#Ray's Requests

[accidentally-in-fictional-love]

For your ask game ~ 📖 🦉 🔞

Worth the Risk - Jack Delroy/Reader

Warnings: Female reader, no use of Y/N, making out, almost fully clothed grinding, clothed fingering, bit of exhibition/voyeurism, vaginal sex.

Wordcount: 6317

Summary: He'd given you his card, invited you to the studio with the promise of a good time, and the show had been amazing for sure, but did the night really have to end once the cameras turned off?

Notes: I really wanted to write this the other day but I was too sleepy and went to bed early y'know like a baby �� anyways I've been wanting to do a sequel to Susceptible since I first posted it and somehow it ended up even longer so this is for you hehe hope you enjoy~ 💗💗💗

Wait for me by the back entrance at 11:00 Phil will let you in JD

You don’t know how many times you’d looked at the card he handed you since that night, but the corners were starting to bend and the pen marks were beginning to smudge, just a little. You forced yourself to leave it be as you checked your appearance one last time, the mirror by the front door to your apartment offering its final encouragement as you decided there was nothing left you could do to delay your departure before you were late. As soon as you were out the door you had to resist the urge to sprint, your heels sending muffled echoes down the hall as you headed straight for the elevator, a kindly old woman holding it for you with a smile. 

You had the sense to call a cab early so you wouldn’t have to risk waiting and missing your 11PM deadline, the car stalling right outside the door as you waved to the driver and got inside. ‘Fiske Studios, please,’ you tell him, the small building owned by a branch of UBC now very well known thanks to a certain Mr. Midnight. Your leg bounced the entire way there, the card once again in your hands as you stared out the window, neighbourhoods giving way to open city streets, more cars circling around you like a school of fish. You hated driving in the city, it was the main reason why you dedicated so much of your paycheck to cabs, but tonight you were starting to wish you’d driven yourself as you hit the tenth red light in a row.

The driver sensed your anxiousness as you bit your lip for just a split second before your purse was opened and your lipstick was uncapped, the tiny mirror in your hand reassuring you that it’d be fine, you looked great, it was an easy fix. ‘Hot date tonight?’ he asked over his shoulder, his voice startling you a little as you snapped the mirror shut again.

‘Uh, going to a live show, actually,’ you said cautiously, avoiding a yes or no to his question; it’d be too presumptuous to say yes, but god if you didn’t want to hope. ‘I’m meeting a few friends there, don’t wanna be late and all.’

‘Oh, well, girl’s gotta have some fun on a Friday night, I guess,’ he said as he looked you over in the rearview, your coat pulled a little tighter over your shoulders as you forced a smile and tried not to look to disgusted; this was yet another reason why you were so fond of Jack Delroy, he’d never make you feel that way, what with him being such a gentleman and all.

The memory of the night you met made you shiver briefly as the hallucination flashed through your mind again, the false feeling of his hands on you having haunted you all week. You sucked in a very long breath through your nose as you willed the pink to leave your cheeks again, the last thing you needed right now was this guy seeing you get covered in goosebumps and assume it was because of what he’d said. You actually hadn’t been able to watch Night Owls since that night, feeling almost guilty about it even though there was no way he would know you hadn’t seen all the exciting things he’d been talking about. You’d tried last night, but as soon as the wall had opened and he’d strolled on out with that smile and his eyes instantly finding the camera you’d become a right mess way too fast and had to turn it off again, your heart pounding and your legs pressed uncomfortably tight together just at the sight of him.

Goddamn you Carmichael Haig.

The studio came into view with the latest turn and you readied yourself to get out, money already in hand by the time the car had stopped. The bill was settled and you stepped out into the cool night air, cutting off the driver’s wish for you to have a good night with the slamming of the door, and you took a look around and tried to guess which way would lead to the back door he’d mentioned. You waited until the car was out of sight, pretending to see your ‘friends’ so it wouldn’t look like you were about to walk down a dark alley by yourself, another deep breath exhaled sharply as you summoned up all of your courage and headed to the right.

It was a large alley, big enough for a car to drive down and reach the parking lot out back, which thankfully held just as many people walking about as the front did. A lot of them favoured a large, metal door up a tiny flight of stairs, keycards flashed to unlock it before it was held open for several people at a time, everyone helping each other in the most efficient of ways. You had no idea which one Phil was supposed to be, and if you waited too long you might get pinned as a fan trying to sneak in, so the next time someone approached the area you were lurking in you got the card back out and held it out to him.

‘Um, I’m supposed to find Phil?’ you said uncertainly, the man looking you over before taking the card. ‘Ja- Mr. Delroy told me to meet him here.’

‘How’d you meet Jack?’ he asked, clearly recognizing the handwriting but wanting to be certain all the same as he handed it back to you.

‘At Carmichael Haig’s show, we got to talk for a little bit,’ you explained, your nerves starting to rise the longer you were out there, the paranoia that you wouldn’t be able to get in starting to rise in your chest.

‘Ohhh, so you’re the one he was telling Gus about,’ the man said with a grin, your back straightening at the very thought of Jack talking about you with anyone, let alone with someone in a public place. ‘Yeah, he told me to expect someone, I’ll take you up there now if you help me carry something, save me a trip?’

You agreed to his terms, the man apparently being Phil as he shook your hand and handed you the box he was balancing on one arm as you talked. He quickly jogged back to his car to grab another box before returning to you, the door held open for you both as you squeezed past another employee and followed him through the maze of hallways and way too many doors to count. The studio itself was actually on the second floor, the first dedicated to offices and meeting rooms and other businessy things, the elevator able to just barely let you both cram inside as everyone got ready for the taping.

‘Is it always this hectic?’ you asked before you realized you were even opening your mouth, Phil just laughing and adjusting his box.

‘Every single night.’

Once the elevator had pinged and the doors had slid open, Phil then led you through a few more hallways until he pushed through a locked STAFF ONLY door, even more people on the other side, although there was more to the area back here, your eyes widening when it hit you that this was the back of Jack’s set. Phil noticed your excitement and set his box down on the nearest table, taking yours in another swift movement before motioning towards the slightly ajar wall panel; the audience’s seats were just in view through the crack, some people already coming in and finding their spots, and you were just in the middle of wondering if you should attempt finding an empty one when you felt a hand on your shoulder.

‘Quite the view, isn’t it?’

You turned to see Jack standing behind you, a look of pure bliss on his face as he watched the band get ready, Gus talking to someone and going over scripts off to the right, the few audience members chatting with each other as they guessed what they’d see that night. He truly loved this job, you could tell he did even after doing it for so many years, and seeing him so in love only made you love him even more. He looked down at you then, a fondness in his eyes as he gave your shoulder a squeeze and led you around back, a little tour before you had to leave him.

‘I’m glad you came,’ he admitted as you took everything in, everyone shifting their gaze towards the both of you as long as they thought they could get away with it. ‘Been looking forward to tonight all week, what did you think of the lineup?’

‘I, uh-’ you trailed off as he pulled you out of the way of a staff member carrying the requested items for tonight’s guest, your coat suddenly feeling way too warm to still be wearing inside. ‘I missed out on them, actually, been a busy week,’ you lied, avoiding his face as your cheeks lit up; you were not about to tell him that it was because looking at him made you remember how he’d felt pressed up against your waist, even if it was fake.

A shiver ran up your spine as you then realized that the heat against your back very much wasn’t however.

‘I’ll have to tell you all about it later, don’t want you missing out on anything,’ he said with a grin, your lips trembling as you tried to keep your smile from getting any bigger. There was no way he’d actually do that, he had to be too busy to entertain you when the PMs turned to AMs, but it was a nice thought indeed.

‘I’d like that,’ you admitted either way, happy to live in the fantasy for just a little bit at least.

‘Jack!’ someone called from just out of sight, a curly-haired man in sunglasses hunting him down with expert precision as he hurried over. ‘Gus just told me you’ve been saving seats all week, you wanna explain why that is?’

‘And there’s my cue,’ he whispers in your ear before using your shoulders to turn you and guide you back to the slit in the wall. ‘Middle front row, furthest left seat,’ he whispered before pushing you to the other side, his attention turned to his producer as he descended upon him for losing them money. You listened for just a second before it hit you that you were there, you were really there, your mouth dropping open as you slowly spun to check out the Night Owls set. People were whispering about who you might be but you didn’t care, not leaving until you heard Gus clear his throat and ask what you were doing.

‘Finding my seat,’ you mumbled, although maybe it had come out as nonsense in your delighted stupor, you couldn’t be sure at the moment.

‘Okay, do you have a ticket?’ he asked, still so polite even though he was very much confused. You just held up the card again, your eyes going higher as you stared at all the lights. ‘I see, so you’re the one he’s been waiting for, right this way.’

The one he’s been waiting for? Clearly you must’ve misheard, Jack Delroy couldn’t possibly have been that excited for you, you’d only spoken for maybe five minutes, tops.

Gus led you to your seat and you instantly sank into it, a 40 minute wait still ahead of you but it felt like no time at all as the rows all filled up and people slowly stopped walking across the set to prepare. On either side of you, cameramen took their places and lined up their shots, the blue screen of the viewfinder catching your attention as you couldn’t help but see what they saw. Gus got himself ready by the band, who were all tuned up and ready to go, and when midnight hit and Gus started calling out that night’s guests, you couldn’t help but bite your lip again as Jack’s name was announced and the wall opened up again to reveal him.

He’d been right, it was an incredible show, his presence so much more overwhelming as you could only focus on him no matter who he stood or sat beside. Every single one of his jokes landed, every eccentric wave of his hands drew you in without fail, and every single smile he shot your way when you laughed only confirmed more and more that you were genuinely glad you came. He tried to talk to you during the breaks but each time he’d been interrupted either by one of his co-workers or someone in the audience ready to snatch up his attention, Jack too polite to refuse either, although it was honestly starting to make you a little jealous.

Before you knew it, his hour had passed and he was saying goodbye, your chest deflating as he was played out again along with his final guest, your hands a little numb as you gave him his well deserved applause. You didn’t want to get up and leave as the rest of the people around you did without hesitation, a chorus of yawns starting to infect everyone like a virus now that it was officially bedtime. You were rooted to the spot, hands clasped in your lap as you wondered if it’d be too presumptuous to assume that maybe he’d come back out again when everyone was gone, wish you your own personal goodnight, people staring again as you waited until you accepted that you’d fulfilled his request, there was no need to stay now.

‘Oh good, you’re still here,’ Jack panted as he jogged over to you, a sheen on his cheeks and forehead from the excitement of the night mixed in with the hot stage lights, ‘I was worried you’d leave when Leo grabbed me just now.’ 

‘I’m in no hurry,’ you told him as you stood, your clasped hands hiding behind your back so he wouldn’t see you fidgeting. ‘It was a great show, I had a lot of fun tonight.’

His smile turned from Showman Jack to Genuine Jack at that, your ability to always tell coming in handy yet again as you tried to hide your blush by tucking your hair behind your ear. ‘I take it you had a more enjoyable time with me than at Haig’s, then?’ he asked, your blushing deepening at his choice of words.

‘I did, yeah.’ Everyone was packing up for the night around you, no one giving you a passing glance as the desire to get home and sleep overtook their curiosity, and when he stifled a yawn you couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty at keeping him. ‘All good things must come to an end though, I suppose; I should really get heading back, it’ll be a nightmare to find a cab this late.’ You didn’t want to go, but you also didn’t want to press your luck either, and maybe you’d get another invitation to another show, who knew?

‘I could give you a ride, if you wanted,’ he offered, completely catching you off guard as your eyes widened for a second in surprise. ‘Or, if you’re truly a night owl like me, you’d prefer to join me for a drink? I always grab one after a show, can’t sleep otherwise.’

You swallowed, mouth cotton dry as you went over his offer in your head a few times; was he asking you out on a date? He had to have been, who else went out to get a drink together at 1AM other than people on dates, right? ‘Yeah, a drink sounds great,’ you finally managed to squeak out, the corners of his eyes scrunching when he smiled before offering his arm for you to take, a true gentleman. He led you back through the labyrinth until you reached the parking lot, his car parked in a spot with his name plastered against the wall behind it, most of the other cars already gone now that their owners were free.

His car was simple, nothing too flashy like someone else in his position would own, the seats worn on the inside and telling you that he must’ve had it for many years. You tried not to look too nervous as he unlocked his door and let himself in, his long body stretching across the front so he could unlock the passenger side as well; an old car indeed, he was taking very good care of it for it to still look that good. You thanked him as you sat down and shut the door, the smell of his cologne stealing your breath away as you were surrounded by purely him, the faint smell of smoke mixing in with it, your eyes fluttering shut as you tried not to look too obvious.

He shot you a glance as he clicked his seatbelt into place, the noise making you come back to your senses and do the same so he could start driving. There were quite a few bars around there, some late night diners as well, and you grew more and more confused as he drove by all of them without a word. By the time you left the city and started to head towards a more residential area, you were starting to wonder if you were going for a drink at all, not remembering ever telling him where you lived, of course this neighborhood was much too nice, maybe you should be flattered if he thought you lived around here.

‘Are we still…?’ you tried to ask, your question dying out as he then turned into the driveway of a very nice but modestly sized house, all the lights off inside telling you that no one was home. He didn’t turn off the engine though, his eyes on the wheel before he turned to you, a hopeful something in his eyes that mirrored your own.

‘Would you like to come inside? Or should we try calling that cab?’ he asked you gently, giving you the choice of what you wanted to do now that you knew where you’d be drinking, your heart thumping a little faster as you adjusted the strap of your purse and flashed him the most confident smile you could muster.

