#when i tell you id had enough i mean it. i kinda shook him off and stood in front of him

[salemsailedaway]

“It’s just like i was a kid again. But i wasn’t. And he never was.”

a/n: hey, it’s me salem, just a warning..

this comes from a kinda personal place. it’s a comfort fic and it contains some mentions of r4p3, s/a, and inc3st. This is what i wish happened, i wish i had a wilbur to comfort me through these past memories but, i didn’t. this is kinda a way to comfort me because it makes me feel like i had a hero.

going to my grandmas house was either the worst or the best, there was no sane in between, i mean, i’d either wake up to a stupid smelly boy or,,

or, my mom would head to the hospital and i’d be left to my grandma. i’d get home after a long day and toss my stuffed bag onto the floor with a dull thud, i’d rush to the back door and rip my shoes and socks from my aching feet, and it was heaven from there.

i rushed out to the garden before my grandma had time to stop me, before she could tell me that “he” would be home in the evening. i didn’t want to know that and i didn’t care, i just wanted to see the other boy,, the boy who didn’t wrong me. The handsome man id know since birth and even before then. i felt like i had known him my whole life, with him it was heaven, with him,, “he” couldn’t hurt me like i’d feared. “wilbur !” i yelped with joy, jumping into the taller’s arms. he chuckled and ruffled my hair, “Did you shrink?” i puffed my cheeks out and jumped down from him, “you- you definitely just- grew !” he only smiled, that pearly white smile i adored. i heard- my grandma yelling, “[REDACTED] will be over soon!” and that was enough to switch the mood.

“i never liked that guy you know? always so show offish..” he said as he cracked open a soft drink, “you can.. stay here tonight.” i shook my head, it was getting late and i knew that my happiness would be over as soon as i saw that face. “lets just savor this, yea ?” i said smiling my best smile. “Yeah,” wilbur said, worry was evident in his face and in his voice, but i tried to convince him i was fine nonetheless. We tried not to pass the time and just bask in each other’s presence’s, talking about whatever and holding each other, looking at the stars greeting the sun as it took its leave. i felt sick. i felt sick walking to that- that den. it was awful because i knew i couldn’t escape. i just had to face it, a million more times just to see wilbur.

“hey! nice to see ya!” “he” spoke with a stupid lopsided grin. he reeked of sweat and dog fur and when he hugged me, i almost puked. “ha- yea !” i grimaced into his shoulder and quickly pulled away, yet the adults, our supervisors, our rulers did nothing and saw nothing. why didn’t they save me ? probably because they’re too fucking selfish to even think about the possibility of their “sweet baby” being a repulsive monster. “how’ve ya been?” his hand rested on my shoulder, “haha great !” i forced a smile to my face and tried so hard to push down the bile in my throat. “that’s good, good..” he trailed off and that tone, that certain phrase made me shake my head. not tonight,, please god not tonight. “let’s head to the gaming room, i got something new to show ya.” once more i shook my head, “not,, tonight ? m’ tired, man,,” i spoke slowly, meekly. “oh come on! i thought you missed me?” “yeah, it won’t kill ya to spend a little time with your old cousin!” my aunt backed him up as my grandma nodded softly. it might kill me, it really might. and it really did, as soon as i got into “our special room” my clothes were torn and so was my heart. i miss my heaven.

after “he” fell asleep i went upstairs. i vomited several times and quietly sobbed. big messy tears ran down my cheeks and my throat ached. i cleaned myself up before sneaking out, i needed to see him. it was cold but it was so much more bearable than whatever i had gone through in that stupid house, i didnt care if i was stepping on broken beer bottles and dead animals, i needed to see wilbur. even if i had to run through this stupid forest filled with waste and rot, i thought that i’d become the waste and the rot if i wasn’t purified. Purified by wilbur.

[lloyds-department-archive]

I made someone cry today /srs

[hitnran]

OBSESSIVE EX (gender neutral! reader)

how they deal with you having an obsessive ex

includes: ran, rindou

CW: obsessive behavior, cursing, stalking (ran), phone harassment (rindou), the haitani brothers lowkey kinda scary here (not to the reader) 💀 but i’m just trying to make it fit within their character

— RAN HAITANI

Getting into a relationship with someone like Ran, half of the charismatic brother duo that ruled Roppongi, almost means guaranteed safety wherever you go. His title itself is one that is feared when murmured. Whenever you two leave, he always has an eye and a hand on you. Ran knows well that even if he is feared, he can also be challenged and the last thing he wants is for you to get involved — you would make an easy target for his enemies.

You two were out together on a stroll around the city. Although there was nothing neither of you needed, Ran’s favorite thing is showing you off. Sometimes you start to feel similar to his younger brother, thinking that you’re just a shadow and only known as ‘Ran’s partner.’ But Ran’s intentions were opposite. He wanted everyone to know that it was him that belonged to you and it is him that people would have to deal with if you were ever tested.

As you two are walking, Ran noticed your eyes consistently checking itself to the side. He took note of that and eventually brushed it off since you stopped. But then he noticed that you were being especially keen and scanning the whole area.

“Are you okay, love?” Ran slightly hunches down, getting your attention as your face turns his way. He lightly smiles at you. “Did you see something you liked?”

You swallowed down hard. You could’ve sworn you saw a familiar face, but after trying to scan the area numerous times for the past few minutes, you thought it was just you being paranoid. The last thing you wanted was to worry Ran and cause a scene.

“I’m okay,” You shook your head, returning a light smile. You grabbed on his arm, this time a little tighter. “Let’s turn into this corner.”

Ran knows when you’re lying. He knew something made you uncomfortable, but he wasn’t going to force you to tell him. Instead, he’ll make it his own problem too and deal with it himself.

This area was his territory and everyone knew it. It was almost as if Roppongi, a city known for liveliness, calmed down ever so slightly if one or both of the brothers were out. Everyone’s gaze wound be kept low and their conversations would go mute as they walk by.

At that moment, Ran could feel a pair of eyes staring your way. He won’t make it obvious though.

“Love,” Ran called out to you. You looked up his direction and he placed a hand against your lower back. “Rindou’s gonna throw a fit if I don’t bring back food for him. How about you go into the restaurant and order first while I call him and ask what he wants?”

You felt at ease hearing that you two were finally going to be in somewhere indoors, but it made you nervous that he would be separated from you for just a little while.

“Don’t wanna bring something back he won’t like and have him complain,” Ran lightly laughed, trying to ease your clear discomfort. He placed a hand over your head. Taking out his phone to add to his act. “I’ll be quick.”

After some hesitation, you gave in. It was a public space after all, so it shouldn’t have been anything to worry too much about. He watched as you entered the place before turning around, sending chills to the person who had been following you two around this whole time.

“Would be a shame if I left them alone for too long, wouldn’t it?” Ran gave off a sinister grin, slowly walking towards the person. “Wouldn’t want anyone to take them away…especially someone like you.”

Ran knew who this person was. He was an obsessive ex of yours that just would not leave you alone and accept the separation despite it being years passed. He gulped hard, nervously stepping back, not thinking that he would get caught.

“You were so bold to even follow us in the first place, why so shy now?” Ran smirked, hiking up the sleeves of his sweatshirt. “This is the first time you’ve heard of me or something? I should introduce myself to you well and hard then.”

Almost ten minutes had passed since you’ve been waiting for Ran. You sat patiently and waited. Your best guess as to what’s taking him so long revolves around Rindou. Maybe he was complaining about how he wanted food from a different place or being picky about menu opinions. Just as you were about to raise yourself from your seat to check up on Ran, you saw him enter.

“Did I make you wait too long?” Ran appeared, seating himself in front of you. The worse case scenario you had in mind was that he got into a fight, but in front of you, he looked just as how you last saw him. “You know how Rindou is.”

Your chest became relaxed and you gave a small smile, shaking your head, “What did he want from here?”

“I didn’t even listen to what he said,” Ran teased, opening up his menu and leaning back against the chair. You felt his legs sandwich your calves from beneath the table. “He can order it himself. All my money is going to you today.”

And that was how Ran liked it. Although Ran wanted everyone to know that he belonged to you, he knew how important it was for others to know that you belonged to him too. The image of the face of your ex is burned so clearly into his brain — face all bloodied up, mauled almost, as he failed to even whisper for forgiveness.

“I think there’s only one way I’m gonna let you outta here alive,” Ran kicked his body down with force, hearing something shift in his jaw. He couldn’t give half a damn about it. “Do you know what that is?”

Your ex was visibly beaten and weak now, barely able to even blink or properly form a sentence. Though, with his adam’s apple slightly moving from fear, Ran took it as a response.

Grabbing him by his hair upward, Ran bent down, looking straight at him, “You’re gonna leave them alone and never show your goddamn face again. If it wasn’t fucked already before, it sure is now. I promise you I’ll know if you’re even barely visible or a mile away, I won’t hesitate to kill you.”

Ran thought it was so disgusting how someone like you could ever have your time wasted on someone low like this ex of yours. Even if Ran saw him and his brother above everyone else, he always put you above him.

“Maybe even after this, I’ll send one of my men to go and beat the shit out of you every day so you could suffer for as long as you’ve tried to bother Y/N.”

— RINDOU HAITANI

Rindou can’t even remember what it took for you two to even reach this state of your guys relationship. He convinced himself that it was Ran, his older brother who wouldn’t shut up about how he was going to take you if Rindou didn’t make a move.

It genuinely surprises himself even whenever he looks your way, observing every detail and soaking in the idea that you are someone he can call his.

You two were watching a movie, or rather, supposed to. Rindou was too focused on side-eyeing you every now and then. You caught him a few times, but he would brush it off with comments like “this movie is boring” or “I’m just checking to see if you fell asleep.”

He would snap himself out of a trance after hearing your phone ring beside you. You eyed it once, looking at the caller ID and ignoring it. It wasn’t enough to cause Rindou to worry - it’s not his problem if you just didn’t wanna answer a call, it was your guys’ time anyway.

But then it rang once more again. Your ringtone dragged itself out halfway through before Rindou slightly raised his hand from your hip, pointing to the phone on the side of the couch.

“You not gonna answer that?” He asked.

You shook your head, eyes focused on the TV, “It’s fine. It’s an unknown caller ID.”

Rindou shrugged, ignoring it once again, but after a few more calls and your phone receiving back to back text messages, it was starting to irk him. He was close to just grabbing your phone and answering the call himself, but you were quick to act before him, just shutting it off.

“It must be spam or something,” You sighed, sitting back down.

“Yeah, well whatever it is, good thing you shut that damn thing off. That shit was annoying,” Rindou sighed, curling his arms around you again. “Let’s change the movie too or something. This one is boring.”

One thing about dating Rindou is that he seems uninterested in absolutely everything he does. Although you avoid thinking like that when it comes to your relationship with him, you always remind yourself that Rindou is someone who deeply cares for you. He shows it very differently compared to others, but you know.

He can recall a memory from a few weeks ago where you kept getting calls in the middle of your guys’ date. It annoyed him, but not as much as it annoyed you. You’ve pressed the red decline button at least five times now, stressing over it and spilling out everything about your previous ex.

At the end of your rant, Rindou grabbed your phone, picking up the call and saying words as simple as “leave them alone.” It was so simple, but for the next few weeks, it was silent. You finally thought you were free of harassment thanks to your boyfriend, but recently, they’ve been coming back as unknown caller IDs and more frequent than before.

Halfway through the movie, Rindou felt your body become more loose and relaxed beneath him. Your breath became slower and more steady. You had fallen asleep. He thought it was ironic to have someone as angelic as you in the arms of someone like him - a gang member always involving himself in trouble, even just for fun.

He stared at your phone just a reach away and then back at you. The last thing Rindou wanted was for you to be uncomfortable, or really, anything that isn’t where you aren’t happy.

When you woke up, the TV was shut off and you felt a blanket drape over your body. You realized you had fallen asleep from earlier, but you were expecting to find your boyfriend with you as well. That was when the door swung open and you were greeted with Rindou.

“Rindou?” You slowly let out, still adjusting from waking up. “I didn’t know you left.”

He raised a bag up midway in the air, it’s a bag from a bakery you often bought from, “You kept murmuring about it in your sleep. Didn’t want you to wake up all grumpy.”

“I don’t wake up grumpy!” You protested, watching as he took his seat next to you and unpacking all of your favorites.

“Yeah, okay,” Rindou joked. He listened to you puffing out before wrapping yourself around his arm.

“Thank you though,” You murmured out of embarrassment - maybe he was half right.

“It’s nothing,” He replied, softening his face into a grin. “Must’ve been hungry though if it got you talking in your sleep and drooling on my arm.”

You didn’t even know about half of the things he does for you, but he didn’t mind it, because if you were happy, then that was all that mattered.

It made Rindou feel guilty to turn on your phone and look through it. It wasn’t something that he ever felt the need to do - he trusted you and it felt wrong if you weren’t aware that he was using it. Though, at this time, he felt like it was for the better.

While you were silently sleeping, he browsed through your texts. It’s that same person - your ex back again to bother you. Rindou scoffed, making sure it wasn’t loud enough to wake you up, but he was angry. He clicked his tongue whilst composing a message.

Rindou knew you would never be so stupid as to meet up with someone like this, especially not after already experiencing it once. It was a good thing that it was just Rindou posing as you though. How delighted your ex felt to have finally received a response to you - ‘Let’s meet up here.’

Rindou thought it was so pathetic. This guy had no idea what he looked like, let alone that you even had a boyfriend. So when Rindou’s immediate reaction upon seeing him was to throw a punch, he was shocked.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” Your ex cried out, trying his best to dodge his attacks but failing in between his words and attempts.

“Me?!” Rindou snapped, pushing him to the ground and twisting his arms. “Speak for yourself.”

The man beneath him screamed in pain, “I-I’ll call the cops on you and have you arrested!”

“Yeah? You think they’ll give me less time if I tell them I was just trying to teach a creep a lesson?” Rindou pulled back on his arms a little harder, tendons and muscles stretching themselves out of place.

“T-The hell are you talking about?!” He stuttered out.

“Don’t bitch around. Might end yourself up in there if you keep this act of yours up - I’ve been once before,” Rindou smirked, pulling back more and more on his arms. “It was fine for me. My big bro and I even got some respect while in there, so what’s gonna happen when they hear about your name from me? You’re fresh meat to them.”

“W-Who even are you?!”

Rindou scoffed, “The same guy who warned you once to leave Y/N alone. I should’ve honestly went to find you myself personally and beat the shit out of you, but I hate wasting my time.”

Your boyfriend let the man go. If his arms weren’t all bent out of place and dislocated, he’d be crawling away by now. It was a sight that Rindou would laugh at. Upon seeing that his phone had fallen out of his pocket, the same phone used to consistently harass you, Rindou stomped down hard, breaking it into bits and pieces.

“Don’t waste my time again. Next time you do, call the cops, I promise you I won’t care if they catch me killing you,” Rindou turned his back around.

[worminstuff]

The Balcony of the Treehouse pt.7

sleepy bois x reader au

no warnings:)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Brisk air sent shivers down Technos arm as he stood on the balcony. Hed been standing there since he got the text from Y/n she was on her way back. His fingers were tapping the railing of the balcony impatiently.

Hes been patient, and hes hated every moment of it.

While she was gone, he paced for a while thinking of her. The he sat down staring at the ceiling, thinking of her, and then he paced some more, and thought some more. He did nothing really.

The whole five ish hours.

Five.

The entire five hours he was hyper analyzing every moment Y/n and wilbur had been together around him trying to think if she liked him or not.

He couldnt figure it out, because of his horrid memory but he definitely tried.

He wasnt sure how hed act if he had to see her with him. All the time. He didnt want her to be with him.

Techno was well aware he liked to ignore his feelings, especially when it involved the possibility of hurting his relationship with Y/n. But there was absolutely no way hed be able to stomach the idea of Y/n being with Wilbur in that way.

His stomach felt heavy as he heard Wilbur’s car pull into the driveway, and he anxiously waited to see Y/n make her way to the backyard.

Once he could see her, he smiled softly as she grinned up at him. He went back into the treehouse as she was making her way up.

“Techno!” Y/n burst into the room excitedly, quickly hugging Techno.

“Hey.” he gave a soft chuckle, returning the hug. “How was it? Did you have fun? Were they nice?” he questioned.

“It was so so so much fun!” Y/n pulled back to grin up at him.

“It was?” Techno was trying to sound happy that she had fun but he wasn't. He was hoping it was bad or awkward so she wouldn’t go again. Which now that he thought of it is really selfish..

She stared at him a moment, confused at why he sounded disappointed.

“Yeah..why do you look sad?” her head tilted in question.

He stared down at her, his gaze was soft but his frown was prominent. He traced her features with his eyes before he slowly pulled her to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, hugging her tightly. His cheek was pressed against the top of her head.

Y/n slowly wrapped her arms around his middle, “Techno-”

“Shh just...Just shut up.” he murmured.

They stayed this way for a little while. The cold dewy night air clinging to their clothes and hair. Techno didn't want to ask her what she did or if they were nice, he didn't want to know any more about all the fun she had with wilbur.

“Can we go sit down?” Techno murmured into her hair.

Y/n pulled away from his chest to look up at him, she gave him a nod.

Reluctantly he let go of her and let her pull him into the treehouse to sit on the floor with him. He watched her sit then gesture to the spot in front of her. He pouted more, wanting to sit closer than that. Y/n noticed his expression and her shoulders fell, she sighed and opened her arms to him.

Techno slowly got to the floor and curled up in front of her with his head on her leg.

“I kinda missed you..” his tone was soft and he sounded almost hurt.

“Really?...” her hand was brushing his hair away from his forehead.

He waited a moment before he replied, “I was worried.”

“Why?” her hand was soft against his hair, he could tell she was trying to be extra gentle.

“Well you.. I didn't know what you were doing and…” he stumbled over his words. Techno hated vulnerability. He couldn't stand feeling weak.

He wasn’t one to talk of his feelings often, even with Y/n. He just wasnt good at it and he never felt the need to.

“And?” she murmured.

“I dunno…” he tried to shrug off the hint of a lie hidden in his tone. He avoided her gaze, he could tell he was worrying her and he hated to ruin her happy mood.

“Why are you so upset..” she wasn’t trying to pry or push him but she wanted to know why he was so upset.

Techno sat up straight to look at her. His eyes were soft but brave as if he were mentally trying to work himself up to say something.

“You were with Wilbur.” he had a childlike pout on his face.

“And?” she poked his leg and he grabbed her finger, holding it.

“Alone with Wilbur.” he stared at her hand, messing with a ring she was wearing on her pointer finger.

“I'm still not getting the point here..” Y/n kept her eyes on his even though he wasn't looking at her.

“Y/n..” he finally looked up at her. He was ashamed. He didn’t want to say it.

“Techno.”

“Please dont make me say it..” he was wincing slightly, holding her hand fully now.

“Say what Techno?” she slid her thumb over the back of his hand.

“I love you.” it was rushed and he instantly regretted it.

“I love you too but- whats that got to do with anything?” she tilted her head as Techno sighed and looked towards their hands again.

“I-.. nevermind.” of course she just thought he was saying it in a friend way! They do it all the time. He felt like an idiot.

“No id like to talk about this please.” she squeezed his hand.

“I just..Y/n..I love you more..Than just in a friend way.” his eyes were back on her, but he was looking at her brows, her nose, her cheeks. Anywhere but her eyes.

“Oh…” she said softly.

“Oh?..” he raised his brows.

