#suddenly I had never heard a single song in my life before

[donteattheappleshook]

Not Broken At All Chapter 16/?

Summary:

A season 1 Neverland AU. Emma is still trying to adjust to her new life as Sheriff of Storybrooke and mom to Henry, who still believes everyone in town is a fairytale creature. When she finds a badly beaten, one handed man while patrolling, she’s convinced he’s crazy. He is, after all, rambling about fairies and shadows and crocodiles. But when Henry is suddenly taken out the window of a house everyone believes is haunted, the madman in the hospital might be her only hope of getting her son back. Whether he likes it or not.

Rated E

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Oh hey, remember me? Remember this story I haven't updated in a year…… Please don't hate me lol Sorry for how long this took - this chapter was just impossible to write and time just kept passing. I'm hoping there won't be such a long break again but I know better than to make promises.

Hopefully some of you are still reading this and enjoy this new chapter!

Note that I made a small change to the last chapter (which fixed this one). You don't have to read it, just know that the lost boys who died on the beach are still out there.

Anyway… here you go! Sorry!

Thank you as always to @the-darkdragonfly for letting me just throw ideas at you about this story all the time and putting up with all the changes! 💕💕 And thank you @kmomof4 for looking this over and helping me decide on the ending 💕 (You can blame her! I kid... mostly)

Small content/trigger warning: This chapter includes more of the aftermath of the hunt. There are no children actively hurt in this chapter but there are bodies and burials and grief.

*******

Part 16

“Mom?”

The thundering of her heart rips her from sleep, hollow and echoing with the blood rushing in her ears, painful in her chest. But there’s only darkness in the small room of the ship, eyes wide and unfocused, the remnants of a dream she can’t remember still making shapes in the dark. She could have sworn she heard it, like it was there in the room with her. But there's no one here - only Killian still in the bed next to her, the arm that had held her close before now outstretched beneath her as he sleeps. A dream. Neverland playing tricks on her - or one of the lost boys above deck calling out to the dark for their mother. 

“Momma?” That one’s real, quieter. One of the children must have found a way down, wandering the halls looking for someone he’ll never find. “Mummy…” That one is heartbreaking. She rises from the bed, Killian not stirring as she slips from the sheets and makes her way quietly across and out of the room. The boys were told not to come down here - better she find whoever it is than one of the pirates. “Mom?” There’s no one there to accompany the sound in the dim light of the lantern outside the cabin and she hesitates, looking towards where the disembodied voice came from. Whoever they are, it sounds like they’re making their way back to the deck on their own… “Mom?” 

The word cuts through her, paralyzes her, heart so tight in her chest she can’t breathe. Henry. She knows his voice - already so deeply ingrained in every part of her being after such a short time that hearing it now is like a piece of herself lost and calling out to be found. 

“Emma?” Softer, getting further away from her - losing him all over again. Her bare feet make no sound as she runs past the crew’s quarters, past the bosun’s room and the galley towards the deck. The door creaks wearily as she climbs the steps and opens it to the night air. The lost boys are asleep - all of them - every single one exhausted from the horrors of the day and she pads carefully through the bodies - sleeping and dead - searching. Henry’s not among them. The ship holds that eerie Neverland silence she can’t get used to, no crashing of waves or rustle of wind, the faint discordant song of the Lorelei the only hiss of sound as it floats in and out on the sea. 

“Mom?” 

Her eyes snap to the back of the Jolly. “Henry?” she hisses. 

“Mom!” Emma nearly stumbles over a sleeping child as she tries to catch up to him before he’s lost to her again. He found her. Of course he did, just like before. She should have known he would. She rounds the helm, heart pounding so violently it reaches the stern before she does. But there’s no one there, again, just an empty deck where a child should be, where her son should be. 

“Where are you?” There’s nowhere else to search, only the sea that surrounds them.

“Emma?” Wendy is standing in front of her, head cocked. “What are you doing up here?” 

She looks towards where her son should be, where the voice no longer calls out to her. There’s nothing there, no one, just the sleeping boys, just Will. 

“Did you see him?”

“See who?” 

“Henry. Did you see him? Did you see where he went?” 

“Henry? There’s no one else up here. It’s just me and the new recruits. You must have been dreaming.”

“I know what I heard. I know my son.” The other woman’s expression turns pitying and Emma’s shoulders tense. “I heard him.” 

Wendy’s frown deepens and when she speaks her voice has the same tone that hers had when she’d been trying to calm Hook in the hospital, the one you use to console a crazy person. “I’m sure you did.”

“It wasn’t a dream.” But even as she says it she starts to doubt her own words. There’s no sign of him, no sign that he was ever here. Wendy wouldn’t lie about that. 

She sighs. “I believe you.” She does, but she also doesn’t believe Henry’s on the ship either. Emma goes to the ship’s edge, careful not to trip over any sprawled limbs, and squints out at the beach against the sun that’s just starting to rise. Maybe he’s not on the Jolly. Maybe he’s somewhere out there. There’s no sign of him on the blood soaked sand and relief settles like a stone in her throat even as the fear of not knowing where he is rises up again. “Neverland plays tricks, Emma.” Wendy joins her at the bow, leaning against the rail, back straight and alert as she looks out at the carnage before them. “You can’t trust anything you hear. The shadows’ll do anything to lure you out.”

“The shadows?”

A nod. “They see into your dreams, see what it is you want most and use it against you. It’s how so many of the boys end up here in the first place.” Wendy’s shoulders sag a little, looking out at the bodies on the beach. It’s the closest Emma’s seen her come to breaking the hard mask she’s worn so well since the hunt started - the real person behind the cold captain. “And now they’ll never leave.”

“What happens to the bodies?” she asks, looking back at the dead, carefully wrapped in sheets on the deck.

“We bury the ones who made it here at sea. Neverland takes back the rest.” 

Emma frowns, eyes darting to the shore. “What do you mean it takes them back?” 

“They become the shadows that live in Dark Hollow, whispering to Pan, finding children, his way of keeping an eye on the outside world. He’ll come at sundown to collect them.” 

“They become the shadows?” she swallows, cold dread tasting bitter at the thought of all those kids having to become Pan’s creatures, forced to do his bidding forever. “The boys?”

Wendy nods and her stomach drops. 

“What about the ones who died here? Will they be shadows too?” 

She shakes his head. “Neverland magic can’t touch this ship. Whatever enchantment’s on it is powerful enough to keep even the darkness away.” Neverland can’t find you here. 

Emma hears her sigh when she looks back out at that beach. “Don’t even think about it.” She’s thinking about it. “He gets to keep his winnings. Those are the rules of the game. Those rules keep us alive.” 

She doesn’t answer, only gives the captain a small nod, thoughts still spinning with the cruelty of it all, that even in death these children can’t escape Pan. Wendy puts a hand on her shoulder, the gesture surprisingly consoling, the mask slipping again. “You’re not the only one who wishes it could be different.” 

Emma nods, grim and defeated, and Wendy pats her shoulder with a tight-lipped smile before turning towards where some of the children have started to stir. 

She wishes she could say she thought about it longer, or at all, really. But all she can think of is every single kid she knew growing up, all the ones who fell through the cracks, the ones who were given up on or abandoned, all the adults who threw up their hands and said there was nothing they could do - that was just how the system worked, that rules had to be followed. Fuck that. 

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” 

Wendy’s shout echoes above her, cut off by the water when she plunges into it. It takes her deeper than she expected it to, the fall further than she thought, but she kicks wildly, eyes burning against the salt until she breaks the surface. And then she’s swimming, boots and vest heavy against the waves, hat lost somewhere between the ship and the surface, but she keeps going. She can make this swim, she’s made it before - and she has a purpose now. 

She stumbles as she climbs onto the beach, the tide pulling at her knees and then her ankles like it’s trying to draw her back to where it’s safe. Emma fights it, running and slipping across the sand once it’s hot and dry beneath her feet and collapsing beside the first boy she finds. He’s tall and wiry, limbs stretched out, calf-like, not yet grown into his elbows and knees. And now he never will. 

She kneels beside him, stroking his cheek before closing his eyes. Salt water drips onto his skin, turning dried blood fresh again as she tells him she’s sorry - that this happened, that she couldn't do anything to stop it, that Pan gets to keep living. She doesn’t know how long she just sits there with him, looking out at all the other kids who won’t ever go home. 

“Swan…” No. She’s not going back - not leaving them here. She slides her arms under the boy’s shoulders, heaving his limp, heavy frame onto her chest, not sure how she plans to get him back to the ship, just that she will. “Swan.” She ignores it, digging her heels into the sand, trying to plant them under her enough that she can get to her feet. But it slips away beneath her boots and she falls on her ass again and again. She’s not leaving him here. She’s not leaving any of them here.

“Swan.” 

“What!” she snaps, barely looking up at him, wet hair plastered to his face, coat left behind, shirt soaked in water and salt. She can’t get her legs steady enough beneath her, can’t lift the kid any higher into her arms, so she starts to drag him back across the beach, holding tight to his chest as she makes it inch by inch, blonde head rolling limply against her shoulder. 

“Emma,” Killian says softly when she stumbles, she and the boy fall back against the sand. If he says her name one more goddamn time… His hand is gentle on her arm, stopping her as she moves to stand again and she looks up, ready for a fight, whatever she has to, but she’s taking this kid back to his stupid, magical ship where he can rest in fucking peace. 

But his gaze isn’t scolding, not a warning or even pity and he reaches for the boy in her arms, taking his weight from her and hoisting him over his shoulder. He fixes her carefully with a solemn, resolved stare when she stands to meet his gaze. “There’ll be consequences.” 

She looks back towards the shoreline where Will and Wendy are standing by the dinghy. “Do you care?” she asks him, turning to the others, “Do any of you care?” There are more coming out of the water now, pirates and lost boys marching onto the beach.

The residual anger fades from Wendy’s eyes, hardening into something different, and then she kneels beside a small body, this one looking too young to have been on this side of the hunt. “John didn’t make it off the beach,” is all she says before lifting him from the sand and meeting Emma’s eyes with equal determination. 

Will shrugs. “Pan already wants me dead,” he says, bending to pick up another child, cradling the boy to his chest. “Might as well be for a good reason.”

Slowly, the others begin doing the same, gathering the fallen, some searching for brothers, friends, others finding any they can carry. Emma follows Killian’s gaze to where two older kids come to the aid of a young boy trying to pick up a bigger body that bears him a painful resemblance - a brother no doubt. She doesn’t miss the way Killian watches them carry him across the beach, the younger boy not letting go of his brother’s sleeve. He’d lost his brother here as well, to Pan’s cruelty. She wonders how long ago it was, wonders if any amount of time matters. 

Emma follows Killian as he brings the tall boy’s body to the dinghy and sets him down gently. 

“So what now, Swan?” he says, turning to look at the Lost Boys gathering their fallen friends, “You’ve declared war on Pan. And these boys will follow you to the end now. Where will you lead them?” 

Emma spares another glance at the beach, at the pirates that were Lost Boys and the Lost Boys that will be pirates, all of them stolen from their lives and their families for Pan’s enjoyment. “Home. When this is over, and Pan is dead, we’re taking them home. All of them.”

“Aye,” he says, with an edge of something she can’t place in his voice, his gaze holding hers just a moment too long before he moves to collect another body, damp skin and drying shirt becoming stained with someone else’s blood. He hesitates, casting a glance back at her. “They aren’t the only ones who’ll follow you,” he tells her before turning and walking back towards the shore.

***

There are twice as many bodies on the deck as there had been last night, a sea of white cloth laid out on the bow of the Jolly like snowfall, twice as many ghosts wrapped in sheets waiting to be buried at sea. There are twice as many lost boys too, half of them no longer cowering by the edge of the ship’s rail, gazing longingly out at the island they’d just escaped. Instead they stand in rows, backs straight and heads bowed, already falling in line, already soldiers as they wait for their captain to speak. 

They’d sailed further from land than Emma’s been since they first arrived, the water deeper here, where no light can reach the depths even with the sun burning high and bright above them, and no shadows can be cast. “They’re weakest when the sun is at its peak, where the light can’t cast them further,” Wendy had explained. “At night though… at night the whole world is shadow.” 

Killian stands tense before them, Wendy and Will at his side, the two captains and their first mates. There’s something off in the line of his shoulders, in the way his thumb keeps sliding over the rings he wears. She’d seen him in the aftermath of the hunt, surrounded by the bodies, used to death and slaughter and cruelty. He’d held back then, composed and calm as always around the boys and young men that had survived. But as he looks at the sea of white, the cannonballs tied to their ankles that will drag them all down into the darkness where the shadows can’t reach them, she can see him losing that tenuous grip on his cool indifference. So can Wendy, if the hint of sympathy barely cracking through her own harsh disguise is anything to go on. 

When she thinks that he might not manage it, that his first mate might have to step in and take over, he lets out a bitter sigh. “Best not to draw it out.” Will steps forward, he and Killian lifting the closest body onto a plank balanced on the rail, held steady by two of the older crewmen - both barely out of their teens - preparing to tilt the body into the sea. 

Before he can raise his hand to signal the order, a small boy appears at his side, and Killian freezes. Emma hadn’t seen him break rank, hadn’t seen him make his way across the deck - no more than seven or eight years old.  She recognizes him, the one who’d been trying to carry his brother on the beach. She wonders what he could have possibly done for Pan to decide he’d had his fill of time in Neverland. 

The boy’s coat is tattered and dirty from however long he’d been in the jungle, and her reaches into it to pull something out, and then stretches as far as he can to reach across the body that’s nearly at eye level with him. And there, in the center of white sheet, he sets a baseball card down on the fallen boy’s chest. 

Emma doesn’t breath, the men holding the plank staring at the card, everyone on deck silent and frozen. The child moves to Killian’s side then, tugging at the thick leather of his sleeve until the captain leans down and gives the boy his attention. “Jack.” 

A strange sort of uncertainty falls over the crowd at the sound of the lost boy’s name. This is clearly not how things are done. Even the newest recruits shift uncomfortably - waiting. She watches the understanding settle in the line of Killian’s shoulders as he nods at the newest member of his crew. After a moment, one of the men who’d been holding the plank reaches out and tucks the card into the folds of the sail and then looks to his captain. Killian turns to the boy before nodding again.

“Jack,” he repeats, loud enough for everyone to hear.

There’s barely a splash as the body disappears beneath the surface, hardly a sound in that chilling stillness that Neverland possessed, but it resonates across the deck and Emma feels something shift. Wendy moves to help lift the next body onto the plank as Killian waits. A name is called from somewhere near the back, too quiet to place among the rows of former lost boys, but Killian repeats it as he had first one and there’s a moment of solemnness before another splash echoes across the deck. 

He names each of them -they all do - friends and brothers calling out to identify the fallen, to remember them before they’re laid to rest where Pan will never find them, where he’ll never hurt them again. 

***

“What do you think he’ll do?” 

Killian looks up at her standing in his doorway, shirt slipping over his head, catching on his hook. “Pan?” He sets to working the fabric free, hair windswept and sticking up at strange angles, skin still marked with the blood of the children he’d carried. 

Emma nods. He’d said there’d be consequences and she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about it since they’d gotten the last boy off the beach and onto the ship, his body wrapped in a sheet and sent to the depths with the others.

“I don’t know, but he won’t be happy.” 

She worries her lip between her teeth, casting a glance down the hall to the steps where overhead the boys are being introduced to their new life of piracy. “Darling makes ‘em spend days scrubbing the ship clean when they first come aboard. Says it ‘builds character’,” Will had explained. “Let it go already - it’s been nine years.” 

“Not having second thoughts, are you?” 

She shakes her head. She knows she did the right thing, that the children that died yesterday deserved some amount of dignity, of care, even in death, that those who lived deserved to see that they mattered, that they would be missed, that they wouldn’t be cast aside or forgotten. And that they wouldn’t be forced to be a tool in Pan’s neverending need for more playthings. 

“No, but I guess… I guess I didn’t consider that the consequences might not just be mine.” He could come for any of them. As far as Pan knows, she doesn’t exist. But Killian and Wendy, Will and everyone else on this ship could fall victim to Pan’s anger because of her. 

“Every person out there made a choice today, Swan. Something they haven’t been able to do in a very long time.” He finally gets the shirt free of his brace and lifts his gaze to hers. “Whatever consequences befall us now, the burden will be all of ours to bear. Not just yours.” He waits until she nods in agreement, then moves to dip his hand and hook into a basin, Emma watching as the water turns a murky red. “I will say though, Swan, I pity Pan for when he finally finds himself on the wrong side of your wrath. You’ve turned all of Neverland against him, even his own.”

“I think he did that himself when he tried to kill them.”

Killian shakes his head, grabbing a dampened cloth with his hook and scrubbing at the blood and sand dried to his hand. “The fact that they’d defy Pan and choose their fallen friends… the fact that half of them didn’t run for the treeline to beg him to take them back… You’ve changed something, love. You’ve done more for the creatures of this island in a week than any of us have managed in centuries.”

“I couldn’t just do nothing,” she mutters, crossing her arms and shrugging awkwardly. 

Killian gives a short, humourless laugh, avoiding her gaze, scrubbing harder as the cloth continues to slip from his hook. “Believe me, Swan, it’s very easy to do nothing.”

Emma takes a step into the room. “You didn’t do nothing.” 

“I didn’t do nearly as much as I could have.” 

“Stop it,” she scolds, crossing the space between them and taking the rag from him. He startles as she grabs his wrist, running the cloth over the blood caked into his palm. She knows her hair and clothes probably look just as bad - everyone out on the deck today carrying the stain of Pan’s cruelty on their skin. “You did what you could while staying alive. You can’t protect people if you’re dead. You can’t protect your crew, and you can’t protect the kids Pan sends your way if you’re dead.” He doesn’t have an answer to that. Good. 

They stand in silence as she finishes her task. When she can’t pretend to be cleaning the now non-existent blood anymore - the most stubborn bit finally wiped clean - when she can’t avoid saying what she came to say anymore, she sighs. “Thank you.” 

“For what?” 

“I know you could have just as easily made me leave them there on the beach - that it probably would have been the safer choice.” 

She rests the cloth in his open hand, focusing on it instead of him. She’s not great at this ‘thank you’ thing, at people understanding her the way he had on the shore today. 

“I don’t think anyone could make you do anything easily, Swan,” he teases and she shrugs, matching his hesitant smirk. “And it may have been the safe thing to do, but it wouldn’t have been the right thing.” His fingers curl around hers, keeping her there and drawing her attention back to him. “I should thank you as well.” 

“For what?” she echoes, frowning. She’s pretty sure she’s done nothing but cause problems for him since she got here. 

“For reminding me that I can still choose to do the right thing. I’d started to believe I’d forgotten how.” 

Her frown deepens. “Killian, you’ve done the right thing since -'' always, she wants to say, since she met him and made him bring her back here. He’s done right by her and her son and everyone else here from the beginning. 

“Since you chained me to that bloody sick bed,” he finishes, smirking again even as he shakes his head in disbelief, thumb is stroking across her knuckles - she doesn’t think he means to be doing it. “I don’t seem to have the option where you’re concerned. It’s exhausting, really.” Emma does her best not to laugh, not when he takes a step closer, fingers curling more purposefully around hers, the metal of his ring cool against her skin as he drops the cloth, eyes focused on hers like he’s trying to find an answer in them.  Voice soft, the teasing gone now he breathes, “you’re a bloody marvel, Swan,” and he’s so damn close now that she can feel his words warm against her cheek, can smell the salt and leather and rum that clings to his skin even after a day like today. 

He doesn’t move and she can’t decide if she wants him to, if the pounding of her heart stems from a desire to have him close the distance between them or from fear of what it would mean if he did. He’s watching her like he’s trying to decide the same and the words come out before she can stop them.

“Are you going to kiss me again?” 

His brow quirks up in amusement, before it shifts into that smug arch that’s become so familiar. “I believe you’re the one who’s initiated all of our previous dalliances, love,” he points out and she can feel her face going hot because he’s not wrong - she’s been throwing herself at him every chance she gets since that first kiss that was meant to distract him. “But aye,” he continues before the embarrassment gives her time to second guess herself. His hand lifts to her cheek, thumb tracing over her lip. “If you’ve no objections…” 

She should have some objections - like that making out with the really hot, annoyingly heroic pirate that makes her feel all kinds of confusing things she doesn’t want to be feeling is a really bad idea. But her head shakes without her permission and then he’s leaning in, carefully and agonizingly slowly until his lips only barely brush hers, the taste and heat of his mouth leaving her aching for the promise of more. She’d accuse him of teasing, only it doesn’t feel like a tease, more like a question as his lips catch hers gently, chaste and slow before pulling away and hesitating a moment longer. 

Emma’s fingers reach to tangle in his hair as she resists the urge to pull him to her like she has in the past. He lets out a small sigh at her touch and she can almost taste it before his mouth is on hers again, kiss slow and deep, swallowing the small sound she lets out when his brace slides low across her back to draw her closer. He kisses her like they’ve never done this before, every brush of his lips and stroke of his tongue and exploration and she’ll never get over how strongly her body reacts to him and the all-consuming way his mouth claims hers. 

She breathes his name and he lets out a low growl, hand tightening in her hair, pulling her closer, teeth dragging over her lip like he can catch the sound before soothing it with his tongue. He walks them back across the room to the door, pushing it shut, cradling her head against the impact as he presses her into the wood, mouth not leaving hers. She’s taken aback for a moment by the gentleness of his touch, but then his lips leave hers to trail the length of her neck and the shuddering heat that burns her everywhere his tongue meets her skin has her arching into him, need pooling low in her stomach. 

Emma lets out a small whimper when he follows the line of her shirt to the swell of her breasts and Killian groans, pulling away, forehead resting against hers as they both pant into the space between them. “I don’t have the energy to do everything I want to do to you tonight,” he sighs.

“How about just some of it?” she asks and he laughs, hand tracing the same path his mouth had, stopping at the center of her chest, over her heart, and sounding as frustrated as she feels - but also just as exhausted. Today had been a trying day, even by Neverland standards, and they’re both weary and still covered in blood and dirt and sweat from the exertion. 

“I know,” she agrees with a sigh, even if she doesn’t like it. Her hands slide from where they’d woven themselves into his hair to settle on his chest, his skin warm and soft against the coarse hair, heart beating hard under her palm. “Can I…” He waits, gaze focused on her even as she looks at the floor. She hates feeling vulnerable, but with everything that’s happened, with what Wendy told her about the shadows, and the now growing threat of an angry, vindictive Pan she just… “Can I stay?” 

They hadn’t talked about it in the morning, about Emma coming to his room the night before, the ship so loud with the cries of those broken children thrust into adulthood too young, into piracy against their will. She’d been gone before he woke, chasing phantoms across the deck and jumping off ships and they’d pretended as though it had never happened. And she’d been grateful for that. It made her feel brave enough to ask now, to admit that she needed this.

He seems surprised by her question before an expression of gentle understanding softens his features. “Aye, love,” he nods, reaching to brush her probably wild and matted hair from her eyes. “I’d like that.” The hitch of her heart calms when she realizes that maybe he also doesn’t want to be alone tonight, that maybe he needs the comfort and safety of another person after all the tragedy they’ve seen these last few days. 

