#exit/corners fanart

[goldyluna]

Mirrors reflect how we really are, but what if we don't know ourselves?

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁

Exit/corners fans... Rise

[evilherehotel]

literally how did she get out of that

[hell0jon]

Fear avatars taking the piss out of The Ceaseless Watcher’s Special Little Boy

[tontodechoque]

lizzy

[imaprettygirl]

10,000 hours

"I'd spend 10, 000 hours and 10, 000 more. Oh, if that's what it takes to learn that sweet heart of yours"

(Inspired by Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber's song (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)) Some lyrics are used here!

(Oh and credits to the original artist for the fanarts I used!)

For Alhaitham and Zhongli, consider it as the sequel to the first fics.

ALHAITHAM (part 1)

ZHONGLI (part 1)

CHARACTERS USED HERE: Alhaitham, Zhongli and Neuvillette

ALHAITHAM

"Do you miss the road that you grew up on? Did you get your middle name from your grandma?"

"Oh, why is that?" Alhaitham mumbled as the corners of his lips urged to curl up into a smile if not for him holding it back. His eyes skimmed the pages of the book he was holding although shooting occasional glances at you blabbering about how the Akademiya's strict yet ridiculous rules and customs. Contrary to his insouciant countenance, his ears were keen on picking up every word you said to engrave them into his memory; especially information about yourself. He believed that gathering up personal details of you would help him succeed in wooing you.

"They made us wear those itchy hats which are made of rough linen! It's making my scalp itch!!" You poured out all your complaints, your legs dangling upon sitting on Alhaitham's desk. "But don't get me wrong! Sumeru is really nice; a whole new experience! But I do miss my hometown and my family..."

Alhaitham heard your soft sigh at your last sentence which made his ears perk up with curiosity. A trace of a faint smile lingered on the scribe's face as he closed his book with a soft thud sound. "Who do you miss more? Your hometown or family?"

"Hm... maybe my family? They mean the world to me... Especially my grandma!" Your face lit up when you mentioned your grandmother. The scribe's lips parted to say something but instead, he just chuckled.

"Your grandmother? May I inquire why?"

You weren't the type to deduce a situation without seeing the big picture but you could have swear you heard his voice crack at the word 'grandmother'... Was he washed over by the feeling of nostalgia? You didn't know his past exactly but your guess was that he was brought up by his grandma judging from the way he weighs that specific word. Curious, you shifted your body to his direction to observe his body language so that you could confirm your suspicions. Finally after a long pause, you replied with a soft smile, "She bakes me excellent chocolate cookies. And oh, I'm not sure you know that but my family runs a small yet successful bakery!"

You paused for a while, silently weighing the words you were going to say to make sure if it was appropriate to let it out loud in front of him.

"My mother said that I take after my grandma from head to toe. That's why my middle name was named after her." You finally mustered the courage and let out a giggle to ease any possible tension between you two in case he was offended by your words.

Antithetical to what you have believed, you saw a soft smile on that handsome face of his instead of a scowl. Who knew he could be a heart-throb when smiling? Maybe you should persuade him to do more...

"Ah... I see. No wonder your middle name sounds so obsolete yet beautiful- in a good way of course"

Although the things you just said couldn't benefit him in buying gifts to your liking, he was glad that the walls around your heart were starting to crack little by little.

"But guess what?" You got off his desk and reached for the exit "I know her secret chocolate cookies recipe..."

"So get ready to taste some tomorrow!" You left the room with a wink which seemed platonic to you.

But not for him.

ZHONGLI

"When you think about your forever now, do you think of me?"

"Do tell me dear, what does the word 'forever' and 'eternity' speak to you?" The Geo lord strolled along by your side.

"Erm... the Electro archon? Lightning? Inazuma?" You made multiple guesses but each one earning his shook of disapproval. Your eyebrows knitted into a frown as you scrambled for the correct answer.

"You will get no where if you continue making such guesses far from truth. I must admit that she would be flattered by your words if she happened to be near us." Zhongli patted your shoulder as he looked down at the city of Liyue from the mountains above. The orange evening sky colored the red buildings of the city crimson and laughter and chatters filled the streets. Colorful flowers of pride blossomed in his heart at that sight; the city he built from scratch had now became a civilized one. But these feelings didn't even had a room in his heart when compared to the pride and love he felt when around you.

"Think again, dear." He raised his eyebrow in amusement upon seeing that puzzled look on your face. "Let me give you a hint then... how do you see yourself in five to ten years?" Zhongli tilted his head with his eyes closed towards the sky casting an orange glow on his face. Under such golden light, his features were more refined. When he opened his eyes, you noticed that they seem to lighten in hue which made it more alluring.

"Well, I'm still young so I'll probably stick by your side and my instrument too." You smiled at the mention of your musical instrument; you could as well as say that it was your first love.

Zhongli's breath hitched in his throat as his face went slack- his lips parted slightly with widened eyes. Being self-conscious again, he hid his happiness behind that calm, professional mask of his. "So, you're saying that you want to be by my side....forever?"

"Suppose so" You shrugged as you ran down the hill, feeling the cold wind fanning your face as it also made your ears pop. At the bottom of the hill, you found yourself followed by Zhongli and you both walked your way into Liyue's harbor. Suddenly, you heard an old woman's weak cries near the entrance of the city. Worried, you glanced at her direction and found a basket of glaze lilies next to her and it seemed that she was trying to sell them before the end of the day. You felt pity for her so you approached her with slow delicate steps.

"Erm, excuse me. I would like to purchase some glaze lilies. May I have four of them?" Your words had a gentle lilt to it.

"Unfortunately for you dear... there are only two left!" The elderly lady replied with an anxious expression. You bit your lower lip in thought but then you nodded.

"I'll have two the-

"Wait" You felt a presence approaching you from behind; Zhongli. "You said you wanted four. Shall we come back tomorrow?"

That's when you knew that you were stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea: You didn't want to hurt the elderly woman's feelings or Zhongli's. You had to find a way to please them both.

"W-Well... I'll buy only two today" you glanced at Zhongli "I hope you don't mind but I want you to buy two for me everyday...until it's big enough to be a bouquet."

NEUVILETTE

"Do you love the rain, does it make you dance when you're drunk with your friends at a party?"

"I can see that you enjoy the feeling of rain..." A man's voice interrupted the daze you were in. You let out a yelp in response and turned your head around swiftly to see who it was: Monsieur Neuvillette.

"Ahaha... Monsieur..." You chuckled nervously as you shook off the water droplets on your extended hand to hide it in your coat's pocket. You lifted your blue umbrella a little bit higher so that his face could be seen in detail. "Erm... maybe." You lowered your gaze in guilt. Being a pluviophile is tough especially when rain only pours when the Chief Justice of Fontaine is feeling under the weather. During your teenage years, you used to run in the rain alone or with friends after a party. But right now? That hobby of yours had became a guilty pleasure ever since you became Monsieur Neuvillette and Lady Furina's personal stylist. It's not like you must hide that from him but when you put yourself in his shoes, the whole situation changes: how would you feel if you see someone acting all buoyantly in front of you when they clearly know that you're distressed? Offended right?

"Ah... so my guess is correct then" He let out a soft chuckle "Why is that?"

"Oh, well... ever since I was a little girl, I would go on strolls with my mother and when it rained, I would jump into shallow puddles and play with it." A wave of nostalgia intertwined with guilt cascaded over your whole being; Afterall, the rain served as a reminiscent of your childhood. "During my teenage years, I would dance under the drizzle with my friends..."

"Really? Oh. So you used to frolic in the rain?" Your head snapped in his direction faster than the speed of light at his question because you thought he was offended. His calm yet sharp reply could be mistaken for a sarcastic comment. Contrary to what you had thought, he was, in fact, insouciant. You were expecting him to be purple with rage and fire you from your position at that instant. But no, he was just staring at you...with a soft smile.

"I-I was drunk... I didn't mean it!" You dropped your umbrella on one shoulder so that he couldn't see your face.

"Oh no, don't do that... may I?" His gloved hand reached to lift the object veiling your face. "Don't hide that pretty face of yours"

His eloquence left you flustered- you could hear the flutter of a thousand butterflies resonating within the depths of your stomach and the echo of the pounding of your heart creating ripples of sensation throughout your body. "A-Aren't you mad at me?" You exclaimed, your voice trembling. "I mean... my happiness stems from your misery."

"Hmm... for the time being let your imagination run wild. And do tell me, what kind of dances do you dance when there is a shower?"

"Like twirling...swing dance and stuff like that"

"How about ballroom dance?"

"I'm normal at it? But I might step on your shoe or even trip over it if the ground is slippery because of the downpour"

Neuvillette held himself back from wheezing when you mentioned your flaw when it came to dancing. "You like to dance in the rain hm?"

"So, If I shed more tears, will you grant me the opportunity to sway in your embrace, my chérie?"

(Guys, I'm so sorry for Neuvillette's part- It sounds so cheesy because I was so high on caffeine while writing his part 😘😘🤗🤓 trust me it's from all those cups of coffee I consumed during the day since I'll pulling an all-nighter for tests)

Anyways thanks for reading ❤️ Credits to @cafekitsune for the divider!

[alitheakorogane]

Just a Normal Genshin Impact Game Time... Is it?

This SAGAU fanfic was actually created like a year ago (March 15, 2023), but decided to redo this again. This was created during the time I was still Venti-less, so this one was like a story of me trying to cope at that time.

And yes, my latest fanart coincidentally fits this story too! I just stumbled on this back when I tried to scroll on my drafts while waiting for the fanart to be posted.

CW: blood, violence, and murder. Be warned.

You were just playing Genshin Impact on your computer like any other day, just doing the usual stuff you always do every time you login like doing the daily commissions and farming domains to build your characters.

One day, after doing your usual Genshin dallies for the day, you decided to take some scenic pictures with your current team on board and explore Teyvat to look for random chests and hidden quests you may miss. You know, to pass the time and possibly scrounge for primogems to farm for your favorite character.

But as you try to explore the place while trying to find a good spot to take pictures, you couldn't shake the feeling that something is wrong, that something or someone was watching you.

You were confused at first, on why you are feeling like that. But you just shrugged, as you may think you just had too much coffee. After all, you love coffee to the bone.

As you took Kokomi to a scenic place somewhere in Mondstadt, you had noticed something strange that was hidden by a canopy of trees, few meters behind the current character. You squinted a little bit, your eyes still trying to figure out the culprit of your distraction.

There was a figure hidden behind the trees.

------

At first, you mistook it as a rock or something inanimate but you then noticed that it was actually a person when it moved. It was not an NPC or random animal, but an actual playable character. After all, you could recognize that outfit even from afar, as Genshin Impact characters had some unique styles that were fit for their personalities and status.

It was Venti, hiding in a tree from far away, with eyes glaring at you.

Your heart nearly burst out of your chest when you saw him as you quickly exit the camera mode, trying to find some explanation of why he was there, to begin with. Maybe there's an event that he had been with?

You checked the quest menu to check for any Mondstadt-related events that you probably never finished, but to your horror, there was nothing. You looked at some guides online, some clues onto why he was there, that there may be an event from other nations that had him as a guest, but to no avail. You remembered that you already did his story quest and the quests that he was actually involved in-game. Maybe it's a glitch?

With a shaky grip, you closed the quest menu and stared at the same spot again. Venti was still there behind the tree, watching you with soulless eyes.

You were shaking in fear as you were also staring at him.

As you were still frozen on your seat, trying to make sense of everything, the figure dressed as Venti suddenly pointing something at your Kokomi, his soulless eyes still looking at your terrified ones, like he was a rabid dog vying for attention.

You suddenly recognized what he was trying to do. He was pointing out his former signature weapon, the iconic Skyward Harp, at you.

"Wait, isn't the Elegy of the End his new signature weapon?" You muttered out as your mind had tried to remember about Venti. You were a fan of him, so it would be in your forte to remember every single detail about him.

You remember that even his weapon was already changed to Elegy of the End during his consecutive reruns due to the new bow fits his kit than Skyward Harp, the latter was still his signature weapon in lore.

In the corner of your eye, you noticed something weird once again, this time on the map.

Apparently, the map shows you that there is a second player on the map, and that player was near your vicinity. You widened your eyes as you remembered that you didn't do any co-op with a Venti main recently and you don't even have a Venti. And to your horror, even your co-op mode wasn't even turned on!

------

You had remembered that you always wanted Venti, but due to your impatient nature, you had decided to build pity and accidentally won Kokomi twice on the last day of her banner. You got C1 Kokomi instead.

Unfortunately, Venti's banner was next and you regretted that he never came home. You had lost your 50/50 to your very first Qiqi at 75 pulls... At the end of his rerun banner.

...this is weird and unsettling, so you decided to quit the game, but to your horror, you can't even access the damned menu, soft locking you out.

As you saw Venti's creepy smile while he was sadistically hitting your main team with his anemo-infused arrows, you were horrified at what happened next.

You watched your entire team being stabbed by his arrows, blood splattering on the screen like a grotesque painting, and your current team crying for mercy and help as they were hit by the arrows the Anemo Archon in disguise had been aiming at them and they were frozen in spot because of some twisted form of code that the game had, instead of them doing their usual lines while being on low HP or fallen down. And you couldn't even make them run by pressing the buttons to move the character you currently have because you're frozen in fear as you saw the character pleading for you to make them run away from the crazed fellow using your keyboard and mouse but you didn't. You didn't even help them survive.

You remembered that characters that had fallen down were supposed to turn into glowing white dust instead of this... bloody mess you were witnessing.

This isn't right!

It was like you were playing a horror game rather than a simple open-world RPG game.

Then while the carnage was happening, there is an in-game text that was showing up while this is happening, of Venti still happily singing his ballads while doing the unthinkable. As if he was gleefully watching you squirm.

You couldn't help but close the game in a blink of an eye after you witnessed the scene by trying to turn off the computer and decided to never touch the game again. Thankfully, your computer turned off, but it had left you traumatized.

You decided to uninstall the game after rebooting the computer. The usual uninstall window had appeared with a picture of a chibified Amber crying showed up and a message about asking if you were really uninstalling the app, as if beckoning you not to delete the game, but you insisted and still pressed the uninstall button.

You decided to leave your room while leaving the computer to do its duty to uninstall the cursed stuff, but after you went outside for some fresh air, the uninstall window that was supposed to show a chibified Klee signifying the game had been uninstalled, glitched for a second.

Venti's creepy smile was seen in a split second on the entirety of the computer screen instead of the window with Klee, with some words written in glitchy Teyvatian language then in glitchy English that was flickering in the screen before it turns normal once again.

