#karen jokes are so tired

[friglounge]

it's true though ramshackle is distinctly 2014 fandom ask blog

[moeblob]

Karen has four older brothers and this is Ross! He's the second oldest and he looks rather polite and smiles a lot and when he's at work he can behave most of the time... but he really has such a foul mouth it puts Right to shame.

And Karen when she was a kid couldn't pronounce S's and they sounded like Z's. So when her brothers would be leaving for school she would say "enjoy zool" and just. Could NEVER say Ross's name correctly so he told her to just call him Oz. And it stuck but only with Karen. She's the only one to use it and no one else is allowed.

[crispywaffles2]

Hi I have a request! How about macaque and wukong (separate) acting over protective after if finding out their (female) s/o is pregnant? And how would they act throughout the whole pregnancy?

Please and thank you!

Hi! Of course I can, thank you so much for requesting! I'm not really versed in this particular field of romance or the struggles that it comes with, so I apologize if a lot of these seem out of character or unbearably tropey!

Overprotective Macaque & Wukong with a Pregnant!S/O

Macaque:

The moment it's revealed that you're pregnant he's tweaking out

He doesn't know how to be a dad what the heck

But he also can't deny that he is kind of excited at the prospect of being able to take care of your child!

Or children?

Oh my gosh what if it's twins-

He's seen mortal babies and toddlers walking about in the streets with their parents, and he's well aware of how.. tiny... and stupid... and vulnerable they are

He never much cared for it, thinking that mortal children were weak for not immediately coming into the world with powers or some sense of right and wrong

But it's different with his child! He can't let the tiny, stupid, vulnerable kid in your stomach get hurt!

Rest assured that he's rearranging furniture to make it easier for you to maneuver around

He insists on going out with you everywhere, and if you were to ever voice that you were getting tired of it, then he'd eventually relent...

Maybe send a clone or two to watch you in the shadows without your knowledge, but other than that he'll leave you alone!

He will glare at anyone who's eyes linger on your growing belly bump for too long, giving them a silent warning not to come to close

He'll throw down his cape over a small puddle, gesturing for you to safely cross. He says it's a joke, but really he wants to look like a gentleman in front of you

Despite his overprotective nature, he will not fulfill your cravings without question

"A what?? Why on Earth would our baby need to eat that?? They probably don't even like it!"

Other than your strange food requests, he's happy, eager even to help fulfill anything else

Worried about the stretch marks forming in your stomach? He'll tell you about how they remind him of battle scars and shows off his scars to you to make you feel better

"See? We're both warriors."

In pain from bad cramps? He's secretly panicking and making bad jokes while tending to you because he's nervous.

Stays by your side all the time just in case you start feeling pain. He wants to be there for you

Secretly reads books and looks up videos for first time dads when he thinks no one is looking

He's a warrior! A master of the shadows!

Sly, cunning, teasing, playful, sure!

But a father?

He couldn't even picture himself holding a baby

When the delivery finally happens he is such a Karen

Might as well hire him as a doctor, considering how he practically tried to deliver the baby himself

Eventually though he composes himself and stands in the corner fidgeting nervously

He's never been one to cry, not even in his brotherhood days, but the tears that welled up in his eyes when he held your child couldn't be helped

Instinctively starts trying to groom the baby

It's all over now. You're not pregnant, and the baby is finally here

He's still pretty protective of you, and his child even moreso

All that he could think as he looked into the eyes of your writhing, still slightly damp, baby was those nine months of making frankly disgusting foods were worth it

Wukong:

Absolutely flips when the bomb is dropped that you're pregnant

He genuinely doesn't know what to do

He's not sure if he should be excited that he's going to be a dad or worried that he's going to be a dad

We all know Wukong is protective of those he loves and carries a guilty conscience about including them in his messes

He knows that pretending he knows what he's doing won't get him out of every situation. He knows how many messes he pulls people into. He knows that his lingering 'do now ask questions later' mentality can put those he loves in danger

And now he has a baby too??

It takes a bit, but he eventually starts to warm up to the idea

He's the monkey king! And he'll teach his child to be better than him. Stronger, smarter! Well, not that much stronger because then he wouldn't really hold the crown the one of the strongest beings and he would not be able to handle that

Still though, he'll raise this baby and change his ways doing so

He's cartwheeling all over the place after a while just from pure excitement

Trust and believe this man is NOT reading any baby books or watching any videos. He doesn't need some mortal telling him how to raise his kid. He's the Great Sage

Whether that's a good or bad thing is up to interpretation

He'll rant to his monkeys about all of the things he'll teach the child, and he does it with so much excitement that even they get pumped up

Will try to speculate it's gender and appearance with you

"Maybe it'll have your pretty eyes and my handsome jawline! Or maybe it'll have your hair and a little tail like it's dad!"

Makes little baby toys out of sticks and leafs

He is actually super overprotective of you, but tries to pretend he's just being casual

"Where are you going? Not that I care or anything... You're trying to go to the store?? Babe, you should totally just.. stay here with me. I can make one of my clones do the shopping."

Will furiously stammer and insist that he's not worried about you if you ask

He knows you can handle yourself! It's just... You're all pregnant and vulnerable and round and he's such a worrywart about you!

He thinks that if anything even gently bumps your tummy the baby won't grow or something, so he's constantly paranoid

Rearranges furniture so it's easier for you to get around

He even cleans up just to lighten your load a bit! He must really love you!

He's actually super eager about people looking at your belly bump in public and will absolutely go off on a tangent about how his beautiful partner is about to have a beautiful baby and it's going to be beautiful

But if someone gets a little too close to you he will not hesitate to push them down or maybe accidentally give them a broken wrist if they reach out to touch your stomach

Is confused about why everyone isn't literally bowing to you while you're walking the streets

Genuinely got upset when you two were walking through a crowd and he had to hold you because people wouldn't just part for the pregnant woman walking through

"What?? Ten dollars for this? You do know my partner is pregnant right? This should be free for her! Everyday is a struggle for her! You'd have no idea what she's been through and you're charging her ten dollars-"

He's an absolute Karen

Suggests putting a pillow over your stomach

"That way you won't bump into anything and our child can be cozy!"

Because Wukong is an absolute hazard in the kitchen, he's concocted a crazy amount of different foods

He has no problem fulfilling your strange food requests and even eats them with you

"Oh my goodness! I love crab cakes with syrup!! I'll make some for both of us bud."

Has like three different emergency plans for when you're in pain

The moment you lurch forward or let out a groan he's on it

With a snap of his fingers his monkeys are all marching over to help you sit down in a single file line

He sits there and soothes you as best as he can while his monkeys scamper around trying to get anything you request

When it's finally time Wukong is genuinely confused, thinking that it's just contractions or something, but you keep yelling at him and saying "IT'S TIME!!"

Time for what?? Lunch or...?

Thinking the baby is talking to him through you, he hoists you up on his somersault cloud and zips off

When the doctor gives him a strange look and tells him you're just about to have your baby he freaks out

He tries to help in any way he can, holding your hand, breathing with you

Offers to help with the delivery of the baby

"Oh, looks like it's a bit stuck. Need a little help there bud?"

Losing his mind in the corner of the room but trying to play it cool for you and the doctors.

"Why is it slimy?" Are quite literally the first words that come out of his mouth when the baby is delivered

When he finally has his child in his arms he's all over it

Kisses, cooing, holding, hugging or even just staring at it

He may not know much about being a father, but he will try his best to teach his child not to go down the path he did because he already loves it to the moon and back

[parkerslatte]

Right Person, Right Time

Eddie Roundtree x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 2.1k

Summary: Y/N is friends with The Six, but she is a little closer to a certain bassist in particular. She can always sense that something is wrong. When Eddie has a conversation with Camila, Y/N is there to reassure him that she is always there for him and it puts things into perspective for him.

Masterlist

***

Eddie: There’s a lot to say about Y/N. 

Karen: We all met Y/N around the time we started our first tour. She was just starting out as an actress.

Warren: Y/N? Y/N was great,man! When she wasn’t on set she would join us at the studio. I tried teaching her drums once.

Eddie: She was…the best person I’ve ever known.

Y/N L/N stepped through the threshold of the house she knew and loved so much. Everyone was expecting her so she dumped her bag near the bottom of the stairs and walked through the house. It was eerily silent. Typically she heard shouting and arguing or the sound of instruments.

“Hello? Guys?” Y/N called throughout the house. 

Y/N turned a corner and was surprised with the sound of yelling and streamers being thrown in her face. 

“Oh my god!” She exclaimed. 

Eddie, Karen, Warren and Graham stood there with smiles on their faces. Y/N smiled at them and raced over to hug them. Warren pulled her into a hug first and held onto her tight, next was Graham, who’s hug was short and sweet before he took his place next to Karen. Next was Karen.

“I can’t believe you left me alone with these boys!” Karen spoke and she hugged Y/N. 

“Next time come with me, escape the testosterone for a bit.” Y/N joked with her.

The final person to give her a hug was Eddie. He stepped up to her and gave her a tight hug. His arms  wrapped around her waist as he lifted her up from her feet and spun her around. 

“Eddie! Put me down!” Y/N exclaimed as she gripped onto him. 

Eddie smiled and placed her back down on her feet. Y/N smiled at Eddie and he slowly released her and stepped back. 

“How have all of you been? It’s been months.” Y/N questioned.

Warren steps closer to her and slings his arm over her shoulder leading her through the house, “You’re the one who’s just home back from a big movie set, tell us about it.”

“It was great! It was a lot more tiring than I thought it would be though.” Y/N responded. 

“Just think about it, Y/N L/N, Oscar winning actress!” Warren said as they sat on the couch. 

“That’s a goal for later in life.” Y/N laughed. 

Eddie sat down next to her and Y/N unconsciously leant into him. 

“But if you do go to the Oscars, I’ll be your plus one right?” Warren questioned, taking a sip from his drink. 

“Hey, why do you get to be her plus one? I’m the one who invites her to all the rehearsals.” Karen cut in. 

“She met me first!” Graham exclaimed. 

As the three began arguing, Y/N sat back and watched, an amused smile gracing her face. Eddie looked down at her. 

“You’d bring me, right?” He asked, bending down to whisper the question into her ear. 

“No doubt about that.” Y/N resplied, turning to face Eddie. 

Eddie smiled and reached to take a sip of his drink while the three continued to argue.

Eddie: That same year I was at the Oscars watching Y/N make her speech for best supporting actress. I was so proud of her. 

Warren: I still can’t believe Y/N didn’t take me.

Eddie: It wasn’t long after Y/N won an Oscar before we were on tour. I asked her to come with us. Having Y/N around always made me feel better. But she was going to work on another film. 

“Call me when you get the chance. I want to hear all about the excruciating bus journey.” Y/N says as she hugs Karen. 

