#Maxines Sip N Burn

[redcoralpot]

Tougher Than Nails - Mike Schmidt X M!Reader

Warnings/Details: NSFW content, implied substance abuse, alcohol, cowboy!reader, hankie/cowboy hat code.

Summary: Mike goes to a bar downtown in hopes of getting his mind off of court, but instead finds something much healthier.

A/N: Everyone should thank my boyfriend for this idea; he's always the one that reminds me that I am technically a 'cowboy'. He saves a horse very often.

Word Count: 1.8K

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Bars weren’t really Mike’s thing. Any alcohol he’s ever had tasted like crap, and becoming an alcoholic would just be another check on Aunt Jane’s list to prove to the court that he wasn’t suitable for custody. Hell, he swore her perfume was still clinging onto his nose hairs, and all he wanted to do was escape her. Escape reality, too. Mike remembered when his father used to do just that after Garret disappeared, drowning himself in the bitter liquid at night, his speech slurred. That’s why he was here, at a bar in downtown Afton, while Maxine stayed with Abby. He was desperate.

The building was crowded, delightful chatter and jazz music filling the air. Lights were strung along the wooden walls, narrowly dodging the black and white photos hanging by themselves. More customers squeezed in behind him; Mike frantically searched for any open spot in the room. Hallelujah– a single stool was left vacant near the serving counter, and Mike shuffled into it, shoulders tense. The bartender seemed to notice his presence, as she leaned towards the man, still shaking another person’s drink. 

“You’re a new face,” she rattled, “may I see your license?”

Mike fumbled with his wallet, sliding the card for her to see, “Uh, sure.”

“Right, you’re all clear; would you like to open a tab?”

A man cut in before he could answer, and for the first time, Mike got a good look at the person sitting beside him, “Just add whatever he orders to mine, Molly.” 

She shrugged, the key hanging from her left pocket jingling, “Easier for me.”

You chuckled, the brim of your hat covering your eyes. It was decorated with embroidery and leather, complimenting your purple button up shirt, though that was partially hidden by a black vest. Two hankies hung out of your back, left pocket, similar to Molly’s keychain. One was rust colored, but the other was a complimentary gray; Mike thought it was an interesting stylistic choice. 

“I’ll just have a beer, thanks.”

As the bartender turned, scribbling in a notebook, you inquired, “So, what’s a fine boy like you doing ‘round these parts?”

Mike grabbed the foaming beer that was placed in front of him, “I live nearby.”

“That’s not the only reason, is it?”

He hesitated to answer, instead choosing to take a long sip of the beverage. It burned down his throat, the flavor making his lips curl and his head a little more dizzy. Somehow, it loosened his will, and he found his lips moving without his permission. Your energy was just hypnotizing; he felt himself being pulled in.

“Needed a break from stress,” Mike admitted, picking at the glass’ label.

You cocked your head to the side, your hat tipping upward, “Just ‘cause you’re in a hole, doesn’t mean you gotta keep digging. Alcohol isn’t the cure to what you’re feelin’.”

“What am I supposed to do? Not even my medicine works anymore.”

“I go here for stress relief too,” you assured, downing a shot, “but not necessarily for the drinks.”

Your hand hovered over the small of his back, looking at him for consent. When he didn’t move away, you settled your fingers there, feeling a shiver run through Mike’s body. Some of the previous tension released from his shoulders, and he almost leaned back in relief. Many of the customers in this bar were paired with the same sex, unlike most of the movies he’d seen that included the subject. So, he supposed it wouldn’t look too weird if he did.

You elaborated, “People can be cruel, can’t they, sweetheart? Comin’ to a place like this, where everyone’s like me in some way or another, is a damn good bonus.”

“Like you?”

“Y’know,” you gestured to your handkerchiefs, “queer and such.”

He paused, “Ah.”

“You didn’t know this was a boy bar?”

Mike replied, “I kinda just looked up the closest bar to my house.”

…

“Good to know.” Your hand fell away from his back.

He almost chased it. Mike liked the feeling, the weight of your fingers pressing into such an intimate spot. However, he wasn’t tipsy enough for that, and controlled himself. He watched as you spoke to Molly, the lady’s eyes flicking towards him and back, and you slipped her the money needed to cover the tab. You tipped your hat towards Mike, a respectful way to put distance between you, before disappearing into the suffocating crowd. Molly side eyed him, sweeping away his bottle, before leaving as well. Mike swallowed, pulling loose skin from his bottom lip with his teeth. It was now, or never– perhaps alcohol wasn’t the only way, after all. You were right. 

Mike could still see the very top of your hat swerving above the crowd, and he trailed after it to the best of his ability. A random girl almost elbowed him in the face, and he was sure his shins would be bruised after tonight. Your shadow was reflecting in the glass door, growing fainter and fainter as you walked further away, your hips swaying. Mike pushed it open, the vision dissolving, and cold air stung his cheeks. The moon reflected off of car hoods, the only way he was able to see where he was running. His hand reached out and grabbed your arm, as you flinched.

Mike’s ears were red, probably from the alcohol, and you stared at him, “What’re you doing?”

“I don’t know,” was the only answer you got before your collar was jerked forward.

Your lips crashed violently with his; your teeth clicking as he struggled to pull you closer. Mike was still fisting your shirt as you brought your hands to cup his jaw and the back of his neck, trying to gentle the kiss. 

You mumbled against his mouth, “Better not be some experiment of yours, pretty boy.”

“Nope,” he whispered, the aftertaste of whiskey on his tongue.

His back hit the side of your car, and his hands moved from your collar to swinging his arms around your neck. Your knee found its way in between Mike’s thighs, pressing against his crotch, and his groan was swallowed by your lips. Mike whined when you trailed down, aiming instead for his neck. Dark marks and bites soon decorated the pale flesh, his blood dripping a contrasting splash of color. 

Tugging on his earlobe, you challenged, “Gonna come back to my place?”

Mike doubted he ever agreed to something so quickly.

The drive was long, too long in his opinion. Though, it was most likely only fifteen minutes, at most. Mike didn’t even have to walk up the driveway to your cabin; his legs were locked around your hips as you carried him through the door and up the stairs. He ground his groin against you, searching for any possible friction. You tossed him onto your bed, unbuckling your belt, holding it taut. The man in front of you wiggled back and spread his legs to make room for you. You snickered at how willing Mike was, considering his hesitation when you first met.

You regularly kept lube on the bedside table, just to be prepared for when you brought men home from the bar. However, this one was different in a way you had trouble putting into words, other than positive. His thighs shook as you massaged the liquid into his hole, a hand covering his mouth to prevent you from hearing his noises. Ah, now that wouldn’t do, would it?

In response, you tugged his hand off of his mouth, “Lemme hear you.”

Such pretty sounds from a pretty mouth, it was truly a shame. When Mike immediately went back to covering them up, you slid your fingers out of him, instead reaching for your abandoned belt. His eyes trailed after your hands as they bound his wrists together in front of him, almost akin to handcuffs. Mike couldn’t see much of your expression after your head dipped down, only the shit-eating grin playing on your lips. Of course, that was before you took your hat off by the crown and placed it firmly on his head, though it was a tad too big for him.

“Why don’t you keep that safe for me, sweetheart?”

For a second, Mike was confused. Keep it safe? Just what were you planning on doing? He felt a grip on his waist, right before his world spun around him, and the positions were practically reversed. The guard was now sitting on top of you, or more so your crotch, his thighs caging in your hips. Mike’s hair was disheveled and the light on the ceiling created a sort of halo around him, and fuck, did you think he was pretty. Only a few select people had ever gotten to wear your hat, and you could confidently say that he was the most beautiful in it.

You unbuttoned your jeans, letting your cock slip through the opening, “You ready?”

“I’ve never done this before.”

You had a grip on his waist again, slowly guiding him down. You didn’t thrust, didn’t force him to go fast, and allowed him his proper time to adjust, “How’s that feelin’?”

“G-good,” he shuddered, precum leaking from his tip, “think ‘m ready.”

“You haven’t seen the brunt of it yet, boy!” You grunt, thrusting the rest of you inside, brushing against Mike’s prostate. 

The man on top of you moaned, and the sound was so uncharacteristically loud that even he seemed surprised by it. Mike leaned down, resting his tied fists on your chest in order to keep his balance. His sweat dampened your collarbones, his drool smearing on your neck, and the pathetic excuse of a guard tried leaving kisses over the areas he could reach. You soon found a rhythm to your thrusts; groans were punched out of your throat on their own.

Mike could feel heat rushing through his brain, bringing tears that stuck to his eyelashes, covering any thoughts or hesitance he may have had before. That wasn’t enough for it– it spread like wildfire down his body, down to where your fingers were leaving bruises, and down to his red, leaking dick. Something deep was brewing inside of him, nothing he’s felt since his hormonal teenage years. Hell, he didn’t even have time to process it when you kissed his cheek, whispering in his ear that he’s such a needy slut; it exploded.

When he finally came to, he could feel his thighs twitching and your heaving, sticky abs below him. His eyelids felt heavy, and all he wanted to do was stay there with you. You were rubbing circles into his back, attempting to pull out, but a grumble from Mike made you stop. In fact, you were saying things, but it sounded muffled and far away. He took great comfort in your voice, no matter what you were talking about. It was getting farther and farther away, yet still managed to follow him into his dreams. For the first time since the incident with Garret, he did not have a nightmare. 

-

Taglist: @cannabrisano @kai_beanz @fandomz-brainrot @slimemakermas

[gainshealthandnutrition]

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[mrs-munson-quinn]

Electric Love ↯ A Eddie Munson Fanfic

| Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

| Stranger Things Vol.1 Spoilers!!

| TW!! Mentions of death, mentions of abuse, slight bullying, blood, swearing, traumatic past mentioned!!!! Read at your own risk.

| Slow Burn

Next part-> chapter 3

MASTERLIST

↯ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ʀᴇᴅ ↯

“So how have you been, little red” y/n asks as she avoids eye contact with max. While taking a sip of her tea that maxine had made for her. They where sitting in maxs very small dining table. Sitting acroos from each other.

She felt guilty.

It has been a year since billy passed and she’s just now visiting max. Sure there was calls from here in there but that wasn’t enough.

She was to stuck on her grieving to even remember about max grief. She never once properly checked on max who she sees as a little sister.

Max and Billy might have not been close but they cared for each other in their own weird way.

She can still remember max heartbreaking sobs as she was telling her the news about billy. Barely getting a word out.

While she heard max sobs she remembers being in shock. As no tears seemed to escape.

She had felt his death, somehow.

She had been at work when all of the sudden she felt this sharp pain in her chest enough to make her stumble. She remembers whispering Billys name as she felt the worst pain. She felt heartbroken. While tears were running down her cheeks.

She was confused when this happened. She had a suspicion but she chose to ignore it. She knew. But she had hit the first stage of grief. Denial.

Max call that night had given an answer to her assumption.

Max then later on revealed how billy had died. Know well that y/n would believe her. And max trusted her enough. After max told her what had happened she was stuck not knowing if it was a good idead to tell her about being part of the experiments that the girl elven went through as well.

the girl billy had sacrificed himself for.

