#I hope you still had tons and tons and tons of fun

[ghostofskywalker]

Anthony Bridgerton's Guide to Accidentally Falling In Love - 6

Anthony Bridgerton/Fem!Reader

Words: 2,328

Summary: Anthony Bridgerton thought it was clear that he does not intend to marry at this point, but still he is plagued by hopeful young ladies (and their mothers) who hope to change his mind. So when he meets a widowed Countess who is burdened by the ton's unkind gossip wherever she walks, the two of them realize that maybe they could be of help when it came to each other's problems.

Note: the ruse is taking shape :) this was a fun chapter to write, hope you enjoy!

Series Masterlist • Anthony Bridgerton Masterlist

Dearest Gentle Reader,  

With the social season finally starting to yield early signs of matches, courtships, and other general excitement, there are a few things on the minds of many in the ton, including the rather explosive argument that was witnessed in the hallway of the latest ball, between Lord and Lady Brenton. One would think that they would have found a better place (and time) to air their grievances at each other, especially since the event was being hosted at their residence. But given the glares that Lady Brenton was shooting her husband all throughout the night, I believe it safe to assume that this marriage is not as perfect as they had previously boasted. 

However, a decidedly more intriguing development  is that Viscount Anthony Bridgerton has indeed formed a close friendship with the widowed Countess Y/N Everleigh. They had previously been seen dancing together at Lady Danbury’s ball, but it was this author’s mistake in judging the seriousness of that interaction. In addition to their regular turns about the ballroom floor, the two have been seen promenading together at Hyde Park. It seems that the rest of the Bridgerton family has already accepted the Countess as one of their own, based on the way she was seen laughing and joking with all the present siblings, just before heading off on a walk with the Viscount. One must admit the fact that they make a rather handsome couple, no matter what one’s opinion is on the two as individuals. 

Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers

When you had mentioned he might receive more invitations to society events if they had invited you, Anthony thought he understood what that would mean. He could handle a few extra dinner parties, especially if he got to spend that time with a person that was rapidly becoming one of his closest friends. He might even see his sister more often, as Daphne and Simon were of course included on many of high society’s guest lists. 

However, what he failed to expect was the fact that he would be forced to interact with the most stuffy and boring men that the ton had to offer, and that he wouldn’t get to see you for quite as long as he would have liked. 

Like this dinner party, for example. 

“And Viscount Bridgerton, what is your opinion on Parliament’s latest rulings?” 

Not having listened to any of the words that were said in his vicinity for a lengthy amount of time, Anthony just took another sip of the drink in his hand. “I don’t have high hopes, but things could change at any time.” 

Just vague enough to make the others believe he had actually contributed an opinion, the other men laughed and carried on while Anthony’s gaze moved around the room, searching for you. 

It wasn’t long before he found success, watching you speak with Lady Danbury and a few other women, the wives and sisters of the people he was currently forced into conversation with. Well, they were speaking. You were politely nodding as the chatter moved along, but he didn’t once see you open your mouth to contribute an opinion. He had half a mind to give up on social convention and join you in listening to the ladies’ conversation, but he refrained, not wanting to cause any trouble or scandal. Your reputation had started to improve, but it was nowhere near where he envisioned it being when the two of you first struck this deal.

But it seemed that he had not been able to disguise his distracted countenance, because he heard his name once more in the conversation around him. “Bridgerton! Stop staring at the ladies, it’s impolite.” 

One of the other lords laughed. “You know, it’s just one lady he keeps looking at.”  

None of these men would ever admit to reading Lady Whistledown’s column, but they all knew what was being implied. “Good God Bridgerton, get it together!” an older, pot-bellied Baron replied. “There are a whole host of women out there if you’re looking for a wife, who are younger, more innocent than the likes of the Countess, and who wouldn’t poison you for not liking her dress.” 

Rage burned through Anthony’s stomach at those words. Of course he knew what the ton believed, but to say such brazen things at a dinner party in which you were among the guests was unimaginably cruel. “Since when have you begun spreading slander and lies, Lord Jennings?” Anthony asked, trying to keep his ire in check and his voice even. 

“People talk, Lord Bridgerton, as I’m sure you know,” another man cut in, clearly trying to salvage the conversation. 

“I am well aware of that fact,” he responded, silencing the man with a glare. “However, I was simply under the impression that the honorable and titled men of society did not participate in such trivial gossip.”

“Come off it, don’t act like you’re any better,” Lord Jennings replied. “I would have thought you’d be happy to hear the rumors around the Countess, because it takes the pressure off you to actually respond to the questions about your relationship. No respectable member of society would believe you were actually seeing someone like her.” 

It took every bit of willpower to not let his anger show more than it already had. “And if Lady Everleigh and I were to be courting?” 

Lord Jennings laughed as he shook his head. “Then I’d call you a damn fool.” 

“All of you are the ones acting like fools,” Anthony responded evenly. “My relationship with Lady Everleigh is none of your concern, and you would do well to remind yourselves that unkind rumors can be spread about anyone.”

Without another word, he turned on his heel and left, heading straight to the carriage that was thankfully still parked outside and not looking back. The whole ride home he seethed in quiet anger at the audacity of the men he had snapped at, and annoyance that he didn’t get a chance to spend a few moments to speak with you properly before leaving. 

He couldn’t help but wonder if he had done the wrong thing, and if your reputation would only further be dragged through the mud because of what he said, despite the fact that you had no idea this interaction had even taken place. 

***

Other events were infinitely more bearable, like garden parties. When Simon and Daphne hosted one at their estate, not only were you at the top of the guest list, but his entire family was invited. 

You had migrated away from the main conversations happening over fresh hors d'oeuvres, and Anthony watched as you sat down on one of the benches facing the lawn, keeping a careful eye on Hyacinth, Gregory, and a few other children as they laughed and chased each other around. And having had enough of this current topic of discussion, he decided to join you. No one at the table said anything as he got up and left, but he did catch Benedict sharing an amused glance with their mother. 

As he stepped into earshot, Anthony chucked to get your attention. “I told you these events were boring.”

”And I should have listened,” you responded, moving over on the bench so there was room for him to sit next to you. “This one is better than most though.” 

“I will make sure to tell my sister that.” 

“Please do, she is a wonderful hostess and I was honored to receive an invitation.”

Before Anthony could respond, Hyacinth stopped in her tracks and waved excitedly at the two of you. “Anthony! Y/N! We’re going to play hide and seek, would you like to join us?”  

Anthony looked over at you before responding to his sister, wanting to let you make the decision. He couldn’t help but smile when he noticed you doing the same. “We would love to!” you called out, getting up from where you stood and making your way over to them. 

“I’m going to be the seeker,” Gregory said proudly, crossing his arms as he stood on his tiptoes to seem taller. “You’ll have until I count to 30 to hide.” 

You nodded, the smile on your face giving way to a deeply focused expression, and what felt like seconds later the call to hide had been made. Taking off in a direction opposite the other children, Anthony didn’t mean to follow you, but soon the two of you were both standing at the edge of Hastings’ sprawling woods.

Upon noticing him, you grabbed his hand and pulled him along, eventually stopping when both of you were standing between two thick tree trunks. “Are you trying to get us caught?” you asked in a hushed whisper. 

“No!” he responded defensively. “We simply had the same idea when it came to looking for the best hiding place.”

You were closer to him than you had ever been before, even closer than when you had danced together. Maybe it was the fact that you were still holding his hand, but something felt different, and he would be lying if he said that he wanted you to move away. 

You huffed, clearly having already gotten into the competitive spirit. “Well the more time we spend here the easier it’s going to be for Gregory to fi-” 

At that very moment, the sound of footsteps could be heard moving through the woods, and it sounded like they were headed towards you. Not even thinking about what he had done, Anthony brought a finger up to your lips, and for a moment after he worried that you would push him away, but it seemed that you got the message about your stakes in the game. The two of you stood there with bated breath, completely still as you tried to gauge how close those footsteps were to discovering your hiding spot. 

And no, Anthony wasn’t thinking about how soft your lips felt against his skin. You were his friend, something he had no intention of changing (no matter what some members of his family seemed to think). 

Thankfully, your worry was nothing but a false alarm in this instance, and a few moments later a gleeful shout echoed through the space as Hyacinth’s hiding spot was uncovered. The two of you looked at each other with an expectant expression as Anthony pulled his hand back from your face, both expecting that your time hidden was coming to a close in the near future as both Hyacinth and Gregory were on the lookout. 

But seconds passed, and then minutes, and you couldn’t see or hear any sign of the two youngest Bridgertons. 

“Did we go too far?” you eventually asked, voice a low whisper as you tried to scan the area without revealing yourself. 

“I didn’t think so,” Anthony responded, peeking out at the small patch of trees around you. “It seems that they just… forgot to come looking for us.”

A bout of laughter escaped your mouth, and despite being quieter than usual, it was just as infectious. Smiles were soon plastered on both your faces as you realized the hilarity of the situation. “I think we should return to the party,” you eventually said. 

Anthony’s expression was severe and his question was delivered with the utmost seriousness. “Wouldn’t we technically forfeit the game?” 

“I think we would technically be the victors, since we were never discovered,” you said after thinking about the question. “And even if we don’t, I don’t mind letting your siblings win just this once. Besides, I don’t want the carriages to leave without us.”

“I am rather thirsty as well.” 

“Now that you mention it, I believe I am too.” 

The two of you walked back towards the party arm in arm, laughing when you saw Hyacinth and Gregory sitting next to Violet, the game of hide-and-seek seemingly long forgotten. “You know,” Anthony leaned in to whisper, while the two of you were still just out of the other guests’ earshot. “Disappearing like that probably helps our ruse a little.” 

“Not in a way that’s proper,” you scoffed, but he could tell you weren’t really mad. “Your mother is going to think the worst of me.”

“If anything, she’ll probably blame me,” Anthony responded, a smile spreading across his face as they finally approached his family. 

Daphne was the first to comment on the sight. “And where did the two of you disappear off to?” she asked, raising her eyebrows at her brother. 

“We were playing hide-and-seek,” he responded, as if the answer were the most obvious thing in the world. “I think that since we technically weren’t found, Lady Everleigh and I are the victors of the game. What do we win?” 

Gregory’s eyes turned towards his brother at the moment, but before he could say anything in response, Violet ended any kind of bickering before it even began. “How about the two of you just sit down and have some dessert?” 

At his mother’s suggestion, Anthony turned to where a spread was being set out. Various biscuits, cakes, and other sweet treats were still being arranged on the table, and the two of you were first in line (with the rest of the Bridgerton siblings right on your heels), waiting patiently until the staff had finished setting everything out before diving in. 

“It’s always nice to see them all so happy,” Anthony heard his mother say to Lady Danbury, a sentiment he wholeheartedly agreed with as he watched Benedict and Eloise squabble playfully over the last chocolate biscuit. You had started distributing different treats to Gregory and Hyacinth, as both of them were not quite tall enough to reach through the crowd of Bridgerton siblings to get what they wanted. 

It was moments like this that made him smile the most, and he was grateful that you fit so seamlessly into his life, no matter what the truth of your relationship was.

- end of part six -

series taglist: @maricciardo @imafangirlofeverything @allthegirlsdreamed @captainsophiestark @chrissisheadisinclouds @anxiousgoldengirl @sweatyconnoisseurstrawberry @sky0401 @fallout-girl219 @ifilwtmfc @jackierose902109 @mysticwitchcraftco @galactic3a @pedrosexual @preciousbabypeter

[gingersnapwolves]

Hello friends I’m back from vacation with a lot to say! I’m going to do two posts, so I can put the pretty pictures which actually look good in a photo post and then contain my ramblings and selfies to this post LOL.

So last year while we were talking about vacations, my wife said we should go to Iceberg Alley so we could see icebergs. You know, sorry to the optimists in the audience but who knows how long we’ll still be able to do that? So I planned a trip to the Canadian Maritimes.

