#Glaring as well. What the hell kid! I thought we were playing

[tswwwit]

Does reincarnated Dipper ever go and work in medical? - as a doctor or nurse or pyschologist. I think that would be funny. I'm sure Bill would *looove* that.

He definitely could! Dipper does love helping people.

And it'd be delightfully frustrating for Dipper to try and navigate his chosen profession while hooking up with a guy who's into intestinal origami and mind-breaking. Bill might be knowledgeable, but he offers a lot of highly inadvisable advice.

[drak3n]

THE NEMESIS

ꨄ. SYNOPSIS: love and hate are so close to each other for a reason.

ꨄ. CONTENT WARNINGS: slow burn, angst, hurt/comfort, friends to strangers to lovers, neglectful parents, love triangles, high school drama, fights, swift mention of a bloody & bruised nose, reader was a misunderstood bully, makeup sex, breeding kink, unprotected sex

ꨄ. SENA'S NOTE: sorry for my inactivity y'all, a lot has been happening lately. anyways, this is over 5k words long so enjoy!

bold italic quotes = letter excerpts

PROLOGUE. | SERIES MASTERLIST.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ♡•°`.

“it’s embarrassing to admit this, really. after all this time we’ve been apart from each other.”

atsumu and you didn’t always hate each other.

truthfully, you had started off getting along really well, even better than you’d gotten along with osamu. it was something no one could explain, until it all fell apart.

your story went all the way back to your second year of middle school, where the miyas had to move due to the twins’ mother having found a job on the other side of the prefecture. that meant the twins had to transfer schools as well.

it wasn’t like either of the two had difficulties at adapting to their new environments, given that they were quite popular because of their athleticism and their looks. even at their new school, their talent for volleyball made them climb up the ladder of fame in no time.

this is where you came in. a mean, popular girl who had no qualms about making other kids feel worse about themselves. everyone was careful not to cross paths with you or get on your bad side, afraid of your wrath.

the twins had been warned about your presence that lingered like a devil on the school grounds. “she hates boys who are loud and eccentric,” a classmate had told the two, and the younger twin shot a pointed look at the older, which made him glare back at him.

“the hell are ya starin’ at me for, samu!?”

“nothin’.”

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ♡•°`.

“you were the first person to approach me, although you knew what others thought of me. we were kids back then, but i haven’t forgotten.”

it was both a blessing and a curse to be avoided by everyone. you had your peace and no one was there to mess with you, but at times, it was really boring.

lunch breaks had to be the worst. if you ate your lunch at the hall, everyone would avoid you like the pest. you’d have a table that ten students could use, for yourself.

it was cold outside today, but you still sat on the bench in the yard, ignoring your growling stomach. your mother hadn’t been packing you lunch in a while, and you couldn’t find anything to shove into your bag last minute in the morning.

counting the coins you found in the pockets of your thin coat, you determined with a frown that it was nowhere near enough to buy even a cereal bar.

you could just bully some of the juniors into giving you money or their lunch. before you could stand up and march towards an innocent group of schoolkids playing tag on the other side of the yard, someone sat next to you.

your eyes narrowed at the sight of one of the new kids. you had no idea which of the two it was, given that you couldn’t distinguish a difference between them, and frankly, you didn’t really care. neither of the two shared a class with you anyway.

“hi, i’m atsumu, the older and cool twin!” he introduced himself, running a chubby hand through his thick, brown hair parted on the right. come to think of it, their hair was parted on different sides.

“whad’ya have for lunch? wanna swap? you can have my vegetables and cheese sandwich.” your eyes wandered down to the open box in his lap, filled with delicious bread and vegetables that made your mouth water. you haven’t even had breakfast this morning.

“why are you talking to me?” big, brown eyes widened at you dismissing him, when other girls would die for his attention. “i’ve already eaten.”

the loud growling of your stomach made you clutch your upper body, cheeks flaring in shame as the brunette grinned.

“liar! ya can have mine, y’know. here ya go.”

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ♡•°`.

“you were so obnoxious and insufferable to most, but i didn’t see that. i couldn’t care less about what you were like, when you were so nice to me.”

it hadn’t taken you too long to finally notice other differences between the twins. because sometimes when standing in front of either of them, you couldn’t quite tell if the part was on the left or right.

osamu’s eyes were a dark gray, while atsumu’s were brown, like molten chocolate. atsumu would always sound excited, his voice distinguishable from miles away, while osamu was more reserved and preferred calmness.

except for when the two were together, of course. atsumu was quite against introducing you to him, complaining to you that people always ended up liking his brother more, much to his chagrin.

but you were so alone all the time, so he dragged you along to watch him practice one day.

“hey… is that that girl?”

your body language was tense, the discomfort written all over your face as you gazed holes into the floors of the gym, where teammates of the twins were whispering among each other.

“i don’t think they want me here.” you didn’t look sad when you said it, nor did you look upset, it seemed like you’d already accepted it. atsumu had known you for weeks, and osamu had just met you, but it was the first time the two stepped up to defend someone instead of bickering at each other like they did all the time.

“hey, ya pricks! are ya not ashamed to be pickin’ on a girl?”

it had resulted in a fight, with the other members of the volleyball team complaining loudly about how atsumu was such a loudmouth despite being new, telling him to shut up.

it was the wrong timing perhaps, because punches started being thrown, but as you intervened and kicked the boys who dared to lay a hand on either of the twins, a feeling of fuzzy warmth spread inside of you as you could only think of the boy who shared his lunches with you.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ♡•°`.

“sometimes, i wish i could go back to relive those days. what i wouldn’t do to have you share one of your lunchboxes with me or have you include me in your life one more time.”

middle school seemed to pass in a blur, and you three graduated together, already knowing you’d be attending the same high school.

neither of you had the best grades or the best reputation, but at the end of the day, you happily held the certificates in your hands, having the twins’ parents snap photos of you three. one of those photos that had been taken that day, with atsumu and you shyly standing next to each other, would soon be framed and placed on your nightstand.

your parents didn’t attend. the sight of all students being hugged, kissed and celebrated by their families, while you were on your own chipped away at your heart.

“hey!” atsumu’s loud voice pulled you out of your train of thoughts, and he pointed at his parents looking through osamu’s report while smiling. “what’re ya bein’ so gloomy for? my parents are waitin’!”

with furrowed brows, you stared at the brunette, not quite understanding what he meant by that. you were going to head home, why would mr. and mrs. miya be waiting for you?

“we’re goin’ to this great barbecue place at the mall!” atsumu had told you about it before, the miyas had a tradition of going there for birthdays or other celebrations. it almost made you envious, because you didn’t have that.

“is that so?” you smiled at him, “have fun, tsumu. i’ll see you after the holidays.”

before you could turn around and leave, the boy tugged at your sleeve, pulling you back and towards his parents. you were stunned.

“i saved up all year to pay for yer meal! made my parents reserve an extra seat for you!”

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ♡•°`.

“it all went to hell when my pride got in the way. when you started hanging out with that girl, and i felt threatened by her.”

it was in your second year of high school when things had started shifting between you two. you were more than used to the fans who went crazy for the two, which progressively started getting unbearable at some point.

flooded lockers with letters and chocolates they’d share with you, countless confessions you’d hear and see, and girls bombarding you with favors of getting them closer to either of the twins.

you could live with that. after all, they weren’t popular for no reason. they were handsome, very much so, and they were volleyball prodigies, scoring countless points for inarizaki at each game.

there was one girl who had gotten atsumu’s attention as much as he had gotten hers. they were in the same class, too. it was osamu who told you they had started hanging out when you were surprised about them going to get lunch together, with him nudging her side and making her chuckle.

you had woken up half an hour earlier just to prepare a lunchbox you could share with the blonde. but at the end of the day, you sullenly sat at the same table with osamu and the rest of the team, staring at the untouched food. the atmosphere was awkward, and the boys exchanged glances, clueless as to if they should speak up and ask you what’s wrong.

“that looks really good.” of course suna was the first to talk, narrow eyes peering over at your lunch. “why aren’t ya eatin’ it?”

aran shook his head at the middle blocker’s directness, and osamu frowned when you shoved the pink box towards suna, no more having an appetite after watching atsumu and that girl sitting together. “you can have it.”

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ♡•°`.

“jealousy is truly an ugly thing. so is love. it makes you do questionable things. but all i wanted was to protect you from heartbreak, even if it was at the expense of my own heart.”

the more time atsumu spent with her, the more worried you got. especially since there was some sort of sixth sense telling you that she was bad news.

you hated her for taking atsumu away from you, yes. but if she had been good for him, you would’ve accepted it, no matter how difficult. it was just that you knew she was no good.

“‘samu, i heard her talking to her girl friends in the dressing rooms after P.E.” you had bolted to osamu’s desk before the class would start, hair disheveled from the former class, and you were out of breath.

the younger miya quirked a thick brow at your words, “emma, you mean?” you nodded frantically, “she’s just using him for popularity. said she wants to dump him when he gets famous after high school, and she does too.”

osamu wasn’t really interested in entertaining any drama, especially when it came to his annoying brother. he could see how concerned you were for him though, and he couldn’t blame you for it. atsumu was very important to you, after all.

“are ya sure?” it wasn’t like he didn’t believe you. he just thought it might be a stretch. how was emma going to lead atsumu on for over a year, and how could she be so sure that he was going to be famous after high school?

“maybe she was just kiddin’. are ya sure you’re not just jealous?”

you were biting your lip, looking truly troubled. you did not want to ruin things, but you had to help atsumu get away from that bitch. you could not allow her to ruin him.

“‘samu, i—”

“atsumu is 17. neither of us should have t’tell him what to do. he has to learn himself.”

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ♡•°`.

“i had never planned on taking osamu’s advice from the second i heard it. in my mind, the only reasonable thing was to make her stay away from you.”

it was exactly a week later after gym class that you cornered the same girl against the lockers. no one else was around, and with a hand against her mouth, you made sure she didn’t call for any help.

“what are you—” a surprised squeal left her lips when you slammed her back against the locker one more time, to make her shut up. with wide eyes, she looked into yours that were void of any emotion.

she knew who you were. the twin’s childhood friend, atsumu’s close friend. too close for the brunette’s liking.

“listen,” you warned her, glowering at her like she was your worst enemy, “i know what you’re plannin’. i will tell you this this just this once: stay away from him.”

you thought it would have been enough to seperate those two, to keep atsumu safe. to have him back.

of course it wouldn’t be. you couldn’t have known. it wasn’t until the very next day that it all backfired. when you entered the school grounds in the morning, school bag thrown over your shoulder and lunch prepared in hopes of getting to spend time with atsumu today after a long time, you soon noticed that something was off.

everyone was staring at you, whispering and gossiping. it was an all-too familiar sight to you, it was nothing new. ignoring it all, you proceeded to your locker that was next to atsumu’s. just to be greeted by emma leaning against yours, arms crossed in front of her chest as she wore a hoodie you’d recognize anywhere. it belonged to atsumu.

“move,” you gritted your teeth as you forced your eyes away from the hoodie, ready to shove her aside. “or what?” she feigned a pout, kicking against the locker to get everyone’s attention on you two, her voice loud enough for everyone to hear. “gonna threaten and hurt me again to get what ya want? because you can’t handle that he never wanted you?”

everything around you got quiet, students looking at each other in disbelief, and your hands clenched into tight fists. still, you kept quiet, knowing it would be bad if you caved in first.

“oh wait, could it be?” she suddenly clapped her hands together, chuckling while you deadpanned at her, seemingly unaffected by her attitude, when in reality, you were boiling from the inside out. “did you really think he’d choose you over me? he would never stoop so low! in fact, he actually told me you were not—”

everything happened fast after that. she was on the floor before she could blink, screaming as your enraged self was on top of her, seeing red. it was when you were at the principal’s office with cotton up your bleeding and bruised nose, and the scratches on your cheeks from when emma’s friends had dragged you off of her, that you finally realized what you’d done.

it only filled you with regret when atsumu came to cradle a crying, hurt emma in his arms, yelling at you to never, ever look at either of the two again.

maybe you should have listened to osamu, after all.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ♡•°`.

“school after that was hell for me, understandably. i couldn’t blame anyone for not talking to me anymore, most of all, you. i didn’t have the right to be hurt by you taking emma to that barbecue place with your parents after high school graduation… but i cried a lot that day.”

osamu had tried to get atsumu to talk to you again. to not be so mad at you. but the blonde was blind to the eyes and deaf to whatever his brother would tell him, so he eventually gave up on that, too.

you were too prideful and hurt to approach atsumu either, pretending that you hated him for having done this to you. he was the cause that you were a loser again. that you lost the only people you had in your life.

couldn’t he just have treasured you more?

it was on the day of your high school graduation that you asked the younger twin to talk for just a minute. gray-haired boy looked down at you, round eyes blinking multiple times as you offered him a small smile.

“i just wanted to let you know that i’m moving to tokyo for college.” he just stared at you, knowing very damn well you weren’t in the mood to smile like you were doing right now. “i heard you’re opening a shop soon. maybe our paths will cross again one day.”

when osamu didn’t say anything, you took it as a hue to leave, again having neither of your parents to share your success of having graduated with you. you rummaged in your bag before you could leave though, holding a letter in your hand that your fingers were itching to hand to him. “can you just give this to—”

actually, no. it didn’t matter.

with glassy eyes, you dropped the envelope back into your bag, zipping it shut. “forget it. take care, ‘samu.”

you cried on your entire way home, until you went to sleep that night.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ♡•°`.

“i regret not having given osamu that letter to this day, even years later. i’ve just recently added these paragraphs, because i’ve made up my mind to make this letter reach you anyway.”

the volleyball match playing on the tv served as background noise while you went through the cleaned kitchen at the hotel restaurant you’d worked at. everyone else had left already, and all that was done was to check the inventory and make sure everything was where it should be.

while checking off certain tasks you had to make sure were done, you halfway listened to the interviews after the match was over. it hadn’t even dawned on you that it was his team that had played today.

“is there anything you want to tell your fans after the great victory today, miya-san?”

your entire body froze, pen dropping on the list as your tired eyes wandered to the television. he looked breathtaking as ever, even when he was covered in sweat.

“i wanna say somethin’ to a certain someone, actually.” his grin made your heart stop, baring his pearly whites as his voice was slightly hoarse from all the yelling on the court. “i’m sure she’s watchin’ this right now.”

the reporter looked at atsumu with a curious, bright smile as she waited for him to continue, microphone right below his panting mouth. “who’s the lucky woman?” she questioned, which made him beam at the cameras.

you didn’t feel addressed, too certain that he had another lover he wanted to say something to. about to turn the tv off and announce your work as done for the night, you were stopped when he opened his mouth again.

“my nemesis, you could say,” he took a deep breath after answering the shorter woman’s question, “i got your letter. you know where i’ll be!”

this couldn’t be a coincidence. you had missed today’s airing of TO ALL THE MEN YOU’VE LOVED BEFORE, and they had confirmed that atsumu had gotten the letter. it had to be you, there was no way he meant someone else.

after a quick research, you found out that the match was indeed aired live and had taken place in hyogo, where both of you had grown up in. where you had moved back to after college, because tokyo wasn’t your home, hyogo was.

you knew exactly which place atsumu hinted at, and like a flash, you passed by the hotel lobby to speed towards the location.

it hadn’t even taken you ten minutes to arrive at the school gates of inarizaki high school. it had been a stupid pinky promises between you two while you were still on talking term; to meet where things ended, shall they ever end.

standing at that spot made your gut churn with negative and positive feelings. things had ended indeed, heartbreakingly so. but perhaps this was a chance to make up again. to start from zero.

you waited for at least an hour, you were sure. time didn’t seem to pass like this, and the more you grew aware that it didn’t, the more agitated you became.

what if he didn’t show up?

what if he showed up, just to tell you to go fuck yourself?

“what am i even doing?” you laughed breathlessly, fiddling with the car keys in your pocket. you should just leave. this was absolutely stupid and delusional of you, to actually hope you were going to make up.

“hey.”

stopping in your tracks, you grew aware of the person dressed in black, standing in front of you. they were wearing a mask and had a hood over their head, and they could’ve just been a criminal about to rob you of your money, but you’d recognize those eyes and that voice from anywhere.

this time, you didn’t wait. you didn’t let your pride hold you back as you ran into his arms, dwarfed up by his massive body that had just gotten even bigger over the years. his arms caged you in his form, swallowing all your sobs and cries in his fluffy, black hoodie as he stood still, rubbing the back of your head in soothing circles.

he was there. atsumu actually came. he came to see you. he didn’t hate you anymore.

“i’m so sorry,” you cried for the fiftieth time in five minutes, barely able to pull away as snot and tears ran down your exhausted face. his heart broke at the sight, his own eyes blurring with a wave of tears. “i’m sorry for everything, ‘tsumu. please, please forgive—”

with gentle, warm hands placed on your damp cheeks, tracing over the scars that had been left on you from that fight, he shushed you. “it’s okay.” you hated the mask for muffling his beautiful voice, and you felt your heart crack when a tear slid down his eye, disappearing under the mask. “i’m the one who should be sorry. i was the worst to you. you didn’t deserve any of it.”

he started sniffling, and your mind went blank, eyes wide as you grabbed onto his hands, shaking him softly. “no, no,” you begged him, “i don’t want you to cry. please don’t cry. i made a mistake, i messed it up, not you!”

the setter found himself melting at your touches, letting you pull off his hood and pull down his mask to reveal his face under the night sky. his lips wobbled, nose and cheeks reddening as tears fell from his big, brown hues.

“i deserved your hatred, ‘tsumu.” your hands were cold on his skin as you wiped his tears the second you saw them. he shook his head, “don’t say that. how could i ever hate you?”

with your fingers interlaced, both of you still in a daze, squeezing each other’s hand so tightly to realize that this was real, you took him to your place. because neither of you wanted to let go.

atsumu could cry when he saw the picture of you two from your middle school graduation in one of your cupboards on the wall next to the tv in your living room. what did make him break down was seeing that one hairpin he’d gifted you on your 13th birthday right in front of the framed picture.

“‘samu never stopped talking about you and how sad you looked at our high school graduation.” his reddened eyes didn’t leave the picture even when you stood next to him, almost as if he was too ashamed to look at you. “i’m really sorry. i truly am.”

you smiled up at him nostalgically, like you’d always do back then. he caught it from his peripheral, and it made his heart skip a beat. “we were teenagers, ‘tsumu,” you assured him while your hand traced over his broad shoulders. “things happen. i think i had to lose you to grow up and realize things.”

his body finally turned to you to face you. his hair was a softer, lighter blonde now, nearly white. it looked fluffier, too. his cheekbones were more sculpted, and you could feel the slightest stubble on his chin.

no matter how many years would pass, you’d always be in love with each and every version of atsumu.

“realize what?” his features were soft, thick eyebrows raising in question while you looked away bashfully. you’d written it in the letter. he just wanted you to say it out loud, because he was dying to hear you say it.

“atsumu, i…” you started, playing with the collar of his hoodie. he stopped breathing. “i’ve been in love with you since forever. since the very first time you shared your lunch with me.”

the cat was out of the bag. you exhaled a shaky breath, and before you could muster up the courage to look back at the now professional athlete, he beat you to it. atsumu was always bold. he took what he wanted, with no shame. he made you realize this once again when he planted his lips on you immediately after tilting your face up.

one short kiss was enough for you to ask more. now that you had him in your arms again, you wanted all of him. you had waited so long for the impossible to happen. and now that you finally had it…

“‘tsumu. kiss me again, please.”

so he did. again and again. to show you how sorry he was, to show you that he hadn’t meant any of the crap he had pulled on you years ago. he was a dumb prick, and he won’t ever forgive himself for what he’d done. he had missed out on so much with you, and he saw that one more time when you were seated on his lap in the dim living room, hovering above him needily.

you were all he ever needed. it felt like now he had you back again, a gap had been filled inside of him. one that nothing and no one was able to fill. no one could ever replace you, no emma, no girl, no one.

every kiss and touch was followed by him muttering apologies into your skin, worshipping your skin like it was holy. handling you with utmost care like you were made out of porcelain. he watched you fall apart from him just fondling you through your clothes.

“p—please, i need—” you sucked in a breath when you felt his bulge pressing through his sweatpants, prodding at your slacks. “need you, please. want to be yours.”

atsumu hummed into your neck as his strong hands carefully took off your blouse, revealing your bra-clad chest. “y’look so sexy in these clothes,” he mumbled, admiring the sight of you shakily unbuttoning your pants. “wanna see you in them every day when you go to work and when you come home.”

you whined at his lowly spoken words, letting him help you take off your pants. your clammy hands tugged at his hoodie and sweatpants that were soon gone as well, pooling at the floor.

atsumu’s body looked absolutely gorgeous. the second it was revealed to you, you traced your fingers over every ridge and cranny of his arms and upper body, sucking marks on and kissing his supple, firm skin that was still so soft.

“baby,” atsumu huffed, feeling his cock twitching at every single movement of yours. you were driving him crazy. “lemme do the rest, kay? i want tonight t’be all about you.”

nodding softly, you waited with bated breath as atsumu unclasped your bra and let it thud to the floor, joining the rest of your clothes. the way he licked his lips and groaned made you soak through your panties. moans and whimpers freely spilled from your glossy mouth once he latched his soft lips onto one of the mounds, while his hand paid attention to the other, twirling your hardened nipple between warm fingers.

“perfect tits,” he panted into your chest, looking up to meet your gaze as he licked his wet lips. “yer perfect, darlin’. everything about you is.” stammering pleas for atsumu to continue while you ran your fingers through his soft strands, you shuddered upon his unoccupied hand wandering down your stomach, until it settled at the hem of your lace panties.

“want me to go on, baby?”

his eyes were blown wide in lust and desire, fingers digging into your skin enough to leave marks. you bit your lip, whimpering through your teeth as you nodded. “yes, please, atsumu...”

atsumu knew you were wet from how you’d soaked the front of his light gray boxers, but actually feeling how aroused you were made him utter curses. it was so much, and you produced even more slick with just a single touch. how fucking adorable.

