#that he might not be a safe adult himself anymore

[tarucore]

Dick Grayson who is hyper aware of the types of cases the Robins take on and the subjects they are exposed to bc he knows how difficult it was to be treated as a competent adult at 11 years old

vs

Dick Grayson who is very casual about subjects that might be inappropriate for the Robins when they are kids bc he has no frame of reference on what is appropriate bc he was exposed to those subjects at such an early age

FIGHT

[suppose-i-was-worm]

Like A Lamb

**Idea taken from @nerdpoe's post- What the hell is this "Infinite Realms"?**

John Constantine would never call himself a kind man, much less a good man, but the kid at the corner table of this fast food restaurant was making him want to be both.

Not that John’s kindness would really help the kid, in the long run.

He’d seen so many things in all the time he’d been alive- wondrous and horrific in equal measure, but this boy- this teenager, barely out of childhood, was probably the most heart-breaking.

John had known sacrifices- marked by both men and demons. He’d seen the crumpled bodies after the fact, and sometimes he’d been able to save them beforehand. None of them were like this boy. Marked like a sacrificial lamb down to his bones by the universe- an inevitable end.

The teen was the beginning and the end of worlds- his death would shake the foundations of all that was, could be, and is. Time would stutter to a stop before restarting with a different beat, and John could do nothing to delay or stop what was coming.

How in the world could this kid still smile and laugh with his friends? How could he not feel the weight of an entire reality on his shoulders? If John, sitting across a dining room from him, could feel the pressure, why wasn’t the boy buckling under it?

John’s phone alerted him to a text from Zatanna- he was needed by the JLD.

With a sigh, he fished out the strongest protection amulet he had on him. It wouldn’t save the teen, but maybe it would make the rest of his life a little easier.

The kid looked up at him as he approached, all smiles and young innocence. John Constantine thrust the amulet into his hand and then turned, stalking out of the Nasty Burger.

He needed to tell the Justice League. Amity Park needed protection- there was a kid there whose death would change the world.

~~~

Danny flipped the little charm around in his hands, trying to figure it out. The sad trenchcoat man had handed it to him before leaving, and he had no idea why.

“What do you think it is, Danny?”

He shrugged. For some reason he didn’t want to hand it over to Sam for her to inspect it.

“Dunno. It feels important, though. I might take it to Pandora- she’s been teaching me a bit of magic stuff, so she can probably parse it out.”

For some reason, Danny knew he would recognize that man again if he ever saw him, despite only having looked at him for a moment. Something in his core rumbled contently as he tucked the amulet carefully into the back of his phone case.

The next few weeks, Danny found himself having suspiciously good luck. The food at home didn’t come to life, ghosts didn’t attack as much, Dash wasn’t a problem at school, and even the Fentons hadn’t been as insistent on catching Phantom.

That was another weird thing- His brain didn’t seem to compute that Jack and Maddie were his mom and dad anymore. He knew he’d been creeping toward that ever since his death, but it was like a switch had been flipped overnight. The Fenton adults no longer registered as his parents.

Finally he had a chance to slip into the Realms and head for Pandora, who took one look at the amulet he held out to her and laughed.

“You have been adopted, young one, and your core accepted.”

“Adopted?”

“Your nature is to protect- it sings in your blood and guides your instincts. An adult offered you protection, a safe haven, and you took them up on it. Had someone your own age done the same, your relationship with them would be vastly different.”

Danny frowned at the charm, but he didn’t put it down- it didn’t even occur to him to get rid of it.

“Why did he- what made him do that?”

Pandora ruffled his hair.

“He saw someone who needed protecting, I assume, and acted as he ought.”

~~~

“Bats, I don’t know what the Infinite Realms are. Yes, I know they exist. I just don’t know when they started to exist, and when my knowledge of the afterlife became outdated.”

Batman glared, and John rolled his eyes at the other man.

“Magic shit happens all the time. Zatanna can tell you just as well as I can that the Realms didn’t exist a year ago- and also that they’ve existed for millenia.”

“I’ve found a summoning spell for the king of the realms, but it requires a magic user. Zatanna is off-planet, so you’re up.”

John looked over at the speaker, Red Robin, whose slight form and dark hair made him think of the boy he’d left to die.

He’d thought of the boy more often than not- any research into the kind of sacrifice that would have so much power came to a dead end, and John Constantine hated that there was really and truly nothing he could do for the kid.

Maybe this Infinite Realms person might know something?

“Fine. What are the details?”

Red Robin perked up and handed over a heavy tome.

“Batman and I already set up the ritual space in the conference room, and a few other heroes are there to help out if the king is hostile.”

“Of course you have. Let’s go, then.”

The two bats swept off down the hallway, and John followed behind, studying the spell he would need to cast. It was fairly simple, and luckily wouldn’t require blood. He hated the ones that required blood.

As he stood over the sigils and spoke the ritual spells, the floor inside the protective circle began to writhe and bubble a toxic neon green. It was all John could do to stand straight as a rush of air spilled from the portal into the wide room, bringing with it the heavy taste of caution.

The Justice League took a step back as the first clawed hand reached out from the green, white and stretched beyond humanity. It scrabbled for purchase before finding it and pulling.

The creature that exited the swirling mass was something John had never seen before. If the situation wasn’t so tense, he might describe the creature as catlike, with a black body and white legs, as well as piercing green eyes. The similarities stopped, however, when the inky body flickered and lit up from within with the pinpricks of millions of stars and endless void.

This was a baby god, filled with the dreams of deities long forgotten and fueled by the hope of those still clinging on to life.

Its green eyes swept over the gathered heroes before coming to rest on John, and for a moment he felt as if his tattered soul was being judged by the cosmos.

And then the creature folded in on itself, the tense air around it changing from bitter caution to sweet relief, and John found himself face to face with the teenager from Amity Park.

“Hi.”

The boy sounded winded, but happy, and he reached inside his shirt to pull out a small chain necklace. John’s amulet was hanging off it, obviously well treasured and cared for.

“Did you know that you’re technically my dad now?”

Something on John’s face must have told the boy- the god, the sacrifice both dead and alive- that he was unaware of this fact. The kid shuffled a little, looking sheepishly at the floor.

“You- uh. Unintentionally offered safe haven. And I accepted without realizing what was going on, and- it’s weird. I collected your soul for you! Didn’t bring it with me, but I’ve got the pieces you’re missing.”

“I think you both need to sit down and discuss this.”

Bless Diana.

“Can you leave the circle, young one?”

The teen beamed at Diana and stepped out of the protective circle, smudging the sigils as he did and closing the portal.

“I can, yeah. Pandora says hi, by the way.”

John watched as the boy chattered away about his ghost friends to Diana while she led him to a seat, and then sighed, moving to join them. If he needed help with being a new dad, surely Bats could help, right?

[golden1u5t]

you're too sweet for me | s.r x fem!reader

ꨄ requested: anonymous

ꨄ genre: angst?

ꨄ summary: spencer is your dad's best friend and you're fresh out of college. what happens when he's innocently picking you up from a night out with your friends turns into a heartbreak?

"i didn't really have that much to drink, you know." you held onto spencer's arm as he guided you out of the bar, you leaned into him when the cold, crisp air of the night hit you. "i wasn't ready to leave yet."

"well, you called me." he grumbled, moving his arm and wrapping it around your waist to help stabilize you better. he'd be lying to himself if he said he didn't enjoy the feeling of his arms around you and you curled into his side.

spencer fished his car keys out of his pocket and unlocked the car, letting go of you momentarily so that he could open the passenger door. you pulled his jacket from around you and sat down in the car, spencer leaning in after you and buckling you up. he knows you were more than capable of buckling yourself in so he wasn't sure why he did it for you. maybe it was an unconscious feeling of wanting to take care of you, he wasn't sure.

you could smell his cologne and whatever shampoo he used on his hair with how close he was, but he stood up straight and closed the door before you could make out the smell of it. a few seconds later he was in the driver's seat cranking up the car.

"you could've called my dad. if i didn't know any better i'd think you actually cared for me." you smile at him and turn your body towards him. you don't think you would've been so bold if you hadn't been drinking but you had the drinks to blame for anything you might be bold enough to finally say to him.

"good thing you know better." spencer let out a scoff and glanced over at you, his eyes meeting your wide and hopeful ones for a brief moment before he was focusing back on the road.

for the entirety of the drive to your apartment you talked about any and everything that came to your mind and spencer listened to you the entire time without interrupting. when you got to your complex, spencer walked you up to your apartment to make sure you got in safe.

"will you be okay for the rest of the night?" spencer asked as you pulled your key out of the lock and stepped inside your home, he was still standing in the hallway with his hands in his pockets.

"yeah, i think ill probably watch a movie or something." you set your bag down on the floor and placed your keys on one of the hooks on the wall, turning around to find him still on the outside. "you're not coming in?"

"¡ don't think that's a good idea." spencer pressed his lips into a thin line and shook his head. he's only been in your apartment once and that was when he was helping your dad move your furniture in. to him, going into your apartment with you alone would be crossing some line between him and your dad.

you could only roll your eyes at him. you and spencer had only really had a few real conversations since he'd became friends with your dad and every time he always acted like it was a chore to engage in conversation, like you weren't a full grown adult.

*i'm my own person, spencer, aside from being your friends daughter-oh, and not to mention a full grown adult— and i think we could really be-*

in the midst of your ranting spencer had taken a step forward, and you didn't even realize until his hands were on your face and his lips were on yours. you hadn't had time to properly react and before you had the chance to kiss back he was pulling away from you.

"that was- i was so out of line." he let out a groan as he ran his hands over his face, he took a step back so he wasn't inside your apartment anymore. your eyes were wide with confusion as you took a step closer to him but spencer quickly put his hand out in front of him to stop you from getting any closer.

"spencer, i don't think-"

"no, you're young and naive and- and so full of life, not to mention your dad is my best friend, we're polar opposites. it was wrong of me to do that and i'm sorry." spencer rushed out. you weren't able to get another word in before he was gone down the hallway.

[sciderman]

Round boy + mask = square jaw

Pointy boy + mask = egg

Why?

wade's mask is masc. (hahaehehehahaeo...)

wade does a lot to mask his soft interior – he worries a lot about appearing soft.

[x]

he's GETTING SOFT (and peter loves it. he loves when wade gets soft.)

[x]

underneath it all, wade's soft and round. no matter how he tries to hide it.

[x]

wade is always hiding it – to way more extreme and destructive measures than peter, actually.

it's kind of funny, wade's insistence that peter needs to be honest to himself - because wade's the poster boy. wade finds it difficult to be true to himself, because he doesn't even know which "self" is true at this point. he's constantly pretending to be someone or something else.

something that'll please others. make him more palatable. more entertaining. make the audience side with him, even if he thinks he's undeserving. fake it till you make it.

sometimes i think about how wade lost his virginity the night before he enlisted (because he was worried the guys would make fun of him if he was a virgin.)

of course they made fun of him anyway.

he doubles down - he puts on the macho air that everyone expects from him. he can be the bad boy. he can be the rugged antihero that is a total jerk but everyone loves anyway because he's the tough guy. it's why you'll never get to see what adult wade looked like pre-weapon X - you'll see wade in his teenage years - but once he enlists - that's not wade wilson. he's constantly playing a role. cool action hero, whatever'll get him the girl.

it isn't until weapon X that he's forced into a position where he can't hide anymore. everything is on his skin. plain as day, for everyone to see.

[x]

deadpool becomes the mask wade can hide all his damage and his insecurities behind because lord knows he can't hide a thing when he's out of it. like a lobster out of his shell. he's soft, and pink and tender. he couldn't survive without that hard red shell exterior, to make him look tough.

peter's mask is also masc, but his mask is peter parker.

spider-man is kind of funny. in that – outwardly, it does look similar to deadpool's performative masculinity. he has "-man" in his name, for christ's sake - but - it's not, really. you wouldn't say spider-man is overly macho. even as much as peter insists it is - nobody buys it.

you'd definitely, by all accounts, call peter parker the more masc aligned of the two - peter wears baggy clothes, he's kind of uptight, a little bit boring - and spider-man - spider-man's downright flamboyant - from his mannerisms, his jokes, and his tights. oh, and his fluttery little web-wings. he is fruity.

spider-man, in his tiny fruity little tights: YEAH. take a look at ME, girls. this is what true manhood looks like.

you might say the confidence it grants him is what makes him macho - but i think the fun thing about peter's gender journey is his embracal that actually - confidence isn't necessarily a masculine trait, and that - actually, his gender icons (save for uncle ben) are largely confident women.

i think that's why olive is so dear to me - that peter's leaning into a confidence and self-assuredness that doesn't come from being conventionally masculine. and, in fact - peter parker might be so shy and insecure because he's trying to fit in a box that doesn't fit him.

i think spider-man is more of a playground for peter. a place where he can experiment with his gender and his sexuality and the concept of "manhood" and what it means to him.

he can explore, because the anonymity grants him less social pressure to fit in. society can despise spider-man, and yeah - it'll get him down, but the repercussions are relatively little. peter has to fit in, to survive. and, as peter parker, he's terrified of those repercussions.

peter has such a desire to explore his identity and understand himself better - but, under safe, controlled conditions - whether that's under the anonymity of his mask or... or with people, who make him feel safe.

so, spider-man is peter's outlet to be fruity without repercussions. peter's og dragsona, actually. so – lithe, and curvy. he is so shape.