Y̸̩͂̆̇̌̾͑͂̄́͠o̴̢̧̫̖̫̥̗̞̖͘ͅṳ̸̢̨̽͆͑̀̔̍̃́̐̄̚ͅ ̸̡̥͙̞̎͗̔͋̔̄ẘ̷̽̃̒͑͑́̔̏͜i̶̳̺͔̼̺̘̙̙̭͑̒͑̉̕l̵̨̛̗̟̟͔̆̅̓͛̅̔l̸̢̹̠͋̊̔́͠ͅ ̷̛͎̮̯̬͇͔͉̗̪́̌͌̄͒̃͘ͅn̸̫̺̼͎̺͓͈͊̿́̔̀̔̈́̈̋̄e̵̬͎̳͊́͂̓̍͂̈́̏͜͝v̸͇̥̩̲̫̪̐̀̌͛̾͛ͅe̴̤̲̺̜̱̫̭̪̝̠͗̓̍̍͜r̶̻͉̳̩̈̑ ̴̨̛̬͉̜̮̰̬͖͕̩̬̑̈́́ẽ̶̡͎̱̰̩̖̫͚̈͋̆̄s̵̺̹͎͍͖̠̥̮̾̊͊̅́͜c̴̛̟͂̾̉̑̑̕ḁ̴̡̛̗̍̏̓̂̍̌̋ṕ̵̬̗̜͓͍̬̍̂͘ȩ̵̧̖̞͕̭̘̭̥̈́̕ͅ ̷̺̣͙̇̀̓͝T̴͇̥̠̦̹̼͇̼͓̘̍̿̎͛̎̽̍͛e̷͕͕̼̟͖̾y̸͖̠̰͖͚̺͆͒̋͐̓v̷̢̛̘͈̹͍̱͚a̴͍̦̠̮̱͌͒̉͋͂͘͘͝͠ͅt̷̢̡̹̍͗͗ ̷̧̛̠̫̘̮͔͍̰̻̙͎̃͋͌̀͛n̸̹̪̦̪̼͔̝̦̠͚̿́̌̋̀͋̒o̶̧̡͉͕̹̠͈̰̰̦̓̌̎̈́̌̈̏͗̕̚͝t̵̖̝̫̩̖̼̯̟͑͠ ̴̟̙̑̀̔͒͝ͅm̸̛̤͇͙̰̬̼̳̩̥͌̒͑̒̉̈́͐̑̉͘͜ͅė̸̢̺̟̜̓̂̑̊,̸̗̠̯̀͋̋̂̚͜ ̸͓̬̗͙̘͓̫̖͖̇̎͌̍̉̓̇͊̕̚͘m̸̤̦͖̟̪̓y̴̨̪̦̘̖̘͔̻͈̮̋̃̈́͐ͅ ̴̠̠͓̜̈̅͊̉̾̂̀̊͝��̮̰d̸̛̝̋̌͌̑͛͂̉͋̌͝e̵̘̖͇̥͙̊̀̈͛̎͋̈͗́͊͘ͅa̷̭̹̘̖̗̫̱̮͛̐͝ͅŗ̶̬̻͕̓ę̴̻̱̥̄̈̈́̏s̸̮̉̓͂̐̈̀̅̈́̕t̸̢̢̰͙̪̥͔̘͉͙̋̈̃̀̈́̅ ̸͇̹̘̺̫͓̲͔̣͑̉W̶̝͙̱͇͉̥̬͇̽̔̉ì̷̢̨͈͓̟̮͖̞̪̠̹̅̈́̂̒̀̕n̶̢̨̬͚͕̟̻͙͙̾̂̊̍̇̉̎͛̿̕d̸̼̮̮̮̳̜̾͛́̽̇b̴̮̎̽̆̄͛́̽l̴̛͓̓͌̉́͝͝ŭ̴̓̓͗̒́̈́̈̂͜m̶̛̛̛͔̯͔͎̣͕̩̙̊̉̈̊̕͜͝e̶̼̰͙͚̗̪̙̮̓̑̀͒̎̂̑̿̚ͅ,̵̲̭̘̬̟̻͇̊̏̀̇͒́̎͌ ̵̛̟͍̮͉̮͒̅̃͗̓̕̚͝͝n̷͍̲͉͉̤͔̥̮̞̼͐͐͜͝ò̵̝̂̐̎̐̚ ̵̧̢̮̹̣͈̦͉̻͘m̵̡̧͚̟̗̯̗̩̥̫̦̈́̍̃a̷͎̪͎̬͕͔̜̮̠̒͌̆͐̏̌̈́̄͜͝͝t̵̡͚̬̰͓͍͈̱͋̅́͌̊̌́͝ť̵̨͈̹͈̦͕̬̽̈̿̋̃̍̊̉̃ê̴̢̛̟̺̰̈́͂̈̽̍͐̓̆͘r̴̢̲̝̀̈̀͝ ̵̢̥̗̹͍͔̘̙͔̀w̴̤̻̣̅̐̈̀͊͋́͐͘͝ͅh̶̘̥̟̖͎̦͖̬͛̎̐̎͛a̵̛̲͎̬̼̫̳͑̆̆͝t̶̨̛̘̗̪͔̭̥̀̐.̶̼̗̓̎̽̇̑̆͛͠

[valeriianz]

hi! in the spirit of Dreamling Week, here is an updated masterlist, now with clickable links to tags to follow along with a series :) welcome to my corner of the fandom, where it's predominantly human aus!

in time, all of my fics will be transferred to Ao3, so if you're interested in that, follow along here! this list will (finally) include (some) links to fics ive tagged on in reblogs that i usually ignore... but not this time! :'D Everything here is complete unless otherwise stated: (wip)

G - T Rated:

tepid - 1.3k canon, Dream can get sleepy, too

Stay - 1.7k hurt/comfort, vague mafia vibes

the date that never ended - 1.2k humor, established relationship

You Know How That Thrills Me - 2.2k The Devil Wears Prada AU, + blog tag which includes fanart, here!

savvy? - 1.2k pirate au! Hob rescues Dream

daydream - 1.1k fake dating, UST, fitting room pining

Exit Wounds - 2.1k hurt/no comfort, infidelity, angst

call me back for more - 2k NYE, strangers to lovers, sexual tension

scratch a little itch - 5.6k neighbors, pastry chef!Dream and professor!Hob

The magic of the mistletoe - xmas fic, canon

Hob grieves over Dream - canon, vague comic spoilers, angst

Cowboy AU (snippet) - aka Charro!Dream, Mexican rodeo vibes + blog tag with lots of art and collaborators :)

spin the bottle - highschool setting, friends to lovers

Reason in the Noise - 3k+ (wip) musician!Dream, companion piece to Bolt in the Blue (but can be read as a standalone)

Retired!Dream with facial hair along with part 2! - canon(ish), domestic, light spice

The Parent Trap AU and part 2! - loosely inspired by the film.

Hob walks in on Dream dancing - musician!Hob and Dream dancing to his music. marshmallow fluff.

Personal Chef!Hob, single dad Dream - what it says on the tin, part two here! and my 'chef Hob au' tag full of art and recipes!

NYE and slightly possessive Hob - another obligatory New Years Eve fic

The Proposal AU and also a part two! - a couple silly romcom things in collaboration with valiantstarlights here's the tag for it!

Bday fic for ambarden - the night before college graduation, pining,

Road Trip - the start of an idea...

ASMR youtuber!Dream - an add on... Hob is a fan. meet cute

Hard of Hearing Dream - pining, bittersweet, friends to lovers

Spicy/NSFW fics under the cut!

M - E Rated:

Bolt in the Blue - 102k+ (wip) the epic band au, slice of life, fluff, touring. see everything related to this fic in the tag fic: bolt in the blue

skipping breakfast - 667w domestic and a lil spicy

obsession - 1.6k canon, making out on the dancefloor

Fin de siècle - 3.2k vampire hunter!Hob and vampire!Dream

parked - 1.1k canon, car sex, PDA

tease - 1.3k Dream has a vulva, Hob fingers him in a car

ushy gushy pussy Dream - and he refuses to get off Hob's cock

Mr. Gadling's Bodyguard - 11.7k The Hitman's Bodyguard AU, action, humor... second chapter does not relate to the film at all and is just smut

Savory & Sweet - 6k+ (wip) restaurant au, unhinged behavior

Let Me Down Easy - 21k photographer!Hob and model!Dream but they're exes. angst with a happy ending

never enough - 7.3k friends to lovers, love confessions, mutual pining

turn the lights off - 3.3k phone sex, side fic inspired by by the minute by issylra

kiss me properly (and pull me apart) - 4.2k Hob wears a butt plug all day (lol) inspired by this incredible art by messmonte

Dream stepping on Hob - power imbalance, PWP

Bathtub shenanigans - a bit of relaxation ;)

Hob as Sexy Santa - and Dream can't handle it

Celebrity Dream and his normie bf Hob - inspired by that 3am photo of Ferdie looking all sweaty and disheveled

One of Your Girls AU - an ask fic/prompt i sent to Gabe and she added on <3

Let Me Down Easy [deleted scene] - they get frisky the morning after

Dream can feel Hob's lewd daydreams

Bi-curious Dream - basically a summary/headcanon of what i think Dream having his bi awakening with Hob would be like. and then hardly-an-escape went and wrote a full ass fic about it. but im counting this anyway lmao

#my writing

btw i am so sorry, yes i did give up on including the word count. i just... gave up. but everything without a word count is most likely under 1.5k.

[gingerteawrites]

Dangerous man - Nanami Kento and Gojo Satoru

A/N: Inspired by this fanart I saw last night. This is a bit different in terms of my usual writing content, but I hope you enjoy it.

Content: female reader, Gojo x reader, Nanami x reader.

Stepping into the room, you felt your heart thrum with enthusiasm. Finding a jazz lounge in your area that opened at a time you were free to go had been the highlight of your week. Sure, the place was a bit out of the way and not very frequented... But that was beside the point! You were here, that is all that mattered.

The velvet dress that had been collecting dust in your closet finally got its time to shine. The snug material hugging your body in all the right places, hoping to fit into the aesthetic.

In spite of your anticipation, though, you were not fully prepared for the lounge to feel so bewitching. From the maroon lighting that painted the whole area in a dangerously seductive sheen, to the noir jazz being played by the small ensemble on stage. You had somehow stepped foot into a different world. One which only made your heart race with more anticipation for the night to unfold.

You were already enthralled by the ambiance. But something managed to grip your attention even more. The sight of two men you spotted while looking for a seat. They sat almost inconspicuously in a corner, where the light dimmed considerably. One blonde and the other white-haired, sipping languidly on their drinks while in a hushed conversation.

Now sat on a stool at the bar, you ordered a drink, telling yourself that it was impolite to stare. But neither your heart nor your eyes heeded reprimand. The men's suits and pristinely done hair gave off an aura of importance, but the serious expression they donned were straight out menacing. Menacingly alluring. They looked like danger. And for one like you, who tried your best in life to stay out of it, the pull you felt towards them was as foreign as it was exhilarating.

You shifted in the small bar's stool, drink in hand, and turned to face the stage, willing your eyes to focus on the female singer who crooned a sensual tune.

This is why you were here. To enjoy the music and forget the stress of your usual life. To cosplay a person whose duties were not squeezing the life out of her. Maybe that was why you were so intrigued by the men. Indeed, you concluded, your mind just wanted a distraction.

The singer's tone and the gentle swirl of instruments finally lulled your thoughts into semi-tranquility, and your body into a slow sway, tasting the fruity mix of your drink slide down your tongue with every sip.

Her set ended, and you set your now empty glass down, clapping as she exited the stage and sent an appreciative smile your way. You returned the grin and turned to order another drink, but failed to register the presence of one imposing figure who had made his way over to you.

"Incredible performance," the blonde man commented, somehow seating on the stool to your right. The sweet musk of patchouli invaded your senses before your eyes had the chance to find its owner. You startled a bit, but composed yourself.

"Yes it was fantastic. She's a beautiful singer." You spun in your chair to face the bar, ready to call the barista over.

"Oh but I must say," his white haired companion leaned in from the seat on your left.

How on earth had you not noticed him getting closer too? You felt surrounded, but instead of panic, thrill ran through your veins.

"Her beauty pales in comparison to yours." His honeyed voice drifted over you, azure eyes catching yours with electrifying intensity.

Your averted your eyes from his smothering gaze, unable to hide your fluster. You heard the blonde man click his tongue in admonition.

"Satoru," to which his friend responded with a brief chuckle.

"My name is Nanami Kento, miss." He slipped his hand into yours. The man brought it to his mouth, hazel eyes not leaving yours as his lips gently grazed your skin.

You could hear your heartbeat loud in your ears, your skin erupting into goosebumps when his touch left your body.

His friend, whom you now knew as Satoru chuckled, calling your attention back to him. The intensity behind his eyes remained, quickly directed at the other man before they returned to you. "And what is your name, pretty lady?"

"___" You watched them repeat it, as if tasting your name on their tongues. You had never heard it sound so alluring. Like everything about them.

"So, gentlemen," you forced yourself to focus, "what brings you here?" Your eyes fleeted between the two, noting their loosened ties. The next combo took their place on stage, the slow drag of the clarinet introducing the next piece.

Satoru chuckled, leaning into you so that his lips were only a few paces from your ear. "It matters not what brings us here," he whispered, his breath tickling the exposed skin of your neck.

Kento tilted his head, swirling a glass of whiskey in his hand. You did not even notice when he had a chance to order it. "What matters is where we go from here," His smooth voice almost sounded like part of the song's arrangement.

The music faded to the background and you examined the two men who flanked you. All of their attention focused on you.

What struck you was the oddity of the encounter. There was a sense of lurking danger around them. From the way they had so swiftly surrounded you. To how no one had approached the bar since they found your side. Something in your brain told you to find a way out, but then again their mere presence was oh so intoxicating.

"What do you say, beautiful?" Satoru's smirk widened as he extended a hand, palm up.

"The music is sweeter with company, yeah?"

Would you take his hand, and join them for perhaps the most memorable night of your life?

This was so much fun to write, hehe. I love the idea of having a mysterious encounter at a jazz lounge. It reminds me of the song a night to remember by laufey and beabadoobee. Please let me know how you liked it!

Reblogs and comments are much appreciated (❁´◡`❁)

[astral--horrorshow]

Red Snow - Platonic Yandere Mud Dogs x GN Reader

A/N: Happy spooky month, everyone!! This is the first of two stories I'm going to release for October. They're based off of horror/thriller media, and credit to @yandere-toons for the inspiration of merging a horror movie with a yandere scenario with their Invader Zim story!

This story is based off of the film "No Exit", and even though the protag in the film and this share the same name, they aren't the same, that's a just a coincidence.

Try to guess what the second story is based off of! Here's a hint: It most likely served as inspiration for a nordic horror game that's getting a third installment in 2024!!

If anyone wants to draw fanart based off of this story or take any sort of inspiration based off of it, please feel free!! I'd be happy to see anything you make!

Her: You better not be writing a 6000+ fanfic for characters who only had 5 minutes of screentime when I get there!

Me:

~

Warning: This story is meant for entertainment purposes only and not meant to romanticize or encourage any of the behaviors found in it.

TW: a gun, blood, kidnapping, restraints, semi infantilizism, being struck, hinted fear mongering, slight gore, death, this is strictly platonic

Word Count: 6246

Summary: Darby is stranded at a rest stop in a snowstorm with 5 complete strangers when they unveil a chilling discovery.

~

Darby wrapped their hands around the mug of coffee, warming their hands up through their fur. They sighed in relief as they began to feel their fingers again, the snow melting.

A snowstorm raged outside, beating against the windows of the rest stop and coating them with layer after layer of dull frost. Looking around, Darby swallowed hard as they took a nervous glance at the people they would be sharing the rest stop with for the foreseeable future. Three other yōkai shared the table in the center of the room with them, with a fourth napping in the corner of the room, and another making himself a cup of coffee. Their hand instinctively drifted to the pocket on their jeans, attempting to soothe their nerves by rubbing the denim-covered contents. The air was thick and hard to breathe in, not with Darby’s nerves.