“so, so wet,” he groaned as one of his fingers slipped inside your clenching hole so easily, “fuck, so tight n’ warm. yer gonna make me cum, princess. fuck…”

he couldn’t wait to feel you around his cock. couldn’t wait to be engulfed by your warmth, to feel all of you. with big, wide eyes, he watched as you came undone on his fingers in just a minute, clutching his bare, sculpted shoulders while you creamed on his long digits. it was the prettiest thing he’d ever seen, and he wanted more.

“‘tsumu—” your thighs were shaking, and you kissed his jaw sloppily. “wan’ me to suck you off?” you couldn’t be serious. atsumu was literally seconds from creaming in his boxers, and you offered a blowjob to him so sweetly? he had to physically keep you in place to stop your hips from moving.

“no, i wanna feel your pretty pussy ‘round my dick,” he panted, and you obediently reached your deft fingers to pull at the waistband of his boxers. despite both of you being very desperate and impatient, you still took the time to take off each other’s underwear.

it was the need to be connected without anything disrupting you, rather than to ravage each other. although you were aware that if atsumu wasn’t going to dick you down in this very moment, you were going to explode.

you saw a glimpse of atsumu’s girthy and gorgeous cock before it started disappearing inside of your awaiting cunt. his hands gripped your hips tightly, keeping you still, while you mewled and sighed into his neck.

“how d’ya feel, angel?” atsumu’s voice was serene, calm, as he enjoyed the warmth he was buried inside of to the hilt. he was never going to let you go again, ever. “f—feels… so full,” you whined, raising your head from his shoulder to look into his eyes. “y’re so big, ‘tsumu. so warm. love it.”

leaning back against the back of the couch, the blonde started a sensual and slow pace, and you felt so overwhelmed that you didn’t know any better than to kiss him. moving your hips back and forth with his hands guiding you, you swallowed each other’s moans of passion and love, tongues clashing and lips molding together and becoming one.

atsumu and you were made for each other. you were made to be with him. you were each other’s destiny.

“i love you,” you started crying when the sensation started building inside of your gut, threatening to snap. “love you s’much, ‘tsumu. i love you so much.” atsumu kissed your tears away, listening to you babbling confessions and apologies as you kept clenching around him as if you wanted him inside of you forever.

“i love you too,” he grunted, punctuating his words with harder and faster snaps of his hips against your heat. the sounds of squelches and moans echoed across your apartment that had been empty and devoid of life and love for years. “will never let you go again. i’m so sorry.”

atsumu knew he was nearing his release, and his eyes frantically looked for yours, sweat clinging to his forehead and body as his hair stuck to his face. you were cross-eyed, digging your nails into his shoulders as if you wanted him even closer.

“need t’cum inside of you, angel,” atsumu hissed the more you tightened around him, nearly trapping him inside of you. “can i fill you up? please, please…”

nodding mindlessly, you wrapped your arms around atsumu’s neck, working you both towards a release. you were the first to cave in, hips stilling as you let out a high-pitched moan while waves of white came crashing down.

with a slack jaw and eyes rolled back into his skull, atsumu started releasing spurts of his warm seed into your womb, cock twitching until his balls were empty while you relished in his warmth he had shared with you.

neither of you moved, not even minutes later, feeling like you have melted into one body. the silence in the apartment finally felt peaceful instead of haunting, the second pair of eyes in it filling you with a sense of home.

atsumu’s fingers combed through your damp hair while you laid your head on his built chest, listening to his calming heartbeat. it was a matter of time till this tranquil moment was going to vanish.

“i must say, thinking about you having fought for me is really hot—” you cut him off by pinching the tender skin on his chest, which made him yelp. “ow!”

“i hate you, atsumu.”

you knew damn well you didn’t.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ♡•°`.

[night-daily]

Third time's a charm | Peter Maximoff x fem! reader

summary: Two times where Peter tries to kiss you and one time when it finally happens.

warnings: not proof read, im sorry:(

a/n: i think i need a peter in my life

The first time, you and Peter were in the living room of Xavier's school, watching a movie. It was your regular movie night, you would sit together on the couch and eat popcorn and candy's that Peter stole it grabbed for you, “I…I wasn’t sure if you’d like this, so I just took all the flavours they had there” that was he said to you when it was your first movie night, he was pretty nervous because you asked him, of all the people in the mansion, you wanted to spend your free time with him. So that night he arrived with two bags full of candy's and since then it became a tradition.

The movie was playing on the tv in front of you but your focus wasn't in the movie, was on the guy sitting next to you. It wasn't a secret for anyone in the mansion that you were in love with Peter, except for him, of course. Sometimes it was hard for your friends to watch how hard you tried to flirt with him but he was so oblivious to your moves.

At night the mansion was cooler and you're already regretting you didn't bring your sweater with you cause now you're shaking like a chihuahua and you're pretty sure Peter had noticed.

Suddenly you felt a rush of air around you, did someone leave a window open?

But when you're about to stand up and check the windows, you've a blanket on you and Peter is looking at you with a frown on his face. “Next time tell me when you're cold 'cause I'm not the professor to read your mind” You feel your cheeks hot, embarrassed, “I just don't want you to get sick...” He mumbles, avoiding your eyes and missing the way your heart is beating faster at his words.

And feeling bold, you put your legs on top of his, this was very normal between you so he didn't flinch, but he did it when he felt your head on his shoulder, it felt... intimate. Your hair was brushing his neck and he wanted so bad to run his fingers through it.

But he was a little uncomfortable in this position, his arms were glued to his body, feeling the half of your body on one of his arms, it wasn't heavy but it wasn't comfortable either. So the only solution he came with, was to put his arm around you, resting it on your waist, sending chills on your spine.

Now it was comfortable, it was perfect. The way your bodies fitted so well made him think, why the hell we didn't this before?

“Peter” The way his name comes out of your mouth, it makes him go crazy, it's a feeling he'll never get tired of. Only if you knew you've him wrapped around your finger, you'll be together by now.

“Hmm?” He can't find his voice due your presence. You lifted your head a little to match his eyes. You're very close, so close that if he leans down his head like he's doing right now and if you stretch your neck like your doing now your lips would finally connect, he's getting closer and you can't wait any longer, you can feel it in the air, he want's this too, he wants you and—

“What are we watching?” Scott fucking Summers jumps from behind the couch sitting between you and Peter.

You sighs defeated, this was your karma for laughing at the kid who tripped in the fountain at the mall earlier?

“We're gonna watch the tape of your death” Scott frowned confused, “I've never heard of that movie before” The bowl of popcorn was stole it from your hands and he was ignoring Peter's angry glare.

“You're about to presence it” Scott dropped the bowl and ran off the stairs, running away from Peter who was chasing him without using his powers, the two of them running like childs, so yeah, this was your karma after all.

The second time

You're in Peter's room waiting for him, reading one of the comics he had lent you when you heard the door opens, finally, you thought.

“Hey you waited too much for me?” And there he was, his sweet smile that always seemed reserved just for you. Sweating was covering his face and a few scratches here and there. He was in a short mission and by the look in his face it wasn't that easy but nothing he couldn't handle. Peter had told you before “if i don't get some bruises, i'm a real hero?” of course you prefer it when he didn't hurted himself but you've had already that discussion with him about what makes you a hero and what doesn't but neither of you backed down so it was a tie, for now.

“I would wait for you all my life” It was cheesy but it was also true.

Making him blush wasn't easy but when it happens oh, you enjoyed the view. Before you can make fun of him, he speaks, “I'm gonna take a quick shower and then we can go to play games so get ready 'cause i'm gonna kick your ass” He stepped into the bathroom while you're standing outside so he can hear you.

You chuckled “Just like the last time when we played Ms pac-man and i broke your record? That's how you kick asses? No wonder why you suck at self defense”

“HEY” Even if you didn't seen him you're sure he was smiling just like you.

You waited a few minutes and he's done. He walks out of the bathroom with his new clothes on, the towel around his neck and a very wet hair.

“Why you never dry your hair?” And before he had the chance to respond, you took the towel around his neck, your arms stretching to his hair since he was a few centimeters taller than you.

Your moves were gently, soft and relaxing, no one has take care of him like you do. All of you were close to him, your body, your face, your lips.

“Stop moving Peter” If it wasn't for your warning, he wouldn't notice he has leaned into your arms thanks to the comfort you offer him, that's the effect you have on him and you don't seem to realize it.

He was staring at you, intensely, like memorizing every part of your face and you could feel it, his gaze was like fire and you could feel the burn on your cheeks. “So uhmm... can i wear one of your jackets? I could wear one of mines but yours are cozier” His eyes widened. His thoughts immediately picturing you with his jacket, and his heart jumps excitedly, a shy smile crossing his face.

But imagining you with his clothes, how they would look bigger in you, how his clothes would smell like you and how everybody would know you are his, fuck, fuck, fuck, why his pants suddenly feel tighter?

“Pete? Are you okay?” Your voice brings him back, realizing you're still holding the towel around his head, fuck fuck fuck, you're gonna find out about... his situation.

Thinking fast he took the towel from your hands and throw it at your face, not giving you a chance to ask him what's going on, he ran out of the mansion like his life depends on it.

“Isn't enough that she owns my heart but now she owns my.. head too?”

And when it finally happens

The next day after Peter throw you the towel, which wasn't very nice of him but it wasn't new coming from him, you had the strange feeling he was ignoring you.

Every time you walked at the same room as him, he would say some lame excuse and would be off before you can even blink. Also, he wasn't answering your calls or texts.

So you made your mission to trap Peter and asked him why the hell he was ignoring you.

“Oh no Scott, you ruined Peter's comic” Faking Jean voice wasn't so hard. Peter didn't come to the kitchen as you expected, so you tried one more time, “Oh my god, it was a limited edition—”

“You better run for your—” As soon as you heard his voice, you closed the door, using your body as a wall so he would need to face you to walk off.

“Gotcha”

Both of you knew he could easily ran and you wouldn't notice, but you got the feeling he wouldn't do it, again.

Peter's face was pale and surprised for falling so easily at your trap.

“Care to explain why you've been ignoring me?” He stayed silent and still, thinking in a way to get out.

“Did i say or did something to bother you?” Peter wasn't listening you, you sighed, “If you don't want me in your life anymore, at least have to guts to say it to my face” Your voice cracked, even when you tried to act though.

At the mention of you not being in his life, he finally looked at you, your fragile figure breaking his heart, he couldn't bare the thought of a life without you, what if you don't feel the same?

but what if she does?

“Goodbye, Peter” His head snapped. It was or never.

“I like you! That's why I've been acting weird, cause i don't wanna lose you” Your eyes widened, what did he say? “I know you might not feel the same but i can't hide it anymore” Shit, did he say he likes you? “B-But I understand if you don't want be friends after this and—”

Now you surprised him with how quickly you were standing in front of him. Grabbing him by his jacket, you pulled him close to you. “I can't believe you don't know i like your stupid, oblivious ass” You tiptoe to finally feel his lips against yours, “Are we about to kiss right now?” You groaned but a smile made his way on your face, “You're not serious” And before he can say something to ruin the moment, you cut him off with a kiss. A kiss full of sincere love, full of hope for a future where you are together and hopefully, he can feel how much you like him.

Unfortunately, none of you have some kind of breath power, so you have to break the kiss.

“So does this mean you feel the same or...?” “Oh my god”

[gallavichsreddie1128]

The Getter (Soldier Boy)

Description: When Soldier Boy first saw Y/N he wanted her but she was hooking up with someone else in the group.

Warning: Smut, Thigh Riding

Word Count:2,011k

He smirked as she walked in the room. He hadn’t seen her before but wanted to see more of her. She was beautiful. She hadn’t even seen him yet as she was too busy talking to Hughie about what just happened. He ate his burger and watched them talk. She was in a nice fitting pair of jeans and a leather jacket. Her hair was straight and she had on eyeliner and red lipstick. She was a catch. She looked to be about 25 or so but that didn’t matter to him. “And this is soldier boy.” Hughie introduced him to her, breaking him out of his thoughts. “Hey sweetheart.” He said with a smirk. She rolled her eyes and his smirk dropped. “Yeah, nice try but she’s not easy like that.” Hughie said to him. He grumbled “yeah right.” Soldier Boy knew he was hot and there hadn't been many women that haven’t fallen to their knees for him. He was just gonna have to break her. 

“So you work for these dorks?” He asked her. She looked at him. “Well my brother is one of the dorks.” She said. Hughie? That’s her brother? It couldn’t be Billy because she was flirting with him earlier and MM? MM had a brother but not a sister. Frenchie also only had a brother, so that leaves Hughie. “Hughie is your brother?” He asked. She nodded. He looked at her and basically checked her out. Her eyes glared at him. “Do you think Hughie would mind if I fucked his sister?” He smirked. She rolled her eyes and scoffed in disgust. “His sister would care.” She said and walked away. Soldier Boy smirked. She would be his sooner or later. 

He watched as she flirted with Billy. Billy was smiling at her as she gave him the fuck me eyes. He glared at the two as they were basically fucking in front of him. What did Billy have that he didn’t? Her hand was rubbing his bicep as they were talking about god knows what. He couldn’t focus on the words, only the touching and obvious flirting they were doing. “Would you two get a room already?” He asked, annoyed. They look at him as their smiles fall. “Maybe we will.” She said and grabbed Billy’s hand leading him in the direction of his room. “Fucking hell.” He grumbled. 

“So your sister and Billy…” He trailed off. Hughie looked at him confused. “What about them?” He asked. Ben looked at him. “So how long have they been fucking?” Hughie shot up from his seat and looked at Ben in horror. “What?” He realized that Hughie didn’t know that they were fucking. He smirked just thinking of what was going to happen and oh boy he wasn’t going to miss this. 

“So you guys have been fucking behind my back?” Hughie yelled. Soldier Boy smirked. Billy and Y/N looked down. “How’d you find out?” Billy asked. “It doesn’t matter how I found out. Point is you guys kept it from me.” Hughie was mad, sad even. His best friend? And his sister. “Hughie I’m not a kid. I’m an adult. I can have sex with whoever I want.” Y/N Stood up. “I’m not saying that but you guys are doing this behind my back.” Hughie said. Y/N couldn’t figure out how he knew. They’ve been very secretive about it and kept it well hidden. I mean for the past 6 months they’ve kept it under wraps so how did he figure it out? MM and Frenchie didn’t know about it either given the looks on their faces. The only one with a not so shocked look was Soldier Boy. “It was you.” Y/n said pointing at him. He smirked at her but acted dumb. “What are you talking about?” He asked. She rolled her eyes. “Don’t play coy. You told Hughie about me and Billy.” She accused him. “Don’t know what you’re talking about sweetheart.” He said. “All because I wouldn’t have sex with you.” She said. Everyone perked up to what she said. “You told my brother about Billy and I because I turned you down. You can’t handle rejection. Well guess what Ben? Even if you were the last man on earth you still couldn’t get this.” She said. He just stared at her without saying anything. Everyone was shocked but she was angry. Not one person said anything. She huffed and left the room leaving everyone to their thoughts. 

He realized that he may have fucked up after she said all that. He honestly thought that she would eventually give into him but all she ever did was ignore him now. Anytime he walked in a room she walked out not wanting anything to do with him. It actually got to him. It got to him so bad that he ended up knocking on her door. “Who is it?” She asked. “It’s me.” He said. She stayed silent on the other end of the door waiting for him to go away. He knew she wouldn’t respond. “I know I'm the last person you wanna see or speak to but I just need you to listen.” He sighed. “I was jealous, okay? Of you and Billy. I know that’s not an excuse for telling him but that’s why I did. I also wasn’t aware that he didn’t know until after I had told him. It was my mistake and I’m sorry. Look I don’t handle rejection well you’re right about that. I honestly thought that eventually you would fall to your knees for me but I was wrong and I see that now so I’m sorry.” He said and leaned against her door. She sighed and opened the door. They faced each other and stared. “You need to learn that not every woman will want you no matter how good looking you are.” She said. “Wait, you think I'm good looking?” He asked with a smirk. “That’s really what you got from that?” She huffed and went to close the door. “Wait. I’m sorry I get what you’re saying.” She opens the door again. “But to answer your question, yes I do.” She said. He tried so hard not to smirk. “Well I think you’re beautiful.” He tells her.

She smiles and shakes her head. “I get it though. Why you did what you did. I know I’m irresistible.” She jokes. He laughs and nods. “Yeah you are.” He said. She looks around and motions for him to come inside. He walks in and she closes the door. Once she shut the door she pulled her shirt off. His eyes widen at the sight of her bare breasts on display. She threw the shirt at him and he caught it. He chuckled and threw it to the ground. “What are you doing?” He asked her. She pulled down her shorts revealing no underwear as well. “You and I are gonna have some fun.” His jaw dropped. “Isn’t that what you wanted?” She asked and went and laid on her bed. It took him a minute to process what was happening but he quickly stripped and joined her in bed. She laughed as he landed right next to her. He quickly turned to the side and kissed her. She kissed back cupping his jaw. He pulled her on top of him and she deepened the kiss. His hands running all over body. She started grinding down on him. His hands gripped her hips as she humped his thigh. He pulled away from the kiss to kiss her neck.

She moaned as he nibbled a bit and left a mark. Her hips continued to drag on his thigh. He watched as she rode him and looked at her face. She looked like a dog in heat, rutting against his leg. He couldn’t help but smirk. “Look at you humping my leg like a bitch in heat.” She moaned at his words. Her hips moved faster and faster and her moans got louder. “Fuck Soldier Boy.” She moaned softly. “Call me Ben sweetheart.” He told her and she nodded moaning his real name. His hands placed on her hips helped her thrust. “Holy fuck your thigh feels so good. I-I can o-only imagine what your d-dick feels like.” She manages out. He felt pride in the fact that this beautiful woman was about to cum on his thigh and that it was all she needed.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pushed her body forward more. Her mouth was right by his ear so all he heard was her breathing and moaning. “Such a pretty sight.” He said as he rubbed her hips. His dick was so hard and ready for her pretty pussy but this was also pretty hot. “Fuck Ben. I’m so close.” She moaned in his ear. “Yeah baby? Why don’t you let go all over my thigh and then I’ll let you cum all over my dick. Sounds good?” He asked. She nodded and gasped as the knot in her stomach tightened. The edge was right there and she was about to fall over it. Her hips lost their rhythm as she gasped loudly. He felt her warm gush come out as she came hard all over his muscular thigh. “That’s it baby. Ride it out.” He says and watches her hips move slowly as she rides out her perfect orgasm. She opened her eyes and her hips stopped.

His eyes traveled down her body and he smirked. “You have such a perfect body. I can’t wait to fuck it.” He says. She smiles at him. “What are you waiting for then?” She asked with a smirk that matched his. He flips them over so he’s on top. He looks at her body one more time and starts stroking his thick cock. “Are you ready sweetheart?” He asked her. “Always.” She smirked. He pushed her legs apart and entered her. She gasped at the feeling of his long thick cock inside out her. She wrapped her legs around his hips pushing him in more. “Fuck you’re so warm and tight.” He groans. She takes one of his hands and intertwines it with hers. He chuckled and began thrusting. “Ben.” She moans loudly, not caring who heard her. He closed his eyes for a second enjoying her warmth.”Fuck you feel so good sweetheart.” He moaned and moved faster. She was letting out all kinds of dirty noises and gasps. He watched as her face contorted to pleasure. Her mouth was shaped in a perfect o and her eyes were closed.

He was letting out grunts and groans at the feeling of her perfect pussy. Her walls were fluttering around him and he was getting close. “Tell me doll does Billy fuck you like this?” He asked her. He opened his eyes and watched her shake her head No. “Mmmm that’s not good enough, baby. I need you to say it.” “No.” She moans and gasps. “No, what?” He teased her. “He doesn’t fuck me as good as you.” That was his breaking point and he came inside of her. “Fuck.” He groaned. She had yet to cum and with being a Supe he didn’t need time to cool down. “Scream my name when you cum doll. I want everyone on the planet to know who’s fucking you.” He told her and watched her jaw drop as her climax was right there. “BEN.” She screamed as she fell over the edge once again but this time felt so much better. His hips didn’t stop until her climax was over. 

“So I’m better than Billy?” He asked as she laid on his chest and he was rubbing her back. “I don’t know.” His face dropped. “I think you might need to fuck me again just so I can make sure.” She said. The smirk came back on his face and he pulled her on top of him. “This time I wanna see these pretty little tits bounce.” He said and pinched one of her nipples making her groan.

[reallyromealone]

Title: Accidental mating

Fandom: criminal minds

Pairing: Spencer Reid x reader

Chapter: one

Warnings: male reader, omega verse, mpreg, enemies to lovers, Omega male reader

🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑

(name) woke to voices, muffled and distant as he snuggled into the nest, cum leaking from him as he stared off "Hey, Hun" a female voice spoke out and (name) focused his bleary eyes to see Prentiss crouching before him "You handled this well, kid" she said softly "think you can get up?" She asked and (name) shakily stood up, hips burning and Hickeys and Bite marks everywhere "Wow, you two went at each other" she teased and (name) glared, though he wouldn't admit it it was one of the better fucks he had in a while.

(Name) walked out into the living room to see the team, the assistant groaning in embarrassment as his boss swiftly checked him over worried "I should have checked the calendar, his ruts next week-- well it was supposed to be next week" he said worried and (name) just sighed "can we just pretend this didn't happen? It was an accident, one was claimed and I frankly just wanna go home and take a nap" he said simply, the team looked worried, Spencer refusing to make eye contact with the Omega that he had speared on his cock a few hours ago, he couldn't believe he accidentally shared a rut with (name).

The two were constantly at each other's throats, bickering about something or another--- frankly, the team thought they fought like a married couple. (Name) and Reid avoided one another like it was the plague, neither wanting to deal with the other or even thinking of bringing up what they call the "incident" and giving looks if anyone dared bring it up.

"Again?" Prentiss asked confused and (name) sighed as he sipped water "Yeah, I think I'm coming down with something..." He didn't wanna be sick, it was the last thing he needed "Well make sure to rest up" she said as (name) went to bring a coffee to hotch, Prentiss quickly went to Penelope"ok I might be wrong but I think (name) might be--'"--pregnant? Oh absolutely, he could barely stomach the smell of (drink) and he drinks it as he breathes it" the hacker said not even surprised at the concept of pregnancy, it had been weeks since the "incident" and the two worried about how it would go, it was too late for him to get an abortion this late.