[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

Could you do Platonic Yanderes Endeavor (reformed), Aizawa, Present Mic, with a child darling who wears a mask and basically said screw hero life and became a vigilante + them finding out there a kid under the mask

Child Vigilante Reader | Yandere Boku No Hero Academia

They recognized that you were short and the words you’d say sounded funny in your deep voice modulator. But it still came as a surprise when they pulled that mask off your face to reveal the lightly battered face of a young child:

Aizawa Shota

Just by your height and general instinct as a hero he’s always putting a protective arm in front of you

And he figures your young with your insistent yells that ‘you’re not a kid’ 

Only to pick up your injured body taking off your mask to check if your okay

Only to be filled with an overwhelming urge to protect you as he registered how little you are

You’re his kid now 

No questions asked

He takes you to his home, having had you checked up by the doctors

He’ll do his research find out what you’re homelife is like

when you don’t show up and a fuss isn’t raise he takes it upon himself to officially adopt you

“You’re not my dad!”

“Your papers don’t say so!”

“Then give ‘em to me I’ll burn it now!”

“No!”

He’s used to dealing with rowdy kids

And he’s willing to deal with your now unpowered fits

And most animosity is cleared up when he gives you some food

You’ll try to run away but he catches you everytime

And eventually you’ll fall into a cycle

Where you join him as you fight crime 

Then you go home and live the domestic life with Aizawa

He doesn’t stop you until he feels like its too dangerous and when you’re lured into a false sense of security

“Sorry kid, I can’t have you getting hurt. Trust me this is an act of love.”

Hizashi Yamada

He probably quietly follows you at the end of a long day

Doing the thing he’s never doing around you: Being Quiet

Usually he doesn’t mind working with you 

After a couple attempts to bring you in he doesn’t anymore

And instead just works in harmony with you 

Usually joking and bantering with you to turn down all his jokes

But he’s horrified to know that your a kid

Young enough to be his kid is so nonreactive to his animated actions

What made you so serious!?

He does the same as Aizawa 

Finds out your homelife and legally takes control

“Whazzup kiddo! Guess who’s your new daddy!?”

“A bumbling frat boy idiot-hero?”

“Ack! H-how do you even know to insult me like that!?”

He’s not the best at catching you if you try to run away 

But you’re so lucid you’ll end up willingly moving in with him

because child services

He tries 

He really does

But you’re such a little adult you end up teaching him how to properly take care of you

He doesn’t really restrict you because you seem like you’re so smart

You usually outsmart him enough to keep doing your vigilante work

But the one time he outsmarts you, he might get some help you’re stuck

At least for this major battle you were prepared to die defeating

“Sorry baby bird, but I can’t have you getting hurt. That’s for your papa to deal with!” 

Todoroki Enji (Reformed)

“And you’ll be going away for a loong time.”

“Yes…thank you for your help with this one.”

“Of course! Always happy to help!” 

“...”

“...”

“...Now reveal yourself to me!” 

“Hey!? Let me go!”

He’s suspected you were young from the beginning 

And it infuriates him now

That some idiot father of yours would let you run around like this

They’re probably as bad as he was 

And he can’t let that be

So he’ll go to your family’s home

And tear them a new one 

Practically bullying them into signing adoption papers or at the very least making you meet up with him weekly daily

He’s such an old man

Lecturing you about how you dress 

Scolding you when he finds you fighting villains

He’ll force a bunch of tracking devices and bugs in your room 

So that he can keep you safe

And when it gets real he doesn’t mind locking you wherever he decides is best

“I’ve done…a lot of horrible things. I’ve hurt my family. I’ve hurt my fans. And you’ll probably hate me but you need me to protect you, to guide you. So trust me, this is for your own good.”

[henry-fox-biggest-stan]

I’ve seen someone else mention this, but I also wanted to talk about this

The erasure of queerness in the movie is something I definitely did not expect.

Sure, it’s a love story between two men, but grab Alex and Henry and make them a man and a woman, the movie doesn’t change much. Maybe monarchy instead of being homophobic and racist now it’s only racist, and they hate Alex not because he’s a man but because he’s brown. They kept it a secret because of monarchy’s racism, but love triumphs at the end. That’s why the movie didn’t hit as hard as the book. The movie is just some forbidden love movie, rwrb is a book where the main characters are in a forbidden relationship, but it’s not the whole point of the book.

Alex discovering his sexuality, Nora being bisexual, whatever Pez had going on, whatever June and Nora had going on, Alex learning about queer history, the historical lgbt love letters at the ends of their e-mails, all the references to queer history and literature, THE SHELTERS, monarchy’s homophobia (yes, it appears on the movie but it’s really glossed over. It doesn’t show just how homophobic they actually are in the book), Alex stating how he knows more about himself the more intimate (both in the sexual and non sexual sense) he is with Henry, Luna being gay and unapologetic about it and being exactly Alex’s queer role model, even before Alex knew he was queer himself, THE FUCKING SHELTERS

I’m so so mad about the shelters being missing.

Henry and Pez made shelters for lgbt youth, so they can never feel as alone as Henry once felt, so they can always have a safe space so they know there’s nothing wrong with them no matter what the adults in their life might say, no matter what the preacher or their classmates or the right wing politicians in their tv might say, where they can find hope, and friends, and a home if they never had one before, or at least, one where they could truly be themselves. The shelters are, I would say, crucial to Henry’s character development. He went from hiding, believing being gay was “the most unforgivable part of him”, not even trying to come out because he just succumbed to live an unhappy life in the closet, to someone who’s out, living with his boyfriend and running lgbt shelters with his best friend so young queer people can move past all the things he felt and believed time ago, so they know they are perfectly normal and loved and safe in there, as long as Henry and Pez are there they’re safe, they don’t have to hide anymore.

Henry became the queer elder he needed in his life when he was younger. The lgbt adult who could tell him than it would get better, no matter how bad it was at the moment, no matter if he couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, because it was there, he just had to hold on a bit more. Than there was absolutely nothing wrong with him.

Another thing than I seen changed than a normal person might not notice, but I did, because im obsessed, is the karaoke scene.

In the book, it takes place in something resembling a gay bar (maybe not exactly, but it’s full of queer people), and look at this

Three rounds of shots appear —one from a drunk bachelorette party, one from a herd of surly butch chicks at the bar, and one from a table of drag queens. They raise a toast, and Alex feels more welcomed than he ever has before, even at his family’s victory rallies.

Look again

and Alex feels more welcomed than he ever has before, even at his family’s victory rallies.

This book is about about finding community, finding yourself, finding love and letting yourself accept that love.

Do you think Alex in the movie has felt “more welcomed than he ever has before, even at his family’s victory rallies” at any point? Has he been with another queer person in the whole movie, except Henry, at all?? Because Nora’ sexuality was not mentioned at all no references nothing and with the whole Pez thing everyone could see Nora as just straight

Henry and Alex in the movie are kind of without community, alienated from it, they are, in my personal opinion, the kind of gay people republicans would consider “good gay people” who “don’t shove it on everyone’s faces and just wanna be left alone” (in the rwrb universe where they exist and are real not actual republican people watching the movie). They don’t really take a role on the community, in the book, Alex and Henry being queer is an important part of themselves, again, Alex feeling like he knows himself better, Henry whole internalized homophobia, their shared interest for lgbt history and literature, Henry and Pez making the shelters, etc etc meanwhile in the movie Alex and Henry just happen to be gay and bisexual, but it’s no deeper than that.

And don’t get me started on creating Miguel, a queer character, and making him the one to leak the e-mails or smth instead of a republican candidate

[goldsbitch]

Just don't talk----

-ever.

p6 to Just don't talk

summary: Enemies to lovers on steroids. Lando gives everyone around him a hard time.

warnings: cursing, typos

He couldn't keep doing that. She sat back at the table, flustered as she watched him return too. Smirk on his face as if he'd just won the lottery. Why was it that he got what he wanted and also made her super horny? Was any of this really fair?

She was riled up, wanted more and had a hard time keeping this cool girl persona up. Cursed herself for always giving him what he wanted. He whispered and she danced like a trained puppy. This had to stop. There wasn't a cell in his body that deserved her attention or care. No. She downed a glass of wine sitting in front of her, that being her fourth glass. What the hell. Lando was just another asshole she hooked up with few times. While the sex was mind blowing, everything else about him infuriated her. He got away with all of his one night stands and she had to stay there and watch it with a smile. Not anymore. None of that tonight. She went to catch a breath for a moment. This is what he was making her do. Brough the worst parts of herself out. It was nice to fool around, but at some point it had to end. Was that moment here already? The best thing for her to do would have been to go home at that point. But she didn't.

Lando was over the moon, happy and excited. In his mind, he was already at Y/N's, or maybe even at his place, what the hell, why not, fucking her senselessly and receiving her heavenly devilish bite marks on all places where he could keep it somewhat secret. He came back to the table, shot a little smirk her way, as if he wanted to convey his plans non verbally. But his main goal to appear as if it was all normal, so he came back and finally joined the conversation. He had to bite his own lip to keep him from smiling.

His excitement transformed into a slight confusion when he saw her coming back from the outside and sitting right next to Oscar, just few seats away from himself. These two never spoke before, or at least not to his knowledge. So what was this about? It took him fifteen minutes of sitting on the other side of the table, watching his teammate having a chat with his secret hook up link before he got up and shamelessly moved over to join them.

Y/N and Oscar had actually spoken more often than Lando would know - since he rarely paid attention to Oscar when his job didn't require him to, and people surrounding Oscar. It's not that she would call them friends, but they were closer than most rookie drivers would be. Oscar's girlfriend was one of the few people around the paddock with whom Y/N could share her thoughts - when the team rivalry wasn't at its peak of course.

Y/N felt like some toxic thoughts were forming in her head once the adrenaline come down started, but decided to go for a safe option that might save her dignity after all.

She chatted with Oscar, asked about Lily and what she was up to. Oscar's dry humor made her laugh. Y/N wished she had a wholesome story to tell as he had. Just seemed so grounded compared to he recent turmoil of events. Now, dignity and peace was definitely not something that Lando would be concerned about. When his emotions got involved, he was an unstoppable force willing to bang his head to the wall like there was no tomorrow. His unhinged interviews were the usual result of that. Now, he was ready to cause a stir. He was not about to watch the two flirt without inserting himself into that situation.

He marched over, like the menace he sometimes was.

"So, since when are you two such chatty buddies?" he asked, bumping into Oscar in process. Y/N looked at him with a worrying look. What was his game plan? What if he exposed them? "Hello to you too," replied Oscar. "There is about 7 people of our age at this party, so that would be a factor playing in," he continued dryly and Y/N laughed a little. "You're right, there is a lot of adulting adults around," she realized. Lando was worried he might start to understand how Alonso felt. "Well, let me join the kids table then. What's the topic?" "Um, I was just telling Y/N about Lily's-" "Oh yeah, you have a girlfriend! One would almost forget, where is she anyway?" Y/N wasn't aprreciating how Lando interrupted Oscar. Judging by the younger driver's expression, it wasn't the first time. "Why would you even care," Y/N asked, well aware of how Lily disliked him. "I am just generally nosy, that would be all," he smiled and though Y/N would never admit it, she nearly melted. "Ha, my relationship? That would not interest Lando, right?," he told Y/N loudly and then turned to Lando. "Poor Lily, you almost scared her once with the rant about how relationships are pointless and hold one back anyway." Oscar was still bitter about that one night when Lando sort of lost it and his own anxiety broke away in a very aggressive form. Lando wanted to apologize anytime Oscar mentioned it, which was few times already. But there was always an audience. And this time it was the girl he was currently fucking with. Girl that was somewhat of an enemy. Not the ideal situation to reveal personal stuff.

"Boys will be boys, am I right?" he just blurted out and wanted to slap himself immediately. He wasn't the only one sitting at the table who wanted to do that. Y/N frowned and scoffed loudly.