First thing you need to know about me and my wife is that neither of us like to fly. We do road trips. We’ve done tons and tons of road trips. When we lived in Arizona, we road-tripped to pretty much everywhere in the western United States. Fun fact about us - one of the things that first made us such good friends twenty-five (twenty-five?!?!?!) years ago is that we both like to drive around a lot and look at pretty scenery and just vibe. So I planned us a road trip. It pretty quickly became apparent that we couldn’t do both Nova Scotia and Newfoundland in one road trip because there’s just so MUCH to see. So we focused on Newfoundland for this trip for iceberg reasons. We did stop to see some things along the way, obviously, because the key to a good road trip is to try to break it up with cool shit.

The first day was basically driving (though we did stop at a No Kings protest in Maine for a while because we couldn’t miss that). Then across the border we went. Lupine everywhere! Tim Horton’s! Metric system! (My wife: is the speed limit really 110 mph? lmao no it is not.) 

First stop! Joggins Fossil Cliffs! It was very cool, we will have to do this again and take the guided tour because I’ve learned I couldn’t find a fossil if you put a gun to my head. Let the selfies begin!

We stopped a few more places on the way but forgot to take selfies (whoops) and then got on the ferry to Newfoundland. We had a little cabin because it’s a 16 hour ride to the east side of Newfoundland.

Once in Newfoundland, we went to Salmonier Nature Center, which was very cool. A lovely, beautiful walk through the woods and fen. My biggest disappointment was on this outing because I really wanted to see the lynx, and we waited a while outside the enclosure, hoping if we were quiet it would eventually come out, but it never did. On the other hand, caribou are magical.

On to the east side and St. John’s! We went to the Petty Harbor Mini Aquarium, which is a seasonal catch and release aquarium with an awesome touch tank.

Cape Spear, the eastern most point in North America.

Basilica of St. John the Baptist (we are the opposite of religious but my wife loves the architecture of churches and stained glass windows).

Memorial University Botanical Gardens

Johnson Geo Centre

Then we took a boat tour to go to Gull Island and see puffins! I didn’t get any good pictures here unfortunately. The puffins on the island were too far away to photograph clearly, and although I could see them fly and sometimes land in the water by the boat it was impossible to get a good shot of them. They were soooooooo incredibly cute though. My wife also saw a minke whale (I did not lol).

Driving inland, we went to Terra Nova National Park but I forgot to take a selfie until we were back at the car.

Interior Newfoundland is profoundly empty. Anywhere in America, if I pass a gas station with a quarter tank of gas, I can think ‘no big deal, I will definitely hit another gas station before I’m close to being out of gas’. Not so much in Newfoundland. I didn’t run out of gas but boy was I sweating a few times.

Can’t go to Canada without having Tim Horton’s! Sorry for the thumb. Uh, it was very early. I prefer Dunkie’s but TH had VERY good chocolate chip muffins and my wife loved their donuts.

Icebergs! Icebergs! Icebergs! (Pics to follow in my photo post.)

Chilling on Twilingate Island

On our drive around Twillingate, a bald eagle flew out over our car and flew alongside/above us for about five seconds and it was SO cool. Sadly we didn’t get any pictures of that because we were too busy being in awe.

Stayed at a nice little bed and breakfast

West we go! The Insectarium!

And then on to Gros Morne!

Now this was a trip. On one day it was eighty-five and sunny, then the next it was fifty, occasionally rainy, and very, very windy. I have rarely experienced wind that is actually difficult to walk against, but I really feared for my safety occasionally. We had booked a boat tour on Western Brook Pond, which is a glacier carved valley. To get to the pond is a 3 km walk and my wife is disabled (and in this weather, I wouldn’t have wanted to walk 6 km either). There were shuttles but very limited seating so we got there about 90 minutes early. When we got there, they said they were waiting on the captain’s decision on whether or not we could go out in this weather. Eventually we did, but . . . possibly shouldn’t have LOL. The water was rough. There was a ton of spray. We both got soaked about three minutes into the trip so we were freezing the whole time. I asked my wife to please not divorce me since I took her to see icebergs. 

Don’t get me wrong, it was beautiful and awesome in the original sense of the word, but holy shit. On the way back, the weather got even worse. Dense fog and even higher wind. We had to zig zag to get back to dock because of how strong the wind was, so it took quite some time. My teeth were actually chattering (we had dressed appropriately for the cold and wind but had not anticipated getting wet).

For obvious reasons, the tour after ours was canceled, which meant there was an entire boat full of people besides ours who wanted to use the shuttle, so it took a while to get one and I was basically frozen solid by the time I made it back to the car. Good times!

We got on the ferry on the western side of the island back to Nova Scotia, which is an eight hour ferry. We took the overnight, but there were no cabins when I booked, so we had reserved, reclining seats. No big deal, right? But the sea was still very rough. 

Now, I don’t get seasick. Carsick, yes, but I’ve never had a problem getting seasick (unless I try to read, so I don’t). Even on the cruise, when we were out on the open ocean, I was fine. Y’all. I got sick sick. Our seats were on the top deck, at the front of the ship. Worst place to be during rough weather. The staff kindly took me to a better seat but holy crap was I sick. The sea finally calmed down and I felt better but I probably didn’t sleep more than an hour. It sucked.

So the next day we just drove a little while on some back roads, looked at nice scenery, until I couldn’t stay awake anymore and we crashed at a motel and I passed out.

Me somewhere in Nova Scotia: I'm not sure I'm still safe to drive

Some fuckass deer: //runs out in front of my car//

Me: //screeches to a halt and avoids a collision//

Me: Okay guess I'm still good for a little while.

The next day, we went to Reversing Falls Rapids in St. John

And to Irving Nature Park

And then we were on our way back home!

On the whole it was a very enjoyable vacation, though a really tiring one haha. I think we need to take an easier one next. I'm also definitely forgetting at least one or two things but that's life, maybe I will update later if I think of them.

Quote of the trip: "Oh, yeah, X/99 ... got us obsessed with toxic gay relationships and the rest is history."

Honorable mention: "How is it?" "It's not ... bad ..." "Oh?" "Well, it's bad in a new and interesting way."

[hinge]

Hinge presents an anthology of love stories almost never told. Read more on https://no-ordinary-love.co

[localgerman]

If you haven't already, could you please do some TransVampire tips? /nf

TransVampire Tips

Im a trisvampire so i had lots of fun with this <3 Ive been identifying as a vampire for years now its practically become natural to me.

- Avoid going outside during the middle of the day or when the sun is the highest, and if you do; bring an sun umbrella to block the sun, wear tons of sun block, and stay in shadows.

- Keep yourself pale, deathly pale. Skin bleaching products are a thing but id recommend simply staying inside, dont ten, and wear plenty of sunblock whilst outside.

- Eat more meat that other sorts of food, and if you wish to you can eat meats done rare and still with blood.

- Easy blood replacements/mimics: Cranberry juice, red wine, pomegranate juice, tomato juice, karkade tea, and cherry juice.

- If you can, Walk the woods during the night. Spend as much time as you can under the moon light.

- Keep your room cold/Train your body to be cold. The colder you can make yourself be the more vampiric you will be.

- Grow out your nails and hair, maybe even cut your nails to be claw like or sharp. Keep your hair long, no matter your gender. Or you could get a classic male vampire hairstyle or go full bald but thats a little too old fashioned for me personally.

- Dye your hair black, put on dark makeup, and wear dark clothing. If you get mistaken as a goth you are on the right track.

- Buy tons of vampire literature! Examples: Interview with a vampire, Dracula, Carmilla. Both classic and more recent literature are great options.

- My favorite vampire subliminal

- Get spooky pets or pets associated with being spooky or halloween; Black cats, Snakes, Frogs, Turantulas, etc.

- Read into and research the history of vampires, we have been here for a long time and there is literature to prove it.

- Fake fangs or body modification fangs! You can buy moldable or premade fangs online or in halloween stores, but you can also(the if you want a more permanent/very less likely to break option) get vampire fang body modification. But this can get expensive with the cost ranging from 600$-1000$ usd, mostly because this has to be done by a dentist and professionally.

- Sleep during the day/take lots of naps during the day, and stay awake during the night. You want to seem sleepy/tired during the daytime aswell.

- Keep your room dark 24/7! Close your blinds or even cover the windows with curtains. this will help you be paler and also become more vampirey.

- Decorate your room to be more stereotypically vampiric, old furniture and decor are both great options.

- Start collecting bones, taxidermy, and wet specimens. This can help make your room look much creepier.

- Avoid using technology to much, you can still use it but start to use it much less. Dont feel dependent on it.

- Never enter someones house unless you get permission first. Make it simple and unnoticeable, like if they invited you to their house just ask “can i come in?” and they should say yes since they invited you in the firsy place.

- Avoid churches and crosses, if someone is wearing a cross stay a good 1 or 2 feet away from them. Its nothing personal, your just a vampire.

- Use candles as your main light source, decorate your room with candles. And it dosent only have to to be stick candles you can use cup candles aswell.

- Start hunting, both gun and bow hunting are good options but bow hunting may seem more traditional. During hunting you may have to follow a blood trail which definitely gives vampiric euphoria.

Hope these helped!

[minai28]

I realized it's a crime to have Sophie without Belinda. They're a 2 for 1 deal dispite everything

[good-beanswrites]

Hear me out:

Kotoko adopted Es, and Fuuta went ballistic.

Rip Fuuta... he can never catch a break... Asdfsdf thank you for this, it was a blast thinking of all the ridiculous ways this could have played out! (One possibility I toyed with was Fuuta's competitive instincts take over, he fights her for Es, only to realize too late "*I* don't want to be responsible for a whole child WAIT") It's a similar format to the last one, with a knock-at-the-door reveal, but I still think it works 😂

“Don’t fuck with me, Es.”

“I would never.”

Lying brat. Fuuta knew they would every chance that they got. It was the reason he was so relieved that Es decided to find somewhere else to live after Milgram’s end. Fuuta had nothing left to fear from his former warden, but the others’ suggestions that Es become his new roommate still made him shudder. Three interrogations in a closed space with the rude kid were enough for him, thank you very much.

However, it wasn’t all a relief. He couldn’t help feeling concerned about who they’d gone to live with. Given how cryptic they were being, Fuuta would have been convinced they walked into the woods to find a furry family of Jackalopes or something to raise them –except, they showed up for this walk with clean clothing and internet access. 

“I don’t believe you. You’re fucking with me right now. Why can’t you just tell me who it is?” 

“It isn’t any of your concern. Hey, I thought you swore to stay out of others’ business. You turned over a new leaf and all that?”

“Tch. I meant other people’s business. You’re different.” 

If Es had vanished off the grid like some of the other prisoners, Fuuta wouldn’t have cared. But they were here, near enough to arrange some lame meetup, which meant they were going to remain in his life for a while longer. And that meant, as the model citizen that Fuuta was, he felt responsible for ensuring they didn’t get themselves kidnapped by some creep. 

He asked, “how much do you know about them, anyway? I mean, what kind of person can house a random weird kid on incredibly short notice? That’s definitely suspicious.”

Fuuta pulled the mask up on his face as they turned down a more crowded street. He knew people were going to gawk at his eye anyways, but it still helped him feel like he was blending in. With his thoughts on the injury for a moment, he was glad that bitch Kotoko was one of the prisoners who had gone off the grid. Good riddance.

“I promise, she’s fine. Not weird with children at all. In fact, she’s really good with them, which is why she could help me on such short notice.” They muttered, “but it’s not like I’m that young…”

“That’s still not normal. Is she some old housewife or something?”

“Ah, are you trying to do the interrogation this time? Actually, I’d say she’s around your age.”

“It’s just you two living alone? I’m still worried about Milgram coming looking for us again – can a girl like that really protect you?”

“Is everyone supposed to live with a big, strong man, like you?”

“Wha–!” Fuuta’s cheeks burned red. “That’s not what I –!”

“I’m only teasing. It’s cute that you care about me.”

That only agitated him more. “It’s not cute! I’m being realistic! One of us has to think about your safety while you’re just distracted by some pretty girl.”

“What makes you think she’s pretty?”

“Well, why else would you be so careless in deciding to live with her?”

All of the sudden, he saw it in Es’ eyes: that spark of mischief that Fuuta had come to loathe. He could never tell what they were plotting, but it was never a good sign.

Es held up their hands in mock surrender. They put on a ridiculous, overdramatic voice. “Ah, you caught me, Fuuta! I’m hiding her identity because she’s the most beautiful, capable woman in all of Japan, and I want to keep her all to myself!” 