"How do we bring this up?" Prentiss whispered as Morgan came to drop off papers to Penelope "Bring what up?"

"(Name)s pregnancy to (name)"

"/what/" the three halted as Spencer looked horrified at their words "he's pregnant?!" The Alpha did the math in his head before rushing to find the Omega "Reid!" Morgan tried to stop him but it was too late, the brunette was gone.

"(Name)!" Reid hissed out as he found the Omega alone in the breakroom, working on some stuff as Hotch had a meeting and his desk was in his office "What Ried" the other man said disinterested as he looked up to the seething Alpha "Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?! Why did you keep it?!"

"Ried what the hell are you talking about, I'm not pregnant"

"What?"

"As far as I'm aware I'm not pregnant..."

"Thank god, fucking thank god!"

"I haven't done a test or anything but I don't think I am, wow so relieved not to parent with me are we?"

Ried rolled his eyes before speaking "Well now that that's sorted--" but I should take a test... I have been nauseous..."

"Pardon?"

"It's better to be safe"

Three pregnancy tests stood before them, a timer for each as (name) fidgeted, playing calm but Spencer could read him. He was nervous. Anxious even.

"If I am... Pregnant, you don't have to take custody, no child support or anything" (name) 's voice was barely above A whisper "I know co-parenting with me would be the last thing you would ever want" Spencer looked at him confused but remembered his reaction earlier, the Omega couldn't break away from the sticks as the timer went off. "Pregnant...pregnant... Pregnant" (name) 's voice was watery as he realized that yes, he was pregnant.

Pregnant with the most pretentious asshole he ever met.

"I'll take responsibility"

"What?" (Name) was on the verge of tears as his emotions were building "I'll take responsibility, they're my kid too"

"A-alright..." (Name) whispered as he shakily took the pregnancy tests put them in the plastic bag from the store and walked out, currently figuring out what he was going to do, he was an unmarried and not mated pregnant Omega, he would need a bigger apartment... Oh god, he needed to get things in order...

(--e), (--me)... (Name)!" (Name) jolted out of his thoughts as Hotch looked at him worried, his assistant looking like he had gone through hell as he tried getting back into a work mindset "O-oh! Sorry sir!" He said nervously and he was so thankful to be wearing scent blockers so the whole floor didn't reek of anxiety and panic" Are you alright?" He asked with genuine worry and (name) swollowed "I-I... Could I talk to you in your office?"

Spencer came out of the staff room looking panicked as he spotted Morgan and rushed to him "I have a problem" he said rushing as he led Morgan to an empty corner "What's up pretty boy?" The other alpha was worried for his close friend "I-I got (name) pregnant, I fucked up" Morgan had a feeling this was coming, his best friend panicked and stressed "Hey, what happened between you two was an accident but what you two gotta do now is figure out how to not go at each other's throats for this kid" he said softly to the genius who looked even more stressed on how he was going to interact with (name).

"That baby is gonna need two functional parents, especially during the pregnancy, I'm not saying be besties just... Stop pointing out every mistake he makes" something Reid did specifically to annoy (name), "maybe be nice to him... You may see good results"

"I'm pregnant" (name) said barely above a whisper and Hotch looked beside himself, guilt evident on his face "I'm so sorry... If I hadn't sent you--"Sir, permission to speak freely?"

"Granted"

"You are the best boss I have ever had and if I hear you blame yourself for something no one could have expected, I will throw my shoe at you" (name) said simply and the Alpha chuckled "You have been hanging around Garcia to much" the room felt lighter and (name) looked at him seriously "would you be a godparent? Over these years working with you, I have seen you as a very close friend and it would mean the world to me"

"(Name), I would be honored to be that pup godfather"

(Name) spent the week during his free time looking for apartments, sighing as he was rejected time after time, a pregnant single Omega wasn't something many renters wanted to rent out to...

"What are you doing?" Spencer raised an eyebrow at the other who glanced up "Apartment hunting, I need space for the pup" (name) was just starting to show slightly, the Omega putting plans in motion for his pup and how his life will project "I was wondering... Do you want to join me for my first ultrasound?" (Name) asked softly, the Omega extending an olive branch to the Alpha... "You want me there?" Spencer asked softly and (name) sighed "They're your pup too"

"Y-yeah... I guess"

"My appointment is at 2:45 pm on Tuesday, planned parenthood, if you're late I won't let you come to another one"

"Fair enough"

[munson-blurbs]

Hey can I do one of the spirit Halloween requests. Sour Patch Kids/Butterfinger. And can it be with Eddie please. Can include smut if that's OK. Thank you 😊

Enemies-to-Lovers/Shy!Reader/Eddie Munson

(+ 3 other anon requests)

I couldn't figure out a way to make it smutty without it seeming forced, but there are definitely some raunchy elements. I hope you enjoy!

Warnings: Eddie is mean to Reader, allusion to masturbation (18+ only, minors DNI), Reader wears a skirt

WC: 1.2k

Divider credit to @saradika

“Absolutely not.” Eddie crosses his arms over his chest, a sneer cursing his lips. 

“Come on, man!” Mike grumbles, throwing his hands up in exasperation. “I told Nancy I’d help her out.”

Eddie scoffs, turning away from you and your best friend’s younger brother. “Yeah, well, I didn’t promise shit,” he retorts. “We don’t need anymore players, and we definitely don’t need her.”

Your lower lip quivers, and you bite it to stop from crying. “I, um, i-it’s okay, Mike,” you hurriedly reassure him. “I’ll tell Nancy you tried.” You turn around and leave the drama room, tears blurring your vision. 

“What the hell is your problem?” Mike yells loud enough that you can hear him halfway down the hallway, despite the pounding in your ears. “Nancy said she’s really into DnD. She could, I dunno, be our sub when Lucas has a game or something.”

“Am I speaking a different language? No. N-O. Not happening.”

Gareth cocks a bemused brow. “Are you still pissed off about—”

“SHUT UP!” Eddie’s bellow reverberates around the tiny room. “Look, are we gonna play or not?”

“I gotta go make sure she’s okay before Nancy kicks my ass,” Mike huffs, slinging his backpack over one shoulder. “Thanks for nothing,” he spits at Eddie.

No one says anything for a moment; the Hellfire Club is eerily silent. Finally, Jeff speaks up. “That was pretty harsh, Ed.”

“That was harsh?!” Eddie guffaws and clenches his jaw. “Me telling her she can’t join Hellfire is harsh, but she can talk shit about me to her friends, and that’s totally fine? Cool, got it.” He shakes his head at the memory. Just a few weeks ago, he’d been walking to your locker to ask you out, only to overhear you telling Nancy that you wish he would disappear and leave you alone.

“Why do you even care so much?” Lucas asks, now thoroughly invested in the drama.

“Because he loves her,” Gareth pipes up, “and she thinks he’s an obnoxious prick, which is accurate.” He’s unfazed by Eddie’s glare, having been on the receiving end of his anger many a time. “Dude, you embarrassed the shit outta her in history! Why would she be nice to you?”

Dustin rolls his eyes. “What did you do?”

“Nothing!” Eddie insists at the same time Gareth says, “As soon as she walked into class, he jumped on his desk and shouted, ‘there’s the prettiest girl in Hawkins!’”

All of the guys let out a collective groan. “You can’t do that with a shy girl!” Lucas groans. If Eddie wasn’t six inches taller than him, he’d smack him upside the head. “Max would kick my ass if I did that to her.”

“She probably thought you were making fun of her,” Dustin points out, and Eddie’s face falls when everyone else nods in agreement. “Have you tried, like, talking to her and not at her?”

“No,” Eddie admits, scuffing the toe of his Reeboks on the tile floor. “Shit, I gotta fix this–I’ll be right back.”

You’re nearly at the double doors of Hawkins High’s entrance when you hear a familiar voice calling your name. You wipe the tears from your cheeks and muster up all of your courage, but your words still rush out too quickly. “I’m gonna tell Nancy that Hellfire wasn’t my scene. You’re in the clear, okay? Just…go away.”

But he doesn’t go away; he comes closer. The anger that previously flamed behind his eyes is extinguished, replaced by concern. “Can we talk?” he softly asks. “We can go in my van so it’s more private. Please.”

“Fine.” The desperation in his tone convinces you to give in. You follow him to the van, offering him the smallest smile when he opens the door and motions for you to go inside. Pushing aside a stray guitar pick, you take a seat on the carpeted floor. 

Eddie takes a deep breath, twisting his rings around his fingers nervously. “I, um, I’m sorry. For, y’know, the whole thing in history class.”

You suck your lip between your teeth before responding. “S’okay,” you mumble. You really want to tell him off so he knows how hurt you were by his teasing, but you can’t bring yourself to say the words.

“No, it’s not. I…I should’ve told you when it was just the two of us,” he counters, drawing a confused look from you. “What?”

“Told me what?”

“That I think you’re the prettiest girl in Hawkins.” He offers his own puzzled expression when you scramble to your knees and lean for the door handle. “Wait! Where’re you going?”

There’s a lump in your throat that you force yourself to swallow before you can speak. “This is obviously a big joke to you, Eddie. ‘Ha ha, let’s point out how ugly the nerdy girl is!’” 

“No. No.” Eddie’s voice is firm but kind. “It wasn’t a joke. I really think you’re the prettiest girl in Hawkins. And I like you. A lot,” he adds with a nervous laugh. “That whole, uh, performance was my way of flirting.”

You’re still unconvinced, cocking a brow in disbelief, so he continues. “How about this: since I embarrassed you, I’ll tell you an embarrassing secret. And if I’m lying about liking you, you can tell everybody.”

You relent for the second time today. “O-Okay. That’s fair.”

“All right.” Eddie rubs his palms on his jeans, slick with anxious perspiration. “So, remember that time that I got to class, all…sweaty and out of breath and stuff?”

You nod. “Mhm.” He’d told Mrs. Click that he’d been in gym class, but you knew he’d just come from lunch like you had. You’d figured he’d had a deal out in the woods and ran back to school. 

“Well, um,” he looks down at the carpet, “it was because I saw you in the cafeteria wearing this cute little skirt, and I had to…take care of myself. In the boys’ room.” He presses his palms to his eyes and says, mostly to himself, “No fuckin’ way did I just admit that.”

You’re shell-shocked. Like joining Hellfire, the skirt in question was another one of Nancy’s ideas to ease you out of your comfort zone. You had no idea he’d even noticed. “Y-You liked it?” you ask dumbly. 

“Ohhhh, yeah,” Eddie chuckles. “I gotta stop thinkin’ about it before…” His eyes drop to the zipper of his jeans, a small tent already visible against the seam, and he hurries to switch subjects. “D’you still wanna play DnD with us? I promise I’m usually less of a dick. And a perv.”

You roll your eyes playfully. “I have my doubts about that last part,” you tease, only half-joking, “but, yeah. I would love to play with you guys.”

“Awesome.” Eddie’s face lights up. “And maybe after, you and I can grab something to eat? Maybe catch a movie or somethin’?”

Before you can chicken out, you kiss his cheek. “It’s a date.”

The two of you walk back into the school, Eddie’s hand on the small of your back. “Oh, um, one more thing?”

“Mhm?”

“Can you change into that skirt?”

--

[piastrinorris]

What Are Friends For?

Pairing: Steve Harrington x f!Reader

Genre: smut

Tags: Stranger Things (series), 18+ (MINORS DNI), oral (m receiving), handjob (m receiving), masturbation (f receiving),

Word count: 2.8k

Summary: A late night post-Truth or Dare chat with your best friend has you admitting your own lack of experience, sexually. Thankfully, he's more than happy to tutor you.

A/N: finally got inspo for one of my wips! just another 12 to go 🙃

As Nancy and Robin work together to drag a near-catatonic Eddie out of Steve's living room, you nudge the party’s host’s foot with your own. “Alright, Harrington, truth or dare?”

He chuckles, “Seriously? Still? We’re the only two people left, right now.”

You shrug, “’M not ready to go home, yet. Unless you’re really willing to turf out your best friend onto the cold, dark streets of Indiana?” You look at him, doe-eyed, and he laughs again.

“Okay, fine, I’ll bite. Truth.”

“Who’d you lose your V-card with?” you ask plainly, and Steve, halfway through a sip of his drink, chokes on it.

“What the hell! Remind me who it was that insisted on the ‘nothing sexual’ rule when we started playing?” he sputters out.

You shrug, “Around the others, sure, but I’m curious. It’s like, the one thing we never talk about.” 

Steve sighs in defeat. “It was… Tina Langdon. At that party on the last day of sophomore year. The one you wouldn’t go to.”

“Couldn’t,” you correct him, “I was ill, remember?”

He scoffs, “Please, you were fine all day, you can’t fool me, you just chickened out!”

“This isn’t about that,” you shake your head, feeling yourself get flustered.

Steve grins slowly. “Yeah, it is! I know you, you were getting some heavy hints from… Who was that guy, oh my god, this is gonna bug me…” He falters, rubbing his jaw in thought.

"Greg Patowski," you mutter.

"Greg Patowski," he repeats in a reminiscent tone, shaking his head and looking up as he waves his finger up and down. "Alright, 'fess up, your turn now. Who was yours?"

Your cheeks burn hot. "Steve!"

He grins wickedly at you. "C'mon, dishing out what you can't take? That's not like you! You started this!"

After a moment, you bashfully murmur, "It was… It - you just…" Steve still looks at you with anticipation, so you blurt out, "It was Greg, okay?!" He scoffs in disbelief. "He - it was that night, too, actually. He came over from the party to 'check on me', we made out on my bed, it… went further. He was in the room and out again within ten minutes," you admit with a scowl.

Steve's jaw drops in shock. "Are you serious?!" You nod. "Who el-"

"No! My turn to ask now." You take another moment to compose yourself before asking, "W-what's your favourite, like, part of it?"

"Sex?" he asks, and you nod. He blows a long breath out before eventually answering, "Probably the stuff before it. Like head, god. Giving it? Hell, yeah. Getting it? I swear, I don't care what else happens," he throws his head back and smiles wistfully.

Shuffling in your seat, you ask, "H-how did you know what to do?"

"Hm?" Steve asks, and you die a little internally as the thought of repeating yourself, though it seems as though he's heard you. "Oh, well, Tina was, as you know, the grade above us, so she was already more… Experienced, and that helped a lot. She pretty much told me where to go and what to do." He shrugs. 

You're already nervous enough about having to explain yourself to him, when Robin and Nancy reappear at the doorway. "Hey," Nancy calls, making you jump. "Uh, we threw Eddie into one of the guest rooms. Rob and I are just gonna head home, now."

Steve frowns, "You carried him all the way upstairs? I could've done that for you!"

Robin glares at him from under her brow. "What, because two poor, defenceless young women couldn't handle it on their own?" She gives you a look which you silently translate and respond by punching Steve in the arm, which makes Robin laugh, "Nice. See you kids around!"

"Night!" Nancy calls after her before they both head out the front door.

Steve rubs his arm and pokes your shoulder. "So, Jumpy McPuncher."

"Good one," you deadpan, and he laughs.

"C'mon, spill. What's got you so worked up?"

"Well…" you start hesitantly. "You know I was telling you about the guy who's been kinda flirting with me at work?" Steve nods. "I was, uh, thinking of asking him out, but then I was thinking about the bigger picture, and how eventually that's gonna lead to - to, y’know, possibly sleeping with him, and I was wondering how to make it… Enjoyable, since I don't really know how to…" you falter through the end of your sentence, and Steve frowns.

"You've… Been with others since Greg, right?" You shake your head, and he looks at you incredulously. "What?! You've dated people since then!"

"Dated, sure, but I'd make up some shit about not being ready for a commitment before it got to that point," you admit quietly. 

Steve nods slowly, with a thoughtful frown. "Okay. So… You wanna learn how to please a guy?" You nod bashfully and his nod quickens as he hops up onto the couch you'd been leaning against. "Alright."

You look at him in confusion. "W-what are you -?"

He takes some pillows off of the couch and hands them to you. "For your knees," he explains.

"Are you…?" You ask quietly.

"Offering myself as your test dummy? Sure, if it'll help you out," Steve's reply is so casual. "That is, of course, if you want, don't feel like you have t- oh, okay," he smirks as you tentatively unbutton his jeans.

You snap your hands back into your lap in embarrassment. "Oh, sorry, did you want to do that?"

"No, no, if… If this is something that makes you uncomfortable, we really don't have to," he studies you with concern, but you shake your head.

"No, I… I want to. This is the best case scenario, right? I can learn, and not worry about disappointing - not that I don't care what you think, but like, you're you, you know?"

He smiles warmly. "Sure am, and you're you. And I'll guide you on what to do, but you gotta be confident with it, 'kay? Just get going with it, and don't take it personally if I tell you to do something a little different, alright?" You nod, and once again reach to undo his jeans. He shuffles them down to his thighs, and you can see a noticeable bulge in his underwear. "You wanna take it out, or me to, or not yet?"

"Can I…?" You clear your throat, remembering what he just said about confidence. "Can i just touch it over…?" You hold your hand to hover just over his crotch area and he smiles with a nod. The affirmation is oddly calming as you start palming him, and he hums out a soft moan.

"That feels nice," he muses. "Nice and gentle."

He keeps humming with delight as he watches you, and you notice something as you keep palming him. "You're getting hard, already."

"Doesn't take much, right?" he smirks. "Plus, you're doing so well, there."

"I, um… I know you're saying I should take things at my own pace, but I don't wanna take too long, should I take it out now?"

"Go for it," Steve mutters under his breath, still smiling.

You reach beneath the elastic of his underwear, take his shaft in your hand and move it out into view. Your eyes widen and your jaw drops when you see the size of it. "You, uh, you're much bigger than Greg Patowski."

He chuckles, "Good to know. Still wanna keep going?"

You nod, taking a deep, shuddering breath. "Yeah. So, what do I do from here?"

"Whatever you feel like doing," he shrugs. "You can use your lips and kiss it, or use your tongue and lick it, or you can get straight onto putting it on your mouth. I promise you, as long as it feels good for you, it's gonna feel good for me, too."

You study his member for a few seconds before tentatively licking along his length. He lets his head loll against the back of the couch. "Oh, god, yes. That feels so good. Mmm, and you look good doing it, too," he muses as he looks at you. You look up at him and chirp in questioning affirmation, and he bites his lip. "So good. You know, if you really wanna tease them, you can push your whole mouth against it without wrapping your lips arou- oh, fuck, just like that," he groans as you lean into your motions.

You sit back on your heels to frown, "But if I do that, there's still so much that I can't fit."

"So there is," he raises his eyebrows. "Why don't you try spitting into your hand and getting to work on the rest of it?"

After spitting into your palm, you smirk up at him. "Oh, you want me to get to work?"

He's about to give you an equally smug response when you wrap your hand around the base of his cock and start working it. "Fuck, yes, there you go, just keep touching m- mmfff," he moans. "God, see? You're a natural."

Still stroking him, you experimentally run your tongue around his swollen mushroom tip, to which he grips the cushions next to him oh-so tightly. You finally wrap your lips around his member and sink down onto it as much as you can.

He moans so loudly that he brings the couch cushion up to his mouth to bite down on it. It makes you instinctively hum around his cock, which makes him squirm and whine more. You pull back again to look up at him in awe, and he asks, "What? Surprised that I'm moaning, or that you're able to make me?

"A little of both," you admit bashfully, and he sits back, spreading his legs further as he leans back. 

"Well, when you're doing such a good job, of course I'm gonna," he smirks.

"S'pose I've got a good teacher, huh?" You raise your eyebrows as you jerk him off.

He shakes his head, "Can't take credit for that, baby, this has all been you. Though, if you want a little guidance, why don't you try sucking your cheeks in while you're down there?"

You happily take him back into your mouth, revelling in his moans as he encourages you. Every ounce of praise he gives you tingles that shoot to your core, and every instance of him calling you a good girl has you light-headed.

You try and sneak your hand between your thighs, but it doesn't go unnoticed. With a chuckle, Steve asks, "You good?"

You whine, "Y're not… Th'only one who's… Enjoying this."

His smug expression stretches into a full-blown grin. "Yeah? You wanna touch yourself? Go ahead."

"Is this good? The right thing to do?" You ask as you reach inside your panties, face melting with pleasure as you finally make contact with yourself.

"Fuck, yes, baby, you look so fucking hot down there, getting yourself off to - what is it, huh? You like the praise? The moans? Or do you just really like having my cock in your mouth?"

That's the real answer, right at the end. You've never especially wanted to get this intimate with anyone, not even that one flirty customer you'd thought about asking out, but now there's only one person you ever want to be thus close with.

But he's your best friend. He's doing this in the name of helping you overcome your anxieties, that's all. You can't jeopardise what you've got with him.

"All of it," you whimper out, briefly looking over to glance at his fingers to allow yourself to imagine them as you sink your own inside you, getting back to sucking him off, making sure you hollow your cheeks every now and again like he told you.

With his moans, you lose yourself in the moment of imagining him touching you that as you hook your fingers inside of you, you instinctively keel over, sinking yourself further down on his cock. Steve lets out a long, stuttered groan at that. "Fucking shit, baby, y'almost got me in whole, god, wanna fuck the rest of me into you, too." You whine around him and he tuts, "Don't think you're ready for that, yet. You're gonna gag, and I don-"

You push yourself even further down, trying desperately to ignore your gag reflex, and he throws his head back to moan, "Fuck, yes, good girl! Such a good girl, taking all of that fucking cock, and holding it there, all while touching yourself, fuck. You're so hot, y'know that? Oh, fuck, baby, you need to breathe, c'mon," he reminds you softly, pushing you away. "That's it, oh, look at all that drool," he simpers, wiping the spit from your chin.

"Do… Do people like that? Seeing all… This?" You gesture towards your face, and he shakes his head.