“What’s your name, kid?”

The cat yōkai jolted, yanking their hand away from their pocket and staring at the bat yōkai from across the table. “Sorry?” They breathed out, trying to regain the air in their lungs.

“I said, what’s your name?”

“Oh! Oh. Darby, sorry…”

“Nothing to apologize for,” the bat said, reaching up and scratching his big ear, “But you’ll want to get used to me. We’ll be here for a while.

Darby swallowed again, and nodded. The bat gave a half-smile to them, and spoke again.

“I’m Rafferty, and this is my wife-”

“Juane,” the borzoi yōkai next to him butted in.

“Right, Juane,” Rafferty turned to the eel on Darby’s right and opened his mouth, but the eel beat him to it.

“I’m Mickey!” He said, cheerfully.

“Well, hello, Mickey.” Juane said, staring at him with a turned head. Mickey grinned at her, which unsettled Darby. In fact, all of the yōkai in that room freaked them out. They didn’t know what it was. Maybe it was the way Juane’s eyes seemed to stare at them from behind her long snout, maybe it was Rafferty’s intimidating aura or Mickey’s freaky grin.

Everyone sat in near-silence again, the sound of the coffee maker and the snowstorm being the only companion to the yōkai’s ears. Mickey looked like he wanted to say something, but he took a glance at the rat making the coffee, and kept his mouth shut. Darby took notice of this, and an uneasy feeling burrowed into their stomach. Maybe they were overthinking it, but maybe not. Why would Mickey stop himself from talking after looking at a stranger?

Darby clutched their knees. They needed to be away from people, to clear their head. They stood up from the table, the grating sound of the chair scooting back on the hardwood making them internally wince. They half-stumbled to the bathroom, unaware of the burning stare boring into their back.

Inside the bathroom, Darby pulled out their phone to find it had no service. Even though they were expecting it, being in a rest stop in the middle of nowhere with a snowstorm raging outside, they still groaned. The thought of being completely stranded with the unsettling strangers that they had just met made them feel sick. They buried their head in their hands, taking a deep breath. Maybe they could get some service outside. They needed to get away from all of that thick air, anyways.

Darby trekked out of the bathroom, not sparing even a passing glance at the other yōkai while they walked towards the doors. They pushed the doors open, the frigid air drawing all heat from their body and bits of ice pelting their coat and nose. They didn’t mind. It was freeing. Refreshing, even. Their boots crunched against the snow as they took their phone out of the pocket of their olive green jacket, holding up like a flare in hopes of getting at least a single bar. They tramped around in the thick snow, trying not to let go of their phone by gripping as tight as they could with their quickly numbing fingers.

A metallic-sounding thud barley pierced Darby’s ears through the vociferous whistling of the storm, but they heard it, nonetheless. There was another thud, and Darby snapped their head towards the vehicle it came from, a large, dark van.

Darby lowered their phone and stumbled towards the van, glancing back at the rest stop windows. Nobody had moved or was looking at them. They jumped behind the van, standing at its back doors. One of the windows had been covered up with something, but the other one had only snow as its curtain. They wiped away the snow with their hand, and immediately jumped back.

There was a human in the van.

Your arms and shins were tightly bound together with rope, and a gag covered your mouth. You banged on the window with your arms and Darby could hear you whimper as they stumbled back in shock. Shaking off their surprise, they turned back to the window again to make sure that nobody was looking, and threw themselves to the door window.

“Hey, hey, I’m gonna get you out of here, alright? I’m gonna help you, you’re gonna be okay.”

You continued to whimper, attempting to open the van doors with your bound and mittened hands to no avail. Darby tried the doors, too. Locked.

Darby panted in fear, eyes widening when they glanced back at the window and saw a figure standing tall with their back turned. Darby practically leaped to the other side of the van, pressing their back to it and holding their hand up to their chest, feeling their heart beating fast. They didn’t want to believe that they were in this situation, that they were dreaming, or hallucinating.

Taking a deep breath, they attempted to calm their nerves. They only had to play it cool until they could get help. But who knows how long that would be? And they didn’t even know who the van even belonged to! Everyone in there was an equal suspect, and Darby didn’t even know the other two’s names! They groaned and tugged on their ears. The cat yōkai couldn’t just pull you out, but there had to be a way to help, there had to!

Darby smoothed some of the frazzled fur on their head and took another breath. It was going to be hard, but playing cool was their only option until they could deduce who the owner of the van was, or at least get one bar of service. They walked back to the rest stop, holding their phone above their head again.

They tucked it back into their pocket when they opened the doors, swallowing the lump in their throat when they saw the two other yōkai, now sitting at the table. The rat decked out in purple smiled at Darby as they walked inside with what might’ve been a warm smile if he didn’t have such an air of coldness to him. Darby tried their best to smile at him back, though it probably looked more like a grimace. They didn’t smile much, anyways.

They sat back down in their chair, taking in the sight of playing cards on the table and the scent of cheap instant coffee wafting in the air. “Well, hello,” the rat said in a friendly tone, “It looks like we have everyone here! My name’s Danny.”

He reached a hand out to Darby, and they gingerly shook it. “Darby…”

Though the ogre yōkai to the right of Danny was sitting at the table with everyone else, he didn’t make any move to speak, focusing more on the deck of cards in his hands, which he was shuffling with his thick fingers. Darby eyed him nervously. Silent and sullen-seeming, he might’ve been the type to hide a human in his van, but Darby stopped themself from making any assumptions. If there was one thing their mother taught them, it’s that one can’t judge from feeling alone. Darby knew plenty of quiet and sullen people, including themself. That didn’t mean that they had a human in their car. The snake in the grass could be any one of the people they shared the table with.

“So, where are you all headed?”

Rafferty struck up conversation again, glancing around at everyone. “I’m headed to Shimmering Isle with Juane.”

“I’m going to the Enclave. Don’t you just need a change of scenery every once in a while?” Danny said, raising his coffee cup up to his mouth.

“That’s neat, son. And where are you headed, Darby?”

Darby’s throat went dry as they opened their mouth to speak, eyes darting around the room as they tried to think up a place for them to say. They just wanted to get away from the Hidden City, they didn’t realize they would have to lie to a stranger about it.

Luckily for them, Danny spilled his coffee on Mickey, and luckily for Mickey, it was only lukewarm at that point. Still, he groaned when the dark liquid stained his bright orange t-shirt and ran down his tail. Danny apologized profusely, but it didn’t seem genuine to Darby. Maybe not to Mickey, either, as he was glaring at Danny like he had just defaced a priceless family heirloom.

Darby took advantage of the commotion and slipped inside the bathroom again, looking around for a window or a back door until they saw a big hole covered up with a piece of flimsy plywood. They grabbed a crowbar near the hole, and pried it open with some effort. They rushed back to the van and slipped the edge of the crowbar between the cracks of the passenger seat door, prying it open, too.

The cat yōkai crawled inside the car and closed the door behind them, practically diving to you. They lifted up your head gently, awkwardly petting it with their other hand in an attempt to soothe your cries and whimpers from behind your gag. “Hey, it’ll be fine, it’ll be fine,” they repeated like a mantra, trying to convince themselves more than you. “My name is Darby, and I’m gonna get us out of here, okay? We’re gonna get out here.”

Darby grabbed the side of your gag, attempting to pull it off when they heard the driver’s side handle jiggling, whoever was attempting to open it was having a hard time. Darby’s eyes widened, and their eyes darted around to find a hiding place. Spotting a pile of blankets in the corner right behind the driver’s seat, they slipped under it, tucking the crowbar in, pulling their legs in and internally praying that their ears didn’t stick out.

The door opened, and someone slid into the front seat. Yanking the door shut, Mickey’s voice muttered angrily.

“You could’ve just tapped me, you could’ve done ANYTHING but spill coffee on me! Man, this is totally gonna stain!”

Tears ran down your face as you craned your neck to gaze up at Mickey, curling into yourself on the floor. He heard your sniffles and looked down at you, his face now set in gentle confusion and concern instead of the death glare he sported merely a moment ago. “Oh, sorry, little pike. I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said, “It’s just- Danny can be such an a-” Mickey cut himself off, taking a deep, shaky breath. “Danny can be very mean… sometimes.”

He said this through gritted teeth, as though it was physically painful for him to talk in the way one would to a kindergartener. He ran his arm over the fin on the top of his head, closing his eyes. “Oh, yeah!” He exclaimed, opening his eyes again, “I’m supposed to be checking on you. Are you okay?” He took notice of your puffy eyes and shaky breaths, “You don’t look so good-”

MIckey halted his sentence, his eyes widening as he looked at the uncovered back window and the piece of cardboard near your feet, “What the hell?! Did you do that?!” He pulled himself into the back, scrambling towards the door. He snatched the cardboard up from the floor and put it back on the window before turning back around to you. “We told you not to touch the windows!”

You started to sob again, eyes shutting tightly as you curled up into yourself. “Hey, hey, hey, don’t cry. You’re gonna be okay.” Mickey switched back to his gentle tone, petting your head with his arm, “Trust me, things’ll get a lot better when we get to Jadetown.” He said this while using his other arm to reach into one of the many boxes in the van, pulling out a shirt exactly like the one he was wearing, except that it didn’t have a coffee stain on it. He pulled off his black coat, inspecting the stormy fur that lined the hood to see if there was any trace of coffee on it, and set it aside to change his shirt.

After Mickey pulled his coat back on, he grinned at you and petted your head again. “I have to go back inside now, people’ll think I’ve died, haha!” He clambered back into the driver's seat and got out of the van. He slithered towards the rest stop again, pulling his jacket closer around him. Mickey wasn’t paying attention to the world in front of him, as always, so it was a surprise when he bumped into the chest of Leonard, with Danny behind him. If looks could kill, the ogre yōkai would have a bigger body count than he already had, but it wasn’t directed at Mickey, no, he was glaring at their van. The eel looked back at him and the van, confused.

“What is it, Len?” Mickey asked, “Is there a scratch on the paint, or-”

“No, there isn’t a scratch!” Leonard snarled, “Where’s the cat?”

Mickey looked back to the van, eyes shooting towards the bootprints leading towards its back door.

~

Once they were sure that Mickey was back inside, Darby slipped out of it again, and rushed over to you again. This time, they were able to take off your gag, and you coughed and cried and took shaky, deep breaths as though your head had just been let up out of a bucket of water. Darby lifted your head up, wrapping an arm around your back in support.

“What did he mean by ‘we’? Are there other people with him?”

You let out another sob, “Yes, yes, yes- Please, please help me…” You spoke incoherently after you has answered Darby’s question, but their blood ran cold as they looked up and saw three figures standing outside of the rest stop door, their stares rapt on the van. Darby’s fur stood up on end, and after they stumbled back, tipping a few boxes over mistakenly, they pulled open the back door and fell into the snow. They scrambled into the surrounding forest, hoping to loop back while your kidnappers were distracted.

You felt the hope that you would be saved disappear with Darby into the trees, tears flowing from your eyes and down your face in grief for your potential freedom. The harsh wind from the open door felt bitterly cold. The sliding door on the side of the van was yanked open by Leonard, who looked at the open back door and the objects littered around the van from Darby’s getaway. He seethed in anger, clenching his fist. “Mickey, come with me. Danny, stay here.” As he and Mickey ran off after the cat yōkai who could ruin everything for them, Danny got into the back of the van and closed all the doors. After he re-fastened the gag around your mouth, he pet your cheek and smiled.

Darby stumbled through the trees, pushing branches out of their way and trying not to trip over roots and rocks hidden under the heavy snow. They heard shouting behind them, along with the faint sound of a pair of footsteps that weren’t their own and what sounded like something being dragged across the snow.

The farther they ran, the harder it was for them to keep their balance. They nearly slipped with every step, but they refused to let themself give up. If those criminals caught them, they would be as good as dead. Darby started to practically climb up the hill, seeing the distant light from the rest stop glowing above their head. The running and shouting was getting closer, “Get back here! You’ll ruin everything!”

They ignored every word the ogre and the eel shouted at them, only focused on their goal; get back to the stop and tell Rafferty and Juane what was going on. That was the only way they would have even a sliver of a chance saving you. The light grew brighter, they were almost there! But anything that seems too good to be true usually is, for the moment they caught a glimpse of the roof, Danny jumped in front of them from seemingly nowhere, making them stumble back.

The back of their boot snagged on a root hidden deep beneath the glimmering snow, but instead of falling back on the hill and landing upside-down, they started to roll down the hill, getting face-full after face-full of dirt, leaves, and snow. Leonard reached out to grab them, but they knocked him over so that he started to roll, too.

Darby and Leonard hit a tree, hard. It knocked the wind out of Darby’s lungs, but Leonard was able to recover faster. Darby opened their swirling eyes and saw a gun slipping out of the inside pocket of Leonard’s jacket as he was reaching out for them. Just as it fell out, they shot their hand out and gripped it like their life depended on it, which it did.

Quickly regaining their senses, Darby pushed themself back with their feet, taking advantage of Leonard’s shock to stand up and point the gun in front of them, shifting its aim between Danny, Mickey, and Leonard, who had stood up and was closing in on them with the other two.

“Come on, kid,” Danny said, “We don’t want trouble. Hand over the gun and keep your mouth shut, and nothing bad will happen to you.”

“I’m not an idiot, don’t lie to me!” Darby said, voice raised, “Stay away, or I’ll shoot you. I’ll do it!”

Danny honed in on the way they were holding the gun, and scoffed internally. They didn’t know how to use that thing. If he were to run out and grab it, he would’ve been able to push them into the stream aways down before they figured out where the trigger was.

“No, you won’t. Come on, we want to get out of here just as much as you do.”

“I bet you do. Why do you have a human?”

“It’s impolite to ask about other people’s business, dear,” he condescended, taking tiny steps forwards.

“It’s everyone’s business if you have it tied up!”

“You don’t know anything!” Leonard yelled, making Darby jump.

The moment the cat's eyes flitted away from him, Danny lunged at them. The two struggled with the gun for a few seconds before it fired into the snow, startling everyone. Darby pushed the rat off of them and made a mad dash towards the top, going as twice as fast as they had before. Crashing footsteps sounded through the forest, but this time, only in the forest. There was no fourth accomplice waiting to grab them at the stop, so they made it safely into the rest stop again, slamming the glass doors behind them. Rafferty and Juane stared at them, apt confusion on both of their faces.

“What’s wrong, Darby? What’s going on?”

The cat was out of breath, holding their hand up to their chest and wheezing. “Dan, Mick, Leonard-”

“What about them-” Rafferty began to inquire, but cut himself off at the sight of the aforementioned yōkai nearing the door, each with a menacing look and a weapon in their hand. Darby turned to face them and wondered, did they get the other two from the truck? They probably did, Darby thought, but shook their head. It wasn’t important where they got the weapons when they were closing in like a kettle of vultures to roadkill.

“What are they doing, Darby?” Juane asked, holding on to her husband's arm as they backed up out of their seats.

“They have a human tied up in their van, and they know I know it.”