Y/N hugs the rest of the band members one by one until she gets to Eddie. She reaches up and locks her arms around his neck, giving him a tight hug. Eddie reciprocated the hug and held her tightly. 

“I’ll miss you.” Y/N mumbles into his shoulder. 

“I’ll miss you too.” 

“You’ll be fucking amazing.” Y/N says and she pulls away. 

With one last wave at the band, Y/N steps over to allow Camila to say goodbye to everyone. Camila bids goodbye to everyone, however once she gets to Eddie she simply gives him a smile before walking over to Y/N. Y/N furrows her eyebrows for a moment, thinking the interaction was strange but the thought quickly leaves her mind as the buses pull away. 

Eddie: She could almost always tell what I was feeling. That’s why she surprised us on the tour I think. 

When Y/N walked through the doors to the party, all eyes turned to look at her, including the eyes of the people she had come to surprise. 

“Y/N?” Warren exclaimed and rushed forward to greet her, “What are you doing here?”

“I have a few days where I’m not wanted on set so I’ve come to surprise everyone.” Y/N shouted over the music. 

“This is a great surprise!” Karen said while passing Y/N a drink which she accepted gratefully. 

Y/N slumped down on the couch and fell into conversation with her friends. Despite having close friends outside of this group, she never felt at ease as she did when she was surrounded by them. Falling into conversation was easy and didn’t ever stop until the early hours of the morning. 

Y/N hadn’t even finished her drink before another one was thrust in her hand. She quickly finished off her first drink before starting on her new one. 

“Where’s Eddie?” Y/N questioned upon noticing that she hadn’t seen him yet.

“Not sure,” Warren replied, “He wandered off a while ago.”

Y/N looked around the party, “I’m going to look for him.”

Y/N got up and looked around the room in search of Eddie. Many people dragged her into conversation as she looked around and she had to find the most polite excuse to end the conversation before she got sucked into it. 

Looking around the room once more, she found Camila quickly walking away from the balcony doors. 

“Hey Camila!” Y/N says, weaving her way through people, “Have you seen Eddie anywhere?”

“Um,” Camila says, looking around, never making eye contact with Y/N, “No, I haven’t, sorry Y/N.”

Y/N eyes her suspiciously before nodding, “Okay, if you find him, let him know I was looking for him alright?”

Camila smiled at her, “Will do. See you later Y/N.”

Y/N smiled at Camila before the woman left her. Y/N’s eyes drifted up to the balcony doors which were firmly closed. Before she even knew it, Y/N’s feet were taking her over to them. Y/N pulled the doors open and stepped out onto the balcony and into the cool night air. 

“Y/N?”

Y/N looked to the source of the voice and smiled at the sight of the person she had been looking for. 

“Eddie.” Y/N says, flinging her arms around him, careful not to spill her drink.

“What are you doing here?” Eddie asked.

“I have a few days off from shooting so I came to surprise everyone.” Y/N responded, pulling away from the hug to take a swig from her drink, “I was sitting with everyone before I realised you weren’t there so I came looking for you and- are you okay?”

Y/N cut herself off to ask Eddie that question. His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes and he looked like he was trying his best to hold back tears. 

“I’m fine.” Eddie lies.

Y/N’s eyes softened, she reached up to Eddie’s face and wiped away the single tear that slipped down his cheek, “Eddie, I’ve known you for years, I can tell when you lie to me.”

“It’s nothing,” Eddie says, “At least it is now.”

Y/N placed her drink down on the floor before she wrapped Eddie in a hug, “Does this have anything to do with Camila?”

Eddie didn’t answer but that was enough of an answer or Y/N. 

Y/N pulled away slightly, placing her hands on either side of Eddie’s face, “You don’t have to tell me anything Eddie, but if you ever want to talk about it, I’m just a phone call away.”

“That’s the problem,” Eddie says, “You’re a phone call away but I wish you were just here with me or I was with you.”

Y/N leaned forward, resting her forehead against Eddie’s, “Eddie, I wish that were possible but you and I both know it isn’t.”

“I know, but I miss you.” Eddie says, closing his eyes. 

“I miss you too,” Y/N says, her voice barely above a whisper, “So much.”

Eddie gave a tight lipped smile before pulling Y/N closer, he buried his head into her neck and the two stood like that for a while. 

Eddie: I think that was the night that put everything into perspective for me. 

Karen: Everyone could see that something was happening between Y/N and Eddie. Graham and I were taking bets on it.

Warren: Honestly I thought they were screwing long before the tour.

Eddie: I realised that day that night that Y/N was the one I wanted to be with. That feeling I would get when I was with Y/N was love. I was in love with Y/N and I hadn’t realised it. There was a point where we didn’t have shows for a couple days so I went to see Y/N. Billy wasn’t happy but I didn’t care, the only thing I cared about was her.

Y/N lay in her garden, enjoying her final day off before she finished shooting her movie. She flipped the page of her book while taking a sip from her drink. 

“Y/N?” A voice broke the peaceful silence. 

Y/N turned and came face to face with Eddie. Her eyebrows pulled together confused. 

“What are you doing here? You should be on the other side of the country.” Y/N says, getting up from her chair. 

“I needed to see you.” Eddie says.

“Are you okay?” Y/N asked concerned. 

Eddie nodded, “I just need to tell you something.”

“You do know that phones exist right?” Y/N joked but once she realised that Eddie was serious she stepped closer to him, resting her hands on his upper arms gently.

“Are you sure that you’re okay?” Y/N questioned. 

Eddie: As soon as she asked me that the second time, I couldn’t stop myself. I kissed her.

Y/N let out a sound of surprise as Eddie’s lips connected with hers. His hands held onto her waist, pulling her closer. Y/N didn’t do anything, she was shocked. 

Eddie pulled away and looked at Y/N, her face remained expressionless. He was afraid he had just messed up another friendship. 

“Y/N…” Eddie mumbled, “Please say something.”

Y/N didn’t, her thoughts were running at a million miles an hour. Y/N slowly reached up and rested her hands on either side of Eddie’s face.

“Y/N, please.” Eddie said, barely audible.

Y/N leaned forward and connected their lips once again, her fingers ran through his hair. Eddie gripped onto her waist tightly and pulled her close until there wasn’t a single gap between them. 

Eddie: (laughs) I still remember that day like it was yesterday.

Eddie tapped Y/N’s thigh and she jumped up wrapping her legs around him. Eddie carried her into the house and set her down on the kitchen countertop. Eddie pulled his lips away from Y/N briefly. 

“Y/N, I love you.” Eddie says, his thumbs brushing across her thighs. 

Y/N smiled, “You want to know something, Eddie? I had no clue I felt this way about you until you kissed me. It just feels right, like we should have been doing it all along.”

Eddie smiles and Y/N swears it is the most beautiful smile she had ever seen. 

“Well then, let’s make up for lost time.” Eddie says and connects their lips once again. 

Eddie: I proposed to Y/N six months later. 

Y/N L/N: Over twenty years later I still feel like the young woman I was when we shared our first kiss and I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

__________

[taesansbeloved]

Calm Amidst Chaos.

| Myung Jaehyun X Reader

| Genre: established relationship.

| warnings: use of pet names, a clingy jaehyun :(

| Word count: 987

▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎

Today was pure shit. For starters, you missed your alarm leading to getting scolded by your boss. Then, you got blazing hot coffee on your new white button up. THEN, a customer kept arguing with you saying that the deal wasn't all that good and just being a pure Karen.

It was one of those days. The days where you wanted to just go home and spend all day with your loving boyfriend, Jaehyun.

Did I mention that it was the first day Jaehyun was free from work since forever.

Working as an Idol wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. It was tiring, and exhausting. Also, being the leader just adds on the stress, so this was the only day he had, free from responsibility. But to his luck, his girlfriend happens to have work that day.

Your manager decided that you should spend more time in the office as you arrived late, so as everyone went home and relaxed, you were still stuck in your tiny little office. As soon as he gave you the sign to go home, you started packing your things rapidly, eager to go home.

As soon as you enter your car, you get a call from your one and only.

“Hey, baby.” You say softly, knowing he's probably tired and sad that you're away.

“Hey, love. When are you coming back?” He asks sadly, stifling a yawn. As soon as he said that, your heart started to ache. You knew that all he wanted to do was cuddle and talk nonsense to each other. Your boss is to blame for not doing all that.

“I'm in my car right now. Give me exactly ten minutes.” You say, starting your car. You can hear shuffling on the other side. “Hey, Jaehyun. I'm really sorry. I really didn't mean to stay over time and I promise I'll make it up to you.” You said, leaning on your seat, feeling pure guilt.

Jaehyun is the definition of a clingy boyfriend. Just giving him a hug and it will send him to the moon. You just know right now that he's aching for your touch and that just made you feel even worse.

“Baby, please don't apologise. I now know how you feel when I'm away so we're basically equal now.” Jaehyun said with a light chuckle. You know that he was trying to make you feel better by joking but it made you feel BAD. “You shouldn't be on your phone while driving, love. I'll hang up now and I'm very patiently waiting for you to come home. I love you.” He said. You can just feel his energy on the phone. God, you loved him.

“I love you too.” You say quietly as you hung up and began your journey home.

__

Slowly inserting the key, you open the door quietly and peek inside. The lights were on but the TV was off.

You stepped inside as a frown appeared on your face. ‘Where is he?’ You wondered as you closed the door behind you.

As soon as the door closed, you heard footsteps ascending from the stairs and a fluffy haired Jaehyun coming into view.

Running towards you, he engulfed you in the tightest hug.

Snuggling his face into the crook of your neck, breathing in your scent that he dearly missed.

Without speaking you wrap your arms around him, pulling him even deeper into your embrace. You thread your fingers through his hair as a quiet sigh leaves his mouth.

“I missed you.” Jaehyun said, voice muffled against your neck tickling you a bit.

“I missed you even more.” You whispered back as you gently rubbed his back.

You felt as if all the worries and all the bad things that happened today began to fade from the mere touch of Jaehyun. Feeling his calm breath pattern on your neck brings you even more solace.

“Come on.” You said after embracing each other for more than normal in front of the front door.

Jaehyun whined as he shook his head in the crook of your neck. “No.” He mumbled.

“Baby, I'm still in my work clothes.” You say with a chuckle. Jaehyun whined more but let go of you.

You pull Jaehyun with you upstairs to your shared bedroom.

“Stay here.” You say softly as Jaehyun layed down on his side of the bed and nodded.

You quickly change out of your work clothes and put on some comfy pyjamas before washing up as fast as possible.

Before you can even touch the bed, you feel yourself being pulled into a warm embrace. Jaehyun dug his nose into your hair, smelling your shampoo.

You chuckle as you rest your head on his chest.

“Tell me about your day.” Jaehyun said softly, running his hand through your hair.

