#so at first i'm like oh yeah! this is where they meet the clutch! even though that makes no sense

[whereispearlescentmoon]

Adding to my Nosey Neighbor thoughts from earlier:

(@bigb-enthusiast and @mapleejay pspspspspsps)

Imagine it begins to snow on the server. Pearl lets it fall on her, still, watching from atop their tower. She's shivering, but doesn't really notice, hands stiffening slowly on her spyglass as she stares at the Mean Gills chatting. She says nothing, but it hurts. Somehow it feels like a betrayal to see Martyn and Scott getting along so well. She starts to lose circulation. She still does not move.

BigB sits on the opposite side of the tower, though indoors, clutching his own spyglass. He doesn't really need it to look down and see the Clockers. Scar is waving around a sword as he talks for emphasis. Cleo doesn't even flinch. Cleo turns her back to Scar to talk to BDubs. Cleo will never turn her back to BigB again.

(Pearl will. She will turn BigB's sword towards her and look away from him, begging him to kill her so he can live. He won't anyways, even with the extra time. Neither will she. Both of their blood will mingle together on Scott's sword.)

BigB can't watch anymore so he turns back inside. It's only then that he realizes Pearl isn't inside. He climbs up to meet her but she doesn't respond to his greeting. He sits down next to her and pulls her spyglass away.

"A little cold, huh?"

"Oh, yeah. I guess,"

The snow has started sticking in his hair, but it's already piled on her shoulders and hood. He fights the urge to wipe it off. Pearl's reaction to touch is...unpredictable. She forgets shes not alone sometimes, even if you're right next to her. He tries not to think about what it means that she doesn't think the people talking to her are solid enough to touch.

"I'm going to head inside, I think Jimmy's heading over to ask about Judy again,"

The aforementioned man is loitering on the bridge outside their tower, being way too loud if he's trying not to be suspicious. Grian shushes him and BigB is reminded of late night meetups that felt like betraying Ren and freedom in equal measure where both of them spent half the time shushing the other and the other half giggling.

He begins to climbs down and trusts that Pearl will follow him. The inside of the tower is warm and what little snow was clinging to him begins to melt.

Pearl won't come back inside until Jimmy has come and gone. Falling snow doesn't have the same bite as sitting directly in powdered snow, but she is tinted blue all the same. BigB will place a hand on her, fingertips first to warn and then the rest when she has acknowledged that he is real, and guide her towards a furnace. She will hiss in pain as the blood returns to dying nerves and feeling returns to fingers that are scarred from the frostbite of a previous life. They will never talk about it.

(In the next life she will drop dripstone on his head and he will be reminded of his skull splitting open in time with Ren's. And he will feel like he's speaking with Ren's voice as he banishes her from Love Island. They are back in the Box and she is a demoness who has brought death with her. But she will tilt her head and ask "Nosey Neighbors?" and he will sigh and forgive her, remembering how the time he took from her tasted.)

[coquelicoq]

sorry for being obsessed with the sky copper royal clutch. as if it's my fault.

[katsu28]

lucky charm

pairing: lando norris x reader

summary: lando finds comfort in your presence as doubt starts to creep in before a race (2k)

warnings: minimal swearing

a/n: hi i know i'm still super new here and i'm not even sure if i'm actually going to start writing rpf but i think about this motherfucker 24/7 now and this came to me in a dream <3 let's ignore the actual way he got his ring necklace okay? okay!

“No one saw you come in, right?” 

Lando let the door close behind him gently, a total opposite to the quickest few steps you’d ever seen him take across the small driver’s room, and he leaned over to kiss you, hard. 

You let out a squeak of surprise at the force of it, but had no hesitation in kissing him back as soon as your body caught up with your brain, arms looping around his neck to bring him down and closer to you.

Lando’s knees hit the cushions on either side of you, hands doing the same on the leather backrest, clumsy as all hell but twice as determined not to let his mouth leave yours. 

Your fingers knocked the McLaren cap right off his head as they moved into his hair, clutching at his chocolate curls on instinct like you’d done so many times before. But never here, never before one of Lando’s races, and certainly never at the risk of being caught by anyone in the facility at any given moment. 

It didn’t seem to matter to Lando, though, with the way he was kissing you like he was parched and you were the only thing that could quench his thirst. 

But given the rather frantic series of texts you’d received from him that got you here in the first place, you weren’t at all too surprised. You knew how nervous Lando got before races, and if there was something you could do, you’d never hesitate to be there for him. Especially since you were able to make it to this one. 

“Yeah,” He mumbled between kisses, panting against your lips. Somehow he’d managed to switch positions so he was the one on the sofa now and you were sitting on his lap, straddling his hips as you continued your rather sloppy makeout session. “Yeah, yeah, we’re good. ‘M sneaky like that.” 

“Had a lot of practice at this, have you?” 

“No!” It was almost comical how fast he pulled away from you to blurt out his answer. “No, not at all. I don’t know why I said that, I—” 

“I was just kidding, bub.” You chuckled, smoothing the pad of your thumb across his kiss-swollen bottom lip fondly. Lando grinned sheepishly, giving your waist a playful little pinch. You’d never get over the way he looked at you, like you were the only other person to exist in the world—especially when he was under you like this, and especially with those eyes. His baby cow eyes, you always called them. 

Even so, Lando was extremely tense, you could tell. He tended to get very in his head before races, probably why he asked you to come meet him so close to the green flag, to help him quell his nerves a little. He always said you helped him more than anything else ever could. 

“I have something for you.” You said softly. 

“Oh yeah? And what’s that?” He leaned back against the cushion, happily accepting the chaste kiss you pressed to his lips before you bounced off his lap and over to where your bag was sitting. 

You rummaged around in it for a few moments until you found what you were looking for, a triumphant grin on your face as you made your way back over to an intrigued Lando. This time you settled next to him, throwing your legs across his lap. His hand came to rest on your knee immediately. 

“Open it.” You urged, pressing the small black bag into his waiting palm. He undid the drawstring carefully, beaming even before he got a look at what was inside. That smile only grew bigger as he poured the contents of the bag into his hand. 

A thin silver chain, joined together at the ends with two interlocking rings, sleek and silver just like the rest of the necklace. Upon closer inspection, he saw numbers etched into the inside of each one. One of them, Lando recognized instantly as the date of your anniversary. The other looked like a set of coordinates, but he wasn’t too great at geography, so he looked to you for an explanation. 

“The place we first met.” 

“You looked up the coordinates of that tiny little restaurant? Nerd.” He chuckled, artfully dodging the swat you aimed his way at his teasing remark.

“It could be, like, your new lucky charm or something.” You shrugged, watching him turn the rings around carefully between his fingers. 

Lando glanced up, bumping your shoulder with his gently. “I’ve already got one.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. It’s you.” 

“Me?” 

“I like knowing you’re watching me. Even though I can’t see you, or even if you’re not here, knowing I’ve got you cheering me on from wherever you are helps. I think it makes me a better driver.” 

“Lan, you’re already a great driver.. You don’t need me for you to know that.” 

“I know. I just—it keeps me focused. To know you’re there.” He said softly, giving your hand a tight squeeze. “And now with this, I can have a piece of you with me whenever. Here, help me put it on.” 

“You can’t wear it under your suit, Lando, even I know that.”

“Alright, well, I’ll figure it out later. C’mon, put it on me.” Lando leaned forward, giving you space to bring the chain up over his head and around his neck. He even managed to sneak in another kiss whilst you followed the silver down to where the rings rested just below his collarbones. Your fingers stroked at the warm skin there, the cold of the metal contrasting.

“It looks good on you.” 

Lando melted like a popsicle on a hot summer day under your touch, smiling so big at you that you could hardly believe this was the same boy who had other drivers trembling in their fireproofs. He hoisted you back into his lap effortlessly, nosing at your pulse point a bit before smacking a kiss to your cheek when you wrapped your arm around his shoulders. “You look good on me.” 

“That was so bad. Like, really bad. I get why they call you Lando Norizz now.” 

“What?! Bad? That was so fucking smooth!” He huffed, going from looking completely smitten to entirely offended. “And I happen to have lots of rizz, thank you very much. I practically ooze rizz, love.” 

“I take it back.” You replied solemnly, patting Lando’s cheek. “That was worse.” 

“You’re so mean to me. I don’t know why I even put up with this harassment!” 

“Always so dramatic, you.” 

“I’ve got to be! How else would I be able to withstand this abuse?” 

You scoffed playfully and moved to climb off him, opting to keep a safe enough distance away so you wouldn’t be tempted to kiss him stupid. Then he’d really be late. “Don’t you have a race to prepare for, driver boy?” 

“I am,” He said earnestly, tucking his hands behind his head. You arched a skeptical brow, hands propped on your hips. 

“By hiding out in here with me?” 

“You know what they say—calm the mind, and the body will follow.” 

“I’ve literally never heard anyone say that.” 

“Well maybe people should start!” 

You huffed out an amused chuckle, crossing your arms. “Are you ready?” 

A sudden silence  blanketed the tiny room, Lando’s non response giving you all you needed to know. 

He reached out for you with a pout that you’d never been quite able to resist, fingers beckoning you back over longingly, like you were too far away for his liking. You gave in almost immediately despite previously wanting to give him space, trudging over with an overexaggerated roll of your eyes and letting yourself be pulled back onto his lap yet again. 

“I’ll be alright.” He answered finally, taking your hand in his. He fiddled with your fingers, tracing along each digit languidly and then circling his thumb over your palm—once, twice, a third time. 

This, something you’d learned quite early on in your relationship with Lando, was one of his many versions of self-soothing. The repetition of his actions proved rather calming to him, and it certainly helped that he got to feel your skin against his. 

His brows drew together in thought, furrowed and tense until you pushed your thumb into the wrinkle between them, smoothing out the scrunch. He wrapped his fingers around your wrist loosely. 

“You’re gonna do great, you know.” You insisted. 

He offered you as good of a smile as he could muster. “Yeah. I know.”  

“You’re gonna do your best, and whatever happens, you’ve got so many people who’ll be proud of you no matter what.”

“I don’t know if it’s enough.” Lando blurted, scratching at a patch on his suit. “I’ve been racing for years, and I still have no wins to show for it. It’s not fair to my team, it’s not fair to the fans. It’s not fair to you. You shouldn’t have to have a boyfriend who can’t fucking drive for shit.” 

“Lando, I’m not with you because of your job.” You said shortly, pressing your lips into a thin, unamused line. “And quite frankly, I feel hurt that you could even think I was.” 

Lando was quick to soothe, shaking his head frantically. He took both your hands in his, squeezing. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m sorry, it’s just—I get in my head a lot. And I start to overthink, and shit comes out of my mouth that I don’t mean. I know you’re not like that, I do. I’m sorry.” 

You softened, sighing. “You could never win a race, ever, and I'd still love you all the same.”

He snorted. “Well, I’d like to win one at some point.” 

“What I meant was, I can’t speak for everyone else, but my pride for you has nothing to do with how well you do on the track, my love.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah. I’m proud of you because you’re you. You’re kind and you work hard, and you try your best at everything you do. Even if the outcome isn’t what you expected, you keep at it. You keep going. That’s one of the reasons why I love you, that’s why I’m so proud of you.” 

“I’m stupid.” He groaned, tipping his head back against the couch cushions. You simply made a noise of agreement. “You’re too good to me. I love you.”

“I love you too. Now, you really need to go back to the garage. I’m sure Oscar’s sent out a search party for you at this point.” You said firmly, giving his chest a sharp poke. Lando groaned again but made to get up, shifting your legs off him so he could climb to his feet. 

“Fine. Just kick me out of my own room, why don’t you?” He huffed dramatically, swiping his hat off the floor and jamming it back over his hair. You aimed a fake kick towards him, stifling a giggle when he caught your foot and pretended to undo your laces. “Kiss?” 

“You need to leave, Lando,” You whined, batting him away gently. “I refuse to be the reason you’re late.” 

“One more. Just one more for good luck and I promise I’ll leave.” He insisted, expression pleading. You grumbled something unintelligible, reaching up begrudgingly to bring him down for one last kiss. 

Lando smiled against your lips, snaking a hand around the back of your neck to keep you in place a few beats longer than you intended. You practically had to unstick yourself from him, giving him a little shove towards the door so he’d actually leave. 

Immediately, he whirled around. “Wait, wait—”

“Lando! Go!” 

“No, no, hold on, it’s important.” He slipped his newfound chain over his head, rubbing his thumb over both rings before holding it out towards you. “Keep this safe for me?” He asked earnestly, pressing the necklace into your hands. “Can’t have my lucky charm getting lost already, can I?” 

“Give ‘em hell, number four.” You smiled, donning the necklace yourself. He beamed, blowing you a kiss as he backpedaled down the hall. "Number four on the track, number one in my heart!"

You could hear his infectious laughter echoing even as he retreated around the corner.

Lando would be fine. And if he wasn’t, he’d bounce back, like he always did. And you’d be there to support him every step of the way, like you always were. 

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[harrysfolklore]

Tom meeting reader at an event and he’s just flirting the whole night and ends up getting her number

i watched the golden globes and got inspired to write this! i hope you like it <3

MASTERLIST | MY PATREON

If there was an award for "most nervous person in attendance" at the Golden Globes, you'd have won it by now.

Award shows never failed to make your stomach feel in knots the entire time, specially when you were nominated, like tonight.

The Great had been a huge breakout role, a period drama that had captivated audiences and critics. Now, you stood among the nominees for Female Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes, and you could feel your heart pounding as the moment of your category being announced approached.

"Love, are you okay?" you heard a voice calling for you, turning your head you realized that it was Dua (yes, the Dua Lipa) who was sitting next to you.

"Just a bit nervous," you told her with a small smile, "I think I'll head backstage for a minute, I need a breather."

She assured you with another smile and you made your way backstage, a commercial break started just on cue.

You had rehearsed your acceptance speech a dozen times in case you won, and also had a pep talk ready in case you didn't, yet the nerves persisted. You knew you were competing against some big names, and whatever the result people online would have something to say.

Your train of thought was interrupted by your body colliding with someone, almost dropping your clutch in the process.

"Whoa there, careful," a voice chuckled, catching your arm.

"Sorry, I didn't see where I was going," you said, your cheeks flushing from embarrassment, of course you'd run into someone in classic romcom cliche style.

"No harm done. You alright?" he grinned and you recognized him, it was the man who had been flooding your Tiktok for you page for the past month, Tom Blyth, "I'm Tom, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, I'm YN," you smiled back, "And yeah, I'm okay. Just a bit nervous about my category. Oh you're presenting it, aren't you?"

"I'll have the privilege, yes," his charm effortlessly showed, "And just so you know, I'm rooting for you. You were phenomenal in The Great, one of my favorite shows I watched last year."

Your nerves seemed to ease a bit, his presence and charm making you relax. There was something about him that felt comforting, even though it was your first time meeting him.

"Thank you, that's really nice," you smiled at him, "But I don't want to get too confident, the other nominees are just as great."

"Honestly, I'd bet my hat you're taking that Golden Globe home tonight."

Tom squeezed your arm gently and you smiled again, and before another word could be exchanged, a crew member's voice echoed through the backstage area announcing that the show was back from commercial break in 30 seconds.

"Well, looks like it's showtime" Tom glanced towards the exit, then back at you. "Knock 'em dead out there, YN. You got this."

"We'll see."

With a final wink sent your way, you parted ways. You returned to your seat and tried to enjoy the ceremony as much as you could, your nerves still in the back of your head but your interaction with Tom making you feel more at ease now.

"And now, presenting the award for Female Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy, please welcome The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes star, Tom Blyth!"

You heard the host say and you knew t was time, and once again a wave of nerves and uncertainty filled your body.

The crowd erupted in applause as Tom stepped onto the stage, his confidence and charm shinning through.

