#one complaint and they’re forced to sit outside

[hurtthemgently]

Whumpee complains about being cold, so whumper locks them up outside in the pouring rain

[prettyinlimegreenboots]

Taking Comfort (In Your Arms) - Chapter 14

February 18, 1944, 0900 Hours

Rubbing his hands up and down his arms, Bucky attempted to generate some heat to combat the cold that was swirling around the barrack. “You okay?” 

Looking up at Crank, who was trying to warm his hands in front of the stove in the room, Bucky raised an eyebrow. “Why does it have to be so damn cold in Germany? It’s not even worth the energy to go outside today.” 

“No clue but the Germans are at least staying away. And it’s not snowing today.” Crank replied, taking a seat at the table. 

For the last few days due to the bitter coldness, the boys had been forced inside the barrack with very little to occupy them to pass the time. They had read through the various magazines and books that were littered throughout the barrack. Boredom was the one thing that was driving them crazy. At least when they had the opportunity to go outside, there were things that could occupy their time. In the barrack, they had to entertain themselves, the boys often opting to fall asleep rather than sit in boredom. 

Hearing a commotion from down the hallway, Bucky stood from the table, walking over to the door to peek his head out the door, despite the complaints and whines from the boys in the room, at him letting the heat out of the door. Seeing two German soldiers leading the way, Bucky attempted to see what was behind them that was causing the commotion. 

Stopping in front of Bucky, the two soldiers stepped back, allowing the three men behind them to step forward. “Da drin.” 

Looking from the German soldiers to the men, Bucky’s lips immediately broke out into a big smile at seeing Buck, Brady, and DeMarco standing there. Buck stepped forward, slapping Bucky’s shoulder with a grin. “Apparently we’re bunking with you now - they’re moving guys around.” 

Throwing open the door, Bucky motioned behind him. “Come on in. Welcome to paradise.” 

DeMarco and Brady stepped through the door to the surprise of the boys in the room. Bucky grinned, seeing his best friend standing in front of him. Bucky’s eyes ranked over him, ensuring nothing was out of place and he was not injured. “It’s good to see you, Buck. Glad you’re still alive.” 

“Same to you, Bucky.” Nodding, he followed Bucky into the room while the boys greeted him enthusiastically. 

Bucky grinned seeing his friends reuniting with one another. Despite their bleak surroundings, it was good to see a bit of happiness in the barracks. After greeting the rest of the boys, Buck smirked, turning his attention to his best friend. “Have you heard from Addie lately?” 

Bucky looked over to his bunk where Addie’s letter was tucked safely. “End of January I got a letter that she wrote at Christmas - she seemed sad within the letter, but she said that she was doing okay. She said that Charlie is back on base with her - he’s training the new replacements.” 

Buck nodded. “Charlie’s back - that’s good. Glad she’s got him with her. You wrote her back?” 

“Yeah, fill her in on all the news from the Stalag.” Bucky’s voice dripped with sarcasm, which caused his friend to roll his eyes. “Yeah, I will need to do some major groveling to her once I get out of here. I didn’t leave things good before going up.” 

Buck glanced at his friend, a look of concern on his face. “In what way?” 

“I didn’t handle the word of you going down very well. I ignored her for most of the day before going up. And I promised her I would come home . . . you see how well I kept that promise.” Bucky sighed, running a hand over his face in frustration, leaning back against the bunk bed. “She slipped a letter in my jacket before I headed up, reinforcing her devotion and love for me. I’m glad I left her all those messages before heading up every single time, at least she has those, though I know she’d prefer to have us back on base.” 

Taking a seat at the table, Buck raised an eyebrow at Bucky. “Where’s your jacket? Did you lose it along the way?”

“Nah, got Jack to trade it with me before I took off.” Bucky chuckled, shaking his head. “You always hated that jacket and if I went down, I knew it couldn’t be in that jacket. I just hope Jack gave it to Addie to have.” 

Buck shook his head, chuckling. “Dammit John, why do you gotta be so sentimental?” 

Bucky grinned at his best friend, shaking his head at the teasing. Though they were thousands of miles away, he was glad a little piece of home was sitting with him. Though he wished he was with Addie, in this case, he couldn’t complain that he had Buck by his side. 

March 3, 1944, 1300 Hours 

Sitting back in her chair, she traced the messy scrawl on the paper in front of her. A letter from John had arrived that morning and she was happy to learn that Buck was bunking with him now. 

Though I remain thousands of miles from you, I miss you more than you’ll know. I wish I was sitting beside you, just holding your hand, though I’m sure we’d be doing more than that. Just so you know, Buck slapped my arm for including that - and he says you’re welcome. 

I miss you Bluebird and want nothing more than to have you in my arms, hugging you tight. I love you, my girl. 

John

“That was a loud sigh.” Josie looked up from her own letter, grinning. 

Addie weakly smiled back. “Buck slapped John for including something in the letter and it made me sad at how much I miss them but happy they have one another and are bunking together.” 

“DeMarco quipped something similar in his letter, so I know what you mean.” She smiled, biting her lip. 

Addie raised an eyebrow. “DeMarco’s writing to you? How’s that going?” 

“You knew he'd been writing to me.” A blush crossed her cheeks. “He keeps coming up with date ideas. In his words, “one date wasn’t enough before I went down.””

“Aww DeMarco’s smooth, Josie.” Addie chuckled. “Do I need to scour a parachute for you?” 

The blush deepened on Josie’s cheeks, while she raised an eyebrow in her best friend’s direction. “No, but I should be asking you that question, miss I wear an engagement ring?” 

“We never really talked about it. He told me that he wants to marry me, and I agreed but he never got the chance to ask.” Addie’s eyes fell to the ring on her finger. “Though, we’ll see what the future brings. He’s it for me, Josie.”

“Adelaide Egan has a nice ring to it.” Josie mused as Addie’s eyes went wide. “Before long you’ll be a married woman.” 

Addie giggled, Josie joining in with her. “He'll have to come home first and properly ask me.”

“Any word on prisoner swaps?” Josie sobered up, looking every bit hopeful at Addie. 

Shaking her head, Addie bit her lip. “No, Harding has been talking to others but nothing yet. Crosby even floated it to his contact and keeps getting the same message.” 

Harding’s office door opening caught their attention as Charlie stepped out, giving his sister a look. Pausing by her desk, Charlie motioned to the CO’s office. “Harding wants to see you both.” 

“Good news?” Addie asked hopefully, tired of hearing bad news. 

Charlie shook his head, not offering any additional words before taking his leave. Sighing loudly, Addie pushed herself to her feet and with Josie by her side, entered Harding’s office. 

“Good morning, Addie, Josie.” Harding looked up from the stack of papers he was reviewing, motioning the two girls to sit down. 

Addie bit her lip, trading glances with Josie before looking back at her CO. She tried to think if there was anything that they had messed up over the past few days. Raising an eyebrow at Harding, Addie grinned. “Morning sir. Is there anything wrong?”

“As a matter of fact, there is. I received a letter from one of the local farmers who said that Meatball killed one of his chickens.” Harding raised an eyebrow at her, chuckling. “He’s not happy, to say the least. Rosie paid him for his troubles, but you will need to keep a closer eye on him in the future Adelaide.” 

A laugh barked from her lips as she shook her head. “A farmer wrote you a letter to tell you all this?” 

Harding gave her a look chuckling, handing over a piece of paper that had hastily scratched handwriting on it. Addie scanned the words, giggling before handing over the paper to Josie. “I stand corrected. Alright, Meatball will be more closely watched and leashed when he’s out. Any other things we screwed up this week?” 

“See that you do and nothing more than usual.” Harding paused with a sigh. “I’ve been reassigned to another base.” 

Addie’s jaw dropped with the news. The last 9 months that Harding had been on base had been easy-going and fun. And now with a new CO, dynamics could drastically change. “When? And who’s replacing you, sir?”

“March 7 will be my last day at Thorpe’s. Heading to Ratcliff.” Harding gave her a long look. “And I don’t believe my replacement has been named yet. Though you’ll be one of the first to know as I have made that clear in my notes.”

Swallowing a lump of emotion, Addie shook her head. Sighing, she gave the man who had been like an older brother to her a look. “Sad to see you go sir. You’ve been great for this base and us stationed here.” 

And with that, she left the office without another word and was out the door onto the tower’s lookout in another ten seconds. A swear escaped her mouth as she gripped the railing tightly, letting her head drop with a loud exhale. “You were always the best swearer of the three of us.” 

Looking up, she saw her brother leaning against the railing, looking at her with concern. “And you were always Captain Obvious. What are you doing here? Don’t you have some class to teach?” 

“Knew you’d be upset by the news, so I wanted to hang around and check up on you.” Charlie mimicked her stance, looking at her. “You have always been the one to care a bit too much and goodbyes were never your strong suit.”

Pushing off the railing, she crossed her arms over her chest, biting her lip. “I’ve said too many goodbyes these last few months. I know the only constant is change but these goodbye sucks. I know you haven’t known him long, but Harding has been the best CO for this place. The one we had prior was awful and I’m afraid to see what we get. He told you he’s going to dad’s base?” 

“Uh huh. Told me some other things and wanted me to keep a close eye on you - something about a brotherly duty. Know anything about that?” Charlie drawled out, raising an eyebrow. 

She giggled, shaking her head. “Yeah, but don’t worry about it. But I will need your help with something - apparently Meatball killed a local farmer’s chicken, so I’ll need help keeping him wrangled.” 

“Ha of course he did.” Charlie chuckled, shaking his head. “So, what’s his punishment?” 

Addie smirked. “Hanging out with you in the classroom or me in the office. He has to be leashed and only off leash if he’s playing ball. No more wandering sessions unless we’re with him.” 

“You sound like his mom rather than an aunt.” Charlie teased with a wide grin. 

“While his owner is away, I guess I’m more his mom than aunt, but I will protect him and care for him just as DeMarco would.” Addie grinned, needing to change the subject. “Heard from Anna lately?” 

Charlie smirked. “She’ll be here in a few days delivering a fort. She sends her love.” 

“It’s weird to see you all loved up and head over heels with Anna.” Addie shook her head. “Don’t get me wrong, I love that I love the girl you’re with but it’s strange.” 

Charlie’s smile grew at her words. “Glad to hear you think that. Thinking of proposing to her.” 

Addie’s eyes went wide at the news, slapping her brother’s arm, excitedly. “Charles!! Seriously?” 

“I haven’t gotten a ring yet, but the thought has been lingering for a bit of time.” Charlie looked over at her. “Will you help me?” 

“Pick out a ring or asking for her hand?” Addie raised an eyebrow, confused by which he was asking. 

Charlie merely nodded. “All of it. I have very basic ideas of how to ask her. Thinking a plane has to be involved somehow.”

“I happen to know of Tiger Moth that you can borrow for the occasion. Daffodil would be the perfect addition.” Addie threw back, excited for her brother and Anna. “And of course, I will help you plan this. When are you thinking?” 

“Sometime this summer so we have time. But I’d love your thoughts on how to propose to her.” Charlie looked at her, a wary look on his face, knowing she wouldn’t lead him astray. 

She nodded, with a grin. “You tell me when you’d want to go look at a ring and I’ll clear my schedule. But I’m really happy for you Charlie. Anna is perfect for you.”

Leaning against the handrail, she sighed, happiness filling her at her brother’s proclamation. Finally, something happy and hopeful she could focus her attention on. She smiled big at her brother as she leaned into his side as his arm landed on her shoulder. “You okay Addie?” 

“Same old same old. Just tired of saying goodbye and waiting for news. But it’s war so what else should I be expecting?” She smirked, shaking her head. “Just glad for the moment everyone I love is safe and sound.” 

March 7, 1944, 0900 hours

Tugging Bucky’s coat closer, she was hoping to ward off the cold that had descended on the base. Hearing a door slam, she quickly stood to attention as did all the men and women surrounding her. Trailing the man as he moved through the crowd, she bit her lip, hoping to keep the tears at bay. 

Looking down the line, she saw others feeling the way she felt. Uneasiness was blatantly obvious as the unknown new CO was yet to be announced. Addie just wished it wasn’t another asshole like Huglin. 

Footsteps stopped in front of her, she darted her eyes to meet the ones in front of her. “Sir.”

“Addie, it’s been a pleasure working with you these last few months. I will miss you and wish you well in the future.” Harding saluted her back, with a grin on his face. “Can you do me a favor and let me know when Bucky and Buck return?” 

Nodding, she gave him a half smile, holding her hand out for a shake, which he eagerly shook back. “Absolutely, sir. You’ll be the first I’ll let know when they come home. It’s been great working with you, and I’ll miss you, sir.” 

“Take care of yourself, Addie.” 

She watched him continue his walk down the row, a lone tear tracked down her cheek. She hated change and prayed the new CO would continue to do good for the base. 

March 8, 1944, 2100 Hours

Laying on his bunk, Bucky kept an eye on Buck, who had been quiet since the mail call earlier that day. “You alright?” 

Clearing his throat, Buck adjusted in his chair, looking over at his best friend. “Last letter I sent before Bremen, I popped the question.” 

Bucky’s eyes went wide at the news before schooling his features in case the news wasn’t what Buck had expected. “You did?” 

“She said yes.” His voice was rough as he attempted not to interrupt the precious sleep the others were getting. 

A bright grin crossed Bucky’s face as he looked at the other man. “So, that’s great. Congratulations. I’m happy for you.” 

“I was even thinking maybe you’d be my best man.” Buck’s rough voice broke the silence that descended between the two of them. 

For a minute, the only sound in the room was the snores from the other guys as Bucky eyed Buck with a smile. Warmth filled him at Buck’s words, another thing he had to look forward to once he was out of this godforsaken place. Number one would be hugging Addie tight and kissing her deeply. Second, it seems would be the wedding he now needed to attend. 

“I will be your best man.” 

A smile crossed Buck’s face at his words. “Good - something for us to look forward to once we’re out of here and back home.” 

Nodding, Bucky grinned at Buck. “In my last letter to Addie, I proposed. Anxiously waiting to hear back from her, though I have a feeling I know what her response will be.”

“Bucky!” Buck whispered excitedly. “But didn’t you propose to her already?” 

Shaking his head, Bucky smirked. “Nah, we talked about our future, but I didn’t officially ask her until this last letter.” 

“She’s going to yell and scream at you for proposing through the mail, instead of face to face.” Buck chastised him, raising an eyebrow. 

He chuckled, a content smile sliding across his lips. Thinking about the future he’d build with Addie; he shook his head. “I look forward to that day.” 

April 15, 1944, 1600 Hours

She resisted squealing in disbelief as she read the letter in her hands. Mail call had been plenty earlier that morning and this was the first time she had the opportunity to read her letters. She received letters from Bucky, her dad, and from France, guessing it was from her sister. 

Leaning against the fort’s wheel, her eyes swept Bucky’s letter, ensuring it had said what she actually read what he wrote. 

Bluebird, 

How are you, my girl? All going well? You mentioned that you were getting a new CO - is he more like Huglin or Harding? 

Life in the Stalag is the same old. Boredom is the enemy, we try to keep our minds active, though it’s becoming more difficult. Brits decided to —----------------------------------------------------, which caused some stricter restrictions but nothing the boys can’t handle.  Buck, DeMarco, and Brady all send their love and tell you to stay out of trouble. If you can swing it, can you send a photograph of Meatball - I think DeMarco misses him more than he lets on. 

There are prisoners arriving every few days and our quarters are becoming more crowded. We received two new men from the ———— our bunk is now crowded but we somehow still have a bunk or two empty. Only a matter of time before our barrack is filled, though I hope the war ends before that happens.  It’s starting to get warmer here in —------- but it’s still cold at night - pray that spring and warmer temperatures are on the way. 

Addie, I miss you. I miss our conversations and debates.  I miss looking over and seeing you grin and blow kisses my way across the room. I wish I was by your side right now. When I get back, will you marry me? Make it official. I know we talked about it and I’m sure you’re going to give me hell for asking you through a letter, and I look forward to the day that happens. Will you be Mrs. John Egan? You’re my future - I want all the rest of my days to be with you as we make memories together. I want to see you with babies on your hips and laughing in the sunshine. Growing old with you Addie sounds like a great idea after this war ends. 

Looking forward to your response. I love you lots.

John

A big smile crossed her lips as she took in his words. Of course she was going to say yes, and she looked forward to giving him hell for asking her through a letter. 

Tearing open the next letter, the unknown one from France. Unfolding the letter, she took note of the date, early April.  Not recognizing the handwriting as Elizabeth’s, she let her eyes scan the writing. 

Addie, 

We’ve never met but Elizabeth has talked to you enough that I feel like I know you. I wish this letter continued better news but I promised Elizabeth I would write to you, if anything should happened. 

Elizabeth had gone with a few other nurses to check for wounded in the next village, just as she had done a few other times. This time, she and the other nurses didn’t come back. It took us a few days to hear what had happened. Apparently, there were a few German soldiers that were checking out the town that captured them. We got notified that she’s been taken to a Stalag as she’s a Captain - we were told that she’s being treated well enough, but I don’t know which one she’s been taken to or if that’s exactly true. 

I hold onto the belief that she’s still alive and will make it. She’s a hell of a nurse with a heart of gold - she’s too good to be taken from this world. 

As I said, I’m sorry this isn’t good news. Please know that I’m keeping you and your family in my prayers and hopefully we’ll hear good news on Elizabeth soon enough. 

Take care, 

Pamela Brown

Addie sat there in shock, rereading Pamela’s letter. Tears immediately welled up in her eyes and she knew she needed to tell Charlie as soon as possible but she couldn’t move. Her big sister captured, and in a Stalag, God knows where. 

Ignoring the letter from her dad, she pushed off the wheel of the fort, standing before throwing her head back and screaming loudly as tears streamed down her face. Crumbling up the paper in her hand, she stood there and just wept, her heart heavy with the news of her sister plus no new news of Bucky or Buck. At least the boys were safe and at that moment, that’s all she cared about. 

Putting one foot in front of the other, she made her way to Charlie’s classroom, figuring that’s where he’d be at that time of day. Pushing her way into the Nissan hut, her eyes quickly swept the area, thankful that the space was empty for the day. Her eyes landed on her brother. “Addie - what are you doing here?” 

Taking a few steps to where he stood, she collapsed into his arms with heavy sobs. She felt his hand rub her back as he held her up. All Charlie could do was hold her and rub his hand up and down comfortingly as she worked through whatever news she had gotten. 

Standing there sobbing, she lost track of time and only pulled her head up when she heard the door open to the hut. Stepping back, she wiped her eyes, seeing Charlie, Anna, Crosby and Rosie standing there looking at her, all with concerned looks on their faces. Cursing under her breath, she shook her head, forgetting Anna was flying in for the evening.

“Addie, talk to me. What was that all about?” Charlie asked, putting a hand on his sister’s shoulder, pulling her into a side hug. 

Taking a deep breath, she breathed in his aftershave, feeling it calm her down slightly. “Got a letter from Elizabeth’s friend, Pamela.” 

She heard his voice catch as she steadied herself to tell him the news. Tears leaked from her eyes again, sighing. “She’s been captured - she’s in a Stalag somewhere. Pamela didn’t know which one but the letter was from the beginning of April.”

Various curses escaped the mouths of those around her. She looked over at Crosby, tear tracks staining her. cheeks. “Can you pull some magic and see if you can find anything out? She’s a Captain so she’s in a Stalag, hopefully with Bucky but I’m not holding my breath.” 

“I’ll make some calls, Addie.” Crosby gave her a look of sympathy as Charlie tightened his hold on her. 

Nodding, she gave him a thankful smile. Sighing, she pushed out of Charlie’s hold, running a hand through her already messy hair. Tears crowded her eyes as she shook her head. She was fearful of her sister, knowing how the Nazis treated foreign women, praying Elizabeth was safe. 

Later that night, after reassuring everyone that she was okay, she sat in her hut, pen to paper.  Many tears had been shed that afternoon.  And between Charlie and Anna, they forced her to eat something and talk about what she was thinking, reminding her they were both there if she wanted to talk. 

Sitting on her bed, Meatball at her feet, she sighed, hesitating, not knowing what exactly to tell John - how the happiness his letter had made her and how easy she came down from that high after reading Pamela’s letter. 

John, 

Your last letter just arrived, and I can’t wipe the smile off my face. Of course, I’ll marry you and become Mrs. John Egan. I am looking forward to growing older with you - kids, memories, and happiness. We’ve earned happiness after this godforsaken war is done.  I look forward to reading you the riot act once we’re reunited. 

Your letter arrived with parts marked out due to the sensors. The curious part of me wants to know what was so important they needed to block it out. I’m in and out of so many meetings that I wish I could tell you everything that is planned but I’m sure you’ll hear the news soon enough. 

I’m sending prayers for warmer weather and spring to come your way soon enough. I hope you boys are safe and are okay, despite the boredom. 

We got news that Elizabeth was captured and is in a Stalag somewhere. Some part of me hopes she’s in your Stalag and you two can keep each other safe. Two of the most important people to me and you’re both in Stalags - somewhere there’s a joke about this but I’m failing to see it at this moment. 

I love you, John. I miss the same things you mentioned in your letter but hoping you will be home sooner rather than later. Stay safe and come back to me.

