#sorry for the awful quality of the matt one

[a-magical-evening]

Some of my fave tags on Matt and Trey stuff I posted this year + fave tags on stuff @presidential--suite made 💗

[adidastain]

just like heaven

college matt stone x fem reader

warnings: smut (vaginal penetration)

notes: first person perspective (I, me, my, etc.), i really wanted to write something fluffy and kinda vanilla so sorry if it’s boring but i love it a lot i think it’s sweet

word count: 5240

—

Nothing was more relieving than getting in bed after a long day of classes and running errands. I’d been busting my ass the entire day, making sure everyone around me was happy and calm. It was what I did best, to be completely honest. I liked taking over. Sure, it made me kind of a bad collaborator, but I preferred to stay positive and think of it as one of my best qualities. Productive, stern, and leaderly. 

One of my classmates had a dorm to himself and had been letting me stay there for a while, since I lived off campus on paper, but didn’t have a car. We both majored in film; he double majored in math as well, and I was minoring in psychology. 

He was cool and funny. Sometimes he’d even say stuff that earned him a clock to the jaw, but regardless, I thought he was funny. And smart. He double majored; of course he was smart.

I sighed heavily, opening the heavy steel door to his dorm, labeled ‘MATT’ with a cute paper cutout of a kid wearing a ushanka and glasses showing a peace sign. It made me smile every time I saw it. His mind was so interesting.

To my surprise, the lights were on inside. He’d told me he was going to a little party in our other classmate’s building a few blocks away, so I didn’t think he’d be home.

“Oh, you’re here,” I said, taking my jacket off. 

“Unfortunately,” he said, grinning. His voice was deep and slightly nasally as always, with just a hint of raspiness. He sounded really tired. 

“What happened? I thought you were going to Trey’s party,” I said softly. I looked in the mirror on the back of the door, removing my hair clip and earrings. I didn’t want to waste any time getting to bed. 

“I just…” Matt swallowed, shifting in his seat in the beanbag on the floor. “I dunno. I changed my mind. Kinda exhausted.”

“I hear that,” I laughed, raising my eyebrows. There was some sort of old comedy movie on the little TV next to Matt’s bed. His whole dresser was covered in empty cans, dirty shot glasses with sticky syrup at the bottom, wrappers, deodorant, shit like that. I guess someone had been over and Matt was too tired to clean up the mess. “I’m gonna change real quick, don’t look.”

“Aw man,” he said, teasing me. I rolled my eyes and turned my back to him, pulling my sweater and tank top over my head all at once. I’d been wearing a sports bra all day and the elastic was starting to dig into my skin. I looked behind me, just to make sure he wasn’t trying to sneak any glances. Not that there was much to see. 

Lo and behold, as soon as I turned my head, I caught his turning too, back towards the TV. 

I grabbed a discarded T-shirt off the floor and swung it at him, hitting him a lot more violently than I really intended to. “You are such a pervert!” I laughed.

“I wasn’t trying to look at you!” he shrieked. I hit him again. “I thought I heard someone at the door!”

“A pervert and a liar!” I accused. Matt stood up, trying to defend himself from my wrath as I exacted my revenge. He yelped and grabbed my wrists, pushing back against me. 

We play-fought like this often. He was a lot stronger than me. He may not have looked like it, being so slim, but he was fit underneath all that fabric he was drowning in. Especially his arms. We’d go on and on, until it felt awkward and drawn out. 

Of course, by doing this, I’d ended up giving him a free show anyway. He’d definitely seen me changing before. Matt had walked in on me on several occasions, but it was mostly my fault, since I would come and go in his dorm without saying anything. He didn’t seem to have a problem, though. 

I bit my lip, pushing against his weight with all my might. He pretty much towered over me and my hands were engulfed in his large ones. He probably wasn’t even using half of his strength on me. 

Suddenly, he let go of my hands, causing me to fall forward slightly. I lost my balance until I felt his arms wrap tightly around my torso, before he lifted me up and pushed me onto his bed and walked away. 

He giggled to himself as he stepped towards his little mini refrigerator to grab a can of soda. I felt slightly warm inside; something about the way he was able to just lift me up and throw me down so easily made my face burn up. 

Of course, Matt acted like it was nothing and sat back down in his beanbag, one of his hands idly rubbing the fuzzy fabric cover with his thumb and index finger. 

I scoffed loudly and stood back up, blocking his view of the TV. My hand politely took the soda can out of his hand, watching his eyes follow it as I brought it to my lips and took a long, long sip. He just stared up at me, but he didn’t look in any way offended. He just looked completely awestruck, a puppy-eyed look ever present in his face. 

I put the soda down on the dresser so that he’d have to get up to get it, and went back to changing. I faced the TV so I could keep a hawk’s eye on him as I peeled off my jeans, rendering me in just my bra and panties which didn’t match at all. 

I heard him grunt slightly as he stood up to grab his soda off of the dresser. He turned around to face me, until he stopped dead in his tracks and his smirk was wiped clean off his face. 

After a second or two of him taking in as much of the sight as he could, his hand flew over his eyes. 

“Sorry,” he whined. “I was gonna play a prank on you. Didn’t know you were changing again. ‘M sorry.” 

“I don’t care, Matt,” I sighed in defeat. “I practically live here now. You were gonna see me half-naked at some point anyhow.”

Hesitantly, he lowered his hand, keeping his gaze on the floor. It was strange; he didn’t sit back down. 

“Just don’t let me find any of my clothes in your bed or I’ll punch you hard enough to turn your teeth into bullets,” I said. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, focusing on my task at hand once more. I dug through my big duffel bag to look for a clean shirt to sleep in, only finding a bunch of dress clothes that I hadn’t yet needed to wear. Right. I sighed. They’re in the wash. 

“Could I borrow a shirt?” I asked. Matt was sitting once more, rubbing the back of his neck and gently tugging on some of his curls. 

“Mhm,” he hummed, glancing at me again. That ‘glance’ turned into more of a ‘good look’. My back was turned to him again and I pretty much had my ass on full display. 

I don’t know when he looked away. I don’t actually know if he looked away at all. I just dug through his closet, trying to find the biggest T-shirt he had. 

It wasn’t uncommon for me to borrow his clothes. My duffel bag had initially only had enough clothes for 2 weeks, so I did laundry quite often and sometimes had to wear the same pants multiple days in a row. When I felt extra lazy and put off doing laundry, he let me borrow shirts, hoodies, sweatpants, pajama pants, the whole shabang. 

I picked out one of his Primus tees that had some fucked up linework drawing of a prostitute smoking a hooka. It was a sick shirt but it definitely wasn’t something you could wear to class. 

It fit me like a dress, which I loved. It was big enough that the hem covered most of my ass, which was good, because I didn’t have any clean shorts to sleep in unless I stole a pair of his. 

Lastly, I pulled my bra off from under my shirt and tossed it towards the door, where I threw most of my dirty clothes. Once I was finished, I turned back around and stood next to where Matt was sitting. 

“Scoot over,” I said. He quickly obliged. It was a pretty big beanbag, so we could both fit as long as we were shoulder to shoulder and hip to hip. I must admit that there had been a night or two where we would end up entangled in some way due to the lack of space. My legs in his lap, my head on his shoulder, his arm resting up behind me. 

There was nothing I didn’t like about being close to him. He made me feel safe and he smell good and was warm. Some nights I hoped he’d be in the mood for having me real close. I hoped really hard now, especially after what just happened. 

“What are we watching?” I asked, making myself nice and comfortable and curling up next to him. 

“Groundhog Day,” he said, tilting his head back slightly so he could speak through the soda in his mouth. I looked at him for a moment, watching the muscles in his neck move as he swallowed the liquid. Then I turned my attention to the screen. “You missed the beginning, but basically he’s stuck living the same day over and over again. It’s like, a big allegory or whatever for Buddhism. Pretty good, though”

I nodded, watching as the Bill Murray character talked to a woman and asked her out on a date. A few seconds later, there was a smash cut to them on the verge of having sex. Matt awkwardly laughed next to me.

“Ah, yeah. Buddhism,” I said, mocking him. 

“You’ll like it. It gets better,” he argued. That’s when I felt his arm snake behind me, just a few inches away from laying across my shoulder. Once again, he rubbed the fabric between his fingers, fidgeting. 

Eventually the whole foreplay bit was over and the next scene started. My body subconsciously leaned into Matt’s, sinking my weight into his slim torso and absorbing the warmth that his body generated. I was both extremely comfortable and extremely exhausted. 

The movie went on, and like Matt said, the character was living the same day over and over. It was kind of lulling me to sleep. It was definitely pretty funny; occasionally I would jerk awake at the sound of Matt chuckling softly. I think at some point he pulled a blanket off his bed and wrapped it around me. I swear he ran his hand through my hair for just a moment, pulling me closer to him. 

Now his arm was wrapped around my shoulder, his hand occasionally lifting up to run his fingers through my hair or flatten any stray strands. It felt safe; it felt right. 

I opened my eyes and looked up at him, finding that his gaze was already on me. He looked like a deer in headlights, but exhausted at the same time. I watched Matt’s eyes dart around my face. 

“You ready for bed?” he asked softly, looking at the top of my head as he fixed a strand of my hair. 

One of my favorite parts about him was that he could be harsh and gentle, depending on the occasion. He always had a resting bitch face and was kind of intimidating to a lot of people, but he had such a soft, gentle side to him. 

My hand made its way up to his cheek. Matt had a nice, soft layer of peach fuzz that, paired with the warmth of his face, made my heart beat faster. My thumb tenderly traced back and forth on his cheek bone while my eyes fixated on his lips. 

Eventually, I felt his breath on my face as he closed his lips over my bottom one. I’d been biting the skin off of it all week, so there was a small stinging sensation that quickly faded once he kissed me again. 

I felt so shy all the sudden. Here I was, curled up in his arms, softly making out with him like teenagers with no experience. No second guesses or hesitations, just hearts beating together, breaths melting into each other while we explored. 

How did we get here? The question crossed my mind before I immediately pushed it away. I didn’t give a shit about how we got there, I was just glad that this is where we ended up. 

Without pulling his lips away from me, Matt somehow managed to find the remote and turn off the TV, before caressing my waist and pulling me ever closer. He was hovering over me a little, only making my heart race faster and my desire for him grow stronger. 

Now things were definitely starting to heat up. Matt softly groaned into my mouth, and for the first time since our lips first met, we pulled away. 

His eyes bored into mine, pupils dilated. We sat breathing into each others mouths, catching our breath as we tried to read what the other was thinking. It was almost suspenseful. 

“Can I take your shirt off?” I asked. It wasn’t even a whisper. Nope. I just breathed and moved my mouth to form the words. 

“Uh-huh,” he responded, nodding. He swallowed and I didn’t hesitate to tuck my hands under the hem of his baggy gray-green T-shirt. Matt kissed me again, deepening it. 

In an instant, his lips parted and he gasped softly as soon as my fingertips made contact with the warm skin of his abdomen. I could feel that part of his torso shifting ever so slightly as he breathed. 

I pulled away, making sure to keep eye contact with him while I slowly lifted his shirt up inch by inch. 

“You’re so gorgeous,” he exhaled, catching me off guard. I swallowed, feeling my face flush once again. 

A second or two later, I pulled the fabric over his head, finally rendering him topless in front of me. He had a slender, curvy waist and just the smallest little bit of muscle in his abdomen. His hips were prominent, and his upper body was very broad in contrast to his slim frame. He had little dark beauty spot freckles scattered across his shoulders and body. I would love to sit there all day and just count them. I wanted badly to just map out and explore his body, feeling every inch of his skin and memorizing his shape. 

I snapped out of my trance as soon as he kissed me again, letting out several vocal breaths that I honestly didn’t expect to ever hear him make. He remained gentle in his kisses, but I felt the desire boiling and festering within both of us. It was extremely hard to ignore. 

“Do you wanna stop?” I asked, pulling away suddenly. 

“Do you wanna stop?” he repeated, his voice somewhat nervous. Matt swallowed and scanned my face. 

“No,” I whispered. I wrapped my arms around his neck, taking one of his curls between my fingers. 

Matt licked his lips. I could feel his whole body relax, and he leaned closer, ghosting his lips against mine. 

“Do you wanna have sex with me?” he asked shyly, staring down at my lips. My stomach flipped and felt a strong jumping-like feeling in between my legs. 

“I would like that a lot,” I answered, giggling wide eyes. I was so flustered that I was to the point where I laughed at myself. 

“Fuck yeah,” he laughed, out of breath. Matt leaned in to kiss me again, this time opening his mouth slightly wider. “Should we go up there?” 

He tilted his head towards the bed next us, and I nodded, wrapping my legs around his torso so he could pick me up.

“Mmh… c’mere baby,” he hummed softly, pressing my body against his as he lifted me up and tenderly laid me down beneath him on his bed. 

Matt suddenly felt so much bigger than me now that his body was hovering over me. He was straddling my hips, both of his large hands massaging my waist under my (his) shirt while he started leaving wet kisses down my neck. 

I arched my back at the feeling of his teeth as they pinched a small spot below my ear, his tongue coming quickly to the rescue to warm up the spot and relieve the pain. My hands were entangled in his soft, somewhat messy curls, caressing his entire head and holding it close to me. I stared at the ceiling, letting my eyes flutter shut any time I heard him groan and felt his hips subtly buck above me. 

“How about your shirt, baby?” he asked, nibbling on my ear. I could hear him breathing heavily through his nose, each warm exhale covering my ear and neck. One of his hands slid up my body and grazed the underside crease of my boobs with his fingertips. 

“You mean your shirt,” I giggled, rubbing his warm shoulders.

“Okay, my shirt,” he scoffed. “Can I take it off?”

I nodded, sitting up slightly. As soon as his hands lifted the fabric up and over my nipples, I panicked slightly. In no time the shirt was on the floor and Matt’s eyes were tentatively glued to my bare chest.  

“Oh, baby, I’m gonna fuck you so good…” he mumbled, prying his eyes away from my now nearly naked body. His hands squeezed my hips, lifting them up so he could start grinding against me. 

“Matt-“ I gasped. His hot mouth almost immediately attached to my collarbone, his tongue pressing flat against the skin. Meanwhile, I shivered as one of his hands slowly dragged up my waist and tenderly caressed one of my tits. And on top of that, for the first time, I could feel the tent he’d been pitching press into me as he started grinding against my hips with desperation. 

I ran my fingers through his hair and lifted my hips up, supported by my heels digging into the soft covers below me. My hands slid down over his shoulder blades, tracing each muscle as I moved them towards my panties. Finally, I managed to wriggle out of them and fling them onto the floor while Matt was sitting on his knees, towering over me. His broad chest moved in and out with each heavy breath he took with his lips slightly agape. 

He looked like one of those ancient Greek statues. Each muscle so defined under such smooth, warm skin. Natural posture so relaxed and almost ethereal. I wanted to devour him. 

Matt stared at me, the look in his eyes almost anxious but infinitely flustered and filled with lust. In a flash he yanked his flannel pajama pants down to his knees, kicking them off while he crawled on top of me again.!

“Do you like it fast or hard?” he asked me, his voice faltering slightly. He swallowed, looking down at me from above. Matt’s arms were on either side of me, propping his body up as he then got ready to start pulling his boxers off. 

“Fast,” I exhaled, though it really sounded more like a moan. Even subconsciously I wanted him to know that right now, I wanted him more than anything. 

“‘Course, baby,” he hummed softly, bending his arms like he was doing a pushup so he could peck my lips. I felt him smiling in the kiss. “Do you wanna… get me going?” 

He gestured towards his boxers and the hot, throbbing erection beneath them. Without hesitation, I spit in my palm and slipped my fingers under the waistband of his boxers, first untucking his cock from the side and then gently wrapping my hand around it. 

Matt immediately whimpered, holding in as much of it as he could while screwing his eyes shut. He felt so warm in my hand… and thick. I could feel a vein or two protruding from the soft skin and made sure to pay a little extra attention to them. 

“Fuck,” he hissed, letting his head drop down so he could see what wonders I was working with my hand. He shimmied out of his boxers and now I could see that yes, he was in fact thick. Most definitely thicker than I knew I was used to. 

I knew it was going to hurt like a bitch. It was intimidating, but still, as I tenderly stroked up and down his length, I only kept thinking of it as something that was making him feel insanely good and not as something that was going to hurt me. It would only hurt for a few seconds. 

His breath hitched and he practically threw my hand off him, sitting up again to catch his breath for a moment. 

“Jesus Christ,” he laughed, out of breath. Matt raised his eyebrows and smiled. His cheeks were so flushed and it looked like some sweat pearls had begun forming at his temples. 

I laid back, watching his muscles shift and flex as he took his glasses off and reached inside one of his dresser drawers for a condom. 

As he tore open the package, he looked at me, seemingly getting lost in the sight of me. 

I grabbed the hand of his that held the unopened condom and brought it close to my face so that I could kiss it. Then I pushed his hand back towards him so he could do the same, though he looked thoroughly confused.

“What, is that good luck or something?” he chuckled, looking down at his hands and dick as he opened the condom and slid it onto his length.

“It’s tradition,” I said, shrugging. Matt furrowed his eyebrows. 

“What tradition?” he scoffed, crawling on top of me. 

“Messing with you. I made it up,” I grinned. 

He shook his head, adjusting his position and posture while handling his cock, making sure it would slide in easy. 

Matt looked up at me through his eyebrows. It was the last look of reassurance before anything was really about to happen. Our lives were about to change forever. 

I nodded. I was so desperate for him at this point, I didn’t care if he hurt me at all. 

His large hand spread out on one side of my hips, digging into the flesh ever so slightly and likely leaving faint nail marks in my skin. I kept my eyes on him and found him instructing me to take a deep breath in with him. Before he told me to exhale though, he started pushing in. 

“Hmmn- ahh!” I half-moaned, half-winced. 

“Shh… oh, fuck,” Matt whispered in my ear, letting out a deep moan that’s he’s probably kept inside for a little while. 

I let out a groan of discomfort, trying my best to hold it in but ultimately failing. In response, Matt pulled his lips away from my ear so he could get a good look at my face.

“Does it hurt?” he asked, swallowing. 

“Mhm,” I hummed, biting my lip. I took a deep breath, trying to focus on the feeling of Matt’s fingertips brushing my hair out of my face. “Just give me a minute.” 

Matt lowered himself on top of me, beginning to pepper soft, wet kisses on my jaw and neck. His hand massaged my hip and occasionally inched lower to squeeze the soft flesh of my upper thigh. 

I kissed him and became lost in his lips, wrapping my arms around his neck and holding him close to me. His curls tickled my forehead as we kissed softly. I’d completely forgotten about the fact the he was inside of me; I was so focused on how his lips felt and the fact that I could feel his heart pounding with his chest pressed against mine. Our skin grazed together softly with each breath we took, giving me goosebumps. 

“You can start now,” I whispered against his lips. Matt hummed in response, kissing me a little bit deeper as he adjusted the position of his body. 

We remained with our lips attached as his hips started to roll back and forth. I could hear Matt whimper every couple of seconds and he kept holding his breath, pulling away from the kiss to exhale into my mouth. The warmth in the pit of my stomach really started to boil up once he started moving, slowly drawing himself out and thrusting back in. I listened carefully to each little sound and breath he made as he moved. 

I heard him heavily exhale after swallowing. “S’good…” he whispered, grunting slightly. I moaned, running my fingers in his hair and tugging on it gently. 

A loud groan escaped his throat as I did this, encouraging me to do it again. One of his hands suddenly wrapped tenderly around my throat, carefully squeezing my neck. Matt’s head cocked to the side as he opened his mouth and slid his tongue in between my lips. 

I let out a soft moan as his tongue slid against mine, exploring the inside of my mouth with hunger and desperation. I let my hands travel from his head and neck down to his body, caressing his waist and pulling him into me. Matt’s hand left my hip, instead moving up to grip the top of the headboard of his bed, holding it to keep it from knocking against the wall each time we moved. 