‘You did promise to tell me all about the shows I miss,’ you reminded him, Jack’s smile softening as he agreed with a, ‘Yes I did.’ The engine shut off and you both exited the car, the night air making you shiver as you held your coat a little tighter over your arms. He noticed immediately, his suit jacket draped over you before you could confirm or deny you wanted it, heat spreading throughout you as the scent of his cologne hit you even harder. You wrapped yourself up in it, face tucked into the collar as you headed for his front door, always a few steps behind until he unlocked the door and pushed it open, allowing you to go in first.

It was a modest place, decorated more cozily than anything, and you felt right at home as you stepped inside and took a look around; the walls held photos of family and friends, his coworkers and people he’d met through Night Owls spaced out around them, the surfaces of every table and shelf decorated with something and filling the space while also feeling sparse. Cozy was definitely the right word, but it also felt like a bachelor pad in the way he’d left clothes draped over the back of the couch, how the kitchen was pristinely clean from rare use based on the amount of menus he’d collected into the holder by his phone, and the dedicated minibar off in the corner so he could entertain guests.

He headed there now as you observed your surroundings, his voice breaking your thoughts as he asked you to pick your poison. You gave him your desired drink request, Jack’s eyes shining as he located the bottle amongst the plethora of them in his reserve, whisky placed next to it as he located a couple of glasses next. ‘Ice?’ he asked casually as he poured both drinks, you kindly refusing as he grabbed a couple for himself. The ice crackled in his glass as he returned, the sound pleasant to you and filling the air as he handed you your drink. ‘I’d offer you a seat at the table, but my back is killing me tonight, if you’d rather join me on the couch?’

What a liar, you could always tell when he was acting. You accepted anyways, pretending to buy into it as you both took opposite ends of the old leather couch situated in front of his fireplace. The cushions creaked underneath as you sat down, Jack letting out a sigh that didn’t sound fake as he relaxed, his body sinking right in before he took a sip and turned to look at you. You blushed and looked away, focusing on your glass as you swirled the contents around, now wishing for ice since watching it would be a good distraction.

You’d been so focused on his home that it was starting to dawn on you that you were in his home, on his couch, drinking his liquor, his focus on nothing and no one other than you. ‘Dreamer, here, awake,’ you whispered softly under your breath, remembering what Haig had said to snap you out of it and needing to make sure this wasn’t just another dream.

‘What was that?’

Oh god, it wasn’t a dream, you were really here, and his arm was now on the back of the couch, casually reaching towards you as he tilted his head to the side with an amused grin. 

‘So, how did the shows that I missed go?’ you quickly choked out, Jack chuckling at how your voice sounded way more broken than you’d wanted before downing the rest of his drink and setting the empty glass on the coffee table in front of him.

‘Well, on Monday I got to interview someone about his upcoming play, so that was interesting,’ he began, his body turned more towards you as he spoke. ‘On Tuesday, we had a man who sailed halfway around the world and narrowly survived being shipwrecked, and he read us an excerpt from his captain’s log, which he revealed he’ll be turning into a book to preserve the memories of his shipmates.’ He slid a little down the leather, genuine interest in his eyes as he spoke, that another thing you loved about him. ‘Wednesday was Game Night, as you know, and one of our audience members managed to win the jackpot and gave us a victory dance to celebrate. Gus tried to attempt it and fell on his ass, so everyone made me try it and I nearly crashed into my stage, everyone had a lot of fun that night.

His voice started to soften as he moved a little closer, your body frozen in both awe at what you’d missed and also the sight of him starting to fill up your entire view, your drink forgotten in your hands.

‘And then on Thursday we took a call from a man who thought he had superpowers, can you believe that? He truly believed he got them from another dimension, so fascinating.’ He was just about to slide over the middle cushion, your legs pressing tightly together so you wouldn’t touch him on accident, your lip worried between your teeth again. ‘I asked him to come on the show, but he hung up, I hope he calls again next week.’ His arm was completely behind you you finally noticed as his thumb brushed against your shoulder just enough for you to feel it over your coat and his suit jacket, the heat of both starting to make you sweat as he stayed just outside your personal space, ever the gentleman as he waited for you to tell him to back up. 

You didn’t, your tongue darting out and tasting your lipstick as you glanced to the side, seeing just enough of him to know that he didn’t look dangerous, or overly sexual like your fantasy had been, his actual expression one of wonder as he remained just out of reach. You felt like you had to comment on his week, say something in response to what he was telling you but you couldn’t, the sound of his thumb running over the fabric directly in your ear as you finally took your first sip.

‘Sounds like I missed a lot,’ you eventually said, Jack nodding and shifting as he got comfier, the movement sending him a little closer to you. ‘Maybe you should invite me back again, I could probably make time for that.’

‘I’ll have to see if I can get you an actual ticket this time, then, Leo was very unhappy I snuck you in.’ His voice was so low as you took another, bigger sip, his arm sliding off the back of the couch and just barely resting against the very bottom of your neck.

‘Is that what that was? I’ll be sure to use the front door next time.’ Another sip, his other hand in plain sight on his thigh as it traveled down towards you. 

‘I think I’d prefer to escort you in myself, so you don’t get lost, it’s like a maze in there.’ You watched his hand just barely touch the hem of his jacket, a soft hum leaving his throat as his eyes half-lidded. ‘You look good in this, I might have to let you borrow it more often.’

‘You assume I’ll need it again? How presumptuous of you,’ you joked in an attempt to keep things light, but it fell flat as you looked at him while you said it, his expression rendering you speechless in seconds. Now that you were facing him he couldn’t resist the urge to touch your cheek, his fingertips just barely brushing against you and making you shut your eyes as you tried to lean against them, the contact causing shivers to run down your spine at how incredibly gentle it was.

‘I really am glad you came tonight,’ he whispered as he leaned in, breath soft against your face as you both held off from closing the gap, ‘god, you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.’

You nearly dropped the glass, Jack placing his hand over yours to make sure you didn’t before taking it away entirely. ‘Y-you’re just telling me what I wanna hear,’ you repeated from your fantasy, Jack leaning away to set the glass down before letting his forehead rest against your own.

‘Is it working?’

You grabbed onto his tie and pulled him into you, your mouths crashing together as you kissed him with all the need of someone who’d wanted this for years. He braced himself on the back of the couch as you leaned against the arm, your body arching up as he rearranged how he was sitting to kneel over you. He wasn’t as forward as your fantasy, which was understandable considering you knew very well that he’d only acted the exact way you wanted, but instead you discovered that he was slow, making as many points of contact as he could while giving you space. He was obsessed with kissing away the rest of your lipstick but he never tried to take more than you were giving him, your bodies still too far apart as he caressed you.

‘You’re so beautiful,’ he repeated as his hand left your jaw to travel down to your hip, not to hold down or make you keen but just to feel the soft curve of your body; he was committing you to memory, tracing over each wrinkle in the fabric, each place that made you squirm just a little.

‘Jack…’ you sighed as he pushed both coats aside to gently kiss at your neck, small things that made you want beyond the sweetness, the love. ‘Don’t make me wait anymore, please…’

He pressed a single kiss to your jaw at that, sitting back just enough so he could look at your face. You turned away, embarrassed by your neediness, but he turned you back to him with only a whisper of a touch, a plea instead of a command. ‘How long have you been waiting?’ he asked, lips hovering just above yours, pulling away when you tried to close the gap.

‘Years.’

He kissed you again, a little rougher this time as his own need was made clear, his body shifting down until he was laying himself on top of you, and for however real your fantasy had felt, it was fucking nothing compared to the weight of him pressing pure want directly into your waist. It made you gasp how good he felt, your legs spreading until your skirt wouldn’t stretch any further, the desire to hike it up all the way so you could feel him a little better making you almost actually do it. It was him who made that move when he felt you struggling, your legs pressed into his almost uncomfortably, and he placed his hands at the hem and waited for your okay, not wanting to do anything without your permission.

What a fucking gentleman.

You nodded and he lifted your skirt, your back arching off the couch so it could be bunched up, your underwear on display just the smallest amount before your skirt was let go. That small amount made him blush, his lips parting as he then palmed himself to ease the strain of his own clothes, his nice suit pulled taut over his dick as he kneaded. It made you want him even more, the fantasies of seeing him like that deciding to play like the world’s longest and lewdest film in your mind, reminding you of every single thing you wanted to do to him, what you wanted him to do to you.

‘I want to feel you,’ you told him, his eyes fluttering shut like the quicktalking showman Mr. Midnight couldn’t handle a bit of dirty talk; he was so cute it almost hurt as he moved his hand aside for you, granting you access to the space while he tried to undo his belt. You rubbed him over his pants, listening to the sounds he was making and letting your desire grow with each one, and when his belt was undone and his zipper was down you tugged just his pants over his hips just enough to show off his bulge a little better. It strained over the opening, the sight so tantalizing that you’d risk staying hypnotized forever if this really was just another dream, his body laying down over yours again as you wrapped your leg around him.

He started to grind against you, the fantasy definitely not doing him justice as a sinful heat warmed you up in an instant, the coats much too hot as you tried to strip them both off. He helped you but didn’t stop moving, each thrust just enough to create the best friction you’d ever experienced. There was no audience this time, no one to risk ruining this for you, and you took full advantage of that as you let out a deviously loud moan when he rubbed against you just right. 

‘God…’ he panted into your neck, hips moving just a little faster, and it felt good but it wasn’t what you wanted, not entirely. You reached down between where your bodies touched to try and get a hold of his boxers, your nails catching over the waistband just out of reach. He felt your attempts and knew what you were trying to do, his face unsure even though he still couldn’t stop. ‘Are you sure?’ he needed to know, his hips finally stilling for the most part, your eyes watering with how much you meant it as you told him yes. He groaned as he reached between your legs, feeling your wetness seeping through your panties as you moved against him, your head instantly falling back.

The sounds you let out were indecent, he wasn’t even inside you yet and he was making you fall apart just because it was him who was doing this, his fingers rewriting your brain and telling you that you’d never be able to get off on just your imagination ever again. He played with you as his other hand pushed his boxers down the rest of the way, his dick falling free and making him hiss as he gave himself a few strokes, the sound getting you to look up. Your legs twitched as you almost came just from the sight alone, his eyes shut tight as his head lolled to the side, his impressive length looking even bigger in his hand as he got himself ready.

As soon as he felt your eyes on him he locked onto you, his big, showman smile showing a little more teeth than usual as he let you watch, his own sounds almost addicting as he let you know exactly how good his own hand felt. Between the sight and his hands making the both of you feel good, you didn’t know how much more you could take of this before you were shoving him down, Jack sensing your desperation and leaning back over you. He pulled aside your panties and rubbed you a couple more times before pressing his waist against yours, spreading your wetness along the underside of his shaft, grinding against you this way until you were practically begging him to do more, please.

He chuckled at your reaction before taking himself in hand again, spreading it even more before holding himself up to your entrance, one last chance to back out. You made sure to lock eyes with him as you grabbed his tie and pulled him down to you once more, your mouth falling open as he pushed deep inside of you the more you pulled. You didn’t stop until you were full, the two of you panting into each other's mouth before he started to move, both of your legs wrapping around him this time as you tried to take him even deeper.

It was hot, you were sweating, you could see the sheen on his cheeks and forehead again as he suffered in the almost entirety of his suit versus your outfit, and you helped him relieve some of his suffering as you started to unbutton his shirt. You shoved it off one shoulder before he was tearing it off of himself and tossing it away, your own shirt pushed up to reveal a heaving stomach, muscles working hard under the flesh as he thrust into you, your body unable to move with him thanks to the arm of the couch keeping you in place.

It ensured he always hit the deepest part of you since your body couldn’t shift away, one of your hands on your stomach while the other took his own and placed it on your chest. He began to knead you over your bra, it soon out of the way as he yanked it down and wrapped his mouth around a nipple, his motions speeding up a bit as you tangled your now free hand into his hair. ‘You feel so good,’ you couldn’t stop yourself from saying then, starting to get overstimulated, and at your words he jerked a little erratically, like it’d made him stumble. ‘You- you were so handsome tonight, did so well, I couldn’t stop staring at you…’

He was moaning nonsense into your chest as you praised him, something about what you were saying making him fall apart; his head rested against you as he rutted into you with wild abandon, your hands just holding him there as you kept whispering what he wanted to hear. You meant it, every word, but to know that this much was making him practically whine against you was also addicting, needing him to know everything you felt for him, how proud you were of him, how you’d never be able to feel anyone but him for the rest of your life.

‘Come inside me, make me yours, I want to be yours,’ you pleaded, Jack grasping at you like a drowning man grasps at his saviour, a few more thrusts making your head fall back before he did just that. His hips jutted a few more times as warmth filled your insides, the sensation mixed with his broken gasps bringing you over the edge as well, his nails digging into your flesh where he held you, your hands thoroughly messing up his perfectly styled hair. When he was done he collapsed against you, his weight once again so incredibly nice as he pinned you against the cushions, the leather sticking to your skin and keeping you very much in place.

‘If I’m too heavy-’ he started to say before he shifted and cut himself off with a whine, his attempts to get up thwarted immediately.

‘You’re not,’ you reassured him, your fingers attempting to straighten his hair back into place, a small courtesy for him letting you grab him so hard in the first place. ‘We can just… stay a while.’

‘Do you wanna risk that? I might fall asleep on you like this,’ he asked like it’d be a bad thing; what a gentleman.

