#chicago made punk

[alexlacquemanne]

Happy Birthday CM Punk ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[metropotamia]

I'd look psychotic in a balaclava.

[thesis-rose]

Went to Raw last week and my sign on TV while rewatching (cm punk sign two stars)

[emeritusterzo]

working with the digital documentation and preservation of ancient roman and greek texts would be so cool for me. like this would make my child self go absolutely insane I deserve this please let me have this just this one tiny thing

[iamdangerace]

LilThugrFoe says this deserves way more views. Hmmm . . . maybe.

[fob4ever]

i was at a bookstore yesterday that had a copy of the kerrang: living loud book that featured the FOB watergun fight article i've never seen transcribed anywhere so i made a transcript of it for archival purposes. enjoy! from kerrang, may 2005.

For a man staring down the barrel of a loaded gun while wearing just underpants, Fall Out Boy bassist Peter Wentz looks remarkably chipper. Especially when you consider the person about to unload in his face is guitarist and vocalist Patrick Stump, grinning madly despite the fact that fellow six-stringer Joe Trohman has a pistol to his temple. He in turn is firmly in the firing line of drummer Andy Hurley, cackling loudly with his finger hovering over the trigger.

Passers-by stop and stare, waiting for the inevitable, messy climax of this "Reservoir Dogs" scenario. The tension mounts, onlookers brace themselves, the band get ready to open fire. Suddenly it happens.

"Argh!" screams Wentz as several litres of icy water soak him. "That's fucking cold!"

No, Fall Out Boy aren't about to blow each other away, They're having a water fight for K!'s benefit in a car park at the Chicago stop on travelling punk circus Warped Tour, where they're knocking out their "softcore" wares ("We're basically a hardcore band that couldn't cut it as a hardcore band," laughs Wentz) on the main stage alongside big hitters like The Offspring, Avenged Sevenfold and My Chemical Romance. The Windy City is more than just another stop for them; Chicago is Fall Out Boy's hometown, the place where they formed out of the ashes of their old hardcore bands, and where they still live with their parents- who are here for today's show - during the few weeks of the year they're not on tour.

It all started for Fall Out Boy here in 2001 when the members wanted a break from playing in their various bands. Long time friends Wentz and Hurley got together with hardcore associate Joe Trohman to do something a bit less heavy. Following a conversation about avant-metallers Neurosis in a bookstore, Trohman introduced Stump to the rest of the band. When their other bands folded, they took on Fall Out Boy full time.

"We wanted to do things before we were ready," chuckles Peter Wentz fondly of the early days of DIY tours for the benefit of the one or two people who would show up. "We'd plan two-week tours, just to see the world. Nobody would book us, so we had to do it all on our own."

"A lot of bands have scenes to go into and surround themselves with those people," says Stump. "We had no scene, so we would just play anywhere, with whoever."

FOB have come a long way from their humble roots. Right now they're America's fastest rising band. Radio smash 'Sugar, We're Goin' Down' has placed them squarely in the mainstream, having spent three weeks as the Number One song on MTV's 'TRL', a prime-time show usually devoted to pop acts like Maroon 5 and Ashlee Simpson. So dizzying their Stateside assent has been, they had to cancel their recent European tour in order to play the MTV Music Video Awards, where they are also nominated for 'Sugar...'. Thankfully, FOB haven't let the screaming adoration turn them into big-headed twats.

"A piece of shit with legs on it could walk onto 'TRL' and people would still go crazy," laughs Wentz. "That stuff just goes straight by me. With the fast turnover in the music industry, how can anyone have an ego"

Andy Hurley chips in. "You can be today's main stage and tomorrow's trash."

That's to find out tomorrow, though. Today among the madness of trying to plan anything on the Warped Tour - stage times are decided daily by lottery - Fall Out Boy have to try and find time for hanging out with family and friends.

"Three weeks on Warped is like three months on a normal tour," says Peter Wentz.

"Home becomes like Atlantis on tour, you wonder if it actually exists after a while," adds Patrick Stump.

Now FOB are big stars, a lot of old 'friends' have been coming out of the woodwork. Joe Trohman and Peter Wentz have polarised views on those who didn't give a toss back in the day suddenly becoming your pal once you've made it.

"The way I look at it is if someone's a dick to you and you don't know them, so what?" says Trohman. "Just care about who did support you, keep those important people close, not the people who five years ago called you a loser."

"I work the opposite way!" Wentz counters, before adding darkly, "The people I think about most are enemies. My brain works on revenge!"

Though a tight knit group of close friends, Peter Wentz is clearly Fall Out Boy's spokesman. He does most of the talking during the interview and writes the lyrics, and seems like the most driven one of the lot. As well as doing Fall Out Boy, Wentz has also written a book with tattoo artist Joe Tesaure, 'The Boy With The Thorn In His Side'. It's a dark, twisted tale that could have come straight from the brain of Tim Burton.

"I've always been into Roahl Dahl and people like that, and I was friends with a tattoo artist at the time and we came up with this idea to do a book together," he explains. "It wasn't something I felt fitted in with what Fall Out Boy is, I hate when bands do something that's not 'them'. The book is what it is, and Fall Out Boy is what we are."

Despite all thise talk of nightmares and revenge, FOB are upbeat individuals, enjoying their newfound success, while refusing to allow success to go to their heads. They'll tell you they don't like the shallowness of groupies or industry parties, and that the trappings of rock stardom hold no appeal.

"I don't feel like I deserve it," says Wentz in closing. "It's not like, 'this amount of time and this amount of shows = this kind of bus'. I appreciate what we've got. We've toured in a tiny van and it was cool, but now we're having new adventures living like this. I don't feel we deserve it more than any other bands do."

He surveys the sumptuosly appointed tour bus for a moment before chuckling heartily.

"Actually, that's a lie, we totally deserve it more than anyone else! Ha ha!"

[madhatterbri]

Brotherly Love | D.P.

Summary: Reader is Drew's sister, and she is dating Damian Priest. He promised her that he wouldn't cash in on her brother and well.

Author's Note: Congrats, Damian girlies. Here is some angst. ❤️

Tag list: @theworldofotps @plentyoffandoms

One!

Two!

Three!

The arena erupted in cheers as your older brother defeated Seth Freakin' Rollins for the championship. Tears poured down your cheeks as you watched your brother. He sat in the middle of the ring by his fallen opponent soaking it all in. The ring announcer makes it official by calling your brother the new champion.

The referee grabbed the belt to present it to Drew. All his years of hard work paid off. He was champion during a time they couldn't have anyone in the audience to a sold out night 2 of Wrestlemania. Your brother sat on his knees as the referee handed the belt to him. Drew buried his head in the belt.

He celebrated with Kaitlyn and you before turning his sights on CM Punk. The two men had been going at it since your brother injured the man at Royal Rumble. Your brother climbed on the table and towards the Chicago native. Words were exchanged, and suddenly, CM Punk attacked your brother.

His arm was not as injured as once thought. He took off his brace. The crowd started to chant for him. Your brother laid on the floor in pain, but at least he was champion. You found out it wouldn't be much longer.

Your boyfriend's music suddenly played through the arena. The purple flames hard to ignore. Your stomach sank when you saw him running down the ramp with his briefcase in hand. He promised not to take your brother's dreams away from him.

Around the ring, the archer of infamy ran until he collided the purple suitcase to your brother's head. Drew fell like a sack of potatoes on the floor. He appeared dazed and confused.

"I'm cashing in! Right now!" Damian yelled and handed the suitcase to the referee. He had waited long enough, and his time was running out. Judgment Day needed this win after they were stripped of their tag titles the night before.

Damian turned his sights to the wounded prey before him. This was the perfect opportunity to strike. CM Punk practically handed him the championship. The promise he made you was out of his mind. He only had one thing in mind, championship gold.

Damian helped your brother off the floor and pushed him in the ring. The crowd was cheering so loud you could barely hear Samantha on the microphone. Your brother could barely defend himself. In his daze, he started to slowly stand up, but Damian was already above him.

The bell rang, and Damian went to work. He grabbed your brother by the neck and hoisted him in the air. With a loud noise, your brother's back connected to the ring. Damian crawled on top of your brother and lifted his leg. The countdown began again.

One!

Two!

Three!

