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dreamcatcherrs · 4 years

Note

streamers finding out youre pregnant?

the mcyts reaction to finding out their s/o is pregnant

+ this is a reaction to if you had been wanting to get pregnant, and that you and the specific mcyt had been wanting this for a while. so only fluff, no angst :) I can do an angst version, though?

dream:

after you told him the amazing news his whole face just lit up

he’d lift you up in the air

and spin you around

would set you down and then give you a big fat kiss on the lips

“I’m gonna be a dad?”

you don't think you'd ever seen him that happy before

he’d tell everyone almost immediately

and would want to go out and buy a bunch of baby stuff

just to be ready

would shower with you in the bath tub

with, like, a specific bath bomb you'd mentioned before

and washes your hair for you

always has an eye on you

and doesn't want you lifting heavy stuff

ever

won't let you do anything that contains more work than lifting a finger

very protective over you

georgenotfound:

would be really surprised at first

just imagine the grin on his face

I mean, he would be smiling till his cheeks started aching

pulls you into a hug and kisses the top of your head

“this is crazy. I just…I can't wait.”

would make sure you go for walks together

because he says then your baby will learn the area quicker

and you explain that the baby can't actually see out of your stomach

but he just brushes it off

will rage eat with you

just buys a bunch of fast foods and eats if with you

whilst simultaneously making sure you're eating all of the right things

he literally has a list of foods you should eat

speaking of lists, he also has a list of names

boy and girl names

he’s just so excited to be a dad

sapnap:

“are you serious?”

would punch the air in happiness

and then hug you tightly

but not too tightly cause he'd be afraid to hurt the baby

even though there wasn't really a baby yet

would take so much care of you

you need a snickers bar?

he’ll buy every single candy in the world

your back is hurting?

he’ll be your personal massager

or he’ll get you one

he’ll take days off just to be with you and the growing baby

LOVES touching your belly bump once you get one

and will definitely be talking to it

and calling the baby “he” because he is so convinced that it's going to be a boy

he’s cute or whatevuh😩

badboyhalo:

“you’re pregnant?!”

immediately gets on his knees and rests his forehead against your stomach

“that’s my little baby in there... I can’t believe it, pumpkin.”

gives you kisses all over your face

he will always remind you of how beautiful you are

and how you have a natural glow to you now that you’re pregnant

and he tells you how much he loves you all the time

and that he’s so excited to have a baby with you

makes sure you’re fed all the time

because now there has to be enough for 2 people

also makes sure not to eat the things you can’t eat during the pregnancy

would do everything for you and always looks out for you

technoblade:

when you told him the happiest smile broke onto his face

techno is a softie when it comes to you

so having a baby?

he is gonna be the sweetest dad is all I can say

hugs you and kisses you

he’s just in awe that he’s gonna be a dad soon

treats you like royalty

even if you're just calling for him because you're hungry

he will stop his stream and be with you for the rest of the day

or for multiple days if that's what you need

he’s still his usual techno self

(and by that I mean he still takes care of you quietly)

but you do feel his stares on you sometimes when you're doing literally nothing

like, even just when you're standing up from the couch once you have a bigger bump

he’ll be ready to be by your side if you need help

afraid you'd fall

very soft (but that’s just a fact we all know)

wilbur soot:

“really? baby, that's great!”

like dream, he’d spin you around

and then gently place a hand on your stomach

and just smile at you

he’d always be smiling

and makes sure you're never uncomfy

would buy you a special soft pillow

so you’d sleep better

he’d almost always have a hand on your bump

or look at it from a distance

wilbur as a dad is just🥺

would probably want a little girl

so he could braid her hair

(even if it looks horrible)

but nonetheless he’s just so happy to be a dad

skeppy:

I could just imagine him screaming “are you serious?”

he would then grab your face in his hands and then just stare at you

until his eyes gazed down at your stomach

he would be panicking

because he didn't know what to do

at the grocery store he would've made a list of things to get you

and would be running around trying to find them

has his eyes on you at all costs

“don't lift that!”

“are you trying to slip and fall?!”

even if you were literally just walking to the fridge

is a little scared about the whole birth thing

but doesn't want to scare you as well

so he just pushes it to the back of his head

because how bad can it really be?

for him, at least

would want to do a gender reveal as a youtube video

but only if you wanted to

very dramatic

but very loving

karl jacobs:

he would have his hand over his mouth when you told him

then starts laughing

“we’re gonna be parents?”

he’s honestly just so speechless

cradles your head in his neck and just smiles

almost cries

almost

he’s gonna be such a great dad

I mean have you see him with tucker?

he’s just so cute (yes, I’m a karl simp)

will rub your feet

or your lower back

or wherever you need to get those muscles loosened up

can get kinda scared sometimes

about the whole dad thing

but feels a lot better after talking to you about it

just like he makes you feel better, you make him feel better as well

buys cute little socks literally 8 months before the due date

bc he thinks they’re cute

fundy:

his surprised expression would slowly turn into a smile

would mumble out something in dutch

before hugging you so tightly

like, you actually had to say you couldn’t breathe for him to let you go

“I’m sorry baby, I’m just so happy!”

buys a bunch of baby stuff… the day after you told him

he just can't wait

always holds your hand during doctor’s appointments

and makes sure you're seated or laying down comfortably

especially once your bump gets big

talks to the baby through your stomach

so they can recognise his voice once you've given birth

always makes sure you feel beautiful

by complimenting you every day

multiple times

because if anything you look more beautiful than ever

will brush your hair

and brush his fingers through your hair

makes sure you feel loved all the time

quackity:

panic

as in pre-parental panic

but quickly recovers and tells you how fucking great it is that you're gonna have a baby together

and that he just can't believe he’s gonna have an actual baby with you

you bet he’ll be looking up tips for being a dad

he wants to do everything perfectly

and tries his very best to be there for you

does all of the chores

and still makes time for you

you'd get worried about him overworking himself

but when you tried to help him

he’d just make you sit down again

“you're not doing any work. too dangerous for little q.”

you'd accomplished making him stop doing all the work by luring him over with cuddles

he’d get you any food you wanted

fast food, healthy food

whatever you wanted, as long as you're always full, he’s happy

punz:

“really? you're serious?”

mans’ smile is brighter than the sun

pulls your shirt up to kiss your stomach all over

and then rests his hands on your hips and kisses you gently

“you're gonna be the best mom, you know that?”

like dream, he gets very protective of you

won't even let you get something that you can't reach by an inch

never drinks any liquor or coffee while you’re pregnant

because he knows you can't

highkey really loves your big bump

and tells you all the time

as well as how sexy you are

and will stay up late until you fall asleep

especially on those nights where it seems unbearable for you to fall asleep

the two of you would paint the room for the baby together after the gender was revealed

and then buy furniture that matches the room

he’d suggest exercises you could do for pain relief he’d seen on the internet

and even do them with you if that’s what you wanted

anything to make you happy

awesamdude:

HE’S SO HAPPY OMG

would cry if he wasn't so fucking excited

squeezes your hand

while putting a hand on your stomach

he can't wait to see the growth

he wants you to feel absolutely no stress

because he can't imagine the amount of emotions you must already feel with your baby growing inside of you

so he does everything for you to avoid that

and if you do feel stressed he suggests cuddles

then yoga for pregnant women

and then more cuddles

cooks delicious food for you

and buys cute little outfits for the baby

and tiny little shoes🥺

eret:

picks you up right then and kisses you

all over the place

“holy fuck, y/n. this is just… I’m so fucking happy right now.”

does literally EVERYTHING for you

laundry? he’s got it

dinner? he’s got it

waking up early because you can't sleep and then massages your shoulders because he's an absolute sweetheart? yep, he’s got it

fucking loves everything about you being pregnant

but he’s sure you don't like it just as much

I mean, you're the one who’s carrying a literal baby

so he believes it gets pretty goddamn hard for you sometimes

and therefore takes many breaks from streaming

just to hang out with you

you’d go to baby furniture stores together

until you found the perfect things

feeds you loads of chocolate

or ice cream

whatever you want, really

he discovers that he fucking loves pregnancy

hope you enjoyed this! never written something like this before, but it got me all soft…

________________________________

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canyouhearthelight · 2 years

Text

The Miys, Ch. 196

New chapter!

Thank you everyone who participated in AMA Week :) It was a lot of fun.

This week we are back at it, and jumping right into some fun. TW: Feet and toes. Nothing sexual, but I know it squicks some folks.

Shoutout to @gayassholeposts, the latest speedrunner through the story. And to @baelpenrose for hanging in there with me.

“That’s actually valid,” Charly confessed when I recounted the incident. “Derek can be pretty rude.”

Tyche nodded before releasing her next throw. We were currently in the gym, where she was practicing throwing knives at greater distances. When the blade sunk into the barest edge of the target, she turned and shrugged. “It’s one of his best qualities, honestly.”

My hands went up in surrender. “Hey, I’m first to admit I need blunt people around me sometimes. It’s never been an issue with me.”

“True.” She turned back to lining up her next throw, and I resumed my position behind her, watching for and corrections I could spot.

Her next throw went to the left. “I think the extra force is twisting your arm? Your wrist bent at the last second.”

Scowling, she dug out a wrist brace to test the theory. Sure enough, her next throw was at least safely within the target and not in danger of hitting anyone - not that it mattered, the target was against a wall for practice. But the principle was still there.

I let her go through a few more throws while I turned back to Charly. “Wha - Why are you taking your socks off?”

“Yoga?” she smiled brightly before carefully bending into a handstand.

“Your knees are bent.”

“I know. They’re sposed to be.”

My eyes narrowed. “Pretty sure they aren’t.”

“Pretty sure they are,” she replied calmly. “Hand me that reeeeeallly small bow?”

This was going places I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to like. “Which hand?” I asked suspiciously.

“This one.” Sure as shit, she bobbed her left foot, toes splayed.

“Oh the hell if I am going to have you try shooting arrows with your feet while Tyche is throwing razors down the gym!”

“I’m bored, and I just want to see if I can even draw the bow. No arrows, swear.” Her foot bounced again, freaking me the fuck out. “Gimme.”

Very gingerly, I put the thickest part of the bow between her toes. “This had better be good enough, bc I am not touching your feet. Feet are icky.”

Without losing her balance, she shook her head at me from near the floor. “I’ve seen you pick up and sort laundry with your feet because your hands were busy.”

“That’s different!” I insisted. “If I hurt someone with my feet, I am hurting them with the actual foot.”

“Ask Arthur,” Tyche offered, not turning towards us. By this point, she had three knives almost in the center of the target. “It was his chin she broke in half.”

“I heard…” Charly grunted softly while she tried to grab the bowstring with her right foot. “And his ribs.”

“Hey!” I objected. “That one isn’t fair - he walked between me and a heavy-bag, and to this day I don’t know why.” I wasn’t going to admit to anyone that he hit his head so hard when I kicked him that he couldn’t remember either.

I felt awful about it.

“For besties, you two sure beat each other up a lot,” she observed as she finally managed to pull the string about an inch. “This is harder than it looks…”

All I could do was blink at her. She was balanced on her hands, arms straight, head bent at the least comfortable angle I had seen on a living human, with her toes literally in front of her face, drawing a bowstring, and really believed it was harder than it looked. “I can’t figure out if you lost bones or gained them.”

“Me either,” came the response. Not even a little out of breath, arms as steady as if she could just do this forever.

“What in the fuck??” Tyche’s shout when she finally turned towards us was what sent Charly toppling to the ground - apparently startled jumps don’t work the same with elbows and shoulders.

“Damn it,” she complained. “I almost had it, too!”

“Had what? A herniated disc?”

“What? No.” Charly shooed away the suggestion. “A good grip on the bowstring.”

I gave Tyche an emphatic look. See? This is what I’ve been dealing with.

She groaned. “Charly…” Finally, someone was going to talk some - “You’re supposed to use an adapted pull assist for that.”

Nevermind. Sense has left the building. Possibly the quadrant.

“I’m really trying to figure out if I should let Coffey know about this,” I groaned.

Despite my fervent wish to the contrary, Charly already had the bow gripped in her left foot and was effortlessly coiling back over. “Who do you think gave me the bow? You can’t just use a regular one for this, it has to have a much lower weight.”

Gods dammit, now I need to know. “How much lower?”

“This one is… hmmmm, I think twelve pounds. HA!” Somehow, she had managed to hook the string just right so she could actually draw it. “Darn it, I might need socks or something. This does not feel very nice.”

Shaking my head roughly to snap out of my curiosity, I tried the first subject I could think of. “Did you talk to Teeth yet?”

“Mmm-hmm. They want to try the exoskeleton first, with the option for cellular therapy later.”

“WHOA whoawhoawhoawhoa whoa,” Tyche cut in. “Someone explain, now. What is wrong with Teeth?”

“Technically, nothing,” I assured her before filling her in on the situation. “They’re worried we are going to force them to grow an arm and a leg, we just want them to be able to wear their prosthetics. The exo was Maverick’s suggestion as a compromise.”

Rolling her eyes, Tyche scoffed. “Of course they chose the exo. They love their prosthetics, and they love Nixe’s prosthesis. A big honkin’ one that they are probably going to hack halfway to the heat death of the universe? Obvious choice, really.”

Finally - finally - Charly voluntarily uncurled and laid on the mat. “Pretty much. You would have thought Teeth had light emitters installed in their head, the way their eyes lit up when I suggested the exoskeleton. And when I had some sleep and a think, the fact that they were more willing to do the therapy later made even more sense.”

I nodded. “Ultimate good-faith gesture: a compromise that showed you really want what’s best, especially when it’s not what you would prefer.”

She clicked her tongue and threw me a wink. “Exactly. And yeah, we’re good with it. Neither of us actually give a crap if Teeth got the cellular therapy, we just knew they were stir crazy or injured every single second of the day.”

Tyche dropped to the mat as well and started stretching her legs. “So, are the schematics with Ivan, or with Maverick?” When all she got was an arched brow in response, she threw her head back and groaned. “There’s not a chance in this life, the next, or the one after that, that you would let anyone but those two rough out anything for Teeth.”

Charly mumbled something and glanced at us, only to see us both staring her down as hard as possible. “Fiiiine,” she sighed. “Conor just finished the specs, and Ivan’s mocking it up as we speak.” Her hands flew up to rub her face. “Not like I can let Teeth spec out their own stuff. I don’t know if we’d end up with the most tricked-out pony in the show, or the barest of bare bones needed. Nixe thinks barest of bones, though, and I know I would trick it out with all kinds of shit, so we handed it off to those three.”

“That means Teeth is free to spec out your pull,” Tyche pointed out.

Just when I started groaning, Charly sat bolt upright. “Oooo! You’re right!”

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#the miys #found family #humans are weird #science fiction #aliens #apocalypse #humans are space orcs #humans are space fae #earth is space australia #post apocalypse #post post apocalypse #original science fiction #original sci fi #original writing

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grapesodatozier · 4 years

Text

Dreamboat

summary: Richie’s his pining mess self, and it only gets worse when he has sex dreams about Eddie every night for a week. Eddie asks him why he’s been avoiding him all week, love confessions and smut ensues~

tags/warnings: pining-typical angst and guilt in the beginning, but it’s all resolved by the end! also, this is top!eddie/bottom!richie bc i haven’t written that dynamic in forever, gotta balance the scales lol

this didn’t need to be 7k words, but it is lmao enjoy

(also, if you wanna be taken off or added to my taglist, lmk! i have one for reddie fics and one for all of my fics, so please specify which one you’d like to be added to. thanks!)

read on ao3 or below!

notsfw below the cut!

Richie could not believe this was happening a-fucking-gain. This was the fourth time this week that he’d woken up hard after a dream about Eddie. He ran his hands over his face and groaned, his skin burning from his face down his chest. Guilt sank low in his stomach as he shut off his alarm and stared up at the ceiling of his dorm room.

Guilt, and a sizable helping of heartbreak.