He groaned, but they weren’t deterred. “She’s got everything, I couldn’t risk you falling for her! She’s quite capable of defending me. She’s very strong, with protective instincts much like your own. She understands our situation like no one else could. She’s got intense eyes, and you wouldn’t believe her singing voice. She enjoys deep conversations, she’s a dog person, she –”

“ – now you’re being the creep! Just shut up, I get it already...”

When they finally had the decency to pull it together, they reassured him. “It’s all true, though. So there’s no need to worry about me. I’m in good hands.”

Good hands, his ass. In only a brief conversation, the caretaker had gone from sounding a little suspicious to sounding way too good to be true… meaning she was extremely suspicious.

“Maybe someday I’ll introduce you, if you’re lucky...”

He turned his eyes away. “At least let me run some background checks on her first.” 

(He would just stalk her on social media, but that still counted.)

“You’re just going to stalk her on social media. That doesn’t count.”

“Eh? I have legit methods!” He hid deeper under his mask.

Even after the topic was dropped, after he and Es parted ways on an awkward goodbye, Fuuta was left thinking about this mystery woman. It took a bit of digging (and maybe a tiny bit of social media stalking) but at last he found where Es lived with this stranger. Contrary to what they may believe, he had turned over a new leaf. There would be no more hiding behind screens or letting others do the confrontation for him. Now that he was a changed person, he’d do the healthy and normal thing with this information: he’d march on down there himself and confront her like a man. 

He made it all the way to the front door with his chin high. He knocked with confidence. 

Then he began to shift nervously. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get the woman’s description out of his head. Sure, he was here to check on Es, but if someone happened to check him out at the same time, it was only right to be prepared… He straightened his shirt collar. He ran his fingers through his hair. He wondered if he should have covered up his eye to look more presentable.

The door swung open. 

The surprise on Kotoko’s face was nowhere near the amount on Fuuta’s.

“Oh, for fucks sake –!”

From somewhere behind her, Es’ laughter rang out.

[chimerafflesia]

re-maxed out yugo and yuri on duel links and finally maxed out ruri :D these three have my favorite decks to play so I'm happy I finally leveled them all :) I'm working on serena and rin next :3

[born-to-lose]

Today was beautiful, I got whiskey, vodka, bacardi razz, 4 coffees, tarot cards and attention on my selfie from the right people

[mortellanarts]

2023 go bye bye

[vampirekilmerfic]

I want a sticker of Price’s super hero landing. 😳 Dead serious. It's one of my favorite images from this whole series.

Also, I just realized, since I support Blue on Patreon, I'm going to have to see the upcoming comics a second time....

negotiations.

early access + nsfw on patreon

[our-inspire-verse]

"We need more realistic ptsd rep so people can stop romanticizing it" or whatever else they all keep sayin. Everyone sayin it these days

*cracks knuckles* i can have a story with SUCH a negative trauma response.

[hinge]

Hinge presents an anthology of love stories almost never told. Read more on https://no-ordinary-love.co

[astonmartinii]

you gotta look out for the quiet ones | oscar piastri social media au

pairing: oscar piastri x fem musician!reader

a surprise appearance from y/n in the formula one paddock raises some questions, but the rumour mill will never guess who she's there to see...

MASTERLIST | TIP JAR

note: olivia rodrigo is the face claim but i'll be pulling from her music as well as taylor swift!

f1

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tagged: yourusername

f1: there's paddock guests and there's paddock guests, y/n y/ln is here for the bahrain grand prix!

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user1: MOTHER WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?

user2: this is not what i expected to see this friday morning

user3: okay i've only ever heard of y/n y/ln through others but like she must be dedicated to be there for friday as well

user4: certified y/n superfan here! y/n has always said she's a massive fan of f1 - she hasn't been asked about it recently but when she was last asked about it she said she grew up loving jenson button!

jensonbutton: @yourusername i see you have amazing taste

yourusername: how could i not love the playboy of f1?

user3: okay she knows what she's talking about, i guess it's time to have a little listen to her music

user5: okay so what garage is she going to be in?

user6: ferrari 🤞🏻

user7: did we not just see this ^^^ she's clearly going to be in the mclaren garage

user8: if she has any sense she'll be in the mercedes garage with sir lewis hamilton

user9: what about the literal world champions?

user10: shut the fuck up (i would like to see max blush and stutter tho)

user11: i love how y/n said she's taking a year off of music after her tour and we're immediately seeing her here, there and everywhere

user12: living her true sports nerd life and i love that for her

landonorris: i promise that mclaren have the best hospitality xx

user13: oh brother are we about to see some lando norris snapchat u up flirting?

alexalbon: this is tragic

georgerussell63: make sure you don't tell her about the massive poster you had of her that you practiced kissing on!

georgerussell63: whoops!

landonorris: i am in your walls george

user14: well.. that was something, i don't think we'll see her in the mclaren garage anytime soon now

logansargeant: @oscarpiastri i hope you brought your vinyl to be signed

oscarpiastri: i didn't want to risk it on the plane, it's limited edition 😔

user15: wait so oscar is also a y/n fan ???

user16: not this mclaren battle for y/n's attention

user17: lets be real, there's no competition here - there's no way she wouldn't choose lando

user18: i'm tired of you people sleeping on oscar (pun intended)

yourusername

liked by oscarpiastri, landonorris and 21,309,784 others

yourusername: i had so much fun the first time round, i thought i'd come by again

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user25: okayyyy i thought the girlies on twitter were delusional but the second race in a row ... i fear there's another incentive

user26: once again, she's been a massive fan of the sport and has a ton of disposable money why wouldn't she go to a load of races?

landonorris: can't wait to see you again this weekend, i'll get you that win i promised

alexalbon: nurse he's talking to himself again

georgerussell63: this is crazy thirsting to do in front of 21 million people

landonorris: i assure you i'll be the one with the last laugh here

maxverstappen1: sure you will buddy, it's good to see you so confident

user27: are they gentle parenting lando?

user28: bro is about to get his heart broken they're actually being good friends

user29: idk i think he's still the one in the paddock with the best shot

user30: i gotta get this delusion all lando fans seem to have

carlossainz55: i think you'd look great in red ❤️

charles_leclerc: oh gosh....

carlossainz55: they don't call me the smooth operator for no reason, just sit back and watch the magic

maxverstappen1: you fucking morons do realise you're proclaiming this in a PUBLIC instagram comment section that everyone INCLUDING y/n can see?

user31: this is a mess ... keep going!

oscarpiastri: i celebrated my win here in 2021 with the release of sour - i know you're on a sabbatical but any chance of a surprise single?

user32: yall getting on lando and carlos for their bad flirting when oscar is stinking up the gaff with his attempts

yourusername: i'm so sorry to tell you this but no surprise single, but i can show you some demos?

oscarpiastri: please, please, please! good 4 u is my scream in the car song

user33: i just know oscar was streaming traitor when his DRS failed for the ten billionth time

oscarpiastri: it went platinum in my car yes

yourusername: i imagine it's even better at 200mph

oscarpiastri: i'd be happy to show you anytime

yourusername: carpool karaoke x hot laps when?

oscarpiastri: name a time and i'm there

user34: why is oscar trying so hard bro she's not going to choose you

user35: and yet he's the only one she replied to ... makes you think

user36: you guys are miserable because i'd literally do anything to see them singing in a car together

oscarpiastri

liked by maxverstappen1, yourusername and 832,988 others

oscarpiastri: jeddah you were okay i guess

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user37: holy soft launch

user38: and right after flirting up a storm with Y/N Y/LN

user39: first of all, oscar is a fan of y/n so it could've definitely been from a platonic point of view

user40: it has to be platonic cause bro had no chance to start with and has a gf ???

landonorris: i'm sorry what is this ?

oscarpiastri: an instagram post, would hope you would know what that is if you're already on the app

landonorris: don't get smart with me mister

oscarpiastri: you got smart first 🤨

landonorris: what happened to my sweet rookie?

oscarpiastri: he's still 23 years old ?

landonorris: i need to meet this mystery woman who has seemed to give you all this sass

user41: prema girlies know that this sass has always been here

user42: but i'm glad it's coming out in f1

yourusername: okay i guess? you slayed mr piastri and i won't hear anything less than that

oscarpiastri: okay it was a bit of a slay

yourusername: a bit?

oscarpiastri: a big slay then

yourusername: stop talking down on yourself otherwise you'll have me to deal with

oscarpiastri: that is not the threat you think it is

yourusername: it's not a threat it's a promise x

user43: excuse me what the fuck was that ^

user44: i can't tell if they're flirting or if y/n just feels sorry for him?

user45: they did get coffee like once this weekend so maybe they're just friends

user46: they have to be because there's no way that is y/n in this soft launch

user47: there's no way oscar piastri could woo the y/n y/ln idk why people are even suggesting it

user48: and i think even flirting with her is a bit weird considering his teammate has made it so obvious he likes her

user49: oscar doesn't seem to be the type to step on toes but we'll see

logansargeant: if that's who i think it is i am going to fight you for not telling me straight up

oscarpiastri: i'll meet you in the parking lot i guess

logansargeant: be there or be square

user50: what does logan know that we don't ???

f1tea

liked by user52, user53 and 11,209 others

f1tea: now she's attended THREE races in a row, i think it's okay to start the conversation about her being with one of the drivers... so here's our theories!

lando: he's been on this train the longest and has the old thirst tweets to back it up. he's been spotted talking to her numerous times at races and has been camping in her comment section since bahrain

carlos: he has also been in her comments since bahrain and has been seen with her in the paddock - less than lando but y/n has worn red a couple times in the paddock so??

lewis: y/n was blushing up a storm when they were spotted together and i honestly think if the age gap wasn't so big they would be so cute together

liam: an outside shout but this guy was stuck to her side the whole time she was at red bull

charles: they have spoken a lot in the paddock, i don't think it's him but omg imagine them together

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user54: not this oscar erasure - i.e. the only driver she's actually interacted with online

user55: if it's oscar i will literally streak across the track at the next race

user56: admin snuck liam in there like we wouldn't notice

user57: idk why they think that liam is a better shout than oscar

user58: i think all the fangirling from oscar defo put him straight into the friend zone

user59: idk about you guys but i've actually listened to y/n's music and her album after her last breakup suggests that she might like someone who appreciates her craft and publicly supports her

user60: yeah but she also deserves a boyfriend that's on her level

user61: oscar is a literal f1 driver?

user60: yeah but he's not cute enough

user62: to YOU

user63: omg just say you have no taste and bounce gosh

user64: how did lando become a frontrunner in this?

user65: i think because he's liked her the longest? and has been the most insistent

user66: i hate to say this but just because you like someone and said it first, does not mean you are entitled to actually date them

user67: i will laugh my ass off if she's not with any of these fools

user68: bro took a year off of music to have some fun and now is linked to everyone and their mum

user69: unfortunately this is the way it goes although if she does become a wag (tho be real, whoever is with her is the wag) i shall be enjoying her paddock outfits

user70: carlos vs oscar i think i've seen this film before

user71: oh trust me off track there is no competition

user72: you people are so mean

user73: oscar will win again, mark my words. i'm not sure if carlos can cry to the fia about that tho

yourusername

liked by landonorris, oscarpiastri and 23,874,093 others

yourusername: getting the real aussie experience down under

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user74: AHHHHHHHHHH A MAN

user75: who the fuck wears jeans on a hammock she needs to run away from this man he's clearly a psychopath

maxverstappen1: you went to see quokkas without me??? does our friendship mean nothing ???

yourusername: it's not considered normal to invite friends to a date

maxverstappen1: boring. i will remember this when you try and get some red bull from our hospitality

yourusername: nO PLEASE

maxverstappen1: no, for this you must suffer through the piss they put in monster cans

this comment was deleted

maxverstappen1: well you should've thought more of our friendship :P

yourusername: you are impossible. no more limited edition merch for you

maxverstappen1: WHAT

user76: for all this love life speculation i am loving this max and y/n friendship

user77: but... the monster comment... it has to be lando right? monster sponsor mclaren

user78: i think this is the most confirmation we're getting right now

user79: they're so cute

oscarpiastri: i am glad the homeland is treating you well :)

yourusername: i've only had one scary insect encounter so win!

oscarpiastri: we'll have to get you some real australian delicacies this weekend

yourusername: i've heard of grandma's baking so i'm excited!

oscarpiastri: we've got a tupperware box with your name on it

yourusername: ugh i love you guys

user80: the monster comment pointed to mclaren but there's only one of them in the comments...

user81: i mean this is a soft launch so it would make sense that lando wouldn't comment if they're trying to throw people off of their scent

user82: the mental gymnastics you people are doing is insane

user83: literally just admit that your driver just doesn't have the sauce like that

user84: and oscar piastri does???

user85: STOP SLEEPING ON HIM HE'S LITERALLY GETTING HER HOME-BAKED GOODS

oscarpiastri

liked by maxverstappen1, yourusername and 2,349,761 others

tagged: yourusername

oscarpiastri: home win means more than you could ever know. and you can stop theorising now, i may be a nerd but i've still got game.

