#billy: if you don’t clap when he walks in I’m going to BLOW UP THIS FUCKING BUILDING

[hardestgrove]

Arygle: says the dumbest shit imaginable

Billy: 😍👌🤩🤟💪🥴

[yikesharringrove]

Egg the Cat

Chapter 2

Read on Ao3

-

Nancy flinched as an engine revved, a sleek blue muscle car pulling into the lot. 

Steve let himself focus on it. It was better than dwelling on his fucking essay, his impending shitty night spent with Barb’s parents, like he didn’t feel horrible enough about that whole situation. 

He watched the car pull into a space at the front of the lot. 

California plates.

“Who’s that?” Steve could picture Nancy wrinkling her nose as she said it, too focused on Billy getting out of his car to turn and see it for real. 

He narrowed his eyes at a young redhead getting out of the passenger side. 

Billy hadn’t said anything about a sibling. 

“That’s Billy. I met him last night.” He finally looked back at Nancy as Billy set off towards the school. “He found Egg downtown.” 

Nancy’s eyebrows flew nearly to her hairline. 

“Steve, I’m sorry, I forgot. Is she okay?”

“Yeah, Billy got her safe and sound. Still don’t know how she got out, though. Let alone made it all the way downtown.” He locked his car as they headed towards the high school, the warning bell sounding through the parking lot.

He reached for Nancy’s hand, his heart soaring when she let him take it. 

Sometimes she said his hands were too clammy. 

He walked her to her first class, kissing her softly by the door. 

Billy glared at the tiny brunette sitting in front of him. 

Steve hadn’t said anything about having a fucking girlfriend last night. 

And really, Billy should’ve known. He’s a hot guy, living in a town of not a lot of hot guys. It makes sense some girl would snap him up. 

It just felt like a slap in the face. 

It’s not like Billy thought he actually had a chance with Steve, but now all of his daydreams, any of his dirty thoughts featuring one Steve Harrington were gonna be tainted, by this prissy fucking bitch. 

Billy just spent all of his AP biology lecture boring holes into the back of her head. 

He didn’t really give a fuck if people noticed, thought it was weird. He was too busy channeling all of his anger, all of his hatred onto this skinny little priss. 

He hoped she could feel it, like maybe his anger gaze gave off palpable heat or something. 

Based on how many times she stuck her hand up to answer every question posed by the teacher, no, she couldn’t feel the heat of Billy’s rage. 

He couldn’t get out of there fast enough, only to find they shared all three of their morning classes. 

Because fuck Billy. 

And then he had to watch, had to stand there like a stupid gay fucking idiot as Steve lifted nancy off her feet, and made out with her against her locker. 

He stomped past, hoping to go unnoticed by-

“Billy!”

Fuck. 

He stopped dead in his tracks, taking a few deep breaths before turning, plastering his best I am so charming and I don’t hate your girlfriend for no reason smile on his face. 

Steve was all sunshiney again today. Billy mentally kicked the little voice in his head saying that sunshine is for you. 

“Hey, man! How’s your first day going?” Steve had his girl tucked under his arm. She looked like a frail little bird. Billy hoped Steve’s cat ate her for breakfast one day soon.

“Well, you got mad at me last night when I called this place a shithole, so I’m just going to heavily imply it.” Steve laughed, his head tipping back a little, eyes crinkling at the corners. 

Billy tried to think about his dad, tied to think about the shelf bruises on his back. 

And then Steve was pressing a sheet of paper into his hand, and their fingers fucking brushed and Billy tried, tried to think of a broken arm and cops at his house, and not holding fucking hands with Steve Harrington. 

He studied the paper, just to look somewhere that wasn’t Steve’s eyes. A lighter shade of brown in the fluorescent lights, a shade bordering on green. 

Come and get sheetfaced. 

“Hawkins parties will probably be lame compared to what you’re familiar with, but I mean, it should be fun.” Billy just nodded, eyes trained on the little ghost. “We’ll be there. Nancy and I.” Nancy. That’s a stupid fucking name. “Y’know, if you aren’t too cool for us by then.”

Steve was smirking at him a little when Billy finally looked up. 

“I’m already cooler than you, Harrington.” Fuck. It sounded way meaner than Billy had wanted, sounded actually rude, not like a little ribbing. Not like a little tongue-in-cheek reference to last night. Cold shit. 

But then Steve tossed his head back, and he laughed, a full belly laugh, and he clapped Billy on the shoulder, and Billy has never felt gayer in his entire life. 

“Harsh, man. Real harsh. Wait ‘til I tell Egg you said that, she’ll never want to see you again .” And Steve was still smiling at him, and he had maybe, alluded to Billy seeing his cat again, which meant seeing Steve outside of school, and Nancy was looking down the hall, like this conversation was below her pay grade, and Billy wanted. 

“See, that’s why I’m cooler than you. I don’t go telling my cat all my lame drama.”

“That’s because you don’t have a cat,” Steve said playfully, his face falling a bit. “Wait, you don’t have a cat, do you?” Billy shrugged.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” And Steve smiled at him, and the bell rang, and Nancy rolled her eyes before pressing herself out from underneath Steve’s arm, and Steve’s big sweet eyes snapped onto her. 

“I’ve got to get to Calculus.” Billy’s heart sank. They shared four classes so far. 

Steve just leaned down to kiss her, one hand cradling the side of her face. Billy looked away.

“I love you.” He had to suppress a snort as Nancy said it back, her voice all pitchy and off. 

But Steve reached out to clap Billy on the shoulder again. 

“I better see you tonight!” And he was off down the hall, and Billy, once again, made a point not to look at his ass. 

-

“You gotta be home by nine-thirty, okay, Shitbird?” Max rolled her eyes again. 

“Billy, I know what time I need to be home by.”

“Just making sure, because you know if you don’t make curfew, I’m somehow gonna be blamed for it.” Billy had only gotten out of playing babysitter this evening when Max had nearly thrown a full tantrum at the idea of trick-or-treating with adult supervision while she’s trying to make friends. 

She just looked at him sharply, her lips pursing a bit. 

“I’ll be home.” Her voice had an edge to it. Billy didn’t really know how to take it.

“Be safe.” She didn’t acknowledge him, just got out of the car, a little Michael Myers heading into the swarm of children. 

He pulled down the road, the party address only a few blocks from where Max was meeting her friends. 

He slammed a beer the minute he entered the party, didn’t want to be sober for a second of this shitfest. 

Steve had been right. This party didn’t hold a fuckin’ candle to what he frequented down in Cali. 

He tried to make the best of it, beat the keg stand record, found some stupid jocks that were more than happy to parade around him all night. 

He just had to get to that sweet spot, drunk enough he would actually get hard with a girl, but not too drunk he’d get whiskey dick. He didn’t need that to be his reputation in this shitty town. 

He was being pulled through the crowd by some freckly fucker dressed as the guy from Karate Kid. Max had made him take her to that movie six times in the theaters. Billy had slept through it every time. 

He was feeling pretty okay, the beer settling into his system, giving him a warm buzz as he studied the party. Maybe he could find some punk kids, score some weed or-

Steve Harrington.  

The karate guy had shoved him in front of Steve, had said, guess who’s the new Keg King, Harrington?

Steve was glaring at the guy, drawn up to his full height, shoulders squared, all of that melting as he turned to Billy, smiling warmly at him. 

Fucking sunshine. 

“Nice job, Dude!” And Steve took Billy’s hand, and he pulled him into a one-armed fucking hug. 

Billy was absolutely stunned. Maybe a little bit hard as he pat his hand against Steve’s back. Felt his muscles moving under his jacket. 

But then Steve pulled back, his eyes trailing after his fucking girlfriend, and he was gone, followed her into the kitchen. 

Billy wanted to tear out his fucking hair. 

He went the opposite way as Steve, pushing through the sweaty crowd. 

He really didn’t need to see Steve coddling his girl. 

He shoved his way into the backyard, vaulting the low fence on the porch, making his way out of the yellowed light spilling out of the house. 

He pulled out a cigarette, lighting it quickly. 

Fucking idiot. You knew you couldn’t have any fucking boy in this goddamn town.

But Billy had come into this town really not expecting any boy to actually catch his eye. 

Not like Steve has. 

Steve with his stupid big eyes, and his stupid big hair, and his stupid cat named fucking Egg. Who names a cat Egg? That’s a dumb fucking name. 

Billy lit his next cigarette with the dying remains of the last one. 

He thought about calling it quits, heading home early. 

But it wasn’t even ten yet, and really, he needed to fool around with a chick tonight. He needed to establish himself as a lady killer. 

Sleep with one girl, and the rumors would build enough that he probably wouldn’t have to fuck any others, just not deny it when any girl claims they had a wild night of passion. 

It was safer that way. Gave him some cushion. 

Then, if any of the lies began to unravel, he’ll just fuck another one, and let the rumor mill do its trick. 

Besides, he can find a brunette, make her take it from behind. If he’s lucky, the party’ll be loud enough he can tune out her moans, picture someone else, picture him -

The backdoor slammed against the wall as someone stomped outside. 

Billy just took another deep drag, hoped he wouldn’t be noticed. 

But, of course-

Steve didn’t even ask, just took the cigarette out of Billy’s mouth, taking a long fucking drag. 

He rolled his shoulders, let his head fall back, blowing the smoke out towards the sky. 

“Y’know, I fucking quit smoking because of her. Not like I did it a lot, but still .” Billy just stayed quiet. He really didn’t want to talk about Steve’s fucking girlfriend. “Because I actually cared .” Oh, now wait a minute.

“What happened?” 

Steve shot him a dark look.

“You weren’t inside?” 

Billy just gestured to the cigarette Steve was now sucking on once again. Billy kept his focus on Steve’s left earlobe. Didn’t care to get a semi just from looking at his lips. 

“Lovers’ quarrel?”

“Does repeatedly being called bullshit and having her tell you she doesn’t love you count as a lovers’ quarrel?”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah.” Steve tossed the cigarette to the ground, stomping it out. Billy didn’t know what to say. 

What he wanted to say was you ever sucked dick? And then maybe take Steve’s mind off of everything by fucking his face, but that felt a little forward, felt a little gay. 

“ Fuck .”

Oh, shit. 

Steve was fucking, Steve was gonna cry. Standing outside with Billy, barely lit by the light filtering through the small frosted bathroom window. 

“ Next week .” Steve’s voice cracked. “We would’ve been together one year next week. And she was pretending .” Steve slumped back against the wall, his face buried in both his hands. “I, I changed everything for her. I stopped seeing my friends because she didn’t like them, I stopped smoking because she said it was gross, I changed who I am as a fucking person. And you know, granted, I am a better person. But I’m different, because of her, and she just, she threw all of it away.”

He sniffed loudly, his shoulders stuttering. 

Billy felt like his guts were on fucking fire. 

“Fuck her. Fuck her. You are a good guy. And if she’s too much of a bitch to see that, she doesn’t deserve you.” Steve didn’t acknowledge him for a while. Billy just let it be, lit another cigarette. 

“I think I’m gonna go home. I wanna see my cat.” Steve sounded like a little kid. Like a heartbroken little kid. 

“You good to drive?” And Steve finally pulled his head out of his hands. 

His big eyes were shining, his cheeks wet, glistening in the low light. 

“I don’t drink anymore. Because she said I’m an asshole when I’m drunk.”

Billy weighed his words carefully. 

“I’ve got a bottle of tequila in my car if you wanna stick it to her.” Steve gave him a watery smile. 

“You wanna follow me to my place?”

[honeypirate]

Karaoke Night with Hinawa, Obi, Viktor

Song for Hinawa - Song for Obi - Song for Viktor

I wrote this a while ago and found it in my drafts

Hinawa tag list: @soft-citrus-central also tagging @sabrinamidoriya01 who encouraged me to post it :)

Hinawa -

The crowd cheers when they call your name, the karaoke bar packed with your company as well as a few people from the seventh and fifth as well as Tamaki’s friend Juggernaut.

You take the microphone from the announcer and they queue up the lyrics on the screen before you and you feel your hands shake as you laugh a little before the music starts. You’ve been practicing this song because it’s your favorite jazzy song and you just know hinawa will like it.

You take a deep breath as the music starts and you close your eyes, tuning out the rest of the bar as the sounds of Billie Holiday’s orchestra reach every ear.

Hinawa was watching you this whole time, smiling when he heard the music, taking a drink from his glass as everything else in the room disappears in his eyes, there is only you.

“My days have grown so lonely, For you I cry, For you, dear, only Why haven't you seen it? I'm all for you body and soul” Your voice throughout the bar quiets down every conversation. Everyone turning to look up at you and listen to your soft voice singing this song like it was made for you to sing.

“I spend my days in longing, I'm wondering why, It's me you're wronging, Oh, I tell you I mean it, I'm all for you, body and soul” you’re swaying on stage, your eyes still closed as everyone hangs on your every word. Hinawa’s heart is racing as he watches you sing one of his favorite songs. He didn’t even know you liked jazz and you were fairly close friends.

You open your eyes and look around the room, your cheeks flushing when you realize that everyone is paying attention to you. Your eyes land on Hinawa at your table beside Obi, his eyes filled with stars and you can’t look away as you sing

“I can't believe it, It's hard to conceive it, That you'd throw away romance, Are you pretending? It looks like the ending, Unless I can have one more chance to prove, dear, My life a hell you're making, you know I'm yours for just the taking, I'd gladly surrender, Myself to you, Body and soul”

Obi is slack jawed and grinning the whole time, the whole house staring at you and quiet, but you were too busy looking into Hinawa’s eyes to notice anything else. You finish the song, singing it right to him, hoping somehow he will know it’s for him.

When the music ends, the bar erupts into applause and cheers, Hinawa stands with a smile on his lips and claps for you, bring his fingers to his lip to blow a loud whistle. You hear chants of your name and you laugh, feeling embarrassed and full of adrenaline. You can feel your face heat as you make your way off the stage.

You bring your fingers to your face, hoping to hide some of the blush. You make your way to the crowd to the bar and ask for a water bottle before making your way outside to get some air and cool down, feeling Hinawa behind you.

“That was.. wonderful” he says softly and you take a sip of your water, your heart fluttering. “Thank you Hinawa” you say and he smiles, taking a step towards you “I didn’t know you liked jazz music” he says and you chuckle “I’m full of surprises” you say and he chuckles “I believe that”

After a moment of silence he reaches out and tucks your hair behind your ear “did you sing that song for me?” He asks, bluntly. You feel your face heat as you look down to the ground with a shy smile “I .. I mean. If you liked it then yes” he takes your chin gently in his hand and tilts your face up “I loved it.” He admits and leans down, his lips beside your ear “I’m all for you, body and soul” he whispers before he presses his lips to yours.

Obi-

His cheers for you were louder than anyone in the whole bar. He only had one beer so far but he was so excited you were finally going up to sing. He heard your voice every once in a while when you would sing while you showered and it would echo out into the hall. He knows how wonderful you can sing so he’s been trying to convince you to go up there and show everyone what you can do.

The man announces your name and you stream quietly as you walk up the stairs, taking the microphone from the guy and standing in front of the screen with the lyrics.

You nod at the guy on the computer to your left and the music starts, most conversations in the crowd quieting down.

Your eyes are focused on the words even though you know every one to the rock ballad you take a breath and sing as the adrenaline builds in your body.

The music started and Obi’s breath catches in his throat. He once had a conversation with you about how he loved this song, he couldn’t help but feel like you were singing this to him.

“I should have known better, Than to let you go alone, It's times like these, I can't make it on my own, Wasted days, and sleepless nights, An' I can't wait to see you again. I find I spend my time, Waiting on your call, How can I tell you, babe, My back's against the wall I need you by my side To tell me it's alright Cause I don't think I can take anymore”

It’s a fairly popular karaoke song in the bar but you’re killing it like no other before you. The chorus starts and you look up to where Obi is sitting. Your heart skips and races along when you see how big his grin is! How his eyes are filled with admiration and awe! He’s standing up and making his way from his table in the middle of the room as you sing the chorus

The moment your eyes met his he knew, this song, you were singing it to him. And even if you weren’t he’s taking this as a sign to ask you out.

“Is this love that I'm feeling? Is this the love that I've been searching for? Is this love or am I dreaming This must be love 'Cause it's really got a hold on me, A hold on me”

he reaches the front of the stage and your eyes are locked as he smiles brightly, singing along to the song with you. Your smile grows as you feel like you’re singing the song together. When it ends you don’t even register the applause and cheers because you’re too focused on the man in front of you and the way your heart is racing.

He holds out his hands and you laugh before stepping forward and placing your hands on his shoulders as he grabs your hips. You go to hop to the ground, gasping when he just holds you against him like you weighed nothing.

“I’d love to kiss you” he whispers with a smile and you feel your cheeks warm as your hands move from his shoulders to his cheeks as you press your lips to his with a smile.

Viktor-

You grab his hand “let’s go. Do karaoke with me” you looked at him with such excitement he could not say no. His heart raced with your hand in his, as he nodded “yeah o-okay!” He says and stands tripping over his own feet as he follows behind you.

“We’re gonna sing “The Next Time I Fall” by Peter Cetera and Amy Grant” you say excitedly and squeeze his hand, like you were in a relationship with him and not his coworker that he was helplessly and unrequitedly in love with.

“You’re up next” they say and you grin up at him as they hand you microphones. You drop his hand then and he feels it like a loss to his soul but follows you up the stairs to the stage.

“So you’re the blue and I’m the yellow” you say and he nods, his eyes nervous but he really wanted to do this for you. The music stars and he takes a deep breath as he waits. He’s heard this song from you at the lab before so he’s pretty familiar already.

His voice sounds out, nervous but actually quite decent. “Love, like a road that never ends. How it leads me back again to heartache I don’t understand”

Your voice next and your heart races as you get goosebumps, smiling at how fun this was “Darling I put my heart upon the shelf till the moment was right and I tell myself”

He sings the words, feeling like he’s singing this song straight to you “Next time I fall in love

You reach out your pinky and hook his as you sing with him “I’ll know better what to do

You stop singing as he keeps singing, looking over at you and grasping your hand, lacing your fingers together. “Next time I fall in love

You join in for the ooos, your cheeks heating up as he keeps singing.

“The next time I fall in love it will be with you”

The music fills your ears as you wait for your next verse, he looks at you with a shy smile as he squeezes your hand, his pale cheeks flushed.

Your eyes are locked to his as you the sing the words, this was one of your favorite songs so you know the words already, didn’t need the screen. “Oh now as I look into your eyes, well I wonder if it’s wise to hold you like I’ve wanted to before”

his heart races, he could have sworn you said that just to him. You were telling him you wanted to hold him. His queue is up but he’s not paying attention, he’s looking at you earnestly as you smile softly up at him.

You chuckle and wink at him then pick up where he was supposed to, without looking away from him “-thinking that you might be the one who breaths life in this heart of mine” he laughs and pays attention then, knowing with only a small amount of doubt, that you were singing to him. His feelings weren’t unrequited. He sang with so much passion after that, really singing it to you.

You finish the song together, meeting all the cues as his hand holds yours and your cheeks are both warm.

They crowd cheers and you can hear laughs from your team and he leads you down the stairs and outside of the bar.

Once you’re out I the fresh air and quiet night, he pulls you into a hug “that was amazing” he says into your hair and you laugh, wrapping your arms around him and holding him tight “so you’ll let me hold you like I’ve been wanting to?” You whisper into his chest and he sighs “please” he says with a smile in his voice “anytime you want”

[lacontroller1991]

Happy Birthday (Johnny Lawrence x Reader)

Author’s Note: UMMMM THE FACT THAT BILLY SHARES A BIRTHDAY WITH MY SISTER..... I-. WHICH IS ALSO A DAY BEFORE MINE> DWQoOQIOWNOKDQKLN.  

This is for Celebrating his birthday 🥳🥳

Warning: Mentions of smut

“Make a wish!” You commanded as Johnny looked at you with a goofy grin before you urged him to blow out the candles. Sighing, he closed his eyes and mouthed words that you couldn't read until he blew out the candles. Clapping between you, Miguel, Carmen and Rosa as he laughed slightly, obviously not used to the attention since he had been living in his apartment for a long time before he met you and Miguel.

“Ok, presents!” Carmen exclaimed as she gathered some in her arms and brought them to the table.

“You guys didn’t have to,” he insisted as you rubbed his shoulders before leaning down to whisper into his ear.

“You think this is a lot? Just wait til tonight baby,” you purred as his face immediately went red, not going unnoticed by Miguel who just sent you a wink. All men knew those kind of things.

After your family left, you helped Johnny clean up the place, opening a couple bottles of beer for you two to sip on.

“Did you have a good birthday?” You asked as he smiled at you, crumbling up used wrapping paper.

“The best,” he replied, kissing your cheek. You slightly pushed him away, holding a hand to his chest.

“I have another birthday present for you.”

“You really don’t have to.”

“Shush, you’ll like it,” you smiled, skipping off to his room and pulling out the bag you brought over for when you spent the nights at his place. 

Quickly pulling your clothes off, you placed the black lace lingerie on and rummaged through his closet that you reorganized, despite his protests. Pulling out his white gi top and his belt, you placed it over the outfit and secured the belt around your waist. Popping in one of those pills that makes a person insatiably horny, you splashed on a red lip before messing up your hair to give an extra lift to it. Walking out his bed room, you tiptoed up behind him, placing your hands to cover his eyes.

“Don’t peek,” you whispered as you led him to the couch, already feeling yourself becoming wet. Standing in front of him, you leaned down and captured his lips with yours, “open.” He slowly opened his blue eyes and his pupils immediately dilated.

“Babe, you look hot.”

“Here’s your final birthday present. I’m all yours, for the whole night. You can do whatever you want to me.”

“I think this is the best birthday ever.”

“It’s only going to get better.”

[platypanthewriter]

Hug

Harringrove April prompt day 11, Hug.  Billy can't take any more of his dad, but he gets a softer landing than he expects.

In the trailer, Steve’s fingers had pressed against his chest, and Billy’d followed them.  He laid awake in bed after—as his lip healed, as the skin of his knuckles stopped pulling and stinging where they’d met Steve’s face.

He’d just...touched Billy, with his fingers, pushing him away, and Billy’d wanted to lean in, yank Steve Harrington in like he had on the basketball court, breathing his air.  Billy laid on his bed breathing unevenly, remembering the way Tommy had just thrown an arm around Steve Harrington, rested his weight against him, and the way Steve had leaned into it, grinning and loose.  Billy’s eyes had been on the space between them—the inches, or sometimes nothing as their bodies brushed, or pressed against each other, hot and sweaty over the keg or in the showers.  

