#Merrill!reader

[psychotic-star-girl]

How it feels finding something to read when the fandom is either dead or unknown or the character is just underated:

[a-punchline-on-duct-tape]

buck merril in an average dallas fanfic being forced to listen to y/n getting their guts completely rearranged

[kissproof]

❦... A LITTLE LESS LONELY

SUMMARY: attemping to get ace to stay in for the night...

WARNINGS: heavily suggestive themes , fem!reader , needy!reader , dirty talk , implied sex

it's so hot in your house. hot in the hallway, hot in your bedroom, rising so much that the whole house was dark in hopes of fighting it with sleep, and despite all that ace quietly laces up his shoes in what he could make of the soft yellow lamplight of your little bedroom.

"ace,” you sigh, sleepily.

he hums. but doesn't look at you as you approach him from behind. he’s barred you from any attempt at hypnosis with the back of his head because of this game you love to play.

"won't you stay in with me?"

the mattress, beneath your sweetly cleaned bedsheets, dips and levels under your palms, your bended knees. and the hem of your plain nightgown hikes up and licks your thighs. your mother, the one who churched on sunday and prayed every other would cry if she took one look at the way you pedestaled, deified, and laid your love on this man. ace was a downright terror to castle rock. clearly, your understanding was much different.

"nah. i gotta go."

your arms bend around his level shoulders. you hold his body, musky with sweat that glistens off his skin and into yours; on your quiet chest like a wreath. "you always gotta go... i never know what you're doin' out there"

"it's none of your business,” he counters, quietly, slow enough to where you could hear him. he only has a bone to pick with you when you try to set him straight. your kisses find his neck. you smile against him. "why?” you pry, coyly. “you doin' bad things?"

ace twitches and turns his head, near kissing you. "what’re you buggin' me for?"

but you don’t respond. you glance at his lips, his face still so close to you, and it melts you more than this late summer heat. when he turns away, you own your breath again, but you continue to drape yourself on him. forehead, nose, then cheek curl along his back.

"i just can't understand why you wanna ride in that silly little car all night..." you mutter like a child, and he pauses before bringing himself close to you again, his nose and hair teasing your face.

“wasn’t so silly when i had your face pressed against my windows, whinin’ and squealin.’” you had him. you can hear it in the sudden gain in his breath. “what’s in it for me?” he presses, calmly. “hm?”

"anything,” you reply with a floating hitch in your throat.

"anything?” he taunts.

he could see by the rouse in your face, your delicate parted lips, hooded eyes, strands of your hair sticking to the wet sides of your glistening neck, that he had all the permission he needed to have his merry way with you.

"c'mon then.”

[thewulf]

Second Sunrise || Dallas "Dally" Winston

Summary: Request - Dally x buck merril's cousin!reader who buck adopted bc her parents were abusing her.

A/N: Ahhh protective Dally is the best kind of Dally!! This is a heavier one, please look at the trigger warnings before reading. Hope you guys enjoy.

Pairing: Dallas "Dally" Winston x Female Reader (Buck Merril Cousin)

Word Count: 5.2k +

TW: ABUSE, talks of abuse, hitting, bruises, cuts, blood, threats of violence, general Outsiders warnings

The night at Buck's Rodeo Bar was buzzing with life. The jukebox played a raucous country tune while laughter and the clink of beer glasses filled the air. Neon lights cast a glow over the rustic scene illuminating the wood-paneled walls adorned with rodeo memorabilia. Behind the bar, Buck Merril, the owner, and a towering figure with an easy smile, was busy serving drinks. He handed another beer to Dallas "Dally" Winston who wasn’t just a regular; he lived in the small apartment right above the bar.

"Here’s another on the house," Buck said, wiping his hands on a towel. "So, Dal, still finding trouble or is trouble finding you?" He smirked knowing how tuned into trouble his friend was.

Dally was reclining against the bar with his leather jacket just catching the light gave Buck a wry grin. "A bit of both, I guess. Keeps life interesting. What’s been going on with you?"

Buck's gaze shifted to the end of the bar where a young woman was quietly serving customers. His expression softened a bit as he nodded towards her. "You see that girl over there? The one with the tray full of drinks?"

Dally followed Buck’s nod, observing her. She seemed out of place with her reserved demeanor.  Almost too gentle for the rough-and-tumble crowd of the bar. "Yeah, I see her. What about her?"

"That’s my cousin," Buck revealed. His voice lowering even as he kept his tone casual. "Took her in a few months back. Found her in a real bad way... her folks were the ones hurting her. Had to step in and bring her here."

The typical hardness in Dally’s eyes softened. A rare flicker of concern showing through as he took a longer look at her. "That’s rough. How’s she doing now?"

"She’s getting by day by day. It’s tough though, especially at night," Buck explained as his eyes tracked her movements. You skillfully avoided drawing attention to yourself. "She doesn’t talk much about it… tries to keep her head down."

Dally nodded slowly. His usual detached demeanor shifting towards something more thoughtful. "She got a name?"

"Her name's Y/N," Buck said, a touch of pride in his voice. "She's a tough one but you know how it is... the past has a way of holding on."

Dally took a sip of his beer. His gaze lingering on you as you laughed softly at something a customer said. "Maybe I’ll introduce myself, see if she needs anything. Living up here it’d be good to have someone to talk to who understands."

Buck clapped Dally on the back, grateful. "I’d appreciate that and I think she would too. She could use a friend around here."

As Buck moved off to attend to another customer Dally watched you carefully across the bar. There was a quiet strength about you that reminded him of his own struggles, sparking an unexpected sense of kinship. He decided he'd make the first move later that night. A simple gesture of solidarity from one survivor to another.

On a chilly a few months prior during the evening Buck was at a local bar, not his own. He was just enjoying a quiet drink away from his usual crowd. The place was less crowded, dimly lit, with the usual murmur of hushed conversations filling the air.

At the far end of the bar Buck overheard a familiar voice rising above the low din. It was his uncle, Y/N's father, drunk and bitterly ranting to anyone who would listen. Buck’s ears perked up as the harsh words cut through the buzz of the bar.

"Yeah, that worthless girl of mine," his uncle slurred, his voice dripping with contempt, "Nothing but a dumb whore. Ain’t good for nothing but to kick around. She’s just like her mother. Can’t do nothing right."

The bar’s patrons shifted uncomfortably. Some trying to ignore the man, others glancing sympathetically towards Buck knowing the already strained relationship. Buck’s jaw tightened with anger and a fierce protectiveness rising within him. He had known your home life was troubled, but the cruel reality had never been so blatantly laid out before him.

With a hard slam of his glass on the counter Buck stood up, his decision made in an instant. He left the bar and drove straight to your house. His mind racing with every turn of the wheel. When he arrived, the scene was as bad as he had feared, maybe worse.

He found you in the corner of her dimly lit living room. Your form small and battered. A stark contrast to the storm raging outside. Your mother was the only other person present, her demeanor anxious and defensive as Buck burst through the door.

"What the hell is going on here?" Buck’s voice thundered through the small space as he quickly assessed the situation. His eyes darting from you to your mother.

Your mother tried to intercept him with her voice shaky. "Buck, you shouldn’t be here—"

"It’s too late for that," Buck cut her off. His voice firm and resolute. "I just heard that excuse of a father of hers at the bar, bragging about how he treats Y/N. I’m taking her with me. She’s not staying here another minute."

Overwhelmed and cornered your mother wilted under Buck’s stern gaze. "You can’t just take her. She—"

"I’m not asking," Buck stated flatly. His decision was clear in his tone. "I’m telling you how it’s going to be. If you have any objections we can go through the authorities."

He approached you, his demeanor softening as he reached out to help you up. "Let’s go, Y/N. You’re safe now. You’re with me."  With a comforting hand on your back Buck led you out of the house and into the safety of his car. The rain started as the two of you drove away washing over the car.

Dally watched you move through the bar. Your interactions tinged with the newfound stability that Buck had given you. His thoughts on your resilience deepened. His respect for Buck’s bold intervention reinforcing his desire to get to know you better. The bond of shared struggles was forming, unspoken yet palpable in the busy bar.

You moved with a gentle grace. Your smile was warm yet reserved as you took orders and delivered drinks. Your interactions were polite and professional, yet there was a hint of wariness in your eyes. A shadow that seemed to linger from your past. As you paused to reset a table, straightening the condiments, and wiping down the surface, your attention to detail spoke of someone who took pride in your work. Dally thought that perhaps you found solace in the routines.

Dally’s gaze followed your movements until he found himself standing up, driven by an impulse to bridge the gap between them. He approached the bar where she was lining up drinks on a tray.

