#not the welcome home neighbor hood

[motherarts]

so then i drew ross and robert cause i could

anyway how is your day going?

[hearteyesforjoel]

Good to be Home

DBF!Joel x Fem!Reader

Summary: Freshly graduated from college, you’re back home in your old neighborhood. Your parents throw a party to celebrate you coming home, as well as Joel’s 36th birthday. What happens when the tension breaks between you and Joel?

Warnings: MDNI 18+, no outbreak, smut smut smut, pwp, age gap (reader is 24, Joel is 36), kinda rough, praise kink, daddy kink (i went a little feral here sorry), reader is called ‘good girl’, oral (m receiving), slight choking, spitting, unprotected p in v (do better than them and wrap it), nipple play, creampie, hair pulling, slight cockwarming?, mentions of reader being insecure, talk of makeup? i think that’s everything, let me know if i missed something!

Word Count: 4.2k (oops)

Finally. After all the blood, sweat, and tears you poured into your work, you’re finally done. No more early morning classes. No more noisy roommates. It feels good to be back in Austin. With the window down, a warm breeze hitting your face, you feel excitement bubbling within to see your parents after the excruciatingly long semester. Pulling into the driveway, you see the garage door open, your dad inside working on his car. Putting your car in park, you hop out to greet your father.

“What, no welcoming party?”, you say with a smile as you enter the garage of your childhood home.

Your dad turns to you with a warm smile, wiping his hands on a dirty rag, “Oh, honey, it’s so good to see you! Your mother and I have missed you!”, he says, pulling you into a tight hug. “How was your drive, sweetheart? You doing okay?”, your dad lets you go, turning back to his work under the hood of his car.

From inside the house, you hear another familiar voice, “Is that my baby? Oh honey, I’m so glad you’re home!”. Your mom comes into the garage, barreling into you with a loving hug. Oh how you’ve missed being home.

Pulling away from you, your mom walks to drags you over to your car, ready to help you unload your things. “Come on honey, let’s get you settled in. Your father and I need all the help we can get for the barbecue tonight.”

Lugging a duffel bag over your shoulder, you turn to her with your eyebrows furrowed in confusion, “Barbecue?”

This time, your dad speaks, “You got it, kiddo. A little ‘welcome back’ party right here in our backyard.”

“Now, dear, don’t forget about Joel!”, your mother turns to you, “We’re having two parties in one! One for you and a birthday barbecue for Joel.”

Joel. Joel fucking Miller.

It’s been ages since you’ve seen him. Living only a few houses down, he and your father became quick friends when your family moved into the neighborhood. He and your father discussing cars while you played with Sarah in the backyard. Sarah was only about four years old at the time, always wanting to spend time with you. You were never much of a kid person, but Sarah was sweet and easily entertained, so you didn’t mind when Joel would ask for you to babysit during his longer workdays. Besides, how could you say no to him? Even though you were just a teen when you first met him, you couldn’t deny the small crush that bloomed for him. And now, a college graduate, 24 year old grown woman, you still can’t shake the butterflies in anticipation of seeing him again.

You just know that man has aged like fine wine.

“Kiddo, are you there?”, your dad pulls out of of you thoughts, your mind clearly elsewhere.

Shaking the sultry thoughts away, you bring your mind back down to earth, softly smiling at your parents, “Sorry, just excited to see everyone again. It’s been a while”. It’s not like you were lying. You can’t wait to see your old neighbors and childhood friends.

And Joel.

——————————————————————————

It’s nearing 5:30pm when you hear the first few guests arrive. Sitting at your vanity in your room, you apply the finishing touches of your lipstick, hoping the color catches his eyes. You stand to walk to your closet and begin to think back to the last time you saw him.

It was the day you were leaving home, leaving your friends and family. Filled with nerves for this new step in your life, you were in your room, giving it a once over for any of your belongings you may have left behind. Even at the age of 19 you felt bad for leaving your childhood stuffed animals alone at home while you went off to college.

“Hey, darlin’. Thought you’d be out of here already”, a familiar deep voice that made you swoon every time it graced your ears. Joel stands at the entrance of your room, hands in the pockets of his jeans as he leans against the doorway. You give him a shy smile as you turn to him, your stomach doing cartwheels at the sight of his big brown eyes. He gives you that signature sweet smile of his, glancing around your nearly empty room, “So, you excited? Ready for this new life experience?”.

Looking down at the floor, you shrug, “Yeah, I’m ready. I’m just-you know, just a little nervous, I guess. Just thinking about how I’m going to miss all of you.” It was the truth. As excited as you were, this was brand new. You’d have to make new friends, meet new people, learn a new routine. To be honest, it was scary.

Joel frowns slightly, pushing himself away from the doorway and walking towards you. “Darlin’ hey, look at me”, he says as he gently holds your chin between his thumb and pointer finger, bringing your eyes to meet his. As you meet his gaze, you feel like your heart is going to stop. You’ve never been this close to him, to see each and every small freckle and wrinkle on his face. His eyes soften as he speaks gently, “I know this is scary and new, but you’re going to meet new people, make so many new friends; hell, I’m sure you’ll even go to plenty of those dumb college parties”, his last few words making you giggle. Joel smiles softly, his eyes scanning over your face, “I promise you, you’re going to have a great time. And you’ll have plenty of opportunities to come visit us. Just try not to miss me too much, ‘kay sweetheart?”, he says teasingly with a wink.

Butterflies erupt in your stomach, his gaze bringing heat to your cheeks. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Besides, it’ll be nice to have a break from all that boring construction talk between you and my dad”, you say with a slight smirk.

Joel rolls his eyes jokingly as he drops his hand from your face, wrapping his muscular arms around you in a hug, his head resting on top of yours, “Shut up, you know you’ll miss me”. You wrap your arms around his toned torso, breathing in his scent. Fuck, you were really going to miss this.

Bringing yourself back to reality, you remove your dress of the night from its place in the closet, putting your look together. Not too short, but not exactly modest either, the dress stopping at your mid-thigh with a small slit. Little floral patterns adorn the dress, the deep neckline subtly showing off your breasts. After brushing through your hair, not a single stand out of place, you spritz yourself with a bit of perfume. Glancing at your reflection, you smile. As you’ve gotten older, you’ve grown to love yourself, love your body in a way that you didn’t when you were younger. As a teen, you were very insecure, unsure of yourself and your place in this world. But you’ve grown. Now, staring at your reflection, in your cute little black dress, you know your guests will see that you’ve grown up. You know he will see.

——————————————————————————

Walking out into the backyard, the warm Texas air engulfs you, making you thankful for choosing the breezy dress. You scan the area, seeing a mix of familiar and new faces. You have no doubt that the whole neighborhood is currently in your backyard.

“Oh my god, it’s you! You’re actually here!”, you hear from across the lawn. You’d recognize her adorable face anywhere. Without skipping a beat, Sarah is running up to you, wrapping her lanky arms around you in a tight hug.

“Sarah? Who are you and what have you done with my little best friend?”, you say teasingly, surprised at how much she’d grown while you were away. You pull away from the hug and hold her shoulders in your hands, “Look at you! I can’t believe how grown up you are! You have no idea how much I’ve missed your face!”

Standing next to you, Sarah loops her arm through yours, walking through the crowd. “Oh come on, I haven’t changed that much. You know who’s actually gotten older though? You should see all of my dad’s newly sprouted gray hairs”. Dragging you along with her farther into your backyard, you both approach your dad, manning the fiery grill.

Looking up, your dad grins at the two of you, “There’s our guest of honor! Everyone’s been waiting to see you, kiddo”.

Sarah looks around the area, eyebrows furrowed, “Speaking of, have you seen my dad? He was just here”. Looking over behind you and Sarah, your father tips his head towards someone.

“Ah, there’s our birthday boy!”

Turning to look over your shoulder, you see him. You finally see him and-

Fuck he’s aged beautifully.

A beer in each hand, Joel approaches the three of you, handing off one of the beers to your father with that Joel smile, “Please, my bad back already reminded me of my birthday”. As he glances at Sarah, he makes eye contact with you and does a double take, surprised to see you, “Is that who I think it is? In the flesh?”. Sarah untangles her arm from yours, stepping aside so Joel can properly greet you. “Come on now, darlin’. Bring it in, I know you’ve missed me”, he said teasingly with a light smirk, already reaching out to you for a hug.

Your heart skipping a beat with anticipation, you smile sweetly up at him. You want to say something back, give a retort about how old he’s getting, but you’re at a loss for words. He’s absolutely fucking breathtaking. “Long time no see, old man. Happy birthday, Joel”, you say as you wrap your arms around his middle, his arms holding you tightly to his chest, his head resting against the top of yours. He’s still as muscular and toned as he was the last time you saw him.

Pulling away from your embrace, Joel looks down at you, smiling softly, “Thanks, sweetheart. Good to have you back”. As he steps away from you, subtly and almost too quickly to catch, his eyes rake over your body, and back up to your chest. Meeting your gaze, his eyes darken, jaw clenching as he tears his eyes away from your body to help your father with the grill. Your focus stays on his figure, taking the time to get a good look at him. He’s wearing an old pair of jeans, clearly worn out from years of use, and an old t-shirt he’s worn a million times. But even then, he still looks fucking amazing. Even after the few years you’d been away from home, he still manages make your stomach flutter. Except this time, things feel different. A good kind of different. You’ve always had a soft spot for him, a special place in your heart, a small crush, if you will. But tonight, tonight, your stomach isn’t the only thing that’s fluttering for him. Taking in his toned figure and tanned skin, his calloused hands and graying beard, you already feel your underwear becoming wet, just imagining how his scruff would feel against your thighs.

Breaking you out of your thoughts, your father calls out to you, “Honey? Could you be a doll and grab another beer for Joel and I? This heat is no joke, am I right?”.

As you’re about to make your way to the cooler, you decide to put on a little show just for Joel. Walking to the cooler full to the brim with assorted drinks, you subtly sway your hips, bending over just enough to give Joel a small peek at your lacy panties underneath your short dress. You walk back to the two of them, beers in hand, ready to add fuel to the fire. “Here you go, daddy”, you say to your father, handing the beers to the two men at the grill, giving Joel an innocent look.

Bingo.

Clenching his jaw, body going tense, Joel gives you a stern look, clearly not happy with your teasing. Next to him, your father couldn’t be more oblivious, his focus only on the flames in front of him, “Thank you, kiddo. Why don’t you go say hi to some of the neighbors, I’m sure they’ve missed you too”. You smile sweetly at your father in agreement, giving Joel one last sultry look before heading across the lawn of the backyard to mingle.

——————————————————————————

It’s been about an hour since you set your plan in motion, eyes continuing to catch Joel’s as you catch up with some of your friends. Anytime you laugh, you lay your hand softly on your chest, catching him in the act of ogling your body. While sitting down, listening to stories from your neighbors about what you’ve missed, you cross your legs, exposing your upper thigh. Each time, you look over to Joel, his face set with a hardened expression. This night is going better than you could’ve hoped for.

You’re in the middle of a conversation with one of the newer neighbors, making small talk about the town and neighborhood. All of a sudden, you feel someone come up to you from behind, large hand on the small of your back. “Meet me upstairs. Bathroom. Five minutes”, he whispers roughly into your ear, giving the new neighbor a small polite smile before heading inside. You take in a short breath, unable to think of anything else, your mind clearly fuzzy from the anticipation of what’s to come.

You excuse yourself from the conversation, fibbing that you need a glass of water. Stepping inside the house, all is quiet, a stark contrast from the volume of the many conversations happening in the backyard. No one seems to be left inside the house, you notice, as you make your way up the stairs. As you approach the bathroom door, you can feel your heart beating wildly, like it could burst out of your chest at any moment.

You knock lightly on the door, palms sweaty in anticipation. The door swings open, suddenly you’re being dragged inside and pushed against the now closed door, a soft ‘click’ following. He locked the door. Arms barricading you between his body and the door, Joel leans in, eyes dark and filled with lust, “Now, you wanna explain the shit you pulled out there, darlin’?”

Mission accomplished.

Feigning innocence, you look up at Joel and shrug your shoulders, “I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about”. Both of you breathing heavily, the air between you thickening, you could cut the tension with a knife.

Joel lightly scoffs, rolling his eyes, “Cut the shit, sweetheart. Giving me those eyes, teasing me in front of everyone. What happened to the innocent little girl you were?”. His words rough and demeaning, you can already feel yourself soaking through your panties.

Smiling sweetly at him, you place your hand on his chest, lightly fisting at his shirt, “Grew up, I guess. I’ve changed. I’ve learned things. Ya know, I had the real college experience”.

With furrowed brows, Joel stares back at you, the cogs in his mind turning, “Tell me you don’t want this. We shouldn’t be doin’ this. You have any idea what you’re dad would do to me if he found us like this?”. Gently, he places his hand against your neck, ever so lightly squeezing, holding your gaze.

Chest rising and falling with each heavy breath, you pull him closer by his shirt, titling your head up to brush your soft lips against his chapped ones, “Trust me, I know what I want. And what I want is your cock down my throat”.

The air between the two of you shifts, Joel’s body tensing. Suddenly, his mouth is attacking yours, Joel’s grip slightly tightening against your neck. His roughness only making you a whimpering mess, sliding your hands down to his belt loops, pulling him impossibly closer. Biting your lip, Joel pulls a gasp of air from you, only to slip his tongue into your mouth, exploring you. Tasting you. The passionate kiss becoming sloppier, both of you already drunk on one another. Pulling away for air, you look up at Joel with a knowing smile, slowly sinking to your knees, “Let me show you what I can do. I wanna make you feel good tonight, daddy”.

Joel’s body shudders, breath hitching as he watches you unbuckle his belt. Gently, he brushes his fingers through your hair, a stark contrast from his rough grip on your neck, “Go ahead, baby. Show daddy what you can do with that pretty little mouth of yours”. You unbutton his jeans, pausing to palm over his hardness through the denim. Joel lets out a low groan, breathing heavily. Unzipping his jeans, you pull them down to his knees, his cock begging to be freed from the confines of his briefs. Softly, you palm over his erection through his underwear, lightly kissing and nipping at his hips. Joel pulls at your hair, tired of your teasing, “Come on, baby, quit your teasin’. People are gonna start wonderin’ where we are, and I’m not leaving until I’ve been inside that little cunt”. His words going straight to your bundle of nerves, you squeeze your thighs together, eager to please him. Sliding his briefs down, you finally come face to face with his cock.

He’s a fucking monster. Mouth nearly drooling, you grip the base of his girthy shaft, kissing his swollen, leaky tip. With wide, innocent eyes, you stare up at Joel, taking in the sight of him completely at your mercy. Without warning, you take him into your mouth, hollowing your cheeks around him. You moan softly, trailing your tongue over his veiny cock. Pulling off of him, a string of saliva connecting your lips and his length, you pump your hand up and down, licking and sucking on his swollen tip. Above you, Joel is nearly fighting for his life to keep the noises in, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he holds your hair in a makeshift ponytail, “Atta girl, there you go. Make daddy feel good”. His praise going straight to your core, your slick pooling in your underwear. Sliding your mouth down his length, you slowly begin to take more and more of his cock in your mouth, his tip hitting the back of your throat, your eyes watering. He’s definitely the biggest you’ve ever had. Breathing in through your nose, you lower your mouth all the way down his length, nose tickled by his public hair. The tip of his cock hitting the back of your throat, Joel growls, his grip on your hair only tightening. He pulls you off of his shaft, manhandling you by your hair, forcing you to look up at him, his other hand gripping your face, “Open that pretty little mouth up for me darlin’, be a good girl”. Without skipping a beat, you open your mouth, drool and precum on your lips. Surprising you, Joel spits into your mouth, groaning as he watches his saliva hit your tongue. Gripping your face, Joel’s dark eyes hold your gaze, “Be a good girl for daddy and fucking swallow it”. Not having to be told twice, you swallow his saliva, whining as you do so. You open your mouth again, showing him you swallowed.