"Don't know, don't care, doesn't matter. I fucking love it," he groans as you wrap your hand around his shaft again, stroking him all the way from base to tip. "Oh, shit, you really are a fucking natural at getting me off, baby. You gonna get us both off at the same time, yeah?" You nod, and his face contorts with his impending climax. "Fuck, get that mouth back on me, I wanna feel your moans against my cock coax the cum right outta me."

Not needing to be told twice, you happily comply, making sure you try to moan around him as much as possible. He strains out another moan, gasping out, "Fuck, so… So proud of you, look at you. Taking me so well, looking so fucking good touching yourself. Such a good little student, 'm gonna teach you so much more. How a real man eats you out, how a real man fucks you, fuck, so much for you to learn. Y'want that, baby? Tell me. Tell me with my fucking cock in your mouth."

"Wan' y'to hh-fuck me, hh-so bad," you whine, not moving, and he groans.

"You're so fucking cute when you talk with your mouth full, baby. Aww, you gonna do it? You gonna make me cum in that pretty little mouth of yours?" he groans, and you rub at your clit rapidly. "That's my good girl, fuck, look up at me with those eyes, so sweet, so sexy, while you get us both off, c'mon, baby, you can do it, atta girl."

The impending desperation in his tone mixed with his words finally sends you over the edge, moaning shrilly around his cock as you feel your orgasm press deeper than anything's ever felt before. You practically see spots as you squirt all over your fingers, trying desperately to stay focused on keeping Steve's cock in your mouth long enough to take all of his load, swallowing everything as he gives it to you.

He breathes deeply as he comes down from his high, smiling blissfully as he sits forward, cradling your face in his hands. His large, thick-fingered hands. He licks his lips to speak when the wet patch on the pillow you'd been sitting on distracts him. "Holy shit, did you squirt?!" You look up at him and shrug, and he strokes his thumbs against your cheeks. "From now on, I'm making that happen for you, 'kay?"

"So, you meant it? You'll keep teaching me?" You ask hopefully.

"In a ways," he shrugs. "I'll keep showing you what real pleasure feels like… But not for some… Guy who shows up at your work sometimes. Sure as shit not for some Greg Patowski type. I'm. Here to please, you. Got that?" 

You nod, licking your lips, a hint of a smile tickling at you. "Real hung up on Greg still, huh?"

"Yeah, well, it should've been me," Steve admits. "I wanted to make my move that night, but then Patowski bounced early, and everyone was talking about how he was bragging about how he was gonna seal the deal with you. And so, my young and stupid self went and drowned my sorrows with Tina."

You chuckle softly. "You know, when I heard knocking at my window that night, I really hoped it would be you. Always dreamt of you sneaking in through my window and having your way with me. But I like this better."

"You do?" he asks, leaning closer.

"Yeah. You were right, about getting with someone with more experience." You shuffle yourself closer to him, further between his legs, letting go your arms rest around his hips. "'Cause now you've definitely ruined other men for me."

He grins, pulling you up and scooping you I to his lap before grabbing you by the back of your neck and kissing you fervently. "You wrecked me a long time ago, baby. Glad to see you're finally catching up."

[ziggyzolch]

Headache III (Wanda Maximoff x Reader)

Summary: While getting accustomed to your new life as an avenger in training, you bump into an old friend. Tomfoolery ensues. Warnings: none i dont think Previous Part

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

❅❅❅

The sound of Tony clapping reverberates throughout the room. “Alright, speedo, what’s the decision?” You look up from the tech deck you were playing with, “What? Uh, dismissed! Meeting over!” Wanda clenches her eyes shut and pinches the bridge of her nose. “Did you hear anything we said, you dolt?” You ignore her, continuing to poorly attempt tricks on your little skateboard. “Hey! I was using that.” You look up at Wanda, who is currently holding your toy.

“Did you seriously bring a fucking kids toy to a meeting?” She spins the toy around in her hand, analyzing it.

“Okay, first of all, it's a tech deck, and second of all I didn’t bring it with me, it’s just always in my pocket.”

“Tony, can you just send her to prison already?”

“Fuck you, witch- What the hell!” You duck before your toy could hit you in the face, looking towards Wanda, who now had a smirk on her face.

“Enough!” Steve chimes in, “Wanda, seriously? You’re better than this, and you," He directs his glare at you, "Make a choice before we make one for you.”

Sighing, you pretend to be in thought, stretching out the moment as long as possible before answering. “Yeah sure, I’ll join. If only to piss witchy off.” Wanda rolls her eyes and stomps away. You turn towards Steve, “Teenagers, amiright?” Tony huffs out a laugh while Steve stands up and leaves, muttering, “You’re younger than her for fucks sake.”

❅❅❅

You were sitting outside your university, an angry Wanda with her hands crossed stood in front of you, tapping her foot angrily. You pull at your sleeves, waiting for her to say something. In hindsight, leaving the compound without telling anyone wasn’t the wisest thing you could’ve done, but you had to get your stuff from your dorm!

“Can I go in now or am I gonna have to keep watching you stand there looking constipated-”

“Idiot! Why wouldn’t you at least leave a note?”

“I’m sorry! I didn’t think you’d have a bitch fit over it.”

Wanda mutters what you assume to be a prayer under her breath in her native language before pulling you up by your jacket and dragging you into the university and towards your dorm. “It hasn’t even been your first day yet and you’re already causing trouble.” She mutters as she watches you pack up your stuff, noting that you packed your teddy bear first. You duck and look beneath your bed.

“Pss, pss.”

“What are you doing- Oh my god.”

Wanda’s eyes widen as a little black cat appears from underneath your bed. You pick the little feline up and turn towards Wanda, “Never seen a cat before? I expected more from you as a witch.” Wanda rolls her eyes, “I’ve seen a cat before- thats not even what I’m shocked about! How do you keep him here?” You shrug and hand her the cat, turning to pack the rest of your things.

Finishing up, you look towards Wanda holding your cat at a distance. “Why are you holding him like that? He doesn’t have rabies or anything,” You move past Wanda, “I think.”

“What!” You run away cackling, looking back and finding Wanda attempting to chase after you with the cat in her arms.

❅❅❅

You still hadn’t gotten your own room, so placing all your things in Wanda’s room was your only option. Surprisingly, she hadn’t minded much since it was just a suitcase and a backpack. Wanda left to do god knows what after making sure you weren't stealing anything.

You're sitting at her desk, staring at your laptop screen with your cat purring on your lap. You had so many assignments. You’re basically an avenger now, kind of, and you’re still worried about school work. You giggle at the thought.

“I can’t imagine your homework is entertaining enough to make you laugh like that.” You look up to see a silver haired man, who you now know as Pietro, standing at your, well Wanda’s, door.

“No, calculating ‘water potential’ is nothing to laugh about. It’s just crazy. I'm an Avenger worrying about homework,” Pietro pulls up a chair next to you. “Well, you’re not an Avenger just yet. Anyways, Peter’s the same and he’s doing fine. I think.” You raise an eyebrow at him.

“There’s someone here that’s not old enough to have seen David fight Goliath?”

“What?”

“Nothing, where’s Wanda she would’ve gotten that reference.” You mutter, turning back towards your laptop.

After petting your cat, Pietro lets out a breath and stands up, stopping at your door. “Well, good luck. Also, cool it with the douchiness with Wanda, yeah?” You swivel your chair towards him, “No promises.” Pietro sighs, lightly smacking the door frame, “You start training tomorrow, so don’t stay up too late.”

❅❅❅

You land on your back for the hundredth time this morning. “I told you to go easy!” You groan, pushing yourself up off the mat. “I never agreed to that,” Natasha readjusts her stance, not even a drop of sweat on her, “You won’t always be able to rely on your speed, if you’re forced to fight you’d probably die.” You gasp in offense. “She’s right, you need it.” Wanda chimed in, tying her hair up and setting up the treadmill.

You look at both of them, “What’s that supposed to mean!” You adjust your stance, “Come on, come at me-”

You were on the floor before you could even process Natasha approaching you. She had you in a headlock that you couldn’t escape, but you were too stubborn to tap out. Wanda had been watching you, intending to poke fun at your inevitable failure, but when she catches sight of you going limp, she rushes forward and pushes Natasha off you. “I h-had her,” You push out in between coughs. Natasha stands up and sighs, “That’s enough for today, go get cleaned up.”

You were still panting on the floor when you felt someone slapping your back. “It gets easier. As cool and powerful as my abilities are, I’d be useless in a fist fight if not for this training..” You hear Wanda admit from above you. “Yeah well, I can bite really hard.” Wanda laughs and helps you up, “I’m sure you can, but you’re also scrawny, and short. You’re basically just an aggressive kitten.” She pretends not to notice you blushing at the description.

“I’m wily! I could slither and fit anywhere. I’d make a good spy.” She pats you on the back. “Sure, kitten. Go shower, you stink.” You roll your eyes and walk away, still panting.

Exiting the gym, you hear footsteps quickly approaching you. Taking a deep breath, you wait for them to get close enough, then turn and punch them in the nose. You look down and see a boy around your age, clutching his nose and groaning. “Shit! Sorry, I’m not used to the security of this place.” You extend a hand to him. He looks at it for a moment before taking it and pulling himself up. “No biggie.” He replies, a boyish grin on his face.

Your eyes light up in recognition, “No. Way. Parker!” He looked confused before realizing who you were. You had been the first person Peter told about his late-night activities after you found his suit when you were snooping around his room. His grin widens, pulling you into a bear hug, your feet dangling as you hug him back. The moment is interrupted as Wanda exits the gym, and Peter places you back on the ground, “Uh, What’s going on here?” She raises an eyebrow at how close you and Peter were standing.

You jump up and down excitedly, “Me and Peter were best friends in high school,” You turn towards him, “But I hadn’t recognized him, you’re so big now!” Peter blushes when you squeeze his bicep, you miss the twitch in Wanda’s eye. Rolling her eyes, Wanda walks away and shoulder bumps you, but you pay her no mind.

“So, you still have that Lego Star Wars set?”

❅❅❅

“Okay, so Tony leaves his lab at three on the dot to have lunch with Pepper, he’ll be gone for about 30 minutes so you have a bit of time.” You and Peter had been sitting on the floor of the living room building Star Wars monuments when you heard Tony talking to Natasha about a new gadget he was working on, and that he had a prototype ready in his lab. So, you badgered him for information.

His refusal to tell you anything about it made you insatiably curious, so you recruited Peter, and are now planning a heist in Wanda’s room while she’s out. “Yeah, alright. What about Steve, though? Won’t he be doing rounds or something.” You turn to Peter who was casually dragging a string along, playing with your cat. “I guess I could distract him. He’s smart though, so I can’t drag it out too long.” You nod, getting up. “This plan is perfect.”

It was, in fact, not perfect. You failed to remember who would be walking back from the gym at the same time Tony left. “Hey Steve, found this little guy sprinting out of Tony’s lab with,” He lifts a piece of metal up, “Whatever this is.” You were dangling in the air, Pietro holding you up by the back of your shirt collar, not unlike a mother cat holding her kitten. “I told you, Tony asked me to get it for him!” You defend while Pietro adjusts his hold on you. 

Steve pinches the bridge of his nose, giving Peter a disappointed look. You jump in before he could start his lecture, “He had nothing to do with this, I promise. It was just me.” Peter sputters in shock, smiling at you gratefully before turning and running away.

Pietro lets go of your collar without warning and you groan as you land on your face. He whispers ‘good luck’ and follows Peter out. Steve watches you with arms crossed as you push yourself up off the ground and look anywhere but him. “Look, I get it. You’re just a kid, but this job is serious. We can’t have you messing around…” You zone out for the rest of the lecture.

❅❅❅

Wanda had returned home an hour ago, ignoring Steve’s yelling. She figured a security guard messed up or something. However, when she looks up to the sound of her door opening and catches sight of you stomping in angrily, your cat following behind you, she connects the dots. “Who shat in your coffee?” You look towards Wanda in confusion, “What? I don’t even drink coffee.” Wanda sets her book down on the couch and walks towards where you were sitting at her desk. “That’s not what I meant, idiot. What’s got you so down?”

Getting caught wasn’t something that happened often. Usually, you were able to sprint away and forget about your douchebag activities, so you weren’t used to being yelled at. Wanda raises an eyebrow. Your thoughts were so loud, and she was shocked to see you so emotional. “It’s nothing, whatever. Can you fuck off? I have a lab report due.” Lab report? Wanda honestly thought you were a business major. She had never expected you to be into science, or school in general. A knock on the door catches you and Wanda’s attention. “Hey- oh Wanda. Hi. Anyways, thanks for covering for me, Aunt May would’ve killed me. So, I have a little thank you present.” Peter enters and closes the door behind him, pulling out a bottle. 

Wanda’s eyes bulge out of her head. She could barely buy cigarettes at your age, let alone a whole bottle of vodka. You stand up, ignoring your responsibilities, and bounce around in glee. “Ahh! Thank you, Peter.” You give him a big smooch on the cheek, Wanda rolls her eyes at his blush.

You drag your friend to the couch and take the bottle from his arms. “Come on witchy, join us!” Wanda sighs, she might as well. Wanda awkwardly stands in front of you and Peter, the couch was too small to fit all of you. An idea pops into your head. Standing up you push Wanda to sit on the couch, and place yourself on her lap. “Come on, why so tense, Avril Lavigne?” You take Wanda’s arms and wrap them around your waist.

She glares at Peter when he giggles at the blush on her face. Peter takes the bottle from you and pops it open, taking out shot glasses from his backpack to pour into, handing them to you and Wanda. You’re asking Peter about college when you hear the door being pushed open. You and Peter look at each other in panic, while Wanda is suspiciously calm.

Before you can hide the bottle, Pietro walks in. At his angry expression, apologies begin to spill out of Peter's mouth before Pietro breaks out laughing. “Calm down, Spidey. Wanda texted me to join.” Peter lets out a breath of relief as Pietro closes the door behind him, sitting down on the floor and pouring himself a shot. "Toast!" You laugh at Peter's serious expression as he dings the bottle, “To new beginnings and underage drinking.” 

You all clink your glasses, laughing as you take your shots.

❅❅❅

Next Part

A/N: This story doesnt follow cannon very well, but its ok. Wanda and pietro are like 22 in this.

tags: @sgm616

[fuctacles]

Henderson's-brother-centered misadventures continue [Part IV]

[Part I] [Part II] [Part III]

Eddie screamed. Then, he screamed some more. Then, he got hit with a teddy bear, which bounced off into the floor, barely disturbing his mane of hair.

“You get a drop of spit on my pillow, and you’re washing all my sheets!”

He groaned, like a wounded animal. If animals could be wounded by their best friend’s disloyalty.

“No, dude! You can scream into your own fucking pillow! We can jam if you need, smoke or steal a beer, hell, I can even listen to you. But don’t just come here to stink my room with-” Gareth made a flapping motion in Eddie’s general direction. “Whatever this is.”

Eddie groaned louder before finally rolling onto his back.

“I fucking hate him.”

“I was hoping you’d choose jamming,” Gareth sighed. He threw his leg over his chair and leaned on the back of it. “You mean Big Bro Henderson?”

“Who else?” Eddie threw his hands up into the ceiling. His friend barely restrained himself from rolling his eyes. “He’s the most annoying person I’ve ever met!”

“Good thing you can’t meet yourself, then.”

Eddie glared at him, but from this angle, it gave him a double chin which severely decreased the look’s efficiency.

“You calling me annoying?”

“Yes.”

“I think the word you’re looking for is ‘lively’. Or ‘charismatic’! Or, or, ‘non-conforming’!”

“No, I’m pretty sure ‘annoying’ is the word. Also, ‘dramatic’.”

Eddie glared again, but since his position has not changed so hasn’t its lack of impact.

“How dare you,” he seethed. Gareth completely ignored it.

“So, what did he do this time? Give you more cookies?”

“No!” He had regretted the decision to tell him about it as soon as it left his mouth, but it was out there now. Well, the price of the blackmail material was listening to it first. “He just…” Eddie trailed off, realizing what he was about to say. ‘He let me sit in his lap for the whole length of Karate Kid’ was so much harder to explain than ‘he gave me an extra cookie for my good work.’ He scrambled to find a better approach. 

“So he’s like a therapy dog,” he started, because painting the scene is important.

“What.”

Wrong approach.

“Okay, so I’ve found out he has some issues, something to do with the Starcourt fire, I think? You know nothing of it, by the way, I probably shouldn't know about it. Henderson, well, the little one, just has a big mouth.”

“And so do you. By telling me,” his friend pointed out.

“Emerson, this isn’t about you,” Eddie scolded him. “So he needs extra physical contact or something. And he might have um…” Wrong turn again. “Engaged me in it?”

“Ok, hold on,” Gareth dropped his forehead on the edge of the chair’s back and rubbed his temples. “What do you mean by that? Because I know it’s not as weird as you make it sound.”

Eddie crossed his arms, which looked extra stupid in his horizontal position. He tapped his socked foot against the mattress.

“We were watching Karate Kid, and the couch wasn’t big enough for four people. Nobody else wanted to sit in his lap and I thought it would be, you know, funny, to offer. And he just said ‘okay’, and did it!” His arms flew up into the air again.

Gareth lifted his head.

“So you sat in his lap.”

“He put me in his lap.”

“Dude, you throw your legs all over me when we watch a movie!”

“Yeah, but that’s different!”

“How?”

“Because we’re friends! We play together and shit!”

Gareth scrunched his nose because while he knew of the wisdom his friend possessed (very selective and rarely occurring in the daylight), admitting him right was painful because the cockiness he possessed was probably far greater.

“Well, maybe he’s giving you signs he wants to be friends?”

Eddie snorted.

"No way. Not possible. No."

"And why is that?" Gareth raised an eyebrow at the adamant negation.

"I'm his younger brother's friend-"

"Who's his age."

"-And we like different things. I'm a freak, I like metal and D&D!"

"So does Dustin, and they get along well."

"They are brothers!" 

"Well, I actually hate my sister, it’s not a rule."

Eddie groaned.

"I don't know," he ended up saying, just to voice his internal frustration. At least he was facing the ceiling now and not Gareth's pillow.

He hummed, considering his friend, trying to understand his problem, to even locate it.

"Okay, so you don't like that he's nice?"

"Yes."

"... You want him to be mean?"

"... Yes? Maybe?"

Gareth hit his head against the chair. 

"This whole conversation is lost on me."

When he looked up he met Eddie's eyes, a storm brewing behind them.

"I don't want to like him. But he makes it hard not to because he's so nice."

‘He treats me like I'm normal, like his equal’, went unspoken but Gareth could hear it anyway. It was time to end the questions for the day because getting any deeper into his friend's psyche could trap him like quicksand. 

"And then I go to apologize and end up talking about BDSM of all things!"

"Nope!" Gareth straightened up and hopped out of his chair. "We're going to the garage, so I can't hear you over the drums."

"What a best friend you are," Eddie grumbled but rolled off the bed regardless. He was secretly glad for an excuse to stop talking about Henderson because he started getting lost in his thoughts and feelings himself.

The next time he sees Steve, he doesn’t make it any easier. They see each other only in passing, and the older brother doesn’t give him more than a weak smile and a "Hi, Eddie. Dustin's upstairs," before leaving.

Eddie walks up to his friend's room thoroughly confused. 

"What was that about?" he asks instead of a greeting. He never greets his friends properly these days, but there are more important things like ‘hi’s and ‘hello’s.

"What was what about?"

"Steve," Eddie frowns like it explains everything. And apparently, it does.

"I think he's still upset after last time."

Eddie blinks.

"I said I was sorry!"

Dustin rolls his eyes.

"Sorry doesn't solve everything. It's like a," he snaps his fingers looking for a good comparison. "Like one of the spell components. It's not gonna work without all of them."

Guess he is casting Charm Person after all.

"Okay, but like. What are the other components?"

Dustin just shrugs.

"Hell if I know."

Eddie was burdened with the most unhelpful friends. 

"What do you do when you upset him?"

Dustin's first instinct is to protest, probably point out what a great little brother he is, but one stern look from Eddie makes him shut his mouth and reconsider his words.

"Well, if I made him upset, I'd help him with dinner, make him coffee or tea, pick a movie I know he'd like. Help out with chores, mostly. He does too much by himself." The frown on his face is deep like the mystery of Steve's adoption and Eddie mirrors it.

"This sounds all great when you're brothers, but I'm not a Henderson, how am I supposed to pull that off?

"You helped with dinner once, you could do it again," 

Eddie sighs, long and suffering.

"I guess…"

"Great! Steve has left to get groceries and is making dinner later, I'm sure he'll appreciate the help!" He grins, knowing full well he just backed his friend into a corner.

Eddie sputters when he realizes that. 

“What? Today?”

“No better time than the present.” Dustin shrugs smugly, like it was a universal law they can’t help but follow.

Eddie bristles, because, yeah, true, but…

“I'm not mentally prepared," he complains. 

"For what?" Dustin raises his brows in this annoying way of his. "Cooking?"

"You ate my mac and cheese, you understand the severity of the situation!" he yells, accusingly pointing a finger at him.

"Ate is a big word, I spat it out. And calling it mac and cheese is also a big word."

"Exactly!" Usually Eddie didn't like his abilities slandered like that but on the rare occasion when it served his purpose… 

"Steve's first casserole was also inedible," Dustin shrugs and Eddie tries to picture Mr. Perfect Housewife fucking up a dish. "You have about an hour to mentally prepare before he's back though. You can spend it finishing your readings."

Ah, right. The mundane purpose of his visit was schoolwork.

Eddie groans. He can only hope the tragic stories of holocaust victims will set him in the right mind for cooking with Steve.

They don’t. He's heavily unprepared for the confrontation when they're running down the stairs to help with the bags. 

When Steve's instructing them which things he needs and which can be put away, Dustin elbows his friend in the ribs, hard. He hisses in pain, attracting Steve's attention.

"You staying for dinner?" he asks before Eddie can say anything. 

"Uh, if I can help with it, then yeah," he says, feeling Dustin’s annoying beady eyes on himself.

Steve frowns at him.

"You don't have to do that, I’ve told you before."

"Yeah, but I'm done with my work for today," Eddie adds under the menacing gaze. "And my cooking skills need some guidance. Wayne is too old to stomach my food, he can't risk another food poisoning,” he babbles, earning himself a snort from Steve. 