"Good evening, everyone. It's an honor to be here tonight among such incredible talents," Tom smiled, "Here are the nominees for Female Actor in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy."

A video played showing all the nominees but you felt like your mind was numb, you didn't even realize it had ended until Tom's voice was heard again.

"And the Golden Globe goes to," he paused for suspense, and you could see a small smirk making its way to his face as he read the name, "YN!"

Time seemed to freeze, you tried to process everything as you heard the applause from the crowd and those around you congratulating you and before you knew it, you were on stage taking the award from Tom's hands and giving him a quick hug.

"I told you." He quietly whispered in your ear and gave you a wink, a moment that the cameras had caught.

You gave your speech, thanking your cast mates, directors, family, friends and the rest of the nominees. Once you were done you headed backstage with a proud smile and your newest award in hand.

The night went on and you definitely enjoyed every minute of it, mingling with other actors and thanking everyone who approached to congratulate you.

Once the ceremony wrapped up, you headed to the after party, you were sipping on a fruity drink by the bar when you felt a presence behind you.

"Hey, can I steal a moment with the newest Golden Globe winner?"

You turned around noticing it was Tom, he had changed to a different suit and you couldn't help but think that he looked really handsome.

"Sure, what do you need, president Snow?" you laughed, feeling a newfound confidence around him.

"How about your number? I'd hate to lose touch with Hollywood's latest sensation." Tom flashed his charming smile again, taking you by surprise and making your entire body feel giddy.

"Smooth, Blyth. Very smooth." Blushing furiously, you playfully rolled your eyes.

"Well, when you really really want something, smooth comes naturally."

And just like that, after winning a major award for your career and feeling on top of the world, you found herself exchanging numbers with Tom Blyth, excited to see where that would take you.

[heich0e]

natsuo sits with you in the bathroom while you bathe pretty much from the very beginning of your relationship. he's a bit clingy, even so early on, but he makes no attempt to convince you otherwise. though a bit awkward at first, the routine soon becomes normal and easy: he perches on the closed lid of the toilet and chatters away about his day, or asks you about yours, as you wash away any lingering traces of the day from your skin. but something you always find a bit strange is that he never takes you up on the offer to join you, and finally (years into establishing this easy habit) you reach out with a wet hand and clutch at the sleeve of his shirt, firmly insisting this time that he get in.

he looks away, grimacing a little, a flush crawling up his throat. "oh, no," he says, shaking his head. "i'll get in once you're done, that's alright!"

you frown.

"nat," you say to him, your fingers still twisted into his shirtsleeve, clutching him tightly as though the strength of your grip might sway him. "please get in."

your insistence, though quiet, seems to make him falter. his cheeks flush even more and he hangs his head.

"...cold."

you cock your head to the side, having lost half of his sentence to the way he mumbled it. "hm?"

he peeks up at you, his lashes fluttering when he meets your gaze. his lips are pursed in the sweetest little pout, slight but still there. "i'll make the bathwater cold."

you blink for a moment as you process his words.

"you're worried... about the bathwater?"

he looks away again in embarrassment. "yeah."

he reaches up and takes the hand you have gripping his sleeve in his own, his touch cool against your bath-warmed skin. he twines your fingers together, watching raptly at the way his own hand seems to just fit with yours.

"i don't have a very strong quirk, you know that," he mumbles, his voice almost a bit shy. "but when i'm with you, it just... i can't help it. it slips out."

you already know this about natsuo. already had a conversation about it early in your relationship. he tried to explain the physiological side of things to you in terms you didn't really understand, but sensing your confusion, he then put it simply: you make my heart beat really fast, and it makes my temperature drop.

now you're used to his cold fingertips tracing along your body. used to how his tongue is always cold and slick. used to how you can sometimes see the faintest cloud of his breath on his exhales when he's panting over you in bed, or find delicate swirls of frost marks on the headboard where he was gripping it.

no. more than used to it. you like it.

"natsuo,"—you hold his hand a bit tighter, squeezing his fingers with your own—"i don't care about the bathwater."

his eyes snap up from watching where your fingers are tangled together, meeting your gaze. his cheeks are still pink, but his eyes are hopeful.

you guide his hand up to your cheek. his palm is cool against the heat you feel burning underneath your skin.

"please. get in with me?" you ask him again.

and this time he doesn't deny you—not least of all because he knows that when you've got your heart set on something you won't give up.

but he's used to that part of you, too.

(and he likes it.)

[pretty-circa006]

OKAY imagine IMAGINE reader sees negan/jeffrey naked for the first time AND sees his chest full of chest hair THENNNN nakedly grinds on his chest

Negan x F! Reader

tags nudity, smut, grinding, chest hair fetish i think??

note i did my best, i hope you like it

wc 1.5k

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚⋆ ˚｡⋆ 

Negan sits at the head of the table with Lucille in hand and his leather jacket resting on the back of his metal chair. He’s explaining something, likely what the Saviors’ next move against Alexandria is going to be, but it all flies above her head. Her eyes watch his lips as they move in tune with his words, his hazel eyes as they alternate eye contact with each Savior at the table, and occasionally glance down at what parts of his body were visible above the table. 

“Ya get all that, darlin’?” He asks, looking at her. 

“Oh..yeah! Uh huh. Yes…sir,” she lies. The deadpan look Negan sends her way tells her that he is not convinced, and honestly, neither is she. She bashfully looks away from him and down at the table, this time actually trying to pay attention to the rest of the meeting. 

With a bang of his barb wired bat to the metal table, he dismisses everyone as he gets up and leaves, too. She's the last one out of the room, partly because she didn't want to meet Negan's eye on the way out but mainly because she wanted to watch him as he left. Before she can leave the room something catches her eye—Negan's jacket. She looks around the room, making sure it's empty before walking over to his chair and grabbing the expensive looking leather garment. She picks it up and it almost feels unreal to be holding it. She hesitantly brings it up to her nose and breathes in the scent: leather and manliness. She could get lost in it and almost does, but she quickly remembers the task at hand and rushes out the room to catch up to Negan. 

With the jacket cradled in her arms, she hurries down the halls in search of the man in charge—he's nowhere to be seen. She sees his right hand, Simon, walking idly down the hall. 

"Wait, Simon. Do you know where Negan went?" she asks him. The mustached man's eyes drift down to the jacket in her arms and back up to her eyes with suspicion. 

"What're you doin' with Negan's jacket," he questions, reaching down for it as he does. She clutches it closer and moves it out of reach. 

"He left it in the meeting room, so I'm bringin' it back to him. Do you know where he went?" 

"I can give it to him, it's no trouble." 

Annoyed with Simon's insistence, she sidesteps him and storms down the hall, protectively clutching the jacket. 

"I'll handle it, thanks!" 

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚⋆ ˚｡⋆

Nobody said anything when she knocked on his bedroom door, so she waited a second. She knocks again and yields the same results. She tries the doorknob and surprisingly, it gives, opening the door and letting her into his bedroom. Until now, she'd never been in his room. The sheer luxury of it all strikes her with awe. The king sized bed, the leather couches and chairs, the tall windows and dark curtains, even when the world was normal she's never seen anything anything like this. 

The sound of Negan's voice saying her name snapped her attention away from the room and onto him. He's standing in the middle of the room, practically naked other than the towel wrapped dangerously low around his hips. His tattoos are on full display along with the salt and pepper hair on his torso. Unintentionally, her eyes drift down his body to his belly button, to his v line, and even his–

"My eyes are up here, sweetheart," he reminds her, forcing her eyes to meet his hazel ones. 

"Ah, shit! Sorry, I umm..." 

"The hell are ya doin' in my bedroom?" he asks. 

"You left your jacket," she holds the jacket out to him, to which he accepts. 

"Thanks..." He still looks at her suspiciously as she awkwardly rocks on her heels and doesn't leave. 

"Uh, you're dismissed." She's about to turn and leave, but the sound of fabric hitting the floor keeps her there. Her face burns with heat and eyes widen as she makes eye contact with his dick. He always brags about his size, but now she has proof that he was never exaggerating. Negan doesn't make any moves to grab his towel nor cover himself, instead, he's smirking at her, amused by wide eyes and dropped jaw. Subconsciously, her thighs squeeze together at the feeling of heat pooling in her core.  

"Y'alright, darlin'?" he asks out of amusement rather than concern. She blinks rapidly as her mouth opens and closes but no words come out. Her eyes alternate from meeting his to dropping down to his penis again. 

"S-sorry! Sorry!" she apologizes as she covers her eyes with her hands. The attempt to cover her eyes is fruitless since she's looking through the gaps in her fingers anyway.

"Like watcha see?" he teases. He half expects her embarrassment to take over and for her to run away, but instead she stands her ground and nods. 

"Yes, s-sir." Her breathing is shallow as she shifts around trying to subtly sooth the needy ache in her throbbing pussy. Negan can tell that she wants him, needs him even, and honestly seeing her so needy and desperate is a turn on for him. 

"Well, you can either get the fuck outta my room or take your goddamn clothes off. The choice is yours, doll, but make it quick." 

He didn't have to ask her twice, she's already unbuttoning her jeans. In a rush, she clumsily toes off her shoes before stepping out of her pants and panties. She wishes she could've given Negan a show instead of the unsexy rush-job she's currently putting on but luckily for her, Negan finds her sex crazed desperation for him endearing. But she's taking a little too long for his liking. He approaches her and pulls her shirt over her head before unclasping her bra and discarding the items. 

"Holy shit, baby. You look downright fuckin' delicious," he compliments as he eyes her naked body from head to toe. His arms snake around her and pull her body into his. His hard length slides between her thighs, almost slotted between her lower lips. Her hands slide up his chest, her fingers weaving through the wispy hairs on his chest. By the back of her neck, he pulls her in for a heated kiss, teeth clashing as their tongues get to know each other's mouths. His hands slide down her back and around the curve of her ass before squeezing and kneading it in his hands. He holds her firmly and close as he thrusts his dick along her soft inner thighs. Their pleasured moans mix in their mouths which are still attached to each other. As they kiss, her hands never leave his chest. Her fingers continuously play with his chest hair and occasionally give it a gentle tug. 

He pulls away from the kiss, the string of saliva between them breaks. He looks down at her, his hazel eyes dark with lust. She looks back up at him, her eyes begging him to fuck her. 

"You like my chest hair, don't you, babydoll?" She just giggles but doesn't any anything and continues to doodle abstract swirls with her finger on his chest. 

"I asked you a goddamn question," he says sternly. 

"I do, sir." Without warning, he picks her up by the back of her thighs and she reflexively wraps her legs around his waist. While still holding her, he lays down on the bed with her now straddling his waist. 

"Get yourself off on it," he orders in a way that leaves no room for questions. But she has some anyway. 

"Wh...what?!" she asks through a bout of nervous laughter. 

"If you like my chest hair so much, get yourself off on it, baby." 

"What if I crush you o-or something?" 

He scoffs and rolls his eyes before just pulling her onto his chest by her thighs. He smirks, enjoying the view of having such a beautiful woman on top of him. 

"Well, I'm waitin'," he huffs. Her hands cautiously grip his shoulders before she begins grinding her hips against his strong chest. Her movements are slow and apprehensive at first, but eventually pleasure starts building up. The friction of his chest hair against her clit feels better than she expected and brings her closer to her orgasm. Negan watches her from beneath his thick eyelashes, in awe with the way her tits move in unison with her grinding. 

"I shoulda made you my fuckin' wife," he comments as his hands caress her thighs. 

"Better late than never, right?" comes her breathy reply. She's close and Negan can tell by her breathlessness and sweaty, flushed face. Her hand creeps down between her legs and she rubs her clit in quick circles, urging her orgasm closer. Her thighs squeeze his ribcage and her eyes screw shut as the dam breaks and her orgasm comes crashing over her. 

“You liked that, didn’t you?” He teases. She climbs off his chest and flops onto the bed beside him. 

“Mmm hmm.” She nuzzles into the crook of his neck. He wraps his arm around snugly her as she  caresses his chest. 

“So what was that you were saying about makin’ me your wife…?”

[thegnomelord]

Locker-room jokes

CW:NSFW MDNI, FTM reader and Gaz, frotting, oral, first times, masc terms (cock, cocklet, bottom growth) this is based off a post I saw somewhere and a talk I had with @embry-garrick . Author isn't trans so tell me if this sucks lol

Guys comparing dick sizes in the locker room is a joke as old as time. You'd never considered entertaining it as it always came off stupid to you. . . yet here you are.

The locker room is thankfully empty except for you and Gaz, the silence buzzing beneath your skin and leaving you awkwardly shifting your weight from one leg to the other. It's not like you two haven't seen each other naked before, God knows some of the communal showers on different bases were little bigger than shoe boxes, but the expectation to do more than just catch a glimpse — that makes you feel naked.

Agreeing to this had been easy, but now that it came time to put your words were your mouth was you realize you were too arrogant; You can't quite make yourself meet Gaz's gaze, eyes flickering from his face to the darkened lines beneath his pecks, to the sparce trail of body hair that disappears down beneath the towel wrapped around his hips before returning to his face, your cheeks burning.

"Oh, is someone nervous?" Gaz shows you mercy by sauntering closer, gun calloused hands finding their place on your hips and thumbs slipping beneath the towel's hem. "Scared you're not going to be able to rise to the occasion?" His voice has a teasing lilt to it as he snickers at his own words.

You open your mouth to speak but you're forced to bite your tongue when Kyle presses against you, chest to chest and skin to skin. He tilts his head back, your noses brushing together. "You know," His lips brush against yours, just a ghost and a promise something more should you listen to him. "You could just quit while you're ahead and save yourself the embarrassment."

Even the miniscule sensation of his lips on yours leaves your body wanting more, your ribs aching to be wrenched open so he can hold your heart in his hands. Damn tempter.

You ignore your body's wants, the knowledge of him testing you making something burn in your chest. "In your dreams." You repeat the same words that got you into this mess, the words that awakened his competitive streak.

You mimic him by gripping his hips and clutching the towel barely hanging around him. But there's a small tremor in your hands, anxiety nibbling on your nerves — You're treading new ground, the furthest you two ever got was drunken make out sessions and heavy groping in bathrooms or broom closets or Price's office that one time.

Kyle doesn't mention the tremble, your actions earning yourself a pleased grin from him. "Ooh, aren't you arrogant." Which is good; it wouldn't be fun if you were a wet rag about it. Kyle's fingers shift to skirt across your sides before gripping your towel tighter. "Tell you what, we take them off together, yeah?"

"Aren't you thoughtful." Your words make him grin, but you nod your head. "Fine—" You grip his towel, the muscles in your arm tensing. "One, two, three-"

You barely manage to say the last number before Kyle yanks the towel off your hips and tosses it carelessly on the nearby bench. You scramble to do the same, your hands suddenly your mortal enemies as you stumble around a bit while you feel his eyes on you before you manage to take his towel off.

Gaz knows he looks good, he's proud of his body, but the way your eyes travel across his frame — from his face to his chest, following the happy trail of sparce hair down his abdomen to his groin where the neatly trimmed pubic hair accentuates the length of his bottom growth— has blood rushing to his cock, has him feeling high as a kite.

He looks you over up and down, both to see your embarrassment grown and because he's pleased by what he sees. His eyes settles to your groin where a bush of hair partly obscures your own bottom growth, glancing between you and himself. "I reckon I'm bigger."

Something about the way he says it, like he's a jaguar that just caught a cayman, sparks something inside you. "Only because you're smooth as a baby's ass." You growl and push a hand between your bodies, trapping your cock between two fingers and spreading them slightly so it's fully on display. "I'm bigger." You can't help but press a chaste kiss on the tip of his nose, some of your arrogance coming back.

Kyle tries not to, but a pleased noise escapes his throat — you're definitely bigger, at least half an inch if not more. He's not willing to admit defeat that quickly, but fuck, the change in your attitude is a major turn on.