You’ve never done anything like this before, nothing so erotic, but you crave more.

Rocking your hips against nothing, you whine, “Please, Joel. Please just fuck me, I can’t fucking take it anymore”. You feel like you could cry, you’ve never wanted something so bad in your lifetime. Yet here you are, on your knees in front of Joel in the guest bathroom.

Shaking his head, Joel tuts his tongue, “No darlin’ no, I’m not fuckin’ you until you say it. Come on, baby, beg daddy to fuck you”.

Your brain is so fogged with lust, you feel like you’re going to snap.

“Please, daddy. I need you fuck me so good until I’m begging you to stop”.

Without needing more, Joel helps you stand up, pushing you against the bathroom counter, facing the mirror. Your lips puffy, cheeks red, thank the makeup gods your mascara is waterproof. You lean over the counter, gripping the marble in anticipation. Gripping your hips, Joel pulls you against him, leaning your torso to lay on the counter. With this angle, he had a perfect view of your ass, the lace covering where you need him most. Lifting your dress up around your waist, Joel takes a second to take you in. To get a good look at you. Then, without warning, Joel pulls your panties to the side, spitting on your now exposed cunt. You gasp, the cool air hitting your overheated body. Joel growls, watching as his spit slides down your slit, bringing his fingers to slip through your folds, finding your bundle of nerves. You moan out, feeling yourself getting wetter. “Please, I need you inside of me. I promise I’ll be a good girl for the rest of the night, just-fuck, please! Please just fuck me already”, you beg him, needing a release.

Joel brings his leaky tip to your folds, spreading your slick against his length, “Don’t worry, baby. Daddy’s gonna a make you feel better”. With ease, he slips his tip in your entrance, you’re pussy dripping for him. Slowly, Joel sinks the rest of his cock inside of you, his girth stretching you. As he slides in, inch by inch, you feel every ridge, every vein. Finally, he’s all the way in, his pelvis pressed against your ass. Both of you moaning out in unison, your walls gripping his cock tightly. Joel grips your hips, you know you’ll be bruised in the morning, but you couldn’t bring yourself to care. Sitting up enough to look at Joel through the mirror, you whine, “Please give it to me, daddy”. Not needing to be told twice, Joel whispers out a small ‘fuck’, pulling nearly all the way out, then slamming his cock back into you at a brutal pace. The bathroom is filled with pornographic noises, skin slapping against one another while you continuously whine in pure ecstasy.

While fucking into you, Joel slides one hand around your waist, pulling you up against his chest, holding you tightly. You reach behind you, gripping Joel’s curls as he buries his face in your neck, muffling his groans of pleasure. With a particular sharp thrust of his hips, you moan out loudly, not caring if anyone caught you. Joel brings one of his hands to rest against your mouth, drowning out your whines and whimpers. His other hand finds itself on your chest, pulling the neckline down just enough to expose one of your breasts. With a grunt, Joel grasps your tit in his large hand, pinching your nipple between his thumb and pointer finger. You roll your eyes back, pussy clenching against his cock as he continues to pound into you from behind. Your whimpers progressively get louder behind his hand, your begging muffled, clenching your eyes shut at the stimulation. “What was that, baby? Do you need to come? Come on, ask daddy nicely. Be a good girl, darlin’”, he grunts into your ear, his thrusts getting faster and sloppier.

You toss your head back, grip on his locks tightening, “I need to come, ple-fuck, please, can I come, daddy? Let me come on your cock, please, I’ll be your good gi-ugh, I’ll be your good girl! Just please, please let me-oh fuck!”. Without warning, Joel brings the hand that was on your breast to your clit, rubbing fast, tight circles.

Groaning into your neck, Joel’s pace quickens, his cock twitching as your cunt clenches around him. Finally, you snap, your climax taking over all of your senses, your walls constricting around Joel’s cock. Biting down softly on your shoulder, Joel growls into your skin, hips snapping into yours, cock twitching inside you as his load coats your walls. As he works you both through your high, your legs begin to shake, moans turning into soft whimpers. Thrusts coming to a complete stop, Joel holds you tightly against his chest, kissing up and down your neck as you attempt to catch your breath. You both stay like that for a minute, his cock still inside of you, seed dripping down your thighs.

With one last kiss to the neck, Joel pulls out, causing you to whimper at the emptiness. He calms you, “I know, darlin’, I know”. You felt so full, so content. You hated feeling empty of him. You just know you’ll never be able to have enough of him. You lean against the sink, legs still shaky from your activities. Pushing your panties back into place, Joel smirks, knowing you’ll be walking around in your own backyard, his come still leaking out of you. Pulling you away from the counter, Joel turns you towards him and into his chest, placing a small kiss on your forehead. Unlocking and opening the door, he checks to make sure the coast is clear, ushering you out first, “Come on, pretty girl. We gotta cut the cake”, he says with a grin.

You’re so happy to be home again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

okay my lovelies it’s FINALLY posted, i’ve been so busy lately, but i’m glad it’s out here now :’)

i’m also ovulating rn so i got carried away OOPS <3

lmk if you’d like to be added to the taglist or if you have any requests!

taglist: @joelslegalwhre @reddedmiller @janaispunk @amyispxnk

[supernovafics]

𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄

"i'll be there for you" universe masterlist

pairing: bestfriend!roommate!steve harrington x fem!reader

word count: 5.6k words

warnings: explicit language, alcohol consumption, mentions of weed, “the beatles” slander (sorry?), just a lil bit of angst

summary: in which you force you and steve to have a housewarming party

general note: everything in this universe/series can be read as standalone oneshots but to understand the full “lore” it would prob be best to read the other stuff too<333

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Fall 1985

“Oh no, you’re playing The Beatles at full volume... On a scale of one to ten, how worried should I be for you right now?” 

Hearing Steve’s voice right then put a timestamp on how long you’d been in your current position— lying in the dark on the couch in the living room of your shared apartment, an oversized hoodie, which just so happened to be Steve’s, covering your body; even the hood was pulled over your head because you wanted to feel completely cocooned. 

He finished his shift at Family Video at seven and the drive usually took no more than twenty minutes, and you’d gotten home from your last class around five. That meant you’d been sulking for over two hours. A part of you felt a bit disappointed in yourself. 

Not enough to stop sulking and get up from the couch, though. 

Steve flicked on the light, which made you groan and pull on the strings of the hoodie so that your eyes were covered too, and then he walked over to where the record player sat atop a low shelf that was full of books, magazines, and random trinkets including a pink piggy bank that contained stray arcade tokens rather than actual money. He turned off the record player, putting a stop to the Abbey Road vinyl that you had been playing on repeat for hours. You absolutely detested The Beatles so whenever you were in a melancholic mood, it felt only right to play their music.

“Our neighbors probably hate us now,” Steve said as he joined you on the couch, moving your legs for a moment so that he could sit down and then placing them over his lap. “If we don’t get the cookie basket from Miss Johnson for Christmas, I fully blame you.” 

He expected that to get a laugh or at least a smile out of you. The mention of the sweet old woman a few doors down who had given you two a welcome basket full of freshly baked muffins when you moved in and then promised to bring you the cookies that she always made and gave to people in the building during the holidays. 

You didn’t do either of those things though. Your mouth felt too stuck in a straight line to even think about smiling. Therefore, you instead disregarded everything Steve had said since he’d entered the apartment and mumbled, “Why are guys such idiots?” 

He placed a hand over his heart as if he’d just been wounded. “Ouch.”

You pulled the hood off your head and then propped yourself up by your elbows to finally look at him. “Obviously, you’re the exception.” You then thought about your words for a brief moment. “Well, sometimes.”

“Double ouch,” He said. “But yes, guys are idiots. Which one are you talking about, in particular? Charlie?” 

You sighed and looked away. “Sadly.” 

“He’s lasted longer than I expected,” Steve told you. He fully thought that the crush you had on this guy from your early morning Statistics class wouldn’t stem past a few weeks.

“At this point, I wish I didn’t like him anymore,” You responded and then looked at Steve again, a small amused smile gracing your lips as you thought of something. “Any hot people come into Family Video lately?” 

Steve simply laughed and shook his head at you.

It was almost too easy for you to develop a crush on someone. So much so that many of them you wouldn’t even mention to Steve or your other friends because of how fast they’d come and go. 

Most of the time, the inevitable abrupt ending of the crushes would leave you feeling something adjacent to heartbreak because most of the guys you’d ended up liking were, in fact, idiots, or you’d feel disappointment because your feelings never lived up to how they were at the beginning of the crush. But there was always still something about the idea of liking someone that was surprisingly fun to you. You wouldn’t necessarily call yourself a hopeless romantic, but it sometimes felt as if you were exactly that.

You finally sat up from the couch and moved close to Steve. “Okay, spare me the supportive best friend ‘we’ve known each other since we were ten and I only want the best for you’ spiel for a few moments and just answer a quick question for me, okay?” 

Although he was completely confused and would’ve killed for more context, Steve nodded at your current antics. “Okay.” 

“If we had just finished a really hard test, and you were worried about how you did on it, and I did this,” You grabbed his hand, linking it with yours and giving him the sweetest smile that was typically only reserved for when you were hardcore flirting with someone. “While saying ‘I’m sure you did great,’ you would understand that I have a massive crush on you, right?”

He glanced down at your intertwined hands for a brief moment before ultimately nodding. “Yeah. Yeah, I would.”

“Exactly,” You said as you dropped Steve’s hand and then slumped back against the couch. “So Charlie pulling away— no smile back or anything— and simply saying, ‘Thanks. You probably did good too,’ in response to that means either he can’t read my stupidly obvious flirting cues, or he’s not into me. And, honestly, I’m almost certain it’s the second one.” Suddenly you were hit with a fresh wave of sadness and you pulled the hood over your head once again. “Please put back on The Beatles and let me wallow in peace for the rest of the night. I promise I’ll be better by the morning.” 

“I’d rather hear Harold running on his squeaky wheel all night than The Beatles on repeat,” He said and you actually perked up at the mention of the pet you two had gotten only a few months ago, barely a week after you’d fully moved into the apartment, the brown and white furry creature formally known as “Harold the Hamster.” 

Currently, he was sleeping only a few feet away in his cage that sat on the coffee table. Somehow he managed to be completely unbothered by the music you’d been loudly playing. 

“Okay, how about this,” Steve started. “Let’s order a pizza from that place close by. I’ll even suffer and let you put olives on it.”

You pushed the hood off your head again so that you could look at your best friend, only slightly intrigued by what he was saying. “Keep talking…”

“And then we’ll watch The Breakfast Club because you love it and you immediately rented it out from Family Video when we got it in,” He continued and you perked up even more at the mention of one of your favorite movies. “Which, by the way, is a copy that is weeks overdue and has probably racked up an insane amount of late fees at this point.”

You smiled at him. “Good thing I know someone who works there. And he would never let me pay any late fees.”

“Wow, he sounds like a great guy.”

You shrugged as you looked away from Steve. “Meh, he’s alright.” 

He immediately poked your side, causing you to laugh loudly. “I’m gonna make you pay all of the late fees now.”

“That’s very evil,” You said with a shake of your head, but you were still laughing because you knew that he wasn’t being serious. 

Steve ordered the pizza as you put the Breakfast Club tape in and then you both settled on the couch again. You had probably watched the movie five times since you rented it, but somehow you hadn’t grown tired of it yet. Instead, it managed to effectively take your mind off of Charlie and the entire situation with him, at least for the time being. 

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Steve may have been the one who worked at Family Video, but you knew that place so well it was almost as if you worked there too. His almost never-changing schedule was practically seared into your brain, and you knew the exact times the place was always busy and the moments when it was pretty much dead aside from a handful of random customers.   

Somehow Fridays at noon were one of the store’s emptiest times. 

Steve was standing behind the counter sorting through movies on a cart when you walked in. 

“Hello,” You smiled at him. “I come bearing one not-at-all overdue copy of The Breakfast Club and very fun news.” 

Steve was quick to smile back when he saw you, but it dropped when it seemed as if he remembered something. “Shouldn’t you be in your Psychology class right now?” Just like you knew his schedule like the back of your hand, he knew yours. “Your parents will find a way to blame me if you’ve dropped out of school, y’know.”

“My professor canceled last minute; her sister went into labor. So, don’t worry, you won’t be hearing any sort of lecture from my parents,” You answered as you dug in your bag for the movie. 

Steve grabbed it from your outstretched hand and placed it on the cart before looking back at you. “What's your news?” 

“Okay, so remember when we were ten and on that cruise, and you liked this random girl from New Jersey— Rebecca, I’m pretty sure her name was?” You said. “She was sixteen, completely unattainable, but I still tried to help you talk to her.” 

That cruise was actually when you and Steve met. It was a very weird serendipitous kind of moment where your parents bumped into his at the buffet one of the first few days and found out that they not only lived in Indiana, but in a town that was two over from yours, and they even had a son that was the same age as you. 

You had been somewhere sitting by the pool when this romcom-esque “meet cute” happened, but when your parents found you, they introduced you to Steve. Although at first, it felt like a friendship that was being forced upon you both, it was still nice to have someone other than your parents— actually, someone better than your parents— to hang out with on the ten-day trip. 

You beat him countless times at air hockey at the arcade onboard and the two of you spent most of the nights successfully sneaking into the “club” that was only meant for kids fifteen and up— which was where his crush on Rebecca began and subsequently ended.

“Yes, I remember that, not my finest moment. But, I also don’t blame her, it probably would’ve been weirder if she wanted to flirt back to a ten-year-old,” Steve responded and then furrowed his eyebrows. “Wait, I’m confused, though. Is your news that you found her or something?” 

You immediately shook your head at his question. “No, what I’m gonna say actually has nothing to do with that, but I wanted to remind you of how supportive I was of you during that time, and how supportive you should be of me right now with what I’m about to say.”

“I’ll always support you,” He didn’t hesitate to tell you. “Unless you’re pitching the matching tattoos idea again. And then, in that case, I guess our decade-long friendship will have to end here.” 

“One day I’ll eventually convince you to do it; mark my words. And the tattoo will be one of those stupidly cringey ones where we each get a flower with the other person’s name blooming out of it.” 

Steve did nothing but groan and shake his head at you, which only made you laugh. 

“But, anyway, my actual news is that we’re having a party tonight,” You said and then continued before he could say anything in response just yet. “Kind of like a housewarming party. I realized that we never really had one.” 

“We did have one.”

You shook your head and let out a sound that was a cross between a scoff and a laugh. “Robin and Eddie coming over on our first night and all of us smoking weed on the fire escape and then falling asleep on our mattresses in the living room because we didn’t have any furniture yet did not count as our housewarming party.”

Steve laughed a bit. “It was very fun, though.” 

“It was great,” You agreed with a nod. “But, not an actual party, so that's why we're having one tonight.” 

Steve only looked at you for a moment and you knew that he was trying to read you. He was the only person that you were certain could completely see through you— he could tell what you were feeling even when it was too hard for you to put those muddled thoughts into words, and he could see right through all of the bullshit you’d spew at times. Sometimes it annoyed you, but most times it felt nice to be so completely seen and understood.

It only took a second for things to seemingly click into place for him. “Is all of this about Charlie?” 

“No,” You immediately answered, but you didn’t even sound convincing to yourself. 

Of course, Steve didn’t believe you at all and he didn’t have to verbally say that for you to know, the unspoken words were clear in the deadpan look he gave you. 

“Okay, fine. Yes, it is,” You said and then sighed as you leaned against the counter. “I saw him today and he said that he was planning to go to this party tonight and he wasn’t that excited about it, but it’s better than doing nothing on a Friday. And then for some insane reason, I blurted out that he should come to my party tonight instead. In hindsight, I probably should’ve immediately backtracked when I said that, but I didn’t and instead, this whole “housewarming party” plan was born.”

“Is there any way I can say no to this?” Steve asked and you quickly shook your head. 

