#/ so i have been staring at this trailer for the last . like 3 hours

[super-cosmic-library]

staring at you staring at me

written for @steddie-week day 3: mutual pining

wc: 1085 I rating: G I tags: alpha steve harrington, omega eddie munson, courting, happy ending I [ao3]

“If you don’t stop staring at him, I’m going to tell Keith you’ve been slacking on the job.”

“You wouldn’t,” Steve says, turning away from watching Eddie examine every single VHS in the horror section of Family Video.

“No, I wouldn’t,” Robin agrees. “Did you know he tried asking me out again?”

“What the fuck? What’s wrong with him?”

“I could give you a list. First off, he needs a better deodorant, his sense of humor is abysmal, he thinks that women can hold their periods in like pee, he doesn’t know what the Loch Ness Monster is, he . . .”

Steve glances back at Eddie as his best friend continues to prattle on about their manager’s flaws. Eddie’s examining the same copy of Friday the 13th he’d looked at the day before. Steve loves the way the omega’s face scrunches up as he reads the synopsis before putting it back on the shelf and moving on to the next film.

Eddie’s attention flickers over to them, catching the alpha’s eyes. Steve gives him a little finger wave, which has Eddie pulling a chuck of hair in front of his face to hide behind.

“Steve, are you even listening to me?”

“Uh, yeah,” he whips around to look back at her, trying to recall the last thing she’d said. “Keith calls mashed avocados guacamole.”

“It’s just avocado, salt, and lime juice, Steve! That’s not guacamole!”

“Yeah, no, totally.” His gaze wanders back to Eddie, who’s now examining Fright Night.

“Just court him already.”

It’s a discussion they’d had repeatedly over the past several months. Steve had come up with excuses to not court the omega every time, ranging from giving him time to heal from his demobat wounds to having to kill Vecna again to Steve just having a bad hair day.

“My hair can’t be a mess if I’m going to start courting someone. It’s my best feature.” Steve had said.

Now, though, after months of excuses, he doesn’t have the energy for anything less than the truth. “What if he doesn’t want me?”

Robin raises an eyebrow at that. “Really? You think that Eddie doesn’t want you?”

“Well, yeah. I’m not exactly the type of alpha a guy like Eddie would go for. I mean, you’ve heard his cafeteria rants. I represent everything Eddie hates in the world.”

“He hates secretly nerdy guys who fight monsters and mother pups that don’t belong to him?”

“Preps,” he gestures to his starched polo and jeans. “He hates preps and rich kids.”

“Well, you’re not exactly rich anymore.”

She’s right. His parents had cut him off back in June when they found out once again that he’d not been accepted into any of the colleges they’d wanted him to apply for. In the year since he had graduated, his parents had expected that he would use the free time to round out his character and develop more “real world” experience to make his college applications more appealing to admissions boards. Unfortunately for them, the colleges they’d demanded he apply to required better greats than the ones he’d eeked by with. So his dad decided to cut him loose. Now, he rents the Henderson’s basement from Claudia, happy to help out around the house and get more time to torment Dustin like a real brother would.

“Come on, Steve. He’s in here practically every day for hours at a time, browsing the same selection of movies and making eyes at you. I mean, have you ever even seen him rent a VHS?”

“That’s because I rent them for him with my employee discount.”

“Does he even watch them?”

“Yeah, we watch them in the trailer for our weekly movie nights. I’ve told you about them, Rob.”

“Uh huh, uh huh,” she nods. “And how, exactly, do you two sit when you ‘watch’ these movies? Opposite ends of the couch? Separate seats entirely? Cause I’m willing to bet that not only do you cuddle during them, but Eddie initiates it.”

She’s right. But friends can cuddle without being romantically interested in each other. He and Robin cuddle sometimes. He and Tommy used to cuddle all the time before they drifted apart. Cuddling doesn’t mean Eddie’s interested in being courted by him.

He repeats the sentiment to her.

“I’m just saying, I think he’d be interested if you court him.”

“She’s right.”

Steve practically jumps out of his skin. He hadn’t heard Eddie approach the circulation counter. Embarrassment floods his cheeks. “Eddie, what–”

“You know I can hear everything you guys say, right? This place isn’t that big, and your voices are loud.”

Steve wants to shrivel up in a hole and die. He’s going to have to change his identity and move to a different state in order to escape his mortification. He’s going to have to–wait. Did he say . . .

“Did you say she was right?”

“Yeah. I feel like I’m going crazy with anticipation for when you start courting me,” Eddie easily admits. “I would have started courting you, but you seem like the kind of guy who’s traditional in that sense.”

Oh, god. He gets to court Eddie. Eddie wants him to court him. This revelation makes him want to sprint home to grab the gifts he’s been accumulating over the past few months and give them all to him at once.

Calm down, tiger. No need to rush it. Eddie deserves a proper courting ritual.

“So, when I ask to court you, you’re going to say yes?” His thoughts are in overdrive. He needs the confirmation before he gets ahead of himself with planning.

“Yes,” Eddie smiles.

Steve takes in a deep breath. “Eddie, sweetie, I’m going to need you to leave.”

The omega’s face falls. “What? Why?”

“Because I’m going to start freaking out in a really embarrassing way, and I don’t want you to see it. And,” he shoots him the signature Harrington smile. “I’ve got to start planning out our first date.”

Eddie pulls his hair in front of his face, swaying on the balls of his feet. “Will I still see you for our movie night tonight?”

“Wouldn’t dream of missing it. You still want Beetlejuice?”

Eddie nods.

“See you at eight, then.” He gives him a wink.

As soon as the shop door closes, Steve turns on Robin, eager to start talking through all his ideas until he comes up with the world’s best and most perfect first date.

The beta slumps against the counter. “Oh, god, what have I done?”

[morganski-19]

part 1, part 2, part 3

Wayne stays at the hospital longer than he should. Rubbing his fingers along Eddie’s pick necklace like a rosary. Hoping that if he just prays hard enough, if his voice can be heard, Eddie will wake up. 

The prognosis isn’t great. Each day that passes marks another day where his chances of waking up get lower. Even though many people have woken up from medically induced comas much later than this. According to the doctors. According to the pamphlets given to him at the start of all of this shit. But those are just words. Words he doesn’t believe fully. 

Six days with no changes. No improvement. Just a tube to make sure he’s breathing regularly and an IV to make sure he doesn’t die of dehydration or starvation. The doctors say that his brain still shows activity, and his heart hasn’t missed a beat since he was last revived. Eddie’s alive, but just how much?

How much longer will Wayne sit in this agony waiting for him to wake up? Or how long until the string of hope just ends six feet under? 

Religion was something that Wayne dealt with sporadically. He was raised Catholic, sort of still is a practicing Catholic. Goes to church when he isn’t too tired, still prays, and goes to confession sometimes. Just didn’t always make sense. But now, it’s all he’s got. 

Eddie’s in God’s hands now. Whether that’s the God in the Bible, or some other deity of the many other religions in the world, Wayne doesn’t care anymore. As long as he’s heard, and this being knows his boy is good. That he was taken far too soon. 

Eddie liked to say there was nothing much for him past high school. That he was going to run out of town as soon as he could and fight to make something of himself. Be a struggling musician, find odd jobs. Anything to keep him out of the monotony of a corporate job. Get him away from the conservative views and stuffiness of this town. Somehow get big enough to prove them all that he wasn’t a failure. Or never come back to prove them all right. 

It would be a sad day when Eddie finally left for good. The trailer would seem empty without the life that Eddie brought. The peace and quiet that Wayne always asked for not bringing any peace because it was too damn quiet. He knew this now because it’s what’s keeping him here each day. 

The beeping of the heart monitor was like the heart beating in his chest. Some noise came from Eddie to prove that he was alive. Almost like he was acting himself again. The motel room he was staying in was too quiet. No music down the hall, no clanking around the kitchen, no yelling at the TV or a book. Just the occasional noise if there were neighbors and people driving to the hospital. It was all the wrong noise, though. 

“Excuse me,” a nurse says as she enters the room. “Visiting hours are over, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

Wayne nods, getting up from his chair. Back screaming as it pops itself back into place. It’s his day off, or night off tonight, so he can actually sleep. If it ever comes to him. Might be one of those nights where the ceiling and him have a staring contest. He’s been close, but never quite won one of those yet. 

The Chief’s car sits outside of the motel as Wayne pulls up. It’s only been a day since they spoke last, there can’t be that many updates. Wayne can’t think of any other reason he’s here. 

Wayne invites him into the motel room, the urge to offer him a drink screaming at him, but he has none to give. Hospitality doesn’t come with the room fees. 

“I’m guessing there’s something new, that’s why you're here.”

“Not necessarily. I’m still trying, but until the one guy I normally negotiate with comes out of hiding, that’s when the real talking happens.”

Wayne sits down on one of the chairs, too tired to keep standing. “Why’re you here then?”

“To check on you. I know the hospital life well. It’s no picnic, especially if you’re doing it alone.” He pulls another one of the chairs over to sit down. 

There’s no lie in that. “I’m about as good as anyone could think.”

The Chief pulls two beers out from under his coat, handing one to Wayne. He takes it faster than any beer he has in his life. Pulling out his pocket knife to take off the cap. 

“How long till that friend of yours comes out of hiding?”

Hopper shrugs. “Don’t know. Sent him a few threatening letters, and he still owes me one, so we’ll see. If things were better here, I’d go hunt the man down myself.”

Wayne nods. The company’s nice, he can’t lie. Sitting in solidarity with someone who knows what you’ve been through. Making sure nothing’s going worse than it already is. Like a sponsor through the hospital proceedings. 

When the sun finally finishes setting, the chief excuses himself. Not before handing Wayne a slip of paper with his number on it, just in case anything happens. 

The more days go by, the more Wayne is reminded that he’s not alone in this. Not fighting this battle alone. People believe him, more than just kids. People with influence. It shows in how people keep coming in and out of the hospital room. Saying how they know he’s innocent. That he’s guilty of some things, but not this. 

It makes him think back to that afternoon, snapping at the Harrington kid. It’s so easy to be angry at people who are better off, in so many ways, that vision gets blinded. Seeing someone who went through something similar to Eddie get out, and be conscious while his boy is still asleep. Probably will never have to worry about hospital bills and medical debt. It makes him angry. 

Even if the kid doesn’t deserve it. Wayne has no clue who this kid is and how he knows Eddie. Why he claims to have been there in the week Eddie was missing. What it all means. It doesn’t make any sense. None at all. 

But then the next morning when he’s getting coffee, there’s the kid again coming in beside Dustin. Talking to someone at the front desk before heading down the hall. Right to the elevator, and up to the floor Eddie’s on. 

Wayne heads back to the room, ready to kick him out again or apologize. He’s not sure yet. But, the room is empty. Steve is instead down the hall, talking to Susan Mayfield. Looking serious as hell, and halfway ready to cry. 

Another kid comes out of the room, one who’s stopped by a few times to check on Eddie. Lucas, Wayne thinks is his name. Remembers it only because Eddie had ranted a few times about some kid named Lucas trying to be on both the basketball team and part of the Dragons club. 

The kid says something to Steve before he’s being wrapped in a hug and starts crying. Steve just holding him as this kid breaks down. Presumably about the person behind those doors. Wayne assumes it’s probably Susan’s kid. Remembers hearing that she was in bad shape. Hopefully, that didn’t get any worse. 

Wayne returns to his room, not wanting to intrude. A nurse comes in a while later and asks him to step out for a bit. 

“What for?”

“Eddie’s breathing has improved over the last twenty-four hours. The doctor came in to check on him early this morning, and said that if by noon it was the same, the breathing tube could come out.”

“And that’s a good thing?” Wayne’s hesitant to believe anything these days. 

The nurse nods. “As long as his oxygen levels stay, well level, then yes. It means that his body is well on the way to recovery.”

Wayne nods, taking his coffee to the waiting room. There, he just waits.

Next part

Note: The next part of this will get a bit interesting. I've been having ideas for a while now of making this duel POV between Wayne and someone else, maybe Steve. Mainly because I keep thinking of conversations that would happen, but Wayne would be nowhere to witness it. But I think what this fic needs is a POV not directly in the main relationship that will be happening, to keep it an outsider POV fic. So I'm thinking that the second POV would be from either Robin or Dustin. I'm currently deciding between the two so let me know what you think. I'm also going to start posting this to ao3, and will provide the link to that once I think of a title. I will continue to post the smaller parts here on tumblr, and you will not be missing out on any of the story if you only follow it on here. For now all of the parts will also have the tag #morgan's wayne POV. If that changes, as it probably will since this is no longer just a wayne POV fic, I will let you know. Also, Max is alive, they just got a heavy diagnosis that you will learn of later.

tag list, let me know if you want to be added or removed: @the-they-who-nerded, @insteviewetrust, @croatoan-like-its-hot, @jettestar, @tinyplanet95, @steddie-as-they-go, @slv-333, @littlecelestialmoth, @thatonebadideapanda, @fandomsanddeath, @marismorar, @wonderland-girl143-blog, @glass-bottle03, @gutterflower77, @here4thetrama, @goodolefashionedloverboi, @jaytriesstuff, @cryptid-system, @manda-panda-monium, @resident-gay-bitch, @anaibis, @xxsutherlandxx, @forevermineliv, @mugloversonly, @gregre369, @n0-1-important, @different-tale-student, @spectrum-spectre, @tartarusknight, @devondepresso, @swimmingbirdrunningrock, @cheertain, @anti-ozzie, @autumncrocusandladybug, @greeniebean911, @cr0w-culture, @stillfullofshit, @connected-dots, @daisynotquake, @morgannotlefay, @a-little-unsteddie, @dolphincliffs

[miley1442111]

burnt- s.adamu

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two different sydney requests:

i got so excited seeing syd in the new trailer for the bear s3 😭 need something with reader x sydney bc i can’t wait until june 27!! anything you can think of possibly based on some stuff hinted in the trailer would be great :) thank you so much!!

requesting sydney x reader! feel like it’s been so long since ive seen any content with her, especially because we were robbed of even a glimpse of her in that new teaser they released the other day 😭

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a/n: i hope you both enjoy! thank you for requesting!

summary: your girlfriend doesn't take it too well when she finds out you kept your injury from her.

pairing: sydney adamu x fem! berzatto! reader

warnings: reader gets hurt, burned hand, i think that's it?

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Baste, pour, flip, repeat. Baste, pour, flip, repeat. Baste, pour, flip, repeat. God, did Carmen need to yell so loud? 

You looked up for a split second, not even- just a fraction of a half-second, and you felt the burn of the boiling duck fat begin to sear your skin. It bubbled the skin on your left hand, leaving it exposed to the heat of the room and making it so much worse.  

“Fuck!” you shouted, pulling your hand away from the hot stove and turning it off. You held your hand close to your chest with a pain expression as all eyes handed on you. 

“W-what, what happened?” Carmen asked, running over. 

“Fuck you,” you said through gritted teeth. “Why do you fucking shout so loud?” You asked your brother. He rolled his eyes and pulled you to the other side of the kitchen and looked down at your hand. 

“Oh fuck,” Richie mumbled, joining the huddle you and Carm had made. “You’re going to have to go to the emergency room for that one.”

“No fucking shit jagoff,” you seethed. “I’ll grab my shit and drive myself. Get back to service Carm.”

He stared at you for a second. “You sure?”

“I’m fine,” you nodded and he obliged, pressing a quick kiss to your temple like he used to when you were kids. 

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

The drive to the ER was agony. Every movement of your hand was like a thousand needles being pushed into the skin and the ice pack Carm had given you wasn’t helping.  

You debated calling Syd, but this was her one night off to spend with her dad. You didn’t want to bother her, and you sure as hell didn’t want her to wait with you in the packed ER for the next 3 hours. You decided to just stare at your phone screen and scroll instagram until you were called in. 

Ring, ring, ring. 

Sydney’s contact jumped up on the screen and your senses were immediately heightened. Had Carm told her? How did she know? Maybe she didn’t know… maybe she was just calling to say that she was going to stay with her dad for the night and that she wouldn’t be home, you didn’t know.

“You got burnt?!” she questioned, concern filling her voice. 

“Who told you that?” you asked. 

“Who do you think? Carm! Why wasn’t it you who told me?” 

“You’re supposed to be with your dad tonight, I didn’t want to be a bother,” you shrugged, hearing your name being called. “Anyways, I have to go I’m being called in, love you-”

“We need to talk about this-” 

Beep beep beep. 

You hung up. 

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

After a painful 30 minute talk with a doctor, she told you that you’d be fine in 4 weeks. She bandaged you up and gave you an antibiotic, in case it became infected. Waiting for you outside was Sydney, with a very mad look on her face. 

“You should’ve called me,” she sighed, taking your not-injured hand. 

“I didn’t want to ruin the one night you had off,” you shrugged, walking out to your car with her beside you. “Plus, it’s not like it’s the first or last time I’ve been burnt, right?”

“Was that supposed to be reassuring?”

“Maybe?” you chuckled. “Look, I’m fine! They bandaged me up and I have antibiotics in case it gets infected, plus I can hold this over Carmy’s head until either of us does something worse.”

“It might get infected?” she questioned and you rolled your eyes. 

“Only if I get lazy with changing the bandage,” you sassed back. 

“Oh, so you’ll get an infection then, great!” She sighed, getting into the driver’s seat. 

“Syd, stop being mean, I’ve been through enough tonight,” you deflated. “Let’s just go home.”

Sydney started the car, driving out of the hospital with your hand in hers.

“I’m sorry, I just worry sometimes…” she muttered. 

“It’s alright,” you nodded, then brought her hand up to your mouth, where you kissed it.

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the bear masterlist :)

navigation for my blog :) (criminal minds, obx, the bear, marvel, top gun, the hunger games :)

[silent-stories]

𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐀𝐅𝐀𝐑 - 𝟓

Pairing: Eddie x F!Reader

Summary: Eddie finds a note in his locker and doesn't know that someone has a plan to destroy his relationship with you.

Warnings: mention of drugs

Part 4

"Thanks for staying Friday night and helping me with all that stuff, really." You said as you sat next to Eddie on a bench at the back of the school.

It was a quite hidden place, but not to hide but just to not be disturbed and have a more intimate moment, with just the two of you.

The sun was shining that morning and you noticed that when Eddie's pale skin was kissed by the rays of its light you could see many small freckles scattered across his nose and cheeks.

They were almost invisible, you yourself had never noticed them before but they were there.

And you liked them.

You found yourself wondering if they were more visible in summer, if they were also on the skin hidden by his clothes, if they covered his back and what it would be like to trace imaginary lines with your fingers to connect them.

"Don't worry, I did it with pleasure." He smiled as he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and your gaze immediately fell on the bats tattooed on his arm.

"Thanks for asking me to come." He added after a few moments, his words little more than a low whisper, an almost shy edge to his voice.

"Thanks for asking me to come?" You repeated his words bewildered, perhaps a little too melodramatic. "You absolutely saved my night, which would have been boring and lonely without you."

He chuckled. "Then I think we're even."

"Yeah, I guess we are."

Eddie pulled a metal lighter and a pack of cigarettes from his jeans pocket.

"Do you mind if I smoke?"

"Go ahead." You reassured him before he lit a cigarette, before bringing it to his lips.

"Anyway, Bones has been sitting all weekend where you were, on my bed. I think she misses you, you know? She probably likes you more than me."

"That means I'll have to go back to your house sooner or later." He laughed. "Just for Bones, of course."

"Oh sure. I know she'd like to have another movie night with you soon or just, I don't know, listen to music and talk about the meaning of life at 3 in the morning. Maybe without half school at my house."

Eddie looked at you with a doubtful expression. Was he really still wondering what you were trying to say?

"Yes Eddie, I'm inviting you to my house." You laughed shaking your head. "Friday or Saturday night, maybe? What do you think?"

Eddie stared at you with his big dark eyes, almost hesitant, and for a moment you thought he was saying he didn't want to come, but then a huge grin appeared on his lips before he covered it with his hand, bringing the cigarette to his mouth.

But you saw it, you never missed it when he smiled. You always liked to see him happy.

"Yeah. Yeah, I would like to."

You smiled. "Good."

"Good." He repeated blowing some smoke out of his mouth, the ghost of a smile still on it.

