#charlie too cautious to ask him why he’s staying

[snowyh2o]

Is no one gonna talk about how Alastor shows up at the hotel one day, offers his services to Charlie, and then just fucking moves in with them and brings along 2 new flatmates.

Like, how did that conversation even go?

Dude attached a whole ass radio tower to the hotel! Was he homeless? Did he need a place to stay?? Is that why he was so interested in the hotel???

Nothing about him being the hotel’s manager or host or Charlie’s sponsor would necessitate him to actually move in and live with everyone else at the hotel. I can’t imagine Charlie or Vaggie would’ve been particularly welcoming of him deciding to start living with them. Or the new additions to the hotel.

Radio Demon shows up at your door like a wet cat and doesn’t leave. All attempts at removing him result in failure and eldritch horrors best not mentioned.

[charlieswanswife]

Friends to lovers + sexual tension tropes: Charlie's wrist is injured but he needs to shave so he asks reader for help. Have fun!

Close Shave

I’m a slut for this kind of thing tyvm

Okay sidenote but this turned out so much cuter than I anticipated

"Careful now..."

You're rolling your eyes, retracting the razor in your hand from his stubbled cheek. "Don't be such a baby, Charlie. I know what I'm doing," you tease the apprehensive man. "I do have some experience in the shaving department, you know."

He mumbles, "Yeah well, that's why I asked."

"Still can't believe you managed to slip on that ice on your porch—even after I told you to do something about it no less! Said somebody was gonna get hurt. Now here you are, wrist sprained—more irritable than ever—and too helpless to even shave your own face."

Charlie's gaze meets your own and for once you feel something brewing in the pit of your stomach. Staring into his eyes, fingers grazing along the side of his jawline—you could never deny he was a handsome guy.

"I mean really, Charlie. What would you do without me?" There's a wide grin accompanying your lighthearted words.

"Yeah yeah," he scoffs, "Just get on with it will ya?"

There's the familiar look that manages to flash across his face for but a split second. The one that has his brows furrowing, eyes rolling back. The one that cautions you to cut your shit. A look you've seen from him far too often.

It wasn't like you didn't know what you were signing up for when you accepted this strange task of his. The two of you were close friends after all. Stuck through nearly the worst of each other throughout the years you'd known him.

Yet something felt different about this.

The way you were standing with him in the middle of his bathroom. How still he stayed while your hands caressed the sides of his cheek, faces so close his cologne felt dizzying. The way his lips seemed to naturally form a frown, eyebrows furrowing, whenever he was contemplating something.

Shit—you had to admit the sprouting grey hairs lining that beard of his were making you feel some type of way. A way that had you questioning your morals. Maybe your entire friendship. And like it didn't help when your thigh brushed against his anytime you moved in closer.

"How close of a cut do you want?" You ask, stepping back for a moment to snatch the shaving cream—and to calm yourself.

"Just keep the mustache."

"Should have guessed," you tease, lathering your hands, "Wouldn't want to frighten the guys at the station."

This comment earns you a small chuckle.

"Might scare you too," he adds.

You're smiling, nodding your head as you once again place the now lathered palms of your hands against the sides of his face. It's surprising to you just how soft his skin feels despite the stubble—which frames his jawline so nicely. You even find yourself sulking over how much of a shame it is to shave it off.

Gradually your laughter dissolves into a gentle silence that fills the air. You're impossibly close now—closer than you already had been—eyes locked together, breath fanning against his cheek. You're tight lipped, eyes darting down to focus as you begin to press the edge of the sharp razor to his skin.

An outstretched arm reaches out, hand clasping the edge of the counter in front of you. Charlie lets out a long sigh, eyes pursed shut, "Careful," he willfully reminds you.

"I thought you trusted me."

"Yeah well that was before you held a razor up to me."

"You asked me to do this, remember? You don't wanna back out now that I've already started."

Cue another drawn out sigh.

"Suppose not."

"Now try not to move so I don't nick you."

Charlie grumbles compliantly.

The first swipe you take is slow and cautious—the blade scraping down the bristles lining one side of his cheek. A breathy gasp slips past his lips—a sound that may or may not have caused your heart rate to spike. Or heat to pool in the pit of your stomach and your face for that matter.

"You doin' okay?"

"Of course." One swipe. "What's up?" Another.

"Just checking in."

You hum out something of a response, turning to the sink to run the razor under water before swiftly wiping it on a towel. "How're you holding up?" You ask, pressing the blade to his skin once more.

"Just fine," he answers before adding in a, "So far."

"Whatever you say." You're smiling to yourself—you can't help it when he's teasing you.

"You almost done yet?"

Heaving a small sigh, you take a swipe close to his chin. "No," you respond.

"I'd be done by now."

"Want me to rush?" You threaten.

Charlie laughs, "Take all the time you need," voice low in your ear.

You let out a breath you didn't even know you were holding in.

"That tickles."

Heat flushes to your cheeks once more. "Suck it up," you advise, breath fanning the crook of his neck.

Another chuckle exits his lips and you can feel it rumble from deep within his chest. "Not pulling any punches today, huh?" Charlie says, tilting his head back to allow you more access as the razor begins to drag underneath his jawline.

"Afraid so."

For a second you look up to catch the smirk playing at the corners of his mouth and you find yourself briefly lost in the way his teeth ever so slightly rake against the bottom of his lip. Merely a second and somehow you manage to press just hard enough to cut his skin.

"Dammit—!" Charlie winces, pressing a hand to the wound.

"Oh shit—! I'm sorry!"

It's a small nick. Nothing intense. But that doesn't stop you from panicking.

"I'm really sorry...I didn't mean to—!" You stammer, urgently turning around to grab a damp towel—

—before stumbling backwards.

But Charlie manages to pull you to him, holding you securely to his chest so that you’re trapped between him and the counter, faces mere inches away. “Careful, sweetheart,” he nearly whispers, “Don’t need you all hurt too.”

If only he weren’t so damn smooth.

Because now you’re left absolutely breathless.

“Let’s finish up, huh?” Charlie suggests, brushing your hair away from your face.

“Good call,” you manage to say.

[olivexii]

⚠️ - 100 days

Charlie Slimecicle x f!reader

Chapter 1

Tw: Violence, gore, language

Based on the film by Slimecicle (yippee!!)

┌── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──┐

It had been around 6 days since it had started. 6 exhausting days of travelling, scavenging and fighting. You were too scared to rest, let alone had the time for it.

You had stupidly decided to go into the city today, figuring there would be a good amount of supplies hidden away somewhere. But now you were trapped on the top floor of a random grey building as zombies flooded the floor beneath you.

Your back leaning against the cold wall, head in your knees. The sound of the zombies below fill your ears as you try and block them out.

They couldn’t reach you, the ladder was blocked with a trap door. But still you couldn’t shake the anxiety you felt as the banged on the wood.

It had been 4 days since the last sight of a human being. Your friend being torn from your grasp as she screams for help plays over and over in your mind; knowing that it’s your fault she wasn’t saved.

Soon the sound of the zombies and your own thoughts were interrupted by a panicked voice.

“OH!!! Well would you look at that”

You couldn’t see the owner of the voice (a man??) but you could hear the sound of a sword piercing flesh, as the sound of the zombies slowly quietened, but wasn’t silenced.

“TOP FLOOR’S ALWAYS THE SAFEST” the panicked voice says again as he realised that he was being overrun.

The sound of the trap door being opened and heavy panting caused you to look up in a fright. The man not realising you were there as he climbed through the floor with his back facing you.

He wheezed as he put his hands on his knees, attempting to catch his breath.

You immediately became aware of the weapons he had on him, becoming extra cautious incase he used them against you.

Still panting heavily he put his hands on his hips and stood up straight, slowly turning around to analyse the room he had climbed into.

“OH, shit”, he exclaimed when he turned around and saw you, your pocket knife now drawn and pointed straight towards him.

Out of reflex he reached for him sword that was attached to his belt, pointing it towards you as well.

“Who are you?” you questioned the brown haired man. Your voice raspy from having not talked in days and from the lack of water.

“Who are you?” he questioned back, sword reflecting in the sun.

“Shouldn’t I be the one asking that, you just appeared out of nowhere!”

His gaze hardened at the attitude you gave him.

“Just tell me your name, and I’ll tell you mine, okay? That’s fair considering I saved your life. Those zombies were almost breaking up here man.”

Copying his gaze you pursed your lips, deciding if you should tell him who you are. What if he’s a threat?

“Y/N. My name’s Y/N” you admitted with a sigh, not breaking eye contact with the man in front of you.

“Nice to meet you Y/N. I’m Charlie.”

He lowered his sword slightly, now pointing it more towards your legs than your body.

“This your… base or something” He asked as he broke eye contact, looking around the room. “Not much here at all.”

“No, it’s not. I was chased by them. I didn’t even know they could climb ladders until now. Luckily I was quick enough to close the trap door before any of them could get up.”

Your eyes stayed on the man’s face as he turned his attention back to you

“You have a base?” He tilted his head.

“Well… Not exactly”

“So you move around a lot then?”

“Why are you asking so many questions?” Your head titled the same as his.

“I don’t know… You’re the first person I’ve come across since this all started.”

You moved your knife down slightly, lowering your guard. If he would have wanted you dead he would have done it by now.

“Really? Is there no one else around here?”

“Not that I’ve see no. Apart from you obviously. Y’know, you’re pretty lucky I came around when I did. Another few minutes and you would have been zombie lunch.”

He bounced up and down on the balls of his feet slightly, his sword now at his side.

“I could’ve defended my self you know”

Charlie clicks his tongue.

“Ehh… I don’t think so. I couldn’t take them all there were that many down there. Which is why you should be thanking me.”

His voice got more enthusiastic the more he talked to you, seeming proud of himself.

“Yeah, yeah. Thanks I guess.” you replied with a hint of sarcasm he seemed to not pick up on.

He smiled lazily to himself, still shifting on his feet. It was silent for a moment, the only sound filling the room were the zombies from the floor below and outside.

“I think we should go take care of them…” He looked up at you as he scratched the back of his neck.

“Wait, you’re not bit, are you?” You asked him, suddenly becoming cautious again.

“No, no I’m not. Nearly was a couple times but… I’m not no.”

“Okay good, I’m not either. I swear if you go all zombie on me I will kill you” You glared at him, bringing the knife back up and pointing it in his direction to prove your point.

“I don’t doubt that, jeez” He replied, fixing his pastel green shirt out of nerves.

“Good.”

You finally stood on your feet, knife now back down at your side as you turn your back to him to pick up your back pack.

“You found any supplies?” He asks curiously.

“No, whole fucking place is empty.”

“Yeah I couldn’t find much stuff either. Must’ve already been raided.”

“Shame.” You replied dryly as you walked towards him and the trap door.

“Okay, so, game plan,” he started and you turned your gaze to him. “You take the right, and I’ll take the left. I don’t think there’s that many there, but just in case.”

“Cool”

He nodded to himself in re assurance and took a deep breath before opening the trap door. The groans of zombies and reek of rotting flesh immediately filling the room.

“I’ll go down first, you follow after me” Charlie instructed with his eyes glued on the ladder.

You didn’t respond verbally, only nodding at him even though he didn’t see it.

He jumped down suddenly, and you were quick to follow, immediately turning to the right and facing 3 zombies.

You swung your knife straight towards the closest one’s head, the blood splashing back and hitting you on the cheek.

You took the other two out in the same way, knowing it was easier to go for the head.

When you had taken them out you turned back around the see Charlie handling the last one. His sword came crashing through it’s skull with a force, making it drop immediately.

He let out a heavy sigh and he slowly turned to face you again. Blood covered the right side of his face, but he seemed unbothered by it.

“Well, I’m tired now. Suns almost set so it’s probably a good idea for me to head back to my base.”

“Yeah probably.” You responded dryly again, only thing on your mind being how you would probably have to set up camp on the top floor and fight off zombies the whole night.

“You should come back with me. I just got done building my base and you look like you need to rest.”

You looked up at him in shock.

“Really? You’re just going to let some random girl into your base. I could be a threat you know”, you exclaimed with folded arms.

“Yeah but, you’re not going to try anything. I know that. And if you do just know I’m so much more prepared than you, you’d be giving yourself a death wish.

He threatened as he attached his blood covered sword back onto his belt.

“Yeah I guess. Are you sure it’s okay?”

“Mhm, I don’t mind. Plus it’ll be nice to not be lonely. We can sleep in shifts so that way we’re protected and can rest.”

Charlie began walking towards the stairs out of the building, expecting you to follow him.

“C’mon Y/N. It’s gonna be dark before we get there, so I suggest moving those legs of yours.” He called out as he disappeared to the floor below.

└── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──┘

A/N: I HAVEN’T WRITTEN IN OVER A YEAR!!! YAY!!

[inkyycapp]

Pinefield-Matsu x Demon!Reader

(got lazy a bit in, forgive any errors I'll edit when my brain isn't mush.)

Deep in the library, a book of the dark arts lay dormant, untouched by many who passed it by.

Now, in the hands of a new holder, there was no telling why or how they found such a book as no system had it on file. Strange old, dusty book.

Far beyond the tree line, he flipped through the pages, skimming each page for what it had to offer. After what seemed like ages, his hand stopped at an interesting page. While the book and its contents were tattered and old, this one singular page looked preserved--torn through time itself.

Placing candles carefully around the circle of old bones, tossing salt and who knows what else into the small circle. Chanting in the incantation and then... ... Then...? Nothing happened. Checking the page, before looking at the circle. Once, somehow, a small fire was lit, to their surprise, it grew into a large fire pooling from the summoning circle, concealed safely inside.

Once the fire died down, a figure remained, glowing eyes staring back at them.

Osomatsu !!

Orson - Slacker !!

-After the summoning didn't work, he sighed to himself, lighting up a cigarette. Shaking off most of the fire from the match, he tossed it off to the side and it so happened to land inside the circle.

-He didn't expect it to work. Not at all. But, in a drunken state, who cared if it worked or not. Worst case scenario the forest would burn down... Right?

-WRONG. Because, once the fire died down, here you stood, your eyes staring back at him.

-Orson didn't really think it'd work to begin with, but it seemed his fate had other plans for him.

-Does freak out, but once he's more calm, he's asking all sorts of questions about you and what kind of devil you are, if you catch my drift.

-Orson isn't really the...ambitious type. Figuring out how to aid him was going to be difficult.

-So, after a long moment of silence, he offers you a beer.

-You both end up talking about you, about him, about whatever it was that seemed to pop up in your heads in the moment.

-In the end, you are stuck with him. But, maybe he isn't that bad.

Karamatsu !!

Karla - Geek

-Karla was forced into doing the ritual by some people who wanted to 'hang out' and 'become friends'. Karla was skeptical, but it'd would be so rude not to accept the offer! He just had to!

-This poor idiot. (Affectionately)

-Whether you were summoned or not, he was absolutely terrified. Though, when you didn't appear, he was almost a bit...disappointed.

-One of the tormentors shoved him forward, and nearly caught himself on fire, of course he didn't but the circle sure did!

-The others ran off leaving only Karla behind, stunned by the beauty of the growing fire--his eyes are glued to the figure standing amongst the smoke.

-Probably too scared to scream, and unsure if he should be impressed, he managed to will such a being to be in his presence or absolutely terrified of you.

-He's very cautious, and more wary than most on this list. Regardless, he's enamored by you and tries and fails to play it cool.

-At least he's cute!

-Regardless of your gender or appearance or anything like that, he thinks you're beautiful.

-He stays out in the woods with you for a while until he finally realizes he doesn't know how to send you back.

-Karla apologizes profusely.

Choromatsu ...

Charlie - Nerd

(i dont like him im sorry..)

-Charlie didn't think it was going to work in the slightest. In fact, he was doing it specifically to prove a point to one of his brothers that there was no such thing as witchcraft and that they were just being idiotic or something.

-So, when it didn't work, a smug grin splayed on his lips, though he couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment deep down as he adjusted his glasses.

-Comically, his glasses accidentally lit the center on fire. He was stuck watching and panicking as the fire erupted before fading into grey smoke leaving a silhouette in its wake.

-On one hand, he's frozen in a state of fear and on the other hand, he's pissed that the summoning ritual actually worked.

-He thinks you're cute, regardless of gender/appearance. How could he be mad at you? Clearly it wasn't your or his fault!! Had to be something else to blame..

-Oh, right. It's the book's fault. It should've at least put a warning or something--anything to prevent scary demons being summoned. Just, not you though.

-At the end of the day, you can't go home, and neither can he. Charlie can't imagine what his brothers might say if they knew he actually did it..

Ichimatsu !!

Itchy - Goth

-Itchy found that book, and decided to crack it open to scare a prep that found their way wandering into the words.

-He was convinced this book was made by some witchcraft guru and that it wouldn't actually work. So, he wasn't let down when the initial ritual failed.

-Though, to drive the scare home, he tossed a small firecracker into the circle, and watched as the flames only got brighter before they died and only you remained.

-He is absolutely stunned. Staring, it takes him a moment to react. To which, he definitely loses his shit like most of everyone on this list.

-He didn't think to get this far or that it would even work. Itchy is unsure whether to apologize, panic, or bathe in the ego boost.

-Kinda just stands there and stares, unsure what to do or say. Itchy does eventually get more talkative, he just needs a minute.

-Well, at least he did manage to scare that prep in the end.

-Like Orson, he doesn't really have any ambition. It might be difficult to aid him more than most on this list, but who doesn't like a challenge.

-Trick question, but you have zero choice!

Jyushimatsu !!

Juicy - Freak

-How he got this book into his hands was unknown. He did show it off to Itchy looking for his opinion.

-Itchy didn't really think it was real, so Juicy thought it'd be fun to try out all sorts of cool things he saw.

-After maybe the third or fifth spell or something, trying and failing until his eyes caught onto the summoning page.

-Unlike his brothers, he wasn't discouraged, and kept tossing things in, changing things around before he eventually lights some book (hopefully not the spell book) on fire, and tossed it in when you finally appeared.

-He's ecstatic you finally made your arrival, and honestly is just happy it worked.

-Once you explain what you are and your lifelong purpose, it goes one ear and out the other. The first thing he asks after is how good your baseball pitch is.

-Well, at least he knows what he wants, unlike everyone else on this list.

Todomatsu !!

Todd - Messenger

-Poor Todd, similar to Karla was peer pressured or rather forced into doing the summoning ritual.

-When nothing happened, he was relived, though one of the tormentors wasn't happy with this and decided to try and light the book on fire.

-Surprise surprise, it didn't go well. Once the smallest hint of the match go close to the circle, flames erupted from the center. Eerier noises and screams before everything fell somewhat silent aside the scampering of the gaggle of guys who had left Todd behind.

-He is absolutely stunned. Unsure if it was the fact that it work or that you seemed to take him as your summoner. It was the other boys, really it was. But, apparently to you, that's not how it worked.

-You are now here to help him. A boost to his shiny ego.

-He wants revenge, not a moment too soon. A short-sighted way to see things as you are stuck with him.

-No, he doesn't want you to murder them. That would bring too much attention. What he wants is to destory their careers. Make sure they're outcasted and ruined beyond help! They might have to move towns..

-You'll help him right? Well, you kinda have to.

(Tbh I just wanted an excuse to show off these goobers more..)

[mybrainrotforreal]

Cat Cafe!AU Chapter 4

This time, it's Charlie's POV ;)

After Hector leaves, Charlie bangs his head to the wooden counter, groaning softly when he feels throbbing pain on his forehead. How could he blurt something like that? He could just word it better, he knows his flirty game is not that high but he doesn't know he could be that low. Yes, deep inside him he wishes he could spend more time with Hector, but with the way Hector fell silent, frowned and glared at him… He probably got offended, making Charlie pedaled back, wishing he could pull those words back to his mouth and the ground below swallow him whole.  

It's not even a good joke either. It's a bloody cringe!

Charlie bangs his head again, but softly this time and stays in that position for a while. Juicebox, the brown munchkin, comes up to him and plays with his hair, pulling it gently. Charlie takes the cat and buries his face into its belly fur instead. He just has a regular customer, who almost everyday comes to his cafe and now he ruins it, just like everything else. There would be a small chance he will come to the cafe tomorrow, hell, maybe he won't come at all. Charlie's shoulders sag as he starts tidying up the cafe, the bells jingle as he flips the open/closed sign board on the door and makes sure the cats have gotten into their respected cages, except Mr. Holmes, as he will spend his night with Charlie. 

After making sure everything is in its place, Charlie goes to his little apartment upstairs, finding the black cat waiting for him on his bed. By the look of him, he looks offended, as if Charlie was taking too long spending his time downstairs. His bed creaks when he lays down and makes sure he pets the cat from behind so as to not stratle him. "It's been a long day, isn't it, Mr. Holmes? The bad guy is gone and you are safe now," Charlie rubs his nape, soothing him. After a while, the cat decides to sit on his lap in a loaf form, closes his eyes and purrs loudly, indicating he is feeling safe and comfortable. 

Charlie stairs at the ceiling, his mind is coming back to his favorite visitor. The first time he came, he was wearing a hat and black mask, covering half of his face and all Charlie could see was his brown eyes and thick eyelashes. He doesn't say anything, no matter how much Charlie tries to start a conversation with him. Of course for a second the barista suspected he is mute but he doesn't feel it's his place to ask him about it. At some point he is afraid he annoys him with his stories but those brown eyes, which look like a pool of honey when afternoon sunlight touches them, stares at him with undivided attention. The small nods and the thin smiles he gave him once for a while could energize him all day. 

He notices Hector used to sit at the corner, far away from anyone, almost blending with his surroundings, looking all serious with brow furrowed and eyes glued to his laptop but even then, Charlie can feel his gaze on him from the corner of his eyes. After the rainy day happened, where Hector was dripping wet from the rain, he sits closer to Charlie and it's even easier for Charlie to catch the visitor staring at him and while Charlie smiles at him merrily, he only smiles awkwardly. But it's still better than averting eyes or staring back at his laptop. Along with his closer proximity, Charlie thinks it’s a big progress. 

"He is just like you, you know," Charlie pets the black cat on his chest, "Staring at me from afar and getting closer as time goes. I wonder why you guys do that, isn't it easier to just come up to me and do something about it?” the barista hums and absentmindedly strokes the cat's cheek. Well, Hector just confessed to him he is mute, so it must be more challenging to him and he looks cautious. Could it be he is observing Charlie to make sure the best way to approach him? Whatever it is, Charlie feels the need to express his gratitude to him, properly. Hector has listened to all of his chatter and even protected him, getting his knuckles torn in the process. Maybe he does want to interact with him but with his disability it's difficult to do so? Maybe there's still one thing Charlie can do and not fuck up this time. Time to take his laptop and start researching. 

Charlie groans softly as he feels his glasses pressed between his face and the mattress. He ends up staying up late at night to learn Basic American Sign Language; downloading tons of PDF, practicing with youtube, subscribing for sign language class online. In the end, he realizes he can’t cram all of the lessons into his head and decides to learn some words he wants to sign to Hector. As he brushes his teeth, he looks at his phone and realizes he is late to open the cafe’s door for Jamie, the cook who works in the kitchen, hence why she rarely appears on the other side of the cafe. 

Charlie opens the door and finds the cook folds her arms on her chest, left foot taps impatiently, “Hello, sleeping beauty, your clock ran out of battery this morning?”

“Shut up, I just had a rough night,”

“Really?” Jamie smirks as she gets in, eyeing his bed hair, “Amazing, Charlie Lonnit, finally get laid.” 

Charlie snorts and decides to ignore her remark, “A drunk man came in and got bitten by Mr. Holmes, he almost thrashed this place if one of our customers didn’t stop him.”

Jamie frowns, the incident must be late enough after her shift is over. They go to the staff room and watch the CCTV record of last night. “Why didn't you tell me right away? And let me guess, that customer who helps you is the one who always bring his laptop and looks like he has gone to war or something,” 

“You mean Hector? Yeah, he beat the drunkard…,” Charlie shifts uncomfortably as they watch he tended his wound on the monitor. He quickly taps the pause button, feeling Jamie looking at him with a big grin. 

"Did he really? Damn, I think he is your biggest fan. I mean, come on, he comes here every weekday and I bet it’s not just because of coffee nor cats. "

"Shut up," Charlie takes on the rags and cleans the counter with Jamie following him.  She won't miss any chance to annoy him, "There's no way he comes here because of me. Maybe he lives in an apartment where they're prohibited to have pets or something."

"Do you need to replace your glasses or are you blind? He comes here everyday and stares at you like you stole his soul."

"He is just staring, people do that sometimes." Charlie snorts and shakes his head as he prepares the coffee machine. He has thought about this all night but why now he denies it? Is it even harder to accept the fact that Hector might have interest in him when other people notice it too? 