You hoped your brother would have had enough strength to kick out, but it was over. Your lying boyfriend was now the champion. He stole your brother's spotlight. Damian cheered in the ring as CM Punk laughed from commentary. Your lover continued to cheer and grabbed the belt from the referee. He left the ring to celebrate with the other members of his group. Rhea and Damian were now on the top of the division.

"I'm sorry, princesa," he grumbled when you met up with him that night. He was getting ready to celebrate at the hotel bar with his crew. "Judgment Day was starting to look weak, and we had to capitalize and win tonight,"

"You promised me!" You cried out in anguish. "You promised that my brother would have his moment,"

"I promised Judgment Day that I would get the belt tonight. They are my family,"

The conversation went to a dead stop. Tears filled your eyes, making your surroundings blurry. You could feel your heart break. Your stomach felt heavier than it had a few minutes ago. Damian kissed the top of your head.

"I had to, princesa. One day, I hope you will understand," he whispered and left you alone with your thoughts in the hotel room.

[badnewswhatsleft]

scanned the little patrick interview from kerrang winter 2023<3

transcript under cut:

Patrick Stump’s mum is a methodical accountant who likes to plan ahead and think things through. She would bestow this organisational wisdom upon her son when he was growing up. When his band Fall Out Boy got signed, however, thereby kick-starting one of the most exciting trajectories of the past 20 years, Mrs Stump quickly realised there were limits to what she could assist him with.

“She said to me, ‘I can’t help you anymore - you’re beyond my area of expertise,’” Patrick recalls with a laugh.

In the years since, there has been no end of through-the-looking-glass moments for Fall Out Boy, a litany of incredible achievements highlighted by the ever-growing shows the Chicago four-piece - completed by bassist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman and drummer Andy Hurley - have played. It’s an upscaling Patrick admits he still can’t fully process.

“I’m probably never going to get used to it, and I think I’m at peace with that,” he admits, taking time out backstage at Hamburg’s Barclays Arena on the band’s epic So Much For (Tour) Dust jaunt, which recently visited the UK.

Thankfully, Fall Out Boy will be back on these shores next summer, having been announced as headliners for Download Festival 2024, alongside Queens Of The Stone Age and Avenged Sevenfold. The news has given Patrick cause to reflect upon the pivotal shows and tours that have made FOB the band they are today, with a self-deprecating appraisal of the good times and the bad, the tiny gigs and the Hella Mega ones.

“A lot of my life makes sense to me, where I understand the various points of what happened and why, but there are moments with the shows we’ve played that make no sense at all,” Patrick reflects. “You go to arenas and they have pictures in the hallway of all the big artists that have played there, then they’ll have pictures of us, which sticks out to me!”

THE BAND’S FIRST-EVER SHOW AT DEPAUL UNIVERSITY CAFETERIA, 2001 “We were playing with some pretty cool math-rock and emo bands. When we got out there, we were horrible - I mean really terrible - and there were about three or four people there. I can’t remember what our band name was at the time - it wasn’t Fall Out Boy, and we were tossing some names around. I remember suggesting one of the names we had in mind to the drummer in one of the other bands and him telling me it sucked. We had a guitar player who I’d only met the week before and I’ve never seen since. I hope he’s doing good things. I heard he became a bike messenger. I cannot imagine a humbler beginning for a first show!”

FALL OUT BOY’S FIRST GIG WITH ANDY HURLEY, 2003 “I think it was with Andy’s other band, The Kill Pill. Andy played in both bands that night. It was a bigger show for us, opening for [Florida melodic hardcore band] As Friends Rust, and we didn’t have a guitar player, so I was playing guitar. It was weird because we were playing some newer songs, which stood out, so it felt like we’d started to actualise the band. I’m a drummer originally, so I was picky about drummers. But when we played with Andy, it was the first time that it felt right. I remember saying to a friend of mine who was there at the time that we were still a bad band then, and she said, ‘You guys couldn’t see it, but even then, it felt like the beginning of something.’”

THE FIRST UK TOUR, 2004 “One thing I remember was going to a Mexican restaurant, ordering tacos, and being unable to describe the things that arrived at the table - and not in a good way. That first UK tour was with Mest, and it was surreal. I think that might have been the first time I’d ever left the States, so going to another country felt like a big deal. When I got there, I realised the UK is similar in a lot of ways - particularly thanks to our shared musical history. One difference was that the venues all felt so much more punk rock than those in the States, with an unhinged basement vibe, which surprised me but was also thrilling.”

HEADLINING DECAYDANCE FEST AT THE HAMMERSMITH APOLLO, 2007 “I look back on some moments and realise they were bigger than I noticed at the time. The other bands on that bill - Panic! At The Disco, Gym Class Heroes, The Academy Is…, Cobra Starship - were all bands we’d played with a lot before that and were friends with, so at the time I thought, ‘Every show we do is Decaydance Fest!’ Then that moment in time was gone and I soon realised that it was crazy that we were able to get all those people together to do that show. You don’t necessarily realise you’re part of a thing when you’re part of a thing, so when I think back now, I’m amazed.”

THE LAST GIG BEFORE GOING ON HIATUS AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, 2009 “It was such a strange show. I had checked out at the time, and was busy thinking about solo stuff, but really I just wanted to make lots of music. One of the things that was crippling was making a record and then going on the road for two years to promote the record. For me, making records is what’s important, so the grind of having to make them so slowly was killing me. I was therefore in a bad space with the band. I think we were out with +44, and I remember Mark [Hoppus] shaving Pete’s head onstage. Pete had the famous haircut and that was the end of it. It was kind of a joke to do that, but it ended up proving to be fairly symbolic, as it really was the end to that whole moment.”

FALL OUT BOY’S FIRST GIG BACK AT SUBTERRANEAN, CHICAGO, 2013 “The whole thing happened so fast and so suddenly! We had a meeting in New York. The four of us met at our manager’s apartment and we talked about maybe getting together and seeing what happened. It was tense, actually, as we hadn’t talked to each other in a long time and there were all these old grievances - but there was also this sense that we were older and wiser. We put together some songs, and one of them was My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up). On the morning of the show, we appeared on a radio show and the whole station felt excited about the song. It felt like the beginning of a rollercoaster. That night, when we played Light Em Up, a song people could only have heard hours ago, the room exploded!”

CO-HEADLINING THE MONUMENTOUR WITH PARAMORE, 2014 “That was one of my favourite tours! Andy and I would do a drum-off, so we got to play together, which was a full-circle thing for me, as I had never got to play drums in front of people with the band before then - so that was fun! I remember thinking on that tour that we were really getting somewhere as a band. Our first show, we were a pretty bad band. For a while in the early days, we wrote better than we played, and we thought better than we wrote. But as time passed things really came together. That tour was a point where we felt that we were really getting somewhere. Plus, the audiences were great on that tour - incredibly excited and giving.”

HEADLINING WRIGLEY FIELD BASEBALL STADIUM IN CHICAGO, 2018 “When I was a kid, the height of my ambition was to play the [1,100-capacity] Metro in Chicago. I never thought in a million years that we’d get to play Wrigley Field - I didn’t even know that bands played there. It’s not a venue, it’s where the Cubs play. I’m still in disbelief that we’ve now played it three times! That doesn’t make any sense to me. The first time we did it was terrifying, but also familiar. We used to have an apartment in Roscoe Village, which is walking distance from Wrigley Field. I remember Pete and I writing [2003 single] Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy together, then we went jogging around Wrigley, and a group of drunk Cubs fans shouted ‘Fucking losers!’ at us. Being inside that structure years later, singing that song, was therefore so surreal.”

HAVING A FREDDIE MERCURY EXPERIENCE HEADLINING READING & LEEDS FESTIVAL, 2018 “I think about that regularly. I’m not a natural performer. I used to act, so I could act as a character, but I couldn’t really be me and sing onstage - that never used to be comfortable for me. I have this very specific memory of This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race. There was this part where I sling my guitar to the stage and I’m just singing and having the crowd sing with me. The way they responded at that point made me suddenly think, ‘Oh, I can do this!’ I remember running towards the audience with the microphone and the life that came back at me just blew me away. When you have an audience like that, you’re Freddie fucking Mercury! I think about that on an almost daily basis when we’re on tour. That song has a whole different life now because of my experiences at Reading & Leeds.”

