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carmenized-onions · 1 year ago

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Do the Thing! | Toilet Repair

logline; Today's itinerary: Fix the toilet, catch up with Syd, try not to cry when everyone asks you where you've been.

series history; Previous Chapter

portion; 7.1k+ (this shit got away from me man, idk what to say)

possible allergies; Negative self-talk (It's the Bear, babe, everyone's sad). I did no research on plumbing and am truly making it the fuck up-- I know for a fact I'm not using any word correctly and I simply will not be fixing it. Reader eats meat!! Specifically pork!! Your 'name' is 100% just Tony now.

pairing; Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto & Fem Reader (No pronouns, but 'handywoman' and 'Miss' are said. Plus a chest reference).

you ever start writing and you just cannot seem to find an end so you keep going forever? yeah.

“I think my name is just Tony now.”

You sip your overpriced orange juice. You really have to fucking savour it, now a days. That’s like 25 cents a sip, and Syd’s treating you to this breakfast outing, so it’s not even your own wallet on the line here.

“You lose all sense of identity, in a restaurant.” Syd straightens her back, mocking her very own mechanical movements of whenever she steps in a kitchen. “I am Chef.”

This diner isn’t more than two blocks down from The Bear. It was probably your second favourite spot in this neighbourhood. Probably still is. Sitting in the back corner booth (your favourite) with Syd is nice but distracting. She’s been updating you on everything since the catering scene and her botched credit, and you’re absorbing all of it, you swear, it’s just hard to not remember why this was your favourite booth.

Not because it’s seats are the least worn in, not because it’s got the right amount of sun through the window without blinding you, but because of the company you kept here. You’re trying to not notice your own name carved into the table. Especially since it’s not your handiwork.

You laugh at Syd’s joke on time, thank God. No awkward pause. “Yeah, you fuckin’ are. Head, right?”

She nods. “It’s cool. It’s like, vomit-worthy stressful but also…”

“You wish you were dead when you’re there, but you’d rather be dead than do anything else?”

“Yessir.” She nods again, digging further into her pancakes. “I really fucking owe you, by the way.”

“You’re paying me off through breakfast.” You wave her off. “Plus, I was available and it was like maaayybe 5 minutes of manual labour, it’s nothing.”

“Y’know what?” She hums, “I think actually, you owe me.”

“Yeah?” You grin.” Please, let me clear my debts, Syd?”

She smiles, pointing her fork at you. “You owe me the fuckin’ Beef background I’ve apparently not unlocked. Everyone was talking about you after.”

“Good things?”

“Vague things. Shit made me even more curious.”

You laugh. No shit they’d be vague. What can they say? “When my dad was running the repairmen gig, Cicero or Fak would call him in—”

“Oh fuck.” She snaps her fingers, seemingly in realization. “Your dad’s the connection!”

“The connection?”

“Fak said he had a connection for our fire safety test shit, and then said he didn’t—”

“Ah.” You nod knowingly. “Dad cut the cord on his business phone when it transferred to me, didn’t really keep people updated. Whoops.”

She nods, taking another bite of her pancakes, speaking mid-chew. “You could’ve saved our asses way faster, and I’ll-I'll never forgive you, but continue.”

Snickering, you continue, “Well, they’d call my dad in, and then my dad would call me in as his like, like his fuckin’ Sous of Repairs. And shit broke all the time at the Beef, as I’m sure you’re well aware, so I hung out around Mikey and everyone a lot.”

“Ah. N’ then…”

“He fuckin’ died.” You laugh, because there’s no way to say it smooth, so you might as well say it bad. You stretch out your arms and lean back in the booth. “I kinda took a step back, after that, so we didn’t manage to crossover ‘til now. S’ironic that you’re the one that brought me back instead of an oldie, honestly.”

She desperately wants to ask more about Mike, but she can tell now is not the time, so she just lets it lie and moves on. “You stopped being an EMT to take up the handyman shit, then?”

“Yessir.” You nod, finishing your straggling home fries. “Just kinda made sense to trade off, and I didn’t want to see the family bizz die. Do I have to occasionally pick up shifts bartending to make rent during slow months? Yes. But I also don’t watch people die anymore, so that’s a win.”

“In a way, you’re watching people die still, just slowly.”

You bite down hard to stifle any semblance of a smile or laughter, deadpanning, just to see her squirm in awkwardness for a moment. It works with flying colours, of course it does. It’s Syd. She’s still Syd. You speak at the same time.

“Cause of the alcohol?” “Cause—Cause of the alcohol.”

You both break into laughter, she throws her napkin at you. “Can’t stand you, oh my god. Let’s go clock in.”

She pays your bill before you can try to sneak your card in, which feels all too familiar, and you’re off.

Off to fix an exploded toilet.

“How the fuck do you fix an exploded toilet?”

Your hands rub over your face, lifting your safety goggles for a second. Too fucking foggy. Too fucking sweaty. Plumbing never really was your biggest strength. You’re staring at the bane of your existence, and it’s the latrine. How far we fall.

“You good, Cousin?” You hear from behind. You don’t need to turn to know it’s Richie in the doorway. It’s a fair question, you’re sitting criss-cross in front of a toilet, head in hands.

“Yeah, Cousin, I’m good.” Your words are muffled by your hands. Fully not cousins. For the record. You would argue you're not even that close, but he'd slap you upside the head. You turn to look at him over your shoulder. “Can you like, get me a pen and note pad? I need to like, strategize an attack.”

“It’s not that bad, Cousin—” “It’s that bad.” “Just tape the—” “Fuck off with the tape!”

You click your teeth, staring at the gurgling porcelain before you— At least it’s clean, it’s just fucked. “I shut the valve and it didn’t do shit. I think I have to remove it entirely so I can see what’s going on with the underground pipe.”

“Heard.” Richie and you both know that his hotfix handiwork has absolutely contributed to this penultimate mess you’re in now, but you’re both letting that go quietly for now. “You charge by hour or service?”

“Service flat rate and then after two hours it’s by hour.”

He hums, knocking his fist on the doorway a few times before walking away. “Pen and pad, Chef.”

“Not a Chef!”

“Term of Respect, Chef!”

You tap your leg incessantly, groaning like you’ve got an 80-year-old body as you stand to your feet. Richie’s grown a lot. He wears suits now. Hasn’t even poked at you for vanishing. Though you have a feeling it’s coming. If not from him, from someone.

You step out into the hall, leaned against the wall with your arms crossed as you wait for your pen and pad. And now you just have more time and a better view to take in how much has changed.

Gutted. A few walls gone. Makes sense, you told Mikey he was getting a mold problem. He never listened. Seats are new. The booths are the all-around style ones now. Ritzy. It’s too good for this neighbourhood. Is that a good thing? Yeah, right? Despite the fact that The Bear should feel out of place, you feel out of place being in it. Could you afford to eat here? Could the people who work here afford to eat here? Syd said she’s not getting paid for the next few months, so at the very least, the Head Chef can’t.

“Strange?” Tina sidles up to you on the wall, wiping her hands on her apron. Completely knocking you out of your dissociative fugue state.

“Yeah.” You nod, a little too quickly, that felt judgey, you correct, uncrossing your arms. “It’s daunting, I think; to see it all at once rather than slowly built in. Like, I know objectively this is very cool, but—”

Tina hums with understanding. “Feels gutted?”

“Was gutted.” You nod. “Doesn’t mean I don’t like it, it’s just, I dunno. Adjustment period, all that.”

“I needed a second too, but Jeff is good. Change has been good.” You nod like you know who Jeff is. “Carmen, I mean.” Your nod is now significantly more understanding. She smiles, you’re a little surprised to see Tina’s got a lot more insight than she used to. She pulled the thought of Carmen right out of your subconscious before you even detected it for yourself. “He’s good. You’ll see.”

You nod. You know the good she means is not Michelin Star Good. You already know that. He’s Mikey good. Person good. You clear your throat. “How’s Louis?”

“Good. Y’know, he’s getting to that age, getting in trouble. S’been a while since he’s had a good influence.” She nudges you. There it is. There’s the poke. The ‘where have you been?’ The ‘it’s been a year’. The— “Y’know, Chef didn’t come to the funeral neither.”

That one you didn’t expect, your head swivels to her hard. “Carmen didn’t go?”

His brother didn’t go? Oh, who the fuck are you to judge...

She nods, practically with her whole body, she looks more amused than anything. But like, mom amused. The worst amused. “You’re both the sensitive type.”

You cock your head at her, raising a brow. Smirking slightly. “Wow, Tina, I thought you changed too but you still talk your shit, eh?”

“I’m not talking shit!” She laughs, hands up in defence. “I’m just saying, you’re alike.” You hope that the laughter makes her forget the topic but it doesn’t.

“Where have you been?” She softens. She’s not asking to be mean, she’s asking out of concern. Why does that make it feel worse?

You tuck your hands in your pockets and retrain your eyes on hers, even if it feels bad. “Thought time and distance would heal all wounds.”

“Did they?”

Before you can answer, “Pen delivery, cousin!” Richie returns, triumphantly, with a pen and pad held high in the sky. He makes you jump for it. You elbow him in the gut, not hard. “Fuck off, Rich…” He keels over enough for you to grab it. “Thank you, chef.”

You turn back to Tina, who you now realize has spent half her smoke break on you. She nods to you, and then the bathroom door. “I’ll let you get back to it.” You nod in return. When she turns to walk away, you grab her shoulder.

“Tina.” She turns again. You should say something. Something vulnerable and thankful. Words of affirmation are not your thing. But maybe they could be, “If you end up with a dead plate—” Or maybe not.

She grins, and part of you is concerned by this, but she waves you off, giggling like she knows something you don’t. Already walking off. “You’re gonna be taken care of, Terry, don’t worry.”

This is a bad new nickname scheme. The fridge guy is just gonna end up being called ‘fridge guy’ if you take all his names.

It’s maybe three hours later. 11 am ish. You’ve finally put the toilet back in place, the pipes fixed underground— Which is a huge win of progress, the problem is, it’s just seemed to open the toilet’s ability to have other problems that need to be addressed. There’s a strong chance you’ll be here until you die. And even after that, this stupid toilet will still be gurgling, outliving you.

But you seriously have to eat something, so you scrub yourself clean, set your safety equipment down, and head out of the bathroom for a much-needed stretch of the legs— And to hopefully get a plate from Tina.

On your way to the kitchen, you’re stopped and walked backwards to a booth in the corner by Richie. “Hey, Miss, happy to serve you today, my name’s Richard but you can call me Richie, how’re you doin’ this fine morning?”

They’ve yet to open front of house, so you play along, taking your seat with a laugh. “I’m doing perfect, Richie, how are you?”

He nudges the air . “Ey, better now that you’re here, ah? Can I get a drink started for you?”

“Really gonna practice your set on me?”

He shrugs, still smiling. “If you don’t use it, you lose it.”

You hum, then rub your temples, the headache is setting in— Not cause of him, just been a tough morning. “Just your coldest fuckin’ glass of water, Rich.”

“Right away, Cousin.” He slips off into the kitchen.

When the door swings open again, it’s not Richie coming with your ice water, but Carmen— It’s your first time seeing him since the walk-in. When you came in this morning with Syd, it was Nat that gave you the quick briefing on the schedule and goals for today.

“Tony.” He hums, corners of his mouth just slightly upturned. The nickname has stuck. Goddamn. He sets the water down in front of you, along with a plate— Covered by a cloche—Or the silver lid thing, whatever.

“Carmy.” You only mean to mimic his tone, but then cringe. “Is Carmy fine?”

He pauses mid slide into the booth, sitting across from you. He seemed all cool and collected and is now suddenly extremely caught off guard. Already sweaty. “Y-yeah, I’m better, thank you—”

“No, I meant—” It is so difficult to hold back laughter. You deserve an Oscar.

You’re not doing great to be fair but like, still, Oscar worthy attempt.

“I meant like, like is the nickname okay?”

The horrors just keep piling on his face, and you can’t help but feel guilty. No shit he feels like he’s starting on a lower playing field here. You knew his dead brother, you know his Head Chef, your first time meeting him was at quite possibly his lowest moment and biggest mistake— Of which you had to coax him out of, and now he’s misunderstanding every innocent question you have for a inquiry into his psyche.

He clears his throat for objectively too long of a time. “Carmy is fine. Tony is fine?”

“I’m doing okay, yeah.”

Thank God, he laughs, awkward sure but objectively amused.

You nod down to the covered plate, smiling, “Fuck is this?”

He leans forward in his seat to get a hand over the lid. “I, uh. Made you a thing. As thanks or like, an— an apology.”

Ah. That’s why Tina was laughing about you getting taken care of.

He lifts the lid, and what is revealed, if you weren’t careful, would be enough to make you cry. Thankfully, the shock registers as uproarious laughter, one that Carmen cannot help but join.

“What the fuck?”

Pork brisket sandwich. Something that Mikey made for you, specifically. Because you said one time you were more of a pork fan than beef and he absolutely lost it. In a cute way, though. Said ‘Oh, I’ll make you fuckin’ pork, alright?’ You’re not sure if he won or lost the argument, because you did find it better.

“I, uh, we had some cuts left over that we weren’t gonna be able to fuckin’ use, and uh, Tina showed me this, this recipe card, last night.” He slides over the very same brisket recipe Mikey had written down. Little doodles of angry faces and Xs over pigs in the margins.

“He was so fuckin’ mad.” You snort, looking at it. “All I fuckin’ said was I had a preference!”

“In The Beef!”

“He asked!” You quickly defend, through laughter. “And it tastes fucking good. All he did was prove my fuckin’ point— And spent hours doing it. Were you here overnight for this, slowcooking?”

He shakes his head, though there’s a hesitation in it— So you’re not privy to completely believe him. He sniffs, swiping at his nose “I, uh, just came in early. Had to fix some shit anyways.”

He’s staring at the sandwich, then occasionally you, expectantly. You look at him with equal expectance.

“Well?” You start.

“Well?” He astutely adds.

You nod down at the dish. “Do the thing.”

“The thing?”

You pick up one half of the sandwich, but you’ve got no plans of eating until he satisfies this craving first.

“The thing Syd does where she explains why she’s proud of her dish and why I should care. I know it’s Mikey’s, but you clearly made changes.”

“Oh. Uh…” He was both expecting and not expecting this soap box. “So, followed the rub to a T— Well, with a salt bed, this time. Put it on brioche instead of the old shit. And I uh, added uhm—” He snaps his fingers, staring at the sandwich in your hand. “Added pickled red onion, for acid and sweet, and garlic confit. I’m—I’m happy with my spin on it.”

You whistle as a form of praise, he flushes with a glow of pride and is desperately trying to not show it. He’s proud because it’s curated, personal. Ah, he is Mikey good. You nod and take a bite, trying to control your reaction. Worst part about having Artists as friends (especially chefs): They fucking stare so hard when you’re taking in their work. And they’re over analyzing every micro expression. He’s no different.

Fuck. It’s fucking good. Is it bad that it’s better than anything Mikey ever made? Nah, that’s how he’d want it.

“Ah fuck, that sucks—” Is the first thing you say, and his face falls, “Expensive food is worth it.” Right back up. Easy to please. “It’s really good, Chef. Thank you. Did you try it yet?”

He shakes his head, so you push the plate with the other half of the sandwich— It’s brisket, anyways. You’ll be full by the end of this one. Portions generous. He looks momentarily hesitant, which is cute, but inevitably leans forward and takes the sandwich. He nods with each chew.

He hums when he finishes chewing, pointing emphatically at you, though his voice is neutral. “You don’t like something, though.”

“What?”

“What’s wrong with it?” He stares at into the cross section of his bite. “Chewy? Texture?”

“There’s nothing wrong with it.” You’re quick to deny.

He shakes his head, hand over his mouth to hide the sauce on his mouth. “M’not gonna be hurt.”

“There’s nothing wrong with the dish, Carmen.” You take another bite to prove your point. Also you’re hungry. Two things can be true.

He zones in on the emphasis immediately. “It’s the plate, isn’t it? I told Syd—”

“Your tables aren’t bolted.” You interrupt, swiftly. Mouth semi-full.

“Huh?”

You put your sandwich down and swallow, taking your time with it. “Your booth tables.”

You knock on the pristine wood with the joints of your left hand. You swivel your body to look under the table, he follows suit, meeting you there. His left leg has been violently shaking, but he’s thought you wouldn’t notice it until now.

You put a hand on his knee to stop the shaking. He bristles, slightly, but you’re not even doing it on purpose. Your focus isn’t on him. It was making the table imperceptibly shift— Which, of course, you clocked. You tap your foot to the bottom of the table leg. No screws. “They aren’t bolted down.”

You lift yourself back up, moving your hand back to yourself in tandem. He stares at it for a little longer. How you noticed that, he will never know. Repairmen are a different breed…

“I just thought it was a weird choice. Nothing wrong with it, per say. Maybe you wanna test different layouts.” You shrug, taking another bite.

“The booths aren’t bolted either.” He adds, lifting his head up above the table, finally. “I don’t— we’re not gonna fuck with the layout, I don’t think.”

“Should get Fak on that, then.”

“Fak’s big-timing us.” You cock your brow, mid chew. He explains. “He’s focusing on hosting, f'now.”

You nod, swallowing, hand in front of your mouth so you can lick the sauce off your upper lip in non-humiliated peace. “This another job for me, then?”

“If you’ll take it.”

“If your fuckin’ toilet doesn’t kill me, I will.”

“How’s that going?”

You shake your hand so-so. “Ask me in two to three hours how it’s going.”

“Heard.” He sighs, leaning back in the booth. The stress is too apparent not to ask.

“How’s the second day open going?”

“I’m not in a fuckin’ freezer, so that’s a win.” Oh-ho, he’s acknowledging it. You were very comfortable forgetting that moment for his sake. “Thanks, uh, f’ that.”

You shake your head, shrugging off the thanks. You lift your last few bites of the sandwich to him. “You’re good. You’ve gifted me brisket. You relax since?”

“Not really.” He replies bluntly, taking a deep inhale. He pulls at his face from the top down, with both hands. Oof. Bad sign. “I think I’ll be good by tomorrow. Gonna get off early, tonight.”

“You don’t seem happy about that.”

“Ask me in two t’ three days if I’m happy about it.”

Back to work and this is taking so much fucking longer than it needs to take. Why is there tape there? Fucking Richie. Fucking Fak. Fucking Mikey. Godssake. Pipes are fixed. Water pressure is fixed. What the fuck is still wrong with it? What the fuck is wrong with you? Everyone is going to hate you if you can’t fix this. You’ve been here for like 5 hours and you can’t figure out what’s fucking wrong here? You’re nothing. You’re—

The toilet does you the favour of knocking you out of your episode by spraying you in the fucking face, soaking through the top of your jumpsuit. With a groan, you unzip the upper half and tie the wet sleeves around your waist. “Son-of-a-bitch.”

Maybe you just need a change in task for a second. Also, a new t-shirt, because your tank did not survive the waterworks either. This room isn’t the thing you need right now. You slip down the hall to the kitchen. “Who needs a coffee? Or water?”

There’s a chorus of orders, all of which sound like you’ve just asked ‘who wants a gift from God?’, which, you might as well have. This is what you like about being a handyman. The relief you bring. You just need a smidge of praise to get through the rest of this job. You’ve got this.

The small, but serviceable coffee machine in very back of the kitchen calls your name, but Richie sticks his arm out, blocking you from walking past expo up front.

“Hol’ up, Cousin, you look like a fuckin’ wet dog.”

“Well, what ‘ya gonna do about it?” You retort, despite the retort not honestly making any sense, you put your hands on your hips. “Do you want a fuckin’ coffee or not?”

He rolls his eyes, falling back onto the balls of his feet before walking off. “Ey, Sug, are those shirts still in the basement—”

You’ve won for now. You scrub your hands clean before getting to work. This is good. Oooh, Marcus has fresh coffee beans (that he’s willing to share!)— This is easy. You can already fix most broken things, but a machine that actually fucking works? Baby, you can make that sing.

Plus, the bartending gigs you’ve done don’t make you a barista by any means, but they certainly don’t hurt. Oooh, Marcus has syrups! Fuck it. Steamed and frothed milk. That toilet has you on your ass, you need to go above and beyond here. Make each cup personal. You need a win in the form of admiration.

You gather a tray of coffees (and a water for Sweeps, who is too fucking sweaty for a hot drink right now, so fair), all varying in milks, sugars, syrups, intensity. “Coffee run, I hand ‘em out, don’t just take! Corner!”

Ebra, to no one’s shock, likes his coffee black— But, and he’ll tell no one this, you just know it on instinct— He likes it a little too watery. “Good.” Who are you to judge? He likes what he likes.

Tina would take hers black for simplicity, if you let her, but of course you don’t. 2 sugars, foamed milk, chocolate and cinnamon syrup. “Too good to me.” It’s too worth it, when she says it like that and slaps your cheek. Balm of the soul.

Marcus, who watched you make these, did opt to let his imagination run too wild and added one of every syrup to his own cup, wanting to experiment with you. It doesn’t taste good. You switch it for a spiced coffee when he’s not looking. He’s silently very thankful.

After handing out a few more to the new cooks, you come up to Syd. “Take this one, take this one.” Then whisper, so no one knows you are displaying supreme favouritism. “It’s the one oat milk latte I made.”

She turns to you from her station, then darts looks over her shoulder like she’s making an under the table deal before grabbing it from you. She takes a delighted sip, eyes rolling just slightly in the relief of caffeine, she nods. “Fire, Chef.” Ah. This will get you through the day alone.

It also gets you through the willpower it takes to ignore Fak running by you to steal a coffee off your tray. Out of the corner of your eye, you point to the one meant for him— As if you didn’t make it for him, c’mon…

“How’s bathroom?” Syd asks, taking another long sip.

I’m going to fucking explode, not unlike your drainage pipe. “Needed a thinking break, but I’ve made a lot of progress. How’s kitchen?”

“Made a lot of progress. Auto-piloting through this prep.” She looks down at her cutting board, cracking back to it. “Latte helps, a lot, thank you. You should join for family, if you’re still here for it. Unless you don’t want more brisket.”

Fuck. She doesn’t think you’re so slow that you’re gonna be here until family, does she? “Yeah, maybe.” You look around, three coffees still on the tray. “...Where’s Carmen?”

She grimaces. Uh oh. The tension she glossed over at breakfast is still definitely there. She nods her head to the back door. “Smoke break. Or temper tantrum. I don’t fuckin’ know. Don’t tell him I said that.” You laugh, nodding. “You think a coffee would help—” “Please.”

“Corner!” Yells Richie, returning to you. He silently flicks out a shirt for you, holding it up proudly, ‘THE BERF’ stares back at you. You give it a solid five seconds to process before you say anything.

“Collector’s item...” You nod, tone sarcastically impressed. You pivot your shoulder for him to throw it over, hands too busy.

“That’s what I fuckin’ said!” He throws it over your shoulder. “No one fuckin’ listens, these days.”

You bite back laughter and nod, handing him his coffee. Hot. Dark. Two sugars. And, to his delighted surprise, a touch of cinnamon syrup. “Oh, fuck, missed your twists, Chip.”