“My statement still stands. I love you too.” she pulled apart their hands, moving his fingers around with hers. His heart swelled and he grinned. She barely said anything and his whole mood was flipped.

“Like?...” he leaned forward a bit, teasingly almost. Hearing her say it filled his ego and gave him some confidence. He wanted all of her praise and compliments.

“Yes Techno. Gosh you're dense.” she scoffed.

“How am I dense?!” he exclaimed, Him? Dense?

“Techno I..you..we kissed? And you- I-” she stuttered, a soft blush creeping up her cheeks.

“Oh right..” his soft smile was causing a similar one on Y/ns face as he stared at her for a moment.

“Yeah! Right!” she scoffed, a small airy laugh following.

Techno shook his head looking down, then back at her.

He felt happy and calm, but still nervous. There was a whole new air around them. Completely different. It was still comfortable and homey, but it was different.

“I know I’ve asked you this before..but I want to ask again.” he pulled her a tad closer.

She gave a soft nod as a response.

“Actually, come with me.” Techno stood, an arm extended down to her. She took his hand allowing him to pull her up. She was going to let go of her hand but he held hers tightly.

He pulled her out of the little door of the treehouse, and onto the balcony.

He pulled her to face him, only inches in front of him.

Y/n looked up, the clear sky full of stars above them.

Techno put his pointer and thumb on her chin, pulling it down to look at him.

“Hi.” she said softly, a nervous look in her eyes.

“Hi y/n..” he smiled softly, his heart melted at her mooney eyes.

“So you have a question?..” her small hand made its way to his forearm as his hand slid to her cheek. Not to pull his arm away, to hold it closer actually.

“I do..” he sighed softly before continuing, “You said you were before, but this time I really mean it when I ask,” he paused as he stared at her rosy cheeks under the moonlight.

“Are you mine?” his tone was soft but his words struck her deeply.

Her face felt warm and her brain felt almost fuzzy, his face was so close to hers.

She gave a small nod before she lunged forward a bit, taking him off guard as she pressed her lips to his.

His free arm wrapped around her middle as he hugged her to him.

There were no cliche sparks, but the kiss was somehow soft and sweet. He was surprised shed kissed him, but he wasnt complaining.

There was nothing steamy about the kiss, they simply held eachother, and they were gentle.

Techno was the first to pull away, his thumb brushing her strawberry tinted cheek softly.

He could faintly see the reflection of the stars in her eyes as she looked up at him, neither smiled nor laughed. But they didnt need to. They didnt need to express largely how ecstatic they both were to have expressed their shared feelings, they already knew.

Techno could tell by the slight jitter in her hands, and the way she was patiently waiting for him to say something first before she exploded or something. He was sure she was going to talk his ear off about it soon enough.

He just wanted to stare at her a little longer.

He felt so whole in that moment. He didn’t want or need anything else.

Just her, him, and the balcony of the treehouse.

[beann-e]

I have a head cannon that bakugou would not be sweet to who he liked or dated and instead deny it and hate on them even more.

The reason being because he doesn’t really understand feelings so, when he’s talking badly about you he just assumes it’s normal and a bit funny at the lies he’s spitting that his just continuously friends are eating up.

he’s been talking bad about people for years so , who cares if your his s/o your no acceptation all people are equal in his mind. Now lemme explain please fall in line and hold a buddys hand kids we’re going on a trip inside my brain

It wasn’t easy getting the spiky haired male to ask you out honestly if someone asked you , which they’d never dare since they’d never know per bakugous request him saying it’s not their business , how you two got together you would shrug your shoulders and walk off.

It wasn’t that it was a boring day or a simple question that you supplied the answer for. It was that it was unusual.

You’d been at quirk practice after school in the gym like you’d usually do only this time bakugou made his way over to you.

You’d been seeing him more often when you were in the gym and you weren’t sure why until he explained that he was interested in your workout routine saying you two could have a contest to see who’s was more grueling

It seemed like fun so like any competitive person you agreed. Only for him to tap out on day two your laughs swirling around the gym as he fought so hard to say he only lost because he just didn’t like how the air would hit his ass crack anytime he did your little girly squats you’d wrote down for him.

You couldn’t say you weren’t both confused and happy when he let the air calm down before he spoke “ i’m kind of conflicted “ his eyes coming up to look at yours from the floor “ could you maybe help me“

“ of course what’s up “

“ i’m at a standstill “

“ more like a sit still “ you joked eyes peering down at his straight face “ yeah ok let’s imagine that didn’t happen —continue “

“ uh yeah anyways — i’m at a standstill because honestly I like your shit workout “ he shook his head to the floor “ but I also like you so I find myself thinking if I couldn’t get through your workout even though I enjoyed it so much could I “

his voice rasped shakily “ could I get through a relationship with you even though I like you even more “

truthfully you’d wish you’d said no because right now you wanted nothing more than to just be friends with the male sitting across the room from you.

It’s not that you didn’t like him of course you did he was hot , smart, and felt strongly about his goals but, he was an asshole.

Not in the aspect of hes just mean and rude but he was an all around prick as he laughed with his friends from across the room.

Their voices only getting louder as you sat alone a few seats away from them trying to complete some work on your desk you’d just been given “ dude gotta admit class 1-A’s got some hot chicks “

“ yeah honestly minas top three if we’re being truthful “

“mina dude come on have you seen jirou “

“ don’t even get me started “ denkis voice came out in a soft groan “ god I would— “

“ yeah yeah all that jazz but “ seros voice came out soft. His hand coming up to point at the seat as you sat in with your head down eyes furrowed in anger at the math on your paper that wasn’t syncing up with your brain right now

“ y/n “ his fist tightened as he groaned “ y/n could get it on all accounts — the car “

“ you don’t have a car “ denkis voice came out as sero continued

“ the school bathroom “

“ but which one ? because one of you would have to go in the wrong sex’s unless its a handicap or family stal-“

“the fucking dorms “

“ y/n ? “ kirishima asked quickly “ y/n l/n ? “

“ fuck yeah “

“ hmm “ kirishima studied you before shaking his head “ honestly kinda hot never really paid attention to that stuff before though “

“ what the fuck how can’t you “

“ uh i’m more so a personality guy “

“ so by personality would you fuck em ‘ “

“ not to be vulgar but of course “ his answer taking no time “ y’know how fun they’d be in a relationship though not just with sex ? imagine cuddles—fuck —what about cuddle monster y/n maybe ? god that’d be so hot “

denki getting restless as he held his thoughts in from the other males. His mind spazzing before finally getting to speak “ i’d fuck her too “ he yelled everyone’s eyes going sharp on the boy before he coughed “ id rock it too — we’re talking about getting mullets “

“ oh boys that’d be kinda hot “ you said laughing sarcastically sero turning to you smiling softly “ oh yeah on who in particular “

“ mm totally blondie over there “

“ the fuck ? “ his eyes shot away from denkis and moved to yours anger pouring through his gaze making you jerk back a little in surprise “ the hell you mean i’d look hot “

your eyebrows creased “ well because I — you do you would “

“ don’t go talking out of your ass you hear me—shit people like you don’t deserve to talk to anyone about looks “ your mouth went dry at his lazer stare.

His lips curling up into a smirk before he shook his head “ these assholes are talking about fucking you yknow “ he whispered to you “ you gonna let em ? you gonna let em right? because that’s the only attention you’d ever get right “

“ bakubro hold up chill out “

“ yeah bakubro chill out “ you said your gaze wavering from the hard one you’d had when you felt the heat radiating off of him no comfort coming from him to you only confusing you more. Had you two been in a secret argument that you knew nothing about

“ whatever “ he leaned back in his chair as the class went back to what they were doing your hands gripping the pencil when the class got even louder but you only searching for your boyfriends voice easily drowning out the others

“ i’d never fuck “ your heart broke at the deep voice youd identified

“ dude seriously come on with the lies —fucking beautiful “

“ correctomundo my friend their absolutely stunning “

his laugh ripping through their claims hand jerking back to point at you “ you think their beautiful much less hot ? “

“ yeah you don’t ? “ denki spat all of them looking at the boy like he was crazy for enjoying this obviously racy topic right now much less taking the wrong side of the debate

“ I literally just sat here and said I wouldn’t fuck em’ pokémon —so you can guess what that correlates to “

“ hey dude why’re you being sucha a dick —the personality’s top tier even if your stupid enough to think their not at least hot“ kirishima putting the ending words in quotation marks honestly a bit upset with his friend

“ hey watch it your over here defending an extra like your gonna make moves on em “ he laughed “ I advise otherwise “

you let out a sigh thinking he’d finally stopped acting the way he was. Your mind preparing to only give him the silent treatment for today and then tomorrow peppering him with kisses until he laughed and apologized for his words

Heart only being snatched away from your body when you heard his deep vibrating voice cut through the room “ probably gonna give you a rash from all the shit that’s on their mouth all the time “

it’s just lipgloss.

Lipgloss bakugou bought you packs of earlier this week after he swore he loved the taste and scent.

moving to wipe at it gently with the sleeve of your outfit him still going causing tears to start building up in your eyes “ bet the bitch doesn’t even shower —had em’ over for a project last night had to wash my sheets and blanket —took hours last night “

“ oh “ denki let out “ I was a bit confused when I saw you at the laundry room at 3 in the morning.

Tears blurring your vision as you thought about his earlier words when he’d given you your favorite sweater of his after saying he’d washed it for you because he knew you wouldn’t do it yourself because in his words ‘ you would never wash it without his help because you were a creep and didn’t want to erase his smell or some shit ‘

“ yeah —smelled so bad im telling you stay away you don’t wanna ask em’ out “

you moved to grab your phone as he kept talking you typing out a message as best as you could before hitting send. His hand moving off the desk and going in his pants pocket to pull his phone out keeping it hidden under the table eyes trailing over the screen

Firefighter >3

baby are we arguing

if your mad at me please just tell me don’t just talk shit about me in front of your friends

him locking his phone and placing it on his desk before you typed out one more message him letting out a sigh as he grabbed for it again

firefighter >3

if you keep going we’re over

“ but imagine whoever bags them apart from bakugou at least since we all know he’s all anti hot y/n “

“ they’d be so lucky “

“ yeah right “ he spoke lowly almost trying to hide his voice from you eyes glued to his phone “ wouldn’t dare “

“ wouldnt dare what bakugou “

“ oh wouldnt dare be —-be lucky “ he locked his phone again “ feel bad for the person dating them all the shit they gotta go through put up with , claims they make through message and not with real words, being too much of a pussy to speak up for themselves“

he shook his head softly eyes twitching “ you wouldn’t put up with that —you couldn’t put up with that your not built for it you gotta have tough skin y’know like me “

he licked his lips moving to sit up straighter when hearing his phone vibrate “ don’t uh “

firefighter >3

one more bakugou

one more bakugou katsuki and were over

his eyes darting over to yours before his eyebrows furrowed and body shook in anxiousness he couldn’t figure out what to do.

He was an asshole you knew this so why the fuck were you being such a crybaby now? did he pick the wrong person to date he thought you were strong

He genuinely just wanted to keep these creeps away from what’s his by scaring them off he wasn’t doing anything wrong? well at least in his eyes

He moved to talk again trying his best to string together a nice sentence “ just don’t uh ask —ask em’ out —-their utter dog shit when it comes to relationships leave it to someone who can handle that y’know “

he relaxed into his chair at his victory when he watched you throw your phone to the table and fix your skirt and standup. Him sighing out when you picked up your stuff to leave “ thank all might “ he whispered head shooting to lean back against his desk chair and look up at the sky blood running cold when his phone vibrated against the table

firefighter >3

all your shits gonna be outside my dorm door. So you might want to come collect it before I have half and half lighting campfires tonight

y’know since i’m such a shit person —gotta hope your bestie deku can give me some after school lessons on personalities. He’s so sweet I bet he’ll fix me right up

screw you katsuki see you in hell

“ the —the fuck what did —the hell did I do wrong “ he screamed when he saw you slam the classroom door after flicking him off

his friends eyes moving from the door to bakugous phone that he’d thrown on the table.

Todorokis eyes going wide when he read his stupid nickname given to him by the steamy male “ I —I uh“ he coughed “ I think i’m gonna go help y/n since their now single—don’t want em’ getting hurt with amateur fire starters again when i’m right here “

his stone face peered down at the red faced boy “ I mean that is ok with you bakugou seeing as though you two were most likely in a relationship by the messages before today “

“ you asshole did you go through me and my s/o’s messages “

“ judging by the series of recent text I don’t believe that’s the case for you two anymore “ he reached to grab his backpack saying a formal goodbye before he spoke “ I feel like i’m needed by a very —very perfectly intelligent unshitty person right now “

seros voice coming out softly as he let bakugous phone fall to the table disappointment in his eyes “ look uh —dude you didn’t have to mess your relationship up just to go against us ? “ he winced at the claim“ honestly you could’ve stayed quiet the whole time —it’s not like we agreed with you anyways “

bakugou leaned back in his chair anger swirling in his stomach as he felt his body sweat at the new heat spreading throughout his whole body.

How the hell did he mess up where the hell did he mess up he explained to you he wasn’t gonna treat you any differently than any other extra here and that went for basic conversations too

Maybe he went a bit far with the dont date em ‘ that was probably it you didn’t like how he said don’t date you because he was the only one who could handle you right ?

He shook his head a bit confused you just wanted him to say that you could handle yourself and didn’t need him right ?

So , why the hell did he feel like he’d done something wrong he wasn’t stupid but he just wasn’t well versed in feelings. He already didn’t know how to handle his own so how was he expected to handle another persons.

To him his words were normal he talked about all people like this hell, he bullied deku for 3 years going as far as to make a special nickname for him

that wasn’t even the worse he could’ve done and you knew that so why was he in trouble and worrying about Icy hot taking his place

He was honestly confused?

Could words really be that hurtful?

could his words really be that hurtful ?

[mypoisonedvine]

Seeing Red | bodyguard!Bucky Barnes x actress!reader (part 3)

(part 1) (part 2) 

series summary: bucky used to brag that he didn’t have a celebrity crush, or really care about famous people at all, which is what made him the perfect person to start working for a celebrity like yourself.  except, of course, it’s just his luck that he’d fall for you.  

word count: 3k

chapter warnings: mention of past sexual harassment, very mature karaoke (lol), mention of pornography

Day 63 and you still hadn’t talked about it.  He’d actually gotten to know you a lot better over the past two months, even almost confessing his feelings for you with that stupid half-asleep storybook thing he’d done way back when, but you still hadn’t talked about the night you saw him looking in the rearview mirror.

Tonight actually reminded him of that night; this time was a premiere, for a movie you hadn’t actually been in but apparently you were supposed to go anyways?  He didn’t get it but he figured he didn’t need to.  As long as you came back alone this time, he’d be happy.

Of course, when he saw you step out to the car to leave for the venue, he was confident that would be impossible— not that you ever looked bad on a red carpet or anything, but wow… this was different.

“It’s not too slutty, is it?” you asked him nervously, spinning around to show him the back.  Don’t look at her ass don’t look at her ass don’t look at her ass—   

“Just slutty enough,” he responded with a gloved thumbs up.

“Perfect,” you smiled, and he opened the door for you to get in the back.  He took a moment to catch his breath before circling around to the driver’s side.

You actually chatted with him on the way, which was a new thing you two had started doing when he drove you.  He looked forward to your talks a lot— especially the ones where you ranted about whatever was on your mind.  You would usually apologize for rambling but he liked it; and, you were cute when you got really worked up about something, even if he thought it was kind of trivial.

As he pulled up to the red carpet, with cameras flashing and the indistinguishable yelling of reporters and fans, you shot him a look as if you didn’t want to go.

“Everything alright?” he asked.

“Oh, yeah,” you shook your head incredulously, “I just… I wish you would’ve come and seen it.”

He recalled a few weeks back when you offered him a ticket to the premiere showing, but he’d insisted on just sticking to what he knew and letting your assistant have the spare ticket.  “I’ll catch it on Netflix,” he dismissed.

“No, I mean, I wish you were coming with me,” you explained.

Was it hot in here, all of a sudden?  Because his cheeks felt warm.  “Uh, you don’t want me in there.  I always fall asleep in theaters anyways.  Just go have fun and I’ll catch you after.”

“Okay,” you nodded with an adorable little smile.

So he waited, wondering if he should’ve taken you up on it all those weeks ago, but decided he probably made the right call.  He would just embarrass you in a place like that, more than likely, and you had enough to deal with already.  He felt more useful waiting in the wings than being in the spotlight, to use a fittingly-timed theater metaphor.

It was a few hours of him killing time in the car, but he got to relax a little more since the event already had pretty good security on its own.  You’d recommended a book called Flowers for Algernon to him, even lending him your copy for the time being, and so he leaned his seat back and picked up where he’d left off from this morning.  Of course, if he had known that you’d be gone long enough for him to finish, and that the ending was going to make him cry, he probably wouldn’t have read it.  WIth his luck, it was inevitable that he’d be all but sobbing when you texted him to pull the car around.

Wiping his tears and hoping his eyes wouldn’t be too red, he tossed the book into the glovebox and started the engine.  You waved cheerily when you saw him from the entrance, and he attempted to navigate through all the other cars pulling up so he could reach you.  Thankfully, you didn’t have a new friend with you this time— or an old friend.  Jealousy crisis averted, for now.

“How was it?” he asked with a smile as you opened the door and slipped in, unable to hide how happy he was to see you.

“The premiere itself was a lot of fun, I got to see some people I hadn’t seen in ages; the movie, though?  Sort of pretentious,” you admitted as you shut the door and he got the car moving again.  “And way too long!  I could watch movies all day, but that doesn’t mean I want to watch a movie all day!”

“Fair enough,” he laughed.

“What did you do?” you asked innocently.

“I finished your book,” he frowned, trying not to think about it so he wouldn’t get emotional again.  

“Ah, I can tell you’re still a little hurt about it,” you smiled mischievously.  “Should’ve warned you about the ending.”

“No, no,” he disagreed, “it’s not a bad ending just because it’s a sad one… it was a good book.”

You’d already been smiling, but your smile undeniably changed as he watched it in the rearview mirror.  Something softer, something more sensitive.  He liked this one better.  “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

Just in time to interrupt the moment, you saw something on the passing street outside that caught your attention.

“Ooh, karaoke!” you piped up, pressing your face against the inside of the window excitedly.  “Pull over!”

He chuckled at how easily distracted you were, but did as you’d asked.  He barely found time to slow down to a stop before you were opening the door and running out, flashing your ID to get inside.

He groaned as he realized how completely unsafe it was for you to be in a bar… especially now, when you were at your most recognizable and literally still wearing what you’d had on at the premiere.  Thankfully, he managed to pull the car around and park in the closest spot he could find, jogging to join you inside the bar and hoping you hadn’t already made too much of a scene.  His hopes were dashed the moment he pushed through the door, however.

“Is she perverted like me?  Would she go down on you in a theater?” you sang along with the grungy backing track of Alanis Morrisette’s You Oughta Know; your lips were curled into a faux snarl as you stood on stage with your heels in one hand and the microphone in the other.

Bucky’s head fell into his hands, looking around to see hundreds of bar patrons, nearly all of them with their phones out filming you.

“Don’t do anything stupid,” Bucky mumbled to himself, hoping you would somehow hear it and take his advice.  Instead, you pantomimed sucking a dick with a cute little wink and everyone cheered.  “Jesus fucking Christ.”

“And I’m here, to remind you,” you continued, jumping around wildly; you looked like you were having the time of your life, honestly.  If he wasn’t so worried about you, he would’ve let himself smile seeing you so happy.