With love, 

Your Bluebird, Addie

April 17, 1944, 1200 Hours

Sitting at the table, Bucky and Crank had a game of checkers going on. A laugh escaped his mouth at Crank trash talking to him. Shaking his head, Bucky looked over his shoulder as their door opened, revealing Buck.  

“Uh, Bucky, can I borrow you for a few minutes? There’s something you need to know.” Buck’s voice sounded off, immediately causing Bucky to stand and look at his best friend. 

“What is it?” 

Buck shook his head, motioning Bucky to follow him. “I’ll explain on the way. Let’s go.” 

“Crank, rematch when I get back - you’re not getting away with that so easily.” Bucky grinned at him, pointing his finger before following Buck out of the room. 

Pulling the collar of his jacket up around his neck, Bucky shivered as he followed Buck, through the hallway. “Where are we going and what’s happening?” 

Buck shook his head, leading him into the library, where DeMarco, Clark, and Brady all were standing.  As he walked into the room, his hackles were raised, not liking the way Buck was secretive during the entire walk.  Once the door was shut behind him, he looked at the four men around him, crossing his arms over his chest. “Buck wouldn’t tell me a damn thing so what’s going on?”

“Another round of prisoners arrived earlier today.” Clark started, looking between Bucky and Buck. 

Leaning against the table, Bucky shook his head. “We get a new batch of prisoners every other day, this isn’t earth shattering news. Can someone get to the goddamn point of why I was pulled out of the room for this?” 

“It’s not every day we get female prisoners - nurses and pilots from what we’re hearing.” DeMarco piped up, knowing Bucky’s patience was running thin. 

Raising an eyebrow, Bucky’s interest was piqued. “Female POWs? Would’ve thought they would be taken to another camp, not this one.” 

“Apparently, this is a new thing.” Clark looked at Bucky. “We haven’t been able to talk to them as they’re in a different part of camp.”

Bucky nodded, but confusion crossed his face as he looked between the men in the room. “I’m confused - what do you need me for?” 

Buck stepped up, placing a hand on his shoulder, giving him a look. “I was at the gates when I saw them come in. One of them looked oddly familiar. I had to do a double take.” 

“Oddly familiar, Gale?” Bucky’s eyes went wide at his friend’s words, dread filling him as he looked at Buck, panicking arising in his eyes. “It’s not Addie, is it?” 

Buck’s head quickly shook, knowing that’s where his friend’s thoughts would turn. “No, but I believe it’s her sister, Elizabeth. She looks exactly like Addie, they could be twins, Bucky. I wanted you to hear it from us instead of being caught off guard. We’re trying to get her switched to our bunk so we can keep an eye on her.” 

Curse words escaped his mouth at what Addie must be feeling to get that news. Eyeing the other men in the room, Bucky asked. “So what’s the plan?” 

Buck and Clark traded glances with one another. “We wait to see if she gets transferred then we need to see what she knows. She might be good at helping us plan. At the very least, we can use her nursing skills.” 

“So, we sit back and wait? Why not attempt to talk to her at the fence?” Bucky asked, running a hand through his hair. “If it was my sister sitting here, I’d hope some other American would at least attempt to talk to her.” 

Clark looked at the Major. “We don’t know how closely the Germans are watching them. As soon as they came here, I requested Elizabeth and the other nurse that came with her were transferred over to our barracks. Rather have them close where we could potentially protect them than for them to be on their own.” 

Buck nodded, understanding their logic. “I get it, but I don’t like it. Look how long it took for Buck to be transferred over. Germans aren’t going to bend to our demands.” 

“From what I’ve heard, they’ve got bigger things to worry about, including SS taking over the camps. They’re not going to worry about women in the camps and where they’re sleeping.” Clark spoke quietly, leaning against the table. 

Silence descended on the room; each man lost in their own thoughts. They were about to enter uncharted territory; they just didn’t know it. 

April 19, 1944, 2000 Hours

The door to their room was flung open, a German soldier standing there wearily eyeing the men inside. Stepping aside, he pointed into the room, with a sneer. Two women stepped through the door, eyes wide at the situation. 

Twenty minutes ago, they were both roughly pulled from a line, demanding they grab their meager things and follow the German soldier. Leaving the portion of camp they had been in the last two days, Elizabeth and her fellow nurse, Amelia, had followed behind, not daring to utter a word, the fear of not knowing where they were going was too great. 

Now, standing in front of nine men, Elizabeth let a curse escape her mouth. Running a hand through her hair, she sighed, knowing she had to make the first move. “Captain Elizabeth Baker, Nurses Corp. And this is Lieutenant Amelia Thompson, also with the Nurses Corp. Apparently, we’re all going to be bunking together - he man didn’t say much other than broken English and to move our asses.”

Chuckles filled the room as a taller man, dark hair stepped forward with a half grin on his face. “As my buddy Buck says, welcome to paradise. Major John Egan, and these dodos are from the Eighth Air Force.” 

Elizabth’s eyes went wide at the name, trying to figure out where she’s heard it before. “Nice to meet you. Do the rest of the dodos have names or are we just supposed to call you dodos one, two, etc.?” 

“So, Addie’s sister has jokes just like her, huh?” Another man, an Italian from the looks of it joked, causing more snickers to fill the room. 

“You know Addie?” Eyes wide, it slammed into Elizabeth where she knew the name John Egan from. Pointing a finger at the man himself, Elizabeth smirked. “So, you’re the man who has my sister all in a tizzy and you all are the ones that made her stand in a room and lecture you all? Oh, this has to be a special place in hell that we’re all here together. She’s going to kill us all for getting put together.” 

Laughter broke out at her words, as introductions were made. She found out the Italian was DeMarco, who also had the Husky that Addie had written to her about. Buck was Bucky’s best friend and she grinned, knowing how much Addie adored the soft-spoken Major. She continued to put faces with names that Addie had written to her about. 

In all the hubbub, Amelia hadn’t said much, not surprising Elizabeth. The girl hadn’t exactly expected to be captured, not even supposed to be with Elizabeth when she went to the village. She was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. Elizabeth had vowed to look after the much younger girl, determined to see them both getting out of here alive. Sitting at the table, her eyes moved around the room, taking the various men. Her mind hadn’t stopped since they were captured, not wanting to let her guard down. 

“You’re lost in thought.” Buck observed, watching her closely. “Everything okay?” 

Elizabeth snorted. “Okay is the last thing this is but at least I’m safe, sound, and relatively warm. The last few days have been touched and go, especially not knowing how the Germans would react to American women.”

His eyes went wide, as he lowered his voice. “Did they do anything to you?” 

“A few slaps but nothing like what you’re thinking.” Elizabeth quickly shook her head. “Geneva Convention and all, but they definitely made comments and lewd comments. I think they were more upset that I ignored everything they said.” 

Buck looked over at Amelia who was quietly talking with DeMarco. “And Amelia?” 

“She’s only 19, first time leaving the states, and of course, she gets captured in her first month in France.” Elizabeth shook her head, rolling her eyes. “Wasn’t even supposed to be in that village and now we’re in paradise.” 

Buck grimaced. “Well at least you can interrogate your sister’s boyfriend.” 

She threw her head back and laughed loudly, causing Bucky’s eyes to widen in a bit of fear. “That’s one positive. Want to watch your friend become uncomfortable by my interrogation, Buck?” 

“Nah but it’s entertainment at least.” Buck smirked. “Now as his best friend, I should at least tell you, I’ve never seen him more smitten than when he was with Addie. They are good for each other.” 

Elizabeth sighed. “I’ve heard it from Charlie, my dad and Addie herself but I was hesitant to believe it. But after the letter I received letting me know he went down, I truly believe it. I’m sure he’s going to want Addie stories so I’m ready to deliver those. Have you met our brother yet?” 

“We did and Bucky got his permission to marry Addie, but Bucky only recently got around to asking her, in a letter by the way.” Buck spilled the beans as Elizabeth’s eyes went wide. 

Pushing away from the table, Elizabeth crossed the room and punched Bucky in the arm, hard. Looking at his girlfriend’s older sister, he raised an eyebrow. “Ow! I know we just met but what was that for?” 

“Asking my baby sister to marry you in a letter. Egan, you better be glad we’re enclosed in a room, or I’d kick your ass.” Elizabeth shook her head. “She deserves so much more than a postmarked proposal.” 

She watched DeMarco lean over to talk to Brady and made a mental note to find out what they just shook hands on. If she had to guess, one of them bet she would be kicking Bucky’s ass before they busted out. 

Holding out his hands in surrender, Bucky’s eyes were wide. “I absolutely know she does, but I know she needs some reassurance to know she’s it for me. I will actually propose to her once I’m out of this forsaken place but for now it has to be this way. If it makes you feel any better, I haven’t heard from her, though I’m sure I’ll hear the riot act from her.” 

“See that you do, Egan. Don’t make me sis Charlie on you.” Elizabeth threatened, as DeMarco and Buck both chuckled. Looking between the two of them, Elizabeth gave them a look. “What am I missing?” 

Buck looked between Bucky and Elizabeth before smirking. “Charlie already loves Bucky - those two are best friends. We all met in Africa when we did a run and Charlie was spilling childhood stories to us about the mischief you three got up to. Charlie isn’t about to kick Bucky’s ass.” 

She deflated a bit, knowing Buck was right about her brother. Elizabeth sighed, pointing a finger in his direction “Then I guess I’ll need to be the tough Baker. Don’t hurt my sister Egan. If you do, then I’ll chop you up and feed you to the sharks.”

“Charlie mentioned something like that when I asked him for Addie’s hand.” Bucky grinned. “And I’ll tell you what I told him - you’ll have to get in line for the number of people that’ll kick my ass, including many standing in here.” 

Elizabeth grinned seeing the men standing around nod their heads, agreeing with Bucky. “Good. Now when was the last time you heard from her? I’m guessing it’s been a lot sooner than I have.” 

Soon, Elizabeth found herself catching up on her sister from Bucky. Though she wished she wasn’t stuck in a stalag, she was thankful she was in this one. And if she could scare her sister’s boyfriend a bit in the meantime, maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all. She just hoped Addie knew she would look after her beloved and hoped they’d be reunited sooner, rather than later. 

Dear Addie, 

I’m so sorry to be the one to tell you this but Elizabeth is here with us. She’s literally sitting next to me writing a letter to you. The boys and I are keeping an eye on her and Amelia, making sure they’re safe. 

I know you wish she was anywhere else but I’m glad I’ve gotten to meet her. She both threatened me and punched me (in the arm) within an hour of meeting me, but we’ve grown close since. 

I miss you Bluebird and wish, more than anything, that I was holding you tight and stealing kisses. I pray that you’re staying safe and hoping I’ll see you soon. 

I love you, Addie. You have my heart. 

John

What did you think? Come yell at me for Addie's utter heartbreak at both her sister and boyfriend being stuck together. I think there's about 4 chapters left plus a few extra scenes that I've been playing around so if there's anything you'd like to see, please send me a message or leave me a comment. Thank you for reading!

Chapter 15

[inkblot-mirror]

Unedited piece ft Reina/Yuugiri and her mom. Set place shortly before she was isekaid into Twisted Wonderland.

Tw: possible gaslighting, eating disorders?

“Aaaaaand…it’s a wrap!”

The recording director flashed her a thumbs up from inside the sound booth, signaling the end of a grueling recording session.

Yuugiri nods in response, removing her headphones. As everyone around her was busy congratulating her for a successful session, her eyes flickered outside the studio, where a certain woman awaited. No doubt already circling in irritation, dressed to the nines too.

“Nice going! I can tell you’re easily gonna top the charts again with that one!” cheered the studio intern, a girl named Saki who was barely older than her. Saki hands her a bottle of water, to which she accepts gratefully.

She takes a big, appreciative gulp. The cool liquid felt like heaven against her parched throat. “Ahh, that sure hit the spot!—-And really, you think so?”

“Umm, duh? You’re Reina—the biggest, hottest, idol superstar of recent times!” Saki squealed, completely star-struck.

Yuugiri giggled. “Well, thanks for the vote of confidence~” She got up, grabbing her coat from the coat rack.

“Leaving already? Aww man.” Saki pouts.

“Sorry! It’s getting late and I still have school tomorrow!”

After some small talk and goodbyes exchanged with other staff, she walks outside to the hallway.

“Hello, Mother.” she greeted—calmly, but politely, as any obedient child should towards their elder.

Ignoring her, her mother immediately whipped out her phone. And with a swipe of her finely manicured fingernails, painted to polished perfection, she opens up a video and taps on the play button:

It was Miyu.

Sitting up straight in her hospital bed, both of her eyes were intently glued on the television screen in front of her. The speakers were loudly blaring a very familiar set of lyrics, accompanied by peppy, upbeat music:

Fly free~

Fly free and happy,

To another world of wonders and joy~

“My concert?”

“Yes, the one from last week.” Mother taps on the screen again, pausing the video promptly. The she zooms in, focusing in on Miyu’s slightly pixelated face. Even with the blurry quality, it was obvious that she was grinning happily from ear to ear, even when hooked up to an entire network of tubes and beeping machines. She even had a glowing pink lightstick, clutched within her hands and Yuugiri couldn’t help but feel her heart melt as always at the sight—

Her sister, her number one, most genuine supporter.

“Will you just look at your sister for a moment!” Mother squeals in excitement, unbefitting for a woman already in her late 30’s. “She’s so weak, so frail, yet do you see that absolutely stunning smile on her face?“

Yuugiri nods wearily. Miyu was like the sun, no matter what. Always shining bright, always beautiful and composed, smiling on despite the difficulties of her illness. There was never a complaint that so much as eeped through her, as she obediently underwent her many, many harsh treatments.

No wonder both Mother and Father adored her.

“Yuugiri, perhaps you can learn a thing or two from our dear Miyu? For one, your smile is too forced—“ she tsks in disapproval. “—too fake!”

On command, Yuugiri flashes her best, most dazzling smile at her parent, attempting to satisfy her.

“I’m trying…”

It was a smile that would have easily otherwise charmed the masses, yet she clicked her tongue and went on with a shake of her head.

“My dear, are you really? I noticed you slouching slightly while you were in the recording room just now. Plus your vocal range seemed strained: are you sure you can handle the workload they’re giving you?—“ Mother reaches out mid speech, to rearrange a stray lock of hair on her face.

“And tell me again, how many cups of ramen did you have for lunch today?”

Yuugiri could almost feel her stomach grumble in pain as she mutters out a quiet apology. Awaiting an answer, her mother’s arms were crossed. A single finger taps on her forearm, signaling her already waning patience.

“…I skipped lunch today.” she sighed.

Mother’s eyes brightened up momentarily. “Oh good, you did something right at least.”

Dull hunger gnaws away at her from within.

“Anyways—Do your best. Is it that hard to be a little bit more like your big sister? That is all.”

“Of course.” Yuugiri made sure her voice was firm, resolute. There was no more room for errors.

“Oh no.” Mother paused abruptly, just as she was about to exit the room. “You will succeed. Do not let your sister’s sacrifice be in vain. Understood?”

The sudden silence between them was ice.

“….Understood.”

[gabriellerudessa]

NSFW Alphabet - Norm Maclean

This man has taken over my thoughts, send help. Or not. Now to work on NSFW Alphabet for Thaddeus because he crept up on me like a lost puppy lololol

AO3

Word Count: 3.737

Warnings: ... This is a NSFW Alphabet, I think that's a warning in itself lolololol

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

Norm is usually very attentive, jumping to be the one to do clean up; once really in love and if a shower or bathtub available, likes to help his partner showering/bathing, and will melt if the same is done for him. Water and food are not the first on his mind, but if his partner asks, he gets without complaint. Beyond this, a cuddle-bug; already likes cuddles, but after sex it’s multiplied by ten. Norm loves how the physical contact feels after it, and wants to hug and feel his partner’s warmth long after. Adores if his partner plays softly with his hair during it.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

In his partner, he totally likes butts and legs in general. Can literally spend hours just looking and squeezing, during sex or outside of it; his partner can just straddle him or sit with their legs on his lap, he loves both because it means he can just stroke and grab and squeeze, it doesn’t even need to end in anything. Big fan of walking behind his partner, especially if they’re using tight pants or short skirts, because it means he can watch all the movements and flex of muscles. Not so big on just slapping their butt if walking around… Unless Norm is trying to actually start something.

What he most like about himself is definitely his mouth. With it he can kiss his partner, on the mouth and everywhere else, he can go down on them and wring as much pleasure as possible from their body. Also because once he gets the hang of what makes his partner tick, he knows what exactly to say to get them going and he will use this power with no regrets – once he gets over his own embarrassment at saying anything dirty where anyone can hear him.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Doesn’t have a specific preference on if cumming inside or outside, and goes as his partner prefers; however, once actually in love and in a relationship, acquires a fascination at seeing his spend dripping out of his partner. Won’t force it either way.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

… Norm discovers himself as massively jealous when he falls in love. He guesses it’s because this is something only his, not because of the Vault or his chores or whatever; the feeling exists despite it all and anything that may threaten it makes him uncomfortable.

Still absolutely annoyed at it and does his best to not actually act on it or anything, but the thoughts still circle his head, ranging from deathly violent – tearing eyes for looking at his partner, cutting fingers for touching and so on –, to depravedly sexual – usually finding the closest place with a door, push his partner against the wall and go down on them until they’re screaming his name. Doesn’t want to be seen when having sex, but imagining the one that caused the jealousy walking by and hearing that he is the one causing pleasure scratches an itch he didn’t even know he had.

Usually just pulls his partner for a very possessive kiss where the person can see; if the person causing the jealousy is being obnoxious and not respecting his partner’s boundaries, then anger also gets into play and Norm will murder them with words; if in the Wasteland, he isn’t above threatening with weapons of some type.

Occasionally, after all is said and done and Norm and his partner get away, will end up in mind-blowing slow sex – he wants that reassurance that they’re still together and to make his partner feel good if the person made them uncomfortable. If his partner asks, denies to the death – me? Jealous? Pfff, of course not. Not even exactly a secret, because unless his partner is that distracted, it eventually becomes obvious. He will still deny.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

Pretty experienced, mainly regarding sex in itself, because of Vault’s 33 culture. Not so much about romantic intimacy, since there was some emotional distance needed most of the time, with how everyone was so closely related. There are things he may be confused about and that he haven’t tried before and so on, but he absolutely knows what he’s doing, how to satisfy his partner, and what he likes.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

A big fan of missionary and any position that allows him to both keep his hands on his partner’s butt and legs while also allowing him to kiss their lips and see the play of pleasure on their face, to make sure he’s doing it right. Prefers a bed, but Norm will push his partner against a wall or table if that’s what’s available – and the height difference isn’t that big and uncomfortable if against a wall. Goes to heaven and back if his partner wrap their legs around his waist, the tighter the better.

If the day was a tiring one, he’s all up for being ridden, or to lying down facing each other with one of his partner’s legs above his hips. Both end up as very lazy and carefree sex.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

Norm can be described a bit as a “bratty little shit”. He likes a humorous dirty back-and-forth bedroom talk, in the foreplay and during it all, teasing his partner about what he wants to do and so on. He can be serious, usually when both he and his partner are stressed about something and it’s harder to get into the right mindset to tease regarding sex, but he does prefer the teasing, the sarcasm and slight goofy way, especially if it’s a serious relationship, because it’s a way both of them get vulnerable and show more of themselves and what they like for him. It’s not up there as a kink, but Norm loves seeing his partner happy. And hey, if it helps along in making his partner a sobbing mess, why not?

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Yes, the carpet matches; has a faint trail down his navel. Trims it all a bit, more to avoid any discomfort with the Vault-Suit or his underwear.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

This is something that really depends with Norm. If it’s all purely casual and blowing off steam, not that romantic, most only about mutual pleasure but that’s it, usually something fast and almost mindless, with no thought to romantic intimacy.

If in actual love, Norm is even a bit shocked at how much of a romantic he can be, desperately craving the romantic connection, in between all the teasing and dirty talk. It becomes all about the eye contact, doing things that makes his partner feel loved, wanting to be as close as possible. Will take his time in finding the best angle, speed and strength of his thrusts so they both enjoy it as most as possible, and sometimes it will be such a way that the intensity of the moment can be overwhelming. Usually by this moment his brain can barely function to tease and be a brat and he only wants to know that his partner is feeling as much pleasure as possible.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Norm’s so glad that adulthood leveled his hormones in such a way that he only does it mostly when too stressed and needs the relief but can’t be bothered to see if one of his casual sex partners are free and up to it. In the end, it’s very rare that Norm actually does masturbate himself.

With a fixed partner and in love, however, if it’s all about stress relief, Norm prefers to masturbate instead of asking his partner to help him out, trying to be as fast and methodical as possible, which results in becoming more frequent. This is especially true if the relationship is recent: he feels weird if its about stress relief only, the romantic intimacy he comes to expect a bit off, as if he doesn’t connect right and is making it all about himself. It his partner offers to help him or interrupts him masturbating and moves to help, however, won’t deny, even if feeling extremely embarrassed.