"So, did you seem them?" Jason asked as he sat across from Aaron at the noisy high school cafeteria table.

"Who?" Asked the other before stuffing half a sausage into his mouth.

"Y/N and the freak. At the party. I was dead drunk but I remember them. Holding hands." He added the last part with a grimace, to express his disgust.

"Gross. Don't remind me." Aaron commented, his eyes wandering around the cafeteria, finding Eddie at the usual table eating in the company of his friends

All losers, just like him.

Aaron spent hours spreading the word about the party, getting all those people over to your house to spend time with you, and when the party finally started you were stayed on the couch the entire time until he came and you completely disappeared, with him.

He ruined everything, as always.

Jason had explained who Eddie Munson was, Aaron knew everything about him: he was a drug dealer, he was part of a satanic cult and listened to some kind of music praising his demonic activities, he was poor, he lived in a smelly trailer, just like him, he no longer had his parents. They probably didn't want someone like him around them either.

Maybe he didn't know everything, but it was all he needed to know that Eddie "the freak" Munson wasn't a good person and he didn't even want to see him around you.

Atound the girl he'd wanted from the first moment he'd seen her.

When he had seen him arrive at the party he had thought that someone had played a joke on him and had invited him, he thought maybe it was you.

And you really had invited him, but it wasn't a joke and when Aaron saw you holding hands he nearly spat out his drink.

You were friends. And he found that disgusting.

"Someone told me they stayed in her room all night. You think they fucked?" Jason asked.

"Okay, stop it!" Aaron blurted out. "I don't know what they did but I have a plan."

The girl he had a crush on since he moved to that shitty town couldn't end up with a sucker like Eddie.

"A plan for what?" Jason raised his eyebrows.

"To push them away, whatever they have going on, I don't like it. And then Y/N will be mine."

Aaron was like Jason, they both wanted what they wanted when they wanted and they thought they were the best at everything they did.

The only difference was that Jason acted without thinking and wasn't as smart as he thought he was, but Aaron could calculate, manipulate people and be convincing.

And that was what made him more dangerous.

Eddie opened his locker and immediately a note fell to the floor.

Before picking it up he looked around suspiciously, it wouldn't be the first time someone slipped some notes with insults written on them into his locker.

Instead, when he took it in his hands and opened it, above it he read:

"The bench in the woods, Today, 4am"

Eddie knew what it was right away, or at least he thought he knew, at the time: someone wanted to buy drugs after school and the woods were the perfect place, away from other people and far enough from school.

That afternoon, Eddie waited for about half an hour sitting on that bench, his old lunchbox filled with various narcotic substances next to him.

When he had lost hope of anyone showing up, a voice made him turn around.

"You can put that stuff away, I'm not here for that." Aaron walked up to the bench with his hands in the pockets of his jeans, casually.

"Then why are you here?" Eddie asked, getting defensive.

He didn't like Aaron. He didn't like the way he looked at you like you were a piece of meat, and the way she looked at him, like he was garbage. He didn't like his fake laugh and mean smile.

"To talk about Y/N." Aaron sat across from Eddie, his green eyes colder than usual as they scanned Eddie. "I wanted to ask you not to sell drugs to her, you know I care about her and I don't want her... to end up in a bad circle."

"She, um- I never sold her anything."

"Oh, you didn't? Well, she told me she'll soon ask you to sell her some of...your stuff." He uttered the last word with disgust.

"I'm not sure she uses that kind of stuff." Eddie couldn't figure out where Aaron was trying to get at. "I'm not sure she smoke at all."

"Of course she does! She got close to you because she wanted to buy from you, and she thought that if you became friends a little, maybe you would give her a discount." He said, as if it were a matter of course that you would never approach someone like Eddie except for having something in return.

Eddie felt a weird sensation in the pit of his stomach. It couldn't be true.

You didn't start talking to him just because you wanted to buy drugs from him.

You weren't the only person who sat next to him in class because you wanted to buy drugs from him.

You hadn't spent all night watching movies with him while there was a party at your own house because you wanted to buy drugs from him.

You weren't the only person at school other than the Hellfire kids and the guys in his band who didn't treat him like a complete waste of space, showing him your kindness and affection every time you were with him, just because you wanted to buy drugs from him.

Right?

When Eddie had realized he was in love with you, months and months before, he thought he had no chance with you, that you didn't even know his name.

He thought the amazing girl Dustin always talked about would never even stop in the hallway to talk to him for fear that someone at school would see her with the "freak".

Over time though, after he started getting to know you and consequently falling for you even more: you had a good heart.

Eddie thought he'd always remember the day you brought to his trailer some notes he said he needed for his math test.

He was in the shower when you'd arrived, and you'd chatted with Wayne like you were friends for about twenty minutes before Eddie had came out of the bathroom with his hair still damp and with no t-shirt on.

He'd found you sitting on the couch next to his uncle, you were both laughing and Eddie had just leant against the door jamb with his shoulder, enjoying the scene with a smile on his lips, thinking "that's my fucking family".

You simply were something else.

And lately he almost thought that maybe he could become more than a friend to you, but perhaps he was wrong.

Aaron left throwing one last look at Eddie, halfway between a recommendation and a threat.

He closed the lunchbox filled with drugs, moving the fingers of one hand to the other, playing nervously with his rings, thinking that the only thing that could stop it at that moment was your hand in his.

Eddie stayed on that bench, alone, for an indefinite time while his mind continued to travel without him being able to stop it.

Aaron must have lied.

Right?

Part 6

Thanks to everyone who is still reading this story <3

Who's ready for a bit of Wayne in the next part?

Tags: @jacklesdeanvessel @morning-sky7 @pipsqueakkitten @navs-bhat

Love you from afar tags:

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[fanfics4all]

Fainting

Request: Yes / No Thank you @badthingshappenbingo​ for my card! 

Don’t be shy, request things! <3 Have a nice day/night

Fangs Fogarty x Fem!Reader 

Word count: 3747

Warnings: Bulimia, Self-harm, Starvation

Y/N: Your Name 

Y/N/N: Your Nickname

Prompt(s):

PLEASE DO NOT STEAL MY WORK, I WORK HARD ON MY FICS AND IT’S NOT COOL TO STEAL SOMEONE ELSE’S WORK! 

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(Not my photo, credit to whoever made it!)

Fangs and I have lived together for about a month now, and in that month I’ve managed to hide the fact that I fucking hate my body. No one knew and I was too worried about being judged to tell anyone. I knew deep down that Fangs would never judge me, I mean we’ve been dating for three years now, but the voices always win in the end. So that’s why I spend a lot of time in the bathroom whenever Fangs goes out without me. 

“I’ll be back in a bit, babe!” Fangs called. He was going out with Pea for a job with the Serpents. 

“Okay! Be careful!” I called back. Ironic I’m telling him to be careful when I sit at home and throw everything up. 

“I will, love you!” He said. 

“Love you too!” I said and heard the door close behind him. I waited a bit to make sure Fangs wouldn’t walk back in because he forgot something. The last time that happened I pretended to shower so he wouldn’t hear me. Once I was sure he wouldn’t come back I got off our bed and walked into the bathroom. I pulled out the scale and took a deep breath before I stepped on it. I closed my eyes and tried my best not to shake. I took another calming breath and slowly peeled my eyes open to look at the horrid number. 130 pounds… I sighed, at least I lost two pounds since yesterday. I didn’t really eat anything yesterday. Or the day before. Or the day before that. In fact, I couldn’t really remember the last time I ate a proper meal in which I didn’t throw up a few hours later while Fangs was asleep. It was probably a year ago? Someone at school made a comment about me that I brushed off in the moment, but it was like a silent switch flipped in my brain. After that, I went home and stared at the mirror, noticing all the imperfections about myself. That was the day I decided to lose weight. When normal methods weren’t working, I turned to the extreme. It was the only thing that gave me results… It didn’t help that I started comparing myself to people Fangs talked to. The girls were way prettier than I am. The boys were skinnier than me. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that Fangs chose me out of everyone. I couldn’t think of any reasons that Fangs stayed with me all this time, or even why he asked me to move in with him after my trailer burnt down. Don’t get me wrong, I’m so happy with Fangs, but something in my head just isn’t on the same page as my heart. 

I sighed and looked down at the number once again. 130 pounds. It was below the average weight of my age group, but 120 or even 110 would be way better. I stepped off the scale and looked at myself in the mirror. 

Look at your thighs, they’re so fat. Don’t forget that huge stomach of yours. Did you see that girl he was talking to at the bar last week? Now she was perfectly skinny. The perfect body. 

I sighed and ran my fingers over my body. Fat. That was all I could feel. I was fucking fat. No matter how little I eat, or how much I worked out. I will always be fat. Fat and fucking ugly. I would never be perfect like those people Fangs talk to. I took off my clothes and looked in the mirror again. I stared at my stomach. Even though the scale says I got smaller, to me it looks like my stomach has grown another twenty pounds. My stomach growled as I lightly touched it. I hated the hunger pains, but the feeling of emptiness was too addictive. I love feeling like I finally was in control of my body. I moved my hands down to my thighs and felt the small scars that were slightly raised. When I first started that’s how I would punish myself when the workouts didn’t work, or if I gained another pound or two. That didn’t last long since Toni found out and told Fangs. I wasn’t too attached to the cutting, so that was easy to stop. The sharp pain as the razor glided through my skin, pulling beads of crimson up through the cut, wasn’t as good as the starving. It didn’t make me feel better like not eating. I shook my head and glanced over at the toilet. I’ve become very acquainted with it. My head was shoved inside it at least twice a day. Sure my stomach was empty, but I knew I could still get some stuff out of me. I kneeled down and gently lifted the lid. I stared down into the toilet and took a few breaths. Throwing up on an empty stomach always hurt, but it was worth it to lose those few pounds. I opened my mouth and took my pointer finger into my mouth. I slowly pushed it to the back of my throat and gagged once I found the spot. I was good at not pulling my finger out when I gagged now, so I just kept pushing on it. My stomach was screaming in pain as it tightened with each gag. It took a few minutes, but eventually, I felt the burning creep up my throat. I pulled my finger out and leaned over the toilet. I watched as the bile flew into the water and already felt a little lighter. It wasn’t much, but every little bit helps. I took a few breaths to recover and quickly pushed my finger back inside my mouth. Once again it took a bit, but I eventually threw up more bile. It still wasn’t enough though. I kept going and going until my head started to spin. I felt really dizzy and weak, but it was working. I felt lighter. I kept going until black dots invaded my vision. I fell back on my ass and held my head. 

“J-Jus-st a b-bi-it mo-ore…” I slurred to myself. I tried to get back up so I could finish, but I just fell to the floor more and my vision turned completely black… 

*Fangs POV* 

I walked back into the trailer with a smile as I carried some Pop’s for me and Y/N. I placed the bags and drinks on the coffee table and noticed Y/N wasn’t there. Must be in our room with her laptop or something. 

“Babe, I’m back! I brought Pop’s.” I called but got no answer. 

“Baby?” I called again, thinking she couldn’t hear me. Still nothing. 

“Y/N, you asleep or something?” I said as I walked towards our bedroom. She wasn’t there. I furrowed my brows and wondered if maybe she went out with Toni or something. I pulled out my phone and called her. I heard her phone ring and followed it to the bathroom. I quickly hung up and walked over to the bathroom. The shower wasn’t running so she should have heard me. 

“Y/N? Baby? You in there?” I asked as I gently knocked. No answer. My heart started pounding faster and I quickly opened the door. I stopped in shock as I stared inside the bathroom. Y/N was lying on the floor, looking unnaturally skinny and there was vomit in the toilet. I quickly rushed over to her and checked her pulse. The small thump from her neck made me sigh in relief. I carefully pushed my hands under her and lifted her up. I gasped when I felt how light she was. How did I not notice how much weight she lost? How did I not notice how her bones were starting to be visible through her skin. I shuddered and felt tears pushing themselves to the surface. How the hell could I be such a shitty boyfriend and not realize the love of my life was putting herself in so much danger. I carefully made my way to our room and gently laid her down. I grabbed one of my shirts and carefully put it on her, she was drowning in it. I tucked her in so she wouldn’t get cold and checked that she was breathing again. I sighed and left to deal with the bathroom. Once I was done cleaning I grabbed her some water and placed it on the nightstand. I pulled up a chair and sat next to her. I stoked her hair and tried my hardest to think of what could have made her do this, or even when she started. I blamed myself for not seeing anything different. I believed every smile Y/N always put on. Every laugh she made. How the hell did I not see anything!? I tried to calm myself down, but I was so angry with myself. Maybe even a very small part of me was mad at her for not coming to me, but I pushed that away. I shouldn’t be mad at her, she needs me more than ever. I grabbed my phone and decided to call Toni and see if she knew anything about this. 

“Hey Fangs, what’s up?” She answered after the second ring. 

“Did you notice anything off about Y/N lately?” I asked, getting right to the point. 

“Uh, no? Why? What’s up?” She asked, worry clear in her voice. 

“I came home and she was passed out in the bathroom with vomit in the toilet. She’s really fucking skinny Toni…” I said, feeling a tear involuntarily fall down my cheek. 

“What? How skinny?” She asked. 

“Like I can see her ribs starting to poke out.” I answered and she gasped. 

“W-What? H-How?” She asked and I sighed. 

“I don’t know, T. I didn’t notice anything different…” I said quietly. 

“How? Have you guys not… ya know?” She asked and my eyes widened. 

“We’ve both been busy, but every time she’s just wanted to ya know, please me…” I said and felt my stomach turn slightly. She’s been hiding this for so long… 

“Shit Fangs, are you at the hospital? Want me and Pea to come by?” She asked and I shook my head. 

“I just have my bike and I-I don’t know what the hell they’ll do to her. I’m scared to take her there. What if they say she’s dying, or they lock her up, or I don’t know…” I sighed. 

“Fangs if she’s really bad you’ve gotta take her to the hospital, they’ll help her.” She said, gently. 

“Toni I can’t, what if she never forgives me for that? Clearly, she’s been hiding this for a while I don’t want her to hate me…” I said, fully crying by now. 

“Listen, Fangs, you wanna help her, right?” She asked with a sigh. 

“Yes…” I whispered. 

“Then you gotta take her. I’ll call Pea and we can use his truck, okay?” She asked and I shook my head again. 

“Can’t I just wait till she wakes up? They’re gonna keep her there for who knows how long.” I said and she sighed. 

“I don’t think you should wait. What if this isn’t the first time she’s passed out?” She asked and my eyes widened. I didn’t think about that. 

“J-Just let me wait till she wakes up first. Let me talk to her.” I begged and she sighed. 

“Fine, but you call me after, you got it?” She asked. 

“I promise.” I said and she sighed again. 

“I’m still calling Pea and letting him know what’s going on.” She said and I sighed. 

“Fine, just keep him from barging in, I don’t wanna scare her.” I said and she agreed. We said our goodbyes and hung up. 

I sat there in silence as I just stared at Y/N. I couldn’t stop thinking about how awful I am for not noticing anything. She hid it really well, which hurt. I had stopped crying but didn’t bother wiping my face. I just held her hand and stared at her. That’s when she started shifting. She slowly opened her Y/E/C and looked around for a moment before they landed on my dark brown ones. Neither of us moved or made a sound, just stared at the other. 

“I’m sorry…” She mumbled after a moment. She looked down and a tear rolled down her cheek. 

“Never. I mean never, do that again.” I choked out as my tears returned. Y/N looked up silently and reached up with her other hand to wipe away my tears. 

“You shouldn’t cry over me, I’m not worth it…” She whispered as she continued to caress my cheek. I felt the anger return and pulled back from her. 

“No Y/N! Don’t you ever think that! You’re more than worth it, you’re my perfect girl. I don’t understand why you even thought you needed to lose weight in the first place, but you’ve always been perfect! You’re beautiful, funny, caring, and amazing! I love you, I always have. I can’t stand seeing you do this to yourself when you don’t need to. I saw what was in the toilet, when was the last time you ate?” I asked and she had more tears falling down her gorgeous face. 

“I-I don’t know. Yesterday at lunch? I don’t know. I-I…” She started crying harder. I pulled her in for a gentle hug and stroked her hair. 

“How long have you been doing this babe?” I whispered. 

“A-A ye-year…” She answered between sobs. My heart broke and I sighed. I held her for a bit longer and gently pulled her back once she calmed down a bit. 

“Baby, you need to eat and actually keep it down. You need to get better, Y/N. Please.” I said and she shook her head. 

“I-I can’t! Looking at all those people that you talk to, they’re so much prettier than me! They’re skinnier, hotter, cooler, everything! Those people at school made me realize that I’m never going to be like them. I’m never going to be good enough for you…” She said, sobbing into her hands. My eyes widened as I stared at her. Who the fuck said that to her? She’s always been perfect, my everything… I gently pulled her hands away and tried to catch her eyes, but she avoided me. 

“Y/N, look at me, please?” I asked quietly. She looked up and she looked so broken. 

“Y/N Y/L/N, I love you more than anything. I always have and I always will. No one in this damn world could ever compare to you, baby. You’ve always been my number one and I have never even thought of another person. Guy or girl. You don’t need to change yourself just because some jealous bitch said something to you. I will always love you no matter what.” I said and she sobbed. 

“Do you mean it?” She asked in a broken whisper. 

“Every word baby. I promise you that I love you with every piece of my heart. I just want you to get better right now. You passed out Y/N, do you know how scared I was?” I asked quietly. 

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” She cried and I pulled her into my chest. 

“Shhh, it’s okay baby. You don’t have to be sorry okay? We’re gonna get you some help and get you better, okay?” I asked and she nodded. 

“Now, I gotta call Toni and tell her you woke up before she and Pea come breaking down the door.” I said and her eyes widened. 

“Y-You told Toni and Pea?” She asked with more tears falling. 

“I called to see if Toni noticed anything with you, I was so worried Y/N.” I said, caressing her cheek and wiping the tears. She closed her eyes and leaned into my touch. 

“Toni wanted me to take you to the hospital and I know I should have, but I just didn’t want to lose you.” I admitted and she looked up at me. 

“I’m so sorry, Fangs…” She said and I shook my head. 

“You don’t need to be sorry, baby.” I said and kissed her forehead. 

“Now let me call Toni and maybe I can convince her to not take you to the hospital, but you have to eat a bit of the Pop’s I brought home, deal?” I asked and she nodded while taking a shaky breath. 

“I’m not gonna make you eat all of it, but you need to eat at least a little okay? We’ll work on this slowly.” I said and she nodded. 

“O-Okay…” She whispered. I smiled and kissed her head once more before I went to get the food. When I walked back in she was fiddling with her hands. She looked up and I saw her sniff the air subtly. Her stomach growled and I smiled slightly. I walked over and placed the food on her lap, but left the milkshake in the other room. It would be way too heavy for her right now, even if she did love them. 

“I got your favorite, but I think we’re gonna skip the milkshake today and just stick with water, alright?” I asked and she nodded. Her shaky hands took out the burger and fries and gently laid them on the blanket. 

“Alright, I’m gonna sit right here and call Toni and you’re gonna start eating, okay?” I asked and she nodded. I pulled out my phone and called Toni as I watched Y/N slowly start to eat the cold fries. I watched as she put the first one in her mouth and she moaned slightly. I smiled as she continued eating them. 

“Fangs! Is she awake?” Toni answered. 

“Yeah, she’s awake.” I answered and I heard her sigh. 

“Perfect, I’m with Pea and Juggie right now and we have the truck so we’ll be over in a few and we can take her to the hospital.” She said as I heard movement from her side. 

“I don’t think we’re gonna need to take her to the hospital.” I said as I watched her pick up the burger. She took a bite and her eyes rolled to the back of her head. I chuckled and smiled at her. 

“Fangs she passed out, she needs to go to the fucking hospital.” Toni said, slightly annoyed. 

“I think we can deal with this ourselves, T.” I said and she groaned. 

“Seriously? You agreed to take her to the hospital when she woke up.” She said and I sighed. 

“Just come over and see, I promise we got this.” I said and she sighed. 

“Fine, we’re already on our way.” She said and hung up. I hung up and saw Y/N was halfway done with the burger. 