“Well, it was terrible. Everything went wrong. And this stupid customer just kept arguing with me about a deal I very much did not have a say in. Ugh, and my manager. God, I hope both sides of his pillow are warm.” You say, rolling your eyes slightly at the mention of your manager.

Jaehyun chuckled as he pulled you deeper into his embrace. “Well, good thing you're here now. Do you have any work tomorrow?” He whispered gently.

“I have some paperwork that needs to be done, but other than that no. Do you?” You asked, wishing to hear a ‘no’.

“...No.” Jaehyun said making your head shoot up.

“For real?!” You exclaimed, propping yourself on your elbow.

He nodded as a soft smile made its way to his face.

You quickly get on top of him, strangling him in a tight hug. He hugged you back immediately and rubbed your waist in content.

“I love you.” You whispered in his ear, making his smile widen.

“I love you more, darling.” He said back.

You were his world, and he was your calm amidst your chaos.

__________

Guys.... I love you. My first post got so much love and I really wanna thank yall!! I hope you enjoyed this babes!

[withacapitalp]

How to Rehabilitate a Jock Part 19

Part One Link to ao3 Part 18.

Part Twenty

As always thank you to @stevethehairington and @thefreakandthehair for generally keeping my head on my shoulders and betaing everything I always throw at you guys ily ily ily

Step Nineteen: Sing a Song

“Are you sure about this Steve?” Claudia asked for the millionth time as Steve opened her coat and held it out in front of him with a patient smile. 

“I’m sure. Honest, Mrs. Henderson.” Steve said. He had gone through this exact song and dance with every parent except for Joyce and Hop, and Claudia was the final hold out. Truthfully he had expected Karen Wheeler or the Sinclairs to be the most unsure about leaving their sons at his house overnight, but a few small platitudes had been enough to get them to let go and go home. 

Well, a few platitudes and a bottle of wine to hit the road with. 

“Steven,” She immediately replied, a faux warning tone coloring her voice as she wagged her finger at him with a grumpy look in her eye. 

“Claudia,” Steve amended, still feeling that little awkwardness that he always had when he addressed any adult by their first name. He could practically hear his mother’s voice in his ear telling him off for being impolite. “It’s not a problem, and besides, they’re just going to sleep. Super easy.”

Steve wasn’t exactly sure if that was true, but he had hope. All six of his brats had been letting out big yawns as he had ushered them up the stairs a little while ago, and he hadn’t heard any shouting coming from upstairs yet. There was no way of knowing if the excitement of a sleepover would give them a second wind of some form, but even that would be short lived. 

Besides, Eddie had just left to drop off his friends with the promise of coming back soon, so the quicker he got the kids in bed, the better. 

“It’s not that I don’t trust you, dear, you know how grateful I am for everything you’ve done for Dusty and the others,” Claudia said, finally allowing Steve to help her into her coat, “I just can’t believe you don't get tired of having them all here so often. I mean, doesn't it exhaust you? I can barely handle the occasional playdate they have at my house!” 

“It does exhaust me,” Steve joked with a soft laugh, “but it’s also nice? A bit hard to explain, I guess.” 

“You’re starting to sound like a father,” Claudia teased, buttoning up her extremely bright pink coat., “You’ll make some girl very happy someday.” 

Steve laughed along because that was what was appropriate, but he couldn’t deny the weird pit in his stomach that was beginning to grow. A month ago he would have thought it was because of his breakup with Nancy and the prospect that he might never find someone he loved like her ever again. 

That made sense. 

But Steve could say with almost one hundred percent certainty that Nancy was nothing but a friend now. Someone important to him, but wholly platonic. He could also say that he still very much wanted to be a father. It was one of the things he wanted most in life.

So why was Claudia’s joke making him so uncomfortable? 

It made zero sense. There wasn’t any reason. Something just felt… wrong. 

Luckily their conversation appeared to be over. There were still the normal polite farewells and long goodbyes in the doorway, but that was all perfunctory. Steve could go through those motions without much thought, and before he knew it the front door shut and he was finally alone in his house once more. 

Thump. 

Mostly alone. 

“You shitheads better have your pajamas on and teeth brushed by the time I reach the top of these steps!” Steve called up from the bottom, standing still and relishing in the sudden flurry of activity that was coming from his bedroom. 

The kids weren’t even a bit frightened of him, but they still listened to him when they felt like it, and especially if he was doing something big like letting them all stay overnight so they could spend more time with El. It was almost novel, knowing they were going to actually do what he said with only minimal complaining. 

Steve waited one second longer before starting to climb the stairs, purposefully making his steps just a touch louder so he knew the kids could hear him approaching. He even made a show of slowly opening the door to his bedroom, only to be greeted by a truly miraculous sight. 

All six of them tucked tight into his bed, quiet and calm. Max, Lucas, and Will were even pretending to be asleep, just to really sell the bit. Max and Lucas weren’t doing too good, but Steve might’ve actually believed Will’s act if he didn’t know that Will always slept on his left, and not his right. 

“Look at that, turns out you can do as you’re told,” He said, putting his hands on his hips and biting his lip to avoid directly laughing at how good they were pretending to be. The ‘sleepers’ opened their eyes, and the others all relaxed at the easy going tone their babysitter was using. 

“Fuck you, Steve,” Mike grumbled, ever the contrarian. 

“I can still call your mom and dad to pick you up, Wheeler,” Steve threatened lightly, both of them knowing he would do no such thing. 

Still, it was enough to get Mike to back down, grumbling as he snuggled in tighter between Dustin and El. 

“How’d the plan go?” Dustin asked eagerly, leaning over his grumpy friend and jamming his elbow’s into Mike’s ribs, causing the other boy to snarl and try to push him off without success. 

“Pretty much perfect,” Steve sighed walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed, pulling at one of Max’s braids idly just to rile her up a little bit. “El should have no problem going to school next year.”

The kids immediately began to cheer and whoop, already excitedly planning all the things they would get to do together next year.

All except one. 

“What’s wrong Supergirl?” Steve asked softly, furrowing his brow at El’s stormy expression. “I thought this would make you happy.” 

That was the whole reason he had come up with this insane plan- he had wanted to make El happy. And yet, here she was, practically miserable. 

El sucked in one cheek, chewing on it in a move that was so reminiscent of Hopper it almost made Steve laugh. She looked just like her dad when he was deep in thought. 

“I am happy about being allowed to go to school,” El finally began, her words slow as she thought through the exact words she wanted to use. Steve waited patiently, knowing she would come to the words when she had them, or would ask for one that might help explain better. 

“I am… uncomfortable with lying. Friends don’t lie.”

Friends don’t lie. 

Steve wasn’t exactly sure who had taught that to these kids, but if he ever found out, he would not be responsible for what he did. 

Don’t lie. What a stupid thing to teach kids. In Steve’s opinion- honesty was overrated. There was nothing wrong with a white lie, or a big fat one, as long as it was for a good reason. What was the point in telling his mother that his dad was out with his secretary again? What sense was there in being truthful when Carol asked if the other girls thought she was mean? Saying those things just hurt everyone, Steve included. 

It was better to be smart, to be strategic with the truth, and hope for the best. He would lie to everyone around him, as long as it was what would keep them happiest. What they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them, and actually, knowing would hurt more. 

Still, he couldn’t say that to them. Especially not to El of all people. The other kids barely understood; her black and white way of thinking wouldn’t be able to get it. Not yet. 

But then again, maybe it would be better if she never did.   

“Friends don’t lie, but friends do keep secrets,” Steve decided, hoping that would be enough. “We’re going to keep your secrets, so you can stay safe. Does that make sense?”

“Yes,” El said almost immediately, knowing how important her safety was to Steve. She paused, and Steve could practically see the wheels turning in her brain as she let his words truly sink in. 

Once she did she took a deep breath and turned back to him, making sure Steve was looking at her as she spoke. 

“But I still don’t like it? Does that make sense?” El asked hesitantly. 

“I don’t like it either,” Mike said, and this time Steve could tell he wasn’t just agreeing because it was El. Mike’s little glower had turned into a full blown scowl, and his arms flew around as his voice began to raise, “El saved the world. Twice. She’s a hero, not a monster!” 

No, she wasn’t a monster, and Steve would never want her to think of herself as one, but the world wasn’t so kind. Before he could even begin to try explaining that, the kids kept going. 

“It does kind of suck that I can’t tell my mom anything,” Max admitted, uncharacteristically quiet as she kept her eyes firmly on the blanket covering her legs. “I don’t care about telling Billy or Neil or anything, but my mom asks me about my nightmares, and I can’t tell her why I have them. I’ve never been good at keeping secrets from her.”

“My mom’s still bummed about Mews,” Dustin muttered. 

“My mom knows and it’s still hard to talk to her,” Will added on, looking far too old for just being twelve. 

They all looked old. It was like Steve could almost see the adults they would be someday far down the line. Adults with secrets to bear, and lies to tell, and too many things they would never be able to explain to the world around him. Things that their mothers would never be able to help them with.

Was that what he was now?

Steve had never even considered talking to his mother about everything they had been through. The thought hadn’t crossed his mind once. And now that he was thinking about it, he still couldn’t imagine a world where he would ever talk to his mom about any of this. 

… It was hard to recall the last time he had talked to his mom about anything real. 

“I know it sucks, but it’s not safe guys,” He said, focusing on the thing he could worry about and ignoring the panging ache in his heart. This wasn’t a time to think about his mommy issues. This was about the kids. 

“Yeah, being put in cuffs once was enough for me,” Lucas said, unconsciously rubbing at his wrists. “Not fun.”

“I do not want to go back to the lab. Secret’s are necessary,” El agreed, reaching over and tangling her fingers in Lucas’s, “but they suck.”

“Secrets suck a big fat one,” Dustin declared. 

El leaned back, quirking her head to the side. 

“A big fat what?” She asked, the absolute picture of innocence she was. 

There was a beat of quiet as they all registered exactly what she had just said, and then as a group they all began to laugh. Steve tried in vain to stifle his giggles, not wanting El to feel like she was being laughed at, but she was smiling too, pleased as punch to get her friends feeling happy again instead of sad. 

“I’ll explain it some other time, Elliegirl,” Steve promised, tugging the covers more securely around the brats as he did. “And you guys can always talk to me, you know that right? I’m not the same as your parents, but I’m here.” 

Some sleepy nods and yawns answered him, and Steve figured the conversation had reached its natural conclusion. But, just as he reached over to grab the lights, a quiet little voice broke through the silence. 

“... Who do you talk to?” 

Steve paused, his fingers still curled around the knob on his bedside lamp as he turned to give Will a curious look. 

“What?” 

“You said we can talk to you, but who do you talk to?” Will explained, a little nervous like always, but not backing down. 

No one. 

