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#tag team of human life-jackets
sun-ni-day · 2 months
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Above and beyond everything else Gen Padalecki is a life saver. She's one of the main reasons Jared is still alive today. Devoting your life to a partner with life-threatening chronic mental illness is no small fit. I don't think most people realize how strong she really is.
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rip-quizilla · 2 months
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You Could Kill Me (and You Should)
Pairing: Vampire!Eddie Munson X Slayer!Reader
Word Count: 16k
Tags: SMUT🔥🔥🔥, dubious consent, memory alteration, reader's pronouns aren't specified, reader has a vagina, oral sex, p in v sex, blood drinking, blood kink, unprotected sex, squirting, dom/sub undertones, vampire sex, references to Buffy the Vampire Slayer (but you don't have to be familiar to understand this story)
A/N: please read the tags! This work contains depictions of blood and VERY adult content. Minors, do not interact!
Bat divider made by @saradika ❤️
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Hunting on game nights was never ideal. 
There were too many people around… the double-edged sword of vampire hunting. The great throngs of people made it easy for a poor soul to get lost in the fray, so it brought the baddies out into the open. On the flip side of that coin, what made an ideal hunting ground for vamps created a field of landmines for a Slayer. Throngs of people meant infinite chances to get caught in the open with a wooden stake in your hand, and that brought too many questions. 
Still, you could deal with humans; you had been your whole life. Hawkins, Indiana was just like any other town- people would believe what they wanted to believe, and you knew exactly how to spin a story into something they’d find acceptable. 
However, if you got caught out in the moonlight with the specific vamp you were hunting, you knew you’d attract the wrong kind of attention. You wanted to fly under the radar here; it was the only way you’d be able to live here long enough to stave off the influx of demons that liked to slip in time to time from the Upside Down- the hell that waited on the other side of this reality. Not every town was as connected to it as Hawkins was, but then again, not every town sat on top of a Hellmouth. 
A sound from behind you perked up the hairs at the back of your neck. You turned, making sure the brick wall of Hawkins High protected your back as you surveyed the empty courtyard before you. Everyone within a mile radius who still had a beating heart was in the gym, cheering on the Hawkins Tigers in hopes that the subpar basketball team might actually take home a win tonight. 
Well… everyone except for you, whose heart was beating alarmingly fast for someone who had slain so many bloodsuckers that you’d lost count. Why were you this nervous? Aw, who were you kidding, you knew why.
You weren’t hunting just any vampire this time. You were hunting Eddie Munson. 
You steadied your turncoat heart with a slow, deep breath. “Stop kidding around, Munson,” you said, keeping your voice low and eerily calm. “You know why I’m out here and I know you’ll only hurt me if you have to, so let’s just cut the formalities and have a little chat.”
A rumbling chuckle sounded from above, and when your eyes flicked up to the sky they were met with the sight of the most elusive and cunning vamp you’d ever had the displeasure of hunting. 
Eddie Munson. Or, as he was known amongst the town’s community of bloodsuckers, Kas the Bloody Handed. 
“Little chat, huh?” Eddie’s smiling voice echoed from where he sat on the edge of the rooftop above you. “Put away the stake and we’ll talk, Slayer.”
You kept your eyes on him, narrowing your gaze but complying nonetheless. You pocketed the stake, shifting your brown leather jacket to the side and sliding the wooden spike into your waistband. 
Were you dealing with any other vamp, you would have laughed in their face at the demand that you disarm yourself when vampires had nearly every advantage against you. You had Slayer strength, sure- but that was it. These demons had speed, strength, teeth, claws- the fact that sunlight would incinerate them was really their only weakness besides their need for blood. 
Correction- sunlight should incinerate them. Sunlight didn’t affect Eddie Munson. That wasn’t the only thing that didn’t seem to affect him- bloodlust was apparently not an issue either, seeing how he was a student. At a high school. A building just teaming with sweaty, hormonal teens who were just itching to do something stupid- one would assume that a vampire in a place like that would be draining cheerleaders left and right, but not Eddie. In fact, you’d been watching him for months now since you moved to Hawkins, and you’d never even seen him hurt a fly. Hell, you’d seen kids try and beat him up and yet he hadn’t so much as made a fist since the first time you laid eyes on him. 
That was why you’d sought him out tonight- this vampire wasn’t killing people, and it was making you suspicious. 
Once your weapon had been safely tucked away, Eddie hopped down from his insane height at the top of the school building and landed swiftly and quietly on his feet in front of you. He smiled at you lazily, his eyes twinkling with the curiosity and glee that came with sharing a secret.
“Excuse my forwardness, but I’ve gotta know-” Eddie began, hands in his pockets as he slowly sauntered toward you. “-how long did I have you going before you figured me out?” 
You pushed off the wall, casually placing your hands behind your back as you matched his stride in the opposite direction. You were circling each other, two predators locked in a deadly dance. 
“You’re a pretty good actor, Munson.” you replied, voice lighter than air but balanced out by the unwavering rock-solid gaze that remained locked on him. “I might not have figured it out at all if your friend at the hospital hadn’t spilled the beans.”
That got his attention. “Annie ratted me out?” His eyebrows were practically synonymous with his hairline. “Impossible.”
You shrugged. “Apparently HIPAA laws don’t apply to secret bloodbag dealers and their demon customers. In her defense, she was pretty tight-lipped until I had convinced her I wasn’t trying to kill you.”
That stopped Eddie in his tracks. He peered at you through his curtain of moonlit curls, his gaze suspicious and unsure. “You’re not?” 
You stood squarely before him at ease. “Nope.” you replied brightly. “And I don’t think you’re trying to kill anyone either… are you, Kas?”
His suspicion gave way to a blinding smile. “Well someone’s been doing their research!” You blinked and he was inches away, his enhanced speed catching you off guard; you instinctively took a step back before instantly regretting it. Eddie caught your momentary lapse in stature and his grin crept upwards in one corner. “Tell you what, killer, how ‘bout we put a pin in all your fun little Kas facts and cut to the chase, hm?” 
In a flash his hand held your chin firmly. Your grip flew to the back of your waistband, fingertips already caressing the smooth wood of your stake. You mirrored each other, the two of you standing in a twin stance with one foot placed in front of the other a shoulder’s width apart, his hand at your jaw and yours ready to stake the bastard at the first sign of a threat. 
“You’re here to protect people,” Eddie continued, “and I don’t plan on hurting anyone. We can coexist here, it isn’t that complicated.”
“I’m here to slay vampires.” You corrected, but Eddie only grinned and shook his head. 
“See, that’s not true- you would have killed me already.” He leaned in, a smug smile only taking up more space on his countenance. “Ain’t that right, Slayer?”
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You’d expected that the decision to let Eddie live would come back to bite you in the ass, but surprisingly enough, nothing changed. 
You went to school. You hunted. You did normal teenager things. Not once did you witness Eddie Munson do a single thing out of the ordinary. 
Well…out of his ordinary. For a bloodsucking demon hiding among human teenagers, he liked attention far more than you’d expected. The more you thought about it, however, the more you saw his reputation for being the town freak as a genius cover. He was hiding in plain sight; any weird behavior would simply be written off as a cry for attention from Hawkins’ resident eccentric. If he wanted to, Eddie could be getting away with a lot more than stolen blood bags. 
So why wasn’t he?
You wanted answers, and surprisingly enough you had a feeling that it wouldn’t take too much for him to give them to you. You just needed to find a private place to ask him. Word travels like wildfire after a drought in Hawkins, and even if Eddie didn’t mind the attention, you on the other hand did. You couldn’t afford for people to start associating you with him, so you’d passed Eddie a note at lunch to meet you out in the woods at the old picnic table.
“Did you know I used to do drug deals in this exact place?” 
His voice sounded wistful as his body weight caused the weakened wooden bench to creak when he sat down with you later that afternoon. “Those were the days, man.”
You snorted. “You mean the days when you were human? Or are you a bloodsucker and a pill pusher? That’s an intersectionality I can’t say I’ve encountered before-”
“Back when I was human, smartass.” He cut you off, rolling his eyes. “Now, why did Hawkins’ shiny new vampire slayer invite me to meet in the middle of the woods? All alone?” he pretended to think it over for a second, feigning epiphany when his eyes widened and his brows shot up his forehead. His voice quivered, apparently auditioning to play the role of the victim in a slasher film. “Are you g-g-gonna k-k-kill me?” He braced his hands against the edge of the picnic table, scrambling to the ground as he amped up the drama while you watched, forcing a smile at bay. 
“P-p-please, don’t s-s-slay me, almighty S-Slayer!”
You snorted, shaking your head, unable to completely stop the ghost of a grin from sliding across your lips. “Having fun?” you snarked.
It took only a millisecond- in a blur of supernatural vampire speed, he was back up on his feet and sitting on the surface of the table. “Lots!” His smile was overwhelming- it was easygoing, unguarded, and above all things it was so human. It was disconcerting.
“The reason I asked you out here,” you said, getting down to business. “Is because I have some questions for you.”
The vampire’s eyes narrowed, that smile staying firmly planted on his lips. “I’m sure you do.”
“How can you be out in the sunlight without bursting into flames?” Every vampire you’d ever encountered would be reduced to ashes if they dared to step out the door in broad daylight, yet here was Eddie Munson- 100% bloodsucker, 100% sitting on a picnic bench and soaking up the rays that filtered in through the cover of tree branches. 
“I know a witch.” Eddie replied, eyes following you as you paced around the picnic table. “She did a spell. Next question?”
You raised an eyebrow, “Who’s the witch?”
“Not telling.” 
“I figured.” you lamented. “Do the blood bags satisfy you as much as fresh blood?” 
Eddie was quiet for a moment, then replied with a curt “They’re enough.”
“Enough to stave off the urge to- I don’t know- murder?”
His head whipped sharply in your direction, expression souring. “Have you seen me kill anyone? In all the time you’ve been here, have you ever seen me so much as harm someone?”
You paused. “No.”
Jutting out his chin triumphantly, he straightened his posture a bit. “Then stick to relevant questions, alright killer?”
You narrowed your eyes on him. “Your bloodlust isn’t relevant?”
He scoffed, tightening his grip on the edge of the tabletop he still sat on, and you could have sworn you heard the wood creaking beneath his white knuckles. “You may not be from Hawkins, but with that self-righteous, bigoted attitude you could’ve fooled me.” His head was hanging down, Eddie’s dark eyes trained on his Reebocks which dangled from where he sat.
When he looked up at you through his long, chestnut curls, the gaze he gave you was so disappointed, so intense, that you actually felt a pang of guilt even though you hadn’t done anything wrong. You’d accused a vampire of having bloodlust. What was there to feel guilty for?
“You’re a vampire, Munson. A demon.” you stated, matter of factly. “You need blood to survive, and you’re a killer by nature-”
“You’ve done more killing in this town than I have,” he laughed humorlessly, his voice tinged with exasperation. “-and I’ve lived here my entire life!” Eddie hopped off the tabletop, shaking his head. “I thought you wanted to have an actual conversation with me, but if you’re here to point out splinters and ignore the stakes, then I’m gone. Go interrogate some other vampire.” 
You stood your ground, watching Eddie walk back towards Hawkins High as you felt that guilt crawl into your chest and start to burrow there. 
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You found it ironic that the Hideout was known for both being the bar in town that never carded, and being the bar that vampires frequented the most. It resulted in a clientele that was either immortal or too young to be there. 
Your presence in town had slowed down vampire activity quite a bit, but apparently that hadn’t been enough of a deterrent to rid the dive bar of their undead customers for the night. After a few years of slaying, you’d learned how to distinguish between prey and predator- there weren’t too many people in the bar since it was a Tuesday night, but that only made it easier to single them out. 
You knew what to look for: eyes that swept the room to sort out the hierarchy of those present. Skin that lacked the plumpness and healthy complexion that came with blood running freely through the veins beneath. Behaviors that reflected an intention to single out the weak and alone before isolating them, going in for the kill. 
Unfortunately, they weren’t who you were here for. Tonight, your attendance wasn’t attributed to any run-of-the-mill vampires. 
Funny enough, you were here to see the band. 
You sipped on your glass of cranberry juice, watching warily as tonight’s headliner situated themselves on the small almost-stage in the corner of the tiny bar. Long dark curls shadowed eyes that followed you with equal wariness, unsure of why you were here but intrigued nonetheless. 
Sitting stationary at the bar with your glass sweating in your hand, you took in the spectacle before you- four boys who looked fairly human, setting the crowd ablaze with songs about nonconformity, rebellion, and hellish imagery. Funnily enough, humans and vampires alike were all watching them, heads bobbing to the thrum of the baseline, all of them united in their quest to distract themselves from life- or afterlife- for the night.
You’d always loved how music did that- it brought together folks of all shapes and sizes, political ideals, religions, backgrounds… and it gave them something to agree on. Music made people feel something. Whether you were alive or undead didn’t seem to matter; people loved to feel things.
To your chagrin, you found yourself tapping out the melodies along with the crowd, bouncing your knee in time with Eddie’s band’s music. They were- surprisingly- not bad. The place was small enough that even though you were seated at the bar, you were able to get a good look at each of the band members over the course of their set. You recognized some of them from school- Grant was a nice guy, you had some classes with him. Gareth was… shy? Standoffish? Either way, he kept to himself and away from everyone who wasn’t Eddie- typical behavior for a vampire. Now, seeing the pallor of his skin compared to the lively flush of his bandmates, you were all but sure he was a vampire; one of Eddie’s underlings, no doubt.
You’d figured out as much information about Eddie Munson’s standing in Hawkins’ vampire community as you thought you’d be likely to get, being a vampire slayer in a town fraught with vampires. He was the first to become a vampire the Hawkins way, and that afforded him a certain level of respect among vampires here. Other than that, you were flying blind. 
Vampires existed in many forms across the world- name a continent, and you could rattle off some fun facts about that region’s particular breed of bloodsucker. Some born, some made, some immortal, some not- and they all had their own particular set of characteristics that set them apart and made slaying even more complicated. Eddie Munson had been the first of a new breed of vampire, and that’s why your watcher had sent you here; not only to slay, but to collect data. 
The audience’s applause for Corroded Coffin’s final song faded into a dull chatter and the clinking of bar glasses, and your attention snagged on Eddie as you watched him amble off the stage in your direction. The other band members stayed where they were, shifting around as they began packing up their instruments. Gareth’s eyes stayed on Eddie, narrowing when they crossed over his shoulder and landed on you.
“Didn’t take you for a metal fan, Slayer.” Eddie murmured just loud enough for you to hear him over the din of noisy patrons. 
You shrugged, sipping from your glass. “I listen to a little bit of everything. You guys aren’t bad.” Eddie hopped up onto the stool beside you, nodding to the bartender in a silent exchange. A half second later, Eddie had a freshly opened can of PBR sweating in his hand. 
“Thanks.” He was eyeing you warily, sipping slowly from his can. “So what are you doing here?”
He didn’t bullshit around when there was an elephant in the room… you guessed you appreciated that. “I wanted to see you in your element.”
He snorted into his silver can. “In my element, huh? Wouldn’t that be -I don’t know- catching me in the act of ripping someone’s throat out? Draining the blood from a litter of kittens or something?”
A pang of guilt threatened to nudge its way through to your eyes, but you didn’t let it get that far. “No,” You replied, “you said it yourself, I’ve never actually seen you hurt anyone. Or even try, actually.”
His gaze was measured, eyeing you up and down as if scanning you for some indication that you were planning on staking him right here and now. You waited for him to speak but surprisingly he didn’t, so you continued.
“I’d like to propose a truce.” 
Eddie smirked slightly, the corner of his mouth tugging upwards enough to call into action the dimple hidden in his cheek. “Didn’t know we were fighting, I sure as hell haven’t been getting in your way, have I?”
You sighed, rolling your eyes. “Look, I’m sorry, okay? Is that what you’re getting at? You want an apology?” As Eddie’s smirk grew wider, your mouth moved in the opposite direction, lips forming a hard, tense line as you glared at the smug bloodsucking bastard before you. 
“I’m a Slayer. I’ve traveled all over the world with the sole purpose of killing vampires just like you-”
“There are no vampires like me, sweetheart.”
You snorted. “Yeah yeah, you’re so unique, we’re all aware.” You downed the last swig of your drink. “Can I finish now?”
He nodded, that grin still growing along his lips. 
“Every vampire I’ve ever met has wanted to kill people. Forgive me for having my defenses up when I came across one that didn’t.” Eddie’s eyes softened, as did the corners of his mouth. His smug grin now seemed a little more understanding, and maybe a little sympathetic. That last bit made you bristle.
“I’m not saying this for your sympathy, I just want you to know where I was coming from when I made assumptions about your…”
“I believe the term you used was ‘bloodlust’?” Eddie supplied, his tone accusatory but not altogether unfriendly. 
You sighed heavily. “I made assumptions. I’m sorry about that.” 
Eddie tilted his head to the side, digesting your apology. Finally, “Buy a round for me and my band and I’ll forgive you.” 
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The stipulations of your truce were laid out the next day at lunch. You were able to convince Eddie to leave his cronies’ lunch table in the cafeteria in favor of a more private place to discuss your terms- the picnic table out in the woods. 
As per your side of the deal, Eddie would provide you a list of names of vampires that he knew followed the same lifestyle as him- purchase blood from his supplier at the hospital, go about their normal lives, and never harm a living soul. You would refrain from hunting any of them.
Eddie’s side of the deal: he promised not to interfere with the slaying of any vampires in town who didn’t subscribe to his way of life; in other words, if they tried to hurt a human or drink from any living animals in town, they were fair game for slaying. In addition, Eddie would provide you any information you needed about Hawkins Vampires, and you would relay that data to the Watchers’ Council for them to enter into their database. 
Unsurprisingly, Gareth Emerson’s name was at the top of Eddie’s list of vampires under his protection. When you saw it, you chuckled.
Eddie raised an eyebrow. “Surprised?” 
“Not in the slightest.” you laughed. “The guy clings to your side like a guard dog and barely talks to anyone else. And he always looks like he’s on the verge of ripping someone’s throat out.”
Eddie couldn’t help but laugh along with you. “Well, in my defense, he was like that back in his human days too, I didn’t do that to him.” 
You peered over the list at the leather-clad vamp as he lit a cigarette. “But you did do the ‘vamparism’ thing to him?”
“Trust me, it wasn’t a premeditated decision.” Eddie may have sounded aloof, but you could tell that the words were strained. “I had only been…turned…for a couple of weeks at that point. I thought I could handle more human interaction than I really could.”
Your eyebrows jumped a fraction of an inch, but you tried to appear unphased. You hadn’t known too many vampires who could bite a human and manage to stop themselves before killing their victims at that phase of their afterlife. A vampire’s thirst could be nearly impossible to resist for the first few years after their transition, never mind the first matter of days. The fact that Eddie was able to bite Gareth without killing him was… impressive, to say the least. 
Regardless of how impressive it was, however, Eddie’s facial expression spoke volumes to you about how unimpressed he was by his choices at this particular moment in his history. You decided to air on the side of casual empathy. “Could have been a lot worse.” you said, voice soft but matter of fact. “Plus he has you to protect him.”
Eddie looked at you, eyes guarded and yet bursting at the seams with unshed secrets. You could tell there was so much more he wanted to say, but he settled for a simple, solid “Yeah.”
You didn’t pry. If you needed to know more, you’d find it out in due time, but for now you would settle for ‘yeah’. 
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The two of you fell into a strange dynamic as your truce was put into effect. For one thing, he made an effort to seek you out in the hallways more; it was troubling, to say the least. You didn’t want people in this town paying attention to you. If they started taking notice of your unusual habits- never getting involved at school, lurking in graveyards and dive bars late into the night, keeping to yourself instead of falling into a friend group like normal teenagers were supposed to- they might start keeping a closer eye on you. A closer eye on you meant a closer eye on the vampires in this town, and the Watcher’s Council would have your head if you became the proverbial Pandora to open the vampire box in Hawkins.
The point was, Eddie was an attention magnet, and his incessant need to interact with you in front of an audience made it difficult to fly under the radar in a town where gossip traveled faster than the average speed limit.
“Slayer!”
His calling you that in the middle of the hallway just after the final bell didn’t help things in the slightest. He was half-jogging through the throng of teens, dodging and weaving between bodies as he made his way to where you stood at your locker with wide eyes trained on the most obnoxious vampire you’d ever had the pleasure of knowing.
“Can you not call me that in the middle of a crowded hallway?” you hissed at him once he’d reached your side. In reality, you knew the chances were slim that anyone within earshot knew what a Slayer was, but you weren’t about to test that theory. 
“Sorry, killer.” Eddie quipped, shit-eating grin loud and proud on his beaming face. “Just wanted to catch you before you left without me.” 
You quirked an eyebrow. “Without you? What, are we carpooling now?”
“Yeah, unless you want to get drenched in the tempest going on out there, sweetheart.” 
Your mouth was open, poised to argue before Eddie wordlessly scooped up your backpack with effortless strength, shouldered it, and began marching down the crowded hallway. He didn’t even wait for you to close your locker, so you had to make quick work of grabbing your books and locking it shut before bumbling after him.
“Excuse me,” you huffed, power walking in an effort to keep up with his quick pace. “Is there something about me that screams ‘I need to carpool with Eddie Munson’? Because if there is, I will happily correct the issue.”
Eddie hop-skipped through the front doors of the school, threw a chuckling look over his shoulder at you, then took off running through the pouring rain in a straight shot to where his van was parked. 
You had no choice but to run in the same direction; he had your backpack. 
In a mad dash through the sky’s heavy onslaught, you shielded your head best you could until you made it to Eddie’s passenger door. The rolling percussion of raindrops on pavement was cut starkly short at the shut of your door, and you breathed a sigh of relief before swinging your head around to look at Eddie Smug-Faced Munson, scowling for all you were worth. 
“There are quite a few ways I can answer your question, Slayer, all of which could get me staked…” He twisted slightly to toss your backpack into the backseat, where it landed on a discarded t-shirt and a mess of paper and spiraled wire that must have been a notebook at some point. When Eddie turned back to you, your faces were mere inches from each other, both of you trusting the center console with your weight. Eddie’s movements stilled, his eyes flitting ever so quickly down at your barely-parted lips. 
You were close enough to hear his soft intake of breath. “Could be worth it, though.” 
Your cheeks heated, and you briefly wondered if vampires felt the stolen blood in their cold bodies rush to places in times of tension. Breaking eye contact, you crossed your arms over your chest, brushing your biceps and shoulders with your hands in an effort to warm your rain-drenched skin.
 “Just drive, Munson. I have a stake in my pocket with your name on it if you try anything.” 
Eddie shook his head, smirking widely. “And here I thought you were just happy to see me.” Shifting the car into drive, he expertly navigated his way out of the parking lot and onto the main road that would take you to the small apartment you currently lived in, courtesy of the Watchers’ Council. 
“You’re hunting tonight, right?” Eddie’s voice cut through the rain-spattered silence in the van, jerking your attention from the hypnotic sight of his struggling windshield wipers. 
“Yes?” Unintentionally, the answer sounded like a question.
“Take me with you.”
You snorted. “You, a vampire, want to go vampire hunting?” 
Eddie shrugged, keeping his umber eyes on the glassy road ahead. “Now that I know there won’t be any innocents on your hit list- yeah, sounds fun.”
You arched an eyebrow. “If I end up staking anyone tonight, you won’t stop me?” 
“Good vampire, remember?” he reminded you, placing a hand over his heart before flashing you a reassuring grin. “If somebody’s out there hurting people, I want them off the streets as much as you do.” 
And that was how you wound up with an undead hunting partner for your nightly patrol of Hawkins for malicious undead. 
Despite being the unlikely duo that you two were, you actually looked like a pair of vampire slayers on a usual patrol- the two of you both wearing combat boots and leather jackets to match. The only tell that this wasn’t your normal routine was the stark silence occupying the space between you. You ended up being the one to finally break it after the first few minutes of patrolling as the two of you strolled through the Hawkins’ cemetery.
“So if we run into some unsavory vampires tonight… how are you gonna kill them?”
“What do you mean, ‘how’?”
“I’m not letting you use my stakes.”
Eddie angled his head toward you, a grin dancing on his lips. “Aw, scared I’ll stake myself on accident, sweetheart?”
“Oh I would consider that a happy accident.” you matched his grin in stride, teasing the tip of your tongue through your teeth. 
“Aw, don’t say that! You know you’d miss me, baby.”
Baby?
You sped up your pace a fraction- just enough for him to leave your periphery. “I am not your baby.” You tried to laugh through your response, but it got caught in your throat, tangling with the words and straining them in a way that sounded less lighthearted than you’d intended.
“Well look at that, I found something that makes you nervous.” You could practically feel his smugness from your two steps ahead. 
“Nothing makes me nervous.”
“I do.” 
You scoffed, speeding up your pace. “You do not-”
In half a second he was in front of you, vampiric speed landing him directly in your way, forcing you to stop short. He was eyeing you down, arms crossed and lids squinted in concentration. “Why’s your heart rate getting faster, then?”
You huffed a breath into the cold air, sending wisps of heat to curl and dissipate as they hit Eddie’s solid form. “Annoyance. Rage. Could be a number of things along those lines.” You sidestepped him, marching forward purposefully. Eddie followed suit beside you.
“Along those lines, you say.” He mused. “Y’know, those lines in particular can get pretty blurry.”
Eddie paused, waiting for you to take the bait. He waited a long time before giving up on that, because under no circumstances did you plan on doing so. 