‘I think that’d be worth the risk,’ you told him as you kissed his forehead, Jack reaching up to cup your cheek before gathering all his strength to kiss you goodnight.

[styllwaters]

If you're still taking requests, could we see you draw some of your favourite sea creatures?

How could I refuse?

[pocketgalaxies]

It feels good to be able to help. (for @overnighttosunflowers)

[blackenedsnow]

I was the one who made reader have a you her sibling they take care of, just saying, it was so amazing. I love it:D. I have another request. This one was a bit weird and rushed cause like I'm a sleepover with two of my cousins so

Billy Loomis, Bubba Sawyer, Art the Clown, Stu Matcher, Thomas Hewitt, Jason, Michael, Billy Lenz, Pinhead, Tiffany (if you write for her) Charles/Chucky, Bo, Vincent, Lester, Brahms. If you want to add more or get rid of some it's okay. But you can either have it platonic of them being a younger sibling or child (adopted or not) going to a sleepover. Maybe sneaking out to it. They go to find out where they are and find them in a house and they are being loud, laughing, and just being kids

If you don't do platonic (cause I can't remember if you do or don't) then do it romantically and just like the same thing. You can change things if you that helps and sorry about this. But, the request I first made and you did, it was a great and made me smile cause I didn't expect it so thanks for that

slashers reactions to their younger sibling reader sneaking out to a sleepover ; headcanons

WARNING: None

PAIRING: Billy Loomis & Sibling! Reader, Bubba Sawyer & Sibling! Reader, Art the Clown & Sibling! Reader, Stu Macher & Sibling! Reader, Thomas Hewitt & Sibling! Reader, Jason Voorhees & Sibling! Reader, Michael Myers & Sibling! Reader, Billy Lenz & Sibling! Reader, Pinhead & Sibling! Reader, Tiffany Valentine & Sibling! Reader, Charles Lee Ray/Chucky & Sibling! Reader, Bo Sinclair & Sibling! Reader, Vincent Sinclair & Sibling! Reader, Lester Sinclair & Sibling! Reader, Brahms Heelshire & Sibling! Reader

NOTE: Hope you enjoyed this! I could imagine so many of them struggling to hold back but ultimately wanting to let you just be a kid and have fun. Thank you so much for this request; it was a blast to write!

BILLY LOOMIS

You’ve managed to sneak out quietly, thinking Billy won’t notice because he’s engrossed in a movie marathon.

But within half an hour, he realizes you’re gone and his “big sibling” instincts kick in.

He shows up at the house with that intense, unblinking stare that could stop anyone mid-laugh.

Who do you think you are, sneaking out like this?

He’s relieved (and slightly embarrassed) to see you just goofing off with friends.

Pretends to be unimpressed when you’re caught off guard.

He’ll let you stay—for now—

With the most deadpan expression, muttering,

“You could’ve just told me.”

But he’s not about to let you get away with it.

Once you’re back home, he’s the silent-but-deadly type. Just know you’re grounded.

BUBBA SAWYER

Bubba panics the minute he realizes you’re gone, running through the house and making distressed sounds as he searches for you.

He's going to family members and pointing to where your things should be.

The whole family tries to calm him down, but he’s inconsolable until he finds a clue leading him to the sleepover house.

When he tracks you down, he’s so relieved he doesn’t know what to do.

Seeing you safe and having fun brings tears to his eyes.

He’ll probably sit outside the house, just quietly waiting for you to finish.

If you notice him, he might wave shyly or even try to make himself “invisible.”

ART THE CLOWN

Oh, Art knows you’ve snuck out, and he’s amused.

He’s both delighted to have a reason to check in and irritated that you thought you could get away with this.

Appears at the sleepover out of nowhere, scaring the life out of anyone who notices him lurking outside.

Watches silently, only making himself known to you with that twisted grin of his, waving as if to say, “Caught you!”

Doesn't stop you from having fun but does make it clear that he knows—and will remember.

Expect creepy antics as payback when you get home.

STU MACHER

Stu probably wasn’t paying enough attention to notice you sneaking out right away, but once he does..

He's MAD.

Once he finds the house, he’s too tempted not to sneak around and scare the shit out of all of you.

Might throw a pebble at the window to get your attention and then give you a dramatic pout, mouthing,

“How could you leave me out?”

When you get home, he’ll give you a long (and playful) guilt trip about how you left him to "suffer".

THOMAS HEWITT

Notices you’re missing right away.

Thomas doesn’t like you out of his sight, so he feels uneasy, imagining the worst.

He follows you quietly, not wanting to interrupt.

When he spots you through the window, safe and laughing, he stops, taking a deep breath of relief.

Watches you with a slight smile, just relieved to see you having fun.

He’s happy that you’re being a normal kid and knows better than to interrupt that.

Will probably leave you alone and probably won't bring it up, ever.

He would definitely prefer if you let him know though.

JASON VOORHEES

Jason’s heart drops when he notices you’re not in your usual spot, and he’s anxious as he starts tracking you down.

He’s relieved to see you laughing and safe with friends.

Stays outside or hidden, keeping a protective eye.

He doesn’t want to interrupt but also doesn’t want anything sneaking up on you.

Plus, who knows if these kids don't mean any harm?

Might leave little signs outside (like stacked stones) to let you know he was there, just to make sure you’re safe.

MICHAEL MYERS

He’s annoyed.

Why would you leave his protection?

Michael doesn’t even try to blend in; he’s the shadow at the window.

Once you see his white mask peeking in, you know the jig is up.

He won’t cause a scene, but he just stares until you get the message.

When you sneak out to meet him, he’ll give you a tiny “you-know-better” look, but he’s not mad—he just wants you safe.

Doesn’t reveal himself to anyone else, but he’ll stay there the entire time.

When you get home, expect a long, silent stare, reminding you that you’re not as sneaky as you think.

BILLY LENZ

He notices right away.

Billy has a keen eye for your whereabouts, and he’s instantly on the move, tracking you down.

Peers through the window, watching you play with a pout.

He feels oddly betrayed but finds your happiness too endearing to be angry.

He won’t disrupt the fun, but you might catch a glimpse of him outside, holding his hands up in an “I’m watching you” gesture.

When you get home, he’ll tease you nonstop about “abandoning him.”

PINHEAD

This is completely out of the ordinary, and he is both confused and a bit annoyed that you snuck out without informing him.

Appears in his signature, intimidating way, silently observing from outside.

He finds the concept of a “sleepover” curious.

He’s more contemplative about it, watching as if studying some strange new human ritual.

He waits until you’re ready to return and then accompanies you back without a word.

You can expect a very stern lecture when you get home about the importance of communication…

TIFFANY VALENTINE

She realizes quickly that you’re gone and storms out to find you, though her anger’s more worried than anything.

When she spots you through the window, laughing and having fun, her irritation fades into a soft smile.

She won’t interrupt, just stands outside and watches for a bit.

She loves seeing you like this, happy and unbothered.

When you get back, she’ll playfully scold you but then pull you into a hug, reminding you to tell her next time.

CHUCKY (CHARLES LEE RAY)

Chucky’s annoyed at first, muttering to himself,

“What does this kid think they’re doing?”

He’s irritated you’d sneak off, especially without his “permission,” and tracks you down, grumbling the entire way.

When he finds you, he feels an odd mix of pride and annoyance.

He likes your independence but also doesn’t like feeling “left out.”

Gives you a wicked grin through the window, mouthing, “We’re talking later.”

He’ll grumble that “next time, you should let him know,” but he’s proud you managed to sneak out without him noticing.

BO SINCLAIR

Bo is mad and lets you know it.

He’s worried you’re in danger, and when he finds you, he’s that overprotective brother with his arms crossed.

He pulls you aside, lecturing you on safety and probably embarrassing you in front of your friends.

But once he knows you’re okay, he lets up a bit and waits outside for you, a little softer.

At home, he pretends he’s still mad but lets you off the hook pretty easily.

VINCENT SINCLAIR

Vincent’s used to you being close by, so when you’re not there, he’s unnerved and worried.

Tracks you down and watches quietly, almost touched to see you carefree with your friends.

Leaves a little note or sketch somewhere you’ll find it later, a reminder of his presence even when you’re far away.

He’s quiet when you get home, but there’s a warmth to his gaze.

You should him next time..

LESTER SINCLAIR

Lester’s both amused and concerned when he finds you missing.

He tracks you down quickly, not one for letting you go unguarded.

When he finds you through the window, he watches with a fond smile, chuckling at your carefree attitude.

Might knock on the door and make up an excuse to check on you if you notice him, but he’ll mostly just let you have your fun.

Gives you a playful nudge and a “don’t think you’re getting away that easy next time” when you get back.

BRAHMS HEELSHIRE

Brahms does not take this well, feeling abandoned and maybe a bit betrayed.

When he tracks you down, he watches from the shadows, arms crossed, grumpy but protective.

Might stare until you feel his gaze and look over at him, just so you know he found you.

When you return, expect a big fuss, with Brahms grumbling about how much he “suffered” in your absence.

[daily-haunted-tv]

[foolscapper]

Awake and unafraid, asleep or dead!

[celestial-hieroglyph]

plot of conclave (2024) summarized

[mcr-as-album-covers]

This photoshoot specifically as the System of a down self titled

Requested by @rivburger

[yourfavealbumisgender]

Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge by My Chemical Romance is Transgender!

requested by anon

[khaoala]

GIFSET REQUEST: Times Ray could have done things by himself, but he'd rather have Sand do them for him.

FIRST KANAPHAN as SAND and KHAOTUNG THANAWAT as RAY PAKORN in ONLY FRIENDS

[criticalyasha]

Behind the scenes from C3E65 post-Imodna scene with our CR cast

[accidentally-in-fictional-love]

omg may I pretty please request 😚and🎵??

Meet Me At The Faire - Hank/Reader

Warnings: Gender-neutral reader, no use of Y/N, unending cuteness, bit of self-confidence issues, fluff.

Wordcount: 15086

Summary: When your rent unexpectedly is raised and you need to make ends meet before your new hours at work kick in, you find a lot more than what you were looking for when you start up a temporary job at the local Ren Faire.

Notes: I started writing this immediately after the last one, even did a lot that first day, but then things kicked in again and between finishing LtF, getting sleep, and both jobs it's taken me all month to finish OTL which is a shame, since this is probably the biggest Hank fic out there and I've really wanted to share it with you this whole time. I adore how much he loves music, like look at that gif, it's cute enough to make a person cry. I loved getting the chance to write this much for him, and even though it's been a long while by now, I hope you see this and enjoy, anon 💗💗💗

This was the only song in my mind when writing the ending, give it a listen if you want the full effect of the finale.

Renaissance Faire worker wasn't your first choice of summer jobs when your rent increased and you couldn't get enough hours, but it certainly was a fun one you were quick to discover. You'd been to them before, school trips as a kid with everyone going their own ways and eyeing up the cool things their allowance couldn't afford. The light had gone from your eyes as you got older and lost interest without the childish wonder of knights and princesses and giant pickles on sticks in place of rent and jobs and bills to pay.

You were all grown up now, and this was the only real job that didn't require you to write up a 20 page resume just for a few extra bucks to keep a roof over your head until you found something more permanent. Your boss was kind and understood the struggles, so, when summer was over, you'd be grabbing up an extra shift or two from another employee who was getting promoted soon, add a few more hours to your current shifts while the rest was handed out to others who'd be there as long as you, it all depended on what he could shift around. You just need to do this first in the meantime, save up before the change took place, prepare for the strain it’d put on on once it all kicked in; it was the best you could do without finding a second full-time job, so once you were approved you hopped into your car and took a visit to the nearest thrift store.

One wardrobe you could donate to charity in two months later and you were ready to step back into the Renaissance Era for a few hours every weekend, the first step in your rent being secured once more now underway; you'd been planning on moving anyways, the extra money would come in handy so this wouldn't have to happen again under the cruel greediness of your current landlord. Satisfied and ready to act, you pulled into the staff lot for the first time, a small badge flashed to the security officer with a bright smile when the nostalgia hit you and hard. All the sights, the delicious smells, it made you feel like a kid again the moment you stepped through the doorway - a tall wall surrounded the area, wooden stakes on the inside and brick on the outside to keep products and property safe as well as immersion - your eyes instantly taking everything in before you could consult your map.

You were stationed at one of the many merchandise stalls situated around the compound, yours in the entertainment area with different shows all around. You got to listen to them depending on which side you focused on, music to the left, jousting to the right, and a rotation of plays ahead, the others were too far to pick out. You preferred the music or the plays, jousting was mostly just yelling after all, and you found the hours flying by as you quickly got used to the life; you ended up sticking to the leftmost stall in the row of three, that selection of merch tended to go the fastest so the extra help was appreciated instead of you being tossed between all three.

Instead of one person doing it all, you were now there to handle the various toys your specific stall sold, knights and wizards and other ‘boyish’ things, your neighbour being plushies of different types from armoured stallions to dragons, the final stall dealing in princesses and other pretty ‘girlish’ things, so each one could be stuffed as full as possible with everything that fell within and around the subjects. While your co-worker handled the money with hands so fast the line was never kept waiting, it didn't take long for you to get used to where everything was no matter which item it was, even the small things stacked in boxes behind the counters, and even though it wasn't the type of work you were used to, you found yourself really looking forward to the weekend even after only two days.

You were so excited in fact you nearly went shopping again to vary your outfits a bit, but you only had eight weeks of this, it was an unnecessary expense considering you planned on donating it all at the end.

