#I'm trying to get the hang of drawing on my phone so I figured why not start with the image that won't leave my head

[comatose--overdose]

I know in my heart that the birds gnaw on the bat ears so have a shitty little doodle of tiny Jay chomping away at one. Bruce is sick of replacing his cowl because his little beasties chew the ears off but they all start screeching if he interrupts them. He's very tired.

[mrsarcherofinfamy]

●Hook x Tattoo Artist Reader●

Summary: Hook discovers your tattoo art on Instagram.

_________________________________________

*Tyler's POV*

Sitting in the locker room with Orange, Kris, Willow, Trent and Chuck, I am scrolling through Instagram when I come across this tattoo artist page that catches my eye. I click on the page and start scrolling through the pictures. Trent comes over and sits next to me looking at my phone.

"Woah dude. Who's art is that? That is amazing!"

"Oh its this chick named Y/N."

Willow and Kris gasp and run over to the couch next to me.

"Oh my gosh! Y/N is so talented!"

"Yeah she did my tattoos!"

"Mine too! You have to go to her!"

"And I think Tyler would really like her if you know what I mean."

Willow nudges my side and I roll my eyes. The girls have been trying to get me a girlfriend for a long time and it hasn't worked out. Kris pulls out her phone and starts typing on it.

"I have an idea!"

She starts calling someone on speakerphone. I look over at her confused.

"Hellooo lady!"

"Hi Y/N!"

My eyes go wide looking over at Kris. Willow laughs at me.

"Is my other bestie there too?"

"Hi Y/N!"

"Hi Willow!"

"Y/N, we were wondering if you possibly have an opening tonight or tomorrow for someone new?"

"Is it a man? Better not be like the last one you brought me."

"Yes it is a man. And no nothing like that last one."

They are start laughing and I shake my head no at Kris. Kris smiles at me than looks at her phone.

"So I actually had a cancellation tonight so why don't you bring this mystery man with you at 6?"

"It's a date! See you than!"

"Bye!"

She hangs up the phone than looks over at me.

"Looks like you got a tattoo appointment tonight. Better figure out what you are getting."

"Thanks Kris."

I roll my eyes and go back to looking through her drawings to see which one I am going to get now.

_________________________________________

*Y/N's POV*

I am currently sweeping up the floor in my tattoo shop when I hear the bells on the door jingle. I look up seeing Kris and Willow walk in with two men walking behind them.

"Kris! Willow!"

I set the broom down against the wall and walk over to them.

"Y/N! How are you?"

"I'm good! How are you two?"

"Good! Good!"

"Awesome!"

I look over at the two men that came in with them.

"Who are these two?"

"Hi I'm Trent!"

He hugs me wrapping his arms around my head and I hug him back wrapping my arms around his waist. He pulls away keeping his arm around my neck.

"You are short."

I roll my eyes and push his arm off me walking up to Tyler.

"Hi. I'm Y/N."

"I'm Tyler."

"Oh, you are the one I am tattooing. Did you figure out what you want?"

I walk back to my section in the shop and he follows behind me as everyone else sits in the waiting area. He pulls out his phone and shows me the eyes that I posted on Instagram.

"Oh... you... you want one of my drawings?"

"Your drawings are incredible. I looked through all your pictures on Instagram. There is a couple of them that I wanna get."

"Thank you. I will go print out the stencil for you. Be back."

I grab my phone and walk over to my machine printing out different sizes. Kris and Willow walk up to me with big grins on their faces. I shake my head looking at them.

"Soooo whatcha think?"

Kris whispers to me and I look down blushing a little.

"He is cute."

I mumble still looking down at the floor and they laugh a little at me.

"And he said he went through all my drawings on Instagram and wants to get more later on."

"Oh he likes you already than."

Willow nudges my arm and I smile looking at her. I grab the stencils and look at them.

"Time for me to tattoo ladies."

"Go get your man."

I laugh walking back over to Tyler. I put the stencils on my little table infront of him.

"What size would you like?"

He looks through the sizes and picks out the middle size one. I take it from him and look at him.

"Okay. Next question. Where do you want it?"

He takes his hoodie off and I gulp seeing him not wearing a shirt underneath.

"I want it about here."

He points to below his neck on his back. I prep the area he wants than put the stencil on. I pull off the paper revealing the stencil on his back. I take a picture of it than walk infront him showing him the picture.

"How's that?"

"Looks amazing. Let's do it."

I get all my supplies ready and start tattooing him as he sits there playing on his phone.

_________________________________________

Finishing up the tattoo, I start wiping it down and cleaning it up.

"Mind if I take a picture?"

"Go ahead."

I pull my phone out of my pocket and snap a picture. I walk infront of him and show him the picture.

"Wow! That's amazing! You did a great job! Thank you so much!"

"Of course!"

I giggle looking at him. He pulls money out of his pocket.

"How much do I owe you for it?"

"A date."

"What?"

"You owe me a date. With you."

He stares at me for a minute than smiles. I giggle at him and put my hand on his shoulder.

"It's a deal!"

He stands up, kisses my cheek than walks over to Trent and they leave. Kris and Willow come running over to me.

"What was that?"

"Details!"

"He asked me how much I owe him for the tattoo. And I said he owes me a date. With him."

"Ooooo yes girl!"

"I think you two will be really good for each other!"

God I hope so!

[hockeylovee12]

Crossing Enemy Lines

Chapter Six

Luke Hughes x Original Character

November 18th, 2023

Luke stands in front of the mirror, in his bathroom, his fingers fidgeting with the collar of his crisp white button-down. He's paired it with a nice pair of black jeans, and his white sneakers, hoping to display a balance between dressed up and casual. 

He glances at his phone, resting on the bathroom counter, for what feels like the hundredth time In the last hour. He checks the time: 6:47. 

He knows he should probably leave by 7,if he wants to get her flowers-which he does-and still pick her up on time. 

Luke takes a deep breath and runs a hand through his curls, trying to calm the nerves in his stomach. He's nervous for the date, he's also nervous because he's about to go on a date with Jacob Trouba's sister, a detail he has and will continue to keep hidden, at least until he can figure out what to do about it, but tonight, he just needs need to focus on the date, because all the other stuff, all the other stuff can wait. 

He glances at his phone again, seeing only a minute has passed, he sighs wishing time would move faster, then the door to his room opens, and Jack strolls in, flopping down on Luke's bed with no knock, no warning. 

"Sure just come on in" Luke sarcastically says. 

Jack grins, folding his arms above his head "Aw, don't be like that Lukey. You know you love me." 

As Luke walks away from the mirror, he rolls his eyes, but he's unable to suppress the small smile tugging at his lips "Did you need something? Or are you just here to annoy me?"

"Can't it be both?" Jack quips. His eyes land on his brother's outfit, and his grin widens "Big date tonight, huh?" 

Luke nods, scanning his bedroom for his cologne. He spots it sitting on his dresser and grabs it, spritzing a little on his neck and wrists. 

Jack sits up and looks at the bottle "Isn't that my cologne?" he asks, narrowing his eyes. 

Luke shrugs, putting the bottle down. "Possession is nine-tenths of the law" He remarks as if he's playing a role in Law & Order, "You left it in my room, so now it's mine" 

Jack scoffs, but there's no real heat behind it, there can't really be, considering half of his closet is in Luke's and vice versa "Whatever. I'm taking it back, when you leave" 

Luke just smirks, knowing it's an empty threat,  and turns back to the mirror, to adjust his hair one last time.

Jack watches him for a moment, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"What's the plan for tonight?" He asks, his tone softening

"I'm picking her up and we're going for dinner at uh Velvet & Vine" Luke answers 

"Fancy" Jack jokes, before his tone shifts "You really like her?" He asks 

Luke nods. 

"So you gonna tell me who she is?" He questions, moving from his position on the bed, towards Luke. 

Luke scoffs before sarcastically replying "Why? So you can go spill it to the rest of the team?" 

A small sigh escapes Jack's lips, as a frown appears "Come on man, I was joking I didn't mean to upset you-I won't" 

Luke cuts him off before he can continue, facing his brother "Jacky, I was just kidding, I'm not upset" he tells him. 

Jack exhales, his frown disappearing "So who is she?" he asks 

"I'm not upset, but I'm still not telling you" He says 

"Oh come on man, I promise I won't tell the team" Jack swears, drawing an X over his left pec with his fingers, "Cross my heart" 

"I know, dude, but I-I just wanna keep it to myself, it's our first real date and all you know?" Luke replies, hoping Jack doesn't question the slight crack in his voice. 

"Ya ya I get it man" Jack assures, watching as Luke searches for his wallet and keys. 

"I gotta get going," Luke says, after finding them.

Jack nods, and follows his brother as he walks out the bedroom door, and into the hallway of their shared apartment. 

Luke takes one last look in the small mirror, hanging above their entry table, and takes a deep breath to steady his nerves.

Jack comes up behind him, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

"You look great man, have fun tonight" 

"Thanks Jack." Luke smiles.

Jack grins, giving him a gentle shove towards the door. "And make sure you're back before sunrise, Casanova. We've got practice tomorrow" 

Luke rolls his eyes, a smile still present on his lips as he heads out the door.

He makes his way down to the parking garage, his heart pounding with anticipation as he climbs into his car. 

Luke settles into his seat before pulling out his phone, and typing in the address of a nearby flower shop.

The drive to the shop is short, and Luke finds himself humming along to the radio, his fingers tapping against the steering wheel in time with the beat. He's never been the type to get nervous before dates, but something about Jordan feels different, special, in a way he can't quite put into words yet, he doesn't know if it's the mystery behind it, doing something he wants to do, doing something that he shouldn't be doing, or if it's just her...but he hopes it's just her. 

Luke pulls into the parking lot of the shop, he exits the car and makes his way towards the entrance, the bell above the door jingling cheerfully as he steps inside. 

The shop is small and cozy, filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers.

Luke wanders the aisles, feeling a little out of his depth as he takes in the endless array of colors and varieties.

Luke's eyes scan the array of beautiful flowers, but he feels like something is missing.

As he's about to ask the florist for her opinion, a splash of vibrant blue catches his eye. Nestled among the roses, a single stem of forget-me-nots stands out, its delicate petals a striking contrast to the bold red blooms.

Luke reaches out, gently touching the tiny flowers, a smile tugging at his lips. They remind him of Jordan's eyes, of the way they sparkle when she laughs at his jokes or tells him about her day.

"What about these?" he asks, pointing to the forget-me-nots. "Could we add a few of these to the bouquet?"

The florist leans in, examining the flowers with a thoughtful expression. "Forget-me-nots? An unusual choice, but a lovely one. They symbolize true love and memories."

She looks up at Luke, a knowing twinkle in her eye. "She must be a special girl."

Luke feels his cheeks heat up, but he can't help the grin that spreads across his face. "Ya, ya she is"

The florist nods, a soft smile on her face. "Let's see what we can do."

She carefully selects a dozen of the most perfect red roses, arranging them in a classic bouquet. Then, with a delicate touch, she nestles a few sprigs of forget-me-nots among the blooms, their blue petals peeking out like little secrets.

"What do you think?," she asks, stepping back to admire her work.

Luke takes the flowers, cradling them gently in his arms. The mix of roses and forget-me-nots is striking, a perfect balance of classic romance and personal thoughtfulness.

"It's perfect," he says softly, feeling a warmth spread through his chest. "Thank you."

The florist wraps the bouquet in tissue paper and ties it with a ribbon, handing it to Luke with a warm smile. "You're very welcome, dear. I hope your date goes wonderfully."

Luke pays for the flowers and makes his way back to the car.

He places the bouquet gently on the passenger seat, and glances at the little blue flowers that seem to wink at him from among the roses. 

He smiles, before pulling out his phone, and typing out a text to Jordan. 

I'm on my way. See you soon :)

*****

Jordan sits at her desk, in her comfy robe, putting the finishing touches on her slicked back ponytail-which took forever-and admiring her makeup, when her phone chimes. 

Her heart skips a beat, as the four letters spelling out Luke appear on her screen, with the message I'm on my way. See you soon :)

A smile spreads across her face, and she quickly responds Can't wait :)

Jordan takes a deep breath, and sets her phone down, before walking towards her closet.

She rifles through hangers, pulling out various dresses, tops, and skirts.

She slips on a black mini dress with a straight neckline and spaghetti straps and turns towards the mirror, frowning slightly. It's a classic dress, it's too classic, there's nothing special about it, she's worn it a million times before, and it's just not right. 

With a sigh, she tugs off the dress and tosses it onto the growing pile of discarded clothes on her floor.

Next, she pulls out a flowy floral sundress, thinking it might strike the right balance of dressy and casual.

But as she pulls it on and looks at her reflection, she realizes the colors wash her out, and it's too summery for November. 

She groans, tugging it off and tossing it onto the floor. 

Jordan continues trying on outfit after outfit, each one failing to meet her increasingly high standards. A pair of skinny jeans and a sparkly top seem too casual and too clubby, while a jumpsuit feels too trendy and not quite her style. She even considers a romper, but quickly dismisses it as too childish. 

As the minutes tick by, her floor becomes increasingly covered in rejected clothing, and Jordan feels her frustration mounting.

She wants everything to be perfect for her date with Luke, including her outfit, and she knows it's just dinner, but it feels like so much more. 

With another groan of exasperation, Jordan flops down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She's just about to give up and resign herself to wearing something mediocre when there's a soft knock at her door.

"Come in," Jordan says, sitting up. 

Kelly enters the room, holding a black shopping bag. 

"Having some trouble?" Kelly asks, glancing around at the clothes strewn across the room.

Jordan chuckles, "I have nothing to wear," 

"I can see that" she jokes, but her tone is kind and non-judgmental.

"I think I have just the thing" Kelly says, placing the bag on the bed, she pulls out a stunning, black lace dress. It's ankle-length and just a little bit see-through. 

Jordan's mouth drops open, her eyes wide with wonder. "Kelly, it's... it's gorgeous."

Kelly grins, holding the dress out to her. "Try it on. I have a feeling it's going to be just right."

With a gleeful smile, Jordan takes the dress and slips into the bathroom to change. As she slides the soft fabric over her skin, she feels a rush of confidence and excitement.

When she emerges, Kelly's face lights up with approval. "Jordan you look gorgeous"

Jordan twirls in front of the mirror, marveling at the way the dress hugs her figure in all the right places. It's elegant and sexy, but still tasteful and comfortable.