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user89: HHAHHHAHHAHAHAHHA THAT'S MY AUSSIE

user90: stunting his stunning gf on all these delusional fangirls

yourusername: now i can finally say it: I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU

yourusername: and i'm proud of you

yourusername: forever and always

oscarpiastri: maybe i was so fast because i knew there was a literal angel waiting for me back in my garage

yourusername: oh so the other races i came to i just didn't look good enough for you to win :(

oscarpiastri: NO NO NO you're always the most beautiful woman in any room

oscarpiastri: but this time you're wearing my jersey and my name

yourusername: i guess i'll never take it off again

oscarpiastri: you might not take it off, but that doesn't mean i won't

yourusername: ehhhehehhehheeh hurry up in debrief :P

user91: oscar piastri i am so sorry i was not familiar with your game

user92: i for one had complete faith in that bumbling fool

yourusername: as you should, he may have stuttered through the lines, but he's one smooth operator

carlossainz55: that's my nickname? please stop rubbing salt in the wound

yourusername: it was better than your attempts. and better than whatever the fuck you've been doing on the track - keep your dumptruck away from oscar

user93: y/n defending oscar, consider me moved

user94: okay fave celeb couple just dropped

landonorris: HOW LONG HAS THIS BEING GOING ON? HOW LONG HAVE YOU LET ME FLIRT WITH YOUR GIRLFRIEND? HOW DID I LOSE TO YOU?

yourusername: watch your tone.

landonorris: sorry???

oscarpiastri: we've been together nearly a year. i didn't 'let' you flirt with my girlfriend i tried to tell you but you ignored me at every turn. you didn't lose to me, there was never any competition.

yourusername: best year of my life 🫶 and lando i tried to tell you, maybe listen to oscar for once 😭

oscarpiastri: awwwwww i love you 😘

yourusername: i love you too osc xx

user95: not them dancing on lando's dead body 😭

logansargeant: I FUCKING KNEW IT YOU SON OF A BITCH

oscarpiastri: never doubt me again eagle boy

yourusername

liked by maxverstappen1, charles_leclerc and 35,609, 451 others

tagged: oscarpiastri

yourusername: if you saw me ugly crying on live tv - no you didn't. i'm so proud of you osc, my beautiful boy.

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user96: i think y/n was all of us

user97: absolutely screaming at all of the y/n fans on twitter having a meltdown and trying to figure out how f1 works

user98: this was me, am i really going to learn about tyre compounds because y/n is dating a driver? yes!

maxverstappen1: i am very happy for you both but enjoy the win while it lasts oscar i have a score to settle after being ABANDONED on the quokka date

yourusername: once again it was a DATE which is for the two people in the relationship, not the weird third guy with attachment issues

maxverstappen1: well jokes on you i do have attachment issues and now i've latched onto you and oscar which means you're contractually obligated to come to every race now

yourusername: ok?

oscarpiastri: it's okay max with our combined powers, y/n will have to stick around she hates making us sad

yourusername: it's true :(

user99: not lando fumbling yet another lead

yourusername: he never had a chance to begin with

oscarpiastri: 😆

user100: this is another level of teammate psychological warfare

landonorris: i am a victim of a smear campaign

oscarpiastri: smear campaign being you flirting with my girlfriend after she told you she had a boyfriend

landonorris: I DIDN'T HEAR HER

yourusername: i said it multiple times 🤨 and SOFT LAUNCHED OSCAR AND YOU STILL TRIED

georgerussell63: looks like it's back to the poster now lando

yourusername: and for the record ^^ this is very creepy

landonorris: THAT WAS LIKE TEN YEARS AGO

alexalbon: that's what you want us to think ...

user101: i am screaming at them rubbing it in lando's face

user102: kind of deserved LOL but funny nonetheless

oscarpiastri: all things aside, i'm so glad you could be there for my first win! i love you so much and can't wait to spend there rest of my life with you, even if it means my teammate flirts with you everyday

yourusername: i love you too osc, i'm sure you'll win so many more

oscarpiastri: i'm counting on it ;)

landonorris: I AM SORRY HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY IT

yourusername: you gonna let oscar have the upgrades first?

landonorris: no?

yourusername: then i will guilt you at every corner 🤨

fin. i know, i know. guilty as sin is coming but i just wanted to get this out. i had to come home from silverstone early cause of a mechanical dnf (foot stopped working and had heat stroke and a cold at the same time). but i had a great time while i was there and met a load of drivers with lando and alex signing my hat !!!!!

[good-beanswrites]

Just wanted to plant an idea if you wanted a bit of fuel: Mahiru asking Yuno to come to her cell before everything goes down.

Edit: I forgot the ask didn't say it but this is part of Kyanako's incredible Order Of Attack AU!

Didn't mean for this to become a mini Mappi study but here we are ✨ Thank you for the request! I fully intended to write them hanging out, but it's more right before they hang out lol. Went a bit on-the-nose with foreshadowing, but isn't that the fun part? It has become Emotional Over Mahiru Hour...

I kept things vague, but TW for mentioning her boyfriend's state of potential self-harm

Mahiru tried not to act superstitious, she really did. As much as she loved the idea of little luck charms, or avoided easy signs of misfortune, it was easier to keep quiet about such ridiculous things.

Maybe catching a bride’s bouquet meant no guarantees; maybe there was no real harm in stepping underneath ladders, maybe a coin tossed into a fountain had no real magic to its wish. However, the one thing she knew for sure held power was a lucky presence. Being in the right place at the right time could alter everything. And today was the right time for something. There was this waiting in the air. The prison had been holding its breath. Mahiru knew it was time to release it all.

“You must be so lonely, why don’t you let big sis Mahiru keep you company?” She beamed at Amane.

She often recalled the good fortune that she and a certain young man had crossed paths on the university terrace. She used to laugh with him about the wonderful coincidence of bumping into each other outside of the bakery, then the convenience store. 

Though she’d never spoken about it to him, she was also grateful for many occasions where she walked in on him at the precise moment to talk him out of something reckless. She always told him that they’d do everything together. He didn’t need to be alone anymore. 

“I wish to be alone. I need peace of mind to think.” Amane turned away from the cell door.

It was a good thing, too. Mahiru’s smile wasn’t as convincing as she said, “o-oh. Of course.”

She made her way around the panopticon, hearing Fuuta pace his cell in anticipation. He must have felt it too, this holding of breath. 

Or perhaps not. He turned down her offer for a bit of company, including a few more colorful words than Amane had. Mahiru just apologized for bothering him and headed back to her cell. She wasn’t sure where Mikoto was at this hour, but she didn’t feel like smiling through a third rejection.

She shook her head back and forth. She wished the motion could rattle the voices inside, she wished she could shake them all away. With her arms secured in place she could no longer cover her ears. She used to hum to keep them at bay, but lately they’d been too loud to stifle. They just kept on talking.

Their words told her the two were right. Nobody needed her company. No – nobody wanted it. Being together hadn’t helped her boyfriend. In fact, being together had been the very thing that got him killed. No wonder Amane and Fuuta wanted to avoid her. 

So then, this was for the best. She would rather deal with the brief sting of refusal than stumble in one day to find them hurt… or worse. As much as she tried to avoid the superstition of it all, the voices reminded her that her very presence could mean life or death. 

“Mappi, are you alright?” Mahiru hadn’t realized a tear had slipped down her cheek until she hurried to swipe it away in front of Yuno. 

“Hah, I’m fine! Just fine.” It was impossible to fool her, Mahiru had learned, but that never stopped her from trying. 

At least she always spoke tactfully. “Rough morning?”

Mahiru shifted her arms in her uniform, making a small sound of agreement.

“Can I do anything to help? What if I stay with you for a bit? I can do your hair, and…”

The voices were right. Amane and Fuuta knew it, too. Presences did hold power, and Mahiru’s was cursed.

But she would sound foolish admitting such a fear to Yuno. She'd heard plenty from the voices about how stupid and airheaded she was, there was no use in getting the same lecture from someone as grounded as her.

Mahiru managed a weak protest, unable to explain her real reasoning. Yuno was insistent. She didn’t give much of a choice. Could she feel the strangeness of the prison, as well? 

At last, Mahiru allowed her shoulders to sag. Yuno was lucky. And kind. Having her nearby would do her good. Amane and Fuuta would be alright. Mahiru had tried spending more time with them after verdicts were announced. Now, she made a mental note to pull back. If her love couldn’t save anyone, at least she could spare them from her curse. They would be safe. 

“Yes. Please stay. The truth is... I don't want to be alone.”

[kannady]

m y h o m e

pairing: sylus x fem!reader

summary: sylus sabotages your mission, but you unintentionally take things a lil too far

a/n: OH. MY. GOD. i dont have words. its my favourite thing ive ever written. im actually so so proud of it. and i had so much fun writing it. i hope ull love it too! let me know what you think. lovely idea from @sylusbiceps

genre: nsfw content, smut, sylus, love and deepspace, cunnilingus, fingering, oral (male & female receiving), p in v, established relationship, kinda soft sylus, 18+ MDNI.

You blinked in disbelief, staring at the lifeless body at your feet. The sudden gunshot had frozen you for a split second, long enough for your target to crumple to the ground, his breath ragged, then still. You dropped to your knees, pressing hard against the wound, but it was too late. Warm blood seeped through your fingers. You’d failed.

You looked up to the source of the gunshot and your eyes locked onto him.

Sylus.

What the hell was he doing here?

As usual, his face was punctuated with that smug expression. Brows slightly furrowed and a half-smirk tugging at his lips. He took slow and measured steps towards, gun still smoking in his hand. With every step, his eyes raked over you. Eyes boring into your skull, digging into your soul. Sharp and searching.

When he finally reached you, his smug expression was long gone. Instead, it was replaced with something else. Something you rarely got to see. Worry. Sylus looked worried as his eyes searched yours and his hands slowly rose up, calloused fingers brushing your cheeks.

“Sweetie, are you-”

You shoved him hard. “What the hell have you done, Sylus!?” You barked, eyes still lingering on the lifeless body sprawled beside your feet. “I needed to catch him alive!” You couldn’t help but hopelessly fall to the floor, tears were welling up in your eyes. 

The last couple of weeks wanderer attacks had mysteriously increased in the city. That meant a shit ton of workload on the Hunters Association. The man lying dead was your one lead, the only lead.

He kneeled down beside you and gently reached for your hand, but you pulled away. “Sweetie, if I arrived a second too late, I might’ve lost you.” You’d hardly ever heard that tone of voice from Sylus. He cared for you, cared enough to sabotage your mission. Those words should’ve meant something, but right now they just burned.

“Do you know why I’ve been coming home so late the last couple weeks?" You cried out. "Or maybe you’ve been too busy to notice, right? But I’ll tell you why. I worked my ass off to find that bastard and you killed him! I wanted-” 

“I could never-”

“-to catch him alive, Sylus, to stop the wanderer attacks. The city’s on lockdown, did you know that? Or is the leader of Onychinus just too damn busy to give a shit!?” Your voice cracked with fury and helplessness and you broke into tears. You couldn’t catch a glimpse of his face, but you didn’t need to. He just stared at you. Was he angry, surprised, sorry? You didn’t know and at the moment, you didn’t care either. 