As the relationship matures, however, Norm becomes more comfortable into asking his partner to help him before going directly to take care of things himself. Norm will have no problem if he ends up having to do all himself, but won’t feel embarrassed by the denial; and, if his partner accepts, he notices and learns that mutual masturbation can also be good for connection and romantic intimacy, as long as both are into it and enjoying themselves and each other.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Hair pulling is the main one. Pull his hair by the roots and Norm is done for, if he wasn’t turned on before, now he is; he effectively leans his head with the pull. Keep it for the whole session and it doesn’t take long for Norm to become glassy-eyed. Give tighter pulls and he whimpers.

It’s followed up by eating/sucking his partner. Norm will spend hours between his partner’s thighs if allowed, to the point of overstimulating them, moaning and groaning into it. In this case, while he’s ok with getting on his knees for it, he actually prefers if his partner sits on his face, and they better put their whole weight on it – he will wrap his arms around their thighs to keep it this way. Pull his hair during it and Norm becomes a mess – there have been cases where both resulted in Norm coming without having his cock touched. He was a bit embarrassed the first time it happened, but he came to appreciate it because every time it happened meant that he could keep focusing on making his partner scream for him without having to worry too much about himself.

If Norm ends up actually in love with his partner, instead of just a sexual relationship, and he doesn’t feel as if building a family and so on is just about “perpetuating America” and effectively MORE WORK, he may eventually find himself with a bit of a breeding kink, fascinated at seeing his spend dripping out from his partner and being tempted to push it back in. It will have to be unlocked from him and he will be absolutely floored at it, unsure if it actually equals to wanting to build a family; not something he will immediately discuss. Once Norm processes it and does bring it up, he will respect his partner’s wishes; if his partner is into it, things get messy fast. It frequently may lead to bouts of cock-warming, staying inside after all is said and done, enjoying each other’s warmth for as long as possible.

May also find himself in a position of wanting to worship the body of his partner and again, very floored at it, but finds it easier to deal with.

A big fan of hearing praise; it only gets worse after how the Council in the Vault talks about his “lack of enthusiasm” regarding his jobs in the Vault. He wants to know he’s making you feel good, that you appreciate him and so on, that he’s enthusiastic about something. He tries doing the praising and if his partner really likes leans into it, but thinks it doesn’t come naturally to him – he’s way more experience at teasing than praise.

A bit of seeing his partner absolutely overwhelmed with pleasure he caused, sobbing and moaning and glassy-eyed and an overall mess.

And finally, marking. Norm particularly prefers to scratch his partner and see the bruises his grip leaves on their thighs, butt, waist and hips. In himself, there’s no preference: hickey, scratches, bites, all fair game and all makes him a mess, no preference in location. If the marks, specially scratches, are made in the height of passion, not only it all makes him come hard, but afterwards Norm is so smug about it that it can be downright infuriating – only moment where he is not bothered if some blood is drawn, they all mark how much pleasure Norm brought to his partner.

If his partner uses lipstick, then one of the best things they can do is make sure to leave a ring around his cock and open mouthed kiss in places he can easily see. Norm goes almost literally insane.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Preferably, any place he can lock the doors and windows so they won’t be seen or interrupted. Norm hates to be interrupted or have his personal relationships so out in the open, and living in a Vault where everyone knows about everyone, with occasionally being caught in the act when a teenager, it really made him conscious in adulthood to be careful.

If it’s a wall, a table, a bed or whatever else, it doesn’t matter, as long as Norm and his partner can’t be interrupted or caught in it.

Also please not the kitchen. Norm worked in one and has big no regarding doing sex in a place where one cooks and eats.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Not that easy to get Norm going beyond “stressed, need to blow off steam or I’ll explode”, but there are some sure-fire ways, especially if in a relationship. Playing with his hair, sliding a nose and gentle kisses along his neck and shoulders, delicate touches against his skin, using lipstick and kissing him with it on, are all ways to make Norm become aroused enough to start thinking and considering actual sex.

If his partner really, really wants to get Norm going, tight pants and some strategic bends will have him pulling them to the closest room with a lockable door in ten minutes, tops.

On a minor note, jealousy also can get him going, as long as his partner is NOT doing it on purpose and it’s just some jerk making the moves on them and making his partner uncomfortable. Norm will make his partner forget anything but him the next time he gets his hands on them, so they both can forget all about the jerk.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Absolutely nothing skirting close to CNC; Norm likes to feel wanted, and wants that certainty that his partner also wants this as much as possible. CNC is the fastest way to make him flaccid. Also no degradation, towards himself or his partner; he feels inadequate enough in the Vault and he doesn’t want his partner to feel like this.

Also absolutely nothing that can actually hurt either of them.

Attempted choking once, on both ends, deeply disliked it. He wants to hear his partner praising him, and he likes to be able to talk and tease.

Also, because of how things are in the Vault, a big no on doing it in Public or Semi-Public.

Norm will also feel very miffed if his partner attempts to provoke jealousy on purpose. Makes Norm feels insecure, as if his partner doesn’t really wants to be with him.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Likes receiving, loves giving. As mentioned, he goes insane if there’s lipstick marks on his cock, but in the end he really enjoys to have his partner’s thighs around his head as he goes down on them. Something in it, the sounds he can pull, the taste, the weight on his shoulders, how his partner can’t help but thrust and grind into him, how he can reduce someone to a begging and sobbing mess with his mouth really gets him going. And, as mentioned, if partner sitting on his face for it and pulling on his hair, there’s a good chance of Norm coming untouched, that’s how much he enjoys giving oral.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

It depends on the mood and on the level of emotional connection. Casual partners and so on, things are usually faster, but not rough – Norm can’t actually be rough regarding sex. If in a relationship and in love, his preference is slow, deep, and sensual, trying to make it last and find the best way to make both his mind and his partner’s blissfully empty.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

He grew up from teenage to adulthood in the Vault. He had no particular trouble and would partake in them frequently, since it was the easiest, in between classes then work and any other chores in the Vault. However, the moment he starts being able to actually take his time for both him and his partner, he really started to grow a dislike for quickies: they rarely gave him the sight of his partner as a sobbing and moaning mess, and that’s a sight Norm really comes to appreciate.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Surprisingly, Norm is quite a risk taker in the bedroom. As long as it isn’t public or can’t hurt him or his partner, he will try at least once. Tying his partner or being the one tied, orgasm denial, overstimulation, roleplays… And, occasionally, even if he didn’t particularly like something, but his partner enjoyed, he may do it again for them.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

One to two long rounds, and I mean long. Norm absolutely prefers to focus on quality; he wants to see his partner shivering and sobbing from pleasure at the end, and he discovered early that he really preferred to focus on one, at most two orgasms for himself, that are equally able to leave him a mess. He won’t change positions much, unless either him or his partner are uncomfortable.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

Norm doesn’t own toys nor has had the opportunity to use them, it doesn’t sound as something that really made its way into the Vault in a way that’s widely available, but he wouldn’t be opposed at trying some and would, without a doubt, acquire a taste for them. Would enjoy learning some knots and tying his partner down. Absolutely accepts to be the one tied down and is the most beautiful mess, he won’t be above begging if it happens.

Also, the day Norm discovers vibrators is the day his partner loses any and all peace, especially if overstimulation is on the table; this man will use and abuse of them against his partner, with the bedroom talk going strong. Again, would accept to be on the other side of it, and would cry of overstimulation. Would repeat it without a second thought.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

A bit unfair in the bedroom, but not much, just enough in the foreplay to get both of them going; no matter if casual or actual relationship, Norm can’t deny pleasure for long.

Outside the bedroom, unable to tease with touches and so on, too embarrassed to even try this type of thing where anyone can see. With words, not something that come naturally to him at first, because of the whole “anyone can see”, but once he learns what gets his partner going and it’s not easy for someone else to hear, won’t be opposed to whisper dirty talk, all about promises of what they’ll get up too once they’re able to.

Unable to deal with teasing outside the bedroom beyond something light and tame, and even then Norm will blush like crazy. Answer to his dirty talk with equal dirty talk outside the bedroom and this man will bluescreen.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Beyond the dirty back-and-forth of foreplay, Norm lets out A LOT of sounds of pleasure once things get going enough that brain power for dirty talk becomes a hard commodity: groans, moans, whimpers, all of it. Also absurdly easy to get him loud, and he will attempt to muffle himself on his partner’s body. At the same time, Norm won’t complain if his partner grabs his hair and keeps him from being able to do it, and with the hair pulling, well, he will be louder.

Absolutely mortified if he discovers other people could hear them and actually did hear.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Loves to sink his nose in his partner’s groin and smell them before going down on them/eating them out, it will effectively make him harder. Norm won’t steal his partner’s underwear, he thinks that’s a huge privacy invasion. However, his partner can slip some used underwear in Norm’s pocket or something of the type before they both go on their businesses for the day. The moment Norm finds the piece of clothing, he will hunt them down as soon as possible and go down on them and God have mercy on his partner because Norm won’t have: he won’t stop until they can’t walk.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Average length, kinda thick. Knows how to use it and very well.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Sits at a general medium, fluctuating a little depending on his stress levels. Not too horny on a daily basis, even when in a relationship as opposed to only casual sex. However, when he does get going, Norm is very much in an all or nothing mindset.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Not quick to fall asleep. In general Norm finds sleep hard enough, after sex it’s weird how most of the times he finds himself even more awake, even if tired. He may just talk and snuggle, but it’s not hard for Norm’s partner to fall asleep before him. Not bothered by it.

[chaesonghwas]

hi babyyyyyy. could you write me a piarles with "warming up your hands with theirs" from the holiday prompts ? :D

(wink wink you can maybe even use it for short fic event)

HELLO DEAREST💖💖💖

This prompt ran away from me a little (+ I combined it with 'warm' for the short fic event) but I really hope you like itttt

“It’s cold. Why is it so cold?”

“Well, we’re in winter, calamar.”

Charles glares at him, plowing clumsily through the snow on the sidewalk. “You get what I mean.”

“Yeah, baby. I understand that you’ve been visiting my family here since you were about 8, but your Mediterranean ass still can’t handle a little cold,” Pierre teases with a smile. It’s one of his favorite things about his boyfriend, the way he gets chilly quite easily and ends up wrapped up in a million blankets or wrapped up in Pierre.

It’s somewhat of an inconvenience when they’re outside though, particularly in a situation like now when they have firm orders from his mother to return quickly from the store with extra ingredients for their Christmas Eve dinner.

Charles, still offended with his previous comment, kneels down to grab some snow and shoots it straight into Pierre’s chest.

There’s not much force to it and his experience with snow makes the ball crumble very fast, so in the end it bothers Charles himself more than it does Pierre.

“My hands are cold now, Pear.”

He raises an eyebrow. “You shouldn’t have been throwing snowballs.”

“Oh my god.” Charles rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling. “You are so dense.”

He takes his hand and threads their fingers together, shoving it in Pierre’s pocket, and grabbing the other grocery bag his boyfriend had been holding on the other side.

“There we go.” He smiles contentedly, blush tinting his cheeks from the freezing air. “You’re warm, Pear.”

Pierre could tease him a little more but he doesn’t have the heart to when he looks so cute, so he just leans over and drops a kiss on his temple. “You should get used to the cold though. You’re going to need it.”

“Why?” Charles frowns, confused, until something clicks in his brain and he gasps loudly. “OH MY GOD, DID YOU GET THE JOB?”

Months and months ago, Pierre had applied for a job as a football journalist for Sky Sports UK - the hiring process had been irrationally long, but he’d gotten the call yesterday and hadn’t really known how to break it to Charles. Being a graphic designer, his boyfriend could work from anywhere, so he’d been nothing but encouraging to Pierre to follow his dreams and had had no qualms about moving to London - even if his complaints about the cold were about to become a lot more frequent.

“I did, yeah. They called me yesterday night,” he answers, unable to contain his smile or his excitement, and Charles just looks at him so sweetly that Pierre wants to kiss him forever.

“PIERRE! CONGRATULATIONS!” Charles squeals, jumping on him and wrapping his legs around his chest to keep himself steady, but the icy ground at their feet is too slippery and Pierre ends up falling on his ass. The floor is cold and wet but he also ends up with a lapful of Charles, so he can’t really complain.

“Hello, cherie,” Pierre says as he swipes Charles’ messy hair away from his forehead, but he flinches at the touch.

“Get away from me, your hands are cold now.” He jumps up quickly and grabs a hold of their bags, moving away from Pierre.

“Hey! I thought we were supposed to be celebrating me!” Pierre whines, still sitting on the floor and getting a laugh out of Charles.

“We can celebrate you when we’re warm and next to the fireplace!” he yells in response, already walking off and forcing Pierre to jump up and run a little to keep up with him.

He is quite cold to be fair, but it’s the principle of the thing. “You’re a little shit!”

“I am, but you love me. That’s why I’m moving across the continent with you.” Charles shoots Pierre a cheeky grin, and in that moment, as his boyfriend is enveloped by the Christmas lights around them and snow falls slowly on their heads, he’s reminded of what he’s always thought and what he’s felt with Charles since the very first day.

Looking at his smile, Pierre just feels warm.

—

Charles does keep his promise, at least.

As soon as they get to the Gasly family home and they’re both out of their cold and wet clothes, they end up curled up next to the fireplace under more than a few blankets.

Charles hands are on Pierre immediately - around his torso, around his neck, touching his face or just holding Pierre’s own. Someone had once said Charles’ love language was physical touch, and they were definitely proven right in that moment. Every touch is careful, adoring - Pierre feels like the luckiest guy in the whole wide world.

“I’m really happy for you,” Charles whispers with his head on Pierre’s chest. Around them, Pierre’s family talk and skitter about, but the two of them remain in their own little bubble.

“Thank you, calamar.” Pierre leaves a kiss on the corner of his mouth and grabs his hand, squeezing it tightly. “I love you so much.”

Charles’ eyes soften, and he squeezes back. “I love you too, Pear.”

“Do you think you’re going to like London?” 

Even if his boyfriend had been nothing but enthusiastic about moving - and reminded him a million times that they already live pretty far away from their families, so a little bit more of a trip won't be an issue -, Pierre can’t lie and say that he’s not worried. Not just about Charles, but about himself as well. 

“I think we’re both going to love it.” He runs his thumb over Pierre’s knuckles back and forth in a soothing motion. “I’m cautiously optimistic.”

“Cautious? You’ve never cautious about anything in your life.”

Charles rolls his eyes exasperatedly. “We were having a sweet moment here, Pear.”

“Every moment is sweet with you, cherie.” He kisses him softly in an attempt to distract him from the teasing with cheesiness - but in reality, Pierre is really grateful for him and all he does. He does want Charles to know that.

“Okay, feed my ego,” Charles chuckles. “As long as you keep me warm, you will be fine.”

“Always, baby.”

[beardedmrbean]

A group of Russian troops sent to Ukraine to fight for the Kremlin’s “new” territory is threatening to raise absolute hell over what they describe as pointless suicide missions—and they’ve made clear they’re willing to turn their weapons on members of their own team if necessary.

The draftees from Kaliningrad have already appealed directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin to complain of ancient weapons, lack of training, and people dying “for nothing.” In a video released publicly earlier this week, they shamed top military brass by saying there appears to be no battlefield strategy whatsoever and declaring that “this is no way to fight a war.”

Now, a video has leaked capturing the aftermath of their complaints. In a five-minute clip released by the independent outlet Ostorozhno, Novosti, the men can be seen surrounding a commander sent out from Kaliningrad and warning him they will put up a fight if they are not heard.

“You can jail us all! How many years is it, 5, 7, 10? We don’t give a fuck!,” one soldier yells after the commander tries but fails to convince them to obey orders and storm Ukrainian positions.

The troops say they were never meant to be part of assault teams, but were instead assigned as members of territorial defenses. The Kremlin-backed proxy troops fighting in occupied Donetsk, they say, send them on suicide missions while they themselves “run away” or sit around away from the gunfire.

‘You’ve Been Screwed’: Russian Inmates Rebel and Flee From Commanders

They shout that they’d rather go to jail than go on guaranteed-to-fail assault missions “for who knows what.”

“Did you see that puddle of blood here? That person was sent to storm [Ukrainian positions], so he pulled the trigger, because he knew where he was headed,” one soldier says. “Do you want suicides here?”

After the commander responds that they’ve presented a “weak” argument for not obeying orders, they warn that they will use force.

“No one is going on this storm. You can fucking jail us all. And if someone tries to trick us and say we supposedly aren’t going there and then they throw us on the frontline, it will be a shitshow, it won’t be forgiven, we will just go head to head against them,” one soldier says.

“Honestly, we’re ready for that,” he says, asking the entire group: “Is everyone ready for that?”

“Yes, yes! Everyone!” the group responds in unison.

“We are so fucking angry after the deaths of our friends, … we’ll walk on foot, we’ll leave by taxi. Fight your fucking self!” the apparent leader of the group says.

He goes on to tell the commander that several other soldiers had been “taken away,” apparently after also protesting conditions.

“They came at night. What is that? Is it 1939? NKVD? Black ravens?” he said, referring to the Soviet secret police rounding up “enemies” in night-time raids.

The latest uprising by draftees is just the latest of many as the Russian war machine finds itself running out of men to use as cannon fodder. And in a particularly ironic twist, more and more of the same young Russian citizens that Putin claimed to be trying to protect from outside forces with his full-scale invasion are now being sacrificed for the sake of his conquest on Ukrainian land.

“Previously, the Donetsk and Luhansk draftees were used as expendable materials, but now it’s the Russians,” military analyst Kirill Mikhailov told iStories of the mounting conflict between Kremlin-backed troops in Ukraine’s occupied territories. “They cannot fight any other way. If the approach doesn’t fundamentally change, which I doubt, then Russian draftees will keep dying this way.”

[schrijverr]

Life is Ours, We Live It Our Way 1

Chapter 1 out of 18

Steve Harrington has always conformed to who others want him to be, however after everything that has happened with Vecna, he grows closer with Eddie and Robin. The three of them become an inseparable trio and in their queer sphere Steve learns that he isn’t as straight as he thought he was, he also isn’t a boy.

In this chapter, Steve grows up in an empty house, trying to be the perfect son, before trying to be the perfect high schooler, the perfect boyfriend, before getting dragged into the Upside Down shit and starts to learn to be a person.

On AO3.

Ships: None permanent (this is s1-4, canon compliant in ships)

Warnings: child neglect, one line about dubious consent, injuries

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

Forced Conformity

Steve has always molded himself to an image. It started long before he is even aware of the fact that that was what he is doing.

When he is a child his parents put him in the most uncomfortable suits, flattening his hair with enough product to drown a city. They drag him to boring parties and social events, where Steve is supposed to sit, be polite, be nice and, most importantly, be quiet. It is the most terrible thing for little Steve to do. He hates every second.

However, every time Steve goes without complaint. He sits at those tables or silently follows his mother through crowds in fancy places. Because those event are the only times his parents will say anything nice about him.

They’ll grin their fake and pleasant smiles as they exclaim how proud they are of their little Steven, who is growing into such a polite young man. And Steve will smile, at that point still adorable, and lets the elderly ladies fuss over him with a few polite words, while the gentlemen clap him on the back and ask him about sports, later girls.

And even at home, Steve tries to be that for his parents. Tries to be that perfect son they can brag about at functions, no matter how uncomfortable those make him. Forcing himself to be quiet and invisible at home, to excel, to be worthy of their attention.

He joins the middle school basketball team, the swim team, played baseball, even golf. He becomes friends with the boys on his team and talks with them about the girls, as everyone at the functions always expected of him. As his mother agreed that he was going to be heart breaker and his dad smirked something about them keeping their daughters away.

But his parents start to leave more and more, leaving him in an empty house.

The first few times, he thinks it’s great. They trust him with their precious house as they go to the meetings he isn’t allowed in, no longer having to sit outside the door, perfect posture in case they look through the glass. They give him money to order pizza and buy a few frozen dinners and Steve brags to his friends about being all grown up.

However, a few times turn into every weekend, sometimes midweek too. And Steve starts to miss his parents. Miss how they’ll tsk at him and tell him to sit straight, to go train, to do his homework and to stop stomping around. He misses the quiet dinners that suffocate him, because at some point his mother will deem it proper to ask after his day and he’ll get to speak a few words and be heard by them. Even if his father will roll his eyes at him, telling him to stop his childish games and focus on his career, on getting a sports scholarship, because ‘his brains won’t get him there.’

So, he throws himself into his sports, even when they’re not around. He does his homework best he can, though he doesn’t have anyone to ask when he gets stuck. But he tries so hard. Tries to be the person they bragged about, wanting to be dragged along to stuffy parties in itchy suits with tacky hair.

And slowly that deep missing ache, that desperation, starts to morph into resentment. He hates how his parents leave him behind, how they toss him aside. How he can’t make them proud. How they don’t even care how hard he tries.

In his anger, he seeks refuge in the other boys he has befriended. They’re all in high school now and the Seniors on their team have a pretty clear idea who they are supposed to be. And Steve embraces that.

He throws himself into the party lifestyle, staying out however late he wants because there are no disapproving parents to sneak away from.

The other start to crash at his house, telling their parents they’re having a sleep over, knowing that the respectable Harrington name protects them from further questions. Until, one of the boys notes Steve has a perfect party house. Desperate for the positive reinforcement and an anger to stick it to his folks, blasé he agrees to host his first party at fifteen years old.