You wince at what was a long-forgotten nickname, and so does Richie. Funny how remembering origins can do that to you. He’d just said it so instinctively, really. “My bad—”

“Chip is good.” You interrupt, rolling your shoulders back. And it is good, really. “It’s kinda—It’s kinda comforting.” It’s nice to not forget. He nods, and you give each other the ‘we are still so fucked, eh?’ smile before lovingly bumping shoulders as he returns to expo and you head to the back alley.

Carmen’s squatting, cigarette in one hand, creating a halo of smoke around him, and his phone in the other. He snaps out of his mental fog when the door opens, slipping his phone into the pocket of his apron like he’s got a secret to hide.

You hesitate at the doorway, maybe this is not the moment. “Sorry, Chef, I just wanted to offer a coffee? If you need air alone—”

“No, no, I’m good—” He’s quick to correct, then even quicker to correct himself. “I— I’ll take a coffee, I mean. You can stay, s’fine.”

He reaches for it when you sit next to him, but you pull the tray back to hand him the correct one. “Sorry, I—I like, did a thing, for yours. I dunno how you take your coffee, so I thought I’d do it weird.”

He takes the cup, eying it curiously. “Do it weird?”

“Do it like, like a Chef. Can’t make anything fuckin’ simple. The lot of you.”

He hums, amused, staring at the cup, then looks at you expectantly. “Well?”

“Well?”

“Do the thing.”

You snort, shaking your head. “Oh, fuck off.”

“C’mon, tell me why I should care.” He teases.

“Ah, fuck.” You sniff, oh to have your own words turned on you. Looking at the coffee in his hands, “I figured you’d like strong black coffee, but like, complex. So, it’s got like, cardamom and lavender n’ maple syrup. Shout out Marcus.” He smiles. “And then, I know I did just say black coffee but I wanted the aesthetic so I spooned foamed milk on top and sprinkled on some dried lavender.” You take your own cup in hand, putting the tray down. “If you hate it, we’ll trade.”

He pays close attention to your explanation. Man, his eye contact is simultaneously so soft and so scary. He takes a sip. Let’s it sit in his mouth for a second. “Excellent, Chef.”

Oh, if Syd’s ‘Fire’ could get you through the day, Carmen’s ‘Excellent’ will get you through the week to spare. You hide the way you beam by drinking your own coffee.

“How’re you doing?” It’s far too obvious that he’s had something heavy on his head all day, but you’re not going to say the quiet part loud, yet.

He takes a long time to respond. “I, uh…” And when he does, it’s weak. “I’m alright, yeah. I’m alright.”

You nod repeatedly, digesting the huge lie. “Ask me how I’m doing.”

He squints. “…How’re you—”

“Fuckin’ terrible, Carm.” You cut him off, putting your cup down next to him, standing up. You speak emphatically, gesturing with your whole body.

“I’m at my wits, Chef. Completely out of my depth. I fix the main pipe, I fix the water pressure, I triple check the tank, I fuckin’ power cycle the valve— I’m absolutely at a loss as to why it’s still gurgling— Why it shot water straight at my tits— Close your eyes, if you care, by the way.”

With barely any warning you peel off your tank top, you’ve got a bra, it’s fine. It’s very cute that he still looks away. You slip the new shirt over your head as you speak, muffling the words.

“—I’m wearing a shirt that says Berf, and the only way I can feel any semblance of not being utterly useless is by making coffees so good everyone has to praise me for them. And now I’m telling the fucking owner, my boss for the day all this.”

He nods, slowly. There is perhaps, not a single person in his life that has ever been this forthright. Someone he hasn’t had to over-analyze or dig into to figure out what’s actually going on. It is refreshing, terrifying, and for some reason, removing your walls have completely shattered his.

“So.” You lower your head to his level where he sits. “How are you doing, Chef?”

He takes a long sip of his coffee. Stews on the question before he spills his guts, calmly. “I’m sitting outside of the restaurant I started that I own, and my brother should be here, but he’s not and— And I was locked in a fuckin’ freezer on my opening night, which was my own fuckin’ fault— And the tape is wrong and the painting is stupid and that new hire did meth so now we’re down one.” He takes a deep breath.

“And we have Heinz instead of Frenchies, and it’s fine. That’s the fucked part— It’s fine. The ship did not sink without me— It went fine. Better, maybe. My problems aren’t fuckin’ problems. I’m just making it worse for myself— everyone. And I know Syd is mad at me, and I know my— My girlfriend? Is mad at me, and I know that I’m gonna break up with her tonight because I’m not meant to be— that.” He says the last part fast, more to himself than you, really. And then he finally looks back up at you.

“And I’m telling all of this to the person who saved me from hypothermia and a fuckin’—Fuckin’ meltdown, who probably thinks— knows that I’m a psycho.”

You take a beat before nodding, sitting next to him again, arms crossed. Silent. Contemplative. “I have thoughts.”

He nods, taking a drag. “Don’t pull punches.”

“Well, to start most honestly, we must remember, I love Syd. So, I’m not gonna mince about her.”

“Heard.”

You recall everything Sydney had told you at breakfast. The recap of how she got to this point. “Syd isn’t mad at you, she’s disappointed and distrustful.”

He grimaces. “That sounds worse.”

“It is.”

“Oh.”

“But in a way you can fix.”

“How?”

“Handle shit different. Actually show up to shit and make calls. Manage your priorities by urgency— Not by favourites. If I broke my fuckin’ arm and your ‘girlfriend’ had a runny nose, who are you taking to the hospital?”

“You can’t take yourself?”

“Bitch?”

“Kidding. Heard. What else?”

“You’re not gonna tell her I said this because she would rather die than tell someone she wants something.” You lean closer to him, peeking over your shoulder to make sure no one’s secretly come from the kitchen. You knock into his knees.

He takes another drag, short, choked. “Sure.”

“You were kind of a bitch about the menu.”

“The chaos menu? She said—”

“She fucking lied. She lied when she said it was fine, Carm, it does not take a psychic to read Syd’s mind.” You interrupt, taking a sip of your coffee. “She was so excited to get to build a menu, especially with—” you, “—a partner, and then you completely ditched her. And then you just made your own! Total control freak shit! Cut her out of the fun part of being head chef completely! You get to invent masterpieces and she picks out the best cheap plate? Fuck is that?”

He nods contemplatively, poking his inner cheek. “Yeah, that, that makes sense. That’s shitty.” He turns his gaze from looking ahead to face you, hand over the bottom half of his face. “What else?”

“You’re reactive.”

“No shit.”

“How long do you think you were locked in the walk-in for?”

He swallows, thinking. “Like… an hour?”

“It had been 23 minutes.”

“Oh.”

“You catastrophize, it’s a fancy therapy word,” You cannot help but be impressed by this white man writing down the word in his phone for later. “It means, basically, when something bad happens you blow it completely out of proportion into something it isn’t. Your opening night was definitely a bummer from being in a freezer— But be honest with yourself, would you have let yourself have a good night if you weren’t in there?”

“…No.”

“No. Which is also bad. Which brings me to my key point.”

He tenses up, preparing for you to rip into him further.

“You’re doing a good job, Carmy.”

He immediately swivels back to you, almost dropping his phone. Knee knocking into yours. “Fuck off.”

“I will not.”

“You just said I was a catastrophe.”

“Fully not what I said.”

“I read between the lines.”

“Carmen.”

You take a breath, putting your arms on your knees, bent over. “The restaurant is beautiful, your cooks are talented and they’re prepared— So prepared that they can handle 23 minutes without you. That’s a good thing. You’re threaded into The Bear— The ship didn’t sink, not because you weren’t there, but because you had been. Everyone had the tools they needed to succeed, even with Heinz, a Mid painting, and torn tape. And listen—” You take one last sip of your coffee. “You need to check your ego if you think you’re the first man I’ve coaxed through a panic attack while doing a repair.”

He laughs, half-heartedly. He scratches his nose. “Heard. Yeah, thank you, Chef.”

“I don’t know shit about the meth thing though, I really couldn’t tell you.” You smile when this coaxes a better laugh out of him. You’re considering a career in stand up exclusively for him because it feels like such a reward to hear it.

“And the girl?” He asks. Amusement tinging but leaving his voice.

You click your teeth, shrugging your shoulders at him. “Based purely on your hesitation to say girlfriend, I’d say yeah, probably not ready for a relationship.” You reach your hand out to his shoulder when he flops his head down. “But, just asking, is this your first relationship?”

He thinks for too long before nodding slightly. “First one.”

“First restaurant too?”

He nods again.

“Yeah.” You pat his shoulder before letting it go, opting to hold your cooling cup. “I know you’re a Michelin star fuckin’ big deal but like, me personally, I can’t name a thing I got perfect the first time I did it.”

There’s something in his eyes, when you say that. Something wistful, nostalgic, hurt? No. Something different.

“It’s not that I didn’t do perfect—”

“You’ll do better next time.”

He wrings his hands together between his knees. “Yeah.”

“You’re gonna be fine, Carm.”

“You’re good at that.” He sniffs, head down, scratching his nose.

“At what? Self-help?”

He exhales what just barely sounds like a laugh. “Kinda. S’just, when you say it, you say it in a way where I actually believe it.”

You’re getting the fuck out of here before they open for dinner. You’re not letting anyone down tonight motherfucker. The Berf shall prevail. Maybe a win here will feel like a win for Carmen, too.

You run the sink to wash your hands, as you’ve done before here— But since fixing the pipes and the pressure… Something’s… different. You pause your scrubbing, listening closely.

…

When the sink is running, the gurgling flow of water from the toilet stops. Huh. You stop and start the faucet a few times to verify this. Yeah. You stare for a long moment before connecting the dots, then punch the sink in realization.

“Fucking Mikey!”

“What’d he do this time?”

You twist around. Ah, other sibling. Natalie. Clipboard in hand, business ready. You take a beat before remembering to smile, nodding to the sink behind you. “He connected the tank flow to the toilet and the sink with one wire.”

She tilts her head, squinting. “Why would he do that?”

“I suspect to save water?” You spin around, kneeling down to look behind the sink. “I think the idea was to have the sink not function when the toilet is flushing. But, it uh, well, did the reverse, kinda. Toilet doesn’t function when the sink isn’t running.”

“Oh.”

“So uh,” You shut the valve under the sink. “Your water bill should go down a little after this, since it won’t be running into what is an essentially a second trap pipe.”

“Oh!” Did she get what you said? No. But she doesn't need to. She heard ‘bill should go down’ and that’s really all she needed. “Thank you!”

“Not a problem. S’my job.” You stand, shutting off the valve to the toilet as well. As you kneel down to work again, you feel her gaze burning into your back. You don’t turn to face her. “You have questions.”

“Oh, ah… Am I so obvious—?”

“Yes.” You’re too quick to answer, unbolting the wires where it attaches to the toilet and the ground. You sniff with a panicked, “Ah, uh, it’s endearing.”

She’s quiet, for a moment. She doesn’t ask you what she actually wants to ask you, and you know that. “Well, I’ll need to exchange info for your invoice.”

“Ah, don’t worry ‘bout that, your brother already covered it.” You stand once more, before going to the sink to undo it’s valve, you fish through the deep pocket of your jumpsuit, pulling out a crumpled business card and handing it to her.

“But it’s good to have my info on hand, for sure. It’s ah… Kinda old.” Kinda is an understatement. Your dad’s name is still on it, scribbled out in pen and replaced with yours. The dead business line is also scribbled out in exchange for your personal cell.

“It’s uh… I usually only work for friends and family, these days, so I’ve kinda stopped trying to keep up appearances.”

She smiles at it. Thank God, she finds it charming and not sloppy. She tucks it into the clasp of her clipboard. “That’s fine, we are friends and family.”

All you can do is nod, pivoting to the sink. There's a beat of peace.

“Didn’t see you at the funeral.”

Ah. There it is. For a Bear, she sure knows how to poke one. You stutter in unscrewing the bolt.

“Would’ve been nice to meet you, then.”

You clear your throat, it's strangled. “Yeah, I think I was trying to avoid introductions, honestly. Grief comes in different ways, eh?”

“Does it?”

“Mine does.” You swallow, unbolting the wire. With it free, you can just yank it out of the wall. God, forgive your brain, but Mikey was right, she does like to fight. Too bad you don’t.

She just hums in reply, watching you pull the wire from the wall. “You’re a real lifesaver.”

Fuck. Fuck. Lifesaver? Is she fucking with you?

“That toilet sprayed me right in the face, yesterday. And you saved Carmen.” There’s an amused lilt to her voice. She’s not fucking with you. “There’s something about a handywoman that Fak cannot match.”

You can hear a faint ‘Hey!’ through the walls. You laugh through an exhale.

“Again, s’my job. I do my best. Did uh, what was it, Terry come by for the walk-in? I wasn’t looking when I was there.”

You sort through your tools, deciding caulking the holes closed is probably the best option.

“He came over basically overnight to fix it, bless him, still don’t know his name.”

You laugh, it’s a little strangled. So Carmen did stay overnight. He must’ve. You smooth out the caulk with your thumb and a palette knife. Blending it into the grout as best as you can. “Good. Good.”

You dust yourself off. Standing. “Well. That’s uh. That’s my job done. Carmen asked me about—”

“Bolting down the booths?” She nods, checking the time on her watch. There’s not enough time before lunch to do it now. Plus you don’t have the screws. “You’re free to come by in the morning tomorrow—”

“But?” You interrupt, throwing your tool bag over your shoulder.

“But?”

“You said free like you’ve got a preference, what do you prefer?”

She chuckles, slightly. There is something about you that feels familiar. “If you could come after close tonight around 12, that would be nice—”

“It’s done. I’ll be there.”

“Lifesaver. I'll give you the code.”

Fuck.

Always gotta give the reader/mc some sort of mysterious background that even you don't have all the info on. Always.

Hehehehe, again, we're slowing this burn so much. Strangers to Friends to lovers but they're both so comfortable in friends it's hard to move !!

Forewarning, btw, if you've already sunk 10k worth of words into your brain for me (thank you!! I hope you've enjoyed!!), I've never written smut before and I feel like I probably will not build up the courage to do so by the end of this series, but I could prove myself wrong, I dunno. But warning in case that's your thing!! I might blue ball you babe!!

Pretty please tell me your thoughts or I'll eat my Berf shirt. Collector's value!! Thrown away!!

Next Part

#carmen berzatto imagine #carmy berzatto #carmy x reader #carmen x reader #carmen berzatto x reader #carmen berzatto x you #carmen berzatto #the bear fx #carmy the bear #the bear x you #the bear #the bear x reader #the bear fanfiction

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izzylovesmatt · 8 months ago

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Confessions

matt sturniolo x female reader

summary - one drink after another matt found himself telling you somethng he never thought he would even say out loud.

part two

⚠️warnings⚠️ suggestive content but no actual smut,use of y/n, pet names,mentions of alcohol, lmk if i missed anything

dividers by me if your going to use tag me

It was a cold october night out at the bar with your mini skirt and tight skimpy shirt. You were out with your closet friends, Nick, Chris, Matt, madi, and a few others who's names you don't remember. This had been the triplets first time drinking so it was pretty entertaining. of course i was stuck driving though since matt wasn't in any place to be doing so. "chris your speaking nonsense" nick says slurring over his words "shut up kid go bother someone else" chris says walking away to the dance floor to flirt with girls and to make a fool out of himself . Soon after chris left nick followed too, then madi leaving just me and matt at our table. Matt had been relatively quiet this whole time but nothing new, he had also been following me anywhere i went always sitting next to me, always having atleast a finger touching me, eyeing whatever guy came over to talk to me, it was very strange and not like matt to do so. "kid why aren't you having fun get up lets do something besides sit in a corner." i say trying to break the silence "mm no im good here where you are." he says sipping the last sip of his 4th drink "you better slow down y'don't know what your limit is yet" he ignores me but doesn't look away. he's looking at me like a puppy "stop staring at me like that" but even after saying something he just shakes his head and doesn't look away. I go to get up to get a non alcoholic drink but before i can i feel a arm snake around my waist "nuh uh where are you going" matt says his tone almost malicious "im just going to get a drink chill out" hes look burns my eyes i feel like i could never escape his stare "and have all the boys in this club try to take you from me? nuh uh your staying here." take you from me what is he talking about. my mind races with thoughts wondering why he's being like this. i have always thought matt was attractive i mean its not something you can deny but why is he being like this "take me from you? stop being crazy" i say loosing from his firm grip "no please don't leave me" matt pleads and gets up following me to the bar. " Can i just have a-" i cut myself off in surprise as i feel matt hug me from behind wrapping his arms around my waist digging his nose in my neck, i feel something else poking me in my lower back. is he serious? "a coke sorry" i say pulling my wallet out and handing the nice lady cash while i grab my drink and push matt off of me but he pushes me back. Now he's pressing me up against the bar his face centimeters away from my face our bodies almost touching. i can feel the heat radiating off of his body. "matt what are y-" i get cutoff by matt's soft lips touching mine. i pull away from his face as fast as i can. matt is a drunk mess he's barley even standing up now he's kissing me? "matt stop it you are drunk lets go it's time to leave." i say sipping my drink putting it back on the counter then going to the table and grabbing matt's stuff as he follows behind me pleading to not leave and that he's sorry and it won't happen again. i text nick "hey got to go home early left money for uber sorry be safe love you". Then i drag matt by his arm back to the car "baby i said i was sorryyy i i don't wanna leaveeee." matt says babbling so hard i can barley understand him "matthew stop calling me that get in the car we are leaving."

time skip

When we arrive at matt's house i drag him inside and put him on the couch. i take my heels off then i go to the kitchen and grab a bottle of water and crackers just incase. i walk over to the couch to see matt playing with his lips and crying. "matt why are you crying are you okay?" i say worriedly placing the water and crackers on the table and i kneel down to take his shoes off. " i can't feel my lips or my tounge" he says in broken sobs. i can't help but laugh at him also remembering when i first got drunk and cried over the same thing, he started crying more because j laughed at him. "are my lips still there" he says barley understandable. "yes matt your lips are still there your fine, come on." i say trying to help him off of the couch. he doesn't stop crying all the way to his room just crying and repeating "why can't i feel them" also not appreciating the fact i can't stop laughing at his hysterical state. as we get into his room i put the crackers and water on the nightstand and grab a trash can from his bathroom placing it next to his bed, i walk over to his drawer and grab pajama pants for him to sleep in. "matt here are pants im gonna go now are you okay?" i say waiting for a response from the boy who is laying on his back finally not crying. "no your not leaving please don't leave" he says starting to cry again and shooting up trying to get up but failing. " hey hey it's okay sit down and get dressed i won't leave i guess but i have to change." i say walking over to his dresser and grabbing myself a shirt and some sweat pants but when i turn around i see matt in just his underwear trying to change right infront of me. i can't also see the buldge in his pants due to his calvin cline underwear being tight. i turn right back around. "matt you cannot change with me in here hurry and put your pants on" "i don't wanna im hot" he says walking closer to me. "matt put on your pants i do not wanna see that." i say still not turning over despite my half naked best friend behind me. "your turn to change" matt says grinning hoping he can't watch me change. " matt you are so gross." i say turning around not looking at him and walking into the bathroom shutting the door and locking it. "when i'm done changing and i come out if your not dressed i'm leaving." i shout through the door so he can hear. " okay im sorry please don't leave". i'm changing but all i can think about is matt's dick, even though he's my best friend and i shouldn't even see him that way. after i go to take my shirt off i realize i don't have a bra and i know matt's just gonna say something since he's already acting weird. I finished getting dressed into a blue fresh love hoodie and just grey sweatpants, i walk out of the bathroom to see matt laying on his floor. "lets get you to bed okay?" i say reaching my arm out so he can grab it. "okayyy yeah sureee" matt says taking my hand and leaning onto me. When i finally get matt into his bed he begs and begs for me to cuddle him. "please just lay with me i'm not being weird i miss you." he pleads over and over again. I give up and just pull him towards me, his head is now nestled into my neck i can feel the heat of his slow breaths. "y'know your really pretty and i really do like you not just because your pretty but because i love your personality and i love you but i would never tell you that" he says while his finger traces circles over my leg "matt shhh go to sleep" "hey so y'know how your y/h?" matt says after 5 minutes of not talking "yes i know of my height." matt giggles then says "well i can add 8'inches to that if you want" he says in between laughter "MATTTT ewwwww your so weird go to bed" 10 minutes later i can hear the faint snore coming from matt and soon i fall asleep too. I wonder what will happen tomorrow once matt figures out what he said to me.

i hope you guys liked this i haven't posted in so long lmk if you want a part 2 feedback is appreciated!🪄🦢

#matt sturniolo #matt sturniolo smut #chris sturniolo #i love matt sturniolo #matt sturniolo fluff #sturniolo triplets #smut #matt stuniolo fanfic #matthew sturniolo #matt x reader

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janahanooo · 6 months ago

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MERRY CHRISTMAS GUYS!!!!! As promised, here is the follow up

And uh, no I didn't forget to post this.... okay maybe

Ace: c'monnnn Yuu! Tell me what you got for me!!

Yuu: no, you have to wait for the evening! And also you promised that you and Deuce will be able to come to the Christmas dinner at Ramshackle

Ace: Yes-yes, we are coming, it was suprisingly easy to convince the dormhead too

Yuu: huh?

Ace: it's nothing, now let's hurry!

Yuu: thank you everyone for coming to this dinner, this means a lot to us

Grim: I care more for the food, but yeah-yeah... it's nice to have you guys here.... i guess

Ace: heh, what was that Grim? Are you embarrassed?

Grim: M-MYAH?!?! NO?! THE GREAT GRIM COULD NEVER-!

Yuu: okay! So, lets eat and then we can give each others the presents!

Epel: I'm curious what you got for the others, can you tell me?

Yuu: no, sorry. I know you would tell them.

Deuce: it was worth a shot

Sebek: Huma- khm. Yuu, this was delicious

Jack: do you mind if I bring some with me after this? Ruggie senpai would def chew my ears off if he heard how good the food was here.

Yuu: sure!

Grim: hench-human!! The presents!

Yuu: alright, alright. You can open your presents.

Grim: !!

Grim: a- a whole box of tuna cans!? M-mhay?! All for me?!

Yuu: yep, all of it is yours

Jack: it's a new pair of running shoes...

Yuu: khm...

Jack: it's a plant pot... i love it!

Epel: ugh, this sweater really is ugly

Epel: I love it!

Sebek: *sniffle* thank you *holds a malleus plushie that has a voice recorder saying, "I appreciate you Sebek" and "My dear knight in shining armor"*

Yuu: you have no idea how hard it was to get to him on day light, so I had him say this on one of our late night walks

Deuce: that's so nice of you Yuu.

Yuu: yeah-yeah, now, open yours!

Deuce: ...a key? Prefect, you did not...

Yuu: come on, it wasn't my wallet. It was Crowley's. So use it with good health

Ace: now I'm really excited to know what you got me

Yuu: go for it

Ace: *opens the present*

Ace:

Ace: are you for real?

Ace: prefect. How much did you spend on us??? *recieved tickets to his favourite basketball teams all year matches*

Yuu: again, it was mostly out of Crowley's wallet

The first years: *looking at eachother and then nodding*

Epel: then, we would like you to have this

Jack: it's not much, but we hope you'll like it

Yuu: huh?