Weekend #2 had you packing a lunch, your wallet was straining enough until your paycheck came in so the less temptations from those Faire foods the better, and when your break finally came around to took your paper bag and grabbed a seat at the current play a little ways down the worn dirt path. You stuck to the back so you could get away with eating your modern food, and you were halfway through your sandwich when you found you knew this scene; you tried to recall if you'd already gotten used to it when a line stuck out to you, this was familiar, and you ran the line over and over in your head until it hit you.

‘Star Wars!’ you exclaimed to yourself in recognition, the family ahead of yourself looking back to glare before turning back to the stage.

‘Took you this long?’ someone asked from your left, and you jumped and nearly dropped your food in surprise. ‘Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, you're just… that's my seat,’ the stranger whispered to you, and you looked back to check for a sign only to make him laugh. ‘I usually sit back here on my breaks, everyone else would rather gather in one of the staff tents and grab some pizza than head to the food courtyard or pack anything themselves, you must be new.’

‘I am, yeah, just started last week,’ you replied, your sandwich started to be put away when he motioned for you to continue, no need to skip your food just because he was there, ‘you been here long?’

‘Yeah, for quite a few years now,’ he told you with his own lunch coming out, his in a worn bag to sell the immersion, he was a pro. ‘My mom got me this job so it'd get me outta the house for the summer, but it was so much fun I decided to stay for the whole year and just never left, what about you?’ He took out a sub on fresh bread, it really fit in more than your sliced bread, and when he took a drink it was from a wooden flask, was he a time traveller? ‘Ha, it's just glued on and painted, my friend works at a stall that makes things so I kinda picked it up on the way with him, so if I need to eat at my own I don't stand out too much.’

‘Smart, I just have a tumbler,’ you grinned, yours covered in stickers of things you liked, and while no one noticed it at your first job, it certainly stood out here. ‘I'm just on for the summer, getting a little emergency money,’ you replied honestly after you finished another bite.

‘Bills?’

‘Rent increase.’

‘Ouch, know how that feels, got so bad at my old place I had to move back in with my mom while I found a new one,’ he winced for you, and while you thought he might complain about that he didn't seem embarrassed about the situation. ‘I'm in a better place now, it's not as big, but my mom likes having her office back. I could give you the address if you want? Not to invite you over or anything, just in case you wanted to consider the building.’

He turned away from you to blush, which he failed at hiding behind a big bite of sandwich and a long gulp from his drink; it was cute, usually people would keep the invitation to their apartment open, even as a joke if the flirting didn't land, but he didn't, he just wanted to help out. It was refreshing to see, so you didn't point out the obvious joke in favour of keeping things light. ‘Glad you were able to find one, apartment hunting always takes it outta me,’ you wished him, which he agreed with. ‘But I've still got two months to search, my lease is up in September when the increase kicks in, so I want to be ready before then.’

‘A friend of mine is really good at finding places, he found me mine, I can get him to look again for you?’ he asked easily, so friendly that he didn't catch how forward he was being in such a genuine way that he stumbled his next words. ‘Or I can just give you the address to mine, whatever you'd like.’

He was too cute for it to be an extension of his immersion, like the flask. ‘Thanks, but I've already started looking and have a couple places in mind, I'll figure things out,’ you laughed quietly so you wouldn't disturb the family ahead of you again, your words drowned out by the audience gasping loudly. ‘They did a good job with this one, do they do other sci-fi movies as old timey adaptations?’ you wondered aloud as you watched along with everyone else a moment, now that you knew what the source was it was interesting to see how they interpreted the sets and costumes, your eyes so focused that you almost missed the way his own were focused entirely on you.

He looked away fast when you turned back to him, his eyes on the ground. ‘Uh, not always sci-fi, but those ones tend to fill the seats the most compared to other modern stuff, as long as it isn't already, y'know, “old timey”,’ he let you know with a small shrug, King Vader being threatened on stage with a proper sword instead of a lightsaber.

‘You must’ve seen a lot of these shows to know what works, do you also work in this section?’ you asked in genuine curiosity, and he watched the actors boast their voices and wave their swords around a moment before longingly shaking his head. 

‘I'm not much of an actor,’ he smiled almost sadly, a wistfulness to him now as his eyes followed their movements; you expected him to say more but he never did, his phone then coming out of his pocket and revealing a lockscreen of him with three others huddling close together for the photo, as well as the time, the only break in his immersion. ‘Darn, I gotta get back, but it was fun talking to you, uh, I never caught your name?’ You gave it to him, and he smiled away the wistfulness again at the sound of it. ‘I'm Hank, it was nice to meet you.’

He shook your hand, and his grip was just as gentle as his smile. ‘Same to you, I'd better get back too, those overpriced plastic swords aren't gunna sell themselves,’ you joked as you both gathered up your unfinished lunches. He chuckled to himself and then he was gone, weaving through the crowds coming in to catch the ending last second so he could make it back to wherever he was stationed in time. You watched him go until you lost him, and made a mental note to stop by the bakery for your shift tomorrow.

You put a bit more effort into your lunch for Sunday, waking up a little earlier than usual to stock your brown paper bag with foods that wouldn't clash centuries with your outfit. It was fun to do so, to put in the effort because you wanted to, not because Management was asking you to, and you figured this must be what he felt when he did the same. You briefly wondered if he was doing the same, you didn't know his shift length, but if he liked the place enough for it to be his permanent job you guessed that he also had one of the all day shifts, not because he had to, but because he wanted to.

It was strange, you'd only just met but somehow he stuck in your mind all night, not exactly a blossoming crush, but somehow still just as powerful in your desire to know more; he was a pro, and while, a month ago, you wouldn't have thought twice about some Renaissance Faire Professional, now he had you constantly wondering if you'd see him again today. The thought made you eager to get to work before opening to explore, see if you could find where he was stationed, maybe become more acquainted with the park outside of your route and section out of pure curiosity. You pulled into the lot, dropped off your belongings apart from your phone - for emergencies only and stuffed into your deep pocket - and your lunch so you wouldn't have to make the long trek back and waste time, and did just so, taking your time while everyone else did some last minute rehearsals, stall setups, fed the animals, all the fun things the people outside didn't see before they stepped back in time.

You traveled the well worn paths weathered from thousands of feet just from the past week alone, getting very acquainted indeed with every other stall and show until you reached familiar ground, and with a bit of time to spare you decided to drop off your lunch and check out a little more past your radius when you heard it; it was soft, a tune played over a phone speaker and muffled by the sounds of everyone else, but not nearly enough to be fully drowned out. You followed the sound, an even softer voice reaching your ears the closer you got, something drawing you to it as you entered the music section, several stalls hosting musical instruments for the kids and fun adults to try out. There was also another walled off stage at the end for the band and other musical acts to rotate through instead of plays and actors, the walls high and thick so the sounds wouldn't clash too much with the stalls and become distracting for both sides. It was bigger than you thought, a lot of them still empty since tuning wasn't needed or was already done so their owners were free to walk around and take their time.

The sound was getting stronger, from one of the stalls near the theater, your eyes scanning every which way until your ears locked in on it to your left, to the furthest booth before you crossed over into the theater where the band was practicing first. You wanted to call out but decided against it, just listening to the soft voice sing along to showtunes instead of more old timey covers like everyone else, your brain scrambling to pick out the name when suddenly it stopped. The quiet made you stumble and try and find it again, but the band was now sharing a stage with the a cappella group and helping them with their pitch, your mysterious singer vanished into thin air. You frowned, they hadn't been bad, their voice soft but still strong enough to show off at least a casual love for singing, but when everyone started to head for their stalls you had to chalk it down to stage fright and race back before the doors opened.

You didn't see him until your lunch was nearly over that day, that week's play more recognizable as Star Wars as you ate your sandwich alone, but you had no time to talk between catching just a glimpse of him heading for the opposite side of the theater, maybe he wasn't in the mood to talk.

Weekend #3 was a lot more enjoyable, Hank surprising you at your stall right before the park opened with a much more friendly hello. Your smile brightened before you could stop it after the cold shoulder, and he didn't miss the way it also cooled when your initial happiness at seeing him again started to fade. ‘Sorry for not joining you last weekend, I had a bit of a cold coming on and I didn't want to risk spreading it by being too close to anyone, I actually had to break immersion and mask up before heading home,’ he apologized before you could say anything, ‘my stallmate wasn't too happy about handling the rush without me.’

‘Kinda irresponsible to come in while sick,’ you said as you continued restocking the displays for the day, with summer break starting and kids more ready to come in, certain toys were selling out faster than others you quickly had to learn.

‘I know, I just- I like this place so much, I thought I could power through,’ he winced so sheepishly that you couldn't possibly be mad at him. ‘But I'm feeling better this week! No more mask.’

You looked him over, saw that he did look like he had a healthy glow to him, or perhaps it was just the way the morning sun was filtering through the decorational trees of the compound and shining down on him. ‘You still should've told me,’ you grumbled just to see him wince again, ‘I could've brought you some soup or something.’

His resulting smile was brighter than the sun. ‘I will next time, this place has some excellent homemade soup down in the food courtyard, it's second to none,’ he grinned widely at you, the feeling spreading before you knew it. ‘You should really try it sometime, have you gotten anything from here yet?’

‘Pickle on a stick, of course,’ you joked as you stood with an armful of merch, but his giggle caught you so off guard you nearly dropped it all. ‘That section does smell damn good though when the wind’s just right and it reaches over here, even with all those horses in the way, how do you stand it?’

‘I don't, I usually grab something to go with my sandwich,’ he admitted without hesitation, ‘why don't we go down today? It'll be busy, but they know me, another one of my friends works there, so I might be able to sneak us around back and grab something good.’

‘Didn't know I was befriending a delinquent,’ you fake gasped, Hank rubbing the back of his neck with a small blush.

‘I like to think of myself as a Robin Hood type, at least when I'm here, I'm more of a ranger when I'm out there,’ he smiled softly, like he was in on a joke you weren't. ‘Although… I do want… nevermind, it's silly.’

You raised an eyebrow at him, your interest piqued. ‘You want?’ you encouraged him to finish, but things were picking up, the gates would open soon, and he needed to return to his own stall. 

‘Maybe next time,’ he offered as he walked away, but he didn't sound very convinced himself as he disappeared into the thin crowd of employees walking around.

You didn't see him again until lunch, Hank sneaking you away from your stall to lead you to the courtyard dedicated entirely to food, as promised. He was already out of breath when he got to you, like he'd run your way the second he was able to, and you just smiled and let him catch his breath as he got you to hurry before the lines took over and you ran out of time. The courtyard was filled with a proper set of buildings, some like food trucks and one big indoor eating area for rainy days. He was leading you to one of the smaller stalls, one that specialized in soups and stews that paired perfectly with their neighbouring stall of fresh breads and other baked goods, the smells of everything hitting you so hard your pitiful sandwich in your lunch bag would never compare.

‘Here, grab us a table, I'll order around back,’ he whispered so the customers waiting patiently in line wouldn't overhear, but you shook your head, you wanted to check out the menu for your first time. He didn't rush you even though you had a time limit, everything looking so good that you had to give in and take his word for it.

‘Chicken noodle, you've got me craving it now,’ you gave in, and he nodded before fully embodying a sneaky Robin Hood and heading around back where he wouldn't be seen. You chuckled and found a thankfully empty table, it was by the garbage bins but that just meant no one would be begging for your seat anytime soon, and you waited admittedly impatiently for him to return with each second the smells made you hungrier. When he returned you felt ravenous at the sight of two large bowls with slices of fresh bread to go with them, his cheeks lighting again at how excited you must've looked, and he went to sit next to you before catching himself and moving to the seat opposite of you.

‘Here you are, freshly made,’ he announced with a flourish when he put the bowl down in front of you, but nerves got the better of him immediately and forced him to hurry up and sit down. ‘I texted them early so they could set some aside from the new batch, I had a feeling you might go with the chicken noodle.’

‘It did come highly recommended,’ you reminded him with a grin, and when you picked up your spoon you couldn't help but close your eyes and breathe in the delicious aroma. It'd been a while since you'd had homemade soup like this, the canned variety was easiest and cheapest to get if you were in the mood, and the first spoonful was like heaven reincarnated into food form. You dipped the bread next and it was so fresh the crust crunched under your teeth. You didn't mean to but you moaned at the tastes, Hank laughing behind his hand at your reaction, and you could tell he was also trying to hide his smug smile at being so right. ‘Okay, you were right, this is amazing.’

‘Toldja, you'll want to come here every weekend now,’ he teased, but you both frowned at the thought of your chances to enjoy this soup as an employee being limited, you were already almost halfway through them. ‘Would… would it be okay if I as- if we ate here again tomorrow?’ he mumbled almost to himself he was so nervous of your answer, and you reached across the table to rest your hand over his to get him to look up.

‘Only if we get to try a new menu tomorrow, then the next weekend, and the next,’ you compromised like this was troublesome, when in reality you wanted nothing more than that, and when he caught on that you wanted to spend so much time with him his eyes lit up so bright you had to wonder if the sun was coming out from the clouds over your heads.

‘It's a da- deal,’ he stuttered, and you let him have that one with a grin of your own as you stole his bread and took a big bite before he could stop you.

The rest of the day flew by after you rushed back to your stalls, your stomach full of soup and making you contentedly full while you finished out the rest of your busy shift. Your feet ached and your back was screaming from all the standing and bending over but you didn't even notice the aches until you got home and flopped onto your couch. You were really enjoying this, you already had been but thanks to him you couldn't wait for your next shift to start so you could hang out again. The thought made you sit up until a particularly painful twinge made you flinch, it not stopping your train of thought as you wondered to yourself, why are we only hanging out at work if I'm enjoying this so much?