“Slow down babe.” I said with a small chuckle. She blushed and looked over at me. 

“Sorry…” She mumbled and I smiled at her. 

“Don’t be, I know you’re hungry, but like I said we gotta take it slow.” I said and she nodded. 

A few minutes later, our front door was opening. We heard three sets of footsteps coming towards us and Y/N looked scared. I grabbed her hand and gently gave her a reassuring squeeze. The door opened and in walked Toni, Pea, and Jughead. They all looked at Y/N with wide eyes and Toni rushed over to her other side. She pulled her in for a hug, which Y/N returned. 

“Are you crazy? Starving yourself or throwing shit up, whichever. How long has this been going on, huh?” Toni asked and Y/N looked down in shame. 

“Toni, relax. We already talked about it and look she’s already eating.” I said and grabbed Y/N’s hand again. 

“I’m sorry…” Y/N said quietly again. 

“Babe I already told you, you don’t need to be sorry.” I said. 

“No Fangs is right, sorry Y/N/N, I’m just worried.” Toni said, taking a seat on the bed next to her. 

“We all are.” Jones said. She looked up at Pea and Jughead and they each smiled at her. 

“Yeah, so who ass do I need to beat for starting this shit?” Pea asked and Toni rolled her eyes. Y/N laughed and I smiled at her. 

“If I’m honest I don’t even remember who said something…” She said and blushed slightly. 

“I just know it was about a year ago and that’s when I started looking at myself differently. I just hate how I look and constantly compare myself to everyone else and…” She trailed off. 

“Wait, that’s when you started cutting, were you doing this too?” Toni asked and Y/N shook her head. 

“No, I started after you guys helped with that…” She said with a guilty tone. 

“Oh Y/N…” Toni said and pulled her in for another hug. 

“I’m so-” 

“Nope, don’t you dare apologize.” Toni said, cutting her off. 

“Yeah, we’re sorry for not noticing anything.” Jones said and Y/N shook her head. 

“I hid it, there was no way you guys could have known. I mean I was wearing clothes that were a bit too big for me so you guys wouldn’t see my weight change.” She said and we all looked at each other. That explains a bit. 

“We’ll that’s fucking over, let’s go get you some more food.” Pea said and she shook her head. 

“I’m kind of full.” She said and I placed the rest of the food on the nightstand. 

“That’s okay, like I said, slow.” I said and she nodded with a small smile. 

“Fangs is right, we gotta take this slow, but we’re all here for you and we’re gonna help every step of the way.” Toni said with a smile. Pea and Jones also nodded and Y/N teared up. 

“You guys are the best and I’m really so-” 

“Stop apologizing Y/N/N, or I’m gonna kick your ass.” Pea said and she laughed a real genuine happy laugh. We all smiled at her and I gently squeezed her hand. This might be a hard and long road ahead, but we would all support her every step. I think she finally realized that she’s amazing and if not we would all be here to remind her.

Tag list: @les-bio-lie @tashy-bear @ashwarren32 @hollie-blogs-blog1 @lover-of-books-and-teas @nerdygaloresposts @teenwolfbitches28 @kmc1989 @drw0301bieber @lady-of-lies @ravenmoore14 @ravenempress101 @cillianchamp @rowanthomasknapp @rachelxwayne @ready-4-fanfiction @emo-godess-loves-you @hiya-imthatgirl @mindsetjupiter @averysinclaire @mittelerde1999 @sweetest-peas @rousewriter @camiconfessions-blog @thecaptainsgingersnap @cenyddtheunicorn @jacksxsouthsideserpents @lover2448 @mamacobie13 @fandom-princess-forevermore @liz-owl

[runningthroughthegarden]

Hi how are you ❤️? You write amazingly well <3

I was wondering, if you take requests, if you could write a Jack/Ethan fic inspired by "You're Losing Me" by Taylor Swift. (You can decide the ending, line sad or not)

Thanks you 💕

thank you!! yall love being heartbroken, me too!! requests are open, i love doing them :)

-

you and jack had been dating for a year when he got offered a role in scream vi. you were more than excited for him, even though it meant you would be spending a lot of time apart. you both decided you would do everything in your power to make it work, but lately that was proving to be easier said than done. the last couple of days you could barely get in touch with him. whenever he did reply it was small or dry remarks. you felt lonely in the apartment you once shared. sitting, staring at the walls that were once filled with laughter and love. feeling your phone buzz you are quick to check the notification. 

“hey babe sorry ive had a long day on set” 

“jack we havent talked in days. i don't understand” 

“i know you don't. listen i’ll call you tomorrow” 

crashing on your bed, tears begin to dwell in your eyes.

you say, "I don't understand" and I say, "I know you don't"

we thought a cure would come through in time, now, I fear it won't

remember lookin' at this room, we loved it 'cause of the light

now, I just sit in the dark and wonder if it's time

pacing your room with your phone up to your ear you begin to grow anxious. jack broke his empty promise and didn’t call you. so now here you were, trying to piece it back together. as the ringing stops, a smile is cast across your face. 

“jack!! hey, i miss you”

“hey what did you want”

“well you said you were gonna call and i just wanted to check up on you” 

“im a little busy right now” 

“oh okay maybe we can call again later” 

a deep sigh is his only response. 

“is everything okay?” 

“no everythings not okay! i cant get anything done when youre bothering me all day. im working and all you want to do is talk about your day. im sorry but i really don't care right now”

“oh okay. i’ll let you go” 

throwing your phone onto your bed, you break down in sobs. 

do I throw out everything we built or keep it?

i'm getting tired even for a phoenix

always risin' from the ashes

mendin' all her gashes

you might just have dealt the final blow

you spent the evening on your bed, shaking with tears streaming down your eyes. you could only thing about how good things used to be. when you had a boyfriend who absolutely adored you. now it seemed like you had no one at all. your heart was racing a million hours per hour and yet you felt absolutely nothing. 

stop, you're losing me

i can't find a pulse

my heart won't start anymore... for you

'cause you're losing me

after that night, that call, you made it a point to stay out of jacks way. he would facetime you every now and then. while he got his hair done, goofing around on set, or just in his trailer. none of these times did he seem to notice that none of your smiles reached your eyes. your replies were empty and solemn. you were happy to see him so excited but apart of you hated him for not realizing what he had done. for not realizing how deep his words had truly affected you. 

“hey you okay” 

biting your nails behind the screen 

“lately not really” you honestly replied. 

“hang on mason's gotta tell me something. i’ll call you later. love you."

every mornin' I glared at you with storms in my eyes

how can you say that you love someone you can't tell is dyin'?

i sent you signals and bit my nails down to the quick

my face was gray, but you wouldn't admit that we were sick

your surprised to hear a knock at your door. you open it to reveal your curly headed boyfriend. he had stopped responding to you completely a few days ago, so saying you were shocked to see him was an understatement. tired of being the only one trying to keep the relationship afloat, you let out your frustration. 

“what are you doing here jack” 

“hey i just wanted to check up on you, i have a few days off” 

he brings you into a hug, but you stay stiff below him. 

“whats wrong?” he asks, picking up on your mood. 

“you ignore me for days and expect me to be excited to see you?” 

“ive been busy you know that” 

“jack we barely talk anymore. and when we do you blow me off in the first 5 minutes. hell you even told me to stop talking to you.” you explain, tears filling your eyes. 

“look im sorry, the movies just been taking up all my time."

“and the movies more important than me right?” you say barely above a whisper.

“no but this is my job, my life” 

“then maybe you should only worry about yourself” finally looking into his eyes.

“what are you trying to say” 

“im saying we’re done jack. i cant keep putting myself through hell only for you not to give a shit” 

“no c'mon we can make this work.”

“yeah thats what you said last time. please jack im going to ruin myself if this keeps happening.” 

you both are a crying mess at this point. 

not saying another word, jack leaves. 

and the air is thick with loss and indecision

i know my pain is such an imposition

now, you're running down the hallway

and you know what they all say

"you don't know what you got until it's gone"

the next morning you find a letter left at your front door. 

my love, 

i'm sorry. for absolutely everything. i love you endlessly. when the stars realign, i’ll be there. but for now, be with someone who can give you everything i couldn't. 

-jack

stop, you're losing me

i can't find a pulse

my heart won't start anymore... for you

'cause you're losing me

stop 'cause you're losing me

crumpling up the paper you begin to cry. 

i gave you all my best me's, my endless empathy

and all I did was bleed as I tried to be the bravest soldier

fighting in only your army, frontlines, don't you ignore me

giving up so much of yourself, you were absolutely exhausted. the beautiful relationship you once had is now behind you. 

you're losing me

stop, you're losing me

i can't find a pulse, my heart won't start anymore

giving up the fight, you were at rest. 

[arazialotis]

Get Him to the Con - Part 6

Pairing: Jensen × Reader

Word Count: About 7600

Summary: The reader stumbles into Jensen at her favorite bar, a very drunk Jensen. She soon realizes Jensen was booked for a con this weekend and has to be eight hours from town in only two.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Warnings: Language, Mutual Pining, A very mild jalapeno pepper in the beginning

Although this is an RPF, it is a character I created and should not reflect back IRL. I intend no hate or ill wishes to him or his family. This is purely just for writing and wasting my time as coping skill. Maybe some of you will enjoy it too. I apologize in advance for any mistakes or grammatical/spelling errors. I appreciate any feedback or suggestions!

-----

Sunlight filtered into the room through sheer curtains blowing in the gentle breeze. Birds chirped outside, greeting the day with a chorus of melodies. A peaceful sigh brushed the back of your neck. An arm wrapped around you, holding you close to the solid form behind you. A hand bordered on the edge of your shirt that must have ridden up during the night. Another grazed the back of your bare thigh, and another pressed hard against your ass. A soft moan escaped past your lips as you pressed further into it. You would have been content to stay here forever. Wait! Your eyes shot wide open. That was one too many hands.

You jolted from bed, now fully awake. Jensen grumbled but rolled over to the other side, not ready yet to face the day. Thankfully, it gave you enough time to get your shit together. Where were your pajama bottoms? You were a notorious chronic stripper. Always starting the night off with too many layers because you were cold, but as you started to warm up, thus commenced the unconscious removal of layers. It didn’t help that Jensen was hot. Like, temperature-wise. The guy was a fucking furnace. You weren’t concerned last night about it because you thought you’d be too anxious to sleep at all. Turns out you were so very wrong. Hopefully, he hadn’t noticed.

Jensen sniffed, and the sheets rustled as he turned onto his back. The bedding became tented near the area you had believed was his third hand. Change of plans. You abandoned looking for your missing pajamas and opted for jeans and a sweatshirt. After a quick trip to the bathroom, you left on a mission to find breakfast and coffee, sure Jensen would appreciate the privacy to tackle the obvious, albeit impressive, situation on his own.

The town was bigger than Lebanon, but not by much. At least it was walkable. The downtown had one restaurant but didn’t open until eleven. Traffic was busy on the main stretch of the road, filled with trucks, semis, and livestock trailers. Tires squelched through puddles and mud. Across the way, loud mariachi music called travelers to a pop-up tent where there was a line of hungry patrons waiting. An intoxicating aroma of spices broke through the smell of cattle. You eagerly went to join the queue.

Forty minutes of walking, waiting in line, and waiting for food seemed like an appropriate amount of time to give Jensen. On the way back, to Anthony’s credit, you did peek into one of the empty rooms, which was completely stripped of wallpaper, carpet, and wood paneling. The furniture was pushed to one corner and covered with a plastic tarp. You knocked on your motel door. Jensen answered, having changed into black jeans and a Family Business t-shirt tie-dyed with bleach. His hair looked so soft, still free of product. It was the most unkempt you’d seen him, yet you craved to see more of his natural state. How he would appear on a lazy Saturday morning with no one to impress.

It was another morning with more uncertainty of how to start the day, of what to say, of what to address. Both of you stood there frozen in time, staring at each other. Though the storm had broke last night, a new one began to brew in the spaces between. There was a need to feel clouds clash against each other, to feel the shake of thunder, to watch lightning flash in each other’s eyes. It wasn’t only you who felt the flush of heat; Jensen’s cheeks visibly reddened, lost in the memory of a dream, wishing it had been reality. At any moment, the clouds would break, and the floodgates would release. Thankfully, you had the perfect solution.

“Breakfast burrito?” You held up the heavy paper bag as a barrier between the two of you. “I didn’t know what kind you would want, so I got one of each. There’s eggs and potatoes, eggs and chorizo, veggies…”

---

Jensen had taken the entire leg of the journey yesterday, so you insisted on starting the drive today. You rushed through, getting ready and eating breakfast, eager to leave the creepy motel behind. There was a minor traffic jam on 36, but it lasted only twenty minutes, and you were flying down the road once more.

Jensen finished his last sip of coffee. “Didn’t we listen to Led Zeppelin all of Thursday?”

You gasped. “This is Greta Van Fleet, you uncultured swine.”

It took him a second, but he got there. “Did you just insult me with a line from Toy Story?”

“It’s a good line.” You defended, “Why reinvent the wheel?”

“Uncultured,” He scoffed. “I’m not the one listening to a cheap knock-off.”

You continued the playful banter. “You sound exactly like all those cake-eaters on Reddit whose only knowledge of musical theory stemmed from listening to Entry of the Gladiators too many times at clown school. I enjoy it so I’m going to listen to it. Fuck the pretentious haters.”

Jensen chuckled silently, shaking his shoulders. “You’ve been holding that in for a while.”

You nodded your confirmation.

“Entry of the Gladiators?” He asked for clarification.

You used a series of “da da das” to sound out the melody of the iconic circus theme music.

“Ah, of course,” He recognized it not even halfway into the first stanza. “Who wouldn’t know that had a title other than ‘circus music?’ Clown school,” He chuckled again. “I’m going have to steal that line for future use.”

“It’s going to cost ya.” You warned.

“What’s the price?” He questioned.

You took your eyes off the road, studying his face. His finger was brushing against his lower lip as if offering them up freely as compensation. A wave of anticipation coursed throughout your body, landing in your toes. As you leaned closer, testing if he would meet you, you chickened out instead and adjusted the volume before focusing back on the road.

“The price is your admission that this is actually a decent song and that you’re somewhat intrigued.” You settled.

Jensen had not yet pulled away from leaning in. “Oh, I’m intrigued, alright.” He admitted but was talking about an entirely unrelated matter.

It was not even two hours once you hit the Colorado border, but this entire trip had felt like a lifetime of trying to reach an unknown destination that was finally in sight. The wooden sign read ‘Welcome to Colorful Colorado.’ The car slowed to a stop on the road’s shoulder.

“Come on,” Jensen complained. “We’ve already taken a hundred pictures this trip.”

But you were already halfway out of the car, bounding into the tall grass and wildflowers to get closer to the sign. “We’ve taken three!”

“Be careful!” He warned. “You’re going to get bit by a rattlesnake or infested with ticks.”

“Well then, you better come over here and protect me. I'm sure a big, strong Texan such as yourself ain't afraid of no rattlesnake."

The grass swished against his calves as he came closer.

“As for the ticks,” You continued, bravery rising up. “We’ll have to turn on some country music and see what Brad Paisley advises for those.”

He raised his arm above his head, leaned against the wooden post, and looked down at you. The intensity of his gaze normally would have made you turn and run or, at the very least, create a distraction to diffuse the tension. Instead, you stepped closer, a whisper away from him. The sun shone through the gap between.

Gravel and tires met as another car slowed, pulling off the road behind yours. Three girls piled out of the car, laughing and squealing at each other. Fuck. You stepped away from him.

“Hey,” One of the girls called. “We’ll take your photo if you take ours!”

“So it begins,” Jensen mumbled under his breath.

You didn’t understand why until they stepped closer. You raised your hand to shield the sun from your eyes. One girl was dressed in a plaid flannel shirt over a black tank, the anti-possession tattooed on their chest, one in a shirt that had the side profile of the Impala that read ‘The Winchester Brothers’ like it was an advertisement, the third’s shirt was just Jensen’s face everywhere in the style of a 90’s album cover.

The shock of realization crossed their faces slowly and then all at once.

“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.” One repeated over and over while simultaneously hitting her friend’s shoulder.

The one subject to the abuse just stood there, mouth hanging open as if her brain was having trouble computing the reality of the event. The third gulped, wide-eyed, and turned a hundred and eighty degrees walking back to the car.

You snickered and whispered to Jensen, “Fight, flight, freeze.”

He snorted but then recomposed himself, calling over to them. “Y’all don’t happen to be traveling to Denver for a certain convention now, are ya?”

“Oh my god,” The fighter repeated again. “I told you it was going to be worth it.” She pulled the fleeing friend by her collar back to the group. “I told you!” She then directed to Jensen, “We’re huge fans of the show.”

“Yeah?” He chuckled as if the shirts didn't give it away.

The frozen one thawed. “Were you in Lebanon, like literally yesterday!?!”

“Sure was.” He said. “Did you see my note?”

Two of them squealed while the other said, “We must have been like an hour or two behind you.”

“Well, we are all here now. Should we get a picture or something?” He suggested.

“Oh my gosh! Yes, Please!” The one in the Impala shirt gushed.

You offered to take the photo, and as you were receiving instructions, one of them asked you, “So, are you like his… cousin? Assistant?”

Jensen was yacking it up with the other two girls. You looked him up and down, not sure what to define it as. Caught somewhere in between. Wondering if it would cement into something more. But then it hit you. This road trip was almost over. You were leaving him by the end of the day. You’d go back to your life and he to his. Who knew the next time you’d be able to see each other, let alone work on a relationship? If that’s even what he wanted. Was it what you wanted? Honestly, the guy might be looking for a quick fling. Again, was that something you wanted? Jensen felt your gaze and met it; his lips pressed together. Your brain spun from overthinking.

“Friends,” You sputtered out. “We’re just friends.”

Relief radiated from the girl, but you were more focused on Jensen, wondering if that sigh was a hint of disappointment. But god dammit! If he wanted something more, he was going to have to be the one to bring it up! Several pictures later of the group and singles, Jensen realized he needed to take control of the situation, or he’d never leave.

“Alright, alright.” He attempted to settle them. “I didn’t do my hair today, but one of those has to be decent, and there’s a dinner I gotta catch tonight.” He looked at his watch to sell that he was running behind.

They thanked him profusely, trying to draw out the moment as much as possible.

“Actually, can you get one real quick of me and… my friend… before we head out.” He asked.

Oooh. Was that as intentionally backhanded as it felt?

“Get over here.” He impatiently waved you over. “Wait, actually, do you have your phone? I think I left mine in the car.”

You nodded and handed it over to one of the girls, knowing fully well that his phone was in his back pocket; he just had the common sense not to hand his phone over to random fans. (Unless he was very drunk per your first encounter). Although you had been the initial one to want a photo, now that you had an audience, you didn’t know how to act. One of the girls had her phone out as well, possibly recording the interaction. You stood next to his side with your body angled towards him as he wrapped an arm around your shoulder. The girl with your phone counted down before snapping a pic.

“No, no, no.” Jensen complained and reset. “This feels too photo op-y.” He adjusted his jeans as he squatted down. “Hop up.”

“What? Jensen!” You protested.

“Don’t ‘What, Jensen’ me.” He argued. “You did it yesterday, and it was cute, and I’d like a picture.” He tried to encourage you with the wave of his hand. “Oh, don’t get all shy on me now. One way or another, I’m getting you in the air for a picture, whether willingly or over the shoulder with just your ass in the frame, which I wouldn’t complain….”

“Fine, fine.” You chuckled as you gave in to his demand.

His knees popped as he lifted you quickly, and you bounced in the air.

“Gentle,” You scolded. “I’m not paying for your knee replacement surgery.”

“Smart ass.” He bit his lower lip and pinched the underside of your thigh.

You shrieked with laughter, and Jensen turned to look up at you.

“Oh, that is adorable.” The girl called, taking a few candid shots.

“Just friends?” Another mumbled though the two of you were not privy to the conversation.

The third agreed. “How much you wanna bet he’s going to make an announcement tomorrow he’s off the market?”

“I’m not betting on a hand already lost.”