His brain had always been on the soft finality in his dad’s voice as Billy’s ears rang, or the ache in his head from getting cracked against the edge of the doorway.  He’d seen Harrington’s hand squeeze Nancy’s shoulder, touching her arm with a smile before walking off to get her a drink.  Billy couldn’t stop thinking about Harrington’s fingers, brushing her cheek.

The bed creaked as Billy scrambled up.  Three o’clock in the morning, and he could not sleep, thinking about Steve Harrington’s fingers pressing lightly on his chest.  He yanked his jacket on—not that denim was gonna do fuck-all in an Indiana winter, but it fitted tightly, and he grabbed the sides of it and yanked it tighter so it squeezed his arms and back, instead of just buttoning it up.

His dad had grabbed it, earlier, shaking Billy before shoving him away, and Billy’d breathed easier, with hands on him.  Neil had grabbed the open edges and yanked, and Billy’d imagined Steve’s fingers, shoving him around.  

“I don’t know how to get through to you anymore,” Neil had whispered in Billy’s ear.  “And I don’t know why I keep trying.”  The tired indifference in his face was worse than the contempt, somehow, and Billy’d grabbed his dad’s shoulder, for once, asking what the hell that meant.  He’d lost his balance when Neil just shoved.

It’d be final, at least, he’d thought for a second, in the vertigo of falling, before his head hit the green-painted brick of the fireplace, his shoulder crashed into the fireplace set as he curled up, and Neil reached across him to pick up the poker.  For a moment, Billy thought it was over, finally.  He’d started laughing, and he spit blood on Neil’s pants, but Neil just tidied the poker stand, hanging up the little shovel and tongs like Billy wasn’t even there.

Maybe he wasn’t, Billy thought, watching as his father walked off into the other room, and Billy was just left there, his ears ringing.  

 The lock on his car was stiff with cold, but it worked eventually, and Billy climbed in, turned the volume up on the Scorpions, and didn’t let himself think until he was halfway to Harrington’s house.  He parked across the street, just sitting there listening to music and taking swigs of a bottle of cheap tequila somebody’d left on his back seat.  

The lights came on inside, and Billy smiled at his radio.  Like always, when he was gonna start shit, his hands shook just a little, so he clenched one on his steering wheel, and one on the bottle of tequila.  Against the lights of the house, Steve looked like a dark shape when he walked out.

Billy switched his car off and got out, leaned back against it, and waved, running his tongue around his teeth.  

“The hell are you doing here,” Steve whisper-shouted, flailing his arms, like an idiot.  He stayed well out of range.  “Fuck off, Hargrove, I’ll call the sheriff, I swear to god—”

“Don’t call your daddy,” Billy whispered, raising his hands.  “Look, Harrington, I’ll be good.  I’ll—” he laughed, staring into Harrington’s wide brown eyes.  “I’ll just stand here.”   

“...what the fuck,” Steve hissed, backing away, and Billy ran around to get between him and his house.

“You can get your own back.  Give you some free hits,” Billy told him, licking his lips as he imagined Steve grabbing his collar, and Steve’s fist connecting with his face.  “Two for flinching, right, Harrington?  Hit me.”

“Are you high,” Steve yelled, backing up.  

“Hit me,” Billy hissed at him, holding his hands up and away.  “Clock me one, go on, Harrington.”

“What are you doing here, fuck off—”

“Hit me,” Billy screamed at him, and Steve shoved him hard and then went inside before Billy even had time to stagger back up to his feet, leaving Billy with a skinned hand and knee in Steve Harrington’s driveway.  “...fuck,” he whispered, not drunk enough to blur anything.  Harrington hadn’t even hit him in the face, he thought vindictively, he’d just walked off.  Billy rolled onto his back, staring up at the stars, and wondered whether Harrington was calling the police.

 He was still there a while later, singing off-key and mostly numb, wondering if he’d turned invisible, when Steve wandered out.  He leaned around the door warily.  “I gotta go to school in the morning.  I’m gonna run you over if you don’t move,” he said, and Billy burst out laughing, clapping his scabbed-up hand over his face. 

“Said I wouldn’t move,” he whispered hoarsely, waving his cigarette.  “Said...go ahead, hit me.”

“...the hell are you doing,” Steve groaned, crouching a few feet away, still out of reach, and Billy curled on his side to face him.  He wondered if Steve would kick him away, if he crawled closer, and started snickering.

“Make us even, right?” Billy asked, baring his teeth in a grin.  “Run me over.  Come on, you fucking pussy, start up your car—”

“Jesus,” Steve sighed, rubbing his face, and Billy ran out of breath watching his long fingers.  “I’m not gonna kill you, christ.  Go home.”

He’d come this far to feel Harrington’s hands on him again, and the thought of going back to his house to be ignored, fucking giving up, and crawling like a pussy back to his room made his his throat even dryer.  He tried not to picture his dad’s reaction to him walking out, and laughed.  

“Hargrove!” Harrington yelled.  “Go home!”

“Not...gonna...happen, Harrington,” Billy told him, taking a long drag on his cigarette.  

“Why are you even here,” Steve hissed, dropping to sit cross legged, and Billy stared at him so long that Steve scrabbled at his hair in frustration.  “Say something, holy crap.”

“...you wanna get back at me,” Billy said gruffly, and reminded himself of holding Steve Harrington down until he stopped moving, stopped breathing, almost.  He was still so warm under Billy’s hands, his lips swollen, his fingers bloodied.  Billy swallowed back a laugh, and some of it got out, shaky and uneven.  His spine still ached from slamming into the doorframe, and his upper arms let him know they were bruised every time he shifted.  “Fuck me up, Harrington, it’s what I’m here f—”

“Go home,” Harrington said, standing up, and Billy pushed himself up, staggering.  

“Wait, you fuck,” he hissed.  “Stop fucking ignoring me—”

“Get the hell out of my face,” Steve hissed.  “You really wanna end up down at the station?”

Billy stomped up and grabbed Harrington by his sweater, clenching it in both hands, and set himself for the blow when Harrington’s hand twitched.  

“...what the hell,” Harrington said, after a few slow seconds of glowering into Billy’s face.  “You’re stretching out my sweater, asshole.”

Billy shook him, and yelled “Hit me,” right up in his face, but Harrington just looked at him like he was a drunk, pathetic waste of time, and Billy clenched his hands harder, gritting his teeth, and hung on as Steve tried to dislodge him.  “Fuck you,” Billy whispered, grappling in closer as his whole body hurt, from getting shoved into the door, shoved into the cement, and his voice got more and more hoarse.  “End it, Harrington,” he whispered, and Steve stared.

“Nobody’s gonna ask where I went,” Billy told him, laughing, and letting go enough to run his thumb over Harrington’s parted lips.  Steve jerked his head back, glowering, and Billy winced, grinning as he waited for the blow.  “Come on, Harrington,” he whispered, yanking Steve close until their lips almost brushed.  “What do I gotta do, huh?”

“...what’s going on,” Steve blurted, as Billy let go of his sweater, and smoothed it back down, waiting for Steve Harrington’s dumb brain to figure out what Billy was doing.  

“Nothing,” Billy whispered, hoarsely.

“Why’re you here trying to die,” Steve hissed.  “What is this shit, Hargrove—” His hands were up between his chest and Billy’s, waiting, and Billy let himself tip into them, feeling Steve Harrington’s fingers against his skin where he hadn’t buttoned his jacket.  He grunted a little, deep in his throat, and Steve jerked his hands away.

Steve moving his hands meant Billy stumbled into him, right against his chest, and Billy’s heart stopped, it felt like, for a second, feeling Harrington warm and solid against him.  Smelling Harrington—his hairspray, his soap-and-laundry smell, because Billy’d woken him up—made it feel like he’d fallen out of reality, just down the rabbit hole where guys didn’t murder you for climbing into their arms.  

Somewhere with soft landings.  

He drew a shuddery breath, closing his eyes, and then another, waiting for Steve to grab his hair, or something—shove him away again, and kick him on the ground, maybe, but Steve didn’t move, and Billy’s breaths were starting to sound like some little shitheel, whining when he didn’t get his way.  He bit his lips together, trying to control himself, get his lungs to work normally, instead of gasping like there wasn’t enough air in the world.

“...the fuck are you doing, Harrington,” he choked out, “Fucking...end me,” and Steve just stood there like a post.  Billy brought his hand up, slowly, and gripped the bottom hem of Steve’s sweater.  When nothing happened, except Steve’s shallow breathing, Billy opened his eyes, staring at the tears smearing on the green wool of Steve’s sweater.  He took another gulping breath as Steve’s arm moved, but he just grabbed the arm Billy wasn’t touching him with.  

“Did something...happen,” Steve asked him, just—just letting Billy Hargrove fucking cry on him, and Billy shook his head, wishing something had.  “Is Max okay?”

“...’m just like this,” Billy whispered, snickering, and clenching his fist harder in Steve’s sweater.  Steve was warm against him, and as it started to sink into his skin, Billy started shivering, hard.  “F-fuuuck,” he muttered, sniffling.  “You can kill me now,” he said, giggling.

“Just like what,” Steve asked, still trying to figure him out, and Billy shoved away and laughed again, a weird, wet noise all up in his sinuses.  He bent over and leaned his hands on his knees, trying to steady himself, and then saw Steve’s sneakers at the edge of his vision, and stumbled back.  

Steve grabbed the back of his jacket and yanked him towards the door, Billy staggering along.  He stumbled over the shoes inside the door, kicking his own off when he saw Steve do it, but Steve yanked him back upright, pushing him into a kitchen where the oven light illuminated polished, handle-less cabinets.  Billy stood there, looking around at the darkness of the rest of the house, and then Steve was yanking at his jacket.  He shook Billy, hard.  

“Why the hell are you outside my house trying to—to get run over, or something,” Steve hissed, and Billy shrugged, wishing he’d had more to drink.  

“Why aren’t you doing it?” he asked, grinning his sluttiest grin, and Steve growled, and yanked on his jacket again, yanking it off. 

He tossed it away, and then grabbed the bottom of his own sweater and yanked it off over his head, and right-side out.  “The fuck is wrong with you,” Steve muttered, sighing impatiently, and flapping the sweater on Billy’s head.  “You’re like a wild animal or—”

“What,” Billy mumbled, “—the fuck are you doing—” waving his hands, a little, as Steve jerked the sweater down over his face, and the wool got in Billy’s mouth, and caught on his earring.  Billy sniffled juicily and hugged himself inside it without putting his arms through the sleeves, breathing in Steve Harrington’s smells, and let Steve put a hand on each of his shoulders and walk him into another dark room.  

“Stay,” he said, and Billy barked, laughing, but waited to see what would happen next, in this weird world he’d found down the rabbit hole.  He wondered if Steve would chop off his head, and snickered at the image.

“You gonna tame me, Harrington?” he asked, still shivering hard, but he squinted around, trying to memorize the sounds and smells of Harrington’s house.  The fridge hummed in the darkness, and he could smell dust, and something that had burned in the oven.  

Then some vents turned on, and Steve threw something around his shoulders—a quilt, or something, it felt like, not too heavy.  Steve grabbed his elbows again, pushing him backwards until he thudded against the wall—over a heating vent, he realized, as the metal dug into his feet.  Billy laughed sharply as the blanket around him inflated like Marilyn Monroe’s skirt in the subway pictures, and started to fall off.  

Steve wrapped it around him again and held it there, his hands on Billy’s arms as everything filled with warm air—blasting up through his socks and toasting his feet, up his pant legs, and filling the space around him under the blanket with what felt like hot clouds wrapped around him.  He swallowed hard again as his eyes adjusted slowly to see Steve’s intent face in the darkness.  He looked confused, mostly, and Billy giggled harder, trying to keep it silent, as tears dripping down his face.

Steve’s hands on Billy’s elbows were firm, and Billy caught himself leaning in again, shifting his feet to force himself back upright, snorting a laugh, but Steve’s eyes narrowed, and he stepped forward on his own, so Billy could lean awkwardly against him, held apart by his own arms inside Steve’s sweater.  Steve just had a white t-shirt on, and he smelled even more like clean laundry in the dry heat of the vents, like he’d been curled up in bed before Billy’d crawled out of his own bed, and fallen down the rabbit hole.  

He shifted to hold the blanket—one hand on Billy’s bicep, drawing him closer still, and the other one on the back of his shoulder, and Billy gave in, like he always did, and let his face rest against Harrington’s shoulder and neck, sighing.  Steve stroked his back, gently, like a habit.

It was so warm.

The other Harringrove April prompts I’ve done

[potrix-the-queerschlaeger]

shadow of the past

Harringrove Week of Love Day 3: Hurt/Comfort

This is what immediately popped into my head for the hurt/comfort prompt. Rated M for lots of swearing/allusions to Billy and Neil’s abusive relationship.

If you want, you can also check the story out over on [AO3].

*

Billy fucking hates Hawkins. 

It might not be overrun with interdimensional monsters and crazy Russians anymore, but it’s somehow still all gloomy and grim-looking. And really fucking cold.

They’ve been here for less than two days, but Billy’s pretty sure his California tan is already fading.

Grumbling to himself, Billy adjusts Matty to sit more comfortably on his hip, only to nearly lose his grip on his overflowing basket. Just a few things, Steve had said, pressing the list into Billy’s hand, and a kiss to his cheek. A few things his ass. He should’ve grabbed a damn cart. 

“Your dad’s a dumbass,” he tells Matty, who’s half-asleep on his shoulder, and drooling all over the collar of his leather jacket. 

Yet here Billy is, having braved the Indiana cold, nearly freezing his balls off, to get Steve his fancy, dairy-free yoghurt, so. Who really is the dumb one? 

He’s standing in the fruit section, trying to remember if Steve likes tangerines or clementines, and also what the fucking difference between the two is anyway, when he hears a gruff, “Billy?”

Billy freezes, but only for a second, before he whirls around, and comes face to face with the very last person he wants to see right now. Or ever, really.

(watch out for the break)

Neil looks older, greyer, but that’s about all that’s changed. How different he must look to his father, though, after so long; a grown man instead of the scared teenager he’d been the last time they saw each other, Billy’s split lip still bleeding as he hauled his duffel into the Camaro where Steve was already waiting, answering Neil’s seething, “Don’t you dare come back home if you walk away from me right now!” with a trembling but equally furious, “Don’t worry, I fucking won’t!” 

And he hasn’t. 

Billy can count on one hand the times he’s come back to Hawkins over the last decade. Max’s high school graduation. Joyce and Hopper’s wedding. Max and Lucas’ engagement. Last summer, a few weeks after Matty’d been born, so Steve’s parents could meet and spoil their first grandbaby. 

And every time, he’d been careful to avoid Cherry Lane, and the shadow of his past still living there. 

Max mentions Neil and Susan, sometimes, around the holidays, or if something big happens. But Billy hasn’t talked to either of them in nearly ten years. 

Only now, Neil is right here, standing a mere few feet away, eyes flickering from Billy’s face down to Matty and back up. A little hysterically, Billy wonders if Neil even knows that his only son has had a kid of his own.

The tense, awkward silence stretches between them when Billy doesn’t say anything, until Neil eventually clears his throat, and asks, with a nod at Matty, “That’s Matthew?”

Well, he should’ve guessed. Everyone in Hawkins has always been up in everyone else’s business. 

Instinctively, Billy holds Matty a little closer against his side. “Matty, yeah.” 

“Hi, Matty.” Neil ducks down to speak to Matty, who glances up curiously at the sound of his name. Neil fucking smiles, and wiggles his fingers at Matty. “Hi, there, little guy.” 

Billy clenches his teeth, and resists the urge to take a step back as Neil keeps cooing at Matty. They’re in public, which means they’re safe. Billy’s a grown ass man, he can keep them both safe, if need be.

Besides, it’s not as if Billy doesn’t remember this side of his father, the nice and playful one. Vaguely, from before, when his mom had still been around, but he does remember. Baseball games, ice cream on hot summer days, long drives along the beach. 

They should be happy memories, probably, but to Billy, they just make all the other, bad ones even worse. 

“Is he—” Neil starts as he straightens back up, frowning thoughtfully. After a moment, he settles on, “He yours?”

And Billy knows what he means, of fucking course he does. But he’s not about to give Neil the satisfaction, so he grins, too wide, and says, “Mine and Steve’s, yeah.” 

He expects anger, at that, or disgust at the very least. What he gets is an expression he can’t read, not anymore, not after all this time. It crosses Neil’s face, there and gone again, before he nods slightly. “And Steve,” Neil asks, running a hand through his hair, “how is he?”

But Billy. 

Billy’s done. Just like that, he’s over whatever Neil’s trying to do here, whatever it is he fucking wants. 

Shaking his head, Billy grits out, “Gotta go,” and turns, skin prickling with the weight of Neil’s gaze on the back of his neck. He makes it to the end of the aisle, but stops, not turning back around, when Neil calls, “Billy, wait.”

“What,” Billy barks, shoulders tense. His knuckles are white where he’s gripping the basket too tightly. 

“If you want,” Neil sounds uncharacteristically hesitant, cuts himself off, then tries again, “Susan would love to meet the kid.” 

Billy doesn’t even know what to say to that, so he just leaves.

Leaves Neil standing there without a glance back, pays for his groceries, and gets the hell out. 

He makes it back to the house in record time, although he can’t recall most of the drive. He drops the bag of food on the kitchen table with a thump, earning himself a raised brow, and a concerned, “Hey, man, you okay?” from Lucas. 

Billy opens his mouth, closes it again, then ends up shaking his head, and murmuring a quiet, “Sorry,” as he disappears into the guest room with Matty. 

He kicks off his shoes, and slips out of his jacket, then lowers himself down onto the bed with Matty curled up on his chest, thankfully fast asleep. He should put him down in the portable crib in the corner for his nap, probably, but he doesn’t. 

Doesn’t want to let go just yet.

Instead, he buries his nose in the mess that is Matty’s curls, breathes in his comforting baby scent, and closes his eyes.

Billy has no idea how long he stays like that, half-dozing to the steady rhythm of Matty’s breathing, before the bedroom door opens, then closes again quietly. He doesn’t open his eyes, listens to familiar steps cross the room, then feels the bed dip. 

A hand brushes over his cheek, tucking an errant strand of hair behind his ear. A pair of lips lands on his forehead, and lingers there for a moment before Steve whispers, “What happened?”

Billy doesn’t answer, but he does blink open his eyes to look up at Steve. He looks worried, chewing his bottom lip, though he comes easily when Billy holds out an arm, snuggling into his side with a pleased little hum that morphs into a happy sigh when Billy kisses the top of his head. 

Steve’s hand is on Billy’s hip, where his shirt has ridden up, thumb absently, softly stroking the skin there. Back and forth, slow and steady. Casually, just because he can. Because he wants to. 

“Neil,” Billy blurts, but that’s all he manages before his throat closes up. His eyes sting, suddenly, and he sniffles, face hot and flushed. “Fuck.” 

Steve’s sitting up in an instant, face stormy. “I’m going to fucking kill him,” he mutters darkly, scowling furiously, and for some reason, that’s what loosens the knot of tension in Billy’s chest. 

He relaxes, and then he laughs, and can’t stop, even when Steve looks at him as if he’s gone crazy. It makes Matty stir, so Billy claps a hand over his mouth to muffle his laughter as the tears finally spill over. 

“Oh, baby,” Steve whispers, moving back in close enough to kiss Billy’s damp cheeks. “What happened?”

“That’s the thing,” Billy croaks, and moves his hand to rub at his eyes. “Nothing did. Not a fucking thing. We just. Talked.” 

Steve listens quietly while Billy relays his encounter with Neil, one hand splayed across Matty’s back, and the other over Billy’s heart. And when Billy’s done, Steve pulls both him and Matty into his arms without a word, just holding them both in silent support, exactly the way Billy wants. 

Exactly the way Billy needs. 

And when he asks, “Do you want to go? To visit your dad and Susan?” and Billy says, “No, absolutely not,” he doesn’t call Billy out on his lie, even though they can both hear the uncertainty in his wobbly voice. 

Billy falls asleep eventually, still wrapped up in Steve, surrounded by warmth and comfort, with his son cradled in his arms, safe and secure.

It’s just turning dark when he wakes back up, alone in the bed. Steve isn’t far, though, standing by the dresser made makeshift changing table on the other side of the room, redressing a happily babbling Matty after changing him. Matty shrieks with glee when Steve blows a raspberry on his chubby cheek, and Steve is laughing, talking back in that stupid baby speak that drives Billy up the wall, and Billy—

“Stevie,” Billy rasps, and he can feel the dumb, besotten smile spread over his face when Steve turns to look at him, “I love you.” 

[rpf-bat]

Underground, Getting Down

Pairing: Gerard Way x Reader

Genre: Fluff

Summary: Written for Gothtober 2020, Day 14. Prompt: “Symphony”. 

You’re a flutist, playing in the New York subway for tips. Gerard watches one of your performances, and decides that his next single, needs a mad flute solo. 

Beneath the streets of New York, the subway station bustled, filled with people. Some moved up the stairs, towards the streets, and others down the steps, towards the trains. Everyone in the crowd was rushing on to their next destination. At the base of the staircase, you stood, playing your flute. 

Your flute case sat propped open on the tiles in front of you. A few bills already lined the inside. A young woman dropped another fiver in, as you played Bach’s ‘Flute Sonata in A Minor’. 

You lifted your face from the instrument for a moment, to call out, “Thank you!” 

The woman had already turned away from you, rushing down the corridor to catch the E train. You shrugged, returning your lips to the flute’s embouchure hole. Even the best buskers, rarely made someone stop in their tracks. The song ended. 

I think I’ll mix it up, you decided, do something more pop for the next song. 

You picked the Bach sheet music up off your stand, placing it back in your bag. Then, you pulled out the sheet music for Jethro Tull’s ‘No Lullaby’.  This one was usually more impressive-sounding, when you had your friend, who played guitar, with you to do the intro. But, he was busy today, at his day job at Starbucks. You would just have to launch right into your solo. 

Your fingers danced over the keys, as the music echoed off the walls of the tunnel. You found your mind wandering, as you played. 

I really thought, when I graduated, that I was gonna play for the New York Philharmonic, you recalled wistfully. But, the auditions for first chair ended up being competitive as hell. Instead of playing high society symphonies, I just play out here, for the commuters and hobos. 

It wasn’t what you had dreamed of - but it was a living. 

As you continued your song, you felt a pair of eyes watching you. You glanced up from your songbook, and realized that a man was sitting, eerily still, on the steps. Hurried people were practically tripping over him, but he didn’t move, to get out of their way.  He stayed exactly where he was. He didn’t look homeless, you considered. His face was hidden by thick aviator sunglasses, but his clothes suggested wealth. He was staring at you, with rapt attention, as if your flute, was the only sound in the world. 

You found yourself blushing under his steady gaze, as the song concluded. You lowered your flute-holding arm to your side, and looked at the stranger again, curiously. 