During the bridge, you stole someone’s water off their table and poured a bit on your head, slicking your hair back and shivering from the cold.  There was something about the water dripping down your face, starting to soak your clothes and make your skin glisten...

Bucky glanced around to make sure no one was looking at him before subtly adjusting his jeans.

He watched you sing the entire song, making most of the notes and definitely capturing the anger of the original song— if clearly having a lot more fun with it than most would.  The entire bar cheered when you finished, and you took a moment to take some pictures with people and meet a few fans, which he thought was sweet even if his bodyguard instincts forced him to interrupt after a moment.

“Alright, that’s enough,” he guided you away gently.

“Goodnight!” you waved goodbye to someone who was already buried in her phone and posting the photo you’d taken with her.

“Have a good time?” he asked sarcastically as the two of you began to walk out together.

“Would’ve been better if you hadn’t been glaring at me the whole time,” you smirked.

“I wasn’t glaring, I was just… watching.  You have a good voice, you know.”

You seemed surprised by the compliment.  “Oh.  Thanks.”

“And your stage presence is certainly… energetic,” he grinned.  “I bet your little charade is already trending.”

“I checked, and it is,” you giggled, showing him your phone for a moment where Twitter was open and you were the #7 topic in the United States and climbing.  “And the part where I poured that water on myself is pretty gif-able, don’t you think?”

He raised a brow as he held the back door of the bar open as you slipped back on your heels and walked past him.  “Is that why you did it?  For the reaction?”

“I did it cause it was fun,” you corrected.  “You wouldn’t know anything about that.  And the water thing was just practical, I was getting hot in this dress.”

That didn’t seem to be a problem anymore with the way you shivered in the night air as he walked you through the parking lot.  “Want my jacket?” he offered.

“No,” you frowned, but you eyed the leather with a hungry stare.  He chuckled and took it off, draping it over your shoulders anyways.  “How far is the car?” 

“Uh, a block?  Not much parking this time of night,” he explained.

“Ugh, these heels,” you groaned, “they hurt so bad.  I don’t know if I can make it.”  You began to slip them off but he stopped you.

“You can’t go barefoot out here, god knows what’s on the ground,” he shuddered; what if there was broken glass or something?

“Well, I can’t wear these,” you frowned, “and I probably shouldn’t be walking on asphalt in red bottoms anyway…”

He probably should’ve warned you before he scooped you up into his arms, but it was sort of instinct and he kinda forgot to say anything first.  You squealed a little but then went lax in his grip.

“You’re gonna carry me the whole way?” you asked incredulously.

“It’s only a block,” he shrugged, adjusting you in his arms a bit before starting the walk. 

It got quiet after that, the cool night air rustling the trees and blowing through his hair— frankly, he was a little chilly without his jacket, but it looked better on you anyhow.  The drive home was quiet, too, or at least quieter than usual, but it didn’t feel awkward, necessarily.  It didn’t feel like a lull in the conversation; it felt more like the conversation had just changed from verbal to non-verbal.  You both looked around at the city lights surrounding you on the drive, silent because there was nothing that needed to be said.  It wasn’t nervous, or tense, or anxiety-inducing like most of his interactions with you (or with anyone) could be.

It felt like time spent with an old friend.  He hadn’t known you long enough for that to be accurate, but he was happy to think of you as a new friend.  He just hoped you thought the same.

Arriving at the house, he dropped you off at the front and watched you make a mad dash for the stairs and presumably your bedroom, smiling to himself as he parked the car and came in to follow you.  He saw his jacket tossed onto the couch and your expensive shoes discarded right by the door.  Going upstairs and peeking into your room, he saw your limp form flopped onto the bed, your back exposed from the low cut of the dress.

“You’d better not get comfortable, you’ll kill me if I let you fall asleep with all that makeup on,” he frowned, leaning against the doorway.

"I couldn't fall asleep yet, anyways.  I'm wired."

“Any plans to burn off all that energy?” he pressed.

You groaned a little as you sat up, starting to unclasp all the jewelry on your wrists, around your neck, and on your ears.  “It’ll take me a while to get out of all of this— but not as long as it took me to get into it,” you laughed.  “Then I’m thinking TV and beers.”

“Beers?” he questioned, emphasizing the plural.  “You plannin’ to get toasted right before you go to sleep?”

“No, it’s plural because there’s one beer for me and one beer for you,” you explained with the slightest air of condescension, but he couldn’t really think of it as rude since it was an invitation.

“I don’t want to intrude on your chill evening,” he refuted.

“No, really, you’re not intruding!” you insisted, standing up and setting the jewelry on a nightstand before approaching him and turning to face away from him.  “Will you unzip me please?”

He stammered a little.  “I don’t… see a zipper,” he admitted with a weak voice.

“It’s on the side here, see?” you lifted your arm a bit, and pointed to it.  

Reaching out to touch your zipper was reminiscent of that old boardgame Operation: he needed to touch the zipper and only the zipper, cause if he bumped into anything else nearby, he got the feeling he’d get zapped.

His breath caught a bit as he watched more and more of your skin become exposed, the zipper ending up so low that he could just barely see the top of something lacy around your hips— and he had to stop there because anything more could induce cardiac arrest.  

“Thanks!” you piped up happily, slipping away to your closet to do the rest in private.  “Will you get the beers while I take my makeup off?” you requested through the shut door.

“Sure,’ he replied, turning to leave but realizing he should ask first: “Shiner or Pabst?” 

“Don’t patronize me,” you grumbled, and he laughed because it was a stupid question.  Trodding downstairs, he grabbed the Shiners from the fridge, stopping to check his phone only to see that it had started to automatically send him headlines pertaining to you.

‘Touch of Blood’ star gives impromptu karaoke performance at Queens dive bar!

He laughed at the picture of you onstage, even though he thought it was kind of reductive to describe you by a movie you’d been in so long ago when you had so much great new stuff coming out.  Jumping back up the stairs, beers in hand, he found you makeup-free (aside from some leftover mascara and eyeliner that hadn’t really made it all the way off) and in a robe, laying on the bed as you pointed the remote at your TV.  He thought you looked almost more beautiful like this than you did on the red carpet; of course, objectively, everybody looks better when they’ve been painted to the point of perfection, but he liked the domesticity of this.  When you were casual and relaxed like this, he could almost, almost pretend you were his girlfriend or something.  And not, you know, a global superstar and his employer.

“Beer me,” you requested as he sat down next to you, handing you a bottle and trying to ignore the thorough view of your legs he was getting in that robe.

“Anything good on?” he prompted as he watched you scroll through the channels on the guide.

“Uh, not particularly,” you frowned.  

“They’re showing a game,” he pointed out as you passed the sports channels.

“I’d rather watch this pay-per-view porn,” you rolled your eyes.

He cleared his throat but said nothing because he was confident there was no good response to that.

“Hey, I’m in this!” you beamed, changing the channel quickly.  He nearly had a heart attack until he realized you weren’t scrolling through the porn channels anymore.

He recognized the film instantly as the one of yours that he’d seen the most, for one very embarrassing and slightly sinister reason; looking down to the corner, he saw the HBO logo and realized it wasn’t going to be edited.  His palms got a little clammy but he tried not to worry about it too much.

“Oh, this girl was super nice,” you remembered as you pointed to a character on-screen.  “She had a bigger role but most of it got edited out.”

“That must be a bummer,” he imagined.

“Eh, it happens,” you shrugged.  “Beats getting fired, or recast in the sequel.”

“Have you ever been fired during filming?” he pressed, morbidly curious.

“Once,” you nodded.  “We were only a few days into it so they had no trouble finding somebody new and redoing my scenes.  Just think: I could’ve been a Bond girl if I’d slept with that producer.”

“You— what?!” he squawked.  “You got fired because you wouldn’t have sex with a film exec?”

“I got fired because of ‘creative differences,’” you explained with exaggerated air quotes, “and, unrelatedly, those creative differences surfaced the morning after I refused to get down and dirty with the EP.”

“Jesus,” he shook his head, “that’s… I hope you told someone.”

“Yeah, anonymously.  Somebody will care someday, but not yet.  He’s still too profitable, and not enough people have come forward.”

He glanced over at you, admiring your profile as you kept your eyes on the TV and took a sip of your beer.  When you turned your head and looked back at him, he realized he’d been staring a bit too long.

“What?” you asked, quirking your brow a bit. 

“What?” he repeated.

“You’re staring at me,” you frowned.

“Sorry, I was just… sorry,” he shook his head and looked back ahead.  What he found there wasn’t much less embarrassing, though: he knew all too well that this was the scene right before THE scene.  The scene he’d watched over and over until his arousal overpowered his shame.  The scene that he’d used to try to satisfy his crush on you, but it only made it worse.  The scene that had burrowed into his mind and deepened his obsession even as he fought it with everything he had…

You know, that scene.  And he was about to watch it with you.  

Bucky was completely, entirely, and supremely fucked.

[maybebanks]

I Noticed You

jj maybank x kook! reader

“Alright, Sarah. Bye now,” you groaned, stepping out past her white painted bedroom door.

“Noooo,” she whined, “don’t leave,”

“I gotta go.” You pouted, “my dad wants me home,”

“Fine. Be like that.” She waved you off.

“Your parents are way less strict then mine!” You argued.

“Uh huh,” Sarah responded sarcastically, “I’m gonna miss you, bitch,” she smiled.

“Okay...see ya,” you waved while walking through the door.

You continued down the hallway, it was a sort of narrow hallway, but you’ve been down it many times before.

“Hey Y/n,” you heard Rafe’s voice call for you, he was leaning casually against his door frame.

“Oh..hey,” you answer, stopping infront of him.

You had to look up to talk to him because he was taller than you.

“Can we talk for a minute?” Rafe asks. You had no idea why he would want to talk to you. I mean, he’s always been nice to you, but he was nearly 20. And you were barely 17.

You nodded, following his gesture for you to come into his room.

He closed the door after you. You just stood by the window. Raising your eyebrows at his suspicious actions.

You looked behind you and saw their backward looking fresh, a Pogue, you think his name is JJ but you didn’t know him well, mowing the lawn.

“I have to be quick. I promised to be home,” you mentioned.

Rafe smiled, not saying anything, just looking at you.

You fumbled with your crop top, “So..what’s this about?” You asked.

“You know how long I’ve been trying to get you alone. You and Sarah...it’s non stop,” he said.

“What?” You asked, very confused in general.

“You were at Toppers party right? Damn..when I saw you snort that coke I was like...this girl...she’s bad,” he chuckled.

“Oh...that was-that was a mistake. I don’t do drugs like that anymore,” you reassured, feeling regretful about that mistake.

He laughed, “don’t lie to yourself, baby. Just think of the fun we could have together,”

Is this some kind of flirting?

“Look...uh, I have to go. Talk later?” you opened the door a bit but Rafe slammed it shut.

“What the hell?” You asked angerly.

Rafe scoffed, “hanging out with Sarah makes you a real bitch,”

“Rafe...I have to go!” You raised your voice. This seemed to anger him. For next, he lunged towards you, trapping you against the wall.

“You think you can tell me what to fucking do?” He asked, his voice surprisingly calm.

When you saw his eyes, you could tell he was high.

“No, I’m-“ you began but stopped yourself when the door creaked open.

Wheezie’s brunette head peaked through the crack of the door.

When she saw both of you, her eyes turned confused.

Rafe moved off of you, “Wheezie, get out of here,” he ordered.

She didn’t argue like she usually would, she didn’t even exchange a glance at you. Just left the room, leaving the door a crack open.

“Shit,” you whispered involuntarily.

“Tell me, Y/n, what’s it gonna take?” he asked.

“Hi!” Wheezie shouted over the loud noise of the lawnmower. Waving her hand towards the boy out in the field.

JJ chuckled, he mowed the lawn for the Cameron’s once or twice a week. Wheezie was basically the only Cameron to talk to him, she would test out flirted to him, even though he was a pogue.

JJ turned the lawn mower off, walking over to Wheezie.

“What’s up?” JJ asked, honestly, he enjoyed a break from his work, and he would never get in trouble becuase Wheezie would defend him.

“So...uh...I don’t know for sure. But I think Rafe is gonna hurt her. And he’s kinda....you know, I mean he does drugs. I saw him this morning! Anyway, he’s in his room and I think-“

“Whoa! Slow down! Who’s gonna hurt who?” JJ asked, now concerned.

“Just put on a shirt and come with me!” She demanded, pulling him by his wrist towards the house.

“I don’t think your parents would be okay with me comin’ in,” JJ chuckled again.

“Just...okay...you know Y/n right? She’ll kill me if she knew I brough you into this becuase she hates attention or whatever but I’m worried, because you know...Rafe has a thing for her and I’m just worried he might try to kiss her and...” She trailed off, but JJ knew what she meant.

He frowned, “You sure I should go in there? What if she wants it. I mean, a lot of kook girls hook up with Rafe,”

“TMI!” Wheezie exclaimed, “anyway, Y/n isn’t one of those kook girls. She’s wayy too good for Rafe. Plus I think she’s into surfer boys,” Wheezie shrugs.

JJ sighs, “alright fine. But you owe me for this,” JJ began walking up the stairs, “what, you not comin’?”

“I am not about to get yelled at by Rafe. Plus I’ll cover the fort down here, so my parents don’t get involved.”

When he finally made it to the second floor, he heard your voice. You weren’t strangers, you’ve met once or twice, but JJ always thought you were way out of his league. And that was saying something.

“Rafe seriously. My dads gonna kill me!” You stated, pushing against Rafe’s rather buff chest.

“Who cares about your dad, Y/n. Just get on your knees,” he stated.

JJ felt disgusted. Even he knew that was no way to talk to a girl.

He stood outside the parted door.

“No, asshole,” you said bluntly, trying to get around him again.

He grabbed your wrist, harshly, pulling you back so you hit the wall. You moaned in pain when the doorknob from his closet door hit your back.

That’s when JJ interfered.

He pushed open the door to make his presence known.

You both looked up at him at the same time.

Rafe immediately stepped back from you, and you pushed the sleeve of your shoulder back to covering yourself.

“Everything alright in here?” JJ asked, studying the situation.

Rafe sniffled slightly nervously, he knew he probobly couldn’t take JJ in a fight due to all the drugs he’s on.

Rafe looked at you, to which you immediately understood, “uh...we are fine. Thanks JJ,” you answered, clearly nervous.

He was surprised, and unexpectedly flattered, when you addressed him by his name.

JJ thought fast, “there is a car here for Y/n,” JJ lied. But you believed it, and so did Rafe.

Rafe scratches the back of his neck, “Okay Y/n...have fun.” Rafe said as you stepped out of the room.

You wanted to flip him off, but JJ was right behind you.

When you got outside, JJ was about to tell you there was no car, but he couldn’t when you thre your arms around his torso, a hug, where you rested your head on his chest.

“Whoa,” he chuckled.

“Thank you, J, you have no idea...” you mumbled.

JJ slowly moved his arm to hug you back. But when his hand reached your mid back, you took a sharp intake of breath and pulled away.

“Sorry, for that. You really saved me back there,” you explained, looking up at him.

“It’s not problem. Oh and by the way, there’s no car here for you,” JJ mentioned.

“Oh...right. Shit I kinda need a ride. You looked around. Until your eyes landed on JJ again.

He studied you.

“What? Do I have something on my face?” You asked.

“No...” JJ shook his head, “this is the most you’ve ever talked to me,” he blurted. Kinda regretting not usuing his usual approach when talking to girls.

“Yeah, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ignore you before. I just didn’t want to get you in trouble,” you explained, “but I have noticed you,”

Your phone dinged, and that’s when you remember to check the time, “shit,” you blurted.

“What’s wrong?”

“Just...my dads gonna kill me. I was suppose to be home like an hour ago,” you sigh, still nervous.

You noticed JJ tense, “I can give you a ride? The van is gonna smell like weed though,” he winked, gesturing for you to follow him.

You nodded, following him down the driveway to where his “busted” van was parked.

“I’m not usually this helpless, you know,” you blurted, wanting him to know you for the real you.

“Oh believe me, I know,” he chuckles, opening the van door for you.

He was surprised by himself, again. He’s never cared enough to open the door for anyone. But it was so simple you probobly wouldn’t notice.

You smiled, at him and hopped in. There were some all black aviators and a red SnapBack on the seat. Which you moved so you wouldn’t sit on them.

As JJ walked around the van, you couldn’t find anywhere to put them, with all the clutter around, so you just decided to wear the sunglasses and his hat.

When he opened the car his eyes widened in excitement, “looks good on you Y/n,” he said starting the van.

“Who the hells that? I’m JJ,” you joked. When you took a deep breath, you scrunched you’re nose at the stench.

“Whoo,” you sighed, “it’s strong in here. What’d you hotbox or something?” You continued with the JJ impression.

“How do you know me so well?” JJ laughed and grabbed the hat off your head and placed it backwards on his own.

“Just guessin’,” you shrugged, moving the sunglasses farther down your nose.

“Where’s your place?” JJ asked as he turned the wheel.

“Uh...” you trailed off when you noticed Rafe running out of the house, looking angry, waving at the van.

“Shit! JJ go!! Drive!” You commanded. Grabbing his hand and forcing it on the wheel.

You knew Rafe would judge you for spending time with a Pogue, and he would also be mad.

“Calm down, princess,” JJ responded, stepping on the gas.

You immediately retracted, “sorry.” You muttered.

He pulled out of the driveway quick and started heading down the wrong road.

“Where are you going?” You asked, slightly nervous now.

“Back to my place. Since you didn’t tell me where yours was,”

“Wait...uh it’s down that road. I’d really love to hang but I gotta be home,” you told him.

“Ya sure?” JJ said turning the wheel and heading down your street.

You nodded.

“No, I mean, kook princess, would be down to hang with a Pogue?” JJ asked.

You pointed to the pastel yellow mansion with terra-cotta roofing, “of course JJ, I think you’re dope,”

“Holy shitt,” JJ moaned when he saw your house, admiring its beauty and the boat you had parked in the front.

“Jesus, what id give to be a kook,” he mumbled.

“Trust me, it’s not as good as it-“

“Y/N!!!” Your father shouts, he must have seen you pull in.

“Fuck,” you muttered.

JJs heat started to race, that was so damn hot.

You pulled of the sunglasses and placed them on the dash.

“See ya later, and also, you can come over any time use any materials you like. My brother got a new surf board and then went off to college, it’s all yours if you want it,”

JJ smirked, perks of having a kook friend that lived with a family that bought status symbols with their money, “can I get your number?”

“Yeah, it’s-“

You both stopped at the banging on JJs window.

Your father, was urgently yelling, “Y/N get out here right now. Your late for training, god damn it,” it was muffled, but you both understood.

“Training?” JJ questioned.

“See you at the Cameron’s,” you winked, then hopped out of the car and joined your dad inside the kook mansion.

JJ contemplated a life with you, only for a moment, then pulled out of your, rather long, stone driveway.

happy friday !

my masterlist

[fluffymcu]

Letting Loose

Requested chapter 21

This is a continuation of my series and all future chapters that I write for this series will be written as requested chapters

Request: Bucky has to fight for his bed back after you decide it’s yours now @raincloudanon

Word count: 2,175

You woke up in a sweat, immediately wanting to go to Steve’s room and explain to him about your nightmare and hug him closely. But you couldn’t. He wasn’t here. He was on a mission, which is why you were having a nightmare.

You dreamt that your brother was killed in battle and that Tony and the rest of the team were carrying his body back home in a bag. Tony walked over to you with a mourning face and was about to put his hand on your shoulder to tell you the horrible news when you snapped awake. 