"And this is who we call the feminist in F1..." "They really do, that must bother you so much, huh" he commented with cheeky arrows shooting from his eyes. Oscar wanted to go home at that point. Y/N was tired. Not even an hour ago, they were making out in the bathrooms and now he is just attacking, again. "I am very much looking forward to winning a race before you do," she said coldly. Oscar laughed a bit. It was that which truly sent Lando over the edge. "Not sure how, you can't fuck a stop watch." Lando heard his own words and hardly believed he actually said something like that, the combination of alcohol, jealousy and frustration making the worst out of him. Silence fell. She sighed so deeply one would think it was to be her last breath. What was wrong with him? "You're just a primitive fuck boy, aren't you?" "Great minds work alike, apparently." He turned his body, forgetting about the bite mark she gifted him with and flinched. She noticed his expression and saw it as a direct attack, him mocking her and belittling her. "Ok, that's it - Oscar, have a nice evening, if that is even possible in this company," and with that she got up and left, walking as quickly as was socially acceptable. Lando cursed himself mentally. His old habits of communicating with her not keeping up with his own personal growth. "Tell me why, you're the absolute worst version of yourself when she is around?" asked Oscar, while inspecting Lando's face. "I truly don't get it." "I don't either," he whispered softly and got up to chase after her.

"Leave me be!" she said quietly when he caught her, trying to avoid causing a scene. "Bathroom, now," he replied, understanding her intention. "As if, you asshole," she replied, completely misreading his intentions. Lando sighed. "Please, I just wanna talk."

There they stood, in front of the bathroom they'd left a mere half an hour ago. "You need to stop," she started, angry as ever. "Sorry, I didn't mean to - it was suppose to be a joke-" "You can't go around telling everyone I fucked someone from the paddock." "I didn't! I understand-" "No, you don't! You will get branded as a fuck boy, but I get branded as a slut! Our so-called progressive society is still ready to throw any girl that dares to have casual sex with her coworkers under the bus!" "But we're not coworkers..." Not that they particularly tried, but they knew each other more that an acquaintance would. Lando knew she wasn't talking about him. She didn't say a thing. A little slip up that might cost her. "Yes, we're not." "Y/N, did you sleep with someone from your team as well?" he asked quietly, not knowing why that thought made his stomach twirl. She did. Months ago. So what? It was a one time thing. A mistake - just like Lando apparently. "Why are you looking at me like that? You're proving my point. You're out there, fucking people left and right, nobody bats an eye. I do it once and I can see the word slut written in your eyes." He was taken back. "Was it recently?" Why was he asking her this question? "Whoever else I might have fucked doesn’t have anything to do with you, if I'm not mistaken."

She burned him with her look. He was looking back to the hall, where all the happy people sat. Could have been any one of them. Why was this bothering him? Could be any one of them. Was he just selfish? Could be any one of them. What if she screamed his name? She never had with him. Could be any one of them. "You're right, it does not have anything to do with me, and you do whatever and whoever you want. But it also does not mean that you fucking around should make me happy." His change of tone shocked Y/N a bit, making the anger leave her system. She admired his sudden honesty. She could never admit that the thought of him with that model made her almost throw up. Was this getting out of hand? "What is this about?" she asked, afraid of his answer. This time it was him taking a deep breath and looking her in the eye. "I don't know. Just wanted to say I'm sorry for being a dick." "You don't need to. Makes it easier to hate you back." "Do you think I hate you?" "Well, you're not exactly pointing in any other direction, aren't you!" He was about to interrupt her, but failed. "And no, fucking me against the door does not count."

Lando wondered when this night turned from a fun hot goofing around into this fail of a conversation. He was looking forward to touching her again. But all that suddenly went out of the window. Y/N gave him time to gather up a response. And when he didn't, she wished they hadn't talked at all that evening. They were just not good at it.

part 7

_________________________________________

@scopeiguess @leclercsluv @sulliamour @starmanv

[belovedbastardremus]

Dean and Sam's romance starts as early as they understand that love exists and that there are ways to show it, other than hugs and shy cheek kisses. Dean cared for Sam more than anything, Sam loved his brother and saw him as the beginning and end of his world. So when he learned about adult kisses and sex, his immediate reaction was to ask Dean to try it out with him. And Dean knows it's wrong, he's had a bit more contact with the outside world. He knows what incest is and how bad it is, but he's slowly loosing it already and he couldn't refuse his Sammy anything anyway.

So they try things out, slowly, things they see in films, and magazines and it's okay at the beginning. Even when they kiss and cuddle in public people think it's cute. They still look so alike at that stage, two little kids playing grown ups. It's only when they get too hands on that people start looking at them weird, throwing pointed glares at John when he's with them, so they start hiding. Sam doesn't understand why they have to, Dean doesn't have the heart to tell him, to risk for their relationship to stop. Sam is his, but he's also so concerned with being good, studious, perfect little Sammy couldn't bear to do anything wrong, so Dean doesn't tell him.

When Dean hits fourteen he has his first growth spurt, he's been waiting on it, to get strong and tall, better at protecting his brother, so he can fill the shoes his father's always put him in. But Sam is only ten, bony and plump with baby fat that holds on, stark and shocking against Dean's new muscles. They see themselves in the dirty mirror of their motel rooms, when Dean holds Sam in his lap at the edge of the bed. How his hands cover both of his sides entirely, almost touching. How the tip of his cock is clearly outlined against Sam's skin, how he barely fits in Sammy anymore, has to stretch him 'till he's begging to be filled before anything.

Dean's grown into himself, or more into his father, he's taken the jacket, the ruggedness, he keeps an air to himself that makes him look older. Some people don't look hard enough and ask if Sammy's his, he says yes before thinking, Sam doesn't correct him. He holds Dean's hand and smiles at the unsuspecting cashier. But some people do look hard enough, and it puts the both of them on edge.

Dean starts to hook up with girls at school, just to keep up appearances. Dad almost caught them the other day and he needs a reputation to keep them safe. Sam burns with jealousy. He keeps Dean awake for the better part of the night by taking his cock deep in his mouth and refusing to move unless his big brother begs and promises he's the only one that matters. He won't move otherwise, he can keep him deep and barely breathing for hours, he's too good at that but it's too late for Dean to worry about what he's done. So he promises and gently guides Sam up to fuck his throat slow and make no noises.

He may be a foot taller and twenty pounds of muscle heavier but Sammy's got the reins. That way he can tell himself it's not his fault, that he didn't corrupt him, that Dad might not kill him if he found out. The day Sam finally catches up to him in height and he can finally push Dean back on the bed and take what he wants, ride him fast and hard, it doesn't change anything. It's only natural for them, Dean holds his hips gently as his thrusts up, the lines have been crossed over enough to be erased.

[mistressroxielove]

Hey everyone~ I'm back, and this time with a new fixation!

Long story short, I've discovered the new Fairly Oddparents reboot, absolutely loved it and was inspired to make this AU idea for the show! With a slight reimagine/redesign of the characters as well. And the first one I decided to do was Peri!

Here's some more info about my AU:

Fairly Odd Parents AU/Rewrite

Au Name: FairlyOdd Brother

Summary:

Perri (previously known as Poof) recently graduated from Fairy Godparents School and is eager to start granting Wishes for his very own godchild! Only problem is that with his lack of experience Jorgen is weary of giving him an assignment and keeps finding excuses/reasons to not give him a godkid. Realizing it might be a 1,000 years before they give him a chance to be a Fairy Godparent, Perri decides he needs to be a little bold and perhaps, bend Da Rules, to get his foot in the door so to speak. And his answer comes to him from a new neighbor in his human home, a family with a sweet shy 10 year old girl who is absolutely miserable. Perhaps Perri might be able to offer this girl a little comfort and fun as her new Fairy Godbrother!?

(Basically the same premise of the show, except Perri’s first godchild is Hazel, and through a technicality in the rule book, becomes her god brother instead of her godparent.)

ALSO please note this AU is more of a slight reimagine of the original show, meaning I did tweaked / changed some of the characters personality to match the new story I made for them. Nothing majorly different, but again just a heads up before you read on. Hope you like it~

Name: Perri Poof Fairywinkle Cosma (He goes by Perri now but still keeps Poof as a middle name to honor it)

Age: Human equivalent of 22 years old

-Usually it takes at least 1,000 years for a fairy to grow from a baby to an adult, however since Poof spent his first couple of years being raised alongside Timmy, his body magically enhanced itself to basically go through a growth spurt and age as a normal human. But now that he’s fully mature he won't physically age anymore and will stay a 22 year old for at least a couple hundred thousand years.

Sex: Male

Human Physical Description:

-Basically just did a mix between Wanda's and Cosmo human designs. Something simple and fun, I also added some blue to his color design just to make him stand out more.

-I also gave him crocs, I just found the idea cute and thought it would give him a more casual look for his human design

-I was originally gonna give him glasses similar to Cosmo but for the life of me I couldn't make the design work with his hair style, so I just gave him a earring with the same design his wand has

Personality:

-Similar to Cosmo Swavy car sale business man personality from the pilot.

-He’s a smooth talker with a deep rich voice to match, could sell a refrigerator to a eskimo

-Knows his way around rules and is always eager to grant wild and crazy wishes with the most imaginative interpretation possible, this eagerness to break rules can be a blessing and a curse, as this is what gets him in trouble the most

-Is a bit of a smart ass (But in a nice and lovable way), always has to have the last word, can be really petty when he’s mad

-Is really good a persuading people into doing things, though he doesn’t use this power to be malicious, only uses it to get small favors and mostly for Hazel to wish for crazy stuff, again it's never meant to be malicious

-Though he still has a lot to learn before becoming a godparent, he’s extremely sweet and caring to hazel and his friends, and will do anything to keep them safe and happy

-Is eager to proof himself to be useful and mature, is tired of every fairy treating him like a kid despite being older now

-Is a bit flamboyant and cares about his appearance, likes to paint his nails and wears earrings similar to his mother

-Though he does have a good head on his shoulders, he does have a tendency to interpret wishes in uniquely bizarre ways sometimes, something he inherited from his father.

Other fun facts:

-Peri really likes marine life/fishes, since he spent the first couple years of his life living as a fish, he has an appreciation for the creatures. And even has a pet goldfish!

-Despite being 22 years old, the fairy’s still treat him like a baby since a normal fairy baby would have taken at least 1,000 years to grow to maturity. This is what caused him to change his name, desperate to make the other fairy’s take him seriously and to not literally treat him like a baby

-Lives in an apartment building in the human world that is also connected to the fairy world, he’s the first of his kind to have a home like that. For most fairies it's extremely hard for them to ‘act human’ 24/7 which is why most prefer to turn themselves into childhood pets whenever they’re living with their god kid. As being human means they have to walk everywhere, not being able to use magic, and if they mess up once it could expose the existence of fairies and magical creatures in general. Peri however, once old enough to move out of his parents house was vocal that he wanted to live among the humans. He told Jorgen and the fairy council he wanted to live there to understand humans better to be a better godparent to them, but he mostly did it because he missed earth. Missed all the stuff that he grew accustomed to when he was a kid and also likes being able to find people ‘his own age’ to talk and relate to. After his endless demands and persuasion the council finally budge and allowed him to live on earth. But was warned if he was ever discovered to be a fairy, he would lose his godparents license and would never be allowed back on earth ever again.

-He wears a curler in his hair similar to Wanda when he sleeps, just a cute detail I wanted to mention

-Also just like his mother he has a tendency to call the kids/Hazel Buddy similarly to how Wanda likes to call people Sport but still has his own fraze, just a small detail that I thought would also be a cute nod to his parents

-He's also crazy for Chocolate, this is based off an episode in the original show where Wanda went insane just to eat some chocolate. It was just a one off gag but I really love that gag and decide to include it. He loves chocolate and has a dangerous addiction to it, but its still not as bad as Wanda's addiction to the stuff

Short summary of how he ended up with Hazel:

Peri has just recently graduated Fairy Godparent School and is eager to get a godkid, since his parents are still on their 10,000 year old trip he wanted to surprise them with the news of him having a godkid to make them proud of him. However Jorgen is extremely reluctant to give Peri a kid due to his extremely young age, inexperience, and his tendency to always try and bend ‘Da Rules’ as he pleases. So he puts Peri off again and sends him home, much to his annoyance. Irritated and now back at his human home in Dimmadelphia, Peri begins to hatch a plan to get himself a god kid since he knows it would take 1,000 years at least before Jorgen would finally give him a chance. But how could he possibly bend the rules to allow him to mentor a kid without Jorgen assigning him?