You heard a rustle of fabric as he arose and slowly backed into the darkness. Disappearing just as quietly he had arrived A moment later, Tara burst in, breathless. Her eyes darted from you to the corpse, widening.

“I came as soon as I heard! What happened?”

What were you supposed to say? My boyfriend spied on me through his mechanical crow, came to my rescue, killed the target and then vanished? You hated it, but you’d have to lie your way out of this.

“I thought I almost had him, but someone shot him and I-I..” Tara softly held your hand. “But, are you okay? You’re bleeding.”

You were just now realising the stinging pain on your neck. You touched the spot and felt droplets of blood slowly trickling down the wound. It was just a scratch. But if Sylus had been a second late, it might’ve been your throat instead.

Guilt welled up into your heart. You felt awful. But all of your effort and hard work of weeks had been for nothing. Because of him. And you hoped he’d understand it. 

Things were fairly easy to take care of at the Headquarters. Turned out, your lie, technically the truth, was very convincing. You’d caught the guy, but his accomplice silenced him.

***

Sylus stayed up unusually late that night. He wasn’t exactly getting his eight hours of sleep, but he’d never stay up for no reason too. Except this night, he had a reason. He’d obviously known precisely what he was stepping into, but he couldn’t just sit back and see his woman get injured. His intentions were sincere and so was the regret filled in his heart.

So, he stayed up for hours, sprawled on the living room couch, dreading the fact that you might not come home. Maybe you’d want to avoid him, which was understandable. After what felt like an eternity, he heard footsteps. He couldn’t help but feel a sudden surge of joy, as you slowly walked in. The house felt like home now. Without wasting a moment, he scrambled to his feet with the intention of apologising, but all his hopes were shattered before he could even blink an eye. Awkwardly avoiding his gaze, you sprinted to the guest room and shut the door behind you. 

Sylus stood there, agape. What had just happened? He was relieved to see you home, sound and fine. But he felt like an intruder in his own house. He’d rather you drive a stake to his heart and he’d only step closer to you. 

Once again, he was left alone with his thoughts.

***

Why is he still awake!?

You’d purposely been stalling for time, but you never thought he’d stay up till 5 A.M. Usually, if Sylus wasn’t preoccupied with anything, you’d find him snoozing. Seeing him like that hurt you. You felt even more guilty than you were a couple hours ago. You hated to admit it, but he had made the right call. You could have died. And for what? The target would’ve gotten away. 

You wanted to step out, acknowledge your actions and apologise. But your pride and ego wouldn’t let you. You’d said too much to him. You knew your words were harsh, even for someone like Sylus. Harsh enough to hurt him, you’d felt it the way he was looking at you. But he still stayed up to apologise even though it wasn’t his fault. What was so important about the lead? You could find a new one anyway. It wasn’t the end of the world.

It was now or never. You took a deep breath, walked toward the door, but stopped when you heard soft knocks. Your heart skipped a beat.

“Sweetie, I’ve removed my belongings from the room. I won’t get in your way anymore.”

Footsteps fading away and then gone.

***

Everything was ruined between you and Sylus. You’d forgiven him long ago. Hell, you forgave him that very day. And now you sought his apology. You’d dragged this on for two weeks now. But you were too ashamed to actually apologise and you couldn’t understand why. You loved that man, but you hated how you’d treated him. And now you didn’t want to be near him. What if you hurt him more? 

With every passing day, Sylus looked different. You no longer saw that smug, half-arrogant and half-amused smirk. He just looked… blank. Everytime he entered the room, you’d pretend to be mesmerized by the intricate patterns on the sofa. You’d be talking to the twins, but fall silent as soon as you sensed his presence. They had obviously figured out something was tense, but they knew better than to pry.

After three whole weeks, you were exhausted, drained. You craved his company, his soft touches, even his voice, which you’d been deprived of since that night. You loathed how long this had gone for and you loathed yourself for it. You’d apologise to Sylus for that night and for the unnecessary silent treatment. All you had to do was wait for him to come home that night. No more games now.

In the evening, you heard the door open. Not expecting Sylus to be home so soon, you rushed into the living room but were met with the twins who were stomping toward you. Even through their masks, you could see their furious expressions. 

“You need to fix this. Right now!” Luke barked.

“I don’t care how you do that, but this has gone on for way too long!” Keiran joined in.

Confusion was all over your face. “I don’t get it… What happened?”

“Oh, we’ll tell you what happened. We had a very important meeting today and five minutes in, boss is strangling the man with his Evol. For absolutely no reason! We did everything to stop him. Ran around like maniacs, screamed, banged our heads against the wall!” Luke spoke in one breath. Before you had time to process it, Keiran continued. “We’ve had enough, respectfully. So whatever you do, please, fix this. We can’t take it anymore!” 

You could judge by their voices how desperate they were, but you were just as desperate to fix this. You didn’t really need their push-forward, but it was the final nail on the coffin.

“Uh, don’t worry. I was going to talk to him today, anyway. I’ll fix it.” You gave them a weak smile.

“Then you better brace yourself because boss is not in a good mood.”

Great. That was very encouraging, but you weren’t backing out now.

***

Ever since talking to the twins, you were hesitant to take any step. Afterall, you didn’t know how he felt. Was he mad at you, at how you’d treated him or at the fact that you were too full of yourself to apologise? You were terrified at the thought that he wouldn’t forgive you or even worse, wouldn’t acknowledge your presence. Just like you’d done. So you paced around your room, thinking of ways you’d approach him. Nothing seemed effective. You wanted him to feel, truly feel, how sorry you were, how much you loved him, needed him, and regretted every action of yours and every word that left your mouth that night.

At half past eleven, you heard the door open. Your heart skipped a beat and your chest felt tight. You couldn’t remember ever being more nervous than this. Your hands were quivering and your palms were clammy. You were scared. Scared of how things might go. Nevertheless, you were not going to stop. Even if things didn’t go your way, you needed him to know how you felt, that you acknowledged you had wronged him countless times the last three weeks.

You waited for him to go up to the study room and followed a minute or two later. Your legs were losing strength and you could throw up any moment. Somewhere deep down, you knew you were overreacting, but you couldn’t put your finger on it. You were clueless as to why you felt so nervous, terrified. Standing at your door, you contemplated and mentally went over what you were going to say. 

Deep breaths and a knock.

You waited a couple seconds. While you were deciding whether to knock again, go in or leave, you heard a voice call out. “Come in.”

Your heart was beating too fast now, anyone standing nearing you could hear it. You’d hoped to keep everything straightforward and not beat around the bush, but you didn’t even know how you were going to start the conversation.

Taking in another deep breath, you slowly pushed open the door and walked in. There he was. Looking just how you’d left him, hurt and heart-broken. He stood by the desk, cleaning his gun while staring into the distance. As you walked in, his eyes locked onto you. Instinctively, you looked away. 

Your heart hurt now and you wanted to cry. This was your instinctive reaction after looking at the man you adored, craved and would do anything for? Forcing yourself, you turned to look at him. He stared at you blankly. You couldn’t discern how he felt or what he was thinking. But it was too late to back out and you weren’t gonna. 

“Hi.” You tried to lift your lips into an awkward smile.

He tilted his head, trying to read your expressions or maybe your thoughts. “Hi.”

How am I going to do this?

Everything you had prepared was long forgotten now. You just stood there like a statue, fiddling with your skirt. You couldn’t do it while looking at him, your pride and ego were still a stubborn barrier. Taking a deep breath, you spoke out. 

“Sylus, I-I know what I did was wrong and so ungrateful of me. You were right, I could’ve died. I’m so, so sorry for everything that I said and did up till now. I don’t know why I’ve been so stubborn to come clean. Maybe I was too proud to admit I was wrong or maybe I-I… I just want you to know that I really am so sorry and I understand if you don’t want to forgive me or if you want me to move out. That’s totally up to you. I’m not forcing you into any decision. But it’s been weighing on me for weeks now and I feel terrible that I hurt you.” 

You uttered everything in one breath like a parrot. When he didn’t respond, you looked up at him. He placed the gun on the table and slowly walked toward you. You bit your lip. You felt the moment you let out the breath you were holding, you’d burst into tears and that was the last thing you wanted right now. 

Under the bright light, you took a good look at his face. His brows were slightly raised up and his eyes… his eyes were sparkling. The moment he was a step away, he cupped your cheeks and locked his eyes onto yours. His gesture was the last straw and you couldn’t hold back your tears now.

“I’m so sorry, Sylus! You don’t know h-how sorry I am, and I can’t-”

“Shh, sweetie. It’s alright.” He didn’t sound like he usually did. It was almost vulnerable. 

He enveloped you into his arms, while you sobbed uncontrollably into his chest. All your emotions were suddenly bombarding you and you couldn’t do anything but cry them out, while he gently pat your head.

After a few minutes, you pulled away from his warm embrace and met his gaze. “I’m truly sorry, Sylus. I don’t know how to apologise for what I’ve done-”

“It’s okay, sweetie. I was never mad at you.” You frowned, while your eyes searched his. “I should be the one apologising. I ruined that mission of yours.”

“That was nothing! I don’t even care about that anymore. I was going to apologise but I’m sorry it took this long.” You raised your hand to wipe a warm tear that trickled down his cheek. You couldn’t see your man like this. Seeing him hurt, hurt you more. 

You stood on your toes and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. But before you could pull away, he slipped his arm round your waist and deepened the kiss. It wasn’t passionate, but it was proof of how much he missed you and how everything was coming back to the way it had been. 

Out of breath, you both pulled away and you rested your forehead against his. “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you more, sweetie.” And his lips found yours again.

The kiss lingered, soft and tender, a silent promise of forgiveness. Sylus's fingers traced the curve of your spine, pressing you closer as if he feared you might slip away again. His lips moved against yours slowly, savoring the taste of you after weeks of absence.

You sighed into his mouth, your hands sliding up his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath your fingertips. The tension between you had been unbearable, but now, it melted into something else. A slow, simmering heat.

Sylus pulled back just enough to look into your eyes, his thumb brushing your lower lip. "You have no idea," he murmured, voice rough, "how much I've wanted to touch you."

A shiver ran down your spine at the hunger in his words. You pressed forward, capturing his lips again, this time with more urgency. His grip on you tightened, and you felt the shift in the air.

His hands slid down to your hips, lifting you effortlessly onto the edge of his desk. Papers scattered, forgotten, as he stepped between your thighs, his body flush against yours. The hard press of his aching cock against your core made you gasp, and he swallowed the sound with another deep kiss.

"I'm not letting you go tonight,” he growled against your lips, fingers working at the buttons of your shirt. "Not until I've had every inch of you."

You arched into his touch as he peeled the fabric from your shoulders, his mouth following the path of his hands,kissing, nipping, worshiping. His teeth grazed the curve of your neck, right where that wound had been, and you shuddered, remembering how close you'd come to losing everything.

"Sylus," you breathed, tangling your fingers in his hair.

He responded by dragging his tongue over your collarbone, then lower, until his lips closed around one peaked nipple. You gasped, back arching as he sucked gently, his free hand teasing the other. The slow, deliberate way he touched you was maddening, each stroke of his tongue, each brush of his fingers was unraveling you piece by piece.

You tugged at his clothes, desperate to feel his skin against yours. He chuckled darkly but obliged, shrugging out of his jacket and shirt, revealing the sculpted planes of his chest. You leaned forward, pressing your lips to his collarbone, and felt his breath hitch.

"You’re such a tease," he muttered, but his voice was thick with desire.

You smirked up at him before flicking your tongue over his nipple, earning a low groan. His hands gripped your thighs, fingers digging in as you continued your exploration, kissing down his abdomen until you reached the waistband of his pants.

Looking up through your lashes, you made quick work of his belt, then the button and zipper, freeing his cock. He was already hard, thick and flushed, and you couldn't resist wrapping your fingers around him, stroking slowly.

“Fuck,” he hissed, his hips jerking forward.

You leaned in, pressing a kiss to the tip before taking him into your mouth, savoring the weight of him on your tongue. His fingers tightened in your hair, not guiding, just holding, as you worked him with slow, deliberate sucks.

"Kitten," he groaned, his voice strained. "If you keep doing that, this'll be over before it starts.”