“Okay, if it's that bad,” he agrees finally,  the smile Eddie has gotten used to once again on his face. "But you'll be under strict supervision."

"Of course!"

"Okay, you already got yourself a kitchen slave, so I can go finish my work," Dustin speaks up before promptly disappearing, only the sound of his rushed retreating steps left.

"Guess we're alone then," Steve comments, giving Eddie an odd look. He thought he was used to those but Steve's were always hard to decipher. Not the exact kind he usually got.

He clears his throat to dislodge the weird feeling clogging it up.

"So, what are we cooking today?"

Steve hums, looking at the ingredients before him.

"You ever cooked soup?"

"Uh, I assume you don't mean the instant kind?"

Steve makes a disgusted face, fake gags for a good measure too.

"Soup it is then. It's getting colder, and I'm sure Wayne would appreciate it," he says, eyeing Eddie questioningly, and this one he deciphers easily.

"My uncle,” he explains. "I live with him."

To his surprise, Steve smiles warmly.

"Wanna make some extra you can heat up for him?"

"That's-" Eddie's taken aback, which doesn't happen to him often. "That would be very nice, thank you."

"It’s nothing. He should know his nephew is spending his time productively."

"I'm always productive," he mutters back a complete lie. But he's been trying, okay?

"I know," Steve says, surprising him again. "Maybe I want to get on your uncle's good side too."

Eddie doesn't ask why. Doesn't want to know. Doesn't speculate. Just leaves it be, bugging him for the time being.

"I was thinking fritters too? Since they're easy to heat up later."

Eddie nods, watching him sort through the vegetables.

"Whatever you say, chef."

Steve instructs him through the soup preparations first, explaining it needs more time to cook. 

“I hope you don’t mind veggie broth. El didn’t like chicken and we kinda got used to it. Also, it’s cheaper,” he says, watching Eddie pour water over the vegetables arranged in the pot. 

He puts the pot on the burner and looks up.

"Who's El?"

"Dustin's friend. She moved to California though," Steve answers with a frown.

"That's a bit of a drive."

"Yeah," Steve scrunches his nose, then looks back into the pot, before reaching for a box of seasoning.

"Ok, now for the fun part."

Eddie has no idea how seasoning a pot of vegetable water can be fun, but he's not about to argue. He follows instructions and marvels at the amount of weird plants that could be added to food. 

"I feel like a witch," he whispers, tossing dried herbs into his cauldron.

Steve chuckles.

"You kinda look like one."

Eddie side-eyes him from his position over the pot.

"I hope that's a compliment."

"Oh, it is," Steve says in a weird voice and Eddie is too afraid to look at him. He flips through the seasoning packets instead, reading unfamiliar names.

"Okay, so this needs a couple of hours to cook, you'll know when it starts getting together from the smell. Then we'll blanche the onions and garlic, add the tomatoes, blend it all, and it's done. Now we can work on the fritters. Have you done them before?"

Eddie thinks about it for a moment.

"I saw my uncle make them."

"Potato ones?"

"Uh, yeah? Are there more options?" he asks, eyebrows drawn together.

"Apparently, yeah,” Steve rolls his eyes. “A fritter is technically anything you can grate, slap together and fry in a pancake-ish shape."

"Huh. I've learned so much today already."

Steve laughs. 

"So, what do you want in the fritters?" he asks and Eddie is ridiculously giddy about having a choice.

"Can we put meat in them?"

"Yeah, I've made them with bacon before."

Eddie's eyes sparkle.

"Potatoes with bacon and cheese?"

"Holy shit,” Steve groans. “Claudia's gonna kill us, but it sounds so good." He ponders on it for a moment. "We could add corn to pretend there are vegetables in them."

"Ketchup is a vegetable," Eddie points out and Steve bristles. 

"We're not eating them with ketchup!" he protests. "But… we could use some of the tomatoes to make a sauce."

Eddie never thought cooking could be this fun.

"Yesss!"

"You're way more excited than I thought you'd be," Steve observes, grabbing the potatoes to wash.

"I'm a growing boy, of course I'm excited about food. Besides, we're like two alchemists; mixing up stuff to make other stuff."

Steve laughs again.

"Are those the guys who tried turning metals into gold?"

"Precisely!"

He's tasked with peeling the potatoes while Steve puts bacon in the oven. He’s  never good at it, and he huffs angrily when Steve joins him and gets through three potatoes while he peels one. What's worse, he can see him watching and his fingers twitching.

"Okay, I can see you itching to correct me. Just do it."

"You sure?"

"Yeah man, unless you have some disease I could catch, I'll be fine."

Steve winces and Eddie has a lightning-fast memory of a rumour that gays spread a deadly disease. But Steve isn't gay, probably, and it's just a rumour.

Steve is still haste when he rearranges his fingers on the peeler and takes his hand away like touching him burns.

Eddie frowns. Well, that's not gonna cut it.

"Like this?" he asks, making a motion he knows is wrong.

"No, like-" Steve reaches out and hesitates. 

"I don't have cooties, come on."

Steve presses his lips together and wraps his hand around his. He has to move closer too, crowding Eddie's side. 

"Like this," he says, whispers really, pushing his hand in the right motion.

This suddenly feels more obscene than it is, but Eddie’s half tempted to push it further.

"Your hands are weirdly soft. Do you steal Robin's hand cream?" he asks instead.

Steve huffs at the backhanded compliment and retraces his soft, big hands.

"No, I have my own."

"Hmm." Eddie cocks his head, looking him up and down. "Should have guessed."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Steve asks with a frown, but he can tell the anger is played up. 

"Nothing," Eddie shrugs. "You just look like someone taking care of himself." 

Steve keeps looking at him like he is not sure if he should be offended or not so Eddie helps him out by rolling his eyes. 

“Don't worry, I judge you more for your music than your hygiene.”

“Of course,” Steve huffs. “You wouldn't know much about hygiene anyway, would you?” he teases with a smirk.

Eddie gasps.

“Are you implying trailer trash don't clean themselves?” he asks, eyes wide and offended. 

“What? No!” The smile vanishes instantly from his face. “Of course not!” Steve scrambles to defend himself. But then, he cocks his hip and crosses his arms.

“You know what? No. I stand by it. Your hair needs proper care, not whatever 3 in 1 you treat it with,” he says. 

“5 in 1,” Eddie corrects him smugly. 

“Five?”

“Hair, body, face, beard and ass,” he lists on his fingers, earning himself a look of disgust from Steve. 

“For that alone, you’re washing your hands again.”

Eddie knows he doesn't have to, but complies anyway. Whatever makes the big Henderson happy. And consecutively, the little Henderson. And somehow, Eddie himself.

By the time the sun starts setting, he’s gained some valuable culinary knowledge, including the fact that as a cook, he gets to taste the dishes all the time. His growing boy tummy is satiated with a stolen strip of bacon and one of the test fritters he’s munching on, when they hear the door unlock.

“I’m home!” a woman’s voice calls out. Eddie freezes.

“We’re just finishing dinner!” Steve calls back while the man next to him shrinks on himself, looking up at him and wondering why he isn’t being pushed into a closet like a secret paramour. 

“Your mom is here?!” he seethes through his teeth, eyes jumping from Steve to the door. 

“Well, yeah?” Steve raises an eyebrow. “She lives here?” 

“But why am I here?!”

Was Steve this stupid or did he not grasp the severity of the situation?

“You’re cooking? Staying for dinner? Studying? The fuck do you mean man?” he answers, more or less matching his volume.

“Mothers hate me!” Eddie reminds him helpfully, making Steve only roll his eyes with a huff.

“Claudia likes you.”

“She never saw me,” he reminds him. Because as soon as any of the suburban moms caught a whiff of his metal vest, his dark clothes and long hair, he felt disgusted eyes on his back. 

And when the Satanist drug dealer rumours reach them? Things only get worse. 

“Dude-”

“Oh, hi boys!” A tired-looking blond woman enters the kitchen. Her smile doesn’t waver despite Eddie’s presence, meaning she must have seen some shit in her life. “You didn’t tell me we’ll have a guest today.”

Steve steps in before he can put his foot in his mouth, laying his big warm hand on his shoulder. 

“Eddie finished his work early and wanted to help in the kitchen. Hope that’s alright.”

At the mere thought it wouldn’t be, Eddie’s stomach twisted. 

“Of course! The more, the merrier!” Claudia smiled, still seemingly genuine, before stepping closer and extending her hand.

“Nice to finally meet you, Eddie. I’ve heard a lot about you from my boys.”

Steve’s hand is still on him squeezing minutely to remind him to shake Claudia’s hand.

“Likewise.” He smiles to his best ability, unable to remember the last time he was friendly with someone's parents. Except Gareth's, maybe.

“What did boys make?” she asks, sniffing the air and trying to peek over his shoulder.

“Tomato soup, like you asked, and some fritters.”

“With veggies, I hope?” She squints at her oldest (newest?) son.

“There’s corn in them, and we made a tomato sauce.” He smiled brightly and Eddie could tell he was happy to play the good kid role. 

“Good. I’m gonna change and get back to you,” she says before disappearing upstairs, probably to harass the younger Henderson now. 

“Why was she so nice?” Eddie muses, half to Steve, half to himself, half to the universe in general. Wait, that's three halves. Well, he didn’t fail school because of his great math skills.

“She's always nice.” Steve steps away to work on the next batch of fritters.

“Not to me! Mothers hate me! I bet she’s just pretending but as soon as I disappear, you're gonna hear all about it!”

“Hey!” Steve turns back towards him, frowning. And uh-oh, he upset him again. On his reverse-upset mission. “Claudia’s not some uptight bitch like that. She likes all our friends and you're not an exception. Just because you dress differently isn’t gonna ban you from the house or get us in trouble.” He knocks him on the head for good measure. “You’re safe here.”

“Okay,” Eddie simply says, taken aback. Being welcomed somewhere was a feeling he still had to process.

“We're safe here,” was a soft addition he almost missed over his own loud thoughts but made him even more curious about Steve himself. 

User tags: @i-have-three-feelings @mblogs @awkwardgravity1 @imacowboy3 @just-a-tiny-void @clumsiluni @shotgunhallelujah @halfadoginatank @carlprocastinator1000 @irregular-child

[wosoimagines]

Captains - Leah Williamson/Reader

part one | part two | part three | part four

prompt: What happens when Captain America and Captain England are roommates?

warnings: none

words: 4317

(Y/N) POV

“I am not rooming with her,” Williamson said as she pointed at me. I rolled my eyes at that. It was true, the two of us had not gotten off to a great start when I joined Arsenal... and we still hadn’t been able to get along even though I had already been playing with the club for nearly two years now. “No way. I’m not dealing with the bad accent. Or her bad attempt at mocking my accent.”

“Listen here, doll, I don’t want to deal with your bad fake southern accent either,” I drawled out. I had purposely thickened my southern drawl for her. “There is a reason why Captain America and Captain England never do room together.”

“I understand that you two don’t get along,” Jonas started out as Leah sent me a glare, “but you’re both the future of this club unless either of you plan on leaving. Do either of you plan on leaving?”

Both Leah and I shook our heads. I knew that Leah was a die-hard Gooner since she was a kid, but I had been as well. It was a dream come true getting to play with Arsenal and I wanted to put them on top.

“Well then, you’ll both have to room together because I can’t have you two at each others throats any longer. While you two have shown that you can be great captains on the national level, I need you to show me that you can put your differences aside off the pitch as well. Especially if you’re both going to be here for the long run.”

All Leah and I could do was watch as Jonas walked away from us. The two of us turned to each other as soon as Jonas went into his own room.

“Look, he’s right,” I said causing Leah to raise a brow. “We should be able to get along. I mean, we work great together on the pitch, so why can’t we off the pitch?”

“You’re doing it again.”

I furrowed my brow in confusion. I had no idea what Leah was talking about.

“You’re mocking my accent.”

I hadn’t even realized that my southern accent had dropped much less that I was copying her accent.

“You ever thought that maybe I’m not mocking it?” I suggested. Leah scoffed as she shook her head at me. “I’ve lived here for the better part of two years now. The only time I go home is during part of the off season and when I have national team duties. It isn’t a stretch to believe that my accent is going to start to change eventually.”

“‘It isn’t a stretch to believe that my accent is going to start to change eventually.’“

I rolled my eyes at her as I pushed past her and into the room that we were sharing. Leah followed me in as she tried talking with my accent.

“You talk too fast,” I said as I turned to face her once I threw my bags on the first bed. Leah paused as she tilted her head at me. “You talk too fast to get mocking my accent down. Slow down how you talk and drawl out your vowels. It’s how to get the drawl right.”

“Whatever.”

Leah pushed past me as she crossed her arms and rolled her eyes but took a seat on the other bed. 

I shook my head as I stared at her. At least I was trying to be friendly. I made sure to grab my key for the room as I headed out. Even if I did have to room with Leah, I could at least spend my time around others who didn’t get upset with me for the slightest thing.

I ended up in front of the door that I knew was Beth and Viv’s room. I rocked myself on the balls of my feet as I waited for one fo them to answer the door. As soon as the door was opened, I pushed my way in.

“I can’t believe her. She seriously drives me mad,” I ranted as I paced in front of the beds. I didn’t pay attention as Viv joined Beth on the bed. “Who the hell does she think she is? I’ve been mostly nothing but nice to her since I transferred here two years ago and all I get in return is mocking? And when I give her some pointers on how to mock me better? An eye roll and a fucking pout. Is she a child?”

“Did Jonas bunk you and Leah together?”

I paused mid step to look over at Beth. I knew that I hadn’t said Leah’s name so I wasn’t sure how she knew that.

“Yeah. How’d you know?”

“You two are so blind to your own feelings about each other all you two ever do is rant about the other,” Beth said with a small shrug.

“I do not.”

“Yeah, you do,” Viv nodded. I shook my head at that because it wasn’t true. “She gets you with a clean tackle and you complain the whole day that it was a foul. You trip her up with your skills and she complains that you get in close enough to knock her off balance.”

“That’s a bullshit lie and she knows it,” I said as I pointed at Viv. “I don’t even touch her.”

“Point is you two talk about each other all the time,” Viv said. That couldn’t be true. “No, I’m serious. All the time.”

“Well it isn’t like I haven’t tried to be nice,” I shrugged. I had made efforts to get to know her. “Leah doesn’t care.”

“She’s had a crush on you since the World Cup,” Beth said. I rolled my eyes at that. It couldn’t be true because if it was then Leah had a funny way of showing it. “And then you were kind of a dick.”

“I was not.”

“You kind of were,” Viv agreed. I huffed at that. “You came over and claimed you would be the best to ever play for Arsenal for a long time. Not only that but everything had to be about you.”

“Everything was about me when I came over,” I pointed out. It was a true statement. Arsenal had fought hard to get me to join them especially since I had been looking to play with other clubs overseas as well. “Everyone has always talked about me as if I’m some savior wherever I go. And if I can’t live up to that? You don’t know what it’s like. To be a kid and be the reason why the national team lost, it isn’t easy especially when you were supposed to be the saving grace. So yeah, it is easier to just give in and embrace the attention and the narrative and then deal with the fallout.”

“You were also pretty harsh to Leah during practices,” Beth added.

“And now she’s an even better defender.”

“That’s not how everyone is always going to see your approach,” Beth said. I shook my head at that because it wasn’t anything personal against Leah, but I needed the best defense to practice against or else I couldn’t improve as much. “Look, all I’m saying is that, to Leah, you’ve always been the cocky American who thought she was better than everyone else.”

“I am better than pretty much everyone else though.”

“That’s the problem,” Viv said. I rolled my eyes at that. It was the truth. “You’re too cocky about it.”

“If I don’t have that, then what do I really have?” I asked. They didn’t get it. “The World Cup? I won it because I’m one of the best. My family? They’re all shit and they kicked me out because none of their kids will be gay and if you are then you ain’t part of the family. All I have is being the best.”

“You could be nicer about it,” Viv said. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do because it wasn’t like I went around actively bragging about it. I just didn’t deny it. “I get it. Well, I don’t cause I hate exercise honestly, but you hold yourself to a higher standard. But you can’t hold everyone else to the same standard.”

“If you don’t want to be the best, then why are you playing?”

“They teach you that in the States?”

“No, Viv, my father drills it into each of our heads. Okay? All I have is being the best. That’s all I’m worth, so I have to make myself worth it.”

“That’s not all your worth.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I don’t?” Beth asked. “I’ve seen you. You’ve worked with people who really need help. You think we wouldn’t notice that you took on a building project to build homes for people in need? You’ve gone and worked with kids who can’t afford club training. You’re more than just some football player.”

“Then why does no one else see me as more than ‘just some football player’?”

Beth went silent at that. It was also very true. I hadn’t been shy in raising money for charities or even going to help out when I could. I tried to put on as many free football clinics as I could and help where I could. But no one ever talked about that.

“You know how many people I run into that only see me as an athlete and not more? Everyone.” I shook my head. They just didn’t understand. “I went and helped feed those in need and asked one of the other workers if she wanted to go out sometime. She told me yes and then on the date all she tried to talk to me about was soccer. No one, outside of my national teammates could even tell me what my favorite color is.”

“It’s blue,” Viv said. I turned my gaze over to her. “It’s like a deep dark blue.”

“It’s forest green.”

“Okay, so we’re shit teammates.”

“You’re not shit teammates because you don’t know my favorite color, Viv,” I denied. None of them were bad teammates. Just because we weren’t friends outside of the club didn’t make them bad teammates. “But I ask you guys to come and hang out and those of you who do show up don’t try to get to know me. I get left alone to my own devices while the rest of you just invade my apartment to spend time with everyone but me.”

“We do care about you,” Beth said.

“No one said congrats when I won bronze at the Olympics, or when I won the golden boot, or when I won the Ballon D’or,” I pointed out. I hadn’t even received any texts from my teammates. “No one ever said it in person or over texts or anything on social media.”

“Your national teammates did,” Beth said.

“None of you did. The first thing I got asked when I went to the November camp and the first thing I get asked after the first game against Germany? How did I celebrate with my Arsenal teammates,” I explained. I shook my head at that. “I had to lie to them about that, but hey I don’t expect any of you to know that because I doubt any of you even watch my national games.”

“Do you watch ours?” Beth asked.

“Every single game. I congratulated you guys on social media and praised you guys when you won,” I said as I sent her a soft glare. “If I can’t catch them live, I record them.”

“You do?” Viv asked.

“Yeah, I do,” I nodded. Was it really that hard to believe that I was interested in my own teammates performances? “And I’ve made public comments about your performances. All praising them because you’re all amazing players.”

“You left Leah out of the post you made about the Euros,” Beth said softly.

“I took pictures with you and the others. Leah didn’t want a picture with me. That’s not on me,” I shook my head. “And I said congrats to all of my Arsenal teammates.”

“Well, Leah took it the wrong way.”

“Then that’s on her.”

“You should still probably have an actual talk with her. I mean, the rest of us get that you aren’t just some cocky asshole,” Beth shrugged. “But that doesn’t mean that Leah does.”

“And why should I? I’m not exactly craving the desire to get close to someone just to have them kick me out of their life.”

“(Y/N), do you want her to like you or not?”

“You don’t get it, people don’t like me. They tolerate me until I’m not worth anything anymore and then they leave,” I said. I didn’t miss how Beth and Viv shared a look between themselves. “I’m not the only one here. I’m not the only one who needs to make an effort.”

With that, I headed out. Even if I didn’t want to go back to my room, I could at least go hang out in the lobby.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Here,” Leah said as she held out a bag to me. “It might have been brought to my attention that I should extend an olive branch and it shouldn’t be entirely up to you to make the effort.”

“Is it gonna kill me?”

Leah laughed as she shook her head. I hesitantly opened the bag.

“Viv might have told me that your favorite color was forest green.”

“You got me a hoodie?”

“You kept talking about how your old one was getting really old and it had holes in it and that it was mostly worn out,” Leah shrugged.

“So Beth and Viv told you what we talked about?” I asked.

“Well, not all of it,” Leah said. I looked away from her as I held onto the hoodie. “They really just said that I was kind of being an ass and that you aren’t always some cocky American. Which I’m not sure about that, but I figure that the least I could do was extend the olive branch.”

“I appreciate it,” I assured her. Leah softly smiled at me before I pulled the hoodie over my head. “So, how’s it look?”

“Not bad,” Leah said. I grinned at that. “It’d look better on me, but it doesn’t look the worst on you.”

I shook my head at that.

“And you can’t even compliment me.”

“Only in your dreams, (Y/L/N).”

“Oh, trust me, we do a lot more than compliment each other in my dreams,” I muttered under my breath.

“What was that?”

“Nothing to worry that pretty little head about, Williamson.”

“You think my head’s pretty?”

I only shrugged as I got up. I didn’t mind as Leah followed me continuing to ask me if I thought she was pretty or not as I headed up to our room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I groaned as someone knocked on my front door. I really didn’t want to get up. Besides, I hadn’t been expecting anyone since it was already so late at night. Plus, I had training in the morning, and I wanted to get in early so I could get some extra skills work in.

Maybe the person would just go away if I didn’t answer.

The knocking echoed through my house meaning that they were going away. I sighed as I pulled myself up from my couch where I had a random game playing on the TV. Once I got to the door, I pulled it open to.

“What the hell are you doing?” I asked as I grabbed onto the blonde’s arm as I pulled in her inside my house.

“I-I don’t... I mean, I didn’t... I’m an idiot.”

“You’re not an idiot, Leah. However, you are soaking wet, so stay here.”

Leah nodded as I turned and headed to the bathroom. I opened the cabinet under the sink before pulling out a couple of towels. I walked back out to the door before giving one to Leah before I bent down to start wiping up the water that was on my floors.

Leah eventually pulled off her shoes and left them next to the door as I stood up. She was still running the towel over her hair trying to dry it off.

“You should probably get a warm shower,” I said. Leah looked over at me before slowly nodding. “Come on, you can use my shower. I don’t have any shampoo or conditioner or body wash in the guest bathrooms.”

