#you guys didn't even get to see summer as lady yet :'(

[artbyfuji]

branwens & spardas 😁💥

[coquettepascal]

texas sweet

summary: joel is your friendly neighborhood dad of the year, so why is his driveway empty on father's day? better yet, why do you feel the need to make up for everyone elses absence?

tags: 18+, smut, handjob, desc of joel mastubrating, a "massage", neighbor!joel x f!reader, massages, general cheesiness, soft!joel, pathetic!joel, almost(?) sub!joel, reader gets blueballed (sorry), biting, joel whimpering, joel being a proud girl dad, no-outbreak, ellie and sarah exist, tommy is mentioned(!!), joel is a southern gentleman, mention of reader having parents, no desc of reader but she can fit between joel and the couch, dilf!joel (yum)

a/n: my first joel fic ever... i would like to thank every person who has written no-outbreak!joel or pre-outbreak!joel. i freaked it.

(4.9k, not beta read.)

Moving to Texas was not the plan, or even the “blessing” your mother claimed it would be. Being the one who took over your grandparents home after they moved to a seniors facility? Fantastic! Amazing, even. Leaving your job, friends, and boyfriend, back home? Horrible. Heart wrenching and annoying. 

Austin, for the most part, was lonely. Long distance didn’t end up working between you and your boyfriend, your friends just got busier with their jobs, and it wasn’t like your parents could just drive 14 hours to see you every weekend. Co-workers were nice, but honestly who really wants to hang out with people you already spend 40 hours a week with? Maybe you were jaded, or picky, which was what your mother also claimed, or maybe your whole life was uprooted for what felt like no reason.

What you weren’t picky about, was the view from your bedroom window. You’re not a peeping tom, or a perv, but it isn’t your fault that your dilf-y next door neighbor is so easy on the eyes.

No, moving to Austin was not a blessing, but Joel Miller was.

Joel was the neighborhood guy. Need an oil change? Joel. Need your fence fixed? Joel. Block party? Joel’s yard. It’s like he doesn’t know how to say no to anybody, that southern politeness deeper than the drawl that lies in his voice. When you had first moved here he had helped you move your couch through the door, all smiles and polite nods. He barely introduced himself before he was asking if you needed any help, and he had called you “young lady,” which made you giggle. Such a giving man, but of course he was. A single father to two daughters? “No” wasn't in his vocabulary.

Sometimes, you think if your dad was as good a father as Joel Miller was, maybe you wouldn’t be fiending after him with such ferocity. Watching him with his two girls, Sarah and Ellie, was something that tugged your heartstrings no matter what. Sarah wasn’t around a lot anymore, apparently she went away to a fancy college. You had helped her pack all her stuff into Joel’s truck, but quickly went inside when you saw him getting misty eyed, you didn't want to embarrass the poor guy. Ellie is younger than Sarah and still lives at home. Honestly, you didn’t know much about her apart from the fact that she was adopted and that she’s in high school. She’s always happy to chat, but she’s also always going somewhere, which leaves Joel lonely sometimes. 

Joel seems better suited for loneliness than you are though. His brother Tommy comes around pretty often, though they seem fairly opposite. Tommy truly is sweet, has always chatted with you during block parties (even if it may be for nefarious reasons when he’s had too many drinks,) but he looks like… a fuckboy. Without fail, every time he rolls up to Joel’s house, he’s blasting some shitty new country music and wearing Pit Viper sunglasses as he carefully parks his spotless truck. Despite their differences though, they get along just as well. Your summer evenings are often interrupted by the sound of their laughs and the crisp sound of the two cracking open some cold ones. 

So why is it that when Father’s day rolls around, Joel’s driveway is empty?

You aren’t watching on purpose, you just happen to glance over that way a lot. The only action you see from his house is Ellie leaving for her friend's house sometime after noon, like usual on a Sunday. No signs of Sarah or Tommy. Part of you figured that maybe Sarah would make the lengthy drive down from her school, or maybe that Tommy would show up at some point, but nobody does. 

‘Not creepy,’ you assure yourself as you go upstairs to peer through your bedroom window to see if anyone is there. You could totally look through the kitchen window that directly faces his backyard, but you fear the day he’s looking right back at you. 

Looking outside, you see nothing. Joel’s grey-blue truck sits unmoved in the driveway, his plants are watered though so you guess he came outside at some point. The thought makes you feel a bit sad, the image of Joel and his soft eyes watering the plants, whistling to himself and trying to tell himself it doesn’t matter that nobody came. He probably really doesn’t care at all, a lot of men aren’t very sentimental or emotional about days like this, but you care.

He’s a good man, a good father, and a good neighbor. Seeing him be underappreciated on what is basically his day is ticking you off for some stupid reason. When 3pm rolls around you decide that you have to do something for Joel, it feels wrong not to. 

Which is how you end up in line for the register at Home Depot. You sat in the parking lot for 10 minutes racking your brain, trying to think of things that guys like, but came up with nothing. Joel is a contractor, so he’ll probably find some use out of a 50 dollar Home Depot gift card, but it still feels too impersonal. Joel literally fixed your toilet when a date you took home broke the handle off the tank mid-vomit. He’s too nice to just hand a stupid gift card with “Happy Father’s day” scrawled across the mini paper envelope. He deserves something thoughtful, something gentler than a gift card for (probably) his job. 

…Which is how you end up waiting in line for the register at the supermarket. You have a bouquet of flowers in your hand, with a Home Depot gift card shoved in your jacket pocket. It feels utterly ridiculous to give Joel Miller flowers, to pick out which colours you think he’d like and get the florist to wrap them up neatly with a bow, but you have a good reason. At some point in the past week you had seen a post about how a lot of men never receive flowers. It resurfaced in your head as you picked your brain again, making you wonder if Joel had ever received flowers. You know that he was married once, but that was when Sarah was little, it’d probably been 10 or even 15 years since he had any gestures like that made for him.

Not that this was for romance reasons. It was for father’s-appreciation-day reasons. Of course.

Maybe you shouldn’t be so invested in your neighbors emotions and life, but it’s too late now. You carefully pack away the flowers in the back seat of your car, snuggling the gift card into the ribbon that holds the flowers together. 

—

And if you thought that standing in line at Home Depot, or at the supermarket was bad, it’s so much worse trying to work up the courage to knock on Joel’s front door. You can’t figure out how to hold this bouquet of flowers behind your back without dropping them, so you just awkwardly knock on his door with one hand, flowers in the other. At least the gift card is managing to stay in place where you tucked it, but you wish you told the florist not to write his name in cursive.

Your repeating thoughts of “Is this weird? Am I weird?” are interrupted when he opens the door.