"Hey," Dally started. His voice slightly hesitant as he leaned against the bar. "You’re Y/N, right? Buck’s cousin?"

You looked up with a flicker of surprise crossing your features before you nodded hesitantly, clearly unsure of the man standing before you. "Yeah, that’s me. And you are?"

"Dally," he replied offering a small, reassuring smile. "I live upstairs. Heard a lot about you from Buck. Said you’re tough. I can respect that."

A trace of a smile touched your lips. Your guard lowering just a bit. "Thanks, I guess. It’s been a... well, it’s been quite a time adjusting here."

Dally picked up a coaster, spinning it between his fingers. "I get it. Had my share of rough patches too. Buck’s a good guy, though. You landed in a decent spot."

"Yeah he’s been great," You agreed with him. Your hands busying themselves with the drinks attempting to hide a slight tremor. "I’m just trying to make the best of it now."

"Mind if I help you carry these over?" Dally gestured towards the tray. He was eager to extend the interaction, to find more common ground with you. You seemed so hesitant and afraid. Not that he could blame you.

You paused for a fraction of a second before nodding. "Sure, that’d be nice. Table six, over there."

As you walked over to the table together Dally felt the initial awkwardness begin to dissipate. "So, you ever think about what’s next or you just taking it one day at a time?"

"One day at a time, really," You said as you reached the table being careful to set down the drinks with a thankful smile from the patrons. "But I like it here. It feels like a fresh start away from… them."

Dally nodded feeling a kinship in your words. "Fresh starts are good. Hard but good. If you ever need someone to talk to or anything, I’m just upstairs. Sometimes it helps talking to someone who gets it."

You looked at him with your expression softening further. "Thanks Dally. I might just take you up on that offer." For the first time in a while a genuine smile crossed your face at his words.

Over the next few weeks, a subtle shift began to unfold between you and Dally at Buck’s bar. What started as casual exchanges of small talk over the bar counter deepened into late-night conversations that lingered long after the last customer had left.

One evening as the neon signs were turned off and the bar quieted down you found yourself sitting at one of the tables with Dally with a deck of cards spread out between you. He had insisted on teaching you poker, claiming that it was a sin you didn’t know how to play. That got a laugh out of you as you agreed with him. The game was merely a pretense. It was a backdrop to the intimate dialogue that wove between you two. You touched on topics neither of you usually shared with others.

"So, do you have any dreams? Like things you wanna do now that you’ve got a fresh start?" Dally asked. His hands idly shuffling the cards almost afraid to look into your eyes.

You paused as you traced the wood grain of the table with your finger. "I don’t know," you confessed softly. "I used to think a lot about traveling. Seeing places that are totally different from here. Maybe write about them. But that doesn’t really seem possible. What about you?" You tried your best to flip it around on him.

Dally let out a soft, wistful laugh. "Me? I’ve never been much of a dreamer. Always been about getting through the day. But I guess, maybe, finding some peace? Could be nice to have a real shot at something stable, you know?" He’d told you all about his shitty situation that made your heart hurt for him. How could anyone be so cruel to him? Sure, he had a rough exterior but had anybody ever tried to get to know Dallas Winston? He was a sweetheart through and through. Albeit a little awkward about it but he always seemed to put your needs ahead of his. How could you not start to fall for him?

Your eyes met then met his with a mutual understanding crossing between you. Both of you knew what it was like to long for something more than just survival, more than the daily struggles that had so often defined your lives.

As autumn deepened and the nights grew colder your meetings at the bar became a regular fixture. Sometimes you would both sit in silence each lost in your own thoughts yet comforted by the presence of the other. Other times you would share stories of your pasts—guarded tales of pain and resilience that you entrusted to each other.

One winter evening as you walked back from a nearby diner that Dally and you had become accustomed to you wrapped your arms around yourself against the chill. Dally noticed and without a word draped his jacket over your shoulders. Neither of you broached the subject of what the hell was going on. Rather you simply just decided to enjoy the others company. It was easy with him. A rarity in your fucked up world.

"Thanks," you murmured. Your cheeks flushing slightly as you pulled the jacket tighter around you. “You sure? It’s cold.”

"I’m sure. It’s nothing," Dally replied with his voice low. "You know, talking to you... it’s the first time in a long while I’ve felt like someone actually gets it." His eyes looked everywhere but yours. A slight flush crossed his features as he admitted so. You’d come to learn how difficult these emotional conversations were for him. But you did get it. They were hard for you too. Neither of you were raised with love. You were always the second thought. The bitch daughter or the troubled son.

You nodded to him with your eyes reflecting the streetlights. "I feel the same. It’s weird, isn’t it? How talking can make things seem a bit lighter." You tried reassuring him with your words.

You continued your walk-in comfortable silence, whatever it was between the two of you growing with every shared glance and laugh. By the time you reached the bar again your laughter echoed softly in the empty street. You’d never laughed so much in your life as you did when you were with him.

The bar was alive with the usual Friday night revelry as you knew Buck needed your help. Once you entered the bar you waved Dally off with that genuine smile he adored so much. The air was filled with laughter and the twang of country tunes. You stood behind the bar pouring drinks and sharing easy smiles. You felt more secure and content than you ever had in your life. Dally was there too. He didn’t want to leave or go upstairs after your dinner not date. He watched you from across the room with a protective gaze that had become a comforting fixture in your life.

But the fragile peace shattered the moment your father staggered through the door.

His arrival cut through the noise like a cold front. His eyes scanning the crowd until they landed on you behind the bar. With a cruel smirk twisting his lips he made his way over to you. Each step heavy with menace. You tensed when he stood in front of you. Your hands gripped the edge of the bar trying to ground yourself back into the situation. Why? Why couldn’t he have just left you alone? It’d been months and you hadn’t heard from him. Why did he have to come now?

"Y/N.” He spit your name out with vengeance. “You think you can hide from me?" He slurred.  His voice loud and filled with malice. He reached over the bar grabbing your arm and yanking you towards him. You should’ve expected it, but the shock of his arrival had you paralyzed. His other hand struck your face. His ring cutting a sharp line across your cheek. You let out a quiet yelp as the pain burned bright.

The bar fell silent. The music fading into the background. Before you could react, Dally was there in an instant. His presence like a storm. He grabbed your father by the collar and threw him back with such force that your father stumbled and fell onto his back with a heavy thud.

"You lay your hands on her again and I swear it'll be the last thing you do," Dally thundered, standing over him. His fists clenched and ready. His breathing was heavy as he looked like he truly would kill him should he try that again.

Your father, sprawled on the floor, looked up at Dally with a mix of shock and rage. "You stupid worthless whore!" he spat at you. His words echoing through the now silent bar. He jumped to his feet attempting to get his hands back on you.

Dally’s response was swift though. His fist connected with your father's face, a sharp, resounding impact that sent him back to the ground, blood spattering from his lip. All you could do was gape at the situation unfolding before you.

Buck rushed over appearing out of nowhere. His face set in a hard line. "That's enough!" he declared standing beside Dally. His eyes bore the same expression of Dally’s, "Get out of my bar and don't come back. Next time I'm calling the cops."

With a hand from Dally your father was hauled to his feet and shoved towards the door. His exit was met with relieved sighs and a few scattered claps from the patrons, but the atmosphere remained tense. You couldn’t seem to focus on what would come next as your eyes were trained on Dallas and only him.

As the door slammed shut behind your father leaving the bar in an uneasy silence. Dally turned his gaze back on you. His heart nearly shattered seeing your bleeding face mixing with a few tears that’d slipped down. He could see the pain flicker across your face not just from the cut but from the reopened wounds of your past. Slowly he walked back over to you with his hands up. He didn’t want to freak you out further than you were. With a gentle touch that contrasted sharply with the fierce protection he had just displayed Dally leaned in close.

"Come on sweetheart. Let's get that cleaned up," he said softly nodding towards the staircase that led to his apartment above the bar.

You hesitated. A mix of emotions swirling within you—gratitude, relief, but also a deep-seated fear from the confrontation. Sensing your hesitation Dally offered a reassuring smile. "I promise you, you're safe with me."

Trusting him you allowed Dally to lead you up the stairs to his modest living space. The apartment was small but welcoming with a warmth that felt comforting after the cold violence of the night. Dally guided you to a seat at the small kitchen table, then wet a clean cloth with warm water and approached you gently.

"May I?" he asked. His tone was more tender than you’d ever heard from him. You nodded and he carefully dabbed at the cut on your cheek. His touch was so light you could barely feel it. As he tended to your wound the kindness of the act—so at odds with the harshness you had grown used to—overwhelmed you and a fresh set of tears began to stream down your face.