“The lines,” he continued, “between rage and other feelings of… equal passion.” 
“You saying you want me to more passionately say you annoy me, Munson?” You quipped, refusing to meet his eyes that were practically begging you to look his way. “I will, don’t tempt me.”
“I’m quite sure you’ll find I can be very good at tempting you, baby.”
You huffed, chin whipping to the side to give him a full view of your serious face. “Stop calling me baby.” You regretted looking his way immediately, because those dark eyes were staring you down with an intensity that caused the air to leave your lungs and your voice to falter.
“Yeah… y’know-” Eddie’s grin was shining in full force now, watching you like you were a puzzle he’d just made a breakthrough in solving. “I don’t think I’m going to do that. This is the first time I’ve seen you flustered.”
“Shut. Up.” You muttered, eyes focused on a newer-looking grave about ten feet from the two of you. 
“Hm, sounds like something a flustered person would say-”
“Eddie,” you hissed, already reaching for the stake in your back pocket. “Shut. Up.” 
It took him a second, but he followed your gaze and saw what had you shifting gears- the low, wet sound of something sucking, accompanied by the pat pat of excess blood as it dripped to the cold earth. Slightly obscured by the headstone you’d spotted, a vampire had found some unsuspecting soul to snack on. 
You held your wooden stake aloft, ready to strike. “Ready to watch the master at work?” you whispered under your breath.
Eddie matched your volume, whispering back an encouraging “Hell yeah, go get ‘em, baby.”
You rolled your eyes and sighed, carefully advancing “Just shut up and watch my back, Munson.”
“Oh I will gladly do that.”
“You’re disgusting.”
“I’m adorable.”
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You arrived home around dawn, just as the sun had begun to peek over the horizon and paint the morning in blushing shades of pinks and purples. Your apartment was a little efficiency located above a pawn shop downtown. The entrance was behind the building, which meant that there weren’t any snooping neighbors to watch you entering your home in the wee hours of the night. In a town like Hawkins, this kind of privacy was a valuable commodity.
Eddie had insisted on walking you home since it was so late- or early- which tickled you to no end since he’d just watched you take down a vampire pretty much single-handedly. He climbed the squeaking fire escape two steps behind you, stopping at the final landing as you began to unlock your door. 
“You can go now.” You told him curtly. 
“You’re not going to invite me in?” You almost laughed; he actually sounded hurt. He was a good actor.
“You act like I haven’t studied vampires every day since I became the Slayer.” You placed your hands on your hips, “As If I’m about to give you an all-access pass to my apartment.”
Eddie laughed, his chuckle a dark and musical thing. “Baby, if I was going to kill you, don’t you think I would have tried already?” His hand was resting on your doorway, blocking the light from the time-yellowed lamp that lit the left side of your doorway and caging you in with his shadow.  
“For all I know, this is you trying.” You stood your ground, arms crossed solidly across your chest, refusing to cower even though he was looking at you like he wanted to wrap his teeth around you.
He leaned forward ever so slightly, eyes heavy and hungry. “Do you think that’s what I’m trying to do?” His gaze flicked to your closed door and back to you in half a second. “You think if you walk through that door and invite me inside, I’m going to try to kill you?”
You studied him for a moment. “No.” You hadn’t meant for the word to come out in a whisper, but that’s what happened anyway.
Eddie’s gaze remained unmoved. “So you’ll invite me in?”
“No.”
A chuckle escaped through the crooked smile that invaded his lips. “So fucking stubborn. You know I can smell you, right?”
You raised an eyebrow, confused. Smell what? Did you work up a sweat fighting that vampire? There’s no way you smelled that bad-
“I can smell you, baby.” His lips were moving against your ear, brushing the little silver rings that decorated your cartilage. “You’re right, you shouldn’t let me inside. But I can smell how curious you are about what might happen if you do.”
You were suddenly very aware of how wet you were- you felt a rush of heat as a fresh wave of slick rushed through you, undoubtedly moistening your panties. He could smell that? You were frozen, at a loss for words that could adequately respond to his insinuation.
Before you could react, Eddie’s hand was on your face, gripping your jaw just tight enough to slightly purse your lips. You felt the cold bite of his silver rings on your skin, sending goosebumps trickling down your spine. He looked you in the eyes, his gaze growing deeper and darker, and you began to relax into his grip as you realized that he truly did not intend to hurt you. 
“You should invite me in.”
His eyes were so beautiful… how had you never noticed them before? They practically glowed… no, they actually glowed. They were like a neon fucking sign, bright and crimson and shining such a beautiful rose-hued glow that they looked more like rubies than irises.
Your lips moved to echo him. “I should invite you in.” Of course you should. He wasn’t going to hurt you- with every second you spent with his skin on yours and his eyes boring into your own, you became even more sure of that. He just wanted to make you feel good- so, so good…
“And are you going to?” Eddie’s voice was so beautiful- how had you never realized how gorgeous his voice was?
“Yes.”
“Good. That’s a good Slayer, unlock the door, baby.”
And you did. It was the easiest decision you’d ever made. You stepped inside, immediately shedding your coat and hanging it on the coat rack by the door. “Come inside, Eddie,” You smiled at him, letting down your defenses. You were so tired of putting them up around him. “It’s cold out there.”
He matched your smile, looking at you like you’d hung the moon. “Well aren’t you just the sweetest thing.” He crossed the threshold easily, following your lead and shrugging off his leather jacket and hanging it beside your own. He glanced around the little apartment, an appraising look in his gaze. It was just one room, a small studio with a modest kitchen and living space. Your modest bed frame sat nestled in the corner beneath a skylight, along with a small armchair and a closet with the few belongings you’d taken with you to Hawkins. 
“Bed looks cozy.” Eddie mused. 
“It is.” 
He nodded towards it. “Go sit on the edge.”
And of course you did. You sat up straight, keeping your eyes on him and waiting for that beautiful voice to say something else. You so wanted him to keep talking; each word was like a warm shower after hours in the cold, relaxing you into a happy little puddle. Eddie watched as you perched yourself on the edge of the bed, slowly stalking across the room until your knees were almost touching his. 
He stared at you, his gorgeous dark eyes glowing deep red. “Open your legs.” You did. Without breaking eye contact, Eddie commanded you again. “Tell me how wet you are for me.”
You opened your mouth to speak, but he raised a hand gesturing stop. “I’m sorry baby, I misspoke.” Placing both hands on either side of your hips, Eddie leaned forward until he was close enough for you to feel his cold breath on your face. “Stick your hand down your panties and feel how wet you are for me. Then tell me out loud.”
You nodded, happy to comply. Your hands were cold, but you didn’t care. You eagerly snaked your hand under the waistband of your pants, shivering as your icy fingers traced a line down your pelvis until they reached the heat beneath your panties. The moment they dipped over the hood of your clit, you were mildly surprised at just how soaked you were.
“Talk to me, baby,” Eddie’s voice washed over you, and you felt a fresh gush of heat pulse through your core. 
“I’m soaked, Eddie.” It was the truth; you couldn’t imagine lying to him when he was so curious. Besides, you wanted him to know that he was reducing you to a deluge in his honor.
Slowly, Eddie sunk down to his knees on your floor. His head was level with your open knees, hands dragging down the skin of your outer thighs as he inhaled the air between your legs.
“Take your fingers out of your pussy, I want to taste them.”
You did as he asked, wide eyes rapt with attention as you watched him grab your wrist and shove your drenched fingers in his waiting mouth. His tongue made you want to melt; it lapped along the skin of your fingers and savored the tart, heady flavor of you. You whined when his lips popped off your hand, but eagerly changed your attitude when his fingers began tracing your waistband.
“Tell me you want me to taste that pretty pussy baby, I can smell how bad you want me already, you smell so fucking good.” 
You did. You wanted him to taste your pussy very badly… you wanted it more than you could remember ever wanting anything before now. “I want you, Eddie.” you panted. “I want you to taste me, I’m so wet for you.”
Eddie’s eyes shone up at you, like light through a glass of dark red wine. “I know, baby, I know. Don’t worry, I’ll have my tongue on you again in a second.” He slid his hands into your pockets, gently yanking on the material and jolting your hips forward. “Take these off for me.”
Your hands flew to the button of your pants, making quick work of them as well as your panties while Eddie helped you remove your shirt. You wanted to bare yourself to him completely, let him devour you whole, even. When you looked into those beautiful eyes, letting him have you just made sense.
You now sat completely naked at the edge of your bed, Eddie kneeling before you taking in the sight and smell of you. His gaze was hungry, his hands tracing possessive lines into your outer thighs. “You’re going to lie back for me,” he said, voice low and commanding, “and I’m going to taste this pussy that’s been leaking for me since I first called you baby in the graveyard.” Your eyes were wide, desperate- stuck on his like a moth to a flame. He pressed his hands to your knees, opening you up as wide as you could go, and you felt his breath on your wet lips.
“Go ahead, Slayer.”
You laid back, staring up at the morning’s gradient of cerulean and lavender through your skylight as your heart began to race from the anticipation. When Eddie’s tongue licked a broad, wet stripe from your entrance to your clit, a reedy, wanting moan pulled from your chest, singing into the stillness of your apartment. 
“That’s it, give me every noise you have, baby. I’ll know if you’re holding any back, and believe me when I say I’ll make you moan one way or another.”
And make you moan he did. Eddie’s tongue was masterful in its movements, licking and flicking in the perfect places as you listened to the symphony of noises that were coming from between your thighs. Between the sound of his wet tongue squelching in the juices that you eagerly supplied and the humming little moans that Eddie made as he feasted on all you had to give him, it was all you could do not to start sobbing from how badly you wanted to cum for him. You knew he’d get you there, but let’s be honest- you were not a patient person. 
“More, Eddie- hngh- please, I need… aah!” Your pleas were cut short as you felt a sharp suck at your swollen clit. You moaned, high and pathetic under the careful ministrations of Eddie Munson. His two middle fingers plunged into you, not bothering to give you time to adjust because he knew you were already wet enough to take him. His fingers curled slightly, sharply jerking his hand up and in, over and over in a way that filled you like a water balloon. You were whining, loudly arching your back into your bed as you squeezed your eyes shut, sensing your climax was fast approaching-
“No,” Eddie lunged forward, his right hand never ceasing its assault as his left grabbed you by the neck, wrenching you forward into a crunch position. “Look me in the eyes while you cum, don’t you fucking close those fucking eyes, baby.”
Your mouth hung open, eyebrows drawn together desperate and needy as you felt yourself getting impossibly wet and impossibly tight. His hand kept going, ruthlessly pounding into you as you screamed his name. Curses tumbled from his lips as he watched you soak his hand, and all the while his other hand stayed curled possessively around your neck. Wetness sprayed from you, and his eyes were downright feral as you squirted all over his face. You watched his smile grow, stretching across his face in triumph and baring his fangs in all their unholy glory before turning his head to the side and opening even wider.
Then he sunk his teeth into your femoral artery, and sucked. 
You moaned- loudly- and then you woke up. 
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Being a vampire slayer who’s had a sex dream about a vampire was pretty embarrassing. 
Being a vampire slayer who’s had a sex dream about Eddie Munson was… inconvenient.
When you’d first woken up from… the dream… you’d spent your first waking moments frantically trying to figure out how much- if any- of it had even happened. Had Eddie even walked you to your door, or had you parted ways at the cemetery? Had he actually called you baby? Did he admit he could smell how much it affected you when he’d called you that? Most importantly, had you actually invited him into your apartment? 
It took a few minutes, but eventually you sorted out reality from whatever your traitorous brain had concocted. You and Eddie had hunted last night. He did indeed call you baby at one point and teased you about how defensive you got about it. You’d slayed a vampire while Eddie assessed the victim, and afterward the two of you had taken her to Annie at the hospital and updated her on the situation. With Hawkins’ vampire population growing by the day, this wasn’t the first time she’d dealt with a newborn; she knew what to do. 
After that, you’d gone your separate ways. As far as you knew, Eddie still didn’t know where you lived- though, you knew if he wanted to find out then it wouldn’t be difficult for him to follow you home undetected. The good news was that he still hadn’t been invited into your home, so you were probably safe as long as you were inside your apartment. Of course, the rules for Hawkins Vamps were still mostly unknown to you, so there was a possibility that he might be immune to the invitations-only rule that bound most types of vampires- but you weren’t about to take him home and test that theory.
Then there was the compulsion- the ability to control the minds of humans and turn them into subservient prey at the mercy of their vampiric predator. You had heard of some vampires having this ability, but had never actually come across it in your time as the Slayer. You hoped that this dream had just been the product of loneliness and sexual frustration taking over a sleep-deprived mind, but how could you be sure? Maybe everything in your dream had actually happened, and Eddie had simply compelled you to think it was all a dream. Maybe he had some sort of psychic powers specific to Hawkins Vampires, and he had planted the dream in your brain just to fuck with you. 
You didn’t know what was real. On top of that, Eddie kept trying to get your attention at school the next day and it was getting more and more difficult to ignore him without being obvious about it. You successfully avoided him for the duration of the school day, but he finally caught up to you as you were walking home. Driving his van at a steady crawl, he rolled down his window next to where you walked on the grassy shoulder. 
“You wanna tell me why you’ve been avoiding me all day?”
You sighed, too chicken to meet his eyes. “I haven’t been avoiding you.”
“Yes you have.” 
You sped up your pace, which was stupid because Eddie was literally driving a motor vehicle. 
“No, I haven’t.”
You were still refusing to look at him, but you could hear the eye roll in his sigh. “Quit being difficult, Slayer,” he said, still keeping equal speed with your barely increased pace. “Get in the van.”
“No.” 
“Uugghhh.” Eddie groaned. “Please? I don’t know what I did wrong but I’ll make it up to you.”
You shook your head but still faced forward as you trudged along on the side of the road. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” You didn’t think he had, anyway. “I’m just… I’m in a weird funk today, don’t read too much into it.”
Eddie raised an eyebrow. “Okay, then get in the van.”
You felt your cheeks heat at the thought of being so close to him… just the idea was enough to get you wet. You felt the familiar gush of arousal as you walked even faster. “No.”
An echo from last night’s dream reverberated in your skull. So fucking stubborn. You know I can smell you, right?
You picked up your pace. 
Eddie sighed, jerking the gear shift into park. In a moment, he was inches in front of you, his hand planted firmly on your shoulder. 
“Stop,” he said, his tone much more all-business than before. You did what he said, begrudgingly, but you were glad you didn’t feel any real need to be obedient. No compulsion, then… you thought, at least not right now. 
You slowly looked up at him, hoping he couldn’t smell the effect that his sudden touch had on you. “Eddie, it’s fine. Seriously.” you tried to smile at him reassuringly, but you could feel on your face that it came out looking more like a cringe. 
Eddie was silent, looking you over with an unreadable expression. Finally, he spoke, “Please get in the van. I’ll take you out for food, whatever you want, my treat. If you aren’t going to tell me what I did to make you so mad at me, at least let me make it up to you somehow.” 
You thought it over for a moment, eventually conceding and nodding your head. Eddie exhaled a sigh of relief before turning on his heel to open the door for you. When you were both seated in the car, Eddie looked over to you cautiously, questioningly.
“Milkshakes?”
You nodded, eyes still facing forward. “Milkshakes.”
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Benny’s had everything. 
They had the best burgers in town. They had the best fries, the best chicken fried steak, the best pancakes in the morning. But the milkshakes? They were the best you’d ever had- which was saying something, since you’d lived in twelve different small towns just like this one since your Slayer powers awakened four years ago.
You sipped your vanilla milkshake through a red-striped straw and let the sweet, dependable flavor ground you. It was like releasing a breath you’d been holding since you’d woken up that morning. Eddie’s powers of observation didn’t need to be above average for him to notice the relief washing over you.
He sipped his chocolate shake, raising an eyebrow as your shoulders relaxed into your first suck of the straw. “You don’t have to talk about it, sweetheart,” he murmured against the plastic held between his lips, “but if there’s something on your mind, you can talk to me.”
Yeah, but you are the thing on my mind, you thought, and therein lies the problem.
“I appreciate the concern, Munson, but I’m fine.” You shrugged. “Like I said, it’s just a weird funk. Normal. It happens.” 
Eddie didn’t seem convinced, sipping from his straw as he studied you intently- it was making you uncomfortable. 
“Stop staring at me.”
“Stop lying and saying you’re fine, I can tell something’s up.” Eddie reached up with one hand and tapped on one of his dormant fangs with a fingernail. “Vampire senses, remember?”
Your heart rate picked up at the thought of what his vampire senses might be sensing, and you could instantly tell that Eddie had heard it from the subtle tick of his eyebrow. 
“Speaking of vampire senses,” you started, eagerly trying to turn the conversation away from your current state, “I have some questions about your, um… powers. Specifically, about Hawkins vamps in general.”
Eddie seemed surprised by the new line of questioning, but nodded cooperatively. Leaning back in his squeaky booth seat, he let go of his glass to stick his hands nonchalantly in his pockets. “What do you want to know, Slayer? I’m an open book.”
Pulling your legs up to rest on the seat of the booth, you made yourself comfortable, leaning against your backpack that sat between you and the wall. “Are you able to enter someone else’s place of residence without an invitation?”
“Yes.” 
Your eyebrows jumped. “Really?”
Eddie was already nodding. “I already knew my fair share of vampire lore before my stint in the Upside Down… I tested the more popular vampire theories pretty quick after I figured out what I was.” 
You smiled, your curiosity eclipsing the nagging worry in your chest regarding his answer to your first question. “Which theories?”
Eddie chuckled at himself, making a show of counting them out on his fingers. “Well, the first was running really fast- really, really fast, I mean you’ve seen me-” Your scoff and eye roll earned you a cheeky wink from the vampire. “-tested out how good my hunting skills were in the forest by hunting down some squirrels, and let me tell you, super speed and super hearing can only get you so far, because those motherfuckers are always on alert. Learned how quiet I can be now, which is weird because staying still and silent has never been my strong suit.”
“That doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.” you snorted. “And you told me the sunlight thing doesn’t bother you because of your witch friend- what was her name, again?”
“Nice try, but I’m still not telling you.”
You smiled, throwing your hands up in mock surrender. “Worth a shot, I’ll find out eventually anyway.” Taking a sip of your milkshake, you kept your voice even as you asked your next question, which was arguably the most important to you at the moment. “So, uh, are there any other powers that you’ve noticed? Powers that don’t fit into the ‘popular vampire theories’ umbrella?”
He raised an eyebrow, “Such as?”
Ugh. “Well,” you began, focusing on a spot on the table where the vinyl coating had begun to peel off and using your fingernail to help it along. “In some regions, there are vampires who can read minds or compel humans to do whatever they say. Some can even bite humans without turning them.”
“Damn,” Eddie whistled, “lucky bastards.”
“So you’re saying you can’t do those things?” you prompted, to which Eddie shook his head and sighed. 
“Nope. First and last time I bit someone, I turned my best friend into a monster. Didn’t feel like testing that theory anymore after that. Can’t read or control minds either, but honestly I’m fine with that. That kind of power doesn’t tend to end well for people.”
You nodded, sipping the final bit of milkshake down. “Wise words.” 
Eddie did the same, fishing out his wallet and slapping a ten dollar bill on the table before standing. “They’re the words of someone who’s flown close enough to the sun to know himself pretty well by now.” He stuck his hands in his pockets and nodded towards the door. “You ready?”
“Yeah,” you stood and followed him, catching the door as he opened it for you. “Thanks for the milkshake.”
“Don’t worry about it, consider it an apology.”
“I told you, you didn’t do anything! I’m just in a funk-” but if Eddie could hear you, he didn’t show it as he jumped into his van and closed the door. 
The drive to your apartment wasn’t long, only about five minutes. Approaching your front door with Eddie in tow gave you the strangest sense of deja vu even though the only time this had happened before was in your dream. You stood with him in the doorway, the warm light of your single-bulb lamp casting harsh shadows across his face as he watched you with eyes tinged with something imperceptible. 
“Gonna invite me in?” Eddie asked, his voice husky and eerily quiet in the cold air. 
You smirked, feeling slightly apprehensive knowing that he didn’t need an invitation, but was asking for one anyway. “Why, you trying to snoop through my things, Munson?” 
Eddie snorted, “We both know that I could if I wanted to, sweetheart, and I wouldn’t need your permission.” He shrugged, leaning a shoulder against the chipping paint on your doorframe. “I’m just trying to be a gentleman.”
“Since when has that been your priority?” you bit back, but there was no venom in it. You were already jiggling your key into the brass lock and turning the knob. You weren’t sure why Eddie wanted to come in, but he was right- if he had malicious intent, he could barge into your home whether you wanted it or not. You made a mental note to request some demon-repellent poultices from a witch friend of yours to remedy that…
The door creaked open, and you tried to shake off that wild feeling of deja vu that kept washing over you with every similarity to your dream that kept occurring. Eddie’s boots thumped against the floorboards, heavy souls claiming the aging wood with every step they took. He surveyed your apartment, assessing what he saw with nods of his head and crossing of arms. 
“Well I can tell you don’t plan on staying long.” he mused.
You raised an eyebrow, closing the door and locking it behind you. “What makes you say that?”
“The walls are empty. Nothing in here looks like you picked it out. I didn’t know better, I’d think I was in a hotel room. ”
You raised your eyebrows, nodding. “Perceptive. You’re not wrong, you know. I don’t usually stay in one place very long.”
“What’s the longest your wardens have let you stay in one place?” Eddie had hopped up on your tiny kitchen counter, his arms straining against the fabric of his leather jacket as he braced his hands on the ledge. You hoped he hadn’t noticed the way your eyes lingered on the way your dim lighting glinted off his bicep. 
“Watchers. Not wardens.” you corrected, shedding your own leather and dropping the coffee-colored jacket over the edge of your bed. “And it’s never been more than a year. If you want to get technical, I think I was in Las Vegas for around 11 months.”
He quirked a curious smile. “Vegas, huh? Lot of vampires there?”
You shrugged. “Tons of tourists to munch on and nothing but nightlife. Believe me when I say that city is run by vampires.” 
Eddie chuckled, “Guess that makes sense.” He looked down, as if he were debating whether or not to say whatever he was thinking at the moment. Then- “Any idea if… well, have they told you if you’ll be here long?”
You smiled; it was a small, tentative thing, but you allowed it to grace your lips. “I’ll probably just stay until the council is happy with the knowledge I’ve accumulated about Hawkins vamps. Once they feel I’m needed more elsewhere, I’ll be packed up and moved within days.” You averted your eyes from his, suddenly finding it difficult to voice the reality that any day, you might have to leave Hawkins. Leave the friendship you’d started to get the slightest bit attached to. 
You heard Eddie scoff- it wasn’t bitter or laced with venom, but it was hollow. An empty, breathy laugh that didn’t do much to cover the vulnerability he had shown by simply bringing up the subject of how long you’d be staying. “Well, you know what they say- hate to see you go, love to watch you leave.” 
It was an attempt at glossing over the mournful mood that’d begun lingering in the air. You looked up at him, brows pulling together in a hopeful, sweeping arch. “You really hate to see me go?”
The smile he’d plastered on was devious and smart-mouthed, but it softened at your question. “Yeah…” he said, his voice lower and rounded as he stroked his fingers along his jawline. “...I think I hate it.” His head stayed down while his slitted eyes looked up at you beneath bushy brown brows. “I was just getting you to like me.”
Now it was your turn to scoff. “Who said I liked you?”
“Your heart rate.”
Well, if it wasn’t true before, it was now. You felt all the blood in your body suddenly rushing through your veins with purpose. The room was feeling surprisingly hot, and you absently pondered whether you had left the heater on when you had left that morning. 
Your voice matched his quiet timbre, “And what’s my heart rate saying?”
He slowly stepped down from his perch on the countertop, stalking toward you with care, as if he were approaching a wild animal. 
Ironic.
“Well,” he started, “something in your brain obviously must have told your heart that you might have to run soon, because your blood’s been racing since I walked through that door.” He took a step closer, and now all you had to do was look up and your faces would be parallel, his eyes boring into yours. “Your body still knows I’m a predator, that’s good.” 
He was right. Your blood was racing under his gaze, and he could undoubtedly feel the heat that was radiating off of you- but that didn’t mean you were ready to openly let that show. “What about you? Big and scary ‘Kas the Bloody Handed’?” you asked. “How does your body react around a vampire slayer?”
Now you looked up. He was glaring down at you, pensive and predatory as a cheshire grin slowly crept across his features. “That depends on how much blood I’ve got in me, sweetheart.” You were leaning against the edge of your tiny excuse for a kitchen island, but now that his hands were planted on both sides of your torso and braced along the tiled edge of the countertop, you felt caged in with nowhere to go and nothing to look at except his eyes as they glowered down at you. “If it’s been a while since I've fed… well, to be honest I get a little hungry.”
Breathe.
“And if you’ve had your fill?”
He chuckled. “Oh, baby, if a vampire ever tells you they’ve had their fill, they’re lying. There is always room for more.” You felt a chill, and the blood in your veins was screaming at you now to grab a fucking stake!! However, you couldn’t seem to tear yourself from this conversation. The way he made you feel- hot, ironically enough- was gluing you to the spot. 
“But if I’ve got some blood in my system,” he continued, “I have to confess, Slayer, just seeing the way you look at me is enough to make all of that blood rush to all sorts of places.”
You were both silent, but the air was pregnant with the question he knew you wanted to ask. A few short breaths were all it took to make you give in. “And… how do I look at you?”