“Bravo!” he cried, clapping, and jumping up. “You were amazing!” 

He walked over, and dropped a handful of bills, into your case. 

Wait, what? All of those are hundreds!, you realized, eyes widening. Who the hell is this guy?

He pulled the sunglasses off his face, shaking his long, dark hair out of his eyes as he did so. Your jaw dropped, when you realized you recognized him. 

“Hi,” he said casually, “my name’s Gerard Way.” 

“I….I know who you are,” you stammered, scarcely believing this was real. Your inner emo kid was screaming. “What are you doing in New York?” 

“Visiting family,” Gerard shrugged. “Well, technically, they live on the Jersey side of the river. But, I always have to stop by Forbidden Planet, when I’m in town.” 

“Oh, you mean the comic shop, on Broadway?” you nodded. “Yeah, they’re pretty cool. I….I’m Y/N, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you, Y/N,” Gerard grinned. “I really enjoyed that song, that you just did.” 

“I….uh, really enjoy your music, too,” you said awkwardly. You didn’t want to sound like a fangirl.

“I’m actually working on some new music right now,” Gerard revealed. 

“What?” you blinked. “Really? Wasn’t your last album in like…..2014?” 

“Yeah, Hesitant Alien was four years ago, already!” Gerard chuckled. “I think I’m definitely overdue for something new!” 

“Oh, wow,” your heart hammered excitedly. “I can’t wait to hear the new record, when it comes out!”

“I don’t know if I’m gonna do a whole second album,” Gerard confessed. “I think I’m just gonna put a couple singles out, and see how it goes.”

“I….I see,” you mumbled. This was crazy. Why was he telling all this, to a random busker, that he just met? 

“I wanted to thank you,  Y/N,” Gerard went on. “There’s this song I’ve been working on, for a couple months now. it’s just not sounding right to me, quite yet. You helped me realize what it’s missing.”

“And, what is that?” you wondered, still feeling bewildered. 

“A flute solo,” Gerard grinned. 

“Huh?” you gasped. “Who uses flute music, in a rock n roll song? I mean, besides Jethro Tull?” 

“I love Jethro Tull,” Gerard laughed. “But, for real, it’s not that weird. Billy Corgan had some flutes on ‘Drum + Fife’, on the album Monuments To An Elegy.”

“Oh, true,” you remembered. “Didn’t that drop in 2014, too?” 

“Yeah, I actually got to open for him, on that tour!” Gerard said excitedly. “That was when I decided that I wanted to bring a flute into one of my own songs, someday.” 

“Wow,” you realized, “You’re serious about this.” 

“I am,” Gerard said, looking you in the eyes. “But….can we talk about this somewhere else? I’m worried if I stay in one place much longer, somebody is gonna spot me, and start asking for pictures.” 

“Oh, uh, sure!” you nodded. 

“I think if we go up to the street level, there’s a coffee shop, like, right outside,” Gerard suggested. 

“You’re…..asking me to get a cup of coffee with you?” you grasped. Was this a date?

“Yeah,” Gerard said, turning red, as he awkwardly combed his fingers through his hair. “Is, uh, is that okay with you?”

“......Absolutely,” you smiled. “Just let me put my flute away!”

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Gerard had insisted on carrying your flute case for you, despite the short walk. He was such a gentleman. You did not, however, allow him to buy your cup of coffee for you. He’d already given you that absurd tip, when he first strolled over to your busking spot. 

You stared at him across the table, as he sipped his latte. This still felt entirely unreal. 

“So, the song I’m working on,” Gerard explained, “It’s called ‘Getting Down The Germs.’”

“...Germs?” you repeated, confused. 

“The lyrics are still a work in progress,” Gerard admitted. He dug into the pocket of his green coat, and pulled out a small, tattered-looking notebook. He opened it to a page near the back, and pushed it towards you. “This is what I have so far.”

You took the book gingerly, feeling as if you’d been handed a holy text. The words on the page, were written in a surprisingly untidy scrawl:

It's never the same and the nights always glow

There's nothing to see and nowhere to go

It's easy to say you're happier when you're disturbed

The green lights in your head

Getting down the germs

I'm lazy and tame and the chimes always blow

A glimmering sound on the breeze when you go

It's never a shame and I've learned to live with the worms

Underground

Getting down the germs

“That sounds really good so far,” you complimented. “I’m guessing that’s supposed to be the chorus?” 

“Yeah,” Gerard nodded. “I usually write the choruses first. The verses, I’m still figuring out.” 

“Makes sense,” you replied, as you sipped your drink. “What about the melody?” 

“Oh, the melody’s pretty much completely done,” Gerard clarified. “But….I don’t know. There’s this bridge that comes before the second verse. I originally planned for that to be a guitar solo, but it just doesn’t sound right.”

“You think the solo would sound better, played on a flute?” you surmised. 

“Yeah, exactly!” Gerard said enthusiastically. You wondered if the caffeine was getting to him. 

“....Do you even know how to play the flute?” you asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“No,” Gerard shook his head. “But, you do.”

“....What are you saying?” you blinked. 

“That’s why I asked you to come up here with me,” Gerard explained. “Y/N…..would you be willing to go into the studio with me, and record a flute solo, for the track?” 

You choked on your drink. 

“Wh….What?” you wheezed, coughing from the coffee that had gone down the wrong way. “A-Are you serious?” 

“....Can you breathe?” Gerard asked, putting a concerned hand on your shoulder. 

“Yeah, I can breathe,” you managed, trying not to hyperventilate even more.  

“Good,” Gerard smiled, “because I am serious, Y/N. Your flute playing really impressed me. I won’t drag you all the way out to LA, of course. But, if I find a studio space, here in New York, will you work with me?”

“Yes!” you cried. “Oh my god, yes!” 

This wasn’t what you had dreamed of - it was more. 

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

A few days later, you found yourself in a recording studio, in Lower Manhattan. You’d never seen so much professional equipment like this before. You’d always just performed for live audiences.

Can I really do this?, you asked yourself, hit with a wave of uncertainty. 

“Y/N, thank you so much for coming out here, and joining us today,” Gerard greeted you. His smile, somehow instantly put you at ease. 

“This is Doug McKean,” he introduced, indicating a man in the corner. “He’s my producer.” 

“Nice to meet you, Doug,” you said politely, shaking hands. 

“And this is Ian Fowles,” Gerard said, indicating a second guy, with longer hair. “He was my touring guitarist, when I went on the road with Hesitant Alien.” 

“Oh, I remember seeing him, when you guys played Irving Plaza,” you recalled. 

“You were at that little gig we did, in Union Square?” Ian smiled. 

“Yeah, of course I bought a ticket!” you smiled back. “You guys were amazing!” 

“Aw, you really think so?” Gerard reddened, looking flattered. 

“I really do,” you replied. My Chemical Romance had been your favorite band, since your teens. When they had broken up, five years ago, you had been heartbroken. But, you’d found Gerard’s solo work, to be equally amazing - just in a different way. 

“Well, thank you, Y/N,” Ian said quietly. “Has Gerard explained to you, what we’re going to be doing today?” 

“Yeah, he said he wants me to do a flute solo for you guys,” you said, almost not believing your own words. 

“Let’s start from the beginning of the song,” Doug directed. “Ian, can you take us from the top, please? I know we got a great take of your part yesterday, but I feel like we can still do better.” 

“Definitely,” Ian agreed. He shrugged his guitar strap over his head, and stepped into the recording booth. You listened intently, as he played the opening notes. The tune was definitely different from anything MCR had done. But, it didn’t sound quite like Hesitant Alien, either. You were intrigued by the new musical direction that Gerard seemed to be heading in. 

“Alright, cut,” Doug called, pressing a button, to stop recording. “Ian, that was good. Gerard, it’s your turn to get in there. I want to hear that verse you were working on the other day.”

“Alright,” Gerard nodded. You watched him put his headphones over his ears, and timidly approach the microphone. A blush crept into his cheeks. Did it make him nervous, to have you, as an audience? 

“The answer’s always no,” Gerard sang, “to questions of a private nature…...the lights are always low, in settings of a conversation…..” 

He seemed to grow more confident, as the song continued. By the time he got to the chorus, he was belting it out. He sounded incredible. 

“....How was that?” he asked finally. 

“Amazing,” you breathed. 

Gerard’s cheeks reddened at your compliment. He stayed quiet, as he watched Doug take the vocal track, and mix it with Ian’s guitar playing. He played back the clip, of the two spliced together. The parts formed an even more impressive whole. 

“Alright, Y/N, it’s your turn,” Doug commanded. “Show us what you can do.” 

You gulped. You weren’t sure that you could do anything, that was on the same level, as what you just heard. 

“You can do it,” Gerard encouraged. “You played an amazing solo, in front of a whole station worth of people yesterday. Playing for three dudes like us, should be nothing.” 

That’s different, you thought to yourself. I don’t have a huge crush on everyone in the station.

“Here’s the sheet music,” Ian said, handing you a piece of paper. “I really like what Gerard’s composed here. But, I think he’s right. It’s going to sound better on your instrument, than mine.”

You took the sheet, and grabbed the flute case, out of your backpack. Taking a deep breath, you walked into the booth. Your fingers trembled on the middle joint of the flute. You glanced up at Gerard, who was sitting on the other side, of the pane of glass. 

He gave you a friendly smile, and a dorky-looking thumbs-up. You chuckled, your nerves dissipating. 

Alright, you told yourself. I got this. You brought your lips to the head joint, and began to play. 

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

“I don’t know,” you said, as you stepped back out of the booth. “Do you think that was okay?”

“That was incredible,” Gerard gushed, pulling you into an impulsive hug. His arms were so soft and warm. 

“Like, wow, what are you?” Ian gaped. “The secret lovechild of Ian Anderson, or something?” 

“Ha, I wish,” you laughed. “I’m just your average band kid.” 

“I wouldn’t call that average,” Gerard insisted, staring into your eyes, as he still held you close. “I was right….the flute just fits perfectly in with the song. And you’re the perfect person to play it.”

“Y/N, I can show you what the guitar and the flute will sound like together,” Doug offered, “If you could, uh, let go of her for a moment, Gee.”

“O-oh, right,” Gerard stammered, releasing you quickly. You blushed, and turned away. 

Doug began to play the edited-together track for you. You couldn’t believe it - your flute, Ian’s guitar, and Gerard’s vocals, blended together, into something incredibly beautiful. 

“I wasn’t sure if the flute was going to go well, with your style of music,” you confessed. “My background is the symphony orchestra. Most of the time, you only really see the flute, used in classical music, like that. I wasn’t sure if you could make it sound rock n’ roll. But...it works! Somehow.” 

“It does,” Gerard agreed. “Y/N…..I’m so, so glad that I met you.”

His eyes sparkled as he looked at you. It made your heart pound, for reasons you couldn’t articulate. 

“Y/N,” Doug said, bringing you back to reality, “that first take was great, but I’d like you to try it again for me, please.”

“Of course,” you acquiesced. “I’ll give it as many takes as it needs.” 

“I feel like we could all use some coffee first, though,” Ian decided. “Doug? You want to run down the street with  me, to get it?”

“Yeah, I guess it’s our turn, since Gerard ran and got the last round,” Doug agreed. “Y/N - what can we get you?”

“Oh, just a vanilla latte, I guess,” you decided. 

“Coming right up,” Ian smiled. “We’ll be right back.” 

The guitarist and producer got up and left. Your pulse quickened again, as you realized, that you were now alone in the room with Gerard. It felt different, than it had at the station, or the coffeeshop. Both of those times, there were plenty of other people around. But now…..?

“It’s just you and me,” Gerard said softly. He was still staring at you. 

“Y-Yeah,” you said nervously. “I guess we got quite a day ahead of us, huh?”

“Yup,” Gerard said awkwardly. “Doug’s not gonna let you leave, until you get your part just right.” 

“.....Gerard,” you asked, “why did you pick me for this job? You could have gotten anyone to play flute for you. I’m nobody.” 

“I told you, your performance got my attention,” Gerard reminded you. “I was just passing through the station, minding my own business. But, when I heard the sound of your flute…..I stopped still. I was like, oh my god, this is the sound that I’ve been looking for.” 

“Was it really that great?” you asked, feeling unsure of yourself. 

“Yes!” Gerard insisted. “Y/N, I swear to god, it was like I was hypnotized. By that incredible sound….and by the beauty, of the person making it……” 

“Beauty?” you repeated, your face going hot. Did he mean…..?

“I won’t lie to you,” Gerard said softly. “The moment I laid eyes on you, in that subway tunnel, I was so attracted to you.” 

“You think I’m attractive?” you realized, eyes going wide. 

“Yes,” Gerard whispered, looking you up and down, with evident desire. “I’m sorry…..you probably think I’m just a creepy, older dude….” 

“You’re not creepy!” you shook your head. “Gerard, I’ve always thought that you were extremely good-looking.” 

“You’re…..attracted to me, too?” Gerard put two and two together. 

You weren’t sure which of you took a step towards the other first, but, before you knew it, you were in his arms. He kissed you gently, but your body quickly responded to him, and the kiss rapidly turned more passionate.

He pressed you against the studio wall, his hands trailing down your body, as the kiss continued. 

“.....G-Gerard,” you gasped. “The others could walk back in, at any minute.” 

“If they interrupt us,” Gerard said, his voice husky, “we could always continue this, at my hotel, after the recording session is over.” 

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah,” Gerard panted, as your lips found his neck. “Oh, fuck, yeah…..I got a room at a five star hotel in Times Square, that I would love to show you.”

“When do you have to go back to LA?” you asked, gasping for breath, as he kissed you again. 

“I’m supposed to go home on Saturday,” Gerard confessed. “But, if you keep kissing me like that….I might just miss the flight.” 

[got-to-love-a-badboy]

The Interview

Pairing - Dacre Montgomery x Reader

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

You are part of the cast of stranger things season 3, your character is Anna Harrington, twin sister of Steve Harrington/Billy's love interest.

You, Joe Keery and Dacre Montgomery we're being interviewed just after season 3 aired.

The three of you were sitting on chairs in a room waiting for the interviewer to come in, you were making so much noise because you were messing around and being silly, Joe was doing impressions of Dacre.

Joe - I'm Dacre ... Montgomery I'm from Australia.

Y/N - Oh god that is so much like you.

you burst out laughing

Dacre - It sounds nothing like me!

He laughed

Dacre - I'm glad you find it funny though, ok let's do y/n, Dacre! Dacre can you grab me a Fanta, I couldn't possibly move!

He said in a high pitched voice.

Joe - You do have him running errands for you y/n, good impression man

Joe laughed as he patted Dacre on the back

The interviewer walked in as Joe and Dacre were laughing.

Interviewer - Hey guys nice to meet you, I see you are enjoying your time here.

He said motioning towards the three of you laughing

Dacre - Yeah man it's good.

Y/N - Be even better if I was alone, I'm been victimised ... again, picking on a small defenceless woman, the pair of you should be ashamed!

You covered your face and pretended to cry

Joe - God you are so dramatic!"

Joe laughed over at you, earning a middle finger from you

Dacre - Oh poor baby

Dacre pulled you over to him and placed a kiss on the top of your head as Joe and the interviewer raised their eyebrows at each other. After a moment you sat back up and smiled at Dacre, but gave Joe an evil stare.

Y/N - See, Dacre knows how to be nice! Thank you Dacre.

Dacre - Anytime

he winked at you.

Interviewer - Ok!, let's get this interview under way. I have some questions here sent it by fans, So Dacre, what can you tell me about Billy in this series I've heard he has a huge character change.

Dacre - yeah, he becomes victim to the mindflayer, it takes control of him and makes him do horrible things, he isn't the nicest person to start with so I don't feel he is much different in that sense but he is definitely not himself.

Interviewer - wow another victim in Hawkins, I bet that has a huge effect on the relationships in his life, with his father and Max and then with yourself Y/N, and your character Anna.

Dacre nodded his head towards you to take this one.

Y/N - yeah I mean Anna and Billy have an up and down relationship anyway because of how Billy is, but this will definitely be the test for them, I feel Anna is a kind and caring person, so she will naturally be there for Billy no matter what, but with his own demons and then the Mindflayer taking over him, we will have to see if he lets her in.

Dacre smiled at you, fascinated by how you answered the question.

Dacre - yeah I agree with what Y/N was saying he is a tough guy and can't deal with most things so, he probably won't let anyone in, especially his dad and Max but Anna may have more chance.

Interviewer - Joe your character, Steve, hated Billy dating his sister last season does that change this season?.

Joe - um maybe, but Steve hates Billy and Billy hates Steve, I think that is something that will never change, but how is with his sister is a different story.

Interviewer - it must be hard changing from hating someone on set to how you are now, because you guys seem so close, I mean, I heard you before I came in here, the room was filled with laughter.

Joe - we have amazing relationships with the whole cast but it's very rare you see one of us three alone.

All three of you laughed.

Y/N - yeah we are like one big family, I couldn't imagine been with out these guys, they are total nerds but they're my nerds.

Dacre - you know you love us Y/N!

Joe looks at you and raised his eyebrows, you narrowed yours at him as though to say 'do not do it!' But he did!

Joe - yeah some more than others.

You rolled your eyes at him and Dacre just looked straight forward at the interviewer.

Interviewer - what is life like off set for you guys?

Dacre - it's nice because we spend so much time at each others places, like Joe said you rarely see one of us alone, it's usually me and Y/N because everyone else has some family visiting, but with us been from Australia and the UK ours can't be here.

Y/N - yeah like lastnight Joes sister came over so you went out with her didn't you Joe.

He nodded in response

Y/N - so me and Dacre had a movie night at his place, it was nice.

Interviewer ok I'm going to ask this guys so please don't be offended, they are from fans, Dacre and Y/N, fans have seen you spending so much time together but as you say neither of you have family around often, is that the only reason?.

Neither of you answered straight away, you looked at Dacre with big eyes, he decided to speak up assuming you didn't want to.

Dacre - I mean we are like best friends would people find it weird you spending time with your best friend? I think it's because Y/N is the opposite sex, but that doesn't have to mean you are sleeping together.

He looked over at you wanting approval he said the right thing, you smiled at him and nodded.

You had always loved Dacre, the minute he walked on set you couldn't believe how handsome he was and when you got to know him and how kind he was you fell in love with him, you never told him because you didn't want to ruin the amazing friendship you two had, plus you always thought he could do better than you.

When the interviewer was about to ask another question when your assistant waved to Dacre informing him he had a call.

Dacre - sorry I have to take this

He got up from his seat touching your leg on the way past.

Joe looked at you waiting for you to speak.

Y/N - what?

Joe - lets address the elephant in the room shall we? because I'm going to explode.

Y/N - I don't know what you mean

Joe - in the words of Nancy Wheeler, thats bullshit Y/N, when are you and Dacre going to just admit your feelings?

Y/N - JOE!

Joe -oh come on Y/N, Dacre has told me how he feels about you but because you haven't said anything he doesn't want to make the move and ruin your friendship, all you need to do is say how you feel!

Y/N - damn it Joe! Yes I love him ok! But I don't know how to tell him.

Joe - just say what is in your head, don't even think about it, here practice on me, tell me what you like about Dacre.

You covered your face and laughed.

Y/N - god this is embarrassing but ok here goes.

Out of the corner of his eye Joe saw Dacre walking back into the room, luckily so did your assistant, she put her arm out stopping Dacre from entering and pointed over to the 3 of you then put her finger on her lip, telling Dacre to be quiet.

Y/N - I would love to tell Dacre that I love how caring he is, how he will do anything for me without even been asked, I love that I don't need to tell him I have had a bad day, he just knows, and then shows up at my place with my favourite snacks and a movie for us to watch.

My favourite time with him was last summer when he invited me to Australia and I spent a whole 5 weeks with him and his family, he planned everything, he took me places he though I would like, not him, he does all of this without asking for anything in return.

And then there is him as a person, god his ambition and determination is mind blowing, Dacre the most talented person I have ever met, I didn't know this until after, but last month he missed an audition because he was helping me prepare for my own!, who does that!....Joe, I'm so in love with him it scares me.

Before he could answer you Dacre walked back on set and sat right next to you, you turned to face him and he just smiled at you.

Y/N - you didn't!

Dacre - I did, Y/N you want to know why I do all that?

You simply nodded at him.

Dacre - because I'm in love with you Y/N, the minute I saw you I knew you were going to be a huge part of my life and you are. You are the first thing I think about on a morning and the last thing on a night, the amount of messages I get from my family daily asking if I have asked you on a date yet is a joke, so Y/N can I take you on a date tonight?

Y/N - 100% yes

Dacre smiled the biggest smile you have ever seen on his face, his hand found your face and he caressed your cheek, you leaned closer to him and whispered

Y/N - kiss me idiot

Dacre - yes ma'am

Before you knew it his lips were on yours, the kiss soon became much more romantic than it started.

The whole room erupted into clapping and cheering, when Dacre pulled away you stared into each others eyes before been interrupted by the interviewer.

Interviewer - possibly the best interview of all time!

Joe - oh my god I need to message Nat!

Joe pulled out his phone and you all started laughing, you smiled as Dacre grabbed your hand.

——————————————

[thephantomofthe-internet]

Piercings and Polaroids

Billy Hargrove x Reader

Word Count: 4,984

Warnings: Piercings, blood, needles, swearing, sexuality (eluded to)

Tag List: @moonstruckhargrove @thechickvic @carolimedanvers @hotstuffhargrove @alex--awesome--22 @lilmissperfectlyimperfect @so-not-hotmess @agentsinstorybrooke @sunflowercandie @kaliforniacoastalteens @songforhema @mickmoon @buckybarneshairpullingkink @marvelismylifffe @spidey-pal

Starcourt got boring after awhile. Once the lustre of new stores and fast food restaurants died off, people stopped shopping and starting soaking up the A/C like snakes under heat lamps. You didn’t mind, it just meant that you could spend your afternoons flipping through magazines and listening to the ad-free mall radio.

“Hey bitch!” someone slapped the counter loudly and you looked up boredly from your copy of Cosmo. Heather was standing in front of you with a devilish grin, her hair damp from the pool and her signature red Ray-Bands jammed on the top of her thick brown curls, most of which were piled high on the top of her head in a messy attempt at a ponytail, half tied and falling apart.

“Hi Heather...” you signed, laying the magazine open on the counter. Heather was your best friend, although it had begun to feel more and more strained as you both got older. Heather and you were very different people. You were a band geek, a tutor, and a slave to the mall. Heather was a cheerleader, the head of the yearbook committee, and one of the infamous ‘lifeguard hotties’ of the Hawkins Community Pool. She was a popular princess; a daddy’s girl with his platinum card wrapped around her little finger. You were from a broken home with an exhausting home life, and someone who should’ve been an ignored loser. Without Heather defending you, you would be bullied to bits by girls like Carol and Tina. But with her, you felt like a sheep in wolf’s clothing.

