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#the edge of sleep katie
lilbit-of-kizzy · 2 years
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Anyone wanna tell me, why Disney thought it was ok to go The Edge of Sleep levels of dark???
Spoilers below the cut
Minnie spent how long, wandering a colorless, sightless, soundless, empty landscape??? Telling herself over and over again "I have to find Mickey!" until that's literally all she remembered????? Not her name, her very being, or even who Mickey actually was, just literally only the words "I have to find Mickey"
Disney wtf
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floofle-universe · 2 years
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You know now that we’ve seen mark and lio interact as characters in a production I’m really looking forward to seeing them as Dave and Katie in the up coming Edge of sleep show. Not enough people talk about that.
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I just finished listening to the edge of sleep today and I am absolutely DEVASTATED about mateo, like I don't even think I was this emo over katie, but mateo??? my homeboy mateo????
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cavemanmark · 2 years
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so teos is going through some final edits right now according to lio
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miacheezytoon · 2 years
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what kind of person listens to the ending of ep. 7 of teos when they're bored. who would cause such emotional turmoil to themselves.
me. I am that person. what am I doing
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superwholocked2016 · 2 years
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The brainrot continues also I’m writing fanfic.
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httpswritings · 3 months
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vicious cycle — Alexia Putellas x Reader
Warnings: smut (?) at least suggestive tone, toxic situationship, commitment issues.
Word count: 964
Summary: Alexia and you are stuck in a vicious cycle of sexual encounters where there's no place for something else.
A/N: This is my first try writing some smut (it's not really smut but like an introduction). There's some suggestive tone in the Katie/Hayley ficlet, but this one gets a little bit more in-depth into it.
[...] “Okay, but only with one rule. We are going to my house, so then it's up to you if you leave or not. Understood?“ That was the only condition you put and Alexia accepted it. Before that, you already had some encounters with her, ending in Alexia ghosting you, only to end up on the same bed at night. You were tired of her behavior, but you didn't want to stop whatever you had with her. She knew how to make love to a woman, and you defended yourself pretty well too, trapping both of you in these silly adventures. To your other teammates, Alexia and you were only that, teammates. Little did they know what was happening behind closed doors. Something similar to Lucy and Ona's case.
-
Alexia looked at you sleeping peacefully. She covered you with the duvet, tucking you in your bed as you released a deep sigh. Your left arm was moving around the mattress, looking for her, resting as you hugged the duvet, thinking it was her the one you were hugging from behind. Alexia closed her eyes, witnessing that moment had only made her decision to leave more difficult. As she was about to open the door to get out of your house, she retracted her decision.
Alexia went back to your room, putting her clothes off and getting in bed with only her underwear. She knew she would regret it, but the image of you looking for her warmth had had a huge effect on her. She woke you up to ask you if you were okay with her staying, and you, agreeing, answered the best way you could as you were still half asleep. She got nearer you, making you hug her from behind.
Her staying surprised you, but you didn't give it a second thought as you were on the verge of falling asleep again, feeling her body press against yours and hearing her breathing getting heavier as she was falling asleep. “Goodnight, Ale.” “Bona nit.”
-
As you kept having sporadic encounters with her, those encounters started to change. At first, they only reflected pure attraction. Of course there was some care and tenderness, but they suddenly started to become more loving, and they lasted longer. Even if Alexia didn't spend the night at your house, she would stay for some hours. You could see love reflected in her eyes. Everything became much more intimate. Slower movements and softer kisses.  
Alexia loved being on top of you as she rubbed herself below your core perfectly in sync with you. Before, she would be more harsh until she started to realize how much she adored watching you below her calling her name out.
You had a thing for gripping Alexia's hair and biting her shoulder as she kept grinding on top of you, her arms gripping the pillow at both sides of your head. You knew that a few slaps in her ass and your nails slowly scratching her back always drove her insane. She knew that the sight of her breasts bouncing up and down with her movements pushed you over the edge.
 -
As the weeks passed, Alexia would spend most of the nights at your apartment and leave early in the morning. That's why, when you woke up one day and saw her peacefully sleeping next to you, you took some time to admire her as much as the poor illumination of the room let you. You decided to enjoy the moment, as this would most likely not happen again. You knew both of you were scared of commitment, and even if you tried to be in a relationship with her, it would all be in vain. 
“Fuck it“, you thought as you slipped under Alexia's arms, looking for her warmth. As she woke up, you rushed to beg her, “Please, stay like this for a minute”, fearing she would leave rapidly like every morning. “Sure.” You felt quite pathetic for begging for crumbs of her love, but you didn't care enough to let her go. You hid your face between her neck and her hair, and Alexia pulled up the duvet to cover you completely as she pressed her arms harder around you.  
You wished that you would wake up like this every morning and not wake up to an empty space on your bed, still warm from her body. You kissed her neck, and as you heard her sigh deeply, you asked, “Can I continue?” “Yes.“
So you did. Kissing her on every centimeter of her neck, refusing to look into her eyes. Your mind told you to stop, and surprisingly, you did. A wave of pride hit you. Maybe at night you'd end up with her again in your bed, but right now you had to put yourself first. It made sense to you. Giving her a quick peck on the lips, you stood up and told her you'd go shower, leaving it up to her if she would wait for you to come out of the shower or leave.
Both of you knew the answer to your question. And as you had imagined, Alexia had left before you got out of the shower. You sat down on her side of the bed, snuggling into the pillow, and a wave of sadness and emptiness hit your face. Tears fell down your face as the image of Alexia couldn't leave your mind. You received a message from Alexia, «Had so much fun last night. You always make me feel so comfortable. Wanna repeat that tonight?» The message only made you cry harder. You knew you had entered into a vicious cycle where there was only a place for Alexia, your bed, and yourself, and anything that wasn't that was set to fail.
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ugotcooneycrossed · 11 months
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take a look at my girlfriend (she's the only one i got)
leah williamson x reader
w/c: ~1k
captain leah is proud of all her accomplishments- but calling you her girlfriend is her favourite
a/n: au where leah doesnt [redacted]😩😭
also i think its important to know that this song is based off of cupids chokehold- which i thought said CUCKHOLD😭 so when i googled it, p**n popped up😭
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If you’d ask Leah what her favourite award that she’s brought home is, some might think she’d answer with the Euro trophy- and yes, while she does love that one.   
She definitely loves you more.
She knows because, you’re the only she doesn’t mind, that interrupts her beauty sleep. You’re the first thing she thinks of in the morning and the last thing she thinks of before she sleeps. Leah thinks that if she had to choose between you and the sun- she’d never see the light of day again. And she’s okay with that. As long as you’re by her side.
She wakes to you kissing her bare shoulder, your fingers brush her hair back and smooth it over.
“Leah babe, come on- we have to get to the stadium soon, need I remind you we have a game?”
Leah hums- cracking an eye open, you sit on the edge of the bed, smiling at her softly.
“Pancakes?”
“Of course, they’re waiting for you in the kitchen babe.”
Leah pulls you down into a kiss- and you melt into each other’s embrace, melding together like two puzzle pieces. You let her distract you with kisses- cuddling in bed for a few more moments. You pull away, when you feel her cold fingers graze your stomach- slapping her hand away, you move to stand up.
“Leah Williamson! Stop! You have to get ready.”
You leave her in bed with a final kiss to the crown of her head and Leah melts back into the covers- she’d retire if it meant you could stay in bed for a couple more hours.
“Leah!”
-
You sit with Leah in the change room, you always arrive a few moments before most of the other girls- Leah says it’s because she’s captain and needs to be here earlier than the others but you know she likes the quiet with you before the girls arrive.
The conversation between you two is mundane, something about what groceries you need to get later today. Honestly, Leah hasn’t been paying attention because she’s been admiring the way you absentmindedly run your fingers along her arm and the way you unconsciously move closer to her- by now you’re half in her lap.
“Lee?”
Leah snaps out of her daydream of you and presses a kiss to your hand.
“Yeah babe.”
“Oh… nothing I love you.”
It fills Leah with  a special kind of warmth- knowing that you are hers, and hers alone. She loves you, and you love her.
She loves the way you know exactly what she needs after a hard day.
She loves the way you’ve supported her through thick and thin- through every win, and every loss. You’ve done it together. Right by each other’s side.
Leah knows what love is because of you.
“You guys are sickening- truly.”
Katie’s loud laugh echoes as you chase her out the doors.
-
Leah’s got a little skip in her step as she makes her way to where you sit on the bench. It’s half-time and she’s already spent but seeing you brings a newfound energy.
She stops in front of you tapping her cheek, you smooth her hair back, smile and press a delicate kiss to her cheek, that has her smiling from ear to ear.
Just before she goes back on the field for the second half- she stops you, initiating your secrete handshake. Leah pulls you into a last-minute hug after, rubbing your back and kissing your neck- she whispers into your ear.
“My good luck charm.”
-
You’re at home injured during an away game- Leah’s missed you terribly, and much to the dismay of her teammates she’s been very cranky.
“Come on Lee, just a few more hours, then you can see your girl again. You can hold out till then, can’t you?”
The look she sends Gio has the younger girl crashing back into her seat next to Katherine- the pair smiling nervously at their captain.
Leah ends up sulking in her seat the entire journey home.
Eventually, finally Leah comes home to you asleep on the couch- and she tries to be quiet, but when her bags hit the floor and your head shoots up, she knows it’s too late.
You jump of the couch, flailing around- injury long forgotten as you jump in her arms.
“Leah! Baby I missed you so much!”
Leah doesn’t care enough to pack away, or shower- all she does is climb in bed with you resting comfortably in her arms once again.
-
Leah’s doing the dishes, after you’ve made dinner- an agreement when you found she couldn’t even make toast without something going wrong.
“What are you doing smiling at the dirty dishes?”
“Just thinking about how I’m going to marry you one day. Speaking of, will you marry me?”
“Win a world cup first, then I’ll consider it.”
-
Leah shoots off as soon as the final whistle blows- there’s only one person she’d rather share this moment with. She finds you standing alone- eyes closed soaking in the moment of just winning the world cup.
She crashes into you and lifts you up in a bone crushing hug- pulling you into a kiss, both of you too wrapped up in your own world to notice the cameras capturing the sweet moment.
“We did it baby!”
You hold each other- crying softly together before the team end up crushing you both in hugs. You can see them all yelling, screaming, and crying.
But it’s only Leah you hear. In the midst of the chaos of your team celebrating, with Ella yelling at the top of her lungs, it’s only Leah you hear.
“You’ll marry me now, yeah?”
You nod- pressing a kiss to her cheek.
“Leah Williamson I would marry you in a heartbeat.”          
-
Leah still buzzing off of the win when she’s whisked away to post-match interviews. She’s sure her smile hasn’t left her face, and it only grows bigger when they show the clip of her running to you.
“Yeah that’s my fucking girlfriend!”
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fairlyang · 29 days
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18+ smut. kate bishop blurb. nice 🏹
kate whined as you slowly grind yourself against her, bare pussy against her own. both your slick making a melody of sweet noises as you move back and forth, eyes fluttering. “k-katie-“ you moaned and gripped her thigh harder to keep yourself steady.
“k-keep going mama- f-fuck you’re doing s-so good.” she stammered out before letting out whiny moans.
you whimpered as your clit rubbed against hers, staying there and grinding a bit faster because it felt so fucking good. you held up kate’s left leg up and held onto it tightly as you fucked yourself onto her.
her hands were gripping your tits, thighs, hips, anything she can have her hands on while you made sure your pussies were rubbing together at every second. your eyes rolled back and desperate whimpers escaped your lips while letting one hand go down to her pretty tits, teasing her nipples.
“fuck baby- god you’re doing so good for me.” she praised and subconsciously lifted her hips up but wasn’t able to move much before one of your legs was over her body.
“f-fuck me! Fuck fuck fuck-“ you moaned and look down at her, eyes all glossy and lips pouted.
“yeah baby? feel good huh?” she teased making you nod, wanting to play nice so she can let you cum after hours of edging your poor pussy.
“l-love it so much katie!” you cried and leaned your head against her ankle not seeing the way kate bit her lip to not moan at how pussy drunk you were.
“such a good girl for me.” she groaned earning herself a desperate whimper from you.
you felt yet another orgasm build up in your lower belly and you had to act quick. you sped up even more, your wetness mixing with hers, dripping everywhere.
“katie- fuck katie- needa cum- please!” you cried and kate fought the urge to quickly climb on top of you just so you had to wait even longer because she had already been so cruel.
maybe too cruel..
“please let me cum.” you whimpered and she grunted, gripping your thigh and feeling hee orgasm coming in.
“cum for me baby, you’ve earned it pretty girl.” she murmurs and your eyes widen, looking into her eyes and the small smirk on her lips.
it was all too much and you couldn’t help but cum just from the way she was looking at you. your pussy couldn’t handle it and your orgasm hit you hard, making your legs shake and tears stream down your cheeks.
her own orgasm hit her after yours so when you stopped grinding against her she couldn’t be bothered to stop grinding herself against you just to make sure she reached her high. only realizing she might’ve overstimulated you to hell and back when you let out cries that brought her back to reality.
she stopped and attempted to calm her breathing as she helped you get off her. “so sorry baby, got too ahead of myself.” she murmured, helping you sit next to her before you just laid down next to her.
she sighed and brought your body over to hers, wrapping her arms around you as you laid your head against her chest hearing her heart beat rapidly because of you. “did an amazing job mama.” she whispered before your eyes closed off and you drifted off to sleep.
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chaotic-iguana · 9 months
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Sleep
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Summary: Reader suffers from lack of sleep, caused by a recent event. As she continues to overwork herself, she reaches her breaking point with near disastrous results. Starring concerned!steve murphy, chaotic idiot!steve murphy and clueless!reader. javi has my fucking heart though.
Pairing: Javier Peña x reader (no use of y/n though)
Rating: M
Wordcount: 2.2k 
Warnings: fluff, mild angst, sort of a panic attack, mild MILD allusions to someone being creepy (not javi though), mild flirting, humour, lots of swearing sorry
this is my first fic - let me know your thoughts! check me out on ao3
masterlist.
“I swear to fucking god Murphy, if you don’t stop bouncing your leg against the table, I’m slamming your head right into it” is the gospel that flows out of your mouth at 7 am on a Monday morning. Feels like it’s gonna be a great week.
“The hell did I do? You’d think Connie’s cookies would be enough to get you animals off my back, but no, first sign of any damn fire an’ the first person you’d throw in?” Steve huffs. “Murphy”, he repeats mockingly. You scoff and roll your eyes at him, clenching and unclenching your fists in an attempt to talk yourself down from strangling the idiot situated two feet to your left before turning back to the paperwork in front of you. The one-foot-tall, monster stack of paperwork. Right. In. Front. Of. You. And would the golden boys ever do it themselves? If they ever got a moment’s relief from jacking each other off during missions (or however the hell they manage to fumble practically every single little op), maybe. But most of the time, you were stuck with it. Because god forbid the two princesses you were partnered with ever had to so much as lift a pen themselves. Hell would freeze over.
And it isn’t like you mind. At all, really. Half your job is the paperwork, and you’re happy to get it in order - if only to avoid Noonan’s wrath. Besides, what good is an agent if they can’t do their fucking job? In its entirety; not the half-assed shit most of the men did around the embassy. But a single glimpse of yourself in the mirror while rushing to leave the house revealed that these past few weeks of skipping lunch breaks, going home late, and taking files home to work on have been catching up with you - sunken, bloodshot eyes, cracked lips, and bruises smudged under your eyes now, perpetually, since the nightmares had started. Anything to keep you busy, right?
Another aggravating side effect of the amount of work you had taken on apart from the usual? The constant irritation. Marlene’s new nails, Katie’s suspicious last lay, the stupid fucking demon alarm clock that never quite managed to wake you up, the busted tire, the broken coffee machine, Dave from accounting’s downright idiotic whistling, your pen running out of ink, and finally - Murphy’s bouncing knee banging the table every fucking millisecond, practically in tune with the pounding ache beginning to form between your brows. If you were a better person, you’d let these things go. Such is life, right? But since the lack of sleep, the increased workload and general mishappenings had already created this beautiful trifecta of shit just to screw you over, better people could go fuck themselves. As could Murphy. “Don’t use your wife’s cooking as an excuse. I’m telling you, make another sound and die.” you spit out, whirling in your chair because the incessant fucking banging still hasn’t stopped - just in time to catch Peña sauntering in, already smirking.
“Already nailing Murphy’s balls, cariño? Careful, I’ll fall in love, baby.” You can hear the laughter in his crooning voice as he throws it over his shoulder - but you don’t care - can’t care, beyond the spots that seem to be forming at the edges of your vision. Were your fingers always a bit tingly? Or is that a new development, like your tongue suddenly feeling thick and heavy in your mouth, like you’re choking on it? But even though your thoughts feel slow and weighed down by molasses, rage sparks brighter in your mind as Peña’s flirty nicknames and bullshit teasing registers. You push away from your desk, and shoot up from the chair, striding towards the door to get some air - or you try to - because before you know it, your vision is blinded by white and you’re breathing quick, shallow breaths as you lay on the ground trying to figure out what the fuck is happening. Distantly, you can hear someone calling your name but it sounds so far away you barely even register it. Hands wrap around your wrist, your head, attempting to stabilize you, to ground you, as you flail wildly in a panic. A low hum begins to fill your senses, forming words that sound to fuzzy to understand or care about right now, but you lean into it, something in your being telling you it’s safe.
When your sight clears, you’re curled up on the on the floor trembling. Shaking, like a scared fucking child, while Peña kneels to hold you to his chest, repeating the same few phrases over and over: “You’re okay, it’s okay hermosa. You’re safe. Safe. No ones gonna hurt you, it’s over now, okay?” as Murphy stands next to him, watching with panic and a hint of sympathy in his gaze. You scramble away from them both, panting, nearly slipping in your effort to get to your feet. “Hey, it’s okay. It’s okay, pretty. You’re okay” Peña repeats his assurances with his hands held out, palms facing you, as you stand on wobbling knees, wiping at your face.