“Sorry, but no. Remember what happened on the cruise. Remember how I tried to be helpful with Rebecca,” You told him as you walked around so that you were behind the counter with him. You began sifting through the cart which was full of movies that people had just returned. “And honestly, I just wanna use this party as a last-ditch effort to see if he likes me, and if not then I’ll just make out with someone else at the party to get over him. So, actually, this is a win-win situation no matter what, and this party needs to happen.”

Steve only sighed in response at first, which made you look at him again. He then was quiet for a moment before ultimately nodding and plastering on the brightest and fakest smile you’d probably ever seen from him. “Okay, fine, let’s throw the best two months late housewarming party ever.”

You smiled back at him. “Thank you.” 

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

There were a lot of things Steve wanted to tell you.

One of the main things being how even though he hadn’t met him yet, he knew that Charlie definitely didn’t deserve you basically throwing a whole party for him just for you to see if he liked you back. Also, how actually most of the guys you ended up crushing on didn’t deserve your attention for a second. 

However, he knew that he couldn’t tell you any of that. Not when you’d been there through his ups and downs when it came to dating, and not when you were always supportive; even though a lot of the time it was easy to tell that you weren’t the biggest fan of the girls he went out with.

Early on in your friendship, it was unspokenly decided that bearing through each other’s plethora of shitty relationships just came with the territory of being best friends, and whenever things inevitably went downhill you’d both just be there for each other to pick up the metaphoric pieces.

However, that didn’t mean he couldn’t internally roll his eyes when about an hour into the party he finally did meet Charlie. It was a brief interaction where you introduced them when he entered the apartment and then Steve almost immediately walked away because he knew that you wanted to be alone with Charlie. Well, as “alone” as you two could be with a party that was in full swing around you. 

Your shared apartment quickly became full of at least forty people. It was a mix of people from your classes, the small handful of people from high school that you still sometimes talked to, a bunch of people that Steve knew, and anyone else that Robin and Eddie also wanted to invite. For a party thrown together at the last possible second, you both had to admit that it was a pretty solid turnout.

And also for a party that Steve hadn’t really wanted to have in the first place, he was actually having a good time. He was playing a drinking game version of Uno with Robin and a few others circled around the coffee table; Harold’s cage was placed next to him on the couch for the time being. 

After a second round in a row where Robin won— she was always crazy good at the game— Steve wanted to ask you to join because he knew how much you loved the game, even though you were very bad at it. He was even tipsy enough that he would’ve been fine with Charlie joining in as well.

He looked around, trying to find you, and it was something that should’ve happened in seconds. No matter what, it was always somehow easy to spot each other in any sort of crowded room— how effortless it always was almost felt equivalent to some weird kind of party trick. However, this time, Steve couldn’t find you. 

At first, he thought that that meant that things were going well with Charlie, but when he eventually spotted him standing in the kitchen talking and smiling at a girl who was definitely not you, he had a feeling that things had probably gone the opposite.

“I’m gonna sit out this round,” Steve said to Robin as he got up from the couch. 

The short walk to your bedroom was more difficult than expected because maneuvering through all of the people in the apartment proved to be a battle in itself. He ignored the sign on your door that said “Keep Out!” which you put up right before the party started to discourage people from going into your room and using it as a place to make out or have sex; Steve also had a sign on his door. 

When he walked in, he didn’t see you on your bed or sitting at your desk, or even lying on the floor, so he headed to the door right next to your closet that led to your bathroom.

“Hey, you in there?”

Twenty minutes ago, when you went into your bathroom, you had initially thought that you didn’t want to talk to or see anyone— you wanted to wallow alone and in silence. But, it turned out that hearing Steve’s voice right then didn’t annoy you or make you upset. Instead, it was the exact voice you wanted to hear in that moment— because, of course, Steve never counted as just anyone. 

You were sitting in your empty white tub. The cool porcelain felt nice against the exposed parts of your skin that the dress you were wearing didn’t cover, and you thought that the small confines of your bathroom would be the perfect place to spend the rest of your night; a night that had gone downhill almost too fast.

“Yes,” You mumbled, but it was loud enough for Steve to hear. 

“Can I come in?”

You nodded even though he couldn’t see you. “Yes. But, please don’t turn on the light.”

“Okay.”

You heard the door open then close and then the sound of the shower curtain being pushed to the side caught your attention and you looked up at Steve. 

“What happened?” He asked. Your eyes had long adjusted to the darkness so you could make out his face fairly well and you could see the concerned look on it. 

“I don’t wanna lie and say nothing, but I also don’t really wanna talk about it right now.” 

“That’s okay,” He said with a small nod. “Can I sit?”

You didn’t verbally answer and instead simply pulled your knees up to make room in the tub for him. He got in, pulling his knees up as well, and for a few moments, it was quiet. You could faintly hear the sound of music coming from the living room, but you couldn’t fully make out whatever vinyl Eddie decided to play on the record player.

“Someone gave us a plant,” Steve told you, breaking the silence. “Housewarming gift.”

“Oh, no,” You responded with a small sigh. You and Steve were probably the least “green thumb” people ever. “It’s gonna be dead in a week.”

“She said it’s a low-maintenance one so we’ll see how true that is,” He said as he shrugged. “Now that I’m thinking about it, though, is it weird that we can easily take care of a hamster, but a plant will barely last a week with us?”

You shook your head. “Harold provides us constant love and affection— even when he’s running on his squeaky wheel at three in the morning, it’s somehow still adorable— a plant does not do that. So, which one are we gonna remember to care for?”

“Very, very true.” 

“At least one person gave us a gift, though,” You said. “Now that I’m remembering that we called this a housewarming party, I’m actually kinda upset that we didn’t get any more presents. Where’s our fancy plates and cookware, or even a nice throw blanket?”

You were only slightly joking with your statement, you would’ve actually loved getting a blanket.

Steve laughed a bit. “If that’s what you wanted then we should’ve invited our moms and their friends.”

“Fuck, we really should’ve done that when we moved in. Such a missed opportunity.”

“I fully think that if we did do that our apartment would look eerily similar to Miss Johnson’s,” Steve said and you could imagine it completely. Frilly white curtains in the living room instead of the black ones that were currently up that blocked out the sun perfectly, and flowery pillows on the gray couch instead of the sage green ones that you found on sale a few weeks ago.

You inwardly shuddered at the thought. “Okay, yes, that’s probably true, but at least we would be using nice plates and not the Mickey Mouse ones we got from that thrift shop.”

Steve jokingly gasped, offended. “I love those Mickey plates, actually.” 

You couldn’t help but laugh at that. Just for a moment, it was nice to completely forget about what happened not even an hour ago and what led you to essentially hide away in your bathroom in the first place. 

Things got quiet again and it was the kind of silence that you liked; the kind that made you feel completely comfortable with spending the rest of the night avoiding everything and staying right there in your tub with Steve, and you knew that he would’ve been okay with that too. Even though your bodies would’ve probably started aching after just thirty minutes of being in this position, and he was taller so it would be worse for him, he wouldn’t have complained. 

You focused on the muffled sound of the music playing in the living room. This time you managed to make out the familiar beat of the song; Somebody to Love by Queen. You let out a sigh because that song playing right then somehow felt way too on the nose. 

Steve reached over and lightly poked your knee. “You okay?”

You were so close to pushing the question away again, avoiding the topic and bringing up something else completely— maybe saying that you actually loved those damn Mickey Mouse plates too— but you actually didn’t feel like brushing the topic away anymore. 

“He doesn’t like me,” You abruptly said, voice quiet. “I was tired of trying to read between lines and shit, so I just asked him, and he said no.”

You noticed the sad look cross Steve’s face, which only made a fresh wave of embarrassment and sadness wash over you, but you kept going before he could say anything just yet. “And then to make that whole moment even more embarrassing for me, after he said no he pointed at this girl— I don’t know her name, I think Robin invited her— and asked if I knew if she was single or not.”

Steve’s response of “What the fuck,” was immediate and it was really nice hearing how angry he was on your behalf and it made you smile a bit.

“This past hour has been extremely humbling for me. And I know I said I’d find someone to make out with if things didn’t work out with Charlie, but I’m not even in the mood to do that,” You told him as you leaned back against the cool tub and closed your eyes. “And you wanna know what the worst part of all of this is?”

“What?” “I’m not even drunk right now, so I’ll sadly remember all of this tomorrow.”

You weren’t entirely sure what you expected Steve to say in response to that, but you fully did not expect him to laugh. You opened your eyes and lightly kicked his leg. “Wow, thank you for laughing at my pain.”

“I’m sorry. I am a little drunk right now, so you saying that you’re not is kind of funny because it feels like the roles are reversed,” He said and you slightly hated how right he was. At any party you went to, he was usually the sober-ish one helping you out whenever you drank too much. “Robin and I were playing the Uno drinking game with some people.”

“What? I can’t believe I missed that.”

“We can go play it now. You’d honestly probably win for once since you’re the only one of us who isn’t drunk.”

“Ha ha,” You said with a roll of your eyes as you reached forward so that you could playfully hit him. “I know I’m the worst at that game, but it doesn’t make it any less fun.”

“Okay, come on, let’s go play,” Steve said before standing up, and then reaching his hands out toward you so that he could help you up.

He was trying to cheer you up, you could clearly see that, and you almost took him up on his suggestion. But, the thought of leaving your bathroom or even the comfort of the tub didn’t sit well with you. Mainly since you were unsure if Charlie was still out there and you didn’t want to see him or what he was doing because you knew you’d only feel embarrassed all over again. Yes, it was your apartment and you could’ve easily kicked him out if he was still there, but it felt so much easier to simply stay right where you were. 

You looked up at Steve and shook your head. “I don’t really wanna play, actually.”

Steve sat back down with you. “Okay, I haven’t seen you this upset over a guy in a long time. What is it about Charlie? Why is he so special?”

It only took a second for an answer to come to your mind because it was something that you had actually been thinking about a lot lately but had yet to verbalize it.

“I don’t– I don’t even think it’s really about him specifically. It’s just, I’m so tired of having crushes— of liking a guy and it going absolutely nowhere… I want something real. It’s been what feels like forever, and the last time was with that guy whose name we will never say in this house. And we both know how that horrific relationship ended.” It was rare that you ever talked about that relationship anymore, so hearing you mention it right then— even in just a minor way— actually surprised Steve, it even surprised you a little bit. That relationship was something that went on from the end of your Sophomore year of high school to the middle of Junior year; close to a year of your life that you really wished you could get back because you put up with a lot of shit that you now knew you shouldn’t have.

“I want something good for once, and I thought that maybe I could have that with Charlie. I thought maybe he wasn’t an asshole. But, now I’m back at fucking square one, and it’s just so…” You trailed off with a sigh, not bothering to finish your statement.

“It’ll happen. You’ll find someone. Someone actually good,” Steve told you, his voice was soft and you could hear the sincerity behind his words. 

You let out a sigh and leaned your head back against the wall. “Sometimes I hate talking about relationship stuff with you.” 

“What? Why?” Steve asked. He sounded genuinely confused and for a second you felt bad because there wasn’t supposed to be anything you didn’t like talking about with him— you were best friends.

“Because you can get a date with any girl ever, and you could probably easily be in a committed, serious thing if you wanted to. Meanwhile, I’m getting rejected left and right or falling for complete idiots,” You answered, letting the words fall out and not really thinking about them too much because they just felt way too true. However, once they fully registered in your head, you could feel yourself inwardly cringing. “Ew. Oh, God, I sound pathetic. Please forget I said anything.” 

“It’s not true,” Steve told you with an immediate shake of his head. You almost said “Which part?” but he continued before you could ask that question. “I go on dates, yeah. But, none of them are close to, or are even leading to, something real. Even if I wanted it to, the girls I date don’t want something real with me.”

You considered his words for a second. “Well, in that case, they’re idiots.”

“Charlie’s an idiot too.”

“Cheers to that,” You responded. “God, I wish I was drunk right now.” 

Steve laughed at your words and then opened his mouth to say something. For some reason, you had a feeling that he was going to try and coax you out of the bathroom again, and you were still unsure if you wanted to get up just yet, so you decided to say something before he could. “Do you ever want something serious?”

He was quiet for a second, as if really thinking about your question. “I don’t know… It changes a lot.” You nodded at that before he continued. “Most of the time I think I do, though.”

“Well, with what you just said about the girls you date and with what happened to me tonight, I think you and I are just gonna be alone together forever.”

He let out a small laugh. “I think so too.”

You smiled at him. “And I know that should sound at least a little bit sad, but right now, it honestly doesn’t.”

He smiled back at you. “Yeah, that actually sounds okay.”

Neither of you got the chance to say anything else because the sound of the door opening caught both of your attention. 

“Okay, two things,” You both recognized Robin’s voice before she pulled back the curtain to look down at you two. “One, I really need to pee so I need you both to get out of here, please. And two, Eddie pulled Harold out of his cage and is trying to teach him to do tricks.” 

You groaned as you started standing up. “Oh, God. Not again.” 

Steve followed suit, standing up as well, as he rolled his eyes. “Why is that always his go-to thing to do when he’s high?”

Robin laughed, you easily noticed how tipsy she was. “And what makes it even funnier is that he does this all the time but Harold has not actually learned any “trick” yet.” 

“The day that Eddie somehow teaches him how to “roll over,” I will pass away in shock,” You said as you adjusted your dress, fixing how much it had ridden up while you were sitting in the tub.

You and Steve stepped out of your bathroom to let Robin use it. But, you hesitated to open your bedroom door and let you two step back into the party happening in the rest of the apartment. 

Steve easily noticed your hesitation and his hand found yours, giving it a light reassuring squeeze. “You handle Eddie, and if Charlie is still here, I’ll tell him to leave, okay?” 

You inwardly sighed in relief hearing him say that because, of course, he knew the exact thing you had been worried about.

“Thanks.” There was so much more said in the simple one-word— thank you for reading my mind, thank you for always being able to do so, thank you for being the best goddamn person in my life. 

Steve nodded and gave your hand another squeeze, hearing all of those underlying words and then some. “I have been waiting all night to do this, actually, so thank you. And we’re playing the Uno drinking game after.”

You smiled at that and gave him a quick nod. “Okay.”

You then opened your door and stepped out, giving Steve’s hand a squeeze of your own before pulling away as you started making your way toward Eddie, who was sitting on the couch with Harold in his lap. You pretended as if you were completely unaffected when you briefly noticed Charlie standing in your kitchen and talking to the same girl he had pointed out to you earlier. 

“Edward Munson put Harold back in his cage right now.” 

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

let me know ur thoughts<333

(also requests are open for stuff you wanna see in the universe/series!🫶🏾)

[sunflowersandsapphires]

Shadows of Fluttering Leaves

When Skies Are Gray, Chapter 7

Series Masterlist             Next Chapter

pairing: Frank Castle x fem!reader 

summary: Frank’s life has reached a crossroads: he can either continue to seclude himself and pursue a dark, lonely future, or he can open himself up to connecting with someone again and maybe achieve happiness. Being the grump that he is, Frank has already committed to the lonely path, but his curious new neighbor might just turn that around. 

warnings: depressed reader, grief, victim blaming, implied history of sexual assault/harassment, bad parenting, not super healthy coping mechanisms

a/n: I am so sorry I've updated everything sporadically this year, y'all. I've been working really hard to stockpile updates so I'll be able to post at least biweekly for the rest of the year (if everything goes to plan!) As always, please comment/reblog to leave feedback. And a giant thank you to @gracethyomen for helping me plan this arc and make their fight more cruel. She is the queen of angst, go follow her.

w/c: 4.8k

You didn’t recall much from the past three days, but that was because there wasn’t anything to recall. After your conversation–if it could even be called that–with Frank, it was as if your soul had unstitched itself from your body. You went through your days as an emotionless husk. Your creative spark extinguished, your joy unreachable.

The walls in your building were thin enough that you could hear him moving around. Going to work and returning home to Max as if you'd never existed. Perfectly fine without you. Every heavy footfall that penetrated the rotting drywall brought a fresh sheen of tears to your eyes. 

