#though she's also Big as in she has a whole lot of muscle with a lot of fat over that to make her into a brick shithouse of a woman

[lichdragon-fortissax]

...upon further consideration, I think I'm going to make Leysha just a touch shorter than an actual in-game Banished Knight. She's still human and she's still Tarnished, but they had to have gotten the big bois from somewhere.

[espinosaurusrexex]

Watchful Eyes

CEO!SteveRogers x Female!Maid!Reader AU

read Bucky's story here

summary: When your best friend gets you a new job, cleaning the apartment of the most successful man in New York City, you don't hesitate to accept. The pay is more than good, and the man himself is better than any eye candy you have ever seen. Unbeknownst to you, you've caught his attention just as much. Steve can't keep his mind off you, so much so, that he drives everyone around him insane with his grumpiness when you aren't around. It seems like he has to take matters into his own hands when he realizes, you're too shy to take things further yourself.

a/n: So that just happened... I don't know where it came from, but please enjoy. (Please don’t be discouraged by the word count - I promise you it’s worth it and I kindly ask you to at least try 💛)

word count: 10.8k

warnings: power differences, Steve is pining, watching someone over secret livestream (is this stalking?), women being referred to as objects (not by Steve), just so much fluff, and also angst (there is a happy ending!), smut (masturbation - m, praise kink, oral - f receiving, dirty talk, orgasm control, overstimulation, unprotected p in v, size kink, breeding kink) !MINORS DNI!

ﾟ✫* 𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕 ｡✭･ﾟ✶ 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐎𝟑 ✧*･ﾟ

“Can you start Monday?”

“I can start Monday.”

“Perfect.”

Holy fuckidy fuck fuck. 

You had a job. A job that would crinkle some noses but it would pay money. Good money actually. Well, better than other offers in the branch.  

It had been luck, really. Because during one drunken night, which had originally been dedicated to drowning yourself in self-pity over the last job that had let you go due to staff cuts, your friend Natasha had crashed your party with Chinese food and gossip from her workplace. She was an assistant for one of the CEO’s of Shield Protection Services. And during her lunch with Sharon, the other assistant, Sharon had complained about Steve Rogers and how he had fired the third maid this month because they, apparently, were taking pictures of his home or selling some of his things. 

There might have been some talk about how picky and stuck up he could be but the important info was that Sharon was desperate at this point and had asked Nat if she knew anyone with the decency not to breach privacy and willingness to clean the CEO’s home. 

The good thing - or bad thing, you weren’t sure - was, Nat knew you were desperate too. So she gave Sharon your number and before you knew it, you were an employed woman again. 

❁ ❁ ❁

It was too early for you to be roaming the streets of New York, but you had gotten instructions and so you had gotten up at 6 and headed out to the address. And when you arrived, it felt as though it was the first time you blinked since the subway - you were that tired. Definitely not a morning person.  

The building was huge, tall glass fronts stretching into the sky and the ride up to the penthouse took longer than your average elevator rides did. 

The doors opened and revealed a beautiful open floor plan. A whole wall of windows brought natural light into the place and offered a view so breathtaking, it took you a moment to collect yourself. The place was ginormous - a lot to clean up - but seemed tidy enough to at least get started right away. 

You placed your bag on the counter by the kitchen and took more of the place in when suddenly, a voice startled you. 

“Who are you?” You whipped around, big eyes searching for the source until they landed on a tall man standing in what seemed to be a dining area - well, one of them at least. He had broad shoulders, neatly styled hair and one of those toothpaste smiles you only ever saw in magazines. He was wearing office attire, blue dress pants that slightly stretched over his muscled thighs, and when your head wandered back up his body, piercing blue eyes seemed to stare right into your soul. 

Holy Shit. 

Before you stood Steve Rogers, three-time Forbes Magazine cover story, young entrepreneur turned filthy-rich hunk of a man, and CEO of the most successful security firm in this country. And he was talking to you - staring at you... waiting for an answer. 

Talking, you needed to start talking, you reminded yourself.

“I’m the new maid, sir. I’m so sorry I was told to come here at 7 as you leave for work before that.”

Mr. Rogers looked at you with an unintelligible stare. Meanwhile, you were nervously wringing your hands in the doorway, looking down. You hadn’t planned for anyone important to see you today. The worn-down Fleetwood Mac shirt you didn’t mind getting bleach on hanging over some pants you pulled from the back of your closet definitely wasn’t the kind of outfit you expected to greet Steve Rogers in. Great start. This was going awful.

“Well I’m here aren’t I?” His arms folded before his chest as his eyebrow raised, impressive biceps bulging beneath the white button-up, and - damn - it was hard not to stare. 

“Right. Yes. Sorry. I’ll come back later.” You turned to leave again but he stopped you.

“No need. I am on my way out.” The left corner of his mouth twitched into a cheeky grin when he grabbed his bag, left the newspaper discarded on the table, and placed his coffee mug in the sink. Interesting.

“Don’t snoop.” He whispered teasingly as he passed you, a whiff of expensive cologne paralyzing your senses and you weren’t sure if he was making a suggestion or actually warning you. That damn perfume seemed to hypnotize you. 

Your eyes followed his broad shoulders until they disappeared behind the corner and then the elevator doors shut. It seemed to take all the tension from your face. You exhaled long and then began to look around some more.

The place was huge, you’d already established that. But when you found the third bedroom amongst the private office and Pool table room, you knew you had to make a weekly plan to work off. You had to give Mr. Rogers credit, though. There was rarely any clutter lying around - it wasn’t dirty per se - just had the usual dust you’d expect in a place this size with only one person living in it. 

You huffed, resting your hand on your hips once you completed the tour. And then you got started. 

❁ ❁ ❁

Steve peered up from his computer screen when Bucky strolled through the doors of his office. A coffee in hand he had most likely tweaked from his assistant's desk on the way here, he shot a grin to his oldest friend and business partner. 

“What ya doing, punk?” The brunette asked teasingly when he circled the desk and settled on the window sill behind Steve. 

“Just making sure things stay in order.” He leaned back and turned around slightly, just in time to see his friend nod knowingly.

“Heard Nat got you a new maid.” Bucky dipped his chin towards the laptop still open on the desk. “That her?”

His eyes wandered to the screen where a live feed of his apartment streamed you changing his bedsheets. He hummed in agreement. 

“She’s pretty,” Bucky commented before sipping his coffee again and Steve felt an unfamiliar feeling bubble in his stomach. “But I bet you don’t care anyway. You’re all ‘don’t sell my stuff’ and ‘having things stolen from a security firm CEO is embarrassing’. Wouldn’t know a pretty thing like that if it climbed you.”

“Because it is embarrassing. And I highly recommend you monitor your staff to make sure they don’t do the same.” Of course, Steve knew you were ‘pretty’. Exactly his type, to be honest. He had noticed it the second you stepped into his apartment this morning. The way your hands wrung beneath you. And he had shot you a teasing remark in hopes of discovering a sassy fire in those timid doe eyes of yours. But you had stumbled over your words like a fawn.

Bucky clicked his tongue disapprovingly. “Nonsense. Peggy is great - and too old to even carry anything valuable out of my place. I trust her with my life and house keys.” And then he pushed off the sill. “I think it’s time for you to get laid again. And that’s why I’m a great friend and organized dinner and drinks with Tony and Sam tonight.”

Steve fell back in his chair, hands over his eyes. “I don’t need your wing-maning me. I’m perfectly fine on my own.” 

“Sure.”

“I’m serious, Buck.”

“You can thank me later.” He stout towards the door. “You know... after you’ve been devoured by the pretty little waitress at the Ironbar.” Bucky winked before his face disappeared again. 

Steve just huffed as his eyes landed back on the weekly report on his desk and then swayed back to his computer screen. 

As unwilling as he was to admit it, it had been some time since his last late-night rendezvous. And as he saw you crawl up on his bed to place the bedsheets properly along his mattress, he felt his pants tighten slightly. 

❁ ❁ ❁

“We’ll get one more round of the good stuff.” 

“Of course Mr. Stark.” Tony winked and patted his waitress’s butt before she stalked away on her high heels and towards the locked glass cabinet behind the bar. 

Steve had designed it himself, a fiberglass shrine-like display for ridiculously expensive liquors, only to be opened by a passcode that got regenerated every week. He watched as Betty - the young and lanky waitress - retrieved a crystal bottle of whiskey and filled four glasses with the golden liquid. 

“God, I love that thing,” Tony sighed next to Steve and watched Betty with a satisfied smile.

“You better be talking about that cabinet, Stark.” Steve shook his head with a frown only to receive a wink from Tony, who was sitting closest to him at the round table. 

“So...” Bucky leaned over to Steve and spoke in a hushed voice. “You see anything you like?” He gestured at the bar where Tony’s carefully picked waitresses passed with filled and emptied glasses and bottles. They were all wearing tight black t-shirts and skirts or shorts that counted just as scandalous. One could foolishly mistake this place for a Hooters if Tony hadn’t made it one of the most pristine bars in all of New York City. 

It was popular amongst the clientele which mainly consisted of bored rich men that came here to get something to look at without being judged for it. But Steve wasn’t feeling the girls today. When Betty shoved her breasts in his field of view, all he could think about was how he had never gotten the idea to get his maids a uniform that catered to his... liking. And when Betty swayed her hips on her way to the bar, his thoughts became clouded by the image of you in a short little skirt, riding up just a little to tease I’m about what was hidden underneath when you kneeled on his bed to get the sheets sorted. 

Steve adjusted his pants at the little flashback, clearing his throat and sitting up straighter in his seat. 

“Oh, apparently you have...” Bucky grinned before his eyes hushed down to Steve’s crotch and back up just as fast. “Well then,” he leaned back with a satisfied grin. “Which one is it? Samatha? Tiffany? Though I think Megan is more your type.” 

“Just shut up, punk.”

“Okay you don’t have to tell me me... either way, my job here is done.” He brushed his hands off fake dust and smiled smugly. “You better be in a good mood tomorrow.” 

Steve just huffed and waited for Betty to come back with ‘the good stuff’ to hopefully drown out his annoying friends for the rest of the night. It wasn’t that he didn’t like them. No, he would do anything for the people he chose to have in his life. The group he found himself in right now had been through thick and thin with him, stayed through his fame and fortune, and was just as supportive before it had all happened to either of them. He was happy having the guys because they built each other up and aimed for greatness - together, they were fucking invincible. 

But sometimes, Steve felt a little out of place amongst Bucky and Tony. It was in situations regarding women most of all because he could never adapt the attitude to talk about them the way they did. And he never had the headspace to juggle as many as they did. He had tried the one-night stands. But he struggled to navigate the superficial pleasure maze New York City provided in masses. Because just as the ever-passing smiles on the streets, it wasn’t fulfilling enough for Steve. At least not in the way it was for his friends. 

He wanted what Sam had. A partner, a family, something constant and beautiful. And that was, why he found himself asking for pictures of Sam’s kids and nephews rather than listen to Tony’s latest bed bunny endeavor whenever the conversations took a turn in that direction. 

“Earth to Rogers,” Sam’s finger snapped in front of Steve’s face. “What this I’m hearing? You got a new maid? What happened to the old one?”

“She sold his stuff on Craigslist.” Bucky snorted and took a sip of the drink that had magically appeared in front of them. 

“You aren’t serious.” 

“I really liked that tie,” Steve grumbled into his cup. 

“Man, I’m glad I don’t have to deal with things like that. You rich people really are a different breed.” 

“You’re rich, too, Sam.” 

Sam just smiled above his crystal glass, having fun with the little joke he liked to pull for ages now. He wasn’t any less successful than any of the other men at their table. But other than them, he had settled in a beautiful neighborhood - despising the concrete jungle each of the other guys lived in. His house felt like home, like a cozy place that had seen love and time and nothing like the polished and sleek man caves the rest of them owned.

“Well, anyways, my amazing assistant organized him a new one, the prettiest thing - really. But he’s refusing to see it.” 

Tony chuckled. “Well, that's Rogers in a nutshell, isn’t it.” 

Sam just pursed his lips and glanced over at Steve with a soft smile, ignoring the comments of the other guys. They never explicitly talked about it, but Sam was a smart man, and it would have surprised Steve, had he not already figured out that he was more of a family man than their friends were as of right now. 

“To new maids that aren’t selling your clothes on the internet then.” He raised his drink and winked at Steve once their glasses clinked. 

And Steve? He visibly exhaled, silently thanking Sam for pulling the tension out of their conversation. 

❁ ❁ ❁

It had been a little over a week. And so far, things had been going great. 

By now, you had cleaned through the entire place once and set up a plan of what to do on which day. You weren’t surprised it actually took a full 6 days to cover every single room in Mr. Rogers’s apartment. You had already figured out which tasks were going to be your favorite and which weren’t. Like his bedroom. You liked doing that. Because even though the sheets were a bitch to get on the ginormous bed, you kind of liked the smell the room had. His pillows smelled of the cologne you couldn’t forget ever since the man had brushed past you on your very first day.

You were pretty sure you would never forget that since your knees literally felt like giving in at that moment.  

Today, it was bedroom day. That and the on-suite. 

With a smile on your face, you entered the apartment on the top floor, each day secretly hoping you’d catch a glimpse of the CEO before he took off to work. But even though you tried to arrive ten minutes earlier (you really couldn’t spare any more sleep for your own good), the first day remained an exception in Mr. Rogers’s daily schedule. 

You placed your bag on the stool at the open kitchen island, changed into some other shoes, and headed for the supply closet. Despite the size of the place, you actually got around pretty easily. Mr. Rogers was a very organized and neat man - you’d noticed that the first and only time you met him. So things were almost always where you’d think they would be. Which made your job just that much easier. But also prevented you from the advised ‘not snooping’ you desperately wanted to do. 

You knew better though. 

People like Steve Rogers probably had cameras installed in this place. And you would certainly not go and rummage through his underwear drawer after he had personally told you not to. Who knows what strings powerful people like him could pull. So, for the sake of not waking up on a cargo ship to Madagascar one day, you restrained yourself as much as possible. 

Of course, you didn’t stop your eyes from wandering whenever you swept the shelves in his walk-in closet or closed the drawers in his office space. A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. And this girl had a nosy best friend on her back that wanted to know every little detail of her new job... and was also way too invested in celebrity gossip.

Though, as always, there was nothing out of the ordinary today - there never was. Sure, it was still exciting to see how the filthy rich lived but other than that, no scandalous collection of women’s underwear, or drug lord papers lying around. You started to believe that Steven Grant Rogers was a very boring man. Not that you could properly judge in your position, seeing as you did not really know him, but the whole being in his home seemed a little too intimate not to do so. 

So that day you finished the tasks for the day, packed your stuff, and made your way back home, hoping to see him in the morning or to at least find something more interesting than dust in his home. 

❁ ❁ ❁

Steve greeted the concierge of his building when he entered the marbled entree hall. With a little frown and a look at his watch, the man greeted him back before he resumed his work. 

Yes, Steve was home earlier than usual. He regularly stayed even longer than his original work schedule intended. Today, however, he was home even earlier. But after another banter with Bucky about Steve’s non-existent sex life, he couldn’t imagine making it past five in the same building as his persistent best friend. So, he fled the office and decided to work through the rest of his papers at home. 

Of course, Steve knew that Bucky only wanted the best for him. But the ways he tried to approach the supposed bothersome loneliness Steve had in his bed just weren’t for Steve. Those might have worked on Tony - hell, Tony probably invented setting his friends up with one-night-stands - but not on Steve.

He huffed and swiped some loose hairs from his forehead as the elevator dinged at the top floor. The doors opened to the window front of his penthouse apartment and Steve stepped over the threshold, immediately stopping in his tracks when he took in the scene before him. 

The vacuum was running while you were kneeling on the floor, wiping up some water he only assumed came from the vase missing next to his sofa. He would have found it rather amusing if it weren’t for the way you carried yourself today. Something wasn’t right. 

Steve knew that you weren’t usually this messy - that much he could tell from the livestream that had become a constant in his office by now. Your head hung low, your motions hurried and sloppy. He watched as you swiped the floor, one of your sleeves constantly slipping down your arm again until you angrily pushed it up further than necessary. 

It was worrisome. 

He couldn’t place the feeling he felt in his chest when he sat his briefcase down and approached you from behind. His foot carefully turned off the vacuum and then he stood still, careful not to startle you when you finally looked up at him. 

He could see it in your eyes then. The panic, the uncertainty, and something else he hadn’t seen in them before.

You looked around you as if you were seeing the mess for the first time and when Steve was still watching you with an arched brow after a minute of silence, you suddenly sprung up to your feet. 

“I am so Sorry, Mr. Rogers. I didn’t realize it was this late already.” You turned a full 360 until your eyes landed on his again. “I’ll have this cleaned up in no time and I'll be out of your way. I promise.” 

Steve watched as you scrambled to gather the vacuum cord, struggling with it when it didn’t immediately snap back into the caster. “The subway was stuck in a tunnel for an hour because some guy decided to pull the emergency break for fun. And then this lady passed out next to me and when the fire department finally got us out and the paramedics packed her in the ambulance, I realized that I still had her purse.” You finally got the cord in turning so fast that the wet rag in your hands sprayed some water on Steve. “And do you know how difficult it is to find out which hospital they’re taking people? Because it’s so much more difficult than it looks in the movies. I didn’t know that! And then it was almost 10 a.m. when I got here. I am so sorry. This won’t happen again I promise-“

“Hey,” Steve finally stepped forward and caught your flailing hands with his and it shut you up. “It’s alright.” He spoke softly, guiding your hands down and proceeding to carefully stroke your arms down. “Are you okay? Do you need a day off?” 

Your doe eyes stared up at him, round and shiny as if you couldn’t believe he was actually standing in front of you. And Steve had to admit, besides the concern breezing through his body, your face was capturing up close. He traced your lashes with his gaze, the way your lips were parted slightly, your teeth showing past your upper lip, and the way your eyebrows were raised in shock. 

“No... no, I’m fine.” You finally stammered and it made Steve relax a little. 

“Then take a breath for me, please.” You nodded and Steve watched as your shoulders moved when you inhaled with your eyes closed. It shook Steve out of his trance. He cleared his throat and retreated his hands from your arms, awkwardly standing up a little straighter now that there was no excuse to touch you anymore. 

You were fine - that’s what you had said. But you didn’t quite seem that way. 

He watched as you opened your eyes and gifted him a small smile. Then your gaze dew to the floor and the mess you were standing in. Your smile turned awkward. 

“I’ll clean this up real quick and then I’ll be out of your hair.” 

Steve shook his head with a smile. Maybe this was a nice opportunity to do as Bucky had suggested. It was true, Steve hadn’t been interested enough before. Had he taken more time to know his former maids better, he could have probably prevented his things from being stolen and sold. Maybe it wasn’t exactly what Bucky had meant by ‘interested’, but Save decided it would do for now. “You can do what you need to and you can take as much time as you need to. I’ll be in my office for some time, so please don’t rush. I didn’t mean to freak you out by coming home earlier.” 

His arms reached up to scratch the back of his neck and your eyes landed on his bicep. Those damn doe eyes. “O- okay.”

He nodded, buried his hands in his pockets, gifted you a tight-lipped smile, and then proceeded to grab his briefcase and disappear into his office at the end of the hall. 