He kisses her again, soft and gentle and easing some of the dread that’s made a home in her chest since she left Storybrooke. She thinks he meant it to be chaste, but neither of them seem in any hurry to give up the press of his mouth against hers, the reassuring comfort of his heartbeat, beneath her palm, or the warmth of his calloused fingers against her cheek, the metal of his hook, cool and grounding on her hip. 

She lets it go on longer than she should for a kiss like this, one that isn’t building to anything else, that isn’t meant to excite or seduce but just to feel and savour something good for once, something easy. It’s the way she’d kissed him by the water on Solstice. It had been dangerous then and it was dangerous now. 

Still, Killian is the one to pull away first, Emma chasing his lips without meaning to before he clears his throat, cheeks flushed and an expression she can’t place in his eyes as they meet hers, like the one he’d worn in the brig - perhaps I would - and suddenly it’s all so much more than it was supposed to be, than it can or should be. He must sense it too because he takes a step back, fog still not fully cleared from his gaze as he straightens. 

“I should go ensure the crew are prepared for the night - that there’s a watch planned.” She peels herself off the door so that he can get by. “There’s hot water in the pitcher if you want to wash the day off,” he adds, waiting for her nod, returning it, and then darting out of the room. 

Emma sags back against the closed door. What the hell are you doing? She can’t be doing… this. Whatever this is. Not here, certainly not now when she should be focused on her mission, on her son, not when the last time she came close to this was… Her fingers brush over the boot laces tied around her wrist. Look how well that had ended. Look how well it always ends. 

By the time Killian returns she’s washed her hair and the worst of the grime from her skin before slipping under the covers in a stolen, clean shirt. She feigns sleep when she hears him move almost silently around the room, there’s the splash of water and the rustle of clothing as she forces her eyes to remain shut. It’s not until she knows he’s standing by the bed, hesitating, like he’s not sure he should still join her now that she’s ‘asleep’ - as though she didn’t ask him if she could spend another night in his bed- that she breaks her pretense. 

“Just get in, Killian.” There’s a pause, a stillness in the air before she feels the sheets move and the bed sag beside her as he slides in, settling on his side next to her but leaving enough room that there’s no risk of them touching. And it’s a palpable distance. “Do you… do you want to sleep alone?” she asks quietly, anxious now that this isn’t one of his frustrating gentleman streaks but that he’s changed his mind, that she’s imposing, asking too much of him. 

“No,” his voice is just as low as hers and she holds back a small sigh of relief. 

“Please don’t make me ask…” Emma feels him calm beside her, the awkward tension leaving him as he inches closer. His fingers ghost over her shoulder for a moment before he slides his arm around her waist and pulls her back against him.

“I’m here, Swan. You don’t have to ask.” The promise is breathed into her hair, lips pressing to the crown of her head as they had the night before and Emma shuts her eyes against the tears that burn at the edges of them. “You’re safe,” he tells her again, like he knows she needs to hear it, and she nods. She knows. Even as the cries of the lost boys drift into the room from above deck and the jungle beyond, she knows. 

She turns in his arms, tucking her hands beneath her cheek so she can see him, follow the outline of his jaw and neck in the moonlight that steals through the drawn curtains. Even his silhouette is beautiful, the light playing over the edges of his skin, turning it almost iridescent, and making her want to reach out and trace the curve of his bare shoulder and arm where the shadows suggest shapes in the dark. 

“You are too, you know.” Killian might be one of the bravest people she’s ever met, but she knows that Pan terrifies him. And today he pissed him off - because she asked him to. “If Pan wants any of you he’s gonna have to go through me first.” Bold words as they hide beneath the covers like children hoping they won’t be found.

She doesn’t have to see his eyebrow tick up to know that it is. “Aye?”

“I’m scarier than I look.” He bites down on a laugh or a teasing comment. Her fingers found their way to his elbow at some point - she hadn’t meant to. They follow the line of his bicep, his shoulder. “I can keep you all safe.” Her voice nearly breaks on the last word - because she has to. Henry, Killian, Wendy, Will, she needs all of them to survive this. She’s lost everyone she’s cared about. She won’t add them to the list.

His finger is gentle beneath her chin as hers dance across his collarbone and she lifts her gaze to the pale blue that shines even in the dim light. “We’ll keep each other safe then,” he offers like a compromise and she nods. She can do that. 

She doesn’t have to ask if he’s going to kiss her this time, and she doesn’t care enough to be conflicted by the fact that she wants him to - not here in the dark where her doubts can’t find her. His hand slides over her cheek, fingers tracing the shell of her ear to curl around the nape of her neck, like he’s mapping his way to her by touch. When he draws her in she goes willingly, mouth meeting his like muscle memory, the heat and feel and taste of him a familiar temptation that she could find blind.

He hums low in the back of his throat when her lips part beneath his in invitation, taking the opportunity to deepen the kiss, tongue hot and slow against hers, using his hooked arm to pull her close, legs tangling beneath the sheets. She’s on goddamn fire as he continues to touch her with nothing but his hand in her hair, lips not straying from hers, and it’s not fucking fair because nobody should be able to push all of her buttons and make her want them so badly without even trying. And he’s not trying. This is just… how he is with her, how they are together and it’s maddening and intoxicating and she wonders if it’s always like this when you care. 

Fuck. The thought stops her. Fuck, she cares. She cares if he lives or dies - if something were to happen to him… If it happened because of her, she doesn’t -

“Are you alright, love?” The words are spoken against her lips. No, she’s absolutely not. But she’s not dealing with that right now. She doesn’t want to deal with how or why or when she ended up caring so fucking much, what it could do to her, like it’s done so many times before. She shakes her head, ignoring his question, both her arms wrapping around his neck to pull him back to her, mouth slanting over his in a silent sort of plea. He returns it, though his kiss is gentler than hers, softer and less urgent than it had been a moment ago and her heart and mind grow a bit less frantic. 

He changes the pace, slowing her, calming her, Emma sinking into the purposeful slide of his mouth and tongue and the tug of his fingers in her hair. He pulls away, their breath shallow and he finds her eyes in the dark again. The shadows don’t let her read his expression, but he must see something in hers because his hand slips from her hair, following the strands down her back to her waist where it flattens against her hip, slipping beneath the fabric of her stolen shirt. He moves so slowly, like he expects her to stop him, or he’s just giving her the chance to, but the heat of his palm trailing up her side is the most agonizing kind of torment and she bites hard on her lip to keep from begging as he inches across her skin.

When his hand finds her breast she lets him swallow the gasp that escapes her and the small curse she lets out when his thumb rolls over her nipple. She breathes his name when he continues to touch her, her nails digging into the back of his shoulders when he moves to nip and lick at the pulse point of her neck. He releases her only long enough to work the few buttons of her shirt open and then his mouth is on her breast and the room fills with her poorly silenced gasps and pleas as he teases her with teeth and tongue. 

She’s grateful when he kisses her again, just as his fingers trail over her stomach and dip between her legs, muffling the sound that would have alerted anyone still awake to exactly what was taking place in the dark of the cabin. His touch is fucking perfect, like he’d watched her in that fairy field where he talked her over the edge because ever stroke and curl and thrust is exactly what she likes, exactly what she needs and she knows it won’t take long. 

Killian falters when she reaches for him, fingers sliding into the soft, slippery fabric of his pants and finding him hard and straining in her hand. He bites out her name like a curse when she strokes him and he tries and fails to regain his composure. When her mouth claims his he groans into the kiss, his fingers matching the pace she sets with her hand on him and the roll of her hips. His thumb finds her clit and she bites his lip at the meticulousness of his touch, determined and fervid and she thinks he must be close too if he’s trying to send her over the edge so urgently.

Her free hand is vice-like in his hair, holding him to her as they whisper hushed gasps and curses into each other’s mouths and Emma has to turn her head into his shoulder, teeth sinking into his skin as she feels her climax building, hips rocking frantically as he brings her higher and higher. Her grip on his cock tightens, her strokes faster as she nears that edge. His words fall out in a choked mix of encouragement and pleasure, beard rough against her skin, breath hot on her neck, until she feels him tense against her. He groans a muffled ‘fuck, please, Swan,’ against her throat, fingers curling and urging and then she’s coming, back arching and her cry cut off by his mouth on hers before she feels him spill himself in her hand. 

“Fuck,” Killian curses, low and breathless in the stillness of the Neverland night. She doesn’t have any words, heart still racing and eyes still shut tight, her body feeling like it’s going to float away despite the heaviness in her limbs. She tugs his mouth back to hers with the grip she still has on his hair and the groan he lets out almost makes her feel bad, exhaustion and desperation and desire wrapped into one, low sound. 

He kisses her again, lips moving to her neck, her shoulder, her breast, and she’s about to warn him not to start something he can’t finish as the low hum of warmth settles over her skin, but then his fingers tug the edges of her shirt closed gently, pressing one last kiss to her mouth before standing and retrieving a cloth.

“Was that one of the things you had in mind?” she teases when she hands it back to him and he discards it. Her voice is still breathless and strained as he climbs back into the bed, sliding beneath the covers and taking her hand in his. She watches as he raises it to his lips, placing a kiss to the center of her palm and then weaving his fingers through hers. She tries not to let her heart grow frantic with the mix of fear and longing that surges when he lets their entwined hands rest in the bare space between them. 

“That was… wholly unexpected,” he rasps, thick with sleep and sex. She thinks his eyes are drifting shut, the strain of the day finally taking him even as his thumb strokes carefully over the back of hers, slower and slower as he’s pulled under. 

She watches him for a moment longer, making out the line of his brow and cheek in the dark, the steady rise and fall of his chest, more relaxed than she’s ever seen him. And as she pulls his hand to her mouth, lips settling against the cool metal of his rings, she knows exactly what he means. 

***

Emma wakes to a hand pressed firmly over her mouth, her eyes darting open in panic, muscles tensed, braced for a fight. But where she expects an intruder she finds only Killian, face close to hers, finger held to his lips, and she’d fucking deck him for scaring the shit out of her like this if it weren’t for the seriousness of his expression, the fear he just barely hides beneath the command. She knows that fear can only mean one thing, even before he whispers it into the darkness, eyes darting towards the ceiling, to the deck above them.

Pan.

******

Let me know if you'd like to be added or removed from my tag list!

@kmomof4 @elizabeethan @the-darkdragonfly  @undercaffinatednightmare @jennjenn615 @dramioneswan @gingerchangeling @gingerpolyglot @batana54 @lfh1226-linda @csalltheway @xsajx @xarandomdreamx @onceratheart18 @ownedbycaptainswan @teamhook @pirateprincessofpizza @lostintheskyfaraway @zaharadessert @thejollyroger-writer @ultraluckycatnd @justanother-unluckysoul @spartanguard @jonesfandomfanatic @deckerstarblanche @jrob64 @klynn-stormz @wefoundloveunderthelight @sailtoafarawayland @tiganasummertree @winterbaby89 @hollyethecurious @stahlop @superchocovian @snowbellewells @xellewoods @sals86 @karlyfr13s  @ouatpost @skairipakomtrikru @lonelyspectator12   @anmylica   @alexa-fangirl-forever @inspiredbystardust @marcella2727 @paradiselady19 @koryandr @killiansprincss @goforlaunchcee

#captain swan #cs fanfic #cs ff #emma swan #killian jones #bet you thought you'd seen the last of me #season 1 neverland au #cs smut #sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry #neverland au

[petrifiedforests]

10 songs 10 people

I was tagged by the lovely @cacodaemonia and after approximately, conservatively speaking a million years, here are my 10 songs:

Band/artist - Title

Juniper Vale - Will I Find My Home

The Amazing Devil - Blossoms

ABBA - Thank you for the music

Mumford and Sons - I Will Wait

fin - Ship in a Bottle

Mighty Oaks - Be with you always

Autumn Orange - Strange Dreams IV. Wander

They Might Be Giants - Istanbul (Not Constantinople)

Cosmo Sheldrake - Come Along -Edit

Austin Wintory - To Know, Water

And now I've got to tag 10 people, oh my. If you want to play (No pressure!):

@silvipeppers @silvermintnightprincess @witcher-and-his-bard @kueble @rebrandedbard @a-kind-of-merry-war @trudemaethien @samstree @flowercrown-bard @greyduckgreygoose

#tag game #thank you for the tag #suddenly I had never heard a single song in my life before #head empty #one of those is my wedding dance song #don't know if there's any additional rules to this game? #10 songs 10 people #hope it's not matching people to songs #but you may of course choose a song you like best

[genshingorlsrevengeance]

I am but a humble weary traveler, may I please have some fluff headcanons for the claymore queens (Dehya, Eula, Beidou, I can't remember if you've taken on Navia into your list of ladies, so if you want to swap her for Noelle thas good too.)?

(Genshin Impact) Dehya, Eula, Beidou, Navia, and Noelle random fluff

I write for Navia now, and how about both?

(Dehya) "A-Archons above, it's freezing!"

Dehya had not seen snow until she went with S/O to Mondstadt.

The two were on a date walking through the streets in the winter months when snow began to fall.

As the snowflakes gently came down, Dehya was shivering, both her arms desperately holding onto her body for some warmth.

(Dehya) "H-H-How can anyone stand this?!"

(S/O) "Well, it'd probably help if you didn't dress like that."

(Dehya) "How was I supposed to it was going to snow?!"

Dehya grumbled something under her breath before falling silent when S/O wrapped their coat around hers.

(S/O) "Here, I'm a lot more used to the cold than you are."

Flashing Dehya a smile, S/O held her hand, quickly warming them.

Dehya's cheeks suddenly began to heat up as well, now it was starting to get a bit too warm.

(Dehya) "Um..T-Thanks."

Dehya returned the smile and snuggled even closer to them as they walked home.

Hopefully their next date would not include Dehya nearly turning into...what did S/O call it?

(Dehya) "Hey, what's that one sweet where it's like some...frozen treat on a stick?"

(S/O) "A popsicle?"

(Dehya) "Yeah that!"

Eula sighed as she opened the door to her house.

It had been a long day, and the only thing she wanted to do was sit-

(Eula) "...Is that singing?"

It was S/O's voice, and the melody was coming from the kitchen.

The distinct scent of mooncrest pie caught her attention as she approached, watching S/O softly singing to themselves as they prepared it.

The singing wasn't the best Eula had heard but it still enamored her all the same. After all, it was by someone she loved.

And best of all, they hadn't noticed her yet.

(S/O) "I, can fix all those lies, But baby, when I run, I'm running to you! You won't see me cry, I'm hiding inside, My heart is in pain but I'm smiling for you!~"

Eula didn't recognize the song they were singing, but it seemed catchy at least.

Her smile grew end to end as she leaned against the wall, counting her blessings. A loving S/O, a warm home and dinner to come back to, most people would kill to have a thing.

And never in her life did she think she'd have anything like this.

(Eula) "Nice song."

(S/O) "GAH?!"

S/O jumped up in surprise, quickly turning around but relaxing when they realized it was just Eula.

(S/O) "How long were you there?"

(Eula) "I just arrived, truth be told. But I'm far more interested in that song's lyrics. Is it perhaps revealing something about your plans?"

S/O rolled their eyes playfully and set Eula's plate of food on the table.

(S/O) "Eat up before I take my vengeance on you, Eula."

(Eula) "How could I refuse?"

Eula happily sat down, her smile not going away for the entire night.

(Beidou) "S/O! Come drink with the crew and I! We'll be finally reaching shore tomorrow."

It had been quite the voyage the Crux had embarked on. The trip had lasted nearly three weeks, and spirits were high after obtaining a large amount of mora.

Of course, the real party would be the three day feast, but that wasn't until they actually landed.

Everyone, including the captain, was drinking to celebrate their success, all of course, except the captain's love.

(S/O) "I-I think some of us should remain sober for tonight."

(Kazuha) "I would agree. Rest is important for all the sailors, Captain."

(Beidou) "Psh, buzzkill! Come on, S/O. Just one drink, I promise."

Both Kazuha and S/O raised a single eyebrow.

(Beidou) "Hey, I said one drink for them, not for me."

S/O sighed and relented, making Beidou do a small fist pump.

(Sailor) "All riiight! Welcome to the party!"

(S/O) "Only a single drink, okay?"

(Beidou) "Come on, it's not like we're gonna get that drunk together!"

MANY, MANY DRINKS LATER:

Kazuha sighed, shaking his head as he realized there wasn't going to be any sleep had anytime soon.

S/O and Beidou were displaying way too much signs of PDA for his and the crew's liking, but it was pushed to the side by their singing.

Singing which he couldn't deny made him tap his foot in rhythm, but by the Archons it was loud, and disruptive of the beautiful starry night.

S/O and Beidou had their arms wrapped around each other's necks, swaying side to side with a mug in their hands, obviously far too gone to save.

(S/O) "No line was cut, no whale was freed, The Captain's mind was not on greed!"

(Beidou) "But he belonged to the whaleman's creed, She took that ship in tow!"

(Everyone) "HUAH! SOON MAY THE WELLERMAN COME, TO BRING US SUGAR AND TEA AND RUM!-"

...

(S/O) "...Beidou."

Beidou's eye groggily opened as they rose from the bed in the captain's quarters.

Their clothes and hair were an absolute mess, accompanied by a killer headache.

(Beidou) "...That wasn't one drink, was it?"

Navia inhaled deep of the scent coming from the oven, letting out a satisfied sigh.

(Navia) "S/O, your soufflé is ready!"

It smelled delicious, and for their first time making it, that was impressive!

(S/O) "W-WAIT! Navia, don't look!"

(Navia) "Hm? Why not?"

(S/O) "I-...I-I messed it up."

(Navia) "Nonsense, mon chéri/ma chérie! I bet it will look as good as it smells-"

Upon opening the oven and putting the soufflé on the table, she was quickly proven very wrong.

Navia's open smile faltered for a few seconds before quickly clearing her throat.

(Navia) "Aha...aaaah..." AHEM! "Well, next time I could help you plate the treats! That way it'll match your dazzling radiance!

Navia gave S/O a quick kiss on the cheek, which made them giggle.

(S/O) "Thank you. How about we both try it?"

(Navia) "I'd love to!"

Navia took a hearty spoonful, immediately putting it into her mouth the moment the soufflé cooled off enough.

She suddenly froze in place for a few moments, her facial expression remaining unchanged.

(S/O) "...It doesn't taste good, does it?"

As if time had finally resumed, Navia swallowed S/O's cooking, albeit reluctantly, and kept her smile.

(Navia) "Not as good as your lips.~"

(S/O) "..."

(Navia) "...N-No..."

Noelle struggled to keep her heartbeat steady as she held the rose in her hand.

She knocked on S/O's door, and when they opened it, she gave a polite bow.

(Noelle) "Good evening, S/O. I wish to give you something!"

Noelle extended the rose to S/O, surprising them.

(S/O) "A rose! It's beautiful, Noelle. Thank you!"

S/O smiled at Noelle's flustered expression, noticing she wasn't meeting their eyes.

(Noelle) "I...I remember what you said about the meaning of Roses and...w-well...!"

S/O chuckled and adjusted the roses on her headband, making her freeze up.

(S/O) "I remember that first date. You gave me a rose saying that you'd keep my secr-"

(Noelle) "Ah! Please do not bring that up! It's...embarrassing."

(S/O) "I think it was adorable. Much like you are right now."

Noelle's fidgeting increased at their teasing.

(Noelle) "A-Anyways, would you like to go to dinner with me? I have finished all my tasks for today, and I had reservations at Good Hunter for us!"

(S/O) "I'd be honored to, my rose."

Noelle smiled at that, though the blush refused to fade away for the night.

#genshin impact imagines #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact headcanons #dehya x reader #eula x reader #beidou x reader #navia x reader #noelle genshin impact x reader #dehya genshin #eula lawrence #navia genshin impact #noelle genshin impact

[charmedreincarnation]

Hello! How are you? I am very good for now. because after trying for over a year I switched to void state last night very easily! it was an incredibly amazing experience for me. I stumbled upon your account on tumblr a few days ago, I saw a lot of people have succeeded with the method you suggested! I felt so happy for them!

Now I will tell my own success story.

I used to be so obsessed with it that I was just procrastinating and "trying" to get into the void when I had so much work to do whenever I had free time.

Throughout this process, I always thought that I would not succeed and always went back to the beginning. I was very bad with everyone around me, I was constantly fighting and exposed to violence. In short, I was experiencing hell on this earth.

Months passed and I decided to focus on my life a little bit. I tried to think positively and convince myself how easy it was for me to manifest. But there was one very important thing that I forgot, all the evil forces in this hell were coming only on me, only me.

I spent the whole of last year and the first months of this year like a living dead...

But in these last few days, I have made a decision that will radically change my life. Before, I tried every method to enter void constantly, but something was not going well every time. So I decided that it would be easier and more useful to just assume that I woke up there, rather than making dozens of efforts to enter void 2 days ago.

THE DAY I FINALLY ENTERED THE VOID CONSCIOUSLY!

I didn't listen to the subliminal, I just did a 20-minute meditation, my wish to revisit life in more detail. At the end of the meditation, I said only one affirmation: I will wake up in void tonight.

I wasn't tired and very sleepy that night (these are usually what people think is necessary for a void).I just lay on my bed in my usual position and affirmed that I would wake up in void at night. After that I already went straight to sleep.

I woke up in the middle of the night, I didn't move. The sounds were so muffled, it's like you're listening to a song through a broken earpiece, that's how I heard it. I stayed like that for a few minutes, then the sounds suddenly stopped and I felt myself being pulled into the darkness. My heart was beating so fast, so I focused on calming myself. I couldn't feel my body anymore, as if someone was separating my soul from my body and floating it in a vacuum of space. That's when I realized that I really succeeded! And I calmed down for a while and then said my affirmations. I didn't make a special list, so I said it all one by one.

My manifests:

The face and body I dreamed of down to the smallest detail

My desired name, surname(i have two names in different languages)

My dream room and house with all the items on my Pinterest board(There were almost 50K pins on the board I mentioned...)

I overhauled my father as someone else entirely. With his nationality, zodiac sign, appearance, name.(I also added that he is a person who gets along perfectly with his 4 children and his wife!)

I made my mother younger in appearance, not in age, I also wished her a happy and peaceful life in every way.

As for our financial situation, my father is an extraordinarily wealthy businessman, we own the largest house and the most luxurious car in my city. We also have 4 modern apartments and 1 huge villa in another city! It does not end with these, we also have houses in America, France, England!

I also manifested new phone and other electronic gadgets.

We are 4 siblings in the family and we all get along very well, no hurtful words and no violence!

I have a private room for my unfinished clothes in my room and a very nice bathroom adjacent to my room!

I also manifested success in the lessons: no matter how long the paragraph is, it stays in my mind only once I read it and I never forget it! I do not have a single error in all the tests I have solved.

We have a total of 4 pets including 2 cats and a puppy and a husky dog. Our garden is huge, with a big swing, a covered area to sit in in the winter, and lots of lavender flowers, white roses!

By the way, I manifested that I have lived this life from the beginning, so our house is full of memories we have accumulated with my siblings and parents since childhood, our childhood photos everywhere, emotional diaries my mother wrote when she was pregnant.

I also manifested new friends to myself: one of them is famous (keep this part private lol), I wished to meet him since childhood. Apart from her, I also have a male friend who is our family friend and my best friend who lives with us.