The answer comes to him from his new neighbors, a small family with a sweet but shy 10 year old girl who’s having a tough time adjusting to her new surroundings. Due to some hijinks Peri ends up babysitting for Hazel as her parents are now busier than ever with their new jobs and don’t have as much time to watch Hazel. They don’t mean to leave her alone so often, and actually apologize to her constantly for the unforeseen high work time. But it does little to help Hazel with her adjusting to her new environment. With the addition of her having a bad day in school and her brother, do to the storm, is unable to come up and visit until his next break (which is a few months away) Hazel, being miserable and finally had enough and in a fit of rage and desperation, wishes she could just fly to her brother. This wish for the first time activates Peri magic, before he can stop his wand appear and grants Hazel's wish, turning the girl into a fly.

The part of the episode happens similar to the original first episode, with Peri trying to get Hazel home before her parents come back from their work. He eventually does but again similar to the first episode Hazel gets stuck in a venus fly trap as Peri tries to get her to wish to turn back into her original form. After the talk with the ant Hazel realizes her mistake and finally wishes to become human again before her parents could discover what went wrong.

After the commotion, the next day Hazel goes to Peri’s apartment to question who he is and what the heck just happened. Peri tries to deny it but during their conversation he realizes that technically speaking…..Hazel did have good and caring parents. They weren’t the reason why she was sad and miserable, she was miserable because her brother wasn’t with her anymore and she desperately missed him. And technically speaking, there was no rule or need to ask Jorgen or the fairy console to become a kids Godbrother. He only needed their permission to be a Godparent. And besides……..he more than understood the feeling of missing a big brother.

Making his decision he officially introduces himself as Hazel Godbrother (In a similar manner to Dev introduction) and promises to bring a little magic to her life~ Much to Hazel shock and joy, as for the first time since moving to Dimmadelphia, she felt true joy and happiness.

Sooooo ya, tell me what you guys think! Any questions or suggestions for the AU I would love to hear, good to be back!

Previous - Next

[brucewaynehater101]

i challenge you to try and make me cry with dick and tim angst.

Hmm... alright. Let's hope this mini fic works

Dick was tired. He had the Titans, but he didn't have a family anymore. Bruce had made that clear when he told him to drop off his key with Alfred. All the young adult wanted to know was why Bruce didn't tell him about Jason. That was his brother. That was one of the reasons he even bothered to go to the Manor anymore. That was his baby brother.

And Bruce had lowered his body into the ground without informing Dick. Dick didn't even get to hold Jason one last time. He didn't get to kiss his forehead for one last wish of peace. He didn't get to say goodbye to the kid he was just getting to know.

That was his brother, and he found out about his death accidentally through a computer screen.

He just wanted to ask his dad why he never bothered to tell Dick. Instead, his father hit him, swore he would've just fired Jason anyways (as he did to Dick), and basically told him to never come back.

So, Dick didn't have a family. He was an orphan again, but this time through willful abandonment. He was tired, but what other choice did he have? Even if he missed Alfred, he won't go to Wayne Manor. It's not home.

At least, that's what Dick kept telling himself. At least, that's what Dick thought until a child with bright eyes corned him at the circus.

This child, Tim, kept rambling on and on about how Dick needs to drag himself back to Wayne Manor to save his "father." Dick didn't have a dad. Dick didn't want to go.

The traitorous part of him worried about the man who raised him. He squashed it down ruthlessly.

No.

That's not the part of him that dragged him back emotionally kicking and screaming.

It was the kid, Tim, who looked so much like Jason. Although his hair was pin straight in comparison to Jason's wavy hair, the look in his eyes were the same. Determined, starstruck, and wanting to help.

Dick wants to scream.

If he had it his way, the child would never know what it's like to fly across Gotham's rooftops, bite out a witty remark, or punch a goon in the face. Tim is clever, though, and refuses to tell Dick how he knows their identity until the older man talks to Bruce.

Dick's face aches at the thought.

He doesn't have a choice. Tim knows their identities. Others could as well.

Even though a small part of Dick despises Tim for forcing him to go back, most of him never wants the child to set foot into those halls. If Tim is right, Bruce has only gotten worse. Dick doesn't think Bruce would hit a child, but he didn't think Bruce would hit him either.

Still, Dick drags Tim back to the Manor, gets into another screaming match with Bruce, and prays there won't be another child in red, green, and yellow.

When Two Face captures him and Bruce, Dick thinks he'd rather be dead than see Tim in that fucking uniform. The uniform Alfred had let that child steal.

It seems there's no choice. Tim's going to be Robin.

The last part of Dick's hope holds onto the irrational belief that changing his dynamic with Tim, being a better brother, might save the teen from the same fate as Jason.

So he tries. He takes the kid out for ice cream and train hopping. He teaches him how to be Robin (how to be safe) and is silently grateful that he doesn't live with Bruce. He takes Tim out for patrols, introduces him to the Titans, and listens as Tim tells him about his life. He watches Tim slowly drop his guard, slowly open up more, and slowly trust the Dick is truly his older brother.

And then Dick calls him Jason.

[watchingblsnowandforever]

Hello!!! =D

This follows from Part 1

Warning: long post 😊😅

Oh you're still here 😶

Honestly, I was really liking his character right up till he said this. He was nice, friendly, and yes, a little invasive, but as long as Peem didn't mind, I was okay. But we all know how a love rival saying these words go in BLs, so when he said this, alarms went off in my head. And he continued flirting. Which is not okay. I know Peem doesn't really mind, but still. Kluen, you are a mostly decent human, but please take a rejection as it's supposed to be taken.

Also, when he says he's handsome and rich, and Peem jokes about how much he's willing to "invest", Peem says "Phum is handsome, too." No mention of his money. If Phum heard this, he'd be jumping and squealing, but it also tells us that Peem cares fuck all about how rich Phum is. Which will probably help Phum gain more confidence in this love.

Who the fuck cares. 🙂

Listen, as I said in my previous post, I'd decided to ignore the parents because they didn't deserve any attention, but when he stopped Fang from going after Phum, I was furious. That is nothing compared to what I felt in this scene. You ruined his childhood, gave him trauma that he'll never be able to fully leave behind, gave Fang trauma too, and then you dare to ask him why he doesn't talk to you? You have the audacity to keep pestering him even after he says he has something to do? And now you're ruining his adult life too. With all due respect, which is absolutely none: fuck. off.

@almayver I'm really thinking of writing that fic. 🙂

I love this friend group so much.

The moment Q says Peem is sad they all barge into his house to cheer him up, no hesitation. They don't demand to know the whys and hows (Q does, but he already knows), just settle in comfortable and loudly, and be their chaotic selves. This reminds us that despite all the flirting and cheesy lines and hugging and kissies, friendship will always be a priority for these group of friends.

And let's be honest, Peem expected Aunt Pui, and we all expected Phum. This was a very nice surprise.

All this time, Peem wasn't upset Phum was late. He was worried about Phum.

This was the scene that made me cry. We Are was supposed to be a simple romcom. WHAT IS THIS THEN.

I just- I really have nothing to say here, they said it all.

They both did what they did and are feeling what they are because they're important to each other.

Phum did it because he didn't want to ruin Peem's big day again. And Peem is upset and worried because he thinks he might not be Phum's safe space anymore.

Peem's reaction tells me that maybe he was over the moon last episode when he could provide comfort to Phum. And he's very very glad that at least with him, Phum can be himself. This incident makes him question that, which leads him to questioning their entire relationship. Phum himself said (many times in various ways) that Peem makes him feel good and warm and comfortable, and he's not lonely anymore. But... if Peem isn't that to Phum anymore, then what is he?

This is one of the best love confessions Thai BL has ever given me.

I have nothing else to say. This has already given us all enough emotional damage.

This reminds me of that textpost: "Caught giving a fuck. Embarrassing."

Love that Q has already accepted Phum hehe. You know your man is good when he's bestie-approved.

Love even more how he's giving the cold shoulder to Phum and then defending him to Peem 😭

Well he did, but apparently your ears were "muffled".

Also- love this scene.

HE SAYS IT.

I mean, I get him though, who the hell would be able to say no to Phum's "please? 🥺"

Just putting this here 'cause I happened to pause at the right moment and this scene is beautiful and very pretty. <3

I missed Matt (JJ) and his impeccable sense of humour so bad

Every group is incomplete without a Matt hehe

If I had a rupee for every time a couple kissed at this booth, I'd have two rupees, which is nothing, but it's strange it happened twice.

Another very beautiful scene. <33

He says that as if he isn't squealing and giggling inside. But. FINALLY. OUR PATIENCE HAS BEEN REWARDED, THEY'RE FINALLY DATING!!!!

OOH flower bouquet kiss hehe

Reminds me of QToey tote bag kiss

Next ep:

Portrait drawing?!!

"KHUN FAEN"??

SOFT TANFANG KISS???

HOW DO THEY EXPECT ME TO SURVIVE THIS?!!

*sigh*

Anyways, that's all for this week, see you next ep!

If you got this far, thank you so much for reading! 😊

Here, have some ice cream 🍨

My We Are posts.

[railroad-migraine]

In honour of Legend of Vox Machina coming out, can we have a Percy x (fem/gender neutral) reader with the prompt "You feel like home to me." Maybe reader also lost their home (or they were from Whitestone too)

'Welcome Home'

-> Percy x GN!Reader

Notes: Angst and fluff, hurt comfort. I started writing this piece in January 2022. As of June 2023, I have now watched TLOVM. Sorry it took a while Anon, but I wanted to save your lovely request for when I eventually got into Vox Machina 💙 Can be read as platonic or romantic

~ Poet

*****

It wasn't meant to be like this.

Things had not gone to plan. What was the plan, you say? That is debatable depending on who you'd ask.

To start, Vax was unfortunately spotted skulking around the enemy's camp. That then lead to small confrontation, one that he'd be fine to handle all by himself, one where he was suspiciously poked and prodded at innocently, but Keyleth instinctually stepped in to save him - thus getting the whole party involved and quickly overwhelmed. It was manageable until the exact moment where Grog lopped off the head of one of the bandits.

To put it simply, all hell broke loose and it all went to shit.

However, in the end, when the bandits lay dead and smloldering by the campfire, it was a victory for Vox Machina.

A victory, maybe. But not quite a win.

Wounds were in need of tending to, and Pike was far too exhausted to treat everyone. Camping in the woods did not seem to be the best option, the trees offering little cover, and neither did the cliff face nearby. Frustrated, tired, hungry - voices raising at each other prickled the hairs at the back of your neck and you knew you had to step up. To be the adult.

"There is a village," you start, but no one chooses to listen, your voice just another one in the argument.

"There is a village," you repeat, a little more firm and insistant, and the others begin to withdraw, eyes falling onto you, "not far from here. I- I didn't mention it before because it doesn't belong on the map. Not anymore, at least.

"We can go there, set up camp, sit down and just shut up for a few hours," you sigh.

Most of the party look hesitant but Scanlan raises a brow and shrugs with an easy nonchalance that you envy. "If you say it's safe, I'm down."

It wasn't meant to be like this.

"It is." You hope. "I promise.

Percy watches you carefully, the fading light of the Sun behind him casting shadows on his face, sharpens his already sharp jawline even further until it cuts into his coat's collar. Something dangerous in his expression. "Lead on, then," but he doesn't sound convinced.

And so you lead your friends to the home and earth that once nurtured your childhood, the very same that you abandoned all those years ago in favour of adventure.

You were still young. Like a child, scarrless, soft, green and new to the greater world that waited for you beyond your doorstep.

It wasn't meant to be like this, you think as you fall to your knees, taking in the grim sight before you. It's hard to tell what exactly happened, whether the homes had been raided and intentionally burned down, or if it had been a simple accident and the townspeople luckily fled somewhere safe.

How long had it been since you left home? What seemed like yesterday were many, many months for your people, and anything can happen in that time apart.

But you never expected to be returning home to a graveyard.

It wasn't meant to be like this.

"I'm sorry."

You sniffle and quickly wipe your nose with the sleeve of your shirt, choking back a bitter laugh. "Percy." He pulls his mouth into a straight line, a grimace of sorts. "You can be a thorn in my side at times, but why should you be sorry?"

He shifts his weight on his feet. "Because... because it's what people might have said to me when I was in a similar state. I'm not sure if it would ever have made me feel better, but I suppose it shows some level of... respect. Condolences. Comfort, sometimes. Or so I've heard."

He pulls his coat tighter around his torso, the bite in the air unforgiving even as you mourn for your childhood home while your knees press into dirt. You risk a glance up at his face, and his forlorn expression shatters your already broken heart. He feigns a weak smile, and ducks his chin in sympathy. "It's not for everyone, I suppose."

It's a cold comfort as your grip on the ashes of your home loosens, and slips through your fingers, like sand lost in the wind.

Percy says your name, clear and grounding, and you manage to tear your gaze from what's left of your history. "Look at me." You crane your neck to look to where he looms over your hunched form. "Home is a feeling... I know that more than anybody."