It had felt so real. He could still feel dream-Eddie’s fingertips ghosting over his skin. He could feel his tongue teasing over Richie’s own, so soft and warm and the perfect balance of rough and smooth. He could feel Eddie grinding against him. He could picture so vividly Eddie dropping to his knees, a sweet smirk on his face as he—

No. Fuck, fuck, no. Richie breathed in sharply through his nose and scrunched his eyes shut, willing his aching boner to go down. The emotional come down helped, realizing he would never get to touch Eddie like that, would never get to know what he felt like, how he liked to be touched. He tried to ignore it, he really did, he’d been trying to get over it for years. But how was he supposed to get over someone like Eddie? Richie had never felt his heart flip like it did around Eddie. He’d realized one day in the seventh grade that Eddie’s laugh made him feel different than anyone else’s, warmer. He wanted to know that Eddie was okay all the time, and he selfishly wanted to be the one to make him happy. His heart sang every time Eddie chose to sit next to him. The first time Eddie rested his head on his shoulder Richie thought he was gonna vomit. But, like, in a good way.

So yeah, being in love with Eddie was par for the course. It was a part of Richie as much as his freckles and knobby elbows. But these dreams… He’d had a few before, scattered here and there across the years, but he’d managed to black them out. One or two flukes was okay, right? He’d had a sex dream or two about Bill before. Hell, he’d had sex dreams about a cashier he saw once at a Burger King. It was fine. The mind was a weird thing.

But four in a week? That was different. It made him feel like a fucking creep; he made his own skin crawl. And they were so vivid. How could he look at Eddie now? How could he let Eddie touch him, not knowing what Richie had dreamt of those hands doing?

He bit his lip as he thought about it, the most confusing mix of arousal and shame blooming in his chest. He only came back to his senses when he tasted copper on his tongue. He did his best to shove the thoughts aside as he swung his legs over the side of his bed, halfheartedly tossing his comforter back toward the top of his bed before deciding to smooth it down more neatly. He took another deep breath and ran his hand through his hair, trying to collect himself enough to pick out an outfit for the day. He just needed to locate a shirt, boxers, and pants. And socks. God, why did that feel difficult?

Showering didn’t help clear his mind. Cocoa puffs didn’t help. Not even his acting class could help; his teacher just had them lying on yoga mats that smelled like disinfectant and stale rubber doing breathing exercises for the first half of class, which did absolutely nothing to calm him down or take his mind off of the fact that it was Friday, which meant movie night in Bill and Mike’s room. Nights when Richie and Eddie “fought” over who got to sit on the giant Yogibo before settling into it together, nice and dizzyingly close.

He managed to avoid sitting next to Eddie at lunch just by luck of the draw. But Eddie was still there laughing harder than anyone else at Richie’s jokes and trying to toss things into Richie’s cup without him noticing, and it still made Richie glow, he still pretended to not notice who was throwing things at him, playing along with Eddie’s innocent shrugs and smiles until he “finally” caught him, which in turn made Eddie burst into giggles that were so precious they made Richie want to cry. And then after lunch Eddie came up to Richie and touched him on the arm, making him jump like he’d touched a hot stove.

“Jesus, you good?” Eddie asked with a confused smile.

“Yeah, must be the static electricity,” Richie said, fumbling over his words, “or the fluorescents.”

Eddie gave him a look, but he was still smiling. “Okay, that was bad, even for you.” Richie gave a small laugh. He felt like he couldn’t breathe. “Do you wanna go to the Auburn to study? This stupid fucking poetry class is melting my brain, so I think you owe me a scone as compensation for making me sign up for it.”

Richie’s heart ached. There was nothing he wanted more than to fuck around with Eddie at one of the too-small tables at their favorite little coffee shop downtown. But then he was looking at Eddie’s lips and the guilt was rising in him again like bile. Or maybe it was actual bile. Richie clicked his tongue. “Sorry, you know I’d love to treat my little muffin to a scone, but I’ve got a paper to write and you know they turn the wifi off Friday to Sunday.”

The disappointment on Eddie’s face made Richie’s chest ache. “Okay, well, I’ll see you tonight then.”

“Wear those panties I like,” he winked, his mouth getting ahead of him as usual. God, Richie wanted to kick himself. And maybe puke. But Eddie left him with a smile and a playful shove, so Richie figured he wasn’t in too much trouble.

Richie, Stan, and Patty had been tasked with getting the pizza that night, so the three of them showed up to Bill and Mike’s after everyone else. Richie’s heart did flips when he saw Eddie lying sprawled across the giant bean bag, just like he always did when he beat Richie to it. He blushed when Eddie met his eyes and beamed, leaping up and bounding over to him. He nearly choked on his tongue when Eddie draped himself over his arm, having to get up on his tiptoes to rest his chin on Richie’s shoulder. Richie instinctively crouched down a bit to accommodate him.

“Did you get barbecue chicken?” Eddie asked, batting his eyes.

“I’m offended you would even have to ask,” Richie grinned as he opened the box. The others were scrambling around the boxes, trying to get slices of their choice, but Richie’s long arms gave him an advantage.

“Will you get me a slice?” Eddie asked.

“And let you get to the Yogibo first? I may be pretty but I’m not stupid.” Richie grinned as he lifted his plate far above Eddie’s head and spun around, finally able to breathe once he no longer had to worry about the electric feeling of Eddie leaning against him.

“You’re gonna regret that, Tozier,” Eddie huffed, but he could never hide his smile.

“Ooh, last names,” Richie grinned as he plopped himself down on the beanbag, fully spread eagle. “I’m scared now.”

Eddie stuck his tongue out at him before ducking under Bill’s arm to get at the pizza he was going for. Richie really tried not to linger on how cute that was.

However, it was becoming quickly apparent that Richie was not going to be able to avoid those thoughts, as well as his less savory ones. As soon as Eddie got his pizza, he was standing over Richie with one hand on his hip. Richie made sure to look at his face and not his thighs, which his movie night sleep shorts left on full display. Richie didn’t dare let himself look down, because right then he was wondering if he’d be able to see up Eddie’s shorts from this angle. God, he bet he could. “I was sitting there,” Eddie groused.

Normally Richie would’ve replied with something crude, would’ve grabbed his crotch with an obnoxious wink and said, “I’ve got a seat all warmed up for you right here, baby.” But now his stomach twisted at that, and when Richie managed to stop himself from saying something he struggled to come up with something else. So all he could manage was a halfheartedly sarcastic, “Here?”

He pointed to what he thought was the beanbag, but Eddie apparently had something else in mind. “Yeah,” he smiled before dropping himself into Richie’s lap with a grace and bounce that left Richie breathless. “Right here.”

Eddie looked so smug, and he was on Richie’s lap, and Richie could feel the situation getting real bad for him real fast. So, setting the slices of pizza aside so as to not earn himself any disappointed looks or lectures from Bill and Mike about respecting and maintaining the cleanliness of their space, he grabbed Eddie by the waist, doing his best to ignore his own rushing blood and the amused look on Eddie’s face. “Alright, short stack, you ever try asking a guy to move over?” With Eddie lifted, Richie scooted over to one side of the bean bag, then plopped Eddie on the other. Richie couldn’t decipher the look Eddie was giving him, but it somehow was making him even hotter under the collar than Eddie sitting in his lap had.

Richie thought he was safe when Eddie huffed and grabbed his pizza, but he barely had three seconds to breathe before Eddie was wriggling his way across the bean bag to press himself against Richie. “You’re taking up the whole thing,” he grumbled as he tucked himself against Richie. Richie could not have been closer to the edge of the bean bag, but he didn’t have the breath in his lungs to say that. Every time he breathed he could smell Eddie’s shampoo, clean and fresh and somewhat minty. Richie shovelled his pizza into his mouth so he wouldn’t have to respond. And to give himself something to do with his arms other than wrapping them around Eddie and pulling him closer.

Richie could not for the life of him focus on the movie. He felt like he was dropping on a rollercoaster, but it had been twenty minutes and the feeling hadn’t stopped. Eddie kept shifting, but never away from him, and Richie was going to lose his mind. Then, Eddie leaned up to whisper something to Richie, and he couldn’t even process what he was saying, just that the feeling of Eddie’s breath warm and soft on his neck was going to make him pop a boner. Eddie’s face was so close to his, and his hand was on Richie’s chest, and Richie couldn’t stop seeing his dreams playing on repeat.

Eddie’s tongue in his mouth.

Eddie’s hands running down from his chest, to his stomach, lower…

Eddie on his knees, Eddie in Richie’s lap, Eddie on top of him, inside—

“Well!” Richie exclaimed, rolling off the Yogibo with the grace of a newborn calf, popping up to the fond annoyance of his friends, “I do say, nature calls, so pip pip and tally-ho, off I must go to the loo.”

“Seriously?” Eddie groaned.

“Hey, you’re the one who’s always telling me to stay hydrated!” Richie retorted. “You’ve only got yourself to blame for this waterfall.” Really? he thought to himself. Yeah, that’s gonna get him to like you. Nice one, dumbass.

“You know you really don’t have to announce that,” Bev snickered, throwing Mike and Ikes at him until he reached the door.

“Alright, alright, tough crowd. Try not to miss me too much.”

He could hear Stan yelling something about not getting lost on his way back as he closed the door, finding himself alone in the hallway of Bill and Mike’s dorm.

God, fuck, he was so fucked. He had to take himself on a walk up and down the hallway just to calm himself down. Eddie made him so hot, like he was burning up. And he’d thought his feelings were messy before he started having the dreams. Eddie whispering to him like that, touching him like that… He knew when he got back in the room that he couldn’t do it. He felt a guilt heavy in his stomach when he plopped down next to Bill, squeezing himself in obnoxiously, but he knew he couldn’t be next to Eddie just then, not without crawling out of his skin.

He ignored the weird look Bill gave him, the weird looks everyone gave him. He ignored the way Eddie kept glancing over at him, looking so small sitting on the bean bag by himself. He ignored the aching in his chest when Eddie asked Ben and Bev to walk him home instead of Richie. He told himself this was better as he walked home alone, that yeah, he missed Eddie’s banter, he missed the sleepy way he would bump into Richie, but it was better this way, better to get some distance and let the dreams peter out. Maybe if he didn’t touch Eddie, maybe if he didn’t see him for a few days he’d get his lips out of his mind, maybe he could forget the way Eddie’s skin felt against his own, and then the dreams would stop. Things could go back to normal if he could just stay away for a bit.

But that night only brought another dream, one filled with moans and giggles and Eddie’s hands and tongue all over him, inside of him. Another dream that had his blood rushing to his cock.

He woke up hard and grinding against his mattress. His mind still lingering in the dream, the sensations still fresh in his mind, warming his skin, Richie rolled over onto his back and desperately shoved his hands down his boxers. He stroked himself tight and fast and came into his fist in under a minute, his toes curling and his breath coming out in gasping moans. It took a minute for his mind to clear. Once it did, his blissful haze shattered pretty abruptly. “Fuck,” he muttered, reaching for the roll of toilet paper on his desk to wipe his hand off with. He tossed the wad at his trash can with way more force than necessary before angrily throwing his sheets and comforter off of himself. He needed a fucking shower. A cold one.

He didn’t get why the fuck this kept happening. Like, fuck, the dreams were amazing, sure. But Eddie was never gonna touch him like that. He could dream and fantasize all he wanted, but that was all he was ever gonna get.

He dodged Saturday brunch, grabbing a cinnamon roll from the dining hall and eating it in his room alone. He ignored Bill’s text asking if he wanted to talk about the night before. He holed up in his room and threw himself into the essay he had to write, hoping that that would be enough to make him forget. But finding quotes didn’t exactly scratch the same itch, and his mind kept drifting to Eddie, always Eddie, whispering in his ear, touching his chest on the bean bag the night before. There was no song he could blast loud enough to get it out of his mind.

It was around three when Richie heard an insistent knocking at his door. He paused the music and groaned, figuring Bill had come by to talk to him. But when he opened the door, Eddie was standing there with his arms crossed. Richie’s heart stopped. “Hey,” he said, “wasn’t expecting you. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

But Eddie was already pushing past him into his room. Richie closed the door; the pout on Eddie’s face made him figure this was about to be a door closed kind of conversation. Which made him want to vomit, but here they were. Eddie took a breath, paused, then finally blurted out, “Did I do something wrong?”

Richie’s head was spinning. “What?”

“You’ve been weird all week.” Shitshitshitshit. “You didn’t wanna study together, you sat next to Bill last night, you haven’t called me Eds in days—” Eddie cut himself, his voice breaking and eyes falling to the floor. Richie’s heart was beating so hard he was pretty sure he’d be able to see bruises on his chest in a few hours. “So, what, are you mad at me? ‘Cause whatever I did, I’m sorry, but I don’t know what I did, I don’t know why you’re avoiding me like this.”

“Eddie,” Richie started, stepping toward him. He reached his hand out, but let it drop. He was so torn. Eddie looked so small, so sad and confused, all Richie wanted to do was scoop him up into his arms and make everything better. But how could he touch him? How could he make this better? How could he explain what was wrong without scaring Eddie off? “Fuck, Eddie, I don’t know what to tell you.”

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say, because Eddie’s eyes started filling with tears. “So, what? You just don’t like me anymore?”

“What? No, fuck no, Eddie, jesus, I love you!” Richie blurted. Every nerve in his body was screaming at him to run out the door, to get the fuck out of there, to not say anything more. But fuck it, he couldn’t see Eddie cry and do nothing. Grossing him out was better than hurting him, right? Eddie didn’t say anything, but he wiped a tear away and stood up a little taller, his eyes wide, urging Richie to go on. Richie took a tentative step closer before deciding against it and leaning against his bed. “Fuck, this is so awkward. Um. So, okay, so I’ve been acting weird.”

“Yeah?” Eddie prompted, turning toward him. He started to move closer, then apparently thought better of it.

“And I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.” Richie ran his hands over his face, pushing his glasses up then readjusting them. “Fuck,” he said with a humorless laugh. “So um. So you’ve kinda been livin’ rent free in my dreams this week.”

Eddie gave him a confused look.

God he was gonna have to spell it out, wasn’t he? “Like…” Richie mimed jerking himself off. Eddie raised his eyebrows. “Like, every fucking night this week.”

“Oh.” Eddie’s cheeks were pink.

“Yeah. So, you know. Kinda makes it hard to be around you knowing I’m such a fucking creep.” Richie gave a sheepish smile.

Eddie gave him a long suffering look.

“Sorry, that was supposed to come out a lot funnier than it sounded—”

“Richie,” Eddie sighed, walking over to him. Richie straightened up, his heart in his throat as Eddie stood right in front of him. “You’re not a creep for having some wet dreams.” He gave him a smile and smacked him playfully on the chest. “I can’t believe that’s the whole reason you’ve been a dick this week.”

“Yeah, but it’s different,” Richie said before he could stop himself, thoughts flooding out on their own.

“Why? Because we’re friends? I mean, sure, maybe every night for a week is kind of a lot, but I can’t say I’m not flattered.” He smiled then, but it softened, and he took Richie’s hand in his, running his thumb comfortingly over Richie’s skin. “I’m definitely not creeped out.”

You have to tell him, Richie’s mind screamed at him. You have to fucking tell him. If you don’t tell him now you never will. “Not just because we’re friends,” he whispered, his voice shaking. He tried to slip his hand out of Eddie’s, but Eddie just held him tighter as he looked into Richie’s eyes, waiting for more of an explanation. “I’m kinda, like… in love with you.” He waved his free hand in a ta-da motion, hoping to god that he could joke his way into making this less painful for both of them. Eddie’s eyes widened, but he didn’t let go, he didn’t move or say anything, and fuck, what was Richie supposed to with that? Fill the fucking silence was his go-to, so he started rambling, but nothing that came out was funny. “So, it’s like, the dreams are shit I’ve thought of, y’know? And I feel really fucking gross, because like, I’d do it. And I didn’t want you to find that out and think that I was taking advantage of you or whatever by letting you cuddle me and shit, because, fuck, when you were whispering to me last night, and pressing against me, I want that, y’know? You were gonna give me a fucking heart attack, and that’s weird, that’s gross, and I didn’t want you to be mad, or to leave me—” He broke on that and had to bite his lip to keep himself from crying.

“Richie,” Eddie sighed, pulling him down into his arms. Richie collected himself as Eddie held him, slowly bringing his arms around Eddie, trying to process what was happening.

“You’re not mad?” he asked as he pulled away. Eddie cupped his face, and Richie couldn’t help but lean into his hand.

“Why would I be mad? All you’ve done is love me back.”