After some time, he heard the vacuum pick back up. Steve peaked through his open office door and caught a glimpse of you roaming his living room every now and then. It was relieving to know that you were functioning again. You had him worried for a second there - a feeling the successful CEO hadn’t welcomed in a hot minute. But it was kind of nice, made him feel a little more human than usual. So he didn’t mind having you work while he was home. On the contrary, actually, even though he had a huge stack of papers to go through, having to do them with a little bit of white noise was much more efficient than he had thought. He liked it when the occasional sound of items being set down snook its way to his office just to be interrupted by the vacuum again. And before he knew it, the workload he had taken home with him today, was worked through. 

Steve made his way to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. Though, as he waited for the machine, he found himself leaning against the counter and watching you work in front of him. You were currently bent over the sofa, arranging the cushions after shaking them out, your shirt riding up ever so slightly and exposing a strip of skin on your back. 

The fresh grounding of coffee beans covered the way Steve gulped loudly at the sight of you in front of him. This was definitely different than watching on his laptop screen. He felt his pants tighten ever so slightly as he imagined walking up to you and just taking you from behind. Your face would press into the pillows as he would easily push into you, hearing your drawn-out moans through the cushions. 

He couldn’t help himself, you were just so pretty. 

The smell of coffee drew Steve back to reality. It wasn’t that simple. Because Steve wanted you to want him as well. But you didn’t know him well enough yet. 

You pulled the vacuum around the corner and seconds later the sound of the storage room door closing echoed through the apartment. You walked back into the living room, adjusted the book on his coffee table, and then looked at your work with your hands on your hips. It was kind of cute to watch, Steve had to admit. 

“Well done,” Steve praised and your shoulders jerked in surprise. 

“Woah, didn’t see you there, Sir.” You relaxed again and then moved to change your shoes, before packing the other pair in your bag. You looked like you were about to leave, but Steve didn’t want that. 

“Would you like some coffee?” He offered and turned to grab the mug that was just filled with the steaming hot beverage. 

But you shook your head, raising your hands. “Oh, I wouldn’t want to intrude. I’m sure you’ve got work to do...”

“I wouldn’t have asked if it were an inconvenience.” 

You looked down and nodded, which made Steve smile and hand you the cup. Your hands encased it like it was a cold winter's day, timid looks roaming the room and landing everywhere but him. 

“You seem uncomfortable,” he tried, cautious not to intrude. 

“I’m not. It’s just that... I’m not used to,” you gestured around the kitchen, “all this.” 

“I know it sounds stupid but sometimes I feel the same.” Steve took in the high ceilings and shiny surfaces, the expensive paintings and furniture he had no part in picking out.

You just stared at him again before nodding and averting your eyes once more. It seemed like you were holding back, but Steve didn’t feel like he was in the position to ask. So he just had to do with your fleeting glances and diffident presence. It was fine for now. Though he didn’t know if he could actually stand it for long. 

“You got this job through Bucky’s assistant, right?”

“Natasha, yes. She’s my best friend.” Your eyes lit up and Steve celebrated the little victory in silence. He had finally found something to talk about with you. 

“How long have you known each other?” He took a sip of his own coffee, acting indifferent, though his gaze hung on your lips. 

“We’ve been friends since high school. But then we went to different colleges and for a moment, we lost contact. But when I called her after graduation, we reconnected. We coincidentally both moved to New York. It’s nice to have her back.”

“That does sound nice. I know a thing or two about reconnecting with old friends.” Steve smiled reminiscent. 

“Right, your business partner. Mr. Barnes.” You set your mug down when Steve shot you a surprised look. “Sorry, but it’s hard not to know things about you when every tabloid in the country has covered your story.”

Steve nodded, being reminded once again how different his life was now. Not that he didn’t appreciate it... it just used to be simpler. 

“Yes, Bucky is my oldest friend... we’d lost contact in-between as well. Now we spend so much time together, I sometimes wish it was that way again.”

“You don’t mean that,” you laughed and Steve swore it was the prettiest he’d ever heard. 

“Of course not.” He set his cup down once he noticed that you had finished your coffee and had grabbed your bag from the stool. 

“I should go,” you smiled sadly and Steve just nodded with a similar expression on his face. Then he pushed off the counter and walked you to the elevator. He caught your small wave before the doors closed, leaving his stomach feeling warm and fuzzy. 

This was definitely new.

❁ ❁ ❁

The next week was pure torture. 

Steve couldn’t work from home like he had wanted to. He also couldn’t go to work later to at least catch a ‘good morning’ from you. 

It had only lasted a couple more days. He had managed to trap you for a conversation with coffee two times after the first one and then it all went downhill from there. 

Steve’s work seemed to pile up in unusual amounts of papers on his desk. His e-mails and meetings were longer than ever and his frustrations built with every new message Sharon redirected to his phone.

It wasn’t until Bucky pointed out how unusually grumpy he was, that Steve realized, he missed you. How could that have happened? He barely knew you and talked to you even less than that. But he knew he was missing you. Because as silly as it sounded, the time he spent with you, he was more relaxed than ever before. 

“I’m headed home, now. Do you need anything before I go?” Sharon popped her head through the door of Steve’s office after the knock she placed there. 

Steve just sighed as he closed one of a dozen tabs on his computer. Then he shook his head. “See you tomorrow.”

“Bright and early!” She beamed and Steve just waved her off. 

The door fell shut once again and Steve moved to close a second tab. The one open beneath was the video footage of his home. It was paused because Steve had categorized it as ‘not suited for work’ once he saw you climb on his bed to straighten out the sheets and his dick reminded him just how deprived he really was. 

Looking at the paused video now, his pants tightened again. There you were, on all fours on his bed, tugging the sheet under the headboard side of his mattress - ass up and struggling. Fucking hell. 

His hand instinctively moved to his crotch to relieve some tension and then his eyes fell to his office door. Sharon had gone home. He was likely the only one left. His gaze wandered back to his computer screen and before he knew it, he was rubbing his hard cock through his pants. 

He groaned lowly at the feeling spreading through his body, the image on his screen just intensifying the scenarios he usually imagined when he got himself off. Because now they had your face. And your perfect body. If he squinted at the screen, he could actually see a sliver of your underwear peaking out the top of your pants. 

“Jesus Christ,” He pushed through his teeth when his hands worked to open his belt and pulled his rock-hard length out. He was already leaking from the angry red tip. 

His thumb grazed over his sensitive flesh, spreading the beads of precum and his whole body shivered when he imagined you doing it instead. His knees spread further apart in his office chair as he squeezed the base of his cock, concentrating on his breathing to slow. And then, without thinking, his other hand moved to play the video. 

Steve’s eyes never left the screen as he watched you tug the sheets tight. Your ass bounced up and down with the motion and he began to pump his shaft, imagining pushing into you from behind. Then you crawled back slowly, careful not to pull the sheet off again, but one corner came loose anyway. As you leaned forward, your new position seemed even more obscene - with your arms stretched forward and your ass still slightly lifted off the mattress. 

Steve’s fist pumped harder up and down his cock, he was panting. He could already feel the orgasm building. His balls were on the edge of bursting - but he wanted to hold out a little longer. 

For a second, his gaze jumped to the little speaker icon at the bottom right corner of his screen. His right hand still pumping with a tight grip, the left moved to slightly turn up the volume on the stream. 

Just then, you released a frustrated groan, followed by a throatier, softer noise that could almost be mistaken for a moan and Steve lost it. His fist stroked his thick cock in hard fast motions, the tingle in his body building with every heavy breath you released. His thumb grazed over his tip when you fell forward like a fawn and it was enough to make him burst. 

He closed his eyes and threw his head back on the chair. With a last firm push, he tumbled over the edge, squeezing his flesh as he felt the hot ropes of cum cover his hand. His heart beat in his ears once the ecstasy subsided, his chest rising and falling with deep breaths.  

Steve stared at the ceiling, sighing in defeat. He was in deep now. 

❁ ❁ ❁

“So... how’s it going?” Nat’s voice rang through your speaker and you pressed your phone a little harder to your ear to hear her over the street noises. 

“It’s going really good. I don’t see him that often but he’s not messy at all, so it’s really not that bad.”

“Good, I’m glad!” Nat cheered on the other end of the line and you could hear her computer keys clicking beneath her fingernails. “Anything you wanna tell me?” Her tone was suggestive, and you kind of hated how well she knew you. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, come on, we’re stating the obvious here. He’s hot!”

“Nat!” You gasped appalled. “I’m not going around asking you if you think your boss is hot.”

“Why not? I'm not ashamed to admit it. My boss is hot,” she stated plainly and shorty after a distant ‘You got that right, doll!’ was heard through your speaker. 

“Oh my god,” you muttered, watching around you as if anyone could hear what Nat was saying. 

“So...?”

“Okay, yes he’s super hot and I wish he would just grab me with his big muscled arms and kiss the life out of me every time I see him. Are you happy now?”

“Yes, very.”

You waved at the concierge when you reached Mr. Roger’s apartment building and then stepped into the elevator. “Good. I can’t believe I just made me say that out loud.”

“We both know it’s true. No shame in a little crush.” You could practically hear her grin through the phone and it just annoyed you even more. How could she call you out when she was a mile away?

“Great, now I’m actually imagining kissing him and running my hands down his chest,” You huffed as the elevator door opened and turned the corner just to stop in your tracks. 

“I knew it!”

“Nat, I’ll call you later.”

“Okay, but-“ and then you ended the call as your eyes were glued to the kitchen counter. 

You stepped closer, your eyes never leaving where they had landed upon your arrival. There, on the polished black marble, stood a vase with a beautiful bouquet of pastel flowers. 

Your breath hitched in your throat as your fingers traced the colorful petals, and you leaned in to smell them. This was so sweet! A little giddiness shot through your body at the sight of the flowers. You’d never expected them from Mr. Rogers and it was nice to be appreciated. 

Feeling excitement all over, your fingers reached for the little white card lodged between a eucalyptus branch. But when you turned it over, all of it fell like someone had turned on gravity again. 

Happy one month!

Your mind repeated the words over and over again until they registered.

Happy one month.

You dropped the card and it made a dull clicking noise on the counter. How could you have been so naïve? Nat had put this stupid haze in your brain, getting you all giddy and excited. Of course, he had a fucking girlfriend. How could he not? He was Steve fucking Rogers.

You needed to take a step back and breathe. Those were a few too many emotions to feel in the early morning for you. Now you even felt guilty about wanting to run your fingers down his body. God, you’d even said it out loud - how embarrassing! 

“Okay, girl. Relax. Nobody heard,” you reminded yourself out loud. And then you took a deep breath with your eyes closed. 

“It’s not embarrassing if nobody saw. I’m the only one that can decide the level of awkwardness here.” Maybe stop talking to yourself then. You nodded and carefully placed the card back in the bouquet. 

“This never happened,” you whispered, more so to ensure yourself. “Just move on with your day.” 

Thank god it wasn’t kitchen day - you wouldn’t be able to stand the sight of those flowers any longer.

With your shoulders pulled back and your head held high, you made your way to the supply closet and got to work. 

It’s just another day. You reminded yourself when you pulled your cleaning supplies out and into the office. 

Just like any other day...

❁ ❁ ❁

Boy, had you never been any more wrong. 

Your phone rang at 7.30 that evening. You had already made yourself comfortable on your sofa, ready to binge a whole season of Gilmore Girls, after a successful day of pretending you hadn’t gotten the biggest turn-down of the century this morning. You had finished your cleaning plan, you had gone grocery shopping, bought yourself some own damn flowers, and even showered all before the sun had set. 

But now your phone rang and the caller ID could not mean anything good. 

“Hello?”

“Good evening!” Your name echoed through the speaker of your phone, a - for your taste - way too cheery woman on the other end. “I am very sorry I have to call so late. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“That’s alright, what do you need?” You bit your lip nervously, only dreading the next words of Mr. Rogers’s assistant.

“Well, actually it is not I that needs anything. Mr. Rogers requested for you to see him. Is that possible?”

“What? When?”

“Now would be amazing.” Your eyes widened at her words. Mr Rogers wanted to see you and it couldn’t wait until tomorrow? You must have done something horribly wrong. Oh, god, had he noticed you messed with the flowers? Had he seen you sniff his pillows? All possible scenarios of wrongdoing swarmed your head when you sprung up and bolted for your closet. 

“I can be there in thirty minutes,” you hurried through the speaker just to receive a satisfied hum from the other end. 

“Amazing! Thank you so much.”

She had hung you before you could even answer. It didn’t matter. You looked through your clothes, trying to decide what an appropriate ‘getting fired’ outfit would consist of - probably no sweatpants, so you could find the closest bar and drink your sorrows away in connection to the dreaded talk. 

You pulled out something, you could see yourself crying in and headed for the door.

❁ ❁ ❁

8.00 pm on the dot, the elevator doors opened to reveal a beautiful New York Skyline. Unfortunately, you neither had the headspace, nor the time to appreciate it properly. As soon as you turned the corner you saw Mr. Rogers casually leaning on the kitchen island. 

Instantly, you felt intimidated. He had never done anything to make you feel scared or in danger, but his mere presence was so powerful, you didn’t quite know how to act around him. Especially, because on top of it all, he was the most attractive man you’d ever laid your eyes on. 

“What did I do?” It just sprung out of you, your arms wanted to hug your body but you willed them still. He didn’t need to see how worried you really were. 

To your surprise, however, his face scrunched up in amusement instead. He pushed himself off the counter and gestured towards the flowers still standing proud on that polished marble top. 

“You forgot your flowers.”

“My... my flowers?” He nodded with a small frown, probably confused by your reaction. And to be honest, you were too. 

“Yes... I got you flowers. You’ve officially been working here for a month. That’s a record.” He shook his head with a chuckle and then rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m... very picky.”

His eyes met yours and a whole new wave of uncertainty washed over you. You didn’t miss the hesitation in his tone, the carefully chosen wording for something he didn’t exactly say. 

“So, I’m not fired.” God, why did it take so long for you to register. You just looked so stupid right now. 

“On the contrary.” Mr. Rogers took a step closer, though still keeping a respectable distance. “I think I can trust you. I’m very pleased with your work. You deserve them.”

“I do?” You looked up at him with big eyes when he took another step closer. He was so tall, you had to tilt your head up now that he was so near. 

“Can I trust you?”

His chest would almost touched you, if you were to breathe any heavier. Your breath hitched in your throat when the faint remains of his perfume reached your nose. It was as intoxicating - the way his eyes stared down at you - intense and looming. “Ye- Yes.”

“Good.” His voice was a raw timbre. His gaze drifted to the side, where his hand slowly reached up to lay on your shoulder. You felt warm and tingly from the touch. 

Not knowing what to do exactly, you just held your breath and stared up at his eyes. They were so blue - and up close, they were so much more captivating than any magazine photograph could ever display. 

You wanted to touch him, reach out, and pull him down towards you, but he had just told you he trusted you. Were you really going to risk this perfectly good job for a heated moment?

His other hand came up to graze your cheek with a careful touch and the worry of losing your job suddenly became very small. Mr. Roger’s hands were warm, his fingers almost hot even compared to your heated face. 

So you did it. Your hand reached forward and landed on the top of his chest, one of them traveled down the hard plane of his torso while the other clawed at his shirt collar. His thumb traveled to your lower lip, pulling it down and then stroking over the soft flesh, touching your teeth as well. 

Guided by the heat traveling through our body, your right hand tightened around his shirt and pulled him down and onto your lips. The blonde man jerked forward until his mouth crashed onto yours, immediately moving in perfect sync with yours. 

Your insides were tingling from the kiss when you felt his lips pull into a smile. His big hands roamed your body until they snook around your back, pulling you flush against his body and making you sigh contently. 

Mr. Rogers chuckled and then kissed you deeper. His touch was everywhere, yours too. Your mind was free of anything that wasn’t the tall, built, blonde man in your arms as soon as his tongue traced your bottom lip - asking for you to let him in. And you did just that. When he began to explore your mouth, you melted even further into his embrace. 

No man had ever kissed you like that. Which was why you dreaded the moment you had to pull away for air. 

Your hand landed on his cheek, thumb softly stroking his beard, eyes locked with his. 

“You’re very good at this.”

He just chuckled and pecked your lips once more. “Up.” He demanded, suddenly, he grabbed your thighs and lifted you as if you weighed nothing. 

“What are you doing?”

“I'm gonna show you how good I am at this.” 

Then he set you down on the bed and pushed you back until your head hit the comforter. His scent, the one you’d secretly been craving ever since you started working here, engulfed you like a big blanket. He stood above you, big and broad-shouldered, looming over you like a wild animal. But you weren’t scared.

“You know how long I’ve wanted to do this?” His lips attached to your collarbone, sucking and licking bruises to your skin until you moaned beneath him and your hands clung to his hair. “I’ve been watching you,” he murmured to your neck and a shiver traveled down your spine. 

“I knew it,” you gasped when he reached a spot behind your ears that sparked more pleasure. The thought of him spending his day watching you made you all excited and impatient. 

“The way you stumble about this place when you clean it... How do you navigate the world being this clumsy, Bambi?” A whimper escaped you at the nickname he chose for you. “You need somebody to take care of you, huh.” 

You arched your back to brush up against him. His hard cock was already straining his pants, pressing into your own deliciously. “Ah, yes.”

“Don’t worry, Bambi, I’m right here. I’ll take real good care of you.” His fingers traveled down your body until they reached the hem of your jeans and began to tug on them. 

You pulled him down to your lips once more, guiding his head back to that spot behind your ear that had you squirming on the sheets. “So needy.”

His voice was so low and husky now, you barely noticed he had already worked your pants open and halfway down your legs. You kicked them off the rest of the way and arched yourself back against him just to have him grind down on your core. 

“Feel so good, so big,” you mumbled through the haze you already found yourself in. God, what was it with this man - he was out of this world. 

“You can’t wait any longer, can you, Bambi?” His hands moved beneath your shirt and began to massage your breasts. “But I get it. I don’t wanna wait any longer, either.” 

In a swift motion, he had you flipped on your stomach, his hands traveling to your hips to pull you on all fours in front of him. Then the bed dipped and you felt his fingers press to your soaked underwear. He rubbed the drenched fabric over your entrance, only driving you wild with need when his fingers reached higher to your clit. “So pretty.” 

“I need you,” you whined, “need you so bad.” 

“Believe me, I need you too.” He pulled the black lace over the curve of your ass and you felt the cool bedroom air hit your wet core, only making you shiver once more. 

“You’re so fucking perfect, you know that.” You could only whimper in response when his hand pushed your head into the comforter and his face suddenly pressed into your pussy from behind. 

“Oh, god.” A yelp escaped you as his tongue teased at your entrance, only to be pulled back to lick a long strip from your clit back to it. His hand massaged your cheeks and the constant moaning to your core shook you from the inside out. 

“This isn’t enough, is it, Bambi?” He dragged a strong finger up your spine. “You need me to fill you all the way up, don’t you? Need me to mark you, show everyone you’re mine.”

“Yes, yes, fill me up, give it all to me. Fuck me and make me yours.” You were so desperate at this point. His mouth had you squirming and aching for the promising bulge beneath his pants and you couldn’t wait to feel him raw - you’d let him do anything. 

You turned your head and watched as he unbuckled his belt. Within seconds, his cock sprung free from its restraints and your breath hitched in your throat. He was thick and long, a prominent vein running along his side up to his tip, pink and already decorated by a bead of precum. Of course, Steve Rogers had a pretty cock. What wasn’t perfect about him?

“You’re so wet already, Bambi. So ready for my fat cock, aren’t you? You’ll suck me right in, I just know it.”

“Please! I wanna feel all of you.” Another whimper got swallowed by the mattress when you waited in anticipation for him to finally fuck you. 