That's all I wanted, I left everything else to my subconscious and my last sentence before leaving the void was "I will open my eyes to the life I dreamed of".

Finally, when I came out of the void, I heard my brother's voice, scolding me for turning off the air conditioner in my room and leaving it on until morning, and saying that he would be very upset if I got sick. (it did indeed come true more perfectly than I had imagined! )

The reason why I wrote my success story and the life I manifested at length is this: most people limit their desires and try to make do with less. Believe me, I was thinking the same way a month ago, thinking that living the life I wanted was unfair to the people in my life. But lately, thanks to what those people did to me, I realized that all this time I had been unfair to myself, not to them. After realizing this, I reminded myself that I only deserved the life of my dreams.

And now that I'm who I should be, I'm pretty happy with it. I can't thank you enough  my dear. The success stories you shared motivated me a lot and helped me take action.

I am so proud of you my love. I absolutely adore revision stories as well as the usage of intention which is my personal favorite method. No method is stronger than your will to have your desires. Thank you so much for sharing your story and I hope you continue to always live your best life <3

#law of assumption #manifesation #manifesting #void state #void success

[missingexaltation]

In 1995 Steve gets the invite to his first high school reunion. He and Eddie talk about it and decide to go. After all, Steve hasn't seen any of his former school friends in years and wants to know how they're all doing...but more importantly he wants to see their faces when they see who he's unlawfully married to. Because he's a snarky lil' shit when he wants to be.

Eddie agrees to tag along as his plus one, promising he'll behave. Steve doesn't promise a thing though. They meet up with a lot of people they'd both forgotten about, making genuinely pleasant small talk for a while, and after Eddie makes a break for drinks, Steve suddenly comes face to face with Tommy and Carol.

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

Tommy's been working in some high flying banking job since he left college, courtesy of his dad, and he's not ashamed to say that he makes the big bucks now. Carol's pregnant with their second, and is now at the stage where she's constantly exhausted, but the funny thing is that they both rake their eyes over Steve like they want to devour him. He looks good. Happy.

It's at this point that Munson, of all people, make his entrance, interrupting with a 'sorry Stevie, all they have is this weird punch thing and I'm like mostly sure it's not even alcoholic'.

Tommy gives him a look. 'Munson,' He says, 'didn't think you graduated with us.'

The tone is sly and bitchy, but Eddie just waves him off, completely unbothered. It's Steve that reaches for Eddie's hand, beams a smile at him and says 'He's my plus one, man. Been together 9 years now, crazy how time flies, huh? '

It's only a barest moment of a second where Tommy's face crumples in on itself, but he regains composure quickly. 'Oh, right.' He says, trying for even footing in the conversation because what the fuck, Steven, 'So what do you guys do for work then?'

'I don't.' Steve said, cheerfully. 'Eddie's band more than pays the bills though, we've just gotten back from the European leg of the tour. So this...' he gestures to the room, '- is great timing for us.'

Munson's lost interest already, too busy scanning the room for whatever losers he used to hang out with. He's never liked Tommy, so it tracks. Tommy's never liked him either, the weird freak that he is...was. He has more tattoos though, Tommy can see one winding up and around his neck, and on the back of his hands. He briefly wonders whether he's got more, but tables that thought for never.

Tommy's brain was already working overtime. He didn't think that Steve had changed that much, but he's one of them? Munson, sure. That was pretty standard, even before everyone thought he was a serial killer. Hell, there was probably still graffiti with his name and the services he 'offered' on it somewhere in the building. But Steve? He times back into the conversation, hoping he's not missed much.

'-the same band, different name.' Munson's saying. 'Probably not your sort of music though, Hagans-'

'Yeah but loads of people have heard the new single, Eds. It's in the top ten.' Steve interjects, all fucking heart eyes. He turns back to them and sings the tune of something that sounds actually kind of familiar.

'Wait that's you?' Carol squeaks. 'Tyler, my brother Tyler, is like obsessed with that song, I swear on my life.'

Munson just shrugs, like her opinion is beneath him, and Tommy's blood boils. Munson's always been able to get under everyone's skin, without even trying, but Carol's his wife and there's no way he's standing for that.

But Munson's not paying him any attention, he's scribbling on a piece of paper and handing it over. 'If he wants it,' He says, 'your brother I mean.'

Then he's looking across the room and his face lights up. 'Danny P!' He yells, making a break for it and grabbing some unsuspecting guy around the shoulders, spinning him like he's a ballroom dancer. Steve's left holding his drink, but doesn't seem to mind. He just laughs, and gives Tommy an absent kind of nod. And that hurts more than anything.

'Good to see you man.' Steve says, and that's that. He follows Munson across the room and watches as he's introduced to some guy Tommy doesn't even remember.

Carol's left holding Munson's signature, his fucking autograph, like she's been frozen stiff.

'Holy shit.' She says, not even looking up at her husband. 'Tyler's gonna freak.'

Tommy doesn't even think about it for days later, until he's at work of all places. He's sitting in his office, scanning through the newspaper while he waits for his next meeting. He's certainly not expecting to see Munson's face taking up half a page in the entertainment section, with a couple of vaguely familiar faces.

CORRODED CONSCIENCE RETURN FOR ONE-OFF GIG ON HOME TURF!

He scans through the article, the usual bullshit of talking the band up, how it's good to be home, yada yada yada, but it's the caption under the picture that makes him pause.

CC (left to right): Gareth Jones (drums), Jeff Springer (guitar), Violet Cooper (vocals), Dani Jackson (bass) and Eddie Harrington (guitar).

#steddie #eddie munson #steve harrington #stranger things ficlet #Tommy Hagan #Carol Perkins #Steddie attending Steve's reunion first because Eddie didn't graduate until '86 #third person views into their relationship is so much fun #rockstar!eddie #Hawkins not acknowledging Eddie's career (and the rest of the band) as a success story is so funny to me...the feeling is mutual tho 😂 #HC that Eddie changed his name when he and Steve got 'married' in '91...because people kept asking him about 'the Munson murders' of '86 #also i think it's canon that Tommy had a crush on Steve? isn't that what the actor said? i love that for him...but he's still a dick #also...they changed the band name (vaguely) because of similar reasons...fucking satanic panic bullshit 😂

[heyidkyay]

And I'm petrified of being alone, now |

Part Twenty-Three

Matty Healy x reader

Summary: She’s just trying to get by, really. What with being a single parent to her four year old son whilst simultaneously trying to kick start a successful career as a radio presenter. She’s got everything she’s ever wanted though, friends close by, a mum who’s merely a phone call away, and of course her baby boy. What else is there to wish for? But then, it’s not long before her relatively normal life gets upended and turned on its head, and she’s suddenly forced to deal with situations she’s never even thought to imagine.

What happens when one mention of a certain controversial singer on her show sends a flood of unexpected challenges her way? 

Authors Note: Another update this week?? I'm as shocked as anyone else, but hopefully this one will make up a little for the last! It's longer and a little less, um, idk, I can't say emotional?? because that would be a lie:/ Still, there are some developments! Also, it'll make sense a lot later but the 2nd image and the use of a Ride song are used in this one!

Hope you enjoy! Also thank you for all the love on this current series, it means a whole lot and keeps me writing xx

Warnings: similar to that of the last post! so pls look back there if you'd like to know!:)

> Last update: look back here if you'd like!

Masterlist

“I said no.”

Stressed was a feeling beyond words at this point. The past couple of days all I’d had was press hounding at me, calling and texting, emailing at all hours of the fucking day. They wouldn’t let up, even after I’d stayed silent. Adi reckoned it was mostly down to Teddy’s involvement in the whole thing. I didn’t want to think much more about it, although I knew she wasn’t wrong.

“Give me a reason at least?"

I shot a scathing glare over my shoulder before turning back to the filing system I’d taken to reorganising. It was my first morning back at the studio since... yeah, well Finn had Teddy- another factor to my current load of stress- whilst Adi was off doing something or other. I hadn’t asked, fearful of putting more of a strain on her current friendship- relationship??- with Ross, so instead I’d just chosen to tidy and rearrange the entire setup we had going on here. Because that was perfectly normal. And not a fucking way to evade talking or thinking about the mess that was my life. Okay?

“I don’t need a fucking reason, I just don’t want to.” I retorted, hissing slightly when I suddenly cut my thumb on the edge of a document. I withdrew my hand quickly and raised it towards my mouth, letting my eyes slip close for a moment when I heard a footfall step closer.

“Let me see.” Jamie sighed, probably thinking I’d done something worse to my hand than just a papercut. To be fair, the cabinet was old. One of them filing types from the ninety’s that we’d gotten for a score down at some boot sale, so I wouldn't be surprised if one of us did eventually end up losing an arm.

I shook my head and pushed the cabinet drawer closed, “It’s fine, just a papercut.”

Jamie huffed an amused chuckle before settling down on the edge of the desk nearby. It was Adi’s, you could tell from the sheer amount of shit she had accumulating it.

“One thing after another with you.”

My head tilted towards him with a deadened expression, “Ha ha.”

The older man raised his hands up in a mocking surrender, showing he hadn’t meant any real harm. “Too soon?”

I kicked at the toe of the leather boots he wore in retort as I moved towards the kitchenette, aware that he was just trying to lighten my horrendous mood but not really in the right mind for it. 

“You want a brew?” I asked, not bothering to give him an honest reply to that question of his. Too soon? Yes, that was all too fucking true.

“Have a coffee if there’s one going.”

I dipped my head in a slight nod, filling the kettle and setting it to boil before snagging the coffee often reserved for guests on the show from a shelf nearby.

Jamie moved to better face me on Adi’s desk as I did so, wearing that same expression he’d turned up in, all concerned and weary. It bothered me a bit, seeing as though it was all I had garnered since the press had had their field day with my life, but I could also understand why. They all just seemed to feel for the idiot stupid enough to fall into another of Matty Healy’s traps.

“Stop.”

“Stop what?” He wondered around a light chortle at my demand, hands falling to rest between his thighs.

I gestured towards his face whilst I poured a splash of milk into my mug, “Looking at me like that, like I’m gonna break or something.”

With a sigh, he pressed his lips together. “You know it’s not like that.” I rolled my eyes in return but he just bounded on, “You know it’s not, I just care is all.”

I forced out a breathless chuckle, “That why you’re here trying to get me to hear him out then?”

To be fair to him, Jamie had come right out with it when he’d first popped by, having messaged me asking after my whereabouts earlier this morning. I’d told him, having spoken to him quite a bit over the last couple days, and then found him on the doorstep. 

Jamie had been good with everything. He’d let me vent, rally against one of his friends and clients, question his own motives- and hadn’t even complained one bit. But now he was here asking me to give Matty a chance, a lot like he’d done that first time around in that small cafe all those months ago.

“I know you’re angry, you have every right to be.”

“Of course I’m fucking angry!” I immediately shot back at him, the rattle of the teaspoon ringing out as I dropped it into a mug, “I wouldn’t care if it had just been me he’d gone and fucked over! But he brought Teddy into this shit, Jamie. My son! So tell me, how am I supposed to hear him out after he’s done something like that and then lied about it? For weeks, mind you.”

Jamie looked back at me, wearing that ‘this meant business’ mug of his. I slumped at the sight, pressing my knee against one of the lower cabinets to continue stirring the drinks. I didn’t care, I didn’t care, I didn’t care.

“There’s a lot you don’t know, Mouse.”

My eyes slipped closed at his words and I took a second to just breathe. Because I wasn’t angry, not really. I was hurt and humiliated, and just so fucking sad. Fed up with it all, if I was being honest. Enough so that I knew that Jamie was being truthful here- and not just because it was a fact that I hadn’t spoken to Matty since things had fallen apart, but also because I hadn’t had the heart to ask Teddy about things yet. Or if ever.

The kid was four. Four, and asking after a man every night before he fell asleep and then as soon as he opened his eyes the next morning.

He knew something was up, he was smart like that. But what was I meant to do- to say? When I was just as confused as he was.

I’d ended up leaving him with Finn today, having had no other choice in the situation because the nursery was closed for an inset day, or some shite like that, and it seemed I had no other friends than the few around me. 

Could quite literally count the lot of them on one hand. 

But still, Finn and I’s relationship had still been rather rocky after that whole incident with him and Matty, and hadn’t improved since. In fact, he’d been a little unbearable about everything, always one to toot his own horn whenever he was right about something. But it was always slyly and I couldn’t help but feel as though it was a constant dig, like even when he wasn’t commenting on it he was still thinking it whenever he looked at me.

Which felt so horrible to think, let alone say out loud. He was my best friend. So I’d kept my mouth shut and just dealt with it, like I did everything else in life.

“He’s messed up about it.” Jamie then spoke, his voice having startled me a tad, breaking me out of my musings. He was watching me again, only when he did it, it didn’t feel as condescending as everyone else's. Like he understood my position. And I guessed that he probably sort of did.

“I bet.” I scoffed quietly, an airy titter escaping through my nose, and then I turned to toss my teabag away.

“It’s true.” Jamie shrugged, then nodded in thanks when I pushed a coffee his way. “He’s been ‘round Ross’s ever since shit hit the fan, hasn’t left the flat. Driving the lot of us mad, but he’s torn up, Mouse.”

Tongue in cheek, I wrapped my hands around my cup and propped my hip up against the counter, staring into the still swirling liquid. “Serves him right, I guess.” I replied with a soft shrug of my own, though we both knew I didn’t quite mean it.

Jamie looked over towards one of the windows to the right, most of them were either way too long or too tiny for the space, an odd build, but this particular one gave way to the skyline lying over the remainder of the city. I often wondered what the lower levels might look out at, thinking it was probably the majority of the surrounding buildings, and couldn’t help but feel a little thankful that we’d managed to snag this unit.

When he glanced back over at me, I took a sip and let him speak.

“A lot went on, that much I know, and it’s your choice how you deal with it. But, I saw the two of you. I saw him change. Which is stupid to say, I know, but it doesn’t stop it from being true. He was different with you, he actually tried in other aspects of his life and not just with the band and the music. He looked genuinely happy.” He smiled softly at the eye roll I gave, but it didn’t appear to deter him. “Don’t get me wrong, I know you didn’t fucking cure him. Don’t work like that, does it? But you helped. You and Teddy both.”

I looked away then, back towards the window, unable to really help it, and instead allowed my eyes to trail over the clouds which powdered the dusty blue sky. 

“It was different. Things were different, and I know that there was love there. There couldn’t not have been. The way he looked at you…” Jamie shook his head ever so slightly as he breathed out, unaware of just how deeply his words had cut. But then he peered over at me and I found myself already looking back, air caught somewhere in the swell of my lungs. 

“Don’t.” I choked out, the grip on my mug having tightened tenfold. “Just,” I shook my head.

Jamie put his coffee down on the desk and moved to stand, hands raised to convey he wasn't a threat. “I’m not saying this to hurt you more, love. Just telling you how I saw it.”

I licked at my lower lip, casting my eyes downwards. Our silence stretched and all could be heard was the odd car horn and chirp from beyond the walls of the studio, until-

“Anyone here?”

I blinked back the tears which had started to well in my eyes and sniffed, head shooting up just in time to spot a familiar giant ducking their head under the beam of the doorway, limbs following right after.

George entered but then stopped short when he spotted his manager stood by me, and I laughed to myself at the way the pair of them seemed to eye one another, before stepping in, “Didn’t hear you ring the buzzer.”

Kind eyes darted over to find my soft smile then, welcoming him in, and so George finally moved in closer, laying the jacket he wore to rest over one of the armchairs.

“Yeah, someone was just leaving and let me in.” He answered my unasked question, shrugging as he added, “Dunno whether they recognised me or if they just let anyone up.”

“Probably the second,” Jamie piped up, seemingly having broken himself from his previous bout of surprise, “This lot ‘round here don’t give much of a shit about crap like that.”

I rolled my eyes, but was glad to have a reason to smile slightly. “Or they spotted the BFG making his way over and wanted to avoid pissing him off.”

Jamie cackled whilst George just shot me a narrow-eyed look, “Hilarious. That pot just boiled?” He asked me as he wandered over. I nodded in turn and moved to grab him a cup, only faltering when he lowered my hand with his own and shook his head. “I got it.”

I dipped my head slightly, blinking before taking a step back to let him work. He made a quick go of it, rummaging around the cupboards briefly to find what he needed and only asking for the spoon I still held for some odd reason when he was near done. 

Jamie appeared to have been watching him too, a calculating glaze to his eyes, and he chose that next moment to speak up, “How you been anyway, George? Not seen much of you lately.”

Something unspoken passed between them when George glanced over at him, but I couldn’t tell what.

“Good, busy.” Was what the taller decided on, throwing Jamie a quick smile when he crossed to toss his own teabag in the bin before settling on the counter to the left of me. “You?”

It almost sounded sarcastic, not how he said it but simply because he’d asked it at all, knowing everything that had recently occurred. It must have been a right nightmare for Jamie these last few days, what with him being the band’s main man.

Jamie just laughed though, goodnaturedly, though it was apparent that he was still trying to suss out what was going on, what with George’s sudden appearance. Seeing as I’d never once mentioned him to Jamie.

See, things with George had all started after that studio session Teddy had attended, followed by my wishing him a happy birthday just before Matty had gone and done what he did best. Wrecked it all.

Teddy had become all too smitten with the drummer since he’d first been introduced to the band and their many songs and music videos. He enjoyed the guitar he’d been gifted an awful lot, often playing with it and practising, but each time any sort of song played on the tele or the radio, or even in the car, it wasn’t hard to note the way Teddy instantly mimicked George’s swift movements, pretending to drum along to whatever beat heard. 

George had messaged me on Instagram later that same day, seeing as how apparently Teddy’s appearance at the studio had stuck with him, and asked after him a little. It seemed strange worded like that, but George reckoned that Teds had a real streak of a musicality about him, even as young as he was, and wanted to see if Teddy would be up for learning some more. 

Which had been a Godsend, honestly, what with how the next couple of days had gone down. I’d given him my number via dm just before the storm had started and then the afternoon that had followed the plethora of articles he’d called.

He’d asked how I was at first, almost consoling me in that easy way of his, so full of little words, which had been all too refreshing in truth.

I’d had texts and calls off of practically everyone I knew, even Ronan, the utter prick. And none had managed to soothe me quite like George’s had, seeing as the man had been there too. Not quite in my position, sure, but near enough. He’d even let a little of it slip when he’d popped on over that same day, bringing a bag of takeaway and a roll up drum mat as a gift for Teddy, who had been cooped up with me on the sofa for most of the afternoon. 

The two of them had bonded over it rather quickly, Teddy having been caught off guard by George’s sincerity almost as much as I had been. But then I'd found myself getting to know the drummer too and very much appreciating the unnecessary gesture he’d made for me, even with the pair of us not knowing one another as well as we could have.

I had no idea what was going on between him and Matty, I hadn’t had the balls to ask, but he’d mentioned he hadn’t heard much of anything from him since the night of his party, as well as the fact that his girlfriend, Charli, had been just as annoyed with everything that had gone down.

I knew he’d be stopping by at some point today, we’d made plans to get lunch once he’d heard I was back at the studio on my own, but not recording. I reckoned he was concerned and this was his way of showing it, but it was hard to tell with him most of the time seeing as he’d made it out as though I was doing him a favour here. An effort I came to find I much appreciated. 

“Work, you know how it is.” Jamie replied after a long pause. He was still standing in the same position he’d been in since George arrived, but seemed to move then, picking up what was left of his coffee and pouring what remained down the sink. “But I’d best be going, got a couple calls to make. You gonna be at the studio tomorrow?”

George hummed around his next sip, pulling away with only a dip of his chin. “Should be.”

Jamie smiled, nodding, “Good, I’ll let the rest of them know then.”

I caught George’s slight wince at that, though he didn’t protest his manager's comment. It made me wonder.

Jamie turned to me then, shucking on his jacket. I perked up, not having realised that he really was rushing to leave now. “Remember what I said, alright?”

I blinked, but then nodded. How could I forget? I wanted to ask, but instead said, “You don’t have to head out so quick.”

He sent me a reassuring grin as he flipped over the collar of his coat. “You won’t miss me much,” He then teased before roping me into a hug, “Weren’t lying when I said I had a couple calls though, so it’s best I get out of your hair whilst I still can.” 

I smiled softly at the sound of his lighthearted chuckle and nodded before following him over to the door, “Stay safe.”

Jamie rolled his eyes, all too used to my typical parting now, though amused by it all the same. “Can’t promise anything.” He retorted with a smirk, shuffling over the threshold whilst his eyes flickered back to where George still stood once more. “So, about before?”

I inhaled shakily, though Jamie didn’t seem to notice, fingering the pockets of his jacket in search of his mobile. “I’ll think about it.” I told him.

He flashed me a grin at that, pleased, then let his heel trail over to meet the top step of the metal grating. “Talk to you later then.”

I nodded and watched for a second as he descended the staircase, head bobbing down the first set before he turned and disappeared from view. Sliding back inside, I shut the door quietly behind me, taking a second to steel my nerves before facing the room again.

During that time, George had seemingly gone and made himself comfy on the settee, his mug settled on a coffee table coaster. I moved to join him after putting both mine and Jamie’s cups under the tap to rinse before just leaving them to soak.

George was fiddling with something when I sat down beside him but shuffled over a tad to allow me to get more comfortable, “So what was that about?” I questioned.

“With Jamie?” He asked and I nodded, even though I reckoned he already knew what I was on about. 

He shrugged slightly and I noted the way his finger trailed over a slip of folded paper, it was creased as though it had been played or fiddled with a dozen times too many. My brow seemed to furrow at the sight of it. 

“He tried phoning a few times but I’ve not been too keen on answering, learnt that I’ll just get dragged into the drama if I do.” George finally answered, and for some reason I felt a wad of guilt pool in my stomach upon hearing it, even though I hadn’t been the one to cause this mess.

Or maybe I was just kidding myself.

“Sorry.”

George huffed as he turned to peer over at me, elbows resting on the tops of his knees. “Nothing to be sorry for.” He told me and then gifted me a sweet smile, “None of this is on you. Just thought we were in the clear, you know?” He looked away at that and his smile dimmed into something smaller, almost sadder. “Figured I wouldn’t have to go dodging my mates calls anymore, or be roped into cleaning up everyone else’s messes.”

He reached a hand out to settle on my knee then, probably having noticed the way I was chewing on the insides of my cheek, or maybe the fact that my lip was now trembling. I’d never felt so shitty. So at fault for something I hadn’t really seen coming, nor could I prevent.

“Not your fault, remember?” He reiterated to me, squeezing my joint softly before pulling away. I sniffed before looking up at him with a tiny smile. 

“Promise I don’t usually cry this much. Just been a shitty week is all.” I told him, laughing pitifully as I toyed with the hem of the jumper I’d put on earlier that morning when I’d purposefully avoided the hoodie that had been left on my desk chair, as well as the cupboard full of clothes that didn’t belong to me.

I felt the settee dip slightly before I found him sitting right beside me, lifting an arm to wrap me up in a hug. His cheek came to rest on the side of my head and I felt my heart break that little bit more, because it reminded me that in a second, or two, I wouldn’t have that sense of protection he now offered, shielding me from the rest of the world.