Joel looks… normal. He doesn’t look sad like you thought he might, if anything he looks more confused at you being there. His brown hair is tousled slightly and he’s wearing pajama pants, even though he smells fresh. Joel’s eyes meet yours and he tilts his head quietly, as if waiting for you to go on, but what do you even say? Oh shit that’s right–

“Happy father’s day,” your voice comes out shyly. You shove the flowers at him a little abruptly and he blinks in surprise, accepting them. It’s awkward for a second, the way his eyebrows shoot up as he notices the cursive lettering of his name written on the envelope.

“These’re for me, darlin’?” He asks curiously, still looking over the flowers.

A stammering of “um” and “yeah” leave your mouth pretty quickly and he smiles. You’re pretty sure he says thank you, but you just kind of stare at him awkwardly. A beat passes between the two of you as he admires the gift. “You uh– You don’t think of me as your dad, do you?” Joel asks. Oh fuck. You hadn’t thought about the fact that maybe that was what he would take away from this. All of your thoughts had been consumed by worries that he’d think you were trying to hit on him, but here he was thinking that you thought of him as a father figure. Which you didn’t. Your dad is fine, no need to replace him, at least not at this point. 

“No, no. Oh my god– Sorry,” You choke out, half laughing. It’s a quiet moment on the porch for a second, just the two of you standing there. Maybe you should explain your thought process.

“It’s just that you’re a dad and like– not to sound like a weirdo freak but nobody’s been at your house all day and it made me sad for you. Not that I pity you but,” your voice trails off as you fear you’ve made this worse. Joel seems a bit surprised at this, mouth opening slightly but then transitioning to a soft smile.

“And what if I told you that I wanted everyone t’leave me alone today?” He asks you slyly. And oh god, that is so much worse than him mistaking this gesture for flirting or pity. You never would have thought that maybe the guy who does everything for everyone probably just wants to be left the hell alone for a gift. Your heart drops in your chest, taking all the blood in your face with it. Embarrassment floods you with a force you didn’t realize possible, stuttered apologies leaving your lips as fast as you can. Joel shakes his head, laughing quietly as you sputter “sorry” repeatedly, like a broken sprinkler.

“I’m jokin’, sweetheart. I appreciate this,” he says. The crows' feet by his eyes shouldn’t be as charming as they are, but combined with that rumbling laugh and smile… he could get away with anything. He plucks the Home Depot gift card from the ribbon and huffs a laugh, like he’s impressed.

Well that’s… something? It made him smile right? Maybe feeling bad for Joel was better than feeling stupid in front of him. You step back, towards the stairs of his porch, but he shakes his head. “You were really this worried?” He asks, admiring the flowers. That makes your heart bloom in your chest, seeing how much he really liked this. Joel didn’t seem much like a flower guy, but you saw the way he kept his yard neat, with tulips in the spring and his lawn trimmed squarely. Shyly, you nod in response to his question. It feels silly to worry for him like this, you don’t know if he considers you a friend the way he is in your head.

“S’awful sweet,” he tells you. Something about his presence is so big, a balance of hospitality and intimidation all at once. Maybe it’s his big stature, broad shoulders and thick arms, a body built for work. Or his voice, the strong timbre of it, humbled in southern twang. Joel is a force of warmth, a heat that can’t be contained. His heart shines through his golden skin, forcing whoever he looks at to have a spotlight. That’s where the intimidation lies, in how he makes you feel like there’s a halo over your head, all his attention right there. 

He’s so hot you don’t even want him to look at you.

But there he is anyways, smiling as he admires the gift again, dorkily leaning in to dramatically huff the flowers. His mouth is moving but you're deafened by the sensation of a blush on your face. You thought it was just a silly little crush, because who wouldn’t find Joel attractive. He’s handsome, hard working, and just an all around traditional man. But this attraction… It's like your crush on him has given you tinnitus. His lips are moving and you aren’t registering the words. Wait shit, he’s speaking–

“Darlin’?” Joel calls. He looks at you, head tilted, and still fucking smiling. The way his eyes glimmer, the crows feet that squeeze them into a smile… Why is it so hard to hear him?

“I asked if you wanted to come in,” he repeats. 

—

You’ve never been inside Joel’s house, but you’d never thought about it either. Being in it, now, it all makes sense. Photos of his daughters are framed everywhere, their achievements plastered on the walls in shines of silver and gold. It’s hard not to imagine Joel hunched over his kitchen counter, tediously cutting pictures out to place them in frames. He was only an idea before, an idea of a man, and now he has become one wordlessly. All it took was stepping inside his house, smelling him everywhere. Life dances in the jackets that are tossed over dining room chairs, the toolbelt dumped by the shoe rack at the door. The picture of Joel you held in your mind begins to come alive, the movements in the details of his life stealing your breath. He is more than a good man, he is a great one.

And now, you have to strike up a conversation with him.

Joel grunts as he sits down on the couch beside you, placing two glasses of water down. He places his glass in front of the can of beer sitting on a coaster, distorting the label to nothing but warped blue and red. Is he hiding that he was drinking? Why is that cute? 

A pause hushes both of you as Joel gets comfortable, sitting down. He’s paused a show, but it just looks like it was whatever movie was playing on the local TV channel. 

“You must be so proud of them,” you say, eyes glazing over the pictures of Sarah and Ellie. You can tell exactly which photos were taken with a camera and which were taken with his phone. One picture of Ellie, maybe when she was 13 or 14, is from her soccer tournament. She’s smiling, holding up a ribbon for MVP, and Joel’s thumb is in the bottom corner. It’s strange to realize that Joel has basically been a father twice over, but also admirable. 

He talks for a little while, rambling about Sarah and her time up at college, and also how Ellie has been doing better in school this year. You always had a feeling Ellie was a bit feistier than Sarah was, but to hear how proud Joel is of her anyways makes your heart flutter. His love for them was so unconditional, so why weren’t they here today? You ask him, a half smile crossing his lips as he hears your question.

“Sarah called me ‘round lunchtime, one of them video calls. Had lunch with my girl and got to catch up with her. She’s so damn busy, y’know that? Always studying and,” he catches his breath, realizing he’s blabbing again. A reddish tone creeps up his neck in embarrassment.

“Point is, she called. Was nice of her, I miss her lots,” He finishes quietly.

Your eyebrow raises. He didn’t mention Ellie. Joel huffs.

“I’m 99% sure she’s over at Dina’s making me a gift, but it’s fine that she forgot. I’ve been on her ass about homework, fair’s fair.”

He looks cute when he’s begrudging, one side of his mouth sliding to the side so part of his cheek puffs over it. You nod, making a comment in response. The conversation is so smooth you forget what you’re saying as soon as you’re laughing. 

This is easier than you thought it would be. Joel’s always been friendly, obviously, but you just assumed he would be more closed off than this. Even if it’s just rambling about his daughters, or Tommy, or the jobs he’s been managing and how annoying his clients are, it’s something more. Something more than the passing glances and small conversation you’ve had before.