Dally brow furrowed in concern. "Hey, it's okay," he murmured while he set aside the cloth to pull a chair up close beside you. He sat down. His brown eyes searching yours. They were so full of empathy. "You don't have to hold it all in, sweetheart. Not here."

You looked into Dally’s eyes seeing there not just the rugged survivor of the streets, but a kindred spirit who had seen his share of pain and still chose kindness. With a shaky breath you leaned into him, your head resting against his shoulder.

Dally wrapped his arms around you holding you gently. "You're safe here, Y/N. As long as you need, as long as you want."

In that quiet space with Dally's steady presence enveloping you, the fear and tension that had knotted in your chest began to dissolve. His apartment was small and unassuming, but it felt like a sanctuary and his embrace a shield against the chaos of your past.

The night wound down quietly with you and Dally sitting together. The two of you talked softly about nothing and everything until the early morning light began to seep through the curtains. It was the first night in forever where you felt truly safe, truly seen.

As the first light of dawn painted the walls of Dally's apartment a soft, warm hue, the room was filled with a sense of quiet intimacy that had grown over the course of the night. Sitting side by side on the worn couch both you and Dally were enveloped in a reflective silence. The kind that follows after a storm of emotions.

Dally was the first to break the silence,. His gaze fixed on the faint light peeking through the blinds before turning to look at you. "You know," he began with his voice low and a little rough from the long night, "tonight was a mess, but it kinda cleared up something for me."

Your heart fluttered with a mix of anticipation and nervousness as you met his eyes. "What's that?" you asked softly. You were almost afraid to hear the answer but desperate to know.

Dally took a deep breath as his hand found yours. His fingers gently intertwining with yours. "It's you," he said simply. "All this craziness... it made me realize how much I care about you. More than I thought possible, actually."

Hearing his words a warmth spread through you, mingling with the fatigue from the night’s events. You squeezed his hand, the gesture simple but filled with meaning. "Dally, I feel the same. I didn't know how to say it before, but you've become so important to me."

The corner of Dally’s mouth lifted in a half-smile. A hint of his usual cockiness peeking through his tired features. "Yeah? That’s good to hear, 'cause I wasn’t sure how you’d take it." You giggled at that feeling a sense of euphoria at how this all actually turned out.

As the conversation dwindled, a yawn escaped you breaking the tender moment with its stark reminder of the night’s toll on your body. Dally chuckled softly. He pat his leg in a gentle, inviting gesture. "C'mere, sweetheart. Lay down here and close your eyes. I’ll be right here when you wake up."

Grateful and too exhausted to protest you shifted closer, laying your head on his thigh as he adjusted to make you comfortable. His hand found your hair, fingers brushing softly through it in a soothing rhythm.

With the comfort of his presence and the security of his promise you allowed your eyes to flutter closed, sleep overtaking you swiftly. The last thing you felt was Dally’s protective gaze and the gentle pressure of his hand in your hair. It was a silent vow of his commitment to be there no matter what came next.

As you settled against Dally your breath evening out in the quiet rhythm of sleep, he watched the soft rise and fall of your shoulders. A sense of peace settling over him. The apartment was quiet now the only sound the faint hum of the city awakening outside. In this moment, with the early morning light casting gentle shadows across your face, Dally found himself in a rare state of contemplation.

His hand rested gently on your head. His fingers lightly tracing through your hair. It was a simple, almost unconscious gesture that soothed both of you. The weight of the night's events lingered in his mind—the confrontation, the fear in your eyes, the way his heart had raced when he stood up for you. It all solidified something he'd only begun to admit to himself: how deeply he cared for you, how fiercely he wanted to protect you. How he may have even loved you.

As he watched you sleep Dally’s thoughts drifted. He was used to solitude, to the rough and tumble of a life lived on the edges. But sitting here with you breathing softly against him, he felt a pull towards something different. Something more. It was terrifying and new. This feeling of wanting to belong to someone, of wanting someone to belong with him.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had allowed himself to be so vulnerable with another person or if he ever truly had. But with you it felt right. It felt necessary. He realized that this—caring for you, being there for you—might be the closest thing to home he had ever known.

The morning grew brighter, light filling the room and Dally’s own eyelids began to droop. The exhaustion from the night's adrenaline and the emotional toll of opening his heart were catching up with him. But he didn’t want to move. Didn’t want to risk waking you. He wanted you to sleep as long as you needed, to wake up feeling safe and cared for.

His hand continued to run through your hair slowly, rhythmically, until his own eyes finally closed. Sleep overtaking him in the quiet comfort of his apartment. Even in sleep, his presence remained steadfast. A promise to be there when you woke up, and for whatever came next.

As the morning sun climbed higher with its rays streaming through the gaps in the curtains the apartment above Buck’s Rodeo Bar held a quiet, peaceful scene. Dally and you were asleep as an unspoken love formed in the shared silence of rest after a tumultuous night. However, this tranquility was soon interrupted by the sound of the apartment door swinging open with casual familiarity.

Buck strolled in with a steaming coffee cup in one hand and a bag of breakfast sandwiches in the other. His voice breaking the morning calm with a playful tone. "Well, look what we have here," he exclaimed. "Our very own knight in shining armor and his damsel tucked away from the world. You two sure skedaddled out of the bar pretty quick last night. Place your bets, folks!" He snickered seeing you and him so coziest up on the couch together.

Before Buck could spin another jest Dally's eyes snapped open, immediately alert. His protective instincts still sharp from the night before, flared up at the intrusion. “Buck, shut the hell up. She’s sleeping.” Dally hissed with his tone both irritated and fiercely protective. He glanced down quickly to make sure you were still out, undisturbed by the noise of your cousin.

Buck paused at the threshold, a knowing smirk spreading across his face as he took in the scene—the way you were nestled comfortably against Dally, his hand resting protectively in your hair even in sleep. "Oh man, Dally’s gone soft," Buck teased in a low voice chuckling to himself. "Never thought I’d see the day. Truly."

He set down the coffee and sandwiches on the kitchen counter. His movements now deliberately quiet though his eyes twinkled with mirth. “I’ll keep it down. You lovebirds need your rest after all those heroics last night.”

Dally just glared at him, but his posture relaxed slightly as he saw that you were still sleeping peacefully. His gaze softened as he looked back down at you. The fierceness melting into something tender and caring.

Buck watched the exchange. His chuckle deepening as he backed out of the room shaking his head in amusement. “I’ll be downstairs,” he murmured before pulling the door almost closed behind him. "Don’t rush Dally. The world can wait."

As the door clicked shut Dally’s hand resumed its gentle motion through your hair, his eyes lingering on your face. He let out a quiet sigh while the tension eased from his shoulders. The world outside could indeed wait. Right now, being in this quiet moment was all that mattered. He wanted to keep you safe making sure you felt cared for. And as he settled back closing his eyes once more he knew deep down that whatever came next, he was ready. So long as it was with you.

Later that day after a few more hours of much-needed sleep, you and Dally made your way back down to Buck’s bar. The place had regained its usual lively atmosphere with the afternoon crowd bringing a bustling energy that filled the air with music, laughter, and the clinking of glasses.

You and Dally settled into a quiet corner booth a bit removed from the hustle and bustle. The events of the previous night still lingered in the air between you. An acknowledgment of everything that had happened and everything that was still unspoken.

Dally slid into the booth across from you his demeanor relaxed but his eyes keen, watching you with a softness that was new. "So," he started while breaking the comfortable silence, "feels like we got through some kind of storm, huh?"

You nodded wrapping your hands around a warm cup of coffee that Buck had brought over. His knowing wink making you both smile. "Yeah it does. But it feels like it’s clearing up now," you replied before meeting Dally's gaze with a hopeful smile.

Dally's lips curved into a slow, genuine smile. "I think so too. We've been through a lot, but maybe it's just what we needed."

"Right," you agreed. Your heart feeling lighter than it had in a long time.

The conversation drifted then to lighter topics. Plans for the bar, stories from Dally's wilder days, your dreams of traveling, and with each story and shared laugh the love between you deepened. It was as if the foundations for something new and hopeful were being laid down with each passing moment.

As the afternoon wore on the bar began to fill up with the evening crowd. The music grew louder and the sounds of a lively night taking shape swirled around you. Yet, in your quiet corner of the bar it felt like a sanctuary with him.

Finally, Dally reached across the table taking your hand in his. His gaze conveyed a silent promise of support, understanding without needing to articulate it. The clamor of the bar seemed to fade into the background as Dally broke the silence. "Hey," he said. His voice softer than the din around you, "I was thinkin'... How 'bout we go out tomorrow? Just you and me, no chaos, no drama. We could take my bike, hit the road, see where it takes us."