"Cheater." The accusation would be far more hurtful if he didn't press himself closer, one hand holding your shoulder, the other sliding down to hold his cocklet. "Just gotta-" But he doesn't stop there, slowly stroking the length of it between his fingers, thumb swirling across the tip. "-I'll show you big."

"Now who's cheating?" You snark, using your free hand to hold Kyle tightly so he doesn't lose his balance. You don't stop him, mesmerized by the way each languid stroke has his cock chubbing up a bit more, slick easing the glide as it glistens across his flushed flesh.

"You started it-hah!—" You pick the moment to grind your groin into his, the tip of your cocklet roughly grinding against his and forcing a small punched out noise from his lungs.

"Whoops." You grunt, pleasure starting to simmer in your veins as you grind your cock against his again. "Sorry, just needed to get the right angle." Your tone makes the lie obvious but you can't be bothered to make it sound believable, the combination of shifting of your hips and the slow movement of your hand as you stroke yourself at the same tempo as him has lightning rushing up your spine. "I'm still bigger than you."

"Bastard!" The curse morphs into a short laugh and finally into a moan that bounces off the tiled walls, his head tilting forward to place a sloppy and disorganized kiss on your cheek. Kyle pants against your skin, leaving crescent shaped bruises on your shoulder from how tightly he grips you. "Hold on, I just have to-" He moans again, rocking his hips to meet yours that has the sensitive heads of your cocklets bumping together. "-fuck- fuck- just, give me a minute it gets bigger."

"What's wrong Kyle, failing to rise to the occasion?" You have no idea how wet that smug tone of yours makes him, but with how obscenely loudly his slick squelches against his fingers, Kyle's sure you'll figure it out soon. "Here, let me help you."

It's Kyles turn to be surprised when you push him into one of the stalls, his back meeting the cold tiles of the shower. "What are you planning?" He grunts, a yelp escaping him when you suddenly grab his thighs, picking up and bending him nearly in half until your head's cradled between his thighs and his cock's inches away from your mouth. The years of gymnastics makes the position possible, the numb pain of muscles deep in his back stretching making the pleasure so much sharper.

You blow cold air across his sensitive cocklet, watching it twitch with need. "Relax, just getting a better look." The way his thighs shake when you lick a slow stripe up his cock has your mind buzzing, the needy sound that breaks past his lips sweet as honey to your ears. "I'm gonna help you get as big as you can." It's hard to look away from his cock but you force yourself to look up at Gaz, resting his cocklet against your lips. "It's only fair."

"You-" Whatever he wanted to say next is cut off when you take his entire cock in your mouth, resting it on your tongue for a few moments before you suck. "-oh fuck!" His hands scramble to find purchase on your shoulders, gripping your hair as he hunches over, his mouth right next to your ear so you can head a moan leave him — deep and low and so desperate.

It makes you want to pull more of those sounds out of him. And you do — sloppily slurping on his cocklet for a few seconds only to pull off to lick it, alternating between slow strong swipes of your tongue across his entire shaft to small kitten licks on his tip. Occasionally you pull off entirely to blow cold air across it, keeping him teetering on that edge of pleasure, silencing the sounds of discontent with a few swipes near his hole before taking all of him into your mouth to repeat the cycle.

You don't know what's more intoxicating; You feel yourself grow drunk off the slightly sweet and musky taste of his slick that runs down your chin, the image of his abdominal muscles fluttering and thighs shaking from the building pleasure in his belly burned into your mind, Kyles babbles of "Yeah, like th- fuck, fuck, fuck- that- pleas-hah—" and calls of your name broken by moans and whimpers like the song of angels.

You feel him get closer to the edge, or at least you assume so by the way the grinding of his hips into your face grows erratic, your name being the only word that still clings to his brain as he chants it like a mantra, his fingers shaking from how tightly he grips your shoulders.

Kyle makes a sound like a wounded animal when you suddenly pull off, "-no-no-nono!" He cries, hips still bucking into the air with the need to tumble over the edge of pleasure, tears staining his cheeks as he manages to force out a weak glare. "Wh- why w-gh!- why?"

"We still have to compare." Your voice is rough like you'd been gurgling shards of glass, holding him steady as you lower him enough to wrap his legs around your waist, pressing your bodies together until you're smushing him into the wall.

He doesn't complain as the sudden move has your bottom growths rubbing against one another, and only now do you realize your body is as desperate as his. "Y- ah fuck- yeah right." There's still that fire in him, but now he uses it to grip the back of your skull and mush your lips together, ignoring the taste of himself on your lips. "Just-shit mh!- move."

Kyle's heels digging into your flank makes you rock forward, grinding your cocks together. Your slick mixes together, your pubic hair sticking to his skin and tickling the sensitive flesh of his cock with every thrust. He openly moans into your mouth, licking in and around your open mouth, trying to clean off the slick staining your skin but only making a bigger mess as spit now mixes with his juices.

Kyle feels like he's burning up, like he's just a puddle of please — the pace you set is rough and your kisses are sloppy and desperate and it feels like Heaven. Gaz wraps all four limbs around you tightly yet he still gyrates his pelvis to meet yours, every nerve in your bodies feeling like a live wire as pleasure builds and builds until it's ready to spill over.

"Fuck- Kyle-" You grunt, your fingers leaving bruises on his flesh, his back sliding up and down against the tiles as you increase your pace, every brush of his flesh against yours banging on your skull. "I'm -mhm- close."

"Mh- me too-" He slurs against your lips, kissing you until both of you are gasping for air. "please-please-please-love- make us cum, plea- ah fuck!—" Kyle shouts as his orgasm finally crashes into him, toes curling and head tilting to bite your shoulder in an attempt to silence himself as he cums, hole fluttering around nothing and cock throbbing as slick runs down his thighs.

The pain and pleasure comes for you a second later, you grip him so harshly you can feel his bones groan as you cum too, your hips grinding together to prolong the mind numbing pleasure, your teeth finding his shoulder as you bite down as well.

You don't know how the Hell you're still standing by the time you come down from your high, every muscle in your body straining like you'd just went through a suicide mission. Kyle's no better, shaking like a leaf and completely boneless in your arms, panting into your neck.

You kiss the bite mark you've left on his shoulder, gently bumping your head into his to gain his attention, "Kyle?" You ask, "Are you alright?"

"Fuuuuck lovie," Kyle groans, barely able to lift his head enough to give you a sloppy kiss on the cheek. "That was good." His fingers idly scratch your scalp, the low rasp of his fucked out voice makes your cock twitch half-heartedly but you're too worn out to get aroused again. "Remind me to blow you when I can feel my legs again."

Yeah, he's alright.

A small laugh breaks past your lips and you give him a similarly sloppy kiss. "I will." Somehow you manage to sit down on the floor, Kyle laying on top of you, as content as a spoiled cat.

"Just so you know." He whispers into your ear, his fingers slowly sliding across your sides, thumbs rubbing lazy absentminded circles into your skin. "I want a do-over of this contest." He grins, and fuck, you can't get past how handsome he looks like that. "Maybe in my room, yeah?"

You can't refuse. "Yeah."

[fettuccin-e]

Take Care of Me

I'm back with more big dick daddy!steve everyone (i think i have a problem) but yeah this one is BIG on the daddy kink because i am very horny all the time (Tags: Steve Harrington x Reader, daddy kink, size kink, fem!reader, dirty talk, slight degradation)

Steve makes you feel so small sometimes. Not a bad kind of small; but a cherished, delicate kind of small. The kind of small where you know he’ll take care of you, love you unconditionally.  

It’s in the way he brings you flowers, and presses soft kisses all over your face while you giggle and try to push him gently away. It’s in the way he tucks you into his side while you’re watching a movie, stroking your hair when you cuddle into him; the way he surprises you with little dates, remembering the smallest little celebrations like the anniversary first day you held hands, or celebrating you turning in an essay you were nervous about.

It’s in the way he bends you in half as he fucks you, your legs over his shoulders while he drives his fat cock into your squelching pussy.

“So fucking sweet, baby. Love your little pussy, so fucking tight around me,” Steve mutters into your mouth, and he’s got your hips hitched up off the bed, leaving your head in the pillows and hands clutching desperately at the sheets while Steve forces you to meet him thrust for thrust.

Your sopping cunt is making a puddle on the sheets, drool dripping out of your gaping mouth, eyes blurry as you look at Steve, at his pretty face with his flushed cheeks, his brows furrowed as he concentrates on slamming into you again and again. And you feel so taken care of, so small under him.

“Fuck, oh god,” you whine, his cock feeling like it’s pressing into your lungs. “Steve, Steve, oh shit, harder, harder,” you don’t have control over anything anymore, your legs feel like jelly, your brain fuzzy. Steve just looks so big, so powerful, his big body looming over you like a god. You feel stretched out and ruined, Steve's cock bullying into your little pussy, making a space in your body to take his pretty cock again and again, owning you.

And then Steve shifts your hips up again, shoving into you so hard, and it's so good, tears rolling down your face as your hips jerk and your stomach clenches and-

“Fuck, fuck, Daddy,” you wail, not even realizing that you’ve said it, but Steve hears.

Steve hears and his heart stops, hips stuttering for just a second, before he’s driving into your body again like a man possessed. 

“You like that baby? Fuck, you’re so fucking pretty sweetheart.” And it’s true. Steve loves you like this, all sweet and dumb and at his mercy, perfectly pliant on his cock. He loves making sure that you feel loved, safe to drop all of your guards and inhibitions. He loves turning you into his perfect cock slut, begging to take him deep inside at the drop of a hat. 

“Gonna be your Daddy, baby, take care of you so fucking good. Fuck, who am I sweetheart? Who’s fucking you so good right now?” Steve grunts, reaching a hand up to brush away one of the tears that had leaked from your pretty eyes.

You barely even feel real anymore, tears continuing to streak down your puffy cheeks as you whine, “Daddy, oh god, daddy, you’re s’big, feels so good inside me.”

And it makes perfect sense, you realize. Steve’s the one to take care of you, making you feel sweet and loved and cherished. You want to worship him, kneel at his feet, make him proud of you. The title feels fitting, dominating and strong, just like Steve. He keeps shoving his cock into your abused and dripping hole, and you can’t stop yourself from slurring out, “daddy, daddy, oh god,” with every thrust.

“You wanna cum baby?” Steve says, snaking a hand between your slick bodies to press his thumb to your clit, the rest of his big palm resting on your lower stomach. And he can fucking feel his cock, moving in your tiny pussy, rearranging your insides around him. 

You choke around a scream when Steve’s thumb presses hard onto your clit, barely able to whimper out a, “please, Daddy, shit, please make me cum, need to cum so bad.”

And Steve smiles at his sweet girl, so perfect and dumb and pliant, leaning down to your ear to mutter, “Go ahead and cum, angel. Wanna feel you squeeze around your Daddy’s big cock.”

You don’t need to be told twice, a high-pitched whine escaping your throat with a, “Yes, daddy, yesyesyes,” as you gush around Steve’s, daddy’s, giant cock.

Steve rocks into you once, twice, three times more before he’s grunting, “fuck, baby, love this little cunt, Jesus,” and spilling his hot cum deep into you.

You whimper softly through your sticky throat when Steve slips out of you a few minutes later, your brain still mushy and malleable. Steve leaves and comes back with a warm, wet rag, wiping the sweat off your body. You flinch in overstimulation just a little when he brings the rag over your leaking pussy, but he just shushes you gently, pressing soft kisses to your lips.

It’s several minutes after that that you manage to come back to yourself, looking up at Steve with a soft smile.

Steve smiles back at you warmly, brushing a finger down your cheek. “You back with me, baby? You feeling okay?” he asks, gentle and loving.

“Yes, to both questions,” you whisper, giggling almost deliriously.

Steve seems to contemplate his next words for a moment, before smirking, eyes alight with a strange mixture of teasing and adoration. “So, ‘daddy,’ huh?” he asks.

You can’t believe you had forgotten about that, cheeks burning as you nuzzle into Steve’s chest, muttering a “shut up.”

“No no no, baby,” Steve chuckles, “it was fucking hot, honey. I’d love to be your daddy.” 

You pull yourself out of the safe haven of his warm chest to look up at him again. “You would?”

“Of course, baby. Gotta take care of my girl.”

[thatblvckboyy]

ཐི⋆♱⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺ Hyunjin x male reader ₊˚🕯️🖤

One more chance

You've always dreamed about being an idol but you never really had the confidence too until your friends pushed you to audition for the new JYP boy group audition and fortunately you passed and made your debut and it was a smash.

Being in jyp entertainment you always pass by a lot of artists in the hallway,you even accidentally bumped into lily and yunah.Then one day you passed by hyunjin in the hallway and he was majestic as you thought he would be even though he was sweaty his sweat was so majestic.You knew I'm you weren't allowed to date but you couldn't help it, you were obsessed. You knew exactly what time he got in the building and what time he got out so you just passed by pretending to go to the dance room.

Hyunjin noticed the first time and was obsessed too but he was so busy that he barely got to just get a glance at your face so every time you passed him on the hallway he just took a look back for a second then walked away to make sure you didn't see him.

Then he decided to make some time for you watching you secretly practicing in the dance room and from there it escalated to having lunch together and meeting up in the studio or dance room cause going to restaurant you would be seen by paparazzi.The only place you could be alone was in the studio and after work hours where everyone left.You basically had a lot of sex there

Until one day you got into an argument because he was making out with a fanboy and his excuse being that you haven't been giving him enough sex.He tried everything but he obviously knew there was no way of getting through that hot head of you so he decided to give you some space. it been like that for weeks not communication and you even blocked his number.

Your group was invited to the golden disc awards and so was hyunjin's group.Unfortunately for you you were sat in front of him so he kept fidgeting with the back of your chair.Deep inside hyunjin was really sorry but didn't know what to do to make it up to you.

You walked to the bathroom to pee and hyunjin got an idea and he followed you to the bathroom and when you saw him get in you walked away but before you could leave he grabbed you dragging to one stall locking the door"before you say anything just listen to me" his grip on you arms tightens "I know I messed and I fucked up big time I'm sorry but..... Pleaase baby boy I've given you enough space and time I'm sorry" his eyes glimmer with regret and pain

"Hyunjin let me go someone is gonna see us"you struggle to break free but both of you know you are not leaving until you accept his apology

"No one is gonna see this baby boy" he unzips his pants and grabs your hand putting it on his hard one crotch eager to be released from the clutches of his boxers"see this is how much I need you pleaaaase just say you forgive me"

"Hyune i-i"what are you gonna do his eyes just tell you how desperate and sorry his but what he did is wrong should you forgive him? You decide to slide you hand in his boxers and grab his cock stroking it to see his reaction and he let's out a soft moan" ahh.... Yeah baby boy does this mean you forgive me"

"Yeah I guess but on one condition"

"Anything for you baby boy" hyunjin said while he bucked his hips towards rubbing his dick on your palm eargerly "you have to let me be in control for once" you said stroking his dick a bit"Sure sure anything for my boy....I'll let you do anything to me just keep doing what you're doing pleaase" he kept bucking his hips forward urging you to continue. You pulled his boxers down and started stroking his cock teasing his tip while he cornered you in the stall nuzzling his head on your neck while letting out soft moans "oh yeah keep going I'm close" his cock was pulsating with heat as you stroked it you could tell his horny he was

"Ahh... Mmmmh babe I'm Cumming" he shoots his seed on you your palm and some shoots over at you pants, hyunjin groans in pleasure as he dick still realising his reminants of his seed"t-thank you baby boy for helping me get off and forgiving me" he pulled up his boxers and zipped up his pants and kissed your forehead and grab you hand leading you to the fauset "come one time for wash off that cum off" he helped you wash your palm that was filled with his cum and grabbed a tissue and whipped off some of it that spilled on your pants.