Then she rushes over to her sister-in-law, enveloping her in a tight hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," she gushes, her voice muffled against Kelly's shoulder. "You are the best sister in the world!"

Kelly laughs, returning the hug with equal enthusiasm. "I know. Just make sure to wear a jacket with it."

Jordan pulls back, raising an eyebrow. "Because it's cold outside?"

Kelly smirks, a mischievous glint in her eye. "No, because Jake's not letting you out of the apartment in that dress without one"

Jordan chuckles, rolling her eyes as Kelly slips out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Jordan stands in front of her mirror, putting the finishing touches on her look. She carefully selects a pair of small gold earrings and inserts them into her first piercings, the delicate metal catching the light as she turns her head. For her second piercings, she chooses a pair of understated fake diamond studs, adding just the right amount of sparkle.

Next, she slips on a gold bangle bracelet, the smooth metal cool against her skin. She rummages through her jewelry box, picking out a few gold rings that complement the bracelet and slides them onto her fingers.

Sitting down on the edge of her bed, Jordan straps on her short, open-toed black heels, knowing if she chooses anything taller than 3 inches she won't be able to walk to the park, where Luke's picking her up.

Standing up, she takes one last look in the mirror, adjusting the small gold lock pendant engraved with a "J" that rests just below her collarbone. 

She reaches for her favorite perfume, a light floral scent with a hint of vanilla, and spritzes it on her wrists and neck, she takes one last look in the mirror, when her phone chimes with an incoming message. 

It's from Luke: Almost there

Jordan's heart skips a beat, and she feels a rush of excitement tinged with nervousness.

She grabs her favorite oversized leather jacket, and she slips it on, the supple material soft against her bare arms. 

With a deep breath, Jordan picks up her phone and purse and takes one last glance around her room, making sure she hasn't forgotten anything. Satisfied, she switches off the light and makes her way into the living room.

As she enters the room, Jacob and Kelly look up from their place on the couch.

"Jords you look gorgeous" Kelly beams "Doesn't she look amazing?" she asks nudging Jacob

"Very grown up" Jacob says 

Jordan scoffs "I am a grown up" 

"Ehhhh" Jacob teases

"Shut up" Jordan jokes

Jacob sits up a little straighter, his brow furrowing. "So, when do we get to meet this mystery man of yours?" he asks, his tone lightly teasing but with an undercurrent of protectiveness.

Jordan shifts uncomfortably, avoiding her brother's gaze “Someday, but not today."

Jacob looks like he wants to argue, but Kelly places a gentle hand on his arm, shaking her head almost imperceptibly.

"So, where are you two going?" she asks instead, changing the subject.

Jordan smiles, feeling a rush of gratitude for her sister-in-law's understanding. "Just dinner, somewhere in Manhattan. Nothing too fancy, but hopefully a nice place to talk and get to know each other better."

Jacob leans back on the couch, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Make sure he knows if he hurts you, I'll sic the entire Rangers team on him."

Jordan forces a laugh, her stomach twisting with a subtle pang of guilt, knowing if Jacob knew the truth, he'd do it anyway. 

"I think I can handle myself, Jake," she says, trying to keep her tone light.

She glances at her phone, realizing that she needs to leave if she's going to make it to the park on time. "Alright, I should get going. Don't wait up, okay?"

She gives Jacob and Kelly each a quick hug before heading out the door, her heart pounding with anticipation. 

The ride down to the lobby seems to take forever, but finally, the doors slide open and Jordan steps out into the cool evening air.

She walks quickly, her heels tapping out a steady rhythm on the sidewalk as she makes her way towards the park.

*****

Luke sits in his car, his fingers tapping nervously on the steering wheel as he waits for Jordan to arrive. His heart skips a beat when he sees her walking towards him, looking absolutely stunning in her black lace dress and leather jacket. A smile spreads across his face as he gets out of the car, holding the bouquet of roses and forget-me-nots behind his back.

"Wow, Jordan, you look... incredible," he breathes, his eyes taking in every inch of her.

Jordan blushes, a shy smile on her lips. "You don't look too bad yourself."

Luke reveals the flowers from behind his back, holding them out to her. "These are for you."

Jordan's eyes widen as she takes the bouquet, her fingers gently brushing against the delicate petals. "Luke, they're gorgeous. Forget me nots are my favorite. How'd you know?"

Luke grins, feeling a rush of warmth in his chest. "Just a lucky guess."

He opens the car door for her, waiting until she's settled before closing it gently and making his way to the driver's side. As he slides behind the wheel, he glances over at Jordan, his heart full.

"Ready?" he asks, his voice soft.

Jordan nods, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Definitely."

As Luke pulls out of the parking lot and onto the road, they fall into easy conversation, laughing and talking about everything and nothing. The city lights fade behind them as they make their way to the restaurant, a cozy place nestled just outside the city. 

When they arrive, Luke hurries to open Jordan's door, offering her his hand as she steps out of the car. She takes it, her skin warm against his, and together they make their way inside.

The restaurant is every bit as romantic as Luke had hoped, with soft lighting, crisp white tablecloths, and low music. The hostess greets them with a smile, her eyes flickering to the reservation book.

"Good evening. Do you have a reservation?"

Luke nods, his hand finding Jordan's. "Yes, under Hughes."

The hostess nods, grabbing two menus and leading them to a secluded booth in the corner. "Right this way."

As they slide into the plush seats, Luke can't take his eyes off Jordan. She's even more beautiful in the candlelight, her skin glowing and her eyes shining.

They open their menus, perusing the options and chatting about their favorite dishes. When the waiter arrives to take their order, Luke goes for the lobster, while Jordan opts for the pasta with grilled shrimp.

As they wait for their food, they start talking, their earlier nerves melting away. 

"So, tell me something about you that most people don't know," Luke says, leaning forward with a grin.

Jordan thinks for a moment, then laughs. "Okay, well... when I was little, I was convinced I could talk to animals. I used to have full-on conversations with my stuffed animals, and I was sure they were talking back."

Luke chuckles, shaking his head. "That's adorable. I can just picture little Jordan, chatting away with her teddy bear."

"Oh, it wasn't just teddy bears," Jordan says, her eyes sparkling. "I had full-on debates with my brother's action figures. I was convinced that G.I. Joe was a pacifist at heart."

Luke laughs, his eyes gleaming "That's hilarious" 

"So what about you, what don't people know?" Jordan asks

Luke hesitates, thinking, before a smile crosses his face "When I was younger I had an imaginary friend" He starts

Jordan giggles, "Really?"

"Yep, he was a whale, named Captain we use to talk about hockey, and play board games" Luke explains

"Captain?" Jordan teases

"Hey I was 5, and never been very creative" Luke jokes 

They dissolve into laughter, the sound mingling with the soft music playing in the background.

They're conversation continues, exchanging funny childhood stories, and they get so lost in one another, they barely notice when the waiter returns, setting their meals down in front of them.

"Lobster for the gentleman, and pasta with shrimp for the lady," he says with a smile. "Enjoy."

They both thank him, before unfolding their napkins and placing them on their laps.

As they eat, they trade stories back and forth, learning more about each other with every passing minute. Jordan tells him about growing up with Jacob, about the pranks they used to pull on each other.

"One time, when he was about 15, he decided he wanted to dye his hair blond," she says, grinning at the memory. "But he didn't want to tell our parents, so he tried to do it himself in the bathroom sink. It was a disaster - his hair turned out this weird orangey-yellow color, and it was so fried from the bleach that it felt like straw."

Luke nearly chokes on his lobster, he's laughing so hard. "I can't see Jacob Trouba doing that," he manages, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes.

"Oh, believe me, he did," Jordan chuckles. "And he had to go to school like that for a week before he could get it fixed. The guys on his team called him 'Cheeto Head' for months."

As their laughter fades, Luke feels a sudden surge of affection for the girl sitting across from him. Without thinking, he reaches across the table, taking her hand in his.

"Jordan," he says softly, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. "I really like you. Like, really, really like you."

Jordan's smile is soft, her eyes shining in the candlelight. "I really like you too, Luke."

Luke's heart soars, but a flicker of uncertainty crosses his face. "What are we going to do about... everything else? Your brother, my team... it's not going to be easy."

Jordan sighs, but she doesn't pull her hand away. "I know it won't be easy. But Luke, I don't want to let other people's opinions dictate my life. I like you, and you like me, and as cliché as it sounds, I think that's enough."

Luke nods, a slow smile spreading across his face. "I feel the same way. But do you think we should tell them? About us?"

Jordan thinks for a moment, then shakes her head. "Not yet. I say, for now, we just enjoy this - enjoy being together, without any outside pressure. We can tell them eventually, but right now, I just want to spend time with you."

"I want that too," Luke says softly

They finish their meal, the conversation flowing easily once more. When the check comes, Luke insists on paying, waving away Jordan's protests with a grin.

They step out into the crisp night air, their hands intertwined. They walk for a bit, enjoying the quiet of the countryside, until they stumble upon a little ice cream shop.

"Ice cream? In this weather?" Luke laughs, but she's already tugging him towards the door.

They order their flavors - rocky road for Luke, strawberry for Jordan - and settle onto a bench outside, huddled close together for warmth.

"This is crazy," Luke chuckles, taking a lick of his cone. "It's like 40 degrees out here."

"Hey, there's never a bad time for ice cream," Jordan argues, grinning. 

They finish their treats, laughing and talking, their free hands clasped tightly together. When they finally make their way back to Luke's car, he walks her to the passenger side, his heart pounding in his chest.

Just as he's about to open the door for her, Jordan turns to face him, her eyes locking with his. The air between them is charged, electric, and before either of them can think too hard about it, they're kissing.

It's soft at first, tentative, but it quickly deepens, Luke's hands coming up to cradle Jordan's face as her arms wind around his neck. They pour everything they're feeling into the kiss - all the affection, the longing, the hope for what's to come.

When they finally break apart, they're both breathless, their cheeks flushed and their eyes shining.

"Wow," Jordan whispers, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"Ya" Luke agrees, pressing one more quick kiss to her lips before opening the car door for her.

As they drive back towards the city, their hands clasped over the center console, Luke feels a sense of peace settle over him.

*****

Jordan and Luke sit in his car, in the parking lot of the park. The engine is off, but neither of them makes a move to leave, both reluctant to let the night end.

Jordan turns to Luke, a soft smile on her face. "I had a really great time tonight, Luke."

Luke reaches over, taking her hand in his. "Me too, I'm so glad we finally got to do this."

They sit in comfortable silence for a moment, their fingers intertwined, before Jordan's phone buzzes, she can see her brothers contact name, and reluctantly pulls away, "I should probably get going" 

"Ya, ya me too, I got practice in the morning" Luke sighs "Are you sure you don't want me to drop you off at your apartment? It's a little late" Luke asks 

"Ya I'm sure, Jacob's probably still up" Jordan says 

Luke nods, "Fair enough, just be safe okay" 

Jordan nods, a warm feeling spreading through her chest at his concern. "Of course. And Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Text me when you get home, okay?"

Luke smiles, leaning in to press a soft kiss to her lips. "I will. I promise."

With one last squeeze of his hand, Jordan steps out of the car, the bouquet of roses and forget-me-nots clutched tightly in her hand. She makes her way across the park, down the street, and  into her apartment building. 

When she opens the door to her apartment, she's unsurprised to find Jacob and Kelly still awake, cuddled up on the couch watching TV. They both look up as she enters, muting the television.

"Hey, Jords," Jacob greets her, a teasing smile on his face. "How was the date?"

Jordan can't help the grin that spreads across her face. "It was great, actually. Really great."

Kelly's eyes land on the flowers in Jordan's hand, and she lets out a little squeal of excitement. "Oh my gosh, he brought you flowers? What a gentleman!"

Jordan blushes, looking down at the bouquet. "Yeah, he really is. It was such a sweet gesture."

Kelly stands up from the couch, heading towards the kitchen. "Let me get a vase for those."

Jordan follows her, setting her phone and the flowers down on the counter. Jacob trails behind them. 

"So, when do we get to meet this Prince Charming of yours?" he asks, leaning against the fridge.

Jordan rolls her eyes, but there's no heat behind it. "Slow your roll, Jake. It was just one date."

"One date that apparently went really well," he counters, raising an eyebrow. "I'm just saying, as your big brother, it's my duty to make sure he's good enough for you."

Jordan laughs, shaking her head. "I think I'm old enough to decide that for myself, but I appreciate the concern. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to change into something a little more comfortable."

She heads off towards her bedroom, leaving her phone on the counter. Just as she disappears down the hall, the device buzzes with an incoming text.

Jacob glances at Kelly, who's busy arranging the flowers in a vase. "It's probably her date" 

Kelly shoots him a Look. "Jacob Trouba, don't you dare snoop through your sister's private messages."

But Jacob is already reaching for the phone, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Oh, come on, Kel. It's not snooping if it's left out in the open like this."

Kelly swats at his arm, but there's a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "You're impossible."

Jacob just grins, unlocking Jordan's phone with a swipe of his finger. His eyes scanning the screen. The contact name reads Luke, there's no last name attached, just the single word followed by a heart emoji.

"I had a great time tonight," he reads aloud, his tone softening. "Smiley face."

He sets the phone back down on the counter, a genuine smile on his face. Kelly leans over, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"She seems happy," she murmurs, watching the screen fade to black.

Jacob nods, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist. "Ya she does."

[oliveisme533]

My dad’s neighbor is a dilf

Chapter 4

Joel Miller x You

Summery: You had decided to spend your summer in Austin with your dad. You used to spend almost every summer there, but hadn't spent a summer there since you were a teenager. Which means you hadn't seen a certain Joel Miller in years..

Warnings: abusive ex is back. Verbal abuse and physical violence (not against reader)

You roll over in your bed with a groan and stretch your arms. Grabbing your phone you check the time 10:03. Early for you. You decide to hop in the shower before your dad can ask you to help pick up fallen branches in the yard from last nights storm. You let the scolding water hit your body and you draw in a deep breath. Tomorrow was Monday which meant your dad would be back to work and you wouldn't have anyone to talk to or hang out with until 5 o'clock. Rinsing the soap from your face you contemplated just what to do with tomorrow, in fact you were beginning to wonder how to make use of your summer in general. The last couple weeks of doing nothing had been a much needed reprieve from your busy life, but you were starting to get a little stir crazy. You turned off the water, still deep in thought when you heard your phone buzzing. You tiptoed over to your bedside table and saw Joel's name lighting up the screen. "Why is he calling me?" You pick up the phone ...