Your heart that was already warmed by his earlier protectiveness leapt at the invitation. His offer was simple but filled with the promise of new memories, new experience. Just Dally and you learning the rhythms of each other's joy. "I'd like that," you replied with a grin. Your voice equally soft. "A real date, huh?"

Dally's smirk was one of triumph mixed with a bashfulness that you had come to find so endearing. "Yeah, a real date with a beautiful girl," he confirmed. "Figured it's about time we did something normal for a change sweetheart."

The bar around you hummed with life. The energy of people embarking on their nightly escapades, the clatter of glasses and the laughter serving as a backdrop to this quiet, pivotal moment between you and Dally. It symbolized not just a return to normalcy but the blossoming of something new. Something hopeful.

As Dally's thumb gently caressed the back of your hand you felt a chapter closing on the past and a new one beginning. Here in the heart of the bar's fervor you found a peaceful anticipation for the future. This wasn't just an end to the turmoil that had swept you into Dally's life. It was the start of a journey together. A journey that promised the warmth of shared sunrises, the thrill of open roads, and the comfort of hands held tight in solidarity.

In the cacophony of the bar, you both found a shared rhythm. A mutual understanding that this was just the beginning. And with Dally's hand in yours, the future, once so uncertain, now seemed filled with endless possibilities.

Permanent Taglist (Message me or comment below if you want to be added!) : @loving-and-dreaming @kmc1989 @memeorydotcom @matisse556 @buckylov3r @taygrls @ah-blossom @hardballoonlove @rosiahills22 @djs8891 @kenn-spencerswifey @guacam011y @illisea @il0vebeingdelulu @hiireadstuff @avada-kedavra-bitch-187

[myveryownfanfiction]

18+ MINORS AND THOSE WITHOUT AGE IN BIO DNI

tags: @illiana-mystery, @iobsessoverfictionalmen, @mikey-stardust-way

warnings: swearing, suggestive comments insinuating sex

AN: Happy 58th Birthday Kiefer!

I wandered into Irby's eyes scanning the room for the blond I was looking for. Not finding him, I walked over to the bar.

"Ace ain't here." Irby grumbled. "Cops were in here earlier. Looking for his old man."

"Damn. Thanks Irby." I said as I tapped the bar.

"Check Pop's garage." He called after me, nodding as I looked back at him. "Heard Eyeball say something about it last night. Ace been sleeping there I think."

"Thanks again Irby." I saluted him as I walked back out into the sunlight. Getting in my car, I drove to the old junk yard. I saw Ace sitting in the back of a pick up truck, cleaning parts and smoking. "Hey!" I called, standing up in my car once I had parked. "Ace!"

"What?" He grumbled, not looking up from the part in his hands. "Irby let slip I was out here?" I nodded as I climbed out of the car and headed towards him. "Dumb fuck can't keep his mouth shut."

"No he can't. But it did benefit you." I said, climbing into the truck bed. "Your old man is gonna get arrested. Cops were in Irby's looking for him earlier. And since he can't keep his mouth shut..." I smiled at him. "Best birthday present anyone could ask for am I right?" Ace scoffed.

"Who told you that?" He asked, small smirk on his face. "I'm betting Eyeball."

"Nope." I smiled at him. "Pop. Wanted to make sure you weren't alone today. He said you have a tendency to push away everyone because you don't like your birthday or something." I shrugged as I settled in next to him. Ace frowned at me. "So guess what? I'm taking you to a movie and then we're gonna go up to Castle Lake and make out a bit and maybe it will lead to something else." Ace chuckled as he shook his head, attention returning to the part in his hands.

"If you think I'm letting you take me out you're crazy." He said. I cupped his chin and turned his face back towards me. He gulped slightly as he saw the playful smirk on my face.

"I'm taking you out Ace." I whispered, making sure he held my gaze. "Pop is paying. So we can do whatever it is we want."

"Or, hear me out." Ace murmured, eyeing my lips. "We take the money and we sneak into the movie. Steal some popcorn from someone else. And then we head up the backroads to Castle Lake." I nodded.

"Sounds like a good plan John." I said before kissing him softly. Ace shook his head with a chuckle as we parted.

"I'll be damned if I let you call me John though." He said. I smiled at him as I put my head on his shoulder.

"Yeah but I'm the only one you won't cut for doing it." I said with a massive grin. "So happy birthday John." I laughed while Ace continued cleaning the part, grumbling about how close he was to actually shoving me out of the truck bed.

[demigoddessqueens]

pairings: Isabella, Anders, Aveline, Fenris, Merrill, Varric, Sebastian x reader/hawke

warning(s): all kinds of kinks, 18+, super smutty, SMUT, nsfw, MDNI

found on MASTERLIST 12

isabela

likes to top, maybe lean more into the roleplay if that’s your type

anders

a more vocal, passionate type of lover, maybe some flowery language sprinkled here and there

aveline

devoted and can be a giver, mostly between your legs because of that sweet taste

fenris

a focused type of lover who is never distracted during the moment

varric

a generous lover who always helps you get off first before focusing on himself

sebastian

priest/corruption kink just feels so stereotypical and perfect with him, even a sneak around the Chantry confessional

merrill

a sweet lover, sweet kisses and aftercare, may lean k to overstimulation

[mysadcorner]

Ace Merrill Making The Reader Flinch Headcanons

- Credit to the gifs owner - Please be specific about the characters wanted in requests and read request rules -

Masterlist Navigation

Ace is an angry guy, everyone knows how he can get when someone starts to get on his nerves or when he isn't in the best of moods, he really isn't too willing to hold himself back from any kind of threats. However, with you, he really would hold himself back a little bit. He isn't the type to outright hit you, even if the two of you are having an argument, and he definitely wouldn't want the person closest to him to feel scared of him.

Despite this, he does get quite loud and aggressive if the two of you are in an argument or having a dispute over something he may have done. This is especially the case if you're confronting him about something, he quite literally can't handle being told off calmly or take in any kind of constructive criticism without taking it the wrong way most of the time.

When you flinch at him during an argument, it will register for him immediately. He swaps between his emotions easily when he's riled up, so the thought that he'd actually hit you does make him quite upset. He's seen quite a lot of the older figures in his life be quite aggressive with each other, and he's clearly been swayed by the influences he's had, so seeing you flinch at him does snap him out of the anger he was feeling and replaces his emotions with instant remorse.

He will do his best to make it up to you in any way that he can, but he definitely won’t apologise to you in public or around anyone that he knows. If the argument happened around the guys he hands around with, he’d have to drag you away to somewhere isolated before he would even attempt to apologise to you. His reputation it’s important to him, even if it makes him seem like even more of a crappy boyfriend.

Ace probably wouldn’t talk about the incident at all after it’s happened, and may even ignore you if you bring it up. He doesn’t want to think about anything that’s made him feel guilty, even if he should reflect on it. Just know that he will work on it subtly without saying anything out loud. Talking about it would just probably cause another argument with him.

[scarfacemarston]

It's here! My Ko-fi!

Credit to the wonderful @tacticalhimbo for creating this for me. He has done a lot of wonderful writing and creative work for me, so check him out! Please note or reblog to help out, if you're willing! I could really have help spreading the word so I can have some commissions and be able to pay my bills! Characters from all fandoms listed are welcome, but specialties are: Abigail Roberts Marston, John Marston, Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Natasha Romanoff, Peggy Carter, Steve Rogers, Dragon Age's Fenris, Cullen Rutherford, Merill, Isabela, Harvey Dent, Poison Ivy, Daniel Molloy, Armand and SO many more.

[tired-truffle]

Latest Fanfics - Opening Lines

Rules: post the beginning lines of your most recent 10 published fanfics, then attempt to tag 10 people!

Thank you @opal-apparition and @theluckywizard for the tags ❤️

~The following fics are all dragon age except for one ‘cause I can’t get enough~

All links lead to AO3 as I haven’t posted all these fics on Tumblr yet

1. Something’s Gotta Give (CullenxLavellan, Will be complete June 12th 2025, E) - “Shala Nar Asa’ma’lin (Protect your sister). Make sure she is safe, guard her with your life if you have to.” Ever since Rae had left for the Conclave at the behest of the First, her mother’s command had echoed in her ears. She’d ensured her sister’s safety for twenty years, taught her to fight and survive in a world that did not care for them. The first thing Rae had done with those skills was insist to the Keeper that she be the representative from their clan to spy on the Conclave - potentially the most influential meeting of the century, a chance for the Chantry, the templars and the mages they oppressed to meet and form a treaty.