He leaned down to let his forehead rest against mine, staring into my eyes. I stared right back. I’d never seen him without his round silver glasses before, but I knew he had a stunning set of dark green eyes and now I could see each little spec of blue in them as they darted around my face, almost nervously. 

His free hand moved to cup one of my tits, rolling his fingers over my nipple to tease the sensitive area. I gasped slightly, arching my back. 

“You have no idea how perfect you look right now,” he exhaled. 

I couldn’t do or say anything else but smile. I always had that reaction when he complimented me, but I was much more used to him saying something about my clothes or my work. His voice always sounded so deep and smooth; to hear him say my name or something nice about how I looked always sent my blood rushing to my cheeks.

“I’m close,” I whispered, touching his chest. 

“Faster?” he hummed. 

“Yeah,” I laughed slightly. 

Before moving again, he adjusted his position, letting go of the headboard. He propped himself up and licked the thumb of his free hand, before lowering it and using it to massage slow circles around my clit. Matt’s body was hovering above me when he bowed his head to start kissing the crook of my neck. Only then did he start thrusting once more, rolling his hips faster and faster. 

The new sensation along with the added pleasure of his fingers working my clit had me in shambles. I threw my head back and let out a loud moan, succumbing to the electrifying, hot sensation that festered throughout my entire body. The pit of my stomach tightened, my legs trembled, my hands gripped anything they could touch. I dig my fingertips into the sheets, his back and shoulders, his biceps, his waist, his scalp. Several times did I pull on his hair like I was holding on for dear life, earning a groan from him each time. I just hoped I wasn’t hurting him. 

Matt let out a loud moan. I opened my eyes to see him struggling to thrust at a consistent pace, faltering every few seconds with his eyes screwed shut and his mouth agape. I watched him look down to see himself pumping in and out of me, his eyebrows furrowed and bottom lip tucked under his front teeth. 

He whimpered, trying his best to hold his breath. The sight of him rushing toward his own orgasm sent me over the edge. I cried out his name, gasping as every muscle in my body tensed up. The knot in my stomach came undone and I could feel my blood pumping through my body. 

Only a moment or two later did Matt’s body shudder and tense up. His muscles flexed as he leaned forward and tried his hardest to keep his hips moving, but he was ultimately overcome by his orgasm as he came, my name spilling from his mouth in the most beautiful way. 

I huffed, my body melting into his bed as my legs twitched and trembled. Matt collapsed on top of me, allowing his entire weight to sink into me. His arms were shaking, as if he were shivering. We both laid there for a minute, absorbing each other as we caught our breath. 

I think he fell asleep after a minute or two. He was completely relaxed on top of me like a big bag of sand. After a little while, my breaths became forceful, so I had to wake him up.

“Matt,” I hummed, tucking a strand of his hair behind my ear. 

He wasn’t sleeping. Matt lifted himself up, smiling down at me. He kissed me, seeming quite shy all the sudden as he had to hold his weight up while he leaned his head down towards me. 

“Sorry about these bruises,” he hummed, tracing a circle on the side of my neck.

“You’re not sorry,” I grinned, teasing him. 

“I’m not,” he admitted sheepishly. “They look good on you.” 

After a few seconds, we sat up and helped clean each other up a little. I could see small red marks in his skin from where my nails dug into his arms and shoulders. While helping each other get dressed again, Matt and I found ourselves a little distracted once more, kissing each other gently and softly as we pulled shirts over our heads. His lips were like air. I almost needed them to breathe. 

“Do you wanna finish the movie?” I asked him, massaging his waist underneath his shirt. 

“Sure,” he giggled softly. 

With that, we snuggled up under the covers in his bed, turning the TV towards us. Matt had me in his arms with my back pressed to his chest and his hand under my shirt, tracing shapes on my skin. It wasn’t long before I fell asleep. 

However, at one point, I opened my eyes to find that the TV and lights were off, rendering the room completely dark. Matt was no longer next to me, but it wasn’t long before he came back over to the bed and laid down behind me. His lips softly grazed the crook of my neck. “Good night,” he whispered, before kissing my neck one more time. 

“Mm… night,” I mumbled, barely awake. Matt pulled his thick pile of blankets over my shoulder, peppering small pecks of kisses on my neck as I drifted off once again, melting in his warmth. 

[murdock-barnes]

One Night Stand

Matt Murdock x Elektra Natchios x Fem!Reader

Summary: When Matt and Elektra spot you sitting at a bar alone, they want to spend some "quality time" with you😏

Warnings: protected and unprotected p in v, oral (both female and male receiving), vaginal fingering, face riding (pls let me know if I forgot something)

Word Count: 3,3K

A/N: I made my favorite couple married here because I am desperate for them to be happy together😩 I’ve been wanting to write a threesome like this for a long time and it’s finally the right time. HERE IT IS! I’m really happy about how it turned out😍 I'm sorry this is a bit long cuz I wanted to write all of my fantasies with them😏🥵 I hope you like it!!!! Please let me know what you think❤️

18+ MINORS DNI

The busy, bleak day wore you out. It was one of those days that nothing went right. First, your alarm didn't go off and you were half an hour late to work. Then, the supplier came in with the wrong delivery which he was pretty sure was the right one. On the meeting afternoon, your boss asked to see a preview of your upcoming presentation and you just froze and babbled some nonsense. That's because you didn't even form the idea of the presentation which you simply pushed forward and forward, procrastinating. In the end, it was a long and exhausting day. However, you didn't want to go home, sit alone and mope around. You needed a drink. That's how you ended up in this fancy hotel bar that is right next to the office.

You were on your third Martini, getting tipsy when someone tapped your shoulder. You instinctively turned to look and you were faced with a beautiful woman, looking at you with a mischievous glimmer in her eyes.

"Hello," she said settling on the stool right next to you. The smooth, velvet tone of her voice made your hair stand on its ends.

"Hi?" you responded, questioning.

"Are we disturbing you?" A deep, smooth voice came from the stool on your other side. Turning to him, you saw a handsome man in a tuxedo. Even though he was inside, he was wearing sunglasses.

You were intrigued so you simply said "No."

"Good," the woman replied sitting taller now, exposing her collar bones and chest. Her red dress had a deep neckline which displayed her breasts in the most delightful way. You couldn't take your eyes off of the marvelous view. When she caught you ogling, she smiled and you looked away, embarrassed.

She leaned into you, presenting you with her divine scent. "You caught my eye and I've wanted to meet with you," she reached and tucked a strand of your hair behind your ear. "So pretty," she murmured.

You felt a blush slowly creeping up to your cheeks. Her voice and the way she talked warmed the blood in your veins.

"My name is Elektra and this is my husband Matthew," she introduced.

Matt gave you a dazzling smile "Nice to meet you, sweetie. You can call me Matt."

You smiled shyly "Nice to meet you both." You introduced yourself too.

You chatted with them, getting to know each other. You learned that Elektra runs a private business and Matt, to quote Elektra, was a really good lawyer. You also found out that Matt was blind. You were surprised considering the way he moves like he can see.

They were really charming and good conversation makers. As you talked and talked, they felt safe and trustworthy. They also bewitched you with their beauty and brains. Matt and Elektra were truly a dangerous duo.

Moreover, they were possibly the best-looking couple you've ever seen. The attraction and chemistry between them were filling the space with electricity. Their energy fueled yours and you felt alarmed and alive.

"You're here, drinking by yourself and being seemingly upset. Rough day at work?" Elektra guessed.

You eased into her presence and answered with a nod.

"Aw, poor girl," she pouted. "However, I think we can make your night so much better. Right, Matthew?"

He chuckled "Absolutely." Matt leaned into you, whispering "See, honey. My wife... wants you and she gets everything she wants."

When you got what he implied, you took in a sharp breath. They want to have sex with you? A threesome?

"I-" you didn't know what to say.

Elektra's hand slid onto your thigh, slightly squeezing. She deeply gazed into your eyes. You felt Matt put his hand on your waist. Heat pooled down at your core.

Elektra came closer and placed a kiss on your neck, which sent shivers down your spine. "Come on, it'll be fun. Trust me," she whispered. "Just a one night stand."

Her hand reached and slowly caressed your cheek. "You're so beautiful. Imagine all the ways we can play with you." You felt Matt's hand on your right boob, squeezing slightly. Elektra's hand on your thigh reached between your legs, cupping you. You gasped and shuddered. "We can make you cum so many times, over and over."

"What do you say?" Matt whispered into your ear.

All the logic left your body with their touches and words. "Yes," you answered.

Elektra giggled and hold your hand, making you get up. Matt talked to the bartender "Close her tab and add it to ours." They walked you to the elevator, their hands never leaving you. As soon as the elevator doors closed, Elektra pushed you to the mirror and kissed you hard. Your body was flushed with hers as she worked your mouth. The slight strawberry taste from her stimulated your taste buds.

Matt was just standing at the side, his head dropped down. There was a smirk on his face.

Elektra's hands gripped your hips, pushing herself to your core. The friction made you release a moan into her mouth. You heard the elevator doors open and Elektra stepped away, leaving you gasping for air.

Matt chuckled "Come on."

Elektra held your hand as you made your way to their room. Matt unlocked the door with the key card. "Ladies first," he gestured inside.

Butterflies in your stomach were going crazy as you stepped inside, Elektra and, finally, Matt following you. He closed the door. You walked and stopped before the bed as Elektra approached you.

She gave you a quick kiss with a reassuring smile. "You're so beautiful. So deserving."

The hem of your shirt was lifted and she removed it slowly. Suddenly, Matt was beside you, his sunglasses lost now. He put his palm on your back and kissed you. His kiss felt as good as Elektra's. His hand found the clasp of your bra and undid it.

As you were introduced to his taste, Elektra slid your pants down. She kneeled down and her hands caressed your thighs. She peppered kisses all over your thighs. She got rid of your panties and now her mouth was on your core. She planted a kiss on your clit, making you moan into Matt's mouth. His hands were on your tits, kneading and pinching.

"You taste so sweet," Elektra murmured.

Elektra grabbed your ass, pressing you to her face. The way her tongue worked inside you and on your clit made your knees weak. You held on to Matt's shoulders. He hold you steady and moved on to kiss and suck on your neck. Elektra slowly slid two fingers inside you. Your head fell back, moaning. She sucked and tongued your clit as her fingers moved in and out fast.

Matt held your hand and guided it to his clothed erection. He was so hard in his pants. You rubbed him over his pants, feeling the warmth and length of him. He released a satisfied hum into your neck. "Fuck, yes."

Elektra curled her finger inside you, hitting that magical spot. You threw your head back and came with a cry. Matt held you tight as your body shook with pleasure. Elektra prolonged your bliss and kept sucking and licking. You couldn't take it anymore "Please..." you pushed her head away. She lifted her head and gave you a big smile.

Elektra got up and gave you a kiss. You tasted yourself on her tongue. "You cum so prettily," she whispered into your mouth.

Your hands reached around her body, finding the zip of her dress. You pulled it down and she laughed. Matt slipped her dress down her body. When it pooled down at her feet, she stepped out of it. She wasn't wearing a bra so she displayed her beautiful body only covered with a small fabric between her legs. Fuck, she was doubtlessly the most beautiful woman you've ever seen. Matt caught your reaction, the way you sucked in your breath and became frozen. He chuckled "Yeah, she has that effect on people." He planted a kiss on her temple. Elektra closed her eyes and hummed blissfully, smiling.

Your hands came down on her hips, gripping. You guided her to the bed. First, she sat and then pulled herself up on the bed, resting on her elbows. You settled on the bed on your knees. You leaned into her and slowly slid down her panties. As you threw it aside, you saw Matt from the corner of your eye. Now, he was naked too. He sat on the small sofa, his head laid back and his hand lazily stroking his hard cock. He had various scars on his body yet they couldn't take anything from his beauty. You took in his strong body; his defined abs, muscled arms, and thighs.

You turned to Elektra. She gave you a foxy smile and opened her legs, baring her cunt "Eat me out, pretty princess."

You obeyed as you came closer to her on your hands and knees. You looked up and saw her giving you an assuring nod. You wanted to please her, give her everything she wants. You dived in licking from her entrance to her clit. She lifted her hips with a light moan. Your hands found her thighs, holding her down tight. Her hands became intertwined with your hair.

As you feasted on her, you felt Matt's presence behind you. His hands came down to your ass. "Lift your hips, sweetie," he softly said.

You looked up, locking eyes with Elektra. She understood your hesitance. "Do you want him to fuck you?" she said.

You were ashamed but you didn't give in to that feeling. You nodded shyly. Elektra giggled, her hand on your hair caressed the side of your face "That's a good girl. Lift your hips then."

You went back to give Elektra her well-deserved pleasure as you lifted your hips. Matt reached down and his fingers slid into you. "Fuck, so wet." He planted a small kiss on your shoulder as he lined his cock with your entrance. You felt him slowly entering you, stretching you in the most delicious way. He was wearing a condom which you didn't even see him put on. You moaned deeply and the vibrations made Elektra lift her hips to grind on your face. Your mouth felt like heaven to her. Halfway in, Matt slammed into you. He let out a grunt, as your velvet walls wrapped around his dick delightfully.

He gripped your hips and slowly started to fuck you. Every thrust made your eyes roll in your head. It felt so good. All of you were lost in the sensation. All that mattered was the pleasure.

You moved on to suck on Elektra's clit as your middle finger slid inside her. She gasped and then, moaned. The room was filled with moans and the sounds of flesh hitting flesh. Matt was about to go insane. The feeling of your wet, hot cunt, Elektra's moans, the smell of her, and your arousals. It was all too much. He nearly came with these senses.

"Fuck... you feel so good, baby," he muttered. You whined in response.

Elektra was enjoying herself and when you added a second finger she was over the moon. You pumped your fingers in and out as your mouth never left her clit. Curling your fingers, you hit her g spot. She released a loud moan, throwing her head back. "Oh my God, yes..." she exclaimed. "Don't stop!"

Matt slammed into you harder now. You fingered Elektra faster and pushed your hips to meet his thrusts. All of you were chasing your orgasms now. Everyone moved in unison to meet their needs.

Elektra was the first to come, falling apart under your fingers and mouth. You licked her way through orgasm. Her loud moans were music to both your and Matt's ears. Her legs shook as her body trembled and you kept eating her out.

Matt reached down and started circling your clit, his thrusts never knowing mercy. You felt the coil tightening in your stomach, you knew what was coming.

You lifted your head and as you gasped for the air, you said "Please... gonna cum."

He slammed you even harder, in a way that you didn't think would be possible. He was hitting it so deeply, so raw. Your orgasm slowly crept upon you, it built up and built up. Then, snapped. You came with a loud cry, stars blurring your vision. Your legs shook unable to keep you lifted. He gripped your hips tighter, fucking you relentlessly. Your fluttering walls were milking his cock. You felt his pace falter and his grunts grew louder. A few more thrusts and he came, burying himself inside you.

All of you just stayed still, trying to catch your breaths. A veil of bless wrapped your bodies. You were hyper-aware of every inch of your body.

Matt slowly slid out of you and you rolled onto your back to rest. Matt walked to the trash, disposing of the condom. Elektra pulled you to her embrace. You felt so safe and welcomed in her arms. She caressed your face "You did so good." She planted a kiss on your forehead.

Matt laid beside Elektra, spooning her. She eased into his embrace with a big smile. "I told you she'd make us happy," she said.

Matt smiled "Yeah, you were right."

"I'm always right, Matthew," she replied, grinning.

You don't know how long you laid there with them. Elektra was right. They really made your night better. They possibly caused you to live the best night of your life. You stripped away from your thoughts when the bed shifted.

Elektra was leaning back and rubbing her ass on Matt's dick. Matt gave a small frown "Already?" he asked.

"Mhm," Elektra answered. Matt laughed, his hand coming over her body to grab her tit. You joined them, kissing and sucking Elektra's neck. She suddenly escaped both your and Matt's embrace, sitting up.

"What..." Matt got interrupted by her shushing. She reached her hand out to you "Come here, baby."

You also sat up and joined her. She leaned into your ear "Suck him off and get him ready for me. Okay?"

You looked down at Matt's semi-hard cock and nodded. You placed your hands on his thighs, hearing the breath he let out. You reached and wrapped your hand around his dick, giving him a few strokes. You leaned down and licked a stripe from its base to the tip. Then, you took him into your mouth. Matt released a soft moan as you slowly bobbed your head. You were teasing him, he knew.

You sensed a movement and looked up, seeing Elektra sitting on Matt's face. She was facing you "Go on, I wanna watch," she said.

You leaned in and teased his tip with your tongue, then sucked. His hips lifted from the bed as he moaned into Elektra's pussy. She literally rode his face but her eyes never left you. You wondered if he could breathe.

"Mhm.. soo good," she moaned. "Such a good boy, my Matthew." He replied by whimpering and lifting his hips more. You took him in all the way and hollowed your cheeks, sucking him off dry. You repeated it over and over until Elektra told you to stop. You moved back, giving her space.

She left the throne of her husband's face and straddled Matt's hips, guiding his cock into her. She slowly sank down, and she closed her eyes, letting out a delighted moan. Matt's hands reached and grabbed her hips. She opened her eyes and looked down at him and smiled. The view before you was mesmerizing. It was clear as day that they were madly in love.

Elektra turned to you "Pretty kitten, are you just gonna watch? Go sit on his face. I promise he's really good at it," she winked. You looked at Matt and he gave you a cunning smile.

"I don't know... I'd never done that," you said shyly. "What if I hurt you?"

Matt laughed "I'll be fine and you're gonna love it. We can't deprive you of one of the greatest pleasures of life. Plus I like it."

"Okay, then," you said but you were still nervous. You moved on the bed and straddled his face, hovering. When you were trying to figure out how to sit, Matt held your thighs and guided you down to his mouth. With his first lick, you arched your back. You were trying so hard not to put your whole weight on him but his tongue strikes made you weak in the knees. He heard you struggle "Sweetie, sit down" he commanded. "Not hover!"

His grip on your thighs tightened as he pushed you down. You were fully sitting on his face now. His tongue dived into you as his nose brushed your clit. You let out a deep moan.

"There we go," Elektra chuckled. She reached and caught your nipples, playing with them.

Elektra rode Matt like there's no tomorrow. That's how she liked to fuck. To the death. She lifted her hips, only leaving his tip inside, and then, she slammed down. A huge grunt left Matt's lips but it was muffled by your cunt. Elektra did the same thing over and over, making him and herself go crazy.

Your shy attitude was long gone when you got familiar with this new feeling. Now, you rode his face confidently. The moans he left made you even needier. You held onto his hands on your thighs and you rode faster, rubbing your clit on his nose.

Elektra, also, rode him harder. Leaning into him, she steadied her hands on his chest as her hips kept pounding down. She was out of breath, looking so goddamn beautiful. You smiled at the thought so you reached out and held her face, bringing her closer to you. Your lips crashed with hers as Matt pleased both of you.

You broke the kiss "Oh... I'm..." you couldn't speak properly as your orgasm neared.

She grabbed your face in both hands "Hold it, we're all gonna cum together."

You tried your best holding it as she kept riding him. Her legs were trembling so Matt's hands left your thigh to grip her hips, holding her still. Then, he rutted inside her so hard, so deep. She threw her head back moaning loudly.

She looked back at you, holding your eyes "Cum, baby. Now!" she said.

You finally let go, cumming on Matt's face and riding your high. You moaned and whimpered, your legs shaking frantically so you hold onto Elektra. Dizziness hit you as his tongue still worked inside you. Elektra came with a cry, her body trembling over his. Her orgasm hit her hard, she'd definitely collapse if it weren't for Matt's strong hands holding her up. Matt fucked his way to the peak of his pleasure and spilled inside Elektra as his muffled moans and grunts accompanied his spasming abs.