Hello Hey sweetheart didn't wake ya did I? No no I've been up...for a few minutes (Joel chuckled) Well hey listen, one of my coworkers was looking for a sitter for tonight. He and the Misses are going out and their regular girl can't make it. Any interest in an easy job for the night? Oh yeah I can definitely do that. God know I've got nothing else going on. Okay I'll send you the info! Thanks darlin'

Obviously he wasn't calling just because he wanted to chat with you. It was a stupid thing to even hope for. The rest of the day went by relatively slowly, but when 6 o'clock rolled around you put some snacks in your back pack, a phone charger, and a book you had been trying to finish for several weeks now. The babysitting was easy. It was one kid, she was four years old and for the most part did whatever you asked. The parents told you they would be out late so when 11:45 rolled around you weren't surprised they hadn't come home yet. The house was quiet...too quiet. You never much liked this part of being a baby sitter. It was different when you did it for Sarah. The millers house was always warm and full of life. Those nights when Joel did get home a little later you felt safe curling up in on his couch with the TV on. Most of the times you would fall asleep like that and Joel would drive you home the next day after making you and Sarah breakfast. You smile at the memory. The sounds of the house settling are enough to snap you from this daydream down memory lane. "Fuck I really don't like this huge, quiet house. What if I call someone to keep me company. Dad will be asleep, so would mom and my sister. I bet Joel Miller is awake..." you stare at your phone and contemplate this next move. "Fuck it" you mutter and tape his name. The phone only rings a couple of times before you hear Joel's husky voice. A twinge of guilt shoots through you as you fear you've woken him up.

Hello? Everything okay? Hey, yeah I'm so sorry did I wake you? I was just restin' my eyes that's all. I ain't in bed yet. Well I just- I really don't like being in these houses all by myself. It sounds stupid but it's kinda scary I guess. 'S not stupid. You want someone to talk to-keep ya company? Yeah... and I figured you'd be awake still, but I guess I figured wrong You're all right honey, I really don't mind. I needed to get off this couch and sleep in my bed any how. But how 'bout you tell me about your day? My day was pretty boring honestly. I played with the cat, ate some ice cream and watched TV Wat'd ya watch? Love island What in the hell is that?

You laughed and proceeded to tell him all about the show. A little while passed and then you heard the lock click and knew the parents were home. You told Joel you had to go to which he responded "alright let me know when you get home safe. Can call me if you want." Back home you pondered whether or not you should call Joel. It was late and you were feeling tired, but you wanted to talk to him. After slipping into your pajamas you felt like you could hardly stay awake much longer, but you were determined to take advantage of this invitation from Joel to call him. So you tapped his name and watched the phone ring. You put it to your ear and your heart sank with each unanswered ring. When it went to voicemail you resolved that he had likely fallen asleep and you decided to do the same.

The next day you woke up early (ish) at 9:00. Your dad had already left for work. You roll over in your bed to check your phone and your heart pounds.

Missed call from Joel Miller 36m ago

You're hoping he's not at work yet and call him back quickly. "Hey sweetheart" he picks up within a few rings. "Sorry I missed your call last night. I ended up falling asleep and didn't hear the phone." It was so nice to hear his voice first thing in the morning. "Oh you don't need to apologize. I didn't really need anything, I just like talking to you" you could almost hear Joel grin as he said "well I like talkin' to you too sugar" you had walked down to your kitchen to put on a pot of coffee at this point when you say "hey why aren't you at work?" "Waitin for some parts to come in for this current job. Until they do there's nothin else I can really do. But the parts are supposed to be here by noon... so I'll get my ass to work in a couple hours" you notice a note taped to the fridge as Joel finishes saying all this. "I completely forget" you mutter to yourself, but apparently Joel hears. "What'd you forget?" "My dad left me a note reminding me that he's gone on a business trip and won't be back until Thursday." "Oh that's right. Your dad did mention that. Told me to keep an eye out for ya." "Did he really? "Yeah I mean you're going to be by yourself in that big house for almost 3 days" "I'm a grown ass woman though!" Joel chuckled. "No ones sayin you ain't, darlin. Dads worry and that don't change from when you're 5 or when you're 25" "I guess that's fair enough" you shrug. "I should get my day started here... might go on a run and catch up on laundry" "Well if you need anything the next couple of days just hollar" You hang up the phone with brief goodbyes and run your fingers through your tangled bed head. You groan as you massage your temple. "What the fuck am I doing?? I'm catching feelings for Joel fucking Miller. What's worse is that I'm flirting with him too"

Against your better judgement you decide to text Joel later in the day Hey what time you get off tonight? I should be wrapping up by 7...Why? You want to swing by for dinner? Nothing fancy. I'm just bored and I don't love being here alone in the evenings for long periods of time lol. Well I ain't gonna turn you down for some dinner. I'll see you at 7:30. Can I pick anything up at the store for ya on my way there? Well if you're offering... maybe some ice cream? And a bottle of rosè You got it

The rest of the day went by slowly. 7:30 couldn't get here fast enough. You were hoping for something to happen tonight with Joel, but you weren't sure what that would be. You hadn't decided if the lingering glances from him were just something you were imagining or actually happening. Around 6:30 you decide to hope in the shower and of course shave...because you never know right? After your shower you settle on wearing a simple, linen dress that's super comfortable and not all that fancy.  At exactly 7:30 you hear the doorbell ring. You jump off the sofa to answer it, your heart in your throat. But when you open the door, you're afraid you might be sick. It's not Joel Miller who stands there, but your toxic ex boyfriend ...Ben.

"What the fuck are you doing? You need to leave" Ben smirks. "Aren't you a delight. I just wanted to talk to you, and since you've block my number I had to take matters into my hands." Your heart was racing. Ben had never shown any physical violence against you, but you didn't know what he was capable and you didn't want to find out. "I thought I made myself really fucking clear that we are over" you said with a shaky voice. "Baby I just don't think you get to make that call. I mean I've done so much to make this relationship work. You can't just throw all that away. You know you're never going to find another guy who puts up with your shit." That was it. Something in you snapped. Something that had been brewing for literally years was about to come out. "No fuck you!" You shoved him in the chest with both palms and he stumbled back just a step, caught off guard by your motion. "Screw you! I don't need a guy to put up with anything about me, you asshole. You act like you're some fucking hero for tolerating the fact that I struggle with my mental health and stuff!" Ben was fuming now. You had never laid hands on him and you could tell the shove had lit something inside him too. "You have issues you know that?! You have fucking issues in your head!" He screamed at you getting up in your face and grabbing your arms tightly, pinning them to your sides. Out of the corner of your eye you saw Joel's truck coming down the street and pulling into your drive way. Ben was now shaking you and yelling "YOU'RE SUCH A BITCH.." he didn't get to finish his sentence because a firm hand grabbed him by the shoulder and yanked him backwards.

If looks could kill...you had never seen such an expression on Joel. He looked like he could tear Ben to pieces right then and there, yet he maintained a calm composure. "I suggest you get the fuck off this porch and don't come back, son" Joel said in a low voice. Ben scoffed. "Get out of here, old man. This ain't your business" Ben spat. "Son, we can do this the easy way or the hard way." Ben let his head fall back and let out a chuckle that sent a chill down your spine. "Is that so?" Without warning Ben threw a punch and Joel and narrowly missed "Ben!" You shrieked. Ben straightened up sent another punch. Joel grabbed his wrist, mid punch and yanked him in close. Joel towered over him. "Do not make me repeat myself again. I said get the fuck off this porch, or things will get ugly." At this Joel shoved Ben forcefully away, causing him to stumble backwards. Ben still looked angry, but now there was a hint of fear in his eyes too. He gave you one last glare and then jogged back to his car.

As soon as Ben's car sped off. Joel sun around. "Are you okay??" He asked, grabbing your face in his hands. "Um yeah" you managed to squeak. "I mean that fucking scared me tho." Joel looked like he might be sick. "I am so sorry wasn't here at 7:30. If I got here on time- " "Joel come on you don't need to do that. It's not like either of us had any idea Ben would show up here. I'm glad you came when you did though." Joel massaged the bridge of his nose. He looked stressed and was probably imaging what would have happened if he didn't show up at all. He shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut as if trying to rid himself of the notion. "Joel look at me I'm fine!" You said pulling his hand away from his face. Joel took your hand in his and stroked it with his thumb. "Okay" he said softly. "Did you get my ice cream?" You said trying to change the subject. A smile tugged at his mouth. "Yeah I did, baby"

You had made spaghetti for dinner, about one of the only dishes you were confident in preparing. You and Joel sat at the table in silence and you watched as he pushed his food around. "I'm sorry I'm not a chef...if you want we could just order a pizza?" You suggested. Joel looked up at you seemingly caught off guard. "No no no it's not that! The meal is delicious. I guess I just don't have an appetite. That's all." You pushed back from the table and the chair scraping against the hardwood made Joel jump slightly. "Baby I didn't mean to offend you it's just" you laughed as you reached for the shelf above the stove "Joel I'm not mad I'm just looking for something." Joel slowly walked towards where you were balancing on a stool trying to get the top door of the cabinet open. "Um...what's that?" You grunted as you finally got hold of what it was you were looking for. "My dad's red wine. It's gross too me, but he always says red wine gives you an appetite." You hopped off the stool and thrust the bottle into his chest. "Where's the wine you got me? I would like to get into that like asap." Before waiting for a response you went into the other room where the grocery bag still sat with the ice cream and wine and dug out the bottle. You hastily removed the top and began drinking. "Y/n...slow down what are you doing?" You removed the bottle from your lips and wiped your mouth. "What does it look like I'm doing?" Joel's face was laced with concern. "Okay that's enough. I'm calling your dad, you can stay at mine until he gets home. I'm sure he'll book the first flight back when he hears.." you didn't let Joel finish. He had tried to grab the bottle from your hands "no, fuck off I'm a grown woman. I don't need you calling me dad to tell on me or whatever." Joel placed both hands in his hair and squeezed his head "sweetheart you're clearly not okay! And for good reason... will you just let me help you? I'm worried about you. This shit wasn't in any of the parenting books I read before Sarah.." "you're not my dad!" "No no I'm not saying that I just" ... "is that all this is? You want to fill the void of not having your daughter at home this summer. So you come over here to parent me because my dad's not here? I don't fucking need that Joel I don't want you to see me that way."

...to be continued

[justanamesstuff]

Unrequited love - Matty Healy x f!reader

Extra part II

A/N: This whole series is the definition of 'I wasn't planning to...but...' sooo I wasn't planning to finish it today but here we are. THANKS AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN about all the support!!

Warnings: jump scared?, swearing, FLUFF, typos.

Word count: 2.6 K

Series MASTERLIST

It wasn’t usual for the girls of the group to spend time without the boys, although from a time to the present they started to feel like it was necessary. Partly why, Charli, Y/n and Carly joined by the little James Hann were hanging around Charli and George’s home. The other reason was to spoil James without the rest of the band trying to have his attention. 

Even though James was almost 7 years now, he was the little baby for the entire group. All of them loved Hann’s kid a lot and spoiled him rotten.

“Mom, stop! I’m a big boy!” James tried to stop Carly, who was trying to give him a kiss on his cheek. 

She protested, “No, you’re still my baby.”

“I’m not!” he fought back. 

“Until you are legal to drink, get in jail or a tattoo, you’re going to be my baby boy.” Carly continued to tease him. The sight from the other side of the table was a heart-warming one for Charli and Y/n.

Charli said to him, “I promise I’ll help you with the tattoo, James.” winking her right eye.

“Really?” James asked excited about it. 

“No!”

“Yes!”

James’ mother and her friend shouted at the same time, making Y/n laughed, and a puzzled looked appeared on the kid’s face. 

“Stop confusing him.” Y/n interrupted the bickering.  “Come here, I’ll protect you!” she instructed him to come closer, opening her arms wide. 

James ran towards Y/n, who engulfed him in a big hug when he was beside her. 

“Can we draw like last time?” James waited for her answer, expectant. 

Y/n didn’t wait for a second to reply, “Of course.”

James took her hand, forcing Y/n out of her seat. Together they started to walk towards a big hall, she knew where it went. 

“Use whatever you want from the studio!” Charli shouted from behind them.

The two women fell into a nice chat, not only talking about their partners, adding an innocent pinch of gossip to keep the interesting conversation. Charli was engrossed telling her about the latest one going around their circle, when Y/n’s phone started ringing. Charli took it without taking a look at the screen.

“Y/n!” she called her.

“What?”

“Your phone is ringing!” 

“Who’s calling?” she said, appearing at the end of the long corridor.

Carly stayed silenced, when Charli screamed, staring at the phone. “What?” she exclaimed into a thick English.

“What?” Carly mirrored her. 

Charli instantly gave her the device, so she read out loud,  “Baby M? And a…rat? What the fuck?” 

Before Carly could call Y/n again, Charli gained the device back and took another look. A mischievous look appeared on her face, while her fingers went directly to the green button.

“Charli, no-“ Carly tried to stopped her but it was too late.

“Hello?” Charli asked. 

“Hi? Y/n?”

Charli instantly knew who it was and wanted to laugh, even though she contained it. She was going to have fun with it as long as she could.

“No, I'm her friend. Who’s this?” Charly continued. 

“Umm-”

“Sorry, can’t hear you.”

“Piss off Charli!” Matty finally exclaimed. 

Charli let out the biggest chuckled, “Oh my god!” she managed to say next. 

“What?” Carly asked beside her. 

“Is Matty!”

Matty groaned from the other side, “Get Y/n on the phone!”

“Let me see.” Carly placed Y/n’s phone on her ear.  “Hi?”

“Hi Carly, can you put Y/n on the phone?” Matty was more polite now that it was sweet Hann’s sweet wife.

“It’s him!” Carly opened her eyes wide, staring at Charli.

“I told you!”

“What’s going on here?” Y/n interrupted their moment, appearing in the kitchen area. 

“Y/n’s here. Hold in line!” Charli said to Matty in a teasing voice. “I’ll communicate her with you, baby M, in a second. Thank you for your patience!”

“Fucking finally.” Matty replied at the other end of the line.

Y/n figured out what was happening with them and her phone right away. She took it in her hand quickly, moving a few steps away from the girls.

“Fuck.” she muttered. “Hi?” 

“Hello, baby.” Matty breathed out.

“Are you okay? It’s urgent? Because I have the Scotland Yard officers staring at me waiting to interrogate the hell out of myself.” Y/n said, feeling two pairs of eyes in the back of her head.