You pulled back with a sinful pop, licking your lips. “Then maybe you should take control."

His eyes darkened, and in one swift motion, he lifted you off the desk, carrying you to the nearby couch. He laid you down gently, his hands roaming your body as if re-memorizing every curve. Then his mouth followed. Kissing down your stomach, over your hips, until he reached the apex of your thighs.

He hooked his fingers into the waistband of your panties, dragging them down agonizingly slow before tossing them aside. Then he settled between your legs, his breath hot against your core.

"I've missed this," he murmured before dragging his tongue through your folds.

You cried out, fingers twisting in the cushions as he licked into you, slow and deep, savoring every taste. He took his time, alternating between broad strokes and focused flicks over your clit, building the pleasure until your thighs trembled.

"Sylus, please-” you begged, hips lifting.

He hummed against you, the vibration making you gasp, before sliding two fingers inside, curling them just right. Your back arched off the couch as he worked you with his mouth and fingers, the pressure coiling tighter and tighter.

"Come for me," he ordered, his voice rough.

And you did, shattering with a cry, your body pulsing around his fingers as he coaxed you through it, licking up every drop.

Before you could catch your breath, he was kissing his way back up your body, his cock pressing against your entrance. He paused, forehead resting against yours.

"Look at me," he whispered.

You opened your eyes, meeting his darkened gaze as he pushed inside, inch by inch, filling you completely. He didn't move at first, just held you there, joined, breathing each other in. Then he began to rock into you, slow, deep thrusts that had you clutching at his shoulders, your nails digging into his skin.

"You feel so good,” he murmured, lips brushing yours. “So fucking perfect."

The pace was unhurried, every movement deliberate, every drag of his cock against your walls sending sparks through your veins. He kissed you as he moved, swallowing your moans, his hands roaming,  gripping your hips, skimming your ribs, cupping your breast.

You wrapped your legs around his waist, pulling him deeper, and he groaned, his rhythm faltering for just a second before he regained control.

"Not yet," he gritted out, slowing down even more, drawing out the pleasure until you were writhing beneath him.

"Sylus, I need-”

"I know," he breathed, finally reaching between you to circle your clit. "Come with me."

The combination of his fingers and his cock was too much. You came with a sob, your body clamping around him as pleasure crashed over you. He followed with a groan, spilling inside you, his hips stuttering as he rode out his own climax.

He collapsed against you, both of you breathless, sweaty, and utterly spent. But he didn't pull away, just held you close, pressing kisses to your shoulder, your neck, your lips.

And when you thought it was over, his hands began to wander again, his mouth trailing lower. "Round two?" you asked, already knowing the answer.

He smirked, that familiar, smug expression you'd missed so much. "Sweetie, the night's just getting started."

And true to his word, he took you again. And again. Until dawn crept through the curtains, and neither of you could move.

But this time, when you fell asleep, it was in his arms, exactly where you belonged.

[mercvry-glow]

Want and need (18+)

parings. andrew "pope" cody x reader

summary. you're tired of pope's staring, so this time you give him something to do about it.

warnings. this is an 18+ fic so mdni, unprotected sex, rough sex, p in v, possessive!pope, age gap (pope is late 30s, reader is 25), typical animal kingdom stuff, mentions of drug addiction and drinking (but nothing in depth), pope and reader have wanted each other for a long time and all hell breaks loose, I am not responsible for what you read online, let me know if there's anything else!

notes. I really don't even know what to say, this was really self indulgent but also a shit ton of people asked for this. this is my first time writing smut, so please go easy on me 😭 I love y'all tho and I hope this makes those who asked for this very happy and I'd be more than willing to try for other characters too. as always any and all feedback is appreciated!

wc. 4100+

You were young when you were taken into the Cody household. Barely ten or eleven, chasing the coattails of Baz, Pope, and Julia. They were older, reckless, and way more fun than Deran and Craig in your young mind. You were just a kid back then, all scraped knees and wide eyes, desperate to be seen, to be wanted. And they gave you that—chaotic, dangerous, and messy as it was.

Now, you were older. Maybe not in their eyes, not entirely. To them, you’d always be the kid who used to sneak beers from the cooler and fall asleep on the couch mid-party. But you’d grown. Twenty-five looked good on you. It felt even better.

With the kind of money Smurf funneled your way—whether out of guilt, habit, or because she saw something useful in you—you were living comfortably. Shopping trips in LA with Julia’s old taste still lingering in the back of your mind, a crisp white sports car that purred when you touched the gas, and a room in Smurf’s homethat came with a 12-foot deep pool and too much sunshine. It wasn’t just surviving anymore. You were lounging, tanning, sipping something cold, and living the dream—Cody style.

But even with all of it—the car, the clothes, the pool—you still found yourself looking for him.

Andrew.

He was the one who never really changed. Still guarded. Still intense. Still carrying every unspoken burden like it was strapped to his chest. And even after all these years, you hadn’t outgrown the way he made you feel—safe, seen, even when you didn’t want him to see everything.

Sometimes he’d come by, dropping something off for Smurf, checking on Craig or Deran through you, but his eyes always lingered a little longer when you were around. Not in a creepy way. Just… aware. Like he was always assessing, always measuring how close was too close.

But you weren’t a kid anymore.

And you were starting to wonder if he knew that too.

He was always too worried about Julia or Cath to notice the young girl that gravitated toward him more than his brothers—and that was okay, it had been okay. You weren’t supposed to be seen back then, just allowed to linger. And Pope, for all his walls and rough edges, let you. He never pushed you away, never told you to stop following him like a shadow. But he never really looked at you, either.

Then life changed—fast and hard.

Julia left, tearing a hole right through the Cody family like a storm no one saw coming. She vanished into the haze of addiction, baby in tow, and that was that. Cath and Baz fell into each other in the aftermath, and that burned too—more for Pope than he ever admitted out loud. And when Pope finally cracked under the pressure, when he went to jail after a job went bad, everything fractured. The center couldn’t hold.

Life moved on, and you along with it.

You learned not to wait for anyone. You learned how to handle yourself, how to use what the Codys gave you—protection, money, a name that opened doors and slammed others shut. You carved a place for yourself in the world they ruled. No one questioned why you were there anymore. You weren’t the kid tagging along.

You were a woman now.

And when Pope got out, when he came back into that sun-soaked chaos of a world you both knew too well, he noticed.

Really noticed.

Maybe it was the way you carried yourself now—confident, sharper, always watching like you used to—but from a different angle. Maybe it was the way you didn’t look at him like a lost, broken thing the way everyone else did. Or maybe it was just time. Maybe he finally realized you weren’t following anymore.

You were standing still. And he was the one stopping in his tracks.

"You gonna keep watching me like a creep or are you gonna come sit and talk with me?" you called out, not even turning your head, just lazily lifting your sunglasses as you lounged beside the pool.

Your bikini left little to the imagination—tiny, tied at the hips, glistening slightly from the coconut tanning oil that coated your sun-warmed skin. The scent mixed with the citrusy bite of the cocktail you’d been nursing for the past hour, the condensation from the glass dripping down your fingers as you swirled the straw.

You could feel his eyes on you before you even spoke. He always tried to be subtle, lurking in the doorway or leaning against the fence like he had any real reason to be there. But Pope was never good at hiding his intensity, not from you.

"No one else is here anyway," you added, voice lower this time, laced with something soft—an invitation, not a challenge.

You finally turned to look at him. He hadn’t moved yet, still standing a few feet away like he was weighing his options. Same old Pope. Arms crossed, eyes narrowed, like walking ten feet to a lounge chair might cost him something heavy. But there was something in his expression that wasn’t so guarded now. Something careful. Curious.

“You worried Smurf’s gonna pop out of the bushes or something?” you teased, tilting your head with a little smirk. “She doesn’t care what I do. You know that.”

He shifted his weight but didn’t answer right away, jaw flexing like he was grinding down words before they made it to his mouth. Then finally, he started walking—slow, measured, like he was still deciding if this was a mistake.

But he came anyway and sat right at your feet. 

"What's on your mind?" you asked, nudging him with your pedicured foot—painted a glossy shade of white that caught the sunlight just right. It was playful, meant to break through the stiff walls he always had up. You weren’t trying to push too hard. Just enough to remind him he didn’t have to sit there like a stone.

He didn’t flinch at the touch, just looked down at your foot resting lightly against his jean covered thigh, then back up at you with that unreadable expression he always wore. But there was something different in his eyes. Softer. Or maybe tired.

"Nothing," he muttered, eyes drifting to the water. "Just making sure you’re alright."

You rolled your eyes, “Of course I’m fine, you’re watching over me aren’t ya?”

He didn’t answer, but the faintest flicker of something passed through his eyes—something just shy of a smirk. You caught it, even if he tried to bury it again just as fast.

You leaned back against the lounge, arching your back just a little as you stretched out your legs, your toes still resting against his thigh. “You always do that, you know,” you said, your voice low and smooth, laced with something warm. “Watch me like you’re trying to memorize every move, but never saying a damn thing.”

Pope’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t look away. Didn’t deny it either.

“I used to wonder if it was guilt,” you went on, your eyes locked on him now, studying his face. “Me being around… all the time. If maybe, you thought I was just another thing you had to take care of.”

His gaze finally slid from the pool back to you—slower this time. Steady. That unreadable expression giving way to something heavier.

“It wasn’t guilt,” he said. Voice rough, low enough you almost didn’t hear it over the soft splash of water from the filter nearby.

Your lips curved slightly. “No?”

He shook his head once.

Your foot pressed a little firmer against his thigh, not teasing anymore—more like claiming space, letting him feel the weight of your presence. “Then what was it, Andrew?” you asked, letting his name linger in the air between you like the taste of the rum still on your lips. 

“Why do you still look at me like that?”

Silence stretched for a moment too long. He looked like he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words, and Pope never needed many. He was more action than speech. Always had been.

So you sat up slowly, cocktail forgotten now, your body turned toward him as you leaned forward just enough to let your fingers brush his wrist. His skin was warm. Tense. Alive under your touch.

“I’m not a kid anymore,” you said, softly now, like it was a secret between the two of you. “You can tell me things...”

His breath hitched—so slight, but you felt it. Saw it in the way his hand twitched under yours, like he was holding himself back with every ounce of control he had.

You leaned in a little closer, close enough that he could smell the sweet coconut clinging to your skin, the soft salt of pool water in your hair. “You can touch me now, Andrew,” you whispered, barely louder than the wind rustling through the palm trees overhead. “If you want to.”

His hand moved then, slow and unsure at first, like he was afraid you might vanish if he did. But you didn’t. You stayed right there, watching him, heart pounding in your chest as his calloused fingers brushed your thigh—just a whisper of contact, but it lit a fire low in your stomach.

And he looked at you like he didn’t know how to breathe anymore.

“You sure?” he asked, voice hoarse, thick with restraint.

You nodded, smile turning sultry, sure. “Go ahead.”

And for the first time since you were a kid chasing his shadow, Pope Cody didn’t run.

The tension between you snapped like a live wire—sharp, charged, inevitable.

You shifted, slow and deliberate, rising just enough to swing one bronzed leg over his lap. His eyes followed the movement, hands clenched at his sides like he was trying to stop himself from grabbing you right then and there. But when you settled on top of him, thighs hugging his hips and your hands bracing against his chest, he didn’t move away. Didn’t even blink.

He just stared up at you, jaw tight, pupils blown wide, chest rising and falling like he was caught between every wrong instinct he’d ever had—and the one that felt right.

You leaned in slowly, your lips just a breath away from his, fingers sliding up the sides of his neck, thumbs tracing his jaw. “Tell me to stop,” you whispered, though your tone dared him to.

He didn’t.

So you kissed him.

It started slow—soft, testing. But the second your mouth met his, the switch flipped. His hands gripped your hips like he’d been dying to touch you for years and finally stopped pretending he didn’t want to. You moved against him instinctively, gasping softly when he deepened the kiss, his mouth hungry and rough, like he was trying to swallow every second of the years he’d lost, every second he hadn’t let himself want this.

Your fingers twisted into his curls as you rocked against him, feeling him grow harder beneath you. His groan rumbled in his chest, low and feral, vibrating against your lips. He kissed like he fought—intensely, without hesitation, like nothing else mattered but this moment. But even now, even like this, his touch wasn’t careless.