“Plenty of people. I’ve got my friends, and Nancy and Jonathan,” Steve replied, a little too cheerfully, trying to ignore the immediate response that had come to mind. 

“But you can’t talk to Eddie or the others about the upside down stuff, and you barely talk to Nancy and Jon,” Max argued, joining Will in staring Steve down now that he had considered the question, “so, who do you get to talk to about this, Steve?”

“Where’s all this coming from?” Steve asked, expertly maneuvering around the situation. He ruffled Dustin’s curls, finally free of his hat, poking him in between the eyes to add an extra annoyance. “I’m the one that worries about you brats, not the other way around.” 

“We are friends, Steve. Aren’t friends supposed to watch over each other?” El insisted. 

Steve opened his mouth but quickly shut it before he said something stupid like they weren’t friends or it didn’t work that way. 

But wasn’t that the truth?

The kids were friends with each other, Nancy was Mike’s sister, Jonathan was Will’s brother, Hopper and Joyce were the parents. Where did Steve fit in that equation? ‘Babysitter’ had been an easy thing to use as a placeholder, but how much longer could he say that? What place was Steve supposed to be in for them as they got older? He wasn’t their brother, but he couldn’t see a world where he fit as one of their friends. 

“You’re wrong,” Dustin grumbled, pulling Steve out of his head and back into the moment. 

“Excuse me?” Steve said, more than a little shocked. As far as he knew, El was the only one who could read minds, and he hadn’t said a word. 

And yet, they were all glaring at him, unhappy with whatever they had seen on his face. 

“How many times do we have to say you’re in the party?” Mike muttered, a heavy red blush on his cheeks as he burrowed deeper into the pillows to avoid looking at anyone. 

“Dumbass,” Max added, just to even things back out. 

A hot heavy warmth spread through Steve’s chest and he bit down the stupid smile that was 

threatening to break onto his face. Whatever he was, it didn’t matter. They cared, and that was what mattered. 

“If I need to, I’ll talk with you guys,” Steve offered, knowing deep in his bones that he would never do such a thing. 

“Promise?” Lucas murmured.

“Promise,” Steve lied with a soft, honey sweet voice, shutting off the light and letting the hallway lamp and the glow of the pool illuminate the room in a gentle cool tone. “Now it’s really time for bed.”

“What about Story and Song?” El asked. 

Steve raised his brows in surprise, reminded with a jolt that despite looking just the same, El wasn’t like the other kids. 

Story and Song was a little tradition Steve had started for the nights that Hopper had to work late, an easy way to get her to go to bed in an unfamiliar house without the comforting presence of her dad. He would read one of the short stories from his big book of Disney stories, sing her a song, and she would sleep until Hopper came to pick her up. It was sweet, but none of the other kids would have ever dared to ask for such a childish thing. They would want to act more grown up, more mature, always in a rush to grow up. 

El had no such qualms. 

A familiar storybook was being floated into his lap, and none of them, not even the boys, were protesting. In the blink of an eye, they weren’t old anymore, just kids who wanted to hear a story they already knew to help them fall asleep. 

“Which one do you guys want?” Steve asked, ignoring the lump that was starting to grow in his throat, flipping through the Disney storybook and feeling the worn edges against his fingertips. 

“Lady and the Tramp?” Dustin offered, seeing that Steve was already thumbing through that page. He turned to the beginning and rolled his neck getting into the mood to read, using the light from the pool outside as his guide. 

“Lady was a happy little dog. She lived in a big house with Jim Dear and Darling.”

By the time Steve’s index finger glossed along the last sentences of the story, most of the kids had dropped off. Will had fallen asleep almost immediately, with Dustin and Lucas tripping after him before too long. El had made a valiant attempt to stay up, but she was gone by the time Lady met the other dogs at the pound. 

Steve had just two hold outs left.

“G’night guys,” He said quietly, slowly sliding off of the bed and putting the book on the floor next to his bed. Mike turned over and ignored him, but Max sat up with a little glare. 

“You said we would get a song too,” Max said sleepily, rubbing at her eyes with both palms. 

“That’s being cheap, Harrington.”

Cheap? Was she actually serious?  

“You two… want me… to sing you a lullaby?” Steve asked in complete disbelief. El, he understood. She had no frame of reference, no way of knowing that she might be a little bit too old for things like this, but Max? 

Mike? 

“We just don’t think you can actually sing,” Mike said, his words punctuated by a ridiculously big yawn. 

“You gotta close your eyes then, and just listen,” Steve sighed, unwilling to argue this late at night. 

“Deal,” Max said, snuggling down into the bed.

Steve let his eyes fall shut, taking a long deep breath as he slowly lowered himself to the ground, putting his back against the bed and conveniently facing away from the kids. It wasn’t like he was embarrassed to sing, it would just be easier not to have to see them while he did it. 

But what should he sing? 

It had to be something soft, something easy. Something anyone would want to hear. 

The memory hit him like a ton of bricks. 

“Who could hate this song?” 

Steve had the answer. 

“Love of my life, you’ve hurt me…”

Tag List: Taglist: @paopaupaus @zerokrox-blog @surferboyzaza @whatever-is-a-good-name@minjintea @addelyin @5ammi90 @hagbaby420 @shinekocreator @bornonthesavage @starxlark @electrick-marionnett @resident-gay-bitch @ash-a-confused-enby @classicdinosaurdeathpose @valon-whomsttf @rotten-lil-goblin @thereindeerlady @love-ya-kash @kerlypride @sparkle-fiend @thefreakandthehair @flowercrowngods @milf-harrington @sadcanadianwinter @gothbat99 @hotcocoaharrington @henderdads @lightwoodbanethings @colorful565 @h0n3y-dw @craterbbox @sourw0lfs @lesliiieeeee @bidisastersworld @tinynebula @ravnlinn @bonescaro @mexmatch @cottagecoredreams @joruni @hellykelly @maegan1116 @farewell-wanderlvst @desertfern @due-to-the-fact-that-im-a-slut @anythingforourmoonyedits @eerielake @fandemonium-takes-its-toll @sidekick-hero

[muxshwriting]

jackie and wilson

matt murdock x reader

summary: matt and reader get drunk which leads to the contemplation of future life decisions || warnings: drinking || words: 603 || masterlist

“Have one more with me?” You ask Matt, pouting. He’s far less drunk but tipsy enough to sway where he stands.

Matt shakes his head, a lopsided grin covering his face. He inches closer, face almost touching yours. “I can feel you pouting.” He whispers darkly.

“Because you won’t have a drink with me!” You reply, laughing. “It’s not fair.”

“Darling-“ His warning tone did nothing to quell your mission: get Matt drunk.

You inch even closer, lips practically touching his. “Don’t you wanna be a daredevil?”

He rolls his eyes as he drags you both away from the bar. He’s trying to pull you back to the table where Foggy and Karen are wrapped up in each other, but you divert him to the dance floor, letting the music sweep you into the rhythm.

Your hands thread themselves into his brown locks, combing out tangles as you both sway to the music. His hands rest on your hips and lead you in the movements. He’s smiling at you, feeling you twist in his arms in time with the music. The night continued on, the satisfying buzz in your chest never waning. But eventually Foggy interupts you and Matt to drag you both home.

The door bangs against the wall as you fall into it but neither you or Matt have enough sense to care. He giggles slightly as you drag him through the house, hitting every wall as you do. Despite being drunk and blind, Matt doesn't hit a single one, listening to your soft swears as you hit another wall with your already bruising shoulder.

Clothes are laguidly tossed to the floor and covers are pulled back until both of you have fallen into bed. The night is waning and you slip into the tired mindset as soon as your head hits the pillow. Matt throws an arm around you, keeping you close as he closes his eyes for the night.

You slowly trace patterns along his chest, feeling every breath Matt takes. He’s slowly drifting off, admitting defeat and neglecting his Daredevil duties for once. It’s a nice reprieve from the worry that torments you every night he comes home late. It’s a tricky balance. Yes, you want Matt to stay safe but he’s also helping the city in a way very few others could.

It wasn’t easy at first, especially when he would come home caked in blood and hurt himself. But it had been years since those first outings. He was more lawyer than devil now and he took nights off… some nights off.

You and Matt had talked loveingly of the future on mutliple occasions. There had been discussions of him quitting Daredevil altogether and focusing on building a family. Matt had promised that when you did start a family, the suit would be retired immediately. You often joked about tearing that suit to bits and burning it so that he couldn't go out at night. But deep down you knew he would go out regardless.

The most frequent discussions, however, were about leaving New York. You could pack up this life and travel for a few years, experience everything the world had to offer. Starting a family would happen when it was meant to but you and Matt wanted to take a few years just for you both. Running state to state certainly had its appeal but it was always questioned. Maybe it wouldn't work. It would cost too much, take so much time and effort.

But the freedom it would grant would be more than enough. A little haven, meant for only you and him.

if you want to be added to my taglist, send me an ask or dm!

[inactiveobeymeblog]

can u do how the om brothers would react to a mc that is like. (for lack of better words) EXTREMELY dumb ..... like karen smith level slow💀

Lmao I LOVE this idea. The best part is that I can definitely relate to this lol.

Content Rating: SFW

Content Warning: None, GN!MC

Characters: ✨The Seven Brothers✨

Additional Info: MC is very slow to understand, the brothers are patient, shorter HC’s this time (sorry), we love dumbfounded MC, the brothers love MC

Lucifer

He finds it quite surprising, actually

That the fact that there is such a human who is so oblivious to so many things

He first noticed when you walked into his office and he was on a phone call, but you didn’t see he was and you just continued to talk

He had to tell you to hush

He also told you to be more aware of other people’s situations

But he loves that about you

He even finds it endearing

Mammon

You’re in the same boat as him

You both take so long to understand a joke and you often find yourself looking at each other with confused expressions

It will take you both at least a day or two to understand what something meant or recognize what was happening at a given moment

Sometimes if one of you find something out before the other, one of you will rush to tell the other

It’s a cycle you two repeat endlessly and it’s hilarious

He’s just happy he finally found someone who can relate to him

Leviathan

If you’re slow to figure something out, whether it be a “why does this character to this and that” or a “what do you mean by that”, prepare to have a very long rundown conversation

Levi LOVES to explain everything to you in very large detail

He also loves the fact that you will volunteer to understand everything about a show he gets absorbed in

That means pulling an all nighter to go through every single manga volume or watch every episode of an anime

And if you ever need to know anything, he’s got your back

He fawns over you and the fact that he gets to talk to such a human like you and express his love for things to you without hearing you complain

He’s head over heals for you

Satan

Usually, if you ever find yourself struggling to understand something in a book or something you’re studying, he’ll explain it to you in the most simple way possible

Or if you need a more detailed and longer explanation, he’s happy to give you one

He’s an excellent source if you ever need help with your R.A.D school work

He’s also a walking dictionary

So if you don’t know what a word means, just ask him

He gets an ego boost every time you go to him and not one of his brothers

He loves the trust you put in him

Asmodeus

He usually gets stumped on how to explain things you don’t understand that isn’t of the sexual, joking manner

But he’ll try extra hard just for you

Like if you don’t understand how makeup works, he’ll more so demonstrate than tell you

It’s easier for him

And if you’re more of a visual and hands-on learner, then you’re in luck!