Richie’s eyebrows lifted hopefully. “Back?”

“Yes, back,” Eddie grinned. “I love you, too. I’m in love with you, too.”

“Fuck, for real?”

Eddie giggled and leaned up on his toes, bringing his lips to Richie’s. Richie placed his hands lightly on Eddie’s waist, kissing him back softly, making sure this was all happening, that touching him like this was okay. Once he was sure he wasn’t being pranked, he wrapped his arms around Eddie and pulled him closer, kissing him deeply, hungrily. God, he’d needed this for so many years, but he never could’ve prepared himself for how amazing it would feel. Eddie’s lips were so soft, so intentional with every move, and Richie could feel him smiling as he pulled him closer into him. Eddie’s arms were wrapped around his neck, their chests were pressed together, still Richie needed more, needed him closer. He needed to satiate the years and years of pining.

“God, Eddie, Eds, my love, I love you so much.” He felt breathless and giddy to finally say it.

“I love you, too, Rich,” Eddie beamed, kissing the corner of Richie’s mouth, then his cheek, then his jaw. Richie moaned as Eddie pressed a kiss to the pulse point where Richie’s jaw met his neck and ran his hand over Richie’s chest, just like he had the night before. “So these dreams… what happened in them?” Richie shuddered at how low Eddie’s voice had gotten. “What was I doing in them?”

“Shit, what weren’t you doing?” Richie laughed breathlessly. “Sucking me off on your knees, stroking me and kissing my neck, fingering me, fucking me…”

“Yeah?” Eddie asked, his eyes sparkling. Richie gasped as Eddie’s hand travelled lower, teasing over Richie’s belt. “You want me to fuck you?”

“Fuck, yes.” Richie’s breath trembled over the words. He had to grab the bed behind him to steady himself when Eddie’s palm pressed against Richie’s cock, which was quickly growing hard under his touch. At the same time, Eddie nuzzled his face against Richie’s neck, kissing the sensitive skin there. RIchie couldn’t help but moan and roll his hips into Eddie’s hand. “Eds, fuck…” he groaned. Eddie kept kissing his neck, his lips wet and warm and soft, and he tightened his grip on Richie a bit, the outline of Richie’s hard cock clear through his jeans by this point.

“Is this what you want, baby?” Eddie murmured against his skin. Before Richie could gather himself to respond, Eddie was swiftly dropping to his knees. His brown eyes were wide and full of faux innocence, glittering with mischief as he looked up at Richie. “Is this what you dreamt about?”

“Yes, fuck, oh my god,” Richie whined, his voice thin and already so desperate as Eddie rubbed his face against the tent in Richie’s jeans. “Please, please, will you suck me, baby?”

“Wow, you’re so polite when you’re turned on,” Eddie mused. Then, with a wink, “I’ll keep that in mind.” God, Richie was excited to find out what Eddie meant by that, but for now he was fully occupied with watching Eddie undo his belt, then the button on his jeans, then his zipper. Richie got with the program as Eddie tugged his jeans down and stripped his shirt off, tossing it aside as he stepped out of his jeans, leaving him in his boxer briefs. He giggled at the exasperated look on Eddie’s face. “Where the fuck did you find Hello Kitty boxers?”

“What, like it’s hard?” Richie said. “You can find anything on the internet, my love.”

Eddie shook his head, but he was smiling. “I really love you,” he sighed, leaning in and pressing kisses to Richie’s stomach. He took his time trailing his lips down. “God, you’re so hot,” Eddie murmured against his skin, nuzzling into the patch of dark hair just above his waistband. “Every time your fucking shirt rides up I get half hard, can’t believe I’m finally getting my mouth on you.” Richie cursed as Eddie ran his lips over the outline of Richie’s cock.

“Fuck, Eds, please.” Richie had one hand still supporting himself on his bed, but the other was now in Eddie’s hair. “I need you so fucking bad.” Richie felt his breath being knocked out of his chest when Eddie looked up and met his gaze as he sucked on the head of his cock through the fabric. But this time it was a fun breathlessness, the best kind of breathlessness. Feeling himself leaking, his cock throbbing, Richie let out another, “Eddie baby, please,” genuinely whining.

Eddie gave him a satisfied grin as he finally pulled Richie’s boxers down and let his cock bob up against his stomach. “Fuck, you have such a nice cock,” Eddie marvelled. Richie gasped as Eddie wrapped his fingers around him, stroking him. “Did you touch yourself after your dreams? Did you make yourself come while thinking about me?” Richie couldn’t believe Eddie, his Eddie Kaspbrak was talking to him like this. It made his head spin.

“Yes, oh fuck,” Richie groaned as Eddie lapped at the head of his cock, his tongue all pink and warm and wet. He pressed it flat against the base of Richie’s shaft and licked him all the way to the tip, never breaking eye contact as he did. “God, it feels so much better when you do it.”

“I know, baby,” Eddie purred. Richie let out a strangled moan as Eddie tongued at the sensitive bundle of nerves under the head of Richie’s cock. “Gonna make you feel so good.”

Richie had barely gotten out another, “Please,” when Eddie wrapped his lips around him and bobbed his head forward. Taking him in his mouth. Sucking on the head, making his knees shake. “Eds, fuck, oh my god,” Richie moaned. His eyes fluttered shut as Eddie took him further down his throat, but he didn’t wanna miss this. He’d already messed up Eddie’s hair, and his cheeks were pink and hollowed as he ran his tongue along Richie’s shaft, as he moved his lips over him. Eddie looked him in the eyes as he slid off with a popping sound, clearly happy with himself as he swirled his tongue around the head of Richie’s cock. To Eddie’s credit, the triumphant smirk was well-earned; Richie was already a whimpering mess, his knees trembling. “Eds, want you, please.”

“What do you want, baby?” Eddie asked. His voice was soft as he covered Richie’s cock in kisses that were so sweet in the filthiest way.

“Wanna touch you,” Richie breathed. “Please, I need to feel you.”

Eddie groaned and pressed one more heated, sloppy kiss to Richie’s hip before standing up and bringing their lips together. Richie leaned into it, happily pliant in Eddie’s hands. He was still chasing the feeling of Eddie’s lips against his own when Eddie pulled back to pull his shirt off over his head.

“Oh fuck,” Richie muttered, staring at Eddie’s chest. Richie’s entire body burned as he drank in Eddie’s skin, the toned muscles underneath. Was he really allowed to look at him like this? Was he really allowed to let his gaze linger as long as he wanted?

His hesitation must have shown on his face. Softly, Eddie said, “Touch me.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Richie joked, but his voice shook, and his movements were slow as he brought his hands to Eddie’s chest, sliding them down to his waist and pulling him in. He saw Eddie grin, then felt it against his lips. Richie melted into it. God, Eddie’s chest felt so nice pressed against his own. He was so warm, his heartbeat right against Richie’s. As much as Richie’s heart was racing, he felt so incredibly safe. And that safety and warmth flooded into heat as Eddie shifted Richie’s hands down, guiding them to his belt. “Fuck,” Richie shuddered, fumbling to undo Eddie’s belt. He couldn’t get his hands to stop shaking.

“I got it,” Eddie giggled, gently pushing Richie’s hands away. Richie watched in awe as Eddie rid himself of his jeans, leaving himself in tented Calvin Klein boxer briefs.

The fumbling and giggling actually helped Richie relax—enough to laugh as he pressed his lips to Eddie’s neck and palmed him through the black fabric. “You are such a brand whore.”

“Fuck you,” Eddie laughed breathlessly, bucking into Richie’s touch.

“Oh, you better, Mr. Gucci,” Richie winked. Eddie shook his head and brought his lips to Richie’s. He slid one hand down and took a hold of Richie’s wrist, guiding his movements.

“Don’t worry, baby, we’ll get there.” Richie groaned at the low tone in Eddie’s voice; he had no idea he could sound like that. He dipped his hand past Eddie’s waistband and wrapped his hand around Eddie’s cock, unable to wait any longer. He moaned as soon as he felt him, his cock hard and smooth and warm in his hand. Kissing his neck, he stroked Eddie slowly, running his fingers over him. “Fuck, that feels so good,” Eddie moaned. “Just like that, baby, yes, fuck.” While Eddie pushed his boxers down and stepped out of them, Richie spit into his palm, wrapping it around Eddie’s cock as soon as he was ready, getting it wet. They both groaned at the slick, smooth way Richie’s hand slid over Eddie. Richie’s chest bloomed with warmth as Eddie leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Richie’s shoulder, pressing kisses to Richie’s chest.

“You are so fucking hot,” Richie said, pressing kisses to Eddie’s hair. Then, feeling emboldened by the way Eddie moaned and rocked his hips into his fist, he continued, “Can’t fucking wait to feel you inside of me.”

“Fuck, I love you,” Eddie groaned. He pulled Richie into him, kissing him deeply, messily, desperately. Stroking him faster, Richie kissed back, matching his passion. “Oh my god, fuck, Richie, get on the bed.”

“Holy shit, yeah, okay,” Richie breathed, scrambling to do as Eddie said. At first he sat up, unsure where to put himself. But Eddie made it clear what he wanted as he climbed between Richie’s legs and pressed his hand against Richie’s chest, guiding him to lie back. With the way Eddie draped himself over Richie’s body and brought their lips together, running his hands over Richie’s thighs, he really truly could not believe this was his life. He moaned into Eddie’s mouth as their cocks rubbed together. “I love you,” he panted as Eddie kissed down his neck. “I’ve wanted this for so long.”

Eddie looked up at him and gave him a smile, pressing a kiss to his lips, one much softer than his previous ones. “So have I.”. Running his hands appreciatively over Richie’s body, he asked, “You sure about this?”

“Fuck yes,” Richie said, nodding enthusiastically.

Eddie giggled and kissed him again. “Do you have lube and condoms?”

“Top drawer of my desk.” As Eddie leaned over to grab them, Richie said, “God, this is actually happening, wow, okay, fuck. I’m clean by the way, like STD-free and everything, and also in the shower earlier—”

“Hey.” Richie shut up as Eddie stroked his hair. “Relax, okay? I’m gonna take care of you. I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.” Richie nodded, but that wasn’t why he’d been rambling. Luckily, Eddie knew him, and he pressed a slow, deliberate kiss to Richie’s lips and told him, “You’re my best friend, you know that?” Richie let out a small breath as Eddie kissed the corner of his mouth, then his jaw, then his chest. “You are so gorgeous.”

Richie grinned. “So what you’re saying is you only like me because I’m hot?”

Eddie rolled his eyes. “Yes.” He cut off any response by spreading Richie’s legs.

“Oh, fuck,” Richie moaned, happily going where Eddie guided him. The satisfied smirk on Eddie’s face made Richie glow.

He watched, enraptured, as Eddie poured the lube onto his fingers and spread it around. He watched Eddie’s eyes track his own movements as he brought his fingers down between Richie’s legs before looking up at him. “You ready?”

“Hell yeah,” Richie said, his grin wobbly from how breathless Eddie already had him. Eddie snickered at that before circling Richie’s entrance and slowly pressing his finger inside of him. Richie gasped, his head falling back to the pillow with a broken moan. He tensed at first, but soon relaxed as he felt Eddie work him open.

“You look so good,” Eddie murmured, almost as if to himself. It made Richie blush. He really wants this, he thought to himself, He really wants me. He settled comfortably into that reassurance as Eddie pressed kisses to Richie’s thighs and hips as he worked him open, thrusting his finger in and out gently. When Richie began rocking his hips with Eddie’s movements, seeking more, Eddie complied and thrust into him faster, soon adding a second finger. Richie moaned at the stretch and spread his legs wider. “Do you like that?” Eddie asked.

Richie could tell from his voice that he knew the answer. Still, he breathed a blissed out, “Yes,” and groaned as Eddie thrust even deeper inside of him. It felt so amazing, Eddie’s fingers filling him up, sliding in and out of him. Just as he was settling into the rhythm, his mind pleasantly warm and fuzzy, Eddie curled his fingers, sending waves of electric pleasure through Richie. “Oh my fuck—” Richie cried, arching off the bed. He twisted his fingers in the sheets as Eddie’s fingers continued to graze over his prostate, making him buzz, the pleasure so deep and so intense.

And Eddie had the nerve to fucking giggle. “What? Does that feel good?”

“God, yes, yes, oh my god, oh my fucking god, fuck,” Richie answered, his words a string of broken whimpers. As he continued massaging that sweet spot, Eddie leaned forward and licked a stripe up the underside of Richie’s cock, making him practically scream. “Eds! Fuck, fuck, not gonna—shit oh my god, I’m not gonna last if you keep doing that.”

Eddie looked up at him, feigning innocence. “You want me to stop?” Richie was so conflicted as Eddie licked the tip of his cock in short, light strokes, making his cock throb as he lapped up the precome dripping down the head. It was fucking heaven, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to hold out if Eddie kept going, and he needed to feel Eddie inside of him. So, reluctantly, he nodded. “Why? What do you want?”

“God, fuck me, please,” Richie whined, shamelessly impatient and petulant.

“Fuck, that’s hot,” Eddie said. He pressed slow kisses to Richie’s hip as he slowly pulled his fingers out. Richie sat up on his elbows to watch as Eddie rolled the condom onto his cock.

“Now that’s hot,” Richie said as Eddie poured lube onto his cock and stroked it, spreading the lube around. Eddie grinned and leaned down to kiss him. Richie ran his fingers through Eddie’s hair, holding him close a moment, really feeling his lips, the way he kissed him. He melted when Eddie pulled back and nuzzled his nose against Richie’s. He straightened up a bit then and lined his cock up with Richie’s hole. Eddie gently took Richie’s chin in his hands, guiding his gaze up to meet his.

“Are you ready?”

Looking into Eddie’s eyes, warm and brown and more familiar than the back of his own hand, Richie had never been more ready for anything in his life. “Eddie, my love, I’ve been ready for this for years.” His voice was soft as he reached out and stroked Eddie’s arm. “I am so in love with you and so, so, very horny.”

“Richie,” Eddie sighed, an exasperated but amused grin on his face. “I love you, too.” Any other words Richie might’ve said died on his tongue as he felt the head of Eddie’s cock begin to stretch him open. He held Richie’s hips still with one hand and intertwined his fingers with Richie’s with the other. “Tell me if it’s too much, or if there’s anything you don’t like, okay?” Richie nodded, squeezing Eddie’s hand. He took a deep breath as Eddie moved his hips forward, going slow, letting Richie adjust. He needed a few moments to even out his breathing and get used to the sensation; as amazing as it felt, it was a lot. Soon, however, he was pressing his lips to Eddie’s knuckles and asking him to move. He gasped as Eddie pulled his hips back, but all of the tension flowed out of his body as Eddie pushed back in. It felt so natural, having Eddie inside of him, being connected like this. He could feel every nerve in his body sighing out a finally. “How does it feel?” Eddie asked. His voice was soft as he slowly, shallowly rocked his hips.

With a lovestruck grin on his face, Richie answered, “Perfect.”

A look crossed Eddie’s face then, one full of love and overflowing feelings. Richie only had a second to commit it to memory before Eddie leaned down and kissed him, kissed him like he wanted to press all of those feelings into Richie’s lips to make him understand them. Richie had a feeling he would never forget what Eddie looked like in that moment, how it felt when he kissed him like that.

He whimpered when he felt Eddie tease his tongue over his, somehow gentle and so, so dirty at the same time. Eddie groaned and leaned in further, deepening the kiss and pressing his cock even deeper into Richie. Richie moaned at how good that felt; it was so much, almost too much, but he needed more. He rolled his hips as Eddie kissed him, pressing small moans into Eddie’s mouth every time his cock brushed against Eddie’s toned stomach. Searching for something to hold onto, something to ground him, his hands ran up and down Eddie’s back, gripped at his shoulders. It felt so amazing to have him so close, to be able to linger and really appreciate the feeling of Eddie’s soft, warm skin under his hands. “I’ve wanted to hear you moan like that for me for so long,” Eddie murmured, kissing along Richie’s neck, making him shudder.

“Feels so good,” Richie breathed, his ability to string a complete sentence together already faltering.