Elektra slowly got up and threw herself next to Matt. Her legs were weak and her whole body felt sore. You lifted yourself off of him and laid between them. Matt let out a sigh. All of you were completely worn out.

"That was... perfect," she looked at you. "Aren't you glad you joined us, sweetie?"

You giggled "I am." You played with the ends of her hair as Matt's arms tightened around you. "Thank you for giving me the best night of my existence."

Elektra saw the adoring look in your eyes. It was clear that you worshipped both her and Matt. It made her heart swell.

"Maybe this wasn't just a one night stand," she muttered.

Your eyes grew big in response. Your heartbeat faltered. Matt chuckled "Go to sleep and we'll talk about it in the morning," he said.

You settled between them more comfortably and they both wrapped you in their magical cocoon of love. You drifted off to a peaceful sleep with a big smile painted on your face.

[shybunnie20]

Totally in the mood for an angsty eddie or steve blurb 🥺 and the way you write is just...*chefs kiss*. Can you do something off of "from the start" by Matt Schuster? This song and your writing would probably make me sob ngl

Eddie Munson x Reader x Player!Steve Harrington

★My Masterlist

Summary: Your intuition forewarned you that Steve is nothing but trouble, yet you couldn't help but be taken with him. When you grow tired of the situationship with Steve, your metalhead weed dealer provides a glimpse of something sweeter.

Author's Note: I'm sorry that this took forever to get done. I just finished OTMB, which was intense, so I needed a break from extreme angst. This might not make you sob but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.

This is not a Steddie-related fic. Reader has a relationship with Steve and Eddie separately. Steve is not a nice guy in this, sowwy. Moderate angst & fluff. Be sure to reblog, follow, and show some love ♡

Word count: 5.6k

Warnings: MDNI 18+ Substance use, mentions of sexual relations, insecurity, unrequited feelings, includes swearing.

Friday evenings in this dingy small-town bar are usually uneventful. More often than not, you’re just looking to get out of the confining qualities of your home. It’s freeing to watch the world breathe around you, despite this establishment not being particularly awe-inspiring. Besides the perpetually sticky chairs and cloudy glassware, this place has charm.

One of your favorite aspects of being a regular here is watching the local talent test out their latest material. Due to the other bargoers being less than enthusiastic about what’s happening on stage, you’re sure to give compensatory applause. When you're tipsy, you have the tendency to whistle and whoop too. Tonight’s act is a cover band playing upbeat billboard hits and they’re not half bad.

Sitting in the far back corner not only allows you to fade into the background, but also provides an unobstructed view of the room. It’s the best spot in the house for watching drunkards engage in senseless fistfights. You’re currently seated at the booth that you’ve long since claimed as your spot. You stare at the liquor that swirls inside of your glass with the back-and-forth motion of your hand. Your eyes flit upward to observe your surroundings and that’s when you spot him leaning on the bar.

You’d be lying if you said there wasn’t a throbbing between your legs. You’re practically drooling but to be fair it’s a lot to take in. Steve’s voluminous brown waves are styled to look effortless, though he dedicates time to molding each hair into place. Scattered constellations of moles span across his cheeks, jawline, and neck. They effectively guide your gaze down to the tuft of coarse curls peeking from the undone buttons of his shirt. Although what really has your attention is how his Levi’s hug his glutes as if they were tailored by God himself.

The thumping music becomes muffled to the point that you can no longer decipher the lyrics. An unknown force coerces you to continue checking him out from your place across the room. You try to convince yourself that he isn’t that handsome. But much to your frustration, you get dizzier with every swig he takes of his beer. It might be your buzz, or perhaps it’s the loneliness that dwells during these late hours. Whatever it is, you’re too far gone to be saved.

There’s a whisper of foresight in the back of your mind but it's promptly silenced when Steve turns his head and looks directly at you. You pray that the lighting is dim enough to conceal your deer-in-the-headlights expression.

A suggestive smirk forms on his lips while he examines your appearance. He’d noticed you gawking a few minutes ago but nothing beats the ego boost he gets from being eye-fucked by strangers. It makes him feel like “King Steve” again and that’s a rush he’ll never stop chasing.

As he approaches your table, you smooth a hand over the part in your hair in a blind effort to fix your appearance. Who are you trying to kid? You look anything but composed.

Steve doesn’t sit in the booth nor does he stand to the side. Instead, he positions himself right in front of you and takes a seductive sip of his beer.

It’s common courtesy to greet someone as soon as you walk up to them, but he hasn’t said anything. He’s giving you the chance to take him in, in all his glory.

“Hi, there.” You take the reins, aiming to embody a fraction of the confidence that Steve is exuding.

He doesn’t immediately respond because he’s relishing the way your eyes are traveling down his chest to his fingers and eventually making their way back up to his face. A few beats pass before he replies. “Are you here alone?”

You nod modestly and he beams boldly at your wordless answer. You’re relieved to be sitting down right now because a smile like that is enough to bring you to your knees.

“When I see a stunning person like yourself sitting by their lonesome, I’m inclined to offer them company.” He says with a tilt of his head.

Before you have a chance to register his intimation, Steve offers you his hand and leads you out the back door to the alleyway. The chill of the garnet brick starkly contrasts the heat of your exposed skin as he presses you against the building. He slots his knee between your legs and chuckles smugly at the way you’re gripping his shoulders and biting your lip. You hate how good it feels, not just the friction but also the thrill of being desired.

The alley is rather dark so the two of you are relying on your other senses. The impossibly lustful kissing is fueled by the red-hot desire surging through your veins. Steve’s fingertips explore beneath the hem of your shirt and caress your hips. By your breathy reactions alone he can tell how starved you are for affection and he intends on tasting whatever you’ll let him get his hands on.

In a matter of seconds, the intensity shifts and he begins kissing you with purpose. Almost as if this is something more than an impromptu back-alley makeout sesh. Steve pecks across your jaw to suck and nibble at the delicate skin along your pulse. As bruises bloom in the path of his lips, you’re warmed by the notes of cedarwood and vanilla emanating from his expensive cologne.

Candidly, you’re not one to indulge in behavior like this because you know that anyone who’s out at this hour isn’t looking to fall in love. This instance is no exception regardless of how romantic it is to be kissing beneath the stars.

Only later did you realize that Steve swept you off your feet before you could deny him the opportunity.

Unsurprisingly, it’s been a few days since you’ve heard from him. The endless cycle continues as it has for months. Steve says he misses you, the two of you hang out and sleep together, he goes MIA., and then you’re left waiting for the next phone call.

It would be generous to call it a friends-with-benefits dynamic. In spite of the hours you spend consuming each other's presence, Steve doesn’t see it as anything beyond two friends fooling around. He gets all of the perks that a boyfriend gets without any of the responsibility. You, on the other hand, have created an illusion of companionship. Steve takes more than he gives, but you don’t see it that way. It’s unfortunate that you’ve gotten yourself into a mindset where the bare minimum on his part appears to be the utmost effort.

Once in a while, he shows a glint of something more promising than whatever this is. You catch a glimpse of vulnerability from a side of Steve that you desperately want access to. You cling to those moments with the hope that if you offer yourself unconditionally, he’ll eventually want to be exclusive. The spark in his hazel eyes lit the inextinguishable flame that is singeing your heart to ash.

Within the casualness of the time that you spend together, there are occasions where a kiss is shared that instills the belief that your profound feelings are reciprocated. But deep in your bones, you know it's only fleeting. Ergo, you enjoy the short-lived fantasy until it inevitably comes crashing down once more.

The two of you share some chemistry but it’s not a perfect match. Steve is aware of the effect he has on you and he uses it as a means to keep you at his beck and call. The thing is, you’d felt special until you realized that the way Steve talks to you is how he talks to everyone. For some reason, you allow him to string you along. Can you do better than him? Definitely. Do you deserve better? Absolutely. Do you have the confidence to demand it from him? Nope.

Every time your phone rings, he sinks his claws deeper into you. Your attachment to Steve has an immense amount of power simply because of how badly you want to be loved. You eat up every crumb of attention and wait for more, no matter how much it pains you.

You’re torn between dying to see him and admitting that you should move on to greener pastures. Just when you uncover a sliver of self-worth, he calls you. It’s like he can sense when you’re slipping out of his grip and he needs to reel you back in.

It’s the waiting that causes you to question your decision of continuing to see him. While Steve is busy with some long-legged distraction, you’re confronted with indignity. If you had known it was going to hurt like this, you wouldn’t have joined him in the alley that night. While tangled in his sheets thereafter, you failed to recognize that he’d never pick you to be his one and only.

Nevertheless, you can’t stop missing him. You shouldn’t look forward to the way your bed smells after a night with him, but you do. The product is borderline intoxicating. The smell of your clean sheets having been tainted with his hairspray, sweat, and musk. You’d be a filthy liar if you denied sleeping with articles of clothing that he’s left behind on occasion.

Thinking that hearing his voice will help satiate the craving, you pick up your phone and punch in his digits. It rings four times before he picks up.

“Hello?” Steve answers with a winded huff.

You can’t resist the smile evoked by the sound of his voice. “Heyyyy, it’s me. What’re you up to?”

“Why the hell are you calling me?”

You glance at the clock and see that it’s not very late so you couldn’t have woken him. “Oh, uh. I miss-”

Despite Steve placing his hand over the microphone, you can hear him speaking to someone else before he addresses you. “Listen, I’m really busy. Don’t get in the habit of calling me out of the blue ‘cause it makes you look desperate. Try not to be so clingy, okay? You’re embarrassing yourself.”

Before you can apologize, the line clicks. Tears dribble over your waterline but you abrasively brush them off with the back of your hand. You’re not stupid, you know exactly what you just interrupted. His breathlessness made it painfully obvious. You can’t honestly expect someone like him to spend his nights alone.

Steve is not yours and you’re growing tired of wishing he was.

In order to dull the heartache brought on by the fact that you’re merely an option, you’ve rekindled your relationship with Mary Jane. There’s nothing quite like wading in a pool of dopamine that causes your brain to bob like a buoy in the soothing tides of fabricated bliss.

Having smoked the remainder of your most recent baggie, you’re here to obtain more bud. The surrounding woods chatter as the brisk wind weaves through the branches that overlap across the dreary sky. For the two years that Eddie has been selling to you, he’s been characteristically late to the meet-ups. According to him, he’s on schedule in “Eddie Time.” You don’t mind because it gives you a chance to soak in the solitude and get some fresh air.

Out of all of his customers, you’re his favorite by a mile. The easygoing connection that you share makes this side hustle worthwhile. Even though he doesn’t know you all that well, the exchanges have always felt relaxed, familiar, and safe.

Eddie arrives seven minutes after you’ve settled at the picnic table. He takes a seat in his usual spot across from you, his metal lunchbox clattering when dropped onto the tabletop. “Couldn’t bear to stay away any longer, huh?” Eddie smiles genially and pops the latches of the tin. 

You grin weakly with a lowered gaze while wringing your hands. “You know I can’t keep myself from you, Munson.”

Right off the bat, Eddie detects your pensive energy but he chuckles lightly anyhow. “We met up a week and a half ago, don’t tell me you burned through that bag already.”

“I sure did. I was hoping to buy an ounce or two this time.” You absentmindedly knock your knuckles together.

Lifting his brows and tipping his head forward, Eddie looks at you through his lashes. “Shit, an ounce? I don’t think I’ve ever sold you that much at once.” Eddie straightens his posture but keeps his shoulders slack. “I know it’s none of my business but uh, is everything okay?”

Your weary eyes finally meet his watchful ones. “Yeah. I’m fine.” You release the pent-up pressure from your lungs with a sigh and drop your stare back to your hands. “I’m just dealing with some personal stuff.”

Eddie doesn’t know if you’re as comfortable with him as he does with you, so he decides to test the waters. “Do you wanna talk about it? I like to think that imma pretty decent listener.” He quips, watching to see if you have it in you to appreciate the lame humor.

You know that you can confide in Eddie but you haven’t processed your feelings for Steve to the extent of being able to voice them without sounding insecure. Not to mention, you’ve lost a considerable amount of sleep over the notion that you’re part of a rotation of people that he sleeps with. At least he tries to be discrete about it and doesn’t rub it in your face.

To credit Eddie’s attempt at making you smile, you audibly force air through your nose. “It’s nothing a little bud can’t help” You gulp, swallowing the realization of how pitiful that sounds. The amount that you’re asking for is by no means a small quantity. “Are we good for an ounce then?”

“No can do, sweet pea. I wasn’t under the impression that you’d be buying in bulk so I brought your usual half.” He tosses over a pre-portioned baggy containing the best nuggets from his current supply. He always gives you the good stuff.

Eddie feels bad for lying to your face because he does have more on hand but he doesn’t want to encourage a poor coping mechanism. Rather, he wants to put you in higher spirits without you actually having to get high. “Y’know, one time I got so stoned that I ordered fifty dollars worth of Chinese food.”

Your eyes widen as they find Eddie’s again. “No way. How did you manage to do that?”

While rubbing his forehead, Eddie chuckles at the recollection. “I had an insane case of the munchies, right? Shit, I kept forgetting I’d already placed an order. When the delivery guy showed up with six bags, I was so goddamn confused.”

You cover your mouth to camouflage your amusement. Even with repressing the urge to giggle, Eddie can see a sparkle as you wait for him to continue.

Eddie beams dazzlingly and embellishes his storytelling with dramatic hand motions. “Dude, I wish I was joking. So here I am, sitting in my bedroom with like- the entire menu’s worth of food. I’m talking egg rolls, chow mein, sweet and sour chicken, and cream cheese wontons. The whole nine yards.”

The warm tone of your laughter melds with the rolling breeze. “Please do not tell me you ate all of that in one night.” Judging by the furrow of Eddie’s brows and the way his cheeks retract to bare his teeth, you’re foreseeing the answer to that question.

He throws his hands up defensively. “You know damn well it doesn’t taste as good having it as leftovers.” Eddie chuckles with a pained expression, thinking back to the stomach ache he got from that night. “After that fiasco, I’ve made sure to stock up on snacks before smoking.” Eddie shakes his head but his smile doesn’t wane just yet.

To put it plainly, cheering you up is rewarding for him. He hates seeing you so heavy-hearted when you have the sweetest laugh he’s ever heard. Eddie is pleased with himself for having succeeded in livening your mood even if you won’t fill him in on the details of your troubles.

“I’ll keep your cautionary tale in mind then.” After a couple of stray giggles, you grab the plastic baggy that he’d tossed over. A folded twenty-dollar bill is pulled from your front pocket and held out to him.

Eddie’s smile falters. He accepts the cash and watches as you stand to leave. “Now I don’t wanna see you back here so soon, you got that?”

“Roger that.” You nod and give Eddie a double-digit salute as you step away from the picnic table.

“Pace yourself, sweetheart! That’s potent stuff!” He hollers with the remnants of his smile as you disappear at the forest’s opening.

It’s been several days since that call with Steve. You now find yourself at home watching MacGyver reruns while folding freshly dried laundry. Without question, you lack the enthusiasm to cook dinner tonight. It’s difficult to get yourself to when you’re bogged down from Steve withdrawal, so you wind up munching on potato chips. Part of you is glad he hasn’t called but if you’re being honest with yourself, you miss him.

You’re growing bored of sitting around but there isn’t a whole lot else to distract yourself with besides getting high. Luckily your telephone rings before you can legitimately consider baking edibles. You hope to god it's not Steve but it is around the time of night that he routinely scoops you up to take you back to his place.

You answer reluctantly. “Hello?”

“Hey, how’s it going?”

You hesitate, putting the voice to a face. “Eddie?” It’s unheard of for him to reach out to you. He’s never called you before. Normally, you contact him when you’re running low on weed.

“Bingo. How’re you doing tonight, ya got any plans?”

As much as you don’t want to admit how uneventful this Saturday night is, you don’t feel pressured to make it sound like you’re having the time of your life. “Um no, no plans. Why do you ask?”

Eddie gulps. “Well, I was wondering if you wanna hang out.”

“Do people usually kick it with their drug dealers?” You ask teasingly with a giggle at his proposal.

Eddie snorts. “Nooo, I just got to thinking, we’ve known each other for years now but we don’t really know each other. I guess I’m curious to see what you’re all about. I hope that’s not too forward-”

“Not at all. I’d love to get out and do something. Pick me up in forty-five minutes?”

“Yeah, I can totally do that. Uh- see you shortly then.”

Finally, you have somewhere to be other than rolling around in Steve’s bed.

When it comes to buying from Eddie, you normally show up in whatever you’ve got on at the moment. Although, you’ve never spent time together like this before. Taking a glance down at your current threads, you realize that you need to find something else to wear. Crumbs fall to the floor when you brush them off of the t-shirt that hangs loosely over your chest. 

Despite not being on a personal level with each other, you know that he’s anything but judgmental. Hypothetically, you could get into his van in your current outfit that has mystery stains and dime-sized rips. Eddie could give a shit, but the nagging self-consciousness is overpowering.

You manage to put together an ensemble that’s equally as comfortable as your pajamas but far more presentable. You’ve just finished slipping on your socks when there’s a rhythmic wrapping at your door. You shove your feet into your shoes and tie them hastily before opening the door.

Eddie’s expression is glowing when his eyes meet yours. “Ready to go?”

You nod with a grin and step through the threshold, pulling the door closed and locking it. 

“Alright then, let’s blow this popsicle stand.” He tosses his car keys into the air and catches them.

While making your way toward his van, you chuckle at his vibrance. “So what did you have in mind, anyway?”

Eddie takes long strides in order to beat you to the passenger side door. He aggressively jiggles the handle until it unlatches and swings open. “I was thinking we could get some grub, my treat.” He holds the door open with one hand and offers his other as leverage.

Has your stomach been growling all night? You hadn’t noticed that the potato chips failed to hold you over until now. “I could eat.” You appreciatively place your hand in his and maneuver into the passenger seat. Steve never holds doors for you. You forgot gallantry even exists. 

After jogging around the front of the van, Eddie rips open the driver's side door and slides onto the seat. He slots his keys into the lock cylinder and turns the keys over. The engine sputters to life. “Atta girl,” he presses his fingers to his lips and rubs a kiss on the dashboard.

You assume he’s taking you to Benny’s Diner but that’s not what he has planned. The drive to this undisclosed location is taking longer than you anticipated. Fifteen minutes have sailed by with the help of music seeping from the crackling speakers and mellow small talk.

After cruising along the outskirts of the neighboring town, Eddie turns off of the barren road onto the gravel that surrounds a small burger shack. It’s a hidden gem because the town it resides in is smaller than Hawkins. The twilight embraces the hut that is partially illuminated by a towering neon sign that reads “Val’s Hamburgers.”

Eddie wants you to really enjoy the food, so you share the joint that was stashed in his glove box. Regardless of not being well versed in the variation of marijuana strains, you can tell this stuff is stronger than what he supplies you.

You’re sitting by yourself in the back of his van with the side door pulled open. A buzzing crawls across your skin while your fingers tap out the beat to a song that doesn’t exist. The chirping crickets are providing a soundtrack to your weed-induced contentment. You blink lazily, your focus settling on the darkness outside while waiting for Eddie to arrive with the food. A coolness seeps through your shirt from the metal against your back. The grounding nature of the sensation keeps your lids tethered open.

For no particular reason, there’s a stupid grin painted on your face. You feel amazing right now not being worried about existing in Steve’s orbit. The crisp air fills your lungs with your sluggish inhales and it’s refreshing. With your legs crisscrossed beneath you, your body is free of anxious fidgeting. Aside from the tranquility, you’re borderline starving. Your tummy growls loudly and it makes you laugh.

Eddie returns to the van sooner than you’d expected, though you’re not sure how much time has actually passed. It could’ve been four minutes, it could’ve been ten. You have no clue.  You’re so comfortable on the cushy blanket laid out beneath you that the passing of time is a concept that you no longer cognize.