She leaned her elbows on the counter, smiling giddily “So, how’s your summer of piercing baby ears going?” she asked with a devious giggle, her sunglasses falling onto her nose and her mouth curling into a devilish grin.

You rolled your eyes “I’ve only seen one baby get pierced, I mostly pierce like middle schoolers. Today, I gave Mrs. Blythe her second hole. She bought three packs of neon studs and said they were for her daughter. Trying to look younger or some shit.” You replied, popping a strip of bright pink bubblegum into your sticky pink mouth, your cheap drugstore lipstick gunking in the corners of your lips. It was obvious that Heather had stopped listening after the first sentence, her mouth open in a yawn.

“Boring! You haven’t done anything cool all day? You know what me and Jeff did?” she asked, bouncing on her heels. She leaned over the counter, cupping a hand over her mouth as she leant in to your ear “We did it in the locker room showers. And Jessica Abrams totally walked in on us and freaked out! She totally got all red and teary it was totally embarrassing!” she whispered.

You pulled away, your face turned up in disgust. “That’s disgusting!” you gagged, squeezing your eyes shut as the image of Jeff’s douchey smirk came into view, turning into an ‘O’ face that made you want to hurl.

Heather cackled “He wasn’t even that good! I have no idea why Jessica’s been going on about it!” she cried, slapping the counter with her bare hand.

“Maybe because they were like two seconds away from being a couple and you got in the way.” You replied, deadpan. Sometimes Heather was a real bitch. This was one of those times. Poor Jessica had been following around that jerk since April and just when she’s about to get over him, he decides to pay her the time of day. And just when he seemed to genuinely like, Heather had to get bored and took Jeff away. Poor Jessica didn’t even know what hit her.

Heather scoffed, rolling her eyes at your comment. “That’s not the most interesting part of my shift though! I brought you a live one!” she giggled. You felt your blood run cold. Heather had no concept of what was appropriate ever. She had almost gotten you fired twice. This was not a good thing.

Heather waved someone over as you stared on wide eyed. Before you could even tell Heather to stop whatever she was trying to do, Billy Hargrove was standing in front of you, visibly put off by the children running around the shop and the bright, colourful decor. His eyes scanned yours boredly, his eyes narrowing judgementally.

“Alright, it’s piercing time!” Heather cried, clapping excitedly.

You sighed, rolling your eyes “Alright, the piercing package costs thirty bucks. You pick your piercing from the case.” You pointed down into the glass case below you, lit up and filled with silver butterflies, flowers, stars, and other girly designs. “You just want the other ear, right?”

Billy’s eyes scanned the case, his eyes narrowing further, his upper lip curling up in disgust. “Nah, my nose.” He replied, his voice monotone.

“Yeah, you can’t do that here.” You said, matching his tone. Billy looked quickly, his eyes blowing out in annoyance, looking between you and Heather.

Heather’s expression shifted and she laughed awkwardly “Of course you can!” she leaned over to you once Billy’s was sated enough to return to the difficult choice between the only ball studs in the case, one silver and one gold. “Don’t be fucking lame, Y/N…” she whispered harshly.

“I’m not being lame, it’s literally not something I can do.” You pulled the heavy, clunky piercing gun out from its drawer “This thing is literally only meant for ear lobes. It’s all I can pierce. Anything else I try will get super fucked up.” You explained, flashing the grey and white gun to the pair. It looked like a glorified hot glue gun, except splattered with a bit of dried blood.

Billy turned his attention to Heather, obviously annoyed “You said she could do it. I bought a nose ring in Carmel cause she could do it.” He grunted, obviously annoyed.

Heather looked over at you with her giant, pleading eyes, and for a brief moment you felt bad. Heather was just trying to look cool to this cooler, more popular guy and it had fallen flat so fast. You owed her something, for all the things she’d done for you over the years. With the barest of restrained sigh, you spoke up “Look, I can’t pierce your nose here, but I can do it at my place.” You said.

Billy scowled “Yeah? You got any proof?” he asked. He was getting more annoyed by the second; his expression growing harder and angrier if that was even possible.

You raised an eyebrow, tapping the small silver ring in your left nostril “Did this myself. Did all my piercings myself. How do think I got this job?” you countered. In truth, you’d done a mail in course and passed a piercing test on a rubber practise head. You were licensed in a week by Claire’s. You couldn’t even transfer the license to any other brand; they made it very clear in the paperwork you filled out.

Billy nodded, looking over your work. You guessed that it was satisfactory enough to him because a small smirk pulled at his lips. “What time you finished up here?” he asked. Heather cheered loudly, grabbing Billy’s bicep excitedly.

“I got like fifteen minutes left. Heather knows my address if you just wanna leave with her. I’ll meet you there.” You replied, looking over to your manager, who nodded for you to start your closing out.

“No way! You took the bus here, we’ll wait.” Heather said quickly “We’ll meet you in the food court.” She pulled Billy out of the shop with a wide grin, waving to you and mouthing ‘so hot!’ when he wasn’t looking. You chuckled, shaking your head. Heather thought every guy was hot, it didn’t mean much. But you wouldn’t deny that Billy was hot. Even with his cocky attitude and that ugly tattoo on his bicep that he insisted on showing off. You swore he’d cut all the sleeves off his tee shirts just to show off that stupid skull smoking a cigarette. Who the hell wanted that on their body forever?!? You weren’t too attracted to that level of ego, but Billy held a bit of interest around himself. There was some mystery, an aura of intrigue he seemed to hold around himself effortlessly, and that kept you interested enough to pay attention when you heard his name. He was just closed off enough to keep everyone guessing about him.

You took your time with your duties, making sure to snatch up the small silver ‘H’ earrings Heather had been eyeing for weeks now. They were in the case, so you were only supposed to be able to get them if you were getting a piercing in house. You’d convinced your boss to sell them to you, since you were an employee and wouldn’t tell anyone about it, and she agreed. You had intended to give them to Heather on her birthday, but there was no time like the present.

You half hoped that Heather and Billy would forget about you. You had this sickening feeling that it would be a tiresome ride. But to your chagrin they were waiting for you in the food court. Heather had gotten herself an Orange Julius and seemed to have put all her attention into the straw in her mouth, you assumed she was trying to put on a bit of a show for Billy, but he wasn’t paying much attention to her. You joined the group and endured quite possibly the longest and worst car ride of your life. Heather took over the front seat; it seemed that Billy had driven her to the mall, seeing as how her stinky work stuff was shoved in the back seat with Billy’s and, unfortunately, you. The entire back seat stunk like chlorine and mould, you guessed that one of them had forgotten a towel or swimsuit in their bag or under the seat for long enough to let it stink up the car. But that wasn’t the worst part, Billy didn’t seem to have A/C so all the windows were popped open and fresh air was blasting in your face and killing the smell, the worst part was that Heather seemed to think that this car ride was the perfect time to shamelessly flirt with Billy. She tried to pull her feet on the seat, but Billy didn’t want shoes on the leather, so she took off her flip flops but that was worse apparently. So she spent the whole time cooing about how hot he was and touching his arms and neck and hair. Touching his hair almost got her hand bit off. You wanted desperately for her to stop, you tried to tell her to cool it, but she told you to shut up. You didn’t bother after that.

But Billy seemed to notice that. He kept looking at you through the rear view, at first you thought he was just checking behind himself as he drove, but he was doing it too often for it to make sense. Then you finally let him catch your eye and he smiled. Well, it was more of a lopsided smirk, but you took it as a compliment. He hadn’t even attempted to smile the whole time he was around you, but now, with Motley Crüe blasting through the speakers and the wind whipping up everyone’s hair, he was apparently happy to have you around. You took it as a sign of gratitude for at least trying to get Heather to calm her hormones and just smiled back.

You directed Billy to your place, well at least you attempted to. Heather took over easily, drowning you out. “Y/N’s place is right over there-oh! Is your mom home? She’s gonna get pissed if you have a boy in your room; remember what happened when she caught Carl Simpson in your room? God, I can’t believe you lived through that!” she cackled loudly, her intent most definitely to make you blush. You simply rolled your eyes.

“Yeah, no she’s working late. She’s always working late.” You said, trying to hide the annoyed bite to your voice, masking it with a laugh. Heather just continued to cackle loudly, which hid your defeated sigh. Billy parked on the street without you having to ask and he climbed out angrily. You rushed to get ahead of the group, keys jingling in your hand, and unlocked the door.

“If you don’t mind, can you take your shoes off?” you asked as a wave of A/C smacked you in the face. You kicked off your sneakers as Heather and Billy stared at you, dumbfounded.

“Ugh, come on Y/N! That’s weird!” Heather moaned, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Heather. You know if I get shoe prints all over the tile, my mom will get pissed. You never have a problem with it when we’re hanging out, so don’t be a weirdo now.” You replied. Billy simply kicked off his own shoes, leaving Heather to groan loudly but to follow suit. Then and only then did you let them trek through your house and into your bedroom. You lived in a bungalow, so your room was at the back of the house, facing your backyard.

“Alright, you want your nose, yeah?” you asked, popping open your front door and heading to your bookshelf. You dug through your worn paperbacks until your fingers hit the firm spine of Catch 22. You pulled it off the shelf, popping open the cover and revealing the carved out middle. Your mother was the type to rifle through your stuff to try to catch you doing something wrong. You made the hiding spot solely to keep things that she’d take away. Inside, you had some spare cash, for emergencies, your hollow needle, and the silver barbells you’d bought to use when you pierced your nipples, which you’d been meaning to get around to. You’d promised your mother that you’d stop piercing people. She’d found the bloody needle and freaked out. Usually, it wasn’t that much of a blood bath, but you’d pierced Samantha Burke’s upper cartilage that day and underestimated both how much it would hurt her and how much of a mess it would make. You swore up and down that you’d stop, but your wannabe cool classmates paid big bucks for you to pierce their ears. There’d been an insane influx of boys wanting their ears pierced after seeing how popular Billy was. You didn’t correct them when they wanted the left ear, especially if they were dicks, and you took the cash happily. What your mother didn’t know didn’t hurt her.

“Yeah.” Billy said stiffly. He stood in the middle of your room, unsure what to do with yourself. You only lived a street down from him, too close to his father for comfort. His father already didn’t like the earring, doing his nose could get him in even deeper shit. He was willing to risk it though, purely to look cool.

“Which nostril, left or right?” you asked, bending down to reach into the lowest drawer of your desk, pulling out a lighter and, flicking open the flame, running it over the needle to sanitize it.

Billy chucked “Neither, I want the bull ring.” He said proudly, puffing out his chest. You looked up from the flame, looking him over for any signs of bluff. He looked too serious about this.

You nodded “Alright, I’ve never done a septum ring, but I’ve done the cartilage before, shouldn’t be any different.” You replied with a shrug “You got a big enough nose ring on you? Or am I cleaning and selling you one of mine?”

Billy reached into the pocket of his jeans, pulling out a silver ring. It looked like it was actually made for a nose, which was a good sign. You’d pierced enough idiots to know that people think that any old earring would work in their nose or eyebrow or lip.

Heather was completely agog “No way, Bill! You can’t do your nose like that! I hate that!” she cried. Both you and Billy looked over at him, bouncing on your twin bed angrily. You raised an eyebrow at Billy, who seemed to understand the look immediately: ‘are you two dating?’ He shook his head.

You closed your eyes, trying not to strangle your friend. She always seemed to think that the world and people’s choices revolved around her. Instead of freaking out, you simply nodded “Heather, you want your second hole today? We can do it really fast before Billy’s nose.” You said.

“Oh duh! But I didn’t bring my earrings and I’m not paying for a set of yours, so unless you’re coughing up a pair for free, I’ll wait.” She replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

You flicked the lighter closed, placing the needle on your desk and pushing yourself onto your feet, reaching into your purse. You pulled out the earrings, tossing them to your friend. “Here, happy birthday.” You smirked. Heather caught them and squealed loudly, clutching them to her chest and kicking out her legs.

“Thank you!” she cried, reaching out to grab your neck and hug you tight. You chuckled, patting her back awkwardly.

“Okay! We’ll do yours first, go grab like a full tray of ice from downstairs, okay? And a roll of paper towel.” You instructed. Heather jumped to her feet, rushing downstairs as fast as she could. You resumed what you were doing, grabbing your lighter to disinfect the needle one more time.

“You wanna see what those things look like when they get ripped out?” you asked, turning your attention to Billy, who had taken to looking through your shelves boredly.

“What things?” he asked, his tone annoyed and deeply tired.

“The bull rings.” You replied. Billy hummed and you took that as the go ahead to grab the picture from your copy of Catch 22, pulling the Polaroid from underneath the cash. You handed it to Billy wordlessly.

The image was gruesome. It was of a guy, a few years older than Billy and you, with a bright red mohawk and dressed in a suit. He stood next to who Billy could only assume was the dude’s bride in an ugly reception hall. But that wasn’t the gruesome part; the part that made Billy’s stomach turn was the guy’s nose. It was mangled beyond belief, shrunken and crumpled. The guy only had one full nostril, the left one turned into a short of half open hole, a bunch of cartilage gone and gaping. It was quite honestly gross.

Billy cringed as he examined the guy. You took the moment to explain. “That’s cousin and her husband, Ben. Total punk rockers. Like three months before the wedding, I went with them to a Pixies concert and we all went to the mosh pit together. I guess I looked at this girl’s boyfriend or maybe I looked at her wrong because she tried to pick a fight with me. Ben stepped in, and before he could even say anything to her, she reached up and yanked out his nose ring. It tore the cartilage and he had to have his whole nose reconstructed. He couldn’t afford to have the nostril reconstructive surgery on top of the general nose reconstruction to save his one solid nostril and the bridge from collapsing.” You said.

Billy looked up, trying to bring his expression back to a neutral one “Why are you telling me this?” he asked, handing you back the picture.

You sighed “Look, everyone in the town knows that you get into fights. Having a big ole ring in the middle of your nose is just a really good place to grab for someone who wants an easy win on a fight.”

Billy scoffed “Only girls grab at shit to make a fight easier.”

You shrugged “Maybe, but I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t try to not get their ass beat by a guy twice their size.” You replied, popping the picture back into your kit.

Billy sighed “Would you do the left or right side then?” he asked.

You smirked slightly, looking him over. You bought your hands to his hands, which made Billy gasp slightly with his mouth shut. You ignore it, turning his face to the left and right, examining each side. The right side was better.

“Honestly? I wouldn’t do either. It’s not your look.” You said, letting his face go. He was very pretty up close, which gave you all the more reason to pull away before you did something stupid.

“Well I want something!” he cried and you laughed. Billy smirked as your face broke into a grin. It was the first genuine smile you’d had all day and it was quite pretty. He thought you were prettier than Heather, although he wouldn’t admit that if he still wanted the blow job Heather had been eluding to wanting to give all day.

“I can pierce your other ear, or give you a second hole on your right ear.” You said. Billy cringed and shook his head at both options. You thought for a second before a daring idea came into your head. You hesitated to give it, purely because you’d spent money on it for yourself, but you felt bad for making him give up on the idea.

“How about your nipples?” you said. Billy’s mouth fell open slightly, but he swallowed slightly, closing it. He’d never thought about piercing his nipples, but he immediately liked the idea.

“You ever pierce a nipple?” he asked, leaning closer to you. He was really hoping you’d say yes. He could feel himself warming up just at the thought of a great pair of tits with silver barbells glinting in the sunlight.

“No, but I had planned to-if you’re worried about me fucking up, I can do one of mine first.” You said, pulling the silver barbells of his dreams out of the book and flashing them to him with a smile.

“Oh no sweetheart...I trust you. But you gotta let me do yours if you want them done.” He replied.

“You do piercings?” you asked sceptically, placing the barbells on your desk.

“Doesn’t seem too hard.” He replied, inching closer to you. You back into your desk, exactly where he wanted you.

You chuckled, pressing a hand into his chest, and pushing him off you. “Yeah, the only amateur I get pierced by is myself, that way if I fuck up I have no one to blame but myself.” You explained. Heather burst in right on cue, ice melting down her hand and a damp paper towel roll in hand.

“Sorry! Took awhile to find the paper towel.” She announced, plopping the roll on your desk and tray next to it.

“It’s cool, you ready to do this?” you asked her. She furrowed her brow nervously, but you gestured to your desk chair. She sat down and gripped the arms to ease her shaking hands. You grabbed a cube from the tray and pressed it to her left lobe. “Alright, hold that there for a second sweetheart, I gotta unpack your earrings.” You reached for the package and pulled off the tape that secured the backings to the earrings. You pulled the cheap backing off the spoke and released the ‘H’ from the teal plastic hanger and placed it flat on the desktop.

“Nice and numb?” you asked. Heather bit down hard on her lip and nodded. You grabbed a black sharpie and marked her lobe. “Alright we’re going to count to three, take a deep breath with me, okay?” you took in a deep breath and Heather followed, shutting her eyes. You grabbed the needle and placed it against the marking.

“Let the breath go.” You huffed the breath out and when Heather did the same you plunged the needle into her lobe. She squealed but you counted loudly over it “One, two,” you grabbed the earring, placing it into the hole in the needle and pulling it through “Three. There, you’re halfway done.” You said, capped the earring and wiping down the needle with a bit of paper towel. Earlobes don’t generally bleed much and your needle came through practically clean, but you wiped it down anyway, if only to calm her nerves.

“Are you okay for me to do one more?” you asked. Heather nodded and you grabbed another cube from the tray, pressing it to the right lobe. The process repeated again and Billy watched on baited breath. At first, he was only interested in staring at your ass and imagining filthy things at the idea of you hovering over Heather and making her bite her lips for other reasons. But Heather wasn’t the interesting part of this image; it was you with your kind words and gentle but firm touches. Even when he got bored of the fantasy, he still watched you, utterly transfixed by you. Heather’s squeal pulled him out of his fantasy and back into the warm light of your bedroom. You capped the back of the second earring, stepping back to admire your work.

“Do they look alright?” Heather reached up to touch the new pierces, as if they weren’t real. As if she didn’t feel them stab through her head.

“They’re completely crooked.” You said, deadpan. Heather gasped loudly and you backtracked quickly “I’m kidding! I’m kidding! They look great!” Heather smacked you hard in the stomach, forcing herself out of the chair and over to your bed.

“We doing this, Hargrove?” you turned to him, looking him over confidently. He nodded, licking his lips. “Alright, lay down, Heather I’m gonna need you to move.” Billy tore off his shirt and Heather’s mouth dropped open as you ran the flame over the needle again.

“Oh my god what is going on?” Heather asked, practically drooling.

You rolled your ice “Heather, move your ass and grab me some ice. Billy, which side we doing here?” you asked, grabbing the package of silver barbells and ripping it open, pulling out one and bringing it over to the bed.

“Right.” He said confidently and you took the ice from Heather, straddling Billy and pressing the ice to his nipple. Billy shivered under you and you smirked.

“Heather, pass me the sharpie.” You said, keeping your eyes locked on his.

“This is insane...” Heather breathed, passing you the black marker. “Where’s your camera?”

“Nightstand drawer.” You replied, uncapping the marker with your teeth. Billy turned sharply to look for Heather, his face turning into a snarl. You leaned down, grabbing his chin and turning him back to you. His mouth fell open slightly as you leaned into his ear, whispering “Relax, you look hot...” you breathed hot air onto his neck as you spoke and his skin broke into goose bumps.

“You numb?” you asked. Billy nodded, even though he didn’t think his senses could be less numb if he tried, all of his nerves were alert and on edge. “Good...” you muttered, marking the spot for your needle and unscrewed one end of the barbell. You heard a click and saw the flash go off in the corner of your eye, but you ignored it, focusing on the warm skin under your hands.

You looked him over with a smirk “You need a countdown or are you gonna be a big man for me?” you asked, another flash trying to spot your vision. Billy swallowed hard and let out a small yelp, nodding confidently despite the sound coming out of his throat. “Good boy...” you whispered, shoving the needle through the hardened pink flesh. You felt every inch of him tense up as the pain shot through the bundle of nerves you’d just stabbed through. You mistook the final flash of the camera for stars as you felt him stiffen under your ass. You slid the barbell into the hollow end and slid the needle through, screwing the ball back on.

You smiled, admiring your work for climbing off him and dropping the needle on the mattress. “Alright, use rubbing alcohol to clean those at least once a day. I am not responsible for any infections you get because you can’t take care of yourself.” You explained, pulling your white tee shirt back over your hips. Billy sat up slowly, drinking you in like a cool glass of water, his mouth turning up as you turned around, packing up your kit and returning it to your hiding places.

“My mom’s gonna be home soon and I really wanna change. You good to take Heather home?” you turned your attention to Billy and he nodded slowly.

Heather got up, pulling you into a tight hug and sliding something into your back pocket. “Call me later?” she asked. You nodded, shoving your hands into your back pockets once she let go. Thick and glossy, they had to be the photos. You smirked; you’d look those over once she was gone. Heather headed out of the room as Billy examined himself in your full length mirror before tossing his shirt over his shoulder.

“You alright?” you asked, coming up behind him in the mirror.

“Just admiring your handiwork,” he replied, cocking his head to look at you “You think I can come back and get the other one done?” he asked.

“Sure...” you replied, looking him over slowly “Maybe you leave Heather behind next time.” Billy chuckled darkly, nodding slowly as his tongue slipped out of his mouth again.

“Alright then...I’ll see you around.” You said. You wanted to look over your pictures before you made any plans. You had to know if it looked as hot as it felt. But you had a feeling that it was more than you could ever imagine, no matter how hard you had tried in the past.

[saedii-gilwraeth-simp]

We’re on Fire (blow a kiss to the crowd) ~ TDC ~ Chapter 4

*peace sign*

CHAPTER 4 ~ See These People They Lie

~ Capitol ~

She wakes early the next morning, intent on getting an early and filling breakfast. If there was two things Arsinoe knew they were that a. the arena wouldn’t always provide food and b. her survival may be reliant on how much food she can eat while food is still an option. She would never forget the winter when her family nearly starved because the food ran out.

She eats her full plates of carbs and fats sitting on the windowsill of the penthouse and looks down, waiting for the streets to start bustling.

“Morning,” she jumps as Joseph joins her, his own breakfast balancing on a plate. He had also filled his plate and she held back a relieved smile.

“Hi,” she responds. Joseph and her are silent for a long moment before he speaks.

“We need a plan,” Arsinoe nods, gesturing with her bacon for him to continue. “You and me, at least until we’re at a point where our alliance can’t continue because I don’t want to kill you and I’m willing to bet you don’t want to kill me,” she nods again. “But we need more people. Who do you think’s a good idea?” Arsinoe considers.