The two elder yōkai gasped, holding on to each other tighter. “What are we going to do?” Juane asked, “I haven’t fought since-”

“No, no. Go hide.” Darby interrupted, “I started this. I’ll finish it.”

Rafferty and Juane looked at each other for a moment, then nodded. Darby continued to stare down the approaching criminals as the sound of swift footsteps faded behind them. Each of them had a murderous look on their face.

As they got closer and closer, Darby realized something. They had no weapon of their own. They left the crowbar in the van, and even if they did have it, they were facing three yōkai that had probably killed before. Darby never once won a schoolyard fight, what made them think they could take on three criminals? They backed up as they thought of the foolishness of their plan, mentally berating themself for their impulsiveness.

This was all their fault. They were going to be murdered, then Rafferty and Juane would probably be found and face the same fate. Then you would get carted off to who-knows-where and be subjected to who-knows-what. For the first time in months, tears welled up in Darby’s eyes as they stumbled backwards and hit the wall.

~

You squirmed across the floor towards the pile of blankets in the corner that Darby had taken refuge under. None of your captors has time to search the van. You shoved your bound arms under the blanket, feeling up and down until your hands hit the cold piece of metal. You grabbed it, and tried to tug on the knot of your ropes with the end of it as hard you could.

Minutes passed with barely any results, and you were about to give up when you felt the grip the ropes had on your arms loosen. Your soul rose and flew, and you continued to tug until they had slipped off. You pushed yourself up and started to practically throw every restraint off, cradling yourself once you threw the ropes and the gag far away from you.

The only thing you wanted to do was curl up and cry, but you had already done enough of that the past few days. You had to get out of here, maybe Darby was still alive. Maybe they were still around. Probably not, you thought to yourself. If they were fast, the Mud Dogs were faster. The last time you had tried to run, they had caught you in under a minute. But maybe there were still other people who could help you. You had been drilled countless times about how no other yōkai would like humans as much, but this could be your last chance. If they had made it to Jadetown, who knows when you would be allowed outside again? They did say they had to lay low for a while, you heard them arguing about it.

Shaking off your fears, you crawled into the driver's seat and opened the door, falling face-first into the snow. You stood on your wobbly legs and stumbled to the hood of the truck, where you saw the wide-open doors of the building your captors were in, and a bullet going into your would-be savior's head. Blood and flesh splattered all over the dark wood of the walls, and you suppressed a scream.

You fell backwards into the snow, putting a hand over your mouth and scooting away. You couldn’t find the strength to stand up. You took a glance around the parking lot. There were definitely more than two cars, but who did they belong to? You couldn’t see or hear anyone else in the building. You didn’t think they were dead. You would’ve heard screaming or a gunshot or-

You broke yourself out of your thoughts. Now wasn’t the time to worry about that. You needed to get away. If one of them turned around, your freedom would come to an end. No, you had to get into the woods. At least you could be a little concealed there. Then you could figure out what to do.

With newfound confidence and adrenaline, you made yourself stand up again. You glanced around, and saw the entrance to a hiking trail 30 yards away from you. Trying to be as quiet as possible, you stumbled to the trail, heading into more darkness.

~

The Mud Dogs walked out of the bathroom, having killed the other two yōkai that were in there and washing the blood off of their faces and hands. Leonard smoothed his hair, closing his eyes and taking a breath. It had been a long night. First, the storm. Then Darby came along. He growled at the thought of them, trying to hold himself back from kicking their body. This was all their fault. They had to lay low, and the cat almost ruined everything. He sighed. There was no use hanging up on it.

“Why is the van door open?”

Leonard and Danny snapped up at Mickey’s question, honing in on the parking lot. He was right, it was open. Tiny footsteps led to the side, going off into the forest. Leonard froze. You didn’t.

You did.

When the Mud Dogs ran out and opened the van, you were nowhere to be found. Your restraints were on the floor with a crowbar. Leonard barely bit back his scream of anger. All of the trouble they went through tonight, and now you had run off into the snowy woods without proper clothes and you were going to freeze to death if they didn’t find you on time. Just wonderful.

The three ran after your footsteps into the woods, Leonard ordering Mickey to go right after it had gotten too dark to see the forest floor. Leonard and Danny tramped forwards, pushing branches aside and keeping their ears open for any noises over the snowstorm. Danny groaned internally. Out of all the things to forget back in the Hidden City, why did it have to be the flashlight?

“Dollface! Come back!” Danny shouted, his voice echoing off the trees.

“There’s no use in yelling, Danny. They’re not going to come to us no matter how cold they are.”

“Well, at least I’m trying.” Danny mumbled, feeling his feet numb through his boots, “Maybe Mickey found them…”

“He would’ve yelled for us. Go left, I’ll keep going on ahead. They couldn't have gone far.”

You dragged your numb feet through the deep snow, trying to stay awake. The snow had soaked through your socks, which were worse-for-wear. You tried to keep yourself optimistic in spite of your numb hands and feet and exhausted mind and body. All you needed to do was make it to a road, or a house, or someone who wasn’t a criminal. That was all you…

You fell to your knees, throwing your hands in front of you to stop your nose from hitting the ground. You could barely hold yourself up, your arms shaking from weakness and the cold. Snow and ice whipped at your face, making you somehow sting and feel numb at the same time. Your attempts to push yourself up were in vain, as you fell into the snow the moment you lifted your arms. You could only turn your head to the side to avoid suffocating in the snow, and nothing else. Your thoughts felt foggy and the snow twisted to swirls in your vision. You were so cold. So tired. You just wanted to go home.

~

Danny called out your name, his ears twitching for any sort of answer or noise. Along with his insane worry, he also held anger at you. How could you do this to them? Why didn’t you just stay put?

“Hey, I found them!”

Mickey’s shout rang throughout the woods, and Danny ran towards the sound of his voice. Leonard was already there, kneeling towards your unconscious body and hoisting you off of the ground, feeling your pulse.

“Are they alive?” Danny asked, feeling his heart sink to his stomach.

“Yeah, they are, but they’re freezing. Let’s get them by that heater.”

They sped off towards the rest stop, Leonard carrying you in his arms. They reached the indoors, Mickey closing the doors behind them after he had retrieved a few lengths of rope from the van. Leonard pulled a chair in front of the heater on the left side of the room, setting you down in it. Mickey tied your arms and legs to the chair’s own limbs, making sure to tighten them to the point where you were sure to have bruises on your skin if you struggled.

Leonard cast off his jacket and threw it over you, making sure that your practically frozen fingers and feet still faced the heater. As mad as he was at you, he wouldn’t go so far as to cause body parts to fall off. He sank into a chair, leaning back and closing his eyes. It had been a long night. They just needed to sit for a while.

Danny clenched his hands around his chair, his sharp nails digging into the wood. They needed to keep you on a tighter leash. Look what you did the moment they took their eyes off of you. It was all the cat's fault. You had already gotten worked up, all antsy inside the van. Their little intervention didn’t do you any favors. Danny steeled himself. They learned something from this. You were going to learn something from this. It had been about a month since they had taken you in, and you still didn’t realize how much they cared for you. He gripped the seat in anger again. Ungrateful brat.

Mickey was grabbing random objects on the other side of the room to electrocute until they were either crispy or ash, the smell of burning filling the room. He threw his debris to the side before continuing on something else. Leonard turned his head towards his teal cohort. “Mickey! Stop that!”

Mickey gave him a death stare, but ceased his violence towards inanimate objects. He slithered over to a chair and crossed his arms, like a kid who was forced to go to their siblings piano recital.

Leonard rubbed his face with his hands. They still needed to take care of you, even if you had run off. What was the point in saving you if they didn’t take care of you afterwards? And besides, the last thing they needed was for you to get sick. Danny was the only one who really knew how to care of a sick person, and he would be fuming at you for a few days, at the very least.

He walked to the counter, taking a TV dinner and shoving it into the microwave. Once it was done, he took it out and walked over to you, pulling up a chair and sitting across from you. He grabbed your shoulder and shook you until your bleary eyes opened to a sliver.

The light was blinding after being stuck in a dark van for so long. You closed them again, but Leonard shook you again.

“Wake up,” He said.

Your entire body felt hot and cold at the same time, truly punctuating your discomfort. You were shivering and your head hurt something awful. Leonard poked a spoon against your lips. “Eat.”

You had refused to eat early in your captivity. It didn’t go well. The thought of having food shoved down your throat made you want to gag, so you opened your mouth and ate the food you were offered. You had to admit, it made you hurt a little less, having something in your stomach. Even if it was a crappy frozen dinner.

Leonard tossed out the plastic container, walked into the bathroom, and closed the door. You could vaguely hear the sound of a sink inside.

Just as you were about to try to sleep off the pain, Danny stood up. You watched him jerk his head towards the bathroom at Mickey, and the eel got up and went in. Danny walked towards you with a purpose in his steps and eyes, and he didn’t stop until he was right in front of you.

“How could you?” He almost whispered, the rage in his eyes apparent. “After everything we’ve done for you, how well we treat you, you still run from us?” He said, his voice raising, “What, do you think we’re not good enough, huh?”

Danny clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes at you. “You selfish, ungrateful brat. We take such good care of you, and you just spit that goodwill back in our face.” He leaned forwards and grabbed your face, his nails digging into your cheeks. “Never do this again. Even think about it, and I’ll show you just how bad I can be.”

You started to sniffle, which turned into full-on sobbing in a matter of moments. Your cries filled Danny with even more rage. How could you be the one crying? He hadn’t even done anything that was worth spilling tears over. He gritted his teeth as his mind went blind with rage. He’d give you something to cry about.

He raised his hand, and brought it down upon your cheek.

Danny took a step back from you as your sobbing stopped for a second, and came back in full force, a bright handprint now on your cheek. A wave of guilt flashed over him, but he turned away from you so he didn’t have to look at your trembling. You deserved it, he told himself over and over.

Leonard and Mickey walk back into the room a moment later, talking in hushed voices. When he hears your crying, Leonard halts and stares at you and the blooming bruise on your cheek. His eyes widen, and Mickey looks back and forth between everyone before grinning.

“Looks like Dan got to them first,” He said, and strolled back to his seat. Leonard turned his gaze on Danny’s back with clenched fists and a twitching eye. “What were you thinking?!” He snaps, “They’re already all cold and roughed up, what if you broke them?!”

Danny scoffs, his gaze focused on the wall and all the guilt seeming to wash away from him. “Oh, please. They’re not made of glass. They deserved it.”

Leonard took a deep breath. “We’ve all had a long night. Don’t make it even longer.”

Danny didn’t respond. Leonard resisted the urge to yell at him. As much as he wanted to, he had to make sure that Danny didn’t do lasting damage. He grabbed an ice pack from the freezer and approached you, pulling up a chair.

He held your chin up with one hand and held the ice pack up to your bruising cheek with the other. By then, your sobbing had turned to quiet hiccups and sniffles, and you were merely shivering instead of shaking like a leaf. Leonard didn’t show it, but concern rose in his chest. You ran, and that deserved consequences, but you were only a human. A tiny human, at that, weak and fragile. He had heard the stories. Humans could die if they went to bed wrong. Unfortunately, his cohorts didn’t know that, if he wasn’t there to stop them, they would’ve already broken you, and then what?

He sighed and looked at you. You diverted your gaze away from him as much as you could with his grip on your face. “Hey,” He almost whispered, “I’ll tell Danny to leave you alone, but if you run again, I might not be able to stop him.”

You finally faced him as he let go of your chin, and nodded. Your cheek flared in pain as it rubbed against the ice pack.

~

The Mud Dogs loaded into their van again, the approaching dawn apparent. Fresh ropes bound your arms and legs, although the gag wasn’t as tight as to not hurt your cheek. Mickey sat next to you, leaning against the wall. When you looked into the gloomy skies of the yōkai world through your glimpses of the windshield, you imagined the sun shining on your face

~

Taglist: @yanteetle @oleander-nin

[goldyluna]

@avopumpkin finish playing exit/corners. I have a fanart to post.

[thepinkpanther83]

Student Body (Pt.8 Pillow Talk)

Chapter Eight: “Pillow Talk”

Eddie Munson x Mrs. O'Donnell

Cover Fanart by ThePinkPanther83

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Read this story on AO3.

Next Chapter: Chapter Nine: “Exit Ticket” Previous Chapter: Chapter Seven: “Unlawful Detention and Other Rewards”

Click "Keep Reading" below the cut to read. 😘

Chapter Eight: “Pillow Talk”

The afternoon sunlight filtered in through the cracked blinds, casting pale stripes across the rows of desks like prison bars. Donna leaned one hip against the corner of her desk, her fingers idly drumming against the open poetry textbook in her hand.

“...and as we talked of love and chains and ghosts, he vanished… like dew.” Her voice was steady, cool and commanding, even as her eyes flicked up to meet his.

Third period. Friday. Eddie Munson’s chin was propped in one hand, but his eyes were anything but sleepy. He was watching her. No, drinking her in. Like he was memorizing the way her blouse curved at the waist, the subtle smudge of graphite on her wrist from marking essays, the soft line of her neck as she tilted her head to read. His lips twitched in a knowing, private smirk that made her thighs press together under her skirt.

He was going to ruin her.

“Page 212,” she reminded the class crisply, tearing her eyes away and trying not to feel the heat that bloomed up her chest. “Someone give me a theme that stands out.”

Muffled groans from the room. Pencils tapped. Papers rustled.

From the back corner, a voice cut through. “Isolation.”

Donna looked over. It was Trey Winslow. Lacrosse kid. Always smelled faintly of Drakkar Noir and entitlement. He said the word flatly, but his eyes flicked to Eddie, and something bitter simmered in the look.

“Good,” she said, keeping her tone even. “Why?”

Trey shrugged. “Seems like everyone’s pretending they’re part of something, but really, they’re not. Even when people say they love you, they leave.” He grinned without humor. “Unless they’re just lying.”

Eddie rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath. Trey didn’t hear, but Donna did. “Dude’s projecting harder than the AV cart.”

She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “Keep the personal therapy sessions out of the class discussion, gentlemen.”

A few students snorted.

The bell rang mercifully loud. Chairs scraped. Backpacks zipped. Donna closed the poetry book with a soft thud and began collecting papers from the front row.

“Have a good weekend, Mrs. O’Donnell,” a few students muttered as they shuffled out.

“See you Monday,” she said on autopilot.

When the room emptied, it took approximately ten seconds before she felt the shift in the air behind her.

Eddie’s arms circled her waist like clockwork, warm and familiar. “So... fourth period’s free, right?” he murmured, lips brushing against her ear.

She tilted her head away, suppressing a smile. “What are you doing?”

“Enjoying poetry.” His hand slid along her hip. “Very educational.”

“You’re going to get us caught,” she scolded, turning to face him, but didn’t move away.

He was already leaning in, hair brushing against her cheek, that smug half-grin firmly in place. “Only if you scream too loud this time.”

She slapped his chest lightly, trying not to melt. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re irresistible, so we’re even.”

His mouth found hers, all urgency and heat. Her hands gripped the front of his denim jacket as she backed up into the desk, and he followed, pressing flush against her, mouth dragging down her jaw. He started rapidly disrobing, pants lowering, shirt coming off.

They didn’t hear the door until it was already creaking open.