"Just staring? Are you kidding me? In case you forgot, he beat up someone to protect you,"

"You're jumping to conclusions. He is just a customer." Jamie just folds her arms on her chest and raises one of her brow. "Okay, alright, it's a little odd," Charlie retaliates. 

"Odd? Come on, you see what you want to see, Charlie, but if you two become a thing, you owe me 5 bucks." 

“Just go back to the kitchen,” Charlie groans and looks away, hiding his blush from Jamie. He has been thinking about his interaction with Hector all night and he doesn’t need his coworker spewing other facts at him. Jamie might be right, well, or not, she spends her time mostly in the kitchen and just occasionally sees Hector, of course she doesn’t have enough data to make any sound deduction. But what if Jamie is right? If that is even possible, then Charlie’s effort to learn sign language might be a good act to get closer to Hector. He hopes.

Charlie brushes his hair and wears his fake cat ears, making sure it snug neatly on his head before he turns the open sign board on the door. Totoro, a gray maine coon with white belly, lays on the way back and almost makes the Barista trip. Of course Charlie is the one who apologizes to him, cats never make mistakes, aren’t they? Charlie picks up the giant cat and puts him on the cat tower with a groan, Totoro is gaining weight again, he thinks. Last time he checked, he was almost ten kilograms, gotta put him on a diet and play with him more. He pets his head and gets back to sit behind the counter. It's almost eleven, Hector may come any time now and practicing his sign language as he waits might be a good idea. 

The familiar jingling of the bell stops him practicing and when he looks up, Hector is there, standing rather awkwardly in front of the counter. He looks more rugged than usual, as if he doesn't have enough sleep. Charlie gulps, he feels excited and nervous at the same time. He puts the side of his hand on his forehead,  moves it outwards and away from his head, signing it as a simple hello. Then, he spells Hector's name, his fingers tremble and he looks at them all the time, eyebrows furrowed in concentration, making sure he won't mess it up. He looks more confident as he succeeds, and starts to look at Hector again, signing with his eyebrows up, indicating it's a question, "What do you want to order?" 

Charlie held his breath, waiting for Hector's response. His heart thumping loudly but his surroundings is so silent he can hear the clock ticking. Wait, did he forget to play the background music? And then, finally, a smile blossomed on Hector's lips and Charlie can’t help but smile back. At least he doesn’t mess up this time, a world record, really. Hector still looks at him and realizes he hasn’t answered his question. He clenches both of his hands into fists and puts his right hand on top of his left hand, the right hand rubbing the other hand in circular motion.

Charlie frowns, he hasn’t learned that sign but the gesture reminds him of grinding coffee beans with an old hand grinder, “Uhmm, coffee?”

Hector nods, still with a soft smile on face, eyes never leaving Charlie. Eversince he comes here, Charlie never really sees him smile, only a slight tug on his lips. Charlie's heart swelled as he realized the impact of his efforts to learn sign language—it was as if he had unlocked a door to a side of Hector that he hadn't seen before. And being the curious cat he is, he is ready to explore more. Charlie prepares his coffee and places it on Hector’s table, which is now closer to his counter. Hector signs “Thank you,” with practiced ease.  Charlie's smile lit up as he caught the sign, feeling proud of himself he remembers the sign and he responded with a delighted sign of “You’re welcome,” and he knows he does it right because before he delivers the coffee, he looked it up on Youtube to just to make sure. Charlie might get into trouble a lot but he actually is a perfectionist to a fault. 

Hector's gaze turned curious. He signed a question, his fingers forming the signs with complicated movements Charlie isn't familiar with but with his brows up and tilted head, Charlie knows Hector is asking a question.

“I’m sorry, I haven’t learned those signs yet.” Charlie looks at him sheepishly with his cheeks red in embarrassment. Hector nods in understanding and takes his phone to type his question.

“When did you learn sign language?”  

“Oh, I learned it last night. I mean, you are coming here a lot and you just confessed you were mute so I think I should learn it so we can communicate easier. You don’t have to always type on your phone,you know?  I learned it from watching tutorials online, practicing signs, my fingers hurt a bit, but I was so excited! I mean, I just thought, why not? It's a new way to communicate, and I really want to be able to talk with you, you know? Besides, I’ve learnt that cats behavior is kinda sign language with their tails so maybe it’s about time I learn the human sign as well.” Charlie kicks himself mentally, the last sentence is unnecessary, isn’t it? Why is he being self-conscious with what he says to Hector? Come on, Charlie, be normal.

“I don’t mean I compare you to cats or learning cat behavior is more important than sign language, but they are some sort of my coworkers here and they can be really troublesome.”  Charlie, stop talking! He is just asking when did you learn sign language! The rational voice is blaring at him at the back of his mind and Charlie finally can bring himself to shut his mouth. 

Hector's smile was both amused and understanding, his eyes reflecting a warmth that put Charlie at ease. Charlie's tendency to chatter when nervous was endearing, and Hector appreciated the effort he was putting into learning sign language.

With a silent chuckle, Hector gives him a thumb up, "Great job." 

Charlie's cheeks flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and pride. He grins, a touch of bashfulness in his expression, "Well, I'm trying."

Hector nods and then teaches him a sign for “I learned last night.” along with other basic signs. Charlie’s movement is still stiff and slow, until suddenly he feels a warm hand engulfing his, correcting his hands to be more relaxed. The touch is gentle but instead of calming him, his heartbeat races and Charlie’s face becomes red again. Hector tilts his head in confusion and notices his tense shoulder, he lets out a long sigh and pats Charlie’s shoulders, urging him to the same. The barista nods, forcing himself to take a deep breath and release some of the tension that had built up. The touch lingers, warming his skin and sending shivers down his spine.

Charlie learns new signs and the correct fingers position, even he gets some tips from Hector. They only stop when there are other customers coming into the cafe. Charlie serves them with his usual enthusiasm and as he waits at the counter, instead of reading his veterinarian course book, he practices the new sign he has learned. While Charlie might mix up words or struggle with certain gestures, his dedication never wavered. He was determined to learn this new language—a language that would allow him to connect with Hector in a deeper, more meaningful way.  As he learns, he can feel the gaze from Hector and he looks back at him with a smile, signing him excitedly, “I’m learning!”

Hector smiles at him and signs him a good luck before he continues to work. The cats have surrounded him and found comfort in his presence, almost like he is one of the parts from the cafe. When he walks into the counter, he types to his phone to ask for the bill but Charlie has already prepared them and proudly signs him the exact number of the bill. He looks at him expectantly and his face turns brighter when Hector approves and gives him a thumbs up. As usual, Hector puts the coin for the tips and Charlie signs him “thank you.”  with touching his fingers to his lips then moving his hand toward him. He doesn’t need to purse his lips and blow but he does, probably because of muscle memory. The movement looks like Charlie is blowing a kiss to him instead. Hector thinks he should correct it but for some reason, he doesn’t want to. 

Charlie watches Hector leave his cafe with a satisfied smile on his face. He picks up Charlizard, the orange cat who usually sits on Hector’s lap and looks at his face with a grin. “Today is a success!” He always likes to explore something new and dive deep to learn them until he can apply them into practice. Especially when that skill can help him to understand and communicate with Hector more efficiently. Charlie appreciates the effort Hector was putting into teaching him, the patience and the genuine desire to help him learn. But beyond the determination Charlie has and Hector’s patient teaching, there is a shared understanding—a silent agreement that they are both investing in something special.

[biggerbetterbat]

WITH YOU II | IN THE MEANTIME

Daryl Dixon x oc!Charlie

Summary: When Charlie is left with Judith and Carl, she makes new friends. Alexandria is under attack.

Warnings: panic attack, talking about mental health and death, language, idk if there’s more

Words: 3.898

As Charlie walked with Judith, the weight of her decision to stay in Alexandria settled heavily on her shoulders. Guilt that she wasn't helping her family was the cause of heartache. But her thoughts were interrupted as the wheels of Judith's stroller became stuck on a small stone protruding from the ground. With a frustrated sigh, Charlie tried to maneuver the stroller free, but to no avail.

Just as she was beginning to grow exasperated, a voice spoke up from behind her. "Need a hand?"

Charlie turned to find a young boy that she saw in the infirmary standing before her, a friendly smile on his face. She hesitated for a moment, her instincts urging her to be cautious, but she knew it was a big too much with a baby. So she nodded in agreement.

With practiced ease, the boy knelt down beside the stroller and deftly maneuvered it free from its predicament. As he straightened up, Charlie couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for doubting him. After all, he had only been trying to help.

"Thanks," she said, her voice tinged with gratitude.

"No worries."

As Charlie resumed her walk with Judith, she heard more footsteps next to her. Glancing to her side, she saw the same boy walking beside her, his hands shoved casually into his pockets as he matched her stride.

"Uh, can I help you with something?" she asked, her voice laced with caution, brows furrowed.

The boy shrugged nonchalantly, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Just figured I'd keep you company," he replied casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Charlie's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why?" she pressed, her tone tinged with suspicion.

He flashed her a grin, his demeanor surprisingly relaxed. "Why not?" he countered, his tone playful. "I'm waking here alone everyday."

"And how has it been?"

"Since the beginning?" he answered. "Well...minus a week or two, I think..." he said a silence fell between them. "What's your name?"

Charlie hesitated for a moment, her mind racing as she weighed her options. She didn't know this boy, didn't know anything about him or his intentions, and yet here he was, shadowing her every move like a persistent stray dog.

"It's Charlie," she replied finally, keeping her responses short and to the point.

The boy nodded, seemingly unperturbed by her curt demeanor. "Nice to meet you, Charlie," he said cheerfully, his smile widening. "I'm Andy."

"So, Andy," she said after a moment. "You've been walking alone this whole time?" she pressed, her voice tinged with disbelief.

The boy shrugged, his expression unreadable. "For the most part," he admitted, his tone casual.

"And you don't want to go out?"

"Go out? Where?" he asked and looked at her, immediately knowing what she was thinking. "Oh, you mean out."

"Yeah."

"Are you crazy?" he chuckled. "After what I saw back there? Nah, thanks. That's just...not gonna happen."

"World is different know. Peaceful," she said. "And it is waiting out there to be explored."

The boy shook his head adamantly, his expression one of staunch determination. "I'll take my chances in here, thanks," he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "At least I know what to expect."

"Why?"

"I think you know it the best," he said. "And Rick knows it. Isn't it why he's out fighting for this place?"

"Your thinking is dangerous," Charlie said. "Places like this makes you comfortable and weak. You forget about the dangers, because you have walls right? You laugh the dead in the eye from the comfort of your white house. But sooner or later, it falls. It always does. So what would you do when it will?"

"Maybe you're right," he shrugged. "But I saw what is happening with you after you went out."

Charlie's brow furrowed in confusion as the realization dawned on her. The boy walking beside her, the one who had seemed so friendly and helpful, was the same one who had been watching her all along. Her mind raced as she tried to make sense of it all, a sense of unease settling in the pit of her stomach.

"You've been watching me," she said quietly, her voice tinged with accusation.

"I-I didn't mean to... I wasn't trying to spy on you or cause you any harm," he stammered, his voice tinged with desperation. "I just... I wanted to make sure you were okay. I heard about your group, about what you've been through, and... I just wanted to know if you were a threat."

His words spilled out in a rush, his hands trembling as he struggled to regain his composure. He knew he had crossed a line, had betrayed Charlie's trust in the worst possible way, and now he was paying the price for his indiscretion.

"But I know you're not a threat," he said. "I know you've been struggling."

Charlie stopped. "You know shit."

"I know more than you think."

"Yes, because you've been spying on me!"

"I know about your insomnia, panic attacks..."

"Stop it," she cut him off. "What do you want."

"I want to help!"

"Help?"

"There're people here, who can help you," Andy said, gesticulating. "They helped me!"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," she mumbled.

"Just..." he sighed, trying to reach her arm, but Charlie leaned back. "Just meet me later. There's a house at the very end of that street."

"And why would I want to meet you?"

"I think we have a lot in common."

"And you know it because you've been watching me."

"I know it sounds crazy," he continued, his tone pleading. "But I've been watching you because... because I think I can help. I know things, things that might be useful to you and your group. Please, just hear me out."

Charlie regarded him with a mixture of skepticism and curiosity, her brow furrowing in thought as she weighed his words. She knew she should be angry, should demand answers for his actions, but there was something in his tone, in the earnestness of his plea, that gave her pause.

"I'll think about it."

With a last look, she walked away.

Charlie smiled warmly as she approached Carl, gently lifting Judith out of the stroller and cradling her in her arms. Judith cooed softly, her chubby cheeks flushed with warmth as she snuggled closer to Charlie.

"Hey, Carl," Charlie said softly, her voice filled with affection as she handed Judith over to him. "Guess who's ready for her next meal?"

Carl's face lit up with a smile as he took Judith from Charlie, his expression one of pure joy as he gazed down at his baby sister. "Thanks, Charlie," he said gratefully, his tone filled with appreciation. "You're the best."

Charlie chuckled, a sense of warmth flooding her heart at the sight of the siblings reunited. "Just doing my part," she replied modestly, her gaze softening as she watched Carl cradle Judith in his arms.

As Carl settled in to feed Judith, Charlie couldn't help but feel a sense of pride wash over her. She had spent so much time looking after Judith, helping to care for her and keep her safe, and seeing her in Carl's arms now filled her with a sense of satisfaction unlike anything she had ever felt before.

"Did she sleep okay?" Carl asked, breaking the silence as he glanced up at Charlie with a curious expression.

Charlie nodded, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Like a little angel," she replied affectionately. "She's been so good today, haven't you, Judith?"

Judith gurgled happily in response, her tiny fingers reaching out to grab onto Carl's shirt as she cooed contentedly. Carl's smile widened at the sight, a sense of pride evident in his eyes as he held his baby sister close.

"But I could do it, you know?"

"Of course," she said. "But you're a teenager, who should do what teenagers do. So?"

"So?"

"How's it going with the girl?"

Carl's smile faltered slightly at the question, his gaze flickering away as he shifted uncomfortably. "Uh, it's...not going," he replied vaguely, his voice lacking its usual confidence.

"What?"

Carl sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly as he ran a hand through his hair. "It's just... complicated."

"I think you're making it complicated."

"Thanks, Charlie," he said firmly. "But I'll deal with this on my own."

"Okay, Big Man," she said. "Whatever you say."

"And umm, Charlie," he said. Carl's voice became hesitant as he approached the topic. "So, uh, I talked to Gabriel earlier," he said tentatively, his eyes darting to Charlie for her reaction.

Charlie's expression darkened at the mention of Gabriel, her annoyance evident in the way her jaw clenched and her brows furrowed. She had little patience for the man who had once turned his back on their group.

"And that was your first mistake."

"He said he wants to be able to defend himself and the others," Carl answered. "I think, he understands now."

"Understands now, does he?" she muttered, her tone laced with skepticism. "After everything he's done?"

Carl shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, a sense of unease creeping into his demeanor. He knew Charlie had good reason to be wary of Gabriel, especially considering his past betrayals, but he couldn't shake the feeling that perhaps Gabriel was genuine in his desire to change.

"I know it's hard to believe," he admitted reluctantly, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "But maybe people can change, given the chance."

"It's your decision, and I will respect whatever you choose to do," Charlie placed her hand on his shoulder. "But I won't help him in anything."

"Of course," he nodded.

Charlie smiled at the boy, and suddenly her thoughts drifted back to her conversation with Andy earlier that day. She stopped in her tracks and turned to look at the boy.

"Could you watch Judith for the rest of the day?"

"Sure," he nodded. "But, where are you going?"

"I have somewhere I need to be," Charlie explained.

"Is it safe? The place where you're going?" he asked.

She smiled and felt a wave of warmth spreading down her body, at the sign of affection. "Yes. Don't worry."

Charlie stood outside Andy's door, her heart pounding in her chest as she waited for him to answer. The more she waited, the more she was unsure whether her decision to come was bad or good. After what felt like an eternity, the door finally creaked open, revealing Andy standing on the other side.

Andy's surprise was evident in the way his eyes widened and his mouth fell open slightly as he registered Charlie's unexpected presence. He hadn't been expecting her to show up at his door.

"Hey."

"I..." he shook his head. "Didn't expect you to actually come."

"Should I go?"

"No!" he jumped. "I mean...No. Come in." Andy said, and he stepped aside to let her enter, his eyes never leaving her face as she crossed the threshold into his home.

Stepping inside Andy's house, she couldn't help but notice how empty it felt. The air seemed to hang heavy with silence, broken only by the soft creaking of floorboards beneath her feet. The walls were bare, devoid of any personal touches or decorations, giving the space an eerie sense of emptiness.

As she made her way further into the house, her eyes fell upon the scattered books strewn haphazardly across the floor.

"Sorry for the mess," he said sheepishly, his tone tinged with embarrassment. "We don't have many guests."

"We?" Charlie turned around to look at Andy, her curiosity piqued by his mention of "we." She noticed him rubbing his forehead, a gesture that seemed to betray a hint of discomfort or unease.

"I invited you here to introduce you to someone."

"Why this someone couldn't go out?" she raised her eyebrow.

Before Andy could respond, the door creaked open, and a man entered the room. He was tall and wiry, with a shaggy mane of dark hair and a weathered face that spoke of a life lived on the edge. His eyes held a glint of mischief, and there was a confident swagger to his step as he crossed the threshold.

"Charlie, meet Cass," Andy said, gesturing towards the newcomer. "He's a friend of mine. He basically created this place."

"I thought it was Reg?"

"Walls like this couldn't be raised by a one man," the man said. "Oh, and I don't like going out," he added, while squeezing her hand. "It's due to my condition."

"Condition?"

"Cass... he's been through a lot," he began slowly, his voice tinged with sadness. "After...the walls had been raised. It's a constant struggle for him, and sometimes it's hard for him to leave the safety of his home."

"Like we all, right?" Cass said. "And it took a tool on us all."

"What do you mean?" Charlie asked.

"Andy... he suffers from PTSD and anxiety," he explained softly, his eyes filled with empathy. "Insomnia. Eating disorder. He spends more time in the infirmary than here."

Charlie listened intently, her heart going out to Andy as she tried to imagine the daily battles he must face.

"What's up with you?" Cass asked, lowering glasses on his nose.

"There's nothing wrong with me," she said firmly, her voice tinged with certainty. In her mind, Charlie couldn't fathom the idea that she might have a mental condition. "I can assure you, I'm perfectly capable of handling myself."

"Then you're a medical miracle."

Charlie's anger simmered beneath the surface as she met Cass's cynical gaze. She could feel the heat rising in her chest, fueled by his dismissive demeanor. How dare he question her strength? How dare he doubt her abilities?

"I don't need your judgment," she snapped, her voice sharp with indignation. "I know myself better than anyone, and I don't appreciate you insinuating otherwise."

Cass held her gaze for a moment, his expression unreadable as he assessed her words. There was a flicker of surprise in his eyes, as if he hadn't expected her to push back so forcefully.

"I wasn't trying to judge you," he said finally, his tone calm but tinged with a hint of frustration. "I was just trying to offer support."

"Support?" she shook her head and then looked at Andy. "What the hell is..."

"What?" Andy asked.

Her heart skipped a beat as she watched in horror as a group of shadowy figures descended upon Alexandria, their faces obscured by masks and their movements swift and savage. A wave of panic washed over her as she realized what was happening. Those people were attacking them.

Andy's panic attack struck with full force. His breaths came in shallow gasps, his chest tightening with each passing moment. Charlie's heart clenched with worry as she watched him struggle, the weight of his anxiety palpable in the air.

"Andy?"

"We need to hide. We need to hide," Cass started repeating it while walking around the room.

"Shouldn't we help him?"

"We need to hide."

"Andy, look at me," she urged gently, her voice a steady anchor in the storm of chaos surrounding them. "Focus on your breathing. Cass!"

Charlie's frustration boiled over as she watched him retreat further into his panic. With a steely resolve, she turned her attention back to Andy, determination burning in her eyes.

"You shouldn't have come," Andy said while shaking his head.

"What?"

"You should stay with a boy and a baby," he said. "Now, they're going to die. We're going to die."

The chaos outside, Andy's panic attack, and Cass's insistence on hiding all converged into a tumultuous storm of fear and uncertainty. Charlie felt a surge of panic rising within her own chest. Her breaths came in short gasps, her heart pounding against her ribcage as she struggled to maintain her composure. She couldn't shake the nagging fear that something might happen to them, that they might be caught in the crossfire of the chaos engulfing Alexandria.

Charlie made her way to the kitchen, her footsteps echoing in the empty house. Her heart raced with urgency as she scanned the area, searching for the one thing that could help her protect Maggie, Carl and Judith: kitchen knives.

"Where the hell are all of your knives?!"

"Long gone," Cass said. "Just in case..." he looked at Andy, who was on the floor. "We must hide."

"I must protect my kids!" Charlie screamed.

"Not this time I'm afraid," he answered. "I hope there will be another time."

Her breaths came in short, ragged gasps, her chest tightening with each inhale as if an invisible hand were squeezing the air from her lungs. The room spun around her, the walls closing in as if to suffocate her with their oppressive presence. Images of violence and bloodshed flashed before her eyes, each more terrifying than the last, as her panic spiraled out of control. She sank to her knees, the weight of her fear pressing down on her like a leaden weight. Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision as she struggled to make sense of the chaos raging within her.

Then she felt a hit on the back of her head.

The air was thick with the musty scent of earth and concrete, and the walls were made of rough-hewn stone, giving the space the appearance of a bunker. Confusion washed over her as she struggled to piece together what had happened. The memories of her panic attack and the chaos outside flooded back to her in a jumbled rush, leaving her head spinning with disorientation.

Slowly, she pushed herself into a sitting position, her muscles protesting the movement after their ordeal. She glanced around the room, taking in her surroundings with wary eyes.

"You okay?" Andy asked.

He seemed strangely calm and composed, as if he were untouched by the chaos and confusion that surrounded them. As if he wasn't panicking not so long ago.

"I... I think so," she replied, her words coming out in a hoarse whisper. "Where're we?"

"It's...a special room, Cass created in case of situations like this," Andy said. Her attention turned to Cass, who sat in a corner of the room, his eyes fixed on some distant point in the distance.  "Don't worry about the kids. They're fine. The boy looks like a tough one."

"He is."

"Charlie," the boy said. "I didn't mean to freak you out. I just didn't want you to go through what I have been through."

"What happened?"

She couldn't help but notice a thoughtful expression flicker across his face, as if he were wrestling with some internal dilemma. There was a vulnerability in his eyes that she hadn't seen before, a hint of something hidden beneath the surface.

"I was studying in D.C. when everything broke down. I'm from California," he confessed. "I wanted to get back to my family. I had a younger brother and sister, but it was too crazy out there."

"Were you alone?"

"No...At the beginning, it was me and my roommate. A tough guy," he said. "Which meant nothing for the dead. I was watching him being torn apart and then I was alone for a moment. Until I found Denise and her brother, who...Then we found this place."

"And you never wanted to try to come back home?"

"That was a plan," Andy nodded. "But after seeing what happened to D.C and...everything, do you think there's any home left?"

She could sense the weight of his disappointment, the crushing realization that the world he once knew had been irrevocably changed by the horrors of the apocalypse.

"I'm sorry, Andy," she murmured.

"You feel sorry for me?" he chuckled. "I was out there for two months top. You and Rick, and all those people...You must have went through the hell and back."

"It was hard," she nodded. "Especially when the dead weren't the only one who wanted to kill us."

"You remember your first kill?"

"I do," Charlie nodded. "It was Lori, Carl's and Judith's mom."

Andy's expression became shocked but then softened, a look of sympathy crossing his features as he regarded her with understanding.

"She was giving birth to Judith, and it was either her dead or both of them."

"I'm sorry."

"Stop it," Charlie shook her head.

Charlie offered him a faint smile, grateful for his empathy in the face of her darkest memories.

"Charlie," Andy said. "Please, let us help you. Do this for those kids."

His words resonated with her, stirring up memories of the innocent faces of the children she had grown to care for. She couldn't continue to shoulder the burden alone, couldn't allow her pride and stubbornness to put those she cared about at risk. Nonetheless, she shook her head as if brushing away the thought.

With each step, Charlie pushed herself forward, her resolve growing stronger with every passing moment. She couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at her insides, a sense of foreboding that refused to be ignored.

"Carl?" Charlie called out as she entered the house, her voice echoing through the empty rooms. She scanned the familiar surroundings, her heart pounding with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension. There was a sense of urgency in her voice, a need to find him quickly and ensure that he was safe.

Relief flooded through Charlie as Carl emerged from the shadows, Judith cradled safely in his arms. She hurried over to him, her heart pounding with gratitude and relief at the sight of them both unharmed. "Charlie?"