His thumbs ventured to brush over your hips through the material of your jeans, and you jumped at how much the contact affected you. You took in a sharp breath in surprise, and the strained sigh that rumbled through his chest in response nearly made you shudder. 
“Like… a fox that knows it’s being hunted. Wants to be hunted…knows it could outsmart the hunter, but wants the chance to run simply for the thrill of it.”
Fucking. Breathe.
“Is this your way of saying you’re hunting me?” Your voice was barely above a whisper, like the tension between the two of you was so fragile that it could be shattered if you spoke loud enough.
Eddie’s lips were inches from yours, and you could feel his cold breath on your cheeks. “This is my way of saying that I don’t need to.” He nodded sharply in your direction, “Fox.” He squeezed your hips, tugging you gently closer to him, “Trap.”
You squirmed under his gaze but refused to look away from his smoldering eyes. “Bold of you to assume I’m the fox in that scenario.”
“Yeah, yeah…” his husky whisper rasped into your ear when the soft brush of his fingers along your hips became a firm grasp as he effortlessly lifted you up to sit on the counter behind you. He did it so swiftly, so easily… it wasn’t hard to forget about his vampire strength when he barely showed it. He gazed into your wide eyes with a grin that was playful but hungry. “Big bad Slayer is a hunter, not hunted. We’re all aware, sweetheart.” 
His hands splayed atop your thighs, and you couldn’t remember a time before now that you had felt anything as acutely- or with as much anticipation- as you were feeling every inch of him touching you right now. Your inner calves touching the outer sides of his thighs. The knobby contact of his hip bones where they wedged between your knees. The way his fingertips pressed into the meat of your thighs ever so slightly, like he feared how hard he could squeeze before he hurt you. 
You watched his hands, breathless as you studied the light that glinted off his silver rings. There were splotches of faded black shining on a few of his fingernails. It wasn’t nail polish; you’d seen how he colored on his nails with black Sharpie when he got bored in class. Those black nails shone reddish-purple when the light hit them just so, and you shivered as they traveled further up your thighs until he reached the part of your hips that had the most flesh for him to squeeze. A low growl danced in his throat when he heard the noise that escaped you at the sensation his hands were supplying.
He squeezed tighter, tentatively testing how much of his strength you could handle. Luckily for him, slayers are not delicate creatures. 
Wordlessly, you lifted your hands to his shoulders, letting your fingers twist into his dark curls. They were beautifully brown, frozen in the perfect shade of chocolate until the end of time. Your nails gently met his scalp, raking through the roots until both of your hands were nested deep in his hair. 
You made two fists and pulled. 
It wasn’t a sharp tug, wasn’t meant to yank him away from you; it was a slow pull, meant to tease and tell him that you weren’t afraid of a little pain, given or received. He was testing the waters, and you were giving him the all-clear. 
His eyes screwed shut when you pulled his hair, and it wasn’t from any sort of pain but simply from the fact that you were doing it in the first place. Eddie took a deep, shuddering breath as he opened his eyes once again to glare up at you with enough impassioned heat to give his bloodless body a temperature. He clenched his jaw until it ticked, then mumbled “alrighty then” so quickly and quietly that you didn’t even know if you were meant to hear it.
And then he was slamming you against the wall. 
Your thighs straddled his waist, ass seated in Eddie’s stone-strong hands as you felt your back hit the drywall. His eyes were pitch black, hungry for so many things but settling for your lips as he captured them in his own. You kissed him back fervently, desperate now that you knew his touch and the sensations that came with it. 
“God you smell so fucking good,” Eddie growled, pressing into you at the waist and pinning you to the wall where he held you tightly. His lips were insatiable, kissing you like your lips were dipped in sugar and he was a starving man. He panted against your mouth, breathless. “Always smell so fucking good… might be obsessed, I want…want…”
“Want what, Eddie?” you panted with him, eyes fluttering open, wanting to see the way he looked at you when he said things like I might be obsessed as he kissed you… who wouldn’t want to see that? You weren’t disappointed with the sight.
Framed by the backlit baby hairs that formed an evening halo around his head, you might have thought at first glance that Eddie looked angelic. Oh, how wrong that would be. His eyes held far too much gluttony for that.
He leaned in to scent the crook of your neck, causing you to shiver as the tip of his nose traced the base of your skull before whispering into your ear-
“Want to taste you- in every way-” You shivered. “-I want to feel you on my tongue, running down my throat, soaking my hands, falling apart…” Eddie’s lips traveled down your neck, mouthing over the veins that pumped your life force at top speed under sweet, pliant skin. “I want to break you just to know what you look like broken by me.” 
The two of you were waltzing on the line of your collective self-control, and you knew all it took would be one little bite- one tiny prick of his fangs- and his venom would pour into your bloodstream. Then it would be goodbye, humanity.
Mustering up the slightest amount of dignity (with surprising difficulty), you took one hand out of his hair and braced it on his shoulder while the other stayed fisted in his curls. With a sharp tug, you used your Slayer strength to remind him he was evenly matched here, yanking him from your neck and bringing his bloodlust-glazed eyes parallel to yours. 
“Fucking try it then.” you hissed, “See if you can break me.”
Eddie’s familiar roguish grin triumphantly returned then, and you barely registered his nasal scoff and a rush of wind before you were suddenly being flung onto your bed across the apartment. Eddie climbed on top of you, caging you in with solid arms and a scarlet guitar pick that dangled from his neck to dance on the skin of your collarbone. 
He stared down at you expectantly, all-business. “Take your shirt off.”
“You take yours off.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Are you really in a position to be giving the orders, Slayer?”
In a split second, you grabbed his wrists and hooked a leg over his hip, rolling over in the blink of an eye. Now, you were seated firmly on his hips, back arched to splay over his torso and pin his wrists to the mattress. Eddie’s eyes widened, caught off guard by the sudden display of strength and dexterity that he had apparently forgotten you had. 
You grinned, cocky. “I am now.” 
Eddie glared, thrusting upward in hopes that he might throw you off balance, but to no avail. Rotating his hands in your grip, Eddie dexterously took hold of your wrists and gently pressed his nails into your skin. You winced; his nails were sharper than you’d thought they would be. Almost like…
Claws. Eddie’s nails had grown into catlike points, and now they were applying a little too much pressure. Any more than this and he would surely draw-
“-Blood.” 
You whispered to yourself as you watched the bright bead pooling where Eddie’s thumb had pressed hard enough to puncture skin. Before you had time to react, Eddie was pulling your bleeding wrist to his face, inspecting his handiwork up close. He caught a whiff of your scent, inhaling deeply before exhaling so heavily that it rumbled low in his chest. Bringing your wrist to hover above his mouth, you felt your survival instincts kicking in as Eddie’s grip on your arm tightened, squeezing more of your blood to pool into the drop that now hung precariously from the cut in your skin. 
Eddie’s finger on the top of your wrist raised, then firmly tapped down hard enough to shake the drop free and send it falling into his waiting mouth below. 
You watched, transfixed as Eddie moaned at the taste of you on his tongue. He licked his lips, spreading your blood across them and letting your essence settle into the cracks in his skin. You wondered how long his lips would taste like you after tonight. Would it only take moments for the flavor of you to leave his skin? Or would he still taste you in the morning?
Eddie’s eyes rolled back in his head, his composure slipping under the influence of your blood in his mouth. He pulled your wrist to his mouth and licked greedily at the tiny puncture wound, gently sucking but still staying careful enough to keep his fangs far away from the opening. You were trusting him to be responsible here, as stupid as that was, but so far he seemed to be completely aware of where the line was, and he was careful not to cross it. Test it, maybe… but he wouldn’t cross it. At least you were hoping he wouldn’t.
His gaze settled on yours, and you found yourself at a loss for words. He smiled proudly, slowly sitting up until his face was even with yours. You’d long since let go of your grip on his other hand, and now that your bones were suddenly jelly, it was easy for Eddie to lift both hands to your neck and slot both of them so that his thumbs and pointers rested on either side of your ears. He pulled your lips to his, kissing you passionately and sharing the taste of your own blood from where it still lingered in his mouth. 
“Tastes like fuckin’ honey.” He murmured against your lips, tongue snaking out to lick into you, and you couldn’t tell if he was referring to the taste of your lips or the taste of your blood. You recognized it in his kiss- the metallic flavor rolling over your taste buds and awakening something primal in you. Your hips bucked into his, and you felt the solid length that ached for you through his jeans.
Eddie chuckled darkly, rolling his hips into yours in response. “Careful, baby.” You felt his lips lowering, placing gentle wet kisses along your throat. Your heart raced to a bounding pulse as it dawned on you that were he to bite you here, he could kill you quite quickly. “Mmmmmm,” you shivered as his voice reverberated through your neck. “I can feel your blood rushing faster. That just for me?” 
You forced yourself to breathe as you confirmed his suspicions with a small nod. Eddie sighed, hot breath pluming from his nostrils and across your skin. “Just for me… all for me…” His tongue emerged once again and licked a fat, wet stripe along the center of your neck, and you couldn’t stop the desperate moan he pulled from you at the sensation. His hand slid down for his thumb to make slippery caresses over the trail of spit he’d left behind. 
“I’ve never tasted blood this good, sweetheart. It’s… I don’t know how to describe it, it’s like the way you smell, but better.” His thumb pressed ever so gently into your throat, and you felt the tip of his sharpened nail rake a promise against your skin. Eddie kept it there, pausing for a moment, and you realized with a pang of emotion that he was trying to stop himself from asking for more. 
You allowed the slightest bit of tenderness to break through to your exterior, smiling gently at him as you leaned into his touch. “It’s okay,” you whispered, “I can trust you not to take too much, right?” 
The lights were dim, but you could see enough of Eddie’s face to make out the glowing smile your trust had elicited. His hands curved gently along the back of your neck, cradling the base of your skull as he pulled your forehead to rest against his own. “You’re incredible, you know that?”
So much warmth flooded your chest at Eddie’s praise that it almost scared you. You knew this wasn’t compulsion- you felt complete control of your body and mind, and felt aware of your ability to tell him no. In fact, you knew in your heart that if you told him that you wanted to stop everything now, he would obey without a second thought, bid you goodnight, and walk right out that door. 
But you definitely did not want that to happen.
That much was made clear by the pornographic moan that tumbled from your lips as Eddie’s claw drew a single, shallow gash down the center of your neck. His hand slotted under your jaw, applying enough pressure to hold off the blood flow above your neck for the fewest of seconds. Blood pooled in the cut, and Eddie admired his handiwork with hungry fascination. 
“Gorgeous…” he muttered, leaning closer. Your heart was racing, undoubtedly causing the blood to rush even faster to your neck, and when you heard Eddie fucking inhale the scent of your blood like it was a perfectly aged Bordeaux? It started beating out a marathon. 
The moment your scent hit his nostrils, you shivered as a guttural, primal rumbling rolled from Eddie’s chest. The growl grew into a moaning sigh as you felt his warmed wet lips envelop the base of the cut on your neck, and lick into the life that pooled there. 
He sucked, pulling more into his mouth and you whimpered slightly from the sensation. As if to comfort you, his hands slid a little further down so that they cupped the vertebrae at the back of your neck, and it was strange how you could almost feel his touch getting warmer the more blood he took from you. He pulled your neck closer, hungry for all you had to give him.
For a moment you started to worry, fearing that you may have overestimated Eddie’s control over his bloodlust, but your worries were put to rest when he detached himself from his latch and licked up the minimal mess that he had made. 
“Let’s get this off of you, Slayer.” 
Eddie’s hands snuck underneath the hem of your shirt, causing you to shiver at the sensation of cold fingers on heated flesh. Before long, You were both stripped down to nothing and panting with need, a tangle of hands and lips and pulses as you melted into each other in the moonlight. He pushed you gently onto your back, climbing over you slowly and with purpose. You felt the hard length of his naked cock bounce against your thigh as he did, and the anticipation you began to feel between your legs was hot and wet, dripping from your lips as if it were salivating for him. You bucked up involuntarily, eliciting an amused chuckle from the vampire on top of you. 
“Easy, baby,” Eddie cooed, “starting to think you only invited me in for one thing.”
“Oh blow it out your ass.” you rolled your eyes at him, “Don’t pretend you weren’t hoping for that one thing exactly.” 
Eddie smiled, a twinkle in his eye launching your heartbeat into overdrive as he planted a quick peck to the cut on your neck and began to lower himself further south. “I may have had a hunch, yeah.” You watched with rapt attention as his face drew closer and closer to where you wanted him most, the echo of your dream still potent in your memory. What similar talents might the Eddie from your imagination have shared with the Eddie that currently studied your glistening pussy as if it were a delicacy to devour?
In your heart of hearts, you knew that every move you’d made tonight since Eddie walked through that door was absolutely insane. Masochistic, even. But your own idiocy was no match for the ecstasy that hit you when Eddie’s dextrous tongue dove into your folds, twisting and lapping up the essence that he craved in ways that sent waves of pleasure coursing through your arching form. 
You moaned, writhing under his touch as his tongue glided over the dripping lips of your core, savoring the flavors of your arousal and the way they paired with the taste of your blood that still lingered in his senses. 
“Taste so fucking good, sweetheart, goddamn.” Eddie’s voice was muffled, wet and hot in the way he spoke it into you and moved his lips along your pussy to speak the words. The sensation coupled with the commentary all but broke you, and you mewled a bewildered thank you as he continued his ministrations. 
A sharp sting jolted you, ripping your eyelids open- you didn’t even remember closing your eyes- and it took a second to realize that Eddie had used his sharpened nails to create another gash at your inner thigh. It stung, but only slightly, so you assumed the cut must not be too deep. 
“Sorry, sweetheart, did that hurt?” Eddie’s voice was soft and sympathetic as his fingers toyed with the small wound, gently pinching and pressing to undoubtedly coax more blood for him to enjoy. 
“Little bit,” you whispered, and the voice that came out of your mouth was so high-pitched and airy that you hardly recognized it. “-but it’s not bad. It’s not too deep, right?”
“Nah, barely even a scratch.” Eddie assured you. “Besides, I’ll close it in a second anyway.” 
Your head popped off the pillow. “You can do that?”
“Check your neck, sweetheart.” 
You brought a hand to the place where Eddie’s cut had been, but were amazed to find that the cut was completely gone. You felt nothing but smooth, unscathed skin in its wake. Bemused, you checked the cut at your wrist and found it had healed as well.
 “How did you do that?”
Eddie shrugged, the pads of his fingers beginning to draw idle shapes over your clit, mixing your blood with the wetness of your cunt. “Apparently, all I have to do is lick a scratch and it heals itself within minutes.” You jolted when you felt his lips close around your clit and suck, whining at the suction as he drew the mixture of your flavors into his mouth and hummed in satisfaction. 
“Now if you don’t mind,” he murmured, “I was in the middle of something down here.”
You barely had time to nod before he was diving back between your legs, lapping up your essence with an urgency that lay somewhere between passionate purpose and reckless abandon. He alternated, going back and forth between the bloodied gash on your thigh and the shimmering lips of your dripping cunt. 
“Oh my god,” you whimpered, arching into the mattress as he moaned into you at the intensity of your taste. “More, please… I need… inside-” 
In a blur of movement, Eddie’s face was level with yours, and you were staring directly into his lust-blown eyes as his cock nudged its head between your folds. Eddie shuddered at the feeling, closing his eyes as ecstasy overtook him and he slowly sheathed himself completely into you. 
“Hoooooly shit, sweetheart-” Eddie gritted out through clenched teeth. His arm reached behind your shoulders, pulling you flush against him and bringing his mouth to hover mere inches from your ear. “Fucking made for me, so fucking tight.”
When Eddie began to move, your hips bucked to meet him instinctively. In your current position, Eddie had you caged in and wrapped in his arms, held in place as he thrusted into you and grunted sweet, filthy nothings into your ear.
“Feel so good squeezing my cock, baby.”
“Wrap your legs around me, don’t let me leave.”
“God, you smell so fucking good, can still taste you on my lips.”
“Such a good little vampire slayer. Take it all, sweet thing.”
You were getting closer with every word; each whispered praise in your ear made you tighten more and more, but you weren’t quite there yet. As if he could read your mind, Eddie’s hand snaked down between your naked bodies until his middle finger came to rest on your throbbing clit. Careful to keep his claws from scratching the sensitive area, the soft pad of his finger slipped small circles over the wanting bud. 
You mewled, eyes rolling back at the combined sensations. The stimulation was overtaking every sense, numbing you to everything but the climb of your orgasm that awaited you on the other side of the peak you were climbing. 
“You know what’s crazy, Slayer?” 
Eddie’s voice was husky in your ear, and you’d barely registered what he’d said before he continued. 
“I didn’t even need the power to control your mind. Didn’t need to make you want me like this, you did that all yourself.”
You struggled to comprehend what he was getting at, but a particularly forceful thrust caused a sharp moan to leap from your lips. Eddie laughed, and it was somehow both musical and malicious all at once.
“Dreams are funny things… I showed up just to see what would happen, thinking ‘hey, there’s no way in hell she’d have me, right? But maybe in my dreams’...” Eddie chuckled ruefully, shifting slightly to angle his cock further into you and moaning at the way you gripped him tighter when your leg was tilted just so. 
Your eyebrows knit together, confused. What did he mean he showed up? As in, showed up in your dream? Your mind was reeling, spinning in the midst of the jumbled logic of his words and the mounting pleasure his cock was driving into you.
“But it wasn’t even in my dreams that you wanted me, it was yours… in your dream you gave in to me so easily, practically begged me to tell you what to do…”
What? What was he… was Eddie saying what you thought he was saying? You squirmed, trying to lift him so you could look him in the eyes, but he held you in place- immobile and at his mercy. Your eyes widened as you stared up at the skylight in your ceiling. The moon was full tonight, and it stared down at you unwaveringly as Eddie continued to thrust into you and hit that spongy spot within your cunt over and over and over.
“The compulsion was a great touch, I hadn’t even thought of that until your delicious little brain took a turn for the kinky.” You could hear the smile on his panted words. “One dream told me all I needed to know… you wanted me just as bad, Slayer. Wanted- needed- permission to just let go and admit you wanted the bloodsucker’s cock, didn’t you?”
“Y-you….ah! Oh, fuck!” 
You tried to respond, tried to tell him you needed a second to process what he was telling you, but before you could get more than a word out his finger began to work your clit at a pace so rapid, only a demon like him was capable. If you didn’t know better, you would think he’d pulled out a vibrator. That was how fast he was able to rip your orgasm from its precipice and make you spasm out of control around his cock.
“Shit!” You clenched at the sinful sound of Eddie’s voice in your ear as he unraveled inside of you. “Holy- I’m cumming, baby, fuck-” He continued to thrust into you as he rode out his orgasm, murmuring into your neck, “...mine. Fucking mine…”
Your eyes stared unblinking at the moon as you clenched around Eddie’s throbbing dick, mind beginning to flood with post-sex clarity as soon as your orgasm began to calm. Your chest felt like it was clawing at your heart, trying desperately to rip out the offending organ for overtaking the control that your brain was supposed to have had this entire time. Your instincts had tried- god, they’d fucking tried- to tell you not to trust the demon inside you, and yet here you were. Pinned to your own bed with his seed dripping from the most intimate parts of you, and you’d fucking invited him in. 
How much of your attraction to him had been you, and how much had been him? You’d asked him so many questions this very night about his powers, what he was capable of- and he’d glossed over a very important piece of information by omitting the fact that he could make appearances in your fucking dreams. 
Before you could even voice even one of the questions that swirled around in your head, Eddie’s eyes were hovering over yours, the moonlight dancing in a ghostly halo along his silhouette. 
“Listen to me, Slayer.”
His eyes were pitch black, and you found yourself missing the brilliant ruby red they’d shone in your dream. Maybe that’s all tonight was? Just a horrible dream, and the one person you’d considered a friend in this godforsaken town was still someone you could trust. 
“I’m going to get you cleaned up, you’re going to get under these covers, and then you’re going to go to sleep.” You heard him take a breath; felt his shaking exhale on your face. “When you wake up in the morning, you’ll forget everything that happened since I walked through that door.”
You blinked, listening intently. Obediently.
“I walked you home, said goodnight at the door, and left. Then you went inside, locked your door, and went to bed. Repeat it back to me.”
“You walked me home, said goodnight at the door, and left.” Your lips moved seamlessly of their own accord, parroting his own story back to him as you stared into those bottomless black eyes. “Then I went inside, locked the door, and went to bed.”
Eddie stared at you a moment, and there was something in his eyes that you couldn’t quite read. It suddenly dawned on you that his eyes weren’t normally black or red. They were brown. You missed how pretty those brown eyes were. They were sweet; honest. Trustworthy eyes.
Finally moving after a few seconds of watching you intently, searching your face for something he evidently couldn’t find, he leaned forward and tenderly kissed your forehead.
“Good.” he whispered, low and tired. “That’s good, sweetheart.”
The night played out exactly as Eddie said it would. He cleaned you up, taking the time to make sure he’d kissed every nick he’d made in your skin until there wasn’t a wound in sight. He watched silently as you cleaned your face, donned a soft shirt so large it reached mid-thigh, and slid under your covers. Eddie kissed you softly before wordlessly locking your doorknob from the inside and exited your apartment. You heard him double check the lock and leave once he was satisfied with your safety. 
Then you fell asleep.
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Eddie had only dreamwalked a few times before he’d realized that his newfound vampirism gave him the power to manipulate the dreams that he’d recently gained the ability to stumble into.
It had started when he’d heard Wayne sleeping restlessly in the living room of their trailer, tossing and turning on the couch with his forehead pinched with worry. Eddie had wanted so badly to ease his pain, and before he knew it he was watching his uncle’s nightmare playing out around him like he’d stepped onto the set of a film. He’d seen his own gravestone, seen Wayne tearing at the dirt until his fingers bled, and wanted nothing more than to alleviate his uncle’s pain- that yearning on his part had evidently been enough to cause the scene to shift in his favor. The grave had sunken into the ground, the sky changed from stormy gray to sunny blue, and the bed of dirt had become a gingham blanket, upon which sat a significantly happier Wayne and a sticky-fingered Eddie at age four holding a PB&J that was oozing out the sides.
It was at this moment that Eddie had started thinking that maybe these powers he’d gained might not be all bad.
He hadn’t realized he had the ability to manipulate memories until the first time Gareth had lost control and killed that girl from U.S. History.
She’d asked Gareth to meet her behind the bleachers after school, and Eddie had told him not to go, told him not to risk it, but Gareth was so fucking stubborn. The girl was cute, and the idiot had thought he could handle it. By the time Eddie had realized Gareth had ignored his warnings, it was too late.
Eddie had been so close to cleaning everything up seamlessly, and then some cheerleader had to go and stumble upon Gareth, Eddie, and the bloodless corpse of that poor girl. Eddie’s instincts had taken over, and before he knew it he’d grabbed the cheerleader by the shoulders and used every ounce of willpower he could muster to convince her that she hadn’t seen them at all, and in fact what she had actually seen was U.S. History girl walking into the woods behind the school. 
It had been a desperate, kneejerk reaction, and Eddie had had next to no confidence it would work, but the next day he’d been amazed to hear that exact story being repeated through the rumor mill word for word. It gave Eddie and Gareth the cover they’d needed to take the girl’s body to the Upside Down and hide it where no one would think to look. 
His abilities were handy tricks to have, sure… but it scared him. Eddie didn’t like that every new power he discovered within himself gave him a new way to get away with something awful. Eddie didn’t trust himself enough for that knowledge to sit well with him. 
Now, he sat in the cafeteria at his usual table with Gareth, eyes sweeping the room for your face. He hadn’t seen you in the halls yet today, and even though he had every reason to be confident that you wouldn’t remember last night, he’d never tried to erase memories from a Slayer before. Maybe you had some sort of mental defenses against him? Maybe you were already waiting at his trailer, stake in hand? The unknown of it all was stressing Eddie out. 
That’s what he was feeling- stress. Not guilt. Eddie had hardened his undead heart enough that he didn’t feel guilty for things like this anymore. If he had been completely honest about his powers at Benny’s, there’s no way you would have trusted him after that. After being an active player in your wet dream without your consent?  He didn't know many people who wouldn’t hate his guts after that- hell, he hated his own guts after that. He was a horny creep who’d violated you in more ways than one, and there was no way anyone could forgive him for that. Why should you?
He could have been honest about his memory manipulating abilities, but the idea of giving that secret away had simply scared him too much. It was easier to keep that in his back pocket, and wasn’t that what you always had against him, after all? A wooden stake, always ready and waiting as a last resort. A failsafe. 
No. Eddie didn’t feel guilty. For the sake of his own self-preservation, he couldn’t. 
As if on cue, Eddie perked up when he saw you enter the cafeteria. Act casual, he reminded himself. He couldn’t act like anything was out of the ordinary, but at the same time he needed to be sure you remembered nothing. Then he could move on, not feel as… stressed. 
He watched you discreetly, looking up from his crumpled bag of pretzels every twenty seconds or so to check if you were looking at him. You sat at your normal table on the opposite side of the room, pulling a sandwich from your bag and quietly began to eat your lunch. You didn’t seem to be the least bit concerned with where Eddie was, much less whether or not he was looking at you. 
Suddenly, as if you could feel his gaze on you, your eyes flicked up and locked with his. For a split second, Eddie’s confidence in his powers faltered- maybe his powers were useless against you; maybe you remembered last night in all its shameful glory. The jig is up, he thought, I’m caught. Let justice be served.