2. One Plus Two Makes Three (CullenxLavellanxTrevelyan, Complete, M) - Competing for the affection of the same girl as another guy could be an exhilarating game, but after a period of playful tension and uncertainty, the thrill began to fade. Emotions inevitably entered the mix, and with those emotions came a sense of attachment that made Ash's skin crawl. He was out the door before she could put her panties on - still damp from the previous night's passion, now stiffening as they dried in the morning air.

3. Sweater Weather (CullenxLavellan, Complete, E) - The fingers of Father Winter wrapped themselves around Cordelia’s spine and set her to shivering. Her innate pyromancy typically kept her from feeling the worst of the chill, even in the glacial mountains of Skyhold the cold had been nothing more than a mild irritant at best. Yet, after a full day of using her magic to the point of draining herself almost entirely, her mana reserves were low, and her natural heat abandoned her. Fixing up their home in the middle of winter may not have been her brightest idea, but once inspiration struck, she couldn't resist diving headfirst into the project. A distraction from her tumultuous emotions, she knew this, yet she wasn't ready to confront everything she'd discovered at the Exalted Council.

4. I Love You, I’m Sorry (CullenxLavellan, Complete, M) - Knock, knock, knock, a sharp, firm tapping at the door to her small wooden cabin. The sound sliced through the quiet, pulling Ash's attention away from the pages of her book - a loan from Dorian that she’d already read many times over, but she’d always been a sucker for romance. Especially smutty romance.

5. A Lesson In Humour (AlistairxOC, Complete, T) - “Right.” Alistair's fingers drummed against the table, slightly sticky from spilled ale. “You want me to teach you how to notice when someone’s telling a joke?”

Back as straight as a board, Lux shifted in her seat. “That’s correct.”

His lips pursed as he considered her request. “I appreciate your confidence in my skills of wit and humour, but I’m rather curious as to why you’d choose me, specifically.”

6. Taking Dicks and Taking Pics (CullenxTrevelyan, Complete, E) - Never before had Astoria felt so insatiable. All it had taken was a little taste of a bashful blush when he’d been proven wrong, and she’d been hooked. From that moment on, Cullen had taken up permanent residence in her thoughts. That lopsided smirk that tugged at the scar on his upper lip, the crow's feet around his eyes that crinkled when he chuckled. Ugh, he was undeniably, irritatingly handsome.

7. Cadaver Hearts (EmmrichxRook, Complete, M) - Steady breathing trailed over the top of her head and through her mussed hair. Lithe fingers ran up and down her sternum, absentmindedly following the raised tissue like a map. His delicate wrist was free of the many bangles Aster adored but found uncomfortable when they dug into her sides as they slept cuddled together. She was relatively certain that if Emmrich had a choice, he’d never take them off. They were as much a part of him as his pencil mustache, though she’d never ask him to remove that. She enjoyed the way it tickled her upper lip or cheek in chaste kisses.

8. My Soul to Keep (ReaderxViktor—Arcane, In-Progress, M) - The room was unfamiliar. Shelves of leather-bound books lined the walls, trinkets scattered around - at first glance seemingly random, but once you gave it more thought, their placement was nothing if not precise. A worn leather couch sat at the centre of the space, facing the shelves, two end tables on either side. A cozy, wine-red rug slipped beneath a coffee table stained with water rings, remnants of long-forgotten mugs. A modest kitchen sat off to your right, tiled with a plain off-white hexagonal pattern, and to your left—

A desk, cluttered with odds and ends, papers stacked high, but your gaze was drawn to the figure turned towards you.

9. Gentle Creatures (Cole&Lavellan&Merrill, Complete, G) - “Oh, aren’t they just dreadfully cute?” Merrill cooed as she trailed her fingers gently between the nug’s ears. “I can see why Sister Nightingale is so fond of them.”

Lavellan smiled, a nug in her lap and another snuffling at her bare toes - her stockings exposing most of her feet. “If someone had told me that Leliana, the left hand of the Divine and infamous cutthroat rogue, bred nugs, I’d have laughed in their face.”

“Father and son, second of his name.” Cole, who had taken quite the fascination with the nugs, had crouched down, his face level with one of Leliana’s favourites. “She misses her first, but honours his memory.”

10. Petals in a Storm (AlistairxMahariel, Complete, T) - A year. It had been a year since Adhlea had last seen or had any non-formal contact with Alistair. She received the occasional letter from the crown - as Teryna of Gwaren, it was her duty to report her taxes collected and any threats posed to her lands - and while he had signed all correspondence, she doubted he’d done more than take a cursory glance at most. However, it hadn’t stopped her from ripping the first letter to shreds and then sobbing over the remains.

Tagging: @celestialteapot @bibutterflies and anyone else who would like to participate!

[pleasureamuse]

Thinking about…𐙚 (black!reader)

sfw ver ♡;

→𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥 and how he loves showing you off, he sees you as the prettiest girl he’s ever met, your the only person he lets call him John.

→He can’t get enough of your cooking, you made him chocolate chip cookies once and he bragged about it so much he brought his friends over just to try more of your delicious cooking.

→ It being the 50s-60s interracial couples weren’t common especially in such a small town like castle rock, so when people make racist remarks he’s immediately ready to start a fight.

→ he loves watching you do your own hair, he honestly can’t get enough of tight coiley curls, when you went to the salon one time and came back with your hair blown out and straightened his distaste was apparent.

→ He loves when you call him cute pet names likes baby and pretty boy that made him melt in your hands.

nsfw ver ♡;

→He loves biting and giving you hickies, he wants everyone to know you belong to someone already, you had to wear turtle necks for almost two weeks. IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER.

→Ace loves having you ride him, the faces and noises you make him go crazy. He can’t help but smirk at the fact you were once a shy girl that used to tutor him and here you were now bouncing on his dick.

→He’s a dom 97% of the time

→He loves how deliciously sculpted your chest was, he honestly can’t get enough of your pretty perky nipples.

→ You’ve had tell too many times he can’t pull at your hair too hard when he’s rutting into you like a wolf in heat.

[boatboys]

In honor of the sale: Did Trimmer start climbing Rich or did Rich start picking up Trimmer first? Who started the dynamic?

roach — lol they both insist it was the other guy

Splickedylit, RN, BSN — Trimmer's climbing impulse was probably more in-born than Rich's picking-people-up impulse? I'm inclined to say they both insist it was the other guy but Trimmer is the guy who like, climbed up Rich either out of panic or complaining the whole way needing to fix a light in their shitty hallway

roach — i feel like they did the Scared Primate Clutch the first time and grabbed each other and then given their relative masses it ended up with rich holding trimmer like a kitty

Splickedylit, RN, BSN — and Rich was like. I can steady him with one hand....... he's so light and small............... and trimmer's brain was like "oh this man is climbable, add him to the climbable list"

roach — haha adorable

Splickedylit, RN, BSN — And then the NEXT time something went to shit, Trimmer's brain went CLIMB!!!!!!!

roach — aww

rollerskatinglizard — I want to say the first time Trimmer dived for Rich and climbed onto his shoulder without it being partly Rich's idea, afterwards Trimmer would've been like.... Huh. he let me climb him instead of throwing me down the hallway, even tho I took him by surprise and felt a Way about it before quickly shoving that to the back of his brain to ignore forever

roach — yes neither of them said anything or Thought anything ever!!!

rollerskatinglizard — indeed

Splickedylit, RN, BSN — Trimmer panic-climbed and then realized afterward that Rich deftly and tenderly balanced and supported him even though Trimmer was definitely clawing his way up the guy for the first few seconds and was like I AM NOT REPLAYING THE SENSATION OF BEING HELD I AM NOT RE

[a-gay-bloodmage]

Day 5: Logic Has Not Yet Reached Her

(Merrill x Marian Hawke, Justice x Anders)

Hawke has been invited back to Merrill’s house for Wintersend. She doesn’t want to go alone. As a result, Anders and Justice are dragged along to be spectators to an afternoon of watching their first friend in Kirkwall pine after a blood mage.

Written for the @loveofdragonage and @andersweek2025 events!

[a-punchline-on-duct-tape]

im so freaking happy you're punjabi too because this has been sitting in my brain wayy too long, but could i request a punjabi!reader x dallas winston except shes sassy asf and has hella nakhre except he handles it perfectly. thanks!

desi/punjabi!reader x dallas winston hc's

A/N : yes, yes, and yes.

