains. He shoots you a quick glance over his shoulder before going back to the task at hand. “Still like me even though I’m living up to my criminal genes, Major?” You let out a chuckle.

“Munson, I’ve bought illegal substances from you many times,” you argue, a smirk on your face. “I think we’re well past the issue of you being a criminal.”

You watch Eddie work, mesmerized by the way his hands grab at the wires. You hadn’t realized how…nice…his hands are until last night.

You’re interrupted from your thoughts by Robin appearing next to you.

“Eddie, I’m not sure I love the idea of you driving,” she comments.

“She’s right,” you confirm. “Someone might see you.”

“Oh definitely, I’m just starting her up,” he explains. “Harrington’s got this, right, hot stuff?”

Before Steve can respond, Eddie rubs two wires together, and suddenly the engine jolts to life. You hear a muffled “what the hell” from outside and you pat Steve’s shoulder a few times.

“Go, go, go!”

You, Eddie, and Robin clear out of Steve’s way, all looking for something to hold on to.

“Drive, Steve, Drive!” Dustin shouts from the back of the RV, and Steve slams on the gas. The vehicle jerks forward and you lose your balance, immediately careening forward. A hand grabs you by the waist and pulls you back, and you find yourself chest to chest with Eddie, once again.

“I got ya,” he says with a smirk, and you give him an awkward smile before shifting to grab onto a handle by his head, putting a little bit of space between you. But Eddie’s grip on your hip stays firm.

The RV shakes and bounces as Steve drives through the trailer park. He swerves and turns sharply as he weaves through the trailers, and you’re grateful Eddie’s still holding on to you. Finally you hit a main road, and the shaking settles down enough for you to be able to take a seat.

Eddie slides in next to you, while Dustin and Robin settle across from you. Lucas and Erica linger nearby while you notice Max retreat to the back of the RV. Nancy takes the seat up front next to Steve.

“So I’m thinking we’ll need three groups,” Dustin begins. He seems to be the one who’s always the brains behind everything. “One group with Max in the Creel house. The other two groups head back through the gate. One distracts the bat army, and one takes out Vecna.” He states it matter-of-factly, as if it’s as simple as that.

Lucas shakes his head and crosses his arms before relocating to the back of the bus, sitting down next to Max.

“I take it he’s still not on board with using Max as bait,” Robin points out.

“It’s her choice,” Dustin points out. “Besides, I think him and Erica should go with her. They can signal to the group on the other side when Max is under Vecna’s spell and that it’s safe to attack.”

You all nod in agreement, and you can’t help but be impressed at the kid’s planning skills. These people weren’t lying when they said they had experience with this stuff.

“I’m down for heading to Vecna’s lair,” Robin announces. “And I know Steve and Nancy will want to take down that son of a bitch.”

“I guess that means me, Munson, and Dustin will be on bat duty,” you confirm, after doing the process of elimination in your head. You’re not sure how you feel about going into the Upside Down, considering it sounds like you’re the only one in the group who’s never been before. But after everything these people have been through to protect Eddie…to protect each other…to protect Hawkins? You’ll help out any way you can.

“I think Henderson and I can handle the distraction,” Eddie chimes in. “You should probably go with the Sinclairs.”

You turn to face him, eyes narrowed. Of course he’s gonna argue with you.

“Seriously? Ditching me here while you go to the Upside Down to try and be the hero, again?” you ask him incredulously, and you notice both Dustin’s and Robin’s jaws drop a little at your outburst.

“I just don’t want you to have to go there if you don’t have to!” Eddie says defensively, throwing his hands up in surrender.

“Well, I do have to,” you counter. “Because honestly, Munson, I don’t trust you not to do something stupid when you get there.”

The briefest flash of a smirk appears on Eddie’s face, and you immediately know you’ve already won. If you’ve learned anything from the past few days, it’s that Eddie gets a kick out of you bossing him around.

“So I’m going with you and Dustin, end of story,” you finish, crossing your arms. That trademark Eddie grin slowly takes shape and he lets out a huff.

“So bossy,” Eddie comments, his tone playful.

“Okaaaaay,” Dustin says after a few moments. “Now that that’s settled, how are we gonna distract the bats?”

For the first time, Dustin doesn’t have an immediate idea. You ponder his question – and then it occurs to you.

“Wait, we just have to get their attention, right?” you ask, receiving a confirming nod from the group. “So we just need to make a lot of noise?”

“Yeah, basically,” Dustin agrees. You turn to Eddie, and he cocks an eyebrow, clearly wondering what you’re leading to.

“How about a concert?”

It takes a second or two for him to catch on, but then his face lights up.

“Major, you little genius,” he compliments. He slams his hand down on the table, earning a startled jolt from pretty much everyone on board the RV. “Eddie Munson rocks the Upside Down, one night only. The most metal show of all time.” He throws his hands up as if imagining his words on a poster or marquis.

You roll your eyes at his theatrics before glancing over your shoulder to see if you could determine whether or not you guys are close to the store yet. Your gaze falls to Steve and Nancy, who are chatting amongst themselves. But you immediately clock the way they are looking at each other – more than just admiration. You spin back around.

“Are they…?” you ask, nodding towards the pair in the front seats. Robin gives a little shrug.

“They were,” she replies.

“Steve is totally still into her,” Dustin adds. “It’s so obvious.”

“Uh, it’s definitely mutual then, if the speed at which Wheeler jumped in that lake to save him is any indication,” Eddie chimes in.

“But she’s taken,” Dustin argues. “As far as I’m aware, she’s still dating Jonathan.”

“Wait, Byers?” you ask incredulously. “Nancy Wheeler is with Jonathan Byers? Damn, I would not have predicted that one –”

“If you assholes are done gossiping back there, we’re here,” Steve announces. Sure enough, you peek out the window and spot the obnoxious sign for the weapons store…as well as a very full parking lot.

“Guess everyone else had the same idea we did,” you comment.

“Well, they all know a murderer is on the loose in Hawkins,” Robin counters. “But they think it’s a devil-worshiping third-year senior instead of a pissed off demon mind-killing people from another dimension.”

Steve pulls into the parking lot, parking the RV off to the side, ideally so that no one nearby will get curious and peek inside.

“Alright, Eddie is obviously staying here,” Steve says as he stands, his hands landing on his hips. “Dustin and Lucas should probably lay low too, since people know you run with Eddie.”

“I’m gonna stay too,” you add. “Just in case Jason told people I was with Eddie the other night.”

“Alright, everyone else, let’s go,” Steve commands with a wave, and the rest of the group piles out of the RV.

You take the opportunity to slide out of the booth and stretch your legs, before relocating to the much comfier couch at the back of the vehicle. Eddie trails behind you, plopping down on the couch and glancing out the back window. You watch him as he fiddles with one of the rings on his left hand.

“So, what’s it like?” you ask. Your question breaks his trance and he turns to look at you.

“Hmm?”

“The Upside Down,” you clarify. “What’s it like?”

“Oh it’s a party,” he replies, leaning back and spreading his arms before folding them behind his head. “Just imagine Hawkins, except somehow even…shittier.” You let out a chuckle.

“You gonna give me details, or is it a surprise?” you tease.

“Christ, where to begin?” he queries. “Well first of all, everything is dead. The trees, the grass…it’s all rotting.”

“Sounds beautiful,” you comment.

“And then there’s the vines that cover, like, every square inch of the place,” he continues. “And apparently they’re all a part of a hive mind that all of the scary shit in there is a part of.”

“Lovely.”

“And then there’s the bats,” he goes on. “And these aren’t just any bats. They’ve got these long gross tentacle things that can grab you. And if Harrington’s injuries are any indication, they will just…go to town on your flesh.”

“Wow, that does sound like a party,” you say, your tone sarcastic.

“Oh and I almost forgot, there’s an earthquake every few minutes,” Eddie adds on.

“Of course there is.”

Eddie sits up and crosses his arms.

“Having second thoughts about going with us?” he asks, an eyebrow cocked.

“Nope,” you reply, mirroring his crossed arms.

“Is there anything I can say to make you change your mind?”

“Nope,” you repeat, popping the ‘p’. “You’re stuck with me, Munson.”

He eyes you for a bit, and you have to look away after a few moments – his gaze is too overwhelming. He cracks a smirk and sits up.

“I guess there are worse people to be stuck with,” he quips. You take the opportunity to nudge him with your shoulder playfully at his comment. He nudges you right back with a chuckle, so you raise your hands to lightly shove him, letting out a giggle. He’s quicker than you, and he grabs your wrists. You immediately begin to flail your arms, attempting to wriggle free, but he’s stronger than you. The back of the RV is filled with yours and Eddie’s giggles.

“Violence isn’t the answer, Major!” Eddie says as he attempts to control your limbs. 

Before you can respond, the RV door bursts open. Eddie drops your wrists and you both turn to see Steve frantically climbing into the vehicle, the others not far behind.

“What’s going on?” Lucas asks.

“We gotta go,” is all Steve says before tossing the supplies in his hands towards Dustin and practically leaping into the driver’s seat.

“The basketball team is here!” Erica announces. Your eyes widen before they meet Eddie’s.

“Shit, shit, shit!” Dustin shouts. You turn to look out the back window as Steve starts the engine, looking out for those familiar green and yellow jackets. You realize Eddie is simply doing the same.

“Get down!” you say, frustratedly, annoyed at his stupidity. You grab his head and pull it down as you yourself duck below the window as well. Steve gets the RV into drive and peels out of the parking lot. Your grip on Eddie’s head doesn’t loosen until you know you’re out on the road. You finally begin to let go, but you realize this is the first time you’ve ever touched Eddie’s hair. It’s just as soft as you thought it would be, and you have to resist the temptation to play with it. As you loosen your grip, you allow your fingers to run through wavy locks for just a moment before letting go entirely. You immediately avoid Eddie’s gaze as he sits up straight, suddenly finding the road much more interesting to look at.

–

Steve drives everyone to a remote field away from all of the main roads to prepare for the battle. Him and Robin set up shop pouring out liquor bottles they found in the RV to fill with fuel and make molotov cocktails. The Sinclairs get to work using the hunting knives they bought to make spears. Max heads over to help Nancy with her shotgun. You and your battle partners manage to scrounge up some milk crates and trash can lids from a junk pile nearby and start making some anti-bat shields.

“Try not to smash your finger, Major,” Eddie playfully chides as you hammer away at a nail. “We don’t have time for an ER trip.”

“Says the guy who set himself on fire in junior year chemistry,” you snap back with a smirk, cocking an eyebrow towards the metalhead.

“Well shit,” Dustin suddenly says, standing from his kneeling position. “I’m out of nails. I’m gonna go see if I can find another box.” He takes off for the RV, and you furrow your brow. You could have sworn there were two boxes of nails before, plenty for three shields. But now you only see the one empty box where Dustin left it.

“Too bad we can’t bring a drum set into the Upside Down,” Eddie says, drawing you out of your thoughts.

“What?” you ask, confused by the randomness of the statement.

“So we could jam together,” he explains, and you smile, finally understanding. “I mean, I assume the former drum major can still play the drums, right?”

“I haven’t played on a set in a while,” you confess. “Don’t have the opportunity at school.”

Eddie moves his lid from the milk crate, opting to take a seat on it instead.

“Well whenever you’re in town in the future, let me know,” he suggests. “I’m sure Gareth wouldn’t mind letting you have a go at his set.”

You can’t help but smile at the thought of playing some music with Eddie. You probably won’t be able to agree on a song or genre, but something about the idea of jamming with him just sounds really nice. And it gives you hope – that you’ll all come out okay on the other side of this and be able to go back to normal…or as close to normal as you can.

“Sounds cool,” you say, trying to hide just how much you like the idea. Eddie mirrors your smile for a moment, before it slowly fades. He gets to his feet.

“Hey, um,” he begins, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. “You haven’t had any, like…headaches or nose bleeds or…visions…right?”

Your heart pangs at his concern. You shake your head.

“No, I’m good,” you reply. “You?”

He shakes his head as well.

“Nothing.”

“Good.”

There’s a moment of silence, and you watch as Eddie absentmindedly kicks a rock.

“You’d tell me if you had, right?” he asks, his voice oddly timid.

“Yeah,” you confirm. “I would.”

“Okay, cool,” he responds, now fiddling with the zipper on his jacket. “Because if it comes down to it, I’m pretty sure I’ve got a Violent Femmes tape somewhere in my room.”

Your brow furrows – you’re both unsure why he thinks they’re your favorite band and surprised that he would have their tape, considering they’re more folksy punk than metal.

“Violent Femmes?” he repeats, trying to get you to understand. “Shit, I assumed they were your favorite band considering how much you used to hum Blister in the Sun in Haviland’s history class.”

You can’t help but bark out a laugh – you were a little obsessed with that song for a while. But you also can’t believe he remembers that. He seems to remember so much about you, and honestly, you don’t even know how to feel about it. You shake your head lovingly.

“You continue to surprise me, Munson,” you admit, your tone sincere. He grins, clearly proud of himself.

“Feeling’s mutual, Major,” he replies.

“Found more nails!” Dustin announces as he arrives back to your prepping area, a box of nails in his hand. You immediately recognize it as the box you saw earlier. You narrow your eyes at Dustin, immediately suspicious, and he avoids your gaze.

“I’m gonna go use the ladies room,” you announce as you stand. “Try not to injure yourselves while I’m gone.”

“No promises,” Eddie replies, and you let out a chuckle.

You head back up to the RV, taking a moment to glance around at all of the others on your way. You hesitate for a moment to think of them as your friends – with the exception of Robin, who you knew from marching band, and Steve and Nancy who you only knew in passing, you just met the rest of the kids a few days ago. But you’re about to go to battle with them against an alternate dimension monster. And these people have done nothing but go out of their way to protect you, and Eddie, and everyone else in Hawkins. You’d be proud if they consider you their friend.

After finishing in the restroom, you pop back out of the trailer and pause for a moment. Across the field, you watch as Eddie and Dustin roughhouse with each other, trying out their shields and just goofing off. You can’t help but smile at the sight. Eddie looks so…free. You’re glad that he’s getting this time to have fun with his friend after everything he’s been through. And you’re gonna make sure that after this is all over, he’ll continue to be free. You don’t know how – clearing his name seems next to impossible – but you’re gonna do it. He deserves it.