PLAYING THE HELLA MEGA TOUR WITH GREEN DAY AND WEEZER, 2022 “I couldn’t have been more obsessed with a band than I was with Weezer in 1998-’99, when I was in high school. Then, years later, they’re your buddies and you’re playing with them and they’re playing some of your favourite songs ever. That is so strange. One of my musical origin stories was in fifth grade, when this kid in the middle of class beckoned me over. We snuck under a table, and he puts headphones on me and he plays Dookie. I was like, ‘What is this?!’ On that tour, Billie Joe Armstrong said I was a really good singer. I’m still recovering from that.”

[alexlacquemanne]

Happy Birthday CM Punk ⭐⭐⭐

[garbinge]

Flower Shop

Richie Jerimovich x F!Reader

For @the-slumberparty's Bingo Challenge! Bingo square: Flower Shop A/N: This is NOT the same reader as my other Richie fics. I've decided to compile those fics into their own multichap because I've gotten some Bear fic ideas outside of that little universe I've created. ALSO, huge shout out to @kind-wolf for this idea!!!! Seriously sparked so much inspiration, thank you x 10000000 I hope you enjoy :) Warnings: Cursing, arguing, light angst, mentions of harassment, and someone being drunk and disorderly.

The Bear Taglist: @drabbles-mc @justreblogginfics @quixscentsposts @dadbodfanatic-x @adorable-punk-superheroes @lodeddiperrodrick @isalver @captainweasleybarnes @musicwithteeth

“We’re across from that stupid fuckin’ flower shop.” Richie spoke into the phone. “Yes, that one.” He was staring out the window at the shop he mentioned, annoyance growing as he stared out. “No, I don’t know if they’ve got white roses, look, will you just tell me when my meat delivery is gonna be here, I gotta fuckin’ feed people.” Richie had slammed his hand down on the table like the person on the other line could see his frustration. Before the conversion continued, Richie saw movement where he was staring across the street. “I gotta go, just deliver the fuckin’ meat.”

As you stepped outside of your flower shop, dragging to large potted plants to sit alongside the front door, you heard the familiar bell of the shop across the street. At first the noise went unnoticed, the first few weeks it was just part of the Chicago hustle and bustle but two months in, you began to notice it because it usually meant that someone was about to start yelling at you. 

“I thought I told you that putting that shit out on the street causes distractions and traffic!” The man yelled out to you. 

Right on schedule was the thought in your head as you huffed and stood up to yell back. 

“I thought I told you to mind your fuckin’ business, beef boy!” You usually had discourse like this on a daily basis but between the early start you had and the exhaustion from pulling these plants out of the back storage room, you were a little more rowdy today. 

“Beef boy?” He scoffed. “Stop blocking the sidewalk, you–you–flower fuck!” He tripped up on what to call you there and it made you smile. 

“T-t-t- today, Junior!” You mocked him back. 

“Are you making fun of me by quoting Billy fucking Madison?!” 

The cars of traffic were moving on the roads in front of you, the audacity they had interrupting your heated discussion. But nonetheless, you weren’t going to let it stop you from going back and forth. 

“Why are you such a fuckin’ jagoff?!” You called back out at him. 

The comment made the slightest smirk grow on Richie’s face, you were too far to notice it which he was grateful for but hearing the word that he called people so often out of someone else’s mouth was amusing. 

“I don’t know, why don’t you look in the mirror and tell me why you’re such a jagoff!” He lifted his hand up and pointed his finger, throwing it at you as he spoke. 

“Wow.” You started clapping. “Great comeback, what are we 10? I know you are what am I?” You called out in a immature tone. 

“I’m gonna go back inside and work because some of us put our blood sweat and tears into our jobs, while other people sit up on their bouqueted pedestals and fuck over us hard workers!” 

You had no idea what he was saying, what he meant by it but that was also a pretty normal and everyday occurrence so you didn’t think twice about it and just yelled out before going back inside your flower shop. 

“Go fuck yourself, beef boy!” 

These things happened pretty often, not everyday but often enough that your comebacks got funnier, they got more detailed, more pointed, on both sides. When you went out to water the plants on display in front of the store and Richie went out for a smoke break you yelled across at each other. When you both were at the window looking at the rain clouds forming or the rain drops falling, you’d throw middle fingers up and mouth profanities at each other. When you’d stay late and look across the street to see Richie there at the restaurant late, you’d stare at each other, give mean looks and turn the lights off to work in the back offices at your shop. 

It was strangely something enjoyable, for both of you. It was a way to get out so much frustration and build up tension that had accrued in the days. It wasn’t healthy, and you knew that but you weren’t exactly looking for the textbook solution to your problems these days. 

As you stood outside, past closing time, sweeping up the dead leaves and fallen petals from the day, Richie was out for what was likely his 5th smoke break of the day. It was late, and you both tended to keep it down when curfew hours hit, out of respect for the block, not each other. As you moved along your storefront, you heard a voice that wasn’t familiar. 

“Yo, can I please get some flowers, my girl’s mad at me and I need something to bring home.” The voice was slurred, the person sounded drunk. You looked up and saw the person who had stumbled up to your store. 

“I can give you a mix of stuff for $10.” You weren’t in the mood to cause problems so you thought this would be a good compromise. A bouquet like that would normally be double so you thought this was the perfect meet in the middle deal. 

“Nah, I don’t got any money. Just let me go in and grab something small, no biggie, alright?” The man started to push by and tried to get in the door that you had already locked.  

“We’re closed, I can go grab something for you, and you can give me $10 for it, that’s it.” Your voice was firm as you stepped in front of the door. 

“C’mon!” The guy whined. 

“Alright, new plan. No flowers, and you get the fuck out of here.” There was no whine in your tone, you weren’t playing games which is why the push you gave the guy was more aggressive than your initial block. 

While the push worked to get him away from the door, the man didn’t leave. 

“Pretty sure she told you to get the fuck out of here.”

That sentence was said by someone else and it made both you and the man turn to look at where the hardened voice was coming from. You saw the man from across the street, now much closer on your side of the street, on your sidewalk. He looked different closer up, you could see the features of his face better, despite it being late at night you could see things that the space hid. The bags under his eyes, the roughness of his stubbled beard, the wrinkles in his forehead and eyes, he was worn, he had been through a lot, you could tell. You also could tell that he had been used to these type of run ins, or you so assumed as you looked at the gun in his hand that wasn’t being threatened yet, but was ready in the case it needed to be.   

“But my flowers…” The man stumbled slightly as he spoke. 

“They’re her flowers, not yours. Go home, get the fuck out of here.” Richie stepped forward, using his body to show force and slightly raising the gun to let the man know it was there. 

And it worked. The man left, drunk and defeated, leaving you and Richie on the sidewalk in front of your shop. 

“I had it handled.” The glare you had was still on the man walking away and when he got out of your view, you turned to the person still next to you. 

“Most people just say thank you.” He scoffed as he put the gun in his back waistband. 

“You have a history of showing up armed and ready to shoot someone?” You raised your eyebrow and leaned on the broom handle. 

“No, I just–do you have to argue everything?” He was frustrated. 

“I just assumed that was our thing.” Your shoulders shrugged so nonchalantly. 

Richie let out a laugh and shook his head as he took a step off the curb and was now standing on the asphalt of the street, slowly making his way back over to the restaurant. “I’d buy yourself a piece, get yourself familiar with it, this block can get hot sometimes.” 

“Who says I’m not familiar?” You called out to him with a smirk on your face. 

“My mistake.” He lifted his hands up in surrender with a similar smirk to your own before turning around fully to step onto his side of the street. 

“Hey, beef boy!” The humor in your voice was being held back by a thin thread as you smiled through your words. 

Richie turned around, his hand on the door handle ready to enter back into the restaurant as he stared at you. For the first time ever, you weren’t going to yell profanities at eachother, give rude gestures or annoyed looked. For the first time you smiled at him and truly had no sarcastic attitude in what the next two words out of your mouth would be. 

“Thank you!”