You talk a bit about your own life, how tough the move to Texas was, how lonely it can be. Joel doesn’t seem as receptive to this, but there’s an understanding in his eyes that you can feel. He’s a tough clam to slide your knife into, and you doubt you’ll feel his tongue today. The eager blabber he has for his family and career doesn’t extend to himself, and it seems you’ve hit a wall with him. Or maybe you’ve hit too close to home. “Sorry,” you say, feeling a little weird. 

This whole day has felt like you’re pulling against a lead Joel wasn’t even holding in the first place, like you’re always doing too much. But just like the rest of the day, he isn’t holding the rope around your neck. He’s surging forward with reassurances blooming out of his mouth, Texas sweet to the bone. 

He shakes his head, telling you that it’s fine, he gets it. A joke about being a single father, a smile directed at you, consoling. Vaporub for your congested anxieties.

“I’m sorry darlin,” Joel starts, and fuck is he sending you home? Is that your cue to leave? You did too much, he was just being nice.

“-- I didn’t even offer you water when you came in. D’you need somethin’ to drink?” He asks.

God, doesn’t he get tired of being this nice? Your neighbors warned you that he was a grump when you first moved here, dirty liars. 

“Oh, sure, uh. Water would be good, thanks,” you reply.

You’re only half paying attention to the grunt he lets out when he gets up the first time, your eyes busying themselves with the way his cotton tee stretches across the muscled planes of his back. But, after he hands you the glass of water and groans when he sinks back into the couch, you notice. 

You down the glass like you’re parched, but really your mouth just needs to be full right now. The sound of his groans are bouncing in your ear canals as your neck flushes red with each gulp of water. If he notices, he doesn’t say anything.

“Bad back?” You ask after you catch your breath. 

He hums in response, talking about how it comes with the job he has. “All that lifting in my early years…” as if he’s a thousand years old. Joel mentions that he’s been to the chiropractor a few times, thanks to Sarah’s begging and pleading.

“I don’t know, I think it’s gimmicky. They get you on the table and the guy feelin’ you up acts like he’s Christ himself,” Joel says, rolling his eyes. 

The idea of Joel, shirtless and face down, grumbling as some guy works his hands over his skin. The idea of Joel groaning in relief as someone else works those knots out, God you wish you were a chiropractor, you wish you could put your hands all over him.

Greed hardens over your mind like a shell, and the words tumble out of your mouth before you can stop them.

“I could– I could help, maybe. My dad used to have a pretty bad back and I kinda figured out how to work knots out.”

Joel’s eyes widen, looking over to you with mild interest. For the first time today, around Joel, you don’t feel like you’ve overstepped. In fact he looks interested in this offer. A beat passes between the two of you, hesitation caught in his throat it seems.

It’s probably super fucked up in his head, his younger neighbor coming over and offering to rub him down. But your mind is still greedy, coated in thoughts of his skin under your palms, and that southern rumble that’s given you dilf earworms.

He looks like he’s about to say no when you speak again.

“You don’t even have to lay down, or take your shirt off. Could just lift it up,” you offer. 

Joel still looks like he’s going to say no, the left side of his mouth raising to make up some reason. You can’t let him, not when you’ve been this ballsy. Walking out of here now would make this infinitely more awkward.

“It’s your day, Joel,” you supply him with a reason to say yes. The reason might be silly, might be a last minute add-on to his father’s day, but who cares.

Apparently not Joel, since he pulls his shirt up to his shoulders, the fabric scrunching around his broad frame.

—

You feel a little stupid, slotted behind Joel on the couch. The two of you are basically shoved up against one another, Joel wriggling to give you access to his lower back. He hasn’t said anything yet, no reassurance that this backrub is any good. You think you’re doing well, you feel the knots loosening. It might be better this way, him not making noise. The groan you heard earlier was more than enough to push you into a frenzy.

Your hands work further down, where his waist begins to pull in. Looking closer you can see where the softness of his tummy is, a fatherly badge of honor. Continuing your movements, you gently press your thumbs into the flesh there, and earn yourself Joel’s first noise.

Not a grunt, groan, complaint, or cuss. A whimper.

Your voice clashes with his, both of you talking over each other accidentally.

“Are you okay–” you ask as his voice flounders again, a “Darlin--” leaving him out of his own volition.

Pulling your hands away you begin to pull his shirt back down his back, mortified. How could you claim you were good at this and then hurt his back more? Joel’s been through enough today.

“Please don’t stop,” Joel’s voice grabs your brain again, forcing your focus.

He’s sliding his shirt up again, just by rolling his shoulders as he hunches over, waiting for you to continue. His face is in his hands, and his ears are pink. It’s the first time he’s asked you for anything tonight, you can’t refuse him. 

Placing your hands back where they were, you begin to massage again. It seems like his lower back is the main problem, with the way he’s grunting into his palms. As your hands work away the aches he begins to swear to himself. 

“Fuck,” he grunts as your thumbs dig deep, soothing a pain he hasn’t felt eased in years. 

This is good. Pride spreads in your chest, knowing he feels better. Your hands work away, and you get laser focused on untangling these massive knots in his back. Eventually you break your focus, switching to softer rubs and small scratches up and down his back.

Tearing your eyes away from his skin, you realize the throw pillow that was beside you earlier is gone. The yellow corner of the cushion peeks at you from where you saw Joel’s belly earlier, over his lap. A thick forearm is crushing it into himself there, the veins in his neck pulsing. 

Flames lick up your face, onto the tips of your ears and down your neck, heating your spine. Is he aroused right now? “Joel?” You ask quietly. 

He shakes his head, voice tight.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Just– it just feels nice,” he admits.

Your hands pause. Okay, so he’s admitted he’s hard. What do you do now? Keep rubbing his back and blueball the poor guy? On Father's day? That seems mean, and awkward. Everything about this is awkward though, so it couldn’t really get worse.

“I could… I could help it feel better,” you offer meekly.

You’re not scared of a dick. You aren’t. Your voice is quiet because it seems like he is horribly ashamed of this, probably feeling guilty.

Joel rubs a hand over his face.

“You don’t have to, you can just go,” he says, but his voice betrays him. Need is sewn in his tone, a desperation.

Part of you wonders how long it’s been since someone touched him like this as you reach around, palming the front of his jeans. The hiss he lets out tells you it’s been awhile. How wrong that is, an attractive man like Joel being forced to get his own rocks off.

Getting the button and fly of his jeans down is difficult when you can’t see, even worse when your brain is making up images of Joel masturbating. He’s so shy when he’s being touched, does he bite his sheets? Bite his other fist in the shower? Poor boy, he deserves this. 