“‘M fine” is all you whisper to them hoarsely before ducking your head and rushing out of the pathetically cramped room you three work in. You can hear footsteps behind you, but can’t find it in you to turn around - not even at the panicked sounds of your name being called by a familiar voice. You’re making a scene, you know it, but you don’t care. It’s all too much, and you’re too far gone. Reaching the parking lot, you struggle to unlock your car as your trembling fingers drop the keys twice. Swearing, you resolve and pick them up again, pressing them and reaching for the door. But just before your fingers find the handle another hand - much, much larger than yours - splays out on the window to stop you, just as Peña’s signature bedhead comes into view. He looks at you with wide, concerned eyes, his mouth tucked low at the corners, like he’s disappointed. You want to melt, you do, because the melting pot of emotions you have for him make you preen at his worry - but your usual defense mechanisms humble you. And so you sharpen your claws, flash your fangs, and the hackles raise again, leaving a “What, Peña?” to come tumbling out in a tone so sharp it makes you flinch. HIs frown just deepens as his gaze rakes over your form frantically, as if checking for injury. He says nothing, pursing his lips further before snatching your wrist and tugging you behind him as he stalks to his car, opening the side door. You raise a brow at him, and he counters by jerking his head towards the car, scowling slightly. You get in, slightly confused, and wait for him to walk around and get into the drivers seat. “What the fuck, Peña? I just fainted, I’m not senile. And I don’t give a shit how mad you are, you can’t just-just drag me to your car and f-force me to get in. The fuck are you playing at?” you begin to ramble, fury somehow still rising at a dizzying speed. Peña doesn’t respond, just starts driving while looking straight ahead while you continue fumbling over a panicked rant so pathetic it sounds nonsensical to your own ears. “…And what? You just enjoy calling me s-stupid nicknames? You think it’s cute to flirt with me while I’m- while I pass out?” This one makes his nostrils flare, eyes darkening a bit while his jaw tightens just for a second before letting go. You pause for a second, getting your breath while your hands still shake in your lap. “I’m fine, it’s fine. Can I just go home please? I’ve already done the month’s paperwork for all the ops we have planned, and you can just give me the rest post-op. I’m just a bit under the weather, I just need to lie down for a bit.” you start trying to reason, but the stubborn ass just keeps driving, and alarm starts bubbling in your chest again. You look down to your lap while you fiddle with your thumbs, willing to control the irrational fear yelling at you that something’s wrong every second Peña chooses to stay silent.
“Think I was flirting with you while you passed out? Y’think I don’t see it, you working yourself to the fucking bone? Think I can’t see how you’ve stopped eating, honey? Stopped laughing like you used to? Think I don’t know how late you’ve starting going home? As ‘f I’ll ever stop waitin’ for ya to clock out first so I know you’re home okay, baby. You gotta tell me what’s wrong - this is eatin’ you up.“
Peña’s tone softens, but his harsh whisper makes you turn your head to look at him. He sounds so…tortured, as if he’s the one suffering. He glances your way, locking eyes with you for a second before turning his head back to the road. You sit there and practically gape at him, your jaw slack as your head whirls. Peña knows? No, wait, he waits? For you to go home so you’re safe? He cares? What the fuck? Confused, all that comes out of your mouth is a mighty elegant open-mouthed “huh?” before you blink at him, waiting for him to continue.
“You gotta know by now, sweetheart. Gotta see how I’ve been lookin’ at you. You’re the smartest fuckin’ agent I’ve seen, with the balls to take down men I’d sweat to be ‘n the same room with. You swear like a sailor, an’ make me laugh till I’m chokin’ on my own damn cigarette. Tell me what’s hurtin’ you, honey. I can’t promise I’ll fix it, but I can swear to you I’ll damn well try my best.” He responds, turning to hold your gaze as his own eyes widen, and his brows turn down. Puppy eyes, you think. 
Your brain has gone from hazy to too fucking clear in a matter of five minutes, and now it feels like your thoughts are gonna come ripping out of your head. So you just blink at him, again, before reaching an unsteady hand out to cup his cheek. “I’m okay, I swear. Just-you remember that deal I had to cut last month? With the sicario? For intel on that lab?” Peña nods, and you continue. “Fucker led me to a dead end. Ambushed me. O-only got out ‘cause his gun jammed, and his child-soldier ran away. I just-this is so fucking dumb I’ve been in worse but- I can’t get it out of my head. The shit he said to me, the way he looked at me, t-touched me. I should be dead or worse, Peña. And I nearly was.“ you look down again, ashamed of the truth that’s spilling out of your mouth. It’s so small, so weak, you just want to fold into yourself and never come out. Your voice wobbles towards the end, tears filling your eyes as you turn your head away from the man you’ve wanted for so long to save whatever dignity you still have left. “‘N I can’t sleep anymore. Just see- or feel him every time. So thought I’d work for a bit. Clearly didn’t fucking work out, though.” small hiccups have started to punctuate your words, testament to the tears now flowing down your cheeks. Peña pulls up to an unfamiliar building and turns to you.
“‘S Javi, honey. Look at me, pretty baby.” He cradles your chin between his thumb and his forefinger to turn your head towards him. “None of that was stupid, okay? Come lie down at my place. I’ll sit in a damn chair next to you and fight him away if he comes in your dreams, sweetheart, okay? Nothin’ to be ‘fraid of. Never letting any fuckers near you again.” Javi leans in to brush a kiss to your forehead before stepping out of the car and hooking his index and middle finger to beckon you too. You step out of the truck and towards him, smiling while swiping at your face. “Didn’t know this was what the girls meant every time they bragged about sleeping with you” you snark softly, with a teasing grin on your face as you reach him. Javi rolls his eyes playfully before unlocking the door.
“Ain’t gotta do no sleepin’ you don’t want to, honey. You’re here to get some rest. Be a good girl and sleep f’me, and I’ll keep you up for as long as you like after,” he  throws over his shoulder with a matching grin and a wink.
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Say It Pt. II: The Confession | Alessia Russo x Reader
Leah Williamson x reader friendship is secretly my favorite. Send ideas of other things you'd be interested in reading maybe? Open to anyone I know and can get inspired to write about.
Pt. I of Say It is here
No warnings, just fluff :)
You wake up the morning after your huge confession to a face full of blonde hair. The striker tucked protectively into your arms as her warm breaths hit your chest. You wiggle down so you’re face-to-face with her and tuck the loose strands of hair behind her ear. Even as a songwriter, you had no words to appropriately express your feelings of joy. You place a gentle kiss on her lips and let out a chuckle when you feel her smile and kiss you back. “Faker,” you tease.
“Creeper,” she teases back accent even thicker as it’s laced with sleep, she finally lets her tired blue eyes flutter open.
“I was just admiring the view of my beautiful girlfriend,” you tell her, running a delicate thumb across her cheekbone. 
“Girlfriend?” She questions with a smirk. “I don’t recall you asking me to be your girlfriend.”
Your cheeks blush in embarrassment, “I just thought you know after…everything we said it was implied?”
“What was said?” She urges with her usual bright smile that you love.
“Lessi,” you whine, tucking your head into her neck. “Why are you teasing?”
Alessia laughs while she runs her hand in your hair, “I just want to hear you say it baby love.”
You melt at the nickname, lifting your head, your eyes dreamily meeting her blue ones, “I love you. Will you be my girlfriend?”
She pecks at your blushed cheeks a few times before responding, “I love you too…I’ll think about it.”
“Oi! No, you’re mine. My girl,” you whine pulling her into you as she tries to roll away in a fit of laughter. 
“You’ve got to stop hanging around Leah and Katie,” she teases, settling back in your arms that immediately tense up at the defender's name. 
“Right… Leah. I have to go, baby. Keep thinking about it until I get back,” you tell her, pulling yourself out of bed and striding to the ensuite. 
“What the… (y/n) get back here,” she yells after you tiredly as her body slumps back into the mattress. 
“One sec,” you hurriedly brush your teeth and make yourself look presentable before heading to Alessia’s wardrobe. You grab a pair of black sweats and a jumper you know was once yours. 
“Hey that’s mine,” Alessia whines pulling at the sleeve as you make your way back over. “Where are you going? Take all of this off and get back in bed with me.”
You sit on the edge of the bed and kiss away the pout that’s made its way to her lips. “It’s definitely not yours and I can’t get back in bed. I texted Leah last night, so we are having brunch. I’m- I’m going to tell her that I love you. That’s okay, yeah?”
Alessia’s face softens and she leans up to connect her lips to yours, “yeah of course love. Do you want me to come with you?”
You shake your head as you get back to your feet after checking the time, “I’ll be okay and you need the sleep. You had a long night. I’ll come right back here after.” 
She rolls her eyes at your cheeky comment before she nods with an encouraging smile, “I love you (y/n) no matter what.”
You smile leaning over to steal one last lingering kiss, “I love you Alessia.”
-
You were nervous. You have been pacing outside the restaurant you were meant to meet Leah at for the last five minutes. Your phone buzzes in your hand and you jump. 
Lessi 🩵: I’m buzzin I can’t fall back to sleep. hurry back 😘
Baby love 🎸: I needed that. Be back soon.
 Finally reaching for the door you immediately spot the English defender waving you over. You make your way towards the table that’s tucked away in the back, “oi, you’re late. They must’ve been finking I got stood up mate.”
“Sorry,” you mumble nervously, taking your spot across from her. “Did you order?”
“Just mimosas,” she responds, pouring you a glass from the pitcher on the table. “Rough night?” She asks observing your strange behavior. 
“What? No, my night was good. Great actually… I mean great as in I just had a normal evening.”
“Are you okay?”
You down the mimosa she poured for you hoping to gain a bit of liquid courage. “Yeah fine. Just needed my morning wake me up,” you joke, tipping your glass to her. 
“Ah there’s she is. Right on then.”
Leah was your best friend. You weren’t the most social or friendly person after having built up walls with your fame. Despite your reputation as a party girl, you hated industry events, award shows, after parties and everything else that came with the job really. Everyone had secret agendas and you weren’t a fan of that. If it wasn’t for the well poured drinks you don’t know how you’d get through them.
You met Leah Williamson for the first time 8 months ago, inside a packed New York nightclub with enough liquor in both your systems that you could barely walk. You had just performed a sold out show and the defender was only in town for work and trying to blow off steam. She told you she was starstruck because your songs are on their matchday playlist, and you admitted even though you’re American you find yourself rooting for the Lionesses every World Cup. 
You don’t know how it happened but you and Leah became friends that night. Spending every free moment you both had with one another while she was in town for the week. On her last night you both got drunk inside your downtown penthouse and whispered all your dirty secrets as she called it. 
“I have no one I really trust. I’ve known you for a week and I think you’re my best friend,” you confess with a dry chuckle. 
Leah stills in shock before leaning her head on your shoulder and whispering, “I’m going back to London tomorrow, but I’ll always be here for you little rockstar. Even if it’s 3am there I’ll be here for you.”
You knew she meant it and in that moment you didn’t hate the little rockstar nickname she had given you. You’ve never had anyone like Leah in your life before. That’s why you were terrified of her reaction. She was very clear in her disapproval of you and her teammates being involved when she introduced you to them. She was there to witness the countless meaningless hookups you had and the sometimes excessive drinking. She just didn’t want things to go bad and she had to choose between you or her teammates.
Baby love 🎸: I don’t think I can do it Less. Leah, she’s my only friend. I can’t lose her
Lessi 🩵: That’s okay baby just enjoy your brunch. We will figure it out together later 
Together. That was all you needed.
A hand smacking the table brings you back to reality and Leah is looking at you with her famous glare. “Care to share with the table who you are texting?”
“No one, manager sending schedule stuff,” you rush to tuck your phone back into your pocket. “What were you saying?”
“Mate, what’s wrong? Are you in some kind of trouble?”
“No trouble. Sorry.”
Leah reaches her hand across the table and places it on yours, making you tense momentarily before calming. “Then, why are you so jumpy today?” 
You take a deep breath and finally meet her soft gaze. “I have to tell you something.” She nods with a soft hum to encourage you to continue. You take a minute to try to figure out the best approach before going with what you know best, “I wrote a new song.”
“Nice, can I hear it? What’s it ‘bout?”
You shake your head, “I haven’t recorded it yet. I wrote it on the plane yesterday about a girl I like out here. I was missing her while I was away.”
“Oh you got yourself a missus then yeah?”
“It’s complicated. I don’t want things to change between me and you. You’re my best mate and I don’t have anyone else really. I know I’m not the best person someone can be with, but I promise I will try really hard to be a better me Leah.”
Leah’s posture straightened up the more you spoke, face void, “I’m flattered (y/n), but no thanks.”
“What? Ew, not you. It’s Alessia,” you confess before you can even stop yourself. Leah’s glare firmly in place as she gives you a hum. “I’m sorry I went behind your back. I- we just got on really well and one night turned to this whole thing where she’s all I can think about.”
Leah studies you for way longer than you’d like her to before a smirk covers her face and she lets out a maniacal laugh, “‘bout time you came clean. I’ve known for like a month now.”
Your eyes triple in size as you shriek, “WHAT?”
“You’ve really gots to cut back on the drinking. You blabbed about it that night we went out in LA. Whining on about how much you liked her, but were scared to tell her cause you didn’t want me to be upset. It was clear you didn’t remember when we woke up, so I didn’t mention it. Figured you’d tell me properly when you were ready.”
“That’s really embarrassing.”
Leah shrugs, “it was proper cute actually. I mean don’t get me wrong I will hurt either of you if you hurt the other, but if you're happy, I’m happy.”
“Last night, I told her I loved her.”
“And?”
“And I think she’s my girlfriend,” you smile. It felt good to call her that.
Leah nods curtly, “good. Treat her nice, yeah? Alessia is the sweetest girl, she deserves it. No more instagram models in the club, just pass them along to me,” she smirks.
“There’s no one else in the world I want,” you tell her.
“Good answer little rockstar. Now should we have some fun with Less since you guys kept this from me,” her smirk is dangerous but you can’t help but match it. 
“What did you have in mind?” 
-
You and Leah finished your brunch as she plotted her revenge on Alessia. You both hop in her car as she sets off to take you back to Alessia’s flat. “Maybe it’s not a good idea,” you say as you finally round the corner or her street. 
“Are you joking? Please don’t tell me Less already has you this soft,” Leah rolls her eyes but you can tell she’s not actually mad. If anything she looks a little pleased at your hesitation. 
“It’s just I was nervous before, already expecting the worst, so she will already be thinking it too. I just… I don’t want to see her upset,” you finally mumble out the last part. 
“Wow, I am in shock. Little Alessia already has my little rockstar tamed. Fine, you just sit back and stay quiet. You are officially OUT of the plan softie.”
You don’t even try to argue it, just flop back in the seat and cross your arms with a pout. Leah pulls in front of Alessia’s place and cuts the engine, “not a word. Get out.” You roll your eyes and get out making your way to the door. 
Leah knocks, places her hands on her hip, and fixes her glare. You let out an annoyed huff before your eyes immediately snap to the door as it opens. Alessia is all smiles until she sees you aren’t alone, “uh hey Leah… (y/n). To what do I owe the pleasure?” She does well to hide her nervousness, her smile only dropping for a split second. 
“Can we come in?” Leah asks pointedly. 
Alessia looks between the two of you clearly trying to see if you told her or not. You give her a tight lipped smile and she sighs in defeat, “yeah of course. Is everything alright?”
“You tell me Alessia. I thought we were friends,” Leah chastises.
You sit there quietly letting Leah go through with her plan even though you desperately want to reach out and tell Alessia everything when you see the panic rise on her face. “Leah please,” is the desperate plea that she gives. 
“Please what? You two get to go behind my back?”
“No it’s not like that. We never meant to go behind your back. It just happened and I won’t apologize for it. We are both adults and capable of making our own decisions. I understand you’re upset we didn’t tell you, but it has nothing to do with you. (Y/n) was a nervous wreck thinking about telling you cause she cares that much for you and this is how you act? It’s unfair. You should be happy for her because I’m buzzin and I won’t allow you to ruin it,” the speech that started out full of nerves quickly became a declaration of passion. 
You can’t hide the smile that breaks across your face. “My girl,” you smirk towards Leah. 
She looks between the two of you before matching your smirk, “well looks like the both of you are just as insufferably smitten.”
“Wait what?”
“I’m sorry baby she made me do it,” you pout wrapping your arms around her. 
“No softie over here backed out of the original plan of fake breaking up with you,” she waves off. 
“You were going to what?” Alessia shoves you playfully. 
You tighten your grip peppering soft kisses to her cheek, “I was never going to do it. I just needed a ride.”
Leah tuts, “yeah right she basically made the plan.” You give her a look of warning and she rolls her eyes. 
“I don’t like either of you right now almost made me cry twice in one day.”
As soon as it leaves Alessia’s mouth you put your hands up in surrender. Leah’s glare fiery as ever blazing on you, “I’m sorry, what? You made her cry?” 
“It wasn’t like that,” you are quick to try and defend yourself. 
“Please enlighten me.”
You look to Alessia for help, but she seems content letting you squirm under the captain's glare. “It was just an emotional night. I will never make her cry again Lee. I promise.”
Leah looks to Alessia as if to confirm what you said was true. After a subtle nod Leah finally drops her glare and replaces it with a smile, “well then. Keep it that way little rockstar.”
You let yourself relax and move to flop down on the couch, “Get out Williamson. I want alone time with my woman.”
“Ohhh I see. Fine, off I go. Be kind to one another, I will know if that’s not the case. Love ya both I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks Leah,” Alessia smiles, pulling the defender into a hug.
“Yeah yeah, love you too,” you wave her off absentmindedly, too focused on flipping through channels only to be immediately flicked in the ear. “Ow, what the fuck Leah.”
Leah folds her arms and taps a foot impatiently, “is this how I’ll be treated now that you have a little girlfriend?” You roll your eyes. Leah was only a year older than you, but she got in the habit of treating you like a little sister. 
“Of course not Lee,” you make your way to her, throwing an arm over her shoulder. “Thanks for everything. I’ll see you in a few days.”
“Much better. Well, behave yourselves,” Leah makes her way through the door finally leaving you alone with the blue-eyed striker. 
“I plan to do a lot of things today, but behaving is not one,” you smirk, falling into Alessia’s awaiting arms. 
“Cheeky girl,” she kisses at your temple, as she leads you back to the couch. “Too bad I’m exhausted. Cuddle me,” she pouts. 