“Mrs. O’Donnell?”

She shoved Eddie so fast he stumbled, silently crashing on to his back behind her desk.

She straightened her blouse with both hands and turned to face the intruder, heart thundering in her chest.

Trey Winslow stood in the doorway, brows raised, a manila folder in hand.

“I, uh... I forgot my book.” His eyes darted around the room, suspicious. “Thought Munson was still in here.”

Donna forced a calm expression. “He left with everyone else.”

Trey narrowed his eyes. “Huh. Weird. Didn’t see him.”

“He must’ve slipped out fast. Was there something you needed?”

He held up the folder lazily. “Yeah. This is from Coach. Says you’re supposed to sign off on our reading logs for the eligibility list.”

“I can do that during prep,” she said, stepping forward to take it from him. Behind her desk, Eddie shifted slightly, and she heard the softest clink of a ring hitting the tile.

Trey’s eyes flicked behind her desk. “You got mice or something?”

“Probably just the heater kicking on,” she lied smoothly, clutching the folder. “Anything else?”

He didn’t move. His eyes dropped to her desk, then back to her. “Nope. Just figured if Munson didn’t leave, I’d see him crawling out the second floor window or something.”

Donna’s stomach clenched.

Trey’s mouth curled in a smile. “Guess the freak learned to fly.”

She stared him down coldly. “Have a good weekend, Mr. Winslow.”

He finally turned and walked out, letting the door creak shut behind him.

Donna didn’t move for a second. She stared at it like it might swing open again, like he’d reappear with a security officer or the damn superintendent.

Nothing happened.

Only then did she let out the breath she’d been holding.

From under the desk, Eddie’s voice piped up, low and amused. “You know, I would have jumped out the window for you. That kid’s just mad because I wouldn’t sell him weed.”

“Jesus, Eddie.” She dropped into her chair, still flushed. “You don’t take anything seriously, do you?”

He emerged like a gremlin, tugging his shirt halfway over his head. “I take you seriously,” he said simply, with a stupidly genuine smile.

She groaned, rubbing her temples. “That kid’s going to be watching us like a hawk now.”

Eddie shrugged. “Let him. Adds to the thrill.”

She shot him a look that could curdle milk. “This isn’t a game.”

He paused. “I know.”

But she could see it in his eyes- he liked the danger. The secrecy. The defiance of it all.

She used to like it too.

Now? Now it was starting to feel like walking a razor wire.

Behind her desk, Eddie shifted.

"You good, sweetheart?" His voice was a whisper, but it still made her flinch.

"Don't call me that right now."

"Okay, okay, sorry. Donna."

Another moment. She slumped further into her chair slowly, heart still pounding. "What the hell just happened?"

"You shoved me behind a desk like a dirty little secret," he said, grinning as he scooted out, trying to get his jeans back on without banging his knees. “Which- don’t get me wrong… kinda hot.”

She gave him a glare that could’ve peeled paint. "Eddie, this isn't funny. He was suspicious. He saw you still in the room when everyone else left."

"So what? He’s Trey Winslow. His whole personality is walking around with a stick up his ass and trying to get me expelled." Eddie stood, zipping up, still shirtless and flushed. “You think anyone’s gonna believe him? He probably tells people I sacrifice goats during study hall.”

Donna dragged her hands down her face. “This is serious.”

“I know.” His voice softened, and when she looked up, he was crouched in front of her chair, hands on her knees. “But it’s also not the end of the world. We didn’t get caught.”

“Yet.”

“Baby,” he said, a lazy smile spreading across his lips. “If hiding under your desk during a faculty panic spiral is the worst thing I gotta deal with today, I’m living large.”

She didn’t smile, but she let him rest his head against her thigh. He exhaled dramatically.

“Also,” he added, voice muffled by her skirt, “kinda think this is karma for every time I asked a teacher if we could have class outside. Now I’m the one who wants to be indoors, getting scolded.”

Donna groaned. “You’re incorrigible.”

“That’s not a no.”

“You’re gonna get me fired.”

“I’d visit you at your new job. I hear Waffle House is hiring.”

Her lips twitched, almost smiling. He felt it, and grinned against her.

Later that day…

By sixth period, Donna had finally managed to steady her breathing. Her hair was back in place. Her blouse was buttoned. And her internal screaming had been reduced to a quiet, manageable buzz.

Eddie, on the other hand, looked like he’d just won the damn lottery. He strolled through the hallway during passing period like a man who knew something no one else did.

Which, to be fair, he did.

She was speaking with another teacher near the office- a sharp woman named Mrs. Braverman who always wore sour lipstick and carried around a clipboard like it was a weapon, when Eddie sauntered by and leaned on Donna’s classroom doorframe. He didn’t say anything. Just smiled at her. That shit-eating, smug little smile that screamed, “I know what your moans sound like.”

Donna coughed mid-sentence and turned bright red.

Braverman narrowed her eyes.

“You okay, honey?” she asked, faux-sweet. “You look flushed.”

“Fine,” she managed. “I’m fine. Just hot in here.”

Eddie wiggled his brows and wandered off without a word.

Braverman watched him go with a sniff. “That one’s headed for prison.”

Donna gave a noncommittal laugh, trying to seem unaffected. “He’s… complicated.”

“Don’t waste your energy defending the school’s resident burnout. Besides-” Braverman leaned in slightly, voice dripping with contempt. “Have you heard about Janine in the guidance office? Apparently she’s been ‘mentoring’ one of the senior basketball players a little too closely. It’s pathetic, really. The number of teachers in this building who think screwing a student will fill whatever void they’ve got at home.”

Donna’s stomach twisted, cold and sharp.

She gave a tight nod, muttered an excuse, and walked away before she could hear anything else.

The bell shrieked for the seventh time that day, and Donna stepped into the hallway just in time to dodge a running freshman and a flying spiral notebook. The corridor was a swarm of movement- loud, twitchy energy bouncing off the walls as kids migrated from one class to another.

She hugged her attendance folder to her chest and kept her gaze ahead, mentally preparing for a meeting with Principal Higgins in ten minutes. Just enough time to walk the long way around and breathe.

She didn’t even make it ten feet before she saw him.

Eddie was leaned against a locker like a delinquent James Dean knockoff, one combat boot crossed over the other, his head tilted slightly down… watching her.

His smirk twitched like he was trying not to be obvious.

It didn’t work.

Donna's chest tightened. Her eyes darted left and right, scanning for familiar faces, unfriendly ones- Trey Winslow, Mrs. Braverman, anyone with a working sense of deduction and a personal grudge.

She gave him a quick, tiny shake of the head as she passed. It was subtle- don’t, stop, behave, but Eddie never could resist poking the metaphorical bear.

“Mrs. O’Donnell,” he drawled in a husky, lazy voice, just loud enough for her ears. “Looking stunning today.”

She felt the words hit her skin like heat. A few students turned to look.

One of them was Trey.

Her smile was brittle when she turned back toward Eddie and shot him a look that could melt vinyl. “Get to class, Mr. Munson.”

His smirk spread slowly- all teeth and trouble.

“Yes, ma’am.”

As he walked past her, he leaned in- close enough to let his breath kiss her ear. “You left your lipstick on me… wanna see where?”

Her pulse stuttered. She clenched her jaw. She didn’t look back. She couldn’t look back.

“God,” she hissed under her breath, more to herself than anyone. “He’s gonna be the death of me.”

From behind her, she heard someone mutter, “Fucking freak.”

She didn’t even know who said it.

But she felt it twist like a knife in her gut.

Eddie heard it too. His steps faltered for just a second- just long enough for Donna to notice, before he kept walking, shoulders squared, head high. But she knew him well enough now to see the tension in his jaw, the way his fingers flexed at his sides like he was resisting the urge to flip them off.

She wanted to say something. To reach out.

But the hallway was too crowded, too many eyes, too many ears.

So she watched him disappear around the corner, swallowed up by the sea of students, and exhaled sharply through her nose.

Later.

She’d find him later.

The Gymnasium - 2:15 PM

Assemblies were a nightmare. Too many bodies. Too much noise. Too many chances for something to go wrong.

Donna stood stiff-backed on the edge of the bleachers, trying to look attentive while Principal Higgins droned on about “unity” and “the privilege of public education.” Her eyes swept the student body like she was scanning for landmines. And then, there he was.

Eddie Munson, third row from the back, legs spread wide, arms crossed like a lazy throne. His Hellfire Club tee was half-hidden under his flannel. His expression? Utter disinterest.

Until he met her eyes.

It was brief. A flicker. But that flicker was enough to short-circuit her damn spine. One corner of his mouth lifted. That stupid, cocky smirk. She tore her gaze away fast enough to give herself whiplash.

God, what the hell was she doing?

She didn’t even have time to regroup before she heard Principal Higgins say her name into the microphone.

“...And I’d like to thank Mrs. O’Donnell for volunteering to assist with the Senior Recognition Committee this year.”

The applause was tepid. Donna nodded once, tight-lipped. She hadn’t volunteered. She’d been drafted. Probably by Mrs. Braverman, the walking lipstick stain of moral superiority.

While trying to make the best of a crap situation she clung harder to her attendance book. She noticed a piece of paper sticking out of it at an odd angle that looked out of place. Pulling it out and giving it a quick scan, she saw a single line of text written in a familiar masculine scrawl.

Eddie Munson: U look tense today. Want me to come up there and massage your shoulders?

She nearly dropped the damn thing. When had he snuck this into her possession?

She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. She didn’t dare look up. But she could feel his eyes on her, hot and hungry even from across the gym.

Then, like the universe wanted to make things worse, Higgins announced that the seniors were being called by row to receive their “Early Grad Readiness Packets.”

The front row stood.

Eddie stood with them.

Donna’s heart dropped into her shoes.

“Packets will be distributed by faculty,” Higgins added. “Please see your assigned table, and collect them in an orderly fashion.”

Eddie’s table? Hers.

Of course it was.

She stiffened as he approached, packet in hand, swagger dialed to eleven. She could practically hear the whispers start to ripple through the rows like a goddamn gossip infection.

“Mrs. O’Donnell,” he greeted, low and velvety. “How lovely to see you.”

“Name?” she asked, sharp.

His lips twitched. “Don’t pretend you don’t know it.”

“Munson.”

She snatched his packet from the pile and held it out. But instead of taking it, he leaned in, voice low enough only she could hear.

“You look like you wanna run.”

“I do.”

“You wanna tell me why?”

“You know why.”

His fingers brushed hers as he took the envelope, and she felt sparks.

“I didn’t say I regretted anything,” he murmured, voice like sin and smoke. “Do you?”

Donna didn’t answer. Couldn’t. Her throat was full of sand. She jerked her hand back, tried to focus on the next student in line, but her pulse was roaring in her ears.

Behind her, she could hear Trey Winslow muttering something to the guy beside him. Couldn’t catch the words. Didn’t need to. She knew the tone.

Eddie heard it too. She could tell by the way he stiffened, by the flare in his nostrils.

He didn’t do anything. Not there.

But he looked back at her once before he left the line.

And in that moment, something unspoken passed between them. A truce? A threat? A promise?

She didn’t know.

All she knew was that she couldn’t breathe right until he was gone.

And even then, she still felt him under her skin.

After School - The Parking Lot

The last bell had rung, the buses were pulling out, and Donna had successfully avoided Principal Higgins’ meeting by claiming a sudden migraine. She leaned against a brick wall, arms crossed, waiting.

She didn’t have to wait long.

Eddie’s van rolled up beside her, the engine rumbling like an overgrown beast. The passenger window rolled down, and his face appeared, grinning like he hadn’t just spent the entire afternoon making her life exponentially harder.

“Need a ride, ma’am?”

She arched a brow. “You’re insufferable.”

“And yet,” he said, popping the door open for her, “you still wanna climb in.”

She huffed, but slid into the passenger seat anyway. The van smelled like weed and leather and Eddie- warm and familiar, a scent that had started to feel like home.

He didn’t pull away immediately. Instead, he turned to face her, one arm draped over the steering wheel, his expression uncharacteristically serious.

“You okay?”

She blinked. “What?”

“Earlier. In the hall.” His fingers tapped against the wheel. “You looked like you wanted to stab someone.”

She sighed, rubbing her temples. “I did want to stab someone.”

“Trey?”

“Whoever said that shit about you.”

Eddie’s smirk returned, slow and wicked. “Aw, sweetheart. You defending my honor?”

She shoved his shoulder. “Shut up.”

He caught her wrist before she could pull away, his grip firm but gentle. His thumb traced the delicate bones there, his voice dropping into something softer.

“Don’t let it get to you. People talk shit about me all the time. It’s nothing new.”

Donna’s fingers curled slightly against his palm. “That doesn’t make it okay.”

He shrugged, but his grip tightened just a fraction. “Yeah, well. I’ve got thicker skin than most.”

She studied him- the way his dark eyes flickered with something unreadable, the way his jaw tensed again like he was biting back words.

“You shouldn’t have to,” she murmured.

Eddie exhaled sharply through his nose, then leaned in, pressing his forehead against hers. His voice dropped to a rough whisper.

“You’re the only person who’s ever given a damn about that.”

The honesty in his words hit her square in the chest.

Before she could respond, he pulled back, shifting the van into gear with a grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“So. Where to, pretty girl? My place? Yours? Somewhere we can really make bad decisions?”

Donna rolled her eyes, but the tension in her shoulders eased. “My place. Just drive, Munson.”

He winked. “Your wish is my command.”

And with that, the van rumbled forward, carrying them both away from prying eyes- toward something reckless, something real, something that felt dangerously like more.

The door clicks shut behind them and Eddie’s already toeing his boots off at the threshold like he belongs there. Like he’s done this before. Like he’ll do it again. And Donna doesn’t stop him. She drops her purse on the side table, her keys in the little ceramic bowl by the door, her fingers twitching at her sides like she doesn’t know where to put them next as she watches him remove his jackets and toss them casually onto a nearby armchair.

Eddie watches her in that way he always does when it’s just the two of them. Not in hallways. Not in classrooms. Here. Just them. He watches her like she’s something rare that wandered into his hands and he still doesn’t know if it’s going to shatter or stay.

He’s following her like a shadow that wants to consume her. He takes his time approaching, slow and easy. His voice, though- his voice doesn’t wait.

“You think I’m gonna let you sleep tonight after that little act at school?” he murmurs, crowding into her space, palms brushing up the curve of her waist like he’s checking for a weapon. “Flirting with me like we weren’t a whisper away from getting caught? Thought you were supposed to be the responsible one, Mrs. O’Donnell.”

Donna’s breath catches. She tips her head up, eyes dark.

“You were the one flirting. I was being good,” she says.

“Nah.” He leans in, lips brushing her ear. “You were being cruel.”

She shudders. And Eddie smiles.

He doesn’t kiss her- not yet. Just takes her by the wrist and leads her through the house, each step echoing in the quiet. Familiar layout now. Past the kitchen, down the hall. Into her bedroom, where the bed’s still made and the air smells faintly like lavender detergent and loneliness.

“Sit,” he tells her, voice low.

She does.

“On your knees.”

Donna hesitates. Just a flicker. But then she’s slipping from the edge of the bed onto the carpet, her skirt riding up as she moves, her hands falling to her thighs, trembling just slightly.