Taking a few deep breaths and holding back the tears, you got out of bed and walked down the hallway. The next best person to go to for comfort was Bucky. You knew he battled with nightmares too so you knew he could relate to you.

Reaching his door, you peeked inside to see him sleeping on his back, with his flesh arm draped over his eyes, snoring softly. You almost felt bad to be waking him up when it was a good night for him. He rarely got to sleep at night. But you knew he would want you to wake him up instead of dealing with a nightmare alone. You walked over to his side of the bed and gently grabbed his arm, slowly pulling it away from his face. “Bucky?” You whispered. 

With a sharp inhale, he woke up and looked at you, smiling softly. “Hey muffin, what’s up?” He asked, his voice raspy as he turned his body a bit to face you. You looked down to the ground as bit your lip.

“I had a nightmare.” You squeaked, a tear finally dropping down your cheek. Bucky frowned and opened his arms to you.

“Oh, baby, come here. I’m so sorry you had a nightmare.” He hummed, rubbing your back soothingly. “Wanna talk about it?” 

You shrugged and sighed. “I just dreamt that Steve died on the mission... and the team was bringing him home in a bag. It was so scary and it felt so real.” You sniffled, trying not to cry anymore. Bucky hummed and kissed the crown of your head. 

“Again honey, I’m so sorry. But it was just a dream. Steve is just fine. You know he can take care of himself.” He said reassuringly. You knew that was true, but you couldn’t shake the thought of the possibility of him losing his life on the mission. 

With hopefulness in your voice, you looked at Bucky with your famous puppy eyes. “Can we call him?...Just to make sure?” You asked. Bucky looked in your eyes for a moment. He knew that probably wouldn’t be a good idea, considering he could be on an important stealth mission or they could catch him at a wrong time. But he knew the feeling you were feeling. Desperation to feel sure of something. So how could he say no to you? Plus, he couldn’t lie, those puppy eyes did wonders. 

With a soft smile, he nodded. “Sure muffin. We can try. Let’s see if he picks up.” He said, grabbing his phone from the nightstand and dialing Steve’s number, putting it on speaker. It rang for what felt like forever, but finally, he picked up the phone.

“Hello?” 

Your face immediately lit up as you featured the biggest smile ever when you heard his voice. A huge wave of relief washed over your whole body and you thanked God he was okay. Bucky also smiled when he saw your reaction and he chuckled, patting your side.

“Hey Steve, you busy?” Bucky asked, holding the phone up. 

“I got a few minutes, What’s up?” 

“There’s someone who wants to talk to you..” He hummed, leaning the whole your way. You smiled widely as you hugged Bucky closer. 

“Hi Steve!” You chirped. 

“Hey, bubba.” Steve hummed, grinning at the sound of your voice. “I miss you!” 

You giggled and your cheeks hurt from smiling so much. “I miss you too.” You said. 

“She wanted to check to see if you were okay. She had a little nightmare and it kinda scared her a bit. So she’s checking on you.” Bucky said, chiming in. 

“Aww, Princess, of course I’m okay. You’ve got nothing to worry about. You know I’ve been fighting bullies bigger than me since I was a kid. I know you were really young but I know you can remember me coming home all beat up. I can handle myself, alright?” He said.

“Yeah, I know. I just get worried sometimes. I’m waiting for you to come home already.”

“I know Princess. It’s okay. And I’ll be home in a few more days.” 

You nodded, your smile falling just a bit. “Okay.”

“Have you started making the plans for my welcome home cake yet?” He asked, the smile in his voice evident. Your smile picked back up as you smirked. 

“Nohoho. Not yet.” You said, shaking your head a bit. 

“Well you better hurry! Cause I’m not coming home unless I know I’m coming home to a welcome home cake...” He threatened playfully. “Otherwise I’m gonna have to have a long vacation over here... I heard the beaches here are beautiful.” He teased, making you giggle. 

“Ohokay, okay, you’ll get your cake.” You chuckle, playing with the fabric of Bucky’s shirt. 

“I better..,” He warned. After that, you heard Sam calling Steve in the background and you knew he was going to have to leave now. Part of you felt sad but at least you knew he was okay and that’s more than what you could have asked for. “I have to go now princess. But don’t worry about me. Just have my cake ready and I’ll be there, okay?” 

You smiled softly and nodded. “Okay,, Be safe.”

“Alright, man. See you soon.” Bucky said. 

“..Bye...” You sighed, your voice fading a bit at the end. “Love you.”

“Bye bubba. I love you too.” 

The line clicked and Bucky put his phone back down on the nightstand. “See? Everything’s fine. Steve is okay.” He said, smiling at you. You nodded with a grin and buried your face into his chest. 

“Thank you for calling him.” You said, your voice muffled. Bucky chuckled and patted your back. 

“Of course, doll. Anything for you.” He hummed. “Think you can rest easy now?” You nodded with a soft smile. “Good. Just to make sure, you can sleep here tonight in case you need anything else. Your head lifted up to look at him with a wide smile. 

“Really?”

“Of course princess!” He chuckled, throwing the blanket over you and cuddling you close. You couldn’t wipe the smile off your face. You felt so warm and peaceful and calm. You quickly felt yourself fall asleep. 

“Thanks Buck.” You mumbled, falling asleep right after, Bucky soon following.

--------

You woke up to Bucky’s alarm clock blaring at 7:00am. You groaned lightly and stirred a bit as you opened your eyes. Bucky had just turned back over from turning the alarm off and smiled sweetly at you. “Good morning, sunshine.” He sang. 

You returned the gesture with a smile and gripped the sheets tighter. “Good morning.”

“Feel a little better today?” Bucky asked, rubbing your cheek lightly with his thumb.

“Mmhmm!” You hummed, nodding. Bucky smiled with a hint of playfulness in his eyes.

“Good, I'm glad… now get out; off you go.” He said, waving you off. “Id like to have my bed back for the last few minutes of my morning before I have to get up and train.” He sighed playfully, although he did mean what he said.

“Mm-mm.” you hummed, shaking your head cheekily and hugging his pillow. “This is my bed now.” You giggled. 

Bucky raised his eyebrows and looked at you incredulously. “Uhh, no it is not, ma’am. Imma need it back.” He declared, giving you a side smirk. Still, you stood your ground. 

“Nope. I'm staying here. You can spend the last minutes of your morning on the floor.” You smirked, nodding once. 

Bucky gasped silently and smiled at your sudden confidence. He was gonna smush that real fast.                                                                                            “Oh really? Then it looks like I'm gonna have to fight to get my bed back, huh?” he asked, suddenly tackling you and pinning you to the mattress. You squealed loudly as he began to go straight for your ribs, digging and prodding his fingers in between each bone.

“NAHAHA! Buhuhucky dohohont!” You cried, kicking out your legs as much as you could since they were the only body parts that weren’t being completely pinned down by Bucky.

“I know my rights; every person is entitled to have their own bed.” He smirked, blowing a short raspberry on your neck, eliciting a squeal. He then started to spider his fingers down your sides, until he reached your hips. You arched your back and screamed, letting out loud belly laughter as you tried to fight him off. “Oooh, this is a bad spot, isn’t it?” He chuckled, lifting your shirt with his mouth to blow big, ticklish raspberries on your belly while still not pausing his attack on your hips. 

You threw your head back as you cackled, gripping his hands tightly to push them away but it was no use. Bucky started laughing along with you at your attempts to stop him. However, you were very very stubborn. Always were.    “I’M STILL NOT GETTIHIHING OHOHOUT!!” You laughed, shaking your head side to side defiantly. Bucky chortled deeply and his wide smirk didn’t make you feel like you were winning. 

“Ohoho, we’ll fix that right up.” He teased, grabbing your wrists in one hand and tasing the middle of your belly with the other. With a shriek, you instinctively brought your legs up to your chest but it wasn’t enough to block his hands from evilly tickling your belly. 

“BUHUHUCKYYY!” You cried, tears of mirth gathering in the corners of your eyes. 

“That tickles, doesn’t it? Makes you just wanna get out of my bed, huh?” He chuckled, dipping his finger in your belly button, knowing how sensitive it is for you. 

You still shook your head with hysterical laughter, unable to form words. Bucky gaped at you and how you managed to take so much of this today. You usually couldn’t handle more than 5 minutes of this with him. He was impressed. 

“Wow, you are a tough one to crack today, aren’t ya?” He laughed, letting go of your belly and grabbing your legs, holding your ankles in a headlock. “Guess I’m gonna have to go for the big guns.” He shrugged, rapidly vibrating his fingers in the backs of your thighs. You convulsed on the mattress letting out all kinds of shrieks and squeals, trying your best to get your legs out of his grip. 

“HAHAHAHAHA BUHUHUCKYYY! STAHAHAHAP PLEHEHEASE!” Your stomach was cramping form all the laughter and your voice was going hoarse. Bucky kept going however, switching legs every couple of seconds, never letting you get used to the feeling. 

“Do you give?” He smirked, raising an eyebrow at you as he continued. 

“BUCKY!!!” 

“I guess that’s a no.” He shrugged, getting prepared to rain raspberries on your belly again but before he could, you finally gave in. 

“NO WAHAHAIT! WAHAIT! I GIHIHIVE PLEASE I GIVE!” You begged, hugging yourself tightly as you let out residual laughter and regained your breath. Bucky sat back with a wide smirk.

“I knew it wouldn’t have taken much more to getcha.” He teased, pinching your side playfully, making you flint with a yelp. You growled with a fake frown and lightly kicked at him. 

“You’re so evil!” You whined, pointing at him. Bucky only laughed and pulled you to his chest, sighing deeply. 

“Only when I need to be.” He said, kissing your head. “And today I had to fight to get my bed back. Otherwise you would have taken over everything! First my bed, then my room, then my food, then who knows what else you’d take over?” He shrugged with his eyebrows raised. You rolled your eyes but couldn’t hold back the smile.

“Whatever. You can have my bed back, I guess.” You sighed, sliding off his lap and onto the floor, quickly getting up. Bucky looked at you with narrowed eyes. 

“Excuse me, your bed?” He asked, leaning towards you intimidatingly. “Do we need to go over this again? Cause I still got a few more minutes before my training starts!” He threatens, poking teasingly at your belly, making you double over and back away. 

“Nohoho! no mohore. I get it. It’s your bed.” You giggled, lifting a hand to surrender. 

“That’s right. Now get outta here, you little monkey.” He smiled, ruffling your hair and gently pushing you in the direction of the door while he went to get changed for the gym. 

You left his room with a smile and a warm heart, skipping down to the kitchen for breakfast to eat all of his pop-tarts as revenge. 

[platypanthewriter]

Guess Again

Day Four of Harringrove AUgust, Profession AU!  Steve runs into a hot guy named Billy on his plane flight back to Indianapolis, and Billy lies about what he does for a living, then, laughing, admits he lied.  The prize for this guessing game: an exchange of phone numbers.

Steve found his seat, in coach, because that was the only seat available on the overbooked flight into Indianapolis a week before Thanksgiving.  He shoved his carry-on under the seat, and wedged himself in the limited leg room, opening his laptop to answer the emails that had been pinging his phone before the plane was ready to take off, and he—blessedly—had to go into airplane mode.  

He barely even noticed the guy wedging himself in to sit by the window, and trying to get the damn table to stay up.  Steve typed away as the busted table mechanism flapped onto the guy’s lap over and over.  Finally, Steve grimaced, glancing over.  “You can use my table,” he offered, registering only that the guy was tattooed, and kinda...hot.  “I’ll put this away as soon as we taxi to the runway.”

“It’s fine,” the dude said, smacking the floppy table with a sigh.  “Not like there’s a meal on this flight.”

“You can lean in and share my pretzels,” Steve told him, grinning over, and was met with big, long-lashed blue eyes, an annoying mustache, and curls that curved around an attractively firm jaw.  

The guy nodded, and put the broken table away.  “...kind of a workaholic?” he asked, probably because it was nearly ten o’clock at night, and Steve was glaring at his screen and typing emails like his survival depended on a high word count.  

He snorted a laugh.  “I left them all until now,” he said, grimacing.  “They really don’t need my input, but if I replied earlier, they’d just ask me something else.  Something they could google.”  He narrowed his eyes at an email from a coworker who’d actually emailed to ask for exact details of what was allowed under the sexual harassment policy.  Talk to HR, he sent back.  Creep, he thought.  He finished the last of the replies, hoping he wasn’t sending anything too weird in his distraction, and closed his laptop.  “Um.  Sorry.  What do you do?”

“I sell life insurance,” the guy said immediately, with a toothy grin.  “I’ll sell you so much insurance on this flight.”

“Uh,” Steve said, blinking at him.  “Umm...oh.”

“That’s a lie,” was the dude’s followup, and Steve stared at him, starting to regret his offer to share a table, or catch the flight at all.  “I don’t sell life insurance, I swear.  I promise,” the guy said, laughing.  “God, your face.  I just...my job is...I started telling people I sell life insurance, so they wouldn’t talk to me.”

“I can just sit over here,” Steve offered, pretending to zip his lips.

“No, no, it’s, uh.  Sorry I lied.  Talk to me, it’s a long flight.”

“Why do you have to lie?” Steve had to ask, and the guy grimaced.  

“My job’s kinda awkward,” he said, laughing.

“Are you a...porn star?” Steve asked, trying to figure out what kind of job would get the worst people to talk to you, and the dude cracked up.  

“Jesus, no, but thanks for the ego boost,” he said, and Steve snorted a laugh.  

“Um.  What about…” Steve thought, opened his mouth, and then closed it.  “Can I guess?” he asked, grinning, and the guy snickered.  

“Sure.  Give it your best shot.  Just don’t tell me any horror stories.”

“Do you embalm bodies?” Steve tried, already holding back a tide of questions, like did you ever drop one and have to fix a broken nose.

“Nope!” said the guy, turning to lean more against the window, to face Steve.  “How many tries do you want before I just tell you?”

“Oh, no, no, lemme guess,” Steve said, thinking as they came around asking for drink orders.  “Horror stories...um.  Are you a soldier?” he asked, wide-eyed, and the guy laughed again.  

“No!  No, nothing like that.”  He leaned to see Steve’s ID as Steve pulled it out to order a beer, and Steve grinned.  

“I’m Steve.”

“Billy,” said his mysteriously-employed seatmate, offering his hand, and Steve flipped it over investigatively.  

“You don’t have those, like, love/hate knuckle tattoos,” he said, feeling like a detective.  “So...maybe not a biker?”

“I’m not a biker,” Billy snickered.  His hand was warm in Steve’s.  “Is that even a job?”

“Oh!  Oh!” Steve leaned forward, sure he had it this time, and Billy moved the armrest between them out of the way.  “A writer?”

“What?!” Billy laughed, which probably meant Steve was wrong, but he argued his point.  

“People tell you horror stories,” he said, narrowing his eyes.  “So—so probably everybody tells you they have a great idea for your next novel—”

“No, uh.  One clue,” Billy said, grimacing.  “They’re true stories.”

“True stories,” Steve said, going to cross his arms in thought, and realizing Billy hadn’t taken his hand back.  “Uh, what do I get if I guess right?” he asked, squeezing Billy’s hand, and Billy snorted a laugh, grinning like he couldn’t quite believe what was happening.

“I dunno, I feel like Rumpelstilzkin, you want like my firstborn or—”

“No, nope,” Steve made a face.  “I got enough kids around, thanks.  Oh—” he blinked, realizing how that sounded as Billy started to pull his hand back, and lean away, “—not, like, I’m not a dad, I don’t have a wife and kids or anything.  I just have some little shitheads that come over all the time and eat all my popsicles and pizza.”

“Oh good,” Billy said dryly.  “I’d feel terrible if holding my hand ruined your marriage.”

“No other knuckles can fulfill me, now,” Steve said soulfully, and then when Billy burst out laughing, Steve couldn’t hold a straight face.  

“You know how fucking dirty that sounds, right,” Billy whispered, rubbing his face with the hand Steve wasn’t holding, and Steve snorted a laugh.

“Don’t worry, I’m not trying to get you to fist me on the plane,” he hissed back.

“Coward,” Billy shot back, and then they started giggling again, like they were ten.  

 “True horror stories,” Steve repeated, later, as they leaned together over the napkin on his tiny airplane table, where he was keeping track of the guesses he’d already made.  “True horror stories.  Are you a reporter?” 

“God no,” Billy said, making a face.  “Imagine this many tattoos in front of the news cameras?  We’ve got a ways to go before they allow that.”

“Oh, true,” Steve nodded.  “I mean, unless you worked for, like, a tabloid.  Circling everyone’s stomach in pictures and writing ‘BABY BUMP?!’ on it.”  

Billy jumped when Steve yelled ‘BABY BUMP’, and half the plane twitched and mumbled.  “Fuck no!” he hissed, laughing.  “Ssh!”

“Huh,” Steve said, studying the napkin.  “Oh!  Um,” he grimaced.  “Police officer?”

“No,” Billy growled, and Steve nodded, writing that down and crossing it out, and sipping his third beer.  “We never worked out what you got if you guessed,” Billy said, watching.  

“Oh, yeah,” Steve agreed, nodding.  “Uh, what about...dinner?”

“We’re gonna land at like six in the morning,” Billy pointed out, and Steve fingergunned him.

“Breakfast.”

Billy laughed.  “I dunno if I’m willing to put out on our first plane trip together.”

“Lemme get you, like, bacon and eggs,” Steve said, leaning in and waggling his eyebrows, “—and my phone number.”  He smirked as Billy cackled, leaning his head in the window.

“Yeah, okay.  Gimme some breakfast sausage, Steve,” he said softly, the overhead reading light making his curls glow a little, like a halo.  

“Now I haveta figure it out,” Steve said, frowning at his list, and Billy’s fingers twitched towards him.  Steve grabbed his hand, lacing their fingers together, and accepted another beer from the flight attendant.  “I wonder how many beers that is,” he said, prodding at the label with his thumbnail.  “I think they’re like ten bucks a pop.”

“I bet the alcohol will really help you think,” Billy said dryly, and Steve made a face at him.  

“Shut up, I got it.  I got it this time,” he said, tipping his head back for a long, satisfying drink of beer, and wiping his mouth.  Billy’s mouth hung a little open when he finished, and Steve licked his lips, grinning.  “You—you’re a doctor.  A—a doctor of butts.  A butt-doctor.”

Billy started laughing so hard, silently, that Steve was starting to wonder whether he could breathe.  

“I’m right, right?” Steve said, taking a triumphant swig, and Billy shook his head, wheezing for air.

“You mean a proctologist?!” he gasped.

“Yeah, and you understood fine,” Steve told him, annoyed.

“I’m not—I’m not a butt doctor,” Billy choked out, tears of laughter in his eyes.  “I don’t have a doctorate in ass—”

“Your loss,” Steve muttered, glaring at the napkin with the list.  “Man, my cousin is one, and he has some stories.  Dude, that’s everything, that’s every damn job.  Ever.  Do zookeepers get told horror stories?!  Oh!”  He pointed the beer bottle at Billy.  “Dentist!”

“No,” Billy giggled, his hair rising with static in the dry air of the plane, and sticking to the wall and window behind him.  He looked ruffled and fond, and Steve squeezed his hand again, trying to think of what he’d missed, before the plane landed, and he’d spent the entire flight guessing jobs, and Billy hadn’t even given him a last name.  

“Shit,” Steve said, then straightened again.  “No, okay, this time,” he said, the beer making his words a little soft around the edges, “This time I really have it.  You’re a Mickey Mouse person.”