“You’ve been put through the wringer.” George murmured and I had to laugh just a little bit, he laughed too, the sound of it reverberating through his chest to where my head rested. “Fucking cry if you want to, alright? No judgement here."

I spluttered a little on my next chuckle, smiling as I wiped at my eyes. George’s arm just tightened its hold by a fraction, as though he knew it would make things that little bit easier. We both sat there like that for a while, and I appreciated the fact that he was okay with a bit of quiet. That he didn’t run scared from it or try to start up an awkward conversation simply to fill it.

Silence was something I’d come to realise that George often favoured. Because sometimes that was all you really needed.

I don’t know how long we continued like that before he shuffled and pulled that same piece of paper from earlier back into view, holding the corner of it between his forefinger and thumb. I pulled away slightly, looking down at it and then back up at him with a small frown.

“What?”

George merely blinked, staring down at the paper with an odd look before he finally placed it in the hand I had resting on my thigh. My frown only deepened.

“What is it?” I asked him, finger trailing over an edge just as he had done when I’d first spotted it. When I went to unfold it from the opposing corner, he stopped me. 

Confused, I turned to raise a brow at him, only to find him already looking back at me. He bit into his lower lip and then flattened his mouth into a stern line, “I found that when I was last in the studio.”

My chest tightened for some reason, but I was still so baffled. “Okay?”

We were sitting up better now, George’s arm having slipped from my shoulders to come to rest in his lap, fingers trailing over his left hand’s rigid set of knuckles.

“I figured you should see it.” He added in his usual drawl, though his eyes flickered up from the paper to catch mine then and I realised it must've been important. He seemed wary enough to warrant it.

I went to unfold it once again, but then his hand really reached out to stop my own, “I don’t know if I should be here when you do.”

That alone made me even more curious, although there was an edge of caution that now warred at me. “Why?”

George gifted me a gentle smile, the hand that still laid over top of my own squeezing kindly. “I’ll go grab us some food, alright? If you want to open it then do, if not. I won’t mention it again.”

He moved to stand then but my hand shot out to grab at the sleeve of his arm, “George.” But I didn’t know what else to say, I knew I was fearful though.

His fingers moved to meet mine, resting there for a short moment, “It’s your choice. Just, I couldn’t keep it from you.”

I swallowed thickly as he pushed to his feet, the scuff off his heavy boots bouncing off the hardwood floors. Slowly he moved to grab his jacket, giving me time to say no, to deny his offer. But I couldn’t, I couldn’t do much of anything really.

The door shut behind him with a soft click a minute later and the quiet of the studio suddenly consumed me. When I glanced back down at the paper I held once more I saw the slight tremble of my hands. I forced myself to exhale, but even that was shaky.

I was careful as I unfolded it, listening to the rustle it made before scrawled lines that had bled through to the other side caught my attention. Pausing, I took a moment to just look at them and then thoughtlessly hurried to reveal the rest of it, taking in its full form. My throat tightened at the sight of familiar scribbles.

You had me from the start  Pulling all the stops out  On the down low, secretly  But I think you knew your psychology  Was working on me  Infatuated  And doing this all wrong  You've got  My number and my name  And you've got me going  Yeah, you've got me going  Can I see you every day?  Do you love me  Like I love you?  Ah, you've got me going  Yeah, you've got me going

(Song: Ride - Future Love)

It was as if something in me had shifted and then turned, sparking itself its very own flame on a bone too sharp and growing and growing until its singed edges burnt and blackened every part of me. 

I must've sat there staring down at it for ages. Crying silently and alone in an empty room, something I’d been avoiding doing since this had all started. Though I supposed it had been inevitable.

His words. His thoughts. Bared to me on a single page. Him none the wiser to any of it. Probably having not even realised it was gone, or missing. And George had read it. He’d seen it and still, after everything, had given them to me.

A tear dropped from my chin then, blotting the page and I could only watch on as the dark ink appeared to cling to it, seeping further and further into the paper. Smudging the ‘Do you love me’ enough so that my breath stuttered and I was suddenly moving all too quickly for my mind to catch up with my thoughtless actions.

Not even a second later my phone was in my hand. 

Messages now To: Jamie O (glasses!) When can he meet me? 

–

Matty had always had a thing for Sundays. 

There was just something about them. Not all that Godly shite that people preached about it being holy and the first day of the week, ‘cause to him Monday would always hold that title- and Monday’s fucking sucked dick. 

No, it was because there was just something peaceful that settled on Sundays, it took him back to simpler times, of days when he’d just been a kid and roast dinners were spent ‘round his nana’s house. Or when Newcastle would play on afternoons and his dad would finally be home to watch with him. 

There was just something about them, you know. He didn’t much believe in luck, typically only the bad sort. But if someone held a gun to his head and told him he had to claim a day which would forever work in his favour, it would just have to be Sunday.

Still, he was unsure on where he currently stood with that sentiment as of late. Seeing as how he was currently in the backseat of a cab, jittery hands clinging onto shaking knees whilst rows of houses, broken up by hues of green and blue, rolled on past him.

It hadn’t been a last minute thing, but it felt much like it. The anticipation was getting to him, he knew that much, sweat licking at the back of his neck whilst his shoulders worked their way up to the lobes of his ears.

Jamie had somehow managed it.

Called him up late last night just before Ross had headed off to bed to tell him that she would finally see him. Jamie’d asked if he’d be alright going alone or if they’d prefer a buffer there, but Matty had immediately declined. So he was doing it alone. Though he couldn’t help but wonder if that had been a misstep on his part, if it would have made things easier on her having someone there, or maybe just given him some semblance of relief as the car slowly drove its way over to her house. The very place he hadn’t stepped foot in since the night of George’s birthday party.

But he hadn’t earnt that reassurance. Felt wrong to bring somebody else along either way. So he was stuck, toying with his phone, hoping or praying that a text wouldn’t come through saying that she’d gone and changed her mind.

It had been just under a week since he’d last seen her. But it felt as though time had dragged out slowly, mocking him or maybe even torturing him for all of his many wrongdoings. 

He fretted over what she might say when she caught sight of him, he himself having only spotted the state he’d worked himself into when he’d been getting ready that morning.

There were heavy bags set beneath his eyes from where he hadn’t really slept and his cheeks were hollowed in that way that they used to revert to when he’d have a particularly hard weekend way back when. If the papers caught wind of him he already knew what the first articles would say, what they would so obviously claim. But he knew the truth, just hoped that she would know it too.

He was startled from his mind at the jerk of the car pulling up onto the nearest curb. His eyes widened in sudden alarm when he realised just what that meant and then caught the look of dismay that crossed the driver’s face when the bloke looked back to announce that they’d arrived. If the man didn’t already think he was on something, then now he definitely did.

Matty swallowed stupidly and then tried for a smile, struggling to undo his seatbelt with the kickstart of shaking that overtook his hands. The driver took pity on him though, turning away to fiddle with something up front that probably didn’t need fiddling with, and finally Matty’s thumb managed to catch the button.

Releasing himself from the confines of the car, he paused just before the door could slam close behind him, handing the man a couple notes in tip, if only to apologise for his edgy behaviour or buy himself a little more time if the driver had somehow managed to suss him out even with his hat, hood and scarf. “Cheers.” He said.

The man blinked at the onslaught of cash and then nodded repeatedly, “Yes, thank you.”

Matty exhaled shakily and then dipped his chin in another goodbye, stepping back onto the curb and watching the cab pull away before he found himself alone once more.

This was it, he supposed.

The street hadn’t changed much in a matter of days but his mind made it seem as though it had. As though suddenly he didn’t belong. The odd man out.

He shoved his hands into the confines of his pockets, pivoting on his heel to face what he’d come here to do. But nothing had prepared him for the way his stomach suddenly bottomed out at the sight of her front door.

The sound of a car horn a way away spooked him, causing him to jump, but did eventually force him forward off the curb and onto the cracked pavement. He stared down at all the dips and curves they had to offer him the entire way up the path until finally, he reached her front steps.

If anyone asked, Matty would tell them it was as though he’d been working on autopilot when he pried the silver knocker up from the wood and let it rap twice. Though that would be an utter lie. His head screamed at him the whole while and his fingers blurred before him when he’d raised them up to grasp at the chilled metal. 

He’d never felt so sick, just standing there, the seconds slowly trickling into minutes, or perhaps even hours. It honestly felt as the day was slowly growing colder the longer that he stood there, staring at a coat of familiar paint, before finally hinges creaked and the door opened, revealing a sight that would’ve surely cured sore eyes, if only it hadn’t gone and broken his heart first.

It wasn’t immediate, the effect the past couple days had had on her. It was more in the way she held herself, the sadness which clung to her every fibre, the way she wouldn’t quite look him in the eye.

She stared, caught in a standstill, and for a long moment did nothing before silently and slowly she withdrew enough to allow him through.

Matty didn’t dare utter a word, let alone breathe. Careful to avoid brushing against her or stepping on her toes as he slowly crossed over the threshold to get in, though the hands he’d hidden in his coat pockets curled into fists to keep himself steady.

The first thing he noted upon first entering was the significant state of the flat, it wasn’t messy or untidy by any means, but looked nothing at all like a house typically inhabited by a child should, or at least a monster as chaotic as he knew Teddy to be. It was almost as though Mouse had been expecting a letting agent to pass through with a couple dozen couples, what with how clean it was. He almost reckoned that if he were to crouch down right there he’d probably be able to make out the seam of his jeans in the reflection of the floors.

“You can just hang your-”

“I know.” Matty whispered, not intentionally meaning to cut her off but unable to help himself anyway. 

It hurt, feeling as though he was just a guest in a place he had practically considered home not too long ago. He coughed lightly and shrugged off his coat to do so anyway, hanging it up where he usually did, something which made him pause for a split second, wondering whether this could possibly be the last time he’d have the privilege of doing so.

“Right.” Mouse murmured somewhere behind him, snapping Matty out of his thoughts. She stepped on by him just after, eyes trained on the end of the hallway until they reached the living room, “Erm, I’m just starting on a brew. You can wait here if you want.”

He wanted to follow after her, to fall down onto his knees and fucking sob there at her feet, but he was scared he’d dirty her floors or more than likely end up looking like a total knob. He would. Fucking felt like one just from thinking it. So he did as instructed, moving towards the sofa, taking note of everything and anything the room had to offer him. 

Matty’s eyes flickered over to the kitchen doorway when he realised she’d stopped there, fiddling with her nails before she caught him looking and dropped her hands. “Just realised I didn’t ask if you wanted anything.”

God, it was so fucking strained.

He took a short breath in and attempted to smile, “Tea sounds good.” Was all that he said, and watched on as her brow wrinkled, head tilting with it.

“Uh, I still have that coffee you like. The one you brought over, if you’d prefer.” She told him and he recognised her confusion for what it was, or maybe it was just her weariness over letting him know that his stuff was still where he’d left it. Or, maybe, just fucking maybe he was reading way too much into everything.

“Tea’s good.” Matty murmured, feeling a little less tense now that he knew that she was sort of sitting in the same boat. “But thanks.”

Her chest rose and fell with her next breath and he watched her nod with difficulty at him, still not meeting his eye. “Right, just be a sec then.”

She disappeared past the door with that, whilst he simply stood and listened to the run of the tap and then the flick of the kettle, feeling stupid for having missed something he hadn’t even realised he’d taken note of before. 

But that was just typical, wasn’t it? To miss something so mundane now that it was no longer expected.

Once he heard the clink of mugs Matty allowed his gaze to roam, trailing over the bundle of neatly folded throws settled on the wicker basket by the sofa, ones he knew that if Teddy was here would still be scattered all over the floor before the tv. 

There were a couple of coasters laid out on the coffee table, though the fruit bowl had since been removed, something he knew Mouse did whenever there were only a few pieces left or none at all. There would probably be grapes or something of the sort in the fridge though.

She had a couple of receipts left out on the shelf below the mirror she’d hung up on the wall when she’d first moved in, and the picture frames beside them were still the same. Only one was missing, and he knew which. 

He noticed that the candles over by the lamp were new though, expensive if he remembered rightly because he was sure that he’d spotted them round someone else’s place recently. He wondered briefly over who could’ve gifted them to her, knowing that she much preferred her usual scents, only ever splurging on the larger Yankee Candle jars they had to offer in the local Debenhams.

He found himself smiling at the thought.

It was then that she shuffled back into the room though, stalling his observations. She carried two mugs in her hand and a small plate loaded with biscuits on her forearm. Immediately Matty moved to help her, taking the plate from her even with knowing that she had it handled.

“I could’ve managed.” She murmured, though not unkindly, and then thanked him quietly once she’d gone and placed the mugs down. 

Matty followed her lead, settling the biscuits near the edge of the coffee table, between the two coasters, before fumbling for a second over where to sit. Squeaks seemed to take to one end of the settee so Matty perched on the other, though closer to the middle crease than the arm.

“You got hobnobs?” Matty finally asked, breaking the silence again, eyes flicking over to the plate he’d just held before shooting back over to find her.

She blushed faintly at his comment, then shrugged. “You like them, don’t you?”

Matty scoffed lightly, a soft smile limning his lips, “Yeah, but you hate them. Once claimed that they were like digestives only after being shat out.”

She wrinkled her nose at that, though Matty was quite sure he could spot the mirth that flickered across her face. “Want them or not?”

Rolling his eyes in fond exasperation and knowing not to push it, he picked one up and settled in a little more comfortably into the sofa cushions.

The silence would’ve been almost unbearable if she hadn’t had the foresight to have turned the tv on low before he’d arrived. So whilst a documentary played on one of the many BBC channels, Matty struggled with himself to find the best thing to say. Though he needn’t have bothered, she was always one step ahead.

“So, I think I should start by saying that I um, I know I held a lot of expectations.” 

Almost simultaneously, Matty frowned.

She just wrung her hands together once before thinking better of it and laying them flat in her lap. Matty merely wished to reach out and take them in his own. “And I get that it must’ve been a struggle for you, to basically go from like one end of a scale and then jump right off the other side. But, I-”

“What are you on about?” Matty interrupted, unable to help himself in truth, so beyond baffled by the sudden speech she’d started. She stopped and blinked over at him, finally looking him in the eye. At last.

“What do you mean?” She retorted with a pinch between her brows, “Listen, I planned this all out, alright? So can I just get out what I want to say?”

Matty stared, then forced out a breath of air. “Squeaks,” She shuttered at the name, closing off slightly, enough so that Matty took quick note and wished he hadn’t said a thing, but yet, he still carried on. Desperate to save any blundered attempt he’d make. “Look, this weren’t on you. None of it was, okay?”

Her eyes trailed back over towards him at that, though her expression was almost unreadable. Matty struggled with that bit the most, he’d always been able to read her for the most part.

“So, this crap about expectations and me struggling with whatever idea you’ve made up in your mind is stupid.” Her eyes narrowed then and he watched her work her jaw, obviously none too happy about his retort. He withheld a heavy sigh, “I’m not- Look, I’m not trying to be difficult I’m just saying that- What I’m trying to say is, that every relationship has goals or expectations, that’s normal. But nothing you ever did forced me do what I did. That shit? It was all on me. It was me being insecure and scared, yeah? So, don’t go trying to excuse it. Because I’ve had people do that for me for far too fucking long now and hearing it come from you...” 

He sort of felt himself slump at that, a little bitter and resentful over the fact that she’d since come to think of it that way. As though his mistakes were all just down to her and her inability to do right by him. He realised though, belatedly, that if anyone else had done exactly that, or even attempted to, in any other scenario he just might have taken up the offer and ran with it. But this was her, this was Squeaks. 

She was quiet for a time, then she picked up her mug, eyes trained on the movement of it before, “What then?” 

“What?” Matty frowned once more, shuffling forward in his seat in an attempt to catch her eye again.

“Why did you do it then? Why’d you lie, why didn’t you tell me about Teddy?”

That knot he’d been feeling for weeks now. The one at the very end of his tongue, all tied and tangled in the back of his throat, suddenly shrivelled up and slackened, leaving a bitter aftertaste and a plethora of guilt behind.

Matty’s gaze wandered over to the window, to where Teddy’s guitar sat in its stand just before a heavy set of grey curtains. He withheld the urge to pick at his nails as he searched for the right words to give her, wanting so honestly to tell her the truth, to give her a play by play of what had happened in detail, as well as every thought that had gone through his mind. 

“It wasn’t what it looked like for a start.”

Mouse scoffed a little at that, and Matty couldn’t be mad at it. If he was sat on the other end of this he’d been doing more than just that, he’d be up in arms, tossing shit about and raving to all who would listen.

Still, his eyes trailed down to where his hands now laid in his lap and he pressed his thumb to his palm. “We were on the highstreet, on the way back here.” He started, voice quiet as his stare tracked the faint lines of his hand, “The guy you saw in the pictures came out of nowhere really. Me and Teds had just been at that ice cream shop a way down, I didn’t even spot him until he was there, in my face.”

Matty wet his lower lip, mouth suddenly going dry. Mouse just waited.

“Teddy was quick to hide behind me, you know? The loudmouth didn’t even really notice him until the last minute. But you have to know, all I wanted was to get him out of there. To avoid staying too long and attracting the wrong sort of attention. Okay? So I’d said I had to get going as soon as he'd spoken, told him I didn’t have time to stay and chat.” 

He took a quick breath with that, eyes still centred on the deepest groove of his palm. “But then he, then he brought up Luke. Said something about the funeral he didn't go to and wanting to celebrate his life.” Out of the corner of his eye he saw Squeaks’s hands still from their previous bout of fidgeting. “But I told him I was clean. He didn’t believe me at first, which,” Matty huffed out a self-deprecating laugh, “Well, I can’t blame him for that, what with my track record.”

He heard her inhale then and looked up, it seemed as though she was going to say something but thought better. So Matty bit down on the insides of his cheeks to keep from asking before he exhaled slowly, digging a nail into that groove.

“He got a bit aggy, started calling me a toff and whatnot, because I 'spose I was just a rich boy who bought him a couple grams of coke every now and then.” He clucked his tongue thinking about it, but eventually shrugged. “Then I don’t know, he must’ve looked down or something ‘cause that’s when he,” Matty paused and his gaze shot over to her, then away again, “That’s when he spotted Teddy.”

Mouse wrinkled her mouth, then tried to nod, obviously wanting him to continue. Though she kept her eyes trained on the rim of her mug.

“That’s when he said some shit and I reacted.”

“Said what?”

Matty startled a little at the sound of her question but was hasty in his attempt to answer. “Just, he reckoned that Teddy was mine and that I had to have knocked someone up. So now they were just using me for the money.”

Her eyes slipped closed and her fingers tightened their grip on her cup.

Swallowing thickly, Matty went to continue, “I shoved him and told him to do one- that’s what they caught in those photos. I didn't take anything he offered, I didn't even look back after. Just walked away, thinking of Teddy, trying to get him out of there. The bloke, he kept on shouting, saying some crap about this and that. But I carried on walking.”

Matty was proud of that fact, even with everything that had happened since. Not too long ago, a different version of him would have handled it all too severely. It was a step, a tiny one, sure, but it was progress.

“Then what?” Mouse voiced, prompting him along with just a look.

“Then we walked home.” Matty replied, feeling that familiar cloud of shame dawn over him. “We didn’t really speak, I- I was a bit of a mess, trying to figure out what to do next, what to tell Teddy, to say to make it right again. But Teds, he,” Matty hauled in his next breath, all too fucking close to bawling, that he could admit. “He called for me and I looked down at him. All I could say was sorry, Mouse.”

She nodded tightly, the knuckles she had wrapped around her tea cup had whitened.

“He,” Matty felt the corners of his mouth lift as he remembered the bittersweet memory of Teddy trying to soothe him, “He told me it was alright, that we were okay, but I just kept on saying sorry. He said that the bloke was just a bad man, and I assured him of that. Wanting him to know that we were okay, that the guy was long gone. But then he-”

Matty stopped altogether then, a picture of Teddy's little face coming to the forefront of his mind, and Squeaks immediately took note.

“Then what?”

Her eyes were so full of emotion, but which ones he wasn’t too sure. Still, the sight tightened every muscle in his chest as he forced himself to finish what he’d started. “He said we couldn’t tell you.”

Matty knew he couldn’t have imagined the sharp inhale that sounded from her then, as though she'd just received a blow to the chest. And he so desperately wanted to reach out, to wrap her up and just fucking hold her. But he couldn't. It wasn't his place.

He watched on as she licked at her top lip though, blinking back the wetness that shone in her eyes, “Why?” Her voice cracked on the question but she did not cry.

It was a simple answer. “He didn’t want to hurt you.”

Mouse stood then, placing the cup down with some force before she hastily made her way over to the front window. Matty stayed seated, unsure if he’d be welcome near her.

“It fucking broke me, Squeaks.” He admitted after a moment, his lips now tingled with the sheer amount of effort it took for him to not let his emotions get the better of him. “I didn’t know what to do.”

“You should have told me.” Was her reply, sharp and cutting, enough that it fucking wounded. Because Matty knew that she was right.

“I know.” He answered.

“You should have fucking told me, Matty!” She repeated, turning then to face him. He saw the tremble of her shoulders, the curve of her mouth and how it quaked. He stared, couldn't bring himself to look away.

“I know.”

He swallowed, throat almost aching as much as the hole that made up the majority of his chest. 

"Why didn't you tell me?"

“I don't know.” He murmured, mostly to himself.

#the 1975 #fic #matty healy #angst #radio host #reader #x reader #x you #george daniel #ross macdonald #the 1975 band #adam hann #fluff #humour #smut #matty healy fic #matty 1975 #matty healy x reader #matty x reader #matty healy x you #ao3 #fame #strangers to lovers #mum reader #kid fic #getting together #SLOWBURN #mutual pining #Warnings #aipoban

[avocado-writing]

we need a rewrite of the tiefling party where tav can actually convince wyll to join the party and have fun please 🥹

notes: love love love writing for Wyll. he's such a sweetie! Implied bard reader but not explicit.

rating: T, but there will be a spicy part 2 coming up!

The party is lively and your head is swimming from the buzz of attention. That, and the small amount of wine you’ve had: not so much as to dull your senses but enough to make you merry. Warmed with Arkhen’s Hoard you take a break from the grateful tieflings and head out towards the familiar babble of the river. The further from camp you go the quieter your surroundings get, and you’re able to breathe a little more easily knowing there aren’t half a dozen children hanging on your every word. It’s lovely to be the centre of attention because you helped them, but a little overwhelming with all those eyes on you.

Of course, that’s not the only reason that you’ve come wandering over this way.

Wyll sits with his legs crossed on the bank, staring at the way the water dances under the moonlight. He seems at peace, the calmest he’s been since Mizora appeared and sprouted those horns for him; shoulders relaxed, tensionless. 

“Wondered where you were,” you say, quietly. You don’t want to make him jump after all. It hurts your heart to see the way that his body stiffens when he hears your voice. Ah: there’s the tension again. Nevertheless, he turns to look at you over his shoulder, an easy smile on his lips - but one with a hint of sadness. You’ve studied his face enough in camp in order to know when he’s trying to hide something. It makes your heart ache bitterly that he would try and hide it from you, though. 