His hips lift off the couch to help you shove his jeans and briefs down. Joel’s bare ass slides against you and he cringes. “Is it okay if you don’t look?” He asks. 

You hate that he seems so insecure, but you’re not going to push him. Nodding into his skin, you press your face to his back, resting your cheek near the blade of his shoulder. He’s heavy in your palm, warm skin with veins your fingers can trace over.

Telling him that he’s big feels redundant, you’re sure he knows that about himself. Neither of you seem very sure about what you’re doing, the shuddering breaths from his chest matching your hesitant grasp around his cock. 

“Are you okay?” You ask again.

Joel nods into his hand, asking you to please touch him. 

Admittedly, it’s a dry hand job, but Joel doesn’t seem to mind. The flick of your wrist is fluid, even if your arm is cramping from being wrapped around him. Joel lets out these little noises, grunts and whines. His hand is covering his eyes while the other one rests lightly on your forearm, like he wants to know that you’re still there.

Need is exuding from him, making his desperation take over his need to really give a shit about how submissive he might be appearing. He shudders particularly hard as you squeeze on the upstroke, voice choking.

“Shit– shit, please,” he gasps, “please can I spit in your hand?” 

It’s a little surprising, but again, you can’t refuse him. You say “yeah” into his skin, closing your eyes as you feel him spit into your hand. It’s filthy, his saliva on you as he guides your hand to jerk him off. Joel uses your palm to slick the head of his dick, teasing himself on your skin.

It’s the first time you’ve seen him be selfish all day. Part of you wants to call him a good boy, but part of you also knows this might not be normal for Joel. Hell, this isn’t normal for you either. 

Instead, you ask him if it’s good. A rasped “yes,” emanates from him between a low groan and a curse. Your head lifts from his back as he begins to shudder, his orgasm creeping closer. Listening to him is so good, you’re a mess between your legs, where your core nudges his ass.

Without a thought, you sink your teeth into the meat between his shoulder and his neck. Not enough pressure to bruise or hurt, just to let him know you’re there. There was no intention to push him over the edge, but your little bite does. A guttural groan is forced out of him as he comes into your hand, stringing sticky between your fingers. 

“Fuck– fuck I’m sorry, oh my god,” he pants, shivering. 

Your head is shaking again, reassuring him that it was okay, that he’s okay. 

“It’ll wash off,” you joke, feeling the stick of him on you. 

—

Joel does help you wash it off, once he’s done redressing. He’s clingy though, arms around your waist and chin hooked over your shoulder as you wash your hands in his kitchen sink. He’s definitely sleepy, eyes blinking slowly when you peek at him while you dry your hands.

You step close to him, your damp hands meeting his dry ones. The awkward spirit of the evening has been killed off, his shyness melted away.

“Usually I’d offer to return the favor but… I have to pick up Ellie from her friend’s house now. I’m really sorry, darlin’,” he admits.

Shaking your head, you push away the negative feeling that surfaces. How are you supposed to go back to being neighbors after that? But also, what did you really expect?

Joel leads you to the door, legs a bit shakey. A smug feeling joins the negative ones in your chest at that, but it’s not enough. 

“I really do apologize,” Joel says again, “but this just gives me an opportunity to see you again. If you’d like, obviously. I think I owe ya dinner.” 

And there he is, not holding your lead but reassuring your heart. He wants to see you again.

Your eyes meet his in the dim light of the hallway, catching those sweet eyes in your own. He looks so hopeful, so apologetic too.

“I’d like that, but you don’t owe me anything. It’s Father’s day,” you point out. 

Joel rolls his eyes. This Father’s day excuse is a little overused between the two of you now, but it’s still cute to him since you’re the one saying it. He opens the door for you, slipping his own boots on and grabbing his keys.

“Fine,” Joel says, “but when Pretty Neighbor day rolls around, you let me know.

[bigblab-talktotalk1]

I feel a lot of people misunderstand Portia in why she ask about Colin's love

One thing I find really disheartening about reactions/opinions on this episode is the conceptual clap backs of "Did Debling love her?!?!"

🙄😮‍💨

Because that response makes me feel someone is missing something in the storytelling. As a response, it has never made sense to me, because.... he never had to!

'Lord Debling was a reasonable match." This guy has acted in every single way The Gentleman. This guy has money, this guy came to Lady Featherington like a respectable adult and asked for Penelope's hand, this guy will be absent, and so THIS guy also Won't Hurt Her! She laid this out in episode 4, To Portia he is an IDEAL catch.

Then comes this news of Bitch-boy Colin (painting from a Portia-esque perspective), that she read IN WHISTLEDOWN!! He does not hold water with her 🚫 This Season, all she has seen of this dude is that he is a flirt. "The most desired man of the season." Regardless of what she thinks Penelope's feelings likely are, she only sees that Colin is NOT serious about her. Freshly back from galavanting across the sea, she does see Colin as serious PERIOD. All the letters Pen wrote, All the teas at Bridgerton house....for years Portia has watched him NEVER WANTING HER! Yet somehow an engagement occurred some time between her daughter leaving a party and family breakfast the next morning... 🤨🧐 Chat shit right?? Her mind must be screaming: HELP ME UNDERSTAND! (In a snarky, passive aggressive way - because she's the one)

---

Portia has a right to feel awful disrespected that Colin "I'm a gentleman" Bridgerton didn't come to her first. Like they don't have beef!! 😳 He's been engaged to someone from the Featherington household before, yet... there was no wedding. But Pen (who she thinks of is having less attractions than Marina) somehow is different?

You know who extended the olive branch to the Featherington name to help saved them from drowning in the social ruin of the reveal of Marina's pregnancy? DAPHNE! He was mad at Marina sure, but you know who he showed he didn't care what happened to while he turned his back? You Penelope!! 🤷🏻‍♂️He could have helped soften the blow like Kate, Edwina, and Anthony tried to do after their failed wedding. But he didn't. And that's who Pen threw away an entire future to gamble on?? 🫨😣

---

And while Portia doesn't know it yet, the fault for them being in that super precarious social is the SAME EXACT fucking person who is standing in front of her like she don't smell her own shit!! (personal mad when sitting in Portia's perspective)

---

THAT 'S the guy Pen wants Portia to celebrate, who Pen believes is a better choice. Portia's looking for the better. "What more can you ask for?" she says an episode 4. The only thing Penelope seemed to believe held her back from commiting to Debling as her husband is this 'Love' nonsense. So if Colin is the Superior choice, he must be giving her what she thought was missing from a marriage, something she thought Debling couldn't provide!

"You have it?" - Portia.

Penelope says she's SURE he CARES about her. But 'care' wasn't the exceptional parameter? To be so certain that you just threw away a good 90% qualification-meeting gentleman, you must have heard this truth that gives you that 10% to match the fantasy were "LOVE"(which Big P don't believe in) is. Right? You thought, you know, but what did he say it??? Has he told you he's giving you what makes choosing him over Debling worth it? Are you getting what you gambled for?!