After several more moments of thanks and prolonging the experience, you finally made to part ways. You and Jensen sat in the rental. As you waited for the girls to take off, Jensen saying something about not wanting to be followed the whole way to Denver, you played with the filters on the photos and sent the best ones to Jensen. He then added the one of him next to the sign in Lebanon to Instagram. Later as he was driving down the freeway, you read the whole thing: If there was one word to describe this year so far, that word would be unexpected. The start was unexpectedly filled with chaos and turmoil, as most of you know, though maybe I should have seen it coming. But these last few months have taught me unexpected isn’t always a bad thing. It can come in the form of unexpected kindness from strangers, unexpected friendships, unexpected journeys, unexpected mysteries, and unexpected healing. All of which has led me spontaneously and unexpectedly back home. Oh, home, let me come home.

Though he had driven all of yesterday and you only had a couple of hours in today, he insisted on seeing you through to Denver. Though he teased you over your deplorable and sometimes downright terrifying driving, you thought it was really because he wanted to reinforce the driver picks the music rule. (You weren’t ‘that’ bad of a driver). It was sole stubbornness that kept him from admitting he liked Greta Van Fleet or confusing them for Zeppelin in the first place. Instead, he went for an indie playlist of his featuring bands like Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, and Beach House.

The drive continued ever onward, and though Colorado did have some rolling hills, the bare wasteland and fields you had become accustomed to over the past few days drew you to the brink of insanity.

“Hey, Jensen.” You said.

“Yeah?”

“Clouds or Mountains?”

He thought on it for a second. “Clouds.”

Sure enough, he was right.

A half-hour, he prompted you. “Hey, Y/N.”

You only humphed a response.

“Clouds or mountains?”

“Clouds,” you grumbled.

A few minutes later and a new shape emerged on the horizon.

He asked again, “Clouds or mountains.”

You whined again. “Clouds.” And sighed a deep sigh before quoting, “I want to see mountains again. Mountains Gandalf! And then find somewhere quiet where I can finish my book.”

Jensen chuckled. “I always forget how big of a nerd you are. We should watch those movies together sometime.”

“Yeah, we should!” You concurred. “We can marathon them and have a hobbit day where we follow the meal schedule and everything. Breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies, luncheon….” You listed off. “Tomatoes, sausages, nice crispy bacon,” You impersonated a few more quotes. “Malt beer, ripe meat of the bone.”

His stomach grumbled. “Ah, man, I'm hungry just thinking about it.”

“How?” You giggled. “You had three breakfast burritos.”

“Two and a half.” He defended.

“Hold on,” You said before unclicking your seatbelt and shuffling to the back. “What do you want?”

His tongue flashed over his bottom lip. After his dreams last night, you were the only snack he was concerned with. God, how he wished he had a few more days. Perhaps canceling on the con so you could keep driving wouldn’t be such a bad idea. You could just keep heading to Vancouver. He’d make it to set on time. Most likely. Okay, if he was able to have his way with you two days late, but it would be so worth it. You reoriented yourself in the front with your stash. “Goldfish, Pringles, and we still have a few pretzels.”

He was going to make his move tonight. He didn’t want to wait any longer. He was ready to take things to the next step. He was glad to have you as a friend, but he wanted more. From the moment you slid in next to him all those months ago at the brewery, he knew he was a fucking goner. Sure, at that time, he was as drunk as Jimmy Buffet in Margaritaville, but that instinct hadn’t lied to him. It held and only grew. It had taken him these past months and this road trip to build up this decision, to finally have the courage to act on it. He just wasn’t quite sure how to initiate it yet.

“Hey,” You called him from his thoughts. “You gotta help me with these. I really only want to take the granola and trail mix up with me to Estes Park.”

His heart immediately sank. Maybe he didn’t understand or hear you right. “Estes Park?”

“Yeah.” You confirmed. “I actually got an unbelievable deal at the Stanley Hotel. You know, Stephen King’s inspiration for The Shining. Like such a good deal, the ghosts may be luring me there. So I may call you in a panic tonight and probably should get some salt on the way up. Oh man, how awesome would it be if you and Jared stayed there and made a little ghost hunter special? But I figured you’d be busy with the con all weekend, and we wouldn’t get to see each other much anyways, so I might as well make the most of being out in Colorado and hike the Rockies while I’m out here.” You rambled.

“Right.” His heart stayed in his stomach, remembering your early conversation about what you told your friends, not realizing it was a partial truth to them. “Cause how else are you going to have your meet-cute with some handsome lumberjack unless you trip over his fallen log?”

He meant it as a joke, but disappointment twisted inside you. So the kiss had been a fluke, and this morning was just a natural reaction. He wasn’t interested. It made sense. More so than what you had thought.

“Exactly.” You said.

Friends. You thought. Just friends, he thought, and his cheeks flushed. Simultaneously, you both swallowed a lump in your throat. The ride from there on was quiet. There was an obvious tension in the air. Not like the storm waiting to break as was before. No, this was more like when your grandfather brought up politics on Thanksgiving. At least you had other rooms to escape to then.

You played on your phone a bit, tried, and failed to read. The motion of the car and focusing on the stationary words was too much for your brain to process. Jensen seemed lost in thought. Like he wanted to say something but never was able to work it out. Maybe if you could tell him how you were feeling. Just let it all out. That you didn’t know how much longer you could handle the ‘just friends’ thing. It was pretty easy when thousands of miles separated you, but being so close together, it was near impossible to deny your emotions. At any moment, they could explode out of you. But you didn’t want to risk it. Didn’t want to make a mistake and lose him altogether.

“Hey, Y/N?” Jensen pulled you from your thoughts.

“Yeah?” You responded hopeful.

“Clouds or mountains?”

It was not what you wanted to hear, but at least some of the tension had lifted. You squinted and took in the hazy purple shape in the distance. After a few moments of analysis, your eyes widened. You softly and repeatedly slapped his shoulder in excitement.

“That’s a fucking mountain bitch!” You squealed in delight.

He laughed boisterously.

“We made it!” You proclaimed.

Jensen slipped into a British accent in an attempt to impersonate David Attenborough. But it came out more gentler, more breathy, and a higher pitch than his usual deep voice.

“After years of endless searching, the pair of travelers laid eyes upon their destination. The high peaks of the mountains are a stark contrast to the flat sea of plains they had battled tirelessly through.”

You melted, and a high whine sounded in the back of your throat. Jensen glanced at you and bit his lower lip as you quickly recomposed yourself. It was such a sweet and delicate noise. He wanted more.

“Little did they realize, the end of the great migration is only the beginning. The female will depart from the male to venture further into the hills, gathering resources for the nest. All the while, the male will be left defenseless against hoards of a terrifying new threat. Fangirls. If either of them survives the next perilous chapter, it will be nothing short of a miracle.”

He was unsuccessful at coaxing another whimper from you, but your giggle was just as pleasurable.

“Oh my god,” You chastised him with a chuckle. “You’ll be fine. You secretly feed off the praise and attention even though you act like a complete grump.”

“And what about you?” He asked. “I know you packed an entire walk-in closet, but do you have bear spray?”

“Bear spray?” You furrowed your brow.

He rolled his eyes at your lack of unpreparedness. “What about water? Do you have a camel pack?”

“I’m sure my water bottle will be just fine.”

He scoffed. “First aid? Gauze if you get a cut or need to make a splint?”

“Jensen,” You stopped him. “I’m going on popular trails part of the National Parks Service. If I run into any trouble, I’m sure there will be plenty of people around to help. If not a handsome lumberjack, perhaps a park ranger.” You added for the spite of it.

He clenched his jaw, trying his hardest to ignore the jab. “No, we are stopping at an Arc’teryx or, or Patagonia or something. Make sure you have all you need.”

Was he panicking? “Jensen,” You said his name again, hoping to ground him. “I have everything I need. I’ll be fine. I’ve hiked before. There lot’s of places back home.”

“But this is, like, the actual mountains.” He continued to argue. “Wild terrain, no cell service, bears, cougars…”

Your laugh cut him off. “I think you should be more worried about cougars this weekend than me.”

"This is serious, Y/N." He groaned.

"I'll be fine. I promise." You affirmed.

"Will you…" He started. He didn't want to be overbearing, and he knew you were fiercely capable and independent, but anxiety was getting the best of him. "Will you just text in the morning and when you make it back, so I know you're okay?"

"I'm sure you'll hardly be able to check your phone, but yes, I'll text you." You agreed.

"And take lots of pictures, so I can live vicariously through you." He added.

“Deal!”

The last leg of the journey remained quiet and calm, Jensen’s indie playlist providing a soft ambiance, even as the skyline grew heavier with angular earth jutting into the heavens. Even as Denver grew from a speck reflection of sunlight to a concrete jungle, neither of you could think of what to say. Your gold necklace glinted in the side view mirror, and the orange sun streaked across your face.

You had arranged with a rental company to come meet you at the hotel where the convention was taking place. That way, Jensen would still have a car, though you figured he may have a driver for the event itself. For the first time in this journey, an active map with actual directions had been pulled up to navigate the way through the city. Though now you were wishing you had encouraged his earlier plan to keep heading west. As the minutes counted down to arrival, your hearts grew evermore tender knowing soon they’d be parted.

Jensen pulled into a roundabout, a fountain in its center flowing into a garden of roses, through the archway leading to the hotel entrance. He put the car in park, but the engine ran idle. Both of you stared directly ahead, not quite believing the trip where time stood still was finally over.

An intrusive vibrating buzzed into the quiet. You looked down at your phone, notifying you the pick-up was here, as a black Malibu drove under the awning next to you.

“That’s my ride.” You said defeated.

Jensen nodded, and as the trunk behind you popped open, his door creaked as he exited the vehicle. You studied the lines in your hands as they lay in your lap, wondering if they held any insight into your fortune. If you could read them, perhaps they could guide you forward. But all you could do was sit with that same feeling as the morning you first left him. The trunk next to you slammed shut, signaling it was time to go. You scrambled out of the car but froze, facing Jensen, trying to discern the look on his face, not knowing it mirrored yours.

“Well…” He bumped his fists together. “This is it.”

“Yeah.” You agreed.

“Be safe.”

You let out a half-hearted laugh. “You too.”

Jensen pounced. It happened so fast your brain couldn’t process it until it had already happened. His lips worked hard against yours as you met his claiming pace. One hand wrapped around your waist, pressing you against his hard frame. The other wound around the back of your neck, leaving no room for escape. Your fists clenched the fabric of his shirt with such strength at any moment, it could tear. Gravity had no hold here as it felt like you were floating far above the atmosphere. Harsh clashes drew out into savoring breaths, and when you finally pulled apart, you found you were out of air entirely.

You looked up at him, your noses nearly grazing.

Ask me to stay, your eyes pleaded.

Please, stay. His heart begged.

Someone nearby cleared their throat, and you took a step back, color flooding your cheeks. Yet, still, there were no words to say to each other.

The Enterprise driver rolled down their window. “Lady, I got a schedule to run.”

“Right, of course,” You snapped back to reality as time and gravity came rushing back with an oppressive force.

Jensen rubbed his lower lip as if waking up trying to remember a dream.

“Thank you?” It came out as a question.

You didn’t know what you were thanking him for. The kiss, driving, paying for the hotels, maybe everything. Had you ever thanked someone after they kissed you? More people were around the entrance now; some under the awning, some looking through the glass windows of the lobby, and more than one had their phones out. Your chest began to tighten, and your vision blurred. Your mind grew evermore blank the harder you fished for something else to say.

His brow creased, and he tilted his head slightly. “You’re welcome?”

A high voice called his name, followed by another, and then a tank of a man came barreling over, mumbling to Jensen the need to check his phone more frequently. That he wasn’t about to have another Nashville on his hands. Without another word, you got into the car and drove away. Jensen’s eyes stayed fixed on you until the car was out of view.

---

The view on the way to Estes Park should have been stunning, breathtaking, and spectacular, but you were two-for-two. Two-for-two on leaving Jensen at a hotel and crying on your way to your next destination. And it was stupid. You shouldn’t be crying. You should be elated. It probably had something to do with tuning into a radio station playing that dreaded Neil Diamond song you couldn’t seem to escape.

He kissed you. Like, kissed you, kissed you. There was no mistaking it this time. Yet, he didn��t ask you to stay. He didn’t say anything. You knew what you wanted at this point. You wanted him. You wanted to try and make some sort of relationship work despite the distance, despite his status, despite everything. But you were going to leave it in his hands. He had to decide what he wanted and then fucking communicate it to you. With actual words, though, the lips had been enjoyable.

You chewed on your thumb, thinking things over. Maybe you should turn around and head back. Give him an opportunity to actually say what he was thinking. But then again, he was going to be so busy this weekend that you wouldn’t have time with him anyways. No. You were staying the course. You were a brave, independent woman and didn’t need to be hung up about some guy. When you booked this trip, you wanted to see ghosts at The Stanley and you wanted to see the mountains. So by god, that was what you were going to do. If he had anything to say, he could come find you.

The Stanley was impressive, to say the least. It had a glamor to it, feeling as if it stood still in a bygone era. The ghost tour was fun and spooky, and you even managed to catch an orb on camera, despite the rule, ‘no videos allowed.’ Though it felt lonely. You kept thinking of quick remarks to say to Jensen or feeling the same chill down your spine or how he’d undoubtedly say your orb was just a spec of dust yet secretly keep a box of salt close by that night.

Sleep was impossible. It wasn’t the scratching on walls or the footsteps above, even though you were on the top floor, or the swinging chandelier. It was the fact that he hadn’t called or texted. And yes, despite your horrible cell reception on the road trip here, you did, in fact, pay for cellular service. And it seemed to working just fine as you reconnected with friends and family ensuring them you arrived to Colorado in one piece.

You don’t kiss someone like that and not follow up! You buried your head under a pillow. You also don’t kiss someone like that and thank them. What had you been thinking? You weren’t thinking that was the problem. Possibly even had a panic attack given by the growing crowd. No wonder he hadn’t called you. What was he supposed to think? You tried to rationalize the thought process. You had shown gratitude towards the action, thus indicating you appreciated the gesture. But even you didn’t buy that.

An icy caress crept up your spine, sending shivers throughout your body, and you reached your breaking point.

You shot straight up. “Can’t you tell I am being haunted enough by my own idiocy!” Perhaps it was your own imagination, but the creaking floorboards seemed to settle, and warmth flooded back. “Thank you!”

You laid back down and pulled your phone out, staring at his number, the photos being the last thing you sent. You had to put a feeler out there.

‘Thanks again for an amazing trip! If you’re looking for a buddy on your next road trip, let me know. And don’t worry, the ghosts here are all bark, though I can’t say the same for those in room 217.’

You slammed your phone on the one-night stand and prayed sleep would find you.

Morning came quickly, too quickly. Your alarm cheerfully chimed you awake though you did not meet it with the same attitude. After hitting snooze twice, you regretted your decision to wake up early and beat the crowds. The sheets crinkled as you reached over, searching for Jensen, only to remember he wasn’t there. The realization was enough to get you moving instead of what you really wanted, opting for a lazy morning in bed with him.

Though it had been a struggle to pry yourself free from the bed, it had been the right call. Prime parking was still available at the head of the trail, which was starting to fill in even at this ungodly hour. The trail up to the Sky Pond was going to be a long one but worth it, or so you kept telling yourself. You double-checked your supplies, ensuring you had enough water, food, and a compass. To Jensen’s credit, you probably could have been more prepared, but you also didn’t want to be weighed down. You snapped a few pictures of the map at the start of the trail, just in case. It would all be fine.

Two hours into the hike and you had convinced yourself you made the right call. The landscape and views were astonishingly serene. There was peace and euphoria blowing like wind through branches, rushing like rapids of a river, sweetly singing like birds in the breeze, gasping like the lack of air in your lungs, dripping like the sweat on your brow. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but you just needed a second wind. It would be worth it, you repeated. And you were only thinking about Jensen every 500 feet or so. Progress. You had already passed Alberta Falls, and it had been spectacular. There was something healing about the sound of water. There was more to come, and it would be worth it, repeating the mantra of the day.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, so too did the heat of the day. Conserving water throughout the hike was essential, but staying hydrated was just as important. You guzzled down another few sips. As you rounded a bend, you hesitated, seeing the ascent. The backpack bearing weight on your shoulders grew heavier, and you adjusted the straps. Your breaths deepened, and a few crude words muttered from your lips as you prepared for the climb. If Nesta could do it, so could you.

Your legs shook as you started, already weary from the elevation gain. You wondered what it would be like at the convention right now. Would you be hanging out with Jensen? Meeting his friends and coworkers? Or would you just be milling about, waiting for the day to be over? Probably the latter. He had asked you to text in the morning, but he hadn’t even responded to your message last night. He was probably too busy with the day. Or just as confused about the kiss as you. The first time it happened, you didn’t talk about it, so why would now be any different? Whatever the situation, you bet if you were still in Denver, it would include air conditioning, less sweat, and the opportunity to read. But you could read at the lake and cool your feet off. If you ever got there. The mental games were becoming as big of a hurdle as the physical limits.

You were too in your head that when you hit the next rock, your foot missed it entirely. Landing on the step below, your foot slipped out from under you, and you came crashing down on your hip with a big thud.

“Fuck!” You cursed and then hissed through your teeth.

“Woah!” A voice called in the distance, and the sound of heavy boots beat against the rocky steps. “Are you alright, sweetheart?”

You braced yourself to get up and were met with a helping hand. The green pants and khaki shirt were a dead giveaway for a park ranger. He was tall and broad with dark brown curls and soft whiskey eyes. His skin was darkened from days in the sun. And unlike you, he was barely breaking a sweat.

“Yeah.” You winced as he helped pull you up. “Wasn’t watching my step.”

“At least you can stand.” He said, “But let’s take a look anyways.” He crouched down beside you. “A few scrapes and you’ll definitely have a bruise. Can you twist your ankle?” You did as he instructed. “Bend the knee.”

You looked down as he tenderly applied pressure to certain areas. You confirmed the scrapes from the few bright red streaks traveling down your calve and brushed at the dirt that ran your whole length.

“All looks to be in working order.” He assessed, brushed off his hands, and started digging through his pack. “I have acetaminophen.”

“That would be wonderful, thank you.” You gladly accepted it and washed it down with water.

“Here.” He took his water bottle and ran it down your leg, clearing the cuts of debris. “You’ll want to clean that better once you’re finished for the day, but you should be fine until then. Where are you hiking up to?” He asked.

“Sky pond.”

“Ah, me too, actually.” He took his hat off to fan himself and ran his hand through his bouncy curls. “Someone has been messing with the trail cams up there, and I gotta reset them. Mind if I join you?” Maybe it was because you pursed your lips, he quickly added. “If not, I’ll hang back for a while and create some distance. It’s so peaceful out here I wouldn’t want to ruin…”

“No. It’s cool, we can hike together. Though I’m probably slower than you’re used to.” You said.

“Oh, I love a leisurely pace. So much to take in. Maybe even catch sight of the bear I keep hearing about.”

“Bears?” You raised your brows. “Yeah, you can definitely stick around.”

As you hiked onward, you learned a little about each other. Where each other were from, family, careers, hobbies. He moved out from Maine recently, but being stationed in the Rockies had always been a dream of his. The ascent finally leveled out a bit, and you were able to catch your breath.

“You have a partner back home?” He asked.

You chuckled.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just… complicated.” You explained.

“Hold that thought.” He said. “There’s an excellent view back here most people don’t know about.”

He started in through the woods.

“So much for staying on the trail rule.”

He looked back and winked. “Perks of traveling with a ranger.”

“Definitely not impersonating one and preying on single hikers.” You teased but also voiced the concern in the back of your mind.

“And disgrace the badge? Never.” He smiled.

“I do have bear spray.” You lied and gripped your shoulder straps tighter.

“Well, I’m glad I came across you. I left mine down at the station. If we did come across B 712 I was going to yell real loud and hope for the best.” He teased back.

Despite the warning bell in your head, you continued onward, following him further from the main path. The forest cleared to a rocky cliffside overlooking a massive gorge carved from the very glacier this trail was named after. It made you feel so insignificantly small and at the very top of the world all at the same time.

“Wow.” Was all that came to your mind.

“Ah, don’t get too close to the ledge now.” His arm went in front of you like a mother who braked in the car too hard. “If you slip here, well…” He peered over the steep ledge.

