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thegoblinboy · 11 months

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Never Say Die [2]

| Part one | you are here | part 3 | part 4

Everyone seemed to want a part two… so here’s another part! (Also name title comes from a Black Sabbath song lol)

Steve took a few steps in the house. His hands shook as he barely could see through the shirt that was over his face. Concealing his identity from the neighbors. He knows that Hopper and Joyce’s intentions were positive, but his mind was playing tricks on him. For a split second he was back in Russia, blind fold over his eyes as he’s being dragged from a van. Still in his sailer suit. Blood all over his face, the ashes of star-court still lingering on him. Not even given the chance to wash them off on the flight here.

Though When the blindfold is pulled off he’s in the doorway of a very nice home, not in the middle of a Russian cell. He can feel his body shaking a bit from the memory. Before he takes a shaky breath, closing his eyes. All of this seemed a little to easy. What if he was making it all up in his head? What if he was currently in a cell right now losing his mind. He wouldn’t put it past himself. He has had dreams so real about returning home before, to only wake up and get the shit beat out of him.

Hoppers quick to stand in front of him. Protecting him. Steve’s eyes snap open quickly, tears slowly forming in his eyes when he realizes what the older man is doing. It’s been a while since someone’s protected him, and not the other way around. Sure, once upon a time in the prison someone did protect him. But that barely lasted a couple of days before the guy disappeared in the middle of the night. Now Steve knew he fought a demogorgan and lost.

“Mom, what’s going on?” It’s Will’s turn to voice his concern. Steve can’t see him through Hoppers back but he knows how his face is pinched up. Joyce, who was currently standing next to Steve smiles shakily. Tears in her eyes, light footsteps moving fast across the wooden floor start to come in their direction.

“Will, everything’s fine. It’s just.. a surprise guest dropped in. A good surprise. “ Joyce explains putting her hand up. Gesturing for the other to stop. Which is what immediately happens. “Why don’t you go back and tell everyone to go gather in the living room. Let them know we’ll be out in a second.” Joyce instructs. Moving forward out of Steve’s sight. Who can already picture her smoothing the boys hair, wrapping her arms around Will in a comforting manner. Something he’s seen thousands of times and has always envied.

“And tell them, if any of them even think about stepping out of that living room I’ll make sure no one’s allowed to play that Dogs and Donuts game.” Hoppers voice is stern. Steve was standing behind him and it was bringing the fear of god into him. Though he has to hold back laughter because he knows the guy was purposely getting the name wrong.

A few footsteps and seconds past and he can hear Will in the living room. Voices starting to echo through the walls as both of the adults. Who were very concerned, pull Steve into the kitchen. Joyce is already pulling food out for him. Setting a plate on the table within seconds. He hesitates, before he’s moving and awkwardly sitting down. Eyes skimming the room. A habit of his that he’s picked up. Within seconds he already knows where he can exit quickly if it was needed.

“How are you alive?” Hopper asks first, getting straight to the point. Moving and leaning on the table as he looks at Steve with that serious expression again. The same one he held in interrogation rooms.

Steve chuckles shakily, “Russian Prison.” He answers simply before he’s wolfing down his food. He’s sure he was going to throw it up in a little bit anyway. It’s been a long time since he’s had home cooked food. His stomach was already shifting uncomfortably from how much he was eating. “I didn’t die during the explosion thingy, I hopped down and well. Here I am. Woke up in a van in the middle of Russia later on and found my way back home. In quick summary.” Steve explains quickly. Body tense at even the mention of the prison. Thankful for the fact Hopper knew when to back down from something like this. Eyes filled with concern.

“How do you want to do this?” He asks changing the subject.

“We can pull them one at a time in here and have them see you?” Joyce tosses the idea out there.

“No. Just want to rip it off like a bandaid. Get it all done and over with. I cant-” Steve says shakily. Dropping the fork on the plate as he stares down at the table. “I can’t choose who I want to see first. I want to see them all at once or none at all.” He admits. Moving his eyes up to challenge Hopper. Unsure whether or not they were going to allow him to see them. There shouldn’t be doubt in his mind, but there was just a smidge. Hard to trust anyone anymore. He barely knew the two adults in front of him. Only a few awkward conversations in the past.

“Alright… you ready?” Hopper asks. Moving to stand properly. Not even bothering to battle whatever imaginary war that was in Steve’s head. Steve was not ready, he never would be. He moves standing up. Left arm holding his side as he nods his head. Moving to follow the other. Hearing the hushed panicked voices in the living room. A couple curse words following along with them.

Before Steve can get a step in Joyce is stopping him. “Hold on, let me give them a warning.” She smiles softly before turning and moving into the living room. That was still mostly bare from the move in. Steve shakily crosses his arms over his chest as he tries to focus on breathing. He didn’t want to freak out to much while everyone was. He had to be the emotional rock. He looks down at the floor, not wanting to look up at Hopper. Faintly listening to Joyce begin to ramble right behind him.

“So… this wasn’t planned at all. It’s news to me.” She sounded like she was crying already. “But- this person. You aren’t expecting him and I know some of you are going to be excited to see him but he has some injuries. So maybe try not to jump him or overwhelm him.” Joyce warns. Everyone’s already starting to ask questions all at once. “I’m serious guys. He came from god knows where, doing god knows what.” She says finally hushing the crowd down.

Steve finally gets his signal from Hopper. His hands were shaking as he moves. Carefully limping a bit to the doorway. One hand on his side as he leans on it. Eyes landing on everyone in the room. Searching for Dustin and Robin. “Where’s Henderson?” Is his first question. Eyes squinting trying to see, his vision wasn’t nearly as good as what it used to be. Along with the fact he could barely hear out of his right ear. But thanks to the amazing government he was able to get a hearing aid fitted.

He knew that everyone was going to be shocked, but the way everyone’s faces go white makes a shiver go up his spine. All color leaving the room with the acceptation of Eddie and the boy with long silky hair. Both who didn’t know him. Steve’s looking around the group, to many faces and reactions overwhelming him before he sees Dustin throwing himself at him. Moving away from Eddie, who was stunned by how fast the kid could move.

Before he could tackle Steve, Hoppers catching him as says something. Dustin’s already in tears as he moves more carefully as he still hugs him. Steve’s hands shakily wrapping themselves around him, only taking a second before he’s tightly hugging the boy. Squeezing his eyes shut as he feels like one of the numerous missing pieces was just placed in his heart. He didn’t realize how much he missed the little shit until now.

“I watched you die.” Dustin sobs, body shaking in Steve’s arms. Steve feels like a leaf, he’s close to falling from the effort to keep them both up. He’s in tears himself, when he catches the green of his letterman jacket walking in from the other side of the room. Coming from the bathroom most likely.

“What’s happening?” Robins voice is loud and clear as she looks at everyone. Not given a chance to process Steve standing in the walkway.

“Didn’t figure you to be a basketball jock there buck.” Steve laughs softly. Watching as it all hits her as well. And she’s already sprinting, squirming out of Hoppers reach as she nearly tackles Steve and Dustin.

“Ow ow ow, I think you guys just turned my lungs to dust.” He gasps in pain. Both of them stepping back from him as he nearly falls. Holding his side, as he try’s to steady his breathing.

“Here let’s get you sitting.”

Steve nods his head as he moves to Joyce, who’s concern was only peaking. Leaning on her a bit as she helps him to the empty spot on the couch. Which was right next to Eddie. He’s coughing a little, lungs burning from the pain in his side. A shaky inhale of air as he looks at the other curiously. Before his eyes move to land over on the boy with silky hair who was watching him confused.

“Hey.” He chuckles awkwardly lifting his hand up as the boy smiles waving back at him.

“This- this is Argyle.” Jonathan pops in. Looking anxious at the sight of him. Nancy looked like she was a goldfish.

“Hey wheeler.” Steve chuckles, not caring about her what’s so ever. Who he cared about the most were both standing in front of him now. Nearly hyperventilating. He opens his arms out a bit, “come on you dorks. Be careful of the stitches though. I am not redoing them again.” He laughs as they both move carefully. Robin in his lap curling in on his chest. He moves getting comfortable, the exhaustion getting the best of him as he offers a arm for Dustin who was also seeking some comfort. His eyes and nose were burning from the effort of holding back tears.

“No offense but you look like shit, and I can barely see.” Max tosses in. Standing up now to get a better look at him.

Steve snorts, “I can barely see or hear and you sound and look like shit kid.” He says amused. Earning a snort. “What happened to you?” He asks curiously.

“Vecna.”

He freezes. Everybody was looking at him as he glances around, “wait the big cone head looking dude with the ET fingers?” Steve asks. He hadn’t realized that he had made it to Hawkins within the time he was away. He’s gotten hints, even seen him once. Drawings of what he looked like up on the Russian walls. From his understanding he created a portal, to trade demogorgans for the life of the prisoners. Which was apparently how he got so strong to be able to finally reach his way to Hawkins and use his powers without needing the person physically in the upside down.

“You know who Vecna is?” Eddie asks, speaking for the first time. His voice is wavering a bit as he does.

“Well that’s not what me and the prisoners called him. But yeah. We were wondering why he stopped… well snapping our bones like twigs for.” He admits.

“Prisoners?” Is the question everybody all say at once. He winces as he tries to stay relaxed. He was starting to get overwhelmed. As much as it was a relief to see all of them it was getting a little to much.

“Yeah, Russians don’t take to kindly to someone ruining one of their bases.” He chuckles dryly. “Can we- um change the subject.” He winces as he moves a hand up to his head. Feeling a migraine forming. His head hasn’t been the same since he was near that radiation shit in the mall. He blinks as he feels a random nose bleed starting to hit him. Feeling dizzy Robin and Dustin hop off from him when he starts to shake more while underneath them. El moving and offering him a tissue with a knowing look. His hands shakily take the paper, confused as to why she would be looking at him like that. It was just a random nose bleed, he wouldn’t be shocked if he got radiation poison or something.