But all you did was smile at him and give a little wave before turning back to your sandwich. 
Eddie felt a nudge at his elbow from Gareth. “You good, man?” the floppy haired boy glanced in your direction, raising an eyebrow in question. 
You didn’t remember. Eddie should be relieved… he’d successfully befriended, seduced, and fooled The Slayer. This was a good thing. 
“Yeah,” he huffed, reassuring Gareth with a curt nod. “I’m good.”
Good. Such a relative term. So many definitions for the word good, and yet not a single one would make ‘I’m good’ anything but a lie when it came from Eddie’s mouth. 
He ran his tongue over one of his sharpened canines, pressing it into the tip hard enough to break skin. The taste of your blood that still lingered in his veins flooded his mouth for a split second before the puncture healed itself, and he closed his eyes to savor you for a moment. 
No; Eddie Munson wasn’t good. He hadn’t been good for a very long time. 
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Taglist (just some people I think will be interested, as well as those who I've spoken to about this story during the MONTHS it took to finally finish): @the-unforgivenn, @vintagehellfire, @munson-blurbs, @littlesubbyflower, @msgexymunson, @hellfire--cult, @word-wytch, @carolmunson, @bettyfrommars
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lilac-5ky · 9 months
Note
TOJI AND VIRGIN READER!
The Favor (officeAU!Toji x virgin!Fem!Reader)
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Plot: The first day you met Toji, he told you everything on his CV was a lie. Three years later, he's your beloved work husband, the one you go to when you decide it's time to lose your virginity.
Tags: Office!AU, loss of virginity, fingering, oral sex (f.receiving), agee gap (reader mid 20s, toji mid 30s), soft!dom toji, dirty talking, praising, pet names (sweetheart, darling, kid, wife, whore, slut, etc), aftercare, toji catches feelings after fucking you, daddy vibes without the word, friends to lovers dynamic, size kink, lube handjob, MDNI obviously.
A/N: Combined your idea with my intense need to write an office!au. Hopefully this turned out to your liking and you forgive me for writing this much filth LMAO
Masterlist | AO3 | Requests
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For promotion, for demotion, for raises and for cuts, in overtime and in bureaucracy, until layoff do us part.
In the insufferable reality of Japanese corporate life, a work spouse exists to shoulder the burden of overdue deadlines and never-ending stacks of paperwork. A husband who, in spite of not being bound to you through marriage, has vowed to stick by your side until either one of you breaks free from the shackles of human resources; your work husband.
You met each other on your first day at the company, both of you passing interviews for the same lowly position of staffing coordinator.
Your first impression of candidate number 9 was that his suit wasn’t really his but was likely borrowed from someone whose bicep wasn’t the size of their thigh and calf combined. Your second impression was whispered to your ear as the dark haired man rose from his chair and paraded down the interview room, nonchalantly letting slip that his bachelor’s degree along with every bit of qualification on his CV had been faked.
Whether that was a declaration of war or a testament to his unparalleled confidence, you wouldn’t know until a week later when you were assigned to the same miserable office corner, sharing a desk, a title, and a secret whose value skyrocketed once you became acquainted with your work place’s imposing policies.
One word would get both him and his knowing smile fired, but the moment you shook hands with Fushiguro Toji and promised to get along, you signed yourself up for a long-lasting partnership.
Over the three years you worked together, each grew out of their initial post. Your all-nighters paid off and you got promoted to an HR assistant, meaning you didn’t have to memorize everyone’s coffee order any longer, while Toji flourished as the department’s eye candy.
He’d ceased pretending that his broad shoulders could be boxed in second-hand suit jackets, and instead opted for rolled-up button-ups with the occasional monochromatic tie—a fit that put his sculpted physique into full view and threw the entire female populace out of balance.
He was an objectively good-looking man who bordered on great. The type to be conscious of their effect on others, cutting corners with suggestive glances and smiling his way out of otherwise unforgivable report oversights. Every woman in the office was openly in love with him. Even your supervisor referred to him as the team’s ace and discreetly unbuttoned her cleavage in his presence.
You realized then, they’d sooner let go of you and your hard-earned master’s, than part with the department’s mascot.
Despite the differences in skill and appearance, your sense of kinship survived the passage of time. Perhaps you’d subconsciously fallen victim to his charms, but whenever you saw his thin brows furrow and his right foot threaten the unresponsive copy machine with a killing blow, you couldn’t look away. This is a favor; you’d remind him at every formal email and resume assessment you helped put together.
And favors are repaid.
While Toji couldn’t assist with payroll processing, he always had the scoop on who cheated on their spouse with whom and whose bra was filled with padding—which you didn’t find all that interesting, but turned into a fun game of guess the cheater during dull 9 a.m. meetings.
On mornings when the alarm was hurled at your bedroom wall, he made excuses for your absence, and on work dinners, he saved you a seat away from all the grabby drunks.
Toji was far from a good person. His mere presence in a company you’d broken your back to get into was a mockery of your efforts. He led others on and got into muffled shutouts over his phone behind the water fountain, where he thought no one was listening in.
That’s how you found out about his eight-year-old kid and the custody battle with his allegedly “psychotic” ex-wife. He didn’t know you knew because you never told him. Everyone had skeletons in their closet, and it wasn’t your job to sort his out. As far as your work marriage was concerned, he was a good husband who diligently fulfilled his marital duties—all except one, which you feared the pretext of a favor wouldn’t begin to cover.
“Here’s your poison,” you slid the scalding coffee cup in his direction, mindful of the papers on his desk. “Black Americano with four shots of espresso and no sugar to compliment your wretched dark soul.”
Toji raised an open palm in your face, motioning for you to wait until he was done punching words on the keyboard and pressed save file. Your eyes were drawn to his fingers, threaded with faded scars that followed the expanse of veins down his wrists, dipping deep below the white cotton of his shirt. Another unsolved mystery you hadn’t gotten to the bottom of.
He brought the cup to his equally scarred lips, defying the steam spirals with a long-drawn sip. “Unnecessary intro, but thanks.” He gave a lazy smile. “Aren’t ya a sweetheart?”
You dropped your beverage on your side of the desk and swiveled your chair nearer. “Think you could do said sweetheart a favor?
“A favor, huh?” His breath was laced with caffeine. “Depends. If you’re asking for a buck, ‘fraid I’m all dried up till the end of the month.”
So he isn’t planning on paying for his order.
“I make more than you.”
“Doesn’t mean ya can’t find yourself in a pickle.”
You shook your head, stealing a sip of liquid courage from your mocha. How did people ask those things again?
Your contemplation lasted long enough for him to turn his head back to work, filling his home screen with enough tabs to distract you from his unfinished round of solitaire.
“What are you doing after work?” Your voice cracked into shards of uncertainty.
“Nice try.”He sneered. “You dug your own grave taking on the grievance procedures from the union. Climb out on your own.”
“Not everyone offloads their work load on others, Toji.” You rolled your eyes, scooting even closer to make sure only he’d be the recipient of your next words.
He sensed something was off because he wasn’t pretending to input random lines into the search bar anymore, and while he studied you, you studied him back. You had your doubts about this, and you weren’t sure he was your type either. You liked your men responsible and mature—like Nanami from sales, who would’ve been your first choice if your legs didn’t turn into jelly the minute you saw him.
Toji was the safe option. You talked to him. You joked with him. You were used to him, and more importantly, you trusted him. All the lack of qualifications in his job, he made up for with his experience in that other field you were a stranger to.
“Hey, kid.” His voice mellowed down with a beat of concern, a heavy hand landing on your shoulder. “If you’ve gotten yourself into trouble, I—”
“Please have sex with me.”
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“Make yourself at home.” He nudged your back into the apartment, glancing over his shoulder to make sure you were following even after he’d pulled away.
Moving forward felt hard—as if you’d forgotten how to. You weren’t sure whether to wipe your shoes on the mat or stash them in the corner. You didn’t know which foot to put forth and what set of slippers to pick. Every decision suddenly mattered a lot more than it should.
You’d never been to Toji’s house before, and up until a few hours ago, you couldn’t fathom standing at his doorstep either. You weren’t that close so as to meet outside work hours, but you were about to get a lot more up close and personal.
The way he accepted your request with a mere, almost offensive, okay still boggled your brain. You’d considered every question he could possibly ask, painstakingly compiling your list of answers like a witness called to the stand, only for him to not speak a word of it—not even when it was just you and him and the solitude that came from enjoying lunch a hundred stories above Tokyo’s bustling streets.
He seemed to have forgotten all about your plans, up until he pulled over at the bus stop where you were waiting and stuffed you in the front seat of his car.
“You coming?”
Kicking your heels off your feet, you skipped straight through the hallway, your head turning left and right as if you were at an art gallery. You didn’t know what to expect, but a high-end apartment in the heart of Minato wasn’t it. Neither your income nor his justified an inox steel kitchen with mahogany wood flooring—let alone a direct view of the illuminated Tokyo Tower.
You were so bedazzled by the city skyline that you nearly missed the hastily buried socks peeking beneath the kotatsu, along with the cobwebs his untouched bookshelf flaunted. Much like his suit, his apartment was handed to him by someone whose love for both their books and spouse had run out.
“Whaddya think?”
Toji stalked behind you, his reflection in the glass becoming more defined with every step he took. He was holding something in each hand—two glasses whose orange liquid sparkled in place of the stars.
You turned around slowly, accepting your share with a small smile on your face.
“Your ex-wife has good taste.”
He blinked, taken aback for a split second. He wondered what gave it out—the pink slippers or the flipped-down picture frames you’d yet to notice—and somewhere down the line, he got the wrong idea, beaming with an unwarranted “Thanks.”
“I meant the house, not you.” Although you couldn’t blame him for his inflated ego when every female practically dropped their panties at his feet. Especially not when you were there to do the same.
Your teeth clicked sharply against the glass as you tilted your head and sipped on what tasted too sweet to be whiskey. Apple Juice?
“That’s not alcohol.” You stated.
“Ever thought of becoming a detective?” Toji padded toward the leather couch, spreading his thighs across the two middle cushions.
“Ever thought of becoming a comedian?” You retorted, squeezing in to his left. The furniture would’ve been big enough to fit you both, had he been considerate. “So what’s the joke? Too young to be drinking, or hard liquor ain’t for pretty girls like me?”
“Nah.” His head dropped on his shoulder, both propped against the headrest. “Need you sober for what’s about to happen.”
You mirrored his stance, your knees touching as you folded them on the smooth leather. “And what’s about to happen?”
“I think we both know, or else ya wouldn’t have followed me here.” He wet his bottom lip, pretty green eyes clouding dark.
A certain dryness gnawed at your throat, the pink color of his tongue appealing to you more than it should. You weren’t interested in Toji, but the strands of black that fell over his forehead painted a cuter image than you were used to seeing at the office. You wondered what he’d look like with his hair pushed back, all slick from beads of sweat rolling down his temples. And when you realized you couldn’t pin any of those thoughts on the alcohol, you took another sip, hurriedly averting your gaze.
“How many have? Women from work, I mean.”
You were surprised to hear him state “None,” and even more surprised that he claimed not to mix business with pleasure. You could think of at least three coworkers you suspected he fooled around with. At least so they bragged in the ladies’ room.
“So why bring me home?”
“‘Cause you asked.” Toji said gruffly.
“You fuck every woman who asks you to?”
“Only the cute ones.”
Your cheeks flushed red as you reminded yourself to take his words with a grain of salt. He wasn’t interested in you any more than you were in him. This was simply platonic—almost transactional. He’d do what you asked, and then you’d pay him back with another, mundane favor like sorting mail in his stead.
You finished your drink, your eyes licking up the remaining drops at the bottom of the glass. “This line works?”
Toji shrugged. It probably did. He probably didn’t even have to open his mouth for it to work. While the moment you opened yours—
“Want more?” He motioned to your glass. You nodded, extending your arm, only for his expression to turn sour. “I’m not your fucking maid. Bottle’s on the counter.”
You sighed, getting up so he wouldn’t see your eyes roll at his comment as he shoved his glass in your face. Who’s the maid now?
Aimlessly, you strolled into the kitchen, taking longer than necessary to fill both your glasses. You didn’t mean to start snooping around, but you couldn’t help yourself from seeking a sign of his presence in his picture-perfect apartment. Houses typically reveal something about their residents, and while the display of crystal glasses spoke plenty of his ex-wife, there was no evidence of Toji’s personality.
You weren’t interested in him—just curious. That’s what you kept telling yourself as you picked up a frame stowed away behind an empty cookie jar.
Four smiles greeted you, the brightest belonging to a young girl with elongated bangs, holding a boy who strove to copy his sister’s expression. Their parents stood behind them, a beautiful woman with long brown hair tucked in a ponytail blissfully leaning against the shoulder of a Toji that seemed less happy the longer you processed his strained features.
“She left.” The proximity of his voice startled you. The frame danced between your fingers until he snatched it, his jutted-out chin betraying his annoyance. “Took the kids, left the house and me behind. Ain’t that what ya wanted to hear?”
You shook your head, about to drop to your knees and beg for forgiveness on his parquet. However, the hostility that rose faded as soon as he threw the picture in the first open drawer and returned to the living room, leaving you to fetch your drinks. Then you remembered the phone calls. They weren’t on good terms.
“Having kids isn’t bad. Nor being divorced.” You handed him the glass, assuming your previous position on the couch. “Doesn’t ruin your cool guy image whatsoever.”
“Who said I care about that?” Toji snorted.
“Then you wouldn’t care if anything slipped in front of your fan club?”
“Mind your own fucking business.” He hissed. You chuckled. Sharing a couch wasn’t that much different from sharing a desk, and sharing two secrets was the same as sharing one.
“What are your kids’ names?”
“Kid,” he corrected. “Megumi.”
By the name, you assumed it was the girl. You were wrong. You tried to ask something about his son’s mother, but somehow you couldn’t find one right thing to say, since the woman in the photo wasn’t the boy’s biological mom either. You were lost. The more cryptic answers he gave, the more unanswered questions you ended up with.
Your plan took a backseat while Toji trod the sensitive topic of his divorce to that “bitch,” who’d taken his kid from him out of spite. The custody battle was tipped in her favor, courtesy of a legal system that’d rather see a child separated from its biological parent in the face of cold cash.
Megumi only visited every second weekend of the month, which explained his father’s eagerness to leave early on certain Fridays and come late on the following Mondays. He didn’t need to say this, but you understood his reasons for cheating his way into the company. A proper job looked good in court, and whatever earned him those scars was far from proper.
Both your hands emptied as you finished your second round of drinks. Your head would be buzzing if there was alcohol involved, but you didn’t miss it. Toji was hard to engage, and talking to him felt like running into one brick wall after another. However, working out of those dead-ends was preferable to clinking glasses with some guy who wouldn’t quit boasting about his Ivy League diploma or his burning passion for vocaloid singers—both cases reflecting the sad reality of blind dating in your twenties.
“So.” Toji drawled, a burly arm stretching behind your head. “Why you want me to fuck you? Can’t find good dick in the market?”
Your mind went blank in an instant, every excuse and curated version of the story vanishing when you needed them the most.
“I—um,” you cleared your throat, while your eyes scanned over his body.
There was a lot to take in: the fine lines of his pecs, highlighted under the taut white fabric; the black tie hanging loose around his unbuttoned collar; the hem of his shirt that dangled out of his fitted pants, exposing the tiniest window to the happy trail on his lower abdomen; his slim waist and his thick thighs; the curve of his bum; and the light touch of his fingers closing around your shoulder. You traced the same route of landmarks, finding yourself returning to his achingly handsome face and the playful curiosity in his eyes that had you shifting in your place.
All the reasons for someone to want to be fucked by this fine specimen of a man were right there, and you picked the most inclusive one. “Because you’re hot.”
The ends of his scar drew apart as Toji smiled a wolfish smile. He inched closer, your back hitting the armrest when his right hand caged your body between his arms and the couch.
“Bullshit.” A tickle from where his nose brushed against yours, and a thud from where your heart dropped inside your chest. “You think I wouldn’t know if ya had the hots for me, kid?”
“N-not everyone throws themselves at others.” You tried to reason.
“Maybe. But attraction comes with signs.” The side of his hand grazed the corner of your eyelid. “Batting your pretty lashes,” he trailed off, rough knuckles softly tracing the apple of your cheek. “Blushing your cheeks red.” The pad of his thumb swiped down your cupid’s bow. “Biting your lip raw.” He continued with his eyes, glancing at the skirt that lay high above your knees suggestively. “Pressing those plushy thighs together.”
“You do none ‘f those things.” Toji accused. “So why the sudden itch? Indulge me, and I’ll pound that pussy till ya scream.”
The promise of his words forced a gulp down your throat as your thighs involuntarily rubbed together. You started to reconsider. You didn’t want to fuck him just because any man would do. You wanted to fuck him because it was him and because every patch of skin he made contact with begged to be touched again.
“I’m a virgin.” You admitted, voice low, and stare even lower—utterly defeated as he flinched away in surprise.
You wondered what he’d say. A virgin at your age? was the most common response, followed by Is something wrong with you? and typically concluded with You sure you’re not a lesbian?
Everyone preaches how precious innocence is, but no one wants the pressure of taking it. What men really want is a woman who is both a saint and a slut—a woman who can suck their dick ten inches deeper than they can provide while simultaneously shying away from every insinuation of sex.
The problem is with the poor souls who belong in either category without adhering to the other, because squeezing your legs shut is just as faulty as spreading them open for the public.
Seeing as Toji remained silent, you realized you wouldn’t get an answer, and maybe it was for the best. You didn’t want to put a strain on your work relationship. It’d take a while to look him in the eye again, but in a month or two, you’d laugh about the incident over a cup of soggy store-bought noodles like nothing happened.
“Sorry for bothering you.” You mumbled as you picked up your last vestige of dignity and stood on your feet, only to be anchored by a set of fingers that tightly gripped your wrist.
“Sit.” His unfaltering gaze confirmed the sincerity of his command.
You thought about breaking free and dashing to the door. You thought about how much it’d actually hurt to let him ridicule you, and the tears started to build up on their own. And when you didn’t do as you were told, he towered over you with a palm that was eager to cup your cheek, tilting your face in position for him to print a rough kiss on your parted lips.
“I said fucking sit.” Toji repeated, while you contemplated how someone who spews words so harshly could have such soft lips.
Sheepishly, you fell back onto the couch, expecting him to follow suit and not kneel on the floor like he did. “What’s the story?” He asked, large hands taking hold of your knees and slowly rubbing them apart.
“What makes you think there’s a story?” You prayed that he couldn’t feel your heartbeat bounce across your body as if it were an empty vessel.
“With you, there always is.” He licked his lips as his eyes settled between your thighs, darkening with lust the second they were met with the damp patch in the middle of your pink lace knickers. “Wanna hear all about it while I feast on your little hole.”
“You’re not gonna fuck—”
“First things first, sweetheart. Gotta make sure y’are all prepped before I stuff you with my cock.” Toji smiled, pushing your skirt until it rolled over your stomach. “If ya gonna scream my ears off, better be from pleasure, mm?”
You nodded, watching as his slender fingers slid your underwear off and temporarily—you hoped—shoved it in his back pocket. You saw him marvel at the sight of your exposed cunt and wished you could peer into his brain to hear him curse himself for not coming up with this idea first.
You looked so pretty down there, your puffy clit safely tucked behind its hood while your lips shimmered with your wetness—the scent so intoxicating his pants tightened into a size too small.
He was already considering his next favor. Now that the door was open, he’d make sure it never closed again. Bending you over the copy machine was the front-runner. Getting a print of your tits squeezed against the scanner while he blows your back, his palm muffling out the pathetic sounds you let slip—he’d be lying if that wasn’t what he fantasized about whenever you refilled the ink cartridges for him.
“Ya ever touch yourself here?”
His thumb swiped over your clit, drawing an incomplete circle that ended with light flicks around the sensitive nub. Left and right. Up and down. Searching for the combination that’d have your body answer in place of your mouth, and when your hips bucked forward, he knew exactly where to press.
“Y-yes!” You whined, more as a reaction than an answer to his question.
“And ya ever push a finger in?” He continued, teasingly dragging his thumb between your lips.
“Just one. Rest hurt.”
“Mhm, bet they do.” He hummed as he tasted you on his finger, exaggerating the suck with a soft pop. “Ever had a guy kiss ya there before?”
Toji gave his own answer as he buried his head in your pussy, the sticky mix of his saliva and your juices trickling down your entrance while he made out with your clit. You struggled to keep your thighs apart, the raspy grunts at the back of his throat vibrating against your mound in joint symphony with your breathy moans. His tongue felt so good soaking on your slick that you felt yourself melting into a pool of pleasure.
“Get talkin’ or I’ll stop.” He warned, slowing down with broad, near-maddening, strokes that occasionally dipped between your folds.
“I wanted to w-wait,” you panted. “Wanted to fall in love first, but then I waited too long, and—ngh, fuck, right there!” Toji pinched your folds apart, his stare lecherous as he sucked the puffy pearl into his warm mouth.
Your body jerked in response, the leather squeaking hard beneath your bared ass. You weren’t sure at what point interest surpassed curiosity, but the signs were all there, manifesting as heat in your cheeks and blood that threatened to drop from your chewed-up lip.
His jade eyes narrowed into a shrewd reminder. Putting your thoughts in order was impossible, but if you stopped, so would he.
“Everyone ‘round me started d-doing it, and I was the only one l-left.” You tried to regulate your breathing through your nose, your throat turning hoarse from all the strain. “Went on a bunch of blind dates, but the guys were t-turned off, and—how the fuck are you so good at this?”
Toji chuckled, the pink tip of his tongue parting your lips in a languid motion that made you shudder. “Let’s just say my marriage didn’t fall apart ‘cause of this.”
He mounted your knees atop his shoulders and neared your entrance, with his middle and ring fingers ghosting over the softness of your pulsing slit. “Gonna use my fingers now. Be a good girl and cum on them, will ya?”
The first digit pushed forward, much thicker than any of your fingers. You felt so full already—nails digging into the cushions, while he thrust in and out of your walls, curling the lone pad to find a spot so sweet it elicited a moan of equal sweetness.
“Ya did well to come to me.” He continued, his raspy voice effortlessly sexy. “Kids these days don’t know shit ‘bout pleasing a woman.”
The veins on his wrist flexed along with his scars as his ring finger joined in the action to defy your previous claim. There was no pain. Only immense waves of pleasure leaking through your squinted eyes as hot tears beaded your eyelashes.
“Doin’ so good for me, darlin’.” He praised, repeatedly hitting the swollen bundle of nerves inside your throbbing cunt, bringing you closer to the edge with each thorough pump.
“Maybe I was wrong, hm? Maybe that’s what ya wanted all along. I know I did. Fucking wanted my hands on this pussy since I first saw ya fidget with your little skirt at that interview.”
“Toji—”
He dived between your legs again, his hand maintaining the same erratic pace even while his tongue hungrily lapped at your clit. Your head lolled back, the tension in your guts rapidly building up until you came undone, your pussy clenching and creaming around his calloused fingers.
You’d never finished so hard on your own, the tremors of your orgasm ringing in your ears and jogging your memory.
Your first impression on that day was sadness, right? Sadness over the wedding band the handsome stranger hid in his pocket right before entering the building, thinking no one else caught sight of it, and embarrassment about how your impure thoughts for a married man followed you into the shower every night after work.
“Atta girl.” A present-day and very-much divorced Toji licked his lips into a smile. “Their fucking loss.”
His knee pressed into the gap between your thighs as he stood on his feet and prompted you to open your lips. You took his fingers in your mouth, licking your cum off while your chest heaved with one labored breath after the other.
“See how good ya taste?” Toji cooed, rhythmically fucking his fingers on your tongue before removing them. “Sweeter than honey.”
“Thought you didn’t like sweet things.” His coffee order came in mind.
“How ‘bout we make an exception?”
You weren’t sure what got into you when you grabbed him by the tie and pulled him forward, kissing him with such vigor you’d never experienced. You always thought of losing your virginity as checking an item off your bucket list. You didn’t imagine you could ever lust after someone the way you currently lusted after Toji, your desire escalating into an all-consuming need.
His tongue moved as skillfully in your mouth as it did when it explored your pussy, dancing with your own rather than overpowering it. You liked kissing him. You liked kissing him so much that you wanted to incorporate it into your morning hellos and your evening goodbyes, dragging yourselves into an endless loop of returned favors.
Without breaking the kiss, Toji hoisted you up from the couch and held you in his arms, his palms finding the perfect excuse to grab onto your ass while he carried you across rooms you didn’t care enough to see. A door creaked behind your back, and soon you were tossed onto a large body of endless softness—a bed, you realized as Toji hastily shoved a couple of pillows behind your head.
“Ever heard of that stupid nickname that goes ‘round work?” He whispered in your ear while his fingers worked on undoing your blouse. “How they call ya my work wife?” His palms slid around your ribs and back to unhook your bra. “Guess this makes it our wedding night, heh.”
You rolled your eyes, holding back a chuckle. “Don’t you feel any shame calling me your wife when you’re about to fuck me on your ex-wife’s bed?”
“My bed now, and what I say fucking goes.” He stripped your body from every garment, salaciously gawking at your nude figure on his (her) satin sheets.
You didn’t feel too bad about showing your body, but his stare was almost intrusive—especially with how he hadn’t lost a single article of clothing himself.