Afterwards, his house is a mess. He spends the entire day desperately cleaning in case his parents smell that he hasn’t done as asked and return. But everyone had told him how great it was and that it was the best party this year and that high makes the cleaning a vomit stain out of his mother’s rug and washing more sheets than he should more bearable.

So, the Harrington house becomes the party house and Steve begins to rise in popularity.

His friends like him for his house, his money, his looks, his popularity and Steve doesn’t care, because they’re here and they cheer his name as he chugs a beer. They make him feel alive and wanted and Steve will do anything to keep that.

And thus he becomes known as King Steve, the guy everyone wants to be friends with, the guy you want to hang around. He conforms to the ideal of the popular guy, getting into the pants of girls that are older than him, unsure if he wants it until he gets congratulated by the captain of the basketball team, then all he can be is proud.

Steve probably would have been that guy until the end of time, if Nancy Wheeler didn’t catch his eye.

She is everything he has made himself not to be. She’s studious, uncaring of how she is perceived and unafraid to clap back when she doesn’t agree. And Steve is in awe of her. She is mesmerizing to him and he wants her to notice him, to care about him, to touch her persona and take some of it for himself.

So, he starts to conform to what Nancy would like. Takes notes in his classes, tries to do assignments and sits up front near her. His friends tease him for it, but he gets by, by telling them he is trying to turn ice queen Nancy, which is a feat no one has managed yet. And it’s worth it when he gets to a point where it isn’t suspicious to ask her to help him study.

He works his charm on her, learning the things she wants in a partner and what she finds important or cares about. In an attempt to get her to stay. If he just makes himself into what she sees, into what she wants, then maybe she’ll keep him. Maybe he’ll be enough.

Nancy becomes the most important person to him. He can relax with her, though he never fully does, he comes close.

And it’s her that makes him break the bond he’s had with the boys of his team for the first time in his life. Going against the grain, something he has never done before. Even with his parents, he has always ensured the house is clean when they’re there, taking their passive aggressive comments like they don’t hurt, starving for the attention even if it’s bad, because it’s the only thing he’s going to get.

Looking back, he knows that what he did was good, truly. He realizes how much of an asshole he was and he is glad he changed, but sometimes – on the dark days – he misses how easy it was.

But, he tells Tommy H. and Carol Perkins that they’re assholes, that he hates them a bit for it, that he doesn’t want to be this person, not when it means he might loose Nancy. He wants to be worthy of her, so he cleans up the cinema hating how he’s partially responsible for the harsh words he’s cleaning off.

He knows the cinema alone isn’t enough. He can’t go to face Nancy if he hasn’t made some changes for himself, so he goes to the Byers house to apologize to Jonathan. Because Jonathan hadn’t deserved what he said, he was no better than his father. And though he still wanted his father approval, he had seen enough to never want to be like him.

In the comforts of his own mind, he can also admit he’s a little bit jealous of Jonathan. Sure, the other boy might be a target, but he’s always himself. He isn’t in the spotlight, he can just move in the shadows without the expectations and the pressure. He is enough for Nancy without having to try so hard.

Apologizing to Jonathan turns his life upside down, quite literally.

Running back into the house is one of the things he does for himself, because he wants to. He doesn’t want Nancy to die, he doesn’t want her to loose Jonathan. Besides, he hasn’t cared about himself in a while, dying to keep someone else safe is a much better way to go than to live the rest of the life with the guilt.

So, he runs back in and lives, gaining a new perspective on life and new people in it. The kids are a surprise, he doesn’t have much with them, but he often sees them around when he goes to see Nancy. Because she chose Steve, he was good enough for her.

He tries to let the whole thing behind him, caring a little less about his popularity and more about making Nancy happy. He focuses on his classes, Nancy helping him, hoping that he’ll get into a college and make his father and Nancy proud.

Steve has always been good and being normal. He can do normal. He can leave behind the fact that there is an other dimension, that someone died in his backyard, that he almost died.

Normalcy has always been his thing. It has to be.

So, Steve doesn’t avoid the pool, no sir. He doesn’t jump at flickering lights or movement in the shadows. He doesn’t lie awake at night. He doesn’t keep a nail bat in the trunk of his car. He doesn’t keep a nightlight on like he’s some sort of child. Why would Steve Harrington do any of those things? He is a man.

He goes to the parties, plays his games and studies with Nancy. He lives his life like he is supposed to and he is happy like that.

And Steve probably could have kidded himself into thinking that was okay for a long time, were it not for the arrival of Billy. Because suddenly there is a rival. His popularity hasn’t been all that, but since no one has every touched him, he was able to move on like normal without much push back over it.

Now, there is Billy, who loves a good fight and is itching to push Steve of a throne he hasn’t thought about ever since he got it. It is just a part of him and he has figured out the movements to keep it.

Part of him balks at Billy, knows he is supposed to care about him coming in and pushing him around like that. If he wants to be accepted into the general populace, he can’t be seen like some sort of pussy. Yet, another part of him, the part that has been simmering under his skin ever since he went to apologize to Jonathan, just wants to ignore it and roll over. To let Billy be, because why should he care honestly.

Still, popularity and social status is important to him, it has been embedded to him from a young age. Seeking out crowds has kept him sane.

So, he settles for a middle ground. He doesn’t let himself be pushed around, stands his ground, but he doesn’t plant his feet. Doesn’t struggle like a man fighting for his life. He knows what that feels like and Billy is intimidating, but he has nothing on a demogorgon.

However, with Billy comes Max, who gets dragged into the kid’s bullshit. Mostly Dustin’s, but Steve gets it, even if his attempts at flirting pulled Steve back towards the danger of the Upside Down.

Before that happens, however, he gets his heartbroken. Nancy tells him it’s all bullshit in the bathroom of a random party that Steve no longer cares about. She tells him that he is bullshit and he wonders if she noticed that he tried to fit for her, if she watched his pathetic attempts to be good enough, looked as he failed.

Without Nancy he doesn’t know what to do with himself, not really.

That first night he goes home, the house is empty and he almost wishes his parents were there so that they could tell him how he failed them too, giving them something else to focus on. But they aren’t there and Steve trudges up to his room and sits on his bed, staring into nothing as he tries not to cry.

No tears slip by and that makes him feel a bit better, though the fact that he nearly cried like a pussy and how angry his father would have been if he had, makes something curl into his chest.

Angrily he rips apart his nightlight, breathing heavily. The moment he does, he regrets it and he spends the rest of the night awake, watching the door with his bat in hand, waiting for something terrible to happen, but it never does.

Steve allows himself a little time to wallow, before gathering himself into who he knows how to be. He buys flowers and practices an apology like is expected of him, finding all the charm he has build for himself over the years.

He never reaches the door. Instead, he is intercepted by Dustin, who asks him if he still has his nail bat and tells him to come. For once, Steve doesn’t mind admitting that he has it. It feels nice to be prepared, to have something when asked. And he doesn’t mind following Dustin either, it gives him a purpose, guidelines on how to be.

He has been a protector before, he can be one again.

Protecting the kids is terrifying and Steve loves and hates every moment of it. He hates seeing how scared the kids are, how their doom is dependent on him being good enough. But he also feels alive, his heart beating and he knows he is needed.

They live through the attack and Steve is glad everyone is safe. He didn’t fail these kids and he vows to himself that he won’t for as long as they let him.

So, he follows them to the haunted lab that has been the origin for all the horrors in his life. There they run into Nancy and Jonathan. Steve isn’t even mad to see them together, he was never worthy of Nancy like Jonathan was, he can admit that. They look good together. Better than he ever did with her.

He tells her as much when they’re all at the Byers house, once again at the place where it all started for him.

Back then he chose to be a protector for the first time and he is picking it again today. He is choosing to be there for the kids now, to let Nancy go. They need him in a way she never did and he knows that. He could never be Steve the good boyfriend, but he can try to be Steve the good babysitter.

Him and the kids watch the other go from the steps and Steve faces his first challenge as a babysitter; keeping them here.

They’re not like him. They haven’t learned to fear people with authority, they don’t think when speaking back and don’t get the sports references. Steve loves and hates them for it. They’re a group of little menaces and he just wants them to stay put and stay safe, but he can’t ignore the bit of pride he feels as they strategize to save their friends.

Still, the need to keep them safe wins out, so he blocks any plan they have vehemently. But before they can finish the argument and he can get his yes, Billy is outside.

Fucking Billy.

From what he has heard from the kids, he is a massive asshole, especially to Lucas and Max. Steve feels disgusted at the other. He is nearly a fucking adult, yet he is terrorizing a bunch of kids, who have done nothing. Steve deserves to be pushed around a little, but not them.

He has to take one look into Max’s terrified eyes to know he is protecting her. He has only known her for a few hours, but she is part of his group now and he has chosen to protect them. He isn’t going to let these kids down when they need him.

So, he goes out there and faces Billy. His struggle at school has already shown him he can’t win this fight, so he just prays he can send Billy away. That doesn’t work of course, Steve is down in seconds.

For a brief moment, he seriously contemplates just lying there and wallowing in his misery. The great Steve Harrington. How the mighty have fallen, he thinks.

His father always told him to be a man, to stand up for himself and to win if he got in a fight, not get beaten down like some weak girl. His mother always admonished him for appearances. ‘We have an image we need to maintain, Steven,’ she’d tell him. His coaches always told him to never be intimidated by the other team, to get out there and kick ass.

But why should he care now? His parents are not home enough to check if he’s maintaining his image or winning fights and his coaches have taken Billy’s side. So, why should he care that he is beaten down? He lost, it’s that simple. Might as well accept it.

Then he hears the kids scream and he scrambles to his feet as quick as he can. He has accepted his own defeat, he can live with that, but not those kids. He needs to make sure they’re okay. He promised he would keep them safe. They need him to fight Billy.

He charges back into the house, ready to fight Billy for as long as is necessary for those kids to get away.

Like he expected, he looses. Big time. He gets a few good hits in before Billy smashes a plate over his head, before going to town on his face. At some point Steve stops struggling and lets the darkness take him.

When he wakes up he is confused as fuck, before he realizes what is going on. Once he does, the only thing he can think is: I fucked up. Again.

And despite his best efforts they cannot be stopped. They are going down there, no matter what he does. He can join them or leave them to their doom, it’s his decision. And just like he did a year ago, he picks going back in there.

There isn’t much Steve has chosen for himself and there isn’t much he is genuinely proud of, but this? Stepping up with the Upside Down? That he can do. There he is useful. So, he walks through those tunnels, trying not to stumble through them, but keep upright and not let the kids know how there are spots dancing in his vision and his hearing is ringing.

In the end, he manages to keep them alive, but he can’t help but think about Nancy’s disappointed look when she heard what happened to the kids. Can’t stop thinking of Hopper bringing him to the hospital. How his parents never even send a card or called back to ask if he was okay. He tells himself it doesn’t bother him. He is lying.

King Steve dies in the fall of ‘84.

Coming back to school after his recovery from the wounds Billy inflicted is the definitive end to his reign. Everyone has heard about their showdown and it is obvious by looking at them who won, not to mention that Nancy has been glued to Jonathan’s side too. Lost the fight and lost the girl.

Steve doesn’t care that much, knowing the kids are across the field in the middle school running around like little shits are supposed to.

Though, a part of him hopes his parents don’t hear. He doesn’t think he can handle their disappointed looks and sniped comments and if he cries, his father might tear him apart in a way he won’t recover from.

With his lack of popularity, Steve drifts through his the second half of his Senior year a bit like a ghost.

He doesn’t retain information like he used to and he gets headaches if he concentrates too much, so his grades slip to barely passing. He can’t play sports due to his head injury, so he misses it when scouts come by. Therefore, his chances at college are looking slimmer and slimmer. A fact Steve is trying to ignore. He can’t cope with more changing like that. He needs to hold on to the future he’s always been told he will have. So he works on his shitty essays and muddles through.

The tactic of ignoring a problem comes crashing down once he has graduated and only gets letters that start with: ‘Dear Mr. Harrington, we are sorry to inform you that…’

Of course his parents are home to receive those letters, each one making them more disappointed than the one before. His father blows up, naturally. Steve lets it wash over him and wills himself not to cry, trying to cling to the last fringes of the person his father wants him to be. The person he has never quite managed to become.

His parents skip town soon after, leaving Steve with just his car and the bills for the house along with empty job applications for the mall, since ‘that is all you’re good for.’

Steve doesn’t turn on the AC after the first bill all summer, seeking his refuge at Scoops Ahoy, not even minding the stupid sailor outfit that much next to the cool air from the freezers. That and the fact that Robin is there.

It takes the two awhile to warm up to one another. Steve thinks she’s a little weird and gets uncomfortable with how much she can be herself, much like he had done with the other nerds at school. While Robin takes awhile to believe he isn’t King Steve anymore, though he sad last few months helped there.

Robin is actually pretty cool. Not that Steve will ever admit that to her, because she is a band kid and a dork and there is his mother’s voice stuck in his head, talking about appearances. (It’s the same voice that makes him flirt and flirt even if he doesn’t know if he wants to succeed. He just knows it’s expected and he doesn’t know how to do anything but try and fulfill expectations.)

He has no clue who he is, if he’s honest. He has always viewed his life pretty straightforwards. He was going to graduate, get into college with a sports scholarship, marry Nancy, work for his father and settle down.

Now, he is a failure, who couldn't get into college and can’t even get one date. No one told him how to act in this scenario, because no one wanted him to turn out like this. But he has and he doesn’t know what to do with himself right now. So he just slings ice cream and listens to Robin ramble or tease him.

The only times he feels a bit okay is when the kids come in. Then he gets to give them ice cream or sneak them into the movies, making him feel like he is of some use to them. He can brighten their day. Make it a little better after all they’ve seen. (And check that they’re all still okay and breathing, though he will never voice that fear. It’s ridiculous, he knows. He shouldn’t be worrying like some sort of girl.)

All in all, Starcourt isn’t that bad.

It gets better when Dustin returns. He has always been closest with the kid, annoying as he may be from time to time. And Dustin needs him. Dustin goes to him for help. Sure, Steve may not be smart enough to actually help much besides the music, but out of everyone Dustin went to him. Selfishly, he likes that.

Of course he hates that Dustin is in danger, that they put Robin and Erica in danger, but for those days/hours (?) that they are in danger, Steve feels okay. It’s fucked. He knows he’s fucked in the head. But being able to protect again, to stand between them and danger, feels good.

He sacrifices himself with Robin to let Dustin and Erica get away, then makes sure he’s a better target to keep Robin safe.

His head gets bashed in again and he can hardly breathe. It all pounds and swirls, his ears are ringing and his vision is blurry. Steve is very much not okay, but his mind is quiet and that makes it not so bad.

Not that he can think much about anything soon after, since he and Robin are drugged to the gills by the Russians.

Faintly he knows something is wrong, but he can’t seem to care much. It’s only much later that he drowns in hatred for himself over giving them Dustin’s name. That’s one of his kids. One of the kid’s he is meant to keep safe and he couldn't even manage that.

Still, he’s too hopped up on drugs when they’re being saved, the movie not making any sense. So, he and Robin sneak away. The lights above them pretty until they’re puking their guts out.

In that moment, he finally thinks clearly for the first time in awhile. The drugs are supposed to bring out the truth, right? And Steve feels elated right now. He and Robin have grown much closer over the course of this whole Russian debacle. Dustin is right, it makes sense for him to like her. Who cares that she isn’t popular, he is trying not to be King Steve anymore, so that shouldn’t matter. He likes Robin, he can tell her that.

He is Steve Harrington, lady’s man extraordinaire, he can woo Robin. That’s what he does. That’s normal. That’s him, right?

That feeling immediately gets shot down when Robin is silent, obviously leading up to the so manieth rejection this summer. And he realizes how stupid he’s being. Of course she doesn’t like him, he just almost got her killed.

The need to make sure she’s okay comes over him. He remembers how he felt after the first time going through this. Steve won’t wish being along with it on anyone. His own stupid feelings can wait. Robin needs him and the only thing Steve is good at is being needed.

But Robin is fine. She only had to gather herself before rejecting Steve. Or that’s what it feels like until he catches on.

Robin is a lesbian.

She likes girls.

She likes girls in the way Steve likes girls.

It takes a moment before his concussed brain computes that. Then he remembers he has to say something to her. She’s probably freaking out now. He doesn’t want her to freak out.

If one of his friends told him of their crush, Steve would tease them over it. Robin is his friend, this is not any different. So, he looks back at her and makes fun of Tammy Thompson’s singing and soon Robin is smiling again. He likes that’s Robin is smiling again, he hates how she looked before. So unsure and scared. So still. Robin isn’t supposed to be still.

He vows to makes sure Robin never has to look like that again. She’s one of his now. He’ll get over his heartbreak, he always does.

Then Dustin and Erica are there and they’re dragged away into a whole new ride. Honestly, the giant flesh monster is new and Steve doesn’t like it. He can’t hit it with his bat and he hates how powerless he feels.

They watch Billy die and Steve knows Max isn’t going to be okay as he watches her cry, while he just stands there unable to move. He hates feeling so helpless. The feeling only intensifies when Joyce and Murray come up, Hopper nowhere in sight.

This is the worst fight they’ve had so far.

Soon everyone is breaking down. The mall is swarmed by government personnel that will make them sign all sorts of documents soon enough, though now they’re too busy taking stock of everything and coming up with a good cover.

Before long, the mall has been set on fire and the group is outside, waiting for concerned parents to come pick them up.

Without Hopper, there is no one to force to Steve to the hospital, telling him he can’t drive in this condition. The person Steve could always turn to after these things is no more. A lump forms in his throat at the thought, but he keeps the tears in.

Their leader is gone. The strong one is no more. And looking around the lost people in the parking lot, Steve knows someone has to be strong. So, he pushes all the feelings away and squares his shoulders as he stands there until each and every one of his kid’s is safely picked up by their parents.

Then he drives to his house. He should probably go to the hospital, but he can’t bring himself to go there all alone. He’s fine anyways. It’s totally fine.

Those first few days he’s all alone in the house. His parents’ secretary calls to check up on him, telling him his parents asked after his college applications. Steve hangs up on her and goes back to sleep. His head is still pounding and he doesn’t think the vision in his left eye will ever be the same again.

He goes to the funeral of Hopper and stands there stoically, letting Joyce cry, held up by himself and Jonathan. Holds El’s hand and hugs her close, knowing he will never be Hopper.

A part of him expected to never see Robin again, but after a week or so of wallowing in his own misery, she’s on his doorstep.

“Hey, so I know this is like totally awkward, because you know, love confession and stuff, but I was looking for a new job, because I need the money to pay for college. And I know that you probably don’t need the money, but I found myself looking for places for two, because I need my schmuck there, you know? So, now I’m here awkwardly asking if you want to go job hunting together?” she asks and her rambling is like a breath of fresh air in Steve’s life.

He can’t help the smile that pulls on his face, even if it still hurts to do. He smirks and says: “I’ll get over you, Buckley, you’re not that special. Besides, you need me there to keep you out of trouble.”

“Uhm, I keep you out of trouble, dingus,” she guffaws, but she’s smiling anyway.

“And I kinda do need the money,” Steve tells her, unsure why, since he hasn’t told anyone else about this. He supposes getting tortured together forms a bond.

“You do?”

“Yeah, me paying the bills for this house is included in me learning my lesson,” Steve shrugs. “Shit gets expensive.”

Robin looks taken aback, then smiles broadly, before saying: “Well, then I hope you like movies, because if this goes right, you’re seeing a lot of them. Also can you drive? Biking is a pain after awhile.”

So, he gets dragged into another job with Robin and he isn’t complaining. It’s good to be out of the house, not wallowing in all the moments he went wrong, all the hurt he could have prevented if he had done better.

Working is good for him. He needs the reason to get out of the house, to interact with people. It gives him a sense of purpose in the hollow aftermath of another Upside Down incident.

Around him, everyone slowly bounces back. The Byers and El move away, Dustin starts to annoy him at his new place of work, Mike scowls at him again, Max comes by to show him new tricks and Lucas asks about basketball.

Everyone is getting better, moving on.

Part of Steve feels like he will never move on. But it’s getting easier, though maybe that’s just because he has Robin this time around. He has never been so grateful for another person, even if he feels guilty about dragging her into this mess.

He might not unload on her, he does that alone, crying in the middle of the night, because it’s so unfair that this happened to those sweet kids. That they have to live with that. That they will never un-know this. But she helps.

Robin is different from the others. He knows that sounds like a line he used on Nancy, maybe a few other girls, but it’s not like that. He doesn’t mean it in the douche-y ‘I don’t respect women, who are feminine’-way, but in the ‘you are weird and you just embrace it, because you’ve learned that doing anything else makes you sad and I respect you so much for it’-way.

Sure, she might have to hide certain parts of herself, but it isn’t because she doesn’t know them or is afraid of them. She just knows the world sucks.

She makes him realize he has no clue who he is.

He probably should have realized that sooner, but he knows he has never been the smartest (though Robin says he needs to stop saying that). It’s just that without the expectations of his father or the basketball team or the girls, he has no clue who to be.