“I was trying to ask what you wanted to order for tonight.” Matty let her know it wasn’t that serious. “Go and tell them.” He told her laughing. 

“I’ll call you later.”

“Okay, baby.”

“Bye”

Y/n turned around, staring at them in silence. 

“You have a lot to explain!” Charli broke the silence. 

“Right.” Y/n said, defeated, coming to sit at the table.

“Y/n?” James’ voice came from the studio, calling for her.

“Coming James.” She shouted, smiling wide at the girls. “he’s-“ she pointed towards where the studio was. 

“No, you stay here!” Carly stood up. 

“I won’t break your son's heart, Carls!” Y/n explained, walking away.

“You can, I allow you!”

Y/n shrugged her shoulders, “I guess I’ll tell you guys later.”

“Are you two a thing?” Charli interrupted.

“Maybe.”

“Oh my god!”

James shouted once more, “Y/n!”

“Be right there, James!”

“I knew it!” Carly said.

“What?” Charli and Y/n stared at her friend, rejoicing herself about the new information. 

Carly glanced between them,“Oh come on!” She turned her body to look directly at Charli “We all knew they were going to end together sooner or later. Remember we used to bet-“

“That’s a lot of information, Carly” Charli protested between her teeth.

“You what?” Y/n inquired them, surprised.

They talked at the same time, “Nothing.” 

“I can’t believe you!” She turned around. 

Carly stopped her, “What? It was a matter of time and a bit of fun for us!” she tried to defend the group. “I can’t believe you’re part of the girlfriends' club now.” she tried.

“I wasn’t invited before?”

“Y/n!” James was getting impatient, his drawing partner was absent for so long. That’s why he meet her at the middle of the hall where she was standing talking with the girls.

“I’m sorry I was-“ she was going to excuse herself, when the boy interrupted her. 

“In the time you were gone, I draw this.” he gave her a piece of paper with a big drawing in the middle.

“Let me see.” Y/n took it. “Aww, it’s so beautiful!” she truthfully told him. James blushed.

“It’s you and me, and you’re reading that book you brought went mommy and daddy went out.” he explained, looking up at her admiring his work of art.

“James, I love it! I’ll hang it for everyone to see!” Y/n promised, going after to hug James. 

He innocently asked, “I can go to your house to see it?”

“Yes, and we can read another book!”

“Yay!”

Carly and Charli shared a knowing look. 

George’s girlfriend dare to whisper, “I think not only one boy of us is in love with her.” 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The whole group was once more reunited at Y/n house for a dinner before the boys had to return to tour and the rest have their own things to deal with. 

Y/n already served dinner, a homemade casserole, everyone enjoyed making jokes and teasing each other. 

She was leaving plates at the sink, so they could serve dessert, when a pair of hands sneaked around her waist. Y/n recognized Matty’s touch right away. 

“Hi, handsome.” she greeted him.

Matty left a kiss on Y/n’s neck, “Hi, I miss you.”

Y/n giggled, “I’m sitting just beside you.”

“I know, not close enough.” Matty pushed his chest further into her back, proving what he was saying. 

“You’re so needy.” she teased him.

“And you love it.”

“How did you know?” Y/n turned around inside his arms.

She inevitably thought about the night of her birthday when they almost kissed, and now they were there about to do it freely. Knowing very well that they loved each other more than friends.

“Because I know you like the back of my hand.” Matty’s chest full, proud to know so much about her.

Matty went to kiss Y/n, after missing her for the entire night. Y/n shut her eyes, feeling her arms and legs tingling. She didn’t know when the effect was going to stop, and she aimed for never. Every kiss was like the first for them.

“What the royal fuck?” Ross stopped at the kitchen door, gripping the bread basket between his large hands. 

Matty and Y/n broke apart, although Matty rested his left hand on the small of her back. It was the time to tell the rest of the group, he was ready to scream his love for Y/n to all the people around him. 

“Ross-” Matty started slowly.

“What’s going on here?” he looked between them.

“What happened?” Adam interrupted them, coming from behind Ross.

Ross left the basket in the middle of the aisle kitchen, screaming “Matty was sucking Y/n’s face!” 

“Why are you screaming?” George was the second to interrupt.

“Care to explain, mate?” Adam glanced directly at Matty. 

Even though he was ready, once he tried to explain, “We- we’re kinda…” he didn’t know where to start.

“We’re together, guys.” Y/n clarified for the rest of the band.

Ross folded his arms, “For real?” 

“For real.” George said instead of Y/n or Matty.

“You knew?” Ross looked at the drummer of the band, in awe. 

A smirk appeared on Hann’s face, “It was obvious.” which surprised Y/n and Matty because they thought they were very cautious about it. 

“What?” Matty stared at Hann, trying to figure out what he was saying.

“We all knew it was a matter of time…”

“Yes, but still…” Ross protested.

“Why you lots are clucking like chickens?” Charli joined the rest of the group in the kitchen area.

“Y/n and Matty are together…and George knew…” Ross was the one that informed her.

Charli turned to look directly at George, “You knew?” 

“Yes, but-” George tried to defend himself.

“You’re sleeping with the dog!” she warned him.

“Charli, you knew as well!” Y/n sided with George.

George’s face changed with this new piece of information. “Care to explain, babes?”

“I found out days ago. When you?” Charli dared him.

“Weeks?”

Charli stared at his face, and proceed to walk out of the room. 

“Babe-” George followed her.

“I knew it was going to happen, but this is surreal.” Ross expressed his thoughts out loud.

Matty strengthened his grip around Y/n’s waist. He felt so relieved to be able to show his love so openly, even when it was a small gesture. 

“How did you know, Hann?” 

“I bumped into you guys making out in the kitchen studio…didn’t notice me. I chose to keep my mouth shut and see how you guys acted out. It was funny.” Hann said, leaving the pair with their mouths hanging open.

“What was funny?” Carly made her appearance in the room.

“Matty and Y/n making out in the kitchen. Do you remember?” Hann reminded Carly about it.

“Oh, yes!”

“Carly, you knew?” it was Y/n’s time to be stunned.

James’ mother shrugged under Y/n’s scrutiny, “Hann told me?”

“What about not telling everyone?” Ross interrogated Adam.

“She’s my wife!” the guitarist tried to defend himself.

“True.”

“Come here, Ross.” Y/n said after taking a look at his still stressed face. She walked far from Matty, rounding Ross’ big form, “You’re still my favourite” she mumbled into his chest.

“Excuse me?” Matty wasn’t happy with Y/n’s affirmation. 

“Where is the dessert?” James barged into the kitchen. “What’s going on?” he took a look around all the grown-ups. 

“Uncle Matty and aunty Y/n are boyfriend and girlfriend.” Carly explained him.

Y/n returned to Matty’s side, waiting for James’ reaction. 

“Oh.” he said lower, staring at the couple.  “I’ll wait for the dessert at the table then…” he excused himself, exiting the room. 

Hann glanced at Carly,  “What was that?”

“He’s a little crush over someone…” she moved her head pointing to Y/n.

“For fuck’s sake!” Matty groaned loud. “I’m not sharing, Y/n.” he warned her.

“Don’t be mean.” Y/n hit him playfully, “I’ll talk with him.”

************************************************

James was seated on the chair he occupied the entire night, staring at George and Charli chat at the other side of the glass. The couple was sharing a cigarette and chatting playfully, leaving behind any resentment of the secrets in the group.

“Hey.” Y/n took a seat beside Hann’s son.

He turned his head around to look at her, “Hi.”

“Dessert is coming. A little late, but it's coming.”

“Cool.”

“Are you okay, James?” Y/n inquired. 

“Yes.”

“Are you mad with me?”

“No.”

Y/n chose to not say more. She wanted to give him the time to express his worries –if he had them– peacefully. 

“Since Matty is your boyfriend now…” James started slowly, shy. “Are you going to stop reading and drawing with me?” he twisted his fingers, not looking up at Y/n’s face.

“No! Never!” she gained his attention again. “I won’t stop being your friend, James!”  Y/n reassured him. “Do you want to stop being my friend?” 

“Never!” James smiled wide. 

“I’m so relieved!” Y/n told him. “Come here.” 

Y/n was side hugging James when the rest of the grown-ups returned to the table. 

Matty took a seat at the other side of James. “Here’s your piece of cake, Jimbo.” the frontman left a slide of chocolate cake in front of him. 

“Thank you!” James tanked him before stuffing his face with it.

Matty couldn’t help to look at Y/n. She smiled at him, making his heart skip a bit.

*******************************************

It was hours past James’ bed time, when they group moved to Y/n’s living room. James was deeply asleep on Carly’s lap, she was chatting with Ross and Charli meanwhile Hann and George went outside. 

Matty and Y/n were cuddling on another couch, in front of them. He had his arm around Y/n’s shoulders, keeping her close. 

“You’re really sweet with James.” Matty said, kissing her hair line. 

Y/n looked at James’ looking like an angel while sleeping, “I love that kid.”

“Me too.” Matty agreed. “I hope this doesn't sound bad, but I think you’ll be such a good mother one day.” he stated.

Y/n turned her head to look at Matty’s face, “Why?”

“You’re super tender and caring, baby.” Matty ran his hand between Y/n strands of hair. 

“Are you getting all soft, Matty?”

“Only for you.”

“Thank you, babes.”

“What about me? Do you think I can be a good father?” Y/n noticed the note of worry between his words. 

Y/n sit up properly, caressing his right cheek with her hand, “I do, Matty. I think you’re going to love the soil your kids walk. Always wanting to give them all the best, be the best parental figure…I know you’ll do anything for them.” she was fully convinced of it. 

“For our children.” he cheeky said.

“Matty-”

“If you’re not the mother of my babies, I don’t want to have kids…”

Y/n rolled her eyes, resting her head on his shoulder, “That’s a lie.” her eyes heavy with sleep.

“It’s not!” Matty dissent. “I want everything with you, Y/n.” he gazed down at her face. 

Y/n settled on his shoulder, “Me too, I love you.” she said before falling asleep, leaving a speechless Matty. It was the first time she said it out loud. 

He couldn’t wait to remind her about it in the morning. Adding how much he loved her himself.

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

Tagging: @jagz72 @deamus-liv @mrspeacem1nusone @sofaritsalrightt @soci4lc4sualty @thefemininemystiquee @hswannaknow @louweasleymalfoy @indierockgirrl

[lowkeychenle]

Lost & Wayward [NJM] (2)

Description: After the worst couple weeks of your life, you finally break down in the middle of an alleyway. Jaemin hears you and comes to comfort you, and little do you know, he's about to change your life--in more ways than one.

Genre: Fluff/Eventual smut

Content Warnings: I'm thinking maybe I'll put smut in the next part but for now still just fluff sorryyyy

Word Count: 2,833

Pairing: Na Jaemin x Reader (Canon!AU so all the Dreamies will be mentioned/appear)

Part One | Part Two | Part Three

Lost & Wayward Mini-Masterlist

Juliet's Masterlist

It’s been a couple days since you’ve heard from Jaeseok. You’ve come to enjoy his company, even if it’s only electronic. You also haven’t received any updates from Minji. You try not to worry, but this is the opportunity of a lifetime.

Although not hearing from Jaeseok put a damper on you. You hope Minji will get back to you soon so you can have a reason to text him. Logically, you know he’s busy with something. The man works crazy hours apparently, because he’s always there…wherever there is.

Minji doesn’t call you until the end of the week. She comes with good news, though—you got the job, and you’d be starting the following Monday. In three days.

You debate even telling Jaeseok at all. If he wants to talk to you, certainly he’d do it, right?

Mid-thought, your phone dings.

Jaeseok (6:34pm): sorry i’ve been mia…things have been really hectic here. how are you doing?

Oh, for the love of God. This man was too caring and nice for his own good. You try to think of what to send back, but you draw a blank. You’ll have to just tell him what’s on your mind, apparently.

You (6:35pm): no worries! i figured you were suuuuper busy considering they give you breaks for dinner instead of just letting you go home Jaeseok (6:35pm): clever You (6:36pm): you wish you could be as clever as me Jaeseok (6:36pm): you got me there. any job updates?? i’m on the edge of my seat and i’ve gotten zero texts :( You (6:38pm): Minji called me a little earlier today. i got it!! i’m so freaking excited Jaeseok (6:38pm): HELL YEAH Jaeseok (6:38pm): didn’t doubt u for a second

You pause. You’ve talked to him via text nearly every day, all day except the last few. Unfortunately, you also get attached easily. You can only hope this friendship will last. He’s been the best friend you’ve ever had in the course of a week.

Jaeseok (6:40pm): are you doing anything to celebrate?! this is seriously great stuff You (6:41pm): unfortunately u are the only friend i have…what am i gonna do if u can’t hang bc u’re working Jaeseok (6:41pm): first of all…unfortunately?? i’m so offended right now Jaeseok (6:42pm): and second of all, u don’t need to do anything crazy. just go…get your favorite meal or something. u deserve it You (6:43pm): are u working? Jaeseok (6:44pm): nope. dogsitting for my shithead friend You (6:44pm): come with me

When it takes a few minutes for him to respond, your brain whirls. You shouldn’t have done that. He’s probably only being friendly because he feels obligated. You’re the one who broke down in the alleyway, and the longer you think about it, the longer you wish you could erase that. What he saw was probably the worst version of you. Great.

You (6:50pm): sorry if that was weird…i don’t know why i would say something like that Jaeseok (7:34pm): holy shit i’m so sorry! this dog is driving me up a wall and i didn’t see you texted. it’s definitely not weird to ask and i really really wish i could come celebrate with you but i’ll have to raincheck ):

You don’t even have the courage to text him back. Instead, you turn off your phone and toss it to the side. None of this should really upset you—he’s extremely busy. Seeing him that night must have been a major fluke, and you’d rather talk to him via text when he had time versus not at all.

At about 9pm, you get an Instagram update notification that Chenle posted. You click on it absentmindedly, pausing at the photo. It’s Chenle, Jaemin, and Daegal. Jaemin cradles Daegal to his chest and pouts at Chenle.

The caption reads, “I’m gone for three hours, and now Jaemin doesn’t want to give her back…”

For some reason, it makes you stop and think. You like the post, close the Instagram app, and open your messages with Jaeseok.