You hear a chuckle to your right and you look down to see Steve and Robin giving you a knowing look.

“Shut up,” you say, pointing a finger at the two of them. You aren’t interested in their teasing. They can think whatever they want.

They chuckle once more, and you leave in a huff, practically stomping back down the hill towards Eddie and Dustin.

–

The drive to the Creel House is somber.

You were all able to blow off a little steam when you were prepping for the battle. But now it’s here, and everyone is feeling it. No one really talks – the only sound is the droning of the RV and a Journey song softly crackling through the radio.

You’re crammed onto the back couch, sandwiched between Eddie and Robin, Dustin seated at your feet. Eddie shuffles for a moment, before pulling his bandana out from his back pocket. You watch as he attempts to tie it around the top of his head, but struggles to get it properly knitted. You reach up and grab the fabric from him, and he offers a soft smile and turns his back to you. You fold the fabric and drape it over his head before tying it into a tight knot and tucking the ends underneath. Eddie turns back to face you and grabs your hand, giving a squeeze – a silent thank you. He doesn’t let go, and you don’t either.

The RV eventually pulls up to the decrepit house, and Lucas, Max, and Erica each give a half-hearted wave before hopping out.

“Last chance to change your mind,” Eddie says, his voice low for only you to hear.

“You’re stuck with me, remember?” you reply. He smiles and gives your hand another squeeze.

The RV pulls away, headed for the trailer park, and you can feel yourself getting more and more nervous. You try to focus on the feeling of Eddie’s hand in yours – how his skin feels on yours, how the metal of his rings is familiar and comforting. You’re definitely scared of what lies in store for the lot of you in the Upside Down. Eddie’s description did freak you out, despite what you led him to believe. But you’re determined to see this through. And knowing Eddie will be with you the entire time helps put your mind at ease.

At least a little bit.

Steve parks the RV off of the road, tucked away in the woods near the trailer park. You give Eddie’s hand one last squeeze before letting it go, moving to do one last inventory of the supplies you’ll be bringing with you.

Nancy gets to her feet, a nervous energy about her. She paces a bit, before requesting to run through the plan once more. The first phase is Nancy, Steve, and Robin getting to the playground across from the Creel House. They’ll signal Erica on the other side, who will then signal Lucas and Max. Phase two is Max baiting Vecna, getting him to be vulnerable in his attic lair. The third phase is you, Eddie, and Dustin getting the attention of the bats, drawing them away from the house. Finally, Nancy, Steve, and Robin will get into the house and light Vecna up.

“No moving on to the next phase until everyone copies,” Nancy demands, her tone stern. “No deviating from the plan no matter what. Got it?”

“Got it,” you all say in unison. You all grab your things. You take a deep breath before leading the group out of the RV and through the woods. You all sneak across the park and head into Eddie’s trailer.

Steve goes through the gate first, expertly landing on the other side on two feet. He grabs Eddie’s bed just like you all did on this side of the gate. And then one by one, each teen climbs up and through the gate until it’s just you and Dustin. You help toss supplies through the opening, including the extension cords needed for Eddie’s amp, before it’s finally your turn.

You grab a hold of the tied sheets and pull yourself up. It’s a struggle – you were never good at the rope climb in gym class either. You grunt and put as much energy into it as you can, before you feel the pressure fall away, and you’re suddenly dropping. You hit the mattress and bounce slightly, the fall almost knocking the wind out of you. You don’t even remember closing your eyes, but you open them to see the hole in the ceiling, only now it’s just Dustin looking at you. A ringed hand appears in your vision, and you grab it, finding yourself quickly pulled to your feet.

“Welcome to the Upside Down,” Eddie greets, squeezing your hand before letting you go and turning to wait for Dustin. You finally stop to take in your surroundings.

Eddie wasn’t kidding – there are vines everywhere. It’s unnervingly dark, and you can see little flecks of…something…floating through the air. A flash of red catches your attention, and you turn to look out a window. Angry dark clouds collect across the sky, and a spark of red lightning shoots through the darkness.

You hear the soft plop of Dustin landing on the mattress, and Eddie helps him to stand. With a nod, you all head outside.

You try to ignore the chill that shivers down your spine at how eerie the Upside Down version of the trailer park is. The knowledge that there is nothing in this world except terrifying creatures being controlled by an evil mastermind…and the six of you…is somewhat haunting.

Nancy, Robin, and Steve begin to head in the direction of the Creel House, when Steve suddenly spins to face you.

“Guys, listen,” he starts. “If things here start to get really bad – I mean at all – you abort. Okay? Don’t do anything stupid.”

“We get it, Steve,” Dustin replies, his tone sarcastic. “You can be the hero.” Steve lets out a sigh before saying your name.

“Please, just…keep these assholes in line,” he says. You can’t help but smirk, understanding his frustration.

“I’m on it,” you confirm. He gives you a firm nod before turning to walk away.

“Hey, Steve,” Eddie speaks up, causing Steve to turn back. Eddie hesitates for a moment before continuing. “Make him pay.”

Steve nods once more before joining the other two, and you watch as the trio heads across the trailer park and towards Vecna’s lair.

“Alright then,” Dustin says. “Let’s get to work.”

The three of you grab your tools and begin to fortify the trailer. Armed with a pair of wire cutters, you head for the metal fencing around the trailer park. You cut as much as you can before Eddie is able to pull off each piece. Dustin scavenges some wood planks and metal sheets from some of the trailers and brings them over. The three of you then systematically go around to each window of Eddie’s trailer and cover the vulnerable area with wood or metal, creating a bunker for the three of you to take cover in once the bats descend. While Dustin continues to drill away, you and Eddie use the metal grating to create a barrier around the door, which will give you guys a way to get in and out of the trailer, but still keep you safe.

Once you finally finish, and the three of you run out of scraps to attach to the building, you all take a step back to admire your work.

“Not bad,” Dustin comments.

“Not bad at all,” you agree.

“Now for the fun part,” Eddie adds with a grin, playfully batting Dustin in the shoulder. He heads back towards the trailer and the two of you follow. For the first time in the last few days, you find yourself somewhat excited for what’s about to happen. If you ignore the part about being in an alternate dimension where everything is trying to kill you and your friends, the idea of getting to watch Eddie do what he does best is thrilling.

You trail Eddie down the hall of the trailer and into his bedroom where he freezes in the doorway. Right across from you on the mirror hangs Eddie’s guitar, exactly where it was in his room back in Hawkins.

“Jesus,” he starts, his eyes locked on the sight before him. “It’s like…she was destined for an alternate dimension.”

You bite your lip to hide your amusement at how serious he is…and how he just called his guitar “she.”

“What do you say, team?” he asks, grabbing the guitar from its holder. “Are you ready for the most metal concert in the history of the world?”

“More like in the history of multiple dimensions,” you correct, delight in your voice. Eddie grins and shoots you a wink as he gently puts on the guitar.

“Let’s do this,” he declares before swinging the instrument over his shoulder.

The three of you get to work setting up for the rooftop concert. You and Eddie manage to relocate his heavy amps to the top of the trailer while Dustin works on connecting all of the extension cords. With no word from Robin, Nancy, or Steve, you take a moment to plop down on the trailer roof, letting your feet hang off the edge. You glance over to see Eddie fiddling with his guitar – you assume he’s tuning it or something. Dustin takes a seat next to you.

“I know we kind of…turned your entire world upside down when we asked for your help,” he says, nudging you with his elbow. “But I just want to say…thank you. It means a lot that someone was willing to go through all of this to protect Eddie.” His tone is sincere and it brings a smile to your face. Your eyes are drawn to Eddie once more.

“He would’ve done it for me in a heartbeat,” you reply. And even knowing what you know now, even after everything you all have dealt with in the past few days, you would do it all again.

The moment is interrupted by Robin’s voice crackling through Dustin’s walkie.

“Max is in! Move on to phase three.”

“Copy that,” Dustin confirms, speaking into the receiver. “Initiating phase three.” You both leap to your feet and head over to the amps. You crank the volume and give Eddie a nod. You see him mumble something under his breath before he yanks the guitar pick from around his neck and lets out a scream.

And then he begins to play.

You can’t clock what song it is – metal really isn’t your forte – but you can’t help but get fired up as Eddie begins to strum the chords. You watch, mesmerized, a smile plastered to your face as his fingers travel up and down the guitar. His face is focused, his tongue poking out slightly, and he jams his head along with the music. You look over at Dustin to see he’s having just as much fun as you – he’s banging his head and tapping his foot. 

You realize this is the first time you’ve seen Eddie play in years. You remember the scrawny middle school talent show version of him, adorably attempting to cover AC/DC. But this Eddie – this Eddie is really fucking good. He’s confident, a swagger about him that is…you hate to say it…attractive. You watch as he props a foot up on the smaller amp, and you gotta give him points for style.

Dustin holds up his binoculars, looking for the first sign of the bats. He turns to you and shakes his head, and while part of you is glad they’re not anywhere near you yet, the other part worries that the plan isn’t working.

You turn your focus back to Eddie, and you find him already looking at you. You can’t help but smile, and you begin to softly rock your head along with the music. His face lights up, and he shoots you a wink before turning his focus back to the guitar.

Then a sound that you can only describe as a screech catches your attention. Dustin looks through the binoculars again, but this time when he turns to you, his face is serious.

“Eddie!” he shouts, getting the musician’s attention. “We gotta lock down in T-minus thirty seconds!”

The guitarist nods in understanding before continuing to shred on his instrument. With the news that the bats are on their way, your eyes lock on the sky, waiting for their silhouettes to be illuminated by the flashes of red lightning. You can just make out some dots in the clouds, and your stomach twists from nerves.

“T-minus twenty!” Dustin announces and you feel your heartbeat pick up. You can begin to see the bats clearer in the sky, and holy shit there are a lot of them. The plan is clearly working.

“T-minus ten!” Dustin calls out and your eyes fly back to Eddie, whose fingers are flying up and down the length of the guitar at impressive speeds. The sounds of the bats shrieking is getting louder and louder, and your heart is practically pounding out of your chest.

Dustin begins to count down and part of you wants to just grab the two of them and make a break for it now. You’re getting worried that you’re all cutting it a little too close.

“ONE!” Dustin shouts and Eddie cuts the music abruptly. He quickly yanks the guitar from around his neck and reaches for you, grabbing your hand. You both take off, heading for the side of the trailer. Dustin jumps down first, and you begrudgingly let go of Eddie’s hand in order to climb onto the pickup truck parked next to the building.

“Come on, come on, come on!” Dustin chants as the three of you move. Your feet hit the ground and you practically launch yourself towards the makeshift shelter, and you can hear Eddie cursing behind you. Your hands fly up to catch yourself as you hit the trailer door, and you turn to see Eddie pull the gate shut, causing several bats to hit the metal with an angry screech. Your eyes widen at the sight of the bats up close. You spot rows of teeth in their mouths as they open them to squeal at you, and their tendrils claw at the steel of the gate protecting you.

“Let’s go!” Dustin shouts, getting your attention. You head through the door and Eddie pulls it shut behind him. The three of you stop for a moment, attempting to catch your breath.

“Dude,” Dustin says. “Most. Metal. Ever!” 

“Holy shit!” Eddie replies, grabbing Dustin’s arms. The two of them begin to jump up and down, screaming in unison. You catch yourself chuckling at their antics, but a loud screech from outside kills the moment.

“Hey!” you call out, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. “We’re not done here yet, let’s celebrate when we’re out of this place!”

They both nod several times in agreement. You head over to the pile of spears and shields and hand them to the boys. The three of you then opt to settle in the center of the living room, close to the gate opening. Back to back to back, you all face outward, armed and ready for the bats to make their move.

You can hear them screeching outside, thrashing against the building. Your heart continues to pound and your hands shake slightly despite your grip on the tools. The three of you slowly rotate, and your eyes stay peeled as you watch for any sign of the creatures breaking through the fortification.

And then after a few moments, the shrieking dies down and the clattering against the building stops.

“Hey dipshits! Is that all you got?” Dustin screams. You quickly shush him and Eddie shoots him a glare.

“Is that really necessary?” he growls.

You hear a rattling sound above you and your eyes shoot up to the ceiling.

“They’re on the roof,” Eddie confirms. Your stare remains locked on the ceiling as you follow the sound of the creatures. Dustin has the same idea as you and begins to move through the trailer as the clattering continues to travel. You trail behind him with Eddie behind you, shields and spears at the ready. As you get closer to the kitchen, you spot a vent in the ceiling, and you quickly notice shadows moving past it.

“They can’t get in through there, can they?” Dustin asks, and you can only hope the answer is no.

But the universe has other plans.

With a crash, a bat bursts through the vent, creating a vulnerable hole in your fortress. It lets out a blood-curdling scream and you can’t help but scream back.

Suddenly, you’re shoved backwards, Eddie pushing his body in front of yours. He throws the arm holding his shield across your chest as he and Dustin begin to jab at the bat. Your thoughts start going a mile a minute – you need to find a way to close the opening. Your eyes fall to the shield full of nails in your hand and you immediately get an idea.

You go to move closer, but the second you take a step, Eddie’s arm pushes you back.

“Let me help, goddamnit!” you shout, which distracts Eddie for a moment, allowing you to push your way through. You reach for one of the kitchen chairs and pull it with you.

“Out of the way!” you call out to Dustin, who heeds your words and steps to the side. You quickly throw the chair in front of you, climb on top, and with the strongest thrust you can muster, jam the shield into the ceiling right over the hole.

You’re left panting, and you almost double over on the chair to catch your breath.

“Major, you fucking genius,” Eddie mutters, holding out a hand to help you down from the chair. You all take a moment to breathe, the chittering from the bats dying down a bit.

“Are there any more vents?” Dustin suddenly asks and Eddie’s eyes go wide. He takes off down the hall, muttering curses under his breath, and the two of you follow. He stops short in the entrance to his room, and before any of you can make a move, a swarm of bats bursts through a vent in the corner. The bats quickly fill the space, their shrieking the loudest you’ve heard yet.

Eddie pushes you backwards and pulls the door closed behind him. The three of you head back down the hall, and you glance over your shoulder to see small cracks forming in the thin piece of wood. Eddie throws his arm in front of you again, blocking your body with his, and blocking his own body with the trash can lid.