At the end she had decided that the best thing to do was to tell her. She told her about being kidnapped by them and being sent to the lab in California that no longer existed. She told her how she escaped. And max took it well she was obviously shooked but she still was supportive.

“I been good” max responds while avoiding eye contact just like y/n was.

At the tone of max voice is when she finally decided to look at the red head instead of the flowery wallpaper that decorated the Hawkins trailer.

Thats when y/n took notice of max hunched posture. She took her time studying the girl. Her dark eyes circle that decorated her eyes. The way her nails where bitten which she only has when she’s been anxious or stressed. The way that she was tapping her foot over and over the wood floor, a trait that both har and max had. It quite literally looks like max is carrying the world on her shoulders.

And she just knew max was lying.

“How have you been really” she places a hand on top of the red head hand that was resting on the dining table that was in the kitch of the trailer.

“I-“ she starts while gripping y/n hand for more comfort. “I have been having these nightmares. I cant sleep anymore. If i do i only get a little sleep. And-and i keep getting these horrible headaches. I dont know what to do anymore, y/n” she finishes off whith her voice shaking. As she tries to hold back tears of frustration.

Y/n heart breaking more and more as she sees max break more.

how such a strong girl is now a broken girl.

“Oh. Come here, Red” y/n moves closer to max a pulls her in a hug. A thing both need.

Amd finally max lets it all out.

Y/n strokes max red hair as she pulls her closer. Max hands gripping y/n’s black leather jacket as she cries into y/n chest.

After a few minutes max finally calms out. Max still in y/n arms feeling better afte telling someone what been going on to her.

“I can give you a good sleep. Nightmare free.” y/n says while holding up her hand activating her powers showing the red swirls that moved around her finger making it in to a small energy ball and moving around her fingers.

“Wow” max gasp at the red swirls and at y/n eyes that became a glowing red. This had been max first time seeing y/n powers. She had expected them to be like elevens. No color. And no glowing eyes. She felt entranced by the red swirls.

Y/n just laughs at max reaction.

“Come show me where your bedroom is. So you can finally have a good night sleep” she says while getting up from the chair that she was sitting down.

“Yeah. Follow me” max takes her to her bedroom.

Y/n enters max room. Humming in approval as she looks around max bedroom. The cute decorations. Along with the posters that decorated the walls.

She then sits at the edge of max bed as she pick up the cassette player that was laying across the bed.

Putting on the headphones and pressing play.

Running up that hill by kate bush starts playing on the player. Pressing pause afte a few seconds of hearing it.

“Still your favorite song i see” taking max headphones off.

“You remember” max says with a small smile.

“Of course!. You would always play that song on the record player, when we would have our sleepovers. The sleepovers tha billy hated cause we were so loud we wouldt let him sleep” y/n exclaims with the biggest smile at the happy memories.

“I miss those days” max sighs with sad smile as she sits besides y/n She misses those days when they were all happy. When they would all hang out together. Sure most of the time her and billy were bickering. Or When y/n and her would gang up on billy and do everything to annoy him.

“I know. Me too” y/n says she says while taking max hand.

“Now lay down, so you can finally have a good sleep” y/n motherly voice comes out.

After max got under the covers y/n starts tucking in max.

“Alright then, you ready” y/n ask max.

Max just nods.

“You wont feel anything. But as soon as the magic hits you. You will feel your eyes get really heavy. And then sleep with hit you like a light” y/n moves her hand towards max head as the red huse of magic starts to move aroung her fingers. Finally extending her fingers sending red huse towards max head.

“Later, little red” y/n kisses max forehead as she sees her already drifting of to sleep.

Getting up from the edge of the bed she heads out of the room taking one last look towards max.

***

“Mmh.” Y/n hums trying to look for the right spaghetti noodles that she needs in order to make her special spaghetti dish.

She had decided to go to the store to buy something to make for dinner since max had just had old take out Chinese food in the fridge.

Neil and max mom had gone out on a trip so max was all alone. And since max dosent know how to cook her only opinion was to order take out

Finally finding the noodles she needs she heads towards the cashier. Getting distracted as she looks at the groceries in her hands as she looks to make sure if she has everything she needs.

Not noticing the person that was infront of her.

“Uff” y/n says as she bumps into a hard back all the items she held in her hands falling to the floor.

“I-im so sorry. Its all my fault i was distracted. I knew i should of gotten a basket. My dumbass just decide to struggle. Again im so sorry” y/n rambles while picking up the groceries that fell.

“It alright dont worry about it” the person she bumped into reassures her as they start to help y/n picking up the groceries that fell.

“Eddie?” Y/n looks up as she hears the familiar voice of the boy she met earlier today. Oh how embarrassing. Of course she had to bumped into the cute boy from earlier. She curses her bad luck she seems to carry around.

“Y/n!” He smiles as he recognizes the girl.

“How about i help you carry these to checkout?” slightly showing the groceries that he helped pick up.

***

“So how long do you plan to stay in this cursed town” eddie ask y/n as they head towards check out.

“Im not sure how long yet” she shrugs.

“Well i hope you decide to stay here for long” eddie say as he turns to look at y/n face. Blushing at what he just said.

“Sure” she laughs as she feels heat travel to her cheeks

“Well. Here we are” eddie says as they get in the checkout.

“Thank you for help. And im sorry for bumping into you.” She says with griamce remembering the embarrassing incident.

“You’re very much welcome, angel. And dont worry about it ” he smiles as he trails his eys through her face. It was the first time he has ever felt this giddy with a girl. With the few minutes he has hang out with her hes pretty sure that his smile never dropped. And never has he blushed before because of a girl. She was something else.

“Thank you again eddie for you help” y/n says as she puts the last bag of groceries in her trunk.

Eddie had decide to help y/n carry the groceries to her car.

“No problem angel” he blushe slightly at the appreciation. Making eye contact with the girl. The eye contact lasting a little to long.

“Shit” eddie suddenly breaks the eye contact as he remembers the hellfire campaign he needs to go to.

“I really have to go. See you later ?” He ask at the end heading towards his van. As he faces her walking backwards.

“See you later, eddie ” y/n suddenly gets shy. Making zero contact with the boy. Still flustered from eye contact that eddie broke.

Y/n quickly gets in her car and drives away. Heading towards max trailer

Gosh that boy is something else.

**

Hope you guys liked this chapter!!

Tags: @faefanatic @abbiesxox @yoyoanaria @sleepysl0th03 @ravenwayghwitch @b4i1e7 @nightless @zanmorgan @strangemaximoff

[bbyx]

ripple effect - part eight

Summary: During her fourth year at Hogwarts, (y/n) Deauxville falls for none other than Cedric Diggory. But it's not easy when you have to deal with protecting your family's fortune, keeping your father's illness a secret and having two of your closest friends catch feelings for you.

Pairings : reader x cedric, reader x draco, reader x harry

“You’ll never guess what happened today.” Ron says, hurrying to catch up to you as you enter the Great Hall for dinner.

“What, Ron?” You say amused.

“We think Hagrid fancies Madame Maxine.” 

 “Finally found a woman his size huh.” You grin looking at Hagrid in his mismatched suit fumbling next to Beauxbaton headmistress.

“ Who do you reckon the Goblet will pick.” Says Harry, materialising beside you.

“ Krum for sure.”

“ B-but what if he gets injured, he’s the best seeker!” Ron stutters, turning pale.

“ You should come sit at the Slytherin table if you wanna meet him so bad.”

“Yeah right. They would slit my throat before dessert.” Ron scoffs.

“Suit yourself.” You say before splitting up to your respective tables.

“My mother wants you all to know that you’re all invited to the Malfoy’s New Years ball, as always, and she’s sending out the official invitations next week.” Draco says, sipping on his pumpkin juice. 

“ Oh my god! I think Astoria is finally old enough to attend her first ball. Do any of you already have a dress?” Daphnees exclaims, turning to you and Millicent.

“ Balls are boring, the only fun part is the after party.” Theo says stifling a yawn.

“(y/n), I hope you don’t mind, but my mother’s already picked out a selection of dresses for you. I tried to stop her but,” Draco says, his ears turning slightly red.  “erm she wouldn’t listen. Anyways, she’s sending them over as soon as heavenly possible.” He finishes, imitating his mother’s posh voice.

“ That’s fine, your mom has a good eye for clothes anyways.” You smile reassuringly.

You and Draco had been each other’s dates for formal events ever since you could remember. It was just easier, not having to worry about finding a date. And (y/n) also knew that  Narcissa Malfoy would have loved to have a daughter and that shopping for (y/n) brought her so much joy.

“Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision,” said Dumbledore. “I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions’ names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber where they will be receiving their first instructions.”

The flames in the cup turned from blue to red and silence overtook the hall. It sputtered and a charred piece of parchment flew out.

“The champion for Durmstrang,” Dumbledore read, in a clear voice, “will be Viktor Krum.” 

All the Durmstrand students jumped up cheering in foreign languages and patting Krum on the back. 

“Bravo, Viktor!” boomed Karkaroff, so loudly that everyone could hear him, even over all the applause. “Knew you had it in you!” Viktor stands up, his lips slightly upturned and goes to the chamber.

The silence comes back when the Goblet starts sputtering again.

“The champion for Beauxbatons,” said Dumbledore, “is Fleur Delacour!” 

The remainder of the Beauxbaton students were absolutely devastated, some of them even crying. The other students were too busy ogling Fleur to cheer. She graciously slips into the other chamber.

The whole room is practically shaking with excitement as the cup starts sputtering again.

Not Nick please.

“The Hogwarts champion,” Dumbledore calls, “is Cedric Diggory!” Every single Hufflepuff jumped to his or her feet, screaming and stamping, as Cedric made his way past them, grinning broadly. He winks as he passes by you, making your heart melt. The applause for Cedric seemed to be neverending. Even Draco gave in and started clapping.

“Excellent!” Dumbledore called happily as the cheering died down. “Well, we now have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champion on, you will contribute in a very real —” 

But Dumbledore suddenly stopped speaking. The fire in the goblet had just turned red again. Sparks were flying out of it. Another paper popped out of it. Dumbledore looks perplexed.

“Harry Potter.”

The entire room was looking at Harry, who looked shell shocked. For a split second, your eyes meet. “Harry Potter!” Dumbledore calls again. “Harry! Up here, if you please!”. Slowly he stands and awkwardly waddles to the top table. “Well . . . through the door, Harry,” said Dumbledore. 

“It’s always bloody Potter. How did that fucking pinhead manage to trick the Goblet.” Blaise says venomously.

“ He’s Dumbledore’s little darling, that’s how.” Draco says, his jealousy leaking through each syllable. You were about to jump to Harry’s defense but decided against it, not wanting to start more conflict.

“God, the Hufflepuff party is gonna be wicked. Allison Odgen’s in Hufflepuff, Ogden as in Old Odgen’s Firewhiskey and I heard that she’s got two whole crates of firewhiskey just for tonight.” Theo says, musing.

“ I heard a couple of seventh year Puffs stole a shiton of weed from the Greenery too.” Milicent adds.

“What party?”

“The one for Cedric, duh” Daphne says while wrapping an arm around your shoulder.

“Oh. In the common room?”

“No, at the bottom of the lake.” Theo answers sarcastically. “C’mon let’s go before it gets too crowded.”