Eddie exhales like she just solved a problem he’s been chewing on all day.

“There we go,” he says, already undoing the fly of his jeans. “Knew you’d remember how to behave.”

She looks up at him, lips parted, eyes wide… eager. And he groans.

“Fuck, look at you. Christ, sweetheart…”

He frees his cock, then strokes himself once, twice, slow and teasing, as her gaze locks on, and he can see the way her breathing shifts, the heat creeping up her neck. She wants this. Needs it. Craves being beneath him like it’s the only place she remembers how to breathe.

“You gonna open that mouth for me like you did last weekend?” he asks, tone dipping deeper. “Or you need me to remind you how?”

Donna doesn’t speak. Just parts her lips and leans forward, her tongue flicking out to taste him, tentative only for a second before that switch flips- teacher off, woman on. She’s hungry for him, wet and warm and focused, and Eddie’s hand flies out to cradle the back of her head, not forcing, just guiding. Possessive. Gentle.

“That’s it,” he whispers. “Nice and slow, baby. Take your time. You’ve got all night.”

He rocks his hips forward just a little, just enough to feel the way she moans around him, and fuck, his knees nearly buckle, but he holds firm.

“Shit, Donna- yeah, just like that. Goddamn, I missed your mouth…”

The rhythm builds gradually, each motion matched with filthy encouragement, a velvet vice of praise and command. His fingers tighten in her hair as her hands brace on his thighs, as she pulls him deeper, as her name falls from his mouth in broken syllables.

And when he cums, it’s with a groan like a dying star collapsing- rough, reverent, wrecked.

His hand flies to the base of his cock, gripping tight and stroking in short, frantic jerks as he finishes, holding himself steady at the edge of her lips. Not pulling away- no, never that, but guiding himself through it. Milking the last throbs out with practiced pressure while his other hand holds her head in place, thumb brushing the corner of her mouth in frantic, worshipful circles.

“Yeah, baby,” he rasps, head falling back for a second before locking eyes with her again, possessed. “Swallow it for me. You’re so fuckin’ good… don’t waste a drop, c’mon.”

She obeys without hesitation, throat working around him like she’s been starved for it. And Eddie groans again, softer this time, like he’s in pain from how good it feels. From how beautiful she looks, ruined and obedient just for him.

“Goddamn… look at you,” he whispers, almost to himself. “Mouth full’a me like you were starved for it…”

He cups her jaw after, thumb stroking her cheek as she catches her breath, as he pants down at her with the kind of softness that doesn’t match the bite of his earlier tone.

“C’mere,” he murmurs, drawing her up from the floor with arms full of heat and affection. “You’re not sleeping at all tonight. Not after that.” Eddie's hands are already moving before she's fully upright- palms skimming up her thighs, fingers hooking under the hem of her skirt to drag it higher, bunching the fabric at her waist. His touch is electric, possessive, and Donna can feel the way her skin prickles in response, every nerve ending alight with anticipation.

"Still think you're the responsible one?" he murmurs, voice rough with amusement as he leans in, lips brushing the shell of her ear. His breath is hot, his words a low, teasing drawl. "Because from where I'm standing, sweetheart, you're about five seconds away from proving me right."

She shivers, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. "You're insufferable."

"And yet," he counters, nipping at her earlobe, "you keep letting me into your house."

His hands slide around to cup her ass, squeezing once, twice- testing, teasing, before he lifts her effortlessly, her legs wrapping around his waist on instinct. The bed isn’t far, but he takes his time getting there, walking slow just to feel the way she clings to him, the way her breath hitches when his grip shifts.

When her back hits the mattress, he doesn’t follow her down right away. Instead, he stands at the edge of the bed, looking down at her with that same lazy, knowing smirk that drives her insane. His fingers make quick work of removing his belt, the leather sliding free with a soft hiss before he drops it to the floor. His shirt follows shortly after.

"Tell me what you want," he says, voice dipping into something darker, something that curls low in her stomach.

Donna doesn’t hesitate. "You."

Eddie exhales sharply through his nose, his smirk softening into something more genuine, more hungry. "Yeah?"

She nods, fingers already working at the buttons of her blouse until it hangs open. "All of you."

He watches her for a moment, eyes tracking the movement of her hands, the way the fabric parts to reveal smooth skin beneath, and a lace bra. Then, with a quiet groan, he’s on her, his mouth hot and demanding as it crashes against hers.

There’s no finesse here, no teasing- just need, raw and unfiltered. His hands are everywhere, tugging at clothes, dragging over skin, mapping out every inch of her like he’s trying to memorize her.

Eddie's fingers hook into the waistband of her panties, dragging them down her thighs with a slow, deliberate pull. His lips never leave hers- not until she arches beneath him, gasping when his teeth scrape over her bottom lip.

"Fuck," he breathes against her mouth, his voice wrecked already. "You're so goddamn pretty like this." He similarly slides her rucked-up skirt down her hips and tosses it over his shoulder.

His palm skims up her inner thigh, calloused fingers pressing into soft skin, spreading her open like he's unwrapping something sacred. His thumb brushes over her clit once- just once, and she whimpers, hips jerking up into his touch.

Eddie chuckles, dark and pleased. "Yeah? That what you want?"

Donna doesn't answer. Doesn't need to. The way her body responds is answer enough- the way her thighs tremble, the way her breath comes in short, uneven bursts.

He doesn't make her wait.

His mouth is on her in an instant, hot and wet and perfect, tongue dragging slow, torturous circles over her clit before dipping lower, tasting her like he's starving for it.

"Eddie-" His name spills from her lips in a broken moan, her fingers tangling in his hair, tugging hard enough to hurt.

He groans against her, the vibration sending a fresh wave of pleasure through her. "Fuck, yes," he rasps, pulling back just enough to speak, his lips glistening. "C'mon, sweetheart, let me hear you. Wanna know how bad you need it."

And she does.

She shatters beneath him, his name on her lips like a prayer, her body arching off the bed as he works her through it, relentless, merciless, until she's gasping, oversensitive, and trembling.

Only then does he pull back, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, his smirk smug and satisfied.

"Are you still gonna deny that you’re falling for me?" he teases, crawling up her body to kiss her again, slow and filthy.

Donna can taste herself on his tongue, and it's obscene, it's perfect, it's-

"Shut up," she breathes, tugging him down against her, her legs wrapping around his waist again.

Eddie laughs, low. His laughter dissolves into a groan as she rolls her hips against him, the friction sending sparks up his spine. His hands grip her waist, fingers digging in hard enough to bruise, but she doesn't flinch- just arches into it, nails scraping down his back in retaliation.

"Fuck, Donna-" His voice cracks, rough and desperate. "You're gonna kill me."

She smirks, all teeth and trouble, her lips brushing his ear as she whispers, "Good."

And then she moves -rolling them both in one smooth motion until she's straddling his hips, pinning him beneath her with a look that makes his breath catch.

Eddie's hands fly to her thighs, gripping tight as she grinds down against him, slow and deliberate, the heat of her maddening even through the fabric still separating them. His head falls back against the pillows, a ragged curse tearing from his throat.

"Christ, you're evil," he gasps, hips jerking up to meet her.

Donna hums, trailing her fingers down his chest, nails scraping lightly over his ribs just to watch him shudder. "You love it."

He does.

God help him, he does.

His hands slide up to her hips, guiding her movements, his grip tight enough to leave marks. "Don't stop," he rasps, eyes dark with want. "Fuck, please don't stop-"

She doesn't.

Instead, she leans down, her lips brushing his in a kiss that's more teeth than tenderness, her hips rolling in slow, torturous circles until he's panting beneath her, his fingers trembling where they dig into her skin.

"Eddie," she murmurs against his mouth, her voice low and teasing. "You gonna beg for me?"

He groans, his hips bucking up helplessly. "Yes."

The word is raw, unfiltered, and it sends a thrill through her- because this is the Eddie no one else gets to see. The one who unravels beneath her touch, who aches for her in ways he can't even put into words.

She kisses him again, deep and filthy, her hands sliding down to where he's protruding from his jeans, his cock straining obscenely from the open zipper. Her fingers made quick work of pushing down his pants and boxers from his hips until he could kick them off.

And then she's wrapping her hand around him. Eddie's entire body jolts at the first touch of her fingers, his hips lifting off the mattress with a sharp, involuntary thrust. His breath comes in ragged bursts, his fingers tightening in the sheets like he's trying to anchor himself.

"Fuck, Donna-" His voice is strained with need.

She doesn't speed up. Doesn't give him what he wants. Just strokes him slow, agonizingly slow, her thumb brushing over the head of his cock in lazy circles, smearing the wetness there.

Eddie's jaw clenches, his teeth grinding together as he fights to keep control. His thighs tremble beneath her, his abs flexing with every shallow breath.

"Please," he gasps, the word torn from him like it hurts.

She leans down, her lips brushing his ear. "Please, what?"

His hands fly to her hips, gripping hard enough to bruise. "Ride me. Now."

Donna doesn't hesitate.

She sinks down onto him in one smooth motion, taking him deep, so deep, until he's buried inside her to the hilt. A broken moan tears from Eddie's throat, his head dropping back against the pillows, his fingers digging into her skin like he's afraid she'll disappear.

"Jesus Christ," he chokes out, his hips jerking up into her.

She doesn't move. Just stays there, letting him feel every inch of her, letting him ache.

Eddie's eyes fly open, wild and desperate. "Donna-"

She smirks. Then she moves.

Slow at first, just rolling her hips in tight, controlled circles, watching his face as he unravels beneath her. His lips part on a silent gasp, his fingers flexing against her thighs like he's trying to hold on. Her arms shrugging her blouse off the rest of the way, loving how his eyes zero in on her breasts when she reaches back to her bra’s closures. Her bra follows and hits the floor next, exposing her full breasts and hard nipples to his greedy gaze.

Then she rides faster. Harder.

Eddie's hands fly to her waist, gripping tight as she rides him, his hips meeting her thrust for thrust, his breath coming in short, ragged bursts.

"Fuck, you feel so good-" His voice is raw, wrecked, his fingers trembling where they dig into her skin.

Donna leans down, her lips brushing his ear. "You gonna cum for me, Eddie?"

He groans, his hips stuttering beneath her. Fucking up into her, helpless beneath the pace she’s setting. “I knew it. Knew you were a goddamn witch.”

Donna only grins, wicked and radiant, dragging her hips just right, slow and sinuous, making his jaw clench. “Maybe you should’ve studied harder in my class, Munson. You’d know better than to make a deal you couldn’t handle.”

“Oh, I can handle it,” he growls, sitting up suddenly to kiss her, mouth hot and unrestrained. His arms wrap around her waist, holding her close like he’s afraid she’ll vanish. “Give me ten minutes, and you’ll be the one begging for mercy.”

“Then stop stalling,” she pants, reaching between them to simultaneously stroke his base and rub her clit.

There’s no more teasing. No fanfare.

Her nails dig into his chest, her movements slow but sure, and for a second, neither of them speaks- just shared breath, shared heat, the slick sound of skin on skin, and the way Eddie’s eyes won’t leave hers.

It’s intimate, almost devastating in its intensity, and Eddie feels it deep- too deep.

“Look at me,” he breathes. “Please, baby- just... don’t look away.”

She doesn’t.

She rides him like a confession, like she means it. Like the slow drag of his cock inside her is the answer to a question neither of them knew they were asking.

And when her orgasm hits again, it’s quieter this time- less explosive, more profound. Her whole body trembles with it, her forehead dropping to his as she moans his name, soft and desperate.

That’s what undoes him.

Not the heat. Not the friction.

Her.

With a broken gasp, Eddie follows her over the edge, arms locking tight around her, mouth open against her throat as he spills into her, helpless and wrecked.

The moment stretches. Breathless. Wordless. Just the sound of their hearts pounding in sync.

Eventually, Donna’s weight settles atop him, soft and warm and pliant, her fingers tracing idle patterns across his chest. Eddie’s hands rest low on her back, thumbs stroking slowly, mind still spinning from the sheer force of her.

“You okay?” she asks eventually, voice raw and spent.

Eddie chuckles- laughs, really, a low, wrecked sound. “I’m gonna be weirdly okay forever after that.”

She snorts into his neck, clearly unconvinced. “You’re so dramatic.”

“Says the woman who just summoned me like some kind of sex demon and then rode me like a curse.”

“That’s because you are a curse,” she mutters, affectionately. “You ruined my life.”

He kisses her hair, a slow press of lips. “Glad we’re even, then. You ruined mine right back.”

They lay there a while in the aftermath, tangled and sated, the sheets a mess beneath them.

And then, when she starts to shift away to clean up, he tightens his hold.

“Nope. You live here now. Right on my dick.”

Donna laughs. “Eddie-”

“Don’t ‘Eddie’ me. You brought this on yourself.” He tucks her tighter against his chest. “My girlfriend now. That’s just how it works.”

She stills a little at that- just long enough for him to notice.

“Too soon?” he asks, gentler.

She lifts her head, meets his gaze. Her smile is slow, sweet, devastating. “No. Not at all.”

Eddie exhales like he’s been holding it for years. He kisses her again, soft this time, sweet and lazy.

They fall back against the pillows, tangled and sticky and wholly unbothered. The room smells like sweat and sex and dryer sheets. Donna’s hair is splayed across her pillow like a spilled bottle of auburn ink, and Eddie is tucked half beside, half over her- one leg draped across hers, hand grazing the edge of her hip like he’s afraid she’ll vanish if he lets go.

She hums softly, tracing a lazy line across the sweat-damp tattoos on his chest. “You okay?”

“Sweetheart,” he says, voice hoarse and raw around the edges, “I’m pretty sure I’m clinically dead and ascending.”

Donna laughs. It’s the low, husky kind- the kind that makes Eddie’s stomach flutter like a goddamn teenager’s. She presses a kiss to his jaw and sinks deeper into the mattress with a satisfied sigh.

A soft thud draws their attention to the foot of the bed.

Eddie turns his head.

Perched there like a gray-furred gargoyle is Duke, regal and deeply unimpressed. His big blue eyes lock onto Eddie’s with the quiet scorn of a creature who has witnessed far too much and been consulted far too little.

“Oh,” Eddie says, blinking. “It’s you again.”

Duke doesn’t move. Doesn’t blink. Just stares at Eddie with aristocratic contempt.

Donna grins, clearly unbothered. “Don’t mind him. Like you said, he’s got resting bitch face.”

“He’s judging me again,” Eddie mutters, pushing himself up on one elbow. “Hard.”

“He’s earned the right. Duke stayed with me after Bruce left. The only one of the two original men in this house who didn’t take off when shit got hard.”

Eddie tilts his head at the cat. “So you’re the ex-husband now, huh?”

Duke flicks his tail, disdainful.

Eddie smirks, settling back down beside her. “He’s just mad I’m the one in your bed now.”

Donna snorts, dragging the sheet up over her chest. “He’ll get over it.”

“He better. I’m a package deal, sweetheart.” Eddie reaches a hand out toward Duke, offering a hesitant pat. “What do you say, buddy? Truce?”

Duke eyes the hand. Then, with a slow, deliberate grace that can only be described as insulting, he turns his back and curls into a loaf at the edge of the bed- ass pointed directly at Eddie.

Donna cackles. “That’s a no.”