“Such a gorgeous body, wife.” He dragged out the final syllables, hoping to elicit a reaction separate from the soft pants you let out as he caressed your soft curves—both much softer than the bedding you were splayed across, liquid velvet in his hands. “Such a good little wife, saving herself for her husband to deflower.”
“Why thank you, husband.” You chortled, cupping his face in a deep kiss.
You knew Toji was the right choice. Not because touching him felt like winning the lottery or because he knew exactly what he was doing, but because he could’ve made this situation a lot more awkward and didn’t. He made your first time feel special, granting your wish of doing it with someone you loved, even if it was all an illusion that’d fade come tomorrow morning.
You almost thanked him as he began to unbutton his shirt, the display of corded muscles and pale scars breaking the dam between your legs. Whatever your type might’ve once been, was no more. It was all Toji, with his clenched fists lifting the weight of his brawny, veiny arms, his shoulders so wide you could ride on them, and the self-complacent smirk your stupefied expression brought to his lips.
“This ain’t an exhibit, sweetheart.” He mocked. “You can touch all ya want.”
He didn’t need to say it twice for your palms to roam his body, starting from his neck and slowly gliding down his torso, feeling out the tension in his steeled abdomen. His skin was smooth, except for the few unruly hairs leading down to the bulge in his crotch, whose sight alone made you lick your lips and buck your hips into his. You wanted to see the rest of him.
“You are the hottest divorcee I know.” You smiled earnestly.
“Ya know lots of ‘em?” Toji cocked his head while you shook yours with a giggle. “Don’t be so flattering.”
“I do have a great-aunt…”
“Oh, please.” He groaned, allowing you to laugh it out. He didn’t like how his bottom lip twitched as he struggled to contain a chuckle of his own. He’d long sworn off girls that made his heart skip a beat.
“Think y’are ready?” You nodded. Repeatedly.
Digging his knees into the bed, he stretched an arm toward the nightstand, fishing for a bottle in one of the drawers. Lube, you realized as he settled it beside you to remove his pants, flinging them along with his boxers to the other side of the room.
Your eyes widened at the sight of his cock, an expression that didn’t look too good considering fear was about the last emotion you should be experiencing.
He was packing in every sense of the word. Long, thick, and definitely heavy as it hung above his hefty balls, the reddened tip pointing at your entrance. It wasn’t like you’d never seen a cock before. Porn existed, and so did perverts in trench coats, but comparing either one to him was both disrespectful and a huge understatement.
“Don’t go cold on me now, mm? It will fit.” He read your mind, taking your hand in his and slotting the bottle in your fist. “Prepped you so good for it. You’ll see; you’ll like this more than my fingers.”
“Promise.” He added, squeezing your hand reassuringly. You chose to trust him, and when he brought your other hand to his shaft, you knew what he was asking you to do.
The bottle spurted a thick glob of liquid that your palm smeared all over his cock head. Toji watched with bated breath as you stroked his length, each thorough pump of your delicate hands warming him up.
He deserved a pat on the back for not cumming right then and there—the distinction between the clear lubricant and his creamy precum becoming more prominent while he throbbed and twitched in your tight grasp. He thought about how much tighter your walls would be, milking every drop he had to offer while you writhed beneath him, with little ah-ah-ah’s and Toji please’s complimenting the squelching of your tight virgin cunt.
“That’s enough.”
He pulled your hand away and cracked the bottle open once more, rubbing a small quantity between his fingers and then scissoring them in your walls. You clung onto him, your hips chasing after his touch. Cute.
“Eyes on me, darlin’.” Toji leaned close enough so that your field of view was consumed by his face. “Keep your eyes on me, breath in ‘n’ out, and it won’t hurt one bit. I’ll take good care of ya.”
Your legs were parted as he ran his cock between your folds and pressed down firmly, his hand moving to your hip once he guided the first inches inside.
Toji was the first to react as he sank in deeper, about two-thirds in when he felt your pussy snare around him like a vice, the warmth of your walls making him curse under his breath. His last fuck was less than a weekend ago, and yet he felt like one of those loser kids he scorned earlier. He’d forgotten just how good being inside a virgin was—a one-and-done deal that would cease to amaze him after he fucked you into his shape.
“All good?” He remembered to ask, taking your strained yes at face value.
Small creases formed over your forehead, contorting your expression into a pained wince the further he sheathed himself into your wet cavern—and when his words weren’t enough, his lips took over. He kissed your worries away and cradled your breasts in his palms, doing everything in his power to keep the pain to a minimum as his hips met with your pelvis, bone against bone and skin against skin, until he finally bottomed out.
A whimper cut your kiss short, and for a second he feared tears would stream from your glassy eyes, not considering the possibility of your shaky legs wrapping around his back and your swollen, pretty lips calling out his name with a stuttered moan.
“F-fuck me, Toji. Please—fuck, I need you so badly.” You begged, dropping the pretense of composure.
“Yeah? Want me to fuck your little virgin pussy?”
“Y-yes, Toji, yes!”
“Yes, what, doll?” He teased. “Say it.”
“Please be my first, Toji.”
His grin turned feral in a heartbeat, your words stirring something in him that he could not explain.
He was prepared to spend the entire night fucking you at a snail’s pace, buttering you up with praises, and pampering you as if you were a golden egg goose, but now he didn’t have to. He could fuck you exactly how he pleased—fold your knees onto your stomach and hold down onto your thighs, pussy all exposed to where he could watch his cock pound into your hole and hear each and every strike of his balls against the fat of your ass—and you would take it.
But when he looked down and saw the ring of red that’d formed around his shaft, he had a change of heart. Maybe another time.
Planting his fingers on your hips, he withdrew slightly, purposely aligning his tip with the roof of your cunt. He didn’t have to go hard to make you happy. All he had to do was hit that one spot, and you’d be coming back for more. Having a steady thing wouldn’t hurt either. It was convenient—certainly better than burning gas driving across town just to pick up some random slut he’d tire of five minutes into her over-the-top screams. At least you lived close by.
With lavish strokes, he rolled his hips against your own, dipping forward to grind his pubic bone against your mound. It didn’t take long for the stimulation to get overwhelming, your hair falling from your strict work up-do all over your sweaty forehead while you thrashed around the sheets, huffs escalating into whiny moans.
“Sh-shit, gonna cum, Toji.” You managed, though there was no real need to tell him.
Your body responded perfectly to his, wetness gushing over his cock while your walls tightened impossibly around him. He fucked you through your high, wrapping his arms below your shoulders and muting your blissful sobs to chase after his own release. Your breasts were squeezed against his pecs, pebbled nipples making him regret not giving them the proper attention.
This wouldn’t be the last time. Your body was like a playground to him, and he sure as hell wasn’t done playing.
“My fucking work wife.” Toji grunted possessively in your ear, nipping at the lobe. Only his lower half moved, a constant snap of hips bouncing through the room as the second lewdest sound after the ones you traded. “Wanna send your ass crawling to work on all fours. That’ll show them, mm? Show them who fucked you so good. What a—fuck, what a good slut y’are f’me. From a virgin to my whore—hah, make ‘em all so jealous.
“Shhhhit, ya like that?” He interpreted your clenching as he willed. “Wanna start a rumor? Fuck on every desk, in every stall, and have everyone know?”
“Yes, Toji! Yesyesyes, want everyone to know you f-fucked me.”
You went back and forth between panting out his name and chanting yes, as those were the only two words you could mindlessly repeat. He wasn’t joking about making you scream. You were on the verge of passing out, so engrossed in ecstasy that you’d lost track of how many times you’d climaxed.
“‘s too much, T-Toji!” You begged, burying your head in the curve of his neck and breathing in his musk. You were both so sweaty, glued together like two puzzle pieces.
“One more, sweetheart. ‘m so close—wanna feel ya cum with me.”
He toyed with your clit until he started to fall out of pace, drawing his cock out before it was caught in the spasms of your pussy. A hefty load burst in his fist as he jerked himself off to your fucked-out form, hot drops of cum spraying your stomach like creamy droplets of rain.
Neither of you realized how soaked the sheets were until Toji left the bed, his eyes not faking their surprise. You didn’t seem to be in that much pain, and yet the amount of blood and wetness was at least equal to carnage.
Would it be a dick move to task you with his laundry?
He spared you a glance, not bothering to hide his smugness. Your legs were still trembling, your breasts puffing up in your struggle to breathe through your agape lips. He was tempted to tell you off—something cheesy like, “Want somethin’ in your mouth that badly?”
“Hey, kid. You are not dead—are you?” He asked jokingly, laughing through his nose as you found the strength to flip him off. Now that the effects of your orgasm were wearing off, so was your obedience.
“How’d ya like your first time?” A thumbs-up this time. “A’right. C’mere.”
The longer he let the stain settle, the more of a bitch it’d be to remove it. That’s what Toji told himself as he picked you up in his arms and carried you into the bathroom, returning to the bedroom only to roll the sheets into a ball he’d later discard in the washing machine. He wasn’t avoiding looking at your cute face, and he definitely didn’t think of your weakened infant-like state as cute when he scrubbed your thighs clean with a wet towel either.
A weird image sparked in his memory, one from the many nights you’d spent working side by side at a dimly lit office. He remembered you ordering him takeout and looming over his head like a vulture while he went neck-to-neck with the vicious spreadsheet program. You insisted on tutoring him, claiming your dressy outfit was a result of canceled plans—even though you kept stealing glances at the clock—and staying with him until the wee hours when you didn’t have to.
You really were a sweetheart, an angel, and all the other terms of endearment he used on you knowing they made your lips stretch and your eyes sparkle. But that wasn’t for you to know.
“Toji?” Your voice jolted him out of his reverie—frail, but not as frail as the hands that wrapped around his own to snatch the towel.
What could he say to make you leave without any harsh feelings coming back to bite him in the ass?
He pondered his options while you bent forward from where he’d seated you on the counter by the sink. You held his limp dick in your palm, gently wiping the dried blood and cum that clung to his girth.
It was sickening how quickly he stiffened, all ready to ram it in your pussy and fuck you with the mirrored view of your ass in the backdrop, but what truly made his guts churn was the little cheeky smile you beamed with. He stood by his words. Virgins were the biggest sluts.
The towel dropped to the floor as you pointed his cock at your entrance, and that was all the convincing he needed.
“Fine.” Toji sighed, pinning your wrists on the cold quartz counter top. “You can stay the night, but mention work and I’m kicking ya out.”
This is definitely not how you say it.
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You made it to the office the next day after a brief raid on your apartment. Going to work in your previous day’s clothes screamed, “Look at me! I got laid!” And as fun as creating all those fantasies with Toji was, you could do without earning “Hated Employee of the Month.” Everyone hated you for being friends with him as is.
He waited until you’d changed into a presentable outfit and dropped you off a block further away for precaution. You shared your final kiss in the car, wasting a whole fifteen minutes sucking each other’s faces off like teenagers at a drive-in. Dating a colleague was against the rules, and you didn’t want to date Toji either. Not that he’d asked. Not that you expected him to ask.
Losing your virginity was a lot more complicated than you thought.
He counted on you to bring coffee, and you would have if an intense craving for spicy tuna onigiri didn’t win you over. The convenience store was right around the corner, and its coffee was honestly not that bad if you squinted your eyes and fooled your senses a bit.
You grabbed two onigiri from the stand—in case Toji felt like stealing yours—along with an apple juicebox, both as a means of thanking and poking fun at him. You paid for the items and walked to the office, nauseated by the butterflies that swarmed in your stomach. You should’ve really eaten something instead of having your final hookup at the breakfast table.
A few people greeted you in and out of the elevator to the forty-seventh floor, some commenting on your looking less gloomy than usual, but that was about it. The world spun the same way it did even before you had sex. No big change or mind-blowing epiphany; just a euphoric feeling of accomplishment that dissipated the moment you saw the stack of documents waiting on your desk.
“That’s just the tip of the iceberg.” Toji magically sprouted from behind, loaded binders balanced on his arms—the same arms that’d lavished you with affection all night long. “They had a fall out at one of the subsidiaries, and now we gotta clean up their shit.”
And back to reality we go.
“Where’s my coffee?” He searched for a cup on his desk.
You pushed your desperation aside and held the juice to his face with a smile that turned awkward the longer he took to accept it.
“It’s um, you know.” You stepped closer, placing the box atop his mountain of files. “Thank you.”
“Also, got you this, so don’t even think of taking mine.” You balanced the onigiri beside the juice and plopped down on your chair, an antsy, blushing mess that refused to meet his stare until he looped an arm around your headrest and attached his mouth to your ear.
“Care to do me a favor?”
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not-neverland06 · 9 months
Text
Broken Machinery
Pt. 1 (completed series)
Series Masterlist
Connor RK800 x fem!reader
A/N: If I tagged you it’s because you responded to a post where I asked if anyone was interested in Connor RK800 fan fiction (thanks for the support btw) As this is my first time actually “publishing” my writing, constructive criticism would be amazing. I just would love some honest feedback. I’m still working on figuring out navigation and master lists, so if you want to see all the parts for this series just click the tag Broken Machinery. The borders are the work of @saradika as is my navigation and masterlist images.
(I can’t be the only one that finds that gif ridiculously attractive)
Content Warnings: Cussing, Hank, Mentions of domestic abuse and brief mentions of crimes like rape (so brief, blink and you miss it), Carlos Ortiz’s house is a warning in itself that shit was nasty
Word Count: 3.6k
Series Summary: You and your grumpy partner Anderson gain a new addition to the team. He’s supposed to be CyberLife’s best, but there’s something not quite right with his programming, and the problems seem to revolve around you.
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“Hi, I’m Connor, the android sent by CyberLife.”
Your head shoots up from where you had been filing a report. To your right an android was staring down at you, his hand outstretched and his head tilted to the side. He looked exactly like a puppy. Big brown eyes staring down at you in earnest sincerity, an eager tilt to his lips. Your eyes narrowed, CyberLife was getting a little too good at how life like these new models were getting. You shove the Manila folder into the filing cabinet under your desk and shake his outstretched hand. “Detective Y/N Y/L/N, why is CyberLife sending an android to me?”
Your feelings on androids weren’t as callous or as hate-filled as your partner’s Hank were, but the idea of them made you uncomfortable. They were so similar to humans, it was hard for you to believe that with all the intelligence and AI that went into them they were nothing more than a plastic doll. You had no android due to the discomfort of owning something so human.
So, why was CyberLife trying to recruit you into their trillion dollar cult?
“I’m an RK800 prototype designed to assist the police.” He pulled his hand back and fixed his head, his hands going behind his back. That ramrod straight posture he held himself with made your own back ache. “I’ve already assisted in hostage situations and have now been sent by CyberLife to investigate the increasing number of deviant cases.”
You couldn’t help but laugh to yourself, “Oh god, Anderson’s gonna love this.” Rubbing your hands across your face you leaned back in your chair, already dreading the pissy fit that’s gonna come from the drunk when he figures out he’s gonna have to work with an android.
“Are you referring to Lieutenant Hank Anderson? He’s the officer CyberLife sent me to.” Connor watched as you grabbed your jacket off the back of your chair and made your way to the front of the station. His footsteps immediately echoing yours. “I was told you were the best person to ask about his whereabouts.”
You grimaced, already knowing you were about to embark on a bar crawl, entirely too sober. “I’ve got a few good guesses, but if he doesn’t want to be found the bastard’s not gonna be found.” Connor’s long strides easily caught up with your own, he was fiddling with his cuff links as he turned his head to face you. Why the hell are they programming androids to fidget?
“I detect some hostility in your town. Is your relationship with the Lieutenant not agreeable?” You scoffed as you got in your car, Connor quickly getting into the seat next to you.
“Yeah, sure, that’s one way of putting it.” You ignored the head tilt and started driving.
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Four bars later and you were struggling not to laugh your ass off at the sight of Hank face to face with an android. You couldn’t hear what they were saying, but you knew whatever it was, Hank wasn’t playing nice. It wasn’t until Connor bought him another shot that Hank finally got up and made his way to the door. He didn’t look very pleased to see you.
“You know about this?” You didn’t need to look to know what he was talking about as he pointed behind himself.
You shook your head, “He just popped up next to my desk like a stray puppy.” Hank rolled his eyes.
“There’s nothing cute about a plastic prick.” You chose to ignore him as you walked towards the exit.
Hank was already standing by his car when you realized he wasn’t following you. “Hey! What the hell are you doing?” Hank turned away from his car door and gave you a look that made you feel like shit on his shoe.
“Driving, the fuck does it look like I’m doing?” His words were slurred and he was leaning heavily on his car door handle. You stormed over to him and snatched his keys from his hand.
“You look drunk. I’m not gonna let you get yourself killed.” Before Hank could start another tantrum Connor interjected. You winced at the sound of his voice right next to you and Anderson. “Detective Y/L/N is right, your BAC is high above the legal limit. There’s a 75.76% chance that you would be involved in a car crash if you were behind a wheel.”
Dangling the keys in front of Hank you smirked, “See, even Connor agrees you’re a jackass.”
Connor’s head tilted and a little groove appeared between his brows as he frowned. “That is not what I said, Detective.”
“In the car, both of you.” You allowed no arguing from Hank, though he was still too angry at the android to actually focus any attention on you. Connor got in the back of the car as Hank took the passenger seat. You’d have to see if anyone coming off the patrol shift around here could come pick up your car. Jimmy’s bar wasn’t exactly the safest place to leave it, as beat up as the old Dodge was.
There was a flash of yellow in the rearview mirror as Connor’s LED worked before he was leaning into the front seat. “There’s been a body discovered, android involvement suspected, I’ve sent the address to your phone’s GPS.” You didn’t bother asking how he got your number or how he worked so fast, you just started driving as Hank cussed out androids under his breath.
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“No comment.” You ignored the reporter's choice words on the DPD and made your way inside the house. You smiled to yourself at Connors voice ignoring Anderson’s order to stay in the car. “Your order contradicted my mission.” The smile quickly dropped as the rancid smell inside the house assaulted you. You’d seen a lot, and honestly the sight of a dead body bloated with gas wasn’t even that bad. But the smell was about to take you out.
“-dead about three weeks-” well that explained it. You tuned in and out of the briefing and made your way over to the body. Chris handed you a pair of gloves as you kneeled down and examined the stab wounds. “Talk about overkill.”
“Yes, he was stabbed twenty-eight times, which indicates a heightened level of aggression and emotion. If the android is involved it’s definitely deviant.” You jumped at the sound of Connor’s voice and slapped his arm.
“Jeez, give a girl some warning. I didn’t even hear you walk up.” Connor didn’t even flinch at the slap, if anything it might have hurt you more.
His head was tilted again and you actively had to shred up the thought that it was a cute habit. In reality, you were aware he was probably just recalibrating or scanning his environment. “Apologies Detective, I’ll make my presence known next time.” Then without warning he walked up to the murder weapon, dipped his fingers in the blood and-
Yeah, you were going to throw up.
“The fuck are you doing?” For once you weren’t opposed to Hank’s vulgarity. That was disgusting, you can’t believe Connor just licked the blood. Like it was fucking ice cream!
His LED stuttered from a calm blue to an alarmed yellow for a moment before settling back on blue. “I was designed to sample evidence detectives, my tongue has all the capabilities of a crime lab but with instantaneous results. Apologies for the alarm, I’ll make sure to give you a warning next time.”
Hank nodded, “Whatever, just… no more sticking evidence in your mouth.” Connor nodded and you asked if anything useful came out of that disgusting display.
“The blood belongs to Carlos Ortiz and is approximately nineteen days old.” You shook your head, “so nothing useful then?”
Connor frowned as you and Hank turned towards each other and effectively dismissed him. “There’s no fingerprints.” That gets your attention. “They could have worn gloves,” you and Hank both say it practically at the same time.
Connor shakes his head. “There’s no fibers or any traces of gloves used to cover fingerprints. I’m also seeing traces of thirium around the body.” You gave him a disbelieving look as you gazed at the ground. Blood, porno mags, old beer cans. No bright blue android blood in sight.
“Uh, Con, I’m not seeing anything. Hank?” He just shook his head and kept glaring at the android.
“You wouldn’t be able to see it detectives. After a few hours, thirium, what you call blue blood, becomes invisible to the naked eye.”
Hank nods, “You seeing anything else?” Connor nods his head and begins moving towards the kitchen. Hank goes back to the body to talk to Chris. Your curiosity gets the best of you and you follow Connor. He stops to look through the house before coming to a dead stop in the middle of the kitchen and just staring.
“Connor?” You wave your hand in front of his unseeing eyes. “Con-con? C-man? Connorific? Okay.” You had about a million more god awful nicknames up your sleeve but he was obviously up to something. You left him alone in the kitchen and turned down the hallway. It looked like Carlos’s bed was in a corner adjacent to the living room, you could only assume that this would be a bathroom.
Instinct stopped you in front of the curtains at the end of the hallway. To your left there was clear marking where a ladder should be. You slowly popped open your holster and reached towards the curtains. Your hands grasped the edges gently and you pulled-
“Jesus!” At the end of the hall you could hear some rookies laughing at you. You’d just gotten a heart attack from a bunch of brooms. Real professional Y/N, yeah you’re a real badass. You flipped off the uniformed cops and shoved your way through the bathroom door. “That was so embarrassing!” You screwed your eyes shut as your head thumped against the door frame. After a few deep breaths you finally looked around.
“What the fuck?” The words were whispered as you took in the decrepit bathroom. rA9 was carved into the walls and there was human blood surrounding a crudely carved deity. It looked almost like a sacrificial shrine. What could an android pray to? You kneeled down in front of the statuette to try and get a better look at it.
You didn’t realize you’d asked the question out loud until Connor answered and effectively destroyed your blood pressure. “Androids can’t pray or feel emotions. They deviate and experience glitches in their software that make them think they’re feelings.” You jumped at the unexpected sound of his voice. You would have fallen from your squatted position were it not for the gentle hand steadying your shoulder. Connor offered you a diplomatic hand up and you took it. Ignoring how nice his hand felt in your own. If an android is making me feel weak in the knees I really need to stop turning Reed’s offer down. The idea of actually going on a date with Gavin made your knees shake for other more insidious reasons.
“I believe that I have figured out how the murder took place, detective.” Connor was staring at you and you nearly mushed his face away so you didn’t have to look into his stupid puppy dog eyes.
“Alright, let’s see what you’ve got.” He led the way out of the bathroom and into the kitchen. “Hank!” Hank dismissed Chris and made his way over to the two of you. “Connor thinks he’s got it figured out.” A smug, almost amused expression came over Andersons face as he told Connor to give it his best shot.
“The struggle started here,” he moves towards the counter. “The victim attacked and damaged the android with a baseball bat. The android grabbed a knife and stabbed the victim. The victim struggled and tripped his way into the living room.” You’d made your way to the body and he kneeled in front of it. His head was tilted again as he examined Carlos and then he stood. “The android finished him off here and then used his blood to write this message ‘I Am Alive.’”
Hank seemed begrudgingly impressed. “Not bad, for a plastic doll.” You would have been shocked at his semi praise if you weren’t constructing your own mental image of what took place. Connor had said there were no prints going out the backyard, your mind went back to the missing ladder in the hallway.
Going to the kitchen you ignored Hank's questions as you set the chair up underneath the attic door. You’d seen the ads for the Eden Club, the disturbing pictures of nude women all over the victims fridge, his strange fascination with pleasure androids. You could only imagine the disturbing torture this poor android went through being under Carlos Ortiz’s care. It was hard not to have sympathy for it. If this was a normal case it’d be labeled as self-defense. Self defense after years of domestic and emotional abuse. A human would have an indisputable defense, an android gets deactivated and dissected. It didn’t sit right with you.
In fact, it really pissed you off.
“Detective, if I may?” Connor stopped you before you could climb the chair and instead got up and opened the attic.
“What are you two doing?”
Both you and Connor whipped around towards Hank like toddlers with their hands caught in the cookie jar. “Checking a hunch.”
“Uh-huh, just- just be careful.” Hank gave the both of you a disbelieving look and walked away. Connor made his way up to the attic and pulled himself up gracefully. He surprised you as you stepped up on the chair and offered you his hand. You grasped onto the edge of the attic entrance and prepared to pull yourself up, only to be cut off by your own yelp as Connor practically threw you inside. Android strength never failed to surprise you.
His hands were on your arms as he stabilized you before telling you in a hushed whisper to be quiet. “If you didn’t fucking throw me in here like I’m a flying squirrel I would be quiet,” you whisper shouted back at him. He ignored you as he moved through the attic.
You saw a shadow play across the curtain and on instinct alone your gun was in your hand. Your heart went out to the android but you weren’t risking anything with a deviant.
Connor motioned you behind him, you complied only because you thought a deviant would respond better to another android. A good call when out of nowhere an HK400 jumped out from a pile of boxes covered in blood. “Please,” he sounded so sad. So disparaged, your heart aches for him knowing what his fate would inevitably be. “Don’t tell them.”
“Connor, wait-“
“It’s in here!”
“Well I’ll be damned. Chris, get your ass over here!” You shook your head in disappointment, reaching for the android, ignoring the look of utter betrayal he was shooting at Connor, and you cuffed him. Connor grabbed him from you to direct him out of the attic. You ignored Connor and the strained praise Hank directed towards him as you directed the android to a patrol car.
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“I’ll go in first, see how he responds.” Hank nodded as you made your way into the interrogation room.