Yuu: *opens the present, and it's framed pictures of all of them, making it look like they are a family*

Yuu: I- I don't even- how- why? This is so nice, you guys-

Yuu: *starts crying*

The first years: !!

Ace: oh come on, hey! It- it's not that bad!

Deuce: dude! Don't make it worse! *punches Ace* Yuu, do you not like it?

Yuu: *sniffle* no, I love it. Thank you guys, I have the best family in the whole world...

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fameandfiction · 4 days ago

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IMAGINE PART I: “What Do You Mean We’re Married?” — Reneé Rapp x Reader

— Wife Reveal Gone Wrong.

It’s a normal morning.

Well... normal in the way anything can be when you and Reneé are nursing matching hangovers from “just two drinks” that mysteriously multiplied into tequila-fueled karaoke and crying over that one Phoebe Bridgers lyric neither of you will admit hits too hard.

You’re at a café. Sunlight’s pouring in through oversized windows. Reneé’s wearing a hoodie you’ve never seen before but is definitely yours, and you’re stirring iced coffee with a fork because you forgot to ask for a straw.

The waiter drops off the receipt.

You glance down at it casually.

Then blink.

Then blink again.

“Huh.”

Reneé looks up from her avocado toast. “What?”

You squint at the paper.

“They made a mistake. They put your last name next to my first name.”

You angle it toward her.

It reads:

Rapp and your first name next to it.

You laugh. “I guess they just assumed I was your wife or something.”

You’re still giggling into your cold brew when you realize Reneé isn’t laughing.

In fact—

She’s not reacting at all.

Just raising an eyebrow.

Setting her toast down.

Reaching for her drink with that annoyingly smug mouth twitch she gets when she’s about to drop a bomb.

“I mean,” she says casually, “we have been married since that trip in Vegas.”

You stop mid-sip.

“...What.”

She shrugs.

“The little chapel? That night we couldn’t find your phone and ended up crashing that bachelorette party on Fremont Street?”

You stare at her.

“That wasn’t real.”

“It was legally binding. I signed the certificate.”

“You joked about signing the certificate.”

“And then I did it.”

You blink.

“You married me while I was looking for my phone charger?”

“Romantic, right?”

“You’re joking.”

Reneé reaches into her bag. Pulls out a crumpled piece of paper with faint pink edges and a faded golden seal.

“I kept the receipt.”

Your eyes bug.

“That’s a marriage license.”

“A Rapp-ly ever after, baby.”

You slap your forehead.

“We were drunk!”

“We were in love.”

“We were singing Kesha at a taco stand.”

“Exactly.”

There is a full sixty seconds of pure, high-pitched, silent chaos screaming in your brain.

Then:

“...Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I forgot.”

“You forgot we were married?”

“Well, I remembered the other day when I saw it in my passport wallet, but I figured you’d bring it up eventually.”

“I thought it was a bit!”

“So did our officiant. Then he cried.”

“This is unhinged behavior.”

“You’re literally wearing my ring right now.”

You look down.

You are wearing a silver band you thought was hers.

“I thought you just left it in my bathroom!”

“No, babe. That’s your wedding band.”

You freeze.

The waiter comes back with the check and says, “Aww, are you two celebrating something?”

Reneé beams.

“Our anniversary.”

You kick her under the table.

Later that afternoon, you’re on her couch in total disbelief, holding the certificate in your hands.

“This looks official.”

“It is official.”

“There’s a witness.”

“The Elvis impersonator.”

You groan into a pillow.

Reneé climbs over you like a smug jungle cat and sits on your thighs.

“You love me.”

“I hate you.”

“You literally married me.”

“Under false pretenses.”

“You said ‘I do.’”

“I thought I was saying yes to another round of shots!”

She wiggles her eyebrows.

“Well, now you’re stuck with me.”

“Is it too late to annul?”

“We consummated it already.”

“RENEÉ.”

Eventually, when the laughter dies down and your heart’s finally stopped trying to leap out of your chest, she wraps her arms around your waist and presses a kiss behind your ear.

“I’m kidding. Sort of. Maybe.”

You freeze again.

“Sort of?”

“I mean… we didn’t actually file it with the county clerk.”

You exhale, half in relief, half in disappointment you didn’t know you were holding.

“So we’re not married?”

She shrugs, grinning.

“Not legally.”

“But...?”

She kisses your jaw.

“We could be.”

Silence.

Then:

“Give me a real ring next time,” you murmur, cheeks warm.

“You want a diamond or another taco stand?”

“Yes.”

#fanfic #fanfiction #imagine #imagines #x reader #Reneé Rapp #Renee Rapp #Reneé Rapp x reader #Renee Rapp x reader #RPF #Real People #Real Person Fiction #Real Person Fanfic

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wheels-of-despair · 13 days ago

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Happy Anniversary Pairing: Michael (Hoard) x You Summary: You and Michael have an anniversary to celebrate. Contains: Morning snuggles, fluff, a few tears, gettin' busted for a secret you kept for a whole year. Words: 1k

Note: Today marks the one-year anniversary of the first time I got to watch Hoard in its entirety. This fic a companion piece to Good Morning. Read that first. :)

Michael groans when the alarm goes off and reaches out to smack the snooze button, like he always does.

"Five more minutes," he demands, snuggling close and burying his face in the crook of your neck.

But today, that five extra minutes isn't going to be spent sleeping.

"Do you know what today is?" you whisper in his ear.

"Tuesday," he mumbles, his voice muffled by your skin.

"True," you smile, trailing a finger up his spine. "But do you know what we were doing a year ago today?"

Michael hums a noncommittal noise.

"One year ago today," you grin, holding him tighter and nuzzling his ear with your nose, "I went to a wedding that I didn't want to go to, and I came home with somebody that I never want to let go."

"Huh?" You can't help but laugh at him.

"We met a year ago," you clarify, loosening your grip and kissing his temple with a smile. "Today is our one-year anniversary."

Michael's body tenses. A moment of silence follows.

"You serious?" he croaks.

"Yep."

"A whole year?"

"Mhm," you hum, smiling and playing with his hair and enjoying these extra few minutes of morning cuddles.

Until you feel something wet seep through your shirt.

"Are you crying?" you ask, twisting your head to look down at the vague shape of him in the dark room.

"No," he sniffles.

"Baby, why are you crying?" you ask, holding him tight. Isn't this supposed to be a happy occasion?

He chokes back a sob, and he clings to you.

"A year?" he asks again.

"Yeah," you whisper. And then, you get it. "Is that the longest you've ever been with someone?"

"Yeah," he croaks.

Your heart pangs. You hold him tighter. It's not always easy, but you love this man with everything you've got. You'd do anything for him. Anything.

"Wanna try for two?" you ask.

"Five?" he breathes.

"Ten," you counter.

"Twenty?"

"Hate to break it to you, baby," you chuckle, "but you're never gettin' rid of me. Forever is my final offer."

"You sure?" he asks.

"Yup."

"Forever?"

"Forever," you confirm.

Michael shifts on the bed, and his mouth meets yours. You hold each other and seal your deal with a deep kiss, morning breath and all.

The alarm goes off again, and Michael pulls himself away from you with a growl and smacks the top of the clock violently for interrupting your morning make-out. Your side of the bed feels so cold without him. You're not ready to let him go yet.

"You know, it is a special occasion…" you begin, before he can get up.

"So?"

"So I think you've earned five more minutes."

Twenty minutes and a very rushed morning routine later, you give him his goodbye kiss and push him out the door with a promise of a nice dinner and *ahem* continued festivities tonight.

And then you go back to bed, like you always do.

"Baby?"

You moan in response.

"Hey."

Something's shaking you. But it's not time to get up yet.

"Are you alright, love?"

Michael's home. Why is Michael home?

You crack an eye open and stare up into his big brown eyes, shining with concern in the light of the lamp he's turned on. He's kneeling beside the bed in his work clothes, his hand on your arm.

"Why are you here?" you ask.

"Forgot my wallet," he explains. "Why are you back in bed? Are you sick? Did I hurt you?"

You're busted. You had a good run, you suppose. You sigh and smile and reach out to brush a stray curl away from his forehead.

"Michael?" you ask.

"Yeah?"

"What time do you leave for work?"

"5:30."

"What time do I leave for work?"

Michael shrugs.

"Baby, I work a 9-to-5."

He stares at you blankly.

"I always go back to bed when you leave," you explain, stretching. "I don't have to be up for a few more hours."

"Then why do you get up with me?" he asks, brow furrowed. You reach out and trace the lines on his forehead.

"Because I love you," you smile, bringing your hand to cup his jaw. "And sometimes that twenty minutes in the morning, just you and me and our little routine at the ass-crack of dawn, is the best part of my day."

A tear streaks down his cheek, and you wipe it away with your thumb.

"You don't have to do that," he whispers, his voice shaky.

"I want to," you respond. "I want to be with you. You're my favorite person in the world, and I want to spend as much time with you as I possibly can."

The pained look on his face makes a horrible thought occur to you. Your heart sinks.

"Unless… you don't want me to?"

Michael lurches forward, wrapping his arms around you and hugging you to him so tightly, your body leaves the bed. You smile and rub his back. Play with his hair. Feel your bodies melting together, aided by the dripping of hot tears. Eventually, he sighs and lets you back down. He licks his lips, as if that'll make the words come easier.

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," he whispers.

Warmth, radiating from your heart, spreads through your whole body.

"Good thing we're gonna be together forever then, huh?"

Michael's face lights up, slowly and then all at once when his mouth opens for a toothy grin. You cup his handsome face in your hands, wiping away the last of his tears and bringing him down for a kiss.

Neither of you made it to work that day.

#writings of despair #michael x you #michael x reader #michael hoard x reader #michael hoard

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sugudoe · 1 year ago

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──── .𖥔˚ 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐈 𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍, toji ⋆.˚

✶ 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: you had been taught that everything that happens, is the best it could be. meeting fushiguro toji was the second highlight of your life, losing him was your lowest point. you kept strong for your children for ten years, until he suddenly comes back — and maybe, that’s the best bittersweet gift life can give you, as an apology for the past.

✶ 𝐚. 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: i cried lots and lots while writing this, hope you all have fun, cause i didn’t. divider.

✶ 𝐬𝐲𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐬: angst with a bit of fluff / domestic violence (not from toji) / fem!reader / curse!au / mention and description of blood, death, guns / sexual innuendo / foul language / smoking / slightly ooc!toji and ooc!megumi (they cry) / reader is tsumiki’s mom / english is not my first language.

✶ 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 5.2k

It could be said that life had a wicked way of granting you wishes and getting them back, but you had always been so optimistic, so satisfied with whatever was throw your way. Never understanding that this force of nature had been either protecting you, or making you go the right path. It took some time, turbulences, weakness, but you followed your instincts, and eventually, your heart.

You had a daughter of your own with your ex husband, Hasuko, who had been nothing but a terrible man. You could handle the verbal abuse towards you, but when he set his eyes on Tsumiki and started to be verbally aggressive to her, you knew it was time to step up.

The little baby had just turned eight months, and you were alone in this world with her lovely presence and the tempestuous personality of Hasuko — he was rude and borderline dangerous, his jealousy had made you leave your old life behind, so you were dependent on him.

Everyday, you kept stealing from his wallet whenever he went to sleep or got drunk, he was a terrible gambler and never suspected, no matter the amount you took, but you still had care, and only when Tsumiki was almost two, you managed to scape to a crappy hotel room, far away enough from the putrid smell of your husband and his hard hand.

It was by the moon light and weirdly looking hotel’s pool you met a man offering you a cigarette. It’s all he did, sitting in a sun chair by your side, and giving you the white stick you gracefully took it, thanking him with barely a whisper.

“You’re A7, right?” He wondered, and it takes you by surprise and makes you uneven how he knows your room. “Don’t worry, I only know because I’m A14, right in front of you. That baby of yours kept crying last night and today all day, that’s why I’m giving you the cigarettes, you must be tired.”

“I’m sorry, she’s just in a new place, we weren’t used to getting out of the house.” You take a puff of the cigarette, while your mind screams at you to shut up.

“May I take a guess?” The man holds his tie before undoing it. You hesitantly nod. “You are running away. By the purple on your cheeks and the marks on your neck, I’d say from your husband.” You stare at your bruised knuckles to avoid his stare. “Also can see you can fight, good. How did you left him?”

“In the middle of the night…” Your voice is cracking before you gulp the tears away. “I put her in the car, when I got back in the house for our things he was awake.” You stare at the unknown male. “I might have punched him a few times, and hit him with a pan. I don’t know. He tried to go to her, and I acted on impulse.”

“Nothing is more powerful than a mother’s love or rage, and sometimes both can create a terrible chaotic fusion for the receiver of it.” You agree to his words by again smoking. “Let me tell you something, the same shit happened to me, I was the child in the situation. I know you don’t know me, but I can help you, let me help you, like a stranger did with my mom many years ago.”

That was the day you met Shiu Kong, and that was the time your life became better, even if just for some years, you owned Shiu everything — your job as his assistant, the house you bought for your daughter and you, and most importantly, that you met Fushiguro Toji through him.

And how wonderful grateful you had been for your friend and Toji, had they never crossed your life, you had no ideia what would you be like right now, it’s not something you would like to know or keep wasting time thinking about. You see the present and you love it, as the gift life has been giving you since the day you left Hasuko behind.

The man tracked you down once, after you send him the divorce papers months later, he found you in a matter of weeks. Knocking at your door, screaming insults in that tone you knew was carried with lots of alcohol and as you held your daughter with all your strength, Toji happened to be at your house, getting details about his next mission, and he walked calmly to the entrance. You didn’t heard much, the only sound was the constant blood flowing through your veins in inhuman speed, scaring you terribly. But the man returned — ripped knuckles painted red, satisfying smirk and your papers signed with a trembling signature and blood prints.

“It’s alright. He is not coming back.” Was all Toji said before grabbing your anxious self to his arms, Tsumiki sleeping peacefully on top of you. “You can rest now.”

After two months, Toji learned more about you, and specially your hate for gambling.

“It’s something my ex would do all the time, Shiu used to as well, but I stopped him. That’s how he has more money nowadays, and so do I, because my salary increased.” You tell Toji under the kitchen orange light, preparing salmon with veggies for dinner. You add a pinch of salt before turning to face him, in his comically large sweater. “You could do much more, Toji, much better.”

His past it’s not a secret he tried to keep from you, he just never said anything because you haven’t asked. The truth of his wife passing and his baby of one year was something you learned when Shiu, always the babysitter, begged you to take care of Megumi earlier that day, which prompted you to this conversation, he had to be better for his son.

You did babysat happily and set both babies in your living room, playing games, mumbling gibberish, painting your walls. You had been so broken by Hasuko, his rage to Tsumiki made you allow her to be a child freely now, and children get messy, and this mess becomes a memoir.

When Toji came to pick his son up, he was baffled at the crayons Megumi was holding, and the fact you were laughing and encouraging his antics in your perfect cream wall. But he dared not to complain, for inside your eyes he saw that sparkle he noticed missing the first time he saw you. How dull you had been in the beginning, and now you were getting happy and safe. He couldn’t tell you no in that moment, couldn’t waste his money like he intended to, Toji trusted you and your judgment more than he trusted himself.

“Alright.” He agrees while getting up and starting to mash the potatoes. “I’ll stop gambling under one condition: go out with me. Let me do something more productive with the money.”

And you say yes, hesitantly of course, you still have deeply unseen scars forged by the past. But when you steal a glance at Toji, sitting in your dinning table, feeding his baby while you feed yours, you can’t help but allow the nerves to dissipate just a little.

It’s enough to stop the trembling of your fingers when he takes you to a fancy restaurant, wearing a black silk shirt you could guess Shiu made him buy that day, same as he did with you and the equal black silk dress you are wearing. You both smile in acknowledgment, but say nothing of it, except when Toji starts to compliment you, and in the middle of your crimson cheeks and biting your red tinted lips, like a teenager, you thank him.

Is easy to be with Toji anywhere, but in that formal space the two of you are left uncomfortable, specially while reading the menu and not understanding the meaning of anything, Toji cracks a joke about the restaurant name that makes you snort loud. The male smirks proudly.

“Would you think I’m an asshole if I say we should leave here and go eat at this small diner I know?” He asks.

“No, I would thank you very much.” Inching your face closer to his, you answered quietly.

Toji gets up and moves your way, standing you his hand, not knowing that the moment yours would come in contact, it would fix perfectly, electrically enough to shake something in both of your core. The two of you leave with contempt smiles, reaching the diner later that night and eating the most amazing hamburger you’ve had.

Life with Fushiguro Toji is meant to be, you could say. Like finding the final piece of your most difficult puzzle, and your life, you could assume, was an incredibly detailed one. But the man fit in it so well, right by the center, you wonder if he was always meant to be yours, and you already now the answer.

It clicks in the male as well how much you mean to him, so it takes no one by surprise how he has you in a court, a year later, marrying him with Shiu as a crying witness and your babies by your side. And in that same day, you both officially adopt the other’s child.

It’s how it was always meant to be, the domesticated feeling of being happy and secure, and fully loved to an extent no other heart could catch, it’s what you all deserve. Your little family.

Unfortunately, happiness last for only four more years. It’s all life give to you, this less than a decade love that you will never forget, every minimal detail is entangled in your memories, all painted by your lover, with his gentle and yet brutal hands. You still remember how the end began, it was with Toji coming home stressed, with blood covering his whole body — he had been in a fight.

“I fucked up.” It’s the first thing he blurted when he comes your way, embracing you quickly. “We have to leave, they are coming for us. For our son.”

The drop of your heart is a feeling you constantly had after that day, but at that time, it was just a sample of the biggest pain you would ever feel. What Toji meant was a secret he told you in the beginning, when he was a dumb young man, recently widowed and with no ideia for how to care for a baby he did the unthinkable, although a part of him imagined he was doing what was right — he sold his son for the Zen’in, his old clan.

“They have a tracker, is a boy with the technique of tracking anything he wants. With our shared blood, he can catch us, but if we move away from Tokyo his power might not work.” Toji cautioned the options with you that night, while you both are sitting by the dinner table, your kids are sleeping in their shared bedroom. “We can go to Korea with the help of Shiu, but I fear it’ll still be too close.”

“Do we have money for this, Toji?” Is all you ask, knowing for a fact the answer won’t be positive. Toji stopped the hit man job after one year married, deciding to work as a mechanic in the small town you both moved to. He signs no with his head, and you feel like crying rivers.

“I can ask Shiu.” Toji whispers. “One last job, good payment, enough to leave it all behind.”

It’s like a dejavu feeling, you wished you had payed more attention to the uneasiness of that sentence, as a warning of life. You didn’t like his job, but you worked in the same bloodied industry not long ago, so you nod, scared and shaking. You don’t want him to taint his soul anymore, but it’s the only way to save your son.

You both go to sleep hugging each-other that night, and every other. All minimal spare moments are with family, cherishing what you have, giving him strength to fight again and for you to not crumble in front of everyone. But you desperately should’ve had, maybe he would’ve found another job, another way.

Is the day before he leaves, before you and the kids leave the house as well and move to an apartment complex in the city, that way Megumi’s smell wont be easily noticed, you both hope.

Toji’s face is kissed by the dining area light, his attention is on your son and his yapping about his dogs — the reason for the Zen’in clan to be coming your way. Megumi is on the tracks to become someone powerful, and they want to tear your boy down piece by piece, removing all the love and protection you gave to transform him into something more cold and brutal.

Toji’s eyes are glossy with the tears of guilt, of despair towards his younger self, so stupid, so young and unprepared. If he knew, if he had waited — the deal was done by the same time you’ve met Shiu. His head is spiraling with the many “ifs” and possibilities. Toji breaks down crying for the first time in his life, taking everyone by surprise.

“Papa.” Gumi’s infant voice is accompanied by your husband’s hiccups. “Papa, I love you so much, don’t cry.”

“I love you too, Megumi. I love all of you, with all of my heart. I’m sorry.” He confess the last towards you. Toji is desperate, feeling he ruined your whole lives, and maybe he did, but you don’t love him any less.

That night, your whole family is together in your bedroom, all sleeping in your large bed, unknown to all of you that would be the last time. Although you and Toji could feel in your hearts. He held you and the babies all on top of his large chest, hoping that he could move away in that moment, to take your pain and sorrows away.

You couldn’t find yourself the opening to cry in his presence. So you didn’t, you hold the tears behind you eyes and your hiccups in your throat as much as you could. In front of your new apartment, you kissed him goodbye with dry lips and he held you enough to bruise your waist, but it didn’t hurt.

“Please, come back for me.” You beg when you two separate, Shiu is in the background in the van, equally sad face. “Both of you. Come back home, and we will be fine. It’s just a small job.”

You don’t know, in fact, he didn’t told you. Toji just said the amount of money, and to not worry your pretty head. You trust him, dumbly. If you knew you would have stopped him.

“I’ll always love you. Thank you for this beautiful family, for making me a better man, for becoming my wife, the mother of our children. I love you in every life possible.” It was like he knew, and so he departs from your hug with a last long kiss and waved goodbye to the kids in the balcony, he goes for the van and stares at you, until he is gone.

He is gone.

“He is gone.” Is what Shiu whisper to you, weeks later, hands keeping your balance when you fall down on your knees. Your hands go straight to your belly, where the small baby bump is forming. “He got the money, so you can leave at any time now.”

You stare at Shiu as if he had grow two more heads.

“Y/n, you have to leave, angel. It’s what you were supposed to do, that’s the plan.”

“No! The plan was for him to come back and we move together. I can’t be without him, Shiu. I can’t.” You sob more and more on his shoulders, not noticing the two shadows in the children’s room, ears glued to the door, hearing it all.

When you finally go to your bed, sleeping with the scent of Toji’s pillow, you sense the bed dipping, opening your eyes you foolish hoped it was Toji, but you see someone identical, younger. Megumi, Tsumiki and you all cuddle in that bed, like that last night. You all cry silently, hoping individually for it all to be a terrible nightmare, and for when the day comes Toji be there, by the kitchen making pancakes with fruit smiles — what you met, in fact, is the person who killed your husband, Gojo Satoru.

You know everything about him and his technique that works as a protection barrier, but that doesn’t stop you from shooting him multiple times in the alley by your apartment — and he lets you, that angers you more. He is just a boy, you can see, but he killed Toji.

“Are you done?” The smoke coming from the gun touched your face when Satoru asks, a bit annoyed, a bit sad. “I’m here because your husband asked me to.”

“Stop lying!” You snap through gritted teeth.

“I’m not lying, please, let me tell you everything.” Satoru begs. You’re tired and sad, so you let him come inside, the gun although empty and useless, stays in your hand.

Gojo starts to explain the whole story while you serve him milk tea with honey, his hands are trembling as much as yours, you notice when he grabs the cup.

“Your husband got involved in the killing of a young girl, in the Jujutsu world, she was an important vessel, there was a large quantity of money for her head. My job was to protect her, but I failed. He finished his job, he almost killed me.” Gojo sips the tea before clenching his jaw, and adding more honey to it. “I went searching for him after healing myself, and…” He hesitated “… his last words was for me to help his family. I shouldn’t, but something tugged me here. So you might never forgive me, and I’m fine with that, but let me do what he asked, you don’t even have to see me, I’ll just give you money and protection.”