He moves back into the couch after a second of wiping his nose, completely worn out. Blinking at the effort it was taking him just to stay here mentally. His eyes meet Joyce’s who was already getting Hopper on it. “You look exhausted hon, why don’t you go get some rest in our room.” She smiles as he nods. Moving, his legs begin to shake as he holds the bloody tissue to his nose. Walking the way Hopper wanted him to.

Unaware but fully aware at the same time of the amount of eyes that were on him.

So… I only had a few scenes that I really wanted to write for this. This was one of them. The next part I also really wanted, and I don’t know how I’m separating each part. I’m used to writing 10k word chapters so this is kind of like fresh air lmao. So I’m just writing to relief some stress as I graduate in less then a week 🥳 I just didn’t expect so many people to also want to read this.

Though, I would like to say if you like the idea of Steve disappearing and coming back out of nowhere I do have another fic called Bark at the moon! (Sorry self plug) it’s on a pined post on my account and the link leads you to ao3! (It’s werewolf steve fic and he does disapear😉) ok self plug over. Thank you guys for showing so much interest! It means the world to me!

Tag list; I tagged everyone who seemed interested! Let me know If you want to be added :)

@totallynotagoraphobic @flustratedcas @shunna @spookednsaucy @steddie-as-they-go @estrellami-1 @xxbottlecapx @gregre369 @ellietheasexylibrarian @thing-a-ling @radioactiveartz @bestwifehaver @idkwwhatimmdoiing @goodolefashionedloverboi @bringmethelow @thescribblerdragon @starman-jpg @lilaclilyroses @resident-gay-bitch @wolfscreations @adhdsummer @victor-thee-corvid @happymediummm @decadentworld @sidebarre @foundintheshallows @jamieweasley13 @yellowdevilkitten @catlovesfandoms @gryffindorsareidiots @thephantomhood

#next part will have more Steddie interaction #promise #steddie #stranger things #eddie munson #steve x eddie #steve harrington #bxb #steveharrington #steveddie #eddie stranger things #steve and eddie #Steve harrington was the Russian prisoner instead #Steve harrington needs a hug #don’t you ever take Steve from Robin #Dustin and Steve are like brothers #everyone feels so awkward and in shock about the jock being back #is it obvious

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nburkhardt · 1 year

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Maybe he’ll blame it on his wording or maybe blame it on the lack of romantic setting. Maybe he could blame it on the crowd around them.

Because he didn’t want to think of the answer being no. If that were the case, he might just die of a broken heart.

Steve’s first ‘girlfriend’ was this adorable little red head girl when he was five. Actually, when he thinks about it she wasn’t his ‘girlfriend’ but actually his little ‘boyfriend’ because she thought it was funny to call him ‘girlfriend’ instead and she wanted to be called ‘boyfriend’ which he gladly did. He remembers her pretty clearly because she was also his best friend at the time, her name is Delilah. He hasn’t seen her in years, hopes she’s okay and happy. The way she called him ‘girlfriend’ is probably what started his secret love of feminine names for himself.

He thinks that was probably his easiest “relationship” mostly because well, he was five. He remembers asking her to play and that was it. They were attached at the hip, Delilah’s mom would pick him up from his house when demanded and then he’d spend the rest of his day with Delilah and her family. Some of his best childhood memories are with them.

It’s probably the blueprint for his relationship to Eddie.

Expect, Eddie asked him to smoke one random day and then suddenly he’s being called ‘baby girl’ and ‘darling’. It made his heart beat so much faster and his cheeks run hot. Eddie wouldn’t demand him to come over, just wouldn’t let him leave most nights. They’d have late dinners with Wayne and enjoy quiet nights together and lazy mornings. He’s truly his happiest with the Munson family.

So, despite the fact that legally they can’t get married, he decided to get a ring and ask Eddie anyway.

Finding the perfect ring wasn’t as hard as he’s heard. Maybe it’s because he knows Eddie, knows what he hates and loves. Or maybe it’s just that the first ring he saw was perfect for Eddie. As soon as he saw it, his brain immediately came up with images of Eddie wearing it. When the sells person asked about his own ring, he declined and said he’ll pick something out later.

Eddie’s the one that’s good with creating a story, especially off the top of his head. So instead of coming up with anything like that, he’s planning on just laying it all out and hoping for the best. He swears to mention how much he loves Eddie, talk about their future and so much more.

He doesn’t bother hiding that he’s with Eddie when they get into the restaurant, it’s pretty common now for the two of them to be seen together. Most people don’t even look twice at them anymore, there’s of course still one or two. But it doesn’t bother them much.

It’s not the most romantic restaurant, just the little diner in town. Because Enzo’s was already busy plus the owner shoots glares at them even though Robin ripped a new one into him for being homophobic. So instead of the romantic scene, they’re in the little diner with checkered floors and terrible teal blue walls with pink accents. There’s sad looking daisies on the tables with old worn broken menus, and music neither of them actually like. Some old country song that Steve can’t even remember the name.

Their waiter is some senior from high school that looks bored. Repeating their orders back to them before walking off and Steve finally takes a chance to reach over at Eddie’s hands, “Eds, I got something for you”

Eddie brightens up at that, his smile is addicting and Steve smiles just to match him even if his nerves are making him squirm. Letting go of one of Eddie’s hands, he goes to pull out the tiny little black box that’s been making his pockets burn all day.

“What is it, Stevie?” Eddie’s voice goes up a notch and before he knows it, starts to ramble. “Is today a special day? I know it’s not my birthday and it’s not yours either, there’s no anniversary that I can think of. You also don’t celebrate many holidays lately, so it can’t be that. Or am I forgetting something? Is it an anniversary? Should I be getting you something-“

Usually he loves hearing Eddie ramble but his voice is getting higher and it’s starting to crack, so he shoves the box back into his pocket and grabs Eddie’s hands again in a tight grip. “Eds, baby, calm down! It’s okay”

Before either of them can say anything more their food is there and they let go of each other to eat. In between bites, he tries again, “I was thinking, maybe in the future, if we uh- we could go and get my last name to be…”

He gets cut off by waiters loudly and annoyingly singing ‘happy birthday’ to the table next to them and he wants to kick himself for his wording already. It’s turning out to be a disaster, and he doesn’t exactly know how to come back from it. So, they continue to eat their food quietly with some small talk instead. Once the badly singing waiters leave and their food is mostly gone, he tries again.

“Eddie, I have something to ask you” his nerves are showing in his voice, even to his own ears. Hopefully he looks aren’t reflecting how nervous he is, but he can’t see himself anywhere and he knows looking away would not be good. Without messing with the box in his pocket, “Would you want to share a last name?”

Internally cringing at his words, he hopes that Eddie understands. Looking at him, with the silence going that feels like the world has stopped, it seems like maybe that it…doesn’t. He knows it comes out wrong and that Eddie doesn’t get it. Because his face is full of confusion, normally he loves it. Normally Eddie being confused is always cute and Steve loves it, especially when he gets to explain something to Eddie.

But right now? He hates it.

“Like, you uhh” Eddie speechless is a wonder usually. Steve hates it right now, much like how much he hates his own wording. “Wouldn’t it be weird if Wayne adopted you? Since we’re dating?”

He’s speechless himself, of all the options Eddie picks that one? He shakes his head and his hand goes for the box in his pocket, “no, no. That’s- just, no. Eddie, I’d like to-“

“Stevie, are you okay?” The question comes out of left field and it makes him wonder why, until he feels a wetness to his cheeks and, damnit. He’s tearing up from all his nerves. He didn’t even notice, sighing he just nods. “Are- are you sure?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m okay. Let’s just go home, yeah?”

Eddie doesn’t quite agree but also doesn’t say anything else. Just moves next to him and loops his arm with Steve’s. Then they’re off to the car and all Steve needs now is a moment alone to figure out how he went so wrong when he had a plan.

Part 2

This was originally suppose to be the full fic but uhh tumblr kept deleting my last thing i'd type up. So now I'm splitting it into two parts. Anyway, I completely blame @i-less-than-three-you and this post for this. So thanks @undreaming-fanfiction for this idea bug I seriously couldn’t stop thinking about it, when I should be writing more of part 6 for my angst fic.

#steddie #steddie fic #steve harrington x eddie munson #stranger things fic #steddie au #steve harrington #eddie munson #stranger things #nburkhardt writes #i spent way too much time googling things for this #it was suppose to be short idk what happened #the proposal fic

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somekindofpoet · 1 year

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Like A Movie Part VI

Summary: The premiere is here! Reader goes shopping, gets all dressed up and rubs elbows with Hollywood

Word Count: 4.6K

A/N: This one is loooong! Send me your ideas, let me know what you want to see, give me fuel! Also judge me for using Italics too often.

Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V

It’s 5 AM on a Friday and your phone buzzing next to your head tears you out of the very, very sweet dream you were having. It involved a dark set of eyes, full lips, and roaming hands. To say you were upset to be awake was an understatement.

Ironically, it’s Jenna calling you. You decide you can’t be that upset, even if real Jenna just stole you from dream Jenna’s make-out session.

You answer the phone, putting it on speaker. “Hello?” You croak, your voice thick from sleep.

“Are you sleeping?”

“Jenna, it’s 5 AM and I’m a writer.” You rub your half open eyes with your knuckles, “I’m sleeping.”

You lay your head back down without hanging up, almost drifting back to sleep.

“Well I’ll be over in 15 to pick you up, so get out of bed.”

You groan, “No. You’ll have to drag me kicking and screaming. Or maybe snoring.” You don’t even bother to open your eyes.

“Don’t threaten me with a good time. Come on, we have lots to do today!”

She’s far too peppy for such an ungodly hour. You’re not dealing with it right now. You want to go back to kissing her in your dream. You don’t want to be dragged around Rodeo drive to go shopping. That sounded like a nightmare. You grumble something at the phone and hang up, hoping she gives up on you. You fall back to sleep splayed out on your stomach, your arms over your head.

You don’t get the chance to fall deep enough into sleep to start dreaming again. There’s a shift on the side of the bed, and insistent hands shaking your shoulder.