Portia looks DEFEATED because Pen is betting on fantasies and wishes, without even the vocalized proof of Colin's feelings!!!!!!

"Oh Penelope"= "Girl I feel bad for you", "you sweet summer child." She's repulsed that Pen was SO short-sighted.

I feel like while her reaction is extreme and harsh, it really isn't too difficult to imagine a semi-reasonable parent (with Portia's trauma) may be distraught hearing that their daughter chose to follow a career in ..... like the Arts, that she loves (Colin), when she already had a place at Yale law School (Debby). Without Colin's declaration it's like she mailed in her withdrawal letter and is packing to move into an artist collective commune -- without a lease! Not even guaranteed a spot, setting fire to your previous life plans! It is not right, and it is not okay to treat your children as if they need to live their life as you would. However, for someone who holds security above all Pen has thrown away her last chance at a good life. Pen has shattered a chance at bedrock that Portia knows Pen don't even understand how much she should value! Portia has shielded her from how it feels to watch the ground you've built your life on crumble from underneath her. The fear of having no husband, no son, and no money. Which I think adds to the anger in her tone.

Debling never NEEDED to love Penelope. Why he was a better, more secure match than Colin was everything BESIDES love. What makes Debling a valuable prospect has a very little overlap with what makes Colin Penelope's first choice. Therefore trying to grade them on the same standard..... it doesn't matter if Portia cares about love, it doesn't matter if Debling would EVER say he loves Penelope. So while it matters if Colin has told her that he loves her, he's the only one who has to.

---

I do not think she is right all the time, or even often. But one can likely tell from the above that I'm a Portia Featherington fan. I'm a fan of food in tummies and shoes on feet. Did she decide she needed big bucks to eat and dress the way she wanted.......👀🙄

---

As someone who looks at Colin as an insecure 23-year-old male... He is my baby. I defend all his big emotions. When he's having a temper-tantrum, I let him kick himself tired. I'm never villainizing him for basically anything he says or does because..... I know he's really a soft boy. And I know Pen doesn't mind. But that doesn't mean we can blame Portia (without having the audience view) for seeing him differently.

[volvaofowls]

Mayans crushing on/ being infatuated with a younger reader

This is my first time writing for Mayans. I know there are many fans of the show but I feel like there is not enough people writing for it and showing it love.  

Note:  I roughly guessed what the guys ages would be at the beginning of the series based on their apperance and actors' ages. I would love to know how old you think they are!

Bishop – 49  

Taza – 62  

Tranq – 44  

Riz – 37  

Creeper – 41  

Gilly – 36  

Coco – 34  

Angel – 30  

Ez – 26 

Bishop – He didn’t have any qualms about his attraction to you in the beginning. Walking up to you when you were at the clubhouse and flirting with you, saying it was good to see you around. He didn't think too much about it, he likes the way he feels when you are responding to him in a positive way. Bishop lies to himself, he doesn’t purposefully seek you out in the crowd, but Taza points it out for him - "Don't worry Prez, your girl is outside, having a smoke with Gilly". - And that phrase hits him; the fact that someone has noticed his interest in you, and more so called you "his girl" - that spreads warmth in his chest. He wants you to be his girl, but he is not sure how you feel about it. Sure you reciprocate his attention, smile at him and spend more time with him than other members of MC, but it doesn't mean you want anything more with him than friendship. The age gap is large, Bishop could be your father; and the potential comments that would follow make him shrudder, yet the thought of you in his arms makes him think that he could deal with being the butt of the jokes for some time.

Taza – Taza thought that love is not for him anymore. But the familiar butterflies are starting to dance in his belly again when you laugh at his joke. He loves the feeling of it, but the moment he realises it he gets scared. He is not ready for it, he didn’t think it is possible, he is too old and commited too many sins to be rewarded with these emotions. Taza wonders what he can possibly offer you? His life is filled with violence and loneliness.But then he takes out his phone and sees your name across the screen Che thinks that maybe he can give it a try.  

Tranq – Tranq is a rough man, for the majority of his life he had only his mother and the club. He is "El Pacificador", a giant of a man, always in the epicentre of fights. Even though he is not the loudest and meanest in the club he thinks he might be too imposing for you, scare you away. Let alone the fact that he is in his 40's. Still, when he is next to you Hank’s increased heart beat drowns out the doubts. Against his wishes the softer side of him comes out. The way you lean on Tranq's shoulder when you are tipsy, or when you ask specifically for his help with your car makes him feel special, and he never wants to let go of this feeling. Quite the opposite, he feels insatiable, he is hungry for your affection and Hank wants more of it. He is not a greedy man, he shares everything in life with his club, but you are someone Hank wants to keep all to himself.

Riz – Michael has been disillusioned with life long ago, many people in his life shunned him; only in the brotherhood of Mayans did he find the solace. Riz craves love, family and companionship is something he always secretly wanted. Maybe that's why he was always a ladies man - trying to fill a void in his life with someone, something. When he met you for the first time, it was hard to avert his eyes from you. You were like the smell of rain in summer before the thunder strikes, Riz felt that when you stepped into the clubhouse you brought change with you, and it was just for him, and he welcomes this feeling with an open heart.

Riz knows he likes what he is seeing and he wants you to like him as well. He just needs his chance to prove that he can make it work, and he does what he does best, trying to smooth talk you. Offering you a drink and showering in compliments. He wants you to have a good time with him, he sure does with you. Once you jokingly called him an "old man", Riz quickly shot back that he prefers "daddy" instead, laughing at your shy expression. Age is not a problem for him, not when it comes to you and what the two of you could have, and he is willing to show it to you.

Creeper – Creeper didn’t really think that romantic love was for him. Since childhood there was nothing but darkness staining his life, like he is punished for doing something in his past life and can never repent. So Neron never expects gifts from live; he takes, but only gives. He gives his loyalty and time to his club and he gives his love to you, Creeper doesn't feel like he is allowed to receive any back from you.

Neron feels disgusted with himself and his want for you. You are almost too clean for him, Creeper doesn't have the right to mess you up. He tries to avoid you, but it’s as if you are always seeking him out, sipping on water with him at the parties, forgoing the alcohol. All the time you are asking him about his tattoos, and one time while planning your own you reach out and touch his forearm where a faces of women are depicted. Neron feels burned, but its amazing, he wants to keep your hands there, on him, interested in him. He is scared of rejection, he wants your love, he is ready to trade anything in his poor life in order to be yours.