Leah followed me as I headed through the house to my room. I let her into my bathroom before pulling out some fresh towels and sitting them on the sink.

“I’ll leave some clothes for you on my bed. You can throw your clothes into the wash when you get out.”

Leah nodded at that as she wiped at her eyes. It was obvious to me that she had been crying, but I definitely wasn’t going to point that out to her. I closed the door behind me as I exited the bathroom. I went through my dresser and closet before pulling out a pair of my sweatpants and a hoodie for Leah. I also left a pair of my socks on the bed with them. I threw a couple of different packages of unopened underwear and sports bras on the bed for Leah as well.

I immediately headed to my kitchen. I had a feeling that Leah might want some comfort food after all. It was a while as I made a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches as well as some crispy potato bites.

“I didn’t know you could cook.”

I glanced over my shoulder as I grinned at Leah.

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing too fancy. Or too southern for Captain England,” I said as I plated the food and placed it in front of Leah. “Besides I was pretty much on my own at a young age, so I had to learn if I wanted to eat.”

Leah looked down at the plate in front of her before hesitantly lifted the top part of the sandwich.

“Those are obviously potatoes.”

“Obviously.”

“But what the fuck is this?”

“That? That? That is the best grilled cheese you will ever have.”

“This is not a grilled cheese.”

“That is not a grilled cheese. It is the grilled cheese,” I assured Leah. I motioned to the sandwich. “Feta cheese, spinach, bacon, and mac and cheese. It will be the best grilled cheese you have ever had.”

Leah raised an eyebrow, but she picked up the sandwich. I grinned as she took a bite from the sandwich before her eyes widened. I grabbed a plate for myself as I put my sandwich on it and some potatoes.

“That is really good.”

“I told you.”

We both fell into silence as we ate on the sandwiches and potatoes.

“So, is there a reason you showed up outside of my house soaking wet?” I asked, finally breaking the silence.

Leah stayed quiet as she picked at her potatoes. I sighed as I nodded my head at that. I truly hadn’t expected that she answer me, but it would have been nice to know why Leah had suddenly turned up.

“Jordan and I got into a fight,” Leah admitted. I raised my head to look at her. “I think it’s over between us. For good.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

I nodded at that. I knew how rough a breakup could be especially when you lived with your partner and you were the one being blindsided by it.

“You can stay here for as long as you want.”

“(Y/N), I couldn’t impose-”

“You wouldn’t be imposing. Not really,” I assured her. I motioned to the space around us in the kitchen. “It’s a big house.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

Leah nodded as she went back to picking at her potatoes.

“Don’t worry about your clothes. We can go pick them up tomorrow. And I’m assuming your car,” I said. Leah looked back up at me and I only shrugged. “I assume you ran here considering you were soaking wet.”

“I just had to get out of there,” Leah admitted. I softly smiled at her. “I didn’t think about grabbing my car.”

“If you were that upset, it was probably best that you didn’t drive.”

“Why are you being so nice to me? I mean, we aren’t exactly friends.”

“Because there was a time in my life when I was alone and I had nowhere to go, and I refuse to turn someone I care about away like I had been.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You know, you’re going to have to cook for me more often now,” Leah said as she took another bite from her breakfast burger.

“It’s just a burger with bacon, egg, and cheese,” I pointed out. Leah rolled her eyes at me. “I mean, I don’t mind having someone to cook for. It’s just that it’s something simple to make that you could probably make it in your sleep. Well, so long as you can make a good burger.”

The two of us fell into silence as we both ate on the sandwiches that I had brought for us.

“You didn’t have to let me sleep in your bed last night,” Leah said as I went to take a bite from my burger. I paused as looked over at her. “I would have been fine on the couch.”

“Trust me, I’ve fallen asleep on the couch more times that I wish to admit. I’m quite used to it. I think I’ve slept more nights on my couch than I have in my bed,” I admitted. Leah raised an eyebrow at that. “Being in such a big house can be lonely sometimes. I don’t like having a TV in my room, so I fall asleep on the couch watching TV so it isn’t so quiet at nights.”

“Have you never had a TV in your room?” Leah asked. I shook my head. “Something else the States taught you?”

“No, not the States,” I denied. Leah tilted her head to the side. I glanced at the clock on my dashboard, we still had a little bit before training was supposed to start. “My... father. My siblings and I weren’t allowed to have TVs in our rooms growing up. We were only allowed to watch stuff approved by him too, so I’ve never exactly been too into movies and shows. So getting a TV for my room when I moved here seemed silly since I didn’t care for any shows.”

“That actually sounds kind of sad.”

“It’s just how he is.”

It didn’t bother me anymore. I guess you couldn’t really miss what you never had.

“What you said last night...”

I turned to look out my window. I wasn’t sure how I felt about Leah knowing about my past. Sure I had told Beth and Viv, but that was different. I didn’t care if they looked at me like I was messed up because of my past. I wasn’t sure if I wanted Leah to look at me that way.

“My parents and I... we had a falling out when I was a teenager. I had scholarships pulled because of how unstable everything in my life was, and every single one of my friends showed their true colors,” I admitted. I scratched the back of my head as I wasn’t sure just how much to tell Leah. “I was homeless for a little bit since I was supposed to leave for college. Then my Stanford scholarship got pulled because false reports about me were made. I immediately made it known that I was looking into going pro rather than college. My reputation was pretty damaged though. I was put on probation with the national team.”

“I... didn’t know that.”

“Most people don’t. All they see are the fancy awards and trophies.”

“I’m sorry it’s like that.”

I shrugged at that. I had grown used to it by now. Besides, there wasn’t anything anyone could really do about it.

“So the big house?”

“Just playing into the narrative, I guess? I decided somewhere along the way that if I was going to be painted as some selfish bad guy, that I could at least enjoy the stuff I was supposed to while I was still helping others.”

“Isn’t it lonely?”

“Sometimes. But that’s what teammates are for. They’re my found family. I’ll always have my national teammates. And I hope that Arsenal is going to be my home for a long time.”

Leah nodded at that. I glanced at the clock on my dash again.

“We should probably go in,” I said, causing Leah to look at the clock before she nodded in agreement. “Don’t want to be late.”

We both got out fo my car before heading in. Both of us still eating on our breakfast burgers. I wasn’t too surprised at everyone who was already in the locker room. I moved away from Leah as I moved to join Beth and Viv who were sitting near Viv’s locker. The two forwards were glancing between Leah and I as I dropped my bag in my locker.

“Hey, isn’t that your hoodie?” Beth asked. I looked over at her before looking over my shoulder at Leah. She was still in the hoodie I had left out for her last night. “The one that Leah gave you?”

“And you both came in together?”

“It’s a long story,” I shrugged. I turned back to my bag. “And it’s not mine to really tell. If Leah wants to tell you, she will.”

“I told you that Captain England and Captain America would get together.”

I rolled my eyes at that because we definitely weren’t together, but maybe this was a start to something that could be more than friends.

[kanpaeki]

"stop playing with my panties, dominic" - dominic fike x reader

gif not mine <33

THIS is my first piece of writing since like 2018. i'm so nervous to left this fly but i've received some encouragement from some sweethearts so i think i'm ready!

this is just dominic bothering reader as she's doing her self care sunday. i wanted my first fic back to be something short, silly but cute. thank you so so much to @huhniebowl for helping me get this out, i'd been brainstorming for days.

hopefully we go up from here. hope you likeeee.

x

after a long week, self-care sunday finally arrived to reinstate the state of your sanity. nearing the end of summer, you'd assume people would have their lives together more so than the beginning. but nope. and of course it was your job to deal with the mess. but you digress, it wasn't like this all the time. plus, you wouldn't get such satisfaction out of cleaning as you do now.

you'd decided to start on chores to get them out the way before you really locked in with skin, nails and hair care. you'd already put a load in the laundry, taking care of the dishes currently when you hear the jiggle of the front door. dominic bursts through, having gone for an impromptu session at the studio after some lyrics suddenly came to him.

"hey! how was it?" you call over your shoulder, elbow-deep in some sudsy water. instead of answering you, he slinks behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist, resting his chin atop your head. "honestly, i really wanna put this one out."

you laugh at that, knowing he says that damn near every time. "it must be good then."

"well, you know, i'm something of a musical prodigy," he smiles, leaving your side to go see what snacks he could find in the cabinet, "just kidding. i don't know what i'm doing." he mumbles, stuffing a chip in his mouth.

rolling your eyes, you unplug the drain in the sink, letting the water out and shaking out your hands. "even your mom said you were a musical prodigy, i'd have to agree with her."

you go to grab a paper towel when he puts the chip bag down on the counter, "i'm being so rude, did you want help?" he dusts his hands off on his jeans before picking up a dish and rinsing it off. except he grabbed a spoon. and consequently, water went everywhere, mostly on you due to your position right in front of the faucet. he drops the spoon and pauses while you hiss at the cool water soaking through your shirt, looking down to see the damage before glaring up at him.

"i didn't mean to do that."

with a soaked shirt, you sigh and continue the dishes. "you can dry them as i rinse them, how about that?"

"yeah, that's probably better."

after you'd finished the dishes, you moved onto working on laundry as he went to rest. or so you thought. you played some music from your phone softly, while you sat on a stool, folding clothes out the dryer and putting them in a clean basket.

something flung from the corner of your eye and you looked over to see dominic with an incredulous look of amusement on his face before he burst into laughter and picked up another pair of your seamless panties.

"dominic, what the hell are you doing?" you sputter, "are those clean?" as if that's the biggest issue at hand.

"i don't know, i got 'em from this basket." he laughed, flinging the next pair towards you and you flinch before they land on your head. you huff and snatch them off your head, balling them in your hand and standing up.

"stop playing with my panties, dominic. i thought you were laying down in the room!" you gasp, picking up the other panties off the floor while he laughs and runs away.

there was a pair you couldn’t find and you just gave up, not even bothering to waste time looking for them. you’d have him find it later.

today was going to be a long day, you think to yourself while you watch his form retreat back to the bedroom. it was rare that he got in these teasing moods and usually, you didn't mind but you don't think you have the patience for it today.

it's not until you've finished the laundry and put everything away that dominic showed his face again. using a spatula to spread the face mask on, wrapped in a robe, hair tied up and out of the way, dom pokes his head in the bathroom to look at you.

"sorry for being annoying," he gives you those puppy dog brown eyes and you want to roll your eyes so bad but you can't when those butterflies are fluttering through your stomach.

it takes you a minute to respond. you just look at him through the mirror, putting the spatula down and a soft smile spreads on your lips. your head tilts and you nod, "it's okay, dom." you can't help but chuckle. the ridiculousness of the situation was too funny. only dominic.

"you look hot." he deadpans. and you know he's lying. the green goop of a face mask dripping from your face, making a mess everywhere on the sink. but you laugh anyway.

“thank you. wanna do skincare with me?"

and of course, he’s down. ever the supporter of all things you, he sits patiently on the toilet while you paint his face with the goo. his nimble fingers find their way under the skirt of your robe to the waistband of your panties, snapping the material lightly on your skin.

“i thought i asked you to stop playing with my panties.” you can’t help but crack a smile.

he sighs and looks up at you with those brown doe eyes, “my fault,” making you laugh with pure adoration for the boy.

and so you finish his mask. while he’s checking himself out in the mirror, you begin to run a bath. he’s making noises from behind you, posing as you can see from the corner of your eye.

“what are you doing?” you ask, testing the water with the pads of your fingers under the faucet.

“i look like jason or something.” he pounces on you, shaking you playfully. he leans in to kiss you and you hesitate because your masks, causing his jaw to drop in offense. “what the hell was that?!”

you laugh, shaking your head, “just be careful. our masks are still drying.” and you lean in for a peck of the lips, cautious but sweet.

“i’m glad you’re here,” you murmur, wrapping your arms around his waist. all the gym’s been doing him good, you can feel the muscle building under his tan skin. he’s been warmer, healthier, happier. you’re so proud of him.

“thank you for putting up with me.” he responds, pushing the stray hairs back from your updo, smoothing them down. he always liked holding your head. you’re not entirely sure why.

a quiet moment ensues, just the sound of the water filling up the tub while you enjoy each other’s company, looking into each other’s eyes.

before you realize something.

“did you ever find where you flung my panties?”

“shit.”

[avatarkv]

V ! I Know it's for the better. Know it's for the better.

✎ Synopsis ! You've been thrusted to carry the burden of the eldest after his passing.

Content & warning Jake sully x Daughter!Reader, Sully kids x Sister!Reader Neytiri x Daughter!Reader. Mentions of death and violence! (wc; 5057)

Song: Waiting Room, Phoebe Bridgers.

“Can you hear me, corporal?” He chuckles, “Yeah. I think you can.” 

"If you so much as lay a finger on her, consider yourself a dead man.” Your father seethed through the intercom that you could feel his very rage– it frightened you, almost more so than being captured by Quaritch. Jake wasn't the kind of man who liked to make idle threats; it was his commitment that made him the perfect olo’eyktan, but it was purely love that made him the father he is today. 

You knew very well what he was capable of. 

You tugged at the binds, desperate to loosen them but to no avail. Squirming uncomfortably in your seat, despair settled into your chest like lead and you felt helpless. You didn't even put up a fight to begin with; all those training, just to end up at the root of it all. You could only glare at Quaritch while he looked down at you, fingers pressing the pager on his ear.

“Now don’t look at me like that, sweetheart, you have your father’s eyes.” His remark made your gaze falter, disgust coursing through your body. “You know what to do, Jake.”

“Don’t touch her, asshole! She’s just a kid–

“Might’ve gotten a few scratches in, but nothing a few bandaids can’t fix.” Quaritch looks you up and down, a smirk playing on his lips,  “Don’t worry, we show visitors the utmost respect here. I’m certain you’d know our customs around these parts, marine.” His tone is slightly aggressive and there's an air of smugness in his words– he’s provoking him, taking pleasure in knowing that he has the upper hand.

Scratches my ass. They gave you one hell of a shot on your side when they tried to kill off your ilu and they did nothing but put some ragged cloth to stop the bleeding. You knew it wasn’t any deep, but it still hurt– not to mention you’ve lost a lot of blood from their harsh tugging. You wince, thinking about it. If it wasn’t for the adrenaline coursing through your body, you would’ve been in a whole lot of pain.

“What the hell do you want?” 

“Same as before. You for her.” 

Their voices melted into the background, like a low hum of static passing through your ears. Despite the noise, you feel yourself attune to it after a while and allow yourself to drift away. Eventually, it tuned itself out and you were surrounded by an almost eerie silence.  

Your father had said something, you remembered, something you had missed.

You had missed the looming aircraft above– unlike the usual helicopters you knew, this one flew stealthily, as if it was designed to lurk and catch even the slightest of movement. At first, they thought it was merely a lone ilu; they were now at the reef, after all. Your color blended almost perfectly with its skin, movement as fluid as the raging sea. They had shot it, grazing its fin. 

“Mawey, mawey!” You had screamed in panic, trying to hold on to its thrashing body. “Dad–”

The ilu struggled, bellowing in pain. It was impossible to form a bond, let alone control your breathing– the bluish-green waters were now tainted with a faint, crimson hue. Blood; familiar blood, painful red. 

“__, listen, I’m gonna find you, okay?” It was difficult to make out the words he had spoken over the loud static of the pager. The radio waves were making it hard for either of them to hear properly. Trying again, he shouted,  “Sweetheart, I’m–” 

From there, they had spotted you; a forest na’vi, sticking out like a sore thumb. Quaritch had most certainly hit the jackpot upon seeing that it was none other than Jake Sully's eldest daughter.

You wondered what he could have uttered in that moment before Quaritch and his people had rushed to get to you. Could it have been an apology– a sorry you’ve been longing for? Sweetheart, I’m sorry for being so tough on you. I’m sorry we had to leave home– leave him. I’ll find you and you’ll be okay. We’re going home.

But the thought of facing his disappointment again plagued you; once it had been his love that held you together, but now this fear kept your feet firmly planted on the ground.

Sweetheart, I’m disappointed in you– how could you put yourself in this situation? How could you put everyone in danger again? What would Neteyam think? I’m tired, __. You tire me. 

Yeah, that was surely it. 

Your eyes wandered around the room; the unfamiliar white walls reminded you just how far away from home you were and perhaps this time, you could never return.

Quaritch grabs your braid in his fist, tugging on it with a vice-like grip and forcing you to look up at him. You stifle a cry of pain, feeling the throbbing ache all across your scalp as his grip tightens around it. He tugs on it further, wanting a sound out of you, but all you could let out was a loud hiss. “Can’t hear your father, darling, think we have to put on a show.” He sneers, “You must not really love your children, Jake.” 

“I understand already–! get your fucking hands off her!”

“I don’t think you understand, really.” Quaritch taunts. 

A beat of silence passes before your father's desperate voice echoes through the intercom. “Please,” he pleads, “Don't hurt my daughter."

“There we go,” He finally releases your hair, “I’ll be waiting, Jake.” 

Quaritch removes the pager, discarding it on the table just in front of you. 

“You must be very disappointed in yourself,” A low hiss erupted from your throat as you gazed upwards. He sat in front of you, mockingly close, yet far enough that you couldn’t do anything but glare. “Does this not remind you of a familiar night?” 

“They are coming for you,” Your tone was menacing– livid, as the words snarled from your lips. “And when they do, you’re gonna wish that you’ve let yourself rot in that shack.”

It flashed through his mind– a glimmer of your mother that burned fiercely; a warning. Quaritch straightened his posture, chuckling. “That traitor is coming to save his dear daughter in distress, much like your brother had. We know how it'll end.”

“Not until he kills you first,” 

“You’re in a different boat, kid, away from the main one. What happens if I tell him he’d been too late and I got bored?” He shakes his head, snickering, like he had figured it all out– like he had carefully planned for everything to work out just so.“That this kid had too much of a mouth on her that I had to cut her throat?” 

His words had struck you– a low blow. You feel as if your mouth has suddenly gone dry and the lump that appears in your throat lodges itself there stubbornly, refusing to move. No words came out of your lips, but a pathetic low sob. He was going to kill your father and he could succeed in doing so. “You’re one sick man.”

“You know your brother didn’t have to die,” His voice held no remorse and you wondered how someone could sleep so soundly. He stands up, dusting his pants, “But your father had it coming. Now stay here and be a sweetheart.”

Before he walked out, Quaritch had looked down on you one last time. There, you realized that you doomed yourself beyond salvation. You were nothing and he made sure of that— had cut you on a barely healing wound and now it reopened, bleeding more than ever.

Eywa must’ve turned her back. No child of hers would have suffered such trouble– and you were young. So young, you think that the stories of her were absurd. One more miracle, you needed just one more. 

The lights dimmed when the doors closed, leaving you in the dark with your thoughts. 

They were arguing again. 

Tuk was nestled close to Kiri, the two of them huddled together in front of the table. Lo'ak sat on the other side, rising slightly from his seat in an effort to eavesdrop and make out whatever he could hear from their parents’ conversation.

Something was off and gravely so. Nothing ever good rooted from a fight and they barely do, not until the past occurrences. It had to be the sky-people.

“I don’t feel so good,” Tuk muttered, her grip tight around her belly as if she could hold in the pain. “The last time this happened was when we left our home.”

“We’re not leaving, Tuk.” Kiri quickly assured her.

Their meal had gone cold and the silence was deafening. They all waited with baited breath, trying not to fidget or move. The suspense was growing thick in the air and they didn't know how much longer they could bear to remain idle, wondering what the hell was happening.

As if their prayers had been answered, Jake hurriedly walks inside, eyes falling to his panicked children. It made his heart more and more heavy, but he couldn’t bring himself to comfort them. Neytiri had already gone to Ronal’s

“Kids,” His voice was low and firm, and it made his shoulders stiff in anticipation, “Make sure everyone stays here. No one goes out the reef, understand?”

“Wait—” Lo’ak abruptly stands up, staggering to his feet. “What’s happening? Where’s __?”

“They took her.” It was all the answer he needed. The sky-people had found them. “Lo’ak, stay here with your sisters. I mean it.”

“You can’t expect me to stay here while __ is in danger—”

“I need one child! One child to listen when I tell them to stay,” He raises his voice with every word, but it wavers as he speaks— Jake could barely keep himself together, eyes betraying his authority. His gaze sharply shifts to his daughters, watching intensely as the scene unfolds. “Kiri, please.” She only replies with a curt nod and Lo’ak visibly deflates.

He needed them to stay here— here, where it’s safe. Here where Quaritch couldn’t touch them.

From afar, he embodied the fierce olo’eyktan that he is, but truthfully, he trembles as a father. He blamed himself for that night– blamed himself for everything that had happened. Jake couldn’t risk losing another one. Not only will he be failing his family, he’d fail Neteyam again, most of all. 

Lo’ak slumps his shoulders, pushing past Jake. “This isn’t fair,” He mutters under his breath. Jake’s eyebrows knitted tightly and he knew damn well there was no going back from talking back to a parent. “You aren’t being fair– how could you ask us to standby?” 

“I’m not asking, Lo’ak. It’s an order.”

“That’s even worse!” He shouts in reply and Jake is taken back. 

There it is. The emotions desperate to claw out of their throats. If toughening them to an extent was a good thing, why was it biting him in the ass right now? Jake’s bottom lip quivered slightly. He didn’t need this– not now. He would’ve dealt with it properly, if it wasn’t for the situation at hand. Jake didn’t need his kids reminding him how he fucked up. He didn’t need another heartache when he had to toughen himself out.

“This isn’t the time for attitude, Lo’ak–” Jake exhales a deep breath, his eyes squinting as he clenches his jaw. He tries hard to keep himself in check, the last thing he wants is to lose his temper. Talk to them. Calmly. “You think I have the upperhand? Your sister needs me right now, what don’t you understand?” 

“This would not have happened if you could just listen!” 

“Well I’m here now, Lo’ak– just what do you have to say?” He stares back at him with an intensity that matches his own, voice slightly raised.

A million thoughts raced his mind. Will he blame him for bringing him here–? Here in awa’altu where they had to unlearn everything they have known– here in awa’atlu, away from his brother; but when silence had only replied to his outburst, he sighed wearily. 