“Good god you sleep like the dead. Get UP.”

You whine, rolling over and throwing your arm over your eyes.

“Ten more minutes mom, I’m so tired.”

Soft laughter filters through your sleep muddled brain and you peek out from under your arm. Jenna is sitting on your bedside, the light from the window behind her creating a halo effect over her head. It’s fitting, you think.

“You look like an angel.” You mumble, and let your arm slide back over your face.

You’re too tired to be appalled at what you’d just said, honesty seeping out of you involuntarily.

“And you look like hell. Seriously, I’ve never seen someone sleep so hard.”

You flop your arm off your eyes and into the mattress. You glare at her sleepily. “How did you get in?”

“Door was unlocked.”

“Yeah, sounds about right.”

The beers from the night before were creeping in on you. Your mouth was dry and your head ached. You groan again. Why had you let your friends convince you it’d be a good idea to drink on a Thursday night? You knew you had to meet Jenna and her stylist this morning. But the sweet call of cold IPAs and the congratulations from your friend group fooled you into thinking you could recover like you were 21 again.

“I think I’m dying.” You tell Jenna, hoping for sympathy.

She pats your stomach, making you feel like you might actually die right then and there.

“Come on champ, I’ll make you coffee. Get up.”

You sit up on your elbows, your hair sticking up every which way. “Careful, she’s a spitter.”

Jenna cringed at your joke, “First of all, ew. Second, I learned my lesson the first time. Get up, or I’ll tell Enrique you want to wear my pink Valentino to the premiere tomorrow.”

“Oh god I might be sick.” You roll over to the other side of your bed, swinging your legs to the floor. You drop your head into your hands, trying to steady yourself.

“Hey! It’s not that bad. You’d look great in pink.”

You groan into your hands. “Okay, I’m up. I’m up.” You stand and stumble to the bathroom door. “Need. To. Shower.”

Jenna gets up and rounds the bed toward your door, laughing at you and shaking her head. “Make it snappy, we have a date with designer this morning!”

Once she’s out of the room you trudge into your bathroom, turning the shower on as cold as it will go. You strip off your t-shirt and boxers and climb in, the icy water making you gasp and shocking you awake. You stand under the stream for a while, letting the water run over your head while you lean against the wall. You wince as memories from last night resurfaced in your mind.

You went on and on about Jenna. Your friends were happy to listen, and would undoubtedly tease you until the end of time about it. Other than that embarrassing bit, the night was a good time. It felt good to be with your circle of friends who know you best. It was good for you to vent some of the feelings you kept shoving into the filing cabinets of your brain. You just wished you’d had one less beer, or maybe stood your ground on not taking the fireball shots.

But you did drink that beer, and you caved to peer pressure with the shots, so now here you are, suffering for your weakness. You take a deep breath, making the conscious decision to stop feeling sorry for yourself. You had a full day with Jenna ahead of you. The thought alone made you feel better already.

You had ruminated on your night out at the farmhouse, replayed it over and over in your head. You’d come to the conclusion that the tension was built up in your head, stemming from the jealousy you had felt earlier that day and clouded by your own feelings. Your friends strongly disagreed with you, but they didn’t know Jenna. She was friendly and empathetic to everyone around her, including you.

“Are you done yet, let’s go!”

Jenna’s voice from your bathroom door scared you senseless. You yelped and slipped around the shower, covering yourself even though the curtain was closed.

“I am EXPOSED here woman!” You shout back at her over her laughter from the doorway.

“Well get dressed, your coffee is in the kitchen. We’ll get you some breakfast on the way.”

You peek your head out of the curtain to glare at her. “You think you can tempt me with coffee and baked goods?” You pause, staring her down. “You’re right you can, temptress. Now get out so I can clothe myself.”

“Temptress? What is this, the dark ages?”

“Out temptress woman!”

“I’m out, I’m gone, hurry up!” Jenna’s voice trailed away as she left your bedroom.

You get out of the freezing water and dry off, goosebumps covering your skin. After brushing your teeth, you shake out your hair, spray some sea salt conditioner in it and call it good enough. You pull on underwear and a bra, and hesitate at your closet.

“Hey Jenna?” You yell.

“Just wear whatever you want y/n, you’ll be coming out of it soon anyway!” She yells from your living room.

You grit your teeth, half at the fact that again, she’s predicted you. The other half is stopping the lousy joke from coming out of your mouth. Luckily, you don’t have to make it because Jenna has predicted that too.

“You know that’s not what I mean I don’t even want to hear what’s going through your head!”

You decide playing the victim is your safest route. “I didn’t even say anything!” You yell back, sliding on a short sleeve, weaved cotton button-up and black linen pants.

“You didn’t have to, I know you were thinking it.”

You roll your eyes and mock her to yourself, not brave enough to do it out loud. You hop on one foot down your hallway as you pull on your Vans, holding the wall with one hand. You must look at least halfway presentable because Jenna raises her eyebrows in an approving look when she sees you.

“You clean up nice.” She says, still appraising you.

“Coffee?” Is all you can respond.

“In the kitchen. Take it to go, we’re meeting Enrique in like 30 minutes.”

“Uuuughgh Rodeo is like ten minutes away why are we leaving so early?”

The stare Jenna levels you with shuts you right up. You’re on her schedule now, and you will close your mouth and follow orders. You know how to do that very well. Shut up and color is the motto of the military. The people giving you commands weren’t so pretty back then, though. Jenna had poured your coffee into a travel mug and left it on the counter for you. You try hard not to overthink the gesture.

You hold the cup up to her, “Thank you.”

“Anything to get you moving.” She says, brushing it off.

You follow her like a puppy out your door and down the stairs to her car. You don’t say anything when she has to remind you to lock your door when you step outside. Another file for the feelings cabinet. Shut up and color.

You convince her to go through the drive through of a donut shop and inhale two maple bars on your way to the shopping center. Your coffee is long gone minutes into the drive, and you actually feel like a normal human again, your hangover thwarted.

Jenna parks her car on the street, Bentleys, Ferraris, Mercedes and BMWs accompany her Volvo. You feel out of place and small. Being around super wealthy people always made you feel that way. You’d never seen real money before, growing up lower middle class in central California and being blue-collar military for most of your life. It was easy to forget Jenna belonged there until you saw her there. Then she looked as if she couldn’t belong anywhere else.

She sensed your discomfort and took your arm, smiling up at you. “Come on James Dean, let’s get you a pair of nice heels.”

You drag your feet a little, making her misstep on purpose, “In your dreams Ms. Ortega.”

“Okay you keep that up and I’ll see to it that Enrique makes you a meat dress like Lady Gaga.”

You gasp in mock horror, “You wouldn’t! The cruelty!”

You can feel your anxiety washing away, and you realize she’s distracted you on purpose. It makes your insides feel gooey and warm. This was not going to be an easy day. Jenna was already making sure of that.

Enrique greets the two of you in front of a tailor, all smiles and giggles as he hugs Jenna, kissing both of her cheeks. He introduces himself to you and you’re immediately comfortable with him. You can see why Jenna has stuck with him all this time. They bring you through the kind of boutiques that offer you whiskey or champagne upon entering, but the thought makes your stomach clench.

Enrique finds the perfect suit, black on white, and pulls you into the fitting room. Once you have it on, he speaks to the tailor taking your measurements, ensuring they get it exactly right. The suit gets pinned and you go to take it off, but he stops you.

“You have to show her.”

“Show who?” You frown, confused.

He tuts at you, “Jenna dummy. Work your magic hombre, quench her thirst.”

You feel as if this man is one of your best friends already, his calling you a dummy endearing him to you even more. Even if he’s making you blush.

“Why would she care?”

He stares blankly at you, “She said you were out there, but I didn’t think you were dumb.”

“Wait, she said I was out there?”

“Among other things, yes.”

“Like what?”

“Girl talk is sacred. I would never tell.” He says, shaking his head at you.

“But you just-“

He puts his hands on your shoulders, not letting you finish and steering you out of the fitting room. Jenna is sitting in a chair, waiting for the two of you to come out. Her eyes widen when she sees you, her mouth dropping open. You’re suddenly feeling timid under her gaze, an uncharacteristic feeling for you. It’s unfamiliar, and you’re not sure how to act.

“Told you.” Enrique whispers from the side of his mouth so only you can hear.

You roll your eyes and shrug your shoulders.

“Good yeah?” You ask her.

She blinks quickly, “You look amazing.”

You reach up to grab the back of your neck and look down, scuffing your shoe. “Thanks.”

Enrique looks over to the tailor, “We’ll take it!”

Finding Jenna’s dress takes much, much longer. She’s particular and will settle for nothing less than perfect. Enrique happily keeps dressing her, never seeming to run out of steam. The three of you take a lunch break and get right back to it. You’re just being tagged along at this point, your input not needed or even really valuable. If she were going to a punk show or a dive bar, you’d be her girl. But a movie premiere in designer? Millions of leagues out of your league. You just smile and support, oohing and aaahing on cue.

When she finally does find the one, she refuses to show you, telling you you’ll see it tomorrow on the red carpet. You protest, telling her it’s unfair she’s already seen yours. She does not give in to your attempted guilt trip.

When she takes you home, she doesn’t stay, to your disappointment. But she needs her beauty sleep, and you need a chill pill. You’d see her tomorrow. When you get inside and flop onto your couch, you open your phone for the first time in hours. You had an unread message from Olivia. She was asking if you were still on for tomorrow. You’d asked her to come with you to the premiere a few days prior, and she’d happily accepted. You made it clear it was just an ask as a friend, and she was more than okay with that.

You hadn’t told Jenna about your plus one, though, and couldn’t justify why. She’d find out tomorrow when you both rolled out onto the red carpet. The thought made your nerves feel frayed, and again you couldn’t quite put your finger on why. You liked Olivia, she was easy to be around, plus it helped with movie advertisement. Two birds, one premiere. You texted her back to let her know you’d pick her up at six.