Gilly – Gilly is know for “disarming” ladies, but it was a shock to him when you swooped into his heart and disarmed him. This young woman, too young for him comes and can out-do him in telling dirty jokes? Who are you? And you are playfully offering to arm-wrestle him, losing instantly. But he loves it, he feels like a teenager again, trying to show off infront of you. You have him wrapped around your finger and you don't even realise it. Other guys are teasing him in good fun, but when one day Coco jokes “you better act up brother or all the younger ones will steal her from under your old nose” Gilly laughs with him but it makes him think “oh shit…. I don’t wanna lose her to anyone”.

Coco – He was a little apprehensive at first about his feelings for you. You have less of an age difference with Letty than with him. He thinks that what he is feeling for you is wrong, even if you are a grown person. Coco always tried to stay away from the things that he cares for, it’s easier that way, he doesn't hurt anyone but only himself that way. You are precious to him, you care for him and Letty seems to like you. He already made all the guys in the club aware that he is interested in you and not to treat you badly. When members from other charters come and you are there, he makes sure to be near you or to keep an eye on you. You should be treated with the outmost respect and gentleness. Gentleness is a funny word for Coco; mainly because nothing in his life is, but he wants to learn it for you.

Angel – Angel stopped caring what other people think long time ago. He feels like he always has to prove himself to others and its never enough. So when you praise him, Angel can't even stop himself, he is floored. You think he is amazing, and you support him when he has a bad day. You are younger, but he feels like he has to look up to you. You are showing him the way of how to live life without being afraid of rejection. Angel thought he is brave, but he relearns the defenition of it when he is with you. He doesn't see the age gap between you as a boundary, because there is so much you bring to his life. And Angel wants for the first time in his life too repay that affection, he wants to make it his mission to worship you and elevate you. You are his guardian angel.

Ez – He hasn't been lucky in love, EZ knows he falls in love fast and hard, but with you he feels like he is falling even harder. Even though your age gap is not too big, he feels like you have whole life ahead of you, he doesn't want you to be tied to him. There is so much you could be doing, travelling, things that EZ cannot join you on. But he is aching for you to choose him over everything else, although he will never admit it, as it will be too selfish. It feels like his life is fixable when you are together and he doesn’t have to just survive anymore, with you he can live.

[davenporttf]

Nick was a freshman at Brown University and was having a hard time meeting guys on campus. He tried the campus GSA but he wasn't clicking with anyone. A lot of the guys were obvious with their interest in him but none were really his type. He was always falling for the douchey straight guys on campus. Something about the musky pits, backwards hats and simple-minded demeanour always caught his attention. His achilles heel was definitely frat bros. They were the creme of the crop for him, and he wanted nothing more than to turn some of them.

There were these two frat bros in his Chem class that he gazed at when they weren't looking. Their names were Connor and Jack, even though they were only juniors, they were the co-presidents of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

Connor was the pitcher for the baseball team, and he loved the attention it got him with the ladies. Everyone on the team knew he would leave the after-game parties earlier to take a girl home. Girls loved the contrast of his green eyes and dark brown hair, mixed with the rock hard body he maintained through sports.

Jack, on the other hand, was the captain of the lacrosse team for Brown. The only thing quicker than him on the field was how fast girls dropped dropped their pants for him. Like Connor, he would be drenched in sweat after games and attract a fan to come back to his frat house. The evening would be filled with a girl or two screaming out in pleasure for the whole frat house to hear.

They both had one thing in common that Nick could exploit: they were huge stoners. Connor loved to mix his weed with a little bit of tobacco to give himself more of a head rush. Jack loved variety and would try different strains and was on a quest to find the perfect high.

Alpha Phi Alpha was having a mixer on Saturday night, and Nick thought of the perfect plan to live his fantasy for the night. He was a chemistry major, and was growing a hybrid strain with hypnotic properties derived from a low dose of Nitrous Acid. When consumed at low doses, the chemical could leave users feeling mindless and agreeable.

Saturday night finally arrived and Nick headed to the frat house with a blunt in his back pocket. The house was packed inside and out with the base from the music shaking ground. Everyone was getting smashed and paid Nick any mind.

He headed into the house and headed upstairs to the second floor to search out Connor and Jack. He glanced through open doors only finding guys making out with girls in short skirts and summer dresses. He decided to try the third floor. When he reached the top of the stairs he picked up on the smell of weed coming from the end of the hallway.

He followed the scent to a room with a door cracked open. He pushed it open to find Jack and Connor sitting on a bed taking hits. The room smelled of weed, boat shoes, sweat filled laundry and musk. Jackpot.

Connor looked up at Nick, blowing out a puff of smoke. "Bro, what are you doing here?" Jack looked up quizically, "You lost bro?"

There was no one else in the room and as far as Nick could see, he hit the jackpot. "Was wondering if I could borrow a light? Brought my joint with some good shit. Trying to get faded."

They looked at each other amusingly. Connor replied "Yeah if you're sharing." Jack chimed in "Is it a Sativa?"

"Hybrid. And yeah I'll share, hand me the lighter. It's the best high I've had yet."

Nick grabbed the blunt out of his back pocket and sat on the bed next to them. Jack passed him the lighter and Nick held it up to his mouth but paused. "You know what? You guys take the first hit. Least I could do."

He passed it over to Jack who didn't give it a second thought. He lit the roll and took a deep inhale in.

"Fuuuucccckkkkk" he moaned as the smoke began filling his head. "Dudeeee, you gotta try this shit!" Connor took the blunt from Jack and took a long steady inhale in. Clouding up his mind, he felt his thoughts evaporate into thin air. "Dudddeeeee, this shit is fire. Hits so much harder than tobacco."

Nick was offered the blunt from Connor but insisted they go ahead without him. Their minds were washing away and they didn't find his suggestion suspicious in the least bit. He watched the frat bros pass back and forth. They were loving the mindless feeling it gave them and took deeper and deeper hits. By the time they reached the end of the blunt both guys stared ahead absent-minded, and with a slight smile on each of their faces. There wasn't a conscious thought to have, and they were feeling very giddy. Nick was ready to test his new strain.

"I want you both to follow my every command, and believe in each command as if they were your own personal desires. My commands are your commands. Do you understand?," Nick instructed. "Yes, bro" they replied simultaneously.

"I want you to make out with each other."

Jack and Connor looked into each others eyes lustfully. Connor leaned in and gave Jack a passionate kiss. Jack brought his hand to the back of Connor's neck and returned the kiss, bringing his tongue to meet Connor's. They gave soft grunts of pleasure as they kissed like they couldn't get enough. Jack broke the kiss, "Fuuuuck, bro! You're so fucking hot."

"You're so sexy in that backwards hat, bro" Connor said breathily as they continued to kiss.

Nick was thrilled to see his weed have such a strong effect on them! Now it was time to bring his fantasy to life.