You walked out the bathroom and went back to your seats but hyunjin couldn't stop thinking about what he could do to you when you were alone together

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Re your dream: That smacks of MobBoss!Thor. Your current boyfriend is one of Thor's higher-ups and he brought you along to a dinner meeting and Thor is immediately taken with you. Thor is of course very charming and starts working on how to steel you away from your boyfriend.

Take a Seat

Warnings: allusions to mafia/crime, intimidation, suggestions of verbal and mental abuse, toxicity.

This might just be a drabble, but I'd appreciate a reblog and some feedback! You are loved and appreciated. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

"Those are mostly capos," Travis keeps his voice low as he points to the table nearby, keeping the glass in hand to hide his gesture, "I think…" he cranes around, "I might be the only soldier here…"

"Really?" You raise your brows but quickly resume your neutral preen.

You're intimidated as it is. You don't know much about Travis' business, and this is your first time seeing it from the inside. However, it doesn't seem to be anything more than an overly fancy dinner party.

"Oh, and that's Loki," he darts his eyes sharply to a slender man strutting at the other end of the room. He has a short liquor glass in hand and stops to lean on close to a blond man along the head table, "the boss's brother. The one he's chatting up right now." Travis leans in, "Thor…" he explains, "hon," he puts his hand on yours, "try not to stare. Lot of guys in here don't appreciate it."

"Sorry, I…" your eyes catch the pair of blue irises at the near table. The ones set into the chiseled face of that man proclaimed boss, Thor. Your lips part in surprise before you quickly avert your gaze. "I'm just nervous."

"Yeah, uh, well, try not to look like it," he reproaches. "Maybe…maybe I shoulda come alone."

You try not to frown. He does that. When you go out to dinner, if you don't keep a smile pasted on, suddenly the night is spoiled. Or even at home when you're having a quiet night in, you can ruin the night with one wrong word.

"I'll keep my eyes to myself," you promise, "okay?"

"Right," he nods past you and greets another man as he passes by. "Make sure you do. And if someone says hi, don't be so shy. I don't need you getting on the wrong side of these guys." He grabs his glass and takes a gulp, "this could be my in."

"Got it," you pinch the stem of your champagne flute and draw it closer but don't drink. Better not, sobriety will keep you out of trouble.

💍

Travis ends up at another table, enthralled in conversation with a pair of greasy haired gangsters in patterned velvet jackets. You stare at the table, trying not to attract any unwanted attention. Dinner is over and dessert has mostly gone untouched. You're just waiting for the end.

Thinking of the drive back, you should try to hit the bathroom before that. You peek around cautiously and stand, hugging your clutch to your side as you carefully sidle out from between the table and chair. You keep your head down and make your way to the wall, following it to the short hallway that leads to a set of restrooms.

Inside, you take your time, relieved at the moment of privacy. As you wash your hands, you watch your reflection. You look tired even through your makeup.

You grab your purse and go back out. You hold back a yawn as you get to the end of the hallway and you stop to search the room, making sure Travis is where you left him. You take a step, nearly tripping as a deep voice rumbles from closeby.

You think of ignoring it, assuming they're speaking to someone else, but then you remember what Travis said. You turn and look around.

The blond man, the one with the burly shoulders that threaten the seams of his tailored jacket, grins at you. His fingers are woven together and his elbows rest on the table. He winks at you as you peer around in confusion, expecting someone else to be closeby. It's only you.

"You," he separates his hand and points in your direction, "I do not know you."

You open and close your mouth. You step closer as you swallow and find a smile through your nerves. You grip your purse tight and pronounce your name.

"I'm with Travis. Er, Mallory. My boyfriend. Uh, sir."

His eyes twinkle with amusement, "Thor," he introduces, "sir? Please, none of that is needed. Not for a pretty woman like you."

"S-thank you, Th-Thor," you sound utterly stupid as you try to keep your calm. If Travis saw you talking to this man, you know it would be bad. He wouldn't want you messing up his prospects.

"Sit," his invitation is more a demand.

You can't refuse. What little you know of this business suggests he is even more dangerous than Travis. You go around the table as Thor stands and pulls out the empty chair next to him. You sit and make yourself breathe.

"Boyfriend?" He resumes his seat, angling to face you, "not husband?"

"Not yet," you say.

"And why would he wait?" He wonders as you wilt against his handsome gaze.

"I'm sure he'll propose soon," you shrug, "dinner was great."

"Ah, it was delicious," he sits back, "though my company was not so pleasing." He bends his arm against the table, "not like you."

"I… thank you. That's very, uh, flattering."

"It's the truth. I'm afraid I was probably poor company myself. Being as distracted as I was," his eyes cling to you, "wondering who this beautiful stranger is."

You look away. He's charming, if not a touch cheesy. You don't know how to handle it.

"There you are," Travis saves you from your conundrum. "I was just thinking we should–" he stops and clears his throat, "sir," he stands at the end of the table, "hi, er, I didn't see you there," it's obvious his surprise is fake, "Travis Mallory, I work with Haakonson."

"Ah, yes, he is a reliable capo," Thor shifts and puts his hand on the back of your chair, "I was only just having a discussion with your… girlfriend."

"Oh? That's…great," Travis is less than convincing.

"Yes, I was just agreeing with her that it's really too bad you haven't proposed," Thor asserts and your eyes widen. "A girl like her should have a ring on her finger."

"Yea, sir, I agree, I, um, I was… trying to surprise her–"

"Ah, so you have a ring? Diamond? I think a teardrop becomes this one but she might do well with a princess cut," Thor proclaims as he takes your hand, drawing a wince from you. "She should be adorned in gold and gems."

"Sir, I know, I've been working on it–"

"Ah, ah," Thor keeps his hand on yours, "I don't like excuses. And she shouldn't settle for them."

Thor raises your hand and kisses your knuckles. You can only let him. Your scalp spatters with heat as you nearly combust between the two men.

"She deserves a throne… look at her, a queen."

"Sir, thank you. She is. I take care of her–"

"Do you?" Thor accuses, "how do you take care of her?"

You don't dare tug your hand away despite the urge to do just that. You sit frozen as his hand crushes yours. You slowly turn your head to glance at Travis, his cheek twitching in agitation.

"I…" he swallows and tries to wet his dry mouth. He can't yell this man into submission and he knows it.

"Let me give her the throne she deserves," Thor snickers and leans over. His nose tickles your ear and he lowers his voice to a whisper, "come, kitten, sit in my lap."

He sits back and you gape at him, shocked by his suggestion. No, it's an order. You blink and look at Travis again. Thor hits the table with his large hand, the plates and cutlery clattering.

"You don't need his permission," he pulls on your arm, "you need only my word."

"S-sorry," you slide forward in the seat and stand stiffly.

Thor releases your hand and shoves his chair back, running his large hands over his thighs. You step in front of him and he frames your hips, pulling you down before you can think to refuse. You fall into his lap, bracing his forearm to keep your balance.

"Now that is where a woman like her belongs," Thor leans into you and rests his chin on your shoulder, "with a king, not a peasant."

You look at Travis, horror pumping in your veins, a fear reflected in his drawn face. Thor brushes a hand up your stomach and turns his head to nuzzle your neck. The tickle of his beard makes you moan.

Thor lifts his head at last, his arm hooked around you as he clings to your tightly, "what a wonderful gift you brought me, soldier."

Travis does not move. He just stares, blinking as his fingers twiddle at his side. Your lip trembles. What do you do?

"You are dismissed," Thor enunciates harshly.

Travis bites down, jaw clenching tightly, and he murmurs, "yes, boss."

His sole scuffs as he drags his foot back. You watch him in disbelief. He's just leaving you there.

"You see, kitten," Thor reaches to pet your head, "he is not good enough for you. You deserve more than a coward."

[leavingsunsets]

Hi, Sen! I have a fanfic request here (⁠人⁠ ⁠•͈⁠ᴗ⁠•͈⁠) Psst- Senku and Fem!Reader please

The set is an alternate universe where no mass-petrification ever happened. Instead shs Senku meets a new member (first year) of the science club, where she's passionately into nuclear and stuff (you could add any). The reader here's pretty shy and afraid of men but when it comes to Senku.. yk, love and simp, secret crush 🥺‼️I've had to mention it earlier tho, please make this fic fluff and cute 🩷

Thank you for your time, mind, and whatever it takes to make this fic. And please stay healthy 🩷

omg thank you for the request !!! like the scenario, and reader concept, and will do for cute and fluffy themes!! thanks thanks for the hearts !!!

"𝖲𝖼𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝖼𝗅𝗎𝖻 𝖻𝗎𝗌𝗂𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗌."

[𝚏!𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛 & 𝚂𝚎𝚗𝚔𝚞 𝙸𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚊𝚖𝚒]

Your first meeting wasn't much to talk about, other than the fact that Senku's pinned you as a little oddball. He still remembers your head just barely peeking into the empty room, flinching the moment you spotted him.

"Do you, uh, happen to know where the science club president is...?" A timid type, he sees. "That would be me. Anything you need?"

"Oh, uh, just my form."

"Ah, the membership form," pulling off his gloves, he approaches. When you hand it over, his eyes skim over it. "Ah, a junior." He folds the paper, smirking. "Well aren't you eager. Weren't these just passed out today?"

A little tense, you rub your arm. "Ah, yeah. I just, wanted to get a spot, I guess."

He assumed you would've been a more quiet member, working off on the side with your own little experiments. Which, you were, at first. Tinkering with microscope and the like.

"Radiation?" he queries, which makes you jolt. You hadn't noticed him. Following his gaze, you see that he's checking out your notes.

"Uhm, yes. It's just for my research..." you mumble, pulling away from the microscope.

"I see. Into atomics, ey?" Chuckling, he turns to walk back to his own project. "School materials aren't quality enough for that kind of science, junior."

You rub your arm. "Well... I'm only studying about it now.. I'm not ready for experimenting until I know everything about it."

His lips quirked slightly, "Smart. Good plan."

Since then, he's always been aware of that constant student by the club room's window. In her own world, barely talking if unneeded. Of course, Senku wasn't dumb. Based on his observance, you've always been stiff around him, or the guys who even so much as breathe near you. Odd behavior, but it doesn't hinder you, or others, so, he leaves it alone.

When you started approaching him more, he didn't mind.

"Senior, since you know more about this, I wanted to ask if you could teach me...?"

"Senior, here, I'll help."

"Senior, I just wanted to ask if I could conduct this experiment in the lab?"

It wasn't really anything strange for him. In fact, he thought it was great improvement. He encouraged it, even.

And so, here you were, clutching the wrapped bento in your sweaty hands. It was just you and him again, with the others so eager the moment the bell rang.

"I'm going for a drink," he breaks the silence, taking off his safety gear. At this, you jump for the chance.

"Wa- Senior, wait!"

He pauses, looking at you. "Hm?"

With the weight of his eyes on you, your heart beats a little faster in nervousness. This was nervewracking, you were starting to regret it a little. However...

'Come on. It's now or never. You know how busy he always is.'

"I notice you usually spend lunch in the clubroom... So..."

You hold it out to him, shakily. Too nervous, you look elsewhere, too scared to look at his face.

It was quiet. For a little while. But every second for you felt like an eternity.

Senku chuckles. Caught off guard, you look up.

"You got a crush on me or something, junior?" he jests, running a hand through his hair. And you, simply, erupt into a vivid scarlet.

"N-No!" You fluster, gesturing wildly. "I just, I thought you'd want some lunch, cuz I see you everydayandmaybeyou-"

"Calm down, it was just a question."

You hang your head once more in embarrassment.

"But," he says,

"I appreciate it."

His smile is soft, and voice placid, all of a sudden. The light from the window only highlights it, only giving the empty room a bright glow. This felt like some kind of shoujo moment.

It shocked you a little. Knowing his personality, you expected obvious discomfort, maybe even a harsh rejection. You're snapped out of your thoughts when he's already turned for the door, bento taken.

Your eyes linger on the door that slides close.

Yeah. Maybe you do have a crush on him.

[edenesth]

Back to Heaven's Arms

Pairing: mortal!Jaemin x angel!reader

AU: angel au

Word Count: 6.4k

Summary: Jaemin often wonders what exactly god has against him. Life has been nothing but a series of hardships for as long as he can remember. Just when things seemed to be turning around, the universe played its cruellest trick yet—sending him an angel, only for him to face the painful reality of returning her to the heavenly realm where she belongs, back to heaven's arms.

A/N: I haven't been the same ever since listening to Rains in Heaven, if you can't already tell. Please listen to this absolute masterpiece, if you haven't already.

MAIN MASTERLIST

"It looks like we've found your way back home, angel," your protector murmured, his voice heavy with the weight of the moment.

He had been your unwavering companion on your passage through Earth, and now, he struggled to tear his gaze from the radiant light emanating from the Dreamstone. This celestial artefact, once malfunctioned and responsible for bringing you into his life, now served as the gateway that would return you to the realm you belonged to—far from him.

The memory of your first encounter was still fresh in his mind, as if it had only happened yesterday. And now, here you were, standing on the edge of farewell.

"I guess we have, Jaem…" you whispered, your voice trembling as you turned away from the light to meet his sorrowful eyes, feeling the subtle but desperate squeeze of his hand, as if he was trying to hold onto you just a little longer.

𓆰𓆪

"Have you lost your way, miss?"

Your heart nearly jumped out of your chest as you froze in place, needing to be sure you weren't imagining things—needing to be certain that this man before you, this incredibly gorgeous man, was indeed seeing you and speaking to you.

"Are you alright?" he asked again, his brows furrowing in concern. He pushed himself off the chair he had been seated in his isolated bookstore and took a careful step toward you, moving slowly so as not to startle you more than you already appeared.

"You…" you began, swallowing hard as you tried to comprehend the way he was looking at you—like he could actually see you. "You can see me…?" you croaked, your eyes trembling with fear, afraid this might just be an illusion. The past few days had been nothing short of hell, wandering this foreign land all alone, like a ghost, utterly lost. You couldn't bear another heartbreak like this. Perhaps you've finally gone mad. Perhaps…

"Hey, hey, it's okay," the man gently hushed as he reached out to wipe your tears. You let out a small gasp, not even realising when you had started to cry. But that wasn't what mattered now—what mattered was that he was touching you.

He pulled back at your gasp, worried he had made you uncomfortable, but you clung to him, your tear-filled eyes searching his face as you desperately awaited his answer. He nodded. "Of course, I can see you."

But you didn't hear the next words that left his mouth as you burst into tears of relief, clutching his hand as if it were your lifeline.

"How could anyone not see a being as beautiful as you?"

𓍼ོ

"So, what happened?"

You sighed, biting your lip. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

He raised an eyebrow as he handed you a warm cup of tea, then draped one of his many jackets over your shivering frame, trying to ignore the way his heart raced from being so close to you. "Oh yeah? Try me."

"You'll think I'm crazy…"

The man chuckled, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms over his chest. "I'll be the judge of that. Now, go on, pretty lady. How can I help you if I don't know what's going on?"

Clearing your throat, you tried to suppress the blush creeping onto your cheeks from the nickname. With a nod, you began, "This is probably going to sound insane, but… I'm not human." You paused, stealing a glance at him for a reaction, but did a double take when you realised how calm he looked, just smiling at you expectantly, waiting for you to continue. So you did. "I was, uh…" You hesitated, trying to figure out how to explain without sounding like a complete loon to this mortal being.

But then you realised there was no point in beating around the bush. You needed to get home, back to where you belonged. Your brothers and sisters were surely worried sick about you. And if this man could help you in any way, you had to be nothing but honest.

With a huff, you clutched his jacket tightly. "Listen, I'm an angel. I was sent here on an assignment to observe troubled souls who might need guidance before reporting back to…"

"To Him," he finished for you.