“Yeah?” Eddie said, smirk evident in his voice. Richie moaned and threw his head back as Eddie picked up the pace of his thrusts. Hands sliding down to Richie’s hips, holding him up a bit as he fucked him harder, Eddie told him, “Fuck, you look so good like this. You feel so amazing.” Richie’s skin burned under the praise. He went to cover his face with his arm, not used to being complimented like that, but Eddie caught him by the arm and brought his lips to the inside of Richie’s wrist. He couldn’t believe how good such a simple touch felt. It had him bucking his hips into the air, his cock begging for attention as pleasure bloomed deep inside of him. It had him whimpering for more.

“Harder,” he begged. “Please, please fuck me.” With a hungry look, Eddie leaned over and pinned Richie’s wrist above his head and began fucking Richie hard and deep and fast, just like he’d asked for. Richie’s eyes went wide as he let out a broken, “Yes.” He threw his head back and screwed his eyes shut, really feeling every thrust. Eddie was fucking him so good, filling his room with the sound of skin on skin and Richie’s desperate moans of yesyesyesrightthereohfuckyesyesfuckyes. As he opened his eyes to find Eddie’s hooded and trained on his face, Richie couldn’t help but let out a dreamy, “I love you.”

Eddie groaned and pressed himself against Richie, chest to chest, his face buried in Richie’s neck. “I love you so much.” Richie wrapped his arms and legs around Eddie and held him tight. Eddie rolled his hips, burying his cock so deep inside Richie before pounding into him hard and fast again. With the way Eddie was fucking him, Richie’s cock sliding between them where they pressed against one another, Richie was getting close fast. It was all so much in the best way. He buried his face in Eddie’s shoulder, biting down. His muffled moans were punctuated by every thrust. He raked his nails down Eddie’s back as he felt his pleasure building, coiling within him. He was right on the edge, and he wanted to live in that intensity forever. Sinking further into his desperate haze, he rocked his hips, making his cock throb.

“Eds,” he panted, throwing his head back, “‘m close, fuck, oh my god, I’m so close.”

Eddie sat up then, and Richie let his legs fall back to the bed, spread open wide. He cried out when Eddie wrapped his hand around Richie’s cock. He arched into Eddie’s touch, his hands gripping the sheets tight. “Come for me, baby,” Eddie moaned. “Fuck, I’m so close too, wanna watch you come on my cock.”

“Oh, fuck!” Richie cried. “I’m coming, I’m coming, fuck, fuck, yes,” he moaned, his eyes screwed shut and words slurring into moans as he came, his pleasure crashing over him like a wave, engulfing him entirely. All he could feel, all he could think was Eddie. Eddie, inside of him, touching him, making him feel like this. It made it so much better than it had ever felt, knowing it was Eddie holding him, that it was his Eddie looking at him, fucking into him, telling him:

“Rich, baby, I’m coming.” Richie was still catching his breath and coming down when he felt Eddie still his hips, burying his face in his neck, biting down and sucking hard as he groaned and gasped. Richie held him and stroked his hair as he came, barely believing he was making Eddie make those noises, that he made Eddie shake like that. Once he felt Eddie relax against him, pressing light kisses to Richie’s skin, Richie held him tight and buried his face in his hair.

“Fuck,” he laughed, kissing Eddie wherever he could reach.

“Yeah,” Eddie agreed breathlessly. “That was… wow, that was amazing.” He rearranged himself so his head rested on Richie’s chest and smiled up at him.

“Tell me about it.” Richie kissed his nose, then delighted in the adorable way Eddie scrunched up his face.

Eddie’s eyes searched Richie’s for a moment before he said softly, “I really love you. A lot.”

Richie melted; for a second he thought he might actually cry. “Eds, you’re the fucking light of my life,” he said, barely able to finish his sentence before he was bringing his lips to Eddie’s. “I love you so much.” He knew in that moment that he would never get tired of feeling Eddie smiling against his lips.

Eddie pressed a kiss to Richie’s cheek before saying, “I’m gonna pull out, okay?” He giggled when Richie whined.

“Just a little longer?” he pouted. Eddie kissed it right away.

“As long as you want. I could stay like this forever.”

Richie snuggled into him, taking a moment to bask in the glow before saying, his voice smug and full of love, “I knew you’ve always liked it when I call you Eds.”

“Oh, fuck off,” Eddie giggled before attacking Richie with kisses.

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#reddie #reddie fic #reddie smut #notsfw

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hollyxqx · 4 years

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SHE’S THE ONE // SHOWNU

↪ PAIRING: Reader / Shownu ↪ GENRE: smut > fluff > f2l ↪ WORD COUNT: 7.3k ↪ SUMMARY: Hyunwoo has worked for your family for almost a year now, maintaining the gardens and pool. He’s not as rich as you are, he’s working class and he knows it but it doesn’t stop either of you striking up an unlikely relationship. [inspired by this song]

↪ WARNINGS: lots of smut, dirty talk, rough sex but nothing crazy bc shownu is a sweetheart, total self indulgent filth everyone

a/n: the idea of gardener!shownu came from this story. I just wanted to give the author some credit for inspiring me, so you should read that story if the idea appealed as much to you as me. other than the fact that shownu is a gardener for a rich OC the stories are nothing alike, fyi. this was meant to be A LOT shorter but i couldn’t help myself, srry.

ALL ABOUT LUV SERIES

Hyunwoo can feel your eyes on him as he paints the new patio furniture, outside in the glaring hot summer sun. It's touching on thirty degrees Celsius and he can feel beads of sweat trickling from his nape, running down the back of his white vest as he works. He's thankful he remembered his cap today, not only does it shield his eyes from the brightness of the sun but it enables him to sneak an occasional glance at you.

The day you first met he remembers thinking two things. One; oh my god, she's pretty and two; I can't do anything about it. You were the bosses daughter and he needed this job. Unlike you Hyunwoo was not born into a life of wealth and luxury. His hands were his means to a living, not shy to hard work.

He didn't know what your father did exactly to earn the estate, from the other staff he'd heard the title but it was so long and self-important Hyunwoo failed to remember it. Some kind of marketing, analytical something or other. You didn't have to be a humble labourer to know that meant money.

The mother didn't work. She didn't need to. Hyunwoo only ever saw her shopping, having brunch, shopping some more and doing yoga with someone he highly doubted was just her yoga instructor, unless yoga meant fondling the tan 23 year old instructor three times a week. The whole world was so alien and unfamiliar to him, he almost felt like a spectator at times.

You, however. You were different. That fact was deduced very quickly. After only a few weeks of getting to know you it became apparent that you weren't like the rest of your family. If he didn't know any better he sensed some resentment on your part even though the you never explicitly said the words out loud.

It was in what was unspoken that clued him in - the disdainful sighs when your mother had a cocktail at 10am, the way you went quiet whenever your father was mentioned, the fact that you helped out the staff when you didn't have to. Many a time he saw you washing dishes with the maid. Only when your parents weren't around though, he knew they would scold you if they caught you in the act.

So, he didn't mind the fact that you were staring. You were a hot girl, who appeared nice enough, and who found him attractive, what wouldn't he like about that? Hyunwoo hadn't had a girlfriend in nearly two years, much of his time spent working to afford college, so the attention you sent his way felt nice. Even if he couldn't act upon it, he could enjoy it.

"Um, Hyunwoo?" Your voice draws his focus from his work and he squints up at you in the sunlight. You're wearing that navy blue bikini he's seen plenty of times before and denim shorts. An image he knows will be swirling in his thoughts for the rest of the day, whether he wants it to or not. "Would you like some lunch?"

He's overdue a break anyway, and frankly any excuse to get away from the midday sun before his skin starts to burn is good enough for him. "Sure." He accepts, carefully putting his tools away. He sets them in the shade, wiping at his sweaty forehead with the t-shirt he removed earlier.

"Come eat inside, there's aircon." You inform him and he follows you indoors. Inside the kitchen he's surprised to find a somewhat elaborate spread of fruit, sandwiches and salad atop the island that sits in the middle of the room. He immediately goes to the sink to wash up as you get some plates.

"Ana outdid herself. It looks great." He mumbles as he dries his hands. Ana was the head housekeeper, worked there the longest and she was well known as the best cook in the home.

"Oh, I did this." You blush adorably and he pauses for a second. "I thought you might be hungry. I know I am."

"You made all this for me?" He asks, a little dumbfounded. He can't quite believe you'd go to all this trouble for the gardener. It only further cemented your nice nature for him.

"Yeah." You reply shyly, smiling as you pour both of you some icy water. "I enjoy cooking. Especially for others."

Hyunwoo can't help but watch you for a moment as you load your plate up with food, biting back a smile when you take his plate and do the same. "Thank you." He says gently as he takes the food from you. You share a look and he swears his heart stills for a moment.

***

It doesn't take long until eating together becomes a routine. You're home from college for the summer, you tell him one Friday lunchtime, this time over some of the best steak he's ever eaten. From what he can gather you adore the college you attend, your entire face lights up animatedly when you speak about it. Part of him suspects it's because you're away from the clutches of your family.

"I really want to get a job this summer, maybe even volunteer." You tell him as you sit opposite the kitchen island once more. "The parents aren't so thrilled about that. My mom wants me to go to Europe with her. Dad is obviously working."

"Europe sounds incredible." He offers.

"I've been before." You sigh. Hyunwoo can't help but find it bizarre that you're so unenthusiastic about a potential overseas trip. He's never even been abroad. "The rest of my class are working or interning. I wish I could too."

He knows it's ridiculous to feel sorry for the poor little rich girl who has literally everything but he can't help it. He might not be wealthy but he knows all too well what it's like to feel like an outsider and wanting nothing more than to just be like everyone else. Albeit for different reasons. You were sweet, his empathy felt deserved.

"You should do it." He tells you sincerely. "Your parents can't exactly kidnap you and take you to Europe can they?"

"You'd be surprised." You laugh, drly. "Who knows what they're capable of."

He doesn't know how to respond, so he's silent as you finish you meal. As nice as it would be to have more money than sense, at least he has freedom.

***

The first time you kiss is at the end of the summer.

Hyunwoo doesn't anticipate it happening and is unprepared. It wasn't the best kiss he's ever had given it's surprising nature, your teeth briefly clacked, but it was nice nonetheless. The sun is setting when you corner him around the back of the pool house, hidden from view. You ask him some question about him minding if you go for a late night swim (he never has and you've never needed his permission) - he knows it is an excuse.

There's a moment of hesitation, a sweet thank you falls from your lips and before he knows it your mouths are connected. Body curled in to him, tongue in his mouth he can't help but kiss back. You walk away before he can barely register what's happened.

***

Autumn is creeping it's way on to the landscape when the second kiss happens.

It's almost as if you've forgotten the first one, since you've never brought it up. Hyunwoo doesn't either, mostly assuming it was just a momentary impulse moment, mostly not wanting to make anything awkward with you. He's still enjoying the lunches you're preparing for him and doesn't want them to stop.

The working day is coming to a close for him. He's a lot sweaty and a little dirty when your paths cross. Your voice startles him as he's winding up the garden hose. "Hi Hyunwoo."

"Hi." His hands continue on autopilot until the work is done.

"I'm going back to school tomorrow." He knew that, gossip among the staff, but he stays silent, nodding as if it's brand new information. "I just wanted to say bye. Until next summer I guess."

"Bye." He says softly, earning him a tiny laugh from you. "I know you will be happier there than here."

"I'll miss those lunches though."

He's surprised and hope it doesn't read too blatantly. "Me too. I'm going to have to go back to eating turkey sandwhiches or ramyeon. Alone."

"Are you working here during the winter?" You ask.

"Yeah, just less frequently. Once every two weeks." He's got another job as a waiter in a slightly posher-than-he's-used-to restaurant but he doesn't tell you that. You probably won't care too much about him when you're not here.

"Maybe I'll see you at Christmas break." You hum. He offers a polite agreement. "You weren't...mad that I kissed you?"

That he didn't expect, as far as he was concerned you had swept that off the table. "No, I wasn't. I liked it."

"I liked it too."

The air changes and he somehow just senses it, just feels it in his bones what's going to happen next. You're so close to him, licking your lips like that and he doesn't miss how your eyes flit to his own mouth. This time Hyunwoo closes the ga with the wave of confidence that surges.

This kiss is much better than the first one, an air of desperation of it being the last time hangs thickly. Momentarily forgetting he's just worked a hard day of manual labour and isn't necessarily the cleanest he pulls your body against his anyway. One hand on your waist, the other grasping you between your shoulder blades.

You're the one to deepen the kiss and he swears he hears the tiniest moan over the thrumming in his ears. A hand slides down his muscular chest and fists his shirt. "Hyunwoo." You say breathlessly. It's not a question because your lips are back on his again.

His knees hit the back of a sun lounger, unsure of who was pulling and pushing who. He sits down and tugs you on to him, a knee on either side resting comfortably on his lap. This is not a good idea, he knows it but that part of his brain that's rational is loosing blood supply when you grind your hips against his. He's growing hard and it would be embarrassingly quickly if you weren't whimpering atop of him, loosing yourself in the moment too.

You shouldn't have sex. Out in the open like this. You shouldn't have sex at all, he works for you. Hyunwoo is trying to wrack his brains to remember who is home and who's not. The thought evaporates when you bite his bottom lip and tug at the nape of his hair. "You're so fucking hot Hyunwoo."

He's never heard you swear before, always assumed you weren't into such dirty language. His brain instantly ignites at the idea of you saying the dirtiest things he could imagine to him. It's something he's definitely thought about prior. He groans.

"So are you." He gets out in between kisses. Instinctively his hand is sliding up your cold thighs, the dress you're wearing not entirely weather appropriate for the cooling summer air. He grips your ass with a squeeze.

"I've wanted to kiss you so badly since the day we met." You admit through a breathy laugh. Even in the diminishing light he notices your cheeks flush a little. He's a little lost for words at the moment otherwise he'd tell you that he's felt the exact same way.

"Yeah?" Is all he manages to get out in an exhale.

"Mmhmm," You nod, raking your hands all over his chest. "And so much more."

Before he can respond you're kissing again. He wants to know what more means and he wants to know so badly it's making his cock ache. He needs it, so he shifts you on to your back, skirt rising up and exposing your panties. Even the sight of that is something he never thought he'd see in his wildest dreams. You were so untouchable just weeks ago and know you were underneath him at his mercy.

"I'd do anything you want me to." He murmurs in your ear, a knee separating your thighs for him as he hovers over you. "You're so pretty."

"What if I wanted you to touch me?" You ask.

"I am touching you." He can't help but smirk.

"Touch me like this."

You take his hand and run it over your clothed centre where he grazes a knuckle over your folds. At the contact the material presses into your wetness and he can't believe he did that. You're wet. For him. He rubs his hand up and down a few times and the noise that you elicit is sinful.

He looks up at you for approval as he slides your underwear slowly down your thighs. Your finally bare for him and he can't help it, too lost in the moment, he places a kiss on your mound, tongue sneaking between your lower lips for a second. It makes you gasp.

"God, like this - " He hangs his head for a second between your thighs, overwhelmed. "Like this you're perfect. Even if you told me to stop now the sight of you like this is, fuck, a wet dream." His cheek nuzzles your inner thigh where he places another wet kiss.

"Would this make it better?" You tease, nimble fingers unbuttoning your dress so your tits are exposed. His mouth hangs open as he nods, unable to eloquently articulate how fucking good you look and how hard he's trying to commit this to memory.

Nothing is said but he knows what to do, sitting up a little and kissing your breasts. He begins to stroke between your legs as he devours your tits. "Is this the right spot? Show me." He whispers against your skin.

"Do it like this," You guide his hand to the exact right place you want to be touched, moaning when he reaches it. "Fuck, Hyunwoo, just like that." You whine.

He can feel his dick leaking at that. Not only did you swear, you whined his name. He sucks on your nipple as your hips begin to work in tandem with his hands. "You want my fingers in you too? Hmm?" He asks.

"Yes, yeah - oh fuck - yes."

You're wet enough that he slides two in right away. He can only imagine in his mind how lewd this scene must look from an outsiders perspective, hand buried in your pussy. Starting off slow to gauge your reaction he sets what he hopes is the perfect pace, examining every detail on your beautiful face as your eyes flutter shut. You're chewing on your bottom lip, arching your back and falling apart in just the right way.

It's so much, touching you like this. "Yeah?" He manages to husk.