[seeingstarks]

weight of two souls

summary : it's thanksgiving and neither you or phil want to leave each others arms to go and meet the family. does it even happen? pairing : cm punk x afab!reader cw : pure fluff, cuddling, kissing, hip/thigh squeezing, cursing, nose nuzzling, babygirl/good girl & king/queen nicknames, innuendos "sound proof walls" / "taking his scepter" a/n : can you tell how much i've been missing the old man? x) i've been working on this for about a week or so and put my entire heart & soul into it. please reblog!! keep rude comments to yourself. <33 there may be a few spelling/grammar errors. word count : 1,291 words tag list : @harmshake gif credit : @adamjf

once the leaves started to fall your mood did the opposite, haunting month passing by in an instant.

calender flipping to november, the days went by agonizingly slow, this being one of your least favorite months of the season.

thanksgiving was soon approaching and your family always wanted to make it this huge get together. no being anti-social and locking yourself away, wishing you could every year. atleast they allowed you to bring a friend from work, if you could call him that.

the chicago native was more than a friend to you, he stayed up with you through your worst nights, steeping you both fresh cups of tea and/or coffee even if it meant catching up on sleep the next day, as long as he knew you were okay.

ever since he laid eyes on you, he made a best friend with just a simple hello and allowing you to pet his dog, larry. restless nights sharing deep dish pizza and mindy's eventually lead to cuddling, his inked arms wrapped around you, placing a kiss to his scruffy cheek.

the alarm clock chirping as sun peaked through your blackout curtains, neither of you wanted to get up for the morning - well afternoon.

you were the first to wake up, groggy eyed with phil having his arms snug around your waist, sleeping soundly except for his snoring which could wake up the entire neighborhood. larry decided to seek slumber at the foot of your bed, his head propped up on the chicago native's leg.

managing to shift away from his grasp, you hit the alarm clock with a clenched hand in hopes it would stop the commotion.

"rise and shine sleeping beauty, one hour 'til we meet my family. much as i don't wanna' go.. you promised to tag along for the torture."

phil didn't budge until you deciding to smack him with a pillow, "i'm up! i'm up!" he half-yelled, removing his hands from under the warm covers in an attempt to shield his face.

"a simple g'mornin' kiss would've woken me up too, y'know."

yawning and stretching his arms out, phil took his sweet old time getting ready while you on the other hand began to brush your hair out. bristles making contact with the h/c strands, they untangled after a few more brushes, setting it to the side and entering your closet.

luckily, you prepared your ensemble a night beforehand, slipping out of your clothing from the previous evening and stepping into a pair of black underwear with white polka-dots.

lifting your arms up to put on a shirt, you were met with a firm pair of arms which wrapped around your curvy frame, his lips placing gentle kisses along your neckline.

"mm, phil- could stay like this forever but we gotta' finish getting ready." you informed and looked up into his light brown hues with a playful smile.

"not complaining but i'm more ready than you are- atleast i have pants." shaking your head at the chicago native who indeed had pants on, but no shirt.

you raised an arm up to trace his pepsi tattoo, almost lost in a trance - simply enjoying the moment and his warm embrace as you remained standing still, being held close.

glancing over at your alarm clock, ten minutes seemed to pass by swiftly. spending all day in with your love would usually be no issue, but today you both had plans.

pouting softly and burying your head into the crook of his neck, you debated staying in and bailing on family dinner.

"so cozy.. don't wanna' move." you peeked up at phil, removing your head from his shoulder as he kept his arms securely around your waist, giving your hips a slight squeeze.

tongue darting out between his lips, the chicago native licked them, "i know babygirl... but think of all the cuddles we can get in afterwards. you're my favorite little spoon."

"i better be your only-" before having the chance to finish your sentence, phil captured your lips in a deep kiss one which you returned happily, "you're the only person i want to wake up next to every morning, binge watch horror movies with and much more. i'm so fuckin' lucky to have you in my life, y/n - but we truly should get goin' soon if we don't want to be late." he spoke sincerely although a half-chuckle escaped his lips, a few noticeable smile lines showing.

nodding, you captured his gaze only looking away when blinking - "you mean so much to me, phil. i felt as if there was a missing puzzle piece in my life.. and no matter how hard i tried nothing seemed to fit until you came along. we're the perfect match." placing your forehead against his, the two of you nuzzled noses briefly prior to pulling away from one another.

phil finished getting ready by throwing on his t-shirt which read i'm a collision girl in white letters across the back, tying up his sneakers. you did the same, sporting combat boots and a pair of black pants.

it was a miracle you and phil managed to make it out of the door in time, grabbing your keys and starting the engine up as larry sat buckled in the backseat pampered with dog treats.

"first time i'm officially meeting your family. do they know what to expect?" the chicago native asked, you had told your family about phil countless times.

the fact he was your boyfriend going on six months now and how he treated you perfectly. his queen who could hold a throne all on her own, independent but yearning for a partner. someone to feel safe with - who wouldn't hurt you like past partners. phil was your king - protecting you from harm, trying his best to keep the dark thoughts at bay, you doing the same for him.

"haven't shut up about you ever since we met. if my father heard the words cm punk or phil leave my mouth one more time they may have tried to disown me." you laughed, keeping your eyes on the road.

"ah, well it's a good thing we have sound proof walls - ever since the neighbors complained and when my babygirl gets needy, isn't that right?" you nodded, cheeks a bit flustered as phil placed a hand to your thigh, giving yet another squeeze, while you reached a stop light letting out a whine.

"what's the matter?" phil asked with a smug smirk along his face, causing you to roll your eyes over at him.

"best behavior, daddy-" words betrayed you while squirming under his touch, desperate for more. a loud horn halted you from any obscene thoughts running through your mind, the light turning from red to green as you began to drive again.

the ride wasn't too much longer, a brisk breeze going throughout the car as you cracked the window open for larry, he would let out the occasional bark when stopping by his favorite restaurants, one bakery in particular catching your own eye.

"want to make a quick stop for some sweets?" you asked already entering the parking lot.

"hell yeah, but won't be be late?"

"exactly my point." phil took your suggestion, wishing to spend the rest of the holiday with him only and not your family.

bell dinging as you two entered the bakery hand in hand with fingers linking together, a variety of treats on display behind glass.

"let's get some muffins to go. 'wanna spoil my queen," he leaned closer and whispered against your ear, "while you take my scepter like the good girl you are."

mr. and mrs. best in the world has a nice ring to it, don't ya think?

[thefallennightmare]

Miracle-seven

Pairings: Noah Sebastian x Reader

Warnings/Tropes: forced proximity, slight enemies to lovers, slow burn, smut, angst, fluff, mentions of death, and swearing.

Summary: Reader is the merch girl for Bad Omens. It wasn't what she wanted to do with her life but when her mother got sick with Alzheimer's, reader took a job where she could to help with the costs. She thought it would be a one-time gig but the longer she was on the road with them, the harder she fell for Noah Sebastian; even if he wanted nothing to do with her. She needed a miracle to save her mom and her future.

Author Note: fuck, it's almost one in the morning but here's the next part! I wanted things to be more spicey but I'm so tired so it lacks luster, my apologies.

Tags: @ada-clarence @nonamessblog @thescarlettvvitch @malice-ov-mercy @crimson-calligraphyx @theoneandonlykymberlee @yumikitten @blackveilomens @cherrymedicine13 @thebadchic @notmaddihealy @jay02bo @beaker1636 @jakekiszkasguitarpick @punk-pr1ncessxoxo @er3nslovergirl @iamdesolate @lma1986 @jessitpwk @themodern-daywednesday @writethrough

Bringing the blanket closer to my chin, I wrapped it tighter around me as I dug myself deeper into bed. The morning rays of the sun broke through the windows of the bus showing it was well into the morning. We'd been driving for almost eight hours now, me just waking up a while ago. Last night after leaving the venue, Folio showed me around the bus before letting me get settled. Compared to the crew's bus, the guy's bus was decently bigger with six bunks, a kitchen with living space up front, and a room in the back that they used to their gaming space. I was surprised at how spacious the bunks were but figured they had to be with how tall Jolly and Noah were.

Thinking of Noah, my eyes darted to the bunk directly across from me and saw he was awake browsing his phone, earbuds in both ears. Even though we finally got past what happened that night in Chicago, there still was this weird tension between us and the only reason that could be was because what happened that night at the Airbnb.

I leaned over the edge of my bunk and patted his arm to get his attention.

"Need something?" Noah questioned while taking out an ear bud.