You (9:12pm): how’s dogsitting? Jaeseok (9:15pm): ahhh my friend came to get her a little bit ago…i need to get a pet

That’s one hell of a coincidence. You slide to the Instagram app once more, noting Jaemin’s blue hair. With your heart sinking in your chest, you shake your head. There’s no way.

No. Way.

Plus, Jaeseok wouldn’t lie to you like that. Not about something like this.

You (9:21pm): maybe try cats…if dogs are too much work for u Jaeseok (9:22pm): plus we all know cats are superior You (9:23pm): i’m gonna go to sleep…we’ll celebrate soon? i start work monday Jaeseok (9:24pm): as soon as i can! promise (:

The start of Monday is absolutely hectic. You get your own office up on the third floor. It’s everything you ever could’ve wanted, and you feel as if Jaeseok really is your good luck charm. Not only is this better than your dream job you lost, but it also pays nearly double what you were making.

It’s only when you’ve settled in that you realize your job is hyper-specific. Yes, you work in marketing, but more specifically, you do NCT Dream’s marketing. You almost choked on your water when you saw that on your paperwork.

And unbeknownst to you, you’d receive a visit from the group later in the day. You’re going through the paperwork the previously employed person left for you when a knock sounds at your door.

Your head shoots up and you allow whoever it is to come in. Mark walks in first, a smile on his face. You try to stop your jaw from dropping, but it gives way slightly anyway.

The other boys—the other six—tumble in the door afterward.

“We like to welcome new staff members,” Mark says, holding out an envelope. “It’s nothing crazy, just a card. But I hope we’ll all work well together.”

You grin, surprised your vocal chords work. “Thank you so much. I’m very excited for the opportunity, and I’m sure I can help you guys achieve great things.”

Your eyes scan over the boys, heart stuttering when you see Jaemin. His dark roots are starting to show through the bright blue, but you’re sure the hair stylists will fix it.

They all introduce themselves to you, even though you’re positive they’re all aware you know who they are, and you follow suit after. Again, you find your gaze wandering to Jaemin. He’s staring right back at you.

They leave shortly after their introductions, leaving you alone in your office to ponder on how to wake yourself up. This has to be a dream, but no matter how hard you pinch yourself, it’s not working.

With coincidences adding up, you decide to test your insane theory about Jaeseok being freaking Na Jaemin.

You (12:23pm): guess what

As you suspect, it takes him quite a while to respond.

Jaeseok (1:35pm): hmmm what You (1:38pm): i met nct dream. like for realllll. but also idk if i’m supposed to tell you that? but you’re my only friend so ig do with that what you will Jaeseok (1:39pm): are we close enough for you to tell me your bias now? i’ve been so curious

You grin. Let the games begin.

You (1:39pm): guess Jaeseok (1:40pm): Jisung You (1:40pm): love jisung, but he is so baby Jaeseok (1:41pm): alright then…no baby men. okay what about Mark? You (1:42pm): you’re distracting me from work with your incorrect answers dude Jaeseok (1:42pm): you always distract me from work. call it payback. andddd can you just tell me who it is??? i’ll just go down the list in age order smh You (1:43pm): ooooh you’re a dream stan too if you know age order. okay okay my bias is Chenle!! i want to be daegal’s mom Jaeseok (1:45pm): chenle?! why him????? why daegal’s mom??????? You (1:45pm): the man has the voice of an angel and a jawline for days. why wouldn’t i want to be daegal’s mom Jaeseok (1:46pm): that’s so foul that you only like him for his face You (1:47pm): and to think i was gonna tell you my second fave too… Jaeseok (1:48pm): tell me immediately You (1:49pm): i’ll just tell you the list in order Jaeseok (1:49pm): i’m waiting You (1:50pm): Chenle, Haechan, Renjun, Mark, Jeno, Jisung, Jaemin Jaeseok (1:51pm): ok now wait a minute because you said no babies but jisung is higher than jaemin??????? make it make sense

Even though he’s all but confirming your suspicion of who he is, you can’t help but laugh. What are the odds? Na Jaemin finds you crying on the street and comforts you? You thought you’d be a bit more upset about this, but in reality, you get it. He was nice enough to want to check in on you, regardless of his fame status and busy schedule.

Either way, you let him stew for a little bit. You actually do have some work to do planning for Dream’s upcoming comeback, so you put your phone away for a while. At the end of your first day, you gather up your things and send a text back.

You (5:46pm): Jaemin is the ultimate baby…that’s not a bad thing!! Jaeseok (5:47pm): but CHENLE is ALSO baby You (5:47pm): he’s a meanie and that’s how i like my men Jaeseok (5:48pm): the longer we talk the more i am convinced u need therapy… You (5:49pm): i’ll have you know i tried that and it didn’t work Jaeseok (5:50pm): jaemin is not more baby than chenle and jisung You (5:50pm): prove it

You grin to yourself as you walk out of your office. Waiting by the elevator, you press the button and scroll through Instagram on your phone. You find the picture Chenle posted from last night and linger on it for a few moments. Could you call him out? That’d be too much, wouldn’t it? He’d probably stop talking to you. At this point, you were happy to say he’s a friend, whether he’s really Jaeseok or if he’s Jaemin.

When the doors slide open, you walk in with a smile on your face until you’re confronted with Chenle, Jisung, and Jaemin. You blink in shock, obviously still not used to being in their presence. Bowing your head, you smile at them before turning toward the front. Nerves poke along your spine the longer you’re in there with them. They’re all incredibly nice, so the intimidation factor must be in your head.

You decide to test your theory a little further. You pull out your phone.

You (5:57pm): i see u cannot. i’m always right, u should know that if we’re friends

Mere seconds after you hit send, you hear something buzz behind you. You bite the inside of your cheek to stop yourself from smiling.

You (5:57pm): hope work isn’t killing u. that would suck to lose my only friend like that

It buzzes. Again.

“(Y/N),” Chenle says.

You clear your throat and glance over your shoulder at him. “Yes?”

“We’re about to go grab dinner. Our manager’s waiting outside if you want to come along with us?”

You look down at your watch, pursing your lips. It’s almost 6pm. You’re not sure if you’re supposed to hang out with them, but when he’s offering so nicely, how could you say no? You exchange looks with Jaemin and Jisung as well before nodding.

“Sure, why not?”

Everything you see about their friendships in videos is true. They have the same personalities on and off camera, which is pretty rare for people in the spotlight.

You didn’t decide the seating arrangement, but you ended up next to Chenle and across from Jisung. Chenle tells you a story about Daegal from the other day, Jisung listens to it even though he’s probably already heard it before, and Jaemin quietly eats his food.

“You know, you elbowed Jaemin in the face in the Broken Melodies performance video,” you tell Chenle.

“His face bumped into my elbow. He shouldn’t have been so close,” Chenle replies, sending a sly grin over at Jaemin. “He’s alright.”

“I can’t believe they left that in there.” Jaemin chuckles, running his fingers through his hair.

You pull out your phone, almost gasping when you see the time. “It’s almost nine.”

“Yeah, we don’t really get a ton of evenings to ourselves,” Jisung says. “I’m honestly surprised we got out as early as we did today.”

You feel bad for them, truly. They barely get a free moment, and here they are, bringing you along for it. By the time 9:30 comes around, the boys prepare to leave. As much as you vehemently say no, Jaemin pays for everyone’s food. You all climb into the van, and the manager drives everyone home. Jisung is the first to be dropped off, then Chenle, and then you.

You sit in the car alone with Na Jaemin, awkwardly avoiding conversation with him. He glances at you occasionally, but he’s too respectful to stare.

“You live by yourself?” he asks, shattering the silence between the two of you.

Thankfully, the darkness obscures your blush. “Yeah, I do.”

“And you usually walk?” Jaemin’s dark eyebrows furrow, his head slightly tilting to the side. “That doesn’t seem safe.”

“I’ve been doing it for years. Really, it’s fine.”

The car stops outside of your apartment building. You go to open the door, but Jaemin reaches out and grabs your wrist. Recoiling in shock, you look between his hand and his face.

“Sorry,” he says, letting you go. “But…I live down the street. You should let me at least walk you home when I can.”

“I appreciate the thought, but I really don’t need that. And the last thing you need is for someone to take it the wrong way.” You reach out for the door handle again. “Thank you for dinner. That was really kind of you.”

He pauses, letting out a small sigh. “Just…don’t worry about my end of things. You shouldn’t be walking home alone. Especially now that you work with us.”

“I’ll consider it. Goodnight, Jaemin.”

“Goodnight.”

As soon as you’re inside your apartment, your phone buzzes in your pocket. You pull it out, a smile forming on your face on its own accord when you see who the notification is from.

Jaeseok (9:58pm): luckily for you, your only friend is still alive. You (9:59pm): ah yes, so lucky Jaeseok (9:59pm): also i don’t need to prove jaemin isn’t a baby, you’ll see eventually. they all do You (10:00pm): who is they? Jaeseok (10:00pm): everyone Jaeseok (10:01pm): but that’s besides the point. i hope you’re enjoying your new job You (10:02pm): loving it. especially considering I spent the whole evening talking to Chenle about Daegal Jaeseok (10:03pm): just chenle? You (10:04pm): wouldn’t u like to know Jaeseok (10:04pm): don’t ditch me for chenle. i will be very upset You (10:05pm): idk…chenle hangs out with me at least…

He should really just tell you. At this point, you have an NDA signed, so it’s not like there’s much you could say to anyone anyway. After hearing the way he talked to you in the car, you’re certain Jaeseok and Jaemin are the same person. Without a doubt.

Now, you just have to come up with a way to get him to admit it. Or you could call him out on it, but that’s nowhere near as fun.

That night, you toss and turn, unable to fall asleep. It seems like you’re not the only one—your phone buzzes against your nightstand.

Jaeseok (12:03am): there’s something i need to tell you.

So much for sleeping tonight…

You (12:05am): it better be good, cuz i’m trying to sleep Jaeseok (12:05am): depends on your definition of good i guess. i think this would be easier in person. can i come see you? You (12:05am): when? Jaeseok (12:06am): right now

Nerves blossom in your stomach at the thought. You stare at the conversation a bit longer than you should before shooting out of bed and trying to make yourself look presentable. Your phone buzzes again.

Jaeseok (12:10am): i really need to see you

You can’t say no to that. Your palms sweat at the idea of him coming to your apartment. At the end of the day, you’re fairly certain Jaeseok is Jaemin. But even if he’s not, knowing you have someone who craves to see you in person is a new sensation for you. It doesn’t matter who he is. He’s your friend.

You text him your exact address.

Jaeseok (12:12am): be there in ten

[findafight]

I am so mad at myself. After writing in the tags "#not spn au just supernatural ok OKAY" on my supernatural au/human Steve au post. I am cursed with thinking of a cw supernatural au for human Steve au. Horrible. My fantasy mechanics work different than the show but fuck it if I'm not thinking about John Winchester sidling up to Hawkins, two boys in the back of the impala, a couple weeks after spring break of '86. Comes in cocksure and confident. It's a small town, someone had to have seen something, even if they had a witchhunt for some poor sap.

He meets the newly reinstated chief of police, (unclear why he was removed if everybody he's talked to loves the guy, calls him a hero and all that shit) and asks about the deaths. John's had a few years to work out the kinks in getting law enforcement to tell him about the weird shit that happens so he's not too worried about this Hopper guy.

He walks into the office and, well. Chief Hopper looks like shit. Sunken cheeks and sallow skin, the guy looks like he escaped prison more than anything. But. John can be polite. He introduces himself. Tries to ask some...subtle questions.

Cheif Hopper isn't taking the bait. Keeps twitching his nose, brows drawing lower and lower. At some point, he leans towards John, and there's a brief, instinctual, second of fear that runs down his spine, before the chief shrugs. Says "I've gotta make a call. I think I know who you're looking for."

John isn't asked to leave the office so he doesn't, just listens as the phone rings.

Someone answers and the cheif says "it's Hop. We've got a...visitor at the station. Figured you'd like to talk to him."

Some talking on the other end. And Cheif Hopper, who has, the entire time John has been in Hawkins, looked no more than fifteen seconds away from growling, huffs a laugh.

"seriously Harrington, I'd say you're the one with the expertise this fella's looking for"

A pause, muffled noise.

"good. Drive safe out there, kid. Oh! And might want to bring that book of yours, hm? See you soon."

The two sit in silence. John feels like he should recognize the name Harrington, he's definitely heard it before, but can't place it for the life of him. The door of the office swings open, revealing a... Teenager.

The kid wears a pastel polo, hair coiffed, highwaisted jeans, and is carrying the largest book John Winchester has ever seen.

He plops it on the desk, Cheif Hopper shuffling papers aside.

"so," he says, pushing his hair back and placing hands on his hips, "why'd you need me to bring this fucking thing here for? Besides the shady looking guy, obviously."

Well. So much for convincing the kid he's from the feds, probably. Couldn't hurt

John shrugs. "I was just asking the Cheif here if he knew anything about those deaths. I'm with the FBI, and we want to get to the bottom of it, especially if that Munson is falsely accused."

Harrington's jam hangs open. Snaps shut. He turns to the Cheif, corner of his lips tugging up. "The. The government. Wants to know about the deaths."

The Cheif nods. "That's right, son. The FBI, here in our own little Hawkins."

The kid. The kid fucking giggles. "I see why you called."

"obviously. Guy's as subtle as a train."

And. What? How'd they figure him out so quickly? Who was this Harrington kid? What was that book he brought?

"listen, buddy, I get that you think your trying to help. I do." John is being condescended to by a fucking teenager. "But we've got it all sorted. Hawkins is fine." The kid pulls out a chair from the corner and sits on it backwards, leaning forwards against the backrest. "I am curious as to what you thought the killings were, though. Vampire? Demon? I don't think anything else would really fit the descriptions in the papers..."

And. Fuck. Did this kid know he was a Hunter? "How'd you know?"

The kid smirks. "I'm Steve Harrington." He sticks his hand out, for john to shake.

It seems rude not to, considering this kid and-and the goddamn Cheif of police in this Podunk Indiana town both clocked him as soon as he crossed town lines, probably. "John Winchester. Hunter."

Steve laughs. It's cold. "Yeah. I figured. I dunno if you're new to the game, mister Winchester, but I'm surprised you didn't recognize my last name. My parents seem to be pretty famous in you circles."

Shit. Bobby has mentioned notable hunters, and the Harringtons were definitely on the list. A hereditary family of hunters going back four generations, impressive for their career choice even without their rap sheet. And John's just met their fucking kid.