His one hand grabbed your ass and the other aligned his cock with your entrance. You could feel his head already breaching, a delicious stretch sending shocks through your body in hot and cold waves of pleasure. 

He groaned lowly and it sent shivers down your spine. “Relax, baby girl. You’re so tight. You’ll be so stuffed with me.”

“I need you de-. I- ah just please!”

He worked himself forward with small rocking motions, each time reaching a little deeper into your core and when you thought he was finally all the way in, he pushed even further until your ass was pressed flush to his thighs. 

You screamed into the covers and reached for something to grasp when he groaned behind you. “Gripping me like a vice, Bambi. Are you gonna be able to take it?” He shivered behind you and you could tell he was struggling to hold still until you answered him. 

“I can take it. Your big cock feels so good inside me. Oh, god, please move.”

“Fuck.” Wet noises filled the room when he drew back almost all the way, just to slam back into you. In this position the curve of his cock stroked your walls perfectly, making it hard to hold back the building orgasm. 

“I’m so close already, sir. I’m-”

“Fucking call me Steve,” he roared and pushed your face further into the covers. “You gonna come? Gonna squeeze my cock with your pretty little pussy already, huh?”

You could only whimper in response, the steady stroke of his body clouded your mind until you felt like you were floating. 

“I-“Another scream ripped through your speech when the pleasure exploded within you. Steve slowed his motions, seemingly unable to move with the way your muscles contracted around him. And when the pulsing pleasure lessened after what felt like minutes, he picked his pace back up again. 

“That was so sexy. You gonna do that again for me? I’m so fucking close.”

His hand reached around you and began to massage your clit in tight little circles and your body lifted off the bed. Steve had pulled you up flush against his chest and watched his hand work on your clit over your shoulder. 

“’S too much! Ah!” You were still pulsing around his cock with every circle he traced on your bundle of nerves, making your legs quiver.

“You’re doing so good, Bambi. You can give me another. Milk my cock dry.” He kissed your neck and bit your skin. “So fucking beautiful, how’d I get so lucky?”

“Steve!” You felt another wave of pleasure approaching, just for his fingers to still on your clit, his hand now pressing into your stomach. 

“I’m almost there, baby. Hold it a little longer.” His face fell into your neck and you could feel his cock twitch inside you while his hot breath licked down your shoulder. “Don’t you fucking cum until I say so.”

“I don’t know if I-“

“Yes, you can!” Steve pushed you until you fell onto all fours again and then guided your hips to meet his hard strokes. His movements became frantic and fast, making you lose your mind. 

“I’m gonna fill you to the brim, Bambi. Make you drip with my cum for days. You’re mine.”

“Steve! Steve!” You couldn’t hold it any longer, it was too much. He was so big, and his movements so fast, there was no way you were lasting any longer. 

“Wait. Almost there.”

“I can’t. I can’t! I’m- Oh my god!”

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuuuuuuuuck.” With one last hard slam, Steve shot his hot seed in your pussy. Your walls clenched with every lewd sound he pushed through his heavy breaths. “Cumming so much for you, Bambi. All for you. Uhnggghh.” He rutted into you a couple more times and once the intense feeling faded into lazy pulses, he fell forward and pulled you into his chest. 

Still buried deep within you, Steve pulled the covers over your bodies. Every little movement made you squirm and your pussy clench down again, drawing small grunts from the man behind you. 

“You did so good.” His hand stroked over your hair and his face nuzzled into your shoulder. “Now, rest. You deserve it.”

And with that, you let your body fall into its well-needed sleep - warm, content, and without a care for the morning.

❁ ❁ ❁

Steve woke up to the sound of his alarm. He smiled before he opened his eyes, his mind still reminiscing the night before. He felt warm and content at the thought of it. Your kiss was like nothing else.

He felt around his bed blindly after turning off the alarm only to be met by a cold mattress. Opening his eyes, he called out your name and sat up in bed. But when no answer sounded from his apartment, he got up and looked for you. After a few minutes of searching, he was sure you weren’t there. And it worried him. He had planned to order you breakfast. He wanted to talk about last night. He wanted to tell you how much it had meant to him. 

A look at the clock on his wall made him frown. Maybe you’d gone home to change for work. He decided to wait and get to work a little later today. It would all resolve itself, Steve was sure. 

But when seven rolled around, there was no sign of you. And even after another 25 minutes, there was no indication you’d show up soon. Steve really couldn’t push his time anymore. There was a lot of work waiting for him at the office. So he got up and grabbed his briefcase, only to be interrupted by his phone. 

“Good morning, Sharon.” 

“Good morning, Mr. Rogers. I’m just calling to let you know your maid just called in sick.”

“What? Until when?”

“She didn’t say. But she’ll call when she is better.”

“Do you know what she has?”

“I believe that’s private. Mr. Rogers.”

Steve just hummed absentmindedly. His brain already playing all the possibilities in his head. 

“Would you be so kind so send me her number?” He asked almost hesitantly, but still demanding enough for Sharon to agree right away. 

“Of course, one second.” And then his phone pinged with a message from his assistant. 

“Thank you.” Sharon just hummed in response and then she hung up the phone, ever the busy assistant he knew her as. 

Steve didn’t hesitate to call you right away. With every peep. His heart hammered faster in his chest. And when he was about to give up, a familiar rustling rang through his speaker. 

“Hello?”

Steve took a second to breathe and then he said your name - steady but careful. 

“Mr Rogers,” you sounded surprised, and Steve tried to suppress the sting in his heart at the sound of his last name. You had called him Steve just last night. Why’d you stop?

“Yes... I heard you’re sick. Do you need anything?” He cringed the second he said it. You obviously didn’t want anything from him given that you had fled from his apartment before he even woke up this morning. 

“No, no. I’m good thank you.” There was an awkward tension in the static connecting the two of you. But Steve didn’t understand where it came from. Had you not enjoyed last night. Had he only imagined the affection you gifted him then?

“Well... I hope you are able to come back soon.”

You huffed into the phone. “Uh, yes. Okay.”

“Alright, then. I’ll see you.”

“I’ll see you.”

And then the line went dead. And Steve couldn’t shake the feeling that you had sounded a lot colder than before...

❁ ❁ ❁

Steve had taken the next day off. His mind was too occupied to work, anyway. He had caught himself glimpsing at his video feed several times that day, even though he knew you weren’t going to show. He guessed, somehow that you would appear anyway. It didn’t happen of course.

So today, Steve had to learn to do nothing. That included not thinking of you as well. Because as much as the thought of you distracted him from work, not working wasn’t exactly the best move to get rid of his thoughts. 

First, he had tried to stay in bed until 6. That was hard enough. Then, he worked out a bit, read an article, made a smoothie - okay he ordered one - and then he sat on his sofa watching as the clock above his fireplace ticked to 7 a.m. 

It was ridiculous. If every hour would pass this slowly, he’d go insane.

His fingers taped on his thigh as he watched the seconds hand tick. He had to do something, anything. 

The moment this thought passed his mind, he heard the elevator door ‘ding’ at his level. And before he could even turn around, your bag hit the ground with a loud thud. 

Steve stood up straighter, adjusting a tie he was not wearing, but the motion had become a habit. He was excited you’d shown up - visibly well and healthy that was. 

You stared at him for a solid minute and neither of you said a word. Your stare was unintelligible to Steve. He had to admit, that he didn’t know you well enough to read into your silent conversation yet, but he wanted to - he wanted to so badly. 

His hands moved to clasp in front of him and then he cleared his throat, but as he was about to say something, you moved past him, straight to the supply closet, and then disappeared into his guest bedroom. 

He followed you before he could tell his feet to stop, halting in the doorway of the room and watching as you dusted off the tall shelves above the sideboard. 

“What are you doing?” His voice was higher than he anticipated. 

“I’m working,” you answered bluntly, moving to the next object to dust off. 

“Why?” Steve had promised to provide for you just the other night. And, yes, while he might have been hazy from the incredible pleasure you had created, he had meant every word.

You suddenly turned to him with an angry stare. “I’m working because, unlike other people, I can’t just do whatever I want and not deal with the consequences,” you spat and then turned around again. The dusting motion turned a little more aggressive and Steve felt a cold shiver run down his back. Feisty.

Though, Steve couldn’t quite place your anger. Had he said something to offend you? How did the other night play into any consequences and why the hell were you working still? You’d said it yourself, you wanted to be his. And that was all he ever wanted. It just didn’t make sense.

Steve didn’t move. He just stood there like an idiot and watched you work your anger away on the poor dusty decorations of his home. You obviously didn't want to talk to him and he had no idea what to say to you. So he just watched... and watched until at least ten minutes had gone by. 

You were at a completely different corner of the room by now, trying to grab a book to dust off, but couldn’t quite reach. Steve had been standing in the doorway this whole time so he just assumed he was blocking your way to a ladder. But he took it as an opportunity instead. 

In three Long strides, he had walked up to you, reached for the item you stretched toward, and handed it to you. And for a second there, he could see those doe eyes return to your face, staring up at him.

Maybe he had misread the situation after all because your gaze drew him in again. He slowly closed his eyes before he could reach your lips, excitement rising in his veins when he thought back to the feeling of your lips on his–

*smack*

His eyes shot open when your hand collided with his cheek, a fire flickering in your eyes that made him take a step back, holding his heated skin. 

“You don’t have to mock me, okay?! I know it’s embarrassing and it’s stupid what we did, so please don’t make this more difficult.”

“What?” Steve was baffled, hurt. 

It was stupid what we did. Your words echoed in his mind until your voice penetrated the mantra. 

“Just leave me alone. Don’t you have work to do?”

He shook his head with an aching heart. You really had no idea. You thought he had used you, made you a bed bunny like Tony or Bucky would - he’d never do that. “I called in sick. I was so... forget it.”

You resumed cleaning and Steve just stood in your way watching. His chest stung with every second he spent with his eyes glued to you, knowing what you thought of him. He couldn’t stand it. He never wanted to make you uncomfortable, much less convey he’d only use you. 

“Can I ask you a question?” You ignored him, but he could see your movements stagger for a second. “Do you really regret what we did?”

Then you paused, your eyes trained to the surface in front of you. When you finally looked at him, Steve could see the tears shimmering in them. 

“No,” you whispered softly, Steve had almost missed it had his heart not skipped a beat. 

He instinctively stepped closer to you again, though cautious not to scare you away. He’d come this far and didn’t want to mess it all up again. “Then why are you ignoring me?”

“I'm not ignoring you.” It shot out of you like a bullet. You sighed, took another breath, and set the duster down. “We don’t know each other. We live in completely different worlds. There is not one scenario in which we could exist together as anything more than... this. I know that now.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re you and I’m just the maid.” You gestured to Steve and then yourself and Steve hated the way you degraded yourself just because he had a couple dollars more in his bank account. It wasn’t right. 

He shook his head, his hand reaching out to you but dropping just before he could actually touch you, curbing into a soft fist instead. “And what if I told you that you are much more to me than that?” Now he finally dared to lay his hand on your cheek, tilting your head so he could come closer to you and still stare into your eyes. “I like you. And the night– ever since you came into my life, my days seem just so much less dull.” 

He smiled with shiny eyes, afraid your silence would last forever. “Please say something, Bambi.”

“You like me?” There was awe and disbelief in your voice and Steve wanted to kiss it away until every last doubt was erased from your mind. Whoever had made you this insecure about affection would eat his fist. 

Steve bit his lip to hide the chuckle threatening to spill. “I do.”

He slowly got lost in your eyes again. Those beautiful innocent orbs looked at him like he was a different type of special. He loved it so much. 

His gaze dropped to your lips, slightly parted and full, and then back up. And before he could lose himself in them again, your hands latched onto his collar and pulled him down toward you. 

The kiss was all tongue and teeth, need and desperation melting into sighs and tingles - he could feed off of it forever. His hands roamed your body and pressed you deeper into his. Your arms reached around his neck as your noses bumped against each other in eager anticipation. 

Nothing ever felt this right. Steve couldn’t possibly believe you’d doubted the chemistry for a second. Not when it felt like that. But he wouldn’t need to think back on it anymore now... now that he finally had you.

I couldn't decide which GIF to use, so here are some extras!

If you’ve read this far, I would be so happy to receive a comment or reblog. It helps writers reach more people in the community and also improve themselves. So, if you have the time, please consider giving me some feedback :) until next time ~Meg 💞

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[authormars]

Muscles

Here's my take on the obey me characters and how muscular/strong/athletic they are.

Lucifer is athletic in the way a gymnast is. His body can contort very easily, if he stretches and he's naturally very flexible. He is physically strong, but his muscles aren't as visible on a day-to-day basis like, say, Diavolo and Beel.

Mammon is athletic in the way a track runner is. Thick thighs save lives, you know? He's not very built on the top half of his body, but he has incredibly strong and defined leg muscles.

Levi has basic strength in areas because of games like Beat Saber where he has to move. His muscles do not show and he definitely doesn't have a six-pack.

Satan doesn't work out very often, but as a wrath demon, he's naturally somewhat muscular. It's not visible unless he stretches, but he is strong.

Asmo is athletic like a dancer is. He has strength everywhere in his body. Though he isn't as flexible as Lucifer, he can contort his body better for his lovers. <3

Beel is incredibly muscular, as we see in game. Working out basically the thing he does for fun outside of stuff for his brothers and eating. His muscles show very easily and his physical strength is only beaten by Diavolo.

Belphie doesn't have basically any muscle. He's very light because he has a high metabolism, which makes him skinny, and he doesn't eat a whole lot.

Diavolo is incredibly muscular and very strong. He's also surprisingly flexible. Diavolo doesn't work out as much as Beel, but as a royal demon, he's built to keep muscle mass easily.

Barbatos is athletic like a ballet dancer. He has strength but he's incredibly graceful. He's not as flexible as Asmo, but he does do regular ballet stretches to keep the flexibility he has. A very skilled ballet dancer.

Solomon has some muscle. He originally built strength because of Asmo and he found he enjoyed going on the occasional run and lifting weights. He's average build, but is still strong.

Simeon is athletic, but his muscles aren't very visible. He is strong, but definitely not as strong as the big brutes (Beel and Diavolo). He prefers to dance and go on runs with Solomon to keep his strength up.

Mephisto isn't strong, but he is incredibly skilled at riding horses, which has to count for something. While he can throw a mean punch, he doesn't have the muscle or strength for a real fight.

Raphael works out regularly and is quite athletic. As a soldier, he has to keep his endurance and strength up. His build is average, like Solomon, but he has hidden strength.

Thirteen is athletic. She runs around a lot, so she's built up a lot of endurance. She has some muscle, but not much because she doesn't train for it. Reapers are naturally strong, so she doesn't worry about muscles.

If you have any asks, feel free to send me them!

[fieldofdaisiies]

Scars Like Mine pt. 2

paring: Azriel x Reader | type: fluff | words: 1,6k | warnings: none. playlist: hurts | scars to your beautiful | beauty marks | stronger | fly with me finally part 2 is here, I am sorry for the long wait; part 1 (how Azriel meets Elia and her mother)

“Are we going flying now?” Elia bounces up and down on her chair, then gulps down the rest of her hot cocoa in one big sip. She taps her fingers onto the wooden table, her gaze ping-ponging between Azriel and you.

You reach for your daughter’s hand, trying to calm her a little while throwing Azriel an apologetic look, but he only smiles politely. “Azriel has just arrived here, my love, give him a little break and let him enjoy breakfast with us.”

It has become a natural thing for the three of you. Azriel has come here often in the past months, at least two times a week, to have breakfast with you and then go flying with Elia. Maybe on one or the other occasion, unbeknownst to your daughter, Azriel already arrived the evening before and spent the night with you. Yes, yes, it is true. The two of you have started dating a while ago and you couldn’t be happier. 

Elia knows that you are dating, knows that her mummy is suddenly a lot happier, and her days are brighter. Elia loves this, loves to see her mother smile and laugh so much, and loves to have Azriel here to fly with her. He is great at flying and can teach her so many things. She has already learned how to do a turn, a twist and fly a spiral. 

It gives you small heart attacks whenever you see those stunts, but you know that with Azriel, and him always being close to her, she is safe and nothing can happen to her, or will ever happen to her. 

“It is fine,” Azriel says, “I’m almost done anyway.” He takes a sip from his water, before gulping down the whole glass and rising from his chair. Your gaze follows him, the outline of his strong, solid body, and you pull your lower lip between your lips when memories of the other night fill your mind. It is insane and should be forbidden what his wicked mouth and his hands can do, and you wonder how you got so lucky to have met him. 

Not only for yourself. He is not only a god in the sheets. Azriel is everything you have ever hoped for in a male. Kind, caring, charming, wonderful, smart, and he loves your daughter and treats her with so much kindness and fatherly-love (even though she is not his daughter) your heart wants to cry. You have cried on many occasions already, not believing that you actually got so lucky to finally have this amazing male in your life. 

Azriel reaches out his hand when Elia jumps up from her chair and starts punching the air. He brushes his scarred hand over your head and smiles when he meets your gaze. “We’ll be careful, I promise.”

“I know,” you smile up at him and place your hand atop his, thumb stroking his marred skin. “I trust you.” You rise as well, and kiss him on his cheek and then pull your daughter into your arms, squeezing her tightly while plastering her face with kisses. “I also trust you, no crazy stunts or twists or spins,” you tell her, knowing it is useless anyway. 

In the corner of your eye you catch Azriel grinning at her, knowing that they plan on doing stunts and crazy twists and turns, but if it brings her joy, you would never forbid it. She will be fine you, you know it. 

⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖

“I am flying!” Elia blazes ahead of Azriel, throws him a big grin over her shoulder. She is now onto her third spin in a row, Azriel always close to her in order to catch her if she threatens to fall. She has turned into a great flyer, but Azriel doesn’t fully trust her abilities yet. She is still very young, the muscles in her wings not yet so strong. 

She is so fast, and her laughter so radiant it fills Azriel with pure bliss. Seeing her happy, it is so good and knowing how happy her happiness makes you, is all Azriel needs in life. The two of you have made his life so much better – in you he has found a family, one that resembles the one his brothers have and he couldn’t be any happier. 

“Look!” Elia hollers and Azriel grins brightly. 

“So amazing, Elia!” he shouts to her over the rising wind, showing her thumbs up. She makes another spin and now even Azriel’s stomach dips. She catches herself and blazes away once again. She twirls around Azriel when she changes direction. And then…

Out of the blue, words leave her mouth that nearly make Azriel lose balance, that nearly throw him off his wings and make him slam to the ground.

“Look, dad, I am flying like a bird. I am weightless and free” She makes another twirl, one big swirl around Azriel, grinning from one ear to the other, fully oblivious to what she has just said.

For a few months, he has flown with Elia, many times, more than he can count on both hands, but never has she called him anything but Azriel before. It is hard to catch himself now. Although he never admitted it, he has always hoped for a little family of his own and children. And now…now this might truly become reality. 

The rest of the flying session passes too quickly, Azriel is unfocused, distracted but always careful so nothing happens to your daughter, but his thoughts stray, and he finds himself imagining a future where the three of you are truly a family – you and him married, and Elia calling him dad on a daily basis. It is a beautiful dream, so beautiful tears start to burn behind his eyes when he catches Elia in his arms and helps her lower herself to the ground. 

She inhales deeply, then tucks in her wings. “I need to tell mummy about flying today, come come!” She tugs at Azriel’s hand, already setting out for your hut, dragging him along with her. 

⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖

You brush the wet sponge over his back, and softly move on to his left wing, careful not to touch the sensitive parts. Leaning in, you kiss the nape of his neck, then carry on to help him wash his back. Elia is already fast asleep, after telling you everything about the flying session while you ate dinner. It was wonderful to listen to her, and you couldn’t stop smiling when she recounted all the swirls and twirls she made and how much joy flying brings her. 

The only thing that confused you, how absentminded Azriel seemed during dinner. He hardly added any comments, normally he loved talking about flying with Elia, this time he kept calm, was mostly distracted and you really hope he will open up what has been going on within him. 

It is almost as if he can read your mind, because only a moment after you finish your thought, he says, in a voice full of emotion, “Elia called me dad today.”

You stop. Everything stops. Your hand folds over your mouth, to keep the gasp that threatens to escape contained. Tears start to build up in your eyes and then the sponge drops into the water. “Are you–is it–I hope–”

“I didn’t mind,” Azriel answers quickly, having noticed your sudden tension. He turns in the tub, tucking in his wings so he can look up at you. “Actually…” He inhales a deep breath and his eyes close. “I actually appreciated it a lot, and didn’t mind at all. I liked it,” he sheepishly admits. “I have always wanted children, and being with you and having Elia in my life as well has brought me more joy than anything else in my life before. I couldn’t be happier and her calling me dad…it felt so right.”

“It is alright for you?” you ask, carefully.

“Of course!” Azriel turns even more in the tub and places his hand on your knee. “Is it alright for you? She has a father after all and he–”

“He was an asshole and I never ever want her to have anything to do with him. You are the best thing that could happen to her, and I love that she has probably realised that as well. She has never asked for her father, she knows that he has caused us this pain, that her body is marred from fire because of his doings.” 

You swallow around the lump in your throat and tears roll down your cheeks. “I couldn’t have hoped for a better father substitute than you. You are everything I could have ever asked for and she loves you.”

“And I love you, and our little…”

“Family,” you finish for him, cradling his face in your hands and kissing his lips softly.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ˖

At first you hear a door open. Azriel is deep asleep, he doesn’t hear it and also not the soft padding of feet over the ground. The bed dips on your side, and you reach out your arms, lifting your daughter into the bed. “Can I sleep here tonight?” 

You kiss her brow. “Of course, my love.”

You help her crawl over your, so she can get comfortable between you and Azriel, snuggling up to your side, her face buried in the crook of your neck. Azriel stirs awake, but not completely, he mumbles a few incomprehensible words and then simply curls his arm around the both of you, inhaling deeply before falling right back asleep. 

You have to smile to yourself, your heart so full of love and bliss, it nearly bursts out of your chest. And the smile stays on your lips when you fall asleep, the two most important people close to you, in your arms and you know that everything is alright and a bright future is ahead of you. 

tags (crossed-out I couldn't tag) : @juulle987 @marimorena06 @danikasthings @younxii@nightcourtwritings @mrofontaine @lunalilyf @whor-3-crux @tired-all-the-time @anni-was-here @ummmmmwat @azbracadabra @j-pendragonx @hollyismentallyillhelp @famousbasementpainter @bsenpai @lena-davina @red-highlady @thesugatoyourtae @azrielsbabyg @aroseinvelaris @moony-thoughts @wrensical003 @cherryjain17 @moonfawnx @crushedcloudsx @devilsfoodcake22  @valeridarkness @azrielscertifiedslut @mulansaucey @cynicalpotato95 @hanasakr @high-bi-andreadytocry @eerievixen @feyretopia @moonlightazriel @randomness-it-is @brekkershadowsinger @eliieee23 @girasoli-e-sorrisi @illyrianvalkyriecarynthian  @kennedy-brooke @highladyofillyria @theworthlessqueen @marina468 @topaz125 @illyrian-dreamer @azriels-mate123 @eos-princess @courtofjurdan @a-frog-with-a-laptop @insufferablebookaddict @azriels-mate2 @callmeblaire @lilah-asteria

[shalomniscient]

HI SEV!!! can we pleaaase discuss zoya :3

alpha!zoya to be exact maybe... she's so big and she's so strong, and she can hold you up and fuck you mid-air

she bites all across your shoulders and neck, scenting you along the way so thickly that you're practically drowning in it

also, she seems like she's got crazy stamina and will push you to your limits, shoving your head into the pillows while your cunt flutters around her.

her knot is huge too, and she's gotta coo at you, half sweet-half condescending, as she plugs you up 😁

[nsft utc—]

cw. omegaverse

love how you don’t even play this game (yet) but have zoya on the brain LMAO truly a zoya thing to do but yeah !! alpha!zoya goes crazyyy like she’s one of those alphas who tend to be a little possessive—over the years she’s lost so much, she’ll be damned before she loses you, too. her poessessiveness makes her protective, always wanting to shield you and make sure her scent lingers on your skin and clothes. but it also makes her prone to jealousy, and oh, is she a menace when she’s jealous.

she’ll have you face down ass up on the bed, her larger frame pinning yours down as she absolutely fucking drives her hips against yours, the slap of skin against skin ringing out in the room. she drills into you like she’s got something to prove, forcing slick out of your dripping cunt as she does so, as if trying to mold you to the shape of her cock. she’ll lean down and spit filth in your ear too, about how she’ll make sure you’re ruined for anyone else, how no one’s cock but hers can make you feel this good.

she’ll make you say it back to her too, make you babble about how you’re her needy little omega, how she’s the only alpha in the world for you, who can satisfy you, satiate you. and if you stubbornly refuse? well, then one of zoya’s arm curls around your neck, the corded muscle of her bicep pressing against your throat until you start to wheeze and gasp for breath. she’ll pull your head back too, forcing your back into an arch into the bed and propping your hips up higher for her to rail her cock right into that sweet spot in your cunt. you always squirt without fail when she has you like this.

and when she cums she cums a lot, so much so that you can feel it bloat your cute tummy and spill out of your stuffed cunt and down your pretty thighs. zoya doesn’t moan but she grunts and growls in your ear the whole while, the sound addling your brain even more, somehow. but zoya doesn’t stop even after she pushes her knot into you and breeds you full—no, she’ll keep going, shallowly thrusting into you and making you cum more and more around her cock until you actually pass out.

but when you wake up, the fog of her lust has usually passed, though it comes at the cost of your cunt being incredibly sensitive and your entire body terribly sore. but by this point her gentler, more caring alpha instincts surface, and she softly noses ar your mating bite, lightly kissing it to soothe you as her hand brushes reverently over your abdomen, right over where she’s still buried in you.

she’ll help you shower later, washing the cum from your legs and any extra that drips out of you, before heading to the kitchen to fix you something to eat. though before that she’ll give you one of her jackets—she scented it beforehand—for you to wear. she knows it’s equally comforting for you, and she always wants you to be comfortable, above all else. you’re her darling, precious, mate after all.

[cerise-angel]

Smarty

+18 Keys x Reader

word count: 2,955

Keys is a pretty handsome guy. The kind of guy that makes anyone feel at ease just by staring at his hazel, puppy-like eyes. He has a pretty slope nose, cute freckles and small moles on his face and body, soft shiny hair and a perfect smile. Keys knows that he's pretty. He likes to act as if he's completely oblivious to his own charms, adding to the whole shy aloof tech guy persona. He knows the look girls and boys give to him, wanting to eat him up. He likes the attention, even though it still makes him flush at the neck and ears sometimes. He likes the way the girls giggle and offer him help when he has trouble with the printer at his job. He knows the flirty eyes and lingering touches girls give to him when he explains something to them, and how wildly they react and he swallows nervously. He knows the sultry tone of voice they use whenever he's alone with them in an elevator. He likes when they touch his cheeks, talking about how cute he looks with his glasses. Keys knows all of it.

He thinks is funny how you seem to act so untouched by his charming aura. He knows you're not imune to him, he noticed the slightly dazed look on your face whenever he talks to you. How you get fidgety, like a scared kitten, when he sits too close to you in meetings. And his favorite, how you cant keep eye contact, looking away and flushing every time. Keys thinks is cute, the way you avoid him, while also acting as if he's not affecting you at all. But then again, he knows he is.

It's friday, and as usual, the small office is nearly empty. Mouser has already left, with a promise of finishing his coding at home. Millie's desk is on your other side, leaving you between her and Keys. It's a little annoying sometimes, because they chat as if you weren't there, or worse, as if you were some kind of wall that they need to dodge to talk to each other. Other than that is nice. Millie is nice with you, and you consider yourselves to be friends. Keys is nicer, but the way you look at him makes clear you don't consider him your friend. He's in undefined territory, since you want him but don't want him to know it. He obviously has better things, or people, to do.

Millie looks at you smiling and waving, before plugging her notebook off, and leaves the place in quiet steps. She doesn't say anything to Keys, as she usually would, but then you realize its because he's focused on something, big headset on, eyes and nose scrunching in concern. You dont know for how long you stare at his face before he catches you, a mischievous glint to the smile he gives to you.

"What you doing?"

You shake your head before answering, feeling your armpits getting warmer with embarrassment. "Just, hm, Millie just left." Keys nods, taking the headset off, before turning his chair to you. He's still smiling, but is almost boyish now. He gets up walking to your desk, stopping just before his waist can touch your shoulders.

"No, what are you still doing here? Having any trouble?" You look at the slight messed up script on your computer screen. Sheepishly you nod, letting him invade the space between you and your desk. He works in silence, typing fast, the blue light of the screen reflecting in his glasses. You can seem to look away from him, inspecting his face and hair and hands and the lean muscles of his forearms, almost concealed by the rolled up sleeves of his grey shirt. It's almost too much, and you feel embarrassed by ogling him, staring quickly at the pen holder on your desk. If Keys notices it he doesn't show you. He does notices it, though. It takes him a lot of inner strength to not let a satisfied smile appear on his face. Instead, he keeps focused on the screen, catching glimpses of your face reflected in the mirror.

Suddenly Keys stops typing, and runs a hand to his hair. You look at the screen in awe. He smiles at you. "Done." You look up to him ready to thank him for helping you, but with the way he looks at you and the way he looks so handsome just standing in the dim lighting has the words caught up in your throat. You swallow, trying to find focus to speak, but he beats you.

"You're still having trouble aren't you?" You frown, not really understanding what he means. You want to ask him, opening your mouth to do so, but his hands cradle your face, he finds his way to stay between your thighs, and pulls your face gently up, to stare at his blown pupils eyes. You don't know to what exactly you're answering, but you nod your head yes, letting your lips part slowly, your breathing starting to get a little ragged. His hands are soft against your cheeks, a little bit of roughness on the tips of the fingers. Keys smile.

"Do you still need my help?" And now you get it, nodding a little too eagerly, tingling anxiety on your armpits, hands and neck. Keys chuckle at you, shaking his head a little. You feel like you're doing too much and intend to pull away, only for him to bend over and attach his lips to yours. His lips are a little chapped, tasting like coffee and melon bubble gum. He kisses you softly, letting you frustrated when he pulls away. His mouth moves to kiss your eye, your cheeks, the edge of your jaw, and your mouth again. He devours you then. The kiss is passionate, his hand running through your scalp to hold you more firmly, nested on the nape of your neck. You kiss him back urgently, letting him lick inside your mouth, sighing with want. Your hands twitch going to hold him by his shirt. Keys pull away, lingering kisses on your forehead.

"What do you want my help with?" He kisses your temple.

"With the mess between your thighs?" He kisses your nose while smiling.

"With the way you keep looking at me, like im not gonna notice those pretty eyes?" He kisses your jaw, nipping the soft skin. You gasp.

"With the way you ignore me? Hurting me?" You clutch his shirt harder, pulling him to kiss you again. He does, happy with your reaction. He kisses your mouth again, slow and lustful, earning whines from how much you want him. His hands go to your waist, for you to get up off your chair. You pull him harder, too anxious to trust your hands exploring on their own. Keys walks back until he sits down on his chair and pulls you to his lap with ease. You sit, arms tangling on his neck, before kissing him again. He dodges, and your kiss lands on his cheekbone.

"Wanna go to my place or to yours?" You think a little, too dazed by him.

"My house is 5 minutes away." He nods. "Mine is two blocks away."

You smile sheepishly, nesting yourself against his warm embrace. "Yours then." He nods too, looking at you in what seems adoration. "Atta girl."

The walk to his building is unnerving. Keys has his arm thrown lazily on your shoulders, as if this was a usual thing. Your body seems to think the same, and you hug him by the waist before you can think about it. He kisses the tip of your nose for that, a subtle new hint of adoration in his eyes. It's nice being so close to someone that you can smell their perfume, their sunscreen, the gum they're chewing, their sweat. Keys is warm, and you indulge yourself in being in his arms on a chilly evening. You could do this every day. You want to do this every day.

The building doesn't have a doorman, and Keys opens the door to you, making a silly face. He tells you his apartment is on the 8th floor, and so, you two walk to the elevator. His body is still glued to yours, hands holding hands, thighs touching thighs. The moment the elevator door closes, his lips are on yours again. It's soft, not nearly as desperate as before, but just as ardent. You pull him by his waist, locking one of legs between yours. He whines in your mouth when you touch a silver of exposed skin between his pants and t shirt. You want to hear him again. Keys slows you down, kissing you languidly and locking your hands with his. You are about to whine about it, but the elevator opens up. When he pulls back and looks at you, his eyes are a pool of molasses, warm and full of affection and yearning. He smiles while you pout at him. "Easy, tiger."

You giggle and he pulls you along the yellow lightning hallway. You feel giddy and excited, the way you felt when you had your first kiss. He looks so handsome in the dim lightning, the yellow hues only enhancing his tanned skin and caramel locks. You wanna eat him up. When he notices your not so subtle staring he laughs, giving you a quick peck on the cheeks before unlocking the door. Keys' place is quite neat, some mess of books and coffee mugs on the small table. You cant look around much, his lips are on your neck, his hands roaming between your ribcage and waist. When he touches your tits, a barely there, whisper of a touch, you gasp. He seems to like your reaction, grunting against your hair. Walking together you both reach his bedroom, where he turns you on his arms. Keys kisses you, urgently, teeth nipping lip, and suddenly you two are on the bed. You pull away, feeling too anxious now that this is actually happening.

"Keys." He's kissing your neck now, his hands under your shirt, his pelvis in synch with yours. You try again. "Keys, I wan-ah-na talk." He stops immediately, looking up to your face with blown pupils and shiny lips. You cant resist the urge to touch him, cupping his cheeks.

"I like you." He gives you a smirk, one of his hands coming up to stroke your cheek. "I can see that." He gestures to the way your legs are wrapped on his waist, locking him against you. You smile softly.

"No, like, I really like you. I don't want this to be a one time thing. I couldn't bear it." He sighs, and looks a little confused. He catches your hands, and kisses your knuckles. He cups your face then. "Honey, i've been trying to get to you for a long time. I want you for a long time. I wouldn't keep chasing you, if this was a one time thing."

You snort, happy he seems to feel the same as you. "You didnt chase me." He laughs ironically, ducking in to kiss your neck. "I did, you just never noticed."

Before you could keep arguing with him, and probably ruin the mood, his mouth was on yours again, a new intention behind the kiss. You grabbed him by his shirt, pulling him even closer to you. You pull away to kiss his neck, and place his hands on tour tits. He gasps and squeezes them softly, whining when you roll your hips against his. "You're too warm. Lets take this off."

You nod eagerly helping him to pull your shirt off. His comes next, and then your jeans and his jeans. Keys kisses you again, and you remove your bra. He pulls back, sitting on his ankles to watch you almost bare before him. He licks his lips, hands going straight to your tits. He squeezes them, focused on your reactions. He kisses one nipple and then the other before fully attaching his mouth to one of them. His thumb flicks the other, and you start to get impossibly wet. Still attached to your breast, his other hand descent to tease your cunt, pressing your cotton covered clit. You moan, and Keys looks up, smiling with his mouth engulfing your breast. You're getting impatient tugging him, squirming legs while he keeps teasing you. He gives you enough to stay in the halfway between your release, but never enough. Keys adores the way you whine and begs for more.

Finally he pulls your panties down, and licks your cunt. You almost cum just from that, back arching, hands tugging his soft hair. You can feel him smile against you and that only makes you wetter. He looks at you, glasses still on.

"Take them off for me please?" You nod, shaking hands taking his glasses and placing delicately at the bedside table. He licks you again, completely focused on your cunt, licking, kissing, devouring it. Keys presses his fingers at your entrance, and you push yourself against them in a desperate attempt.

"So needy, baby." The condescending tone in his voice and the way he pushes one finger inside, then the other, has you crying, clutching tightly to his sheets. He moves them slowly, testing you. "Can you take more?"

You answer yes panting, and he kisses the skin below your belly button as a reward. He adds a third finger and slowly sets a pace, his mouth glued to your clit. He alternates between licking and kissing your cunt and biting playfully at your thighs. You want him to eat you up, and he does, allowing your pleasure to flood through your senses, leaving you with ragged breaths and shaking limbs. Keys seems satisfied when he lays his head on your stomach, his hands caressing the sides of your ribs. He smiles lazily, pure bliss in his eyes, and you smile back, reaching to pet his hair.

"Didn't know you were this skilled in girls department, Mr. Keys." He laughs, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He climbs on top of you, his cock poking close to your cunt. You feel hot all over, and in a bold move, you grab his butt. Keys gasps and feigns a shocked expression before kissing your lips.

"Wanna be inside you." He says softly, before hiding his face between your neck and shoulder. You think is adorable, how he was just between your legs making you moan desperately, and now he seems shy about wanting to have you. You pull his face gently, kissing the tip of his nose. "Then be inside me."

He wastes no time, pushing his boxers down and hurriedly lining himself with you. You feel the air leave your lungs when he sinks in you, it's a nice burning stretch. "Jesus-f-fuck Keys!"

He whimpers and his hands grip you harder. "Sorry, sorry baby. So so sgood, feels so good." Keys starts slowly, allowing your body to get used and to feel all of him. Even though it's still burning, you need more, so you snap your hips against his. He groans, fucking you harder, meeting your hips in synch. Keys brings your legs up his shoulders, allowing him to feel you deeper, to fuck you deeper. His eyes never leave yours, and the way his face scrunch up, every time he fills you entirely, is enough to leave you a whimpering mess. He's close to his release and the soft babbling of how good you feel, how perfect is your pussy, how you look so pretty underneath him has you on the brink of your orgasm too.

Keys bends a little to reach your mouth with his own, and you lose all control, engulfing his body in a warm embrace of arms and legs and kisses. He keeps kissing you, swallowing your cries and slowing down. "Where do you want me, baby?" Everywhere. You want him under your skin, between your ribs, close to your heart. "In me, please." He grunts, rolling his hips slowly, making you mewl. "So polite, so good to me, so, so pretty, such a pretty little face, such a pretty little cunt."

You gasp, and Keys keeps fucking you slowly, steadily, focused on how you feel wrapped around him. You hold him tightly, still on your post climax haze, and he spills inside you. He collapses on top of your body, hands finding rest on your sides. His right hand fetches yours, and the lazy smile on his face when you squeeze his fingers between yours is enough to end all wars. Keys kisses your sternum, your throat, your chin and finally your lips. Is soft and languid, your legs finally resting on the mattress instead of locking his body closer to yours. He smiles between kissing, his hand now caressing your cheeks. "I quite like you, you know." You smile, so happy it almost hurt your cheeks. "I quite like you too." Keys rolls to the side, pulling you to lay beside him. A small blanket is throw over you but you're too focused on Keys' warmth and soft pine smell to notice. He kisses your mouth, nipping softly on the flesh before hugging you closely and dozing off to sleep.