You hadn't thought about it before, but if you were this ready to work on Sunday because of a single man then maybe there was something more going on here, something you should be paying attention to. It felt a bit too soon, but you'd missed him while he was out sick, and his presence made a fun job even more fun, so maybe you should see where this went? You didn't want to get ahead of yourself or anything, but it seemed like he was also interested, if you did say so yourself, so you made the decision to test the waters tomorrow over lunch, maybe by asking him to one of the shows while you ate instead of sitting by the garbage. If that went well then maybe you could try something outside of the compound, see if you were compatible for more than just when you were professionally cosplaying as Renaissance workers, and you ate the sandwich you'd made for lunch as your dinner while still in your ‘uniform’, a big smile on your face the whole while.

Because of this decision your heart raced while you drove to work the next day, extra early so you had time to find out where he worked and could meet him for once, and you had an almost giddy skip to your step as you traversed the compound, your mental map getting stronger and stronger with each shift. You reached your crossroads as the starting point and headed in the direction you always saw him go, but when you didn't see him on the main path, and you knew he wasn't in the actor section based on your first conversation, you doubled back and headed into the music section to see if he was there. It was quiet again while the main shows practiced and tuned on the main stage beyond the walls, and you peeked into every stall before music reached your ears: showtunes.

The mysterious singer was here, and you stuck to the walls and listened for them, a soft voice chiming in while its owner got ready while no one was around. You made sure to keep out of sight, channeling your own inner Robin Hood and upping your Sneak Factor all the way to 10 to satisfy your curiosity, you could bail once you knew who the voice belonged to, and you tracked it down to the final stall right next to the wall. The singer hadn't heard you coming over the various noises this time, and you crouched down until your knees were almost hitting the dirt in order to take a peek when you heard them turn away from you based on the sound getting muffled; your eyes widened when you saw who was singing softly to himself, his usually sweet voice even sweeter when you could put his voice to the notes, and your heart pounded as Hank smiled to himself and finished his song.

‘If you will meet me in St. Louis, Louis, meet me at the fair,’ he sang gently, his eyes on the musical-based merchandise he was sorting, your own mouth opening to join in when he suddenly stopped like he could feel your eyes on him; he stood up straight and moved to turn and catch you, your head sinking back down as fast as you could, his footsteps telling you to move. You muddied your hands and knees as you crawled in the dirt to escape his eyes, he obviously didn't want to get caught and you didn't want to stop any potential dates before you could even ask him out, your breath held hard and your movements thankfully hidden over the noise when he leaned out over the wooden counter to look around.

You were safe and so was his secret, although why he didn't want anyone to know he could sing was a surprise to you with how good he was, although you could certainly understand stage fright when he acted like he did off of any stage. Still, even if you wouldn't catch him off guard and potentially embarrass him, you couldn't let this slide, not when you kind of wanted to hear him again, but you didn't feel like sitting in the dirt to do it. You frowned to yourself, this was a tough one, but you'd already made up your mind to see if this could go any further, you were on the shore of the waters you were metaphorically testing at that very moment, you just needed to make sure the splash that would come from this wouldn't be big enough to rock the boat and send you overboard.

Okay, you might've gone a bit overboard just with the metaphor, but Hank did mean a lot to you already, and you took the back way out of the section to get out of there before he decided to search more thoroughly.

It was extra busy for a Sunday since it was so nice out after the rain that plagued the town all night long, and you actually needed to make a run to get more swords of every kind before the kids threw a fit. The stall was fine without you, they were also all pros after all, but you did really need to hurry as fast as you could before any complaints were lodged, the warehouse in the very center of the compound so everyone could get to it. You hadn't been in there yet, everything else was too alluring, but thankfully you did know where it was so you wouldn't get lost, and before you could run in you were stopped by one of the managers.

You could tell that was who was calling to you based on his outfit, managers always wore ‘richer’ looking clothes when they had to be outside, an indication of their both real life and fictional statuses, and you gave the warehouse a glance before rushing over. ‘What is it?’ you asked as politely as you could, the man flipping through a barely disguised clipboard until he found the page he was looking for.

‘We’ve been hearing great things about how well you’re settling in here, you’re the one who’s only on til September, right?’ he confirmed, and you nodded. ‘It says here that you’re only doing part-time shifts, but the summers are always busy for us, and Urith has been telling us every weekend how much she appreciates your help; would you be interested in upping the rest of your hours to full-time, starting today? We’ll update your payroll for today before it goes out, or we can tack it onto the next, whichever you prefer.’

You could hardly believe your luck, getting to double your money would be a lifesaver for the move, and you could only nod in total agreement. ‘Yes, absolutely, thank you so much for the opportunity,’ you finally got yourself to say as he wrote it down, and he tapped the page and gave you a nod of his own as he turned to walk away.

‘You’re here til closing for the next five weeks, then,’ he let you know, a sentence that would’ve given you nightmares at your first job, the words only bringing you joy as you grinned wide and headed for the warehouse. You only had to show off your empty basket for another employee to unlock the door for you, your feet quickly carrying you inside so you could fill up your extra large basket with the desired products. There were containers upon containers of merch, spare outfits and other costume pieces, decorations, and food, as well as a million other things that the workers would need in a pinch. It was a little intimidating to stand in front of it all, but the kids needed you, and you quickly found the section dedicated to products when you ran into someone.

‘Sorry! I'm so sorry, I- You run out too?’ you blurted out in a panic before you saw that it was Hank, his own basket in hand.

‘Yeah, it's crazy out there today,’ he winced as he thought about the pandemonium waiting for him, which made you do the same, but getting to see him for just this brief moment was enough to let you focus again. ‘My stall is fine, but the guys next to us ran out of plastic flutes, so I offered to grab him some,’ he explained as he looked for what he was searching for, the box in question up high and just within his reach. He set his basket down and stood on his tiptoes to get it, your eyes drawn to the way his costume lifted up just enough to become untucked from his pants and show off a little bit of hip and stomach; you quickly looked away and focused on your own search, one of your own boxes also up high just to your luck, and this one unfortunately not within your reach.

Once the rest of the swords were stacked in a way that wouldn’t poke you, you needed to grab a ladder in order to get up to the most desired ones, you didn't want to distract him while he loaded up, and you climbed the few rungs in order to get your preciously needed toys. You were used to the weight of the packed up merch, so that wasn't a surprise, but the way it threw you off balance that high up and made you wobble, that's where the surprise lay; you let out a yelp as the ladder tilted back before you could correct it, you were going down, so much for that second month of double pay, when you felt hands catch you before you could hit the ground or the shelves behind you. 

Hank cradled your head to his chest as he stumbled to the floor with you in his arms, the ladder clattering to the ground with a loud series of bangs that filled the room all the way up to the ceiling; he was protecting you from any damage of the fall, and this close you could smell his deodorant hidden under the smells of the heat and Faire. It was enough to make your heart race, you'd never noticed before outside surrounded by people, but in here you could tell that he smelled good, and you nuzzled into the crook of his neck as he worriedly checked you over to make sure you weren't hurt.

‘Are you okay? I should've spotted you, I'm so sorry, you could've really hurt yourself,’ he panicked above you, but you were perfectly fine thanks to his quick thinking, and you let him know it as you backed up and pretended like your cheeks were red because of the scare.

‘I'm good, thank you, you caught me in time, maybe you are the Robin Hood type after all,’ you joked as you straightened yourself up, your words now making him blush once he was sure you really were fine. He let out a nervously small laugh as he retrieved your box for you and helped you load up the remaining space in your basket, but when it all proved to be heavier than his flutes he offered to switch.

‘You're on the way, I don't mind,’ he blushed without looking at you, and you couldn't say no in light of what he's just done for you, your hero.

‘If you're okay with it,’ you conceded immediately just to see him smile at being able to do this for you. ‘I think this might cut into our lunch with how hectic it is out there, would you want to- I mean, you don't have to, but I'd like to treat you for all this, I might've had to make a serious trip to the medical tent if I'd done this alone,’ you tried, testing those waters to see if he'd take the bait, and you got your answer right away when his eyes lit up.

‘Really? We can just meet up for lunch next weekend, you don't have to cancel any plans for me,’ he offered to give you an out, but you wouldn't take it, you were on a mission here after all.

‘I've got nothing going on, why don't you meet me at the café by my place Friday night and we'll go from there?’ You said it as nonchalantly as you could, you didn't want to scare him away after all, and he fumbled around with his own basket for a moment, passing it between his hands before reaching out to take yours so you could switch.

‘Do you want me to dress up so you recognize me out there in modern times?’ he joked with a small smile shot to the ground just in case it didn't land, but of course it did, that was why you were doing this after all. You handed over your heavy basket and took his, felt the way the wicker was still warm from his hands, and you made sure he saw your smile as you started to back up towards the door.

‘It's a date.’ He choked on air with a nervous laugh, you had to be joking, and you took pity on him and laughed as well. ‘I'll give you my number after closing, don't want everyone out there seeing technology after all,’ you grinned, relishing in your success as you rejoined the rest of your small world, the two of you hurrying back before the era-appropriate torches and pitchforks were pulled out in response to their toys not being available. You kept close to him through the crowds, your free hand held over the basket to make sure nothing was snatched when you weren't looking, and it honestly felt pretty on brand when the children without coins eyed your wares; absolutely not, you wouldn't get fired over this, but there were more dangers out there, one of them being the still muddy ground your gripless shoes were currently trampling, and when you stumbled and nearly dropped everything you lost him for a second. ‘Hank, wait!’ you called out to him even though you were heading in the same direction, everyone's eyes on you as you quickly brushed off the dirt and packed his flutes back into his basket.

You were falling behind, you couldn't let him go back without these, but the crowd was thick and no one paid any mind to you as you fought to gather the stragglers up before they could be stepped on or stolen. You swore to yourself and stood, everything accounted for but he was gone, you'd gotten turned around because he'd been leading, where were you? You were lost in your panic, he was going to have to go back again for more or even get in trouble because of you, how could you do this to him? You felt overwhelmed as the faces blurred, if you'd just handled your own basket he'd be fine, you needed to get to him, you needed to-

A hand shot out of the crowd and latched onto your sleeve, Hank coming into view and pulling you to him with surprising strength, and you blushed into his chest before he was guarding you and leading the way again. He didn't say anything, he was used to the rush and was concentrating on getting back, and he led you to the back of your stall and kept you out of sight so you could catch your breath. ‘I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I thought you were right behind me,’ he apologized profusely like it was his fault, and you set down his basket on the ground before pulling him into a hug.

‘Thought I was a goner out there, thanks, Robin Hood,’ you mumbled into his shoulder, and you felt him shiver before his hands came up to pat you on the back.

‘It was nothing,’ he breathed into the side of your head, and you smiled but didn't call him out on it when you heard him faintly smell your hair before he caught himself. You got him back while you were that close again, now that you were back outside he mostly just smelled like the outdoors again, with the fading scent of detergent still clinging to his clothes, but there was that something else there underneath it all; a bit of soap, maybe deodorant, maybe even it was just him, and you caught yourself before you could try again to figure it out, save it for after the date. ‘I gotta get back, thanks so much for walking with me, sorry it was too busy to talk,’ he quickly said as he bent down to pick up his flutes, and you noticed a few of them still had dirt on them.

‘Yeah, sorry I kinda dropped a few, I wish I could go help you clean them up but I'm stuck here,’ you frowned, and he opened his mouth to say something before closing it again; now that was a curious one, but he just brushed a bit of the dirt off and gave a shrug.

‘I'll just set them aside for tomorrow, I doubt we'll sell out again today and I always get here early,’ he reassured you, which did help a little.

‘Maybe I'll call in sick, stop by here and help you then,’ you joked as he turned to leave in the direction of the music section, and again he looked like he wanted to say something but didn't. That was fine, you still had to go from co-workers to whatever came next, there was no rush, but when you went to slip through the curtain to get back inside your stall, he cleared his throat to get your attention.

‘I-I wouldn't object to it if you did,’ he mumbled sheepishly, his eyes on the ground again, and before you could continue your stallmate, Urith, peeked through to tell you to hurry; when you looked back he was gone again, you couldn't blame him for that, and for once you found yourself excited for Friday for more reasons than just the weekend coming the next day.

Thankfully the rest of the day eventually gave way to the usual flow instead of LA-Style Rush Hour, and you did indeed manage to give him the address of the café near your place on your way to your car. He had to wait for the bus, thankfully this place had its own stop due to being a big tourist area, and when you found out you couldn't help the question from naturally coming out. ‘I could give you a ride, y'know, I don't mind it,’ you offered, Hank draping a custom backpack over his shoulder even though he didn't have to go this far, the patrons would never see it, although he had changed his shoes into sneakers instead, and his cloak was exchanged for a hoodie.

‘I wouldn't wanna impose,’ he tried but there was no imposition at all, and he'd fought and failed to hide his smile all the way to where you parked. ‘Thanks for this, I've got a bus pass but I just can't work on my license right now, too busy, although I do have my eyes on this older model that's been around for a while at the dealership,’ he explained to you as you both hopped into the front seat, a quick tossing of trash to the back lighting your cheeks even though he didn't seem to care. ‘It's a 2011, and I know it's a bit more than just old by now, but it's been my dream car for years, ever since- sorry, I didn't mean to ramble.’

Your eyes shot to him so fast you almost ran a red. ‘I didn't think you were rambling, c’mon, tell me why it's still your dream car,’ you encouraged him, and he played with a tear over the knee of his pants with a shrug.