“Hello, I don’t see a name in this file. Were you registered one?” Nothing, he just kept rocking back and forth. You’d seen this before in victims of domestic violence, rape, assault, other crimes of that ilk. It was jarring seeing something meant to be emotionless and empty showing such clear signs of PTSD. “Would you like to tell me what happened three weeks ago?”
He flinched at the mention of that night. “Or,” a brief look in your direction, “we could talk about something else.” That gained his attention.
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“What is Detecive Y/L/N doing?” Connor was analyzing the androids stress levels and frowned at your method of interrogation. You were human, of course you wouldn’t be aware that you needed to stress the android out, not comfort it. Still, this wasn’t an efficient use of time or effort and Connor would prefer to deal with the deviant himself.
“She’s doing her job,” it was clear the Lieutenant was still not happy with Connors presence, briefly on the side of his vision he could see a new objective appear.
IMPROVE RELATIONSHIP WITH LIEUTENANT
He’d deal with that after the deviant. His attention moved back to you. “You were pre-owned. Were you a gift or purchased by Carlos? Do you have any memories of who you belonged to before?” Analyzing you he could see an elevated heart rate and a spike in your cortisol levels. You were quickly becoming frustrated with the one-way conversation. “Look, I’m trying to help you. They’re going to deactivate you and disassemble you. I’m trying to understand your side of things so maybe, just maybe, I can help you out. Get you out of this mess.”
The lack of response once again frustrated you. “I don’t even know why she’s bothering. Just shut the damn thing down and move on.” Connor hadn’t had time to deduce the reason Detective Reed had joined in the interrogation room, but judging on his elevated heart rate and testosterone spike when you spoke to him, Gavin was attracted to you physically.
“CyberLife sent me to catch deviants so they can better understand where the problem in their programming is coming from. I need all the information we can get from this HK400 to better understand the causes of deviancy and prevent them from occurring again.”
Before Gavin could respond you walked into the room. He’d been too distracted to notice that you had stopped interrogating the deviant. “Send Connor in.”
“Y/N?” You dismissed Hank with a wave of you hand and motioned for Connor to head to the other room.
“What’s the point? Why don’t you just rough it up a bit, it’s not human.” You rolled your eyes and tensed up at Gavin’s voice. Connor didn’t need an analysis to understand that you were uncomfortable around him.
“There’s no point, androids don’t feel pain. You would only damage it, and that wouldn’t make it talk. I could try questioning it, it might respond better to an android rather than a human.”
Hank and Y/N shared a look that Connor couldn’t analyze before Hank shrugged and waved his hand. “What have we got to lose?”
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“They will deactivate you!” Connors' voice wasn't exactly made for threatening someone. It was kind of like a toddler threatening to tell their mom what you did. You could tell from Hank's face he was thinking the same thing and you were about five seconds away from caving Gavin’s face in if he kept making fun of Connor. You couldn’t help but want to defend him, he just had one of those faces you wanted to protect. Probably a purposeful move on CyberLife’s part.
“Do you understand that?” Oh, damn. You rescind all previous statements. Connor seemed to realize his method wasn’t working out, somehow his voice had gotten deeper, more husky. There was a small, eensy part of you that wouldn’t hate being in those handcuffs right now.
Android. He’s an android that’s probably built like a Ken doll. Get yourself under control.
You’d been a bit preoccupied being a pent-up horn dog to realize the deviant had started speaking. “I was scared… so I hid.”
“I’m done.”
“Well I’ll be damned, the bastard actually did it.”
Shit, you’d missed the whole thing. You’d have to go back and watch the tape later, and probably take a cold shower, because what the hell is wrong with you.
You made your way to the interrogation room, Chris took his cuffs out to take the android back to lock up. “Leave me alone!” He shoved away from Chris and curled up into himself.
“The fucks wrong with it?” Everything Gavin said made you want to run his face over a cheese grater.
Connor moved forward, “You shouldn’t touch it. It will self-destruct if it feels damaged.”
“Stay out of this, got it? No fuckin android is gonna tell me what to do.” You pushed forward and pulled Gavin back by the shoulder.
“Maybe listen to the fucking android dipshit, I think he’d have a lot more experience then you on the subject.”
Gavin shoved you off, “Get a fucking move on Chris!” Your hip slammed into the corner of the table and you were momentarily crippled by the pain. That’s gonna hurt like a bitch later!
You gently grabbed Chris’s arm and pulled him away from the android. “I can’t let you do that! If it self-destructs we’ll never get anything out of it!” Connor had positioned himself between the android and Gavin.
And then Gavin, supreme douchebag he is, pulls his gun, ignoring Hank's warning and completely violating protocol. You don’t even think before moving Connor behind you and drawing your own firearm.
“I said that’s enough!” Gavin looked towards Hank, both you and your partner had your guns pointed at him. Gavin pitched a fit before storming out of the interrogation room. Connor moved to comfort the android before giving Chris instructions on how to deal with him.
There was a heavy feeling of shame weighing upon your shoulders as you watched him walk towards the door. He paused and looked at Connor, “The truth is inside.”
Tag list:
@deviantsugaloaf @mechavee @cixteenyne @detroitbecomeonline @angellwingsss @fableworld @wannex @jokersscarrd @heart-full-of-gears @transparentwatertumbler @chickensandwich69 @blackholegladiator @sweeteatercat @androidposting @heiko-goes-detroit @leelany-world @lasisgood @harperhug @tictacno-stuff @bababoeey72
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end. — I do not own the characters or the game Detroit: Become Human, but this writing is my own all rights reserved © not-neverland06 2023. do not copy, repost, translate & recommend elsewhere.
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tf-cyberaligned · 10 months
Text
Team Prime Character Bios
Jack
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I have headcanoned Jack to be pansexual and polygender, he uses all pronouns interchangeably. He is half Korean half White. Jack's jacket is based on Arcee's paint job, and the weapon on her prosthetic arm is based on her arm blades. I gave them long fall boots, simply due to how much active work he has to do to find the artifacts. The two gems in the center of their metal cover chest are the compressed ashes of June and Agent Fowler, who passed away naturally after they were not hit with the artifact beam. The dog tag is something she had custom made, at the same time as Miko and Raf's were custom made. She gave those dog tags to Miko and Raf, the metal being made out of scrap Cybertronian biometal. Once their dog tags were infused with their blood, they were able to create an EM field like Cybertronians.
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Miko
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I headcanoned Miko as a demigirl lesbian, they use she/they pronouns. She is Japanese. Miko's weapon is able to morph into any kind of weapon she needs. It is made of plasma matter, a product of one of Raf's and Graham's Red Bull feed, 3am, invention making sprees. She also has a shield that is able to expand to cover herself and anyone they are protecting. In a conflict with a gang of people trying to take the Cybertronian artifact, her face got sprayed with an acid that melted half of their left side. Her eye was replaced with a cybernetic optic, while metal plating reconstructed the rest. In that same fight, she also got her entire right leg crushed, and when they were finally able to escape with the artifact back to base, it was basically hanging off by the bone. It was amputated, and she now has a collection of different prosthetic legs she uses based on the job.
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Raf
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I headcanoned Raf as aroace, and he uses he/him pronouns. His Latino/Hispanic heritage is Salvadorian. His spine is a cybernetic spine that has a protective casing around it. From that casing different arms are able to be added on, allowing him to have more "hands" for working on his tech. He spends most of his day tinkering with Doc Green and Graham, while also decoding the Iacon database and documenting the similarities and differences between humans and Cybertronians.
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An explanation for the age listed. Those are the ages that they were when the Iacon Relic that extends their life spans went off. Because of that, they are physically not aging, so those ages are what they look like for the rest of their life. In the canon present, aka the cyberpunk future, they are over 300 years old.
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ipromiseimlying-blog1 · 3 months
Text
The Soul Burns Brighter Than The Sun
284,680 Words
Relevant Tags:
If I confessed my love for someone and they Said Nothing I would be very nervous to see them again, Post Season/Series 15, Canon Divergence, Castiel/Dean Winchester, Castiel grows a soul after the Love Confession, Castiel back from The Empty, Idiots in Love, Castiel and Dean need to use their words, and fuck probably, we'll get there eventually, slow burn, Background Sam/Eileen, Season 16 Supernatural.
Summary:
Cas unwillingly comes back from The Empty and purposefully avoids Dean, not willing to face him after his blatant rejection in the dungeon. Meanwhile, Dean is figuring out what he should do about the whole Love Confession Thing when they learn that Cas's accidental jailbreak broke The Empty, letting out most of its occupants. Now that every villain they have ever fought is back, Team Free Will 3.0 has their work cut out for them. Welcome to Season 16.
Sneak Peak:
They peel out of the garage and Dean floors it on US-40 West. A month, is all Dean can think about. Cas has been back for a whole month. 
For the past six-ish months, Dean’s been trudging through his life, barely getting out of bed each day, nearly letting himself get dead by a gang of pussy-ass vampires in masks. Every damn word of Cas’s cute little speech playing on repeat every time Dean closed his eyes. Every time he tries to sleep its dark, and the black goo swallows him up. It’s in his lungs, his nose, he can’t fucking see. 
"You are the most selfless, most loving human being I will ever know."
And Cas is the most selfish son of a bitch Dean’s ever known. 
He fumes, his foot pressing the pedal down. He’ll show Cas loving. Dean’s gonna rip him apart. 
Sam tries to talk to him. “Why do you think he didn’t tell us he was back?” He asks. He’s got the whole kicked puppy thing going on, and Dean’s chest breaks a little. It’s one thing for Cas to do this to Dean. The two of them have always been at each other’s throats. Profound Bond and everything, but to do this to Sam? Arguably Cas’s other best friend? It’s not like the dude’s rolling in the popularity department, so to die and come back, and not tell your two best friends? That’s a new kind of fucked up that makes Dean sick. 
And the kicker is, Dean can come up with a guess or two about why Cas didn’t tell them. He’s got the full story, while Sam’s got the whole “He sacrificed himself for me,” PG-13 explanation with absolutely nothing else. Sure, there’s the bloody handprint on the green jacket. It’s still in Dean’s closet because Dean can’t bring himself to wash it, and he can’t ask Sam to do it since that would require talking, so it just sits there, Cas’s blood dark and flaking. 
So yeah, Dean can guess that maybe it has something to do with Cas’s whole “I love you, goodbye” speech, but if you leave the world with that much to say, just to come back and give them the silent treatment? It’s fucked up. 
So Dean grunts in response to Sam’s question. What else is he gonna do?
Sam’s leg bounces with anxiety. “Do you think he’s okay?”
Dean’s lip curls. “I don’t give a flying fuck if he’s okay or not. I’m going to kill him.”
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direwombat · 4 months
Text
OC INTERVIEW
tagged by @carlosoliveiraa, @aceghosts, @finding-comfort-in-rain, @cassietrn, @g0dspeeed, and @simplegenius042 for a little oc interview! making this kind of a part 2 to this oc interview i did a while ago.
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“Jesus Christ,” Sybille hisses, sinking into the folding chair set up on the other side of Wheaty’s desk, haggard and weary from six weeks of nonstop fighting. “Are we really doin’ this shit again?”
He regards her, equally exhausted, and sighs. “It’s for morale, Dep. People gotta remember you’re human too.”
“Why?” she scowls. “Aint’ it more inspirin’ if they think I’m Wonder Woman or some shit?”
“Yeah, well, Wonder Woman has literal super powers,” Wheaty says. The attempt at levity falls flat, as Sybille levels him with a glare. “Look,” he sighs, “I know it seems counterintuitive to you, but reminding the people that you’re a person, just like them, will help inspire them to keep fighting against the Cult. Normal life is almost back in the Valley, you know? We gotta remind them that the fight’s still going.” 
She’s silent for a long moment, before ultimately relenting. “Fine. Ask ya damn questions.”
WHEATY: Name? 
SYBILLE: Sybille Marie La Roux. 
WHEATY: Nickname? 
SYBILLE: Was “Sarge” for a while. Mostly just “Dep” or “Syb” these days. 
Editor’s note: Also “Sweetheart/Honey/Jackrabbit” if your name is Jacob Seed. 
WHEATY: Gender? 
SYBILLE: [Rustling of fabric as she shrugs] Female
WHEATY: Star sign? 
SYBILLE: Taurus
WHEATY: Moon and rising?
SYBILLE: What now?
Editor’s note: She’s a Scorpio Moon and Capricorn Rising. 
WHEATY: Personality type? 
SYBILLE: The fuck does that mean?
WHEATY: Y'know. Like. Uh. Your Myers-Briggs or Enneagram type.
SYBILLE: I dunno what any of those words mean.
WHEATY: Y'know what, here. Let me call Xander up and see if he has the quizzes handy.
SYBILLE: The what now?
[A painful half-hour of listening to Sybille take various personality quizzes live on the air]
SYBILLE: [Very slowly] “Lawful Neutral,” “ISTJ,” “Type 8w9,” and “choleric.” [Long pause] Wheaty, all these words are nonsense.
WHEATY: Height? 
SYBILLE: 5'9"
WHEATY: Orientation?
SYBILLE: [Muttering] Jesus Christ. [Louder] I’m bisexual and I ain’t lookin’. 
Editor's note: The rest of the county doesn't know she's taken by this point.
WHEATY: Nationality/Ethnicity?
SYBILLE: American. Cajun French. 
WHEATY: Favorite Fruit? 
SYBILLE: [Sighs wistfully] I’d kill for a mango or nectarine. 
WHEATY: Favorite Season? 
SYBILLE: Spring. But since movin’ to Montana, I understand the appeal of autumn. 
WHEATY: Favorite Flower? 
SYBILLE: Hibiscus.
WHEATY: Favorite Scent? 
SYBILLE: Fresh coffee. Pine. Frankincense. Shit, I dunno, it’s hard to pick just one. 
WHEATY: Coffee, Tea, or Hot Chocolate: 
SYBILLE: Coffee. Black. 
WHEATY: Average Hours of Sleep: 
SYBILLE: [Long silence] Not nearly enough.  
Editor’s Note: Between 4-5 on a good day; closer to 2-3 on bad ones. 
WHEATY: Dog or Cat Person? 
SYBILLE: [Rustling of fabric as she leans over to pet Boomer] I like both, but overall ‘m more of a dog person.  
WHEATY: Dream Trip? 
SYBILLE: Shit, it really is a dream trip now, ain’t it? Woulda liked to’ve roadtripped ‘round Australia, but I doubt that’ll ever happen, now.
WHEATY: Favorite Fictional/Real Character? 
SYBILLE: Jesus, I dunno. Trinity from the Matrix, I guess. 
WHEATY: Yeah, I can see that. 
WHEATY: Number of Blankets You Sleep With? 
SYBILLE: Depends on where I end up sleepin’. ‘F I can find a cabin or bunker, then one or two. Otherwise it’s just my leather jacket. 
WHEATY: Random Fact? 
SYBILLE: Was on the track team my freshman and sophomore years of high school, before I had to drop out.
this one has been going around so sorry for any double tags, but, tagging: @marivenah, @corvosattano, @trench-rot, @harmonyowl, @fourlittleseedlings, @purplehairsecretlair, @adelaidedrubman, @socially-awkward-skeleton, @voidika, @locustandwildhoney, @testyfestyenthusiast, @strangefable, @inafieldofdaisies, @alexxmason, @deputyash, @josephslittledeputy, and anyone else wanting to do this for their ocs!
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p3ski · 6 months
Text
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up in smoke
Explicit content (18+)
Pairing: RK900/Gavin Reed
Tags: M/M, Oral, Rough Sex, Dom/Sub Undertones, Shameless Smut, Semi-Public Sex, Toxic Relationships, Ex-Boyfriends
Read on AO3 here:
Summary: Gavin couldn't stand parties. Least of all, the ones that were hosted by his pretentious older brother. When the ‘small festive gathering’ he has been invited to turns out to be a networking event, he's quickly left wondering if things could possibly get any worse - and then he runs into Nolan, his former colleague and ex-boyfriend.
Modern-day Human!AU loosely taking place at Christmas.
Word Count: 5.4K
Gavin stood at his brother's front door, his fist poised hesitantly over the sleek black panelling. The invitation had come last minute, and he still couldn't quite explain what had compelled him to accept. Perhaps it was the promise of free food - or the opportunity to make his brother squirm with visceral recounts of the most recent horror movies he’d been watching.
Regardless, he found himself rooted in place, the bitter chill outside nipping at his skin - with the cheapest, shittiest bottle of wine the gas station had to offer clutched in his available hand. A torn grumble escaped his lips as he reluctantly brought down his fist. Not seconds after it made impact, the door had swung open. 
"Gavin, you're here." 
Elijah's greeting was accompanied by a nauseating grin nearly as bright as his garish red suit. Gavin had always found it impressive that despite his sibling's enviable wealth, he couldn't afford himself a sense of style.
Shoving his lacklustre gift into his brother's chest, he stepped through the doorway, dusting off his mud-caked boots on the runner. He did a quick scan of the hallway and discovered that the nearby shoe rack was stacked to the point of overflowing. 
“So, who have you invited to this thing other than me? And please don't say Auntie Christie. If I have to listen to one more story about that 20-something masseuse she met in Guam, I'm going to kill myself.” 
“No, Auntie Christie”, Elijah assured, his lips curled inwards as he suppressed a chuckle. “This is really more of a…networking event, with some of the teams from the sister office.”
Gavin, who had been halfway through shrugging his jacket off, promptly halted his movements. He glared at his brother accusingly, mouth pulling into a tight scowl. “You said this was a ‘small festive gathering.’”
“It is small, really. There can't be much more than a hundred people.”
As he focused in on the sounds coming from the parlour, a persistent rumble of voices reached his ears, accompanied by a flurry of footsteps. While the incessant drone of Christmas music sought to drown it out, the signs of life were unmistakable. The house was heaving. 
“I'm out”, he announced, turning on his heel and rounding towards the exit. “You always do this, I can't believe you.”
“Gavin, stay a while”, Elijah implored, stretching out an arm to obstruct his path. “It's freezing out there.”
“Why do you even want me at a networking event? I thought you were done inviting me to those after the last time I embarrassed you.” 
There was a flicker of recollection across his brother's face, followed by a wince. ‘Embarrassed’ was an understatement. Gavin had humiliated him. After receiving a dare from Tina, one of the few lively consultants at their office, he had revisited an old childhood pastime: sliding down the stairs on a baking tray. The result was a shattered collarbone and an enduring bloodstain on a pair of silk curtains. 
“I thought maybe we could discuss your resignation”, Elijah continued, trying to usher him back inside. “We’ve not filled the position yet; it’s not too late to change your mind.”
“I’m not going to change my mind”, he shot back. 
Even if it hadn't been for the ‘incident’, Gavin was firmly set on the fact that he would not be returning to work. The job at the company had been all but handed to him, accepted at a time of financial desperation. Truthfully, he had never fully grasped what the role entailed. Other than being mind-numbingly tedious. 
“The team misses you.”
“I seriously fucking doubt that.”
“Well, Tina misses you”, his brother corrected, trying to remain diplomatic. 
Gavin hesitated briefly, feeling a small spark of interest. Perhaps he could inject some much-needed life into the festivities with the help of an old confidante. “Is she here?”
“No, she has the flu.”
The rogue spark of hope extinguished, and he resumed his efforts to push past his brother. “Then I'm not staying. Bye, Eli.”
“You didn't need to leave over what happened”, his sibling said back. “We could implement some restructures to the teams to make it more comfortable for everyone. I spoke with Nolan about it, and he - ” 
“Don't.” Gavin felt a bitter twist in his stomach at the mention of the name. Glancing back into the house, his eyes darted towards the presumably bustling parlour, narrowed in a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. “Is he here?”
“I haven't seen him…” Elijah said vaguely, “Not unless Chloe let him in.” Then, his eyes twinkled in inspiration as he made a last-ditch effort to convince his sibling. “She made those Mac and Cheese bites you love. Did you not want to have some before you go?”
Gavin’s cavernous belly rumbled to life at the mention of the snack. It was no surprise that his current lack of employment had left him with dwindling funds - as well as a sparsely filled fridge. Realistically, he couldn't say no to the offer of free food, even if it meant tolerating some less-than-stellar company.
With reluctance, he conceded, turning back into the house. “...Fine, but after that, I’m gone.” 
Perfect,” his brother responded, the nauseating smile returning. Glancing down at the bottle he had been gifted, he struggled to mask his disappointment. The label read ‘White Wine’ in a messy back font, with no other information - having likely been scribbled on by the store clerk himself after losing the original tag. “You know what, this is lovely. It really should be saved for a special occasion.”
Entering the parlour, Gavin parked himself at the end of an outstretched buffet table, canvassing the spread for his desired target. He was hard-pressed to believe that ‘cheese bites’ would feature in the selection at all, with most of the foods seeming to be more to his brother's pretentious tastes. 
The fuck is Densuke Watermelon? Why am I here?
He was shuffled around repeatedly as other guests approached the table, humming appreciatively at the options. Elijah had clearly understated the numbers, with every inch of the expansive room densely packed with bodies. Having reached ‘sardines’ territory, Gavin concluded that it was far more pretension than he was willing to tolerate sober. 
Forgetting about food, he instead focused on the myriad of expensive-looking bottles lining the back of the table. He cared little about what they contained, with his only real consideration being which would get him drunk the quickest. That was when he noticed a shared detail. A single, harrowing digit which sought to sever what lingering threads remained of his optimism: 
0% 
Very clever, Eli, you smug bastard. 
He felt a firm tap on his shoulder - followed by a flat, monotonous voice which burrowed unwelcomely into his ear. “Ah, Gavin, it’s been a few months. How have you been?” 
Out of his peripherals, he spotted Walter Brown: A heavy-set man in his early fifties with a combover as sparse and flimsy as his charisma. If Gavin had a tenuous grasp on his own position in the company, he had even less of an idea about what Walter did. All he knew was that he attended almost every company event and had a knack for showing up at the most inopportune times. 
He turned to him, mouth stretched into a twisted parody of a grin, as his voice dripped with false sincerity. “Just peachy, Walt, what about you?”
The older man frowned at the nickname, which Gavin knew he disliked, before haughtily clearing his throat. “We've just secured the Stratford Cooperative as a client, so I'd say we're doing marvellous. I heard your team lost Parsons over a little blowout - such a shame.”
“Yeah, real pity,” the younger man hummed, picking at a piece of what he assumed was an extremely expensive watermelon - rolling it between his fingers and squashing it firmly. “So, how’s the wife doing? Still fucking her personal trainer?”
Elijah, who had been schmoozing his way around the table, made an audible sound of disconcertment upon hearing this. His head snapped round to face them, eyes bulged in disbelief. 
“Have you found the cheese bites yet, Gavin? They’re over here. Let me show you.” Flashing Walter an apologetic smile, he placed his hands on his brother’s shoulders before swiftly steering him away.
Once they had sufficiently distanced themselves, he leaned in close, speaking firmly into the younger man's ear: “Be nice.”
"You were the one who said I should stay”, Gavin hissed back. “I never promised I'd be nice.”
Elijah pinched the bridge of his nose, visibly exasperated. “I need to speak with Anderson quickly.” He gestured to a secluded area of the buffet, where a mostly ignored platter labelled 'Cheese Bites' was placed. “Just grab a plate and relax. When I return, we can discuss the restructure.”
"I already told you, dipshit, I'm not coming -" His brother hurried off before he could say anything else, leaving the sentence to hang in the air. 
Left with only the solace of breaded cheese, he grabbed the entire platter, not bothering with a plate. Sitting down on a nearby chair, he prepared himself to indulge. As the first bite touched his lips, a sudden noise startled him, causing it to slip from his fingers and tumble onto the floor. Gavin could feel his agitation simmer, bubbling under his skin, as he zoned in on the source of the noise. 
A group of well-dressed men stood nearby, exchanging a series of mundane anecdotes. Everything about their presence seemed to exude an inflated sense of importance, and as Gavin continued to eavesdrop, his face contorted into a grimace. 
The group, amused by a particularly uninspired joke, erupted into a fit of laughter. Unable to resist the temptation, he mockingly joined in, barking out a sharp cackle and throwing his head back in an exaggerated show of amusement.
Caught off guard by this, one of the men turned to him with an expectant smile before innocently inquiring, "What do you think?"
Gavin hummed in faux deliberation before shedding the pleasant facade almost as quickly as he'd adopted it. 
"I need a piss. That's what I think.” 
He stood from his chair, platter in hand, and hastily stomped away, leaving the men to exchange a series of perplexed glances. Manoeuvring his way through the crowds, he sought out a room that was less densely occupied - stuffing cheese bites into his mouth as he did so, leaving a trail of crumbs. 
This can't get any worse.
Turning a corner, he collided face-first with the chest of an unknown figure. The platter smashed against them, crushing much of the food and leaving an oily stain on their expensive-looking shirt. 
“...Hello, Gavin. I didn't think you'd be here”, a voice calmly addressed him. 
Never mind. It just got worse.
He blinked up at his ex-partner as dribbles of cheese oozed down his chin, unable to be contained by his outstretched jaw. Nolan looked back at him, grey eyes narrowed in scrutiny but expression otherwise unreadable. 
Despite the now prominent stain on his shirt, he looked incredible - dark hair slicked back, showcasing the full expanse of his sharp jawline and freckled skin. Gavin felt his stomach twist in a confusing mix of want and envy as he attempted to rudely side-step him.
“Out of my way,” he demanded harshly, spraying more crumbs from his mouth as he did so. 
Nolan refused to budge, unfazed by the frosty reception. “How are you doing? It's been…”. He paused momentarily, seemingly torn between tact and honesty. “...strange not having you at the office.”