The burly marine had become such a welcomed part of your life, losing him was like losing a limb. His absence felt like a bad dream. If you focused hard enough, you could still feel his calloused hands, smell the cheap soap and spicy clove aftershave he used. But a simple exhale would wash the scent away, and you were alone again–tired, anguished, and unloved.

You drifted through the day, unsure what to do with yourself. You couldn’t bring yourself to go into work, or even communicate with Leo and Stacy for more than a brief text to prove you were still alive.

While this evening hadn’t been much different, the sight of your mom’s name flashing across the top of your phone screen as it buzzed had caused enough of an adrenaline rush to force you to chat with someone. Your throat felt sore after talking for the first time in nearly 72 hours, your vocal chords still recovering from their sudden overuse. Shuddering as you willed the memory of the call to fade, you felt the tell tale prick in the corners of your eyes.

Staring down at the damp concrete, you blinked frantically in an attempt to keep the endless tears at bay. The tilt of your head caused raindrops to drip off of your hood, rolling down your forehead. Around you, the slam of water against pavement and steel drowned out the thud of your determined footsteps. Blowing out a breath you slipped an unfeeling mask onto your face as you continued your walk to the bakery.

It wasn’t more than a few blocks from your apartment to the Rainy Day, but the beams of street lights would draw attention to your glassy eyes, and you didn’t need to highlight your fragility for any creeps that might be lurking at this hour. You'd had more than enough unwanted male attention for the week. Once you were safely behind the locked doors, you could look as broken down as you needed to.

Though you were exhausted, your confusion-and-betrayal-addled brain was still unable to rest and your hands itched to do something. Wallowing in your bed wouldn’t quell the uneasiness that speaking with your mom had ignited mere hours ago. But cooking might. At least, you hoped that was the case.

A crackle of lightning illuminated the bakery as you approached; the strike of light refracting through the windows made the place look rather sinister, draping it in oddly shaped shadows. Slipping the keys from your pocket, you tried not to cringe at the cold rain as it splattered against your exposed hand. Thunder rolled overhead as you waggled the key in the lock, finally getting the damn thing to budge enough for the door to shove open.

Stepping inside, you bolted the door behind you, using your phone flashlight to maneuver through the stacked tables and chairs as you moved to the kitchen. Before getting to work, you stripped out of your semi-drenched top and slipped into a clean t-shirt adorned with the logo of the cafe. Flicking on the overhead lights, you threw a hand up to shield your sensitive eyes as they strobed briefly before steadying into their normal bright rays. Taking a place by your preferred station, you took a moment to reflect on the tasks you had cut out for you.

Though Leo was more than capable of replicating your work if you detailed the recipes, they were happy to let you be the creative lead in your shared kitchen. As they’d mentioned multiple times over text the past few days, your absence from the space meant less variation in pastries for the bakery, and more for Leo to do. If you weren’t so emotionally depleted, you would have felt more guilty about abandoning them so suddenly.

Apparently, the emotional turmoil that talking to your mother always stirred was good for something. It had gotten you here, at least. Coating your station in a thin layer of flour, you ran through the motions of a basic croissant recipe.

You weren't quite feeling up to experimenting yet, but croissants you could do.

Soon enough, the smell of salted butter and yeast engulfed the room and your fatigued mind began to wander. Despite your best efforts to forget the comment, your mother's voice echoed in your ears.

“Really, sweetheart, what did you expect?”

The condescension in her tone clung to you like the barbs of an untrimmed rose. Your brain feebly tried to reassure you that she had no idea what she was talking about. To remind you that she didn't even know his name, that you'd told her—at most—three sentences about the whole situation.

But the majority of your brain was still reeling from the abrupt collapse of your relationship with Frank. And it was far too weak to not spiral at the implication of your mom's question.

Because, while she wasn't fully aware of who Frank was and what he meant to you, she was intimately informed of your history with men–hence her thoughtless words this evening.

Your dating history was...pitiful, to say the least. You tended to draw attention from the wrong men. Bosses, teachers, even your own relatives.

It had been your reality for as long as you could remember. As a child, whenever you'd come to your mother with another sob story about attention that you hadn't meant to attract, the blame was always placed squarely on your shoulders. Your outfits were too provocative, your actions too enticing. It didn't matter that they were the ones misunderstanding your kindness as an open invitation. It was still your fault.

Expecting her to sympathize with you when you told her you'd been grabbed by a stranger as you left the construction site was foolish. But it still hurt to know that she didn't.

What hurt more was the little voice in the back of your head that agreed with her. Knowing damn well that you'd chosen that outfit to fetch the gaze of a specific man. That the low cut neckline was meant to be provocative. That it was your fault that you'd been humiliated. That your own desperation had led to the continued phantom sensation of a large hand gripping your arm against your will. 

“If you dangle bait long enough, something will bite.” She reminded you. It wasn't the ocean's fault that you'd been hoping for a specific fish.

“But I didn't want them.” You'd lamented to her. You were tired of being a plaything, a quick fuck. You wanted something more, something real. And it had turned to ash in your delicate grasp before you could so much as appreciate it.

She wasn't sympathetic. Chastising you for forgetting your place, for getting attached, for seeking love in places it didn't exist.

“Love is harder to come by when you're, well...you know.”

You slammed the ball of elastic dough onto the bench, kneading it aggressively as tears poured down your face. Your stomach twisted as it heaved with sobs, the sentiment from your mother sounding eerily similar to the curt observation that Frank had hurled at you.

You ain't my wife.

He was right. You weren't his wife. His wife was beautiful, and caring, and patient. She'd loved him, had children with him, made a home for him.

Think I'm your little boyfriend or somethin'?

Biting your lip to stifle a sob, the feeling of foolishness crested in your chest again. It was humiliating to be called out like that,  especially when your naive little heart had been convinced he felt the same way.

I never wanted that.

Those words still hit you like a sock to the gut. He never wanted a relationship. He never wanted you.  Your stupid feelings were clearly unrequited, but how were you supposed to know that?

Was your childhood so deprived of love that simple acts of kindness had your heart doing backflips? Were his pet names and compliments just his gentlemanly nature because he was afraid to offend you?

This was a mistake.

His sweet remarks, calling you beautiful, the constant teasing—the relationship you once had with Frank began to play in your head; the muted colors of the picture doing nothing to make your chest ache less when his face sprang to mind. Your brain continued its depressing montage: Frank smiling at you, his gruff voice lifting around the word “sunshine”, his genuine interest in your work, his daily visits to the cafe, the way he leaned into every touch you offered him. All meaningless. Just another regret.

Exhaling forcefully, you flapped your hands in an attempt to stop their trembling. If the fragile dough ripped between your fingers, it would ignite a full meltdown. Clenching the muscles in your hands, you relaxed them as you forced every thought from your head, focusing on the pliant mass beneath your rolling pin as you mashed it into a lopsided rectangle. Carefully lifting the edges of the shape, you tossed it onto the sheet pan you'd prepared as tenderly as you could.  Using your fingertips to stretch it into a more appealing shape, you nodded in satisfaction, shoving the tray onto a cart and picking up your rolling pin again.

Each extension of your forearms, pressing the wooden cylinder into the raw pastry, condensing and lengthening the blob with small, stiff movements. Your elbows creaked with every stretch of the elastic dough, the swing of your arms feeling almost foreign despite being a common practice in the kitchen. A 72-hour break was too long, apparently. Any other day, you'd dance through this recipe effortlessly; Today though, every step felt choppy and hesitant, as if your brain expected you to fail again and again.

You hadn't felt this hopeless in a kitchen since the last few weeks of your atrocious entrepreneurial experience years ago. Yet another example of you being too trusting, too optimistic.

Your mouth flooded with the metallic tang of blood as your teeth dug into the flesh of your cheek, halting the choking despair that threatened to drag you down to the linoleum floor. You wanted to give in; your brain was still a ball of exhausted mush incapable of handling your day-to-day tasks.

Sloppily prepping a few more trays for their initial rise, you shoved the croissant dough onto the proofing cart and out of sight. The smell of yeast usually made you happy, but the biting edge of the scent was turning your stomach. It was becoming increasingly clear that you'd thrown yourself into your work without the stability to handle the sensory input of the bakery. Your head was pulsing because of the fluorescent lights, the whir of the electric mixer rattling your ear drums. Once the sticks of butter you'd added to the stainless steel bowl of the machine were smooth, you shoved the lever to shut it off—letting out a breath you hadn't realized you were holding.

Slapping heaping scoops of the creamed butter into a half-sheet pan, you set the pan in the fridge to solidify and shuffled blearily into the break room, collapsing onto the worn leather couch.

“You are such an asshole.”

Gritting your teeth as the words ripped you from an uneasy sleep, you peeled one eye open reluctantly. Two shadowy figures swayed in your field of vision, neither looking particularly happy with you.

The taller figure marched towards you. ”Three days? THREE DAYS? No calls, only a single fucking text,“ The annoyed voice grew closer, making you curl in on yourself.

”'M sorry.“ You mumbled, tears springing to your eyes.

”You better have a better apology than that. They were worried sick.“ A blurry image of Stacy manifested against the doorway to the breakroom, her arms crossed. Standing in front of your shoulders, hands firmly attached to their hips, was Leo.

”We were worried sick,“ Leo corrected, throwing Stacy a look.

Not denying the allegation, Stacy's cheeks dusted pink.

Crouching in front of you, Leo gave you a once over. Their furious expression quickly morphing into one of concern. “Did you sleep here?”

“Didn't mean to, the kitchen was just,” You gave a limp shrug, avoiding their piercing gaze. “Too much.”

“How long have you been here?” Stacy asked, striding over to drape her legs across the arm of the couch.

“Since midnight-ish.” You muttered, shame pitching your voice lower.

“Babes,“ Leo sighed, running a palm over your exposed arm as you tried to shrink into the couch cushions. ”What happened? Was it your mom?“

You should your head, tears pooling in your eyes. “Pete.”

“Pete?” Stacy raised an eyebrow, looking at Leo with wide eyes.

“What did he do, hun?” Leo plopped into a cross-legged position, leaning against the couch with an expectant look.

“Did you break up?” Stacy's voice was uncharacteristically soft, but the words were still teasing.

You burst into tears.

“Stace!” Leo scolded, climbing onto the couch and hefting your torso up so that you could lay in their lap as you bawled.

“What? It seemed impossible!!” Stacy said, mortified. She absorbed Leo's vacated spot, hands hovering apprehensively in front of you. “Shit. Please don't cry.”

“It's a bit late for that.” Leo huffed, cradling your cheek with one hand. “What did that bastard do to you?”

Gulping in air, you cowered against Leo's thigh. Your friends sat quietly, patiently awaiting your story. With a stuttering inhale, you wiped the newest round of tears from your face and pushed yourself into a seated position—gratefully leaning into the arm Leo threw around your shoulders. Looking up at them wide-eyed, you waited for their encouraging nod before speaking.

“Um..” Your voice was hoarse, words shaky. “So three days ago, I tried to bring him lunch...”

As if your consciousness was sparing you from the depressing events, the words tumbled from your lips instinctively, thoughtlessly. The story pouring directly from your torn heart, accompanied by a few stray tears.

Throughout your ramble, your friends remained silent–sandwiching your body between them. Leo's sturdy frame was a comforting weight to your left. Stacy had migrated to your other side, tentatively resting a manicured hand on your shoulder. They were both eerily still as you caught them up on the implosion of your relationship with your neighbor.

Eventually, you sighed, your body sagging with exhaustion. Briefly lifting your hands, you gestured to the small, bare break room you'd passed out in. “And then you found me in here, and that's it I guess.”

Your mouth snapped shut, your eyes flinging the final few droplets of saline off of your lashes as you blinked at your lap. There was a beat of silence. Two. Three.

Then all hell broke loose.

“Is he fucking serious?“ Stacy bit out, retracting her hand to cross her arms. Her brows were raised, jaw clenched as she looked at Leo.

”He told you that you were a mistake?“ Leo squawked, clearly fuming.

“I mean, that's not—” You began to reason, words dissolving on your tongue as Leo grabbed your hand with a glare.

“Absolutely not. Do not start that bullshit.”

Frowning, you averted your eyes. ”I'm not doing anything.“

“Princess, we love you, but don't pretend you're not blaming yourself.“ Stacy scoffed, standing from the couch and tugging at the roots of her hair.

“And defending him while you're at it.” Leo gently prodded your side with a knuckle, giving you an all-too-knowing glance. At your resulting pout, they sighed. “I know that hearing your mom blame you again and again is hard to unlearn, but she's wrong. So is Pete and all the other men who have done this to you. You deserve better.”

“Seconded.” Stacy nodded firmly, pointing a finger at you. “The next time I see him, I swear on my grandmother—”

The petite brunette was pacing, fists clenched in her fury. Leo looked equally angry, though they were much less obvious about it. Smirking at Stacy's empty threat, they finished it for her. ”We'll beat him senseless with a baseball bat.“

Giggling, you leaned into the hug Leo offered, exhaling into their shoulder. ”I appreciate you both, but I'd rather just move past it.“

”Deal.“ Leo kissed the top of your head, holding out a hand to help you stand from the couch.

”Speak for yourself, I am not willing to let this slide.“ Stacy called with a huff, stalking out to the counter to begin prepping for the morning rush.

”Should I be worried?“ You bit your bottom lip, eyes following her out of the break room.

”Nah, you know her. It'll pass, this is just how she shows her love.“ Leo reassured you, striding into the kitchen at the ambling pace you set. ”We would do anything for you, you know.“

Smiling bashfully, you nodded. “I appreciate it, Leo. Thank you.”

Though you were still dead on your feet and reeling from the emotional whiplash you'd been put through, an odd form of peace had engulfed you. Talking things out had taken a massive weight off of your shoulders.

You felt heat prick your cheeks as you sheepishly recalled the way you'd isolated yourself after leaving the construction site. At the time, it had felt like the natural path forward. But it clearly hadn't done you any good.

Your coworkers were eternally patient as you fumbled your way through your daily tasks, your brain still a glob of jelly after being berated by both Frank and your mother.

Gritting your teeth in frustration, you collapsed onto a bar stool. Kneading your forehead with one hand, you inhaled deeply.

Peeking around the corner of the walk-in, Leo frowned. “All of them?”

Nodding miserably, you forced a response around the lump in your throat. ”Every. Single. One.“

”Aw, babes.“ Leo pouted, coming to inspect the trays you'd thrown around your station as your defeat grew.

”They're all flat. How did it slip my mind that the rain would throw off the humidity in the main room? That's, like, proofing 101.“ You moaned, prodding one of the dense croissants with a finger. ”Christ, I feel like I've lost my mind. It should not be this hard to do something simple.“

Patting your back reassuringly, your best friend ignored your protests, lining your ovens with the ruined croissants and setting a timer. “Do you remember the first time Ez and I broke up?”

Ezra, Leo's on-again-off-again partner, had broken things off for the first time right before you both took your final preparation exam for your first pastry class in school. Leo had nearly flunked the course after they used salt instead of sugar in every dish.

Stifling a chuckle, you fiddled with the strands of your apron. “I seriously think Allard was reconsidering his decision to teach. His face!“ You and Leo snorted in tandem, picturing the old french man's grimace.

”Oh he definitely had regrets. My point is, the brain works in mysterious ways when you're grieving.“ Leo stated matter-of-factly.

”Grieving?“ You asked. “Frank didn't die–”

“I know that, smartass. But you still lost something, did you not?”

Pondering for a moment, you conceded. “I suppose.”

“So, your brain is handling this just like any other loss. Grief processing is its current main priority, remembering how to make picture-perfect croissants is not even in the backlog.”

“It should be, given that we operate a bakery.” You grumped, watching the pitiful slabs of dough puff slightly in the oven.

Smacking you gently over the back of your head, Leo's expression turned endearingly stern. “You, my dear, need to be kinder to yourself. Something huge and incredibly hurtful just happened to you. Give yourself a moment to breathe.”