“Thought I’d be able to sneak away. Should have known you’d be able to find me.”

You take a seat next to him in the grass. It’s a soft spot he’s managed to pick, not wet from its proximity to the river, but green and lush from its plentiful feeding. You lock eyes with him and press a hand to your chest, mock-wounded.

“Wyll! You make me sound like I’m a bloodhound tracking you down, not someone who cares about you checking in.”

He laughs, and you see him begin to lighten again. When he smiles this time, it’s sincere.

“That’s not what I meant. Apologies. Just that I’m not surprised you know me well enough to guess where I’d end up.”

“Down by the river,” you hum, fingers suddenly itching for the feel of a lute’s strings. 

“You’re always singing that, you know?”

“I am, it’s a good song. I’ve never once heard you complain about it.”

“I’m not complaining! I never would, I love to hear you sing. Since I joined you on this journey, my life has been filled with so much music. It’s been wonderful.”

You put your hands behind you and lean back on them, allowing your face to become level with his. He looks into your eyes and, this close, you can see his breath hitch a little when your fingers brush together.

“I could be persuaded to do an impromptu performance, but I’d need my favourite person in the front row to give me courage.”

“I’m sure that you don’t need me for that. Courage is the one thing you couldn’t possibly lack.”

“To be my muse, then.”

You know if you lifted your hand and felt his cheek, it’d be warm.

“Please, Wyll,” you continue, softly. “Please come and join us. Everybody wants you there. Me especially, if I’m being selfish.”

“Ah…” you can see he’s warring with himself. On one side of the argument, he longs to indulge you. On the other side…

“I’m not sure. I think people may find me off-putting.”

You furrow your brow.

“You? The single most charming man I’ve ever met?”

Another flash of shyness over his face. You can tell that he enjoys the compliment, but his self-doubt wins out.

“Perhaps I was, before the horns.”

“Oh, Wyll. Do you think anybody up there cares about those? A group of your friends and people you fought tooth and nail to protect? I know for a fact that Karlach wants to challenge you to a drinking game.”

“That seems like more of a reason to hide! I think she’d drink me under one of the tables,” Wyll grimaces, and smiles when you laugh at his silliness. He seems a little more open to the idea, but still not completely sold.

“I don’t know… just… the children…”

“The children who love you and hang on your every word? Umi won’t stop asking me where you are, and someone needs to keep Mol in line…”

“I doubt even the gods themselves can do that.”

When he chuckles you find yourself reaching out to cup his cheek, running your thumb over the sharp ridge that was raised there when Mizora cursed him. His eyes widen and glaze over before sliding closed, nuzzling into the gesture, soul laid bare to the sweetness of your touch. 

 “Nobody feels unsettled by you. Nobody is afraid of you.”

His lips fall apart, anticipating the way you reach in to kiss him.

It’s a soft kiss. Lips dancing slowly, a waltz, noses bumping together a little, his horns grazing your hairline. Your heart soars at it.

When it’s over you sit there and breathe together. Sharing the same air, letting your blood thrum through you in an intertwined heartbeat.

“Will you come and join us? Will you come and dance with me?” you ask.

Wyll loses the argument with himself.

“Yes.”

taglist: @ghosti02art @sadandanxiouswtf @yeethaw13 @trappedinlimbo15 @infinitely-kate @dhampling @wereallbrokenangels @tilldeathdonugget

#wyll x reader #wyll x tav #wyll ravengard x reader #wyll ravengard x tav #my writing #request

[flowerandblood]

Song from the Sea (3)

[ Aemond • Targaryen x Greyjoy! • fem! oc!reader]

[warnings: physical violence, angst, swearing, sexual tension]

[description: Aemond and Aegon arrive in the Iron Islands, to confirm the arrangements made years ago and the marriage of Lord Greyjoy's daughter to Aemond. (Anon Request) During a break on a long journey, at one of the taverns Aegon drags him to, Aemond meets a woman, who will change his life forever. (Anon Request) Smut, angst, sexual tension, domination.]

* English is not my first language. Please, do not repost. Enjoy! *

Previous and next chapters: Masterlist

_____

He couldn't believe, what he saw before him. His future wife, the woman, who had amused herself at his expense. She knew who he was from the beginning. His stomach tightened at the thought, that every word she said, was a lie. Nothing he had experienced with her in those few minutes, was true.

She was only testing him, like any woman, with her own agenda. He thought, that she wanted to see, if he was a good lover, and if he was easily manipulated. He turned his head away at the thought of being so easily fooled by her, furious with himself and with her.

He tried not to look at her during the feast. As soon, as she opened her mouth to him, he told her not to talk to him. He didn't want to hear a word from her lying throat, the humiliation burning in his lower abdomen, the feeling, that he would never trust this woman again in his life. He thought, she was his divine punishment, another curse, that heaven had sent upon him.

He didn't feel like eating or staying too long around these people and his imbecile brother. He got up from the table, choked out a matter-of-fact thanks for the meal, and headed for his chamber, without giving her a single glance.

He couldn't hide his surprise, though, as she followed him into the room and closed the door behind her, leaning against it. It seemed to him, that her face expressed something like pride, which unnerved him even more. It terrified him, that he wanted to hit a woman.

"Get out." He hissed, but she responded to his words with a smile. He thought, that she was still mocking him.

“No.” She answered softly, sensually, warmly, so that he felt a shiver run through his body.

Angry at himself and at her, he grabbed her by the neck and pinned her against the wall. The things she said, the things, that came out of her lying, poisoned mouth, made him want to strangle her, watch the life drain slowly from her.

Suddenly something happened to her. Her gaze changed from indifferent to helpless, terrified, tears welled up at the corners of her eyes and ran down her cheeks. Her lips began to tremble, her eyebrows arched pleadingly. He knew, that she hadn't cried over his physical brutality.

He thought, that she looked like a helpless child and released her at once, letting her fall to the floor. He took a few steps away from her, and she cowered, burying her head between her knees, covering her head with her hands, as if protecting herself from someone's blows.

"I should have thrown myself into the sea."

Her words hit him like a dagger straight to his chest. He stared at her blankly, with his mouth slightly parted, feeling his heart pounding hard. For some reason, all the rage drained out of him.

He thought, that she was as distraught as he was. That what happened between them really didn't matter. There, in the inn, they were two other people, enjoying the last moments of their freedom.

He sat on the bed, burying his face in his hands, feeling suddenly weak, tired from the journey, terrified, of what had happened and what was yet to come. Even though they were in the same room, he had the impression, that they lived their agony separately, pretending, that they didn't exist for each other.

He suddenly heard the rustle of her dress and looked up. He saw with surprise, that the girl simply lay on the floor in front of his door, her blank gaze fixed on something in front of her.

"What are you doing?" He asked, deciding, it was one of the most bizarre things, that he'd ever seen. A highborn lady, lying on the dirty floor in the chamber of a strange man, who wasn't even her husband.

"I'm lying." She said indifferently, and he sighed heavily, burying his face in his hands again, deciding, that there was no point in talking to her.

He stood up suddenly, unbuttoning his leather jacket, throwing it to the floor, then did the same with his shoes. He blew out all the candles in his chamber and just lay down under his duvet, deciding, that he needed to rest and simply wouldn't pay any attention to her.

He thought, that he didn't have the strength to deal with her sudden nervous breakdown, as he was going through one. He closed his eye, trying to pretend, that he didn't hear her softly sniffling and ragged breathing.

After several minutes, it was completely silent. He tried to sleep, but he couldn't. He found himself listening to her every move. He wondered, if this was another of her tricks. Wouldn't she just kill him in his sleep to avoid marriage. He shuddered, when he suddenly heard her voice, soft, slightly babbled, as if she were drunk.

"You promised me, father." She mumbled, and he heard her start to sob softly. He spun over his shoulder and saw, that her body was shaking, her eyes squeezed tight. He realized, that she had just dreamed something.

He watched her for a moment, listening to her cries, watching her body tremble slightly, her breathing ragged and restless. He wondered, what he was even doing.

Why does he let the woman, who was going to be his wife, whether he wanted it or not, lie on the floor like a dog. Why couldn't he find a single word of comfort for her, when she was clearly suffering just as much, as he was.

He got out of his bed with a soft creak, approaching her slowly, watching her face, illuminated by the faint moonlight, streaming through the window. He stood over her, looking at her face, contorted in pain and despair.

For some reason, he wanted to wake her up, lift her dress, spread her legs, and just slide his cock inside her. Comfort her and himself, enfold her in his arms, let go, feel the warmth of her body again, her scent, hear her sweet moans, that still echoed in his head.

Instead, he picked her up roughly and tossed her over his shoulder, walking with her back to his bed. She started thrashing around in his arms, throwing him off balance again. He threw her on the bed, pressing her hands to the sheets, to stop her from beating him.

"Stop it." He hissed, looking at her warningly. He saw, that it was only then, that she recognized him, and she swallowed softly, lowering her gaze.

He laid down next to her, with his back to her, not saying a single word. He was furious with himself for still feeling aroused, but decided, that he wouldn't show any weakness this time. After an hour of torment, he managed to fall asleep.

He woke up in the morning to the feeling of someone's small arms, hugging him from behind. He shuddered, startled, not knowing for a moment, where he was.

"Do not go." He heard her soft whisper, tentative, gentle, even somewhat warm. He felt his whole body tense, his jaw clench at the thought, that it was her.

He wanted it and didn't want it at the same time, the closeness of her body making him confused. He lay back without looking at her, pretending not to feel her face pressed against his thin shirt, her breasts pressed against his back under the material of her dress.

He decided not to say anything to her. He didn't want to speak to her, show weakness, show, that he felt any hint of sympathy for her. He thought, that she was trying to appease him again, to get, what she wanted, to throw off his guard. He flinched, his eye widening, his breath caught in his throat, as he heard the next words she spoke.

"Forgive me."

They both lay there, his muscles taut as a string. One of her hands rested on his heart, he was sure, that she could feel it pounding hard, and he swore mentally. He debated, whether to say something or pretend, that he hadn't heard it. He thought, that an apology wasn't enough. But she kept talking.

“I couldn't stop myself. I wanted to meet you. When I saw you, I felt a note of hope. I naively thought, that we could do it. If I told you, who I am, you would hide from me everything, that you showed me that night. Just like me." She whispered softly, hugging him tighter. "I promise, that it was the first and last time. I will never lie to you again."

He swallowed hard at her words. He wanted to believe her, but he couldn't. He didn't trust her. He thought, that she knew exactly, what he wanted to hear, what he wanted as a men. He was sure from what had happened between them, that she had slept with other men before and could wrap them around her finger.

"Yes. That was the first and last time, that I let you fool me. I won't repeat that mistake again." He said as he got up, reaching from the bed for his shoes, putting them on one leg at a time.

“You have strained my hospitality and patience enough. Leave." He spoke calmly and indifferently. She didn't answer him.

After a moment, he heard the soft rustle of her dress and saw her stand up, heading barefoot towards his door, her shoes in her hands. He didn't look at her, when he heard her voice.

"My father wants you to visit Devilwind's with me. We'll spend a few days on this galley. Be prepared for discomfort." She said calmly as she opened and closed the door behind her.

He thought with satisfaction as he buttoned up his leather jacket, that she was not a woman given to dramatize and beg a man's forgiveness. Perhaps it would give him temporary satisfaction, but in the long run, he would despise her.

The prospect of spending a few days on a dirty, old boat, among the stinking seamen, while Aegon drank and played with whores, didn't seem like the happiest to him, but he knew, that he had no choice.

In the afternoon, as agreed, the two of them, accompanied by several guards from her father's fortress, set off towards the port, which was on the other side of the hill. The weather was very cloudy, gray and bland, like everything, that he saw around him.

His future wife, Lady Greyjoy, was dressed like him in a tight-fitting leather outfit consisting of a coat, jacket and trousers. Her hair was tied up in a braid, some of her strands waved majestically around her face.

They rode on horseback side by side without a word, unmoved, as if nothing had happened between them. He was glad, that she didn't force him into pointless discussions about nothing, like most of the women in King's Landing, who wanted his attention.

He noted, that she rode like a man, her posture correct and upright, the dagger at her hip, the same one, she had dared put to his lower abdomen the night before, when he had nearly strangled her.

When they reached the harbour, he saw Devilwind from a distance, and though he wouldn't have said it out loud, the size of the ship, its carvings and details, its black sails and meter-high masts, made him shiver.

He thought, there was no galley in all of King's Landing, that matched its size and splendour. They dismounted, his future wife dismissed their guards, ordering them to return to the keep. She climbed the plank first, stopping halfway, glancing at him over her shoulder.

“There is no god in the sea but the Drowned God, and there is no other king, than the captain. You are a prince, but the master of this ship is Captain Seray, and his command is superior to yours, mine, or my father's. He will treat you with the respect you deserve, but if you humiliate him in front of the crew, I advise you to sleep with your eye open." She said calmly, walking up again, without waiting for him. He pursed his lips at her words, trying not to show his impatience.

He followed her on board, his hands clasped behind his back, his long, black coat unbuttoned, billowing in the wind. The entire crew stood up, staring at him in silence. He felt the pressure, his heart pounding hard in his chest, but he didn't show it - his face was stone.

After a while, a man he recognized immediately, came down from the wheelhouse. His long, white beard was covered with beads and earrings, his big, black hat was already faded and worn, his robes long and made of various gray materials.

He spread his hands to Lady Greyjoy, who gave him a warm, gentle smile. Captain Seray walked over to her, cupped her cheeks in his worn, large hands, and kissed her forehead, as if she were his own daughter. After a moment he turned to him, his expression attentive and benevolent. Aemond swallowed hard, recognizing him as the man, who had brought her to the inn that night.

"My prince." He spoke softly and bent down slightly, bowing down to him. "It's an honor to have you on my ship."

The entire crew watched intently at his reaction. He looked at Lady Greyjoy, who was looking at him over her shoulder with concern mixed with pleading. He pursed his lips, as he stared at the tall man in front of him. He decided, that he represented the crown, and he could not afford to be personal, when he came on behalf of his father.

"Thank you for this opportunity, captain. I'm excited to see the world's largest ship in all its glory, sailing at sea." He said calmly, indifferently, his gaze piercing and dangerous.

The captain stared at him for a moment, then laughed rudely, slapping his big hands against his thighs.

"We're sailing out, you mad dogs! Raise the anchor! Spread the sails!” He shouted in a booming, hoarse voice, as he strode briskly towards the wheelhouse, the people around him suddenly running without a word, throwing themselves at the ropes, doing a dozen things at once. His future wife beckoned him to follow her.

"I'll show you your cabin, my prince." She said softly, as she went belowdecks, moving around the ship, as if she knew every inch of it. He wondered, how long she had been at sea and what the men she traveled with thought of her.

Aemond had to admit, that he wasn't quite expecting this. They walked through a narrow corridor, but although there was not much space and the whole galley rocked in the waves, making them have to lean against the walls as they walked, the whole thing was tastefully designed and the ship itself was rich.

Lady Greyjoy opened the door, inviting him in with her hand. He entered a room with two round windows, one small bed, a writing table, and a wardrobe.

"It's the second richest room after the captain's." She said calmly, as she followed him inside.

"Who did it belong to before?" He asked indifferently, accustomed to the discomfort of traveling on Vhagar, looking around dispassionately.

"To me." She said softly, as she turned and walked outside, leaving him alone. He stared over his shoulder for a moment, then turned to look out the window, lost in thought. He left his coat on the bed and went upstairs.

He saw, that they were already on the high seas, the port and hills of the Iron Islands barely visible in the distance. He was amazed at the speed at which they sailed, the mighty galley rushing forward, crashing against the great waves, blowing his hair. He thought, that he had felt a similar feeling, when he had flown on Vhagar.

He saw Lady Greyjoy in the distance, standing by the rail, staring into the distance, her hair flowing and plastered to her face. He thought, that was the freedom, that she was talking about, when she said, that she would give up everything for him. He approached her slowly, trying to keep his balance, as the whole boat shook and heaved, as it surged forward.

He stood behind her, clasping his hands behind him, looking out at the endless sea. He never thought about the view, always marveling at the sky above him. He wondered, if this ship was like his dragon to her.

She glanced at him over her shoulder, and they stared at each other in silence for a moment. She looked down, turning again, her face in profile to him. In the daylight, he thought, her face was even brighter, her golden eyes now looking almost brown, warm and large, her eyebrows arched in some unspeakable worry. He thought, that she was no longer pretending to him.

“This is my last cruise before I marry you. The last expedition into the depths of the sea." She whispered, and he had to concentrate to hear, what she was saying, over the loud crashing of the waves against the bottom of the ship.

He looked at her uneasily, his lips pressed together, his muscles tensed. For some reason, he felt a tightness in his chest, a kind of sympathy. If anyone had told him, that he would never ride Vhagar again, he would have killed himself.

She looked at him, hopelessness, pain and sadness in her eyes. She looked at him, as if she wanted him to comfort her, and he didn't know what to say.

"Tell me it's worth it." She whispered, her voice breaking at the end of the sentence, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Tell me that someday we'll find, that it made sense. That this was our destiny."

He looked at her, his heart clenching. He swallowed hard, his face trying to be indifferent.

"I can not promise you that."

He saw something inside her snap at his words. She turned her head away from him, looking at the endless sea, the sounds of the waves and the wind drowning out her silent sobs. He wanted to touch her, but he knew, that he couldn't, not with so many witnesses.

He approached her slowly from behind, his body inches from hers. He thought, that there was something, that he could give to both her and himself. He leaned over her ear and whispered only one sentence.

"Come visit me at night."

_____

Aemond Taglist:

(bold means I couldn't tag you)

@its-actually-minicika @notnormalthings-blog @nikstrange @zenka69 @bellaisasleep @k-y-r-a-1 @g-cf2020 @melsunshine @opheliaas-stuff @chainsawsangel @iiamthehybrid @tinykryptonitewerewolf @namoreno @malfoytargaryen @qyburnsghost @aemondsdelight @persephonerinyes @fan-goddess @sweethoneyblossom1 @watercolorskyy @astral-blossoms @randomdragonfires @amirawritespoorly @apollonshootafar @padfooteyes @darylandbethfanforever9 @fudge13 @snh96 @diosademuerte @rwdkarla @echos-muses

Others: @letmeloveyouuuu @fantasias-creativebubble

#aemond fic #aemond fanfiction #aemond targaryen #aemond x oc #aemond x fem!reader #hotd aemond #ewan mitchell #ewan mitchell fanfic #aemond targeryen angst #hotd angst #aemond angst #aemond targaryen smut #aemond smut #hotd smut #ewan mitchell smut #house of the dragon aemond #prince aemond #aemond one eye #aemond the kinslayer #dark aemond targaryen #aemond targaryen x you #dark aemond #dark aemond angst #dark aemond smut #hotd fanfic #hotd fanfiction #aemond x reader #aemond x wife reader #hotd fic #hotd x reader

[ashleycatchemm]

1-24: Finally Free

Part 24 of??

Pairing: Reggie x Reader, Luke x Julie, Alex x Willie

Summary: (Y/n) (L/n) has been able to see and feel ghosts ever since she was little, which made it hard to tell the ghosts from the humans. Everyone has always thought she was a bit crazy, even her best friends, Julie and Flynn. But when three ghosts with a love for music appear in Julie's garage, suddenly (Y/n) doesn't seem so crazy anymore.

Song: Finally Free (Julie and the phantoms)

Season 1 Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Main Masterlist

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Pulling into my driveway I parked the truck and hopped out, leaving the door open for Arius to come out behind me. Once the black cat jumped out of the blue truck I shut the door behind him, a banging noise catching my attention from across the street. Looking over, at the big blue house across the street that's been for sale ever since I remember, no one has wanted to buy it, and when they do, something always seems to cause them to back out.

People have been saying that it's haunted, but I've lived here all my life, and I haven't seen or heard a single ghost from over there. My eyes drifted down to the man hammering in a new sign, only this one was different, it had the word 'Sold' written on it in big bold letters. "Hey Arius?" I didn't bother looking back at the black cat, eyes trained on the sign across the street.

A hum in response gave me the okay to ask my question. "Do you think there are ghosts in that house?" Nodding my head over to the house across the street, watching the man start to pick up the sign he pulled out before replacing it with the other. "I doubt it." Looking back at the cat, I noticed he disappeared, (e/c) eyes glanced around to catch any sign of the demonic cat, only to see him sitting next to me. Blue eyes glued to the house in front of us, tail moving in an annoyed way.

"Your grandmother cleared out that house ages ago."

My brows furrowed in confusion, "So then how did it not sell for years?" I shoved my hands in my pockets "If it's been cleared out for ages, how is it just now getting sold?" Arius didn't give much of a helpful response "I don't know." he turned around and started making his way towards the front door. "Wait." I stated, quickly following after him "What do you mean 'I don't know'? Aren't you supposed to know everything about my grandmother?" Sitting by the door, he growled out a response "I don't know, because I wasn't there."  Arius' temper seemed to flare up at the subject and that's when I felt it. The pang of emotional hurt, it wasn't big enough to get a reaction from me, but I knew one thing. It wasn't my emotion I was feeling.

No.

It was the demonic cat in front of me.

Arius' ears were drooped downward a little, tail wrapped close around him, the end being curled between his front paws. Sitting down on the steps of my front porch, I asked the question on my mind, not knowing if he'd answer me or just yell at me and go back to being closed off, either way, I need to know. "Why weren't you there?" He was silent for a second, tail whipping back and fourth in an agitated manor. After a minute or two, he finally spoke up "Once witches and warlocks get older, they start settling down. Having kids. Getting married. That sort of thing." I stayed quiet, not wanting to jump in.

If there are warlocks out there, then I wonder just how many more people there are like me..

"Eventually, there is a point in our lives where we feel we aren't needed anymore to our masters, so we would leave. No goodbyes, or farewells. Since demons get attached to their witch or warlock, we feel it's easier on us to leave without goodbyes. Breaks the bond faster."

I watched as the cat next to me looked up at the sky his blue eyes shining with an emotion I've never seen on him before, admiration? Maybe even love. His mouth opened a little, as if trying to smile, pointed teeth visible for all to see. "Your grandmother was different than the other witches and warlocks in your family. She could tell I was going to leave. She knew that something was off when she talked to me that night. She sensed it." Arius looked out in front of him at the house across the street, the same house that started this conversation.

"(G/n) engulfed me in the biggest hug, and begged me to stay with her. And so I did, because she was my weakness. Anything she asked of me I would do, all to make her happy."

Arius' expression seemed to falter "But then, it all turned to shit." His teeth bared in anger, claws gripping onto the front porch. "One of her sons got themselves into deep shit. And so your grandmother sent me away in order to protect her family from the ministry." His expression shifted into a scowl as he laid down, front paws hanging a little off the end of the porch. "I'm not mad at her for what she did. I know that they could've easily tracked me and then her family would've been in danger. I just... I wish there could've been another way. 36 years I spent with (G/n), and yet it still wasn't enough. I wanted a little more time with her." The black cat grew silent, not wanting to say anything else as he rested his head on his front legs.