‘Just saw it in a movie once, thought it was cool, that's all,’ he gave you, and you frowned at the weirdness filling the car. ‘Hey, I know that you wanna thank me, but we don't have to meet up for it, I'm just happy you're okay,’ he suddenly said, the light still red above you even though no one was around.

‘I wanna meet up, in fact, let's do dinner, okay? Right now, I mean you're here, I'm here, we don't even have to get changed, I doubt anyone would care,’ you pitched to him, Hank sinking into his seat instead of looking excited again. ‘Or we don't have to, I just thought-’

‘You're really kind, you know that?’ he told you almost to himself it was so quiet, your hand gripping the wheel hard. ‘I know I take it too seriously, not everyone loves working there but I do, but I live for this stuff, and I don't- I don't want you to look at me differently when you figure out…’

‘When I figure out?’

He pulled at the tear until you could see skin under the fraying threads. ‘When you figure out that it's not an act, that I'm just a big loser who loves Ren Faires and Star Wars and getting to wear this stuff, I… ha, I still can't believe you talk to me in there when you're so outta my league.’

This was something you didn't expect, and since no one was coming you didn't step on the gas when the light changed. ‘Hank,’ you said as you turned in your seat, his eyes refusing to meet yours, ‘I think you might’ve spent too much time in there, because if you seriously think I'm out of your league, then you’ve gotta be living in a fantasy,’ you corrected him, his lips pursing in embarrassment. ‘I mean it, I chose to work there too you know, I keep going all out on my outfits because this is fun, and getting to meet you has been great, getting to see you every weekend has made everything okay when the rest of the week I'm honestly stressed out of my mind because if I can't pull this off, if my budgeting was wrong, then I could end up evicted by next month if I can’t find a new place.’ 

He finally turned to look at you at your shared vulnerability, and you just barely avoided being honked at when the light turned red again and forced the car coming up behind you to wait.

‘I know we haven't known each other that long, but I want you to know me better, alright? And I want to know you better too, but I just really want you to know that I asked you out because I-

‘You asked me out?’ he interrupted, your mouth closing in surprise as you just stared at each other. You stared for so long that the light turned again, and you received a very angry honk before the people behind you sped on by when you still didn't move. Even with them screaming expletives through their windows you didn't move, Hank's eyes wide and his face bright red as he remained frozen until he looked away in a panic. ‘What? Ca-can you blame me? I'm not exactly Prince Charming around the Faire,’ he muttered to himself, all curled up in his costume in your car, a bit of immersion broken as he picked at the hole again; your hand shot forward to stop him, rest on his over his knees, and he stared at the contact until your laugh drew his attention.

‘No, you're not,’ you simply said, his eyes downturned again, ‘you're Robin Hood.’

His chest puffed up with the big breath he took at that, you were nothing but as genuine as he was so there was no need to tease or lie, and he could see it in your eyes. You kept holding his hand, your heart pounding as you remained stopped at the light, and just when you saw him start to lean in you heard more tires pull up beside you. ‘Need any hel- Hank, what're you doing now?’ came a man's voice from your window, and you turned to see not another angry stranger but a cop, Hank's face crumbling in embarrassment as he gave the older man a small wave.

‘Hey dad…’

After a quick conversation that ended with your car finally going on green and you not receiving a ticket thanks to your company and the hopeful look in his father’s eyes at the sight of you, the two of you sped off down the road towards his place when he told you to take a left. You did as you were told, the silence more comfortable as he went to pick at the hole and stopped himself, his hand placed in between the two of you instead. He waited, purposefully not looking as his fingers lightly twitched in anticipation, and you smiled and let go of the wheel in order to take his hand instead.

You could feel his excitement in the small action, your smile sticking all the way not to an apartment building, but to a small bar instead, a place you'd driven by before but never actually gone in. You turned to look at him in confusion, you could've sworn the windows above the place led to the owner's house, not apartments, but he just flashed you a smile of his own before exiting and car and shutting the door. That was even more confusing, wasn't he even going to say goodbye after that, and you went to leave when he tapped on your door and motioned for you to follow. You did as you were told, your windows raised and the engine shut off as you followed him inside, and what greeted you were some vaguely familiar faces already gathered around a table while someone sang badly on the small stage in the corner, although they didn't seem to care because they were having fun.

‘You asked me out, right? I thought we could come here,’ he finally let you know, and your heart soared as you nodded and grabbed a seat with him at the table. ‘You've probably already met them, but these are my friends, we all got the job together; Bruce’s the one who hooked us up for lunch, Gary’s the one who builds stuff and helped me with my flask, and Paul is all the way over with the games, he’s running this huge interactive campaign for everyone to drop in on again for the summer,’ he said as he introduced the other men there, names finally going to faces as they told you all went into a bit more detail about their own jobs. It turned out they'd been friends for well over 10 years, so when the job openings had come up they'd been fast to apply together, all of them getting in thanks to the harsh demand of the need for staff.

All the while he watched you as you listened, you could see him do it out of the corner of your eye, his attention especially on you when it was brought up that they ran their own campaign together, which you didn't get until they explained it was Dungeons and Dragons. You laughed in surprise, that definitely made sense, and you held his hand under the table when you asked them how that all worked. His smile glowed as he took over, he was so passionate about all of it, and when he told you all about his chosen class as a ranger, everyone laughed and started to tease while you smiled in confusion.

‘He says a ranger, but we all know he wants to be a bard,’ Bruce teased, your eyes going to Hank when you figured out what that meant.

‘You know I don't,’ he tried to say but they wouldn't listen, they were too full of beer and good food to not want to embarrass their friend in front of you. 

‘Yeah yeah, get up on that stage and say otherwise,’ Gary urged him, and when he wouldn't go they went themselves and started up a very loud rendition of Don't Rain on My Parade. Their voices echoed around the bar, some people laughing, some joining in thanks to their enthusiasm, Hank just staring at the table and playing with his fries while his friends had fun without him.

‘Why don't you go up? I don't know this one, but I can pick something I like for the next one, if you need some incentive,’ you tempted him, Hank looking to the stage and shaking his head.

‘Told you I'm not much of a singer,’ he mumbled, the memory coming to you and making you shake your head.

‘You said you weren't much of an actor,’ you corrected him quickly.

‘Not much of a singer either.’

‘Well, neither am I, but I'll go up if you do.’ You didn't want to push him, but you could tell he did want to go even if he was shy, and for a moment it looked like he might when he shook his head and sank back into his seat.

‘Not much of a singer,’ he repeated softly to himself, and he stayed true to his word and remained in his seat even when his friends invited you up for the next song, which you did indeed get to pick. You sang just for him even though your voice shook something awful, you weren't much of a karaoke person at all, but when he looked up at you, his eyes only on you, you felt like you could get a bit used to it as you closed your eyes and belted out the long note even though your voice cracked. Everyone applauded your own enthusiasm either way, a few whistles even thrown your way over your costume, but it was especially his friends who cheered beside you for going for it, and you were panting and sweating when it was over. All four of you took a deep bow before returning to the table, a couple coming up next to try it out since you warmed it up for them, and Hank gave you a glass of water as soon as you were sat back down.

‘Never done that before,’ you breathed with red cheeks and sweat beading on your forehead from the nerves and the lights, ‘it was more fun than I thought, but I honestly felt like I might throw up for a second there.’

Hank just admired you in front of everyone for a moment before he remembered to speak. ‘You were pretty good,’ he blurted out much too fast, his friends nudging each other and trying to keep their chuckles under control.

‘Thanks, but I heard that crack at the end, I'm just glad we weren't at work, I feel like it might've been pretty on point for everyone to suddenly be carrying tomatoes at singing that bad,’ you laughed while rubbing at your warm neck, Hank shaking his head and moving his chair closer to yours.

‘I wouldn't let them,’ he swore to you, the seriousness in his voice telling you that even in your joke he'd protect you from hecklers. Again he caught himself and backed up, and you held his hand and waited for the couple to finish before nodding in the direction of the stage.

‘Wanna go up with me?’ you asked one more time, you wouldn't ask again if he said no, you wouldn't push him, and he looked at the stage before shaking his head, that was that.

‘No, but… do you wanna get outta here?’ he whispered instead, your hand still in his as he tossed down some money for the food and drink before leading you back to your car when you said yes.

You drove for about an hour before he told you the way to his place, just aimlessly driving all over town and talking the whole time without any friends to insert their comments into everything he said; they didn't do it to be malicious, but it was clear they thought him being on a date at his age was adorable, and as such couldn't help themselves, they were just that close by now. Still, it was nice to have it just be you again, and he talked so easily when it was only you to listen as intently as you did. You almost didn't want the night to end, but it was getting late, the both of you needed a proper dinner and it seemed like he wasn't ready to invite you in for pizza or anything, so when you finally reached his place you took a moment to remember the address and really look at the building.

It was pretty big and well kept, and he leaned over to your side of the car to point up through your door at the topmost windows. ‘That one's me,’ he said with a smile, his face very close to yours, ‘those three windows right there, the units are decently priced but they're also pretty big, I even got a second bedroom, but I mostly just fill it with…’ He finally noticed your closeness, his eyes going wide again before his entire face softened. ‘My collections,’ he finished, his eyes on your lips, ‘I've got a bunch in there, ton of figurines, few spaceships I built, Legos, records…’

‘You have a record player?’ you whispered back, both of your voices so low because of the distance.

‘Yeah, it was my dad's, you just met him.’ He swallowed, his eyes still on you, the distance starting to close when he hesitated. ‘Sorry, I haven't- I mean, I guess I'll see you next weekend?’ he backed out before he could finish his thought, the hopeful pounding in your heart slowing as the disappointment took over.

‘Yeah, see you Saturday,’ you gave in, Hank returning to his seat and reaching for the door when he hesitated again; you froze when he spun back around and leaned in with his eyes shut tight, his nervously chapped lips thanks to worrying teeth pressing a kiss to your cheek.

‘Bye,’ he whispered breathlessly like it was the best kiss he'd ever had, your hand crossing the gap and pulling him right back over for a proper kiss before he could get too far. It was chaste but it was still nice, he was older than you but you could tell he hadn't dated much based on the way he let out a surprised whimper when you licked at his bottom lip to be let in, and you chuckled against his mouth and decided to go easy on him, for now.

‘Bye,’ you said right back, Hank now very breathless as he nodded and scrambled out of the car. He crossed the street when the light traffic eased up, his hand held high to wave to you all the way to his door, and you waited until he was inside before heading home, a huge smile on your face to match his.

So much for making a ripple, you were ready to dive right in.

Next Saturday couldn't come faster, your paycheck freshly deposited and your first month on the job completing over the next two days more than enough reason to celebrate because you were about to find out if this extra cash would be enough to make up the rest of your rent no matter which new place you went with. Your math couldn't be wrong using the new amount as a basis, you'd done it so many times that just looking at numbers was enough to give you a headache for the entire day afterwards, which sucked considering you mostly worked register at your first job, but still you went over it one more time with your first two paychecks spread out in front of you. This was it, rent was due on Monday but you had more than enough to cover it and put away the rest, things would still be a bit tight but you could do this for just another month until your new hours kicked in and set you up for the move.

Just another month.

You felt almost sad at the reminder that the Faire was supposed to be a temporary thing, instead of spending your weekend giving merch to kids and eating homemade food with Hank you'd have to start picking up those extra shifts at your first job, the one that would tip the scales from tight back to fine because the hours were longer and pay was higher, even though it might kill you. You’d just gotten the confirmation that you’d be working all weekend as well as adding on a few hours each day of the week once the new schedule kicked in, and instead of being happy about it, you already just felt tired; instead of easy 10AM mornings stretching into date-ready 7PM nights, you’d be stuck going from 7 to 10, a crueler and longer weekend set of shifts just to continue to make ends meet.

You almost didn't want that despite the money that would be coming in, you were going to miss how fun your weekends were even though you were working them now and had limited free time, but you honestly barely noticed between it all. No, you knew you didn't want that, there was no doubt about it, but your lease would be up soon and you hadn’t had any time to tour any of the places you’d bookmarked, not to mention you couldn't just give your hours back up after everything your boss was pulling together for you, you needed to go through with this, you had no choice.

You felt a little melancholy as you drove in to work, your good mood replaced by the fact that you were now aware of the countdown, of the fact that in one month from now you'd be heading into your other job instead of here. You'd have to donate your costume as planned, you wouldn't need to make stops for fresh bread to keep up the act, you wouldn't get to hear the plays across from you, the music beside you, walk down to get good food and enjoy the company of the man you were seriously crushing on, even if he didn't completely believe it. You didn't want to, you didn't want to trade these walks to your stall to walking to the register, from giving out merch to ringing up food, from making emergency trips to the warehouse to restocking endless shelves.

It sucked, you'd asked for it and it fucking sucked, and you kicked at your stall because no one was around to see it yet. It hurt, it was solid wood after all, and you hissed and hopped on one foot before slumping against the side and resisting the temptation to slide down into the dirt; you couldn't live off this, Hank could because this was his full-time job and his rent was secure, but you couldn't because your apartment was just too expensive to live in anymore, it was this or get back to that hunt for someplace new, set up some meetings and pick whatever was cheapest before you ran out of time.

Wait a minute…

You whipped out your phone and typed in Hank's address, your eyes scanning the screen as you swiped and scrolled and clicked until you found what you wanted. This was crazy, he knew you'd been looking but you couldn't possibly consider this, right? You knew you shouldn't, but he had offered up the place as an option, and you bookmarked a page to wait with the others with a hopeful grin as you started to rework your math.