The kids need him as a babysitter, a strong figure, sure, but they don’t care about what he needs to do. They know he protects them and he can be whoever he wants outside of that. It’s a bit strange to have people, who don’t expect him to bend over backwards to fit into their ideal of who he is supposed to be.

Steve knows he is no longer cool or the suave lady’s man (something that looses appeal when you’ve looked death in the eye so many times and you don’t want to look cool, you just want to be comfortable for a change). He tells Robin as much, after a girl just gave him her number and Robin winks: “There he is again. A successful date!”

“Yeah…” Steve says, unsure how to feel about it. He usually would have jumped on the opportunity, but he can’t find excitement in himself. It feels like a chore. Something he should do, because people will talk if he doesn’t. Appearances must always be kept, his mother’s voice reminds him.

“Are you alright, dingus?” Robin asks, tentatively.

“I don’t know,” Steve shrugs, surprising both of them with his honesty. “She was cute and all, but it feels like a must. I don’t know if I want to make the effort, when most of my clothes aren’t even comfortable. I don’t think I want to spend a night making awkward conversation in tight clothes and being gawked at when I don’t even wanna be in my own skin.”

And he doesn’t even know where most of that came from, like he hasn’t even realized how he felt until it stumbles out of his mouth.

Robin is quiet for a moment and Steve fears he has said something weird and fucked it all up, but then there are two wiry arms around him. It takes him a second to realize she is hugging him. He knows she doesn’t like hugging, but knows he craves it. They’re usually fine with casual touches, feeding Steve need for touch without making Robin uncomfortable. But she pushed that aside, because she knows he needs the hug.

He hugs her back fiercely for a second, able to breathe again in her arms. Though he longs for it, he doesn’t hold on for long. Robin deserves her space and she’s given him more than enough.

Then he feels her hands on his cheeks and makes sure he is looking in her eyes. She forcefully and intently says: “Steve Harrington, listen close to me. You deserve to be as comfortable as possible, you hear me? You can wear comfortable clothes and say no to dates. You don’t have to do things if you don’t want to.”

Steve doesn’t want to admit it, but it’s one of the most revolutionary things he has ever heard in his life. Though it must show on his face, because the next day Robin comes in and gives him a sweater her mom bought her that she has always hated. It’s bright yellow and should be ridiculous, but it’s one of the most comfortable items he has ever had and it becomes one of his favorites.

She also forces him to take her to the shops, telling him they’re buying him all the comfortable clothes he needs. She calls it ‘Operation De-prepping Steve’ and he hates and loves her for it. It’s one of the funnest days he’s had in a long time.

The first time he dresses slightly outside his normal clothes, he feels a bit like he is doing something illegal. His parents haven’t been home in four months, but he still expects his mother to come jumping out the shadow, tutting about he looks like a hooligan.

Instead the house remains quiet and Steve puts on the wider jeans and sweater without anyone saying a thing. It’s nothing revolutionary. If he’s honest, he doesn’t look very different, maybe a little bit softer. The sweater is mostly new. But he is comfortable for the first time in awhile. The pants don’t feel stifling and then sweater gives him room to breathe.

And slowly Steve starts to feel okay.

He is still far from being normal or secure in who he is, but he starts to settle. He manages to sleep a few full nights, doesn’t feel the need to radio every morning to check if everyone made it through the night and even removes the bat from the trunk of his car.

There is still an ache in his chest where Hopper always resided and he misses Joyce and the Byers like a limb. They call sometimes and El sends him letters, but it isn’t the same. He still feels like he needs to be strong for the kids and he can only confide some parts in Robin. But he is doing much better.

It’s at that point that the kids start high school and start coming into Family Video afterwards talking about their new cool friend Eddie Munson.

Steve is suspicious of that at first and interrogates them until he is sure they’re not friends with the guy because he’s selling to them. If Eddie was, he would threaten him a bit, Steve thinks. But he isn’t, apparently he is playing their nerd game with them and is very good at it. He still side eyes the super-super Senior, but he can admit he doesn’t sound like a threat to the kids. He actually sounds like he is good for them. Steve is just a little jealous.

And he hates that he is feeling like that. The kids deserve all the guidance and normalcy they can get, Steve doesn’t want to take that from them. He could never live with himself if he did.

He just hates that he has to go searching again. Because Steve had just decided that he could still be the babysitter and, without Joyce or Hopper here, the adult they can turn to. He might not have it all figured it out yet, who he wants to be, but he can still give the kids advice, drive them around, make sure they know he’s there. But he isn’t he only one anymore.

He knows he’s being stupid, because Lucas still plays basketball with him, Dustin still comes by the store after school whenever he can and Max still asks him to drive her to the big skate park a town over. Even Mike asked about what to write to El that one time.

They’re not forgetting him or anything. They’re just growing up and that’s good. It’s good that they get to grow up.

Steve is so fucking proud of them and he can’t really tell them that, because that would be weird, so he just does as much as he can. Whatever money he doesn’t spend on groceries or bills (along with the small portion he is putting away from each paycheck, so that maybe one day, he can move out of that cold house) goes to the kids. He always shows up when they ask and only complains for show.

The group gets settled as Freshmen and start getting busier and busier as the school year drags on and he accepts that they pull away slightly. He has always known that they’re meant for better, bigger things and slowly waning himself off their presence is good for him, he thinks. He’ll hate himself for the thought when they find out about how Max has been doing.

Their absence clears his schedule a bit and Steve decides to start dating again. He just isn’t good at being alone and he likes the company. Besides Robin is always telling he can do whatever he wants, right now he wants to date again.

She also tells him to be himself and though he doesn’t know exactly who that is yet, he has enough scraps to build on and he feels closer to an answer than before.

Once Robin comes in later that day, he lets her ramble for a bit, before softly saying: “I- uhm, I have a date this Friday.”

“What! Oh my god, I’m so proud of you!” she practically yells, shaking him in her excitement, nearly making him jump out of his skin, since she is coming from the left and his vision in that eye is permanently beyond fucked.

But he can’t help but grin at her excitement and pride. She is one of the first people, who expected nothing from him and he loves her so much. It’s insane to imagine a time where she hasn’t been in his life.

“Who is the lucky lady,” Robin asks, wiggling her brows.

Steve snorts, before saying: “Her name is Stacy, she was a total babe. Sucks that you missed her, but you only have eyes for one person, hey. How’s Vicky?”

“Shut up,” Robin tells him, slapping his arm, blush on her cheeks. Not that her own comment stops her from going on a tangent about how she did something cute during band practice.

The date is alright. Steve puts on one of his older outfits and styles his hair into perfection. It’s a bit uncomfortable and he vows that next time he will wear something that is more him, a thought that makes him smile. He doesn’t really click with Stacy, but he feels more sure of himself the next time a girl flirts with him.

It’s not perfect, but it’s better than Steve thought he would have in a long time.

The best parts are when the kids come around or when he’s hanging out with Robin. They mostly see each other at work or when Steve is driving her to school, but from time to time they hang out at home as well. Robin’s mother is convinced they’re dating and the door needs to be open when they’re in there, but with Steve’s parents being away so much they have all the privacy they could ever want.

Not to do anything wrong. Neither of them are the biggest fans of drinking or smoking weed after the Russians (Steve more so than Robin) and with Robin being a lesbian nothing dirty is going on either. It just gives them a space to talk.

Robin confides in how she never felt like she truly fit in. She has always been the weird kid, who took friendships too seriously and got upset when her friends started to drift away for a boy. How she had to invent crushes just to feel normal. To be accepted. How much she hated it. How she stopped and just accepted that she isn’t going to have many friends, always is going to be odd.

At first, Steve doesn’t really understand. He has always fit in. He was the child his parents bragged about, the boy others wanted to be befriend and the guy ladies wanted to know.

But once he takes a moment to reflect, the part about having to morph herself to fit in, strikes a chord. Because Steve has always been that person, because others told him to be. It’s not exactly like Robin’s story about her fake crushes, but he knows the feeling. Softly he asks: “How did you figure out who you were?”

“Being a lesbian?” she asks. “I mean, the thought of being with a man disgusted me, so that was pretty easy.”

Steve snorts softly at her blunt reply, then shakes his head. “No, I mean… I don’t know. Nevermind. It’s stupid now that I think of it.”

“I told you to stop calling things you do stupid, dingus,” Robin informs him. She’s lying on his bed, her head hanging over the edge, while Steve is sitting cross legged on the floor. “As your best friend, I have bullying you privileges. No one else can be mean to you, that includes you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he rolls his eyes, but he can’t deny that he’s touched.

“So, what did you wanna ask?” Robin prompts.

“You’re just so sure in your nerdy self,” Steve shrugs. “You know you don’t fit in and you know exactly how. You have likes, dislikes, hobbies, interests, that sort of shit. How did you do that?”

“How did I find hobbies?” Robin clarifies, obviously confused.

“See, I told you it was stupid,” Steve exclaims, slumping a bit.

“No, no, no, it’s not stupid,” Robin assures him. “It just surprised me, that’s all. I mean, it’s kind of something that grows naturally. You try things and if you like them, they stick and if you don’t, you stop. You have basketball and swimming, right?”

“I guess,” Steve says. He had actually liked sports a lot, but with his fucked up vision his depth perception is shit and it’s not as much fun, he has learned by coaching Lucas. Not to mention that swimming, especially at home, reminds him of Barb, he can’t play basketball without being reminded of Billy, and baseball has been ruined by the demogorgon fight.

Robin picks up on something in his voice, because she nudges him and says: “Mostly, it’s been having an environment where all is alright. Being a lesbian isn’t the most fun in Bumfuck, Indiana, but when you go into the big city there’s actually a bit of a community. It’s just all people who don’t care who you and what you do, as long as you’re happy. And you get to try things you wouldn’t think to try. It’s nice.”

Steve thinks about it for a second. While it’s not the same, he remembers how the kids and Robin came into his life and showed him he didn’t have to drink himself into a near coma each weekend to be liked. That he could listen to Max’s tapes and secretly enjoy them. That he could listen to them talk about their nerd game and actually try to understand, because that meant more to them than him trying to be cool. That he can listen to Robin ramble and be fond and love her without it having to be romantic.

“Yeah, I get that,” he says after a second.

“You should come sometime,” Robin offers. “We can go together. I won’t have to sneak away from my parents and you might enjoy yourself.”

“But- But, it’s not exactly my place, would I be welcome?” Steve practically whispers. He loves Robin and will gladly drive her there so she could be herself. She deserves that. But he doesn’t want to impose on a place that is not meant for him, just because he has a few issues.

“Of course, you’re welcome,” Robin assures him. “It’s open to anyone who is accepting and I think it’s nice for people to see there are straight people, who accept gay people. They’ll love you.”

He hesitates for another moment and Robin says: “It doesn’t have to be soon. I mean, it’s too cold to go hanging around the city in the winter break, but maybe we can go last day of spring break. We can work doubles for the rest and have cash to spend. It’ll be fun.”

“Alright,” he agrees. Spring break ‘86 is far enough of away to get used to the idea. He does love Robin and he’s been working on internal biases for her, but it sounds overwhelming, even if it might be good for him.

“Great,” she smiles and it’s so bright that he will never consider regretting his decision.

That Christmas, he spends the day with Robin and eats dinner with the Hendersons. Mrs. Henderson is happy to talk to anyone and Dustin is delighted to have him there. It’s nice. Warm.

Last year his parents had hoisted him into an uncomfortable suit and dragged him along to one of their fancy parties in a way they hadn’t in a while. He hadn’t graduated yet and they could pretend to brag about their son, who would certainly get into a good college soon.

He’s too much of a failure for them to even pretend to be interested in him now.

And so he rolls into the new year. They celebrate without firework, after the mall none of them like them much. It’s small and homey, nothing at all like the big parties he used to throw and Steve can’t be happier about it.

All in all 1986 starts as a good year and by the time spring break rolls around. Steve has finally come to terms with the fact that he might not have to be on guard all the time and he is looking forwards to going into the city with Robin. It’ll be a fun trip. He has been reading up on some things, not wanting to be insensitive. He understands some of their experiences and worries and thinks he’ll get along, even if he doesn’t fit in like that.

Which is why Dustin and Max have to come into his store with talks of flickering lights and the murder that just happened.

Of fucking course.

Later he’s ashamed and fucking guilty that a part of him wanted to believe Eddie was guilty. Because if Eddie was guilty then this is just a murder like in other small towns. Then it’s not the Upside Down again. And selfishly, then he won’t have to share the kids anymore.

However, despite his cocky attitude, Dustin is rarely wrong and they find Eddie scared out of his mind and very much innocent, hiding as the town rallies to hunt him down. Steve remembers his first time dealing with this and he can’t imagine how Eddie is feeling.

So, he tries to be there for the guy that he was so jealous of just days prior. Tries to push it all away and make sure Eddie is okay. Something about the man, makes it that Steve feels connected, like they have something in common, though he can’t place what.

Not that there is much time to think about that with everything crashing down around them. Steve doesn’t know if it’s worse than before because they’re finally facing the mastermind, or because he is the strong adult now and he can never be Hopper or Joyce or even El with her superpowers. He’s just Steve, who is facing a threat he can’t hit.

On top of that, he has gotten hurt, before the big fight. He needs to be in top shape, but his sides are aching and he knows he won’t be at his best when facing Vecna.

Like Robin, Steve has a bad feeling about this, though he doesn’t want to admit it yet.

Maybe it’s that fear that pushes him towards Nancy. He’s not in love with her. Not anymore. She broke his heart and he can’t go back to that, Robin has instilled enough self worth in him that he doesn’t try to be a rebound, since there is obviously something going on between her and Jonathan right now.

But he was alright when he was with Nancy. He could be the person she needed, beat up the demogorgon. With her he was still winning and he needs to feel like he can still win. So, he circles Nancy again to make him feel a little hopeful about it all.

The looks Robin are sending him, tell him that she thinks that’s a bad idea and he knows that. He’s just too stupid to stop, because Max is going to be the bait and Dustin is going to be in real danger, and he won’t be there to protect either of them. So, he tells Nancy about a dream he had mostly forgotten about until they were in that stupid RV.

Luckily, he doesn’t get the time to do something truly idiotic out of fear and stress, because they go back into Upside Down, he lives through some of the worst moments of his life, gives Eddie mouth to mouth and CPR, drags him out of there, then collapses right alongside him.

~~

A/N:

I’m always torn between Steve having a small crush that could have been more but never was because he actively worked to squash it when Robin came out until they’re platonic besties and he couldn’t imagine her any other way. Or him confusing his platonic feelings for her because he is expected to like the girl and he hasn’t had too many friends, so he doesn’t really know what friendship feels like…

I don’t know, but Steve seems a lot more settled in season 4, like he has come to terms with himself a bit. Like, he obviously still has issues, but almost like he’s working on it? Idk, if I’m making sense

[reworkingsofatiredmind]

Ramblings #2

I’m sitting here, staring out the window like I care what the trees are doing. It’s dark outside, so I can’t even see them bend and twist in the convulsing winds, doubling them over in the rain. I only see myself illuminated in the glass; the glow of the computer and dark frame of my hair makes me a shape against the stark wall.

I can see the hanging exercise rings, remembering a time when lockdown was a thing and we only had those to get us off our feet once in a while. No gym or freedom from the world.

This place just feels bleak and cold.

Living in the valley, the temperature drops much quicker and I’m lacking the hugs that would keep me warm. There’s just a coldness in the air, hanging like dead things that don’t want to leave this place, or can’t perhaps. I would say they’re stuck here not by choice or else they’d follow the warmth shining down in the afterlife and rejoice. It’s a cruel thing to be stuck here beneath the white clinical bedroom lights, blasting down nakedly.

I feel diminished against the cold blue curtain that hangs almost black. It was a nice idea to go for blue and gold, it seemed regal to me. But it’s hard to feel that way when the curtain hangs beneath torn, limp 50-year-old wallpaper sending dust to the floor from old bodies that fell victim to decrepit old age. Meanwhile, the Mona Lisa sits pert against the curtain like she’s supposed to make things feel more regal too. But the corner of her page falls like the wallpaper does, though she’s put up by us with blue tack and good intentions. Some foreshadow, no doubt, to our decline. Left no better than the old wallpaper of the predecessors.

Mould lines the window frames; it’s only going to get worse as the damp sets in and takes over this place. Complaints of cold and mould and damp will be the way we spend the winter months. Not a penny to our name to put the storage heater on, even if it did work. It doesn’t of course. But this is supposed to be my home, the place I feel safe and happy. But, like Star, I’ll leave the house for the day and feel energised and refreshed but return to a cloud that hangs overhead as I enter through the front door. I feel stuck here like some prisoner, yet I never feel ready to leave again despite knowing what lies outside is much better than this. Green leaves, blue skies, vast horizons.

Star and I explore the pastures opposite the house freely, meandering among cows and searching for pheasants. Adventurers like small children. But even in that, a contentious anarchy obscures every pleasurable step by paw or boot. Is there happiness really? Or are we each consumed to think upon the things we hate, detest, can’t stand, won’t put up with. I used to be better at looking at the good things. I used to be good at the joy of life.

Or, maybe I never was.

Maybe I just knew there was no one to listen before so I swallowed my thoughts and accepted my lot. Now I feel like there’s someone who should listen. Said they would listen. But won’t. I don’t know. These thoughts are pointless. But at least that sound of keys is bashing out the silence; forcing the habit, the deep connection to what’s going on inside my belly. Until my fingers slow, that is, and I tire from this feeling because what’s deep inside right now isn’t joyful or elated. It’s heavy. I am the earth, but it feels like the universe is spinning around me and I don’t know how to make it stop. My head hurts, and I can’t breathe. I don’t feel free.

[primofate]

Hi there, can I request the boys seeing you got injured or being attacked, whichever is fine ^^

Hey anon! You didn’t specify how injured but I’ll just run with it hahaha :)

Shortfic

Scenario: You got injured Part 1

Part 2 with Zhongli

Part 3 with Xiao

Characters: gn! reader x Diluc, Kaeya, Albedo, Childe

Warnings: angst, injury, no character death though

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If you’d like to be extra sweet and donate, here’s my kofi link: 

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Diluc

“Master Diluc, if I could just interrupt--” one of the caretakers in the winery walked up to his office and prepared for the assault of words that could be fired towards him, sure enough, Diluc interrupted. “What is it? I’m a little busy right now, make it quick,” he hadn’t turned his face to look at the grim expression weaving in and out through the caretaker. Hadn’t bothered to look up to check if there was anything amiss, but the caretaker continued quickly “It’s Y/N,” the caretaker had only paused for a moment but Diluc had already picked his head up at the mention of your name. It was here that he realises something must have gone wrong, the caretaker’s expression was not a pleasant one. He was up on his feet, eyes widening a fraction at the following words, “They came back to the mansion seconds ago and they’ve been injured past what Adelinde could fix so we called for a doctor—”

In Diluc’s hurry he had stumbled over his chair, it tripping behind him with a thud on the floor but he ignored it and fast runs towards your room. Dear Archons he should NOT have let you go on that commission by yourself. You could hold your own, yes, but things happened and he really should have thought that through first. He was berating himself for it as he swung the door open. “Y/N?!” 

The urgency in his voice tells you that he perhaps had the wrong idea of what was happening, it was really just a gash on your leg, although it was bleeding profusely, the cut must have been deeper than you thought. The maid had already placed a tourniquet to stop and slow the bleeding. You tried not to show it in your face, not wanting to alarm your lover any further, but it. hurt. like. hell. “Diluc, I’m fine, it’s just a gash,” 

The maid that was previously sitting on the chair next to your bed moves away, Diluc replacing her, his eyes didn’t tear away from the wound on your leg, his expression contorted to that of worry and nervousness, before finally turning to your face, reaching a hand out to cradle your cheek. “Stop lying. You’re pale, you’re sweating--” of course he sees through you, he knows the second you get upset, knows every crease on your forehead and every slight furrow of the brow. He had memorized every inch of his beautiful, beautiful treasure. “Your hands are trembling, you’ve lost too much blood, where’s the doctor?!” He grips your hand at the realization that you might actually be in a more dire situation than presented, and just on cue the doctor comes through the door, asking for some time alone with you to do his job. 

Diluc paces outside the door, unable to stay in one place for long. He kept thinking about how frail you looked. How, if you were unlucky, it wouldn’t have just been your leg. He shook his head at the thought. He didn’t know how he was going to let you out of his sight from then on. He knew full well it would annoy you to have him following you around everywhere but.... How could he not after this?

The doctor emerged half an hour later and explained that you just needed a bit of rest and that, with a little healing magic, you didn’t need the stitches at all. “Don’t let them use that leg for a day and they should be fine, it’s nothing life-threatening but they did lose a lot of blood and is going to need time to recuperate. They’re asleep at the moment,” 

Diluc takes note of everything and quietly slips into your room. They must have sedated you in the process and he sighs as he plops down on the chair that was still placed next to your bed. His eyes soften at the sight of you finally relaxed and less in pain, hand reaching out to brush off strands of stray hair that blocked his view of your face. “You’re the only one who can scare me this much,” he mutters under his breath, as if complaining and he swears that he sees a very small and light grin on your face, as if teasing him. He smiles a little, just happy that you’re stabilized and leans in to kiss your forehead, opting to stay by your side till you wake up.