Their soft command gave you pause. They weren't wrong. You'd jumped from escaping, to wallowing, to working without so much as a millisecond to relax. Had this bullshit happened to anyone else, you would've been much more understanding. But being kind to yourself was never your strong suit.

Mulling over the possibility of granting your brain a smidge of grace, you watched the flat pastries expand ever so slightly as they began to brown under the yellow oven lights. Realization finally striking you, you turned to Leo with a quizzical expression.

“You put them in the oven.” You stated simply, mind not quite forming a question to remedy your confusion.

Chuckling, Leo nodded. “I did.” They leaned against your station with a smile.

“Kitchen adaptations, hun. What did we used to do with pastry dough that didn't rise properly?”

Understanding dawning on you, your lips parted. “Croissant sandwiches.”

Squeezing your shoulder, Leo hummed in confirmation, striding back to their station to finish shaping bread loaves. You continued to watch the thin crescents puff, reminding yourself that the mistake was fixable. Sure, they wouldn't be the gorgeous, fluffy pastries you'd envisioned—but they could still be made into something delicious. For today, that was enough.

Feeling less hopeless, you wiped your hands on your apron and strolled over to the lines of proofing bread, moving them to the proofing cart easily. ”What are we stocking today?” You asked, hoping they'd notice the hidden meaning of the question.

“Let's stick to simple comfort foods. The weather is nasty, we probably won't be too busy. After we finish the staples, we could make some baguettes and a soup or two? Maybe some kitchen sink cookies and brownies too. Those won't take much effort.“ Leo tapped their chin thoughtfully, looking to you with a soft expression. ”Sound good?“

Smiling, you nodded–glad that Leo was willing to take charge for the day. Sliding your arms around your best friend's waist, you squeezed them tightly before bustling off to prepare some yeast.

Over the next few weeks, your mood improved significantly. Out of concern for you, and more than likely out of concern for the bakery, Stacy and Leo had spent a handful of nights at your place–helping you wind down after work, and motivating you to get up the next morning. Their presence and constant glares towards your and Frank's shared wall made it easier to move forward without him. You could feel your consciousness wading through the stages of grief, rapidly approaching acceptance.

For now, though, you were still moping–much to your friends’ dismay.

”C'mon, Princess! Live a little!! You haven’t gone out with us in forEVER“ Stacy whined, pinching your arm as she took a seat on the counter you were cleaning.

Scowling at her, you switched your rag out for a broom, determined to keep tidying around the obstruction she presented. ”I already told you. I don't feel like going out tonight, Stace.“

Sweeping stray coffee beans from under the machines, you fought back an eye roll at her snort. ”Oh, I'm sorry, did you have plans besides crying on your couch while watching rom coms?“

”Christ, Stacy, I told you to invite her, not insult her!“ Leo scolded as they exited the kitchen.

”Someone needs to say it!“ Stacy threw her hands in the air, looking at you pointedly. ”Being sad has its time and place, but the only way to truly get over a man is by going out and getting wasted, you both know I'm right!“ She huffed in frustration as both you and Leo opened your mouths to protest.

Scratching the back of their neck sheepishly, Leo raised a brow at you. “She actually might have a point.”

Pumping her fists victoriously, Stacy leapt from the counter. “See? It'll be good for you!”

Glancing between her and Leo, you sighed. Pouting in distaste, you knew you had been outvoted. If you refused to go, they’d drag you out anyway. “Fine.”

Your friends cheered, high-fiving their success. Stacy danced over to you. “It's gonna be great, princess. You'll see!”

“Oh, I’m sure.” You snarked, dipping the formerly abandoned rag in a bin of bleach solution and resuming your afternoon disinfecting duties in the front of the cafe while your coworkers plotted the outing.

“What are you going to wear, hun?” Leo called over their shoulder to you, after complaining to Stacy about their lack of cute clothes.

“Considering I am only going to please the two of you? I'm not quite sure.” You snorted, tone still sharp with irritation.

“Well, since you're clearly in such a great mood,” Leo giggled, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. “Maybe we could get ready together?”

“We totally should! While blasting EDM really loudly in your living room!” Stacy grinned, feigning innocence despite her clear intentions to make Frank's life a living hell.

“Ok now you are definitely not invited.” You frowned, imagining how much he'd curse at you if you became a horrid neighbor on top of all your other faults.

“It's cute that you think you have a choice!” Stacy laughed evilly, rubbing her hands together in a movie-villain-esque motion.

Groaning miserably, you stiffened as Stacy padded over and held a hand out for the rag.

Making a grabby hand gesture, her other palm landed on her hip. “Hand the towel over, princess. You and Leo can head to your place to get you all fixed up and I'll finish cleaning.”

“I'm not sure whether I should be offended that you're implying I don't look stunning like this,” You circled a hand around your unwashed face. “Or worried that you're offering to lock up. You hate closing.”

“Exactly. That’s how much I want you to have a good night out, dude!” Stacy gave you a stern look, flicking her eyes between the damp rag and your stubborn expression.

Sighing heavily, you tossed the rag to her and slipped out of your apron. “If this place isn't gleaming tomorrow–”

“Yah, yah.” Stacy waved you off, putting earbuds in as she walked to the other end of the room.

“The disrespect.” You muttered, turning to Leo who was clearly amused at the fact that you'd been outwitted by the other girl.

“C'mon, sweets. We'll need to stop somewhere for drinks unless we want to go into debt to get drunk tonight.” Grabbing your hand, the two of you left Stacy and the bakery behind as you braved the heat outside.

Slogging up the stairs, arms laden with a paper bag filled with the cheapest alcohol the three of you could stomach, you adjusted your center of gravity to avoid toppling down the stairs. It felt like you were swimming upstream, given the weight in your hold and the immense humidity of the stairwell. Finally reaching the landing, you scrunched your nose as a bead of sweat dripped from it.

“Took you long enough,” Leo remarked, smirking at you from your front door, having made it up the stairs long ago. 

“Not all of us have a lithe athletic build and the heart rate of an Olympian.” You huffed, shuffling toward them with a small smile. Despite your initial apprehension, excitement had started to build in your chest at the thought of the night ahead of you. As you were about to express that much to Leo, the click of a doorknob stopped you in your tracks. 

Stepping out of his apartment, adorably happy pitbull in tow, was none other than your neighbor, Frank Castle. 

Frozen in place, it was a miracle you didn’t drop the bag in your shock. You’d assumed he’d avoid you just as you’d avoided him. Apparently you weren’t that lucky. 

Looking a bit surprised himself, Frank hesitated for a minute before plastering a scowl on his face and tugging at the leash in his grasp. “C’mon Max.” 

Watching Frank stalk past you without so much as a glance in your direction, your mouth dropped open with indignation. Poor Max was dragged to the stairs behind him, despite the dog’s efforts to greet you on the way down the hall. 

Gritting your teeth, you marched to your own door and unlocked it. Carefully depositing the bottles on the ground, you grabbed a handle of cherry vodka, cracking it open and taking a swig as you stomped into your apartment. 

“I suppose that’s one way to handle whatever just happened.” Leo murmured, studying you with a concerned frown. “Wanna talk about it?” 

“Nope!” You grinned, pulling another gulp of liquor from the bottle. “Care to help me pick an outfit? I’m hoping to drink for free tonight.” 

Striding into your room with Leo on your heels, your gut burned as the lump of despair you’d been clinging to for a week burned red hot with rage. Your friends were right. You deserved better. 

If Frank Castle didn’t want you, then you sure as hell didn’t want him.

Taglist: @cheshirecat484 @xxdrixx @smhnxdiii @mattmurdocksstarlight @danzer8705 @mjsvinyl @softieekayy @sweetpov @dreamtofus @zomtart @mjsvinyl @senjoritanana @marytheweefrenchie @siampie @gracethyomen @pone21 @ignore-mp3 @screechingphantommaker @fireeyes-on-teller-dixon-grimes @paradox-brody-chase @msjb2002

[magicalqueennightmare]

Why?

(Eventual) Elijah Mikaelson x Reader

When you're hurt and it's not a product of a hunt you intend to hide away and lick your wounds in private but a certain Mikaelson begins to worry and comes to your rescue.

The first knock at your door you disregarded. Surely it was your neighbor or maybe someone with a wrong address. You rented a small place just outside of the french quarter after all so people having a few too many and reading addresses wrong was a usual occurrence.

You were sore over every inch of your body. You were fairly sure nothing was broken but that knowledge didn't stop the pain that every slight movement caused. More than the pain was the embarrassment that this injury had come at the hands of humans. How could you have slipped up that bad?

You'd nearly fallen back asleep when your phone started to ring. You groaned from the effort of pushing yourself up to a sitting position and reached for it.  The moment you saw the caller id you cursed. It was Elijah. You'd avoided him for the better part of the last week but one of his siblings must have caught wind that you'd made it back in town. You didn't want him to see you hurt. You'd tried to always have your feet under you around the ancient vampire. 

He knocked you off balance so you covered it expertly with vague threats and sass. You weren't up to the usual repertoire between the two of you.

You took a deep breath and hoped it wouldn't show in your voice how exhausted you truly were “Elijah Mikaelson, to what do I owe the privilege?” “My darling little hunter. I heard from my sister that you've been in town for nearly a week. Are you avoiding me by chance?” You shifted in the bed and a groan escaped your lips. You closed your eyes praying he hadn't heard. “Not avoiding you. Just been busy”

He was silent for a moment and the thought hit you that maybe he'd hung up until he spoke “Care to answer the door then?” shit, he was the person at your door. “I'll come by later. Just make sure Klaus knows so it's not an announced thing”  “Come to the door” you could feel the pull in his voice and tsk-tsked “Now now Elijah. You promised a long time ago to not try to compel me. Besides I've got enough wards tattooed on me it's next to impossible even for a vampire of your age” 

“Please come to the door” he tried again and you could tell how much it took for him to add the please. “Ok” you hung up the phone and glanced around the room. Your oversized hoodie looked like the best option so you tugged it on over the sports bra and shorts you were currently wearing. It hit mid thigh and with the hood up covered most of your bruises along with the black eye and how swollen the left side of your face was. 

You slowly walked across the small space to your front door and unlocked all three locks before swinging the door open to reveal the vampire standing at your door. Elijah was always impeccably dressed, today he was wearing a black tailored suit which fit him in a way that would've practically made your mouth water any other day.  He had some stubble gracing his chiseled jaw which just added to how handsome he truly was. 

A slight smirk started to slip across his face when he looked in your door but it quickly fell when his eyes met yours.  “Invite me in” Elijah had come to your place a few times but you'd never extended an invite. It caused too much of a risk. You were welcome in the home he shared with his siblings despite you being a hunter and them originals. 

You shook your head slowly but that made the room tilt and you were forced to grab the door frame for support. “Invite me in” he repeated. You managed a weak laugh “You gonna finish me off Mikaelson?” His eyes narrowed so you decided screw it if he threw the niceties to the side and did snap your neck at least you wouldn't be hurting anymore “Come into my home Elijah” 

The moment he crossed the threshold he pushed your hood down and you saw the monster that always lurked just below the surface darken his eyes “Did this occur on a hunt?” You dropped your eyes “Yeah” you felt him move before his fingers ever so gently graced your chin, pulling your face up where you had no choice but to look him in the eye “I'm going to ask once more and make my question more direct. Who or what did this to you?”

You swallowed hard under his gaze. You didn't want to tell him. It was a couple dozen dirty cops. They wanted to use hunters as guns for hire. Technically most hunters had faked their deaths already so who better to pull off kills then the dead? “A few people who wanted me to work for them and I refused”

“Humans did this? My dear I've seen you fight” you nodded slightly, a grimace gracing your face due to the movement causing another wave of dizziness “They caught me by surprise and a taser is very much a field evener for us mere humans” 

It occurred to you that he was still holding your face so you tried to move away from him but you swayed slightly and before you could protect he was picking you up bridal style. “You need to see a doctor” “No insurance” you mumbled, trying to fight the urge to lay your head against his chest as he carried you over to your bed, pulling the blanket back to lay you down. 

He sat down gently on the side of the bed and motioned to the hoodie “May I?” You nodded and felt him pull the soft material up your body. His touch made goosebumps rise across your flesh and you hoped he'd mistake the way your heart started to beat faster for pain. “I'll bring one to you. Need to ensure you don't have any internal damage then you're going to tell me who exactly was involved” 

“Why do you care, Elijah?” You asked and he simply smiled before pulling the hoodie back down “Perhaps I've allowed myself to become fond of the fact that you're not afraid of me. Quite the opposite you don't mind reminding me just how many of my kind you've killed. You're a hunter, I've made peace with that but this? This isn't your job, this was an attack that deserves an answer and I will gladly deliver one” 

You nodded slowly then asked “Are you gonna pay a doctor or compel one?” He shrugged “Whichever works better” you motioned to where your jacket laid “Keys are in the right hand pocket. Lock the door when you leave then let yourself back in” “I'll be back soon” He promised and you knew he would. He would come back with a doctor and if you asked he'd slaughter anyone who'd ever hurt you, the question was why? 

Closer

[strawb3rry-shark]

hmmmm my personal theory for Welcome Home is the feeling of like. having to grow up and losing the people you love along the way. we the (audience) have grown past wally and the neighbor hood. all the residents had left there original homes and families to wind up in the neighborhood.

basically wally is dealing with empty nest syndrome and wants us (the kids) to visits :((

[mx-darling-1]

Hello, I can ask for a request.. I could make a fanfic where all the Welcome characters appear in the real world, mainly in the reader's house. Now they and the reader have to share a house and try to find some way to send them back to their world... I think it would be cool for a story

(Bonus: maybe while changing channels on TV, they come across another puppet show)

That could be really interesting! I'll see what I can do! Tw: Wally has seperation anxiety and a minor panic attack

Wally Darling x GN reader Real World Jealousy

Its been a couple weeks since the characters from your favorite childhood tv show suddenly appeared in your house. Youve slowly been getting used to it, although its been hard hiding them from the public eye. Well, Barnaby is 8ft tall after all. Its much easier to sneak Wally around, so you often spend more time with him and Julie. Although, and you would never tell the others this, you definitely preferred spending time with Wally. He was always your favorite character and you guessed that just bled into adult hood.

Over these past couple of weeks Wally had begun to cling to you. As soon as he appeared in your home it was like he already knew you. And, little did you know that he did know you, he's watched you since you were little, and you were always his favorite watcher. The longer he got to be by your side, the more he craved your attention. It was the most important thing to him now. And he almost felt guilty, all his friends were trying to figure out how to get home, but he never wanted to leave. He would even get irritated at his friends whenever they got to close to you or took to much of your attention, overall he seemed very snappy to everyone but you. You didnt seem to notice at all, until the day you were just flipping through some TV channels.

You didnt think it was a big deal, flipping some channels just to find something to watch. Wally was getting some beauty sleep and you were on the couch with Julie and Barnaby. They usually enjoyed more childish shows so you were scrolling through one of the kids channels when you came across Sesame Street, without really thinking about it, you put it on the TV to watch. You notice the tone in the room shift and suddenly a door from somewhere behind you slams open hitting a wall. Your head slams back as you look for whoever slammed the door, only to see Wally staring at the screen in absolute disdain, and you couldn't get over how terrifying it was. Wally never stopped smiling, but it was obvious that he was pissed as he walked over to the couch.

Wally just grabbed the remote, turning the TV off before turning back to look at you. "Sesame Street? Are you trying to replace us neighbor? Why would you want to replace us? We are supposed to be your favorite! I'M supposed to be your favorite!!" His voice was becoming more frantic, and you didnt even notice all the other puppets leaving the room as Wallys actions became desperate, walking closer and closer to you. He grabbed your hands, staring eye level with you although you were seated on the couch and he was standing.