"Do you think we can talk about what happened the other night? At the Airbnb."

This made him drop his phone to his bed and turned on his side to fully face me, one of his arms to burry underneath his pillow.

"I thought we didn't need to talk about it. You said it was a onetime thing," Noah reminded me.

"I know," I sighed. "And I meant it. But I don't want things to get awkward between us because of it."

Noah gave me a warm smile. "It's only awkward if one of us makes it and I don't plan too."

"Me either," I matched his smile.

We watched each other for a few more beats before Jolly popped his head through the door that closed off the bunks to the front of the bus.

"Oh, good. You're awake," he motioned towards Noah. "We've got a problem."

Those words made me sit up in my bunk while Noah stood to his feet, running a hand through his sleep tousled hair to fix it.

"What's up?"

Jolly told him to follow which he did but curiosity also weighed heavily on me so I did as well, seeing that both of the Nick's were awake, sitting on the couches. Noah sat down at the table in the kitchen while I sat across from him.

"Breakfast?" Nick asked while holding up a box of cereal.

"Please," I said with a smile.

With the bowl of cereal in front of me, I listened as Jolly explained what their problem was.

"They canceled the festival tomorrow. I guess Ohio was hit with some nasty storms so they thought better to be safe."

Noah's shoulders fell in disappointment.

"Damn. We're almost there, aren't we?" He asked.

Folio nodded. "The rest of the crew arrived about two hours ago. Matt's trying to figure out what to do."

"Should we head to the next city?" Nick suggested.

"Maybe we should meet up with the others and we can all leave together," Jolly said.

Noah rubbed at the faint stubble that covered his chin. "I feel bad for the fans."

Just then, as I was sitting there quietly eating my cereal, an idea sprouted in my mind but I thought it would be best to keep it to myself. This seemed like a Bad Omens meeting, yet they were willingly talking about any possible plans in front of me.

I took my bowl to the sink in the small kitchen to wash it and once finished; I turned on my heels and grabbed the edge of the counter behind me.

"I may have an idea," I muttered.

Four sets of eyes fell on me and Noah raised a brow at me.

"About?"

I took a deep breath, gaining the courage to tell them about this grand idea.

"So you guys feel terrible about the festival being canceled because you want to play for the fans, right?"

When they nodded, I felt stronger so stood up straighter. "What if you guys do this pop up event?"

"Pop up event?" Jolly repeated.

"Yeah," I nodded this time. "I've seen a few bands do this, and it was really popular with their fans. We can rent out a place to set up a table where fans can come get autographs and set up the merch booth so they can buy merch; that way they can still see you guys. We'll sell a certain amount of tickets for this."

Noah and Jolly shared a look while Folio gave me a huge smile, clearly loving the idea.

"Do you think it's sort of last minute?" Nick asked.

I scoffed lightly. "You guys seem to forget about much your fans love you. If we announce this, I guarantee tickets will sell out in a few hours."

"I like it," Jolly admitted. "But what about the people that already bought tickets to see a concert?"

My bottom lip caught between my teeth as I thought of something else they could do. Just because they couldn't play at the festival didn't mean they couldn't play somewhere else.

"What if you guys play somewhere else?" I asked.

Noah hesitated with apprehension as he leaned his arm over the back of his seat and I did my best not to gawk at the tattoos that rippled against the muscles of his arms. I needed to stay focused so I can prove to them that my crazy, last-minute idea wasn't that; crazy.

"I don't know, Y/N. It might be hard to book something so last minute," Folio spoke next.

My arms crossed over my chest, and I tapped my foot in agitation. "You're supposed to be on my side, Folio."

He held up his hands. "Trust me, I am. I like the idea of the pop up event but the last minute show might be harder to pull off."

"Please," I waved him off. "Someone in Ohio owes me a favor, a huge one at that. Give me some time and I'll get it all handled."

"Who do you know in Ohio?" Nick wondered.

"Some guy," I shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal.

Noah, however, thought it was because a muscle in his jaw ticked as his shoulders went rigid.

"An ex?" He asked through clenched teeth.

"Aw, are you jealous, Noah?" I leaned over the table closer to him. "That's cute, but no. Someone I met while I was in college. I've never had a boyfriend."

"Really?" Noah asked.

I didn't miss the surprise in his voice.

"Yeah. I've had hook ups during college but nothing ever turned serious. None of them were worth to have a future with."

He shifted in his seat and I worried I might have said something wrong but when he pulled me down into the seat next to him, Noah slid over his laptop in front of me.

"You want to prove to us you can do this, better get started," he smirked.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You can have a little faith in me."

Noah bumped his shoulder with mine and stayed leaning into me. "I have the upmost faith in you, angel. That you won't pull this off."

Now my eyes buldged almost out of my head as a squeak of disbelieve fell from my lips.

"What do I get when I pull this off?" I debated with him.

The rest of the guys looked on amused, waiting to see what Noah would say.

"What do you want?" He shrugged.

I thought about it for a long moment, making a show of tapping my head with a finger, like how Winnie the Pooh did in the movie. Although, I put some thought to it because Noah Sebastian was asking what I wanted.

So many fucking things if they were coming from you.

Instead of something risqué, I chose something tamer and when the thought graced my mind, a large grin pulled at my lips.

"If I'm able to book the pop up and show successfully, I get to design your next tattoo."

Expecting him to say no, Noah simply leaned back into his seat to show his covered arms in tattoos then lifted his legs, not showing much space of skin.

"I have little space left but for you, angel. I'd find even a sliver of skin. You've got yourself a deal."

With that, I cracked my fingers and went to work finding not only a place to host their pop up event but also a concert. They were supposed to be playing in Cleveland so I started looking for smaller halls that could house the pop up event.

While I worked, Jolly went off to fill in Matt about my idea. Both of the Nicks retreated to the back area of the bus to play some kind of video game, and Noah moved from his spot next to me to the couch so he could stretch his long body. We didn't speak, letting the silence fall around us like a blanket, but I felt his gaze on my often. At one point, I looked over the laptop at him and noticed he was watching me with a smile.

"What? Is there something on my face?" I asked, suddenly self-conscious.

"No," he shook his head. "You look beautiful, angel."

I blushed, the warmth vibrating throughout my entire existence.

"Right."

Noah sat up straighter on the couch so he could see me better.

"You don't believe me?" He asked.

I shrugged. "For someone who barley talked to me last tour and when this one started, you're getting pretty cheeky with me."

"You're also not as closed off as you were last time," Noah noted.

"Well, I thought you hated me," I grumbled, eyes scanning the screen in front of me.

Noah came to sit in front of me and shut the laptop so we had to look at each other. There was a dull look of hurt in his brown iris'.

"You thought I hated you?" His voice was quiet, almost broken.

I shrugged one shoulder while pulling at a loose fabric on my sweatpants. "You didn't talk to me much so I thought I'd done something."

"Angel," Noah sighed.

"Don't say it's because of what happened in Chicago," I interrupted. "I felt this way long before then."

He fell back into the bench seat behind him, a low noise crawling its way through his throat, my confession taking him by surprise.

"I never hated you, Y/N. Even what happened after Chicago. And let me set the record straight; I never hated you because of what happened that night. I was upset that you could of seriously been hurt and never realized it."

My eyes cast down to my hands that were now folded together on the table in front of me.

"I know," I whispered.

Noah reached over and linked our hands together. "I'm sorry for the hurtful things I've said and how I've been towards you. Please know I never hated you."

I swallowed thickly at his apology; it was sincere. Probably the first time I'd ever hear something so truthful from Noah. I gave his hand a tight squeeze, letting him know I accepted his apology.

Feeling better about our conversation, Noah put the laptop back in front of me and now watched me from right across of the table. My phone was set on the table next to it and it began flashing with notifications from Only Fans so I quickly flipped it over so Noah didn't notice.

It's been a few days since I posted anything and my subscriber count went up a few but still not enough to be making a lot of money. I knew it was because the things I posted were tame compared to what was already on the sight from others but I wasn't willing to change my rules. This was only a temporary thing so I could pay Lana until I was back home. Then I would deactivate my account.

"Hiding something?" Noah questioned with a knowing smug smile as he peered over the laptop.

"Nope, just stupid emails," I lied and forced my eyes to look back at the screen in front of me.