“You guys go ahead, I'll be there soon.” You say crestfallen, as your friends hurry out of the Hall. (y/n) had been looking forward to finally spending time alone with Cedric. He was supposed to show you around the Hufflepuff common room but you had a feeling that wasn’t going to happen because of the party. After a while, you find yourself alone in the gigantic Hall, which is a very eerie feeling. The candles had burned low and shapes were flickering on the stone walls. The silence makes your ears ring and you decide to just meet Cedric at the party when a voice makes you jump. 

“So,” said Cedric to Harry, with a slight smile. “We’re playing against each other again!” 

“I s’pose,” said Harry. 

“Harry! Cedric!” They both jump, not having noticed you in the dark hall. You run and grab Harry in a hug.

“Harry! What on earth happened?”

“I didn’t put my name in!” He desperately shouts, his voice cracking.

“I know, I know.” He gazes at you for a couple seconds, making sure you believed him.

“Do you want me to come to the Gryffindor common room with you?” 

Harry takes one look at Cedric’s clenched jaw and your worried face. “No it’s fine. I’ll erm see you tomorrow. Enjoy yourself tonight, we’ll figure it out in the morning” And with that he leaves.

“No hug for this champion?” Cedric says pouting.

“Of course!” You say, throwing yourself against him. “I’m so excited for you.”

The golden flickering lights of the dying candles made his lips look even more inviting than usual. The Hall that had looked so daunting minutes ago, now looked like a safe haven. His grey eyes are fixed on yours and he slowly leans in. You close your eyes, feeling his hot breath on your mouth when someone coughs loudly. Your eyes flicker open while Professor Moody limps out of a dark corner.

“P-professor!” You croak.

“You are just like your mother, Miss Deauxville, coercing well raised boys into doing your dirty work.” You look at him, mouth agape. “As for you, Mr.Diggory, I suggest you stay away from these types of women.”

Cedric looks like he’s about to pounce on Moody, but you grab his forearm.

“Ced let’s go.” You say softly, while Moody stands there as if daring Cedric to hurt him. You try pulling him away but he’s far stronger and heavier than you. Finally he gives in to your tugging, puts a hand on your back and leads you out of the hall. The two of you walk in silence. 

“Cedric” You say, grabbing his hand. “It’s not a big deal, let it go. He’s just a psycho old man.”

“It’s not about that.” He mutters, staring ahead. 

“What is it about then?” You say as you near the Hufflepuff common rooms. The hallway was vibrating with the beat of the music playing inside. 

“It’s about the fact that he interrupted our kiss.”

Cedric brings his hands up to your face and flashes you his blinding white teeth. He leans down and barely pecks your lips before the door of the common room swings open. 

A drunk Ernie Mcmillan stumbles out and you see Cedric’s eye twitch.

“Ayyyy it’s Dedric Cigorrry. The whole house s’been looking for you Cigarette.” He manages to say before vomiting the contents of his stomach in a nearby barrel. You and Cedric move past him and enter the common room. The place is decorated in an embarrassing amount of posters bearing Cedrics face, Hufflepuff banners hang from every corner and music is blasting so loud that the furniture shakes slightly. 

“I promise I will show you this place when it’s not trashed.”Cedric manages to say before a mob of girls in yellow robes swarm him. 

“Cedric! We organized all of this!” The leader says motioning to the group of girls and the posters of his face. 

“Er wow. Thank you so much.” He flashes them his million dollar smile. The crowd forming around him was making you claustrophobic so you go sit with your brother and his friends. 

“Aren’t you going to congratulate him?” You ask the boys who are sitting at a large round table in the corner. 

“Yeah of course, once the fan club’s done.” Graham says, his eyes focused on the paper he's cutting. 

“We’re having a blunt rolling competition.” Xavier says motioning to the dried leaves on the table. 

“Aah, can I join?”

“No. You can be the judge.” Your brother says.

“You’re such a narc Nick.” You say while pulling out a chair.

A clearly fucked up Jeremy laughs. “Nick the Narc. That’s funny.”

You moved around from friends to friends during the most of the night, but the only presence you craved was Cedric’s. He was surrounded by people congratulating him but finally he broke free and headed to the table with his friends. You make a beeline towards his, leaving Daphne on the dance floor. She doesn’t notice, she’s too busy dancing her heart out with a group of Hufflepuff girls. All the boys hug him and he’s smiling like an idiot. 

“Ced, have i evver told you-” Jeremy starts slurring but he stumbles forward. “Alohaa” He throws his hands up and start swaying.

“Cedric, man! You’re gonna win this thing I have a feeling.” Nick says ruffling his hair.

“What d’ya want.” Graham says motioning to the different baggies on the table.

“I’ll have whatever he’s having.” Cedric says motioning to Jeremy who was swaying back and forth with a paper bag on his head.

“(y/n) wanna have a shotgunning contest. If you win you can have my shoes. If I win you have to kiss me” Peregrine says holding a tray full of firewhiskey shots.

“Why would I want your shoes?” You say, glancing at his black tennis shoes.

“I dunno.”

“Fine, let’s do it.”

Graham starts lining up the shots, seven each.

“ My bet is on Peregrine, physically he stands a better chance.” Xavier says with all the authority of a rocket scientist.

“You have no clue how much the Deauxville’s can drink then.” Nick says, nursing his own drink.

You give Peregrine a competitive smirk. “Three, two, one, go!”

When shotgunning whiskey, the first three shots are always the hardest. The first burns your throat like you’ve just swallowed a big gulp of salt water. The second one, if done fast enough, numbs all sensation in your mouth. The third one is when most lightweights die off, it sends electric shocks through your body. After the shock of the third one, all the others seem dull. The faster you go the more time you’ll have before the alcohol in your blood reaches your brain. After that your vision will start clouding and you can maybe manage two more before you’ll collapse or hurl your brains out. Luckily for you, Peregrine dies off after your fifth shot and stumbles to a nearby basket.

“Learned from the best.” Nick says proudly. Cedric’s mouth is agape.

“Wanna go again?” You tease when Peregrine comes back. 

“Christ! You’re good” He says taking his shoes off and throwing them at you. You catch them easily. 

“Nick pass the weed!” (y/n) hollers at her brother. 

“Yeah Nick, don’t be such a weed hog.” Cedric says. 

“Nick the Hogweed student. That’s funny.” Jeremy says muffled by his paper bag. 

You take a moment to look around the room. You had to give it to Cedric, the Hufflepuff common room was beautiful. The high ceilings had copper lighting fixtures that sent golden light through the space. The walls were full of hanging plants and the floors were covered in plush mismatched carpets. Soft couches and wooden tables were scattered around the room. At the moment the room was full of Hufflepuff students, a handful of Ravenclaw and the eternity of  the Slytherin population of Hogwarts because they would rather die than have a Gryffindor champion. You spot Theodore and Draco on a nearby couch. Some blonde sixth year girl is eating Theo’s face. Draco is playing with the thick rings on his fingers not paying attention to Pansy’s storytelling. Milicent is part of a group of students sitting on the grand piano, singing furiously along to the lyrics of the song. Blaise is too drunk to notice that the girl he’s flirting with happens to be a very tall plant. And Daphne is dancing with Hannah Abott. You do a double take. Daphne is now kissing Hannah Abott.  

The kissing reminds you of the interrupted kiss between you and Cedric. You sneak a peek at his lips. Just then Xavier drops something heavy in the middle of the table. It’s a deck of cards in the middle of the table.

“Strip poker!” Peregrine shouts excitedly.

“You wish.” 

“I’m the card dealer.” Graham says, grabbing the deck.

“Xavier you forgot the poker chips dumbass.” Graham says.

Xavier sighs “Yeah, couldn't find them. It’s okay though, we can use-”

“Shoes!” Peregrine says, toppling his drink on the floor.

“Peregrine, I have your shoes.”

“Oh well fuck, i’m on team (y/n) then” Peregrine says.

You motion for Draco to come sit because he’s the best player you know. He sits and rolls his eyes at the shoe idea but agrees to play. 

“Well boys, start saying goodbye to your shoes.”

Two hours and 11 pairs of shoes later, most of the partygoers had cleared out. You were glad to find your white sneakers still clad to your feet. After the game had started, so many people joined but you and Draco were the only ones still wearing shoes. He had fared better though, with 15 pairs of shoes. 

The air in the common room was thick with smoke, the music had stopped except for some Ravenclaw playing his heart out on the piano. (y/n) is lying on a couch with her head in Cedric’s lap, her feet on top of a sleeping Jeremy. Theo as usual was nowhere to be found and you suspected that Daphne was in Hannah Abbott’s dorm. Blaise was still relentlessly talking to his plant, the boy could talk about himself for hours on end.

Cedric plays with your hair.

“I’mm tired.” You slur lazily.

He chuckles.“(y/n) you can’t fall asleep here.”

“Whyy?”  You pout up at him.

“Because Nick already looks like he’s going to hex me.” You blow a strand out of your face and turn your head towards your brother. You sigh, not wanting to create new tensions between you and your brother.

“Blondie, take me homee.” You holler at Draco.

“Gladly.” He says helping you up. 

You throw Cedric his shoes. He dodges your clumsy throw that was heading straight to his face.

“There you go Cinderella.”

“Goodnight (y/n)” He chuckles.

(y/n) and Draco are walking down a dark hallway illuminated only by the pale moonlight, your footsteps resonating. You stop in your tracks.

“Draco, I've just had a brilliant idea.”

He doesn't answer, just raises his eyebrows.

“The shoes. On the… fuck whats it called. The big light thing?”

“A chandelier.” He sighs, shaking his head.

“Yes! Chandelier. We hang all the shoes on the chandelier in the great hall.”

“And how are we going to do that?”

“ God I don't know! You’re supposed to be the smart one.”

He sighs deeply, but takes your hand and starts walking towards the great Hall.

When the two of you were done, they’re were 26 pairs of shoes hanging on the chandelier. From sneakers to dainty ballerina flats. 

“The chandelier looks so much better now, see? We should do this to all the chandeliers in our houses”

“I’ll make sure to tell  my mother to keep it in mind.”

“Let’s get out of here.”

“Finally,” Draco says looking at his thick silver watch. “It’s 4:38 am.”

“No point in going to sleep then.”

“You’re insane.” He chuckles, catching you as you stumble forward.

You smirk devilishly. “ I just can’t wait to see everyone’s face at breakfast tomorrow.” 

[sarcastically-defensive17]

Getting Warmer - B. Hargrove

TW: MENTIONS OF ABUSE

Original story by sarcastically-defensive17

Never in her life had she taken her heels off to drive. She was practically expert at the action of driving with stilettos on.

Unlike the rest of her life, this situation called for a foot to the gas harder than she was willing to forgo one of the many pairs of black stilettos she owned.

She never thought she would be in such a rush for somebody like him.

To her, he didn’t deserve to play the damsel in distress. He was rude, arrogant, the perfect representation of everything wrong with the middle class white male of the 80’s.

Yet here she was, forcing her canary yellow Chevy to go as fast as it could just to get to where he needed her to be.

He was in trouble, and no matter how much she didn’t like somebody, Y/N Henderson didn’t let another suffer just because of her personal feelings.