Your sleep was restless that night. Anxiety about the premiere filled your mind, making it impossible to feel well rested. The next morning you were up far too early, with too many hours ahead of you. You stress cleaned your entire apartment. Tried and failed to write. Watched a movie but kept glancing at your phone, but what you were hoping for, you weren’t quite sure. ( A text from Jenna, be real with yourself y/n). You got ready early and spent more time than necessary on taming your hair. You sighed and checked your phone. It was only four. You decided to text Olivia, to see if she was freaking out too.

Y/n

You anxious enough to die too?

Olivia

Nah cool as a cucumber my friend

Y/n

You’re a bad person

Olivia

To the bone! Wanna pregame and take the edge off?

Thirty minutes later, you’re sitting at Olivia’s kitchen counter, your head in your hands. She slides a gin and tonic over to you and leans on the counter across from you.

“So you’re freaking the fuck out.”

“I’m trying very hard not to.” You say, gulping down the drink.

She takes the glass and refills it, sliding it back to you.

“Do these nerves have to do with the premiere or a certain brunette?”

You squint at her over your glass, sipping it this time. “Am I that transparent?”

“Oh like fucking Saran Wrap dude.”

“Fuuuuuuck.” You sip the drink again.

“Hey, I don’t blame you. I’d be flipping out if she looked at me like that too.” She says, picking up her glass to drink.

You frown, “Look at me like what?”

“Oh boy.” She says and gulps her drink.

Irritation blooms in your chest, “What?!” There’s no reason for you to be so volatile, and it makes you even more irritated.

She sighs and shakes her head, unphased by your mood “You seriously can’t see it? She looks at you like the sun shines out your ass. It’s almost too much to bear.”

You shake your head, “She looks at everyone like that.”

Olivia raises her eyebrows at you and sips her drink again. “Okay. Whatever you say.”

“Mhm,” you say back, the drink settling in your stomach and calming you a bit.

She’s looking at you like she feels sorry for you. The filing cabinet in your brain is bursting with all your repressed emotions. You take a drink and shrug at her.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Oh I don’t know, sweep her off her feet and kiss her? Tell her you’re a fool and you’re crazy about her?”

“I don’t know about all of that.” You’re being stubborn again, you know it.

“Okay Casanova. I believe in you.” She laughs.

“That makes one of us.” You grumble.

——

The Uber drops the two of you off right at the mouth of the red carpet. Your show time was early, not many photographers were out yet, since the smaller names showed up first. They would be there when Jenna arrived, yelling her name and snapping her picture. You and Olivia take a few pictures, smiling arm in arm with the branded backdrop behind you. A reporter asks you who you’re wearing and you tell them. You name drop Enrique and they go nuts. They want to ask you questions about Jenna, but you skirt around them, not wanting to violate her privacy. They ask you about Secessus, and you’re shocked they already know about it. You give them a little detail about your writing process and a tidbit about the story, but you mostly keep it under wraps. The studio wants you to build excitement, not spoil the movie.

A while later, you’re lingering around the entryway, laughing and joking with a few other writers and actors there with Olivia at your side. She’s charming and funny, and you’re both having a great time. Then the shouting starts. Flashes of light fill the dark sky, cameras going off like mortars around you. The stars have arrived. A few cars pull up with celebrities getting out and doing their red carpet waltz, smiling and waving and posing. And then the one you’d been waiting for steps out on the arm of her incredibly handsome date.

She looks amazing. Beyond words. She’s in an earthy toned pinkish brown dress, her neck dripping in diamonds. You can see her skin between the delicate wrap around her body, and you may or may not be drooling. Olivia laughs at you and uses her finger to press under your jaw, closing it as it hung open. You blush and glance at her, seeing her grin at you.

“There’s your girl Casanova.” She says, slapping your back.

You can’t even come up with a witty response. You’re rooted to your spot, staring in awe. You’re taken back to the months before you knew her. When she was a celebrity you’d fawned over, before you knew what she’d looked like when she was anxious, or covered in coffee, or sitting in your passenger seat. Right now, she looked every bit like the star.

You tamp down the jealousy that rears up inside of you when her date wraps his arm around her waist. You know it’s just for show. But still, it makes your skin crawl. When they’re done with their photo op they head toward the entrance, toward you. Jenna catches sight of you and smiles, but it falters when she sees Olivia at your side. The smallest frown is on her face for a split second before she averts her eyes and smiles up at her date. They walk right past you, nodding courteously, but Jenna doesn’t say a word to you. You feel like you’ve just taken a spear to the gut.

“Oof, tough break buddy.” Olivia says, patting your back.

You shrug at her, “She’s a star. She doesn’t have time for us tonight.”

“Uh huh.” She says, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Let’s go find our seats lover boy.”

The movie is good, great even, but you can’t focus. All you can see is Jenna toward the front row, laughing and smiling and eating popcorn, piece by piece. When it’s over, the crowd moves from the theater into a large open room for the after-party. Olivia has disappeared into the crowd, wanting to mingle with other actors. You head to the bar and lean up against it taking in the absurdity that you’re even here.

Platters with champagne glasses pass by, and you wonder how they keep them from toppling over. One passes close enough to you, so you grab two glasses, thanking the waiter. You feel pretty good about being in the room with all the famous faces. It may be the alcohol, or you may actually feel like you deserve to be there. The only thing keeping you from having a great time is the nagging thought at the back of your mind that Jenna was upset with you. You didn’t have the slightest clue as to why, but you had this feeling.

You’d been searching for her casually as you took the room in, but she was nowhere to be found. You figure she’s probably caught up somewhere socializing with people that were more her caliber. You sip at your champagne and engage in friendly conversation with the people who approach you. They all seem to know who you are, A24 had done an excellent job at getting the word out about Secessus. People were talking, and they were excited about it.

You’d finished both of your drinks and set about finding a bathroom. It wasn’t easy in a venue that big, but you found a winding hallway that led you to it eventually. It was blissfully quiet, the noise from the other room muted. You wash your hands and head back out, stopping in your tracks when you see Jenna making her way down the hall.

“Hey yooo-“ you start, but she breezes right past you into the bathroom.

“Okay,” you say, “rude.”

You decide to wait for her to come out, leaning back against the wall. Whatever this was, it needed to be settled, or you’d probably never sleep again. She was definitely upset with you, that much was clear. A few minutes later, she comes out, and you catch her arm as she tries to pass you again.

“We just not speaking now?” You ask her sharply. Your feelings are hurt, and you’re confused.

She frowns at you, her expression softening just slightly. “Where’s your date?” She asks.

You don’t drop her arm for fear she will walk away from you again. “Where’s yours?” You bite back and immediately feel bad about it.

Her face is stoic, but her eyes are telling you everything you need to know. She’s unsure about how to respond to you, fighting a battle in her head that you can’t see. She sighs and pulls you around the corner. You lean back into the wall, and she stands in front of you, spinning her diamond rings.

“I’m sorry. For ignoring you.”

“Aha, so you were ignoring me. Here I was worried you’d finally figured out you’re too good for me.”

Her nostrils flare as she fights from smiling at you. She’s losing the battle. “I wish you would have told me you were bringing Olivia.”

“Why?” You ask, shrugging.

“I don’t know, I guess I thought we were close enough that you’d tell me stuff like that by now. It’s great, I’m happy for you.” She sounds hurt, and her voice tells you she is not happy for you. She’s disappointed.

Realization is dawning on you rapidly. You feel like a total idiot. Your friends were right. Enrique was right. Olivia was right. You’re a dumbass.

“Woah woah woah, wait, we’re not together.”

Relief floods Jenna’s face immediately, though she tries valiantly to hide it. “You’re not?”

You laugh, “No. We’re friends. I figured it would be good for the movie for us to come together.”

A soft “oh” falls from her lips. Her expression is a mixed one, pulling back and forth between relief and embarrassment.

You stare at each other, trying to make sense of everything. Voices ricochet down the hall, approaching the bathroom. You hear a man and a woman talking to each other, heading your way.

“Probably around here somewhere,” you hear, recognizing Olivia’s voice.

Jenna’s spine stiffens at the sound. You reach out and run your hand down her arm, trying to soothe her. She lets you take her hand, and you’re willing yours not to get sweaty. Olivia and Jenna’s date round the corner, stopping quickly when they see the two of you. This would be awkward, if it weren’t already known your dates were for show.

Olivia flashes Jenna a wide smile, “Hey Jenna, I wanted to ask if you mind if I steal your date? He says he’s single.”

The man next to her gives you a goofy grin, he’s adorable, you can’t help but think. Jenna’s body relaxes, and she gives them a genuine smile. It makes you feel weak in the knees.

“You can have the mongrel. Just be gentle with him, he’s sweet.” She tells them.

Olivia laughs and wraps her arm around his waist, eyeing you. She’s silently willing you to make your move.

Just before she turns away she says, “Later Casanova, remember our talk!” And the two disappear back down the hall.

Jenna turns back to you, raising an eyebrow at you. “Casanova?”

“Long story, very boring.” You rush to say.

She smiles, “What was that talk about?”

You frantically try to come up with a lie, a story to tell her. You’re a writer for god's sake, you should be able to weave a web of intricate half-truths on the spot. But nothing comes to you. She squeezes your hand.

“You.” You finally mumble, giving in to honesty being the best policy.

Jenna’s eyes light up, and you know she’s going to give you hell. “What was that? I have terrible hearing. Have I ever told you that?”

“Probably from listening to nothing in your headphones all the time.”

“You’re an idiot.” She replies, laughing softly.

Jenna steps in closer to you, looking up into your eyes. She glances down to your lips, then back up to your eyes. It’s textbook. Your heart races. You feel your breathing grow heavy as she leans closer to you.

You are, without a doubt, Icarus in this scenario. Your wax wings melt in the sun that is Jenna, and you fall hard. You don’t even have it in you to try to save yourself. It’s a sweet death to die for love.

Her lips are soft. Softer than you dreamed. She kisses you hesitantly as if she’s waiting for you to pull away. But you know you’d rather run into speeding traffic than stop kissing her at this point. Your hands find her waist and you pull her into your body, kissing her back. It’s gentle and sweet and innocent, neither of you bold enough to make it anything more than it is right now.