I had a message up to my old college lab partner, wondering if he still had that hook up with someone from the local mall in Cleveland. There was a decent sized space that was used to be rented out for meetings or parties. It would be perfect for the pop up event.

A notification of a new email popped up on the corner of the screen and seeing who it was from, I clicked on it.

Dear MS. Y/L/N,

I'm glad that you reached out. We heard about the cancelation of the festival because of the weather. We here at House of Blues would love to have Bad Omens play here tomorrow night. Attached is a copy of the contact that can be signed then sent over. I hope you understand that with it being a last-minute booking, extra fee's apply. Please let me know if you'd like to proceed.

Dan Sorenson

House of Blues.

"Ha!" I yelled, turning the screen to face Noah.

His eyes darted back and forth as he read the screen, his face not changing from the smug smile he wore.

"Well, looks like the show is booked but you still have to deal with the pop up event," He reminded me.

I stuck my tongue out at him while turning the laptop back to me. "Yes, I know that."

Noah groaned while griping my chin between his thumb and pointer finger. "If you stick that pretty little tongue out at me one more time, angel, I'm going to bite his so hard it bleeds."

My skin ignited with a blaze so hot it surprised me Noah didn't rear back in hissing pain. There was a slickness between my legs from his promise and I almost did it again so he could act on it. But Folio walked from the back of the bus and with a curious gaze at us, he sat down on the couch in the living area.

"What's going on here?" He asked.

Noah's eyes flashed before he let my face go and went over to sit next to Folio. As their conversation faded to the background of my subconscious, I blinked a few times to center myself and noticed a new message appeared on the screen in front of me.

Y/N! It's been awhile? How're things?

I can definitely book our event space for your friend's band tomorrow. There's a lot of us that are familiar with Bad Omens so we'd be happy to host your pop up event. What time did you need?

By now, Jolly and Nick came to join the others, and I grabbed the laptop to walk over to them, showing the message.

"I'll be damned," Folio whistled low.

"I'm impressed," Jolly said with a chuckle.

Nick smacked Noah against his shoulder. "Looks like I'll be tattooing whatever design she comes up with."

"I guess so," he winked at me. "I'll admit when I'm wrong and I was. Thanks for doing that, Y/N."

I smiled while setting the laptop on the table before falling into the couch between Folio and Jolly. "I've already posted it all to the Bad Omens social media and sent the details over to Matt so he can get his end tied up."

"You should be our social media ambassador," Folio said.

Immediately I shook my head. "No, that seems like a lot of work I'm not qualified for."

Nick snorted. "You booked two huge events on last-minute notice and got it spread like wildfire online. Tickets are already being bought."

I peered over at his phone that he titled towards me and sure enough, ticket sales were already booming for both events. But I still wasn't convinced.

"Don't you guys switch off posting on the Bad Omens social medias?" I asked.

"Yeah but it'll be easier if you took it over. We forget sometimes and it gets messy who was supposed to post something," Folio said.

I chewed on the inside of my cheek, really thinking about his offer. It's not like it was a hard job, it was something I did on my own social media.

"Does it come with a pay raise?"

It was supposed to be a joke, but Noah responded right away.

"Of course. It's a lot more work than being the merch girl, which you won't be anymore. We can find someone to replace you."

This was not something I expected to happen when I woke up this morning, but I wasn't complaining. The pay raise would be significant and maybe I could deactivate my only fans page sooner than expected.

"Okay. I'll do it."

For the next while, the guys told me what my new position would entail and what I was in charge of. While Byran took professional photos and videos of them, I would still take some and post to their tik tok page or Instagram stories. When Bryan finished editing whatever photos he took, he would send them over to me and I would post them. I would also be in charge of dealing with messages that came through any platform.

By the time we ironed everything out, I excuse myself to my bunk, exhaustion overtaking my body. It was well into the afternoon and knowing we would be in Cleveland soon, I desperately wanted to nap before then.

As I lay in my bunk, I ended up staring at my Only Fans page and thought about ways I could revamp it to get a few more subscribers. Even with my new job title and pay, I couldn't give it up yet. Lana's paycheck was due tomorrow and while I had enough for it, it would clear out my bank account.

I pulled tight the curtain to my bunk as best as I could and stripped out of my shirt, pants, and bra. I wouldn't be able to record a video right now so a picture was the best option. Instead of covering my breasts, I kept them on display as I held up my phone, snapping a few different angles making sure my face was covered. Once satisfied with how I looked, I got dressed again and uploaded a few of the pictures to my page.

By the time that was finished, my eyes were heavy with slumber so I curled into the corner of the bunk, letting sleep encase around me. I was so deep in sleep that I barely heard Noah's phone go off and a loud groan of pleasure echoed from his bunk.

"You've got to be kidding me, angel. Right next to me."

"I can't believe how well everything turned out," I smiled as I walked alongside Folio in the mall.

The pop up event ended a few minutes ago and as mentioned, everything went smoothly. Fans were ecstatic to meet the guys and get their autographs. Merch sold like crazy and thankfully, Matt and Davis could cover my old job until they could find a replacement. Matt thought my new job was a great idea, mentioning that I was always made for more than just selling merch.

"You did that," Folio bumped his shoulder into mine, a proud smile on his face.

Jolly and Nick were in front of our group, leading us to a restaurant so we could get something to eat before the show tonight. Another event I threw together. To say I was proud of myself was an understatement. I wanted to so badly call my mom to tell her but knew that she would only respond with three words.

"Who are you?"

I hadn't heard from either my mom or Lana today which made me worry because with how the last phone call conversation went, I could only think of the worst.

Noah made a noise of agreement in the back of his throat and I looked up to him as he walked next to me. From the second he stepped off looking like that, I was so wound up and turned on that I kept squeezing my aching core between my legs to curb that itch. Noah had the top half of his hair up in a bun and wore a baggy shirt with an anime logo and name across it and a pair of black shorts.

I wanted to lick every inch of muscles on his thighs; he looked that delicious.

But something was different with him today. Noah made sure that he never strayed far from me and during the event, his eyes were almost always on me. He refused to let me out of his sight. The brown of his eyes drank in every inch of me as well and if I didn't find a corner to rub one out, I would explode.

We found a restaurant inside the mall and all slide into a corner booth at the back of the large room. With how we sat, Noah and I were seated alone on one side, kind of away from Jolly, Nick, and Folio. The three of them chatted about what they were going to get and as I was about to ask Noah what he wanted, I felt his hand grasp the inside of my thigh and I sucked in a breath.

"Angel," he breathed in my ear.

I hummed when his fingers slowly moved higher between my legs. Our actions were underneath the table so no one could see.

"I can't stop thinking about your face when you cum," he admitted. "Can you do that for me again, please?"

I shouldn't do this. It was only supposed to be a onetime thing. But I was also so fucking horny, I needed this so bad. And he asked nicely.

My eyes fluttered shut when his finger slipped between the waistband of my leggings and without thinking, I spread my legs wider for him. If he didn't understand that, I gave a firm nod while keeping up the facade of looking over the menu.

Noah did the same, his eyes scanning his menu all while his finger slipped between my panties and pussy.

I bit down hard on my lip to keep the moan quiet when his finger brushed along my folds, knowing he felt how wet I'd been all day. He turned his face slightly towards me, his eyes sparkling with arousal.

"So wet already," he mouthed.

Not trusting myself to be quiet, I nodded as his finger pushed inside of me, pumping slow at first to work me open. Then another finger joined, and I nearly dropped my head on the table. Noah's fingers were long where they could reach that spot with ease.

Noah leaned closer to me making it look like he was talking about something so normal. "You're so tight, angel. Are you going to cum already?"

"Yes," I whined.

"Have you been wet all day for me?"

Always.

I nodded which made Noah smirk. "Be a good girl and don't make a noise. I can't have the guys knowing what I'm doing to you underneath the table."

Fuck; Noah Sebastian was going to kill me.

As he talked to Folio, giving nothing away, his fingers worked inside of me fast and when his thumb pressed against my clit, I nearly came with a scream. My hips bucked up into his hand and I ended up setting the menu up to it could cover my face as my lips fell open in a silent moan. The orgasm was so close, a bright white light brushing over my vision and heat spread at the base of my spine to my scalp. I shook in Noah's grasp as my pussy walls clenched around his fingers.