"don't worry about offending them, though. I guess I'm just here to tell you to get the fuck out of Hawkins." He says it with a board expression, as though this interaction is barely

"what?"

Steve blinks at him lazily. "Hawkins is my town. I know most hunters aren't exactly...territorial, but I am. The town is under my protection, and any and all other-natural occurences are my purview."

It's then that John realizes what the Cheif was doing earlier. The odd face he made. He'd been sniffing him. A goddamn werewolf. He stiffens. This was a trap.

"it's not a trap, mr. Winchester. You're free to go. But spread the word. Hunters aren't allowed in Hawkins. Roane county, actually. If I hear about a Hunter coming into my town for anything other than a fuel top-up, they'll regret it."

John is. He's furious at this fucking child who dare to-hes just letting the beasts run amok in town and preventing anyone from doing anything about.

Harrington stands, arms crossed.

"I'd better not hear whispers about Hawkins, either. It's my town. I'll handle it." He grins. Opens the door of the office. "And, you might want to double-check that the government hasn't already been through a town with a shitty cover story already, Mr. Winchester. Might break your cover." He waves with his fingers as John spins on his heel and avoid looking at the glares he's getting for half the folks in the station.

-----

Dean checks the address on a source he was directed to by the witnesses, a one Steve Harrington. He's on a solo Hunt now, since Sammy went off to college his dad had been...tighter. he knows he's not supposed to be in Hawkins, but he's not entirely sure why. No is really sure why, honestly, but it's well known in the Hunter grapevine that Hawkins and greater Roane county is taken care of.

Except, apparently, it isn't. Hence dean being here.

He knocks on the door, which swings open immediately to a thirty-something man who was already talking before the door was fully open, obviously not expecting a stranger.

"didn't know you actually knew how to kno- Winchester." And. Well. Fuck, right? How'd this random guy know dean? The man scowls. "I spoke to your father once. Told him to stay out of my town." He crosses his arms and raises a brow. "So. Want to explain why you're here? I've already handled the whole 'accidentally bewitching people situation, if that's what your wondering."

Dean...isn't actually sure what's happening."uh."

Steve Harrington scowls again. "Fine. Come in for coffee or tea or something. Relax for a goddamn second."

So, Dean sits and let's a cup of coffee be pushed into his hands. He doesn't drink it. Steve rolls his eyes.

"I didn't poison it, promise."

Which now makes Dean think maybe it was poisoned.

"hunters, all the fuckin same" Steve mumbles. Reaches over and plucks the coffee from Dean's hands and takes a swig before sliding it back between his palms. "There. Proof. You'll be fine."

Dean drinks, watches.

Steve watches back.

He sighs. "I'm sorry, about how you grew up."

"huh?"

Steve shakes his head. "Being the child of hunters. It's difficult. Lonely. I'm sorry you went through that."

Dean shrugs. "It's not so bad. Free as a bird."

Steve hums. Sips his own coffee. "Birds have flocks, or gaggles, or whatever other funny words we use to describe groups. Hunters..." He shrugs. "Not so much. Most fly solo or in pairs. Didn't you have a younger brother?"

"how did you-"

"I may not be nomadic, but I still have ears on the ground."

"huh. He went to college."

"ah. Getting out of the life. Good for him."

And suddenly Dean needs to get out. Can't stand this stranger who thinks he knows him, the way his eyes turn down, as though he's sad for Dean of all people. No. No. He needs to leave.

Harrington follows him to the door, leans on the frame as Dean stomps to the Impala. He turns around.

"i don't know what the fuck you think you're doing here, with those monsters on the loose. My dad told me about the wolves you're protecting that're infesting this place. They aren't pets you know. You need a fucking exterminator."

Steve shakes his head. "remember Dean. No hunters in Hawkins. Safe driving."

-----

Dean cannot believe they are going back to Hawkins of all godforsaken places.

Castiel sits beside him in the passenger seat, sam surrounded by papers in the backseat and it should be pleasant, easy and comfortable. But. But they're heading to Hawkins.

As soon as the cross city limits, Castiel cocks his head, interested.

"what is it?"

"I don't...know. something is different about this town."

From the back, Sam huffs. "Yeah, it's got a rogue hunter protecting all the monsters and ghouls."

Castiel hums. "I am not so sure he protects the same creatures you hunt..."

Dean sighs. Fucking great.

Eventually, they pull up to the same house he visited all the way back in '02, and Dean is...sort of nervous. He'd been told not to come back, but really...they needed help. Information. And Steve goddamn Harrington was the best bet they had of getting it.

He rings the doorbell. When it's answered, the door swings open to a man, middle-aged with long greying hair and-shit that's Eddie Munson of Corroded Coffin. That's Eddie Munson of Corroded Coffin answering Steve Harrington's door and calling,

"Steve, sugar, you've got some... specialty guests!" He turns back to them, smiling, and Dean is trying very hard to not make a fool of himself. Tries not to tell Eddie Munson ofcorrodedcoffin that his first album changed Dean's life. He's going to stick with biting his tongue and nodding. Following Sam and Cas I to the living room, sitting down on the couch. He's fine. He's got a job to do. He's a professional.

Sexy middle-aged men have no power over him. He leans into Cas' space slightly.

Harrington walks in, pecks eddiemunsonofcorrodedcoffin on the cheek, oh god, and sits down.

Dean immediately stands up.

"could I, uh, use your washroom?"

Steve blinks up at him, but nods, gestures to a hallway. Dean strides down and through an open door with the light on. He pulls the shower curtain away, an instinct to always check his surroundings, and immediately jumps back as a seal barks at him. He slams the door shut on his way out.

"there's, um. There's a seal in your bathtub. Sorry guys."

Neither Harrington nor Eddie Munson have normal reactions to this piece of news.

Eddie Munson flings his head back and laughs, hair wild around his head.

Steve Harrington sighs and punches the bridge of his nose.

"sorry about her. I said we'd go to lover's lake for a swim later but living in Chicago with lake Superior right there is really spoiling her."

"what"

"one second. Robin!" He yells down the hall. "We have guests! Be decent!"

A few moments of Eddie Munson giggling and Dean decidedly not staring at a metal legend and Steve muttering about seals and soulmates and being impatient pass, and a woman, around the same age as Munson and Harrington most likely, walks down the hall toweling off her hair. She tossed a coat at Harrington.

"oh" this is from Cas. "You are soulmates."

The woman laughs. "Yeah. Figured that one out over twenty years ago." She settle into Harrington's side. "What can we help you with?"

Sam, who is curious but can usually figure out how to ask the questions he wants with out, say, blurting what the fuck do you mean SOULMATES or why is Eddie Munson (of Corroded Coffin) here? And can I get his autograph? It's probably the law school training.

Eddie Munson leans down, covers his mouth with a ringed hand, and whispers into Harrington's ear. Harrington turns to Peck Eddie Munson on the lips and whisper something back, rejoining listening to Sam and Cas as thought they hadn't done whatever that was. Dean grips Cas coat.

All in all, it was actually a successful trip to Hawkins, though Steve give him the same warning when they leave, with very little explanation for it.

Hunters better stay the fuck out of his town.

[stickers-on-a-laptop]

@faketokufan

"What are you doing, my companions?" Tarou asked, finding that Haruka was hunched over a tablet while Saruhara looked vaguely disapproving.

"I want to download this emulator so I can play it and make it more accurate for my manga, but I can't figure out how to do it! This game is as old as me, can you believe it?"

"Which game?" Tarou came over to look at the screen, finding it was Pokemon Fire Red.

"I asked Kijino if he had an old Gameboy hanging around, and he said he didn't have one! I thought he was target audience age for that, though? Ugh, he's so not helpful."

"And now, a haiku:

Seasons pass slowly Animals live their short lives And time will move on."

Tarou and Haruka ignored him.

"You know how to do this stuff, right, Tarou? All this fancy tech stuff?"

"Does your aunt have a Gameboy?" Tarou asked, accepting the tablet without answering the question. He wasn't sure if he knew the "fancy tech stuff" but then again, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out.

"I've been banned from touching a lot of her stuff," Haruka sighed, tossing her hair. "Even though I'm so cute and perfect."

Tarou looked up at her for that one, before looking back at the tablet.

"Hey, actually, what's everyone's favorite Pokemon, I should draw that too! Saruhara-san?"

"I don't know what you are speaking of."

Haruka took out her phone and searched something up. "Here's the Pokedex, pick one!"

Saruhara took the phone, scrolling through whatever Haruka had found. He'd tilt his head every so often, making faces at the screen like he wasn't sure he liked what he was looking at.

"Woah, you have a phone now?" Tsubasa asked as he slid in next to Saruhara, grabbing a menu and hiding his face in it.

"No, this is Haruka's."

"Ah."

"Tsubasa-san, what's your favorite Pokemon?"

"Mr. Mime."

"Ew."

"Shit, bye," Tsubasa said as an officer came into Donbura, making him open a Door and leave.

"Did you figure it out?" Haruka asked as Saruhara handed the phone back and went back to drinking the tea that had been ignored in front of him.

"What is Tarou figuring out?" Sonoi took the place Tsubasa had been in.

"Haruka wants to download an emulator for Pokemon Fire Red," Tarou explained.

Sonoi frowned. "Isn't that illegal?"

"Nope!" Haruka sang out.

"You should just get the original version," Sonoi said, taking the tablet away from Tarou.

"But he can figure it out, I know he can! Besides, if I could get the original version, I would have!"

"Can't you just use your Points for that?" Sonoi pointed out.

"That's a waste of Points, come on," Haruka said with a roll of her eyes. "Still can't believe Kijino didn't have one, otherwise I would have used his!"

"Why do you need to play this, again?" Saruhara interrupted.

"Because last time Sonoza said it was clear I had never touched the game, and ate all my paper."

Tarou took the tablet back, trying to figure out the site Haruka was using.

Sonoi yanked it out of his hands, turning the tablet off with a huff.

"If you must play this, find a different way to play it that doesn't involve…this," Sonoi commanded.

As Haruka protested, Master watched the whole thing with bored eyes, a Gameboy right next to the register.

[wanderinginksplot]

Clone Trooper Rambles

As the header says, Rambles are a clone trooper-augmented journal-style writing exercise. The events are true, the clone troopers are only visible to me.

Warnings: bad mood, me not being a very good roommate or friend.

---

Bad Mood

“Okay, consider this your first and only warning,” I announced, drawing the attention of my roommates and all the troopers hanging out in my apartment that day. “I’m in a terrible mood and it’s not getting better. I’m going to keep to myself, but there’s a strong chance I’m going to end up yelling at someone today. I'm sorry and I’ll apologize again afterward, but I wanted to get this conversation out of the way.”

With that said, I turned around and went back into my room. Being in a bad mood already sucked, but I especially hated it when I couldn’t figure out why I was upset. 

Feelings don’t have to make sense, I told myself. It didn’t help. 

I had always been very aware of my own feelings and actions. There was a reason for most moods I experienced, especially as someone who was logical to a fault. But this mood had come out of nowhere and didn’t have an obvious cause. I hated those - they almost always boiled down to something existential that took a lot of effort to fix. 

After a few minutes trying to find something I wanted to do, I resigned myself to it. I was well and truly irritated. I could either stay in my room and sulk or I could pick one thing and force myself to do it. 

At last, I decided to go on a walk. If nothing else, it would get me out of the apartment and away from my roommates. They hadn’t done anything wrong, and I wanted to avoid being awful to them if I could help it.

“Going for a walk,” I explained shortly as I pulled on my shoes, grabbed my keys and left before anyone could say anything. 

When I had covered a pretty solid distance, I finally paid attention to who was around me. Rex, Boss, Alpha, and Wolffe were trailing a bit behind, but definitely walking with me. 

“I was serious,” I warned them. “I’m in a shitty mood.”

“We noticed,” Wolffe replied dryly. 

“Then why are you here?” 

“Because no one else wanted to be.” Alpha’s blunt answer, delivered in a completely flat tone, was still harsh nonetheless.

Boss cleared his throat softly. “The four of us have seen worse. If you yell, you yell. We know we can handle whatever you end up saying or doing.”

That somehow managed to make me feel worse. I started to jog, trying to clear my mind of everything but the rhythm of my muscles working as I propelled myself along.

But, of course, that was the description of running I had read in a book. In reality, jogging sucked and I was immediately out of breath. Still, I pushed through it because the burning in my lungs almost felt good in my current state of mind. 

The troopers easily kept pace with me as I ran. When I finally slowed into a walk, they slowed as well, none of them breathing nearly as hard as I was by that point. 

“I thought you said jogging was the most socially acceptable form of self-hatred?” Rex checked. 

I chuckled - partially at my own wit, but mostly at the judgmental looks of Boss and Alpha. Wolffe, who had heard me say that before, just ignored all of us. 

“I still stand by that,” I told him. “But I just needed to.”

“And now?” Boss asked. 

“Well, I’m not ready to go back home,” I mused. “I’m going to walk a little longer, try to figure out what’s wrong.”

They didn't argue, so I kept walking. I didn't bother making conversation and I left my phone in my pocket. I didn’t want any distractions. In the nebulousness of walking and not thinking, a profound dread fell over me. I had taken an extra day off, but my long weekend was ending and I had to go back to work tomorrow. 

“I need a new job,” I realized, my surprise prompting me to say it aloud. 

“What?” Rex asked when I didn’t follow the statement with anything else.

“I think that’s why I’m irritated,” I explained. “I dread going back to work. I’m bored with it and don’t want to go. That’s not the way I want to live my life.”

“I thought you loved that job,” Boss countered. 

“No, I do,” I agreed. “I don’t want to leave it, but I thrive on a challenge. It was fine when I was working and going to school at the same time, but now that I’ve graduated, I need something more. I love what I do, but it’s just… it’s not enough anymore.”

“Maybe you’re angry because you’re angry,” Alpha suggested. “Doesn’t have to be anything more than that.”

I started shaking my head even before he had finished making his point. As soon as I said it out loud, I knew this was the cause of my bad mood. If this was something my subconscious was telling me I should do, I needed to get it done.

Before I could tell them some variation of that, Wolffe spoke up. “No, she’s been this way for a while. She said something about it months ago.” He gave a sidelong glance at me. “If that’s what you need to do, what are you waiting for?”

“Just to get back home,” I answered, feeling suddenly determined.

---

Previous | Next | Masterlist

Author's Note - This marks Alpha's debut in these Rambles! Figures he'd appear when I'm feeling the most grumpy.