"Thank goodness you're okay," Charlie exclaimed, her voice trembling with emotion as she reached out to take Judith into her own arms. Tears welled up in Charlie's eyes as she held Judith close, the weight of the day's events finally catching up to her. She buried her face in the little girl's soft hair, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs as she clung to her tightly.

"We're okay, Charlie," Carl said.

She nodded and sobbed, what echoed through the room as she wrapped her arms tightly around Carl, seeking solace in the warmth of his embrace. Carl's arms tightened around her, pulling her closer.

"We're fine," he repeated, rubbing her back.

When the gates opened, Charlie's heart sank as she watched Michonne enter Alexandria alone, her usual stoic demeanor tinged with weariness and sorrow. could see the fatigue etched into her features, the weight of her solitary journey evident in the slump of her shoulders.

"Michonne," Charlie called out, her voice tinged with concern as she hurried over to greet her friend. "Are you okay? Where's the others?"

Michonne's expression was grave, a flicker of sadness passing through her eyes.

"Michonne," Charlie said in a firm voice. "Where's Glenn?  Where's Daryl?"

"I... I don't know. We got separated..."

Panic surged through Charlie like a tidal wave, threatening to overwhelm her fragile composure. Her chest tightened, her breaths coming in short, ragged gasps as she struggled to make sense of the devastating news.

"No," she whispered hoarsely, her voice trembling with fear and disbelief. "They can't be... They have to be out there somewhere."

But even as she spoke the words, doubt gnawed at the edges of her mind, a cold, creeping fear that threatened to consume her.

"OPEN THE GATES!"

[kedreeva]

Happy birthday! Submitting a second ask for WIP Wednesday with "Bangfic CH14"

OKAY, so I fell asleep before getting to all the things last night, so I'm gonna run through all the same-hat asks in a single post.

These are bits from Final Pack, which I wrote on to share since I can't share bangfic (but I did write the sentences for bangfic too, obviously)

WIP Wednesday | Make me write | The Final Pack

-----

“Does she know? That he’s out here?”

“Charlie?” He shook his head. “He didn’t want to get her hopes up, in case you said no, or- or knew it wouldn’t work. Steve, he- he loves her more than I could possibly explain. You have to understand that he would never hurt her. He would do anything for her, and she’d deserve it. Charlie deserves the whole world.”

Steve’s eyes shadowed, but he nodded. “You love her, too.”

-----

“I’ll do it for you, though.”

Confused, Osker turned back. “I said I won’t want it.”

The quirk of Steve’s brow told Osker he definitely heard that lie. “I mean that I’ll bite him, because you’re the one asking.”

Osker’s heart picked up again, making him a little light headed. The way Steve looked at him, like he still wanted to bite Osker, should have been unsettling, but all it did was stoke warmth in his belly. “Why?” he asked, cautious. “What difference does it make, who asks?”

-----

“And you’ll tell him that the venom might kill him,” Steve said firmly. “It could go either way with him. You make sure he’s willing to take that risk. If he loves his mate, he should consider what it would do to her to lose him.”

“I’ll tell him again,” Osker agreed. “I’ll make sure he understands. Do you- do I need to stay again, too? Like before?”

@lizhly @veteratorianvillainy @marvelingjules @aisalynn @starryeyedjanai @aparticularbandit @six-of-snakes @whimsicalmeerkat This should cover all the sentences for these asks!

[classificationhell]

X3 I promise I wasn’t trying to be threatening! I just couldn’t think of anything else funny to put lol. Also if I may ask how would the people of the hotel react to a lone and confused omega/little showing up at the hotel? (Certainly not asking to try and integrate your world into the story of my Hazbin OCs that’s happening in my mind)

ps: I love the memes

Charlie would immediately take them in no questions asked. She's a Caregiver so she can help them beyond jut giving them a place to stay if they want (she's not as kidnappy as her dad lol) Vaggie would be a little cautious at first but support Charlie, I don't think she's capable of trusting someone's intentions off the bat. If Angel Dust was the first one to see them he'd take them in himself since they'd remind him of himself either too zooted out to think properly or when he first fell, either way he's taking on the role of unofficial big brother like he does with Niffty.

Husk wouldn't be hostile or anything provided they don't invade his space like Angel does, now if a regressed Little came up to him and said Kitty he'd hold them and tell anyone and everyone to fuck off if they said anything, he has a soft spot for kids and doesn't mind playing therapy cat when it's needed.

Niffty is now their older sister, and she will proudly show off her knife collection and dub them Princess/Prince Roach.

Alastor, well he's a secret Caregiver but doesn't want anyone to know, and unless they are a very specific kind of person who reminds him of his mother he isn't going to care for them in that way. He will be courteous and even kind, but from a calculated distance so that they do not become a weakness.

Sir Pentious is also a Caregiver, his egg bois act as his outlet. If an Omega Little came to the Hotel they would be unofficially adopted into his clutch. "Gee boss, we got a brother/sister!" "Why do they look so different?" "Can I give you a hug?" The egg bois are excited at the prospect of a new sibling and will protect you just as they do their boss. Sir Pentious well do his best to see to it you are well-educated and cared for. He is your unofficial tutor and will teach you all the important things, like how to build fortified structures to protect yourself while you await rescue should you ever be present during a raid on the hotel which isn't as uncommon as one might think.

Hope this satisfactorily answers your question! You can ask for more clarification

[miniscule-meow]

Charlie and Felix: Bad times

Ever had a fight with your best friend?? ... yeah ... me neither...

Want to read more about Charlie and Felix? Here is my Writing Masterpost

Warnings: nightmares, angst

2.5k ish words

*~*~*

After school, Charlie comes over. They’re studying together. Separately, but together. It’s nice, usually. But today he just feels... Off. He can't put his finger on it but he just feels anxious, discontent, uneasy.

“Hey, are you okay? You’re looking extra gloomy today.” Her words reach his ears, but he only sort of hears her, he nods absently. She bumps her shoulder against his to get his attention, and he jumps. Not only that, but his height shifts to a good 15 feet taller than he’s supposed to be. They both share a startled look.

“Sorry,” he winces, taking a moment to force himself to breathe deeply, willing his height back to normal. “I’m fine.” He mumbles.

“Clearly,” she says raising an eyebrow, obviously not believing him.

"I just have a lot on my mind right now." He shakes his head, not wanting to get into it.

“Maybe we should take a break from studying for a bit. Why don’t we just go outside, so you can grow and-”

“No." His brow furrows as all of his concentration is poured into staying the correct height. He clenches his jaw, squeezing his fists until his knuckles are white. “I just want to be... normal. For just five minutes.”

“Dude, you’re just stressing yourself out. Besides you’re not going to get any actual work done like this. Come on, I need a break too, and fresh air sounds nice. Let’s go.” She stands and tilts her head towards the door, an invitation. Begrudgingly, Felix stands and trudges out behind her.

Once they’re outside, she gestures with her arms, encouraging him to go ahead and grow. His expression is some kind of mix between a grimace and a scowl. Stubbornly, he crosses his arms, not growing an inch.

“Charlie, I don’t understand how you’re always so okay with all of this.” He grumbles, picking at the grass with his shoe.

“What do you mean?” She asks.

“Don’t you think any normal person would be afraid of being so close? I should scare you. You should be afraid of me.”

“Afraid of you?” She laughs, “Yeah, right. Okay.”

“I’m serious! You are so casual about all of this. It’s just-” He trails off, at a loss for words.

“What? Do you want me to be afraid of you?” She quirks her eyebrows.

“Sometimes!" He bursts out without thinking. They share a pause, she just looks at him curiously. "I- no. No, I just.... it would be safer for you if you were … I don’t know at least a little cautious? Apprehensive? Something!” He huffs, exasperated.

“Well. If it makes you feel any better, I just really don’t think you’re as scary as you think you are.” She says, crossing her arms, leaning against the wall.

“No?" He looks at her slack-jawed for a moment. "Nothing about this is scary to you?" He asks, narrowing his eyes. Charlie just shrugs. "I mean I understand, I used to only be able to grow about, I don't know fifteen feet? Sure that's not scary, that's nothing. But lately I mean, you've seen it. I'm gigantic. That doesn't freak you out? You aren't afraid of getting hurt?"

"The first time I saw you grow you were really big. I don't know. Maybe it's not odd to me because I'm just, used to it now I guess? So no, it doesn't scare me. I don't think you're a threat to my safety or anything.... Felix, you know that people don’t have to turn into giants to be capable of hurting someone, right? Pretty much anything could kill me… A really determined goose… I could choke on a handful of Mini-M&Ms and that would just be it. So, what? You can get really big. That doesn’t make you more likely to hurt me. I could hurt you too, and I’m stuck at this height,” she shrugs. “I’m really only in danger if you plan on doing something to hurt me, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. In fact, you are so nervous about it, I know you wouldn’t do anything. I trust you that much at least… don’t you think that’s just what life is about? Trusting someone with yourself, and hoping you don’t get hurt?”

“Charlie… I'm not nervous. I just.” He sighs, running his hands through his hair. She makes a lot of sense, but still, he can't escape the horrible feeling that's mounting in his chest. It's the fact that he isn't nervous that's concerning him. He's only had access to height this extreme for a little while now. He's never been particularly scary like he is now. He's finally getting used to it and it feels ... Good. It feels powerful. But Charlie is refusing to admit that his power has developed in any kind of significant way. Maybe it's just because she wasn't there to see the progression, where he started.

She's so stubborn. 'I don't think you're as scary as you think you are.' But he knows that he is that's what's scary about it. “I just don’t feel like myself right now. I can’t… I’m not… I think we should just call it a day," he says, shaking his twisting thoughts away.

“Hey, anything you’re going through I’m here to help you, Felix. I-” She reaches out to him, but he swats her away.

“I don’t need help!" He exclaims, raising his voice. "Charlie, I am trying to help you! Okay? I am not safe right now, so you should go! Stop being so stubborn.”

“Stop trying to convince yourself you're a monster!" She raises her voice, right back at him. She's just trying to help, but it doesn't quell the buzzing under his skin. He can tell they are mounting the edge of something very bad about to happen. "Felix, I am not afraid of you." She lifts her chin indignantly.

“Well, you should be.” He scowls. She's too calm. Sometimes it's comforting but right now he just wants her to believe him and give him space.

“Oh please,” she rolls her eyes, “I don’t think you could scare me if you tried," she smirks at him. His nerves leap at the challenge, and he's determined to win.

“Wanna bet?” As quick as a flash he’s up to his full size, pushing against the ceiling of his ability, stretching himself, willing his body to become larger than it ever has been before. This isn't about Charlie, it never has been. It's about proving himself to all the people before. The scientists who labeled his ability benign, and became wholly uninterested in his development. The classmates, not the mundane students of the university, the ones from the Academy with other powers, each more exciting, more powerful, more dangerous than his own. They mocked him, told him his power was so useless he didn't even belong there. If he had this level of ability while he was there, he would have been the strongest in the class.

"Oh no, you're all big now. I'm so scared," Charlie says sarcastically. It sparks something, deep inside of him. His powers are strong. He is scary. And he's going to prove that.

He knows exactly what he's doing as he kneels on the ground roughly, so that the vibrations rumble through her. He plucks her off the ground, curling her into his hand, and holding her in front of his face. She lets out a startled yelp as she’s pulled from the ground at such a ridiculous speed. She falls back into Felix’s now massive palm, squeezing her eyes shut, and balling her hands into fists. Alright. She might have talked a big game for someone so easily afraid of heights. But she just wanted to comfort her friend! “See! I've hardly done anything yet, and you can’t even look at me. And you say you aren’t afraid? Come on."

“Felix,” she says cautiously, hating how thing and shaky her voice sounds as it falls on her ears, “that’s not fair. You know I don’t like heights. So… I’m not really afraid of you, I’m more afraid of… how far away the ground is?” She forces herself to open her eyes. As long as she can just focus on him, she doesn’t have to face how incredibly high up she is. "I trust you." She forces the words out, steeling her resolve.

“This is nothing. I’m not even standing up,” he rises as he speaks, standing to his full height. He keeps her in front of his face, his eyes locked on her, observing her panic, proving himself right as she cowers in fear right in his palm. “Charlie, don’t you get it? I am the heights.” Before she can respond, two of his fingers wrap around her as he lifts her away from the safety of his palm. He hoists her higher and higher in the air, until she’s a full arms-length above his head. Now he has to look up to see her.

She is just dangling freely from his fingers. Practically nothing is supporting her, and she’s forced to look right at the ground. Her vision blurs looking at it. She’s instantly dizzy, her chest grows tight, and it becomes very hard to breathe. Her whole body is shaking. Her brain barely registers Felix’s face intently watching her from below, all she can see is the ground.

“Felix! Felix, stop!” She shrieks, her tiny hands scramble against his massive fingers, searching for purchase, searching for some sense of stability, but finding none. He can feel her heartbeat fluttering frantically against his fingertips. A sly smile pulls at his lips, a dark part of him has missed this feeling.

“Hey. Don’t’ move too much. I might lose my grip,” he says so nonchalantly, as if he’s bored. Her gaze snaps away from the ground for a second to look at him. He wouldn’t.

“That-That’s not funny,” she manages to get out the words.

“I’m not joking,” he says with a shrug. He would. The grip his fingers have around her waist loosens, and she tips forward, slipping from his grasp. She screams as she freefalls headfirst towards the ground. The fall only lasts a split second, but any fall would be too long as far as she is concerned. His other hand appears beneath her, pulling her back into the safety of his palm, which admittedly doesn’t feel very safe anymore.

She curls in on herself, reduced to trembling sobs, “put- put me down! Put me down, please! I- I’m scared, alright? I’m really, really scared. You are scaring me, okay Felix? You win! Please. Please put me down. Please.” She trails off into a chorus of sobs and whimpers of, ‘please, put me down, please, please.’

He moves slowly. He drops to his knees and lowers his hand down, “here,” he mumbles once his hand is resting softly on the ground. Still trembling, Charlie picks herself up and slides off of his palm. She takes a couple of shaky steps away from him. Glancing up at him once, her face reads of pure betrayal. She opens her mouth, like she’s going to say something, but then she thinks better of it. Shaking her head, she turns away and wipes her eyes. When she looks up at him again, it’s like she is just now seeing him for the very first time. She finally sees him for who- no- for what he is. He doesn't say anything.

“I’m… I’m just gonna go… now.” She mumbles after an awkward moment. His skin crawls as he watches her back towards the door of his house, like he'll pounce on her the moment she turns her back. She goes inside to get her stuff.

When Charlie steps back outside, he’s sitting there, still massive. He doesn't move when he sees her. They share a long wordless glance, before she adjusts her backpack on her shoulders, and walks off to her truck.

He feels so conflicted. He scared his only friend, but he proved something to himself. So, what if he’s the monster in her story? He’s the monster in his own story, he always has been. He finds he looks forward to his next trip back to the Academy this summer. He'll finally be able to prove himself.

[kiankiwi]

Random SPN Imagine that could turn into a whole story! <3

Sam comes up to dean: I'm worried about Y/N dude something's bothering her and she won't talk about it.

Dean knowing, you always open up to him more (for some reason) okay here's the plan you go to the store and get her her hyperfixation snacks and I'll see if I can talk to her.

Sam (pouting, wanting to help more than just being put on a snack run): Why can't we both talk to her?

Dean: *Gives him a big brother 'because you idiot' glare* because dude I don't want her to feel like we're staging an intervention or ganging up on her. Now go!

*

Dean searches the bunker and finds you in your little man cave you created, with your headphones in, curled up in the corner. Not noticing you came in, Dean waves his arms a bit so as not to startle you. You still jump a bit when you see dean anyway and take out an ear pod.

"Hey, hey, sorry. I just wanted to see if you were okay. You've just kinda been holed up in here all day, not talking to anyone." You shrug, hoping Dean would drop it. Dean comes closer, poking at your knee with his boot. "Y'know you can talk to us about anything."

You sigh. "I know. I just... I don't want to talk about it yet is that okay?" Dean nods. "Hey, uh, I sent Sam out on a food run and he should be coming back with some of your favorites. You hungry?" You smile for the first time in a few days. "Did you send him out to get me my favorite snacks.. again?" Dean gives you a little mischievous smile. "Uh, yeah, I did." You smile bigger, giving Dean a cautious side hug. "Thanks man." He nods. And just then you both hear Sam walking through the bunker yelling out, "Hey, I'm back and I got icecream!"

*

Later that night and it's storming terribly. You sit up on the couch in front of the fire, wide awake and trembling a bit, scared out of your mind because you hate thunderstorms. You hear someone get up and crane your neck to see Dean sleepy and stumbling out of his bedroom, palming his eyes. "Mmm, hey, I was just, uh, coming to check on you 'cause I heard the thunder. You okay?"

You nod, pulling your cacoon of a blanket tighter around your shoulders. Dean sits beside you on the couch. You shrug yet again. "I was already awake and then I got too scared to sleep. Stupid storm." Dean nods, stretching his arm out over the back of the couch. "Hmm, want some hot cocoa? We could watch Charlie Brown too?" You smile, eyes lighting up. "Really?" Dean shrugs, his mouth quirking to the side. "I don't know how long I'll last but I know you hate sleeping alone in a storm. So we can stay up out here." You nod, standing. "Marshmallows and whipped cream?" You ask. "And maybe a piece of that pie Sammy brought home."

*

That next morning, Sam shuffles out into the living room, just woken up and wanders out to a weird sight. You're asleep in Dean's lap, Dean is asleep sitting up with his arm protectively strewn on top of you with your blanket pulled up against you both and there were two mugs of forgotten hot chocolate on the table.

Dean had just woken up as Sam walked in. "Hey, don't wake her." Sam gives him a half asleep confused look. "What the hell?" Dean stretches as much as he can without waking you. "There was a storm. Shut up."

****

I don't know what this was but it just pooooured out of me. Should I continue this? I feel like it was really cute and it has some potential to be a real story. PS I'm listening to 'sleeping in the bunker asmr' as we speak.There's just so many ways this could go in a continuation: Is dean friendzoned? Do you have a crush on Sam? What's been on your mind?

so please tell me what you think.

[ohbutwheresyourheart]

Fertile Wounds - Part 1

@n0isy-gh0st requested creepy Willy/Madeleine and I am nothing if not an overachiever so here is part 1 of idk how many parts. Welcome to gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss hours. It's gonna get fucked up.

In the wake of the Golden Ticket tour, over ten years since they last met, Willy and Madeleine have begun to reconcile. The sweetness of their reunion, however, is soured by Madeleine's realisation that something is very, very wrong in the factory, and with Madeleine herself.

WARNINGS: Body horror, gore, unreality/gaslighting.

Madeleine knew most people were discomfited, at best, by her tattoos. It was why she normally wore long sleeves while working in Elysium (not so much Rapture; the primarily studenty bar clientele was less likely to be put off); to uphold the image of the warm, inviting patissier. A woman made of honey and spun sugar.

Underneath her clothes, she was covered in brambles with thick, wicked thorns. They were expertly rendered and looked sharp enough to draw blood. Despite being just ink on her skin, Madeleine had noticed people thought twice about touching her after seeing them. Which suited her just fine.

So it didn't surprise her to notice the sidelong glances the Buckets passed between each other. Wondering what she, with her arms full of thorns and her cynical attitude, thought she was doing there in Candyland. All save the youngest Bucket; Charlie was too young to grasp the full nuance of everything that had gone into her tattoos but he looked at her sometimes as if he had an idea of the broad strokes. Madeleine had seen him turn that knowing gaze on Willy, too. She wasn't sure what to make of being on the receiving end of it herself, but it wasn't as uncomfortable an experience as she would have expected. Charlie was a perceptive and remarkably good-hearted child.

What Willy thought of the thicket of thorns that had grown over the original wildflowers during their time apart, Madeleine was equally uncertain of. He hadn't said a word about them so far, although he occasionally traced a finger along a twisting stem, deftly avoiding the thorns. When he kissed her, he found the few patches of bramble-free skin to press his lips against. Madeleine had left the space on the back of her shoulder untouched; the berry-coloured lip print remained, and he took it as an invitation.

How did Madeleine feel, these days? Tired, mostly; weary of clutching her pain so close to her chest and pretending it was a shield. She yearned to drop it and allow herself to feel, fully and freely, once again, but so many years holding the same defensive position had cramped up her muscles: she couldn't just decide to stop being cautious.

And yet. When she woke up next to Willy, the taste of candy apples in her mouth, it became harder and harder to think of reasons not to stay forever. Madeleine would lie there, thinking fiercely about the businesses she had built with her own two hands - hers, truly and only hers - but her pride melted away all too quickly when she looked into Willy's sleeping face. The unbridled joy that never failed to illuminate him when he woke up and saw her.

Harder and harder to pull herself away. Easier and easier to listen to Willy when he asked her to stay. At times, it felt like they were back in the old days, the good days; the handful of months when everything at the factory seemed to be going so well and they were on top of the world together.

Sweet and good and smooth, like buttercream on her tongue.

That was why it took her so long to notice something wasn't right.

*

They didn’t sleep together right away - despite the knowing looks from the older Buckets, those first few nights really were essentially a sleepover - but, when they did, it was just as Madeleine remembered. Except hungrier, maybe: they had a lot of time to make up for.

Afterwards, they got to know each other’s bodies again. Willy traced a careful finger along her brambles, deftly avoiding the thorns. He didn’t say much, but there was an awful, knowing look in his eyes. Madeleine had become marginally more capable of being known in the past decade, however, and she managed to meet his gaze rather than physically and verbally deflecting as she used to. That earned her a smile, small and sweet as a new summer strawberry.

“I think these could flower again, you know,” he remarked. “I’ll just have to be careful ‘til then.”

“Don’t worry, the thorns only cut people I don’t like.”

As for Willy, he was much the same as before; still a hair too skinny, worn thin by the sheer intense mania of being Willy Wonka. Madeleine enjoyed running her fingers through his longer, silky-soft hair; enjoyed, too, the very familiar way he melted into her touch like a cat. The reason for his perpetually gloved hands became clearer - the chemical stains that had begun to take hold in the old days were much clearer and stronger now. Each tapered, elegant finger was blotchy with shades of purple, yellow, green, blue, magenta. They looked bruised, if you didn’t know better.

“Tie-dye fingers,” she teased him, just like she used to, kissing each fingertip in turn. “You hippy.”

What did shock her was the scar: an ugly, knotted puncture wound on his side, as if something had gone for his liver. Which, it transpired, was exactly the case.

“A big old wangdoodle got me while I was exploring Loompaland. I woulda been a goner if the Oompa Loompas hadn’t found me: wangdoodles are the most toxic creatures in the world, it’s why they go for the liver.”

Madeleine lay back as the story washed over her. She’d seen the Oompa Loompas - even grown accustomed to them - but Willy’s stories still carried a sense of unreality. Could it really be possible he discovered a completely unknown country populated by horrendous monsters and cocoa bean worshipping little people?

And yet. If anyone can achieve the impossible, it’s Willy Wonka - and he did say he was going to the ends of the earth.

Whether it was true or not, Madeleine was willing to believe. Willy wove the story so deftly she couldn’t see the seams even if she squinted. Sweeter, then, to take it at face value; to be swept up in the dream. Just like old times. The thought sent a pang through her.

“So were your travels worth it, Gulliver?” Madeleine was proud of how light and inconsequential she managed to keep her tone. The ends of the earth. So far, just to be away from her and the mess she’d made.

No matter. He was back now, and so was she.

Willy chuckled, oblivious to her inner conflict. “I sure felt like I’d woken up in Lilliput at first. I don’t think they knew what to make of me any more than I did them. Lucky for me, the chief at the time was a curious kind of guy and he wanted to talk to me - well, eventually. It took a while for me to learn their language well enough to get anything across.”

“They speak English now, though.”

“Yeah, they learned pretty fast once they arrived here. Honestly, I was really impressed, ‘specially since they just had me around to learn from. They’re clever little guys and gals. Took to the factory work like they were made for it, too; you’d never guess Loompaland was just jungle as far as the eye could see.”

Madeleine rolled onto her side, leaning on her elbow. “Have you ever been back?”

“I went back and forth a few times to bring the Oompa Loompas over here. They wanted to send an expedition party first; it made sense, they’d never been outta Loompaland before, and they wanted to make sure I wasn’t gonna do anything awful to ‘em. So those guys had to go and report back and then they took a vote on all of them moving out to the factory. They’re very democratic, the Oompa Loompas - natural union members,” Willy added with a wink. “You’d approve.”

“Yeah, I heard the office staff have a union. I tried to poke my head in once after five to grab some files, I thought they were going to come after me with pitchforks.”

Willy laughed again, although it was now a much more awkward sound. For once, he was the one who couldn’t meet Madeleine’s eyes. “Yeah. That… That’s ‘cause of you, actually. Well, kind of. I — I mean, I knew how hard you worked, but it wasn’t until I had to do it myself…” Willy grimaced. “Maddy, how’d you do it?”