She knew you couldn’t resist the pout very early on. You’d do anything she asked if it was accompanied with it. You slide behind her letting her get herself comfortable before wrapping her up tightly. “Pretty girl, rest up so we can misbehave later.”
She grins softly, lifting her head out of your chest and connecting your lips. Quickly deepening it and slipping her tongue in your mouth, but pulling away before you could take it further. “A teaser… for later. I love you.”
“I love you too.” You would never get tired of saying it.
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pathetichimbos · 5 months
Text
First Meeting - Part Three
((part two here))
((part four here))
Thomas Hewitt/GN!Reader
tagslist: @goodiesinthecloset21 @shykoolade
---
You've run away from home, hitchhiking around Texas as you come up with your next plan, only to find that life has plans of its own when a simple ride with a group of friends lands you at a lone gas station in Travis County, drawn to a mysterious man most seem to avoid.
---
"Oh my..."
It sounds like the second woman caught sight of you too.
"What are you doin' in my pantry!?" Luda Mae asks, as if she were scolding a small child for getting into the cookie jar.
"T-Thomas put me in here..." You stumble over your words as you slowly lower the bag.
She shakes her head with a tsk, looking you up and down, "And I suppose Hoyt don't know you're here?"
It was your turn to shake your head.
"Well he'll sure as hell find you if you stay here. Come on, get up." She motions for you to stand.
You do as you're told, avoiding Katie's pleading eyes as Luda Mae guides you through the kitchen and to the stairs.
You follow her up the stairs, down the hall and to the last room on the right.
"This is Tommy's room. Hoyt don't come in here. I'll let Thomas know when he gets finished with his chores."
You nod, the world around you feeling like a daze as you try to process everything happening.
She starts to shut the door, “W-Wait…” You catch her attention, “Can I ask you something?”
She hesitates for a moment but opens the door again, “Go ahead.”
You swallow, your mouth dry, “Are you…” She waits as you take a breath, “Are you going to kill Katie?”
“I don’t kill, honey. Don’t have the stamina for that.”
“N-No I meant--”
Luda Mae stops you in your tracks with a tight smile, “I know what you meant, dear.”
You sigh, watching as she shuts the door and leaves you alone once again.
You turn, your eyes scanning over the bedroom.
It was bare, save for the furniture one would expect to find in a bedroom.
To your left, there was a bed, pressed into the corner, neatly made, a floor lamp perched beside it. Above the left of the bed there was a window, viewing down to the side of the house. To your right, there was a dresser with a mirror placed against the wall in the middle. It was bare, no trinkets or pictures sitting on it. The mirror, however, was covered by a thin sheet.
The room didn’t seem like a bedroom of someone who had been there their whole life. It seemed like a guest room, untouched and without decorations.
You take a step forward, looking around the small space.
You walk to the window, leaning on the bed to look down at the overgrown yard below, empty and void of people.
You were tired. So tired. Tired from the traveling, tired from the day. You found yourself so exhausted from everything you could barely keep your eyes focused.
You take your shoes off and brush your feet off, setting your bag down at the foot of the bed before climbing on. You press yourself into a corner, knees to your chest as you look out the window.
You're not sure how much time passes as you wait, but the ache settles back in your bones as you stare, your eyes slowly drifting shut as you manage to fall asleep.
Your eyes open, body aching and numb from sleeping in such an uncomfortable position.
You uncurl and stretch, your eyes blinking as you look around the now dark room, the only source of light trailing in from the edges of the closed door. Silence creeps in from the floorboards, and for a second you wonder if you're alone in the house.
You discard that thought, however, when the low thuds of footsteps echo from the hall, heading towards the bedroom door.
You hold your breath, watching and waiting to see what would happen.
The doorknob begins to turn, and light casts over a small part of the room as the door swings open and Thomas walks in.
His shoulders were hunched and his head hung low, his dress shirt and slacks now covered in dirt and a few worrying dark stains.
Out of habit he flips the lights on, temporarily blinding you and causing you to scrunch your face as your eyes adjust.
Brown eyes lift to face you, and he seems almost ashamed. You shift closer in on yourself, your mind drifting back to Katie.
He shuffles on his feet, waiting for you to speak.
Your eyes scan over him and float back to the dark, blood like stains on his clothes.
“Are you okay?” You ask meekly, your voice cracking as you speak.
He looks down at the stains on his clothes and looks back up, nodding.
He was picking at his hands, nails scratching at the cuts he wouldn't let heal.
You shift in your spot on the bed, the ache in your bones still present as your eyes dart around the room, trying to think of something to say. What were you supposed to say in this situation? You didn't want to upset him, not after everything that happened today. Who's to say he wouldn't hurt you too?
You jump as he moves, causing him to falter for a second before he starts shifting through his dresser drawers, pulling out a large gray shirt.
But, instead of putting it on, or even leaving to put it on, he hands the fabric to you.
You hesitate, mind running slower than usual as you take the shirt from his hand, "...Thank you."
He nods a little, turning back to the dresser to pull his own change of clothes out before leaving the room, shutting the door behind him.
You look down to the shirt in your hand, feeling a little uncomfortable wearing the shirt of a strange man you had only just met that day, but the grime of your jeans and tank top rubs against your skin, a stark contrast to the soft fabric of the shirt in your hands.
You climb off the bed, tugging your shirt off before replacing it with the large t-shirt and shimming your jeans down and kicking them off.
You grab your bag, pulling a pair of shorts out and shoving your dirty clothes back in. The shorts weren't exactly the cleanest, but they weren't nearly as dirty as your other changes of clothes and paired with the clean shirt it felt like a dream.
You sigh, zipping your bag back up and setting back on the floor by the foot of the bed. You take a seat on the bed again, closing your eyes and rubbing your face, feeling more awake now as you wait for Thomas.
Your mind can't help but to wander back to the day, everything feeling like a hazy dream as your brain tries to cope with the traumatic truth you were faced with.
Part of you wondered if it was a dream, something that your under-fed and overworked mind came up with just to remind you that things can never be as good as they seem.
The door opens again, breaking your train of thought as Thomas steps back inside, now in a fresh pair of pajamas, shoulder still slumping with exhaustion.
You blink, looking up at him as he stands there awkwardly, as if he was aware of something you weren't.
You furrow your brows, and look down to the bed.
Oh. Right.
You shift in place again, "I can take the floor..."
He shakes his head, walking past you and to the closet, pulling out an extra blanket and pillow for himself, and laying them on the floor.
You sigh, "No, wait, it's fine, we can share the bed."
You weren't the most excited about it, but while the bed was rather small, it had enough room for two, and you wouldn't be able to sleep knowing he had to take the floor because you felt awkward.
He looks down at you again, eyebrows raised in a question.
"Yea, I'm sure. It's fine." You assure him, pulling the covers back and moving over to the wall.
He hesitates, but sets the extra pillow on the bed before half-folding the blanket, setting it on the dresser and shutting off the lights, climbing in next to you.
You're tense, and you can tell he is too. It's no one's preference to share a bed with a stranger, especially after the day the two of you had.
You press your back against the wall, staring into the darkness as your eyes begin to droop, your body quickly becoming tired, fighting against your wired mind.
Thirty minutes pass, and neither of you have fallen asleep. Thomas shifts uncomfortably across from you, rubbing at his mask and staring at the ceiling.
"...Is the mask bothering you..?" You ask in a whisper.
He nods, letting out a sigh as he tries to adjust it again.
"...Then why don't you take it off?"
He looks at you, but gives no response.
You stare at him, mouth running faster than your mind as you blurt out, "Did you kill her?"
He lets out another sigh, hesitating for a moment before giving a slow nod.
His answer doesn't seem real, falling into the same haze the rest of the day exists in as you nod at his response.
"...Why?"
He doesn't answer you, and you remember he can't. You sigh, closing your eyes as you rub your face, everything feeling numb as you try to process it all.
A gentle touch on your wrist catches your attention.
You look back at Thomas, who's now leaning on his side, eyes staring down at the sheets, almost nervously, as if he wants to ask you something.
You lower your hands, mind racing even more, wondering how someone so shy and nervous could be capable of hurting someone.
"...Do you want to ask me something?"
He nods, still not making eye contact with you.
You sigh, realizing finding out the actual question was going to be a lot harder.
The hand on your wrist gives you a slight tug, and you let him pull your hand down, resting it on his own palm.
You stare at him, wondering what he was doing, the rough callouses of his hand polar opposite of the gentle touches as he began moving his finger over your palm.
You flinch, a curt laugh coming out at the unexpected movement, and he stops, waiting for you to get used to the feeling before he starts to write something.
It only takes you a minute to realize that he was writing his question in your hand, slowly writing out the letters as you guessed each one, occasionally tapping to signal the next word.
"A-R-E U S-C-A-R-E-D O-F M-E?"
You look up, brown eyes still avoiding your gaze as he waits for your response.
"I don't know how to feel..." You told him, truthfully, staring down at where your hands touch, "It's a lot to take in..."
He nods in agreement, hsi finger beginning to write something else.
"I-M S-O-R-Y."
You sigh, closing your eyes, your voice still quiet, "...I know..."
"A-R-E Y-O-U G-O-N-A L-E-V-E?"
You open your eyes again, looking up to meet his own eyes, carefully looking over your features as he waits.
"...I don't know." You swallow, "I don't have a place to go, but... After everything..."
He sighs, his grip becoming a little firmer on your hand.
"S-T-A-Y."
You look over his face, trying to look for any reason to not trust him, or for any sign that he may not be genuine, but he's confident in his request, waiting for your answer as he looks back to you.
"...Why? You don't even know me..."
"U-R T-H-E O-N-L-Y O-N-E T-H-A-T-S N-I-C-E T-O M-E."
You contemplate his words for a moment, feeling them engrain themselves into your hand, leaving a faint buzz tickling through your palm.
His eyes are pleading, watching your expression with an anticipative, almost hopeful look that seems to fade with every second you take to answer.
"...Okay." You nod, "...I'll stay."
He nods, shoulders relaxing and seemingly content with your answer as he lets go of your hand, turning to lay on his back again and letting out a deeper sigh.
You can feel yourself start to relax as well, whether it be the relief of making a decision or the pure exhaustion finally catching up with you, you didn't care to think about as you sink into the warm bed, heavy eyes finally closing as you drift off to sleep.
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bettyfrommars · 7 months
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I'm on Fire
Part 14: The Drama You've Been Craving
summary: this chapter is sexy and intense! You and Eddie both have obsessive exes on your heels just as the entire Coffin Kings MC is given a reason to take down Craig. You and Eddie are glued at the hip until work and life split you apart and you realize you aren't as safe as you thought. Steve takes his new benefactress to a wedding, but you and Robin show up to warn him--even though it might be too late. wc: 10.3K
Series Masterlist
18+ONLY, mature themes, smut, angst, mention of a consensual bdsm relationship, typical series violence, a stalker, high speed chase, a death, mention of sex with someone other than reader, reader is threatened, everyone is a possible target.
authors note: I want some things to be a surprise, but if you've been following this story---you know the vibe to expect. That being said, this chapter and the next are VERY fast paced, full of angst, tension, and a sense of everyone on edge. If this is not your thing, I totally understand. This story started out as a tow truck driver who just happened to be in a Motorcycle Club, but it has morphed into a full-blown biker drama. A new character is introduced at The Velvet Hammer who will be Steve's love interest in a side fic I'm working on! I love you, enjoy the ride ❤️
"You feed it once, and now it stays
Now, it stays
You tear me open but beware
There's things inside without a care
And the dirt still stains me."
-- Until it Sleeps, Metallica
---------
Eddie stayed with you that night, knowing that Craig had broken into your place, and Katie went to be with Robin, so the two of you had the duplex to yourselves. Eddie put the deadbolt on both of the doors and blocked under the doorknob with kitchen chairs, and then the two of you took a shower together. He soaped your back with care, and it wasn’t long before you felt both of his hands at your hips as his hard length rocked back and forth along your slit from behind.
“Again?” You gave him a glance over your shoulder, a bit in disbelief. This would be the fourth time in less than two hours.
“You’re right,” he mumbled, continuing to saw his hips slowly while the water sprayed and the steam rose. “I should stop, huh?” He wrapped an arm around your throat and pulled you back to suck your earlobe into his mouth while his other hand found your clit.
“You’re a maniac,” the last word was a gasp as his tongue twirled in your ear and your hand skidded down the wet tile wall.
You were so stressed about Craig, and letting Eddie fuck you senseless was the only thing that gave you a bit of relief. The orgasms wiped your mind clean, if only for a few moments, and you wondered how many he could give you before the night was over and you could succumb to sleep. Craig was always there, in the back of your mind now, creeping around your place, stalking your house from across the street---god forbid he was stalking your friends.
Just as Eddie had you bent forward to slide his tip in, and you begged for him to go deeper, the phone rang.
“Shit,” Eddie hissed. The shower stream blasted against his neck, dripping down his nose and hair as he watched his cock stretch you out.
Your eyes shot open and you stiffened. “Wait, I need to get that,” you straightened, reluctantly forcing his cock to pop out.
On any other day, under any other circumstances, Eddie would have coaxed you to ignore it, but the current Craig situation had everyone on edge. His nerves were fried with how bad he wanted to hammer the nails into your stalker’s coffin, but he was doing all he could to remain calm for you. He didn’t want you to see him frazzled and amped up and storming through town kicking down doors like he wanted to.
Plus, he also didn’t want to let you out of his sight.
Eddie swatted your bare butt as you stepped out onto the mat and pulled a towel around you.
“Hey,” he yelled as he finished washing your conditioner out of his hair. “That ass is mine.”
“Sure, sure,” you mumbled, snorting at his constant eagerness. Your feet made wet imprints on the carpet as you crossed over to the phone on the nightstand by your bed.
Eddie was just about to ask if he should turn the water off or if you were getting back in when he heard your voice crack. “Baby? It’s for you.”
Eddie jerked the lavender curtain back and wiped his eyes. Your face was pinched with worry, your legs still dripping wet below the towel.
“Who is it? Steve?” But then his stomach dropped as he asked it, knowing it was something bad just by the look on your face.
You shook your head. “I didn’t catch her name, but she’s really upset,” you came in close to whisper to him as he turned the shower off, your eyes searching his.
“She said that someone named Jester was just murdered.”
------
Eddie sat down on the couch with a huff and bent over to tie his boots furiously, hair dripping wet, heart racing with adrenaline.
Goddamn it, Jester, Eddie murmured under his breath. He should’ve called Eddie, he should’ve waited, like Eddie fucking asked him to. Shari said the guy at her motel matched the description of Craig, and Jester went over there to check it out; two hours later, his Coffin King brother was found in the parking lot with a broken neck. Jester was just a kid, barely 23, and he’d just patched over from being a Prospect only a few months ago.
Fuck, Eddie was pissed. The anger pumped so hot in his veins that he had to shake his head a few times so that he could see straight.
You were dressed now, but haphazardly so; your tee shirt was on inside out and the first pair of sweats you pulled out of the drawer had a blue paint stain on the thigh. You were biting your pinky nail down to the quick as you stood back against the kitchen island watching Eddie. You knew Craig had something to do with this---you knew it in the depths of your soul---but Eddie wouldn’t tell you any of the details. He said he needed to go down and check it out for himself.
He said he’d be right back.
He told you to keep everything locked and lodge the chair under the door when he left.
But you didn’t want to let him out of your sight, not with your maniac ex on the loose. You weren’t even worried about yourself, you were more concerned with Eddie riding out there in the dark to the motel all alone. 
You’d met Jester once; his real name was Aaron, and he was young but he was big and strong, and one of the guys who ran the fights said he had the skill to be the next War Machine.
“Should you call Hopper?” You watched him lace his other boot while you gnawed another nail off.
Eddie frowned. “What the hell is he going to do about it?” He spat. “Besides, he’s probably already down there, making shit harder for me.”
“You think it was Craig, don’t you? The one who murdered Jester?”
Eddie took a long breath and sat there bent over for a second, eyes on the carpet. “I don’t know anything right now baby, that’s why I need to---”
You bent down to put your shoes on.
“Hey, I told you to wait here, please,” Eddie stood up, adjusted his belt and wallet chain, and came over to take you by the shoulders. You tried to shrug away, but he found your eyes, grabbing you by the chin so you would look at him. Piece of hair were sticking to his cheeks, still wet from the shower.“I don’t know what I’ll be rolling up on down there. I can’t risk it being a situation where you might get hurt.”
Your eyes were hot with defiant tears. “Well, what if this was just a ploy so you would leave me here alone, did you ever think of that? Hmm? These chairs blocking the doors are cute, but they won’t stop him, I think you know that.”
Fuck, he hadn’t thought of that. Eddie’s blood rage was making him sloppy; he had to get his head on straight.
You could tell that your words had nudged him and the gears in his head were clicking in your favor.
You continued to pull the bill up on your converse to slide your foot in. “Like you said, the cops will be there, and probably a bunch of other people rubbernecking, and he’s not going to do anything out in the open, even if he does see me.” You squatted down to tie them as quickly as you could.
You stood up, breathless, and swallowed hard. “I’m not staying here like live bait. If you leave without me, I’ll get in my car and follow.”
Eddie’s nostrils flared, assessing you from under hooded eyes, but in the end—-he knew you were right.  You snatched your helmet from the dresser in your bedroom and went out to straddle your man on the bike like a pro as it yielded to your weight.  Eddie smiled a little to himself as you adjusted  yourself behind him, remembering how shy you’d been about riding in the beginning.   With your arms secure around him and your chin pinned at his shoulder, the bike growled out onto the main road from the street.  You glanced around in the bushes on the sidewalk, expecting to see Craig’s face looming in the shadows.
—---------
The police had the area between the motel and the gas station taped off, protecting the crime scene, and Jester’s body was gone, but his bike was still there by the gas station, tipped over onto his side, his helmet was a few feet away.  There were 3 patrol cars, the Sheriff’s bronco, and an ambulance, plus a crowd of people from the motel, and one woman was crying while the other one held her.  A few of the Coffin Kings including the patch President Bones, and Thumper were already there, hanging back, arms crossed, wondering who would do this, and how they could find him before the police did. 
You checked around, squinting into the crowd as you dismounted the bike.  Eddie opened his hand for you to pass him your helmet once you took it off.  
Hopper waved off one of the other officers and approached Eddie right away, removing his hat to slick back his hair as he strolled over.  