It ended up being pretty slow for a Saturday, something big was going on in the city so everyone was flocking to it, and as such you didn't have to sneak around back to get some food as Hank nervously escorted you towards the delicious smells of lunch. ‘It's a big thing, I heard some TV show is being filmed in town so everyone keeps trying to catch a glimpse of the actors,’ he informed you when you grabbed your table, today's menu consisting of a meat sandwich absolutely stuffed with the good stuff, the meats being cut and cooked and filling the area with aromas that made your mouth water even more; you nearly drooled all over your sandwich as you took a bite of it, and that fresh bread really tied it all together again with a satisfied moan as you chewed.

‘Why don't we try too? I don't think I've ever met a celebrity before, what're their names?’ you asked around your ambitiously large bite of food, Hank thinking to himself before giving in and taking out his phone, no one was paying attention to you two anyway.

‘Some guy named Tod was mentioned as a lead, I think I recognize his face from something, but maybe I know his last name from someone else,’ he figured before flipping his phone around so you could see, and sure enough he looked familiar but you couldn't place from where, the picture that of a handsome man with blonde hair down to his shoulders caught behind the scenes with another man you almost recognized standing beside him. 

‘His friend looks familiar too, it'd be rude to walk up to them and ask what else they've been in, though,’ you scoffed at yourself for considering it instead of just looking them up when Hank put away his phone and waited almost expectantly across from you. ‘...What?’

‘It's just that… you've been here a month, and you've only got one left, so I thought…’ he mumbled mostly to himself before an extravagant cupcake was placed in front of you, a tiny dragon made of icing carefully piped on top with little sprinkle spikes sticking out of its back all the way to its tail. ‘Don't worry about paying me back or anything, it's a gift, but I wouldn't mind a bit of tail…’

You reached across the table and pulled him into another kiss, your dragon almost getting smushed between you as Hank flailed over the very public display of affection in front of Bruce. The man didn't seem to mind though, and he laughed himself all the way back to the stand now that his task was over. When your thank you was successfully delivered you sat back again, your gift safe between your bodies as he turned into a very realistic Hank Puppet with how still he was, his face even brighter red than the weekend before. You picked up the cupcake and held it out for him to claim the tail, his eyes going down to it before he did just that with shaking hands, green icing smeared around his mouth when he was done. You laughed and took your own bite of mostly icing, a bit of sprinkles, and a sliver of cupcake, and when he saw the mess left behind his laugh matched your own.

You spent the rest of your break wanting to go around to his side of the table as you took turns eating the treat along with your lunch, napkins and phone cameras called for thanks to how much they'd layered on, although having Hank nervously try to wipe the icing off the tip of your nose for you was a lot nicer than holding up your screen so you could use it like a mirror. You didn't want this to end, there had to be something you could do, you decided as you walked back to your stall with him, his hand linked with yours not just to keep you from getting lost in the crowd this time. 

Maybe you could do both, take the Saturday there doing whatever they needed since it’d be busier and more warranted, and keep the Sunday here; it'd keep things tight but maybe your math might come through, and you made up your mind to at least ask about it, see if you could fill up your weekdays even more in return, maybe next weekend after seeing what could be done on Monday. You couldn't just give this up, not when you'd already come out of it halfway with a very very possible boyfriend, maybe you'd even be able to work in the music section along with him, and when you reached your stall you held on a little tighter and pulled him back towards you when he tried to leave with only a small smile.

‘I'd still like to do dinner with you,’ you let him know, his hopeful smile growing like he'd somehow been thinking you didn't despite all the signs you were throwing his way. ‘Maybe not this weekend, I've got some things to do, but how about next weekend after our shifts?’

‘I can do that,’ he grinned eagerly like you were about to go right now, your hand in his keeping him from sprinting to his locker so he could gather his things. You chuckled and licked your thumb so you could rub away a pesky smudge of green still remaining on the corner of his mouth, his eyes shutting tight at the motion, and when it was over he looked like he could run a mile. ‘I've gotta get back, would you wanna meet up again? Like, to drive me home? You don't have to, I still have my bus pass-’

‘I'd love to, tomorrow too, and the weekend after that,’ you smiled before kissing him goodbye, the two of you parting when a child saw your display and laughed about it with his friends. Hank frowned with pursed lips that made him look positively adorable, and finally you let him go before any more children could bully the two of you. You waved him goodbye, his form disappearing in the crowd, and you practically floated your way into the stall only to be met with gossip, but not about you.

‘I heard he's been trying to- hey, finally, can you work on that box please? We're almost out again,’ Urith asked as soon as she saw you, the demand for more plastic swords and wands and staffs strong again today.

‘I don't think he'll go, he's all talk, like, he's performing at a Ren Faire, that's not gunna get him on the show when he doesn't even know the plot,’ your neighbour, Jaeden, continued while you tore open the box and restocked the baskets, the kids on the other side of the shelves pointing to what they wanted until their parents conceded.

‘That's what I'm saying, but that's just what I heard, that's what Niki told me,’ Urith replied before tending to the line with a smile, the gossip on pause until things calmed again. ‘Anyway, I really don't think there's room for a singer in whatever that show is doing, doesn't matter if he can bring the rest of the band or not, cause Niki's not skipping work to sing unless she knows it's a sure thing.’

‘What’s happening?’ you asked as you stuffed the box into the hidden trash bin now that it wouldn't be seen, the two turning to you.

‘You know Dani from over in Music? The tall one with the green and blue hair he has to hide under that awful wig while he's on stage? He thinks he's gunna get his and Niki's band in that show that's filming here for the next few weeks,’ she told you, and you tried to think back but you hadn't gotten to spend any real time around the music section apart from your snooping. ‘I'm telling you it's not gunna happen though, he might be older, but it's Niki's band, and she takes this shit too seriously to ditch for an audition she can't even confirm is real or not.’

‘He tried yesterday, I heard he came in late, he just might get one,’ Jaeden spoke up after helping a customer, your stallmate shaking her head.

‘Trust me, if they're filming they're not looking for random rock bands to appear in the background,’ she insisted, the conversation going on without you as you started to space out and think of Hank; the show itself was still a mystery, all that'd been released was a bit of the cast thanks to the local news covering it, and it was silly to think he'd want to follow in this guy's footsteps, but you couldn't help but daydream about seeing him sing on the big screen, to take the band's audition for himself. Definitely silly when he wouldn't even sing if he thought someone was listening, but you couldn't help but go back to it throughout the day seeing as he was on your mind already.

The rest of the day passed by before you knew it, but then again it always did in this place in a good way, and you gathered up your things and met up with Hank in the parking lot again. If dating him meant getting to see his happy smile once you came into view you definitely couldn't let this job expire without trying everything you could first, and he pushed his longish bangs behind his ear before eagerly wrapping his arms around your waist in a twirling hug. ‘Sorry!’ he apologized when you yelped in surprise, his hands flying off of you and held up by his chest as he leapt apart from you again while you steadied your footing the moment you were back on solid ground. ‘I don't know why I did that!’

‘It couldn't be because you missed me?’ you offered innocently, your hips swaying to the side and letting him know that you weren't mad, and he slowly lowered his hands as he chewed at his lip.

‘Maybe…’

He was fucking adorable. You couldn't let this go, and you hugged him right back before dragging him over to your car when the two of you got in the way of someone else trying to go home for the night. You dropped him off on time tonight, you had a lot to prepare for come Monday, but not before stealing a proper kiss goodbye, no misses this time. You went over your math again while still in costume, crunching the numbers over and over while adjusting your budget for everything else, and after about a half hour of working you finally ended up with enough money for both rent, bills, and groceries, you could still make this work once you could put your new plan into action.

You didn't have to leave the Faire.

You went back the next day in much higher spirits, it would suck to live on such a tight budget if the second part of the plan fell through, but it'd be worth it to be able to stay here, your heart flying as everyone else tiredly said hello and got everything ready for the day. They were completely oblivious to your joy about staying there, to them it was just a job, but this place felt special to you now, a getaway from real life in the same way he probably saw it. You dropped off your modern things and made your way to your stall, a comfortable quietness filling the air as everyone set up on time, the sounds of the acts practicing and the bands warming up sounding off all around you.

You already planned on treating Hank while you still could, you'd have to go back to packing lunches until you could get your weekday hours extended, and even though the thought made you terribly tired you already couldn't wait to see the look on his face when you'd be able to take him to the places he wanted to share with you, and vice versa. There was something so soft about him that drew you in, something so different from the other people you'd met, and you already couldn't wait to meet him for lunch.

Your mind was on what you'd say to your boss come tomorrow, there was still time to give your new hours away to someone else on either Saturday or Sunday if need be, and you wondered just how many you could do in a week until you could free both days back up until your spacing out got you in trouble. You tried not to think about it, it was no good to you to get fired now, but as soon as it was time for your break you eagerly waited for Hank to come pick you up as it were, the two of you always walking to get food together without fail.

When he didn't show you became worried, maybe he was sick again or it was so busy he couldn't escape to eat, and you were about to go see which one it was when your neighbour returned from his own break. ‘He did it, he actually went and did it, it's chaos over there,’ he hissed to the two of you, your eyes widening in realization before you took off; you hurried for the music section, a bunch of annoyed patrons talking amongst themselves as disappointed kids and scathing teens left the arena, the stage absolutely silent for once ahead of you. You made your way to Hank's stall but he wasn't there, a quick question about where he was finally bringing you inside the one place you'd had yet to visit.

People were in their seats and waiting, but a lot of them were on their phones, the stage very much empty and telling you that Dani had taken the band and gone off to audition after all. That left a lot of disappointed customers and the rest of the section unable to fill the space thanks to his ambition - or complete lack of awareness for everyone left behind in his absence, more rather - the other acts resting up so they wouldn't throw out their voices from going hours without a break. Hank was standing with a bunch of them backstage as they tried to figure out what the hell to do, the general consensus you walked up on being that they could just close the place until it was time for the next band to come out, but having someone to go out there and entertain the people already waiting was their main priority so they wouldn't get a mountain of complaints.

‘I'd be less pissed if he'd just called in yesterday if he knew he was gunna try again today,’ someone was attempting not to shout in her exasperation, everyone nodding in agreement, ‘you seriously didn't know he was gunna pull this shit on us today?’

‘Hey, I'm his sister, not his mother, he bailed on me too,’ a woman with blue hair groaned, her own wig held in her hand, that must've been the Niki you'd been hearing about. ‘I can still go out there on my own, I just need a bit of backup-’

‘No, we know you can do it, but all your songs play off having the whole band there, why couldn’t he at least leave one of them with us so you wouldn't be high and dry out here?’ The other woman peeked through the curtain just as Hank noticed you were there, and he flashed you an apologetic smile with a wave for you to come over, guess your lunch date wasn't going to happen for a while today.

‘I can improvise, we can't just leave them out there.’

‘They’re on break, but maybe if I text Theo real fast she can get Hannah to play something on the keyboard-’

‘I'll do it.’ Everyone turned to look at Hank, yourself included, his face resolute in his decision. ‘I can go out there with her, if it's just for one performance until Dani gets back with everyone else, I can do it.’

‘Do you play?’ Niki asked him, her shorter stature having her look up so high to talk to him that it really put his height into perspective.

‘No, but… I- yeah, I can sing,’ he told her confidently, but you could feel the way his hands shook when you touched his arm. ‘If you play something I know, I'll be your backup.’

‘Okay, fine, just get out there and fast, please, before Shoshy notices something is wrong and comes down here,’ the woman begged them as she walked away, her phone out so she could text for more temporary acts to fill the space, and Niki ran off to quickly put on her wig as you circled Hank to look at him.

‘You sure you wanna go out there?’ you asked worried but still supportively, and he honestly looked like he might throw up or pass out as the sweat started to bead, maybe both, his face terribly pale from the nerves.

‘Yeah, I can do it,’ he repeated more to himself than to answer you, and he had only a second to prepare before a fully costumed Niki returned with her guitar and a spare mic.

‘Here's a list of songs I can play,’ she told him while handing over a hastily scribbled piece of paper but he ignored it, he already had a song in mind; he handed it back to her, his finger pointing to one you couldn't make out, and she nodded before rolling her neck and cracking her fingers. ‘Although, let's do this.’

‘Break a leg,’ you whispered before he walked out on stage, and you hurriedly jogged back for the audience to grab a seat, you wouldn't miss this. Everyone was shushing each other as it spread that something was indeed happening even if it wasn't what was scheduled, and Niki gave Hank another look and a nod before music filled the small arena. It was a familiar tune, one you hadn't heard in a long time, and you were sure that if the whole band were there then it might be a wonderful piece, but all they had were her notes drifting through the air. It was peaceful, nostalgic, and she got ready to sing when that beautiful voice you'd heard filled the area instead, he was taking the lead.

‘Are you going to Scarborough Fair?’ he asked, your heart panging and her mouth falling open in surprise at how wonderful he sounded when his voice could surround you so entirely, even if he did shake a little. ‘Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme…’

His song spread, the newness of his presence calling others from the places outside of this bubble, more coming in from the doorway in order to grab a seat.

‘Remember me to one who lives there,’ he sang gently, his voice evening out the more he went, his hands clasped around the mic while Niki strummed confidently beside him with a soft but proud grin, ‘she once was a true love of mine.’

The audience was dead silent all around you, your heart continuing to pound as he went into the second verse, Niki jumping in with the backup vocals without missing a beat. Everyone was enraptured by him, and you couldn't help but also feel proud even though he couldn't even open his eyes to look at the people who were listening so intently. Even a manager you’d never seen before came out to listen, word must’ve gotten to Shoshy after all, and you felt a tremble in your bottom lip when she looked down to type to someone on her phone before watching like she had an idea.