He crossed the room to Jack's laundry basket and took out two jockstraps. He brought the jocks up to his face and took a deep inhale in. So rank and stained with sweat. He looked over at the two stoners, "Now I want you both to take your pants off and put these on. The material will make you ridiculously horny as it rubs against your dicks. I want you both to lay down on the bed and present your holes to me." Nick tossed the jockstraps at the floor. They stood up and slipped out of their jeans.. Nick watched as Jack and Connor bent over to pick up and slip on the jocks.

Connor closed his eyes in ecstasy, "Fuckkk brah, your jock got me bricked dog." He played with the straps of his best friend's jock, snapping them against his ass. Jack slid his on feeling the sweat from playing today's game on his dick. He looked over at Connor and slid his hand over Connor's ass, "Bro, you look hella fine in that. Let's get on my bed."

They chuckled as they both layed down looking back at Nick while he pulled out his dick. He was going to show them what they've been missing after the games. When they eventually came down from their high, they would be laying in Jack's bed cuddling. They wouldn't remember the events from tonight but they will remember where they can get some good dank on campus.

[queendeeshorrorimagines]

Can I pretty please request a soulmate AU for this prompt: you have a meter/rating on your body that tells you how dangerous your soulmate is

With the character being Thomas Hewitt??

🥺🙏🏻

Tommy's got his soulmate

Thomas Hewitt x reader

Gender neutral reader

Warnings: mentions of reader being an outcast, slight angst with a fluffy ending, mentions of the smell of cigarette/ weed smoke.

The faint smell of smoke and cheap incense lingered inside the rather dated van as you sat in the back. Soft chattering over the humming of a local radio station made the ride through the desolate Texas road rather calming.

You and your friends were doing a cross country road trip for your final summer vacation for your university years. Friends was a rather long stretch for your relationship with them, yet it could be worse.

On everyone's right wrist was a 1 to 10 meter that showed how dangerous your soulmate was, beeping when you get close to your soulmate. While everyone you know had ones and twos with the occasional three rating, you've always had the rating of ten.

Your soulmate was simply dangerous. The only saving grace was the fact that it never beeped- never actually meeting them before. There were times when you wondered if your soulmate was in prison or in some rather seedy situations, making you more reluctant on meeting them.

Although your parents tried to soothe your worries by saying that you will be safe with your soulmate even though whomever they are is obviously an dangerous person, you can still tell that they were scared for your future.

You tried hiding your meter from your peers but they all end up finding out the truth. If it wasn't the looks of pity, it was the quiet whispers everywhere you walked. It was a sad reality for you to be shunned for what fate or whatever Deity that chose this for you.

"Damnit Henry, you didn't fill the tank up!?"

Mark yelled at his friend as the empty gas light comes on. Amy and Maxine groaned with irritations as you looked up, seeing a sign for a service station a mile away. You spoke up over the arguing young men.

"Guys, there's a service station a mile away if we take this turn. If you two stop arguing like an old married couple, we might be able to make it before we're all fucked."

The men quickly shut up, somewhat intimidated by the simple fact that you were fated to be with a highly dangerous person. The women giggled at the last part, looking away from their magazines.

"How are you able to intimate those two so easily? They stopped fighting right when you spoke."

Maxine asked, looking at you with her doe like soft eyes. You gave an anxious smile as you hear Amy laughed at the other woman's innocence to your situation.

"Well Maxine, there's a reason why you've never seen my meter... I don't like showing it...."

You started to speak, your left hand moving over to rub the covered meter on your right hand. Amy interrupted you.

"Their soulmate rating is a ten, worst anyone could get. Their soulmate is is a fucking monster, Maxine. The boys are scared of how potentially dangerous they will be given their soulmate."

Before there was a chance for you or Maxine to speak, the van was parked next to a gas pump in front of the rather old service station. You opted to get out of the van and get some coffee from the station while Mark gets out to fill the van. Henry, Amy, and Maxine decided to follow you inside for a snack run.

You walked towards the coffee pots, filling a cup with the hot liquid. A quiet beep came from your meter as you heard a softer beep from a short distance. The gas station owner, an older woman stared at you with interest as the beeping becomes faster and louder.

Anxiety flows through your veins as you stood still- as if you were a deer in headlights. Heavy footsteps grew closer to you as the beeping for both yours and your soulmstes meters became apparent to your friend group and the the older lady as the door from the back exit of the building open.

Actually meeting your soulmate wasn't a thing that you've ever thought would happen within your life. The hurricane of thoughts made you not notice the audible gasp come from the older lady's lips.

The first thing you noticed was how much larger the man was. Your wide eyes looked up at him as he stared at you. Time froze as you took in every detail of your soulmate; from the way his curly brown hair clings to his large neck, the leather mouth piece that covers his mouth, all the way to how he has a farmers tan on his face and arms.

The logical side of you was screaming to run away as fast as you could because of how dangerous your meter says he is. Yet, you felt a sense of safety and acceptance coming from the much larger man. A older feminine voice brought the both of you back to reality.

"It appears that you're my son, Tommy's soulmate.."

A look of approval was shown on her face as she gave you a motherly hug. You accepted the hug from her as Tommy watches you.

"I'm Luda Mae, but please call me mama."

She continued as you heard tires screeched outside. Looking towards the windows, you saw your friend's van speed away from the gas station. Your eyes widened in shock as they left you alone with only your wallet. Luda quickly goes to the wall phone, calling what seemed to be the sheriff. You didn't pay attention to what was said as the two of you embraced each other, knowing that you have each other now.

[sassy-stupid]

Sky High

Pairing

partydrugdealer!Sero x f!reader

18+ only please

Smut

Word count

3.1k

Content warnings

drugs (mostly weed but theres a mention of unnamed party drugs), dubcon (reader is under influence of drugs (weed)), fingering, oral (f receiving), vaginal penetration, unprotected sex, creampies

Everyone is this fic is 18+

Summary

You've never done drugs before and none other slimefest's very own dealer offers to show you the ropes.

This is my entry to the slimeball summer collab! I got the prompt "festivals"!! I'm super excited about this since it's my first collab but I'm also very nervous haha. @bastardblvd

"C'mon! It'll be fun!" Your friend's voice was loud and yet you could barely hear it over the murmur of the crowd.

You and your little group of friends had gotten to the first annual edition of slimetown's very own slimeball summerfest early. The original reasoning had been to get a nice place to pitch the tent. The "new and improved" reasoning, according to your friends, was to buy party drugs before their regular dealer started running low.

You'd assumed that was because the price would go up at that point but festival drug dealing wasn't exactly your area of expertise.

"Fine, but you guys gotta watch me okay? I don't want to be the person waking up in a hospital without any memories of their so called 'fun time'," you conceded, letting yourself be pulled along to a neat looking tent.