He's rewarded with a loud moan and a roll of your hips in time with his fingers. "Would you - ahh, would you fuck me if I asked?" You pant.

He didn't expect the question, and ruts his hips against your leg involuntarily with a groan into your skin. "Ugh, yeah. Yeah, I would."

"Here?"

"Here?" He repeats in surprise, pulling back to see if you really mean it. He wonders if you maybe have a thing for getting caught, or maybe even watched. God. "Really? You really want that?"

"Or we could fuck in the pool house. It's up to you." You laugh, biting your tongue with a grin. His hand hasn't stopped moving this entire time, even if he has slowed down. The thought of fucking you out here is hot but he can't risk it. What if someone caught him? That's his income gone.

"Take me to the poolhouse." He kisses you, discreetly wiping your wetness off on his denim thigh. It's hard to stop when he wants to see you cum so desperately. You grin and don't even bother to fix your half open dress before taking him by the hand. Both of you stumble excitedly across the garden, him pressed up against your back. He can't stop his hands roaming your body.

The poolhouse is nicer than any house Hyunwoo has ever lived in. What else did he expect. You know the way so he lets you lead him to the bedroom. You don't even bother with the light, tumbling onto the plush mattress, tangling together the instant you're able.

You yank off his shirt. "I'm a little sweaty." He laughs once he's topless.

"I don't care. Is it weird that I kind of like it?"

"Probably." He kisses you again while he removes your dress entirely. "I kind of get the feeling you're into lots of weird things."

"Define weird." You breathe, kicking off the remnants of your panties. His denim and boxers follow.

"Kinky."

"One person's kinky is another's boring Tuesday night."

"I can't wait to find out." He really can't. You're naked beneath him now and he's half expecting this to be a dream. He hovers over you and loves the way you shudder when his bare cock brushes against your thigh. You whine and reach for it with both hands, giving him a few lazy strokes. If your hands are this warm and soft he can't even imagine how good your cunt is going to feel.

He fucks into your fist a few times because it feels so good. "I fucking need you inside me, Hyunwoo. Please put your cock in me. Stretch me open and make me cry because it feels so good."

Shit, he loves your dirty mouth.

The blunt head of his cock drags through your wet pussy a few times to make the glide of him entering just that bit better. He presses in slowly, watching with wide eyes as your cunt swallows him whole. You keen as you fist the sheets. Then he's buried to the hilt and has to still for a few moments, or risk cumming quickly and embarrassing himself.

Before he beings thrusting he pushes both your legs a little wider apart. "Please." You beg and he listens, rocking his hips to meet yours. "Yes, oh - fuck yes." You breathe as he moves.

"I want you to cum." He husks into your ear. "How can I make you cum around my cock huh?"

"Touch my clit and don't stop moving like this."

He leans a little heavier on one arm so he can access your swollen clit with his right hand. Remembering what you told him earlier he gets to work. There's not much more said as he fucks you, mainly just breathy gasps and groans escaping both of you.

He loves that you tell him when you're about to cum. He's been with girls before who never said anything and he always found it hot when they did. He cums shortly after you, pulling out and shooting his load on your stomach.

The way you look, plump bottom lip between your teeth, eyes closed and covered in the evidence of his orgasm, well. He doesn't think he's ever seen anything sexier.

***

He's done it before. Fucked girls and had no further contact with them again. But it feels weird with you because he works for you. Has to talk to the people in your life frequently but has no idea about you. Phone numbers were not exactly exchanged and he's not really interested in social media. It complicates things, and he prefers simple.

The worst part about it is he can't even ask about you. It's odd if he shows too much interest in you. None of the household were particularly aware that a minor friendship even existed between you at one time.

Hyunwoo's not sure if he wants to know. He assumes you're happy and that's really all he can logically come up with. You'd never discussed anything extremely personal with him over your little lunch dates and he'd never pressed you on it. He wonders if you'll have a boyfriend by Christmas time when you're home again.

He hopes not.

***

He starts night classes late September now that he can afford to. His scrimping and saving allowing him to fund the business management course he takes. It's not much and it's not exactly a degree from some prestigious university but he learns a lot and best of all, he can continue working during the day.

After all, he has rent and bills to pay. Hyunwoo wants to run his own business one day and even if it takes years he's determined it will be worth it. His parents own a small cafe but neither of them went to college of any sort and they struggle often. His plan is to do it smart. Maybe even franchise his parents business.

By November he's promoted to host at the restaurant. It's fantastic for him because he earns enough now that money isn't on his mind constantly. When he's in the supermarket he doesn't have to carefully calculate as he shops. The items simply get tossed in the basket it without a thought and it feels good.

Life is good; steady. Sometimes he catches himself singing to himself as he works in the garden of your house like he's in a freaking disney movie.

He meets a girl at college whom he gets on well with. She's nice, quite pretty and they go on a few dates. They end up having sex in his car after the third one and it's okay, not great. He finds himself thinking about you after he's dropped her off, wondering if you're doing the same thing. Maybe you were, that's what university life was all about, he supposed. Experimenting, having fun, finding yourself.

Suddenly he feels very insignificant. Did you ever think of him? That night you spent together you'd confessed you had, but there were months and thousands of miles of distance between you now. You were the beautiful, upper class rich girl and he worked two jobs whilst going to a community college.

Of course you weren't thinking of him.

***

Hyunwoo's last day of work before Christmas lands him at your house. He'd overheard from Ana that you were arriving very early the next morning, which meant he wouldn't be there when you were, and not knowing when you returned to school caused a slight air of disappoint to settle around him as he worked.

The weather restricts what he's capable of, so it's a few weeks longer than usual before he can return and he works a little later into the evening than normal. By the time he finishes the sun has set and the cold air is nipping at his cheeks, turning them pink.

He tidies his gardening equipment and heads inside to tell Ana he's leaving. She wishes him Merry Christmas and pulls him into a hug that colours his cheeks even more. "Oh! Hyunwoo?" She asks as he's at the door, ready to go home. He turns expectantly. "Can you leave me your phone number? I'm unsure what date Mr Kim wants you back in the new year." She smiles.

"Oh," says Hyunwoo dumbly. "Don't you have it already? I'm sure I gave it to you when I first started."

"This is embarrassing," Ana laughs. "My son bought me a phone. I can't use it for the life of me and I accidentally deleted everything a few days ago. I don't even know how I did it! I'm too old for modern technology, I think."

Hyunwoo smiles warmly at her. It's exactly the kind of thing his own mother would do and he feels a rush of affection. "Of course I can leave you it. If you need any help with your phone, I can do that too. I'm a pro at it."

He scribbles the digits on the post-its next to the phone and goes home for the night.

***

The text is sent on New Years Eve (technically New Years Day) but Hyunwoo only reads it when he wakes at 2pm, nursing a rather brutal hangover. He'd celebrated perhaps a little too hard with Minhyuk and the boys and barely even remembers going to bed. He rubs his tired eyes and re-reads the message several times.

from : unknown number happy new year hyunwoo!!! Hope your xmas was goood - y/n

from : unknown number ps - stole your num from ana I asked where you were and sshe said i missed y5tou

He chuckles at the typos, assuming there must have been some alcohol involved with the sending of these messages. Hyunwoo of course replies.

from : hyunwoo happy new year too lady hows xmas break?

from : y/n good boring cant wait to go back to school Im nursing a hangover from heeeellllll

from : hyunwoo haha i gifrued figured* me too tbh, i'll be hiding from the world today

He spends the rest of the day lazing in bed and occasionally swapping texts with you. The conversation is light, like acquaintances catching up, which is what he supposes you are. He can't deny that it's nice to hear from you. It's even nicer that you think of him when you're drunk. Drunk thoughts speak that of a sober mind.

He wants to see you but unfortunately doesn't get to. You're back at school by the time he has returned to work.

***

The girl from college is persistent, he'll give her that. There's nothing wrong with Kia, other than the fact that she's a little too eager than what Hyunwoo is usually used to but he accepts it regardless. Somehow he finds himself sleeping with her on a regular basis. It's a little selfish of him which he knows. But lately he's been feeling lonely, overworked, and she gives him all the attention he could ever ask for with very little effort on his part.

The sex improves since the first time so it becomes a thing. He tries not to look too deeply into it. By March they've been hooking up for well over a month.

He doesn't tell her about you. Not that that he's trying to hide anything per say; he just doesn't feel it's necessary. Especially because the conversations that he shares with you are far more interesting, now that he texts with you semi-frequently. Kia doesn't need to know about every single friend of his, he rationalizes.

Although he makes a distinct effort not to text you when he's with her.

You make him laugh. Like, really laugh. So much so that you rival Minhyuk's spot in his life. When you're away from your family you're a different person. Still you, but the version of you that's a little brighter, a little happier, and much more unrestrained than you are at home.

Even captured in the selfies you send you radiate more. He doesn't tell you (or anyone for that matter, he'd rather be caught dead) but he's been saving every image.

You tell him about your life in greater detail. He finds out that you spent Christmas with Ana and her family, since your father worked and your mom seeks warmer weather at that time of the year. It makes his heart ache slightly, he always has a wonderful day with his parents and a life without that seems a little sad. He's happy you have at least some family in Ana.

Hyunwoo cares. His thoughts drift to you often these days, more notably when he's working at your house. He can't even look at the poolhouse or the sun loungers without having flashbacks of you on your back for him. God, he wants to do it again. The need grows more and more the longer you talk.

When you phone him one night late night, practically purring the words, "I've been thinking about how we almost fucked in the garden." He knows it's over for him. He listens to you make yourself cum over the phone there and then and promises you, he'll have your body again as soon as he's able.

***

The next time you see each other in person it's April. Seven whole months since you'd fucked. He's finishing work when you appear, almost coyly hovering around the back entrance of the main house. He suspects you've waited for him. Hyunwoo grins reflexively when your eyes meet.

"Hey, you." You smile widely, tucking hair behind your ear.

"Hey lady."

Both silent for a few moments, simply taking each other in. Obviously he's seen pictures of you but the real thing is so much better. Your hair is longer, darker and your makeup is different but he still thinks you look gorgeous. A wave of confidence takes Hyunwoo.

"Want to hang out?" He asks before any inane small talk can ruin the moment. He knows how you are, you spoke this morning. You nod excitedly.

"I was hoping you'd ask." You tell him.

He's not ashamed of the car he drives, but he is when he knows you'll be in it. He's seen what occupies the twelve car garage. The kind of cars he would dream about as a young boy, and the worst part about all of it is they rarely get driven. To him that's the definition of insanity.

The back passenger window doesn't work on the old jeep and the leather is ripped on the drivers headrest but Hyunwoo takes care of it, so it drives fine. It gets him where he needs to go, so he's unbothered by the appearance. In a perfect world he'd drive you in something flashy.

You say nothing about the lack of extravagance, you hop inside with a beautiful smile. He likes that about you.

The plan is to go for dinner but somehow you never make it, ending up at Hyunwoo's modest apartment. It's a simple one bed with a tiny kitchenette. It's not much but he's worked hard to keep it.

"This reminds me of my dorm!" You laugh when you're inside. He incorrectly makes the assumption that you're insulting it but you reassure him. "It feels more like home than my parents house." You say gingerly with a touch to his arm.

His response is to kiss you and hoist you up, wrapping your legs around his waist. From the many phone sex sessions that have transpired between you, he's learned alot about what you like in the bedroom. He spanks your ass check with a slap, hard enough to sting. You audibly hiss.

You're in a dress again and he thinks it's intention was purposeful so he could have faster access to your most intimate parts. In no time at all you're pinned on his bed, both hands above your head held there by his own larger palm. The other is pushing your panties to the side, giving access to his bare dick.

Fuck me fuck fuck me, you chant, and he does. You look like such a mess for him, dress pushed up, hair fanned out across the pillow. You guide his hand around your throat, forcing him to choke you. He almost cums when your gasping breath tells him to spit in your mouth.

When you touch your clit and cum he does as well. He couldn't hold off even if he tried.

He kisses you softly, in stark contrast to how rough you had just encouraged him to be; then you whisper, "I missed you."

***

He spends two complete days in bed with you. Kia calls him several times but he never picks up. You give him a curious glance when he turns the phone face down each time, yet you say nothing.

The only time you leave his apartment is to get food. Hyunwoo holds your hand in the supermarket without thinking about it, he just wanted to touch you. You pay for the entire shopping and he wishes you didn't but he supposes you don't think about these things in the same manner as he does.

When you leave (and it's only because he's working at the restaurant and had no choice but to part ways) he drives you home and watches the entire way as you walk up the drive, wishing he could have you back already, hoping there's not some college boy miles away thinking the same thing.

***

It's only five days later when he's scheduled back to work for your family. He's more than a little distracted after seeing you through the kitchen window. A small, discrete wave from you to acknowledge his presence. He knows there's not much time left before you're due back at school for the last term before summer.

The familiar tradition of lunching together is shared outside today. Pleasant sunshine basks down on you and Hyunwoo can't stop looking at you even as he eats the food you've prepared. "What?" You ask with a shy laugh. "Is there something on my face?"

"I just like looking at ya." He laughs and your cheeks tinge adorably. How can you be so cute yet so dirty? It's like he has the best of both worlds with you at times. The contrast drives him wild at times.

"Can we spend some more time together before I go back to school?" You ask him. For a moment he can't focus because you're eating a strawberry and all he can think about is his dick in your mouth. "Hyunwoo?"

"Yeah, course." He responds, blinking a few times. "Come over tonight?"

He wonders what the household think when you leave together at the end of the day. Surely they would not approve of this? A sad thought enters his mind; it's possible your family are too self absorbed to notice, let alone care. Ana however gives the two of you a friendly knowing smirk when you share your goodbyes.

Hyunwoo ends up making a stopover at the beach, a change of heart hitting him as he drove in the setting sunlight. There's a certain spot he started visiting when he first moved out and was overwhelmed by the stress and cost of being an adult in this world. He's never taken anyone there but he thinks (hopes) you'll like it as much as he does.

"We're at the beach." It's not so much of a question as a statement and you give him a confused look.

"Come on." Is the only instruction he gives you, clambering out of the jeep.

The ten minute walk from the car to very end of the beach is passed in comfortable silence. There's a bit of climbing involved up some rocks and a slightly steep sandy slope. Hyunwoo goes first so he can assist you up too. This secluded part of the beach is peaceful and he's watched many a sunset here.

You join him in the sand when he sits, resting your head on his shoulder. "Why did you bring me here?"

"It's one of my favourite places and I wanted to share it with you." He doesn't need to explain any further. You nod.

"Thank you."

He watches the sunset with his arm around your shoulders. When it's almost dark Hyunwoo leads you back to his jeep. You have sex on the backseat. It's different this time, tender and sweet, touching each other as if you're both virgins cautiously but eagerly mapping each other's bodies. All he thinks about on the journey to his place is how much he likes you.

***

When you're thousands of miles apart the distance somehow feels greater this time. During the day you cross his mind often but it's worse at night, when he's alone in bed, craving the warmth of you body next to his. Sometimes he looks, then re-looks at the selfies you've sent.

He hasn't kept track of when he last spoke with Kia. It's only when she sends him a particularly bitchy message does he remember that he's unintentionally being ignoring her for as long as he has. When he sends her an apology, citing work and family as an excuse she asks to see him.

He's in two minds about it. One, he's lonely, horny and missing you. However the topic of being exclusive never came up, not that it should. It's new territory. For all he knows some frat boy has you wrapped around him right now. The thought makes him prickle with jealousy.

So he accepts Kia's invitation.

***

"What are you grinning at?"

Hyunwoo looks up, trying to hide his smile when Minhyuk speaks. "Nothing." He lies. He's texting you and you just told him how you accidentally waved at someone who wasn't waving to you and now you're moving country and changing your identity before you die of embarrassment. Another thing he likes about you; you're not afraid to laugh at yourself.

"That means it's a girl!" Minhyuk teases with a laugh. "The chick from college?"

"Uh, no." Hyunwoo replies, avoiding his friends gaze. "Someone else."

"Oh." Minhyuk is surprised. "Who?"

"You know the people I sometimes do gardening and shit for? The daughter."

"Oh shit," His friend laughs. "Risky."

Hyunwoo agrees, adding. "We haven't really tried to hide anything. I don't think her family notice much. It's kinda sad."