‘Tell her to reap it with a sickle of leather,’ he ordered to his messenger in the song, Niki singing about war in the background, the mixture of their voices so melancholy as he tried to give his lover a chance to win him back with his impossible tasks he knew she’d never accomplish, ‘and gather it all in a bunch of heather, then she’ll be a true love of mine.’ The song was almost over, Niki falling silent again as she got ready to play him out, the world beyond the walls silent just for him as he took in a breath. ‘Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Remember me to one who lives there, she once was a true love of mine… then you’ll be a true love of mine.’

His eyes opened on the last line, Hank finding you at once from across the arena, your breath catching in your throat as Niki finished the song with a lonely solitary note and everything fell silent again. You knew everyone else felt the same, Niki’s band played old songs like this all the time, it’s what they all expected, but no one expected his rendition, the way he sounded, the way you’d memorized it to heart from that first moment you’d heard him. You could hear his soft breaths hit the mic and echo around you like he was standing before you, just inches away, and just when he was about to take the silence and go as validation for why he wasn't much of a singer, the sound of clapping began, everyone standing and applauding in their appreciation.

He froze, Niki used to the attention and grabbing his hand to get him to bow politely, his eyes lighting up and his cheeks turning red as he got the recognition he deserved. It took you a moment to realize you were also clapping, you’d been the one to start it, and you let out a cheer over everyone else that made a streak shine on his cheek in the sunlight as he smiled widely at everyone with an emotionally furrowed expression; you gasped, he was happy, and your hands tingled as you rushed to the stage. You reached up as high as you could, Hank approaching the edge to see what you wanted, and you just pulled him down to his knees in surprise, his eyes wet and wide as you kissed him in front of everyone.

He let out a muffled noise as everyone gazed upon how much you cared for him, the only reason it ended faster than you wanted thanks to needing to get the next act out, this wasn't the performance everyone had come to see. You smiled up at him as he handed the mic back to Niki and hopped down to join you, but before you could grab some lunch with him before your breaks were up, he was stopped in the doorway. ‘I think we need to have a talk,’ Shoshy grinned at him, his pulse pounding under your grip, and you gave his hand a squeeze before letting go.

‘We can talk about it tonight,’ you whispered as the stage was prepared for who you guessed was Hannah when a keyboard was carried out, and he had no choice but to nod and accept your goodbye kiss to the cheek before he was taken away, his rhapsodic tears wetting your lips. You got lunch by yourself, your adrenaline still racing at being able to see him like that, this really was a magical place and you didn’t want to leave, especially if they were talking about what you thought they were talking about. You couldn’t wait to hear the news, your stomach actually getting upset with how worked up you were, and therefore how fast you ate, and you ended up needing to ditch your stall to lay down before you threw up all over the plastic swords.

It wasn't a super great ending to the performance, but you certainly felt better, and when you got word to head home without him from Gary to get ready for ‘something special’, his number finally given to you by him, you couldn’t help but speed all the way home to change. Your phone felt so heavy and light at the same time in your pocket, your steps skipping up each stair; tonight was cause for celebration indeed and you were going to dress up properly, let him see the real you now that he’d shown everyone the real him. You were in the middle of turning the key in the lock when you noticed the rent note, thanks for the reminder, and you grabbed it and headed inside to go over it again when you froze in growing dread.

It wasn't a reminder, it was a correction, the landlord had gotten his own math wrong - gotten greedy with everyone agreeing to the raise even reluctantly - and had increased your current bill from $1250 all the way up to $1700, claiming that it would go towards fixing the building up and adding new amenities. The math you’d been pouring over for weeks only went up to $1400, you couldn’t possibly afford to stay here with that big of an increase, even if you found a way to cut back on all of you spending, including food and canceling every single subscription you still had, it wouldn’t be enough, the Faire just wouldn’t pay enough on those hours.

You rushed to your computer and booted it up, every single page of available apartments that you’d been bookmarking opened and rechecked, and one by one you saw each place go off the market, even the place in Hank’s building, you’d waited too long. This was your only option if nothing else opened within your $1400 budget, there was nowhere else to go because you’d kept hoping the apartments would always be there while you waited on your hours to be approved, and now that they had been without you going back to the hunt, you’d driven yourself into a corner. Your plan to keep one day a week couldn’t satisfy the greed any longer, even your full hours at your first job couldn’t cover it all unless you started at opening and went all the way to closing every single day just like you feared and worse, 7 days of 15 hour shifts just to keep a roof over your head and feed yourself.

You couldn’t stay at the Faire.

[yourfavinthebasement]

MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE are locked in the basement

[pocketgalaxies]

I'm gonna miss our little cottage, though. (insp. by @lightningtitties)

[haveyouseenthismovie-poll]

[cami040405]

For Charles lee ray and Vincent Sinclair ? (Seperetly) would they be the gomez to readers morticia ? How much do they love and worship the reader? It can be any genre

Vincent Sinclair & Charles Lee Ray X Reader with a Relationship Dynamic like Gomez and Morticia (SEPARATE)

Summary: Imagine Vincent Sinclair and Charles Lee Ray (Separate) adoring their S/O like Gomez adores Morticia, they love them more than themselves and would kill and die for them.

A/N: Thank you so much for the request, I loved writing it, I particularly love this couple and being inspired by them to write this was incredible.

Vincent Sinclair

Vincent might not speak, but his love screams volumes. When he loves, it’s with every fiber of his quiet, artistic soul.

Gomez-Level Devotion? Absolutely. Think of him trailing behind the reader like a shadow, silently admiring every detail of them—the way they move, their voice, the way they look at his work like it's more than just wax. To him, the reader is muse, protector, and salvation all in one.

Worship? He doesn’t worship with words—he does it through acts of loyalty and obsession. Every sculpture becomes more refined, more emotional when it’s inspired by the reader. He’d craft wax roses that never wilt. He’d memorize the reader’s routines, quietly fixing things in the house before they ever notice it was broken. If someone disrespects the reader? Vincent’s got the tools and the silence to take care of it without question.

Romance Level? Sky-high. Picture candlelight shadows dancing across the walls of Ambrose as he gently holds the reader’s hand, guiding it over a sculpture they “made together.” He’d cherish any touch the reader offers like it’s sacred.

To most, Vincent Sinclair is a shadow in the dark, an artist of eerie genius, hidden behind silence and a mask that conceals more than just scars. But to you, he’s something else entirely. And to him, you are everything.

From the moment you stepped into Ambrose, you brought color to a world of wax—a life untouched by warmth. At first, he watched from a distance. Silent. Unmoving. Eyes behind the mask studying you with an artist’s curiosity… and something far deeper. Obsession? Maybe. Fascination? Undoubtedly. But it was never cruel. Never predatory. Vincent doesn’t take. He offers.

He’s a man of creation, and you became his muse. But not just any muse—the only one who matters.

Vincent carves you from memory in the quiet of night, every flick of his knife shaped by the way you tilt your head when you're curious, the way your eyes soften when you talk to him—even if he doesn’t answer. He sculpts the curve of your smile like it’s something holy. Wax figures of you start to appear in his studio, some only partially formed, others whole—each one a love letter in form, each one a whisper of “I see you. I need you.”

And not one is ever good enough in his eyes. Because how could he ever capture something as alive as you in stillness?

He doesn't say “I love you.” He shows it. Constantly.

You find your favorite books, once lost or forgotten, neatly placed on the dusty nightstand in your room—cleaned just for you; 

The blanket you left on the couch? Folded; 

The mug you chipped last week? Replaced with one he painted himself.

A small bouquet of wax flowers, made by his own hand, left where he knows you’ll find it first thing in the morning;

That music box you mentioned liking as a child? It plays again one evening, the tune echoing softly down the hallway—because he fixed it. For you;

He notices everything. And you never catch him in the act. It's like he's afraid you’ll see and turn away. But he watches your reactions—those small moments of awe or gratitude—and treasures them like relics.

He burns for your approval, though he’d never ask for it.

That first time you take his hand, truly take it, you feel it. He stiffens, startled—not because he doesn’t want it, but because he does. So much. Too much. It’s been so long since someone touched him without fear or disgust. Since someone saw him and didn’t flinch. When your fingers brush his scarred palm and you don’t let go, something in him cracks—not painfully, but softly. Like wax melting under warmth.

He holds on like he might never get the chance again. No words, just a quiet inhale through his mask. And that’s when you know:

He’d die for you.He’d kill for you.But more than anything… he’d live for you.

Vincent’s jealousy isn’t loud. It’s chillingly quiet. If someone dares look at you with impure intentions—or speaks to you like you’re something to be taken—Vincent doesn’t argue. He doesn’t growl or posture.

He simply disappears. And so does the problem.

Later, you might find wax where it shouldn’t be. A strange silence over Ambrose, even heavier than usual. And Vincent? He’ll avoid your eyes, working harder, faster, more violently in his studio until you gently touch his shoulder… remind him you’re still his.

That you chose him.

And that’s when he relaxes again. Slowly. Like a wounded animal learning it’s finally safe.

It’s not a love that asks anything of you. It doesn’t demand.

Vincent gives. And gives. And gives.

Even if you never say the words.

Even if you walk away.

But if you stay?

He’ll protect you from his brother. He’ll shield you from the dark. He’ll carve out a corner of the world where only you and he exist, covered in the scent of hot wax, old wood, and silent reverence.

To Vincent Sinclair, you aren’t just someone he loves. You're the only softness in a world that taught him to harden.

The candle in his cathedral.The heartbeat in a town of silence.The one soul who looked past the mask—and never looked away.

.

Charles Lee Ray

Now Charles is raw, passionate, and chaotic. But when he loves, he’s fire and blood and undying hunger.

Gomez-Level Devotion? Hell yes, but add murder and mischief. He’s the type to say, “You looked at someone else today? Nah, baby, I took care of it.” His version of devotion is borderline unhinged—but he thinks of the reader as his queen, his ride-or-die, the only person who really gets him.

Worship? Obsessively. He’ll call the reader “gorgeous,” “my dark angel,” “soulmate” in one breath and threaten the entire world in the next for even thinking of harming them. He’s a worshipper in leather and blood-stained knives.

Romance Level? It’s chaotic romantic. Expect impulsive grand gestures: stealing jewels to “match your eyes,” setting a place on fire just to say, “I burned it down for you,” and saying “I love you” with every kill he makes in the reader’s name. But he means it. In that bloody, intense way only Chucky can.

.

From the very first moment Charles laid eyes on you, something in him shifted—dangerously. He wasn’t the type to fall. He took. He played. He killed. But with you? It wasn’t just lust or power. It was need. The kind that sinks in deep like a knife to the ribs and never lets go.

To Charles, you were the one thing in the world that made sense. The chaos in his head quieted when you were near. He called you “his girl,” “his baby,” “his goddess of gore.” And he meant it. You weren’t just someone he wanted in his life—you were the reason he still had a life.

Chucky doesn’t show affection like a normal person. Oh no, sweetheart. He shows it in blood and bullets, in stolen jewelry, in whispered threats to anyone who dares look at you too long.

"You know I’d kill for you, right?” - Not a metaphor. He means it. One time, you offhandedly mentioned someone who made you uncomfortable at work. By morning, they were in the news: missing. Charles never said anything. Just smirked. “See, baby? Told you I take care of my girl.”

Pet names out the ass: “Doll,” “Sweet face,” “Murder baby,” “Queen of my rotten heart.” And somehow, even in his gruff voice, they sound like poetry.

Grand gestures, Chucky-style: He once carved your initials into his knife handle—right below his own. "Til death do us part? Baby, you and I skipped that step. We’re forever."

Like a dark priest at a bloody altar. Like a cultist who only believes in you. You’re his constant obsession. You walk into the room, and the world stops. His eyes are always on you. He doesn’t just want you—he claims you.

You're his sanity. His chaos. His tether to reality. He might be covered in blood, coming home from a "job," and the moment he sees you? His voice softens: “C’mere, baby. Missed your pretty face.”

He’d kill God for you if you asked. And when he says things like “I’d gut a priest just to hear you laugh,” he’s not joking. He thinks the reader’s happiness is divine. Sacred. Worth everything.

If you’re Morticia, he’s the bloodstained, cackling Gomez who kisses the back of your hand after slicing someone’s throat. He’d watch you walk by in your flowing black clothes, eyes gleaming like a man starved, whispering, “Marry me again, baby. And again. And again.”

He’d brag about you constantly: “You seen my girl? Smartest, hottest thing on this rotting earth. Could burn this place to the ground and still make it look sexy.”

He treats your body like a shrine: Every scar, every curve, every movement—you’re untouchable to everyone but him. He memorizes you. Sleeps wrapped around you like a possessive snake. And god help anyone who tries to separate you.

When you’re mad at him?: He goes feral. Can’t handle the cold shoulder. Will beg, scream, promise you the world. “Don’t shut me out, baby. I’ll slit my own throat if it means you’ll forgive me. You know you’re my f***ing everything.”

You’re a legend. A nightmare wrapped in silk. A goddess of beauty and power and danger. And he worships you like that. When the world spits venom, he snarls right back. But when you speak? He listens. When you touch his cheek, his whole body melts. And when you say, “I love you” his heart threatens to beat out of his chest.

Because Chucky—Charles Lee Ray—loves like a wildfire. Violent, all-consuming, impossible to control.

And he’d rather die than live without you.

.