“He asked you to save our son from the Zen’in?” He nods. “I hate you, Gojo Satoru, for taking away my husband from me. But i accept your help, just don’t let them fuckers near my son.”

Gojo uplifted your life in a precisely and quickly way. First, he moved your family from that crappy apartment to one in a penthouse with full security, the kids were enrolled in a private school with a driver to always take them everywhere needed, specially Megumi. All was taken care for them, the price the Zen’in paid for your son, was given back by you, through the money your husband won before his death. That didn’t stoped them from trying to get your family, some ways more violent than others, but unlike Gojo, they weren’t bulletproof.

Soon, your name started to grow in the Jujutsu World. The wife of Toji, the human that kills sorceress. Everyone avoids your way and your aim, always hitting your target. That’s how you spend your time, after all. Deciding to take after your husband, but instead of killing innocents (something you don’t know you could ever forgive him, after learning Riko’s history), you track down what could be called the bad guys — sorceress that went bad, man who abuse their partners and children. Anyone who needs a cleanse, comes for you.

Gojo doesn’t aprove of it, but he neves dare to complain to you, he thinks you are strong enough to one day be capable of killing him. It’s in your eyes, the dread and hate you have for him. Your son and daughter don’t know this little secret of your job or what he did to their father, is a promise you both agreed on. Their memories aren’t stained by blood, and you may hate how much Tsumiki loves Gojo or Megumi fails to hides his adoration, but it is for the best.

Gojo saved you.

Ten years later, the world collapses, beginning in Shibuya. You weren’t a Jujutsu Sorcerer, through rectangle glasses gifted by Satoru you could see the curses, but that was not your line of job, never would’ve been. You were terribly anxious in your house, watching at the television, with Tsumiki and Fumiko, by your side. Your phone rings somewhere, your youngest daughter moves to get it before giving it to you.

“It’s Megs.” Fumiko muttered.

“Baby, talk to me.” You commanded to the phone, getting up from the table and moving to your car keys, already leaving the apartment. Your daughters coming behind, you knew they should stay, but they were stubborn, like their father. “Megumi?”

“Mom, Gojo… He is sealed.” Megumi cried on the phone, making your heart break more and more. “Please, I don’t want to die.”

“You won’t die, love. I’m coming already.” The car ignited your answer, you pass the phone to Tsumiki before you are racing the streets. You couldn’t tell earlier if it was luck or not to be living near Shibuya in that moment, but now you knew, you were exactly where you were meant to be. “Where are you, baby?”

“I’m hiding from this guy, I’m sending the location.” Is silent before he speaks again.” I… I can’t see his face, there is too much blood on my eyes.” You whimper at this. “Mom, there is no cursed energy in him, but he is so strong. He beat Nanami and a curse with volcano head and…”

“What? And what, Megs?” You panicked at his sudden silence, you are just some blocks away from his location.

“He’s here.” Then is silence.

The last time you prayed was years ago, the night you were told of the death of your husband. Your hands were tangled enough that no one could separate them, and your words of pleas and begs could shake any mountains out of earth. Today, though, you don’t have time to get on your knees and beg any deity for help. You only have the guns on your car, and your daughters by your side.

“You both stay here.” You ordered while parking the car in a dark alley. “If a curse or that man comes, Tsumiki you drive away, hear me?” The girl nods. “I love you both.”

You leave the car with fast steps towards the building, but before you can even enter, someone jumps from the windows in the building behind you, turning quick, you catch your son jumping in the roof of your car, before running your way.

“HE’S COMING.” Megumi screams, blood that falls from his head go inside his mouth, making him choke before falling in your arms. The man, you soon see, falls a second later. “Mom, please stay behind me.”

Your poor baby is weak, with his trembling figure, he has lost a lot of blood, you can’t let him fight alone — you didn’t came here for nothing, after all. You sigh, grabbing Megumi’s gaze, a sweet smile is all you give him.

“I’ll get his attention, you run to the car.” You can sense the protest coming, but a slight change in your eyes makes Megumi be quiet and nod.

The man, you stare at him, is creeping in the shadows of the buildings, moonlight only on his back, hiding his face away from you. That’s not what matter, but the fact he is casually leaning on your car, where your daughters are, that pisses you off. He knows they are there, he is taunting you to try anything, like a predador — he can either bite your neck off, or your pups. And you can’t shoot him either, afraid that you might hurt Tsumiki or Fumiko.

With hands empty of guns, you walk, because you know that’s what he wants, the thrill of coming your way. Your son is far away when the man moves. Is a second, and he is in front of you, his hands reaching for a punch in your abdomen before his full black eyes catch yours, a second later, turning dark blue. He doesn’t punch you, but Toji takes your breath away.

Toji. It’s been some time since you said his name, even in your mind. The man is always there, much like your wedding ring is always on your finger, but you don’t say his name for the fear it might burn in your heart or tongue. You wonder if this is all real, is it’s really him, but your questions receive their answers when he moves back, hands never touching you.

There is confusion in his face, at the same time, you catch pain in it — a perfect mirror of your own expression, you could say. This time, you move towards him quicker, before jumping to his arms, and the way he holds you back tells you everything you need to know, that your husband is here, by some miracle or prayed answered, Toji exists in this moment.

The tears are falling from your face in the same chaotic way they did the day you found he was dead, but this time a small smile is present. Toji puts you down, but his hug only deepens.

“You’re here.” You cried in his arms before leaving it for an instant, raising your hands to hold his pretty face, although numb in his eyes, he was smiling through his own tears. “You’re not- - not exactly you, huh.”

“No, baby. I’m not.” His hoarse voice has your legs shaking. Gods, you missed him so much, but you were so happy that it was just like you remembered, ten years would never make you forget him. “I’m sorry I took so long to come back, that I couldn’t keep my promise.”

“It’s okay, my love. You are here again.” It’s instant, and you’re kissing him, much like the last time, your dry lips are mesmerized by him, and your brain gets foggy by his presence, his scent.

“MOM?!” A shout comes from behind Toji, making you both separate. Megumi is by your car, your daughters out of the vehicle, all with shocked expressions that make you quietly giggle.

“Is it them?” Toji catch’s you attention, he hasn’t turned around yet, you nod and he gulps. “I - - I didn’t knew it was him, I would never hurt him.”

“I know.” You grab his hand, making him follow you to your children. When his face gets light up by the moon, you don’t move more before Megumi and Tsumiki are jumping in his arms, loud hiccups escaping their throats, while the trio melts into hugs. You stare fondly at the scene before feeling a pull on your jacket, and grabbing the little hand you walk closer. “Love, there is someone you should meet.” Your oldests step back, allowing Fumiko to be presented. “You didn’t know back then, but this is Fumiko, our daughter.”

Toji descends to his knee gracefully, more tears coming from his eyes. The man open his arms, and Fumiko stares at you, wondering, before you even finish your nod, she is already on his embrace, Toji kisses her forehead, moving up and allowing once again for his other children to hug him.

“I’m so sorry I missed all of you growing up. I was trying to keep you all safe, and I’m happy you are now.” Toji wailed, staring at them before at you, in front of him, kissing his lips once again.

“We are fine, my love. There is no Zen’in, the Gojo boy helped us.” He nods at you, before staring at his family. How things should be.

You sense your heartbreaking like that day of the mission, when the gears of destiny started to move against your favor, and you know in that moment, he can’t be here forever — his soul is not present anymore, it’s only a gift of life to repair all the pain it has given you. Toji hears your hiccups, and he nods in understand. Ten years away, and he still knows you better than anyone.

Putting Fumiko down, he kisses the children foreheads, before a hug with all of you.

“I want you all to know, I’m proud of you. No matter what you do, your father loves you endless. This family is my heaven, and I’m happy to have this chance of goodbye.”

“Go to the car, I’ll be right back, okay?” The kids nod at you, individually hugging their dad one more time before going inside the vehicle.

You and your husband move towards the building, the door closes, and soon he has you cornered, attacking your lips with a much needed kiss than before. You answer fast, letting his hands roam your body, much like yours — you missed all of him terribly, and this was your hope of engraving Toji in your dna, for those future nights, yet alone.

Toji takes you there, against that door, like a madman, you let him because you wanted it as much as him. How badly had you missed being touched by your husband, no pain in the world could compare to the emptiness of having all this love to give, and nowhere to empty it. But you did it now, showering him with the ten years of hidden affection. He devoured your attention.

It’s much later when you both are dressed again, none of you want to knowledge the miserable truth that he has to go. You catch his shaking hands and sweat in his head, it’s a sign he can’t be in here anymore.

“I’ve never stopped loving you,” You whispered into his empty chest, no beating heart matching your frantic one, “Nor do I think I’ll ever do so.”

“Good.” Toji exclaimed. “Really good, ‘cause I plan on seeing you in the afterlife, and I’m not letting you go anywhere ever again.” He leave kisses on your head before sighing.

“You really have to go?” Is a silent cry in a question. You stare up at his blue eyes, empty of brightness and yet full of love. “We could find a way to make you stay.”

“There isn’t, doll. This is all we have, and it was so worthy. Seeing you again, so pretty, so mine, our babies all grown as well.” Toji lick his lips. “I wish we had another chance, but as I said before, on our last day, I love you in every possible life.”

“I love you as well, in this life, in the next as well. We will see each other again.” He nods at your words. “We are safe, no need to worry, just take your alone time in the afterlife, because as soon as I get there, you are all mine.”

“I can’t wait.” Toji kisses you one more time, before hugging you tight and moving away slowly, walking backwards so his attention is all on you. “Promise me you won’t be going there too soon, like I did. Be here for our babies, okay? I’ll always be waiting.”

“I promise, my love.”

Toji grabs a metal pipe from a nearby table, and you know what he is going to do. He waved at you goodbye before going more deeper in the room, to the shadows away from you. The sound of skin ripping makes your cries louder, and you catch yourself following him, trying to make it stop — just one more minute, one more kiss.

You reach the body, and it’s not him. Although, a breeze whispers into your skin, like soft kisses to your tears, you smile through the pain. He is gone, but he was here, his love is all over you. He is gone, but he is waiting for you somewhere, loving you endlessly, through time and space and the afterlife, forever.

#♱ 𓂃 ࣪ ˖ on stage ! ᯤ #jujutsu kaisen #jjk #jjk x reader #jujutsu kaisen x reader #toji fushiguro #toji x reader #toji angst #toji x you #jjk angst #jujutsu angst #jjk toji #jujutsu toji #jujutsu kaisen toji #toji fushiguro x reader

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samthestrangerthingsfan · 1 year ago

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Out of The Woods

pairing: Eddie Munson x Reader

summary: A look back into our reader's past, and a run-in with one, too.

chapter warnings: slow burn,mentions of grief, parental loss, motherhood, swearing, alcohol(ism), child neglect, childhood trauma. Maggie fluff to fix it all <3

a/n: EEP EEP EEP, i know i know its a slooooow burn but we truly are just getting started. Enjoy!

chapter two: Tell Me A Lie || series masterlist

SEPTEMBER 17th, 1982

Freezer-burnt Egos sit three high on the olive green plate in front of you.

“Great.” Syrup hasn’t been purchased in weeks, so you slather each one with a smear of grape jelly. All served up with a side of tap water.

One bite in, and the sound of shattering glass startles the appetite out it you.

“Dad?!” You shout in a panic.

The sight that greets you on the living room is one that’s become familiar in the few months since your mom’s passing. Your father, slumped over in his beat up recliner, a shattered vodka bottle on the floor next to him.

“Shit…” you’re frantic as you rush to grab the broom and dustpan. It’s become a routine, clean up dad’s mess so that he doesn’t hurt himself when he wakes for his night shift at the Plant.

While it may be routine, it’s certainly not normal. No fourteen year old should be shopping for groceries, and doing laundry and writing checks to the electric company with a letter begging for them to give her a little more time with the lights on.

Every payday, you’d wait for Dad to pass out in his chair, and you’d take most of the cash from his wallet. It was just enough to get yourself food for the week and pay what you could. If he noticed the missing money, he never said anything, but you assumed he did notice that debt collectors had stopped calling so much.

“Bye, Dad.” You whispered. No response—then again, there never was.

The bag of glass was thrown into the trash on your walk to the garage. Hopping on your rusted out silver bike, you started the 2 mile ride to Hawkins High.

In truth, this has become the only slice of peace in your day. You could shut your damn brain off and just breathe. Not worry about the inevitable chaos that waited for you at home.

It was Friday, which means a meeting with the school counselor to see how you were doing since your mom died. June was…it was a time you’ve tried to block out. To suppress any memories or feeling from that awful day.

“Did you hear me, hon?” Ms. Kelly’s soft voice pulled you from your dissociation.

“What? Oh, mhm.”

She looked at you softly, tilting her head as a sign she absolutely did not believe you.

“Listen,” she pulls the file off her desk and turns it for you to see. “Your grades…they’re not at all reflective of your abilities. Your teachers think you’re brilliant, but the lack of effort on homework and tests is something of a concern.”

The pain of holding back tears began to prickle your throat. “I know, I’m—I’m trying. I’m studying as much as I can—“

“You’ve got such a bright future, just work a bit harder, hm?” Her smile was one of reassurance and confidence.

It’s not Mrs. Kelly’s fault. She didn’t know about what was happening at home, so she certainly didn’t know the impact of her advice.

“Work harder,” you whisper, venom coating your tongue. “Got it.”

The smile on your face is only there to keep the tears at bay. She excuses you to get back to next period, and you practically sprint from her office.

Where your legs take you, you’re not exactly sure. But the room is empty and dark and at this point you’ll take any refuge you can get.

So you sit and sob, heaving breaths and crying into your palm to muffle any sounds. How long you were there you have no idea, but it was long enough to hear the bell for end of the school day.

The door to the room opened, pouring in light from the hallway.

“Shit…you okay?”

His voice was so gentle and unsure. Backlit as the door closed, the shadow of his silhouette almost made him look like an angel.

Long shaggy hair, denim and chains and leather.

An angel--dressed like a devil.

You attempted to stand quickly, muttering a half-hearted apology, but you stumbled. Luckily for you, the stranger caught your elbow and waist.

“Whoa, hey just—here, sit for a sec, okay?” He guided you to the table across from where you’d sat, and ushered you towards one of the chairs.

“You’re not hurt are you?” His voice was so soft; a kindness you hadn’t heard in a long, long time.

You shook your head, “No, no. I’m fine.”

He laughed softly, “You sure about that?”

The tears in your eyes put holes in his chest.

“I’m Eddie,” he sat next to you on the table, “Who might you be?”

You whispered your name, and he smiled, then whispered it right back.

Eddie was gentle with you. He sat in silence for a few minutes, waiting for your breathing to return to normal.

What you didn’t know was how he watched you. The way he recognized the pain in your eyes—a kind of sadness that only people who’ve experienced it can understand.

He knew a bad home life when he saw one, and It made him angry.

Angry that someone could look in your eyes and hurt you. That people could see how broken you were and take advantage of it. Worst of all? He was angry there was no one there to protect you.

As far as he was concerned, that changes today.

Eddie cleared his throat, and your eyes found him again. “Look at us,” he nudged your shoulder. “strangers a couple minutes ago, now we’re acquaintances. Who knows? Before we leave we might even be friends.”

A genuine and true laugh escaped you. It’d been so long since you’d heard your own laugh, the sound alone was foreign.

Though for Eddie, it was a sound that made his heart beat faster and face turn rosey, even under the gross fluorescent bulbs.

“I’d like to be your friend, I think.” You smile. Crinkles formed by his umber eyes as he mirrored your grin.

Your hand juts out, extended to him for the taking. “You’re not a serial killer, right?”

His warm grip finds yours, “Not to your knowledge.”

There’s a pain in your cheeks from smiling so hard. “That’s reassuring.”

Eddie jumped up, offering you his elbow. “Whaddya say, kid? Care to cause some chaos and debauchery with your new pal?”

It’d be easy to say no. To allow yourself to return to the shell you’ve built around yourself in order to protect your heart in a way no one else would.

But you didn’t hesitate. Linking arms with Eddie, his scent invaded you—nicotine and weed and…vanilla? Whatever the combination, you’re sure it was uniquely and perfectly him.

“Whatcha got in mind?”

Eddie could have said anything and you’re pretty sure you’d have agreed. “Oh, sweetheart. Just you wait.”

“Mama! Do we have any straw’bies?” Maggie asked from the kitchen.

The smell from the chemicals you’re cleaning the shower with make your head throb and the sweat on your brow itches you for the ten millionth time.

Deep breathes. Deep breathes.

“No, Mags. C’mon, get your shoes on. As soon as I’m done here we’re going to the store.” You throw the yellow gloves down into the sink, giving them a quick rinse.

The weekend has brought some seriously good progress. Friday you’d managed to get Maggie registered for school, and start cleaning out the house.

Boxes of old newspapers and tchotchkes your father had kept sat stagnant, collecting dust and taking up far too much space. None of it mattered to you, so you’d trashed it.

All of it.

Saturday was spent taking trips back and forth to the Goodwill, hoping and praying your little car would survive after all the driving she did. You’d bought a few cheap gallons of paint from Melvald’s, this house was your home now—Maggie’s home. It was time to wipe the slate clean and create a place the two of you could fill with love and laughter and memories

“Mom?” Maggie mumbled, mouth full of banana as she watches you slink into your jacket.

You grabbed your keys. “Yes, angel?”

“Can we get ice cream? Wouldn’t that be a fun way to ce-bre-late me going to big girl school tomorrow?”

I need to find a damn job.

You do some quick math, adding and subtracting based on what you had left in your savings, and what you’d set aside for bills.

You drop to your knees in front of your daughter, getting right down to her level to place a big kiss on her forehead. “Of course we can. Good idea, Maggie-moo.”

Her dimples were so deep from her big wide grin, you poked a finger in each of them.

“Moooom!” She laughed, swatting your hands away.

“Whaaaat? I just love you! Now c’mon, we gotta go get your asparagus.” You hold the door and Maggie jumps onto the porch.

“Ice cream!” She shouts, making a mad dash to the car.

You chuckle. “Right, right. Ice cream.”

The store is a mere 10 minutes drive from home. If you ask Maggie, she thinks 10 minutes is the perfect amount of time to throw an impromptu concert from the back seat—room for encore included.

The moment your hands grasp the shopping cart, Maggie’s arms are up. “Assuming the position, I see.” You smile proudly.

Scooping her up, you plop her right on her bottom into the cart. Maggie wiggled, gasping as the two of you strolled past the chip aisle. “Don’t forget! We have to get some snacks for school too!”

“Right,” you braked, and turned down it. “Let me guess, Doritos are the perfect school snack?”

Her eyes are wide, clearly overwhelmed at the selection the Pete’s Grocery has to offer. “Can we gets the cheese ones?”

“Sure thing, Sunshine.”

Shopping is entirely uneventful. It’s mainly you budgeting and planning on dinners for the week. Everything bought has to have more than one use or purpose, or you don’t get it. A few jars of pasta sauce, some spaghetti, a loaf of bread, peanut butter and jelly. Chicken, canned corn, strawberries and bananas and a few boxes of mac n cheese. No the shopping spree Maggie thinks it is, but you’ll make it work.

“Alright kiddo, now the piece de resistance…the ice cream section!” You use your best announcer voice as you scoop her from the cart, and let her roam free.

She squeals. “Mom! There’s so many kinds!”

You watch her, taking in how the littlest things in this life make her the happiest you’ve ever seen her. You’re so engrossed in your daughter, you almost don’t hear it. The familiar tone that had engrained itself in your memory, the sarcastic “Sure, Robin.” that had been a staple in his vocabulary since High School.

Any calm feeling you’d had vanished, stomach churning inside you. “Mags,” you called in a hushed tone. “Maggie! C’mon, baby, just choose—“

The voices were an aisle away, and moving closer to you.

Maggie was in her own world, running back and forth to different doors in careful deliberation.

You could feel yourself start to tremble, calling her a bit louder this time. “Maggie-moo, please hurry—“

“Ho-ly shit.”

Of course Robin was the first to say something. She stood with her mouth agape, Steve perplexed next to her. When he’d followed her gaze, the two bags of chips he was holding fell to the floor.

He called your name like he was unsure. Questioning if the ghost in front of him was really his friend from all those years ago.

“Mommy! I founded the one I want!” Maggie screeched as she barreled toward you, clutching a box of Bomb Pops to her chest.

Your two old friends’ eyes went straight to your daughter.

Robin’s eyes were so wide, you thought they’d burst from her skull. “Mom?” She questioned.

Steve followed her up with, “No freakin’ way.”

Maggie chucked the pops in the cart, and stood by your side, your arms instinctively reaching for her. She must have followed your eyes, because soon, she too was in the middle of the staring contest the three of you had started.

She was quiet for a moment, studying them, and it wasn’t that long before she started giggling the tiniest bit. She covered her mouth, making herself laugh with whatever joke was rolling around in her little mind.

Maggie walked up to Steve as she laughed, and smiled her big toothy grin at him. “Hiya, Cheeseball!” She spoke through her giggles.

Robin’s laugh caught her so off guard she started coughing, and Steve was all smiles. “Excuse me? Who told you about my nickname?”

Maggie laughed, “My Mommy! She said your name is Steeb and you’re a real cheese ball!”

“Steve, Mags. Steve.” You were laughing, thankful for your daughter for saving you and for easing the tense moment you were seconds away from having to address.

“Nope, uh-uh. He’s Steeb now, from this day until his last.” She looked at you, get big smile taking up her face. Her eyes were soft, softer than they’d been moments ago. She looked back to Maggie, “And who’re you?”

Pride filled Maggie’s voice, “My name is Maggie and I’m six years old, but I’ll be seven soon! Mommy telled me birthday is Star Wars day.”

Robin’s brows pinched together, “Star Wars Day?”

“May the 4th.” You and Steve answered in unison.

The hazel-eyed boy looked at you, offering you a small smile.

Robin went back to talking to Maggie, asking her about Star Wars and her why she chose Bomb Pops. Steve walked over to stand next to you.

He plopped the chips in the top of your cart, and without any hesitation, pulled you in for a hug.

“God, I missed you.” He whispered into your hair.

You could feel the emotion squeezing your throat, “I missed you so much, Stevie.”

He held you a few more seconds, using Robin as a distraction. “Is…is she—“

You gripped him tighter, “Not here. Please not here, Steve.”

Steve Harrington was many things, but dumb wasn’t one of them. A bit of an airhead, and clueless sometimes, but not dumb. He’d seen it immediately, the resemblance between the two of you, and the one of Maggie and his other friend.

Steve let you go, looking over your face. “Does, um…does he know?”

With shame in your heart, you shook your head. “No, and I need to keep it the way.”

The for now went unsaid.

Steve nodded. “You haven’t ran into him yet then, I take it.”

“No,” you whispered. “I don’t even know what would happen if we did. Can’t think about it, not right now.”

Maggie approached the two of you, yanking Robin by her arm. “You were right, Mom! I do like this Robin lady.”

When the laughter died down, it was then Robin asked the question looming over the four of you.

“So, and pardon-my-french Little Miss M, but what the hell are you doing back in Hawkins?”

And with that, the floodgates opened.

You told them about what you’d been up to the last seven years, and what brought you back. Granted, you kept everything very Maggie-friendly—meaning most of your words were very PG friendly.