“I’m a what now,” Billy said, still snickering.

“You know,” Steve said, his eyes narrowed.  “You crawl up the ass of one of those suits and let kids think you’re a Disney princess.”

“No, Harrington,” Billy said, breathlessly, as he shook with laughter.  “No, I do not.  Do people tell mascots horror stories?!  I don’t even want to know.  Which princess?  Just for scientific curiosity, Steve, which princess do I crawl up the ass of, in your brain?”

Steve tried to remember them all.  “Not Jasmine,” he said with certainty.  “Um.  Wait, Peter Pan?  Maybe?”

“Peter Pan’s not a princess,” Billy choked out, wiping his eyes as he tried to muffle his laughter.  

“Hrm,” Steve said, accepting another beer and huffing a sigh, but Billy leaned in suddenly and just kissed him.  His lips were warm and chapped, and Steve hummed happily against them.  Their teeth bumped, a little, because Billy was giggling so hard, and Steve was grinning so wide his cheek muscles ached.

“I’m a drug and alcohol counselor,” Billy said with a grimace, and Steve glared at his beer, betrayed, "—so, um, horror stories.  Yeah."

"I just have butt-doctor horror stories," Steve said quickly, trying to salvage the situation, and he shoved his beer behind him.

Billy laughed harder, shaking his head.  "I’ll still take that number,” he whispered, kissing Steve again—and snickering, his cheeks flushed.  “And breakfast?”

Here’s my other Harringrove stuff!  Or check out the Harringrove AUgust collection on Ao3!  Add something!  =D 

[sergeantsporks]

Another Shot at Life

Rating: General Audiences, Gen

TW: Child abuse, emotional manipulation

Ao3

Hunter accidentally makes his way into the human realm and can't get back home. But he's discovering that might not be such a bad thing.

Ch 4/7: Welcome to the Family

Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 3

A knock sounded on the door, and Hunter looked up from his sketch—not of the door, this time of the view out of the window. Camila had gone out for groceries, leaving him and Vee at home. He was glad about that—he’d fallen asleep leaning against her last night, and now it was just embarrassing to be around her.

“I got it!” Vee called, leaping down the stairs. She opened the door, then immediately slammed it shut, tearing into the living room. “Where’s the phone?!” she yelped.

“What?”

“I need to call Camila—it’s Jacob, he’s here, what is he doing here?!” she wailed.

Hunter marched over to the door and flung it open. “Go away,” he snarled.

“That—that thing is a demon! It may look like a human, but—”

Hunter pushed Jacob back further and stepped outside himself, closing the door behind him. “I don’t care.”

“Well, I do! I saw the staff you had—that was a real magic staff, wasn’t it? And the bird? What are you?”

“I said to go away. You scare Vee. And you kinda creep me out, too. Vee is getting Camila right now, so I suggest you leave before she calls the police.”

“I know she’s not here, I saw her leave, that woman can’t protect you. I am going to get that demon, and if I have to hurt you to get it—”

Hunter punched him in the face. Jacob staggered back with a yell, and Hunter lunged at him, kneeing him in the gut and pushing him backwards to the street. He grabbed a fistful of Jacob’s shirt as he fell, bringing him right up to his face.

“I said to go away,” he hissed, “If I see you around here again, you will wish that you only had to deal with law enforcement, got it?”

“B-but—”

Hunter held out his hand, and Red fluttered to him, turning into a staff. The tip cackled with red electricity, and Hunter held it close to Jacob’s face. “I said, got it?”

“G-Got it!”

Hunter dropped him, and Red returned to its usual form. “Good! Now get your slimy face out of here, okay, okay. Bu-bye!”

Jacob scrambled away, and Hunter returned to the house, shaking his hand. Ow, punching people hurt a lot more without gloves on.

He opened the door, and Vee crowed. “That was awesome! Wait until I tell Camila—she beat him up with her flip flop, you know, you’d think he’d learn to leave us alone. Is your hand okay?”

“Better than his face.”

Camila’s car pulled up into the driveway, and Vee raced towards it. “Camila! Jacob showed up, and Hunter beat him up, it was great!”

“Jacob—oooo I am going to call the cops on him!” Camila gave Hunter a grin. “We can compare notes. I’ll even let you borrow one of my chanclas in case he shows up again.”

Hunter flushed, opening the trunk of her car. “I’mgoingtotaketheseinforyounowokaybye.” He grabbed a handful of bags, marching back towards the house.

“Hey. Hunter.”

He froze in place. “Yyyyyessss?”

“Really—thanks for taking care of Jacob. It means a lot.”

Hunter’s ears burned, and he nodded, lugging the bags inside and setting them on the kitchen counter. Camila brought the rest in, and he went back outside, trudging up the path to the old house where he’d come out of the portal. Red fluttered to his shoulder, and he gestured to the house. “You have any… I don’t know, weird magic palisman feelings?

His palisman shook its head, and he sighed, sitting down on the steps. “Yeah. That’s what I thought.” He flopped back on the old porch. “I’m never going to get back home, am I?”

Red hesitantly chirped, and a jolt went down Hunter’s spine. “Stay here?! I mean—I like Camila and Vee a lot, don’t get me wrong, but I have responsibilities, duties, I—I swore an oath to the coven, and, I mean, I can’t just abandon Uncle Belos!” He ran a hand through his hair. “But if—when—I go back, will I have to tell him about Vee? I don’t… I don’t want her to get hurt. But I can’t just not tell him, right?”

Stay here. What would he even do? Chase off Jacob and carry in groceries until they managed to get some kind of ID for him? Watch shows with Vee? Get more hugs from Camila? Live with people who said thank you, and I’m sorry, and you don’t deserve to get hurt?

But what about his ears, there was no explaining those, he’d never fit in here!

But then Vee was jogging up the path, tugging on his hand and telling him that Camila had bought ice cream, and they were going to make sundaes, and that he should trust her, he would love them.

And weirdly, enough, he did trust her. And he let himself get pulled away from the creepy old house that would bring him back to Belos, and get pulled towards the Noceda house, where Camila was.

“—and anyway, I really like Amethyst, because she reminds me a lot of myself, but who’s your favorite character?”

Hunter blinked. “Sorry, what?”

“Favorite character? In Stephen Universe?”

Hunter rubbed the back of his head. “I—I don’t know, I never really thought about it. I like… all of them, I guess?” He shuffled into the kitchen, where Camila was singing along to some music, chopping up peppers. “Camila?”

She paused the music. “Mhm?”

“Uhh. So. When do you want me to go?”

“Go… where?”

Hunter shrugged. “I mean—I can’t stay here forever, right? You were offering me a place as a guest, but I can’t just keep taking up space and eating your food, so… when do you need me to go by? I’m trying to figure out the portal, I promise, and then I’ll be out, but if I need to move beforehand, I can—”

Camila put her hands on his shoulders, looking him in the eye. “When you figure out that portal. Will you be going back to Belos?”

“Y-yes, of course.”

Camila sighed. “Ayiyi. Madre de Dios protect you. Hunter, you can stay as long as you need. And if you can’t get the portal working—or if you do, and you decide that you don’t want to go back to Belos—we’ll figure it out.” She bopped his nose. “But I want you to stop thinking of yourself as taking up space and eating all my food, kay? It’s been wonderful having you here. And Red, too, of course.”

“But I… I don’t do anything to help.”

“You don’t need to, amorcito. You’re just a kid. You should be worried about—about school, and making friends. Not about where you’re going to sleep and how you’re going to get food.”

“But—”

“If I need help with anything, I’ll let you know, okay?”

Hunter subsided, not entirely convinced. “Okay.”

She went back to cutting peppers. “Good. So. You punched Jacob, huh?”

A smile tugged at the corners of Hunter’s mouth. “Yeah. In the face. And I maybe threatened him a little bit.”

“Good. He locked Vee up once. Thank you for protecting her.”

Hunter’s ears burned, and he looked down at the peppers she was cutting. “What are you making?”

“Stir fry. Want me to teach you?”

Hunter shuffled closer with a tiny nod. He knew how to scavenge for food, of course, and could cook campfire meals pretty well, but the kind of cooking Camila did—he’d never had anything like it back at the coven.

Camila held out her knife, hilt first. “Okay, first, cut the rest of those peppers into strips, see how I did?”

The knife felt awkward and clumsy in his hand. A knife just for cooking. Not stabbing enemies—in fact, this knife would probably be pretty bad at stabbing enemies. Hunter sliced along the pepper, cutting it cleanly into strips. Camila peeled an onion, and handed it to him.

“Okay, chop off the ends, then cut it in half.”

The onion was harder than the pepper—it was round, and kept rolling under the knife. Hunter grabbed it with one hand. “Stay still!” He slammed the knife down onto the onion.

“Hunter—”

The slipped off of the surface of the onion, and he couldn’t stop his momentum. The sharp blade sank into his hand, and he yelped, yanking his hand away. Tears sprang to his eyes, and Camila reached for his hand with a hiss. “Oh, ow, let me see—”

He barely heard her, clutching his injured hand to his chest.

Clumsy.

Stupid.

Useless.

Xxx

Camila watched Hunter go completely stock still, just like he had the night before when he’d punched her on accident. His hand dripped with blood.

“Hey—Hunter—”

“I apologize,” he said in a small, matter-of-fact voice, “I’ll clean up the mess.”

“Hey—heyyyyy.” Camila held her hands up, approaching him slowly. “Shshshshshsh… it’s okay… it’s okay. You’re okay.” She reached out and gently took his injured hand. “Let me see.”

He still didn’t move, but he let her pull his hand away. She examined the cut. “Okay. This doesn’t look deep. You don’t need stitches or anything, just some bandages. Just an accident—happens  a lot in cooking, it’s okay. Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”

She tugged him towards the bathroom. He followed her, but his movement was limited, restrained. A mix of anger and worry swept over Camila. There was a reason behind why he acted like this, and she was pretty sure she knew who to blame.

Could she really let him go back, on the off chance he got the portal working?

She’d helped with rescue animals before—and they acted a lot like Hunter. Cringing away from contact, fretting—she couldn’t even start to unravel his usefulness complex, but she knew when a creature was hurting.

Vee followed them into the bathroom, her eyes wide. “Is he okay?”

His gaze snapped to her, and a different kind of panic seemed to set in on his face. “I’m okay! I’m fine, really!”

He was talking again. Somehow, it wasn’t comforting.

Camila dabbed gently at the cut with a cotton ball soaked in cleaning alcohol. “Shshshshsh,” she said gently when Hunter yelped, his hand tensing. “It’s okay. I know it hurts, okay, I know. I’m sorry, I don’t want it to get infected.” She wrapped his hand up, and nodded to Vee. “Hey, why don’t you take him outside? He looks like he could use some fresh air.”

Vee grabbed his non-injured hand. “Come on! Don’t pass out on me, Hunter.”

Hunter stuck his tongue out at her. “It’s just a little cut, I’m fine,” he insisted, following her outside.

Camila went back to the kitchen, trying to put the pieces together in her mind. He acted one way around her, another way around Vee. Camila tried to think back on other instances—when Vee had complimented him on taking down Jacob, he had taken it in stride. When she had complimented him, he’d gotten flustered. Based on what Vee had told her about the day before, he’d pulled Vee into the rain, had splashed in puddles. With her, he’d been terrified, and had barely moved.

He’d said Luz had been nice to him—and Camila felt a little glimmer of pride at that. Okay. So, Vee, looked like Luz. Hunter associated Vee as an equal, maybe even a friend. Camila was an authority figure. Owner of the house, the boss.

Camila did not like it.

She’d known what Belos had done to Vee, of course. But Hunter was one of his own, Hunter was one of his guards. She poked her head outside to see Hunter on the roof, trying to coach Vee through getting up.

“It’s not that hard—climb up onto the trashcan—”

“Hunter! What are you doing up there?!”

He jumped, and guiltily climbed down, landing with a little oof. “Sorry.”

“Can you come in for a minute, please?”

He shuffled inside, and Camila rolled a hand. “Relax. You’re not in trouble. But, uh—please don’t climb on the roof, it’s not safe.”

“Parkour was part of my training, and I have excellent balance. I won’t fall.”

“Ayiyi. Okay. Please don’t encourage Vee to get up there, though.” Camila took in a deep breath. “I just wanted to ask—you said you threatened Luz. Will you tell me what happened?”

There it was. He froze again, as if limited movement would make him harder to see. “She had something I needed. So I…”

“Hey. You’re not in trouble,” Camila repeated, “I promise. What did you need?”

“Palisman. And—well, I guess I could have killed the Selkidomus by myself, but she was there, and I had the rat thing, and…”

“Why did you need that?”

“Well—Uncle Belos needed them.”

Uncle Belos. Camila racked her memory, trying to remember if Hunter had ever referred to him that way before—but she only ever remembered ‘emperor’ before his name.

Hunter was watching her expectantly, and she shrugged. “That was all, thank you.”

He exited the house as quickly as politely possible, and Camila sighed, removing her glasses and rubbing the bridge of her nose. Okay. So, what did she have? Belos had forged some kind of familial bond with Hunter. He sent him out on errands, errands where he’d run into Luz. Belos punished his nephew when he did something ‘wrong.’ He told Hunter that it was his fault, that he’d set off some curse. If Hunter thought he was in trouble, he froze—making himself a smaller target, or just trying to not make the situation worse?

Either way, Camila’s blood boiled at the thought. No wonder he was so scared of her getting mad—he thought she would hurt him. And no wonder he’d threatened Luz—she wasn’t happy about that, but when she thought about what probably waited for him if he failed, she couldn’t blame him for going to any lengths to complete Belos’ tasks.

Vee wandered into the house, planting herself in front of Camila. “Camila? I was thinking. Hunter probably shouldn’t keep sleeping on the couch. I know we’re waiting for Luz to come home, and when she does, we can figure it out, but I was thinking, she has a bunk bed, and I’m only using half of it, so maybe we could share the room? I know it’s Luz’s room, but I just kind of feel bad that he’s sleeping on the couch when there’s an extra bed right there.”

Camila gave Vee a smile. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, mija. Question—do you think he’s any closer to figuring out how to get back?”

Vee shook her head. “No. He was up at the old house, earlier, but he was just sort of sitting there.”

Good, Camila thought, with a little nod.

Vee darted outside, and dragged Hunter back in, gathering up his armor and uniform in her arms.

“Hey! Be careful with that!”

Vee shook her armful of clothing at him. “I’m pretty sure it’s designed to be tough, right?” She deposited the stuff in his arms, grabbing some hangers. “Come on.”

Camila followed the two of them upstairs. Vee hung Hunter’s uniform up in the closet, and gestured to the bunk. “I’ve already got the top bunk, Mr. Parkour.” She cleared Luz’s stuffed animals off of the bottom bed, lining them up on the desk. “Also, we can hang blankets around the bottom bunk so that it makes a dark little cave—in case you want to sleep in.”

Red flew around the room, singing, and eventually perching on Hunter’s shoulder. Camila pulled out her phone. “Okay, new roommates picture!”

Vee slung one arm around Hunter’s shoulders, pulling him down next to her and grinning. Camila snapped a picture, then laughed at the bewildered look on Hunter’s face. “Hunter, smile!” She snapped another picture, then lowered the phone. “Hey, mijo, is everything okay?”

His face was scrunched up, and he swiped at his eyes. “Why are you so nice?” he demanded, “I’ve—I haven’t done anything to deserve it, I attacked your daughter, and I—”

“You beat up Jacob because he scared me,” Vee offered, “You let Red help me when I was scared.”

Camila put one hand on his scarred cheek. “Hey—hey, Hunter, look at me, mijo.”

He did, his eyes watery.

“Everyone deserves a little kindness. You’ve made mistakes. So what? I’m not perfect, either. But I’m trying to be the best I can. And you deserve that chance, too.”

His shoulders started to shake, and Camila wrapped him up in a hug. “Okay. Come here. Ooookay.”

“I don’t know what I want anymore,” he mumbled, “I don’t know what I want to do—I used to have my future figured out, but now-!”

“I didn’t even have a future until I ran away,” Vee offered quietly, “It’s scary, I know. But it’s better than being under someone else’s control.”

“We’ll help you figure it out,” Camila soothed, “If you can’t go back—or if you don’t want to—we’ll help you.”

Hunter pulled back, scrubbing at his eyes. “I—I’d like that.” He gave Camila a watery smile as Red landed on her shoulder, tweeting happily. “I’d like that a lot.”

Ch 5

[twink-appreciation-posts]

Innocence - Spencer Reid x Reader

Request: 

Agegap!femreader w post prison Reid One of the agents suggest the team go clubbing & Spencer was all like nahhhh man I’ma go home but reader isn’t all like “please Spencer, I want you to come so badly” w an innocent look on her face & he’s like fuck fine I’ll go idk if that makes sense lmaoooo

so uhhh you mentioned age gap and so i made that kinda intrical bc i LOVE a good age gap. anyway porn below!! 

“Are you really not coming?”

You heard Garcia’s voice walking down the hall towards you.

“Yeah, I’m sorry. I’m just gonna head home for the night.”

You peeked around the corner and Garcia noticed, calling your name and frantically motioning for you to come over to her.

“Y/N, you’ll come to the club with us right?” She asked excitedly.

“Uh, yeah!” You smiled. You figured you deserved a nice night out. “Who all is coming?”

“Everyone.” Garcia turned to Spencer, glaring jokingly. “Except for our resident genius over here. He’s turned me down twice now.”

You raised a brow, turning to face Spencer, who was putting his hands up and shaking his head. “Clubs just aren’t my scene,” he explained. You pouted. You wanted Spencer to come. Not for any particular reason. Of course.

You considered for a moment and Garcia nudged you, asking for you to help her convince him.

“Spencer, you really should come,” you met his gaze, the height difference forcing you to look up quite a bit, and frowned. “I really want you to come.” You spoke softly, feigning innocence, utilizing your young age to your advantage. You looked so pure. How could he say no?

“I-I really don’t know…” you could tell your plan was working, he was already giving in.

“Please please please.” You continued over-dramatically. “Who’s gonna make sure I don’t drink too much and get home safe?”

He rolled his eyes, sighing. “I’m sure Morgan would be more than happy to do that, but if you really want me to go then fine.”

You and Garcia squealed with excitement, high fiving each other for your success. “Hell yeah!” I’ll see you tonight, then!” You grinned.

Spencer just shook his head in defeat. “See you tonight.”

When you arrived at the club you saw your co-workers huddled around a table. And fuck, you couldn’t help but notice how good Spencer looked. You were glad you convinced him to come. “Hey!” You said loudly ad you approached your friends.  

“There she is! I’m surprised they let you in, you must have a pretty convincing fake ID.” Morgan teased. You were of age, of course, but you were pretty young and you definitely looked it, and he never missed an opportunity to make a joke out of it.

“All I had to do was show them the identification.” You joked back. “Told them it was for a super secret FBI mission.”

You gave everyone a hug, leaving Spencer for last. “You look good,” you said sweetly as you wrapped your arms around him. He chuckled and you could feel it reverberate through his chest. “You too.”

As the night went on the group separated a bit, each person going off to flirt or dance with a stranger, except for you and Spencer. You had kept close to him and you weren’t even sure if it was intentional or not. You were seated at the bar together, exchanging casual conversation.

“This is our first time out of a group since you left,” You told him over the music at some point.

“Yeah? I didn’t realize you were keeping track,” he replied, leaning down a bit to hear you better.