Because he won’t give up until you’ve mastered whatever art you ask for help in, even if it’s a skill he isn’t an expert in

He just loves how he can be in your company for hours and not get tired of you

Beelzebub

It doesn’t matter if you’re well conversed in food culture or not, he will explain everything about a certain food item to you down to the very soil the ingredients were planted in

He would talk for hours just describing the taste of food or furniture

Make sure to get him a snack to munch on while you get him to talk about food or he might just start nibbling on your arm instead

He loves the way he can talk to you about his favourite snacks and meals without making you bored or tired of his nonsense rambling

Belphegor

Ask him where the best napping spots are and he’ll make a five page full analysis on where he thinks the best spots are

He’ll explain why if you ever ask

He will even invite you to his favourite; the attic

Then he’ll continue to explain there

He’ll also act as if it’s the best thing that’s ever happened in his life

I mean, he gets to talk to someone who actually wants to know about his favourite napping places?

Count him IN

He loves the way you will earnestly listen to him and he also loves the fact that you will fall asleep with him when he asks

A/N: I hope I answered your ask correctly! I hope everything made sense bc I didn’t go back and proofread anything. Thanks for reading! Thanks for requesting, anon! 💜

[alexandraisyes]

Ship headcanons! I can do that Let's do multiple ships for my multishipper heart XD

SolarMoon/Nexus

Solar Loves hugging Nexus from behind. When he is working, when he is in the kitchen, in the lab, doesn't matter. Just slides behind him and warps his arms around his waist and hug him. Nexus loves it to.

Nexus loves making Solar laugh, the best sound in the world. Even better if it makes him love the control of his rays and they start Moving

They are both bad about their own sleep, but if they see the other being tired they drag them to bed. Then try to go back to work only for the other to drag them into bed with them. (it happens both ways)

When tired but not able to sleep they make corny jokes at each other that make each other let out snorting noises.

SolarSun

Sun kisses the back of solars rays a lot. Also pets them like his cat. It makes solar melt.

Solar is stronger than sun, and could lift him up without a problem. Sun loves this, but won't say it.

Sun forces Solar to take breaks by just dragging him away from his work and sitting him down. And if need be sit in his lap. They play a game, or watch tv or just talk. But solar isn't allowed to get up.

Solar is the only one allowed to touch Sun's skyhook. Sun never really used the cable to fly so it feels really vulnerable.

EclipseSun

They are that couple that are arguing when going down the street. It starts raining then one of them holds out an umbrella so the other doesn't get wet and keeps arguing

Eclipse likes ticking his claws against Sun casing when going to sleep. Enjoying the sound it makes, as soothes them both.

Eclipse really likes it when Sun gets mad at other people. His favorite pastime is watching him yell at Karen's in the daycare.

They are not really touchy in public. So people are surprised when they say they are dating. They do happily prove Karens wrong by kissing in front of them though (much to moons chagrin as he has to bear witness too)

As a date, they like to watch bad movies together and complain about them.

And that's all i have time for as i have to go do some chores.

-Noffy

They're so goofy omg

SOLARSUN MENTION LETS FUCKING GOOO

Sunchips - the ultimate married couple

I love all of these so much! They're all so sweet in their own ways

Ask Game - Send Me Ship Headcanons (TSBS)

[rhiannswork]

w. rojas || have you ever thought about it?

warnings: talk of pregnancy, julia 🥹🥹, a mockery of the scene where cami asks daisy if she wants kids, let’s act like mr. rojas has a bed in the house, fluff, camila just being tired :((

“so, if im correct, you began dating warren around the beginning of the aurora sessions?”

“ahh yes i was…” you nodded. a smile grew on your face as you heard your husbands name.

back then, it was easy to get into studios, wear something a little flashy and boom you’re in. after seeing the reoccurrence of the group ‘the six’ alongside daisy jones, you took it upon yourself to hang around them more often.

you lingered at the door, listening for instruments. you didn’t want to walk in on a take.

“hey babe,” you heard warrens voice from behind you. “hi warren.” you turned around quickly, you were faced with a tall, fit man, with a wife beater and slightly tight pants. “we’re not recording a take, don’t worry.” he walked in front of you to open the door for you. “after you.” he smiled.

you walked into the room and seeing a soft atmosphere. eddie creating a bass riff, julia dancing to the riff with her mother, billy and daisy revising lyrics, karen and graham were no where to be found.

“this was way before we knew they were screwing to be honest.”

“warren, ‘bout time.” eddie smirked with cigarette hanging from the side of his mouth. he rolled his eyes as he walked closer to julia and camila. “hi mija.” he picked julia up in his arms.

you watched as he bounced her up and down to eddie’s riff. “she loves this riff…” camila laughed as she brushed her hair behind her head. “i can tell.” you smiled.

“you always used to find something that could hold you up, your knees would be just a’going.”

camila watched the way you adored warrens careful touch with julia. “do you want one y/n?” she spoke softly before placing her chin on your shoulder. “wha- huh? you mean now?!” you turned around with a panicked look.

“no! no… don’t be like me,” she sighed as her eyes glanced over to billy entranced by daisy, as if they were the only people in the room. “in time… you think warren would want one?” she looked over to him taking julia to his drum set. you watched as he carefully placed the big headphones on her and placed her on his lap. he handed her two drumsticks and cupped her hands and slowly starting playing a rhythm.

“i don’t think he’d want a baby with me.” you shook your head with a chuckle to follow. “why would you think that y/n.”

“i’m not fit for it cam. i don’t want to bring a kid out in this world… it’s cruel. what if i’m not a good mother!” you quietly yelled to her. “what? you’d be an amazing mother. i thought i wouldn’t be able to handle jules. believe it or not, i was crying almost every night. it’s natural but you know what else is natural? you becoming a good mother.”

you smiled at her words. “this may sound weird but i wish you were my mother.” you chuckled as you looked down. “i’ll be your faux mom.” camila lifted your head up by your chin as she glanced in your eyes.

you could depict the hurt in her eyes, this conversation was more complex than it sounded to anyone else. all you could do was telepathically apologize to camila. she sent back an ‘it’s okay.’ with her eyes.

“your mother… she was a strong woman. an extremely strong woman.” you sniffled as you put a smile back on your face.

you stayed at the house where the band (minus cami and billy) lived. it was late when everyone got back, everyone had a quick bite of chinese food and headed off to bed.

you finished up your shower and headed to warrens room. “hey, i feel like i haven’t talked to you all day.” warren watched you walk to the bed. “sorry, just… thinking.” you nodded as you wrapped up under the covers.

“what about, my love?” he turned to you, propping his head up. “do you ever… in the future, maybe… want a baby?” you looked over to him. “of course i do. i’ve gotta carry this drumming legacy on somehow!” he joked. you scoffed as you rolled your eyes. “alright ringo. camila had asked me when i came to the studio.”

“oh yeah?” he grabbed your hand and placed a soft kiss on your knuckles. you hummed as you nodded your head. “i just want to be ready for him or her. i want to be a good mother.” your eyes stayed on his hand.

“and you will be. right now, we’re gonna be young and in love. we can worry about that later alright? don’t stress yourself out.” he muttered before placing one last kiss on your forehead and a lingering hand rubbing your cheek.

“i feel like i’ve done this mothering thing right. i mean, i’ve done it three times.”

[blazinghotfoggynights]

Random possibilities for 9-1-1 based on nothing more than my wandering, weird mind. These are just random thoughts:

What if Tommy is going to become a permanent cast member and he and Buck will last for a while, if not be endgame? Tim Minear seems to love Tommy and BuckTommy. I could see a proposal or marriage by the end of the season to complete the Tommy Kinard redemption arc.

What if Gerrard's return will be used to reinforce how Tommy is now a good man and "good people"? Tim Minear will use it to solidify Tommy's redemption arc and bring him in as a main character.

What if Eddie has a major emotional upheaval and moving back to Texas is a serious possibility? If they have him turn to his Catholic roots for guidance and comfort, I can see him choosing to leave LA and be what he was raised to be. That effectively gets rid of Ryan Guzman and puts all Buddie talk to an end, opening the door to a BuckTommy focused fanbase with no more distractions.

What if Bobby never comes back to the 118 and Gerrard is it? That is an easy way to send that character away.

What if with Bobby cut out, Athena decides to follow him? It wouldn't be difficult to remove Athena, who may decide that Bobby's new career is much more attractive and it's time she retired anyway.

What if with Bobby gone and Gerrard in permanently, the 118 becomes too hostile for Hen and Chim to finish their careers there? Hen could return to school to complete her medical degree (What happened with that storyline anyway?), Chimney could easily transfer, we have seen him training, and that would open the door for Buck to follow Tommy and Tim to create a show following them.

Buddie? There will always be fanfic. It is clear Tim loves the Tommy Kinard character and working with characters who can be hateful. (If you think it is normal to minimize racist, sexist bullying as just "fitting in", keep bringing back characters to infuse that element of hate, have the targets of the hate forgive and befriend their terrorists, then tell everyone how good they are, there is something wrong with you. Tim Minear loving those characters and redeeming them is a tired trope that has been dragged for decades and extremely sus.) Even if BuckTommy is not endgame, I feel the endgame will keep Eddie hetero and whoever Buck ends up with will be lily white and probably male, with that couple becoming the focus of the show. I still believe that right now, the plan is for BuckTommy to endure and end the series together.

Eddie? I think his character is going to be done very dirty. If he caves to his parents wishes for him and becomes the good son, it'll be one of the biggest disappointments ever. I could see him going to church, praying to be guided back to the fold, and deciding that LA is not the place for him if he wants to be a good, devout Catholic man with a son and, very soon in the future, a wife, so his parents will be proud.

What if Buck, who has been desperate for love and acceptance since episode one, changes to be more like Tommy and more like what Tommy wants in a partner? Since Buck is the fan favorite, having him mirror Tommy could support Tommy being a good guy and gain support from the fanbase.

Where the hell are Hen, Karen, and Ravi? Hen is a main. Karen has been around for years, as has Ravi. Why aren't we getting more of them?

I said this last season and I am going to say it again this season, I think the endgame now is for this to end as the Buck and Tommy hour. It looks like the other characters are possibly being set up for phase outs, with their stories being left underdeveloped on purpose in order to tie them up easily.

I could see a spin off in the works focused on Buck and Tommy.