Her feet were bare as she pulled up to the parking lot of the high school. It was far too late for anybody to be there, but he told her to meet him there.

That, and it was an early Saturday morning.

The blue Camaro stood out in the early morning light and as she pulled up next to it, she could see just how disheveled they man leaning against the side of the vehicle was.

His lip was split and he was sporting an already bruising eye, but he still smirked when she got out of the car. He took a moment to adjust to the sight of her without her heels.

She was tiny compared to him.

Her hands were on his face in seconds, tilting it every which way so she could survey the damage.

“What happened? Are you okay? Where’s max?” Her questions came out lightning fast as she furrowed her brows in confusion.

Billy took the opportunity to notice how her nose crinkled slightly when she concentrated.

“Nice to see you too, princess,” he smirked down at her, offering a wink. “Maxine is fine. She’s in bed.”

She was tired, her hair was a mess and she was hungry. She was not in the mood for his question dodging.

“You answered one of three questions. What about the other two?”

Her arms crossed underneath her chest, and she rolled her eyes as Billy shamelessly gazed at her breasts.

“Look, I don’t have the care to stand around while you perv on me.” She watched as his blue eyes raised to meet her own. “I came here because you said you needed help, and I show up and you’re bruised and battered. I understand you might not be ready to talk right now but I won’t stand here while you eye me like a piece of meat. I’m a woman, not an object for your viewing pleasure, Billy.”

She was annoyed, anybody could be able to tell that. She hadn’t snapped at him, but she sure as hell didn’t say it in a way that can be brushed off.

She knew when to be stern, and from his past experience, she also knew when to get vicious.

He felt like a scolded child and he filled with guilt.

He shouldn’t have called her. He shouldn’t have asked her to meet him. He shouldn’t have ran out. He should have just stayed in that house with him.

She could notice the shift in Billy almost immediately. His eyes seemed to sink in and the smirk on his face took a significant hit. Yet the corners of his mouth were still turned upwards. In more of a sad smirk now.

“Right now, I want nothing more than to tell you everything about my life,” Billy spoke, and Y/N could see the unshed tears that mask his blue eyes. “But I don’t want to dampen the mood just as our night is beginning.”

Y/N deadpanned.

“Okay, sorry, morning.” Billy laughed softly. “How about we start by getting something to eat? I dragged you out here, the least I can do is take you for some breakfast.”

Y/N nodded softly, stepping towards her car. She didn’t miss the way Billy’s face dropped at her slight departure.

He peered back up when she pulled a pair of fluffy boots from the boot of her car and slipped them onto her feet. She pulled the passenger door of Billy’s Camaro open and rose her head to look at him before she slipped in.

“I’m not waiting around all night. You said breakfast, that’s like love language to me.”

Billy shook his head with a laugh before climbing into the car beside the girl.

He hated that he had fallen so hard for her, but he couldn’t stop himself now.

To say Y/N was surprised by the state of his car interior would be an understatement.

She couldn’t find a speck of dust anywhere. The leather seats were void of any mess, the floor looked as if it was vacuumed regularly and there was no rubbish anywhere.

It was a happy surprise, as she kept her Chevy in the same state.

What wasn’t shocking, was the music Billy listened to. There was a cassette in the radio, blasting a number of rock songs.

The car ride was short, so she only heard a few tunes.

The Ramones, Zepplin, the Stones. Everything she expected.

Every time she allowed herself to think that Billy wasn’t the stereotypical wannabe bad boy, she was proven wrong.

Sure, he kept his car clean. Sure, he rang her in the middle of the night with his breath shaking through sobs.

Sure, he had an earring that she didn’t know about and was interested in.

“You have your ear pierced?” She blurted, dude way aware that she had been staring at him for a few minutes.

He was aware of it, his smirk was evidence.

He made a noise of agreement. A deep rumble from the back of his throat.

“Got it before we left California to piss off-“ he stopped short. He didn’t want to tell her who he wanted to provoke, but part of him was longing to tell her how he intentionally made decisions against his fathers wishes.

“To piss off who?” She had a critical eye. She was curious and wouldn’t let him end a statement with no conclusion.

“Uh, my ex girlfriend. She didn’t think guys should get pierced so I wanted to prove her wrong before I left.”

He looked nervous. Y/N could tell he was lying but she chose not to push him.

She was often good at reading people but Billy was proving to be an enigma.

If she had to guess where his bruises came from, she would say from fighting with some other teenage boy.

She couldn’t explain the emotion that she heard through the phone though.

They pulled up to a small diner not far from the school. Before Y/N could even open her door, Billy had pulled it open and he was waiting for her to step out.

His movements halted at the look of shock on her face and he couldn’t stop the blush from rising to his cheeks.

“Oh! Sorry. S’a force of habit. Usually I do that for my step-mum,” his voice was low, almost shy.

“It’s alright, Billy. I don’t mind,” she said, standing up from the low car.

He smiled at the reassurance.

Billy generally acted in ways to provoke others. He intentionally acted out, in hopes that he could receive some positive attention. Hell, he was happy with negative attention from anybody but his father.

He didn’t often receive positive attention unless it was from some girl who wanted to end up underneath him, but Y/N wasn’t like that. And that made her much more enticing.

That, and the amazing car she drove, the way she didn’t take shit, her laugh, the way her eyes lit up in class when the topic shifted to something she was interested in.

The odd way she wore black stilettos all of the time, and the way she looked at the moment with her hair blowing in the wind and her soft shoes making her so much shorter than him.

He could just lean down and press his lips against-

“We going in? I’m starving and this place does the best waffles.” There was a smile on her face, and for the first time he noticed how her face was void of makeup.

Every imperfection was on show and he couldn’t help but enjoy the sight.

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s go.” He cleared his throat and walked towards the diner.

Once they were inside, he felt a sense of comfort was over him.

The air was much warmer inside and the smell of bacon cooking reminded him just how hungry he was.

He was so angry the night before that he skipped dinner.

Y/N led him to a booth towards the back of the diner, where they could look through the window at his car.

“I don’t trust the asshole round here.” She explained. “I always sit where I can see my car.”

He was slowly discovering more about her and he couldn’t wait to sit down and talk with her.

She ordered three waffles and coated them all in syrup. She also ordered a strawberry milkshake and proceeded to sip the syrup coated waffles into the pink drink.

She was unique. He couldn’t expect anything from her apart from the unexpected.

When he called her, he figured she would hang up. But instead she calmed him down and asked him where the could meet. Within seconds of ending the call, Billy had been in his car and driving off.

Billy settled for pancakes, arguing that they were better than waffles. Y/N shot him an evil look for that admission.

There was no conversation as they ate. Y/N had questions burning in her mind but she didn’t want to pry.

Then again, she also wanted answers for why she had left the house for him.

He couldn’t stop himself from telling her after he had finished eating.

“It was my dad,” his voice was quiet, and he didn’t meet her eyes when he spoke.

Y/N snapped her eyes to billy, furrowing her brows with confusion.

“What was your dad?”

He gestured to his face, not wanting to say the words for fear he would break down.

Y/N’s mouth fell open. She had heard rumors from the boys that Max and Billy’s dad wasn’t the nicest, but she didn’t want to believe anything for fear of it not being true.

“Your dad did that to you?”

He nodded slightly.

He flinched when her hand grabbed his from across the table. She held his hand with such gentleness that he found himself staring at their connected appendages.

“He’s been doing it since I was little. My mum left when I was a kid, so he turned from doing it to her to doing it to me. He’s tried it a couple times with Susan but I try to stop it.” He seemed as if he were in pain.

“Does he do the same to Max?” Y/N could feel herself getting angrier as Billy spoke. This was not what she expected at all, but now that he was saying it, she could see the signs.

“No, no, he doesn’t touch Max. He’s controlling to her, though. It pisses her off. She’s too independent for him. Little brat tried to make a run for it before we moved here.” There was a proud smile on his face. “I don’t blame her. If we got along more, I would have tried to make a run for it with her.”

Y/N’s eyes were full of sympathy. She wanted to help the man in front of her, but she didn’t know how to.

“I’m sorry, Billy. I’m sorry this has happened to you.” She watched as he quickly wiped a tear that had fallen from his blue eyes. He still refused to look at her.

“S’fine. I shouldn’t have called you,” he whispered, nor trusting his voice.

Y/N furrowed her brows.

She turned her head around to look at they diner. It was empty, save for the man behind the counter who was dozing off.

She pulled her hand from his and stood up. His heart dropped for a second, fearing that she was going to leave him.

It came as a shock when she slid into his side of the booth and placed her small hands on either side of his face. For the first time, she could see the pain in his eyes.

There were pools of tears waiting to break free, and the memories hidden inside of him were coming to the surface.

“If you ever need me, you call me. I don’t care what time of day it is, I’m here for you, Billy,” she said sternly, watching him carefully. “Your dad is an asshole, and you and Max deserve a hell of a lot better than that.”

“Susan does too. She’s too nice for Neil.”

“And Susan. Hell, I’ll marry her if she’s looking for somebody.”

Billy laughed softly, “yeah, that’ll really make Neil happy. Asshole can’t even watch me look in a mirror without throwing some gay slur at me.”

“What a butt muncher,” Y/N grumbled.

Billy couldn’t pull his eyes away from the sight. She looked so grumpy, so protective. So beautiful.

“You’re the only one who knows, Y/N,” he whispered to her, allowing himself to melt into the feeling of her delicate hands on his face.

“It’s safe with me, Hargrove. Promise.”

It was that moment, that Billy realized, after many months of infatuation with the woman, he would do anything for her.

He had hit the bottom, fallen from such a height for her and he didn’t want to come back up.

And there, in the small diner at 5AM on a Saturday morning, he kissed her.

Delicately.

He would never forget the taste of syrup on her lips as their eyes both closed and they relaxed into the contact.

Tag list: @booksandfandomsarelife1 @originalwhore @http-cherries @cynthianokamaria @ietss @theatrechic26 @winter-captain-01 @thelastemzy @quaintflor @infinitelycharmed23 @mantlereid @theanswertoeverythingisl0v3

[just-my-fandom]

Chapter 1: MADMAX

Summary; As the town preps for Halloween, a high-scoring rival shakes things up at the arcade, and a skeptical Hopper inspects a field of rotting pumpkins. 

There will be a tag list, comment below if you would like to be added :)

Story list; Chapter 1, Chapter 2

“Son of a bitch! Son of a bitch!”

The rushed footsteps of Dustin Henderson grows louder as he stumbles into the living room of his three bedroom home. The news plays faintly on the television, Dustin unable to hear the alert coming from the newsman,

“A police chase rocked downtown Pittsburgh earlier this evening...”

Dustin moves to the couch his twin sister, Y/N, sat on, pulling the cushion opposite of her before lifting his hand, revealing to Y/N a shiny penny hidden in the couches dept, “Another stupid penny!”

Dustins hand launches to the side to chuck the penny, the small coin flying past you and landed next to the love seat Claudia Henderson sat on with the family cat, Mews, “Dusty!” Your mother scolds, her hands running down Mews back in a gentle groom, “Watch it! You almost hit your sister.”