"How can you be sad with all that money?" Minhyuk scoffs. Like Hyunwoo he comes from a family that had little to none of not just money, nearly everything. He doesn't work two jobs like Hyunwoo but he works even longer hours to sustain himself. "Crying in a ferrari. Boo hoo."

"She's not like that. Her family sure, but not her."

Minhyuk can tell he likes you. "She's special." He doesn't ask, he just knows Hyunwoo so well that he doesn't need it confirmed by the older male.

"Yeah. She is."

***

He hasn't heard from you in over a week which is highly unusual since you've been messaging or calling each other daily. It's making him a little restless but he reassures his anxious mind by reminding himself you're almost finishing school and you're probably just busy. Kia is a distraction right now, nothing more.

His phone rings while Kia is in his shower. She's going to want to stay the night but he really isn't that interested, right now he wants to be alone. Normally he doesn't speak to you when he's with her, but this will be his first chance in a long time so he takes the call.

"Hi lady, it's been a while." He answers.

"I know," You groan. "Finals. I had to turn my phone off because it was distracting me. I had a meltdown this week."

His first thought is relief. The second; he wishes he could have been there for you.

"I'm sorry," He means it. "How are things now?"

"One more exam then I'm done. No future break downs planned." You announce and he can hear you smile.

"Good."

"What are you doing right now?" You ask. He hears the shower shut off and Kia step out.

"Nothing." Technically it's the truth. "I missed you." He adds lowly.

"Me too, Hyunwoo. Is it weird that you're one of my closest friends?"

"You're one of mine." He says confidently.

"I wish you were here."

Kia re-enters his bedroom in a towel, giving him a quiet smile when she see's him resting against the headboard in the middle of a call. Hyunwoo swallows thickly. "Me too."

"I want to see you, can we face time?"

He knows what that means. More often than not your video calls to each to one another ends in a very explicit manner. He looks at Kia who is redressing. God, he wishes he could say yes.

"I..can't right now, I've got company." He adds lamely because he doesn't want to lie to you.

"Oh." The disappointment in your voice is prevalent. "Ok. Maybe another time."

"Yeah." He wants to say more, so much more, but he knows Kia is listening and doesn't feel like an argument.

"It's okay if you're dating y'know." You add, to his surprise. "I didn't exactly think you were some celibate monk every time we were apart."

He laughs at that. "I assumed you weren't either."

"I wasn't." The past tense confuses him. "Been too busy for that lately."

"I bet."

"No one fucks me like you do though," You laugh and he can't help but smirk. "Anyway, I'll let you go. I've got some stress to relieve anyway." He doesn't miss the innuendo. "And Hyunwoo?"

"Yeah?"

"I'll be thinking of you when I do it."

Fuck. He hold back a groan. Now that the image is in his head it's the only thing he wants to see. He gulps. "I always do."

When you've hung up he tells Kia in the kindest possible way he's tired and it's best if she goes home. He senses her unhappiness and he feels a little guilty but not for long.

***

The day you arrive home for the summer Hyunwoo realises it's been ten months of fucking, phone sex and talking about nothing and everything til 2am with you. He's not working today and offers to pick you up from the airport. He knows you could easily have someone on your father's payroll fetch you but you agree nonetheless.

At baggage claim you don't even greet him, flinging yourself into his arms instead. There's a kiss that's all too passionate for such a public space but neither of you seem phased. It's clear that you're just as eager as he is.

You smile at him when he carries your bags for you, loading them into his trusted jeep.

"Can I tell you something?" You ask as he drives. He nods. "I haven't told my parents but I've been working while I've been at school."

You hadn't told him that either. As far as he knew you wouldn't really have to work ever if you felt so inclined.

"I've saved everything. Every single penny I've earned."

"How come?" He's never discussed money with you and he feels awkward.

"Because I don't want to spend my life relying on them." You say simply. "After I finish school next year I'll be free."

Free, he thinks. He notices how ignored you are at home and how unhappy you are there. If you want to be free, Hyunwoo wants you to be free too.

***

You spend more nights with him over the summer than you do without. He doesn't tell you but he broke things off with Kia a long time ago. It's you, and it's been you for a long time. At the beach you tease him and ask him if the other girls like this spot as much as you do.

"I've never brought anyone but you here." He admits.

"Oh." You look surprised. "I thought..."

"Nah," He tries to make it sound more casual than it is. But it means something. You both know it. He laces his fingers through yours. "Just you."

Over the summer a few freckles have appeared on your shoulders as the two of you have spent a lot of time in the sun and he kisses them while he's got you in his arms. You sigh in content and lean back against his chest. He wants to tell you he loves you, has done for quite some time but doesn't want to force it.

You're the one. Not in the conventional sense where he's blindly assured that you're definitely going to get married and grow into old age together. No. How can anyone know that for sure?

You're the one in the sense that you make him happy to wake up each day. It's effortless and it's easy and you've never once held any of his choices against him. He'd do anything for you before any other girl. That's why you're his one. He just needs to tell you now.

MASTERLIST

#all about luv series #all about love: shownu #monsta x fanfic #monsta x fanfiction #shownu fanfiction #shownu fanfic #shownu ff #monsta x fanfics #shownu fluff #shownu smut #monsta x smut

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knuffled · 5 years

Text

just practice - chapter six

it’s finally here! sorry for the long wait, but i’m hoping the chapter is good enough to make up for it. there’s an announcement at the end of the chapter on ao3 that you should read if you’re a fan of the fic. hope you enjoy!

side-note: i think tumblr is not showing my posts bc i’ve got nsfw content, so it would help me out a lot if you reblog so people see this. thanks!

here’s the link to ao3

If you asked Annabeth, a thermos full of warm black coffee was one of the only redeeming things about mornings. She liked to make a fresh pot as soon as she woke up so that by the time she was done brushing her teeth, showering, and getting dressed, it would have cooled to just the right temperature – not so hot that it would scald your tongue, but not so lukewarm that it didn’t feel good going down your throat.

Yes, normally, a hot cup of black coffee was one of life’s true delights, but it did nothing to dull the misery of being up at six in the morning on a Saturday, cooped up in her father’s rusty, twenty year old Subaru.

It was Reyna’s fault that she was up at the ass crack of dawn, but Annabeth supposed she had a hand in the situation given that she had decided to reach out to her, not without a great deal of trepidation, to take her up on her offer to run together. At first, she had tried to resist the impulse, but as the date of the invitational drew ever closer, she knew she couldn’t just do what she’d always done if she wanted to get any better, and what better way to improve than to train with the best.

When she had called, Reyna had seemed surprised to hear from her at all.

She introduced herself, trying not to sound too nervous, and said, “Hey, Reyna, it’s Annabeth from the party three weeks ago? Not sure if you remember me, but you gave me your number and told me to give you a call if I ever wanted to run with you sometime.”

“Oh, I remember you,” Reyna said, her voice laden with some unspoken implication that Annabeth couldn’t decipher. “I didn’t think you’d actually call me.”

Annabeth breathed a laugh and said, “I didn’t think so either.”

“Well, I’m glad you did,” Reyna said. “Are you free this Saturday?”

“Um, yeah, I should be in the morning.”

“Morning works best for me too,” Reyna said. “Do you want to run one of your courses or one of mine?”

“One of yours,” Annabeth said quickly.

“Okay, I’ll shoot you a text with an address. Sound good?”

Annabeth had readily agreed and that had been the end of the call. It was only a few days later that she realized that they hadn’t decided on a time to meet, so she sent Reyna a follow-up text. During their initial call, Annabeth had made the mistaken assumption that ‘morning’ meant an hour or two before noon, not 6:30 like she was dismayed to find in Reyna’s answering text.

That was how she found herself making a long drive to Seneca Falls to a park that Reyna liked to run at. Annabeth tried not to be too grumpy about it and psyched herself up about the fact that she was going to be able to train one-on-one with the best female runner in the state, which made her feel just a little bit better.

By the time she stopped at the park over a half-hour later, the clock on her car dashboard read 6:27, making her three minutes early. Annabeth stepped out and took a look around the park. Dew coated nearly every blade of grass and formed beads against her yoga pants. The sun had only just started to rise, diffusing a pink glow across the horizon, and the air was so crisp it was almost painful to breathe in.

It didn’t look like anything special, but she presumed Reyna had a good reason for favoring it.

She stifled a yawn and made her way further inwards and found Reyna at the other end of the park, midway through stretching her hamstrings at the start of a trail that disappeared into a forest. When she saw her approaching, Reyna stood up and offered her a warm smile, which helped set Annabeth at ease. Seeing that Reyna shared her excitement did a great deal to calm her nerves.

“Hey, thanks for making it out here, Annabeth. I know it’s a bit of a drive from Westwood,” Reyna said.

“It wasn’t too bad,” Annabeth said. “What’s the plan for today?”

“Nothing too special,” Reyna said, shrugging. “We’re just going to follow the trail into the woods. It’s a six mile loop or so. Sound good?”

“Yeah, fine by me,” Annabeth said.

Reyna nodded before she resumed her stretches. Annabeth followed her lead and began stretching too, but she found that her eyes were constantly drawn to Reyna. She’d noticed it at the party too, but seeing how fit she was in the daylight was even more impressive. Even a layman could know she was a runner simply by looking at the definition of her calf muscles. Her shirt rode up when she stretched her shoulders, exposing abdominal muscles that most models would be jealous of. Annabeth had to force herself to look away before she was caught staring several times.

Once they finished their stretches, Reyna led her to the start of the trail and fiddled with her wristwatch before looking back up to her.

“Any final thoughts?” Reyna asked.

“Don’t go easy on me,” Annabeth said. “Don’t slow yourself down at all for my sake. Run like I’m not here.”

An easy grin crossed Reyna’s face. “Oh, don’t worry about that. I fully intend to kick your ass,” she teased.

Annabeth laughed and said, “Good. That’s why I’m here.”

Reyna gave her one final glance and raised an eyebrow. “Ready?”

“Ready,” Annabeth said, nodding.

With that, Reyna started the timer on her watch, and they took off into the woods. Reyna’s pace was faster than Annabeth was accustomed to, but nothing she couldn’t handle. Tall trees towered over the trail, covering them beneath a layer of thin darkness occasionally speckled with dappled sunlight. It didn’t take long for Annabeth to realize why Reyna favored this trail in particular – it sloped up and down constantly and was almost never flat, adding an extra layer of difficulty to the run.

Annabeth tended to favor flatter courses herself, but Reyna’s course posed an interesting challenge. It wasn’t long before her calf muscles began to burn from the strain of constantly fighting to run uphill and also controlling her speed as she went downhill – it was no wonder why Reyna’s calves looked like they were sculpted by gods.

The first three miles weren’t that bad, but it became progressively more difficult for Annabeth to match Reyna’s pace, the difference in the strength of their calves growing ever starker, until Annabeth found herself lagging behind midway through the fourth mile. Reyna gave her a glance over her shoulder but didn’t otherwise slow down, which Annabeth was grateful for.

As tough as it was to fall behind, Annabeth had figured this would happen. After all, if she could keep pace with Reyna for the entire run, she wouldn’t have needed to train with her in the first place, so she took the opportunity to study Reyna’s form instead of indulging in self-pity.

Her own form was nothing to be scoffed at, but Reyna’s was immaculate. From her limited understanding of biomechanics, Annabeth could tell that Reyna was exerting the minimal amount of her energy as she ran. Her form was as aerodynamically perfect as could be achieved – her arms tucked loosely to the sides of her body, her stride not too long or too short, how she rolled fluidly from the tips of her toes to the balls of her heels each time her feet hit the ground – everything working symbiotically to reduce the amount of effort she expended.

It made Annabeth notice how her own elbows were slightly pointed outwards instead of being flush to her torso and how her shoulders were hunched a bit, making it less efficient for her to breathe in and out. Those insights alone were worth the price of admission, but Annabeth continued to pick up on further slight improvements she could make over the rest of the run.

Still, it stung to see Reyna leaning against the side of a tree at the end of the trail, waiting for her to finish. Thankfully, Annabeth finished only two or three minutes after Reyna did, which was honestly better than she had expected, but she suspected that she’d pushed herself much harder than she would have if she’d been running on her own.

Once she reached Reyna, Annabeth leaned over and pressed her hands to her knees, panting. Reyna stopped her watch and turned her wrist so Annabeth could see her time. It wasn’t bad for a six mile run. She’d done better, but those runs had been on far flatter courses.

“How’re you feeling?” Reyna asked.

“Like you delivered on your promise to kick my ass,” Annabeth said breathlessly.

Reyna laughed and said, “I’m glad you’re not sore about losing.”

“My ego’s a bit bruised, but it’s seen worse,” Annabeth said, shrugging.

“I think you did really well for your first time on this course,” Reyna offered.

Annabeth stood up straight and breathed deeply. “Thanks, that means a lot coming from you.”

Reyna smiled and said, “No problem.”

There was a pause before Reyna said, “We should probably finish up with some stretches. I don’t want to keep you for too long.”

Annabeth nodded and followed Reyna’s lead on their post-run stretches. As they stretched, Annabeth asked, “So how long have you been running?”

Reyna hummed thoughtfully before saying, “Since like fifth grade, I think?”

“Were you always this good?”

“I was good, but I wasn’t the best in my school or anything,” Reyna said, shrugging. “I think I started to improve a lot in ninth grade or so once I started getting taller. How about you?”

“Well, I started in seventh grade. I was pretty much the best in my school, but I stopped growing in like eighth grade, so I think I just hit my peak earlier than you did,” Annabeth said.

Reyna nodded in acknowledgement and crossed one leg over another. “Have you always lived in Westwood?”

“Yeah, my entire life,” Annabeth said, mirroring her movements.

“How about the guy you left with at the party?”

Annabeth blinked in surprise. “Percy? What about him?”

“You mentioned you were friends and stuff, so I was wondering if you’ve known him for a long time,” Reyna asked, shrugging.

“Yeah, we’ve been best friends since like second grade,” Annabeth said, nodding.

“That’s a long time,” Reyna noted, a subtle undercurrent in her voice.

Annabeth hadn’t ever really thought about the entire expanse of time she’d known Percy, but now that she did, she realized a decade was an insane amount of time to know someone.

“Yeah,” she murmured. “Yeah, you’re right.”

There was a pause before Reyna said, “He didn’t seem to like me very much.”

Annabeth fought her immediate instinct to argue with Reyna’s statement and said, “Yeah, I’m sorry. He’s usually really nice, so I have no idea why.”

Reyna gave her a strange look and said, “I think I have a pretty good idea why.”

Annabeth frowned and said, “What? Really?”

“Yeah, it was probably because he could tell that I was into you,” Reyna said nonchalantly, like she was talking about the weather.

Annabeth felt like someone had hit her in the face with a shovel. “W-Wait, what?”

The seriousness in Reyna’s eyes froze Annabeth. “I think you’re cute, Annabeth. What would you say if I asked you out?” Reyna asked.

“I— I, um, I don’t know,” Annabeth stammered.

“What don’t you know?” Reyna asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Uh, well, I’ve never been asked out by a girl, so I don’t really know what to say,” Annabeth confessed.

Reyna blinked twice before saying, “I didn’t think you were straight.”

“I am,” Annabeth said, before pausing. “Well, I think I am, at least.”

Reyna stood up with a stony look on her face and wiped the mud off her yoga pants. When she spoke, her voice was filled with tense apprehension. “I thought you weren’t straight, my bad. I shouldn’t have just dropped that on you,” she said.

“No, you’re fine,” Annabeth assured her quickly. “I’m just not sure how to react.”

There was a pause before Reyna relaxed slightly and said, “Well, you don’t need to give me an answer straight away. I’m sure you’re feeling a cocktail of emotions right now, so take some time to sort them out. Let me know your answer once you’ve got a better sense of how you feel.”

“I’m already going out with someone,” Annabeth said, playing with her fingers.

“The guy from the party, you mean?”

When Annabeth nodded, Reyna raised an eyebrow and said, “Then why did you introduce him as your friend, not your boyfriend? It didn’t really seem like you both were in a relationship, at least not from what I could see.”

That was the second time someone had told her that in just the span of two weeks, much to Annabeth’s chagrin. Annabeth wasn’t sure how to respond because Reyna was right. She and Percy were only practice dating – it wasn’t a real relationship after all.