“We wait until after training today. We should focus on who’s got the best survival skills instead of the best with weapons,” she says, thoughtfully, unable to think about what was to come except for survival, in whatever form it took.

~

The training centre was dark and filled with weaponry and surly teenagers that glared at everyone, except for the young kids, who Arsinoe sadly looked over, because they wouldn’t make it out of the arena and she thinks even they know it.

“Currently not feeling great about your plan,” Joseph whispered in her ear, but Arsinoe’s eyes moved to the gamemakers section, her eyes locking on head gamemaker Rho Murtra.

“We have to impress her. Joseph, I want you to learn survival skills and leave weapons to me,” Joseph looked at her and nodded, moving towards the knot-tying area. Arsinoe finds herself drawn to the axes, focussing in on the rough handled one similar to her ax at home. She used to throw it around at targets and got pretty good when she was a littler kid so she just had to learn to do it again. 

Picking the ax up she approached the targets, tossing the weapon between her hands to get a feel for the weight of it. She didn’t miss the way the careers had turned to watch her subtly and she took a breath, before raising the ax above her head. She waited, aimed and then swung with her entire body, releasing the ax at just the right angle.

The ax hit dead centre on the target and Arsinoe heard the careers all take a sharp breath in. She smiled and grabbed another ax and then another until she had no more. All of the axes hit bullseye.

“So, you’re good with those,” Arsinoe turned to see the girl from two, a career. Arsinoe nods, taking in the harsh brown eyes and quirked lip. “I’m Emilia, district 2,” Arsinoe shook her offered hand.

“Arsinoe, district 10,” she says, coldly. Emilia nods before stepping forward into Arsinoe’s space. Arsinoe didn’t move, instead staring Emilia down until she finally smiled.

“You’re welcome in our alliance. Skills like that deserve to be utilised for glory,” Arsinoe didn’t trust her one bit but held her tongue until Emilia walked away, happy to not have an answer. Arsinoe let out a slow sigh before turning back to the targets. She smiled. 

~

Joseph was successfully starting a fire with the girl from 12 when Arsinoe approached. The girl was tall and pretty, with glossy brown hair and clear gold eyes. Her and Joseph were stoking a fire slowly, curling a faux-animal over it on a stick. Arsinoe rolled her eyes before sticking her hand out to the girl.

“I’m Arsinoe,” the girl took her hand and shook. Arsinoe sat down next to the fire and stretched her legs out.

“Bree. Joseph said that we should be allies,” the girl said with a warm smile. Arsinoe glanced at Joseph who nodded. Arsinoe frowned slightly and looked around. Bree was definitively the prettiest person in the room. She sighed internally and bit her tongue gently before turning back to the pair.

“Okay, allies. Although I should warn you that I don’t think the careers will be happy,” the two looked at her with a funny frown.

“Why? What did you do, Arsinoe?” Joseph asks, throwing a hesitant look at the careers. Arsinoe tucked a leg up against her chest and shrugged.

“Threw a couple of axes, hit a couple of targets, impressed some careers, the usual y’know?” Joseph claps her shoulder.

“You know that’ll make them hunt you right?” Bree says, concerned. Arsinoe shrugged.

“I’d rather die than become one of them,” she responds. Joseph shoots her a sharp look.

“You’re not gonna die, Arsinoe, so stop thinking you are. We’re all gonna be fine,” he declares, before going back to his fire-building. Arsinoe and Bree share a knowing look. 

~

“So, are you excited for your interviews?” Pietyr asked happily at dinner of their second day of training. Joseph and Arsinoe shared a look. Their escort was beginning to drive both of them out of their minds with his chipper positivity. Jospeh cleared his throat and kept eating his mashed potatoes. Arsinoe followed his lead on that one. Pietyr huffed and continued on, “come on. You two are the talk of the town and you’re not even excited. Everyone wants to know everything about you, which has never happened to a district 10 pair,” he gushed before pausing to take a breath and a sip of his weird, blue-coloured wine.

“What do they want to know?” Joseph asked, softly.

“Oh, they’ll ask for your feelings about the Capitol,” Arsinoe and Joseph both scoffed, “and about your home. Any romances going on. Of course, they’ll probably make a joke about you two being together because you’re friends but oh well,” Pietyr trailed off. Arsinoe looked over at Joseph, who seemed to be thinking about Jules. Arsinoe had mixed feeling about that as well. She thought of Billy. She hadn’t even told him how she felt and now she would have to reveal that to the whole country just to keep herself alive.

Dinner was finished in silence.

TAG LIST: @poisonerrose​ @alwaysbored005​

[carnationcreation]

Bad Timing (Adam Park x reader)

Masterlist

TITLE: Bad Timing (Adam Park x reader)

Prompt/summary:  (MMPR Season 2 episode 29, Goldar’s Vice Versa) Reader is the team's stand-in medic and is trying to ask Adam to the Vice-Versa dance. Lord Zedd has other plans.

Word Count: 2,276

Warnings:  none

“It’s about time the girls had to ask the guys to the dance,” Rocky said leading the boys to a table at Earnie’s juice bar.

“Who are you going with?” Billy asked. 

Rocky smiled and leaned back in his chair, “Jessica Peterson, I can’t believe she asked me. What about you Adam?”

Adam sighed, “I don’t think I’m going…”

“Why not?” His friends asked.

“No one’s asked me yet, and I don’t think anyone’s going to,” the boy said.

“Don’t feel bad Adam, no one’s invited me yet either,” Billy said.

Adam gave a sad smile, feeling a little bit better that he wasn’t alone in his struggle. But just as Billy said that, Laura Scottsman approached the boys table asking to speak to Billy alone. Adam leaned his head into his hand watching the blue ranger walk off only to return with a smile on his face, “Hey guys, Laura just asked me to the dance!”

“Atta boy!” Rocky said high-fiving Billy.

“Looks like I’m the only one without a date, even Bulk and Skull are going if those weird girls ever catch them,” Adam sighed.

“Don’t worry Adam, someone will ask you,” Rocky tried to console his friend.

“I gotta get going, later guys,” Adam said standing up and walking off.

His friends shared a sigh. (Y/n) watched Adam leave and hurriedly approached the two boys remaining at the table.

“Hey guys,” (Y/n) said, the boys looked up and smiled, “Where’d Adam go?”

“I’m not sure, he’s been bummed out that no one’s asked him to the dance,” Rocky said.

Billy smirked at the youngest member of the team, “Why haven’t you asked him yet (Y/n)? Everyone knows you want to.”

“Oh I hope not everyone,” (Y/n) sighed while pulling out a chair to sit down.

“Everyone on the team at least, I think Aisha has made it her mission to try and set you two up,” Rocky chuckled.

(Y/n) blushed, “I was actually gonna ask you guys to help me think of an idea to ask him to be my date…”

The two boys smiled before Rocky said, “You don’t need anything fancy (Y/n), just ask him outright and he’ll say yes.”

“You don’t know that!”

“Yes we do! He’s had a crush on you since you started helping Alpha out in the power chamber,” Billy said.

“Last time I patched him up after a fight he wouldn’t even look at me, or talk to me.”

“Adam’s just a shy guy, you’ll figure it out (Y/n),” Rocky said.

“I sure hope so, anyways I’m gonna go find Aisha. She might be able to help.”

(Y/n) stood up with a sigh and went to track down the yellow ranger.

_______________________________

Kim, Adam, and Aisha sat at Earnie’s the next afternoon. Aisha had spent all of their first period trying to convince (Y/n) to shoot her shot with the handsome black ranger. Eventually Aisha resorted to telling Adam Sarah Diaz might ask him if he shows up to Volleyball practice, all while (Y/n) stood next to her and listened. It broke (Y/n)’s heart at how hopeful Adam looked after Aisha told him, and (Y/n) decided that it was gonna be that day she asked him. 

So here they sat at the juice bar. Aisha kept her eye on the door waiting for their team medic to show up with the poster they had made. 

“Lord Zedd has the worst timing ever,” Kim groaned.

“Tell me about it. It’s too late now, Sarah’s probably gonna ask someone else,” Adam said. 

“Oh Adam don’t give up, I heard from a little birdie that there’s someone else planning on asking you,” Aisha smiled.

“You mean (Y/n)? They better do it soon before Sarah gets to him first,” Kim laughed.

Adam blushed at the mention of their friend, they were the first person Adam wanted to ask him but after he saw them with Aisha yesterday he wasn’t sure at all if they were even interested.

“You guys I gotta go, catch you later,” Kim said, grabbing her bag. The other two rangers waved as she walked out. 

Cheers were heard from the main floor of the gym, grabbing both the rangers attention, “Hey what’s going on over there?”

“Let’s check it out,” Adam said.

They both stood up and walked over to see a girl practicing karate. Adam watched in awe. Her black hair shone under the lights of the gym, and her suit was crisp and clean. Her kicks were swift and graceful, she finished her routine and the crowd clapped for her. She grabbed a bag off the floor and walked up the steps towards the teens. 

“Hey,” the girl said, “do you mind if I join you? I’m new in school and I don’t know many people yet.”

“Sure, I’m Adam and this is Aisha,” Adam smiled.

Aisha held out her hand for the girl to shake but she shoved her bag into her and grabbed Adam’s instead causing Aisha to scoff.

“I’m Sabrina, it’s nice to meet you Adam,” she smiled, “I heard you’re one of the best martial artists at Angel Grove High, maybe you could show me a few moves?”

Aisha’s eyes widened as she saw (Y/n) walk in. After looking around (Y/n) spotted Adam and began to walk over. 

“Sure,” Adam said. He and Sabrina began to walk away, leaving Aisha still holding her bag. 

“Hey!” she yelled as she tossed the bag back to the new girl who only smirked in response. The pair walked down the steps and right past (Y/n) causing them to look confusedly at them and back at Aisha.

“Who is that?” they asked.

“I really don’t know, but she seemed only interested in Adam.”

(Y/n)’s eyes began to water and Aisha put her hand on her friends shoulder, “Let’s see if we can still use that poster.”

Adam practiced with Sabrina for over an hour and a half. Aisha and (Y/n) sat at the juice bar, the poster tucked away in Aisha’s bag for later. Sabrina finally grabbed her stuff to leave and the two walked up to Adam on the matts. The boy couldn’t wipe the smile off his face and (Y/n) felt a sting in their chest.

“Oh Adam!” Aisha said in a sing-song voice, waving her hand in his face, “Reality to Adam!”

“She’s great isn't she?” he said after he pulled his eyes away from where Sabrina had just left. 

“I’m not so sure about her,” Aisha said. 

“Come on, give her a chance,” Adam said, “(Y/n), tell her.”

(Y/n) took a deep breath in when they heard their name from the boy, “Yeah let’s just give her a chance Aisha. As long as she makes Adam happy.”

Aisha looked sadly at (Y/n). Adam broke the silence, “Why don’t you guys come hiking with us tomorrow? So you guys can get to know each other better.”

“Alright, I’ll give her a chance,” Aisha said. (Y/n) and Adam shared a smile before he walked away.

“Are you okay (Y/n)?”

(Y/n) began to feel tears form in their eyes, “I’m so stupid Aisha, I should’ve asked him earlier and now I’ve lost him.”

“Maybe she just wants a friend? Let’s just see what happens tomorrow,” the yellow ranger said as she put her arm around her friend. 

(Y/n) could only nod.

_________________________________________

The next day was a nightmare.

(Y/n) ditched the poster since they couldn’t bring a bag with them. After they met up with Adam and Sabrina both (Y/n) and Aisha could tell that the girl did not want them there. From hitting Aisha in the face with her arm, to flat out ignoring (Y/n) when they said something, it was clear that Sabrina was showing her annoyance at their company. 

“Why did you have to bring them along?” Sabrina scoffed to Adam.

“They’re my best friends, I just wanted all of you to get along.”

“Well, don’t hold your breath,” the raven haired girl scoffed.

The group finally got to a grove of trees but stopped in shock when Goldar and puddies appeared in front of them, “Where are you going?”

“Take cover Sabrina!” Adam yelled, “You too (Y/n).”

(Y/n) felt another pang in their chest, but tried to get behind the tree anyway. 

“Thanks for the advice, power ranger. But I can take care of myself!”

The two stared in confusion that soon became shook as the girl morphed into a gold suit before walking over to join Goldar. 

“What’s going on? Who are you?” Adam yelled.

“Scorpina! And I’m your worst nightmare.”

Before the three teens could react, Goldar swung his sword and they were tied up to the tree by a glowing rope, “Soon your friends will come to your rescue and that will be the end of the Power Rangers!”

Adam grunted as he tried to move his hands, “I can’t reach my morpher.” 

“Me either,” Aisha said.

 “Let us go you witch!” (Y/n) yelled.

_________________________________

It didn’t take long for the Rangers to figure out there wasn’t a new girl at Angel grove. After checking in with Zordon they found out that Sabrina was actually Scorpina. The rangers got to the park as fast as they could to save their friends.

“Are you guys okay?” Tommy yelled.

Goldar interrupted before the three hostages could talk, “So glad you all could join our little farewell party!”

“Go for it guys,” Adam said.

“Hang tight,” Tommy said, “ you guys handle the puddies, I’ll take Goldar and Scorpina.”

“Right! Let’s do it,” Rocky said. 

“Worst day ever,” (Y/n) sighed as the rangers ran off. The group began knocking out puddies left and right. 

“Why do you say that?” Adam asked. Tommy narrowly avoided a blast from Goldar. 

“I had big plans for today and I don’t even know if I should do them after this.”

“What were they?” Rocky did a flying kick in the air knocking Goldar to the ground. 

“Well… I was gonna ask someone to the dance, but he seemed interested in someone else.”

Kim landed a blow on Scorpina, making her lose balance. 

“Can’t hurt to ask, the least he’ll do is say no.” 

“I guess you’re right,” (Y/n) sighed. 

The group finally knocked out the last of the puddies. Billy ran up to the tree and used his power lance on the ropes setting his friends free. 

“Way to go guys!” Aisha said.

“Let’s do it Aisha! Zordon teleport (Y/n) to the command center,” Adam said. 

Adam gave (Y/n) a thumbs up before she was transferred to the ranger’s base, then jumping back into the action with his team.

(Y/n) felt a pit in their stomach as they watched their friends battle the two monsters in the megazords. Once the battle was won the rangers returned to base, and (Y/n) began her usual check up on each ranger. After everyone was cleared for injuries they quickly gathered their things and left causing Adam to wonder what was bothering them. 

______________________________

It took Aisha and (Y/n) two hours to get ready, with the first 45 minutes being Aisha convincing (Y/n) to go regardless of if she asked Adam or not. (Y/n) left with a single red rose tucked away for later. 

Adam stood with Tommy and Kim at the dance. The awkwardness was present as Adam knew he was third wheeling with the star couple of Angel Grove high. 

“Oh cheer up Adam, things could be worse,” Kim said.

“Yeah you could be going to the dance with Scorpina,” TOmmy joked as Adam shuddered.

“Hey, as long as I got my friends, everything will be cool.”

The lights were low and the music was bumping as the (Y/n) and Aisha walked into the youth center. They quickly found their friends in the big crowd of students.

“Wow (Y/n), you look amazing! RIght Adam?” Kim said.

Adams mouth was slightly open, practically drooling over their long time crush. Kim nudged him in the side breaking him from his trance, “Yeah you look awesome.”

(Y/n) smiled shyly.

Before (Y/n) could pull the rose out completely, Sarah Diaz approached and tapped Adam on the shoulder. (Y/n) pressed their lips together and turned away from the boy, but not before Adam could see the item they had in their hands. 

“Hi Adam,” Sarah said shyly, “I was hoping you’d be here.”

“Sarah, hey. Where’s your date?” Adam said nervously. 

“Um, I actually came here alone…”

Aisha stood watching the whole situation go down, she watched as (Y/n)’s eyes began to tear up again and she knew Tommy and Kim saw it too.

“Well I uh,” Adam said, he looked back at (Y/n) and saw their back turned to him, but he could still see the stem of the rose in their hands, “I actually came here with someone, but if you want you can stay with my friends.”

(Y/n)’s eyes looked up in confusion at their friends. The rangers looked at each other before shrugging.

“Oh, well that’s alright. My volleyball friends are here so I can just chill with them. It was nice seeing you Adam, (Y/n)’s really lucky,” Sarah said.

Adam turned back and tapped (Y/n) on the shoulder. 

“I’ve been meaning to ask you for three days,” (Y/n) said as they held the rose out to the boy, “Lord Zedd just has terrible timing.”

Adam smiled as he took the rose into his right hand. Aisha sighed before exclaiming, “Don’t just stand there, ask them to dance!”

The two chuckled before Adam reached up and brushed (Y/n)’s hair back and placed the rose behind their ear, “Would you like to dance (Y/n)?”

“I’d love to.”

[stanbillyhargrove]

Ghosts chp 30

T/W: blood, gore, death

A/N: finally. It’s finished. I’m sorry this took so long, my mental health was not good. Thank you to everyone who’s enjoyed this story, it means a lot 💜

Billy’s POV

“She’s not waking up!”

Steve pressed harder on Katrina’s chest, forcing her heart to keep beating and yelled back at me, “I know!”

He forced her head back to blow into her mouth, pausing for a moment before resuming CPR. There was an audible crack when one of Katrina’s ribs broke under Steve’s hands.

“Oh god” Riley gasped as she clapped her hands over her mouth.

I looked over at the girls. Riley, with her frightened eyes and glistening cheeks. Brook, with her fingers digging into Riley’s arm as she tried to look anywhere but at Katrina’s body on the ground. Audrey, who couldn’t look away even as her sisters clung to her. Tris, who was holding Audrey’s hand with a white knuckle grip.

“Bring her back!” I hissed.

“I’m trying!” Steve snapped, “just back the fuck up!” He scrubbed a hand down his face and huffed before continuing, “just…take the girls and go to the road, flag down the ambulance.”

–

Katrina’s POV

I came to with a gasp, still in Neil’s world. Fire had started to spread outside the fireplace, slowly moving to consume this world. Neil stood in front of me, a knife in his hand as he clutched his head. His head snapped up to look at me when I moved.

“Katrina,” he breathed, falling to his knees to gather me in his arms, “I thought you were gone…I thought I was too late but I stopped myself. I can be in control, Katrina, I can. We can be happy, you just need to wake up…please.”

I wrapped my fingers around the knife in his hand, slowly pulling it into mine.

“Don’t you want to be with me?” He asked, “we can be together, Katrina. I love you.”

“I know,” I murmured, “I know you do, Neil.”

I slid the blade between our chests, tipping the point against his skin. He pulled his face from my shoulder to look at me, eyes watering.

“Don’t,” he murmured, “you don’t have to do this.”

My hands shook and the blade nicked his chest, bringing a drop of blood to the surface. A flash and he was glaring down at me, pressing into the blade.

“Do it…do it…do it!” Neil yelled, grabbing my arms tight.

I flinched, the tip of the knife slipping into his skin. Screamed when the fire exploded out, raining bits of metal and brick around us. Neil pulled me close, shielding me. One of his hands fell behind me, keeping us stable until the rubble stopped falling.

“If I can’t have you, I’ll take you with me,” he growled in my ear.

I choked on a cry when hot metal pierced the skin on my stomach, sizzling past muscle. A sick clattering when he pulled the metal from my flesh and dropped it to the ground.

“Shhh,” he whispered, his hand moving to cradle my face, “I’ve got you.”

Tears rolled down my cheeks, salty water catching on Neil’s tongue.

“It’s okay,” he soothed, “we’ll be together now.”

His blood stained fingers wrapped around my wrist, forcing me to slide the blade of the knife between his ribs. A breath hitched when it pulled free and blood poured down his chest. Fingers gripped at burnt flesh, pressing in until I curled into his shoulder, teeth bared against his skin. Tears flowed hot down my cheeks, dripping to roll down Neil’s shoulder. He tried to talk, to comfort me, but a wet cough sprayed into my neck instead.

I could see the edges of this world he’d created crumbling. Burning to ash and floating away into the darkness. I watched through unfocusing eyes as the pink bathtub slowly disappeared.

“I…love..you,” he choked.

“I know.”

–

Billy’s POV

“You’re gunna wear out the floor, pacing like that.”

“And you’re going to be chewing on bone pretty soon,” I quipped back, turning to look at Audrey.

She lowered her hand from her mouth and returned my glare with a huff. A smile pulled at Tris’s lips as she untangled her fingers from Audrey’s other hand and stood up.

“Come on,” Tris soothed, touching my arm gently, “let’s take a walk..get some coffee.”

I followed her from the waiting room, neither of us talking as we made our way to the cafeteria. Tris ordered the coffees, quietly talking to the older woman behind the counter while I stared at the too white walls around us.

This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have let Katrina put herself in danger in the first place. I didn’t need to talk to my mom.

“It’s not your fault,” Tris murmured, pushing a steaming paper cup into my hand.

I tightened my fingers on the cup, letting the sting of burning skin distract me. She led me towards a lonely table against the back wall of the cafeteria, set the tray of coffees down and pulled out a chair to sit. I slumped into the chair across from her, wrapping both hands around the cup now.

“You a mind reader or something?”

She smiled, pulling the lid off her coffee to stir in sugar, “don’t need to be to know what you’re thinking, you might as well be screaming it to the world.”

I sighed, “it was stupid, letting her do that for me..”

“Did it heal you? Talking to your mom?”

I thought back to that night in the basement, my mom’s voice mixing with Katrina’s. The feeling of old walls breaking down, of relief washing over still raw wounds. Wounds that didn’t hurt so much anymore.

I thought of Katrina hitting the floor, the cruel voice that came from her after that. Her burnt skin after blacking out in the shower, the smell of her blood in the cabin.

“Yes, but-”

Tris’s smooth fingers wrapped around mine, “then it wasn’t stupid. Katrina knew the risks, she wanted to help you. And Olivia.”

“But…if she dies..”

“Don’t give up on her, Billy. She’s strong.”

–

Katrina’s POV

I woke up in a forest, surrounded by black, twisted trees illuminated by roaring flames. The cabin where Neil had taken over poured black smoke as it burned.

“You’re going to die here, with us.”

I spun to see the dark version of myself step out of the trees. Her skin had paled even more, black veins now visible through near transparent skin. Black eyes now burned like embers in the hollows of her face. Her fingers had turned black and I could see trails of ash floating away from her.

A haunting wail sounded through the forest, making my hair stand on end.

“You’re dying,” I murmured.

A smile, “we’re dying, Katrina. You’re coming too.”

“Is he gone?”