You nodded slowly, eyes wide. "Yes," you whispered. "You believe me?"

He grinned, taking a sip of his tea. "I don't see why not. What could you possibly gain from deceiving me? I have nothing you'd want—unless you're after my organs, in which case, it might be your lucky day. Besides, I knew you looked a little too perfect to be human."

Baffled by his ability to still crack jokes after what you'd just told him, you could only stare at him in disbelief.

"So, what's the problem? What went wrong with your assignment, and how can I help?" he asked, finally growing more serious as he set his cup down, while you were still amazed at how casually he was handling all of this.

You blinked, recalling the events that led you here. "We have a transit system—a bridge or portal, if you will—that's used to travel between realms. It's powered by an artefact called the Dreamstone, with one located in heaven and the other here on Earth. On my way here, something malfunctioned, and I ended up falling into this realm a few days ago, with no way to return. I need… I need to find that stone."

"Okay, so where is it?"

A sigh of hopelessness escaped your lips. "That's the problem. I don't know… it could be anywhere."

He was momentarily caught off guard but quickly bounced back, slapping his hands on his lap with a determined grin. "Well, I've got plenty of time. Life's been pretty dull around here anyway," he said, gesturing to the dimly lit bookstore he called home. "I've been craving some adventure, so you showed up at the perfect time, angel. Let's find that stone and get you home."

"A-are you sure…?"

He nodded confidently. "Absolutely. We'll leave tomorrow—how does that sound?"

"It sounds perfect," you murmured, biting your lip. "Thank you…"

"Jaemin. My name's Na Jaemin. My friends call me Nana, but you can call me whatever you want." His heart melted at your next words. Maybe it was because you were an angel, but the effect you had on him was unlike anything he'd ever felt. No human girl can ever make him feel this way. Or maybe it was just that he'd been alone for far too long.

"Thank you, Jaem. I owe you…"

𓆰𓆪

"Do you think we'll ever find it?" you asked, gazing out at the vast, empty lands. This realm was much bigger than you'd imagined, and now you could see just how daunting the journey was. It felt foolish to drag Jaemin along this endless path, making him put his life on hold for you.

"Maybe we will, maybe we won't. Who knows?" he replied with his usual cheeky grin, his smile lighting up his entire face. But that only made you feel worse. You were an angel, meant to help the mortals in this world, yet here you were, clinging to this human like a lost sheep.

It was you who needed him.

He paused when he realised you were no longer beside him, turning back to see you standing there with slumped shoulders, rooted to the spot. "What's wrong, angel?"

Your lips trembled as you sank to your knees. "I'm sorry for being so useless, Jaem… We've been searching for weeks, months— I don't even know anymore. I'm wasting your time. Look at you, so far from home because of me, and yet we're no closer to finding the Dreamstone. I…" You cried as he kneeled in front of you, meeting your tearful gaze. "Maybe we should give up. No— you should go home. I can't keep dragging you along with me. You have a life to live, you—"

He cut you off by pulling your trembling frame into his arms. "How many times have I told you not to say things like that, hm?" he murmured, resting his head against yours as he gently rubbed your back. "And trust me, my life has never been more exciting. Who knew there was so much to see outside of that old bookstore of mine?"

You chuckled through your tears as he pulled back to wipe your wet cheeks, a small pout on his lips. "Look at you, silly girl. I'm not giving up, so neither should you."

A sigh escaped your lips as he helped you back to your feet, your heart skipping a beat when his fingers naturally intertwined with yours, just as they had so many times before… ever since this journey began, all to— as he put it— ensure you stayed close to him at all times. "But Jaem, what if we never find the stone?"

"Would that be so bad?" he mused, eyes fixed ahead as he resumed walking. You swallowed hard, a bit fearful of how welcoming the thought was—to stay here, by his side, just like this. "Would it be so bad to stay here with me, angel?"

Letting out a shaky breath, you squeezed his hand. "No, Jaem. It wouldn't."

"If we don't find it… I'll take care of you."

𓍼ོ

"Jaem…?" you called out, your eyes fluttering open to find the cold, empty space beside you. Maybe he's in the bathroom, you tried to reassure yourself, but as the minutes ticked by—nearly half an hour—your anxiety grew. You'd gotten too used to his presence at night, and waking up alone felt strange, unsettling.

Pushing yourself out of bed, you moved to the bathroom and knocked on the door. "Hey, you in there?" Your breathing grew uneven as silence answered back. Panic surged through you as you slowly turned the knob, revealing a dark, vacant room. He wasn't there.

Did he… leave?

Your gaze swept over the motel room that once felt warm with his presence, now cold and empty. Maybe it was for the best if he did. He'd already wasted enough time with you, perhaps he'd finally realised that he couldn't continue with this madness. You understood that. You wanted nothing more than for him to be happy, even if it meant being without you. But that didn't make it hurt any less. He had promised not to give up, to take care of you.

But why should he? When all you've done is trouble him. What kind of angel were you, to burden a kind soul like his? He never had to stay; he owed you nothing. So who could blame him for wanting to leave?

Tears blurred your vision as you stumbled out of the tiny room, the walls closing in around you, suffocating in the loneliness. Desperate for air, you pulled the door open, and your breath caught in your throat when you saw him. There he was, his familiar back facing you as he leaned against the corridor railing, staring down at the quiet parking lot below.

At the sound of the door, he turned, his brows knitting together in concern. "You okay, angel?"

That was all it took.

The dam broke, and you collapsed into a sob, wailing like a lost child searching for her mother. His eyes widened, and without hesitation, he crossed the distance between you in two long strides, wrapping you in his arms—arms that had come to feel like home. He didn't say a word, just tightened his hold around you, pulling you impossibly closer as he pressed his nose into your hair.

After what felt like an eternity, as your sobs gradually quieted, you clung to him even tighter, needing the reassurance. "You're still here," you whispered, your voice broken and fragile.

He frowned, gently pulling back to look at you. "Of course, I am. Where else would I go without you? I couldn't sleep, so I stepped out for some fresh air." He sighed, seeing the tears welling up in your eyes again. "I'm sorry for scaring you. I shouldn't have left your side. I won't do it again."

Your eyes fluttered shut as he leaned in to press a gentle kiss to your forehead. You knew you weren't supposed to feel this way, but in his arms, everything else faded—suddenly, returning to heaven didn't seem to matter as much. Guilt gnawed at you because a part of you wanted to give up the search for the Dreamstone, not out of hopelessness, but because… you were starting to desire to stay here more.

"Promise?"

"I promise, angel."

𓆰𓆪

"Why do we keep drifting further from civilisation? It's starting to feel like you're the one after my organs now," you teased as you walked down the grassy hills on the outskirts of yet another city, savouring the way his expression turned mischievous as he wiggled his eyebrows at you. "Aw, darn, you figured me out too fast!"

You snorted, giving his arm a playful smack before dashing off. "Well, too bad! Catch me if you can, mortal!" you taunted, sticking your tongue out at him.

He bit his lip, letting out that signature Na Jaemin wicked cackle. "Oh, it's on! Just you wait, angel!"

The air filled with shrieks of laughter as you tried to evade him, with him almost catching you several times. Realistically, you could have unfurled your wings and flown away, but a part of you—a huge part of you—wanted him to catch you.

And he did, eventually wrapping you in his arms as you both tumbled to the ground, giggles lingering between you. "Gotcha," he whispered in your ear, the closeness making your heart pound, before rolling over to lie beside you on the soft grass.

As your breathing slowed, you turned to him, a smile still tugging at your lips. "But seriously, Jaem, we've been exploring all these places far from people. Why?"

He hummed, his gaze fixed on the sky above. "Because, my darling angel, don't you think it makes sense for an otherworldly artefact like the Dreamstone to be hidden in a place that's hard to find, far from human hands? You know what people would do if they ever found it. I don't have to tell you how they'd exploit it."

You nodded, understanding his logic, but with that realisation came a sinking feeling in your chest. A part of you wanted to tell him to stop being so smart, to stop trying so hard—because you weren't sure you wanted to find the stone anymore. The thought of leaving him, of returning to a world without him, was almost unbearable.

Sensing your silence, he turned to you. "Everything alright?"

You swallowed hard, knowing you couldn't share what was tearing you apart inside. This was too cruel, not just for you, but for him too. He'd already sacrificed so much for you. You had to remember who you were, remember your duty, and remember the unbreakable rules that bound you…

Oh god, everything about this is wrong.

So very wrong. Angels weren't supposed to feel this way, weren't supposed to fall in love with mortals. It was forbidden.

"Yes, I'm fine," you lied, the weight of your words pressing down on you like a vice.

𓍼ོ

"Stay here. I'll be right back, okay?"

You nodded, watching him dash out of the run-down bar and head towards the gas station across the street. He mentioned grabbing some essentials while you waited for your food. As he pulled out his nearly empty wallet, guilt further gnawed at you. This was all your fault. You couldn't even contribute to anything.

The sun was sinking, and soon you'd both have to find the nearest place to stay—another expense. He wasn't making much from his bookstore before, and now he'd taken everything he had to leave his home and join you on this journey. How was he going to keep affording all this?

"Here's your food, lass," grumbled the old man. "Pay up."

You jumped, startled by his demand for payment before the meal. Didn't most places wait until after you'd eaten? Swallowing nervously, you stammered, "I—uh… Can we wait? M-my friend will be back soon, and we'll pay after we've eaten."

The bar owner grinned, flashing yellow teeth as he eyed you up and down, making you squirm in your seat. "No money, huh? Pretty bold ordering food you can't afford."

Your eyes flicked anxiously towards the gas station, hoping for any sign of Jaemin, but the old man's sudden slam on the table snapped your attention back to him. The force made the utensils clatter, and you flinched. "Look at me when I'm talking to you," he growled, licking his lips. "No problem, though. We take other forms of payment here. Come to the back with me for a bit, and I'm sure we can work something good for both of us. What do you say?"

"N-no, thank you."

"Are you sure? It'll feel good, I promise. Your belly will be full… with all this good food and more." Your fists trembled with disgust as you clutched Jaemin's jacket tighter around you, recoiling as the man edged closer. "S-stay away from me."

"What did you say?" he snapped, irritation flaring at your refusal.

"She said," came the familiar voice behind the bar owner, "to stay the hell away from her. What part of that don't you understand?" Jaemin's growl was low and menacing, his fists clenched with barely controlled fury. You had never seen him this angry, and it stirred something in you to see him so protective. Shoving the old man aside, he slid into the seat beside you, positioning himself like a barrier between you and the creep.

He slapped a wad of cash against the man's chest, his voice icy. "Here's your damn payment. Now leave us alone. And if you so much as look at my girl like that again, or try anything, I'll report this place to the authorities for running without a license."

My girl…?

"Whatever," the old man muttered, defeated.

As soon as the threat was gone, you felt like you could finally breathe again, your heart slowly returning to a normal rhythm as Jaemin reached for your hand under the table, rubbing the back of your palm as he tried to calm himself.

You covered his hand with yours, leaning your head on his shoulder, feeling safe again as he rested his head gently against yours. "I swear to god, I'm never leaving you alone again. How stupid of me to trust humans… even just for a damn second."

But you're one too, silly.

After a moment, he straightened up, gently cupping your chin to make you look at him. "Are you okay? If you want, I can shut down his business with one call. Just say the word."

You glanced over at the poor cleaners and cooks who were just trying to make a living. It wasn't their fault their boss was an absolute douche. You shook your head. "I'm okay. It's fine, Jaem."

"No, it's not… I won't let anyone try to hurt you again."

"I believe you."

𓆰𓆪

"Camping gear? So, that's what you went to get earlier?"

He grinned as he finished setting up the tent by the river, its gentle flow providing a soothing backdrop. "I thought this would be more exciting than those dingy motel rooms. We were paying to stay in tiny dumps, anyway. But now," he stepped back to admire his handiwork, "we can really connect with nature and everything. Isn't it great?"

You knew he was trying to spin it positively, to ease the guilt gnawing at you, but the conflict inside you only grew stronger. Later that night, as the cool air carried the scent of rain yet to fall, you sat side by side on the grass, overlooking the quiet, moonlit river. The weight of the day pressed down on you, and the silence between you felt thick with unspoken words.

He finally broke the silence, his voice soft but filled with an intensity that made your heart skip a beat. "I know you're struggling with this whole mission… and with us. I see it in your eyes every time we get closer to finding the Dreamstone. You start to pull away like you're scared of what comes next."

You could feel his gaze on you, but you couldn't bring yourself to meet it. Instead, you stared at the rippling water, trying to find the right words. "Jaem… I don't know how to do this. I was sent here with a purpose, but every day I feel more lost. I'm an angel, yet… I feel like I'm failing at everything."

He reached for your hand, his touch warm and grounding. "You're not failing, angel. You're just… human, in a way. We all get lost sometimes. But you don't have to go through this alone."

Tears welled up in your eyes as you finally looked at him. "What if we do find the stone? What if I have to go back up there? I'm not supposed to feel this way… about you, about this place. But I do, and it's tearing me apart."

His eyes softened, and he leaned in closer, his breath mingling with yours in the cool night air. "Then maybe we don't find it. Maybe you stay. We can figure it out together, one step at a time. You don't have to decide tonight, but I need you to know… I'm with you, no matter what."

The tension grew as he brushed a tear from your cheek, his thumb lingering on your skin. It was a moment heavy with unspoken desires and forbidden emotions. As the rain began to fall, gently at first, you leaned into him, your lips inches from his, caught between duty and desire.

And when your lips finally met, the kiss felt like both an answer and a question, the rain falling harder now, drenching you both, but neither of you cared.

Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned.

𓍼ོ

The morning light filters through the tent's thin fabric, casting a soft glow on your faces. You woke up with your head resting on his chest, his arms still wrapped around you as if afraid to let go. The events of the previous night rush back, making your heart ache with a mix of guilt and longing.

As the world outside the tent slowly awakens, you can hear the birds chirping and the river flowing nearby, but inside, everything feels suspended in a fragile bubble. You gently pull away from him, trying not to wake him, but he stirs, his eyes fluttering open.

"Good morning," he whispered, his voice still heavy with sleep, yet tinged with a tenderness that makes your chest tighten.

"Morning," you replied softly, avoiding his gaze as you sat up, the cool air of the early morning brushing against your skin.

He watched you for a moment, sensing the shift in your demeanour. "You okay?" he asked, propping himself up on one elbow.

You swallowed hard, knowing this moment was inevitable. "Jaem… last night… it can't happen again."

A shadow of hurt crossed his face, but he quickly masked it with a forced smile. "I know," he said quietly, but there was a flicker of defiance in his eyes. "But that doesn't change how I feel."

"How we feel," you corrected him, your voice trembling. "But it has to. We can't keep pretending this is something it's not. I'm not… I'm not supposed to be here like this. I'm not supposed to love you."

The words hang heavy in the air, and for a moment, he just looks at you, a storm of emotions brewing behind his eyes. "Who says you're not supposed to love?" he finally asks, his voice breaking. "Why does it have to be wrong?"

You can feel your resolve crumbling, the tears welling up again as you shake your head. "Because I'm an angel, Jaem. I have a duty, a purpose. If I let this… if I let us continue, I could lose everything."

"Maybe you could gain something too," he said, reaching for your hand, but you pulled away, standing up and turning your back to him, not wanting him to see the tears now streaming down your face.

"I can't," you whispered, more to yourself than to him. "I can't stay here. We have to find the Dreamstone, and I have to go back. There's no other way."

He stood up behind you, his presence so close it's almost unbearable. "And what if we don't find it? What if we just… live? Together, here. Would that really be so terrible?"

You closed your eyes, his words tempting you more than you'd ever admit. But you know deep down that this was never meant to be. "It's not that simple," you say, your voice barely above a whisper. "It can't be."