“Right now, we do not see eye to eye, boy.” His tone turns gentle, surprisingly. It causes Lo’ak to become rigid– unmoving as he takes in his father’s unfamiliar nature. The atmosphere shifted so somewhat awkward. Lo’ak only knew how to deal with his father’s anger.  “And that’s on me. I know you blame me for being a shit father, and I want you to. I messed up and I keep messing up.” 

“Then why can’t you be better?” He said so casually, like  it was something Jake could accomplish with a flick of a switch, as if it was an easy task she simply hadn't put in enough effort for. But that was never the case. 

Truthfully, he didn’t know what to answer. Didn’t want to tell his son that this was already his best. He liked to think that no father is perfect– eased him just a little knowing that there were far worse than him. But maybe he was no better.

When he knew that Neteyam’s eyes would never open again, he thought that hurt had hit the lowest of lows. But here he was, watching his son’s hateful gaze and had never been so wrong. 

His ears flattened. “Stay here Lo’ak, please.” 

Coward. Jake was a coward.

Lo'ak let out a frustrated scoff, quickly turning his head away and storming off in anger. He left the Marui so hastily that Jake was left alone with a crestfallen expression etched on his face. His expression was enough for Kiri to run after him, Tuk trailing behind. She jogged hastily, her breath catching in her throat as she eventually managed to match Lo'ak's pace.

“Lo’ak, they asked us to stay here.” Kiri tried to grasp on his wrist, only for him to retract harshly. They continued to walk towards the shore in an argument, “Lo’ak!” 

“They have __, I’m going.” He continues to march towards his ilu, caressing its head in greeting while it mewls in return. “I’m not losing another one, Kiri. She’s my sister.”

Kiri grabs his hand, turning him around to face her sharply. Tuk’s head peeps to watch from behind her legs, “I’m your sister too! You’re scaring Tuk, just let them handle it.”

“What’s going on?” Ao’nung calls. Tsireya had heard of the commotion and immediately went to find Lo’ak and it was no surprise that he’d want to go after his parents. 

“This is the sky people we’re talking about! The same people who–” He had exhaled loudly in frustration, his movements jerking and violent as he ran his hands through his braids repeatedly. His face contorts in stress and disbelief, and he yanks on his hair lightly, an attempt to shift the focus of his energy to something tangible instead of this hopelessness that has crept up on him. 

“I have to be there.” 

“Keep your skxawng ass here, I swear to Eywa.” But her threats fell on deaf ears as he continued to mount his ilu, spear in hand. He threw them one last glance before he sped away, leaving Kiri to call out his name. 

Rotxo’s expression grew worried as he watched Lo’ak’s figure disappear amongst the vast spread of water. Forehead creased in concern as he looked around where everyone had been standing, “Are we supposed to let him?”

“Eywa, of course not.” She had clapped towards the Ilus, beckoning them to ride. “Let’s go, people.”

Life was simple back then. 

Jake knew he had to pull on his weight, lengthen his patience, and learn fatherhood from scratch. He was far from perfect, but he was sure that even his best efforts would still be better than what his own father had done for him when it came to parenting. His old man had never been there for him in any sense of the word. 

“Alright babygirl, your turn.” Jake beckons you to take Neteyam’s place as he lends you his bow. 

“He’s gonna come out behind those big rocks,” Your father instructs. He grabs your arm and moves it just a bit higher, steadying your aim with his firm grip. “Slowly, steady. Watch your aim.” You squint your eyes, focusing your sight as the fish comes to sight, stuck between the current and the rocks. With a deep breath, you release your hold, striking it right through its body. 

“Good job, sweetheart. Go get it!” He shouts, giving you a big smooch on the cheek as he pushes you to claim your hunt. You giggle, feeling absolutely proud. 

As you and Neteyam proudly display the fish you have both caught, he watches with a big smile. “My mighty fishermen, now let’s go home and show mama.”

Bracelets were enough to make his kids happy back then; beads and trinkets he found along his hunts. They would keep it for years to come and Jake thought he had cracked the code. But the gifts turned to few and then none and the ones they kept had burned along the crossfire. He became stricter– tougher on them.

He knew being a marine best than a father. 

When his children looked at him, it wasn’t of love— he wasn’t dense with how their shoulders stiffened around him. Jake thought it was a good thing, to keep them all in a straight line, for them to learn discipline early. But as they grew older, they were getting harder to reach and no amount of presents could make them come back. 

“Lo’ak started it!” Your eyebrows were heavily knitted, fangs bared as you showed him the broken bracelet. You tightly held onto the beads, afraid that you’d lose more of it. 

Your brother had immediately turned defensive, shoulders tense. “If you hadn’t been in the way, it would’ve been avoided!”

“I don’t want to hear it.” Jake quickly interrupted you both, massaging his temples. “One night. One night without any of you bickering. You’re older, __, why can’t you be the bigger person?” 

Your heart sank a little. You weren’t growing younger and so was your dad. Jake never took the time to craft, unlike before. The bracelet was from him and it would’ve made you feel better if he had listened. 

“No more of this, you hear me? It’s just some stupid bracelet. Jesus Christ.”

Jake wasn’t perfect. He knows that– knows his children deserve better. He fears that when people ask them of him, they’d tell them how great of an olo’eyktan he is– how he fought against the sky-people, but never how he was as a father. 

Your father loves you– loves everyone dearly. He would burn the whole world for his children– but the thing about fathers, they have an odd way of showing it.   

As they finally near the large battleship, his hand pressed on the pager. “Babygirl, do you hear me?”

Your head perked up at the static coming from the pager discarded on the table right in front of you. Your body jerked against the binds desperately, “Yes, yes– sir I’m here!” 

But he couldn’t hear you, not without you pressing on its button in return. 

“If you’re listening, I’m coming, okay? Mama and I are coming to get you.”

You let out a stuttered breath, the beginnings of a sob bubbling up from somewhere deep inside you. It was no use anyway. You felt deflated as you sank down into your chair. Tears welled in your eyes, building itself up like a dam. 

Jake anxiously waited on the other line, expecting to hear something back from you, but all he heard was the thump of his own racing heartbeat resonating in his ear as time seemed to stand still. His lips trembled as he softly spoke again, “I love you, kid. You know that, right?”

But you didn’t. You didn’t since everyone arrived at Awal’tu and for months, this was the first time you’ve heard of it again. It made your chest tighten in response, stomach knotting. 

Oh Eywa, you missed your father. Missed him dearly. 

This one time he had told you he had loved you. This one time where you needed to hear it the most and you couldn’t say it back. It’s true that your father had stopped being affectionate– but you’ve grown and stopped being as loving as you were as a kid too. You will always be your parent’s child– your daddy’s girl. 

“I love you too.” 

Life was so much simpler back then, and if Jake had just spoken to you, he may have figured out that his words had more value than any presents he could find. He fears that he might be too late. 

“We have to split up.” 

“Split up?” Kiri shouts incredulously, holding onto Tuk tightly. 

“There are at least three ships here, she has to be in at least one of them.”

“We’ll take the one from the south,” Ao’nung says, Tsireya quickly trailing behind. Kiri groans, knowing she couldn’t do anything but follow. Roxto followed her as they all nodded to each other, speaking in unsaid terms. Be safe. Please. 

Lo’ak trots ahead, letting out another eager yip as they make their way towards the distant ship far up north. You had to be on one of them. You had to. 

As he stealthily moves through the area, searching every nook and cranny, Lo’ak is determined to find you, leaving no stone unturned nor any corners checked. The lack of people around was suspicious and it made the atmosphere more eerie. As he scanned every cell, his eyes caught a battered Na’vi, head hung low– you. Quickly, he broke down the door with heavy locks.

“Lo’ak!” 

“__!” He immediately rushes to you, taking off the restraints with brute force. Without a second thought, you engulfed him in a hug, nearly pushing him off his feet while he frantically searched for any serious injury, eyes swiftly scanning the cuts on your skin. “We have to go now.” 

Both of you hurriedly try to exit the ship, steps heavily thumping across the metal floors. It was silent. Too silent. Like there hadn’t been a war at all. The ship was quiet, other than the crashing waves and footsteps. Not to mention the lack of recoms surrounding the area, you grew more and more nervous. “Where’s dad? He’s–” 

“On another ship, we have to go.” He pulled you closer the edge where his Ilu had been waiting, 

“Lo’ak, we’re not leaving him, are we?” 

“Dad can handle it, I’m only here to take you home. Now please, come with me–” 

“I know you don’t want to leave him too.” his lips drew into a thin line in response, immediately growing silent. His heart was thumping wildly, knowing that the decision was his to make. “Lo’ak, we can’t leave him.” 

“Fuck it. Let’s go.”

“Run– run, go!” Lo’ak's call was still echoing in your head as you sprinted, bullets whizzing past in all directions. Fear and adrenaline coursed through your veins as you darted and weaved throughout the area, momentarily hiding behind a steel wall. 

Both of you had been searching for Jake and everyone but despite your best efforts, the only thing you were ever able to find was more trouble. What was supposed to be a relatively straightforward endeavor had quickly become an arduous task. You feared for your life and your brother’s. 

“We have to jump now, __.” He pulls you out from your thoughts, panting heavily.

“We haven’t found dad yet or anyone– they could be in danger!” 

“Listen, I’m not about to lose you in another dumb decision of mine. We’re going, do you understand?” He tugs on your wrists tightly. The look on his face told you that his decision wasn’t open for any negotiation anymore– this was about you and your safety. You offer a solemn nod, feeling a knot forming in your chest as your frown deepens.

As the shots come to an end, the avatars begin to disperse, frantically searching for both of you. Lo'ak forcefully pulls you to your feet and dashes towards the edge ready to take a leap, but the ship lets out a sharp screech as it leans further and further downwards into the vast ocean, both of you caught completely off guard. Water quickly rushes up to bathe the deck in a sea of white froth and foam, its relentless waves rocks the boat back and forth so harshly that you fall to your knees. 

Lo’ak frantically looks around for something to hold onto, but it all happens too quickly; just as his hands latch onto a railing, it snaps and he begins to tumble along with the current and down an open trapdoor. He quickly holds on to its rusty edge, “__!”

You immediately slide towards him, grabbing his wrist. “I got you, just hang on.” While your other hand clutched your bloodied side, you groaned as you felt the skin surrounding it stretch, ripping more and more as you tried to hold on. “Lo’ak, please.”

“I can’t– I can’t!” Both your grips are loosening and you choked out a sob, feeling absolutely helpless. You could feel it– his fingers slowly slipping from your wrist. Your heart hammered on your chest as you extended your other hand. 

“Brother please, grab my other hand,” 

Another wave crashes towards both of you, and in that moment your grip on his wrist slips. You can feel the panic rise within you as you shout out his name desperately. His body falls, water completely engulfing him.

Without any hesitation, you jump down after him.

You hastily scramble out of the water, eyes wide and scanning the wreckage that surrounds you for any sign of Lo'ak. All around you there is nothing but the ship itself, pushing you down with it. It loudly creaks once again, the sound vibrating off the walls. 

You try to regain your composure– breathing slowly and steadying the beat of your heart, only for it to race yet again as another body emerges from the water, coughing violently.

“Lo’ak–!” 

“I can’t find an exit.” He says, breathing heavily. 

“I’ll go check again, you stay here.” The water was already rising and your frantic state wasn’t helping. 

you said as the water level began to climb higher and higher. Your frantic state wasn’t helping either of your cause, but there was no time to think of that now. In order for the two of you to make it out alive, one of you had to remain calm and focused. You had to be just that– the bigger person. The big sister Lo’ak needs right now.

“No! You’re bleeding, I’ll go look.” He protests and you both exchange banters.

“I am your older sister, Lo’ak, listen to me– just let me do this.”

“I don’t care. You’re hurt already.”

“Lo’ak, don’t be so stubborn right now.”

“I’m a better swimmer than you!” 

“Why are you being so stubborn, just stay here–!”

“Just let me do this for you, Neteyam!” 

And that stuns you both. 

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” He croaks, the words barely escaping his trembling lips. His guilt is palpable in the air as he hangs his head low in shame, trying to swallow the lump in his throat that is threatening to choke him. Lo’ak had to let it out now. Now that you’re here– now that you and him might never come out alive. “Maybe if I didn’t insist on coming there, we would still be back at home– with him. Maybe if I didn’t force everyone to come along, he would not have the need to save us.” 

“Lo’ak, please..” 

“But I did– I did, and now he’s gone. I lost him and I can’t lose you too,” You stayed there, like the water surrounding you was anchoring you on that very spot. You could only stare at him as he poured his every guilt. Your heart ached for Lo’ak– Lo’ak, your baby brother. Lo’ak who tried so desperately to be seen. “It’s my fault, __. I was just so jealous– so jealous that I forced you to join in because maybe then, you’d want to spend time with me too. I wanted what you had with Neteyam, what Kiri was to Tuk.” 

“But I miss him, I miss my brother so bad.” Lo’ak continues to weep, tugging on his hair– hurting himself. “I hate that my body didn’t move towards you– towards him that night. Maybe then, I would’ve said goodbye. Maybe then, I would’ve told him I was sorry.” 

You slowly swam to him, awkwardly taking his hands. Siblings were such a funny concept. They could say the harshest, most meanest thing– hurt you to an extent because they know you more than anyone else. But they would do anything– absolutely anything, just to keep you safe. Hell, would give a kidney if it means that you’d live. You miss Neteyam, terribly so, but does losing him make you less of a sister?

“I’m sorry, __. I’m sorry that it took me this long to tell you this, but every time you looked at me, all I could see was him. I miss Neteyam. I miss home. I want to go home.”

“We’re going home, okay?” You pull him close in your arms, burying your head on the curve of his neck as you try to contain a sob. “I see you, brother.” 

“I’ve been nothing but difficult.” You feel his breath hitch as he tries to steady his breathing, heartbeat slowing down. “I don’t like how everyone has become since he died.” 

“Me too, Lo’ak. Me too.” You whisper, rubbing circles on his back.  “I’m so sorry. I’m here now.”

As the two of you hold each other tightly, the water continues to rise around you with no sign of relenting. You both know that it will only be a matter of time until this ship finally gives in to its fate and sinks beneath the surface yet neither of you want to let go. There was something comforting with having Lo’ak near now that he had spoken of his troubles– something light. 

“We’re going home.”

This was it, you thought, this is the end.

☆ mauve here! i know this has been long overdue ;( BUT FINALLY, IT'S HERE. don't really know if i should be adding another chapter or just stop with an open ending hahah hopefully this was painful enough because my brain is bleeding and i can't wait to start another series. -

please tell me how i did! i really enjoy interacting w my moots nd readers ;( it's like a reward (ALSO i'm sorry if i forgot to tag someone! some of the names don't really pop up too ;(

smooch!

tags: @eywas-heir @aonungsmate @cappsikle @dearstell @minkyungseokie @wwwellacom @aleracrovn @fangzyz @bobojojoba69 @alohastitch0626 @gcldtom @dumb-fawkin-bitch @navs-bhat @jo1818 @ladylovegood-69 @kahlowy @neteyamforlife @mochiivqi @heart-an0n @strnger @abbersreads @historygeekqueen @anxietydrogz @kau7itz @winxschester @1mawh0re @thefirst-ofus @tsoomie @wheeeelys @lunamhm565i @ayanelisa @sully-stick-together @im-in-a-pansexual-panik @jackiehollanderr @dreamsholdpowers @aimsro @violilaqrs

© avatarkv, do not repost.

[zoe-oneesama]

On a serious note, why do you not like Derision? I mean, I can guess why, but I’m genuinely curious to hear your thoughts (if you want to).

What have they done to my boy?!

I guess we'll start with the whole "trauma" thing since that's how the episode starts - with Marinette going on a date with Adrien at the pool but constantly getting heart palpitations at the very idea of it. And not good lovey-dovey crush ones like Sabine thinks. The Actual Panic Attack kind.

This just feels unnecessary AND too late. Unnecessary because there are plenty of pre-established reasons why Marinette could be hesitant to go all in with Adrien (Being Ladybug, the 354th other times going for Adrien has failed or left her humiliated, Being Ladybug). So I don't know why they invented a trauma for her in the final hour and didn't think it was worth talking about before now?

They really came up with this whole scheme to explain why Marinette does Marinette things, like learning Adrien's schedule, planning out everything before she tries to make a move, needing to know everything about him, as if the show hasn't been mocking her for these exact traits and allowing them to blow up in her face over and over again. But NOW it's due to her TRAUMA. So...retroactively when her friends laughed at her or slapped their foreheads in frustration or the show framed her failures as a joke...we know it's actually from a tragic place and can't laugh anymore.

I mean, I was never laughing, but you get what I mean. They framed it like it was part of the comedy and now they're pulling the rug out from under themselves. How are you supposed to laugh when Adrien brings Marinette constipation medicine, or when her pictures of him are blasted all over Paris Television, or the *ugh* Statue Scene plays out and now you know that this is just adding to her pre-existing trauma? They have shot the show's rewatch value.

I never thought Marinette needed a "reason" act the way she was because those were always just kinda The Things Teenage Girls Do when they have a crush. I've admitted in the past to learning my crush's class schedule just to orchestrate running into each other in the hallways more often, and if their crush had public interviews and magazine pictures, I'm pretty sure most kids would also cut out their pictures to keep and would read and remember the interviews. I never really saw her behavior as that weird for a girl her age with a crush and recognize some cartoon exaggeration.

...Stealing his phone was a little weird, though, I'll give them that though Alya is the one who suggested it first...

SO, we enter a long flashback to One Year Ago (with Marinette now on her third Almost-Akumatization, good lord) and learn what life was like for Marinette pre-Origins, and oh boy. It's hell. She's making up illnesses to avoid school, avoiding all contact with anyone in the courtyard, having cockroaches put in her locker, having the Principal catch her "late" for class (after she had to clean herself up from a water prank), gets yelled at by the teacher for being late, sits in paint, mocked in class and then yelled at again by the teacher for pointing out the person mocking her probably planted it, and gets Saturday detention. All in one day. And when anyone tries to talk to her or even glares at the person responsible, they get threatened too.

The main reason this is hell is because Marinette is being let down by every single adult in her life. Sabine just laughs and tells Marinette that she only has a few weeks left with Chloe and it's not like she'll be in the same class as her next year.🙃 Well, why don't you make SURE she doesn't?! Maybe this is just an American vs French school thing, but where I come from, it's totally within your rights to request that your child not be put in the same class as someone else, they could at least put in a throw away line about her parents TRYING to move her, but Chloe's not allowing it JUST to keep Marinette close to her. And maybe take this a little more seriously, Sabine- your daughter is faking illness to avoid One. Girl. That should be concerning, not "lol my daughter is so silly for trying to get out of class."

Damocles finds Marinette and yells at her for being "constantly late" and praising the "anonymous notes" (signed by Chloe -_-) for always alerting him when she's behind, and then later gives her Saturday detention for...someone clearly planting paint on her desk chair? He sees a victim of bullying and punishes her for it. At the end of the episode he even suspends Socqueline for something that happened outside of school, yet in "Jubilation" she's pumping him up as The Best Principal?! Does this show thinks we're stupid or something?!

Mendeleiev also yells at Marinette for being late. She allows Chloe to make fun of Marinette for looking depressed when she comes in and allows Chloe to mock Marinette for sitting in paint, but when Marinette doesn't even stand up for herself but just accuses Chloe of putting the paint there, THEN Mendeleiev has something to say, and it's to Marinette? For "groundlessly" accusing the only person in the room laughing at Marinette, the one who was just making fun of her, the one who kept her eyes on Marinette so she could watch her sit in the paint?

Marinette tells Socqueline that all the adults are scared of Chloe, but that's not what I saw. Sure, at the end of the episode Damocles is afraid when Chloe pulls a "Lady Wifi" to force him to punish Socqueline for smashing Sabrina's phone, but the sequence of events played out more like the adults participating in the bullying. It wasn't like Damocles was sympathetic to Marinette and then Chloe cleared her throat, so he straightened up nervously and started berating Marinette. It wasn't like Marinette accused Chloe and then Chloe glared at Mendeleiev, forcing her to finally intervene. All the adults see what's going on and are either completely oblivious or don't care.

Also, Chloe totally unprompted says this:

GET A LIFE, what is your PROBLEM?! Like, why have a flashback episode and not have it explain what Chloe's fixation on Marinette even is?! It doesn't have to be big or anything! Like, have Marinette trip and spill something on Chloe in art class! Just do something!

And like, I totally get that irl bullies just choose their targets for no real reason and this is just another example of that, but to this level?! Just...get a hobby!

And then there's the big thing they did in this stupid episode. The unforgivable. The reprehensible.

This fucking guy.

It's been so long since we've seen Bully Kim that I was pretty sure he was left behind entirely on the draft floor. Sure, Kim is still capable of being insensitive or not thinking long-term, but he was a good kid. He roots for his friends and wants everyone to have a good time.

Hell, I could even buy that Kim was dumb enough to believe Chloe when she claims what he did was a funny practical joke that they'd all laugh about later...until Socqueline came up and yelled at him that he should be ashamed of himself.

And Ondine yelled at him in the present that he should be ashamed of himself.

And it's a year later and he should have realized by now that he should be ashamed of himself.

Kim is dumb, that's just a fact, but the way he doubles down and is so sure of himself that NO it's everyone ELSE who has a problem because they can't take a JOKE? Like...why?! Why did they co-sign on this character assassination?!

Just make him become akumatized because he's A S H A M E D of what he did now that he's finally sitting down and thinking about it a year later! He can keep the same look and motif, just have Monarch stroke the part of him that doesn't want him to be the jerk, the old Kim! It's totally normal, especially for a kid, to want to believe that they're not the bad guy even with all the evidence pointing to it, so I could even see the akuma being exactly the same.

But naur, it's KIM who talks like a right-wing podcast douche bag, complaining that you can't just speak your mind these days and everyone needs to get a sense of humor, they just don't GET it man, this is just how he IS brah, take it or leave it! His akuma's even named "Dark Humor", like edgy losers on reddit who make racist/sexist jokes and then get mad when he's downvoted and boo'd out of a forum. God, we just CAN'T TAKE A JOKE I guess.