Oh, no. No. Not this. Not when everything was so sweet and good. Madeleine tensed. Her heart was already beating faster, her breath catching in her throat. No. Not this, not now.

Of all the times for Willy “Never-Talk-About-The-Past” Wonka to decide he will, after all, talk about the past.

“Badly,” she reminded him, aiming for flippant but knowing at once she’d missed the mark. “Remember?”

“What…” Willy sat up, all traces of post-coital languidness gone. “No — Madeleine, you can’t think — it wasn’t your fault! It was those damn spies, and the bank, and those useless investors—”

“You don’t have to coddle me,” Madeleine cut in, pushing herself up to sit against the pillows with her knees pulled up to her chest. “If you’ve forgiven me, that’s fine, but don’t pretend you didn’t blame me — didn’t have reason to blame me… Look, can we just not talk about this? Please?”

She couldn’t sit there and listen to him try to make excuses for her. She knew the narrative and she accepted it: she fucked up, came this close to costing Willy his dream forever, and in return he cut her loose as a liability he couldn’t continue to shoulder. It hurt more than anything else in her life - came closer to killing her than the overdose did - but it made sense. If Willy didn’t hate and blame her back then, why leave? It turned an act of considered cruelty into one of random malice, which made it so much harder to swallow.

She couldn’t stand to hear any of it. The accusations or, worse, the gentle avoidance of placing blame. The pity. She’d rather die than be pitied, and no matter that she had been plenty pitiful in her life. Pride was all she had, wrapped as tightly around her as the thorns inked into her skin.

“Madeleine.” Willy’s voice was soft; not with gentleness, but as if he was too afraid of what he was about to say to speak it any louder. “Have you thought I blamed you all this time?”

A sound erupted out of Madeleine; you couldn’t call it a laugh, not that clash of broken glass. “If you didn’t blame me, why did you leave me behind? I — I understand, okay?” Madeleine forced out, voice cracking. “You didn’t sign up to deal with — that — you wanted out, I understand—”

Stop talking - stop it, stop it - you’ll make it worse - you’ll prove how much is still wrong with you - SHUT UP!

But she couldn’t; like vomit, the words rose up and just keep coming, the dam of brain-to-mouth filter completely breaking down. Madeleine opened her mouth and words spewed forth. What remained of her conscious mind could only watch, as horrified as Willy, by this brand new mess. An image of herself as a broken bottle of wine on the floor flashed through her mind, red liquid seeping into a cream rug: irreparable.

“I understand,” she repeated, because she needs to stress this above all else. “I ruined it — I ruined everything—” 

“Maddy — stop — just listen—”

Willy reached out, grabbed her arm — and immediately released her with a savage cry of pain. He yanked his hand back, cradling it to his chest. A dark red ribbon ran from his hand down his arm and dripped onto the bedsheets. It was so sudden and so incomprehensible that they both simply stared for a moment before realising—

“Oh my God, you’re bleeding — how — why — oh, God!”

Madeleine, reaching for his hand to see the damage, recoiled when she saw the huge thorn sticking clean through Willy’s hand. It looked impossibly big, the length of a finger, the end red with blood. Pushing through her horror and revulsion, Madeleine took hold of his hand and tried desperately to remember what you were meant to do with a puncture wound — did should she push the thorn out one way, or the other, or leave it alone entirely? Every second of indecision, more blood pumped out of Willy's hand - on him, on her, on the bed. Willy himself just stared in mute horror; finally, he raised his eyes to look at her.

“They only cut people you don’t like,” he echoed, voice dull.

*

Madeleine woke with a start, gasping for breath. The bedroom was shadowy and she was not alone; Willy sat on the edge of the bed, fully dressed. At once, Madeleine grabbed for his hand, holding it up and squinting in the dim light: it was ungloved, and unharmed. Madeleine stared at it, uncomprehending.

“What…” Madeleine didn’t even know what to ask. How much of what just happened was real? She was no longer naked, either, she realised belatedly; she was wearing her pyjamas. “Willy, what…?”

“It’s okay.” Willy’s voice was as warm and sweet as melted chocolate. He threaded his fingers through hers, pulled her hand to his lips to kiss the palm and then folded her fingers down, as if to keep it a secret. “I’m gonna make everything okay, Maddy, I promise. I mean it this time. You’re gonna be happy here.”

“I hurt you.” Madeleine couldn’t take her eyes off his hand. There wasn’t even a scratch. It was a dream. And yet, it didn’t feel that way.

“No, no, you didn’t,” Willy assured her. “Nothing bad can happen here. Not to us. Not ever again.”

Madeleine couldn’t think. She felt — syrupy, now, after the initial adrenaline burst; detached. The questions and concerns were all there, but kept at bay behind a pane of glass. Like when she was double- and triple-dosing on alprazolam. Had she—? No, she can’t have, she hadn’t had a prescription in years, the doctors wouldn’t give her one anymore. But losing track of time, unreliable memories: they had been signs, before, she was taking far too much.

“I don’t… I don’t understand,” she confessed, driven to an honesty that would be impossible if she were in her right mind. “What’s happening?”

“Nothing bad,” Willy repeated. The way he said it made it sound like a mantra. His eyes, wide and a little fearful, only lent further credence to the notion. “Nothing bad. I promise. I promise.”

“...No,” Madeleine said slowly, groping for coherent thought. “I—I did, I hurt you — again — I need to… need to…”

“Sleep,” Willy cut in. He swallowed, hard, and squeezed her hand. “Please? Try to sleep. It’ll be okay in the morning. It really will. You’ll see.”

*

“Vouloir, c’est pouvoir, my dear; give me your will and I’ll show you the way.”

*

When Madeleine woke next, it was to bright light. The vast majority of the factory did not receive any sunlight, but the lights had been programmed to brighten and dim to reflect the day-and-night cycle of the outside world. Madeleine estimated it was mid-morning.

As she stretched and shrugged off the last vestiges of sleep, she was struck by a sense of unease that she could not place the source of. Within a few minutes, however, it had dissipated entirely. The lingering remnants of a bad dream? She'd had more than a few of those in her time. Madeleien was just glad she hadn't woken up with a head full of nightmare images.

On the contrary, she felt great: well-rested and content. The only tiny fly in the ointment was that she didn't wake up next to Willy, but he was a notorious early riser and had probably been at work for hours already. While she slept on in slothful indolence... well, it was her weekend, technically.

Still, Madeleine reflected as she clambered out of bed and went through to the bathroom, she'd have a word with him about finding something she could help out with. Just sitting around the factory discomfited her; she was so accustomed to being busy that she couldn't acclimate herself to having nothing to do.

It made her smile to see her toothbrush next to Willy's; her favourite toiletries once again populating the bathroom cabinet. Was that even... yes, the marshmallow and sugar plum scented bubble bath that had heralded the end of many delightful evenings stood next to the enormous bath. Hmm, that might be giving her ideas...

Madeleine reached out for the bottle, intending to take a sniff to prompt a few more of those memories — and stopped short, frowning at her hand. What was...

There, in her nail beds: semicircles of rust. Of, she realised with a lurch, dried blood.

An image flashed into her mind: Willy's hand, pierced and bleeding. Then, like that was the key in the lock, the rest of the memory gunned through her mind's eye. Madeleine's breath hitched and her legs weakened; she half-collapsed to sit on the edge of the bath. Her heart pounded in her chest, blood rushing in her ears.

He'd promised she hadn't hurt him. He'd promised it hadn't been real... no, wait, he hadn't said that, had he? Not in so many words?

But there hadn't been a scratch on him.

But, if it hadn't been real, why was his blood quite literally on her hands?

But how could it have been real? Did she really think a thorn had come out of her skin and attacked Willy? That was insane. No... no, she'd... she'd cut herself, or something, and not noticed. Scratched herself in her sleep and drawn a bit of blood. Something. Anything. Anything at all other than this madness.

Madeleine, in the wake of the episode that got her sectioned and resulted in Willy fleeing the country, had at times had a tentative relationship with concepts like time and memory, but hallucinations was an untapped market. She would like, very badly, for it to stay that way.

Then again, which was the worse prospect — that she was going mad, or that it was all somehow real?

Nothing bad can happen here, Willy had promised.

Except, one way or another, it already had.

[americancowgirl19]

Artic Hoarfrost

Summary: Bill sends a letter to his brother Charlie about a rare dragon that turns out to be more than just a creature.

Warnings: Fluff, angst

Reader: Gender Neutral Reader

Pairings: Charlie Weasley x Gender Neutral Reader

Word Count: 2,083

A/n: It didn’t turn out as romantic as I would have liked. It’s more of a platonic story but it’s still good! I hope, lol... and yes I created the Artic Hoarfrost, I think it’s a cool name.

Masterlist

Charlie was only studying in Romania for half a year when his older brother, Bill, sent him a letter. It had been a long time since Charlie had heard from him. The two brothers had been close growing up but now they were both out of Hogwarts pursuing different careers.

He opened the letter curiously but also excited. He missed his family but knew the distance would become easier with time. 

The letter started out simple. There were some casual questions and small talk before Bill got to the reason why he sent the letter. 

Around the same time Charlie was able to get a job in Romania Bill found a job as a curse beaker in Egypt. While at work Bill stumbled upon something that he thought Charlie should know.

In one of the crypts in Egypt there’s a dragon. It isn’t uncommon for Goblins to have dragons in their work areas. Charlie knew there is one in the Gringotts bank and it didn’t surprise him that there’s on in Egypt.

What does surprise him is the description Bill gives him. This isn’t a normal dragon but an Artic Hoarfrost. Charlie had thought the breed went extinct back before the first world war. To hear that there’s one captive in Egypt instantly intrigued him.

It was hard to convince his superiors to let him go to Egypt by himself. The sanctuary had just welcomed a new dragon. All hands were on deck to help the dragon integrate in the new habitat.

It wouldn’t be until another month later that Charlie was able to get some time to go to Egypt. As good as it was to see Bill again all Charlie could think about was the Hoarfrost. He had seen rough sketches of one before but to be able to see one in person would be amazing.

If Bill was right and the dragon truly is a Hoarfrost then Charlie knew he would have to convince the sanctuary to liberate the dragon from the Goblins. A Hoarfrost would slowly wither in the hot environment. 

“Why are they keeping the dragon here?” Charlie asks, following his brother through the desert to find the beast.

“Because it breathes ice and it’s hot,” Bill explains simply. Charlie sends him a look.

“They’re enslaving a dragon to keep themselves cool?” Charlie asks, not bothering to hide his anger.

“Which is why I sent the letter,” Bill says, sending him a glance. Charlie presses his lips together and nods.

“Oh, wow,” Charlie whispers, when they reach the dragon. 

The dragon is large but malnourished. After getting over the initial shock and beauty of the creature, Charlie notices injuries from the chains and the abuse the Goblins have no doubt forced it to endure.

“So, is it what you thought it was?” Bill wonders. The both of them watch as the wizard guards force the dragon to breathe it’s ice into different tunnels. These tunnels go to various work sites and buildings. While Bill enjoyed the cool air the dragon produced he would rather suffer the heat and have the dragon free.

“Looks like it,” Charlie mutters, clenching his fists when the dragon roars painfully. The wizards tasked with forcing the dragon to work used cruel spells that pierced right through it’s hide. “I want to get a closer look,” Charlie says, making a move to go closer but Bill holds him back.

“Not right now,” He says. “Those guard won’t let you close. We’ll have to wait for night fall,”

Grumbling, Charlie leaves with his brother counting down the hours until he can return. Bill did his best to distract his brother but Charlie was far too determined to go back.

He paced in Bill’s flat. His mind is reeling, all his thoughts centering around the dragon. He recalled all he knew about Hoarfrost’s, which wasn’t that much. A few things did strike out as peculiar. The dragon seemed to be half the size it should have been, which could be because of the conditions it is living in but Bill says the dragon has only been there for a few years. Such little time shouldn’t have stunted it’s growth.

Another thing that struck out to Charlie were the curses the wizards used. Those curses, while harmful, shouldn’t have penetrated the dragon’s armored hide as easily as it did.

Charlie couldn’t wait to return to the beast. He wanted a closer look. Hopefully he’d find some answers to the growing number of questions circling his head.

When Bill deemed it late enough, Charlie all but ran to the dragon. Bill struggled to keep up and was out of breath when they arrived. While Bill too deep breaths, Charlie approached the dragon.

The great beast was asleep. It’s curled around itself using their wings to cover as much of their body as possible. It’s an attempt to keep the coolness it’s body radiates to itself. While the room is cool it’s not nearly cold enough to healthily habituate the dragon.

“Charlie, be careful,” Bill warns. Charlie ignores him and continues closer to the beast. He freezes when it shifts. His heart hammers in his chest when the head emerges from under the wing. “Charlie,” Bill says, wanting his brother to come back but Charlie stays still.

A moment later it’s eyes open. A beautiful y/e/c stares right at him. Charlie waits trepidatiously for the dragon to react, to attack him, but it stays still. It’s eyes just stare and observe Charlie.

Charlie releases a shaky breath. He knew he wasn’t completely safe but he felt more comfortable. The dragon seemed calm but that could change. Charlie knew he should be cautious but he was simply too curious.

He takes a step closer but ends up stumbling backwards when the dragon’s entire body shifts. Their wings fold exposing more of the body. The tail comes around almost curving around Charlie and it’s head lifts to better assess him.

“Charlie!” Bill hisses. The dragon turns it’s attention toward Bill but remains unthreatening. Despite it’s calm composure Bill still takes large steps back.

“Will you calm down?” Charlie hisses back. “I know what I’m doing,”

“You’ve been around dragons for six months and now you’re an expert?” Bill snaps, keeping his eye on the beast.

“More so than you,” Charlie sasses.

“What exactly are you going to do?” Bill asks. “You got your closer look. Now let’s go,”

Bill had a point. Charlie got his closer look but he didn’t want to leave. This dragon was far too interesting to leave so soon.

Charlie ignores his brother and moves closer to the dragon. Bill releases a frustrated sigh. He was half tempted to go yank his brother away if he wasn’t so intimidated by the large dragon. He’s seen the beast encase more than one Goblin in ice before. He didn’t want that to be his fate but didn’t want it to be Charlie’s either.

The longer Charlie spent around the dragon the more unusual the beast seemed to be. It’s true that Charlie’s only spent roughly six months with real live dragons but he’s learned a great deal about their behavior in that time.

He remembers reading about Artic Hoarfrost’s at Hogwarts. It was well documented that their breed is territorial, aggressive and prefer their isolation. How did Goblins manage to capture and keep a dragon that’s well known for their aggression and untamableness?

Every moment spent with this dragon only raises more questions.

“Bill, what’s this collar around their neck?” Charlie asks, risking a few steps closer.

“I don’t know, probably something to keep the dragon in place,” Bill says, keeping his distance. Charlie didn’t believe that answer. Nothing is attached to the collar, it’s simply there around it’s neck.

Charlie turns his head and looks back into the dragon’s eye. There was something almost human to them.

Something human.

“Bloody hell,” Charlie whispers, his eyes widening. His heart drops to his stomach as a new theory races through his mind. “Bill, I don’t think this is a dragon,”

“What are you talking about, Charlie? That’s obviously a bloody dragon,” Bill snaps. Charlie shakes his head. “Charlie,” Bill scolds as his brother extends a hand toward the dragon.

“I’m telling you, Bill. This isn’t a dragon,” Charlie smiles sadly, as the dragon presses their snout against his head. “It’s an animagus,”

“What?” Bill asks. “You’re telling me that that’s a human?” Charlie nods his head, beckoning his brother forward.

“It’s far too small to be a hatched dragon. The hide is weaker and their eyes are human,” Charlie explains.

“How did they manage to do this?” Bill asks.

“I’m not sure,” Charlie mutters, his eyes going back to the collar. “But I think that’s how they’re keeping them,” Bill cautiously moves forward. He inspects the object.

“It’s definitely cursed,” Bill mutters.

“Can you break it?” Charlie asks.

“It’s going to take time,” Bill warns him. Charlie clenches his jaw but nods knowing there was no way around it. 

“Don’t worry, we’ll get you out,” Charlie promises the dragon. It huffs and curls back into itself again.

“Charlie, they’ve been a dragon for at least five years,” Bill tells him. “I’ve seen how they treat them. The transition back to human life isn’t going to be easy,”

“I know,” Charlie mutters, following him back to his flat. “Let’s just worry about getting them free first,”

“The ministry’s going to want to hear about this,” Bill mentions.

“They’ll be too worried about punishing those involved. They won’t be worried about their best interest. Let’s help the them and then go to the Ministry,” Bill nods in agreement.

Every night for nearly a month, Bill and Charlie go to break the curse on the collar. Well, Bill goes to break the curse while Charlie keeps the dragon company.

“Don’t worry, Bill will be done before you know it,” Charlie whispers, gently massaging some sensitive spots on on their head. He smiles when he hears a purr like sounds. Even Bill smiles, a bit happy to see that they’re enjoying themselves.

Charlie continues to talk softly and continues his massaging. Halfway through the night is when the collar falls to the floor. All three of them tense before Bill steps back.

The dragon slowly stands up. The sound of the chains clinking together gain Bill and Charlie’s attention. Together, the brothers use their wands to break the chains which further frees the animagus. 

Charlie and Bill both smile as the dragon stretches and tries to shake the soreness from their muscles. They both take a step back as it releases a mighty roar.

“We have to get them out of here,” Bill says. Before Charlie could agree, the guards come rushing in. The dragon glares at them and growls. They’re forced to take cover as the beast breathes a stream of ice crystals in their direction.

“We have to leave!” Charlie shouts. The dragon ignores him and continues to extract revenge. “Please! We have to go! The Ministry will deal with them, I promise! But you deserve to be free,”

The dragon turns to him. Charlie looks at them pleadingly. The dragon huffs and lowers their neck.

“I am not getting on,” Bill says. Charlie grins widely.

“Come on! Live a little!” Charlie runs toward it. Bill groans and follows his brother. Charlie holds on tightly with extreme excitement while Bill is extremely uneasy.

The dragon flies them out of the crypt. Bills screams in terror while Charlie hollers. They fly far away before the dragon drops back to the ground. Bill falls off and groans on the ground.

Charlie slides off gracefully and comes around to their face. The dragon bumps its snout against his chest causing Charlie to chuckle.

“You’re free now,” Charlie tells it. “You can do whatever you want,” The dragon looks genuinely confused breaking Charlie’s heart.

Before Charlie could say anything else, the dragon steps back. Charlie watches the beast begin to shrink before taking a human form. He looks at you for the first time.

You’re wearing a ratty shirt and torn shorts. Your legs support you for a few seconds before you collapse on the grass. Charlie rushes to you.

“Are you alright?” He asks quickly. You manage to smile at him.

“Th-thank you,” You stutter. He smiles at you. “Thank you so much,” You fall into his arms. His eyes widen a bit but he hugs you back.

“You’re safe now,” He promises. “You’re safe,”

[peaceoutofthepieces]

wasn’t sure if you were doing platonic asks for the game, but if so maybe 87 + frances & aled / 84 or 98 for the paris squad? i couldn’t choose so maybe pick whichever seems the most fun <3

I had to do my fave squad (but if you’d still like some frances & aled after reading this 6.6k piece of nonsense, feel free to request it again and I’ll get around to it sometime!)

84. “If you’re not scared, then you’re not taking a chance. If you’re not taking a chance, then what the hell are we doing anyway?”

98. “All nighter, you and me. First one to fall asleep buys the other dinner.”

Nick burrowed his face into Charlie’s neck. It was much too easy to do in their position, with him perched against the wall outside the school and Charlie between his legs, his back to Nick’s chest. They were still a little cautious with PDA, especially around school, despite pretty much everyone knowing. But most people had already left and they were well out of sight here. It also didn’t feel as terrifying with their friends surrounding them. Charlie was wrapped up in conversation with Tara and Darcy. Elle and Tao had fallen into their own little bubble. Aled had disappeared with surprising speed which caused a small snicker from Charlie that Nick reminded himself to question him about.

Right now, however, all these surroundings meant he could safely devote all of his attention to Charlie without really needing to participate. He knew it would be only a matter of time before Tao or Darcy made fun of him, or he’d look up and find Tara’s twinkling smirk, or Charlie himself would begin to tease. But that was all part of the joy, the comfort. He could be as clingy and lovey-dovey with his boyfriend as he wanted and the worst repercussion he might face would be a blush.

Plus, it’s not like he could help himself. Charlie’s soft skin was warm, and he smelled great. Nick probably couldn’t say the same for himself, so it was only best they stayed like this.

Charlie squeezed his hands. Nick squeezed his waist and zoned in on the conversation, picking his head up enough to prop his chin on Charlie’s shoulder.

“I don’t understand why I can stay awake the whole weekend and feel fine but if I don’t get at least ten hours of sleep for school, I want to die,” Darcy complained, drooping against Tara’s shoulder.

Tara’s lips quirked. “It’s because you have to actually use your brain at school, babe.”

“Do we, though?” Nick asked, only half-joking. Charlie elbowed him lightly and Nick squeezed him again in retaliation.

“Plus, you cannot stay up all weekend,” Tara continued. “Literally when have you ever done that?”

Darcy pulled away from her to scowl. “I could.”

Tara raised a brow.

With an indignant squawk, Darcy straightened her shoulders and jabbed a finger at Tara. “I can. Don’t test me, Jonesy.”

“Because you’d fail?”

Nick made an ‘oof’ sound, then shrunk behind Charlie when Darcy’s narrowed eyes swiveled to him.

“You think you can do better?” Darcy demanded of her girlfriend.

Tara shrugged. “Yeah.”

“All right. Challenge accepted.” Tara seemed ready to protest that she hadn’t issued any such thing, but Darcy raised her voice to continue. “All nighter, you and me. First one to fall asleep buys the other dinner.”

“What’s this?” Elle asked.

“Darcy’s found an easy way to lose money,” Charlie explained. He shrunk back into Nick with a squeak as Darcy punched his shoulder.

Nick swayed Charlie out of her way and agreed, “Bad bet.”

“For an all-nighter? Darcy, you know you’ll fall asleep first,” Elle said, managing to get off with only a pout in her direction. “I think it would be so fun to do as a group like we wanted to in Paris, since some of us didn’t stay.” She looked pointedly at Nick and Charlie.

Nick couldn’t bring himself to feel bothered. Maybe they hadn’t used it for much, but a night alone with Charlie had felt special regardless. Precious. They were out, and stolen moments would no longer be as necessary or hard to find, but Nick loved feeling like he and Charlie were the only two people in the world. Being in that bubble in the ‘city of love’ without the worry of any siblings or parents waltzing in was an opportunity neither of them were ever going to pass up.

Now, though, it sounded like an extra opportunity to spend a night with Charlie, and to have a lot of fun. They didn’t get to spend all that much time together as a full group, recently.

It could be good for Charlie—who had seemed to brighten at the idea. That was enough to make Nick’s mind up.

“What if we make it a group thing?” he suggested, sufficiently perked up. “I think we should all get in on this.”

Charlie looked around at him. “What do you mean?”

“Group sleepover!” Darcy hollered. “Last one to fall asleep wins! Wait. What’s the prize, in that case? Do we do a money pot?”

“Nick,” Charlie sighed. “Why. You know I’ll be the first to lose.”

“That’s why the bet shouldn’t change that much,” Nick argued. “Last one to fall asleep wins, but the rest of the group has to buy dinner for whichever couple the winner’s a part of. Or, well, not necessarily dinner. A date in that price range.”

Tara tilted her head, considering. “So it’d be like teams.”

Charlie seemed more optimistic. Nick squeezed him again while nodding at Tara, marveling at his own genius.

“That completely ruins my plan to take Darcy down,” Tara complained. Then added, “And significantly lowers my chances.”

“Uh, hello?” Charlie gestured to himself.

“Charlie falls asleep everywhere,” Tao agreed. “Especially if his six-foot pillow’s around.”

Charlie pulled a face at the expression, but didn’t argue. Nick felt far from complaining; he practically preened at the comment. He was more than happy to be Charlie’s pillow, mattress, or blanket, as the situation called for, and he’d rather it be him than anyone else. Besides, he’d spent numerous nights texting Charlie into the wee hours, and the few nights they’d spent together weren’t exactly early. Charlie would, at the very least, get to have some fun with his friends before, yes, probably falling asleep on Nick. But he didn’t think Charlie would give in as easily as he was suggesting—especially if Nick was involved.

He wasn’t going to correct the others on it, though.

“Are we doing this, then?” Elle asked, eyes glinting at the prospect of a challenge.

“What about Aled?” Tao said.

“You and Charlie can fill him in,” Tara responded.

“Yeah, but what about the prize? We just send him to dinner or whatever by himself? We should think of something else.”