“Just think about it for some time, okay? You don’t need to give me your answer right now,” Reyna said.

Annabeth wanted to protest, but there was something in her that hesitated. The truth was that, for all intents and purposes, she wasn’t really in a relationship; she had just asked her best friend to pretend to be her boyfriend without thinking about the gravity of her own request. It didn’t seem right to reject Reyna’s sincere feelings offhandedly.

Reyna seemed to sense that Annabeth was still mulling it over so she said, “No pressure. It’s totally fine if you don’t want to. I just want you to actually think about it, okay?”

“Okay,” Annabeth murmured.

Reyna smiled and said, “Well, I’ll see you later then. Let me know if you ever want to get together again sometime. Good run today.”

Annabeth hadn’t missed that Reyna had dropped the pretense of using running as an excuse to see her again. She simply nodded, not trusting herself to say anything. Reyna gave her one final look before she made her way back to the parking lot at the other end of the park.

As Annabeth watched her leave, she released a breath that she hadn’t realized she had been holding. She sat there for a while and wrestled with the growing frustrated confusion that was churning in her stomach.

What am I doing?

The more she thought about it, the more ridiculous her entire arrangement with Percy seemed. It was becoming increasingly clearer to her that she hadn’t properly considered what she had gotten herself into. First, the incident with Piper and now this with Reyna made her realize that this whole fake-dating thing was completely pointless, at least not in its current state. Nothing was actually any different between her and Percy – they were just friends masquerading as a couple.

For a few minutes, she just sat there and tried to think her way out of the situation before realizing that it was futile. Whatever, she’d figure it out later. Hopefully.

Annabeth sighed and stood up, wiping off the sweat that had accumulated on her brow. She wasn’t looking forward to the half-hour drive home before she could shower. As she made her way back to the parking lot, Annabeth found herself wishing, not for the first time, that she could talk to someone about this whole fake-dating thing, but for now she knew she was on her own.

:::

Rachel’s phone alarm went off midway through their How To Train Your Dragon marathon, alerting them to the fact that their brownies were done baking. Annabeth stood up and eagerly made her way over to the oven with Piper, Hazel, and Rachel. The scent of fresh brownies grew stronger as they got closer to the kitchen, reaching a crescendo once Rachel pulled the baking tray out with a triumphant grin and set the brownies on the counter top.

“They’re perfect,” Rachel beamed. “Now, we just need to wait until they cool down. That means you, Piper.”

“Hey, rude,” Piper protested.

Rachel just stuck her tongue out at her while the rest of them laughed. Having a girl’s night once a month had become something of a tradition during high school. Between her, Piper, Rachel, and Hazel, they would alternate whose house would host the meet-up, and it was spent binging movies and eating pizza. If they were feeling particularly adventurous, like today, they would even bake brownies or cookies.

Within a few minutes, they were seated in front of the gigantic TV in Rachel’s living room again and resuming the movie. Annabeth sat on one end of the sofa, but Piper was sprawled across the other two cushions, with her feet on Annabeth’s lap, much to her annoyance, and her head on Hazel’s while Rachel sat on the ground in front of them.

“Come on, Rache, you should join the fun up here!” Piper said.

“Speak for yourself, you heathen,” Annabeth muttered.

Piper glared at her while Rachel laughed and Hazel hid a smile. “Thanks, but I think I’ll pass. I like the floor better,” Rachel said, shrugging.

They continued their Pixar binge, but as the night went on, their interest in watching whatever movie that was playing waned until they stopped paying attention altogether in favor of talking to one another instead. At first they told jokes or shared stories that wouldn’t have been the least bit funny if they weren’t half-delirious from staying up so late, but eventually the topic of discussion turned to romance, like it always did at some point or another.

“So how’re things going with Percy, Annababe?” Rachel asked, now seated facing the sofa.

Annabeth wanted to groan, but Rachel held her palms up in surrender and said, “I know, I know, and I’m sorry, but you know that I wouldn’t have to ask if I wasn’t forced to go to a dumb private school.”

“Yeah, Annabeth, how are things with Percy?” Piper asked innocently.

Piper only raised an eyebrow in response to the withering look Annabeth gave her, making her sigh.

“Things are going well, as I have already explained to Piper here,” Annabeth said, giving Piper a pointed look before continuing.

“We’ve only been on one date since we started going out because we’ve been so busy with college apps and school and clubs. It was a nice date though. We went to the aquarium that Percy worked at over that one summer and he showed me around. I had a good time.”

Rachel beamed and said, “That’s great, Annabeth! I’m so happy for you two.”

“Me too,” Hazel said. “I know I don’t really say much about it, but I think it was a long time coming.”

The other two girls nodded in agreement, which only confused Annabeth, but she didn’t think it was worth trying to broach the subject like she had with Piper.

“Man, it’s about time that Percy went out with someone nice,” Rachel said, leaning back on her elbows. “Percy’s taste in girls has historically been pretty awful, present company excluded of course.”

Annabeth frowned and said, “What do you mean?”

Rachel furrowed her brow and said, “Like all the stuff that happened with his ex’s and whatnot.”

“Especially Kara,” Hazel said darkly.

Kara Mayfield had been the last girl that Percy had gone out with, but they had only lasted a few months during junior year before breaking up. Like with all his other relationships, Percy hadn’t ever talked to her about it directly, and Annabeth hadn’t bothered bringing it up either because she figured it was Percy’s business and that he would share with her if he thought it was important.

Rachel nodded solemnly and said, “Kara was a real piece of work.”

“Really?” Annabeth said, blinking. “I’ve had a few classes with her and stuff, and she’s always seemed pretty nice.”

Rachel balked and said, “You think she’s nice ? After what she did to Percy?”

This was news to her. “What do you mean?” Annabeth said, frowning.

This seemed to take Rachel aback even more than her previous statement. “Wait, you don’t know? Percy never told you that she–”

Piper had shot Rachel a warning glare and subtly shook her head, making Rachel stop mid-sentence. Annabeth looked between the two of them wondering what had just happened.

“Percy never told me that she what?” Annabeth asked, trying not to sound as irritated as she felt.

Rachel looked between her and Piper nervously before she said, “Uh, I’m not sure I should say.”

All at once, Annabeth felt her bottled frustration erupt. “Why does it feel like everyone is hiding something from me? Like you’re all in on some big secret that I’m not allowed to know about? It’s getting really fucking annoying. Like, am I just not trustworthy enough or something?”

Piper sat up with a sigh, moving her feet off of Annabeth’s lap, and put her hand on her shoulder.

“Look, there’s some stuff that we don’t have the right to tell you about if Percy hasn’t shared with you already. I know it’s upsetting that he’s not telling you things, but I get why he chose not to. It’s not because he doesn’t trust you, okay? We both know Percy would lie in traffic for you. You just have to trust that he has a good reason, okay?” Piper explained.

On the one hand, Annabeth knew that what Piper was saying was true, but on the other she couldn’t deny that it hurt a lot that Percy was keeping things from her. As much as it frustrated her, Annabeth knew it was pointless to try to get anything more out of the other girls, so she grit her teeth and nodded tersely.

“Maybe you should talk to Percy about it, if you really want to know,” Hazel suggested.

“Whenever I try to, he doesn’t give me a straight answer,” Annabeth said, her jaw clenched. “I feel like I don’t even know him anymore.”

“He’s still the same person he’s always been, Annabeth,” Hazel said gently.

“The Percy I know doesn’t keep secrets,” Annabeth snapped. “And I don’t want to hear anymore about how he has a good reason or whatever. I’ve never tried to hide stuff from him. Even the thought of doing that feels wrong to me. I’d just always assumed he felt the same.”

There was an awkward silence before Piper sighed and said, “I think that you need to explain this to Percy. We’ve shared our thoughts and stuff, but you won’t be satisfied until you talk to him yourself.”

Annabeth pressed her lips in a hard line and nodded sharply, but it was still hard to stomach the swirling mass of hurt, anger, and betrayal in her chest. If anything, this conversation had proven that the vague sense of unease that she felt around Percy hadn’t been unfounded. Now that her doubt was gone, she could finally have a stern conversation with him.

Rachel cleared her throat and said, “Well, now that that’s out of the way, I just wanted to let everyone know that I’m hosting a Halloween Party here on the Saturday after Halloween! It’s a costume party, so make sure you get something in time.”

“Real smooth, Rache,” Piper said, rolling her eyes.

“What? Come on, it was getting really awkward in here!” Rachel protested.

Annabeth found that she was smiling despite herself and decided to let the matter go before she turned to Piper and asked, “I forgot to ask, but how’d the audition go?”

Piper’s eyes lit up and she launched into a story about how she’d had to improv a line that she’d forgotten during the audition and how Mrs. McAllister had shed literal tears when she’d heard it. Annabeth’s attention wandered as the conversation meandered from there late into the night. Hazel was the first to fall asleep at around three in the morning, followed by Rachel, and finally Piper and herself.

Her eyes were just beginning to close when Piper whispered, “Annabeth, are you awake?”

Annabeth fought the urge to groan and said, “No, I’m asleep.”

“Very funny,” Piper said dryly.

There was a beat before she said, “I just– just don’t think too badly of Percy, okay? He cares so much about you it’s not even funny.”

Annabeth sighed and said, “I’m just a little upset, but yeah I know.”

Piper propped herself up on her elbows and looked at Annabeth with a hard look in her eyes. “Do you though? Do you really? You don’t know what he’s sacrificed for you, what he has been through for you .”

“And that’s my fault?” Annabeth hissed. “It’s my fault that I don’t know things that are deliberately being kept from me?”

Piper sighed and said, “That’s not my point, Annabeth.”

“Well, get to your point then,” Annabeth snapped.

“My point is that Percy has suffered through a lot for your sake, more than you can imagine. I just really need you to understand that. Like, I get that you’re upset and everything, but you need to trust him and cut him a little slack,” Piper said, her tone taking on a beseeching quality.

Annabeth was silent for a while before she said, “I trust him more than anyone in the world, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be upset with him. I’m sure you’re right about all the things he’s done for me, but I never asked for that. I know that makes me sound like an asshole, but I didn’t ask him to turn himself into a martyr for my sake – I asked for a friend, and friend’s trust each other. And right now, I’m not feeling a whole lot of trust.”

“I understand. Just– Just don’t judge him too harshly without knowing the context behind his actions. That’s all I’m asking,” Piper said quietly.

Despite all the hurt she was feeling, Annabeth nodded. Piper whispered her thanks and said good night before falling silent again.

Annabeth couldn’t sleep after that. Piper’s words echoed in her head for a long while after that, until she finally succumbed to sleep. Maybe that was why her dreams that night resurfaced long forgotten memories, memories she never should’ve lost.

:::

The moonless sky made it difficult for Annabeth to see anything in front of her as she ran through the woods, tears streaming down her face. Her arms were littered with welts and cuts from the protruding branches and thorny shrubbery in her path that she hadn’t been able to avoid. She wiped the unshed tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, but her eyes were still puffy and sore.

Suddenly, she burst out of the forest into a backyard and felt a flood of relief when she saw the house in front of her. With practiced ease, she scaled the willow tree behind the house and rapped her knuckles against the second floor window. It wasn’t long before the blue curtains were drawn back and a twelve-year-old Percy frowned from behind the window before noticing her. His eyes immediately widened with worry before he opened the window. Annabeth tackled him with a hug, making him stagger back, and sobbed into the crook of his neck.

“Annabeth? What’s going on? What happened?” Percy said.

Annabeth tried to speak but every time she tried she found herself just crying harder and harder. Percy, sensing her growing frustration with her inability to articulate herself, ran his fingers through her hair and whispered softly under his breath, and even though she couldn’t make out what he was saying through the sound of her sobbing, she felt a deep sense of comfort.

It was hard to say how long she stayed like that, burrowed in Percy’s arms, before she finally drew away from him. He looked at her with such aching kindness and concern that it made her heart squeeze a little in her chest.

“Do you want me to get you some water or something to eat?” he asked.

Annabeth nodded silently, and it was only when Percy stood up that she realized that they’d been kneeling on his bedroom floor, right beside the open window.

He gave her a stern look and said, “I’ll be right back, okay?”

“Okay,” Annabeth said. Her voice was so hoarse she could barely hear herself speak.

Percy understood somehow - like he always did, like he always had - and gave her a reassuring nod before he slipped quietly out of his bedroom. As soon as he was gone, she curled in on herself and bit her quivering lip to stop herself from sobbing. Her heart throbbed inside her chest like someone was trying to twist each side in opposite directions in their hands.

She slipped into a trance of sorts, escaping into some corner of her mind where she didn’t have to feel anything, but it was shattered by a loud sound from downstairs, like the sound of something breaking, that made Annabeth freeze. Silence swallowed the sound quickly and everything was still again, but that just made Annabeth feel even more on edge.

It took nearly three minutes before the bedroom door opened again and Percy slipped inside, closing the door soundlessly behind him, with a glass of water and two granola bars. His face was unnaturally blank, but his eyes burned with cold intensity. The look disappeared as soon as he saw Annabeth again and a tired smile crossed his lips.

He handed her the glass of water and a granola bar and kept the other one for himself. “Sorry I’m late,” he said softly, leaning against his bed frame.

“What happened?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he said easily. “Just broke a plate.”

Annabeth knew that he was lying, but she wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to press him on it. She hadn’t missed the way he had winced, so imperceptibly that she would’ve missed it if she hadn’t been looking carefully enough, when his back had made contact with the bed frame.

“So what’s going on?” he asked gently, leaning against his bed frame.

Annabeth didn’t want to let him change the subject, but she couldn’t think of how to call him out on it. She stared down at her cup of water and tried to think of where to begin.

“It’s my step-mom,” she said quietly.

Percy’s voice was soft as he said, “Yeah, I kind of figured.”

Annabeth nodded and sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead. “It’s just – things are just getting worse and worse. She just treats me like I’m a disease. At first, she would always say really mean things to me when she thought my dad wasn’t around, but these days, she does it even when he’s there. That’s the worst part. I know that Helen’s awful, but my dad doesn’t do anything about it. He just – he just lets her do it.”

“That’s terrible,” Percy said, shaking his head. “Your dad shouldn’t let her say stuff like that to you. I mean you’re his daughter.”

Annabeth barked a harsh laugh and said, “It doesn’t feel that way anymore. Ever since Mom left, he’s been… different. It’s like he looks at me and sees her or something. I don’t know.”

She paused for a few seconds and took a deep breath before continuing. “That’s what we fought about today. My step-mom was being a jerk like always and then she said, ‘I don’t know where she gets it from. Probably from your ex-wife,’ and I just got so mad.”

“I started yelling at her and saying that she didn’t even know mom and that she shouldn’t say rude things about her. It just got worse from there and at some point, I told her that I hated her and that she wasn’t even my real mom, and then my dad slapped me.”

“He what ?” Percy asked sharply.

Annabeth nodded, trying to blink away tears. “H-He slapped me and said that Mom left us because she hated us and that Helen was my new mom now and that I had to respect her.”

Percy exhaled forcefully and said, “Oh, Annabeth, I’m so sorry.”

Annabeth tried to shrug like it wasn’t a big deal, but she caught a glimpse of the sadness in Percy’s eyes and before she knew it, she was sobbing again.

Percy pulled her into another hug and muttered, “What your dad did is so messed up. He’s an adult, and you’re twelve. Like I know you’re the smartest, maturest twelve year old on Earth, but that is just wrong.”

Annabeth released a watery laugh and said, “Maturest isn’t a word.”

Percy leaned away so he could look down at her and shook his head, an exasperated smile on his face. “I can’t believe you can still make fun of my grammar right now,” he said, but there was an undeniable fondness in his tone.

Annabeth bit back on the impulse to tell him that the correct term was diction not grammar and found herself smiling along with him for a few seconds before the pain demanded to be felt again and she was struggling to blink back her tears.

“What if my dad is right though? What if Mom really did leave us because we weren’t good enough for her?” Annabeth whispered.

“Your dad is wrong. I don’t know why your mom left, but I am sure she didn’t want to. Even if your dad is right somehow, then your Mom was super stupid. There’s no way you’re not enough,” Percy said, and just like the countless number of times he had told her so before, there was an unshakable confidence in his voice that Annabeth wanted so desperately to believe in.