“Eddie,” he nodded.
“Hop,” Eddie returned. He called you his “old lady” when he introduced you, which made your smile twitch up in a weird way, having never been referred to as that before.  It sounded like an insult, but apparently it meant that you were his pride and joy.
Hopper got Eddie up to speed on what they knew, which was almost nothing.  Jester was found face down on the pavement with a broken neck, legs trapped under his bike.   His girlfriend Shari who worked at the motel is the one who found him, and she didn’t see or hear anything unusual during the time when it happened.  Of course they’d questioned her as if she had something to do with it, which was ridiculous since Shari was maybe 90 pounds soaking wet.
You were doing a spin around in a circle to take everything in when your eyes landed with a screeching halt on the hunter green SUV parked in front of room 11 on the far side of the lot.  A squeak escaped your throat and you stumbled back against Eddie.  Was he inside the room watching you right now? 
Hopper raised his eyebrow at Eddie. “Any issues with retaliation that I should know about? Has Jester had beef with anyone lately?”
Eddie lifted his chin, bracing his hands at his hips.  Hopper knew damn well that, even if this had to do with a rival gang, Eddie sure as hell wouldn’t talk about it to the cops.  He’d take care of it in his own way, which was exactly what needed to happen in this case.
There was usually some polite banter between the two of them, but the mood that evening was much too somber.  
“What about people staying at the motel?” You blurted.  “Have they been questioned yet?”
Eddie curled his arm around you and pulled you closer, almost as if to shut you up, but Hopper paused to meet your gaze. The only people staying at the motel that night were a husband and wife with their newborn, an elderly couple on their way to visit grandkids, a business woman representing Mary Kay cosmetics, and a highly decorated war veteran who had been injured in the line of duty.  The vet was on his way home from a conference in Pennsylvania—Hopper had yet to confirm this, but nothing about the guy felt concerning.  
“You think someone staying at the motel wanted to kill Jester?” His tone had an edge of mocking, but he was also genuinely curious why you would ask that.
Eddie squeezed you tighter, silently reminding you not to share too much with the police.
“Well I—” you stammered, checking over your shoulder at the SUV, and then back up to Eddie. “I was wondering if there were any witnesses, that’s all.”
Hopper nodded.  “We’ll be checking with all of them early in the morning, but my guess is they were asleep.  Whoever did this was quick and sneaky.”
That description made a shiver run down your spine.  Even as you stood there in a crowd, you could feel an imaginary blade slice across  your throat.  
Hopper was good at his job, but he was letting himself be blinded by the people Jester chose to associate himself with.  You run with a ruthless MC, you get hurt, that’s a given.  
Hopper questioned Shari, but she also knew not to talk to the police, and kept quiet about the way Jester came there to keep an eye on the creepy guy in room 11.  She told Bones, though, and the second Hopper strolled off, you pulled Eddie aside.
“Look,” you motioned with your head to the SUV across the parking lot.
Eddie rolled his bottom lip through his teeth, checking to make sure Hopper was far enough away.  “I saw it, baby,” he grabbed the back of your neck and massaged it.  He worked his jaw as he stared at the motel room in question, hoping that fucker was peeking through the curtains and could see him holding onto you.  If the place wasn’t crawling with pigs, he’d kick the door down right then and there.  
Steve rolled into the lot on his chopper and gave a two-finger wave to Bones and the rest before making his way to a halt near you and Eddie.  He had clear, utility glasses on to keep the bugs out of his eyes when he rode at night, and he pushed them up into his messy hair as he dismounted.  He wasn’t wearing his helmet, which was an illegal and risky thing to do right in front of law enforcement—but Steve was notorious for making up his own rules.  
There were also two mean looking hickeys on his neck. Even mixed in with his tattoos, they were hard to miss.
“Looks like you’ve been busy,” Eddie raised an eyebrow at the aggressively bruised mouth bites. One was positioned dead-center on his adam’s apple.  Something about them felt familiar to Eddie, but he shrugged it off.  
Steve reached into the front pocket of his cut for his lighter and smokes, popping one in his mouth.  “What did I miss?”
Eddie filled him in on Jester getting whacked, and Steve blew smoke out of his nose, thoughtfully, his brows knitting together.  
“Bones wants to take it to the table,” Eddie told him, meaning their MC would get together at the clubhouse at Munson’s Garage and discuss what they wanted to do.  His eyes lingered on room 11 again. “But I want to take care of this guy myself.  It’s personal.”
“If it’s personal for you, it’s personal for me,” Steve told him, letting Eddie know he had his back, even though he had no idea about the gravity of the situation and who Craig actually was. 
You sniffed the air.  “Hold on,” you stepped closer to Steve, taking another long whiff.  He exchanged a curious look with Eddie over your shoulder.  “Is that Chanel number 5 I smell?”
Steve lifted the collar of his white tee to his nose.  “Um, I dunno. Maybe.  I guess?”
“Expensive taste,” Eddie mumbled, and another cog clicked in his brain, another piece falling into a puzzle that he didn’t know he needed to solve.  He was about to open his mouth, to ask Steve where he had been—but then he remembered that who his friend was fucking was none of his business.  There were plenty of wealthy, horny women in the area who wore Chanel number 5 and gave aggressive hickeys.  He was sure of it.
You stayed very close to Eddie and Steve as they walked over to get as close as they could to where the body had been, so much so that you tripped over the back of Steve’s heels twice, and he teasingly asked if you were drunk.  “No, but I wish,” you admitted, constantly looking over your shoulder at the motel.  You kept expecting Craig to appear, to step out of his room with his hands in his pockets and a smug look on his face, enjoying the chaos he caused.  
Eddie made a point to ask for Jester’s cut-off leather vest, with the Coffin Kings insignia on the back and his nickname patched on the front.  Eddie folded it with great reverence, knowing they would give it to his mother at the funeral.  Eddie also wanted to talk with Shari, but now was not the time to interrogate her.
Hopper told everyone to disperse, including the group of Coffin Kings that were lingering, but none of them were going far.  As much as they weren’t afraid of the law, they also had to pretend to abide by it from time to time so that they weren’t getting their feathers ruffled constantly and thrown in jail over stupid shit.  
They positioned two of the Prospects across the street in the park with a clear view of the motel. After what happened to Jester, they weren’t taking any chances with snoozing on the job, and both were packing serious, illegal heat.  
You asked Steve how Oliver was while Bones clapped a hand on Eddie’s shoulder.  The man was average height, but all gray, with a bandana on his head, and a thick mustache; he reminded you of Sam Elliott.
“You think this is the guy? The one stalking your old lady?”  Bones’ already gruff voice was accentuated by years of smoking. 
Eddie’s gaze flicked to one of the patrol cruisers that was leaving the scene, and he nodded. “This one is mine, brother. I need this.”
“We all need it,” Bones agreed, gripping Eddie’s shoulder.  He leaned in, “If you want to drag that guy out of there right now, we’re with you.”
“No,” Eddie appreciated the offer but, “I want to catch him on the move, away from all of this protection,” he added, hitching his chin in the direction of the police.  “I can’t risk us getting locked up while he roams free.”
Eddie also didn’t trust the Prospects to keep a close enough eye on him, so he planned to take you to Steve’s and come back; there was no way he’d be able to sleep knowing Craig would be up and about in a few hours.  
But you weren’t so crazy about that idea.  Sure, you’d stay the night at Steve and Robin’s if that made him feel better to know you were all in one place, but Eddie needed to stay with you.
Robin and Oliver were asleep, and Steve was in the shower washing off his Chanel number 5 when Eddie shut the door to Steve’s bedroom so you could talk.  Steve’s room was little else than a tv, a dresser, and a futon sofa that folded out into a bed.  There was a chair next to the window and an ashtray full of cigarette butts on the sill.  He usually slept in the extra twin bed in Oliver’s room down the hall, though, and that is where he would be that night so that you and Eddie could have the futon.  You knew that not much talking needed to be involved to get him to stay and you quickly dropped to your knees, working his belt off and unzipping his jeans.
“Wait, baby, I—” Eddie began to protest but by then you’d already pulled the top of his boxers down and were wrapping your soft lips around the head of his cock.  “---oh fuck that feels good,” he whispered, dropping the back of his head to the wall.
You kissed down the smooth shaft and felt it grow against your lips, and then swirled your tongue around the head again, knowing by the sounds he was making that you had him right where you wanted him.
“Stay here with me baby,” you coaxed, gripping his cock in your fist, lapping at it with your tongue a few times like it was an ice cream cone, looking up at him.  “I need you.”
He put a hand on the back of your head and pushed his hips forward ever so slightly, so the tip made its way to the back of your throat.  It was growing to full-size fast, and you made a humming noise, vibrating on it while you caressed his balls through his boxers.
“Shit, oh fuck, I love it when you do that,” he breathed.  God, he loved watching how well you took care of him, especially the way a string of saliva would stretch out between your mouth and his tip when you pulled back; your mouth was so wet for him.
“Mhmmm,” you nodded.  His tip was already leaking, and you pulled his boxers down further to take one of his balls into your mouth before coming back up to lick the drops clean.
There were a handful of times when Eddie let you give him head from start to finish, but more often than not—he always wanted to finish inside of you.  It wasn’t a breeding thing, it was more of a “I need to be as close to you as I possibly can” kind of thing, and his balls ached for it.
After making sure the door was locked, speaking exclusively in hushed whispers, it wasn’t long before you were both naked and Eddie had you on the bed with your legs straight up over his shoulders.  He ran his cock along your slippery slit, and then he tapped your hole with the head a few times, like a vow.  He braced his hands at your hips and sank in, making you both bite back a cry of pleasure.  He pounded you with fierce urgency before slowing it down to long strokes, turning his face to kiss your leg.  The open futon had the cushion of a cement block, and so there were no pesky springs or hinges to make curious noises.
“I’m so full baby,” you whined. “You’re so deep.”
“Fuck,” he bottomed out a few more times, clapping his hips against you.  You heard the shower across the hall turn off and worried that Steve might catch the wet smacking noises.
There were no lights on in the room, but enough illumination from outside for Eddie to be able to watch himself slide in and out of you, growling low as he did so, loving how the skin of his cock glistened with your arousal.  
You were swiping at your clit with the pads of your fingers, and your hand sped up when he started fucking you hard again. You met his eyes, your brows knitting together.  “Oh fuck Eddie…just like that.” 
Eddie knew that, if you said you liked something, that was not time to switch things up, and he ached to hear you get loud.
“That’s my girl,” he hissed.  “Cum on my cock baby, I want you to cum so fucking hard, oh shit—” he could feel his own release mounting as your walls rippled around him.  His strong fingers dug into your thigh as his thrusts became erratic, long hair hanging down his strong, tattooed shoulders and chest. 
You arched up, mouth opening only to mouth a curse word as you felt Eddie buck and release inside of you, biting his lip so hard it almost bled as he moaned deep in his throat. Your cunt milked his dick as you came, twitching, breathing hard from the adrenaline rush of trying to keep quiet.
The bathroom door opened, there was the sound of footsteps in the hall, and then a knock at your door.  You mirrored Eddie’s wide eyes, and then he pulled out of you, reluctantly, semi-hard cock bobbing in the air, and stepped into his jeans while you covered yourself with the Harley Davidson blanket.
Before Eddie could get his jeans zipped, Steve tried the doorknob. “Yo, the bathroom is free,” he let you both know, as any roommate would if there were only one shower and toilet in the house.  
“Thanks man,” Eddie paused, waiting, wondering if that was it.
But Steve rapped his knuckles softly on the wood again.  “Let me in for a second, dude, I gotta get something out of my closet.”
Eddie shot a look back at you, as if to make sure you were covered up, while simultaneously wondering if he wanted Steve to see that you were obviously naked under his blanket.  He adjusted his cock in his denim and reached out to pluck the lock open on the knob.
“Took you long enough,” Steve blew in with a Snoopy towel around his waist, exposing the wash of colorful tattoos covering his torso that you’d never seen before.  He had “FTW” inked in big letters in an arc over his stomach, and after consulting with Eddie later, you learned it stood for “fuck the world”.  Your eyes also landed on Oliver’s name tattooed over his heart.  He usually slicked his hair back, so this was the first time you ever saw it so messy and wild.
Steve slid the closet door open, yanked something off a wire hanger, and was about to walk back out the door when he stopped and turned on his heel to give you both a wiggle of his eyebrows.  “Hold up—did I interrupt something?”
Eddie didn’t say anything, he just blinked a few times, and you plastered a tight smile across your face that made your cheeks squeak.  
“If you need me to stay, I could—” Steve teased, offering a few exaggerated winks.
“Get the fuck out,” Eddie pushed his shoulder, snorting a muffled laugh as he did so.
—-----------
Earlier that evening, when you and Eddie showed up at the crime scene near the motel—-Craig was not in his room.  He hadn’t been there for almost two hours, since he killed Jester.  He got out through the window in the bathroom, and that poor kid never saw it coming.  After that, he hotwired a car from the grocery store parking lot a few blocks away and waited across the street, in plain sight, watching the whole thing. He gritted his teeth and mumbled under his breath when Eddie put his arm around you, and when you left together—he followed.  
He already knew where your friends Steve and Robin lived, and it was not a shocker that your biker boyfriend took you there. You didn’t need protection from Craig, though, you needed protection from the world, and metalhead scum like Eddie Musnon.  He knew you would thank him one day, for finding you and bringing you back to your senses.
It took him a while to figure out the exact spot where you would be in the house, but once he did, he found that the window was cracked open, like a gift.  He hadn’t expected the sounds of you getting fucked to turn him on, but the way you whimpered…oh god…those noises you made.  He put his head against the side of the house, closed his eyes, and pretended it was his cock inside of you.  He came into the bushes, mumbling your name with the additional, “you fucking bitch, you fucking whore” before adjusting himself and making his way back to the motel.
—-------
The next morning, Craig’s vehicle was still there, and it didn’t appear like the guy had even moved a muscle or pulled back a curtain.  
At around 8:00, the two Prospects stationed on watch across the street got a phone call from the payphone on the corner.  It was Bones, letting them know they were both needed down at the abandoned steel mill.
Both were tired of waiting, but Van, the one who’d answered the phone, couldn’t mount his bike fast enough, while Devlin worked through some internal struggle.
“Hold on,” Devlin said, taking a second to absorb what Van just told him.  Both had long hair tied back in ponytails, each similarly tall with lanky muscles.  Van was sleeved with tattoos, though, while Devlin only had a Celtic design on his bicep.  “He needs both of us? What about this guy?” He tossed his chin in the direction of the motel.   “Eddie said not to let him out of our sight.”
“Do you want me to call Bones back so you can give him all these questions?” Van offered snidely, knowing that the last thing a Prospect would ever do is question the President of the MC. “Let’s get the fuck out of here, I gotta piss.  If Eddie wants this guy so bad, he can come babysit him.”
Devlin pulled his leather gloves on, flexing his fingers as he stared across at Van.  There’s no way in hell he’d talk that way to Eddie’s face—he’d get rocked into next week.  Devlin noticed that Van was jittery, like an addict jonesing for a hit of something.  “It’s your ass,” Devlin assured him as he strapped his helmet on under his chin.  
—------
When the boys swung by to talk to the Prospects a bit later, the two were nowhere to be found, and Craig’s SUV was gone.   
“Son of a bitch,” Eddie spat, motioning for Steve to follow him to circle around to the motel. 
“What the fuck?” Steve barked, looking around as they each dismounted their bikes. He had on a red tee with the armholes cut open wide to expose his tan ribcage and scattered tattoos.“Where the hell are Van and Devlin?”
Eddie didn’t have time to solve that mystery, he was too focused on the way the door to room 11 was cracked ajar, suggesting that the occupant had left in a hurry.
Both boys stood back on either side of the door, each with one hand on the hilt of their holstered knives.  Not only was Craig dangerous, but he was a sneaky coward who didn’t have the guts to face Eddie like a man.  
Eddie pounded the door the rest of the way open with his boot.
The room appeared to have been vacated—the guy even took out his own trash, as if someone would want to sift through it.  The bed had been made, with the sheets tucked so tight, you could bounce a dime on it, and on his way back from checking the bathroom, Eddie saw a matchbook from The Golden Lion Hotel and Resort sitting on the desk.
“Maybe the guy gave up,” Steve looked around the dresser under the tv, pulling the empty drawers open.  “Tucked his tail and ran like the scared puppy he is.”
Eddie shook his head a few times before he said anything, turning the matchbook over in his fingers. “Oh,he’s still around,” Eddie concluded.  “And I think he left us a breadcrumb.”
Eddie wasn’t stupid, he knew the guy hadn’t left it there by accident.  Craig seemed to get off on slipping through their fingers and mocking them around every turn, but he underestimated what Eddie would do when he actually got a hold of him.
—-----------
When Eddie called to tell you what had happened, a cold chill ran down your spine.  It was late morning, and you were at your Saturday “bloody mary brunch” shift at the Velvet Hammer while The Drama You’ve Been Craving by Sleater-Kinney played from the jukebox.  The b-movie on the tv mounted above the bar was The Killer Shrews. Your shift was 9 to 4, but you planned on asking if you could work a double and stay as late as possible, because it felt safe to be in a crowd; staying busy also kept your anxiety at bay.  The only downside would be that Eddie was out of your sight, and you had a feeling that both the boys would be trying to track down Craig for most of the day.  You weren’t doubting that Eddie could handle himself against Craig in a fist fight—but that wasn’t the type of combat Craig excelled at.  There was always some element of manipulation and psychological fuckery.
And then Steve was off to be a bodyguard for some wealthy, country club wife later that night, leaving Eddie completely alone.  You weren’t sure of the details, but you knew he was being forced to go to take whoever it was to some wedding.  All you could do was serve alcoholic beverages and hope the world outside figured itself out without anyone you loved getting hurt.
You overheard the new server ask Shana if Steve was working the door that day.
“He’s only here after 6,” Shana replied, digging a metal scoop into the ice to make a mint mojito.  There was about an inch of platinum stubble growing in on her shaved head.  She wore a dark red choker with a cross dangling from it, and a low cut, velvet shirt to expose the roses and thorns tattoo that covered her chest.  “But, he asked for the night off,” Shana wiggled her eyebrows at the girl.  “I think he has a hot date.”