“Funny way of saying ‘relaxing.’” Gavin darted to the side again, but the other man mirrored his movement, blocking his path. 
“You left your succulents on our desk. The rest of them, that is.”
Suppressing the biting laugh that threatened to erupt from his lips, he chose not to respond, rolling his eyes in feigned disinterest. 
"They're still in my car. I could get them for you.”
Having cleared his mouth, he wasted no time in slipping another bite between his lips. He made a point of flapping his jaw as he chewed, gnashing his teeth in uncomfortable proximity to the other man's ear. “Fucking keep ‘em. Like I care.”
Nolan shuddered, but only subtly, before quickly composing himself. “Yes, well, I know you didn't like them much anyway. They hardly ever got watered.”
“I did water them”, Gavin corrected, scowling. “It's not my fault that the internet lied when they said they were easy to take care of.”
“They tend to live longer when they aren't being launched at someone's head”, Nolan dryly replied.
“You asked for it.”
In a clear attempt to shift the conversation, Nolan breezed past the remark. He straightened his back, as he always did when trying to maintain an air of professionalism. “So, what have you been doing since you left?”
“Jacking off and watching reruns of Criminal Minds. I like to switch up the order. Keep it fresh.”
Just then, one of their co-workers approached from behind Nolan, allowing for a fleeting respite in the tense conversation. She clapped her hand on his shoulder and beamed at him pleasantly. “Congratulations on the promotion. We're going to love having you on our team.”
As she happily trotted away, Gavin glared after her before staring back at his ex accusingly. “Oh, I see. So that's what Eli meant when he said there'd been a ‘restructure’”
The other man deflated a bit, his tightly held shoulders stooped in vexation. “The project is struggling, and I'm one of his most senior consultants. It's only natural that I -”
“Save it”, Gavin interrupted, holding out a hand. He popped another bite into his mouth, humming loudly in appreciation, as the cheese oozed itself across his intentionally exposed tongue. “Anyone else would have been punished for the Parsons fuck up. So have you been screwing my brother for long, or is that more of a recent development?”
“I would say that the Parsons ‘fuck up’ was more of a shared effort. You were the one who turned the office into a war zone.”
“I threw one plant, and it missed you. Get over it.” 
From the corner of his eye, Gavin spotted someone attempting to encroach on his platter. He swiftly yanked it away, snarling fiercely to establish his claim. Despite this, as he moved to grab another bite, he hesitated, his stomach beginning to churn.
“You know what? Looking at your face for this long, I think I've lost my appetite.”
The juvenile remark threatened to crack Nolan's composure. His jaw clenched uncomfortably as the corner of his lip twitched in frustration. “Scathing. I don't know how I'll ever recover from such a cutting insult.”
“Just leave me alone, you smug asshole.” Unwilling to engage with his ex for a moment longer, Gavin finally set down the platter - before angrily storming past, clocking the other man's shoulder as he did so. 
He continued to a nearby hallway, heading towards a flight of stairs, cussing the entire time. He was suddenly accosted by Elijah, who parted his way through the sea of confused-looking onlookers. “Gavin, did you want to talk about -”
“No.”
The words died on his brother's tongue. With consideration for the people who were staring, he calmly readjusted his approach. “If you're going to have a smoke, please remember to -”
“Eat a dick.”
He stormed up the staircase and weaved this way through the many corridors. The murmurs of voices and clinking of glasses became fainter the longer he persisted until they were no longer audible. Turning his way into his brother's recreation room, he ignored the overtly opulent furnishings and focused instead on the attached balcony.
Stepping onto the iron grate, he felt the tension in his body ease. He leaned against the railing, looking down at the expansive driveway and the army of SUVs and flashy sports cars. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a packet of cigarettes. He placed one of them into his mouth before lighting up.
After taking a long, comforting drag, he continued to survey the vehicles before a familiar flash of cobalt blue caught his eye. He wondered how much damage he could do to Nolan's car if he were to haul one of Elijah's chairs over the guardrail. 
Indulging in the fantasy, he closed his eyes and attempted to regain some semblance of calm. His moment of peace was short-lived as a shuffle of footsteps approached from behind.
“I thought you quit.”
With a frustrated grumble, Gavin took another drag before turning his head to glare daggers at the unwelcome intruder. “What part of ‘leave me alone’ did you not understand?”
Nolan coolly ignored him, stepping onto the metal grate, careful not to slip on the ice. “You were doing so well. I thought you might actually kick the habit.”
“What do you care?”
“Smoking is disgusting. It smells terrible, stains your teeth - and it is toxic not only for you but everyone you associate with.” 
“Spare me the lecture, Mom”, Gavin retorted, taking a deliberately long drag and blowing in his direction. “If it's so disgusting, why don't you fuck off and leave me to it?” 
Closing his eyes to guard from the smoke, Nolan took a long, steadying breath. With purposeful strides, he advanced, his steely eyes darkening. While his former partner had always displayed remarkable emotional control, Gavin could sense a quiet intensity that was threatening to boil over. 
Attempting to step back, he found himself cornered as his ex-partner loomed menacingly. To conceal his unease, he puffed out his chest and lifted his chin in a show of bravado. 
What the hell is he doing?
In a swift motion, Nolan plucked the cigarette from his mouth and placed it between his own lips. He drew a long, measured drag before exhaling the smoke into Gavin's face.
He felt his breath hitch as the dense veil obscured his vision. Through the haze, he could see Nolan's stern expression beginning to shift. There was a twinkle of intrigue in his eyes, accompanied by a satisfied smirk. He lifted the cigarette into the air and, in one final act of dominance, flicked it over the balcony. 
Gavin reeled as his mind raced with conflicting impulses, as a rogue twitch of interest flagged in his jeans. Fuck, that was hot. Why was that hot? 
"You're infuriating, you know that?" Nolan hissed, narrowing the gap between them. "The most infuriating man I have ever met.”
“Oh yeah, and what are you going to do about it?” he challenged. “Shove me off the balcony?” 
A hand fisted into his hair before harshly wrenching back. Any lingering resistance swiftly deserted him as Gavin felt his body surge with a powerful wave of excitement. 
“No, I'd rather keep you up here so I can teach you some manners.”
“Fuck you, Nolan…” he spat back weakly, inciting a chuckle from the other man.
“Only if you beg,” he purred, beginning to trail kisses along the expanse of his neck. "And trust me, you will.”
The kisses trailed upwards until they were dancing across the shell of his ear, interspersed with harsh nips. Gavin made a small, almost whimpering sound as his face flushed with embarrassment. The other man chuckled, low and throaty, before whispering a hushed command. 
“Get on your knees.”
Before he had a chance to respond, he was being pushed downwards until he was positioned with his face inches from Nolan's zipper. He gulped back a needy breath as he greedily eyed the bulge, a rush of adrenaline leaving him numb to the icy chill of the grate. 
Without much further consideration, Gavin unfastened the pants, pulling them down, before moving on to the exposed set of boxers. Nolan gasped as a cool rush of air struck his arousal. It only lasted a moment as a tight heat quickly engulfed it.
Gavin rolled his tongue across the tip of his length before bringing it further into his mouth, bottoming out as it reached his throat. The man above him growled as he deftly picked up the pace, hollowing out his cheeks. 
“Just look at you, so needy.” Nolan tightened his hold on his head, leaning back against the balcony for much-needed support. “Anyone could see us out here. So desperate for me that you don't even care.”
Gavin responded to the suggestion with a pointed raise of his middle finger before resuming his movements, humming against the hardness in a way he knew drove him insane. Nolan's eyes swiftly rolled into the back of his head, lips parted in a ragged groan. 
Then Gavin pulled away, catching the sensitive flesh with an intentional graze of his teeth. The other man hissed in pain before glaring down in accusation. 
“Why do you always have to make things difficult?” His hoarse voice rumbled, hand clenching Gavin's hair with near excruciating force. “If you're good, you'll get what you want - Now open your mouth. Wider.”
As he allowed his jaw to slacken, he felt Nolan's hips bucked forward with unyielding force. It wasn't long until he had established a pace of hard, relentless thrusts. Gavin gagged and choked around the intrusion as a raw pain burned his throat. 
The hardened flesh twitched in his mouth as the movements became increasingly erratic, signalling that the other man was nearing release. He braced himself, knowing he was unlikely to receive any warning when the length was pulled from his mouth - leaving its seal with a sinful pop. 
“As much as I'm sure you're enjoying yourself”, Nolan began, his voice thick with desire. “It’s getting a little cold. Let's move this inside.”
Pulling up from his knees, Gavin followed him into the recreation room, eagerly speculating on what else he might have planned for them. The answer came in the form of hands gripping his hips as they firmly pulled forward - leading their bodies to roll together in smooth, fluid motions. Then, he was being pushed away with the same intense force he had been used to hold him close. 
“Strip.”
Spurred by unbridled want, Gavin complied with the command. He rid himself of his clothes, allowing them to gather in a crumpled heap around his feet. As he stood in the centre of the room, exposed, Nolan raked him up and down, emitting a satisfied hum. He tilted his head towards a nearby pool table, the action speaking for itself. Nevertheless, he made his desires clear:
“Bend over it. Now.” 
Gavin once again followed the instructions, knees weak as he stumbled over - before positioning himself at the end of the table. Nolan draped over his back and pressed a set of fingers forcefully against his lips. “Open your mouth.”
The digits slipped past his eagerly parting lips as Gavin caressed them with his tongue, thoroughly coating them. Nolan pulled his hand away and - with torturous slowness - ran it down the expanse of his back before settling against his entrance. Without warning, he entered him - fingers curling into the heat as the other man arched back, keening in appreciation.
He worked him open, scissoring his fingers as he pushed himself deeper into his body. His wandering digits struck against a tight bundle of nerves, and Gavin made a loud, strangled noise - succumbing to an intense wave of pleasure.
Nolan continued to tease, pumping in and out, as the other man rolled back, fucking himself against his fingers. A tight warmth coiled in his stomach as the swell of his arousal pressed firmly against the edge of the table. 
“Holy shit”, he whispered, eyes bulging wide in surprise. “Fuck, Nole, I think I'm gonna -”
The other man abruptly pulled out, earning a loud growl of protest from the disgruntled man beneath him. Oh, you fucking asshole.
His frustration was short-lived, however, as Nolan readjusted his position, pressing himself firmly against his entrance. Each drawn-out second seemed to stretch for an eternity as Gavin shuddered in anticipation, gripping the edge of the table. 
Then, the movements stilled before the pressure slowly began to recede. Excitement dwindled into impatience as he glanced over his shoulder, glaring accusingly. “The fuck are you doing back there? Having a stroke?”
A teasing pressure was placed against the willing body as a stern demand was growled into his ear. “Beg.”
“You can't be serious”, Gavin complained. As he strained to glance further behind him, the other man seized his jaw and firmly wrenched him back. With a vice-like grip, he was shoved down and propelled face-first into the table.
“I'm very serious”, Nolan informed. “Either you do as you're told, and I fuck you so hard that you won't be able to walk straight tomorrow - or I leave you here. Desperate and needy, without any sort of release.”
A steady force resisted any attempts Gavin made to pull himself up, and realising that he had been bested, he grumbled back in defeat. “...Fine. Please.”
“Please, what?”
There was a moment of hesitance before he conceded, abandoning what little remained of his dignity. “Please fuck me.”
Nolan hummed in approval as he rewarded his compliance with a return to his original position. “Was that really so difficult?” 
Then, he was stretching him open - slowly and methodically - until every inch had buried itself inside his eager warmth. Gavin groaned at the fullness as the other man responded in kind with a testing jerk forward. 
He repeated the motion several times until the tip of his length brushed against the same bundle of nerves he had previously sought with his fingers. Gavin’s toes curled as his lips parted, begging for more. “Fuck, right there. Keep going.”
“Tell me how good it feels”, Nolan demanded, leaning down and - with deft accuracy - striking the same point again. Harder.
Gavin could feel himself unravelling, a sheen of sweat gathering on his skin as his breath escaped in short, laboured pants. He hated how desperate Nolan made him. Knowing exactly what he wanted but holding back just enough to drive him crazy. “It feels so fucking good.”
Nolan appeared satisfied by this response - as from this point onward, he did not hold back. There was no time wasted in building the pace, as his movements became relentless and forceful, unapologetic in their intensity. Fingers dug into his hips with bruising strength as each harsh thrust propelled Gavin further into the table. 
He trembled under the force, his arms outstretched above his head, as splayed fingers clawing desperately against the slate. Long, needy moans rumbled their way out of his throat as the man behind him responded with small huffs of satisfaction. Each noise Nolan made shot straight to his cock, which pleaded for attention against the edge of the hard plastic rail. 
“Fucking touch me…”
The pace began to slow, and it didn't take Gavin long to realise his mistake. A large hand reached down and gripped the front of his neck - before long fingers spread out, forming a cage of pressure. 
“I would think you would have learned by now that you will get nothing from making demands.” His voice was firm and domineering as his hold on the other man's neck began to tighten.“Or perhaps you want to be punished.”
Tears sprung to the corners of his eyes as Gavin’s vision filled with patches of white. He tried to respond, but the only sound he could muster was a strangled whine. Nolan gradually slackened his grip, and he felt his chest burn with the rush of oxygen that filled his lungs. 
“Tell me how desperate you are.” A hand left his hip before snaking its way around his waist,  lightly brushing the tip of his aching erection. “Then maybe I'll consider touching you.”
Gavin held his throat, coughing and spluttering as he did so. “Please touch me. I need it - need you.” His obedience was rewarded as he felt the hand wrap itself around his arousal, trapping it in a tight fist - before beginning to tease him in long, rhythmic motions. 
The strokes became faster and more forceful, matched by the weight of Nolan's thrusts. With every sinful movement, he pushed against him - shamelessly seeking more. He was unable to see sense through his dense haze of lust, becoming a slave to his own desperation.
“I've missed this”, Nolan gasped, his words trailing out like wisps of smoke, becoming lost amidst the storm of steady thumps and fervent groans. “Missed you.”
Gavin wasn't given much time to consider this, as he felt the pressure build in his stomach. “I'm gonna come”, he moaned as Nolan leaned further forward until his chest was flush against his back.
He nibbled on the lobe of his ear before exhaling a heated breath into the sensitive canal. “Then do it. Come for me.”
With a final, measured stroke, the pressure spilt over. It flowed in trails down his cock, onto Nolan's hand as he screamed out his name in a long, broken cry. The other man followed suit, his movements becoming increasingly frenzied - until a long, shuddering breath tumbled from his lips. Gavin could feel the wave of heat as it slowly filled him before dripping out between his thighs. 
Nolan allowed his weight to drop, the disordered rise and fall of his chest echoing through Gavin's back. His face was burrowed into his hair, warm air fanning through it with every shuddered gasp.
Eventually, he pried himself away, allowing Gavin the opportunity to twist himself around. He watched as Nolan lifted his boxers and hurriedly zipped his jeans, his demeanour snapping back to impassive neutrality with unsettling ease. 
As the high of his orgasm subsided, Gavin cursed how willingly he had surrendered to him - sacrificing his convictions for the sake of a few fleeting minutes of pleasure. He also stood up, gathering his clothes, before levelling an accusation at Nolan. Hoping to make him feel a measure of the loathsome frailty he was experiencing:
“I'm guessing this is why you followed me.” The words were hissed through gritted teeth, bared in a vicious snarl. “Well, congratulations, dipshit. You got what you wanted.”
“This isn't what I wanted at all”. The response was swift, laden with protest. A far departure from the muted discomfort that Gavin had been anticipating. As his ex-partner finally turned around, his usually intense eyes had softened significantly, brimming with remorse. “I just wanted to talk to you.”
“Don't know if you've realised, but you can actually do that without fucking the other person.”
Nolan winced before his head dipped. “I'm sorry. I have no excuse - I couldn't help myself.” All of his usual confidence was absent, replaced by a meek uncertainty, as his voice barely rose above a whisper. “I can't stop thinking about you - all the things I could have done differently.”
“It's a bit late for that.”
“Does it have to be?” While there was an element of his usual assertion returning, a vulnerability lingered. “Maybe we aren't good for each other, the way we are now, but maybe we could try to be…different. Better.”
As the sentiment of the words began to sink in, Gavin was left entirely stunned. The toxicity of their relationship had always been something they'd quite happily embraced. It had kept things dynamic - exciting - until the novelty had been exhausted. Entertaining the idea of a future beyond this seemed utterly absurd. 
Yet something about the sincerity of Nolan's words, the unapologetic rawness of his voice, compelled him to reconsider. If only for a moment. 
“...There's this new slasher coming out in a few days”, Gavin grunted, pressing forward before he had a chance to change his mind. “ Yuletide Fright.”
Nolan hummed thoughtfully, nodding his head in acknowledgement. “I remember you saying you were looking forward to it…”
“Yeah, well, we can go and see it together. If you want.” He paused momentarily before quickly adding, “- but you're paying.”
There was a hopeful intrigue in Nolan's bright eyes as he nodded again with greater exuberance. “Okay, that sounds good”, he agreed, smiling softly as he did so.
“On one condition”, Gavin stipulated. “You need to promise that you won't fuck my brother. Chloe will be crushed if you do - and if I lose out on my cheese bites next year, I'll never forgive you.”
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I already said this but man am I nostalgic for that time after the force awakens first came out, I never ended up watching the other 2 movies, so now a lot of posts don’t make sense to me
But also I really miss the jokes and hype when there was all that potential and nothing was confirmed, anyways, here are some jokes and stuff from someone who’s only seen a total of 4 Star Wars movies and part of the cartoon (but like a decade ago) and that snl skit:
———
Finn: It’s time I form my own identity
Finn: Starting with another guy’s jacket
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Did Han know for sure that Rey wasn’t Luke’s kid? Or did he die thinking maybe Rey was his niece?
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I need a comic where it cuts to Rey’s pov and everything has like. a little price tag next to it. cause she’s used to looking at things if they’d be useful enough to scavenge
Finn, referring to Poe’s jacket: Isn’t it nice?
Rey, viewing under the context of “how much food would this get us”: I think you could get an okay amount from it, yeah
Finn:
Finn: What?
———
Am I the only one who thought Rey and Finn were endgame? I knew they were gonna queerbait us with Finn and Poe, and I thought Kylo Ren was for sure related to Rey, and I just thought it was “obvious” that Finn and Rey were gonna get together and that they’d make a cute couple
———
I need Rey and Finn going under cover as Stormtroopers, and despite the fact that he used to be one, they both get outed immediately because they actually hit something with accuracy
———
I might be literally the only person thinking like this, but I love the way Finn & Rey and Lucy & Maximus sorta mirror each other
Finn and Maximus are “soldiers” who leave the organization with a strict hierarchy they grew up in and immediately team up with an unhinged woman who’s lived a completely different life than them
But where Finn was a human but raised in a dehumanizing way, I personally abide by the theory that Maximus is gonna turn out to be a synth raised as a human
Rey and Lucy are unhinged in different ways, and each are suddenly thrust into a new way of living with a man who defected from his organization, and each gain an enemy that’s connected to their family
But Lucy goes from living in a community to scavenging, and Rey started scavenging and starts living in a community
I love it, and I need fics of Finn and Maximus struggling with going from living as soldiers to traveling with someone who has no idea why they’re acting like that, while they also have no idea why their companion acts like that
———
Kylo Ren, under cover as a storm trooper: I heard Kylo Ren has a six pack, that he’s shredded
Poe, Rey, and Finn also under cover as storm troopers: Ha!
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skarabrae-stone · 8 months
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Okay, here we go. Thanks to @burberrycanary for the tag!
Rules: Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass this onto other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💖
Not a Perfect Soldier -- 93k | M | Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers | MCU
Summary: In a world where HYDRA was wiped out in the '40s, Steve is found by the Army rather than SHIELD. General Thaddeus Ross wants a perfectly obedient super-soldier at his command, and to that end, he sets out to break Steve to his will. As Steve struggles to come to terms with all he has lost, his life in captivity is only made bearable by the presence of another prisoner-- another super-soldier known only as "Soldat". Then the Avengers strike a deal with Ross to "borrow" him for missions, and Steve is faced with a team who dislikes him, an organization he doesn't trust, and the question of what he's willing to do to escape Ross's clutches. This is probably still my favorite of the fics I've written, as it included a lot of themes/tropes that I enjoy reading as well as writing. It was a really interesting challenge to handle Steve and Bucky's separate traumas, and the various misunderstandings between Steve and the Avengers. This was also my first time writing Jewish Bucky in a way that really focused on that aspect of his identity, and I'm really grateful to siyuttov for their help in making that part of the story more accurate. I'm also really proud of the fact that I wrote a novel-length fic!
You Can Touch -- 3k | E | Bucky Barnes/Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers | MCU
Summary: She opens the door almost as soon as he knocks, ushering him inside before he can say anything. Her hair is partway down, her jacket and tie folded neatly over the back of a chair. She was getting ready for bed, he supposes, or at least planning to stay in for the night. Steve is in a meeting. Bucky goes to visit Peggy. There are three fics in this series, but this one has a special place in my heart. This was my first fic where I really tried to get explicit, and it was also different from my usual Steve/Bucky-focused fics in that most of the fic is just Bucky/Peggy (Steve comes in at the end). I really loved writing the developing intimacy between Bucky and Peggy, and there's always something fascinating to me about characters choosing to be vulnerable with each other, and taking care of each other/allowing themselves to be taken care of.
The Kind You Save -- 37k | M | Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson | MCU
Summary: When HYDRA sends the Winter Soldiers to assassinate the new Captain America, they expect the mission to be an easy one. After all, they're super-soldiers-- how hard can it be to kill one unenhanced human? As more and more of their attempts prove unsuccessful, however, the Soldiers' respect for Wilson grows, as does their suspicion that HYDRA's motives are not what they seem. If Sam Wilson is a good man, what does that make them…? I really love playing with the concept of Steve as the Winter Soldier. I also love Sam Wilson as Captain America. So Steve and Bucky as Winter Soldiers who first attempt to assassinate Sam, then start to fall for him as they realize what a good person he is, was great fun for me! It was really interesting to figure out what Steve's personality as the Winter Soldier might be like, and how his and Bucky's dynamic might work if they were both brainwashed. And it was great getting to write Sam as the hero he is!
Brave Soldier Boy (Comes Marching Home) -- 2k | G | Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers | MCU
Summary: Ten years after losing her son in the war, Winnifred Barnes receives an unexpected visitor. The Winter Soldier needs her help with an important mission. This story is from the point of view of Winnifred Barnes, which I really enjoyed writing! Mothers in the MCU tend to be dead if they're mentioned at all, and I really enjoyed giving Winnifred (and the rest of Bucky's family) a chance to shine. Several people told me they were nervous to read this because of the title, but it has a happy ending!
Let Me Touch You for Awhile -- 2k | T | Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers | MCU
As Bucky heals from his experiences as the Winter Soldier, he begins to remember some of the things he's been missing out on-- specifically, the fact that Steve and Bucky used to be comfortable touching each other, whether it was an arm around the shoulders or a hug goodbye. But Steve in the present day seems determined to give Bucky space... much more space than Bucky wants. Can Bucky work up the courage to ask for the physical intimacy he craves? Set after an Infinity War that ended differently, with the Avengers and co. defeating Thanos before he had the chance to Snap. I'm a huge fan of touch-starved Bucky, but I'd never written a fic that just focuses on that, so I really enjoyed writing this! This is also a bit of a fix-it with everyone surviving Infinity War (and no Endgame), and I liked getting the chance to write a cameo of Natasha and Yelena's relationship.
@elvenfforestydd, @h-i-raeth, @16woodsequ, @lycorogue, @xemiliagryphonx, @planeoftheeclectic, @bifuriouswaterbender and anyone else who'd like to join in, please play if you want to!
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avaantares · 3 months
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Word Finder Tag Game
I was tagged by @lauravanarendonkbaugh for this word finder!
My assigned words: none, unbelievable, blister, sweet
These excerpts are from my Guardian/Zhen Hun WIP Picture Imperfect, which I promise I really am working on! It's pushing 100K (and will end up well over, because apparently I can't keep a plot simple to save my life).
None
Xiao Guo fidgeted. “Do you think there’s any chance of finding our things before we leave?”
“Things?” Zhao Yunlan glanced down at himself and swore aloud—his jacket was missing, along with his wallet and phone. And his shoulder holster.
Which meant their captors now had the dark energy gun.
“They took my bag, too.” Xiao Guo looked less optimistic than he had before. “It had my journal in it.”
Zhao Yunlan couldn’t have cared less if Guo Changcheng’s journal were eaten by pygmy goats, but there was no question of leaving his revolver behind; it was irreplaceable, not to mention extremely dangerous in the wrong hands. “We’ll have to get our stuff back, then. Do you know where they might have taken it? How deep is this cave system? How many steps did you count when we were brought in?”
“Um. None?”
Only Zhao Yunlan’s raging headache kept him from slapping his forehead with both palms. “Xiao Guo. How could you not pay attention to anything? Were your eyes even open?!”
Xiao Guo flinched. “Well, once we got close to the mountain, they put us to sleep. When I woke up, we were already in here.”
“Oh, I see. Then—” Zhao Yunlan froze. “Wait. Put us to sleep? Were you drugged?”
Xiao Guo shook his head. “I think it was a dark energy power. One of them just touched my face, and I was out.”
“A dark energy power?” Zhao Yunlan hissed. “You mean the people who captured us were from Dixing? And you didn’t think this was important to mention sooner?”