Slowly, so slowly and gentle as if caught in slow motion, he crouches down to meet your height. He appraises you for a hesitant moment, then reaches out to wipe a tear that trails down your cheek, one that you had accidentally neglected. It smears across your skin smoothly, leaving a clean line in the thin layer of dust you had acquired since the battle and trek over here.

He looks at you softly, and you nearly sob from the incredible amount of emotions you feel all at once. You grip his hand like a lifeline and press it into your face so that you can lean into the comfort he's providing, and a shudder washes over you at the warmth radiating from his glove.

Percy nudges your chin up with his free hand, and you have no choice but to meet his watery eyes.

"And you feel like home to me."

In that moment, you know you feel the same for him.

*****

[posts this and RUNS]

[wannab-urs]

Outtakes - Sex Work

AO3 | Kofi | Main Masterlist | The Spreadsheet Masterlist

Howdy folks!

Here's a list of fics I've read where either the reader or the pedro boy or both are sex workers. We are pro sex work in this house!

Summaries and tags are, in most cases, provided by the author - please be sure to read them as some of these fics may have content you do not wish to read.

updated 7/31/2024

Pedro Boy is the sex worker

Sex Worker!Frankie AU

Frankie series by @prolix-yuy

You’d never thought you’d be sitting on a hotel room bed, phone to your ear as you waited for someone on the other end to pick up. After a messy divorce you wanted something to ease the pain of loneliness. That something just happens to be the most gorgeous man you’ve ever seen, even if you had to pay for him.

Sex Worker!Frankie, implied other Triple Frontier Boys!Sex Workers, watch me make up shit about sex work, descriptions of male and female bodies, oral sex (F receiving), like super descriptive oral (there might be over 2500 words dedicated to Frankie’s talents), female masturbation, fingering (f receiving), safe PiV sex, a touch of Feral Frankie, one ass slap, fingers in mouths, some angst and feelings sprinkled in there for flavor.

"Din"scord Kitten

Din one shot by @beskarandblasters

When bounty hunting doesn’t work out anymore Din has to turn to alternative methods to support himself.

this is a crack fic lmao, Discord/Venmo/Dr. Pepper existing in Star Wars, bad sexting, dick pics, masturbating, bad Star Wars puns, sex work, cummies needs its own warning 😭, pet names (cyar’ika), oral sex (M receiving), cum eating, no use of y/n

The Sweepstakes

Various Pedro Boys series @katareyoudrilling

A collection of standalone one-shots featuring various Pedro boys. A popular porn site runs a contest for viewers to win a night with their favorite porn star.

Unprotected PiV (paperwork is involved), oral sex (m and f receiving), kink negotiation, some choking and breath play

Fluffer

Dieter one shot by @proxima-writes

fluffer - noun - someone on a pornographic film set that keeps a male performer’s penis erect in between scenes. You’re a production assistant on the set of an adult film starring Dieter Bravo, who mistakes you for his fluffer.

explicit sexual content (18+ MDNI), porn star AU, dub con - mistaken identity, oral sex - female receiving, face sitting, multiple orgasms, vaginal fingering, squirting.

Extra Whipped Cream

Dieter one shot by @pettyprocrastination

A pornstar walks into a coffee shop. Havoc ensues.

curses, past description of smut, talking about porn

Good Taste

Din series by @charnelhouse

He wonders if it’s in bad taste to fuck a PA at the annual holiday party.

question of power since reader is a PA. Mention of drugs. Smut. Age Gap.

Reader is the sex worker

Bouquet (+ Bloom and Blossom)

Dieter series by @mypoisonedvine

Quarantined in his hotel room has dieter getting a little stir crazy. When the drugs run out, he has to find a new vice—that's how he found you.

Smut, video chat sex, sex toys, masturbation (male and female), sex work, camgirl!reader, housewife kink, breeding kink, PWP, feelings, unprotected penetrative vaginal sex, oral sex (female receiving), multiple orgasms, overstimulation, creampie, mention of the COVID-19 pandemic, fluff, soft!Dieter

Defanged

Din one shot by @concussed-to-pieces

Din gets accidentally dosed with a sex pollen drug and comes to your establishment for help. Then he fucks you all night :)

Sex Pollen, sex work, sex worker!reader, accidental dosing (mando), blindfolded reader, tit fucking, nipple play, oral m receiving, soft!mando, the helmet comes off, soft dom!mando, consensually drugged reader, oral f receiving, unprotected PIV, fingering f receiving, dirty talk, consent king!mando, uhhh sexy massage?, mild sir kink, intercrural sex, dub con due to sex pollen

Bunny

Javi P series by @whatsnewalycat

Javi is your client and you're a phone sex operator / It didn't take you long to figure out that your new co-worker, Javier Peña, is a former client from your days working a phone sex line. But does he know who you are?

Phone sex, masturbation, aliens, professor javi, former phone sex operator reader, professor reader, co-workers, seduction, yearning, dirty talk, smut, smoking, swearing, drinking, sex worker!reader

Only Angel

Javi P series by @tieronecrush

After his return to the US, Javier is trying to settle back into a normal life without the pressures of Colombia and the DEA, but he finds himself feeling isolated with no one to spend his nights with. Now a newly appointed criminology professor at Texas A&M, he is drawn to you, a post-grad student in one of his classes. You’re intelligent and witty, sweet and kind, and he can’t get you out of his mind. To cope with his growing loneliness and to rid himself of thoughts of you, he signs up for an “arrangement service” to connect him with somebody—a sugar baby—he can care for. After he is matched up with Angel, he finds himself developing feelings quicker than he ever expected, but what happens when he finds out Angel is really you?

power imbalance (prof and student), sugar daddy/sugar baby relationship, discussion of money, criminal activity, judicial systems, graduate school, smut, daddy/papí kink, praise kink, degradation, self deprecation, discussion of self worth, multiple sexual or romantic partners, sex work, cursing, use of spanish

Ravish

Joel series by @psychedelic-ink

Joel, only now starting to feel the impending sense of loneliness, decides to listen to Tommy and sign up on an online streaming service called Ravish.

cam girl!reader, Webcam/Video Chat Sex, Alternate Universe - No Outbreak, Vaginal Sex, Vaginal Fingering, Spanking, Sex Toys, paddles, Nipple Play, Nipple Clamps, Dirty Talk, joel is bi in this, POV Alternating, Mutual Masturbation, Masturbation, possesive!joel, Come Eating, Oral Sex, Size Kink, pillow humping, Live Stream Sex, Webcam Sex, good girl/sir, Light BDSM, Hurt/Comfort, Jealous!Joe, Titjob, Squirting

Go ahead and cry little girl

Jack Daniels one shot by @xdaddysprincessxx

Daddy issues with Agent Whiskey

Daddy issues!!, character death mentioned, daddy kink, piv (again wrap it up guys!), f & m oral, dacryphillia, 1 use of song lyrics, dirty talk (it’s jack mf Daniels what did you expect?) boss/employee dynamics, sex work (we support sex workers in this household!) squirting, voyeurism, cum eating, Reader is described as having hair, a vagina, well hydrated (; and can blush. daddy kink

Carnal

Joel series by @pascalsbby

You thought you had it all figured out before him. Animals. Tender, primal flesh. That’s what we are at the end of the day, no? Fucking, testing one another, and then eating each other alive, heart first. Maybe the heart is the sweetest part of the body- or maybe it’s just the easiest to get to. You knew you wanted to be completely devoured by him. You wanted to fill the space between his teeth. When he turned from the nude woman painted on the wall, a version of you in oil, to the warm, guts and roaring blood of you- the gash completely tore itself open in the moments it took for his eyes to eat you in. Every nerve ending in his forty-plus years heeding, 7 trillion of them.

SMUT, age gap (24/50s), best friends dad, dad’s best friend, stalking, conversation around trauma (not graphic or specified as SA), sex work, dark, overall pervy Joel & pure filth + more.

A Good Friend to Have

Din one shot by @beskarandblasters

You and your friend work at a brothel on Coruscant, while work is slow she reveals that she owes a debt to a loan shark who is willing to pay out a bounty to anyone who brings her in. When a Mandalorian shows up at the brothel you do everything you can think of to distract the bounty hunter and buy her time to escape.

Smut, canon divergence, sex work, edging, orgasm denial, Dom/sub dynamic, masturbation, penetrative vaginal sex, helmet stays on, helmet riding

The Princess and the Duke

Dave York series by @theywhowriteandknowthings

Your hot stepdad Dave York catches you creating OnlyFans content.

Smut, daddy kink, sex work, infidelity, stepcest, possessive!Dave, sexism, choking, degradation, rough sex, oral sex (male receiving), exhibitionism, alternating point of view

Whatta Man

Marcus Pike series by @atinylittlepain

He's looking for something other than vanilla, and she is more than happy to provide such a service to him.

this is smut, pegging, rimming, sucking and fucking, sex work, lowkey sugardaddy!marcus, sweet shy marcus getting his world rocked, and then pancakes and a blackberry and a black american express card so ya know, the works.

To sell your love for peace

Javi P series by @brandyllyn

You are Javier’s newest informant. You’re not his usual type but he’s willing to make an exception. More than one.

smut, sex work, canon typical violence, javi being a moron

some good friend

Tim Rockford one shot by @covetyou

Nerves were coiling in his belly in a way they typically only did at the end of a big case. There was no judge or jury here, no sentence, no surprise acquittal. There was just your door, and the promise of everything that lay beyond it. And it made him nervous.

pegging, anal fingering, praise kink, mild glove kink, very mild feminization, masturbation, Tim has body image issues and a bit of an identity crisis, kind of coming untouched, sex work, comfort

Fare Well

Dieter one shot by @nerdieforpedro

Dieter has been working so hard. He still has an issue that might be because of his mind. What can he do about it? Do anything else.

unhealthy coping, sexual dysfunction, sex work, teasing, pet names, sexual activity (actual and implied I think? I should know. 🙃)

I don't mind bleeding

Din one shot by @quicksilvermad

You and the Mandalorian have a mutually beneficial relationship—he pays your rent and you feed him when he needs fresh blood.

vampire!Din, blood, PIV sex, biting, sex work, second person POV, AFAB Reader, one instance of "good girl", aftercare

Spent

Din one shot @joelscruff

you're a prostitute and din pays you for your services.

prostitution, dirty talk, creampie, slight degradation, helmet stays on

What happens on coruscant, stays on coruscant

Din/Poe/Cassian series by @beskarandblasters

Three men stroll into a brothel on Coruscant one night looking for their own individual services. But when you’re the only worker available that evening you decide you want to take on all of them at the same time. What started out as a professional relationship crosses the line into personal quickly leading to conflict between friends, betrayal and a choice you have to make.

reader is able-bodied, canon divergent, Poe, Cassian and the reader do not know Din’s name, sex work, reader has an alias she uses at the brothel (Nova), foursome/group sex, blowjob, handjob (but not to completion), nipple play, vaginal sex, unprotected sex, voyeurism, no use of y/n

15 minutes

Din one shot by @whocaresstillthelouvre

Being a cam girl isn't as exciting as people think it is, that is until a mystery of a deep voiced man asks you what makes a woman feel good.

Smut, mutual masturbation, voyeurism, sex work, Din reveals his face, silver dildo, Din's a virgin, premature ejaculation. Banner has nothing to do with appearance of reader, reader has no physical descriptors besides being AFAB.

Room 301

Joel one shot by @milla-frenchy

Joel finds out that babysitting isn't your only student job

PWP. Age gap unspecified, escort, dirty talk, praise kink, sir kink, size kink, spitting, pussy slapping, light degradation, oral (m/f), unprotected piv, creampie. No outbreak

They're both sex workers

Morning (+ Afternoon and Evening)

Dieter series by @write-and-buried

They gave you your choice of talent. How could you pick anyone else?

brief mention of pandemic, professional sex work, fingering, orgasm delay, dirty talk (like... woah dirty), size kink, praise kink, hand kink, orgasm delay, pussy slapping, its also a little strangely soft, squirting, rimming, throatfucking, PinV sex, premature ejaculation, facial, creampie,

I know it when I see it

Joel series by @bageldaddy

it's the golden age of porn. sex and sin are the national pastime. your career in adult films starts opposite a man who goes by the name texas.

sex work, masturbation, exhibitionism, voyeurism, it’s literally porn, age gap (unspecified), oral sex, dirty talk, explicit p in v sex, praise, catholic guilt, cowboy puns, mild angst, masturbation, more terrible porn puns, sex with other unnamed characters, mutual pining, coercive sexual encounters, references to sexual violence, discussions of advocacy and autonomy, drug use, premature ejaculation, come eating/felching, fingering, squirting, dirty bar sex, public sex, a lot of feelings, more feelings than porn, angst

[sitp-recs]

Heyy, do you have any drarry fic recs wherein Harry is living his quiet life in a cottage? Thank youu :D

Hi anon, yes absolutely! I love this trope, you’ll find most of my recs on this recluse!Harry list and this cottagecore list. I’m adding a few more fics below, all of them with Harry as the cottage owner. Envoy!