Her hands loop around your neck, and she’s pulling you into her, her lips moving against yours. You keep your hands on her waist, not wanting to push her too far too fast. It feels like seconds and hours all at once before she leans back, breaking your lips apart. She’s staring up at you through her lashes and you’ve never felt so light in your life. You wonder if maybe you’ve died and this is your version of what comes after. Either way, you’re not complaining.

“Do you want to get out of here?” She asks you.

“Abso-fucking-lutley.”

#jenna ortega x reader #jenna ortega x y/n #jenna ortega x fem!reader #wednesday #vada cavell #tara carpenter

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angelisgonnastartchangingurls · 9 days

Text

dad

annie told her father all about the alicia incident after sucking his cock on her couch. in fact, she told the story still kneeling on the floor, bottomless, cum on her chin.

robbie was out, having spent the night with casey. annie made her her father was aware of the empty apartment as she peeled off her panties for him, hoping he might want to go further, but he was certain robbie would appear at any time.

he was very interested in the idea of alicia's parents wanting to meet her and said the idea that alicia had a long-term illness but resisted long-term relationships was one he'd deeply probe if he were her parents' therapist. "i've got a few things you can deeply probe," annie offered.

her father left and robbie got home. he'd been railing casey all morning and had a few videos to prove it but could tell annie was deliriously horny, so he handed her his phone to watch the videos while he licked her clit and fingered her pussy.

"i met casey's parents this morning, she brought me down the stairs and she was literally in only a tank top, introduced me to her dad with her pussy showing."

"fuck," annie said. "i love her."

"her mom is hot, too," he said. "she had panties on but looked shaved. i tried not to stare."

annie giggled. "keep me posted." she said.

she had a date with richard that night. drunk after dinner in his apartment, she went to sophie's room and came out wearing some of her panties. richard called her sophie while he fucked her.

annie informed sophie of this along with a photo of her pulled-aside panties covered in cum. it was hours before sophie responded and she looked gaunt in the nude photo she sent back. annie was alarmed.

"you have to go get sophie," she told richard. "she's going to die."

somehow he heard it this time, and was on the next flight.

while waiting for updates from richard, annie got updates from tom. alicia was stable, but obviously comatose, and otherwise healthy. annie found herself weirdly compelled by alicia, and so asked tom questions about her.

alicia apparently worked in marketing for a company with offices L.A., NYC, and Chicago, and so spent her time floating between them. she had always been close with her parents and tom and rarely seemed to have time for friends. she picked up a lot of hobbies, though, and was skilled at a lot of crafts, and also juggling. he told her that alicia had never had anyone she called a girlfriend or boyfriend, but he knew that she was "always fucking someone."

"for a while," he told annie. "she was between apartments here, and lived with me and my girlfriend at the time," he said. "and she was getting railed like every single night. my girlfriend hated it."

"i hope you broke up with the prude," annie said.

"LOL," tom said. "i did, yeah."

annie asked tom if he wanted to meet for drinks a few days before she was set to meet his parents. he said yes, and so they met in the city that evening. he was tall and handsome.

"so do you guys vet all the women who give alicia strokes?" annie asked.

"this is the first time it has happened during sex," he said. "i think that is a compliment to you."

"yeah i am going to interpret it as such," annie said.

tom was presently single, he'd recently had an engagement broken off.

"why?" annie asked, not even apologizing for being nosy.

"we were just incompatible," he said. "i think i value relationships over things like, my career. and she was the opposite."

"i see," annie said.

"are there careerist therapists?" he asked.

"i guess," annie said. "the ones who want to write a book or become like, a social media star. i just like a pretty office and a steady income and feeling like i at least sometimes help people."

"have you ever been close to getting married?" he asked.

"not really," annie said. "i might have thought so. basically until my career really started i was kind of a monogamy addict, and i kept falling into long term committed relationships that didn't make me happy. for the last year i've really just been in casual situations and i am much happier."

"that's what i need, i think," tom said.

annie brought him back to her apartment. robbie was out, so they fucked and sucked for hours in the bed. tom had a great cock and great stamina. he loved annie's bush and was appreciative but not obsessive about her tits -- he turned her around to fuck her from behind a few times and annie really liked that, like he didn't need her tits in his face to be excited. he came on her ass and on her face.

"you gonna tell alicia about that when she wakes up or can i?" tom asked.

annie laughed. "has alicia ever seen your cock?" she asked him.

"you are such a therapist," he said. "straight to the family stuff."

"hey i haven't even asked about your mom yet," she said. "but has she?"

"yeah," tom said. "alicia has."

"when you were living together?"

"she walked in on me masturbating in the shower," he said.

"how did you feel about that?" annie said. "guys with big cocks tend not to be that concerned about being seen."

"yeah." he laughed. "i didn't mind. and she reacted positively."

"how so?" annie said.

"she said 'oh my god!' and then said 'that's a good oh my god!' and then clarified 'because you have a big dick!' and then she said 'oh my god!' again and left."

"did anything else come of it?"

"yeah," he laughed. "she came into my room in a towel and dropped the towel and said, 'we have to be even.'"

"was that the first time you'd seen her naked like, as an adult?"

"yeah," he said.

"she has great tits."

"yeah like you," tom said. "and like my mom."

"oh, that's good," annie said.

tom laughed. "why?"

"my mom doesn't have big tits and as soon as i developed she started to resent me, and my dad and my brother got like, really nice to me. as did every other man in the world."

"so it's good that my mom and alicia are on an even playing field?"

"good for their relationship, yes," annie said. "have you seen your mom naked?"

"all the time," he said. "she's not shy."

"how do they compare?"

"well, my mom is less tan and has more pubic hair and that's about it."

"how much more?" annie asked.

"well, as you know, alicia has none, and my mom has less than you," he said. "so there's not much, all day."

"i can't remember ever seeing my mom naked," annie said. "but when my brother goes home for weekends he says she will come into his room from the shower just fully nude and hang out."

"yeah," tom laughed. "that's not unfamiliar."

"really!?" annie laughed. "it's because you're tall."

"that does seem to make women want to get naked."

"has your mom seen your cock?"

"no."

"but she probably knows."

"my dad is about the same size as me," he said. "in all ways. i'm his clone and alicia is my mom's clone."

after that, tom got hard again, and so they fucked and this time annie took some pictures. she thought about using alicia's phone but decided not to. she gave it to Tom as he left the next morning.

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lizzy-calaxio · 4 days

Text

Shock

I stare at the limp body of my friend in front of me.

This is my fault.

The others look around the waking sands for any survivors. I should be doing that too.

I should’ve prevented Noraxia from joining. My heart breaks.

I feel a hand on my shoulder. I don’t know whose it is. My eyes tunnel out everything outside of Noraxia.

I pick up my friend. I silently carry them out of the waking sands. I begin walking to Little Solace.

Home. My home. Our home.

If there was any attempts at stopping me, they didn’t work. If anyone tried offering a ride, I didn’t notice.

This is my fault.

I could have stopped this.

By what right do I have to call myself a sylph, when I caused this.

It’s night by the time I get to Little Solace. The sylphs greet me as usual, their mood souring when they see Noraxia in my hands.

I weakly explain what happened.

I offer full blame for Noraxia’s death on my own hands.

“These ones do not accept Lizzy one as the blame. Lizzy one has done Little Solace proud.”

The words echo off of my horns.

I climb a tree to get to my hut among the treetops. I saw my room earlier this morning, yet it looks more empty now. It feels wrong for me to claim this spot.

After a few hours of trying to sleep, but being unable to find it, I hop out of the trees. My landing silent aside from the thud of my tail slapping the ground.

I begin to walk into the dark forest.

I think about all of the ways this could have gone differently.

I think about how I could have prevented this tragedy.

I find myself at my broken home. The Frizzle household.

Where I should have died. Another child lost to starvation from the calamity.

Maybe a part of me did die there. A part of me died with my parents.

I walk into the derelict house. Pictures of a happy family are on the walls.

Some on the floor.

The floorboards are weak and rotted.

I can smell mold in the house.

Fungus, moss, and other plantlife have also taken root.

I find myself upstairs. My parents room still closed.

I open the door and see a present on their dresser.

“To Elizabeth, Happy 12th Birthday! With Absolute Love, Mom and Dad”

I feel the tears on my cheeks.

I open the box, too many years late.

A conjurer’s wand rests inside.

Memories of signing with mom flood my brain.

“I want to be an adventurer like you!”

“I want to heal people!”

Rotten.

No you don’t. You’re a weapon.

You can’t heal anyone.

You can’t even help your family.

I curl up on my parents bed.

I remember the nights when I had nightmares and would climb into their bed.

I remember my mom’s arms wrapped around me.

I remember the comfort I once knew, lost forever to time.

#ffxiv #lizzy calaxio #Noraxia

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honorthysalad · 7 months

Text

Alright gotta pick my jaw off the floor after that last chapter (hehe). Just gonna lay out a few thoughts and ideas.

right so my prediction is Tanaka’s gonna take ‘Hikaru’s head and try to walk off. He’s gonna be testing A) if ‘Hikaru’ can survive/heal from this B) how to stop ‘Hikaru’ from healing to make him easier to remove. I’m assuming that as a brain snatcher, ‘Hikaru’ resides mostly in the head so the rest of his body is probably just gonna lay there.

so then three ways I can see that going:

Number 1: Yoshiki tries to haggle with Tanaka. Maybe he agrees to provide information on the Brainsnatcher or trades the piece of ‘Hikaru’s insides in return to get ‘Hikaru’ back. Or he asks to go with them, not even to get ‘Hikaru’ back. He just wants to stay by ‘Hikaru’s side.

Number 2: Tanaka drops the sword as he goes to leave and Yoshiki picks it up, threatening to fight him. He’s not going to try to kill Tanaka; he just can’t let him take ‘Hikaru’. Uh but it’s Yoshiki so he pussies out/gets his ass kicked, and Tanaka leaves anyway.