----------

Kaeya

“What do you mean unconscious?”

“J-Just as we said, Captain. They were unconscious when we found them,” Kaeya sighs in slight exasperation. Normally he was a jolly camper but when the knight in front of him is unable to say how injured you are, Kaeya gets a little wordy. “I meant to say why were they unconscious? Were they hurt? Where are they now?”

Kaeya stands. He was in the middle of some Favonius paper work. “They were bleeding profusely from the head,” Kaeya stops as if lightning has struck him and stares pointedly at the knight. “These details should be said early on,” he thought that it had just been something less threatening. Perhaps you had somehow passed out, exhausted, on your bedroom floor. Or perhaps had just rolled from the bed and onto the floor. They said that they found you in the bedroom, and his blood froze when he realizes that someone went in there to attack you.

Kaeya doesn’t bother talking the other knight into giving better reports next time, he’d do that later. He could guess that you were probably taken into the Favonius infirmary. Sure enough, when he walks in there, face scrunched up into what could only be described as worry and anger mingling together, you were awake, head bandaged up and your eyes meet. His heart breaks at how you still smile at him despite the fact that he wasn’t there to protect you. He stands next to the infirmary bed and gingerly touches your cheek, peering into your eyes. “Y/N, what happened?” he asks, eyes scanning the bandages wrapped around you. “Who did this?” and there was that angry and cold undertone in his voice that you rarely heard, as if his cryo vision had taken over his whole being.

“I’m sorry, Kaeya, I-- I can’t quite remember,” You put a hand up to cover half of your eye, your head was still throbbing and in quick realization Kaeya eases up on you and gently pushes you on your back to rest. “It’s fine, sorry, I just--” he cuts his own speech off and takes a deep breath in. Focus on the good. He tells himself. “I’m glad you’re alright, take it easy, I’ll take care of things,” By that he means he might just slaughter whoever even had the guts to break into your house and attack you in the middle of the day. The break-in was reported by townspeople, and Kaeya was sure as hell he’d get every witness to describe that asshole’s face. 

“You’re staying with me for the moment,” he decides quite quickly, and you had no qualms with that whatsoever. Hearing that you had no protest at all, he grins and leans down to capture your lips in a soft kiss, afraid to hurt you. “No complaints? Perhaps this was your grand scheme all along to come live with me,” You can’t help but chuckle at how quick he bounces back. “Maybe, honey. Maybe,”

----------

Albedo

“Ow--” the knife clatters to the floor, as blood starts to pool around your finger. Albedo spins around at the meek sound you make, ignoring the knife on the floor and strides over to you just as you’ve turned on the sink and started running water on the small cut on your finger.

“Let me see,” You turn to him, blinking. His face was blank. You couldn’t tell what he was thinking but he was staring straight at you. “Oh, don’t worry, it’s just a small cut,” but he doesn’t waver and glances at the water running over your finger. “Let me see,” he tries again, this time rather forceful. That got you to obey. Turning the faucet off and awkwardly offering your hand to him.

He receives it and cradles it in his as if it was porcelain, upturning your hand to look at the small cut on your pointer finger. It was tiny. Really nothing compared to wounds that a knight might sustain. Albedo sighs and looks up at you, “Don’t go anywhere,” before stalking off, coming back a few seconds later with a first aid kit. “...Al, it’s alright, it’s not a big deal,” Albedo would only let one person give him a nickname. You. No one else. Frankly he thought the nickname was weird but if it danced on your lips, he didn’t mind it at all.

“Y/N, you’re mistaken if you think I’m going to take this lightly,” he takes out some ointment and a small roll of bandage, starting with the ointment. “Everything and anything that hurts you is a significant thing,” his gaze darkens, as if glowering at that microscopic cut. “Miniscule or massive, it doesn’t make a difference to me,” he starts wrapping your finger, “if it taints your skin, I cannot help but feel--” he doesn’t know the right word, but you do, judging from how his hold on your wrist tightens. 

A soft smile paints your features at how he was such a worry-wart. Sometimes he was so bad at navigating his own feelings but you could decipher them anyway, from his actions. You let him worry over you, and thank him once he’s done. He finishes his work by taking your hand, and pressing it to his lips, his eyes darting up to lock on yours. That made you blush every damn time. His green eyes were just so mesmerizing, and so was his heart.

----------

Childe

Dear mother of the Archons, perhaps whoever was responsible for your injuries had some type of death wish. Everyone should offer prayers for whoever had cut you up. Your arms and legs were littered with small scratches from trying to run away from the attackers, you thought going through the thick forest was a good idea. In essence, it had slowed the thieves down. They had managed to throw a fire bomb at you that severely burned your right hand, and the right side of your abdomen. 

Perhaps it was thanks to adrenaline running through you that you had actually managed to make it to the gates of Liyue, just before the bridge, but you’d crumpled down right then and there. The Millelith guards didn’t recognize you, but the three Fatui agents walking on the bridge did. “Someone had better tell him,” The group of Fatuis scrambled nearer to you, one of them picking you up, but glancing at the other who had just spoken up. “I’m not doing that, you do it,” it was slightly comical, seeing them pass off the duty of who was supposed to report to Childe about it. “You know how he gets when it comes to them, I’m not doing--” then one of them finally gets their bearings together.

“Shut up, get them to the healer first,” The tallest one shoves the one carrying you, urging him to go fast and off he went. Now it was just two Fatui agents looking at each other. Two Fatui agents who decided that they would just face his wrath together. “Sir,” one of them starts as Childe turns around to look at them. He actually had no tasks today and was just about to go off to find you. “About Y/N...” Childe’s eyebrows shoot up, what in the world could these agents have to say about you? “We’ve sent them to the healers, they collapsed at the entrance of Liyue, it... doesn’t look good...”

All hell descends upon Childe’s demeanor and poise. His face darkens, his eyes burning holes through the two agents and his fists closed up on his side. His bow appears and hovers behind him, the only thing that shone through his dark person. “The two of you--” he starts, “are going to find out who did it. I’m expecting a report by nightfall,”

Childe himself shows up at the healers quarters, and was told of your condition. “Their hand is going to scar,” keeps reverberating in his head. Like the sound that he imagines the skulls of those who dared touch you crunching under his feet, over and over again. Childe actually winces when he sees you. Small bandages on your arms and legs from the scratches, your right hand wrapped up adequately and, he couldn’t see it now, but he was sure your abdomen was wrapped too.

You cracked an eye open, feeling another presence in the room. Childe immediately appears next to you, leaning over the bed and watching your expression. “...It hurts, doesn’t it?” he asks, tracing over your bandaged hand. You remained quiet for a moment before nodding your head slowly. Just remembering it caused a blinding pain in your mind’s eye. You’d been given drugs to ease the pain now, but there were still traces of it lingering on your skin. “How dare they,” both your eyes snapped open at Childe’s nearly contorted voice, shadowed and overpowered by rage. 

You pick up your good hand and touch his arm with the tips of your fingers. You didn’t like it when he got like this. “Childe, it’s alright,” far from it, but it was the only reassurance you could offer. He catches your hand and brings it up to his face, pressing your hand to his cheek as if it was a lifeline. “It’s not. It’s not,” he repeats to himself, his anger also stemming from the fact that he wasn’t there to protect you. “They’ll regret even laying eyes on you,” You knew he wanted to go now, knew that he wanted to get to the bottom of it, but you yet again pull your hand away to grasp at his shirt, the fabric scrunching up under your hold. “...But stay with me for tonight? Please?” 

That got him. He would never say no. His form relaxes and he leans in to kiss your lips, gentle yet with a hidden hunger in them. “Of course,” he simply says, as if his previous agenda forgotten.

But he would never forget. He would never forget for as long as he could see that scar. 

Tomorrow, he would decimate each and every one of them.

[whumpster-fire]

More Dumb Railway Series Headcanons: Locomotive Senses

I just remembered that you can apparently put your ear to train tracks and hear a train coming before you can hear it through the air, so new RWS Headcanon time:

Many people wonder how engines sometimes seem to be so aware of what’s going on around them even when it’s outside of their relatively fixed field of view. Part of the answer is: they can feel vibrations in the rails through their wheels, especially when they’re sitting still. It’s not impossible for one to sneak up on another, of course, but they can usually feel when a train is coming through, and in the days before good signalling systems there are several incidents where a collision was averted in a tunnel or around a curve because the engine knew there was a train approaching long before it came into view.

Engines have a limited field of vision, but otherwise they can see pretty well. Their visual acuity and depth perception are insane at long distances compared to a human’s. Drivers/operators of steam engines should be aware that if your engine tells you the points are set wrong ahead or there’s some other danger and you can’t clearly see because it’s like a mile away, they’re fucking set wrong. They can’t see behind them, of course, and are reliant on their crew when reversing, and while most tank engines can technically pull a train backwards at high speed safely, there are many who HATE doing it, and may refuse to go fast with a crew they’re not used to. However, most are naturally farsighted and seeing the details of a human face at what seems like a comfortable conversational distance for a human is difficult. The wooden models used in the classic series of TTTE are actually a pretty good representation of how clearly engines can see human expressions if you’re like 20 feet in front of them.

Engines’ hearing isn’t that acute, especially at high frequencies, but it is durable and they hear in loud environments quite well, which is good because the vicinity of a running locomotive is by definition a loud environment. They hear low sounds better than high ones.

The only one of the classic human five senses humans lack is taste, but their sense of smell isn’t exactly good. Steam engines often claim that diesels have a bad smell, while diesels claim the opposite. Complaints about the smell of oil-burning steam engines are rarer.

People sometimes assume that a being made of thick metal plates and castings would have little or no sense of touch, but this isn’t entirely true. Yes, they aren’t nearly as sensitive as humans in many ways, and sometimes certain engines have failed to notice that there’s nobody in their cab if they aren’t paying attention. Their wheels and buffers (or for engines in places where chain-and-buffer couplings aren’t used, the couplers) are the most touch-sensitive parts of them for the same reason humans’ hands are: that’s how they interact with the world. By the way, torpedoes or track detonators (small explosive charges laid on the rails that go off when run over, used as a warning system) are very jarring and sometimes even painful to hit. Engines also have strong vestibular and proprioceptive senses. They can feel things like wheelslip or the slightest change in track grade, and things like the position of control wheels or levers or whether their firebox door is open. They can also feel heat and pressure and moisture quite well, because... well, that’s their life force. They have an innate sense of the heat and pressure and flow of air inside them, and it seems to work even when the mechanical devices to measure it have failed. If an engine says they feel like their boiler’s being stretched, or that it feels empty, or too hot, but the steam gauges and water glasses say otherwise, the gauges are usually wrong. And they can feel pain. They can feel pain quite well. Engines are good at tuning it out, or keeping functioning in spite of it, and their sense of pain is significantly dulled if their fire is out (especially for a long time), but they can still feel it.

[natewriteslol]

May I request a reaction(?)/headcanon?

(twst boiz }:‑))

Rook, Sebek, Idia, Jack and Azul reacting to a secretly ripped reader.

Explanation!: Reader wears a lot if oversized stuff, lazy af, tends to skip PE classes and etc. You know acting like they're weak and stuff while in reality they're just lazy. For some reason Vargas saw the potential and the true power in reader, so he decided to add them to the team of [insert a really brutal sport or smt]. Everyone r like: "Y?? They weak!" When it's Readers time to enter the game, they take their hoodie off and omG those muscles. I swear someone fainted right on spot. And someone went 🧎🤰 After Absolutely destroying opponents team, they're just like "ok, I did the thing! Now I want my super duper rare chips".

A/N: This is such a creative premise, thank you for sending it!!

MC goes by they/them pronouns :)

Warnings: none except that MC takes off their shirt

Honestly Y/N was known to be one of the most laziest people on campus, so lazy that it even rivaled Leona! Which there has to be some form of intervention for them because it’s just getting out of hand. And while it benefitted in certain situations, such as annoying Grim to actually start moving his lazy ass around the house, or bullies leaving them alone since Y/N couldn’t bother to muster a reaction.

However they continued to skip P.E classes, and just all around not doing anything. So it came to a surprise that when they were called to Vargas’ office.

“Wait. Y/N where are you going?” Ace questioned, as their friend went with their backpack toward the door.

“I got an interview with Vargas for something. Watch Grim for me please, later” they replied relaxed. And while both Deuce and Ace questioned what their friend was going to be interviewed for, the pair just looked at each other, shrugged and went back to their schoolwork.

Once Y/N got to Vargas’ office, they sat on the chair on the other side of his desk. The student gazed at the sports paraphernalia on the walls, before Vargas started talking.

“Well Y/N, I bet you’re wondering why I called to talk to you?” He asked.

“Yup” the student said, keeping their answers short and concise.

“You tend to skip my classes a great amount, and while both you and Grim are enrolled as one student your lack of participation is dropping your grade,” Vargas said while standing up.

Y/N started to feel bad, sure they didn’t really care to participate but they didn’t want to inconvenience Grim.

“But, I will promise you one thing, I can feel the potential in you Y/N!” the man said excitedly, slightly spooking you. “As a man who is incredible person overflowing with talent,” Vargas started,

‘Wowee, pretty narcissistic’ you thought, but then you started to pay attention again.

“I can see greatness within others, it’s almost like my 6th sense. And I can feel it within you. Now all I ask of you Y/N, is that you participate in the Great Dodging Tournament try outs. And I will raise your grade” The older man offered, Vargas really believed in you.

And that really put a smile on your face, “You know what, I’ll do it.”

“Thanks kiddo!” the man boomed with a great smile on his face while ruffling your head.

I mean, if he’s this excited you can try for him.

~

It was tryouts, Deuce and Ace were a little apprehensive for Y/N to be participating. I mean the Great Dodging Tournament involves one person dodging great magical attacks from the opposite team, in order to get at least one of the balls from the other team. And while you didn’t technically need magical powers to compete, it certainly did help.

“Y/N L/N, you’re up!” It was their turn. Whispers broke out, everyone didn’t understand why they were even allowed to participate.

“Have you even seen them run?” Someone whispered.

The heat was rising despite it being the afternoon, “Damn, I’m getting hot” Y/N says and they start to strip, taking off their oversized shirt.

What came to a great surprise was their physique, incredibly ripped abs. Strong shoulders, back and arms now exposed to everyone.

They did absolutely fantastic for their tryouts, moving across the field with great speed, dodging every single attack and they were able to take 2 out of the 7 balls from the other team. Y/N was excellent, and absolute essential to the Great Dodging Tournament team. Every person was in great shock, they didn’t even break a sweat.

“Alrightie! Now where’s my snacks?” They said, sitting down on the bench.

Rook:

-Oh mon cherie, what have you been hiding from him? ~

-Rook had alot of information on almost everyone at the school, so this definitely came to a shock to him

-A strong advocate for keeping them shirtless all the time

-I mean Y/N lays around all the time, they might as well look good while doing it

-It's just him and Sebek arguing (well it's Sebek who is actually arguing) about what Y/N should do once they come back: Shirt or no shirt?

-He’s very impressed with their strengt and willpower to get that physique

-Very mischievously looks down at Y/N while they complete their audition

-Rook I love you but what are you planning-

Sebek:

-He goes bright red, and starts yelling at Y/N to put a shirt on

-”I-it’s inappropriate for you to be walking around like this! Do you humans not have any shame?!”

-”D-don’t come closer! I don’t want a hug from you!”

-W-what? How could he miss that this mere human held this much power?

-He was incredibly observant (or so he claimed)

-Sebek didn’t know weak, puny humans could possess that type of strength

-If Y/N as a non-magic user were able to obtain this level of power, you were a threat

-Definitely not intimidated by them (he lowkey is intimidated by them)

-While he’s still incredibly opposed to Y/N’s lazy behaviors, he has a newfound respect for them

-Later on he thinks about it more and is marching to their dorm inorder to force them into doing more powerful stuff

-”YOU COULD HAVE GREAT LEVELS OF POWER, JUST WORK YOU LAZY HUMAN!”

-” Naw man, but since you’re up can you get the tv remote? It’s pretty far.”

Idia:

-Of course this happens the one time he goes outside in person!

-Erupts into flames and has a bright ass blush

-Has Ortho calm down his flames with his built in fans

-Idia literally hides inside his hoodie so that no one could notice him

-But I mean it’s kinda hard since at this point he’s looks like a campfire but go off-

-He literally can’t look Y/N in the eyes omg

-Idia tries to talk to them but he just ends up spluttering

-He thought that Y/N had put their shirt back on so he takes his head out of his hoodie and NOPE they still have it off and the cycle of embarrassment repeats

-Idia manages to compliment Y/N, comparing them to a powerful anime character from a show he watched

-The man cannot look at Y/N the same anymore now that he knows what’s under all that baggy clothing

Jack:

-Jack definitely did not see this coming

-Can admit that he is a little flustered (Alot of people teased him since his tail started to wag at the sight of Y/N’s body

-He couldn’t imagine the Y/N he knows doing all of this activity, let alone dodging such powerful magic attacks with this much skill

-They’re a perfect candidate for the team and Jack grows really passionate about you wanting to pursue sports

-Has alot more respect for you

-He will drag Y/N to do a bunch of brutally, active shit with him since the whole “I’m too weak” jig is up

-”Jack pls no”

-”But when you were soaring through the air during Dodging tryouts I heard no complaints. Get your ass up, Y/N”

-While their P.E grade is saved, at what cost?

Azul:

-Azul thought that it was going to be a fun little attempt on Y/N’s part

-Were they joking? I mean he’s never seen them move a muscle for extracurricular activities like sports. Honestly-

-And oh dear oh it’s them shirtless

-Azul is so caught off guard

-He turns away so that Floyd and Jade don’t see his face, but those sneak boys know what’s going on

-”Boss you’re so red!”

-”Ooooh, are you flustered by shrimpy taking off their shirt~”!

-So that’s what you’ve been hiding under your clothing!

-He’s very impressed by your strength, Azul is wondering why you decided to hide it?

-Are you involved in shady business too? Hence why you’re laying low? (Sounds like projection but okay Azul-)

-He’s also thinking about getting you to sign some form of deal so that they can take advantage of your strength (Sorry Y/N)

[fic-dumpster]

This trend with Bonten and Doe. Who would you pick to be in the video?

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM8v1fgEC/

Y’all just want chaos, doncha? 😂💕 LINK HERE I changed it a because you want chaos.

DIH || Tokyo Traffic

Bonten x Reader

Traffic. Rindou doesn’t mind the tracking. It’s a normal thing in a big city like Tokyo, but for the love of everything that’s holy… Why does Sanzu has to be sucking your face at every goddamn red light.

Sanzu held the back of your head, lips interlocking once again and Rindou sitting in the back clutching his phone until his knuckles turned white. Of course, Sanzu was doing it on purpose, killing two birds with one stone, annoying the shit out of the youngest Haitani, and kissing you. What else could he ask for?

Rindou could see the pinknette side smile before deepening the kiss even more; your parted lips made room for Sanzu’s tongue, and Rindou had enough. Throwing his phone to the side with an excessive amount of force, the youngest Haitani pushed Sanzu’s face away from yours.

“My turn. Move,” and the next thing left you in a fit of giggles. After shoving Sanzu back to the driver’s seat, Rindou began climbing to the front.

“Rindou, the police!” screamed Sanzu in an attempt to stop his actions and because there was actually a police officer on his way towards the car.

“Since when do you care about the police!?” replied Rindou with already a leg and half of his body over.

“Since now!!” retorted Sanzu to none other than Rindou’s ass looking back at him.

“Where are you gonna sit?” you asked in a panic. The last time you were in a car with them and a police chase, Mikey was displeased. You didn't want to give the small man more stress.

“Here,” and he plopped on your lap. The weight of his body wasn't a joke, but he found a way to fit without crushing you to death. “My turn,” as soon as those words left his lips, Rindou joined your lips to his. Not giving you any time to react, he gripped the back of your neck, tilting your head back to give him more access to your now whimpering mouth.

Sanzu gasped in horror. How did he not think of that first?! But all complaints were left for later because a knock on his window interrupted him. A young officer stood outside.

“Yes?” spoke Sanzu as he rolled down his window, still bitter about the current situation.

“Sir, you have your parking lights on,” said the officer.

“Oh, thanks,” Sanzu turned them off, “is there anything else I can help you with?” the pinknette noticed where the eyes of the man in front of him went.

“Wha- is she-” the officer observed Rindou practically on top of you.

“Yeah, yeah. He’s just kissing my girlfriend,” Sanzu threw a wicked smile. At that moment, the traffic light turned green, and Sanzu sped up, leaving a perplexed police officer behind.

---

“Where are they?” asked Mikey, “they should have been here thirty minutes ago.”

“Traffic? It's almost noon,” said Takeomi.

“Let me call Rindou,” suggested Ran, also a little worried since his brother hasn't replied to his text in a while.

The first two calls went straight to voicemail. Ran looked at his phone suspiciously... Should he call Sanzu? No, not yet.

This time only three rings, and Rindou finally picked up. “What?” But that wasn't Rindou on the phone.

“Sanzu, put my brother on the phone,” demanded Ran.