Glowing by @cavendishbutterfly (T, 10k)

Harry's lived alone and vampiric in his cottage for ages, until a long-lived Draco Malfoy suddenly shows up to answer an advertisement Harry had practically forgotten he'd put in the Prophet. Cue soft blood drinking, quiet nights of reading and crocheting, and Harry thinking that maybe--just maybe--he might not be so alone anymore.

Twelve Moons by @corvuscrowned (T, 27k)

Harry Potter lives a quiet life, running an inn with his two best friends. Once a month, Draco Malfoy comes to stay. A real-time fic that takes place over the course of a year; updates every full moon.

Simulation Theory by @starquestingfordrarry (E, 35k)

An offer to test out a new invention for Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes turns into a whole lot more when Harry discovers who has the other part of the paired set.

All Roads by korlaena, Saulaie (M, 36k)

Draco hates his job at the Prophet. He hates it even more when he’s assigned to write an article on Harry Potter, who left the country three years ago after their falling out. Draco doesn’t want to face the truth about himself, but he’s stuck between Harry and his duty, and he’s out of options.

Starlight in the Void by @dodgerkedavra (E, 40k)

An overgrown cottage in an unassuming seaside village is the perfect place for Harry Potter’s fresh start. Harry gets two weeks of peace before he hears rumors of a mysterious hermit wizard who lives in a stone tower in the woods.

Through the May Air, Over the Ocean by tsauergrass (T, 45k)

Draco Malfoy never expected to find himself in Scotland or being stuck in a cottage with Potter—but wonders never cease. A story about warmth, a story about falling back in love. A story about a flock of sheep in the distant fells of Scotland.

The Bolthole by aideomai, Tepre (E, 54k)

Harry is a hoarder, Draco is grief-stricken, and both are capable human adults who can definitely spend a month in a cottage in the Cotswolds together without ever talking about the time they slept together in eighth year. Yeah, no, totally.

When It Alteration Finds by momatu (E, 55k)

After the war, Harry left most of the Wizarding world behind and built a new life for himself in the Channel Islands. He opened a bakery and is happy with his life. Draco is a fiction author who writes under a penname, and he's currently suffering from writer's block. His agent suggests he try writing in a new environment and rents a cottage in the Channel Islands for him.

A Sword Laid Aside by @korlaena (E, 128k)

When Draco’s cover is blown during a deep undercover operation and the Ministry is compromised, Ron takes Draco to the only safe place he can think of—Potter. Hiding out with a taciturn Harry Potter, who has been missing from the Wizarding World for almost two decades after a shocking fall from grace, is nothing like Draco thought it would be.

Bonus: a dark!Harry fic 😈

Now I Wake Up In The Night and Watch You Breathe by @hoko-onchi-writes (E, 24k)

Or: Harry has been pining for years. It's time he finally makes his dreams come true.

[orobaxis]

Hi!!!

Could I request ominis x reader where maybe he’s a little down? And reader comforts him?

Thank uuuuuu

safe with us

ominis gaunt x reader

warnings: adult ominis + reader, marriage, a baby; very short!

-

ominis wakes up from his nightmare with a jolt, his body sitting himself up from bed and the wand by his side raised in instinct. it felt so real. it’s hard to discern where he is, but he feels somewhat chastised that there is no screaming, no howls of pain, nor sounds of evil and demented laughter. now to find out where he is.

he starts to breathe, calming his heart from beating too fast in his chest. when his ragged breathing quiets down, all he hears is the calm, steady breaths next to him. he slowly reaches a hand and feels skin. an arm. ominis’ hand travels upward and touches the face of the person next to him.

familiar, beautiful.

it’s you.

he sighs in relief at that, hand still on your cheek. you are still in the throes of sleep, not even noticing that he is awake, and you unconsciously bury your head further into the pillow, a small smile on your face that ominis definitely feels against his hand.

“it was just a dream,” he convinces himself. he wasn’t there anymore, with that horrible family. he’s with you.

you slowly wake when you lose the feel of his warm, comforting hand on your skin. squinting, you see your husband awake and sitting next to you. “love?” you call out, voice raspy from sleep. ominis sighs at the sound of your voice, something more prominent and tangible, real.

“i didn’t mean to wake you,” he apologizes, head turned away. “i just…”

“did you have another nightmare?”

he says nothing, but nods. you sit up from your side now, scooting on your knees so you can situate yourself behind him. you bring your arms around him, making sure he can feel you and know that this is real, he isn’t back there, he is here, with you. safe and happy.

“i dreamt i was with them again. the gaunts. that they started hurting you and her,” ominis shakes his head. “it felt so real.” his voice cracks as he looks down.

gently, you bring one hand to rub the expanse of his back, resting your cheek against it. the nightmares started coming back, especially now. it might be due to some sleep deprivation, seeing as you didn’t even notice him jolting awake beside you when you are usually not that deep a sleeper. slowly, ominis turns to you, and you let him wrap his arms around your frame. he leans in to rest his forehead on yours, and you reach to wipe some tears off his cheeks.

“do you want to hold her?” you ask him, “just to feel her presence?”

your husband nods, almost enthusiastically.

noctua is fast asleep in the adjoining room. such a tiny, happy baby. chubby arms and cheeks and so giggly. you lead ominis to her crib, where he reaches for her and holds her in his arms. she doesn’t wake, but burrows her face to his chest, enjoying her father’s smell.

“i can’t bear the thought of them finding you and her,” he tells you, “and having them hurt little noctua.”

“they won’t find us,” you reassure him, hand coming to cup his own that was supporting noctua’s head. “noctua’s gonna grow up none the wiser, just a happy little baby spoiled by her dad.”

ominis grins at that, running a finger over her soft baby cheek. “i’ll make sure you’re both safe. i promise.” his daughter shifts a bit, gurgling before her lips stretch into a small smile. you smile too, resting your cheek on your husband’s shoulder, and enjoy the moment.

they never find you.

-

my tiktoks are slowly filling with seb and ominis stuff (i love it and ily all! you all have been so kind to me!) <3

[carolmunson]

wish i had a river (part two)

here it is, the part two i said i wouldn't write. if you missed it, here is the first part - wish i had a river this is very much an eddie munson fanfiction, it's mostly from his perspective and follows his story through his eyes and actions. 'you' are mentioned and seen in this fic, but for the most part, it's all eddie all the time. cw: minors dni, adult themes, some smut references. angst. hurt/comfort. lots of mentions of poverty/hunger, sleep deprivation, all around eddie having a bad time. cigarettes/mild drinking but nothing inherently like -- bad? idk. unpopular ship mentioned. i did NOT proof read this.

The alley behind Macy's was a safe haven. Cold, a blue black, poorly paved, with nothing but the dumpters of other stores and the rats to keep him company. Eddie nursed a cigarette on his third smoke break of the night, two bad customers away from a total nervous breakdown. His anxiety built higher every day, every rush, every icy road report -- more people yelling, more people stressed out, more car accidents he'd have to clean up. Wayne's been in an out of the doctor's office more often and it's looking like he might have to retire early. The cigarette loses it's flame and he curses under his breath when he goes to light it again, the nicotine soothing his lips and tongue with a slow steady burn.

You never got to decorate cookies together on his impromptu 'sick day', you hadn't returned any of his calls. Not that he thought he was off the hook or anything, but he did basically write you a fifty two page love letter. If he had the time he'd come by your apartment to apologize in person but at this point exhaustion had started to over stay it's welcome. He could barely make it to the pharmacy on his nights off to get Wayne's medication. The guys at the auto shop could tell something was starting to go very left, 'cause why was the youngest guy there the one who couldn't keep up anymore?

And Eddie really couldn't keep up anymore.

At least his commission in the shoe section was doubling daily.

The cold bites his cheeks while he finishes his cigarette, tossing the butt on the dirty, uneven pavement and crushing out the flame with his work shoes. He rubs his eyes, heavy and swollen with lack of sleep, with scrubbed fingernail hands and sighs. Just another hour and he can go home, just another hour and it's not a closing shift, he can go home at seven like normal people with regular jobs.

He drops his coat off in the cubby area upstairs, stopping in the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face. He inspects himelf, eyes half closing in disappointement while he does -- he looks like a shell of himself. He hadn't picked up his guitar in months, didn't turn the radio on anymore -- opting for silence since it was so rare for him to hear between Macy's, the shop, and Wayne's breathing machine at night.

He takes his hair down, shaking out the curls that had at least dried into waving perfection last night, and gives it a shake before putting it back up in a neat ponytail. His bangs sit on his forehead, a few strands framing his now gaunt face. He practices an awake smile in the mirror before he completely deflates -- one bad interaction, one rude look, one snap from a boss, and he'd lose it. The rawness sat in a lump in his throat, a grenade of tears ready to blow if the pin is even so much as nudged.

The door to the back rooms squeaks open on its hinges, revealing the never ending click of boots, heels, sneakers, and men's shoes on the sining tile of Macy's walkway floors. In the beginning, the scent of the perfume section across the way and the bright lights of jewelry used to be an assault on his senses -- but as Wayne says 'You can get used to anything.'

"You good, Ed?" he hears, and turns his head -- it's Angie. Angie is his favorite coworker because she makes the best and meanest jokes about people. If it wasn't for some nights closing with Angie he would've left this job a long time ago. He'd been keeled over in laughs with a duster in his hand so many times that it almost seemed wrong to abandon her there.

"Yeah," he furrows his brow at her, "Should I not be?"

"Some pretty boy's been looking for you," she says, nodding over to the boots section, "You got another business I don't know about?"

A grin stretches across her frosted red lipstick'd lips, crinkling her overlined and spider lashed eyes. She's what Eddie and the guys at Forest Hills would have called 'trailer park pretty' if she was thirty years younger.

"They would be so lucky, wouldn't they?" Ed smirks back, eyes following her nod and landing on a head of beautifully coiffed chestnut hair, "Harrington?"

Steve's eyes perk up like a golden retreiver, a winning smile spreading across his face with a flash of white teeth in it's wake, "Hey, Ed!"

Angie gasps when she realizes who it is, "Oh shit! Is this the guy that --"

"Shh, shut up Ange," Ed huffs, waving her off while Steve comes up to approach him.

"Hey dude, I was hoping you were here. I uh, got a pretty big collection to get tonight so I figured -- you know, I'd come say hi and ask for your help." It's frustrating how pleasant Steve is. How warm his demeanor radiates to others, his candor, the way that he stands. It's annoying that a denim button under a cozy green sweater looks good on him. It makes Eddie sick that he can pull off wire-rim glasses and still look his age, that he smells like spice but not in a cheap way. A twinge of fear shook in his chest when a seed of assumption planted itself in his head -- was this why you weren't answering his calls? Was Steve Harrington smothering you with Christmas spirit every night?

"Yeah, man, sure," Eddie responds like the world isn't sitting directly on his shoulders, which -- he observed -- were not nearly as broad as Steve's, "How can I help you?"

"I need like, four pairs of Moon Boots," he shrugs, "Guess they're in style again? My sister's and nieces want matching pairs so like -- two in a size 8 and then, if you have it, two in a size 4 kids?"

"What color? We have white, purple, black, some metallics," Eddie lists on his fingers, "Well, maybe not black -- those probably sold out already."

"You got silver? Pink, maybe?" Steve shrugs, "I'm just trying to get these wrapped by tomorrow."

Christmas Eve. Ed had almost forgotten.

"Let me see what we have and I'll bring it out," he offers. He wants to ask about you but it seems too obvious. You must have talked about the fight or about him in general, how else would Steve know he worked here? How else would he know to come looking for him.

Moments later, Ed comes out with four boxes, "I have two in silver and two in pink -- so it looks like your nieces will be matching and your sisters will be matching. Does that work?"

"Oh shit, that's perfect," Steve smiles the same winning smile. Eddie wonders for a moment what it feels like to smile genuinely, it's felt like years since he had. He guesses that when you're Steve Harrington, you must get to smile pretty often. Rich, girls love him, former captain of the basketball team, has a masters degree, painstakingly handsome -- no wonder you called him after your fight. Damn, he would too.

"Is that all?" Ed asks, reaching up to run a hand over the five o'clock shadow speckling his chin.

"No, actually, sorry. I need some like, work boots, if you sell those here -- is that okay?" Steve asks.

"Work boots like, how? Like construction?" he asks, "You're a teacher, Harrington."

"Yeah but my uh, my roommate -- he's not in construction but he's on a whole bunch of terrain for work -- desperately needs good shoes for that," he explains.