He's silent for a long time, and when he finally speaks, his voice is filled with a quiet resignation. "So, what now? Do we just go back to pretending this isn't happening?"

You turn to face him, your heart breaking at the sight of the man who's given up everything for you, who's willing to fight the impossible just to stay by your side. "No, we keep going," you say, trying to sound stronger than you feel. "We find the stone, and then… we figure out the rest."

He nods, his jaw clenched as he struggles to keep his emotions in check. "Okay," he says finally. "But just know… I'm not giving up on you, on us. I can't."

You want to argue, to tell him that he has to, but you know it's pointless. So, you just nod, turning away from him again as you start to gather your things, your heart heavy with the knowledge that this journey, this impossible love, will only get harder from here.

As you both pack up in silence, the rain from the night before leaves the ground damp, mirroring the sense of melancholy that hangs over you. And yet, despite everything, you can't help but steal one last glance at Jaemin, the man who's become your greatest weakness, and wonder if maybe, just maybe, there could be another way.

𓆰𓆪

"I have a feeling we're getting closer."

You swallowed hard, trying to match his pace as you walked side by side. The backs of your hands brushed against each other, and you instinctively pulled away, crossing your arms over your chest before he could reach out to you. "I feel it too."

He sighed, his steps faltering as he stopped and gently grabbed your shoulders, turning you to face him. "Tell me… is going back up there what you truly want?"

No.

"Yes, Jaem. It's the right thing to do."

He closed his eyes, pain flickering across his face as his hands slid down to yours. His touch, so soft and familiar, sent your heart racing and your resolve crumbling. No, no—you had to stay strong. "I'm not asking if it's right or wrong. I'm asking if it's what you want."

Please, stop.

You fought to keep your expression neutral as you gently pull your hands from his, giving him a light pat on the back. "What I want doesn't matter. I was never meant to have desires. It has to stay that way. Don't make this harder than it already is, Jaem."

He nodded, the defeat in his eyes shattering your heart, as he turned away and continued walking toward what looked like an abandoned city. "I understand, angel. If that's your choice, I'll respect it."

"Thank you."

𓍼ོ

"Where even are we?" you wondered aloud, your eyes scanning the barren concrete landscape, now overtaken by nature's relentless green, creeping over what must have once been a bustling city. It felt like staring into a post-apocalyptic world, a place long forgotten.

"I'm not sure. It's like we've stepped into another world." He shook his head, his hand instinctively reaching for yours. This time, you didn't pull away. Instead, you clung to his arm, inching closer, seeking comfort in his presence. The isolation of this place was unsettling, a place so hidden that even urban explorers might never stumble upon it. He was right; it felt like an entirely different realm within Earth. "Stay close to me."

"I will," you muttered nervously, as the two of you ventured deeper into the mysterious city.

As the sky darkened and the sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows, a sense of unease crept into his voice. "I think we should go. Maybe there's nothing here. We've nearly covered every corner, and it's getting dark."

You nodded in reluctant agreement, taking one last glance around. "You're right. Let's head back."

But just as you lifted your hand to take his, you gasped, your eyes widening in shock. A faint glow began to emanate from your skin, something you recognised all too well. It was the telltale sign of proximity to a transit system, a portal that connects realms. This meant one thing: the Dreamstone was near.

"It's here," you whispered, your voice barely audible as you felt a subtle pull in a specific direction. Turning to your right, you noticed a spiral staircase that hadn't been there before. Jaemin stood frozen, the realisation slowly sinking in.

It was really here.

Despite the dread tightening around his heart, he forced himself to step forward and reached for your hand, his smile faltering but determined. "Well, come on then."

𓆰𓆪

"This is it."

Before you stood the stone, its light already working its magic, drawing you closer with each step. Your skin glowed brighter, and your heart pounded with a rising sense of panic as reality set in. It was really happening. But were you truly ready to go?

Were you ready to leave him behind? To abandon him in this world after everything he had done for you? He had come so far, leaving everything behind just to be by your side. Could you really return home and carry on as if nothing had changed?

In desperation, you turned back, reaching out for him. Only then did you notice your skin, not only glowing but also fading, turning translucent bit by bit. He reached out too, his eyes trembling with tears—tears you had never seen from him before.

"Jaem…" your voice cracked, barely more than a whisper. "Thank you for everything. I'll never forget you. I'm sorry for all the hurtful things I've said—Jaemin, I… I lo—"

"No," he interrupted, shaking his head, his voice laced with a pain he couldn’t hide. "Don't. Please… don't make this any harder than it already is." He forced a smile, but you could see the agony beneath it. "Don't worry about me. I'll find my way back. I'll be okay. I've always been alone… I'm used to it. You were the only exception, and… I'll never forget you either. Never have, never will."

That was all he could manage as he watched you slowly fade from his sight, disappearing before him. He clung to the fact that you had returned his feelings, even if you couldn't finish the words. It was enough. It had to be enough. He had loved, and he had been loved in return. He would keep your memory alive in his heart forever.

"Goodbye, angel."

𓍼ོ

"Jeno! Jeno, my brother! I have to go back down there, please!" you cried out as you materialised in the bright, grand halls of heaven.

He regarded you calmly, as if you hadn't been missing for months without any word. "But my sister, your assignment is complete. There's no reason for you to return to Earth." His words only deepened your confusion.

"What—my assignment? I haven't even done anything yet! All I did was…"

Suddenly, it hit you. Was Jaemin the lost soul you were meant to find?

"I see you haven't recovered your memories of him," Jeno replied, his voice tinged with a hint of sorrow. "So, you didn't choose him after all. That's why you're back. Poor thing was wrong about you, then. He even gave up his immortality to prove his point."

You frowned, bewildered. "Wh-what are you talking about?"

His eyes softened as he continued, "Did you really think the Dreamstone malfunctioned? Did you truly believe you just happened to fall to Earth by accident? Have you ever wondered why he could see you? Why you've become so… emotional around him? Why other humans could suddenly see you too? Why you are no longer… perfect," he added, nodding toward the bruises now marring your once flawless skin.

You gasped, finally noticing how different you looked. His expression shifted, becoming the familiar, caring brother you had always known. "You really don't remember him?"

In despair, you shook your head.

He sighed deeply. "Jaemin… he was one of us, though a bit of a rebel. He's not your average angel." Your eyes widened in shock, and Jeno could only smile sadly at your disbelief. "He's always been close to you—closer than any of us. So close that it often made others question whether he knew certain boundaries should never be crossed. He argued, couldn't understand why it was wrong for us to love. He even dared challenge… the Maker. And so, he was told that if he wanted to live like mortals, he should become one of them."

Your heart shattered as the pieces began to fall into place. No wonder he hadn't been surprised when he saw you, or why he had believed everything you said so easily, his determination to change your mind—it all made sense. He had been waiting for you all along, hoping you'd choose him as he had chosen you.

"He wanted to prove to the Maker that you would choose him too, if given the chance. So…" Jeno paused, swallowing hard. "Your memories of him were erased before you were sent down there."

"You were already losing your immortality the moment you realised your love for him. Seems your heart already chose him, but your mind brought you back here." Jeno smiled gently, patting your shoulder. "Listen, the Maker isn't heartless, and if there's one thing He respects, it's free will. If being with Jaemin is what you truly desire, you need only decide. Will you… choose him?"

𓆰𓆪

Weeks had passed since Jaemin last saw you, yet the memory of your heartbroken expression, reaching out to him one final time, still haunted his every waking moment. He could only hope you were happy now, reunited with Jeno and the others, back where you belonged. You had always been the perfect angel—unlike him.

From the beginning, he had questioned everything: the Maker's design, the restrictions imposed on angels, the boundaries that seemed so arbitrary. If it weren't for you, he might have fallen long ago, surrendering to the temptations that constantly beckoned him. But now, he was little more than a mortal, living out the consequences of his choices.

Life on Earth had been anything but easy.

Jaemin knew this was His way of teaching him a lesson, showing him the weight of his ingratitude, the cost of what he'd thrown away in his pursuit of love. The harsh reality of his situation was a constant reminder of the consequences of his defiance.

When you were first sent to him, he truly believed that you were meant to be his forever. But when you didn't recognise him, he should have known it was too good to be true. Of course, they would take away your memories of him—anything less would have made things too simple. Even so, he was confident that he could prove the Maker wrong, believing that your love for him would ultimately outweigh your sense of duty.

But of course, you were still the same angel he had fallen so deeply in love with, the one who would always choose what was right over what was easy. And in his time on Earth, he had learned something important: if you love someone, you have to let them go. So he did. He respected the choice you made, knowing that he would rather see you leave with love in your heart than stay and regret your decision for the rest of your life.

Lost in thought, he didn't notice the figure stepping into the bookstore until they were standing right in front of him at the counter. "Hi, Mr. Na. Some kids in the neighbourhood told me you have the best manga collection. What would you recommend?"

He huffed, slapping the book he hadn't touched in hours onto the counter. "Gosh, do I have to do everything myself? Just check the back aisle…"

His voice trailed off as he finally looked up, meeting the eyes of his new customer. His world seemed to stop as he stared, trying to convince himself that this wasn't a dream or some cruel illusion. Standing before him was the one person he had never expected to see again, the only person who had ever truly held his heart. The one he had sacrificed his immortality for, the one he had given up everything for. And he would do it all over again, no matter how much it hurt—because the pain only proved that his love was real.

"You… what are you doing here?" he croaked, dread creeping into his heart. What if your memories of him were gone again?

What if—

"Not here for your organs, that's for sure. Also, you? What happened to calling me 'angel'?" you pouted.

He let out a shaky breath, stepping out from behind the counter to get closer to you. "This isn't a dream, is it?"

You smiled, stepping closer as well, and he could feel his breath catch in his throat at the nearness of you. "Hate to break it to you, but it's not. You know why?"

He shook his head, tears welling in his eyes as you cupped his face in your hand. "Because I chose you, Jaem." Then, with a promise of forever, you pressed your lips to his, sealing your vow to stay by his side, mortal now, but back in the embrace of the only heaven that mattered—his arms.

This was inspired by NCT DREAM's Rains in Heaven MV. I know I'm supposed to be working on Prince Yeosang's TWTHH spinoff, but I just couldn't get this out of my mind. Did it make any sense? Did it not? Doesn't matter, it's self-indulgent as fck.

If you've made it this far, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! Would mean the world to me if you could share your thoughts on the story! <3

Master Tag list:

@the-kpop-simp @itstheghostofmypast @green-agent @tinyteezer @hollxe1 |

@pandabur666 @lilactangerine @oddracha @evidive @heyitsmetonid

All Rights Reserved © edenesth // DO NOT REPOST, TRANSLATE, PLAGIARISE OR REPURPOSE.

[chaotic-fandom-writer]

Adam x Reader P.2 (Hazbin Hotel)

Warnings: Heavy cursing, violence, adult themes

Chapters I - II - III - IV - V - VI - VII

You

Heaven.

That was where you ended up.

No, no, no this can't be happening -

Your internal thoughts keep getting cut off by people trying to speak to you, to welcome and guide you, but you completely shut everything and everyone out. All you can think is that you'll never see your friends again, they could all die without you down there. And worst of all, you know eventually you'll come face to face with him.

He's the entire fucking reason you ended up here! If he wasn't meddling with your life, you would've been surrounded by your friends, fighting. Not exposed on a rooftop.

That's it, you decided. From here on out, I hate him. Clenching your jaw, you allow yourself to be pulled along by the angels, guiding you to your new room and giving you a general tour.

The most notable people you'd met so far had been Sera and Emily, two of the upper-level angels around. They arranged a meeting with you to discuss "what this means," and left you alone in your room.

What this means? You think to yourself. For who though?

--

Adam

Still clutching onto (Y/N)'s now lifeless body, he slowly began to lower her down, rubbing the dried tears from his eyes.

Lute just stood, silently. She's probably confused. He thought to himself. And she's got that judgy-bitch look in her eyes I know she gets.

"Sir-" She started.

"Just don't." He took one last look at the body before him, then sounded the signal, opening up the portal to head back into Heaven.

Heaven seemed.. different. Everyone was running all over the place. Adam could tell they were still trying to act like everything was okay, but truthfully, the entire kingdom just had an uncomfortable, almost panicked buzz flying around it, like a swarm of angry bees on a hot summer day.

"Lute, what the fuck is going on?"

"I- I'm not sure sir. I'll go see."

She flew on ahead, and he paused, taking a good look around. People ran up to each other speaking in hurried, hushed tones, others were locking their windows and drawing their blinds.

Finally, Adam grabbed the wrist of the first person he came across. "You. What the fuck is going on here?"

The man stutters, his eyes barely registering Adam. They were glazed over like foggy glass, beads of sweat forming on the tip of his nose.

"They - they made it in."

Adam furrowed his brow. "Who did?"

"The sinners!" He screamed, wrenching his wrist free and bolting down the street.

"Oh HELL no."

Adam knew he had to find Sera. Fast.

--

"Sera! Sera, you bitch, do you have any idea how long I've been looking for you?" He doubles over, panting, somehow out of breath.

"Adam. We have a problem."

"Yeah, so I was hearing. A sinner got into Heaven? Was there a breach or something?"

She shakes her head, looking grim. "A death."

He looks at her, taken aback. "A death? Of a sinner from Hell? That's impossible Sera."

"Well, believe it Adam. That's not the worst of it, either.." She trails off, walking towards a window, staring out over the city. "Well, what then?" He questions.

She stands silently for a moment, before turning to him, her face falling. "It's her, Adam."

He can feel his heart drop into his stomach. "Her who?" He asks, even though he already knows the answer.

"Don't play games."

"She CAN'T fucking be here Sera! She just- she can't, okay? There's no way, that's impossible." He can feel his hands shake, and his breath quickens.

"Go see for yourself then. Room 4B." She dangles a key from her fingertips.

Snatching it, he spreads his wings, clenching his teeth through the pain of his now-rapidly healing wing, and flies down the halls as fast as he can.

There's no way, there's no way, there's no way -

Room 4B. He stops in front of it, unsure what to do now that he's made it this far.

Adam lifts a shaky hand to the door and..

--

You

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

Lifting your weary head from the now tear-stained pillows, you turn to look at the door through the darkness of the room.

It comes again. More urgent this time. KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!

You groan. You really didn't want to deal with any of this right now, but you pulled yourself up anyways, knowing they'd never leave.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!

"Fuck, I'm COMING! Hold on!"

You flip on the lights and glance in the mirror, wincing at the makeup stains running down your face, but not bothering to clean it.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!

"Oh my fucking god, just be patient will yo-"

You cut yourself off as you swing open the door and find Adam standing before you.

"Holy shit, you're alive." Is all he can manage to stutter out.

You glare at him.

"What the FUCK do you want?"

"Look, just hear me out-" You cut him off with a satisfying punch directly in his jaw. His mask cracks.

"Um, OW, fucking bitch!" He cradles his jaw. "Will you just fucking listen for a second?"

"This is all YOUR fault!" You shout, feeling your eyes get hot with tears. "I don't want to be here!"

He blinks. "Why wouldn't you want to be in Heaven?"

"Because, asshole, my entire life was down there! Maybe it was Hell, but my friends and I were building something good. And all you ever do is try to tear it down!" You swing at him again.

This time, he anticipates your punch, catching your wrist and pulling you toward him. "Yeah, and with good reason. What do you think would happen to Heaven if you and all your little sinners tried uprising? It would be chaos! It-"

You attempt, and fail, to wrench your wrist away from him. "Let me go!" His grip tightens.

"Can you LISTEN for a minute?" You quiet down, breathing heavily. "What?"

"You.. I.." He stutters, seemingly unsure of how to say what he wanted.

Is he.. blushing?

"What do you want, Adam?"

"You need to know the truth. About us."

"Us."

His grip on your wrist softens slightly. "We knew each other, a long time ago."