“He’s a little busy at the moment,” and that's when Ran realized the noise in the phone call. It was you. Your moanings, to be precise, “and so am I,” with that, Sanzu ended the call.

“They will be late,” Ran sighed and informed the rest of Bonten.

“Why would-,” Takemi began to ask.

“They’re with Y/N, aren't they?” Interrupted Kakucho.

“Yeah,” confirmed Ran.

Five heads nodded in understanding.

[abimess]

My beautiful, hurtful secret // Part 1

Therese Raquin x Reader

Masterlist | Library Blog

Summary: In the 1860s, love can be dangerous for people like you. And it gets even more dangerous when it involves a married woman. But Therese loves you just the same, so you're willing to do whatever it takes to have her.

Word count: 2.356 || 2.356

Warnings: period story; angst; fluff; smut (18+ only!)

For me, In Secret is one of Elizabeth Olsen's best movies, and it is very sad that there are no stories about it here (I only found one), so I wrote my own hahaha

Good reading!

You do NOT have permission to repost or translate my work on any platforms (even with credit)

All parts

───── ⋅ ✮ ⋅ ─────

Therese hated her life.

When she was just a child, the brunette lost her mother and was left in the care of her aunt by her father. There she was treated almost like a slave from an early age, forced to take care of her sickly cousin, Camille, and act like a lady, even though that was the last thing she felt she was.

The only things that made Therese's days worthwhile were waiting for her father's return and reading the poems in the daily newspaper.

It was a short session, with only two or three poems, but for her it was like a light in the darkness that was her life. She treasured them all, but there was one author she liked in particular. Cameron. No last name. Just Cameron. It was all she had, but it was enough for Therese to feel close to this mysterious writer.

The way the words were chosen made her travel to all the places described and meet all the people mentioned. It was a daily escape from her constant prison. And Therese clung to those poems as if her life depended on them.

When not reading, Therese would reminisce about her favorite poems or imagine what Cameron would be like. In her imagination, Cameron had many faces and many shapes, but one thing was certain. The eyes were always sincere and the smile was always warm. At least that's what Therese felt through the poems, and that's what she spent most of her days dreaming about.

Although she doesn't like her life, one day a series of events destroys her routine and Therese finds herself wishing that her life would remain as it is.

Therese receives a letter saying that her father has died and that he has left her an inheritance. Soon after, Camille announces that they’re all moving to Paris because he got a job there and her aunt announces that Therese will have to marry her cousin.

The idea does not please Therese one bit, but her aunt provides her with enough reasons to accept the marriage, so she reluctantly does.

So here she was, looking at the street outside through the window shop and thinking about the excruciating life she would have from now on, trapped in an unwanted, unhappy marriage.

Therese would stay in that position forever if she could, but her aunt is calling for her so she sighs, knowing she can't miss her obligations, and gets up.

-----

It's dominoes night and Therese couldn't be less interested. So the brunette sits down away from the table and next to one of the windows, watching the street. The world outside that she so desperately wants to know.

The others were only interested in the game, not caring a bit about inviting her to join them. Not that Therese cared, she didn't want to join them either.

Her aunt has been complaining worriedly for several minutes that Camille is late. But when the blonde's voice is heard from downstairs, both women sigh. Her aunt because her precious son has arrived and Therese because she won't have to listen to the elder's complaints anymore.

Her aunt gets up and immediately calls Therese to accompany her, so the young woman gets up and does so, the lack of enthusiasm always evident on her face.

As they go downstairs, Therese frowns when she realizes that Camille is accompanied by two other people. A man and a woman, the latter wearing garments considered quite inappropriate for a lady. Therese looks curiously for a few seconds at this unusual woman wearing pants and a suspender, but soon she is back to showing complete disinterest for everything that’s happening around her.

Camille chats with her mother, introducing the two strangers. Therese doesn't pay much attention to the conversation, but understands that the man, Laurent, and you, (Y/n), are siblings and are former family acquaintances.

The blonde then introduces the two siblings to Therese and she doesn't understand why she feels a deep urge to look away when your eyes meet hers, but she does anyway, and she doesn't see the small smile that forms on your face at her action.

You exchange no words, and as Camille and your aunt guide you and your brother upstairs, Therese follows the group in silence, her eyes avoiding your figure at all costs.

You greet the other guests, exchanging brief conversations, and Therese allows herself to look at you once more. You smile politely, but your eyes seem to scan each person in the room intently.

Looking at you makes Therese's stomach act in a completely unfamiliar way and she doesn't like it at all, so she looks away once more and returns to her chair by the window.

You and Laurent join the game and soon the conversation is intersected by several moments of silence of concentration. Therese returns to watching the street below, and she doesn't like how her eyes insist on constantly seeking you out.

For some reason that Therese wasn't paying attention to, the group starts talking about yours and your brother’s professions and everyone is visibly excited when they discover that you’re both artists.

When Laurent tells them that he is a painter, Madame Raquin immediately asks him to do a painting of her son. But when you mention that you are a writer, you receive several discreet judgmental glances, especially from the men.

"But for whom do you sell your writings, miss (Y/l/n)?" The man with the gray mustache asks the indelicate question and you laugh politely. "For whoever wants to buy them." You say simply and the man you are almost certain is named Olivier prepares to speak. "But you are a..."

"A woman? Yes." You interrupt him and the man looks visibly disconcerted, but you smile once again. Therese doesn't want to, but she listens to the conversation intently. Your unassuming laugh having an effect on her that she prefers to interpret as irritation.

"I write under a pseudonym. No one knows who I am." You explain as the people around you exchange curious glances. You risk a glance at the young woman in the corner of the room. But as soon as your eyes meet hers she immediately looks back to the window and you contain a smile.

"How does this work?" Madame Raquin asks curiously and you smile before answering. "I write my works and sell them under a false name. People pay me and that's it." You say, shrugging and Madame slowly nods, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"But that doesn't seem advantageous to me." Oliver comments, thoughtfully, and you smile amused. "If you publish under a name that isn't yours, then you don't get credit for your work." At his remarking, some of the group murmurs in agreement, and you smile once again.

That is not the first time you’ve had that conversation and it certainly would not be the last. Next to you, Laurent tries to hold back a smile, knowing very well the direction this conversation will take.

"It's not about the credit. I write because I love it and I love what I write." You say, and the clear passion in your voice causes Therese to lock her eyes on you, admiring you for a brief moment. But soon she comes to her senses and, shifting uncomfortably in her chair, she looks out the window again. But her ears are attentive to your words.

"On the other hand, I'm not naive. I know I have to pay my bills, so I sell my writing under a pseudonym." You explain, but the bespectacled man in front of you doesn't look convinced. "But why?" he asks, and you laugh again. Either that man was very foolish or he was pretending to be.

"In our society, something done by a man is valued a thousand times more highly if the same thing is done by a woman." You explain and are not surprised by the strange looks the others give you. Still, you continue. "Men are constantly coming up with gimmicks to subjugate us women. So we have to come up with our own gimmicks to fight back."

At your words, the group exchanges murmurs, some of approval, some of disapproval. Beside you, Laurent smiles amused, accustomed to your way of thinking, and squeezes your shoulder gently reassuring you and you smile at him.

You turn your gaze back to the game in front of you, but not before looking at Therese again. But this time, the brunette holds your gaze briefly before turning her eyes once more to the world outside. The exchange of glances lasts less than a second, but it was already enough to make your heart beat faster in your chest.

The conversation soon changes direction but stays on the subject that you and Laurent are artists. The whole conversation irritates Therese deeply. She doesn't even understand why, she just knows that every time you share your experiences, the brunette's hatred for you only increases.

At the moment, Laurent is telling a story that is highly amusing to everyone but her, about how he was getting involved with a woman and in the end discovered that this same woman was also getting involved with you, but neither of the siblings knew it.

When this last piece of information is revealed, the guests exchange curious glances with astonished sighs escaping their mouths and Therese immediately clenches her jaw.

"So you are...?" Oliver comes once again with his questions, but you don't let him finish. "A woman who doesn't limit herself by standards? Indeed." You answer with a comradely smile and the others watch you intently, as if expecting a more elaborate answer and you laugh softly. In the corner of the room, Theresa's jaw is so harshly clenched that her teeth threaten to break at any moment.

"Don't misunderstand me, gentlemen, and please don't be offended, ladies." You say, looking at everyone with your hands slightly raised in an appeasing motion, and then you lower them again. "But there's something about women that's just... too delightful to ignore."

With your last words, you risk a glance at Therese. It's quick and discreet, and no one else notices. But Therese did, and as soon as your eyes land on her, the brunette feels an intense wave of warmth take over her whole body. making her feel warm especially in places she is not supposed to be.

With her breath hitched, Therese stands up suddenly and starts trying desperately to open the window in an attempt to relieve that unwanted heat that has consumed her.

Noticing her strange behavior, Camille gets up and walks over to her. "Therese?" he asks, but the brunette doesn't look at him.

"I have to open the window." She informs and the man asks what's wrong and Therese lies, saying that the air is stuffy and keeps struggling to open the damn thing.

"Come join us at the table. The (Y/l/n) are here, isn’t it lovely to have a lady friend?" The blonde asks excitedly, but Therese continues with her attention on the window that seems to be stuck shut. "I don't want to." She retorts impatiently and the man frowns.

"Therese, Miss (Y/n) will think you don't like her." He says, slightly irritated, causing Therese's own irritation to increase. "Well, I don't." She says through clenched teeth and with a sharp movement finally opens the window.

She takes deep breaths of the cold night air, trying as hard as she can to pull herself together and Camille returns to the table.

From your chair, you watch the interaction attentively and discreetly, but you cannot hear the conversation so you soon return your attention to the people around you.

The evening continues for a while longer, with stolen glances from both of you. With each glance, Therese's irritation with you only increased and your curiosity with the young woman in the corner only grew.

But soon the night is over and you and your brother say goodbye to everyone. The brunette's hostile feeling towards you was visible in all her features, so you limit yourself to saying goodbye with only a nod and a sincere, polite smile.

Therese didn't want you to approach her. But when you say goodbye from afar like that, she gets even more annoyed than if you had come close.

The young woman's conflicting feelings towards you make her blood boil. So she sighs heavily and tries to control her anger as she clears the table.

-----

"You liked her." Your brother says with an amused smile, waking you up from your thoughts.

Ever since you left the Raquin residence you haven't been able to stop thinking about Therese. So innocent and reserved, it was impossible not to wonder what was hiding underneath that cloak of silence with which the young woman seemed to cover herself.

But you’re not willing to reveal your thoughts to your brother, at least not yet. So you frown. "What?" he chuckles, not at all convinced by your answer, and you chuckle too. You could never fool him.

"You spent the entire trip quiet." He remarks as you both get out of the carriage and walk to the inside of the building. "Oh, and what happened to my observant personality?"

You retort, quoting with your fingers the term your brother loves to use to describe you, and he giggles. "Well you spent the entire trip quiet and looking at your shoes. So I imagine that the image you’re observing is inside your head."

He answers with a knowing look and you giggle with slightly flushed cheeks as you open the door to the apartment you share. "What can I say, brother? Some things are too precious not to be relived."

At your words, Laurent chuckles but falls silent. You each go to your respective rooms, but you can't sleep, your head overwhelmed with thoughts of Therese.

So you sit up in bed and decide to do what you do best. Holding the fountain pen firmly in your hand, you write.

───── ⋅ ✮ ⋅ ─────

And that's it for today! I hope you enjoyed it, thoughts and comments are always welcome ツ

Part 2

Taglist: @yuhloversxx @madamevirgo @an-evergreen-rose @helloalycia @wandas1mp @cantcontroltheirfear @diaryoflife @ironscarletwidowsoilder @cristin-rjd @ensorcellme @aimezvousbrahms @natasha-danvers @purplemeetsblue @randomshyperson @thegayw1tch @peggycarter-steverogers @causeitswhatjesuswouldfreakingdo @b0mbdotc0m @yourtaletotell @ethereal-pxradise @stephanieromanoff @tomy5girls @justagaypanicking @gingerbreadcookieforlife @imapotatao @musicinourlips @xxxtwilightaxelxxx @tsmukanii @likefirenrain @allfiguredout @olsensnpm @magicallymaximoff @am-just-a-cosmic-joke-to-me @ima-gi–na-tion @moon-faun @nothing-isimpossible @mionemymind @itsmionet @xastrydx @sxfwap @nicole-rayleigh-hot (let me know if you wanna be tagged)

[yinses]

substitute

| you told yourself that you would do anything for satoru |

gojo satoru x reader

rating: 18+

a/n: i have an obsession i know. i’m working on it

it was to a soft tickling at the inside of your thighs that welcomed you into the next day. a soft sigh broke through your yawn as you shifted and twisted against the desires tugging at your veins. 

somewhere in your mind, you registered that it was much too early. 

but of course your body disagreed tenfold. 

“ngh…” an equally tired chuckle vibrates against you and you jumped at the touch of a thumb brushing against your outer lips. 

“the was a cute sound,” the voice purred. your hips lifted once more in reaction before they were assisted into submission by the firm weight of a forearm along your pelvis. 

the sounds of your slick sliding against his tongue were as equally loud as it was lewd. there was no art to the madness, just a series of flicks and heavy suction. 

your fingers clenched at the sheets, wrinkling the integrity as your chest heaved with every moan. in terms of wake up calls, the impending shrill of your alarm easily took last place. 

“you are always such a sight to wake up to. thought i’d return the favor.” 

and return it he did. 

the insertion of a finger freed up the opportunity for his voice to waft around the room again. the rhythm was as languid as his lazy drawl as he bent a joint and raked the nail against your inner walls. 

“i also might need a favor.”

the pinch of your brow came before the comprehension of his words. gojo was always a talker- a stronger contender as a firm charmer that managed to weave his way through society. as his position as ‘the chosen one’, his power spoke volumes. 

with you- he leaned on alternative methods. 

“fuck-toru… you bastard.”

you choked over the inclusion of a second finger, barely swallowing your words as you struggled to rock into them. 

“that’s not very nice of you. to think i woke up so early to treat you this morning.

your boyfriend took the opportunity to curl both fingers this time, smirking when you all but managed to successful buck him off as you keened under his ministrations. 

“it’s nothing big.” turquoise eyes, tinged with lust, met yours as he rose his head. the blanket fell off his shoulders, revealing more pale skin. “i just need a bit of a substitute today.” 

substitute? as in substitute teacher? he had to be joking. 

unlike gojo, after graduation you had more than willingly left behind the stuffy atmosphere of education. as a sorcerer, you never did stop learning. the always evolving curses not letting you hang too far off your game. 

but to return to the classroom to put those young students through everything you hated in your youth? 

no orgasm was worth that.

you disguised your grimace under the pretense of displeasure as he withdrew his hand all together. he tsked at your impatience, using the same hand as a crude form of lube as he fisted his growing cock. 

“it will be easy. these classes are even smaller than ours were.”

 it was difficult to voice a complaint when he was doing just the opposite and sliding into you. your back arched as he filled you to the hilt with little difficulty. 

he experimented with a shallow thrust, a grin pulling at his lips when you responded positively. the pace he set was slower than either of you were use to on a regular basis, but it fit the mood of morning sex. 

his forehead touched yours as he drew back for another long thrust. “shit-squeezing me so early. what a good girl.”

you whimpered when his hips met yours with more force than the last. “think of how excited they’ll be to have a new face. such a sexy one at that.” 

your body slid along the mattress each time he buried himself within you. you didn’t want to admit that he was getting to you. not even his all seeing gaze needed to retell the obvious. his plan was flawless and in short you were too much of a simp for the man.

so you just accepted the early morning distraction, taking direct pleasure in the way it unraveled the tangle of sleep.

you clenched your inner muscles helpfully and your boyfriend groaned in appreciation as he chased both of your releases with new vigor. the twitching and shakiness began with you as the pace picked up. your climax tumbled out of you with a sharp gasp as your boyfriend filled the space with a grunt. 

the two of you took a minute to regain your before he eventually pulled out and you pointedly ignored the stickiness as you relaxed your legs to give him the room to pull away. he didnt stray too far, white locks tickling your nose as he leaned in close again.

“i have more in store for you tonight as a thank you.”

with a huff, you pressed your palm against his cheek before his lips could chase yours. 

“fine, fine. i’ll babysit your class. you better be on some super important mission.”

gojo made a pleased sound, somewhere stuck between a hum and a warm rumble as he nuzzled the side of your neck and pressed his lips there instead. 

“super important. thanks babe.”

                                          you don’t know why you agreed to this. 

leaning back against the desk, you returned the silent gesture as the three first-years scrutinized your presence. aside from megumi, the other two were new faces for you. but your boyfriend’s knack for storytelling painted the picture in the absence of words. 

nobara was obvious. the sole girl of the unit. 

poor girl. 

she seemed to share your sentiment of wanting to be anywhere else but here. 

“so you’re dating sensei?”

you brought your arms closer to your chest as your shoulders rose with the action. 

was that … judgement?

“i’m so sorry.”

it was the sincerity that scared you the most. 

“oh wow, wow, wow. sensei’s really got it all. “

sukuna’s vessel was impossible to miss as any seasoned sorcerer. despite the boy’s positive demeanor, he reeked of the malevolent residue. yet in a way he made it work, there was nothing really about him that didn’t come off as approachable. 

he had something to gain gojo’s infatuation. there was no doubt in your mind that he would use this boy to help him dismantle the systematic hierarchy of the sitting elders. 

you just had to wonder. 

was the kid his main tool or the curse?

“i can’t believe you actually agreed to this.”

ah, megumi. 

the boy liked to express his love for distance, but the years swallowed up so much of it as you watched him grow. your boyfriend was a lot of things but you couldn’t deny the influence he had on the young sorcerer. 

the boy who seemed to disdain the attention knew it too. 

now that everyone had their turn to speak, you supposed it was your turn. 

“he was very convincing,” you offered lowly before picking up the volume. “let’s not pretend you’re actually going to learn anything from me. im just a sit in until satoru gets back from his mission.”

megumi’s scoff shouldn’t have come as a surprise. gojo’s name was rarely spoken without it’s accompaniment. 

“what makes you think he’s not off sightseeing?”

because killing gojo was impossible but you would happily tire yourself exploring your options. 

your smile was tight as you gestured to the door,” lets kick the morning off with some practice matches. the second years are always eager.”

settled comfortably against the bleachers observing as your temporary students got their asses handed to them, you came to the conclusion that being a teacher couldn’t be too bad. perhaps in the future you might be more willing to offer your services with out your boyfriend’s extra persuasion.

speaking of gojo, you wondered how his mission was going. you never actually questioned his agenda. 

you didn’t expect to wait long as the dial tone started up. outside of battle and life or death situations, gojo rarely ignored your calls. he knew in the thick of it you could protect yourself, but he preferred to keep himself available to your needs. 

the sounds of mixed commotion greeted you before his voice did. 

“toru … it sounds busy. where are you?”

gojo’s answering laugh should have been the first warning. to some it may have come off as eased but you could hear the way he forced it in to deflect. 

“sweetheart, how are classes going? i hope they’re not giving you too much trouble.”

trouble seemed to be the opposite of what he was dealing with. there were a lot of people holding their own conversations in the background, all of them too casual to be in danger. in fact, there were too many in general to place him on a battlefield. 

what exactly were you substituting for?

“order #217 for… gogo-san?”

the loud cluck of your tongue against the roof of your mouth was suddenly powerful enough to drown out the clamor. 

gojo satoru prided himself on standing resilient to all threats. it was how he maintained his position as the strongest. he was sought out for his efficiency and ability to overcome all adversaries. 

even against the most fearsome.

“honey, do i ever have a treat for you! today was a single-day special at my favorite bakery. you should have seen the lines. it's a good thing i got here so early!”

there were a lot of things you would do for satoru gojo.

and even more that you would do to him when you got home.

[xpeachesncream]

bands | twelve

[ series masterlist ]

summary: jeon jungkook has it all: the looks, the fame, the money, the women. being considered the sexiest man in the industry, he finds no complaints about the way his life is going nor does he find any reason to apologize for the way he approaches it. he is a force to be reckoned with - until he meets you.

pairing: stripper!reader x idol!jjk

genre: (18+) strip club/nightlife au, post grad au | fluff, angst, smut

words: 4.2k

warnings: cussing, mature language/implied sexual content, insecurities, some overthinking, introducing you to fluffy koo?! and i think we’re all familiar with the song at the end too 🥺

tags: @brightcolorsoffendme @min-nicoleee @eggbutnotyolk @ra-mun-e @miinoongi @jimidol @ppeachyttae @thebeebi @bluesharksandfish @kooafraid @liriaus @thisartemisnevermisses @ggukkieland @preciouschimine @sunniejinnie @cypheruby @cyb3rbab3 @masterlists101​ @awhnamjoon​ @redhedhoseok​ @wooya1224​ @taeismydeath @jikookiekosmos​ (please message me if you would like to be added to the taglist!)

"Am I doing too much for shopping for a dress? He told me to dress nice and I honestly don't have an ounce of nice in my closet." You told Kai as you looked through the hangers on the rack.

"No, you're not doing too much. And I think you dress nice, but it's always good to have a few dresses in general, right?"