He steps into the van and pulls the door closed. The vehicle bounces from the force of Eddie plopping down into a seated position across from you. Your mouth waters as you eyeball the white paper bag in his grasp. The wetness coating your tongue relieves the THC-induced drought. Eddie straightens his legs out in order to use his thighs as a table.

You’re growing far too impatient to wait any longer. Eddie chuckles when you make grabby hands at the milkshake. As soon as he passes it over, you take the straw between your lips and suck. The sugary liquid pacifies your eagerness and you fixate on the crinkling sound that fills the van as Eddie splays the burger wrapper across his lap.

You watch quizzically as he takes the top bun off. “Are you dissecting your dinner?”

“Mmm, not quite.” He glances up at you, “My dear, I am creating the most delicious cheeseburger in Roane county.”

One of your brows raises skeptically. You continuously sip your milkshake while you observe him Frankensteining his meal. Eddie’s ringed hand plunges into the grease-stained paper bag and pulls out a wad of hot french fries. They’re promptly dropped onto the meat patty. The top bun is returned to its rightful place and given two taps with his fingers for good measure.

You can’t help the smile threatening to form. “C’mon, seriously? That’s-”

“Shush, just try it.” Eddie leans forward and angles his fry-stuffed burger to your lips.

You place your hand on top of Eddie’s to stabilize it while you take a bite. Holy shit. The saltiness paired with the cold lettuce, melted cheese, and greasy beef is positively rocking your world.

Eddie takes a larger bite in the same spot that you did as he watches your expression change. The passing of the muted seconds feels boundless. “Soooo? What’s the verdict?” Although he hasn’t finished chewing, he shoves additional fries into his mouth.

You wipe grease from the corner of your mouth and shrug, “It’s okay.”

A crease forms between Eddie's brows. “Just okay? It’s revolutionary and you know it!” He doesn’t mean to speak so loudly but his high can’t stunt the enthusiasm he has for his ingenious combination. 

“Alright, it’s phenomenal. I’ll give you that.” Your head is spinning but the munchies are in full force. Earlier, you told him that you didn’t want a burger. But after trying his, you really want more. Lucky for you, he offers you another bite without you having to ask.

Eddie licks the salty shine from his fingertips and watches you finish up the portion of the fries that he spared. He tells you about a weird dream he had last week and it has you in stitches. The image he’s painted of him being chased by a mob of evil Slinkies is amusing, to say the least. Your high is peaking so you’re convinced that this is the funniest shit you’ve ever heard.

Instead of giving commentary, you let him ramble with his grandiose storytelling. He’s caught up in the details until he begins to miss your voice. Eddie stops himself from moving on to describing another dream he had. “What about you, have any odd ones lately?”

The dream you choose to share isn’t nearly as bizarre, but Eddie is looking at you like you’re the most fascinating person he’s ever met. He listens with intensity and it indicates how much he cares about what you have to say. You’re having trouble recalling the sequence of events, but he’s following along just fine. Eddie downright adores the way your nostrils flare right before you get to the funny part.

He doesn’t know why he never asked you to hang out before, you’re such a dream to him. The desire to explore you from eyelids to ankles is far too substantial to ignore. You’re exactly what he’s always wanted. A little too feisty to function, but all the while you’re incredibly kind when you want to be.

It’s only been two minutes, but it feels like you’ve been talking for an hour. You gradually stop gabbing in an attempt to cool your jets because of how annoying that must have been for him to have to sit through.

Eddie picks up on it in a heartbeat. His smile falls as he witnesses your confidence shrink. “You okay?”

The tingling becomes unbearable so you unfold your legs and straighten them out alongside his. “Yeah, of course.” Steve is the one who does all the talking. He vents about his issues while you listen subserviently. He has never done that for you.

With his gaze angled down to reduce the sensation of a spotlight being cast on you, Eddie twists the skull ring around the base of his finger. “Hey, can I ask you something?” 

You tilt your head back against the metal wall and look down your nose at him. “Go for it.”

Eddie clears his throat, trying not to fixate on the heat radiating from your legs that are a mere inch from his. “Stop me if I’m overstepping, but uh- what’s got you so down lately?” 

You take a second to contemplate lying or spilling your guts about your romance-related dilemma. “You really wanna know?”

“I really do.” Eddie pushes his curls behind his ears to ensure he hears everything you have to say.

With a shallow breath, you bring your knees to your chest and wrap your arms around your shins to keep them in place. “Boy problems.”

“Oh,” He nods. “What’s this guy’s deal?”

Your look at Eddie because you’re surprised that he wants you to elaborate. His benign expression conveys that it’s okay to talk about it. You lick your lips and avert your gaze before delving into the heartache. “Long story short, I’m fun to fool around with but not enough to be his girlfriend.”

“That’s bullshit.” Eddie is quick to shut down your remark. From your choice of words, he can tell that you need someone to care for you and that you’ve been neglected of being cherished. He desperately wants to prove himself worthy of doing that. “You’re good enough. I mean it.” He nudges your shoe with his sneaker, watching closely as you bring your head up from its bowed angle.

Eddie’s words echo in your head while you bite down on your lip. You’ve never had a guy say that to you. You’re lost in distress and unable to process the compliment. “He sleeps with other people. A handful, actually. And when he chooses me for the night, I guess I feel wanted.”

It’s obvious that you’re being taken advantage of. How could someone think you’re not worth it? You’re worth it and Eddie would risk it all for you. He’s so annoyed that he doesn’t hear the change in his tone. “Why are you letting him treat you like a doormat? You’re smarter than that.”

Your eyes snap to Eddie’s face. What the fuck? The words of shock die in your throat. You open up to him and that’s how he responds? Your tears reflect the glow of the light fixture overhead. You tuck your face behind your knees to conceal the broken expression that reveals how mortified you are.

Eddie’s voice softens in realization, “Shit. Please don’t cry, sweetheart.”

You do your best to keep the tears at bay with every brain cell you have. The last thing you want is to be this vulnerable ever again. You squeeze your eyes closed so tightly that it hurts because you’ll be damned if a single tear is shed.

Eddie reaches over and loosely takes your hand in his, giving you the opportunity to rip your hand away if you wish to. The pad of his thumb strokes over your knuckles.

The soothing sensation causes a cry to spill from your throat but you choke it down and swallow it. You don’t know how to process a guy genuinely caring about you.

“I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I didn’t mean-”

“No,” You lift your head to face him. “You’re right. I brought this on myself. He treats me like that because I let him.”

Your hardened expression makes Eddie anxious but your hand still hasn’t left his. He takes it as a sign that he didn’t totally blow his chances. Eddie scoots closer and wipes the tear on your cheek with a feather-light touch. “It’s not your fault. I’m just a fucking idiot.” When he fiddles with your fingers in his palm, he catches how your shoulders slacken. “I was trying to say that you don’t have to settle for being his toy. You deserve more than he’ll ever be able to give you.”

The pessimist in you wants to argue that you’ll never find anyone better and that you’re being treated for what you’re worth. But it occurs to you that all this time, it’s been Steve’s voice convincing you of that. You’ve been made to feel insignificant to the extent that you believed he was the only guy who could possibly tolerate you. 

You can’t help but smile at Eddie’s certainty and he eats it up. “Why’re you looking at me like that?”

Eddie doesn’t dare to break eye contact as he bathes in your radiance. “A smile looks good on you.”

Normally you’d hide your face but you don’t. Your stare is locked on his burnt honey irises. It‘s like a warm blanket is being draped over your shoulders.

If Eddie could change the way you see yourself, you’d understand why Steve doesn’t deserve you.

Since that night at Val’s, you’ve built a routine of getting high and doing something spontaneous together. Last weekend Eddie took you to The War Zone. You were hesitant at first but in the end, you had a blast. The far corner of the store was your favorite part. Eddie had never seen someone so excited over tiny jars. You were delighted and he couldn’t bring himself to talk you out of buying them. For ten minutes, you went on about all of the objects you could put in jars that little. He would’ve sat and listened to you list things all day.

You don’t miss Steve anymore. Every time you looked into his eyes you saw that he wasn’t looking into yours with the same passion. You perceived him as this incredible guy who could do it all. But in reality, he offered you so little.

Steve was meant to show you what isn’t right for you. Every time his hands roamed your body, they had no intention of touching your soul. The blissed-out feelings that were once evoked by Steve’s hands are now brought on by the sweet nothings that Eddie whispers. 

All this time, there was something better out there for you and you’ve finally found it.

Reblogs are greatly appreciated! ♡

★My Masterlist

★Ko-fi ♡

tags: @protecteddiemunson4vr @nj01 @tlclick73

[andrewlloydwebber]

out of the loop on phantom broadway and just saw the paul a. schaefer news and my immediate thought was of you. on one hand i am very sorry but also so looking forward to all your hateposting over the coming months 😭

i'm sure cameron mackintosh, alw, and all the other decision makers at phantom broadway are filthy mega rich so they will live forever. which is good, because i want them to be at my funeral when i die so they can lower my coffin into the ground AND LET ME DOWN ONE LAST TIME

like tbh the quality of US Raouls has always been feast or famine. there's been multiple amazing ones but i would say the majority, especially within the past 10 years, have been bad or boring. and the ones who are good never stick around long and the bad ones stay forever. but paul a schaefer is actually aggressively and actively trying to be a terrible raoul because i guess he wants the show to close or something. i cannot stress enough how awful he was. the uwe kroger of raouls.

they literally just had an open casting call for raoul, couldn't they have given one of those guys a shot? or jason forbach or matt leisy!!!! even that former LND vacation swing guy who doesn't appreciate the role, i would rather have him. i know john riddle is coming back eventually.

at least everyone who hasn't seen paul will share in my pain!!!!!!!!! I'm sure a video will come out and we can question seth skylar heyn's life choices

[fadedelegance]

https://www.insp.com/blog/matt-dillon-miss-kitty-a-dodge-city-love-affair/

I’m cool with them being subtle about it. As a fanfic writer, I love that. Gives me room to play.

They’re my OTP for fucking sure. I love writing them, and James Arness’ & Amanda Blake’s chemistry was off the charts. Matt & Kitty had some great moments. My favorite is “The Bullet”, the season 17 finale. All 3 parts are just so well-written, and Kitty delivers such a beautiful monologue about her and Matt. In my opinion, that should’ve been the series finale. In my head canon, it is: Matt decides that he’s ready to retire after almost losing the ability to walk. He and Kitty retire together, get married, and leave Dodge City. 🥰

What gets me about this article is that Amanda Blake was fired. At least the producer who sacked her admitted he made a mistake. Yeah, you fucking did, pal. I thought she left of her own volition. Clearly not! She just wanted a wardrobe update. Why the fuck not? She hadn’t had one in years. The budget had to be huge for that show! Why would that have been such an inconvenience?

Even if I didn’t ship Matt with Kitty, I would still make these criticisms:

Everything with Mike Yardner and Matt plays out like bad fanfiction, especially the movie where he learns he knocked her up, so they have a daughter…ALL THOSE YEARS AFTER THE FACT. Why wouldn’t she tell him about the baby sooner? Oh, that’s right: because Mike was never meant to be a significant character. It was so obvious that that movie was written years after the Mike episode. SO cringe. UGH. The Gunsmoke films are what Cursed Child is to Harry Potter. Just, dude, I’ve read plenty of fanfics that are FAR better written than that garbage. Everything with Matt & Mike Yardner is right out of a bad fanfiction or a soap opera. All of the Gunsmoke films were completely unnecessary. Sometimes it’s best just to let sleeping dogs lie. And this is probably an unpopular opinion, but I thought the last 3 seasons were superfluous. It’s sad when something genuinely good wears out its welcome because milking the cash cow becomes more important than producing high quality content. (Pirates of the Caribbean, Downton Abbey, & The Office all suffered the same fate, unfortunately.) I also thought “Kitty’s Love Affair” was god awful. I’m so sure Kitty would throw away the love she and Matt had spent years building for some guy she’d known for only a few days. Right. 🙄🙄🙄 And who proposes to someone they’ve known for at most a week? Bro, no one does that! That was such a poorly-written episode. I can not suspend my disbelief that much. Sorry not sorry. For not wanting to mess with romance, some of the writers sure messed with it—and not in a good way. They even said it wasn’t the point of the show, so why have any romance-centered drama? Why not just give little tidbits here and there that Matt and Kitty are together and just leave it at that? Also, I found Mike creepy. She knew Matt couldn’t remember anything, even who he was. It sounds like she took advantage of him. The idea of sleeping with someone with amnesia just doesn’t sit right with me, even if I knew them. Can they truly consent? Also, a character getting amnesia is a common soap opera trope. Why did such a great show like Gunsmoke have to go there? 🙄

Matt & Kitty had some great moments, but too much of the romance drama throughout the show and in the films was just so bad. The secondhand embarrassment was real! They wrote such a beautiful scene in “The Bullet: part 3” and then went and shot it all to hell with some subsequent seriously poor writing. But I agree: Matt & Kitty forever. “The Bullet: part 3” basically showed they were soulmates. Then the cash cow got in the way. As I’ve said with many other fandoms I’m in: thank God for fanfiction!

[emmiri-bumble]

since my online origin is actually tumblr i feel a bit more open with like.. being unhinged about Dotty and her DN rewrite timeline and endorsing the fact that Naomi/Noddy, L's daughter, and Natsuki/Nat, Light's daughter, are absolutely some of my all time favorite characters that ive written (largely based on funnee family videos)

(please accept the crungled quality im working with scraps) And if youre not familiar with my DN rewritten; In short the synopsis is "What if L always had a friend from the start?", " What if people were allowed to be lgbt+?", and "What if i spat in the face of the god of all death itself?"

Anyways Dot has a kid with L and Light. Thats how it be. Here's a bunch of the greatest hits of Nat and Noddy

~ Someone's filming L L knocks on Naomi's bedroom door Baby Naomi opens it Naomi: ba? L: hello miss I'm selling girl guide cookies, are you interested in buying a box? They're £2.75 each. Naomi: uuuh- L: I have all the kinds. Thin mints… Shortbreads… Samoas Naomi: no no bah bah L: ok thank you byyye -Naomi closes the door- Mello, loudly, inside that room: Naomi did you seriously just send that poor scout away without buying me nothin??? L starts giggling quietly so hard that he has to brace himself against the wall. Mello, play yelling: WHAT THE FUCK, DUDE??? Naomi: BABABABAGHAA!!!!!!!! L practically collapses ~ L gently feeding months old Naomi her first lemon slice while out to dinner. Naomi: gbbh. She sucks on it. Naomi: buh…gaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! L: yeah it's bad without sugar, isn't it?

L feeds months old Nat her first lemon slice while out at dinner. Nat: ubbu? Nat suckles on it longer than Noddy and L takes it away. Nat: eeehehehe!! She leans in for more. L: weird. Light: ….weird.

~

Naomi: What game you playin, Lollie? Ollie, too focused: hm? Near: he's playing "paying the bills" Naomi: is he winning? Ollie: no.

~ BB: don't you want to get a job someday? Naomi: no because i don't want to be sad.

~ Mello: have fun at school! Naomi: that's not how school works.

~ Naomi: Beebee tell me which hand has a sock in it!!!! B looks and sees Naomi holding out two hands, palm up. With one hand that's clearly clenched around a sock. B: you're the child of the smartest people i know. Naomi: i know that thank you! B: and you're stupid if you think I'm fooled. Naomi: don't… Don't be naughty :' 0

~ Isaiah: what do you have there? Naomi: butter knife. Isaiah: for…what? You're not cooking. I am. Ollie: we are. Naomi: for..buttering things. Ollie: in your bedroom? Naomi backs away quickly Isaiah: .. there better be butter in that fridge. ~

Naomi: YALL ARE A NIGHTMARE!!!!!! Naomi runs up the stairs on all fours to go sulk in her room

B: SHES RIGHT. IM GONNA GO COMFORT THE BUGBEAR!!! B storms up after her in much the same way ~

Matt: okay kids! Sandwich dinner time! Naomi: i did TOO MUCH homework to be getting LOUSY SAMMIES for dinners!! Nat: YAH. Matt: OH~ SORRY IM NOT UNCLE OLLIE~!! ~

Nats at a play place in a childrens museum trying to draw at a station. One little insufferable boy keeps tugging her paper. Over and over. Nat keeps yelling at him to stop. Light and Dot are both there intensely watching her. His parents are nowhere to be seen. Maybe. Nat: stoop!!! Boy: ~stooop~ Nat: i mean it dude!! Boy: i don't care, your drawing sucks. Nat: ugh- She throws down her pencil and stands up. Nat: OH IF YOU WANT TO TALK TO SOMEONE WHY DONT YOU JUST GO VISIT YOUR DAD PICKING UP TRASH ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WITH THE OTHER INMATES!?? Dot: oop-! Too real!! She scuttles over to disarm her kid

~

Naomi: Daddy up!!!! L: ok, nugget. He picks her up into his chair Naomi: I'm gonna be mommy now. L: haha, fine by me. Naomi reaches for the computer and points at it Naomi: aw shit! She pulls over a stack of documents and pretends to look through them. Naomi: Aw mother fucker! Oh, L, you idiot! Neenee you bastard you bought- you- you did all the spending for the whole three years! God damn it!! L: ….we need to have a talk with mommy about swearing.

~

Jules: take this biscuit. She drops toddler Naomi off at Nears side. Naomi: nee nee. Jules: she developed a new hobby and i don't admire that shit in my kitchen. Near: what….did she do? Jules: she took a bite out of every piece of produce on the counter. Every. Single. One.

~ Dot: baby, you have to slow down and breathe in and out. Nat: IIIIIIII DONTTT WAAAAAAANNNAAAAAA Near: I'll breathe with you, let's follow mommy. Dot: ok breathe in. Deeep. They both breath in. Dot: breathe outtttttt. They both breathe out. They do this a few more times. Naomi in another room: NAAAASUGII! Nat stops breathing Nat: HOL ON IM BREATHING HERE!! Nat goes back to her deep breathing Near starts giggling, ruining it.

~ Video of Mello pointing at a smudge on the wall. Interrogating Naomi. Mello: what is it? Naomi: ….. knowledge. Mello: knowledge?? Naomi: yeah cause i squished the bug. Mello: and all his knowledge came out? Naomi: it's sad. Mello: it is. Mello: stop slamming bugs on the wall.

~ Shows baby Naomi a picture of Mello Dot: who's that?? Naomi starts smiling and giggling uncontrollably. Dot: who is it?? Naomi screams in delight. Mello, in the distance: I've never felt more validated in my life. L: every day my approval becomes more and more like chopped liver to him.

~ Video of Mello standing in the doorway, 8 month old Naomi is outside and soaking wet, its been raining. Naomi, with gusto: ghgbgbyeeey byteeebyeeee ghggugugus ddaddbaba!!! Mello: I dont think so Naomi Gage, get in here. Naomi, more angry, arguing even harder: gagabgaasusbufusubuuuru!!!!! Mello: No means no, young lady, youre coming in before you catch your death. Naomi: NAANANANA lebeebesbsbe guggugddaaa!!!!! L, behind the camera: try this -he holds out his hand, theres a snickerdoodle cookie in it- L: Nooooddy, come inside and share a biscuit with daddy. Naomi, nodding: ba. -naomi walks in, ignoring mello-

~ Video of Naomi (1 ish) picking up her toys and aggressively explaining them to Near Naomi: gughghgd babaaab gagaaaa huhuhbuuububu bbb!! Near: ….okay.. -Naomi tosses that one down and picks up another- Naomi: BABABABABABABA aababagsgugugu gugugugugbebemmmmmmmba! Near: ………………. Dot, filming: oh lord we gon' have our hands real full… -Dot holds up the positive pregnancy test that no ones seen yet- Naomi: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAABABABABAB GUGUGUGUGUGSSSSAAAAAAAAA Near: I get it, Naomi. i get it -Naomi takes a step closer and shakes the train in her hand- Naomi: AAABABA bublblblblblbblblblbblblbllll!!!!! Naomi: MAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Dot: wha? Naomi: AAABABABABABABABABAB! She's waving the train Dot: yeah it is! Naomi: ( : !