You blink. "Yeah right, Adam, I think I'd remember that."

He looks away. "Except you wouldn't, because.. your memory was wiped."

You try to take a step back, but he doesn't let go. "What are you talking about?"

"We used to.." He stops. "He just used to know each other, alright?"

We.. knew each other?

How?

--

Don't forget, I'm always accpeting requests

Chapters I - II - III - IV - V - VI - VII

[upsidedownwithsteve]

thinking about camp!steve fighting with hawkins over something petty and they're both horny and pent up bc they haven't had any time alone

"you're gonna regret that, princess"

"oh no, i'm shaking in my boots"

"yeah, you will be shaking by the time I'm done with you"

😳🥵

It wasn’t like either of you had wanted to go in the first place, but Steve’s parents had cornered you both on one of the rare occasions they’d been home. 

Mrs Harrington had gasped and air kissed you on both cheeks as you stumbled down their stairs that morning, wide eyed and only dressed in her son's T-shirt. 

“I’m so sorry,” you croaked out, mortified. “Steve and I didn’t hear you guys get in last night.”

And so you had to stand, barefoot and clutching at the hem of Steve’s shirt as his mother cooed over their tip to Paris, how the meeting had gone so well, how their flight got in earlier than planned and did you know that the Duncan’s down the road were getting a divorce?

You had just wanted a coffee. 

But Steve had eventually stirred enough to hear his mom, launching himself out of bed in a bid to save you. It all went downhill from there, ‘cause his dad appeared, back from his morning run to jab a little meanly at his son's (flat) stomach, telling him he needed to work out more now he wasn’t on the basketball team. 

You held Steve’s hand under the table. And then came the real kicker. 

“Oh! Before I forget,” Mrs Harrington cried out over her cappuccino. “It’s the family party this weekend. You’ll both be attending, right? Cousin Michael is bringing his fiancé, Steven, so won’t it be nice that you'll be taking a girlfriend this time?”

You stared. “Family party?”

“A whole house full of Harrington’s!” Steve’s dad declared, whisking two eggs into his smoothie. You tried not to grimace. “We rent the old Manor House out by Bloomington for the weekend. You know it, it’s near that silly, little camp you guys waste your time at.” 

Your jaw clenched at the same time Steve’s did. 

—————

Two days in and you were at your wits end. The rest of Steve’s family was just like his parents. Obnoxious, brash and arrogant, all with a habit of talking about money and business, even over a seven o’clock breakfast. His younger cousins didn’t know how to knock on doors, Aunt Deniese’s toddler liked to throw things at Steve’s hair, his uncle was constantly winking at you and his grandmother kept grabbing you by the arm and asking when you’d be giving her a grandchild. 

‘Never, at this rate,’ you’d wanted to yell at her. ‘Seeing as nobody gives us a fucking second alone.’

Steve was almost unbearable. Almost. He’d turned surly and quiet, barely speaking the morning of the trip ‘cause he’d already had an argument about taking his car rather than sitting in the back of his dads.  He’d apologised to you over and over the night before, warning you about his family, how they were, how they acted. He’d even told you you could still back out, but you’d kissed away his apologies and told him you weren’t leaving him to the wolves alone. 

But the boy turned into a shell of himself at the hands of his relatives. He was prickly and constantly frowning, brow furrowed and he flinched when you tried to soothe it away. You’d have been offended if you hadn’t felt as on edge as you knew he did, constantly awaiting the next backhanded compliment from one of his aunts, a sympathetic expression written on his cousin's faces when you told them your shoes were from Target. 

You saw the way Steve looked at you though. Heated in a different way, the best way. Like he was aching to touch you and have you and kiss you without an audience, ‘cause everytime you reached for him, it gave someone in his family an excuse to berate you both. 

‘God, Steve. She’s clingy isn’t she?’

‘Can't you two be apart for more than half an hour?’

‘You know, if you want this relationship to survive, you gotta realise that money keeps it together. Where are you working, Steve?’

‘You know he’ll cheat on you right? He’ll be just like his dad.’

It only stopped when dinner was over and the table was cleared by the hired staff, Steve’s dads incoming speech about the family business interrupted by his son grabbing your hand and dragging you upstairs to your room. 

The bedroom door closed and Steve could breathe again. Just. 

You stared at him, chest heaving with half jogging through the too big house, with holding in the anger you wanted to let out over the mahogany tabletop. You were pent up, pulled tight. So was Steve. 

Maybe you could fix it. If he’d let you. 

“Fuck this weekend,” he was seething, kicking at his suitcase that had remained unpacked on the floor. “Honest to god, this fucking family. Shouldn’t have bothered even coming, knew this shit would happen, always fucking does.”

You kicked off your shoes, enjoying the way they clattered angrily against the hardwood. The noise caught your boyfriend’s attention and he turned, wide eyed. You didn’t say anything as you unzipped your dress, angrily shoving down the straps until it pooled at your feet. 

You let out another harsh breath, “yeah?” You agreed with Steve, with everything he said. “Wanna fight about it?”

Steve’s eyes flashed, lips parting, nostrils flaring and you knew that look, you loved that look. He sucked in a breath, knocking over the stupid ceramic horse statue on top of the dresser when he backed into it. He nodded, a determined look in his eyes. 

“Yeah,” his voice cracked. “Fuck, yeah, let’s fight about it.”

You grinned, wicked, sliding down the straps of your bra, hands behind your back to snap at the hooks. It joined your dress on the floor. Steve’s head hit the wall with a thud, tipped back, pupils blown wide, panting. 

He needed this. 

“C’mon, pretty boy,” you murmured, “let’s make it better.”

Steve crossed the room in seconds, shirt shed before he reached you, some buttons popping and scattering across the room. He was rough when he kissed you, hands grabbing at your waist, almost bending you backwards when his mouth met yours, tongue sweeping past your lips immediately. 

You keened high, uncaring about the other guests, knowing that the dining room was far enough away that they’d probably not hear anyway. So you kissed back just as desperate, hands clutching Steve’s jaw, squeaking when he lifted you without warning, grasping at your thighs that he coaxed around his hips. 

Your back hit a wall, photo frames rattling and you felt the click of his teeth against yours when you grinned against each other, chests heaving. 

“Fuck,” Steve groaned, hands grabbing at the dough of your ass, pushing your thighs apart so he could grind into you, already painfully hard. “Princess.”

He said it like he used to, less softer, a little more mean, teasing and sticky with condescension. It made your toes curl. Made you think about your first kiss in a cabin in the forest, thick, summer heat clawing at your throat along with an undeniable need for the boy. It felt animalistic. Like this did now. 

“Wanna fuck me?” You cooed, voice breathy, hands raking through the boy’s hair, nails leaving marks on his shoulders, his back. “Yeah, baby? Wanna fuck me hard? Wanna mark me up and forget about everything else?”

Steve groaned, a messy, dirty noise and he sounded wild. He nodded, nose bumping yours, one hand skating up your bare side until he could catch at your jaw. 

“Fuck, yeah I do. Gonna be good for me?” He asked nicely and god, he looked so good. Tanned skin, freckles across his shoulders, lips swollen and slick from your kisses. “Gonna do as you’re told?”

You grinned, kissing sweet at his jaw. “Not in the slightest,” you whispered against his skin. 

Satisfied, you let your head fall back against the wall, watching Steve from under your lashes, hands skating across his throat. Steve wanted a fight, after all. He liked the way you pushed back, babe as good as you got, when pressed him into the pillows so you could ride him until he wanted to cry at how good it felt. 

He wanted his hair pulled, scratches down his back, your moans in his ear, lavender coloured bruises on his throat, ones that matched yours. He wanted to fuck out the anger like you were the one who caused it. 

You never caused it. Ever. 

But it was fun to play. 

Steve grinned, ecstatic with your answer. His fingers gripped your ass tighter, fingers slipping under the lace there and he spun you both, letting you drop into the bed so you bounced. He reached for his belt buckle, watching you as he stood at the edge of the bed. 

“You’re so fucking pretty.” A moment of softness, a gentle hand on your stomach before he pushed you down onto the sheets. 

[cc-cobalt-1043]

Heading home:

Set after the final battle, Tom and Maddie are excited they have more kids, Sonic is happy to finally find friends like him, Knuckles is worried and Tails is just tired.

After taking down Robotnik and helping clear some of the damage done to Green Hills the Wachowski family headed home.

Tom and Maddie were upfront in the car and Knuckles, Sonic and Tails were in the back.

Knuckles was firmly clutching the Master emerald in his hands as though frightened if he let it go it would disappear, Tails was squashed comfortably between Sonic and Knuckles, fast asleep having been worn out by the chaos of the battle, and Sonic was sitting with an arm wrapped around Tails, letting the Fox snuggle into him as much as the car seat allowed him, Sonic was thinking about everything that happened over the last two days.

Robotnik had returned and was defeated, the master emerald was both real and in their possession, and now Knuckles and Tails were here.

Mind you Sonic was certainly grateful they were here, not cause they helped him and literally saved his life, but because of the company.

As much as he'd loved being an only child, it could be lonely sometimes, with Tails and Knuckles, that was Likely gonna change.

Sonic was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of Tails stirring next to him.

"Sonic, where are we going?" Tails mumbled, the Kit's voice laced heavily with sleep and he looked ready to konk out again any moment.

"We're going home pal." Sonic simply said gently stroking the Kit behind his ears.

"Home, tha' sounds nice." Tails mumbled before yawning and falling right back to sleep.

Sonic chuckled then looked over at Knuckles who was still stone silent.

"You okay there Knucklehead?" Sonic asked.

Knuckles nodded.

"I am fine hedgehog, I am just...thinking." Knuckles said.

"If it's about Egghead, don't worry we won't see him again, or at least for a while." Sonic said.

"I'm aware, but that is not what is on my mind." Knuckles said.

"Then what is it?" Sonic asked curious.

"I helped Robotnik to acquire the emerald and also hurt you, this town and the Fox, will I truly be accepted into your...family?" Knuckles asked.

"Course you will, Eggman manipulated you and used you into doing those things." Sonic said.

"Besides this family always seems to meet in some weird way." He added.

"It's true, when I first met Sonic I shot him with a bear tranquilliser." Tom said.

"And the Fox hit me with a car on our first meeting." Knuckles added casually.

Tom and Maddie both gaped at Knuckles then at Tails.

"Oh my God, are you OK?" Maddie asked him worriedly.

"I am fine, I have quite a strong body so the car didn't do anything serious, besides he was saving Sonic?" Knuckles said.

"Yeah, he even drove it off a cliff to save me." Sonic added.

"I was wondering where that went." Tom muttered under his breath.

He looked at Tails.

"Remind me not to get on his bad side." He chuckled.

He looked back at Knuckles.

"But don't worry about anything Knuckles, you're part of this family now and if GUN or Robotnik want you back they'll have to step over my cold, dead body." Tom said.

"Same here." Maddie nodded.

For the first time since meeting him Sonic thought he saw a smile on the Echnida's face.

"I certainly hope it doesn't come to that, but I appreciate the sentiment behind it." Knuckles said nodding.

After a while of driving in silence they finally arrived home.

Tom, Maddie and Knuckles all climbed out while Sonic coaxed a deep asleep Tails awake.

"Huh, wh're we." Tails yawned not looking too pleased to be woken up and clearly wanting to go back to sleep.

"We're home pal, but I need you to get up." Sonic said.

Tails grumbled slightly from tiredness but with some assistance from Sonic he climbed out the car.

Sonic took in the kit and saw just how exhausted he really looked, his tails and ears dropped slightly and he could barely keep his eyes open.

"Tired bud?" Sonic asked slightly teasingly.

Tails just yawned his tails flicking slightly as he tried to stifle said yawn behind his hand.

"Yeah." Tails added after a moment.

"I can tell." Sonic chuckled giving Tails a scratch behind the ear before taking ahold of the Kit's hand.

"C'mon bud, let's get you some shut eye." Sonic smiled and Tails nodded too tired to reply.

Meanwhile Tom, Maddie and Knuckles were inspecting the damage.

"All in all it's not too bad, we can definitely stay tonight, but we should probably have this fixed soon." Maddie asked.

"I'll get started then." Knuckles said.

"What do you mean pal?" Tom asked confused.

"I have inflicted this damage upon your home and I should be the one to fix it." Knuckles said.

"Honey, that wasn't your fault, that horrible man manipulated you into doing those things." Maddie said.

"But I need to attone for my actions." Knuckles said.

"You already have Knuckles by saving the town, that's more than enough." Tom said.

Knuckles nodded, though he didn't seem fully convinced.

"Now, let's show you guys where you'll be staying for the night." Maddie said.

"We can stay?" A tiny voice asked.

The others turned to see Sonic and Tails behind her, Tails was looking at her curiously.

"Of course Baby, we'd love you to stay with us." Maddie said.

"Yeah kid, you're more than welcome." Tom nodded.

Tails nodded and yawned heavily leaning into Sonic's side.

"Okay, I think that's the signal for bedtime, come on guys." Tom said.

They went inside the house and after being greeted (and licked) by Ozzie they went up to Sonic's room.

Tails gaped in awe as they went into the room.

"Wow, it's so cool in here." Tails said looking around the room in awe.

"Okay guys, get yourselves ready for bed, it's been a long day." Tom said.

Sonic climbed into his bed and Tails went over to the beanbag chair and climbed onto it, humming contently as he lay down on it, apparently finding it comfortable enough.

"We've got a spare sleeping bag in the garage Knuckles, if you'd like it, looks like Miles has already claimed the bean bag.

Knuckles looked over and indeed Tails was stretched out on the bean bag in a ball, mumbling contently as he slept.

Nearby Sonic looked over with a very fond look, Knuckles couldn't help but feel the same.

Knuckles looked back at Maddie.

"Yes please, that would be very nice." Knuckles nodded.

Maddie nodded and soon returned with said sleeping bag, as well as a blanket which she gently draped over Tails.

Maddie then set up the sleeping bag for Knuckles who after thanking her climbed in.

"Goodnight boys, sleep well." Maddie said.

She kissed each of the boys on their foreheads before leaving for Tom's room.

Sonic yawned and stretched out on his bed.

"Night Knux, I hope you like it here." Sonic said.

"Goodnight." Knuckles replied.

Knuckles looked at Sonic, then Tails and with a small smile closed his eyes.

"I think I will." Knuckles mumbled to himself.

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

Stuck Between a Jock and a Metalhead

Summary: Nancy, on a whim, decides to visit Steve at Scoops Ahoy, which leads to her overhearing confessions from Steve that leads her to think about the decisions she's made. A few days later, she decides to come back. She finds him being hit on by the town freak. What's a girl to do? Oh, get stuck in a freezer with the both of them.

Chapter One - Chapter Two - Chapter Three - Chapter Four - Chapter Five - Chapter Six - Chapter Seven - Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Eddie's POV

Eddie woke up screaming and clutching his sides. He was drenched in sweat and trembling all over. Wayne burst into the room, looking panicked as he dropped to Eddie's side.

"Where does it hurt, son?" Wayne asked. "Does it hurt here?"

"No, it's just a bad dream. Just a bad dream," Eddie whimpered. "I think something bad is going to happen, Uncle Wayne."

"It's okay, son, I've got ya," Wayne said and hugged Eddie tightly as Eddie burst into tears. "I'm here."

Eddie could tell it was early in the morning because it looked like Wayne had just gotten home from work. Eddie sniffled and wiped his face as he pulled away from him.

"I'm good, Uncle Wayne," Eddie said.

"You haven't had a nightmare like that since you were little, and your mama started getting sick," Wayne frowned. "You wanna talk about it, son?"

"No, I just want to forget about it," Eddie said.