[biteofcherry]

Hi!!! I ADORE the Nesting universe. Can we please have more drabbles? Does Reader come around to Steve's attentions? What's her favorite thing that Steve does as far as spoiling her? Does she do things for Steve too (and what does he like best)? Does she meet the rest of the family and how does she get along with everyone?

It's difficult for the Reader to decide on her opinion of this whole relationship. Aside from being a ruthless mob boss - a side of Steve that really scares her - Steve's very caring and patient with her. Yes, he is overprotective, but he somehow finds reasonable middle ground to meet her needs and desires too (lbh, he does it in a way that gets him what he wants, but is so subtle the Reader thinks her own demands were met). She can't fully accuse him of hiding her from the world, or forbidding her to do things. Which makes being angry with him difficult.

And Steve does a lot of wonderful things, which would make her fall head over heels if only he wasn't a lethal criminal. She especially likes when he brings her fave sweet treats without occasion, or buys romance novels she likes to indulge in (he sometimes reads them to her in bed, aloud, and then snort that he can do it better... and shows her exactly how).

Most of all, she goes weak for how invested in the pregnancy and starting a family he is. Yeah, he's cocky and arrogant about knocking her up, but he's also actively participating in preparations. The fact he's very calm and supportive when Reader has a few meltdowns and scares regarding giving birth, makes her rely on him more and more. Even if sometimes it terrifies her when he speaks of keeping her full of him time after time.

She meets everyone who is important to Steve - which is a small circle of family and close friends. His mother adores her, though they had one tense discussion about how dangerous Steve is.

However, Steve kind of regrets appointing Yelena and Natasha as Reader's security. They're extremely efficient, but also like to indulge in some of whims he rather doesn't approve of. Like the time he had late meetings and got home only to find out his pregnant wife and her bodyguards were partying at a club...

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Natasha slides next to him before he even notices. She can move like a shadow and it's one of the reasons he chose her to protect you.

"Safe and sound, only releasing some tension." Romanoff chuckles, pointing at where you and Yelena twirl on the dance floor.

You had zero alcohol in your blood, only the fizzy cherry coke, but you feel a little drunk.

On endorphins.

Your face glows, eyes closed in bliss as you dance. The cobalt blue dress you wear is loose - more comfortable for your slightly rounded belly - but it's so short that more energetic twirls almost expose your ass.

A muscle in Steve's jaw twitches as he stares at you.

You're the hottest sight, but you're also showing off something that is his.

You are full of him and some people here still crave after you, as if they could ever scrape the mark of his ownership off you.

Your moves remind him of the night you met. His eyes set on you that evening and he couldn't look away. Perhaps you weren't the greatest dancer in the world, but the way you moved and how you tilted your head made him think of how you'd look when he fucked you.

You dance like that now, too.

As if you're begging to be fucked.

So maybe it's you who still doesn't fully accept the fact you belong to someone.

Steve undoes a button on his jacket, white beater beneath glowing bright under the strobe lights. He slowly strides towards you, people parting in his wake; a predator zeroed in on a clueless prey.

He gives a nod and Yelena smoothly dances away before you even notice.

Then he presses himself behind you, wrapping an arm around your middle, his hand splayed on your belly.

You jump at the first brush of a big, sturdy body against yours. But the possessive move of his hand and the scent of him (so familiar by now) makes you freeze.

"If you needed to release some tension," Steve murmurs into your ear, "I know better ways to do it."

You gasp out his name and try to turn around, but his hold on you tightens.

He starts moving, and forces you to move along with him, rocking your hips into his as the beat of the music turns more sensual.

His low voice in your ear makes you shiver. Your breath hitches when his other hand slides up your bare thigh and beneath your dress.

"If you wanted to dance," Steve's tone turns darker in the unmistakable sign of sealing your tormented fate.

"-you can give me a show."

Suddenly, he turns you around, so you're facing him. Both of his hands are locked on your hips, the fabric of your dress bunched up indecently.

"I'm taking you home." Steve declares. "You'll dance for me, little wife."

"And you won't get to release your tension until I'm satisfied with your performance."

[callofdudes]

141 + Rodolfo & Laswell general headcanons

Before he was Ghost (and still sometimes after) he was the guy you'd go to if you had a rip in something or wanted something stitched/embroidered.

His brother was the type to bully him like he did, but if anyone outside the home tried to hurt Simon Tommy would beat them.

Had a schedule where he was to be home straight after school but would sometimes get to go dirt bike riding with Tommy.

Was a prime bullies target because he was very small before his growth spurts. And after said growth spurt has a lot of stretch marks around most of his muscle area.

Is the favorite child of Laswell.

Loves squishmellows, has many.

Will eat Thrills gum just to spite everyone even though it tastes like dish soap and he hates it.

Brings all Gossip to Gaz first.

Because of trauma and stress Simon gets constant migraines and everyone knows to avoid him because he gets insanely cranky.

Knows spanish from how long he was kept in mexico.

Used to play those computer games where you had to input the command of what you wanted the simulation to do.

Doesn't like VR. It's cool but he gets motion sick inside.

Huge mama's boy.

Had braces when he was younger but it didn't stop him from showing off his amazing smile.

Used to bug his older sisters with nerd guns.

I like the idea of Johnny being the youngest chaos gremlin but being the middle child also works for him. (Of two or three sisters)

His parents let him be in football because he was a very smart kid. Topping his science and math classes and becoming valedictorian of his class.

He thinks he's the favorite child of Laswell.

Gets scared when Simon tells him about pixel command prompt games.

While his sisters were watching Frozen he was dealing with the weird crush he had on the king.

Steals pick up lines from Kyle.

Doesn't voice his achievements a whole lot because he wasn't enough for his dad when he was younger no matter what he did. Which has led to his snarky form of confidence and Rizz.

Even older people with take credit for his work and he will fight.

Was 100% a theatre kid.

And an only child.

Is scared to come out even to people close to him after what happened when his platoon mates first found out and wouldn't let it go.

Also thinks he's the favorite child.

Almost got his eyebrow pierced once.

Started to learn what a good father should be because of Price.

Brings all gossip to Ghost first.

Massive people watcher. People credit Ghost for his people watching but it just gives Kyle more opportunity to also people watch.

Has a mentor/big brother little brother relationship with Ghost and they're actually very close.

Used to be a menace when he was younger, and to be fair he still is.

Can't have kids because his balls don't work very well 😅

He was in history in school and was also very good at math.

The Duolingo bird hates him for some reason so he's taken to learning languages from interrogations, now knows 7 languages.

Is Nikolai's permanent backup plan if some shit goes down in Russia and has gotten used to waking up with the man asleep on his couch.

Attracts girls looking for older rich men and it pains him to tell them he is not old, nor is he rich.

Had a strict Military dad who currently still works for the military as a higher rank than him and they do not have a good relationship.

Spends most of her leave time up in the mountains camping. She loves being out in nature.

Has older brothers who are really into rock climbing so she'll accompany them and their friends for rock climbing and camping when she can.

Simon is the favorite child.

Everyone thinks she's married to Price but she'd actually scold him like a child half the day and encourage his antics like a good friend for the rest.

Was in the history and chest club.

Keeps gifting Simon his squishmellows.

Mother to all her 141 children.

Brings her wife to base and Johnny had taken to calling them the "moms".

Will bully people for 141.

Have you ever seen the crazy taser girl?? Yeah, that's him. He has many tasers and he loves them all.

He's actually crazy.

Very capable of yelling and defending himself but Alejandro has bestie senses and usually beats him to whoever did it.

Rudy is quiet but don't bark at him because he barks back.

Alejandro and Rudy used to skip school and go hang out on the cliffs they now trek for military.

His father made a joke once that he was going to get milk and Rudy never recovered mentally.

(and then he left for real-)

He was in photography and sports team manager in school.

After checking out each other's turf, Simon and Rudy are now chronically insane besties.

(had this in my drafts for a while, decided to post because I'm bored.)

[puzzled-pegasus]

Heroes of Olympus---fitness/body related hcs

***Idk if anyone would even plan on it but Please do not comment or tag this as anything sexual as it is not meant like that in any way whatsoever***

Percy

Everyone lost some weight on the big Argo II voyage due to stress and all the fighting and everything, Percy is no exception. 

In general, though, he is still leaner than Jason and has slightly less upper body/ pectoral strength than he does.

However, he has THE fucking core strength ever

Unless he's been really, really exerting himself he normally has a cushion of belly fat over his abs but if you feel his abs they're wow so strong

Also bunch of shoulder strength, he does lots of climbing

He honestly needs some squish especially in scenes set After Gaea’s defeat. One of the reasons im writing these hcs is that I hate the fanarts that give the demigods six or eight pack abs and 0 body fat like?? Have u ever seen a 16-17 year old boy with chiseled abs. Especially one that eats like mr Jackson. His mother is feeding him good on seven layer dip and cheeseburgers and cookies and blue candy and he drinks blue cherry Coke and eats his fill of barbecue every day at camp you Cannot tell me he has no body fat arrgggh

He probably looked like that while he was in Tartarus though bc he was probably really dehydrated and exhausted lmaoo

V good sense of balance and coordination

Jason

Jason’s got more strength in his arms/shoulders/upper body than anything else

Big arm and chest muscles

Also naturally has belly--when he's not worried abt food--but he tends to stand taller so you can't see it as much

Probably lost the most weight on the voyage. Too busy making sure everyone else was okay and also healing from his various injuries. He also had to be absolutely sure there was enough food for everyone else so he was worried abt taking too much

Generally spends more time exercising and has hardly ever seen a junk food in his life and eats a lot of protein bc hes always lived at camp jupiter so he's very muscle

Piper

Piper didn't really start exercising until she came to camp so she's probably the least physically strong in comparison

More squish than Annabeth. Carries fat in hips and thighs and belly

Thinks/feels like she's fat and low key worries abt it

Was only mildly disappointed when she started demigod training and her belly didn't instantly disappear lol

Kind of jealous of how Annabeth is so thin and athletic but Annabeth wishes she had Pipers thighs/boob/curves loll the curse of being a woman

Piper also feels like she has baby face compared to Annabeth bc she has chubbier cheeks and it annoys her

She's got a pretty good sense of balance tho

Pretty good at running fast but she doesn't have as much stamina as Annabeth

Shes quite flexible also

Pretty good swimmer

Annabeth

Naturally quite thin

been training her whole life so she's got strong arms and legs and core

Really good at running and sprinting

Very agile too

Core strength and upper body strength 

Great at dodging attacks, less good at blocking

Tallest of the girlies

Climber shoulders/back muscles

Wishes she had Piper’s curves kinda. She doesn't care all that much but occasionally is like damn wouldn't that be nice

Frank

Arrgh I hate how in the middle of the series Rick took away all of his fat. Screw you sir. Put it back. Put it bacK

So Frank Immediately gets his tum back in the span of a few weeks

He's also really tired for the next however long after the Mars boy magic adrenaline wears off bc where's his fuel??? Gone!!

Very good at Lifting stuff. He had to carry stuffs for his grandma all the time bc she was old

Mostly strong in the arms and chest/pectorals

His growth spurt happened real quick so he's still not used to how big he is which is why he's all clumsy

Needs to work on balance and coordination lol

Although he got most of his chub back, his Babyface™ didn't come back quite so strong

Hazel

Hazel is the shortest girlie

Was really thin back in the 40s and then gained quite a bit soon after she came back to life. She was very confused and probably horrified

This was bc of a combination of having a growth spurt, pressure on little girls to be thin back then and the times having changed now, having enough to eat now, and changes in the amounts of additives and high fructose corn syrup and shit in foods

She was really distraught for a while bc much like Nico’s internal conflict with The Gay, decades ago being chubby was an unforgivable sin for a little girl

Obv not to Nico’s extent bc I don't think people were killed for being fat but still

It takes her a while to see it as not a bad thing but just a thing

She has pretty evenly distributed muscle strength because when she started exercise at camp jupiter they worked All The Groups

Leo

We love our tiny little shrimp man

He didn't get enough to eat during his growth spurt so he's kind of stunted

Even though he's a hephaestus boy he could not for the life of him build a lot of muscle

He's not that strong

He's probably pretty flexible though

Nico

Also stunted because he didn't eat enough in his growth spurt

Pretty strong though

Smol but he is still growing

Is getting taller and will almost definitely surpass Leo

Also is slowly gaining a healthy amount of weight as he stays at camp and Will makes him eat and sleep more regularly and now he's less tired all the time

Pretty good core strength and balance and agility

Looks more his child age now that his cheeks are more filled in

Reyna

Buff Girl

Girlie works out when shes stressed and now she's got muscles like steel cables

Im talking arms, shoulders, core, legs, glutes

Can arm wrestle Jason and win even if he does try his darnedest

Incredible sprinter

Does so many squats that she got the whole bakery lol

Really likes her muscles

Flexes in the mirror

Jason expressed to her how impressive it was a few times and it was partially why she fell in love with him lol

Will

Will has pretty good arm muscles actually and can lift heavy stuffs

Can lift his bf easily

He has a soft tum tho and padding on his arms

Does yoga and stretching and that works his core

Soft

Eats good proteins and veggies and gets good sleeps

Healthy boi 10/10

[lostinforestbound]

I literally cannot control myself so here's a part two! Some of these were inspired by @graysparrowao3's response to my questions! Please go check them out if you haven't already, they're an amazing writer!

General Lia and Cal Headcannons Part 2

Lia

While she may be on the thinner side, she definitely has a toned body. You need a lot of strength to even pull back the string of a good bow, so I imagine she would have definitely shoulder, back, and arm muscles popping out.

When Lia is scared, it comes out as anger. It could be mistaken as fearlessness, especially with the way she snapped at the Warden. She was terrified when stuck in Moonrise; where was Rolan? Did he make it out okay? Is he even alive? What if these cultists take Cal away from her? She has never been more terrified in her life than those moments, not even in the Descent.

I think she would have physically fought Rolan at least once. Not to extreme harm! More like a sibling dispute (grabbing, shoving, yanking on hair, etc). She would never go as far as pinching his ears or stepping on his tail though.

For a while after their mother died, Lia had a period where she was extremely bitter. At first she cried quite a bit in Rolan's arms, but then she started snapping at him. Part of the change of attitude was thinking Rolan moved on too quickly (he didn't). This is where their arguments first began.

For once in her life, Lia wants to feel safe. She's had nightmares about her throat getting slit, of waking up with her brothers being dead. She has a good handle on them most nights, and its easy to go back to sleep. However, some nights are so bad she ends up going into either Cal's or Rolan's room to cuddle and sleep.

Once in a while, Lia will buy herself flowers. She doesn't know why she does this, but it makes her feel nice, so why not? She loves plants either way, and will probably keep them in her room to take care of. (I feel like she's the type to own cacti! And maybe threaten Rolan with said cacti)

Lia is definitely on the "tough love" side when it comes to comforting others. Sometimes it can be received well but other times it doesn't. It definitely doesn't work with Cal most days, but it can certainly work with Rolan.

Sometimes Lia genuinely fears she hates Rolan. She knows in her heart she doesn't at all, she loves her brother to death, but some fights with him can get bad and she gets very close to saying that she hates him. She has never told anyone this, and she never will.

She's big on words of affirmation to whoever her lucky partner is! And she's definitely the type to bring flowers on a first date, and she knows about flower language! Not a lot of it, but definitely the basics. She wouldn't bring a whole bouquet, more like a small bundle. (I think she would give White Camellia's! Which, if I remember correctly, practically means "You're Adorable")

She knows Cal admires Rolan more. She doesn't blame him, Rolan is amazing in many different ways. But there's some unsolved resentment that she feels towards that fact. Why doesn't Cal admire her in the way he admires Rolan? Did she do something wrong? This is something she will take to her grave.

Cal

Cal's character sheet shows he has a 16 strength, so he's pretty damn strong. I would also say he's pretty toned, but would have a soft middle area, which is perfect for cuddling to his lucky partner.

I think Cal is deeply traumatized by the Descent, but he feels as though he can't talk about it because Rolan and Lia refuse to themselves (they both are traumatized too). It was horrifying, watching people turn on them and seeing devils and monsters stalk the streets. It was hurtful, being completely exiled after they were finally safe. Can they all please sit down and talk about it, no matter how painful? This goes the same for Moonrise.

He got so used to being Lia and Rolan's emotional anchor that he often forgets he needs that same support; it isn't about him. When someone finally listens to him completely he's never felt so euphoric. Finally!

To add to the previous point, he feels as though he isn't trusted enough by those two. He's not sure if it's because he's the youngest, but he doesn't appreciate it at all.

Cal is absolutely a stress-baker. Anytime he's not handling stress well, he will bake. And I mean bake. He will spend hours baking multiple treats to give himself something to do, and it does genuinely help him feel better. (This could apply to cooking depending on the ingredients they have available in the tower)

I feel as though Cal is very close to snapping at the other two. Like, genuinely yelling and being pissed with them! He's been dealing with their bickering for a very long time now, and it only got worse after what they've been through. For once, can they consider his damn feelings about everything?

When comforting anyone, depending on the relationship, he can be very touchy. A hand on the shoulder, giving a hug, or keeping close is his go-to. Of course this will depend on the person, he'll respect boundaries if they don't like touch or just don't want it.

I think Cal's love language is gift giving for his lucky partner! He would either bake a sweet, get some flowers with the help of Lia, bring something he cooked, or buy something that they were eyeing on a date. He's very shy about it in the beginning, but over time he would build more confidence.

He loves Lia to death, but sometimes he thinks she can be too harsh. He understands where her anger can stem from in the moment, but her resorting to insults and purposefully provoking Rolan? How is that productive? It doesn't help the problem, it makes it worse. But as always, he isn't really listened to.

The first thing Cal would do in Baldur's gate is just sleep. A deep sleep that he desperately needed for a while. Rolan will go to his new apprenticeship, Lia would go find some work, all the while Cal will sleep for 16 hours. He's certainly groggy the next day, but he knows he needed that to start fresh.

Extras (Feat. Rolan)

These three haven't talked about Moonrise much. They haven't had the time to, or time to process the events. They literally saw someone get their eyes removed and tongue cut out. They saw people who they were traveling with get slaughtered left and right. They all need to go to therapy.

When they finally all move into the tower, the first night, they insist on sleeping in the same bed as Rolan. Just like when they were little. After everything, they wanted to make sure Rolan was okay (they know full well he isn't). This is the first night in a while that Rolan isn't plagued by nightmares.

The three of them have trouble adjusting to their new normal. Suddenly having a permanent home so big throws them off their game. They weren't traveling for very long, but they went through so much that having somewhere safe to stay has them reeling. They had no idea what to do first, but they figure it out together.

They absolutely would both help Rolan through panic/anxiety attacks, no matter the situation. At night after a night terror? They're already in the room with water and extra blankets. In a middle of a fight? Fuck the argument, they'll put it on pause and deal with it later. Rolan does not have attacks often, but when they do happen, they help him every time. Does it scare them? Of course it does, they never want to see their brother hurting like that.

Cal and Rolan take turns making meals for the three of them. Lia doesn't cook much so she helps out by washing dishes and setting the table up. She'll go as far as prepping ingredients as well if they're making a bigger meal.

They all don't like the cold. Tieflings run hot, but the cold doesn't bring too many good memories, especially for Rolan. When it became just the three of them after their mothers death, the colder months were much harder to deal with. There wasn't as much food available, prices of wooden logs grew higher, and they didn't have a lot of money to celebrate the winter holidays to their fullest extent. Though the winter months become more bearable when they settle in Baldur's gate, finally comfortable.