~

firstly, dallas winston is not racist. some of yall are insane with your headcanons

dallas winston could truthfully care less about any background his partner is

now that ive established this, let me continue

~

he finds it so incredibly hot whenever you say something, ANYTHING in a different language.

you could call him a 'bandar' (monkey) and he would still find it hot

"what does that mean, huh? you callin' me handsome?"

not much to do except roll your eyes in dismay as well as secretly find it cute

one time, he saw you wearing a suit/lengha/sari (whatever you like)

he almost went insane

like gen jaw dropped and everything

"when'd you start wearing stuff like that?"

"y'should wear it more often, doll."

as far as nakhre goes, he finds it attractive, and he learns over time how to shut it down

he doesnt understand how to shut it down if your really cussing him out in punjabi

“bhonkana band karja.”

“love you too.”

i have a whole other hc that johnny is punjabi (or desi in general)

so, it is a common occurence to see dallas asking johnny what random stuff means

johnny cant translate half the time bcs dallas cant pronounce half of it correct

whenever you do say something nice, it flies over his head

the only thing he understands is nice is ‘meri jaan’ (my life / my beloved)

he likes that one

one time, he came over to your house during winter, probably to hang out cuddle but dallas winston doesnt ‘cuddle’, and your bed had one of those thick floral kambals

(one of these bad boys right here)

he swears hes never slept better in his whole life

he probably stole one of those blankets from your mother

speaking of parents

if your parents are immigrants, hes borderline scared of them (even if he’d never admit it)

hes realistically horrified of your dad, even if your parents allow you to date

hes probably cool with your mom, however

your mom would probably sit there and hand feed him roti and refer to him as ‘beta’ / ‘puthar’

punjabi/desi moms are soo sarcastic its not even funny

dallas winston has the exact same humor as your mom its insane

hes definitely attended at least one family function

got forced to try and dance at some point before he totally swore off dancing

he really likes gol gappe but hes really bad at eating it in one bite

got forced to sit at the kids table

got drunk with all the chachas and mamas (lets be fr)

overall your family likes him

thinks its absolutely stupid how you only wear gold jewelry

although, you make an exception for the st. christopher necklace, to which he is grateful for

if you have a hard to pronounce name, he’d spend too much time trying to say it right

realistically he finds food wayy too spicy, but he’ll tolerate some things

he wouldnt like chai

which you find insane

overall you two are so cute and happy together 10/10 couple right here

[shelbgrey]

- Ace Merrill aesthetic

[myveryownfanfiction]

18+ MINORS AND THOSE WITHOUT AGE IN BIO DNI

tags: @eclecticwildflowers, @illiana-mystery, @onedirectionlovers2014

warnings: swearing, talk of menstruation, ace is a little bit of an asshole but it’s for the good of reader

I drove another car into the garage and set it up for ace. He smiled at me as I climbed out and popped the hood for him.

“thanks babe.” Ace said as he kissed my cheek. “Wanna work on this one?”

“Sure.” I said, smiling back at him as I secured the hood and looked into the engine. “What’s wrong with it?” There was a twinge in my stomach as I leaned into the car a little. I waved it off mentally and looked back over at ace.

“needs a new filter.” Ace shrugged. “Might as well check the oil while you’re in there.” I nodded and pulled aces tools over to me.

“what about the fan belt?” I asked. Ace moved next to me to look.

“yeah might as well change that too.” He nodded. “Let me go get it for you.” I cringed as there was another twinge of pain across my abdomen. I ran my hand across where the pain flared before leaning into the car to work on removing the parts that needed to be removed. “Parts are by the tools. I’m going to work on an oil change next to you.” Ace put his hand on my back so I didn’t jump. I nodded as I winced in pain again.

“sounds good. Thanks.” I shot him a smile and he nodded. His eyebrows furrowed before he walked over to start on the car like he said he would. Throughout the rest of work I was doing, I continued to wince and even had to bite back a soft moan of pain. Ace kept glancing over at me every time I did. “Hnng. Fuck.” I groaned and ace walked over, wiping his hands on a cloth as he grabbed the back of my coveralls, tugging me off the car.

“you’re not ok.” He said, his voice low. “What’s wrong?” I shook my head and smiled at him.

“I’m fine ace.” I tried to assure him. “Let me get back to the car.” I went to move back to the car but his grip on my collar tightened. “Ace. I’m serious.”

“you’re not fine. Everyone here can see it. Eyeball even mentioned something. And eyeball doesn’t notice anything.” I frowned at him.

“ace. I’m serious. I’m fine.” I tried to assure him. Ace sighed and let go of my collar. I went to love back to the car when ace ducked down and put his shoulder against my stomach. Standing up he tipped me over his shoulder, arm across the back of my legs. “Ace!” I cried, making some of the other mechanics look over. Eyeball and Vince started laughing as they walked ace carry me to his office. “Put me down you asshole!” I pounded on his back but it didn’t make him stop. “Merrill!”

“sit.” He said as he dumped me on the couch and gave me a pointed look. I pouted at him as he went around his desk to grab something from a drawer. He tossed me the small bottle and I caught it. I frowned at the bottle and looked back up at him. “Take those.” Ace rounded the desk again to go to the mini fridge in the corner. He pulled out a bottle of water and handed it to me as he sat down next to me.

“pain killers?” I asked as I did what he said. “Why do you have pain killers in your desk?” Ace gave me a wicked grin. “What aren’t you telling me ace? Did you get hurt?” I started to look him over, bottle shaking in my hand as I ran my hand over his arm. Ace caught my hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it.

“they aren’t for me.” He assured me. “They’re for you. That drawer is yours. Didn’t you see me unlock it?” I shook my head. “Well it’s locked. I have a key. I’ll get you one made. But come here. Look.” He pulled me up and unlocked the drawer again. Ace waited for me to open it and I looked over at him with a soft smile.

“ace.” I breathed out as I sat in his chair to rifle through the drawer.

“it’s everything you need for…uh…that time of the month.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I know I’m not the best talking about it. Or even waiting for it to end.” He chuckled and I rolled my eyes with a smile. “But you always hurt when it comes round. And I don’t like seeing you hurt.” Ace pulled me back up and wrapped his arms around me, casually taking the bottle and dropping it back into the drawer. “Eyeball mentioned once that you accidentally bled through your coveralls. Whenever someone asked he said you sat in paint. And I vaguely remembered washing them out later so you wouldn’t be embarrassed.” I looked at him and tried to think through when that happened.

“I…I don’t remember that.” I admitted. Ace smiled.

“good.” He leaned his head against mine. “As embarrassing as that has to be, I’m glad you have no idea what I’m talking about. So I stocked up on what you have at your place and what you left at mine. I figured it covered everything.” Ace handed me the key, kissing me softly. “In case you need anything else today. And take the next couple days off. Relax. Sleep. I know you feel exhausted sometimes. Just…” he shrugged and kissed me again. “We’ll cuddle when we get home and wash up.” I nodded and laughed.

“and to think most guys would be embarrassed about this. More than me finding out I bled through my coveralls.” I said, cupping his cheek. “Thank you.” Ace smiled and tugged me closer.

“of course. It’s the least I can do.” He pressed a kiss to my cheek. “Anything for you sweets.”

[80s4life]

Together At Last”

Word Count: 3,971

Status: Requested!

Ask: Can I have Chris Chambers x reader with the prompt  "You're different and I like that"

@: @micheleamidalajedi​

A/N: I absolutely LOVED this request because I was able to put myself into the Reader and prove that not everyone is the same, female, male, or nonbinary, or all of the girlypops!

Relationship: Chris Chambers x Merrill!Reader

Fandom: Stand By Me 1986

Summary: It’s been 5 years since the disappearance and eventual death of Ray Brower, and you’re each reaching graduation. However, another adventure arises and brings all 5 of you back to the woods to find Teddy’s dog. The problem? Almost all of you have either grown apart or split completely, and old feelings seem to resurface with unresolved conclusions. What could go wrong?

Warnings: mutual pining, adventure, confessions, AGED UP!, friends to enemies to lovers, some angst, nostalgia, lost friendships, gained friendships, Teddy is a brother figure to Reader, gun, unintentional intent to kill someone, strong language, Reader is Ace Merrill’s sibling, 

{gif is not mine, credits go to @awidevastdominion​}

Your landline rings, deriving you of your thoughts and current intensity studying for finals. Groaning, you shrug out of your seat at the kitchen table begrudgingly, answering the phone. “Hello?”

“Y/N? ‘S that you?” a familiar voice, deepened with maturity and hormones asks on the other side.

“Yeah, what do you want?”

“Nice to know you haven’t changed,” you can hear the voice taunt annoyingly. 

“It’s been years since I’ve talked to you, did you expect a ‘Hey, what’s up’?”

“I would have preferred that, yes, but no. This is serious, and I really need you on board with me this time.”