“I get that a lot,” Eddie says, flopping back into the pillows. “It’s part of my charm.”

He turns his face into the crook of her neck, breath warm against her skin. She runs her fingers through his hair, slow and soothing. Duke’s passive-aggressive loafing fades into the background as the room settles into something quiet, something safe.

“You staying the night?” she asks, barely louder than a whisper.

Eddie hums against her throat. “Only if your man approves.”

Duke lets out a single, derisive mrrp.

Donna chuckles. “That’s a maybe.”

​​Eddie exhales smoke toward the ceiling, lazy and thoughtless. The joint glows dim between his fingers, more prop than habit.

The bedroom’s gone dusky in the amber of early evening. Outside, a lawnmower hums in the distance, and the sky is slipping toward lavender. Donna’s beside him, one leg hooked over his, sheet tucked beneath her arms. Her auburn hair is messy. Her lips are a little swollen. She’s been quiet since Duke settled into his loaf, and Eddie- surprisingly, hasn’t pushed.

Not yet.

He offers her the joint. She shakes her head.

Eddie hums, noncommittally, and takes another hit. “You always get this quiet after?”

“Only when it’s good,” she says, eyes still on the ceiling.

Eddie grins around the exhale. “I am pretty great.”

Donna scoffs, nudges his thigh with her foot. “Don’t make it weird.”

“Too late.”

Another moment of quiet.

He knows enough not to fill it. Not this one.

Donna shifts, tilting her head toward him. “You ever feel like you’re holding your breath through whole chunks of your life?”

Eddie glances at her, joint paused halfway to his lips. “Uh… yeah. All the time. High school’s basically been one long underwater panic attack.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

She pushes up onto one elbow, hair falling in a curtain around her face. “I mean like… You finally come up for air and realize you’ve been surviving, not living. Like every choice you made just… spiraled into something else until suddenly it’s been five years and you don’t recognize your own life anymore.”

Eddie blinks. “Damn. Okay. That’s a lot for post-blowjob o’clock.”

Donna gives him a sharp look. “I’m serious.”

“I know. I know.” He stubs out the joint in a dish on her nightstand and shifts, rolling to face her. “I’m just… I don’t know. That sounds like something someone says when they’re about to leave town and never look back.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” Her voice drops. “Not yet.”

That yet cuts a little.

Eddie watches her closely. “But you’re thinking about it.”

​​​​“I’d be stupid not to.” She sits up a little, pulling the sheet with her. “You’re graduating. Probably. And me? I’ve been treading water since Bruce left me.”

She exhales hard, like the words themselves taste sour in her mouth.

“He was my high school sweetheart,” she says, voice lower now, more fragile. “We were together for- God, almost fifteen years. I thought we were happy. Or... at least functional. You know? Mortgage. Dinner parties. Weekend sex. Matching luggage.”

Eddie doesn’t speak. Just listens, head tilted slightly, eyes steady on her profile.

“And then one day,” Donna continues, “he comes home with this look on his face. Like he’d already rehearsed his lines in the car. Said he didn’t think we were growing in the same direction anymore. That he’d ‘caught feelings’ for his twenty-four-year-old intern. Her name was Ashley. Of course it was.”

She laughs bitterly, brushing her hair off her shoulder. “She worked under him. Literally. And now she’s posting latte art and inspirational quotes on the internet from my old beach house in Florida.”

Eddie flinches a little. “Damn.”

“Oh, it gets better,” she adds, voice edged with venomous humor. “He waited until after our anniversary trip to Palm Springs to drop the bomb. Had the nerve to fuck me in a spa tub and then ghost me emotionally for two months until I finally forced it out of him.”

She glances down, fingers fidgeting with the edge of the sheet. “I lost so much time trying to figure out what I did wrong. If I was too boring. If I stopped being sexy. If I asked for too much. Eventually, I just... stopped asking for anything.”

Eddie leans in then, quiet but present, his knee brushing hers beneath the blanket.

“I keep trying to pretend I’m okay with casual, with temporary- but I’m not. I’m not good at it. I never was.”

Her voice wavers on the last part, but she pulls it back before it breaks.

“I'm trying to be cool about this thing with you,” she says, eyes finally meeting his. “Trying not to want more than what’s here. But it’s hard. And it scares the shit out of me how easy it is to like you.”

Eddie swallows.

The silence that follows isn’t awkward. It’s heavy. Human.

Then- slowly, he reaches over and tugs at a lock of her hair, soft and careful, like he’s grounding her back to the room.

“You know you didn’t deserve that, right?” he says. “What Bruce did. That’s on him. Not you.”

Donna exhales through her nose. “Yeah, well. Try telling that to the half of town who thinks I pushed him into her arms by being a ‘career woman.’”

Eddie rolls his eyes. “Hawkins can choke.”

That earns a small, reluctant smile from her. One she doesn’t quite let linger, but still- he sees it.

“Don’t worry,” he adds. “If I ever meet Bruce, I’ll key his car. And kick his kneecap. And then maybe invite Ashley to smoke a blunt and reconsider her life choices.”

That pulls a real laugh from her- a short one, but genuine.

“I really like you, Eddie,” she says softly. “More than I should.”

Eddie’s mouth opens. Closes.

Donna doesn’t wait for him to respond. She presses her palm to her forehead, elbow resting on her knee. “I’m not saying I want a ring or some kind of fairy tale. But I guess I just thought... I don’t know. Maybe it wouldn’t feel so good if it was going to end so soon.”

The silence stretches again, this time thick and full.

Eddie finally sits up beside her, shoulder to shoulder, bare skin warm and sticky where they touch.

“You think I’m good at this?” he says, voice low. “Like… relationships. Real ones? I’m not. Hell, I can barely keep a houseplant alive.”

She huffs a soft laugh.

“I’m scared shitless about what happens after graduation,” he goes on. “I mean... I might not even walk. But even if I do, what the hell comes next? You think Hawkins has a place for guys like me?”

Donna doesn’t answer right away. Her hand finds his, threading their fingers together.

“I think...” she says slowly, “that maybe we’re both bad at pretending it doesn’t matter.”

Eddie glances sideways, and his smirk is a shadow of itself. “You mean us.”

“I mean this,” she nods toward the bed. “Whatever this is.”

He leans over and kisses her shoulder. Soft, thoughtful. No performance.

“Let’s not figure it all out tonight,” he murmurs. “Let’s just order something greasy and pretend Duke’s not silently planning my assassination.”

Donna laughs again, shakier this time. But it’s real.

“You like Chinese or pizza?” he asks.

“Pizza,” she says. “But I’m picking the toppings.”

Eddie groans. “If you say pineapple-”

“Jalapeño and black olive. Don’t test me, Munson.”

He clutches his chest dramatically. “God, she’s perfect and terrifying.”

Duke mrrps at the foot of the bed.

“See?” Eddie says. “Even he agrees.”

​​Eddie watches as Donna reaches for the phone on the nightstand, the sheet slipping just enough to reveal the curve of her shoulder, the faint red marks his mouth left earlier. He should probably feel guilty about that. He doesn’t.

Instead, he stretches out on the bed, arms behind his head, grinning as she dials the number for Benny’s Pizza from memory. “You know,” he muses, “most people would’ve kicked me out by now.”

Donna shoots him a look over her shoulder, phone cradled between her ear and shoulder. “Most people don’t know what they’re missing.”

Eddie’s grin widens. “Damn right.”

The order is placed- large pie, half jalapeño and black olive- hers, half pepperoni and extra cheese- his. As she hangs up, Eddie reaches out, catching her wrist and tugging her back down beside him. She goes willingly, settling against his chest with a sigh.

For a moment, they just exist like that- skin against skin, breathing in tandem, the weight of everything they just said hanging between them, but not suffocating.

Eddie traces idle patterns on her bare arm. “So,” he starts, voice deliberately light, “if we’re not pretending this doesn’t matter... what are we doing?”

Donna exhales, long and slow. “I don’t know.”

“That’s reassuring.”

She pinches his side. He yelps.

“Ow -okay, okay!” He laughs, catching her hand before she can do it again. “I’m just saying. You drop all that emotional artillery on me and then hit me with ‘I don’t know’? That’s cold, Mrs. O.”

Donna rolls her eyes, but there’s no real bite to it. “I don’t know, Eddie. But... I know I don’t want to stop.”

That makes him pause.

She looks up at him, eyes searching his face like she’s trying to memorize it. “Do you?”

Eddie doesn’t hesitate. “No.”

The word comes out softer than he means it to.

Donna’s lips quirk. “Good.”

He leans in, brushing his nose against hers. “So. We’re... what? Dating?”

He pulls back just enough to smirk at her, thumb tracing the line of her jaw. "Dating sounds so... normal. Like we're gonna hold hands at the movies and split a vanilla milkshake at Benny's."

Donna arches a brow. "You hate vanilla milkshakes."

"Exactly," he says, grinning. "So let's call it something else. Something with more... flair."

She hums, pretending to consider it. "How about 'corrupting the youth of Hawkins'?"

Eddie barks a laugh, sharp and boyish, and flops back onto the pillows like her joke just knocked the wind out of him.

“Jesus,” he mutters, staring at the ceiling. “You’re gonna corrupt me for sure.”

Donna curls beside him, propped on one elbow, watching the way the dim light pools in the hollows of his collarbone. “Little late for that, don’t you think?”

His gaze flicks to her- soft now, serious again, like the joke cracked something open and he’s not quite ready to close it back up.

“You know what’s funny?” he asks.

Donna tilts her head. “What?”

“I used to think this would just be a good story someday.” He gestures vaguely between them. “Like- ‘hey man, remember when I banged my English teacher during senior year highschool?’ Real Penthouse Forum material.”

She snorts. “Charming.”

He grins, but it fades quickly. “But now I’m laying here thinking… if it ends, I don’t wanna tell anyone. Not even the guys. I just wanna keep it where no one can fuck with it. Like a secret song. Or a dream you don’t want to wake up from.”

Donna looks at him for a long moment. Her fingers ghost across his jaw, thumb pausing just beneath his cheekbone.

“Then don’t let it end. Not yet.”

He blinks.

She shrugs, eyes suddenly shy. “You’re not the only one who wants to keep something for yourself. At least for a little while longer.”

Duke jumps off the bed with a disgruntled thud, tail flicking as he saunters to the kitchen like he’s above all this emotional nonsense.

Eddie shifts closer, sliding an arm around Donna and tucking her against him like he’s afraid the moment might dissolve if he doesn’t hold it down.

“Pizza’ll be here in thirty,” she murmurs into his chest.

He presses a kiss into her hair. “Guess that gives us time to make out like a couple’a hormonal teenagers.”

Donna smirks against his skin. “Technically, one of us fits that description a little better than the other.”

Eddie hums. “Mm. Yeah, but I’ve got stamina and questionable morals on my side.”

And just like that, the heaviness breaks- spilling into laughter, into limbs tangled under cotton sheets, into a kind of closeness that feels dangerous in all the right ways.

They don’t talk about tomorrow. Not yet.

Tonight is enough.

Who loves Eddie Munson, show of hands! 😂 Let me know if you want to be added to my tag list! @justalotoffanfiction, @yorshie, @jackalope-in-a-storm, @v1per1ne, @daveythorntonslocker, @cokepowder55, @kelsiegrin, @ash-stardust, @meankenna Masterlist

[stephsageek]

So, like most unhinged people on the internet (content creators), I had a visceral creative reaction to something I love, namely, The Umbrella Academy. I definitely have a love/hate relationship with some of the writer's choices, but I will always love TUA. I do plan on creating some fanart, but that'll take a while since my style can be labor intensive. I also have a billion story ideas swirling around in my head, including an extension on the show's canon ending where all the Brellies and Sparrows are reincarnated, and another that explores Five and Lila's 7 years on the subway, to another that will be about the 6 years between s3 and s4. Here's is but a taste of one them:

"Much Longer Than Six Years, Five Months, and Two Days"

Summary: Some people believe an affair starts when two people cross the line and become physical with one another. Five and Lila knew better. Looking back, this ‘thing’ between him and Lila had begun much longer than six years, five months, and two days ago. If either of them had been capable of being honest with themselves, they might have been able to admit, it had started from the very beginning.

This is my take on all the years Five and Lila have known each other from the beginning of Season 2 to the events of episode five of Season 4 of The Umbrella Academy. It will be told from alternating POV’s. None of these characters are mine, nor any quotes from the show itself.

Chapter 1: Day One

Five stood across the street, tucked behind the corner of a building observing his brother and some unknown woman, sitting in a car and watching the Texas School Book Depository of all places.

It had taken pathetically little effort to locate his brother.

It had taken Five a few minutes of searching his memory to realize the significance of said building and when he did, he had squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed a tired palm across his face.

Lee Harvey Oswald.

Was Diego really that eager to get arrested again? Did he really think his hero complex was going to do anything besides get his ass thrown in prison or worse?

Fuck that. I spent way too much time and energy just to find your God damn corpse again, ya knucklehead.

Five sighed, trying to focus on listening to them talk, gauging whether or not he needed to step in before the no-brained-wonder could get himself into trouble.

“All right, here’s the plan: Oswald finishes his shift at 4:30 p.m.”

Five rolled his eyes. Is that numbskull fucking serious? What’s he gonna do? Grab ‘em and drag ‘em into the car?

“Once he walks out those doors, we force him into the front seat.”

Five smacked his forehead.

Beside Diego, the woman was biting her nails.

Five furrowed his eyebrows as he watched her. Who the hell is that? And why the hell is she with my idiot brother?

Five tilted his head as he considered her.

He had to admit, he could understand why his brother was hanging around her. She was very pretty.

He narrowed his eyes.

‘Very pretty’ can be very useful to someone who knows how to use that to their advantage.

Especially around blithering morons with ‘mommy issues.’

Five tried to focus on what they were saying, straining his hearing from where he was observing them.

“You’re gonna pin his arms, I’m gonna cut off his trigger finger and tell him he has 24 hours to exit Dallas.”

That’s your plan? Five thought incredulously. What the fuck is that gonna do? What if he’s ambidextrous, ‘ya idiot?! Five found himself blown away by his own sibling's ridiculous logic.

“That’s your plan?” the woman spoke his thought out loud, her tone mirroring his own bewilderment.

“You got a problem with it?” Diego countered with an edge to his voice, indicating his displeasure at his lame-ass plan being called out.

“Well, why don’t we just kill him?” the woman wondered.

Exactly! Why complicate things? Five found himself silently agreeing.

“What?” Diego questioned, his expression shocked and judging.

Five’s mouth twisted in annoyance.

He didn’t know why Diego was acting so surprised, acting as though the umbrella academy hadn’t killed a room full of bank robbers when they rightfully should have still been in middle school.

Five didn’t enjoy killing—never had. But if Diego was going to sit there and act all high and mighty while planning to kidnap a man and cut his finger off, Five was gonna belt him on principle alone.

He listened as the woman clarified that the whole reason they were even going after Oswald in the first place was because Diego thought he was going to shoot the president.

When Diego confirmed this, she replied simply, ��Put a bullet between his eyes. Problem solved.”

Five found himself nodding. Clean, simple, straightforward. It’s how any professional worth his salt would approach the problem.

Five paused.

It was not, however, how any sane, rational human being would approach the problem.