One hand slid up your back, fingers splayed over your spine, grounding you. The other stayed planted at your waist, as if anchoring himself to you, needing you close but terrified of losing control. You could feel it in the way he held you—like he didn’t want to break you. Like part of him still saw that girl who followed him around, and the rest of him was warring with the woman now straddling him in the late afternoon sun.

You pulled back just slightly, lips swollen, eyes locked on his. “I’m not scared of you,” you breathed.

His eyes darkened. “Maybe you should be.”

You smiled. Slow. Wicked. “But I’m not.”

And then you kissed him again, deeper this time, letting your body press flush against his, the heat between you scorching, undeniable, and no longer something either of you could ignore.

A hand slipped under your bikini top, rough palm closing over one of your tits, you gasped into his mouth. His thumb brushed against your nipple, and the sharp jolt it sent through you had you rocking harder against him, your hands fisting in his shirt.

“Fuck—just take it off me,” you muttered against his lips, breathless, needy.

Pope didn’t hesitate. He tugged at the knot behind your neck, and the top came undone with a quick flick of his fingers. You didn’t even care where it landed—just felt the warm afternoon air on your bare skin and the heat of his gaze as he pulled back to look.

His eyes swept over you like a storm cloud rolling in—dark, intense, and full of want. “You have no idea what you do to me,” he rasped, voice strained as he leaned in, lips brushing the swell of your chest.

Your fingers threaded into his dark curls, nails gently scraping his scalp as he sucked a mark into your skin, his stubble rough against your soft flesh. You moaned low in your throat, head falling back as he worshiped you with his mouth, biting, licking, claiming.

“You’ve always been mine,” he muttered, more to himself than to you. 

You looked down at him, your body flushed and burning, heart pounding so loud you swore he could hear it. “Say it again,” you whispered, grinding down against the bulge in his jeans.

And in the next second, he surged up, one arm wrapping around your waist as he stood, lifting you with him like you weighed nothing. You wrapped your legs around him instinctively, breath catching as his mouth returned to yours—urgent and possessive. He didn’t say another word as he carried you inside, but his kiss said everything. Every step was heavy with purpose. Like he’d finally given in to what he’d been fighting for years.

He pushed the sliding door open with his foot, barely breaking stride as he carried you inside, your bare chest pressed to him, his lips never straying far from yours. The house was quiet, golden sunlight spilling across the hardwood floors as you clung to him, your fingers tugging at his shirt, desperate to feel skin against skin.

By the time he made it to your bedroom, the tension had hit a fever pitch. He laid you down on the edge of the bed, standing between your thighs, eyes sweeping over your half-naked body like he couldn’t decide whether to worship you or ruin you.

You propped yourself up on your elbows, heart thudding, watching the way his hands shook slightly as he pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it to the floor. The way his chest rose and fell, same as your own, like he was holding back something dangerous.

"You look like you're about to bust," you said with a teasing smirk, voice low and breathy.

“I am,” he said simply, stepping closer, his hands sliding up your thighs, thumbs brushing the edges of your bikini bottoms. “You’re driving me insane.”

“Then lose the rest,” you whispered, voice nearly a dare.

He hooked his fingers under the ties, and with one smooth tug, the last piece of fabric between you was gone. You leaned back slowly, watching his eyes drag over every inch of you, hunger and restraint warring in his expression.

Then he was back on you, like wet on water.

Mouth on yours again, harder this time, kissing you like he was drowning and you were air. His hands roamed everywhere—your waist, your hips, the inside of your thighs—like he couldn’t touch enough fast enough. And you didn’t want him to stop. You wrapped your legs around his slim waist, pulling him closer, grinding against his buldge pressed between you. He was rock hard. 

Every kiss, every touch felt like years in the making—pent-up tension finally snapping in the heat of that bedroom. You moaned into his mouth, nails digging into his back as he pushed you further onto the bed, hovering over you like he wanted to devour you whole.

“Fuck—tell me you want this,” he growled against your neck, voice ragged.

“I’ve always wanted this,” you breathed, eyes locked on his. “I’ve always wanted you.”

He crashed his mouth against yours again, and this time, there was no hesitation—just raw need, years of it unraveling all at once. His weight pressed you into the mattress, solid and grounding, as if he was trying to make sure this was real. 

That you were real. 

That after all the years of watching, waiting, denying, he could finally touch you the way he’d needed to.

Your hands were everywhere—his back, his chest, tugging at the waistband of his jeans with trembling fingers until he groaned against your skin. “Jesus, kid,” he muttered, breaking the kiss just long enough to yank them off with a rough urgency, kicking them away as he settled between your legs again.

You arched up into him, your body already aching, your thighs spreading to welcome him as he hovered over you. There was a flicker of hesitation—his eyes searching yours, his thumb brushing your cheek in a moment of quiet, reverent pause.

“You sure?” he asked, voice low and gruff, but laced with something almost tender.

You reached up, fingers curling around the back of his neck as you pulled him back down to you. “Fuck me,”

That was all he needed.

He tugged on his cock a few times before sliding into you slowly, carefully, and your head fell back with a soft cry—his name spilling from your lips like a prayer. He filled you completely, a delicious stretch that had your nails digging into his shoulders, your legs tightening around his waist.

He didn’t move right away—just held himself there, forehead pressed to yours, breathing hard, like he was memorizing every second. “You feel like… fuck,” he whispered. “You were made for me.”

And then he started to move.

Slow, deep thrusts that left you gasping, your hands clutching at him like he was the only thing tethering you to the earth. He kissed your neck, your collarbone, the swell of your chest, his hands gripping your hips with a bruising intensity, pulling you closer every time he drove into you.

“You’ve always been mine,” he murmured against your skin, lips brushing your ear. 

Your heart twisted, heat building, rising between you in waves. You met every thrust, your bodies moving in sync like they were meant to be tangled like this. And as his pace quickened, rougher now, needier, you clung to him—your body trembling, your voice breaking as the edge drew closer.

“Pope—” you gasped, barely able to get his name out before it hit you. A rush of heat, pleasure, everything blurring as your back arched as you came, orgasm tearing through you, raw and electric.

He wasn’t far behind—groaning into your neck, his rhythm faltering, then stilling as he found his own release, his entire body shuddering above you.

The room was quiet except for the sound of your breath and the faint rustle of sheets. Pope didn’t move for a while—just rested there, head buried against your shoulder, arms still wrapped around you like letting go might shatter the moment. When he finally looked at you again, something had shifted. There was no going back.

His grip on your waist tightened as he thrust deeper again, rougher now—no more holding back. His mouth was at your throat, breathing you in like he needed your scent to stay sane, his teeth grazing your skin as he growled, “You don’t know how long I’ve fucking waited for this.”

You moaned, your fingers tangled in his hair as you clung to him, legs locked tight around his hips once again. “Fuck-ddon’t stop,” you whispered. “Show me.”

That snapped something loose in him.

“You want me to show you?” he rasped, voice thick with hunger. “You think I can be gentle with you now? After all these years, watching you walk around in those little shorts, laughing like you didn’t know what you were doing to me?”

His hand slid up your body, wrapping lightly around your throat, thumb resting on your jaw as he looked down at you, eyes blazing. “This body’s mine now. Say it.”

Your lips parted, breath hitched, your voice shaky, “It’s yours- fuck! All yours,”

“Damn right it is,” he grunted, thrusting into you hard enough to knock the air from your lungs, his other hand gripping your thigh and hitching it higher around his waist. “You’ve always been mine, I knew I’d take you like this.”

You cried out, body burning under his every touch, the filth of his words twisting deliciously in your stomach.

“You like that?” he growled against your ear, biting your lobe before sucking it. “You like me talkin’ to you like this? Fuckin’ you like you were made for it?”

“Y-Yes—God, yes—Pope,” you gasped, head swimming as he hit deeper, angling his hips just right to make your toes curl.

“I don’t want anyone else lookin’ at you like this,” he snarled. “No more showing off at that pool like you’re just some pretty slut.”

“Wh-why? You jealous?” you teased, barely able to keep your voice steady as your back arched into him.

He bit down on your shoulder—not enough to break skin, just to mark you. “I own you.”

With that, he flipped you onto your stomach in one rough motion, dragging your hips back until you were up on your knees, face pressed into the sheets. You gasped, the new angle hitting something brutal, perfect, as he thrust back in with a groan.

“This is mine,” he growled, one hand fisting in your hair, the other gripping your hip so hard you knew it’d bruise. “You’re mine.”

The way he said it—like a promise, like a warning—you believed every word.

“Fuck- I get it—Oh my god!” you gasped as he tugged on your hair, hips barely able to meet his harsh pace. 

“You’re so fucking tight,” he groans out, bucking even harder as he fucks you with intent. You pant, eyes fluttering as he continues his brutal rhythm that’s hard enough to shake the bed frame. 

You’re not even in your own body anymore, the sound of skin on skin filling the room. The once lavender scent of your room, now replaced with sex and what lingured of Pope’s cologne. 

He slides a hand down between the two of you, thick fingers catching on your clit as he rubs in tight circles bringing you closer to your next orgasm. 

“I- fuck Andrew… I’m- I can’t!” you moan into the bed, fists wrapped in the sheets like your grip will somehow alleviate the growing feeling in your stomach. 

“Cum for me baby, I want to feel you.” he head dips to your shoulder blades, kissing down your back as he eases you to the brink once again. 

It’s a white hot feeling as it rips through you, but Pope doesn’t stop. He fucks you through it, pulling back just enough only to slam back into you one last time. 

He tenses, body stiff as he gives you a few more sloppy thrusts as he cums inside you—thick, hot, and everything you want as he pulls and lays beside you taking a few deep breaths. 

You can feel him dripping out of you, but you don’t care. Too spent, you take your time before turning to look at him. Pope’s curls are a mess, though you’re sure your own hair isn’t much better. 

It’s silent for a while.

 you’re cuddled up to him, tracing little shapes on his chest with his arm thrown around you. It keeps you close to him, like maybe you’ll disappear if he’s not touching you in some way. 

“Why’d you let me do that?” His voice is soft and gravely, but genuine all the same. 

“Believe it or not, I’ve wanted you to do that forever…” you give him a small smile, still tracing your little shapes into his freckled skin. 

He sighs, something deep and heavy laced in it. “I’m not good for you,” he mutters. 

“I think I can decide that for myself,” you shift your head to look up at him, deep hazel eyes meeting your own. 

His lips capture yours in a kiss, something softer than earlier but the meaning is still the same. 

You're his, and honestly you don’t really mind it. 

mercvry-glow 2025

[blueanim]

Jax's Bedroom - FAN Concept Renders @kovox @gooseworx

I've created an entire backstory & collection of headcanons surrounding his room, so if you'd like to learn more, then please keep reading! :)

His sleeping area is made up of various stolen objects.

End Table: Stolen from Kaufmo after he abstracted.

Lava Lamp: Stolen from Zooble as a prank after they had just arrived.

Room Divider: "Borrowed" from Queenie, but never gave it back because she abstracted.

His closet contains several copies of his signature overalls. He's basically Spongebob.

His desk area contains various stolen items:

Bowling Ball: Stolen from Kaufmo after he abstracted (Ep.1)

Dobby's Pet Bowl: Stolen from Dobby (abstracted dog) to make himself feel less self-conscious about Caine giving him a food bowl.

Gangle's Broken Mask: After Gangle first arrived to the Circus, Jax learned he could very, very easily break her happy mask. The one you see here is the first EVER broken happy mask.

Caine's Staff: Jax stole this while Caine lagged out for a few seconds. He didn't realize and instead just spawned in a new one.

His dresser also contains a few items, most of which aren't stolen but still worth mentioning:

Many pairs of his own gloves… don't ask why.

Whipped Cream Pies for pranking

Another stolen Gangle mask

Here, we have all of his stolen keys! He really does have keys to everywhere 👀

And finally, we have a totally-not-suspicious hole into the void! When Jax first arrived in the Circus, he spotted a tiny hole in the corner of his room.

Over the years, the hole has expanded and is now a pretty big hazard. He's been using it as a trash can, though. He doesn't care that much.