“I missed you, you know,” you admitted, face turning a bit red. Had you drank enough to be telling him these things? No. It was normal. Everyone had missed him. He wouldn’t find that strange. “Thought about you a lot.”

He didn’t speak for a moment and you were scared you might’ve said something wrong. When you looked up at him you saw his jaw was tense. Was he upset? “I thought about you a lot, too.” He said eventually. “Sometimes I think I thought about you too much,”

You almost choked on your drink. “Oh, really?” You questioned. “What, um, what type of things did you think about?” Why were you doing this? What were you implying?

He coughed a bit, readjusting himself. “Things I definitely shouldn’t have thought about. Especially not about you.”

“Why is that?” You asked, using the same innocent voice you had used to convince him earlier.

“You’re my colleague. It’s unprofessional. And you’re… young. It’s fucked up.”

You nibbled your bottom lip, suppressing the surge of heat that was forming in your belly. “Does that mean that I shouldn’t have those types of thoughts about you, either? Am I doing something wrong?” You poked at his chest, the collar of his shirt, the buckle of his belt, fingers wandering absentmindedly.

“I suppose it’s not wrong as long as we don’t act on them.” He was watching your every move, trying to maintain composure. But he wouldn’t last for long, you knew, because you had already proved your abilities to work your magic on him.

“So, it’s not wrong that I would think about you late at night while you were away?” You prodded, pushing him further over the edge. His hand was in a fist and he was tense. You held down a smirk. He was flustered, you could tell. “I guess it’s just.. I can’t help it. When I see you, when I think of you, my body just… reacts on its own.”

Before you could recognize what was happening you were being pulled off of your seat by your wrist. “W-Woah, what are you doing?” You were shocked by the switch in his mood. He looked hungry. Starved even.

“If you’re going to tell me all the dirty thoughts you’ve had about me, I might as well tell you what I thought about, huh?” He was weaving through the crowd at the club, pulling you towards the bathrooms. “Sometimes I would think about fucking you for hours on end. I’d think about how tiny you are. I’d think about how I could ruin you, strip you of that innocent little act you always put on and watch you become the greedy little slut I know you are.” He was practically growling, and when you arrived at the door to the bathroom he took a moment, taking you in, eyes filled with desire. After he was done, though, he pulled you inside, locking the door behind him.

“You like it, don’t you? You like the power you have over me. Bigger, older, stronger, more mature. It makes you want me more.” You scoffed. “You’re right. That is pretty fucked up. Preying on me just because you know you can.”

He narrowed his eyes at you, searching for something in your face. He knew you were just saying things to heighten the situation. He knew he was letting you win, but you were right. He knew it was wrong, he knew that you calling him out on it should’ve made him uncomfortable, but it didn’t.

“I guess you’re lucky, though. Because I like it too.” You crashed your lips onto his and he responded by cupping your face in his hand roughly, his fingers squeezing your jaw tightly enough that you couldn’t move if you tried.

You used your hands to unzip the dress you had thrown on for the club, and he let you go to allow it to fall down your body and pool at your feet.

“I knew you were a slut.” He groaned, undressing himself from the waist down as well. He pushed you up against the wall, hands roaming over your bra and down to the waistband of your panties. “I bet you’re so fucking wet.”

“Find out for yourself.” You challenged, panting, and he did, dipping a finger underneath the fabric. You arched your back, moaning, as he ran a finger over your clit. You were grinding your hips into his hand, desperate for more.

“I thought you said we shouldn’t act on our dirty thoughts?” You panted out.

“You were practically throwing yourself at me. If you’re going to act like a whore then I have no choice but to fuck you like one.” And with that he was pushing your panties to the side, lining himself up at your entrance, and thrusting his hips against yours. You were absolutely paralyzed, the pain and pleasure of him stretching you out overwhelming you. “You’re so fucking tight,” he breathed out.

You moaned in response, one of your hands reaching behind him, nails raking down his back over the fabric of his shirt. “Fuck, is this what you thought about while I was gone?” He whispered in your ear. “You think about me fucking you? Did you think about me throwing you around and calling you mean names?”

You didn’t reply, opting to moan instead, and he slowed. “Answer me.” He placed a hand on your chin, forcing you to meet his eyes. “Is this what you wanted?”

You whimpered, nodding, your hips moving to meet his in an attempt to urge him to keep going. “Y-Yes.”

“Good.” He smirked contently, thrusts picking up speed again. You were close, your moans loud enough that you figured someone walking by the bathroom might hear, and he was relentless in his pace.

“I’m g-gonna..” you whined, and his hand shot up to your throat, wrapping around it and cutting off your oxygen. You sputtered, a hand moving up to pull his away but to no avail.

“Cum for me, slut.” He commanded, and your body responded quickly, moans catching in your throat as your orgasm washed over you. Only a few thrusts later Spencer was pulling out, his grip around your throat easing up, as you watched him finish himself, the warm substance coating your stomach and chest, dripping down. He let go of your neck completely, focusing on your body like he had just created a masterpiece.

“Let me clean you up,” he said after a moment, grabbing some paper towels and wetting them in the sink. You rubbed your face in your hands, in shock about what had just happened.

“Aren’t you glad I convinced you to come tonight, Spencie?” You asked sweetly as he wiped you down.

He chuckled. “Definitely. Your methods of persuasion never fail to impress.”

[jimmys-zeppelin]

ghostin'

chapter sixteen

(table of contents)

(chapter fifteen)

july 4, 1976

be my mistake

Ellie balanced a variety of liquor bottles in her arms. Some were for her to take home, others were for the party later that night. Carolyn had asked her—practically begged on her knees—to get some and shoved a shopping list in her hands.

In an attempt to look at her watch and check the time, two bottles had begun to slip. Just before one could shatter to the linoleum tiled floor, a hand rushed in and grabbed it for her. Roger's face quickly became familiar to her as her entire body relaxed. Major embarrassment had been avoided.

"Thanks, Rog." Ellie exhaled.

"I told you not to carry so many bottles. Or at least get a basket." Roger said, guiding them toward the checkout line.

"I thought I'd be able to make it," she replied simply, letting a few bottles fall onto the belt as she adjusted the others she had been holding. Roger reached out and stood the remaining bottles up as they moved down closer to the cashier stood opposite them.

"Can I see some ID, please?" The teenager asked, stopping the belt, the bottles clinking against each other as a result.

Ellie scoffed, starting to pull her wallet from the small handbag that had been slung over her shoulder. Roger stepped in instead, handing over his own ID before Ellie could even get her wallet out.

"You the guy from Queen?" the boy asked upon further inspection, handing Roger back his identification. The blond nodded curtly, not wanting to be too loud about his identity. "Rock'n'roll, man." He eyed up Ellie, who smiled at him sweetly, just waiting for the items to get scanned so they could leave.

☆

"Why didn't you let me show my ID?" Ellie asked, handing Roger the wad of cash Carolyn had given her for the drinks while they carried the two paper bags clinking with alcoholic beverages back to her car.

"Didn't want him seeing your address." he shrugged, reaching in his pocket for his pack of cigarettes after placing the bags in the backseat.

Before lighting up, he offered Ellie a cigarette, motioning the box toward her and she decidedly took one, placing it between her lips as Roger came forward with his lighter, firing up the cancer stick as she started the car.

"Very gentlemanly of you, Rog."

"Always." he chuckled, rolling the passenger window down as he exhaled the nicotine from his lungs. He looked around the vehicle as the bottles made their existence known behind them. "What kind of car is this?" he asked.

"A P1800. Volvo. My parents got it for my 18th birthday. Neat, isn't it?"

"Very," Roger replied, running his hand over the dashboard, "You talk to Jimmy recently?"

Ellie paused, "yeah. We spoke a few days ago. Not much to talk about, though, since neither of us are doing shows. We're relatively boring people." she chuckled, taking a drag and tapping the remnants of the cigarette out the window.

"Right right. Zep's newest album was great."

"Oh, you heard it?" she asked, reflecting on the fact that not even she had heard it yet. Somehow she felt guilty about it.

"Yeah, I mean, like the energy. Great great great. He produced, right?"

"Always. I like that he produces the band's records. Really keeps the integrity within the band, you know? Like it's truly their vision that's being put out."

"I thought the one song..." he paused, searching for the name, "Tea for One! It sounded a bit like their other song from a few years back. Gosh what was the name..." Roger trailed off, snapping his fingers as he racked his mind for the title. Ellie pulled into her driveway as Roger pondered, "Ah! Since I've Been Loving You."

The two exited the vehicle and tossed their cigarettes before reaching into the backseat for the various drinks they'd purchased. Ellie got her keys ready before looking back at the drummer.

"You think so? Who was on the writing credit?" she asked, unlocking the front door and letting Roger in first, "excuse the mess."

"I think the credits were to Page/Plant." Roger replied, quickly finding the kitchen and setting the paper bag down on the counter. "Are you putting these in the ice box?" he asked.

Ellie found solace in the question, taking advantage of it and using it to change the subject, "Yeah, I'll keep it in until we have to leave and I think I have a cooler in the garage that we can take with us when the car comes to pick us up."

"Awesome, do you mind if I go get it?"

"Not at all, the door's right over that way. You should be able to find it. I'm gonna take a shower and get ready, okay?"

Roger nodded, "of course, take your time."

☆

Ellie's eyes met Andrew's as she and Roger made their entrance at the rooftop of some building in association with her label. The blonde hurried over as best as she could in her high heels while the two seemed to screech in excitement.

"I see you brought Project Blondie with you."

"Stop calling him that." Ellie said, trying to be serious, but at the same time holding back a laugh. She looked back to see Roger handing over her cooler to someone in formalwear. He pulled the man aside, whispering something to him before pointing in Ellie's direction. The blonde smiled and waved at the two when they looked over at her.

Another word of communication was exchanged between them before Roger made his way over to Andrew and Ellie.

"Hey, I was just telling him that the cooler's yours and you'd need it back before you left."

"Thanks Rog." She replied, "I don't believe you've met Andrew."

The men shook hands, "I'm the one who came out to you over the phone." Andrew chuckled.

"Ah, yes. I do recall that. It's a pleasure." Roger said, turning to Ellie, "can I get you a drink?"

"Oh yes please." the blonde stated. Roger nodded, trying to hold back a laugh as he went to grab the two of them some drinks.

Andrew reached back to the table behind him and grabbed two shot glasses. From the smell, Ellie could tell it was vodka as it was shoved into her hands. "What's this for?" she asked.

"Liquid courage." the man replied as if it were obvious.

"Courage for what?"

"You're obviously trying to please him. Maybe you'll ease up a bit with some vodka in your system."

Ellie sighed, clinking the two shot glasses together before the two of them downed the alcohol that burned its way down their throats. With a dry cough she looked up at her best friend, "I'm not cheating on Jimmy. If this is your ploy to get me to sleep with Roger you'll regret the day you were born."

Andrew feigned fear, "As if you couldn't make that decision on your own. Deep down you know what you want."

"And that's to be with Jimmy." She said as Andrew collected his things and started on his way elsewhere.

"I can't hear you because I'm walking away." he replied nonchalantly as the sound of his voice floated away with each step he took.

Ellie rolled her eyes, peering over the edge of the building where she could see three men on the ground floor setting up the fireworks display that would be going off in a few hours. Things like this always excited her.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a red cup blocked her view of the ground. She looked up to see Roger, looking pleased as he held the cup out to her. Ellie took it graciously before downing a quick sip.

"It's a beautiful view, isn't it?" he asked, staring out into the West Hollywood cityscape. They faintly saw an airplane touch down at LAX before turning to look at each other.

"California's a beautiful place to be. Kinda wish I could've taken you to the beach before you had to leave. Sorry I've been tied up with my studio stuff."

"Oh, it's no bother, really. I took a walk down the Santa Monica pier last week during sunrise. It was beautiful."

"Was the jet lag bad?" She asked.

"I walked down to the pier to watch the sun rise, didn't I?"

Ellie laughed in response, taking another sip of the drink in her hand, "I never really get to go down there anymore. Always doing something."

"You're up and coming, darling. It's good that you're busy." Roger replied, taking a swig of his drink. Ellie smiled at his calling her darling. It made something inside her flutter a little.

☆

Ellie placed another glass of champagne down on a random table, nearly tripping over her feet as she did so. The number of drinks she'd downed in the hour and a half since she'd arrived at the party were already immeasurable. Whoever the barista was, she'd have to thank them later.

The boom of the first firework startled her as it did many on the rooftop. Gazes shifted to the bright lights illuminating the sky and they ooh'd and ahh'd in amazement. Ellie looked over to see Roger sitting at a table on his own and couldn't help but make him revel in amazement along with her.

"Roger!" she exclaimed, making her way over to the drummer. He turned his head quickly, seeing her barreling over to her. Quick to stand up to try to hold her before she fell, Roger set his drink down and caught her hand in his. "The fireworks, look!" she marveled.

Another was set off into the sky, the high pitched whistle as it flew through the air before it burst with a crackle caught their attention. Ellie turned to Roger, with a beaming smile on her face, "I'm so drunk right now," she whispered in his ear.

"I'm aware." The blond laughed as he guided them toward the wall so Ellie could rest on it and watch the fireworks display at the same time. The continuous, loud booms kept them from being able to speak too much, but their fingers remained intertwined as they watched on.

"Y'know," Ellie started, slurring her words slightly as she leaned into his ear, "Jimmy never came over at the Fourth to watch the fireworks with me."

"Gosh, I'm sorry about that. I hope you're having a good time though."

"Yeah, I'm having fun. Good drinks...good music...good company...drinks..."

"I think you've had enough drinks for tonight, Els." Roger said, only to be interrupted again by the drunken woman.

"Jimmy....he's completely off his rocker. He's on that heroin stuff, it's completely doing him in. I can hear it...when we're on the phone he's like....completely off in space." Ellie said absently, singsonging the end of her statement.

"Oh...uhm. I hope he gets well, then." he replied awkwardly, not knowing how to respond to the personal confession.

"I know. And like—" the boom of more fireworks, "wow. I feel bad because the whole album, I mean the whole album is about him. I don't wanna," a few more explosions, "I don't wanna seem like a sellout."

"Well, people write what they know, right? This is what's affecting you at the moment, of course you'll want to write about it."

"Y'know, Rog...you're so sweet to me," Ellie said, looking right into his baby blues and rubbing the top of his hand with her thumb. Her voice hushed slightly as she leaned in closer to him the slightest bit. Roger, being too confused to do anything, stood in place, not moving. "Maybe I should...get rid of Jimmy and get with you instead." she finished as fireworks cluttered the world around them.

Roger searched Ellie's eyes for any answer as to what she was going to do next, but the drunken haze clouded her judgement. A firework hissed through the night sky and exploded with a big bang as Ellie pressed her lips to Roger's. Confusion crossed his features and he contemplated what to do before tentatively kissing her back for a brief second.

As the gunpowder dissipated in the sky, Ellie pulled away, her gaze still glassy and not totally there as she went back to watching the fireworks as if nothing had occurred. Roger stood stunned in place, watching Ellie instead of the display of fireworks for a long moment. It was only when she looked over to him again that she realized her fingers were still intertwined with his and she giggled at the predicament.

Roger looked around. It seemed no one had noticed the kiss. He was glad on that note, but his heart sank in his chest when he realized the gravity of what had happened. Maybe he should leave. Or maybe he could pretend nothing happened just as Ellie had. If they just didn't talk about it, the occurrence could get erased from history and Roger likely wouldn't get his shit rocked by Peter Grant, Led Zeppelin's gargantuan manager for being The Other Man.

He quickly let go of her hand and walked over to the bar, "Scotch, no ice, please." he said, drumming his fingers on the bar-top nervously.

---

it's ironic because I finished writing this chapter on the fourth of july...

masterlist | playlist

Taglist: @diaryofafan17 @tophats-n-lespauls @witchesdust @jonesyjonesyjonesy @paginate54 @hejustsatisfiess @salixfragilis @princesspagey @reincarnated70sbaby @rebel-without-a-zeppelin @kyunisixx if you want to be added to the list lmk!

[bokunoheroanalysisforthefuture]

Okay, so the brain’s a bit caught up in one of my other writing projects, but I refuse to abandon this entirely. So I’m gonna just power through this and then get back to Vibing™. 

Actually, it’s kinda cute that the hero Thirteen is introduced in chapter thirteen. I wonder if Hori did that on purpose or just managed it as a fun coincidence. 

[No. 13 - Rescue Training]

So we start off on Wednesday morning (which would be April 12th/11th) at 7:35 AM. There’s a hostage situation by a villain who looks like a goddamned pokemon (my brain has made the ‘buff ditto’ comparison and now I am Shook) who is, according to Mt. Lady, a serial robber and murderer by the name of Habit Headgear. Kamui Woods, whose wood bindings have apparently been broken trying and failing to contain the guy, is tossed back on the ground as he notes the villain is strong and a quick strategist.

Seems like she and Kamui Woods have teamed up together! Or at least responded to the same villain attack again. Also, who’s this dude?

Random Mii Blaster escaped from Smash Ultimate and is now in BNHA, when will the madness end. 

Naturally, the hostages are not handling this situation super well, though the crowds watching don’t seem as worried? IDK hard to tell from far away. The buff ditto villain uses double team, no wait I mean agility, actually his high speed to show how outclasses the heroes on the scene are. 

As he announces his plans to escape, we see All Might rushing in loud enough for the stomps to be heard. He announces his arrival mere moments before he fucking snaps the villain’s neck with a handchop - or, well, not really, but damn that had to be a hard hit. All Might also managed to grab the family out of harm’s way in the process, announcing that he’s on his morning commute. 

The crowds cheer for All Might, while Mt. Lady and Kamui Woods are somewhat put out - they appreciate the help, but also worry All Might will put them out of business.

(I guess this is where all those fics that do bring up how All Might cuts down the hero job market on his own pull from? Or just coincidence, who knows.)

The police thank All Might with salutes for the help, and All Might give his own quick responding salute before he declares he needs to head off so he won’t be late. Of course, that’s when he hears about a hit-and-run (that super hearing lol) and takes off, just so coincidentally in the direction of said trouble. Despite that fact that he needs to get to work. This man.

While he’s in the air, he considers how his speed has dropped, and that he’s been weakening since he passed on his power. Not to mention that after his rescue of Izuku and Katsuki from the sludge villain, his maximum time went down. Which is not at all referencing him about to overdo it again and lose more time, no siree.

We descend into a flashback to right where we left off after the battle trial, with All Might confronting Izuku about telling Katsuki about (some of) One For All. All Might is surprised and a bit nervous? Worried? Or that bead of sweat in the flashback might be from the strain of holding the form when he’s about to run out of time. 

In any case, Izuku in the past apologizes and says he hasn’t even told his mom, but that he had to tell Katsuki something… All Might determines this might be a consequence of not being explicit enough about keeping the secret, since Izuku isn’t the type to brag or boast. Also calls Izuku too sincere, hah, isn’t that the truth. All Might says it’s lucky Katsuki thought he was joking, so All Might can forgive the slip this time, but that Izuku cannot tell another soul. 

(Stares at this.) (Looks at recent manga events.) Whelp.

Anyways, All Might catches the car of the hit and run guy (and man, that face the dude is making) while thinking about how, suitable successor or not, Izuku’s still just fifteen, so All Might had to make things clear. Of course, then All Might overhears about a hostage crisis the next town over, and, well.

We transition to right after lunch (12:50) with Aizawa announcing that that day’s hero training plans - something supervised by himself, All Might, and one other teacher. Izuku realizes it has to be a special class, while Sero raises his hand to ask what they’re doing. Aziawa’s reply?