"What's he do?" Ed asks, guiding him over to the display of Timberlands and Doc Martens.

"He's a photojournalist -- he's all over the place," Steve answers, "He's worn his sneakers down to the sole and like, swears their okay --"

"Jonothan Byer's is your roommate?" Eddie asks, making the connection. He'd only known him from their photography class they shared in Eddie's second senior year, but he knew enough to know he went into journalism shortly after college.

"Yeah," Steve nods, running a hand through his hair.

"Hm," Eddie looks over the shoes and looks up at him, "If I can be honest -- he's gotta be quick on his feet, right? These are gonna be too heavy for him to be walking around in. You might just want to get him some higher quality running sneakers. There's a Foot Locker downstairs if you wanna check that out? A lot of our sneakers are sold out until next week."

"Hmm, shit," Steve clicks his tongue, "Well um -- could I maybe try a pair?"

"Of Docs?" Eddie asks with a laugh.

"Yeah, of Docs -- I can be hip and cool, too, Munson," Steve's faux defense is charming. Eddie wonders what else you find charming about him.

Part of it feels degrading, kneeling down in front of Steve, lacing and relacing each new and different pair of boots he tries on -- but at this point he's buying seven pairs of shoes and the commission alone will cover at least a month of groceries so he's not complaining.

"So you don't hate me, huh?" Eddie asks, slipping a lighter weight Timberland over one of Steve's argyle socks.

"Why would I hate you?" Steve cocks his head, amber eyes catching in the light.

"Oh, did she not talk about it?" Eddie flushes. Why would you talk about him? Your loser mechanic (maybe ex) boyfriend who works at the mall, and at the auto shop, and sometimes sells drugs.

"Your fight from last week?" Steve raises his brows, "Yeah, she talked to me about it. But I woudn't hate you for that."

Ed tightens the laces up his foot to his ankle with care, "Why not?"

"I mean, you're doing a lot right now," Steve shrugs, "I think it can be hard when you're teaching little ones, especially this time of year, to not get caught up in the magic -- you sort of popped her bubble. But y'know, it was sort of a reminder to her that not everyone has it so good."

"She didn't deserve me yelling at her like that, though," Eddie shakes his head, he can feel the threat of the grenade pin tugging on his heart strings. One false move. One shake. One nudge, and he'll blow.

"You're doing the best you can," Steve offers kindly. Eddie swallows hard, offering him a tight smile.

"Thanks. I'm trying, I'm--" he shakes out the tingle of a cry before tying up the laces, "I'm trying really hard."

By the time Steve checks out it's about 7:15 and Eddie wants nothing more than to go to bed. His back hurts, he's gotta make sure Wayne took his medication, he's gotta eat sleep for dinner for the third night in a row.

"Thanks so much," Steve beams, "This is great, thanks for your help."

"Yeah, no problem dude," Eddie sighs, running a hand over his face again, "Have a good holiday."

"You done for the night?" Steve asks.

"Yeah, just gotta y'know -- grab my shit and go," he shrugs.

"You wanna grab some dinner with me in the food court or something?" Steve asks, balancing the many shopping bags he'd collected this evening in his hands.

"I don't know, dude. I don't wanna keep you or anything," Eddie says. His stomach clenches at the word dinner, his body reacting like a dog who just heard the sentence 'you wanna go outside?'

"You're not keeping me," Steve assures, "C'mon, it's on me."

Before he knows it, Eddie's been corralled into a mall food court, sitting slumped over on the sticky table. He tunes out the shreiks of children, the tinny Christmas music playing in the background of the cocophany of noise that is the mall on December 23rd. His forehead sticks to the leather jacket over his forearm, only lifting it up when he hears the slap of a plastic tray being put down in front of him. He surveys the Burger King in front of him and huffs a laugh, it'd been a long time since he'd ventured into the food court. He almost forgot what fast food looked like after the past few months of thin ham sandwhiches or cold cans Spaghettio's.

"So why didn't you try to swoop in?" Ed asked, toying with a french fry before biting off the end, "When you went to her house the other night?"

He savors the oil and salt on his tongue, warm and crispy on the fry disolving in his mouth while he waits for a response.

"Swoop in?" Steve asks, shaking his head, "No, I wouldn't. We just -- we work together. She's my work friend."

"So you never thought about what the kids say?" Eddie challenges, still trying to keep it light hearted, "How the first grade teachers should get married?"

"Her classroom is across from mine and we make lesson plans together," he assures, "What the kids say is what the kids say. They're six, what do they know?"

"Whatever you say, Harrington," Eddie shrugs.

"Munson, seriously -- she's my friend. She's not my type," he offers. The way he says it stings Eddie, what's not his type about you? You're perfect. You're the best person he knows.

"The card thing though? That was cute. I'm gonna put that in my arsenal if I ever fuck up," Steve laughs. Eddie chest rattles when he realizes that Steve was still there for that. He never even knew your reaction.

Eddie clears his throat, "Did um -- did she like it?"

Steve nods with a lazy smile, "Yeah, she liked it."

"Did she say anything?" he asks hopefully.

"She cried," Steve answered, Eddie leans his head on his hands, "I know that might not be what you wanted to hear."

"I didn't wanna make her cry more," he explains, "I wanted to make her happy."

"They were happy tears," Steve encourages with a nod, "She knows you love her. She loves you, too."

"Then why isn't she answering my calls?" he asks, another fry passing his lips.

"I think she's hurt, a little embarrassed. You know how girls are, they never come right out and say it," he shrugs, taking a bite of his cheeseburger. Ketchup drips out onto the paper mat on the plastic tray with a wet plop, Eddie sighs.

"Did you end up getting anything for her for Christmas?"

"No I -- I can't afford it this year," Eddie rubs his eyes again, more swollen and aching than before. Heat beams through his cheeks in embarrassment, tinging pink and then red.

"Well I had an idea," he offers, "If you're up for it."

"Yeah, go for it Harrington. Shoot," he says, the enthusiasm was greatly lacking.

"Well her uh, her class room needs a lot of repairs and the custodial team isn't really equipped for that. The school'll either bare bones it for her or make her pay for it out of pocket if she asks," he starts, "And she told me you're really handy, y'know, working at the garage and all. So maybe you could take care of her class room this week while we're out for break. I can let you in and everything."

He mulls it over in his head, "That's a really good idea, actually. I could um, I could ask the guys at the shop if I could borrow some tools."

"And there's a bunch of wood palettes in the backrooms at Medvald's. Jon said he's happy to get them out of there for you," Steve says with a smile.

"Oh, so you already talked about this?" Eddie smirks.

"Well, yeah, kind of," he blushes, "I was asking around just to see if it was a plausible kind of thing."

"Definitely a plausible thing," he nods, taking a bite of his own cheese burger. He holds back the moan in his chest from eating something warm and mildly filling after such a long time, "Do you think she'd like it?"

"Oh, Munson," Steve shoots him the 'okay' sign, "She'd lose her mind. All she does is complain about how nothing ever works and everything's falling apart. Doesn't even have new chalk."

"Chalk I can definitely handle," he laughs, "I think I can afford chalk."

He feels a moment of calm wash over him when the van rumbles to life in the parking garage. Finally heading home and going to sleep with a full belly, finally with a plan to make you happy, finally feeling like after the new year things can go back to normal. He flicks on the radio and doesn't even change the station when Mariah Carey's 'All I Want For Christmas' crackles through the speakers. He heard it 700 times today, happy to hear it for the 701st.

It was your new favorite song, after all.

Eddie woke up feeling slightly refreshed on Christmas Eve, the dull ache in his back mildly relieved. He fished into his pajama pants for his lighter, flicking it a few times before getting the fuse lit for his morning cigarette. He stood at the open door, bathrobe tied tight around him, and listened to the hum of Wayne's machine from the other end of trailer. The mug of black coffee in his hands had the bitterness cut by the soft sweetness of cinnamon -- that's what you always did this time of year.

'I like making it a little festive for you, honey,' you'd giggle, 'Don't be such a Grinch.'

He wished he appreciated it more, all the little things you did to try to make him happy. The faces in fruit on his pancakes some mornings, making his old favorites for dinner at your place, 'build your own sundae' nights. Scratching his head, scalp massages, hand massages. You'd call them man-icures so he didn't feel weird about you doing his nails and softening his callouses. He didn't care that it was just a manicure with a stupid name, all he cared about was your cute face when you concentrated on his cuticles. He missed your laugh, the way you tap your pen out to your favorite songs when you're grading papers or writing lesson plans, your elaborate schemes to make learning subtraction more fun. The way you're kind to everyone, all the time, constantly. When he first started taking you out he'd get embarrassed by how forward you were with people, how you'd make small talk with cashiers, or grab someone's hand to tell them their nails looked beautiful.

Maybe in a lot of ways, he wished he was more like you to start.

He took a shower and slipped on his coveralls, opting to be one of two guys in the shop today. Him and George. It was George's garage, and for the past six years, Eddie had always volunteered to be the emergency mechanic on deck on Christmas Eve. He got paid time and a half and never had to wait for the check, he'd always get paid at the end of the day.

He laces his boots before trudging down the hall to wake Wayne, taking off his machine and flipping the switch.

"I'm headed out," he whispers, "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," Wayne groans when he sits up on the rickety mattress, "I have a new perscription, not sure if the pharmacy'll be open but would you be able to pick it up on the way back. They called last night but I couldn't make it to the phone, it's ready I think."

"Yeah, I'll grab it on my lunch break Wayne," he softens the more he looks at him, "Have some coffee already to go for you on the table, there's a couple eggs left for you too."

"Thank ya, son," his voice is grizzly, but it still feels like home.

Eddie shivers his way into the shop, George in the office organizing some files. The day was always slow, but there were some cars still in need of fixing so he got right to work.

"Hey George," he calls, knocking on the door.

"Hey kid," he calls back, "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, round six," he laughs back. He goes back to the break room and drops off his coat and his back pack. Normally he'd have you to look forward to later with a plate of cookies from your family's Christmas Eve party and some left overs expertly packed. You'd drive an hour and a half to bring it down to him and then an hour and a half back to spend Christmas with your family. But not before he gave you a present, or multiple presents, in the break room when George went out to get a six pack.

"Ed," he calls again, "C'mere when you're done dropping your shit."

Eddie heads over to the office, leaning on the door frame, "'Sup bossman?"

"Someone left a message for ya on the answering machine, think it's the pharmacy," he said, "Ya might wanna give 'em a call, s'probably for your uncle."

"Oh, yeah, I think his prescription's ready," he nodded, "Can I use your phone?"

"Yeah, by all means," he said, pushing it toward him, "Want me to give you a minute?"

Ed shakes his head no, "It's fine, just a quick call." He's got the number memorized by heart at this point, clicking the numbers on the grease stained white plastic buttons while barely looking at the machine.

"Hawkins Pharmacy, this is Debbie," Eddie smiles because he knows Debbie. He likes Debbie a lot.

"Hi Deb, it's Eddie, Eddie Munson," he says, "Calling for my uncle, looks like you called my work. I was gonna come by and pick up his meds on my break, will you guys be open?"

"Oh um, about his prescription Ed..." she starts, and he can hear the hesitation in her voice. The clip in the grenade buried in his chest jiggles slightly, he takes in a breath through his nose.

"What's up?" he asks, his voice his short and curt.

"Well, he changed his insurance recently, as you know and -- well there's a lapse in his coverage right now. His new plan doesn't activate until the first," she expains.

"Okay, and what does that mean?" he says, his palms sweat onto the cool plastic of the phone, his ear sticks to the receiver.

"Basically," she says, and then sighs, "His current insurance can't cover it and neither can is upcoming insurance, so the prescription has to be paid out of pocket."

"Um -- uh, fuck -- okay," he says, a chill courses through him, tightening his veins. The pin jiggles again, "H-how much?"

"For the month?" she asks, "For this prescription it's, hold on, let me check...it's looking like it'll come out to around..." she takes a breath of defeat.

"Around three hundred dollars, Ed," she says softly.

"Three hundred..." he repeats back quietly, "Is there like, is there a cheaper version cause he like..."

His voice cracks, the pin rattles dangerously while his eyes start to sting with oncoming tears, "He really needs these pills, Debbie."

"This is the cheapest option," she says apologetically, "I'm so sorry."

"I'll um, I'll figure it out," he shakes his head, "I'll come by and I'll figure it out. Thanks uh, thanks for letting me know Deb."

He doesn't wait to hear her response before he hangs up the phone, quickly leaving the office to go back to the break room. He sniffles in big shuddering breaths, sweat dripping down his back despite the lack of heat in the garage.

"Kid," George says softly, following behind him, "Hey, Munson. What's goin' on?"

He feels George's big hand on his shoulder, the soft squeeze on the muscle under his skin.