No, I don't have inside information. I am no psychic, although I have ESPN. (Dad joke. Or is it a mom joke since I'm a woman? Whatever.) I'm just throwing random could-be's out there.

[paintyoureyeswithavividmind]

close to home | chapter sixteen

close to home | chapter sixteen

plot: the reader is on the mend when the governor attacks the prison, leaving her found family scattered

series masterlist

Pairing: Eventual Daryl Dixon x f!reader Word Count: 1,742 Warnings: violence, blood, loss A/N: thanks for reading!

Daryl was sitting on the floor of your quarantine cell block when you started to stir. It had been about eight hours since the medicine was administrated into your veins, and he hadn’t left your side during that time, save for when Rick had told him that he’d banished Carol after murdering Karen and David. 

He swallowed his anger and went for a walk but ended up at your cell. He grabbed a few of your personal items, like the book you always said you were reading but never seemed to finish, your water bottle, and even double-backed to grab your bow and arrow because it would make you laugh when you woke up. Then he returned to your quarantine cell and waited for you to wake. 

When he noticed you were starting to wake up, he grabbed the metal chair Hershel had left and sat down next to the cot. Slowly your eyes opened, and he watched you look around before focusing on him. 

“That would’ve been one hell of a way to die,” You croaked out. Your voice was hoarse and full of exhaustion. 

But your first words were a joke, and Daryl shook his head in relief. “Nah, wouldn’ have been cool at all,”

You sighed heavily and tried to look around. “How is everybody?”

“They’re fine… you?” He asked. 

You shrugged your shoulders and pulled the scratchy blanket up. “Tired, but okay.”

“You should sleep some ‘ore. You nearly died last night.” Daryl said, chewing on his thumbnail. The image of you choking to death was still fresh on his mind, and even though he had tried to clean the blood off your face, it still lingered. 

“Normally, I would argue, but I’m so tired,” You said. “Where’s Tora?”

“With Carl in the office building. He got her, don’ you worry.”

You smiled up at Daryl tiredly, “I wasn’t worried,” You took a tired glance around the room and tried to laugh when you saw the bow and arrow in the corner, but it came out in coughs. “You brought my bow,”

“Figured you might miss seein’ it around since you never use it anyway,”

But you were too far gone to respond, and Daryl watched as you started to fall back asleep. Your hand unclenched around the blanket, and your mouth parted, breaths deepening. You were asleep. He sighed happily. Sleeping meant you were healing. Soon you’d be out of the cell block and back home in yours, and things would be okay again. He would make sure something like this never happened again. 

Daryl slowly reached out to you, running his fingers along the curve of your cheek. He had no idea how someone he’s only known for a few months managed to creep her way into his heart. He cared about you deeply; you were his best friend. He honestly didn’t know how much he cared about you. He knew it ran deep, and he didn’t have the words to explain it. 

“Daryl,” 

He jumped at the sound of his name and turned back to see Rick. With flushed cheeks, he followed Rick out of the cell block. They had plans to tell Tyreese about what happened with Carol and how Rick had handled it. Daryl was a bit nervous about how it would go--especially after the last time that they had any type of discussion. 

But when they reached Tyreese, they followed him into the tombs, and he showed them a rabbit pinned to a board and picked apart. Daryl was still trying to understand what happened when a loud explosion happened, and the prison shook. 

***

You didn’t wake up when the first explosion sounded. You were too far gone in your slumber to notice that at all. It wasn’t until your shoulder shook ferociously that you were pulled from sleep and your eyes shot open. 

You could smell the fire in the air, gunshots echoing outside, and the sound of people screaming. You felt like you were in a nightmare. 

“(Y/N), wake up!” 

When you came to, Lizzie was standing above you. Her eyes were frightful, and she was a few seconds away from crying. “What’s going on?” You asked. 

“Someone attacked us. We have to go now.” She said. 

The young girl helped you to your feet, and you looked around the room, grabbing your weapons and layering on them. You paused at the bow and arrow before stringing it over your shoulders. Your hands were shaking as you tried to think where your family was. But with the chaos, they could be anywhere. 

Lizzie grabbed your hand and helped you walk the few steps it took you to balance out, and despite the lingering sickness, you were steady. You led the way out of the cell block and into the courtyard, where a full-on warzone was taking place. 

“Over there!” Lizzie yelled suddenly, pointing to where Mika and a few other children were running. “We followed the plan but I went back for you.” 

You wanted to cry with relief when you saw one of the kids carrying Tora, who looked absolutely frightened. She had been with Judith in the office buildings, and of course, the kids wouldn’t have left them behind.

“Okay, let’s go,” You said, ushering the young girl forward. You took a second to look around, but you couldn’t see anyone. You could hear gunshots, though. They were close. You told the kids to stay where they were and followed the gunshots, watching as a few people cornered Tyreese. You were just about to launch your attack when Lizzie stepped before you, pulling the trigger and killing the people. 

You and Tyreese stared at each other momentarily before Lizzie took off. 

“They have Judith. We need to get them out of here,” You said, looking around. “Have you seen Maggie or Beth? Uncle Hershel?”

Tyreese shook his head, and you didn’t need to exchange other words. You both turned back to where Lizzie and the other kids were, but only Lizzie and Mika were. Both Tora and Judith were still there. You scooped up your cat and shoved her into Lizzie’s arms, taking her gun while Tyreese grabbed the baby. 

“Daryl? Did Daryl get out?” You asked as you and Tyreese led the girls to the other side of the courtyard. 

“We were shooting at them,” Tyreese said, checking back to ensure the girls followed. “I got cornered, and that’s when you came up. I don’t know. Did you see Sasha?”

You shook your head and ran through the broken fence. You weren’t sure how it was broken on this side, but you didn’t question it. You had to get them out of here, and you had to protect them. 

***

The four of you had been walking for what seemed like hours when you finally stopped. With barely any supplies, you knew you needed to regroup. They had managed to grab Judith’s go bag, and at least they didn’t have to worry about her. But it was everyone else you had to worry about. 

Dusk was nearly settled, and it would be dark soon. You were thankful it was still summer, and you wouldn’t have to worry about cold temperatures. 

Lizzie and Mika were exhausted and collapsed as soon as you found a spot to settle in. Tyreese laid out Judith and worked on starting a fire. You checked the area to make sure it was okay and finally took a deep breath. 

“I’m going to go out a little bit. Try and see what I can see,” You told Tyreese, fiddling with the string of your bow. “We barely got any weapons and I wanna see if I can catch us something to eat.”

Tyreese looked at the girls and then you, “Don’t go far. Shouting distance.”

You nodded and then set out, whistling for Tora. You could use her senses in the dark, and hopefully, she’d be able to catch something for you. 

***

An hour later, you were sitting by the fire, eating the last few bites of an owl you managed to bring down. Tora sat between your legs, purring loudly while munching on a few bites. Both the girls were eating with tired eyes, and Tyreese was feeding Judith. 

The fire was getting low, and you both decided to let it die. After having dinner and boiling some water you found at a nearby creak, there was no other use. 

Another twenty minutes later, the girls seemed to have fallen asleep, and you were leaning against a fallen tree, holding a sleeping baby. Tyreese was discarding the animal bones and checking around again. 

You sat in the dark, silent, and watched the last remaining fire embers go out. When they finally did, your breath shook, and you felt tears prick your eyes. You couldn’t stop them from falling, and you bit down on your free hand to keep yourself from sobbing. 

Tyreese came into view and hesitated when he saw you crying. But he walked over and sat down, taking Judith from your arms and bringing you under an arm. “It’ll be okay. We’ll be okay,” He told you quietly. 

That only made you cry harder, and you hid by his side, trying not to wake the girls as you mourned everything you lost. Your mind raced with images of your family, of your friends, and of your precious life. Maggie, Beth, and Uncle Hershel were all lost. You had no idea how even to begin looking for them. The prison was so overrun that you couldn’t look for a roaming body. And Carl, Rick, and Michonne… Carol and Sasha. They were all gone. 

But somehow, Daryl’s face was the one that kept reappearing in your mind, and it made an unfathomable amount of pain and panic rise in your chest until it bubbled over and strangled the breath out of you. You didn’t know if he was alive or not, and you would never know. You could barely remember the feverish conversation you had with him this morning, and your last memory of them was that look of panic when he realized you were sick. 

Tyreese gripped your shoulder and held you tightly, offering comfort in a way that you so desperately needed. You tried your hardest to stay quiet for the girls. Not that it mattered; too soon, walkers could be heard, and you woke the girls, scooped up Tora, and were on the run again.

[ravi-is-my-beloved]

I'm so tired of being scared to speak out against Tommy and BuckTommy fans because of the chance they'll call me homophobic and paint me as part of the reason why they feel unsafe in this fandom, when these fans are the reason I, a gay brown man, feel unsafe in this fandom since they're so quick to forgive and defend a racist and misogynistic character for his past actions despite his victims never actually forgiving him on screen and his so-called change being non-existent.

Like please, for once in your life, actually think about how some of who don't like Tommy are people who are part of the marginalized groups he was being racist and misogynistic to and they have valid, non-homophobic reasons for disliking him. And while Tommy may be a fictional character, you defending him so easily and so quickly is harmful to actual real life people of color and women because it makes actual racist and misogynistic white men think they can easily be forgiven for their actions just because they're queer.

And you're right, there are anti Tommy/anti BuckTommy people who are actually homophobic and their homophobia is just as harmful to queer people as your dismissal of Tommy's racist and misogynistic actions. And you're right that we shouldn't let them get away with it.

So here's a little but necessary talk for all of my fellow anti Tommy/anti BuckTommy people (please note that these are all of the things I've personally seen while scrolling through the tags, so there's probably so much more harmful rhetoric than what I've listed):

Saying that Tommy is a predator and that he only wants Buck for sex is homophobic because gay men are so often painted as predators by homophobes and gay men have been villainized for their sexual behavior for so many years. Also all of you who joke about wanting Tommy to die in the upcoming season is also harmful to gay men because writers have a history of killing of queer characters and not giving them their happy endings and it's still a problem today.

But BuckTommy fans also all need to also take a step back and think about how your actions and words are hurting people too.

Think about how painting Eddie Diaz, a man of color, as this temperamental man is perpetuating harmful stereotypes against Mexican men. Think about how even jokingly (though I don't know how much of it is y'all actually joking) saying that Tommy deserves to have more scenes than Karen and Hen is perpetuating the lack of content/representation of black lesbians.

The call is coming from inside the house, but it's not just our house it's coming from. It's coming from yours too.

(NOTE: I do want to briefly speak out against how both sides of this fandom use the words/phrases "delusional" and "need someone to spell things out for them" in a way that's very harmful for people with mental illnesses and people with learning disabilities. I know these are things that are constantly being used on the internet, but they're still harmful and we should all strive to learn about how harmful we're (most unintentionally) being.)