“That’s not gonna hold!” Dustin shouts, and you know he’s right. You’re running out of time.

“Let’s fucking get out of here!” Eddie screams. “Go, go, go!”

Dustin immediately grabs the sheets, grunting as he pulls himself up. The second he flips through, you take a hold next. Your adrenaline has really kicked in, because this time you’re able to easily pull yourself up and through, landing on the mattress once more. The lack of spores in the air and the soft light of Eddie’s real trailer immediately puts you at ease.

You roll off the mattress, awkwardly getting to your feet and looking up to find Eddie.

But he’s just…hanging there.

“Eddie, come on, let’s go!” Dustin shouts.

But Eddie doesn’t move.

He glances up and meets your gaze, and you immediately know what’s about to happen. You see the same look in his eyes you saw back on Lover’s Lake.

He’s about to do it again.

“Munson, I swear to god, if you don’t get your ass up here –”

You trail off as he looks away from you and slowly lets go of the sheet.

“Eddie, let’s go!” Dustin wails. Eddie doesn’t respond, disappearing from view for a moment and reappearing with the spear. 

“Munson!” you scream, your voice cracking. He can’t do this to you. Not when the stakes are this high. Not when he could fucking die.

With a shout, in one swipe he slices the sheet, and the makeshift rope falls into Dustin’s trembling hands. You watch in horror as Eddie moves the mattress out of view, and you stare up at an empty floor. You realize you’re crying.

“Eddie, what are you doing?” Dustin demands, and you realize he’s crying too. Eddie drapes the strap of his spear across his chest and picks up the shield.

“I’m buying more time,” he says, before his eyes meet yours. “I’m sorry.”

And in a flash, he’s gone.

You see red.

“FUCK!” you shout, spinning around and slamming your hands on the kitchen counter. You’re livid. If the Upside Down doesn’t kill Eddie, you sure will.

But you’re not giving up without a fight. That idiot wants to be a hero? Fine. But he’s not gonna do it alone.

“Find some way for us to get back up there, now!” you order at Dustin, who immediately begins scrambling. You tread down the hallway into Eddie’s room and immediately begin digging through drawers and clearing items out of your way.

“You’re a fucking pothead, you’ve gotta have a fucking lighter somewhere,” you angrily mutter to yourself as you tredge through Eddie’s messy bedroom. Finally, you spot a lighter and pocket it, taking off back down the hallway. You swing open the hallway closet, where amongst random objects you spot a plastic broom and a metal baseball bat. You snatch both and head back to the living room, where Dustin has moved the mattress and replaced it with a chair. You grab what’s left of the sheets and tear off a few pieces of fabric, quickly tying the scraps around the top of the bat and broom. Satisfied, you jump to your feet and grab the bottle of vodka tucked into the corner of the kitchen counter. You pour it over the fabric of each tool, trying to coat the scraps as much as possible.

You glance over to see Dustin testing the strength of the extension cord that still hangs through the hole.

“It’s gonna be a rough landing,” he points out. With the mattress gone, your flip to the other side is going to be much less graceful.

“I’m gonna kill him for that,” you respond before throwing the bat and broom through the hole. They land on the other side with a clatter, and you nod to Dustin before leaping onto the chair, grabbing a hold of the extension cord and pulling yourself up. As you begin to feel the weight of the air shift, you swing your body, and you somehow manage to land on your two feet, though awkwardly and with much less style than Steve had earlier.

You immediately grab the tools on the ground and pull them out of the way before adjusting the mattress back under the hole. Dustin falls through with ease, and you quickly pull him to his feet before handing him the broom.

You bolt through the trailer door and down the steps. You don’t see Eddie immediately, but the screeching of the bats gets your attention, and you spot a silhouette in the distance. The bats are swarming him, and you can tell he’s getting overwhelmed.

“Fuck, let’s go!” you call to Dustin, and you head towards one of the forgotten bikes. You hop on, awkwardly trying to balance the aluminum bat in your hand as you begin to ride. You pedal as fast as you can, eyes locked on Eddie’s figure in the distance as he swings his spear and shield. As you get closer, you watch in horror as a bat wraps its tendrils around Eddie’s neck.

“EDDIE!” you scream in terror. His head immediately turns towards you just as he’s yanked to the ground. More bats begin to wrap around his wrists and ankles. 

You practically leap from your bike, tossing it away, and run towards Eddie. In one move, you pull the lighter out from your pocket and set your bat ablaze.

“Fuck off!” you shout as you swing the fiery weapon, knocking out a row of bats that had begun to bite at Eddie’s torso. They let out a high-pitched screech as they attempt to fly away, the fire doing significant damage. You take a few more swings at the bats at Eddie’s feet and hands, and finally knock out the one that was holding his neck.

“Hey!” Dustin calls from behind you, having finally caught up. “Lighter!”

You toss him the lighter and his broom ignites, and he immediately begins swinging at the swarming bats.

You turn back to Eddie, who has managed to sit up, and find him coughing and holding his throat. His eyes meet yours, but before either of you can say anything, you hear a squeal and spin around to find a bat flying right at you. You swing at it, nailing it and sending it yelping to the ground.

Your instincts take over, and you continue to swing at the bats that dive bomb towards you, your flaming bat keeping them at bay. Dustin hollers and yells as he swings his own fiery weapon, and eventually you hear a grunt behind you and see Eddie getting to his feet, gripping his spear and shield once again.

You have no idea how long the three of you stay like that – thrusting your weapons at the creatures. Every so often one of them manages to grab a hold of one of you, but you work well together, quickly getting rid of the problem bats.

You can feel your body tiring out. Your limbs are getting heavy and you're completely out of breath. You don’t know how much longer you can go on – you don’t know how this is even supposed to end. There are too many bats for you to defeat all of them, and you’re sure Vecna’s likely sending some other, deadlier creatures after you next.

Just when you think you can’t fight anymore, the bats begin to fall from the sky.

You stare in shock as they hit the ground one by one, mewling and twitching before becoming motionless.

All you can hear is the sound of the thunder rumbling and the three of you panting.

“What the fuck?” you finally breathe out after a few moments. You scan the bats scattered around you, and you can’t help but feel creeped out as some of them spasm and jerk on the ground.

“I don’t know,” Dustin responds between breaths. “Maybe they did it. Maybe they killed Vecna.”

Shit, you hope that’s the case. Because that means this is all over.

“Whatever the answer is, let's get the hell out of here,” you suggest. The other two nod in agreement, and you drag your exhausted bodies back over to your bikes, discarding your weapons on the ground. You pedal back towards the trailer from which you came, eyes peeled for any other threats. The three of you head back into the trailer one last time, this time leaving the front gate open for the others to be able to get through

Once inside, you and Dustin slide the mattress out of the way once more, setting up the chair like you had on your way in. With a leap, you cling to the extension cord and manage to control your flip through to the other side, landing nicely on the chair. You hop down and move the chair, before pulling the mattress on this side back in place for the others. Dustin drops down first.

“I’m gonna try and get in touch with the others,” he says as you help him to his feet. You nod in acknowledgement and turn to watch Eddie plop onto the mattress. You yank him to his feet harshly and he stumbles and mutters a curse under his breath.

“So –”

Your hand flies across his face with a sharp slap.

“Fuck!” he shouts, grabbing his cheek and stumbling once more. “Okay, yeah, should have seen that coming.”

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” you shout at him. “Why would you do that? What happened to not deviating from the plan no matter what? What happened to not doing anything stupid?”

A lazy grin appears on his face.

“You’re cute when you’re angry,” he says before he awkwardly sways and grabs his side. “Shiiit.”

You react immediately, moving to steady him by the shoulders. Before you can ask what’s wrong, you glance down to see his hand covered in blood. Your stomach clenches and your heart begins to pound.

“Fuck, sit down,” you order, your voice beginnng to tremble. You push him backwards so that he’s seated on the chair. You impatiently yank off his vest and jacket, and your eyes lock on an ugly red patch forming on his Hellfire shirt. You gently peel the fabric up and away, and reveal several ugly gashes across his torso.

“Am I gonna live, doc?” Eddie says, and you can’t help but roll your eyes. The wounds aren’t deep, and while he’s lost some blood, he’ll likely just need to get patched up. You let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding.

“You won’t die from bat bites, but I still might kill you,” you reply, shooting him a glare. You get to your feet and head to the kitchen, grabbing the leftover vodka and sheet scraps from before. You tear off a piece of sheet and run it under the sink for a moment. You settle back down next to Eddie, and you can feel his stare once again.

“This is gonna hurt,” you tell him as you begin to clean his wound, wiping away the blood and disinfecting it with the alcohol. He hisses slightly and jerks a little when you make contact, but you can still feel his stare practically burning into the side of your head as you work.

“You called me Eddie,” he murmurs, so quiet you almost miss it. Your brow furrows.

“Pretty sure that’s your name,” you point out. “Or have you already lost that much blood you forgot?”

“You’ve never called me Eddie before,” he replies, ignoring your comment. “I’ve always been just ‘Munson’ to you.”

You’re caught off guard for a moment, and you fumble with the fabric in your hands. You realize he’s right – you don’t ever call him Eddie. You don’t even really know why. Maybe at first it was because he annoyed you in high school. He pissed you off so you never gave him the respect of calling him by his first name. And then it just stuck.

He’s right, he was just “Munson” to you. But he’s so much more to you than that now.

And that realization causes your stomach to flutter.

Satisfied with how clean Eddie’s wounds are, you reach for another scrap of cloth. You let your eyes briefly stray to his face, and unsurprisingly he’s still staring at you.

“Stop staring at me,” you mutter, trying to change the subject. “Arms up.”

He ignores your first request but follows your second one. You begin to wrap the white cloth around his torso, trying it tight enough to hopefully stop some of the bleeding.

“You’re still mad at me,” he says, and you let out an exasperated huff and finally meet his eyes.

“You know, it kind of seems like you go out of your way to do things that will make me mad at you,” you argue as you tie a knot to keep the cloth secure. You roll his shirt back down, trying to ignore how his skin feels against your fingertips. He drops his arms and collapses against the back of the couch with a deep sigh. He cocks his head and looks at you with a dopey smile.

“How else am I supposed to get your attention?” he challenges. You roll your eyes – of course he would say something like that.

“You’re such an asshole,” you respond, nudging his knee with yours. He grins.

“Careful,” he warns. “If you keep being mean to me I will fall in love with you.”

Your heart skips a beat and your mouth goes dry.

But before you can even begin to process his words, you hear a crackling sound from above. Your eyes shoot to the ceiling, expecting to see Steve, Nancy, or Robin falling through. Instead you see the gate starting to grow, with more and more vines slithering out of the opening. The opening begins to travel across the ceiling, causing plaster to fall to the floor. You watch as the glowing crack grows and grows before it envelops almost the entire ceiling. The trailer begins to shake.

“We’ve gotta get out of here!” Dustin calls, and you can’t help but agree. You get to your feet and pull Eddie with you, draping his arm over your shoulder to help him balance. The three of you head towards the door, managing to make it through before the gate begins to take it over. You practically stumble down the stairs, trying to manage Eddie’s weight as you move. You pause several yards away and turn back, and the three of you watch in horror as half of the trailer disintegrates before your eyes, leaving a huge gaping hole in the side of the building and a large thrumming red gate on the ground. The gate continues to extend through the grass, cracking through earth and leaving a tremor in its wake. You grip Eddie tightly as the two of you try to maintain your balance despite the entire world shaking. The gate continues to divide the trailer park, moving closer and closer in the direction of downtown. 

The shaking begins to ease up as the gate opening travels farther away. The three of you are left standing in shock.

You hear a noise behind you and you turn your head to see a woman opening her trailer door, likely coming out to investigate all of the commotion.

“Shit, we’ve gotta get you out of here,” you say to Eddie, voice panicked. “We can’t have anyone see you.”

“You guys head back to the RV,” Dustin stutters out as he moves to grab one of the bikes that’s discarded in the grass. “I’m gonna go try and link up with the others.”

You and Eddie both nod, exchange a quick glance, and begin to head towards the treeline.

–

You grip your steering wheel tightly, and you can’t help but glance at the rearview mirror, checking for the tenth time to see if anyone is following you. Despite it being days since the “earthquake” – as the authorities are calling it – your paranoia still hasn’t gone away.

Helping to hide a murder suspect who is now assumed dead will do that to you.

You let out a deep breath as you pass the sign for Hawkins, finally relaxing a bit now that you’re out of city limits. You can only hope it will get easier as time goes on, but with everything you’ve gone through in the past week, you think your stress is understandable.

It’s crazy how much your life changed in such a short amount of time. Had those kids not knocked on your door and asked for your help, you would be on your way back to school at this very moment. Instead you’re headed out to a remote location a half hour outside of Hawkins, bags of groceries on your passenger seat. Steve had volunteered to do the food run for Eddie today, but you insisted that you could take care of it. You tried to ignore the knowing look he shot you, but he could see right through you.

Besides, you have something you have to tell Eddie.

The whole situation seems too bizarre to think about. You had been hiding Eddie at your house after…everything, wracking your brain trying to figure out what to do with him. But on the second day, three adults in suits showed up at your door. They knew everything, even name dropped Eleven, and they explained that they were there to help. They had secured a remote trailer not far from Hawkins where Eddie would be safe as long as he lays low. They even handed over some cash for clothes and supplies. Dumbfounded, you simply nodded your head, accepted the gifts, and helped Eddie get settled in his new home.

Things in Hawkins are still shitty. There are still massive red cracks dividing the town into fourths, there are still townspeople unaccounted for, and there’s still the threat of Vecna and the Upside Down looming in the distance. But Eddie is safe, you’re safe, and that’s all you want to focus on for the time being. You’ll let the experts take it from here.

It’s not long before you reach the dirt driveway, and you head down the long rocky road leading up to the small building hidden in the trees. You see a finger poke through the blinds of one of the windows, and a familiar eye appears in the crack. You hop out of the car with a smirk, before heading to the other side to grab the bags. Eddie pops through the door, lightly jogging to where you're parked. He’s dressed in a plain black t-shirt and gray sweatpants, and you try to ignore the flutter in your stomach at the sight of his exposed arms. You’re not used to seeing this much of his skin.

“Please tell me one of these bags has beer in it,” he almost whines as he grabs one of the paper bags from your arms.

“Nice to see you too,” you snap back playfully, giving him a slight nudge with your elbow. “And yes, there’s a six pack of Miller in there.”

He shoots you a grin and leads you into the trailer. You both drop the bags on the counter in the small kitchen. Eddie pokes around the top of the bags, and you panic a bit, hoping he doesn’t notice one of the boxes shoved at the bottom of one of the bags.

“You shop way better than Harrington does,” Eddie comments before meeting your gaze. “There’s actual food in here.”

“Yeah well, I figure getting some real food in your system will probably be better for your wounds than a diet of cheese puffs and Yoohoo,” you counter. “How are those by the way?”

“Still gross, still achey, but overall better.”

You nod in response. An awkward silence settles over the two of you, and you fiddle with the car keys in your hands.

“So,” Eddie begins. “I take it this will be your last supply run out here. Headed back to school, right?”

You look down at your hands and bite your lip, trying to hide your smile.

“Um, I’m actually gonna stick around,” you reveal, eyes still avoiding his. “It doesn’t…feel right…leaving y– Hawkins right now. Not after everything that, um, Hawkins has been through.” You stumble over your words slightly – you’re struggling to say what you really want to say.

You chance a glance up at Eddie to find him eyeing you warily, his arms folded across his chest. He doesn’t say anything, so you continue, hoping that he’ll eventually understand the meaning behind your words.

“Despite everything, I…uh…I feel safe…in Hawkins,” you stammer. “And I want…I want to help keep Hawkins safe.”

The faintest hint of a smile appears on Eddie’s lips as he nods at your words. He takes a step closer towards you.

“That’s really good to hear,” he says. “Especially since…Hawkins…really likes having you around. And Hawkins would really miss you if you left.”

Your heartbeat picks up at his words, and you’re pretty sure he’s caught on to your hidden meaning.

“Also, Hawkins…cares about you very much,” he adds, before taking another step towards you. You mirror him, taking a step closer so that he’s almost close enough to reach.

“Well, I…care about Hawkins very much, too,” you confirm. Eddie’s smile grows and he takes one more step, leaving very little space between the two of you. He drops his crossed arms, instead choosing to gently take one of your hands in both of his.

“Hawkins also thinks you’re really pretty,” he says, his voice almost timid. You let out a soft chuckle, biting your bottom lip and letting your eyes fall to your hand in his. Your eyes follow as he softly brings your knuckle to his lips, giving a quick kiss to the skin. You feel your body warm at the gesture, and you’re almost taken aback at how he’s looking at you – like you’re everything.

“In case it wasn’t obvious, when I say ‘Hawkins’, I mean me,” he quips, a smartass grin on his face. You can’t help but chuckle and shake your head lovingly.

“Shut up, you idiot,” you say before you pull him towards you and plant your lips on his.

He responds immediately, moving to cradle the back of your head with one hand and your hip with the other. You gently slide your hands up his chest before curling your arms around his neck as you settle into the kiss. His lips move against yours so perfectly, like they were meant for each other.

He uses his grip on your side, to smoothly rotate you so he can press you against the kitchen counter. You deepen the kiss, letting your tongue tease against his lips. He immediately opens his mouth, his own tongue poking out to stroke yours. You groan into his mouth at the sensation, and he pulls you even closer to him, your entire bodies pressed flat against each other.

You pull away for a moment to catch a breath, resting your forehead against his as your chest rises and falls.

“Shit, sweetheart,” Eddie mutters. “Should’a done that a long time ago.” You smile before leaning in once more, already addicted to the feeling of his lips against yours. You don’t know what you expected kissing Eddie Munson to feel like, but you never imagined it would feel like this. His lips massage yours expertly, and your entire body warms at the sensation.

This time he pulls away, and his head falls to your shoulder with a groan. He mumbles your name against the fabric of your t-shirt.

“You don’t even know what you do to me,” he confesses, rubbing his hands up and down your sides. You give your hips an experimental roll, and you hum at the discovery of him hard in his pants.

“I think I have a bit of an idea,” you counter before sliding a hand into his wavy locks. You grab his hair and pull his head up, slotting your lips over his once again. He rolls his hips into you, and his dick rubs pleasantly against your core. You moan at the feeling, and you feel Eddie smile against your lips. He takes your response as a cue to spin you again, and you refuse to break the kiss while he backs you towards his small bedroom.

The back of your legs hit the side of the mattress, and you pull away, but only to pull your shirt over your head. Eddie lets out a groan as his eyes land on your chest, and his hands reach for you. He presses soft kisses all over your chest and the tops of your breasts as his hands slide up your back. He finds the clasp of your bra and easily undoes it, pulling back to rid you of the garment.

You stop him before he can do anything else, grabbing ahold of the hem of his t-shirt and lifting it a few inches. He smiles as he lifts his arms, allowing you to pull the shirt over his head. He shakes his head, allowing his curls to fall back into place, and you take the opportunity to run your hands over his chest, careful not to dip too low and disturb the bandage on his lower body. You smile as you admire the dark ink on his sternum before meeting his gaze once again.

“You’re pretty,” you tell him, and he responds with a smile, his eyes sparkling. He takes your hands in his, pressing a kiss to the knuckles of both.

“Even with chunks of flesh missing?” he asks, his tone cheeky. You chuckle and lean in to quickly peck his lips.

“Yes, evil bat bites and all,” you confirm. He pulls you closer, and your bare chest presses against him as he kisses you once more. You hum into the kiss at the feeling of your skin on his, and slide your hands out of his grasp to run up and down his bare back.

“Lie back for me,” he practically whispers between kisses, and you steal one more kiss before breaking away to sit back on the bed. A smile never leaves his face as he slides his sweatpants down his hips, and you take the opportunity to rid yourself of your jeans, kicking them off to the side.

Clad in just boxers, Eddie takes a step towards the bed before his face falls and he stops.

“Shit,” he says, running his hand along the back of his neck.

“What?” you ask.

“I don’t…have anything,” he says, and you bite your lip to hide your smile.

“Bottom of one of the grocery bags,” you respond, and Eddie’s eyebrows shoot up. He spins on his heels and heads out to the kitchen, and you chuckle at his eagerness.

“I see how it is, you little minx,” he playfully teases when he reappears in the doorway with a box of condoms. “Your plan was always to seduce me, huh?”

You giggle, giving him a casual shrug before laying back against the pillows at the top of the bed.

“I had high hopes,” you reply, earning a chuckle from Eddie. But before he says another word, you reach down and slide your panties over your hips and down your legs, before balling them up and tossing them at him.

His jaw goes slack and his pupils dilate, and the fabric hits him in the chest before dropping to the floor.

“Jesus Christ,” he curses under his breath, and his eyes stay locked onto you as you slide a hand down your body, through your curls, before coming to rest at your core. You run two fingers through your slit, and while you already knew you were wet, you can hear it as you play with yourself. You hum, lazily caressing your opening while Eddie simply stands there gawking at you.

“You gonna join me, hot stuff?” you ask, and it seems to wake Eddie up from his trance. He eases his boxers over his hips and down his legs and impatiently kicks them off. As he fiddles with the box of condoms, you take the opportunity to admire his cock, and shit, it’s beautiful. Long and thick, but not enough to scare you. You can’t wait to know what it’s like to have him buried inside you, and at the exact moment you have that thought, you happen to catch your clit with your finger and let out a moan.

It catches Eddie’s attention, and his eyes lock back onto yours as he rolls the condom onto his shaft. He gives himself a few strokes before moving towards the bed. He crawls up your body until his face aligns with yours, and he leans down to kiss you as he rolls his hips, allowing his cock to slide against your wet center.

“Shit, I must be dreaming,” he mutters between kisses. “Either that or I died in that shithole and now I’m in heaven.”

You adjust your hands under him, interlocking your fingers with his.

“This is real, baby,” you say as you thrust your hips upward, rubbing your core along his shaft once more.

Eddie groans at the feeling, and he looks down between your bodies as he lines himself up with your opening. Slowly and carefully he pushes in, and you let out twin groans as he fills you. Neither of you move for a moment, taking time to enjoy the feeling of him deep inside you.

He slides his hands out of your grasp and under your back, and you wrap your arms around him, bringing your chests together. His head falls to your shoulder as he pulls his hips back, sliding through you so that only his tip is still inside. Then he rolls his hips forward, burying himself to the hilt once again. You can’t help but let out another moan at the feeling, and you dig your nails into his back. He continues to slowly thrust into you, and his mouth finds your neck, kissing and licking and sucking at the flesh.

The two of you move like that for what feels like forever, Eddie’s hips lazily bucking into yours. He feels so fucking good inside of you, like he was always meant to be right here.

Eventually he picks up the pace, with little grunts and whines and curses escaping from his lips. You can feel him getting more desperate with his thrusts, so you slide a hand between you, finding your clit and rubbing at it.

“Fuck,” you moan out. “You feel so fucking good.”

He mewls in response, pulling his head out from where he had buried it and planting his lips on yours.

“Sweetheart, I’m close,” Eddie practically whines. You nod in understanding, your own climax fast approaching. You wrap your legs around his hips, and he grabs a hold of one of your thighs as his thrusts get more and more erratic.

“Shit, shit, shit,” you curse as you give yourself a few more rubs. A wave of pleasure crests over your entire body, and your hips stutter under his. You feel his entire body shudder under your hands, and with a long, deep groan, he comes too. He continues to push his hips against yours as you both ride out your highs, before finally coming to a stop.

The two of you are a panting and sweaty mess of limbs. You try to catch your breath, your entire body still buzzing. Eddie presses a soft kiss to your shoulder before peeling himself off of you and sliding out of your core. He shoots you a smile and a wink before disappearing through the doorway to get cleaned up.

You feel like you’re melting into the bed with how relaxed you feel. Your eyes fall closed and you let out a hum as you settle into the sheets. The mattress dips and your eyes flutter open, watching as a grinning Eddie, still naked like you, crawls towards you. He settles beside you and reaches for you, pulling you against his side and wrapping an arm around your shoulders. You can hear his heartbeat under your head as you rest against his chest, and you reach up to gently play with the smattering of hair across his sternum.

The two of you lie there in a comfortable silence, simply basking in the afterglow of your activities. You’re perfectly content to spend the rest of the day right here, in Eddie’s arms – safe, comfortable, and at ease for the first time since you got back to Hawkins a week ago.

“I wanted to impress you,” Eddie mumbles after a few moments. You furrow your brow, his simple statement confusing you. You turn slightly, allowing you to look up at his face, and you find him staring at the ceiling.

“What do you mean?” you ask, urging him to continue. His hand begins to gently caress the skin of your arm.

“When I jumped into the lake,” he clarifies. “I had just seen Harrington, Wheeler, and Buckley just…dive head first right into danger without giving it a second thought. I wanted you to see me like that. Like, a hero or something.”

You let his words sink in, the explanation for the events of that night finally being revealed to you. While his reasoning still doesn’t make a lot of sense to you, you’re glad you’re finally talking about it.

“And when we were in the Upside Down, I realized it could be my moment,” he continues. “I would be the one to save the day…to keep you safe…to be your hero.”

Your heart pangs at his words. All this time he was trying to play some part you never wanted him to play. He didn’t have to put himself at risk to win you over. He already had you.

He’s had you for a long time.

You shift to sit up and Eddie mirrors you, and you take the opportunities to take both of his hands in yours.

“Eddie…you…you’re not my hero because you dove head first into danger,” you explain, meeting his gaze so he understands how serious you are. “In fact whenever you did it, it pissed me the fuck off.” He lets out a chuckle, and you smile at him. “You’re my hero because…because told me you were sorry about my mom. Because you remembered how I feel about the water and you never once judged me for it. Because you let me cling to you each time we had to go out onto the lake. Because you held me and protected me from having to see what happened to Patrick. Because despite your own fear and stress, you still calmed me down when I was panicking. Because despite the entire world going to shit around us, you always kept the mood light and made me smile.”

You reach up to cradle the side of Eddie’s face, caressing his cheek with your thumb.

“And you’re my hero because you played the most badass, most metal concert of all time,” you add with a cheeky grin, and that earns another laugh from him. He leans in and pecks your lips.

“Alright, you’ve convinced me,” he says. “No more running head first into danger for me.”

“Oh, that convinced you?” you respond, your voice playful. “Not the two times you got slapped across the face?” You both are sent into a fit of giggles, and Eddie takes the opportunity to run his hands up and down your thighs.

“Okay, that’s fair,” he concedes before leaning in to kiss you once again. “Want to know why you’re my hero?”

You cock an eyebrow, your interest piqued.

“Oh, I’m your hero, too?” you say, voice teasing. He leans in closer to you, taking your chin in his hand, forcing you to look right into his eyes.

“You’re my hero because from the very beginning you believed me, believed I was innocent,” he says, a soft smile on his face. “Because after years of me trying to get a rise out of you every time I could, you still chose to stay with me in that boathouse. And you kept choosing to stay with me. Even now, when you don’t have to anymore. Because you’re protecting me, keeping me safe. And I guess you saving my life in the Upside Down is just a bonus.”

He pokes your nose with his finger and you let out a chuckle. He lets go of your chin and reaches for you, pulling you into his lap with your back pressed against his chest, his arms wrapped around you. You reach up and rest your hands on his wrists, and he plants a kiss to the crown of your head.

“Damn, Munson, who knew you were so sappy,” you tease, and Eddie digs his fingers into your sides in response. You let out a squeal and wiggle in his grasp as he tickles your skin. He eventually eases up and encircles his arms around you once again, squeezing you once before relaxing into the embrace.

The two of you settle into that position, and you let out a deep breath, content to be in Eddie’s arms.

“I really get to keep you?” Eddie asks after a few moments. You can’t help but smile.

“I told you,” you reply. “You’re stuck with me, Munson.”

#eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson fic #eddie munson x you #eddie munson smut #joemazzmatazz

[talesofadragon]

𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐈𝐬 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐞𝐥

Summary: Right choices have never been Draco’s forte. Years after his reputation has taken a plunge and his guilt has claimed control of his thoughts, he’s offered a second chance at redemption from Hogwarts University’s Principal, Minerva McGonagall. 

Reluctant to step back into the origins of his despair, Draco begins to question his fate and the cruel jokes it's been playing on him until he meets a stranger that offers him a different perspective. A stranger that may just force him to repeat the past he was adamant to run away from. 