"Noah," I breathed when the orgasm washed over me in a tidal wave.

I shamelessly dry humped his hand to ride over the last little of the aftershocks and almost whined when Noah turned to look at me. He pulled out his fingers, the sudden loss of warmth making me go slack against the booth, and brought them to his mouth. I watched in my post orgasmic haze as he licked them clean, his eyes blown wide with blackness of his own desires.

"What do you guys think of this place? We tried it back in Iowa, figured it was a good choice," Nick said.

The three of them were still oblivious to what happened.

"Best meal I've ever fucking had," Noah hummed, my arousal glistening his lips.

[dilf-in-peril]

The many lies of CM Punk:

doesn't actually like cantaloupe

doesn't actually like punk rock

claims CM stands for Chicago Made because girls don't like him

doesn't actually have daddy issues

did not actually want to defuse that situation

[haddonfieldwhore]

cold nights part 2 - cm punk

cm punk x gender neutral! younger! reader

word count: 2.9k part one here

warnings: age gap, trainer x student, language, out of character/unrealistic but it’s fiction, some parts loosely inspired by real events

summary: a follow up to cold nights

a week had passed since the altercation backstage, as well as the start of your relationship with punk. currently you were tangled up in punks bed, safe in each others embrace as the sun began to peek through the curtains. you’d been brought home to chicago by the ppv tonight that punk was supposed to be on the card for, but plans had changed with his suspension. while you were still travelling with the company, it had turned into more a vacation than a business trip as you weren’t set to take part in the ppv either. you stirred awake as your phone rang on the dresser, and you felt punks arms tighten around your waist as you tried to get up to answer it.

“i’ll be right back,” you laughed quietly, and he allowed you to leave the bed and walk over to the dresser. you squinted at the brightness of the screen as tony’s name flashed across it, but then the screen went blank, the call ending before you could answer it. deciding to call him back later, you padded back over to the bed, admiring punks sleeping form, his arms still open for you to lay between. crawling back into his embrace, he groaned softly as he pulled you tight against him, tucking you under his chin.

“who was that?” he asked. you sighed contently at the warmth that radiates off his body as you placed a soft kiss to his clavicle.

“tony. he hung up before i could answer it,” you explained, and he seemed to tense slightly. he took a deep breath, before he spoke again.

“there’s something i have to tell you, before you hear it from someone else,” he said quietly. “my contract with aew has been terminated.” you pulled away from him slightly to look at him, trying to process what he’d said.

“how are you feeling about it?” you asked. you weren’t blind; you’d known that punk had had previous issues with other talent, and you weren’t honestly sure how happy he had been in his recent months with the company.

“i-“ he paused for a long moment, like he was trying to decide on an answer. “i will be fine. do i wish things had gone differently? yeah maybe. but i’m not going to apologize for standing up for myself and not taking any bullshit from some of the children who i’ve had to deal with.”

“so… you’re okay? i mean-“ you were trying to wrap your head around everything. surely something else must have happened besides what you saw between punk and jack. he smiled, a bittersweet feeling in his chest, and leaned forward to kiss your forehead.

“i’ll be fine. besides, i managed to walk out with the best thing in aew so-“ he was interrupted as you placed a kiss to his lips, a smile on his face as he returned it.

“they’re gonna realize that they made a mistake letting you go. they need you a lot more than you need them.” punk kissed you deeply, the gesture like a thank you without words.

your phone rang again, and punk sighed as you slithered out of his arms to go answer it. tony’s name appeared on the screen for the second time, and you slid the green arrow to accept the call.

“hello?” you answered.

“hi, y/n. is now a good time to talk? i know it’s early but i’ve got a busy day,” tony asked. you looked over at the clock on the nightstand, which read 8:06 am, and then over to punk who was sitting up now leaning against the headboard. the duvet had bunched around his waist, exposing his bare torso, and you tried not to get distracted by his tattoos as he watched you with an affectionate look in his eyes. you snapped out of the trance he had you in, remembering you were still on the phone with your boss.

“yeah, now is fine.”

“i think this might be a discussion better had in person. can you meet me at the venue in an hour?” tony asked, and you had a funny feeling you knew what it was about, but wanted to hear tony’s side of things.

“yeah- i’ll be there.”

“thank you. i’ll see you soon.”

“thanks tony,” you replied, before the call was ended. you placed your phone on the dresser again, before turning back towards punk, who looked at you expectantly. “tony wants to talk to me in person. wonder who it’s about?” you said teasingly, and he smiled at you, before it faded.

“wonder what he couldn’t say over the phone,” he said, and you hummed in response.

“i guess we’ll find out.”

•••

you felt eyes on your back as you walked through the halls of the venue. even this early before the show, many of the talent were already there, and it seemed like tensions were high. you weren’t sure who was aware of punks release from company, so you didn’t intend to mention it, hoping to just speak with tony and get back to your boyfriend. you were nearing tony’s office when you heard a voice call out after you.

“hey- didn’t expect to see you here. if you’re here who’s keeping punk in line?” matt jackson’s voice rang out. you shook your head, intending to try to be in and out without adding to the drama. albeit the repercussions had already been dealt; at least to punk. you wondered what became of jungle boy, if he received any kind of punishment, but realized it didn’t really matter.

“i’m not his keeper,” was all you said, continuing on your path to speak with tony.

“guess you really can’t teach an old dog new tricks- he’ll always be the problem,” nick taunted.

“sounds to me like the only one who has a problem right now is you guys. i’m just here to talk with tony. so unless you’d like to be the reason he’s kept waiting-“ you trailed off, before backing away and rounding the corner, approaching the door to tony’s office. you knocked, entering when you heard him call out a friendly “come in”.

“you wanted to talk to me?” you began, trying to be professional, despite the fact that you were talking to the man who had fired your boyfriend. you understood to an extent; it was a business, and tony had to do what was right to protect it and his employees, but that doesn’t mean punk was entirely to blame for what had happened.

“yes, please have a seat,” he gestured to a chair, and you obliged, looking at him expectantly. “now, i know you are aware of what transpired last week, and i know you’re not stupid, so you understand that there has to be consequences for the type of actions that were displayed. i know that you and cm punk are close, and as you train under his instruction i feel it is my obligation to tell you that i have terminated his contract, effective immediately,” he explained in carefully rehearsed phrasing.

“only his contract?” you asked, knowing that truly it was none of your business if jack was also fired or not, but you were curious.

“for now, no other involved parties have been terminated, but they will remain suspended until a decision is made,” he explained. “an announcement will be made later today, but i felt you deserved to be told face to face. i would have liked to extend the same courtesy to the rest of his trainees, however as they are not here in chicago i won’t be able to. i will be calling them individually after this meeting.”

you fiddled nervously with your hands in your lap, going over everything he said in your mind.

“as for who will take over your training going forward, that will be decided at a later-“ tony began, but you interrupted him.

“that won’t be necessary,” you began, before taking a deep breath. “with all due respect, i would like to request that i be released from my contract,” you stated, and your boss looked disappointed.

“may i ask if there is any other reason that has led you to this decision? you have a bright future here; i am sure phil would not want you to throw it away over this, as i am assuming his departure has something to do with it? did he put this idea in your head?”

“he doesn’t know i am asking for my release. he’s probably gonna be mad at me when i get home,” you laughed, tony raising an eyebrow at the word ‘home’, but he didn’t interrupt.

“i will be honest with you tony, i was aware of his termination before i came here. he told me himself,” you explained. things may not have always been perfect, but you still had respect for tony and wanted to be truthful. “he is not the only reason, but i can’t lie and say that’s not a part of it. cm punk is the reason i wanted to be a part of this industry, and as much as i have enjoyed it, i don’t think i would feel right continuing my training and my career without him. i’ve had my disagreements with some of the talent here, maybe i follow a little too closely in his footsteps, but i think the best thing for me personally, is to leave, rather than risk my personal relationship with punk causing any drama backstage. i hope you can understand.”

tony seemed to think on what you said for a few minutes, before he spoke again.

“if this is what your truly want, i will agree to it. but i have to ask first, if there is anything i can do to make you change your mind?” you shook your head.

“i’m sorry tony, but this is what’s best for me.” he sighed heavily, before standing and extending a hand out for you to shake.