“No,” Charlie butt in. “It still works fine. It doesn’t have to be dinner, like Nick said, the couple can choose. Well, within reason. Aled can do whatever he likes and invite someone. Whether that’s one of us or someone else.”

Everyone seemed contented with this, but Nick narrowed his eyes behind Charlie’s head. There was definitely something Charlie knew that the rest of them didn’t.

“Alright, when and where are we doing this?” Darcy asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

“This weekend at mine?” Nick suggested. “Mum wouldn’t mind.”

Charlie glanced around at him and quietly asked, “Won’t David be home?”

Nick’s shoulders slowly slumped. “Oh.”

“It’s okay,” Charlie said instantly. His cheeks flushed. “I’m not sure my mum would want me to stay at yours, anyway. But maybe she’ll be alright with it if you all just come to ours.”

“Do you think so?” Tao asked skeptically.

“I can at least ask. And if not, then we’ll try to work something out at Nick’s.”

Tara smiled at him, nodding in approval. “Sounds good. Shall I pass the message on to Sahar?”

“I can do it tomorrow,” Nick piped up. “I’ll see her in class.”

“Great.” Elle clapped her hands. “Then it’s settled.”

“Slumber party!” Darcy whooped.

~^~

Charlie’s parents were surprisingly easy to convince, and so the group ended up at his house that weekend, each and every one of them hyper and giddy, eager to let loose. Nick trekked right home with Charlie after school under the guise of helping to prepare. It meant he could have dinner with Charlie’s family and have a chance to mess around with Oliver for a bit. If it also meant he got Charlie to himself for a little while before everyone else showed up, well, that was just a bonus.

Or, it would’ve been, if Charlie didn’t immediately and deliberately actually set him to work.

“Charlie,” he groaned, attempting to dig his heels in as Charlie pushed him into the sitting room and politely requested (ordered) that he move the furniture around to clear a suitable space. “Don’t we only need to do that to sleep? Which we’re not even planning to do. It’s better if we keep it the way it is so everyone can sit somewhere and not be too spread out.”

“The sofa is the only place to sit. You know everyone’s just going to end up on the floor,” Charlie retorted.

“Then they can help move things so everyone’s happy and it’ll only take a couple of minutes,” Nick tried, wheeling around and catching Charlie as he yelped in surprise and tripped into Nick’s chest. He offered a half-apologetic, half-cheeky grin as Charlie glared up at him, and leaned down to purposefully bump noses. “After I get a few minutes with you.”

Charlie huffed, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth as he looked at Nick through his lashes. “A few minutes,” he repeated skeptically.

Nick quickly nodded. “Then we’ll still get everything ready before they get here.”

He could see Charlie contemplating, eyes automatically flickering to Nick’s mouth. The gesture only managed to widen the grin there, and that seemed to snap Charlie out of it. He leaned back in Nick’s hold, getting his forearms on Nick’s chest between them, fists curled at Nick’s shoulders. “No,” he argued. Then, more decisively, “No.”

Nick’s hold slackened, his smile dropping as worry stirred in his chest. “Charlie—“

“It doesn’t matter how long it starts as, I won’t be able to do anything after that,” Charlie finally whined, fists unfurling just enough to clench in Nick’s shirt instead. “You’re too distracting. I can’t just give you a few minutes.”

It took Nick a moment to gather his bearings, concern quickly spinning into surprise and rapidly spiralling towards smugness. He tightened his grip on Charlie once more, nudging their noses together again, then their lips, a soft and quick brush that was just enough to get Charlie’s breath hitching. “I’m okay with that,” he murmured, smirking slightly.

Charlie made another small, whiny sound, half the protest against Nick’s continued temptation and the other half against it being nothing more. His grip tightened in Nick’s shirt and drew him closer, just close enough for their lips to press together fully, to feel the beginnings of a heart-stopping kiss—

“I don’t think this is what Mum meant when she said to prepare for your sleepover.”

Charlie startled enough that his teeth nipped at Nick’s lip as he pulled away, and it only heightened Nick’s desire to draw him back in. Instead, he followed Charlie’s gaze to where Tori was stood in the doorway, her arms crossed loosely over her chest and expression dry. Charlie blushed, but didn’t try to pull away from Nick; so, small blessings. “Well, luckily, Mum’s not here to confirm.”

It was, indeed, extremely lucky that Charlie’s parents had not only decided to let them stay over, but agreed they could even take their own date night to escape the house full of teenagers. Oliver had been shipped off to a friend’s so neither Charlie or Tori had to babysit, and Tori—

“Have you decided to join us after all?” Nick questioned, already fairly sure of the answer, but he was nothing if not optimistic.

Tori snorted. “Yeah, you’re both making it very appealing.” She gestured at them. Charlie had the decency to blush again; Nick simply shrugged and gave his boyfriend a playful sway.

“You know you could still invite Michael,” Charlie suggested, his own embarrassment disappearing in favour of tongue-in-cheek teasing.

Tori narrowed her eyes at him. “I don’t know what you mean, Charles.”

Charlie took one hand from Nick’s shoulder to hold it up in defense, silently ceasing. Nick didn’t blame him; he knew that name choice was always pointed.

Nick, however, didn’t have that problem. “I bet Michael would be well good at an all-nighter. Between the two of you, the rest of us would be stuffed.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it,” Tori said breezily. “We’d eat you alive.” Then she shrugged and pointedly turned her back on them. “Luckily, he won’t be here to confirm it. Enjoy, don’t do anything stupid, and work your way through those snacks so they’re not all left for Oliver, okay?”

They all knew that was a roundabout way of saying and make sure you eat something, Charlie, okay? but because it was Tori, and because things were better—not fixed, not forgotten, but better—Charlie only rolled his eyes fondly and said, “Okay.”

She waved over her shoulder and disappeared. She’d appear in glimpses throughout the evening, Nick was sure, but he recognised that was her mostly gone for the rest of the night.

Which meant he and Charlie were, conveniently, alone again.

Nick turned back his way with a grin already on his lips, only to have a hand pressed to his face. He made a strangled noise, somewhere between surprise and indignation, then instantly and maturely licked Charlie’s palm.

Charlie yelped, but instead of snatching his hand away he only pressed it more firmly to Nick’s face, pushing him back. “No. We’re not doing it!”

Nick simply stilled, lips quirking, head tilting, wondering how long it would—

“Not it,” Charlie squawked. “Not doing it, just, not doing that, no more tricking me into kissing you and wasting time—“

“I have never had to trick you.”

“—when they’re going to be here soon and we need to be presentable.”

Nick opened his mouth.

Charlie covered it more firmly with his hand. “From kissing, just kissing.”

Nick grinned and licked his palm again.

This time Charlie did snatch his hand away. “I hate you so much,” he sighed.

Nick kissed his nose. “Love you too.”

They—mostly Nick—still had the furniture moved to Charlie’s liking before anyone showed up. Nick couldn’t actually find it in himself to complain, because he knew Charlie’s bouncing pickiness was a sign of his nerves. They were tucked under all his excited preparedness, and they would settle as soon as everyone was here and settled, Nick hoped. Charlie was still readjusting, and it would be a long night, but in the presence of his friends, he would be alright. For now, Nick offered all the spontaneous hugs and kisses he could fit in just to have Charlie smile in fond exasperation and relax into him.

The instant Aled showed up, looking shy but excited, Charlie’s friendliness overrode all else and took the nerves out of his bouncing heels. The others were all soon to follow, and within minutes the Springs’ sitting room and kitchen were alive with movement and chatter. Nick put himself on snack duty alongside Elle, who had brought an abundance of tasty-looking treats, while Tara and Charlie took care of the drinks, grinning conspiratorially at each other when Tara showed off her and Darcy’s alcohol stash. Nick made a faux-unimpressed face at them, which lasted only long enough for Charlie to raise a brow and Tara to brandish a case of beer at him. Then he let his head hang, and reached both hands out for them to high-five.

Everyone clustered together and fell into various conversations rather quickly, after a brief argument about leaving the alcohol alone for another couple of hours, if they actually planned on being awake the entire night.

(“Vodka!” Darcy yelled. “Let’s go!”

Tara threw herself in front of the stash. “Absolutely not. You’ll get drunk, then sick, then fall asleep.”

“Are you suggesting I can’t hold my liquor, Jones?”

“You definitely can’t,” Nick told Charlie, offering an apologetic kiss when Charlie made a hurt noise in response. “You know I’m right, and so is Tara. Nothing for you for a few hours.”

It was easy for Nick, who simply picked Charlie up and carted him back to the sitting room to little protest. Tara seemed to adjust the idea to her own use, wrapping Darcy in a bear hug and using the hold to forcibly walk them out of the kitchen.)

“Should we watch a movie or something first?” Nick suggested.

“Movies always make me sleepy,” Tao protested.

Nick would have gladly taken this as an upside if half the room, including Charlie, hadn’t agreed and shut him down. He slumped back in his place in the corner of the sofa, hooking his arm over the back behind Charlie. Charlie tilted his head back against it and patted Nick’s thigh consolingly, leaving him mostly appeased. Tara also settled more comfortably back against his legs with Darcy laying in her lap, and patted his foot in solidarity.

“We can play a game?” Elle said. She was balancing on the opposite corner of the sofa next to Tao with Sahar sitting cross-legged in front of her, with Darcy’s feet planted inches from Sahar’s knee.

“Drinking games, yes.” Darcy pointed up at her. “Save that idea for later.”

Aled piped up hesitantly from his place next to Nick, sat on the smaller end of the sofa with his feet tucked up. “We don’t have to do anything yet.”

He didn’t seem convinced of his own suggestion, but Charlie made a noise of agreement. “Aled’s right, as always. We can just hang out and have snacks, and stuff. We have all night to do whatever else we want.”

“Why did none of you start off with snacks?” Tao demanded, turning to look at Elle. “Am I actually allowed to eat the snacks you brought now?”

“Not if I get them all first,” Darcy said in a sing-song tone, already rolling off of Tara and getting to her feet, racing through the open doorway to the kitchen with Tao hot on her heels.

The rest of the girls took this as their cue to fall back into conversation, and Nick turned to Charlie. “Should I get us something? Do you want anything in particular?”

Charlie thought for a moment, then just shrugged, his smile hesitant. “You can just get a plate of things?”

“Okay,” Nick easily agreed, pressing a kiss to Charlie’s cheek before carefully slipping out from behind Tara, who politely requested he surprise her with something as well, since her girlfriend had abandoned her. Her voice raised pointedly at this part, and Darcy looked through at them with a caught, sheepish smile. Nick gave Tara a small salute and did as he was told.

Charlie and Aled were talking when he returned, and didn’t pause as Nick carefully wriggled his way back between them after handing down a collection of snacks to Tara. He balanced another plate on his leg next to Charlie and immediately picked up a crisp from it.

“Don’t get crumbs on the sofa,” Charlie warned, while tentatively picking up a crisp of his own.

Nick grinned at him and said, “I can hoover it up. You want some, Aled?” He held the plate over towards the other boy, who elected to take a homemade brownie courtesy of Elle.

“You can’t hoover chocolate stains,” Aled said, eyeing his choice contemplatively. He unfurled his legs and shifted to the edge of the seat, leaning out over his knees before bringing the brownie to his mouth. He paused before taking a bite, and brought his free hand under his chin.

Charlie nodded at him approvingly while stealing a biscuit. “Aled gets it.”

A crumb fell from his lips a second later. Nick innocently reached over and hovered his hand below Charlie’s chin.

Charlie elbowed him none-too-gently in the side.

He also picked up another biscuit, then another crisp, so Nick really didn’t mind.

“Do you know what we’re going to do if we win?” Charlie asked.

Nick raised a brow. “Are you asking me to spoil my consistently brilliant surprise date plans?”

“I did only ask if you know, not what it is.”

“I may have ideas,” Nick allowed, with as much mystery infused in his tone as possible.

“If you win,” Tara piped up pointedly.

Nick nudged her with his leg and stuck his tongue out at the back of her head. “You just want to beat Darcy, anyway.”

“That is true,” Tara readily agreed. “But I wouldn’t mind taking her out in multiple senses.”

“I forgot that you’re all very competitive,” Aled said, with only a hint of regret. Nick liked to think it was mostly fondness. Mostly. “The games should be fun.”

“The games will be chaotic,” Charlie said.

Nick offered the plate to Aled again. “What about you? Do you know what you wanna do if you win? Or who you’d take?”

It took Aled a few seconds to realise Nick was asking him, and then he blushed. Which could have been put down to shyness over the delayed reaction. If he didn’t stumble out, “Um, well.”

“Not you,” Charlie told Nick, cheerfully. “So you don’t have to worry.”

Nick made an offended noise. The look Charlie gave him stopped the protest in his mouth, however, and he narrowed his eyes instead, looking from Charlie to Aled and back.

“I could take Nick,” Aled argued, somewhat consolingly.

Nick nodded emphatically. “He could take me.”

“I won’t,” Aled added, “but I could.”

“And that is what matters,” Nick said. “Well, no, not really. But I’ll take it.”

“Not because you aren’t great.” There was an even stronger sense of consolation in Aled’s tone, this time, which Nick appreciated. He was somewhat distracted by how the boy’s blush then deepened, anyway. “I just already had someone in mind.”

Nick concluded, after another moment of looking at him, that this ‘someone’ was significant, and likely not anyone here. A glance to his other side concluded that Charlie also knew that, and likely had more specifics, too. He heaved a sigh and picked up a brownie. “I suppose I’ll recover from the rejection.”

Aled offered him a wide smile and reached over himself to steal from the plate, so Nick supposed he’d chosen the right route. It was only confirmed when Aled’s smile slipped into an impish grin. “I’m sure someone can find some way to console you.”

He looked pointedly just a little to Nick’s right, and huffed a laugh when Charlie hummed and kissed Nick’s cheek.

“Must you always be so sickeningly sweet,” Tao complained, finally returning to his seat next to Charlie. His attention was entirely diverted from them as Elle leaned against his shoulder and reached over to balance the plate he’d acquired atop both their thighs. Nick and Charlie shared an amused look and silently agreed to let him off with it. For now, at least.

It didn’t take that long for the alcohol to come into play, after all.

“Alright,” Tara clapped her hands together as they all rearranged themselves in a ‘circle’ on the floor with their choice of beverage at hand. “What game are we starting with?”

“Spin the bottle?” Darcy cheekily suggested.

“Absolutely not,” Charlie said. When they all looked at him, he gestured around. “I am not putting myself in a situation where I’d have to kiss Tao.”

Tao wore a horrified expression. “Never mind you, what if I had to kiss Nick?”

Nick made an offended noise and pointed at him. “Don’t pretend you wouldn’t enjoy it.”

“Yeah, okay,” Tara said. “Let’s not. It’s already getting weird.” Then she did a double take and gave her girlfriend an accusing look. “Who do you want to kiss, anyway?”

Darcy clasped Tara’s face in her hands and placed a peck of a kiss on her lips. “You know who.” She booped Tara’s nose.

Tara narrowed her eyes at her, but inevitably offered a quick peck back. “Okay, what about truth or dare?”

Charlie winced. “Been there, done that.”

“Maybe something else,” Nick agreed.

“Never have I ever,” Tao said.

“Never have you ever what?”

“That’s the game, Nick.” Charlie patted his knee.

“Oh, yeah, right.” Nick squinted. “Have any of us done anything that’s gonna make this exciting?”

“Only one way to find out,” Darcy said cheerfully. Her cup was already significantly less full than Nick remembered. “Okay, for anyone like Nick who doesn’t know how this works—“

“It’s just because Tao said it wrong.”

“—on a turn you have to say ‘never have I ever’ done something you didn’t do and whoever has done it has to take a drink. If you want to say something you have done to target some others, that’s the spirit, but you will also have to take a drink. Oh, and if no one drinks on your turn, you have to drink. Everyone clear?”

If they hadn’t been, Nick wasn’t sure how much Darcy’s quickly-spoken explanation would’ve helped. But no one complained, so Darcy simply grinned at them all and lifted her drink in a cheer. “Great! Okay, babe, you start.”

“Never have I ever lost a bet,” Tara said immediately.

There were some scoffs (Darcy and Nick), amused huffs (Elle, Charlie, and Sahar), and mildly scared, impressed faces (Tao and Aled). Everyone besides Nick and Sahar took a drink. Charlie raised his brows at Nick, who smirked in return.

“Say that while you can, Jones,” he said, narrowing his eyes at her playfully.

Charlie was next, and had apparently already thought of a good one for payback. “Never have I ever kissed a girl,” he said smugly.

“Clever,” Tara allowed, “and cheeky. I like it.” She took a drink, along with Darcy, Tao, and Nick, and then it was his turn.

“This is harder than I expected,” he said after a moment of blank thought. He swirled his drink in his hand, then thought of something. “Never have I ever gotten seriously hungover.”

Darcy squinted at him in faint betrayal and took a large gulp. Surprisingly, Aled was the only other one to take a drink.

Charlie gasped. “Excuse me. When?”

“Thought we weren’t playing truth or dare,” Aled quipped, quickly moving on by taking his own turn. “Never have I ever been sick on someone.”

“I apologised for that so many times,” Tao protested. “It wasn’t my fault I had food poisoning!”

“No, but it was gross,” Charlie said, “and you did it, so drink.”

Tao drank. Thankfully, he was the only one.

Sahar took a little longer to think about it. Eventually she said, “Never have I ever used a fake ID?”

Tara nodded approvingly as Darcy immediately grumbled and took a drink. Nick quietly did the same, and shrunk slightly when everyone looked at him in surprise.

“In my defense,” he said, “it was only once, and it wasn’t a fake one, it was David’s.” He paused, then added, “It also didn’t work.”

“Of course it didn’t,” Charlie mused. “He’s four years older and you look nothing alike. Plus, he’s a dick, and you aren’t.”

“I don’t think that matters in terms of IDs.”

“I bet it does. His probably gives off a bad vibe.”

“A dickish vibe,” Nick…suggested? Agreed?

“If we’re done talking about dicks,” Tao interrupted, “it’s my turn. Never have I ever…broken a bone.”

Charlie and Nick sighed simultaneously, but at least Tara and Sahar drank with them.

“Never have I ever drunk-dialed someone,” Elle offered.

Nick and Aled obediently took their drinks.

Then Darcy said, “Never have I ever kissed a guy,” triumphantly, and they were back to more pointed targets.

Tara, Elle, Aled, Charlie, and Nick took a drink, and Nick said, “This is starting to feel a little unfair.”

Charlie squeezed his shoulder and was midway through saying, “That’s what you get for having all the life experience, old man,” when realisation hit Nick and he zeroed in on Aled.

He definitely hadn’t missed that sneaky sip. Which meant Aled had kissed a guy. Which meant Nick was probably right. The question sat on the tip of his tongue, but as he took in Aled’s pink cheeks and fidgeting fingers along the rim of his cup, he realised no one else had asked. That they hadn’t noticed, somehow. Likely because he had unwittingly distracted them with his faint complaint and Charlie’s following teasing. And he swallowed the question down.

He did, however, gently grin when Aled finally snuck a look around and their gazes met. Aled’s eyes widened briefly, before he was giving another of his own bright smiles in response before they both tuned back in to the group.

“Getting worried, Nick?” Tara asked innocently. “Too much to drink and you might get a little too sleepy.”

Nick narrowed his eyes and hugged his still-mostly-full bottle to his chest. “I can hold it just fine, thank you.”

“Oh, are we getting Nick drunk?” Darcy asked. “Yay!”

“I did not consent to this,” Nick pointed out.

“You’ll be fine,” Charlie reassured, shifting over to lean against him. “You can bow out if you need to, but it can only go on so long, anyway. And besides, it’s not like there’s much they can target you with, right?”

Tara said, “Never have I ever played rugby.”

Nick heaved a heavy sigh.

He could at least trust Charlie and Aled—and himself—not to throw him under the bus. They, in fact, seemed to try to avoid having him drink for their turns. Sahar didn’t quite manage to avoid it, but her go had most of the circle drinking.

Then it got to Tao, who simply said, “Never have I ever kissed Charlie.”

A brief, still silence ensued.

“Do cheek kisses count?” Elle asked skeptically.

“On the lips,” Tao clarified.

Nick blew a breath out through his nose and took a drink.

It only derailed further from there. Nick didn’t mind the light ribbing, because they couldn’t manage to avoid everyone else entirely, and he’d mastered the art of taking only the smallest of sips every time he had to drink. It was only when it reached Charlie again that he felt the weight of betrayal.

“Never have I ever had a fountain pen explode on me.”

“Oof,” Darcy said. “That was specific.”

Nick made a hurt noise and whipped his head around to show his hurt to his boyfriend, who winced appropriately, sinking down and pressing his cheek harder to Nick’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to feel left out.”

If he wasn’t so sweetly cuddled against Nick and his pink-cheeked, parted-lips, wide-eyed look wasn’t quite so adorable, Nick liked to think he would have been madder. But, well. He may have had the ‘strong rugby arms’ Charlie often appreciated, but he was weak of will and soft of heart and his boyfriend bloody well knew it.

He tucked Charlie under his arm, and took another drink.

They did not succeed in getting Nick drunk, because Nick was perfectly capable of sticking to his limits, and knew he had a nice high tolerance. So what, if his mind felt syrupy sweet and each of Charlie’s touch a little more tingly? Nick was hardly going to complain about that. The goosebumps creeping along his bare forearm where Charlie’s fingers ran weren’t unusual. Even if said fingers were slightly blurry.

“We should probably have some water,” Charlie said, clearing his throat. His hand didn’t pause its decreasingly-careful caresses.

“Mmhm.”

“You don’t wanna get up, do you?”

“Mm-mm.”

They were still sitting on the floor, without anything to lean against but each other. Nick quite liked it that way. It was oddly comfortable. Charlie was comfortable. So, no, Nick really, really didn’t want to move. He wanted to rest his cheek atop Charlie’s head, to feel the soft curls there, and maybe shut his eyes for a bit—

Yep, okay. Water. Water could probably help.

Darcy sidled up to him in the kitchen, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as she bumped her hip against his, and Nick was so going to take these girls down. “Nervous, Nelson?”

“Never, Olsson,” he retorted. “And even if I was, it would just be proof of my determination.”

“How do you figure that?”

“Easy. If you’re not scared, then you’re not taking a chance. If you’re not taking a chance, then what the hell are we doing anyway?”

“That, mate,” Darcy said, clasping his shoulder with two hands and leaning on him, “is the nonsense type of fighting spirit I like.”

Nick held his hand up and received his third high-five of the night.

They played another few games, not all of them drinking ones, but many involving cards after Charlie went and found a pack. They did, eventually, have to resort to movies, and spent longer having a debate over what they should watch than many of them did actually watching the action-comedy they settled on. It amused him to no end that Darcy was the first to drop off, snoring in Tara’s lap only ten minutes in and effectively losing the bet. Tara heaved a sigh, but couldn’t hide a smile as she stroked her girlfriend’s hair and moved the mostly-empty bottle of vodka out of knocking-over reach.

Tao went not long after, much to Elle’s disappointment, and then, to his heartache, Nick felt Charlie sink against his shoulder, his hand going slack in Nick’s, and looked over to find him out for the count. Nick pouted, but squeezed Charlie’s hand and strengthened his own resolution to win.

Sahar fell asleep midway through, and Elle made it three-quarters of the way. The two of them and Tao had the sense to settle onto their mattress before the film started, and could all stay contently asleep. Tara had managed to maneuver Darcy without waking her, but she still sat up—shooting pointed looks at Nick—on the mattress beside her sleeping girlfriend. Aled was heavy-lidded on Nick’s other side.

Nick had to move Charlie. He was sure he could have managed it without waking him had they been in a better position, but as it was, Nick would hardly be able to move without sending Charlie toppling. He still slid his arm behind the younger boy as carefully as he could, and then pulled Charlie’s legs up into his lap. Charlie grumbled and shifted against him, and Nick gripped him tighter before carefully pushing himself off the sofa.

Charlie made a sleepy, startled sound and mumbled, “Nick?”

“Yeah,” Nick whispered. “I’m just moving us to the mattress.”

“‘Kay.” Charlie yawned. “Did we win?”

Nick grinned as he lay Charlie down and drew the blanket over him. “We will.” As he pulled away, Charlie grabbed at his wrist with a soft protest. Nick covered his hand with his own and murmured, “I’m just going to get a drink. Go back to sleep.”

“Okay,” Charlie breathed, snuggling into the pillow and dropping his hold.

Nick smiled down at him before slipping quietly into the kitchen. He looked at the array of alcohol and soda spread out on the table, glanced consideringly at the tap, then opened the fridge. He grinned and pulled out the lemonade, carrying it with him as he moved to the cupboard for a clean glass.

When he turned around, full glass and the bottle now in hand, Tori was standing in the doorway.

“Bloody hell,” he yelped, fumbling as he almost dropped his glass. He quickly set it and the lemonade down on the table and gasped in a breath.

Tori examined him and raised a brow. “Nicholas.”

Nick straightened up, clearing his throat. “Victoria.”

They were locked in a standstill for a moment, Nick glancing down at the pilfered lemonade and back up at Tori, over and over, as Tori stared silently back. Then Nick turned back around and fetched another glance. He stretched to set it on the far end of the table, then slowly slid the lemonade across towards Tori.

Tori’s lips quirked, and she moved forward and filled herself a glass. “You weren’t the first to lose, then.”

Nick grinned at her. “Nope. Charlie wasn’t, either. He has by now, though.”

After placing the lemonade back in the fridge, Tori looked over and raised a brow again. “Up to you to win it for him, then.”

“No problem.” Nick’s grin widened. He picked up his lemonade and saluted Tori as he rounded the table and made his way back to Charlie. When he stepped into the room, he noticed two very important things. First, that Tara was curled up next to Darcy with eyes shut and breaths even, completely asleep. He resisted the urge to cheer aloud and instead leaned smugly in the doorway as he sipped his lemonade. The second remarkable thing was that Aled had immediately taken advantage of the freed space and spread out along the sofa, flat on his back and entirely still.

Nick had won.

He cheered silently, giving one fist-pump. He swallowed down another few mouthfuls of his drink before setting it safely aside on the coffee table. Then he crawled onto the mattress next to Charlie, sighing in relief as his head sunk into the pillow. Charlie shifted towards him, and Nick tucked an arm carefully around him and let his eyes shut.

When he woke up, the sun was filtering through the cracks in the blinds and everyone else was slowly coming to life around him. Charlie was already awake, but hadn’t moved from his place on Nick’s shoulder, as far as Nick could tell. Nick squeezed him and Charlie tilted his head up, sleepy but smiling.

“Who won?” he asked.

Nick grinned. “Well—“

“Aled, obviously.”

Nick whipped around to find Tori in the doorway, again, with another glass of lemonade already in hand. She took an innocent sip while watching Nick in amusement.

“Wha—Aled?” Nick said. “But I—“

“Didn’t check if I was asleep and fell asleep as soon as you laid down?” Aled piped up.

Nick pushed himself up onto an elbow to look around at him, still under a blanket on the sofa and not looking half as tired as he should if he apparently got less sleep than Nick.

“You didn’t,” Charlie said.

“He did,” Tori said, solemnly.

Nick shifted around and pointed at her. “How do you know?”

“I came in and spoke to him after finishing my lemonade.” She wiggled her glass at him. “He was awake when I first came down and when I came back out, but not you. You fell asleep fast.”

“But we—that’s—betrayal,” Nick exclaimed, pointing again.

“You thought he was asleep?” Tara asked. “So you just went to sleep?”

“You definitely were, so you lost. And maybe Aled did fall asleep and…woke up again.”

“Aled wouldn’t lie,” Charlie pointed out.

“And he really wouldn’t have had a lot of time,” Tori added, taking another sip.

Nick fell onto his back and covered his face with his hands, muffling his dismayed groan. Charlie comfortingly patted his chest. “You still beat everyone else. It’s okay.”

“I’ll still take you on a date.”

“I have no doubt.”

“It’s too early for you to be gross,” Tao mumbled from across the room. If he wasn’t situated so close to Elle and Sahar, Nick would’ve thrown his pillow at him.

“You lost to Nick?” Darcy complained, still half asleep at Tara’s back.

“Yeah,” Tara sighed. Then she shrugged. “But I beat you, so it’s fine.”

“And if I’m okay with losing to anyone, it’s Aled,” Elle said.

The others offered vague agreements. Nick made another dismayed sound into his hands.

“Sorry,” Aled called.

Tori huffed from the doorway, before whisking her lemonade away. “I’m sure someone can find someone to console him.”

Charlie pressed a grin to Nick’s cheek.

Prompt List

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

let me be your ruler.5

Warnings: guns, dubcon, noncon, fingering, treats.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Pairing: (dark!mob!) Peter Parker x Reader

Summary: You find more to worry about than just Peter.

Note: We get the long awaited update for mob Peter and I hope you like this twisted little chapter! Tomorrow Zemo and Wednesday the finale of Birch!Loki. I’ll try to keep up with Zemo and go back to an old series and try to pick away more at finish WIPs.

Hope you enjoy it. Thank you. Love you guys!

Please leave some feedback, like and reblog <3

Masterlist

Peter’s intensity did not let up. If anything, he grew more insistent and more suffocating. After the pool, there was the bed, then the shower, then another romp that kept you from logging into your work email. You were sore and drained by the time you laid down, too exhausted to try to wriggle away from him as he joined you and kept his arm over you as you drifted off.

You woke to him drinking coffee and looking out at the lush property. He wore only a pair of short boxers, his muscles lined perfectly along his bent arm and firm stomach. You let out a soft breath and rolled onto your back. 

Your thighs brushed together and made you squirm. You thought once he had his fun, he might let up. You could not predict this man in anything.

“You want a coffee?” he asked as he turned away from the windows, “I’ll send for one. Latte? Mocha?”

“Mmmph,” you grumbled and sat up carefully. 

Those cocktails went down too easy and added to the weight in your head and limbs. The alcohol made him bearable, made your new reality palatable. You were naked still. You held the sheet to your chest and he went to the dresser and pulled out the drawer with his free hand. He dangled the long camisole gown before you as he neared.

“I hate to cover such a pretty woman up but I think we’ve exposed my staff to enough of our fun,” he held the thin straps over a single finger.

You reached for it and he drew it just away from your grasp. He bent and his dark eyes clung to yours, “not a good morning kiss?” he taunted.

You leaned forward and pecked his lips. He purred and stood, draping the silk over your lap.

“So, coffee?” he asked again.

“With just a little milk,” you answered as you pulled on the nightgown and turned your legs over the edge of the bed. Every part of you was stiff, “thank you.”

“You’re learning, princess,” he praised, “such sweet manners.”

You stood and crossed your arms. He chuckled and nudged your chin with his knuckle playfully. He pulled on a robe and knotted it loosely around his body. He went to the door and hit the button right beside the frame. A knock came shortly and he handed over his empty mug and requested one for you.

“I was thinking, we’d extend our stay a while,” he said as he turned back to the room, “I need a break from the city… but if you’re good, I’ll let you invite your friends. They’re nice girls.”

“Is that a suggestion or an order?” you asked dully.

“Both,” he smirked at you as he came closer and wrapped his arms around you, “you’re starting to get it, princess.”

You searched his face and held back a sigh. His brown eyes were smokey as his hands slipped down to your ass.

“I’ll need them around to distract my guests,” he purred.

“Guests?” you turned your arms and planted them firmly against his chest as he bent to kiss your neck. He ignored you easily as he swayed you with him.

“I was woken up early by a call,” he spoke against your skin, his lips sending shivers through you, “we got today and tomorrow, then those two goons will be joining us. I can get away but…” he raised his head and ran his hands up your sides and along your arms, pulled them over his shoulders, “business is business… we can still fit in a little play.”

You stiffened and swallowed. Your brows furrowed and you slanted your lips as you looked past him.

“You mean Bucky?”

“And Steve,” he filled in, “you don’t get one without the other.”

“I thought you guys were all… sorted out,” you said quietly.

“Ah, princess, you don’t know the half of it,” he cooed, “let’s keep it that way. Better for everyone.”

You nodded. He was right, you knew whatever he did was unsavoury and you didn’t need the details. You knew what he was capable of. A flash of fear went through you as you recalled the barrel of his gun pointed at you.

“I don’t wanna do that again, princess,” he uttered as if he could read your mind, “so… let’s not. Give the girls a call.”

A tap came at the door and he parted. He opened it and took the mug from the servant and brought it to you. You took it as the scent promised to fend off the ache behind your eye. You sat in one of the upholstered chairs and took a cautious sip. He watched you with a grin and bit his lip.

“Better finish that fast,” he warned, “coffee stains don’t come easy.”

You eyed him as he pushed open his robe and you saw the bulge twitch in his boxers. You kept your face placid, not wanting to provoke him. What exactly were you holding onto? He already had your whole life in the palm of his hand.

✨

Halle was more than overjoyed to accept your invitation but Molly passed as she wanted to hang out with Charlie. Desiree said it would be good for her as her co-worker turned out to be a total waste of time. 

You hated that you were doing this to your own friends; using them as bait. Peter made it clear that they were welcome only on the condition that they could be an ends to his means. ‘Tell them to bring bikinis’, he insisted before you made the call.

Your second morning at the beach house was just as heavy as the first. The day before was filled with Peter’s incessant touching and another dip in the pool that ended in his delight. The staff was set to cleaning the pool once more in preparation of the guests. You were embarrassed as the servers, cleaners, and chef were all too aware of your activities.

Peter left you after a quick shower and you were thankful for the chance to wash on your own. He pecked your lips as he held his phone to his ear and squeezed your ass before he went. 

You stood beneath the steamy stream of the faucet and melted beneath it. You came out slightly refreshed and wrapped yourself in a plush towel.

You went into the bedroom and sorted through the second drawer as you searched for something more comfortable than showy. There wasn’t much you could categorize as practical. You heard the door creak and didn’t look up as droplets cooled on your arms and you pulled a yellow sun dress out of the closet instead.

“That’s a good colour for you,” the voice made you freeze and you glanced over at the open door. 

You assumed it was Peter or the wind, but the man who filled the doorframe with his thick shoulders, made your chest tight. Bucky stood with his arm against the wood as he leaned nonchalantly and leered at you.

“Wh-when did you get here?” you stuttered as you held your towel tight and shielded yourself with the dress.

“Just a couple minutes ago,” he smiled, “I was just looking for the bathroom but…” he tilted his head as his voice trailed off and his eyes ventured down your body, “...think I found something better.”

“Get out,” you hissed, “or I’ll shout.”

“Why? I’m not doing anything… just watching,” his lips curled lasciviously, “and you are fun to watch.”

“What-- I said, get out, Bucky,” you snarled as you stomped over to him.

You pushed on his thick arm, the muscle firm as it peeked out from beneath his short-sleeve button-up. He didn’t budge as he loomed over you.

“Your man likes to treat me like some errand boy. Sent me off to keep an eye on you. Boring, at first, all those months following you around to cafes and grocery stores,” he reached out and cradled your chin. You tried to pull away but he gripped your jaw firmly and held you in place, “but those things you do when you think you’re all alone… I was tempted to lend a hand but… business.”

“Don’t fucking touch me,” you grabbed his wrist and wrenched it away, “I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about--”

“That little pink dildo, well, not very little is it?” he licked his bottom lip, “I thought he would’ve told you. He’s a careful man. He plans ahead. I respect that, at least.”

“Go!” you shoved him in mortification, “or I’ll scream right now and you know Peter won’t be happy--”

“Calm down, little girl,” he scoffed, “don’t get so worked up. I’m not that stupid…” he squared his jaw and raised a brow wryly, “but he will get careless and I’ll still be watching.”

He winked and turned away slowly. You quickly closed the door as he retreated down the hallway and you locked it with a shaky hand. You staggered back blindly and sat heavily on the cushioned bench at the foot of the bed.

How long had Bucky been hounding you? How long had Peter had his eye on you? Your heart raced at the realisation of how deep in you truly were. You could deal with one, but two? You were well and truly fucked.

✨

You tried to hide in the bedroom until your friend arrived but Peter dragged you out to welcome his guests over breakfast by the pool. You sat quietly and picked at the fruit plate until they excused themselves for more business. You were grateful as you didn’t miss Bucky’s fleeting looks.

Halle and Desiree arrived just after noon. The men were locked away in the parlor so you greeted them as they approached the walk, beach bags on their arms and rolling suitcases bouncing up the stones.

“Oh my god, girl,” Halle chirped, “he sent a car and everything.”

“Thank god, my old piece of shit wouldn’t have made it this far,” Desiree added, “oh, you look so good. I love that dress.”

“Thanks,” you sniffed, “um, I hope you guys don’t mind staying on the second floor. Peter’s staff just got the rooms ready--”

“Staff?” Halle swooned, “you hooked in a real sugar daddy.”

“No, I-- Halle,” you sneered, “it’s not--”

“I’m teasing,” she giggled, “but come on, look at this place.”

“Mm, well there is another hitch,” you said as you led them inside.

Two staff members approached and offered to take their bags. They gave you silent looks of amazement as they handed over their luggage and you rolled your eyes.

“So, what’s the hitch? Don’t tell me the pools out of order,” Desiree whined.

“No, pool’s just been cleaned, but… we have company,” you said tritely, “couple of Peter’s… friends. I’m sure they won’t bother you but--”

“Are they hot?” Halle asked.

“Are you serious?” you blinked.

“I’m so serious. I need to get laid. Bad.”

“And a stranger is the best choice for that?” you scoffed.

“If he’s cute,” she shrugged.

“It’s an important question,” Desiree seconded, “I can’t keep dating boys. You won’t believe what this asshole did.”

“I dunno,” you waved off the question, “how about I show you around first and then we can get to all that later.”

“Ooo, yes,” Halle clapped, “this place is huge.”

“Alright, well, we can’t go in the parlour right now but you won’t really be in there anyway,” you ushered them forward, “the pool’s just through here…”

✨

When at last the girls were settled in, you waited by the pool as they went to change into their suits. You requested some drinks from the staff and thanked them profusely as you felt entirely out of place asking anything of them. The fruity margaritas were left on the round table as you sat in the middle of a lounger.

“Uh, this place is gorgeous,” Halle declared as she came through the sliding doors, “oh my god, are those for us?”

You nodded as she swiped up a drink and sipped noisily from the straw. Desiree took her own but side-eyed Halle, “It’s barely one o’clock, slow down,” she chirped.

“It’s a vacation! Sort of. I had to use sick time for this so no Insta please,” Halle sang, “I can’t wait to get in.”

She set down her glass and strode over to the pool. She slid out of her sandals and dipped her toes in. She surprised you as suddenly she dove in and sent up a splash of water. Desiree giggled as she swallowed her mouthful and placed her drink beside Halle’s and raced over to join her.

You dragged yourself to your feet and sat at the side of the pool with only your legs in the water.

“Come on, don’t be such a party pooper,” Desiree splashed you.

“I’m not, I’m just… all pooled out right now,” you shrugged, “you guys have fun, I’m just happy to have you here.”

It wasn’t a lie. In those last two days when it was just you and Peter, you felt so completely isolated. Even if they were there to act as diversions, you were reassured to have a glimpse of your former life.

“You ladies look like you’re having fun,” Peter’s voice startled you and you looked over your shoulder as he emerged from the house, “drinking already?” He was dressed in his trunks already, “I hope you don’t mind, the guys were hoping to hop in too.”

“The guys,” Halle giggled.

“I told them we had company,” you assured Peter, “and uh, you know Halle, but this is Desiree.”

“A pleasure,” he said as he neared and sat beside you, “why aren’t you in there with them?”

“I will get in, I’m just… enjoying the sun.”

He hummed and put his hand over yours on the rim of the pool, “you okay?” he lowered his voice.

You squinted at him and nodded. He didn’t really care if you weren’t okay. He was only telling you to start acting like it.

You heard the others before they appeared. Peter introduced them as they came out and the girls were all too happy to have them sink into the pool with them. Peter nudged you and you slipped over the edge and he quickly followed. He caught you as you broke the surface and held you to him.

“They’re getting along,” he intoned.

“I still don’t get it,” you pressed against his chest as he waded you over to the other side of the pool, “why do you need them?”

“Part of the deal,” he said, “they want some fun too.”

“What? You mean--”

“The girls seem willing. They’re pretty enough and I wouldn’t say Bucky or Steve are hideous,” Peter chuckled, “it works for everyone.”

“You’re whoring out my friends for a deal?” you spat.

“Now, princess, watch it,” he curled his lip, “I’ve been patient, haven’t I?” he leaned into you and squished you between him and the wall of the pool, “if I was a worse man, I’d just let them have a taste of you… but you’re mine,” he kissed you roughly and drew back, “and so long as you are, you will only be mine. Understood?”

You swallowed and nodded. He relaxed and kept his arm around you as he came parallel to the pool wall and floated beside you. Steve and Desiree were chattering as she came back to the pool with her drink and Halle gabbed on at Bucky but his eyes weren’t on her. He smirked as he watched you and slowly dropped his gaze to your roommate.

“Maybe Bucky will chill out a little,” Peter grumbled as he pushed himself away from the side of the pool.

“Mm, maybe,” you let him pull you with him as he waded around the middle of the pool.

“Don’t worry so much,” he chided.

“How can I not? I hardly know these men and these are my friends, Peter,” you hissed, “I should’ve known.”

“And if you had, you still would have done what I said, princess,” he snipped, “why are you doing this? Everyone’s having fun so join the party.”

You thinned your lips and forced a smile. His eyes narrowed and he latched onto your arm. He pulled you with him to the large round steps along the far corner and you tried not to slip as you climbed out of the water. The others were too distracted to notice and as you glanced back, you found Desiree with her tongue down Steve’s throat.

“You don’t wanna have fun with them,” Peter dragged you into the house, “then we can have some of our own.”

“Not right now, Peter, please--”

“Listen, princess,” he spun and pulled you to him, “you’re not getting this. I’ve been nice. I bring you to my nice house, I send a car for your friends, I get you off… you need to start using that head instead of your mouth…” he eyed your lips, “well, the mouth is good for some things.”

You quivered in disgust and he turned as he forced you further down the hallway. He flung you through the bedroom door and you barely caught yourself on a chair. The door slammed as your damp feet slipped on the floor and you stood to face him.

“I’ve done you all these favours so you can do me one,” he hooked his thumbs in his shorts and pulled them down over the protrusion of his arousal.

You glanced away and he closed the distance between you. He grabbed your chin and made you look at him. He kissed you roughly and shoved you away. He stormed over to the bed and flopped down, his cock bobbing as he moved to recline against the pillows and exhaled loudly.

“Well…” he said.

You stared at him and the bitterness laced your muscles. You huffed and walked to the bed slowly. He stroked himself tauntingly as he smirked at you. You put a knee on the bed and braced yourself. There was a moment you were ready to run and not look back, but your friends were in his pool and the vision of his pistol pulsed in your head.

You climbed up and crawled to him. You sat back on your heels, just between his legs and he tutted, “now, princess, don’t give me that look.”

You wiped the anger from your face and closed your eyes. You grasped his dick and his hand fell away. You moved your hand up then down and tamped down your reservations. You bent over him and your lashes fluttered as your lips pressed to his tip. He gasped at the soft sensation and you stretched your lips around him.

He groaned and put his hand on your shoulder as he urged you down. He met the back of your throat and you eased back, wetting his length to ease the tension in your jaw. He gripped the back of your head impatiently and you strained to let him further as he invaded your throat. You gagged and he let you back only for a moment before he forced you back down.

You followed his motion, fast and deep, until the spit dripped down him and across your face. You clung to his thigh as you breathed with each retreat only to be smothered again. Your throat burned as your jaw ached as you kept your tongue firm to his length. The sloppy sucking mingled with his lusty moans and he held your head between both hands as he thrust from below.

He stopped you suddenly. Your head spun as he lifted you off of him and sat up to kiss you messily. He pushed you over as he got to his knees. You fell back and bounced on the bed as he parted your legs, bending on over his as he moved to straddle the other. You laid at an angle as his hand slid up your stomach to your neck.

He squeezed lightly as he pulled aside the crotch of your suit and angled his dick against your cunt. You moaned as he filled you and pressed his thumb to your clit. He kept his hand at your throat as he held you down and jerked his hips sharply. He jolted your body with each decisive thrust as he watched your face.

“You like sucking my dick, princess? Makes you so wet, huh?” he growled.

You grabbed his hand but he only gripped your throat more firmly. He bit down as he sped up, the mattress shaking beneath you with each tilt of his hips. He rammed into you hard and harder, your leg stretched up his torso as he kept astride your other.

He teased and toyed with your clit as he fucked you. You choked out raspy moans as the coil wound tight inside of you and your muscles knotted around him. Your eyes rolled back as you slapped at his bicep and clawed deep into his flesh as you came. You squirmed in your orgasm and he sped up.

He pulled his hand from your throat to hold your leg to his body. He kept playing with your bud as you groped your chest senselessly and your voice rose unrestrained around you. His deep grunt punctuated each airy cry from your lips and the entire bed rocked beneath your bodies.

“That’s it, that’s it,” he snarled, “oh, princess, that’s it.”

He sank deep and pulled his hips back in a series of cruel thrusts that made your hips throb painfully. Your walls squeezed him as you came again and you milked him as he spent himself inside of you. He slowed and stopped as he hung his head and the muscles in his chest and arms tautened.

“Shit,” he breathed and slipped out of you, flinching as his tip brushed against you.

You stayed as you were as he let your leg fall to the bed and he sat between your legs and pushed his hair away from his face. He sighed and shook out his arms as if to free himself of the tension.

“You’re so good, princess,” he felt along your cunt and played with his cum as it seeped from you, “aren’t you?”

✨

Shamefully, you left the room in a new swimsuit. The former was stained from Peter’s punishment and after cleaning up, he forced you out with a fake smile. You emptied your margarita and ordered another with less reticence than before. Steve and Desiree had disappeared as Bucky humoured Halle’s flirting on one of the loungers.

Dinner was awkward enough as you weren’t foolish enough to think that no one noticed or heard your absence. You emptied three more glasses and Peter excused the two of you as he kept you from a fourth. You wobbled back to the room ahead of him and fell onto the bed without changing out of your shorts and shirt.

“You’re mad again?” you bubbled drunkenly.

“You’re drunk,” he said as removed his watch and unbuttoned his shirt, “I don’t like that.”

“You don’t, ha?” you rolled onto your back, “that first night you had no problem feeling me up while I was--”

“Princess,” he snapped, “you can only blame the drink for so much.”

“You’re an ass,” you slurred and turned your back to him.

He huffed and the light went out. You felt the mattress dip behind you as he lowered himself next to you. He was stiff and didn’t try to touch you.

“I should spank you for that,” he muttered, “but you’re so fucking lit you wouldn’t remember it.”

“I feel good,” you murmured, “for once.”

He pinched you and the bed jostled as he rolled onto his side.

“Go to sleep,” he ordered. 

He didn’t need to tell you twice as the alcohol weighted your eyelids and you were soon snoring carelessly into the pillow.

✨

You woke with a start as your stomach churned. It was still late as you clamoured out of the bed and ran for the bathroom. You hugged the bowl as you retched into it. Your body revolted and the alcohol came up with your dinner. 

You shuddered as you caught your breath and flushed. You rinsed your mouth and steady yourself as you veins were thick from excess.

You stumbled back into the bedroom. Peter was asleep. His even breath rasped up into the dark. It was a rare moment of peace unsettled only by the memory of the day. You recalled his reproach before you fell asleep, you knew that wouldn’t be the end of it.

You groaned and crept to the door and let yourself out quietly into the hall. You went to the kitchen, tiptoeing through the dark, and filled a glass with water. You sipped but a noise pricked your ears. You listened as you kept your lips on the rim and drank to ease the fire in your stomach.

You followed the sound until it was too late to retreat. The whimpers and groans mixed and sent a tingle through you as you realised what was happening. You stopped in shock, frozen as you found Bucky and Halle in the immense front room. He had her bent over a round ottoman, her fingers curled at the seam as he rutted into her from behind.

She squealed each thrust as her head hung over the other side of the cushion. “Slow down,” she wisped, “please, I told you-- ugh, I never done it like this be--”

She cried out and bit into the cushion as he slapped her ass and fucked her harder, his other hand stretched between her shoulder blades. You took a step back and the movement caught his eye. He looked up and held your gaze as his face contorted into a sinister grin.

He sped up as he reached to smother her wails and held your gaze. You gripped the glass tightly and trembled as you backed away from the doorway. You spun and raced back to your room and tripped through the door. 

You crashed to the floor and the glass shattered as water splashed around you. Peter sat up with a snort and reached to flip on the lamp at the bedside. 

“What’s going on?” he asked sleepily.

“Just getting water,” you croaked as you sat back on your heels in the midst of the broken glass.

“Shit, did you cut yourself?” he asked as he saw you.

“No, no, I’m okay but-- stay there, you���ll get hurt. I’m close enough, I can… I’ll clean it up… I’m sorry.”

He stared at you and slowly nodded. The anger crinkled in his forehead and you stood carefully.

“So, now we know not to drink like that, huh?” he girded.

“I said, I’m sorry.”

“Mmhmm,” he leaned back against the headboard, “go on, princess, clean up your mess.”

[somewhatgreatexpectations]

Just the Two of Us (Wanda Maximoff/ Reader)

Hello everyone! I am so excited for you to read this part. I hope you enjoy!

Songs used are "Open Arms" by Journey (1982) and "Just the Two of Us" by Bill Withers and Grover Washington Jr. (1980).