"Okay, okay. How about this?" You hold up a black knitted, off the shoulder dress that fell right above the knee. "It's too simple isn't it?"

"Simple is the best." He shrugs. "That's probably the best one I've seen so far and it'll look nice on you. Plus, you can just curl your hair or whatever girls do."

"Hm, okay." You chuckle, heading over to the register to pay for the dress. You had picked up Kai from school and quickly dragged him to the mall before dropping him off at Eric's. You might have tried on and looked at a few billion dresses since you've been here, but out of all those, this dress probably spoke to you the most. You didn't wanna be too flashy, or do too much, but you did want to put effort into tonight's date with Jungkook. You had butterflies in your stomach all day, and quite frankly, you were nervous for how tonight would turn out. You just wanted to look good for him, and you definitely wanted him to look at you like you were the only girl in the world. It might have been a big ask on your part, but if he was serious about this, it shouldn't be a big deal, right?

"Let's get you some food before I drop you off."

"Can't I just stay at your place?"

"And watch me do my walk of shame in the morning? No thanks." He gives you a look before shaking his head.

"You're right, that's kind of weird." He does a fake shiver. "Kind of gross too."

"You started it." You snort. You make your way over to the food court, ordering Panda Express for a quick to-go meal. You could never go wrong with fried rice and their orange chicken. As you had ordered your food and waited for them to fill up your bowls, the two workers began to chat and you only overheard because—

"Did you hear? Jungkook is supposedly dating a stripper from that nightclub." You purse your lips into a fine line as you wait patiently for the food to be put into your bowls.

"I heard, but is it actually true? Why would he date a stripper?"

"I know, right? He could do so much better, why would he stoop that low?"

"My question is— how did a nobody like her get his attention?" The cashier turns to you and gives you a fake smile. "Anything else for you, love?"

"No." You shake your head, pay and take the food before walking away. You don't know why the words pain you so much, but you simply shake it off as you approach Kai who is waiting at a nearby table.

"Ready?" He looks up at you and tilts his head.

"You okay?"

"Mmm, yeah let's go."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm fine Kai. Really." You give him a nod, along with a fake, tight-lipped smile. He knows something's wrong, but he doesn't press you, especially after the way you responded. You quickly drop him off to avoid any unnecessary confrontation with your stepfather and make your way home. As soon as you touch base, you sit on your couch and.. you just quietly sit there. Suddenly, everything people had been saying was getting to you. Why did Jungkook want you? Why did he go for you and not anyone else?

Maybe they were right? You were just a nobody. Even if Jungkook did have feelings for you, you questioned if this was even going to last.

"God, Y/N." You groan at yourself, shaking the thoughts out of your head to start getting ready. Just because you brushed it off though, doesn't mean you had gotten over it. They were starting to pile up one by one, and one day, you felt like you were going to break and really let it get to you.

That day wasn't today, though. It couldn't be.

You looked at the dress after you slipped it on, staring at yourself in the mirror as you slipped on your heels. You fixed up your hair and added a dab of lipgloss before letting out a content sigh. You wondered if this would be enough for him. You always wondered if you were enough for him. Your stomach was in knots and this was the first time you felt sick to your stomach nervous.

"Hello?" Your phone suddenly rang, you grabbing it with a quickness.

"Hey, I'm outside." You furrowed your brows because his voice sounded a lot closer than it should be. You kept the phone to your ear as you opened the door, seeing Jungkook smiling with the phone pressed against his ear as well.

"Silly." You scrunched your nose as you hung up and put your phone down. You watched as he looked at you up and down, his eyes widening in admiration and awe.

"You look beautiful, Y/N." You blushed.

"Thank you. You don't look too bad yourself, Jeon Jungkook." He smiles. He was wearing a black and white striped button up, black slacks, boots and a fitted black blazer. His black hair hung loosely over the sides of his face, natural waves coming in and giving it a little volume.

"Ready?" He holds out his hand for you to intertwine your fingers with his.

"You know, you didn't have to come upstairs." You smiled up at him.

"Mm, but that takes away from the complete experience, sweetheart." He grabs your purse and your small duffle bag [since he politely requested for you to bring a change of clothes] to carry it for you as you head down the steps and to his car. You loved the smell of his car, as oddly as that sounds. He always had a fresh strip of that Black Ice car freshener hanging from his rear view mirror that reminded you of his scent so much. "Seatbelt on?" You nod as he starts the car and locks his free hand with yours once again.

"Where are you taking me?" You playfully ask.

"Don't worry about it." He chuckles. "However, I want you to know we won't be out in public. Not because I don't wanna show you off, it's only because I don't want anyone to bother us." You nod.

"Okay." You appreciate his honesty, your what if's and insecurities slowly drifting away the more Jungkook talks to you, touches you. You always thought it was cute how careful he was with you, treating you like you were the most delicate thing in the world and that he had to take care of you in every way possible.

You realize that you're making your way to his luxury apartment building [his own, not the dorms] and you're a little confused as to why you had gotten all dressed up and fancy if you were just going back to his place. However, you didn't say anything to allow the plans to do the talking for you. You trusted him with this, and you feel like Jungkook really hasn't given you a solid reason to not trust him at this point in your 'relationship.'

You didn't know what to call it yet.

He parks his car in his usual spot, and immediately runs over to open your door and help you out. He gathers your bags from the back and hangs onto them as his other hand is resting against the small of your back. He brings you to the very top floor, where there aren't necessarily apartments but moreso conference and party rooms and you can tell strictly by the way each room has double doors.

"Uh, this exists?" Jungkook chuckles.

"Other idols live here too, gives them a way to do shit without having to step outside and have people in their business." You nod.

"Does this mean your dorm is like this too?" He nods.

"Yup, just another luxury apartment building. Few things differ but for the most part, they're the same." You shrug.

"Must be nice."

"It's alright." He stops in front of double doors towards the end of the hallway. "Close your eyes for me, please? Just for a quick minute." You smirk before doing what you're told and closing your eyes. You hear the doors open, and Jungkook's hand is retreating down onto the small of your back. He's guiding you as you walk in, but stops after a couple of steps. "Open?" You open your eyes and softly gasp at the sight in front of you. The entire half of the wall was strictly windows, so you had a good view of the city in front of you. What caught your eye the most though was all the pink and red shades of rose petals along the floor, lining your way to the dining table in the center of the room. Along with it were little tealight candles and balloons along the way, with speakers softly playing music in the background. The room looked so big having one table in the center, just for the two of you. The center table was drenched in white table cloth, with tall white candles in the middle and a single rose as its centerpiece.

"Jungkook?!" You slightly shriek. "Oh my god, what is this?"

"Date night, sweetheart. Had to make it worthwhile since we're not out in public." He smiles and takes your hand. "Come on, let's go eat. I know you're hungry." He pulls out your chair and has you sit before he situates himself in front of you and tucks your bags underneath the table.

"Thank you." You give him a soft, cute smile. You're not sure how else you can show your appreciation for all the effort he put in, but you were happy. "I-I really don't know what I did to deserve all this effort from you." He shakes his head.

"What do you mean? You didn't have to do anything. I wholeheartedly just wanted to do this for you." He smiles, his dimple poking out from the bottom corner of mouth.

"Well, thank you again. I really do appreciate everything you do for me." He scrunches his nose before looking up at the waiter, who was ready to serve you two either a bottle of Jungkook's favorite red wine or white wine.

"You like sweet or bitter?"

"Sweet." You shyly said as he signaled for the waiter to pour the white wine before thanking him as he left you two to your piece.

"So, dinner is a 3 course meal made by a friend of mine."

"A friend, ey?" He nods, knowing full well he hired one of the most popular chefs around to prepare dinner for you two.

"I hope you like it. I asked him to make it special." You chuckled.

"I'm sure I will." You sipped on your wine. Over time, the salad appetizer came out, followed by the main course meal. You both had dug in pretty quietly, Jungkook chiming in about random things with you reacting appropriately to the topics he brought up.

"So, did you figure out what you were gonna do for Kai?" You shrug.

"He's gonna go to the arcade and I'll buy him Loco Moco."  You snort. "That sounds terrible, doesn't it? For an 18th birthday?" You frown.

"No, not if that's what he wants. Why don't you come over my place and I can make it for him? He can take over my gaming consoles if he wants, too."

"That's asking for too much."

"But you're not asking, I'm asking."

"Would you mind? He really does want to meet you."

"No I don't mind. It's on Saturday, yeah?"

"Yup." He nods.

"Schedule isn't as packed for a bit."

"Hm, okay. If you say so."

"Just let me know when to start making it and I'll make sure I make the time."

"Okay." You nod. "Hey, you have an older brother, don't you?"

"Yeah, but we aren't as close. Which is why it's nice to see you and Kai together. It's pretty comforting."

"May I ask why?"

"He just always thinks I'm a troublemaker, or that I rebel too much. We just have different mindsets, that's all."

"Did you guys fight a lot when you were younger?" He nods.

"Sure did." He points to the scar on his cheek and laughs. You lean over to run your finger over it before sitting back into your chair.

"That looks like a deep cut."

"That's because it was. He beat my ass over his turn on the computer." You chuckle.

"Sorry, that must have hurt."

"Eh, nothing I couldn't get over. But yeah, that's pretty much my relationship with my brother."

"How about your parents?" He shrugs.

"They think the same way. I try to be on their good side but they like to remind me about what I used to do or how I live my life." He forks into his food. "Like my tattoos. They hated that shit. Probably still do."

"I'm sorry, Jungkook."

"No, don't be. It is what it is. I really do try, but sometimes it gets tiring. I don't go home often because of it."

"Hmm." You hum. "You know, I always thought you were such a social butterfly."

"Me?" He laughs. "No."

"But you look so confident on stage. So happy."

"I am happy on stage, but it's kind of just that. I do what I need to do, especially for the fans and all. Don't get me wrong though, I love it. But behind the scenes, I'm not much of a talker, or someone who shares a lot. I like to keep it that way. I don't like getting too close to people and letting people into my bubble and vice versa. Gets complicated."

"So, what about me?" You look at him, curiosity filling the look in your eyes.

"I like you, and I want you in my bubble. You aren't complicated."

"How do you know that for sure? I can kick and scream and throw tantrums. And-and have attitude." You say, making him laugh and shake his head. "I can be complicated."

"I doubt it. Can't see an ounce of it. You can try, but I'm sure it won't be like the way you explain it to be." He looks at you. "All I'm saying is that I really like you, Y/N. I want you around me. You keep things so simple and sweet, and I've already started to appreciate the small things from being around you. It's something I used to overlook before we met. All the small things, the little joys in life. You make me look at things in a different perspective, I guess is what I'm trying to say." He cutely shakes his head at how he just rambled on, making you blush.

"It really makes me happy to hear that." You finished up the food on your plate, blushing as you wiped the corners of your mouth and fiddled with your fingers.

"So, did you ever think you'd be here after all the times you played so hard to get at the club?"

"No, definitely not. I mean, even in general." You tilted your head while looking at him.

"Are you happy to be here?" He asks shyly, his doe eyes wide and puppy-like.

"Of course I am."

"That's all that matters to me." He says, beaming from ear to ear. The waiter brings over the dessert, which is a sampler plate of 5 different cakes/cheesecakes. Your eyes light up because who fucking doesn't love dessert? You immediately go to town, yelling out your 'yum's' and 'ooh's' every bite you take. Jungkook laughs watching you happily eating away, giving him leverage to feed you a spoonful of the dessert on the plate closest to his end.

"I'm so full. That was so, so good." You finish your wine after one last bite of the dessert and sink back into your seat.

"Yeah? I'm glad you enjoyed it." He puts his napkin down on the table after wiping his mouth, then gets up, holding out his hand for you to take. You look at him, a little confused as to what he was trying to do, but you take it anyway. "May I have this dance with you, pretty lady?" You smile and nod, swinging your arms around his neck as he holds you closely against him by the hips.

"Jungkook?"

"Yeah?"

"I really appreciate you. Thank you for taking such good care of me."

"You're absolutely welcome, baby." The pet name sends goosebumps raging throughout your body, your forehead pressing against his. "You're special to me, you know? I can't really explain it just yet, but just know that every single thing that I've done for you has been worth it." You give him a small smile as you quietly dance to the music, your bodies pressed warmly together as you hold each other close. He softly sings along with the music, causing you to giggle every now and then when he showed off his cute facial expressions. After a song has passed, he presses his lips against your forehead, making you shut your eyes at the sensation of his soft lips against your skin.

You just wanted him as much as he wanted you. You were so undeniably attracted to him, just as much as he with you.

"I have one more thing to show you." He says as he grabs your bags underneath the table.

"One more thing, huh?" He suddenly gets shy, shaking his head and chuckling to himself as he grabs your hand and leads you out of the room. You start climbing up the stairs instead of taking the elevator, going up about 3 more flights before Jungkook is climbing over the gate that blocks off the last flight the leads to another door. "Jungkook, is this illegal?!" He snorts as he waits for you to meet him at the door.

"Why would it be here if it was illegal?"

"But it was--" He opens the door, bringing you out to the rooftop to look at the entire view of the city ahead as the sun was getting ready to fully rest below the horizon. "Ohhhh shit, it's a beauty." You say in awe, walking over to the railing to take everything in. You expected Jungkook's body to press against yours from behind, however it doesn't. You find yourself looking for him, turning over your shoulder to see him quietly blowing up a balloon before smiling cutely at you and bringing it over. "A balloon?" You cocked your head to the side in confusion.

"This is gonna sound dumb and cheesy, but it was really the one thing I could think of to help put things into perspective. I want you to write everything you're worried about, everything you've been thinking about, all that negative shit." He hands you the balloon with a sharpie, causing you to laugh.

"Where did you even hide this stuff?"

"In my pocket." He scrunched his nose, his teeth piercing his bottom lip as he let out a soft, tiny laugh. You do as he says though, writing out all the negative shit that had been clouding your mind lately - Eric, worrying about Kai and him going off to college soon, your image, just to name a few. You wrote it all out as Jungkook stood behind you, resting his chin on your head as his arms wrapped around your neck.

"Okay, I think that's it."

"Mmkay, let it go." He nods towards the view in front of him. You let the balloon go, watching it dance around with the light breeze, flying farther and farther away as it does so. "I don't want you to worry about any of that when I'm around. I know the world hasn't exactly been the nicest to you, but I want you to know that I'm gonna do my best to keep you safe. You and Kai." You smile to yourself as your body sinks into his, the both of you just enjoying the view and the moment, which ultimately turns into a fun, playful competition as to who can spot more landmarks than the other.

After you both had spent a good amount of time watching the sun fully sink below the horizon, he took you back downstairs to his apartment, placing your bags off to the side of his room. You slipped out of your heels, sighing contently at the feeling of your feet being out of the heels after so long. You had no idea how you lasted at the club like this, it felt like it was such a long time ago.

"Baby." Jungkook says, coming in from the living room.

"Huh?" You look up at him as you set your heels aside neatly. The nickname was something you knew would take awhile for you to get used to, especially if it was used outside of the bed. It was moreso of a 'i can't believe he's actually calling me baby' kind of thing. He's actually calling me baby instead of my first name. I'm baby.

"Look, I bought this projector but I wanted to wait until you were here so we could try it." He begins fiddling with this little mini projector he bought, connecting it to the tv and doing all these technical handyman things that you weren't really sure of.

"What movie are you going to put on?"

"That's a good question."

"I'll let you figure it out." You say, rubbing your arm, eyeing his closet. "You're the one who knows all the good stuff."

"No I—"He turns to look at you, catching you eyeing his closet. "Babe."

"Hm?" You return your attention towards him, watching as he laughs at you.

"Do you want a shirt or something?" You nod shyly. "Then go get it. You don't have to ask or act all shy about it."

"But it's your shirt."

"Whatever is mine is yours too." He turns back to the tv, scrolling through his apps to find the best movie to put on. You slowly walk into his closet, eyeing all the clothes he has, taking in the scent of his shirts as you them by. You lock eyes on a random Carhartt longsleeve folded nicely on one of his shelves and start slipping the sleeves down your arms so you can easily step out of your dress. "I think—" Jungkook stops in his tracks as he sees you starting to slip out of your dress. You turn your head to look at him over your shoulder, watching as he approaches you with his hands in his pockets. You feel his hands against your arms, his lips gently pressing a kiss against your shoulders.

"You think what?" You smile softly at him as he presses another kiss against your jawline before gently turning you to face him.

"I think I found a movie you'll enjoy." He lifts your chin to kiss you on the lips. You smile into the kiss before pulling away and nodding.

"Okay, that sounds good."

"Find a shirt you like?" You point at his longsleeve and he nods.

"Nice. That's one of my favorites."

"Oh, then I'll just pick something else if—"

"Why? I don't mind. Go for it." You silently nod before turning around to slip out of your dress and slip the shirt on. Jungkook changes into his pajamas behind you, following you into his bed shortly after.

"Oh my god." You laugh seeing Always Be My Maybe projected against the wall. "You asked Kai if I've watched this yet, haven't you?"

"Nooo." He lies, silently giggling to himself.

"You liar! You knew I've had this on my list and that I haven't gotten around to watching it."

"Don't know what you're talking about, sweetheart. Just pure coincidence." He says, leaving the room to grab water and shut off his living room lights. He shuts the door to his room, immediately putting the water down onto the nightstand before slipping under the sheets with you.

"Mhm." You eye him suspiciously as he wraps his arm around your shoulder, pulling you close to lay on his chest.

"Mhm." He mocks you, laughing before kissing you on the head. "Ready?"

"Have been. Surprised you didn't know that."

"Mmm, baby catches on quick I see." You smack his chest, cuddling up tighter against him as the movie starts. Tonight was the night that really solidified where you were at with him, because after dinner, you highkey expected him to take you home and fuck you senseless [which you weren't opposed to], but he kept it sweet. Delicate. Cute. A serious, date night to show you what you really meant to him. This wasn't just some plan to woo you and get you in your pants and keep you as the exclusive fuckbuddy - no, this was Jungkook really confessing where he stood with you, and vice versa. As you cuddled against him, you saw a lot of his cute, nerdy sides poking out whenever he would comment on certain things that came up on the movie. For the first time, you heard his really loud, obnoxiously cute laugh that you instantly fell in love with. You were with Jungkook, and you were seeing a whole side of him that many people didn't really see.

And for that, you were grateful.

can i call you baby? can you be my friend? can you be my lover up until the very end? let me show you love, oh, no pretend, stick by my side even when the world is caving in

track eleven: at my worst (remix) - pink sweat$ & kehlani

[imaginedreamwrite]

Higher Love

One of Wendy’s man children has asked his omega to marry him. The other girls decide to take her for a celebration, and get a hotel suite at the local casino. The team thinks they’re going to get drunk, gamble, and go to the see the male strippers. Possessive as they are they follow them. All they’re really doing is going to the spa, ordering room service, and having a once in a lifetime slumber party. One of the boys convinces the bellboy to let him take the room service cart to catch them, thinking they have a male stripper in there. All they catch is a bunch of giggly girls with junk food and a string of rom-coms playing on the big-screen!

“This isn’t a good idea,” there was no stopping him, not even after being warned by both Ari and Nick not to pursue this, his mind was made up, “you trust her don’t you?”

“It’s not about trust, I just wanna see what a bunch of mates omegas are doing.” He had huffed when he first saw the poster announcing the male entertainment show geared toward omegas, and that had set him on a course to kyboshing the idea of a male strip tease. “I mean really-“

“Colin, don’t be a jealous prat.” Jake had stalked along beside him as he walked down the hall toward the suite that had been rented for the night, the bellboy’s key in his hand.

“I’m not jealous, I'm worried. My poor omega having to sit through a show with male strippers while her alpha has the best dick around-“

“Open up! Police!” Johnny cut him off by slamming his fist against the door, bypassing the hotel key entirely. “We’re received noise complaints!”

“Storm! What the hell?!” Colin hissed and clenched his hand, readying himself to fire off an aggressive punch to his shoulder only to be stopped by the door opening and a throat being cleared.

“Can we help you?” Colin and Johnny, the alphas closest to the door and turned their heads synchronized and stared down the less than pleased omega standing in the doorway.

“Baby!” Jake had beamed, pushing the two alphas aside to get near the front of the pack of boys. “You look good!”

“Nice try, jensen. What are you doing here?”

“Did you see strippers?” Colin asked with force, attempting to look past Jake’s omega to find his own. “there was a poster-“

“Says the alpha who couldn’t keep clothes on during games?” Jake’s omega rolled her eyes and scoffed. “As if, Shea. We’re having fun, we went to the spa and stuffed our faces with junk food and pizza.”

“So no strippers?”

“The only one of us who would see any kind of stripping would be ice princess back there, and Ari’s at home taking care of their pup. So if you don’t mind-“ the door closed in his face, the conversation cut short and the mess of boys left standing outside the door.

“Happy? No strippers.”

“I’m gonna kick your ass for the image of coach stripping.” Jake grimaced and shuddered.

“No one asked you to picture it, Jensen.” Johnny scoffed and grabbed a hold of his shirt, dragging him away from the door. “Come on, might as well catch a game while we’re here.”

“Just make sure you keep your clothes on, Shea!” A voice called from behind the door, the jest followed by laughter and clinking of glasses.