"Wally...hey now..." He became even more desperate, pleading with you. "Please [Name], please dont leave us. Please dont abandon us. Dont abandon me..please please plea-" As tears streamed down your face you pulled Wally closer to you, causing him to go limp in your arms. You couldnt help this overwhelming sadness that took over you as you became desperate to help him, your favorite Wally Darling. "Hey, Wally. I'm never going to leave you, I will never replace you. For you and your neighbors, Welcome home will always be my favorite. No silly puppet show is going to change that. And you will always be my favorite, my Darling. So please Wally, never think like that again." Gently you grabbed Wallys face and placed kisses across it. You could feel Wally melting in your arms as he smiled up at you. "You really mean it neighbor?" You nod softly, smiling at him as you see his lovesick relieved expression. "Of course, and I'll always mean it Wally, even when you guys find your way back home."

Im not too sure how I feel about this one, but hopefully it lived up to expectations! Its a bit short since i wrote more but tumbler deleted it😭

[theythembehavior]

School was school, as school probably should be. A shame Qiu found it tedious, these people should just disappear. Or Qiu could, they didn't have too much of a preference. Same people, all going through their own thing were a bit much. Girls trying too hard for attention, boys who could have better personalities.

Welcome to freshmen year, everyone is a mess and can't see it.

What annoyed Qiu the most is that everyone thought they were "cool" and "mysterious." They were tired, tired of people messing up their pronouns, tired of teachers acting like they knew them, tired of people trying to talk to him, and tired of not being around their neighbor. Even if lunch period was around the corner, Qiu needed a moment to recharge, maybe a little nap, eating could be done at home. The second the bell rung, Qiu made a deadline for the door, leaving those who wanted a chance to speak unheard.

Damn Ren, being pulled out of school for being sick, leaving Qiu to search for their phoneless neighbor on their own. It didn't take long, sitting by your next period classroom. Qiu immediately took the chance to sink next to you on the tiled floor. It was noticeable enough for you to turn away from your sandwich, as delicious as it was, Qiu was definitely brooding.

"Hey pal, what's"

"Shut up."

Qiu's snappy response only made you smile fondly. They brought their knees to their chest and their hood over their hair. You knew the moment the teacher was back to unlock the door that Qiu would immediately be clinging onto you. It seems that they have had a hard week so far. And it was tragically only Wednesday.

The door was opened soon by the teacher and Qiu practically dragged you in, you almost dropped your precious sandwich. They were quick to drag you into a corner that the teacher won't see you both easily in, you doubted she wanted to even see you both anyway.

"I almost dropped my sandwich, you know." You smiled as they sat down. You crouched to their level before making yourself a place on the ground.

"You mean I almost saved everyone from your shitty condiment taste?" They smirked as they dragged you along the floor so they could finally hide their face in your nape.

"Hey! My choice of sauce is amazing."

"Mhm." They mumbled into your neck.

Your hair softly tickled their nose. They sighed softly.

"My que to be quite I suppose?" You smiled at your own joke.

Jokes aside, you felt Qiu swat you on your arm. You laughed a bit, apperently it was contagious as you felt Qiu smile just a little bit. You were content and kept your attention on your mostly eaten sandwich, determined not to let your perfect condiment mixture go to waste.

Qiu, on the other hand, could slowly feel the life returning to their soul. They didn't even know how tense they were before having you in their arms. But it felt strangely perfect. No one to interrupt. Ren wasn't here, Tamarack having the different lunch period, and not having to be around any other people. The teacher was quite, she may have even left the classroom all together. It wasn't a nap, but sitting was good too.

[lexosaurus]

Twelve Hours: Chapter 1

Part 1 of 5 of my fic for Ecto Implosion, the DP reverse mini-bang (artists go first, writers go second).

I was SUPER lucky to get @tytach's incredible art to write my fic off of. Their art lines up with Chapter 5 of this fic, and I'm so excited to get there so everyone can see it because ahhhhhh it's so so soooo good!

read on: [ao3]

[see all chapters]

Characters: Danny Fenton, Harriet Chin, GIW (mentioned a lot) Tags: Identity Reveal, Flashbacks, Runaway Danny Fenton, Angst WC: 1788 Summary: When the GIW revealed Danny to the world, the only thing he could do was run. Run and run and run until he escaped to Chicago, trying desperately to disappear. Too bad it didn't work.

****

Warm light washed over the room, draping his figure in its yellows and oranges. From the monitors, Danny could see how the olive undertones in his skin seemed to be at home in the welcoming backlight. Still, it didn’t stop the sweat from trickling down his neck as the halo of lights slow-roasted him from every angle. 

It was to humanize him, reporter Harriet Chin had explained from her seat, watching as a sound engineer fastened the lapel microphone to his shirt. They wanted to make him feel like anyone’s next-door neighbor. Not a scary ghost, just a victim of an unfortunate legal system.

An unfortunate legal system, Danny had internally repeated, fighting the urge to rub the raised lines under his button-up shirt. That was one way to put it. 

But right now, he just felt hot, and he didn’t much like heat. He could feel his body reacting in kind, burning deep from the fried nerves fighting to repair themselves inside him. Just as they had been doing for the past…

…how long?

“Here,” Harriet Chin said, her words ripping through his discomfort. She turned the tablet around to face him.

Too keenly aware of the cameras surrounding him and the lapel mic recording his every breath, he fitted as neutral of an expression on his face as he could as he looked down at the screen. 

A face he knew too well stared back at him. It was a man, his senior, with a square jaw and high cheekbones. His strong nose sloped downward at the point, and his forehead was smooth, blending impeccably into his bald scalp. In one ear was a hooked earpiece with a curly wire jutting out from behind.

Old school, of course. Danny remembered when the wire went out of fashion for the new Bluetooth earpieces.

Very little changed in there, after all.

Harriet hit play, and the man began speaking. “Our goal was to uncover who the kid had been. If we could understand that, then we would know his human past, what makes him tick, and most importantly, why he became the ghost he is today.”

The camera cut to an older woman with pale skin and poofy gold hair that curled up at the end. Deep lines creased her face, and pale pink lipstick brushed her lips, adding an almost hint of youth to her wise demeanor. 

“And what did you find? In that conquest?” the woman asked.

The camera cut back to the square-jawed man. He sat there in a moment of what was supposed to be read as contemplative silence, though Danny knew just how rehearsed it was in reality. Then after his onerous pause, he sighed, shook his head, and said, “What we found was something so disturbing, it made us question our own reality.”

Danny felt his jaw set. He could have mouthed along to the following words; they were so deeply carved into the trunk of his memories. But he suppressed the urge, just as he suppressed the way his pulse quickened and the prickling heat on his skin intensified.

But he remembered. By god, he remembered. He didn’t even need to close his eyes to be brought back to that moment, back to that day.

Harriet paused the video, but Danny didn’t take his eyes off the screen. Off the man—no, off Operative O. 

****

12:00:00

Danny tugged on his hood, hoping it covered the bulk of his hair. Under the table, his leg bounced, his anxiety refusing to let his body obey his pleas to act natural, just act natural.

He didn’t know where he was, not exactly. He hadn’t been paying attention to the road signs as he flew. More than likely, he wouldn’t have been able to read them anyway—not with the world so blurry around him.

All he knew was that he was far away from Amity Park. And hopefully, he was deep enough into the rural country to become completely unrecognizable.

But of course, no one would recognize him here. The only houses around were so run down that Danny would be shocked if any of their residents owned cable. Sure, the diner had a few small televisions on, but the few scraggly patrons around either had their noses shoved into their newspapers, or their eyes were keyed onto the fuzzy television playing today’s football game. No one cared about him, the tired, skinny-looking kid.

“You decided yet?” a voice above him said, nearly sending him flying from his booth.

Danny balled his clammy fingers into a fist and tried to awkwardly smooth out the menu paper he’d crinkled. 

Act natural, act natural.

He risked a glance up to see a pale, stocky woman with bright red curls tied loosely into a bun. The blue apron tied around her waist sported ketchup stains that Danny was sure were at least a week old.

But he could hardly judge, with how he must have looked to all of them.

On the other television mounted on the wall behind her, the silent commercial break ended to reveal the top of a news segment. 

His mouth dried. Should he make a break for it? Surely, they would run the Anti-Ecto laws segment at the top, wouldn’t they? But if they got a national news station here, wouldn’t that mean the employees and regulars of this diner would be able to recognize him?

He must have frozen for too long because the woman's disinterested face was beginning to morph in a way that Danny didn’t like.

He blurted out, “Uh, are you still serving breakfast?” 

“We serve breakfast all day, hun,” she said.

He knew that. It was at the top of the menu. Great, now she probably thought he was strange and illiterate.

Wonderful.

The familiarity of his internal sarcastic quips managed to shave off just enough stress for Danny to give what he hoped wasn’t a grimace as he said, “I’ll have the blueberry pancakes, thanks.”

She nodded at him, then turned back into the kitchen. Danny tracked her eyes, but she hadn’t looked up at the news.

Not that his face was on it. Yet. 

Maybe he should leave. Not even risk it. Focus on finding somewhere to sleep tonight. 

But no, he was safe. No one was looking at the news. The goddamn football game was on. Nobody cared about some stupid Anti-Ecto laws or the stupid Guys in White.

“Sacked!” one of the men huddled on the stool in front of the football television shouted. 

Another, bigger man joined in the groans with, “He shoulda run!” 

“It’s the offense. They’re all shit,” the first man said. Danny wondered if his wiry, overgrown mustache itched or if he’d simply gotten used to it. “Not a single goddamn person open! Shit, I’m tellin’ ya!”

“S’why he shoulda just run instead of lookin’ for an open guy,” the bigger man said. 

They could have been speaking ancient Ghost Speak for all Danny knew, but so long as their attention was focused on that television and not the other, muted one, then Danny would be okay.

The woman rounded the counter again, this time holding a tray with a plastic cup full of water and a coffee. She set both down in front of Danny, who reached for the coffee with greedy hands. It burned at his touch, but he was too thankful to care.

“Figured you might want it,” the woman said. “With you traveling and all.”

Danny must have flinched because she immediately amended, “It’s just that I don’t recognize your face, is all. I don’t mean to pry into personal business.”

“Oh—I—” Danny swallowed. What was his rehearsed cover, again? “I’m going to see my cousin.”

She peered down at him, her eyes narrowing. “Your cousin’s out here?” 

Behind her, the TV playing the news began their headline report, and Danny’s stomach plummeted to the floor.

Act natural. 

His adrenaline was quickly taking over, and he had almost forgotten the question before he blurted out, “Chicago.”

However, her suspicion didn’t melt off her face like Danny envisioned it would. “Hm, okay.”

“I just got hungry,” Danny said. 

The TV was now showing his face. Both of his faces. 

Maybe she noticed how all the blood seemed to drain from his cheeks, or the way he kept glancing behind her, because she started to tilt her head back when Danny blurted out, “And, you know, diners in the middle of nowhere always have the best food.”

The screen cut, replacing his faces with the faces of Operative O and a reporter. Her lips were moving, but the black captions appeared a few seconds later. “What was your goal with all of this?”

“Are you trying to butter me up?” the waitress asked.

Danny ripped his eyes from the screen. For a second, he forgot again what they were talking about. Then he remembered he was trying to stall until the segment ended, and nerves hit him like a tropical storm all over again. 

“Only for the free coffee,” he answered.

“Free coffee, huh? Well, I think I can bargain for that just this one time. It’s not often we get visitors, you know.” 

Her voice may have been sugar, but Danny could still see how her eyes swept over him, pausing over every scruff in his hoodie. 

Ancients, he must have looked like a right mess.

He glanced back at the screen to see Operative O saying, “What we found was something so disturbing, it made us question our own reality.”

What they found…about him? What a bunch of psychopaths.

Psychopaths that can end you, he reminded himself. 

But he didn’t need that kind of optimism right now, so he tried to focus back on the waitress, but what were they talking about again? Something about…coffee?

“We discovered a ghost who had taken the body of a dead child and was using him like a doll. And no one knew. Not family, not friends. No one.”

Danny’s eyes bore craters in the TV. Though no sound was playing, Operative O’s tone was powerful, and nothing if not crystal clear.

And the message was cruel.

The screen cut back to Danny. Both of Danny, with Operative O’s lingering captions stamped below. And the real Danny, the one who was sitting in the booth, stood.

What else was there to do, anyway? After Operative O had told the whole world that Phantom was an evil ghost using a dead kid like a meat puppet for its own sick satisfaction?

“I just realized I forgot my wallet,” Danny muttered uselessly. He slipped past the waitress, and she let him go.

After all, she’d turned around. She’d seen the screen.

****

next

[writer-freak]

Summer Rain - Eddie Munson x Gn reader (Fluff)

Summary: You promised your neighbor Eddie to bring him over some cake and you keep that promise even if it's storming outside.

Warnings: reader borrows some of Eddie's clothes (it isn't described how they fit though), gender neutral reader, pure fluff, english isn't my first language so please excuse if there are some mistakes wordcount: 1.2k

A/n: I'm terrible at coming up with names for my fanfictions so this title is taken from the song Summer Rain by Johnny Rivers. My mom had this song playing while I was writing this and it fits.

Comments, likes and reblogs are always appreciated and it makes me very happy to see and hear that people enjoy my writing.

━━━━━━☆━━━━━━

Rain pounded relentlessly against the windows, its drumming synchronizing with the rapid rhythm of your heart as you hurriedly made your way to Eddie Munson's house. Your neighbor's place was just a few doors down the street, and despite the inclement weather, you were determined to uphold your promise of sharing the leftover cake. You tugged the hood of your raincoat closer around your face, attempting to shield yourself from the downpour. The weather worsened, and within moments, you were thoroughly drenched.

With a determined exhale, you reached Eddie's front porch, your pulse racing like the distant thunder. You knocked on the door, hoping he was home. The door swung open, revealing Eddie, who looked surprised to see you standing there, dripping wet.

"(Y/N)? Hey, what are you doing out in this storm?" Eddie's voice was laced with genuine concern, his brows furrowed as he scanned your drenched form.

You offered a soggy smile, determined to keep your spirits high despite your sodden state. "Brought over the cake as promised," you announced, holding the Tupperware container with a cheerful smile.

A hint of protest danced in Eddie's eyes, his lips twitching as he glanced at the storm outside. "You shouldn't have; it could have waited until tomorrow," he insisted, his voice a mix of appreciation and worry. "Come in, I can't have you going back out there." With that, he stepped aside, ushering you into the warmth of his home.

You carefully stepped inside but didn't venture further as a puddle was already forming under you. Eddie, ever the gentleman, quickly fetched a towel and offered it to you with an understanding smile. "Here, take this. You're soaked!"

You accepted the towel with gratitude, the soft fabric offering a welcomed reprieve from the rain's icy embrace. As Eddie took your coat to hang it up, you took a moment to survey your surroundings, absorbing the essence of his living space.

"Do you maybe want to take a shower? They say this storm won't end any time soon, and it would be best to wait it out." Eddie's voice pierced through your thoughts, anchoring you to the present. His concern pulled you from your contemplative daze, and you met his gaze with a thoughtful nod.

"Um, yeah, that might be a good idea. Though, do you maybe have something else for me to wear? I don't exactly want to wear my wet jeans after coming out of the shower," you confessed, a shy smile tugging at the corners of your lips. The idea of borrowing his clothes added a layer of unexpected excitement to the situation.

Eddie looked at you for a second, surprise flashing across his face before it quickly faded.

Eddie: "Oh, uh, yeah, sure! I can find you something comfy to wear. Let me grab you some clothes. You can go ahead to the bathroom," he gestured, pointing you in the right direction.

Stepping into the bathroom, you took a moment to absorb the unfamiliar yet strangely inviting environment. Before long, a soft knock sounded on the door, and Eddie's voice seeped through the crack. "I, uh, hope those fit okay. Let me know if you need anything else."

You acknowledged his words with a genuine smile, feeling a sense of comfort settle over you. "Again, thank you."