Thanks for reading! You can find other works on my masterlist or sign up for my taglist here. (Remember, you can ask to be removed from the taglist at any time, just message me!)

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[mav-the-artist]

Hey guys.

Slight vent i guess. It's nothing drastically serious, but putting up a warning anyways. It's me complaining abt work and my ability to interact online.

under a cut, as it's a bit lengthy.

As the year comes to a close, I think about my milestones. Yeah, I've made a few friends since making a twitter finally. i've made a lot of improvement on my art. i've also figured out my gender. my life in general has been really good, since leaving a bad situation a year and a half ago. for the most part i'm happy where i'm at now.

except one thing.

work.

it's getting to me, working 40+ hours a week and hardly having any time at home to myself, let alone interact with my mutuals and friends. i feel bad. there's a lot of people i want to interact with and get to know more, but i have to sacrifice so much of my time off work to take care of irl stuff, family, etc.

and i have so many ideas for art, SO MANY. ideas of ocs i wanna draw from my mutuals/followers/people i follow, my fursona that i've been wanting to design FOR MONTHS, and so much more. my notes app on my phone deadass is FULL of ideas i get. but by the time i get home, all my motivation almost always is drained. i feel like a hollow void. and when i do draw, i never have enough time or energy to put more effort, more details or fully render. i've noticed my art has looked half-assed lately due to this.

after work, if my friends are in a group call, i end up just hanging out in the call not doing a goddamn thing otherwise. i enjoy hanging out with friends greatly, don't get me wrong, it's just i don't have motivation most of the time to draw while chatting in vc. hell, i don't even play video games half the time cuz i'm too tired to even do that. and there's so many games i bought this year that i only played once/never played yet because i'm too busy working/drained after work.

to my friends, mutuals, and followers who want to interact with me: i'm sorry i cant talk more or talk to you at all. i want SO BADLY to interact in fandom spaces more and make more friends, but work and fatigue is beating my ass relentlessly. however, even if we've talked a few times/rarely talk, i don't get friendship decay. we're still friends even if we don't talk in a while! and know i appreciate all my mutuals/followers greatly and will do my best to interact more.

i may be able to talk to my boss about going down to part time, as my mom and i did some number crunching and we could make it work. this would fix my problems massively, as i could finally achieve a work/life balance that i can actually function in.

in the end, i want this year coming up to be better than this one. yes, i've done a lot this year. but the next big thing is trying to talk to more than just like. 3 people online. and make more art, and improving my mental health.

don't expect this to be a reoccurring thing with me venting, as most of the time i'm a happy person. but i had to get this out. you can see why, lol

[welcome-to-roomba-fazbender]

Can we meet your Friends? Or your family? (If you have them)

"Oh! Why sure I can talk about my friends and family ain't used to important questions like this."

((this will be a long post)) click the read more

"On the family side no actual people."

"But I do consider Toof the *walrus* to be my child! Granted I guess you can say all the walrus my family. I love thoes bastards, I used to consider Richard my daughter but... well after she passed away and came back to life, she's both literarily and figuratively DEAD to me."

"As for my friends? well I got at least 6 of them, I could call close friends! and I have many more but these are the ones I'd say I'm closest with and have the most history."

"Let's see there's Moth Man, though we only get to hang out a few times per year. Like mentioned in the past I paid for his top surgery so I do care for that funky moth quite a bit."

"There's Doom Slayer which is quite the fella! Usually when we hang out together I join him during one of his hunts killing demons, we play poker at least once per year. And there's also fun fishing trips where he puts a hook into my back and uses me like bait. We don't talk much but let me tell you great guy, always calls me a freak and abomination he's got a fun way of showing love like constantly trying to rip and tear me in half!"

"And of course I have plenty of fellow phone headed friends but let's start with one that's related thanks to my business!"

"Gemni The Phone Guy, ((owned by @gemnis-trash-fazbenders / @sorrowful--owl ))"

"Gemni has been pretty busy for quite awhile, so haven't had much time to actually spend with him, he opened his own Fazbender restaurant in 2020 and is housed in Australia.

He's the one who supplies me with kangaroo tails, he's an absolute goober always making necklaces out of bones which he calls *clicky clacks* due to the sound they make.

He's a sweet guy though has his own dark past, pretty sure he was one of the workers working in Abel's location... Before uh the incident yeah his mind is all scrambled poor fella I feel bad for him, he's not really able to feel much in terms of emotion but he seems genuinely happy and I hope to spend more time with him in the future!"

"Speaking of Gemni that brings me to my next friend who you all should know very well the one and only..."

"Robert The Cannibalistic Phone Guy, ((owned by @not-robert / @clownsuu ))"

"I met him back in December of 2019 it's around the time Gemni first started getting his restaurant getting set up and started sending me shipments of kangaroo tails, it was nearing Christmas so I wanted a big shipment and when it arrived the only thing in the box was a big buff cannibalistic zombie man who was drunk."

"Let me tell you he was confused as hell also very angry when he woke up, strangled me till my head popped off! Yeah Robert's a real fella just seeing me for the first time confused the hell out of him, though I don't know everything about his origins he's been around a VERY long time."

"Of course after he found out he couldn't kill me that just made him even more pissed and we had a little bit of a fight, eventually managed to calm him down and explained who I was. And ever since that day we've been buds!"

"I feed him all the meat products he could ever need and he dosen't kill my customers and also I can make him do whatever I want, like dressing up in costumes or promoting the restaurant hell it's because of him I have a karaoke bar!"

He also gave me the idea for the bowling alley, he might be an asshole but he's fun to have around. Plus if he wanted to leave he always could but he sticks around because I know he likes me to. That or I'm so cursed it just keeps drawing his attention and he can't help but see what I do next."

"Ah, and of course we have... ugh he's gonna freak out once he sees this post... the little nightmare child known only as..."

"Chuck The Fanboy ((owned by @chuck-the-fanboy / @lazy-charlie ))

"Look, I don't wanna feed into his little obsession but I guess, I will admit ... I care for the little guy. He's just a kid after all even if he's no longer alive, I might treat him like shit sometimes but thats because the kids obsessed with me no idea why honestly."

"I met him for the first time in I think 2017 and he was still alive back then, poor kid walked into my restaurant wearing ripped and torn clothes he looked like he was basically starving. I can't really remember what he looked like but I think he did have orange hair? his skin was also very pale."

"He wanted so badly to buy some food for himself, but he only had a pocket full of pennies... I don't know why but I felt bad for him so I gave him a large soda, a small pepperoni pizza and some french fries to eat... Kid looked at me like I saved his life, like I said I can't fully remember his face but let me tell you he looked so excited."

"I stayed and watched him eat and then he left... I didn't see him again untill 2020 when he walked back in one day with Robert, when he walked back into my restaurant that day... His skin was a green color, and he had one of thoes new chatter phones for a head."

"The kid had drowned in a pond that's all he remembers, he has no idea how he got his new head. All he does remember is waking up and suddenly having a duck trying to warm him up, he calls the duck queen and he treats it like his mother."

"Ever since that day when he came back, he's basically refused to leave and he's became obsessed with me, to the point he calls himself my biggest fan, kinda why he's known as **chuck the fanboy.** He's an annoying little brat and despite all the times I kick him, yell at him and such he dosen't lose any of his feelings towards me."

"He's too innocent for this cruel world, let me tell you but on the good side of things at least he can't die again, though there is something about that Queen duck that's strange it dosen't seem like a normal duck sometimes I wonder why? But yes I consider him... A friend EVEN IF IT PAINS ME TO SAY IT BECAUSE I KNOW IT WILL DRIVE HIM UP THE WALL."

"And my last friend worth mentioning has gotta be the one that matches me the most, someone who's chaotic but could never be my level of cursed."

"Bedlam The Chaos God ((owned by @weirdozjunkary ))

"My timeline and universe itself only really has one god and yes sadly it's the Christian one we also have a Satan."

"Bedlam himself is from another universe enterally full of gods for just about everything that exists, there's even an actual PARTY god there, They are a hoot let me tell you."

"But yeah how did I meet Bedlam then? well I met him back in February this year infact! He was feeling pretty bored that day and decided to check out a new universe and discovered mine by accident, once here he had heard about my existence by ease dropping on some people."

"My guess is he thought I was a chaos god like himself, and was keen on meeting me because of it. Should have seen his face when he first walked into my restaurant and layed his eyes upon me, guy was shocked to say the least!"

"He's a pretty intresting fella, he often changes voices seemingly unable to decide what voice fits him properly, I'm sure he'll find his perfect voice one day. He's basically like a living cartoon I swear when we properly got to know eachother we basically reenacted a tom and jerry episode."

"Don't even get me started on the time we robbed a bank he turned the whole place upside down, and smashed the large vault open with a massive cream pie! We didn't even keep the money we just gave it back like an hour later and we had lunch together after."

"Guy, defiantly is weirded out by me, which is surprising since well he's the god of chaos but fair enough I'm alot more cursed then I am chaotic, but we get along fairly well! Though we don't hang out all the time, I'm a little to overstimulating for him, to hang out for long periods of time."

"Let me tell you though? Despite how little time we've known eachother, he's defiantly one of the most fun people I know, he's also great taste in fashion both litearly and figuratively, don't tell him this but last time we hung out I was chewing on one of his horns while he was talking about another god in his world named Llios."

"I will admit, I have a bit of a teething issue sometimes and I like to bite things though he didn't seem to notice."

"I wonder what he's up to? I gotta see if he'd be interested in joining one of my poker games! Next one is coming up real soon, Count Dracula, Sugar Crisp Bear, Santa Claus, Moth Man are gonna be there. And we're short one member since Slender Man's busy and I can't get in contact with Eyeless Jack I think he blocked my number."

"But yes thank you for the question! Hope this answer satiates your curiosity, feel free to ask more questions about my friends, I'm sure I got more fun stories I can tell about them. I just didn't wanna drag this on for too long."

[goldenfreddys]

september ‘04, cont.— ninety years without slumbering

While Jeremy had been too shaken in the morning to fully form a first impression of the daytime security guard, Mike Schmidt, he now had his bearings enough to know that they probably wouldn’t get along. He absently picked at the edge of the fresh nicotine patch on his wrist with his thumb.

“We’re here, babe.” Nadia reminded him.

“... Do you think it’s too early?”

“Dunno. I think that guy might be waiting to let you in… Or rob you? Not sure.”

She gestured to a figure by the entrance of the pizzeria. It was Mike, he assumed. He tried not to seem too nervous as he squeezed Nadia’s hand goodbye and got out of the passenger seat.

There was a weird smell as Jeremy approached the other guard, kind of like someone sprayed a “tropical” scented air freshener on a dead animal.

“You’re late.”

Jeremy checked his watch, “I’m fifteen minutes early.”

“Try to make it twenty.”

The way Mike postured himself felt familiar in a way he couldn’t place. He vaguely reminded him of a pre-teen boy trying to act tough on the playground. Maybe even one specific pre-teen boy, though he couldn't be bothered to fully recall it.

The main room was half-lit when they entered, which was thankfully enough light to navigate by. It was strange to think that he used to hang out here, albeit over a decade and a few thousand dollars of renovations ago. He wondered if any of his old drawings made the cut— “Bonnie on a Desert Island Submitting to Cannibalistic Desire” by S.J. Fitzgerald, crayon on lined paper. Probably not, considering all the drawings plastering the hallway seemed relatively new and that particular piece was confiscated by a psychiatrist shortly after. Bummer.

“Listen, I’m not trying to be hard on you, but there's things you need to understand. The night shift isn't for the faint of heart, and it pays like shit.” Mike muttered as they entered the office, “If you make it through this week, I might be able to switch you over to days, but I'm not making any promises yet.”

“Wasn't my first choice, either. I wanted to be a sales associate at Hot Topic.”

He sighed. At least at the mall, he could tell himself he was carving his own path in life. He was sure Freddy’s was a pure nepotism hire.

The phone began ringing not long after they settled into the office. It was a beige landline with a regular numerical keypad, which meant it was a bit dated, but not ancient. Jeremy remembered the hiring manager had called him the other night to give some brief information on the job.

“Uh, hello? He-”

He flinched as the call suddenly dropped. Mike had reached over and pressed down on the switch.

“You don’t need him,” Mike stated with disdain.

Jeremy nodded. He wasn’t sure he needed Mike, either, unless there were several other pages of the job responsibilities booklet he hadn’t been given.

“Alright, let me think… First off, the Freddy head. You’re gonna need to put that on if any of the bots get in the office, n’ leave it on ‘til they leave. Doesn’t work on Foxy, and I assume it won’t work on the Puppet, either. You can get Foxy to fuck off by flashing your light at him a bit. The Puppet doesn’t leave the prize corner until it’s quiet, so you can keep the music box wound up. There’s a button on the monitor for you to do it remotely.” Mike demonstrated by flipping to the prize counter camera and holding down the spacebar on the clunky mechanical keyboard to wind up the box, “The hallway’s gonna be a main point of entrance for a lot of the animatronics, but keep an eye on the vents too. I got Chucky to put some cams down there, n’ you can light ‘em up with the keypad to check. Got all that?”

Jeremy paused, “... Not really. First off, why are the robots coming to the office? And why would that be a problem?”

Mike seemed so flabbergasted that he immediately started to second guess whether or not those were, indeed, valid questions to be asking. He began to review what a security guard was in his head before Mike spoke again.

“Because they want to kill you.”

He sounded stern and urgent in a way that tended to easily bypass Jeremy’s critical thinking skills. He mulled over the possibility for a moment.

“... Like, actually? Or are you messing with me?”

With a huff, Mike handed him the empty bear head and gestured for him to put it on. It smelled like an unwashed gym jersey. Jeremy held it in his hands, then looked up at Mike with his most powerful pathetic expression. It was a pure, unadulterated, ‘you wouldn’t do this to me on my birthday, would you?’ kind of look that sometimes disarmed people enough to admit they were just teasing him.

“Hey, hey- we do not have time for that, buddy. Just put it on, ‘kay? I'll explain later, I promise.”

Whatever comfort Jeremy could've derived from knowing his psychic attack had succeeded was immediately cancelled out by the conclusion that Mike was, in fact, sincere. With that, he relented and put on the bear head.

Mike reached down to one of the desk drawers and pulled out a similar hollowed-out animatronic head, though he couldn't quite make out what it was meant to be. He could see the other guard flicking between a couple different camera views on the monitor, checking the vents, then shining the flashlight down the hall. Suddenly, Mike went still and held his finger up, as if to shush him, before pulling on the orange costume head.