Summary: The situation in Westview is slowly beginning to unravel. Will Wanda be able to fix it before everything falls apart? With some surprise guests.

The family was all gathered in the living room as Billy demonstrated tricks he and Charlie had spent the afternoon teaching Sparky. The moment was perfect. Well… almost perfect. Even though Wanda was grateful that the twins were happy, she couldn’t help the longing that was burning in her chest. There was a limit to the happiness that she was capable of feeling when the most important piece was missing.

You.

Wanda could see that you were becoming skeptical and that skepticism was causing you turmoil. That was the last thing she wanted. Which is why she made the decision to send you to work as a distraction. As much as it wasn’t what she wanted, she could handle being separated from you temporarily if it meant that your skepticism wouldn’t grow into resentment.

Wanda knew that she had to smile through the hurt. Even if the smile didn’t match the way she felt inside. She was determined to protect the twins from seeing anything other than a happy image - she couldn’t bear the idea of hurting them as well.

“That was amazing, Billy!” Wanda praised excitedly as she leaned over and scratched between Sparky’s ears. “And you weren’t so bad either, Sparky.”

Charlie rushed over to her brother, nearly bouncing with excitement. “That was so cool! Where’s Momma? We have to go show Momma!”

The way the twins immediately wanted to include you in the moment tugged harshly at Wanda’s heartstrings. “Oh, she-she’s at work!” Wanda stuttered out nervously just as the twins were getting ready to run into the other room.

It was clear that her words puzzled the two when Wanda was met with matching looks of confusion. “It’s Saturday…” Billy said wearily.

“No, it’s not. It’s Monday.” Wanda countered quickly in hopes that they would drop the subject.

Charlie shared a look with her brother. “But, Mom, this morning it was Saturday.”

For a moment Wanda cursed herself for having such intuitive children. “There was an emergency at the office and your mother had to go in. End of story.” The twins exchanged worried looks. She sighed. Maybe it was time to try honesty. “Don’t worry, you two. She just… She needed a distraction.”

“From what?” Charlie questioned, her eyes beginning to shimmer with disappointment.

Billy looked at his sister for a moment before turning dejectedly to Wanda. “From us?”

For a moment Wanda was sure she could hear the sound of her heart breaking as she watched the way Billy and Charlie’s faces crumpled with hurt. She swiftly rushed over to gather the twins in her arms. “No! No way! She loves you both so much.” She reassured them as she rubbed their backs. “She needed a little break from me, not you. I promise.

Wanda gently led them over to the couch and took a seat between them. “Sometimes your mother and I aren’t on the same page, but that’s okay. I know it’s just temporary because at the end of the day we will always love each other. Love isn’t always perfect, but it’s always there through every up and down. It’s there even when we fight.”

Wanda wrapped around each of the twins. “Like you two may sometimes fight over toys, but you will always love each other because he is always going to be your brother.” She affectionately stroked Charlie’s hair before turning to Billy and doing the same. “And she is always going to be your sister… Because family is forever.”

Billy and Charlie leaned into Wanda’s side, seemingly content with her explanation. Wanda breathed a sigh of relief that she was able to ease their minds. “Do you and Momma have siblings?”

The question was unexpected and as much as she tried to control it, Wanda couldn’t help the lump that built in her throat. “We do. I have a brother and Momma has a little sister. They’re far away from here.” She closed her eyes for a moment to control the tears that welled in her eyes. “And that makes me sad sometimes. I know it makes Momma sad too.”

The somber moment was interrupted by the sound of Sparky barking at the front door which distracted the twins. Wanda took advantage of the distraction to collect herself. “Sparky, what’s up, boy?” Billy called after the dog.

“Something’s scaring him.” Charlie worriedly leaned over the back of the couch to watch Sparky and Billy replicated the action.

Wanda’s eyes widened slightly with a realization that she kept to herself. “Stay here.” She instructed the twins as she rushed to the door, accidentally letting Sparky out.

The twins rushed up when they noticed the dog run outside. “Sparky!” They called as they followed after Wanda who hadn’t realized that they had followed her out until it was too late.

When she noticed the drone hovering above her, Wanda stepped forward in hopes of keeping it away from Billy and Charlie. “Wanda, this is Captain Monica Rambeau. Can you hear me? I just want to talk. That’s it.”

All Wanda could think of in that moment was protecting her family. That need grew when she faintly heard a voice she loathed float distantly over the sound of the machine. “Disregard. Take the shot.”

______

Anger wasn’t an emotion Wanda felt often, but in that moment the anger circulated so intensely through her body that she was almost certain it would consume her. When threats were made against her she could live with them.

When the threats were made against you or the twins, there would be no forgiveness from her.

The anger only made it easier to open the wall of energy she had created as she marched forward determinedly, not even flinching when she realized there were various weapons aimed directly at her.

When Wanda was close enough she threw the mangled machine at the feet of the man she despised. “Is this yours?” A small sense of satisfaction filled her as she watched the man take an involuntary step back.

“The missile was just a precaution. You can hardly blame us, Wanda.” Hayward said calmly, though his eyes flickered with irritation.

Wanda flexed her hands slightly as she fought to maintain control of her emotions. “Oh, I think I can. This will be your only warning. Stay out of my home.” Came her steely reply as she stared unflinchingly at Hayward. “You don’t bother me, I won’t bother you.”

Hayward’s hands clenched at his sides. “It’s not that simple, Wanda. You’ve kidnapped Y/n Y/ln’s body and have been manipulating her to do your bidding. Y/n’s wishes were-”

Wanda’s jaw clenched. “Keep her name out of your mouth.”

“-to remain under our care. Y/n is a weapon and a danger under your manipulation. She needs to be back under our supervision. To pass away peacefully like she should have when you took her.” Hayward pushed on, his tone condescending. Hoping to push Wanda to the point of reaction.

Again, Wanda flexed her fingers, her willpower fading quickly. “Don’t talk about her like she’s an object. Don’t talk about her at all.” She gritted out. Her eyes gave away the fact that Hayward had gotten to her as they watered ever so slightly. Hayward smirked in satisfaction.

He held up his hands as he feigned innocence. This was only after seeing the way the other agents began to look at him. Hayward was supposed to be most worried about the citizens of Westview not you. “You’ve also taken an entire town hostage.”

“I’m not the one with the guns, director.” Wanda retorted sharply.

Monica stepping forward caught Wanda’s attention. “But you are the one in control.”

“You’re still here.” On reflex, red wisps began floating around Wanda’s fingers. Her patience hanging by a thread.

It was clear that Hayward was livid as Monica took control of the situation. “Wanda, I didn’t know those drones were armed, but you know that… Don’t you?” She continued forward cautiously. “A town full of civilians and you, a telepath, brought a S.W.O.R.D. agent into your home. You trusted me to help deliver your babies. You allowed me to create a bond with Y/n. On some level you know I am an ally. I want to help you.”

Wanda couldn’t help but falter slightly, though the red energy that danced under her fingertips flashed menacingly. “How? What could you possibly have to offer me?” Her voice was quieter, the accent even more pronounced than it was moments before.

Monica took another cautious step forward. “What do you want?”

The moment was broken the second the question was asked. She knew what she wanted. Nothing would replace that. “I have everything I want… And no one will ever take it from me again.” Wanda’s gaze shifted to Hayward, her stare unwavering. Challenging.

With a flick of her wrist all the weapons that were directed at her shifted to Hayward. Wanda walked away with contentment as she listened to Hayward’s panicked shouts to stand down.

The only thing that slowed her down was the sound of heavy footsteps rushing in her direction. “Wanda!” The surprise of hearing the familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.

As soon as she turned she met the eyes of Steve Rogers. He stood a few feet away from her, his hands raised slightly as though were approaching a wounded animal. “Wanda, you have to stop.” Wanda’s eyes glistened with contained emotion. “Let’s talk about this.”

“What is there to talk about? Y/n is safe here.” She tilted her head a small frown on her lips. “Don’t you want that for her?”

Steve’s eyes flashed with indecision. Wanda knew he understood the desire to protect you more than anyone. “Not like this.”

There was a subtle shift in her posture as she began shutting down once again. The willingness for conversation ending. “This is the only way.”

“There is always another way.” Steve said determinedly. “Let everyone go. Let her go.”

Wanda’s jaw clenched at Steve’s words. The conversation was over.

Wordlessly she raised her hands, so they hovered before the barrier. “I’ll never let her go. Not again.” Before Steve could utter another would she opened the barrier and stepped through. When he rushed forward to follow after her, he was forcefully thrown back.

As he was standing, Natasha ran over. “What the hell just happened?”

Steve winced as he held his aching side, his eyes never leaving the place Wanda just walked through. “She didn’t listen. When I tried to follow her, she stopped me.”

Natasha stared up at the flickering red wall before her. “Let’s hope we get another chance.”

_______________

The walk home felt longer than usual.

Not that I can even remember how long the walk was before today, you thought to yourself in frustration.

Even though your heart had stopped racing, your thoughts were a disaster. The terror that you saw in Ellie’s eyes kept looping in your mind, leaving behind a residual fear that coursed through your veins. Nothing you did could shake the image as you felt your chest begin tightening in a panic and your palms begin sweating.

In a bid of desperation, you began tugging at the collar of your shirt as it became increasingly more difficult to take in air.

The unexpected sight of the twins and their heartbroken expression quickly grounded you as you managed to take in a few deep breathes. Your worries didn’t matter if one of your loved ones was in distress. “Bring him back, Mom.” You heard Charlie beg Wanda who was kneeled in front of them with a troubled expression.

Your brows furrowed as you came to a stop beside them. “Bring who back?” The twins rushed forward and hugged you as soon as they saw you. Wanda stood up, taking a shaky breath.

The question was answered when you looked over at a teary-eyed Agnes and a small bundle wrapped in her arms. Your heart ached at the sight. You kneeled down and held the twins as you attempted to push back your own tears.

Glancing up briefly, you couldn’t help but noticed Wanda’s pained expression. Her eyes were conflicted. Almost as if she wasn’t sure if she could join in the embrace with her family. The fear that was still racing in your mind froze the words of comfort on your lips.

Instead you dropped your gaze to the floor and pulled the twins in closer.

______________

It wasn’t until hours later that you were finally able to get a moment alone with your wife. You found her organizing as you made your way into the kitchen. “How are the twins?” She asked worriedly.

You pushed a weary hand through your hair as you contemplated your answer. “Well, heartbroken. That’s to be expected since they lost Sparky in such a tragic way… but they’ll be okay.” A tired sigh fell from your lips. “If I’m being honest, I’m a bit shaken up about it too. We only had him for a day, Wanda. How does that even happen?”

Wanda stepped closer to you as her hand hovered over your shoulder, hating the tension that lingered in the air. Hating the fact that she even felt hesitant to comfort you. She dropped her hand to her side. “I- Are you okay, Y/n?”

You leaned back against the counter as you finally lifted your eyes to meet her gaze. You ignored the question. “Something happened with Ellie today.” You could feel pressure begin building in your temples. “Something happened with the computer and-and I saw her.”

Wanda turned and busied herself with organizing the basket of toys. “Well, I’d hope so. She is technically your boss.” She said in a joking tone. Nothing about her posture indicated there was anything light-hearted about how she was feeling.

“No, I saw her. In my mind, not in Westview.” You paused slightly, and you noticed Wanda falter as well.

When Wanda turned to face you, there was confusion clouding her eyes. “Wait, how did you see her if-”

Her words didn’t register as you continued on. “Her personality had completely changed, Wanda. She said someone is in her mind - she was in pain.... Please, tell me you’re not doing this.”

A forced chuckle fell from her lips. “Y/n...” She walked over to you and gingerly took your hand. “Listen, can we just-”

“Share a kiss and move on to the next day?” You interjected with a quirked eyebrow. The frown on your face caused Wanda’s own smile to falter as she turned away from you again and moved out of the kitchen. “Turn in for the night so you can reset our world again?” You pressed as you followed after her.

Wanda spun around to face you, her eyes wide with disbelief. You continued before she could utter a sound. “You can’t control me like you control them, Wanda.”

Her eyes remained locked on yours and you watched her eyes flash challengingly. “Can’t I?”

Just then the sound of music filled the room around you. Wanda began walking away and your head fell as the lyrics floated from the radio. You braced yourself for what you could only imagine was to come next.

“Now that you've come back, turned night into day, I need you to stay.”

The soft music playing in the background lulled you into a trance. The safety you had created in this moment on the roof of the compound prevented the outside world from existing. On this roof all your worries faded away. All that existed was the music and-

“If you could have been anything, what would you have chosen?”

It was a surprise to hear her speak. Most of the time Wanda would just sit next to you without saying a word - always keeping you at arms distance. “I don’t know. This? Saving the world is a pretty sweet gig.” You mumbled distractedly in a playful manner as you watched the clouds move through the sky above you.

Wanda pushed your shoulder lightly in annoyance. You struggled to ignore the way your skin burned under her touch. “I’m being serious, Y/n.”

You smirked, eyes still locked skyward. “So am I.”

From the corner of your eye you could see her frown slightly. Guilt overcame you when you realized she was finally trying and you were shutting her down. “A writer.”

“What?”

“If I was normal and could have lived a normal life, I would have been a writer.” You explained, sitting up and crossing your legs. Wanda mirrored your position. “It would have been interesting to be a novelist with an editor and dealing with signing with publishers, you know? Or a news writer who creates interesting articles.”

Wanda played with her fingers. “I didn’t know you were a writer.”

With a short shake of your head, you answered, “I wouldn’t say I am. Remember this is all hypothetical. The life I’d have if I was capable of living a normal life.” You finished with a light laugh.

While she didn’t laugh along with you, a small smile spread across Wanda’s features. The rare sight took your breath away. “It’s a shame we’re so far from normal.”

Your eyes stayed locked on hers as she tugged at her sleeves, her lips still quirked up faintly. You smiled at the sight. “I don’t know. It’s not too bad.”

“Stop, stop, STOP!” You shouted, the music abruptly shutting off and filling the room with static. “That’s- I don’t know what any of that is! It’s not mine!” You shouted, pressing your palms into your temples. Wanda’s eyes glimmered with an emotion you didn’t recognize

Another song began playing.

“Good things might come to those who wait, not for those who wait too late. We gotta go for all we know-”

“-just the two of-” Your singing was brought to an abrupt end when you saw flames coming from one of the pots on the stove. “No, no, no!”

A loud curse fell from your lips as the fire advanced even further from your attempts of salvaging the dish. “Y/n! What-” Hurried footsteps rushed into the kitchen of the compound. Wanda’s eyes widened when she took in the sight before her. Without a word she ran back out of the room.

“Thanks for all the help, babe!” You shouted sarcastically as you hurriedly began filling a bucket with water.

Before you could finish filling the bucket, Wanda ran back in with a fire extinguisher and doused the fire in seconds. “You were saying?” She turned to you with a quirked eyebrow and a smirk.

Sheepishly you rubbed the back of your neck. “Thanks.” You mumbled.

“When we get our own house, you’re not allowed to cook.” Wanda said with a laugh.

Your eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Our house?”

A deep pink hue spread across Wanda’s cheeks. “Well… yeah. Someday. If that’s what you want.”

Her words made your heart flutter. “I mean, we’ve only been dating half a year, but yeah... I see it too.” You smiled at her adoringly. “What else can you tell me about our future house?”

Wanda’s gaze bashfully fell to the floor, you found the action endearing. “It would be in a nice little neighborhood with friendly neighbors.”

The fact that she had thought of spending her future with you only made you fall all the more in love. “With plenty of space for our children to play.” You added.

Her cheeks flushed even more with your words and the smile that lit up her entire being was blinding.

You’d be glad if that was the last sight you ever saw.

“You picture having children with me?” She asked shyly. You nodded, and her smile grew even more. “How many do you imagine?”

“Two.” You replied easily. You’d be lying if you said you hadn’t thought of your future with Wanda as well.

She stepped forward and placed a gentle kiss on your lips. “That sounds perfect.”

“Enough!” You roared, pressing into your temples even more as you desperately took ragged breathes to calm yourself. The moments that were attached to these songs all flashing in your mind at once. You still didn’t recognize any of them.

The radio crumpled in on itself in your frustration.

Wanda’s eyes widened in surprise at your sudden outburst, it was clear that you were teetering dangerously on the edge of something she couldn’t control. “Y/n. I think you should get some rest. I’m going to go to bed. Come up when you’re ready.”

The racing of your mind worsened as you watched Wanda turn away. “No, Wanda, we’re not done here! What are all these things I’m seeing?”

Wanda’s brows furrowed in genuine confusion. “What things?”

You wearily approached your wife, feeling your palms begin sweating anxiously. You dug your nails into your palm to distract yourself from the fact. “I want to believe that this…” You gestured vaguely around the room. “Was all subconscious and you weren’t aware of what was happening.”

“Aware of what?” Wanda said in annoyance as she turned away.

Again, you followed after her. “What are all these moments? What does Ellie have to do with them? Ellie is a real person, Wanda, and she’s scared! Scared because you are controlling her!” Your chest tightened. “Why did I see her in my mind when I’ve never seen her before Westview?”

Wanda spun around to face you. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” She shouted back, matching your tone. Her frustration boiling over.

“Stop lying to me!” You screamed as the tightening in your chest became almost unbearable. The floor beneath you began to splinter and your hands tensed slightly.

The familiar red wisps began flowing from Wanda’s hands. “Y/n. This, all of this, is for us. For you. So, please, let me handle it.” She gritted out through clenched teeth as the frustration became more and more evident on her features.

“What are they, Wanda? Why can’t I remember anything before Westview? What even exists outside of Westview?” You demanded as the floor began to splinter even more.

The quiver of Wanda’s lips was subtle, but you caught it. “You don’t want to know, I promise you.”

Your hands flexed in frustration. “You don’t get to make that choice for me, Wanda!”

Pain flooded Wanda’s eyes as she turned away from you. The fight in her fading. “You’ve never talked to me like this before.”

The breathes you were taking became more ragged. “Before what? I can’t remember my life outside of Westview! I don’t even know who I am!” You clutched desperately at your chest. In that moment you were sure that your heart was about to burst through your chest. “I’m scared, Wanda.”

Seeing the obvious distress you were in grounded Wanda as she cautiously made her way over to you, gently pulling your clenched hands away from your chest. “You are my wife. You are Billy and Charlie’s mother. Isn’t that enough?” She pleaded as she smoothed her thumbs over the back of your hands.

For a moment your heart rate slowed. You couldn’t tear your mind away from your troubled thoughts though. “If Ellie is under some trance does that mean others are as well?” You questioned in a more subdued tone.

Wanda tore her hands away from yours in disbelief as she stormed away from you. “Do you really think I am controlling everything?” Your brows furrowed as she pushed forward. “That I am somehow in charge of everybody in Westview? Walking their dogs? Taking out the trash? Getting them to work on time?”

An exasperated laugh fell from her lips as she pushed a hand through her hair. You worriedly watched the way tears welled in her eyes. “I don’t know how any of this started in the first place.” Wanda insisted, almost as though she was pleading with you to believe her.

All you wanted to do was comfort her when you realized the turmoil and anxiety that she also seemed to be feeling.

You hesitantly kneeled before Wanda and placed a gentle hand on her leg. “Wanda, what you’re doing here is wrong.” She buried her face in her hands and your heart ached at the sight. “It’s wrong, but we can make it right.”

Before she could answer the doorbell sounded. Your hands fell away from her. “I didn’t do that.” You set your lips in a line but didn’t respond. “You don’t believe me.”

A heavy sigh fell from your lips. “Wanda, I want to, but… the timing of the interruption seems a little too perfect. Just like everything else.”

The doorbell sounded again, and you were sure you felt your heart break when you saw her blink back tears.

Without a word, she stood to answer the door. When you saw Wanda was frozen at the door, you cautiously stood and began making your way over to her. “Wanda, who-” you stopped short when you saw an unfamiliar man in the doorway.

“Long lost bro get to squeeze his stinkin’ sis to death or what?” The unfamiliar man asked playfully.

Wanda stared at him as if she was seeing a ghost. “Pietro?” You watched apprehensively as the two shared a hug.

When Pietro pulled away, he lightly nudged Wanda. “You caught a babe, sis. I’m impressed.” Wanda seemed to still be in too much shock to react as he leaned out the door, “Hey, kid! Come out! I think there might be someone you want to see here.”

A moment later a young girl wandered into the entry way. “Y/nn.” The girl quietly whispered and while you couldn’t seem to remember anything outside of Westview you knew there was only one person who called you that.

“Anna…” You breathed out through a choked gasp. Suddenly it felt like your legs stopped working as you fell to one knee and then the other. Wanda rushed over to you.

.

.

.

A soft gasp filled the quiet room. “She re-cast Pietro and brought back Anna.” Darcy said in shock as she watched the scene unfold on the small screen before her. “What a twist.”

“That’s not Anna.” Steve said as crossed his arms. “Anna was only six when Hydra took her from Y/n. This girl is a teenager. I helped Y/n bury her sister. I don’t know who this is.”

Natasha shook her head. “It looks like everything just got a lot more complicated.”

With a cough, Darcy nodded overzealously. “Right. This is a terrible situation.” She turned away from the two Avengers slightly. “Even if it makes good TV.” She added under her breath.

Both Steve and Natasha gave Darcy a disbelieving look as the credits rolled on the small screen before them.

And we have concluded with the 80s! A lot happened here but I'm actually really happy with how it turned out since I feel like it's beginning to take it's own shape. Chaos has ensued!

Annnnyyway... I hope you all enjoyed this part and are seeing the little depths of reasoning behind a lot of what Wanda is doing. As always, thoughts and comments always welcome! Reading your responses is always the highlight of my day. :)

P.s. if anyone wants to be on the taglist for "As it Was" let me know!

Taglist:

@theofficialzivadavid @tquick99 @wandamaximoffpuppy

[quokkacore]

can you dig it? (m) [kim doyoung & kim jungwoo]

summary: post concert highs can be a real bummer, and tonight, after a particularly intense performance, your boyfriends help you come down.

pairing: kim doyoung x kim jungwoo x fem!reader

genre: poly!au, 70s!au, band!au, smut, fluff

warnings: drug usage (weed specifically), mentions of other substances (lsd and cocaine), shotgunning, established poly relationship, soft dom jungwoo, mentioned switch jungwoo, hard dom doyoung, sub reader, high sex, sex on a water bed!!, unprotected sex, spit kink, they're all so sweaty help, mxm, degradation kink, praise kink, orgasm denial, overstimulation, minor possessiveness

song recs: don’t stop - fleetwood mac // unlock it (feat. kim petras & jay park) - charli xcx // love her madly - the doors // ziggy stardust - david bowie // rhiannon - fleetwood mac // eclipse - kim lip (loona) // flick of the wrist - queen

word count: 5.4k

a/n: this is for my best friend, who i love with all my heart,bc last month we were talking abt the dowoo photoshoot and she said smth about high sex with dowoo. happy birthday queen <3 thank u for listening to me complain abt writing all the time :’)

masterlist

Friday, July 22rd, 1977

The concert hall smelled like cocaine and sweat, you noted to yourself as the three of you joined hands to bow. Cheers from the crowd bounced off of the walls as you bid them your final goodbye, wishing them a good night and telling them to drive safe. Still, their chanting persisted. "Seoul Motel! Seoul Motel! Seoul Motel!" 

You wondered vaguely if this was what it was like to be a young god.

The curtain lowered, and the three of you were ushered offstage, to take some pictures and then head back to the hotel, to try and get some rest before you were off to Philadelphia, some five or so hours from where you were now: Boston. 

Truthfully, everything passed in a blur. It was almost always like this after these concerts. The thrill and euphoria of performing made it difficult to focus on things. That might have also been because Jungwoo had passed you a joint before the concert. You couldn't be completely sure.

Your tambourine and guitar seemingly disappeared, but you knew it would show up tomorrow for soundcheck when you got to the Philadelphia venue, right along with Jungwoo's bass guitar and Doyoung's drum kit.

What you did know was that here, in the car back to the hotel that your manager was driving, lecturing you and Jungwoo about the importance of being sober when talking to reporters, Doyoung had a hand on your thigh, and that was all you could focus on. 

Doyoung was high too. You knew this because ten minutes before you were needed on stage he pulled you forward by the hips and told you to take a few hits from the hand rolled joint and blow the smoke into his mouth. Of course, he wasn't as high as you and Jungwoo were, and he knew how to hide it better. But if you were to get close enough you'd notice the redness rimming his eyes, the dilation of his pupils.

The three of you were something, that was for sure. You had been, probably ever since Jungwoo joined the band, some eight years ago, in the fall of '69. You only really defined what you were once you got your first big hit thanks to some disc jockey in LA playing a song you had written, Calabasas, on the radio back in '73. 