The exit door you see here is the one from the pilot, seen when Pomni was having a tour. Jax went out to the Grounds for a swim and spotted that exit door. He took it into the Tent and placed it in his room without anyone noticing.

After discovering there was nothing on the other side, he wrote "Not An Exit Door" on it and placed it against the wall.

Thank you for reading my hyperfixated ramblings! I hope it was enjoyable for you, and I had a ton of fun putting this together. :)

[lucydixon]

Welcome to Hellfire

Summary: Two freshman convince you to join them at Hellfire despite you never having played before. You're weary at first, but jump at the chance once you learn that Eddie Munson, who you've been crushing on all year, will be there.

“Can you please, please, please come play DND with us tonight?” a voice came from right behind you.

You were pretty sure that they weren't talking to you, but when you turned around, two sets of brown eyes were staring right at you.

You found yourself staring back at a pair of Freshmen who you’d never spoken to before in your life. One of them, you were pretty sure, was Nancy Wheeler’s little brother. 

“Do I know you?” Your brows pulled together. 

“Probably not.” The taller of the two said, looking far too hopeful. “But we really, really need a third, and nobody else can do it.” 

“So you’re just asking everyone?” You tilted your head slightly. “I don’t even know what that is. I don’t know how to play.” 

“At this point, we’re desperate.” The smaller one spoke with a heavy lisp. “It doesn’t matter whether or not you can play. Eddie’s gonna kill us if we show up one man short.” 

“Eddie Munson?” You perked up a little, and both boys looked shocked. 

You’d always had a bit of a crush on the older metalhead but found him too intimidating to approach.

“Yeah…” little Wheeler trailed off, “He’s our DM.” 

“DM?” 

“Dungeon Master.” His friend clarified. 

“You’re making this sound like some kind of sex cult.” You raised a brow and chuckled when they both turned pink. “Explain.” 

“It just means that he runs the club. Hellfire club.” They gestured towards their shirts, still blushing. “We play Dungeons and Dragons.”

“I still don’t understand.” 

“You haven't said no yet.” 

“You’re right, I haven’t.” You nodded, looking amused. 

“Please?” They gave you the puppy eyes, and you sighed dramatically. 

“You’re sure they won't mind you bringing some rando?” 

“No!” 

“It’ll be fine!” 

They spoke at the same time. 

“Yeah, I guess. It’ll probably be more fun than the stupid basketball game.” You shrugged finally and flinched when they started jumping up and down and cheering. 

You almost regretted agreeing when you found yourself holding a massive book full of information about the game and how to play, but the prospect of breathing the same air as Eddie Munson and having him know that you exist kept you from running for the hills. 

The boys, whom you now knew as Mike Wheeler and Dustin Henderson, were talking a mile a minute, trying to explain things to you while you desperately tried to absorb even a shred of information. 

When it finally came time to ditch the basketball game and follow your newfound teammates down the hallways of Hawkins High, you were a little nervous. 

You really had no fucking clue what you were about to walk into and the brief, yet extensive rundown you’d gotten hadn’t really left you understanding anything outside of it’s a game, not a sex cult, and that there are a shit ton of different dices. 

What you had not expected was to walk into the drama room and lock eyes with Eddie Munson, perched on a throne. 

Yes, a throne. 

His brows immediately pulled together in confusion, and your cheeks started to warm. 

He knew you. You were in a few of his classes this year, and he’d spent enough time staring at you to know that you were not dorky enough to be willingly standing there with two of the freshmen he’d taken under his wing.

“Uh, what’s this?” He tore his gaze away from you to look at the boys. 

“You asked for a sub.” Mike gestured towards you, “We delivered.” 

“That’s not a sub,” He groaned after a minute, “That’s a hostage.” 

“Jesus Christ, she looks like she’s being held at knifepoint!” 

“She is not a hostage.” You interjected, unable to help but laugh. “I am a willing participant. Just, for the record.” 

Eddie opened and closed his mouth a few times like he didn’t know what to say. 

“Wheeler, Henderson!” He called the boys over to the throne, finally, “Get over here.” 

Dustin gave you an encouraging thumbs up before crossing the room, leaving you standing there awkwardly. 

“What the hell is this?” Eddie hissed lowly once the boys were standing in front of him. 

“Nobody else wanted to play!” Mike exclaimed 

“So you kidnap the poor girl?” His eyes darted over to you, then back to the younger boys. “Absolutely not.” 

“We didn’t kidnap her!” Dustin insisted, “She was all for it when she heard you were gonna be here.” 

“What?” He faltered, looking genuinely taken aback. “Why?” 

“She’s like totally into you, man!” 

“She is not.” He looked over again. 

“She is too.” Mike corroborated, “Lit up like a Christmas tree, and that was before we clarified that this is not a sex cult. She wants you. For real.” 

“Really?” Eddie still looked like he didn’t fully believe them, but it was clear that his interest had been piqued. 

“Yes!” They both cried at the same time. 

“Does she know how to play?” 

“Kinda.” Dustin shrugged, “As much as we could teach her between lunch and now.”  

“Good enough.” Eddie sprang out of his throne and nudged them aside to saunter over to you and hold his hand out for you to shake. 

“Welcome to hellfire.” He grinned. 

You slapped your hand into his and almost jerked away. 

It was like an electric current had flowed through every nerve that made contact with his skin, and when you locked eyes, it became clear that he’d felt it too. 

Neither of you let go, though. 

Not until the other players started clearing their throats and giggling amongst themselves. 

You looked away at the same time and gathered around the table. 

The prospect of embarrassing himself in front of a pretty girl did not stop Eddie Munson from getting into full Dungeon Master character, especially when he saw how entertained you looked. 

It very quickly became apparent that you did not know how to play, but your enthusiasm, despite being completely lost, more than made up for it. To everyone’s surprise, he allowed the boys to play for you help. And let you just throw the dice whenever it was your character’s turn, even if you had no clue what the numbers meant. 

The rest of the players were happy to let you sit there and look pretty, even if it was proving to be a bit of a distraction. 

“The hooded cultists chant,” Eddie narrated the game so dramatically that he had you fully engrossed, at the edge of your seat.

"Hai, Lord Vecna. Hail, Lord Vecna." 

“They turn to you, remove their hoods. You recognize most of them from Makbar. But there is one you do not recognize, his skin shriveled, desiccated.”

“And something else.” Eddie rose from his throne theatrically, growing louder, “He is not only missing his left arm, but his left eye!”

The boys all started screaming, and despite having no idea why, you gasped as if you did. 

Eddie found it incredibly alluring. 

“Vecna’s Dead!” Dustin shouted, eyes wide in disbelief. 

“He was killed by Kas!” 

“So it was thought, my friends.” Eddie lowered himself back into his throne, laughing maniacally, “So it was thought.”

“But Vecna lives.”

He waited for the clamouring to die down before continuing. 

“You’re scared. You’re tired. You’re injured.” He murmured, drawing them all in. 

“Do you flee Vecna and his cultists? Or do you stand your ground and fight?” 

You looked at the rest of the players, very much aware that you didn’t know enough to cast a vote, and Eddie took the oportunity to stare. 

He couldn’t believe you were sitting across from him.  

You, with your kind eyes and dazzling smile. 

You, with your genuine enthusiasm and lack of judgment, despite this being one of the nerdiest games in the world. 

You, getting along with his friends as if you’d been in the fold for years and not just mere hours. 

You, whom he’d been eyeing since the start of the year, but he was convinced would never go for him. 

Eddie couldn’t believe that you not only knew who he was, but had agreed to get dragged into a game you knew nothing about by two freshmen just because he’d be there. Wasn’t sure if he fully believed it really. 

Maybe you were just too kind and had taken pity on the poor boys. 

He’d been swindled by the puppy dog eyes once or twice himself. He knew how persuasive they were when they wanted to be. 

There was no explaining away the feeling of shaking your hand, though. 

That was something. 

Surely, you’d felt it too. 

The look you’d shared may as well have been a mirrored image. 

He was torn from his thoughts by the chanting of the club. 

They’d decided to fight.

You were so invested in the game that you almost felt like you understood what was happening. 

You cheered when your teammates landed a hit and cried out in frustration whenever Eddie cackled and slapped a figurine off the board to signal a miss. 

It came to a point where you were down to two players left on the board, and Gareth called for a timeout as if it were a sport.  

Somehow, you were one of the two. 

“Guys, I hate to say this.” Jeff grimaced. “But we’ve got to flee.” 

“I concur.” Gareth immediately agreed. 

“Whoa!” You gasped, “What happened to ‘to the death’?” 

“That wasn’t literal!” 

“Vecna just decimated us.” Doug shook his head. “We can’t kill him with just two players.” 

“You too?” Dustin groaned, “He only has 15 hit points left. Don’t be Pussies.” 

“Pussies?” Jeff hissed, “Really? Cause we’re not Delusional?” 

“Hey!” Eddie shouted from his throne, drawing all of your attention. “If I may interject, Gentlemen, Fair lady.”

You bit back a smile, trying to be serious and failing miserably. 

“Whilst I respect the passion, you’d be wise to take Gareth the Great’s concerns to heart. There is no shame in running.” 

“Don’t try to be heroes,” He pouted condescendingly. “Not today, ‘kay?” 

You all blinked at him for a moment. 

“One sec.” Dustin held out a finger, and the huddle resumed. 

“What do you think?” 

“How many hit points do you guys have left?” Mike turned to you and Dustin. 

You glanced down at the little notebook you’d been keeping track in and answered at the same time as Dustin. 

“Twelve.”

“It’s risky as hell.” Mike shook his head thoughtfully. “But you’re the ones on the battlefield. So, it’s your call.” 

“What do you say?” Dustin asked you. 

“I say fuck it.” You shrugged, smiling mischievously, “What've I got to lose?.” 

“Screw it.” Dustin nodded, breaking the huddle “Let’s kill the son of a bitch.” 

“The chances of success are 20-1,” Doug argued when you all crowded around the table. 

“Never tell me the odds.” Dustin held a hand out to stop him.

The boy turned to Eddie with a determined look on his face and muttered, 

“Give me the D-20.”

Eddie threw it, smiling in pure amusement. 

He clearly didn’t think that the rest of you would be winning anything. 

Dustin shook up the dice in his fists, blowing into them for luck. 

It rolled across the table, and you all watched with bated breath, screaming ‘NO’ collectively when it landed on an 11. 

“That’s. A. Miss!” Eddie banged his head to emphasize each word, cackling while you all absorbed the loss. 

“Shit!” Dustin slapped his figurine off the table angrily. 

“It’s all you, princess.” The Dungeon Master watched you through Strands of long hair with a crazed look in his eyes. 

“You trying to distract me with your sweet talk, Munson?” You cocked a brow, keeping your cool despite your insides melting at the pet name. 

“That depends,” He squinted at you playfully, “is it working?” 

“Nope.” You tore your eyes away with great difficulty. “I’m feeling lucky.”

“No pressure,” Dustin rested a hand on your shoulder, “But the fate of this party rests on you.”  

“Dustin?” You muttered sweetly. 

“Mhmm?” he hummed, dreamily. 

“Shut up.” 

“Yes, ma’am,” he nodded tightly,  and took a step back.

“Okay,” You muttered to yourself, plucking the D-20 off the table to cradle it in your hands. 

They all watched you cup your hands together and shut your eyes, whispering into your palms as if you were speaking directly to the dice before shaking them. 

When you finally let it fly, you felt like everything was moving in slow motion, even the pleas and prayers of the rest of the party. 

You held your breath and braced your palms on the edge of the table, gripping it so hard that your knuckles were going white. 

Eddie was doing the same thing at the other end of the table, watching just as intently. 

The dice rolled to a stop, and the room erupted in screams so loud they made your ears ring, but you didn’t care because a startled, victorious cackle tore its way out of your throat.

20. 

“Crit hit!” Dustin howled, throwing his arms around your waist, jumping up and down in elation. 

Eddie scoffed out a laugh, grinning like a madman. 

“That’s why we play!” He jabbed a finger in your direction, then bowed theatrically while you beamed back at him.

Dividers by @saradika-graphics GIF by @nicostiel Part 2 Masterlist