“Can I please check under your cushions?” Dustins eyes flick to you, sipping hot chocolate from one of your mothers mugs, then to Claudia,

“Dusty.” Claudia warns, Dustin whining deep in his throat, “Mom, please? It’s an emergency!”

Claudia makes a noise of annoyance, lifting Mews from her lap before raising to her feet, allowing Dustin to launch for her chair and begin to pull the cushions off, “Whats the emergency?” You shift in your seat before scooting down the couch, watching Dustin as he pulls up her cushion, revealing two quarters in his hand,

“The Party is meeting up at the arcade, I gotta find as much quarters as I can.” Dustin mumbles, sticking his arm into the back of the couch, pulling his hand up and groaning at the four pennies in his hand.

“Ooh, can I come?” You ask, moving to set you mug on the counter and watch as Dustin pathetically toss the cushions back into their spot, “I have four dollars in quarters.”

“Fine.” Dustin heaves, waving for you to hurry and grab your bag of coins, “Lucas, you copy? I’ve got four quarters, Y/N’s bringing four dollars worth. What’s your haul?”

“Take your puny haul and multiply it by five.” Lucas answers into Dustins talkie, and you snort as you stand in the doorway of Dustins room, “And are you really bringing your sister?”

“I can keep my sixteen quarters.” You call back, Dustins eyes widening before he shakes his head. “Yes, I’m bringing Y/N, suck it up.” 

“Whatever. I’m going to shower, like a real man. Now you call Mike. Over and out.” 

Dustin sighs, flicking the channel to his talkie and handing you his four coins to drop in your mini bag. “Mike, do you copy? Mike, do you copy?”

“Yeah.” Mike answers, almost instantly, “Yeah I copy.”

“What are you doing on this channel?”

“Nothing.” Mike dodges, and you roll your eyes. 

“Well Lucas and I have six bucks, plus Y/Ns four bucks total. What’s your haul?”

“Shit.” You hear Mike grumble, and Dustin throws a hand up, weakly, “Shit! I don’t know yet.”

“What do you mean you don’t know yet?” You snap, Mike scoffing over the talkie, “Just hold on. Call Will.”

As you and Dustin skid to a stop on your bikes, you lift your hand to wave to Joyce and Will Byers in their car. You watch as Joyce stops Will from getting out, saying only a couple of words before she is waving back, pulling off.

“Oh Jesus! I’m in chartered territory here, guys.” Dustins game is slow to start, the group of five friends all huddled around the arcade game, Dragons Lair,

“Down!” You and Mike shout in unison, startling Dustin to quickly move the joystick, “Down! Down!”

“I’m going!” Dustin rushes, and you grimace when the knight on the game screen is burned alive by the dragon, Dustin raising his fist to his mouth to bite down on the skin,

“You’re just not nimble enough, you’ll get there one day.” Lucas grins, elbowing you in between him and your brother, “But until then. Princess Daphne is still mine.”

“As if,” You instantly scoff, squinting your eyes, “We all know I claimed her, since the beginning.”

“You could literally like any girl here in Hawkins, and you choose the imaginary one?” Mike questions, and you shrug, grinning, “I have my types. Besides, I’m definitely getting more than any of you fools.”

“Whatever, gross.” Dustin shakes his head. “I’m still tops on Centipede and Dig Dug.”

“You sure about that?” Your head snaps over at Keiths question, the arcade worker holding a bag of chips, stuffing a handful of the powdery goodness into his mouth, so you cringed and lean on the games surface. 

“Sure about what?” Dustin asks, hesitantly, and Keith raises his hand to stuff another chip into his mouth, crunching down loudly on the food. Realization washes over Dustins face, and you step back to let him dart down the isle of games, your hand snatching your now half empty bag before you follow the group of boys, to your brothers first favorite game.

“No!” Dustin cries out when he reaches the screen, your eyes scanning this list of scores and raise to the top, glancing at the name MADMAX shining beside the score 751300, “Who is Mad Max?” Dustin demands.

“Better than you.” Dustin shoves his middle finger in Keiths face. “Is it you?” Will asks, and Keith scoffs. “You know I despise Dig Dug.”

“Then who is it?” You push, eyes narrowed. “You want information, then I need something in return.” Keith raises his eyebrows, and the five kids look between one another, before their gaze finally settles on Mike, whose eyes widen when the thought settles. 

“No, no, no. No way. You’re not getting a date with her.”

“Mike, come on.” Lucas pleas, “Just get him the date.”

“I’m not prostituting my sister!” Mike snarls, “That’s like setting Y/N up with Troy!” 

“Gross.” You mumble, Mike raising his hand to you in an ‘exactly my point’ motion.

“But it’s for a good cause.” Lucas states, and Dustin waves his hands. “No. Don’t get him the date. Know what? He’s gonna spread his nasty-ass rash to your whole family.”

“Ache isn’t a rash and it isn’t contagious, you prepubescent wastoid.”

“Oh, I’m a wastoid? She wouldn’t go on a date with you.” Dustin scoffs, your eyes catching Will moving towards the entrance of the arcade, your brows furrowing before you step after him, holding the door open for the young boy.

“Will?” Your call startles him, turning to face you. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I just...needed some air.”

“Come on.” You stick a hand out to your elementary school friend, smiling when he relaxes upon taking said hand, “It’s your turn on Dig Dug. We gotta win our high score back.”

.               .                .

“Meet the human brain. I know. I know, it doesn’t look like much. A little gross even,”

“It looks like I chewed up a whole pack of gum,” You cut in, sitting in the chair behind Dustin, “Then spit it out on your desk, and hello! Surprise!”

“Very funny, Henderson.” Clarke presses his lips together, and you grin when Dustin looks back at you. “But consider this. There are a hundred billion cells inside of this miracle of evolution. All working as one. No, no, I did not misspeak. I did not stutter. A hundred billion.”

The classroom door suddenly opens, your head lifting off your hand when a girl with red hair steps up next to Clarke, your lips parting in awe. “Ah, this must be our new student. Class, please welcome, all the way from sunny California, the latest passenger to join us on our curiosity voyage, Maxine.”

“It’s Max,” She corrects, and looks over at Clarkes furrowed brows, “Nobody calls me Maxine. It’s Max.”

You gasp, dragging the four boys in front and to your left to look at you, “Mad Max.”

“Well, all aboard, Max.”

You curiously watch as Max moves to the back of the classroom, your eyes watching her drop into the single empty desk, her arms crossing before her eyes raise to meet yours. You lift a hand and wave, Max scoffing and rolling her eyes before shifting them to the front of the room.

.                .                  .

“There’s no way that’s Mad Max.”

You lean against the fence outside of Hawkins Middle, eyes watching the blazing red head skateboard down the walkway,

“Yeah. Girls don’t play video games.” Dustin mumbles, and you face him, eyebrows raised, “What?”

“That’s dog shit, Dustin.” You glance back at Max, who now jumped off her board and held it under her arm. “If I can play video games, so can she.”

“Uh oh,” Lucas bumps his hip with yours, so you looked at him, “Someone’s got a crush.”

“Do not.” You snip, “I never even actually met her.”

“You’re not the only one.” Dustin quietly states, and your eyes snap to him a second time.

“Seriously?” You question. “Back off. She’s mine.”

“But you just said-,” “I know what I said.”

“Twins fighting for the same girl?” Mike grins at Lucas, “This is gonna be good.”

“Why can’t you just be straight?” Dustin tests, and you narrow your eyes, testingly, “Then we’d definitely be twins.”

“She threw a piece of paper in the bins,” You dart away from the fence, skidding to a stop in front of the trash can so the four boys all shielded you, then turned to you when you unravel the paper,

“Stop spying on me creeps.”

“We’re not spying.” You scoff, and Mike and Lucas look at each other, “Right?”

“Well shit.” Dustin crosses his arms and sighs, and looks over when the principle steps up, alerting Will that Joyce has came to pick him up.

.               .                .

“Still no sign?”

You sigh and lean against the car you, Lucas and Dustin were hiding behind, extending your legs to stretch out the aching tension in them from squatting for so long. “Jack shit.”

“Damn it, mom’s going to murder us.” You look over at Dustin, who checks his watch and grimaces. “Then go home.” Lucas states, hands holding binoculars over his eyes. “I’ll radio if she comes.”

“Oh, yeah, nice try.” Dustin snips, “You just want us out of here so you can make your move.”

“Oh, cause youre such a threat.” Lucas snaps back, and you squint your eyes. “Are you serious? You too, Lucas?”

“How do you even know if she likes girls, anyways, Y/N? Oh, right, you dont.”

“So?” You huff, and stand up, rolling your shoulders. Your eyes look over, suddenly grabbing Dustins shoulder before pointing to Lucas’ binoculars. “Ten o’clock. Ten o’clock.”

Up ahead, you can see Billy Hargroves car pulling up to the arcade, Max hoping out of the passenger seat, but turns to yell at her step brother, throwing him the bird when he speeds off. 

You shove Dustins shoulder and round the car, jogging up to the door of the arcade where Max had disappeared.

“What do we do now?” It’s late at night, you stroll on your bike between Dustin and Lucas, only pedaling occasionally as to not stop completely. “We stick to the plan.”

“Mike’s not gonna like it.” Lucas protests, and Dustin rolls his eyes, swiftly. “Last time I checked, our party is not a dictatorship. It’s a democracy.”

“What if Max says no?” You frown.

“How can Max say no to these?” Dustin purrs, and you stick out a hand, shoving the side of his head so he swerved on his bike. “I swear to God, Dustin.”

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” Lucas sighs, turning his bike onto his road so you and Dustin were left alone. You skid your bike to a stop under the carport, propping the stand down so your bike would stand on its own.

A chirping sound causes you to turn around to face Dustin, your twin brother halting in place, telling you that he heard the noise, too. “Mews?” You call, Dustin turning to the darkness of your yard, then after a moments pause, he turns back to the house, waving off the sudden noise. 

You sigh and follow him into the house, pulling off your jacket and dropping it on the coat rack.

[aperrywilliams]

A Normal Conversation Ch05 (Spencer Reid x Maxine Brenner)

Previous Chapter / Ch05 / Next Chapter

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Chapter 5: First date

Summary: Spencer and Max first date

Word Count: 3510

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

A/N: It's like I wish the first date was

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Waking up the next morning, Spencer was in a very good mood. As soon as the alarm clock rang, he jump off the bed and went to the closet to choose his outfit for the day. He gathered all his clothes and left them on the bed while he went to shower.

After the shower he quickly get dressed. He looked his clock and it was still early. Breakfast was prepared. While he ate his toasts, he checked his cell phone and realized that Max sent him a message with the address of where he would go to pick her up after school. "Excellent. It is not far away” he said to himself. He finished eating and brushed his teeth, pick his bag, and went out hoping that morning would pass as quickly as possible.

Max woke up that morning with the sound of the alarm programmed into the cell phone. Even sleeping she stayed for a few seconds thinking about what day it was. When she was more awake she got up quickly and sat on the bed. Max picked up the cell phone and texted Spencer with her school's address. She’d forgotten to send it to him the night before. As she did so at that moment she thought and smiled. "Oh Max. What are you getting yourself into?” She said to herself before standing up and going to shower. Before that she left preparing coffee.