Annabeth pulled away from him and met his eyes, trying to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat.

“Then why do I feel so alone?” she asked, her voice breaking on the last word. “Why is it that everyone, even my own Mom, leaves me?”

Not even a second elapsed before Percy said, “I won’t leave you. Like, I know I’m not your Mom or anyone special, but I won’t leave you.”

Another watery laugh escaped her even as the lump in her throat grew larger. “You’re just saying that now, but eventually you’ll realize that I’m awful. You’ll realize that I’m mean and selfish and stubborn and arrogant and rude and you’ll want to leave too.”

There was something soft in Percy’s eyes as he said, “Even if you are, I still won’t leave.”

“How can you say that?” Annabeth asked, sounding more broken than she intended to.

“Because I know you,” Percy said, and the simple way he said it left no room for argument.

There was a pause as her heart thundered in her chest. Her thoughts raced in her mind as she tried to find the words to make him understand, understand exactly what an utter shitshow he was getting himself into, but she couldn’t find them.

Instead, she shook her head and said, “You’re making a mistake.”

“I’m not,” Percy said softly. “And even if I am, I choose to make it anyways.”

Frustration welled up inside her, but when she looked up and noticed the unmasked conviction with which he loved her, she found herself breaking in the best way possible.

She wanted to thank him, to tell him that he was wrong earlier about not being special, but as always, her selfishness won out and she found herself saying, “Do you promise?”

Percy reached with his pinky finger and looped it around hers and shook it once for good measure. “I promise.”

#knuffled fic #just practice #percabeth #percabeth fluff #percabeth angst #it's been 84 years...

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soysaucevictim · 5 years

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Yeah, more poofing.

Apr 29

Did wake up a bit after 10AM.

Mostly spent some time with the usual, but also the DD, making an appointment, and grabbing my new glasses from the mail, before going back to bed around noon.

Got up proper at around 3PM. Spent my time with more of the usual noise. But I did get in my exercise for the day.

First, today’s DD. 2′ sitting leg raises with EC. I counted 131 reps by the end, pretty comfortably over 1/sec. It was certainly challenging to keep that pace up, but I had fun!

Second, Day 2 of the YCal. Today’s video was “Core Power Wake-up“. And oof, you know you’re in for a ride when she says “I’m going to kick your butt a little bit.“ Pffft. Those V-ups had me dealing with pretty intense DOMS in my abs and made things that much harder (especially for my arms/shoulders). I did have to take a couple drops to recover.

Third, Day 2 of the PWC. 3′ march steps. I counted 287 steps in that duration. Probably won’t have a lot to remark on with this one as I go along. But I think it was a good call. :Ic

Last, Day 2 of the 1′MC. This is a pleasant experience, pretty relaxing stuff. But like the PWC - this is something that I expect to be the case all the way through.

Wrote some checks, did some dishes, and watched a couple more episodes of BCS, before getting to bed. At around 1AM... for once... in a long while.

Apr 30

Been up since about 7:30AM. Early enough to whip up some scrambled eggs for breakfast.

Got out to the facility and decided to joined a staff member and some other consumers in tying Mental Health Awareness ribbons on trees downtown. Took a prat fall right out of the van because I misjudged where the curb was. (I'm not a being of grace.)

I'm okay... even though I admit. My ego was bruised more than anything. :I I think maybe sleep dep, a caffeine spike, and some meds may've contributed to this nonsense. I landed mostly on the flat of my right shin. May get a bit more achy down the line there, but nbd in the physical integrity dept. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

After we got back, I spent the rest of my time working on that Ravi pic and socializing.

Then I got home, made the fam some dinner, spent time on the usual, and exercised.

First, today’s DD. 2′ sitting punches with EC. I still adore this exercise - two of my favorite things rolled into one. And I counted 283 punches thrown in the 2'. But, my abs are still VERY sore from a lot of V-ups recently - so that added to the challenge! :D

Second, Day 3 of the YCal. Today’s video was “Yoga for Social Anxiety.“ Given my goof earlier today, I guess this was appropriate time to do it. I also liked that it was a gentler practice, especially given everything. I actually loved every moment of this sequence - definitely worth a revisit. =w=

After getting way too damn distracted...

Third, Day 3 of the PWC. 2′ march steps, counted 203 reps in that time. Yeah. Pretty simple and breezy, tried to maintain good form - though my right knee started aching a bit. Gotta keep an eye on that, but I think I’ll manage.

Last, Day 3 of the 1′MC. Just one word: relaxing.

Oi, with that, I should probably start winding down soon.

May 1

I got up proper a bit after 3PM.

Same old, same old. But I did my exercise.

First, today’s DD. 1′ raised arm circles with EC. I counted 127 reps, it was a challenge maintaining a pace of 2/sec but a fun one!

Second, Day 4 of the YCal. Today’s video was “Freedom Flow!“ I found this one to be very enjoyable.I liked the structure and the echo in the shoulders from different positions through the sequence. Definitely favorite-worthy.

Third, Day 4 of the PWC.3′20″ march steps, counted 333 reps this time. No problems with right leg today and it was pretty fun.

Last, Day 4 of the 1′MC. Good stuff, as usual.

I was a tiny bit anxious about my psych appt tomorrow - mostly mulling over what I want to bring up. I’ve been thinking to ask about putting one of my meds back at night time (at it’s dosage, I get p drowsy in the morning and I think this would be helpful for my sleep schedule).

But I’m also excited about the season premiere of iZombie tomorrow. So there’s that. I did try to get to sleep at a relatively reasonable hour...

May 2

Been up since about 7:30AM.

One of the first things that I did was attend that appointment. We increased the dose on one of my meds and I think I’ll experiment with the timing of said dose - to find when it may be optimal for me. I am increasingly nervous about the whole SSI thing, too.

After I got to the facility, I spent most of my time drawing some more (despite being tempted to nap, I guess the season premiere was a motivator) and socializing. WRAP Group was cancelled.

Got home, poked that game, and napped for a few hours, before doing my exercises.

First, Day 5 of the PWC. 2′ march steps, counting 196 steps this time around.

Second, today’s DD. 1′ high knees with EC. This got pretty winding, but warming up with march steps beforehand was a good idea. I counted 252 reps in the 1' duration. Whew. :U

Third, Day 5 of the YCal. Today’s video was “Yoga For When You’re In a Bad Mood“. Granted, I wasn’t in a bad mood, per se. But I still found this one to be very relaxing, hit a lot of fine notes. I especially enjoyed the balancing work that was thrown into it! =w=

(After getting far too distracted again...)

Last, Day 5 of the 1′MC. Soothing. :D

Okay... I need to really get some dishes washed... before I get to bed. orz

#adventures with fitness

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torybrennan · 6 years

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my 42 favorite quotes from code bc i’m avoiding homework again

“‘I re-jiggered the settings to ignore trash metal. No more false alarms.’ ‘No more anything. It just beeps.’” (12)

“‘This game is popular?’ Ben was sitting on his tackle box in the shade of a large elm. ‘Sounds pretty nerdtastic to me.’ ‘We can’t all practice birdscalls like you.’” (18)

“‘This watch is low-rent. Plus, I’m getting a new one for my birthday. But you owe me, Stolowitski.’ ‘Owe you what?’ Hi said. ‘Who wears a wristwatch anymore? Cavemen?’” (22)

“‘Coop really doesn’t like that box.’ I knelt and rubbed the edgy wolfdog’s snout. ‘It better not be stuffed with dead squirrels or something.’ … ‘It’s not a rodent coffin!’ Hi huffed. ‘This cache is legit. You’ll see.’” (22-23)

“‘Don’t use up too much drive space,’ I warned, watching the screen from over his shoulder. ‘We bought this stuff to research parvovirus, not so you can watch “Boom Goes the Dynamite” twenty times a day.’” (53)

“Frustrated, Hi rose and wandered to the computer. ‘I’m going to check my email.’ ‘I’m going to kill myself,’ Ben muttered. Shelton ignored them.” (56)

“Soooo many dorks,’ Ben muttered, his coal-black eyebrows forming a steep V. ‘A giant nerd army, digging up plastic boxes they hide for each other.’ ‘Like everything you do is cool,’ Hi snorted. ‘Still have that ninja costume you wore to my twelfth birthday party?’” (62)

“‘Wait.’ Ben glanced from face to face. ‘We’re actually going to pursue this nonsense? We suddenly care what this fruitcake hid in a box somewhere?’” (65)

“‘We’ve got over an hour before dark.’ I yanked my hair into a ponytail. ‘Let’s show Mr. Gamemaster how quickly Virals solve puzzles.’ … ‘We’ve got to work on our decision-making process.’ Shelton was shaking his head. ‘Right now, we just follow Tory over every cliff.’” (74)

“Hi called into the black. ‘Your cache is mine, clown! I’m coming to getcha! Uncle Hiram’s got the scent!’ His words echoed in the darkness as he scrambled through the opening. ‘Zip it!’ Shelton hiss-whispered. ‘This building is struggling to hold your buck-sixty. Don’t yodel the roof down on our heads.’” (82-83)

“‘This is stupid.’ Shelton started toward the doorway. ‘Let’s bounce. We can toss that iPad in the freaking harbor.’” (90)

“‘Watch where you’re going,’ Ben snapped. ‘I am,’ Jason said dryly. ‘I’m going to chat with Tory.’” (100)

“‘Hey, check this weirdo out.’ Hi was inspecting a bust on the mantel. ‘This face is ninety percent eyebrow. What do you wanna bet he owned slaves?’ Scowling to match the carving’s expression, Hi spoke in a gravelly voice. ‘In my day, we ate the poor people. We had a giant outdoor grill, and cooked up peasant steaks every Sunday.’” (106-107)

“‘State your business.’ ‘To see my father.’ A beat. ‘That’s usually going to be my business, FYI.’” (112)

“Hudson’s eyes narrowed. ‘Dodgeball?’ ‘District champs.’ Hi pounded his chest. ‘I’m a gunner. The key is to reach the balls first, and then throw with a little touch of spin, so that—’” (113)

“Jason had attended debutante balls. Knew the drill. My crew would have to conduct research on YouTube. Jason was popular on the cotillion scene. My guys weren’t even on the radar. Asking Jason would get Whitney off my back. Inviting only Morris Island boys might plummet her into a depression.” (132)

“I wore a white tank and jeans, shooting for ‘sexy-casual.’ Hoping it wasn’t ‘left farmhouse, got lost.’” (170)

“‘It has to mean something!’ Hi slapped a knee in frustration. Shelton glanced up from his iPhone, but when Hi didn’t elaborate he resumed surfing. … ‘Care to elaborate?’ I was sitting between Hi and Shelton in the stern. ‘Or was that a yoga move I don’t know?’” (233)

“Hi looked at me strangely. ‘We’re a little busy Friday night.’ ‘Busy? Doing what?’ The boys exchanged a look. Hi snorted. ‘I don’t know about you,’ Shelton said, ‘but I’m escorting my friend Victoria to her debutante ball.’” (235)

“‘Your advice, remember? No fear?’ Instantly regretted. I didn’t want Chance thinking about last summer. ‘Oh, I recall.’ Chance smiled thinly. ‘I haven’t crashed on your floor so many times that I’d forget.’” (240)

“‘I found something interesting,’ Marchant continued. ‘Are you free to meet? I’m headed out for a caffeine fix in thirty minutes.’ Um, what? Did this guy not understand I was fourteen? Bolton wasn’t big on students popping out for midday lattes.” (245)

“‘Ben, stop the boat.’ He looked at me funny. ‘We’re in the middle of the ocean, Victoria.’ ‘Stop the damn boat!’ Ben rolled eyes, but eased off the throttle. Sewee decelerated until we just bobbed along with the current. ‘Did you want to jump in?’ Ben asked dryly. ‘Water’s pretty cold in October.’” (251-252)

“‘Okay, people.’ Ben crossed his arms. ‘Care to share?’ ‘No big deal.’ Shelton’s tone was nonchalant. ‘Just a quick stop at Mepkin Abbey to get a new headshot of Mr. Dead Guy.’” (260)

“‘Options?’ Ben asked as he pulled out onto the highway. ‘I think some charitable work might be in order,’ Hi said. ‘I’m not a Jesus man, but I’m pretty sure getting ripped a new one by a monk is bad karma in any religion.’” (264)

“‘Oh man, she really did it this time!’ ‘Should we call the nurse?’ Panicky. ‘An ambulance?’ ‘And say what, exactly?’ hissed a third. ‘That our friend passed out after some bad telepathy?’” (271)

“‘She’s coming around!’ The roundest shape coalesced into Hi. ‘Tor? You okay? If you’ve gone vegetable, blink at me.’” (271)

“My splitting headache had proved the experiment had been dangerous. Had I learned my lesson? Probably not.” (273)

“Hi, naturally, had opted for flair. His tux was crushed purple velvet with tails, accented by all white silk—tie, vest, gloves, and suspenders. He completed the outfit with a freaking top hat and cane. Whitney had nearly fainted on seeing him.” (279)

“‘Those who enlist complete a rigorous program combining academics, physical fitness, and military discipline.’ … ‘So—book learning, push-ups, and war games.’ Hi ticked off fingers as he spoke. ‘Check, check, and check. Plus gray is my sexy color.’” (279)

“‘Paging Miss Brennan.’ Chance waved a hand before my eyes. ‘You okay?’ No. ‘Yes. I’m just…surprised I’ll be first.’ ‘I’m sure you’ll dazzle. Until then.’” (286)

“‘Gamemaster?’ Jason looked confused. ‘Search the basement? What are you talking about?’ ‘Oh, we’re, um, playing a pretty fierce game of Dungeons and Dragons,’ Hi stammered. ‘I’m, like, the head…unicorn master, and Tory has to find my magic…beans. Seeds.’” (299)

“‘Always trapped!’ Shelton actually stamped a foot. ‘Always underground! If we get out of here, I’m moving to a high-rise on a mountain-top. Penthouse! And y’all ain’t invited!’” (304)

“‘I assume there’s no antique cash register in need of special oil?’ Jason said. No one bothered to answer.” (331)

“He launched into an improvised tale of woe and misfortune. We’d found ourselves in the dark. Flustered and disoriented, we’d blundered through an emergency exit. Then we’d tumbled down a staircase in a complicated domino sequence that incorporated each one of us. The story was bizarre, confusing, and wildly improbable. They’d bought it without hesitation.” (333)

“‘Yet you four ripped the grate from its tracks. Then you ripped the tracks from the wall, bending the metal bars like they were drinking straws. How? How is that possible?’ ‘I read once where this guy in Ulan Bator powerlifted a Chinese tank after—’ ‘Can it, Stolowitski. Let Tory explain.’” (335)

“‘You look ready to chew nails.’ Shelton grinned at me from his own stoop. ‘There’s a certain murderer I’d like to chat with.’” (340)

“‘You okay, Tor?’ Shelton had a sandbag on one shoulder, hauled up from the beach. ‘We don’t have time for an ER run.’ ‘We could amputate,’ Hi suggested. ‘Shelton, get the whiskey.’” (342)

“‘I called Marchant’s office and left a message. Less than a minute later, my cell rang and March—’ I gritted my teeth, ‘—the Gamemaster asked me to meet him at City Lights Coffee. So I did.’ ‘So dumb,’ Hi muttered. ‘And it really was a murderer.’” (350)

“‘And you know this how?’ … ‘I dreamed it.’ ‘Aha! You dreamed it.’ Hi yawned and rubbed his eyes. ‘I think it’s time we get you medicated.’” (352)

“I turned on Ben and Hi. ‘What about you two? Ready to bail? There’s a deranged psycho out there who knows what your mothers eat for breakfast. That cool with you?’” (353)

“‘Any plan for that bit?’ Shelton asked dully. ‘You keep glossing over how we’re actually gonna make the citizen’s arrest.’ ‘Of course.’ I chucked his shoulder. ‘We’ll improvise.’ ‘Great. Well thought out.’” (362)

“‘You’re a hot, steaming ball of crazy,’ Hi said. ‘You know that, right? Freaking Looney Tunes.’” (373)

#virals #code #kathy reichs #brendan reichs #max rants about virals

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