It was a weird feeling, admitting to all of the half-truths you told yourself, and how you had to push them out of your life. You wanted to tell them anything but the truth. To spare their feelings and the thought that you too could just as easily abandon the people who, at one point, were some of the most important people in your life.

"That's...that's heavy shit." Steve breathed.

You nodded, fully aware of the hanger-ticking-timebomb Maggie was becoming.

"We'll, uh...we'll catch up soon. Gotta get the grouch dinner."

"I am not a grouch." Maggie crossed her arms, and turned away.

"Of course you're not! You're just a girl who knows what she want." Robin high fived Maggie, and your heart melted.

You hugged them both one more time before loading Mags back in the cart, "Stop by anytime," You said with a smile. "You know where I live."

#eddie munson x reader #eddie munson angst #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson smut #eddie munson #ootw

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hoaxriot · 8 months ago

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SAFE AND SOUND

pairings. james potter x fem!reader

summary. the war was part of your life as your soon to be husband was out fighting it while you were at home, you struggled as you waiting for him to come home.

notes. mentions of war, no one dies in this one

The morning you woke with a hope as you reached for James’ side of the bed but it was empty and cold, you sighed as tears formed in your eyeline— you knew he was out for a good cause. To save everyone and to have a good life with you and the child growing in you, it was just a few weeks before he left that you found out you were pregnant making it even harder for you and him.

You rubbed your eye hoping for the tears to leave, it wasn’t even the afternoon and you were crying. James and everyone were supposed to be home two days ago, you knew every time he walked out the doors of your home there would be no contact but you just prayed everyday for everyone to be home and safe— even when everyone was home. Sighing as you stood up from the comforts of your bed, if it was just you, you wouldn’t even get up but you needed to care for your child.

After eating breakfast, you sat in front of the radio like you did every morning. You hadn’t realized but you started crying again until you felt the wetness on your lips causing you to lick them. ‘Fuck’ you muttered to yourself setting your mug on the coffee table standing up, looking around your home deciding to clean it— it was already clean.

You started on the first floor, scrubbing on you hands and knees on the floor that was already clean, then to the living room, then made your way upstairs that did need cleaning.

Once you made it to your shared room with James, you cried but continued cleaning even though you had to continuously clear your eyesight from the tears. You rounded the bed to dust James’ nightstand, you sobbed seeing the pictures on it.

“James, do we seriously need all these pictures of us in here?” You heard him gasp from the bathroom as he put his stuff away before you heard his footsteps.

“Yes, love. We do need all these pictures! What? Do you not love me? Do you not want to be reminded of me every time I leave for work?” James said came to stand beside you as you organized your dresser unlike James who just threw his clothes in it.

You laughed, “of course I do, honey. But you have like five—“

“Four.” James interrupted you.

“Four pictures of me and you on your nightstand, then—“ he cut you off with a loving kiss making you melt, all the stress leaving your body and you shoulders relax as you shrunk into his body. He smiled as your head fell onto his chest, his arms holding around your waist. “Baby, every day I get to wake up and see you on my nightstand before I leave for work, and you in our bed. I just love you so much. You’re always with me, a picture in my wallet, in my pocket. Everywhere.”

You smiled at his words, “I love you, Jamie.

“I love you a million times more, lovey.” He responded, you gasped pulling away from him with a shocked face making him confused.

“A million?! Wow, I don’t think I can ever beat that.” He laughed at you before kissing you once more before he jumped at the bed, “Well, you can show me…” you gasped again before you jumped on him as the two of you laughed.

You were pulled out of the memory as you fell onto the bed holding onto a picture of you and him, your favorite picture. It was your last year at Hogwarts, you and James were looking at each other in the middle of laughing, Lily had taken it.

You cried for what felt like hours, until you just stopped. You begin to feel like you cried too much that you could no longer cry making you laugh to yourself. This was it, you were going insane, James wasn’t gonna come home and no body else would either. You would be all alone, you’re child would grow up in a world without a father just like you did, you would have to explain to your kid why, just like your mother did except you would have to tell them your father died being a hero with his uncles and aunts.

Letting the frame fall from your grip as you stood up, the sun was setting and another day of you grieving had passed. You promised yourself and James that you would not grieve until you knew, but it was hard when he hadn’t come home in a few days.

You sat up grabbing the photo and putting it in on his nightstand, right where it was supposed to be. Sighing as you stood up walking downstairs to make food, you needed to eat. You made a simple dinner because, one, you didn’t have enough energy to make a full meal and two, you felt like you couldn’t eat at all.

Sitting at the table even after finishing your food, you remembered all the memories of you and James in the kitchen and all around your home— the sobbing came again except you began to hyperventilate and he wasn’t here to ground you, to let you know it was okay, even if he was you wouldn’t believe him because it’s not. ‘Stress is not good for the baby’ you repeated to yourself as you tried to catch your breath, you rubbed your forehead once you did.

Like clockwork, every night once the sun had set you sat at the table waiting for him. You prayed and prayed, you heard ruffling outside your home making you shoot up, the chair falling to the floor. You breathed heavily running to the door and slamming it open.

He was home, he was alive, standing at the end of your driveway. Sirius, Remus, and Peter stood beside him. Turning to you once they heard the door open.

You exhaled staring at him before taking off in a sprint, carefully watching your steps as you ran down the steps. “Woah.” James said as you crashed into him, wrapping your arms around his neck— tightly might he add, he looked at Sirius over your shoulder before hugging you back. They all froze hearing the heartbreaking sobs leaving your mouth, it was muffled due to your head being buried in James chest but it was enough for them to be worried.

James forced you away from him to grab your face, “woah, woah, baby, what’s going on? Did something happen to the baby?” He ushered out wiping the tears, they kept coming.

You shook your head in his hold, “Wha—no! They’re fine, I-I thought…” You trailed off at the thought again, making you cry harder, the four boys looked at each other with sad looks, they all knew what you were going to say, so they left leaving you two alone.

“Honey,” He cooed, shaking his head, kissing your forehead. “C’mon let’s go inside, it’s cold.” He wrapped his arms around your shoulders bringing you close, helping you walk as you held onto him, terrified if you let go he would disappear.

James sat on the couch pulling you onto his lap, your crying had calmed down but he worried about you. “Baby, talk to me. Please.” He whispered moving his head so he could look at you, you stared at your lap messing with his hands.

“I just— I can’t keep waking up without you, I know you’re doing the right thing by this b-but I wake up and you��re not home, you don’t come home for the next three days. It’s the never ending anxiety attack, I felt like I was grieving you, and the boys, all day today.” You explained as you finally looked at him, tears formed in his eyes making you sigh.

“James—“

He cut you off cupping your cheek, “No, you’re right, you’re carrying our child, I’m sorry, my love. I’m so sorry, I couldn’t imagine thinking you were dead and I didn’t know. I- I don’t know what to say besides I’m sorry.” He said grabbing your face forcing you to look at him.

You licked your lips, “Nothing, just hold me.” You said, James immediately pulled you closer as you grabbed his arms. He whispered sweet things as he kissed your head, rubbing smoothing circles on your hands, until he finally calmed you down fully.

You pulled away, James captured your lips quickly as he brushed your hair away, “you’re dirty.” You pointed out finally seeing the dirty covering his body and clothes, he laughed shaking head.

“Yeah, yeah I am.” He agreed kissing your forehead, “wanna take a shower with me? Then we can get in bed?” He offered and you agreed following him up the stairs and waited for the water to warm up. Once it did, the two of you stepped in.

You kissed his shoulders before helping him wash his hair and body, then he helped you with the same. It was a quick but needed shower for the two of you, but you both just wanted to get in bed. He fell onto his side of the bed, as he watched you walk out of the bathroom and climbed into the bed. James grabbed your waist, pulling you into his side.

He kissed the side of your head, “I love you, honey.” You smiled sleepily. He was home, safe.

#marauders #james potter #marauder era #remus lupin #sirius black #peter pettigrew #james potter x you #james potter x reader

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never-stop-dreaming30 · 8 months ago

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The Things You Give Pt. 35

OH MY GOD I'm so sorry! I never intended for this to take as long as it did! I did work on it almost everyday, I promise! I just got caught up with work, baby, and then sickness! I hope ya'll didn't forget about me. To be fair, I did make this chapter super long because the next chapter will be the finale! I can't believe I've been doing this for three or four years, guys! It's been a wild ride and I enjoyed every minute of it. I hope you enjoy it! Leave a like and a comment if you kindly could. Thank you for the ride so far. You guys have been amazing <3

Steven sat right outside the room, hunched over in his seat while he fiddled with his wedding ring. He was trying his hardest to keep tears from surfacing and spilling over, but knowing that his wife was possibly dying, he couldn’t handle it. He hid his red rimmed eyes behind his aviators as he focused solely on his hands.

“Hey,” Red’s gentle voice pulled him out of his thoughts as he approached him.

“Hey,” Steven responded, voice gravelly and sniffed.

“Have you heard anything?”

He shook his head. “No, they’re still in there with her.”

“Have you seen the twins?”

“No, not yet. I haven’t gotten a chance to even hold them yet,” Steven responded, his voice growing weaker. “It all just happened so fast.”

“They’re in the nursery,” Red explained and gently sat next to Hyde. “They’re beautiful, Steven. Congratulations.”

“Don’t congratulate me if I’m about to become a widower.”

“C’mon,” Red said under his breath. “Nothing’s going to happen to her. She’s going to be okay.”

“You didn’t see her the way I did,” Steven whispered. “She became unconscious…so fast…I couldn’t even register what was happening.” He put his face in his hands and took a deep breath. “I can’t lose her, Red.”

Red placed a comforting hand on Steven’s shoulder and squeezed gently. “You’re not going to. She’s going to be just fine, son.”

“Yeah,” Steven said shortly and sniffed before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out his wallet. When he opened it up, he pulled out the polaroid picture from the day at the carnival all those months ago.

He stared down at picture, down at her beautiful face remembering that day. How he didn’t want that picture taken of them because he was afraid it would get published in the paper and everyone would find out. How stupid he was. If he knew then what he knows now, he wouldn’t have been so aloof about taking a stupid picture.

“You know I didn’t want to have this picture taken,” Steven told Red. “I was so afraid that we would get caught I didn’t want any ‘evidence’ of our relationship. Can you believe that?” he sniffed again. “I didn’t want any proof that we were together in fear of everyone finding out.” He shook his head and looked back down at the picture. “God, I was such an ass.”

Red looked down at the photo fondly and then back to his son-in-law. “Come take a walk with me.”

Hyde shook his head. “I need to be here when they come out.”

“This won’t take long.”

Hyde sniffed before nodding and stood. “Okay.”

Red led him down the hall and made a left. When Hyde looked up, he was staring through a window to a room full of babies. Some crying, some sleeping, and some lying there while staring up at the ceiling.

“Look, do you see them?” Red asked quietly, as if he was afraid that he was going to wake up the sleeping babies.

It took Hyde a minute, but after a bit of searching the room, he finally saw his babies laying in their own individual bassinets that were labeled “Baby Boy Hyde” and “Baby Girl Hyde.”

“Are those my—?”

“Those are your children,” Red answered with a certain adorning look in his eye.

“They’re amazing,” Steven whispered, feeling a lump form in his throat.

“They really are.”

“They look just like Y/n. We haven’t even named them yet. We didn’t get a chance to…”

Red placed a hand on his son-in-law’s shoulder. “You will. Together.”

Steven didn’t respond, but continued to stare at the miracle of his babies. He was completely awe struck by just looking at their features; he could see so much of his beautiful wife in them, but when he looked at his boy, he saw himself when he was baby. Edna hadn’t been a complete monster growing up. She had at least baby pictures of him scattered around the house—granted it wasn’t many, but she still had taken some of him when he was just a baby and he swore his son was a carbon copy of him.

But when he looked at his baby girl, all he saw was Y/n and oh, was she perfect.

He wasn’t sure how long he was standing there before Eric came up behind them.

“Hey, man, I heard about Y/n. Is she okay?!”

“I don’t know,” Hyde responded without looking up. “She’s still in surgery.”

“How long as she been in surgery?” Donna asked.

“Bout an hour,” Red answered.

“That’s a while,” Donna commented and placed a hand on Steven’s shoulder. “Are you doing okay?”

He shook his head and looked away from the babies. “No. No, I’m not.”

Before he let anyone say another word, he walked away to get back to the room he was waiting outside of.

After a minute of silence, Donna turned to the glass and laid eyes on the cutest babies she’s ever seen. “Oh, my God…are these the twins?”

“Yes, they are,” Red said proudly.

“They’re so tiny,” Donna whispered. “And cute. They’re so cute.”

Red and Eric quickly exchanged panicked glances.

“Uh, Donna…” Eric whined.

“I want one,” she said.

“CRAP!” Red and Eric said in unison.

∞∞∞

Hyde wasn’t sure how long he had been staring at the white wall ahead of him before it looked like it started to warp and move in front of him. He quickly rubbed at his eyes and sniffed before standing to start pacing.

How much longer was she going to be in there? Being in there for this long certainly couldn’t be a good sign if it has taken them over an hour to save her life.

“Steven,” another voice called from behind him.

When he turned, he rolled his eyes and turned back around. “Now’s not a good time, Edna.”

“I’m not here to start anything. I just want to be here for you and Y/n.”

“Sure, you are. How did you even find out? Did Mrs. Forman call you again?”

“No, I called the house phone and some loud-mouthed girl picked up.”

Hyde sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Damn it, Jackie.”

“Look, it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that I’m here and I can help.”

That made him turn sharply towards her. “Help with what, exactly? I don’t know if you remember, but you weren’t exactly ‘helpful’ raising me.”

“Oh, Steven, let’s not hash out the past.”

“Okay, I’m not having this conversation with you in the middle of the hospital. You can go now.”

“But Steven—”

“I said go,” he said sternly, this time making direct eye contact with her. “I don’t know what you think I mean when I say I don’t want you in mine or my children’s lives, but it sure as hell doesn’t mean to stay. I will not allow you to treat my family the same way you treated me.”

“But that’s why I’m here—to make things right!”

Steven was about to open his mouth to respond, only to be cut off by Dr. Lee walking up to him. “Mr. Hyde?”

He spun so fast to meet the doctor. “Yes?”

“They’re finished if you want to come to see her.”

“Is she okay?”

The doctor gave him a gentle smile. “She’s going to be fine. She’s still out of it from the anesthesia but you’re welcome to come see her.”

“Yeah, one second,” he said and turned back to Edna. “You wanna make things right? Stay out of my life.”

He didn’t wait for her to answer as he turned back around and followed the doctor, leaving a quiet and irritated Edna.

Once they reached the room, the doctor stopped him from entering.

“Before you go in, there’s some things we’d like you to know.”

“Okay?”

“She lost a lot of blood while in the OR,” Dr. Lee said. “While she is stable, she’s going to take some time to recover. So, any nausea, lightheadedness, or dizzy is normal. Definitely will feel weakness. She may feel anxious, but I assure you this is all completely normal. We have her hooked up with fluids to help the recovery process speed up.

“But the biggest thing I wanted to explain is: if you two decide to get pregnant again, there is a chance this could happen again. Especially, if she gets pregnant right after this birth.”

“Are you saying she could possibly die next time?” Hyde whispered, his heart pounding.

“That is always a possibility,” Dr. Lee answered carefully. “But not always either. The next pregnancy could be fine and ideal, but we do need to be aware of the risks for next time.”

He nodded. “Okay.”

“And we’ll bring the babies once she’s awake and alert.”

“Of course. Thank you,” he said under his breath and quietly let himself in the room. Seeing the love of his life lay there unconscious made him feel weak in the knees as he approached her. Seeing her chest move from her gently breathing brought a huge wave of relief as he listened to her heart monitor give out a steady beep.

He took a seat next to her and clasped his hands together, resting his chin against his fist. This reminded him of the first time she was in the hospital, right after she collapsed in the driveway. He was there for her, too. Now, she lays once again in another hospital bed after nearly knocking on death’s door.

A sharp breath through the nose made Hyde’s attention snap towards her. She was finally waking up.

“Steven?”

“Oh, my God, Y/n,” Steven said, nearly choking and quickly grabbed her hand.

“How are the babies?” she asked, groggily.

“They’re great,” he responded, fighting back tears. “They’re really, really great.”

She smiled sleepily at him. “What do they look like?”

“Well,” he started and swallowed hard. “Our daughter looks just like you—beautiful,” he responded, caressing her head. “And our son, I see a lot of me.”

She chuckled lightly. “So, he’s handsome just like his daddy.”

He chuckled with her and kissed her forehead. “I guess you can say that.”

“I want to see them.”

“Y-yeah, of course you’ll see them. They’ll bring them in a second. We just need to have the drugs wear off first. You lost a lot of blood.”

“Well, that explains why I feel like crap.” She sighed and winced when she tried to sit herself up.

“Whoa, take it easy. I got you,” Hyde said gently and helped her sit up. “You’re going to be a little out of it until the anesthesia wears off.”

“’A little out of it’ is putting it lightly,” she responded and leaned against the bed. “How’re you doing?”

Hyde scoffed at her. “I should be asking you that. You just pushed out two people and lost a lot of blood in the process.”

“Well, I’m fine, but I want to know how my husband doing.”

Hyde sighed and grabbed her hand, kissing it. “Better now.”

“Better now?” she repeated.

“How do you expect me to react when my wife was dying?”

“Oh, Steven, I’m so sorry,” she whispered and rubbed his hand.

“Don’t be. It’s not your fault.” He was quiet for a second, avoiding her eyes. “But there is something I need to tell you.”

Y/n’s face fell at his seriousness, her heart dropping. “What?”

He sighed before continuing. “My mom is here.”

She closed her eyes and sighed in relief. “That’s it? I thought there was something wrong with the babies.”

“No, no,” he chuckled, relieved that she wasn’t upset. “I just wanted to warn you in case she came in.”

“How did she find out?”

“She called the house.”

Y/n sighed. “Jackie.”

“Yep,” he responded. “But I sent her away.”

“Well, if you think that’s best.”

“It is,” he said firmly. “I don’t need her stressing you out while you’re in this state.”

“I’m surprised she even showed up.”

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “Same here. She couldn’t bother herself to show up to my graduation, let alone my entire upbringing, but she’ll show up for our children.”

“Maybe she wants to do things differently,” Y/n defended gently.

He shrugged. “That’s what she said, but I don’t know. Not that it matters. Right now, I just want to focus on you and the babies.”

Y/n hummed and grabbed his hand. “You know…we still have names to think of.”

He smiled gently at her, rubbing circles with his thumb on her hand. “I think I’ve got an idea.”

--Meanwhile-

“Have you heard from Y/n’s doctor?” Kitty asked Red as they sat in the waiting room. She checked her watch. “It’s been a while.”

When Red didn’t respond, Kitty looked over to her husband who was asleep in the chair next to her, snoring.

“Red!”

“What?!” he startled awake.

“How can you be sleeping at a time like this?”

“Kitty, she’s fine,” he grunted as he sat up in his chair. “The doctor came out and confirmed it. Steven is with her right now.”

“What’s even worse is that their friends couldn’t even be here to make sure she’s okay!” Kitty continued.

“Kitty, it’s two o’ clock in the morning, it’s okay that they went home to get some rest. Which we should do, too.”

“I’m not leaving until I see my baby and meet my grandbabies,” she said stubbornly.

“Hey, do either of you have any cash for the vending machine?” Eric asked.

“Sorry, my cash is reserved for those that are staying in the country,” Kitty responded.

Eric groaned. “Are we going to do this now?”

“No better time while we wait!” Kitty answered. “Why Africa? Why do you have to leave?”

“You know why, Mom.”

“No! No, I don’t! You’re leaving behind not only me and your father, but your sisters and now niece and nephew! You’re going to miss so much!”

“What do you expect me to do, huh?” Eric asked, feeling exhausted and frustrated. “Put my entire life on hold because you don’t want me to leave Point Place?”

“Well, no,” she responded, sputtering a bit. “I just mean…you can have your life here in Point Place.”

“What life?!” Eric almost shouted. “There’s nothing for me here. This town doesn’t offer me anything. If I want to do anything with my life I need to leave.”

“This town has been home to you for almost nineteen years. You need to respect it.”

“Respect what?” he challenged. “Just because I was born and raised here means I’m bounded here? I’m not going to stay stuck here just because you feel like I should feel obligated to stay here!” It was quiet between them for a second before Eric spoke up again, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I want to do bigger things than this town can offer. I can’t grow here if I don’t. It’s not like I’m leaving and never coming back. I can always come back. But I’m not going to know what’s out there for me if I don’t leave.”

Kitty opened her mouth to respond when Hyde popped around the corner, exhausted, but upbeat.

“Steven? Is everything okay?” Kitty asked, pushing past Eric. “Please tell me it is.”

He smiled tiredly at her. “Yeah, everyone is great.”

“Oh, good,” she sighed in relief.

“Did you guys want to meet them?”

Kitty’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Yeah,” he said, smiling.

“What kind of twins are they?” Red asked, beginning to feel excited.

“A boy and a girl.”

“Oh, my God!” Kitty almost exclaimed and turned to Eric. “Just like you guys!”

“Come on, I can’t wait for you to meet them,” Steven responded and led them back to the room.

--A few minutes later—

Y/n sat in the bed holding her newborns in each arm, staring at them in awe when the door quietly opened.

“Hey,” Kitty, Red, and Eric all greeted gently as they entered the room.

“I hope it’s okay that we’re all here,” Kitty said.

“Of course. Come on in,” Y/n practically whispered, grinning from ear to ear.

As the new grandparents and uncle neared closer to the babies, they could all feel their hearts begin to swell.

“Oh, my God,” Kitty whispered, putting her purse down beside the bed. “They are so beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Y/n beamed and looked up to Steven who had seated himself beside her on the bed and looked down fondly on his new family.

“How’re you feeling, kiddo?” Red asked.

“I’m okay,” Y/n answered honestly. “Sore, exhausted, but I’m okay. I’m just happy that they’re here.” She looked down to her children and smiled as they grunted and cooed at her. “I’m so in love.”

“Can I hold one of them?” Kitty asked, fighting back tears.

“Yeah, of course,” Y/n answered. “You can take her.”

Kitty sniffed and gingerly picked up her granddaughter in her arms. “She’s perfect. What’re their names?”

“Well,” Y/n started. “We decided to name her Katerina Donna.”

“Katerina?” Kitty asked, her eyes widening.

Y/n nodded. “We thought the nickname ‘Kat’ fit her nicely.”

“Oh,” Kitty sighed, tears starting to form at the corner of her eyes. “Just like Kitty.”

“And of course, Donna, because she’s so great and the godmother,” Y/n finished.

“That’s beautiful, honey,” Red said, resting a hand on his wife’s shoulder as he looked down to his granddaughter.

“Y/n, Donna is going to love that,” Eric said, looking down at his new niece.

“And the little tyke?” Red asked.

“Leonard ‘Leo’ Reginald Hyde,” Steven responded, watching Red’s expression carefully.

Red snapped his gaze to his daughter and son-in-law. “Really?”

Hyde nodded. “I thought we would honor the people that stepped in and helped me when I needed it the most.”