I'm glad this is resolved by Ladybug gluing a toilet to his head.

I just...I feel like this could've worked in Season 1, or Season 2. Like...put it before Dark Cupid or before Syren or something. That way, Kim being a total douche is the starting point of his character arc, not the Season 5 Post-Hero Run point, ugh.

It'd also make this stupid line make more sense:

I'm sorry, the girl who got you akumatized after she humiliated you in nearly the same way you humiliated Marinette? I guess that was "just a prank bro" too, right?

Establish Marinette's problems with romance early, so she can overcome them or at least give them the proper context. It'd at least make the show look better if they hadn't made fun of her for 4 Seasons only to drop this bombshell on us at the end. You know...the thing that they just did.

This episode just isn't fun. I hated "Illusion" because all you get to see is the bad guys winning and outsmarting the heroes, but "Derision" is a marathon of seeing the absolute misery Marinette was put through, just to jump forward to the present to destroy a character that I really liked.

Would a kid even like this episode?

[kombuuuu]

Miles m x younger sibling reader (platonic obvi) where we accidentally find out he’s Spider-Man?💕

Blood bond.

Miles + Gn!Sibling Reader

“Why are u on the roof?—” “I’m.. Checking the structure.”

so adorbs i ❤️ sibling fics

You were making your way home from school on some boring Thursday. Just having finished a math test, and ready to get the hell out of there, you ditched last period. Walking out with little to no trouble but an excuse of a family emergency.

So when you walked into your brothers room, trying to steal one of his pens. Only to see him stuck to the roof like a fucking bug.

You could say that your exhaustion had dissipated.

“Why are you in the ceiling?”

“I’m… checking the structure.”

You snorted, then freak out.

“*How are you on the ceiling?!”

“Okay, dude calm down.”

“Calm down?! You’re sticking to the roof!”

“Why are you out of school!”

“I uh—… Didn’t want to go.” Childishly, he changed the topic, which you called him out on.

“Hey! Don’t act like you can distract me from this, asshole!”

He slowly lowered, holding onto the plaster by one hand before dropping down.

You gaped are him stupidly, him snorting at your reaction.

“So uh—,” Miles coughed awkwardly “,I have something to tell you.”

You glared are him, snark evident in your tone.

“No shit, Miles.”

“Don’t talk to me like that, kid.”

You scoffed and crossed your arms, mumbling your reply. “Fuckin’ act like you’re my dad..”

“Speak up, child.”

“Oh, fuck off.”

“Yeah, that’s what I—“

“Tell me why you’re sticking to the roof.”

He looked uncomfortable now, but knew there was no playing this off.

“I’m… Spider-man….”

You gaped at him for a moment, brain running with thousands of thoughts before landing on, probably the most stupid one.

“Unfair.”

He barked out a laugh, snorting and coughing at your reply. He hadn’t expected you to be jealous of all things.

“I promise you, there’s a lot of downsides.”

“Are you a serial killer?”

“Wha- No!?” You stepped forward and poked his forehead. “Cause I’ll tell mom if you are.”

“Fuckin- No, [Name] chill!” He pushed his palm over your face, pushing you away.

“I don’t even kill people! I just hand ‘em over to the police!”

“To dad?!”

“Well… He doesn’t know, per se.”

“Like I didn’t know.”

“Yeah..” He laughed again, a nervous habit. Going to sit on his bed, he crossed his legs and slouched a bit.

“You’re not mad, right?”

You went to sit next to him, his bed creaking as he moved over for you.

“Nah, just kinda pissed you didn’t tell me.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, man.”

He sighed, putting his arm around your shoulder and giving you an awkward hug.

“Thanks, [Name].”

“Yeah, man. Anytime.”

He dropped your shoulder after a beat.

You stared at the floor with him for a while, both of you kind of sitting on the situation.

“How the fuck-“

“Spider bite.”

You glared stay him.

“Don’t interrupt-“

“Shhhh.”

“Oh my g-“

“I’ll tell dad you ditched last period.”

“I’ll tell dad you’re fucking spider-man.”

He looked at you in contemplation.

“Touché. Please don’t use it against me anymore.”

“Oh, you are never getting out of this.”

—

another cutie little short one! 😽🫶

[kteezy997]

OMG “best friend’s sister” keeps getting better and better!! please tell me there will be a 4th part

my best friend’s sister-part four(the end)//t.c.

Warnings: angst, secret relationship, upset reader, mention of sex

“Trent’s here.” Timmy said.

"Okay, I'm not gonna tip toe around it anymore.” you said, walking out of the bedroom.

"What?! Y/N!" he followed you, hurriedly, out into the living area. "What are you doing?"

"You messed it up, Timothee. I can't hide while my brother is here. We are practically caught already."

He sighed, "Okay. So what do we do now?"

"We're gonna tell him."

"And he's going to kill me."

"I'll tell him it was my idea. Which it was. Maybe we just shouldn't mention the bathroom thing at his birthday party." You walked over to the door and opened it to reveal your brother.

Trent's eyes nearly popped out of his head upon seeing his sister, "Y/n? What the hell are you doing here?” He looked over at Timothée, then back at you, “What is going here?”

"Timmy and I have been hooking up.” you admitted to him, “I mean, not really even hooking up, it was just a couple of times."

He glared over at Timmy, his best friend. The disgust and betrayal was evident on his face. It quickly turned into anger.

But as Trent made a move toward Timmy, you stopped him, holding him back by the arm, "But I started it. He didn't want to at first. He's the innocent one. Don't do anything stupid, Trent, please.”

"He took advantage of you!"

"No! It was me, I swear. And it's over now. Don’t let this come between your friendship. It shouldn’t end because of me.”

Timmy's attention went from guarding himself from Trent's offense to you. He frowned when you looked over at him, looking almost sad.

"Now, I'm gonna leave. You guys just go on with your night, play your games, as if this… thing never happened. Because that's what I'm going to do."

Trent sighed, then composed himself, “I can't be mad at either of you, really. I mean, even if you wanted to be together, I would try to support you, because I love you both. You're my family."

You were surprised at your brother's mature response. He must have really heard you. The respect he had for both you and Timmy had shown.

"Thank you, Trent, but that's not necessary. It's not going to turn into anything." you said, with as much confidence as you could muster.

"It's not?" Timmy spoke up for the first time in several minutes.

You looked at him, shook your head 'no,' "I should go." With that, you walked out of Timmy's apartment.

........

You felt yourself shaking as you left. You were devastated at ending things with Timmy. You didn't think you'd feel anything for him other than lust. You knew it was just a fun little fling, but somehow your heart had gotten in the way.

With the four years between you and the different stages of life you were in, you were probably still just a kid in his eyes. Not someone he'd take seriously enough to date, no matter how good the sex was.

Tears welled in your eyes. You were still glad he was your first. You knew that he still cared for you, no matter what. Even if he didn't care for you in the same way you did for him.

"Y/n! Wait!"

You were shocked to hear your name, to hear his voice. You wiped your eyes quickly before turning around.

"I can't let you leave like this. You can't possibly think that I want this to end." Timmy said, panting lightly as he'd been running.

"Oh, well I don't think I wanna hook up anymore, after all."

"No, that's not what I mean. I don't want us to stop seeing each other. I don't really care if we ever have sex again."

Your eyes widened at the bold statement from him.

"Well," he thought a second, "hopefully it wouldn't come to that. But what I wanna tell you is that I like you. I like spending time with you, I like the memes you send me, and I love how cute you look in my shirt."

You smiled, knowing that you were blushing hard, but you didn't care. You felt like you were in a movie, but it was even better. You adored this beautiful man, and he was reciprocating.

"Would you maybe want to keep spending time together? Not a hookup, not boyfriend-girlfriend, no labels. Just see where it goes?"

You nodded, feeling so happy and relieved, "Yes." you put your hands on his cheeks and pecked his lips.

Timmy smiled in your kiss, and pulled you into a hug, "My cock is all yours, by the way." he whispered in your ear.

@gatoenlaciudad @thebetawolfgirl @musicandbooksaremyhappyplace @softhecreator @tchalamss @bitchyunknownuser @lixzey @kpopgirlbtssvt @ducktapebar @aoi-targaryen @yukideadinside @mel-vaz @thatoneweirdgirl17 @iwishchalamet @jindongdongie @elloise0 @rennyd26 @briefkittenearthquake @that-one-fangirl69

[yuanf3]

VIXEN — HAN SEOUL-OH

2. chapter two — "heart-to-heart"

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A/N sorry everyone for the delay, got caught up with school - anyway, here's chapter two, hope you like it <3

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The sun bore down relentlessly, casting waves of heat that seemed to dance off the cracked pavement. Beads of sweat formed on my brow and I let out a breath but remained focused, my hands steady on the wheel of the 86’ Honda Civic. I sat patiently, my eyes fixed on the men across the street, their movements deliberate as they loaded duffel bags into the sleek black SUV. 

Come on, let's go already.

As they finally finished — thank fucking God — and climbed into the vehicle, I fired up the engine of my own car and reached for the burner phone, fingers dancing over the screen to dial Dom's number. 

"Four's on the move," I murmured into the receiver before hanging up, my attention shifting back to the road as I subtly tailed the SUV.

Minutes ticked by, the world blurring past as I kept a safe distance and weaved through the bustling streets, the black SUV never far from my sight. Then, like clockwork, I spotted a familiar 70s Dodge and beat-up Nissan idling at the intersection ahead, and I briefly glanced to my left, catching my brother staring at me. A sudden sense of realization crept into the back of my mind. I shook my head, scoffing. Our plan was working.

Another heartbeat later, and we split off in different directions, each of us playing our part. My heart raced, fueled by adrenaline cursing through my veins when Tej's voice crackled through the radio on the passenger seat, his words slicing through the tension. 

"I know y'all said they were consolidating the money somewhere, but, y'all ain't going to believe this."

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I stood under the scorching midday sun, squinting against its relentless glare as it beat down on the streets of Rio. The heat was oppressive, mirroring the tension that hung thick in the air around us. My eyes narrowed as I caught sight of the imposing building ahead, its stone facade gleaming in the sunlight — a freaking Police Station.

The irony wasn't lost on me, and I felt a wry smirk tug at the corners of my lips. Police officers bustled in and out, seeming oblivious to the criminal activity unfolding right under their noses. I wanted to scoff at the whole situation. Hernan Reyes, the notorious drug lord, hiding his ill-gotten gains right under the nose of the law. It was audacious, I had to give him that. But it also made our job that much more difficult.

"Well," Brian muttered under his breath, his hands in the pockets of his jeans, "this job just got a lot harder."

“No kidding,” I chimed in, standing beside him and crossing my arms over my chest, my expression a mix of amusement and disbelief, “We’ll have to get even more creative.”

Rome's voice cut through the tension, his disbelief palpable. "If he's moving it into a police station, he's got some serious brass in his pocket."

"Looks like this is going to be a shorter trip than I thought," Santos said in Spanish, his tone heavy with defeat and resignation. Leo's agreement was swift and vehement, "Hell, yeah, we can't do this."

“'Can't'? You mean, 'shouldn't,'" Han’s words sliced through the conversation, drawing my attention. I turned to him, a flicker of surprise at his perspective dancing in my eyes. A small smile passed between us before I quickly turned away, squashing any flicker of conflicted emotion this man’s smile stirred within me. 

Before I could dwell on it further though, Dom's voice broke through the internal turmoil. "I say we stick to the plan."

"You say what?" Roman's incredulous voice broke the silence, injecting his trademark skepticism. His words drew my attention, and I turned to him, intrigued by his reaction. He looked at Toretto as if the man lost his mind. Couldn’t blame him.

"This just went from Mission: Impossible to Mission: In-freaking-sanity," he continued to exclaim, his frustration evident in his tone.

I exchanged a knowing glance with Brian, a small smirk playing at the corner of my lips. Roman's dramatic outburst never failed to entertain.

"Whatever, man. I ain't scared, I'm just letting you all know, going in that building is crazy," he finally declared. With a shake of his head, he turned and walked away.

My brother followed his suit as he muttered, "I got this.”

Aware of the moment of silence and a whispered conversation between Leo and Santos, I stepped closer to Dom, the midday sun beating down on us, casting harsh shadows across the pavement. 

"Don't worry about him," I said, my voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Pearce is a full-time drama queen, but he'll come around. Besides, we’ve faced crazier situations than this before."

Dom nodded, his expression still serious. "Yeah, but this time we're walking into the lion's den. Reyes isn't going to make it easy for us."

I couldn't deny the truth in his words, but I had to maintain some semblance of optimism.

"True, but that's never stopped you before. You've always found a way to come out on top,” I replied, my tone firm, injecting a note of reassurance into my voice that I hoped would bolster his resolve. 

"We gotta make sure everyone's on board before we move forward,” he said, his gaze scanning the scenery ahead of us. He seemed lost in his thoughts as if this job put more pressure on him than anything ever before but he’s been like that since I’ve met him. I guessed losing the love of your life had that effect on you. 

I’ve never gotten a chance to meet Letty. It was ironic actually because my brother met up with her quite often in our apartment during her undercover work to take down Braga but I was either out with friends or working. Brian sometimes shared a few stories about her from the time when he wanted to make a detective, how he always thought that Letty had seen right through him but she never said a word. Things would’ve been different if she did. That’s why in some kind of a twisted way, I owed her. 

"Agreed," I affirmed, crossing my arms on my chest and then shrugged, following Dom’s gaze. "No biggie. Just remind them of the 11 million they're getting."

My attempt at levity didn't go unnoticed. I grinned and watched as a brief crack in his serious demeanor appeared and a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Bullseye. 

It was good to loosen up a bit, especially during moments like this, so I liked to think that sometimes optimism was the best thing one could ask for in times of struggle. And I was here to provide it. 

Because God only knew how much I needed it.

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The dimly section of the warehouse cast shadows across our faces as we gathered around the table. Out of pure coincidence, I stood beside Han, my senses on high alert while the place seemed to shrink with every second that went by. I felt like I was sixteen again, having a crush on a boy who helped out in Brian’s garage part-time, only to find out he was gay and worked there to ogle my brother. Tough times. Learned my lesson, never again. 

That’s why irritation grew inside me like a parasite and the uncomfortable feeling of awkwardness washed over me as the scent of his perfume lingered in my senses and my attention was divided between the man to my right and the task at hand. His presence was like a magnetic force I couldn't ignore, even as I desperately tried to focus on Mia’s briefing.

"The beauty of public offices?” She leaned over the table, a roll-up in hand, exposing the blueprints of the Police Station we wanted to break into. I was aware of the fact of how ridiculous it sounded. “Public records."

Brian's finger jabbed at a point in the labyrinth of walls and measurements. "This is where he's keeping the money. The vault in the evidence room."

“Um. Uh, yeah. Can I get everyone's attention, right here, for a second?” Tej interjected, raising his finger. “We're talking about breaking into a police station.”

Silence fell upon us as everyone waited for him to elaborate. “Is anyone listening to those words? Anybody? Popo? Five-O. One-time. Pigs. People we don't like.”

He’s got a point.

"You know, police stations are designed to keep people in, not out,” Han spoke calmly, glancing toward Dom, who observed with a cautious and sharp gaze. I could almost see gears turning in his head like the man was coming up with a detailed plan on the spot. 

My brother nodded in agreement. "That's why it's a stealth mission. We'll be in and out before they even know we were there."

"Well, we'll need to get eyes in there,” I chimed in, already getting an idea of what we could use. Or rather who. “At least to find out the make and model of that vault."

"So the vault and then, so…” Roman muttered probably to no one specifically, seemingly lost in thought, making a sudden, weird gesture towards the papers. “It's crazy. Who's supposed to do all this?"

Without missing a beat, I exchanged a knowing glance with Brian before turning to Pearce. Another wave of silence settled between our group as the man in question looked around, bewildered by our sudden focus on him. I raised my eyebrow, waiting for him to realize what was going on. His eureka moment occurred a second later.

"What do you mean? Why me?"

"Because you got the biggest mouth,” I stated matter-of-factly as if it were the most obvious answer in the world. My smile was sweet as honey when I earned a scoff from Tej, a couple of snickers from the others, and a very offended stare-down from Rome.

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The sun cast hues of orange and pink across the sky as I stood alone on the rooftop of the warehouse, the wind whispering against my bare skin. I closed my eyes, allowing myself to relax, even if just for a second. It was moments like these that made me forget the troubles that constantly haunted me. 

Brian, Tej, and Rome had gone to the station to get an idea of what exactly we were about to encounter and it was nothing that we hadn’t expected already, so Santos and Leo had taken over to blow up a few pipes in the main bathroom. It wasn’t much of a surprise to see these two smiling like Cheshire cats when they heard what their job was. It was safe to say that I had my doubts but hey, gotta be positive, right?

Just as I began to lose myself in the beauty of the scene unfolding in front of me, my phone interrupted the moment with a sharp ding.

“There goes my peace,” I muttered to myself. Sighing, I pulled the phone out of my pocket and glanced down to see a text from an unknown number flashing on the screen. My brows furrowed and I quickly unlocked the screen, my eyes going back and forth as I read the message that immediately sent an unpleasant shiver down my spine.

Have fun in Brazil, love. I’ll see you soon.

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, igniting a surge of anger and panic within me. It was like the wind got knocked out of me and my heart sank as painful memories flood back, memories I've tried so hard to bury from a time when I had been naive and desperate. I never told Brian how badly I’ve struggled after I’ve moved to London. I didn’t want him to know about that part of my life where I made mistakes that almost cost me my life.

Those first few months after my move, when I was vulnerable and alone, struggling to make ends meet and juggling between studies and two jobs, were terrifying. My brother was gone, disappeared without a trace, I was hit with the enormous amount of assignments and I was about to be evicted from my apartment.

Then I met Owen. He appeared like a savior, dazzling me with his charm, his sophistication, his extravagant gestures that seemed straight out of a fairy tale. Back then, I had been naive, craving affection and stability in a city that felt alien and hostile. 

I thought I loved him. He had swept me off my feet with his lavish dates, his expensive gifts, his promises of a life I had only ever dreamed of. And as simple as that, I had fallen. Oh, how I had fallen, head over heels, straight into his trap. I hadn't even stopped to question the sincerity of his words or the intentions behind his actions. I was too enraptured by the illusion he had crafted around me, too desperate to believe that someone like him could truly care for someone like me. Someone so insecure and scared.

I didn’t realize who he was until it was already too late. The facade had slowly begun to crack, revealing the darkness lurking beneath the surface. And then, when I finally dared to confront him, to demand the truth I had been too afraid to seek, he’d shown his true colors. The subtle manipulation, the way he always seemed to know just what to say or do to keep me ensnared in his web. I was so blinded by the illusion of love that I never stopped to question the price I was paying.

And I’ve paid a fortune. I’ve paid in tears shed in the dead of night when I thought no one was watching. In missed calls from my friends, whose concerns were silenced by Shaw, and in the gradual erosion of my self-worth, chipped away bit by bit until there was almost nothing left. It was a miracle I’ve managed to leave him, but I wouldn’t be able to if it wasn’t for Hilly and Jessie. 

Now, a fury surged through my veins. I wanted to throw my phone against the concrete floor, to scream out in frustration and defiance. But instead, I took a deep breath and forced myself to ignore the message, to push it aside like I've pushed aside so many other reminders of my past. If he was going to try and get me, I’d welcome him with open arms and a gun pointed at his head. 

With a sharp exhale, I dismissed the text, refusing to let fear consume me. The hatred I’ve felt towards Shaw had reached a level that could no longer be described with words but with actions. 

As I stared at the vanishing sun, lost in my thoughts, I was abruptly startled by the sound of footsteps approaching behind me. Instinctively, my body tensed, ready to defend myself against any potential threat. But before I could react further, a familiar voice broke through the tension.

"Quite the view, isn't it?"

Han's voice was calm and reassuring, instantly soothing the frayed edges of my nerves. Slowly, I turned to face him, my heartbeat gradually returning to its normal rhythm. He had a small smile engraved within his stoic expression.

I nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "Yeah, it is."

"Brian sent me up here to find you,” he said and stepped closer, his presence comforting yet electrifying all at once as he stood next to me. “They're looking for you,"

Sorry. My crazy ex just texted me and almost scared the shit out of me. I felt like that would’ve been a conversation breaker, so instead, I sighed, tearing my gaze away from the horizon with a pang of guilt for disappearing without a word. Should’ve told someone I was coming here. "Well, you found me."

My gaze caught with his as his gaze lingered on me with an intensity that sent an unexpected shiver down my spine. There was a brief silence between us, but it was not uncomfortable. Instead, it was filled with an unspoken understanding, a sense that Han saw right through the walls I've built around myself, and at that moment, I couldn't help but wonder what he saw when he looked at me. 

I felt exposed under his scrutiny. It was as if he saw through the facade I'd carefully crafted, glimpsing the turmoil that lay beneath. Panic threatened to claw its way back into my chest, but I pushed it down, refusing to let it surface.

Swallowing the bitter taste that formed in my mouth, I decided to break the silence, my voice steady. "I just needed a moment alone.”

"I get it," he replied simply, his tone gentle yet reassuring. His dark eyes met mine, and a shiver ran down my spine. But beneath the surface, there was a tension, a hesitation that I couldn’t quite shake. This was dangerous. This… This whole situation was a disaster waiting to unfold and I couldn’t afford to let myself get too close. I burned myself once and I got a reminder of the consequences not that long ago. Fear gripped me tightly, twisting my insides into knots as I tried to suppress the memories of my past but I wasn’t brave enough to do so.

Instinctively, I step back, creating a safe distance between us. It's not that I didn’t trust Han, despite meeting him only a few days ago. I didn’t trust myself and there was something about our connection that both enticed and terrified me. 

God, I was a mess, wasn’t I?

"Come on," Han's voice interrupted my tumultuous thoughts, breaking the spell that bound us in this moment of uncertainty. "Let's head back down."

I nodded silently, torn between the urge to flee and the longing to stay. But as I took a step forward to walk past him into the warehouse, heading towards the stairwell, I fought to ignore the ache that spread in my chest.

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