To your surprise, you watched the new girl’s face drop.  She’d only been there for a week, and it seemed like she and Steve were always in the middle of a lover’s spat.  Some of it was playful banter, but also, the more she pushed him away and teased him,  the more he sought her out to tease her more, and she wasn’t afraid to give her rejection harsh and swift.  
“It’s not a date,” you corrected, walking side by side, carrying drinks to your table.  “Some lady is paying him to be her escort slash bodyguard for a wedding tonight.”
A smile twitched on her lips; she looked relieved as the two of  you set the drinks down black cocktail napkins coasters.  After you finished at that table, Lily tapped your elbow.
“Who would need a bodyguard at a wedding in this town?” She asked, frowning quizzically. “Is she famous or something?”
Her question brought a sudden avalanche of memories down on you.  You remembered that day at the gallery when you first caught sight of Charlene, and the second time you ever met Eddie.  He was there as her “bodyguard” that night, according to Jeff, and you recalled how ridiculous it sounded.
That night several months ago, you teased Eddie for being on your “turf” on the sidewalk outside of Moon River Gallery, and just the thought of those early days made your heart flutter.  
It dawned on you then, like a smack to the forehead, who Steve was escorting to the wedding that night, and you leaned across the bar to ask Shanna to pass you the phone.  
—--------
Robin answered as she spun cookie dough in a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, her hair in a scrunchy on the top of her head.  She’d offered to watch one of her friend's kids for a bit, and both the boys were giggling at cartoons in the living room.  The smoke alarm just went off because she burned the first batch and was determined to try again.
You asked if Steve had checked in recently, or if she expected him home any time soon.
Pinning the phone between her shoulder and her ear, Robin opened the window above the sink to try and wave some of the burnt cookie smoke out with her hand.  “He was just here to grab something, but then he took off again,” she kicked the oven closed with her foot.  “Why, what’s up?”
You figured there was always a chance he’d stop by The Hammer even though he wasn’t working—you hoped so anyway.  “You know if he’s still doing that escort thing tonight?”
“Yeah, he’s pretty excited about it,” there was a tiny voice in the background and Robin held her hand over the receiver to tell Ollie she’d be there in a second.  “Well, he’s excited about the money.  I got invited to the same wedding, but Katie’s visiting her mom and I don’t want to be lame and go by myself, even though Paul’s mom did offer to babysit.”
“Oh, that’s right,” you considered the implication of what she was saying.  If you could duck into the wedding long enough to warn Steve and let him know his “date” is the reason Eddie got stabbed, then at least Steve would have fair warning for what he was getting himself into. 
Robin stopped stirring and held the phone with her flour covered hand.  “Hey, do you want to be my date? I know you’ve got this creepy ex breathing down your throat, but until the Kings grab him, I think it would be fun to take your mind off of it. There’s an open bar at the reception and I’m always a fan of free food.”
You were nodding, but realized there were no words coming out. “I think that might be a really good idea,” you sucked in your top lip, almost wishing Eddie hadn’t ripped the dress John bought you.  “I was going to try and pick up another shift, but yeah, I could be your date.”
You already told Eddie you’d be working, so you’d let the new bouncer at the Hammer know where you were in case he came by.  Since Eddie was usually impossible to get a hold of during the day, you’d leave a message on his machine, too, just in case.  
Meanwhile, as Robin spooned dough onto an aluminum sheet, she remembered the gun that was locked back in the safe.  For some strange reason, the hair stood up on the back of her neck and she wondered if she would need it.  
—-------
Right before you left your message on Eddie’s machine letting him know where you would be, there was another message that came through:
(machine clicks) “It’s me, Melanie.  Wow, I guess you really don’t want to talk to me. (long pause) It’s been five years, I figured we could at least try to be friends or something, but I am reading your silence loud and clear. (heavy sigh) I went over to visit Wayne and he said you have a new girlfriend now, and that you’re happy, so, congratulations, I guess.  You deserve all the good things.  This is the last time I will try to contact you. Have a nice life, Eddie.”
Later that day, just as the sun was setting, the phone rang again.
(machine clicks) (shuffling, muffled cursing) “You know what? Fuck you, Eddie Mussin.” Melanie slurs. “Fuck you for making me fill like a peas of schit for even trying to be a part of your life. (hiccup) Your new whore is here at this wedding, where are you?  I don’t fuckin deserve this.  I need you to come down here right now and tell me to my face that you don’t love me anymore before I come to you–” (loud click)
—------
Back at the Munson’s Garage, Eddie did not go up to his apartment, but he did meet with Bones and a few of the other members inside the clubhouse.  Eddie told Bones about how Van and Devlin had disappeared, and he was just as confused as anyone.
“I don’t know shit about them leaving,” Bones assured from one of the bar stools, silver hair brushed back off his face, wearing an old school denim cut-off with the club insignia on it, and a thick wallet chain hanging down the thigh of his dark denim. “I told those fuckers to stay put until you got there.”
Eddie put his hands on his hips and worked his jaw. The door that led in from the garage opened then, and the two idiots in question appeared.  Eddie didn’t wait to ask questions, he just walked over, took the first one he could catch by the throat, and pinned him up against the wall with a hard thwack that sounded like he almost broke the wood paneling.  
Van choked and wheezed against Eddie’s hold. “Where the fuck have you two been?” Eddie spat through gritted teeth.  
Devlin started talking fast, waving his hands.  “We’ve been over at the abandoned steel mill, waiting where you told us to for the past couple hours,” he said to Bones in a rush.
Bones and Eddie exchanged a frown.  Bones shook his head, scowling at Devlin.  “What the hell are you talking about? Nothing’s going down at the steel mill today.” There were several abandoned buildings on the outskirts of town where the Kings conducted the shady side of their dealings, but so far, the weekend plans were tame.
Devlin shot a look at Van, whose face was beet red above Eddie’s grip, and then turned back to Bones.  “So, if you didn’t call us on the payphone this morning to tell us to go to the steel mill, who did?”
Eddie released Van so that he could talk, waiting for him to catch his breath and cough a few times.  “It sounded like you,” Van sputtered so hard that saliva dripped from his lip.
Bones sat back in his seat, smoothing out his mustache, while the other members around him mumbled to themselves.  “You really are just as stupid as you look.”
And then Eddie’s fist came in tight, landing flush with his Van’s jaw, and he stumbled back against the wall and slid to the floor, accepting his punishment with a curse.  
The door from the garage pushed open abruptly, and there stood Josh, one of Eddie’s mechanics wearing smudged overalls.  He threw a thumb over his shoulder.  “Yo, Thumper has eyes on that hunter green SUV you’ve been looking for.  It’s headed for Highway 22 off of Deer Park.”
Eddie pushed himself off the wall with the side of his fist, pounding it there, on his way outside to jump on his chopper.  The rest of the guys followed, including a woozy Van, stumbling as he got to his feet..  
Chrome pipes roared to life one right after the other as the eight of them rumbled out of the parking lot.
—------
While Eddie and a handful of the Coffin Kings were blowing down the highway in the hot summer sun in pursuit of Craig, Steve was sipping champagne, getting his sleeves marked to be adjusted last minute by Charlene’s personal tailor. They were in her master bedroom overlooking the pool as beige curtains billowed in along with the soft echo of Joey by Concrete Blonde from the radio down near the jacuzzi.  Charlene had a see-through coverup over her zebra print bikini as she watched from her chair.  She liked to touch herself whenever the tailor wasn’t looking, and to be fair—Steve liked it too.  She plucked at her nipple and ran the tip of her tongue over her teeth, making his cock twitch in his pants as he gnawed vigorously on his Wrigley’s Spearmint gum.  
He’d been with a few batshit crazy chicks in his day, but this one was up there with the battiest.  Honestly—he didn’t hate it.  The problem was, he’d started to have this crush on one of the new servers at The Velvet Hammer, and two things were wrong with it: one, he didn’t have time or room in his life for romance, and two, she kind of hated his guts.
She acted like she did, anyway.  She told him that his reputation preceded him, and that he’d never get in her pants, no matter how hard he tried.  
Bet.
Charlene helped him to take his mind off of that, even though she did treat him like some sort of life-sized Ken doll.  Her sexual appetite was insatiable, and that afternoon, before the tailor got there, was the second time she’d asked him to choke her while she came until she almost passed out.
Steve was afraid of those torture kinks though; afraid he might not know his own strength one time and take his anger out on his partner.  He had a switch inside of him that was either on or off, and he didn’t know how to idle in between.  
The tailor walked away to the vanity to grab something, and Charlene sauntered over to pretend she was fixing Steve’s collar.  She leaned forward to whisper in his ear: “I want to feel your cum drip out of me all night,” and it gave him a shiver.  He would definitely have to fuck her again before they left, and maybe again in the towncar on the way there.
—------
The thing that surprised Charlene the most was not how attracted she was to Steve, but how she was starting to not miss Eddie anymore.  This all started as a way to get closer to Eddie, and to get back at him at the same time, but now all she could think about was being naked with Steve—to have him rip her suit off with his teeth.  
He’d left marks on her, because she asked him too, and there was some slight bruising around her throat that she loved to admire.  John wouldn’t ask about it, he didn’t care what she did. Eddie always refused to indulge her in that way—he would fuck her rough, sure, but he didn’t like the idea of introducing pain, and none of her other lovers had the right touch until now.
She watched Steve’s jaw muscles work as he chewed his gum, and then he winked at her after the tailor asked him a question.  She was down bad in a way that made her want to be 15 years younger, to start completely over with someone like Steve. Maybe it would’ve made her a different, softer person, maybe they would’ve had a son together.  But then she remembered her situation and how that wasn’t an option, and then the bitterness flooded back in, rising like bile at the back of her throat.  
While Steve was just trying to make it through the evening, Charlene was trying to think of ways to keep him with her forever.
—-------
You showed up at Robin’s with the only dress you had that qualified as formal wear—the style was possibly outdated by ten years.  You brought your Caboodles makeup case too, because you knew how much Oliver loved to watch you put makeup on.  Robin never wore makeup, aside from some lipstick now and then, so she always appreciated it when you or Katie indulged him.  You had a polaroid back at the duplex of the makeup Oliver put on Steve once; wide, outlined red lips, bright green lids from lashline to eyebrow, and a dusting of glitter.  
“Which color do you think?” You asked, gesturing to your eyelids, in front of the bathroom mirror while Ollie stood on a step stool next to you.  He had on a pair of bright yellow swim trunks and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles tank top.  
“I think this blue for one eye,” he scratched his head, tapping the hard plastic shell over a sparkly turquoise with a tiny finger.  He paused his hand as his eyes moved around, and made a serious face, concentrating.  “And this color for the other eye,” the other color was a dark red.
He looked up at you with those big, honey brown Steve eyes, waiting for you to start applying them, rubbing his lips together.  “Ollie, my love,” you chuckled.  “One day, your artistic genius will be appreciated, but I don’t think Hawkins is ready for it quite yet.”
“What if we do these,” you showed him a few things including eyeliner and blush. “And I’ll let you put some of the mascara on me.”
He nodded, eyes widening at all of the options scattered around the sink, wanting to put it all on your face at once. 
Suddenly, there was a pounding at the front door that made your heart stop.  
You told Oliver to wait in the bathroom and shut the door while you went to check it out.
Relief flooded in when you realized it was only Robin. She’d gone out to close the garage and accidentally locked herself out of the house.  Who else had you expected? Craig? Surely, he had no idea where Steve and Robin lived.  
Paul’s mom Raina was running an hour late to pick Oliver up with promises of ice cream and Scooby Doo, so you missed the wedding itself, but the two of you decided you’d still make it to the reception; shame to waste all the time you took getting ready. While you had a glass of wine in the kitchen and helped Robin zip up the back of her navy blue, strapless dress, you kept looking at the phone, and glancing out the living room window to the street, waiting to see Eddie, or at least hear from him.  On your way out the door, you tried his apartment one more time, but hung up before you could leave another message.  
—------
The Coffin Kings zoomed along the highway, weaving in and out of cars, keeping to a tight, intimidating pack as much as possible with Bones out in front and Eddie right behind him, hair flying in the wind. Thumper caught sight of them from a road crossing and joined, spitting up a cloud of dust as he went.  
Up ahead, there was a bottleneck in traffic as two lanes converged, and the line of cars were beginning to slow down.  Eddie spotted the SUV in the distance and waved the group to the side of the highway to bypass all of the vehicles at a standstill.  
Eddie’s arm muscles were tight and flexed, the sleeves of his Pantera tee exposing his tan, inked arms.  His face was locked in a permanent frown as he braced against the wind.  Four of the other guys went around the opposite side of the highway, ready to box in the target.  
The windows of the SUV were tinted, but Eddie could tell that the guy must’ve seen them coming in his rearview mirror because the vehicle lurched, wheels cranking, trying to get out on the lip of the road to escape.  
Eddie sped up, twisting the throttle on the right handlebar, weaving in through the cars again to rage down the dotted yellow line.  
The SUV bolted out from the line of cars, dove into the ditch, and then corrected itself before swerving onto an unpaved road that led out through the trees.
The gang followed; Eddie and Thumper got up behind it, eating dust from the tires, and once they were away from the traffic cluster, Thumper reached down for his handgun, aimed it at the back tire and shot twice.  
The vehicle swerved and kept going but slowed down enough for them to get along each side, and then Bones raised his gun and blew out the back window.
The SUV turned so fast that Thumper lost control and flipped his bike into the dirt, but motioned for the others to keep going.  
There was a dead-end curve with metal railing, and that is where the vehicle finally screeched to a halt sideways.  A few of the guys stayed on their bikes and aimed their guns at the driver’s side door, while Eddie dismounted and waited to see if Craig would step out, but he didn’t, so Eddie went over and yanked it open for him.  
“Please please please don’t kill me!” The woman behind the steering wheel screamed, holding her hands up. She was in her early fifties, highlights of gray hair in her brunette bob, wearing an orange corduroy jumper over a floral shirt.  
The woman was in tears, and Eddie stepped back in disbelief.  He jerked open the side door only to realize it was the same make of SUV, but it did not belong to Craig.
“You can take my wallet,” the woman stammered.  “It’s in my—”
“We’re sorry, ma’am,” Bones told her, motioning for everyone to lower their weapons as a dust cloud settled around them.  “There’s been a terrible mistake.”
Eddie started to walk away but then let out a violent curse at the last minute and punched the side of the SUV causing it to dent.  
—------
Steve ran the tip of his tongue over his gold incisor and buttoned his jacket as he came around the passenger side of the Jaguar to take Charlene’s hand at the entrance to the Golden Lion Hotel & Resort before he tossed the keys to the valet.  The tats on his hands and throat were an interesting pairing with the fancy suit he had on, and it took all of Charlene’s willpower not to kiss him right there.  She knew what everyone whispered about—she knew that the infidelities both her and John exercised were well known in town—but it was important to continue the facade.
It was a strange arrangement in more ways than one: Steve escorted her inside to where a group of her friends were, but then was told to wait out front like a guard until the ceremony and dinner were over.  Steve took a walk, smoked half a pack of cigarettes, talked to some of the other drivers, and sat in the lobby, bobbing his knee restlessly. Charlene came out to check on him a few times, like someone would a dog, even brought him a plate of food.  He planned to wait until the music for the dancing started, and then he’d go and find his benefactress to ask how much longer they needed to stay.  He didn’t mind Charlene—he thought she was hot as hell—but the only thing motivating him to stick around was feeling that wad of cash in his pocket once the evening was over.  
He saw Eddie’s ex Melanie at the bar taking shots with her friend, and he ducked behind a collection of imported palm trees so that they wouldn’t see him. 
______
“Steve!” You called across the parking lot as your heels clapped up the pavement with Robin close behind you.  You were relieved to see that he was alone, if only for a moment.  
He was afraid to look up at first, his head bent down as he finished the last of his smoke, not sure if it was someone he wanted to ignore.  But, when his eyebrows finally lifted the rest of his head up, his face beamed with a mix of relief and confusion.
“What the hell are you two doing here?” His surprised expression landed on Robin; it was only the third time in his life he’d seen her in a dress.  He almost didn’t recognize her.  
Robin scoffed.  “I wanted to go to this wedding in the first place, remember?”
“Oh shit,” Steve balked. “Is this Scott’s wedding you were telling me about?”
Robin shook her head and snorted a laugh out her nose.  “You are unreal.”
“Damn, I wasn’t paying any attention,” he jerked the corners of his mouth down in an oblivious frown. 
“Hey,” you took Steve by the elbow, leaning in.  “The woman you’re here with, is her name Charlene?”
Steve’s ADHD was getting the better of him.  “Yes, why? Where’s Eddie? Is he coming? Did they catch that freak who broke into your place?”
You stammered, trying to choose which one to answer.  “I’m not sure, but I—”
And that was when Charlene showed up in the entranceway behind you—in the flesh—and beckoned for Steve to come inside.  You could almost feel her there, even without looking, and it made all of the hair on your body stand on end. 
You turned to face her in all of her Sharon Stone glory, and in that moment, you could’ve sworn you saw a flicker of fear flash over her face as she recognized you.  
“Stevie,” she said it louder, clearing her throat.  “Come have a drink with me?”
“Be right there,” Steve threw her a lift of his chin and grin, and then he turned back to you, running a hand through his hair.  “I have to go do this for a bit longer.  See you in there, though, yeah?”
But before you could say anything else, he patted your arm and strode over to greet Charlene, offering his elbow for her to take.  You could hear the music start up from the dancefloor: Good Vibrations by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch.
Robin pushed tight to your side. “Is that her?” She asked. “The one who got Eddie stabbed?”
“That’s her,” you said, watching them through the glass as they disappeared around a corner. 
“Hell no,” Robin pushed off with a huff. “I don’t care how much money she’s giving him, he needs to know,” and then she charged fullbore into the building, getting stuck in a crowd of people exiting, pushing her way through while trying to be polite.
“Robin, wait!” You blurted, still weary of Charlene’s reach and power.  You hustled after her, stopping to hold the door open for an elderly couple as people poured in and out to get some air, music vibrating in your chest.  
You broke free into the lobby, scissored your way through the line for the bar, keeping your eye on the back of Robin up ahead.