Red could feel his eyes starting to get misty, but he cleared his throat and sniffed before pulling Steven into a hug. “Thank you.”

“Yeah…well,” Steven sniffed and cleared his throat.

“Can I hold him?” Red asked.

Y/n nodded, smiling wide, and handed her son over to her father who was fighting tears back.

“Wow,” he whispered, a proud smile beaming his face.

“I know,” Kitty choked out without looking up. “They’re perfect.”

“Okay, okay, my turn,” Eric said and turned to Kitty. “Can I hold her?”

She handed Katerina to Eric’s welcoming arms. “Hey, little baby,” he cooed. “You’re so cute.”

She looked up at him with a familiar looking grumpy face. Eric chuckled.

“Y/n, she has your grumpy face,” he laughed gently.

“Oh, no, we’re in trouble,” Y/n joked and leaned over to look at her daughter.

Suddenly, the door opened, revealing the nurse. “Hello,” she greeted. “Don’t mind me, I’m just here to check everyone’s vitals.”

“Alright, we’ll leave you guys alone,” Kitty said as Red and Eric set down the babies in the basinets.

“We’ll come by later,” Eric informed. “I have to anyway. I’m getting my shots for Africa.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Y/n responded, slightly disappointed. “You’re still going, huh?”

“Just for a little while. It’s not like it’s forever,” Eric said, trying his best to comfort his sister.

“We can have this conversation later. The new family needs to rest,” Kitty said, ushering everyone out. “Love you, sweetie. We’ll see you guys in a few hours.”

Y/n nodded before leaning back and allowing the nurse to do what she needed, while all concealing the hurt she was feeling.

--Later That Day—

“You guys aren’t going to believe this!” Jackie exclaimed excitedly as she skipped into the basement where Eric, Donna, and Kelso were hanging out. Markus was right behind her, however, looking unhappy and disappointed. “I got offered a job in Chicago!”

“What?” Eric and Donna asked unison.

“Why were you offered a job in Chicago?” Donna asked.

“Well, you remember that tv show I did a while back?” Jackie began to explain and sat down on the adjacent chair from the couch.

“The incredibly degrading one? That I, for whatever reason, helped you air? Yeah, I remember,” Donna replied.

“Well, a station in Chicago reached out to me saying they loved my public access show and wants to offer me a position over there.”

“No way, that’s awesome,” Eric said. “Are you going to take it?”

“Well, that’s the problem,” she continued. “Markus doesn’t know if he can come with me.”

“What do you mean? Why not?” Eric asked.

“I have my family here,” Markus answered. “I mean we moved here to be closer to my grandparents who aren’t doing too well. They need my help.”

“And I told you we can do long distance,” Jackie said, a little frustrated.

“And I said that long distances rarely work out,” he responded, matching her frustration.

“This sounds like a couple problem. So, if you two don’t mind…” Eric said, and waved his hand towards the door.

Jackie rolled her eyes. “Shut up, Eric.” She turned back to Markus. “Look, baby, I already told you the one thing that can make me stay.”

“Jackie, we’ve only been going out for a few months. How can you expect me to marry you?”

“Because I love you…” Jackie whispered in disappointment.

“Oh, this is serious,” Eric mumbled to Donna.

“Yeah, we should probably go,” Donna responded and followed Eric up the stairs.

“Markus, this is my dream,” Jackie continued. “But you are the most important thing in the world to me. I’m willing to give it all up and stay here with you, but I need to know that we have a future together.”

“Jackie, I thought we agreed not to talk about our future right now,” Markus said. “Look, I love you too, but we haven’t even been going out for a full year. If we can find a place here first and live together for a while, then—”

“I might never get another opportunity like this again,” she argued, standing up. “The future is happening now, Markus, and the station needs an answer by noon on Sunday. And so do I.”

Markus stood across from her with his hands on his hips. “You already have your answer…you’re just not willing to accept it.”

It was silent between them as Jackie didn’t know what to say next.

“If I may,” Kelo said, opening the door. “Offer some advice: RUN!”

--The Next Day—

Y/n and Steven relaxed quietly in their hospital room, one each carrying a twin.

“I still think Katerina looks more like you than me,” Y/n said.

“Not when she is as beautiful as you,” he responded cheekily.

“You’re just trying to butter me up so that I don’t tear you a new one for almost missing the birth of your children.”

“No, I wasn’t, but have I mentioned how gorgeous you look today, Darling?” he asked, batting his eyes at her.

She squinted her eyes at him. “Can it, Hyde.” She couldn’t help the small laugh that erupted from her. “It’s okay. You ended up making it on time anyway.”

Steven let out a breath of relief he didn’t know he was holding. “So, we’re good?”

“Yeah, we’re good,” she responded. “Although—”

“Crap!”

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation—and Hyde was grateful for it.

“Come in,” they said in unison.

Donna peeked her head. “Hey, you guys,” she said gently. “Is this a good time?”

“Yeah, it’s perfect, come on in,” Y/n said and look down to Kat. “You wanna meet your Auntie Donna?”

“And Auntie Jackie!” Jackie announced. “And I come bearing gifts!”

“Jackie, I thought we agreed that you can’t talk around the babies,” Hyde said, irritated.

“What? We didn’t have that conversation,” she said, confused.

“Oh, sorry, I meant to,” Steven mumbled. “I decided to make a rule. No talking around the babies.”

“Well, then, how are we ever going to talk?”

“We don’t. In fact, why don’t we get started right now and you be quiet and just leave, yeah?” Hyde asked.

“Steven,” Y/n chided. “Come on in, guys.”

“Wow,” the two girls squealed gently as to not wake the babies.

“Oh, my God you guys!” Jackie gushed. Her eyes landed on Steven who was gently cradling his son’s body to his own. Something about the image in front of her made her smile. “I knew you could do it.”

“Do what?” Hyde asked.

“Be a dad,” Jackie said. “I always knew you were going to be a good one.”

“Jackie, I’ve only been a dad for a day and a half.”

Jackie shrugged. “Pretty sure a bad dad doesn’t look at his kid like that.”

Before Hyde could respond, Donna cut in. “So, what kind of twins are they? And what are their names?”

“That’s a boy,” Y/n responded, pointing to her son. “His name is Leonard ‘Leo’ Reginald.” Donna and Jackie awed and cooed at the name.

“I bet your dad loved that,” Donna said.

“He did,” Y/n said and pointed to her daughter. “And this is a girl, Katerina Donna.”

“Katerina Do—did you name her after me?” Donna asked, choking up.

Tears started to well in Y/n’s eyes as she nodded. “Yeah. You’ve been like a sister to me this whole time, even before all this.”

“Oh, my God, Y/n!” Donna sobbed and squeezed her arms Y/n’s shoulders.

“Um, WHAT?!” Jackie shrieked.

“Ow, Jackie, please. I don’t want my babies’ hearing to be affected by your shrilly voice,” Hyde snarked.

“What the hell is this, Y/n?” Jackie demanded. “Why didn’t you name your daughter after me? What’s wrong with Jackie? It’s a beautiful name for a beautiful girl!”

“Well, thank you for thinking my daughter is beautiful, but—”

“I’m not talking about her, I’m talking about me!” Jackie cut in. “I’m the beautiful girl with a stunning name! You should be grateful I allow myself to be seen with you.”

Y/n looked at her, unimpressed. “Yes, I am so, so lucky,” she deadpanned. “Jackie, Donna and I have been friends forever. And she’s been there for me for years. She’s family at this point.”

“You’re acting like I haven’t done stuff for you either!”

“You have, but—”

“Ah, to hell with you!” Jackie snapped and stormed out. “Last time I’m nice to any of you!”

As she slammed the door, Y/n turned to her best friend and husband. “This whole time she thinks she was being nice?! That’s her being NICE?!”

--Two Days Later--

“Red, what’re you doing sitting down?” Kitty asked as she walked in the kitchen.

Red was sitting in his green chair, peacefully watching TV. “How else am I supposed to watch the Packers game?”

“We’re going to go see Y/n and Steven in the hospital. Why are you watching the game?”

“We just got back three hours ago and you want to go back?”

Kitty placed her fists on her hips. “Yes! You act like it’s such an inconvenience to go see your daughter and her children.”

“It’s not that. It’s just..I…” Red stuttered. “They’re down five to two and I need to see them win.”

“Red!”

“Ugh! Fine!” he groaned and turned off the TV while glaring at his wife. “But if they lose, I’m blaming you!”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s my fault,” Kitty grumbled, rolling her eyes and turned to get her purse. “I want to get there at a decent time before the parking lot gets too full—”

The front door opened suddenly, revealing Y/n and Hyde walking through.

“Hi!” Y/n sang-song as she held one car seat and Hyde held the other.

“Oh, my gosh!” Kitty yelped in surprise and practically jumped on Y/n with a hug. “What’re you guys doing home so early? Here, let me take—which one is this?”

“Leo,” Y/n answered and handed the car seat to her mom. “They were going to keep us for a couple more days, but we were all doing so well I requested we come home.”

“Oh, honey, you both look exhausted. Have you gotten any sleep?” Kitty asked.

“Well, it’s a hospital,” Steven explained. “If you expect to get any sleep, might as well get a hotel room.”

“That would’ve been nice,” Y/n commented. “I just want to go upstairs and sleep for twenty hours.”

“Well, why don’t you?” Kitty asked.

“What?” Y/n and Red asked. Y/n shocked, Red pissed that he’d be having to help Kitty watch babies instead of watching the game.

“You’re going to need all the energy to raise these babies. Let me help,” Kitty offered. “Really, it’s okay.”

Hyde and Y/n looked at each other with exhaustion and relief.

Y/n shrugged, nodding. “That does sound nice.”

“Okay, well, go take a couple hour nap and Red and I will watch the babies.”

Y/n hugged her mom. “Thanks, Mom.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Forman,” Steven said and kissed her on the cheek. “We’ll only be a couple hours.”

“It better be,” Red piped up and held up his wrist, staring at his watch. “I’m counting down starting…now.”

“Oh, Dad,” Y/n chuckled.

“Now, you have an hour and fifty-nine minutes left.”

“Dad, come on.”

“Fifty-eight!”

“Okay, okay, we’re going!” Hyde said and directed Y/n and himself upstairs to their bedroom.

--Two Days Later—

“Good morning,” Kitty greeted everyone as she walked in the kitchen. Y/n and Steven had been sat at the table since before the sun came up, feeding the babies, Red was sitting at the table reading the daily paper and Eric had just walked in a few minutes prior, bright eyed and bushy tailed.

“Morning,” the Hydes greeted sleepily as they each held a feeding baby.

“How’d you two sleep?” Kitty asked, grabbing a cup of coffee.

Y/n was so tired that she barley could form a sentence, so all she could do was grunt in response and blink slowly.

“I heard the little rascals screaming so cutely all night,” Red responded with a forced smile.

“Really? I slept like, well, like a baby,” Eric laughed and stretched his arms above his head.

“Shut up, Forman,” Hyde grumbled before yawning.

“I don’t think I will,” Eric replied cheerily.

“Kitty, what’s for breakfast?” Red asked, changing the subject.

“Well, I was thinking I could make some rainbow sprinkle pancakes,” she responded.

“Oh, that’s great!” Eric said excitedly.

“Oh, Eric, I didn’t realize you still lived here. I thought you left for Africa,” Kitty said bitterly.

“No, I’ve been sitting here for, like, ten minutes,” he whined.

“Then you better get going or you’re going to be late for Africa!”

The look of realization crossed Eric’s face. “Oh, I see what you’re doing. You’re trying to make me feel bad for leaving.”

“You’re still here? I thought you were in Africa!”

“Mom, what’re you doing?” Y/n asked. “By repeating ‘Africa’ is not going to make Eric stay. Try taking on a different approach. Like this—” She raised her fist that wasn’t holding a baby and hit him hard in the shoulder. “Don’t go to Africa, dillhole!”

“Ow!” Eric whined and rubbed where his twin’s fist connected to his shoulder. “You’re mean now as a mom.”

“I think she was mean before she got pregnant,” Hyde grumbled as he casually popped the bottle out of his newborn’s mouth to check the measurements.

Y/n glared at him. “You’re lucky you’re holding our daughter right now or I’d slug you, too.”

“Women usually are,” Red mumbled as he flipped a page.

“What was that, Red?” Kitty asked with an eyebrow raised.

Red gave her tight lipped smile. “Nothing, dear.”

Kitty hummed and got to work with making breakfast.

The sliding door opened, revealing Donna.

“Hey,” she greeted everyone before turning to the babies with a giant smile on her face. “And hello to my baby godchildren who look so adorable this morning. Oh, why, yes you do.” She played with their toes while avoiding eye contact to Eric. “I still can’t believe you named her after me. I’m going to be riding that high for a while.”

“Well, her middle name is your name. While my name is her first name,” Kitty said smugly.

“Correction, your full name is Katherine while hers is Katerina. Close, but not her name,” Red corrected.

Kitty’s smirk fell into a grimace. “Dream killer,” she muttered before sharply turning around to finish cooking.

“Oh, yeah they were real cute last night when they were both screaming keeping everyone up,” Hyde mentioned, moving Kat to his shoulder to burp her.

“I slept great,” Eric repeated, smugly.

“How?” Donna asked.

“Earplugs,” he responded.

“You got any extra?” Hyde asked. When Y/n whipped her head at him, glaring, he didn’t flinch. Instead, he shrugged and moved Kat to his shoulder for burping.

If Y/n wasn’t so tired, she would’ve had his head. But instead, she handed him Leo.

“Where you going?” he asked her.

“To find me some earplugs,” she responded over her shoulder as she walked out.

--Later that day—

“Hey, you guys,” Markus said as he entered the basement where everyone was hanging out, minus Jackie. “I really need your help with this whole Jackie thing.”

“What ‘whole Jackie thing?’” Y/n asked as she tended to the twins in their bouncers.

“She got a job offer in Chicago and she’s threatening to go unless Markus marries her,” Eric answered.

“Yep, sounds like Jackie,” Y/n quipped. “What do you need help with exactly?”

“I really do love her, but I don’t know if I’m ready to marry her. For God’s sake, we’re only eighteen!”

“Says the guy telling this to nineteen-year-old married parents,” Donna chuckled.

“No, no, it’s okay,” Y/n assured. “Having kids and getting married at our age definitely wasn’t in our plans, but it’s something that happened and to be honest, I have no regrets.”

“So, you’re saying if I marry Jackie, I won’t have any regrets?”

“Oh, no, you’ll have a lot of regrets,” Y/n laughed. “I’m just saying age isn’t always the factor.”

Markus sighed and slumped down into the lawn chair. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to lose her either.”

“Why?” Hyde asked. “That’s usually the best part.”

“Thanks, man,” Markus deadpanned.

“Look, Jackie is complicated. She does this sorta thing all the time,” Y/n explained. “When she was with Kelso, she threatened him all the time to marry her.”

“Yeah, all the way to California,” Eric chuckled.

“Wait, Jackie does?” Markus questioned.

“Well, to every boyfriend she’s had. All three exes here can testify,” Donna chuckled and looked at Hyde, Kelso, and Fez.

“Who?” Kelso asked with a dumb smile on his face.

Everyone turned to look at him with stoic expressions.

Kelso put his hands in the air. “What? It was just a quest—oh.”

“There we go,” Eric said casually.

“Hey, be nice. I haven’t slept in a week,” Kelso whined.

“I was wondering why your usual porcelain skin looked so dull and tired,” Fez commented and looked offended when everyone stared at him. “What? Is it a crime to notice?!”

“Uh, okay,” Kelso continued, slightly distracted. “I just found out Brooke and Betsy are moving to Chicago and I’m thinking about joining them.”

“What?!” Everyone shouted.

“First Eric, now you?!” Y/n asked.

“I need to go where my kid is,” he confessed. “If I don’t go, I’ll only see her a few times a year, whereas I’ll be able to see her every other week.”

“Man, I don’t know what’s freakier: Kelso being a responsible parent or that he just said ‘whereas’,” Steven said.

“What’re you going to do there? Do you have a job?” Donna asked.

“I do, actually. I got a security job at a strip club.”

“You lucky son of a bitch!” Fez said excitedly. “Now I have even a more reason to visit you.”

“Uh, you can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because you need a passport to come to Chicago and—and foreigners can’t get passports.”

“Kelso, that makes zero sense,” Y/n cut in.

“Hey, it’s what my new boss said,” Kelso defended.

“When do you leave?” Donna asked.

“Two weeks.”

“That soon?” Eric asked.

“Hey, you’re leaving in a few days!” Y/n snapped.

“Okay, you guys have got to quit doing this!” Markus shouted in frustration. “Can we focus on my problem please?!”

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” Y/n said. “Markus, do you love her?”

“Yes.”

“You want to stay with her?”

“Yes.”

“You see a future with her?”

“Yes.”

“Looks like you’re moving to Chicago,” Y/n said before turning to Kat who started fussing in her bouncer.

“But I can’t.”

“Okay, then don’t,” Hyde said.

“But I love her.”

“Then go,” Donna said.

“But—”

“Markus, in case you haven’t caught on by now, we’re bored of this conversation,” Eric quipped.

A look of frustration flashed across his face. “Great, thanks. You guys were helpful.”

“You’re welcome!” Everyone cheered as Markus stormed out the basement.

“If you can convince Jackie to move with you, that’ll be making it up for leaving,” Hyde said to Kelso with a smug look.

--Later that night—

“How dare she give me an ultimatum?!” Markus drunkenly vented as he, Eric, Hyde, Fez, and Kelso sat at the bar. “I mean, t-this is my life she’s—” he hiccupped. “She’s messing with!”

“You know, Forman, when you said let’s go out to the bar for a guy’s night, this isn’t what I had in mind,” Hyde said as he nursed his beer.

“I didn’t think we’d be coming to a bitching session, alright?” Eric defended.

“She can go to hell!” Markus continued, his words beginning to slur. “I’ll see her in hell!”

“Well, since you’re with Jackie, I think you’re already there,” Hyde commented.

“One more couldn’t hurt,” Markus said again and waved the bartender over. “Another round for me and the boys!”

“Maybe we should keep him around if he and Jackie break up,” Fez said with a hopeful smile. “So, Eric, Y/n told me that Donna had a date tonight?”

“What?” Hyde and Kelso said in unison.

“Oh, you know what, man? I don’t care,” Eric responded and took a sip of his beer. “She just wants me to come running after her and I’m not going to do that.”

“You know what? That is totally the right move man,” Kelso said. “Plus, it’s like 9:00, so if you go over there now, you'll probably walk in on her and that guy sliding all over each other. And if I know Donna, she's moaning like a ghost.”

“Okay, Donna does not moan like a ghost,” Eric said, almost offended and glared down at the bar. “I can make her moan like a ghost.”

“You know what, guys?” Markus piped up, slurring his words. “I love you guys. Really, really love you guys. You guys can be my groomsmen when I marry Jackie.”

All the guys whipped their head at Markus.

“So, you’re going to do it?” Eric asked. “You’re going to marry Jackie?”

“I’m going to be Mrs. Jackie Scott!”

“His last name is Scott?” Kelso whispered to Hyde.

Steven shrugged and sipped his beer. “I guess so.”

“Cheers to my boys! I’m getting married!”

No one moved or had a reaction until Markus said, “Second round is on me.”

“Hooray!” All the boys cheered with their beers in the air.

“He’s so screwed,” Hyde chuckled as he watched Markus talk to the bartender.

--The Next Day—

Eric, Hyde, and Y/n all sat in the basement, watching TV while the babies slept in their arms.

“Man, I still can’t believe they had Fonzie jump over that damn shark,” Y/n complained as they watched Happy Days. “Really ruined the rest of the series for me.”

“How long are you going to complain about this?” Steven asked.

“They ruined one of my favorite TV shows!”

“Speaking of ruining things, like lives, guess who’s getting married?” Eric piped up.

“Did you purpose again?!” Y/n screeched. “How you got that woman to say yes the first time—”

“It’s not me!” he defended, feeling insulted.

“Oh,” she said quietly and looked to her husband who was biting back a smirk. “My bad.”

Eric sighed annoyed. “No, it’s not me. Markus is going to purpose to Jackie.”

“No freaking way!” she exclaimed. “What made him decide to do that?”

“A lot of beer,” Hyde sneered and shook his head. “The poor bastard.”

“Well, wait, does this mean Jackie is staying then?” Y/n asked, sitting up.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t she?” her husband asked her.

“Because I talked to her this morning and she was packing up, getting ready to leave.”

“Um…oh, no?” Eric questioned.

“Shut up, Eric! If Markus means this, he doesn’t have much time! I need to go call both of them.” She turned to her brother. “Here, take the baby. I’ll be right back.”

“Wait, what do I do if they start crying?” he asked, panicked.

“I won’t be that long,” she promised before running up the stairs.

As Y/n left the basement, Donna entered it through the door. Eric’s face hardened at seeing his girlfriend.

“Crawling back to me after your date so soon, huh?” he sneered.

She crossed her arms at him and made a face at him. “What?”

“Yeah, you heard me. Used to be you have to buy a girl dinner, if you wanted her to slide all over you moaning like a ghost.”

Donna rolled her eyes at him. “Okay, you know what? I didn't have a date, but I should've.”

“Wait,” Eric said, incredulous and stood up—carefully as to not wake Leo. “You lied?”

“Yeah, I was pissed.” Her face dropped as she stared into his eyes. “I mean, all of a sudden you’re leaving me.”

Eric’s face softened. “Oh…well, look, I'm only gonna be gone for a year.”

“I don’t care, I don’t want you to go,” she replied, fighting back tears.

Eric knew where this conversation was headed and turned to Hyde was listening to the entire fight. “Hey, Hyde, can I have a minute with Donna?”

“What? No way,” he said, clearly entertained. “You always had to watch mine and Y/n’s talks. It’s only fair I get to watch yours.”

“Hy-y-yde!” Eric whined, not having it.

“Fine, if you’re going to be a girl about it,” he responded and carefully stood with Kat in his arms and scooped Leo with the other before walking upstairs.

“Look, Donna, I’m only going to be gone for a year,” Eric explained as he guided them both onto to the couch.

“You've always been, like, 20 steps away from me my entire life. What am I supposed to do without you?” she asked him with tears in her eyes.

“Look, Donna, this is gonna be really tough for both of us,” he started. “But, hey, you know what? The good news is, when I come back, we're gonna spend all this time together because, you know, you're probably gonna have to nurse me back to health from some horrible African disease.”

Donna chuckled.

“Look, you know I love you,” he continued. “And we're wasting our time fighting.”

“You're right. We should just enjoy the time we have left.” She wrapped her arms around Eric’s neck and pressed her body tightly against his. “I’m going to miss you, Eric.”

“I’ll miss you, too, Donna.”

As they were caught up in their embrace, neither one heard the basement door open revealing Jackie.

“Wait, Eric, you're back,” she said. “Where’s Markus?”

“Fez drove him home from the bar. He was pretty drunk,” he answered.

“You mean he’s not coming?” Jackie asked and sunk down onto the lawn chair. “He's gonna say no. Oh, my God.” She put her head in her hands, stifling a sob.

“Oh, Jackie, I'm sorry,” Donna whispered and broke free from Eric’s grasp to give her friend a hug.