They have "sleepovers" once in a while, where they all sleep in the same room! Life gets busy, so occasionally, they gather in the biggest room and spend the night together. Cal makes his best sweets, Lia sets up a blanket and pillow fort, and Rolan gives the best light show he can muster. They all look forward to these nights because it's so special to them. A tradition they hope to keep forever.

[teabunnee]

Begins screaming pleading for anything with the Graveborn, especially Igor, Carolina and Viperious 😭🙏 they do NOT get enough love, at least not yet, and I have a weakness for creepy-looking but sweet/silly characters

Igor 

Igor is a whirlwind, no doubt about that. 

That being sad, he’s a bit of a puppy sometimes, he follows you everywhere like a big, scary, glowing guard dog. 

Very protective of you, and he’s a great, if rather overzealous, protector. 

He’s very unpredictable, sometimes he’ll just poof in, give you a spinecrushing hug and kiss your breath away, then poof away with an insane laugh.  

Dates happen pretty much when you decide hanging out with him is a date. He loves it either way. 

Dude doesn’t understand romances. If he’s confused, he tilts his head. He has very big dog energy that makes you forget he is also a very spooky undead guy with a lantern over his head. He’ll try anything once. But anything he finds out he really likes? He does it frequently. 

Igor is a pretty sentimental sort of dude, he gives you flowers and gifts you might like, mostly stuff you can find on the road, and probably grave offerings, but it’s the thought that counts!

Igor loves cuddling. He always has an arm around you, or holding your hand, or just hunkering over you like a demented street lamp. 

He likes to spin you around, and he can, no matter how large or heavy you are. 

He likes to give you kisses, though his lips are a bit rough and scarred,

Carolina 

Carolina is a very gentle lover, I think. And quite old fashioned. 

She enjoys tea parties, though I’m not sure if she can taste it, the company is much appreciated 

Any sort of affection makes her melt, sometimes literally. 

She can be a bit oblivious, and curious, not a great combo. 

She likes long walks in nature, though most time “nature” is in the snow during the night, so dress warm! She’s quite warm herself, actually, so stay close to her! 

Fiercely, fiercely loyal, she sees you as her family, and she will do anything to protect you. 

Court her properly, and you’ll see stars and tears in her eyes. She never thought she would ever have such a thing, not since she became a grave born. 

She’s not very well versed in modern ways of romance, but just the idea of it makes her happy. She’s willing to learn, even if she gets a bit confused. 

She likes to lie on your chest, listening to your heartbeat and your breathing, should you not be a grave born. 

Carolina sometimes has nightmares, and she goes to you for comfort, crying about her family, about how much she misses them. 

Her kisses are very sweet, and lingering. Cheek kisses are her go-to 

Viperian

Viperious loves to talk about his experiments, he loves debates and a meeting of the mind. Should you be able to understand, and willing to talk about his experiments, he is thrilled. Even if you don’t, just having you willing to listen is quite a lot. Sure, he enjoys it when people are repulsed, and he's not adverse to that reaction from you, but talking about with you? Moths in his stomach.

You hang out in his workplace as he works, and he treats it like a date.

He likes to study your face, as if picking each feature apart, piece by piece, running his fingers down your palms to feel the muscles and sinew. It’s not necessarily nsfw, it’s more of an intimacy thing.

He’s surprisingly congenial, friendly and earnest, despite his whole experimenting with organic material in rather than macabre ways. He can also get a bit…excited and hyperfixated, and doesn’t quite understand why people don’t like the same things he does. 

His idea of romance is a bit…stunted due to his time focusing on his work rather than interpersonal relationships, but he’s willing to learn nonetheless. 

He might take you out on a midnight stroll in a graveyard. For a treat. He takes your hand, humming a tune you’d recognise from his workshop. 

The finale of the date might also have a lovely dinner with you, served by several of his undead experiments. Surprisingly tasty. 

Viperian’ snake likes you too, they enjoy tangling around your legs, and pushing themselves into your cheek. They’re probably safe. Probably. 

[saltedriceball]

How I imagine the Mystreet characters

Because they’re block-shaped in the show, but my 12 yr old ass imagined them as real people. 🕺

* I mainly kept up with Aphmau when I was 10-12 years old, I fully stopped watching after Mystreet 5 *

* I didn’t watch MCD 🙊 *

*this is mostly PDH (my fav, I was 12)*

Aphmau

It’s just Jess.

Kawaii Chan

Like average height

5’4” ish

Thick thighs save lives

Whole wardrobe is baby pink and white

Idk grown me thinks she was a cam girl (in Mystreet, not Phoenix Drop ✋)

And she made bank too

She’s not very athletic, but she’s just like blessed proportion-wise

Pale, but not as much as portrayed

Idk I always thought she’d actually be Japanese since she uses Japanese terms

Pin straight hair she curls only at the bottom

Like ribbon

Katelyn

Quite tall

5’9”ish

Muscular but in like a

~she’s a runner she’s a track star~

Type of way

She just looks athletic

Flat though

Paler than KC

Her hair is wavy-curly naturally

She kinda lets it just flow or it’s in a ponytail

Zane

Quite chubby

Idk how anyone watched that show and thought

*man who despises the outdoors, hates exercise, and enjoys sweet things*

“Must be tall and skinny”

The fan art I viewed in middle school legit surprised me.

He was definitely super duper skinny in high school

Adolescent metabolism and all

He is definitely like 5’8”

He is very pale

Does indeed burn almost immediately in the sun

Has an emo boy hair cut

Like Anthony from Smosh way back in the day

He also has piercings: lip, ears (multiple), septum, eyebrow)

Also has tattoos

Freckled, especially on his body

He has random scars from injuries growing up

Inflicted by his brothers

Mostly Garroth

Garroth

Muscular

But also quite chubby

Just kinda in the middle

Like 6’

Overall just a big guy

Just looks like he gives good hugs

He also has a beard

Not a big floofy one

But it’s there

He looks very Northern European idk

Has a lot of arm hair, and it’s very blond

So you don’t see it until up close

Also pale

And very freckled

Also wears a watch

And his outfit is the most average outfit for a man

Khaki shorts, a white tee, a plaid button up unbuttoned, a watch, and sneakers

This outfit could be spotted on an elementary schooler’s spring picture day

Or on my literal father 👨🏻

His hair is quite curly

Not in a spiral curl, but more of a wavy-curly way

Laurance

This man is brown imo

Very tall

Like 6’3”

Super skinny

To where he looks even taller than he is

Just built like that ya know

His hair is a pony tail as an adult

But it was in a Superman sort of curly situation in high achool

I get the vibe he likes being outside

Doesn’t work out, but loves a good hotgirlwalk

Aaron

A little more like the common fan art of 2016

Tall, but only like 5’10”

Absolute beefcake of a guy

But also like has some body fat

He is not rock hard, but you can see his muscles

I imagine he has thick thighs

Fat ass too

But that’s just how his body fat distributes, so like yeah he has visible abs

Idk that’s all I’ve got

There was enough consistent fanart in my atmosphere at the time that that’s how I imagine him

Dante

Never thought too hard about him

His hair is definitely curly

More than Garroths

He has especially big eyes

He’s like lean muscular

Just very average white guy

Like 5’11”

Looks young for his age

Michi

Absolute 2014 tumblr girly

Owns something with galaxy print

Very thin

With tig ole bitties

Wears thigh high socks, mini skirts, and tank tops with sweaters

Has the swoopy bangs of the era

Poses in up angle selfies like 🙂

So her head looks like a raindrop in the photo

Edits her ig photos to look more aesthetic

Teony

Tall

Girl next door

Well done, natural make up

Straightened hair

Smiling a lot

Even if it’s fake

Idk her character that well

Never thought too hard about it

But she’s like supermodel pretty

Ein

I only remember high school him

But he was like

Young guy skinny

Like you could see he had arm muscles in a tank top

In an old 5SOS type of way

His head is actually boxy shaped

Like 5’11”

White

Never thought too hard about adult Ein

Lucinda

White

Her hair is dyed with spells

It’s styled well, in a Jessica rabbit hairstyle

It’s curled

Body shaped like a coke bottle

Hourglass for days

She’s just hot

Gene

Hi why was this cast so white washed

White

His hair is not naturally black

It’s like medium brown

It’s also straight but he gets it permed

Wears eyeliner

Lots of bracelets and piercings

Tall guy like 6’1”

Cadenza

She spends a lot of money dying her hair that color

White

Tall like 5’10”

Her dress is floor length

And loose

Could command a room

Guy

Barbie doll

Hi Ken

Built like an upside down isosceles triangle

Muscular

Back muscles for days

Looks like he could do triathlons in Ancient Greece

Like 6’5”

This man is good to look at

Ivy

Michi but pink

Jeffory

The most golden retriever man you could imagine

Like 6’3”

Athletic muscular

Melissa

The most beautiful woman you’ve ever seen

Tall like 5’11”

Long legs

Nicole

Don’t know don’t care

Miscellaneous really

Wasn’t in the show enough

Reese

Nick Bean dyed pink

Vylad

Drake Bell in his Drake and Josh era precisely

No more no less

Except he always has a scarf even if it’s hot out

Sylvanna

Aphmau, tall

Zianna

Button nose

A really petite lady

Her hair is black but with gray sprinkled in

The most smiley lady you ever did see

Mother gothel if you breathed life back into her

Hot

Kai

Forgot about him for a sec

Ok gears turning

Tall

Very calm energy

Redhead

Idk he wasn’t that relevant for me

Jenny

Also in the 2014 tumblr girly category

But a little more Bethany Mota with it

A little less galaxy print

A little more Jennxpenn vibes

Wears hella eyeliner

Her outfit is black cutoff jean shorts, an oversized shirt so you can see her white tank top underneath

Her hair is naturally that light

Wears converse only

[brainrotdotorg]

The skills ranked by how nice they would be to cuddle

Logic: does not know how to un-tense even a little bit. His lack of physical stability makes him difficult to put any of your body weight onto. 2/10.

Encyclopedia: will probably read you something or just read out loud for his own enjoyment while you hold him. So his hands are gonna be occupied by holding the book— but he will always lean his head on yours if you put it on his shoulder, and that’s nice. His palms are a bit clammy anyway. 7/10.

Drama: I feel like he takes all the sheets for himself. And he can tell if you aren’t comfortable, and he’s gonna take it personally. Physically, his texture is lumpy but not unpleasant. 4.9/10

Rhetoric:will talk the whole time. If you listen to one sided political debates as ASMR, this may be a comfortable experience for you. Otherwise, I’m sorry he’s taking up a solid 89% of the bed. 3.4/10

Conceptualization: tries to get creative with it. Who gives a shit about spooning. Let’s invent “the tongs”. Definitely not boring to snuggle up with! 6.7/10 sometimes you don’t need to get experimental with it.

Visual calculus: knows exactly how to make the geometry of your bodies fit together in order to maximize comfort. The light coming off of him can lower down to an ambient dim. Very kissable lips that will give you a gentle smooch goodnight. Look, his eyes are half closed anyway, he wants to relax. Probably actually the best choice! 10/10.

Volition: matter of fact about it. Will stroke your hair until you fall asleep and is very valiant in making you cozy. However the moment you do start sleeping he slips away. 7.5/10 for cuddle experience itself but minus points for leaving : (

Inland empire: the starry bits can be fun to watch like one of those projector lights. Very skinny so not a lot to hold onto. Their heads weird shape means that you’ll have to get interesting with pillow formations but I think it’s worth the effort. 8/10

Empathy: knows exactly how you’re feeling but they feel obligated to listen to your innermost thoughts and opinions that really don’t matter that much, but they insist they want you to be SO comfortable. Dude, I don’t mind that you have sweaty hands. Keep them wrapped around me. 8.7/10

Esprit de corps: officer we’ve got a code 113, snuggle emergency, let me get up in your body gap and wear you like a blanket thank youuuu 9/10

Authority: he has to be big spoon or death. Does not give you the option to get up and turn the light off. No. Stay here and don’t you dare move. 5.2/10 it’s nice that he at least cares.

Suggestion: sure you can snuggle, but he convinces you to be in the position that he really wants to be in. The twisty bits are configured weird and when you figure out how to make it comfy you will not be able to adjust. 4/10

Endurance: will never be the first to get up. Almost turns it into a competition— look man, I’d love to lay with you all day, but I’ve got things to do. Super wide so he can be slept on like a bed though 6.1/10

Pain threshold: OW THERE ARE FUCKING SPIKES!!! Girl I love you but 0/10

Physical Instrument: too much of a jock to display any real tenderness. Holds you like he’s trying to suplex you horizontally. 5.2/10 for the muscle but he’s flexing the whole time.

Electro chemistry: how does it feel to be hugged by a dozen horny pythons? 9/10 if you’re looking to cuddlefuck 3.7/10 if not

Shivers: probably will not be able to fit on your futon. ??/10

Half light: if you can ignore the claws you won’t be able to ignore the teeth. Kicks and thrashes in her sleep. You can feel her heartbeat and it’s really fast. 4.2/10.

Hand/eye coordination: gives you a head rub and a back rub and a shoulder massage and a belly rub and . 9/10

Perception: will absolutely remark on ever sensation coming from you that she is experiencing. I’m glad I smell nice and I feel good and you can hear my breathing. She is also if a smoke machine was a person. 7/10

Reaction speed: speed is not an important component of cuddling. Can’t stop shifting around. Impossible to get comfortable with someone who wants to change positions every two minutes. If the remote falls off the couch, she will catch it. 2.8/10

Savoir Faire: six arms to hold you but he’s not gonna stop talking about his hustler bullshit. No head does make for some innovative cuddling positions though. 5.3/10

Interfacing: he would rather be holding a machine. If you wear anything with buttons or loose threads he’s gonna pull at them. He’s also for sure gonna talk about how ballpoint pens work. Maybe put on some how it’s made to watch in order to keep him entertained. 6.3/10

Composure: take composure’s portrait. Now turn it 90 degrees. That’s how composure cuddles. 1/10

[shalomniscient]

hey sev! new here i only see some iron fanfics (ptn) I'm asking if you can kindly create hcs of her pls (I'm a big fan of her)

hellooo !!! also yeah i agree, iron is vv underrated :(( once more, let's be the change we want to see in the world 🫡🫡🫡

firstly, iron is strict. like, super strict. everyone knows this. but what most in the mbcc miss is that she's strict because she cares. she cares so, so much and it shows in how she wants the absolute best for you. hence why she gets pushy and a little bossy at time when she sees you neglecting your health in even the most minor ways.

that being said, iron is terrible at taking care of herself. she can manage, for sure, but it's more surviving than living. she sustains herself on junk food and coffee, because that's whats efficient, but not necessarily good. hence, iron would appreciate it so much if you made or bought some proper meals for her and you to share. anything you bring her tastes far better than what she makes herself, and she loves it more when you make them yourself--especially if they're in those cute little bento boxes, not that she'd ever admit that.

another thing iron would appreciate, i think, are massages. i feel like she carries a lot of tension in her shoulders, so if you manage to catch her while she's free and forcefully sit her down for a few minutes to relax the tense muscles, she'd be just melting into your touch. all in all, iron is an acts of service kind of woman.

as for how iron likes to give affection, i think it's somewhat the same. she has your chart completely memorized, and always has your health in mind. if you go out on missions together, she's always a step ahead of you, shielding half your body with her own. she's a caretaker at her core, and though she's a doctor and injuries are nothing new to her, she hates seeing you hurt. she's good at keeping her emotions under check, but she can't stop her pulse from jumping if you cry out in pain or if she sees blood running down a wound somewhere on your body. iron's a busy woman, but she makes an exception when you're injured. she'll spend her nights by your bedside until you recover, nagging the whole way, but she'll hold your hand as you sleep, feeling the steady pulse of your wrist beneath her fingers and letting herself be grounded in the fact that you're here. you're alive. everything's going to be alright.

sometimes life does get to iron. she thinks of all the people she couldn't save, all the promises she couldn't keep. on nights like these she finds solace in your arms, where she can set down the weight of being this cold, calculating doctor and just be human again. in these moments she lets herself be held by you, lets you run your hand through her dark hair. she lets you intertwine your fingers with the cold metal ones of her prosthetic, and she watches with tired but quietly loving eyes as you bring them to your lips and press the softest kiss to them. as if to say, you did your best. you did your best, and you still deserved to be loved for it all the same.

in the end, i think iron isn't a whirlwind romance kind or hot-blooded passion kind of woman. when it comes to love, iron needs it to be like something to come home to, something calm and quiet and a refuge from everything else, which is exactly what you give her.

[sugar-omi]

Could I please request hc or a drabble about Cove as a new parent with a female MC? Thank you! ❤️

its your lucky day (aka you've asked smth ive been thinking abt for days LOL) bc ive written hc's and drabbles <333 although mostly messy hc's that are in no coherent order also I think I will come back n write more coherent n specific scenarios bc I have sm thoughts on cove through parenthood.... pls tysm for this ask I hope it's satisfactory bc i wrote in order of my thoughts LOL

tags : fluff, AFAB reader, after step 3/wedding dlc, "options" for 1 or 2 babes (if you hc triplets im praying for u🙏), no gender mention of the babe/s, birth surrogacy n adoption are up for imagination but pregnancy/surrogacy is most implied altho i think you could imagine adopting a baby before they're born bc ik some ppl do that

synopsis : how cove acts when you have your first kid & a bit on how he is raising them with you <3

many many candid shots of cove holding the baby

PLEASE tell me someone recorded near the end of the birth/when they brought you the babe

he's crying. no matter what he's crying his fuckin eyes out

if you're giving birth please either have him wait outside n come in to cut the cord at the end bc he might faint

if you do have him in the room he'll be on his best behavior. will try his best not to worry too much bc he knows it could stress you out

(I'm thinking abt this video I saw where the wife said her husband fainted n fell back into this rolly office chair n just rolled to the back of the room into the dark side (it was apparently a long room lollll))

if you're in for a long labor or it's pretty short he's more calm bc either it's over before he can freak out or it's so fuckin long he's over it LOL

he's more of a solid, physical support than anything else because he's not too good with words but also he dosn't want you to feel pressured, annoyed, or smth with constant "you got this!" "its okay!" as you're pushing out a whole human, its not a simple task

[video 1]

COVE: so little... COVE: (looks at his mom/dad) are they supposed to be this small? (watery laugh)

is very scared to hold the babe, he's a big guy, with or without the muscles so he's always gentle with them even once they get bigger

definitely texts his dad during the pregnancy/surrogacy/adoption process "I hope i can be a good dad like you"

cliff getting a text from cove at 3am: "ty for raising me idk how you did it omg"

cliff is crying n flying over there immediately

!!!! if you need someone to help you adjust cliff is on the fuckin way!!! you can't even finish asking bc he's alrdy here, whatever you need guys!!!!

but if you want to be alone to bond w the babe or you hire a professional to help with the transition then he or your moms will come over and clean up, prepare food, and allows you to come home and not worry about getting things done.

dies if the kid has his hair color or eyes, like at first he just finds it crazy that he's a dad n that he has a lil spawn of his own

also lots of pictures of cliff playing w the babe/s

we all know cove can be lazy with his hair, but he doesn't want his kid going to school w crazy hair so he learns

at first it looks like a mess

n if you keep your hair short or can only do smth simple, its time to call your ma or lee for help LOL

imagine cove standing by your ma as she's showing him how to braid... so sweet

cove is tip-toeing through the house, trying to shake off his outside clothes quietly and when he walks back into the room after brushing his teeth he's greeted with the sweet sound of his baby's giggle

you are sound asleep.

you and the other babe are sound asleep.

he shushes the baby, easing himself into the bed. suddenly he thinks that spending all that money on this big bed was worth it, especially with the way his achy body sinks into it.