Number 3: idk maybe ‘Hikaru’ tries to spider crawls away like that scene from the Thing. I think that’d be pretty funny to watch.

They’ve spent most of vol4 going ‘well we made a promise (with a friendship bracelet to prove it) and we’re gonna stick together no matter what’ so I think it’s only natural for vol 5 to put that to the test. We’ve already seen that ‘Hikaru’ can’t protect Yoshiki. Can Yoshiki protect ‘Hikaru’? (The answer is probably also no.)

Anyway I don’t think Tanaka is just gonna be like ‘oh yes please reattach and be at assumedly full strength to kill me’. He’s got some plan. I don’t really know how this ghost stuff works, but Tanaka does so Imma trust he can absolutely fuck up ‘Hikaru’.

I mean he could just cut off ‘Hikaru’s head, answer absolutely zero questions, and then walk away and that would be equally badass but I kind of doubt it because it would make the whole scene pointless. We already know Tanaka knows, and we already know ‘Hikaru’ is immortal. This has gotta bring up some new information.

other non head related predictions for vol5:

’Hikaru’ having a scar from being not quite powerful enough to heal completely. Think this would be a nice contrast to the scars spirits usually leave on others and makes him feel more human.

Yoshiki and ‘Hikaru’ returning to where Hikaru died to learn more about the ritual Hikaru was doing.

‘Hikaru’s grandpa dies because old people aren’t allowed to exist in hgsn.

Maki dies hopefully sometime soon. I’ve been thinking this since vol2 so idk if it’ll happen but he just feels like a character who will die. (I’ve got like an idea for how it’d happen but with the tone of this chapter in mind it’s pretty unlikely).

a conversation with Hikaru’s mom. please god talk to her Yoshiki please.

Some sort of discussion on the vision Yoshiki had back in vol2 because that happened and he proceeded to literally never think about it once afterwards (I’m pretty sure at least… idk maybe he did in vol3 I still don’t remember what happened in that one).

‘Hikaru’s falls off the mountain after seeing the titty tree.

overall thoughts on vol4: it was good. Lot of talking. Especially ghost talking which my brain kinda skims over (which probably doesn’t help my comprehension… idk ghosts are my least favorite part of this series). I liked seeing Hikaru and Yoshiki’s hideout. Any scene with Yoshiki and Hikaru is great tho. The further use of Yoshiki in the role of mother by having him wash ‘Hikaru’s clothes, highlighting just how childish ‘Hikaru’ is in comparison, and even just when the angle shifts to make ‘Hikaru’ smaller and Yoshiki taller. Idk this mother thing is constantly on my mind, especially because Yoshiki named ‘Hikaru’. That day when he embraced him, he gave ‘Hikaru’ a new name, spelled differently and everything, and that’s how he’s referred to from then on. (Idk ‘Hikaru’ if calls himself by that name, I can’t think of any examples at least, but I still think it’s pretty powerful.)

Edit: throwing this on here too

#the summer hikaru died #hikaru ga shinda natsu #hgsn spoilers #hgsn #My HGSN shit

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captainjacklyn · 2 years

Note

I saw your special meal and all I can think reading "five words : Please don't hurt my family." And "Oh hello there jesus ! How did I die ? well I just got STABBED BY ONE OF YOUR PROBLEMATIC CHILDREN !" Is just Duolingo and I lowkey kinda want some headcanons for the Savanaclaw and/or Heartslabyul (up to you) of just MC dressed as Duolingo (Like the official Duolingo Tiktok's Duolingo) for Halloween with a knife (IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY FOR HALLOWEEN)

Thank you ^^

- ♤

Well this is so not gonna be family friendly, that's for sure ! One killer Duolingo coming up. (also, I'll be doing both dorms so Savannaclaw will be coming shortly afterwards)

Sorry for answering this ask so late, I hope you'll forgive me.

Content : Head canons, crack and just absolute chaos

Warning(s) : a lot of cussing and I will swear so fuck off mother I ain't family friendly, killer mascot, knife, H A L L O W E E N

Part 1 : Heartslabyul Part 2 : Savannaclaw

Mc/Yuu is dressed as a murdering owl Duolingo for Halloween

Oh my god

This is more terrifying than his mother yelling at him.

Wtf are you and whyareyouholdingaknifeathimholyshit-

This is not what he thought of when you said you'll dress as an owl, the only good thing about this situation is the fact that he is now unconscious and on the floor.

...

wait a minute

GODDAMNIT MC-

Did he just witness a giant green ball running after a screaming headmaster ?

Yes. yes he did.

Is he going to do anything about it ?

No, no he isn't.

R.I.H stands for 'rot in hell'

...

So R.I.H Crowley you will not be missed, at all. No but seriously don't even think of coming back as a spirit because I'll ghost buster your ass.

Well this is SO gonna get him a million likes on magicam, you look adorbs ! Wait is that a knife

Lmao this is so kawaii~

...

I regret saying that. With my whole ass life you can take my money and my family. I will never say that ever again-

KAWAIII DESUUUU~

....

The owl is still chasing down Crowley by the way.

What a coincidence ! He is wearing the exact same thing with the exact same knife and the exact same goal which is murde-

Because it's difficult to walk in these huge costumes y 'all are rolling over like bowling balls, scaring everyone to death including me.

PAC MAN WHO-

Do I have to make another "mom, pick me up" joke ?

I surely do because what else am I going to use to talk about this man's horrified expression.

You truly are a nightmare, but he can't blame you for trying to set the dorm on fire-

His mind is still loading to process the information of what the fuck is going on at the moment.

Is the knife a part of the costume ?

it is ?

...

LET ME GET MY OWN

I hope you liked this piece of trash.

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ladylooch · 1 month

Note

Can we see Mack's phone call to Lucie once she wakes up? Xx

The comfort she feels waking up wrapped around her man, her stomach drops when he says her sister dropped by, the teasing from Lucie once she's on the phone. Connor's reaction to hearing David was found snuggled up to his bad ass sister in law

Gonna focus on Lucie's phone call with Mack for this one... but you can read Mack's reaction to Lucie's visit here.

Mack waits to call Lucie until David heads out to grab some additional groceries to keep nursing Mack back to health. She is feeling a lot better after the soup and continuing to drink fluids, but she is still weak and having water coming out certain ends it shouldn’t. David suggested charcoal as another remedy. His mom used to give it to him and his siblings when they were really sick with a stomach bug. Mack figures it can’t hurt.

The phone call barely rings before her older sister’s voice comes over the phone.

“Hey, hi, how are you?”

“I’m okay. Alive.” Mack shrugs, nestling in under her blanket. She pauses.

“Did David tell you I came over?” Lucie cuts right to the chase as is her way.

“He did. You know that key is for emergencies?”

“I hadn’t heard from you! I was worried when you didn’t answer your phone or the door. Daddy would never forgive me if I had let you die on your bathroom floor.” Mack chuckles. She supposes Lucie has a point.

“Mmm, well, you’re lucky David was dressed. He usually sleeps naked.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because I sleep with him regularly.” Lucie squeals at the admission.

“Tell me everything! When did this start! What are you!? Are you just hooking up? Or is it serious?” Questions flow out of Lucie’s mouth excitedly to her sister. Mack sighs.

“He is my boyfriend.” The word sounds strange coming out of her mouth, very new too, but her grin is huge despite how shitty and tired she still feels. “And no it didn’t start out that way.”

“When?” Lucie demands. “I was still firmly under the impression that you hated each other?”

“Were you?” Mack wonders. “Or did you just stop paying attention?” Lucie contemplates.

“Wait, the pizza night?” She asks.

“Yeah, I mean.. I would consider that the beginning.”

“Mack! That was so long ago! Why didn’t you say anything to me?” Lucie sounds annoyed but also a little hurt that Mack hadn’t shared something this big with her for months.

“Because it wasn’t supposed to become what it was.” Mack picks at a pill on the blanket across her lap. “It was just supposed to be fun. I didn’t feel the need to tell you because I wasn’t planning on us becoming something.”

“Is it love now?” Mack widens her eyes, a choking sound coming from her throat.

“No. God.”

“Oh? I saw the way you were this morning. I’ve never seen you like that with someone before.”

“Okay? It doesn’t mean I am in love with him. We want to keep it light.”

“You know he is usually well gone from New York by this time of year? I’m assuming he stuck around for you.” Mack knows he did. “His farm is important to him. You are important to him too, clearly.” Another thing Mack knows. She swallows hard.

“Luc, I am really not feeling well. Can we talk later?” Mack burrows deeper into the couch, hiding her mouth behind her blanket as she prays her sister takes the excuse so she can get off the phone.

“Okay, hint taken. Just… be good to each other.” Mack can tell Lucie wants to say more, but she doesn’t allow her to.

“Will do.”

“Feel better. David seemed to have it handled, but let me know if you need anything.”

“Okay.” Mack says. “Thanks for the soup. It really helped.”

“Good! I’m glad. Bye.”

Mack clicks off the phone, tossing it onto the end table and burrowing deeper under her blanket. Surprisingly, she feels relieved that Lucie finally knows. It was getting weird and difficult to not tell her sister, but she also wouldn’t have been sure what to call them before this morning either.

“I’m back.” David calls as he walks into the apartment. Mack looks over at him, smiling limply. “You’re looking pale again.” He frowns. “I’ll get you some Pedialyte.”

“Thank you.” She murmurs.

David pours the blue raspberry flavor into a tumbler with ice and a straw so Mack can easily drink it. He sets it on the table by her head, then ghosts his hand over her hair.

“Need anything else?” He asks after a brief kiss on her forehead.

“You to sit down on the couch with me.”

“Okay.” He smiles. He goes to take off his jacket and grab himself his cup of coffee he got when he was out. Then, he lifts her feet, settling them into his lap and begins to massage them while watching Somebody Feed Phil re-runs.

As she watches the TV, her sister’s words replay in her head, “Just… be good to each other.”