The Next Day…

“Where are the babies?” Fez asked as Markus, Eric, Hyde, Y/n, and Donna sat in the driveway,

“Inside sleeping,” Y/n responded from Hyde’s lap and yawned. She tucked her head in the crook of her husband’s neck and sighed. “Maybe I should be, too.”

“They’re all by themselves?” Kelso asked. “I may have only been dad for less than a year, but I don’t think you’re allowed to leave babies by themselves.”

“Chill out, will you?” Hyde asked annoyed. “They’re sleeping in the den and we have the door open so we can hear them.”

“Besides, we have the baby monitor here,” Y/n answered more patiently and waved the fancy gadget in her hand.

“Babies didn’t let you sleep?” Donna asked.

“No,” Hyde responded. “It’s like they have a weird twin radar thing, man. When one stops crying, the other starts. And it’s like they’re competing on who can be the loudest.”

“I can’t wait to not hear that at night when I leave,” Eric said.

“It’s better than getting some African disease,” Y/n taunted.

“Donna?!” Eric whined. “Do you have to tell her every single conversation we have?”

“Hey, she’s all I’m gonna have left when you leave! Besides, that’s what girls do.”

“She also told me when you guys had sex the first time,” Y/n continued her taunting. “I expected more from you.”

Eric whipped his head at his girlfriend. “SERIOUSLY?! I told you not to tell her about—” He looked around his friend group who were all giving him amused looks. “About when I—you know—when Eric Jr. wouldn’t wake up.”

Donna chuckled and shook her head. “I didn’t.”

“But you just did!” Y/n laughed, making everyone else join in.

“Y/n!” Eric whined.

“Hey, I gotta get my fun in before you leave us for a year,” she replied and heard the doorbell ring. “I’ll go get that. Hopefully, it didn’t wake the babies.”

She slid off Steven’s lap before disappearing into the house.

“Well, it’s almost noon,” Markus said, checking his watch. “I better go talk to Jackie.”

“What are you gonna tell her?” Fez asked.

Markus ran a hand through his long hair. “I don’t know, man. I’m thinking about taking my dad’s mustang and letting it make the final decision.”

“Like, how?” Kelso asked.

Markus shrugged. “If it pulls to the left, marriage, pulls to the right, nudie bar.”

“So, you haven’t made a decision yet?” Donna asked.

Markus gave her a little smirk before answering. “Oh, I’ve made my decision.”

“Markus,” Y/n called as she walked back out, holding a piece of folded paper. “Jackie stopped by and asked me to give you this note.”

“Oh,” he replied and took the note from her. With his heart suddenly pounding, he carefully unfolded the paper as to not rip it and read it.

“What’s it say?” Y/n asked.

“It-it says she took the job in Chicago and she left this morning,” he whispered, eyes never wavering from the note.

“Oh, Markus, I’m so sorry,” Y/n said and wrapped her arms around his torso, but he stood still like a statue.

“Yeah, man, so sorry,” everyone muttered, not knowing what to say.

The room went quiet as Markus fought back tears and reluctantly reciprocated the hug.

--The Next Morning—

“Tell me why again we’re up so early?” Hyde complained as he got dressed. “The babies actually let us sleep last night and you want to wake up early.”

“We’re taking Markus out today to help him feel better,” Y/n responded, as she put on the finishing touches to her makeup in her vanity mirror. “Starting off taking him out to breakfast.”

Steven groaned as he put his belt on. “This is going to be a long day.”

“Come on, wouldn’t you want to be surrounded by your friends who love and support you if Jackie did this to you?”

“No. I’d go off to Vegas and drink and gamble my pain away,” he responded and walked over to the vanity, grabbing his watch. “That’s my plan if you ever decide to divorce me.”

She gave him an amused smile and stood up. “I’d kill you before I divorce you.” She kissed him on the cheek before walking over to grab her shoes from the closet.

“Well,” he replied, clicking his tongue. “Don’t I feel safe.”

Y/n giggled and slipped on some comfortable flats. “Come on, let’s grab the babies and go downstairs. Everyone is meeting us here.”

As she bent down to grab Leo, Hyde couldn’t help himself by checking her out. “How much longer until your six week check up?”

“Three weeks,” she answered, innocently and turned back to face him. “Why?”

She turned to him just as he was eyeing her up and down.

“No reason,” he said casually, shrugging.

She picked up what he was putting down and lightly punched his shoulder, laughing. “Pervert.”

He put his hands in surrender as he bent down and picked up Kat. “Can’t blame a guy.”

“Come on, let’s go before everyone gets here,” she chuckled.

--Scene Transition—

Once the Hydes were downstairs and sitting at the table, feeding the babies, Donna, Fez, Kelso and Markus walked in.

“Good morning!” Fez sang. “Today is a beautiful day to have some fun!” He turned to Markus who wasn’t doing anything to hide his misery. “Right, buddy?”

Markus shrugged. “Sure.”

“Oh, Mark, I know it’s hard, but we’re here for you,” Y/n comforted. “As soon as we’re done feeding the babies, we’re going to start this day of fun.”

“And I get to babysit my grandbabies!” Kitty sang-song through the kitchen.

“So, what are we doing exactly?” Markus asked, uninterested, but didn’t want to be rude. Even though he was one grumpy, miserable bastard, didn’t mean he had to be unappreciative to his friends who were trying to help him.

“I was thinking we take to your favorite breakfast joint first—” Y/n began.

“The Pancake House is out of town, though,” Markus interjected.

“Yes, but it is also on the way to…Fez, drum roll please,” she said and Fez started tapping on the table. “Funland!”

“Funland?” Hyde asked, unenthused.

“Yes, Funland!” she repeated with a giant grin on her face, waiting for Markus—and Steven—to show excitement.

When neither returned her excitement and enthusiasm, she quickly dropped her smile. “Why aren’t you guys more excited?”

“Funland is for babies,” Hyde commented.

“We went, like, almost two years ago,” Y/n responded, a little disappointed. She had racketed her brain all day the day before trying to come up with a fun plan for Markus to get his mind off the break up. When she remembered what everyone tried to do for Eric when Donna broke up with him, they all went to Funland and they had a blast—even though they lost Kelso and he had to hitch a ride with a random lady and her obnoxious twins. Or so he said. “It was fun then, it can be fun now!”

“Yeah, we were kids. We’re adults now,” he argued.

“Look, Y/n, I really appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I don’t think anything is going to cheer me up,” Markus said and plopped himself down at the table. “Jackie is gone. I mean, who the hell is she to give me an ultimatum and then leave before I can give her an answer?”

“Speaking of Jackie: have you heard from her?” Donna asked.

“Nope,” he replied, glaring at the table. “Not like it matters anyways.”

“Look, man, she let you off the hook,” Kelso said and walked over to the fridge to grab some orange juice. “What’s the big deal?”

“The big deal is she didn’t give me a chance to answer her!” Markus responded and stood abruptly, angrily. “She didn’t let me tell her that…” He sighed and rubbed a hand down his face.

“Tell her what?” Y/n asked before her eyes widened in excitement. “Oh, my God. Were you going to say ‘yes?!’”

“No!” he replied quickly. “Well…maybe…” He looked up to see everyone, including Kitty, eyeing him. “Yeah…yeah, I was.”

“Oh, my God!” Y/n and Eric exclaimed at the same time.

“Awe, you love her,” Donna teased and tickled his ear.

Markus shoved her hand away. “I shouldn’t love her. This whole time—this whole relationship—she’s been such a huge pain in my ass. With her shallow, materialistic, self-centered, conceited attitude, everything we did always had to be about her. We always had to do things she wanted and was like pulling teeth to do things I wanted. I always had to apologize for when she was rude or mean to people—I mean, God, it was like teaching a five-year-old! But you know what?” he ranted and sat back down at the table. “It’s my fault. I was warned about her and like an idiot, I fell for her anyway. You know what love is? Love is for losers who don’t want to be alone. Well, I don’t care. I don’t care if I’m alone because I never want to fall in love again.”

When everyone was sure his rant was over, Fez quickly spoke up. “I-I think you’re thinking about kittens.”

“Shut up, Fez,” Hyde sighed. “Listen, man, I think the best thing you should do is go to Vegas and drink and gamble and sleep with whores…you know, a deep cleanse.” He didn’t miss Y/n’s glare at him. “Also, you should take me and we can take the El Camino.”

“Nice try, Steven,” Y/n said, irritated and turned back to Markus. “Markus, what do you want to do today? We don’t have to go to Funland. We can do anything you want.”

“I don’t…I don’t know. I think I’m just going to go home. I’m sorry everyone,” he responded before walking out.

“Man, he’s really taking this hard,” Eric said.

“I don’t blame him,” Kitty interjected. “Break ups at your age always feel like the end of the world.”

“Yeah…anyway, I gotta do,” Eric announced and stood from his seat and turned to Donna. “I gotta go wrap your going away present.”

Donna chuckled. “You do realize that I’m the one that’s supposed to get you a going away present? Not the other way around.”

He smiled at her and gently touched her arm. “You didn’t have to get me anything.”

She returned the smile and cocked her head to the side. “Well, I wanted to. I knew you were going to get me something.”

“Well, I don’t want this to be awkward again, like Christmas.”

“Well, I did get you something,” she said cheerily and leaned over to kiss him before he left. Her demeanor dropped once that door closed and she turned to everyone, panicked. “Oh, crap, I didn’t get him anything! He leaves in three days!”

“Well, you can give him an ultimatum,” Hyde commented. “It’s free and it’ll make him want to kill himself.”

“I gotta go find him something. Hopefully, the mall has something for him,” she said and rushed out the door.

Y/n huffed out as she turned Leo to her shoulder to burp him. “Well, our plans went to hell.”

“Great! I’m going back to bed,” Steven announced and stood with Kat in his arms. “Let’s go catch some more Z’s, baby girl. Our day has just been cancelled.”

“Or!” Y/n called after him. “You can go be with Markus and be with him during this time.”

Hyde groaned. “Why me?”

“Because you’re his friend,” she reminded him and grabbed Kat from him. “Now git.”

--Later that day—

“Hey, guys,” Jackie greeted everyone in the driveway. The girls sat in the chairs holding the babies while the guys played basketball. “Is Markus here?”

“No, he’s at work,” Hyde responded. "Oh, but before he left, he was throwing around everything you’ve ever gave him. It was like a hailstorm of stuffed animals and ABBA records.”

“What’re you doing here, anyway?” Y/n asked. “I thought you were in Chicago.”

“I would have, but my mom took the car to Tijuana and won’t be back until Cinco De Mayo. Whenever that is,” Jackie responded, rolling her eyes. Everyone didn’t do anything to hide their snickers. “So, until then, I need you guys to help me avoid the horrors of seeing Markus until I figure out a way out of here.”

“Well, that’s too bad because I think I see him coming right now,” Hyde said, eyeing down the road.

“Oh, my God. What do I do?!” Jackie asked, panicking.

“Here, hide under the blanket in the bed of the El Camino!” he offered.

Jackie dived into the bed and ripped the blanket over her body.

“Oh, by the way, Jackie, I lied,” Hyde said, smiling.

“Ugh!” she groaned and jerked the blanket off her. “Why does this blanket smell like sex?”

“Oh, that’s mine and Y/n’s car blanket,” he responded casually.

Jackie screamed and threw herself off the car’s bed. The guys cackled at her as they watched her freak out.

“Really, Steven? You had to throw that out there?” Y/n asked, unpleased.

“Eh. It was funny,” Fez said, earning a grin from Steven.

“Uh, oh, Jackie, he’s coming for real this time!” Kelso announced.

“Get down!” Fez shouted and pushed a screaming Jackie back in the El Camino and forcibly wrapped the blanket around her. “I got her! I got her!”

“I’m going to kick you both in the nads,” Jackie threatened as she shoved Fez off her.

“You’re going to have to do it later because here he comes now,” Fez said.

“Yeah, now I just don’t believe you,” she responded, smoothing down her shirt.

“Hey, Mark!” Fez said to no one. “Good to see you.”

Jackie screamed once again and ran into the garage and out the back door, leaving everyone laughing.

Leo suddenly started squirming in Y/n’s arms and as she looked down, she noticed an odor emitting from him.

“Oh, Leo,” she chuckled and stood. “I’ll be right back. I need to change his diaper.”

“I’ll come with you,” Donna said, carrying Kat inside. Once inside and out of ear range, she set Kat down in the bassinet and turned to Y/n who set Leo down on the couch to change his diaper. “I didn’t want to say anything to you with Eric out there, but I figured out the perfect going away gift.”

“Oh, really? That’s great! What is it?”

“A paper and pen writing set!”

Y/n paused briefly before returning changing the diaper. “A-a paper and pen writing set?”

“Yeah!” Donna said, her enthusiasm not fading. “So that he can write to me while in Africa!”

Y/n finished up Leo’s diaper before standing back up to meet her. “Well, Donna, that sounds so—” she abruptly cut herself off to let out an exaggerated snore.

“Y/n!”

“I’m sorry, Donna, but a going away gift should be something meaningful, personal,” she responded. “Like, one time I was going through my mom’s closet—”

“Why were you going through her closet?”

“Because I was looking for her throw over sweater for a date. It was from her high school years and I thought it was so cute. Anyway, I saw a box and when I opened it I saw some boudoir photos.” She shuttered at the memory.

“Okay, do I want to hear the rest of the story?” Donna asked, disgusted.

“Yes, sorry,” Y/n said and shook off the vivid picture from her mind. “Anyway, when I asked my mom about it, she said—well, first she got mad that I went looking through her closet without her permission. Now I see why…and second, she said she sent those out to my dad before he went off to Korea.”

“Ew…too much information, Y/n.”

“But you see my point?”

“Grossly, yeah,” Donna said in deep thought.

“Oh, and if you’re thinking that boudoir shoot was ‘sexy’, it wasn’t,” Y/n responded, shaking her head. “It was really just my mom wearing booty shorts and a crop top. But then again, showing a lot of ankle was sexy.”

“It was the 1800’s after all,” Donna joked.

--Meanwhile—

The guys had moved from the driveway to the basement to gather around for circle time. As the air quickly filled with smoke and everyone started to feel good, Eric looked at his watch.

“Oh, man, I gotta go over to Donna’s and get my going away present.”

“Why do you make it sound like it’s the worse thing ever?” Hyde asked.

“Because Donna sucks at gift giving, okay? Do you remember that awful sweater vest and big ugly man ring? Now, I gotta get excited over some over lame thing. ‘Oh, wow, Donna, clown shoes. Thanks so much.’”

“I dated a clown once,” Kelso said nonchalantly, lighting up an incense stick. “But once I learned how to make balloon animals I dumped her.”

--Later—

Everyone minus Donna, Eric, and Markus were hanging out in the basement while the twins slept in their room. The TV was on playing Scooby-Doo, Hyde and Fez were wrestling and Kelso was watching intently, keeping score while Y/n sat reading a magazine, and Jackie sat filing her nails.

“You can’t beat me this time, Hyde!” Fez gloated as he attempted to get Hyde in a headlock. “I’ve been training for this and I—ah, ah!”

Hyde had maneuvered himself out of Fez’s grip and flipped him around onto the ground, belly down and pushed his left arm up to his shoulder blades.

“What was that?” Hyde taunted.

“I fold! I fold!” Fez cried out, tapping out.

“Point goes to Hyde!” Kelso shouted and laughed. “Fez, you wuss.”

“He had a hold on me!” Fez whined.

Hyde laughed at his friend’s misfortune and glanced out the door window. “Uh, hey, Jackie, Markus is coming for real this time. Quick, drink this old root beer!”

“You know what, Steven, I’m sick of you lying to me about Markus and trying to humiliate me,” Jackie retorted.

“You’re right,” Hyde said. “Let me make it up to you and offer you this different, not old root beer.” He pretended to swap out the soda with a new one from behind the shower.

“It’s the same one, you idiot!” Jackie shrieked.

“Jackie, Markus is coming right now,” Kelso warned.

“You know what, Michael? But I’m not playing your little games anymore,” she huffed and went back to her nails.

She heard the door open and close, but refused to give her idiot friends (and exes) the benefit of looking up. She assumed they had opened the door and closed it just to mess with her until,

“Jackie?”

Her gaze snapped up to meet a shocked and angry, familiar face.

Markus.

--Meanwhile—

Over at the Pinciotti’s house, Donna sat in her room, waiting for Eric to come over his surprise. She wore Princess Leia’s white robe with her hair in side buns, just like the movie.

“Hey,” Eric greeted as he walked through the door. “Alright, Donna, I’m here for my surprise and I—holy mother of Skywalker.”

Donna smiled at Eric before getting off the bed and sauntering over to him. “You can do whatever you want to Princess Leia. Her force field is down.”

Eric looked at her with the most adorned look. “Donna, this is the best thing—wait a second.” He pulled away to look at her. “Leia doesn’t have a force field—you know what, I’m too excited to quibble. Come here!”

Donna laughed as Eric attacked her with kisses, both going down onto the bed.

--At the Forman’s House—

“Jackie, what’re you doing here?” Markus asked, clearly upset. “Why aren’t you in Chicago? I thought you left town?”

“Why? Because you’re so amazing and incredible that I simply couldn’t exist in the same town as you knowing you couldn’t make a commitment?” Jackie rambled, her heart pounding in her chest.

“No, because you left me a note saying you left town,” he responded slowly. His response was too calm and it unnerved everyone in the room, except for Hyde.

“Well, that, Markus, was a metaphor, a metaphor for the fact that my heart and mind are gone, but my body is still here, in this very awkward situation!”

“Want a root beer?” Fez asked after a minute of silence.

Markus gave Fez a dirty look.

“Hey, Fez, I think Mark wants some alone time,” Hyde said.

“Right, right,” Fez replied.

“You know what? Perfect timing because I have to get that—that thing you know, ready for that thing,” Y/n stammered.

“Yeah, I know what think you’re talking about. Let’s go,” Hyde said.

“I’ll help,” Donna said, rushing up the stairs.

“I’m going to listen through the vent,” Kelso announced.

“Me, too!” Fez said excitedly and slammed the door.

Once they were alone Markus turned back to Jackie. “So, what are you doing here, Jackie? You got something you wanna say to me?”

“Yes. I wanted to say that I'm leaving for real this time.”

“So, you came back to tell me that you're leaving again?”

“Yes, but this is goodbye.”

Markus clicked his tongue. “All right, I'll see you tomorrow then.”

“Markus, I'm serious!”

Markus sat down and spread his arms behind the couch, making himself comfortable. “Wanna hang out next week?”

“I'm going. Unless...Unless, Markus, there's something you'd like to say, in which case, I'm listening.”

She stared at Markus with wide, hopeful eyes, praying that she got the answer that she so desperately wanted.

“Yeah,” he said calmly and stood to meet her. “Have a nice trip.”

She could feel her heart break all over again, fighting back tears. She nodded and avoided his cold stare. “I will.”

“Can you guys stand closer to the vent and speak louder?” Fez shouted into the vents.

Jackie scoffed before stomping out the basement, leaving Markus by himself.

--Donna’s Room—

Eric sat staring at Donna who sat awkwardly in the white robe. “Wow, so, it's like, I can do anything I want? Can I touch your buns?”

“What? You wanna touch my butt?” Donna asked, confused.

“No, not those buns. You know, the buns.”

“Eric, that’s kind of weird.”

“Yeah. You know what? That is, like, a little weird,” he responded. “Maybe I'll just rub my face up against one of them?”

Donna chuckled. “Yeah.”

His eyes fluttered close as he slowly brought his cheek to her hair and rubbed it like a cat.

“Okay,” Donna said after a minute, accepting the weirdness from her boyfriend.

“Leia, oh, Leia,” Eric moaned.

“Hey, Donna,” Bob said, knocking on the door. “Meet me downstairs T-minus 20 seconds for some fried shrimp. And wear an old T-shirt, these things get greasy.” He shut the door before Donna could respond.

“Wow, that's almost enough to take you right out of the moment, huh?” she chuckled as she got up to change.

“Okay, Donna. From now on, the only thing I'd like you to say is, ‘Use the force, Eric.’”

“Okay, that seems—” she said.

“Do-o-onna,” Eric sang-song.

Donna sighed and rolled her eyes. “Use the force, Eric.”

He nodded in approval before he started rubbing his cheek against her hair once again.

--Over at the Forman/Hyde Residence—

Y/n and Hyde were in their room, just finishing settling the twins down.

“Hey, Y/n?” he whispered as to not wake the babies.

“Mhm?” she hummed as she smiled down lovingly at Kat who was staring up at her with her soulful eyes.

“Do you remember when you almost left for Denver?”

Y/n turned her loving gaze to her husband. “Oh, my God, that’s what those letters in my desk are for.” She smirked at him. “Of course I remember. Why do you ask?”

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Do you, you know, regret not going? Do you feel like I held you back?”

Hearing this shocked her. She never thought about her husband, Steven Hyde, ever having these feelings. “Steven, honey, where is this coming from?”

He shrugged. “Curious.”

She gave him a pointed look. “Is that all?”

“Just answer the question.”

Y/n gave Kat a kiss before placing her in her bassinet and faced Steven. “Is this about what’s going on with Jackie and Markus?”

When Hyde didn’t respond, she raked her fingers through his hair. “No, I don’t.”

He looked at her with hopeful eyes. “Really?”

“Yes!” She kissed him and wiped her gloss off his lips. “I thought my life would start when I went away, but in reality my life started when I chose you.”

A soft grin spread across his face, but it quickly went away when he looked down at her lap. “You know that would mean a lot more if Denver hadn’t rejected you and then didn’t get knocked up right after.”

She squinted her eyes at him with a sly grin before rolling her eyes at him and shrugging. “Yeah, you’re right.”

His grin dropped immediately. “That’s not funny.”

A smile broke out on her face as she laughed and gave him a chaste kiss. “Yes, it is.”

“So, if Denver hadn’t rejected you and I hadn’t knocked you up—”

“I would still be miserable,” she cut in, this time serious.

His eyebrows furrowed, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Steven, it doesn’t matter that it didn’t work out that way because it wasn’t meant to. This was,” she began. “Even if I were to go off to Denver, or New York, or even London—”

“London?”

“Denver wasn’t the only school I applied to, anyway,” she said quickly. “None of it would’ve mattered because you wouldn’t be my side. My life wouldn’t be as complete now if I didn’t have you and the twins. My life didn’t stop just because we got married and had kids young—I can still do everything I wanted to do and you know what? It’s more exciting and less scary because I have you right beside me.” She grabbed his hand, weaving her fingers through his. “I could have the highest college degree or the most successful, prestigious career, none of it would mean anything without you and the babies. None of it.”

He smiled before bring a hand to her cheek and tucked some hair behind her ear. “Liar.”

Y/n chuckled with him and kissed him once more. “I mean it.”

His eyes searched hers for a moment. “I know.”

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Do you have any regrets?”

He shook his head. “No. Not one that includes you or the kids anyways.”

She smirked at him—the look that made Hyde excited and his pants a little tighter—and cocked her head. “I’ll take it.”

“Good,” he husked and closed the gap between them once more, this time the kiss lasting a bit longer. When he pulled away, he looked at her once more. “One more serious question: if you get into school out of state, how would that work with the store?”