Warnings: College AU | Fluff | Angst | Slow Burn | Age Gap

Pairing: Professor!Draco x Student!Reader

Word Count: 4K

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏

𝐍𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬. Whether it was between love and hate, truth and lies, or right and wrong, somehow, one always finds themselves teetering on the edge of the unknown before choosing the path to follow.

Every time Draco would close his eyes, he’d find tales of regret and guilt carved roughly behind his eyelids— a great retelling of the past and the volatility of his choices that have tampered with the translucent veil of his existence. 

Life was cruel. That had always been the conclusion he came to whenever he aimlessly wandered the streets of Scotland as he retreated into his self-formed cocoon. Perhaps it was his insecurities or the queasiness inside of him, but he always seemed to believe that people all around him judged his every move. Their eyes bore into him, attempting to see who between his guilt and their hatred would cause him to run away faster. 

A bench at Springfield Meadows served as his trusted nest, his shoulders visibly relaxing as he plopped down. The familiarity of the dark wood beneath his long fingers sparked a sense of peace and serenity as he leaned forward, elbows on his knees and fisted hands above his mouth, deep into thought. 

“Thinking about it any further will not change much, you know?” Draco heard from behind him. He scoffed as the man stepped forward, proceeding to take a seat next to him. 

Silver eyes roamed the expanse of the park, gliding over the white daisies that were beginning to bloom. “The world is nothing short of possibilities, and one thought can change the course of our paths forever,” he replied, craning his head as he faced his friend. 

The tall brunette rolled his eyes. He leaned back against the bench with one arm casually draped against the wood behind Draco’s shoulders. “To be or not to be, that is the question.” He raised his free hand in the air, feigning melancholy. “Always the Shakespeare, Malfoy. Eloquent, creative, and ever brooding.”

Draco scoffed, tapping his fingers against his knees. “The world may evolve, but I’ll always be philosophical, and you’ll always remain–”

“Charming?” 

“More of a nuisance, to tell you the truth.”

The man hit his friend across his chest, eliciting a groan from the platinum blond. Theodore, the tall “nuisance” as Draco referred to him, raised his left foot, resting his calf on his right knee. He remained silent, watching the birds that soared above them. His hazel eyes gazed at his best friend for a moment, noticing him succumb to his deafening fears once more. 

Draco’s attention was elsewhere and nowhere all at once, his knee rising and falling in anticipation of the upcoming decision he was going to have to make. His mind filled with the words he had read this morning–the promise of a chance to start anew. 

“Was it you?” he pondered aloud, the back of his head now resting against the wood, silver orbs looking away. “ Where you the one who suggested my name?”

Theodore considered his answer for a moment. “At the risk of sounding like a lousy friend, I didn’t even think about mentioning you, mate.”

Draco huffed out a half-laugh, the ghost of the past paying him an unwanted visit. He hated closing his eyes because he never found the escape he craved to seek refuge in. He’d instead find himself surrounded with traces of a reality so discouraging and shameful, it entangled itself within his worst nightmares. “Then why the hell are they asking me to come back?” After everything.

“Hogwarts has been struggling to find a competent literature professor since you left–”

“Since I was forced to,” Draco corrects bitterly, the bright silver in his eyes dimming, a wounded shade of grey taking the reins.

Theodore nodded absentmindedly, seeking the right words. “Right, well. McGonagall has now been appointed as the university’s president. And she specifically requested for you to return.”

“Hogwarts,” Draco repeated. The word fell from his lips with a bitter taste in its wake. “The most prized institution in Scotland, in Britain, struggling to hire a decent professor? That’s quite hard to believe.”

“I never said the instructors weren’t decent. They just lack your competence, Draco.” 

The man let out a deep exhale, his palms digging into his eyes and rubbing away the irritation. Not to sound narcissistic, even though Draco Malfoy is just that sometimes, but there could never be someone that garnered as many skills as he did in that domain. 

He knew every cadence of literature. He studied its facades and its realities so vehemently, there was no message that could escape his thirsty eyes, no matter how well hidden it was between the lines. Perhaps this was a result of the sanctuary he found within the pages of every book he has ever read in his times of loneliness. Or maybe, it was the ostentatious life he had lived as the only son of billionaire philanthropists Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. 

Whatever misfortune had led him to acquire such knowledge of the craft was the only tribulation he welcomed so openly.

“I can’t go back.” He shook his head. “Not after everything.”

“You can’t, or you don’t want to?” Theodore didn’t wait for an answer before he completed the rest of the monologue that waiting to be set free. “Listen, mate. I know the circumstances weren’t in your favor, and you’re dreading having to relive the past. But you need this. You need to give yourself another chance.” 

Draco closed his eyes and groaned. A thousand scenarios ran in his head laced with fear and doubt, all telling him to run the other way. But Theodore’s words were also there. You need this. Need. Since when was ever Draco granted what he needed in life? 

A hand on his shoulder awoke him from his reverie, albeit reluctantly. He peered his eyes away from the monochromatic thoughts he was having, catching Theodore’s hazel orbs. Think about it, the brunette tried to say without so much as moving his lips. And with that, he was on his way. 

Draco’s mind was suddenly engulfed by the silence. Again, the man sighed, letting his head fall back against the wooden bench. He didn’t know what was better. The overcrowded streets of doubt and despair that his mind fabricated or the noiseless alleys of solitude he sometimes wandered to.  

His fingers unconsciously drummed against the wood–an anchor that was keeping him tethered to reality, fearing he might find himself far too lost. 

Suddenly, his forehead creased, and the traffic in his head came to a standstill. Everything became eerily quiet. All those malicious possibilities halted, hanging in the air. His mind stung, an unwelcome sensation probing at the back of his head. He looked around, searching his consciousness, only to find a red light blaring soundlessly, yet ever so brightly, as if it was trying to warn him about something. 

Draco opened his silver eyes to the real world, his mind still reeling from the effect of his raging thoughts. He looked around with furrowed brows, trying to decipher what might’ve caused his duress. And then the red lights blared once more as soon as he locked eyes with a pair of curious Y/E/C eyes. 

His brow unconsciously arched at the sight of the girl that stood a few mere feet away from him. Clad in a long-sleeved dress, she gnawed at her lower lip, her cheeks heating up as soon as she met Draco’s questioning gaze. 

Her eyes fell back down to her lap where her open notebook lay, her pencil gliding over the pages. But Draco paid close attention to the young woman, noting the nonexistent flick in her wrist. While her eyes were cast down, they didn’t seem to be moving—more so trying to find their footing. Instead, they were on the edge of the paper, awaiting the right moment. 

Draco’s suspicions were proven true when those same curious Y/E/C eyes met his. Bashful and reluctant, they retreated back to their checkpoint as soon as they were caught. 

10 seconds, Draco took note, studying the pattern the girl followed. This time he pretended to look away when his silver eyes were strategically positioned in a way that allowed him to catch a glimpse of the girl. 

The same thing happened, albeit this time it took 10 seconds more before the girl’s eyes fled once again. 

It continued twice more before Draco decided to do something about it. This time, when the girl snuck a peek, her brows scrunched at the empty bench that faced her. A small, imperceptible sound came out of her lips, almost similar to a sigh. She tilted her head, searching side to side before she yelped in surprise, her hands dropping her notebook, and immediately flying to her mouth. 

“You’ve been staring at me for the past five minutes,” Draco remarks impassively, his hand in his pockets. “Care to explain why.” 

The girl, who looked no more than twenty-five, fumbled with her hands. She gazed at Draco, her lashes fluttering in trepidation before she moved to pick up the leather notebook. “I wasn’t… I didn’t. I’m sorry. It wasn’t my intention to make you feel uncomfortable.” 

“And what was your intention, young lady?” he asked, his brow raised in anticipation. 

The girl’s cheeks heated once more at the feeling of being reprimanded like a child, her hands automatically moving to loosen the scarf wrapped around her neck. 

“I just… you looked pensive,” she articulated, feeling small against Draco’s intense gaze. Her nails picked at the leather of her notebook, her words almost getting lost in her throat. “Are you okay?” 

If Draco’s eyes had been wide before, then they were as wide as saucers now. He studied the girl, an incredulous look overcoming his features. Draco scoffed, loudly at that, turning his head the other way. His hand settled on the wood near her head, causing a certain agitation and jitteriness in the girl at the sight of his long and calloused fingers. 

“Why should I answer that?” 

“Pardon me, sir. I truly didn’t mean to pry.” She paused, licking her lips and trying to search for the right words to say while attempting to mask her intimidation. “You just seemed to be worried. If… if you’d like to talk about your worries, I would gladly listen.” 

“Hasn’t your mother ever taught you not to talk to strangers? Why in the name of God would I want to talk to you about my problems? I don’t even know you!” 

“Exactly,” she retorted, unfazed by his hostility. A gust of wind brushed her bangs, causing them to almost cover her eyes. “I’m a stranger. I don’t know you or your back story, so I can’t exactly judge. I can only listen, which is sometimes all that someone needs.” 

Draco narrowed his eyes, trying to read the girl in front of him. Despite the blatant glare he was giving her, he received nothing but a kind and gentle smile in return.

He let out a half-laugh half-scoff while repeating the girl’s words in his head, his feet immediately changed course, the sound of fallen leaves wailing beneath the soles of his shoes. 

Though his back was turned, his ear picked up on the sound of the girl shifting in her seat. He could hear her pen tapping against the notebook, debating whether or not it was worth going back to doing what she was doing before this conversation even started. 

Just as he heard her open her notebook and ruffle through the pages, he surprised even himself at the sound of his own voice. “What do you think about second chances?” 

“What?” she asked, surprised. Draco turned around to face her, the glare he gave her made her shuffle around. “Um, well… I think… I believe that we all deserve a second chance. Not just to rectify our first mistake but to prove to ourselves that we can do better. That we are better.”

“Interesting way of phrasing it,” Draco said. He placed his hands in the pocket of his trousers, fallen leaves crunching beneath his feet as he strolled back to the bench. 

The girl watched him with a sheepish smile, scooting over to allow him some space to sit. He didn’t. 

“We’re often too hard on ourselves, and second chances are a way to help us find a calming voice louder than the sound of our doubts and insecurities,” she declared. This time her voice was steadier and less meek.

“What if we’ve messed up too badly to rectify our errors?” 

The girl craned her head and pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing on the grass as she contemplated the question. “Then, maybe this second chance is an opportunity to make sense of those errors.”

“You’re too much of an idealist, kid,” Draco scoffed. He was surprised to see the young woman unfazed. 

“Sometimes, reality is too overcrowded with negative emotions. Idealism helps you find glimpses of the truth buried beneath the rubble of self-doubt,” she spoke slowly, a small smile decorating her lips.

“And a philosopher, too,” Draco scoffed. He had heard all he needed to know but hesitated to leave, a single question lingering in his mind. He glanced down at the girl. She stared at him with large doe eyes, her fingers nipping at the leather of her notebook. He looked away then down to his shoes, swallowing the lump in his throat. “What if the truth is that there's no place for you anymore? What’s the use of a second chance then?” 

Y/E/C orbs clashed with a stormy silver, somehow, their warmth and gentleness calmed the storm. 

“Sometimes, we outgrow the places we've once deeply planted our roots in. After that, it's no matter of fitting in but standing out." Draco’s brows furrowed as he hung on to every word coming out of her lips. “And your second chance becomes an opportunity to find the strengths in what was once your weaknesses, the rights in your wrongs, and the reality in your fears."

Draco remained momentarily silent. His fingers began to clench and unclench as he mulled the words over. Could this perhaps be the reason why he was offered a second chance? Not to rectify his errors but to make sense of them? To look at belonging through a more ideal lens. 

He spent so much time thinking about it that he didn’t notice the girl leaving him alone with his thoughts. And when he turned to face her, mouth wide open and mind racing with more questions, he was disappointed to find the bench she sat on empty with no trace of her around. As if she was never there.

When Draco was a child, he struggled to sit still. He remembered always being on the edge of his seat, waiting for a cue that would allow him to dash out of the living area and onto Malfoy Mansion’s open garden. 

Maybe that was because he hated the company his parents brought over, or maybe it was an act of rebellion for being molded into everything a toddler shouldn’t have been—stripped from the childhood he deserved. 

And somehow, thirty or so years later, he found himself in the same position. But this time, instead of fiddling with his fingers, he was fiddling with the fabric of his green tie. And while he left the Malfoy Mansion behind him years ago, it was the comfort of his apartment in Haven Lane that beckoned him over. 

“Mr. Malfoy,” the assistant told him, causing him to abandon his escape plan. He hummed in acknowledgment, passively leaning back against his chair. “President McGonagall is ready to see you.” 

To say he was nervous was an understatement. It had been about three years since he last saw Minerva McGonagall. Three years since he last held a coursebook, let alone spoke to someone about academics on any level. 

He straightened up, squaring his shoulders, getting ready to meet the president. As he stepped through the contemporary wooden door, he realized that not much had changed. Not the light brown and minimalistic furniture, not the beige-colored walls, and certainly not Minerva McGonagall with her thin-framed glasses and welcoming demeanor. 

“Draco, please take a seat. It’s so lovely to see you.” 

Draco nodded In acknowledgment, placing his briefcase down and unbuckling the button of his black blazer. “Thank you, Minerva,” he said as if no time had passed. “How are you doing?” 

“Very well, even better now that you’re here.” She smiled kindly, extending the cup of tea and water she had already set aside for him. McGonagall cleared her throat, her hands on the table, fingers intertwined together. “Draco, as you well know, your extensive acumen in the subject matter along with your experience make you one of the most eminent literature professors Hogwarts has ever seen. The board and I are aware of what happened during your past tenure; however, we are willing once more to give you a chance.” 

Draco gulped down the water, his fingers curling around the glass. He tapped his index finger against the rim, his eyes trained on the principal. “Surely there are other competent professors. So why bother to go through all that trouble and reach out to me?” 

McGonagall adjusted her thin glasses, her lips forming a small smile. “Multiple reasons, some you may believe while others not so much. If you want an answer that will appease your doubts, I’d say the principal reason would be our new School of Creative Writing.” 

Draco tilted his head, his brow scrunching in confusion. “I’m afraid I don’t follow.”