[tropes-and-tales]

unintentionally caressing each other with sheriff hassan? i’ve been dying for more of him 🥹

The very first touch between you and Hassan is a handshake.  When he arrives on Crockett Island, he meets many of the inhabitants.  He shakes a lot of hands.  He notes the tight smiles, the wary eyes.  The lone Muslim on a mostly white, mostly Catholic island.  There’s guardedness there.

When you shake his hand, you look him square in the eyes.  You grin at him, pump his hand.  You make a silly joke about crime in his new jurisdiction, but the atmosphere is so tense that Hassan cracks a smile.

You have that knack, he’ll come to find:  the ability to drain tension from a situation.  The talent to soothe, to give comfort.

-----

You’re a touchy person, Hassan notices.  You hug people, do this thing where you clasp their bicep, high up near the shoulder in greeting.  You’re the type of person to steady yourself on another person if you’re laughing, which is Hassan’s favorite:  he loves startling a laugh out of you, the way you brace yourself against him as you giggle.

You don’t seem to notice you do it.  It’s not intentional, he thinks.  

There’s a moment at a school board meeting when Bev tries to push an agenda of prayers in the morning class.  Hassan prickles at the woman’s prejudice because of course she doesn’t mean any prayers other than Christian ones.  

Back and forth the two of them argue, and Bev is so good at toeing the line of microaggressions.  She doesn’t quite come out and accuse him of terrorism, but she nudges against it.  Hassan feels his blood go hot with anger, but you’re the one who gently interjects that Crockett Island’s school is a public one.  You’re the one that gently points out to Bev that prayer is prohibited, but a moment of silent reflection would be fine.

You’re the one who lays a soft hand on Hassan’s wrist as you speak.  You’re seated beside him, crammed into a tiny school desk, and you reach out to touch him.  You give him a gentle squeeze as if to say, “I’m here.  I’m on your side.”

The warm touch of your fingers encircling his wrist…he swears he can feel his blood pressure ticking back down.  Once the issue is settled and the meeting moves onto the topic of roof repairs to the building, you don’t remove your hand, and Hassan’s pulse thuds slow and steady as you hold him.

She doesn’t even realize she’s touching me, he thinks but he refuses to shift.  He refuses to draw attention to it.  

Hassan can admit it to himself:  he likes the feeling of your hand on him.

-----

He never proactively touches you.  He’ll hug you back, a stiff arm around your shoulders, but he doesn’t initiate.  He’s not a touchy person like you, and what if he’s wrongly interpreting your touch as more than just friendly?

He’s happy with what he gets.  A friendly hug from you can nourish him for an entire week of his usual lonely nights.

-----

You usually stop by the general store on Tuesday afternoons, and you usually stop by his office in the back of the building.  You usually stand in his doorway and shoot the breeze with him, and it makes him feel almost like a native Islander—Crockett Island inhabitants are famous for their ability to stand in doorways (or sit on porches or stand on the sandy pathways) and bullshit with each other.

This Tuesday?  He sees you enter the store, and the glimpse he catches makes him sit forward in his seat. You look…off.  Tired?  A little drawn and wan.  Your bright eyes are missing their usual cheerful gleam.

He’s out of his seat and leaving his office when you crumple and fall.  

He gets to you first.  Karen, the owner of the store, reaches you second, and Hassan is already cupping your face, peering down at you as you slowly wake up.

“Wha—” you start to say, but Karen leans over, tells you that you passed out.

Hassan’s heart is in his throat, but this is well-trod ground for the people of Crockett Island.  Karen knows what the score is—you have a blood sugar issue, and it’s paired with the fact that you often skip lunch.  You’ve been getting dizzy since adolescence, passing out enough that people know what to do.  Erin mentioned it once in passing, and Hassan had filed the fact away but never witnessed it until now.  The older woman chides you gently, asks Hassan to stay with you, then goes to get Doc Gunning.

“Sorry,” you mumble from the floor. 

“Don’t apologize.”  He has one hand still cupping your face, and the other grips your hand.  “Do you want to try to sit up?”

You nod.  He gets an arm under your shoulders and helps you sit up.  You scoot back a little until you’re leaning against the counter and Hassan kneels beside you.

It’s strange that you won’t quite meet his eye now.  You scrub a hand over your face and stare down at your lap. 

“You okay?” he asks.  He squeezes your hand and he’s pleased when you squeeze him back with some strength.

“Embarrassed.”

“Why?”

You glance at him, offer a rueful smile.  “Well, now you won’t think I’m cool.”

Hassan laughs.  He eases his arm out from behind your shoulders, and he reaches out and brushes a bit of hair back from your face before his palm returns to cup your face.  He isn’t aware he’s doing it; it’s second-nature, unintentional.  

“Oh, I never thought you were cool,” he teases.  He draws his thumb over your cheekbone, feels the flush his touch raises. 

“Liar,” you reply, but your smile is more you now, less sheepish.    

He could ask why you care what he thinks, but he doesn’t.  He thinks he might know.  He thinks that maybe his nights needn’t be lonely forever.

Hassan shifts until he’s sitting beside you, and he eases his arm back over your shoulders.  He draws you against him, braces you against him.  He bends his head close to your ear and chides you gently as Karen had:  admonishes you to take care of yourself, to be more mindful of how you’re feeling.  He sees you nodding, hears you promise that you will.

“Good girl,” he murmurs, and he holds you tight until the doctor arrives. 

[flowerpotmage]

Tight Grip, Broken Dam (12)

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You don’t question it anymore, when Miguel appears in your bed at night. He’s not there for sex, no, you’ve never even kissed—though you would be lying if you said you weren’t open to the idea of kissing him. He’s there for comfort. For rest. If only it could stay so simple.

Pair: Miguel O'Hara & GN!Reader

Notes: for series: slow burn, ambiguous relationship, found family dynamics, reader is in their late 20s. for chapter: sexual tension, injuries and injury aftercare, references and nightmares about 90s comic run canon events

Word Count: 2.4k

Read this chapter on Ao3 here. If you like my work, please consider leaving kudos there as well! You do not need an account to do so.

a/n: deepest apologies for this series' absence! i hope this (only slightly) shorter chapter and the knowledge that i am already working on the next and hope to return to semi-regular updates will tide you over.

Your brief trip across town leaves you more winded than you hoped and less tired than you feared.

Your apartment is empty but for the presence of warm midday sun and green leaves when you return, kicking your shoes off and carefully setting yourself down on the couch, bones heavy with the weight of grief and exhaustion. There’s nothing to do now but rest, and so you don’t resist the warm embrace of sleep when it curls around you like hungry arms.

Brrring brrring!

The ring of your phone wakes you, the light now coming more brightly through your balcony doors.

A disoriented grumble escapes your throat as you shift, lifting yourself back up to lean against the back of the couch and immediately checking your side.

Sore. Sore, mostly dry, and unopened. Good.

Brrring brrring!

You find your phone in your coat pocket, having fallen asleep still fully dressed. Karen’s name lights up the screen. Rubbing the sleep from your eyes and clearing your throat, you answer the call and hold the phone to your ear.

“Karen, hey.”

“Hey!” She chirps through the line. “Matt and Foggy just won a case today, and–”

“Come drink with us!” Comes Foggy’s voice, shouted from somewhere in the room Karen has called from.

“I’m assuming you caught that.” You can hear the bemused expression on her face.

You try to chuckle, and fail, body too tired to force any levity. “I shouldn't tonight,” you say, wrinkling your nose and trying to roll out the stiffness in your neck. “I, uh—sick. Not feeling great.”

“Oh no!” Karen says, sympathetic. “Are you okay?”

You can hear the sudden silence from Foggy.

“Yeah, just uh. Out of it. Probably gonna just rest up for a few days, it’s a little rough.” You wince.

“Do you need anything?” She asks. “I don’t think it’s too far out of our way if you need some food. Some soup?”

You smile, heart warming at her thoughtfulness. “No, no, I’m all set. That’s really sweet though, thank you Karen.”

“Of course,” she says. “Rest up. We’ll see you when you’re feeling better.”

“Take an extra shot for me tonight.”

“Not like Foggy needs the excuse,” Karen laughs.

“What? What don’t I need an excuse for?”

“Wow, nosy,” you joke, smiling. “I’ll see you all next time.”

“Alright. Text if you need anything. I mean it.”

“You’re too nice. And I will, I promise,” you can’t help but smile. “Now go celebrate.”

Farewells are exchanged and the call ends. You drop the phone onto the couch, a heavy breath leaving your lungs. You linger for a moment before finally mustering the will to pull yourself off the couch and trudge into your room to change into your loosest pajamas.

Sleep pulls you back under its currents again.

Something pulls you from your slumber hours later, your cheek stuck to the pillow with dried spit, your vision blurry.

You haven't been this tired or slept so much since the spider bite that changed your life.

Your spider-sense pings and seconds later your bedroom door cracks open, Miguel in the open sliver between door and wall. His eyes meet your own, your head lifted slightly off the pillow from the surprise ping moments before.

“When’d you get here?” You ask, voice muffled and slurred.

“About an hour ago,” he replies, opening the door further. “You needed groceries, and I know you weren't going to be getting them anytime soon.”

You groan, letting your head fall back to the pillow. “You didn't need to do that for me.”

He crosses his arms, leans on the doorframe.

Now, with the door open, the smell of cooking finally reaches you and you rub your eyes. “ And you cooked?”

“I did.” There it is, his disproportionately endearing, pleased little half smile. Miguel crosses the distance from the door to your bed to help you up. “ Vamos, come on.”

“Thanks,” you mumble, when your feet finally find the floor. And again, after you’ve eaten and you sit side by side on the couch, sleep dragging down your eyelids once more: “Thank you, Miguel. For dinner, and… everything.”

“Of course,” he murmurs, and you slip into dreams once more.

The next morning, thankfully, finds you less fatigued. Miguel changes your bandages again, makes you breakfast, again, before leaving to fulfill his self appointed duties.

It continues like this as you heal. When Miguel isn’t at Spider Society HQ he’s in your home, cooking your food and cleaning your dishes and changing your bandages (You try not to go insane from the feeling of his hand on your bare skin). You don't ask, but you’re fairly certain the only sleep he gets is in your bed—a place you have to yourself less often than ever before.

Not that you’re complaining. Neither of you mentions it, of course, that he's visiting more while the skin over your ribs heals. You both seem to immediately accept this new normal and move forward as if it has always been the way things are. For Miguel’s part, he knows you don't have anyone here to take care of you properly—he knows you’ve lost family and more friends than most Spider-People usually had to start with—and so he takes the responsibility of you upon himself, and does so happily.

And mostly things are the same… mostly.