“This better not be one of your schemes, Teddy, I’m not up for anything right now,” you sigh, “I’m up to my neck with textbooks and shit with studying for the finals and stuff. Dad’s been on my ass about getting into a college since I’ve been able to hold a B+ to A average.”

“Damn. Sorry to say I can’t relate?”

You giggle, sighing as you’ve missed him. You couldn’t quite tell what happened to cause you to separate, but as if you had just blinked, everyone was gone and you were left to yourself and school. “Alright Teddy, what bullshit are we pulling now?”

“Glad you asked!” he all but yells in happiness, “My dog went missing a few days ago and I haven’t been able to find him all over town. I know this sounds childish, but I swear, I’ve walked the whole town everyday at dawn before school and haven’t been able to find him.”

“So, you’re guessing he’s in the woods?” you groan, remembering the haunting history you’ve witnessed first hand in said territory.

There’s a long pause before he lets out a low, “...Yes...”

“What did the others say?”

“What makes you think I asked them?” he tries to sound as if he’s not that easy to read; a “changed man.”

“Because I still know you, or some of you. There’s no way this is going to be a one night thing and we need more sets of dependable eyes.”

“Well, now you’re making me sound smart.”

You giggle, “I’m not gonna keep beating around the bush Teddy, I’m in as long as the others are?”

“Yes!” he shrieks.

...

A few days later, as instructed by Teddy, you carry your sleeping bag, flask of water, some snacks, and money (something you all collectively forgot last time) to the dumpsters behind the town’s cafe. Trudging around the corner, your breath catches in your throat as you lay eyes on the back of three familiar heads and a face, each people you thought you have grown so far apart from.

“Y/N!” the voice of the face coming from Teddy.

You nod silently, leaning against the brick building as you keep your distance. 

The three boys that are now men, turn around to take you in, eyes wide.

You wave nervously, age and distance having changed all of you and making you feel as if you don’t know these people.

Teddy still had his familiar square-shaped, black glasses, but his hair is cut to fit the army’s conduct, shaved short on the sides around the back, the top of his head a bit longer. There was just enough hair for Teddy to comb it back with gel just as he had as a preteen - before you all turned away to seek your own lives. He grew a bit taller, standing at 5′5″, but not by much. You giggle internally.

To the far left, you see Gordie and your heart breaks a little. He’s still lean in build, but he’s grown to be tall and confident, around 5′11″ - 6′0.” To you, he hasn’t changed a bit, except personality. He still had his longer hair, possibly longer than you remember it, with the same hairstyle and familiar baby face, though slightly aged. 

Next was Vern, and he was so big now. He managed to drop the weight, a lean build of muscle standing above 6′0″ and carrying his dopey grin with longer hair - a similar style to Gordie’s, though unintentionally. You smile at him. He’s still a sweetheart, but more like a big, lovable Chocolate Lab now.

Lastly was Chris, and he was still as gorgeous as ever. He came to be of above average height, 5′10,″ grew his hair out longer and adorned circular glasses that framed his face perfectly. His eyes carry no emotion, a contrast to his younger self, but they’re still that luscious deep blue. He looks you up and down in silence before staring you directly in your eyes. You can feel your heart break all over again.

You didn’t realize how long you were staring at each of them before Teddy clears his throat. “Shall we?” he tries to smirk, but the tension is thick. 

You hug your arms around your abdomen as you nod, plastering a smile of your face as you force yourself to stand beside the now men. Slowly, everyone starts to follow Teddy until you reach the tracks.

Some time later, as you walked on the tracks, you lagged behind. Now, with this view, you could see where everyone had changed, but not as much as you thought. Gordie and Chris got to talking amongst themselves far in front of the group, Teddy and Vern behind them. They’re all too busy catching up for them to notice your inner turmoil.

You almost want to cry. You don’t know any of them anymore. This was a fact that your younger self would’ve never expected or taken a liking to. You think of what your younger self would do, punishing yourself for what you allowed to happen. 

You would’ve called them repeatedly, tried to make plans or catch up to them in passing to classes. All of this you could pride yourself on saying that you did, but then Gordie went the way his father wanted him to go, Chris becoming an athlete while trying to follow Gordie’s brains, getting into law, Teddy trying to apply and reapply to the military, and Vern taking a liking in the construction trade. 

They all grew up, and though you couldn’t blame them, they slipped out of your hands far too quickly and suffered the backlash. Girls in school are bitches, and though you have friends, they aren’t like the ones before you. Even after all this time, they are still considered exactly that - friends, family even.

You went your own way, too, after giving up on them. You found an interest in engineering and found that it’s not exactly as you suspected. It wasn’t all math and physics and you deeply enjoyed the creativity and problem-solving it included. You have some fond classmates there, but they would never compare to these boys. 

You are ripped from your thoughts as you hear the loud blaring of a train’s horn. You smirk at the memory that crosses. Calling out to Teddy, your voice is loud enough for all of the boys to hear, “Sound familiar, Teddy? We’re not gonna go diving for you on the tracks again, right?”

“Fuck off,” you can hear him giggle, jabbing Vern in the side. 

All the way in the front, you can hear Gordie add, “Or have to break you and Chris up, huh?”

You giggle at the reminder. That was the time when you were all trying to figure yourselves out without guidance, restrictions, stereotypes, and parents. Teddy had a lot of trouble then. 

Your smile drops as the group goes quiet again, the nostalgia dying with the connection that almost rekindled. You groan audibly - unintentionally.

The boys look back at you curiously, surprised just as much as you were. 

You decide to take the initiative, “Is this what we’re going to do the whole time? Act as if we’re strangers and not speak to one another?”

“We are strangers, Y/N,” you hear Chris state with indifference.

You catch up to the group and walk between them, “There’s a reason we all came here and I know we all hoped to be together again. It doesn’t help when you don’t even try to speak to us though, does it?”

The group stops as Chris spins around on you. “Why would I? After this, we are all gonna go our separate ways and avoid each other again,” he growls and spits, “Just like last time.”

“Then, why did you come?” you ask, your curiosity getting the better of you and asking the question you were all wondering yourselves. “Why are we all here?” you look around at each of them. 

“Because I missed you guys,” Vern pipes up, the first words he’s spoken the whole walk from town.

“We wouldn’t have missed each other if we had just kept our promises, would we?” Chris asks, frowning with his eyebrows scrunched together and arms crossed tightly over his chest. It almost resembles hatred.

And it makes you livid. “You broke your promise, too, Chris,” you vividly remember the promise you made just short of town on your way back; the promise that meant the world and more to you - it still does. “We all did, but at least I can say it wasn’t intentional. I tried to reach out to you guys, but we were all growing and changing. I can’t blame you guys, except you, Chris.”

“Me?” his voice reaches higher as the time passes by.

“Oh please, we all know you went from a street rat like us to the high priest and prince of school,” Teddy adds.

Chris scoffs, crossing his arms, “Gordie?”

“I mean, you did drop us after you got with Stephanie Wheeler,” Gordie deflects, shrinking in size as he knows the blows coming next. He adds, “The rich bitch of high school whose daddy is the principal.”

“This is bullshit, I should’ve never decided to come,” he shoots daggers at you.

“You’re right, you shouldn’t of because we all know that you’re embarrassed of even being seen with us,” Vern adds, caution to the wind. 

Chris scoffs again as he takes up his bag, starting back to town. 

“So, you’re just gonna leave?!” you scream as he creates distance. 

“I fucking knew it!” Gordie screams, grabbing his bag as well to follow Chris on the opposite side of the tracks. 

You watch with pain as each of the boys start back to town. All except Teddy, who manages to stand there with teary eyes. 

“I just wanted us to enjoy the time, find my dog, and hopefully have one last high school hurrah before we are all forced apart,” he sniffles.

You look at him with matching sadness, “I-I’m sorry Teddy, I didn’t mean to act out like that. I just couldn’t stand another minute, let alone night, with no one planning on speaking to each other. It would have all been for nothing. Even if we had found your dog, we still would’ve hated each other. This is my fault, Teddy, I’m sorry.”

“It’s not, Y/N, it was gonna happen eventually,” his eyes watch them go, but the look in his eye is distant - his mind far beyond where they’re heading.

“We can still look for Butch together?” you manage to smile, tears brimming your eyes.

“I don’t feel like it anymore,” you can visibly see his body deflate.

“Well, can you at least stay? If there’s still some shred of them left, I think they’ll come around again. I still want to rekindle our relationship. I’ve missed you so much, Teddy,” by the time you’re finished, fresh tears are starting to roll down your cheeks.

Teddy’s voice cracks as a tear slips down his cheek, too, opening his arms to pull you in for a hug beside him on the grass.

You smile thankfully as you lean in, sighing at the comfort and history.

“It ain’t going well with my Pops, as you’d assume. He’s still a crazy bastard, but I’m sticking with him. Just for a little longer, as long as I can.”

“Understandable. We can’t forget your ear, can we?”

“Whatever,” he smirks, “What about you?”

“Mom and Dad still fight. If they aren’t fighting, neither of them are home to ensure that they don’t have to fucking see each other. Ace is still a prick, too. I wouldn’t expect him to graduate and still stay in this bum-fuck town.”

“Guess he doesn’t want his reputation to be forgotten,” Teddy giggles.

“Guess so,” you trail off, noticing the sun starting to set and the sky change color. “You think they’re coming back?”

“No, but I can hope.”

You look up at him sadly and nod. “Wanna set up camp for the night anyway?”

He nods silently, taking up his sleeping bag and finding a soft spot to lay out in the grass. 

Silently, you follow his lead, walking down the side of the tracks to the opening of the trees, laying your sleeping bag just beside the first tree, hidden under the canopy of leaves. He decides to go in a little deeper, a few feet away from you, protected by the dimmer lighting in a proactive attempt to block the harsh sun that’ll come in the morning.

Sighing, you both settle in, staring at the sky. Before you know it, your miniscule, unimportant chit chat with Teddy dies down and sleep overtakes you swiftly. There’s no dreams as you toss and turn, but your glad there’s no deeper thoughts that’ll plague you and leave you wide awake.

You don’t know how long you’ve been sleeping until the soft snapping of twigs perk your ears, harshly throwing all of the sleep from your fogged mind and automatically putting it into defensive state.

Peaking around with your eyes, you catch a figure some ways to your left, walking away from your temporary camp. By the distance the figure has created and the direction of their walk, you can tell they were either walking through or around your huddle, no doubt near your camp regardless. 

You flip onto your belly as silently as possible, hand sliding slowly to the underside of your pillow, fingers touching cold metal. You pull the gun from under you, the uncomfortable and foreign weight of it settling in your hand, bringing more unease into your heart and bones. 

You lift yourself up slowly, noticing that Gordie and Vern have, in fact, returned and settled in a circle with you and Teddy. However, there is no sign of Chris, not even a bag.

You let out a slow breath to try and calm your racing nerves as you follow the figure, gun raised and aimed at the black figure. You gain on the figure silently, until your foot makes a horrible crunch as it breaks the branch beneath it. Cursing under your breath, you raise the gun in defense, both hands grasping and eyes trained.

The figure spins around, voice accusatory, “What the f-? Hey...” the voice lowers instantly, hands coming up to show they are unarmed. “Hey, Y/N, put the gun down,” the voice registers in your head as the figure emerges from the darkness and into the glow of the moon breaking through the trees.

“Chris?” you groan, lowering the gun instantly, shoulders dropping. “What the fuck were you thinking? Sneaking around in the woods? You know the way I sleep, man.”

“Knew,” he clarifies, “And, I was just going for a walk to clear my mind.”

“Why do you keep doing that?” you ask with a creep of annoyance settling in, pinching the bridge of your nose with your fingers. “Why do you keep acting like you’re camping with strangers? Like you have absolutely no knowledge of who we are?”

“Because I don’t; I don’t know the people you have all become now. Even if there are slivers of the people I knew that show every now and then, they are no longer the people they were nor who they are now,” he steps closer to you, enough to reach out to you if he wanted to.

“I can’t say that we are who we were because that’s impossible, but we are still those loving people we were. I’ve noticed that Vern still carries a comb and is a little sensitive. Gordie is still quiet and finds meanings in everything. Teddy still has such and undoubted devotion to his father and his infatuation with the army. I still bother the shit out of everyone and parent them as a way of care. But you,” you pause, assessing him as the sadness settles in your voice and heart again, a cold shock coursing through your veins, “I can only see a person in front of me. You look like Chris, you still have that leaderly inclination, but besides that, everything has changed. Even your eyes have a different look to them, yet they are still that same pair I last looked at 5 years ago.”

Chris says nothing, his mask fitting into place and revealing nothing to you - it doesn’t even look like any of your words are reaching him.

“You keep acting like everyone here is out to get you, but we are simply just being ourselves. You see us as enemies because we had a falling out, but that’s natural. We changed - you changed - and you want to blame us for something that was out of our hands. We are still here for you Chris, I’ve always been here,” your voice is cracking as you look down at your feet, kicking some leaves and twigs to divert your attention somehow. 

A hand reaches beneath your chin, tugging your head up to look into those sapphire irises once again. “You were never my enemy, you were my greatest fear,” Chris says, a pitiful grin pulling at his lips. “You know why I chose to become better? Why I went out with the cheerleaders, tried out for football, worked hard to get into the smart kid classes?”

“W-Why?” you look at him, pain and confusion streaking your E/C eyes like lightning in a storm. 

“Because I knew that if I stayed where I was, I would never be able to give you what you wanted - never been able to give you everything you deserved. At first, I distanced myself because I thought I would never be good enough for you; that distance was what you needed and for me to get out of your sights, so that that better man would show up and lift you off your feet. But, you were insistent,” Chris giggles sadly as his mask starts to fall, his eyes showing the same pain and suffering that reflects off of yours. “I chose to blame you for the pain of losing you, so you would never look at me with those eyes again; never show me this source of genuine love that was undeserved and unfair.”

“But, you promised me that we would be together forever?” you question, a tear slipping from your eye as you stare at him with the newfound information. Pain of losing him, sadness of bringing such turmoil and insecurity to himself, suffering from the rift that could’ve never been, and regret that if you had known, this would have all been avoided as a whole.

“I know I made that promise, and I’m the world’s biggest hypocrite and idiot. It doesn’t matter how far away we’ve become, you can still manage to look at me with that undeserved care?” he mostly questions himself as his eyes search all over your face, both hands cupping your face in his hands. 

Your hands go up to hold his wrists, looking at him with such longing. “You deserve the world, Chris. You always have and always will. You are too pure for the hand you were dealt, and yet you still push yourself farther above.” 

His eyes round and snap to yours with confusion and disbelief, searching you for some sort of trick. “I’ve always loved you, Chris. No one has ever made me so damn pissed off or more loved with just one look or action. It doesn’t matter who I’ve used or dated to temporarily distract me, I’ve always worried and searched for you. You’ve always been in the deepest part of my brain. I-I still love you...so damn much.”

“You’ve always been different and I like that. You’re the biggest pain in my ass, but my greatest mistake. I love you, Y/N,” Chris smiles, a genuine display of delight and content as tears slide down his cheeks with the relinquishment of pain and torture. He’s waited too damn long for this. “I’ve always wanted to do this,” he smirks devilishly, eyes delving to your lips and up to your eyes before he leans in.

Your chapped lips meet his fresh, plump ones, smeared with chapstick with the taste of lemon. Your hands goes up to tangle in his long, blonde locks as his arms reach down to your hips to keep you tightly trapped against him; like he fears that if he doesn’t hold you tight, you’ll slip away like every dream he’s ever had of you - his greatest happiness. 

You pull him in just as tight, arms around his shoulders as your hands tug, fearing the feeling of losing him again. When you part for air, you still never let go of each other, your head ducking in between the crook of his neck and shoulder. You breathe in his scent and save it to your memory as a smell you hoped to never forget or live without. 

“Well, it’s about damn time! God damn!” Teddy yells from his cross legged position on his sleeping bag. 

Gordie and Vern start to whoop and holler from their comfort of sleeping bags with deep pleasure and happiness. 

“I knew you guys would make up eventually,” Vern added with a soft giggle.

“I was starting to miss my parents,” Gordie chided with a roll of his eyes.

“Does that mean we can all be friends now?” Vern adds with a playful glint in his eye and you couldn’t help but giggle. 

“I mean, I guess I could, y’know, hang around a while,” you tease, earning a shove to your side by Chris as you both walk back to your seats on your sleeping bag. 

That night, you all stayed up late trading stories of what you’ve missed within the short time away from each other, and for once since the start of your adventure, you see the benefits of their changes.

They aren’t the same people you once knew because they are now their best versions, and will continue to change for the many years to come. It’s only up to you guys to keep that connection strong and adapt with them that will keep you all bound together forever. 

It was your greatest promise, but there’s been a few changes: “No matter how far away we are nor how different we become, we will always find a way back to each other. Friends forever.”

You and Chris made your own promise, too: “Whatever happens, we will learn to overcome together, forever and always, in love and sickness, at the best and worst moments. Lovers forever.”