~ Video of Baby Nat proudly sitting on top of an overturned plastic tub. muffled sounds in tub B: Natsuki Nat: ba? B: get off the tub. Nat: waaaa?? B: whats in the tub? Naomi, muffled: Get off, Stinksuki!! Nat: uhh gggbhbg. B: is that your big sister? Nat: noh. B: well get off the tub and let me see. Naomi: Im loosing air you big jerk! -Nat crawls off the tub and Naomi immediately bursts out- Naomi, 3: She twied to Kill ME!!! B: eh it runs in the family

~ Nat, 5 months. Sitting in Matt's lap. Matt, pointing: are you gonna smile at NeeNee? Matt: is she smiling? Near: yes she is. Hello Natsuki. Nat: Baaa!! Matt, pointing again: smile at Uncle B? B gives her a crazy grin back. Matt points once more: smile at papa? Nat wriggles. Light: what? No smile for your father? Nat: bbbbb noh. Everyone: HER FIRST WORD!!! ~

video of Nat, 3, outside and holding a stick Nat: is this a bug? Dot: no. Its a stick. Nat: hm. Dot: its a stick bug!! -nat drops the stick like mid sentence- Nat: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

~

Video of Natsuki's first steps -She takes two shaky steps towards Ryuk and then falls and starts crying.- Ryuk: that didnt hurt, i know that didnt. stop crying. Ollie: shes crying because shes upset that she couldnt walk up to you on her own. Ryuk: :0 Ryuk: oh, it's ok Natsuki. -Ryuk picks her up and slings her over his shoulder like she likes- Nat: bbbbbbbbbrrrrr Ryuk: she weirds me out sometimes… Ollie: humans are weird. Jules, filming this: fuck we cant show Grandma Yagami this one. Light: NO I NEED A VIDEO TO SHOW MOM AND SAYU, WE HAVE TO STAGE A NEW ONE

~

Dot: Yeah. they came out of me She points at her kids Naomi: I WAS IN HER POCKET

~

Natsuki, 3, in the car. Nat: I will get a biscuit. Wight. Now. This. Minnite. Ollie: how about you ask for one. Nat: a. Biscuit. Now. Ollie: no, you gotta ask and say please too. Nat: I can get a biscuit, peas. Nat, quieter: wight now.

~

- A series of short videos consisting of Naomi and Natsuki throwing a slice of cheese on an unsuspecting family member

Eventually Jules joins their fun with them. She was never cheesed.

Starts with them throwing a slice on a quietly snoring Light. Hes spooked awake and stares at them with rage.

Cuts to them throwing one on Near from behind. He dosent react, he just picks the slice out of his hair and starts pulling off pieces to pop in his mouth.

Cuts to them throwing the slice on Dot as she walks into the room. Dot: -SHRIEK- Dot: oh hey, is this muenster? score.

Cuts to them throwing a slice on Mello, slapping it right over his scar. Mello flinches, looks at the girls (Now featuring Jules!) and deadpan goes Mello: am i pretty now?

Cuts to them throwing a slice onto L from behind but they miss his head and slam his back audibly L: -Shrieks and jumps- Light, barreling for them: WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT THROWING CHEESE AND SURPRISE ATTACKING YOUR FATHER!? The gals: -Shrieks- L, softly in the background: oh, cheese.

Cuts to video of them walking up to Matt as he gets out of his car and slapping the cheese over his goggles Matt: -shrieks- Matt: oh hey, muenster. Score.

Cuts to them throwing a slice on Ollie while hes standing at the kitchen counter distracted. He effortlessly slaps the cheese away before it even hits him. Girls: HOW?

Cuts to them throwing a slice on an unsuspecting B who immediately turns around and SLAMS it back onto Naomi's face.

~

Nat, 5 ish. Sliding down a slide on a wet autumn day Nat dismounts Nat: woh. Light: what is it? Nat: my bum jus got all wet. Nat stands and stares a little awkwardly, reaches back and wipes leaves off her butt, and then skitters off Dot: …………… Light: ………………. Dot, whispering aggressively: the ultimate fusion of meee and youuuuuuuu

~

Ollie takes a pic of the fam sitting on the couch after taking Nat home from the hospital. Naomi in L's lap. L clearly with red all around his eyes from crying. Nat is swaddled in Light's arms. Dot in the middle pointing at both kids. Ollie: saaay uhhh. Near behind him: death of the american dream. Ollie: no, say siblinghood Them: Siblinghood! Naomi: Iiiblin!!

~

Video of Near holding baby Nat in the garage. Nats screaming with delight while Mello repeatedly revs his motorcycle's engine. Near: this is hell on my ears but it's doing wonders for my heart. Nat: AAAAA! AAAHAHAHEHEHEHEHE!!!

~

Naomi, 10: UNCLE NEE LOOK AT THIS SHIRT WE FOUND AT THE MALL Near shuffles up to read the girls matching shirts It says "love is always near" Near: i- may cry a little. Nat, 8: do it.

~

Naomi, 1 ish and sitting on the counter in the kitchen Mr. W: are you filming? L: yeah. Mr. W: hands out, please Mr. W pops a raspberry on a finger. and proceeds to do that with all the rest on that hand Mr. W: and there is, what my Nan used to call, "The bum handimans fingers" -Naomi opens wide and pops one in her mouth- L: that sounds unsavory Mr.W: i never said my Nan was a refined lady.

~

Near: hello Odette, would you like to see why I don't like being in charge of the kids? -Dot turns around- Dot: huh? Near, in a tee-shirt, holding up his pj shirt to show Dot the damage. Dot: ah. Near: your's and L's crotch dumpling intentionally, and quite gently may I add- Dot: got spaghetti on you… Near, gritting teeth: -pushed the bowl against my back while I was turned away Dot: you didn't try to watch her do her spaghetti slurpini. That's why she did that.

~

-distant sound of a recorder playing "Hot Crossed Buns"- Dot: ohh Noddy youre practicing and i didnt even have to ask! Naomi turns around to reveal shes playing it through her nostril Dot: why can't you do anything normal? Naomi: Because im your daughter, BAyBEE! Dot: i can respect that Naomi goes back to playing via nose

~

Mello taking a selfie video while laying down. 3 year old Naomi is lightly tracing his burn scars with her finger. Mello, to the camera: hey Nods, I thought we were napping. Naomi, sleepily: I gotta touch the bumps. Mello: you gotta touch the bumps? Why? Naomi: cos I love them. Mello somewhat starts cracking up and tearing up at the same time and he frantically ends the video there

~

Mello: i can count on one hand how many times ive cried. Matt: no you cant Mello: every time was for either my momma or for L Matt: bullshit Mello: i, however, have absolutely lost count of the amount of times Naomi has made me cry this week Naomi: is ok lello is okaaay!! Mello: you want up? Naomi: is ok lello i make it bettur -Mello picks her up- Naomi: you gonna b okay, misturr Mello, tearing up: ah here i go again

~

PawPaw with a giant wad of bills in one hand and Baby Naomi resting in the nook of the other. He hands the money to Naomi. Isaiah: here's your allowance. Dot: Professor Dad, She's one. Isaiah: yeah? And she's my granddaughter. Isaiah: Here's your allowance, baby

~

Mello: oh no why's Nat crying today? Naomi, trudging out of Wammys with a weepy Nat in tow Nat: MY NuH NoH AAAAADDAAA Naomi: hhhh her substitute teacher kept hearing everyone call her Nat and she kept calling her "Natalie" all day long Mello: ohhhh. Hey Nat, Nat: HUUUWAaaa muh muhh meeewwooooo -Mello crouches down and picks the poor little thing up- Mello: all my teachers kept on calling me "Michael" when i went here. Nat: aaaaahaaaa---mmmmmm Mello: isnt that silly? we have the same problem. Nat, calming down: hehe

~

Naomi to L: Papa wouldnt let me be you for halloween. L: oh no thats terrible. Naomi: Cause Nat wanted to be Kira. L: ohh…no thats terrible. Naomi: so.. can you be you and Papa be Kira for halloween, pleeeas? L: no. Naomi: bu- L: No. its my birthday. I will be a vampire again end of story.

~

1st time trick or treating with Naomi and newbie Nat Naomi in a grim reaper costume. Nats… in a sling and Ollies carrying her Neighbor: ohh hello! Are you here for candy little reaper? Naomi: uh. Trikkortreat! Neighbor: here you go little reaper. Naomi: thank you -naomi starts walking off- -Naomi turns right back around- Naomi: Hey- didju know um. Is my daddys birthday? Neighbor: Oh? well. Naomi: he- hes the vampire! Neighbor squinting at L who is meekly waving Neighbor: Happy birthday Mr. Vampire! L, barely audible to her: Thank you Madame! Beyond: ITS THEIR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY TOO!

~

Naomi: WAAAAAhaaha- SHE ATE MY CAKE. Mello: she ate your cake? i didnt get you two any cake out of the fridge. Naomi: Sh- SHE ATE -cough- MY IMAGINARY CAKE N CAUS I-T ITS MY PLAY BIRTHDAY WAAAAA SHE ATE ALL IT Mello: hhhh… Mello walks into Nat hiding in another room Mello: Nat, did you eat Noddy's cake Nat: no i dinnit is in ma haand. Mello: the imaginary cake is still in your hand? Naomi: SHE. ATE. IT. ALL. Mello: ok go give it back to Nods, shes very sad you took it. Nat: is.. ok. iss imma hand see? Mello: yes i see it, lets go back and make things right. Nat: Okie lello, Noddie is ok is in mah hand still i got cake for you!

~

Baby naomi in her walker toddles into the kitchen while Ollie's cooking. Naomi: Guh. Near, on the counter doing jack shit: Guh! Naomi: nn guh. guh guh bububububuh bbbbb Naomi walks out like they just had a good talk Near: she has things to do, Ollie. So cook faster.

~

Naomi, barely able to talk: daddy birdy ..-inaudible- oh heeahd signs for poop and head Dot: a bird pooped on dads head on your walk? namoi nods solemly Dot: oh thats terrible im so sorry for daddy. Dot pans camera over to L, hanging up his coat and shaking his head, clearly no bird poo on him Dot: oh no thats terrible, daddy. im sorry.

~

Ollie: you can't make Nat open your present, Nods! Naomi: yes I can! Ollie: Nooo! Just because it's not Natsuki's Christmas gifts it doesn't mean you won't get in trouble for using Nat to ruin your surprise! Naomi: yeah buh daddy said- daddy.. he said if I open my present early it turns to underwear. Ollie: oh he did? Naomi: so.. so if you open yours it's not a toy anymore but if .. if uhh if you get your sister to open it it won't turn to nothing cause sh- cause Natsuki isn't me so the gift stays a good one! Ollie: so you think you found a loophole? Naomi: yes. Ollie: fair enough. Go tell your Dad, he'll be so pissed that he didn't see that.

~

Dot: when you give a mouse a cookie… Naomi: he chokes on it and dies. She shoves the toy she was chewing on back in her mouth

~

Nat sitting on Ollie's lap as usual Light: ok Nat, tell me again for the camera.. why do you think youre growing body hair? Nat: cos… i give Ollie too many hugs. Nat flops her body down onto Ollie in a big hug. Ollie: 🥺 💕

~

And my all time favorite:

Mello: look, look, Nat there's a lady bug on the walkway. Nat: a ladeebog? Nat toddles up and stomps on it several times Nat: buh byeee. Near: buh bye bug. Mello: tch- you're surely your dad's daughter.

~

And uh. wow you read all this? thenks

[marvelousmatt]

It’s Never Too Late to Enter Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace

By Bethy Squires@BethyBSQU  APR. 19, 2022

Looking for some quality comedy entertainment to check out? Who better to turn to for under-the-radar comedy recommendations than comedians? In our recurring series “Underrated,” we chat with writers and performers from the comedy world about an unsung comedy moment of their choosing that they think deserves more praise.

A lot of high-concept comedy comes out of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. When it comes to The Mighty Boosh, Fleabag, and basically any British show that confuses an audience, you can thank Edinburgh. 2004’s Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace is one of the most unique shows of the bunch. Created by Matthew Holness and Richard Ayoade, Darkplace is the fake ’80s supernatural-drama brainchild of horror writer, “dream-weaver, visionary, plus actor” Garth Marenghi. Played by Holness, Marenghi’s show is like if Stephen King’s trailer for Maximum Overdrive got six episodes.

Holness-as-Marenghi opens every episode explaining how the show he and Dean Learner (Ayoade) created in the ’80s was never shown on television until now. You can see why: Darkplace is full of shitty lines delivered terribly amid ugly sets with laughable special effects. Marenghi’s lead character, Dr. Rick Dagless, M.D., is the most glaringly obvious self-insert character since Malcolm & Marie. But that’s all intentional: Holness, Ayoade, Matt Berry, and Alice Lowe are some of the most gifted comedic performers of the aughts, and the show is pitiably awful on purpose. Before you feel sorry for these people for making something this bad, the show cuts in talking-head segments, in which the cast espouses the most pompous, prejudiced, and sometimes legally actionable opinions. It’s MST3K meets The Office. Which is perhaps why Stephen Merchant is such a fan.

Merchant and Ricky Gervais loved the 2000 and 2001 Garth Marenghi stage shows so much that they actually cast Holness as Simon the IT Guy. The admiration was mutual because the Darkplace crew asked Merchant to play an ill-fated cafeteria worker in episode two of its series. But he doesn’t just cook chicken. Merchant now stars opposite Christopher Walken in The Outlaws. Co-created by Merchant and Elgin James, the show follows a group of people sentenced to community service who come together when they’re thrust deeper into Britain’s criminal underbelly. Merchant discussed Darkplace, Berry’s “extraordinary voice,” and visiting Stonehenge with an Academy Award winner.

When did you first encounter Darkplace?

I was at the Edinburgh Festival when it was a theater show. I went to see it several times, and I was so entertained by it. I thought it was so funny. I loved Matthew Holness and Richard Ayoade, the two guys who created it. I don’t think it ever really got the plaudits and attention that it deserved at the time. But I get a tweet or an Instagram message about it almost every day. People are still discovering that show and watching it.

Can you tell me what it was like to first see the show in Edinburgh?

It was unique, really. One of the pleasures of that festival is seeing something fully formed that you’ve never encountered before. Normally when we see stuff on TV, it’s been filtered; some of the edges have been polished off. But [at Edinburgh], you’re seeing something in its raw, purest state. I’m sure the people who saw Fleabag in its formative stages felt the same way.

It seems like the Edinburgh model helps things come out as more singular products. The higher-concept stuff gets through more over there.

So many great comedy performers, particularly in the U.K., have come out of that Edinburgh festival or have found their voice in that environment. It runs for a month. Every possible nook and cranny — every room above a shop — is turned into a theater space, and you don’t need a lot of money. I did an Edinburgh show when I was in university, and I think we had, like, 14 people come through the door in four weeks. But what you’re discovering is how to work with an audience, small as it may be, and how to work with other people. And there’s no pressure. You’re sort of in the dark, left to your own devices. Some people pop and break through — they have their moment, get some attention. And lots of other people use it as a development opportunity, try new things. No idea is outrageous enough or strange enough. And Garth Marenghi is a great example of that.

Vulture has a very strong affinity for Matt Berry. What was it like seeing him for the first time?

Well, Matt is one of those people that, because he has that extraordinary voice, he almost seems like a caricature or a cartoon. His voice is so rich and extraordinary that when you’re talking to him, it’s otherworldly. I think what Matt has is that thing a lot of great comic actors have: He’s handsome, but not quite handsome enough to be a leading man. There’s something about him that almost seems like he was drawn by a cartoonist. Everything I see him in, he creases me up. I don’t know if you’ve seen him as Toast.

Oh yeah.

He’s so innately funny, but he plays it all with an earnestness and a sincerity. It’s so unique. There’s no one else like him, really, as an actor or comic performer. He’s so versatile. He can sing and everything. He’s kind of extraordinary.

If you could cast Matt in anything, what would you want him to be in?

It would be quite fun to see him as a Bond villain. I could see him in a lair, stroking a cat with that extraordinary voice. And I’ve always wanted to play Q, so maybe I could be in it, too. I don’t know who’d play Bond in that version, but that would be fun.

Darkplace is so good it wins over people who aren’t usually fans of cringe-watching or making fun of bad art. How do you feel about “so bad it’s good” content more generally?

Obviously, Marenghi is setting out to seem bad when it’s actually done with great skill. Generally, I’m not a fan of the sort of “so bad it’s good” because there are so many good things I haven’t seen. Why would I waste my time watching bad stuff? Although I remember when I was younger being completely enthralled by Plan 9 From Outer Space, which has become sort of ubiquitous now as “so bad it’s brilliant.” But that was a truly extraordinary piece of bad cinema.

I think anyone who’s tried to get into this business knows how hard it is to make anything — and to do anything good is even harder. So even now, I admire anyone who’s got something finished. I find it hard to be sneery about something because I know how hard it is to get anything done.

But with Darkplace, the little documentary asides puncture any admiration or empathy you could feel for these guys — because they are saying the worst shit imaginable.

That’s the great thing about the Marenghi character: the gap between how they want to be perceived and how they are being perceived. His pomposity and self-aggrandizement is such a great comic convention. And then to see the fruit of his labors, this farcical horror show that’s born from his brain, it’s a great conceit. And all of that was there in the stage show.

How did you get to cameo on the show?

Well, I’d become friends with Richard and Matt, and who do you turn to when you’re looking for people to be in something? I was more than happy to be a part of it. It was kind of hard to get a sense of what the show was going to be because you’re just there for your little bit. But it was a lot of fun. People will still send me little GIFs of me marching through the set. It’s funny because those things, you do them for, like, a day, but they have resonance years later.

Rewatching that episode last night, I was really laughing at your ADR [dubbing] as you rummage for spices in the kitchen.

They wanted the show to really feel like it had been on a shelf since the ’80s, with really bad ADR and things like that. They were very clever in capturing the aesthetic of that period and giving the sense that it was this self-made vanity project of someone from the ’80s. It works on so many levels.

It’s such a contrast to The Outlaws, which is very grounded. Is there one mode of performance you prefer, or are they both fun?

They’re fun in different ways. With Darkplace, the pleasure is that you are living in a heightened universe. Anything goes, really, and you’re almost allowed to do or say anything, and there’s great pleasure in that. That’s much more like playing. When you’re doing something grounded, it’s much harder; you’re trying to keep it just on the right side of reality where you feel like it could still exist in the universe. So you don’t have quite the same freedom to be funny in any direction because you’re trying to keep it in a universe that feels real. But the benefit to that is that you can be more touching, more affecting. You can move people in a different way.

What made you want to do a show about the ways everyday people can find themselves embroiled in crime?

I liked the idea of doing a genre piece, a thriller. I liked the idea of a crime story, but coming at it from a slightly different direction — turning the heat on the characters over time so that by later episodes, you suddenly realize they’re in quite a stew.

But, also, when we were creating the show, we were reacting to the rise of Trump and Brexit in the U.K. There was a real division socially and politically, and we liked the idea of, What if you were forced to find common ground and discover the things which unite us? And that seemed like quite an optimistic flavor to have in a show.

How did Christopher Walken get involved?

Christopher Walken phoned me and said, “I’m desperate for work. Is there anything for me, Steve?”

No, we liked the idea of having a character that sort of felt like a man who fell to earth: Who is this person? Where did he come from? Christopher Walken just sort of came into our heads, and we managed to get the script to him. The next thing I knew, he’d come to England to be in the show. It was sort of insane. Anyone who’s got into this business is thrilled when you find yourself in your hometown with the Academy Award–winning star of The Deer Hunter. It reminds you why you got into this game.

Did people in Bristol react to him, or did they play it cool?

He had the benefit of two things: We shot in lockdown, so he had to wear a mask. And no one was around, so he could walk around and not get noticed.

Although he and I did go to Stonehenge together. We had a day off, and Chris really wanted to go to Stonehenge. We got there, and he went to the woman showing us around: “Can I touch one of the stones?” And she was like, “No.” I took her to one side and said, “He’s 78 years old. He’s an Academy Award winner. He’s Christopher Walken. He’s come 3,000 miles. These things have been here 5,000 years. You can’t just let him touch a stone?” And she’s like, “No. Definitely not.” It was so typically British that even someone like Christopher Walken can’t touch the stones. “Definitely not.” That’s not how we roll in England.

Do you know why he wanted to see Stonehenge of all things?

I guess when you’re Christopher Walken, you’ve done everything. There’s not much left on your bucket list. I think he’s something of a history buff. It was really magical. He found it quite moving to watch the sunset with something as mysterious and exotic as that. It was a surreal moment.

This is all I’m going to think about for the rest of the day: you and Christopher Walken at Stonehenge.

That’s right.

Do you have any pet theories as to what it is? Clock or altar or yada yada yada?

The general consensus seems to be that it’s probably to do with a burial or some kind of ceremonial environment, which makes sense to me. But certainly when you’re there … I’m not someone who’s kind of spiritual, but it puts you in touch with the past in some way. The idea that people 5,000 years ago decided to start putting up rocks — I don’t know why that makes you feel very connected to the past. Well, I suppose it’s obvious why. But there’s something quite pleasing about that. And to share it with Christopher Walken is doubly pleasing.

[roselarkiin]

Brettsey + 16 please!!

#16 "Are you seriously giving me the silent treatment?"

When Matt told Sylvie they were invited to spend the weekend at Benny's cabin with Stella and Kelly, she envisioned a quiet, relaxing weekend. She didn't think it would take too much convincing for Matt to spend their time away massaging her aching back or rubbing her swollen feet. This could quite possibly be their last weekend before she gives birth to their second child, and they become a family of four. She wants to take full advantage of that.

Though, it's quickly turning out to be anything but relaxing.

First, the drive to the cabin with two three-year-olds had not been pleasant. The second they dropped out of cell phone range, and Daniel Tiger stopped playing on Sylvie's phone, all hell broke loose, and it was non stop tantrums from both kids until they arrived at their destination.

Then once they arrived and were settled, Matt and Kelly announced their plan to take Esme and Ellie fishing the following day. Sylvie knew it would not end well.

Though their husbands insisted it would be fine. They'd spend the day on the lake, in the small boat Kelly kept at the cabin, teach the girls to fish, and it would be fun.

Stella and Sylvie knew different.

As they're getting ready to leave, Matt asks Sylvie one last time if she's sure she doesn't want to come with them. And Sylvie just raises a brow at him, looks down at what she's wearing; one of Matt's oversized shirts, sweats, and a pair of fuzzy socks. Practically her uniform since starting maternity leave. It's comfortable, but it doesn't exactly give off wanting to spend a day on the lake vibes.

Because spending the next six hours on an already cramped boat with two toddlers while she's eight months pregnant does not sound like her idea of a good time.

Sylvie doesn't tell him that, though, doesn't want to ruin his visions of this perfect day he thinks he has planned with their daughter. While she's planning how best to deal with the inevitable fallout. So she just shakes her head and tells them to have fun as she kisses them goodbye.

Matt presses a kiss to her stomach, murmurs something she can't hear to the baby, and the baby tumbles in her belly. His eyes go wide, and he laughs, has this look of complete awe on his face. The same look he always gets, no matter how many times he feels their baby move. Esme mimics Matt, kisses her stomach, and then they're out the door.

After saying her goodbyes to her husband and daughter, Sylvie settles into the chair beside the fire and picks up the book she's reading. This is her plan for the weekend, to put her swollen feet up and do absolutely nothing.

Stella offers to keep her company, acts like it's such a chore in front of Kelly, having to stay with the pregnant woman instead of spending the day with her husband and daughter. Sylvie snickers though and rolls her eyes at her friend when Stella flops down onto the couch before the door to the cabin is even closed.

"I give it three hours before it all goes to hell," Stella says.

Sylvie snorts, not looking up from her book. "They aren't even going to make it to two."

"I'm willing to take that bet. Four weeks of Saturday night babysitting, no questions asked?"

"Deal."

They shake on it before settling into a comfortable silence.

Their peace and quiet is short lived. About two hours after the little fishing expedition started, the door to the cabin slams open, and in stamps Sylvie's furious three-year-old, followed by her very irate husband.

Esme throws her coat onto the ground and flings herself into Sylvie's arms, buries her face in her neck. Sylvie resists the urge to tell her husband she told him so. Sylvie's not sure what happened, but when Esme gets in a mood like this, she knows whatever it is, their child is not going to bend easily.

Severide follows behind Matt, a sleeping Ellie in his arms. Sylvie and Stella share a look.

So it went well all around then.

Stella sits up, makes room for Kelly to sit beside her. "How long did that take?" she asks, nodding at the sleeping toddler in his arms.

He chuckles and pats Ellie's back. "Took all of twenty minutes for the boat to rock her to sleep."

Sylvie runs a gentle hand through her daughter's hair, runs circles over the girl's back. "Oh, Ez. What happened?" she asks.

"Daddy yelled at me. He's not my best friend anymore!" Ez cries against her shoulder. In her little three-year-old mind, her daddy no longer being her best friend is the worst possible insult she can think of.

Sylvie's eyes flicker over to Matt, and she can tell their daughter's words landed and had their intended effect on him. She sees a flash of hurt in his eyes as he looks at Esme before it's replaced with irritation again.

She gives her husband a quizzical look. He's frustrated with whatever happened, but it's unlike him to lose his cool with Esme. He rarely raises his voice with her. Sylvie knows he worries that he'll lose control of his anger like his own father. And even with her assurances that it won't happen, he always makes a conscious effort to treat Esme with tenderness, even when she's in trouble.

"What happened?" she asks again, directs the question at Matt this time.

He sighs, pinches the bridge of his nose before pushing his hand through his hair. "Ez threw the rod into the lake," he growls, throws his hands in the air like he still doesn't believe it. "She announced she was done, and then she tossed it overboard!"

Sylvie has to bite her bottom lip to keep from laughing. Cause, yeah, that is definitely something she can see Ez doing.

Severide nods in her direction, clearly just as entertained by the whole thing as she is. "I got it on video."

"Thank you," she mouths at him over the top of Esme's head, and Stella snorts. Kelly already has his phone out of his pocket, holding it out to his wife before she even has a chance to ask, knowing exactly what she wants. Sylvie needs to get him to send her that video right now.

"It was a brand new rod, Sylvie," Matt exclaims.

"And it was a sparkly purple kids rod that cost $40. She was probably only going to use it the once anyway. It's not going to break the bank, Matt. That's not what this is really about, is it?" She holds her hand out to him, gestures for him to come to her. Because she's got Ez in her lap, and she's eight months pregnant. She is not getting out of this chair if she doesn't have to.

He crosses the room, sits on the arm of the chair. Just like she knew he would. Sylvie slides her fingers into his hair, uses her nails to massage his scalp. She knows he was excited for today and that he's disappointed Ez didn't like fishing as much as he thought she would.

She sees his shoulders relax, and Matt leans his head into Sylvie's hand. "I just wanted today to go differently, that's all." Sylvie nods. There it is.

"I know you did," she says, places her hand on his back. "But, babe, Ez is three. She can barely sit through an episode of Paw Patrol without getting bored. Don't you think that you might have had unrealistic expectations of what she's capable of today?"

He presses a kiss into her hair, and she doesn't need to look at him or even hear him say it to know that the gesture is his way of admitting she's right. He moves to the other side of the chair, crouches down beside Esme's face, caresses her little cheek with his thumb.

"I'm sorry I raised my voice at you, Ez."

Esme whines then, shrugs Matt's hand off her cheek. She turns her head away from him, tries to burrow herself further into Sylvie, as much as her pregnant belly will allow anyway.

"Aww, come on, Ez Pez." Matt lets out a low chuckle, pokes her shoulder. "Are you seriously giving me the silent treatment?" She nods against Sylvie's chest.

While Sylvie often finds herself thinking their daughter got the best of both her and Matt's personalities, it's times like this when she realizes they also passed on some of their worse qualities. Esme's tendency to be a little obstinate - okay, a lot - she gets from Matt (no matter what he says). The flair for the dramatics comes from Sylvie.

Sylvie brushes Ez's hair off her face. "Daddy can be silly sometimes, huh?" she whispers in her ear, and Esme nods. "Do you think maybe you should accept his apology?"

She scrunches up her face, looks over at Matt, and then back to Sylvie. "Do I have to?" she mumbles defiantly. Sylvie laughs, kisses her daughter's forehead, and reminds her to be kind.

"Do you think I can make it up to you?" Matt asks, and Esme just shrugs her little shoulders.

Matt pouts, and Sylvie can't help but roll her eyes at him. It's clear he's getting a little desperate when their daughter won't budge. Ez has always been such a daddy's girl that he doesn't know what to do with himself when she's angry at him and he's not the favorite. He hates it, and he's not against using bribery to win back their daughter's affection.

He tries again, gives it one last ditch effort to get her to forgive him. If this doesn't work, nothing will, and he'll just have to wait until Esme forgets about it. That usually takes a couple of hours, always filled with Matt's sulking, and then everything goes back to normal.

"Hey, Ez, what do you say we go for a drive into town? We can get some ice cream," he tries eagerly. Then, in an instant, Esme launches herself out of Sylvie's lap into Matt's arms. His arms fly up, wrap around her waist to catch her.

It's comical, really, just how fast she forgets that she's trying to stay mad at him.

"Can I get a really big one?" Esme asks, throwing her arms wide.

"Oh, I don't know about that," Matt says teasingly.

"Please, Daddy. Please," she begs, drags the words out in a long whiny way. She clasps her hands together under her chin and bats her eyes at him. She learned that from Sylvie.

"Okay, but don't tell mama," he whispers conspiratorially, winks at Sylvie over Esme's shoulder.

"If you're going out, could you bring me back some Oreos?" Sylvie asks, flashes him a bright smile.

Matt smiles back at her and places his hand on her stomach. "Baby craving?" Sylvie nods, covers his hand with her own. "What's the feel for today?"

Sylvie thinks for a moment before answering, "Boy."

"Nah, definitely another girl," Matt says. "What do you think, Ezzy? You're the tiebreaker. Are you getting a brother or a sister?"

"Sister!" she answers from Matt's arms.

"See, you're outnumbered. Definitely a girl."

Sylvie laughs and shakes her head. "If only it worked that way. Besides, that doesn't count!"

"Why?" Matt protests. "Just because Ez sides with me?"

"No, because last week she wanted the baby to be a puppy."

Matt laughs out loud at that. "Wouldn't that be something!"

Esme starts to get impatient, and she fidgets in Matt's arms. "Daddy, can we get ice cream now?"

Ellie lifts her head and chirps from Severide's lap, "I want ice cream."

"That you wake up for?" Severide gives Ellie an incredulous look, tickles her sides until she laughs. "Guess we're tagging along then."

"Matt?" Sylvie calls, just as he's almost out the door again. He turns back to look at her. "Can you get some pickles too? The round ones already cut for sandwiches?"

He makes a face like he knows what she's planning to do with the pickles and the Oreos. "If I have to watch you eat that, I'm going to be sick," he deadpans. He's guessed correctly.

"Don't watch then," she says, as if it's the most obvious answer, and she laughs at the disgusted look he sends her way.

[trendydream]

SO, let’s talk about The Batman starring the great Robert Pattinson and my beloved Zoë Kravitz directed by Matte Reeves. For real I don’t know if we can say“Film of the year” but seriously it was really good, actually I love superhero movies im a big fan of Marvel but I also like DC,  Batman is actually my favorite superhero from DC I always watched the animation ones before, and Catwoman was so amazing to me, as a cat lover being her was my dream hahaha.

For me Robert Pattinson is the best Batman/Bruce Wayne , and I think many people would agree, Christian Bale was good too, but my heart goes  to Robert, I was in awe during the film, he was handsome as always haha and did a great performance. And Zoë Kravitz.. oh my Zoë, seriously she’s perfect as catwoman, (I remember I was a fan of Halle Berry too) when she appeared on the screen I gasped and couldn’t retain myself to say “Omg she’s so pretty” her look, her outfit, her stare, her acting seriously 10/10, she was a good pick, the whole cast was a good pick. I didn’t post a pic of him but Paul Dano as the Riddler was so good, his performance was so good, he even scared me, like ?? His facial expressions and the way he portrayed his character seriously he really did a good job.

I think the negative points for me was how long the movie was...but it’s justified, it needed to bo so long, but yeah... and there were a moment in the film that was ridiculously filmed, I laughed because yeah I didn’t expect that, everything was so serious then it was filmed like a parody, the plan was weird and thanks it was the only one..this was my only negative points but beside that ? the QUALITY, sorry for my language but damn, the colors, the mood, some shots with the sunset wow, and the music omg I was so into it, really the soundtrack was one the best thing ! Got me emotional, but it’s a secret for my friend :) (not now haha)

If you haven’t seen it, go ! I recommend it but prepare yourself for 3 hours long haha.

And thank you for reading, if you want to share with me what did you think about the movie I will be happy to read it ! 

[omoi-no-hoka]

Hello! I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but how do you become proficient at handling conversations in Japanese/handling grammar very well? I read your post on the JLPT, and it addressed issues I have been tip toe-ing around--indeed, passive actions such as listening or reading are easier than the active ones. How did you go about that? Did you write a bunch of sentences daily? Did you have a conversation partner? What would you rec. to someone who lives outside Japan? Thank you!

This is an excellent question, and one that I get asked a lot irl by Japanese people in particular. Let’s talk about gaining fluency and the ways we can go about it!

How to Gain Fluency in Japanese (and Other Languages)

Speaking Fluency versus Accuracy

Language proficiency is divided into two separate categories:

Fluency: Although there are no widely agreed-upon definitions or measures of language fluency, someone is typically said to be fluent if their use of the language appears fluid, or natural, coherent, and easy as opposed to slow, halting use. In other words, fluency is often described as the ability to produce language on demand and be understood.

Accuracy: Correctness of language use, especially grammatical correctness and word choice.

By the above definitions, a “fluent” speaker may make grammatical mistakes, but they can speak without having to stop and think too much about conjugations, word choice, etc.

An “accurate” speaker can speak with nearly zero grammatical/word choice mistakes. However, the speed of their utterances isn’t generally taken into account, so it could take an “accurate” person twice as long to articulate the same idea as a “fluent” person. 

Ideally, you need to strike a good balance between these two qualities when speaking. I have a boss, God bless him, who is 100% fluency and 0% accuracy and…man is it hard to understand what he’s saying sometimes, but he can generally get his point across just barely. I have another coworker who is 100% accuracy and takes about 3 minutes to form a sentence because he wants it to be perfect. 

How to Increase Speaking/Writing Accuracy

First, let’s talk about the easiest thing to improve, which is accuracy. It’s also (in my opinion) the least fun thing to improve, because it means grammar books and vocabulary memorization. 

You can only use a language accurately if you know what is correct and what is incorrect, and you can only learn that by studying grammar and vocabulary (or if you’re a native speaker and picked it up innately, you lucky bastard).

So here’s some things you can do to increase your accuracy:

For example, if you’re having a hard time using the passive, you need to review that part of your textbook and find some exercises to drill it into your head. 

Say the correct thing aloud. Lots. Sometimes I just walk around my apartment and narrate everything I see/do like a crazy person, but that’s good practice. 

Write example sentences using the grammar you’re struggling with and say them aloud too. 

There’s a bunch of cool apps that connect you with native speakers that can help correct you too! I used to use HelloTalk, I think. 

If you’re a creative soul, when I was studying for the JLPT, I took 1 grammar point and 5 vocabulary words from my JLPT study books and used them to write a 2-page short story about the adventures of ネギ, a stray black cat that smelled like green onions because she napped in an onion field. Then I had a Japanese friend check it over for me and mark mistakes. I hand-wrote them to improve my abysmal handwriting at the same time. It was really fun! I sometimes think about doing it again just for funsies.

When someone corrects you, don’t feel like your entire life is over and you’re a failure and you’ll never get it right haha. I’ve seen people fall into that hopeless mindset, and that’s just nonsense. It’s a good opportunity for learning and nothing more! Say the correct thing you’ve just been taught out loud, then write it down if you can. And, if possible, find a chance to use it in conversation asap.

How to Increase Speaking/Writing Fluency

Now this is the hard one. Especially for those learners who do not have native speakers nearby. 

I’m going to be dead honest with you. I started formally studying Japanese at uni, and I had a Japanese roommate/best friend since year one. I had a 4.0 GPA in my Japanese classes (and only my Japanese classes lol) because I was and still am a MEGA NERD about it. 

...But it wasn’t until I studied abroad in Japan my 4th year of uni that I gained fluency. 

There are a lot of things that can hold us back from fluency. An interesting thing I’ve noted is that Foreign Language is perhaps the only subject in which a student’s personality can directly affect their progress. To gain fluency, you have to go forth and speak, but if you are naturally a shy person, that is going to hinder you. If you are the kind of person who takes mistakes/failures poorly, you will be less likely to take risks and try to say harder sentences. In contrast, you can get full marks in math regardless of the above personality traits. 

I’m not saying that you have to be an outgoing explosion of a human being in order to gain fluency. But what I am saying is that you have to be willing to seek out conversations, and you have to be willing to take chances. Get out of your comfort zone. Use that new word you picked up the other day. Try to explain something that is difficult for you. 

My problem was that, while I lived with a native speaker who would have happily taught me anything I asked, her English proficiency was much higher than my Japanese proficiency. And when I struggled to say something in Japanese, I’d fall back onto English. And when she told me something I didn’t understand in Japanese, she’d repeat it in English instead of Japanese, because that was easier for us both. The same thing happened when I was in Japanese class as well. I always had the assurance that I could fall back on English.

But when I elected to study abroad in Japan for 3 months, I knew that this was my big chance. So on the host family form in the “other requests” area, I wrote that I specifically wanted a host family that could not speak English. I was setting fire to my crutches, and I was scared but excited to see them burn. 

By the end of my three months in Japan, I had gone from “Chotto matte kudasai” and needing a minute to form my reply, to “Okay, yeah I see that movie too and I liked the action scenes, but I didn’t care for the story little.” (I’ve underlined mistakes that I would have made in Japanese, to show you that I sacrificed some accuracy to obtain higher fluency.)

So, in short, the easiest and quickest way to increase your spoken fluency is to throw away all the crutches you can and use the language as much as possible. Every single day. Even if you’re just having an imaginary conversation with yourself! And like I said, there are a bunch of cool apps that connect you with Japanese people who want to learn English and you can do language exchanges with them. I had a lot of fun with those in the past. 

As for increasing writing fluency...well. That’s a tough question with Japanese, because I can type Japanese at like 100 wpm, but my Japanese handwriting fluency is at a 10/100. I can read and type at the level of a native Japanese high school student, but I can only write the kanji that 7 year old can write. That’s no exaggeration.

The big reason for that dichotomy is that my work is paper-free. 100% of my work is done on screen, so about the only time I have to write out something is when I’m filling out a form, which includes my name (katakana), address, and maybe occupation. 

If you want to increase your Japanese handwriting speed, just keep on writing. Write those little short stories about ネギ like I did, or find some writing prompts (I just started a side-blog with writing prompts yesterday btw) or keep a little diary. Make opportunities to write. 

How to Have Nice Handwriting in Japanese

Okay, full disclaimer: I am the absolute LAST person qualified to talk about this, because I have awful handwriting in Japanese. 