“consider yourself released. i will get the paperwork and legal side of things handled later this week. it has been a pleasure to have you in this company, and down the road should you change your mind, you have my number,” tony smiled sadly. you stood up as well, shaking his hand firmly.

“thank you tony.”

“you’re welcome. he is lucky to have you in his corner, and i wish you both the best.”

“i’m lucky to have him,” you replied.

“well then you truly make a good pair. thank you for your contributions to aew- should you decide to come back someday i know you will do well.”

“goodbye, tony.”

you grabbed your bag and exited the office, walking down the hall and towards the exit of the venue. you nearly bumped into the young bucks again on your way out, but no words were exchanged this time as you pushed past them, ready to leave this part of your life behind.

•••

punk was sitting in the living room of his apartment when you got back from meeting with tony, and he smiled at you as you walked over and sat next to him.

“hey,” he greeted you with a soft kiss.

“hey,” you responded, a little nervous about how he was going to take the news that you had essentially quit.

“what did tony want?” he seemed hesitant to ask, but anyone in this situation would be curious.

“he wanted to personally tell me that he had fired you. he would’ve told everyone you train at once but i’m the only one in chicago right now,” you explained. you decided there was no benefit in telling him about your encounter with matt and tyler, leaving that detail in the past.

“i guess he’ll have to decide who is gonna take over training you all from now on.” you decided just to bite the metaphorical bullet, no use in dancing around the truth any longer.

“i asked him to release me from my contract and he agreed.” punk looked at you in surprise.

“you didn’t have to-“

“aew isn’t the place for me anymore. i can’t pretend you being fired isn’t a part of my decision to leave, but as you know better than anyone it’s not a perfect place - and i’m tired. you are the reason i fell in love with wrestling, and it would feel wrong to continue without you.” punk stared at you, his eyes full of adoration. “i enjoyed my time in aew - for the most part - but i don’t want to deal with the backstage drama anymore, whether it has to do with you or not.”

“will you try to sign with another company?”

“will you?” you countered, since you didn’t have an answer.

“i don’t know- i’ve kind of burned a few of those bridges,” he laughed, and you smiled, pushing his chest lightly. “honestly i don’t know.”

“i don’t either. i meant what i said, i know i haven’t done this for that long but i’m tired. it might be nice to take a break for a while, and just live a normal life for a bit.”

“that does sound pretty nice. this … normal life- do i get to be a part of it?” he asked playfully. you smiled, kissing him deeply, smiling into the kiss.

“i should hope so - i still didn’t get my heater fixed and i kinda need a place to crash until i-“ he interrupted your joke with another kiss, softly tackling you down until he lay over you on the couch.

“you are certainly an unpredictable little thing, aren’t you?” he stared down at you with a smile on his face.

“i like to keep you on your toes,” you smiled back, pulling his face down to kiss him again, getting used to the idea of spending everyday like this. you may be out of a job, and you may have made some enemies with your allegiance to punk, but you couldn’t help but feel like the winner in this situation. the two of you toppled over and you felt butterflies erupt in your stomach as he hovered over you, his arms on either side of your head supporting his weight.

“it sounds like we’re gonna have a lot of free time on our hands,” he smirked, kissing you deeply, and you lifted your hips to press against his.

“i know you want to wait…” you trailed off as he kissed you again.

“i think we could get into a little bit of trouble, don’t you?” he spoke next to your ear, sending a shiver down you spine.

“you seem to be pretty good at that,” you teased, thankful that he didn’t take offence to it as he kissed your neck.

“are you saying i’m a bad influence?” he teased. your words caught in your throat as he bit down harshly on your collarbone, unable to form a cohesive thought. he laughed lightly, sending a vibration through your chest.

“yeah, but i think i kinda like it,” you laced your fingers through his dark hair that had begun to grow long at the back, pulling his face up to kiss him hard, teeth nibbling at his bottom lip.

“yeah? well i think you’re not so innocent either- “ he groaned as now it was your turn to place kisses down his neck, leaving a dark hickey on the skin beneath his jaw. “fuck.” he exhaled, hips digging into yours again as you left behind another love bite.

“i have to be honest, i’m really glad my heater stopped working,” you joked, but it was true; you may have not ended up together when you did if it hadn’t happened.

“i’m glad you called me that night. who knew this is where we would be a few weeks later.”

“i certainly had no idea. i never thought you would even look at me twice, and i think i was in denial about how i felt,” you admitted. punk sat up off of you, and before you had a chance to mourn the warmth of him on top of you, he pulled you into his arms again, leaning against the arm of the couch. you tucked your face into the crook of his neck, his stubble tickling your skin as you placed another soft kiss to his jaw bone.

“believe me, i looked more than twice. i don’t know what the hell i did to deserve you, but i must have done something right,” he replied, holding you close to his chest as you lay on top of him on the couch.

“however we ended up here, i’m just happy i get to call you mine,” you leaned up to kiss his lips softly, and he smiled.

“that’s the sappiest shit i’ve ever heard,” he laughed, but he couldn’t help smiling like a fool in love. “but yeah, me too.” punk kissed the top of your head, and despite the fact that it was still early in the day, you felt yourself drifting off to sleep.

“can we stay like this for a while?” you asked sleepily, your eyes fluttering closed. punk laughed softly, his chest shaking slightly with the vibration.

“sure, sweetheart,” he smiled warmly, and you quickly fell asleep. despite all of the drama in the last week, you managed to make it out the other side with the man you loved next to you, and you were more than content with that.

[mxydxyzway]

jeffery woods

- jeff is an absolute piece of shit guy. i mean, what else would you expect from an edge lord serial killer?

- he doesn’t have an actual residence, he lives on the road in his old and shitty 1970 Ford F250 that he never has attempted to take care of.

- he truly is disgusting. he’ll go to strip clubs or red light districts in the city he’s passing through and pick up women. after their affair is done he kills them and steals their cash. thats where he gets his gas money, clothes, and food.

- his hygiene is poor but not as terrible as some would assume, he’ll go to truck stops and use the showers provided to make sure he’s not too grimey.

- jeff has no remorse and isn’t ashamed of the terrifyingly gross man he has turned into. if anything, he believes that the women are lucky to be murdered by him. because in his mind, he’s literally jeff the fucking killer who wouldn’t want to go down in history as one of his victims?

- but, don’t get arrogance caught up with ignorance. jeff is extremely smart so even though his shit might be sloppy he sure as hell is good at covering his tracks. the only way they’re able to identify victims as his is by the little signature he’s adapted. what is said signature? well, it’s cutting smiles into their faces.

- he is incredibly good at making sure no dna or traceable clues are left at the scene. this skill of his is directly related to the fact that law enforcement has yet to identify his vehicle, next intended location, and what he even looks like. time can change a person and nineteen year old jeff looks incredibly different from thirteen year old jeff.

- the only “close call” he’s had (if you even wanna call it that) is when he first started to figure out this little routine of his. he was picking up a girl in Chicago and it ended up being a sting situation. he had to get his hands a bit dirty there for a second but other than that he was off the hook.

- jeff doesn’t just kill women though, truckers are also not safe from this disease of a man. jeff likes the shirt a trucker is wearing? dead. wearing cool boots that look about his size? dead. oh, that trucker has a nice rig i wonder if his wallets pretty? yeah, jeff already got to him.

- as mentioned earlier, he has no remorse or shame. it’s his world and everyone else is living in it because he decides.

- when he meets little seventeen year old nina things get a bit wonky. he is interested in her infatuation with him, and sort of thinks “fuck it let’s see how long i can tolerate her”. he’ll most likely stay in her city for a bit and entertain her before he gets bored again, leaving her in shambles. while their fling was short it definitely was toxic as fuck but everybody knows that.

- after leaving ninas city he’s quick to jump to the next one. he doesn’t dwell on her too much because in his mind she was just a play thing. she meant nothing to him and was there for his entertainment. when things got a little too soppy is when he decided to leave, he was never made for settling down and automatically assumed that’s what nina wanted. if he had actually pulled his head out of his ass, he would come to find out that’s not at all what she wanted.

- anywho, he likes to think he lives that “rock and roll” life style when in all reality he’s just a greasy freakazoid who attempts to adapt a punk rock wardrobe.