The song had blown up, and suddenly the three of you were whisked into a whirlwind of celebrities, drugs, paparazzi and producers who thought the three of you were born yesterday. Yes, you were college kids that ran on booze and weed, but you weren’t complete morons. That was when the three of you sat down to properly discuss boundaries, what slid and what didn’t.

You and your boys decided that night that weren’t down with the idea of everyone knowing. Too many prying eyes. The public didn’t really know, because the press would have a damn field day. 

Other than that, it was a pretty open secret. In the industry, who was going around with who didn’t really matter—a lot of them were too off their face to even care. You realized that a few years back when David Bowie walked in on you watching Jungwoo and Doyoung get it on in a bathroom at some afterparty in New York City, and closed the door muttering something about how strong the edibles were.

 So, what your manager said fell on deaf ears. Too much weed, too much adrenaline, too much energy for someone who needed to head back onto the road in a few hours.

 When you finally got back to the hotel, Jungwoo grabbed your hand in the elevator on the way up to your rooms, which were right next to each other. "You said that your bed was really big… can we come up?"

You nodded, leaning against his arm. Doyoung hummed affectionately at the sight, noting how tired you both were. 

"You two are about five seconds from passing out," Doyoung mumbled, and you waved your hand in denial. 

"Are not," you protested like a child.

"Y/N, don't be a chump. I'm pretty sure if Woo weren't next to you, you'd have fallen over."

You didn't have the energy to counter, and as the elevator slid open, you were the first one to march out, ready to just take a cold shower and die for the next few hours. 

Realistically, you knew that wasn't what would happen. What would happen was that you would shower, get into bed and then toss and turn for another hour or so. Only then would the adrenaline truly wear off. The weed didn't help, making you feel sleepy. 

You unlocked the door, and Doyoung and Jungwoo gawked at the sight—and size—of your bed. It could probably fit all three of you easily. 

Since only one room would spark rumors, the manager usually booked two: one for Doyoung and Jungwoo and one for you. Your room always went unused. Usually, you would have to push Doyoung's and Jungwoo's beds together to make enough room, leaving an awkward and uncomfortable dip for the person in the middle. Whoever got the middle was handed the terrible double edged sword: cuddles galore, but a sore back in the morning. 

Immediately Jungwoo jumped onto the bed, gasping and immediately laughed gleefully as the bed sloshed underneath him. 

"A water bed!?" He exclaimed, splaying out his limbs. "Oh, far out. You really lucked out, dollface." 

He kicked off his shoes and curled up in the middle, eyes fluttering shut. You followed, sitting at the side as you peeled off your white leather go-go boots. Throwing yourself down next to him, you sighed at the sensation of waves beneath you, and nodded. "Oh, this is ace," You murmured, "Feels great."

Peeling one eye open as Jungwoo wrapped his arm around you, your gaze landed on Doyoung, who was still leaning against the wall. You beckoned him over with a hand. "C'mere, princey." 

He made sure that the air conditioner was working before sitting down on the other side of Jungwoo, for which you were grateful. The still drying sweat on the back of your neck and on your chest started to cool instantly. You and Jungwoo giggled as Doyoung’s weight sent waves rippling beneath you.

"So, are you guys gonna sleep or what?" Doyoung asked, kicking his shoes off as well and peeling off his denim jacket. His eyes were still wide open and he didn't look tired at all. "I'm probably staying up a little later, I have some ideas for some lyrics I want to get down—"

"I would love to sleep. But I can't," Jungwoo declared before glancing knowingly at the both of you, "and neither can either of you." 

You hummed in agreement. "Hmm, you're not wrong. Too much energy left."

You turned to bury your face into his chest. His forest green short-sleeved button up was only buttoned up halfway, easily revealing his collarbones. He smelled like pot, sweat, and designer cologne. His chest rumbled as he continued to speak. 

"What about you, bunny boy? You can't tell me you don't still feel it."

"The weed or the concert jitters?" Doyoung's voice was raspy, cautious. He had a feeling he knew where this conversation was going. Once you and Jungwoo ganged up on him, it wouldn't take long to wear him down.

"Both," You and Jungwoo said in unison. You laughed at the sound. Doyoung chuckled as well, and you cracked your eyes open, despite how cozy you felt with Jungwoo stroking the skin of your nape.

"Well, the jitters are still there. That's why I'm staying up. As for the weed… well, yeah. I still feel it."

Jungwoo sighed. "How's the weed hitting you, though?"

"Honestly?" Doyoung's eyes met yours, and you felt something simmer in your chest. He huffed, deciding to take a bite of the apple, and leaned towards the both of you. 

"The weed, plus watching you two perform… Safe to say I'm pretty fuckin' horny right now."

You bit your lip, giving him a sleepy grin. "Oh, Woo, we turned him on." The teasing tone wasn't missed despite the sleepiness in your tone. 

"And what about it?" Doyoung asked, leaning back on his hands. "You can't say that watching Jungwoo do the thing doesn't get you going."

"I have a thing?" 

"We all have a thing, Woo. Princey's over there is at the end of Mr. Jones' Motorcycle. You know, when he finishes the solo? He always throws his head back, because there's sweat and hair in his eyes. You can see his neck and shit..."

Jungwoo blinked. "Shit, that is his thing… What's mine?"

You raised an eyebrow at Doyoung. "His is the thing where he gets so into it that he throws his head back and plays, and still manages to get every bass note right, right?" 

Doyoung nodded with a satisfied hum. "Gets you going, right?"

You brought a hand up to Jungwoo's chest, slowly sliding it down his stomach. Your voice lowered to a raspy murmur, and Jungwoo's hand tightened around your waist. "Damn right it does." 

"And plus, you both have told me that watching me put together the drum kit is hot."

"'Cause it is!" Again you laughed as Jungwoo said the same thing you did. 

"Jungwoo." Doyoung's voice sounded thicker. "You can't tell me that Y/N isn't an absolute vixen on stage." 

"You're right," The younger man answered, voice gruff. His hand slid down, gripping your butt and giving it a light squeeze, before directing his words at you. "Oh! Y/N, your thing is when—you know how every time you play the transition from Calabasas to Saturn’s Rings you sway your hips and flip your hair back and forth? Sometimes you’ll look at me or at Doyoung while you do, and you looked at me tonight. You're a little tease up there, dollface."

Your breath hitched at their words. “Oh, yeah?” You goaded, cuddling further into Jungwoo’s chest. You let a coy smile grace your face as your eyes fluttered shut. “What do you want me to do about it?”

“Don’t be a brat,” Doyoung growled.

“No, Doie,” Jungwoo hummed. He suddenly sounded a lot more awake. “...What would you have her do about it?”

Your eyes fluttered open, swallowing despite the sudden dryness in your throat. Doyoung's pupils were still blown wide, but you were pretty sure it wasn't because of the weed. He licked his lips. "Princess, get on your knees." 

Jungwoo prompted you up, pulling you up to stand at the side of the bed. Doyoung circled around the bed, before standing next to Jungwoo. Your gaze fluttered between your two boyfriends, one looking stern, the other looking like he was having the time of his life. 

Quietly, you lowered yourself to kneel on the plush carpet, fingers gripping the silver fabric of your dress' skirt to hike it up, so that you wouldn't kneel on it. Your hands itched to reach for them but you knew you needed to ask for permission. "Can I touch you?" 

Doyoung smiled, reaching for his belt. "There's our good girl," He said. Your mouth was already watering embarrassingly as you helped him undo his belt, pulling him out of his boxers. He was already half hard, and as you lifted your hand to spit in it, someone grabbed you gently by the rest. Jungwoo leaned over, turning your hand to reveal your palm to him. His eyes seemed to burn into yours as he let his spit fall into the palm of your hand. You felt your legs close, thighs trying to rub together at the sight. 

"Go on," Jungwoo murmured, using a hand on your jaw to move your head. Your eyes fell on Doyoung's cock again, slowly getting harder and harder. Your hand wrapped around it, stroking slowly as you met his smoldering gaze. You stroked him until he was rock hard in your grip, and his breathing turned heavy. Again, you swallowed, and Doyoung noticed this time. 

“What is it, princess? You want it in your mouth?”

“Yes, please,” You whispered, eyes wide. He chuckled breathily, head tipping back as you ran your thumb over the slit. His eyes met Jungwoo’s, who was palming himself through his pants.  

“What do you think, baby?” He asked him.

“Don’t be mean, Doyoung,” Jungwoo said softly. “Look at her, she’s desperate. Isn’t that right, Y/N?”

You whined, nodding. The pair chuckled. Jungwoo grinned at the state you were already in. “Go ahead, dollface. Give it a kiss.”

Before Doyoung could say anything else, you took his dick into your mouth, and let out a soft moan at how heavy he felt, hot and pulsing. He let out a guttural groan of your name, a hand burying itself in your hair. His other hand gripped Jungwoo’s shirt, pulling him forward to meet in a tongue-filled kiss. 

Slowly, Doyoung’s hips started rocking back and forth, grinding into your mouth. Your hands stroked what you couldn’t fit, as well as his balls. Your eyes fluttered shut, trying to relax so as to not gag on his length. But when he sped up, it became too much to avoid. 

A tap on your shoulder, and Doyoung let you off of his cock. You turned your head to look up at a very flushed Jungwoo, who had pulled his dick out of his pants as well. The words, “Me too?” tumbled out of his swollen lips. And with that gentle, breathy tone, who were you to disobey?

You wrapped your lips around Jungwoo, who hissed at the sudden heat of your mouth. From there, something primal inside of you took control, wanting nothing more than to please—you took turns sucking them off and stroking them, the muffled sounds of their moaning spurring you on.

It was always like this—during sex, Doyoung was the meaner one, manhandling you and throwing degrading words in your face that made your stomach curl in sick pleasure. He was the one who could put you in your place when you became too bratty to handle. Jungwoo was gentler, but he was all too content to watch Doyoung toss you around. He would always swoop in after Doyoung took you apart, and piece you back together. He’d tell you how good you were, how good you made the both of them feel, and while he definitely didn’t treat you like fragile porcelain, he definitely didn’t leave as many bruises as Doyoung did. 

And then, when they were both done, they’d shower you in kisses, and whisper in your ear how grateful they were to love you, and say some philosophical thing about eternal love and the cosmos that you’d always be too fucked out to comprehend, but that made your heart do a backflip regardless. 

“Shit,” Jungwoo groaned, pulling away from Doyoung’s lips. “Y/N, I’m gonna cum.” 

You pulled off of Doyoung to look up at Jungwoo. “In my—in my mouth, please, Woo.”

He nodded, licking his lips as his hands fisted themselves in your hair, gripping but not pulling as he allowed you to touch him the way you wanted. His hands gathered the loose strands into a makeshift ponytail, using it to guide your mouth up and down his hot cock. His hips bucked into your willing mouth, the sound of his hissing and his moaning getting louder and louder, until… 

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, Y/N… Y/N!" He groaned, as he came into your mouth. His head tipped back, which gave Doyoung access to his neck, pressing sloppy kisses to the skin. This sight was worth the bitter taste that coated your tongue: one of your lovers in ecstasy while the other anchored him to the ground. 

He left his dick in your mouth for a moment, before pulling out with a shaky breath. Doyoung pulled away, letting him breathe. As Jungwoo caught his breath, Doyoung pulled you up, and he sat on the bed, bringing you down with him to straddle his lap. 

You turned your head to face Jungwoo, who smiled at you, coming closer to the both of you. One of his hands patted the top of your head. "That was wicked," He said. 

Doyoung smiled softly, and gripped your chin to get you to face him. His sweet grin didn't disappear as his grip forced your mouth open. He groaned at the sight of your tongue coated in Jungwoo's semen. 

"Gorgeous," He mumbled, eyes trained on your lips as it began to spill out. 

"Kiss her," Jungwoo told him, "You know you want to."

So he did, his tongue almost immediately slipping past your lips to get a taste of Jungwoo for himself, swallowing it down greedily. Your hands came up to unbutton his black dress shirt, and his hands pushed up the skirt of your dress to get you to rock your hips against his. You gasped against his mouth at the feeling of only your soaked panties separating him and you, before pushing the shirt off of him. 

He moved to lie you down on the bed. As he pulled away from you, you caught his tongue slipping out to lick at a dribble of Jungwoo's cum on his lips. To make matters even worse, the bed was rolling beneath you, making your head spin. 

Jungwoo pulled his shirt off before he sat down behind you. Meanwhile, Doyoung moved down your body, parting your legs. He prompted you to sit up, resting your back against his chest. He pressed a kiss to your earlobe as Doyoung peeled your underwear off of you, biting his lip at the sight of your drooling pussy. 

"You're absolutely drenched, princess. And all from sucking our cocks, huh?"

You nodded, eyes fluttering shut as Jungwoo's lips began kissing along your jaw. When you didn't say anything, Jungwoo pinched your sides gently. "Use your words, doll," He whispered. From behind you, his eyes met Doyoung's. "You're gonna keep being our good little girl, right?"

"Y-yes, Jungwoo." Your hand lifted itself to press against his cheek, a silent plea for more kisses. He smiled against your skin. 

"Atta girl," He praised, "On your best behavior for us tonight, huh?" 

"The little slut's just being good because she wants to get fucked, Woo. Don't get it twisted." 

"Please, Doie," You pleaded at the mention of being fucked, "Need it."

The older man chuckled lowly, pressing the pad of his thumb to your clit. 

"Told you."

His tongue pressed itself against your hole, and you immediately cried out. You would have immediately started grinding against Doyoung's face if it weren't for Jungwoo's hands on your hips, holding you down and keeping it still. 

"I don't think you wanna do that," He murmured. His hands travelled underneath your skirt, gripping the silvery blue gossamer as he tried to lift it up. You did your best to keep your squirming at a minimum as you tried to help him get you out of it. Finally, the bell sleeves were pulled off, and you were left naked as the day you were born.

Jungwoo’s hands moved to your breasts, playing with them as he watched you whimper at the sensation of Doyoung’s mouth working at your folds. When he slipped his tongue inside, you keened, head falling against Jungwoo’s shoulder. 

“You’re so pretty like this,” He whispered. 

Your chest heaved, squirming up and down as he began to tug and pinch your nipples, calloused fingertips making you cry out.

Doyoung’s free hand gripped your thigh, and his fingers on the other hand slipped inside when he pulled his tongue out. Immediately, he plunged in two fingers, curling his fingers as he attempted to search for that one special spot.

"Ngh, Doie, faster, pleasepleaseplease." Your legs were trembling slightly now. 

"So fucking slutty," Doyoung mumbled, chuckling wickedly, "And all I had to do was stick my fingers inside." 

He complied with no protest, and the sensation of Doyoung stroking your walls and Jungwoo continuously pawing at your breasts caused a string of moans to come pouring out of your mouth. Jungwoo had been sucking a bruise into your clavicle, but leaned up to press his lips against yours. 

"Don't want anyone hearing what's meant for Doie and I," He said, lips brushing yours. 

The idea made you even needier, the double entendre making your head spin. Jungwoo didn't want anyone to hear you because if they did, rumors would spread. And on top of that? He didn't want anyone to hear. You were theirs. They were yours. This was a sacred ritual between bodies meant to be witnessed by only the three of you.

Your head felt like you were floating, even though your limbs felt like they were sinking into the watery mattress. A coil began to tighten in your stomach, and your soft whines, muffled by Jungwoo's plush lips, increased in pitch. 

They both knew what this meant, because a second later, Doyoung removed his fingers from your core, and Jungwoo pulled away, his hands moving from your breasts to rest on Doyoung's atop your hips. You were left reeling and breathing heavily, that familiar sensation floating away.

When you looked down at Doyoung, you swallowed at the sight of his lips, chin and fingers, all glistening with your wetness.

He lifted himself up off the mattress, and proceeded to sandwich your chest in between his own chest and Jungwoo’s back. He gripped his dick, rubbing it against your folds, which were now even more soaked than before.

"Tell me how much you want it, princess." He pressed his forehead against yours, hissing when the tip caught your clit. You let out a desperate whine, clinging to his broad shoulders. 

"Do—Doyoung, please fuck me," You begged, reeling at the sensation. He was so close, all he had to do was slide in. But he refused.

"Not good enough," He insisted.

"Doyoung, don't be mean," Jungwoo said, but he seemed to be more amused by your desperation than anything.

"No, I wanna hear how much she needs us."

You closed your eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying to gather your words. Jungwoo's hands stroked your sides, trying to calm you down. "You doing alright, doll? You wanna take a breather?"

"We can always stop." Doyoung's voice had turned stable, secure, safe. He started pulling away, until you grabbed him by the forearm and shook your head. You opened your eyes, seeing concern in his eyes

“No,” You mumbled, “Jus’ want some water. Think there’s some in the minibar. ‘M really hot.”

Doyoung nodded, getting up and striding over to the small refrigerator on the other side of the room. He pulled out a water bottle, and popped open the cap before passing it to you. Jungwoo had taken to fanning your face lightly with his hand. You took several long swigs of water, before setting it on the nightstand.

“I’m fine,” You promised. “Can we please keep going? I can take it.”

Doyoung pressed a kiss to your temple. “Are you absolutely sure?”

“Yeah,” You said with a nod. 

“Doyoung,” Jungwoo murmured, “Be careful.”

“I know, baby." He lowered his eyes to study your face. "I won’t go that hard on you, Y/N.”

You nodded, even though deep down you wanted to protest. You knew that this was probably the best route to take. You could already feel the high—from the weed and the concert—wearing off. You knew that if Doyoung were too rough you’d probably crash on the way down instead of float.

So, Jungwoo brushed some stray hair out of your sweaty face, and Doyoung grabbed your legs gently, wrapping them around his hips. Slowly, Doyoung eased in, and you sighed in satisfaction of finally being filled. He bit into your shoulder, taking deep heaving breaths as he let you get used to the sensation. Jungwoo took turns pressing kisses to the top of your head and the top of Doyoung’s head. 

“I love you both so much,” He whispered, “I’m so grateful the universe brought us together.” 

Doyoung looked up at him, pressing a kiss to his lips. “My baby,” He murmured against Jungwoo’s lips. He then turned to you and did the same, “My princess.”

You smiled at their words, but the need in your core was becoming unbearable. "Doie, Woo, I love you both so much," You murmured, "But Doyoung, if you don't move I'll pin you down and do it myself."

"And you were doing so well," Doyoung groaned with a laugh, before beginning to thrust his hips. It was a slow, torturous glide, and the way it caused the bed to rock left you dizzy in the best possible way. Doyoung was panting into your ear like some sort of beast, and you were whining softly with every cant of his hips.

"You must feel so good right now, huh, doll?" 

"Jung—woo," You moaned, clawing at his bicep.

"I know, dolly, I know." He sounded sympathetic enough, but the way he was grinding his dick against your ass suggested otherwise. "Bunny boy is just so good with those hips of his, hm?"

"H-he is!" You cried, "Feel so full, ah, Doyoung!" 

Doyoung's eyes met yours, and his hips picked up their pace, until your eyes rolled up into your head. Your head thrashed side to side, leaning against Jungwoo's shoulder. His mouth lowered once again to kiss at your neck, and your hand wrapped itself against his nape, while the other gripped Doyoung's shoulders.

Jungwoo's hands slithered down to where you and Doyoung were connected, and started rubbing at your clit. You shrieked, chest arching. Doyoung hissed. "Shit, do that again," He bit out, "Fuck, princess you just got so tight."

"D-Doie, harder!" 

Doyoung looked up at Jungwoo, the two having an unspoken conversation. A second later, Jungwoo gave a cautious nod. Doyoung smiled, before he adjusted his legs. Then…

Then. He began pounding into you at a breakneck pace. Your legs tightened around him, wanting him even deeper than before. 

"You love this, don't you? Our pretty little slut." His voice was tighter now, panting with exertion. You nodded. 

"Yes, yes! I'm your slut!" 

Doyoung grinned, before locking lips with you. His tongue dipped into your mouth, before letting you do the same to him. You could tell he was starting to feel something—he always kissed you or Jungwoo as a way of telling you he wouldn't last much longer. 

Truthfully, you could feel it coming too—your body felt like it was on fire, and your hips couldn't stop squirming. Whether it was towards Jungwoo's calloused fingers on your clit, Doyoung's cock, or away from both, you couldn't tell. Your moans were getting shriller too.

You clenched down on his length again, and he grit his teeth, grunting as his pace turned sloppy.

"C-c'mon, princey," You pleaded, "Give it to me, give it…"

"Shit, yes…" His head lolled onto your shoulder. "Gonna stuff you so full, princess, you'll be dripping—"

"Please! Oh, please—"

The two of you fell apart almost at the same time, your orgasm triggering Doyoung's a second later. Your mouth fell open, legs trembling and heart pounding as waves crashed over and under you.

When you came down, Doyoung rolled off of you, turning onto his side to watch you and Jungwoo. Jungwoo, who ceased the movements of his hands and slowly laid you down. Your head landed against the pillows, and you let your eyes shut as you caught your breath. 

"Can I take care of you one last time, doll?" You heard Jungwoo say. Your eyes opened blearily, and you reached a hand out towards him, legs parting of their own accord.

Both of your lovers groaned at the sight of your pussy, Doyoung's cum brimming from your folds. 

"Absolute perfection," Jungwoo murmured, crawling between your legs. He gripped his dick with one hand, the other swiping through your folds, and you immediately whined at the sensitivity there, teetering the fine line between pleasure and pain.

"Please," You whimpered, "Woo, I want it."

"You're insatiable." He sounded so affectionate, so in love. You watched as his eyes studied his index and middle fingers, covered in a mix of Doyoung's cum and yours, before dipping them into his mouth to lick them clean. You sighed, a dopey smile gracing your features. He lowered himself down to brush noses with you, dark eyes blown wide, wide awake despite the dark circles underneath.

"Guess I'll just have to do something about that."

He slid in as if he was coming home, immediately setting a solid pace that had you seeing stars, arms wrapping around his shoulders to lock hands at his nape. The sensitivity left you pliant in his arms, and Jungwoo didn't hesitate in cradling you in his arms.

"So good for us, Y/N. Always Doie and I's sweet girl." 

You nodded, tears brimming at your eyes at the heaviness in your chest, the pulsing in your core. His hair was falling into his eyes, and you lifted your hands to his face, doing your best to brush it away. Your hands cupped his cheeks, heavy eyes burning into his. Your hips were rutting against his desperately now, wanting nothing more than to feel that high with him.

Jungwoo pressed a brief kiss to your neck, feeling something simmer in his gut embarrassingly fast. 

Doyoung placed his head next to yours, gently lifting Jungwoo's head to kiss him, hand brushing the other man's ass. When he pulled away, he kissed you as well, and Jungwoo's mouth pressed itself to one of your nipples. You keened against Doyoung's mouth, hips losing all semblance of grace.

Here, you were needy, animalistic, running on instincts, and your boys were drinking it up like water from a desert oasis. 

Doyoung pulled away, a thin trail of spit connecting his lips to yours. His hands cradled your head.

"Can you feel it yet, princess?"

Your eyebrows furrowed, silent moans falling from your lips. "Ah, yeah, Doie… s-so close…"

"Me too," Jungwoo groaned between your breasts, "So wet, Y/N…"

"That's from all the cum she's filled with, right, princess?"

You nodded. "Mm—ngh! Stuffed me so good, Doie." 

"Yeah? You gonna let Jungwoo fill you up even more? Gonna keep it all inside, right?"

Your stomach did a backflip, and you felt your toes curl. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, I want it—"

"I'll give it to you, doll," Jungwoo growled, "It's all—fuck—all yours. S-same way this is all for us, right?"

Those words were what caused you to finally fall over the edge. Your high was so intense that you could have sworn that your ears popped—clawing at Jungwoo’s shoulders, your eyes squeezed shut. Only one side ended up scratched, since you always kept your right hand nails short to properly play guitar. You sobbed against Doyoung’s lips, and he eagerly swallowed up your cries, shushing you gently as you came back down.

You didn't feel Jungwoo come inside, but you felt it immediately afterwards—the satisfying stickiness, the warmth in your stomach. 

You looked at Jungwoo, pressing a soft kiss to his sweaty forehead before prompting him to move off. He wrapped his arm around you, pulling you towards him as his little spoon, peppering kisses to your cheek and whispering how good you were. The two of you looked at Doyoung. You reached out, making grabby hands at him. His eyes were drooping, and he was blinking blearily as if he were trying to fight off sleep.

Still, he got up and pulled his pack of cigarettes out of his shirt pocket, as well as his lighter. As he sat back down on the bed, the waves sent you and Jungwoo further and further into the recesses of slumber. As consciousness left you, you caught Doyoung looking down at the two of you as if you were the most precious beings he'd ever encountered. His tone was low and grumbly, but there was a glint of smug satisfaction in his eye.

"I hope you two are happy. I can't remember those goddamn lyrics anymore."