You took out your phone and scanned the area with the lens. “Pictures never do it justice.” You said disappointed.

“I never get sick of the view.” He stated. “You should come back when the colors change, it looks like the valley is on fire. Sorry, you were saying earlier?”

“Right. Yeah, no…” You were flustered, wondering how much to share. “It’s just I really like this guy, and I think he likes me too, most of the time anyway. But I don’t know what he wants. And I don’t want to get hurt. So I’m kinda stuck in this pining phase, and I don’t know how to get out of it until he’s ready. I’m not making sense.”

“Hmm.” He pondered. “I mean, I’ve known you for twenty minutes I can say with certainty he likes you back.”

You rolled your eyes at the pass. “No, it's different. He’s like a big deal. Like a big fish in the ocean, and I’m a trout in a pond.”

“First of all,” He stopped you. “I hate that analogy with a passion. Second, If you’ve put him on a pedestal and he’s reinforced that in any way or hasn’t corrected that, he is not worth the time of day. No matter where you are in your walk of life, comparing yourself to other people never ends well. And using that comparison to deflate your own worthiness or happiness is going to lead to a self-fulling prophecy of missed opportunity.”

Wow, that was deep and stung a little. “Are you really a park ranger or a psychologist?” You teased.

“I listen to a lot of Brene Brown podcasts.” He admitted. “What, it gets lonely hiking up here all the time; gotta do something to keep the mind busy. You said he likes you; what makes you think that?”

“Shall I lay on this bolder while you connect this back to my relationship with my mother?” You gestured to the rock next to you.

“Fine, fine.” He retreated. “I have a knack for wanting to fix things; car engines, relationships, trail cams. Let me say this, and now that I’ve creeped you out enough, I’ll let you hike in peace, but you said you don’t know what he wants, but have you asked him?”

“Well… I…” You stuttered. “I’m waiting for him.”

“Why?”

“Because…”

He raised an eyebrow at you.

“Because that’s what you do. The guy asks the girl. He makes the moves.”

He scoffed. “I guess that’s fine. I didn’t take you as being so old-fashioned.”

“I’m not old-fashioned.” You scoffed back.

He raised his hands in surrender. “It’s not a bad thing if that's what you want.”

“No, it’s just… this is in his court. It’s his move.” How could you explain the situation without giving it away?

“Two-for-two with the horrible analogies.” He pushed.

Oh, he was getting on your nerves. “He’s an actor! Okay! Like a somewhat recognizable one. And I’m just,” You gestured to yourself. “A nobody, covered in dirt.”

“Oooh. So it is the pedestal thing. Man, I’m good!” He leaned against a pine and crossed his arms smugly. “The way I see it, if you like him, and he’s given you all the signals back, you need to get over your own insecurities and open up a channel of communication, or you're going to be stuck in that small pond forever.”

Tears were threatening to spill from your eyes. “How?” You whispered.

“Simple. Tell him how you feel and ask him the same, ask him what he wants.” He suggested.

“And what if, what if he doesn’t want what I want? What if I lose him altogether?”

“It’s a risk, but do you really want to be trailing behind him forever? Putting your whole life on hold while you wait for him to catch up?” He pushed. “‘Sides, you know where I’m stationed, and I’ll make my intentions clear from the beginning.”

You squinted your eyes at him. “What’s your name?”

His grin widened, showing off his canines. “Why, you going to report me, sweetheart?”

“No.” You stamped your foot. “You are obviously entitled to a raise. I bet you find all the single hikers and help them with their existential crises.”

“It keeps me busy.” He bit his bottom lip. “The name’s Dean. You?”

You scoffed. Of course, it was. “Y/N. I think I’ll let you continue on your own from here.”

“I understand. I came on too heavy.” He sighed. “Should’ve stuck to the surface-level topics.”

“No, it’s not that.” You said. “It’s just I’m heading in the opposite direction now.”

You weren’t going to wait to keep hashing it out with him. A new determination had sparked. The branches snapped underneath your feet as you started the way back to the main trail. You wondered how fast you could run down a mountain.

“Hey, take it easy,” Dean called after you. “I don’t want to come back on the trail tonight to find you twisted an ankle on the way down. Where are you off to so fast anyways? Really taking those words to heart.”

“Denver.” You shouted back. “There’s a con I gotta get to.”

-----

Continue to Part 7 Here!

GHTTC Tags: @maggiegirl17 @foxyjwls007 @djs8891 @deans-spinster-witch @tmb510

[drabbles-mc]

Aftermath (Part 2)

EZ Reyes x F!Reader

You can find Part 1 Here

Dedicated to @withmyteeth because I don't know if I ever would've gotten around to finishing and posting a part 2 for this without your encouragement and help creating this chaos. 💖

Warnings: 18+, language, smut

Word Count: 2.2k

A/N: I already know there's gonna be a part 3. I gotta drag out the mess a little while longer I can't help it.

EZ Reyes Taglist: @thesandbeneathmytoes @rosieposie0624 @noz4a2 @queenbeered @choochoo284 @mijagif @anditsmywholeheart @kelpies-shed @louisianalady @gemini0410 @chibsytelford @yourwonkywriter @buckybarneshairpullingkink @amorestevens @garbinge @enjoy-the-destruction @justreblogginfics @nessamc @winchestershiresauce @artemiseamoon @littlekittymeow @frattsparty @fanfic-n-tabulous @beardburnsupersoldiers @justazzi @solidly-indulgent @danzer8705 (If you want to be added to any of my taglists, please let me know!)

Your promise of, “It’s not going to happen again,” lasted about a week. Never again had quickly turned into over and over again. Each time you wound up on EZ’s doorstep, you were expecting it to be the time that he sent you away, but he never did. You thought it’d get old after a while, for him at least, but it didn’t seem like it was.

It was always at his trailer. EZ had yet to set foot inside your apartment since the two of you had picked up your nasty little habit. Any time you knocked on his door, he always let you in without a question or a complaint. A few snarky remarks, sure, but never anything that made it sound like he was going to cut you off. Thank god for that.

At some point you were going to have to find a different distraction. Preferably one that didn’t involve hooking up with your ex’s brother. But this worked too well to be able to hang it up just yet. You didn’t have a single coherent thought about anything when EZ was inside you, let alone any thoughts about his shitty brother and your even shittier breakup.

Even when the light wasn’t on inside you still knocked, and he still answered. You’d always wake up to an empty bed and slink off first thing in the morning without another word about it. By the grace of some sort of higher power you hadn’t run into Angel on your walks of shame. Your luck was surely going to run out at some point, but it hadn’t yet.

You were nose-deep in a book on one of your rare days off when your phone buzzed on the end table next to you. You reached back behind your head without taking your eyes off the page, only diverting your attention to the notification when you reached the bottom of the page you were on. Your brows furrowed in confusion when you saw EZ’s name.

“Busy?”

It only made you more confused. “Why?”

“If you’re free, come over”

You raised your eyebrows in surprise. It was the middle of the afternoon. There was only one reason that EZ would go out of his way to ask you to come over, which also wasn’t something that had ever happened. You were always the one who initiated it. But going over to see him in the middle of the day seemed like the two of you would be asking for trouble. Not that you hadn’t been doing that plenty already.

You thought about it for a moment before repeating yourself. “Why?”

“You know why”

You laughed, rolling your eyes as you did so. Letting your head drop back, you stared up at the ceiling as you weighed the pros and cons of your options. Saying it felt like a bad idea would be redundant. Hooking up with EZ at any hour was a bad idea. However, going over in broad daylight seemed to making it worse for no real extra reward. But he was actually extending an invite for once.

Snapping your book shut, you set it aside and got up off the couch. You’d come up with an excuse for showing up at the yard on the drive over. If you saw anyone, but especially if you saw Angel, you were going to cut the cord on the entire endeavor. But maybe you’d get lucky again and no one would be there.

It would’ve taken five seconds to text EZ back that you were getting ready to head over, but you didn’t. Instead, you changed out of your comfy lounge clothes, just swapping them out for a tank top and a pair of cutoffs before grabbing your keys and heading to your car.

The scrapyard was a ghost town when you got there. There might’ve been a couple guys in the clubhouse, but you weren’t going to go and find out for sure. You quickly walked over to EZ’s trailer, stepping onto the first of the tiny steps and knocking on the door. The rattling of the flimsy metal always seemed so loud.

When he pulled the door open, the expression on his face went from serious to smug in no time at all. You saw the tremble of his body as he laughed, opening the door for you. You stepped inside. “Surprised to see me?”

“No,” he replied without hesitation.

Smug motherfucker. You had no retort for it, though. You were the one who showed up. “Where is everyone?” you asked as you nodded towards the tiny window above the sink that looked out over the currently-vacant lot.

“Most of the guys are on a run,” he replied with a shrug.

You nodded. “That explains it.”

You were halfway to coming up with something else smarmy to say when he leaned in and pressed his lips to yours. Your body had no fight in it anymore when it came to him. The second his skin touched yours, you melted into it. Even though you’d only hooked up a couple times, it felt like he had your entire body memorized.

Your hands came up to cup his face as he continued to kiss you. Your needy whimpers turned into moans when you felt his hands slip past the back of the waistband of your shorts. His fingers dug into the flesh of your ass, pinning your hips against his in the process. You felt your knees wanting to buckle when you felt how hard he already was.

He didn’t give you much time to think about it as he turned you and walked you the few steps back so that your legs were hitting the side of his mattress. You let him push you down and crawl on top of you so that he was straddling you, his lips quickly landing on the side of your neck, teeth greedily sinking into the soft skin there.

Before you knew it he had you spread out across the mattress, stripped down to your bra and nothing else. He had one of your legs hooked over his shoulder, his hand wrapped around your thigh, fingers gripping your hips in a vice as he pounded into you. You balled your fists into the thin sheets of his bed as you tried to keep your moans as quiet as possible knowing that anyone could walk by the outside of his trailer at any moment.

EZ didn’t seem to share your concern for discretion as he pried one hand off your hip and brought it between your legs, his thumb brushing against your clit instantly causing you to writhe against him. Every move and sound you made only caused the smug look on his face to intensify.

You hadn’t been paying much mind to the noise of the scrapyard until you heard the sound of voices. It was a mild distraction, a tiny crack in the false reality you found yourself in every time you were inside EZ’s trailer, every time EZ was inside you. It would’ve been something you were able to push from your mind in a matter of seconds if you hadn’t heard Angel’s voice amongst them. You froze, your body instantly locking up as your eyes widened.

“EZ!” Your whisper was loud, harsh as you tried to move away from him.

“What?” He was good at pretending to be clueless as to why you were so annoyed, but you knew that he wasn’t that stupid.

“You said the guys were on a run!” You were still fighting against the tight grip he had on your hip, one hand now tightly gripping your thigh to make it even harder for you to move.

“I said most of the guys were,” he retorted with a smirk.

“And you didn’t think to mention that Angel wasn’t one of those guys?”

“Why does it matter?” He slowly started to move his hips again. “It’s not like he’s gonna—”

As if your life wasn’t already an infuriating comedy of errors, there was a loud banging against the door of EZ’s trailer. “Yo! Boy Scout!” Angel hollered from the other side. “Guys are almost back. Templo in thirty!”

EZ’s eyes were locked on yours, like he didn’t have a single care in the world as he answered. “Alright!” He turned his head, kissing the side of your calf before carrying on the conversation from opposite sides of the door. “All good?”

Your eyes nearly popped out of your skull, hating the feeling that he was trying to get the two of you caught. You pulled your leg back so that your foot planted against his chest, trying to use whatever leverage you could get to kick him away from you. He wasn’t budging, though, easily thwarting your efforts with a quiet laugh as Angel answered cluelessly from outside.

“I don’t know. Guess we’ll fuckin’ find out.”

You were holding your breath, feeling like you were about to crawl out of your skin. You waited for the door to swing open, for the chaos to ensue, but it didn’t. Neither of you could actually hear Angel walking away, but the fact that he didn’t say anything else led you both to believe that he had headed for the clubhouse.

EZ finally let your leg drop, moving so that he was hovering over you and caging you in with his arms as he did. “Guess we got thirty minutes.”

You rolled your eyes and tried to push him off of you, a mostly half-hearted effort. “No, you’ve got about thirty seconds to get off of me before I—”

“What?” he asked as he reached and lazily adjusted your legs so that they were hooked around his waist.

“What if he walked in?!”

“He didn’t.”

You sputtered out the first half of a few different words, not able to actually string anything together. “Get off me. Get,” you pushed against his chest with both palms, “get out of me.”

You hated that you were fighting the urge to laugh at the fact that it was a sentence that you were even saying. EZ didn’t try to hide his amusement, though, the grin on his face growing as he did the exact opposite of what you’d asked, pushing himself into you until his hips met yours. He felt the way your nails set into his chest, the staggered breath you took, and he knew that you weren’t going to be leaving before the thirty minutes was up.

You were shimmying back into your shorts when you heard the sound of motorcycle engines. If nothing else, EZ was methodical and could time it just about down to the damn minute. He was pulling his t-shirt back down over his head, covering up the scratches you left behind on his chest. Your eyes were glued to him as you pulled on your shoes, watching the way he shrugged on his kutte.

Despite everything that had happened, how cocky and reckless he was being, you were already thinking about coming back again.

When he turned and looked at you, the look in his eyes let you know that he knew exactly what you were thinking. He at least let you save a little face, didn’t comment on it directly. The roar of the engines stopped, and EZ made his way for the trailer door.

“Give it five and you should be good,” he said casually, like he hadn’t just put your body and brain through the goddamn wringer.

“Got it,” you said with a nod.

You shook your head at him when he shot you another grin before going down the steps and exiting the trailer. He shut the door tightly behind him, and within moments you heard him getting wrapped up in conversation with the men who had just gotten back from the run. You weren’t really listening to what they were saying, more just how they sounded, how EZ sounded. With the way he was talking he might as well have just been lounging all afternoon waiting for them to get back. But, the bruises you could feel coming in on your hips were stark evidence against that.

Once it had been silent for a couple minutes, you crept out of the trailer. You left the yard, making your way back to your car on shaky legs. When you got back to your car, you collapsed into the driver’s seat. Pulling your phone out, you went to send a message to EZ. You didn’t even know what you really wanted to say—part of you felt like you should just quit while you were ahead, before Angel actually did walk in on the two of you. But it felt too good to want to stop.

You almost texted Angel, too. Not about EZ, of course. You had the overwhelming urge, though, to send him something scathing and completely unnecessary if not a little deserved after how he’d treated you. Maybe some of EZ’s cockiness was rubbing off on you. Shaking your head at yourself, you wound up doing neither before tossing your phone into the cupholder of your car and heading home, deciding to keep up the game of Reyes Russian Roulette for a little while longer.

[esleep]

i am having the most ridiculously, cartoonishly bad day that i think i have ever had and i am going to be pitiful about it for a minute okay. if you read this i hope it makes your day seem much better by comparison, in fact i am pretty confident it will do that for you. it's probably a little funny also if you are not me.

testimonials: "my jaw fully dropped and stayed open the entire time, jesus christ" -shannon in reply to the 3+ minute rambling video i sent her about all of this.

here is my sordid tale, for those brave of heart and strong of stomach.

i woke up at 4 AM while having both a migraine and an anxiety attack (being around my family for extended periods will do that). i was unable to go back to sleep for multiple hours. my morning work alarm went off less than an hour after i finally drifted back off.

at work i spent 10 hours trying to catch up on a bunch of bullshit, because it was my first day back after a week and a half of hastily-arranged sick leave so i could be with my dying grandfather.

midway through my morning, i remember that last night i found a weird open sore on the back of my cat's neck, which i need to call a vet to get checked out IMMEDIATELY after work since i am supposed to be bringing a kitten home on Sunday and I do not want to bring him into a house full of ringworm or some other weird skin infection.

i start looking around online. looks like the only place anywhere nearby that will accept walk-ins AND is open after i get off work at 6 is the veterinary urgent care across town. cool. i call. they tell me their base exam cost is $110 and any treatments go on top of that. i wince and grimly make an appointment for 7 this evening.

at this point it is around noon and my stomach hurts. it's been hurting this whole time but i had kinda let it fade into the background because i thought it was just part of the anxiety. however it has been getting slowly stronger until it finally dawns on me that i am having period cramps. ten days early. cool and nice. i also do still have the migraine, thank you for asking.

i finish my work day at 6, then remember something crucial: rent. i go to bring my rent check physically to the landlord's office since i got back into town too late to mail it, and my landlord is so old school i can only pay by physical check or money order (online portal? never heard of her). the office is already closed, and they don't have a night drop available right now because their actual office was firebombed six months ago (lmao) and it's still being rebuilt so their temporary "office" is just a trailer. i panic-call my landlord, who says i can leave the check if i can manage to stuff it far enough into the door that no one can see it. i try my best. this takes a million years. the entire time i am worrying that i will be late to the vet.

we finally make it to the appointment. things seem to be going well at first - we are alone in the waiting room while i fill out my paperwork, ivy is mostly chill (shockingly). when we are brought to a room she even lets me feed her a churu through her carrier door, a decision i soon came to deeply regret. we'll get to that.

this is the first vet i've ever been to where they fully take your animal away from the "exam room" where you are supposed to wait and into a back area to examine and treat them, presumably because their protocol is built around much more severe illnesses and traumas. predictably, ivy did not like this very much. i nervously told the tech who took her away that if they had too much trouble with her, they were welcome to come and get me, because she usually behaves more for me than for anyone else. i can hear her yowling from the room where i have been told to wait, while i am staring down a sign that says "FOR YOUR SAFETY - PLEASE STAY HERE WHILE WE EXAMINE YOUR PET". it may be a liability thing for them, idk, but it is truly not my safety i am concerned about at this moment. it's not my cat's safety, either. those yowls are war cries. the beast seeks blood.

the vet comes in. he seems like a nice man. he tells me gently that he's having some trouble getting a good look at the sore because ivy is so upset (you don't say). i tell him i am happy to help them corral her, but also, i have a photo of it on my phone if he would like to look at that. he is delighted. i show him the blurry photo i took last night. he is less delighted. essentially, he tells me, this is most likely either an allergy flare-up, an infection/abscess, or possibly (least likely) ringworm. we agree on a three-pronged approach: one antibiotic shot and one steroid shot tonight, plus a tube of ointment to come home with me that i will apply once or twice a day ("whatever you can manage" he told me while nervously glancing at the door that separates us from my pet demon in the treatment room). this ointment contains more steroid and antibiotic, plus an anti-fungal, and it should help kick whatever is going on even if we can't positively identify it. he says if it gets worse or doesn't heal, or if she develops more of them, bring her back.

next to come in is a slightly wild-eyed vet tech who tells me that ivy has been attacking them all pretty badly (shocking) so they had to net her (okay that's a new one). during this process, she shit liquid diarrhea all over herself and them. after they gave her the necessary injections and tossed her from the net back into the carrier, "the poop went in with her" were the tech's exact words. she handed me a cloth and a spray bottle of disinfectant and basically told me i could stay in here as long as i needed to get the carrier cleaned up, but she couldn't stay in the room to help me because my cat is such a menace to society. that is fine. i would rather face her wrath on my own anyway.

they were not exaggerating when they told me she was absolutely covered in shit. that churu really lubricated the pipes or something because it is a frankly concerning amount of feces. her bed and blanket inside the carrier are beyond redemption. i don't really care too much about that - i've owned cats for two decades, i am wise enough not to keep anything i'm emotionally attached to inside the carrier. i am also not very squeamish about cleaning up a little poop. but what really gets to me this time is the smell. it is absolutely unholy. this is not regular cat shit smell, this is like satan's afterbirth. beyond just what's in the carrier, there is shit matted into ivy's fur all throughout her back half and a little toward the front too. she looks pitiful. but she walks out of the carrier so calmly when i open the door, almost like she's trying to preserve what dignity she can. i don't blame her. she's had a bad night.

i do what i can with the carrier to make it transportable, then go out to pay the staggering $365 that i owe for this ongoing nightmare. it is now nearly 9 pm. we've been here for two hours. i am exhausted like someone who has been to war. the extremely young boy they have running the front desk takes forever to figure out how to apply my Scratchpay (which i had to hastily apply for in the exam room), and meanwhile the smell that is coming off both me and my cat is like nothing i have ever experienced. it's freshly shocking to me every time i inhale. it's the kind of smell you never really acclimate to. i am pretty sure i have actually died and gone to hell without noticing the trip.

i bring the cat home (windows down, by necessity, praying it doesn't start raining again like it has been all day). i take her directly to the bathtub - do not pass go, do not collect $200. then i have the joy and privilege of giving her a bath in the tub. with dish soap. because that is all i have available and this is a bit too much of an emergency for me to doordash some cat shampoo. considering my cat's temperament, this goes about as well as you can imagine. by the end, the cat and i are pretty much equally wet, but at least she is mostly clean. i consider showering myself off while fully clothed, but decide against it for the sake of my bra, which is somehow the only thing still dry and untouched.

i am still a little bit in shock at how absolutely horrendous and LONG every aspect of this day has been. i need a xanax, $10,000 USD, a massage, and a handle of whiskey. i will be receiving none of that. goodnight.