He learns about your favorite color, the watering schedule of your plants, how you miss having a pet but with the life you lead it doesn't feel like the responsible thing to do. He tries not to think about how it feels like learning more about someone you’ve been with for years, because he already knew which spoon was your favorite out of the somewhat mix-and-match selection, already knew about your aunt and your aunt's girlfriend on the force who still checked in on you up until her own death, your personal ASM-97 event.

He starts to feel disconcerted about how little he's shared in return, and tries his best to give something back. He mentions Gabriel in passing when talking about his childhood one day, during lunch.

“Gabriel?” You prompt.

“Ah,” he pauses, lowering his fork. To his plate. “My brother.”

The two of you are sitting on your couch, the balcony doors open wide to let in the fresh afternoon air that meanders through the open glass. Miguel holds his plate in one hand, you rest yours on your lap and your feet on your coffee table.

“I didn't know you had a brother,” you say. You want to rest your arm on the back of the couch, but despite your wound being at less risk of opening and bleeding, you’ve still been advised not to stretch the skin. So you pick at the couch cushion by your thigh with your nail instead, glancing at him.

Miguel nods. “Gabriella was named after him.”

Your heart squeezes. “Is he…?”

“He’s alive and well,” Miguel gives a reassuring, if rueful, smile. “It's just us two now.”

You nod. “Older or younger?”

“Younger,” he says, smiling at you. He rests his plate on his lap now, like you, and rests an arm on the back of the couch to angle towards you.

“Ah, oldest brother,” you raise your eyebrows and nod sagely. “That explains a lot.”

Miguel raises an eyebrow back at you.

You gesture at him vaguely. “I mean. Come on.”

Miguel scoffs, smiling, and then he tells you more about his family. About Tyler Stone and the secret his mother kept, how he’s not a true O’Hara but still carries the name. You sense he’s still keeping some things to himself, but you don’t press the issue, happy enough to even be let in this small amount. You hope that your adoration doesn’t show on your face too much as you watch him talk, lit with warm afternoon light.

Miguel feels lucky when he wakes up and can’t remember his dreams, because the nights that he does…

Flesh torn and shredded under his fingertips as gravity pulls the arm from his grasp, the man attached dangles infinite stories up from the streets and even farther to Downtown. The writhing gasp and scream of a man in pain and Miguel trying to save him and only making it worse. His father, angry and raging and taking it out on his mother. The smell of rotting flesh from his Vulture’s pantry, rotting cadavers stored haphazardly in a dark room in the underbelly of downtown waiting for—

No. Even in dreams it’s too sick to name.

Sometimes the horrors of his early days as Spider-Man blend with his life now. Gabriella’s rotting body in the pile in Vulture’s pantry. Gabriella, caught in an attack on his apartment, or in the crossfire between him and the Public Eye. You, hanging from his desperate grip after the lab explosion that changed him forever, your face twisted in fear and your arm shredded under his finger-pad talons as you slip from his grasp and fall to your death. You, in the pods for the long discontinued Corporate Raider program and killed in a fatal human-animal gene splicing test. You disappearing into the air, turning to less than ashes in his arms, or sometimes worse: You, holding Gabriella and reaching for him and the both of you disappearing when he reaches out, unable to so much as touch either of you one last time.

It’s not every night. Sometimes he dreams nonsense like everyone else, surreal landscapes with changing figures and storylines that mean nothing. Sometimes he dreams of happy memories or past almosts as if they had followed through on their potential. Schooldays with Xina or childhood games with Gabriel, or taking Gabriella to the Spider Society HQ like Peter does with May.

Sometimes he dreams about your skin, and your sheets, and your breath. Those ones always leave him distracted, off kilter and embarrassed through the rest of his day. He wishes he could bury them properly, leave them in his subconscious where they belong. Wishes he could keep himself from wanting to cross that line.

But tonight brings no dreams of pleasant pasts, no surreal landscapes, no ecstatic gasps and tangled sheets. Tonight he dreams of loss and pain.

A sudden jolt uproots you from sleep, dreams turn to evaporated particles in the air. At first you think there might be a threat, that perhaps your spider senses were what woke you, but the shallow and forcefully measured breaths in the bed next to you quickly inform you otherwise.

“Miguel?” Your voice is but a whisper as you prop yourself up, mindful of your ribs, your hand searching for him through the blankets. “Hey, hey, it's okay–”

He starts to say something, his voice dying in his throat before the first letter can even form on his tongue. His hand finds yours, wrapping tightly around palm and fingers alike. You scoot closer, doing your best with one hand now out of commission, and then you're partially hovering over him, your held hand supporting your weight.

“It's okay,” you whisper, and you begin to pet his hair back from his face. “You're okay.”

Even in the dark your eyes find each other. Before you can blink his arm is around you and you're pressed into his chest, his face hidden in your neck. You can feel each thundering beat of his heart through your chest as it slows, still beating too hard to fall into rhythm with your own.

“I’m here,” you whisper.

His arm tightens around your middle at that, a brief squeeze pulling you closer to him. His shuddered breath gusts across your skin where he’s buried his face.

“Bad dream?” you whisper into the hair above his ear, shifting above him to rest on his chest properly and rest one arm on the pillow by his head, the other sliding around his side to hold him in return.

“Sorry,” he whispers, ignoring your question, loosening his grip. “Your ribs-?”

“They’re fine, Miguel,” you say, your arm on the pillow by his head shifting.

As his heart slows, as his breath steadies and you wake fully, you become conscious of your body pressed into his. His face is still buried in your neck, and you feel his ribs expand under your body, raising you into the air.

His head falls back from your neck, resting on the pillow, and you lift your head to look at him in the dark.

“Do you wanna talk about it?”

He pauses, eyes flitting between each of yours before he looks away. He pulls his arm back from around you, hand sliding to rest on your waist under your ribs.

“No.”

“Okay.” You prop yourself up further. “I’m here, though.”

He sighs, nods, closes his eyes.

Silence returns to the room, pressing in on your chest, squeezing your ribs like the bandages around your calf. You are too aware of your position nearly atop him, body pressed into the side of his chest with his hand still resting on your side, yours on his and your other bracing you above him on the pillow beside his head. You've been this close before, of course, and held one another much tighter in the dark. But something about this is different. Perhaps it's the way his fingers begin to unconsciously stroke your side and the way you've never gotten to look at him like this, above him, his eyes closed under you—

Your breath catches in your throat, and you lift your hand from his side to touch his face. His brow twitches, his hand tightens and relaxes on your side, and he sighs again as tension slowly drains from his body. You let your hand rest on his cheek more solidly, and his eyes flicker open to meet yours in the dark.

You hope he can’t feel the way your heart skips and then beats just that much harder. You swallow, hold your breath, and let your hand slide into his hair.

His eyes flutter shut, and everything freezes.

“Thank you,” he whispers, and the pressure of the air eases.

“Of course,” you finally say, your mouth dry, stroking your thumb back over his temple into his hair. You shift, settling down into his side.

His arms wrap around you once more. Neither of you speak, and you don't fall back asleep for a long while.

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[xx-alice-in-wonderland-xx]

modern au!The Last Of Us headcanons 🖤🍟

(characters: Ellie, Dina, Abby, lev, Yara)

birthdays (the year being 2024)

Ellie - May 31st 2005, she’s 19 years old

Dina - February 8th 2003, she’s 21 years old

Abby - July 15th 2000, she’s 23 years old

Lev - October 31st 2010, he’s 13 years old

Yara - August 24th, 2007, she’s 16 years old

Full names:

Elizabeth ‘Ellie’ Ashley Williams

Dina Miriam Levi

Abigail ‘Abby’ Lee Anderson

Lev Quý Wu (hate to put this but it used to be Lily Quang Wu)

Yara Chún Wu

Now for headcanons:

Ellie plays electric guitar

Dina is a better chef than Gordon Ramsey

Abby becomes a doctor and owns a hospital

Lev is emo/alt

Yara loves Shakespeare plays

Ellie grew up in foster care

Dina was a straight A student

Abby plays basketball

Lev plays Tomb Raider lol

Yara lives for animal crossing

Ellie is good at voice acting

Dina once ate ketchup straight from the bottle for a dare

Abby hates the word froth

Lev has ptsd from a game of spin the bottle lol

Yara is the overprotective older sister that always makes Lev text her where he is, every 30 mins

All 5 of them are best friends and live in the same neighbourhood

Ellie once gave Lev beer and got him hammered, let’s just say Abby never let her babysit lev ever again

Dina likes to travel

Abby adopted Lev after their mum kicked him out for being trans (She didn’t adopt Yara cause they’re best friends and Yaras old enough o look after herself)

Lev tried to get a vape off of someone and Yara caught him

Yara loves the beach

Ellie is the QUEEN of ‘that’s what she said’ jokes

Dina falls off the bed in her sleep because she rolls around

Abby has her nose pierced

Lev spoke in the tiktok language for 2 month straight when he went on it for the first time

Yara has a diary

Ellie taught JJ to swear (his first word was bitch)

Dina swears at Ellie in Hebrew and tells her she’s saying ‘I love you’ and shit 🤭

Abby once didn’t sleep for 2 days

Lev would listen to Nirvana thanks to Ellie

Yara is always cold

Ellie loves ALL the classic rock bands - Nirvana, Green Day, Foo Fighters, Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, The Sex Pistols, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, etc

Dina listens to Coldplay and The Name Game from American Horror story (Dina, Dina, Dina, Bo, Bina, Banna Fanna, Fo Fina, Fe Fi Mo Mina, Dina!)

Abby won’t admit it, but she is a simp for Rihanna

Lev likes K-Pop lmao, his fav is TXT (he finds their songs relatable 😭)

Yara would like twice (thanks to lev lol)

Ellies lesbian

Dinas bisexual

Abby says she straight but questioning

Levs pansexual

Yaras straight

Ellie would have a twilight phase, and would be team Jacob, but then she hated it lmao

Dina is dyslexic

Abby takes Lev trick or treating on his birthday

Lev watches hearstopper

Yara watches Karen freak out videos

Ellie is so FUCKING picky when it comes to food

Dina always gets headaches

Abby has 2 beers a day

Lev goes on character ai

Yara likes to hide under Levs bed and grab his shoes to scare him (I do this to my siblings and they hate me lmao)

Ellie writes cheesy love songs for Dina

Dina and Ellie have matching tattoos

Abby rarely has her hair down

Lev plays the sims 4 lol

Yara is always tired for some reason

Ellie has 15 bottle of lucozade a day

Dina always has a cup of tea

Abby eats raw onions

Lev thinks he’s hard because he vapes and drinks monster lol

Yara doesn’t know half of the mischief Lev gets up to when she or Abby isn’t there

How I think they look irl (I found these on Google okay don’t judge me credit to the actual ppl)

Ellie:

Dina:

Abby:

Lev (I love Ian Alexander so fucking much LOOK AT THEM):

Yara: