#such a welcome change from the past where it was like. okay you've made an A and worked your ass off

[randomshyperson]

Baby, I'm Yours - Wanda Maximoff Oneshosts

Summary: The Avengers gain a new member, and Wanda Maximoff mistakenly assumes she has gained a rival instead of a friend. Or the one where Wanda has a crush that she doesn't know how to deal with. [Requested]

Warnings: really fluff, enemies to lovers, some kissing and a lot of teasing, avengers being a family, emo!Wanda and her first gay crush. | Words: 4.564k

A/N-> This was requested a while ago and I used it as practice for a winter soldier!reader idea that I had. Idk if I would ever make a series out of this idea, but it was fun to write this reader.

General Masterlist | AO3 | Wattpad

-&-

Seven months after she joined the Avengers, someone else did too.

Unlike her, Sam was extremely excited by the news, he woke up early and somehow managed to convince Vision to join him in the welcome. 

Wanda would have skipped the interaction - She only went to get breakfast and intended to spend the rest of the training-free day filled with interactions between the team, hiding in her room and watching old TV shows. But as soon as she noticed the little witch sneaking around the kitchen trying to go unnoticed by Sam's excited theories about who the new avenger would be, Natasha whistled and called out to her.

"Good morning, Maximoff. Do you intend to welcome our new colleague in pajamas?" The widow asked, hiding a teasing smile behind a cup of coffee. 

The question already implied what Wanda had feared, and made her sigh. "I didn't know I was expected to take part in the welcome."

Nat grimaced softly - she seemed to be finding the whole thing very amusing.

"What an idea, Maximoff, of course you are! We were all there waiting for you when it was your turn."

She forced a smile, resisting the urge to snap back something bratty like "Thor wasn't". Deciding she had no reason to argue with Natasha, she busied herself with preparing some toast and pouring herself some tea.

When Sam suddenly tapped on the counter, everyone looked at him.

"I got it!" he declared excitedly. "I bet the new guy is Spider-kid!"

Nat frowned. "Who?" and then chuckled to the Falcon's obvious disappointment.

"Come on, the colorful vigilante who keeps throwing webs around? How come you've never heard of him?"

Assuming a thoughtful expression for a moment, Nat flipped through the newspapers on the counter before clicking her tongue on the roof of her mouth.

"Ah, I think Tony's got his eye on that one." She says. "But, no, Wilson. The new recruit isn't the spider. And there's no point in giving me that look, as I won't spoil the surprise."

It looked like the subject was ending - at least that Sam was going to give up. It wasn't long before the rest of the team showed up for coffee, and Wanda mumbled a few good mornings back quickly before making her way to her own room, to change into something more presentable than fluffy pajamas.

But on the way to the bedroom, from one of the glass entrance doors, Steve Rogers appeared and he was accompanied.

"[...] Come on, we're early, they must still be having breakfast." Commented the older Avenger, busy taking off his coat, it took him a moment to notice that Wanda was in the hallway. She was staring, probably. "Oh, good morning, Wanda. I want you to meet someone."

But Wanda already knew you, straight from the television. And from the Shield's files of potential Avenger-level threats. 

So maybe that's why when Steve said your name, patted you on the shoulder and you held out your hand for Wanda to shake, she just stared.

"Okay, not a handshaker." You mumbled awkwardly, lowering your arm. "You're Wanda Maximoff, mind reader and former enemy, right? I didn't expect the shock, given the circumstances."

"Hey, easy." Steve grumbled at your aggressiveness, giving your shoulder a gentle squeeze. Wanda narrowed her eyes at you, but you didn't look too intimidated, your posture relaxed and your hands in the pockets of your leather jacket. "That's in the past. We're all friends now. Aren't we, Wanda?"

With some resistance, she eventually forced a smile and tried to relax her posture. She sighed and nodded. "Of course, Steve. It's nice to meet you apart from the news, Miss Barnes. Should we wait for your brother to join us or does he still have Interpol on his back?"

You chuckle dryly. "Listen here, you-"

"Okay, enough." Steve interrupts, pulling you by the shoulders and giving Wanda a disapproving look. He also whispers that he'll have a talk with her later, but the witch turns away, dragging her feet back into the bedroom while you and Rogers head in the opposite direction.

On the way to the kitchen, you mutter: "And here I thought superheroes were polite."

The soldier chuckles briefly. "You tried to blow up the White House, you can understand the hesitation. Now come on, we've got the rest of the team to shock." 

It had taken her hours to see you again, not that anyone had asked her opinion, but Steve had put you in the room next to hers on the justification that it would be good for the two of you to have someone close in age to pass the time.

Wanda grimaced and reminded him that you were about 150 years old. Steve chuckled.

"Technically, yes. But she spent almost all that time on ice, so she was only really around for less than 20 years. Can you please try to be friendly? You have more in common than you might think."

Wanda begrudgingly agreed to be the one to give you a tour of the tower. And so she could also discover that she was apparently the only Avenger who was hesitant about your presence on the team.

She knew your list of skills off the top of her head, but still wondered if you could read what she was thinking when you added; "Your hesitation is totally fine, Maximoff. It must be hard to share the podium as the team's coolest person, but you get used to it."

She chuckled awkwardly at the compliment mixed with teasing at the end of the tour. You offered her a farewell wink, thanking her for the favor before muttering that you needed a shower after several hours of driving. You disappeared to your own room before Wanda could come to a coherent conclusion as to why her heart was racing inside her chest.

Perhaps she was having a panic attack? 

Wanda turned on her heels and made her way to Bruce's lab. A quick check-up would clarify things.

While assuring her that she didn't have a chronic arrhythmia, Bruce also - under the influence of Natasha and Tony - diagnosed her with something very common to teenage patients: a crush.

"Did you consider Miss Maximoff, that perhaps, you may have just liked her?"

She did not take this very well. 

"What? That's ridiculous! I'm not even gay!" Bruce looked up from the normal results of the cardiology test she had demanded and offered her a small smile.

"All right, Miss Maximoff, maybe I made a mistake. You're probably just anxious about your return to action next week." The doctor suggested and Wanda stood up from the lab chair with an impatient huff.

"That's definitely it." She assured him, not wasting any more time on Bruce and his absurd theories after thanking him for the tests.

After such an unfortunate situation, Wanda began to avoid you. It was the most viable solution when someone caused her to have irregular heartbeats, sweat or tremors. Perhaps she was allergic to you.

Obviously, she should keep her distance.

But it seems that the team had other ideas.

"Barnes and Maximoff, you're together. No gloves, come on." Natasha arrived at the gym announcing, an iPad with the training schedule in hand. Wanda, who had spent a good few weeks with the successful plan of interactions limited to greetings, nearly had a stroke. At least her partner, Sam, was keen enough to hold off his punch before it got to her. Wanda hadn't even heard his comment about her getting distracted in a fight and her feet were moving towards the mat, her eyes quick to notice your breathless figure removing the fighting gloves you had been using on a practice dummy for the last few minutes.

"Let's see if training with Wilson has taught you anything, Maximoff." You commented with a smile that made her stomach jump. Something about your sweaty, panting appearance was making her dizzy. 

The rest of the team spread out on the edges of the mat, interested to see the exercise, and it was only Natasha who came up to you to lead the whole thing.

"Start with the basics, I want to see Wanda's reaction time." The widow explained, squeezing the two of you on the shoulder. Before turning away completely, she raised a finger in warning to the younger brunette. "And no magic tricks, Maximoff. Even if you're losing."

Wanda smiled, rolling her eyes. Only once had she done that to Natasha and it seemed the widow would never let that story die.

Before the whistle blew, you looked her in the eye. "I'll take it easy on you, little witch." You whispered teasingly, and Wanda felt something burn in her lower belly. She also decided that she had to win because she had to get that smirk off her face.

It was an easier task than it looked - and it was all down to the fact that if there was one thing Hydra had taught her well, it was to exploit weaknesses. 

And yours was to care about her. Every hesitation in your movements, your awareness of the super-soldier strength that could hurt her, made it very easy for Wanda to exploit it, slip away, and dodge all your blows. And there was something else too; a soft choke in your breathing every time she got too close, tangled up between one move and the next. The way your ears turned three shades redder when she managed to knock you over and landed on your chest. 

"Wow, Maximoff really is kicking your ass." taunted Sam from the corner of the room, grinning at Barton and Nat.

You didn't seem to mind, licking your lips as you took a second look at the position Wanda now found herself in; sitting on your hips. 

She did, however, give you an annoyed look. "Don't hold back, I can take it." 

"I'm sure you can, little witch." You retorted ironically, leaning yourself fully back onto the mat. 

Wanda grunted angrily, then grabbed the collar of your blouse. "Fight for real! I don't need you to take it easy, I can handle it."

The disarming was so quick that she barely had time to blink - one second she was on your hips, the next her back was pressed to the mat with her hands pinned to the side of her head.

Your body on top of hers, pressing her to the floor, made her choke.

For a moment, as your dilated eyes descend to her mouth, you also seem to forget what you were doing, and the audience around you.

But suddenly, you let go; a dry, humorless laugh escaping you as you stand up. And you turn to Nat as if you hadn't just dropped Wanda on the mat.

After ignoring you for weeks, she thinks she deserves it.

"Her fight is decent, so I think we had enough."

Nat raises an eyebrow, a smile playing on her lips. "Oh, are you the one deciding on the training now, Barnes?"

You smile briefly before retorting; "Come on, everyone knows she's not punching her way out of fights when she can use the energy tricks. It's a waste of time making the girl train like a soldier."

Natasha doesn't seem to agree. She follows you towards the locker room, arguing how important it is to eliminate the team's vulnerabilities, while the rest scatter around the gym, some giving up practicing to get something to eat and others going back to wrestling.

Wanda regrets sitting on the mat because in that position she can watch you at the locker room door, tugging at your training shirt, exposing a strong muscular back and a lot of skin because of the sports top that doesn't do much good to hide it. 

Natasha continues to talk to you without taking any notice of the gesture, so Wanda is sure she's the problem. Her stupid brain and heart are clearly forgetting that she can't handle a crush right now. 

She doesn't even have Pietro anymore, who, as soon as he'd finished tormenting her about it, would give her advice. Because he's always had a natural talent for this kind of thing, while the last time Wanda tried to flirt with a boy, it sounded like a threat. 

She can't do this on her own. And with that conclusion, she tries to get over it. Maybe Google has some tips, or maybe, the walking computer that hangs around the tower can help.

"Vis?" 

The synthesized man took his eyes off the book in his lap when Wanda called out to him, a few days after the training session where, since being pressed into a mat by you, Wanda found herself unable to think of anything else. 

"Hello, Wanda." He greeted her gently, closing the pages and waiting for her to approach.

"I need your help with something."

"Oh, what would that be?"

Wanda pressed her lips together, her hands restless in front of her body. "Would you be able to tell me the most efficient way to... get over someone?" Vision frowned in surprise, and Wanda sighed. "Someone we shouldn't like. Definitely inappropriate."

Vis opens her mouth, still in shock at the whole thing, but it's someone else who speaks;

"What's definitely inappropriate?" Tony asks, and Wanda thanks the gods he didn't hear the first part. 

"N-nothing!" Rebuts the witch quickly, the color of her cheeks probably giving her away. Stark looks at her suspiciously, then at Vis.

"Okay, what are you two love birds talking about?" The Vision would have blushed if he could. He gets visibly embarrassed, smiling shyly.

That's great as if Wanda needed one more extra thing to stress her out. 

She can barely contain her grimace at the nickname, but Tony doesn't bother; Vision is at least quick to change the subject, and surprises Wanda with his ability to lie very well. 

"We were just commenting on how inappropriate General Ross's accusations were at the last meeting." And that's enough to distract Stark.

Wanda practically flees the scene after that. For a long moment, she had even forgotten about the tension that had been swirling around the Avengers over the last few days, precisely because your absence from the compound made her - not that she would admit it - miss you terribly. And all she could think about was inevitably you, busy on missions with Steve in search of your brother James.

With your presence increasingly rare in the Compound, Wanda hoped that the crush would go away, but every time she happened to bump into you between missions, the feelings came back with an overwhelming force, like two lovers the war kept apart. It was frustrating, to say the least. Especially since Wanda was nothing more than a teammate. Hardly a friend.

When Lagos happened, and it was the worst thing that could possibly occur, at least Wanda had something else to think about. And this time, Ross's visit to the Compound was more than inappropriate - it was final.

Accords and fights between the team led to an unbearable situation. With half of her colleagues out for meetings with the United Nations, Wanda was still grounded at the Compound, waiting for news.

She didn't expect you to be sneaking around.

"You shouldn’t be here." That's the first thing she says as she fully opens the bedroom door you left ajar. Wanda could lie about being your fault that she found you, when in fact she had become an expert at sensing your aura over the last few weeks, the ability to just know when you were around, perfecting itself every time you two met.

You chuckle, without diverting your attention from the task of filling your backpack with as many things as you can squeeze inside. Wanda had the impression that many of the items you came to collect in your room were old presents; everything the others had gotten you over the last few holidays. Things that were precious.

"I'm aware. I won't be long." You retort, folding some socks together to put them away in the closet.

Wanda should call Vis - he's working as a sort of watchman for the tower or something. And he was supposed to notify Tony of your presence. But instead, she closes the door.

Twisting her fingers in anxiety, she asks:

"Where are you going to run off to?"

Offering her a quick glance as you returned to your suitcase to put away some underwear that made Wanda look away, you replied; "I can't tell you that, little witch."

Wanda almost smiled at the nickname. Instead, she took a desperate step forward.

"Would you take me with you?"

Standing back, you chuckle. "Funny."

"I wasn't joking."

You leave the St. Petersburg snow globe you got as a present from Natasha on the dresser and turn with a frown to the witch behind you. "Maximoff, come on-"

"I'm serious." She insists. "Stark grounded me. Like a fucking child. “ She then chuckles sadly. “Or worse, a problem he didn't want to deal with. And I know I fucked up in Lagos-"

"Don't say that, Lagos wasn't your fault." You interrupt her with a certain determination. "You need to remember that, alright?"

Wanda smiles softly at your reassurance, looking away because her face is suddenly very warm. You sigh then grab just one more change of clothes before zipping up your suitcase.

"It's not because of the company, Wanda." You mutter suddenly, with the backpack on your shoulders. She looks at you with confusion, but you don't meet her gaze. "I just don't think it's right, everything that's happening. And I don't think we should all be fighting with each other. But that's what's going to happen from now on. If you come with me, Steve probably expects you to be choosing sides. And I wouldn't want anyone to get hurt."

Her heart skips a beat, but Wanda takes a chance;

"Anyone... or me?"

You're taken aback, but you don't lose your poise. You sighed deeply before approaching her without haste, without any hint of what you were going to do either. Wanda opens her mouth again, to apologize for being so difficult, but you muffle the statement with a kiss.

It's the first time she's kissed another girl if that isn't obvious. She melts, panting and so very shy; it's a good thing that you hold her waist, while your other hand keeps your face close by grabbing her chin gently. Wanda's lungs scream for air after a moment, but she refuses to pull away from a sensation as good as kissing you.

Something like a whimper of need escapes her when you break the act, or maybe it's the way you give her lower lip a gentle tug with your teeth that leaves her trembling, ready to beg for more.

"Sorry if that was sudden." It's the first thing you say, your voice is hoarse, and as affected as your breathing. You smile, your thumb wiping away some of the mess left by Wanda's gloss. "But I think it took us long enough."

She babbles like a fish, unable to form a coherent thought for a whole moment. You wait patiently, your hands touching her shoulders, sliding down her arms as a way of calming her. Wanda has dreamed so much of feeling you that the touch meant to ease her nerves has quite the opposite effect; every inch of skin you touch tingles.

"H-how... did you know?" she asks, and you give a short laugh.

"I didn't." You retort gently. "Not for sure, at least. Not until two seconds ago when you asked to come with me. I had this... feeling. And this tension. Every time we walked into the same room, every time we were alone. I just felt…” You can put it into words exactly, so you just take a deep breath and smile at her. “I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, that the way I felt was making me imagine things but then you came in here. Sneak out into my room and ask if you could leave this fancy tower to run away with me to fight. I just had to be sure."

Wanda bites back a shy smile, feeling the heat spreading from her chest to her face and eras, and knowing for a fact that it's only going to get worse because of the way you're looking at her.

She tries to get some ground again.

"And are you..." A sigh, as one of your hands settles on her waist. "Sure?"

You hum thoughtfully before breaking the distance, kissing her in a different way than before. It's more intense and hungrier. Your tongue invades her mouth, exploring everywhere and your hands prevent her from pulling away when the oxygen is off. Every needy sound that escapes her is muffled against into lips. 

Wanda tentatively follows the rhythm, one of her hands wrapping in your hair. Your backpack falls to the ground and you hold her tighter now, pulling her into you. It's a significant difference between a super-soldier's body and her own, and just the quick memory of you pressing her against the mat makes her moan into your tongue.

The sound makes you lose your mind - Your hands become more determined, the kiss desperate. Wanda struggles for air, exposing the collarbone that keeps you busy as she tries to catch her breath. You bite down on her skin and she arches against you, her hands becoming bold enough to scratch your back and pull up your blouse.

But you break into a husky chuckle, slowing the kiss and pulling away to remind her; "We have to go." Between one touch and the next, "We don't have time."

She needs a whole moment to force her brain to work, and even after you're no longer touching her, and she's sneaking off to her own room to prepare a suitcase, she's still shaking.

When you meet again, running hand in hand with suitcases back to the garage, Wanda is surprised to realize that she was foolish to be afraid of something as good as this. 

That is, of course, until reality hits again.

Wanda has never seen you in action as a Winter Soldier before. She saw it through television, Shield files, and testimonies about deserters captured by the Avengers.

But she was never there.

The Avengers split up and fought each other, and your brother fled with Steve Rogers. She thought you were safe on the plane with them, she made sure you got on - but she didn't see you climb off.

Wanda accepted being captured, she accepted being drugged as a security measure. And throughout the confusion that was the transportation of the Avengers in custody to the Raft, she thought she was hallucinating the whole way there. The masked figure attacking the soldiers and opening the cells was a projection of the sedative in her mind.

She only knew what had really happened, had been able to remember, when you both were already in another country as fugitives from the United Nations.

You were by her side the whole time. You held her on your lap after getting rid of the straitjacket that had trapped her and lay down next to her when there was finally a secure roof over your heads.

Wanda was exhausted. She had lost the only thing she had left; her freedom. There was no longer a home, a team, a brother. She was drugged and trapped like an animal by people she considered family.

She started crying, and you woke up. You didn't say a word or ask her to stop. You just held her and let her sob into your chest until she fell asleep again, this time from exhaustion rather than through the influence of chemicals.

When what was left of the team moved on the following day, to another location to avoid suspicion as Natasha clarify it, Wanda got the impression that maybe it was you who needed her to hold you until you went to sleep now.

Bucky didn't come back, and neither of you knew what had happened to him or Steve. 

Wanda let you cry all you wanted.

But then finally, everyone who had fought for Steve was back together. Even Clint and Scott, who would probably make deals for their families, to try to be with them, and would have to leave soon. For a moment, everyone was there and you found out that your brother was going to stay in Wakanda to be free again.

It wasn't perfect, but it was a good moment. Steve got food for everyone, you had something that resembled a Christmas, or at least an end-of-year celebration.

We're alive and safe. We're together. Steve was a man of words.

Even if they were sharing a safe house that was too small for such a group. Even if half the world was after them.

The team fell asleep between sleeping bags and sofas, and you left the trailer to get some air. Wanda went after you without thinking much about it.

"It's cold, witchy." You commented as soon as she was close enough, even though you opened your arms for her to wrap hers around you.

Your back was against Nat's truck, and Wanda pressed a little closer to hide her face in your collarbone.

"Where are you going to run off to?" She questions into your skin.

You sigh, one hand caressing her back. "I don't know." You confess quietly. "I wouldn't get to Wakanda with this, but I wasn't feeling very well in there. Having a Christmas meal without him."

Wanda adjusts her face to look at you. "Bucky needs to heal first."

You nod, giving her a sad smile. "I know, but Steve told me they put him back on ice. Until they found out what they were going to do with him. Just the fact that he's there, freezing again... " You look away, sniffling softly. "It reminds me of the past, our time as Winter Soldiers. And It makes me very sad.” You explain softly before sighing. “I know there's nothing we can do to help him now, but it's all so frustrating. I just needed to get out of there for a moment."

Wanda absorbs your words for a moment until she returns to her previous position and smiles as she feels you relax and put your arms around her. 

She murmurs; "It's a shame we can't go out there. Natasha said this place has beautiful spots to visit."

You snort slightly. "Actually, we could drive somewhere further away. Far from the city." You comment. "We can watch the Aurora Borealis."

Wanda bites her lip for a moment, considering your invitation, until she adds; "Just the two of us?"

You chuckle. "Unless you want to wake up the team..."

"No, I wasn't complaining!" She clarifies quickly, and you start laughing again. 

She taps you gently on the shoulder to make you stop. "Idiot."

"Your idiot." You hit back with a smirk, and Wanda's heart stops beating for a moment. There's a pause, between exchanging intense glances as you bring your hands to her face, adjusting her hair out of the way. "Don't forget, witchy."

She swallows dryly, her voice hoarse when she speaks: "I won't." She whispers back and you smile before pressing your lips into hers.

[moonstruckme]

I love your works! If you're willing, can you write something about tasm!Peter just like finding out about reader's sh scars? I'm not sure if you've done this already or not and I'm going through a tough time so I just really want some Peter comfort 😭. If you're not comfortable that's totally understandable! Please don't feel pressured to do this ❤️

Thank you sweetheart, I really hope your tough time is getting a bit easier or does soon <33

cw: past self-harm

tasm!Peter Parker x fem!reader ♡ 775 words

Maybe it’s a good thing that you’re comfortable enough around Peter to forget. Even though you’ve only been dating a few months, you feel (sappily) like you’ve known him for years. You just fit together. Going over to his place is like going to your parents’ house or your best friend’s; it’s already home for you, comfy and welcoming in a way that usually only comes with history. Peter feels like he was yours before you met him. 

That sense of familiarity is probably why you don’t think to be self-conscious. It’s the first day of the year that New York is warm enough to go out without a jacket, and you’re celebrating with a short-sleeved top and a skirt. Both thin and airy, perfect for the day you’ve planned at the park. Peter’s packing your lunches when you step out of the bedroom, feeling very cute. 

Your confidence is rewarded. Peter grins, mouth dropping open coyly, and whistles when you do a little twirl for him. 

“I’m gonna have to play interference between you and other guys all day,” he says, not sounding particularly unhappy about the prospect as he passes you your water bottle. “I filled this up so we have more than just soda, that okay?” 

“Good idea.” You nod, taking it and putting it in your bag. 

You look back up, and somehow your boyfriend’s mood has changed in the space of a second. A furrow has appeared between his brows, eyes stuck on where your arm brushes against the fabric of your skirt at your side. 

“What’s…” His brows twitch and he holds a hand out. “Can I see your arm?” 

You give it to him unthinkingly, an awkward sort of foreboding taking root in your gut. Peter holds it with extreme gentleness, rotating it so the delicate skin of your forearm is exposed to the light. It’s only then that you remember he might not know. His quiet inhale confirms it. 

“Sweetheart…” His thumb brushes over the scar nearest, and you can practically see his mind flashing through memories of long sleeves, dark nights in his bed, the way you’d insisted on changing in the bathroom when you’d first started staying over. 

“I’m sorry,” you say, though you’re not sure what for. For upsetting him, maybe. Even though it was inevitable. Honestly, your closeness with Peter had almost made you forget he hadn’t already seen them. He’s got to be the last person in your small circle of family and friends who hadn’t known. You’re not secretive about that part of your past. You blame it on the timing of your relationship; you’d started dating when the weather got cold, and it had just never come up. 

“You don’t need to be sorry,” he says softly, an automatic response to your chronic over-apologizing. “Can I just…can I ask when this happened?” 

“It was a long time ago,” you reassure him. “I haven’t done it for years.”��

His brown eyes flit up from your arm to meet yours. “Have you wanted to?” 

Your breath gets caught in your lungs. You hold his gaze. “Not for a while.” 

He exhales slowly, nodding. It feels odd to have your arm handled this gently. Peter’s always so kind with you, but the way he’s touching you now…it’s like he thinks the skin will break again if he’s not careful. 

“I’m sorry,” he says. 

You make a quiet, demurring sound. “For what?” 

“Just that I wasn’t there. I don’t like the idea of you hurting without me.” 

“Pete.” Your voice is gentle, chiding. “We didn’t even know each other back then.” 

“Exactly.” He releases your arm, hand moving to cup your face. “I just wish I’d known you, that’s all.” 

His eyes are soft on yours, unasking. Fond in a way that makes your throat clog. “You don’t have to worry about me,” you say. 

“I like worrying about you.” His mouth tilts upward, cupid’s bow stretching. “But if you don’t want me to worry about this, I won’t. Just…you’d tell me if anything changed, right?” 

“I would,” you say, relieved. His thumb strokes your cheek, and you lean forward, kissing the corner of his mouth. “Thanks, Pete.” 

“For what?” He echoes your question from earlier, grin widening as he ducks down to press his lips to yours again. “I love you,” he mumbles, pecking playfully at your top lip, “so much.” He plants another where your cheek dimples. “You know that?” 

“Yeah.” You push up on your toes, backing him into the counter as your hand cups the back of his neck. The hair at his nape tickles your fingertips. “Yeah, I know.”

[signedkoko]

I saw Charlie and Vaggie in your masterlist but there's no writing for them yet?? Well then I'll be the anon to change that!!

Could you do a plaronic oneshot/headcanon with Charlie and Vaggie (separately or together, whichever you prefer), where reader is the first resident at the Hotel? Think they were there before even Angel. Something about why they went there, how they get along with the others, etc. I'll leave it up to you!

Charlie X Reader X Vaggie [Platonic]

In which the two are happy to invite you to the hotel as their first resident. Reader is genderneutral.

It was an honest mistake

When Charlie was first looking for a spot, the hotel fell into her hands after being owned and neglected by the family

And in its disrepair, they needed someone who could help get it to hotel standards

That's where you came in! They saw your ad for interior design on TV once, and Charlie was quick to call you in to ask for your help

Vaggie wasn't so sure on the idea—not that you could do anything messed up—but she figured something as simple as interior design couldn't be that hard, right?

Either way, they had a lot on their hands, and Charlie was convinced hiring you would get a lot off their plate

When you arrived, you came prepared!

A huge book of samples, another with hundreds of paint colours, wood finishes, and inspiration booklets

But most curious of all, you were kind

You sat down with the two and asked all about their hotel—the first time Charlie had ever been prompted—rather than having to start first

Not only did you think it was a wonderful idea, but you offered to do the consultation free since it counted as 'charity' work

You were a self-owned company, and there was no such thing as 'charity' in hell, but you didn't need to tell them that; they seemed so full of hope

That evening, the two offer you a room to stay the night in, so you can get a feel for the vibe of the place

Unfortunately, when you awakened to several emails from your landlord saying you were being evicted for being past due, you realized you'd be on the streets

The worst part was telling them after they'd been so kind to you, and that's when Charlie offers for you to stay until you can get back on your feet

" It's okay! I mean, we can still hire you to work on the hotel, right? It's a long-term project! We can fund you until you finish! "

Besides, your prices aren't terrible, and they were already going to hire you, so why not?

It was a slippery slope from there, you helped them get all the rooms in order, helping customize as the 'first' guest, Angel, came to stay

Slowly but surely, it was assumed that you were also staying to get clean as well

Though it was called into question several times what exactly made you such a bad person in the first place?

" To be honest with you all, I was never an interior designer. "

You were just a talented scammer who lied about credentials to get a job

" Not that I planned on scamming you guys! I just, usually I'm hired by the wealthy, and you know... But I really do like interior design! I just never studied it. "

It comes as a surprise to most, but it explains a lot

In the hotel, you are closest to Charlie; who isn't! You are both creatives, and she was the one to welcome you so warmly

Vaggie is also a sweetheart, as much as she hesitates to get close to you

Though your muse is Alastor

He handles a lot of the transformative aspects of the hotel, and so you get used to making detailed maps and plans on how a certain area needs to look so he can fix it up for you

Of course, he always adds his own spin, which leaves you huffy

The only time you hadn't designed something was the mess of a bar, which Alastor insisted was 'state of the art' in his time

You let it slide, but very begrudgingly

Overall, you've become something of a 'permanent' designer for the hotel, mostly handling the customization of rooms

While your title of 'first guest' is in the air, the others still consider you such, and you do your best to stay out of trouble for Charlie

Besides, with the money you made, you're able to run your business from the hotel and can start working on getting certified as a designer!

Author's Note - I love these two! I agree, finally I can add something under their names on the list 🖤 Thank you so much for requesting!

[targaryenrealnessdarling]

It's Who We Have | Part One

Summary: Who knew the little girl in the green coat would change everything? | Word Count: 5.7k~ | Warnings below the cut!

General Taglist | Billy Washington Taglist | Series Masterlist

A/N: The coat story is based on a real story that happened to me when I was in primary school. Also the age of consent in the UK is 16, and this chapter does mention being intimate at that age. If this bothers you, you're welcome to click away. Primary School = Ages 7 to 11, Secondary School = Ages 11 to 16, Sixth Form = Ages 16 to 18

Warnings: bullying, underage drinking, angst, mentions of sexual intercourse (reader is of legal age), Billy being a general twat

It started with a rain cloud.

It was at a time when he was still excited to be in the passenger seat of his Mum's old Ford Focus. When his enthusiastic little feet still didn't touch the bottom of the footwell. His curious, wide blue eyes watched the world go by, following the shadow of the car as it zipped by the older kids, who were trusted enough to walk to school by themselves.

Year 4 was no particularly exciting year. At the tender age of 8, Billy was highly introverted, but a perpetual watcher of other people as well as his immediate surroundings.

He noticed the little things that other people didn't, like how electricity hummed in the walls of his bedroom, how the space between the grass was worn down into a man-made path and how, on the dot, every night at 8pm a man walked past his house grunting down the phone in a low baritone, swinging his suitcase at his side with every wide step.

His parents noticed how perceptive he was when he'd slip away upstairs as he heard the metal click of the gate with Lana's late return home. Knowing that an argument was about to ensue between his sister and his dad.

His mum, intent on breaking up and being the buffer between two extremely large personalities, often neglected her quiet little boy upstairs. But it wasn't entirely her fault.

Lana, a teenager through and through, intent on creating hardship wherever she happened to be with her actions and words, was incessantly butting heads with both of them.

He could hear the low rumble of thunder even over the revs of the car. His mum always drove in too low a gear.

His mum laughed lightly when Billy looked up at the dark, looming cloud hanging over his school as rain smacked against the windscreen.

"Ooh dear. Good job you've got your raincoat, eh?", she smiled, turning her steering wheel to slide into the school car park.

"What did Miss Warren say it was called?", she prodded.

Billy could barely see his mother over the high collar of his coat.

"Cum…ulo…nimbus", he recalled from memory sweetly and quietly, making his mum's crow's feet tick against her eyes as she smiled.

"There's nothing to be nervous about, darling. It's just a new school year".

His mum's soft pat on his head didn't comfort him.

Though the same people would be there, it would not be the same teacher.

Miss Warren had seen how quiet Billy was and nurtured the few words she could get out of him. He remembers her fondly. How she had curly chestnut hair that one might describe as unruly, and always had a floral scent about her when she'd kneel next to him and ask if he could recite the last sentence of his book to her.

It was the only good thing about school, he thought.

Year 3 had been difficult. He didn't do well when he was forced to socialise.

Other children had thrived in regularly seeing others. Forming friend groups, squealing with delight on the playground and the girls giggling and whispering to each other about who they were going to talk to that day.

He held his mum's hand loosely at the gate, where the headmaster was filing the children of all years and ages into the main part of the school.

She knelt beside him, zipping up his coat as the rain pelted against the concrete.

"I'll pick you up after your club, okay?" 

Billy nodded once, disappearing past the threshold of the school with a downwards gaze and a comically large bag hunched high on his shoulders.

It started with a rain cloud.

He knows now that it was silly, the reason his now best friend entered his life.

When he first saw her, she was on the verge of tears, standing to her feet and looking down at herself completely covered in mud. Her lips quivered, looking at the group of established friends with horror as they rushed away, their shoes smacking on the wet ground.

He hadn't realised he'd stopped until she took a sharp breath in, clearly trying not to cry, looking down at herself. 

Her small hands tried to push the mud off her green coat, but only served to smear it around. He could hear her shudder her breath, frustrated, and began to whine with increasing volume. Her book bag, once blue, was completely sodden.

And on top of all that, rain continued to hammer down on them, which only made her more upset.

Billy fiddled with his hands nervously, looking around immediately for an adult, to no avail. Thinking with terror, that he might have to approach her. 

It wasn't even because she was a girl. For they were at that tender age where it didn't matter. That they were just children, trying to figure out how to exist in a world that seemed brand new everyday.

He hiccuped on her own breath with tears as he stood before her.

"Are you okay?", he asked nervously.

She could only shake her head, her eyes full of fear, her face and hair completely wet through.

"My mummy's going to be cross with me", she replied feebly, looking down at her coat, though waterproof, completely smeared with earth.

At the time, Billy thought, he couldn't argue with that logic that she was so upset at the thought of what her mum would think when she came home, covered in half-dried mud, having been pushed by the rowdy Year 6's.

He also thought, that he hadn't seen her last year, and that this was the first experience she'd had in her new school. And that he, if in her position, would be no different. Snivelling and crying before they'd even taken the register.

He grimaced as he picked up her book bag, slick with earth and without thinking twice, took her cold, wet hand and led her with him to the toilets before registration started.

Billy's big eyes flitted between the signs for 'boys' and 'girls' when presented with the toilets.

He decided to spare her the embarrassment, and took it upon himself to lead her into the girls toilets, despite the heavy blush on his face.

Seeing the inside of the girls toilet, while not much different, felt utterly forbidden.

But all he could think about right now, was the little girl he'd led in, and how to make her look presentable, and to get her to stop crying.

He used what felt like a tonne of blue hand towels, wetting some to get the majority of mud off her and the rest to dry her coat, seeing the rich green colour beneath again finally.

She still sniffed quietly, rubbing her tired face and choking on her breath every now and then. He gave her one blue paper towel to dry the remnants of her tears, the tissue rubbing painfully on her skin.

But ultimately she let him help her.

And Billy couldn't remember feeling as useful to someone as he did right now.

Once her book bag was clean, he gently handed it back to her. And she finally lifted her reddened eyes to him, her lips still quivering slightly, or perhaps she was cold from the onslaught of rain.

"That's better" 

She nodded at him, looking down at herself to see her coat was now only slightly dirty.

It was almost unnoticeable, her tiny, meek 'thank you'.

He held her hand in solidarity as they entered the classroom together. Coming alight when he told her where she could hang her coat up and sitting beside her, in line with the girl, boy, girl boy rule their new teacher had put in place.

It took her a few hours to warm up to him. To everyone really.

But he saw her again the next day, his feet swinging excitedly in the passenger seat of his mum's car at the prospect of seeing her again. The clouds Billy was scarcely able to pronounce were now gone, a light grey overcast instead on the early September morning.

Her coat was clean, a bright green as it was the day before.

She still seemed nervous as he bounded up to her, his curious eyes searching hers.

"Was your mummy angry?" he asked.

She looked down at her shoes, shifting her weight, not wanting to reply.

And Billy had his answer.

He watched her lift her head to meet his eyes again, her hands wringing together nervously and her voice all quiet.

"Can I sit next to you again today?"

Billy had grown out of hand-holding by Year 6, realising that he, as a boy, and her, as a girl, were supposedly from different worlds.

But it never felt like it.

Secondary school was daunting for all Year 7's. But Billy, tall for his age and towering over everyone else, felt more self conscious than usual that he stuck out so much.

His sandy blonde hair flopped against his forehead. Another measly early September, confined to a classroom to be patronised and talked at for several hours, passing the time only by making colourful cover pages in their exercise books.

"Billy!"

He couldn't help but laugh as she ran through the school gates to him, looking quite different in the secondary school uniform than he saw her last, which now felt like a lifetime ago.

Realistically, he only saw her the other week as they walked home together from the corner shop. Then, she'd been in jeans and a jumper.

Now, in her school mandated skirt and blazer, he thought she looked more like a young lady now than ever. And briefly, it terrified him.

The prospect of getting older.

The idea that they might drift apart.

He brushed her waved tendrils from her face, exhausted from the effort of running with her cheeks all flushed, with that squishy appearance that many associated with Year 7's.

If anyone didn't know then both, they'd think they were in different years.

"Got 'em?", he asked with a lazy smile.

She rolled her eyes, rifling around in her bag, "Um, yes? When do I ever disappoint?" 

He laughed as she ripped three Starbursts from her packet and piled them in his hand, "Only three? Thought we were mates".

She gave him a look, popping one into her mouth, "You are my mate, hence why I gave you three".

They walked together, collecting their timetables for the term ahead, rolling the sweets around in their mouths.

"I don't get these room numbers", she mused, "have you got science in S27?"

"Yeah, Mr White".

"That's alright then, I'll just follow you".

"Don't follow me, I've got no clue where I'm going either".

She smiled widely, "guess we'll get lost together then, eh?"

He let out a puff of air in laughter, tugging lightly on her ponytail in soft teasing, "bad luck to be late to your classes on the first day, ya know".

"Well then they should have a map", she pouts, smacking his arm lightly.

Looking back, he wasn't surprised how close to her he felt. For as pre-teens edging that fine line into puberty, when everything is confusing, new, scary and exciting all at the same time, he saw her more often at school everyday than he did his own parents.

She was a constant.

Most days they'd walk to school, spend break times, lunch times, and even the twilight hours after together. Always chatting mindlessly about whatever teenagers did talk about.

It was difficult to address though, that the older they became, the more the powers that be were intent on separating them.

Girls and boys weren't meant to be friends.

They were meant to like each other, hold hands, blush and kiss each other.

They were meant to have different classes, teaching different things. Boys were taught how to keep themselves safe from STIs, and the girls were taught about their monthly cycles, though many of them had started already, as well as how to prevent pregnancy when they were on the cusp of exploring their intimate, sexual selves. With hormones raging so hard that they couldn't think straight.

They were separated for PE. Even in the subjects they were offered to take.

It felt like everything was against them.

And in this forced separation, Billy was then forced to make friendships in other boys, as shallow and surface value as they were.

He felt as if he'd been missing out on this part of growing up, as he sat against the wall at lunch listening to his mates harp on about mindless teenage things. Like who was going to lose their virginity next, and if their parents would find out if they found out they'd swiped a packet of fags from their mum's handbags.

It wasn't like they didn't talk anymore.

There were the summer holidays, where more often than not, he found himself on her doorstep, asking her Mum if she could come out.

And she always delighted in seeing him. Even if it had barely been 24 hours since the last time.

But with the highest of highs, came the lowest of lows. And September would inevitably roll around again.

He sometimes saw her on school grounds between classes, having done the same thing and forced herself to make a group of friends. Though it was as clear to him that she didn't have anything in common with them, and just smiled and nodded at anything they said in an attempt to not show on her face how lonely she was.

She was solitary in nature.

And when he glanced at her across the assembly room, where the foldout chairs were lined up so everyone could eat, her eyes were distantly looking at her hands clasped in front of her, idly picking at her cuticles. Her friends were turned away from her, chatting with wide smiles and booming laughter to themselves. Making plans and giggling at inside jokes, all while her sandwich laid untouched rolled in cling film in front of her.

He thought, she must have been able to sense someone was watching her, as she moved her head. But never looked at him.

While Billy's friend group stayed with the usual characters, hers evolved. And every few months it was a new cast of people.

He saw she made the effort, and really tried, but that with every passing day, her energy wavered and eventually they'd grow bored of her and pretended as if she didn't exist other than to fill the empty seat beside them.

But he still walked her home, even if she said she didn't want him to. In silence if need be.

Eventually he began to notice, more so now than ever, that she was really a woman in disguise. That she was wiser than he thought she was, more grown up. That she thought about the future ahead of her and was careful to take calculated steps in order to get there.

At the fair age of 16, Billy, his features set into crisp lines, hardened by puberty, his muscles sitting wiry on his skin and taught without really having to try, realised that he had done her a huge disservice by merely accepting this forced separation with a stiff upper lip.

That she needed someone true and gentle, honest and no-frills. Something her girlfriends were unable to give her. 

That she wanted someone to try for her friendship.

As he had all those years ago.

They began to take the long way home, through the gap in the hedges, into Cranstead Fields, the tall grass tickling their legs through their uniform.

"Are you embarrassed of me?" she asked suddenly, pulling her hair tie out. Billy's eyes ran over her loose hair for a moment before replying.

"No, why?" 

"Because we barely talk to each other in school anymore", she replied, unable to hide the bitterness from her tone.

He had to accept that her words were true. They rarely crossed paths inside the school gates, and their conversations in between were shallow and empty, void of all authenticity and emotion.

It wasn't enough to have acceptance from one teenage girl, apparently.

But he didn't appreciate being called out so callously about it.

"Yeah, well I've got my mates".

She laughed through her nose, "Yeah, saw you smoking behind the bike sheds. Gonna get you killed one day, you know".

He furrowed his brows at her, "Smoking?"

"No, your mates"

She laughed at his confused expression, "course I meant smoking, you wolly".

There was a silence between them as they brushed past the white painted lines on the field, where a football pitch had been drawn.

"I don't mind you having mates Billy. I just miss you".

"Really, cos it seems like you do mind", he bit back. And he watched her raise her gaze to him quickly, "just cos you don't have mates doesn't mean I can't".

Her lips hung in shock that he could say something so cruel.

And that he carried on.

"Do yourself a favour and do what other girls do and get a boyfriend or somethin'. Save you hanging about with me moaning all the time".

He didn't feel bad about it until the moment she disappeared past her mum at the front door of her house, intent on being away from Billy's harsh words as quickly as possible.

"Tell your mum I said hello, love", her mum smiled.

But as soon as the door was shut, even the thick double glazing couldn't muffle the loud, destructible tirade of her mum's anger.

And he felt the hot whips of panic at his neck, that he'd done and said something wrong.

And yet, despite that, never said sorry for it.

Billy thinks now that he remembers the most from this part of their friendship because the most happened.

But he realises now that it's because of guilt.

It follows you, like a kind of trauma through your life, without the repercussions of the person you've hurt.

And god, he watched her get hurt a lot.

After that, she didn't even really try. She flourished in solitude, keeping herself company wherever she could while Billy and his mates reaped the benefits of being young and dumb. 

It was also when he appeared. Like a fucking virus. Always finding people when they have their guard down and their hearts low.

Even though they were in the same year, he had this air of arrogance about him that he thought he was much older, more sensible, and could be taken more seriously.

And with the absence of Billy in her life, she accepted any chance of feeling wanted with open arms.

She wanted to feel important to someone.

Billy would never forgive himself for that.

He simply watched from afar, not realising how invested he was, more often than not from the bike sheds as the boy who was trying too hard wound his web so tightly around her it must have felt comforting for her to some degree.

To be choked by affection, to some, is a kind of affection.

After Easter break, having not spoken to her directly for some months now, Billy had realised something had changed.

The boy who had wound his web tight, seemed to do so with plenty of others too. As boys of his age were known to do.

She'd rush out of school so quickly, staring at her feet, that often she was the first one out the gates and Billy, even if he'd wanted to, couldn't keep up.

He knew where she was going anyway.

He was assured when he saw her leaning her head on her arms crossed over her knees, under the large chestnut tree at Cranstead Fields.

She heard him approach, and turned her head away, sniffling quietly.

He swallowed over the lump in his throat as he sat beside her, not speaking.

And a long, long moment passed. As if all that time apart had lessened that trust, and it would take more than a mere moment to patch it back up.

"Is it him?" he asked.

Her clothes rustled as she nodded. Her breath hiccuping in her chest the same way it did when he saw her all those years ago, covered in mud.

"What happened?"

She wiped her face with her sleeve, a bit of makeup coming loose.

"What do you think happened", she bit back, annoyed and heartbroken all at the same time.

He briefly forgot, that for girls it sometimes felt like more, like so much more, to give yourself to someone for the first time.

Only to have the trust squashed as quickly as it was to slam a book shut.

She sucked in a breath as he stroked her back comfortingly.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

After a moment, she raised her eyes to him, all red and puffy, her face all hot from crying.

And he felt his heart break for her.

Behind this girl, who was suffering in heartbreak, believing that her first love and first time had now been entrenched in misery, he caught a glimpse of the girl she had been, when they were inseparable.

He tutted, "Come here".

He bought her head to his chest softly, his hand drifting to her shoulder to encourage her to hug him, to let it all out.

And she did.

She hugged him tighter than she ever had before. 

A teenage boy part of him felt embarrassed. But another, fought to stay here like this with her.

Until eventually she said pitifully, "I don't want to go home".

And he realised that it wasn't just the boy she was upset about.

Luckily Billy's mum delighted in having her around at his, even offering that she could stay if she wanted to, as Lana was away at uni and wouldn't be using her bedroom til the summer holidays.

And though he could see his friend was tempted, she mostly refused, knowing that at some point she'd have to return home. To what version of her mum, she didn't know.

But it didn't mean she never took them up on the offer sometimes, when things were really bad.

Yes, he got teased endlessly by his mates.

But it didn't matter. Because he felt like he had her back.

Sixth Form proved to be a happier time for both of them.

It felt more free, laid back than the shackles of secondary school. Hindered by school uniform and calling the teachers 'sir' and 'miss', here it was all backwards they thought.

The prospect of free time to a bunch of excited teenagers, on the cusp of adulthood, was exciting.

He felt like it was just like old times.

They sat together in the common room in their free period, sharing the cheapest thing they could get from the canteen, which was four flimsy slices of toast. That and an orange Fanta from the vending machine.

They'd both somehow formed into new people over the summer holidays between Year 11 and Sixth Form, wearing different things every day and giving each other a glimpse into their truer personalities.

At first, it was just two of them.

And eventually four, then six.

A solid friend group. 

She had two girls at her side most of the time, Libby and Ami. The first blossoming Billy would ever witness of his friend into womanhood would be the way she formed these friendships so naturally, in contrast to the shallow ones she'd had in secondary school. Which now seemed so long ago.

He had his own mates of his own sex. Ami's twin brother Abi, Harry (who's real name was Barry but never told anyone) and the most recent addition to the group, Paddy.

It was a friend group of the truest intentions. They laughed, joked, and were never far from one another. Many nights they spent at Cranstead Fields, huddled under a tree, passing bottles of WKD around and some horrendous smoky whiskey Paddy had managed to steal from his dad's liquor cabinet.

But there were special moments where Billy and her would just sit and observe, nursing a bottle between them.

"Bet you Libby and Abi are necking each other off by 1", she smirked, gesturing with her head to them as they sat together across the grass, Libby inching herself onto his lap with every swig of alcohol.

Billy laughed, "I don't think I need to bet on that", he replied, pushing the hair off his forehead as it touched his eyelashes.

"You need your hair cut", she smiled.

He gave her a look, "Who do you think I'm trying to impress?"

"I dunno", she shrugged, "you never tell me who you've got your eye on".

He pushed the WKD into her arm and she took it, smirking as she sipped it.

"I suppose…there's a girl a year up…", he murmured.

"See! I knew it!" She exclaimed, "Wait, Year 13? Who? Tell me".

He rolled his eyes at his friend's curiosity, "Rebecca".

He laughed when she scrunched her nose in disgust.

"Her? She's been out with a few Year 12's, hasn't she? Proper little cradle snatcher".

Billy laughed, louder than he anticipated, and when he opened his eyes again, his friend was already looking at him. Her eyes all glazed over with the amount of alcohol she'd had already.

"Leave off. You asked", he grins, blinking quickly once he feels his head clouded with dizziness.

"Well", she passes the drink to him, "I wish you luck, you'll need it".

They briefly look back to Libby and Abi, who are now embroiled quite blatantly in kissing one another, Libby nestled in his lap and her hand at his jaw.

In the distance Paddy kicked a ball around with Harry, as Ami watched between them, not an ounce of sexual tension between them.

Their knees touched and both quickly looked at each other, as if horrified that they hadn't realised how close they were.

It was dark in Cranstead Fields, but she felt she could see the way his eyes reflected the distant street lamps, how they seemed to fit over her face, and how he pressed his lips together and swallowed nervously as he moved a piece of her hair from her face to tuck safely behind her ear.

Was is the alcohol? This weird feeling in both of their stomachs? The airiness in their heads?

Was it only now that he saw that she had nice eyes? That he could see the contours of her collarbone, and the curves against her skinny jeans?

That his friend, was a young woman.

He only remembered sighing against her lips, turning his head to the side as he pressed against hers. How small she seemed compared to him.

She tasted of cheap vodka, but then again, so did he. And he wasn't entirely paying attention to the taste of her, but to the feeling of her.

It wasn't either of their first kisses. But it certainly felt like it.

He felt his chest go tight as her hand moved to the front of his hoodie, holding the fabric in her palm, as his tongue parted her lips.

When they pulled away, he still felt her presence on him.

Her hand slowly slipped from his chest, her eyes looking at him with trepidation, her lips kiss-bruised and swollen. Both of them looked at one another, unsure what to say, and trying form words over the whirring and melting feeling of drunkenness in their brains.

"I, uh…I should be getting home", she said quietly. And Billy nodded, now drunk on another feeling that had taken root deep in his chest.

He saw her off at her doorstep, hands deep in his pockets, not knowing whether what they'd done should be addressed or not. Or whether their brief kiss was the result of simply having too much to drink too quickly.

She had her answer though, when Billy turned up to Sixth Form the Monday after, hair trimmed, with his arm loosely around Rebecca's shoulders. He spoke to her closely, making her laugh and stroking her hair behind her ear, as he had done to her the Saturday before.

Though they remained close. Remained friends. There was an air of something unsaid. 

Something that appeared whenever she saw him with her. Pressing his lips against hers, threading his fingers into her long, perfect hair and keeping one hand perpetually around her thigh.

When Rebecca, or Becky as Billy lovingly called her, finished her A-Levels to move onto Middlesex University to do Psychology, she felt horrible that she was relieved she was gone.

Felt that she had him back, even if it was only sometimes.

She knows now, that nothing good lasts forever.

She thought he'd be happy for her, when she got her UCAS email that she'd gotten into her first choice of university in Manchester.

But he always managed to surprise her.

"The fuck are you going to uni for? And so far away as well, you don't even know anyone there", he almost barked the words at her, not wanting to admit that his heart was hurting at the way she looked so wounded at him.

"So what? It's the course I wanted to do and-"

"And what? You just gonna leave me here doing fuck all, are you?"

"You can do what you like, Billy!", she shouted back, matching him now in frustration, "I'm sorry that I am pursuing what I want to do!"

Don't leave me behind.

Please.

"What about your mum? Hm? You just gonna leave her on her own?"

She scoffed, "my mum doesn't give a fuck where I am half the time, you know that".

"Yeah, I'm feeling like I don't really know you at all lately", Billy muttered under his breath.

"The fuck is that supposed to mean? I wasn't going to just forget about you. I'd come visit and-"

"You know what, forget it. Do what you like, I don't give a shit".

She stood there, taking his words like hits. Each one hurting more than the last, opening the hole inside her wider.

She thought, he must not know what he's saying. She never knew Billy to be this cruel, apart from in secondary school.

But he was young then, he was smarter than that.

Wasn't he?

Her eyes filled with tears, blinking quickly, taking a step back from him like he'd burned her.

She tried her best to remain strong on her face.

"Just because I don't want the same things as you, Billy, doesn't mean it's pointless".

When Billy just stood there, mouth half agape, like everything had just caught up with him, she shook her head.

"Keep in touch, if you can be bothered".

She said it as coldly as she could, not looking back as she walked away from him, quickly wiping her cheeks. With each step, the pit widened in her chest. Feeling as if the string that had inextricably connected them since that fated day in Year 4, was prone to snapping irreparably.

His words rattled around in her head the entire journey to Manchester. How horrible they were. And how a person she'd considered a friend, could speak to her like that.

After everything that had happened between them.

Moving to a new city didn't feel like starting over. It merely felt like burying something at the bottom of the garden, the grass disturbed, and having to look at the patch of earth as a reminder of what once was.

It was hot again in London.

Billy stared at his phone for most of the evening, waiting for a text from Becky, to tell him that she was moving back in, or that she'd thought things through and decided not to move out.

No such text arrived.

"Put your fucking phone away or I swear to god I am funnelling this pint down you, like it or not", Paddy laughed as he slid into the booth, sliding one pint over to Harry and the other to Billy.

"He's still moping", Harry smirked, which earned a glare.

"Becky again?" Paddy prodded.

Billy sighed, clicking off his phone and turning it face down, "None of your fucking business".

"Woahh! No need for that, is there? C'mon, get it down ya" 

Each of them took a healthy sip of their pint.

"You too, don't be on your phone!" Paddy nudged Harry, trying to get a peek at his phone.

"Fuck off"

Paddy grinned, "Aw, is it a girl?"

"No, it's fucking Abi, you twat".

"S'alright, we don't judge, do we Billy?"

Billy grinned over the rim of his glass in response.

"He coming?" Billy asked.

"Yeah, apparently with Libby", Harry replied, thumbs moving quickly over his screen, "we'll facetime Ami later, when she's awake".

Both Billy and Paddy's eyebrows raised as they looked at each other.

"Together?" Paddy prodded, but Harry only shrugged.

The local pub was mostly empty, with most people outside trying to catch the last bits of sunlight, and getting mauled by mosquitos in the process.

For the most part, Billy watched Paddy and Harry with a smile on his face at how they teased each other talking about trivial things like football and what the hell was going on between their two old friends who kissed in Cranstead Fields all those years ago.

It was a good distraction.

But being with them, made him think of her.

Paddy leaned over, eyes on the door of the pub, "there they ar-oh shit".

Billy furrowed his brows, "What?"

His friend was about to open his mouth again, but it was interrupted by Libby poking her head around to the booth, "Hello! Oo, it's like the gang back together, isn't it?" she smiled.

At her side, Abi, who slid his hand around Libby's waist.

Billy opened his mouth to say hello.

But then he saw her.

And his mouth went completely dry.

He saw her eyes scan the opposite side of the booth, smiling at Paddy and Harry first, and he swears his heart drops into his stomach as she shifts her gaze to him.

The smile on her face falters. 

But not completely.

She catches herself halfway, and it resurfaces.

He can't help the way he studies her as well, like she's a whole new person. Wearing a summer dress with a denim jacket hung on her shoulders, hair down. Her features have matured, but she continues to keep that glimmer of mischievous youth in her eyes.

It was like seeing her for the first time.

"Mind if I sit?"

General Taglist: @aemondsfavouritebastard | @bellstwd | @blairfox04 | @hb8301 | @jamespotterismydaddy | @mochi-rose | @nenelysian | @natty2017 | @randomdragonfires | @risefallrise | @theoneeyedprince | @thelittleswanao3 | @tsujifreya | @urmomsgirlfriend1 | @valeskafics | @watercolorskyy

Billy Washington Taglist: @fan-goddess @assortedseaglass  @chainsawsangel @xxxkat3xxx

[wjhik]

Like Before (Jude Bellingham) *Smut*

A/N: first smut

Y/N's POV:

I have some mixed emotions about tonight. Jude is taking me out for the first time since the birth of our baby, or I'm letting Jude take me out for the first time since I've given birth should I say. It's been 2 months since I've given birth to our beautiful baby boy. Jude has been trying to convince me to go out for the past two weeks. Postpartum depression has hit me like a truck. He's planned a fun night of clubbing and dancing and getting wasted with our friends. I haven't seen them since I gave birth. He's made me pump enough milk to feed the baby for the next two days, so I'm able to drink, even though I don't really want to. (anti fetal alcohol syndrome in tis house)

"Jude, do I really have to come? You go ahead. I'll stay home with the baby." I tell him, walking fresh out of the shower. "Jobe and mum are already on the way to watch him. Jobe told me he gave up a 'hot date' to watch the baby tonight. He would kill me if I canceled. Love, it'll be okay. You need to get out of the house." He tells me, looking up from his phone. He looks so good right now. His back is propped up on the headboard with his legs stretched out, crossed over each other. He finished his shower a little while before mine. He's only wearing his boxers and I can't help but look down. "Eyes are up here, love." He says, smirking at me. "Sorry." I say, embarrassed. I turn away from him, shielding my eyes. "Baby." He extends the end of his words. He gets up and puts a hand on my shoulder and turns me around. "You've seen everything." He says, bending his knees to get to eye level with me. My hormones have been all over the place, but I brush him off and start getting ready. Jude leaves the room to occupy the baby.

I sit down at my vanity and start getting ready. I start with my skincare. First, I apply my serums, moisturizer, then primer. I then put my foundation and blend it out. I put on some concealer to cover up my very sleep deprived eyes. I contour my face. My favorite part, blush. I apply a liquid blush to the high points of my cheeks. Now for powder. I use a translucent powder underneath my eyes and carve out my contour. Then I apply powder contour and powder blush, tracing over the places I put the liquid version of the product. I let it sit for a little, then I spray setting spray. I go in with my very sparkly highlighter. Now I do my eyes. I put on my mascara and falsies. I do a dark black smokey liner. That's what made me feel the sexiest before. Now I do my lips. I line them with a dark crimson liner, and then top it off with red lipstick. I look in the mirror and sadden. I used to feel like the prettiest girl in the world when I did this, now I feel more than horrid.

I decide to leave my hair natural, mainly because I don't think I physically have the energy to do my hair after doing my makeup for an hour and a half. I simply put my products in it and diffuse it, which in itself is a task, due to its length. I put on all of my jewelry and one of Jude's t-shirts. I know his mum and brother are coming home, so I choose one that's long enough to be decent. I hear the doorbell ring.

I walk outside to meet my mother and brother-in-law. I see Jude hugging them at the door and welcoming them in. "Hello, love!!" Denise says, excitedly. It's been a while since I've seen her. She knows what I was going through, so when she found out I was going out with Jude, she was thrilled. I pull her into a hug. I then move to hug Jobe. We make some small talk before I start running them through how to take care of the baby. I trust them, but I can't help but worry. I show Jobe and Denise where we keep everything, where the milk is, how to work our unnecessarily complicated changing table. As Jobe and Denise were talking and I was listening to their conversation, Jude whispers in my ear, "Why aren't you wearing that dress I got you?" He bought me a beautiful, long, black ysl dress. It has a square neckline and long sleeves. It hugs my figure, which is what I'm scared of. The last time I was seen in something like that was before my pregnancy. I worked hard  for the body I had back then, and I let it go. I deserve to let it go. I did have a baby, but the media has no mercy. "It's a bit much for your family, no?" I tell him. It's quite conservative, but it was the first excuse that came to mind. Jude made it a point to not take me too far out of my comfort zone. "You lot should get going." Jobe points out.

I go into my bedroom and change my dress and shoes. I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My belly is sticking out. I'm trying to remind myself that this is normal. I brought life into this world. This is a sign of my baby boy. It's hard to keep yourself confident when all you are is 'Jude Bellingham's Fat Pregnant Wife', according to headlines. "Hey, mama." Jude wraps his arms around my waist, kissing my neck. "You look so beautiful." He rubs his hands over my belly. He knows what I'm thinking about without saying it. I interrupt his sweet nothing in my ears and say, "Are you sure we have to go out tonight?" Jude simply grabs my arms and pulls me out of the room. He picks up my phone and purse on the way out. He pushes me out the door. As he's pushing me through the house I hear a series of praises coming from his mum. These two know how to make a girl feel good.

We finally get to the club. Jude ushers me through the dance floor, up to the vip section, where our friends were. We greet them and I sit down with my girls. "So, how are you and Jude?" "I'm sure your sex is amazing. It's been so long for you two." "I'm sure hes been giving it to you good lately." These girls have been drinking. It's hard being the first to have kids in your friend group. "We haven't had sex yet." I tell them. "What?!" "Why?!" They ask me. "How can you have sex with a guy you feel like you don't deserve? I've put on so much weight since getting pregnant, and he's only gotten fitter." I confess to them. "Babes, are you joking?! If anything, you've only gotten sexier. You had his baby!!" One of them says. "Jude hasn't been able to keep his hands off you since you got pregnant. He's so in love with you. Everything your body has been through is because of him and his child. Do you know how sexy that is?" Another one chimes in. "By the way, you look incredible tonight. And if anything, Jude doesn't deserve YOU." Someone says. I can't help but hide my face in my arms and turn red. I don't deserve these girls. I just pull them all in a bear hug.

"Here ya go, love." Jude places a margarita on the table in front of me. "What's this?" I ask him, looking up. "A drink." He smiles at me and walks away, avoiding me denying it. I can't help but drink. Anyone from our group who sees me with an empty drink, will automatically refill it for me. What is happening?

I'm now very drunk. Jude is barely tipsy. "Dance with me?" Jude asks me. He sticks his hand out for me to take. I take his hand, too drunk to be conscious about how I'll look. Him and I are sensually dancing to the music. He's dancing up behind me with his hands on my waist. My hips are swaying to the beat. I slowly start grinding against him. Jude starts kissing my neck. I can feel the existing heat between my legs get even hotter. I turn around to face Jude. He kisses me. At first, it's a simple drunk, sloppy kiss, but it gradually develops into a sexy makeup session in the middle of a nightclub. "Remember when we used to do this every weekend?" I say between kisses, slurring my very intoxicated words. Jude simply moans into my mouth and continues kissing me. "Let's go home, love." Jude has booked a hotel for us to stay in tonight. He wants me to truly enjoy myself. He grabs my hand and drags me into his very fancy car.

(Smut)

Jude pushes me into our hotel room and pins me against the door. He's kissing me as he slots his knee in between my legs. I'm slowly grinding on him, trying to relive myself. He puts his hands on my ass, and slowly grabs it. He bends his knees and picks me up. He's walking me to our bedroom. "You're so beautiful." He says as he lays me down on the bed. "I love you." I say as he towers over me. He takes off his dress shirt and continues kissing me. His kisses have slowed down. He knows it's been a while. His fingers ghost over the side of my dress, where the zipper is. "Take it off." I say to him. He unzips my dress and slips it off. He looks down at my body. I'm wearing some black lingerie.

"Fuck, you're perfect." He says, kissing me. He's kissing down my body. He kisses the top of my breasts. His hands reach behind me and I arch my back up, allowing him to unclasp my bra. He takes it off my body and lightly sucks on my nipples. "Hey, that's for Y/S/N" I say to him, reminding him how drunk I am. He giggles at my state. "Fuck, Jude." I moan. My breasts are so sensitive. He moves down from my breast to my stomach. He leaves hickeys on me. He's obsessed with 'marking' me.

He moves down from my stomach to my sweet spot. Jude is kneeling over me. He's working his way up my leg, towards it. I see him getting hard. I gasp, and my body tenses, then relaxes, my head resting back on the pillow. "Oh, yes... just like that, Jude." I moan, pushing up against Jude. "I'm going to cum," I cry. "Go on then, baby. Cum on my tongue." He encourages me. He sticks 2 fingers inside me, and pushes them in and out of me. "Oh, fuck. Baby, I'm cumming." I say. Ecstasy washes over me and I buck up into Jude face. "Well, fuck." Jude says, giggling. "Oh, my god." I say, my chest heaving. Him and I are slowly giggling away. He comes up to my face and kisses me passionately.

"I don't know how much longer I can wait, baby. I want to feel you inside me." His face is a few inches away from mine, and staring deeply into my eyes. "Good, baby, I want that too." He says. He lowers his head, and kisses my lips. I wrap my arms around Jude's neck, pressing my body against his. I moan into his mouth. I feel myself pulsing. Jude shifts, getting into a better position over me.

"Please, baby. Please, fuck me. I need you so bad." I plead with him. He takes off the remaining of his clothes. His hard dick springs out of his boxers. I forgot how big he is. I am so terrified. How in fucks name did I take all of him? He's about to stick it in when I stop him. "Wait. Wait. Please go slow." I tell him, putting my hands on his lower stomach. "I'll be gentle, baby." He says as he slowly stretches me out. "Oh my fucking god..." I say, throwing my head back in the pillow. He leans down and kisses me as he pushes in deeper. He very slowly moves deeper and deeper. "Fuck. I forgot how tight you were." Jude says in a groan as he pushes all the way inside me. "Fuckk!!" I yell. He kisses my neck as he stays still. He looks at me for approval. "Move, please." I tell him, getting used to his size, but not fully. I don't think I can even get fully used to him. He starts fucking me just like how he used to. He pulls all the way about me and thrusts all the way back in at a painfully slow pace. "Please fuck me faster." I beg him. "Anything for you, love." He says, fucking me at an ungodly pace. "Baby, I think I'm going to cum." I say to him. It's been a while. I forgot how good he was at this. "Cum on my dick, baby. I just want to make you feel good." He encourages me, moving faster. I pull him in by his face and kiss his lips as I cum around him.

"I love you so much." He says kissing my forehead. We're laying together, watching a movie. I look up at him and kiss him. He's cuddling me and I'm in his shirt, like before. "I genuinely think you are the most beautiful woman on this planet." Jude goes on and on about how beautiful I am and how much he loves me until I fall asleep in his arms. Jude makes me feel so beautiful.

Wattpad: funkyfishfeet

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[just-dreaming-marvel]

LEGACY ~ 1

MAIN MASTERLIST

< previous chapter

Word Count: 1,600ish

Summary: The Team comes home from a mission.

Notes: From here on out, it's going to be written in 2nd person. Also, if you've read the original character Legacy series on my Tumblr, you will start to notice that I've changed some things up. I hope that you enjoy the changes.

You walked from the elevator, over to the couch next to the wall of windows overlooking the New York skyline. It was a beautiful view and one of your favorite places to get work done. Sitting down, you curled your legs underneath you and readied your Stark Tablet for sketching. You hated days like this, boring and yet completely nerve-wracking all at the same time. The Avengers were away on a mission, trying to find Loki’s scepter and finish off what they believe to be the remaining section of HYDRA.

As you sketched a possible new Iron Man suit, you heard some rustling coming from Bruce’s lab upstairs. Looking up at the lab windows, she could see people in lab coats setting up equipment. You furrowed your brows as concern grew. You knew that they only set up like that if someone was injured, especially when Dr. Helen Cho was in town, which she was. Your head snapped to look out the window as you heard the sound of a quinjet coming close.

You jumped off the couch and rushed for the landing pad. Maria Hill and Helen were already there waiting for the jet.

“Miss Stark,” Maria greeted as you came to stand beside her.

“Maria, how many times do I have to tell you that you don’t need to be formal with me just because you work for my dad?” Y/N responded.

“Maybe when you’re older.”

“I’m almost nineteen.”

“Then you’re going to have to wait until then.”

You rolled your eyes before turning your attention to the lowering ramp of the quinjet. Helen rushed forward with members of her team, quickly entering the jet and pulling out a stretcher with Clint laying on it. Natasha was clearly worried and at his side. They hurried past everyone as they headed for the lab with Bruce not far behind. Maria and yourself made sure the ramp was clear before heading into the quinjet. Thor stepped onto the ramp, heading off, with a case in his hand. He smiled when he noticed you.

“Little Stark!” He exclaimed happily.

“Welcome back, Thor,” you replied with a smile. “How’d it go?”

Thor opened the case, revealing the scepter. “As planned.”

“Good.” You gave him a slight nod before continuing into the jet.

“Lab’s all set up, boss,” Maria told Tony.

Seated in the pilot’s chair, Tony put his hand up on the nearby handlebar and turned the seat around. “Actually, he’s the boss,” Tony replied, pointing to Steve who was sitting on a step facing away from everyone. “I just pay for everything and design everything and make everyone look cooler.”

“What’s the word on Strucker?” Steve asked Maria, standing up and heading for her.

You cringed at the name. Though you didn’t remember much from your life before Tony rescued you, that name rang a bell. You knew that Strucker was an evil part of your past, if only you could remember it.

“Y/N?” Steve’s voice broke through your thoughts. “You okay?”

You shook your head to clear it. “Yep,” you replied quickly. “All good.”

Steve seemed to not believe you, but didn’t put up a fight. He shot you a small smile before leaving with Maria. You sighed and headed toward Tony, who was still powering down the quinjet.

“Glad to see that you came back in one piece,” you teased as you leaned against a wall of the jet opposite of where Tony was working. “When I saw the lab being set up, I thought I could be for you.”

A slight smirk crossed his lips. “I would never let anything like that happen to me. I’m much more careful than Barton.” He took the few steps needed to close the distance between you and him, placing a kiss on your forehead. “I have you to take care of.”

“I’m pretty sure I take care of you more than you take care of me now.”

“Whatever.” He threw an arm over your shoulders and the two of you started out of the quinjet. “What have you been up to while I’ve been away?”

“Oh, you know, the norm. College, Stark Industries work, training, the designs that you’ve yet to finish.”

“And that is why I keep you around. Are the designs done?”

“Almost.”

“And my suit upgrade?”

“Yes, the upgrade is finished, I just wanted to get your approval before making it official… there’s also one more thing I wanted to run by you.”

“I already know where this is going, and we are not discussing this again.”

“Dad, I’m not the one who said I was ready and now that HYDRA is mostly gone, I don’t see the problem with me joining on missions. We shouldn’t have as many anymore, anyway.”

“Not going to happen.”

“I’ve passed every test Natasha, Clint, and Steve have thrown at me, including all the basic SHIELD tests.”

“SHIELD doesn’t exist anymore.”

“They are the ones who said I was ready, and I believe I am too.”

“You’re not joining the Team. That’s final.” 

Tony’s arm slipped from your shoulders as the two of you reached the elevator. You two made brief eye contact and you could immediately tell that something had happened to Tony on that mission. Something that shook Tony to his core. He quickly looked away when he noticed that you were reading him like a book.

“Dad. Something happened out there.” He didn’t give a response. “I know you. Talk to me.”

He forced a smile. “When did you get all grown up?”

“Dad.”

He pressed a kiss to your cheek. “Maybe later. We need to go and check on Barton. There’s also a few tests I want to run on the scepter before Thor takes it.”

The two of you entered the elevator and headed up to the lab. Upon immediate arrival, you and Tony checked in with Clint briefly. He, Natasha, Helen, and some others were in a smaller glass room inside of Bruce’s lab. Clint was lying in what Helen called The Cradle. The machine was working on healing him. While you were in there visiting, Clint complained about being thirsty, so you left with the promise of returning with drinks. Tony and you walked down the view stairs to the main portion of the lab as Bruce was walking up the stairs.

“How’s he doing?” Bruce wondered.

“Unfortunately, he’s still Barton,” Tony replied.

“That’s terrible.”

“He’s fine,” you added with a laugh as you went over to the kitchenette off to the side of the lab. “He’s thirsty.”

Bruce chuckled before heading into the room to check on Clint himself. You started getting everything out to make smoothies.

“Alright,” Tony clapped his hands together, “look alive, JARVIS. It’s playtime.” He headed over to the table where the scepter and its test readings were located. “We’ve only got a couple of days with this joystick, so let’s make the most of it. Update me on the structural and compositional analysis.”

“The scepter is alien,” JARVIS stated.

“Well, no duh,” you muttered to yourself as you worked.

“There are elements I can’t quantify.”

“So there’s elements you can?” questioned Tony.

“The jewel appears to be a protective housing for something inside. Something powerful.”

“Like a reactor?”

“Like a computer. I believe I’m deciphering code.”

“That’s interesting,” you commented as you poured the finished smoothie into cups. “So the scepter is a device of some sort?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out, Miss.”

Tony walked over and grabbed two trays for the smoothies. “You want to help figure it out?”

“Really?” You were way too excited about researching this with your father. 

“Only if you feel up to it.”

“I’m up to it!”

Tony laughed as he placed the smoothies on the trays. “Great, as soon as you finish the work Pepper needs you to do for the week, you can help.”

“Dad, you know that I’ll never be able to help with the amount of work Pepper needs from me.”

“Then I guess you best be off to work then.”

“Fine. Don’t spill the drinks on your way up.”

“I would never spill!”

Rolling your eyes, you grabbed your Stark Tablet and headed out of the lab. You began pulling up all the work Pepper needed you to do as you started down the stairs. Not watching where you were going, you bumped into Steve. Your head snapped up to see him smiling at you, his hands on your arms to steady you.

“Sorry, Steve,” you apologized. 

“It’s no big deal,” he chuckled. “What are you working on?”

“Stuff for Pepper. Which mostly seems to be planning for the party Dad is throwing in a few days.”

“Are you going to be there?”

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Good, then, if you’re not too busy that night, save a dance for your best friend?”

You giggled. “It’s not that kind of party, Steve.”

He shrugged. “So?”

“Fine, I’ll save you a dance.”

“Great. I’ll see you around.”

Steve headed up the stairs as you caught your lip between your teeth, watching him leave. Your heart ached for something–or someone–you felt you couldn’t have. What once was a simple crush, had definitely grown into something more. Besides the fact that Tony would never allow it, you were almost nineteen and Steve was, well technically over a hundred years old. The only thing that gave you a sliver of hope was that your healing abilities would allow you to age slowly like Steve’s super soldier serum.

Once Steve was out of sight, you sighed and started back down the stairs. Maybe one day you would act on your feelings, but that day wasn’t going to be any time soon.

next chapter >

[zorlok-if]

Hi everybody,

It's been a while. Sorry that I've been gone so long without explanation or communication, I've been in a bad place. For more info check under the cut. Otherwise, hello! I'm alive and so is this project. Progress has been stalled and will continue to be stalled because this is a hobby and I have to focus on priorities. That doesn't mean that it's dead. I still intend to release everything when I can. I appreciate your support and interest.

Hope you're all well! 😊

Albie

(cw: discussion of bad mental health, anxiety, and depression; school shooting mention)

Okay, hello! Welcome to the rest of this post.

Basically, I've been in a bad mental place for a long time and have a lot of issues that I've left unaddressed or festering—most of which tie back to depression, anxiety, fear, and self-loathing.

To start, I wasn't able to graduate this past winter because I fell one class short of my requirements. That really sent me into a spiral and put a strain on my interpersonal relationships.

Then I tried to take that last class this spring but fear related to recent school shootings exacerbated and activated some bad ND habits and I won't be able to complete this course. That means I still won't be able to graduate until I find some online equivalent or professor who will allow me to remain fully remote.

Around the time I found out I wouldn't be graduating, I also got some really cruel anon hate which added onto how I was already feeling and made me hesitant to put anything else out online.

Other things have happened: family stuff, work stuff, health stuff, sociopolitical stuff, etc. (I don't want to go into details with some and won't burden you with the rest). But, essentially, I found myself at a darker place than normal. I withdrew into myself and have been stewing in crippling self-loathing while wearing a convincing smile in my everyday life. (being really honest with this stuff so that if anyone else is going through/experienced something like this they can know they're not alone)

Fortunately, I was able to get away for a bit and spent some time with loved ones I rarely get to see. I've also made a few irl friends recently and feel like I'm coming back out of my shell and starting to heal after traumatic events and relationships. For the first time in a long time, I feel invigorated. I mean, I still feel like stinking trash, but garbage with a will to live and better itself.

As of right now, I'm moving out and finding more work so I can better support myself financially.

If you've read all this going, where's the Zorlok/(other game) update? Here you go: I've been working on Zorlok somewhat, but in the situation/place where I was at, found myself unable to justify dedicating a lot of time to writing and struggling to feel confident about what I was creating when I actually did sit down to do so. This project is in no way dead and I want to work on it and release games more than anything, but I owe it to myself and other people in my life to keep my priorities in check.

This is a hobby and in the past I dedicated time to it when I should've been doing other things. As long as this is a hobby, I can no longer take time away from my priorities to do something I just want to do (no matter how badly I want to do it). So, that's where we're at. I'm continuing to focus on critical things and stop feeling like a jerk for doing that. I know that this might disappoint some people, but that's how things are right now.

If you want to know more about where things are literally at: I'm close to finishing a heavily updated and expanded prologue but episode one has been undergoing changes. I feel pretty shit about myself and that's seeped into my view on what I create which is in turn stalling my ability to make meaningful progress that I don't immediately want to destroy. I've worked on potential Patreon content (including an exclusive game and a Creating Goncharov director's cut), made a Twine template and tutorial, and made progress on updates for Mousetrap and System Processing. I've avoided making changes to the Zorlok page (and my other itch.io pages) these past few months since I don't want people getting their hopes up seeing some sort of "update" from itch.io—only for that update to be "there's no game update yet." That's why those are still out of date, but I'll be fixing them as soon as I can.

So, that's where we are. I wish that I had way more to talk about and release, but that's not been a possibility and I'm just going to be upfront and honest—even if I am disappointed and somewhat afraid and ashamed to admit it. (that's it for the game updates, the rest just gets back to personal)

In general, I've always struggled with shame and fear and those are the main culprits for why I've been radio silent until now. I couldn't find a way to address these topics or talk about them without my odious inner critic getting triggered and shutting me down. However, I'm trying my best to not listen to that asshole because this (*gestures at everything*) must stop.

To be honest, I'm not content with prolonged existence anymore. I want to live—and that's more than I've been able to say for a long time. To be perfectly honest, for the past decade or so I've lived simply because others wanted me around, not because I wanted to be here. I'm tired of being tired. I'm tired of indifference being my best hope for how I feel about myself. I'm tired of forcing an apathetic soul to drag my flesh through the muck of living. I don't expect what I experience to improve, in fact things will definitely be getting tougher, but I want to change how I experience it. I want to actively live rather than passively slip by. I want to answer questions like "what do you want to do with your life?" and "what are your plans?" with more than vague shrugs and dead-hearted replies meant to brush people off the topic of the future. I want to stop passing through life as a ghost.

I'm still trying to find the motivation, purpose, or courage to genuinely live for myself instead of existing for other people. I still haven't found my "spark"—that properly and blissfully selfish reason to live—but I think wanting to search is a good start.

Anyways, I'll be around more and I'll be more honest with where I am and what's going on. It's my personal mission to deny fear's control over my life and actions. Part of that means allowing myself to be more open with people even if I'm afraid of judgment or negativity.

Excluding a few outliers, you've all been exceptionally kind and encouraging. I'm always overwhelmed and astonished with the support that's been shown to me and my creative projects and I appreciate you all. Thank you so much. Thank you for reading through this. Thank you for caring. You're part of why I'm around.

I hope that you're having a lovely day/night/et cetera and if you aren't, you're not alone ❤️.

I'll see you around. 😊 Thanks again,

Albie

[christopher-bangnaldoskzz]

2:09

Chan and Felix x reader 

Genre: 🌶️

Word count: 1.1k

Summary: what would life be without friends, when you get into an accident and your two best friends comfort you. 

Warnings: none really, just some cuteness. Friends, comfort fic. 

A/N: this was a request ☺️ I got this through my DMs so thank you my love for your message and I hope this gives you some comfort. 

All you can remember from that moment was when the bright lights flashed in your side window. You also remember the beep of the horn as the car came screaming towards you. You tried so hard to swerve off the road however, the vehicle clipped you, making the car spin out of control. 

You scream as the car comes to an abrupt stop, shooting you forward, and your head hits the dashboard. All you see before you are knocked out is a person running towards you.

You wake up and can hear the hospital monitors beeping. This brings you back to reality quickly. 

"Excellent…welcome back", the nurse said, smiling at you. 

"What happened?" You asked as a sharp pain shot through your head. 

"Well, you are a fortunate young lady…. You were in a car accident, and it looks like you've had a concussion," she said, reading your chart at the bottom of the bed.

"Oh god….was anyone else hurt?" you said, attempting to sit up. 

"Just some cuts and bruises from the other driver," she said, looking at the monitor for any changes.

"Y/N…" you heard from the doorway. 

"Hey, Lix", you try to smile.

"Thank god you are okay….Chris, she's in here," he yells down the hall. 

Chris pushes his way past Felix and quickly reaches your bedside. Grabbing your hand and pressing his lips to your knuckles. "Do you know how scary it was getting that phone call?" You had forgotten you had even put him down as an emergency contact.

"I'm sorry…I didn't want to scare anyone," you said, tearing up. 

"So what happened?" Felix said, sitting on the other side. You started to recall the accident, and Felix grabbed your other hand.

"Poor thing," Felix said, brushing your face. Chan had your hand firmly in his. 

"So you have a concussion?" Chan asked, confirming your diagnosis. 

"That's what the nurse said." 

"Well then, I guess you are coming home with us," he said confidently. 

The truth is that Chan and Felix were like your only family. It warmed your heart that they wanted to take care of you. 

"Oh, Channie, you don't have to do that", you smiled at him. 

"Please…let us take care of you", Felix inserted himself. 

……

When you got released from the hospital, Chan drove you and Felix back to the dorm. They walked you up to the dorm room, where they sat you on the couch.

"Okay, so Felix will take the afternoon shift…then you and I can cuddle tonight," Chan said, kissing the top of your head. You smiled as he caressed your face and grabbed his keys. 

"I'll be back in time for you to leave, lix….take good care of our girl," he says as he walks out of the dorm. 

Felix was the most caring carer you could ask for. "babe do you want any tea?" He would reply knowing the answer and putting on the kettle. 

"Yes, please," you said, lying on the couch. Moments later, Felix comes over with a cup of hot peppermint tea. You sit up, and your head spins slightly from getting up too quickly. 

"Wow," you said, holding your head. 

"You okay?" Felix said, bending down to steady you. 

"My head is killing me" Felix got up and walked into the cupboard to give you some Panadol.

"Here, take this and water… I'll turn on the TV...we can watch a movie", he smiled, sitting down next to you. 

You lay your head on his shoulder as you cuddled up against him. He wrapped his arm around your waist, gently kissing your temple. "It's all better," he said in his silly voice, which always made you giggle. 

"I'm so tired, lix," you say, yawning on his shoulder.

"Well, you can't go to sleep yet….so we better get you up," he said, lifting your head so he could get up. 

"I'll make you some lunch," he smiled.

Felix made you some food and brought it over to the couch. "Here, have some of this", he smiled, handing you a plate of Bibimbap. 

Felix would talk to you for hours. He would make sure you had water as well as your medicine, and even gave you his hoodie when you said you felt cold. 

"Chan should be home soon… did you want to shower… I'll give you some clothes" you nod your head, and Felix helps you off the couch.

"Here, use channies shower" he gave you a towel and led you to his room. 

You walked in and turned on the hot water. "Y/N, I stuck some clothes on the bed for you," you could hear through the door. 

"Okay, thank you," you shout back.  

You walk into the shower, warm water running down your body. You stay there for 5 minutes, then turn off the water and step out to dry yourself off. 

Putting the clothes, Felix paid out on Chan's bed for you. When you walked out into the living room, Chan was sitting on the couch "hey beautiful", he smiled, putting down a bag of food.

"Felix had to go….so it's just you and me," he said, shoving chips into his mouth. He patted the couch cushion next to him. 

"Come and eat," he said sweetly. His smile lit up the room. 

You sat down next to him and started to eat slowly as, at this point, you were just super tired and wanted to get to sleep. 

"You okay?" He stopped eating and turned to face you.

“ just tired” you said yawning while looking at Chan. "7 pm... you should be able to sleep now,actually." You continued to eat and when you finished, Chris picked your bag up and threw it away. 

Your eyes start to become heavy. Chan slides his hand around your waist and picks you up bridal style. "Let's go watch TV in my room," he said, kissing your temple. As he carries you to his bed, you bury your head in his neck. 

"Sorry, we don't have somewhere else for you," he said, placing down on the bed.

"It's okay, Channie", you smile. Chan tucks you in before walking to the other side of his double bed.

"What movie do you want to watch?" he asked, turning on the TV. You move closer to him, snuggling into his side with your head on his chest. 

"I just want to sleep," you said, rubbing his stomach softly. Chan wraps his arms around your shoulder and shifts down the bed turning the TV off. 

"We can do that," he said, rubbing your shoulder.

It was quiet for a moment before Chan placed a kiss on the top of your nose. "I couldn't stop thinking about how I almost lost you today" this made your heart flutter just a bit. 

"Please promise me you'll be more careful…I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." 

"I promise," you whispered before he pulled you into his chest, and you fell asleep in his arms. 

A/N: Thank you so much for reading :) please enjoy.any comments likes or rebolgs are appreciated. 

Taglist: @daceydeath @katwinchester64 @armystay89

[lewmagoo]

Ahem just food for thought

Rhett leaves for a rodeo and won’t be back for some time. He gets you a stuffie when he returns, and you adore it. Passionate lovemaking happens, but you are a little nervous, so he gives you the stuffie to hold onto while he fucks your brain out lovingly.

you had missed him so much. it was hard on you both when he left for out of town rodeos. a lot of times, you would go with him, but this time around, work obligations kept you from going with him. he'd been gone for a good while, longer than normal because this particular rodeo was farther away, and on top of that, he'd encountered a gnarly storm on the way home, which added another day to his travels. but now, he was finally home, back in your arms where he belonged, and you'd never felt so relieved.

"i got ya somethin', little darlin'," he mused, after he'd held you in his arms in a bone crushing hug for five minutes straight. you watched as he stepped over to the bag he'd dropped by the door, rummaging through it for a moment before he brought out a little stuffed horse. it was chestnut brown, with soft fur and a fuzzy mane. you lit up as he presented it to you. "oh! i love it, thank you!" you exclaimed, taking it from his hands and holding it to your chest. "oh, she's so soft!"

rhett smiled fondly at your reaction, his eyes warm. "you're welcome," he hummed as you surged forward, throwing your arms around him. "wanted to get ya somethin' that you can cuddle up with while i'm gone." at that, you beamed, leaning close to nuzzle your nose against his. "she's perfect. i think i'm gonna name her annabelle," you announced. rhett nodded, agreeing with your pick. "that name fits 'er so well." his strong arms slipped around your waist, and you let your eyes flutter shut at his touch. he was so warm and familiar, and his presence made you feel whole again.

but despite the sense of peace you felt, there was just a twinge of anxiety roiling deep within your belly. and when his steady, calloused hands began to wander, the anxiety only grew, because you knew where this was leading. it wasn't that you didn't want him, because you did. so badly. he was all you could think about, and your desire for him burned intensely. however, you had grown a bit shy, it seemed. maybe a foolish part of your brain felt like after being away, he wouldn't want you anymore. that couldn't be farther from the truth, but those sorts of irrational thoughts plagued you at times.

but then he was backing you against the wall, thigh slotting between your own as he guided your face up to kiss him, and you were gasping into his mouth, caught by surprise, but welcoming his tongue past your lips. you were caught up in the kiss, in the way his mouth felt against yours, the way his body pressed into you, so big and broad. and then he was parting from you to gasp into your mouth "can i take ya to bed, darlin'? show you how much i've been missin' you?" he asked, voice low and smooth as silk. his eyes had gone dark, so much so that they appeared brown. you nodded your head. "please." but as he led you upstairs, your heart raced in your chest.

you clutched your new horse stuffie to your chest, a little apprehensive as you followed after your man. when you reached the bedroom, he released your hand to open the door and move to turn on the bedside lamp. but you remained in the doorway, still as you watched him turn to you. when he saw you standing there, his face softened with concern. "what's wrong, honey? change your mind? it's okay if ya did," came his gentle reassurance. "i...i'm nervous," you whispered. tentatively, he approached you. "why? you got nothin' to be nervous about," he said. "i know that. but..." you trailed off, suddenly feeling foolish.

rhett turned your chin up so you were looking at him. "use your words, little darlin'." his voice was soft, but still commanding, and you were inclined to comply with his wishes. "it's just...you've been gone for a while. i guess i just feel kinda shy," you admitted. he smiled slightly. "that's okay. do you wanna wait 'til you feel ready? or...what if you held annabelle here while i made love to ya? think that might help?" he was simply offering this as a comfort to you. you considered his idea, and finally, you nodded. "okay. let's try that instead."

and so, several minutes, and some extensive, worshipful foreplay later, you lay spread beneath your cowboy, your plush clutched to your chest as he hovered close, swallowing your whimpers and moans as he deliberately thrust his hips forward inch by inch, filling you deliciously. "feelin' better?" he whispered. you managed a nod, though your eyes were closed as you focused on the stretch of his cock inside you. however, you felt him tap your nose lightly. "words, honey," he reminded. so you sighed out, "much better, daddy."

[silverflqmes]

໒⦂ 𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆.

synopsis. ganyu returns home after another packed day of work, drained and exhausted, so you take it upon yourself to comfort the archer.

genre. fluff

ganyu x gn!reader.

the secretary of the liyue qixing loosed a sigh upon entering the apartment she'd been given, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

part of her wondered if she would ever get used to the lifestyle of a mortal, as she was still adjusting, even now. although it was the same among her fellow adepti, as she felt out of place there, too.

the only person she truly ever felt normal around, was you.

you were but a humble mortal under madam ping's wing. much like the culinary enthusiast, xiangling and her own little junior disciple, yaoyao.

although you weren't involved in cooking or the food industry, rather you had taken up studies as a historian. exploiting all there is to learn of the adepti as well as liyue's role in the history of teyvat.

due to frequent encounters that required self defense, you too, had become proficient in wielding a polearm after receiving your hydro vision. a reward for your mastery in research and documenting the history of your beloved nation.

somewhere along the lines of your lifetime, you had come to know ganyu. acquainting yourself with the girl and becoming closer with each meeting between you both. at first is was just professional, questions regarding her past and whatever knowledge she could spare to assist with your research. which eventually changed into deeper conversations, a blossoming friendship that would soon flourish into something far more intimate — romantic.

something you both came to treasure over the course of time, especially ganyu. for she knew your days were limited compared to hers, which made your shared time together all the more special.

"ahh 'yu, is that you? i didn't hear you come in, but welcome home!" you greeted from the kitchen of your shared apartment, resting the knife on the cutting board to greet your girlfriend with a peck to her cheek. "long day?"

ganyu smiled at the nickname, her heart warming despite the coldness of her vision as nodded her head. "quite.. we're still trying to deal with the reopening of the chasm." she sighed out, hanging her bag. "it might sound selfish.. but i really just wanted to come home to you." she murmured softly. "i missed home today."

hearing this made you blink before a smile spread across your lips as a gentle laugh escaped your lips. "that's perfectly normal, i have days where i just wanna put my research down and be with you, too." you admitted truthfully, leading her to the kitchen to continue with preparing dinner. "at least we get to be together now, yeah? after dinner i can run you a bath and we can just rest for tonight." you proposed, picking off where you left off.

ganyu hummed in response, wrapping her arms around your waist as she rested her head against your shoulder. "we can be, yes. a-and i'd very much like that.. should i assist with the bath and such?"

you shook your head, sliding the veggies into the hotpot. "no need! this is all about you relaxing, okay love? you've worked very hard today and i'm so proud of you for doing so. you deserve the break and rest for all that you do." came your gentle whisper, which brought a rush of warmth to the pale skinned woman's cheeks.

she wished to protest, knowing well she could have maybe worked harder or been more consistent — but that look you gave her halted any words of denial she wished to voice,

instead she smiled back, kissing your shoulder. "thank you, y/n.. for all that you have done and continue to do for me."

"of course, 'yu. anything to make you happy and comfortable again. i'll be there for you as long as possibly can, i promise." you told her sweetly, turning to face her as you wrapped your arms around her. "the food will be a bit, how does a shared bath sound to you?"

the fuchsia eyed adeptus pondered her words for a brief moment — debating — before nodding, finally. "it sounds wonderful to me."

notes. sweet nothing was an underrated track on midnights ngl but it’s rlly cute

↳ return to main masterlist . request rules . send an ask

[itskybabes-blog]

The Kiss Of Death

Daniel Garcia x fem!reader

Warning: drinking, still pretty innocent

Part: two

Word count: 1385 words Comments and advice is welcome.

Part one

The shots keep coming and the chat keeps flowing between Daniel and Y/N. 45 minutes past and they’re still talking at the bar, losing track of time.

They shared some aspects of their lives with each other; Daniel tells her about his hometown of Buffalo, New York and how he loves Bad Bunny. Y/N is a little more reserved, simply because she doesn’t know this man well enough to break down her protective barrier just yet. But, he knows that she’s a photojournalist, taking pictures of some of today’s biggest stars on her cameras.

After he told her a corny joke, Daniel admires the glittery smile of Y/N’s as laughter filled the air around them. His eyes linger on her lips a little longer than expected, but when he realised her erratic laughter was coming to an end, his eyes snapped back to hers.

She lifts her eyebrows: she saw that, but she’s not going to make a fuss out of it.

“You are such a comedian,” Y/N says sarcastically, going against her instinct to flirt with this hunk of a man who is clearly drinking in her beauty. The glint in her eyes, the way light bounced off the tip of her nose, the vivid colour and unique cut of her hair made her standout from the rest – how did he manage to grab her attention for so long?

“I should change careers, right?” Daniel replies. A chuckle escapes Y/N before a comfortable silence ensued.

“So…"

"So…"

The two's eyes rest on each other's lips while their bodies inched closer. The music starts to fade out before…

"DG!"

Daniel's head snapped to his right, scowling at a stumbling, slightly intoxicated man approaching the duo. Y/N places her hand in front of her face, trying to shade her eyes from the bright flash darting through the club's low lighting.

"Yo, Danny! You've been gone for a wh- ohh, my bad," the tall and toned man turns off his camera and apologised to the mysterious girl. "I'm sorry! Where's my manners? I'm Isiah."

“Y/N,” you say apprehensively.

The new character stretches his hand out for Y/N to shake, which she did.

Daniel goes red, looking at Y/N with an apologetic look. “I’m sorry about him,” he says, “He don’t know when to quit with all that vlogging shit.”

Y/N offers a sweet smile before brushing it off: “It’s okay! Would have liked some warning so I could check how I look.”

She playfully begins to touch her lips and fluff her hair, as if to correct her looks.

“You look gorgeous, what are you talking about?” Daniel interjects, blushing hard again while Isiah teases him.

“Oh, is Danny tryna rizz you up right now? Oh, oh, I see how it is: you left us to chat this girl up. You left your friends over a girl? Aight!” Isiah lays into Danny as the latter playfully keeps trying to shut him up and pushing him away.

Y/N giggles at Isiah’s sarcastic jealousy, before asking, “Who’s ‘us’?”

Isiah points to the rest of the people in the VIP area. “A bunch of us came to the club to celebrate tonight,” he told the young lady. “You should come dance with us! Danny boy’s taken up enough of your time.”

Tenderly, Danny glances at Y/N as hope sparkles in his eyes. He wants to show off his new friend to the rest of the group.

“Sure, um…” – Y/N’s drinking is playing with her memory.

“Isiah-”

“Isiah! Yes! Sure, Isiah. I’ll come over.”

Danny offers his hand as she get off the bar stool. Her landing was a little rocky because her legs went a bit numb due to the sitting and the alcohol, but she leans into Danny as he protectively walks you over to the gang.

She see a bunch of smiley people having fun in the VIP area behind the DJ booth, and can hear the same laughter emanate from there like it did while Y/N spun the decks.

“Everybody!” Isiah starts to announce to the group, “Look who Danny found at the bar?”

A deep heat rose in your cheeks.

“Hi, I’m Y/N,” she attempts to say over the music but her hushed tone is overpowered by the 808s of the tune playing through the club.

“Huh,” a floppy haired guy said in confusion, peering at her over his shades. The other guys and girls – either standing or sitting around their table of drinks, clothes accentuating their chiseled physiques – stared blankly at you. Y/N must admit that anxiety is starting to settle in.

“This is Y/N,” Danny cuts in, saving her. He then proceeds to point to everyone and says their name.

“This is Tyler- ”

“Call me Hook,” the floppy-haired giant gives her an endearing smile and offers her a head nod.

Danny continues: “This is Andretti.”

A golden-skinned muscle man gives her a huge smile and wave, like a bright burst of energy.

“Ricky”

With an eyebrow raised and his lips pursed, there’s a cheeky expression on the man’s face. His shirt is open, showing off his washboard abs, and he just gives her a confident “Hey”.

“This is-” “CHEESECAKE!” Isiah yells over Danny, causing him to go red again and give Y/N a sorry look. She again giggles at his cuteness.

The authoritative stance of the Cheesecake man told Y/N he wasn’t anyone to play with.

“Lastly, here’s the girls; Skye, Kiera and Willow.”

The gorgeously dressed women wave, smiling back sweetly before continuing their gossip session.

Y/N sits next to Danny on the couch and talk more about life; he breaks it to her that he’s only in town for a couple of days – he wrestles for some “promotion” called “AEW”…

… she plays stupid. Yes: she loves wrestling – have watched it since she was a child and regularly watched the promotion – but she underplays how much she knows. Y/N don't want Danny to think she's being fake and on some crazy fan girl shit, which is ironic since downplaying what you know is “being fake” but anyways.

Y/N tucks her hair behind her ear, allowing herself to hear better. He tells her something about fighting some Adam Copeland guy: he corrects himself.

“Um, you know Edge? From WWE?”

Her eyes widen. Y/N thought she was up to date on all things AEW but she must have miss the thousands of social updates on the fact thee Edge from Edge and Christian had jumped ships to “the competition.” Danny’s in the big leagues – how cool?!

“Yeah,” Daniel chuckles, admiring that same glint in her eye she had earlier. “That guy!”

“Wow, that’s huge. Congrats!” Y/N says back, beaming a bright smile.

She then proceeds to tell him about her crazy day getting to the club: Y/N was shooting Megan Thee Stallion and she got her drunk, pouring D’usse in her mouth so she was already a bit drunk and could really use some food.

“So, let’s grab a bite!” Danny says before downplaying his eagerness. "I mean, only if you want to."

"Ugh!," Y/N jokingly grunts. "Don't tempt me with a good time. I could eat a horse, right now!"

Y/N grabs her belongings and checks her bag as Danny jumps up and says his parting words to the rest of his posse. Just as she finished triple-checking she had everything, Y/N sees a palm appear in front of her adorned with several gold rings that reflect the strobe lighting in the club.

"Come on, my lady!"

Her head snaps up to see her Prince Charming shine his own pearly whites. And it did something to her, something ineffable, something that she hopes to feel again. She felt a tingle in her soul like no other – as if she can feel their souls tying in the pit of her stomach.

She gladly grabs his hand, swings her bag over her shoulder and waves animatedly to Danny's friends. She tries not to think too much about it, but were they smirking at her? Hmmm.

Danny drags Y/N towards the cloakroom to get her jacket before they try their luck at sobering up under the dazzling starlight.

A/N: Thanks for waiting! As I continue this, this might turn into Drabble instead of a flowing story so expect to see loads of time descriptors at the top of chapters. Just so I can write them quicker.

I also just realise I'm switching between past tense and second tense because dyslexia is dyslexing. Pls bare with but each chapter might be in a different tense: fuck it.

[zafirosreverie]

Pretend it doesn’t (Agatha x Reader)

a/n: title and some dialogues taken from Finge que no by Mimi

for: @uchihayuuhi​

_______________________

You sighed as a familiar current tugged at your wrist for the third time. In the hour that you had been standing in line, the fine thread of magic had not stopped bothering you, it was obvious that the woman to whom it belonged would not give up so easily.

"I'll be right back" you told your friend

He just smiled and told you that he would wait at your usual table. You nodded and walked through the crowd to get out of the cafeteria. The icy air hit you and you pulled your jacket tighter against your body as you looked around for the pair of blue eyes you thought you'd never see again.

You rolled your eyes when you managed to see her hiding between a couple of trees and she waved you to the nearby alley. Of course, it would be a dramatic reunion, she had always been like that. You mustered all the courage you could and walked with a firm step, ignoring the people around you.

One of the advantages of living in such a big city is that nobody paid any attention to a young woman who walked into an alley of her own free will. Good, because this would be quick and you didn't need prying eyes following you.

"Still hanging out with that guy, huh?" said a voice in front of you

"Yes"

"I never liked him" she said

"I don’t care"

"Ouch, there was no need to be so harsh, honey."

"What do you want, Agatha?" you said coldly

"Is this how you welcome the love of your life, Y/N?"

You stared into the darkness, certain that if anyone peeked out at that moment, they would think you were crazy for talking to a wall, and clenched your fists. Little by little, the witch came out of the shadows until she was in front of you with that damn smile that in a past time weakened your legs. It surprised you to find that it no longer had the same effect.

You no longer felt anything in her presence.

"I really thought you'd be glad to see me" she sighed.

"Really? After you dumped me for a redhead with circus tricks?" you raised an eyebrow

"You know I didn't go after Wanda with those intentions" she frowned "And I didn't dump you"

"I don't care what your intentions were, Harkness, it doesn't change the fact that you left" you said "besides, didn't you tell Maximoff you were single? I think that counts as dumping me"

"That wasn't serious honey" she smiled "it was Agnes, not me"

Ah yes, Agnes, the character your then-girlfriend had chosen to play within the hideous lie in the kidnapped city. As an agent of S.W.O.R.D. you had been taken by surprise to see Agatha inside the hex. At first, you were scared, thinking that she had been a victim of Maximoff's powers, but the more you saw, the more you became convinced that she was in full use of her mental faculties, and that she wasn't being controlled like the rest of the innocent people. And that only made everything hurt more.

"I think I liked her better then"

"Excuse me?"

"At least for 'Agnes' it was true, but not for you, Agatha" you shrugged "but that's okay, I get it"

She smirked at you and that only made you clench your fists harder, digging your nails into your palms. It was amazing, really, how a smile you'd previously found adorable and loved so much now made you gag.

Perhaps it was because before you had thought that she loved you as much as you did, and now you saw that you had only been a fluke in her path, one not worth detouring for. It hurt you to understand, yes, but in the long run that also taught you a lot.

"Let's go dear, there's a lot to catch up on" she smiled at you, holding out a hand.

"Nick is waiting for me" you said quietly "also, I don’t want to be cruel, but I really don't care where you've been all these months"

The witch looked at you as if you had slapped her and her impossibly blue eyes scanned you from head to toe, almost as if she was trying to search for some hint of some control spell on you.

And you had no way of knowing, but that was exactly what she was doing. The woman had spent months being tortured by Wanda's spell, fighting every day to regain control of her body, and the only thing that had kept her motivated to keep trying was thinking of you.

It had taken her time to realize it, but the realization that she'd fallen in love with you had hit her like a pile of bricks the very night she'd arrived in Westview. In the time that she had been dating you, she had gotten used to you, to your silent presence always behind her, so when she slept for the first time in that damned city, without the warmth of your body next to hers in bed, the need to return to you took her by surprise.

Your memory had endangered her plans on more than one occasion because there were times when the desire to see you again, to kiss you, was too painful to bear, but she always managed to convince herself that power was the most important thing at that moment. 

And when she was sentenced to be Agnes for "real", all she wanted was to feel your arms around her, pulling her back to the safe place you had become for her. That's why she had wasted no time in tracking you down as soon as she managed to break the spell.

Finding out that you no longer lived in the same house that you had shared with her was a blow. She was first filled with fear at the thought that somehow Wanda had found you and that she had decided to punish her further, then that fear was replaced by sadness as she realized that there was no trace of magic anywhere. You had gone on your own.

And boy did you make it hard to find yourself. For some reason, her magic couldn't feel you, she thought that perhaps she was still very weak from having broken the curse, and she consoled herself with the idea that everything would be fixed as soon as she found you, but now that she finally saw you in front of her, so cold and distant, she was beginning to think that chaos magic had nothing to do with her not being able to feel you.

"Y/N-"

"I'm sorry, Aggs" you interrupted her "...but I really can't do this"

"What happened?" she asked carefully "you didn't use to be like this"

"Like what?"

"Cold, distant...I...I can't feel you anymore" she admitted

You scoffed and looked away for a moment. She really had no right to look so lost and almost...cute. You reminded yourself that you had cried enough for her, that you were not going to fall again.

"Agatha...you made this woman out of me, what is your amazement?" you said

"What are you talking about?"

"Did you seriously think that so many months being your shadow, leaving my commitments and desires aside to follow you and never receive the same from you, weren't going to affect me?" you asked "I gave you too much, and you were just selfish"

"That's not true" she frowned, even knowing that you were right.

"I was just an ornament to you!"

"IT IS NOT TRUE!"

You jumped a little at the woman's sudden scream, and the way her eyes turned purple scared you. You were about to run when she managed to calm down and control the threads of purple magic that floated around her.

"I'm sorry" she said "but you're not an ornament Y/N. I…I love you, okay? I love you and I'm so sorry I didn't realize it sooner"

You looked at her for a moment, feeling how a piece of your heart thawed. This was not the confident and strong woman you knew, she seemed more like a lost stray dog, and for a moment, the desire to protect her began to blossom in you. Until she kept talking.

"Wanda got me, I didn't…I couldn't get out of there. I lost, Y/N, she trapped me in my own mind, I couldn't do anything!"

You sighed and carefully approached her, taking her face in your hands so that she would look at you. That seemed to calm her down a bit and you felt guilty about what you were about to say, but there was no going back. Not anymore.

"Maximoff didn’t make the decision to leave me alone in a cold and unknown house" you said "she didn’t choose to seek more power, she didn’t prefer magic over the love that I offered you. You did that, Agatha"

"Y/N-"

"You have no idea how many nights I waited for you...how long I wished you would tell me you loved me, even long before you left for Westview...but words come late...and I don't need them anymore"

"Y/N, what-" she cursed herself as tears began to form in her eyes "I love you"

You separated from her, taking a step away but still looking into her eyes. It hurt, it hurt a lot to do this to her, because a part of you hadn't stopped caring for her, but that was it, you cared for her, but you didn't love her, at least not like you used to.

"Pretend you don't" you said trying to sound calm, despite the fact that your heart was racing at a thousand an hour

"What?" she whispered, her voice breaking

"Pretend you don't, Aggs" you repeated "If it's hard for you to learn to lose, pretend it's not. Even if it's hard to forget yesterday, what we shared, what we were, be a good actress and pretend it’s not"

"Y/N-"

You began to slowly walk away from her, knowing that she wasn't going to follow you once you entered the sea of people, and perhaps it was better that way, for both of you.

"And if it helps you deny me, then do it, don't name me" you said, praying that at least a part of Agnes would still be there, one that would help her accept that she was single now.

"I don't want to pretend" she said "I made a mistake, but things can be like before"

"Before I was sad and now I'm fine" you shook your head "I feel fine"

"You lie"

"And if you feel that you can't stop loving me, don't worry, it's possible" you smiled sadly "I managed to forget you. If it hurts..."

"Y/N, wait!"

"Pretend it doesn’t"

You gave her one last look and a smile before turning and disappearing into the crowd. You felt a thread of her magic try to follow you, but it just passed through your hand. She couldn't touch you anymore.

[russellsppttemplates]

Exhausted and overwhelmed new parents, Mick and Reader get help from their support system Oma Corina and Tante Gina.

Tw: mentions childbirth (small moments), postpartum

They really weren't joking when they talked about a fourth trimester after you gave birth, all of the different processes your body was going through to meet your's and little Aurora's needs causing all kinds of changes and ultimately, you had been adjusting to it as best as you could, Mick helping out as much as he could, "Schatz, do you want me to take her? You've been walking around all morning, you need to rest too", your husband said as you stopped in front of him, passing Aurora into his arms as you noticed the time on the clock on the mantle piece to see that lunchtime was approaching. Kissing both of their cheeks, you headed to the kitchen to put one of the food trays you had made while you were nesting, already preparing for days like this where you couldn't think of a meal idea and cook it for you and Mick, taking the time to put the dishes and cutlery in the cupboard and drawer, looking over to the towells you assumed Mick had used to dry the plates and went to toss them in the laundry basket, thankful that it was on the ground floor and that you didn't need the extra effort to climb up the stairs.

After feeding Aurora, you and Mick sat together on the sofa while you ate, the food on the plates as you enjoyed some down time when his phone rang with a text from his sister asking if herself and Corinna could come for a visit that afternoon, "Are you okay with that? I can tell them to come on another day", he said, his hand coming to rub your arm up and down as you nodded, "I need to tidy this, but yeah, sure, they're more than welcome to come", you smiled soflty, the need to see other people and have more stimuli than what you've been having the past few weeks.

Despite wanting to tidy, you and Mick fell asleep, only waking up when you heard the doorbell, checking over Aurora who was cutely snuggled in her father's chest still, him waking up too as you got up to answer the door, "Hi dear, we tried calling the phone but you didn't answer!", Corinna said as she came forward for a hug, then hugging your sister in law before ushering them inside and into the living room, "Here's the little princess", Gina beamed, "come on brother, let tante Gina have some snuggles", she said as Mick kissed his daughter's head one last time before his sister took her in her arms, "I was supposed to tidy those after we ate, if you'll excuse me", you said as you grabbed the plates and headed to the kitchen. You were washing the plates when the pain around your abdomen and back started building up again, closing the tap and taking a breather while you tried to stretch your muscles a bit, hearing some footsteps approach the room, "do you need help Y/N?", your mother in law saying as she grabbed the sponge from you hands washing the rest of the things, "thank you for that", you said honestly. Lately it had been a lot, making sure the house was clean and good, that Aurora was as happy and content as a baby could be, both you and Mick really stretching the rope trying to manage it all, "We're still trying to get a grasp on everything", you mumbled as you felt your eyes close for a bit before opening them back up, "dear, you and Mick are overworking yourselves. It's not bad to ask for help sometimes, especially when we are more than happy to come over for the day", she offered, "I just don't want to be a disappointment", you said, tears brimming in your eyes as she came to you with open arms ready to take you in her embrace, "Oh Y/N, you're doing so well. I'm going to tell you how I did it. My kitchen did not look like yours, it looked like a mess. And I wasn't less of a parent or of a wife because of it", she reasoned as you nodded, knowing how much she meant to her children and how her value to them had nothing to do with folded kitchen towels and dried cutlery, "you gave birth to a beautiful babygirl, your body needs to rest still from all you're still doing for her now that she is outside", she said, "And Mick too. My goodness, he has been unstoppable, I don't know how he does it. He's there up with me everytime she needs a feed or a change during the night, he is there urging me on when it hurts or when I can't seem to do it. He also needs a rest too", you mused, feeling that if they were happy to help, you were happy to accept it, Corinna smiling at you.

So when Aurora wakes up, you change and feed her before she goes back to sleep on her Oma Corinna's chest, you and Mick then heading upstairs so you could have a shower without it having to be an alone quick task, your husband taking his time on helping you wash your body and show his gratefulness to you and how you made him a papa, the nonsexual touches and caresses, accompanied by the sweetest kisses, starting to make you feel a lot more comfortable on your own body again as the warm water softened the pain. After drying your bodies and putting on some soft pyjamas, Mick offered to lull you into a nap, "I've been getting pretty good at doing it with Rora, and we could both do with a nap, hm?", he said as he layed you both on the bed, your body finally relaxed enough to succumb to sleep.

You wake up from the nap to smell some delicious food, heading downstairs to see the table set up, Aurora gurgling with Corinna while Gina set the pots on the table, "I made some soup and the chicken is nearly done", she smiled sweetly before your mother in law offered you your daughter back, her little body resting against your chest as you took a sniff of her scent, feeling Mick hug you from behind as his hand rested on top of yours on Aurora's back, mouthing a thank you to his mother and sister as they managed to make everything feel a little less overwhelming.

(Thank you for submitting an ask 🤍)

[warmaidensrevenge]

Always seen you.

Pairings: Eddie x Fem!Insecure plus size reader x Friend!Elio x Friend!Billy

If you want to read my other work you can find it HERE

A/N: Hi friends. Welcome back to my series finale. This was a little rushed because I have a few requests I would like to work on as well as finishing up my papa!Eddie fic. Keep an eye out for them this upcoming week. I was inspired by three songs. So check them out if you want. Shout out to @salenorona23 for your ideas. Appreciate you. Anyways, thanks for reading babes. As always feedback is greatly appreciated and asks or comments are welcomed. Kay love ya byeeee.

Warnings: 18+ Language, sexual implications, fluff, slight angst, happy ending. Not proof read.

I do not give permission for my work to be used on any other site. Respect all creators/writers. Thanks.

Word count: 6,506

Summary: No one's gonna love you like Eddie does. And that's okay, because no one's gonna love him like you do.

Part 23 - Ending

🖤💚

The next morning you were up early. Doing what you had been doing for the past two months. The only difference this time, Eddie was sitting across from you while you drew him.

" Stop making faces." You grinned.

Eddie smirked. " I can't help it. They make you smile."

You pressed your lips to hold the smile back, adding the finishing touches.

" You know Angel, I think we should come here again. Just us next time."

You looked over your glasses, pushing them up when all you saw was a blur.

" That sounds fun. But only for like a week. Because to be honest with you… I really miss regular outlets. And I'm a little tired of pasta."

Eddie laughed. "Yeah. I think I put on at least ten pounds since I got here." He looked down, grabbing his stomach. Pushing it out to make it look bigger.

You smiled. He actually looked really good with a healthy layer of cushion around his tummy.

" I like your little belly."

Eddie gave you a wink.

You shook your head, closing your sketchbook.

" You keep moving, Eds."

He got up and went behind you. Wrapping his arms around your chest.

" I'm sorry Angel."

" Ehhh it's fine. I finished it a while ago...just liked to see you squirm."

Eddie gasped" How dare you?!'

You giggled as he started to tickle you.

" Eddieeee!" You said through a fit of laughter.

" Nope! You totally deserve it"

You were wriggling so much that your book fell open and Eddie took a second to pick it up. You tried to grab it but he pulled it away. Flipping through the pages.

" Eddie please don't." You pleaded.

You were actually embarrassed by them. You always had a slight insecurity about your drawings. You barely showed them to anyone. Other than the contest one and the book you made for Eddie, no one has seen the ones you've been drawing lately.

Eddie was amazed. " Angel…these…these are incredible."

He looked at all the scenery pictures in aww. Then he saw the ones of him. They were so good that they looked like black and white photographs. Except for his eyes. You captured the color so well. He continued admiring them until a letter fell out.

He saw the name on it before you picked it up and walked into the room.

Eddie followed you and saw you put on some high waist jeans with your flip flops.

" Where you goin'?"

" Umm. I totally forgot to send this."

He sat on the bed. " So you're going now?"

You turned to look at him when his tone changed.

" Eds, I should have sent this a long time ago. He deserves to know that it's not gonna happen."

" But a letter Angel? That just seems so… impersonal."

You sighed and sat next to him. Fidgeting with the postage.

" I know. And I hate that I can't do it in person. But he's been waiting for a while. And I feel like such an asshole for it."

Eddie nodded and started rubbing your back. " I really think you shouldn't send that. How about you call him and ask to meet up as soon as you get back."

You nodded. " Okay. I guess he waited this long. Another month won't be so bad."

" Well I didn't say that."

You looked at him and pouted.

" Angel. You don't want to be with him and he needs to here it from you. He might not be happy and you'll probably lose him as a friend. But you gotta tell him face to face."

You put your head on his shoulder.

" I just don't want to hurt him, Eds. He really is a good friend."

" I know….I know."

A minute or two passes when you took a deep breath and went for the phone.

It rang a few times before Billy finally answered.

" Sweets? Damn I was just about to leave."

" Oh I'm sorry. Do you want to talk later?"

" Uhhh I would like to but I'm kinda gonna be getting on a plane in about 3 hours."

Your brows pinched together. " Where are you going?"

Billy grinned looking at a picture of you, him and Elio on his fridge.

" I'm coming to see you sweets."

Your mouth dropped open and you felt the air get snatched out of your lungs. " W-w-what?"

You heard Billy laugh and felt Eddie's hand on your shoulder.

" What is it Angel?" Eddie whispered.

You looked up at Eddie and shook your head.

" No. Billy don't."

Billy's smile faded. " What? I want to see you. I only got a couple of days off but I want-"

" I-I-I…Billy please. Please don't come here. I…I have to talk to you. But I want to do it when I come home."

" Why can't you do it when I'm there?"

" Billy please-"

" Angel what-"

"Sweets?"

You covered the receiver and answered Eddie first. " He was just about to leave and get on a plane to come here."

Eddie furrowed his brow. He wanted to take the phone away from you and tell Billy to back off. But he stopped himself because you guys weren't together yet. So it wasn't his place. Even though he felt like it was.

When you saw that look on Eddie you knew you had to say something.

" Sweets?"

You sighed. " Billy, Eddie's here."

The silence that fell on the phone was awful. You could feel Billy's heart breaking.

Eddie looked at you and was happy that you said that. But when he saw the tears in your eyes all he wanted to do was hold you.

Billy cleared his throat. " So you chose him then?"

" I…Billy please. I want to sit down and talk when I come back. "

Billy was so angry. When were you gonna learn that Eddie wasn't the one for you? He dropped his duffle bag and rubbed his face. No matter how this turned out. He couldn't be mad at you.

" Alright. Umm you know where to find me."

" Yeah. "

" I'll see you soon, sweets."

" Y-yeah. See you."

You hung up the phone and turned to Eddie. Burying your face in his chest. He hugged you while you cried and kissed the top of your head.

" I hope he doesn't hate me….I hope I didn't make you hate me."

Eddie leaned back and lifted your face by your chin.

" He doesn't hate you and I never could. All I feel for you…all I ever felt is-"

" Guys want to go to the beach?" Elio said, walking in on the moment.

Eddie didn't look away from you though. Instead he smiled and laughed a little. " Just like old times. Trying to say how we feel and get interrupted."

You gave him a half hearted smile. " Do you think there will ever be a time when it doesn't happen?"

" Our luck. Probably not."

You frowned and looked at Elio. " Yeah. The beach sounds fun. I need some vitamin D."

Elio smirked. " Me too."

Eddie chuckled and winked at Elio.

" Ugh both of you are pervs."

…

Eddie left the next day with the promise of seeing you soon. It took everything you had to not leave with him. The parting wasn't so much of a goodbye as it was I'll see you soon.

You gave him a long hug and kiss on the cheek. When you walked away you didn't look back.

How am I gonna go a month without you Eds?

It was a week later and you had just about enough of Italy. You missed your bed and your family. But most of all you missed Eddie.

One night you sat out on the balcony and opened your book. A note fell out. You picked it up and read it.

'Angel,

I just wanted to say have a great time. You deserve all the happiness in the world. I wish I could tell you what I really want to say. But that's gonna have to wait. Take care of yourself.

Love Eds'

Elio joined you. " What's that?"

You folded the paper back up and put it back in your book.

" Nothing much. Just Eddie being Eddie."

" Hmmm. So…did you tell him how you feel?"

You nodded. " I did. But…I don't think I want that anymore."

" What do you mean?"

You looked up at the sky. Admiring the stars that shine so bright there.

" I want to be with him."

" Yeah?"

You sighed. " Yeah. "

Elio smiled and stood up. Holding out his hand for you. " Then let's go get your guy."

You grinned while taking it. But you stopped, pulling him back.

" I have to talk to Billy first."

Elio pressed his lips. " Uhhh yeah. Probably do that."

" I'm not looking forward to it."

" Well if you need me. I'll be there."

You hugged him.

"Thank you E. For everything."

He smiled, hugging you back.." you're welcome. Now…" he pulled away. " Let's go home."

…

You were standing outside of Billy's house. You had just got back and the first thing you did was catch a bus over. All you had to do now was knock.

When he answered the door he motioned for you to come in. You followed him to the couch and sat.

It was quiet for a minute before Billy shifted.

" How was your trip?"

You half smiled. " It was good. Very beautiful."

"That's good. I uhhh I missed you…and E."

You nodded. " Missed you too."

You guys were quiet again. This time the tension between you two was almost unbearable.

" So Eddie went?"

You swallowed the lump in your throat.

" He did."

" He just showed up?"

You started fidgeting with the hem of your shorts. " No…I invited him."

Billy sighed and moved again. " Does he know about us?"

" Billy there is no us."

" How can you say that? I know you felt something too. You kissed me back."

I…I know I did. But-"

" But nothing Y/n. You can't just ignore what's happening."

" I'm not ignoring it. That's why I'm here. To tell you the truth."

Billy hung his head. " What's the truth? That you want to be with him until he hurts you again. Have me waiting on the sidelines."

"N-no. Billy, Eddie and I are not together."

Well not yet.

" Then what were you guys doing there? Don't tell me he just came to hang out."

" He…he came to spend time with me."

Billy looked at you. " And nothing happened?"

You pressed your lips together and looked away.

" Why y/n? Why did you do that? Do you really think so little of yourself?"

You met his eyes and he didn't even look mad. He looked genuinely concerned.

" Billy look, being with Eddie doesn't make me smaller. Or less of a person. What we have…is something that just is. When we're together everything feels right. It feels good. And I get that you've seen me and helped me when I was at my lowest. That you think he's wrong for me. But he's not. You never saw him with me. He cares about me. He looks and treats me like I'm the only person in the world for him. He makes me feel beautiful and loved. I know he would do anything for me."

" I would too y/n. Don't I make you feel beautiful? Don't you see that I only have eyes for you? Can't you feel my love?"

You sniffled, wiping your tears away.

" You don't understand. You say those things and I feel like they're misplaced. You would do anything for me because that's what friends do. You don't make me feel beautiful. You make me feel nice. Just nice. I can't feel your love because it's not real. Well maybe it is. But not how you think. And you say you only have eyes for me when you just really want you too…but I'm not it. You're so focused on me that you don't even see the ones who looked at you like that."

He leaned forward. " I don't care how other girls look at me. All I care about is you…I love you."

You hung your head.

" Sweets please. You know this isn't going to end well for you. Regardless if you guys stay friends or not. Sooner or later he's gonna hurt you again…I would never do that to you. I would never do or say anything that could."

You stood up and walked towards the door. But you stopped just before reaching for the handle.

" You say you love me right?"

Billy stood up too. "Yeah…I love you y/n."

You turned around and looked at him.

" If you do then you know all the important stuff about me. Like the name of the highschool I graduated from, or why I used to live in a trailer before I came here."

Billy sat back down and looked away.

" Do you know how I like my coffee? Or how I met one of the most important person in my life?"

Billy couldn't look at you. He was ashamed. He should have known all that stuff about you.

When he was quiet for a while you felt bad. You knew he wouldn't know the answers. But it didn't matter. Because there was one person who did. And Billy wasn't him.

"I'm really sorry. I know you wanted this. And that you were waiting for an answer. I'm truly sorry for making you think you had a chance. You didn't deserve the silence. You're my friend and I should have told you how I felt about Eddie that night we kissed…I do love you Billy...But not the way I love him. I can't love anyone else. I don't want to."

He finally looked at you with tears in his eyes.

" I would have loved you forever, you know."

You frowned because you knew he would have.

" But I would have never been able to love you back. Not in the way you want or need."

Billy got up and cupped your face. "I love you sweets. And if you ever need me." He leaned in. " I will always be here."

He gave you a kiss on the cheek and met your forehead with his.

…

Thanksgiving came up so fast. You almost forgot to pack for Hawkins. The past two months have been jam packed with a new project you were working on and with school. It all became a little bit crazy. But finally you were gonna go see your family.

Ever since the conversation with Billy, he worked a lot. He came around once in a while. But just for a few minutes.

Eddie of course was working on the new album and doing shows. He tried calling you since Italy. But as usual both of you were busy. Not that you were upset about not talking to him as much as you would like. But that you hadn't got the chance to say that you wanted to be together. For real this time. That wasn't something to write in a letter or say over the phone. So you waited.

Thanksgiving being the perfect opportunity to finally put it out there.

Eddie said he was going to be late because his flight was delayed. But he was at the airport, determined to be the first one on.

When you finally got to Hawkins, something was different. You didn't know what. But something was. There was a lot going on that you had no idea the gravity of it.

Matthew was waiting for you when you got off the plane. You guys hugged each other and went home. The ride was mostly quiet. Not that you minded. You were super tired.

When you guys pulled into the trailer park everything was covered in a thin blanket of snow. You had noticed a moving truck parked out front. Too tired to ask anything, you got out of the car and went to your room after you gave Bethany a hug. When you walked in you dropped your bag and threw yourself on the bed. You said a silent ' goodnight Eds.' before passing out.

In the morning you woke up and finally looked around. All that was left in the small room was the bed and the nightstand.

What the hell?

You got up and went to the kitchen. Bethany was making breakfast and you went to get some water. While grabbing her little tummy you asked.

" Hey so ummm where's my stuff?"

" Uhhh sit down. I have news."

You nodded and went to the dining table.

Bethany put a plate in front of you and sat down.

" Nothing bad is it?" You asked buttering your toast.

" No sweetie. It's good news. Very good news."

You took a bite and smiled.

" So umm first things first. We're moving."

Your eyes widened and you stopped chewing.

" That's why there's a moving truck outside. Matthew and I bought a 4 bedroom house near my parents." She grabbed her belly. " I'm gonna need all the help I can get since I'm having twins."

You froze mid chew.

"You-you're having t-two?"

Bethany giggled. " Yup. So we're gonna need a bigger place."

" Oh my God!" You put down your toast and got up to hug her. " That's insane…well duh you're definitely going to need a much bigger place. With a big backyard."

Bethany laughed again while hugging you back. " That's the plan."

You sat back down shaking your head.

Twins!

" So when is the official move?" You asked, taking a sip of coffee.

" So we were thinking just after Thanksgiving. There isn't much left here. Just the furniture."

You nodded. " And the trailer?"

" Well, I want to see if you want to keep it or let someone else move in."

The thought of another family moving into your home made you sad. But at the same time it was unrealistic to keep it when you only came there for holidays.

" Umm I would like to keep it. But it's pointless. I live in Cambridge."

" Yeah… Just thought I would ask."

You nodded again picking at your hash browns.

" So uhhh my stuff?"

Bethany gave you a smile. She didn't want to ruin Eddie's surprise so she said a little white lie.

" Well all of it is in storage near your dorm. We had it shipped there." Bethany got up and went to the kitchen.

She came back and set a key in front of you. " This is the key to the lock. Whenever you're ready you can check it out."

You smiled. " That's cool. I'll give you the money for the storage."

You got up to grab your purse.

" Oh no. Don't worry about it. It wasn't much."

" No. No. You guys don't need to spend any more money than you have to."

You pulled out your wallet and pulled out a crisp new 100 dollar bill.

" Sweetie no. Really it's fine."

" Take it. And just save it for the babies."

Bethany's smile got bigger. " Okay. But for the babies and not the storage."

You sat back down and beamed at her.

" You know." You put a hand on her tummy. "These little buns are gonna have the best mommy."

She put her hand on yours. " And they are gonna have the best aunt."

…

While getting ready for bed that night you looked out your bedroom window. You felt a pain in your heart seeing the Munson's trailer. For just a short period in time you were neighbors with Eddie Munson. You were in a place that finally felt like home. With the boy of your dreams just a stone's throw away.

But Eddie didn't live there anymore. And he hadn't for almost two years. Still you wished his light would turn on. You still wished you could watch him play his guitar or write out a new campaign, while you were supposed to be studying.

Oh how things have changed.

Eddie finally got to Hawkins and it was pretty late. He didn't even bother going to see his uncle. He went straight to yours. When he knocked, your brother answered.

" Hey man."

"Hey Eddie. Come on in."

" Thanks."

Eddie took off his jacket and gave your brother a hug.

" How are things?" He asked.

Matthew sighed. " It's good. Just moving is a bitch."

" Does she know that her stuff is at my place?"

" Nah. She thinks it's in storage."

Eddie grinned. " Cool. I'm gonna bring her to it when she goes back."

Matthew gave him a half smile. " That's good. She'll be happy."

" I hope so."

Eddie started for your room when Matthew stopped him.

" Eddie man, don't fuck this up this time."

Eddie nodded. " I won't. I swear. I won't."

Eddie crept into your room and smiled seeing you sound asleep. He got undressed and climbed into bed with you. Though you didn't wake up you snuggled with him. He kissed your forehead and whispered.

" I'm here Angel. And I love you."

When you woke up, the happiness you felt was overwhelming. Eddie came home. You pushed his hair behind his shoulder and kissed his cheek.

" You're here, Eds."

While Eddie slept you and Bethany started cooking. It was a little after 1 pm when Eddie and your brother finally got up.

Eddie gave you a big beautiful smile.

" Morning Angel."

With your hand in a turkey you smiled back. " Afternoon Eds. How was the flight?"

Eddie came around the counter, hugging you from behind.

" Just terrible Angel. Screaming babies and loud ladies talking about how scared they were to fly."

"Hmmm and you endured all that to be here?"

" To be here with you."

You smiled . " Well aren't you sweet?"

Eddie kissed the top of your head. " I missed you Angel."

" I missed you too, Eds. Now let me finish this turkey. I want to talk to you about something later."

Eddie gave you one last squeeze. " Oh no. Please tell me it's nothing bad?"

You shook your head. " No. Nothing bad."

" Okay. I'm gonna go say hi to my uncle. I'll be back soon."

You nodded and watched him leave.

" What are you gonna talk about?" Matthew asked.

You grinned at him. " I think I'm ready now. I want to tell him I want to be together."

" Are you sure?" Bethany asked.

You looked at her. " Yes. But it's gonna be different this time around. I'll make sure of it."

Bethany and Matthew both have you approving smiles.

Later that night everyone was sitting around the kitchen table saying things they were grateful for.

When it was your turn you looked at your little family.

" I'm thankful for all of you. You guys have been so good to me and have always been so supportive. That I don't know who I would be without each and every one of you."

You smiled at your lap seeing Eddie's hand on your thigh.

" Alright." Eddie said with a huge grin. " I'm thankful for -"

He was suddenly cut off by a knock on the door.

Bethany looked at the door. " Are we expecting anyone else Mattie?"

Your brother shook his head.

" I'll get it." You said getting up.

When you opened the door you were immediately scared.

" Matthew!"

Your brother quickly got up and went to you.

" Mom? Dad? What the hell are you doing here?"

Next thing you knew Eddie pulled you back and stood in front of you.

" Hi babies. Umm we came to say happy Thanksgiving. We uhh we brought you a pie." Your mom said.

Matthew was pissed. " You're not welcome here."

Your dad took a step up. "Look son, we're really sorry for everything we put you and your sister through. We just wanted to see you guys."

" Well we don't want to see you. Don't ever come back here!"

Your brother stepped back and slammed the door on them. Eddie turned around and cupped your face.

" Are you okay Angel?"

You swallowed thickly. " I…I want to talk to them."

Matthew turned around. " What for?! They have nothing good to say."

You looked at Matthew. " I know. But they're still our parents."

Matthew shook his head and Eddie made you look at him.

" I'm going with you."

You licked your lips. " Okay."

When you went outside your parents were just about to get in the car. Eddie was only a step behind you when you started talking.

" Happy Thanksgiving."

Your dad looked up and looked sad.

" Happy Thanksgiving baby girl."

You went to them and gave both an awkward hug.

" Look, I know that we all have stuff to say to one another. But we're good. Me and Matthew are doing great…I hope that you understand that we don't want you a part of our lives…I do love you because you gave birth to me. But I need you to never come looking for us again."

You took a step back and grabbed Eddie's hand when you saw the fury in your mother's eyes.

Your dad sighed. " Let's go honey."

You stood there with Eddie watching your parents drive away. A tear escaped and Eddie quickly caught it.

"Don't cry Angel. They're gone."

You nodded. " I just...We're safe now."

Eddie hugged you. " You were always safe. Ever since you left."

" That's because of you and Wayne."

Eddie held you tighter. " I promised that I would. And I will always keep that promise."

You kissed his chest. " I know you will."

…

You were getting ready for dinner with Eddie. After Thanksgiving you didn't get the chance to tell him you wanted to be together. But now it was 2 weeks later and you were back at school. Eddie was in town and asked you out. The plan was to ask him to be your boyfriend over dinner. And if things went well. You would spend the night with him.

Eddie stopped at the market before he went to get you. Making sure to get you the prettiest flowers they had. That's when he ran into Billy.

"Uhh hey man." Eddie said awkwardly.

" Hey."

" Umm how are you?"

" I'm okay. Dating a girl."

That was fast. Eddie thought.

" Oh cool."

" Yeah. I work with her. Guess she had liked me for a long time."

Eddie smiled. " Oh that's ummm cool."

"Yeah."

There was a weird silence that fell. Eddie gave him a nod.

" I uhh better get going."

" Hold on. I want to ask you something."

" O-okay?"

Billy sighed. " Who is the most important person in y/n's life and how did they meet?"

Eddie raised a brow and tilted his head. It was a weird question but he thought what was the harm.

"Umm well you're probably thinking it's me right?"

Billy nodded

" Shit I wish it was. But yeah. No. It's actually my uncle."

Billy looked confused.

" It was just before we started dating. She had a lot of issues with her parents. One night all those came to a head. I uhhh wasn't able to get there in time. I was a mess that night. But my uncle, being the good guy he is, stood up for her and Matthew. Gave them a safe place to stay. My uncle liked her a lot before he met her. And more after. He sees her as a daughter. And she sees him like a dad. We both do…every since that night, she's been close to him. I think more than me. But I can't be mad. He's very important to me too. He always supported us. Supported her."

Billy looked away. " I didn't know that."

" You couldn't. It's something she doesn't like talking about."

" But she did with you."

" That's because was her best friend. And we spent almost every waking moment together before I left."

" Yeah?"

Eddie gave him a thin lip smile. " Yeah....So umm."

" You should probably go."

Eddie gave him a handshake and started for the door.

" Hey umm one more thing. How does she like her coffee?"

Eddie chuckled. He knew Billy was trying to convince himself that he was the one for you.

He turned his head and looked at him.

" It depends."

Billy shook his head. That's all he needed to know. " Right. Well umm take care of her. She's a good girl."

Eddie nodded and left with a smile.

She is a good girl. The best actually. And she's going to be mine again.

When you went outside Eddie was leaning on his van, holding flowers.

" Hi Angel."

" H-hey. When did you have time to get your van?"

You closed the distance and took the flowers.

" I uhhh had it stored in a garage here. For when I come for you. I have wheels."

He gave you a hug and opened the passenger door.

" M'lady."

You gave him a sweet smile and hopped in. " Thank you Ser Munson."

Eddie chuckled and helped buckle you in. " You looked really beautiful tonight Angel."

You giggled. " No you."

Eddie laughed again and closed the door. Jogging to his side.

" So I uhhh found this place that I liked. It's a small bistro called Sips Cafè."

" Oh I know that place. They have the best blueberry scones."

Eddie grinned. " I like those too."

You both smiled and talked about what happened the past two weeks. Eddie signed a new contract for 3 more albums. As well as accepting a spot on a world tour. You had hit a snag in your project and been working effortlessly trying to figure out a solution.

When you guys pulled up to the cafè Eddie got out and opened the door for you. Offering his hand.

" Eds I think they're closed." You said taking his hand.

" Oh no. I rented the place out. So it could just be us. I don't want our dinner to be interrupted by fans."

You give him a sweet smile. " That's nice of you."

Eddie led you inside. Pulling out a chair for you. You guys sat and ate. Talking about Eddie's upcoming tour. Ever since Bad Decisions, the band started getting noticed a hell of a lot more. And word had it that one day soon they might be performing at Madison square garden. Which you could not be more proud of your friends.

After dinner Eddie started leading you up a staircase.

" Eds I don't think we can come up here."

" Don't worry Angel. It's all gonna be okay."

When you guys got to a door, Eddie turned to you.

" Do you have that key Bethany gave you?"

You were confused. " Umm yeah?"

" Can I have it?"

You looked in your purse and pulled out the key.

" Bethany said it was to a storage unit."

Eddie just smiled at you as he unlocked the door. He then gave you back the key and pushed open the door for you.

You gave him a worried look but all he did was smile and nodded for you to go in. When you went, it was dark until Eddie flipped a switch.

A little gasp left you when you saw the place. It was a huge studio apartment. Filled with all of Eddie's things. Then you saw some of your stuff around.

You walked in more studying the place. " Eds, is this your place?"

Eddie rubbed the back of his neck. " Yeah…I erm I got it when you were in Italy."

As you continued to look around you smiled to yourself, seeing the big framed picture that was a copy of the one Wayne gave you.

You pointed at the picture." You have one too?"

" Actually. That's yours. I umm took it from the trailer."

You met his eyes and they were just slits from the big beautiful smile he had.

You walked through the apartment and saw your desk with art supplies. Eddie came behind you.

" Umm for when you want to come over and draw."

You smiled got bigger when you felt his hand in yours. You moved around towards the living room. That's when your eyes found a trophy case. As you got closer you saw all of your awards. Not just the second place ones. But the first place ones too.

" H-How?"

Eddie rubbed the back of his neck again. " That was all Wayne. He got them from your parents. He thought you might want them."

Tears filled your eyes seeing the only one that mattered. Your award for your sketch for the Hawkins Post. And right next to it was Eddie's first B+ paper. You're heart filled seeing that one.

Eddie then led you behind a partition.

" This is the bedroom area." He said letting go of your hand.

Your eyes followed him to the large dresser.

" Half of the drawers are empty. For umm when or if you want to bring some stuff."

Was this really happening? Did Eddie buy an apartment for us?

All you could do was smile. This was a lot to comprehend.

" Oh and the best part." Eddie motioned you to follow him out to the terrace.

He flipped a switch and there were twinkle lights all around the railing and hanging on top. When you took a closer look you noticed something.

" Eds. Are those my lights I've been working on?"

Eddie smirked. " Yeah. Umm Elio helped me get some. I know you're still working on them to last longer. But I wanted you to see that I think they're perfect."

You looked at a bench that was covered up. When Eddie saw that he went over and lifted the tarp. It was a small work table.

" I thought you might need a place to work. Then maybe after you graduate, you can help convert our stage lights to yours. Maybe even help with set designs."

You wiped your tears away.

" Eds you didn't have to do this."

He came to you and cupped your face. " I wanted to. I want to have a place that feels like home to you. "

" What about you? You can't live here and live in LA. That's too much money."

" Angel, I don't live in LA anymore. My home is wherever you are."

He tucked your hair behind your ear and kissed your cheek.

" I…I don't know what to say…everything is so.." you bit your lip and looked deep into his eyes. " Beautiful."

Eddie hugged you and kissed your forehead. " Not as beautiful as you."

You guys held each other for a minute before Eddie said he forgot dessert.

" I'll be right back."

You nodded and watched him leave.

When Eddie got back he had a plate full of cupcakes.

"Angel?"

He set the plate on the counter and looked around for you. When he found you, you were in bed, holding the blanket to your chest.

" Angel? Are you-"

" I am."

He chuckled. " You don't want dessert first?"

" No…I want you."

He got undressed and climbed in with you. He was just about to kiss you when you stopped him.

" Eds, I want us to be together…I want to be your girlfriend again."

He gave you a sweet smile. " Are you ready now?"

" Since Italy."

Before he kissed you he caressed your cheek. " I love you y/n. And I promise that I always will. I will spend the rest of my life making sure you never forget it."

You held out your pinky. Eddie smiled and hooked it with his.

" I love you too, Eds. Always. "

…

Two years later you were walking with Eddie in a zoo. It was a cold winter so you guys were bundled up pretty good.

" Do you remember when we did that Rocky scene for Mrs Adler?"

You smiled. " Which one?"

" The second one."

" I do. It was one of the very first memories I have of wanting to kiss you."

Eddie grinned. " It was one of mine too. I wanted to kiss you so bad."

You laughed. " Should have."

" I was but then Mrs Adler stopped it."

" Yeah. She's such a butt." You giggled.

Eddie chuckled. " You have no idea."

You guys stopped at the tiger enclosure.

" I really like those movies."

" Rocky?" You asked.

" Yeah. They're so good. Had a lot of emotional scenes."

" Yeah they do."

" You uhhh you want to do one? Like old times."

You looked at him with raised brows. " Right now?"

Eddie nodded. " Yeah. Maybe we can do the one where they're in the zoo?"

" Well it is kinda perfect seeing that we're in a zoo."

Eddie turned his body towards you and grinned.

You cleared your throat and started.

(You as Adrien)

"What are we doin' here at the zoo?"

(Eddie as Rocky)

"Oh, ya know, I kinda like the zoo a lot, you know It's a special place, especially when it snows, ya know, it kinda smells clean and everything like that you know? Don't you like the zoo? Huh?"

(You)

"I like the zoo."

(Eddie)

"Yeah, me too….You know, I was wonderin', like...What do you think you're doin' for, like, the next, uh... 40 or 50 years?"

(You)

"What do you mean?"

(Eddie)

"Uhhhhhh…. I was wonderin' if, uh... you wouldn't mind marrying me very much?"

(You)

"What'd ya say?"

Eddie got closer and lifted your beanie a little.

(Eddie)

"If you wouldn't mind marryin' me too much."

Why does it feel like you're really asking me?

(You)

"Yes. I'd like to marry you."

(Eddie smiled)

"Yeah?"

(You)

"Yes."

Eddie stepped closer to you and grabbed your hand.

" Marry me Angel?"

Your eyes softened as you smiled.

" Yes, Eds. I'll marry you."

Eddie chuckled. " Yeah?"

You giggled and wrapped your arms around his neck. "Yes."

Eddie kissed you to seal the deal. " I love you so much Angel. And I can't wait to start a family."

" Ahhh… not too soon I hope. Gotta finish school first."

" Well duh! And we have to finish moving into the house."

" Is that why we got a big one?"

Eddie kissed you again. " Our babies need the room."

" Babies? As in multiple?"

" Yeah baby. We're gonna fill a tour bus."

You giggled. " Is that right?"

" Absolutely! I can see it now." He put up his hand and gestured. " Corroded Coffin and The Munson's."

" I like the sound of that."

Eddie pulled you along to finish the visit.

" Finally gonna make it official."

" Make what official?" You asked

" Making you mine forever and ever."

You smiled up at him. " I was already yours forever."

" I know. But now the whole world will know. That an Angel officially took me off the market."

You laughed playfully pushing him.

Eddie smirked and finished the scene. This time with a Philly accent.

"I'll be a good guy, I promise. I ain't gonna do nothin' wrong. I ain't gonna leave no hair in the sink or nothin' like that, you know? Things are gonna be great, you know that? Hey, hey we're gettin' married, you know! You wanna come? If you can get out for the weekend, I'll send you an invitation Mr. Tiger. That's fantastic, ain't it?"

You shook your head. " You're too much Eds."

" Not too much I hope."

You grinned. " Never."

…

@chloe-6123 @irishhappiness @idkidknemore @hiscrimsonangel @hellv1ra @browneyes528 @b-irock @erinsingalong @salenorona23 @eddie-is-a-god @screaming-blue-bagel

[mecharlie-fox]

Memoirs of a Summoner: Part 2

Holy hecc it's already 2023 and I just now made part 2 due to unexpectedly breaking my writer's block (for the wrong fic) and I think I've decided on what I'm gonna do for the love interest.

Ship intention: Alfonse X Reader / Summoner X Reader / Zacharias (Bruno) x Reader

Note: The Summoner and the Reader ARE TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE. The Summoner has no distinct gender or sexuality and can be you or your OC, and the same is for the reader. This will be posted in AO3 for a more organized approach in the future. Happy reading!

Ahem!

You didn't know why you even agreed to Anna's proposal. AT ALL.

A Stewardship is basically a position that meant you will do every single small detail for the Commander and the Summoner from having their breakfast scheduled to every single night report delivered to them before bed or right after they wake up the following morning.

You didn't want to sign up for it but your worry, sense of duty, perhaps a little but of pity, got the best of you by the end of it all.

By hierarchy, you automatically outrank everyone you knew except for the Commander and the Summoner. You will be with them all the time, learn every secret, be part of every council, every decision making — you found yourself from a unknown soldier to a sudden "councilor" for both the Commander and the Summoner.

In short, you are third-in-command after the Summoner who is second.

By Order rules, no title of nobility or royalty would be effective on Order grounds and jurisdiction. It goes the same for foreign heroes who were summoned or volunteered, or your local nobles and royals who feel like they wanted to be a hero. Their position outside of the Order meant nothing and should be nothing, because everyone has to work for their spot in the order.

Things were changing around you the moment you said yes.

Your quarters were suddenly placed in the fourth floor where the commanding officers sleep. You were suddenly in important meetings, training sessions, access to armor, potions, and weapons that you've never seen before. Big name heroes such as Marth or Ike were finally noticing you! And it felt weird! All too weird!

You were invisible since the day the Summoner came along and all of a sudden you were a big name with a big fancy title. "The Steward."

It wasn't as fancy as Commander or Summoner, but you didn't care anyway. It felt as if the castle you were living for the past years was suddenly foreign to you.

But the biggest, weirdest thing you've encountered was Prince Alfonse and his sister Princess Sharena.

You did not know how to act amongst the royalty. AT. ALL.

Yeah, sure the heroes came from royalty or nobility from other worlds. But that was different. They were foreigners who wanted to help, heroes who were humbled and eager to fight with you until the end. But Prince Alfonse and the Princess? The Heir and the Spare?

This was a whole different territory for you.

You internally prayed for the Summoner to waltz in the war room and save you. But you were stuck with those two, AND ONLY those two. Where was the Commander? Heck, where are the Heroes who were given captaincy positions? You were certain, VERY CERTAIN that there was a scheduled meeting today. You had to be right, you were the one who confirmed it with Anna and the Summoner. It wasn't helping that Princess Sharena kept on smiling your way and Prince Alfonse awkwardly standing by the window looking at Lord Askr knows what.

Mind you. This was your first day on the job as Steward.

"So... What's your name?" ...

...

...

...

You wanted to run away the moment the Princess asked you your name. "M-my name is (y/n)..."

The Princess simply smiled at you. "Ohhhhh~ that's a pretty name! No need to be all nervous around me though," said the princess as she had a more welcome aura compared to her brother... Who was simply sneaking occasionally glances at the two of you. "You can just call me Sharena! Is it okay if I call you (y/n)?"

The Princess' eyes were practically shining.

"Uhm..." Before you could even answer, the Summoner gave their morning greetings to the three of you. Holding a tray of tea with bread.

Now you've become nervous as to why the Summoner just did your job. You were in their bedroom this morning to wake them up, why didn't they say anything?

You've noticed Prince Alfonse finally turned his direction towards you all with a welcoming smile. To you, the Prince wasn't all that friendly. Polite, sure, but he had more walls around him than Midgard's Shield.

You immediately stood up and rushes towards the summoner in a panic. "Summoner please—"

But they just stopped you right there. You could see their lips curve into a smile under that hood of theirs. "You're mistaken, (y/n) this isn't for sharing. This is for you."

...

...

...

What? "I beg your pardon?" You were utterly confused all of a sudden.

"Anna said you didn't eat breakfast." The Summoner casually said as they put down the tray by the table since no map has been presented yet. "We don't want a hungry Steward working so hard you know."

"I ... uhmmm thank you Ma'am— Sir, I— I mean Summoner!"

Sharena wanted to laugh so bad but she was holding it in. The Summoner just waved it off. "Summoner would be just fine, you can also call me Kiran once you're more comfortable." The Summoner was happy when you nodded. They've noticed you've become flustered, perhaps out of embarrassment due to being in the presence of royalty. Or maybe it was because of them. They didn't know really.

Heroes were easier to talk to because they didn't put them on a pedestal, but it was different for Askrans who volunteered. The Summoner was their legend, their hero, it made a lot of sense that people would be on guard around them not because they were a public threat but rather... some sort of impossible idol on display. Like if you touch them, they would crack.

"Alfonse, introduce yourself." Your level of shock could not comprehend on how casual the Summoner just called the Crown Prince of Askr.

Your eyes met and you just froze there. Waiting for Askr to answer your prayer of this not going bad. Alfonse on the other hand had a different thought process.

Like you, he didn't know how to interact with you. Between him and Sharena, he was the introverted one. He acknowledged that he was distant when Kiran first came to them from another world, but after a few missions and discussions — Kiran wasn't as complicated as he thought they were. But you were a different story.

You are a citizen of his Kingdom. He is your Crown Prince, your future King. He was afraid on what he common folk would think about him. Alfonse was aware that people say he wasn't behaving like a prince should be. But he was hoping you thought differently, that you would give him a chance to at least prove himself that this is where he belongs for the time being before he becomes King.

He stretched out his hand towards you, although he smiled, you didn't know if he was even happy you're going to lessen the workload for the order. "I am Alfonse, Prince of Askr."

"They know that dummy!" Sharena couldn't help but tease from behind.

"Ack! A-apologies! I'm so used to introducing myself in such a manner — Wh—why are you laughing?!" This was the first time you saw Prince Alfonse so flustered and the Summoner practically on the floor laughing histerically as the prince failed to introduce himself to you.

Sharena was still trying to hold it in as well from where she sat.

You didn't need to be a genius to know why he introduced himself like that. You didn't even need his explanation. Considering how many heroes the Summoner would do each day, it was only natural for the prince to introduce himself in such a way — he would be a broken record at this point.

"Nice to meet you, Your Highness." You introduced yourself with a bow. "My name is (y/n), I look forward to working with you."

"L-likewise, (y/n)" The prince sounded so apologetic that you're starting to believe that the Summoner may tease him about this until the moment they both die. "S-stop laughing!"

Maybe the Summoner is a prankster? No, impossible. You refuse to believe it. The Summoner is THE Legendary Great Hero there is no way they would be so childish.

"Don't mind him, (y/n), Alfonse has always been a stick in the mud." Summoner Kiran simply patted you on the head like a child. Odd thing is that... You didn't dislike it. Their hand felt warm.

It didn't take long for the new Captains to come and arrive. None of them were the captains that you knew, and it breaks your heart. Most of them were Heroes that were summoned, very few were nobility who just joined — probably because they want to curry favor with the crown prince or his sister. It didn't sit right with you... It didn't feel right, it felt like a sin even — seeing these people standing where they stood.

"Now," the Summoner cleared their throat before facing the siblings. "I've already notified the captains about (y/n) so I'm giving you to a quick briefing. They're our Steward, anything that goes in and out of this castle, they should know. All the plans, all the names, all the resources, all the correspondence — everything. They are to receive the same amount of respect as the Commander and I as a veteran of this Order. Failure to comply with this will have consequences and you're not children for me to even say that..."

The summoner's voice sounded different for you. It had a different aura compared to earlier when they were still goofing around with the Prince and Princess. Their aura was respectable, commendable — there was something about them that just draws people in. And you were awed by it.

The Summoner explained that look like them, you were allowed to participate on missions but it's not a mandatory thing for you to do. As third-in-command, you have every authority to override the Captain's orders and decisions. You were allowed to discipline them, have access to secret files, every dark secret, every mission — you were allowed to go wherever in the castle, nor extractions whatsoever.

You were given actual authority, the same level of authority as the Commander. You were even allowed in the restricted section in the library. Not even the Summoner has access to that part of the castle!

Anna had asked for a second chance. But this wasn't the second chance you were hoping for.

It didn't felt like you earned your position at all.

You can name so many people who deserves to be third-in-command instead of you.

But they were all gone.

And you were alone.

Anna wasn't even present in the whole briefing as you finally swallowed your nervousness and brought out a parchment filled with agendas for the day, and reported it to the whole war council. It felt like every briefing you did with your old unit but at the same time, it felt so strange — not familiar. Surely these heroes are to be trusted, they're heroes after all but you couldn't help but have your own reservations.

Heroes didn't automatically mean trust.

And you trust none of them.

You only trust Anna because you worked with her before she became commander. She was one of you before any of this. But she wasn't around. She was in the capital with other Contains, trying to ease the situation with the King. She's doing her job. She's working hard.

And you should too.

"Okay!" The Summoner clapped their hands together as to catch the attention of the whole room. "You all have your missions, go and brief your team. The Steward and I will remind here to discuss our next course of action."

It was like a switch. One moment the Summoner was a professional tactics master, whenever you can call it and the next, they are a complete child. You can tell by how they smiles at you. It was a smile your own brother would give whenever he had something stupid in mind and you need to keep him out of trouble (your mother finds out anyway and you both get in trouble.) Somehow, you went from finding the summoner hateful, to them being weird, to you now just feeling scares that you're on a babysitting job with a grown adult who has the ability to control worlds.

"You, Steward, are the luckiest person in this Order. Do you want to know why?" ... you were scared to find out what's next to that sentence.

"No, Summoner." By that answer, you could have sworn you could have a pin drop all the way from Embla's capital.

"I'm telling you anyway!" They responded gleefully as they took out a map from one of the shelves. "Anna tells me that you've been doing covert assignments since you got here. Is that right?"

"Yes," you said. "I was under Captain Zacharias."

"Good. I need someone like you for tonight's assignment." Opening the map, the Summoner took out a few wooden pieces and placed them on the map as if they were trying to divise a plan on how to get to their location. "We'll be meeting an agent right around here," they pointed at the secluded forest just in the middle of Embla and Askr territory. "I figured you'd be enough as my companion."

"What?"

"What?" The summoner looked up towards you but it wasn't enough for you to even see their face. "You're trained in combat, right?"

"Yes."

"And you're trained in first aid?"

"Yes."

"And you know covert operation protocol, right?"

"Yes."

"Then you're perfect for the job!" There they go again with such a happy tone. No wonder the princess was so fond of them.

"I'm the only person qualified for the job, Summoner."

"Exactly!" Both of you weren't stupid to just realize that none of the Heroes were trained or brief in protocols such as this. Covert operations are often dangerous and kept on the dark, originally there are three separate teams of them and one of them was burnt and the other two were disbanded.

But if you were the only one that's left... Who was the Summoner's agent in Embla territory?

"You don't have to come if you don't want to you know," the Summoner's voice became... Soft for some reason. It felt unexpected.

"But isn't this assignment important?"

"It is." The Summoner nodded. But they didn't want to force you into anything you don't like. "But if you feel like you're not ready, I can reassign you to Alfonse and Sharena for today."

It was the guriella warfare task that you said earlier.

This choice will affect the story

[peach-cant-sleep]

What specifically named color do you embody?

phlox

you are someone who often finds themselves comforted by the quiet and solitude of the world around you. you find soft spoken people who speak their minds much louder than those who scream what they found out. you find temples made out of papier mache and duct tape and a dream and put offerings at their altars. you are quiet in the way you love the world, and it shows. the world does not see you, and that's the way you want to keep it. the world does not even notice you're there, and it scares you just a little, just a few moments every day. you're not sure yourself if you're much more than a ghost, and you can't bring yourself to ask, too afraid to get the wrong answer.

cattleya

you're a gentle soul in a world that you know would slaughter you if it found out. you're careless in your love, and reckless in how you show it, and that's not going to change. it's your shield, that is to say that you love with the intent to defend yourself from harm. you don't know how else to love, and that's okay. your love is armor, your love is a shield, your love is a fortress. you welcome all people to this grand estate, this fortified battalion, and all who live among your fields are safe from harm… at least from you. you have made mistakes in your love before and it cost you pieces of yourself. but you love. you will always love. because you love to defend. you love to protect.

feldgrau

hesitant, neutrality, italy's markets, intelligence, regretful. you have so many things that you'd like to apologize for. your world has lost a majority of its luster and color due to all the things you've done and regretted, all the things you want to take back or try again. the people you've lost have told you that you need to work on yourself, and you don't know where to start anymore - you're not sure you ever truly did. it's cold, in the world, and you don't know how to make it warm for everyone, which is where your mistake lies. the world is cold and cruel, and indifferent to those who walk the earth. but that doesn't mean you can't try. (you have to TRY.)

cattleya

you're a gentle soul in a world that you know would slaughter you if it found out. you're careless in your love, and reckless in how you show it, and that's not going to change. it's your shield, that is to say that you love with the intent to defend yourself from harm. you don't know how else to love, and that's okay. your love is armor, your love is a shield, your love is a fortress. you welcome all people to this grand estate, this fortified battalion, and all who live among your fields are safe from harm… at least from you. you have made mistakes in your love before and it cost you pieces of yourself. but you love. you will always love. because you love to defend. you love to protect.

verdigris

you will do everything and anything to not think about the past days. how many you're trying to forget, it doesn't matter, but you will do anything, everything, all the things you can in order to not have to focus on the fact that you made a mistake. the world is full of life and vibrancy, and you don't want to be that dark spot in it that you believe yourself to be. so you fight it with everything you've got, pushing away people in fear of them making you darker, fighting those who oppress you without questioning their motives. fearful. regretful. uncertain. you dance to a tune only you hear in this world, and you know it's going to kill you one day. you hope it's soon.

Tagged By; @scrrowblue (thanks for tagging me!!!) Tagging; @antiiinnocence//@arrivalled (if you wanna do it for all of em!) , @crvptd, @lultimagoccia, and anyone else who wants to steal!!