That was when a strong arm snaked around your waist from behind and a mouth pressed against your ear, hissing at a whisper: “Try to fight me or make a sound and I’ll hurt your friends,” the voice promised.  
It was Craig.
You could feel the stubble on his chin and smell the familiar Altoids and whiskey tang of his breath.  
“Come with me?” He asked it as a question, but he knew you would nod, swallowing hard and then he grabbed your arm with one hand and rested the other on the small of your back, guiding you back and to the side, into the shadows.  
You didn’t say a word, you just kept pace with him, knowing that his threats were never idle.
—-----
Eddie sent two of the guys ahead to bring a tow truck to take the woman’s SUV back to the shop, and he let her know that all of the repairs were on him, apologizing for the “mixup”.  But then Bones had to step in and have a serious conversation with her about how she shouldn’t tell anyone about what happened, especially the police—that it would be bad for her “health”.
It was dark by the time Eddie got back to his place.  He was angry and frustrated and fucking exhausted, but finding you was now his priority.  You told him you’d leave a message on his machine letting him know if you did a double shift at The Hammer, and so he went up to wash his face and see if you’d called.  His boots clomped wearily on the steps, tired shoulders rolling, his neck cracking.  
With his shirt off, he dried the water and soap from his face, wet bangs brushed off his forehead, and then hung the towel around his neck as he played the messages he had.
The first one was from Melanie, and he deleted it as soon as it was over with a weary sigh. 
He snatched the matchbook he found in Craig’s motel room from the nightstand and spun it in his fingers as he sat down on the bed, lips jerking up in a smile at the sound of your voice in the next message.
You’d decided to go to a wedding with Robin.  He stopped twirling the matchbook and let that sink in.  But, Steve would be there too, you assured him, and you asked him to join you if he was in the mood.  You said you’d call when you got back to Robin’s if you didn’t see or hear from him.  You told him you loved him, and he whispered, “I love you too,” at the machine.
The only problem was, you forgot to mention where, exactly, the wedding was.  
He spun the matchbook again as the next voice clicked on:  Melanie. Again.
But, this time her words made an uncomfortable lump form in his throat.  
Melanie was at the same wedding? Fuck. 
The end of her message sent fireworks through his blood, and he put the matchbook down to go over and search through the pile of papers on his desk for the invitation that he got.  It was still sealed in the envelope, and he ripped the corner open with his teeth, spitting out the paper, cringing as confetti fluttered to the ground when he pulled out the buttercream invitation with lace corners.
Golden Lion Hotel and Resort
His mouth went dry as he circled back around the bed to pick up the matchbook again, realizing with a buzzing in his ears that it was from the same place.
And it had been in Craig’s room.  The only trace left of him in an otherwise immaculate space.
Eddie squeezed the matchbook so tight in his fist, he crushed it, and then he went to find you.  
Part 15
I cherish you all, and please remember that your comments, especially your reblogs, mean the absolute world to me.
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griffin-girl-r · 5 months
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Can you write a blackhill x daughter!reader where reader and Kate are dating. One day Kate sneaks into readers bedroom window really early in the morning injured from her late night mission the night before. Reader helps patch her up and then Natasha and Maria walk in on them kissing. Being the protective parents they are they give Kate “the talk” about not hurting their daughter and making sure reader stays safe and out of harms way of Kates little hero life.
I wasn’t sure if you write fics where reader is dating someone so I understand if you decide to not write this.
The birds and the birds
Created: 16.10.2023
Finished: 17.10.2023
Edited: 17.10.2023
Age: 24
Word count: 1,514
Warnings: Injury, Cussing, Embarrassment
Request: Yes (Tumblr user)
Pairings: Kate Bishop x Female!Reader, BlackHill
It was early in the morning when you turned around on your other side in sleep, allowing a soft sigh to escape your lips.
The compound was enveloped in silence as everyone was peacefully sleeping.
Everyone except one person.
"Ah, fuck!" A loud groan was heard as the window of your bedroom swung open
"What in Fury's name?" You mumbled confused, angry that your peaceful slumber had been disturbed
You slightly raised your head and looked in the direction of the sound and there, you found your girlfriend, clinging to her arm.
"Hi, honey!" Kate greeted you, supporting her side to the wall she bumped into earlier
"Katie, what are you doing here?" You asked, sitting up, now fully awake
"I just came to visit my girlfriend." Kate nodded as if to convince herself of what she was saying "Is that illegal?"
"Not when it's 5:34 a.m. in the morning." You looked at the clock on your nightstand then back at Kate.
"Is that early?" Kate chuckled nervously "Damn, I haven't even noticed. I must have really missed you."
"Come and sit!" You ordered your girlfriend and she obediently complied with your orders
When Kate sat down on the edge of your bed, your eyes went wide when you noticed what was wrong with our girlfriend.
"Katherine Elizabeth Bishop!" You gasped, worry visible on your face, as you quickly stood up
"Y/N Rosalinda Elisabeth Yelena Valentina Ivanova Alina Svetlana Mikhailovna Aleksandra Sofia Romanoff-Hill." Kate stated unimpressed without stuttering in the slightest
"Wow..." You stopped in your tracks for a moment "Was it necessary?"
"You say my full name, I say your full name." Kate determinately stated "Isn't this how it works?"
"I know, but still..." You shrugged defeated
"Did your parents hated you that much when you were born?" Kate asked
"No." You walked towards one side of the room and grabbed a first aid kit "Why?"
"Just asking." Kate shook her head "Curiosity, you know. But, given your name, I wouldn't agree with you."
"Oh, go fuck yourself, Bishop." You chuckled, sniffing a laugh away, as you began to tend to the wound on Kate's arm
"Why don't you do it yourself?" Kate smirked "Coward!"
"First the wound." You smirked back, staring to patch up your girlfriend "Now what has actually happened?"
"I may or may have not been shot in the arm with an arrow on my mission last night." Kate avoided eye contact
"Katie..." You sighed, allowing your shoulders to fall
"I'm sorry." The girl winced when the disinfectant made contact with her wound "I didn't know where to go so I came here."
You smiled and cupped Kate's cheek with your hand.
"I am so glad you felt safe enough to come here first." You quickly pecked her lips "I am just worried that, one day, you would badly get hurt and won't be able to make it back here in time."
"Hey..." Kate whispered, moving a strand of hair away from your face, her eyes full of adoration "I will always come back to you, sweetheart. I love you too much not to do so."
"You better!" You chuckled tearfully "And I love you too."
Kate leaned closer and kissed you as you melted into her touch.
It was a much-needed kiss and your hands froze in the middle of the process of wrapping a bandage around your girlfriend's injured arm.
-
The door of your room was silently pushed open and a loud gasp interrupted the make-out session between you and your lover.
"Y/N!" Natasha gasped, taking in the sight before her
"Mama!" You shouted, your eyes going wide
"Kid?" Maria said confused
"Mom?" You asked back
"What is happening here?" Natasha yelled, walking over to you and Kate with Maria hot on her heels
"Uhm... Nothing?" Kate spoke unsure as she realized you both had been caught red-handed
You and she have indeed been dating for over a year now, but given everything that happened with the snap and the wars, you both chose to keep your relationship a secret until the time was right.
Natasha and Maria, that have disappeared during the snap, were shocked to see their little girl, because in their eyes you were still a baby, kissing someone.
"Kate, what are you doing with our daughter?" Natasha was, again, the one to ask as Maria was too stunned to speak
"We were just talking, Mrs. Romanoff-Hill." Kate raised her hands in defence "I swear."
"About what?" Natasha raised her eyebrow "About how to hide from us that you two are dating?"
"What are you two even doing here at this hour?" You looked at your mothers, also raising your eyebrow, mimicking Natasha's gesture
"It's 6:30 a.m." Natasha explained "We always come to check on you first thing in the morning when we wake up and look what we discovered this morning."
"If it makes it better, we weren't hiding." Kate tried to reason
"You shut up, Kate Bishop." Natasha snapped at Kate and the girl could swear that it was as if she heard Yelena's voice "Does Clint know about this?"
"Why are you acting like he's my father?" Kate raised her shoulders in confusion
"Babe, he kind of is." You scrunched your face, silently agreeing with Natasha
"Oh, fuck me." Kate sighed in defeat, looking down at the floor
"I would, but not with my moms in here." You whispered, hoping that your parents didn't hear
Unfortunately for you, Natasha's ears can pick up even on the faintest of sounds and your words resonated loud and clear in her mind.
"No, you wouldn't!" Natasha protested "You barely turned 16 a week ago!"
"Mama, I turned 24 a week ago." You said cautiously "Not 16. And Kate is 23. We are not kids anymore. I had just turned 16 when you and Mom were dusted."
"Is that so?" Natasha crossed her arms over her chest "Then I guess it's finally the time for 'the birds and the bees' talk."
"More like, 'the birds and the birds' talk." Maria spoke for the first time, her eyes staring into the distance "Cause there's no bee in here to sting if you know what I mean."
Maria quickly came back to her senses when Natasha slapped the back of her wife's head full force.
"You're an idiot, Hill!" Natasha shouted
Maria rubbed the back of her head, with tears in her eyes, and winced "I'm trying. Okay?"
"Remind me why I married you?" Natasha shook her head
"At this point, even I ask myself the same thing." Maria kept rubbing her head
-
After an entire hour where Natasha sat down on a chair in front of you and your girlfriend, explaining about safe intimate ways of having "fun" with each other, the redhead let out a deep breath and looked up at Maria who sat behind her, the brunette commander's hands resting on Natasha's shoulders.
"We want to make one thing clear, Kate." Natasha said, turning her attention from Maria to Kate "You have to make sure that our little Y/N stays out of harm's way."
"And away from your little hero life." Maria added, quietly growling at Kate
You and Kate shared a confused look when you noticed Maria's behavior but, at the same time, tried to hide the amused looks on your faces.
"You are not allowed to hurt her." Maria finished her sentence
"Or else, we'll be coming for you and we will find you and boil you to your death." Natasha threatened
"Then we will cut you up in pieces and fry you on the grill as if you were Steve's Saturday barbeque." Maria squinted her eyes, her voice cold
A shiver ran down Kate's spine and she gulped, feeling the knot in her throat tightening.
"Yes, Mrs. Romanoff-Hill and Mrs. Romanoff-Hill." Kate managed to choke out, her face filled with terror
"Great!" Natasha shouted in a cheerful tone as if nothing had happened "Now we'll let you two love birds have some private time."
"But we will keep an eye on you from now on." Maria pointed her finger toward you and Kate
And with that, Natasha dragged Maria out of the room by her hand.
-
When the door slammed closed behind the older couple, Kate and you looked into each other's eyes.
"They were joking, didn't they?" Kate chuckled, trying to hide the fear she was feeling
"I doubt they are." You dragged out "But they're my moms. They are capable of anything, I wouldn't worry too much about them. They're harmless."
Kate shivered out of fear, not fully agreeing with your statement about the commander and the spy being harmless but she had no other choice than to say you are right.
After all, Natasha and Maria had reacted so much better than any of you expected upon finding out about your secret relationship and the fact that Kate had sneaked into the compound injured after a mission.
Kate can only hope that Natasha and Maria were joking.
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rhoorl · 29 days
Text
Delta Landscaping | Ch 14: Sparks Fly Like the Fourth of July
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Series Masterlist | Chapter 14 A03 Link
Word Count: 8.2k (sorry!)
Previously on As the Mule Falls: The Pikes moved into the neighborhood and immediate sparks flew between Benny and Vanessa. The boys got materials and supplies to work on Melissa’s backyard and the neighbors organized another party via their group chat. 
In this Episode: Marcus and Victoria get their day off to a fun start. Frankie and Jo keep chatting. Cousin Joel and Sarah call Benny and Will. The neighbors meet up at David and Ty’s house for a party. Cue a montage: David in a red, white, and blue feather boa, Benny making Vanessa laugh, Will and Marcus conspiring, and a game of cornhole. We end with Will and Katie having a heart-to-heart. Have your bingo card ready for another PPCU Easter egg!
Chapter Warnings: Brief unprotected P in V (established couple), allusions to PTSD and complicated feelings around being a veteran, some angst, and Marcus Pike and Cousin Joel both need their own warnings. Feral David.
*Cue the theme music and roll opening credits*
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“Babe, what’re doing?” Victoria whispered, peeking around the corner into the kitchen to find Marcus rifling through boxes in the dark. 
“Hey, I…uh…I was trying to surprise you,” he turned with a sheepish grin, his white V-neck shirt riding up slightly as he set a box atop the counter.
She cocked her head to the side as she walked further into the kitchen, her arms finding her husband’s waist. “And what surprise would pull you out of bed at 5 in the morning, mi amor?”
“I was looking for the griddle…I wanted to surprise you all with pancakes.”
“Ay, mi vida, you are literally the sweetest,” she brought both of her hands up to cradle his face, pressing a kiss to his lips. “How about pancakes this weekend when we have more stuff unpacked? How’s that sound?” She rubbed up and down his back.
“Ok,” he pouted. “We need to get groceries, there’s nothing in the house.”
“Well, we have that party today. We should probably bring something, can’t show up empty-handed to our first neighborhood party,” she winked. “I’ll shoot Megan a text later to see what she thinks and then maybe Nessa and I will run out to Publix this morning. We’ll pick up some donuts or something for the kids for breakfast.”
“You always have it all figured out,” he moved his hands up from her hips to her mid-back and bent down for a kiss. “One thing though,” he said against her lips.
“What’s that?”
“Well,” he pulled back, a devilish look coming across his face as she brushed the errant curl off his forehead. “Nobody’s going to be up for at least another hour…and since I’m off pancake duty…” he smirked.
“Special Agent Pike. Are you suggesting what I think you are?”
“We’ve already gotten the bedroom taken care of mi amor, how about the kitchen next?” He pushed her towards the dining room table, urging her to sit once her thighs grazed the edge.
“Marcus,” she giggled as he trailed open-mouth kisses down her jaw to her neck. 
Experts at quickies thanks to having two small children, they moved in tandem as she pulled down his sweatpants and he pushed her oversized sleeping shirt up her thighs and pulled her underwear to the side. As he notched himself at her entrance, his mouth returned to hers, swallowing her moan as he started to ease himself in. 
“You were ready for me baby,” he smiled against her lips, loving the sounds he pulled from her whenever he hit that spot. 
“Fuck, Marcus…” she mewled as he kept a steady pace. 
It didn’t take long before they both found their bliss and amidst soft giggles they cleaned themselves up and went back to their bedroom for round two.
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Even though it had only been a day, Frankie and Jo kept in pretty consistent communication. From texts throughout the day to hours spent talking on the phone last night, they were both still giddy from their time together.
Her morning got started pretty early. Her company was a big sponsor of the Peachtree Road Race, an annual 10k in Atlanta held around Independence Day, so she had to be there to ensure everything looked up to standards. Although she grumbled when her alarm went off, she suddenly felt a lift when she saw a text from Frankie waiting for her.
Frankie: Good luck today!
Jo: Aw thanks! I can’t believe I got dragged to this. 
Frankie: You're going to do great! Send me a picture of the medal when you're done.
Jo: I'm not running the race silly
Frankie: Well, you deserve one anyway
Jo: Well, I think deserve a pic of you in your swim trunks later Morales
Frankie: I'll see what I can do. 
Frankie smiled at his phone as he tossed it onto the kitchen counter. He was still on cloud nine from the weekend and couldn't even feel the soreness of his muscles from yesterday's training session with Benny. He also almost forgot what day it was. 
The Fourth of July brought up different emotions for the guys. None of them wanted the attention that came from being veterans, they mostly kept to themselves on a day like today. But the idea of being around the neighbors of Mule Fall Court brought some comfort to Frankie, especially since Jo couldn’t be there in person. 
Although she wasn’t physically there, Frankie was excited about seeing her later on FaceTime for their virtual movie date. It was her idea to watch something together, figuring she could maybe help take his mind off things once the fireworks started. Her words from last night still floated through his mind, enveloping him in warmth.
“I want to be there for you the way you were there for me.”
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“Hey man,” Benny walked in from his run to find Will leaning against the kitchen counter, staring off into space as he drank his coffee.
Will cleared his throat, shaking his head to try and rid himself of the anxiety that started to cloud his mind. “Hey…good run?”
“Yeah, yeah. All good. Listen, ah…I know we said we’d go over to David and Ty’s today, but if you’d rather do something else I’m down. We can…I dunno grab some beers and chill here. Or we can-”
“It’s all good Ben. It will probably be good for me, well for us, to …I dunno I guess it might do us some good to be around friends,” the corner of Will’s mouth perked up as he got a devilish look in his eye. “Besides, I need to see the girl who made little hearts float around your head,” he chuckled. 
Benny’s ears turned red as he faced away from Will, walking to grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator. He had no idea who may have given his brother the heads-up about Vanessa. Santi was the obvious first choice, but he had a feeling this was more of Frankie’s doing. His mind raced trying to figure out what to say, but relief washed over him when he heard Will’s phone buzz.
“Well look who it is! Hey there baby girl,” Will answered, beaming at the screen.
“Hi, Uncle Will. Happy Fourth of July!” Sarah waved a little American flag across the screen before wagging it in front of her father’s face of screen.
“Hey! Nothing for your favorite uncle?” Benny appeared behind Will, an arm around his brother’s neck as he winked at a giggling Sarah.
“Uncle Benny!” She squealed with the biggest smile on her face. “Daddy said you have a fight soon! You gonna win?”
“Of course sweetie pie,” Benny smiled back, putting on a brave face for his favorite girl. “Hey! You planned the shirt for this summer yet?”
For the past several years, Joel let Sarah design a special edition Miller Contracting shirt. It started one summer when she was playing with a new paint set and decided to get a bit creative with an old shirt of Joel's. Rather than get mad, Joel fed her artistic side and let her create a design. He then had the shirt replicated and ordered enough for his crew, Tommy, and his cousins and friends. Everyone looked forward to getting the “Sarah Special” each summer and wearing it proudly no matter the design or color.
“I'm thinkin’ like a bright teal? And the logo in white.”
“You goin’ easy on us this year baby girl?” Joel teased with a side-eye.
“Yeah, I was expecting you to bust about the big guns. Y’know I always get compliments on that neon pink one from last year when I wear it to the gym,” Benny added, his eyes twinkling as he saw Sarah crinkle her nose.