"I can't afford my uncle's medication," he says, the pin jiggles, "I mean I can, but like, if I get his medication I'll be late in paying the gas bill, but if they turn the gas off there goes our heat. Or I can delay the electric bill but if they turn the lights out he can't use his machine at night. So maybe I could like, go out tonight after this and shovel some driveways in the rich neighborhoods or -- I could -- I could --"

The pin falls.

He breaks.

He breaks hard.

Eddie's cries turn to wails, his body shaking with hunger and exhaustion and the unbearable heaviness of having to be himself. The tears pour in droves down his face while he tries to catch up with them, trying to find the words to explain to George that he's okay, he'll figure it out.

"Hey, buddy, it's okay, it's okay," George soothes, his aged face crumpling while he watches Eddie break down in front of him. He pulls him in tight, a hand plopping ontop on his mess of curls.

"Why don't you tell me what's been goin' on? You haven't been yourself for months," he says softly, "Talk to me."

George smells like Old Spice and Newports, it's a scent that's always made him feel safe. Like having a second dad -- well, a third dad, if you count his real dad. He never counts his real dad, though.

Eddie sits down at the table while George takes a couple of beers out of the fridge and places them down in front of them. He cracks them open and settles down, two sets of brown eyes meeting each other.

He begins.

"Well if Wayne was sick why didn't you tell me?" George exclaims, "I've known Wayne longer than you've lived in Hawkins, boy. I would've helped you figure somethin' out. Taking shifts at Macy's? At Christmas time? No wonder you're so exhausted."

"I mean, I'm young. I can do it," Eddie shrugs.

"Those bags under your eyes say you can't," he says matter of factly, "And y'know you shouldn't have to. You're -- damn you're a kid."

"I'm like, inching towards thirty George," he laughs.

"And what about your little girlfriend? She not helping?"

"That's..." he sighs, "That's a whole other mess."

Eddie rehashes the story he told Wayne last week and then Steve's visit from yesterday, "So today I was gonna ask if I could borrow some tools and go in tomorrow or something to fix everything up. But now I gotta figure out how I'm gonna make an extra three hundred bucks for these meds."

"How about this," George starts, "You've been workin' for me a long time. You come early and you stay late. You cover for everyone. You know -- damn -- you know more about cars than I do and I've been runnin' this place for thirty years. How about you take this week off to work on your girl's classroom and I'll see you after the New Year."

"I can't. I need to work, George, I need the mo--"

"How about," he interjects, loud and stern, "You take the week off to work on your girl's classroom and get some rest, and I will pay you for the week. It's not like you're just sittin' on your ass."

"I can do that, that's not f--"

"If you say no again, I'm just gonna fire you. Is that what you want?" George challenges.

"No sir," Eddie quickly shakes his head and shuts his mouth.

"And," the older man continues, "I will cover the cost of Wayne's pills. I'll go pick them up at lunch for 'im and drop 'em off. 'Bout time I caught up with that geezer anyway."

The tears build back up in Eddie's eyes, his mouth lets out a sputtered version of a 'Thank you'.

"You gotta stop pretending like you have to do everything yourself," George's voice holds a fatherly fondness when he gets up and tosses their empty beers in the trash.

"C'mere, kid," he chuckles while Eddie tearily gets up out of the chair and back into the dad like embrace of his boss.

"You got ten minutes, but then we got some cars to fix."

Eddie didn't tell Wayne about the insurance lapse or the pills, even though he was surprised to see George at the trailer park that afternoon. Eddie went home with his tool belt from work, his time and a half, and a little extra that his boss insisted he take with him. Wished him luck on his repairs and that he'd see him on the 2nd.

He was warned that if he didn't rest, Wayne would tell him, and it would mean hell for him at the shop.

Eddie'd already been through hell, so he didn't really want to have to do it again.

Christmas morning came and Eddie woke Wayne up to a cup of coffee and some breakfast.

"Thanks, son," he said smoothly, pushing in his chair at the table in the kitchenette, "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," he wished back, tapping some cinnamon into each of their cups of coffee.

"What's that for?" he asks before a harrowing cough bubbles out of his chest. He takes a sip of coffee to ease the ache of the rattle in his throat.

"It's just festive, Wayne," he teases, "Don't be a Scrooge."

"Doing anything today?" Wayne asks, eyes casting up to look at the old pictures of a younger Eddie sat on Santa's lap. No longer a holiday where they stayed home and snuggled, where he played with his toys, where there was magic.

"Gonna go fix up my girl's classroom as a gift," he says, picking at his nails, "Thought it'd be a nice gesture."

"She hasn't called ya back, hm?"

Eddie shakes his head, already dressed in the Black Sabbath shirt you got him that he hadn't gotten a chance to properly thank you for. The chain you got repaired hung aroung his neck delicately, the pick hitting his chest in a gentle reminder that you're still here with him. You had to be. He'd know if you just decided to be done with him.

By the time the late afternoon rolled around he hopped in his van after Wayne fell asleep in the recliner. The perk of the holidays was that he could drive around in the rich neighborhoods and no one was out to give him and his car dirty looks. No one was around to be confused that Steve Harrington was hopping into his passengers seat to head to Melvald's. No one was around to be confused as to while they were loading wood from broken down pallets into the ample trunk space.

"Good holiday?" Eddie asks.

"Same holiday it always is," he shrugs, "My parents weren't around so I stayed home. Jonothan went to California with Joyce to go visit Will so he wouldn't have to pay to fly home."

"That's lonely," Eddie mutters, "Sorry dude."

"Don't be sorry, I'm used to it," he looks out the window. Steve looks well dressed for repairs -- a pair of worn in jeans, white on white Air Forces, an Izod half zip sweat shirt -- he might as well look like a father of three, "Have you heard from her at all?"

"No -- I left her a message on her answering machine, but I think she's already up with her family. I don't know what she told them so -- I don't want to bother her parents if they're upset with me," he explains.

"They'd never be upset with you," Steve shakes his head, "They're good people."

"I'm sure they wish on a star every night that she was with you, Harrington," he jokes.

"You'd think, right?" Steve laughs, "No, she told me how much they like you. They think you're so good to her -- you are so good to her."

Steve speaks about you with a fondness that makes Eddie wonder. He softens, looking over at him while he turns down the road to the elementary school, "Do um...do you wish it was you?"

"I already told you, man. I love her to death, but she's not my type," he laughs again, but there's a pain there.

"You keep saying that but like -- are you sure? 'Cause you can tell me it's not weird," he assures.

"She hasn't told you?" Steve asks, brows furrowing.

"Told me what? Did you guys used to fuck, or something?" Eddie asks, his heart hammering, "Did you fuck the other ni--"

"No, no, Ed I'm --" he sighs, running a hand through his hair.

"I'm gay," he says quietly, "Like, Jonathan isn't my roommate he's -- he's my partner. I'm gay."

There's a silence there for a moment and Eddie shifts in his seat a red light. Oh, I'm such a fucking idiot. Of course that's why they aren't together. I thought maybe he had a weird dick or something.

"That's y'know," Ed shrugs, "That's cool with me, man. Like, silence equals death and all that."

"Oh, shut up man," Steve laughs and shakes his head, putting his hand up to stop him from talking, "Don't like, do that all shit. I'm just surprised she hadn't said anything."

"If you told her not to, she wont," Eddie's voice drops to something sweet, "She's a good girl like that. Great secret keeper. Great -- Oh, shit..."

When the boys pull into the lot, Eddie's surprised to see a couple more trucks sitting by with their lights on, doors opening at the sight of them. A gruff voice calls out from the dark, a light snow obscuring him and the name on his coverall.

"How long were you gonna keep us waiting here, kid? It's a holiday."

George's gruff voice cuts the silence, a couple of the guys from the shop chuckle in the background. Eddie smiles, a genuine, warm smile -- the kind he envied from a couple nights ago that he saw from Steve. These were people who cared about him, who wanted to help. This was, he guessed, was what Christmas was really about. This was what you were trying to tell him the whole time. His heart breaks all over again, and he swears he can feel the pulse of your heart beat in the guitar pick hanging at his chest.

By the 27th, most of the repairs had been done. The help from the guys was beyond what he could've imagined. They were able to replace part of the roof that had water damage, fix the windows, repair a cracked pane, build a new bookcase, fix the wobble in all of the desks, and yours. Now, he was just adding a new coat of paint after spending the morning chipping off all the shards of it that were falling off. In his backpack was an overflow of new chalk, pens and pencils, markers, crayons, construction paper, pipe cleaners, and glue. The guys went through their kids bookcases at home and donated a slew of new books for the room -- some duplicates, too.

He felt good. He'd gotten two nights of adequate sleep, heeding George's warning that he has to rest. He was able to buy a good crop of groceries and most of the guys from work came by to drop off so many Christmas cookies that Wayne was nervous he'd start losing his teeth too. Now, all he had to wait for was you. For you to come in on Friday and see his surprise when you dropped in for your professional development day with Steve. He wasn't sure if he wanted to leave flowers or gingerbread men with the card but he figured he'd cross that bridge when he --

"Eddie?"

He jumped, nearly falling off the ladder he was on to reattach over head light that had rusted on the ceiling, "Jesus Christ!"

He clutched his chest, letting his heart rate settle down when at the bottom of the ladder, there you stood. His face blushed pink, pulse ping ponging through his wrists at the sight of you.

"Hi, sweetheart," he smiles, "This um...this was supposed to be a surprise."

"Who told you?" you asked, looking around, "About all my stuff?"

Eddie climbed down the ladder carefully, "Steve came to the store, told me that you needed some help. I figured y'know, if I couldn't get you a present I could just -- I could make you one."

"It's not done yet though, I still have to paint and put all your art supplies away," he explains, meeting you in the center of the room. He looks at you and then at the tears in your eyes, the heat rising in your cheeks. You don't say anything, his heart races in embarrassment. Maybe it wasn't enough, maybe you didn't like it. Maybe you wanted to do it yourself.

"And um, the guys from the shop, they uh, they brought books," he says, walking over to the new bookcase, "And I uh, I built this, like, with my hands."

He painted it to match the rest of the decor, a fun bright color that would hopefully draw the kids in to read. You'd mentioned that the got bored with the same ten books and weren't sharing well -- half of the books were falling apart since there wasn't anywhere to put them.

"And uh, I got you some new chalk -- white obviously, but I got you some multi-colored sets cause I know you like to do little sketches on the board during holidays and like, with spring comin' up maybe you could do little flowers or something?" he doesn't realize it, but he's gasping through his rambled sentences. Watching you walk toward him slowly.

"It's okay if you don't like it," he assures, "You can tell me and I can fix it I just wanted to--"

Your kiss feels like a spoonful of summer warmed honey on his cold lips. It trails down his throat and into his chest, down through his fingertips and his toes. He feels your soft hands cup his face, resting against his cold prickly cheeks. He's afraid to touch your face because you haven't given him a manicure yet this week. He doesn't want to scratch you with his rough hands, so he places them around you instead, frowning when you finally break away with a soft click.

"I just wanted to do something nice," he says against your lips.

"This is the best gift ever," you whisper quietly, a little sniffle stifling your cry, "It's very nice."

"Merry Christmas, baby," he smiles, leaning in for another kiss.

"Merry Christmas," you wish between kisses.

He wakes up wrapped up in you, in your sheets, in your scent, peering at you while you sleep soundly next to him. You both had barely made it through the door of your apartment before you both had shed your clothes -- landing on the bed with a mutual 'oof!'

It had been so long since he'd been present. Savoring every soft moan out of your mouth, every shake of your thighs, everything whine, every clench, the way you'd rake your nails down his back, the way you'd pulse when he held your hand. You both laid there together after round one, eating cookies in bed (which you'd allowed just this once), while he told you everything. About how hard it had been taking two jobs, how he'd completely shut down, about Wayne's insurance lapse, about the guys at work, about Steve coming to Macy's, about how much he loved the gifts you got. About how he cried the night he yelled at you but was too afraid to face you after because he felt so awful. He listened when you told him that you just needed some time, but that you felt awful that you weren't there when he needed you.

"Need you all the time," he mumbled between heated kisses, "Never lettin' you outta my sight."

His eyes rolled and his toes curled when you took him in your mouth, letting you take the lead. He gasped and writhed, whining for more when your tongue swirled and sucked, showing him how much you missed him. How you'll always take care of him -- and he made sure to show you how he'll take care of you back.

Round three was long and drawn out, slow and sensual, close and quiet -- your boom box playing low static by the end.

Your eyes opened, stretching out when you see him sitting up in bed.

"You heading out?" you yawn.

"No, baby," he smiles down at you before laying back down, losing himself under the covers with you again, "I have the week off, so I'm intending to spend every moment I'm not with Wayne, in this bed, with you."