Heavy footsteps entered through the hallway, loud and laborious. The footsteps lurched to a stop in front of the desk, accompanied by the unmistakable creak of rusted metal. Jeremy slowly turned his head towards the source of the noise.

It took him a moment within the visual limitations of the rank-smelling bear head to piece together what he was looking at; two vibrant red pinpricks from a backdrop of darkness, fraying wires reaching down towards a jutting row of blunt teeth. The lights flickered overhead. Clearly, the desert island he had condemned Bonnie to many years ago had done a number on the poor thing, he thought.

Bonnie subtly hunched to glare a bit more pointedly toward Jeremy, and before he could think to stop himself, he whispered an apology. The damaged animatronic went still. After a long pause, Bonnie drew back and shambled out of the office again.

Once the rabbit was gone, Mike took off his mask and quickly paged between the cameras on the monitor again, this time stopping to rewind the music box at the prize corner.

“... You can take it off, now. But stay alert.”

Jeremy took a deep breath of fresh air once the Freddy head was off. The strong adrenaline rush still coursed through him as he tried to get his bearings.

Finally, the orange Foxy head Mike had been wearing was in proper view. Things were starting to click together in his head.

“... Michael? I thought your last name started with an A. Michael Ahh-something.”

“Do I know you?”

“Not really. I-I mean…” He paused, realizing he’d messed up, “No? No. Not at all, is what I meant.”

“Sure, that's not ominous.”

Just like that, the subject was dropped– for now. For good, if he was lucky.

Though the circumstances were nerve-wracking, Mike settled into a kind of rhythm as the night went on, as though the whole song and dance was second nature. Left vent, right vent, hall. Prize corner, party room, parts & service, and so on. Mask on. Wait. And off. He interjected, sparingly, when he noticed Jeremy’s attention was wavering by describing various aspects of the security system and building layout.

“Don’t vents usually have grates?” Jeremy asked.

“Yeah.”

“... Why are they so big and close to the floor?”

Mike repeated, “Yeah.”

There were a few more visitations throughout the night. Notably, the half-destroyed Toy Foxy, which Mike referred to as “Mangle”. It crackled with distorted static from within the vent for a minute or so, before skittering down to Kid’s Cove again. There was also a robot modelled after a small boy brandishing balloons, which Jeremy hadn’t realized was even capable of moving until he noticed him missing from the Game Area. At that point in the night, it felt like some sort of unnecessary slight to have given the gift of autonomy to what could’ve easily been a gumball machine instead.

The six o’clock chime almost caught Jeremy off guard when it finally rang. Not because it hadn't felt like he’d just spent a six-hour shift ambiently fearing for his life without so much as a bathroom break, but because it actually ended instead of persisting like an eternal nightmare.

He slumped forward on the desk and groaned loudly as soon as he got confirmation that it was now safe to do so.

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. As far as I’m concerned, you handled that all like a champ.” Mike gave his shoulder a light squeeze, which he considered a thousand leagues too fond for the amount of time they'd known each other. Nonetheless, he could let it slide for the moment.

[castiel-barnes]

Hips.

Pairing: Santiago 'Pope' Garcia X Reader.

Summary: You and Santiago bond of something unlikely, but not uncommon.

Wordcount: 635

Warnings: mentions of scars. Softness. Swearing. Stretch marks.

Tags: @phoenixhalliwell

The days were hot. Shorts and light t-shirts were required in the Garcia and Y/L/N household. Both of you were lounging about at home, with nothing much to do. There were no missions to do. Nothing for either of you to worry about for now.

A messaged pinged on Santi's phone. A message from Frankie.

"Hey pope, wanna come over for BBQ and a swim? We got the pool cleaned."

"Sure man. We'll be over in a while."

Santi smiled over at you off in a day dream. He didn't know how he was so fucking lucky to have you, but here you were and here he is. You had both been through a lot together, you ex army as was Santi and now both doing the occasional contract work.

"Frankie invited us for a BBQ and a swim if we want. You wanna go?" Santi asked shuffling next to you,

"Sure. It'd be nice to just relax with the boys for once." You smiled at him softly looking over his face which has grown some stubble. Kissing his cheek, you then stood up to go get ready for the journey to Frankie's.

You stood in front of the body length mirror that was hanging on your wardrobe. Trying to decide what to wear, especially at the moment as something was bothering you too much. Looking at yourself, you thought about why your body was like the way it is. Santi had noticed that you had gone quiet for too long.

Usually when getting ready, you were singing unless it's a mission.

"Cariño?! Are you alright? You've been quiet today, please let me know if I can help. Por favor." Santi spoke quietly resting his chin on your shoulder,

"I... I don't know how to say what I'm thinking." You spoke feeling his arms wrap around you.

"how about how you're feeling amor?" Santi asked still trying to figure out what is going on,

"My hips." You let out in a small whisper.

You felt his hands slide around your waist to where your hips were. The pads of his thumbs ran over the scars that were on your hips. Years of carrying military equipment scarred your hips, the harsh material rubbing against your side making them sensitive.

There were also quite a few dark pink stretch marks, ones you absolutely hated.

"I don't like how they look. I don't like the scars." You continued, tears starting to fill your eyes.

"Oh cariño. Please don't cry." Santi spoke turning you around to look at him softly. His eyes were full of understanding and softness.

"You are beautiful Y/N. Your scars are beautiful, your stretch marks are beautiful. They are a part of you and I love them okay?" Santi spoke getting you to look at him,

"How do I deserve you?" You asked.

"Question is. How do I deserve you?" Santi responded,

"It's okay Y/N. You're not the only one to have scars on your hips. Look." Santi continued pulling his shorts down slightly to show he had scars on his hips. You sighed and looked at him through your lashes.

"Do you want to wear a pair of my swim shorts if we go swimming?" Santi asked,

You nodded and watched him disappear for a second and come back with a variety of swim shorts.

"Pick any you want." Santi spoke smiling at you,

Picking out the red pair of shorts Santi was holding, he knelt down and helped you into them. Not that you could do it yourself. He just wanted to give some extra loving.

Santi kissed the scars. He kissed the stretch marks. He kissed them ever so softly, that it was like a feather tickling your skin.

"Are they comfortable?" Santi asked tying the draw string for you,

"Sí. Gracias mi sol." You responded hugging him.

Santi always knew how to make you feel better, knew how to make you feel loved.

[pbandjesse]

I had a really excellent day off. I was chill. I was productive. I did so much lounging. It was great.

I slept okay last night. I had some wild dreams again. I actually read the other day that melatonin can cause wild and intense dreams. So maybe that's why I am the way I am.

I woke up enough to say goodbye to James. And slept until 930.

When I woke up I knew I was going to wash my hair. But I wasn't in a rush. I had nowhere to be and no where to go. So I stayed in bed until 10 watching stuff on my phone. And then got up for my day time shower.

I washed my hair really good. And I let my hair mostly air dry. I put on some very comfy clothes. It was the perfect temperature in here and I was never uncomfortable. It was great.

I had the rest of my egg salad for breakfast. And shared a little with Sweetp. It was a nice morning.

I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to do. Not much. My hair was still wet. So I would just lay on the couch with my hair fanned out behind me and played on my phone for a while. Eventually my hair was a little more cry. I did hit it with the hair dryer just a bit at my roots. And then got into making my wishlist of supplies for camp. Which would take a while. Mostly because my laptop struggles. But I got through all my projects and made great choices in my opinion. I'm excited for this summer.

I did some more vacuuming and I made more jello. But the big project for the afternoon was my market table.

I want to redesign it around the idea of food and picnic. So I am using our suitcase picnic table. Which also has the benefit of having built in seats which can be used for different levels. I want to have different things this year. Including stickers and pins. I figured out what size pin could go in my candy machine. And then spent the next hour sculpting little clay bears (4 kinds for variety) and baking them. The plan is to make a mold and cast them in resin. Tomorrow me and James are going to go pick some mold making materials up tomorrow. I think they are going to be so cute when they are done. Much like my gummy bear pin that the kids always want to take from me. But a little weirder and closer to my stuffed friends.

Once that was done I laid down again on the couch. Cut up a mango for a snack. And just enjoyed hanging out.

Eventually I would go do some organizing of my stuffed friends. Figuring out which ones need repair and putting them to the side. I am almost all out of fluffy bears. So I will have to make more of those soon. I also decided to try to make some loom knit pieces but the machine I have is just. Not working properly. I want to get a better one. Maybe that is what I'll use with the birthday money my parents gave me. I think that would be a really good use for it.

I would chill in bed working on my smaller hand loom for the next hour or so. James would get home in that time. I was really happy to see them. We decided on pizza and salad for dinner. So about an hour after they got home they headed out again. To get gas and pick up dinner. And while they were gone I got out plates and things.

We had dinner in the living room. And then I decided to do some more tablet drawing.

I designed a few more stickers. I want some funny ones. And so I did a shopping bag. And a farmer and a cup of hot chocolate where the bears are marshmallows. And then Jess suggested a farmer. And I thought a gamer neck beard would be funny. And I just drew and drew for a few hours and was having the best time. I want to make a bunch of these. I am really pleased with my ideas and like I usually say I don't draw because I don't have good 2D ideas but these have been a blast so far.

My dad called and we chatted for a while. We talked about how the new fleshtoned leg he got upset him. And I don't blame him. It's to uncanny. I have heard something very similar with people with missing eyes. And that having stranger prosthetics actually makes them feel better. He also asked if I could help with fixing his pants to be easier over the leg. So I will try to solve this problem!

Me and James cuddled on the couch for a while. Until my allergies went a little crazy. And I had to leave the couch and take something and wash my face. I am still pretty uncomfortable right now but it's getting better.

We are in bed now. And I am pretty tired. I feel happy though.

Me and James are going to camp tomorrow to do filming and I hope it is a good day. I hope you all have a good sleep and take care of each other. Goodnight everyone!!

[zizekianrevolution]

Now what that means in the case of the child is they want care attention affection desire first and foremost is desire for the maternal figure now what the child pretty quickly realizes though is that whoever is the maternal figure they have desires of their own there are things that the maternal figure desires that are not the child here represented by the lower case phi that is in lacanian terms called the imaginary object this is whatever the child imagines the maternal figure to be interested in in addition to the child so let's keep it concrete here in this ancient iphone that i possess that all of my friends just love and hope i never get rid of this is an imaginary object if you're hanging out with a little kid and you're staring at this idiotic screen and you smile at it the kid wonders what's so funny about that screen what's so special about this why does this get your smile and attention but i don't what the child realizes is that the mother experiences desires for other things other things there's a reason why kids grab smartphones and put them in their diapers it's because they want you to attend to them the same way you would tend to your smartphone kids don't just like keys because they jingle they like keys and they grab your keys and they hide your keys in the worst when they put your keys in the trash can or the toilet y'all they are obsessed with your keys so to speak because when they hear that jingle they know that you're about to leave the jingle of the keys tells the child that the maternal figure is about to depart whether it's to go to work whether it's to go to x or y it is to go away from the child and that is of concern so what the child decides to do here is identify with this object that's what happens when the phone goes in the diaper when the keys are grabbed and the child runs down the hall that is them identifying with what they initially perceive as a competitor a competitor for the maternal figures affection now i say this is a pre-Oedipal imaginary triangle that we are drawing here but I want you to also notice that it is proto-symbolic because the child realizes in order for its desire for the maternal figure to be met it has to approximate the desire of the maternal figure and if it does this process right by grabbing the phone by grabbing the keys by approximating the desire of the other they will get their desire for the other satisfied because now the mom is running down the hall trying to get those keys now the dad is running down the hall trying to get that phone in order to get their desire for the other satisfied the child learns to approximate the desire of another now if you don't think that this is relevant don't forget about that time in high school that crush you know the crush i'm talking about you knew they were into oh i don't know country music you didn't like country music but in order to get your desire for them met tell me you didn't go out and buy some cowboy boots you bought those cowboy boots in hopes that by approximating the desire of the other you might get your desire for the other satisfied by dressing like the cowboy that you imagine them desiring you hope that you will make yourself desirable to them thereby getting your desire for that person satisfied -Samuel McCormick

[justmybizarro]

Things will get better someday.

They have to.

Today I forced myself to get out of bed early to go to life drawing. There was a girl I was supposed to meet. She's hot and cold. Apparently today she was cold. But I was already there and already paid for the session. So I went and drew. Now and Then came out the other day so I wanted to listen to it. While, searching through my walkman to get the music I wanted I had two of the old men who are always there come up to me, assuming I had my phone out and accuse me nonverbally (you could tell from their faces) of having my phone out trying to sneak pictures of the model or something. Utterly disgusting. They had to save face by telling me not to do that as if there's something wrong with doing that. Granted, my reaction out of frustration and anger because as the only mixed person there they apparently were watching me like a hawk instead of, you know, drawing.

Whatever. It was a single pose and I drew several drawings. I do actually like how they turned out but now I wonder if I'll be welcome back next time. It almost feels like I wouldn't have had that experience had I not gone and been stood up by this girl who apparently is mad I didn't want to sleep with her when she was so drunk she was slurring her words. Even though I invited her to go drawing and hang out after to get to know each other. I got out of the drawing session and found she had soft blocked me from her private account. My only guess was that I didn't confirm again last night that she was still coming. But, if she was worried about that why not just message like a normal person? I'm so sick of insecure people.

It's for the best I suppose. Why would I want to be with someone that impulsive, who apparently is willing to assume the worst .

So I rode my bike back. I took a nap and woke up with just enough time to go to my boss's gallery show and help clean up. I think she appreciated me coming. But something else weird happened. In addition to me being dead tired, a girl I matched with on bumble who essentially sent me a no effort gif and then didn't respond when I sent her a gif back saying hello appeared out of the blue. I told my boss that the girl(let's call her K) looked familiar for some reason. Unfortunately by the time I figured it out that I knew her from Bumble my boss had gotten us wrapped up in a conversation with K and her boyfriend, who is a permanent resident, who has a company, and apparently is a successful board game maker. They also apparently are in a band as well. She added me on Instagram and I hope either she figured it out as well and we can just avoid each other or she never figures it out. I think my boss figured out something was wrong and suggested I head to practice... Speaking of which, today I had practice. I also came an hour early to start to teach myself how to play drums. Idk why. It was actually a bit calming to only be able to focus on counting the beats. Playing with the Beatles... And then we had the best practice possibly ever