I swear this is exactly the same shit All Might did before the battle trial, gimme a second-

Bahahahaha incredible. Though then again, I wonder if those are security cards keys to certain locations. It would make sense, though then I wonder how Katsuki and Izuku were able to get into Training Ground Beta without one… hrm…

Anyways! Kaminari, Ashido, and Kirishima end up talking about it; Kaminari says it’ll be a rough day, with Ashido pumped as she agrees, and Kirishima also pumped as he says that it’s what being a hero is all about. Asui notes that she’ll be right as home in a flood. Aizawa silences them with a glare, saying he’s not done. He presses the button to unveil the costume lockers, telling the class that it’s their choice whether or not to wear their costumes, since some of them are ill-suited for this kind of activity.

Oh boy, will this put you on the path to the hero you’ll be come… but not for the reasons you think, buddy. The joke here is trauma.

It seems like most of the class does still choose to go in costume, barring Izuku - whose costume is still being repaired after the damage done to it in battle training. However, he still has his belt, gloves, knee pads, and mouth guard (with the mouth guard being new) on him. 

Golly, I wonder why your costume needed to be replaced, Izuku.

(thonk.)

Also Tenya jkfdkjdgfkj Oh My God You Dramatic Egg. He’s got a whistle and he’s directing the class to line up by ID number so they can fill the seats in an orderly fashion. 

I’m love this boy so much. And it’s even funnier because the bus has an open layout, meaning it was pointless. Poor Tenya is in Despair, with Ashido teasing him for his efforts being wasted. 

Savage. But yeah, looks like it’s Sato, Izuku, Asui, Kirishima, Tenya, Ashido, Aoyama, and Kaminari in the front seats. And Asui - sorry, Tsuyu - just outright says she says what’s on her mind, which startles Izuku since he didn’t expect her to talk to him I guess? She tells Izuku to call her Tsuyu, then turns to him and just says his quirk resembles All Might’s. 

Izuku, being the sincere boy he is, stutters and stumbles out something that almost looks like a denial, before Kirishima, bless his himbo soul, points out that All Might doesn’t get hurt by his own quirk, so they’re already different in that way. He then goes on to state that that kind of simple, strength enhancing quirk is awesome and that a lot of cool stuff can be done with it. 

Kirishima then goes on to show off his hardening, saying that it’s good for a fight, but otherwise boring. Midoriya ‘holy fuck I love quirks’ Izuku thinks otherwise, actually sparkling as he proclaims the quirk to be neat and more than enough for going pro. Kaminari notes that heroes also have to worry about popular appeal. Aoyama says his navel laser quirk is both strong and cool, and thus perfect for heroics. Ashido then kneecaps him by adding in that that’s as long as he doesn’t blow up his own stomach.

Ashido’s Savagery: The Sequel.

In the next panel, we see Katsuki’s been paying attention to this convo, which has me wondering if this is when he was first starting to piece together OFA from Izuku’s mention of ‘getting the quirk from someone else’ and ‘like All Might’s’. However, when he is brought up in the conversation (alongside Shouto) as examples of ‘strong and cool quirks’, he feigns disinterest and looks away, trying to play cool.

(Also, he doesn’t seem to have his gauntlets on him here, though I know he’s brought one with him as seen a bit later. I wonder whether he chose to leave one of them behind or if he might have been restricted from bringing more than one by Aizawa… interesting either way.)

Tsuyu then brings up how Katsuki being so unhinged means he’ll never be popular. Katsuki, naturally, takes offence and slams his hands on the rail in front of him, demanding to know what she just said. Tsuyu sticks out her tongue as she points at him making her point. Poor Jirou, having to be seated next to someone so loud.

And the moment literally the whole discord was waiting for, Kaminari’s brutal vocabulary takedown of Katsuki, something cut entirely from the anime. Friendly reminder that Kaminari is, in fact, a major lit nerd! He’s Not Dumb! Stop Making Him Dumb In Fics! He not only has the most verbose vocabulary in the class that isn’t from the rich kids (and in some ways is even more so), he also has Katsuki absolutely pegged despite only knowing him for a few days. He Earned His UA Spot.

While Katsuki snaps back at Kaminari, Izuku is hunched over in disbelief that Katsuki’s the one getting bullied for once, but he supposes that that’s UA for you…

To the side, Yaomomo declares the conversation vulgar, while Ochako is laughing and saying it’s fun. Offscreen, I’m assuming that it’s Kaminari mock-marvelling at how he didn’t think Katsuki’s mouth could get any fouler. 

The last panel on the page is Aizawa interrupting them to announce that they’ve arrived at the training grounds, and to look sharp. The whole class (I guess?) snaps to attention.

And that’s the halfway point, so I will leave the USJ proper for next time! This has been a Savage Mina and Smart Denki appreciation post, so appreciate them, or else.

[steve0discusses]

S5 Ep 3: Apdnarg is Really Hard to Spell

 Yo guys, people are getting vaccinated, the sun is parting through the clouds, and I felt so nice that I even stopped listening to quite so many throwback 00′s BTS mashups (and yet I keep clicking on these dissonant catastrophes thinking “this time it’s got to be better. This time they’ll figure it out.” and like, no. Turns out you can’t match Brittany’s Toxic with BTS’ Black Swan. You can’t do that.)

This must be a sign that things are getting better. If anything, it means my personal tastes are improving. I mean I only clicked on like 3 “Dark Academia” Playlists where I could pretend I’m some sort of spooky witch in an abandoned library with a bad music player and basic taste in classical music (like can we ban Satie from Youtube for a little while?). Hell, I might even do a prompt update to this blog!

Yeah, you heard me, I’m actually going to stay ahead of the update schedule for Yugioh Abridged (maybe. I haven’t actually watched cuz of spoilers, I just noticed the thumbnail pop up on Youtube and was like “Damn it, they came out of hiatus??? I got hurry UP.”)

Anyway, speaking of the sky parting.

I’ll have you know my bro said this is actually more like a circumcision and it was one of the worst thing I have ever heard.

We get a chance to take in this lineup of confusing and varied character designs, and Joey. who is...still Joey.

The animators probably had to hold a strike in order for them to put Yugi in the audience, lets be real. There are TOO MANY PEOPLE in this shot and one is wearing a turban where you draw every single wrap. I hope those artists charged by the line.

Tea has a subplot where she’s just very frustrated with everyone she knows. They have been traveling together for like many weeks and got trapped in a foreign country so I get it. But at the same time, it’s kind of hard to picture Tea with female friends.

Because right now you got this 12 year old child, the other duelist who does not care about anything besides cards, and Kaiba’s 3 dragon cards that we’ve all collectively decided are female.

Hell it’s almost like the writers are asking themselves why Tea is here. Maybe they forgot. There’s no more ghosts to bus, no more people to knock out with her ass with random Olympic feats. Tea’s just sidelining.

(read more under the cut)

Mokuba is a itty bit bit taller this season, and so I guess that means he can legally climb on top of the cherry picker in order to give a riveting speech.

Really says a lot about Mokuba that he is so unphased about talking to, I dunno...an entire planet of people. Kind of a shame we never see this courage from Mokuba used for anything other than talking really, really big and giving everyone around him a really hard time.

Mokuba takes a moment to dunk on Yugi Muto, as is Kaiba tradition.

And then introduce the first pair of duelists, which obviously must be between the few people in this tournament that we actually know and care about.

Thankfully, in between last episode and this episode, Yugi has figured out who his own Grandpa is. This is a relief, because Yugi is such a mess, that I was fully convinced it would take over half a season for him to recognize it. I mean how long did it take him to figure out he shares a body with a ghost? Like half a season?

Instead Yugi recovered gracefully from not recognizing his grandpa, but it’s not like he bothered to tell anyone else, so the rest of our cast is just gonna be like “Is he my hairdresser? The guy who delivers my mail? Who is this guy who made absolutely no significant changes to his outfit or voice?”

Like sometimes this show goes full Spongebob silly kid’s show and you never know when to take it seriously or not. They might be sacrificing the entire cast next episode. I really don’t know. But for now their big concern is who is grandpa??? Like an innocent card version of “Are you my Mother?”

Faced with public speaking, Yugi decides to have a melt down.

We have seen him face monsters, we’ve seen him on TV dozens of times, he’s been in multiple competitions...but give a speech? Of course he can’t do that. The kid doesn’t attend enough school to know how to do that. Them’s learning skills.

And that was when a newly assembled wife-jet spliced through the sky like a souped up razer scooter and deposited 1 fully equipped Seto Kaiba in a Buzz Lightyear jetsuit.

THE RECOVERY.

Seto always watching over his Brother, ready to save this awkward party if it kills him (and it really should, that suit is held together by two seat-belts), making sure to get on that platform before Yugi starts going off about how he’s half an Ancient Egyptian. (Ah, life before social media. You could just be hella famous and also half a dead dude and people would just not know. I kinda miss the time before I knew literally everything about everyone.)

Please admire how close those flames are to setting Mokuba’s heavily hairsprayed mane completely alight. It would be an unforgettable spectacle.

These were absolutely just random ass jet packs that Gozaburo Kaiba made to kill hell tons of people, right? Like Seto found it in the family cabin, clutched to the heart of some crispy fried corpse and was like “neat! Mokuba! I found a cool toy!” and just plucked that thing out of that skeleton’s clutches and has been flying around for months?

Like this is Seto Kaiba’s Butter Glider, right?

Seriously what type of vehicle license do you need for one of these things? RIP My ‘Seto only has a scooter license’ headcanon.

Which I’m only even thinking about because I’ve had to try and make an appt with the DMV for days to get a freakin REAL ID. I went to sleep in 2019 and I could fly on a plane. I woke up in 2021 and it’s like “Want one last screw you?” and just...can 2020 please stop screwing me over? It’s March.

Anyway, the Jet is removed soon after, so no, this is not part of his new outfit. He goes right back to his Post-S4-Trauma-Normcore.

After wrestling this competition out of his brother’s hands and confusing everyone in the audience, Roland must have gotten the memo to cut the microphone before Seto got too excited and we were quickly ushered on to the next stage of the tournament.

One sec...the BTS Mashup playlist I just clicked on did a Black Swan X 7 rings mashup and it’s the worst thing my ears have ever heard.

Holy crap. I had to actually turn down my volume. Like...Ariana Grande already has music that has way too many overlapping singing parts on it--and then lets just stick a 52-person boy band on top? That’ll fix it. Yeah. Go ahead.

Wow. Even I had to change the song and you know how much I enjoy pop culture mistakes.

Spot the Mickey but like a million times easier because it’s a Massive Dick Shaped Dragon.

Yep. That’s my grocery shopping outfit. Except maybe not a lab coat and a duel disk. Wish I had a duel disk, that would make social distancing just a hell ton earlier. Just a “Yo, only one person in checkout, please” and then bap them on the head with a propelled discuss/hologram.

Anyway, Grocery shopping/Doctor man dueled the Purple Hair Boy, and considering that Purple Hair got screen time and shook Yugi’s hand once--I think that Doctor man doesn’t stand a freakin chance.

Good. I hate him.

Also, every time he breathes he’s gonna fog up his glasses. I have experience in this area. He can’t read his own cards in the same way I can’t read my phone if I’m in the refrigerated aisle.

So the way this tournament works, is everyone has to sit in the stadium to watch the show. Kinda like showing up to a football stadium just to watch a recorded TV monitor...but then again...that is how it feels to watch a football game at a football stadium when it’s live (at least with the tickets I usually get.)

And as we watch Grandpa waiting for his competitor, we find out that his competitor (Joey) is too busy eating snacks to give him the time of day.

Why do cartoon hot dogs always have lettuce? Is that seriously supposed to be relish? Or is there a place in the world where you put lettuce on your hot dog?

Sorry, bro has just informed of his favorite hot dog order, which is absolutely terrible so I will share it with you: a Five Guys hot dog with ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, onions, mushrooms, pickled peppers, and you guessed it--topped with freakin lettuce.

My own kin. How am I over 30 and just finding out that my baby brother thinks it’s normal to walk into a restaurant with normal god-fearing law-abiding people and order lettuce and mushrooms on a hot dog?

I have fully failed him.

The rest of this episode is watching both Joey Wheeler and Mokuba have a shared panic attack while Seto does freakin nothing.

Please remember that Seto has both a jetpack and a dragon wife plane and could have easily solved this problem. But nah.

Then again, Seto Kaiba has given this crew so MANY rides, that maybe he’s tired of being the Soccer Mom for the team?

Like they don’t actually say this episode, but Seto was the one in charge of like...this entire place, do you think he made the 2 for 1 special just to get Joey where it hurts the most? Or does it actually not take any subterfuge to screw Joey Wheeler because he’s just naturally this way?

Like Mokuba wasn’t there when Joey was told “stay right here, and then we will all go together to fight Dartz” and Joey was like “I’mma save Mai from herself although she told me not to!” and then he Hella Died. But, Mokuba did see the result, AKA, Joey’s dead body being carried on the back of Tristan. Maybe Mokuba never realized that Joey died because he went out of his way to be late?

Lets do a tally of every time I can recall with my dodgy memory that Joey was threatened to be DQ’d/pretty much was DQ’d either by his own fault or no fault of his own

-When he wasn’t allowed to go on the boat to Murder Island because he was a stupid nobody kid who did not have a dueling glove

-When he wasn’t actually supposed to be in Pegasus’ tourney and was, in fact, secretly using half of Yugi’s entrance ticket the entire time

-when Bandit Keith stole the ticket that Joey got from Yugi so then Joey had to borrow Mai’s ticket although she had just used it so it really shouldn't have counted. Because, really anyone could have just piggy backed off of each other’s ticket until the whole boat went through that castle.

-When his account was hacked to get entered into Kaiba’s tourney when Kaiba very clearly told him he could not apply solely because he was Joey Wheeler.

-When he was late to his sister’s eye surgery because he got mugged by Marik’s Rare Hunters, so she almost refused to do the surgery.

-When Joey got possessed by Marik, and as Marik, threatened to murder everyone else in the tournament including both of the Kaiba brother’s who’s tournament it was, and then chained himself to Yugi Muto to throw both of them to the bottom of the ocean.

-I think there was a point when he threatened to attack Kaiba in Kaiba’s own tourney while not possessed? Like several times?

-when he got struck by Lightning and almost did not stand up fast enough after being struck by lightning, which is apparently a type of DQ in Duel Monsters.

-When he tried to save Mai from getting hit by a fireball, but then Yugi did it instead, and then so many people were standing on the dueling platform that Kaiba couldn’t possibly DQ them all.

-When he entered the restricted area of the blimp in order to hassle Kaiba into landing the Blimp, which Kaiba did not do.

-When Marik killed Joey before Joey could press the “go” button on his duel disk to play the card that should have won Joey the match.

-When he was dueling a lawyer in a digital universe but then the dice was like...weighted? So Noah had to walk over and be like “The hell is this weighted dice? This is my perfect digital world? How did you even do that?” and then Joey won because the match was no longer legit.

-When Joey yelled at Noah too much and so Noah turned Joey to stone for being a rude ass spectator

-When Mai was like “Wheeler and Valon, listen closely: do NOT murder each other” and then Joey did a murder on Valon so she was like “I guess I have no choice, I was very clear” and killed Joey straight up.

-When Joey decided to block Seto’s fireballs while Joey Wheeler WAS a playing card, somehow disrespecting both Dartz and Seto Kaiba at the same time.

-When Joey was playing cards but then got absorbed into a giant Leviathan and basically couldn’t play anymore after that.

-There’s probably hell ton of S0 stuff I just haven’t seen yet.

-This episode

And Joey runs fast for a montage of wacky things that really have no business being in a theme park. Things like this:

(remember when Bakura almost died from a rock that ended up being a balloon? It comes full circle.)

The stuff that the Kaiba brother’s think is normal and fun.

Anyway Joey fights off a bunch of hologram snakes and bats and everyone is like “Should we tell him it’s just holograms???” And it’s like wow, guys, how many times have these ‘holograms’ straight up murdered Joey Wheeler and everyone else on this cast? Too many? Because I have a google doc with so many deaths on it. 7,805,844,048, to be exact.

Anyway, he gets there with five seconds to spare and Mokuba’s like “well at least you were still entertaining while we filmed you in front of a live audience being a total spaz for 15 minutes straight, so I’ll let you go.”

Grandpa and Joey start playing, Joey completely oblivious that this is just an older Muto, while Hawkins walks up awkwardly and is like “hey guys. I’m so sorry about this.”

(welcome to my font choices, for those new here, I have to make weird font color choices to make sure it’s legible for the colorblind and also for the non-colorblind. This one is not much contrast, so I may change it up in the future, but for now, this is Grandpa Muto’s new font. I apologize to every graphic designer reading this. Please don’t tell anyone who has ever hired me for graphic design about this blog.)

What’s funny about this exchange is that after they find out that Yugi’s Grandpa is Apdnarg (HOLY my brain cannot get around the spelling for that, and I will not change it in the caps. I cannot do a ‘pdn’ ever again), they don’t stand on his side of the field or anything. Hawkins is legit Solomon Muto’s only fan during this exchange and like...damn. Way not to back your Grandpa, Yugi.

Yugi immediately strides up to Mokuba to non-confrontation-ally inform him that he has stepped over a line and Mokuba is like “what are these things you say called ‘lines?’”

According to Mokuba, Solomon Muto begged him to be in the competition so he could relive his glory days (glory days making no sense here, because the game has only been released for the past 15 years, so glory days is like...the before times that can only be referring to disgraced archeologists and Pegasus ((who is, in his own way...a disgraced archeologist, too))) and Mokuba was like

“You trained Yugi Muto, right? Hey that’s good enough for me. This drama is gold. People will eat it up. Hell yes. Don’t be afraid to abduct him a little bit. Maybe trap a couple people in a digital hellscape for a little while? Now we go by Pegasus house rules here, so fire as many lasers as you want, but just make sure not to hit anyone in the face. Oh man, we are going to be swimming in cash. Love it, Muto Sr, love it.”

But I dunno, I feel like Grandpa won’t make it past next episode. It is Joey. We kinda need him to make it past Ep 4 of the arc. If Grandpa Muto becomes the new Joey Wheeler, that will be a weird transition for this show to make.

But that’s all for today, as always, here is the link to read these in chrono order becuase there’s SO MANY that you don’t need to read backwards--don’t do it--just use the chrono tag (and I don’t know if you can add compound tags, but I did separate the Season from the Episode, so if you write S4, it should only pop up stuff from S4. I didn't’ do that to seasons 1-3 though because I just...didn’t.)

https://steve0discusses.tumblr.com/tagged/yugioh/chrono

And because I brought it up: here it is, the best BTS Mashup that I found on my deep dive. Like legit--this one isn’t a mess:

Most of other ones are horrible in a fascinating way. Like I’m not even a BTS fan, I think I sort of age out of that metric, I’m just bored and quarantined. And lets be real, we all appreciate a good bop when we hear it.

[threecrowsinatrenchcoat]

Paint My Spirit Gold

Dukeceit Week Day 2: Green/Yellow

Fans of the YouTubers "Deceit" and Remus "The Duke" Sanders start to suspect that maybe, just maybe, the two of them are more than simple internet pals.

AO3 Link: [here]

Word Count: 2187

Warnings: n/a

@dukeceitweek <3

-

[ID: A screenshot of a Twitter post by user @CallMeDukie. It features a watercolor-style painting of a snake. The snake appears to be made of melting chocolate, and there is a large bite taken out of its tail. Cherries and jam are leaking out of the snake at the bite wound. The snake's expression of horror is overly-exaggerated to the point of comedy. The caption reads: "liked your snake boi, @SerpenThyme. thanks for the inspo." /end ID]

- 

A notification ding cut Janus off mid-sentence. 