Unless you have prior experience with a different language that uses kanji, or you lack the keen eye of an artist, you will likely struggle to develop neat handwriting. 

Personally, I really like using this app called Japanese Kanji Sensei. It’s on Android (not sure about iOS), and if you pay just a few bucks you can make your own kanji sets and stuff. Anyways, it will show you how to write the characters prettily. It gives you a good frame of reference for what nice, pencil/pen-written characters (versus calligraphy characters). It has hiragana and katakana on it too!

I get a stylus and write out the characters on this app for the muscle memory, so my hands remember the sensation of writing a certain character. (The muscle memory is different if you only use your fingertip.) This muscle memory and repetition is how Japanese people learn how to internalize kanji as well. I really enjoy and recommend this app. I’m sure that there are others out there like it too.

Summary

TL;DR: Review your textbooks, take risks, use every resource available or make your own, and just have fun with it! 💗

[midwinterblinder]

Arranged marriage

A/N: it took me ages to get this out and I’m so sorry. Let me know what you think!

Part 6:

Tommy opens the door to his office to find Polly sitting there with a file which she, by the looks of it, has almost finished reading. “Miss Thompson’s file?” He asks as he pulls a cigarette from the case he carries with him and runs it along his lip before lighting it.

Polly nods. “She’s lived an interesting life.” She says as she finishes reading the last bit of information they could find on Y/N and her eyes follow Tommy as he walk around the desk and sits down in his chair. “Her husband was a tunneller, like you. The details about his death are a bit vague if you ask me.” She tells him as she places the file on the desk in front of him.

He hums in response as he breaths out some smoke. He half expected her to have been married to someone from the cavalry, but he remembers that even the Thompsons had humble beginnings. It also reminds him of what Matthew said in The Garrison the other day; that Y/N doesn’t do cavalry men. He wonders why that is. Tommy’s eyes move up to his aunt because he’s pretty sure she has more to say.

“She was in the war herself.” Polly tells him as she closely watches his face for a reaction and she smirks slightly when she sees a hint of surprise seep through his usually unreadable expression. “Started out as any other young nurse at the front, but by the end she was practically running the field hospital she was stationed at.” She elaborates.

Tommy nods slowly as the slight respect he already had for her after their first meeting increases. He has always respected the nurses at the front. Those women faced the horrors of the war without ever getting proper acknowledgement for what they had done. At least he had gotten some sort of acknowledgement in the form of his medals, not that he wanted them but that’s a different story. The nurses got nothing.

“There’s a lot more in there.” Polly continues. “Some of it makes me wonder if you’ve bitten off more than you can chew.” She says and she watches him place the cigarette between his lips once more as he reaches for the file. She was very impressed by what she read in the file and it made her wonder if a woman like that would be willing to live by Tommy’s rules. “Y/N Thompson is not like any other high class woman, Thomas. She has a mind of her own and she won’t simply follow your rules.”

He just breaths out some more smoke as he opens the file and starts to read. Just because Y/N is smart and a hard worker that doesn’t mean he won’t be able to control her. “We’ll see about that.”

*****

“Is he at least handsome?” Emily asks Y/N over the phone. Y/N and Matthew are in London while Emily and Jacob are back home in Liverpool. Jacob had called to talk about business, but once that was done the youngest Thompson had taken the phone from her brother to grill her sister about her future husband.

Y/N shakes her head with a slight smile at Emily’s question. The youngest of their family definitely has other priorities than the rest of them. “He is actually.” Y/N admits as she recalls Tommy’s striking eyes, fine bone structure and muscled physique. He was better looking than any other man she had ever met, even better looking than her late husband if she’s completely honest. “So handsome in fact that you might regret not wanting to marry him once you’ve seen him.” She teases her younger sister.

Emily scoffs. “I doubt that.” She doesn’t understand why Y/N is willing to marry this man, especially not now that she has managed to get some information about this Thomas Shelby out of Jacob. The things he has done are awful but when Emily said that to Jacob he told her that what the High Rip Gang does is no better, so she had let the subject go. She just hopes her sister will be somewhat happy in her life with this Birmingham gangster.

“I have to go, Em. We need to get ready for the party tonight.” Y/N tells Emily and they say their goodbyes before hanging up. “What?” She asks Matthew when she sees he’s looking at her with his eyebrows raised.

“He impressed you and you think he’s handsome.” He says with a shake of his head as he turns around to select his suit for the evening. “If I didn’t know any better I would think you’re actually looking forward to marrying him.” He adds as he picks up his clothes and makes his way to the adjoining room to get changed.

“Well he is impressive and handsome.” Y/N shrugs as she stands up and walks towards her wardrobe. “Which are qualities that are important if he is to become my husband.” She says as her eyes fall on a dress. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll fall in love with him, Matt, don’t worry.” She assures her brother by sending a smile his way, which he responds to with a nod before closing the door and giving them both some privacy to get changed.

*****

Tommy steps into the room and looks around in search of Y/N and Matthew. He’s wearing one of his best suits and certainly looks the part, but he still feels somewhat out of place in the upperclass crowd around him. He spots the Thompson siblings in a corner together and makes his way towards them. “Matthew.” He speaks up and the two turn around to face him. “Miss Thompson.” He adds as he politely nods towards Y/N.

“Tommy.” Matthew sends him a smile. “Glad you could make it.” Tommy nods in response and he sees Matthew’s eyes move to something behind him. Y/N sees it as well and shares a look with Tommy, but he still finds her hard to read and is not entirely sure what she means by it.

“Go on.” Y/N says to her brother as she gestures at whoever is behind Tommy. Matthew sends her an apologetic look. “Go, Matt. I’m sure mister Shelby won’t mind keeping me company while you go off with the boys.” She adds.

“I won’t be long.” Matthew promises as he sends Y/N a smile before he turns to Tommy. “Keep an eye on her for me, Tommy, I don’t trust these men around my sister.” He says jokingly.

“No need to worry, Matthew, she’s safe with me.” Tommy plays along and Matthew walks away with a chuckle. Tommy’s eyes follow Matthew to a group of men and he wonders what kind of business Matthew has with them.

“Poker.” Y/N says as if she can read his mind, which only makes him feel more out of his debt than he already did in this room full of snobs. “He always goes off with them and leaves me alone to do the actual socialising that is required at these events. Sadly, my brother has a terrible pokerface so he tends to lose quite a bit of money.”

Tommy nods in understanding. “Would you like a drink, miss Thompson?” He asks and after a nod from Y/N he leads her to the bar. “A whiskey, please.” He says to the bartender before he turns to Y/N. “And soda water.” He adds as he remembers that she doesn’t drink.

“You remembered.” Y/N states as the bartender gets to work on their drinks. It doesn’t surprise her that he remembered. She’s pretty sure he remembers everything she said or did the first time they met hoping it would help him to figure her out. And she would be lying if she said she hadn’t done the same.

“Did you not expect me to remember?” He asks and the slight smile she sends his way tells him all he needs to know. He holds her gaze for a moment until they’re interrupted by the bartender. Tommy thanks him before handing Y/N her glass. “Besides, as a man who is interested in you I should remember things like that. Wouldn’t you agree, miss Thompson?”

“I would.” Y/N agrees as they walk away from the bar so they won’t be in the way of anyone else who wants to get a drink. “You might also want to stop calling me miss Thompson and start calling me Y/N, mister Shelby.”

“Then you will have to start calling me Tommy.” He says in return, which earns him a nod. Tommy watches Y/N closely as she takes a sip from her drink and looks around the room. She looks comfortable, which doesn’t surprise him because this is her usual scene, but what does surprise him is that she also seems to be very alert. He expected her to be more relaxed and he’s just about to ask if she’s expecting trouble or looking for someone when someone joins them.

“Y/N, I didn’t know you would be here tonight.” The man says as he looks at Y/N and completely disregards Tommy. “If I had known I would have worn a better suit.” He smiles as he places a hand on Y/N’s arm, and Tommy notices that he looks her up and down with an almost hungry look. He can’t exactly blame the man though, Y/N looks stunning.

“Edward, always a pleasure.” Y/N returns his smile, but she also subtly moves closer to Tommy so Edward’s hand falls off her arm. “I don’t believe you’ve met mister Shelby.” She says as she gestures to Tommy, glad to have something to talk about that will stop Edward from making advances.

Edward reluctantly moves his eyes away from Y/N to look at Tommy. “No, I haven’t had the pleasure.” He says as the smile on his face turns from genuine to forced.

“Well Edward, mister Shelby here is our new business partner. Mister Shelby mostly deals in cars.” Y/N introduces him and watches as the two men shake hands. “Tommy, this is Edward Russell. We take care of some of his international business.”

“Among other things.” Edwards smirks at Y/N. Tommy notices that she seems somewhat uncomfortable. She hides it well, but he can tell that she’s a little more tense than before Edward joined and he’s glad that he’s finally able to read her a little.

“It’s nice to meet you, mister Russell.” Tommy says and he figures he should slip into his role, so he leans slightly towards Y/N to show Edward that he’s not the only one that is interested in her. “So you work with Matthew?” He asks in order to keep the conversation going.

“When we do business on my property it’s Matthew that stops by, but at the Thompson office I work with both him and Y/N.” Edward says as his eyes move to Y/N once again. “I keep telling Y/N she should come and see my factory because I’m sure it would impress her, but she always seems to have other business to deal with.”

Tommy nods and Y/N sees an opening. “I actually went to Tommy’s office in Birmingham earlier this week.” She says before she takes a sip of her drink to hide the smile that threatens to spread across her face when she sees Edward clench his jaw in jealousy. “It was impressive to see how he manages such a large operation.” She adds as she looks up at Tommy with an impressed look on her face, which causes Edward to frown.

“I thought you didn’t visit factories of partners?” Edward can’t keep the harsh undertone out of his words, clearly showing his annoyance. Tommy has to admit that he quite enjoys the fact that he’s already getting under this man’s skin.

“Well, I usually don’t.” Y/N says with a brief glance to Edward before she looks at Tommy again. “But we’ve been working so closely with Tommy and I heard so much about his work, that I just had to see it for myself.” She adds with a smile towards Tommy.

She’s very good at this. If he didn’t know it was fake, Tommy would have believed she was actually interested in him. But he knows how to play this game as well, so he returns her smile. “You’re welcome back anytime.” He mutters it soft enough to make Edward believe it’s only meant for Y/N’s ears, but loud enough for the man to hear.

Y/N’s smile widens as she hears the words roll off Tommy’s lips. Her eyes are locked on his and she sees a slight glint in them, which she is sure is reflected in her own. Their plan has officially been set in motion.

Taglist: @annabethgranger123 @biba3434 @haphazardhufflepuff @urbankaite2 @lovemissyhoneybee

[wrenhyperfixates]

Of All the Places

Chapter 3

Pairing: Loki x reader Series Summary: Washing up in a small town in Oklahoma was definitely not part of Loki’s plan when he came to conquer Midgard. There is one good thing about it, though: No one recognizes him as the one who just wreaked havoc in New York. So, Loki plans to recover from the battle and move on with his life. The only problem? He’s not sure he can leave you. Chapter Summary: Loki battles with new thoughts and feelings as time goes on. While trying to convince himself to leave, he does his best to stop his growing connection to you and Matt. Chapter Warnings: some angst, but also fluff A/N: Third chapter done! For anyone wondering about James, there’s some more information on him in this chapter. And for anyone who saw that other post, this isn’t the super long chapter yet, sorry! Updates every Friday. As always, hope you enjoy :)

Tag List: @lucywrites02 @frostedgiantfavs​ @lunarmoon8​ @twhiddlestonsstuff​

✥ Start at Beginning ✥ | ← Previous Chapter | Next Chapter →

Disclaimer: Gif not mine

One week later, Loki was ready to leave. At least, that’s what he kept telling himself. He’d done his best to keep his distance, and yet he kept getting roped into conversations with you. Surely, though, that was wholly due to your persistence and in no part because he was drawn to you. And this family breakfast he was at yet again? Simply because he was addicted to pancakes. It had nothing to do with you, or your family, or your kind eyes. Okay, maybe it had the tiniest bit to do with your kind eyes. The way you looked at him was like nothing he’d ever known before. Frigga had always done it with a gentle love, but it was always reserved and hidden behind a queenly mask. With you, he could see every thought that passed through your mind reflected in your eyes. He shouldn’t have enjoyed being seen as a bird with a broken wing, but the care you gave him was something he quite liked.

“Hey,” you whispered, nudging him in the side as the rest of the table laughed at something. “You ok?”

“Yes. Just lost in thought I suppose.”

“I hate to interrupt,” Mama curtly interjected, “but whispering at the table ain’t polite.”

Ah, now if Loki was looking for a reason to leave, he could certainly find one in Mama. Though you’d been the one to start the hushed conversation, she was looking pointedly at Loki as if he was the instigator. Then again, she acted like every bad thing that happened since his arrival was his fault, even things he had no control over. Maybe spiting her by staying was reason enough for his delayed departure.

“Sorry,” you said before he could deliver a withering insult. “It’s my fault.”

Mama just made a little humming noise in reply that obviously showed she neither blamed you nor appreciated you taking the fall. In the time that Loki had been at your farm, she either avoided him like the plague or dealt thinly veiled insults his way. It was grating on his nerves, but there wasn’t much he could do bar revealing himself as an all-powerful god. Or leaving. That was always an option, he reminded himself.

“Son, I’ve been meaning to tell you,” Papa started, ignoring the tension like always, “I’ve misplaced that dang camera again. I’ll find it again soon though, don’t you worry.”

Little did he know, that camera’s disappearing act was entirely due to Loki’s magic. He’d hidden it around the house a number of times, never anywhere too outrageous as to avoid suspicion. Perhaps this time he’d just keep it in a dimensional pocket. Or let Taffy knock it over. Maybe if it was broken, you’d give up on the missing person ad idea. He’d worried that you would just use your phone cameras instead, but Papa was convinced that the quality would not be good enough.

“It is quite alright, sir. Your hospitality is more than enough. In fact, I really ought to be on my way soon,” he finished, throwing a glance at you to gauge your reaction, feeling an odd spark of happiness when you sank down in your seat.

“No!” Matt cried. “I don’t want you to.”

He crossed his arms as if that solved everything. It did, however, soften Loki a little. As it turns out, he was very fond of the little guy. On Asgard he’d never had much time to spend with children, but it seemed like he had inherited his mother’s natural ability to be good with them. Inherited is the wrong word, actually, he bitterly thought to himself. She’s not your real mother, after all.

“Matt, if he wants to leave, we really should let him,” Mama scolded, with an almost hopeful expression.

“Actually, I do not see why I shouldn’t stay a bit longer,” Loki said, flashing a false grin at the woman. “There really is no rush, I suppose.”

“Yeah,” she muttered. “No rush.”

“Well, Loki, since Matt has taken to you so well, maybe you’d like to watch him this afternoon?” Ana asked, pretending she didn’t hear Mama’s latest remark.

“It would be my pleasure,” he responded, surprised by the sincerity of that statement.

The family had still been avoiding giving Loki strenuous tasks, believing that he was just incredibly good at hiding his ailments. To keep up appearances, he pretended to have a particularly bad ache or pain every once in a while. Whenever he did, you’d instantly appear at his side and usher him to a seat. He’d try to get up, but you would tell him to stay put in your best stern tone, which he found rather adorable, though he’d never admit it. Then you’d fetch him a glass of water and watch over him for the next hour, or until you decided he was well enough to get up again.

Fifteen minutes later, it was time to start the day and everyone helped clear the table. Your family had made the process as efficient as possible. Mama and John would bring the dishes to Papa in the kitchen, who would hand them to you to put in the dishwasher after rinsing them off. Ana and Matt would put away all the leftovers and toppings from whatever had just been on the menu. Loki helped out where he could, but most days everyone besides Mama insisted he should take it easy, that he could help when he was fully healed. It was odd, he realized, that you were all planning on him being around that long. He felt that familiar, nagging, guilty feeling he’d been getting ever since he arrived. He was not a fan.

By the time Ana and John were ready to leave, Loki had already collected the eggs, the only daily chore he was given, and was ready to watch Matt. It was only as the boy was hugging his parents goodbye that Loki realized he wasn’t really sure what to do with the child for the next few hours. He was thankful that you seemed like you were planning on sticking around, too. It did make sense, he supposed, that they hadn’t completely trusted the boy with a near stranger.

“Aren’t you healthy, mommy?” Matt asked, clinging to Ana’s leg as she tried to get away. “Why do you have to go to the doctor?”

“Because you’re going to have a little brother or sister soon,” Ana explained in a sweet tone as she gently pried her son away. “Mommy and Daddy have to go to the doctor to make sure the baby is healthy.”

Loki’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. He had not yet realized that Ana was pregnant. She must not have been very far along because she wasn’t showing much yet. Though, now that he knew to look, the god could see a small baby bump. Based on Matt’s reaction, he was already aware that he’d have a sibling soon, but he still couldn’t quite grasp the concept of everything that went along with that.

“Will you be back soon?” Matt questioned, finally giving up his efforts to keep his parents where they were.

“In the blink of an eye, small fry,” John said, placing a kiss on his head.

That seemed to satisfy Matt, who wandered over to Loki and put his arms up, clearly looking to be picked up. He hesitated for a second before scooping up the boy. It wasn’t that he was afraid of dropping him, in fact he was sure he wouldn’t, but he’d never held a child before. Up until a few days ago, he wasn’t sure he even had the slightest inkling how to be nurturing. And then there was the whole problem of Matt becoming too attached. Not to mention the way you looked at him when he did held him. That soft gaze was a problem for sure.

“Alright,” you said once Ana and John were gone. “What do you want to do, buddy?”

“Hide and seek!” he shouted. Then he put his small, chubby hands on Loki’s cheeks and used his most serious tone. “You’ll never find me. I have the best hidey spots.”

Loki let out a nervous chuckle. Truth be told, he didn’t know how to play this game. When he and Thor were kids, they played run and attack, but he felt like this was probably not very comparable. Midgard was a very different place, after all.

“Just count to sixty and then come look for us. We’ll stay in the house,” you informed Loki as he passed Matt off to you. “Oh, and just shout out when you’re starting to look.”

“Thank you,” he replied, turning around to face the wall.

It was odd, he thought, that he seemed to have said thank you more in the past week than he had in the last century of his existence. He’d never meant to let himself get so bitter, but here he was stewing in that awful feeling. When the flash of anger receded, the God of Mischief realized he was face to face with a framed family tree. Highest up were pictures of couples he could only assume were your grandparents. Next line down was Mama, Papa, and their siblings. You and Ana were in the next row, and it struck him just how much you and your sister looked alike. Matt and John were there too, but the person that most captured his attention was your brother. The middle child, he guessed, since the picture was in between those of you and Ana. He gently ran his fingers over the looping gold cursive of James’s name. Loki loved a good mystery, but he needed clues and evidence to solve one. He knew next to nothing about the guy, other than that he’d been wearing his clothes for the past seven days.  

“I am starting to look now,” Loki awkwardly shouted, feeling self-conscious about seeming like he was talking to no one.

He thought he heard a small snort coming from one of the upper levels at his gawky declaration, so he headed up first. It felt odd to go rifling through things, so he mainly tried just to peer under furniture, though he did open a closet once or twice. He huffed and considered if he should venture into any of your rooms. If you weren’t there, though, he’d feel like he was intruding on something private and sacred. Hesitating with a hand hovering over the doorknob to your room, he noticed the attic hatch out of the corner of his eye. Standing still, he could hear a very subtle shuffling noise coming from above him, so either you were there, or you’d better call pest control.

As soon as he climbed the ladder, Matt started giggling, but Loki pretended he couldn’t hear. He loudly walked in between the boxes littering the floor, every once in a while dramatically peering around an old piece of furniture. It only made the laughs louder.

“Now where could they be?” he sighed in mock exasperation. “Maybe, they’re here!”