"cove?..."

he reaches over the babe/s. "sorry.. did I wake you?"

you hum, it's not a yes or a no, just a sleepy sound and he laughs at how out of it you are even though you're trying to fight it, stroking your face and carding his fingers through your hair.

"I love you.. thank you." he whispers. this moment is so delicate. he worries a bit that if he speaks too loud it'll be gone and he'll wake up in his teenage bedroom, staring at the bottom of his scratched up bunk bed.

"f'what?" you blink slowly.

"for everything..." he grins softly, thinking about that night

of your wedding, when you told him you wanted kids with him.

after the ORCA fundraiser dinner, when you asked him if he imagined having kids with you.

"we made it. that future we talked about..."

you smile softly, more awake now. "thanks for making it with me."

he laughs, muffins his face in the pillow and resting a hand on the baby, willing them not to wake. "how can you thank me for that?"

you grin, more sleepy than anything but still full of mischief.

"how can you thank me for getting me pregnant?" you giggle at your husband's flustered face.

"how can you thank me for being here like I promised years later?" you tease, bringing up night of the fundraiser.

cove flushes, burying his face in the babies hair instead of answering you.

he puts an arm around you, careful of the little one/s between you. "just go to bed..."

gb lady said cove is sahd material.....

omg he makes them lunch always, or he at least helps you make lunch because his cooking skills are a bit limited and they'd prbly have star shaped sandwiches and applesauce everyday

HE HAS A THING TO PUT THE BABE IN WHILE HE DOES HOUSE SHIT

your kids are definitely cuddles bc of him, he always picks em up, and if he doesn't have a carrier than he'll make a makeshift one out of a blanket.

omg imagine him and the kid/s at the dining table crying tryna figure out the homework

"its getting worse y/n!!!" "what the fuck is common core math?!" "babe call the teacher, something is missing here..."

if you're bad at math or smth too than you're all fucked n your kid/s AND COVE are facetiming his dad for a long distance tutoring lesson

he's reading them books every night

HE gets upset when it doesn't happen

"babe we gotta turn around, I only read them 5 books we're gonna be gone 6 nights."

FaceTime them every night you're away just the two of u

falls asleep w the kids in the weirdest positions

why is there a princess crown on his head and where did the face paint come from????

spoils the kid/kids. you're gonna go bankrupt please stop!!!

when your kid/s finally graduate n move out on their own, he thanks his dad for raising him and teaching him how to be the best dad.

also thanks you for just being amazing n reassuring him whenever he worried abt doing something wrong

if you have more than 1, he's a master by baby 2/3

COVE: (holding fresh baby, whispering) ....why is it so red

raising you kid/s w cove is tough at first, cove worries about doing some wrong or failing as a parent.

and he did eventually admit he was worried about raising his kid/s in a "broken" home. his parents did their best! and he loves them, but the split was hard for him and he doesn't want them to go through the same feelings.

every day is a new experience in your house to say the least

I imagine it's filled w lots of worry, love, and tears

COVE N HIS KID/S HAVE A CRY COUNT

(cove is losing somehow?! he's been out crybaby-ed)

[corroded-hellfire]

Big Brown Eyes - Eddie Munson x Reader, Part 3

Summary: Eddie comes to join you for lunch, being his flirty usual self. It leads to late night phone calls, sharing hard parts of your lives with one another, and maybe an official date, finally? You can read part two here!

Note: Not a whole lot of Everett in this chapter, but there are reasons. Also, the amount of people who have replied, sent asks, and/or commented about this story has made me the happiest Eddie fangirl in all the land. I see each and every thing you guys say and it makes me happier than I can describe. Thank you.

Warnings: language, mentions of death, talk of unsupportive parents, insecurity, lots of Max being her sassy self, I think that’s it?

Words: 7.7k

[Part 4 | Big Brown Eyes masterlist]

Not having to get Everett ready in the morning leaves you with a little extra time, which you decide to use by staying in bed a few minutes longer. Your arms reach up towards your headboard, the muscles of your back stretching out as sunbeams peeking through the curtains splash across your face. With a content sigh, you turn on your right side and face the empty side of the bed. A smile tugs at your lips as you imagine Eddie there. His hair probably gets all tousled and messy in his sleep. He probably has the cutest, most peaceful face while he’s dreaming.

You run your hand up along the cold sheets to the empty pillow. The only people who have ever slept on that pillow are Everett and Max, the time she had a big blowup with her mom and needed to get out of the house for the night. Your fingers scratch at the soft threads, lazy smile still hanging on to your mouth. Closing your eyes, you imagine being nose to nose with Eddie. Feeling his breath ghost across your face and his body heat radiating over to you. You almost don’t want to open your eyes again because you know his large brown ones won’t be there looking back at you. But you have to get up and get ready, so you do.

Pushing yourself out of bed, you go through the motions of getting ready, thoughts of Eddie never leaving your head. Thinking about Eddie brushing his teeth while you’re doing your hair. Of Eddie pouring cereal for Everett while you grab the milk out of the fridge. The thought of a cozy little family makes your stomach feel fuzzy, but you stop yourself. You haven’t even been on a date yet. But it’s exciting to have feelings for someone. The thrill of a crush was always fun in school. Seeing if they’d look at you during class or talk to you at lunch. Only, you’re not in school anymore and you have a son to think about as well. It’s one thing if you and Eddie can hit it off well. It’s another thing entirely if Everett and Eddie can hit it off.

Work is as slow as usual for a Tuesday morning. Summertime usually brought children being tutored or participating in community activities to the library, but those were mostly in the afternoon. You spend the morning checking books back in, eyes trying to avoid the clock as much as possible. A watched pot never checks books in quicker, or whatever the saying is. No familiar faces come in to occupy you, which is more of a school year thing. Hawkins High was technically still in school until tomorrow, but final exams had all passed already, so no students needed the library. Even though you wouldn’t say it out loud, you were glad Mike was able to finish his Pride and Prejudice paper without you. He would’ve distracted you from the work duties you should have been doing.

When one o’clock finally rolls around, you feel yourself starting to get fidgety. Your mind is trying to mentally calculate how long it will take Eddie to wash up for lunch, then get in his van, then drive to the library, then walk inside. Will that all take ten minutes? Fifteen? How long until you can start to worry that he’s not going to show up?

At seven minutes after one, Eddie strolls in, bright smile on his handsome face, a black band tee and light blue ripped jeans adorning his figure, and a fast-food bag clutched in his hand. Your mind hadn’t even calculated that he might stop to get food, yet he’s here before you expected him.

“Hey, beautiful,” he says. He places the bag down on the library desk and leans forward onto his forearms.

“Hey yourself,” you say as you lean in towards him as well. “I didn’t expect you so close to one.”

“I may have checked out for lunch a few minutes early,” he says with a shrug. “Can’t keep a pretty girl waiting.”

“Then you better go and see her,” you tease.

“Hmm,” he hums. “Don’t act like you’re not the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.”

It’s a good thing you haven’t eaten yet, or the food may have come up with the way your stomach flips at his words. Eddie grins as your face flares up with heat, and part of you likes that he finds your flustered state cute. You get that way more times than you’d like to admit.

“Come on,” you say, nodding your head towards the employee area behind you.

Eddie slips around the desk and follows you into the “lounge.” It’s not much, but there are a few tables to eat at and with minimal employees at the library, you always had lunch time to yourself.

“Now, I wasn’t sure what you like,” Eddie says as he slides into the chair across the small table from you. “So, I bought one chicken sandwich and one burger. What’s your pick?”

“Oh,” you say with a pleased smile. “You didn’t have to buy me anything.”

“You cooked for me last night.” Eddie shrugs. “This is basically the extent of my cooking.”

You chuckle and point to the chicken sandwich. He slides it to you, and you accept it with a thank you. Both of you take your first bites and you groan in satisfaction.

“Okay. This is much better than the turkey sandwich in my bag,” you say.

Eddie smiles and pulls out a carton of fries from the bag and places them in the middle of the table.

“How’s your day been so far?” Eddie asks.

You nod your head as you finish the bite of food in your mouth. “Pretty good. Better now. How’s the garage?”

“Loud,” he says. “But it means I never really have to make small talk, so there’s that.”

“I’m awful at small talk,” you tell him. “But then I start to think about what I can talk about instead and then get all stressed out.”

“Okay,” Eddie says as he wipes his hands off on a napkin. “I’m full of weird topics to talk about. Should we talk about the fact that Star Wars is better than Star Trek, how awkward our middle school years were, or how you get your hair to be so shiny? Sorry.” He smirks, not looking the least bit sorry. “Had to get that into the conversation somehow.”

“Are you this big of a flirt with everyone?” you ask through a smile. It’s a genuine question and though you get the sense that this is how Eddie is with everyone, you want it to be just you.

Eddie tilts his head from side to side, considering the options. “Charm? Yeah, that just seems to exude out of me,” he says with a wink, to show he’s joking. “But no. I can honestly say I don’t think I’ve ever flirted with someone as much as I’m flirting with you.”

The buzz from three cups of coffee has nothing on the feeling that Eddie gives you. You can’t help but squirm in your seat, which Eddie notices with a twinkle in his eye. Resting your elbow on the table and your chin in your hand, you lean in towards him.

“Oh yeah?” you ask with more bravado than you feel. “And why’s that?”

“Well, I already mentioned that you’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen,” Eddie says as if it’s obvious to anyone with the use of their eyes. “But you’re…” he trails off, eyes narrowing as he looks at you.

“If you say ‘different than other girls’, I know you’re taking this from some D-class romcom,” you say.

Eddie chuckles and shakes his head. “I mean, you are. But that’s not what I was going to say. You’re fun and you’re sweet. I like how you can keep up with my goofiness.”

“I like your goofiness,” you tell him. “It adds to the charm you exude.”

The rest of the lunch hour passes just as quickly as dinner had the previous evening. Time with Eddie sure seemed to move differently than time leading up to seeing him. You know that no one will get on you for being a little late back from lunch, but you also know Eddie is new at his job. He seems reluctant to leave though, which gives you a rush of satisfaction. You walk with him out to his van, relishing every moment you have left in his presence. He leans against the side of his vehicle, reminiscent of how he did outside of Dustin’s house the first time you met. He slowly reaches out and takes one of your hands in his. You link your fingers with his and he smiles in response.

“So, as you may or may not be aware,” Eddie says. “We haven’t been on a proper, official date yet. But I’d like to change that, if you would?”

“I’d like that a lot.”

Eddie’s responding grin is enough to make your heart stutter. He steps forward so he’s gazing down his nose at you. You peer back from under your eyelashes and the moment freezes around the pair of you. The air is thick, and you fight the urge to swallow as Eddie’s eyes dip down to your lips before looking back into your eyes.

“Do you like to swim?” Eddie asks softly, as if not to jar you both out of the moment. “Because I heard Hawkins has a pretty nice lake.”

“Lover’s Lake?” you ask, raising an eyebrow.

He gives you a sheepish grin. “I knew that’s what it was called, I just didn’t want to sound like a complete tool by suggesting we have our first date at a place with a name like that.”

The smallest touch of pink dusts Eddie’s cheeks. It’s nice to have the shoe be on the other foot for once.

“I do like to swim,” you tell him. “And Lover’s Lake is beautiful in the summer.”

“When are you free?” Eddie asks, gently squeezing your hand that’s in his.

You purse your lips as you try to think of the different schedules that determine if you’re free. Obviously, it would have to be a day you aren’t working, and preferably it would be a day that Steve isn’t as well. But you weren’t above seeing if someone else could watch Everett so you could go out with Eddie. Mom deserves to have some fun.

“Well, I know you have your game with Dustin and the gang on Saturdays. So, what about Sunday?” you offer. Steve may or may not be working that day, but you’d deal either way.

“Sunday works,” Eddie says. “Noon-ish? I could bring food for a picnic. Not fast food this time.”

“Ooh, a picnic? And not fast food? You’re spoiling me,” you say with a smirk. “That sounds really good, Eddie. I can’t wait.”

He ducks his head, looking down at his feet for a moment before lifting his eyes back to yours. “Would it be okay if I called you before then? I might go crazy with not talking to you until Sunday.”

“Of course,” you squeak out through the excitement crawling its way through your system.

“Good,” Eddie says, a look of relief washing over his features. He lifts your hand to his lips and presses a kiss to your knuckles. “I’ll talk to you later, then.”

“Okay.” Your eyes stay on your hand the whole time. From being lifted to his lips, to Eddie slowly bringing it back down and letting go.

“Bye,” he whispers, and you meet his eyes again.

“Bye.” You give him a small wave as he gets into his van. You stay in the parking lot until he pulls out of his parking spot and exits down the next road, where you lose sight of him. With a happy sigh, you turn to go back inside and finish your day at work.

“I don’t wanna!”

You toss the towel in your hand over your shoulder and let out a huff, placing your hands on your hips. Realizing it’s a very “Steve” thing to do, you drop your arms and raise an eyebrow at your son.

“Everett Steven Harrington. You know it’s time for your bath,” you say. “It’ll be over sooner if you stop whining about it and get in the tub.”

“But,” Everett says in a small voice, “I took one.”

“Did you now?”

He nods. “At Daddy’s.”

“Is that so? So, if I call Dad right now and ask him, he’ll tell me you took a bath there today? Or are you lying to me?”

His little hands begin to tug at his Mickey Mouse shirt, and he looks at the rug underneath his feet. Silence settles in the hallway as you wait for an answer. Everett had been caught lying twice in the past few weeks, and neither you nor Steve were having it.

“Am I calling Dad?” You take a step towards the phone and Everett gasps. The phone rings, startling you and sending Everett running into the bathroom.

“I didn’t before! I’ll take it now! M’sorry!” he calls over his shoulder.

With a sigh of relief, you pull the phone off the receiver and put it to your ear. If it really was Steve, he must’ve sensed the issues happening on the other side of the parking lot.

“Hello?”

“Hi, I’m looking for this girl I’ve got a date with this weekend.”

At the sound of Eddie’s voice an involuntary smile curls your lips. Everett won’t cause a fuss now that he knows he’s been caught in a lie, which gives you a few precious moments to lean back against the wall and tease back and forth with Eddie a bit.

“Hmm,” you hum pensively. “Maybe. What’s she like?”

“Me, hopefully,” he says, causing you to let out a loud peel of laughter.

“How could she not? You sound super funny. Not to mention gorgeous.”

“She must’ve told you about me!”

You smile to yourself and wrap your arm around your middle. “She did. Unfortunately, she told me she has to give a stubborn toddler a bath right now. Can she call you in about half an hour?”

“Tell her I’ll be waiting with bated breath,” he says.

“You should watch out. You sound so cute, I might not even tell her you called and keep you all to myself.”

“Oh, no,” he feigns exasperation. “Please don’t! I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her since I last saw her. She has to know I can’t get her out of my mind.”

The smile on your face grows even further, and you cover it with your free hand. Your joy slightly dims when you hear Everett knock something over in the bathroom.

“I suppose I’ll give her your message then. You can expect her call soon,” you say.

“I look forward to it, very much,” he answers.

“Bye, handsome.”

“Bye, gorgeous.”

After you click the phone back in place on the wall, you yank the towel off your shoulder and stride to the bathroom.

Everett manages to be on his best behavior during his bath, knowing he already had one strike against him with his lie. He makes the quick decision of wearing his dinosaur pajamas over his puppy ones and climbs into his bed. Stuffies are scattered around his blanket, and he grabs his horse one as he climbs in between the sheets. His favorite book - One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish - only needs to be read to him twice before his eyes are drooping closed. You press a kiss to his forehead, slide the book back on the shelf, and turn off his light before tiptoeing your way back into the hallway.

There’s five minutes until the time you told Eddie you’d call him back, but you know he’d understand if you were a few minutes late. Everyone knows how toddlers can be at bedtime, after all. But you want to make sure everything in the apartment is taken care of first. There are only two cups in the sink, and they can wait until morning, so you skip to washing your face and quickly changing into your pajamas. It’s earlier than you normally get ready for bed, but you have a feeling once you start talking to Eddie, you won’t stop until one of you forces the other to hang up and get some sleep. He may just have to be that responsible one tonight.

Pulling back the quilt on your bed, you slip in and grab the phone off your nightstand. Holding the receiver in your lap, you punch in Eddie’s number and settle back against your pillows. The phone only rings twice before he picks up.

“Hello?”

“Well, hey there. I got a message that you were looking to talk to me?”

“Yeah,” he says. “I heard you had to wrangle an adorable little boy into getting clean.”

“Oh, yes,” you sigh out. Tugging your blankets up higher as you lay back, you close your eyes. “A certain little troublemaker has figured out how to lie and he thinks it can get him out of his least favorite activities.”

“Boy, oh, boy,” Eddie says. “I remember the first time my mom caught me in a lie. I tried telling her that my neighbor’s dog ate my report card.”

“And I’m guessing he didn’t?” you ask.

“Well, it would’ve helped if I remembered that particular dog had died the week before,” he says.

You let out a laugh, slapping a hand over your mouth so you don’t wake Everett.

“I should not be laughing over a dead dog,” you say through your giggles.

“Then laugh at the fact that my mother got her punishments mixed up and she washed my mouth out with soap.”

“Yuck,” you groan. “That happened to me first time I dropped the F bomb in front of my granny.”

“That’s what it’s typically a punishment for!” Eddie says. “But if I got in trouble for swearing, the town would’ve run out of fucking soap.”

“Does your mom still get mad at you for it?”

“Nah,” Eddie says with a sigh. “She died when I was a kid. And she would’ve known it would be an uphill battle trying to keep me from cursing with my dad raising me.”

“Oh Eddie, I’m so sorry,” you say.

“Eh, what are ya gonna do?” he asks. “We’ve all got hard points in our lives.”

“Why don’t you tell me about a happy point?” you offer.

“I’d tell the story about meeting you, but you were kind of there for it,” he says, and you just know he’s smirking. “Hmm, let’s see. Oh! In high school, my band and I played six straight sold out shows at the crappy little venue in town. It might not sound like a lot, but-.”

“No, that sounds amazing!” you say. “Sold out? That’s the stuff bands dream of.”

“Yeah, we weren’t half bad,” Eddie says. “Some covers, some originals, and people seemed to like both.”

“Girls must’ve been all over you guys,” you say, immediately not enjoying the visual of Eddie getting swarmed by pretty girls vying for his attention.

Eddie let’s out a bark of laughter that confuses you. “Shit, sorry,” he says. “I keep forgetting you didn’t know me in high school. No, there were no girls. Like…at all.”

“Not even groupies at the shows?” you ask.

“There were some,” he admits. “Mostly a little older than us. Mostly a little drunk. But you probably don’t want to hear about them.”

“Eddie, I know there have been girls in your life before me. I mean, I have a son, for crying out loud.”

“The coolest little dude on the planet,” Eddie tells you.

“Yeah, he is,” you say with a smile. “Even when he’s a pain in the ass.”

“So, he’s like most guys,” Eddie says.

“Pretty much,” you agree.

“Can I ask about you and Steve?” Eddie’s voice is quiet, like he’s treading on dangerous ground.

“Of course,” you tell him. “There’s not much to the story, honestly.”

“Tell me?” Eddie asks, voice soft and silky, and you know you couldn’t say no to that voice even if you wanted to.