She shook her head and pointed to the cabin, a wisp of ash following her movement. I watched as a figure appeared through the blaze. Neil strode forward through the fire, unbothered by the heat and the smoke. But he had changed, back to the twisted man from my nightmares. His beautiful, sharp face was now a bloody agonized snarl. His chest and torso bent and broken at harsh angles. Blackened fingers curled into sharp claws that dug into my skin when he grasped my chin. The sound of metal twisting and screaming rang loud in my head at his touch.

“We could have had everything,” he growled, dark blood pouring from his mouth when he spoke.

“Neil, please,” I pleaded.

“I loved you!” he yelled, sharp fingers moving to twist in my hair and yank my head back.

His other hand dug into the wound on my stomach, fingers reaching and cutting into my body. Tears ran down my face as I screamed and pleaded for him to let me go.

Olivia’s words played in my head, ‘I thought I found my Prince Charming in Neil, but now I understand. Prince Charming and Bluebeard are the same man and you don’t get a happy ending. Not unless you can love both of them.’

I looked up at Neil’s mangled face and cupped it gently with my hand. He looked confused when he met my gaze.

“I…love…you,” I whispered, shivering violently as I tried and failed to keep my eyes open.

His face had returned to normal when I opened my eyes again; I realized he had lowered us to the ground and was crying.

“You what?”

“I…I..love..y-you..”

He smiled softly, tipped his head forward to touch his lips to my forehead and pressed a handle into my hand. His fingers wrapped around mine, keeping the handle tight in my hand and pressed the tip of a blade to his chest.

“Neil…I-I’m..so cold,” I stammered.

“I know,” he soothed, “it’s okay, it’ll be over soon. I love you..”

His grip on my fingers tightened and he pushed the blade into his chest in one fluid motion. He gasped and shuddered, leaning heavy over me. I laid there, under his dying body, as the forest around us went up in flames.

I opened my eyes again when I felt the weight on my chest fading away and saw ash floating off Neil.

“Olivia,” he breathed before disappearing.

A jagged chasm ripped open in my chest when I felt his absence. A final searing pain before I would fade with him.

Slowly, I heard humming getting louder and louder. That same tune that I grew up listening to Olivia hum.

I’ll be with you soon, Olivia. You and Elle.

Cool fingers brushed my forehead, bringing the feeling of warm sun on my face and the sound of rolling waves.

“My girl,” she soothed, gently brushing my hair off my face.

I fought to crack my eyes open to look at her. Olivia’s blonde hair shone like a halo around her and she smiled softly through her tears.

“O..liv,” I struggled.

“Ssh..it’s okay now, Katrina. You did it, you fought so well. I’m so proud of you.”

“C..old..”

Her hand scrambled for mine, squeezing my fingers tight, “I know, my girl, just let me help you, okay? I’ll make it all better.”

She leaned down and pressed a feather soft kiss to my forehead and with a last labored breath, I slipped into darkness.

–

Billy’s POV

A frantic call over the intercom had doctors and nurses running past Tris and I as we made our way back to the waiting room. We glanced at each other and hurried to follow, finding the girls holding hands like scared children while Steve talked hurriedly to a nurse he had pulled aside. I stared at his face, watching it pull tight as Tris handed out the now cooled coffees. He nodded, lips tucked into a thin line and let the other nurse run off. Took a second to breathe before coming back to us.

“Steve, what’s going on?” Riley asked softly.

Steve’s mouth opened and closed and I saw his lip tremble a bit before he exhaled and ran a hand over his face and through his hair.

“Her…her heart stopped.”

The air punched out of my lungs and I felt the room narrow around me.

“No. No, that can’t…There’s gotta be a mistake.”

“Yeah, I fucked up,” Steve snapped, “I shouldn’t have agreed. I’m not a fucking doctor,” his resolve broke and he started shaking, “I broke her ribs…I made everything so much worse..”

Riley left Audrey and Brook in the chairs to go to Steve, wrapping her arms around his neck as he leaned to tuck his face into her shoulder. His hands gripped at her shirt so tight that I could see his tendons strain under his skin.

“You did everything you could, Steve. This isn’t your fault,” Riley soothed.

–

“Come on, Billy. It’s been two days, let’s all go home and shower. We can get some good food and a nap then come back,” Audrey tried.

“You guys go ahead,” I mumbled, “I need to be here.”

Tris’s lips pulled into a frown, “you need to take care of yourself too, Billy.”

“I need to be here,” I repeated, an edge to my voice, “she needs me to be here when she wakes up.”

Steve knelt in front of me, his blue scrubs too vibrant against the white floor, “buddy, we don’t know if or when she’s going to wake up…or if she’ll remember us even. Go home and get cleaned up, I can take care of her.”

“Steve, I can’t. I need to be here for her, I can’t leave.”

He sighed, stood up and squeezed my shoulder, “okay.”

“Can I see her yet?”

He gave me a strained smile, “I’ll see what I can do.”

–

“You’ve got five minutes,” Steve explained as he led me to Katrina’s room, “I’ll be right outside.”

“Thanks, Steve.”

He stopped at the door and looked at me, “just…she wasn’t doing well. Brace yourself.”

I nodded and pushed through the door, stopping dead on the other side. She looked like a corpse lying in the bed, skin pale and dull. Her face looked hollow, all too tight skin and dark shadows.

Monitors beeped all around her, breathing for her and keeping her alive.

I breathed out heavily and stepped up to the side of her bed, taking her limp hand in mine. Careful not to touch any of the IVs, I squeezed her hand gently and knelt to kiss her knuckles.

“Hey Katrina,” I croaked, “I hope you can hear me…It’s probably selfish to ask you to hold on…So, I just want you to know…You don’t have to fight anymore…I know you’re tired and…if you want to stop…” I clenched my jaw tight and sniffed, “if you…it’s okay..you can let go…” I took a second to steady myself before continuing, “I love you, Katrina.”

–

I sagged in the chair, head falling heavy to the side. Steve and the girls had gone home this morning and I was falling asleep waiting for them to return. I let my head fall back, closed my eyes and let myself drift.

“Billy…Billy, wake up.”

I jerked awake to see Riley smiling at me, “you know, you’d sleep better at home.”

I grabbed the coffee in her outstretched hand and mumbled, “can’t leave,” before taking a swig.

She smiled and sat beside me, “hear anything?”

“No, got to see her for a bit earlier though. Her fingers moved.”

Her smile widened, “well that’s good news, right?”

Steve sipped on his coffee across from us, “it happens sometimes, nerves firing.”

“I think it’s a sign,” she mused.

“Maybe,” I murmured.

–

It was the middle of the night when suddenly there were nurses and a couple doctors crowding into Katrina’s room again. Steve, Riley and I sat up, watching the hallway.

“What’s going on?” Riley asked.

Steve shook his head, “I don’t know..”

“Do you think..?” She looked at him with watery eyes.

“There’s no code being called…” he mumbled, standing to stare down the hall.

Riley pulled her phone from her bag to call her sisters and curled into her chair, chewing her nails as we waited to hear something.

–

An hour later Audrey, Brook and Tris rushed into the waiting room with us just after a nurse had come to update us.

We’d get to see her soon.

We waited with baited breath for someone to let us into her room. Waited to see if Katrina was herself or a shell. Waited to see how badly things had gone wrong.

Almost an hour later and we still hadn’t heard anything new. Almost an hour later before we heard a door open and a nurse walked put into the hall. She stood just outside the door, looking into the room and waiting.

Slowly we saw an IV get pushed out of the door.

“Oh my god,” Riley whispered.

The nurse reached out to offer a steadying hand to Katrina as she shuffled through the doorway.

“Holy shit,” Audrey gasped.

The girls and Steve gathered in front of me as we watched her make her way down the hall. Her hands gripped the nurse and the IV pole tight, keeping her up on shaky legs. She was battered and bruised, a ring of purple circling her throat. But she was here, awake and alive.

But does she remember?

Katrina made it to the waiting room and was immediately swarmed as everyone else ran forward to hug her. I hung back, watching tears of relief run down cheeks. Felt a wave of warmth brush over my heart and the sting of tears in my eyes.

After a moment, everyone broke away and Katrina looked me, a pained expression on her face. I came forward, stopping just in front of her, waiting to see if she remembered.

“I know,” she murmured, “I look like roadkill.”

“No, you look beautiful. As always.”

“And you’re a charming liar.”

She rested a hand lightly on my chest, slowly trailing up to my neck, a smile playing on her lips as she pulled me close.

“As always.”

@alias-b @charmed-asylum @champagnesugamama

[avenging-fandoms]

3: “It’s always been you.”

--

shawn leaned away and sighed, unlinking his fingers with camila’s. he leaned on his hand, watching the big screen. he saw the nominees, and he sat up quickly, clapping and cheering when he saw you in the category. 

“and the winner is.. yn yln!” shawn stood up and cheered, a bright smile on his face. you walked over to him, giving him a long hug. he pulled away and held your face, kissing your cheek. 

“i’m so proud of you” he says and you thank him. 

“i love you” you say, shawn smiling even wider, if possible.

“i love you more” he dropped his hands and you walked up the stage stairs, taking the award. shawn sat back down and camila tried to hold his hand, but he kept pulling it away as he listened to your speech. 

“oh my god, i didn’t even expect to win, being nominated for album of the year against such talented artists, i love you guys so much and you all deserve this award” the crowd cheers and you smile. “i want to thank my team, my song writers, my producers, you all have made my dream come true. thank you to my fans, who voted endlessly for me, we won! thank you to billie, harry, posty, gerald and my childhood best friend, shawn, for being apart of my album. i uh.. i want to talk about shawn for a minute. i’ve known this kid since we were just starting to walk. i‘ve grown up with him, ups and downs. he’s my rock, my heart and my soul, and uh.. i don’t think i’d be standing here accepting this award if it wasn’t for you, shawn” you look at shawn, your eyes glossy. he blows you a kiss and you wink. “but thanks you for voting, thank you ama’s, i love you all endlessly, thank you kindly” you smile and wave, walking off the stage. 

shawn cheered and clapped for you again, biting his lip softly until you’re completely off the stage. ciara announced the commercial break, and thank you and shawn were performing soon. shawn headed backstage to get ready, and runs into you. he smiles and hugs you tightly the both of you laughing into each other. 

“i’m so proyd of you, oh my god” he laughs and you smile. 

“thank you, bub. now let’s go get ready for our performance” you two head into your dressing rooms, changing to your outfit and smiling, nervous as hell. you hum the sung as you get your hair done, smiling at the tweets about you and shawn. you like a few of the tweets, putting your phone away and head in wait backstage, shawn standing with you. 

he holds your shoulders, giving you a pep talk. you two head onto the stage, your pinkies linked together as you sing your song. you turn to shawn as he sings his part, watching him with such love in your eyes. he turns to you and smiles, holding your chin. you and shawn start to sing together, and it felt like it was just you two in the room. 

the song slowly ends, and shawn places his forehead on yours. he puts down the microphone, smiling. “it’s always been you, yn, i’ve loved you for years” he confesses and you smile. 

“kiss me” you say and he smiles, holding your waist and kissing you passionately. the room erupts in cheers, whistling and clapping. you two pull away, giant smiles on your faces. you and shawn turn to the crowd and wave, the crowd erupting once again, the screen dropped and you two head back stage, shawn hugging you and spinning you around. he put you down and you lay your hands on his chest. 

“i love you so much, shawn” your arms wrap around his neck. he smiles, holding your hips. 

“and i love you, so much more, y/n” you both smile and kiss again, and you slightly laugh, just imagining the news articles later. 

[blahblahwritings]

Contracts and Captains - III.

A/N: I’m definitely making this a Billy fic sorry lmao. 

Words: 1844

Warnings: Drinking and vomit.

It had been a month since Mr Gates had approached you and you had returned to him with a lead each week for them to hunt, bringing them and yourself plenty of money. You’d given them merchant ships carrying dyes, spices, tobacco, sugar and more that turned a favourable profit when brought back which didn’t go unnoticed by Miss Guthrie. Although you hadn’t talked since the job she needed, she seemed to have let the whole ordeal go after learning you were part of the reason Flint was bringing in more prizes.

The Walrus had returned early this morning and so you were currently walking down to the beach as they unloaded their cargo, hoping to find Flint or Gates to hand them another lead. It had taken a little while for you to find one this time so you had sent letters to some old friends in Port Royal asking for information which you were hoping would bear fruit. If not, you may very well be hunting out new employment.

The sun was still low as you found the crew, tired but in high spirits. They were laughing as they worked, and you’d caught word of a celebration at the tavern tonight as you passed by them to the old wooden dock. A longboat was slowly advancing toward the shore, the familiar faces of the captain and quartermaster among a couple of other crew members sat inside. You shot a friendly smile as they climbed out and quickly moved to join them.

“Another successful haul?” You chimed, gesturing to the surrounding crates and chests. The captain gave a small smirk, squinting against the light of the sun as Gates chuckled.

“Couldn’t have done it without your intel Miss Devereux, accurate as usual.” Mr gates clapped you on the back and you playfully rolled your eyes. “I assume you have our next target.” Flint said flatly. As much as you had proved they could trust you, he seemed a little cold to you since day one. He would give small smiles and be civil but never deviated into any kind of action that could be misconstrued as friendship. He preferred this to be more... professional. You were used to it with the men who would give you one off contracts but never in long-term work.

“I do, captain, here.” You dug through your pouch tied to your thick leather belt and handed him a piece of paper with times and coordinates scrawled across it. He inspected the page with furrowed brows before handing it to Mr Gates and nodded his thanks. “I have to take care of some business, I trust you’ll organise this, Gates. Excuse me.” He spoke briefly before leaving for the town.

“We appreciate you working for us, the crew are, of course, very happy with the results and if you’d like to meet them, I believe they’re having a celebration tonight if you’re interested.” He cocked a brow. The invitation was a little unexpected, seeing as the captain obviously seemed to be apprehensive about you. “Flint is Flint, he keeps everyone at a distance, you shouldn’t feel put off by it. You deserve a drink with the crew you’ve been working for and they should know who you are. Lord knows they’re curious having watched our little talks. If not for yourself, do it for me, I’m sick of the questions.” He laughed lightheartedly though you could tell there was some truth to his exhaustion with the crew. A chuckle left you. “Fine, but I’m not getting drunk.”

--

You were drunk. You’d damn the crew all to hell if you weren’t having such a good time. Gates had brought you along and introduced you to the men who were almost all intoxicated before you’d even arrived so they took to you very quickly, the armourer, Logan throwing an arm around your shoulders and offering you drinks. You drank for free mostly, the men refusing to let you pay as ‘a sign of their appreciation for your leads’.

So here you were, sitting in the corner of the tavern, singing your heart out to some old shanty alongside the others, feeling like part of the crew yourself as the room swayed. Your mug was empty and you’d made the decision that if the room was moving as you were still, you shouldn’t drink any more. Then there was a bang as another mug of rum was put in front of you. You half grimaced, half cackled as you took it, sipping the dark liquid despite your head telling you otherwise.

This was going to be a disaster tomorrow. The moon was high in the sky as you stood from the table, walking outside in pursuit of some fresh air. You were leaning against the wall of the tavern, desperately trying to get the floor to stay straight as someone walked toward you.

“I’m assuming they’re having quite the night by the looks of you.” An unfamiliar voice sounded above you. It took everything you had to stand up straight and look at the man. He was tall, far taller than the others and he wore an old shirt, sleeves rolled to the tops of his arms. His arms, Jesus, they were big. You’d have been ashamed of staring at them for so long had you been sober but those thoughts quickly faded as you met his eyes. Your body wobbled and you pressed your shoulder against the wall to keep you upright. “I’m Billy Bones, Boatswain.” He introduced, scanning you to ensure you weren’t just going to tumble right there.

“Try sayn’ tha three times” You slurred with a giggle. He scoffed, a smirk apparent on his face, knowing you were trashed. “Am ‘Lizbeth Devreux” You smiled at him, offering a hand to him in greeting but stumbling in the process. He quickly steadied you, hands on your shoulders. You tried to play it off as if you were perfectly sober but, well, you weren’t at all. Your stomach lurched and you pushed away from him, turning and falling to your knees unceremoniously. You wretched twice before the contents of your stomach made an appearance onto the sandy floor. Billy’s nose scrunched up at the stench but knelt beside you, pulling your hair back so it didn’t get caught in the mess. You kept bringing up the liquids from the long night  for a few more seconds before collapsing back onto your behind, head leaning against the wood.

A groan of discomfort left you as you were forced to open your eyes again, the feeling of being spun threatening to make you vomit again. Billy gave you a pitiful smile and grabbed your hand, hoisting you up off the floor. “Let’s get you some food.” He said.

“I’m sorry ’m such a mess, I don’ usually get in this state.” You said slightly clearer than before, finding your footing. You hated that you’d just vomited in front of the boatswain of all the crew and he was handsome too which made it worse in your head. Another lighthearted scoff from him. “It’s alright, I guess you’ll just owe me one.” He jeered, raising his eyebrows at you and you laughed. “Deal.” You replied.

He had a hand outstretched behind your back, not touching but there just in case you were to fall again. Walking back into the tavern and through the crowd, you both found a seat at the bar and he ordered you some warm stew and bread. Stopping him as he went to pay with a few coins, you took out your own money and handed it to the barman.

“You’ve done enough and the crew have been paying for my drinks all night at least let me buy my own food.” You insisted. A smile found its way on his face as he nodded. You grazed at the meal, the feeling of it filling you taking away some of the nausea and decided to strike up a conversation. “Why aren’t you drinking with the rest of them?” You questioned, blowing lightly on a spoonful before eating it. His lips were brought into a tight line for a moment.

“I don’t drink very often and I’ve learned from past mistakes that drinking with the men has… painful outcomes.” He gave you another glance and a small smile. You snorted, looking away for a moment towards the crew, Logan was making his way over, bumping and crashing into every table and chair in his path until he reached you.

“Trus’ Billy Bones to take the lady to dinner.” He prodded, beaming. Your eyebrows flew up, nearly choking on your next bite. Billy rolled his eyes and looked at the armourer. “That is not what this is, I’m just making sure she was still in one piece after a night with you lot.” The taller man returned as you looked between the two of them. “Well res’ assured we’ve invited her into the crew with open arms and plenty o’ rum, she's a fine drinker and keeps up with the best of us.” Logan shot you a wink and a pat on the shoulder. “Now, if y’don’t mind I’m gon go see my beloved Charlotte.” His speech slurred as he turned on his heel and headed through the crowd and across the street to the brothel.

“Well, good to know I kept up.” You laughed, turning and finishing the last of the stew. The world was surely spinning a lot less and you thanked Billy for looking after you. “What did he mean? Trust you to take a lady to dinner?” He sighed and his shoulders slumped as he looked back at you with a look that said ‘please don’t’. This only led you to be more curious, cocking an eyebrow and leaning in slightly. “Come on, you wouldn’t leave a lady in suspense would you?” A snigger left you as you teased him, knowing that you were anything but a lady. He snorted, the recent memory of you puking your guts up just an hour ago replaying in his head.

“The men like to joke, I just don’t think women should be bought, I mean good for them because they make a living and all but I prefer to earn their fondness.” He explained, a light blush on his cheeks as he stood. You tried not to smirk or laugh, your mouth struggling to stay in a straight line not because it was funny but because it took you by surprise, a big burly pirate wooing a girl with wine and chivalry. “Don’t- Please don’t laugh.” He chuckled, throwing his head back and betraying himself.

“No! No, it- you just shocked me a little. I don’t usually take pirates for the romantic type.” You grinned. “It’s sweet really.” You added hoping to reassure him. He huffed out another sigh.

“Come on, you should probably go get some rest.” He didn’t look you in the eye as he led you to your room, leaving you to sober up for the night.

[darth-el]

The Rebellion (Chapter 3)

Pairing: Steve x Reader x Billy (Zombie Apocalypse AU) Warnings: Gore, violence, language, but there is fluff!!!!  A/N: This is the final chapter of Senior Year and The Bunker and I’m so sorry that it took so long for me to write. It is a long one with 8.5k words. This also took a different life to what I was expecting which is interesting as well.  I hope you all enjoy and feedback is always welcome.  Also side note, the films and TV show that inspired how this series went (and there are references to them) are: Night of the Living Dead, Day of the Dead, 28 Days Later, A Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, Zombieland, and The Walking Dead. I would fully recommend watching all these films if you haven’t already. 

Part 1 Part 2

Masterlist

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Steve stroked your cheek as if to check he wasn't hallucinating.

“We found somewhere safe to stay for a couple of months and then this girl found us and I think she led them to us but I don't know what happened because one minute we were fine and then we had a run in a shop with cult members who I'm guessing were with these guys and then we were raided by them, zombies everywhere and my aim wasn't as good as it should have been,” You were talking really fast Steve's brain couldn't fully comprehend what you were saying. You took a huge breath to regain some of the oxygen you had lost while explaining everything to him.

“Who's 'we'?” He asked raising his eyebrow. You gulped and carried on talking at your quick pace.

“I stayed in Indiana expecting you to be there for weeks, but I ran into Billy Hargrove while I was searching for y-” You were suddenly be cut off by Steve.

“Who?” Steve looked like had been blind sided by this bit of information.

“Billy.” You muttered under your breath remembering how much they actually hated each other in school.

“You spent the couple of months with Billy?” Steve stood up and threw up his arms in frustration, you just looked at him wondering why this was the most important thing to focus on in that moment.

“Steve,” You said as calmly as possible but you didn't know how to finish that sentence.

“Yes?” He scoffed at you. This was far from the reunion you had in mind, but you thought once you saw each other nothing else would matter. You just sighed and shook your head not looking at him and trying to fight back the tears. “You slept with him didn't you?” Steve thought he saw guilt on your face when it was just pure frustration at this whole situation.

“I didn't,” Your voice was cracking. “I did kiss him though.” You confessed now that you were faced with this question. He laughed sarcastically and clapped his hands.

“Oh that's just fucking brilliant.” His tone was equally sarcastically as he started pacing throwing his arms up in the air again.

“I thought you were dead,” You shouted at him. “In that moment we were the only ones alive, you would have done exactly the same.” You screamed, causing the a guard to come in and check what was happening.

“Keep quiet or I'll blow your fucking heads off.” He sneered before slamming and locking the door again. You both looked at each other wide eyed, in that moment Steve knew what happened in between him going missing and now didn't matter because you were right. He was gone, you didn't know if he was dead or alive.

“I wouldn't kiss Billy even if it meant saving humanity.” He tried to joke and sat back down next to you and wrapped an arm around you meaning you could rest your head on him. You let out a gentle laugh.

“It wasn't worth it,” You sighed with a giggle resting your hand his thigh. Steve pulled you in closer and kissed the top of your head softly making you smile. “What happened with you?” You were drawing shapes on his thigh absent mindlessly.

“Where do I start?” He chuckled watching you draw the shapes on his thigh.