She knows that is what David deserves. And what she does too.

Mack reaches for David’s hand on her hip, gripping his fingers in her hand. She rubs her thumb over the top of his hand, feeling the tendons and callouses there. She glances over at David who meets her gaze. One corner of his mouth lifts. Mack returns his smile with a small one of hers, then focuses back on Phil in Finland.

They stay this way until Mack falls asleep, then David lays down on the couch behind her to join her in his own, comfortable slumber.

#mackdavid au

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bamboobrat · 1 year

Text

succession s4 e3 recap: i just called to say are you a cunt? 1/2

ding dong the bitch is dead!

today we celebrate! extra long recap! (you'll find part two here and at the bottom)

it's finally time to fire gerri:(((

this has been in the cards since the hazmat suit remark, but still shakes me to the bones.

and sticking her with cruises? horrifying.

almost as horrifying as logan asking roman to kill her...

"you two, you know, you were close"

dickpickgate, the laughs were too high a price to pay.

on a more positive note, greg is also not having a good day.

is he out of the inner circle? was he ever in? did kerry really look up if a focus group existed and pull him apart like string cheese?

my guess is it's because he is annoying. on this, logan and i agree. visually aggravating, indeed.

(on a more serious note, yes, i've seen the posts about nick and all i can say is believe women)

big boss man's last words:

i wasn't paying attention. karolina was in the scene.

tom uses one line to summarize the episode we never got.

wanting to kill cyd and gerri on the same day can kill you, you know. it's called karma.

felt a strong impulse to skip the intro having seen the trailer, but i'm a good lil nick britell fangirl of course.

also, you know it's going to be a good episode when it's a mylod.

roman is very nervous about breaking up with his girlfriend firing gerri. "let's enjoy this sham marraige and the death of romance", he said...

i know i asked for more gerri. THIS NOT WHAT I MEANT!

roman is me, i am roman etc.

i'm also sad to report that i am, in fact, team hat.

they are sad and angry but not in a perverted way:(

so, so pretty<333 j. for supporting! sarah for lead, please!

it's the least they could do. seriously.

looks like having to kill gerri was the last drop for our romey.

calling your dad a cunt right before he dies? it's shakespearean.

connor associates victoria spunge with the loony bin. some of you might think the cake is not an essential part of this episode, but you are wrong.

shiv doesn't pick up the phone. first the cake, now this!!

this is what my mom tells me all the time: gotta pick up the phone, i could be dying.

and just like that... logan roy died. on the toilet. where all horrible fathers deserve to die. special shout out to tywin lannister!

the writers are absolute sickos for making me actually morn this guy by watching how his children absolutely fall to pieces:

roman repeating how everything will be okay. ken saying he can't forgive logan, but that he loves him. shiv immediately reverting back to her younger self and calling logan daddy...

anyone else have some trauma responses to share?

these asshole kids crying over their asshole father </3

they frantically go back and forth between accepting that he is dead and making action plans on how to save him. it's a beautiful and heartbreaking throwback to the first season, when they still believed their money and status could save them from experiencing death.

even billionaires are mortal. really makes u think 👀

frank calls kendall son and i think it finally sinks in. i'm a pool of tears ready to be wiped up off the floor.

shiv and ken go to let connor know.

they look so smol and lost and sad, i CAN'T. they really are kids.

connor is on some GOAT shit with this line:

well, his father may not ever have liked him, but at least he got the world's strangest hug from his homey romey.

being in denial too hard can cause hug disfunction.

it's not a nice thing to call someone dead.

truly a heartbreaking rant we get from kieran here. one emmy for our favorite slime puppy!

karl continues to be the voice of reason:

i feel connected to this man, spiritually and emotionally.

he should pour one for kerry as well.

our girl is simply not dealing. fingers crossed for a delicious breakdown to come.

tom agrees.

funniest shit i've ever seen.

this is why we like to keep karl around, for the drinking and the nicknames.

part 2

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twosroos · 2 years

Text

All Grown Up [Chapter Six]

roos says ! I promise u, we are getting closer to the fun parts. I also am not sorry for the person I become when there's mutual pining. also this gif is so fricken perfect I had to use it-- thank u op.

desc: It's getting harder and harder to keep yourself in check. And maybe alcohol makes it worse, or maybe it's the fact that Bob is just so sweet.

fluff, with a bit of angst in the middle

notable characters: robert "bob" floyd

TWs: alcohol/drinking, mentions of injury, allusions to fantasized death.

ao3 link ! last chapter ! next chapter

"You're not supposed to be home until noon," You spit out through a shaking breath and a shaky laugh. Bob gives you a half smile.

"Uh, I was gonna surprise you at work." He admits, still keeping his arms wrapped around you. You find that it takes everything in you not to gawk at him.

"Why?"

"It was gonna be a tremendous surprise?" He tries, and you snort, bringing a hand to your face to wipe it as you sink further into his touch. If you could, you would burrow into him to hide away from your embarrassment.

"Are we going to keep ending up like this, hugging and crying?" Bob asks after a moment, and you physically cannot stop the smile that breaks your stoic face.

"Seems so, my knight in shining..." You look at his outfit, "Blue jeans?"

Now it's Bob's turn to laugh, leaning forward to tuck his head by your shoulder, and you sniffle as a grin graces your features. Beside you, Shannon stands back up and puts her hands on her hips.

'Well," she starts, "I've gotta head back so I'll be on time for work today. You both stay safe, alright? Y/n, your boss said it's okay if you go home today."

"Oh, okay," You turn so you can see Shannon as she grabs her car keys, "Thanks for coming out, Shan."

"Of course. I'll see you in July, Y/n." Shannon grins as she starts towards the door, "see you later, Bob!"

"It was nice to meet you, Shannon!" He calls as she ducks out the door with a wave of her hand, leaving you and Bob sitting on the floor in your office. You both sit still for a while before you get a random idea.

"Wanna swim?"

Both of you end up in your pool, Bob lazing in the cool water as the sun beats down in South Carolina. Sunscreen creates a visibly oily sheen across the surface of the water that ripples in the sunlight. While Bob has already sunken into the pool, a sunscreen half washed off his skin while you're only just making it outside. You adjust your sunglasses as you waltz out with one of the newest bikinis you own on your body. It's modest, high-waisted with a thick bandeau top, but it hugs you in all the perfect spots. Though you mostly wear it because it's comfortable, and if you end up tanning, you hope it will fix the slight farmer tan you're noticing on your arms. A case of unopened beer cans that Bob had grabbed on the way to your home sits in the shadow of the pool umbrella, and you bend down to pick it up while Bob turns to look at you. You feel his gaze heavy on you, so you glance over your sunglasses to see his lips slightly gaped as his eyes stare at something below yours. With a snort, you crack open a beer and hand it to him while you grab another from the pack as you step onto the steps leading into your pool.

"You'll catch flies with your lips parted like that, Robby." You tease, sitting in the sun on the step next to him. He brings his beer to his lips, watching as you crack open yours and take a sip.

"I..." The words die in his throat, making you laugh as you give him a tilted head grin.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" He exclaims, eyes widening more, if it was possible, "I just... never really see you in much other than blue jeans and a shirt."

You laugh, "Did you forget I have a feminine figure, Rob?"

"I..." He contemplated what he was planning to say for a few seconds before speaking a bit softer, "I guess it's just been a long time since I've seen it."

"Am I getting you bothered?" You say before realizing you should probably censor yourself, considering your mom is in the kitchen making dinner. He scoffs instead, taking another long sip of his drink. You do the same. Once finished, you set your can down and slide until you're off the steps and into the water. The sun's warmed your pool to the perfect temperature, so you dip under the water when your face feels hot, hoping to cool it off. You assume it's from the sun, or maybe you're more of a lightweight than you remember.

When you come up for air, you drag your hands through your hair and float to the wall beside Bob in the shade. Coming to relax with your arms on the wall, you smile at him and lift one hand to absentmindedly run your hand along his scar.

"Are you trying to?" He questions and you blink up at him, watching as he adjusts his glasses so they don't slide off his nose from the inelegant position he cranes his neck down into.

"Not really." You concede, dropping your hand to rest on the concrete by your head again, "I'm just still so astonished little quiet Robby turned into a Naval Aviator who shoots guns and drops bombs and... I don't know. I guess I always knew you had a fire in you, but I never really saw it."

"It's a lot." Bob states, sinking into the water so he can rest his head back on the wall, "I almost dropped out of training five or six times from start to graduation. I'm glad I stuck it through though, I've gotten to meet and work with so many amazing, awe-inspiring people from it."

Your eyes drag to the scar on his shoulder again, then up to the one by his jaw, "Is it worth it? The scars and the terror?"

"Kind of, it always feels good to pull off a mission." He says and you hum, finishing off one can of beer easier than you intend to. The two of you sit in silence for a long time, the soft chirp of the chicks in the far-off coop and the muted sound of your mother's 80s music through one of the upstairs windows being your only company. The alcohol hits you slowly, enough to buzz your thoughts, and you think to yourself: what if there was a day, like in movies, where the officers in their stark uniforms showed up at your door? What if you had to host a funeral for your childhood best friend? Your eyes burn into his scar as you imagine him never coming home from that mission. And you realize it genuinely scares you; it strikes something in your heart that cries, so you find yourself sitting up with drunk discretions.

"Can you make me a stupid promise?"

"Depends on how stupid it is." He chides, and you roll your eyes as he sits up so you both can be face to face without having to be at any more awkward angles.

"Can you promise me you'll always come home? Robby, I just got you back, for real, and I don't know if I'm willing to lose you again." You whisper, "We've clicked back together like puzzle pieces, and I don't know what I'd do with myself if you... well, y'know."

Bob's quiet for a while, his eyes scanning you before his hands are lifted from the water to pull you close. You gratefully accept the hug, burying your face in his skin, soaking in the warmth that tells you he's living.

"I'll always come home to you." He says after giving you a silent moment to soak in the hug, "I always will."