When Max left the bathroom she went to the closet to choose her clothes. She meditated a little. "It's just a coffee," she said to herself. After that she chose the clothes and started getting dressed. When she was ready set up on couch with her breakfast and TV on to watch some news before leaving. Finished the breakfast, she got ready, she turned off the TV and went to work. "I hope this morning does not become so endless," she thought as she took her bag and closed the door behind her.

The anxiety of both made the morning the opposite of what they expected: it felt extremely long and heavy. Max had to deal with two classes where the children seemed to have been possessed by hyperactivity. It took a lot of effort to get them to focus and do the class activities.

In his side, Spencer had to face a box full of records from previous cases that Emily urgently asked him to review in order to present it in an inventory of expenses in front of other area heads of the bureau during the afternoon. It was a tedious and not very challenging task for him, but he knew that Emily needed help fast and who better than someone who is able to read at the rate of 10 pages per minute.

The clock struck 2:10 p.m. and Reid had already finished his task. He went to Emily's office to report his findings. As he knocked on the door and after Prentiss let him in, he began to "spit out" information.

“Of all the cases involving more than a single suspect, the costs in human and monetary resources rise to over 30% and that correspond to 45% of the cases we had last year. In those where a direct alliance was made with the local police before arriving, the costs were reduced by 10% and the cases that were in the DC area had an increase in the resources of the bureau by 25%. The average work time per person was 2.3 days per assigned case...” Prentiss looked at Spencer in amazement and not because she did not believe everything he said, but because his "speed" was higher than the average she was used to.

“Reid… stop… do you have all this information in a written report?”

“Yeah right. I was going to give it to you now” he handed her a folder with a two-page report of all his work. Prentiss started laughing.

“What…?” Spencer said somewhat misled.

“You could have just handed me this and I'd be happy. You didn't have to do a dissertation on the data” Emily pointed out.

“I thought a summary would be useful before reading it” he said convinced.

“Yes, I really appreciate it. But you just "spit out" everything out faster than you usually do. Something happens?” Emily could read Reid as well as J.J.

“Ehhh, no ... it's just that I have to go now. I must be at 3:00 p.m. in ... a place...” Emily knew she was right, something was happening to Spencer.

“So ... why didn't you start there? It's already more than 14:20. Go away!” Emily said after checking her watch. Prentiss had no idea what Spencer's plans were, but she was sure it was important to him.

“Do you need anything else?...” Reid asked anxiously.

“Spencer, go now!. You're late” Prentiss ordered.

“Okay. Thank you!” It wasn't long before Spencer ran out of the office to take his belongings. Prentiss couldn't help but laugh at seeing him leave in such a hurry. "Spencer 'running away' from work at this time on a Friday?... Oh boy, it must be something really big" she thought, then returned to her own job.

It was 2:59 p.m. and Spencer was standing outside Max's school. He took advantage of that extra minute to adjust his tie and adjust his blazer. On time, he saw Max come out through the main gate. She saw him and smiled. Spencer thought he was going to melt right then. He saw her approach to him and thought "wow! she is so beautiful!”. It had only been a week since he met this woman and he was as stunned as a teenager.

Max went out the school looking among the people and saw him standing by the gate. Perfectly ordered in a suit that "fit him perfectly," she thought. “But look at those eyes, Max” she told herself. “Michelle was right ... he really is handsome ...". When they made eye contact, they both gave each other an open smile. Max approached him repeating inside her head “don't look nervous... don't look nervous... don't look ..."

“Hey! Just in time!” Max said when she was already in front of Spencer.

“Hey! Hi. I had just arrived” Spencer replied, not knowing if that greeting was enough. He wanted to kiss her on the cheek, but they weren't close enough to his judgment to do that.

“Well ... Where will we go for our coffee?”

“I know a place that I think you will like and it is relatively close in this neighborhood, we can go on foot if it doesn't bother you” Spencer said.

“I think it's great. I like to walk” Max said with enthusiasm.

“Me too. Come on then...” Spencer gestured for Max to start walking first.

“Let’s go...” Max said starting the walk.

They walked a few blocks and Spencer stopped in front of a place called "The Biggest Art Coffee". Max looked at the premises and exclaimed with enthusiasm.

“Hey! Whenever I passed by here I saw this place, but had never had the opportunity to enter” Max said cheerfully.

“Okay, now is the time. We get inside?” Spencer asked. Max nodded.

The place was tight at the entrance, but passing a second door opened a large room where in the center is the barista's bar and around tables and benches to sit. The walls were decorated with pictures that emulated paints of great artists in landscape and portrait painting. Max was fascinated. Her eyes sparkled. Spencer couldn't stop staring her and he was truly delighted to see her so excited.

“It's fantastic. It's like being in a mini museum!” she exclaimed.

"I knew you would like it" Spencer said with satisfaction.

“Yes, very much” Max looked at Spencer and gave him a smile. “Shall we order?” she said pointing to the barista's bar.

“Sure” Spencer said. “What do you want to drink?”

“Double espresso with a whipped milk bud" Max said confidently and without thinking twice.

“You know very well what you like...” he pointed out. Max laughed at the observation.

“I hope it's not a bad thing...” Max said.

“Of course not! Is a good thing indeed. After saying this, Spencer went directly to the bar to order the coffees, while Max sent herself to a table located in a corner, which allowed her to observe the place in greater detail. When Spencer returned with the coffees, he sat across from her passing what she had asked for.

“Thank you...” Max said enjoying the smell that came out of his cup. Spencer couldn't help but watch her and examine how she took her cup, how she slowly blew and tried to drink sips of her coffee without getting burned. While she was talking about the photos and pictures that were on the walls of the place. He could bet she knew the history of all those paintings.

Suddenly Max realized that Spencer was looking at her almost without blinking. “Is something wrong?” she ask. At the time Spencer realized that he didn’t have been very discreet when looking at her.

“No. It’s ok. Very well, in fact ... I was listening to you carefully” Spencer said.

“Excellent” Max said smiling. Then she took her cup and held it up to Spencer's cup. “For our first date” she said making a toast. He responded by doing the same.

“For our first date” they toasted and each took a sip. "You know... it's funny..." Spencer started to speak. Max looked at him closely.

“What it is funny?” Max asked.

“Well, I'm not going to deny that I'm nervous about this” he said this referring to him and her. “Well, since the fact I didn't know how to invite you out. I rehearsed it a thousand times on the plane when I got back to DC”. Max was watching him intently, she didn't want to interrupt him “…And well, I finally ended up calling you. You know, I think it's funny that we have been talking for a week and this is our first... ‘date’”.

“Does the word "date" complicate you?” Max asked. Spencer shook his head not knowing if to say yes or no. “We can use another word if you feel uncomfortable...”

“No, is not that. It is the opposite, in fact. I like it ...”. Max was somewhat confused.

“Ok, let's clarify this. I think we are getting a little complicated” she said. “We are going to start with the essentials: Why did you invite me out in the first place? Did you feel forced by the message I sent you?” said Max.

“No no no. I invited you out because I wanted it... I like to talk to you ... and if it is in person, better”

“Ok... so, we agree that this is natural and that it should happen...”

“Yes...”

“What I am saying is that it is normal for people who have just met and have been in contact for a few days want to see each other again at some point. I think this needed to happen” Max said. Spencer nodded. Max continued with her idea. “Ok. I understand that you're a little nervous. I am also nervous right now” she confessed. Spencer looked at her and grimaced.

“Are you?... I could say that you hide it much better than me” he sentenced. Max started to laugh.

“Good, thank you. I thought it was more evident” they both laughed. Max continued: “Do you agree if we make this... I don't know... more relaxed? I think it is a nice symbol of what it was like when we first met. No pressure. Let's take things slow and see what happens”

“Take things slow… yes of course. I can do that. It is not my intention to do otherwise. I think you may have noticed by now that I'm not the ‘fast’ type” Spencer shrugged. Max smiled.

"I like that ... despite how solemn you are when invite someone out for coffee" Max joked.

“Solemn. Yes that's me” Spencer smiled as he drank his coffee.

“So ... did we reach an agreement?” Max asked.

“So is. We go slowly seeing how things turn out. No pressures” Spencer said.

“Excellent. We agree. Let's make another toast then…”. The toast was broken by a cracking sound that Spencer felt in his stomach and made him wince. Max noticed. “Did you have lunch?” she asked.

“Ehh, no... I passed the hour at the office” he explained.

“And have you been hungry all this time?” Max reproached.

"I hadn't really noticed I was hungry" said Spencer.

“No, no, no sir. You're not going to faint on our first date. Come on, let’s go” Max said getting up from his chair to leave.

“Where are we going?” Spencer asked.

“To feed your poor stomach. I know a good place” Max stated.

They headed out to the place Max had in mind so Spencer could eat. They walked a few blocks near the park where they were first met. During the walk Max reproached Spencer for his unhealthy habits.

“Okay, I'm not the example of a healthy person, but at least I avoid skipping meals. I don't know how someone could think fatigued, it doesn't work for me” Max said.

"I think in my case it would be worse to try to think without caffeine..." said Spencer.

“I give you that one. I agree. It happens to me too. Anyway, I think if a person is going to have bad habits, let them be the least”. Spencer nodded.

"I don't smoke and I don't drink," Spencer said. Max looked at him raising an eyebrow.

“Don't you smoke ... nothing? ... you never drink alcohol...?” Max asked curiously.

“I don’t smoke. Nothing. I drink alcohol only on very special occasions... that is, almost never...”. He thought with a grimace.

“Ok, I'm thinking that maybe the one with the least healthy behavior is me...” Max laughed.

“If I had said it before... would I have avoided this whole speech?” Spencer asked looking at Max reproachfully.

“Maybe...”. Max said with a shrug. “Okay, here we are”.

They had reached a local food restaurant. It was similar to a food truck, but it was slightly larger and had a hallway with a bar where people could sit. They approached the inn and the tenant asked them what they were going to eat. Without asking Spencer, Max asked for the house special burrito and two bottles of water. Spencer watched as Max made the request and said nothing to him. When it was time to pay, Spencer approached to take the account, before which he received a pat from Max in his arm.

“What are you doing? I invite you. You paid for the coffee, it's fair for me do this”. Spencer wanted to insist, but he sensed that perhaps it was not a good idea to argue with Max about it. In addition, his eyes fell quickly on the burrito that was provided to him for the tenant. In that minute he realized that he was really hungry. They took the food and sat at the bar.

“What am I about to eat?” Spencer asked as he pulled the paper out of his burrito.

“The best burrito you will eat in this city. I am not going to say that it is the best in the country, considering that you surely know more cities than me. This burrito is the precise balance between meat, bread, and dressings. It will leave you feeling itchy but very pleasant”. Spencer took his burrito and took his first bite with enthusiasm. He chewed and chewed, savoring exactly what Max had described.

"Wow!... This is... really tasty" Spencer took another bite as Max took sips from his water bottle and looked at him with satisfaction.

“I like to come here when I feel I need a good burrito. The better thing is that you can order to take home”. Max said while Spencer just nodded and decided to finish his burrito in one last bite.

“Really ... delicious. I must say that you were absolutely right about this”. Spencer said removing residue dressing from his mouth with a napkin and taking a sip from his water bottle.