With the door closed, you made quick work of the shower, reveling in the warmth that enveloped your chilled skin. Emerging from the bathroom, you felt transformed, the weight of wet clothes exchanged for a pair of sweatpants and a slightly faded band tee. The garments carried Eddie's scent, a subtle reminder of your unexpected visit.

Eddie needed a moment to process when you reentered the living room. Seeing you in his clothing was a sight he had only ever dared to imagine in his dreams.

"You, uh, you look good in my clothes. I mean, you look good... always." Eddie stumbled over his words, unable to sort his thoughts.

Then you settled in the living room, a blanket wrapped around you to escape the chill of the room. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and lightning illuminated the room every few seconds. Eddie asked you what you wanted to watch. "Hmm, how about we watch that new thriller series I mentioned last time? It seems fitting for the weather," you proposed, a grin curving your lips. Eddie nodded in agreement before navigating through the entertainment options to put on the chosen show on the screen.

The rumbling outside grew worse, and you couldn't help but feel a little uneasy, but Eddie being by your side made you feel safer somehow.

The desire to be closer to him surged within you, an instinctual urge to seek solace in his company. You entertained the thought of nuzzling into the crook of his neck, nestled against the warmth that radiated from his skin. It was a fleeting fancy, one that you simultaneously craved and hesitated to indulge, for fear of overstepping boundaries.

As the storm continued outside, you started to chat about everything and discovered that you shared more interests than you thought before. The rain was a mere backdrop to the conversation between the two of you. Time seemed to fly by, and the storm showed no signs of letting up.

"You know," Eddie began, his voice sounding soothing amidst the storm, "I'm really glad you came over. It's nice having someone to keep me company during this storm."

"Me too," you responded, your words bearing a soft undertone of gratitude. A warmth engulfed your chest, something you had never felt before.

Gazing into Eddie's eyes, you felt as though the two of you existed in a world of your own, completely separate from everything that was happening outside.

The storm continued, not letting up by your shared laughter and whispered secrets. The rain drummed a relentless rhythm against the windows, and the TV's glow flickered just like the flashes of lightning outside. Yet, your focus remained squarely on each other, the growing connection between you amplifying with every passing moment.

Finally, with a distant rumble of thunder, the rain started to subside. Despite the calming storm, a surge of hesitation tugged at your thoughts. You really didn't want to leave yet.

The allure of the present moment held you in place, coaxing you to take a daring leap.

"Eddie, I... I really enjoy spending time with you," you confessed, feeling your face heating up.

Eddie's eyes softened, his lips curling into a tender smile. "I feel the same way, (Y/N). You're amazing."

At that moment, the world seemed to stand still. The angry storm was replaced by the tension that crackled between you. Warmth enveloped you, tugging you closer to Eddie until your fingers naturally entwined.

"I like you, Eddie," you admitted, your heartbeat quickening with each passing second.

His smile broadened, the reflection of his emotions dancing in his eyes. "I like you too, (Y/N). More than you could ever imagine."

With those whispered words hanging in the air, you closed the distance between you, a delicate connection brought by the pull of mutual affection. Lips met in a tender kiss, a sweet and passionate show of your blossoming romance against the storm.

As always thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this. ^^

[mmkin]

Shark Bait - Arlong x Reader

Arlong x Fish/Human Hybrid AFAB Reader

Content Warning – This is a darker story than my other Arlong Pirates related work (and has no connection to said works, consider this my dark Arlong AU) and was inspired from a prompt/headcanons from @sheisabitchbicth here on Tumblr and contains elements of yandere, dubcon, and noncon. (and yes, this work is 18+/NSFW!)

If no likey, there’s the Back button. I have other OP stories or other works that may be more your taste.

If you like this kind of thing though, then read on. I’ve been wanting to do something dark for a bit, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so, so have fun with this guilty pleasure project of mine :) All feedback is very much appreciated. (Update - the story is now available to read on my AO3. The story will be updated here and there, follow where you wish. Enjoy!)

Shark Bait - Part 1

You had never met another fishperson in your life until Arlong’s crew came across you. Your parents were slaves who had escaped together, using their combined skills to make their way out. From what your mother told you, they became friends while they were slaves, and after their escape they were lovers for a while. Eventually, they parted, though on amicable terms. Your mother never told your father that she was pregnant, though.

She did not want to return to her family or native land, though. So she found an island that seemed out of the way, and settled there. People felt bad for her for being a former slave, so when you were born, they looked in the other direction, so you for the most part led a quiet life. Your father’s heritage gave you the ability to breathe underwater, so you would go fishing, or search for various items that would augment your mother’s meager income. Sometimes you might help out neighbors in a similar manner, so even though you were half fishwoman, you found some acceptance in your community.

By the time you were in your late teens, you were used to most people not noticing your gills, or the color of your skin. You stayed out of trouble and often out of sight. If you dressed appropriately and wore a large hat or hood, you could escape the notice of Marines who touched upon your island during their trips. It was a quiet life. Were you happy? Sometimes you were not sure. As you’d gotten older, you wanted to know more about your father’s people, and there was only so much your mother could tell you.

So one day, you’re out swimming, and looking for treasures that you can bring home. Since you’ve pretty much picked clean the areas closest to the island, you’ve had to venture out further, which hey, it’s great swimming practice. You feel at peace in the sea, feeling it move through your lungs as you move through the water. You know there are fish- and merfolk and Sea Kings and beasts out there, but at the moment it’s easy to imagine that you are alone in this world. You drift past the coral, admiring it.

Suddenly, you see movement out of the corner of your eye and turn around to see what you are almost certain is another person darting off in the murky distance, if it’s not a large fish. A few of the people on the island dive, but you know that none can dive this far or deep. So maybe it’s a big fish that would probably be a welcome meal for your mother. You’re debating whether you should go after it before a shadow passes overhead, and you look up, wondering if it’s another fish, when in shock you realize it’s a ship. You were so absorbed in your work that you’d failed to notice the coming of a ship, nor did you expect one as the Marines did not come by often. You drift towards the hulking dark shape before something much, much closer swoops down in front of you, close enough that you feel the water displacement against your body as he fills the space.

You see clear blue eyes and the longest nose you’ve ever seen, and there is a grin full of the sharpest teeth you’ve ever seen or even imagined. A short shriek bursts from your throat before a wave of lightheadedness overcomes you.

The next moments are a haze as you try to fight passing out. You are pulled to a strong chest before you are dragged to the surface, a red sun filling much of your vision as you stare dumbly at the chest of the person who’s taken you. You gasp softly as the two of you break the surface of the water, and your limbs hang limp as you’re hauled onto a ship that is most decidedly not a Marine ship. Or even a merchant ship, from the looks of it.

As your head lolls back, you get another look at the face of your captor. No, you didn’t imagine that serrated nose, or the mouth full of sharp teeth, and you start to panic, finding your strength and starting to push against him.

“Oh, we have a feisty one here,” Sawnose chortles, letting you go for but a moment before he grabs your wrists in his large hand, hoisting your hands above your head, leaving you helpless under his scrutiny, and he is not the only one staring.

“Let me go!” you cry, trying to kick him as other men surround you, with a variety of skin colors, some of them having fins, or other fishlike features, in a wide assortment. One thing they all have in common – and you do with them – are their gills. If you were not so frightened and anxious, you might be reveling in the fact that you’re finally meeting other fishmen for the first time in your life.

You are lifted off your feet, and can not help but feel like a hooked fish that is being held up by a fisherman for inspection or display. You try a few more kicks, but Sawnose is incredibly tall and his arm is long enough to keep you at just enough distance to keep you from any effective kick. He laughs as your feet graze his upper legs and stomach.

Your next instinct is to curl up as you see the hungry gazes that are fixed on your damp and near-nude form. You’ve found that diving is more comfortable the less clothes you wear, so you’re in a tank top and briefs, which both cling to you, your net bag hanging empty at your side. The way you’re being handled makes you wonder if these fishmen might try to sell you into slavery. You know your mother will worry about that if you do not come home.

“So, what’s a pretty little thing like you doing in a place like this?” Sawnose asks with an amused tone. You try to be silent, but he snarls at you, and it’s obvious he could cause serious injury, so you have no choice but to answer his question, and any other that he wants to ask you. You confirm that you are indeed the child of a fishperson. When asked what that parent’s name was, you utter it, and his eyes widen.

You are dropped to the deck, wincing as you land on the bare wood. It is then that you learn that your father was once a crewmate of the man who’d just kidnapped you. For a moment you feel your heart leap up in your throat. Will you have the chance to meet him? But your heart plummets to the pit of your stomach when you learn he’s been dead for years. You start crying, and surprisingly, Sawnose kneels next to you, stroking your hair.

“I want to go home,” you plead.

“Silly girl. You are home,” he asserts as you give him a confused stare. He informs you that since you are the offspring of someone from his crew, it means you belong to the crew, and to its captain above all else. So… this means you’re not going to be sold into slavery? You’re just going to be conscripted into a pirate crew?

Fuck. Your mind races as you wonder how you can find your way out of this predicament. Because this can not fucking happen to you. Just because your father was a pirate… a father you’ve never met, who’d never even held you in his arms after you were born. What cruel fate has wrought this?

“Who are you, and what are you doing here?” you manage to inquire as you rise to your feet, crossing your arms to maintain as much modesty as you can. It’s one thing to dive near-naked, when there is no one else around to impede on your enjoyment of the sea, and another to be ogled at by so many eyes. When’s the last time these men saw a woman?

Sawnose laughs, and introduces himself and his crew. He is the mighty captain Arlong the Saw, leader of the Arlong Pirates, and Lord of the East Blue. Your island is his next target in the expansion of his territory, and his men have been scouting around it for a couple of days, staying out of sight. You are an unexpected – but not unwelcome, Arlong assures you – find. Since you’re now part of the crew, you will be spared the tribute that Arlong and his crew are going to extract from the island.

Your thoughts fly to your mother. As a single mother, your mother never had much money. Usually there was food in your belly, and always a roof over your head. Your mother occasionally managed to scrape together enough money for a treat, for what was life without small enjoyments, she would say. You knew she had a bit of money squirreled away for medicine or doctors, and to your dismay, you remember how she has needed more of these in the last couple of years. How will she be able to afford all that on top of Arlong’s tribute, especially if you’re not there to help her?

As Arlong’s words sink in, and the reality of what your mother and the rest of the village faces, you feel light-headed again. Since you were a child, you would get an attack like this rarely, usually after being dealt with an emotional blow.

And this isn’t just an emotional blow. It’s a fucking emotional sucker-punch, and you actually pass out.

Someone is stroking your forehead and hair, and for a moment, you think it’s your mother tending to you. But you’re not in a bed, you’re… on someone’s lap, and your head and neck is on top of what you’re pretty sure is an arm. You hear conversation going on around you, footsteps bustling about, commands being given as the island comes into sight. A quiet whine escapes your throat as you struggle to gain consciousness.

“Looks like the little clownfish is coming awake,” you hear someone chuckle. You would come to hate being called that, for your captor uses it when he thinks you are being silly or stupid.

Who is calling you that, you wonder, and it all comes crashing upon you. Arlong. Arlong the Saw. Who just claimed you for himself and his crew. Who just told you the ultimate fate of your father. And who will terrorize your island and collect tribute from villagers who only want to live a quiet life. You try to bat away the hand that’s touching you, and suddenly find your wrist ensconced in the iron grip of the hand you just tried to defend yourself from.

“Now, now, there will be none of that,” you hear him chide, and you open your eyes, seeing these bright blue eyes and that impressive nose hovering over your face. Your first instinct is to scoot back but the arm that had been supporting you now holds you in his lap in an iron grip. It’s hard to not feel vulnerable pressed up against this impressive specimen of a fishman. And as your gaze darts around, you realize that the other fishmen are pretty tall too. Taller than even the tallest man in your village.

Now you really do feel like a little clownfish, surrounded by all sorts of predatory sea creatures.

[applesontheground]

quiet coyote ⛓️

CHAPTER ONE take me far from here | AO3

hey, joy ride fans. pspspsps. so, like any other big scary slasher that’s Like This, i immediately developed a crush. one could even say it hit me like a truck (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-4-gLlF0uw). so, i’m writing about it. rather, i’m planning an entire multi-chapter thing about it and about him... and i’m making it extremely self-indulgent while on the way. this is a bit of a “for myself” project, but you guys are more than welcome to read, too! ♡

SFW | Word Count: 2,367 | Rusty Nail x Female Reader

contains canon typical/incoming cringe 2000s protagonists, dk if this needs a warning but casual misogyny + slut shaming is brought up quite a bit!

➡ continued in for making me feel like i’m guilty

🎼: x

Dawn on a motel, the dirt not kicked up and the mirages still fast asleep in the sand. Without neighbors for miles, the evenings were mostly silent lest a group travel through late in the night, coming to an oasis of air conditioning and leg room for a reprieve before heading back out to where they needed to be.

“Why are we out here again?” A boy asked, squinting up at the Sun. “Buttfuck, Nevada… Desert on one side of the road, brothels and shitty motels on the other.” He gestured to the small stop they had stayed, now in the process of being put behind him in the poorly paved parking lot. “What a cool place to spend the one break we get before finals season comes and fucks us over.”

The other guy scoffed, almost offended but still waking up and unable to commit to a strong emotion. “I told you why we were out here. Vegas is like, forty minutes away.”

“No it isn’t,” From the other side of the car, one of the girls in his group shouted over the hood of their car, looking down at a map in her hands. “It’s more like four hours, dipshit. Stop trying to talk us into it.”

Standing with her was another girl, one who was bothered with a hangnail on her hand. The third one was crouched low to the asphalt, watching a beetle to pass the time as they finished checking out, also too groggy to engage with the world just yet.

“Earth to [Y/N], come on. Don’t tell me you were watching a fucking bug while I was giving the directions.”

Looking up, you were taken from your trance by the insect making its way under your car. You sighed as you stood, twinging your expression at one of the guys who had teased and asked, “Well, what else did you want me doing? We were waiting for you guys to go return the room keys and stop talking about Vegas.”

“He wants to go to Vegas,” Natalie muttered under her breath from where she had been fixed to the map. Heather stopped picking at her hand and muttered, “Yeah, no way in Hell I’m sitting in the car for that trip.”

You nodded briefly and shrugged, “I’m sorry the getaway’s been kind of a bust. Sucks when it’s all we got in the Southwest that isn’t balls hot or Mormon country.”

“I’d take Mormon country over sharing the hotel room with these two,” Heather added, making both you and Natalie hide smiles and halfhearted snickers. She then saw Mel approach sheepishly, giving her a look of disbelief.

She scoffed at him, leaning in to meet his lips. “Fine, sharing with Dean. You’re alright.” He sighed in relief to her, genuine in tone, “Great, I’m good with being alright.” He was hugging her around the waist as she hummed another laugh.

As the Sun stopped gracing the yellow hills on the horizon, taking to the sky for another blistering day in the state, you finally did enough soaking in it to start helping throw everyone’s luggage back into the car for another trek, half in the direction of home and half in the direction of wherever looked fascinating.

“Want to find that Clown Museum,” Mel, the other guy that was along for the ride, said to you as he helped you shove a suitcase against the aged carpet in your car’s trunk, “Think it’s closer than anything else worth the time.”

“Nah, son.” Dean then piped up from where he had been tunneled into the backseat, shaking his head at him, “We aren’t fucking with that demon shit.”

“Vegas, the blow and hookers capital of the world, is in Dean’s safe square, “ Mel retorted, standing straighter and shaking his head, “But the supernatural’s where the line is drawn?”

“Ghosts don’t suck my dick.” Dean joked, sure to smack the guy on the back of the head as he walked back towards the hotel room. “I don’t blame them,” You grumbled to yourself, making Mel break into his own laughter and Dean to call back, “What was that, [Y/N]?”

“Don’t worry about it.” You ended the conversation before it even had legs to stand on, giving one more look over the contents of the trunk before slamming its door down on top.