[wrenreid]

Just Acting

18+ NSFW story | all chapters in masterlist

Chapter Fifteen

"Jess... I uh, I got some shit to tell you,” you say, phone pressed to your ear.

"You did what?!” Jess barges through your apartment door after your brief talk on the phone. A call in which you told her what Matthew and you did.

"Yeah,” you blow out an exaggerated sigh.

"So you do like him!” She gloats.

"No,” you pause for a second. “No. I just had sex with him. There's a difference actually."

"So you like his body though?" Jess raises an eyebrow.

"Oh definitely,” you nod, biting your lip gently.

Jess laughs. "What are you gonna do now?"

"I don't know.”

"Do you want to do it again?"

"I don't know,” you say again, dragging out the last vowel a little.

"Girl,” Jess says sternly but there’s a smug grin on her lips.

"I know, I know. I sound stupid, but like I'm honestly confused myself,” you let out a soft groan. “And I have to see him tomorrow. At work. Where we play a couple.”

"Maybe talk to him? Ask him where you go from there,” Jess suggests.

"Maybe, yeah."

______

You have a few very important scenes coming up for the show. You're nervous, especially for one of them, but it should be entertaining.

You're ready in Delilah's clothes and style, waiting around for your next scene of the day. What you did on the couch you sit on now, not that long ago, burns in your brain. You can almost feel it. You push it back, it's crazy.

A little, and stupid, part of your brain wants to do it again. Wants to feel Matthew, kiss his lips, feel his hair in your hands, his mouth on your neck. What is wrong with you?

You pray that this won't affect your relationship as you leave your trailer and head to the film set. You run into someone coming out of the building when you're going in.

"Might want to watch where you're walking." He says it more sarcastic than rude.

You look up at Matthew, shooting him a sarcastic almost-grin. "Yeah thanks, jackass."

Most of your scenes today are just Delilah at work. It doesn't take any more than 3 hours to film until you're walking back out to the trailers.

"Can't stop thinking about it huh?" Matthew's voice sends shocks on your skin. His breath graces your hair.

You turn around to face him. "You wish," you won't give him satisfaction just yet.

He steps closer to you, touching your arm. "Too bad the first has to be the last." Matthew's voice is low.

"What?"

"Just doing as you said, 'move on with our lives'. Right?" There's a hint of bitterness in his tone.

You inhale, "Right. Yeah."

He looks you up and down, then walks away into his trailer. You're left standing there shocked and confused. You're even confused as to why you are shocked and confused.

You understand now why guys say women are confusing, you can't even comprehend your own feelings right now.

You shake it off, forget this. Matthew was just a one night stand type thing. It was a fluke. A weird, but highly pleasurable fluke.

Okay, Y/n... you're fine. it's out of your mind. You leave for home since you're finished until early tomorrow morning.

You eat some ice cream from your freezer while you sit on the couch, flipping through channels. A sex scene comes on from some random movie, you change it quickly. "Really?"  you say as Matthew's face pops up on the tv from a rerun of Criminal Minds season 13. You change the channel, rolling your eyes.

____

It's been a week since the incident, and you and Matthew have not gotten along one bit. One minute it's sarcastic comments, rude remarks, dirty stares, or just plain ignoring each other.

"You know? You were right that day when you said nothing between us would be anything but our characters. Because quite frankly, you're sort of a bitch in real life,” he spits out.

"Excuse me? I'm a bitch? You're the one who acts like an immature assclown every second of your God damn life,” you tell him, arms crossed, brows furrowed.

"That's not what you said while we were fucking.” The grin on his face is the most annoying, smug bullshit you’ve ever seen.

That's it. That's what triggered you so hard to where you snapped. Your hand connects with Matthew's cheek. "Go fuck yourself," you say and storm off. He's stunned as you walk away.

It's taking everything in you not to cry. Angry crying is the worst, and it's so embarrassing. You're strong. You will not cry.

I hate him. I actually hate him.

_____

"We have to what?" You say, louder than intended. Your eyes widen at the script in your hands.

"I think it says you have to have sex," Aisha says.

"Yes, Aish, thank you," you say sarcastically.

You stare more... Spencer and Delilah sex scene. Sex scene. You and Matthew. You're going to die of embarrassment or murder him before you do.

You can't believe you have to have pretend sex with the asshole who called you a bitch. You knew, that playing a couple, you'd have kiss, but you're not ready for a sex scene. You roll your eyes, throwing your head back in anger. You let out a groan. Why me?!

——

Two words continue to burn in your mind. Sex. Scene. Sex scene with Matthew.

You keep reminding yourself that this is what you signed up for; maybe not faking intimacy with the man you hate right now, but you're an actress and doing things you don't particularly want to is part of the job. You wanted this role, you've got to do it.

The scene is tomorrow, it's your second one of the episode. Everyone else is on set right now while you sit on your couch at home. Matthew is probably plotting some way to make the scene more uncomfortable and angering for you. Sounds like something that asshole would do.

You order a pizza and Jess comes over to your apartment. The two of you watch Netflix and eat.

"How's the Matthew thing going?" She asks, half distracted.

"I'd rather his name not be mentioned in this house,” you warn sternly.

She laughs. "So, well I see."

"Yep, totally."  You roll your eyes, taking a bite of the pizza.

You don't tell her about the upcoming scene. She'll just think it's funny and ironic.

You ask about her girlfriend, and she rambles on. It's nice to see her so happy. Maybe even in love? You haven't felt that way about someone in a long time. Since you were 20. You let Jess continue to talk about her, it's a nice way of distancing yourself from your own stupid life.

Jess and you watch a few more hours of tv until she heads out to see meet her girlfriend and her friends.

"Good luck with Gubler," she says on her way out.

"I definitely need that," you say quietly. "I'll see you later!"

You clean up, putting glasses in the sink and paper plates in the trash. Then, you head to your room and plop down on the bed.

You call Lola, checking in on how school and everything is going. You assure your sister that you'll be visiting as soon as you can.

This acting schedule life has been crazy, you haven't been back home in a while. A part of you likes that you've been away, free from the stress of your parents and exploring Los Angeles on your own. It makes you feel more grown up than turning 34 will.

You slip into a pair of plaid pants and a white t shirt and wash your face and all the other nightly shit you do. You crawl into bed, a knot starting to tug at your stomach.

You wake up from a random ass dream, dreading the day ahead of you. As you get dressed, the knot tugs and pulls tighter in the pit of your stomach. You slip on joggers and a band t shirt, throw on a flannel, and step into white sneakers. Quickly, you comb through your brown hair, wash your face, brush your teeth, and get ready to head out of the door.

Grabbing your keys and a cup of homemade coffee from last night, you head down the stairs and to your car.

You arrive on set around 11am, heading to hair and makeup almost immediately. Your already slightly curly hair is curled more then pulled apart, leaving gorgeous waves.

A natural look as always is applied to your face, then you're sent to grab Delilah's outfit for the day. You put on black jeans, tan healed booties, a blue top, and a tan blazer to tie the look together.

You head down since they told you they were ready for you as soon as makeup, hair, and costume were done.

After talking to the director and marking/ planning the scene, it's time to shoot. This is just a quick scene of Delilah heading home from work early after getting a message from Spencer.

‘I have a surprise for you. Can you get off work for a little while?’

Delilah heads to her place after saying goodbye to her employees. "I'll be back later today, call me if you need anything." She gets in her car and starts the drive to her apartment. She plans to change really quick before going to see what Spencer had planned.

She unlocks her door and finds her boyfriend standing in her living room facing the other way. He's grabbing something.

"Spencer?"

He turns around, holding a rose in his hand. There's a sign above him that reads "happy birthday".

"Happy birthday, Delilah,” he smiles proudly.

"Thank you. But it's not until tomorrow,” she chuckles.

"I know. I didn't know if I'd get another day off this week, so I figured we'd celebrate today," he blushes, handing the rose to her as she approaches.

"Thank you, Spencer." Delilah wraps her arms around him. She looks down at the rose in her hands after pulling away.

"I wasn't sure what your favorite flower is, so..."

"Daisies... but you can never go wrong with a rose." Delilah smiles up at him, kissing him softly.

"Oh I almost forgot, I also got you this," he leads her over to the kitchen table where a cupcake sits in cute packaging. The mini cake says "to d - sr". "I couldn't fit your whole name," he chuckles nervously.

"You made this?"

He nods. "Baking is harder than I thought."

Delilah laughs. "It's perfect."

"You're perfect," he says.

She sits down, motioning for him to do so too. The cupcake is vanilla with purple icing. After taking a couple bites, she offers Spencer the rest of it.

In the kitchen, after washing her hands, she wipes off icing Spencer had gotten on his mouth.

Spencer wipes his thumb along her bottom lip.

"Oh did I have some too?" She chuckles.

"No." He leans in, pressing his lips to hers with desire. The kiss isn't rushed or too slow as their mouths move against each other's. Delilah starts to take her blazer off, he assists her. Their lips begin to move faster, tongues seeming to fight each other in passion. Delilah's fingers find their way to the bottom of Spencer's sweater, and she pulls it up over his head. She looks at his bare chest for a moment before his lips find hers again.

Spencer's pushed her up against a wall now, one hand on the side of her face and the other up against the wall. Her hands tug through his hair as their mouths move faster.

He kisses down her jaw to her neck, sucking just softly at the skin as he fiddles with the buttons of her jeans. Delilah's head leans back against the wall, a small whimper escaping from her mouth.

"Are you okay with this?" He says, slightly out of breath.

"Yes,” she nods eagerly.

He kisses her neck again, then his lips trail down to her chest. Spencer takes her shirt off, then continues to kiss down her body. When he reaches the top of her waistline, he stops.

On his knees, he looks up, asking once again for permission. Once she grants it, he's pulling Delilah's pants down and off her body.

"Spencer-"

Before she knows it, he's grabbing her hand and pulling her into her bedroom. She hovers above him on the bed. "You're so beautiful."

She smiles, leaning down to kiss him. All of her insecurities are pushed away when his mouth his on hers, when she feels his warmth. He flips their positions, gaining dominance.

"I love you," he says. Delilah's hands tangle in his hair as his mouth works on her. Gasps leave her lips as she feels the sensation.

When he's done, she pulls him down to her mouth, kissing him. Her tongue runs along his bottom teeth. "I love you," Delilah says against his mouth.

She helps him remove his pants and boxers before he unclasps her bra while kissing her neck...

Pulling away from her mouth, he asks if she's ready.

"Yes," she answers, nodding.

His pace stays slow for a while, speeding up with each tug she gives his hair. Moans leave both of their mouths as the pace quickens and gets rougher. She silences his groan with her tongue in his mouth.

You can't believe you just filmed that with Matthew. Obviously, you guys didn't actually have sex. But faking it seemed pretty damn real.

You stay silent as the recap of what just happened runs in your mind.

"Brings back memories, doesn't it?" Matthew says quietly in your ear.

It takes all of your strength not to turn around and slap his stupid face again. Instead, your body shivers, and you hate yourself for it.

You rush to your trailer as soon as you're allowed to. Your entire being is filled with fifty different emotions at once. For some reason, you almost want to cry. Maybe it's out of frustration?

You shut your eyes tightly, pushing back any feeling in your body or stupid thoughts. You pull your knees up to your chest and try to slow your breathing.

There's a knock at your door. Shit. You don't want to answer it, or talk to anybody. The trailer door opens, and the person you want to see the least is standing in the door way.

"Go away, Gubler.”

"Look I'm sorry for what I said earlier. And for calling you a bitch. You were right, I was being immature,” he says.

You nod your head, pushing your lips together tightly. "Actually I said you were an immature assclown."

Matthew chuckles slightly, "Ah yes. That."

It's silent for a moment. You can feel the tension between the two of you. It’s full of frustration and annoyance and attraction.

"Y/n, I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to pin you up against a wall since the day I met you.”

You stare at him, wide eyed. Even in shock, you make a sarcastic comment. "Like violently or the saucy way?"

"Definitely the second,” he says calmly.

You try to chuckle, but it comes out as a huff.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help it. And today the kissing, the touching... it didn't help the situation. Even if it was for the show, it wasn't just acting for me,” Matthew tells you.

"It wasn't for me either..." your words are soft.

"Seriously?"

Oh shit he heard me.

You nod your head with a shrug.

He sits next to you on the couch. "So we're good?"

"We're good. I suppose,” you say with a dramatic breath.

Matthew smiles softly. You grab his face, pulling it down to yours. His lips return the favor immediately.

"We're not having sex here again though.”

"Oh why not? It was kind of sneaky of us,” he says. “Huge turn on.”

You chuckle and roll your eyes, kissing him again.

sixteen

tags: @pauline5525mgg @theintimatewriter @lilibet261 @greysviolets @jazzymariexoxoc @one-sweet-gubler @thatsonezesty13 @necromaniackat @awhoreforspencerreid @sebs-oxygen @scarredelirium @bts-sugaplum @awesomeness1679 @preciousbabypeter @yazzyu @cynbx @r3idsp3ncer @1010lizz @tiredbut-here @skulzombiw @lena-1895 @eevee0722 @danis-stuff-is-here @kylakins88 @daydreamingqueen1 @regulus-black-223048 @virginmusicloverr36 @inlovewithcharmers <3

[madmunson]

challenge me / eddie munson oneshot

word count; 4.1k

author's note; hey guys!! sorry it's been such a long time since my last story, i've been going through a lot personally and kind of lost passion for writing. i'm glad to say i'm back though, and stories are gonna be even better now that i have a clear mind to do so. i hope you guys like this one, i've been working on it for a minute <3 i also don’t know how to add a ‘read more’ button on mobile, but i published on wattpad too!! it’ll be easier to manage pages/scrolls there, @madmunson!! enjoy!

disclaimer; unprotected sex, sexual situations. please don't read if you're sensitive to those subjects!! **italicized font is flashbacks**

For three months now, Hellfire Club had been planning the ultimate tournament. Everybody would meet at Eddie's trailer for the last big tournament of the year at three o'clock on Friday morning, "Devil's Hour", as Eddie called it. The sky outside was darker on this night than the usual nights previous, the deep night sky gently caressing the bright white stars as they shined upon your house, glistening through your window. You stared out for the hours before, imagining Eddie in several different scenarios with your heart pounding so hard it could beat outside of your chest. You did this every time the group snuck out prior to meeting up at Eddie's, while everybody else prepared or maybe slept, you daydreamed about him. Since the stakes were so high, given it was the last of the whole year, everybody was stoked. Mike had mentioned that he had spent all year preparing for it, while others were less prepared, yourself being the worst of them all. You were an experienced Dungeons and Dragons player, hence why Eddie involved you in Hellfire Club to begin with, but you had spent so long with your mind wrapped around him it almost started to affect your game. You despised yourself for it, but he was just so irresistible.

You had gym first period. So far, you hadn't made any friends in this class, and your only friend outside of school was "zombie boy" Will Byers. You decided to keep to yourself almost every day. Your gym clothes consisted of a Dungeons and Dragons shirt you hand designed, and a pair of black shorts, you always wore your hair down. Every so often, you'd get glances. People always called you "the freak", or "the punk", given the way you dressed and acted. But there was always this particular boy who loved to stare. You knew vaguely about him through Will who would occasionally mention him without particularly name dropping him, and had always daydreamed about him. He was attractive, long curly chestnut hair, deep brown eyes, and a "Hellfire Club" t-shirt. You slightly knew about the club because of Will because of how heavily involved he was with Dungeons and Dragons, but thought the design was really cool. He felt so much cooler than you, but you crushed over him. You would never admit it to yourself, and tried to shrug off his smiles he'd send here and there, but you most definitely crushed on the tall man.

On this particular day, he had been staring a little harder than he usually did, it practically burned a hole through your head. You fell in lust with this, every glance made you want him more. You tried to hold off a little longer before attempting to talk to him, as a means of edging, you suggest to yourself. You couldn't help but imagine the things he could do to you, if you gave him the chance. Finally, you got tired of edging yourself over this boy and decided to approach him. You almost spoke to him, but the bell rings and indicates the first periods' demise. Per usual, you were the first out of your class, as a way to avoid the ridicule and shit talk. The man was usually the last out, but today, he tried to make it to the front. You watched as he moved past the large group of people, tossing little "excuse me"s and "sorry"s as he stepped past. He didn't catch up to you though, as the more you thought about it the more you realized you didn't even know what you would've said to him, and the idea of even talking to him to begin with was stupid. You couldn't help but imagine yourself walking up to your dream man with nothing to say besides "uh", or "um". The idea of talking to him now felt so stupid. You were too shy and weird, he was so cool and out of reach, despite his popularity in Hawkins High not necessarily being the most keen. You felt that it might never work out the way you wanted, and decided to keep his image as a mere fantasy in your brain. You walked a little faster, and managed to pass him and the crowd he attempted to maneuver through.

"Hey! I like your shirt," The brown haired man rushes to catch up to you. He's waving at you, fighting his lungs as he catches up. You stop dead in your tracks, people walking around you as you wait for the stranger to catch up. When he finally does, he playfully punches your shoulder and continues, "make it yourself?" He questions. You continue to walk, and he follows, walking by your side as he casually chats.

"Well they don't exactly sell Dungeons and Dragons shirts, ya know how people are." You awkwardly chuckle back, slightly playing with your hair as a means to distract you from the attractive man walking adjacent to you.

"Yeah, isn't that crazy? Another excuse for the jocks and pricks to label us as freaks or satanists." He says, expressing his words with his hands as he flails them.

"Right! It's absolutely repulsive." You shake your head in response, finally feeling heard. You would hope this lasted forever, you couldn't imagine being unfortunate enough to be forced to depart with him. Now that you were talking to him, all of the negativity you held over yourself started to diminish, and you felt more comfortable. 

"Hey, I like you!" He smiles, placing his hand on your shoulder.

"I like you too," You smile back, stopping at your locker then leaning against it. He steps directly in front of you and smirks ever so slightly.

"So I take it you play?"

"Ever since Will introduced me to it when we were kids."

"No way you're on the same skill level as Byers. That kid nearly takes my ass out every single time, as much as I'd hate to say that. Kid's cocky, got some fight to him."

"That's Will Byers for you!" You say with a smile, "but to be honest with you, I just may be better than Byers."

"No way!"

"Oh, yes way!" You nod with certainty. You were just joking though, nobody could outsmart Will when it came to D&D. You lost to him every single time. 

"I wonder if you have as much passion as Byers though?" He states, more like a question. 

"Oh yeah, so much passion. I'm good at what I do. Maybe I can show you sometime." You smirk. You couldn't help yourself, and let the naughty thoughts you had been thinking about him this whole time slip past the tip of your tongue and spew out past your lips. 

"I would love that," he smirks back, fraying his eyebrows as if he didn't expect such a response from you. Immediately you felt your heart drop as he reciprocated the same energy. After a moment of staring at you, the man speaks back up. "Want to join my club? Hellfire Club, we have tournaments and we're pretty badass, if I do say so myself." His whole demeanor paused as he awaited for a response. Your heart pounded outside of your chest. You had never felt this way before, it was like love at first sight. You couldn't even lie to yourself, you wanted him so bad.

"Yes, I'd love to,"

"Great, I'll see you Friday night!" He grabs your hand, and turns it over, making your palm visible. He pulls out a permanent marker and writes an address on your palm.

"See ya then?" He smiles, walking backwards as he steps away from you.

"For sure, wouldn't miss it." You blush in response. You stood paused at your locker for a few more moments, daydreaming about him before walking to class. That whole class period the only thing you could think about was him, and how massive your crush for him truly was despite not knowing him and only holding one conversation with him.

The clock finally struck 3 o'clock and you had just managed to sneak out, meaning you'd be fashionably late to Eddie's. You knew it would result in Eddie becoming absolutely outraged. Since you always had the biggest crush on him, disappointing him was devastating, but you had to wait until your parents went to sleep and that was a whole deal. Your family were a group of night owls, and didn't sleep until three o'clock on the usual night, something about "spending more time with family".

You hurried and biked as quick as your legs could take you, picking up your pace as you rushed down your street to make it to Eddie's within a reasonable time. Your efforts failed, and after five minutes of consistent pedaling, your legs ended up going much slower than you had wanted. You made it to Eddie's by fifteen after, and you dreaded the response.

"Well, well, look who decided to show!" Eddie shouts before you are even able to walk up to the door. The door pops open, and he comes out, resting on the door frame as he stared at you. He was so unbelievably attractive it made your heart spin.

"I'm-I'm sorry Eddie, I had to wait for my parents to go to sleep and that was this whole thing, but-"

"But what?" He asks, still resting on the door frame but now with his arm extended to you. He was always so cinematic and animated with his responses.

"But I'm here now," you sigh.

"You're right doll, my bad. This is only the biggest tournament of the entire year and you show up fifteen after, but you're good, you're here now!" He sarcastically says. He dramatically walks back inside, letting the door slam behind him on his way back in. You stood for a moment, waiting for his next response, until you hear a loud "Well? Are you coming?" shout from the inside coming from the male's throat. You hurry inside, letting the door slam behind you as well. The group was sat around Eddie's table already, prepared for the most and all paying attention to you as you walked in.

"Sorry I'm late guys, I-"

"She was waiting for her parents to go to sleep," he sighs, plopping down into his special chair. He waves his arm for you to come sit, and you just nod.

"Welcome to our first tournament, Y/N!" He announces, everybody drum rolling on the table as he does so. "Our newest addition to Hellfire Club, and truly a doll, isn't she?" He waves his hand up, pointing all of his fingers forward with his palm exposed as he bows.

"Thank you, thank you!" You bow back. The team introduces you to Hellfire's rules, and you agree with a full heart. They chat about the next tournament, and begin setting up, getting your first game with the team started almost immediately.

The game goes as normal, Eddie throwing his apparent usual moves and everybody following with attacks back. He started off strong, barely starting at his weakest choices before diving in. He wanted a rough game, something that would truly test you. You found this so attractive, even if he had no idea. Without warning, he begins picking each individual member off with every draw, killing players left and right as he chooses. The room filled with intensity, people shouting as they died, acting out each individual death to the group.

"Fuck we're losing!" Dustin shouts, slamming on the table. "He's killing everybody, damn it! Come on! We've got to do something!" He continues. You smile, and look at Will. Will was a master player, and one of the only members left alongside you, Mike and Dustin.

"You're gonna do it?" He smiles. You nod. You both knew you had the ultimate fight back, and were so excited to throw it.

"Oh Y/N, you must be new here. Challenging me?! I don't like to be challenged." He smirks, waiting for your play.

"I most certainly am new, but I'm gonna kick your ass!"

"Hey Y/N!" Will says.

"Hey Will, how's it hangin?"

"Oh you know, the usual. You?"

"The demogorgon is tired of your bantering!" Eddie shouts, slamming his demogorgon piece on the hardwood table ahead of you guys.

"Shit, starting out strong, are we?" You say, not thinking before the words piled out of your mouth like vomit. You immediately smacked your mouth with your palm out of shock, not being able to believe you had just said that out loud to him. He stares at you a little puzzled, twisting his head at you to indicate his confusion.

"I'm sorry, strong? Is this too strong for you, Y/N?"

"Oh quit with the teasing, there's people around." You joke. He smirks at you, and chuckles to himself a bit.

"Darling, you haven't seen a Munson tease yet." He says, holding eye contact with you. "Now, answer my question, is this too much for you?"

"Not at all,"

"That's kind of what I thought,"

The game went on as usual, with Dustin's typical freaking out at every stronger opponent and tossing around descriptive language as he did so. Erica fought hard, as well as Will who carried the battle per usual, winning Eddie's approval as the hardest fighting team. Nancy and Robin were the audience (though you practically had to pay them for their attendance), sitting close together as they paid attention to each move. The game was difficult for sure, Eddie was relentless, but ultimately it lead in your team's success. He couldn't stop glancing over at you throughout the whole game, remaining eye contact through several points. You couldn't lie to yourself, it turned you on so much.

"Alright everybody, amazing game per usual," Eddie says as everybody starts to exit, yawns escaping their mouths as they proceed out the door. "Aside from Y/N. I believe we're due for a talk." He says animatedly. You swallow harshly, but turn around. 

"Oh get a room, you two!" Dustin joked in response.

"Wrap it!" Mike laughed in return.

"Clearly the two of you have never had a famous Munson talk. Good luck Y/N!" Will shouted as he walked out. They continued to laugh with each other and poke fun at the two of you as they exited, laughing harder than you had ever seen them laugh as they walked away, chanting nursery rhymes that involved the two of you and a tree, and a whole bunch of spelling. You had tried so hard to escape before he seen you leave. As soon as everybody exited, he closed the door, standing over you as he locked the door that was directly behind you.

"Good game back there huh?" He smiles. You stayed back to help him clean up, every chance you got with him was for the better. You smiled back at him, nodding gently as you picked up the pieces and carefully placed them back in the box.

"You know, challenging me was a bold move."

"Totally bold, but I'm glad I did it!"

"Yeah, fair point!" He chuckles.

"Totally kicked your ass!" You laugh. 

"You don't even know what you've got yourself involved in, do you?" He questions, putting the D&D box on the table as he faces away from you. "I just think it's funny, you know?"

"What are you going to do?" You say with a bratty tone.

"Just wait. Go ahead and do it again."

"Maybe I will." 

"What um- what did you want to talk about?" You swallow, taking in the big gulp that sat on your throat. You didn't know what to do, other than to just stand there and wait for him to respond. But he held eye contact, still stood over you and looking directly down at you. His eyes glistened with lust. He stood silent for a moment, just watching you tremble.

"The fact that you challenged me back there," he says, "again, after last time, I want to know what that was all about." He walks away from you, his back facing you as he finishes his sentence. You watched as his Hellfire shirt hugged every right muscle on his back, visible through the pale white. Your eyes traveled to his hands, veins piercing his skin as he relaxed his hand and rings sparkling on each finger. You then glanced your vision to his curly chestnut hair, and it's soft appearance. You were trying so hard to contain yourself, but it was becoming more impossible by the second. You must've not had responded for a long time, as he turned around quickly and says, "huh?" ever so smoothly. Now all you could think about was all the sweet things that same voice could be telling you as he was deep inside you, rearranging your insides as he thrusted. You simply couldn't help yourself. "I asked you a question," he says for a final time.

"I'm-I'm so sorry, I- I-" You stutter.

"This again, huh?" He smirks, walking over you. "I'm gonna tell you what I think is going on here, and you can tell me if I'm wrong, 'kay?" You frantically nod, listening to his every word as he responds. He nods, and smirks once more, before starting back up. "You have a crush on me, it's so obvious," he says. He moves back to his original stance, standing over you as he continued. "Late at night, you think about me and think about what I could do to you, right?" You nod, unable to speak for him. "Right. So now you come here, and challenge me, like I won't just show you what I will do to you? You should've known better. That's unsafe, baby. You're playing with fire."

"Maybe I want to play with fire," You finally speak.

"Oh, so she speaks!" He says excitedly, putting his thumb over your mouth. "Tell me how much you think about me,"

"Yes Eddie," you say. He seemed to be taken aback by it, but ultimately turned on as he nods and steps away. "All the time," you start. At this point, your mouth was producing the words before you had time to ponder on the words, and you couldn't care less. "Every single night,"

"What do you do when you think about me?" He picks you up, and places you on the same table you had just played the game on. You were shocked, but more than into it. You were so turned on, you were unable to hold yourself back anymore.

"I put my hand down my pants, and then down my panties," you start. He stares at you with lust, using his fingertip to trace over the seems of your clothes, almost indicating he wanted to take them off without taking them off just yet. He takes lifts you up on his kitchen table as he watches you continue. "And I finger myself. I close my eyes and play it out in my mind, sometimes when I'm home alone I'll even shout your name as I finish." You finished.

"Tell me more," he growls, taking off your shirt to expose your almost bare chest. You lightly moan at his swift motion, unable to process the reality of the situation.

"I think about you so much it makes me ache, Eddie." You say. He places his hand over your covered center as he listens. He strokes your covered breast with one hand, and plays with your masked center as a means of teasing you. You moan a little for him, letting him know how good it feels without speaking it.

"Tell me more," he demands, taking off your bra and underwear, traveling down. His lips meet your center, lightly licking along the folds before softly attacking your clit. You breathlessly moan for him, begging him to continue.

"I can't stop thinking about you," you say, pausing to moan before entirely forgetting your thoughts.

"Good girl. Focus on how good this feels." He puts his jaw into the movements, lightly sucking and licking upon your clit as he continues with circular patterns. He picks up his motions, going faster and faster by the second, before inserting his two fingers inside you. He curls his fingertips, caressing your right spots for several long moments. You had never felt anything so powerful before, it felt enlightening and numbing in the best way possible. You really allowed yourself to let go, gripping his hair with one hand and the other gripping up on your left breast. You couldn't contain yourself anymore, it absolutely overcame you.

The walls captivated your moans and echoed them throughout the entire trailer, your passionate language slipping through the drywall in every room. He didn't stop there, and proceeded to go faster. You begged him to continue, the movements of his jaw causing you to become unhinged. You arched your back as he continued, moaning his name in the shadows of his home.

The pressure on your shoulders began to intensify, traveling to your core and spreading throughout your body as the heat your center built became more unbearable. You felt a tingling sensation throughout your whole body, gripping on his hair and begging him for more. You were so close to finishing you could feel it on the tip of your tongue, cold sweats breaking through your entire body. You felt so feral you couldn't control it anymore, your body moving frantically without any hesitation on the cold table as you became more edged. Finally, all the pressure released, leaving your legs shaking as you finish on his mouth and fingers. Your body loses control, and you feel as your whole body shivers and quakes beneath your skin. You let out one final moan, falling back on the table as you continue to shake.

"Fuck baby!" You practically shout as you lie breathless on the table.

"Feel good?" He asks, holding your legs as a means to try and control the shaking. You nod frantically, and smirk back at him.

"Yes," you manage to let out, your lungs barely holding onto what air they could manage to grasp in that moment.

"Good, because I'm not done." He stands up, placing himself at your entrance before slowly entering. He slowly starts, his thrusts paced slow and steady at first. He leans down and begins kissing your breasts once more, licking around your nipples as he firmly holds it. His hand travels up to your neck, and he starts to go faster. You took every inch of him, gasping and moaning at the size of his length above you. You never expected him to be that huge, and it took you aback briefly.

"Thank you," you moan, staring into his eyes. He smiled down at you, his eyes traveling over the chills that ran across your body.

"You're welcome," he whispers in your ear as he thrusts. His strokes were sharp and slow, he aimed for your weakest spots as he continued. You moaned as his length shook the insides of your core. "That's my girl."

"Fuck!" You shout, "Faster!" He listens, picking up his pace and causing that same feeling to build up. He places his thumb over your clit as he thrusts, moving his thumb in circular motions as he proceeds. You continue to beg for him, your body ached for him. Moments pass, loud vibrations of skin smacking shaking the walls of the small trailer. Your body was consumed with heat, pressure building above your shoulders. You felt your head spinning, your body begins to start shaking. Finally, all the pressure released, leaving your legs shaking as you finish on his mouth and fingers. Your body loses control once more as the pressure releases, and you finish below him. You shake even worse than you had before, your lungs practically collapsing as they  attempted to catch up with the familiar feeling.

"Good girl," he hisses. He continues with his fast motions, and soon after you, finishes inside of the condom he had provided. His legs begin to quiver as he steps back, both of your balances deteriorating by the second.

"Holy shit that was so good," you chuckle awkwardly.

"You're so cute," he tosses his clothes to you and walks to his bedroom briefly with a new pair. You felt elated that he gave you his clothes.

"You should challenge me more ya know," he smiles. You agree and practically jump into his clothes. The two of you sit in his bedroom floor struggling to catch up with your breaths.

[canofspooks]

Phantom Goes Cross-Country (Chapter 3)

Chapter Summary: The gang finds themselves in another ghost town… literally. Turns out Amity isn't alone in its problems with the supernatural.

Words: 1550

AO3 Link

Sam woke up not long after Tucker had finally given in to his badgering and gone to sleep. Or, at least pretended to. That left Danny to answer all of Sam's burning questions, like "how far is the nearest rest stop?" and "who taught you to drive?"

He condensed the last several hours into a few minutes pretty easily. It was mostly staring blankly at the road, listening to pop songs on the radio with the occasional interruption of smalltalk.

"We're doing Phantom bullshit… why, exactly?" Sam asked, after he explained his and Tucker's plan.

"'Cause it'll be fun."

"I thought this whole trip was about you quitting the Phantom schtick for a couple weeks."

"- Nope." He didn't wait for the question to fester. "This trip means I don't have to flip burgers for a couple weeks. Phantom is way more fun."

In the rearview mirror, he did not miss Sam's incredulous stare. He waited for her to protest, but she only shrugged. "If you say so. But, if it gets too much, you always have the chance to back out."

"Thanks. Now where do we want to crash for the night- or… morning?"

While he and Sam scoped the area out for a motel, Danny felt a little silly for expecting any culture shock from a single day of driving. They'd crossed state lines and escaped the ectoplasmic mist that surrounded Amity Park, but spooky ghost towns seemed to be a dime a dozen. This one just traded Amity's deceptive suburban charm for trailer homes and boarded-up shops.

If the dozens of stores creatively named things like "Platwoods Automotive" and "Platwoods General" were anything to go by, Danny would hazard a guess that the town was named Platwoods. If he was wrong, then the ghost of the town's founder could fight him in a McDonald's parking lot while they were here. Like any good dying town in the rust belt, it seemed like the only building that had been constructed since the 1800s.

The night, or what remained of it, went about as smoothly as it could've. They got a motel room, realized the lock could be easily broken, came to terms with the idea of being killed in their sleep, and woke up the next morning surprisingly not dead. Not even a full day back on the job, and Team Phantom was already winning.

First stop that morning? Food. The only place open on the quiet Saturday morning was a small diner nearby, which Danny would've almost mistaken for someone's house if not for the "OPEN" sign taped to the window. The inside of the diner was much the same, looking like someone had knocked down the walls of a standard 2-bedroom home and filled it with a few tables and chairs to make the front rooms into a seating area. Despite its small size, the place wasn't particularly cozy. It was partially their fault for wandering in at the crack of dawn when there were no other customers to give the place a warm, welcoming vibe, but Danny wasn't sure the presence of a few more people would've offset the flickering light fixtures and excessive amount of rooster statues and paintings.

Still, Danny was hungry, and no amount of red flags would've stopped him from at least ordering a cup of coffee to keep him going for a few more hours. Tucker and Sam were more adventurous, ordering actual food and forcing him to get something as well. Rosie, the waitress and the only other person they'd seen that morning, seemed to find their nagging amusing.

She came back with a decanter full of coffee, a smile on her face despite the early morning.

"So, what brings you three to Platwoods? I haven't seen your faces around here before," Rosie asked. Danny couldn't place her age if there was a gun to his head. She had that "old, but probably has better knees than you" look that came with people who are always on their feet, so… anywhere from 50 to 100.

He let Sam and Tucker do the talking, busying himself with pouring out coffee for the table. He was too distracted by the chill seeping into his chest to do much else. Bit early in the morning for ghosts, but at least it meant he wouldn't have to wait.

Tucker got that look on his face that he was all too familiar with - time to lay on the Tucker charm. Or, try. "We heard there might be a ghost problem in the area. Do you know anything about that?"

Danny was so used to Tucker's "charisma" being laughable at best, he wasn't expecting actual charm. But against all odds, there it was: the bright smile, the warm voice, the hands placed carefully like any small change would have ruined the entire facade. If he didn't know better, he would've thought Tucker had gone into politics, not cybersecurity.

"I s'pose we do have ghosts, sure. Not that I'd call them a problem." Rosie's cheerful tone wavered a bit. "You're not one of those California kids, are you? Hollerin' around in the dead of night, tryin' to wake the dead-"

"- No ma'am, we're just researching the history-"

"- for our short film," Sam added. "It's about the history and culture of the towns in the area. The ghost stuff is just a small part. Do you know anyone we could interview about their life growing up here?"

"Eddie Scott runs a little museum downtown. Once you get him started, you're gonna have a hard time shuttin' him up. Food should be ready, I'll be right back."

Rosie went into the back through two saloon-style doors. As she left, he finally let out the breath he'd been holding. It came out cold, and visible enough that Tucker and Sam didn't even miss a beat when he muttered under his breath,

"She's possessed."

Tucker relaxed. "Ghost problem indeed."

"So how do we want to handle this?" Sam warmed her hands around her coffee mug. "God, I forgot how cold it gets when you're in the zone."

"Sorry. Not used to doing this with other people around anymore."

He exhaled, pushing all the cold that radiated from his core into his breath. For a brief moment, it looked like he'd just stumbled out of a freezer. Then everything settled, and Danny was pretty confident he had a semi-normal temperature again.

"Better?"

Sam nodded. "Much better."

He looked over to Tucker to find that his friend was giving a nasty look to something over his shoulder. Danny turned and saw in the window a white truck with a familiar marking on the side driving slowly through the street. It was pristine, as expected from the G.I.W., and so out of place among the rusted bumpers and faded paint of the cars parked on the side of the street.

"Danny, quit it," Sam whispered, nudging his foot. It was only then that he realized he was hissing under his breath. Damn it. He'd never been good at separating Fenton from Phantom as a kid. Never got better over time, really. The people of Amity Park just learned to accept the eccentricities of his family, and Danny as just another product of whatever curse had befallen the Fenton bloodline. He got away with a lot: hissing at Dash, forgetting to blink as often as he should, wandering the town in the dead of night. It was all just another quirk that could be brushed off.

Now he'd actually have to try to act normal. He cleared his throat to cut off another fresh bout of hissing. "What the hell are they doing here?"

"You know 'em too?" Rosie appeared suddenly at their table, a tray in hand. Danny nearly jumped out of his skin - literally. That would've been a disaster. She passed out the plates and set the tray on a nearby table, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

Tucker didn't have the time to ease into a more charismatic facade, his voice cracking about halfway through. "Y-yeah, they came to our hometown… must've been eight years ago? Danny, are they still around?"

"Yep." He didn't bother disguising the bite in his tone.

"Damn, I was hoping you'd know how the hell to get rid of 'em. Folks are gettin' antsy. I figure it's only a matter of time before something bad happens."

"Do you know why they came here in the first place?" Sam asked.

"Some detective went missing, couple weeks ago. Suddenly you can't go nowhere in town without seeing some bigshot in a white suit. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out."

Danny wasn't a fan of the G.I.W., and this ghost could tear them a new one for all he cared, but he really didn't want to watch another town dragged into a turf war between the undead and the federal government.

"While you're in town, I'd steer clear of them if I were you," Rosie muttered under her breath, looking between the window, then at Danny. "They don't like folks like us."

A sleepy town, a missing detective, a ghost problem, and the G.I.W. They might have been hundreds of miles from Amity Park, but it felt just like home.

[gayfrasier]

okay. i think im far enough removed from last night to like actually voice my thoughts on this movie. oppenheimer spoilers ahead lol!

in all i think its a fantastic film. like its a ridiculously well made and well thought out movie technically and structurally. granted i didn’t expect anything less, but it was nice to see and confirm lol. i will say though that it wasn’t necessarily the movie i was expecting.