“I knew who he was day one of high school. He was a year ahead of me, but one of the most popular guys in school. Basketball player, ladies’ man, class A douche.”

“I see why you fell for him,” Eddie says, making you smirk.

“Yeah, he wasn’t the greatest guy for a while. He really changed, actually, after Nancy broke up with him. He likes to say that she knocked some sense into him. And it’s true. After that, he befriended a lot of people he never would’ve even looked twice at before. Me included. He and I became really good friends, actually. One of the best I’ve ever had. That’s when I started to have a crush on him. So, neither of them has ever admitted to me, but I’m pretty sure our friend Robin gave him the idea to ask me out. Steve swears it was all him, but I have my doubts. But he did ask, and I said yes. We were together a while. Almost a year, if I remember correctly. We never fell in love though.” Your eyes drift over to a collage photo frame on your wall, pictures full of all your favorite people. There’s one in the middle of you and Steve outside in the snow. Between you is a tiny snowman that barely reaches your knees. It was the closest thing you had to a pregnancy announcement. Steve had built the body of the snow baby, and you had built the head. It was draped in a light green scarf and a bright yellow hat, careful not to give people the impression either way if the baby was a boy or girl. You both hadn’t even known until he was born.

“We just stayed really good friends with benefits, basically. It never emotionally got past that,” you explain. “It wasn’t fair for us to keep each other from finding someone who we could love. So, we broke up. But there wasn’t a single day, not even the day of or after our breakup, where things were awkward between us. We just went right back to being best of friends.”

“I’m guessing Everett was already a bun in the oven when you broke up?” Eddie asks.

“Yep, he was cooking away in me already. I didn’t notice anything was up until I started not being able to walk into where I worked, which was a Mexican restaurant. The smell instantly made me sick. I ended up having to quit because that sensitivity stayed the whole pregnancy. I don’t think I’ve even been back since. But anyway, that was my first clue something weird was going on. Then I realized I was really tired all the time for no reason. The third strike was when I started crying at the stupidest shit. There was a commercial for adopting animals from the shelter and I just burst out crying in the middle of my living room. My parents looked at me like I had three heads. Finally, things clicked together in my brain, and I went to the next town over to buy three pregnancy tests. I wanted to make sure I got an accurate result, no chance for a false positive or negative. And I also wanted to make sure I didn’t run into anyone I know while buying them.”

“You had to be so scared,” Eddie says, and his tone melts your heart. You could tell he was really listening to you, not just waiting for a moment to say “uh huh” as you droned on. He really wanted to know this. To know you.

“I was,” you admit. “Especially when all tests came back positive. Thought I was going to pass out. But I got in my car and went straight to Steve’s. As soon as he answered the door I broke down in tears. That right there scared him, because like I said, I didn’t do that before. We went inside and I told him. Eventually. It took a little while for me to get it out. Steve was shocked. Pretty sure he thought I was playing some kind of trick on him at first. But no, I had the tests with me to prove it. We both had a collective breakdown and freak out, but then we calmed down and talked about it. To this day, I’m pretty sure it’s the most mature either of us has been. He said I should come live with him and his parents, but that wasn’t going to happen. His dad can be scary and his mom, though I absolutely love her to pieces, can be a lot to handle sometimes. Being pregnant? Yeah, no way I could’ve handled them. Or Steve all the time either, honestly.”

“What about your parents?” Eddie asks. “How did they react?”

“Not great,” you tell him. “They didn’t disown me or anything, but they weren’t happy. And it kind of pissed me off that they couldn’t see why I was kind of happy. I mean, yeah, I was terrified of about a million different things. But there was a baby in me. My baby. And it’s like my parents expected me to be upset about that and I just couldn’t be. I didn’t want to be. So, when I got enough money together, I moved out. Steve’s mom is a realtor and found us the apartments we have at a really good price. Then I moved in here, and Steve across the lot. I don’t see my parents that often now. They reach out here or there, but it’s like they don’t care they’re not a big part of my of Everett’s lives.”

“I may have only known you for less than a week, but I can say with complete certainty that it is their loss, and they’re missing out,” Eddie says.

“Thanks,” you say, a shy smile on your lips. “Sorry I went on and on.”

“No! No, don’t apologize. I’m the one who asked you about it. I want to listen to you.”

“Okay, you’ve got to come with a catch,” you say.

“What do you mean?” Eddie asks.

“You’re kind, you’re funny, you’re charming, you get along with my kid, you’re ridiculously handsome, and you want to listen to me? Where’s the catch?”

Eddie laughs through the phone. “Oh, I’m sure there’s a million of them,” he tells you. “I play DND with high schoolers. I will quote my favorite movies out loud when I’m watching them. I smoke way too much. Not just cigarettes, either. I’ve been told I snore. And that’s all I can come up with right now. See? I’m a handful.”

“Oh please,” you say. “I’ll take all of that in a heartbeat for all your good qualities.”

“And what were those again?” Eddie teases. “I’m not sure I heard them all the first time.”

“Nuh uh, I don’t need you getting a big head on you, now. Then you’ll be aware you can do better than me,” you say.

“I wish you wouldn’t say things like that,” Eddie says. There’s no humor at all in his voice, which is odd to hear with him. “You’re by far the most amazing person I’ve ever met. And I guarantee that opinion is only going to grow stronger the more I get to know you.”

“How do you do that?” you ask.

“Do what?”

“Make me feel so special.”

“That’s what you deserve,” Eddie says. “You are special. And it’s a shame if no one has told you that before.”

“Eddie Munson, you are a sweetheart.”

“I could say the same thing about you, babe.”

It’s way past the time both of you should have gone to sleep when you finally say goodbye. But neither of you would hang up without the promise of talking again tomorrow night. And that you did. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday night were all spent on the phone with Eddie. Friday even longer, because Everett was staying with Steve, and neither you nor Eddie had to get up for work in the morning. You did have your brunch with the girls though, so you had to say goodnight to get some sleep at some point. But again, it was much later than you should have.

Saturday brunch with the girls was always one of your favorite things to do. You all tried to do it at least once a month if you could, but it was hard. Sometimes there wasn’t a Saturday you could get anyone to watch Everett, or maybe Max or Robin had to work, or like this week, El was out of town. It felt different without having her there to join, but your group also had to adjust every time Nancy went back to school.

“I’m starving,” Robin says as she picks up her menu.

It was a relatively new bakery on the edge of town, but they served the best brunch any of you had ever tasted. Dustin had introduced your group to the small family-owned business when he got a part time job there back at Christmastime. Saturdays he always had off though, because of the DND games every week, so he wasn’t working today.

Max leans back in her seat and purses her lips together as her eyes scan over the listing of items. You kick her foot gently underneath the table.

“Want to get the French toast and I’ll get the waffles and we’ll share again?” you ask.

“Perfect,” she says as she slaps her menu down on the table.

Nancy squirms in her seat the whole time as the waitress comes to take your orders. You raise your eyebrows at her as Robin orders her chocolate chip pancakes. Nancy gives you a smile and shrugs her shoulders. The two of you haven’t gotten to talk since you’d seen her earlier in the week when she pulled up in the car next to you and Eddie while he was changing your oil.

“What’s up?” you ask her once the waitress walks away.

“So, how’s your car?” she asks with a smirk.

The grin slides on your face even as you playfully roll your eyes at her. “You’ve been waiting excitedly to ask me about my car?”

“Do you have a date?” Nancy asks.

“Ooh, what’s this now?” Robin asks, leaning forward on the table.

“Yes, I have a date,” you answer Nancy, a small flush coming to your cheeks.

“Hold on, with who?” Robin asks. “What have I missed?”

“I met a guy,” you say with a shy shrug.

“And he’s hot,” Nancy adds.

“The way you two have the same taste in men is strangely funny,” Max says.

“Yeah, how did y/n and Jonathan never date?” Robin asks Max.

“Where are you guys going?” Nancy asks, ignoring the other two.

“Lover’s Lake,” you say. “A picnic and some swimming.”

“When?” Robin asks.

“Tomorrow. But we’ve talked on the phone every night this week.” The smile on your face grows and all three of your friends can see the sparkle in your eyes.

“You really like him, don’t you?” Max asks, but it doesn’t sound like a hopeful question.

“I do,” you say, eyeing her suspiciously. “Why do you sound sad about that?”

“No, no!” Max says. She sits up straighter and shakes her head. “I’m happy for you. Really, I am! It’s just that I was going to tell you about this guy who moved in across the street from me. I met him and immediately thought that he was perfect for you.”

“She’s not getting married to this guy,” Robin says. “What’s his name, anyway?”

“Eddie.” With the name, an involuntary smile spreads across your face.

“Wait, really?” Max asks, eyes wide.

“Yeah. Why?” Her odd questions make your brow pinch in confusion.

“Eddie is the name of my neighbor,” she says. “Does he have long hair?”

Now your eyes widen. “Yes. Curly? Big brown eyes?”

“Holy shit,” Max says with a grin. “I was right! I knew you two would be great together.”

“He lives across from you?” you ask in excitement.

“Yeah! Moved in a few weeks ago. Wait, how did you guys meet?”

“Eddie plays DND with the guys and I met him at Dustin’s. Did Lucas not tell you about him?”

“No,” Max huffs. She rolls her eyes and leans back in her chair again. “Though, to be fair, I never listen when he talks about that damn game. So maybe he did.”

“This feels like a John Hughes movie,” Robin says.

“You drove Max here, right?” you ask Robin.

“Yes, but you can take her home,” Robin answers with a smirk.

“He might not even be there.” You shrug, but you can’t ignore the butterflies buzzing around your stomach at the prospect of seeing Eddie in a few hours.

“DND was cancelled today, wasn’t it?” Max asks. “I may not listen to Lucas about it, but I do remember something about skipping a week when Will goes out of town.”

“Huh, you’re right,” you say.

“Oh, look at that smile on her face. I’ve got to see this Eddie dude,” Robin says. She turns to look at Max. “You think he’s hot? I’m not sure how reliable these two are when it comes to guys. They’ve both slept with Steve.”

“Hey!” you and Nancy say at the same time.

“Max thinks Steve is hot, too,” you add, to which Max nods her agreement.

“Ugh,” Robin groans, slouching down in her chair. “Still. Thoughts on Eddie, Max?”

“Yeah, he’s hot,” Max says. “Nice, too. Weird. But in a good way.”

“He plays DND with the boys,” Nancy says. “He had to be a little weird.”

“Has he met Everett yet?” Max asks.

“Technically, he met Everett before he met me,” you say. “When I first saw Eddie, Everett was talking his ear off.”

“Really?” Robin asks. “He wouldn’t talk to Vickie the first three times he met her.”

“I know,” you say. “I was shocked. But he was talking to him, looking at the rings he was wearing, and gave him a high five goodbye.”

“That’s a good sign,” Nancy says.

“How many dates until they get to spend actual time together?” Max asks.

You take a deep breath and rest your hands on the table in front of you. “I’m already trying not to get ahead of myself. We haven’t even had our first date yet and I already like him so much. So, I’m trying not to think about that yet.”

“I’ve never seen you like this,” Robin says. “Not even when you had a crush on The Hair.”

“That’s because she always gushed to me about Steve,” Max says with a playful smile. “But Robin’s right. You never lit up like this when you talked about him.”

Nancy leans over and squeezes your arm. “I’m so excited for you. You deserve this.”

“Thanks,” you say as you eye the waitress appearing with the food for your table. “I hope you keep that in mind when you and Steve try to battle Ev into a bath tomorrow.”

“Shit!” Max grabs onto the handle above the car door, her other arm bracing herself against the dashboard.

“Sorry.” You wince as you pull out onto the highway. You’d always been a cautious driver – even more so when you became a mother – but with the prospect of seeing Eddie, you suddenly had a lead foot.

“I’d like to survive to walk across the stage at graduation next week, thank you very much,” Max says.

“Oh relax,” you say as you watch the speedometer lower to a more acceptable speed.

The thoughts in your brain were traveling faster than your car. What if Eddie isn’t home? What if he is? Will he think it’s weird that you wanted to come by and say hi? No, you tell yourself. He would’ve done the same thing. The fact that you’re so sure about that causes bubbles of excitement in your stomach and an unavoidable smile to appear.

“I like seeing you like this,” Max says.

“Hmm?” You look over at her as you reluctantly pull up to a red light.

“Happy,” she says. “I mean, I’ve seen you happy a lot. You’re generally in a good mood. But this is something different. Something extra.”

The smile on your face grows as the light turns green and you venture forward.

“It’s kind of scary,” you say, smile never faltering. “Like, a million ‘what ifs’ go through my head all the time. About him, about us, about me.”

“You think too much,” Max says. “Just…relax.”

“Oh, thanks. Now I’m perfectly at ease.”

Max ignores your sarcasm and adjusts her position in her seat now that your driving is no longer scaring her.

“I just mean that you don’t have to worry so much. You became a mom at eighteen. That’s how old I am now. Could you even imagine me doing that?” she asks.

“You could,” you tell her. “You’re one of the strongest people I know. But you want to go to college, so I don’t recommend you and Lucas get into anything like that.”

“Okay, first of all, no. No babies for like, ten years at least for me. Second of all, yeah, I could do it. Now. You know why? I saw how you did it. I saw you take care of things I never even thought that you’d need to do. You knew Steve was there for you, you knew we were all there for you, and you let us help when you needed it. Eventually, anyway. You were stubborn at first.”

“That shouldn’t have been surprising,” you interject.

“Shut up,” Max says fondly. “You ignored the stupid people at school who threw mean looks your way or decided to open their big mouths. Even the teachers and their sly remarks. The way you handled it was amazing.”

“Because I knew I had you guys in my corner,” you tell her. “I had my gang behind me to always have my back. There’s no way I could’ve done any of it without you all.”

“Okay, but you still have us. So, see? If you can have a baby at eighteen, you can date a guy.”

“Why does the dating seem so much scarier?” you ask.

“Well, you already conquered being a new mom,” she points out with a shrug. “That was the scariest thing then. I remember because you told me so.”

“Yeah, but the baby wasn’t going to judge me,” you mumble.

“You really think Eddie is going to judge you?”

You sigh and drop your head back against the headrest.

“Not judge, I guess. I don’t know. I guess I’m just feeling…”

“Insecure?” Max offers when you don’t finish. You nod and Max reaches over to squeeze your shoulder. “Don’t be. I know, easier said than done. But you have no reason to be. You’re smart, you’re sweet, you’re beautiful, you’re a kickass mom, and one of the best people I know. If he doesn’t see that he’s the biggest idiot. But it kind of sounds like he does see it, from what you’ve said.”

You give her a bashful smile as you turn into the trailer park.

“How are you so smart?” you ask.

“Oh, please,” Max says with a snort. She crosses her arms over her chest and looks out the front windshield. “That’s nothing new.”

With a chuckle of agreement, you pull your car to a stop in front of Max’s place.

“I was afraid to look,” you say, keeping your eyes straight ahead. “Is his van there?”

Max leans forward to look around you and smirks at what she sees. She turns your car off and pulls the keys out of the ignition. You turn to look at her and she tosses the keys in your lap.

“Take a look,” she says. “You’ll like what you see.”

Your stomach does a little flip before you turn your head in the direction of Eddie’s trailer. But it’s nothing compared to the giant swoop your stomach endures when you see Eddie, shirtless, working on a motorcycle. His hair is tucked up in a low ponytail at the base of his neck, just as it was when he worked on your car. It’s a hot June day so there’s a light sheen of sweat on his naked torso, bringing glistening attention to the tattoos adorning his skin. You’ve seen the ones on his arms from the previous times you had spent together, so your eye is drawn to the ones that have been hidden from you. From a spider near his collarbone, your gaze drifts to what appears to be the head of a demon, inked right over his heart. Eddie turns his body to reach for something on the other side of the black motorcycle, and it gives you a perfect view of the muscles rippling down his back.

Across his shoulder blades there’s a tattoo of a disjointed musical staff, notes dotting along the different lines. The music dances along his skin as he continues his work on the bike. Lower on his back, close to his right hip, there’s a tattoo that you have to squint to get a better view of. Your eyes strain to see a bolt of lightning shooting down, wrapped in barbed wire. From there, your eyes can’t help but keep going further down, landing on his ass, clad in tight black jeans.

“You’re going to hurt yourself.”

“What?” you whip your head away from Eddie to look at Max, who looks like the cat who ate the canary.

“You’re going to cut yourself on your keys.” She nods down to your lap where your hand is gripping your keys so hard that each little groove leaves a deep dent in your skin. You drop the keys and realize most of the other muscles in your body have tensed up as well. With a deep breath, you attempt to calm your whole system.

“Okay, come on,” Max says, grabbing her door handle and pushing the door open. “Don’t think, just get out.”

Not giving yourself a chance to think, as Max said, you climb out of your door and close it behind you. Eddie doesn’t turn around, but you didn’t expect him to at the simple sound of a door slamming shut.

“Hey, Munson!” Max calls.

Well, that’s one way to do it, you think.

Eddie looks over his shoulder, eyes widening as they land on you. He turns his whole body to face you and he instantly drops his wrench and heads towards you. The closer he gets, the more you can see how his face is lit up, your head getting fuzzy from the sight.

“Look who I found,” Max says. She walks around to your side of the car and leans against the rear door. He barely spares a glance at her, making her smirk as she watches the two of you be infatuated with one another.

“What are you doing here?” Eddie asks with a grin. He opens his arms to you, and you see the hesitancy in his eyes as he realizes he’s sweaty. You don’t give him a chance to rescind the offer though, as you go in and wrap your arms around his bare waist. His arms encircle you as you rest your head against his shoulder. Should the smell of him all sweaty be gross? Because it’s not. It’s actually really hot.

“Driving Max home,” you tell him. “Didn’t know your neighbor was one of my best friends.”

“Mm, you’re friends with Red, huh?” you both pull back and he’s smirking at you. “Good. She could use a good influence in her life.”

Without turning around, you know Max is flipping him off. Eddie looks at her and chuckles, confirming your suspicion. He presses a kiss to your forehead, and you close your eyes to savor the sensation. His lips on your hands those times before felt amazing, but having them against your face? You’re not sure how you’ll survive when he finally kisses your lips.

“I didn’t know you rode a motorcycle,” you say.

Eddie turns his head to look over his shoulder at the bike before looking back at you.

“Yeah, got it a few years back. Didn’t work very well back then but now she’s at the top of her game,” he says.

“It looks good,” you say. The heat is already crawling up your face before you speak the next sentence. “And so do you.”

His smirk causes the red in your cheeks to deepen, and you wish you knew if the pink flush on his face was from exertion being out in the heat, or because of what you just said to him.

“Thanks, beautiful,” he says.

“You know,” you say as Eddie reaches down and takes each of your hands in his own. “Max was kind of bummed when she heard I had a date tomorrow.”

He frowns and looks over at her.

“What?” he asks. “Why?”

“She said she was bummed because she wanted to set me up with her neighbor,” you say with a giggle.

“How was I supposed to know you already met?” Max asks with a shrug.

“Well damn,” Eddie says. “Nice to know the universe had a backup plan if I didn’t meet you at Dustin’s. You’d make a good wingman, Red.”

“She knows her friends really well,” you say, smiling at Max over your shoulder.

“Alright,” Max says, pushing herself off your car. “I’ve had enough heart-to-hearts for the day. I’m heading inside.”

You let go of Eddie’s hands to give Max a hug. She hugs you back and pats your shoulder as she pulls away.

“No making out on my lawn, please. And for the love of God, use protection. I can’t babysit Everett and a baby sibling of his.”

“Max!”