“Well…” Y/n thought. “We could do it one of two ways. One: we pack up and move and you could either leave the store in someone else’s hands temporarily or give it up completely or two: you stay here to run the store and the kids and I go…I’m not a huge fan of option 2, though.”

“Me neither. How bout we figure it out when the time comes?”

“I’d like that.”

“Me too.” He kissed her once more before pulling back with a mischievous look in his eyes. “So...is there anything you can do before the six week mark?”

Y/n withdrew her hold from him, laughing. “Perv.”

The Next Day…

“So, Jackie really left, huh?” Eric asked while sipping a grape soda at the table.

“Yeah, last night,” Y/n responded. “She even got Kelso to drive her.”

“She probably gave him a purple nurple until he did,” Hyde chuckled. “That’s the only good thing about her.”

“Hey, Eric,” Bob said, shuffling into the kitchen. “You’re going to love teaching in Africa. I heard women walk around with their hoo-hoo’s out.”

“Dad,” Donna groaned, hiding her face behind her hand.

“Have you gotten your shots yet?” Bob asked.

“Shots?” Eric asked.

“Yeah, the ones you get to protect from exotic diseases.”

“Oh, my God I completely forgot!” Eric shot up from the table. “Guys, I leave for Africa in two days. What do I do?”

“Oh, shoot, did I forget to remind you?” Kitty asked while sipping her coffee. “Well, don’t worry, I’ll make sure to give them to you. I am your mother, I will help.”

“Good,” Red said from behind the paper. “Because I will not let you crush my dream of getting rid of him.”

“Thank you, Mom,” Eric said, relaxing.

“Oh, but I should warn you. Those needles are as big as sausages and if I miss, even by a hair, it could make your heart explode. But don’t worry, it only hurts until you die.”

“Mom,” Y/n warned and turned to her brother whose eyes were as big as saucers. “Don’t listen to her. She’s lying.”

“Yeah, right,” Eric responded, voice wobbling.

---Later—

“Hey Donna,” Y/n greeted as she walked inside Donna’s house. “I know Eric said he didn’t want a party, but I never cared about what he wanted. So, I’m going to need you to distract him when he gets back from getting his shots so I can decorate.”

“Yeah, sure,” she responded, a little distantly.

“Oh, and I also got this for him, too. I wasn’t sure what to get him, but I thought he would like something like this.” In her hand was a picture frame and handed it to Donna. The picture was Donna, Y/n, and Eric when they were all six years old.

Donna chuckled sadly. “I remember that day. We had just came back from the park because it started raining, but Eric fell in a huge mud puddle. When you tried to help him, you slipped, taking me down with you. When we got home our moms were so mad, but your dad thought it was so funny he snapped this picture.”

“Yeah…Eric’s not graceful. Like, at all.”

Y/n and Donna laughed together as they recalled the memory. As the laughter died down, Donna grew quiet, staring at the picture.

“Donna…are you okay?”

She shook her head, fighting back tears. “I’m just really going to miss him.”

Y/n nodded her head sadly. “Me, too.”

Donna nodded before wrapping an arm around her best friend’s shoulders knowing this was probably a little harder for her than anyone. The one person she’s literally known since the womb would be thousands of miles away was a pain that Donna couldn’t even fathom.

“I’ll go to the store with you,” Donna said after a minute.

Y/n sniffed and rubbed her nose with her sleeve. “Thank you.”

Eric Forman’s Basement

Eric, Kelso, Hyde, and Fez all sat in the circle as they enjoyed the affects of their favorite green plant. As usual, the lights were dimmed and incense was mixing with the smell.

Eric checked his watch and rubbed his clammy hands on his jeans. “Crap, I have to leave soon to go get my shots. Yeah, why do I have to get shots anyway? So I get Yellow Fever. I could use a little color.”

“You guys, this might be our last circle together,” Fez said. “We're growing up. I mean, these two have jobs, and Eric is off to start his life, and I'm doing more shaving than ever.”

“Eric, I know you're scared of getting your shots,” Kelso said, his eyes drooping and his smile wide. “So I'm gonna be a pal and get them with you, 'cause I owe you for that time that I chucked that dead raccoon at you, and then it turned out to not be dead.” He started to giggle recalling the memory. “And then it bit you, and then you kicked it back at me, and then it bit me, and then we both had to go and get rabies shots.”

Hyde laughed along with them. “Remember, on the way to the hospital, Kelso saw that dog, and he jumped out of the car 'cause he wanted to go pet it, but he forgot the car was moving, and he broke his arm? That was the funniest, bloodiest, most rabies-filled day ever.”

“Look at us,” Eric said. “Best friends offering to help each other. You know, we always have to remember this moment.” He looked around his friends who had gone silent with frightened looks on their faces. “What?”

He suddenly felt a presence behind him when they lowered themselves to his ear. He didn’t have to look to know who it was.

“Upstairs. NOW!” Red barked. He didn’t wait for an answer and stomped back upstairs.

“I am in huge trouble,” Eric said and started laughing.

“I can't believe that is what you idiots have been doing in my basement all these years!” Red yelled at the four young men who sat in chairs in front of him. “I wish I had 2,000 feet so I could put 500 of them in each of your asses!”

Eric tried so hard to listen, but it was hard to digest anything his parents were saying when the wall was moving and dancing behind them.

“I am shocked!” Kitty said. “Steven, you’re a father now. I thought this would be put behind you by now. Do you really want to set this kind of example for your children?”

Hyde rubbed his red eyes, knowing that the patterns on the wallpaper weren’t changing before his eyes.

“The basement door closes and out come the lighters and the drugs.” Kitty continued. “And I am sure Donna's down there bouncing around without a bra.” She gasped and held a hand to her heart. “Is that how Y/n got pregnant?!” She clicked her tongue in disappointment. “It’s like Amsterdam down there.”

“Did someone shove a vacuum up your nose and suck out your last, lonely brain cell?” Red continued to yell.

Fez could swear he was suddenly in a fish bowl and they were eyeballing him through the glass.

“What is going on in your head?” Kitty asked. “I am so disappointed in you boys. And here I thought it was my dryer that made our clothes smell funny.”

As their yelling started to fade in the distance, Hyde’s eyes were caught by a single twinkie laid on the counter. Before he could stop himself, he found himself drooling over it.

“Who taught you how to do this?” Red asked. “Was it those damn Beatles? All You Need Is Love.” He scoffed.

Kelso wasn’t even listening to the whole lecture because he found himself laughing at the scene before him. Red’s and Kitty’s heads floated off their bodies and swirled and danced in the air before switching onto each other’s bodies.

“All you need is a job and a haircut. And you, wipe that stupid smirk off your dopey, dope-fiend face!” He yelled at Kelso.

“Do you know what drugs do to you?” Kitty asked. “They shrink your brain until one day you wake up, and you think you're Superman and you can fly, and then you wind up jumping off the roof in your underpants.”

“Oh, this idiot doesn't need drugs for that. He does that every Saturday!” Red yelled.

“Well, this is the worst thing that you have ever done!” Kitty almost sobbed.

“Eric, I am gonna make you...I’m going to…well, I can’t think of anything worse than sending you to Africa,” Red said. “You’re going to Africa.”

--Later—

“You freakin’ what?!” Y/n screeched at her husband. They sat in their room with Steven sitting on the bed and Y/n pacing the floor. “What the hell, Steven?! How could you guys have gotten caught?! You’ve been kicked out once for getting caught, my dad won’t have a problem doing it again!”

“Actually, he kicked me out thinking he caught me, but it was actually Jackie’s,” Steven corrected.

“Steven!” she said sternly. “Now is not the time! We have children now! You can’t be doing this anymore.”

“Whoa, wait,” he said, jumping to his feet. “Are you telling me that I have to…to quit the circle?” he asked shakily.

“You’re quitting the circle, Steven,” she said sternly, crossing her arms.

“Come on, you did it, too!”

“We’re parents now! We can’t keep doing this! It’s time to grow up and be responsible.” She grabbed her jacket and wallet from the chair at the vanity.

“Wait, where are you going?!”

“I’m going out with the girls for girls night,” she responded without looking at him. “You’re staying in with the babies.”

“What am I going to do?!”

“Feed them in a couple hours and change their diapers. Then put them back in their bassinets to sleep.”

“You’re going to leave me here all by myself?!”

“They’re babies, Steven, not terrorists.” She opened the door to leave when Steven called out.

“Wait!”

Pausing, she turned back around with an arched brow.

“I want to talk about this some more!”

Y/n shook her head. “There’s nothing to talk about. You got caught, deal with it. I’m going out and I’ll see when I get back.”

“What’re you going to be doing? When will you be back?”

“We’re going to go to a strip club to meet some male strippers and then take them to a hotel and have our way with them,” she deadpanned.

He made a face at her. “Isn’t that a movie?”

“Bye, Steven,” she said and walked out the room.

--The Next Day--

“Y/n! Y/n!” Kitty called, running into the house while her family ate at the dinner table. A large white envelope was gripped tightly in her “A letter from a college came in!”

“Mom, that’s not a letter, that’s a—” Y/n gasped and ripped the envelope from her grasp. “Oh, my God! This is an acceptance package!”

“What?!” Steven, Red, and Kitty cried out in unison.

“What college did you apply for that you didn’t tell me?” Hyde asked, his heart sinking into his stomach.

Y/n eyed the envelope. “It’s for New York!”

“New York?!” Hyde exclaimed. “Are you friggin’ kidding me?! That’s so far away.”

“Great! Now all you dopeheads will be out of my house!” Red snarked.

“How ‘bout a ‘congratulations, Steven?” Y/n said sternly and ripped open the large envelope, but froze as his words sank in. “Wait, does this mean that you’re going to follow me?”

“Well, yeah, man,” he responded. “We’re married and have a family now. I don’t want us to be split up.”

“Awe, Steven,” Y/n gushed and kissed his cheek.

“You’re leaving me for New York?!” Kitty hollered. “What the hell was wrong with the university in Milwaukie?! Or Madison? Or Kenosha?! Or you know what, I think the Point Place Community College is just fine, too!”

“NYU has the strongest science program,” Y/n responded quietly, as if trying to tame a wild animal. “Especially for what I want to do. And they accepted my scholarships from high school.”

“Did you ever think of how this would affect me?!” she continued. “First, Laurie can’t seem to stay in one place even if her life depended on it—by the way who the hell moves to London out of all places—and then my baby boy is leaving to also leave the freaking continent—”

“For only a year!” Eric exasperated.

“—And now YOU are leaving me? You’re taking my grandbabies away from me?!” she sobbed.

“Kitty,” Red said gently. “They have to leave the nest at some point.”

“Why can’t you ungrateful brats stay in one spot?!” Kitty exploded, causing a tense hush to fall over everyone. Her eyes widened at her own words before she burst out laughing. “Oh, my goodness, I really let the beast out of its cage on that one.” She started laughing as she walked over to the cabinet and brought out a bottle of sherry and a glass. “What I mean to say is, ‘congratulations.’”

“And we are proud of you,” Red added in, a smile wide on his face. One that said be careful what you say next!

“Thank you,” Y/n said slowly, eyeing her mother. “We will come visit long weekends and holidays.”

“Oh, well that’s just freakin’ great!” Kitty shouted. “I don’t get to see my family everyday like I deserve to, but I get the good gracious of long weekends and holiday breaks. Whoopee-de-freakin’-do!” She stomped out the kitchen with the bottle in hand.

Red sighed heavily and stood from the table. “I’ll be right back. This was such a nice dinner, too.” He left the kitchen, grumbling to himself.

“Um,” Y/n awkwardly cleared her throat as she read the letter. “It says here if I want to register for fall classes I need to do so by the end of this week.”

Hyde sighed and set down the napkin on the table. “I guess I can get coverage at the store for a couple days.”

“Who? Mandy?” Y/n asked with venom in her voice.

“What do you have against her?” he asked. “She’s proven to be a good addition to the store.”

“She’s constantly throwing herself at you!”

“You mean when she tripped and literally knocked into me?”

“Or how about she’s always flirting with you?”

“She barley talks to me?”

“Or how she’s always giving you sex eyes!”

“She doesn’t even look at me!”

“Yeah, when you notice,” she argued. “I catch her all the time checking you out! I swear I almost pounced on her the other day when I caught her checking out your butt.”

He smirked. “That’s hot.”

“Steven!”

--Scene Transition—

Later that day, Hyde was working the evening shift at the store when Leo walked in.

“Hey, Leo,” Hyde greeted. “So, I decided, tomorrow after I say good-bye to Forman, I’m going to New York with Y/n and the babies.”

“Hey! Nice Girl is going to New York!” Leo said, smiling dumbly at him. “You should look her up. She’s real nice, man. She’d be perfect for you.”

“Good idea,” Hyde deadpanned. “Anyway, I was thinking you could cover for me, you know hold down the fort while I’m gone. It’ll be just like the old days at the Fotohut. You remember that, right?”

“The little blue house in the parking lot with a drive thru?” Leo asked, his eyes lighting up.

“Yeah, man, exactly.”

“I don’t remember that at all, man.”

Hyde pressed his lips into a fine line, choking back laughter—or disappointment. He couldn’t tell anymore.

“Yeah, anyway, can you watch the place for me? I’ll be gone for three or four days, tops.”

“Wait, why can’t I run the store?” Mandy asking, rounding the corner.

Steven spun around to face her. “You sure you can handle it?”

“Yeah! I mean, I’m not exactly new here anymore. I’ve learned where everything is, I’ve opened and closed for you multiple times so I know the register, and I have run the place by myself a few times.”

He jut out his lip in thought. “Well, I mean—”

“No, man, I want to do it!” Leo whined.

“Leo, you don’t even know where you are half the time!” Mandy argued.

“Do I know you, man?”

“Leo, it’s me! We’ve met like ten times already!”

Leo stared at her for a solid minute before shaking his head. “Doesn’t ring a bell.”

--Meanwhile—

Eric and Kelso sat in the hospital room awaiting their dreaded shots. Donna sat away in the corner as she came for support and Kitty stood in the room, explaining that she was going to be the one to administer their shots.

“Okay, Michael, Eric, pull your pants down and lean over the table. I'll go get those gigantic needles. I just hope somebody remembered to bring them in out of the rain so they're not all rusty!” she said dramatically as she left the room.

Eric couldn’t help but roll his eyes as he and Kelso turned to lean on the table.

“Hey, Donna, I'm gonna need you to help me pull my pants off,” Kelso said with a smirk.

“Fine, turn around,” Donna sighed before grabbing Kelso’s pants and yanked them upward.

“WEDGIE!” Kelso shrieked and tried to move out of her firm grasp.

“Oh, I’m sorry, did you say ‘off?’ I thought you said ‘up your butt,’” she snickered.

“I still liked it,” Kelso mumbled before Donna rolled her eyes and left the room. As he and Eric pulled their pants down and waited for Kitty to come back, they leaned forward on the table. “So…here we are.”

“Yep.”

“I can’t believe you’re leaving tomorrow.”

“Yeah…and it’s kinda weird that we’re spending our last moments together bent over a table with our naked butts in the air,” Eric said, chuckling.

Kelso laughed. “This is how I always hoped it'd be. You know, I was gonna say that I'll miss you, but I'm not a nancy-boy.”

Eric nodded, taking in a deep breath. “Kelso, man, listen…there’s something I want to say to you—son of a BITCH!” He looked over his shoulder to see Kitty holding a needle in her hand, looking unimpressed. “That hurt like hell!”

“That was the alcohol swab,” she deadpanned.

“Well, it was freezing!”

Later that day…

Red sat in his chair, holding Eric’s gift in his hand. He was surprised that he felt sadness and—dread? As much as he looked forward to this day, he never thought he would be feeling conflicted about it.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard Eric come bouncing down the stairs. “Well, this is it. I just have to make it passed Mom’s farewell ambush and then I’m off to Africa.”

Red stood from his chair and met him in the middle of the living room. “Eric, wait I want to talk to you for a sec.”

Eric looked at him confused, but allowed Red to continue.

“I don’t know if you know this, but I’ve been looking forward to you getting out of my house for a very long time.”

Eric sucked on his teeth in thought. “Yeah, I remember that. I believe your exact words were, ‘It’ll be more glorious than D-Day.’” He chuckled at the memory.

Red pressed his lips into a thin line, a ghost of a smile. “Yeah, well, I’m your father and you’re my son. So…here.” He opened his palm up to Eric’s gift—a pocketknife.

His eyes grew wide. “Your pocketknife from Korea?” He gently plucked the knife from his father’s hand and held it in his own. “You said if I ever touched that, I would meet the same fate as hundreds of other Godless commies.”

A proud smile made its way to his face. “Yeah, well, I want you to take it to Africa with you.”

“Really? Wow, Dad, that…that means a lot.”

Red placed a hand on his son’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “And son, I want you to know that I’m going to miss you, I love you, and you have a good trip.”

Emotion filled Eric’s eyes. “Wait, what did you just say?”

“I said have a good trip.”

“No, before that.”

Red smiled proudly at his son. “You heard me.”

“Wow,” Eric breathed. “This feels like a moment where regular people would hug.”

Red didn’t hesitate and pulled his son in by his shoulders into a tight hug. Eric clapped his back as he took in the moment.

When they finally pulled away, Eric looked at him. “Thank you, Dad. So, really, any last minute advice?”

“Yeah,” Red answered, clearing his throat. “You lose that knife, don’t come home.”

They laughed together before Eric made his way to the driveway, Red in tow.

As they reached the driveway, Eric found Donna sitting on the hood of the VistaCruiser.

“Surprise,” she said quietly.

“It’s just you?” he asked, smiling. “Wow, Donna this is amazing. This is where we had our first kiss.” He leaned his head down and pecked her lips softly.

“I know, I remember,” she said and kissed him again, more passionately.

After a second, Eric pulled away breathless. “Wow.”

“Well, it’s gotta last a really long time.”

“Man, it’s weird. Me leaving. Feels like it’s real,” he said, grabbing her hands.

“Yeah, but you’re going to be back before you know it and then we’re going to have our whole lives together.”

“Listen to me, Donna,” Eric said, pointing a finger at her. “I love you so much and—and you’re my best friend. And thank you for not letting my mom throw this surprise, going-away thing.”

Donna smiled at him. “I love you, too and I’m sorry.”

His eyebrows knit together. “For what?”

“For this…okay guys!”

The garage door swung open and everyone walked out with banners, balloons and confetti.

“SURPRISE!” Everyone yelled.

“Oh…hell, I wanted this!” Eric said gleefully.

“Oh, Eric!” Fez said and wrapped himself up in Eric and started bawling.

“I know, buddy,” Eric said, uncomfortable and awkwardly started patting Fez’s back. “Uh, Y/n, a little help here?”

She giggled and walked over to him with Leo in arms. “Hey, Fez, you want some candy?”

His head popped up from Eric’s soaked shirt like a goffer. “Chocolate?”

“What else would there be?” she giggled.

“Where?”

“Kitchen.”

“Be right back.”

Fez raced off to the kitchen before anyone could say anything else.

“We have about five seconds before he’s back,” Y/n said and turned back to him with sad eyes. “I’m really going to miss you, Eric. We’ve never been apart longer than a few weeks. I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”

“Hey, you got this,” Eric said gently as Hyde joined them, holding Kat in his arms. “You’re going to do awesome in New York.”

“Won’t be the same without you,” she whispered.

“I know,” he said and brought his twin in for a hug as she gripped baby Leo. “I feel the same. But like Donna said, I’ll be back before we know it.”

“Maybe you can come to New York with us when you get back?”

He gave her small smile and nodded. “We’ll see.”

“Here you go, Forman,” Hyde said and handed him a bag. “Consider this your going away gift.”

Eric took the bag and opened it. “Hyde, this bag is empty.”

“I know,” he smirked at his brother-in-law. “I heard about the stuff they have over in Africa. Fill that bad boy up, send it back to me.”

Eric chuckled and gave Hyde a hug. “Will do.”

"I thought I told you, you were done," Y/n said sternly.

"You said it, I didn't."

"Steven--"

"Not here, Darling. Not in front of your brother," Hyde said, faux concern.

“Make sure to write me and to call me,” Y/n reminded him, returning to the conversation. “And if you can send pictures. I want to see where you’re going to be staying. Oh, and I want to send you pictures of the twins so that you’re not completely missing out on them.”

“Yeah, I’m bummed that I’m not going to be around to watch you two try to handle this,” Eric said and chuckled and gave his sister one last hug before turning to the babies. “You two be good for your parents. I love you both and I will see you in a year, yeah? Don’t grow up too fast.”

Y/n looked at him with teary eyes. “I’ll give Mom our new phone number and address to give to you.”

“Sounds good, sis,” Eric said.

“Hey, man,” Markus said as he joined them. “I just wanted to say that I know I haven’t been part of the group that long, but thank you for making me feel like I’ve been a part of it all along. You’re a good friend.”

“Thanks, man,” Eric replied and hugged Markus. “Thank you for keeping a muzzle on Jackie this whole time.”

Markus chuckled. “I sure did my best.”

Kitty ran over to Eric. “Honey, I'm sorry if I smothered you. That's just what a mother does. But I've accepted that you're leaving, and I'm ready to let you go.”

She tightly wrapped her arms around him that caught Eric off guard.

“Oh, mom. Mom, you...” Eric said and hugged her back. He tried to let go after a minute, but he ended up dragging her alongside him as he tried to get to the car. “Uh, Mom, you know I’m only allowed one carry-on, so…Dad?”

Red nodded and stepped in, grabbing his wife by the shoulders. “Come on, Kitty. Come on.”

Kitty sniffed as she stepped away and watched Eric get in the car. Donna got in the passenger side along with him.

“So long, Point Place!” Eric called out and started the car, only for it to die.

“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” Red grumbled. “Everyone push!”

Hyde handed Kat over to Y/n as he, Red, Kelso, and Kitty pushed the car down the driveway.

Eric shot a fist out the window. “So long, Point Place!”

Fez and Y/n stood in the driveway, watching Eric leave.

Fez sadly waved as tears and chocolate rolled down his face. “Bye, Eric!”

Later that evening…

Jackie laid on her bed in the motel room, flipping through a magazine when she heard a knock on the door. Thinking it was Michael, she casually called out, “Come in.”

Markus was the last person she was expecting to see.

“Hey,” he said quietly as he shut the door behind him.

“Markus!” she said excitedly, trying not to jump on him. “Um, what are you doing here?”

He shoved his hands in his pockets, avoiding eye contact. “Nothing. Had some free time and thought I’d just come and check out Chicago. How’s it going?”

Her heart fluttered at his sudden shyness. “Um…good. Do you want to take a walk? Maybe get something to eat?”

Markus was about to answer when the door opened, revealing a half-naked Kelso, only being covered by a towel and holding an ice bucket.

“Hey, Jackie, I checked from the parking lot and no one could see us doing it—” he let out a shriek.

Markus gaze hardened at the sight before him. “You’re dead,” he growled.

Just as he was about to reach for Kelso, he slipped out the door. Markus was able to grip the towel and rip it off of him as he sprinted into the parking lot.

“I’m nude!”

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#that 70s show #steven hyde #that 70's show fanfic #eric forman x reader #donna pinciotti x reader #michael kelso x reader #michael kelso #eric x donna #donna pinciotti #fez x jackie #hyde and jackie #jackie burkhart

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