I stared at Arius, having another aching feeling in my chest, it was the same as the last one, having not been my own emotions. Raising my hand up, I brought it over so that it was hovering over the demonic cat's head. I kept it there for a second or two, debating my choices, He'll probably swat at me. But in that moment I decided that I didn't care, because I felt like I should give him some kind of comfort, even if he does swat me away. Bringing my hand down, I gently rubbed his head, cautious of his movements, not wanting to get hit.

To my surprise, he didn't fight back, closing his eyes, Arius let out a small sigh in content. This bond has to start somewhere. Looking up at the clear blue sky a small smile crossed my lips, feeling good that I finally did something to help someone I'm glad it's starting here. And talking about Grandma no less. Looking back down at the black cat, he let out a small huff before shaking my hand off of him and sitting back up.

"So I don't know what (G/n) did to that house. She probably put a spell on it to keep the ministry from finding her. Or from finding her sons. Everything she did was to protect the people she cared about."

"Before she sent me away, she told me to look after you if something were to ever happen to her. Your mother was pregnant with you at the time. And, well, I could feel it. The bond. Before you were even born. I sensed that you would be a powerful witch and I could tell that (G/n) sensed it too. So now I'm going to train you the best I can, and look after you. But I can only do so much."

I nodded my head, understanding what he was saying. I can't keep running away from what I am. That means I'm gonna have to start cooperating with Arius. The black cat looked over at me, his usual bland stare on his face. I opened my mouth to say something but the noise of a ghost appearing caught my attention. "Hey (N/n)!" The boy clad in his leather jacket was quick to state, walking forward a little he pointed back and forth from me to the cat sitting next to me.

"Is this a bad time?"

I shook my head a little, a smile gracing my lips at just the sight of the ghost in front of me. "No. Not at all." Feeling the pull at my chest, causing me to stand up and walk towards Reggie. "Why?" The bassist in front of me radiated happiness as he met me halfway and grabbed ahold of my hand "We got to practice! Our first gig is tonight!" Dragging me down my driveway "Woah, Woah, Woah, Tonight?" I was quick to stop in place at the end of my driveway, causing Reggie to come to a halt as I pulled back on his hand.

The dark haired bassist in front of me tilted his head a little as if confused as to why I stopped him "And I thought Julie was all done with the band? She told me herself that-" Reggie jumped in, successfully cutting me off to answer my questions. "We all made up. But we have to hurry and practice because our gig is in a couple of hours." He pulled me a little bit along the side walk, only for me to quickly come to a stop once again. Still not processing the information.

"Wait Julie forgave you? When? And when did we get a gig?" Reggie rolled his eyes in amusement "What even-"

I was cut off once again, as Reggie pulled me toward him and wrapped a hand around my mouth. Faces inches apart, his award winning smile sitting on his face "I'll fill you in on all the details later. Right now we need to go, okay?" His arm sat wrapped around my waist, I felt my cheeks grow warm from the close proximity. I nodded my head in response, that being the only thing I could do, even if his hand wasn't covering my mouth, I don't think I would've been able to muster a single word.

Well, At least non that would make sense...

His hand left my mouth, finding my own once again. Gripping it tight, he pulled me along to go to Julie's. Looking back I caught sight of the black cat following close behind me.

I don't think he's gonna leave my side anytime soon.

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"Okay. What's with the cat?"

Alex had his eyes trained on Arius sitting on the couch, as Julie walked over to him. "I think it's cute" reaching her arm out to pet him, I was quick to jump in "Uh, Julie, I wouldn't..." the black cat was quick to jump up from his position on the couch. Hissing at Julie, his fur standing up, back arched, ears pulled back to show his agitation. The curly haired singer pulled her hand away in surprise, Arius was quick to make his way towards the other end of the couch, settling down. His eyes glanced at Julie, sending her one more growl before looking back at me.

"What's its problem?"

Alex questioned, seeing as how Arius almost hurt one of his friends. Picking up my rhythm guitar, I put the strap over my shoulder while speaking on the cats behalf. "He just isn't fond of most people. So don't try to force it." Arius growled briefly as I spoke, causing me to send him a look as if to say 'Behave' the black cat huffed while whipping his tail back and forth in aggravation, but overall growing silent. "Well, now that the cat conversation is out of the way..." Reggie grabbed everyone's attention as he walked over next to me, swinging his bass strap over his shoulder.

"Let's get started."

Julie nodded her head in agreement as her and Alex made their way over to their instruments.

"Right."

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All four of us were playing the cords to Finally Free as Julie sang "Marching on proud, Turn it up loud, cause now we know what we're worth." Luke suddenly appears in the chair by the coffee table, causing the four of us to stop playing. Letting out a small "woah" he noticed the four of us by our instruments. Standing up out of the chair "Julie." He stated, surprised to see her by the piano.

"Grab your guitar. We got work to do."

Luke started at her for a moment, mouth agape, only to let out a small chuckle as he grabbed his guitar, which stood by me. Walking over to Julie he asked "What made you come back?" Julie stood up from her seat "I realized how important music is for all of us. And we've lost so much already. We can't lose this too." Luke nodded his head a little "Thanks." He responded, only to ask "All right boss. Where we at?" In order to lighten the mood a little, letting out a small chuckle at his own question.

"Oh, and by the way, happy birthday."

Julie sat back down in her seat in front of the piano, a small chuckle passing her lips, again Luke stared at her in disbelief. Glancing over at the guys as if they would tell him how she knew, looking back at Julie a smile crossed his lips before making his way across the room.

"Let's take it from the pre-chorus." Julie stated

Alex banged his sticks together "One, Two, Three, Four." And with that the five of us started singing and playing, in order to practice for tonight.

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"You can't come with me Arius. We've already discussed this."

The black cat sat on my bed as I proceeded to do my make up for the gig. "I'll go in my human form."

"What about if Julie and Flynn see you?"

"I'll make up an excuse as to why I'm there."

Putting the mascara down, I turned around to face the black cat on my bed, the two of us stared the other down as if trying to silently win the argument. Letting out a sigh, I pinched the fridge of my nose all while stating "Fine. You can go" The demon determined to be by my side every second of everyday let out a small cheer before getting cut off by me "But..." his cat like eyes seemed to narrow in aggravation as I told him the terms of the agreement. "...You have to stay outside of the coffee shop, in your cat form the entire time. Got it?" My eyes narrowed back at him as if daring him to challenge my decision.

A huff of defeat passed through the black cats nose "Fine. As long as I'm there, I really don't care." The sound of a ghost warping could be heard, grabbing the attention of both me and the demon across from me. "Hey (N/n), you ready to go?" Near the door stood the boy that made my heart practically jump for joy, just from the sound of his voice. Reggie stood clad in his black tank top, biceps clearly being shown which caused my eyes to drift a little to look at them.

My bottom lip found its way between my teeth, all while my thoughts started to get impure. "(Y/n)?" The bassist's voice brought me back to reality, I was quick to let go of my lip as my eyes darted back up to his own. "You okay?" He continued, raising his brows as if to question my behavior. Shaking my head a little to bring myself back to my senses I sent him a small smile "I'm fine. We should get going." all while making my way towards my bedroom door, Arius hopping off my bed and following close behind.

Reggie followed me out the door to my room "The place isn't to far from here is you want to walk together." I started to walk down the steps as I explained "Reggie, if I walked down the street with you, people would think I'm a crazy person talking to herself." The sound of a ghost warping could be heard behind me, only for the dark haired boy to reappear right in front of me at the bottom of the stairs. This surprised me causing me to almost fall back, only for him to grab my arms and hold me steady, our noses inches apart. I felt my face grow warm at the proximity, feeling that tug from my chest, the urge to just lean over and capture his lips in my own.

"We don't even have to talk, just walk and hold hands or something."

Reggie's eyes went wide as he let go of me and took a couple steps back "I-I mean..." I could tell that he was frantically trying to come up with an excuse, but I didn't care at that moment. "not hold hands, but ya know..." because when I looked from his eyes to his hands, I realized how much I wanted to hold it in my own. "I just-" reaching over I snatched his hand in mine, effectively cutting off the dark haired bassist

"Let's go." I stated, all while dragging him towards the door.

Getting a small response of "Okay" from Reggie as Arius followed the two of us out the door.

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Once we got to the coffee shop, I was quick to try to let go of Reggie's hand, only for him to tighten his grip and pull on it a little, refusing to let go. Looking back at the golden retriever boy behind me, my eyes narrowed as if to tell him to let go. "I know. But, just let me hold your hand a little longer...Please?" I was confused, I didn't know why Reggie was acting like this, but tonight feels different with Reggie. I couldn't place my finger on the reason why.

Looking around at the people walking in, I noticed a lot of them eyeing me and whispering to their friends. Looking back at Reggie I leaned over a little to whisper "Reggie. People are staring." It felt suffocating to be standing there with him at the moment, knowing that what everyone was seeing, was that my hand was out in the air holding onto nothing, and I was talking to no one.

Reggie's eyes held an emotion I couldn't quite place, maybe desperation? "I don't care if they stare." The dark haired bassist took a step forward, bringing our interlaced hands up to his chest, eyes begging me to just hold his hand a little longer. "Please (Y/n). I just want your touch right now." I didn't know what to do, I took another glance around at the people and noticed more staring and pointing fingers. I looked down at Arius as if to ask him for some kind of help, only for him to hop on a trashcan and say one thing.

"He's a ghost. So be careful how you handle this. I will explain to you want is happening later. But for now, focus on taking care of this."

My eyes landed back on Reggie's, not knowing what to do or say, I just shook my head all while saying a quick apology "I'm sorry." Pulling my hand away, I walked off into the bustling coffee shop.

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"Hey did I miss anything?"

I asked Julie and Flynn as soon as I got over to them. "Nothing exciting, that's for sure." Flynn stated, directing my attention to the stage. There clad in all pink to perform with her dancing divas was the queen bee herself, Carrie Wilson. "Hope you all came to have a great time!" Carrie's obnoxious giggle left her lips as the crowd clapped. An annoyed growl left my lips from her appearance to ruin my night "Dirty Candy?" Julie asked only for me to jump in "How did she get on the list?" Flynn gave both of us a look, as if we should already know the answer.

"Her daddy made a call"

Crossing my arms across my chest, I stared daggers at the girl on the stage all while Flynn commented on Julie's outfit.

"Whenever I walk in the room, All the focus on me"

Carrie walked forward on stage, her girls joining behind her "The way I talk, the way I move, they all want on my team." I rolled my eyes at her cheap dance moves, not wanting to sit through this what so ever. "Not trying to brag, brag, but I'm flawless. I'm taking over your playlist. Ain't perfect but I can't miss. Yeah" looking back at the boys who suddenly appeared behind us, I noticed Luke smiling and enjoying the performance, Alex looked a bit antsy, and Reggie held a pensive look on his face, not seeming to interested in the girls dancing in front of him. Almost as if he was lost in his own thoughts.

He's probably just as confused about what happened as I was.

Looking back on stage I noticed Alex appear behind Carrie who was now on the floor, I covered my mouth as a laugh almost slipped past my lips. Julie seemed confused, looking back at the boys to see why he did that but Reggie just shrugged in response. Alex seemed lost  for a moment, only for the girls to stand back up as he started dancing with all of them, causing a small giggle in amusement to escape my lips.

When he was done he appeared back next to me, I sent him a smile and shook my head at his funny antics while Julie commented "You having fun out there?" Alex cleared his throat before coming up with an excuse "It's not my fault, it's my um..." he paused "It's my feet" I just shook my head while saying "Yeah, okay."

"Put me back in coach."

And with that Alex was gone, back to dancing on stage with Carrie and her crew. I felt a tap on my shoulder from behind as Reggie took Alex's spot beside me. "Can we talk?" I shook my head in response "not here Reggie." I glanced over at the boy next to me only to see his eyes narrowed in aggravation. "I don't care. We need to talk about this. Because what happened earlier was weird, you must have noticed that much. I don't know what's going on with me and, and  I'm confused-" I kept facing forward as to not draw attention I whisper yelled at him "Reggie!" Successfully cutting him off I stated "Not. Here." Saying it firmly worked to an extent. An angry scoff left his lips as he crossed his arms and went back to standing next to Luke.

The song was soon to end as Alex took in all the praises. Before warping back next to me a giant smile on his face "I uh... I was just... doing that for you guys" Reggie nodded his head "Mhm. yeah. You can stop smiling now." Alex chuckled at Reggie's comment. Julie grabbed our attention "Not gonna lie. That was... kind of good." Flynn nodded her head in agreement "Yeah. I forgot why I hate her so much." I scoffed while saying "I didn't forget my reason for hating her." I noticed her making her way over to us.

"Speak of the devil."

I stated all while receiving a glare from the bitch in response, I sent her a sarcastic smile all while flipping her off. Carrie ignore my actions and turned her attention towards Flynn and Julie "Hi girls. Um, isn't it past your bedtime?" Flynn looked between Julie and I "Now I remember." Before looking back over at Carrie. "If you're looking for Nick, he didn't come." Flynn and I both scoffed in response to her statement, knowing she was just trying to take a jab at Julie.

Stepping towards Carrie, Julie was quick to stick up for herself "That's not why I'm here." The sound of the microphone was quick to grab everyone's attention.

"Ok, it looks like we're closing the night out with one more group, Julie, (Y/n), and the fat ones"

The four of us turned towards Luke in annoyance while the girls in front of us laughed. "Really?" Alex asked.

"Yeah man, my Handwriting sucks."

The four of us rolled our eyes as Julie and I went to walk on stage, but not before I angrily bumped my shoulder into Carries.

Julie was quick to make her way to the piano, as I grabbed the rhythm guitar "Hi, it's actually Julie,(Y/n) and the phantoms" looking around she noticed no one was really paying attention, taking a glance over at me I motioned for her to continue. "Okay." She stated into the mic and started to play the piano. "Hearts on fire, we're no liars, so we say what we wanna say." I played my rhythm guitar as I continued the next line of the song "I'm awaken, no more takin' so we push all our fears away." The two of us started singing together "don't know if we'll make it cause we're falling down under, close my eyes and feel my chest beating like thunder." Julie now sang alone.

"I wanna fly, come alive, watch me shine"

The boys appeared playing their instruments as Julie got up, bringing the microphone with her, I stood in the back behind Luke as the two of them sang. "I got a spark in me, hands up if you can see, and you're a part of me, hands up if you're with me, now till eternity hands up if you believe, been so long and now we're finally free." Julie started singing by herself while she hit a tambourine on her hip.

"We're all bright now, what a sight now coming out like we're fireworks"

I sang the next part alone "Marching on proud, turn it up loud, cause now we know what we're worth"

Julie and Luke sang the next part together as I went back near Reggie "We know we can make it when we're not fallin' down under, close my eyes and feel my chest beating like thunder." All while Julie and Luke stared contently at each other "I wanna fly, come alive, watch me shine" Reggie and I leaned into our mics as we sang "ooooh" while Julie and Luke sang the Chorus "I got a spark in me, hands up if you can see, and your a part of me, hands up if you're with me, now till eternity, hands up if you believe, been so long and now we're finally free"

Reggie suddenly jumped over to Luke's Microphone and sang with him, I felt a jolt of pain corse through my chest for a second as I watched Reggie's every move, I could feel the pull on my chest getting stronger and stronger with each passing day, and it doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon, considering the effect it's starting to have on Reggie. That's the only explanation for his behavior earlier, but the only way to be sure is to ask Arius.

"I got a spark in me, hands up if you can see, and you're a part of me, hands up if you're with me, now till eternity, hands up if you believe, been so long and now we're finally free"

Julie and Luke now sang alone, meeting halfway Julie sang "I got a spark in me" she leaned the mic over to Luke as he echoed "I got a spark in me" the way Julie and Luke were staring at each other made me look back at Alex and Reggie for answers "And you're a part of me" Alex just shrugged with a small smile "And you're a part of me"as Reggie shook his head a little as if to say that he didn't know either.

"Now till eternity"

"Now till eternity"

"Been so long and now we're finally free"

We all started playing our instruments again as Reggie, Luke and I all sang the chorus while Julie sang in the background "I've got a spark in me, hands up if you can see, and you're a part of me, hands up if you're with me" Julie sang "Yeah" as the rest of us continued "now till eternity, hands up if you believe, been so long and now we're finally free."

Reggie, Luke, Alex and I went back to doing the "oooh" as Julie sang "Finally free, yeah" Luke and I jumped in at the end "Been so long and now we're finally free" everyone stopped playing as Julie let me have the last note.

"Finally free, yeah..."

The crowd went nuts as they all cheered and applauded, the five of us took a bow as the boys disappeared. The crowd continued to cheer as walked over next to Julie she stated "Thank you, we're Julie, (Y/n) and the Phantoms." I was quick to grab the mic from her and state "Tell your friends." Before walking off stage with Julie.

♬♩♪♩♬♩♪♩♬♩👻 ♪♩♬♩♪♩♬♩♪♩

Once we got off stage Julie ran over to Flynn excitedly, engulfing her in a hug as the two of them giggled and squealed in excitement. I leisurely made my way over to them, only to get dragged into the hug as well. Once we all let go Flynn stated "You two were incredible!" To which Reggie smugly replied "Yeah we were." While looking back at Alex and Luke who were currently sitting on the bar.

"Hey, Hey! Whoever Carrie was trying to impress is headed our way!"

Luke was quick to call out to Julie and I, as the two of us turned around to see a women in a pants suit headed in our direction. "She looks all business" Alex commented and Reggie started to panic, asking "Wait. Who should do the talking?" Then once realizing what he said he quickly fixed it "Right, Julie and (Y/n)." Julie glanced back at Luke for support, only for him to say "You got this." The women was quick to grab ahold of my hand to introduce herself.

"Hi I'm Andi Parker, and I would-"

"Julie."

Our attention went from Andi to the man that said Julie's name, which just so happened to be her father. Andi looked back at the man behind her "Dad." Julie stated, not sounding to happy.

"It's time to go."

Ray didn't sound to happy but I couldn't let us loose this, it could be our big break and Reggie would be upset if I didn't try. "Mr.Molina, if we could just have 5 minutes to-" he cut me off, not wanting to hear anything I have to say. "No. Julie is going home. And I'm calling your uncle." I scoffed and shook my head "seriously? What did I even do?" Andi finally spoke up deciding that this was a bad moment. "This seems like a bad time, so I'm gonna take off, wonderful performance, the both of you." She stated, looking from Julie to me before taking her leave.

"No! Wait!"

Luke yelled but of course she didn't hear him. She couldn't. Luke went to go chafe after her, but let out an exasperated sigh after realizing it wasn't gonna work.

"What did you do? You brought my daughter out here on a school night, to entertain your band fantasies."

"Dad!"

Julie said and was quick to speak up before things go south "She didn't drag me out here, I left by myself." Ray shook his head in disappointment "we'll talk about your punishment later. For now I have to get you both home." Turning towards me he stated "And don't think you're off the hook yet missy. Just because you live in that house by yourself doesn't mean you get to go home scott free. I was told to look after you and that's exactly what I'm doing by giving your uncle a call." I felt trapped in a hole, unable to climb out. I hated my uncle. And I hated that I could loose the freedom that I currently had.

He's definitely going to come down here now, and when he does I'm screwed.

Prev // Next

Taglist:

@caosfanblr

(Feel free to let me know if you’d like to be added to the Taglist!)

#fanfic #fem reader #x reader #julie and the phantoms #reggie peters #luke patterson #luke jatp #alex jatp #alex mercer #caleb covington #carrie wilson #trevor wilson #reggie jatp #reggie peters x reader #reggie x reader

[mafuluzx]

Since ur writing requests... Hear me out on a Cole or Kai x m!reader🤭 like reader is like the most ethereal mf u could ever see and they r just nervous talking to reader about anything simple(it doesn't have to be a story it can be headcanon things!!!!)

ALRIGHT MY FIRST COMMISION HERE YOU GOOOOOOOOO! This thing is pretty detailed, but the tiny details can be changed with the power of your imagination. Now, here you go!

Kai x male reader oneshot!

Takes place in season 4, episode 2, Only One Can Remain.

Dancer boy

"Never before have so many Elemental Fighters been under one roof. I see Master of Fire, Earth, Shadow, Speed, even a prophesied Green Savior. And a former pupil has returned." Chen said as he motioned to the Elemental masters he spoke of.

The Elemental masters sat in a circle, just as Chen had planned. Not a single one of the invited was missing. The ninja kept their expressions schooled, for they couldn't show weakness in front of their future competition. Chen swayed on his chair like a child looking down at all his birthday party guests before pointing to a gong settled next to his chair.

"This symbol before you is for the fiercest Serpentine warrior to ever roam this land. Its creed: Only one can remain." The gong indeed had a symbol on it, a long snake with teeth sharp enough to bite through skin and bone: An Anacondrai. Chen then pressed a button on his chair, and the gong moved out of the way, revealing a bracket of how the tournament would go.

"Good, looks like we're each in our own bracket. We won't have to face each other for a while." Kai said in relief as Lloyd turned to him.

"Better find Zane before that happens." As Lloyd spoke, Chen's right hand man, Clouse brought him a chest, from which Chen pulled out a jade-green sword.

"Behold, a Jadeblade. Here, it represents life. Obtain it, move on. Allow your opponent to take it, loser. The rules are simple. Every match will be different. No two fights will be the same. Your powers will keep you in the Tournament. Use it or lose it." Chen explained as Karlof spoke up.

"Hm, what does Karlof win?"

"Win and stay on the island. Win it all, and you'll receive fortunes beyond your wildest dreams, and lifetime supply of Master Chen noodles. But no one is here because of noodles! You want the glory of being the greatest fighter in all of Ninjago!" Chen yelled as the Elemental masters, excluding the ninja, all cheered loudly.

"And what happens if they lose?" Garmadon's question cut through the cheering.

"Lose? Who here likes to lose?!" Chen asked sarcastically as everyone, excluding the ninja again, laughed.

"Now please, enjoy my island. It's a super fun happy place. Hahaha. Fun time on me. Oh, oh! But don't go just yet, I have a little show prepared for you all." Chen's words made Kai scoff and roll his eyes. Show? Really now? He didn't believe anything good would come of this. Chen clapped again as the main doors, which the elemental masters had come in from just a while ago, opened again.

A group of Chen's Kabuki started giggling in the corner as they hid their faces with their fans. Clouse threw them a glare, and they quieted down. There was a second of peace and quiet until Kai heard Griffin whistle, and one person whose name Kai didn't know let out a quiet "Wow..."

Now Kai's interest was peeked, and he finally turned to the door. Kai's eyes widened as his eyes fell onto the figure of a person dressed in elegant (f/c) robes. Slow footsteps sounded as the person walked to the center of the hall. Kai's eyes were now following the figure as they bowed to Chen. Chen laughed with a prideful smile before speaking up.

"I hereby present to you all, a dance like no other! Give it all you got." The last part was said as a command to the figure, who moved into a still pose, their eyes staring hazily at the floor as their hair fell slightly onto their face.

Suddenly a slow song started playing on the speakers littered around the hall, and the figure started moving. The movements were small, but they were smooth. The (f/c) robes draped and dragged behind the person as they danced. Kai's jaw fell open, and refused to close, no matter how hard he tried.

"Hmm... Not quite Chen's style." Garmadon pondered as he sipped down a cup of tea.