Then he jumped around the couch you were hiding behind and started tickling Matt. The boy squealed in delight and squirmed away. When Loki looked at you, he saw something shocking on your face. Admiration. It was something he’d longed for from so many people in his life, and here you were giving it so freely to him. He moved his gaze elsewhere before his mind could wander any further.

“What’s all the ruckus up here?” Mama asked, her head appearing from the door. After spotting Loki, her eyes narrowed. “Oh. It’s you.”

“We were just playing hide and seek, Mama. Don’t worry,” you said.

“Indeed. I must say, it is much fun,” Loki added, though more to annoy her than ease her mind.

“I’m sure,” she replied before taking Matt by the hand. “Come on, let’s get you something to eat.”

You shot Loki an apologetic glance as you headed out after her. Once Matt’s snack was finished, Loki partook in some coloring. He was oddly pleased to know the little boy’s favorite color was green, and you seemed fairly partial to it, too. Ana and John returned roughly an hour later, and Loki finished the day by doing chores around the farm. Another thing he’d learned about himself was that he really didn’t mind doing manual labor. Growing up in the Royal Palace Valaskjalf, he never had to lift a finger to help cook or clean or do anything much besides training and lessons, really. Now he found himself almost eager to get into the kitchen for a cooking lesson with Papa or help out in the fields, the latter of which definitely had nothing to do with showing off for you.

He’d been on his way to the kitchen that evening sometime after dinner, his infamous sweet tooth bugging him again, when he heard Mama’s hushed voice.

“I’m telling you Earl, something about that boy just don’t sit right with me.”

“Come on, honey. He can’t even remember nothing. It’s our duty to help him out,” Loki heard Papa reply as he hid just outside the door.

“He may say he can’t remember, but I ain’t buying it. We should get him out soon as possible.”

It shouldn’t bother him as much as it did, but there was nothing to stop him from feeling the sting of those words. He really should just leave; it had been his plan after all. As if they had a will of their own, Loki’s feet carried him away from the conversation, out the door, and off the porch. He never should have taken advantage of your family’s generosity. He regretted thinking about you, though, because it made his steps falter a bit. And then there was sweet little Matt. It hadn’t really hit him until now, but Loki actually enjoyed himself today. He couldn’t recall the last day he could say that about.

“I hope you weren’t going to leave without saying goodbye.”

The trickster god whirled around at the sound of your voice. He’d been too caught up in his tumultuous thoughts to notice you leaning on one of the porch’s posts.

“Certainly not,” he lied. “I just needed some fresh air is all.”

“In that case, I know the perfect place. Come on.”

You took his hand and led him away from your land. He tried not to pay attention to the feeling of your hand in his. In fact, he tried to block it out altogether, but to no avail. Eventually, you reached a peaceful creek and picked up a rock to skip.

“If I was going to leave,” he began after a few minutes of contemplative silence, “I really would be fine. I appreciate all that you and your family have done, truly, but perhaps it’s best if I go.”

“Look, I know you’re pretty much all healed up, but you still don’t remember anything. I cannot in good conscience let you out into the world like that.”

“I suppose that is fair. Your mother certainly does not agree with your assessment, though.”

You sighed. “If Mama’s the reason you feel you should go, please just ignore her. She means well and all, but... Well, let’s just say she has her reasons for acting this way,”

Loki said nothing but raised his eyebrows at you. One part of him felt bad to press you for more information, even if it was done without words. The much larger part of himself, however, was entirely too curious to not know.

“Okay, so remember when I told you about my brother?”

Loki nodded eagerly, ready to get some answers about what exactly had happened there.

“Well, he was... He was killed in an accident with a drunk driver a couple years ago,” you recounted, tearing up a little bit. “Mama had trust issues even before, but they’re much worse now.”

“I am so sorry, darling,” Loki said, placing a comforting hand on your shoulder, but not daring to go any further than that.

He felt bad for your loss, but right now there were major alarm bells going off in his head. He’d just called you darling. It wan’t even something he’d thought about doing, it just happened. That, coupled with the fact he cared how you were feeling, had him panicking. His plan to leave after a week was already out the window, but leaving at all was becoming harder to fathom by the day.

“It’s ok,” you replied, wiping a few errant tears off your cheeks. “It was a little while ago. I’m alright now. Really.”

Neither of you said anything for a moment as he awkwardly pat your shoulder, not really certain of the correct way to comfort someone. He wanted to say something else, but he wasn’t sure what.

“I think I had a brother!” he shouted, giving in to his desire to confide in you, but his web of lies making it impossible to tell the whole truth.

“We have to put that ad in the paper then. So he can find you.”

Little did you know how awful that situation would be for everyone involved. Still, it meant a lot that you cared, especially when you’d just been saddened at the memory of your own brother.

“Maybe, but I do not seem to think we had a very good relationship.”

“All the more reason then. You never know how long you have, so you should try to make amends.”

“Perhaps.”

You lapsed into silence again, not really sure where to go from there. By now, the sun had been down for a while and a chill was settling in the air. Loki noticed you shiver and shrugged off his hoodie.

“Here,” he embarrassedly mumbled, holding it out to you.

“Oh, no. I couldn’t,” you refused. “You’ll be cold then.”

“Nonsense,” he insisted, “I will be perfectly fine.”

You reluctantly agreed and pulled it on. Though it had only been in his possession for a short time, his scent had already claimed the soft fabric. He acted like his attention was averted elsewhere, but was actually watching you out of the corner of his eye. You didn’t notice his gaze on you as you took a gentle sniff, trying to take as much of it in as possible. Sandalwood, leather and something otherworldly that you just couldn’t name, other than to call it heaven. He turned his head ever so slightly and you started sheepishly picking at your nails, hoping he hadn’t caught you. He expected to be appalled by the notion, but just found himself confused. Why would you enjoy something that was so distinctly him? Then he remembered you didn’t know the truth. That’s why he had to get out as soon as possible before he, or anyone else, got hurt.

“We should probably head back before it gets too late,” you said after a bit.

“I agree,” was all he replied.

As you walked away from the creek, he tried to leave the new feelings bubbling in him by the water, but they followed him all the way back to the house, and into his dreams that night.

[rebelsandtherest]

behold, I have arrived with a question: so I've been wondering for a while, what would Al's taste in movies be? I'm tempted to think he's a bit of a snob and can instantly spot things like crappy camera work or bad writing but then again the idea of him liking those awful cliche action flicks is also... kind of fitting. What do you think? And while we're at it, what's the case with Matt?

Hello dear! Sorry it’s taken me so long to answer this, I had an idea and needed some time to doodle!

So, I actually agree with you in both respects. Alfred has some predictable favorites, but he is also (despite popular opinion) an incredibly discerning movie-goer, and this can read as snobbishness pretty easily.

Alfred’s a pretty chill viewer going into any movie, but tends to be a harsh critic, especially of production quality. His snobbishness at its core is really just him being very spoiled by dint of his proximity to / ownership of Hollywood. He genuinely loves seeing what films other countries create, and I think he watches quite broadly. He’s easily bored, always looking for something new to divert his attention, and is fluent in a dozen languages or more, so of course he’s going to explore the international film scene on the regular. However, he always, always ends up preferring American films. It’s not a matter of patriotism; he just knows what he likes, and his people know it, too.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Alfred adores superhero flicks, action flicks (especially Tom Cruise movies), and a good 1990s romantic comedy when the mood strikes. But he also has a really refined taste for more artistic films, thoughtful and introspective pieces, old Hollywood classics, etc. If he’s allowed more than a passing moment to speak, Alfred is actually a wonderful storyteller, and it informs his taste in movies. Because of this, bad story editing and poorly executed cliches are something Alfred rolls his eyes at constantly. He loves a good cliche, but only if it’s done well, and quickly becomes impatient with directors, writers, and editors when a story doesn’t flow right.

Matthew, since you asked, shares many proclivities with his brother, and generally enjoys Hollywood flicks, but the twins differ in several ways. Unlike his brother, Matthew is an absolute sucker for political dramas, and can also stomach horror better than his brother. Matthew is much more in tune with the indie film scene than Alfred. He doesn’t mind so much when the production value is low, so long as the heart and the writing is there, and firmly believes that indie directors come up with more interesting ideas than the big Hollywood types. He loves experimental films, and will watch homemade films by new directors because he knows that, in a few decades, they could be the Next Big Thing. 

Matthew is also a connoisseur of the one genre of film that will, without fail, every single time, manage to fry Alfred’s brain to a crisp: surrealism. Surrealist film is at it’s core a very European film genre, and was particularly shaped in France. Matthew loves surrealist films. Alfred cannot handle them. Once in a while, the brothers will have a movie night together, and Alfred always regrets it when he lets Matthew pick what they watch:

(The movie they’re talking about is Luis Bañuel’s 1962 El ángel exterminador (The Exterminating Angel), if you’re curious. And yes, there are goats.)

Hope that answers your question!

[glossyeon]

white || nyt

*All credit goes to the creators of these images*

—moodboard.

𝙋𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜: Christmas Present Store Worker!Yuta x Reader

𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨: Fluff, Profanity

𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩: 2k

𝘼/𝙉: Please have a safe and Merry Christmas! If you don’t celebrate it, then I wish you a happy holiday! Thank you for reading and enjoy❤️🎄

𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙮:𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘌𝘷𝘦. 𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘺, 𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘑𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘰𝘶𝘵.

Let’s cut the bullshit and describe how it felt on this Christmas Eve. It was snowy and fucking cold. There’s no other way to describe walking through the piles of snow that had accumulated since the early morning. It was exhausting, freezing, and ruining your new boots from Saks fifth.

Irritated that your half price shoes were soaked, you were also at fault for leaving a present for your childhood best friend Chan last minute. The Christmas holiday season was the same each year, filled with stress, back pain, and an empty bottle of red wine. However, you always found time to take care of those around you. From your loveable yoga instructor Sowon, to the partially deaf but very kind Mr. Hwang who took care of your apartment complex’s plants, you believed that everyone in your life deserved a bit of love on Christmas.

so it’s a complete bullshit excuse to say that you “forgot” Chan’s present. Chris is your childhood friend who's seen every side of you from grade 5 till now. You were closer than most childhood friendships, and treated each other like real siblings! Hell, y’all even had a shared Uber eats account and that is saying something...

Anyways, back to this shitshow. So you’ve been walking for about an hour now, trying to find this holiday present store that your coworker Johnny recommended you find. Something along the lines of Hashimoto’s Christmas Emporium or something like that. The name was questionable, considering that an autoimmune thyroid disease is not a very joyous name. 

Just as you're about to give up and leave the almost empty plaza, you find yourself standing right in front of a huge wooden sign. It stands in your way, not letting you go any further. Giving the sign a quick glance of disinterest and walking around it, your head snaps back to take another look when you realize what it was. Fog filled the air as you read the name of the store out loud.

Nakamoto’s Christmas Emporium! - All your Christmas gift ideas and needs in one place! 

You breathed a sigh of relief, looking further into the store windows to see what was inside. The store itself along with its merchandise was beautifully displayed, matching perfectly with the holiday festivities. Catching your attention with all the toy trains, peppermint toffees and bright red gift wrapping papers, one very handsome man at the front desk also caught your attention. Sure his reindeer headband was absolutely adorable, and his white turtleneck outfit was doing wonders for his toned figure underneath, but it was all accentuated with his warm and approachable aura. His smile and cheerfulness towards a mother and her little daughter at the checkout desk also only made you swoon even more. Shaking yourself of this trance you were in, you reminded yourself of the main reason why you visited. determined not to leave without the perfect present for Chan... and maybe even the phone number of that ridiculously good looking man.

Stepping into the wooden floorboards of the store, the first thing you did was smile and reminisce the familiar smells of Christmas. Candy canes, wrapping paper, and warm cocoa scents filled your nose and made your body warm with happiness.

With the ring of a bell signalling your presence, Yuta looked up to see all that evident on your face. Your eyes lit up in fascination and wonder, walking through the small but giant emporium with your eyes glued to the wondrous decorations. The tall shelves of Christmas socks, toys, and sweets made you quickly realize that this store wasn’t like the others in the distillery disterict.

Yuta gently smirked at your reaction and proceeded to eye your every movements, still not breaking away from his current conversation with his coworker Jinyoung. Making your way through the now almost empty shop, you found yourself at the back of the store where the speakers and headphones were. Yuta’s affiliation with you eventually made him just walk away from the conversation, leaving a very confused jinyoung by himself. and then rolling his eyes when he saw what was happening between you two.

Chris always had a passion for making music, so you decided that some good quality headphones would help him a lot. As he was starting out as an aspiring new artist, you looked around for the pair of Beats that Chan had been eyeing. All while in awe of the large spectrum of inventory they had.

“what does this place not have?” you thought continuously.

scanning the wide selection, you spun your head around when a delicate voice came from behind. 

“need any help?”

You locked eyes with the same man from earlier and this time again, all you could do was stare. He was even better looking in person, smiling with kindness and a spark evident in his eyes. blushing shyly, you replied back. “just looking for a present for a friend” you looked down again, avoiding his eyes but not failing to catch his name tag. It read out the name of Yuta. 

As if reading your mind, Yuta introduced himself, recommending a set of headphones as he did. “I think your friend will like these'' he motioned towards a set of rose gold ones with pink diamonds on the sides. Thinking that Chan had been a girl, you swear you almost choked on your breath right then and there. Just the thought of your male friend’s reaction to such a gift, you laughed loudly before covering your mouth in embarrassment. Yuta looked down at you, smiling at your cuteness and brows furrowing in curiously.``It’s just... he’s this childhood best friend who I’ve known forever, and knowing him he would be absolutely starstruck at such a... feminine style.” You explained trying to find the right words. 

Yuta’s eyes widened in realization and he half awkwardly recommended a sleek matte black pair. “I think these might suit him better, don’t you think?” he grinned and looked for your reaction. You nodded and laughed “much better. What’s the quality like?” Yuta glanced from the pair of beats in his hands to your expression. Taking this as his chance, he gently placed them on your head, taking his chance. You looked up at him in surprise, staring into his eyes. 

It was only when the familiar lyrics and medley of White by TVXQ played, that you stopped to properly look at Yuta. You loved this song, and the quality was promising. But in that moment, all you could focus on was Yuta alone.

His eyes crinkled as he smiled widely, admiring you just the same. “You tell me” he said smirking. 

Pulling them off your ears and breaking out of your trance, you quietly said, “I’ll take them”. All while never breaking eye contact. He hummed in satisfaction and led you to the front of the store. “Come with me” he smiled. 

You could say that Yuta’s voice was like soft, smooth honey. Laced with such care and consideration, you were practically at your knees and enraptured with blinding love. 

At the front desk as well, Yuta helped you with the checking out and packaging for Chan’s gift. It was the small things that you noticed about him, which made you smile. The way he bites his lip in concentration when wrapping the present, determined to leave a good impression. Or how he doesn’t miss the chance to say Merry Christmas and a good night to his colleagues leaving. These smaller things made you swoon over and over.

“And that” he stated with a satisfactory huff, “is your present! thank you for visiting and have a safe travel” he grinned. “Oh and a Merry Christmas!” he added. You smiled and said the same, making your way to the entrance of the store, but still hesitant to not leave just yet. 

Clutching the perfectly wrapped box in your hands, you quickly turned around, dreading a rejection to the coffee date you were about to ask. 

“Yuta-“

All of a sudden, you slipped on the wet and snowy floor near the glass door, losing balance and falling forward into the hands of... Yuta himself?

He too had also been hesitant to ask you out on a date, worried that such an amazing girl like you would reject him. But at the same time as you were about to do it, he had already made his way from the cashier to behind you. Instead of reaching out and tapping you on the shoulder, he luckily caught you from falling.

Chans present went high in the air, as you shrieked and slipped in the puddle  by the door. Next thing you knew, Yuta’s hand was holding your waist securely, while the other thankfully catched the box of expensive beats. Your arms instinctively found themselves to wrap around his neck, trying to not fall off balance.

After catching you, Yuta breathed a little heavily, chest moving up and down before he asked you if you were alright. Now you two were closer than before, intimately sharing this moment in the store alone. Shoppers and most workers went home to share the remaining last moments of Christmas Eve, while here you were filming a dramatic soap opera “I’m alright sorry about tha...'' your words trailed on, softly taking the time to look at his face better. His breathing was right beside yours, and he smelled like all the best things about Christmas. Chuckling and sighing in relief that you were okay, he warned you to be a bit more careful. 

“Don’t want you getting hurt” he said bashfully, rubbing the back of his neck as you pulled yourself apart from him. Clearing your throat, you straightened your hair and outfit embarrassingly with huge humiliation. “Sorry it’s the boots” you explained, cheeks reddening. Yuta only smiled and chuckled. Noticing that he still had your present, you reached out and began. “here let me hold this”Your hands wrapped around the edges, but Yuta didn’t budge. He looked you straight in the eyes and confessed what he had wanted to say since the moment you walked in.“I think you’re beautiful” he said softly. His expression changed and he as well started to redden. “Would you like to meet up sometime?” 

You were shocked. In disbelief. “Me?!” You asked, pointing to yourself and looking at him as if he had asked the most absurd question in the world. “w-why would you want to do that?” you questioned in confusion. Why would Yuta want to ask you out on a date after catching you from being an idiot?Yuta laughed out loud this time, but moved closer and closer through each step he took. Then his hand came down against the wall beside your head. This was happening. His confidence lingered a bit on you as you didn’t break eye contact through each backwards step you took. Before you knew it, your back was against the entrance door and Nakamoto Yuta was less than a few centimeters away. Fingers clutching the ribboned box, your heart felt like it was about to burst from the tension. “I like you. I’ve only met you tonight and I don’t even know your name but I like you. And I really really want to go out sometime if you’re free.” he said quietly, scanning your expression. You looked up at him with wide eyes and quietly whimpered.

“I’m Y/N”.

Reaching out a small hand to shake and a wide smile, Yuta smirked and returned the hand. “Want my number?” you asked, taking out a pen and looking for a piece of paper in your purse. Yuta shaked his head and stopped you from searching anymore. “You can write on me if you want” he suggested coyly. You laughed and began tracing the digits to your phone number, not even aware of the gaze that Yuta was giving you. 

Looking up you flashed one of your signature smiles and slowly reached up on your tippee toes.

*peck*

Giving Yuta a soft peck on his lips, you replied. “Call me!”. you opened the door and practically jumped in excitement on your way home. 

Chan was gonna like this story…

(Copyright 2020 © Glossyeon // all rights reserved)

[queenofbaws]

for the ask game - what about B and N ?

b - a pairing you initially didn’t consider but someone changed your mind

okay. okay. so. bear with me. we’re going back in time just slightly. once upon a time, in a land not so far away, there was someone named @malum--in--se who got me to ship vriska<3eridan. (if you’re not a homestuck, this will mean. so little to you, my friends, and i am sorry) but we had a little rp going, we started with vriska<3<eridan (because i mean like, obvs), but LO AND BEHOLD. by the time we were done, i think we were two of the most gung-ho vriska<3eridan shippers this side of the mississip’. i still think about those two being red. i still love them being red.

n - name three things you wish you saw more of in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice)

aw man, for ud, i’d LOVE to see more dr. hill content...like, i know, i know, he’s...he’s not the kind of character you make content for. i do RATIONALLY get that. but MAN. love that spooky old psychiatrist!!!

LOVE TO SEE BETH GET MORE ATTENTION TOO, would love that FOR SURE. maybe it’s just because of how much i love the version of her that lives in MY head, but i feel like she gets so overlooked and that’s an absolute shame.

but mostly - and i mean this one from the bottom of my heart - would like to see more of matt getting hugged. i feel like if i had the ability to draw, i would mostly just draw matt getting some QUALITY HUGS because he DESERVES them after the night he had and also like. i would like to hug him very much, so. more hugs for matt taylor 2k21.

fandom asks!