“Wow, someone left their cell phone on, so professional,” he said, giving the camera a dramatic eye roll. That someone was him, of course, because he was the only one in the apartment- just him and the running livestream- but that was no excuse not to be a drama queen about it. He finished wiping flour off his hands and grabbed his phone to silence it; but the notification made him pause. He flicked his eyes up toward the camera and gave a slight smirk.

“My goodness, I’m famous,” he drawled. “The Duke himself has graced little old me with some fan art.”

Most of the comments in the chat wanted him to show it, so Janus opened up Twitter to see the full post he’d been tagged in. It was a watercolor painting of the coiled-snake chocolate sculpture- lovingly named Jake by his viewers- he’d made for his YouTube video last week; it was wearing an expression of such comedic horror that Janus had to stifle a laugh. He flicked his phone screen toward the close-up camera on his counter so his viewers could see.

“How kind of you, Remus,” he said. “All of you should go scold him for what he’s done to poor Jake here.”

Most of his viewers would know he was joking- after all, they were the ones to nickname him Deceit when he provided neither a real or fake name for his online persona. They knew full well what he was like by now.

The oven timer dinged. Janus silenced his phone and set it aside.

“And our first batch of cookies is done. You know, why don’t we show the Duke some appreciation?”

-

[ID: An Instagram post by user @SerpenThyme. The photo is an artistically-framed shot of a stack of sugar cookies with green, yellow, and pink icing. Propped up against the stack is another cookie, with an intricate icing-drawing of an octopus. The photo appears to have been color corrected to have high contrast, low saturation, and a dark vignette at the edges. The Instagram user @OctoDukie is tagged. No caption. /end ID]

- 

“You know, I have often been accused of actually being a little old lady, what with my fondness for knitted jumpers, rocking chairs, and incredibly fucked up murder mystery books. Today I am doing nothing to dispel this accusation, by making soup.”

The studio was dark and empty aside from Remus' workspace. Everyone else had left long ago, even his own brother, which meant that it was officially ass-o'clock in the morning (or, as most people called it, somewhere between 1 and 2 a.m.) But Remus was stuck in hyperfocus, honed in on putting the last touches on a commission that he'd been putting off for weeks. It's not that it was a tough painting- once he'd gotten started, it was actually a very creatively satisfying piece- but man, executive dysfunction could go suck a dick

“French onion soup, specifically. Because while I do like to pretend I am a classy bitch, I am also, regrettably, a lazy bitch with a distaste for anything that takes longer than one bottle of wine to make.”

Remus hated working in silence. It was stifling, almost suffocating. His brain needed noise like his lungs needed air. So when the studio had grown still and silent, Remus had flipped open his laptop and queued up some YouTube videos. 

“So we have here three pounds of onions that we need to slice up, pole to pole. You’re going to cry no matter what, so if you have any memories you’ve been repressing since middle school, now is an excellent time to dredge those up.” 

And if it happened to be 90% SerpenThyme videos, well. Sue him. 

“Now the first rule of caramelizing onions: fast and sloppy is always better than slow and thorough… at least, that’s what every man I’ve ever slept with tells me.”

Remus choked and glanced over to his laptop screen just in time to catch Deceit's trademark smirk directed at the audience just for a moment. It was the deadpan delivery that always got him. Remus could barely hold onto a joke long enough to get through it without cackling mid-punchline, but this fucker could say the funniest shit like an off-hand comment. 

He wiped his hands off on his jeans (what use were clothes if you couldn't use them as paint rags?) and pulled his laptop across the table.  He typed out a quick comment, citing the timestamp of the joke, and after it was posted, he shut his laptop. 

'Cause ass-o'clock was short for "get-your-ass-home-or-I’ll-kick-it" o'clock. 

-

[ID: A screenshot of a YouTube comments section. The first comment is by user TheDuke, and reads: "10:42 wow, rude." The second comment is a reply by user SerpenThyme, and simply reads ";)" /end ID]

-

Janus plopped down on the couch with a slight groan. He didn’t need to stream today, but he really hated missing days. Besides… he was fine. Really. 

He adjusted the camera until he was happy with the framing, and then checked the settings on his streaming software. Satisfied, he started the stream, and watched as his usual viewers rolled in. 

“What do you mean I’m not in my kitchen?” Janus drawled, addressing the chat. He glanced around with an expression of faux-shock on his face. “My goodness, when did that happen?”

He chuckled, and then gestured to his surroundings. “Yes, we are in my living room today. If you must know, my closest and most trusted friend tried to murder me today- yes, Virgil, it was attempted murder and nothing less- and I survived with nary a scratch… and a broken foot, but that is beside the point. Anyway, I’m not allowed to stand for long periods of time, and I may or may not be somewhat inebriated by pain pills and couldn’t stand even if I wanted to. So we are cooking from my couch today.”

Janus paused for a few moments to read the chat messages as they popped up. A few get well soon’s, a few theories about the “attempted murder,” Virgil- who moderated his chat for him- vehemently denying the “attempted murder” but otherwise refusing to clarify the event, and a large volume of wtf why are you streaming today, take care of yourself comments, which made him smile. But one particular comment caught his eye, almost lost amid the torrent of an active chat: wait this kinda looks like the Duke’s living room?

“Oh, VampSuga,” he said, addressing that commenter in particular with a slight smirk. “I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about. Anyway, since I can’t reach my oven from here, I thought some no-bake cookies were in order. For these you will need-”

-

[ID: A screenshot of a Discord conversation. The text reads:

“VampSuga: Ok ok hear me out. Dukeceit. 

Starstruck96: who?

IneffableSnek: lmao

FeralBeauYasha: lol

VampSuga: Deceit and Remus Sanders! They’re totally dating. I will die on this hill. 

FeralBeauYasha: Isn’t the duke w/ PatPat?

IneffableSnek: no thats his brothers bf

FeralBeauYasha: ohh

VampSuga: Did anyone see Deceit’s stream today? I swear that’s the Duke’s livingroom. 

StarStruck96: idk that seems like a stretch

IneffableSnek: no wait i kno what u mean

IneffableSnek: im watching the duke’s old videos and that one where he shows off all his old weapons he’s in a living room kinda like deceit’s 

FeralBeauYasha: They were acting all cute on twitter too

VampSuga: DUKECEIT”  /end ID]

-

"Hey guys, been a while since you've seen my face and not just whatever my hands are busy with, when it's within YouTube's terms and conditions I mean. They used to be way more lenient…" Remus trailed off for a moment, then shook his head sharply and plastered on a grin. 

"Anyway! In June me and a few other creators did a fundraiser for the Trevor Project, and y'all smashed the goal, so I let you decide what video I'd make this month." He paused, and gestured to the mountain of clothes piled behind him on the bed. "And you had so many juicy ideas to choose from, but you decided to dress me up like a Barbie instead."

Remus paused to scroll through his phone for a few moments. "Ah, ok, here we go. Twitter user YoonIsMyCat- oh, BTS, nice- sent in this first outfit. Uh… future Remus, put up the post here somewhere." He gestured vaguely to his right. "Y'all went with either a fuckton more clothes or a fuckton less clothes, which I respect. Apparently this outfit is called…” He squinted at his phone. “Amish chic? I take it back, no respect at all.”

Remus cycled through the outfits his viewers sent in, which ranged from the aforementioned “Amish chic” to “2008 rave attire” to “ok now you guys are just fucking with me” (which consisted of one of those big puffy snow coats, lime green in color; booty shorts with the shrug text emoji across the ass; fuzzy pink boots; and a yellow cowboy hat to top off the whole thing. It was awful. Remus loved it.) The mountain of clothes on the bed gradually became a mess of clothes spread across the floor instead, until there was just one outfit left. 

“Ok so Twitter user VampSuga sent me this outfit that I’m gonna call ‘sexy librarian.’ I couldn’t find this exact sweater online, but-” he paused for dramatic effect, before brandishing a sweater toward the camera like a bullfighter. “My boyfriend had something that was close enough.”

Remus hopped up from the bed and switched off the camera so he could change.

“They’re going to lose their minds,” a voice drawled from the doorway. Remus threw his shirt at him.

“Shoo, I’m getting naked.”

-

[ID: A Twitter post by user @CallMeDukie. It features a selfie of YouTuber Remus “The Duke” Sanders, a Hispanic man with his hair dyed green and styled into a spiked mohawk. He is wearing a yellow knitted cardigan over a black button-up shirt. He is grinning widely at the camera. The caption reads: “my viewers pick my outfits! now live on youtube. go see what i look like as a sexy librarian!” /end ID]

-

DukeceitStan

first and only dukeceit shipper ig

DukeceitStan

wow there’s so many of you now! Hi!!

DukeceitStan

i want this to be canon so bad omg

DukeceitStan

i mean just look

[image]

how 

[image]

cute

[image]

[ID: A series of three gifs featuring Youtubers SerpenThyme, aka Deceit, and TheDuke, aka Remus Sanders. Deceit is a black man with long, dreadlocked hair, and vitiligo patches along the left side of his face. Remus is a Hispanic man with green-dyed hair styled into a mohawk, many ear and facial piercings, and tattoos covering both arms. Each gif is edited so that the highlights are tinged yellow when Deceit is seen, and tinged green when Remus is seen.

The first gif depicts a close-up shot of Deceit’s hands as he carefully decorates a cookie with green and yellow icing. The cookie art he is working on appears to be a half-finished octopus. The gif then fades into a mid-shot of Remus, with his back to the camera, facing a canvas. The canvas is blank, and Remus appears to be laying out paints on a table to his left. 

The second gif depicts Deceit seated at his couch, facing the camera. He has many ingredients spread across his coffee table (including oats, cocoa powder, and butter) and appears to be in the process of laying out several more. The gif fades to show Remus seated at a similar couch with a similar coffee table in front of him. The camera is angled slightly downward to better show the myriad of knives spread out across the table. Remus is gesturing wildly with a morning star held in his hand. 

The third gif depicts Deceit in his kitchen. He is pulling on a bright, yellow knitted cardigan, and smirking toward the camera. The gif fades to show Remus in his bedroom, seated on his bed. He is holding up a similar-looking cardigan toward the camera and grinning. /end ID]

- 

“Remus, it’s almost two in the morning. Come to bed.”

“I’m coming, sorry. Twitter distracted me.”

“Mm. I can’t believe the bird app is more distracting than I am.”

“You should try harder.”

“Come to bed and maybe I will.”

“Ok, ok, I’m coming. Hang on though, is it cool if I post this?”

“Sure. They figured it out anyway.”

“Sweet. Ok, Jannie, I’m coming.”

-

[ID: A screenshot of a Twitter post by user @CallMeDukie. It reads: “Dukeceit is canon.” /end ID] 

[generallybarzy]

hey there, stranger. ii

SERIES MASTERLIST. one,

summary: after months of failed dates, this handsome mat guy seems like the one you’re gonna keep around for a while

an: i accidentally deleted the first edited draft i made asdwgf this was supposed to be up a while ago. Anyway, this is going to be the softest, lightest series ever. Just something to help me

word count: 1.8k

"(Y/N)?"

"Hey there, stranger."

As soon as the words left your lips, his own were parting in a little laugh, humored by your little phrase. "Hey there." He held out a hand, a big hand, for you to shake. It was soft and warm and pretty much swallowed up yours, but you didn't mind. You couldn't help but worry that maybe your hand was a bit clammy from the nerves, but if it was, it either didn't bother him or he didn't let it show. "I'm Mat." Then, as if suddenly confused as to why he was shaking your hand, his eyebrows furrowed up. "Uh, is this too weirdly formal? Would a hug be better?"

This time you were the one laughing. "The handshake is fine for now. We don't really know each other. Not yet, anyway, Mat."

"Right, okay." He smiled sheepishly and slid down into the booth seat across from you, glancing down at the drink you had already ordered. “Am I late?”

“No, no, you’re on time!” You were the embarrassed one now, worried you had already made a bad impression on your date. “Sorry, I guess it was rude to order without you.”

“No, it’s fine.” He played with his hands, you figured it was a nervous tick, and it was kinda cute. But he must have noticed your eyes glance down to his hands, because he flattened them awkwardly against the table. “Sounds tasty.” He had been too nervous to meet your eyes and instead busied himself with reading the label that was stuck on your cup. Before you could respond, a waitress appeared to take this new customer’s order. You watched the polite smile on Mat’s face when he spoke. Watching the way someone talks to waiters and workers is a good test of how nice someone is, and Mat was passing with flying colors. And when she left after Mat’s sweet little “thank you!”, you couldn’t help but smile.

"Sorry.” You apologized again. This guy seemed so much different from your exes. He was sweet, respectful, and funny, from what you could tell by the last few minutes. You were practically praying that your date would last longer than just today. “I kinda forget the ‘date etiquette’. It's been a while since I've done this."

"Really? You’re having dating trouble?" You nodded, and Mat shook his head in response as if shocked, an amused smile on his face. “Someone like you? No way.” Your face heated up at that, but you brushed it off as playful flirting and pushed your limits a little bit to try and flirt back.

"Yeah. I mean, not like you’d understand what bad dates are, as handsome as you are.”

“Oh, handsome?”

“Yeah, handsome.” You watched his cheeks go a soft shade of pink, and he bit back a grin, trying to seem cool. “You probably get so many dates, and I haven’t had a date go right since I moved here.” He had been shaking his head through your statement, ready to jump in and tell you how wrong you were about his love life, but his eyebrows quirked up at the end of your sentence.

“Oh?” Mat raised his eyebrows “You’re new to New York?”

“Well, I don’t know how new I am anymore. I moved in last September for college. I’m studying over in Manhattan.”

“Ooh, so she’s smart too!” Your cheeks went hot at the smile he was giving you- wide and gleaming and admiring.

“I’m in my second year, yeah.”

“What are you studying?” You honestly weren’t used to all the attention he was giving you. As sad as it was, none of your past dates ever asked about you or complimented you on furthering your education. Not that you needed their compliments or approval, but it would’ve been nice if they at least seemed interested, and Mat did.

He prompted you to talk, listened intently as you ranted about your education and your time with the Seidenbergs and fantasized about your dream career, about all the classes you were taking this year. He listened, and smiled and commented and asked questions. He cared. You didn’t even realize how you’d been rambling, but he just made you feel so comfortable. Comfortable enough to open up more about yourself than you’d ever done before on a first date. You stopped for a breath and saw him, leaning forward on the table on his elbows with a stupid little amused smile as you talked on and on and on. He was interested in you. “Oh my god, I’ve been talking about myself for so long, I don’t even know what you do for a living!”

“Hmm, Rebecca really didn’t tell you anything about me, huh?”

“I guess she didn't…” You pondered for a moment at how stupid you were, opening up and feeling so comfortable around this guy without even knowing anything about him. “How do you even know her, anyway? Now I’m curious about you. What do you do?”

He seemed to hesitate for a bit, biting his lip in thought. “I play hockey.”

He had a modest smile on his face as if it meant nothing, as if it wasn’t a huge accomplishment, but your eyes widened. Of course Rebecca would set you up with a hockey player. “Like, professionally?”

“Yeah. The Islanders. The Seidenbergs let me stay with them when I first moved here to play, so that’s how I know them. I lived in their basement my first year.”

“What?” You let your head fall on the table dramatically, suddenly embarrassed that you knew so little about him and had practically been spewing about your life to him. “Oh my god, now I feel really stupid.”

Mat let out another laugh, this time loud and boisterous but beautiful. “Why?”

“I feel like I should know who you are. I’m at the Seid’s pretty much every weekend, you play with Dennis, I can’t believe I don’t know you. I’m sure they’ve mentioned you before.”

“I’m sure they have,” Mat laughed, considering the fact that he had lived with them for his rookie year, of course they would’ve mentioned him. “But I don’t mind it, actually.” He smiled, softer, more serious than before, taking a sip of his drink. “I like that you don’t know me as a player. So I know you’re really into me. Like, me me.” His statement made your heart ache a little. Maybe this was a tiny glimpse into his past love life. Maybe he’d been hurt by someone who claimed to love him but was only there for the clout. But that wasn’t your place to ask. “Do you know anything about hockey?”

“I’ve seen a few games, it looks really cool, but I don’t know anything about it.”

“Nothing?”

“Nothing.”

“Well,” he leaned back in the seat in a flirty way, giving you a cute little side grin and shrugging. “I guess you’re gonna have to learn.”

The night continued just as amazing as it had begun. You fell into more and more conversation, everything seemed to come so naturally for one and, for the first date in a long, long time, you actually dreaded having to leave. You haven’t felt this way since dates in highschool, before moving to New York, and even then there was something missing that you found with Mat tonight. You felt something tonight that you hadn’t felt on another date in a long time. And as you crowded into the back of an uber with him to head back to your dorm, you knew, feeling his presence so close next to you, that you wanted him around for a while. As long as you could have him.

“I like hanging out with you.”

“Yeah?” Mat grinned down at you in the dark, his smile genuine and warm and shining, as if he was maybe even more excited than you about this.

“Yeah, and you’re also pretty handsome, Mat.”

He laughed loudly at that, and you knew that was a noise you could get used to. “Like me enough to hang out again?”

In a quick act of confidence, you reached your hand over and curled it against his, palm to palm, and squeezed reassuringly as you nodded. “Enough to hang out again.” The smile on his face grew.

“Ooh, alright!’ He cheered quietly to himself and made you giggle. “It’ll be a more fun setting next time, I promise.”

You sat in comfortable silence for the rest of the ride, your hand cradled in his own and resting on his thigh, both high on the ecstasy of finally having at least someone, no matter how new, to try things out with, to hold, to smile with, to grow into love with. High on how great the date went, how compatible you were with each other. On how finally, after months of bad dates, you may have found someone perfect for you. And you both had stupid, silly smiles on your face as you exchanged glances in the back seat, giggling over nothing and fantasizing about how great your next date would be. Your next date… As the uber pulled up to your dorm apartment building, you fiddled with the sleeve of your sweater again.

“So, now that I got you here all safe, I- I guess I’ll head back to my place, alright?”

“You want me to pitch in to pay for the Uber? I know going from Brooklyn to Manhattan and back could get pricey.”

“No, no not at all. It’s on me.”

You pulled out your university ID, ready to head inside, but not ready to leave this moment in the car with him. “Mat,” You tried your best to refocus him after a few shared moments of quiet, happy staring and grinning between the two of you. He looked so happy to be able to spend more time with you, but in all his glee he was forgetting something, something crucial, something there was no way you were leaving without. “Can we exchange numbers?”

“Oh, shit, yeah!” He laughed almost nervously as he scrambled to pull his phone out of his pocket, handing it to you to let you put in your digits as the uber came to a stop.

You didn’t want to leave. You would’ve stayed longer, would’ve sat with him and laid your head against his shoulder and gazed mindlessly out the window at all the skyscrapers passing by. You would’ve taken a moment to stroke his face and kiss his cheek, but you pulled away and dropped Mat’s hand with one last smile. The uber had to leave.

“Bye, Mat.”

He waved at you again after shutting the door, and you stood and watched the uber leave before turning to enter the residency building.

Only minutes after you set foot in your dorm room a few stories up and flopped down in bed to clutch a pillow to your burning cheeks, you received a text. When the screen lit up, you were immediately greeted by a name that would soon become familiar, that would soon become your haven, and your face lifted in a little smile.