“The beginning is always a good place.” You teased adjusting your head so you were a bit more comfortable.

“After we got separated due to the mass of zombies breaking into where we were staying I managed to find a car, I went to find you but you obviously had left so I went searching for you but you were nowhere to be found. I don't know where I was but I was driving along a road and a tree had been chopped down to block the road, which is when I became surrounded by these guys and thrown down here,” Steve explained. “What season is it?” He looked at you trying the gage the amount of time he's been down here for.

“Winter,” It pained you to think he's been down here for months. He exhaled sharply as he knew it was at least three months since he was captured. “What are these people?” You asked quietly not really expecting a proper answer.

“Sadistic,” Steve was trying to mask the fear with humour. You stared up at him puzzled, you knew they must have been but it wasn't answer. “They think they're the answer to the new world. Join them or rot in here.” He shrugged like he didn't believe what he was saying.

“At least we can rot together.” You sat up and kneeled next to him playing with his hair as it soothed both of you. He laid down and rested his head on your lap making you get into a more comfortable position.

The fluorescent light was continually flickering and buzzing making it difficult to sleep. You have no idea how many days it's been since you last slept. Steve was able to sleep as he had grown used to this. He was laying next to you with an arm stretched out lazily over your stomach, you noticed he was drooling in his sleep making you laugh because the amount of times he would make fun of you for drooling over him in your sleep was constant. Sleep seemed to be the only time he was content down here, he moved slightly and wrapped his arm around you tighter. You enjoyed watching him sleep, but it also motivated you to find a way out of here. You could hear indistinct shouting in the rooms surrounding you and crying, you wondered if this was always the case or not because this was the first time you picked up on it. You could hear the door unlock after a crash was heard and a different guard came in to find the source of the noise and upon seeing you laying on the floor and Steve asleep he slammed the door shut making Steve jump awake. Your eyes narrowed at the door in thought.

“What you thinking?” Steve sounded sleepy and was resting on his elbows looking as sleepy as he sounded.

“How often do they come in here?” You asked still looking at the door and hearing the noises outside.

“Only to give us food,” Steve put his hands over his eyes and laid back down next you.

“Any other times?” You pressed him to think some more as this could be your chance to escape.  

“Only when we're an inconvenience.” Steve said not really thinking much more of it making you roll your eyes at how unhelpful he was being, you laid next to him and wrapped yourself around him with your head on his chest. You watched the light flickering and saw that it had a plastic casing around it.

“Do you think you can remove that?” You asked Steve who had fallen back asleep, you nudged him to wake him up and he just grumbled and held you tighter. “Steve?” You voice was firmer.

“What?” Steve mumbled annoyed that you woke him.

“Do you think you can remove that?” You repeated yourself and sat up to make sure that Steve hadn't fallen back asleep.

“Maybe,” Steve was slightly confused by this question, he stood up and tried to reach it but it was just out of his reach. “Get on my shoulders.” He instructed as he pulled you up. You climbed onto his shoulders and managed to pull the casing off easily. You stood on one end of it and snapped it in half so it was jagged, you looked pleased with yourself as you examined it hoping it would work. Steve wondered what you were doing.

“Tell me if this hurts.” You smiled at him, and he looked a bit bewildered by this statement, you stabbed at him in the arm with a small amount of force so he would feel it but not cause him damage. He jumped back as your new weapon made contact with him.

“Why?” Steve asked rubbing where you stabbed him.

“Just checking if it hurts.” You beamed a smile at him, making him wonder if you were enjoying hurting him.

“Why though?” Steve asked again taking the weapon from you apprehensively scared you were going to hurt him again.

“Because if that hurt, imagine it in neck.” You exhaled letting out a small laugh feeling overwhelmed. Steve looked terrified of you, it had been a long time since he saw you and he realised how much you had changed.

“Wouldn't the actual light work better?” Steve looked up at the flickering glass tube of light which was stained yellow with age.

“It would, but I don't want to risk it,” You tilted your head to the side impressed with him.

“What do you mean?” His face was now one of confusion as he passed you the broken case.

“That is going to be hot to touch and unless we can turn that off we might get electrocuted,” You explained unsure if the electrocution thing was true or a myth. Steve slumped his shoulders in defeat before picking up the other half of the snapped casing and swinging it like a baseball bat a few times while you crouched down next down to the door, Steve quickly followed suit as he could see in your eyes you plotting something. “When whoever it is comes in, hit them in the face as hard you can with that and I'll do what I can as well.” You instructed, he saluted to tell you that he understood which was immediately followed by you banging on the door and wailing to get a guard in the room. You heard the door unlock and Steve stood up pressing himself against the wall, the door swung open with force you had to stop it from hitting you in the face making the door shut, you heard the sound of plastic hitting flesh and you jumped into action and stabbed the man in the neck. You were surprised the plan actually worked as the man laid on the floor choking on his blood which was spilling out on the floor.

“Wow!” You exclaimed as you picked up his weapons and stabbing him in the head with the knife he was carrying, you went to put that in your holster only to remember it had been taken from you and slid it over to Steve.

“Wow?” He questioned your response as you checked if the gun was loaded, which it was.

“I was not expecting that to work,” You had amusement in your voice mixed with relief, Steve just blinked at you in shock that you took a gamble on both your lives like that. “It paid off okay.” You blurted out making him look away as you examined the wrist of the guy who had the same branding as the guys in the shop. Steve went for the keys and you made your way out the door quickly and quietly while he locked the door behind you making you gesture vaguely at him.

“What?” He looked at bit blank at you making you shake your head.

“He's dead Steve,” You chuckled to yourself shaking your head. “He isn't going anywhere.” You heard Steve mumble in response but you weren't quite sure what it was, you grabbed his hand and pulled him along the corridor. The bunker was huge was obviously made by someone everyone probably thought was paranoid at the time but was in fact just thinking ahead. You heard voices approach and you shoved Steve into what you hoped to be a cupboard as the door was unlocked, you falling in behind him. He could see your eyes grow wide as you stared behind him and he turned around and to discover a lab with zombie parts strewn all over the place and you jumped when one charged at you only to be pulled back by the chain around it's neck.

“I knew this wasn't a bad idea,” You muttered to yourself as you admired your surroundings.

“What do you think they do in here?” Steve asked as he picked up an arm that was laying on the table and started playing with it.

“I don't know what kind, but it's definitely research.” You sighed as you took the arm from Steve and hit him with it playfully before putting it back down.

“What was that for?” He pouted, but a smile cracked through his pout making him laugh.

“We're not here to play with severed limbs,” Your voice was stern but you could feel a laugh escape. “That is a sentence I never thought I'd say.” You whispered laughing which was cut off by voices approaching the door, you pulled Steve to the side and crouched back down. A guy who looked like your typical mad professor walked in with a guard, as they walked through the door you slid out without them noticing.

Navigating the tunnels was hard, but it became clear that this wasn't just some millionaire who was paranoid about the end of the world; it most likely had something to do with the government initially. To Steve you were running around like a headless chicken when in reality you were trying to find Billy and escape with him too. There was a guard at the end of the corridor you were sneaking down, you instructed Steve to stay where he was but he was waving his arms about as he silently protested and pushed you back as he crept up behind the guard; you weren't sure what he did but you heard a gurgle and saw the body hit the floor as Steve stabbed it in the head. You walked down the corridor to meet Steve who was collecting ammunition for your gun and giving a knife, which turned out to be your old knife. You heard sobbing from a room, instinctively you grabbed the keys from the guard and opened the door to find a woman crying over the body of another woman, she didn't even realise that you were standing in the doorway. Neither you or Steve knew what to do, all you knew was that you had a dead body behind you and one in front of you.

The woman after a couple of minutes felt eyes watching her and turned around her eyes were filled blood, you noticed she had a bite on her shoulder and the body in her room was in fact the body of a zombie, whether or not she was a relative was unknown. You quickly threw the body of the guard with the help of Steve into the room as she lurched towards you, the body knocked her off her path and distracted her as she started to bite into the flesh. Steve closed the door and locked it hoping she wouldn't escape sometime in the future. “That was lucky,” You tried to joke as you made your around the corner. You could hear more screaming and growling coming from each room and it unsettled you.

“What do you think they're doing?” You could feel Steve hover you as you checked if the next corner was clear.

“No idea, but I don't like it,” You didn't take your eyes off the door at the end of the room, no one was guarding it but you felt drawn to it. “Come on.” You took his hand and led him down the passageway and opened the door, you ground to a halt as you gained the attention of men playing poker. Survival instinct kicked in before they could grab their weapons you shot through them all knowing your cover had been blown, Steve stabbing them in the head. You grabbed what you could in terms of ammunition and weapons. Alarms started blaring and you knew you were in trouble now, Steve grabbed your hand and ran in no particular direction, someone shouting orders echoed through the corridors amongst the noise of the alarms. Steve tried to open a door but it was locked, which meant someone was most likely imprisoned in there. You didn't have time for Steve to find the key so you shot at the lock and was ready to kill a zombie if needed, the door opened and inside were two men who looked just as bad as Steve and they both looked at you confused. “Who are you?” One of them asked, he had a long beard and a lot of hair, but had kind eyes behind all his hair.

“Freedom.” Steve took two guns from you which had on your shoulders and tossed them to the guys who scrambled for them and ran out the room.

“Really Steve, freedom?” If it wasn't an emergency you would have teased more about his cheesy line.

“I thought it sounded cool.” He followed you running through the corridors in the opposite direction of the other prisoners, a guy stepped out a room wondering why the alarms were sounding until he saw you, as he went to pick up his gun to fire you had already shot at him. You shot him once more to make sure he was dead and picked up his gun. Steve pulled you back and dragged you into the room that the guard came out of which was a large weapons cupboard.

“Fuck me sideways and call me Rambo,” You weren't really thinking what you were saying as you enamoured with your choice of weapons.

“And you said 'freedom' wasn't cool.” Steve teased as he picked up what happened to be your crossbow.

“We need to be 'freedom' for other people.” You took the crossbow from Steve who was difficulty working it, the moment you loaded it the door opened and a man was standing looking confused before it dawned on him that you were the ones that escaped. You fired the crossbow without thinking and when his body fell to the floor you pulled the bolt out of his eye making Steve cringe and reloaded it and handed it back to Steve.

“You scare me, you know that?” Steve examined the crossbow trying to figure out how you were so at ease with it because it was so heavy and stiff.

“That's why you fell in love with me though.” You blew a kiss and picked up a handgun which had a silencer on it and a holster for it. You were sure they were yours originally, Steve quietly agreed at your statement as he picked up another gun and slung it around his shoulder. Both of you looked like you were you were made of guns where you picked up so many.  

The 'rebellion' as you called it went as smoothly as it could despite being chased from all angles, you were breaking people free and the people who captured you were thinning out. You ran past a room and heard banging on the door, you shot at it and the door swung open and Billy was in there with a zombie crawling across the floor where Billy was trying to fight it, you shot at the zombie and it instantly stopped moving as you gave him a gun. “What the fuck is going on?” He was confused by the pandemonium around him.

“Freedom.” Steve dragged you away and to find a way out, Billy following closely behind which you knew Steve wasn't to happy about. In a small dark tunnel you found a ladder and assumed that this was your way out. Light broke through the heavy metal trapdoor as you opened it, a large smile spread across your face because you were free, you helped Steve and Billy out but you could feel the tension between them which you chose to ignore for the moment and continued running trying to find a car; neither of them noticing you were gone until you called their names making them run over to you.

“Your petty high school rivalry means shit in this world,” You smacked them both around the head. “If you want to survive, move!” You smacked them again hoping it would get through to them and they both looked sheepishly down at the floor before following you.

The entirety of the time while trying to find your way out of the forest and onto a road the boys were bickering which made you question whether or not you should just leave them to it and go back to surviving on your own as it was so much easier then. You swung round on your heels holding your gun making them stop in their tracks and saw a zombie coming up behind them.

“Duck,” They both did as you said as you fired the gun hitting the zombie right in the head and letting the body crumple to the floor both of them watching the body when they got what had happened. “You two need work this shit out right now because I am not going to get killed because of your idiocy,” You stormed over to them and threw their weapons behind you so they were out of reach. “Talk,” You threw your hands up in the air, picked up a large stick and planted yourself on the floor as you the carved the stick into a weapon while both the boys looked at you in bewilderment. They both stood there awkwardly, Billy was rubbing the back of his neck as he did when he felt awkward and Steve was kicking a rock avoiding eye contact. “You both consider yourself fucking alpha males and obviously wanted to be the dominant one,” You rolled your eyes at how useless they were “Especially you,” You pointed at Billy. “I know you're pissed at Billy because of the kiss,” You shot a look at Steve who looked like he wanted the world to swallow him up. “So fucking talk about that.” You continued carving you stick to make a weapon waiting for them to talk thinking about useless men were when it came to talking about their feelings, especially to one another.

“That ain't happening,” Billy finally broke the silence making you throw a stick at him which made Steve laugh, you threw your head back in frustration and let out a huge groan.

“I don't want you near her,” Steve glared at Billy, face was filled with anger but his eyes showed that he was hurting more than anything.

“That's not your decision to make,” Billy retorted with his cocky smile making you roll your eyes so much you thought they were going to fall out. “ And I think she made her decision when she kissed me.” Billy knew this was a low blow, hearing him say that felt like a gut punch. Steve glanced at you trying to hide the hurt and walked off. You ran off after him. “Tell me why I shouldn't end your life right now,” You spat at Billy as you walked past who looked way to pleased with himself. Steve was leaning against a tree with his head resting against it as he looked up at the sky watching the birds fly over. You leaned on the tree next to him subconsciously mirroring what he was doing.

“You kissed him?” Steve huffed looking at you.

“I instigated it,” You finally admitted “Missing you and alcohol do not go well,” You sighed with a small laugh, Steve furrowed his brows at you and exhaled as if he was trying to calm himself down.

“I don't want the same conversation again,” Steve pushed himself off the tree and moved so he was facing you. “It just hurt hearing it from him.” He stroked your cheek gently, his eyes were soft but looked tearful. You melted at his touch.

“I love you Steve,” You wrapped your hands his neck and kissed him gently on the nose making him smile.

“I love you too.” It didn't feel like you were in a forest god knows where surrounded by flesh eating ghouls that could attack at any second.

“Come on,” You took Steve's hand and led him back to where Billy was sitting waiting for you which shocked you because you thought he would have taken the opportunity to run away. “This is what's happening,” You caught Billy's attention who was admiring your handiwork on the weapon. “You two are doing what exactly what I say,” Steve and Billy both looked at each other holding their breath because they knew the next words that were coming out your mouth would not be good. “If either of you put us in danger with your incessant arguing I will leave you to get eaten,” Your eyes darted between the both of them. “Do you understand?” They both nodded in agreement knowing you were going to be true to your word. You picked up the weapons and passed them their owners and made your way through the forest.

“Was she always this scary?” Billy tried to make conversation with Steve as he was interested in if this was a drastic change in character.

“Not really,” Steve side eyed Billy not wanting to talk to him.

“Oh.” Billy knew that was the end of the conversation as he trudged along following you.

“She's a completely different person now,” Steve confessed, he knew you were in there somewhere but he almost didn't recognise you. Billy knew this you better than he did.

“She threatened me with a knife two seconds after saving my life,” Billy admitted looking embarrassed. “She also looked like she enjoyed it.” Which made Steve laugh.

“She knows how to survive.” Steve watched you as you gracefully walked through the forest, your long hair that reached down to your waist was now nothing but a memory. Your large wardrobe of pastel dresses were replaced by tight leather trousers, a t-shirt, and a leather jacket. Your once soft features were now hardened.

You all found a safe place to stay for the night, but it was only for the night. Billy was asleep on the bed and you were on guard. You were expecting Steve to be asleep, but he proved you wrong when he sat down next to you on the balcony which had your legs hanging over. When you found the place you devised an escape route which involved you jumping off the balcony onto a trampoline and hopefully over a fence. Usually moonlight would light up the area, but it was cloudy and it was a new moon that night. You rested your head Steve's shoulder, the night was still and it was getting warmer meaning spring was close.

“I'm sorry,” You mumbled under your breath taking Steve's hand in yours while you watched over the ghost town.

“For what?” He was baffled and couldn't understand why you were apologising, he wrapped his arm around you.

“Just for everything.” You moved closer to him so your legs were now touching, you were feeling a bit melancholy and you weren't sure if Steve felt it too.

“I'm sorry too,” You could hear in Steve's voice that he meant it and he was feeling the same as you.

“Get some sleep, I can guard.” He gestured to the room behind you, before standing up you kneeled behind him and wrapped your arms around him.

“Good night.” Your face was buried into his neck, this to Steve was the old you. He watched you as you walked back indoors and made yourself comfortable on the makeshift bed on the floor as you cursed at the sleeping Billy who was taking up the entire bed.

Billy went to find a working car the next day while you Steve packed everything up and got ready for a raid. You wanted to see if the cabin you made your home for a couple of months was still empty as it was truly safe, until humans turned up but you doubted you'd be able to find it now.

“Humans are the worst,” You thought aloud, Steve didn't know exactly where this came from but agreed as he considered everything he had been through in the past year and a bit. You could hear a scraping at the door which meant that a zombie had decided to try either making itself at home or making you lunch. Steve looked slightly worried as you walked over the door and opened it making the zombie fall in, which was immediately greeted by a knife into the head. You started hacking the head off with your knife without fully thinking.

“What are you doing?” Steve moved away from you slightly as he was worried about some of the mess you were causing would get on him.

“It's a long story,” You didn't look up at him as you pulled the head off with difficulty, you proudly presented it to Steve who turned green. “They're attracted to the smell of blood,” You started to explain. “I use the heads in hopes that it'll cover up the smell of us,” Steve stood there trying to figure out the logic which didn't take long as he clapped his hands the moment he understood. You heard a car rock up and Billy climbed out draping his arms over the roof with a pair of sunglasses on which he must have stolen. You picked up your things and the head and threw them in the car and the head in trunk. “I'm driving.” You held out your hand expecting car keys to be dropped in them.

“No!” Billy's face contorted from arrogance into one of horror within seconds as he had flashbacks to your chaotic driving.

“Don't ever let her behind the wheel.” Steve teased as you poked your tongue out at him.

“I learnt that the hard way.” Billy picked you up and put you down so you were now no longer near the driver's door which made Steve uneasy. You kicked Billy in the shins for manhandling you like that, Steve climbed into the back seat of the car and you climbed in next to him. You could see Steve was getting jealous again.

“Steve,” He hums in response turning his head at you, he could see that you could still read him like an open book. “I love you.” You put your hand on his thigh and squeezed it gently to reassure him. Billy was watching you both in the mirror instead of keeping an eye on the road which is when you hit a zombie making you jolt forwards in your seat, your instinct was to put your arm in front of Steve's chest to stop him from hurtling forwards even more. Billy had lost control of the car, he was really thankful in that moment that you warned him about the seatbelts because he would have been a puree in the street otherwise. He managed to regain control after a few agonising seconds, there was a collective sigh of relief as you carried on like normal except the windshield was painted red with chunks attached the wipers which struggled to clear away the mess.

“You okay?” Billy's voice was a bit shaky and you nodded while staring at Steve.

“We're good.” Steve answered looking down at your arm which was still resting on his chest making him happy because even before everything you always put him first and tried your best to protect him.

“Where to?” Billy looked at you in the mirror, the windshield was still smeared red but the outside was more visible now.

“No idea,” You leaned forward in your seat and rested your arms on the backs of the two seats in front of you. You felt Steve's fingers trace along the small of your back which felt electric. “Do you know where we are?”

“We're still in Ohio,” Billy shrugged turning his attention to the road and leaned back into your seat, you nodded in thought.

“How did I end up in Ohio?” Steve tilted his head in confusion looking out the window at the fields you were driving through.

“I want to get as far away as possible from here,” You ignored Steve's comment as you put your head in your hands and racked your brain to think where you could go.

“As long as it's warm I don't care.” Billy broke your train of thought and you looked at him blankly.

“Because that's the real priority here.” It felt like Steve read your mind and Billy rolled his eyes as he continued to drive down the road.

“Canada?” You interjected before an argument could start between the two boys.

“That's a no,” Billy shook his head.

“It's perfect though, it's less populated meaning there's less chance of getting eaten,” You explained rolling your eyes and throwing your arms up in the air.

“She's got a point.” Steve chuckled knowing that would irk Billy.

“What about Mexico then?” Billy suggested not taking his eyes off the road, but gripping the steering wheel tightly.

“If we can survive that then that'll be great,” You couldn't believe what you were hearing. “But I know we're not. Canada is our best bet.” You said bluntly as your stomach made an unearthly noise meaning you needed food.

“You hungry?” Steve was trying not to laugh at this noise as you nodded, stomaching still gurgling. It didn't take long to find another ghost town, you handed Steve your handmade weapon for him to use as Billy sharpened his knife.

“I'm going to stay here,” You checked if your gun was loaded and both the boys were not happy to hear this. “You need to be quiet for this and I'll draw too much attention.” You put your gun in your holster smiling at them. They nodded and made their way into the shop. Billy followed exactly what you did on previous raids which made Steve wonder what he was doing until a zombie made itself known. Billy crept in and you heard a body fall to the floor, you hoped it wasn't Billy. You climbed on to the roof of the car and sat on it keeping watch, your ears had been very attuned to the smallest of noises. You heard a small clattering inside the shop which was most likely one of the guys and could hear low growls over the ultimately silent landscape. The growls were closer as you thought as two zombies staggered around the corner looking as ungraceful as they came, you waited for them to come closer as you decided not to waste bullets on them. They caught you sitting on the roof of your car and staggered over to you, you jumped off the car and got yourself ready. It took longer for them to come over to you than you anticipated making you impatient. You let out a soft groan and walked over to them stabbing them both in the head with ease. You hacked their heads off and played with them as you went back to the car both boys came out the shop with a number of supplies and covered in blood looking like they saw a ghost.

“You guys okay?” You were slightly concerned by their appearances as you threw the heads in the trunk of the car.

“Y-yea...We're fine.” Steve was stumbling over his words, you knew something happened in there but he would tell you when he was ready. Billy didn't say anything, he just climbed in the car and started it while waiting for you to get in.

“If either one of you got bitten you need to tell me now.” Your eyes darted between them hoping they would give away something.

“No one got bit.” Billy's voice was low, it almost sounded like he was holding back tears or anger. You could see in Steve's face he was the same, you sunk down in the seat opening a pack of potato chips the boys stole. The crunching and the sound of the engine were the only things filling the silence.

“How did you cope with your brother?” Steve said softly, tears started to fill his eyes, your stomach sank hearing this.