“A year ago, we opened a new school, offering an array of writing degrees to undergraduates and graduates alike. We’ve been trying to receive accreditation from the Dumbledore Association of Creative Thought, but many of our employed professors have been struggling with the coursework and the basic accreditation requirements. We decided to look for someone who’s resourceful, unconventional, and agile in their way of thinking. We found no one better suited for this role than you.”

“I truly appreciate your words, Minerva. But are you sure there’s no one else?” 

“Perhaps there is,” McGonagall answered, reaching for her tea. “But none are quite as deserving as you.” 

The day had started fairly well. It didn’t take Draco too long before he slipped back into “professor mode.” He quite missed it actually—the commanding presence he held in the classroom, the eager eyes and ears that lingered on every word that slipped from his lips, and the passion he shared with his students. 

He realized later throughout the day, and much to his advantage, that many of his previous colleagues no longer worked at Hogwarts University. Sure, there were some old faces that seemed shocked to find him sauntering carelessly in the hallways, but there were others that were more curious than anything else. 

He didn’t dwell too much on the thought, preferring to focus on the second chance life had offered him. He wanted to do it right this time–correct all the previous wrongs. Not just for the sake of his reputation but for his own piece of mind as well. 

At precisely two in the afternoon, Draco walked into one of the classrooms on the middle floor of the building. Pushing the golden doors, he strolled through the large beige-colored auditorium where a handful of students sat in their brown chairs. Given the rigorous nature of the Creative Writing program, Draco discovered that no more than 15 students were accepted every year, split between his classes and Theodore’s. 

The man placed his books on the table, strolling around it before he leaned against the oak. “How many of you are waiting to get the syllabus for this course before running to catch up over coffee with your friends?” Draco questioned, a small smirk playing across his lips. “It’s okay. I won’t judge.” 

He was met with some lighthearted giggles as the seven students, unevenly scattered, adjusted themselves in their seats. Draco placed his hands in his pockets, crossing his legs together. “My name is Draco Malfoy, and I will be your new professor for the length of this course. Some of you may have heard of me while others not so much, and I don’t know whether either is a good thing. To say the least, I’m not your typical course instructor. I don’t follow the rules, because I believe that literature and the creative arts are not meant to be tamed. There will be no syllabus for this course as the topics we’ll cover will depend on you more than on me. I’m here to help turn your passion into something you are proud to share with the world. Some things are not going to make much sense, but as you progress, you’ll begin to understand my methods and their true value.

“If this is not something that you feel comfortable exploring, then you still have time to switch classes and seek Professor Nott’s guidance. However, if you choose to take part in my classes, then I guarantee that you will not only be investigating the depths of writing but also the inner workings of your mind. For those of you who’d like to step out, please feel free to do so now.” A pregnant pause settled as everyone looked at one another, but no one made a move to exit. “Lovely, but please do remember that it’s not too late to change your mind. Now, how about we start with a round of light introductions to get better acquainted with each other? You can go first, Miss…?

“Granger, sir,” the young woman at the forefront answered. She flipped her brown hair back, her brown pools meeting Draco’s. “I’m Hermione Granger, a second-year creative writing major. I’ve been a student at Hogwarts for five years now, having already obtained a bachelor’s in English literature and a minor in communications.”

“Impressive, Miss Granger. And what is it you’re excited to learn in this course?”

“How real-life experiences are translated on paper, and more particularly, portrayed across various mediums of communication.”

“Interesting, Miss Granger. What about you, Miss…?”

“Lovegood,” the blonde replied. 

One by one, each student started introducing themselves. Some talked about their passions, others their backgrounds and Draco quickly noticed that a few of the students present have picked his course as an elective. Nonetheless, he listened to them as they expressed their interest in learning more about writing and kindly answered their queries. 

At last, there was only one person left—a girl who was writing away in her notebook. Draco curiously studied her hunched frame as her pen danced across the paper, even though he couldn’t for the life of him understand what she was writing about. 

“That leaves only you, Miss…?” His voice trailed off as Draco waited to see whether the girl was paying enough attention or not. She placed her pen gently on the notebook and raised her head, adjusting the black frames on her nose. 

“Y/L/N, sir,” she replied. The shy voice and the vibrance of her eyes caused Draco’s shoulders to tense as he stood upright upon hearing her speak. “Y/N Y/L/N. First-year creative writing major. A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Malfoy,” she smiled kindly at the man. 

Draco gulped, his hand gripping the wooden desk. His stomach lurched, and his head pounded. Sometime, after a beat of silence, he realized that there was something about this girl. It was no coincidence that he met her twice now and would ultimately have to see her for quite more. But something told him that fate was playing a dangerous game, one that Draco was ultimately going to lose. All because of a girl with a radiating smile that was too real to be a farce. 

Witchlings, guess who's back?

So excited for this series and the upcoming projects I've planned! What do you think so far?

Until the next one 🪄🤍

#draco malfoy x reader #draco x reader #draco x y/n #draco x you #draco malfoy fanfiction #harry potter fanfiction #draco malfoy #draco malfoy x y/n #draco malfoy x you #draco imagine #draco malfoy imagine #professor!draco #professor!draco x student!reader

[captain039]

PART 3 The predator grounds (Mills) last part

Alpha Mills x omega reader

Warnings: gore, induced heats and ruts, swearing, sexual, adult themes, smut, age gap

Previous part <-

You kept biting your lip wondering if this was on purpose or genuinely to keep you warm. You wanted to shuffle away despite your body wanting to be glued to him. Your mind and body were two different things currently. You didn’t want to sleep and by the way he didn’t relax he wasn’t sleeping either.

“I can’t do this” you said moving away from him.

“Do what?” He said.

“Be warm?” He added with a huff as you sat up, clutching the blanket to yourself while he rolled on his back and rubbed his eyes.

“Are you stupid?” You asked and he frowned at you.

“You are in rut, I am in heat” you said like he was a child.

“Getting sick from the cold is worse” he said and you scoffed.

“No it’s fucking not” you snapped.

“Being pressed against you is worse! Smelling you is worse, not being able to help you is worse!” The last reason slipped and you quickly looked away.

“I can’t help you” you muttered more to yourself the words breaking your heart for some reason.

“My mate is dead�� he said suddenly and you froze.

“So is our daughter, I lost them both to a horrid sickness” he said staring at the cave ceiling.

“I’m so sorry” you whispered tears in your eyes, how could you be so inconsiderate, he was a stranger.

“I don't know what sick bastard did this” he sighed running his hands down his face.

“We just need to get to the other bit of ship” he said rolling so his back was too you. You curled up against the rock and wiped your eyes before trying to sleep.

When you awoke you felt worse than before, you clawed at the blanket wanting it off. You groaned quietly adjusting yourself on the rock and panting. You forgot about the alpha by you and you forgot about your lack of clothing. You needed something, anything, gods this hurt. The sun didn’t help either, you cursed it and tried to shuffle further into the cave. You froze though seeing the alpha staring at you, you flushed scrambling for your blanket, only for him to snatch it. You frowned looking to his eyes, they were wild, hungry. Your legs shook at the look, his scent of arousal filling your nose. You covered your breasts though and he scrunched his nose up like a snarl before he shook his head and looked away. He snapped out of whatever trance he was in and sighed hanging his head. HIs hands shook on his knees, currently in a kneeling position. You moved carefully to get your singlet only for that to be snatched too, you glared really not in the mood for whatever this was.

“Give me my shirt” you stated and his eyes snapped to yours.

“I don’t care about whatever alpha shit you’ve got going on!” You whined he wouldn’t act on biology.

“You won’t mate with me” you sighed.

“Stop torturing me” you mumbled.

“Torturing you?” He said breathlessly.

“You’ve been torturing me” he snapped and you wanted to snap back till he spoke again.

“I have held into every ounce of self control I’ve had to not force you to present and fuck you into the ground” he snarled and your body lit up with need. Your underwear was definitely soaked, he could probably smell your arousal and slick. You didn’t know what to say before he growled and moved forward. You backed up a bit as he stopped inches from your face, breathing heavily. You gulped looking at his wild eyes that swirled with emotions. You dared lean forward a bit and it was all he needed as his lips crashed to yours. You moaned into his mouth as he tugged you closed, making you slip fully to the ground. He rested atop of you, his legs forcing yours apart as he settled between them. Your arms wrapped around his neck, tugging him impossibly closer. You struggled with his suit huffing when your hands weren’t listening. He chuckled softly and you whined in annoyance as he stopped kissing you and sat on his heels. He unzipped his suit, tugging it off the top of his body before throwing his singlet off. You stared, admiring his body before he quickly came down to kiss you again. You ran your hands up his bare arms and down his back before tangling your fingers in his hair. You imagined his hair would always be soft if he was at home. He kissed down your jaw and neck, sucking gently on different spots that made you squirm. He’s rutting against you trying to get some form of friction. He moves down your neck to your chest, breath fanning over your nipples. The action makes them perk up before he sucks down on one and makes your back arch. He moans gently and the sound is the best thing you’ve ever heard. He moved to your other nipple, giving it the same treatment before kissing down your stomach. You’re too caught in a haze to realise what he’s doing till one of your legs is lifted over his shoulder. You haven’t really had a chance to shave or bathe properly while on the ship, but apparently he doesn’t care. The alpha kisses your thighs, gently biting occasionally before he noses your heat and takes a deep breath. Your cheeks burn and you put an arm over your eyes as he quickly darts a tongue between your folds and begins to eat you out. Gods the feeling is too much, his nose rubbing against you along with his tongue tasting you. His hand was gripping your thigh tightly while you grinded on his face. You bit back moans as he continued before you felt his arm move, your leg slipped off his shoulder before his fingers replaced his tongue at your entrance. You braced yourself for some reason.

“Relax” he said voice husky and you did. One of his fingers slid in and you bit down on your arm, moaning. You didn’t realise how big his hands and fingers actually were. You were moaning and panting as his finger moved in and out gently, cursing occasionally to make your back arch. He added a second and you forgot how to breathe. Your arm fell back to the ground as you tried to grip the dirt underneath you. You hesitated, but wrapped your fingers through his hair and gripped. He growled lightly and you whined in response loosening the hold. His fingers left you and you whined loudly in need.

“You’ll come on my knot” he said breathlessly lifting himself up again and getting out of his suit. You shuddered from being brought so close to the edge, but not tipped over, he kicked off his boots and suit before pushing down his boxers and kicking them to the pile of clothes. You stared in awe, the sun behind him made him look like a celestial being. You saw him smirk and quickly looked away embarrassed. The alpha quickly connected your lips with his again and you moaned softly against them. He rested on his heels as he picked you up and brought you flush against him. You held his shoulders as his arm went around your back and he shuffled back against the rock. Before you could do anything he kissed you again, hands brushing off the dirt in your back as he did. You whined in need and gently held his cock. He pulled back from the kiss a pant leaving him as you lifted yours hips and lined yourself up.

“Omega” he said, but you didn’t care as you slowly lowered yourself. Your head hung forward and you bit your lip while his hand gripped your hip. You were suddenly thankful for your heat and slick for this situation. Your butt met his thighs and you moaned and panted softly trying to adjust, but to overcome with need. His head rested against yours soft pants leaving him too before you finally moved. You moaned quietly slowly getting a rhythm, but getting tired easily. He sensed it, arm going around your waist, head going to your neck as he began to rut up into you. Your head fell back and you closed your eyes tightly at the feeling. He mouthed at your neck, teeth scraping over the sensitive flesh. You held onto him tightly as he fucked you, your mind in a haze. You gripped tighter as he suddenly moved though, lying you on the ground, grabbing something and putting it under your head before he continued. You moaned loudly at the different angle and could sense he was getting close. His thrusts became less coordinated and harder, his pants became harsher too. You wrapped your arms around his neck bringing him to kiss you again which he did. You moaned into his mouth while his free hand snaked between your body’s and began to rub your clit. Your back arched and you could feel yourself getting closer. He snarled in your ear as you felt him stutter in his movements. He gave one hard thrust and groan and you felt his knot go inside and lock you to together. The stimulation he gave with his hand brought you over the edge and you came on his cock with a broken cry. He shook above you, panting loudly in your ear. You were hazy eyed and dazed as you looked at him. He slipped a hand under your back and you whined and groaned as he repositioned you both. He held his breath before sighing comfortably, you now in his lap. You were jelly against him, resting your head on his shoulder as you calmed your racing heart.

“We’ll get out of here” he whispered.

#commander mills x reader #alpha commander mills #x reader #aob #65 movie

[sorrybutthisonestaken]

The One and Only Spider-Woman pt. 3

A/n: notice how Noa uses less Spanish in this chapter (she's still mourning😭) but anyway enjoy this little snippet, and I'm very sorry for the delay

Ghosts

Screams fill the air the closer I get to the building. Over the radio they made it seem like a minor incident, but it has definitely escalated to something more.

I land softly against the outer window of city hall, sneakily sliding in through a broken one not too far away. All the lights are out. Electric wires hang from the ceiling and send sparks everywhere. I swing myself to the center of the ceiling to get a better view of what's going on.

The sparks give me flashes of the room. There is something in the light. Is that- is that a figure? Another flash to my left this time and the same human figure is shown in the electricity. The next time one of them short circuits it remains behind.

The man materialises before my eyes out of pure energy. He launches a ball of energy my way and I barely have time to move it of its path.

"Woah you're made out of electricity?!" I Marvel, shooting a web the man's way, but it goes straight through him. He growls, disappearing from his place and appearing right next to me.

“Ok teleportation is a thing!”. I move quickly in order to not get electrocuted. I might not have the best mental health but i’m not suicidal anymore.

"Where is the powerplant!" He gruffs. His voice sounds like a mix of all the different Tik Tok voice filters mixed into one. "you won't get hurt if you tell me exactly where it is"

"Uh I'm pretty sure that's not how this works bud". I shoot a web at one of the lower hanging cables. Tugging it I am able to hit the electric man thing. That's his weakness, for now at least.

I use it to my advantage, making a type of spider web out of the available wires to trap him in. Right. Left. No fill that gap before he escapes!.

"Not so tough now are you?" I tease, standing down on the floor to admire my work. He thrashes against the rubber, trying to find a gap wide enough for him to fit through like this. He unfortunately catches something I didn't. A rip in the rubber on one of the wires. He latches onto the live wire and begins to charge. A smirk plays on his lips and it's only now that I understand my mistake.

Oh no.

An explosion as he takes out the remaining energy in the building. His haunting yellow eyes lock onto mine and he lunges he's forward. He has enough energy now to be solid, being able to properly hit me as well as send bolts of electricity at me.

He manages to get the better of me and pins me right to the floor. I squirm under him, but he's draining me. I can feel my energy begin to deplete and I panic. I no longer care about turning the tables on him, but just getting out of here alive. I try to kick and pull away, but my energy is being litterally ripped away from me. It scares me more than I have been in a long while.

Suddenly he is being pulled backwards as someone else loons over him. The visitor stands between me and Mr sparkles as I try to regain some color on my skin.

Light Headed and disoriented it takes me a minute to get to my feet again. When I do the two stranger are already locked in battle. I get a better look on the new addition to the fight and have to double take. A spider symbol displayed in the back of their denim jacket. They too look different and out of place in reality but I don't question it as they get close enough again for me to join in again.

"Where did you come from?" I question as we both continue to attack our opponent.

"Spider punk at your service mate, but you can- oh fuck-" he dodges a bolt of lightening, "you can call me Hobie".

"Spider-woman, and I asked where you came from not your name burro"

"Got some spark don't you?"

"The only spark you have to worry about is this idiot we're supposed to be fighting!"

It takes the both of us a good ten minutes to neutralise the man in a sort of capsule thing that 'Hobie' just happened to have. Both of us are soaked from having activated the sprinklers, and our masks off because we'll oxygen is a vital part of being alive.

"Now that we can actually get acquainted". Hobie sticks his hand out for me to shake, leaning casually against the red glowing enclosure as if it definitely could not break at any given moment. "Hobart brown, but as previously stated please call me Hobie”. I take his hand with an unsure chuckle and a raised eyebrow.

"Noa O'Hara" I shoot back. To this his eyes grow slightly. Unfortunately he regains his expression as fast as it had changed before.

"You don't say? I happen to know someone with a very similar name". He's joking around now and I can't help but fall into this playfully banter with him.

"Could say the same to you man. I mean you are stealing the nickname of a famous idol". I decide not to tell him anything as his expression turns confused. If he doesn’t know who Jung Hoseok is in this day and age, I won't indulge him.

His watch thing on his wrist beeps loudly bringing us both back to reality. He looks at it for only a moment before giving a deep sigh and letting his arm fall limp at his side.

"Well I best be off, but I don't see why you can't come along" he jokes. Its an invitation as he opens a hexagonal portal to the gods know where. He waits for me expectantly.

Do I want to go?. I mean the idea is very intriguing, but it may cost me more than it's worth. I live on my own now and I have other responsibilities. But something tells me to go with him. It's not my spider sense, so maybe intuition.

"You coming mate?" He asks, having watched me internally struggle for a minute. It reminds him a lot of a certain someone that makes the same face when their mental cogs are turning.

I don't say anything out loude, scared that I'll let something out that I shouldn't. Instead I nod, confirming my ticket to the other side of the portal.

Hobie smirks, swinging the red capsule over his shoulder and signalling for me to enter first. Hesitantly I take a step forward. Reaching my hand forward, I try to feel the portal thing. It changes color, going from a foreign kind of red to one that you see more commonly around this world. It's not too much of a difference but enough for me to pick it up.

"It won't bite" Hobie jokes. I send him a playful glare. His hand goes up in surrender. One step, and I find myself flying through.

The ride is exhilarating. A rush as cold wind blows against me as I wiz past blurs. Glimpses into different places that I can't reach. I seem to be in a kind of tunnel, like one of those big water slides at a pool. I slow down just in time to find my footing and step out of a similar hole in space that i originally entered.

I find myself in a kind of elevator platform thing, and by the way my curls stand straight up on their ends i can tell i am upside down. Hobie apears seconds after myself and smirks at my disorientation.

“Yeah first times can be a bit of a bugger. You’ll feel good as new by tea time” he snickers. I roll my eyes, but the prospect of not feeling like my insides are in knots makes me smile a bit.

When my head stops spinning enough, I am able to finally get a good look of the place. We seem to be in some sort of skyscraper as we ascend quickly. Capsule-like vehicles float through traffic instead of driving on the ground, but this fact allows for so much more green than i am used to seeing on a day to day basis. Everything looks so- futuristic and advanced and it makes me wonder if this place is supposed to be in the future or something.

"Better put this on?" He says handing me a sort of bracelet. I look at it for a second. It's like one of those Snapp on wristbands you would get in goodie bags as a kid.

The platform stops moving and the door opens up. I gawk at the amount of people in this huge ass room. The architecture is well made use for as the criss crossing columns are used as paths to different locations instead of just support. Variation upon Variation of the same spider symbol is displayed proudly on suites.

“What is this place?” i ask my guide. My eyes dont stop anywhere for too long, quickly getting attention caught on something else and following that for a few seconds before the cycle starts all over again.

“Welcome to the Spider society” he anounces spreading his arms out wide in welcome. He greets a few that send a hello his way but continues to march forward. I, not knowing where to go, follow him blindly.

“The what?”

“Spider society. All of us are variants of one another from different universes”

“So same character different font?”

“Something like that yeah, some of us are Peters others MJs or Gwens and so forth. But rubbish to try and memorize all the names”

My mind begins to spiral with the possibilities. I dont even notice when Hobie takes me down a more private area until it gets too dark for the rest of the place.

Rows and rows of red enclosures like the one Hobie drags with him stand before us and it makes me freeze up for a moment. Hobie notices he's lost me and sighs when he sees the expression on my face.

"I know it looks bad, but Miguel thinks it's the best way of keeping them here until we can send these tests back to their universes" he explains. But now my face is paler than before.

That is his name.

It can't be him right? No way. It's just a weird coincidence. I saw him die and there is no way papà is Spiderman in another another universe, he hated me for a while!

"You alright there?" Hobie asks. He's thinking I'm right weird but can't blame me. He doesn't like this place all that much and he hasn't been here too long and he knows what it's like to be here and discover everything for the first time.

"Yeah" I push, trying to clear my dry throat, "yeah yeah I'm fine". He doesn't buy it, but nods anyway.

He motions for me to follow him once again once he's done securing the bad guy. I do so, not really seeing what else I can do.He leads me even further down this path. It keeps getting darker and darker. We pass a spider sort of contraption that I watch take one of the red capsule and make it disappear. Curiosity takes over anxiety and I start asking questions like normal again.

My guide does his best to answer all the inquiries. I'm not disappointed when he says he's not sure. He is honest enough to tell me about his short time as part of this league so I don't mind the gaps he leaves in the answers.

"Where are we going anyways? I ask him finally. He looks at me and then back on the path. I figure he's either hiding something or worried about the same thing. I can't tell what now but hopefully I can figure it out sooner rather than later.

"To meet the boss. He'll give you a better run through this whole operation than I can" he explains easily. He doesn't seem to be lying so I trust him for now. Innocent until proven guilty right?

At the end of the hall we come to a big room with high ceilings that seems to go on forever in the dark. High above us is a platform that glows from the yellow light emitting holographic screens.

A man stands between all of them. Ha stands like a statue watching his machines. He actually looks like a looming shadow with red streaks here and there. Something familiar is about him, but i ignore it to the best of my ability.

No this does not look like that time papa told me to wait in the patroller as he went to investigate something at some corporate office. No, his stance is not papa’s ‘im done with this’ stance. And no i would definitely not mistake this strange man i definitely don't trust at the moment for my papà in a crowd.

“Oi! Miguel, got the new recruit!” Hobie calls out. Both our hearts drop a bit, although his does slightly more. He knows who i am while i am just praying to the gods above that he is not a variant of that someone.

The platform begins to lower closer to the ground. It moves to the pace of a snail and when i look to my companion he just gives me this look begging me not to say anything about it. I decide to just roll my eyes instead. It really is dumb but then again dont want to be kicked out on my first day right.

The platform comes to a stop. His back is still to the two of us. My breath still in my chest as the air grows thick. Is it just me having a hard time breathing? He turns almost dramatically towards us. He's still in the dark. A step forward. My breath hitches.

Translations:

Burro: dumby

Papà: dad

A/n: cliff hangers are the best aren't they? I feel evil writing one for you guys but I promise you'll get the next part soon! Also I genuinely thought of jhope for a second in the theaters when I went to see the movie for the first time and heard the nickname "Hobie" no joke 💀.

Pt. 3,5

#miguel o'hara x daughter reader #miguel spiderverse #oc #spiderman across the spiderverse #spiderman au #hobie brown #peter parker #gwen stacy #mj watson #mary jane watson

[find-the-devil]

I. The Stranger

Night loomed, heavy and important, hanging over the cornfield with only an orange band separating the tall dark stalks from the sky. The breeze carried a scent with its mildness, thick and sooty. In the town, abandoned but not empty, every light remained lit as the children stayed awake and alone, the eldest had their faces pressed to the windows. The atmosphere wasn’t silent, nocturnal birds whistled to one another, small feet pattered in the grass, warning the others of the fast approaching fire that marched on hundreds of legs. The ardent mob appeared to be led by a man who ran a few yards ahead of them. 

He sprinted, straight like an arrow shot by an expert marksman as the swarm behind seemed to jostle and stumble in the haze of their emotion.The calling and clamoring rang faintly in his ears. His breaths came fast and with stinging urgency, ashy air filled his lungs and burned his throat. Rhythmically crunching and scraping the ground, his feet hit the dirt road. In his eyes, you could see the smartness of fire pressing him forward. 

This hunt was not his to lead, he ran like the foxes and snakes hiding amongst the weeds. 

The path stretched out, long and dry, bordered by grasses yellow and sunkissed, scarred by tire tracks. Finding himself in the middle of the gaping opening of the cornfield, some 25 yards away from him and the two hundred sticks ablaze at his back he hurtled himself forward with animalistic survivalism and momentum. Lungs raging and irate from strenuous over-exertion, his heart pounded with merciless desperation and his chest strained to contain it. 

The gap between the man and the field closed. He found himself engulfed and absorbed by a sea of obscurity that rustled and sliced as he ran. One has no bearings at the bottom of the ocean. There is only crushing weight. The dark that pulls you down is the same that draws you up. There’s something swimming beside you and you don’t know it’s there. The sky above and the soil on which the tread matched in color. Direction had no place in his mind, his steps were furtive, impulsive, thoughtless. 

No higher reason governed his movements, his limbs were affixed to a cross bar that moved his feet, the hand that held it was survival. There existed only “away” from the blaze set out to consume him and the crimes for which he was to burn. 

Fire rounded up beside him. 

The pack of wolves on his white tail could be heard barking and snarling as they gained speed on their weary prey. Soon the flame would overpower him and whoever held it would be awarded the honor of affixing him to the pyre. He was going to be taken by the wave that crept up in his peripheral vision. All sound escaped him, sucked in by his frantic breathing before he had a chance to hear it, he refused to feel himself being caught. 

The villagers shouted, wailed and cursed in a sort of mass hysteric fury. The waving wands of righteous flame sent embers like red stars into the sky to lose themselves and burn out like the celestial bodies which they aped. Robin dashed, unsure if the ground moved beneath his beaten feet. 

A scream like that of a deer shot during the hunt crawled out of his lungs and ripped itself out of his throat, like a creature too eager to be born. He carried the haunting sound of acrimonious despair in his gut as he charged forward still, letting it echo and fizzle out among the deaf ears of corn. Someone was buried in his ribcage. With nails uncut and jagged from time and use they tried to tear the flesh off of his bones from the inside out. The orange band that kept earth and sky divided had ducked under the field, below his feet. The air shone, alight by flame encroaching. 

Only a white light, the size of his fist, led him through the ocean, a lure in the deep. The chaos at his back faded, and the flames approached more slowly, as if hesitating not by knowledge of what they were to find but by fateful fatigue that kept them safe. 

Robin met the light, small and artificial. His foot caught the mound that lay unmoving and rigid in the dirt and he saw the man crouched beside it, almost looming above it, shoulders curled over, the only part of his figure visible. 

“You look lost, stranger.” spoke the man with a coolness that stilled Robin’s limbs, unconscious and conscious tremors alike were forced calm by a cooperative instinct “There’s an awful lot of ruckus behind you. Fire too… Tricky thing to bring into a corfield.” he added, standing with shoulders rolled back and flexed, eyes tracking what little movements he made, imposing among the grasses. 

A white, plastic mask obscured his features, his eyes spoke for his expression. His hands were dark as if engorged by the world around him, thought given a different hue by the lantern at his feet, almost claimed entirely from view. 

“Help me take this back to mine, you can stay there if you’d like.” he offered plainly. Robin had met night hunters before, given permits and the like, but he’d never encountered one who hunted without a rifle or camouflage. There was no weapon to be seen, and for dress he wore a simple tank top, the same dark color as his hands and blotched with white. He took the brunt of the game’s heft in his hands, holding it behind his back and waiting for the other to follow suit. 

“What do you hunt?” Robin asked, prompted more by a morbid curiosity as he neared the dead mass on the ground. 

“Deer.” replied the man casually, neck craned to one side to better see him, wavy hair falling limply down over the other side of his face. Robin felt cloth, textile in his grasp as he heaved the other side of the mass into his hands. 

“This doesn’t feel like deer.” he spoke, considering the weight and the fabric he felt. His senses were dulled by his fatigue, his mind was dull and his head throbbed painfully shooting waves of a pulsating ache through his skull and down through his bones as if eating away at the marrow inside and fracturing them each as it passed. Yet he stood, with the weight of this clothed animal in his hands. 

“It’s not.”

Something unsaid in the atmosphere festered and writhed as a pause lingered and shouting people drew nearer. The pair remained still for a moment as realization trickled into Robin’s altered consciousness. Shoes resting just past his palms, the checkered shirt stained, body slit down the middle, not cut deep enough to split but gaping darker than the rest of it all. It disfigured what he carried. 

“My house isn’t far.” the man said. Hands and scythes cut and tore the stalks, the shape of the mob like a circle coming closed at his back, flames threatening to take him, uncaring of the havoc wreaked on the harvest. Move forward, or burn. He righted the weight in his hold and jogged to keep up with the man in front of him. The lantern affixed to his hip illuminated the leaves as they ran past, corn silk like heads of hair kneeling in the grass, eyes of some creature or another shining as they ran past. 

The sounds dissipated, the crowd dispersed, seeping and moving like rivulets divided from an immense roaring river into the field as the two of them ran to its edges, emerging some minutes later into a dark less crowded but just as opaque. His only bearing was a small white light as he marched along the dirt road, leaving an inky trail that he stamped into the gravel with his busted soles.

#find the devil #chapter 1 #my writing #writing #creative writing #remember to reblog if you like it <3 #writblr

[syddog]

danny may day 31: free day

Hihi! hope you enjoy! 1.7k, little bit of blood and a bad injury briefly described, mild gore? idk,. hes fineeeeee. hurt/comfort. angst ?

Danny gets Really injured by a ghost he thought a friend. Vlad of all people pulled him from the chaos. Jazz helps patch him up.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/47555479

Trying to do an effective wrap on your own shoulder was also a lot. Danny was using a combination of awkward arm rotations and levitation to accomplish this task but the rotation was pulling at the tears on his stomach and making the blood flow a little quicker and he was panicking- 

He would never get used to the feeling of gauze wrapping around him. It was something about the texture that bothered him more than anything, the cottony, almost too soft feeling. The way it brushed and shifted against his skin with every miniscule movement. 

Danny was no stranger to injuries, what with all the ghost fighting the past two years.  Everything from scrapes to burns to electric shocks, broken ribs, fractured skull, he's done it all. This though? Slim tendons the only thing keeping his right arm attached at the top, weighed down and taunt with burns fanning out from the line of separation and blood leaking steadily down his side. His left arm was pulled tight around his stomach, holding himself together, phantom flames creeping up his neck. It was… a lot. 

“Danny? Danny are you down here?”

Danny whipped toward the stairs, a glowing palm outstretched and eyes bright green.

“Danny,” Jazz took a few halting steps down, “Oh my gosh, Danny- I... are you okay?” She followed this question with slow steps down the stairs, hands raised placatingly.  Danny’s hand followed her for a few steps, glowing menacingly. He blinked away his anger fear and dropped his arm, air stuttering from his lips.

She rushed the last few steps toward him, hands hovering slightly over his skin. 

“Danny... What did you do to yourself?” Danny’s entire frame hunched forward, like that was going to hide anything.

Knowing that no answer was forthcoming, she stooped to grab the fallen gauze, rerolling it before continuing with the wrap.

Danny let his eyes flutter shut as Jazz did what she’d always done: take care of him. She was almost motherly in her presence and mannerisms after all these years. He liked to pretend that he didn’t notice the absence of his parents in his life since they’d really started working on the portal again. That was more than five years ago now. And most of the time he didn’t notice, because Jazz filled that gap seamlessly. At times like these it was hard to ignore it. Especially here, two years into being Phantom, with the worst injury he’d ever gotten.

A hot flash of pain shot through him as she readjusted his arm.

“I was saving mom,” Danny said. Jazz paused briefly in her wrapping to acknowledge the words.

“She was- Wulf had her. He was holding her by the arm and he was, he was burning her...” His eyes were focused in the distance, skirting the edges of her gaze, eyebrows pulled down in unhappy lines. The vacancy and disbelief in his voice echoed in the silence, haunting against the metal of the lab. Recounting it was hurting him, yet he struggled on through the tale. “So I shot at him, a few times, and I tried to pry his hands off her, but he wouldn’t stop and he gave me this,” Danny’s left hand moved to rest protectively over his stomach. 

“And then I broke his wrist or I tried to, I don’t- I don’t know… But well, he let her go.” The corners of his mouth tipped up, yet he fluttered his eyelashes as if fighting back tears, self deprecating humor wrapped in his words. Jazz aches for him.

“And then he almost tore my arm from my body, but, you know. And then- then Vlad... of all people, flew up and helped me finish him off.”

“Yeah, he uh, Vlad called me,” Jazz said, and Danny’s eyebrows disappeared into his bangs. Jazz gave a small smile at that, “Yeah, he told me to check on you.”

She pressed the wound closed, causing Danny to flinch violently and sway on the spot. Jazz steadied him for a moment before hurrying to finish.

Danny took a few harsh breaths through the nose before saying, “I was- I almost lost my ghost form in front of them. Mom and Dad. I was kind of...flickering,” his brow scrunched in confusion and pain. “Vlad brought me back here and I was human by the time we appeared. He pulled down the med kit and ecto-dejectoed me but had to leave and talk fricking press . They were calling for him during the fight too. And then, I guess he called you?”

Jazz continued to move around him with the ease that her knowledge brought her, securing the shoulder as best as possible. They were both hoping his healing would do the rest. He’d likely have to pop it back in place in a day or two; the focus for now was the muscles and skin and oh my god this is really bad.

Danny was grateful for Vlad, though uncertainty lingered. He’d been ruthless in finishing off Wulf, letting Jack tend to Maddie, and then gentle and protective of Danny quickly after, wrapping his cape around them like a warm cocoon from the crowd where danny was feeling ever colder. It was probably the ectoplasm pooling around him and cooling his skin. Vlad looked torn between truly, devastatingly pissed and so so sorry. Then he’d teleported them here. Danny shouldn’t have been as surprised as he was, what with the truce they had, but it was still so hard to reconcile the Vlad he knew with one presented to him now.

Maneuvering him to an open chair, she moved to do stitches on his stomach, pausing first to wipe up the blood beginning to stain his skin Christmas colors. 

“And Wulf?” Her voice was thick and heavy. Danny glanced up from under his bangs, watching her in the green of the lab. Her brow was furrowed, her hands were frantic but steady, and she kept scrunching her nose. Was she...crying?

A heavy pit formed in his stomach at the thought. His fingers twitched, the urge to comfort her like a tidal wave through his being.

He couldn't do it.

Danny's left hand gestured vaguely to the countertop of full thermoses, “Wulf's here.”

Each thermos had someone he knew trapped within. The last week or so had been… enlightening. He’d taken to keeping them trapped rather than returning them to the Ghost Zone once he’d realized how serious this was becoming. 

Jazz moved with her usual efficiency but Danny could see her fear in the tense line of her shoulders and the small line between her eyebrows. This short time had put immense strain on their relationship. On his relationship with everyone. It was gradually building, more secrets everyday and more lies and it was becoming pretty fucking stressful to keep hiding his injuries from everyone.

She could see them now.

“...Thank you.”

Jazz fumbled for a moment. Her words were whispered back just as low, “I’m here for you Danny.”

    The faint hum of the portal was a comforting presence as Jazz followed up the stitches with more gauze and some ace bandages. They were pretty sure he’d fractured some ribs. Danny could hardly expand his lungs.

    “I’m almost done, just the burns. Anything to say about these?”

Danny hesitated, “There was… a civilian. The ghosts had caught someone and I had a hard time getting them away.” There was a stark handprint across his collarbones, the lines of the burn creeping up his neck as a testament to that statement. “I think the ones on my shoulder are just from Wulf physically prying my arm from my body,” Danny’s words were tinged with dark, heavy mirth, and, finally, tears had built in his eyes.

More and more often he was having to be rougher than he usually would to get out of situations. But there was also the unacknowledged possibility of Danny losing his shit like these other ghosts, so it was difficult to talk about. His parents had remarked a couple times already that they were ‘Just waiting for Phantom to slip up’. That it was inevitable. They accepted Phantom’s help and didn’t actively hunt him due to the town’s overwhelming approval, but it was a thin veil over their dislike of him. It took almost two years to get this level of acceptance and it would only take one slip up to lose it all.

Danny left out the part where he’d blasted a hole through another ghost while saving someone. The way righteous anger had ripped through him. The way the ghost had faded fully out of view, out of existence maybe, and how Danny felt like he might have accidentally killed-

He didn’t know how he’d handle it if his own sister was scared of him.

Jazz glanced up at his face before focusing again on her work. She finished applying the last of the burn cream to his neck before saying, “The ones on your shoulder, they’re too close to open skin so I’m not gonna put anything on there.” Danny nodded wearily in response.

She met his eyes for a moment before turning away, grabbing one of the sweatshirts their dad had left on the table. She was wringing the fabric in her hands ceaselessly.

“I’m really worried about this Danny. About everything. Please, please let me know if you need any help," Jazz said. "I want to help you,” Jazz said. 

Upon realizing no response was forthcoming she smoothed the sweatshirt out and helped him put it on. “Don’t exacerbate them. Try to restrain yourself from anything stupid for a few days, okay?”

He nodded. Danny knew he looked absolutely pitiful, draped in the giant orange sweater, sleeves hanging past his fingertips by an arm’s length. He felt pitiful too, so any assumptions were justified. Wrapping both arms around his stomach, he felt very much like he was trying to hold himself together. 

She gathered up what was left of the med kit, hiding evidence of its use and hung it back on the wall, her back to Danny, hesitating. There was something about returning to business as usual that just seemed wrong in this moment. 

Ask for help. She wants you to ask for help just do it ask her ask-

As she moved toward the stairs Danny blurted, “Jazz, I- Can you stay, with me, just for a bit? Just hang out?” His voice was small, but they both heard the unspoken i don’t want to be alone. Jazz gave him a soft smile before moving back to help him up the stairs. 

#dannymay day 31 #dannymay #dannymay2023 #danny phantom #fanfiction #ficlet #jazz fenton #vlad masters #mention #they are talking bout him but hes not innnnn the fic #what in the actual frick happened to my formatting lesson learned. never posting from my phone again. i tried to fixxx

[noisyfluff]

Navigating Adversity: From Injury to Crowdfunding Hope

How it all began

Life's twists and turns can catch us off guard, and last week, I found myself grappling with an unexpected challenge: a fall resulted in a broken femur, leading to urgent surgery and a hospital stay that changed the course of my days. 

In this blog post, I'll share my journey from the incident to the mounting medical bill, and the reality of embarking on a crowdfunding campaign to bridge the financial gap.

The Unforeseen Incident

A typical day took a drastic turn when I experienced an unexpected fall. The resulting broken femur necessitated immediate surgery, and as I began the journey to recovery, I realized the incident carried implications beyond physical healing. The financial toll of medical expenses was an unforeseen challenge I had to confront.

A Burden to Bear: The Growing Medical Bill

As I focus on my recovery, the weight of the medical expenses is looming large. With a hospital bill totaling $28,000, we managed to pay $9,000 towards it initially with help from my sister and my son, however, the remaining amount feels like an insurmountable hurdle. With the bill's due date approaching fast, finding a solution to the financial strain has become an urgent priority.

Turning to Crowdfunding: A Beacon of Hope

In moments of uncertainty, the support of a community can light the way. Seeking assistance from friends, family, and compassionate strangers, I launched a crowdfunding campaign, a platform where I can share my story and appeal for help in alleviating this financial burden. The campaign's launch stirs up a range of emotions, including hope and anticipation for the positive impact it can make.

Anticipating Support with Hopeful Hearts

While the crowdfunding campaign is in its early stages, my heart is filled with hope and anticipation. I am grateful for every individual who takes a moment to read my story and consider supporting the cause. The waiting game is an exercise in patience, as I trust that kindness and empathy will prevail, bringing the financial relief I seek.

Embracing Strength through Challenges

Recovery isn't solely about physical healing—it's also about fostering resilience and determination. Each step forward becomes a testament to the human capacity to persevere. This journey has reminded me that seeking help is an act of courage and that even in challenging times, there's strength in vulnerability and unity.

In Closing

Life's unexpected trials demand us to summon strength and find hope amidst the unknown. From a sudden fall to grappling with a mounting medical bill, my journey has shown that resilience is born from adversity. As I navigate the path of healing and financial strain, I'm optimistic that the power of community will shine through. With every contribution, no matter the size, we move closer to easing the financial burden and embracing the collective spirit of compassion.

Author: Adele Samad

https://donorbox.org/adele-s-medical-bill

https://www.givesendgo.com/GB1T9

https://gogetfunding.com/?p=8072569

[asianhappinesss]

Oh My Boss (2021)

Episodes: 14

Genre: Comedy, Romance, Drama, Office

Story: 5 out of 10

Characters: 5 out of 10

Cinematography: 6 out of 10

Summary

When Noomnim finally lands a solid job, she decides to have a fun night out with her friend to celebrate. At the bar, she meets a handsome stranger and spends a lovely night with him. However, that stranger turns out to be her new boss! Luckily for her, the handsome CEO doesn't seem to remember her. Or does he? When he makes Noomnim his personal assistant, she finds herself wondering whether he is interested in her or just this flirtatious with everyone.

Review

pretty generic

Story

Noomnim meets a handsome stranger at a bar, where she is celebrating her new job. However, after a great night with him, she loses his number and is convinced that she will never see him again. But, on her first day at her new job she realizes that that charming stranger is actually her boss.

Thai Drama Oh My Boss is a classic romantic comedy with few surprises and constant twists that tried to spice up the love story.

However, the drama ends up being boring and predictable. The trope of something occurring to ruin the couple’s perfect relationship quickly gets stale, as it is more than three times repeatable.

The office drama, moreover, did not help the main story at all. It only stalls the progress of the love story, but, other than that, it was only there to fill in the gaps.

Actually, the whole drama was mostly focused on two main characters and the rest are just there to add a comment or two. Thus, they are barely introduced, with no story and no purpose other than appearing next to the leads.

The love story itself is tiring to watch. It has its ups and downs and it was intense to watch at first, but the guy kept messing up and the girl kept being miserable and that led to a forced romance with unsatisfying explanation and faster than light forgiveness.

Characters

Noomnim is good at her work and she does her best to not let anyone down. She is a good friend and a good colleague and she cares for those around her.

Mook Worranit Thawornwong was an enjoyable female lead, though her character was too much of a pushover.

Koji is a CEO who is fair to his employees and tries to move the company forward. He is, however, always flirting with everyone and confuses Noomnim with his actions.

Luke Ishikawa Plowden did a good job with his performance, even though his character was a dbag most of the time.

Rena is a mysterious woman who appears to be close to Koji, even though he claims she is just his friend. She likes to ploy and play with those around her to get what she wants.

Knomjean Kullamas Limpawutivaranon played the femme fatal perfectly.

Cinematography

The dramas pace was messy and the twists rushed.

Overall

My overall rating for the Thai Drama Oh My Boss is 3 out of 10. The couple had chemistry but the story of the drama was boring.

#thai lakorn