The person moved gracefully as their expression matched the tranquil tone of the song. Suddenly the pace of the music picked up, and so did the dancing. The calm swinging and spinning turned to sharp turns and jumps.

The dancers expression turned sterner, as he slid down to the floor. The choreography was something Kai had never seen before, and it made his eyes force themselves to keep open, refusing to miss even a second of the ongoing show.

Suddenly the person lifted their leg up, and Kai's face warmed up. There was another whistle from Griffin turner as the slit in the dancers robes revealed the persons leg. They were wearing short leg-wear resembling shorts, thankfully, but even one leg lift was enough to expose the rest of their leg.

The choreography lead the dancer to stand up again, as they threw their head back, making their (h/c) hair move along with them. The pace suddenly kicked up, before slowing down after a single, yet surreally high, leg throw. The music slowed down as the person slid to a pose on one knee, and the music stopped.

There was a moment of silence before Chen started clapping and cheering. The silence having been cut, elemental master after elemental master joined in the applause as the dancer relaxed, stood up, and bowed to Chen yet again.

"Thank you, (y/n)! That was amazing! Ah, It's probably good to mention, but (y/n) is also an esteemed guest of mine. He will join you during breakfast and lunch and so on." Chen explained as Griffin smirked behind his glasses. Kai noticed, and immediately threw the master of speed a glare.

"Now, you will be shown to your rooms." Chen added as a line of kabuki arrived and guided the fighters to their rooms. kai wasn't paying attention though. He stared after this (y/n) boy as he sighed, then walked into a room further away on the same floor as Kai's. After a few minutes of thinking about what just happened, Kai shook it away and left his room with the intention of exploring the place a little.

The first thing he saw made his blood boil. In front of the dancer boy's room stood Griffin, who knocked on it before calling out nonsense after nonsense.

"Could you at least open the door? You're being quite cold to me." And he knocked again. Kai then heard the voice of a boy speak up in a calm yet annoyed tone.

"Please, go away."

"How about we go on a walk? I already checked out the entire yard of this place and its pretty neat.

"Please, go away." Griffin received the exact same answer in the exact same tone. But Griffin made no move to leave.

"What abou-" Before Griffin could finish another sentence, Kai walked up to him.

"Hey. He told you to go away." Now that Kai had stepped up to Griffin, the master of speed grumbled before snapping at him.

"This is none of your business."

"It is, if you keep this up. I doubt Chen would be happy to hear someone was harassing another guest, hmm?"

"You-...Tch." Griffin let out before turning away and leaving. Kai scoffed at the master of speed before glancing at the door. He opened his mouth to say something, but instead just shook his head and left to continue exploring.

Then came the first challenge, Kai barely managed to move on while Karlof lost, and was thrown down to who knows where. The sun was starting to set, yet it wasn't too late to hang around yet. The ninja had planned to go exploring at midnight, but Kai had nothing to do before that.

So instead he took a stroll in the yard alone. He remembered Griffins words and hoped the man was speaking the truth when he said the place was 'pretty neat'. And surprisingly, neat it was. Kai at the pretty scenery before noticing something, no, someone sitting at the edge of a small man-made pond filled with colorful fishes. The person had sunk their feet into the water and stared at the lily pads floating over the water surface, until they too, noticed Kai.

It was the dancer boy, (y/n). Kai froze in place, and didn't know what to do. (y/n) just turned back to stare at the water as Kai stood still. His nerves kicking in, and remembering the leg lift from before, Kai turned on his heel and tried to leave, when (y/n) called to him.

"Not even going to say hello?"

"N-no, I m-mean yes, but I, ugh..." Kai's words got caught up in his throat, and he stopped trying. He turned back around and met (y/n)'s gaze as the boy stared at him silently. He was no longer wearing a set of different robes that constructed his beautiful looking dance outfit, and instead wore only the innermost white robe.

"Thank you." (y/n) suddenly spoke.

"H-huh?" Kai let out as (y/n) leaned his head on one of his knees.

"For helping earlier."

"Oh, I-I din't realize you saw me-" Kai lifted his hand and scratched his neck bashfully, when he was suddenly cut off.

"I didn't, I just recognized you from your voice." Kai stopped, before erupting in a blush of embarrassment. Suddenly (y/n)'s expression, which had been neutral the whole time, turned into a small smile as he chuckled. Kai's embarrassment disappeared and was replaced with a swarm of butterflies in his stomach.

"Sit with me?" (y/n) offered Kai, who took his time thinking about it, before he finally agreed.

"S-s-sure...!" The two shared a few words, nothing special, for Kai was too much of a nerve wrack to say much.

"What is your name?" (y/n) asked.

"It's Kai." Kai answered after clearing his throat. (y/n) nodded in aknowledgement before flashing him a smile.

"And your surname?"

"Smith." Kai answered as (y/n) turned away and giggled to himself.

"Hmm... Kai Smith... Ehehe..." Kai knew, he was either blessed with an angel, or this boy would give him a heart attack.

(,,>﹏<,,)

And as a little bonus...

"Yo." A voice said from next to the table where the ninja were eating breakfast the next day.

"Ugh, didn't you hear?! I said it's private!" Suddenly Jay stopped as the others turned to the one who spoke. Surprisingly, it was not Mr. Pale, who Jay had expected to be there, and instead there stood (y/n) with his breakfast tray. He was no longer wearing robes, whether those were simple white ones or regal ones for dancing. Now it was just a loose t-shirt and a pair of shorts.

"(y-(y/n)!" Kai stuttered out as (y/n) flashed the team a nervous smile. Kai looked behind (y/n) to noticed that Griffin was eyeing them from afar, and quickly scooted over to give (y/n) space to sit with them. Kai tired to scoot further away, but since there were people already sitting with him, he was forced to sit shoulder to shoulder with the (h/c) haired boy. Cole noticed the look Kai was giving (y/n) and sighed.

"Oh boy, first Skylor, now him?"

Dang, this stuff oneshot stuff is difficult, I hope it isn't too lame.

#kai smith #kai x reader #ninjago kai #x male y/n #kai x male reader #ninjago #fanfic #ninjago x reader

[orchid-mantis-petals]

When Home Becomes You

| I have no idea how to use this app. Please bear with me as I learn.

/ Day one of this. I forewarn I have a busy work schedule post will be vastly irregular.

/ These boys have saved my life this year. Other writers have aided in that love for them (fictional and non)

/ Genre: fluff, (for now)

/ Warnings: swearing. Changbin kinda swears a lot here. Minor injury. Anxiety. Chapter one in LONG (sorry..)

/ Summary??: Mistakes happen, all the time in fact. He knew that, his team knew that. The dancers, staff, managers, security, to heck you get it they all knew mistakes happen. So Changbin didn’t understand why this mistake, this small error had begun to eat him up since the moment it happened

/ reminder: this is a work of fiction. I love these boys but nothing I or other writers depict is true about them. Also please don’t steal my work took a lot of courage to put this out here 👀👀

Mistakes happen, all the time in fact. He knew that, his team knew that. The dancers, staff, managers, security, to heck you get it they all knew mistakes happen. So Changbin didn’t understand why this mistake, this small error had begun to eat him up since the moment it happened. The concert was great, the usual adrenaline acted as added fuel to their jet lagged bodies. Something about America, or International STAYS was different. To him it was the air, crisp, maybe a touch dryer than home. Yet so refreshing. Rehearsal had gone fantastically, best they’d had. Everyone was on fire. Hyunjin was giving his all even just for practice. So when the concert began and the roar of the crowd could be heard as the intro began he was ready. His body bristled with anticipation, the desire to do his best flowed into his core.

Changbin allowed himself one more moment to hear his beloved STAYs before he settled his in-ears into place. His focus dived, almost tunnel like as he stepped foot onto that stage. He felt alive, every nerve ending lighting with the familiar choreography. He didn’t, couldn’t think he just existed. A space where everything in him felt on yet off. So beyond anything he could ever explain. The thrill of doing something he loved so purely. Then it happened. This one small moment. As one song drifted into the next they were on fire, he’d have to admit out of this tour he loved this performance best. STAYs made him feel so raw and so alive. His opening for My Pace began, he knelt down at the forefront of the stage. Carefully he leaned close to see the crowd at the rail. He did this every concert. With a smile beaming ear to ear he wished he could hear the crowd could hear his STAY. Then in a flash that joy was gone, one single misstep. A dancer fell out of their line, and that’s all it took. The next thing Changbin knew was a blur of movements. In order to catch himself he aimed for a set speaker to his right, missing entirely as he tumbled down off the stage. The momentum of his body sent him right for the railing the crowd stood at. Screwed wasn’t really the word he was looking for at that moment. But it’s entirely what he felt. Screwed.

Hands grabbed at him in all directions as he felt the cold metal rails meet his torso. Gods he loved STAY, but they were unnerving sometimes. The seams of his stage costume began to make a horrid sound. The clambering of hands that grabbed at Changbin began to become overwhelming. Soon he was being dragged over the rail into the crowd. Panic began to creep into him. How in the hell was he going to get out of this?? Suddenly he was yanked back, his body pulled from the hands of the crowd. When he looked up he sighed with relief, a familiar body guard had yanked him free of the people by his collar. When he turned back to look at the crowd there was this woman. Small in stature. Her entire being a guard between him and the wound up crowd of STAY. Then she turned hair whipping in its low ponytail as she gestured to him to get back. He took two steps but his eyes never left hers. “Changbin!!” The call of his name drew his attention away from her. Back to the stage. Chan was there hand over the edge. He took it getting back up performing like it had never happened at all.

Just like that he was back under the hot lights of the stage rapping his heart out to his beloved fans. The same fans that so quickly tried to eat him alive. An exaggeration sure, but he couldn't describe how else the feeling was. People pulled him left right, his body entirely out of his own control. If it weren’t for the body guards he was sure he would have been swallowed up by STAY. Daring a glance back he saw her again. It was remarkable, maybe she wasn’t that small. But there wasn’t much mass to her. Not like himself or the 6ft tall body guard that had yanked him free of the crowd. Shit he’d been staring too long, way too long. She noticed her head whipped around, her dark eyes met his. Changbin felt his breath catch in his chest as she stared back at him, her head cocked to one side. The way her hair swayed reminded him slightly of a puppy discovering something new. Then she spoke, her lips drawn tight before she mouthed something. He must have made a face, because she repeated herself and he understood.

“Are you okay??” she had asked, or really mouthed. A strange bubbling filled the pit of his stomach as he gave her a sheepish smile and nodded. It was pure adrenaline that had kept him going on that stage. As they exited he was still high off it, his feet bouncing left to right he wanted, no needed more. The energy was felt between them all, each of the 8 men buzzed with the after show high. They all sobered up a little as a dancer filed into the dressing room head bowed deeply as he apologized to Changbin for his mistake.

“No sweat, just watch yourself next time. Keep your line. I’ll be more careful too,” as the dancer slipped back out Changbin shook his head pulling the hem of his stage shirt loose from his pants. Half of them were already undressed when a soft knock came at the door. It wasn’t familiar to him. Their managers usually “knocked” as they entered, waving at them to hustle up. Dancers were usually louder, for they knew the boys always had a high volume rate. So this knock was new, gentle, and almost unheard among the banter of the room. Strangely he heard it loud and clear. Shirt in hand he walked over swinging the door open to find her..Under the dark stage lights he couldn’t really see her. Too bright over his face, and the house lights always dimmed for their stage. But here, in the warm fluorescents he could see you. To his surprise he had to look down. It was ever so slight but his chin tipped further to the floor to look at you, take you in.

One of your hands was still raised to what he presumed was to knock at the door once more. It lowered at the sight of him coming to fold at your chest. Shit, were they too loud?? Had you come to ask them to shut up..Yeah that wasn’t happening. Your stance was wide, feet shoulder length apart keeping your balance even. A stance he knew well from all his weight training over the years. Your eyes met his looking up through the hair that sat over your face. That look, a look many had given him before, a look many will give him again. But when you did, when you looked at him like that, the deep chocolate color stole his breath. A shiver wracked his spine. He swore in that moment no one had ever looked at him like that, never before, and never again will they. Not like you had irises cast slightly up in your rounded eyes, brows furrowed just the tiniest bit. “Uhh,” he gathered undignified..Shit he probably needed Chan. No chance in hell did you speak Korean, and there was no way he was going to fumble his way through English to try and speak to you. That was a given. So he had to will himself to look away from you, away from your pretty face to get his leader just to speak to you. Gods he wanted to speak to you. Just as he built up the courage to turn his face away and call for Chan you spoke.

“How’re your ribs??” you asked..in Korean. Well shit. Looks like he can speak to you..that was a surprise. A quite pleasant one in fact.

TAG LIST:

@taeminsung @maximumkillshot @feybin @alex--awesome--22 @liknws @palindrome969 @newbbystay @highlydestiny

#skz fic #skz x reader #stray kids comfort #stray kids x reader #stray kids #changbin #bang chan #hyunjin #stray kids scenarios

[moon-alight]

can I request , maki helping out with studies ? just fluff

Sure thing <3 Here ya go!

Masterlist

Chemistry - &Team Maki

Synopsis: You have an important exam and your very sweet boyfriend helps you study for it

Warnings: fluff, a bit of teasing

Word Count: 701

Chemistry seemed to be a very important subject and somehow you weren't sure you would nail the exam that was coming up even though you worked hard to remember all the elements of the periodic table.

You were also pretty sure that there were many more important studies yet nobody taught you those. In life, chemistry would be the least of your worries, let's be honest.

"Good evening, sweetheart. What are you up to?" Maki asked as he walked inside the living room where you sat with your books open everywhere.

"Rollerskating." You replied sarcastically to which Maki rolled his eyes. "Studying for my upcoming chemistry test." You added honestly.

"Chemistry, yeah, I remember that." Maki mumbled and sat down next to you. He liked the subject just as much as you did. "Periodic table?"

"Yep." You showed him your book in which he seemed to read some of the notes you had written down on sticky notes. "I need to know like all of these stupid elements but I'm pretty sure I won't be able to do so."

"Why not?" Maki asked, looking up at you. "You are very smart, I'm sure you get this in your head in no-time."

"I have been studying this for weeks and still cannot recall a single one."

"Not even one?"

"Well, I know helium and maybe magnesium but that's all." You told him to which Maki hummed once more.

"I have an idea on how to get this information inside that pretty little head of yours." Maki said and stood up to get his phone. You frowned for a moment.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, music began to play through his phone speaker and you heard a low voice begin the intro to what you imagined would be a song.

"And now AsapScience presents the elements of the periodic table."

You looked at Maki who began to dance to the beat of the music before the voice started singing. You couldn't help but laugh at this.

"There's Hydrogen and Helium Then Lithium, Beryllium Boron, Carbon everywhere Nitrogen all through the air

With Oxygen so you can breathe And Fluorine for your pretty teeth Neon to light up the signs Sodium for salty times

Magnesium, Aluminum, Silicon, Phosphorus Then Sulfur, Chlorine, and Argon Potassium and Calcium, so you'll grow strong Scandium, Titanium, Vanadium And Chromium and Manganese"

The song went on and you were sure you would be dying of lack of oxygen soon because of how hard you were laughing. Maki continued to dance along in the weirdest way possible but honestly, it was a good idea. When the song ended, Maki joined you on the couch again.

"With this you will learn the periodic table in no-time. I'm sure you'll be just fine." Maki told you and handed you his phone to replay the song.

"You know I have my exam in two days, right?" You asked him to which he hummed.

"I learn our new songs in 24 hours, you can do too."

"You're gonna help me with this, right?"

"Of course." Maki told you and took your book. "Play the song!" You chuckled and began to play the song once more.

Before you knew it, you had replayed it a dozen of times and unconsciously began to sing along. Maki made you read your notes while you listened to the point where you managed to sing along to every word at the end of the two hour study session.

"Ununtrium, Flerovium Ununpentium, Livermorium Ununseptium, Ununoctium And then we're done"

You finished and smiled up at Maki who smirked down at you with a proud smile. He really did know his stuff and you were grateful to have him help you.

The two of you jumped up and celebrated the fact that you managed to learn the entire song in such a short amount of time. Maki hugged you and kissed your cheek, happily.

"I have never seen two nerds be so happy about nerdy stuff." Nicholas commented as he watched the two of you from the door.

"Well, these two nerds are about to pass their chemestry test!" You said back to which Nicholas rolled his eyes.

"Have fun you morons."

#&team #&team drabbles #&team scenarios #&team imagines #&team fluff #&team headcanons #&team maki #&team maki fluff

[abiiors]

Do Me A Favour

yes, like the arctic monkeys song.

warnings: angst, just sadness. at least there's only 900 words of it.

White knuckles gripping the steering wheel, that’s his most vivid memory—something that he will always associate with today. White knuckles and the sound of a car door slamming shut. 

And the anger in her voice as she tells him to fuck off…

Two hours before as he sits outside thei—her house, eyes red-rimmed yet bone dry, he wonders how everything came to this. How did he suddenly wake up one day in a cold hotel room all alone?

The car door opens viciously, her scent fills his lungs once again and what would have once driven him crazy, nauseates him even further. 

‘Speak,’ she mutters as soon as she enters the car. Her tone is clipped and short, frigid enough to rival the arctic. 

He looks over her features; the same sparkling eyes, now filled with so much indifference; the same full lips, now pressed in a straight line. ‘Why are you so angry at me?’ It’s soft, whispered, almost as if it slipped out without him realising it. But she hears it regardless.

‘Why am I—for fucks sake, Matty, are you hearing yourself right now?’ she scoffs, then takes a deep breath. The meaning is clear to him. He’s not worthy of her anger, of evoking any emotions in her. 

‘Do me—do yourself a favour, Matty. Sign the papers, don’t make this harder than it has to be.’ She brings a hand up to her face to rub her eyes as if that would somehow make the exhaustion go away. And his heart stutters in his chest. 

The ring that once sat on her finger is gone. The ring that he used to caress and kiss lovingly, the ring that he put on her finger on the happiest day of his life, has simply been discarded. The only thing that’s left behind is a ghostly pale band the colour of death. 

‘You really want that?’ he asks stupidly. Of course, she wants that, his brain tells him, she wouldn’t get the lawyers involved if she didn’t. ‘You really want…’

‘What? For us to be over?’ she rolls her eyes and laughs mirthlessly, ‘we have been over. For a long, long time.’ The irony doesn't escape him that even in the middle of a fight, they still finish each other's sentences.

‘Don’t say that, darling…’ The nickname slips out—muscle memory, a habit that won’t die so soon, maybe ever. She doesn’t even register it, so used to him calling her that all the time. It’s some solace to him that she doesn’t. 

‘I understand you’re angry with me, I do,’ he tries to placate her, holds his hands up in surrender and then an idea strikes. It’s insane but he’s willing to give it a try at least. Willing to do just about anything at this point. ��Punch me if it makes you feel better,’ he grabs her hands, coaxing them into fists, ‘hit me, break my nose, beat me black and blue yeah? I know you’re angry, I know–I accept every single thing you’re mad at me for—’

‘Mad at you?’ she seethes and wrenches her hand away so forcefully that she almost hits her elbow against the door. ‘Matty, this is not some stupid fight! I’m telling you it’s over and there’s no coming back from it,’ her voice rises higher but he refuses to take the bait. 

‘I know it’s not some silly fight–fuck, believe me, I know it’s not,’ he yells louder than her, and then in a softer tone, ‘but…but I know we can save this, I know we can—’

‘Stop!’ She holds up a hand as if that would physically stop the words from coming out of his mouth. Tears threaten to spill over as water gathers at her lower lashline. ‘You are still the exact same person, you know that? Taking me and my emotions for granted, you think if I hit you it will make all the hurt and pain go away? Or do you just want me to do something that would make me just as bad as you, huh? Worse still.’ 

There’s venom in her voice that he has never heard before. Words, rotten and foul that spill from her mouth. The same mouth, the same person who used to tell him how loved he was, how precious. 

‘I’m glad we never had children,’ she spits at him. ‘Although I don’t doubt “absent father” is a badge that would bother you. Being an absent husband clearly fucking didn’t.’

He flinches, unable to come up with a coherent answer. Heart cracking open and ready to bleed all over his car. 

A shadow of uncertainty crosses over her features for the briefest of seconds, almost concern, almost regret. But it’s swallowed whole by steely resolve. 

She furiously wipes at her eyes and places a hand on the door handle. ‘Don’t contact me again,’ her voice is firm, ‘my lawyer’s contact information is in the email.’ 

‘Wait—’

‘Goodbye, Matty.’

The door opens and thuds shut before he even registers it. The sound echoes with finality around the car, the final nail in the coffin before this marriage breaks down and withers away forever. 

He watches and waits till she’s back inside, waiting to see if she will turn around and wave goodbye, even if it’s forced; or give him a smile, even if it’s fake. But she simply slams the front door shut. 

His hand hovers mid-air, a half-formed wave, a pathetic goodbye.   

#matthew healy #matty healy #matthew healy x reader #matty healy x reader #matty healy angst #just angst #angst fic #matty healy fanfiction #the 1975 #the 1975 fanfic #george daniel #ross macdonald #adam hann #matty the 1975 #matty healy imagine #matty x reader #angst writing #the 1975 fic #matty x you #the 1975 angst

[giggly-squiggily]

Putting The "Ho" in Hokage (Blue Lock)

Heyo! Happy Sunday everyone! My mental health has taken a bit of a nosedive due to some IRL chaos and anxiety, so I’m feeling a bit down 😅 And when that happens- I turn to goofy fics and scenarios as my coping mechanism! :D

I saw this TikTok recently- the ending in particular inspired this fic :3 I hope y’all like it!

CW: Suggestive jokes

Cloud 9 (Taglist Peeps):

@myreygn @cupcake-spice13

Summary: With some difficulty, Isagi attempts to explain Naruto to Chigiri.

“Habata itara modoranai to ittta”

Isagi never perked up faster in his life. Eyes widening, he listened to the familiar opening through muted earbuds, tracking the sound until he found the source. “No way…”

“Hm?” Chigiri, who was busy stretching after a long run, peeked through his hair.

“That’s Blue Bird! Ikimono-gakari!” Isagi was practically bouncing in his shoes, eyes bright and smiling huge. “Oh my god, that opening was so good!”

“Oh, yeah- definitely.” Chigiri gave a small smile, pulling out an earbud to fully engage with the other. “I really loved that part.”

“Right? Ugh, that opening with the little bird, and the flashbacks playing across the screen just before the music kicks in!” Isagi sighed, momentarily lost as he replayed the mental reel again and again in his head. “I get chills thinking about that part where it shows both Naruto and Sasuke parallel to one another. What a journey they’ve been through!”

“Oh definitely. They really had trials to cross.” Chigiri carried on smiling, his expression a bit stiff. “So many great moments.”

“Right?....You good?” Isagi blinked, suddenly aware of the other’s body language. “I’m interrupting your workout, aren’t I?”

“Well- yeah, but you’re fine. I don’t mind it.” Chigiri shrugged, still seeming rather awkward. “What were you saying about Sock-say?”

“Sock-say?” Isagi blinked. Chigiri’s face turned blank.

“You haven’t watched Naruto, have you?”

“Not a single episode.” Chigiri confessed, cheeks reddening some. Isagi fell backwards against the mats in defeat. “I’ve heard of it- just never got into it. My sister likes it though; the song was on her playlist for a long time.”