“Hey, why’d you close up?” Dean smacked his hand on the trunk, giving you a befuddled frown from behind square-shaped sunglasses, “There was room for another bag in there.”

“It can sit in the backseat,” Natalie groaned, “Come on, dude. I want to get out of here. It’s [Y/N]’s car, anyways. Maybe we should trust her judgement when she says enough is enough.” You gave her a thoughtful glance as Dean made a jerk-off motion but instead headed for the backseat with the last backpack.

“Where’d you get this, anyways?” Heather asked, “It looks like a classic, nothing like the clunkers that putt around campus.” You turned, admiring the smooth navy blue paint under where you were leaning against the passenger door, “Hand-me-down from an uncle. He heard I was looking for a decent car when leaving for college, so we made some shit happen and sold it to me…partially under the promise that I take care of it, of course.” You crossed your arms, smiling as Natalie complimented, “It’s one of the cleanest cars I’ve ever gotten in with classmates, that’s for sure.”

“I hold myself to my word,” You commented, peeling off when you heard the horn suddenly honk, shattering the pristine silence of the badlands surrounding you and your classmates. Seeing those shades in the windshield, you snapped your fingers and pointed at Dean.

“Aht!” You barked at him, “Out of the front seat, asshole. I told you I’m the only one driving this car.”

“Nice honkers,” He pointed to the wheel while getting out, making Natalie jeer at him as he snickered, “Should let me take it for a spin some time.” He wasn’t even worth the insults, merely rolling your eyes before ushering him out of the way of the open door to the driver’s seat and putting your own sunglasses on.

~

“All I’m saying, [Y/N], is that you should really be more focused on Spring breaking.”

You gave Dean a disinterested glance from the rearview, hands mutely flexing on the wheel in reply. It was all he was getting out of you.

“Oh yeah, enjoy the break in the middle of-“Natalie threw a hand to the windshield, presenting the empty landscape bowled in by orange mountains. You found it rather peaceful, something scenic enough for your taste to appreciate with a flick of your eyebrows, but Mel scoffed in agreement. “Fair, I kind of wish I brought a book or something now.”

“I’m telling you guys; Vegas is our oasis from this honky tonk.” Dean insisted, and Heather groaned, “Not this whole deal again.”

“Hear him out, maybe we can watch him get drunk and catch Syphilis.” Natalie sneered, and you held your breath with straight lips as Dean blew up, “Oh, fuck off, Nat. If anyone knows about STD’s, it’d be the one who blew half the baseball team.” She gave him a ghastly glare from the passenger seat, manicured nails combing the worn leather behind her shoulder.

“Is there something wrong with that?” You asked, and Dean gawked in a mockery at you. “Uhh, maybe. She’s a fucking slut for anyone on campus, sounds pretty wrong to me.”

Mel and Heather sat further back in their seats as Natalie retorted, “Yeah, no. I might like to sleep with athletes, but I don’t take that shit from someone like you.” She turned back around with a sassy thump against the back of her seat, “You and your stupid radio show that feeds off school drama like vultures.”

“The TMZ of college reporting,” You mumbled under your breath, and Dean belted out, “Oh, boo hoo! I still get more clicks than your articles, Walter Schlong-kite. Because all you want to write about is…Oh man, I wish I knew!”

He hung his wrist off the side of your seat, making your entire body press closer to the car door as he asked practically in your ear, “What is this groundbreaking story you’re choosing over hanging out with your friends, anyways?” You wrinkled your nose at him, but slowly replied, “It’s about truck driving.”

Silence overtook you again as he started laughing, giving him one more wary glower through the mirror when he slapped the roof of the car in his charades. Luckily, the turn leading into the lunch stop you were all thinking on was coming up, so you just let it go and turned off the long trail.

You had maybe sat for ten minutes before wanting to get up and get some interviews. You were coyly eyeing the crowd, finding the types that you felt may fit the bill for what you wanted to share in your article. Their conversations, the second they touched the side of a Peterbilt or a Lowboy, made you zero in. It wasn’t a lie: you were doing a story about the truck driving industry. The desert wasn’t a total bust, considering it fell into a good route between big cities. You sometimes had to cross it to and from California, Vegas was right there, and opportunities of the sort.

Still, it wasn’t great company despite keeping an open mind. You knew your friends were all watching in bemusement as you hopped from booth to booth, even coasting the diner’s counter with your notebook in hand and eyes alight. “Hi, I’m a student reporter wanting to get the perspectives from truck drivers. Would you care to give an interview?” The interest wasn’t exactly brimming, let alone willing to shell their two cents. Even the guys you did speak with weren’t much for good quotes. Still, you kept the polite smile on your face, and scribbled down whatever you could for good measure.

“You know, if you weren’t a girl, you would’ve gotten smacked by a few of those guys.” Mel teased as you retreated to the booth, seeing the soda you had ordered sweating harder than you were while running around a diner in midday heat. Sliding back into your seat, you replied, “Why would you say that, Mel?” He seemed lost, and you clarified, “Why do you think these guys are all rough and tumble, that they’d kick the shit out of anyone who looks at them twice?”

He stammered, and Heather put her hand on the top of his and sighed, “[Y/N], you know that we’re just kidding.” You hummed, and still went on, “Well, that’s honestly why I’m writing this. The job’s not all fighting, anger…gross sex in restrooms. Don’t think I’ll be going there unless I have to, though.” Dean snorted, and you once again corrected, “Jesus Christ, I mean I’m not going there in my article. I’m not that interested in the story.”

“It’d be a good one that’d actually get an audience, though,” Dean’s hands fanned up as he swooned, “Truck Stop Restrooms: Just How Many Glory Holes Does It Take?” Natalie covered her mouth, but you rolled your eyes and groaned, “Very classy. You should take that idea for your work, Dean.”

“I think you should be here to have fun over anything else, [Y/N].” Mel suggested, and you gave him a level stare, “Really, you’re not even started on this story and you’re already acting like you’re handcuffed to it.”

“It’s an important idea. I mean, you heard yourself.” You gestured at him, “This sorta job keeps shelves stocked, and all you got to ask about it is which stall I’m going to get blown in, or who’s shanking me afterwards.” Dean scoffed again, “What, like driving in a straight line for nine hours a day is hard? I’d want to kill someone, too.”

You turned to him, finally giving him that sweet reaction in the form of a face to face answer, almost brushing noses with him. “You really think it’s easy?” You looked out the window, seeing a line of parked vehicles almost taller than the building itself as you murmured, “Look at how big their trucks are…How heavy they must be, all that?”

“Well, to you, maybe. You know women and driving don’t mix.” Dean commented. You whipped around, giving him a disgusted sneer before Heather piped up, “Oh, are you really playing that card?”

“What did you expect from the guy who thinks going to Vegas is any indication of getting laid?” Natalie added, throwing a sugar packet at him. You once again swallowed the venom in your mouth, turning to the window again while Mel also sat back, getting a strawful of water and avoiding eye contact with any of the girls at the table.

Smart guy, you mused to yourself.

The rest of lunch went without a hitch, you paid, then walked back out to your car. You took advantage of a couple men eyeing your car as you walked out to speak with them, chat up your vehicle while also getting some interest in your story. Lucky for you, they were both drivers. Heather and Mel did a good job of keeping Dean’s mouth shut, pushing him into the car while you talked on the outside.

One of the men even asked for your info, and you shared the website that your school let you publish on graciously. “Very nice,” He commented, “I’ll be keepin’ an eye out for it, little lady.” Beaming, you replied, “Thanks for the kind words, I really appreciated your perspectives.”

“Look at that, you got some story after all.” Natalie grinned as you got into the car, setting your notebook down at her feet and nodding. “Yep, they knew I had some interest in truck driving.”

“Why? How’d they know? From your car?” Mel asked. You sat back upright in your seat, elbow brushing the cord of the speaking device to a HAM radio that was fastened on the front panel of the car.

You shrugged, and hummed, “Must’ve heard me in the diner, I guess.”

[minnowtime]

welcome home theory

you know how when we click the bugs on the old welcome home website we are on Wally's POV? one thing that's bothered me was that we are in the welcome home world like the neighbor hood, not a studio or something in are world but there world. my first thought was that we were in the POV of the Wally in the lil animated commercials but if you take a look at some of the bug videos sometimes Wally put's his hand in frame and it seems he is 100% puppet not 2D

I think that Wally is in the third wall I doubt I have to explain the fourth or third wall but you see what I mean right???

[wally-darling-hyperfixation]

Could you do platonic Wally x kid reader

SHORTER But sweet: Wally x kid GN reader

Your parents finally got to let you see welcome home. You stay with all the other kids and watched in the audience as the show started. Having so much fun. Learning with the whole neighbor hood. At the end of the show, they had a meet and greet with the puppets. You being a child who always has a hard time talking to others and being overly affectionate when you do are hiding behind a corner. To shy to come over but really wanting to . Wally noticed you and decided to wave to the other kids and walk away. At the moment , you were watching Julie interact with the other kids so you didn’t see. “Well hello little neighbor, what are you doing here all alone?” Wally says giving you a gentle and kind smile. You stutter fidgeting with your hands just staring at him. He smiles and bends down cause you are smaller than him. “It’s ok. There no rush little one. Would you like an autograph?” He signs a picture and gives a little note on it. “There you go.” The manager for the crew says it’s time to go, “ Well I have to go now little one but next time, you don’t have to hide. We would all love to meet you,” he says and gives you a head pat and heads back with his fellow puppets backstage. You look at the picture and note. “No matter what you going through, your neighbors will always be here for you. See you next time little one, love Wally.” You were just a big ole happy mess cause your favorite character gave you a special note. You run over to your parents asking if you can come back again. They say we will see and you wave bye to the studio as you leave clinging the picture to you.

[wyn-n-tonic]

"Philly's a rude city, the people are so rude and mean and hateful and violent." Okay so why do I feel safe walking down the street and wearing noise canceling headphones? Why was I walking around Center City one day and I thought I looked haggard as fuck but this woman on the street shouted that she loved my dress so I shouted back "OLD NAVY!" When I lived in Southwest Philly, I had an older neighbor who sat on his porch all day long and he didn't go inside until he knew all his neighbors were home safe. One time, he didn't see my car but he saw lights on in my house so he knocked on the door to make sure I was okay. I also used to walk around the neighborhood a lot and he was like, "Hey, I'm worried about you doing this all alone and I have a dog that I can't really walk anymore because I'm old. Would you be interested in taking her out with you so she gets some exercise and you get to stay safe because you have a big scary dog?" YES. When I moved to a different neighborhood, we had a snowstorm the night I moved in. I went outside to clean my car the next morning and it had already been done and there was a note on my car that said, "Welcome to the hood, may Allah be with you."

Does your city have Elmo leading a drum line while a junk yard burns in Port Richmond? Does your city have Batman show up to protect protestors? Does your city have Gritty? No and that sucks for you but it's not our fault we're so popular. Fuck you, Go Birds.

[soralinklokidottirofmirkwood]

Quick errand: Big brother Alhaitham x astrologist little sister reader x Kaveh.

Age: 14/15 Reader Chan is Alhaitham’s little sister, she has a cryo vision, is a catalyst user and is studying astrology. Kaveh sends her to the tavern for spice but on the way home she runs into trouble luckily big brother Al got out of work on time.

You are sitting in a tree not too far from Sumeru city Sketching out a Star map that your teacher assigned to you.

(Ignore the broom, the book is your catalyst, you have on black nail polish and your wearing a cloak like Venti but in the same color scheme as the outfit.)

As you finished sketching a drop of water hit your paper.

Looking up you saw dark clouds cover the stars and moon as rain went down “I gotta get home anyways Al and Kaveh are probably wondering where I am.” You said quickly putting your sketch book, Star map and pencil case in your bag and then pulling the hood of your cloak up and running towards the city waving at your neighbors and friends “Goodnight Nilou and Layla.” You said running passed the performer and your upperclass woman who waved at you “See you in class Y/N.” Layla said yawning “Hope to see you qt the festival Y/N.” Nilou said waving back as you made your way carefully through the now wet streets of Sumeru city with the lamp posts being your only source of light.

You finally made it to your brothers house that you both shared with his roommate.

When you got in the house you’re surprised to not hear Alhaitham and Kaveh arguing.

You hang your cloak on the rack near the door then called out for your older brother and his roommate “Al! kav! I’m home.” You said walking to put your bag in your room “I’m in the kitchen Y/N but Alhaitham won’t be home in an hour.” Kaveh said walking out of the kitchen with a wooden spoon in his hand wearing his weasel house slippers and a matching apron “Do you mind going to the market Y/N? We’re almost out of spice.” He said giving you some Mora and going back into the kitchen “Sure Kav.” You said walking back towards the door to put your cloak on and heading to the market place “If you see your brother tell him I’m cooking.” He said mixing up chopped vegetables.

You walked into Lambad’s tavern and went up to Lambad at the counter “Ahh welcome Y/N what can I do for you?” He asked “hello Lambad. I’m just getting spice.” You said handing him the Mora “Spice coming up.” He said heading to the back.

As you’re waiting you saw a drunk man slowly walking towards the counter while Swaying and leaving a tip “Better be carful on the way home kid! The Fatui has been active in the city.” He said walking out of the tavern holding his head in his palm “I will thank you.” You said thanking the man as Lambad came out of the back with the spice “Here you are Y/N. The spice.” He said giving you a bag filled with the spice “You know while I’m here I’ll take three rose custards.” You said pointing to the display of freshly made rose custards “certainly.” He said as you gave him the Mora “Here you go.” He said giving you another bag “Thank you Lambad.” You said happily walking out of the tavern with the bags.

When you got out of the tavern you saw that it stopped raining but the streets were still wet, You walked down the streets again for the third time that night determined to get home and hopefully not run into any Fatui but sadly luck wasn’t on your side tonight when you saw four Fatui agents stand in front of you “Hey kid? come join the Fatui! Some one with your skill would make a great addition.” The masked stranger said “Sorry I’m not interested.” You said trying to walk around them but they blocked your way “Hey! You’re the acting grand sages kid sister.” One of the agents said taking out his weapon while you summoned your catalyst ‘Great leaser Lord Kusanali help me.’ You think to yourself preparing to fight “If you want to leave in one piece I suggest you leave my sister alone.” Said a deep and familiar voice making you turn around to see your older brother with his sword out “Crud, let’s go boys.” The leader of the group said running with his goons “Let’s go sis.” Alhaitham said grabbing a bag from you and then your hand.

When you got home Kaveh was seasoning meat “oh good you’re both home.” He said walking over as you held out the bag of spice towards him “Next time check to make sure we have enough spice. There has been Fatui active in the city, Y/N almost got in a fight with some agents tonight.” Alhaitham said when Kaveh shrieked “WHAT!?” And began checking you “Kaveh I’m fine I had my catalyst at the ready incase things went ugly. Oh I brought rose custard for dessert.” You said taking the treat to the kitchen to put in the ice box.

Once dinner was ready you, Your brother and roommate sat and ate “So Y/N how’s your star mapping homework going?” Your brother asked taking a sip of dandelion wine imported from Mondstadt “It’s going well but it started raining when I had finished.” You said “I heard That Layla did hers while sleeping.” Kaveh said “The rumor is true, but our teacher will give us another load.” You said biting on the steak then taking a sip of your Wolfhook juice “She’s one of the most devoted teachers in the academia.” Alhaitham said as you all continue to eat your dinner “And next time Kaveh wait for me to get home before sending Y/N.” Your brother said getting up to wash his plate “I didn’t know the Fatui were in the city and Y/N is old enough to take care of herself she’s had her vision since she was 7.” The ash blond man said as you two took your dishes to wash while you shook your heads from your brother’s and roommates bickering.

After dinner you bathed and changed into your pajamas and then you checked your homework to see that it wasn’t wet and was protected by the books you sandwiched it in between.

Smiling you put the map back in your bag and went straight to sleep hoping that Layla gets a goodnights rest “That girl deserves a vacation away from school work.” You said to yourself falling into a goodnights rest.