“I had to accept it happened very quickly,” You screwed up the now empty bag and threw it behind you. “Life goes on and we have to survive,” You pursed your lips and you could see that was not the answer Steve wanted to hear, but Billy knew this was lie. You had become numb and repressed it, you could see Billy looking at you as if to say “tell Steve the truth”.

“Have you accepted it though?” Billy shook his head knowing you weren't going to tell Steve unless he got it out of you himself, you looked at him disbelief as did Steve. You started falling over your words unable to form a coherent sentence or thought.

“I don't think I have,” You let out a huge breath to calm your thoughts and the words fell out of mouth as naturally as breathing. You felt a huge weight lifted off your shoulders, you felt Steve's hand caress yours making you turn to him. Tears were rolling down his cheek which you gently wiped away with your thumb as you rested your free hand on his cheek. “It does get easier though.” You whispered reassuringly, he wasn't wholly convinced but he could see the sincerity in your face.

Billy stopped off every now and again on your journey to nowhere so supplies could be picked up or scouting potential places to sleep for the night, you all felt there nothing suitable and carried on. At some point you had all entered Michigan, you wondered if Billy did think going to Canada was good idea and didn't want to admit it because he protested far too much initially or if this was accidental. You entered a town which looked like it had military involvement but it was now just a ghost town like every other place you went through, you laughed at the thought that if this was an old wild west movie there'd be tumble weed rolling across the roads. Steve was asleep resting on your shoulder, you moved gently so he could sleep on your lap as it was probably a lot more comfortable for him and you could play with his hair. “He saved my life.” Billy murmured not entirely wanting you to hear what he had just said because it would be admitting defeat in his eyes. You hummed in response as you didn't hear him as you were too focused on Steve, making Billy repeat himself which went against his every instinct.

“What happened?” You asked quietly running your fingers through Steve's hair which made him mumble something in his sleep which was complete nonsense.

“There was zombie in the shop,” Billy clutched onto the steering wheel tightly making his knuckles go white at the thought of what happened. He felt like he didn't have the strength to carry on, but knew he had to find it somewhere. “It came up behind me and knocked me to ground and I wasn't in a position to get it off me,” He exhaled as he said this not taking his eyes off the road. “It was incredibly close to biting me. He stabbed it in the head and saved me.” You knew there was more to the story than what Billy was letting on.

“What does that have to do with my brother though?” You were puzzled, you were pleased that both were safe but it didn't explain the pure horror on their face when they left the store. Billy shook his head and bit down hard on his bottom lip. “Was it someone you knew?” You knew that would be a long shot but it was worth asking anyway if it meant a little bit of clarification. He just shook his head and sighed as he pulled over the car so he could regain his composure.

“Where are we?” Steve woke up as the car came to a halt and sounded groggy.

“We've potentially found somewhere to stay.” Billy shrugged getting out the car as if the conversation beforehand hadn't happened.

“This doesn't look s-” You were cut off by the door slamming shut, you watched as the zombies stumbled around the building. Billy grabbed your homemade weapon from the trunk of the car and walked over to the zombies, you weren't sure how many there were but it was in double figures meaning if he made one wrong step he would end up dead. You let your head drop forwards in annoyance before getting out the car yourself to help Billy, you ran up and stabbed the closest one in the head and made your way through them. You could see Billy was releasing his rage out on them and it was dangerous because you knew he wasn't thinking straight and it left a lot of room for error. After a few minutes he managed to kill everything that was trying to attack him, his breathing was heavy and covered in blood as he examined the damage he had done. Steve raced up behind you to check if you were okay, also covered in blood.

“It's safe now.” Billy wiped the hair out of his eyes with his bloody hands. You walked up to the building and saw that the building was padlocked shut, inside you could hear loud moans and banging on the wood covered windows.

“That would be a no.” You skipped down the steps and stood next to Steve who draped his arm around your shoulder.

“Carry on?” Steve looked at the mayhem you were going to leave behind as you made your way to the car, you looked back and could see that Steve and Billy were in a heated discussion about something. Billy stormed over looking angry and climbing into the car and lighting up a cigarette that he must grabbed from the last raid.

“I need to talk to you,” Steve took your hand and pulled you away from the car. You knew it wasn't going to be good. Steve was looking at you intently trying to find the right words to say, you could feel your heart stop as you imagined the worst case scenario. “What happened in the store wasn't good,” Steve started, you chewed the inside of your cheek as you waited for him to confirm your worst fears. “The reason why I asked you about your brother was because,” You could see he was difficulty forming the words and it was breaking your heart and he could see it on your face. “I should have done the same, but couldn't,” Visible confusion swept across your face as you looked at him. “There was a child in the shop who had been bitten. I killed what turned out to be their mother and they didn't want to end up like that,” Steve looked away from you as he said this scared that you would hate him because he wasn't strong like you. “It was actually more like eaten than bitten,” Before he could carry on you swung your arms around his neck and pulled him in for a hug.

“It's okay,” You whispered in his ear, he wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you in tightly.

“I didn't want you to know because I'm not strong like you.” He buried his head in the crook of your neck.

“Steve,” You laughed at hearing him say that you're strong. “You are honestly the strongest person I know,” You pulled away slightly so you could look at him and moved a strand of hair that was flopping over his face. He shook his head laughing. “Being in that position isn't about whether or not you're strong, it's far more complex than that,” You looked at him, there was still a lot of pain behind his eyes. “When I chose to do that for my brother, it was for self preservation on my part. I didn't want to watch him turn into what killed him, but as I pulled the trigger the only thing running through my brain was 'what if I fuck up and it doesn't kill him instantly? What if I make a painful death even more painful?' ultimately I knew I made the right decision. I also had the advantage of being bought up with my dad who taught me how to hunt which helped a lot, you however were far more likely to cause more harm than good especially with a knife.” Steve nodded understanding that you were right and you held out your hand and he put his in yours as you walked back to the car.

“It was the zombie that almost got Billy,” Steve admitted as well feeling like the weight had been lifted.

“Does Billy know?” You looked back at him still walking to car and Steve nodded in response.

“My mistake did almost cost another life.” Steve caught up with you so you were now walking side by side.

“Not a mistake, but I didn't think people turned that fast.” Steve smiled down at you feeling happy that he had someone as understanding as you.

“I didn't either.” Steve opened the car door for you and let you climb in and walked around the other side to get into his side.

“All good?” Billy asked flicking his cigarette out the window and putting his sunglasses back on.

“All good.” You smiled as Steve climbed in next to you.

The night drew in and after multiple stops Billy had driven you to the Canadian border, you and Steve were both asleep on one another. The atmosphere in the air was tense and Billy didn't like it. It was eerily deserted despite there being evidence of military presence at some point. You felt a hand whack you. “Go away,” You mumbled adjusting yourself in your seat to get comfortable again in your half asleep state. The hand hit you again making you wake up fully. “What?” You hissed as you jolted up waking Steve up.

“What's going on?” Steve rubbed his eyes as he yawned.

“We're near the border,” Billy pointed at the road in front of him and you climbed over the centre console to sit in the seat next to him. The headlights illuminated what was in front of you, there were barricades at the side of the road and old news papers danced in the headlights where they were picked up in the wind. You felt tense, you turned around to Steve who looked deeply unsure by everything that was surrounding you. Billy stopped the car which scared you as it made you vulnerable. “What do you think we need to do?” Billy's hands were clasping at the steering wheel still as he looked back at Steve and then looked at you.

“I'm scared.” You admitted as you locked your door, not that would make much difference in the end.

“I think keep going.” Steve was scared, but he knew if you were scared he had to be calm for your sake.

“Okay then.” Billy pressed his foot down on the gas slowly when all of sudden an army made themselves known. Your eyes were wide with shock wondering if they were there the entire time or if they saw you coming. A knock on your window made you jump and a man who was dressed in a military uniform was staring at you. You rolled down the window slightly so you could talk to him.

“American?” You all nodded in response to him. “Flights stopped months ago,” You all looked at each other and mouthed the words 'flights' to Steve wondering what he was talking about. “But we can offer you refuge,” He smiled, you wanted to trust him in your gut but after the ordeal you had been through you weren't sure if you should. He hit the roof of car and gestured for you to drive beyond the border. “Three Americans.” You heard him say in a walkie talkie as you rolled up your window and Billy drove off.

Beyond the border the town was functioning like normal. It didn't feel like it hadn't turned to shit just a couple of miles away, but you noticed that the barriers surrounding the place meant that just outside it was shit, but it felt like it was going to be contained. You chuckled softly to yourself hoping this was the start of something new for you and Steve. Billy parked the car and you were greeted by a very happy woman who showed you around and showed you to your houses which had everything you needed from electricity to water. The car was checked and your guns were taken away into storage which you were shown, the guy checking your car held up the heads that you forgot were in there, you leaned into Steve trying to suppress your giggles which made Steve laugh.

“Collector?” The guy joked as he put them down next to him and handed you the rest of your weapons that didn't require ammo. You walked back into your house putting the weapons down by the door deciding you'll deal with them in the morning and before your foot had touched the bottom step you were lifted up bridal style by Steve who carried you upstairs into the nicely decorated bedroom and put on the bed. Steve was hovering over you smiling.

“We finally have a safe place we can call our own.” You played with the neckline of his shirt as he stroked your cheek gently admiring your features.

“All I've ever wanted.” He whispered gently before you pulled him in for a slow, passionate kiss which he quickly reciprocated with a smile as he wanted to do that the moment he saw you in the bunker and every second after.

[professionalfixator]

The Complicated Relationship of Gilbert and Moody

An Analysis That No One Asked For But Got Anyway 

By G.H. Tehrani, Psychology Student

The relationship of Gilbert Blythe and Moody Spurgeon is complicated to say the least. It is also complicated to analyze, given that the amount of screentime of them is extremely limited, ranging anywhere from a few seconds to a minute. But from this little screentime showrunner Moira Walley-Beckett gave us, there is a lot to break down. While you may think this is an unimportant relationship to break down (why not Moody and Charlie, or Gilbert and Billy?), Gilbert and Moody could actually have a large role in future seasons and can say something really interesting about the state of society - but more on those later.  First, we have to take it back to the beginning. 

Where It All Started: Season 1 

As you all know, because we are watching from Anne’s perspective, we meet the schoolkids after they have all known each other for years. We don’t know exactly how long they have known each other, but since it’s a small town, I’m going to guess it’s been since they were little kids. 

In episode 3, Gilbert walks into the schoolhouse and we instantly know his social role. He’s the tall, smart, popular guy with the dark eyes that all the girls love. Interestingly enough, the first person to call out Gilbert’s name when he returns to school is Moody, who immediately pulls him away to ask him all about his travelling adventures. 

Moody is, simply put, the opposite of Gilbert in Season 1. He’s shorter than the other boys, chubby and jolly. It’s not a far cry to say that Moody admired Gilbert, and aspired to be like him, especially since Gilbert is a year older. Most of the boys did. Moody most likely always wished that he could have the same kind of attention that Gilbert gets from the girls, instead of just being called “ridiculous” (as Diana delightfully put it). No one would ever call Gilbert ridiculous...he’s Gilbert! 

We can tell by their interactions that Gilbert is at least vaguely friends with Moody and the other boys. He jokes around with them, goofs off in class, and generally seems to be having a good time with them. 

But when Gilbert’s father dies in Season 1 Episode 6, we see a drastic change in Gilbert’s personality, and this lends itself to changes within his relationships as well. 

Gilbert’s Crisis: Season 1 to Season 2

After Mr. Blythe’s death at the end of Season 1, we see a much more emotionally disturbed version of Gilbert. He’s grieving, and not taking it well. He pushes everyone away, including Anne, and punches Billy in the face when he calls him his “bud”. Although we don’t see Moody in any of this, we do get a look inside Gilbert’s head. The insensitivity of his classmates puts him off and for the first time, he sees the gap between him and them. They’re still kids and don’t understand the weight of what he’s going through. This most likely factored into his decision to leave town and travel the world.

When he meets Bash, it seems like Bash gets through to him, helping him heal from his father’s death. He sings, writes letters to Anne, and seems like he’s having the time of his life (who wouldn’t be, travelling is awesome). He also discovers his passion for medicine when he gives birth to a baby in Trinidad. 

Growing Up: Season 2

While Gilbert was travelling the world, Moody was having some firsts of his own. He has his - presumably - first kiss in Season 2 Episode 5, when he’s forced to kiss Diana during spin the bottle. But overall, it seems like he was still the same character he was in Season 1, just a little older, but that could be because we hardly get to see him this season, at least in the first 5 or so episodes. 

But it seems that travelling did Gilbert a world of good, because when he returns to Avonlea with Bash, we see him chatting with his schoolmates. 

He seems perfectly fine here, almost like his old sociable self, but there’s a distance there. Things can’t quite be the same. He agrees to help with the pantomime, but stays off to the side, not interacting with any of his schoolmates. He actually never interacts with his schoolmates after that brief shot in Episode 6 of Season 2, except for going to help Cole when he breaks his wrist (thanks, Billy), but that doesn't entirely count, since he was in Doctor Blythe mode. In every schoolhouse scene, Gilbert is sitting by himself studying for his vocation. We really don't see any kind of Gilbert-schoolmate relationship, nevermind Gilbert and Moody. The only times we see them in the same scene or frame was:

1. When Moody is backstage during the pantomime and Gilbert is manning the rig, however we don't see them speak to each other,

And 2. When Moody is about to lick the lightbulb and Gilbert, Anne and literally everyone else in the room yell at him not to.

So, this leaves us with Season 3, where most of Gilbert and Moody's interactions occur, and where we can really closely study their relationship.

At Odds: Season 3

At the start of Season 3, we're put at a bit of disadvantage. We have no idea what happened in the last 2 years since Season 2, but we can assume that it followed the same pattern, the schoolkids growing up and having new experiences, while Gilbert drifted away into adulthood.

At the beginning of Season 3, we see him playing hockey with the boys, so he isn't completely detached (yet). Gilbert is still ignoring Ruby (more on that later) and Moody is flirting with Diana. 

Again they don't interact. Now, just because we don't SEE them interact doesn't mean that they never do, but it's safe to say that outside of the canon scenes, they don't either. Case in point: the 3x01 classroom scene. Gilbert is sitting in a corner reading a book, and Moody is on the other end of the room talking with some other boys. No interaction.

Gilbert is playing with them, yes, but that doesn't mean he is ONE of them, not anymore anyway. (Note: It is mentioned that he leaves often to go to Charlottetown for his apprenticeship with Dr. Ward.) The boys probably view him as less of a peer and more of this distant figure who is sometimes there and sometimes isn't.

But! Remember what we mentioned early on in this essay: "It’s not a far cry to say that Moody admired Gilbert, and aspired to be like him, especially since Gilbert is a year older. [...] Moody most likely always wished that he could have the same kind of attention that Gilbert gets from the girls."

Things have changed now, Moody is older. Slimmer and taller, but that doesn't mean he's not still insecure. He still respects Gilbert and his opinion. The evidence for this? 

1. In 3x05, when Moody is injured and the Indigenous healer offers him the leaf of a weeping tree, he initially refuses, only accepting because it was Gilbert who told him it was okay to eat it, 

2. Also in 3x05, Moody asks Dr. Gilbert if it’s okay to dance, but Gilbert says no, so he doesn’t dance, 

3. And in 3x07, when Moody rightfully criticizes Anne for her article, the moment Gilbert claps back at him in her defence, he immediately shuts up and looks almost sheepish - showing us that he really values Gilbert’s opinion, even though earlier on they are clearly seen arguing - only interrupted by Miss Stacy’s paper airplane. 

These are all moments that show us that Moody respects Gilbert, because he’s older and is studying to be a doctor. However, he is the only one that thinks that way. By this point, most of the Avonlea boys don’t want to be friends with Gilbert anymore (this is made clear by the fact that none of the boys are seen talking to him ever). Gilbert has pushed them away enough times for them to stay away. But Moody is the only one who still wants to be friends with Gilbert. This is evidenced by: 

1. In 3x08, Moody actively attempts to make conversation with Gilbert at Miss Stacy’s house. He asks him about Winifred and invites him to the ruins (possibly hopeful that he would actually show up), 

2. Also in 3x08, Moody hyperventilates and yells, “Where is Gilbert!?” - either because of Gilbert’s doctor status or because he wanted him to be there for moral support, 

3. In 3x09, when they’re rebuilding the school, Moody AGAIN tries to make conversation with Gilbert, asking him about Winnie and what he’s going to do after he’s married, but Gilbert blows him off and walks away in the middle of their conversation, 

4. and finally, in 3x10, when they get their exam results, Moody congratulates Gilbert by calling him PEI’s finest.  

More than once we see Moody try to be Gilbert’s friend, supportive of him, and time and time again Gilbert blows him off or treats him like he’s less than. Because in Gilbert’s mind, he is. Moody could never understand him. We can tell by his responses to Moody’s advances. Blank stare, eyebrows, “That’s not how it works”, “I know what you meant Moody” or just not showing up. He doesn’t show up to the ruins, the only reason he went there was to talk to Anne. He treats Moody like he’s below him or just one of his patients - like in 3x05. 

Not to mention that he purposefully humiliated him in 3x07 in front of Ruby. Moody was right about Anne’s article, and he was in the right to voice his opinion, and Gilbert arguably crossed a line by putting him down, exposing Moody’s feelings for Ruby to the class (don’t think Gilbert chose a random person for his demonstration). 

But, I’m not going to get too ahead of myself, because we haven’t even talked about Ruby yet. 

Gilbert, Moody and Ruby: Season 1 to Season 3

Ruby genuinely loved Gilbert. 

That’s a bold statement, but it is arguably true. She cared for him, about as much as a 10 to 16-year-old could given their less developed prefrontal cortex. Sure, it was a little obsessive, but you can’t tell me there wasn’t some actual feeling in there. In 1x03, Josie tells us Ruby has liked Gilbert for three years, and by the time we get to Season 3, six years. 

S i x y e a r s. For Ruby to be able to like Gilbert for six years, she must have seen something in him other than looks (though she mentions it the most). In Season 1, Gilbert is handsome, kind, charismatic, and smart. I could see where she’s coming from. He was a good guy. 

But here’s the thing, for all of Ruby’s love and adoration, Gilbert never gave her a single thing back. (Yes, he lifted her off the ground, but that was because Anne was there.) 

Not once did Gilbert ever do anything nice for Ruby because he actually wanted to. No matter what Ruby would do, how obvious she made her feelings, Gilbert ignored her and liked Anne - her best friend(!) instead. The gentlemanly thing to do would have been to tell Ruby he wasn’t interested in her, but that never happened. I don’t know if that makes Gilbert an oblivious boy or a jerk. But he couldn’t have been that oblivious since he’s an observant guy. 

The only explanation would be that he didn’t see Ruby an important person to clear things up with. Again, we see Gilbert deeming people less than because of his own cognitive bias toward thinking he is superior to everyone else in maturity because of his life experience. The only reason he paid any attention to Anne in the first place, was because he deemed her as an equal to his superior maturity, which she was. 

Given all this, where does Moody fit in? 

Moody was always a good friend to Ruby. We don’t see it very much, but they were in the same school together, and Moody helped her and Anne save Miss Stacy. 

But that also means, being Ruby’s acquaintance/friend, he watched her cry over Gilbert for six years. 

For six years, he has seen Ruby try and fail to get Gilbert’s attention and be disappointed when it doesn’t work out. A never-ending cycle of tears and hurt, that Moody could do nothing to help because he was just her guy friend. We know Moody wants to help people -  that’s why he’s going to become a minister - so for him to be unable to help Ruby is just painful. 

In Season 3, Moody has experienced a similar situation with Diana (Diana deems people less than because of her superior social status and wealth), so now he knows how Ruby feels and he’s even more empathetic toward her.

Does Moody harbor resentment toward Gilbert for his treatment of Ruby? Maybe. 

In 3x03, when Ruby is crying over Gilbert’s absence (again) and accidentally wrote his name in the newspaper. Everyone laughs but Moody looks on sympathetically, showing this is upsetting him more than it is amusing him. 

When Ruby says, “Gilbert was so heroic”, Moody gives her his handkerchief, which in that time period was a very heroic thing to do. It’s an act of romance and the first nice thing a boy has ever done for Ruby...which is kind of sad if you think about it. Moody is conveying in that moment that Gilbert isn’t the only heroic boy in Avonlea (he is too). 

This means so much to her, that she ends up getting over Gilbert and falling for Moody instead, which is the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen on TV. 

The Future of Gilbert and Moody: Season 4 and Beyond

Even though Anne with an E was sadly cancelled in November 2019, due to an ongoing dispute between Netflix and CBC, that doesn’t mean we can’t theorize about the content of a future Season 4 and 5. 

We know Moody is going to be going to Queens withe rest of his classmates and Gilbert is going to University of Toronto. However, Moody’s time at Queens is probably temporary. In the books, he becomes a minister, so I searched up Bible Colleges in Canada to see where he would be able to train as one. I discovered that a new college had just opened in the late 1890s: Toronto Bible College, which trained common-folk as missionaries and ministers. 

The cool part? Toronto Bible College was down the street from University of Toronto. 

Moody and Gilbert would be going to school together, maybe even rooming together, for the next 3 years. 

How would their relationship in Seasons 1 - 3 factor in to their experience as roommates? It would be interesting to see Moody confront Gilbert for what he did to Ruby. This would give Gilbert an opportunity to redeem himself and be likable again. 

Some Controversial Conclusions on Gilbert Blythe 

I started this essay in early January, but it is now late March and I have left the Anne with an E fandom. One of the reasons I left was the growing toxicity and idealization of Gilbert. All the time I would see tweets and posts claiming that, “Gilbert is my dream man”, “I wish I had a guy like Gilbert”, “The only good guys are fictional (Gilbert)”. It ticked me off because it’s just not true. Gilbert is not a good guy. He is a jerk with a superiority complex. 

In every version of Anne, Gilbert completely worships Anne. He adores her, writes poems for her, almost dies without her. He is very needy and clingy, and we view that as romantic, because we want to be worshiped. 

Dating Gilbert would include him being unable to survive without you, constantly fearing you’re going to fall out of love with him, needing constant reiteration of your feelings, showering you with affection and flowery words, and possibly not allowing you to have any male friends. That isn’t romantic. 

Being true equals in a secure relationship would be understanding that you love each other - and being secure in that - and being able to let them be free to do the things they want to do without constantly needing validation. I’m not saying Gilbert in AWAE is toxic, but he has severe communication issues that no girl should have to put up with. 

Note: I’m not saying that Gilbert is a bad person through and through. He is a gentle soul, we see it in his interactions with Bash, Mary and Delphine. A lot of his negative actions may have subconscious causes. But we’re not slaves to our subconscious. Even if we are implicitly being a jerk, there are still conscious ways to change our behavior and become better people.