“Your sister’s got good taste.” Isagi groaned, hiding his face in his hands. How embarrassing- he just geeked out in front of Chigiri; about an anime he didn’t even watch no less! “Sorry- I’m embarrassed.”

“Why are you apologizing? It’s not like you’ve never geeked out over anime before.” Chigiri shuffled over, poking his leg some. “You were just raving about that one show the other day to the guys- what was it called? Bingo Stage Dogs?”

“Bungo Stray Dogs! Oh my gahad!” Isagi laughed, finding the redhead’s misguided names endearing. “Do you even watch anime, Chi?”

“Eh. I’m more of a manga reader.” Chigiri poked him again, slowly moving up the side of his thigh. “I get through the series faster that way. Tell me more- who’s the blonde guy? The one  who’s always yelling and stuff.”

“That’s nahahharuto! He’s the mahahahain charhahaharacter!” Isagi tried to sound normal, but Chigiri was poking along his leg, each jab more ticklish than the last. “It’s naahahahmed after hihihihihim! He wahhahant’s to be hohohoh-OHOOHokahahahage!”

“Ho-kage? Is that like the show’s version of OnlyFans?” Chigiri prodded his hip, making Isagi squeak. “Why would he want to be a hoe? Is that why the other guy’s always shirtless? Is he trying to be the next big Ho-Kage?”

“Ghehahahahahahhaa, Chhuihihihihiihhigirihihihi nohohoohohohoho!” Isagi cackled, both from the questions and the tickling. He felt like he was explaining anime to his parents. It was weirdly fun. “Hehehhehehehe’s like the bohohohohohoohohss!”

“Ah, so he’s like a pimp?” Chigiri giggled as he moved a hand up to Isagi’s waist, pressing in gently and earning a proper squeal. “What kind of show is this?”

“Nohoohohohohohohoho! Pfft- geahhahahhahahhaa yohohohohou’re doohohohoing this on puhuhuhuhuhuhurpphohoohohoose!” Isagi accused, arching with a cackle when two hands found his waist, pressing along the spot just below his lower ribs.

“The tickling or the questions? Cause the answer is yes.” Chigiri smirked, skittering his nails along the Blue Lock suit. “I know some things- I just like messing with you.”

“Triihihiiihihihihckstehhehehehhheheer!” Isagi declared, trying to scoot away as Chigiri moved up to the center of his ribs, one hand lightly clawing while the other prodded and poked. “Noohoohohohoht the rihihihihihihiihbs!”

“Is that a thing in the show? Oh- you know what? I watched one episode with my sister. The guy with the long hair- he did this.” Chigiri began to rapidly poke and prod Isagi’s torso at an incredible speed, earning a loud shriek of laughter. “He called it something with triangles. I think he was just tickling his opponent.”

“CHIHIHIHIHIHIIHGIHIHIHIIHHIIRI!” Isagi howled, cheeks bright red and eyes misty with mirth. It didn’t help that a lot of the “Triangle pokes of death” were focused on his lower ribs, a spot that made his whole body feel like it was being electrocuted. “PLEAHHAHAHAHAHHASE!”

“Please what?” Chigiri asked, still tapping away. “We haven’t reached 80 pokes yet.”

“SIHIHIHIHIHIXTY-FOHOOHOHOHOHOHUR!”

“You want me to poke you 64 more times?” Chigiri blinked, amazed. “Wow- you really like being tickled, huh?”

“GEHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHA!” Seeing there weren't many options of escape, Isagi did the first thing that came to mind. Wrapping his legs around Chigiri’s waist, he pulled on every ounce of core strength within him to twist. The redhead yelped as he was suddenly flipped over, pinned to the mat with Isagi looming high above him. “Gohoohoohtcha!”

“Oh- is this the part where you do hand signs?” Chigiri brought his hands together, linking his thumbs and flapping his hands. “Hehe, look a bird.”

“Oh, I don’t need hand signs for this! TICKLE NO JUTSU!” Isagi grabbed Chigiri’s sides, pressing in as he effectively tickled the redhead to tears.

That day- Chigiri learned quite a bit about Naruto.

Thanks for reading!

#blue lock #tickle #tickle fic #fluff #isagi yoichi #Chigiri Hyoma #boys being boys #dumb jokes and antics #Chigiri doesn’t know much about anime #we love him for it #suggestive jokes #fluff for the soul #humor is my coping mechanism

[joekeeryswife]

Omg angst with reader getting killed (or very hurt) by vecna and Steve watching since he loves reader 🙏🏽 I need some angst

Vecna - S.H

hope this was okay lovely, i couldn’t really think about what to write so i just used some of the storyline from Max- have a good day <3

Did i get inspiration from Max and Vecna? sort of. just an fyi that there is talk about death in this so please don’t read if you’re uncomfortable with that x

you knew it was coming. you had heard and seen the grandfather clock, you had visions of Vecna and your time was running out. you had written notes to every person that meant something to you. you started off with your mum. she had been your been your biggest support through anything you’d done and she was extra supportive after your dad died. you had heard that Vecna played off of his victims traumas and your dads death was definitely your biggest trauma.

he had died suddenly in a car accident on his way to pick you up from Steve’s house. it was probably one of your biggest regrets, asking him to pick you up. it had only been a year and that night sometimes just replayed in your mind. your next letter was to Steve. your sweet boy. he had been your boyfriend for two years and other than your dad dying, it had been the best two years of your life. he took you and picked you up from work, you guys had a movie night every Tuesday which was one of your favourite days of the week just because you spent time with Steve. he was just all around the most perfect boyfriend and you’d never want to have a relationship with anyone else.

you wrote letters to everyone else- Dustin, Max, El, Mike, Eddie, Lucas, Robin and a few of your other friends who you’d been friends with since forever. you also wrote letters to each member of your family, telling them how much they mean to you. as you were sat at your desk, writing the last letter to one of your cousins, you heard a knock at your bedroom door. you jumped, you were scared of basically every single thing. you looked back to the door. before you could say anything, the person barged into your room, giving you no time to hide the letters. “babe? what are you doing?” it was Steve. you scattered the letters around, trying to hide them, it was too late and he saw them. he gave you a look, the look that said ‘what are you doing?’. you sighed before speaking.

“it’s just incase something goes wrong okay? it’s just so i can clear my conscious.” you said, turning back to the letter you were finishing. “nothing’s going to go wrong okay?” he spoke, coming over to where you were sitting. he put his hands on your shoulders and kissed your forehead. you smiled slightly. even in a time where you were scared, he always knew how to calm you down. you finished the letter, putting it in the envelope, before sealing it shut. “i need you to do me a favour Steve. if something goes wrong-” you spoke before he cut you off. “nothing will go wrong” he interrupted. you sighed before continuing. “Steve. stop okay? if something goes wrong, please just give the letters to my mum and the rest of my family okay? i can’t face looking at them whilst giving them these.” you said, standing up, handing him your families letters.

“and as i said, i won’t need to because nothing will go wrong.” he said, putting his hands on your cheeks, making you look into his eyes. “you don’t know that Steve. can we just go so i can give the kids their letters?” you said, pulling away from his hold. he nodded his head and took hold of your hand. he saw your walkman on your bed and he grabbed it and your favourite song. he wanted to be safe. you guys walked to Steve’s car and drove to Family Video, he knew Robin, Max, Lucas and Dustin were there so that’s where you went first. you exited the car and walked into Family video. you saw them all behind the counter talking about Vecna and once the all saw you with five letters in your hand, they instantly stopped talking. you gave them your best smile before handing them their letters. Steve shook his head as you handed them out. “y/n we don’t need letters. what are you doing?” Dustin said as you handed him his letter.

“it’s just incase something goes wrong okay?” you said, handing Robin her letter. “i need to speak to you” you whispered to her, one last letter in your hand. she nodded her head and took you to the stock room. Steve and the others where confused. “where are you guys going?” he spoke once you guys got to the stock room door. “i just need to show her something Dingus. speak amongst yourselves” she said, pulling you into the stock room. you broke down, handing her the letter. there was a small ‘Steve’ in cursive writing in the top corner with a tiny heart next to it. “i couldn’t give it to his face Robin. you are gonna have to do it for me. please?” you sounded desperate. she nodded her head and pulled you in for a hug. you cried on her shoulder before pulling away. “thank you. he keeps saying it won’t go wrong but i can feel it Robs. something bad is going to happen to me wether i survive or not.” you said, looking at her face. it was almost unreadable.

“you will be fine okay? you know Steve would do anything to keep you alive and although he’s a Dingus, he will make sure you’re out of that alive.” she said, you nodded your head, wiping your tears, before both exiting the stock room going back to the group. Steve gave you a look and you smiled at him. after speaking for a bit, you all got into the car. you had asked Steve if you could go talk to your dad at his grave, you wanted to say your goodbyes to him. you arrived at the cemetery and got out immediately. “can you guys please wait here? i just want some alone time” you whispered. your voice was almost silent but Steve understood, nodding his head as you closed the door, walking off to your dads grave. Steve didn’t want you going alone, he asked Dustin, Lucas and Max to come with him but asked Robin, the most responsible one, to stay behind to look after his car. he kept his distance from you, knowing you needed your space.

as you were talking to your dad, your head started pounding, you felt yourself just stop. your eyes rolled into your head and then everything around you changed. you ‘woke up’ in the upside down and looked around. you saw Chrissy, dead, up against a tree. you then saw Fred, in sort of the same position as Chrissy. you gasped. you had never been so scared of something in your life. you looked around more before you heard a voice, it was your dad. “how could you y/n? you asked me to come pick you up, it’s your fault i’m dead, it’s all your fault i’ve left you with your mum. it’s all your fault” he said, walking closer to you. you started backing up but didn’t get that far. “you aren’t real. you aren’t.” you said, closing your eyes, trying to forget everything around you. you opened your eyes and saw Vecna standing right in front of you. you screamed and tried to run away from him but didn’t get far, one of his tentacles got hold of your leg and pulled you back to him.

he wrapped a few more around your body as you were now back up against the tree. “please. you aren’t real” you shouted, “oh but i am. it’s your turn y/n, join the others” he spoke, his voice demonic and terrifying. he reached his clawed hand reaching up to your face. you could hardly breathe. he had a tentacle around your neck, restricting your airway. as he was reaching up to your face, you got flashbacks of all the good times you had. back in reality, Steve had put the walkman over your ears and it was blasting your favourite song. you heard faint lyrics as you saw the flashbacks.

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day

When it's cold outside

Steve watched you as you floated into the air, his heart hurt. his beautiful girl, was being cursed but this awful thing and all he could do is stand there and wait. he had hot tears rolling down his face. he needed this to work, he couldn’t lose you. who would he vent to when he had a bad day? who would he go to if he needed a cuddle? what would he do without you? he was so scared. they all called your name as you kept floating higher. you still had your eyes closed with Vecna’s claws getting closer to your face.

I've got the month of May

I guess you'd say

What can make me feel this way

My girl, my girl, my girl

Talkin' 'bout my girl

My girl

you opened your eyes as soon as you heard those words, ripping at Vecna’s neck. he screamed in pain and his tentacles let go of you. you gasped for air and saw an opening in the upside down. it was you, floating in the air with Steve, Dustin, Lucas and Max all shouting your name. Steve had tears rolling down your face. you could barely breathe. you ran. ran as fast as you ever had before. you ran for your family, your friends, your future, but most of all, Steve. this was your song, yours and his. it had so much meaning to it and that’s why it was your favourite. you gasped as you ran. Vecna was throwing different objects your way, trying to stop you from escaping, you fell over a few times but you didn’t stop fighting.

I've got so much honey

The bees envy me

I've got a sweeter song

Than the birds in the trees

Well, I guess you'd say

What can make me feel this way

My girl, my girl, my girl

Talkin' 'bout my girl

My girl

as soon as you heard those last words, your hand reached the portal and everything went blank. you woke up, mid air, and fell to the ground. you still could hardly breathe. “y/n!” Steve shouted as you fell. you gasped for air, tears rolling down your face as you felt Steve’s arms around you. “Steve, i can’t breathe” you said, coughing as you spoke. he helped you sit up. “y/n. calm down baby. it’s okay. follow my breaths. in through your nose and out through your mouth love” you heard him speak. you felt Max, Dustin and Lucas’ hands on your back, trying to calm you down. once you finally calmed down, Dustin, Lucas and Max left you guys for a moment. you fell back onto Steve and cried on his shoulder. “i thought i’d lost you baby” he whispered, thick tears falling down his face. you shook your head as you cried. “i’m so sorry Steve. i came back for you. i couldn’t leave you” you said, looking up at him. he kissed you passionately and checked the marks on your neck.

there were thick, red marks around it, they looked painful. “maybe we should take you home baby. i’ll stay with you” he said, meeting your eyes. you nodded and he helped you up, you had a few cuts and bruises all over your body. it hurt to walk. Steve helped you all the way to the car and helped you get in. you were silent most of the way home. Steve sharing scared glances your way. you lent your head on his shoulder as he drove, everyone in the back trying to make their own conversation. you were home, you were safe, and you’d never been more thankful for Steve Harrington, the boy who saved your life.

#fanfiction #steve harrington #steve harrington one shot #steve harrington fandom #steve harrington x y/n #steve harrington fanfiction #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington imagines #steve harrington blurb #steve harrington fanfic #steve harrington x reader #joe keery #stranger things #stranger things season 4 #joe keery imagines #joe keery characters #joe keery fandom #joe keery imagine #joe keery x reader #imagines #fanfic #prompts #blurbs #robin buckley #kurtsworld96 #kurt kunkle

[hellfirebarnes]

102

I've been listening to the song 102 for like three days now and threw this together. Feel free to correct any mistakes, it has not been proofread. Not sure if I like yet, but oh well.

There's one use of y/n; I'm sorry.

I like the way that your face looks when I'm arguing with you. 

Bucky wasn't a man of many words and hadn't been for a long time. But that was soon about to change when he found himself in your bar after a failed mission. It started with a cheerful greeting from you and some groaning from him. You gave him a Heineken, and then nearly an hour passed before you attempted to approach him again. 

''My name is Y/N. You know, if you need anything,'' you said with a glimmer in your eyes. One that almost drew a smile from him. Almost. 

''James.'' You only gave him a nod before turning to get busy with other customers, but his words halted you. ''No, wait!'' He blushed when you looked at him with a chuckle. ''Call me Bucky.''

You hummed and tapped your lips as if you were thinking. ''No, I don't think I will.'' He was visibly shocked by your words, and it made you smirk. ''You'll have to earn that nickname from me.''

A single wink from you was all it took for a smile to replace the frown on his face. And suddenly, the mission didn't feel like such a big deal.

Around twenty minutes later, you returned to him and leaned against the bar with a smile. ''Can I get you anything else, James?'' 

He rolled his eyes, catching himself off guard with it. ''Bucky would like another beer, please.'' 

You stood up straight and sighed dramatically with a shrug. ''Sorry, I don't know any Bucky around here.'' As you spoke, you placed another bottle in front of him. ''However, handsome guys like you, James, can get one on the house.''

There was no point hiding his furious blushing; he knew you had seen it the second a bubbling laugh escaped you. And instead, he laughed along with you. ''Why are you messing with me, doll?'' he asked with sudden confidence that felt foreign to him. But the blush creeping up your neck spurred him on. 

You shrugged and leaned against the bar again so your faces got closer. ''I like the way that your face looks when I'm arguing with you.''

He scoffed through the chuckles. ''Is this you trying to pick a fight with me, peaches?''

''Nah.'' You looked down at his lips for a second before locking eyes with him again. ''It is, however, me trying to flirt with you.''

Bucky stayed until closing that night. And as the clock hit 1:02 AM, he gave you a final goodbye before heading out the door. 

When I knock at a hundred and two

And I see your pajamas 

I can't stop smiling at you

Was it creepy? No. Yes. Probably. Okay, yes. It was creepy. He should turn back and act like it never happened. He knew this. So why were his feet still carrying him toward the address at a not-so-casual speed? And it didn't seem to matter how many times he told himself to go home and not be a creep. Because suddenly he found himself knocking on the door with your name. A quick look at his watch and the nerves got three times worse. 

1:02 AM. 

There was shuffling behind the door, and then there you were. Your hair was a complete mess, and your nose was red like Rudolph's. But what caught Bucky's eye was what you were wearing. 

You stood momentarily and wondered if he was staring at your boobs before it dawned on you. Not expecting visitors and barely having clean clothes left, you had put on the Captain America pajamas your mom gifted you last Christmas. And you had never blushed so hard in your entire life. But Bucky couldn't seem to stop smiling at you. 

''James, what uh, what are you doing here?'' you asked and crossed your arms in an attempt to hide some of it. 

Now it was Bucky's turn to blush as he held up a brown paper bag from your favorite restaurant. ''I heard you were sick, so I got you soup from that place you talked about last week.''

You were dumbfounded for a moment. No one had ever done anything like this before. And you had so many questions. Like, how did he remember the name of the restaurant? Had he also remembered where you lived? Or had he asked someone? What type of super-memory did he possess? 

''How did you know?'' 

''Well, it's Thursday, and you weren't there, so I asked the guy working instead of you.''

I've been pouring my heart out toward your optimistic grin.

Bucky was nervous. Crazy nervous. He knew you would have told him if you couldn't make it. You would, wouldn't you? But as the clock kept ticking and there still wasn't any sign of you, he started doubting himself more than anything. It may have been stupid to think you would even want to attend one of Tony's parties with him. Who would want to enter a room full of superheroes with The Winter Soldier? Not someone as precious as you. He was becoming sure of it. Foolish to dress up, thinking you would show up. 

But then he heard Sam calling his name, and without looking, he knew he had a shit-eating grin on his face. Expecting to be made fun of for talking about a girl who didn't even show up all week, he turned around with a loud groan. And the frown he had been sporting for the last half-hour was wiped from his face in a second.

Walking next to Sam was you, dressed in a knee-length black silk dress and your hair falling over your shoulders in messy curls. You had a wide grin as you listened to something he was saying, but your eyes were glued on Bucky the second you saw him. 

And much to Bucky's surprise, Sam backed off and left the two of you alone. He tried to come up with something good to say, but you had thrown your arms around his neck in a tight embrace before he could. One he was more than happy to return. 

''I am SO sorry for being late! The dress I was planning to wear ripped, so I had to borrow this from my sister.''

He shook his head. ''No, it's fine. I honestly thought you weren't coming at all.'' A nervous chuckle. ''But I'm glad you did.''

As the night went on, the two of you mainly kept to yourselves, but he introduced you to those most important to him. And at one point, Sam was pestering the two of you, but you handled it without any issues and made him leave surprisingly fast. Bucky added that to the mental list of things he liked about you, a list that was getting too long for him to remember. 

Suddenly it was 1:02 AM, and he was sitting on a couch in the corner, completely pouring his heart out to you. It's not like he could blame it on being drunk, but you didn't know, and he was just hoping you didn't mind his seemingly endless rambling about anything that came to mind. 

Your soft look and grin assured him you didn't but enjoyed hearing him open up. 

I like the way that your face looks when you're yapping on about him.

To Bucky, it came out of nowhere. But you were so excited when you told him, and he couldn't bring himself to ask the questions burning in his mind. Maybe he had read things wrong. Or perhaps he had been too slow, and you had moved on to the next guy. Someone brave enough to make an actual move and ask you out. Not just invite you to things and hope for the best. 

''Oh, James, you're gonna love him!'' You beamed. He couldn't recall ever seeing you this... happy. 

He just forced a smile and nodded. Of course, he would like anything that made you happy. But love? Now that might be a bit much. How could he love someone in any sense when that someone had snatched away his sunshine?

Bucky hadn't realized you stopped talking before you poked his nose and laughed at how startled he got. ''Sorry, what was that?'' he asked, awkwardly clearing his throat. A quick look at his phone that read 1:02 AM before turning back to you. 

You laughed at him. ''You were staring. Is everything okay?'' Reading him like an open book, as always. 

''Oh yeah, I just...'' he trailed off, wondering what he could possibly say without lying to your face. ''I like the way that your face looks when you're yapping on about him.'' And it was true, and love looked mesmerizing on you. 

''Shut up!'' You slapped his arm with a laugh. ''I was not yapping!''

But on this shirt, I found your smell

 I just sat there for ages contemplating what to do with myself

You're not here, is everything okay?

James?

I will report you missing!

Are you really ditching me? On our Thursday? Rude. 

Call me. 

Bucky dragged his hand through his hair as he read your texts. A frustrated groan rumbled through the room as he fell back on the bed. But barely a minute later, he shot up and grabbed the shirt thrown onto his dresser. He couldn't break tradition. Thursdays are your days. 

And hadn't it been for the smell of your perfume on the shirt he pulled on, he probably would've been out the door by now. But it caught him off guard, and he again fell back onto the bed. He put his arms around himself and inhaled the lingering scent of you. What the hell was he supposed to do? 

Your shift would end in ten minutes, and he had promised to arrive at least an hour before. It may not matter; he wouldn't make it on time anyway. And would you really care? This just meant you could hang out with your boyfriend instead. Surely it would be a pleasant surprise. He should have texted you, though. 

All thoughts were interrupted by the buzzing of his phone. And the screen was lit up by your grinning face. A picture he had taken of you during Tony's party. 1:02 AM. His thumb hovered over the screen before finally pressing green. 

''Hello?'' he answered calmly.

''I thought you were dead!'' you practically yelled at him from the other end. ''I closed up early, and now I'm outside.''

Bucky shot up from the bed. ''What?''

''I'm outside and don't know the stupid code to get into your stupid little superhero tower. Can you let me in?''

He wanted to question what the hell you were doing there, why you had come looking for him. But he just mumbled a ''hold on'' and rushed out of his room. Within the minute, he was face to face with you and rushing to put away the phone.

''Listen, I'm sorry-'' He stopped himself when you threw yourself at him in a tight embrace. His arms went around your waist and held you even closer. And when you pulled away, he received a slap to the chest, but his hands stayed on you. ''What was that for?''

''I thought you were dead, Bucky! Don't ever do that to me again.''

A grin grew on his face, and he pulled you closer by the waist again. ''You called me Bucky.''

''Yeah, but don't think for a moment that you deserve it.'' You scoffed and pushed past him inside the tower. ''I'm sleeping in your bed and stealing all the covers.''

He led you to his room, and all he could think about was how your smell would be all over and not just on his shirt. What was he going to do with himself?

I called you up at a hundred and two 

We just sat there for ages

Talking about that boy, what was getting on to you

Bucky didn't want to know about your weekend in London with your boyfriend. But he wanted to hear your voice. And so he called you. at 1:02 AM. And he thought about when he went to your apartment with soup, and maybe this was your time of the day. 

You dove into it and told him all about what you had been doing—everything from the hotel to the restaurants and bars. At one point, you even described to him the ''nicest toilet you've ever seen''. But then it came. The words that shattered his heart.

''I think I'm falling in love with him, Buck.'' 

And although the tears pooled in his eyes, he asked you to tell him more about the boyfriend. Which you happily did. And he even laughed along when you told him a funny story. But he knew this night marked the begging of the end of your friendship. 

At least he would still have 102.

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