It was how an assassin would solve the problem.

Five lifted an eyebrow, his instincts kicking into high gear.

How very convenient for some beautiful mysterious woman to somehow take an interest in his shaggy-headed brother, who had at one time had no more exalted words to say about the woman he had purported to love than she, ‘had great legs’ and a ‘cute butt.’

How very strange that this same woman would have the exact same instincts Five had when it came to solving problems when he had been trained for the explicit purpose of murdering inconvenient individuals since he was a toddler.

The Commission, he thought grimly. It has to be.

“Oh, no, no, we’re not going to kill a man before he’s committed a crime,” Diego argued.

“That’s stupid,” the woman said the same thing Five was thinking, so simultaneously Five thought he’d spoken the words out loud himself.

Five pursed his lips.

He wasn’t sure who this woman was, but at least she wasn’t a moron.

Five found himself snorting at her comments about Diego being ‘an open book written for very dumb children.’

He was inclined to agree.

Okay, so she’s mildy amusing, smart, and pretty.

Five rolled his neck.

Alright. Enough dicking around. Let’s go say ‘hi,’ to Diego’s mystery woman.

Five was fairly certain that this broad was a plant. Someone sent by the Commission to keep eyes on him and had apparently seen fit to do so by using bargain batman.

Well, there's only one way to find out for sure. I'm gonna have to keep an eye on her. At least she's nice to look at.

[momtaku]

Hello! Quick question : I saw time and again references about "freckled Erwin" in fics & fanarts, do you happen to know where it originated? Was it from an official art? Or was it simply something Erwin fandom came to agreement with (I too, am 1000% on board with this headcanon now lol). Just simply curious, that's all. I was on hiatus for some years for the snk/eruri fandom activities (though I never stopped reading eruri fics all throughout & have been getting trickle bits of snk/eruri updates that way instead) but hey it's Erwin's bday month why not do a quick scrolls here and there to celebrate before I retreat back to peacefully living under a rock lol Sorry if this ask is very random out of nowhere! 😂

Hi Anon! Welcome back however briefly!

Oof. Since Erwin's fandom has existed for 15 years, it would be quite a task to locate the first ever mention of freckles across international art and fic. But I popped into @lostcauses-noregrets tags. The earliest mention in her vast archive is 8 years ago so I suspect the Eruri braincell has been hard at work for quite a while freckling both Erwin and Levi. (Bonus: this comic she reblogged is adorable!).

I will leave you with this tho. In the comfy corner of Eruri Island where I reside, the talented @ackermantihora is where I go to quench my Freckled Erwin thirst. I'd recommend an Erwin birthday scroll there to see all the lovely art before you exit the scene once again, anon.

Thanks for the ask! Take care.

[jon-withnoh]

Helloo first of all i love your fanfic "Nie wirst du mir ganz gehoren" (i may have done some fanart of it) and i did the poll betting thingie thing and at first I didn't have any idea for a drabble but after reading the last chapter I think I need some fluff. And some angst. But yea now I have an idea. Just Mrs Danvers being tired and brushing Rebecca's hair. Because she's tired she drop a pin and have to bow because of that her face is at the level of Rebecca's knee. First flush then Rebecca put Mrs Danvers head on her lap and proceed to brush her hair ? I don't know if it's good but I like the idea of Rebecca brushing Mrs Danvers hair !

Anyway love your writing, I am quite exited for the next chapter (forget everytime that I've already left a kudo) 🙏

“Today was a success, wouldn’t you say, Danny?” Rebecca’s eyes were closed. She sat very still on the chair in front of her vanity, allowing Danny to pull pin after pin from her hair. Her cheeks were flushed from the sun. A small, satisfied smile played around the corners of her mouth. 

“A great success, madam,” Danny said. 

They had planned the garden party together, honing each detail until the whole thing was as close to perfection as a party could be. Raspberry ices served in airy tents, a string quartet, footmen moving about the crowd with cold drinks. The lawns had been dotted with the genteel and well-to-do. Ladies with lace parasols, gentlemen sipping champagne. The gardens had rung with laughter and Rebecca had been in the middle of it all, a shining beautiful hostess. 

Danny had kept in the background as always. She had hurried back and forth between the house and the servants’ tent, watching over the procedings. Now and then she had envied the ladies in their light gowns, but her envy had faded whenever Rebecca had caught her eye and smiled. The prospect of tending to a happy Rebecca — of having her all to herself once Mr de Winter had gone to bed — had been enough to make her shrug off the heat and her querulous maids. 

“You did very well today.” 

“Thank you, madam.” 

As she continued to undo her careful work from the morning, Danny found herself wishing that Rebecca had not praised her just yet. It had not been a conscious concern, the nagging worry that something might have escaped her, that Rebecca might be dissatisfied, but now that it was gone, Danny began to feel the strain of the day. There was a dull pain in her lower back and another, sharper pain near her temples. Her hands stilled on Rebecca’s hair. 

“Is anything the matter?” Rebecca’s eyes were still closed. 

As Danny made to reply, one of Rebecca’s hairpins slipped from her hand and landed on the floor with a clink. Danny bent down to pick it up, but the movement was too fast. It sent her off balance, her head spinning. She dropped to her knees, hoping to pass off the movement as deliberate. The world around her was out of focus, the floorboards grainy and washed out. She could not see the pin. Her hand moved aimlessly across the floor. A moment later her head made contact with something soft, warm. Rebecca’s thigh. 

“Danny?” There was concern in Rebecca’s voice now.

Danny tried to lift her head, to make a reply, but it was impossible. Even the smallest movement sent the world spinning around her. 

“Danny?” Rebecca’s hand on her hair, then on her forehead, the gentle pressure of her fingers. “You’ve had too much sun. Are you dizzy?”

Danny made a noise of assent. 

“You should have listened to me when I told you to take a break. Frith and the maids would have managed perfectly well without you.”

“Frith—” Danny broke off. She had meant to say that Frith had had his hands full with the footmen, but the words would not come. A wave of nausea rose from her stomach. Danny closed her mouth. 

“Never mind all that now,” Rebecca said. “We have to get you off the floor and upstairs to bed. Do you want me to call for the doctor? Don’t look at me like that. Sunstroke’s no laughing matter. Well, we’ll try and get you to bed first and if it gets any worse, I will call.”

It took several minutes until Danny was able to lift her head. Rebecca knelt on the floor next to her, steadying her despite Danny’s feeble protest. With Rebecca’s arm around her waist, she was able to stand up. She managed to take a few steps towards the door before she had to pause, leaning against Rebecca’s bed for support. 

They made their way out into the corridor and up the servants’ stairs into the attic. It took much longer than usual. Danny’s steps were uncertain. The house was still rotating around her, swimming in and out of focus. 

The whitewashed attic lay in silence. The rest of the staff had gone to bed hours ago while she had sat up with Rebecca, first in the morning room and then in the west wing. They had gone over every detail of the party, as was Rebecca’s habit. There was no hope of persuading her to go to sleep before she had drawn her résumé of the day. 

With clumsy fingers, Danny unlocked the door to her room. “Thank you for helping me upstairs, madam. I’m sure I’ll be alright if I just rest for a few moments. I’ll come back down to help you with your hair.”

“Nonesense,” Rebecca said at once. “I’ll manage on my own. Are you sure you don’t need a doctor?”

“I’m sure. Good night, madam.” 

“Good night.” 

Danny went over to the bed with slow, careful steps and turned on the lamp on her bedside table. Then she sat in the chair by the vanity. Even the low light of the lamp made her dizzy. Her hands shook as she reached for the pins in her hair. 

“This is ridiculous.” 

Danny flinched. She turned in her chair to see that Rebecca was still standing in the doorway, watching her. A moment later, the door was closed and Rebecca stood behind her, hands on her shoulders. 

“Madam,” Danny whispered. “There’s no need…”

“We shan’t speak about it,” Rebecca said. “No one need ever know.”

Danny’s hands dropped into her lap. Rebecca’s hands took their place, pulling the pins out of her hair until it unraveled, heavy and warm. Danny closed her eyes. Rebecca’s hands were gentle, not as clumsy as Danny might have suspected. Rebecca did not allow the brush to catch in her hair, nor did she grow impatient. When Danny’s hair finally fell down her back in one long braid, Rebecca’s hands found their way back to Danny’s shoulders. 

“Is there anything else you need?” she asked.

“No, nothing.” 

Rebecca hesitated, her hands still resting on Danny’s shoulders. Eventually, Danny felt her step closer. She closed her eyes as Rebecca bent down and kissed the top of her head. 

“Good night.” A few light steps, the click of the door closing and Rebecca was gone. 

“Good night, madam,” Danny whispered.

Here you go! I hope you enjoyed it :)

[xbalayage]

"Did you lie to me?" - with any suitor ;3c

Thank you for the ask. <3 I decided on Gilbert because I've seen the fanart of him with your OC. It's my first attempt at him, so I hope he's not too cliche.

Gilbert/Reader

WC: 509

Oh how you hated this cat and mouse game he'd love to play, yet he found it utterly riveting. Toying with you like you were a delicious meal to be devoured on a silver plate for his own pleasure and amusement. Every ounce of a reaction you bestowed for his all seeing eye made the chase all the more thrilling for him. He moved like the shadows, leaving an eerie echo of a cane hitting the floor in his wake. He never allowed you to see the cards he had in play. Gilbert would always be five steps ahead. That's why even when you ran, he didn't chase. There was no need, for you see, he had eyes everywhere. You were in his domain. Eventually, you'd run yourself ragged at a dead end or a secluded corner of the palace. But where your racing mind left you was the perfect little trap for the little rabbit. The library; one way in, no way out. Sometimes the waiting game was worth the wait. The stalking predator narrowed his deep hued eye. A feast with the unrelenting patience to feed; prey always tasted better with the fear of adrenaline rushing through their veins moments before their heart reached its end. He found you frozen in place, dumbstruck written on your features. Once your frantic gaze noticed the tiger, you sought out an escape route, his carefree smile grew; his body sheltering the only exit with the presence of his domineering form. "Found you little rabbit. Heehee, thought you could get away from me so easily?" The door shuts behind him, the locking of it lingered in your mind; you're trapped in here, with him. The realization hit you like a train as he stalked towards you agonizingly slow. The sound of your heart wildly thumping out of your chest, reverberating in your ears and you almost swear that he could hear it too by the easy, intimidating look from his stare. He enjoys this. The music of danger decided to crescendo, the tapping of that damn cane; the stillness of the room begins to pan in, his approaching body seemed to have the shadows follow as the room grew as grim, cold and dark as the night. The only remaining light, the soft flicker of a dying flame of a candle caresses his features. Was it the fear messing with your mind? His eye almost seemed to glow. And now, he had you pinned against a desk, gloved hands slammed themselves passed your hips onto the furniture behind, stationing you into place. He leaned in, his hot breath grazed the shell of your ear. You were a deer in headlights; you couldn't react or respond. "When I hear the sound of your heart--your life so close, I can hardly bare it. Hmm? Did you lie to me? Your eyes don't sing the same tune your heart is. I hope you've learned a thing or two about me; I despise liars. Yet, your body is so honest. Heehee, surrender yourself to me."

taglist; @nightghoul381, @yvelk, @drachonia

[do0zy-artz]

Sneak a Glance - 818 Words

Shadow and Rouge both share an....interest in a certain rabbit. Conversations are had about it. (Inspired by this fanart lol)

Vanilla and Cream wave them goodbye as the exit the apartment, the former having just retrieved her daughter from her babysitters. Rouge loved having the little over, she was always such a joy to spend time with. And so was her mother, as well.

Rouge smiles as she sees the two out the door, reminding herself that Vanilla's eyes were up there, not on her chest. Even if both those places prvide quite the lovley view.

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Shadow struggling with the same issues. His eyes flick downwards, then move back up quickly; like he's embarrassed about his wayward gaze. (And, knowing, Shadow, he probably is to some degree.)

Rouge waves Cream goodbye, gives Vanilla one more look over, and then shuts the apartment door. Lord, what a woman Cream's mother was.

She turns around to find Shadow's staring at her, his red gaze intense. She pauses, not really expecting him to be giving her his best blank stare. He was usually all happy after Cream's visits.

"What?" Rouge asks, walking back over to him. On closer inspection, his expression seems more...awkward than anything else. Weird. Shadow was normally never awkward.

"Were you ogling Cream's mother?" Shadow raises an eyebrow at her, arms crossing over his chest. If Rouge didn't know any better, she'd probably think he was scolding her.

Rouge scoffs lightly. Her silly hedgehog had no idea what he was talking about. "I was not ogling Vanilla, I was just appreciating her....features."

"You were checking her out." Shadow insists, and fine, maybe Rouge was eyeing up Vanilla just a little bit. But can you blame her? The woman was good looking! It'd be a shame if nobody took time to admire that!

"You can't say anything, I saw you sneaking a glance too." Rouge pokes a finger into his chest fur teasingly, smirking. His little look hadn't been as slick as he thought it was.

Shadow's gaze remains steady as he lightly swatts her hand away, meaning no actual harm by the action. He's far to used, and far to fond, of her teasing touches by now. "I did not such thing."

"Sure you didn't." Rouge hums in disbelief, poking at his chest again. He doesn't shove her off this time, instead letting her keep her hand there.

Shadow sighs, looking away from her again. "I suppose she is....physically attractive." He's trying to hide how bashful the words make him, and is failing miserably. She might to be able to see the expression he's making, but she can still see the way his ears move. He's gotten all embarrassed, and it's quite frankly adorable. Rouge loves it when he gets like that.

"Just say she has nice boobs. I saw you staring." The bat teases him further, if only to embarrass him more. It's not often she gets to chance to do this; Rouge isn't letting this opportunity go that easily.

"I was not staring!" Shadow glares at her, a faint blush starting to color his muzzle. She loves it when he gets like that too, all red and flustered. It's really is a sight to see, her normally grumpy boyfriend getting so worked up.

"Whatever makes you feel better." Rouge smiles, nudging past him and into the kitchen. She could hear Omega stomping around in there, and leaving him alone in the kicten was not a good idea.

Shadow only sighs, and follows behind her a moment later.

___________________________________

"Did it bother you?" Shadow asks her the question later that night, when they're snuggled up on the couch together. Rouge is resting her head on his shoulder, the TV playing idly in the background. Neither of them have really been watching it for a while now, more focused on each other than than whatever program is playing.

Well, even if they were watching it, she doubts they'd be paying much attention now.

Rouge looks over at him, a puzzled expression starting to form on her face. She can't know what's bothering her if he doesn't specify, now can she. "Did what bother me, dear?"

Shadow glances away, his muzzle reddening once more; though it's hard to see in the low lighting of the room. "The....conversation about Vanilla earlier."

"Of course it didn't bother me." Rouge shifts herself into his lap, moving until they're sitting face to face. She starts running a hand through his cheek fur, knowing that he finds the action comforting. "Don't know why it would, considering I was looking at her too."

"Alright." Shadow nuzzles into her palm, a light purr rumbling in the back of his throat. "Thank you."

"No problem, Shadow." Rouge runs his fingers through his fur one last time, and then snuggles. Shadow smiles softly, and wraps an arm around her; tucking her into his side. He really could br a sweetheart when he wanted to be.