They decided to stand up from the bar and continue walking, since the place began to fill up with people. Near the place there was a small square with benches. They decided to go there to be able to sit down.

“Your look better now. Do you see that it is necessary to eat?” Max said as she sat down on one of the benches.

“You can be sure that now I won't faint. But you have created a new need for me with that burrito” Spencer said. Max smiled.

“Nothing is perfect. Sorry” Max said with a shrug.

“The truth is… if we speak about perfection is risky to say it because each person can judge only for they own what they considered as perfection. Independently we have ideas of what perfect is, though there are studies that say empathy could finally generate a shared canon...” He realized he was rambling and  Max was looking at him with a raised eyebrow. “Ok... but it is clear that what I am saying is not relevant now…”. Max laughed out loud.

“No, is not that. I'm sure it does make sense. What's more, I could give you my opinion on that if you're interested, of course...”. Spencer looked at Max curiously and nodded. Max started talking: “you are a scientist, correct ?, that is, you believe in scientific facts rather than myths and legends...”

“Yes, although many myths and legends interconnect with scientific observations of the world...” Spencer said.

“Totally agree. But well, what if someone, with whom you empathize a lot, I don't know, could be a family member, a friend... if that person told you that he/she had a scientifically unorthodox experience, would that give more credibility to his/her story than if it were someone who didn't you know”. Spencer thought for a bit.

"No ..." said Spencer.

“Would you make him/her notice...?” Max asked counteract.

“Probably…”

“Even if that means a conflict between you?”

“In that case, maybe not”

“That's my point! I don't think there is a shared canon between people thanks to empathy, but rather that empathy is rather ‘accepting that the other is looking for something different’. And many times it is accepted to avoid conflict and the possibility of ‘not fitting in’”. Spencer was speechless. He just nodded. Max's reasoning was very reasonable even though it was in a completely different paradigm than his.

"Wow, that makes a lot of sense" said Spencer.

“It is not that I am very studious on the subject, but it is what I see in children. And we know that children's behavior teaches a lot”.

“You're right. In fact, our first social interaction is in childhood and that says a lot about how our future experiences might or might not be…” said Spencer. Max nodded.

Spencer was very pleased to be able to discuss things like this with Max. They were like his sociology classes, but applied to real life. It seemed that her experience in life and her work made her very accurate in her observations and very pedagogical in her explanations. He liked that. He certainly liked it.

They were talking for a few more hours when they realized that it was already getting dark. Max winced at her watch.

“It's getting late, I think I better go”

“Yes me too. Will you walk to your apartment?”

“No, I will take a cab. My apartment is not close to here.

“I'll go with you until you take it”

"Fine, thanks" Max smiled as they walked toward the corner of the street.

"I hope I lived up in this... first date" Spencer said as they waited for a cab to come. Max nodded at him.

“I had a great time with you Spencer today. Thank you” Max gestured to a cab that was coming a block away.

"Special credit to the burrito you bought me" Spencer said and they both laughed. The cab stopped and Spencer opened the door for her.

“Goodbye Spencer” Max said giving him a farewell smile. Before getting on the cab Spencer stopped her for a second taking her arm.

“Ok, It's my turn...”. He bent down a little to kiss her on the cheek. “Good night Max...”. Then he helped her to get into the cab. She smiled, staring at him and grimacing.

“Good night...” Max said before closing the door of the taxi and starting the way to her house.

This time Spencer didn’t want to walk to his apartment. He stood on the sidewalk for a while until he stopped a cab for himself. He was pleased. “Not bad for a first date” he told himself. “Alright Spencer. Achievement unlocked” he concluded saying to himself with a satisfied smile on his face.

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

[damn-stark]

Lost way ch.9

A/N- I was inspired by the Last of us II teaser trailer in the first part!!

Warning- Language, Violence

-

I strum my guitar strings lightly. Tune it when I hear it out of tune. After my fingers gracefully start playing . I quietly sing along to the song that I’m playing. I feel as the tears start to roll down my cheeks while I’m playing. The sound of rain drops outside easily heard through the open hotel window. My eyes close feeling the moment. When I finish playing I open my eyes and wipe my tears. I rest my guitar on my lap I take a shaky deep breath.

“ that was great.” I hear Steve softly say as he’s leaning by the door frame. I look up startled just a bit after hearing his voice.

“ I didn’t hear you come in.” I say as I lean the guitar by the bed. Once he sees my tears he comes to me and kneels down in front of me. He wipes the tears from my face.

“ you were so into playing I didn’t want you to stop.” He responds as he cups my cheeks. I lean in taking In his warmth. My tears kept rolling down. “ you really want to go through with it?” He asks quietly.

“ yes.... (I reach for my brothers cross chain that’s around my neck.) I owe it them.”

-

I stand further away from the base keeping watch of any guards or soilders walking out the base. I sit down and zoom in my scope to take a closer look. I take a sip of my drink that’s in my other hand.

“ okay nobody guarding on the south side and nobody walking in or out the door.” I report to Natasha through my earpiece.

“ I’ve got some on my side.” I hear Natasha say.

“ okay do what you gotta do. We’re not killing them remember.” Steve reports.

“ yea we know just putting them to sleep and tying them up for them to arrested.” I say.

Steve had convinced me not kill the hydra agents but instead take them down quietly. Not letting ourselves be seen to remain hidden. I wanted so badly to kill them all but I was convinced not risk it or let myself go that path. I knew he was right. It’s just hard for me.... it’s hard not to kill them especially knowing what they did to my family. And to other people. Killing innocents. Brainwashing. Controlling. Experimenting. among many other horrible things.

“ okay they’re down.” I hear Natasha say.

“ same here.” Sam says.

“ okay let’s move in.” I say. I put my drink back in backpack. And hop off the post I was keeping watch in. I crouch down and head for the door. I see Wanda approach on the other side. I give her a signal and we both open the door. Once the door is open I throw a couple smoke screens so we can unseen. We move up and hear people coughing and yelling orders. We keep walking by the walls and once we see the hydra soilders come to check what’s happening we knock them out. When we cleared the hallway we go our separate ways trying to take them down faster. I get close to a opening and peek and see computers and scientist panicking and confused on what was happening. I put my mask on that covers the bottom half of my face only my eyes showing. I stand up and walk towards the opening. I make duplicates of myself blocking their paths. I then make them feel enough pain for them to go unconscious. I make my clones disappear and stick small sticky bombs on the computers. I walk a good distance away and cause all the computers to explode. After that I went back and tied all of them up so when they woke up they couldn’t go nowhere.

“ all clear on my floor.”

“ here too.”

“ yea me too.”

I hear all of them report. Once we do another sweep through on the place making sure there’s nobody else we all go at our location where we agreed to meet up. Steve and I were the first ones there. I take my mask off and hood off. I smile at him before giving him kiss. A little while later we hear someone fake cough from behind me. That causes us to break apart. When I turn I see Sam, Wanda , and Natasha standing there.

“ sorry to inturrpt the very intimate moment here but you know we do have to start heading out before they find us here.” Sam says. Steve Scratches the back of head a little embarrassed at the current situation. I could see that Natasha was amused because she was looking down at the ground with a smile trying not laugh at Steve’s reaction.

“ yea...sure.” Steve said akwardly. I coudnt help my snicker at his very adorable akwardness.

“ we did great guys just one more base to go and we can take it easy.” I say highfiving them. We all get the Quinjet that we Natasha had taken before having to leave the compound. After We then headed for the last location we needed to go to. I know that they’ll mostly likely come back but I just needed to do this. I just needed to take them down. Doing this makes sure that they won’t be coming back for a while. We also knew that they might move have more hidden bases but this just gave me satisfaction. Knowing that they’ll be taken down. And if we did it right they wouldn’t know who or what hit them.

-

We were at the last base we needed to take down. This would be the last one and after that we would be done. We do our usually spotting. This one was a little harder because it was hidden inside a wooded hill. We had to be more stealthy. I was up on tree that was looking across from the hil they were in. There was no visible entrances from here except for two hidden windows. They were big enough for me go through them. Sam had finally found the entrance. It was well hidden far off from the base. It mostly likely connected through some tunnel. It was big enough for cars to go through so that meant that this was a big base. Him and Steve has found recent car tracks leading towards it. They exploded the door down and entered. It took them a while to report back but they did. I gave Natasha the signal. And we broke the windows. We then got our grabable hooks and used them to get through the windows. While I was sliding towards the broken window I threw a smoke screen to hide us.

When we landed with Wanda flying and landing by us. When we were inside and it was quiet. We didn’t see or hear anybody. I stood up and caustiouly walked forward trying to get a better look. I looked at Natasha confused on the abandoned room. We knew that their was people in this base. We slowly moved foraward trying to look around through the smoke. As we were looking around I heard something land by my feet. I looked down and saw a grenade.

“ GRENADE!” I yelled warning Natasha and Wanda. I immiedialtly threw it back where it came from using my telekinesis. It exploded midair. Seconds later gunshots started getting shot. I kicked down a table making it my shield.

“ we’ve been compromised here.” I try to tell Steve and Sam through my ear piece.

“ we did too!” Steve responds back.

It was still hard to see because of the smoke but I still heard gunshots. I looked over at Natasha who had used a table as I shield too. She was shooting back.

“ told you that you needed a gun.” She said smugly.

“ yeah yeah whatever.” I say back occasisnly peaking over the table. Wanda cleared the smoke out making it easier for us to see.

“ thanks for that.” I tell her.

Once I could finally see I threw a table towards the soilders that were shooting at us. That caused them to get knocked to the ground. But before we could get up more came from behind us. Wanda flings their guns away from them. I jump up and get closer to them. I then knock them out and we tie them up. We move up and tie the others up. After we slowly keeping an eye out for anymore of them. We go in to another room. And see more of them approach us. One comes towards me and tried shoot me but duck down grab his hand and hit him with his own gun. One tries to come up from behind me but I turn around and kick him making him stumble back. He regains balance and got his gun out. But I was quicker and caused him pain. Seconds later he hit the ground.

We keep moving on hearing shots coming from the other side of the base. We were running to go help Steve and Sam but we were blocked by more hydra soilders. Natasha, Wanda and I got back to back as they surrounded us. I flung one soilder causing him to crash to some behind him. After they were taken down we keep moving. Out of nowhere one appears from a hidden door and gets me. He has a gun pointed at the side of my head.

“ try anything and I’ll shoot her!” He yells.

“ don’t.” I warn Natasha. Without moving my head I signal her that Steve and Sam are hiding over by the wall. Unexpectedly I kick the soilder in the crotch. He groans in pain so use that and grab his hand and flip him over. I glare at him and he started yelling in pain. He yelled louder as I made it worse.

“ Maxine!” Steve yells I immidiatly look up towards him making me snap back to reality.

“ sorry.” I mumble. I tie the now unconscious guy up. We didn’t hear any other soilders come to us so we went and destroyed their computers. That contained their probably super important work. While doing that i went to the last table of computers and stuck the explosives under the table. I then felt burning pain in my shoulder. I turn around and see a soilder hidden behind some shelves. Wanda grabs him and throws him across the room. Steve runs to me worried.

“ are you okay?!” He asks concerned.