"Please try not to break this one. Tell Phoenix too." You grumble and he laughs, letting one arm drop to grab his beer as your turn, curling against his side. You slot there so naturally just like you always had as a teen.

"I'm sure she'd agree with you." He tilts his head to the side and your noses bump, you blink and feel the heat from before returning to your cheeks as your face flushes bright red. You can see it on his skin too, and you swallow. His eyes flick from your lips to your eyes, then back down, and you find yourself leaning in a bit closer. You can feel his breath on your skin and you let a sly grin slip its way onto your face, watching his cheeks grow redder. You slide a hand up his arm to his shoulder, resting it there as his eyelids flutter at you and his teeth scrape his lip. There's some sort of unspoken conversation in your eyes, permission being asked, and you dip forward to connect. But it never happens.

"Y/n! Rob! Dinner!" Your mom calls from the window, and you both sharply pull apart. There's a beat where you maintain eye contact before he turns, and you stand to follow him out of the pool. Once you start to dry yourself off, you make your way over to the patio, where your mom has set up a nice spread of food to eat. When you look back at Bob, you see him wave as his Mom and Step-Dad walk over from where they'd parked their car, and you sigh, turning back towards your mother as she gives you an all-knowing smile. You pout at her and take your place on the couch, ready to stuff your face full.

You don't see Bob the next morning, considering Molly forced him to have a 'tea party sleepover' or something with her. After dinner. It's fine with you because you desperately need sleep and you know if you spend any more time around Bob without a chance to clear your mind you'll be doing other things than sleeping.

You end up spending less time teaching on Thursday than you mean to and when you get home, no one is around, so you take the free time you have before dinner to practice. Fuego is practically bursting out of her pen by the time you get there to let her out and bring her into the small section where you usually bathe and tack her. Immediately, find it hard to tack her up without her getting impatient or trying to run off to go run somewhere on her own, and even if you do find it funny, it's also super fricken annoying. You lead her to the section you'd made for practicing and mount. The second you get on her saddle, one you'd customized after realizing you wanted to barrel race for real, she's bucking around and flinging her head. It takes a bit of fighting to get her to relax, but if Fuego is anything, she's loyal.

"Alright, girl." You say to her, "You ready to run?"

She starts thrashing out of excitement, but she holds back, waiting for the crack of your reins and the whistle you'll let out. You go to start but hesitate when you hear random voices approaching, but it's not enough to make you stop.

"Fuego!" You shout and then whistle, and she takes off. You round the first barrel with ease, and she runs a little slow to the second, her turn around the third knocks the barrel but doesn't make it fall, and her straightaway run is as perfect as it usually is. Once you get her to calm, knowing her first run is always a bit messy, you bring her through again, this time making sure to feel the path as she runs it. You feel better about the run, and fish a treat out of your pocket as a reward for doing well, when you hear someone wolf whistle. Fuego snorts.

"Bob wasn't lying when he said you were a glass of water." The voice says and you turn your head, hand coming to the brim of your cowboy hat as you adjust it so it actually blocks all the sun from your eyes.

"Who the hell are you?" You ask, looking at the man who leans on the fence, he laughs waving a hand.

"No real flirts here, don't worry." He grins up at you, aviators reflecting the sun a bit as he tilts his head up, "Bradley. Rooster, he's probably called me."

"He has." You say, "You wanna keep bothering my practice, or will you shut up and watch quietly?"

"I'll shut up, Ma'am." He salutes you and you roll your eyes, bringing Fuego back around to where you start Fuego for her runs. You huff, bringing your head down to brush her mane as you take a breath and think of how to adjust your grips or calls for the next run. Fuego stomps and paces a bit, making you grin as you sit back up, pulling her reins to get her to walk to the side so you can restart.

"Fuck it up, Y/n!" You hear Jake call and you shake your head.

"Fuck off, Seresin." You say, but nevertheless, now with an audience, you start the path. And, to be fair, it's probably the best you've run it in a while. It's not perfect by a long shot, but you do pretty well. The team cheers you on, and you bow with extra drama, quickly dismounting from Fuego and bringing her back into the barn. You'll practice more later, but for now, you have quite a few pilots to meet after you untack her.

You don't know if you're nervous, or really weirdly excited to finally meet them all.

#robert bob floyd x y/n #robert bob floyd x you #robert bob floyd x reader #robert floyd #robert bob floyd #top gun #top gun fanfiction #top gun: maverick #top gun maverick #all grown up twosroos

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redjaybathood · 1 year

Text

this one is a short one, Jason, Talia, PG-13/R (joker dies here so the rating is mainly bc of that). if possible, I will continue it, if not, then not. If I do, I will do my best to make it a shipping fic. i will probably fail, but. anyway.

Jason kills Joker with a single shot to his head.

It rings in his head, along with his laugh; the last laugh. Killing joke. Haha, Jason mouths, downing the body in the flammable solution - dead, motionless, soundless, colorless in the darkness of the warehouse. There’s only Jason, his killer (his victim), and 50 gallons of that thing Joker was buying here to put in Gotham central water supply.

Outside, though, there are people Jason didn’t kill yet. He killed some, yeah, to have this moment. And also because who on Earth would sell Joker this kind of thing? Where did they get it? Who did they kill to get it - what it was even intended for, who was supposed to die - all those questions and Jason hears people who could answer them trying to get inside. The metal doors are singing with lead ricocheting off them.

He looks down at a silver lighter in his hand. Squeezes it. It’s hot now, in his hands. It will be hotter still when he sets Joker and everything around him on fire. And he is tempted to stay here, to open those doors, allow as many of the thugs outside as would be dumb enough to walk into his death trap. And set the world on fire.

Jason sighs and shoots grapple to the second floor. From there, it’s a short way to the window and outside. Before he’s out, though, he does drop the lighter.

The ensuing explosion shatters all windows not only in the warehouse but the cars nearby. The door is blown off, and the men who were there to bargain with Joker are mostly knocked out.

It’s easy to pick them off one by one. He gets a short version of the story in under five minutes. The long version is not for him - it’s California, he figures Manhunter can take over. He conveniently drops them off - worse for wear, but nothing ER wouldn’t fix. They will be overcharged and, if they didn’t make living selling very dangerous people very dangerous things, he might have felt bad for them.

Probably not, considering what this stuff was intended for.

Gotham.

Jason went to the motel he left his duffle bag. Checked the phone - a missed call. Only one person knew this phone number. He didn’t call Talia back right away. Just went into the bed, under covers, in the clothes, with shoes on (his mom would kill him! Talia, too, would wake him up immediately and make him change, and scrab his body down, and change sheets, before allowing him to rest at all. Bruce, though, used to just take the shoes off and tuck the covers around him. But what’s the point, if he’s not here now. What’s the point if there’s no point in thinking about Bruce at all).

He most certainly doesn’t allow himself to think about Bruce - Bruce doesn’t deserve - a phone is ringing - Talia - see, he made it, he didn’t need her help, and he didn’t need B r u c e

When he wakes up, Talia is in the room. Talia is in the bed. He switched from lying on his back to curling on his side so he could put his hand on her knees, half-hugging them to himself. His not fully opened eyes slide shut again.

Talia is in the room? He propels himself up, taking the offending hand away from her, and scatters backward on his hands. Something changes on her face, but he's not awake enough and panicking too much to figure it out. He hugged her. He's pretty sure, whatever illusions he has, Talia shares no such daydreams. And people probably were killed for less.

"I brought coffee," she says, pointing at the bedside table with her chin.

It's not laziness, now that he takes her in, he sees she's looking tired. No makeup, a regular braid. Casual sportswear. Blue circles.

"But you hate coffee," he says, just as he is going for it.

She never ordered it herself, any of the handful of their rendezvous. And commented once, when he bought it, in Bulgaria, that he ought to sleep more and drink more water, instead of using something that will just trick your brain you feel okay, while it dehydrates you and makes you addicted to itself.

"I do. But it's not for me, is it? We have a long road ahead, and I am not going to get behind the wheel after driving through all night."

Jason complies, leaving the questions to after he did jump-start his brain and washed his body. He probably still has Joker's blood and brain matter on hi... On second thought, shower first and coffee later. And, he tells to himself heading to the bathroom, questions much much later.

One of the downsides of being as tired as Jason (he really needs to, what was it, keep regular hours? Sounds fake but it is supposed to work), is that by the time a shower in lukewarm water cleared his head, he realizes that he didn't take clothes with him. He's not shy or anything, with Talia probably seeing him before - he wasn't washing himself before she bathed him in Lazarus' waters. But all he has is one towel. It seems like profanity.

Okay, he tells himself. Sighs and opens the door - but Talia is out cold, in the less than sterile bed of the roadside motel where Jason already spent a night. In his battled gear. Something he never thought she would do. Despite her understanding very well the realities of life, of Jason, it always seemed like filth never touched her.

He’s frozen for all of three seconds, no more, when Talia turns to the exit and with her back to Jason. Yes, it’s good she’s asleep - she looked like she really needed that, and he certainly could use the time to fix his mistake and get dressed finally, and did she say she drove all night? Here? To him? For him? Why?

After he takes clean clothes out and puts the dirty ones in - it’s okay, there’s nothing else in the bag, except for a spare gun and a magazine - he takes the coffee. There are no thoughts in his head, he feels kinda empty, kinda… just breathing with the same rhythm as Talia is calming him down. He wasn’t even aware of the tension before it let him go. He just breaths, and drinks, and looks at her, the dark hair on the pillow, the hand that looks so soft, white high-tops stretching from under the covers. Pale pink tracking suit. He would never believe she could wear something like this.

It suits her. She looks younger - and not that being older is bad; but she looks less like she has the weight of the world (or, at least, an International terrorist organization/cult) on her shoulders.

After a while, the coffee is gone, but Talia is still asleep. He thinks about taking her to the car in the princess carry, but he doesn’t know where to go anyway. He doesn’t know where Talia wanted to take him, and he has no idea where would he go if she was not here, anyway.

So he sits on the floor beside the bed and waits for her to wake up.

#jason todd #talia al ghul #my writing

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