“That’s because you cut it all up…it’s barely a shirt,” Will winked as Benny rolled his eyes.
“Gotta give those followers what they want huh Bean?” Joel smirked, quickly changing the subject when he saw Sarah’s interest piqued. “So, ah, what’re you all up to today?” He put his arm around Sarah’s shoulder so she could rest her head on his chest.
“We ah…got a neighborhood party…gonna go over there for a bit, see how it is and then lay low once the fireworks start,” Will with a tight smile, not wanting to say too much in front of Sarah.
“Damn those neighbors of yours sure do love to throw a party.”
“Yeah well, we had some new ones move in yesterday and Benny seems pretty ah…interested from what it sounds like,” Will ruffled his little brother's hair as Benny slapped him across the stomach.
“Ah, gotta girl you like there Bean?” Joel raised his eyebrows.
“Ooo is she pretty Uncle Benny?” Sarah added which made Joel and Will both snort seeing Benny so embarrassed.
“Oh well, will you look at that…bad connection…we gotta go bye! Love you!” Benny switched off the phone as Will doubled over in laughter. 
Although Benny didn't always love being the butt of a joke, if it got his brother to laugh on a day like today, then he'd gladly take the hit.
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“Babe, where’s my cup?” David yelled from the kitchen as Ty filled some coolers with ice on the lanai.
“Which specific one are you referring to, sweetheart? You have 20,” Ty responded sarcastically. David’s Stanley cup collection had grown exponentially over the past year, to the point that their kitchen cabinets were starting to become overrun by the things.
“The red, white, and blue one, duh!” David huffed as he came outside. “I have no idea where it is.”
“We need to install like shelves or something so you can see them all. Maybe if you see the whole collection you’ll stop buying more,” his eyes widened with a tight smile.
“Oooo, what if we have one of the guys install it for us? Could be fun for the both of us,” David winked as Ty rolled his eyes. “C’mon, admit it, any of them with a toolbelt…nailing…and hammering…and…”
“Ok…get your shit together, Blanche,” Ty cut him off. “We have guests arriving soon and I need you to quench your thirst.” He walked back into the kitchen, opening a cabinet and finding the cup in question. “Here.” “What would I do without you?” David walked up, kissing Ty on the cheek.
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“Where’s your swimsuit?” Victoria raised an eyebrow as her sister came downstairs in an oversized T-shirt, jean shorts, and flip-flops. 
“I'm not wearing one,” Vanessa side-eyed her with her lips pressed in a line. She scooped up Mariella who was babbling “uppy uppy” at her.
Victoria sighed as she got her backpack together with some snacks and a change of clothes for the kids. “That person was an ass, Nessa, don’t pay them any attention.”
“Who was an ass? What happened?” Marcus asked, coming around the corner and tucking his sunglasses into the collar of his heather gray crew-neck t-shirt.
“Someone at the donut shop asked Nessa if she wa-”
“Hey! Stop, don’t,” Vanessa hissed, cutting her sister off. “Same old sh- I mean, stuff, Buck, you know,” she gave Marcus a pleading look, hoping he’d pick up on the fact that she wanted to change the subject.
He walked around the kitchen island over to her wrapping his arm around her shoulder, “Oh Vandy,” he kissed her forehead. “Don’t let some idiot ruin your day ok? We’re going to have fun,” he winked, seeing the slightest twinkle in her eye as she gave him a side hug.
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“Francisco! Que allegria!” Lulu approached with open arms as Frankie and the boys walked into the party.
“We…I mean, she missed you so much, must be nice being the favorite huh?” David winked, shaking hands with the guys.
“Wow, I see how it is, chopped liver!” Benny sarcastically scoffed, as Lulu tsked and brought him in for a hug.
“Benny! How’s the training going? Lis says you have a fight soon?” Danny asked as he and Melissa walked up. All of the neighbors started to gather around the four newest additions to the party. 
“Oh ah, yeah, going good. A few weeks to go.” Benny rubbed the back of his neck.
“Well, I don’t have my rotation set in stone yet, but if I’m in town I’d love to come. I mean…if that’s cool with you. I haven't seen MMA in person in a couple of years and now I have someone to root for,” Danny smiled.
“Ooo yeah! A group outing! I’ve never been to a fight before! Sounds…fun,” David clapped his hands.
“You need a cheering section right, Benny?” Megan asked as she sipped her drink. 
“We'll make you signs,” Katie added, her mind already thinking of a design.
“Oh ah, yeah, the more the merrier,” Benny chuckled, suddenly realizing that he’d opened up the door for the entire neighborhood to come to see him possibly get his ass kicked.
“It’s gonna be a big night, our cousin may come from Texas…Ben’s gonna have quite the supporter’s section,” Will put his arm around his brother, noticing Katie’s head snap at attention out of the corner of his eye. 
“Are those the new neighbors?” Ty asked, looking past Benny and Will and toward the family who just walked in.
“Oh yes, the Pike’s! You’ll love them, they're super nice,” Melissa gushed, waving wildly and grabbing Victoria’s attention. 
Will side-eyed his brother and felt his back straighten. “So, ah, which one is your girl,” he whispered, as Frankie and Santiago snorted at Benny’s sudden change in demeanor.
“Shhh, she’s not my girl,” Benny looked down wishing he could shrink down to the size of an ant and scurry away.
“Purple hair,” Santiago muttered out of the corner of his mouth as he took a sip of the beer Frankie handed him.
“She’s pretty, Ben.” Seeing his brother so flustered was quite amusing to Will. “You gonna talk to her or…”
“I know how to talk to a girl,” Benny replied, a bit petulantly which made Will and Santiago stifle some laughs.
“Hey, hey, let him go at his own pace…I got faith in ya Benny,” Frankie winked, feeling a sense of accomplishment as he managed to get a small smile out of Benny.
“Hey, our movers! Great to see you guys again,” Marcus chuckled as he shook hands with the guys, stopping and introducing himself to Will.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Will, Benny’s brother. Seems like I got out of the impromptu moving duties yesterday huh?”
“You did, all good though, these guys were pretty efficient. Oh ah, Will, this is my wife Victoria and our kids Nico and Mariella,” Will smiled, shaking Victoria’s hand and managing to get a high five from each of the kids. “And this is Vanessa, Vic’s sister.”
“Hi Will, nice to meet you,” Vanessa felt a little intimidated by Will initially, but his sweet, genuine smile put her at ease.
“Vanessa. Nice to meet you. Cool hair,” he gestured up with his chin.
“Oh ah, thanks,” she played with the ends. I uh dyed it myself,” she looked down at her feet, shy that a handsome man complimented her.
“You didn’t tell us that yesterday!” Santiago chimed in. “So you a hairdresser or something?”
“Oh ah no, not professionally. I’ve always kinda dabbled with it.” She bit her lower lip, eyes flitting over to catch Benny softly smiling at her.
“She cuts my hair,” Marcus jumped in. “Haven’t gotten any complaints,” he winked at Victoria who rolled her eyes, shaking her head with a smirk. 
“You know, I could probably use a haircut soon,” Frankie took off his cap and ran his fingers through his hair.
“NO!” David yelled from across the lanai, everyone stopping to look at him. Ty lowered his chin and looked at his partner from over the top of his sunglasses. “I um…sorry, Ty grabbed the wrong cups. Babe, remember, we need to go grab the ones from inside,” his eyes widened as he backed away and scurried into the house.
“Ignore him, it’s been a while since we hosted anything,” Ty laughed it off, walking into the house after David.
Frankie chuckled and put his hat back on his head. “Benny, you were talking about getting a haircut soon weren’t you?” Benny swallowed hard and nodded. “Said it’s getting in his eyes. We need to make sure you can see those punches comin’ atcha Benjamin,” he shadowboxed towards Benny, who playfully batted away his hands.
“Oh, are you a fighter or something?” Victoria asked, moving Mariella to rest on her other hip.
“Oh ah no, not professionally. I’ve always kinda dabbled with it,” he caught Vanessa’s eyes and laughed to himself seeing her smile. “I do it from time to time. Have a big one coming up in a few weeks.”
“Well, I don’t want to impose if you already have something established, but I’m an athletic trainer. Happy to help if you need anything,” Victoria smiled.
“Athletic trainer, huh? You working for one of the pro teams in town?” Santiago chimed in.
“Oh ah, no, well, I used but now I work for a high school. Torrey Hills Prep. You all know it?” Victoria looked around at the group.
“That’s where my son goes! He plays basketball,” Megan perked up. “He’s around here somewhere,” she looked around, spotting Connor and Aria sitting together on a lounger. “Ah, he's busy,” she shook her head as everyone laughed.
“No way, that’s actually one of my sports this year! Our friend Ben is the coach and when he knew Marcus and I were trying to move back down here he put in a good word for me and here we are!” Vanessa replied.
“Well look at that, what a small world,” Megan smiled. “Coach Ben is great, everyone loves him.”
“We do too,” Victoria looked quickly at Vanessa and then back to the group. “He’s like a brother to us.”
Everyone turned when they heard a glass clinking, seeing David donned in a red, white, and blue feather boa and silver sequined cowboy hat. “Ok, looks like everyone’s here. Let’s fire up the grill and have some fun!”
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Benny watched as Melissa ushered Vanessa and Victoria over to meet Olivia and her kids who were playing on a slip-and-slide David and Ty set up in the backyard.
“There a reason you haven’t turned on that Miller charm yet?” Frankie narrowed his eyes as he took a sip. 
“I dunno man,” Benny rubbed the back of his neck. “She’s probably going to think I’m just some dumb jock or something.”
Frankie chewed the inside of his cheek, observing Benny’s body language, shoulders hunched over and eyes downcast. Sometimes Frankie forgot just how low Benny got during his last relationship and the subsequent aftermath. It pained him to see how little his friend thought of himself, not missing the irony that when given a mirror his friends would say the same about him.
“Well, don’t put too much pressure on yourself, Ben. From my observations, I think she’d be…ah…receptive to you talking to her. Seems like a sweet girl. C’mon, see where it goes…have fun hermano,” Frankie put his arm around Benny’s shoulder and gave him a shake.
“Thanks, Fish,” Benny smiled.
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“You doing ok?” Victoria leaned over to Vanessa as they watched the kids playing.
“Yeah…you?”
“Yeah. Everyone seems really nice.” Victoria got closer to his sister, lowering her voice to a whisper. “You should go over and talk to Benny.”
Vanessa looked over her shoulder to see Benny in deep conversation with Frankie. She could feel her sister's eyes on her as she turned back around. “What Vic?” she cocked her head to the side.
“Oh nothing,” she let out a breathy giggle. “It’s just…cute.” Vanessa furrowed her brows, waiting for her sister to continue. “What? Now I know how you felt all of those years ago trying to get me to talk to Marcus,” she teased. 
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“So, is this like a big day for you guys or one you'd rather just get past?” Ty asked Will as they both observed the spread of food laid out in front of them.
“Ah, one I'd rather get past I guess, don't love all the attention,” Will gave a tight smile.
“Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to,”
“Naw it's all good man. It's kinda nice to be here and just hanging out. We appreciate getting just a regular invite and not having everyone look at us like “guests of honor” you know?”
“I hear you, I hear you. And hey, of course, we'd invite you…you're part of the family now,” Ty smiled, patting Will on the back before he walked away.
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Vanessa watched with a soft smile as the kids played. Mariella made friends with Olivia’s little girl Diana and the boys were all chasing after Connor. She was so wrapped up in their ruckus that she didn’t hear the incoming footsteps. 
“Are you…um…having fun?”
Vanessa heard a deep Southern drawl behind her, turning around to see Benny leaning forward. His eyebrows were scrunched up and his bright blue eyes searched hers like he wanted to say more.
“Oh…ah, yeah…yes. Are you?” Vanessa bit her lip, wincing internally at how awkward she must be acting.
Benny nodded. “Yeah. Beautiful….day, it’s a beautiful day,” he smiled quickly shifting his weight from foot to foot. “You…ah…you going swimming later?”
“N-no,” Vanessa shook her head. “I didn’t bring my suit,” she swallowed hard and turned her attention back to the kids.
“You didn’t wear a swimsuit to a pool party?”
“Still unpacking,” Vanessa shrugged, hoping to get off the subject. The thought of getting herself into a swimsuit was hard enough, she couldn’t even fathom doing it in front of a guy like Benny, who practically looked like a male model in his simple black swim trunks and cut-off Army shirt.
Benny opened his mouth to speak but stopped when he felt something brush against his knees. He looked down and saw Mariella looking up at him with her big brown eyes, arms reaching up to the sky. “I…uh…” Benny’s eyes widened, panicked at what to do.
Vanessa laughed and bent down, “Ven aquí chiquitita,” she cooed. “She’s at a stage where she wants to be held all the time. Mari, you remember Benny? Say hi,” she gave an encouraging smile to her niece.
“Bunny,” Mariella responded matter-of-factly.
“No, mamita, his name is Benny…Ben-ny. Now you try? Ben-ny.”
Mariella shook her head up and down and assumptively said, “Bunny.”
“Well, your name is Bunny now. The queen has spoken,” Vanessa laughed, feeling her cheeks get warm as she saw a big smile come across Benny’s face.
“Well, who am I to deny a pretty girl,” he scrunched his nose up and booped Mariella on the nose. “Besides, I've been called a lot worse.”
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Frankie felt that familiar buzz in his pocket that made his heart race. Quickly unlocking his phone he was greeted by a selfie of Jo, looking tired but as beautiful as ever.
Jo: Finally done. I need a shower and a nap.
Frankie: Wish I was there to help
Jo: You can later 😉
Jo: How's the party? You and the guys doing ok?
Frankie: Yeah all good so far. Everyone’s been cool, it’s almost like I forgot what day it is.
Frankie: Plus I’m trying to help Benny talk to a girl
Jo: The pilot being a wingman…nice
Frankie: Trying.
Jo: I don't want to keep you, but I'm glad it's going well. Call me later.
Frankie: I will. Enjoy your shower 😏
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Marcus walked up to the cooler to grab a couple of drinks when he heard someone clear their throat behind him. He turned around and saw Will who also was also on the hunt for a refill. The men exchanged pleasantries before drawing their attention to Vanessa and Benny who stood at the perimeter of the play area, observing all of the kids. She had her hand up to her mouth laughing as Benny animatedly told a story.
“Uh oh,” Will chuckled.
Marcus arched an eyebrow, “what’s wrong?”
Will smirked, “Oh no, it’s just…pretty eyes, a nice smile, and laughs at his jokes…that’s the trifecta for my brother.” 
Marcus let out a breath and softly laughed. “I have to say…she’s smiled more in the last day than I’ve seen in the last few months,” Marcus tilted his head, observing Vanessa cracking up.
“Well, I haven’t seen Benny this nervous around a girl since we were in high school,” he shook his head, smiling to himself as the memories flooded back. Marcus looked a bit confused so Will continued, “Our cousin dared him to talk to one of the seniors and ask her out….joke was on him though because the girl found Ben’s…goofiness…to be pretty charming. Ended up getting a date out of it.”
Benny glanced over in their direction. Years of reconnaissance made him acutely aware of when he was the one being watched. Realizing they were caught, Marcus and Will coughed and turned to face each other. 
“So…ah…you and Vanessa…you all close?”
Marcus glanced over fondly in her direction, “Yeah…she and I have always had this like unspoken connection. She means a lot to me…I love her very much,” he looked back at Will. 
“Look, I know this probably doesn’t mean much because he’s my brother and I obviously love the kid….but Benny’s a good guy.”
Marcus nodded, taking what Will said to heart. “So…I think we may both be on the same page here then?” Will nodded, so Marcus continued. “Vandy is probably going to kill me for saying this, but she’s not going to make a move. She's afraid of getting hurt…her ex,” Marcus shook his head, “he really messed her up.”
Will took a deep breath, “same for Ben. The kid hasn't always had the best luck.”
“Well, maybe we can partner up,” Marcus winked conspiratorially. “Seems like they're both interested right?”
“Ohh yeah,” Will chuckled. “Benny's interested alright.”
“Hey Will,” Connor walked up to get a bottle of water from the cooler.
“Hey man, what's up.”
“Santi and I are getting corn hole set up, think you and Benny want to play?”
“Actually,” Will smirked, looking over at Marcus whose mouth was slowly curling into a smile. “Think you could find a partner?”
“I think I know just the person,” Marcus chuckled. 
“Alright, c'mon let's go. Connor, you wanna help?”
“Ah, sure…with what?” He looked between both men confused.
“It's for Benny,” Will motioned over to his brother and Vanessa with his eyes.
“Oh.” It was as if a switch suddenly turned on for Connor. “Ohhh. Yeah ok! Tell me what I need to do.”
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“Wait, backward? I don't even understand how that would work?” Vanessa giggled. 
“I get a strike every time. I'll have to show you,” Benny puffed his chest out a bit, feeling more at ease as he and Vanessa talked and got to know each other. 
He learned that the catalyst for her to pack up and move back to Tampa from Charlotte was two-fold: she recently lost her job and her mother wasn’t doing well. That coupled with the fact that Victoria and Marcus offered her a place to stay in exchange for some babysitting solidified the decision to move back “home”. 
As they talked, Benny grew more and more infatuated. Her laugh was music to his ears. She listened enthusiastically like she was genuinely interested in what he had to say. She was smart and really funny. And she was beautiful, he couldn’t help but admire that.
“Hey Benny! Hi, you're…Vanessa, right?” Connor appeared next to Benny, flipping his hat around backward.
“Yeah, that's right. Good memory,” Vanessa regarded the boy with an amused look.
“You having fun C?” Benny brought the boy in for a side hug.
“Yeah, it's been a good time. Hey, actually. We're getting a cornhole tournament set up. Will said you're like a five-time Texas state champ or something?’
“Five?” Benny scoffed, feigning offense. “Where you come up with five Will?” Benny called over to his brother who shrugged as he walked up with Marcus. “I’m a five-time Texas Cornhole League champ, but don't forget about my Delta Force Cornhole Tournament wins. But, my most prized trophy is from the Oak Hill Elementary School Family Field Day,” he winked at Vanessa. “My niece…Sarah. She and I kicked ass and took names that year.”
“She finally had it with her and her old man losing every year, so she brought in a ringer,” Will added.
“It was one of my prouder moments as an uncle, I have to admit.”