Going in, i thought it would be a kind of drawn out movie all about the trinity test, and like, the leadup to the trinity test. That’s kinda how its portrayed in the trailer, and that is certainly Not what the movie is. It’s not even how it’s framed at all. The trinity test is like a necessary detour for the actual framing of the movie, which is the hearing for oppenheimer’s security clearance in 1954, and the cabinet confirmation of lewis strauss. A lot of the discussion of the movie just kind of assumes that it only focuses on the trinity test and the actual creation of the atomic bomb, so i just assumed that too. It is at its core a biopic and in hindsight it’s hard to believe i ever doubted that. Now that i recognize that my thoughts definitely shifted.

I will say, the first 45 minutes or so are a fucking whirlwind. Theres barely a second to breathe. In the moment i thought this was a serious flaw, but now after seeing the whole film it was for sure a structural choice. That whirlwind aspect of the first section is not the rule for the entire film, and i didn’t have any similar qualms throughout the rest of the movie. But god, there were so many scenes back to back to back that barely let the dialogue and emotions sit for even a moment, that i thought it was a byproduct of the 3 hour runtime. Looking back, it was just a way to show the whirlwind nature of oppenheimer’s life at the time. Did i enjoy that in the moment? no. i recognize why they did it though, and i like it conceptually. in practice it just made me so confused. which leads me to my next point

this movie is so fucking confusing in ways that are probably just a skill issue. Like dont get me wrong, the plot itself isn’t that confusing. Did it take me a minute to realize? yes. But after that it wasn’t that difficult to follow. what made the movie so confusing to me was the sheer size of the cast of characters. There are so many white men in this movie. Like so many. And they are all treated as important. and i could not remember any of their names. And frequently their names are brought up in reference to eachother without any connection to their faces. I’m sure if you’re deeply familiar with oppenheimer and the other scientists involved on the manhattan project that wouldn’t have been an issue, but for me? i had no clue who the hell they were talking about half the time. in a similar vein, i miss subtitles. i tried so hard to catch all of the dialogue but sometimes i just couldn’t do it. like at the end of the movie, arguably the most important line of the whole film, i just didn’t understand what he said. I had to google it afterwards. Are these skill issues? yes. but they made the film harder to watch so im mentioning them.

now do i think this movie glorifies oppenheimer? yes. but only in the way that no matter how you slice it, making a movie centered around one man and his worldview is inherently glorifying. What the movie glorifies is oppenheimer’s intelligence and opinions (and even then to an extent), not his actions. this film is critical of the use of the atomic bomb. it’s critical of the actions of the united states. there are plenty of scenes where you stare in horror at the thoughts and feelings of the us government and how it manifests. that scene alone with president truman and oppenheimer made me sick to my stomach. but oppenheimer is portrayed as a genius overall. he is portrayed as right in his feelings and emotions, complicated and messy as they are. It’s hard to say what exactly about oppenheimer they do glorify since oppenheimer himself is kind of all over the place in his opinions in the first place. but strauss is shown as an evil man for holding a grudge against oppenheimer, and that’s the truth.

i think thematically it did right. i enjoyed it overall. but i can very easily see this movie have a similar reception to american psycho, as those who focused on the objective and meaning of the film will understand its thematic elements, and those who simply watched it without considering any of that will form a black and white opinion on oppenheimer himself. Patrick bateman bros who think they’re just like him are gonna do the same thing to oppenheimer. that’s a fact. the problem is though that instead of a fictional psychopath we’re discussing a historical figure who is, in some ways, responsible for the death of hundreds upon thousands of people. the discourse surrounding this film will become legendary. the film bro “pretty fly for a white guy” edit needs to be redone with this movie included in it. i am excited to see its inevitable creation.

ANYWAYS. outside of that it’s a really good movie. i liked how they shot strauss’s perspective in black and white and oppenheimer’s in color. i liked the sound design (overwhelming as it was at times). i like how it played with the background when oppenheimer was spiraling in his thoughts. i thought that the trinity test scene was one of the most jaw dropping things i’ve ever witnessed in a theater. that scene of oppenheimer after the test giving his little speech is gonna stick with me for the rest of my life. ludwig goransson’s score is spectacular as it always is. its a very good film.

OH. theres also like. 5 women in this movie. 3 of them have been fucked by oppenheimer. one is his sister in law. one is a scientist. thats pretty much it. and 3 of those 5 have combined maybe 2 minutes of screentime. the other two (florence pugh and emily blunt) are more integral. Kitty oppenheimer is going to get a skylar white esque reaction from the general population but that’s okay because i loved her. she’s my everything.

theres probably more to say about this film (the way it uses oppenheimer’s jewish heritage, the shorlisting of the natives of los alamos (who had 2 mentions the entire film and one of which was by presdient truman btw)) but i dont have the understanding to dive into that. other people could handle it better. so i think that’s it for me.

THAT BEING SAID, if i see one more barbenheimmer joke im gonna start punching walls. its distasteful. not just because neither of those films deserve to be condensed and packaged into neat little memes but also because you people can’t be normal about it. i swear to god. nobody gives a shit that you think the barbie movie is this grand incredible film that needs to be taken seriously and that oppenheimer is also good too. shut up. we get it. greta gerwig is a good filmmaker that isnt news, and if you thought it was, brother i believe you are the problem.

TLDR. It’s a good movie. you should watch it yourself.

[made-ofmemories]

When Life Tears You Asunder, But You’re Not Alone

(Chapter 17/19)

General Warnings/tags: Found family, implied Wayne/Susan in future chapters, Max & Eddie have a sibling like relationship, fluff, hurt/comfort, Lumax and Steddie make appearances throughout the chapters but the primary focus is on the familial bonds between characters

Chapter specific warnings/tags: Quite a lot of Steddie in this chapter, a hint of ronance, El and Robin make a guest apperance, lots of fluff and not much else

Word count: 2081

Summary: Billy was a pretty shitty brother, there was no denying it, but Max still finds herself mourning for the sibling relationship they never got to have. With him gone she thinks so are her chances of ever having the big brother figure she’s always wanted. Then in a turn of events that she never saw coming, Eddie Munson waltzes into her life. Or more like, almost runs her over.

Notes: We have a special chapter that will be posted on Tuesday, before we return to our regular Friday posting schedule for the last chapter... (or two).

Co-written with the wonderful @ladydorian05 and crossposted on AO3. 

Series masterlist

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

Eddie has grown used to Max waltzing into his trailer as if she owns the place. El accompanying her, however, is a new development. 

“Hey.” He greets. He’s scribbling down lyrics in the little leather-bound notebook he keeps specifically for this purpose, his guitar propped up against the couch beside him.

“Hi,” El says, returning his greeting with a wave and a smile.

“We’re bored,” Max announces. Which is how the 3 of them end up at Family Video not half an hour later at Eddie's suggestion. 

It’s a Saturday, but still early enough in the day that the rush of customers usually accompanying the weekend hasn’t arrived yet. El drags Max off to the romantic comedy section as soon as they step through the double glass doors and to Eddie's surprise she doesn’t even grumble about it. Robin had been behind the counter when they walked in. She smiles at him and then heads off to assist the girls, leaving him to browse the horror section on the other side of the store alone. 

He runs his fingers across the spine of a VHS case. He’s not really looking for anything in particular, just wasting time until Max and El have picked what they want to watch. 

“That’s a good one, have you seen it?” 

Eddie jumps a little startled and turns to see where the voice is coming from just to see Steve with his back to him, stacking a shelf on the opposite side of the aisle. 

“Yeah.” He replies, taking a quick glance back to the tape he’d been looking at, “I didn’t take you for a horror fan.” He’s seen the type of movie Steve usually chooses during group movie night, it’s never horror. 

“Dustin.” He says and Eddie chuckles, that’s all the explanation he needs, “So,” Steve continues, finally looking over his shoulder at Eddie once he’s placed the last tape on the shelf, “Anything I can help you with?”

There’s a pair of glasses perched on the bridge of Steve’s nose, not his usual sunglasses, no these ones have clear lenses with a thin wire frame. It takes Eddie by surprise and he tries his hardest not to stare, he fails. 

“Uh.” He says, momentarily forgetting the question. Right, movies, help, does he need help looking for a movie, “Nah, I’m good. Just waiting for the girls.” He explains with a nod in their direction.

“Looks like they might be a while.” Steve smiles, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Yeah, I think you’re right,” Eddie says, following Steve’s gaze over to Max and El. They’re still in the rom-com section with Robin giggling about something or other, “Nice glasses by the way, Stevie. They suit you.”

“Oh, Thanks. I forgot I was still wearing them.” He replies, taking them off and sheepishly tucking them into his pocket much to Eddie’s dismay. 

“They look good, you should wear them more often.” Eddie comments, offering a little smirk as he bumps his shoulder with Steve’s.

“Really?” 

“Really.”

There’s a beat of silence before Steve continues, “Hey are you sure I can’t interest you in a movie? We just got some new stuff in, not even on the shelves yet. I can give you first choice.”

He really hadn’t been kidding when he said he was just here to wait for Max and El, but he wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to spend more time with Steve. Besides, how is he supposed to say no to those pretty brown eyes?

“Sure, show me what you got.”

Eddie follows Steve over to the counter and he can’t help but hide his slightly surprised  expression when he plucks the first movie from the top of the pile Steve has pulled out from the shelf beneath the cash register. He holds it up in Steve’s direction with raised eyebrows.

“That’s a good movie.” Steve states when faced with the copy of Top Gun Eddie is currently holding in front of him.

“Military propaganda and a cheesy romance?”

“Come on, I know even you aren’t that cynical, Eddie.” Steve scoffs, rolling his eyes playfully as he snatches the VHS back from him, “It has everything, action, drama, romance.” He explains, with a wiggle of his eyebrows at the word romance which is so ridiculous Eddie can’t help but laugh, “Which is not cheesy, thank you very much.”

Eddie hums, pretending to think about it as if seeing Steve’s face light up as he talks hasn’t already sold him on the movie a thousand times over, “Well, I guess there’s got to be a reason Nancy likes it so much right?”

“Nancy likes it so much because she’s had a Tom Cruise poster on her wall since 9th grade.”

The VHS is on the counter between them and Eddie takes another look at it, studying the printed image on the cover once more before coming to his conclusion, “He’s an attractive man. She has good taste.” 

Steve looks surprised for half a second before he composes himself. The matter of Eddie’s sexuality has yet to come up, but he’s been far from subtle about it hoping that Steve would figure it out for himself. Robin didn’t have a lot of faith in the plan, but Eddie was still holding out hope it’d work. 

“Yeah.” Steve says, looking at the VHS cover just as Eddie had a moment ago, “He’s not really my type though.” Eddie doesn’t think anything of the look Steve gives him after that. Steve’s type is women, that’s probably all he meant he assures himself.

“Tom Cruise is everyone's type,” Eddie replies and Steve just shakes his head, hiding a small smile that tugs at the edges of his lips.

“Y’know,” Steve drawls as he scans the barcode on the back of the box, “My shift ends in a couple of hours if you wanted to come by mine later and watch it there?”

“Sure.” He says it maybe a little too quickly and a little too eagerly he realizes just a second too late to stop himself.

That small smile that had been lingering on Steve’s face develops into something bigger, but they’re interrupted when Max and El come charging over right as Steve hands over the VHS. They’ve picked a movie, or rather a whole stack of them. Eddie pulls out some more crumpled bills from his pocket and hands them over to Max without a word, he knows neither of them have brought cash with them and this was his idea after all, then trades places with them and heads over to Robin.

“Well,” Robin says when she sees him approaching, “That was painful to watch.”

“What was?” He asks with a frown. Usually it was Max reminding him how gross he was, but this time he swears he hasn’t even done anything. 

“You and Steve trying to flirt.”

He rolls his eyes, “We were not flirting.” Ok maybe he was, just a little bit, but no more than usual and Steve didn’t feel the same way so the whole thing was pointless anyway.

“Please, do you know how many times I’ve had to watch him pull that same routine with just about every girl that walks through those doors? Trust me, I know what Steve Harington’s dire attempts at landing a date look like.” She lets out an amused huff.

“We’re friends.” Eddie emphasizes, though he doesn’t sound as sure of that as he might have been a few minutes ago… Robin was starting to make him question things and his brain was busy ticking over trying to make sense of it all, “Steve isn’t into me like that…. Is he?” If anyone would know it would be Robin, She knew Steve better than he knew himself some days.

“You spend so much time together I’m surprised you haven’t morphed into one shared consciousness at this point. And didn’t he just invite you to watch Top gun with him? Alone? At his place? Do the math, Munson!” She pats him on the shoulder as she moves past him and flits off between the rows of neatly stacked VHS tapes as if she hasn’t just turned his entire world upside down and broken his brain in the process. 

She wasn’t exactly entirely wrong. But all that stuff had started after his incident with Jason, they’d been friends before and that had just brought them closer it was just a friend helping a friend. At least that’s what he’d been telling himself, but his injuries were long healed now and he still found Steve a consistent presence in his life.

“Wait, but Steve isn’t-” He takes a quick glance around the store for anyone who might be in earshot, there’s a woman possibly a couple of years older than him a few rows over and Eddie drops his voice to be sure she can’t hear, “he’s not… like me.”

“That is something you should discuss with Steve.” She says with a meddling smirk on her face as she darts off again, narrowly avoiding bumping into one of the shelves as she makes her escape. She doesn’t get far before he catches up. 

“Speaking of,” He says, close on her heels, “How’s Nancy?”

That catches her off guard and she falters for a second, “How is that even related to this conversation?”

“You know how.” Now it's his turn to smirk. 

He hadn’t seen Nancy since Winter break, but she called on occasion. Had someone told him even just a year ago that he’d consider Nancy Wheeler one of his closest friends he’d have laughed in their face, but now he looks forward to their little chats whenever they’re possible. 

He knew she spoke with Robin even more frequently than she did him, he knew about the letters, though Nancy had refused to tell him about the contents despite his begging, and the last time he had spoken to her he’d convinced her to confirm his suspicions about the crush she’d been harboring on Robin for months. Judging by the vibrant shade of red coloring Robins cheeks at the moment, it was reciprocated.

“She’s… good.” Robin squeaks. Max and El choose that moment to round the corner, saving Robin from further interrogation as they all but drag Eddie back to the van.

“Is Steve your boyfriend?” El asks out of nowhere just as they’re pulling out of the parking lot.

Eddie chokes on thin air, “What?” He splutters out once he’s remembered how to breathe again.

“Is Steve your boyfriend?” She repeats. Nope, hadn’t misheard her.

He sends a quick glare in Max’s direction, she’s seated in the passenger seat with her hand pressed firmly over her mouth in an attempt to suppress her obvious laughter. He knows she wouldn’t tell anyone about his little crush on Steve, or even that Steve is someone he would ever be interested in in the first place, but he’s also very confused about where all of this is coming from. 

“Jonathan told me that sometimes dudes like dudes and girls like girls.” El elaborates, “And Steve always looks at you the same way couples in movies look at each other.”

Eddie is pretty sure this is karma for teasing Robin. Maybe he deserves it, he briefly thinks as he tries to put together a response and pointedly avoids thinking about the way Steve looks at him. 

“Uh, no. No we’re not- he’s not my boyfriend, kid.” 

“He should be.” Is all she says before turning her attention back to the tapes she and Max had picked out.

Eddie discovers a few hours later just how difficult it is to pay attention to a movie at Steve’s place. With Steve. Just the two of them. With Steve sitting right beside him, despite the fact that there is so much space on Steve’s big-ass couch, sharing a bowl of popcorn.

The movie isn’t all that bad, he ends up liking it, even if he did spend more time watching Steve than the screen. He leaves Steve’s house with even more questions and regretting not having the courage to ask not even one of them before he leaves.

If he buys Berlin’s single ‘Take my breath away’ the next time he goes to the record store because it resonates with him so much and the way Steve truly leaves him breathless sometimes, that’s no one's business.

Until Max finds the tape and relentlessly teases him about it for a whole week.

[amazing-aria27]

second day at the beach house

Hi!! Today was my second day at my beach house this summer. My younger cousins are driving me crazy, as usual, but otherwise I’m doing good. I’ve been doing my usual balance of reading in the sun, listening to adults talk about important topics in the shade, and swimming for hours at a time. There’s a whole family of really cute boys that are my age, who are renting the house next to ours.

Last night, Chocolate texted me again. He said, “Btw I don’t like you anymore. And also sorry. I’ve wanted to tell u for about 2 or 3 weeks.” HANG ON… WHAT? If you haven’t liked me for at least 2 or 3 weeks, WHY WERE YOU RECORDING ME?! I responded dryly with a thumbs up emoji and he said “Bye”. So I said, “Bye”. Then, he said, “ Also I never recorded you.” So I just told him ok. Liar, liar, pants on fire.

A few hours ago I was on a pre-dinner golf cart ride when all of the sudden it ran out of battery. I pulled into the island fire station’s driveway and called my uncle and aunt so that they could bring the trailer for it and save me. They were on a walk, so my sister and I left to walk back home while they got back home, drove over, and plugged it in. On the way home, the boys next door’s golf cart passed by and some of them stared and me and some of them smiled. It was honestly a little creepy but I’M JUST A GIRL!!!

I leave the beach in about 5 days and I’m dreading it. I don’t want to go back home and see my dad. I enjoy my quiet mother and her nice boyfriend and my annoying cousins more than my dad’s big house and the boys my age that always walk by it. I have found peace in the ocean, like I do every year. Going back home is like the tide going out and dragging this calmness with it.

I haven’t been this stress free since last summer.

Thank you for reading this! I hope you have a great day. Please remember how loved you are!! Please like, share, or follow to keep me going! Byeeee

[praynmantiss]

Spokes - Post Production I

Editing

I would have preferred not to edit it just because I feel it isn't good practice for the DOP/Camera operator to also be the editor. From my experience, an editor is at their best when the he/she has not been too involved with the production. An editor needs to be able to look at footage with a fresh perspective that hasn't been tainted by being on set.

That being said, I didn't hate editing this trailer. I guess I was slightly annoyed by the short amount of time I had to work on it. I was the only one who could have done it because Alana isn't confident with Avid and Casper was doing the Sound Design. I worked as an editor on a documentary last year, so I had no doubt I'd be able to pull off this short 1-2 minute trailer edit.

DAY 1

I'm wasn't on the post-production module this year and I haven't used Avid since last trimester so it took awhile for me to get back into the swing of things. The first day I just looked over the rushes and sorted them into different bins. We did not use the clapper board for all our shots so I colour coded the clips to help me identify them faster.

DAY 2

On the second day, i had started putting things on the timeline. There was this nice long take of Charlie riding down one of the tracks. At first, I was going to use the whole clip but I decided not to because it slowed down the fast pace of the film. I liked the start of the clip where Charlie was sitting on his bike at the top of the track and staring into the camera. I tried reversing the clip because I thought it would be a good shot to end the biking sequence.

The reverse effect on Avid was unnecessarily complicated. It took at least three hours of my time trying to get it to work. I asked Mitch, the editing tutor and after an hour or so they were able to help me reverse one of the clips. Later on in the day, I tried to reverse another clip but it wasn't working. I must have been doing a step wrong but I couldn't figure out what it was. This was after 5pm so all the staff had left. I had made a decent amount of progress that day so i decided to call it a night.

DAY 3

The next day, I asked Dominic, the film picture technician( a.k.a the guy in charge at SAS) for help with the reverse effect. He had to also look it up online and I was surprised that he wasn't able to quickly solve this problem. AVID is a great assembly software but it is not efficient for creative edits.

After a while, I decided to do things a quicker way-

At the time, Casper was in the screen academy working on one of his other projects. I asked him if I could use Premiere Pro (The superior software) on his Laptop to reverse the clips. After I reversed the clips, I exported them and imported them back into AVID.

After, I watched the cut with Casper a few times and I shortened a few clips to make the biking sequence a bit tighter.

I exported a MOV file with the Timecode, a Colour AAF and a Sound AAF. I would work on the Colour grade when next I was in SAS and Casper was able to start working on the Sound design.