“ yea it’s nothing I think it went through I should be fine.” I tell him with a small smile so he could calm down. “ let’s blow this up and start heading out.” I say.

After we explode all the computers and finally head back to the Quinjet. We’re finally out and headed to some hotel far away from here so we wouldn’t be spotted. Steve then comes to me and helps me with my wound. With my non injured arm I reach for my chain and look at it. My eyes get watery as I’m looking at it. Remembering my family. I kiss it lightly and put it back.

“ thank you guys.... for coming along with me and doing this.... I know this wasn’t easy but I’m grateful that you guys came along it means a lot to me that it really does.” I tell them all gratefully.

“ no problem it was nothing. We all know this was important for you.” Natasha says from upfront as she’s flying he Quinjet.

“ yea plus what else could we do. There’s nothing else for us to do.” Sam says.

“ you know I always got your back Max.” Wanda says.

“ still thank you guys.”

-

I’m laying bed looking up at the ceiling lost in my own thoughts.

“ something in your mind?” Steve asks as he lays by me. I look at him as he snaps me from my thoughts.

“ just thinking about this about everything. It’s crazy how my life changed all in two years. It’s just crazy to think about it all. Two years ago i was training to be a police and now I’m a war criminal..... I was in such a dark place after my family’s death so consumed my revenge I got tricked by the bad guys..... tried killing all of you because of it...... and now I’m here an ex avenger on the run with my also war criminal boyfriend.” I tell him as I cuddle up next to him. I take a pause before talking again “ I also want to say thank you... to you... for helping me with all of this... it really helped me. I was lost in my ways and you helped through it.” I finished saying.

“ you know I would do it for you.... I- I love you.... I’m in love with you.... I would do anything for you..... I’m sorry that we have to be on the run. I know this isn’t easy. ” He says. I sit up and look at him with a huge smile on my face.

“ I love you too Steve... being here with you makes me happy. I wouldn’t want anything else. And I don’t mind being on the run. You being here with me means everything.” I tell him. I then lean in and kiss him. He holds me and pulls me closer and

“ I’m in love with you too Steve.” I say before kissing him again.

.

.

.

.

[oselatra]

48 hours in Fayetteville

More than just Woo-Pig.

48 HOURS

IN

FayettevillE

More Than Just Woo-Pig.

The Hogs will forever reign supreme up on the hill in Fayetteville — even when the football and basketball teams are in shambles. But say, "Who pig?" and plan your visit on a weekend when there's not a big game. You might want to bring a bike and use the Razorback Regional Greenway to pedal around town and all the way north to Bentonville. That would help you burn off all the calories you're going to pile on touring Fayetteville's fantastic food and bar scene.

Day 1:

Start with a burger in a basement

"Housed in a cellar location straight out of a Beat poem, it's the kind of place that'll make even an oldster feel like the clock has been wound back to the glory days the minute you walk in the door," the Arkansas Times once wrote in a review of Hugo's (25 1/2 N. Block Ave.), a Fayetteville institution since 1977. Most of the decor appears not to have changed since then. Hugo's will hopefully forever be a bit dingy. That's the way we like it. There's no better place in Fayetteville to grab a burger and a beer.

Buy books, records

The best book shopping in Arkansas is in Fayetteville. Dickson Street Bookshop (325 W. Dickson St.), where used and out-of-print books are bought and sold ("where good books go to good people" is the store's motto), is a rabbit warren of literary delights in which bibliophiles can happily lose an hour or two. Nightbird Books (205 W. Dickson St.) sells a smart and broad collection of new books for adults and children. It's got everything an indie bookstore fan could want: pet birds to admire, an in-store coffee shop and comfy chairs. Block Street Records (17 N. Block Ave.) is the record shop every college town should have now that the kids are buying vinyl again. It's got a wide selection of obscure as well as popular new and used albums, a knowledgeable staff, and it's open daily with hours that stretch to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

You need nature

And Lake Fayetteville and the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks will provide. You didn't bring a boat, of course, but no worry: Lake Fayetteville will rent you one for its calm, no-wake waters. Or climb back on your mountain bike and check out the surrounding area. The 6.9-mile nature trail is a destination for bird watchers and others who like to walk in the woods, and it goes right by the Botanical Garden. There's a $7 ticket, but you'll see 12 themed gardens, a butterfly house and learn about bats or succulents or tea — whatever is being offered in the garden's educational program.

Grab a drink and some nostalgia

Maxine Miller sits at the head of the table of the Arkansas Bar Hall of Fame (which does not, but should, exist!). As a 24-year-old single woman in 1950, she opened Maxine's Tap Room at 107 N. Block Ave. For more than 50 years, Miller presided over the smoky shotgun bar, perched on the only green stool in a line of a red ones, sipping coffee and playing dominos, while generations of students stopped in for cold beer, a beloved jukebox and a try on an arcade bowling game known as "Ding Ding." In her later years, Miller sold T-shirts that read, "It was your parents' bar. Now it's yours." When Miller died in 2006, her family kept the bar open, but a fire forced it to close for a year, among other setbacks. But in 2013, the owners of nearby Block Avenue businesses The Little Bread Co., Terra Tots and Hammer & Chisel stepped in to operate the bar. They gave it a update, stripping out drop ceilings and peeling back some of the bric-brac, and introducing a smart, classic cocktail menu. It remains one of the best bars in Arkansas. Bonus points: Former Arkansas Times arts and entertainment editor and professional music nerd Robert Bell often DJs there.

Head south to the Mill District

Restaurateurs Jerrmy Gawthrop and Clayton Suttle have made South Fayetteville a food and drink destination. In 2006, they opened Greenhouse Grille (418 S. School Ave.), a "new American" restaurant that specializes in innovative takes on comfort food and relies heavily on local ingredients. Naturally, it's vegetarian and vegan friendly, though you can also get beef tenderloin served with bleu cheese butter. In 2014, Gawthrop and Suttle opened Wood Stone Craft Pizza + Bar just to the south of Greenhouse Grille (557 S. School Ave.). It's a similar formula to Greenhouse, with lots of local ingredients inventively combined, but on pizza cooked in a wood oven. You'll also find a happening bar scene, with a wide selection of Arkansas craft beers and craft cocktails; there's boozy root beer and dreamsicle floats, too. Both restaurants are easily accessible for bikers or walkers on the Frisco Trail, part of the Razorback Regional Greenway.

Stay downtown ... or on the outskirts

The former Cosmopolitan Hotel underwent a complete redesign and renovation, which included replacing and updating furniture, fixtures, plumbing and electrical systems, before reopening in 2012 as The Chancellor (70 N. East Ave.), a boutique hotel with 92 rooms and 15 suites, modern decor and an affordable price point (rooms start at $99). It's downtown near the square and within walking distance of campus and many of our recommendations for food, drink and fun. Or stay at the Inn at the Mill (3906 Johnson Mill Blvd.) just outside of town, in Johnson, near Arvest Park, where the Northwest Arkansas Naturals play. The late Fayetteville architect James Lambeth restored the Johnson Mill, part of which dates back before the Civil War (some of it was burned after the battle of Pea Ridge and reconstructed after the war), in the 1990s and constructed the inn around it. His daughter, Courtney James, and her husband, Miles James, ran it and the restaurant James at the Mill. The Jameses sold the property earlier this year and the new owners plan to turn the restaurant into additional space for lodging. In the meantime, what's there has been recently renovated.

Day 2:

Grab breakfast or brunch or toast at Arsaga's

Cary and Cindy Arsaga opened the first location of Arsaga Coffee Co. in 1992. Since then, the Arsaga family has become near synonymous with coffee in Fayetteville, adding new locations and its own warehouse roastery. In 2012, they transformed a long dilapidated freight train building into what became Arsaga's at the Depot (548 W. Dickson St.), an all-day restaurant that specializes in crepes, but also does sandwiches, salads, loaded fries and big breakfast plates. It's got a big outdoor porch that overlooks the Frisco Trail. In 2016, the family opened Arsaga's Church & Center (200 W. Center), nicknamed "Toast," because the shop only sells coffee and other drinks and loaded thick-cut toasts — like the Boss Hog (smoked pork, pimento cheese, pickled carrot, parsley and mojo verde on multigrain bread) or the Toast Shop Crunch (buttered and sugared sourdough topped with sweet maple cream and fresh fruit).

Art and architecture

The stomping grounds of E. Fay Jones and Edward Durrell Stone ought to have some architecture to look at, right? Stone designed the Fine Arts Center building on the UA campus, the Sigma Nu house and other buildings. Jones, the famed creator of Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, who taught at the UA, which named its architecture school for him, designed many of the fabulous mid-century homes you see tucked into Fayetteville's hills. In fact, Fayetteville is lousy with architectural firms and exciting 21st century designs by the DeMx, Marlon Blackwell, David McKee firms and others. If it's old you're into, Fayetteville has that in spades, too: In 1853, a century before Jones was bringing his version of Prairie-style works to town, Col. Tebbets built his place at 118 E. Dickson St. It's now the home of the Washington County Historical Society. Even earlier, in 1845, Judge David Walker built a home at 207 Center St.; it's one of the few properties, like the Col. Tebbets house, to survive the Civil War; now called the Walker-Stone House, it hosts exhibits of fine art. The oldest standing building in Fayetteville is the Ridge House, a portion of which dates to 1830.

Like Fort Smith, Fayetteville has joined the mural movement, with the Green Candy public art project. Check out "Owl" on the east side of the former Mountain Inn building; it's a three-story work by Puerto Rican artist Alexis Diaz. There's a timely eclipse mural by Argentinian street artist Marina Zumi on the west side of Hog Haus Brewing Co. And Fayetteville artist Jason Jones is the creator of the gas-masked rabbit at 545 W. Center St.

After you've seen what's outside, go indoors to see what's on the walls at the Walton Arts Center's Joy Pratt Markham Gallery. Before the renovation of the UA Fine Arts Center — part of the $120 million, Walton-family-supported School of Art that will be built during the next five years — see what's up in the gallery there. Ride your bike there; you'll never find a place to park.

Too much culture for you?

If you like your fun with a big helping of nostalgia, the Arkadia Retrocade (1478 N. College Ave.) is the place to get your fix on Asteroids, Galaga, Donkey Kong and other classic arcade games for one low entry fee.

Refresh in style ... or waste the afternoon and evening at adult playland

The restored Carnall Hall, the turn-of-the-century women's dorm that has been transformed into luxe lodging, has a terrific dark and cozy bar called the Lambeth Lounge. It's got that swank, intellectual Algonquin Round Table feel. And if you pull a Dorothy Parker and have one too many, no matter: Ella's Restaurant is in Carnall Hall, too, and it's a white-tablecloth, crab cakes and tenderloin kind of place.

On the other hand, JJ's Beer Garden & Brewing Co. (3615 N. Steel Blvd.), owned by JJ's Grill restaurateur Jody Thornton, is a 12,000-square-foot brewpub that has it all: beer brewed on location, a huge menu of pub grub and an outdoor barbecue food truck, and a massive outdoor patio and play area with a 16-by-19-foot TV, shuffleboard, cornhole, ping pong, bocce ball, sand volleyball and even a wading pool. You can imagine that things get a little crazy here on game days.

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