Vanessa could tell this little girl meant a lot to Benny with the way his eyes softened when he talked about her. She made a point to remember her name and to ask him later which of his cousins was her father. He mentioned a Joel and a Tommy already during their conversation but she didn’t catch which one of them had a daughter.
“Well, I myself may have won a tournament or two at an FBI family picnic over the years,” Marcus chimed in. 
“You did? With who?” Vanessa scrunched up her face.
“Before I met you and your lovely sister my dear. They wanted us to mingle with different agencies, so I got paired up with this guy from the DEA. He didn't want to be there and was chain-smoking the whole time. But, he and I made a good team and once we started winning he changed his tune. Even shared some of the whiskey he snuck in.”
“I have literally never heard that story before,” Victoria came up and wrapped an arm around her husband's waist. “All this time I've been married to a cornhole champ and didn't even know it,” she smiled as Marcus leaned down and kissed her forehead.
Vanessa playfully rolled her eyes at them and returned her focus to Benny. “So you still got it then?”
The corner of Benny's mouth turned up, “oh I still got it darlin’.”
“Let’s play then!” Connor clapped his hands. 
“With partners, it's more fun that way. Vandy you're with me hermanita,” Marcus wrapped his arm around Vanessa's shoulder.
“Ah, o-ok, um…sure,” she played with her hair, a nervous tick. 
“So, Vanessa and Marcus against Benny and Will then?” Victoria asked, purposefully not looking in her sister's direction. 
“No darlin’, two Millers is too much,” Will winked, noticing the way Vanessa's cheeks flushed. “Connor, you wanna take my place.”
“Sure! Yeah, is that ok Benny?”
“Hell yeah, we got this bud,” Benny clapped his hand onto the boy’s shoulder. 
“We playing for anything or just bragging rights?” Connor asked the group.
“Hmm…what a great question,” Marcus replied a bit too smoothly and Vanessa suddenly realized what was happening. “Let's see. Well, Will was telling me how you boys have been doing some landscaping around the neighborhood. And I know my beautiful wife would love nothing more than to make some…adjustments…to our lawn. What do you say Vandy? We play to get your sister some upgrades?”
“That's a lot to ask of them over a silly little game, Buck,” Vanessa scrunched up her face. “Can't they just like…I dunno buy us a pizza as like a housewarming gift?”
“No, we don't mind. Besides, bet whatever you want, it's not like you're going to win anyway,” Will quickly chimed in. His playful trash talk made Benny cock his head to the side, surprised to see his brother so animated. “So speaking as the team representative, if they win, we want you,” he pointed to Vanessa, “to give Benny a haircut.” Will wrapped his arm around Benny’s neck, as Benny looked down sheepishly. 
Vanessa eyes narrowed. “That hardly seems fair. Connor doesn’t get anything?”
“Oh I don't need anything,” the boy threw his hands up.
“Ok, well even so, hours of landscaping versus a 10-minute haircut seems like quite a lopsided bet.” Vanessa countered, missing the coy smiles Marcus and Victoria exchanged.
“Very true. You make a good point,” Will continued with the negotiations. “Well, then…do something for me then and…take my brother out. I could use a night of peace and quiet,” he winked.
Benny scratched the top of his hat. “W-what? N-no, you don't have to do tha-”
“Deal.” Vanessa extended her hand to Will who shook it. 
Everyone was in a bit of shock at the exchange, but no one more so than Vanessa herself. She chewed the inside of her cheek and avoided looking in Benny’s direction as she quickly turned around and walked over to the cornhole board.
“Where'd that come from?” Victoria whispered.
“I dunno. Fuck, it was too much right? Ugh that was dumb wasn't it?” 
“Are you kidding me? No, that was perfect. Who are you and what have you done with my sister?”
Next to them, Marcus snickered, trying to hold back a smug smile.
Vanessa playfully smacked him on the arm. “You. Ugh I played right into your hand didn't I?”
“You always do. Besides, I'm doing you both a favor. Neither of you were going to make a move so I'm helping…speed up the process.”
“Ok so I love you Nessa and I want you and Benny to go on a date but I would also really love to get that godawful flower bed sorted out and a tree removed. So, please try and win,” Victoria winked.
“Great pep talk babe, you sure do know how to inspire,” Marcus kissed the top of her head and softly smacked her ass as she ran to stop Mariella from running headfirst into a bush.
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Will seemed quite pleased with himself as he, Benny, and Connor walked over to their side. 
“You fucker,” Benny tilted his head back, shaking his head. 
“Come on Bean, it was right there. If the shoe was on the other foot you woulda done the same thing.”
Benny rolled his eyes, annoyed that Will was right, and also touched that his brother was playing wingman. 
“Hey uh, Benny, listen I haven’t played cornhole in a while so…”
“All good, bud, I got this. Especially since I know what’s on the line.”
Will didn’t miss the way Benny’s eyes twinkled. 
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Frankie tucked his phone back into his pocket as Santiago came up, burger in hand.
“These are really good, Ty’s giving you a run for your money when it comes to the grill.”
Frankie snorted, a lopsided grin making his dimple more prominent. “You’re just angling for me to cook something this weekend, I know your type.”
With a raised eyebrow Santiago continued, “You gonna even be here this weekend? By the sounds of it, I wouldn’t be surprised if you’d be packing up and hauling your ass to Atlanta for a few months.”
“No…” he shook his head as he thought through his response. “At least not this weekend. She’s got some stuff going on. What?” He scrunched his face as Santiago started laughing to himself.
“Nothing…just…it’s good to see you happy Fish,” he pushed up his sunglasses.
“Well, what about you? What d’you have going on these days?”
“Well, you’ll be happy to know I’ve been… consistent.”
“For how long?” Frankie chuckled.
“Ok, it’s been a week…but it’s with an old…friend.” Santiago quickly took a bite.
“How old of a friend we talkin’ about Pope?” Frankie narrowed his eyes.
Santiago purposefully slowed down his chewing, a bit nervous about Frankie’s reaction. When he finally swallowed he took a deep breath and faced his friend. “It’s Amaryllis, ok?”
Frankie’s eyes widened, “Lil?”
“Yeah? Is that surprising?”
“I mean…kinda. When’s the last time you guys hooked up? Before you took off to Colombia. You lookin’ to get more of your shit thrown out on a lawn?” Frankie snorted and dodged a slap from Santiago.
“It’s not like that, things are different now.”
“Ok…whatever you say, Pope.”
“So what’s going on here?” Santiago asked, eager to change the subject. He motioned to the cornhole game in front of them. Benny and Connor kept high-fiving as Vanessa groaned at Marcus who sent another bag flying well past the board.
“I dunno but Benny seems pretty proud of himself though,” Frankie observed. 
“It’s really unfair you know? The guy hasn’t played cornhole in years and look at him. Throwing a four-bagger like it’s nothing,” Santiago shook his head as another of Benny’s bags went through the hole untouched. 
“You’re still bitter he never wanted to be your partner when we played on the base,” Frankie chuckled.
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“Ok, C, you make this one and we win. No pressure,” Benny winked as he handed Connor the last bag.
“We’re ahead by a lot Benny, as long as I just get it on the board we win,” Connor fidgeted with the bag in his hand. He definitely held his own in the game, but Benny could have played on his own he was that good.
“Don’t just get it on the board, bud. You got this. C’mon the board is clear for you, go on for an air mail.”
“Got any tips?”
“Nah, I’m not sharing the secret sauce,” Benny grinned as he patted Connor on the back. “And I don’t wanna put any pressure on you but you’ve got a little audience.”
Connor turned around to see his mom, Katie, and Aria all huddled together watching. With a tight smile and a small wave, he took a deep breath to focus. He held his breath as he released the bag. Everything felt like it was in slow motion as he watched the bag fly across the 20-some-odd feet to the other board. 
“Holy shit, you drained that!” Benny whooped, picking Connor up. “Way to go!”
Connor was proud to play a hand in their winning, which clearly made Benny happy. Will came over and gave him a high five. 
“Hey,” Benny pulled Connor close for a hug, “I owe you man. Thanks.”
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“Aw damn, we lost,” Marcus threw his hands in the air, going through the motions despite being giddy as all hell.
“I feel like you missed some of those on purpose, Mr. I won at the FBI picnics,” Vanessa narrowed her eyes.
Marcus gingerly rotated his arm in a circle, putting on the theatrics as he rubbed his shoulder. “I’m getting older Vandy, didn’t have enough time to stretch.”
“Don’t worry, Papi, I’ll take care of that later,” Victoria rubbed up and down his back with a coy smile.
Vanessa rolled her eyes and snorted as Nico made an exaggerated retching sound at the sight of his parents kissing. 
“Well, go claim your prize,” Marcus could barely get the words out before he dodged a playful slap on the arm from both Vanessa and Victoria.
Vanessa took a deep breath and smoothed her shirt as she walked over to the victorious and jovial trio on the other side of the lawn. “Good game,” she put her hand up, getting high fives from them all. 
“Hey I’m gonna go get something to drink, Connor wanna come with me?” Will asked.
“Oh ah…yeah…sure, yup, feeling real parched!” Connor’s tight-lipped smile and awkward delivery made the others laugh.
“He’s sweet,” Vanessa’s eyes followed as he walked away.
“Good kid, sensitive. Had some really shitty stuff happen to him. He’s actually become a friend, which is kinda weird to say because he’s like 16 and I’m old enough to be his dad, but…”
“I think that’s really sweet, Benny.” Vanessa’s eyes softened but quickly narrowed as he gave her an offended look. “What?”
“Who is this Benny? I thought my name was Bunny,” he raised his hands.
“Ah, true, true. My sincere apologies,” she responded sarcastically. “However can I repay you?”
“Well, looks like you have a bet to pay up. So, where we going?” He rubbed his hands together.
“Hmm…” she crossed her arms in front of her, tapping an index finger to her lips, which Benny tried with all his might to not focus on for fear that he’d embarrass himself. “Well, you were talking such a big game about being able to bowl backward, I want to see that.”
“I don’t just bowl backward, sweetheart. I get strikes,” he winked.
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“Hey, you ok?” Katie had kept a close eye on Will throughout the party. Even though he had mostly been in a relaxed mood, she sensed a bit of tension in his shoulders as the early evening set in.
“Hmm? Y-yeah, I’m good.” His lips formed a tight line and he knew she could see right through it.
“Will,” she put her hand on his forearm, “do you want to get out of here? If this is starting to be a lot we can head out. Hey, I can finally get you to watch The Mandalorian with me,” she offered an encouraging smile.
His tight smile melted into a more genuine one, “You sure Kat? I don’t wanna take you away from the fun. I can just head home and watch a game or something.”
“It’s whatever you want, if you want to be alone I totally get it. But if you want company, I’m there.”
Will looked at her kind eyes and started to feel calmer. “Ok. Think David is going to be offended we’re leaving early?” He rubbed the back of his neck.
“Nah, he’s got so many people here and is in host mode, we can sneak out,” she winked. “Do you need to tell Benny or anyone that you’re leaving?”
“Uh, yeah I should probably tell Ben so he doesn’t make it weird…” Will chuckled as Katie looked to the ground with a smirk.
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“So what did you think?” Katie looked over as the credits rolled after the first episode.
When they started the show, they were on opposite ends of Katie’s couch, sitting straight up. But as the show went on, Katie decided to lay down sideways, curling up underneath a blanket as Will stole glances out of the corner of his eye. When it was done, she sat up, facing him.
“Not bad, Kat. I liked it,” he turned his head towards her, the corner of his mouth curling up.
“See, I told you!” She playfully slapped his arm. “I wouldn’t steer you the wrong way.”
“No, I don’t think you would,” he turned his body towards her, a knee propped up on the couch. His eyes searched hers, stealing a glance down at her mouth which didn’t go unnoticed as her tongue swiped along her bottom lip.
It was hard to tell who moved first, but Will brought his hand up to cup her cheek as their lips delicately pressed together. Their lips stayed locked for a beat, each one waiting for the other’s move. Katie teased his bottom lip with her tongue and Will opened his mouth, recognizing the faint aftertaste of black cherry seltzer on her tongue. But as quickly as they started, they both pulled away with scrunched-up faces.
“Uh…that was…” Katie chuckled, shaking her head.
“It was weird right? Like it was good, obviously, but like … kinda …weird?” Will rubbed the back of his head, realizing that his mouth moved before his brain.
“Yeah, it…look, Will, I really like you. I think you’re an awesome guy and…fuck…,” she winced a little as he started to fidget. “I just…I see you as more of a…”
“A friend?” He clenched his jaw, giving her a tight smile. 
She nodded, unable to say the words for fear that she’d hurt his feelings. But when his eyes started to crinkle and his smile relaxed she pursed her lips and her eyes narrowed.
“I was thinking the same thing.” He saw her visibly relax, both of them nervously laughing now that some of the tension was easing. “You’re amazing, Kat. You know that right? But, I don’t know…recently, I’ve started to see you as someone I can…trust. You know? Fuck,” he shook his head. “I don’t really do this,” he motioned between the two of them.
“Talk about your feelings?” 
“Yeah. It was a big reason why Jelly left…” he trailed off.
“Jelly?”
“Oh sorry, Angelica, my ex. She uh…well, I just never really knew how to process shit you know? Like Benny had fighting, he’d go and get the shit beat of out ‘em and while it didn’t make the pain go away he still numbed it you know? Pope would go out and pick up whoever he could at the bar, figuring he’d bury his pain in a…” he looked up, “never mind, you know what I mean,” he laughed. “And Fish…he had his own demons…” Will pulled his brows together, his forefinger pushing the cuticle on his thumb back.
“What about you?” Katie leaned forward, resting her elbow on the back of the couch.
“I just…kept it bottled up. She’d try and get me to open up but I just…couldn’t,” he closed his eyes briefly, shaking his head from side to side as if trying to delete a memory from his head. “And then one day there I was in the damn cereal aisle of a Publix, my arm around some guy’s throat. I wasn’t there I…” he took a deep breath, relaxing a bit when Katie rubbed his arm. “I was squeezing so hard, I blacked out…Jelly had to basically climb up my back to get me to stop. She scratched the shit out of me. I’ll never forget the way she was screaming at me, telling me to stop,” he swiped his hand across his lips.
“I’m here, it’s ok,” Katie soothed him, rubbing circles along his forearm with her thumb. 
“Anyway, I’ll spare you the details, but that was the beginning of the end. But looking back it had been coming for a while. I couldn’t be what she wanted, I wasn’t the same person anymore. And we were growing apart. She had goals and plans and I just…I wasn’t there. I wasn’t at the same place. And I guess bottling that shit up kind of just came to a head.”
“What happened?”
“She left. Well, not right away. She tried…she tried to get me to go talk to someone, but I just wasn’t ready yet. You’d think nearly killing someone at a fuckin’ grocery store would do that,” he chuckled to himself. “It was a bad time for all of us if I’m honest. Everyone was in a shit spiral. I ended up flying home, just to get away from it all. Felt like a loser staying with my parents for a couple of months, but I just needed distance. Then one night drinking beers on Joel’s patio it all kind of clicked. I didn’t want to be like that anymore…I don’t know, I can’t explain it. But the next day, I made an appointment to talk with someone and now fast-forward a few years and I’m the one giving speeches,” the corner of his mouth curled up. 
He told Katie about how he started volunteering and working with other veterans, helping others who were enduring the aftereffects of war and battle. If there was one thing Will was proud of, it was the way he paid it forward, helping others the way others helped him – when he finally let them. It was never anything he touted or wanted attention for. He quietly dedicated his time to volunteering and doing a host of other activities that the rest of the guys probably didn’t even realize he was doing.
“I think that’s amazing, Will, you should be so proud of yourself. I am.” Katie squeezed his arm.
“Sorry for unloading that all on you Kat,” he rubbed the back of his neck. “This day always makes me feel weird, I guess I never really talk about it. I feel I don’t deserve any of the attention this day brings you know? Like people will come up to us and thank us and say all of this stuff and they mean well…it’s just hard to reconcile all of the shit we’ve seen and had to do,” he let out a long sigh. “So all of that plus the fact that I don’t like loud sounds, is why today kind of sucks,” he laughed, his bright blue eyes looking up to find hers. “But today has kinda sucked less…and you’re a big part of that, so thank you.”
Katie was taken aback and her eyes started to tear up. “Oh Will, that’s sweet. You’re a good man. I hope you can see that. I’m happy I was here. I’ll be here anytime, ok?” He nodded. “Can I give you a hug?”
“C’mere,” he smiled, opening his arms as she reached her hands around him, nuzzling into his neck. They stayed in a tight embrace but Katie could feel the tension melting off of him. He pulled back, grabbing her hand, “thank you.”
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Next Time on As the Mule Falls: Benny and Vanessa go to the bowling alley. Frankie and Jo try and figure out the next time they’ll see each other. The boys finish Melissa’s backyard. (There will be some time jumps we need to get to Benny’s fight night!).
A/N: Hi! Sorry it took me so long for an update! Aside from life getting a bit crazy, I also decided to focus and finish another series I had been working on. So, for now, this is my only WIP. There’s some really fun stuff ahead and I can’t wait to hear what you think!
Thank you as always for reading, sharing, or sending me a message about this story!
Taglist: @goodwithcheese / @gemmahale / @trulybetty / @noxturnalpascal / @periodtsparadox / @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin / @maggiemayhemnj / @mysterious-moonstruck-musings / @avastrasposts / @meveispunk / @chaoticfestninja / @beboldbebravethings / @casa-boiardi / @katw474 / @linzels-blog / @laughing-in-th3-purple-rain / @pimosworld / @lynnchun / @anoverwhelmingdin /@lilmizmoz / @pedrit0-pascalit0 / @titlee78 / @noisynightmarepoetry / @inept-the-magnificent / @perennialdoll247 / @for-a-longlongtime / @readingiskeepingmegoing / @harriedandharrassed / @musings-of-a-rose / @anavatazes / @sherala007 / @midnightraain / @partyofone3413 / @inthedarkestnight / @millennial-teenybopper / @csarab615 / @darkheartgatita / @southernbe / @weho2kcmo / @itspdameronthings / @mclibs23
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miacheezytoon · 2 years
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hey if you want some davie angst go ahead and listen to stay from the amelie musical and think about the ending of ep. 7.
you're welcome :)
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