He tried to wipe the image of Nancy being cornered by her boss, the fear on her face, and then the image of Steve screaming in pain. . .the image of him lying on the floor covered in his own blood. The dream had ended with Eddie being eaten alive, with Nancy and Steve screaming his name. Eddie refused to go back to sleep and decided to get ready for the day. He settled into distracting himself until it was time to go to the festival. He read Lord of the Rings, worked on his campaign, worked on writing his music, and when Wayne left for work, he settled down in front of the television. The images wouldn't go away, however, and he couldn't get the feeling that something was seriously wrong.

The feeling stayed with him even when he showed up at the festival. It was supposed to be an exciting time, but all Eddie felt was fear. They were going to show up, he told himself as he waited by the entrance. Maybe they showed up before him and went in. Eddie started walking around, trying not to panic and let the fear overcome him. As he was looking for them, he saw a figure slumped over between a couple of booths. Eddie approached the figure slowly and nudged him. He didn't move. There was a bullet hole in his chest. This guy was fucking dead.

"Oh, shit," Eddie said.

Fear shot through him, and he was in full on panic mode. He took off and started running around, calling for Steve and Nancy. When he approached the entrance, he spotted Hopper and Joyce Byers. Eddie watched as Joyce approached the Mayor. . . And slugged him in the face?? Eddie didn't wait and took off after them, heading toward a bright yellow car.

"Hey, Chief!" Eddie yelled.

"What? I don't have time for whatever this is, Munson," Hopper said.

"Well, first off, did you know that there's a dead guy over there?" Eddie asked.

"Yeah, we're dealing with it, kid," Hopper sighed.

"Also, where are Steve and Nancy? They were supposed to meet me here, and I got this weird feeling that something fucked up is going on here," Eddie said.

"Look, we're dealing with that, too. Don't worry about it. We'll let you know when we find them. There's nothing to worry about, kid," Hopper said.

"So, I don't have to worry about Nancy being chased by a flesh monster made from her former boss or Steve being tortured in a Russian underground bunker?" Eddie asked.

Hopper and Joyce stared at him before sharing a look with each other. Yeah, it seems like his dream wasn't so crazy after all.

"We don't have time for this!" A balding man yelled.

"Get in," Hopper finally decided.

Eddie hopped into the car, sitting himself next to the balding man, and then they took off.

"How did you know about the Russians?" Hopper asked Eddie.

"Well, this is going to sound weird, but I kind of had this dream last night," Eddie said. "Nancy was being chased, Steve was being tortured and drugged, then it sort of moved forward. I was in this place that looked a lot like Hawkins, except it was covered in vines, and there was this floating dust or some shit. I was on the ground with vines wrapped around my throat, and then these bat like creatures were eating me alive," Eddie said.

"Jesus," the balding man muttered.

Hopper and Joyce stared at each other again.

"Okay, that dream isn't so crazy?" Eddie asked. "Does that place exist?"

"We call it the Upside Down," Joyce said. "Well, the kids do."

"Steve’s kids? The ones he babysits all the time?" Eddie asked. "He brags about them a lot."

"They're good kids," Joyce said smiling.

"They're shitheads," Hopper said, smiling fondly.

"He calls them that too," Eddie said with a grin. "Affectionately."

"So, have you had dreams like this before?" Joyce asked.

"A few times. Once, when I was six and my mama started getting sick. She wanted to keep it from me, but then I had a dream that she was dying, and then she did," Eddie said softly.

"I'm sorry, that must have been rough," Joyce said sympathetically.

"It was," Eddie said. "A couple of years ago, I dreamed that your son got trapped in the Upside Down. I thought it was just a dream because it was all over the news about him at the time, and then last October, I dreamed that there were these tunnels under Hawkins with fucked up looking dogs who's face opened up."

"You didn't have to go to a bunch of doctors when you were a kid, did you?" Hopper asked.

"Well, there was this experimental program my dad put me through to treat my asthma that I apparently didn't have. Honestly, he was only in it for the money. I did see a bunch of doctors, but they told me I didn't qualify for it, which makes sense because I didn't have asthma," Eddie said, and they shared another look. "What?"

They both proceeded to explain to him about a program called MK Ultra where a man called Dr. Brenner experimented on children, giving them powers.

"It's possible that he didn't think you had any," Joyce said. "Especially if you didn't tell them about the dreams."

"Damn," Eddie muttered. "By the way, who the hell is this guy?"

"Murray Bauman," the balding guy introduced.

"I heard about you," Eddie said, narrowing his eyes at him.

"All good things from Nancy Wheeler, I hope," Murray said sarcastically.

"No, I don't like you," Eddie said and glared at him.

"And what did Nancy say about me?" Murray rolled his eyes.

"Well, I believe a creepy asshole who likes to put his nose where it doesn't belong are the words she used to describe you," Eddie said, and Hopper snorted.

They pulled up to the Starcourt Mall a few minutes later and walked into find quite a scene. Steve and Nancy were surrounded by a bunch of kids. A young girl was in the middle, and something shot out of the open wound in her leg. It landed at Hopper's feet, and he squished the slug like creature under his shoe. Steve and Nancy looked at Eddie in surprise.

"Eddie?!"

He shot forward and pulled them both into a hug. They immediately hugged him back tightly.

"Are you the guy who almost killed Steve and Nancy in the freezer?" A curly haired boy asked, his hands on his hips.

"And this must be Dustin," Eddie grinned as he pulled away from the hug.

"You know about me?" Dustin asked.

"Steve only talks about you all of the time, you and his other precious kiddos," Eddie said teasingly.

"He does?!" Dustin asked and beamed.

"What's this about killing Steve and Nancy in a freezer?" A redheaded girl asked.

"Eddie, what are you doing here?" Nancy asked.

"That's a little bit of a weird story," Eddie said.

He glanced over at Hopper, who was tending to the young girl's leg. Turns out it was his daughter, El. The redheaded girl was Max, the pale gangly boy was Nancy's brother Mike, there was Lucas who was dating Max, and Eddie remembered Will from that time in the music store. Will remembered him, too.

"So, you dreamed about us being in danger?" Nancy asked Eddie.

"Yeah, I suppose it's because you two have become very important to me over the last few weeks," Eddie blushed.

"Aw, Nance, I think he's saying we're his best friends," Steve teased.

"Aww," Nancy cooed and pinched Eddie's cheek.

"Excuse me, that title belongs to Jeff," Eddie said.

"Then what are we to you?" Nancy asked.

"You know, you can have more than one best friend," Dustin said, saving Eddie from answering the question.

It was then that remembered the first aid kit in his pocket. He pulled it out and walked over to Hopper, Joyce, and El. He opened it.

"Do you guys need anything in here?" Eddie asked.

"Oh, yes, thank you," Joyce said, pulling out some ointments and bandages.

"You just had that in your pocket?" Hopper asked.

"I'm a professional klutz," Eddie said seriously, and Hopper snorted. "His name is Princess Nigel."

It was El's turn to laugh, showing her dimples, and Eddie flashed his dimples right back at her. El furrowed her brows at him.

"Are you my brother?" El asked.

"You do sort of look alike," Joyce said in amusement.

"We do!" Eddie laughed. "I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if I did have brothers and sisters out there. My dad used to cheat on my mom all the time, even when she was sick. He wasn't very clever with the names he came up to tell the ladies with either. Overheard my uncle yelling at my dad about it. Al Munster was one of them. Allan Smith. Andrew Rich. He actually used Eddie once! I don't know why he bothered. Everyone knew who Al Munson was."

"Did you say Andrew Rich?" Hopper asked.

"Yeah, why?" Eddie asked.

"Because that's the name of El's father," Hopper said.

Eddie stared at him for a moment before looking back at El. He laughed and slapped his knee.

"Well, it looks like I am your brother, after all," Eddie said with a smile, and El held out her arms, grinning. "Ooh, a hug for big brother Eddie?"

Eddie moved forward and hugged his little sister. His little sister. This is not how he expected this evening to go. As he pulled back from the hug, El played with his vest.

"Bitchin," El muttered.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Eddie laughed and ruffled her hair. It seemed like having a sister would be cool. He smiled as he wondered over to take care of Steve.

"I have a sister," Eddie declared as he worked on cleaning Steve’s wounds.

"We heard," Nancy said in amusement.

"So, this is your first time with all of this, too?" Robin asked as she leaned over his shoulder to watch him work.

"Yeah," Eddie said.

"How are you not freaking out?" Robin asked.

"Oh, trust me, sweetheart, I'm freaking out on the inside," Eddie replied.

"Well, you should know that Steve Harrington is actually my new best friend, so you better do a good job, Dr. Munson," Robin said.

"Haha! Dr. Munson! Good one, like that would ever happen," Eddie scoffed.

"Okay, Nurse Munson then," Robin said, and he glared at her. "Candy Striper Munson?"

The best he could do was clean the wounds and spread some antibiotics over them. They would need more tending to later. He hated seeing Steve like this, and judging from the way Nancy was clinging to him, she was worried too. They all gathered around the tables to listen to Hopper go over the plan on how to destroy the machine that was opening a gate to the Upside Down. Of course, Hopper wanted to be the hero and go in there alone. Murray and Joyce wouldn't let him, though. Hopper couldn't navigate his way through without Dustin's help, but he didn't want to put the kid through any more danger. So, Dustin would need to be taken to Mount Weathertop to Cerebro. For a split moment, Eddie thought Lord of the Rings and the X-Men were real, too, until Steve explained that it was a radio thing that Dustin had built. Steve and Robin would be taking him while Eddie went with the others to take El to Murray's bunker.

"This is fucking crazy," Eddie mumbled shakily as he hugged Steve tightly.

"Everything's going to be okay. We'll be right back," Steve muttered softly.

"Don't say that. They sat that in horror films and then they. . . Well, they don't fucking come back," Eddie said.

"That's a horror film, not real life, Eds," Steve snorted softly.

"Well, this fucking feels like a horror film," Eddie said.

He pulled away and looked over to find Nancy hugging Jonathan. He couldn't help the sharp twist of jealousy that fueled his stomach. Jonathan was staying with them, so why was Nancy hugging him? He looked over and saw that Steve looked just as jealous as he was. Steve quickly covered it up when Nancy walked over to them.

"What was that about?" Eddie asked.

"I was thanking him for saving my life," Nancy replied.

"Oh, well, thank God for that, Ace," Eddie said.

"Ace?" Nancy asked.

"Like ace reporter. I thought it would be a cute nickname," Eddie said.

"It is cute," Nancy blushed and then she looked at Steve. "Stay safe."

"You too," Steve said.

Steve and Nancy hugged tightly. Eddie watched with Nancy as Steve walked out of the mall with Robin, Erica, and Dustin. Eddie let El have her moment with her father before approaching them.

"Take care of your sister," Hopper said, nudging his fist against Eddie's shoulder.

"Will do," Eddie said, saluting him and then turning his back to El. "Hop on, no sister of mine is hopping around on that ankle."

El giggled, wrapping her arms and legs around Eddie. He skipped over to Mike and Nancy, El laughing the whole way.

"Mike! I have a brother! This is Eddie," El grinned. "Eddie, this is my boyfriend, Mike."

"We're back together?" Mike asked in confusion.

"Oh. Right. I dumped your ass," El muttered.

"Why did you dump his ass?" Eddie asked.

"He lied about his Nana being sick, but she was not sick at all," El explained.

"Her dad threatened me!" Mike exclaimed.

"It probably had something to do with the fact that you were sticking your tongue down his daughter's throat all the time," Nancy said. "Even I thought it was a bit much."

"Dude, of course, her dad threatened you. That was a test, and you failed. Is she not worth fighting for?" Eddie asked mockingly.

"Yeah, Mike, am I not worth fighting for?" El asked and Mike scowled at Eddie.

"I'm fucking with you, dude, it's none of my business," Eddie said. "Although, I'd rather you actually use your words to get to know my sister."

"You've only known her for like a few minutes," Mike scrunched up his nose.

"And I would throw down my life for her," Eddie said, holding his head held high.

"Do not do that," El said seriously. "Promise?"

"Yeah, kiddo, I promise," Eddie said softly. "After all of this, you can tell me all about being an older sibling, Ace."

"It's annoying mostly," Nancy said teasingly, and Mike scowled at her.

It got kind of scary after that. They tried to escape in Nancy's mom's car, but a part was missing. El tried to flip the destroyed car in the mall to the part they needed, the very car she used as a bowling ball earlier to knock down a bunch of Russians. Eddie's sister was a badass, and she was also exhausted. Of course, that's when mind flayer possessed Billy Hargrove showed up along with the flesh monster. Nancy emptied a gun that she looted from a Russian on Billy's incoming car, which was hot, by the way, but then Steve came out of nowhere in the bright yellow car. He plowed into Billy's blue one, looking just as hot as Nancy did. Once back inside, Eddie did everything he could do to protect the kids from Billy himself while the others worked above them to destroy the Mind Flayer's flesh monster with fireworks. Of course, the other man had supernatural strength and kicked Eddie's ass with each punch. Once Billy got his hands wrapped around his throat, it was lights out for Eddie. Literally. When he woke up, his own blood had pooled into his mouth, and he turned over to cough it up. He saw Max crying over her stepbrother's body, and Eddie cursed. He hated the guy, but that kid shouldn't have had to see that. He felt hands on his back. He turned to find Steve and Nancy looming above him.

"Did we - did the machine get destroyed?" Eddie croaked.

"Yeah," Nancy said sadly, her eyes filled with tears.

"Who - who else died?" Eddie asked as they helped him up.

"Hopper," Steve said, his own eyes filling up with tears.

It was like a punch to the stomach, and suddenly, all of his interactions with Hopper came into focus. One of the rare adults who looked at him and didn't see his old man. The last words he had said to Eddie played over and over again in his mind. Take care of your sister.

"El," Eddie gasped.

He pushed past both of them and past two soldiers, carrying a gurney to wheel Billy's body out. Eddie stumbled into the parking lot filled with large military like vehicles and helicopters. He spotted El clinging to Joyce, and the woman pulled away to point El towards Eddie. She sobbed and started limping towards him. Eddie met her halfway and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly. Her body shook with sobs as she cried into his chest, and he couldn't help but think of the day his mother died. It wasn't his father who comforted him but his Uncle Wayne, and he remembered him holding him just like this at Lizzie's funeral. Eddie cupped the back of El's head just like Wayne did for him. Joyce suddenly came up to him.

"Eddie, your uncle is here," Joyce said softly.

Just as she said that, Wayne approached them, looking frantic.

"I was at work, and I had this funny feeling, so I left to check on you. That's when I saw the helicopters heading here. Who the hell did this to you?" Wayne asked.

"That's a long story," Eddie said. "But first. . .El, this is our uncle Wayne. Uncle Wayne, this is my half-sister, El."

"There's no doubt that she is," Wayne said, smiling softly. "Is she okay?"

"Her adopted father, Chief Hopper, he died in the fire trying to get us out," Eddie said.

"You are hurt," El realized, pulling back to look at him. "Hospital."

"No, sweetheart, I think I'm good," Eddie said.

"Yeah, I don't think Nancy or Robin is going to take no for an answer," Steve said, coming up behind him. "The guy up there said not to worry about the hospital bills. Apparently, they've got it covered."

"I go with you," El said firmly.

"Are you sure about that, sweetheart?" Eddie asked.

"Yes," she replied.

"Oh, I got my keys back from the Russians," Steve said, dangling the keys with a smile.

"You got your keys back from the what?" Wayne asked.

"Never mind that, Uncle Wayne!" Eddie exclaimed. "Hospital!"

Wayne, El, and Eddie drove off in Wayne's truck while the others rode in Steve's. As they pulled out of the parking lot, Eddie felt a heavy weight fall upon him as he thought about all that occurred. He never thought that life could get worse than before, but boy, he had sure been wrong. As El fell asleep against his shoulder, he thought how odd it was that life could bring both joy and pain into one's life all at the same time. What was going to happen next?

Chapter Ten