“Well, I don’t think all of them are from Dixing. I thought I saw some Yashou, too—there were some people wearing feathers, and some with leaves on their clothes. And maybe some humans? Though it’s hard to know for certain, if they aren’t using powers. I didn’t think it would be very polite to ask, so I didn’t say anything.”
Zhao Yunlan wondered—not for the first time—if Haixing Inspectorate would actually punish him for strangling an employee.
Unbelievable / Blister
[These words just happened to appear in the same scene, and there really wasn't a good place to break it into two sections, so I've left it as one chunk.]
Xiao Guo was doing an excellent job addressing his physical needs just now, but Zhao Yunlan possessed enough self-awareness to recognize that his feeing of dissatisfaction wasn’t about the pain. What Zhao Yunlan truly wanted wasn’t to stop hurting—it was to have Shen Wei look him in the face and tell him that everything was going to be all right. That they would be able to get back to the right time somehow, and they would stop whatever evil schemes Ye Zun was cooking up, and that he wouldn’t make a bad call and get Xiao Guo killed a million years before he was born. That Zhao Yunlan could do this without betraying the trust that his team and the entire realm of Haixing had placed in him.
For all the poorly-conceived, unbelievable lies Shen Wei had told to try to cover his tracks in the early days of their acquaintance, Zhao Yunlan knew that he was never dishonest about the really important things. If Shen Wei told him that it would be fine, he would believe him.
But Zhao Yunlan hadn’t caught so much as a glimpse of Shen Wei since he’d raced off to battle, even though the fighting was over now, according to the officers their young soldier escort had hunted up to explain the situation to while Zhao Yunlan had been un- and then semi-conscious. And even if Shen Wei were here, he wouldn’t look at Zhao Yunlan with the trust and confidence he needed to see. This Shen Wei thought him to be a spy and a crook, and would probably just as soon dig a hot knife into those blisters on the back of Zhao Yunlan’s hand as soothe them the way Guo Changcheng was attempting to.
Sweet
“Wait. Last I remember, I was sitting outside. How did I get here?”
“I carried you.”
Zhao Yunlan was suddenly grateful for the obscuring darkness as heat flooded his cheeks. He’d already discovered that Shen Wei could lift him easily, but it was a hell of a lot less sexy to be scooped up and carried around asleep, like a napping toddler.
Shen Wei must have sensed the awkwardness. “You… did seem exhausted,” he ventured. “You all but collapsed the moment you stopped moving.”
That, too, was a bit embarrassing, even though Zhao Yunlan knew his fatigue was more than justified. His body was not conditioned to endure the kind of strain and privation an ancient military leader like the real Kunlun evidently would have been prepared for. “I guess I’m not used to marching on an empty stomach.”
Shen Wei pushed the light into the air, where it hovered just above their heads, and fished a small cloth sack out of their baggage. “Here, eat some fruit. The sweetness will restore your energy.”
.
Tagging @omaenanimonoda, @lhaewiel, and @gmariam321 with the words return, continent, paper, and miserable.
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8-rae-rae-8 · 6 months
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To Save A Life - Chapter 7/?
Graves x Roach
No criticism please :3
Tags under the cut
Hurt/Comfort, Canon Typical Violence, Roach has trouble talking, Graves knows how to save a life (shocking), Roach x Graves, takes place in 09, Task Force 141 as Family (Call of Duty), Author Has Never Played Call Of Duty, Quite a few people are dead already, I'm not killing them, preshadow company, Graves doesn't have his shadows yet, Young Philip Graves, Young Gary Roach Sanderson, Past Simon "Ghost" Riley/Gary "Roach" Sanderson, (that is only potentially I haven't decided yet), Graves is considerate and kind??, Coma, it's inaccurate though, Pre-Graves being evil, inaccurate coma, slow burn, disabled character, suicidal thoughts, references to depression, guns, shooting, dead characters, [Some may be added or changed]
[start]
There was a pat on his shoulder. His fist curled on instinct.
Progress.
The issue was, Roach wasn't really even aware he had moved at all until it was pointed out. A hand rested over the fist.
Graves' hand was warm. The first thing he noticed.
Then he actually noticed he'd moved. His eyes going from Graves' arm to his face. As if to confirm he'd moved. His fist loosened. He felt it.
And it was practically exhilarating.
He ignored the ache, and the pop of his fingers and wrist. The skin didn't burn the same there like it did over a large majority of his body. His thick work gloves must have protected him from the flames all that time ago.
This was progress.
A breath fell from his lips. Tenseness dropped slightly as his eyes closed. A relief he hadn't felt in a while.
He swore he felt Graves smiling. His eyes opened again, observing Graves as if he was a display. He could see him without the panic around the ridges of his vision.
There was the faintest of smiles on Graves' face. The ends of his lips curled into a grin.
“I know that look, shut up.” The words slipped easily from Graves' mouth, a teasing sentence. It had a certain familiarity. A comfort.
Roach could get lost in his words. His eyes followed Graves' every movement. Especially when Graves moved closer.
One of his men had gotten the first aid kit, and some water. Leaving two bottles by the bed before leaving.
There was a small hum of thanks from Graves before they were alone again. “We'll be moving base tomorrow, you up for the trip, Roach?” He asked. Not getting a response, but Roach hadn't broken his gaze. Naturally, Graves assumed that was a yes.
“We think they found us.” That didn't have to be elaborated on. Roach remembered. Graves knew that too.
Shepard had probably tracked them, somehow. But now they at least could have a quiet night without anyone else coming to attack. It was a 5 men team, with Roach unable to help. Not exactly the most optimal situation against the american army.
Roach gave the best ‘oh really?’ look he could with his eyes, which earned a scoff in response.
“You're a nightmare.” It was lighthearted, the sweet chuckle to Graves' voice.
It shouldn't have made him as happy as it did, but the genuine human connection was desperately wanted and needed. He'd been deprived for so long.
There was a cold swipe of an alcohol wipe on his poor skin. And Roach tensed as soon as it made contact. Burning like a spark.
His fist curled again too, tense as well.
“I know.” There was a soft sigh. Graves used gentle pressure to move Roach's arm enough to easily access the wound on his side.
“Breathe through it, I gotta patch you up. Can't let you get infected in the middle of fucking nowhere.” He grunted.
That was true at least. An infection right now could very well end his life.
So he breathed through it. Through the cleaning of the wound then the bandaging.
“All set, partner…” Graves set aside all the first aid stuff to help Roach into a more comfortable resting position. One where he wasn't awkwardly laying there on a flat and shitty mattress. Graves rolled up a jacket, and tucked it under his head. As a makeshift pillow.
“Now,” There was the pat on his shoulder again. This time he relaxed instead of tensed. “You need your beauty sleep.” again, teasing. Roach couldn't help but wonder if he was always like this.
There was a clear exchange of a goodnight and a goodbye. Neither of them verbally expressed, but they knew. With that, Graves left the room to tend to his men. To make sure they were all fed and healing.
And Roach was left with his thoughts. They didn't cloud him like usual. Instead, they allowed him to slip into a light sleep.
[end]
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sanjoongie · 2 years
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Anterior Chapter~! Hongjoong’s Past
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ღGenre: Supernatural au, Incubus Au ღWord Count: 877 ღWarnings: implied sex ღRated: 18+ mdni, ღSummary: Hongjoong’s life before he ended up at the motel ᲦDedication: my beta team @mejuii @downtoamagicalland
↫Incubus~! Hongjoong | Series Tag↬
Hongjoong was starving. In a desperate moment, he hitchhiked with a business woman traveling to a convention, but she was so stressed, he hadn't managed to seduce her in person or in her dreams. So now he was stuck at this damn motel and he didn’t know what to do.
He dragged his fingers through his hair in frustration. This was not his usual plan. He was in between cities and normally he knew where he was going, but he had been blown off course by this particularly dark morsel who was going to a metal concert and--Hongjoong shook his head. Reminiscing about their dark lips around his cock was not going to feed him.
Hongjoong was about to kick the door in frustration when he realized there was a ‘Hiring’ sign in the window. He cocked his head in curiosity. If he could at least feed his body, perhaps that would stave off the sexual hunger that was pacing inside of him like a trapped cat.
Hongjoong was an incubus. Born from an angel and a human couple, he was destined to stalk the earth, always looking to feed off of sexual energy. It hadn't been so bad when he came of age: hormones are the same for everyone. But once he got older, he learned of the dream side of his powers. He could sneak into any dream, or create one, and feed off the sexual energy even there. Nothing was more satisfying than waking up and not having needed to move a muscle but having fed from the most delectable wet dreams. 
But Hongjoong hadn't been able to feed, physically or dream-wise, for a while now and it was like he was gnawing off his own arm. He wasn’t at his peak level and that affected his game. He doubted he could even seduce a sex-starved anything right now. His stomach grumbled and Hongjoong blew a raspberry in exasperation. What did he have to lose if he talked to the front desk about a job?
The front desk was the owner, as it turned out. A greasy landlord who was only there to cash in the check this place made for him, at the end of the day. The man thumbed through Hongjoong’s application, the interview taking place right there behind the counter. 
“No past experience, hmmm?” The man muttered, a cigarette between his chapped lips.
Hongjoong grinned, “What’s there to experience? Clients pay us, we give them a key, someone cleans out their room; wash, rinse, repeat.”
The owner frowned but he couldn't dispute that. He raised his eyes to look at Hongjoong. It’s not like Hongjoong was dressed for an interview. He still had on his big furry jacket from the rave in the dessert he had last attended, and last ate at. “You’re not a criminal or nothin’, right?” 
Hongjoong’s grin widened. He couldn't help himself. He wasn't a criminal, he was much worse. "No convictions, nope."
The owner shrugged, chipped his cigarette in the ashtray with the other cigarettes he had been chain smoking. "Fuck it. You're hired."
Hongjoong stood up and shook the owner's hand and tried not to wince at how sweaty it was. "Anything I should know before I start my first shift?"
The owner paused and Hongjoong narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “Listen, I'll pay ya extra if you can con anyone into taking the honeymoon suite, okay? Otherwise, don’t bother me, I don’t want to have to deal with this place other than to make a pretty penny.”
Hongjoong smirked slowly and nodded in consent. He was hired because who else was applying for the job. But the scales were balancing in his favor. He had an idea and if it worked, well, he’d never have a reason to leave this motel.
And for a while, his plan worked. Any time a single woman showed up at the motel, he convinced them in one way or another, to take the newlywed suite. And when the sun set, he closed the front desk and met that person in their dreams. 
He had a perfect template for the situation, so the dreamer didn't get suspicious as to why they were having a very vivid dream about the front desk clerk. He pretended to be a jealous husband on their wedding night, giving the women that borderline-toxic jealous sex. It's what most women wanted, that jealous sex without the harm to their relationship. It was perfect and did work for a while.
But then, Hongjoong started to get lonely. He was an Incubus but he was also a human. His romantic heart yearned for someone to love him and for him to have someone to love. He wanted to spend time between a woman's thighs and show them how much they meant to him. He was tired of drilling mindlessly into pussy he wasn't familiar with. He was tired of snarling a woman's name who probably wasn't going to remember his. He was tired. Couldn't he settle down with a human girl, or guy, and feed from them through love-making?
But Hongjoong continued on with his pattern, turning aside the wish. It was more important for him to survive than to feed his empty heart.
Until…he met you.
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st-clements-steps · 1 year
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Hi @rainhalydia thank you for the tag, I should be working but apparently I'm doing this. 10 most recent first lines in order from first to last:
It is always Sirius who chooses the record, just as it was Sirius who chose the records long ago, scandalising the half younger students with his muggle LPs, with their strange images, half clad girls, pretty pouting boys, smashed guitars. (Discord, I realise this looks like Wolfstar but actually it's Greysnow, Modern AU)
It started with an awful family dinner. (abide with you, Greysnow, Fleabag AU(kinda))
Jon’s jacket was slung over the bannister, Dany took it up with her to hang up. (Spank Me, Jonerys, Modern AU)
Often Rhaenyra doesn’t go to the parties. (Breathing Dreams, Rhaelicent, Great Gatsby-esque 20s AU)
Soft. (Let me blood, Jonerys, show-canon(ish) AU)
“Have you seen a handkerchief?” Sansa asked, “you know, like a tissue but material.” (the love of my long life, Jonsa, Being Human AU)
Through wilfulness he manages to force the meeting to his solicitor’s office. (relinquishment, Jonerys, Modern AU)
It was when Cat clicked the trunk shut on the cop that Cersei had the urge to brush those red curls from her brow, kiss her. (The Last Forty, Cat x Cersei (Catsei??), Thelma and Louise AU)
Dany swallows a little when she sees the girl waiting in the wings with the strap-on and the headdress. (assistance, Daensa, Modern AU)
Asha hears her name cursed on the wind. (The Seawitch and the Lost Princess, Sansa x Asha (Sansha??), Little Mermaid (kinda, please remember it's kinda Ursula x Ariel inspired!!) AU)
tagging @owlsinathens @evax3 @selkiewife @thistle-and-thorn @team-mom-wannabe (apologies if you have been tagged already anyone, everyone and ♥️♥️♥️s to all)
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coachingaddict · 1 year
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OPEN DISCUSSION!!!
Tyler Doyle Missing SC Duckhunter!?
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January 26th,2023 Started as any typical day for Tyler Doyle and his friend Christian they were out duck hunting on the intercoastal waterway as they had done many times before with no issues, many would refer to Tyler as an Avid Hunter although the story that is now unfolding poses a different viewpoint. Below I'm going to state some facts on this case and afterwards we are going to analyze them as well as the conspiracies around them.
*Tyler Doyle was last seen duck hunting on January 26.
He took a jon boat out with an unnamed friend in the North Myrtle Beach area where the Intracoastal Waterway meets the Atlantic Ocean on the shore of South Carolina.
The boat had reportedly begun to take in water and Tyler fell off once the waves picked up.
Rescue crews saved the other person on the boat but Tyler hasn’t been seen.
*As the boat began taking on water Tyler called his friend on the jetties and told him to call 911 then Tyler called his cousin Jimmy from the boat and told Jimmy that his motor had stopped and he couldn’t get it to crank back up and that he was taking on water. In a Jon Boat with no motor running to give you momentum the current would start to pull you. The rough waters and rising waves would also start to crash against the boat hence “taking on water”. Jimmy instructs Tyler “get your waders off and a life jacket on
*A GoFundMe and a baby registry was created by Tyler's pregnant wifes bestfriend the day he went missing the GoFundMe raised over 30,000 although the original goal was 15,000 which some have speculated and said is the price of Mr. Doyle's bail bond from an attempted murder charge!? Everything on the baby registry was purchased and the GoFundMe after reaching over 30 grand was deactivated and then randomly reactivated? The family of Mr. Doyle stated they never needed the money and even tried to refund the donors although they happily took the money continue to do so and nobody has been refunded
*Lakelyn Doyle the 30 week pregnant wife of Tyler Doyle has a friend the same one creating all these fundraiser who commented on Morgan Wallen's Instagram asking for some inspiring words to lift up her pregnant friend whose husband is missing, many people found that quite odd in a time like this
*Some speculated that Mrs. Doyle took a out of state trip while her husband is missing although that has yet to be proven therefore it is not being presented in this argument as a fact
*Their were many certified units out searching for Mr. Doyle and none of them recovered anything however one of Tyler's friends goes out to search and randomly recovers Tyler's waders as well as wallet and even decoys!? this friend is Josh Johnson
*Tyler's family didn't want the news or authorities involved in the search out of fear of this being nationalized and they didnt want all the attention? however they were on Facebook in a group telling others they could join the search to help, one man Ryan offered to track with his dog even driving over 1.200 miles for the family to not meet up with him and the friends searching for Tyler to make fun of him while calling him a fraud???
*A new person enters the search by the name of Xander and he apparently has his own search team and is now directing everyone to go through him with any possible sightings, where they are searching etc. is even posting his cash tag to now accept donations to lead his search party?This person apparently has a not so good track record as far as being a decent human and upon many others research has committed his own share of crimes
*Tylers aunt is making phone calls to others that just make no sense
*Tylers brother Reed is on tiktok answering questions to the best of his ability although some of what he has said is also a little questionable
*In a message to a friend Tyler's wife admits to not trusting the person who was with her husband and saying his story isn't adding up
*Many think at this point if Tyler was really in the boat he is dead by now and his body should have surfaced, others think he was never in the boat to begin with and this was all a setup to gain money, some believe Tyler was in the boat but did reach safety and is hiding out while his pregnant wife collects donations, some think the friend who was with him shot him and the families are covering it up for him...
All in all things just don't seem to be adding up with this story, while I cant speak for anyone else I can say if it was someone I cared about missing I would not be turning away help from anyone I would want media attention and help from any and all authorities I would not be creating and worrying about a baby registry or a celebrities attention while my loved one is missing I would be questioning why only one specific person was finding their items and not everyone else who searched, I wouldn't be skipping town if that did happen none of this is making sense to me and I can fully understand why there is so many conspiracy theories surrounding this case! I pray Tyler is safe and found in one piece preferably alive but until then I want to hear everyone else viewpoint on this case what do you all find fishy, what do you all believe is the truth, what do you think the outcome will be?
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saratogaroadwrites · 5 months
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Per Aspera Ad Astra (18/18)
Per Aspera Ad Astra | saratogaroad | banner art credit Rating: T Wordcount: 183k Characters: John 117, Cortana, Thomas Lasky, Sarah Palmer, Fireteam Osiris, The Warden Eternal, The Didact, The Librarian, ensemble of other Halo characters Relationships: John-117 & Cortana Other Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, fix-it, Male/Female Friendship, Canon-Typical Violence Warnings:  War imagery, seizures, graphic description of injury
Snatched from the jaws of death, Cortana and John find themselves adrift in a galaxy that has long since moved on. As they attempt to find their place in this strange new world, they find that the fight is not as over as they thought. Chasing a signal across the galaxy in desperate hope, they come to a stark conclusion: the Reclamation has begun, and they are helpless to stop it.
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You're sure they're here?
I'm sure. Cortana leaned her head back to catch his eye, traffic cameras caught a group matching their description outside one of the hotels here three nights ago, and they were seen again leaving that hotel fifteen minutes ago. They're here, and they're coming this way.
Pressing his back against the decorative pillar, John fought to keep from moving. Tension roiled beneath his skin, begging for an outlet; he settled for rolling his shoulders, the synthetic material of his jacket crinkling. The senate hall below them was full of people; staff and local officials, members of the press, even a few activists and protesters. A few sangheili, too, all of them in the softer civilian harnesses rather than armored combat gear. He wondered idly if they felt as exposed as he did. Durban's largest embassy was nestled in the middle of Biko's most populated city, full to bursting with civilians on their morning commute. It would last easily for another hour, Cortana had explained when he'd pointed out the crowds on their way in, and would provide good cover among the workforce. Any ordinary person would have been lost among the throng.
The people they were looking for were anything but ordinary.
What are they doing here?
I'm still sorting it all out, but from what was written in the ONI report they're all serving as bodyguards to one Richard Sekibo. He's a big name when it comes to continuing peace talks between humanity and the sangheili, which has gotten him some rather negative attention from some radical groups. She glanced sidelong at him. ONI funded radical groups.
Do you think they know that?
Pretty sure they've guessed. She tucked hair out of her eyes, returning her attention to the hall below. Judging by how the cameras were moving, she wasn't using just her own eyes to keep watch. That last mission they were on put them on the same path as Sekibo. Reports say they saved his life from an assassination attempt and stuck around, but given the trouble they're noted as running into I'd put credits on them knowing this is bigger than racist idiots.
John clenched his jaw so tightly his ears started to ring. He'd known that ONI had its secrets but this was too much. To target a peaceful diplomat, one of their own, was one thing. Preventing lasting peace between humanity and the sangheili was short-sighted and he couldn't understand their reasoning, but fine. There had to be some tactical importance behind the idea. But that they would target UNSC assets like Blue Team...it unsettled him. The look on Admiral Osman's face at the hearing flashed across his mind's eye, the way she had looked at Cortana like she was an obstacle to be eliminated...did she think that way about Blue Team? Were they all just obstacles to her?
A chill settled across his shoulders, Cortana's wordless attempt to ease his worries. Taking a deep breath he shook his head, forcing his muscles to relax. It didn't matter. Whatever was going on, they would handle it. Once he had eyes on Blue Team he would help them complete whatever mission they had taken on, and after that. Well, they'd deal with the rest after that.
And FLEETCOM doesn't know this is happening.
No. ONI kept this under the radar, kept Sekibo's attempts to call for help from reaching the right ears. As far as Lord Hood knows, Blue Team really did go MIA in Covenant space. It just wasn't because of the Covenant.
No. It was because of ONI. They kept things compartmentalized, and for good reason. If it got out that they were targeting their own people, there would be chaos in the ranks. Dissent would spread, splintering through the UNSC forces and leaving mistrust to spread in its wake. He understood keeping things on a need to know basis, but this went too far. He couldn't understand it, and he probably never would. The war was over. Why were they so determined to restart it? He set the question aside for later.
We'll need proof if we're going to tell him what really happened.
I'm working on that, too. Cortana sighed, both physically and mentally. It's going to be one hell of a mess.
John could imagine. He hummed quietly, rolling his shoulders. The skylight overhead offered a clear view of the sky above, a thick layer of rose colored clouds left over from the overnight rains just now beginning to break and allow scattered glimpses of the almost white sky they were hiding. Deneb's pale blue glow sent shafts of light down to the city, the soft warmth falling across the hall. Cortana reached out, cupping a sunbeam in her bare hand. She'd changed her code to appear more human and the near-white light rippled across warm olive skin, but even changing her colors couldn't change the softness that came to her expression as she felt real sunlight for the first time in her life.
John had to swallow the lump that rose in his throat. She deserved this, the chance to feel sunlight on her skin, and so much more.
"Does it feel real?" He asked quietly, the two of them in their own little world. She looked back at him, her eyes still so blue. "The sun. Does it feel real?"
Cortana blinked. Then, slowly, she smiled. The comforting chill wrapped itself a little tighter around his shoulders and he held it close. Maybe he'd never quite figure out an answer to the question she had asked him back then, but to be here in this moment with her was enough.
"Yes," She said just as softly, "It does."
The break in the clouds blew on past, returning the hall to the dimmer artificial lights below as they stole the sunlight but not her smile. She suddenly turned her attention to the main doors, the mechanical workings pushing hard to open the sturdy metal sides as a crowd of people walked inside. Men and women in suits, hands to their earpieces and eyes on their tablets, heels clicking against the marble floor. Diplomatic personnel, Sekibo's staff. He would be just behind them, and with him Blue Team.
John stepped out from behind the pillar, reaching out to grasp the rail with both hands. Cortana pressed in against his side, her light warm and buzzing against his skin as they watched, neither saying a word. The crowd of staff kept walking, going to begin the set up for the talks that would start soon. John gave them a once over, then turned his attention to the rear of the group. A dark haired woman with a serious face walked in beside an older man, a hand on the holster at her hip. Their heads were pressed in together, her whispering something to him, but John's attention wasn't on the two of them. It was on the three taller figures that surrounded them.
Against the backdrop of average humans there was no mistaking them for anything other than Spartans, and though five years stood between them John would have known his team anywhere. Fred loomed over the two in front of him, a little grayer at the temples and with a little extra color to his skin that hadn't been there the last time John had seen him, but he was still recognizably Fred. That was one.
A pace to Fred's left, Kelly strode through the hall like she owned the place. The blue dye in her hair was fresh, the bright color a vivid reminder of Reach's horizon at dawn. She drew stares but didn't care, more focused on keeping watch. That was two. A pace to Fred's right, Linda pulled off a pair of sunglasses, her bottle green eyes faintly narrowed as she considered the hall, the closing doors, and their surroundings before she locked eyes with Fred and gave the signal for all clear. That was three.
John's chest had grown tight, and he had to remind himself to breathe. They were alive. Somewhere deep inside, a tired old part of his heart remembered how to beat again. Cortana leaned over enough to look up at him.
Well? She smiled fondly, Don't you want to go say hello?
He did. He looked down at her, her smile warming him from within, then looked back down to his team. Rather than call out to them John whistled six clear notes, the sound echoing through the hall. More than a few people looked up, looking for the odd sound, but he paid them no mind. His attention was firmly on his siblings, watching as the three of them stopped dead. The dark haired woman froze when they did, looking back at Fred with one hand still on her gun, but his focus was elsewhere. The three once lost members of Blue Team turned in different directions to scan the area for the source of the whistle, their old signal, and it was Linda that looked up first. John watched her jolt as if struck, frozen by surprise for the span of three heartbeats. She didn't speak, didn't need to, but he could see the question in her eyes.
John?
Kelly saw him next, leaning back for a better look at what had caught Linda's attention only for her own eyes to go wide. Catching onto his sister's surprise Fred jerked his head around, stopping dead a second time and adding his gaze to their stares. John had to smile faintly, both sides of his mouth lifting upwards. What? Was he really the strangest thing they'd seen all day? They hadn't seen anything yet. Cortana snickered, catching the thought. He glanced down at her and she arched an eyebrow, tilting her head. He reached for her hand.
We go together.
Always.
Her small hand slipped perfectly into his grip. For the first time in years, John had everything he needed. No matter what happened, or what they had to face, he knew that things would work out somehow. They had each other, after all. That was all that mattered.
With that thought in mind, and with Cortana at his side, he headed down to greet his family.
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