"This is the drug tent?" you voice your doubt as one of your friends tries to knock on the tent entrance.

She scoffs at you. "Yes it is, why don't you shout it out a little louder. I'm not sure every security guard here heard," she sneers and you hope the drugs will put her into a better mood. "See this?" your other friend taps on the "s" taped on the tent door. "That's our guy's business card."

You snort, the guy didn't even use ductape and the flimsy cellophane tape was already peeling off the tent fabric before the festival had even properly started. Before you can point any of that out to your friends though, the little zipper opens and out comes a lanky looking man who seems about the same age as you.

"As much as I appreciate my clientele ladies, can you either keep it down or come in?" he speaks, moving aside and gesturing you into his tent. The grin on his face friendly and inviting.

You attempt to follow your friends through the small opening but he stops you once you're in front of him. "Haven't seen your face before," he says, and you admit to yourself that his attention on you isn't unwelcome. He's attractive, lean muscles, tan skin and the sluttiest little waist you'd ever seen.

"Yeah, this is not usually my scene, I'm just here for them." You gesture towards your friends as you try to follow them once more. He lets you this time, the inviting grin having slipped into more of an amused smirk.

"I knew it, would've recognized a face like yours," he speaks. Both your friends shoot you looks, one distinctly more annoyed than the other. "And don't you worry. My customer's comfort is of utmost importance to me, I'll help you enjoy yourself." He shoots you a wink and your face heats up, your mind can't help but wander to the possible implications of his words.

"Sero, we didn't come here for you to flirt with (y/n)," your annoyed friend spoke up. She was waving around some cash and the man in front of you took the bait.

"Always so impatient," he says, getting up to rummage through his wares "I've got some new stuff you two may like, wouldn't recommend it for your friend though." He pulls out a bag with what, out of context, would've looked just like candy. Your friend hands him the wad of cash.

"Pleasure doing business with you two, as always, now why don't you two wait outside for a second while I'll teach your friend here the ropes," he requests, you're about to protest but he continues before you can, "awfully crowded in this little tent."

You beg your friends to stay through facial expressions but the fuckers just up and leave, your favourite of the two quickly adding on that they'll wait for you outside.

"So, how much of a first timer are you really?" You know he's talking about drugs but the way he suggestively wiggles his eyebrows implies something else and you realize he's teasing you. Your eyebrows furrow and you're about to give him a piece of your mind when he bursts out laughing. "Sorry, sorry. I always like to joke around to get the edge off a little," he explains. "Though, I have other stuff for that as well." He pulls out a bag of something, it's clearly not the same stuff he just sold your friends but you had no clue what it could be.

He inspects the look on your face and whistles. "Damn, that much of a first timer huh? No worries, I'll talk you through it all" his voice was incredibly smooth and it brought the heat back to your face, you hope he mistakes it for embarrassment.

"Do you always flirt this much? Is that why my friend was shooting me nasty looks?" you ask, trying to deflect. It only causes him to laugh more.

"It's a sales tactic I'm familiar with," he says shooting you another wink. "And not much of a friend, that one. If she's that upset over a flirty comment from her dealer? I can't even imagine the level of jealousy."

"But, you didn't enter my little paradise here to gossip. Let me let you in on how things work around here," he starts, and he does. He tells you all about the drug he's about to sell you, some type of weed called wedding cake? You liked the name if anything. How much it'll cost you and how to smoke it, even offers to show you.

"Can't have my cute little customer bumbling about, not even knowing how to use the stuff I sold her," he explains, nodding in approval as you hold the freshly rolled blunt. "Now let's light it up and I'll show you exactly how to do it." He moves real close to you now, and true to his word he teaches you. The proximity flusters you beyond belief and you think whatever you're smoking right now isn't exactly keeping you clear headed either. You catch yourself looking at his lips more than once and you might not realize it but he catches you too, it makes him chuckle.

"All right, that's enough for now, trust me on that," he tells you. Somewhere deep down you're happy he's doing all of this for you though, makes you giggle. His hand ruffles your hair in response and he speaks again, "let's get you back out to your friends, unless you wanna keep me company?" You're not sure if it's an actual offer or a joke but you laugh either way, already turning towards the exit to find your friends.

You leave the tent to find no one waiting for you, except for a small piece of paper stuck to Sero's tape on the tent entrance. "Hot guy, be back later. Stay safe," it read. Tears well in your eyes. They promised they'd look after you, that's why you agreed to all this in the first place. Now you were all alone, high off your ass, on festival grounds in what is known as the sleaziest town around.

"Aw, come now baby, don't cry." Sero's voice startles you out of your little moment, you'd forgotten he was right behind you. "I'd never leave a cute little customer like you in need," he promises, though you're not entirely sure what the promise entails. He gestures for you to follow him.

Maybe the weed is clouding your mind but you do find yourself following the relative stranger without further questioning, though luckily he comes out with an answer to the question in your mind.

"I'm taking you to my private tent, it's roomier," he explains, his arm around the small of your back now. You lean into it, his warmth feeling nice against your skin.

The crowd had grown since you guys had entered the tent and now there were people everywhere, you were starting to get anxious despite the high you were experiencing. Luckily for you, your ever vigilant dealer noticed.

"Baby, I'm here. You're okay," he says as his thumb strokes your cheek. You think about how normally you'd never let anyone this close but everything about him is just so nice and warm. You lean into his touch entirely and a deep chuckle escapes him. "Want me to really take care of you?" He asks, eyes flitting down to your lips and back up. Yours do the same, except you struggle to pull them back up. You nod nonetheless and he's on you instantly.

You'd kissed plenty of people before but Sero felt different, you wanted to consider that it might be the weed but all you could think of right now was him. The way his lips molded to yours. The way one of his hands dragged up your back and into your hair while the other moved down towards your ass. The way his tongue slipped past your lips and played with yours.

You couldn't suppress the moan that leaves you and and he groans. "Oh aren't you just the cutest, come on, we aren't far." He's pulling you along again before you can complain and you find yourself staring at his ass as he pulls you through a final part of the crowd.

You reach his tent, it does look bigger than the one you just came from but it's placed right in between a few more tents and there's people everywhere. In a moment of clarity you ask him, "but won't people hear?"

The laugh it pulls out of him is attractive but does nothing to ease your worry, and his words certainly don't either. "Sweetness, trust me, that is gonna be the last thing on your mind in a couple of minutes." As he speaks his guiding hand on your lower back slips slightly lower again but you can't find it in you to worry about it anymore, in fact it all feels kind of fun.

So instead you giggle.

The inside of sero's tent is nice, you didn't peg him as the type of guy to decorate his festival tent but apparently business has been good for him. You fawn at one of the cute pillows adorning his mattress. It was a bright yellow and you nearly squealed in excitement as you felt how fuzzy the outside of it was.

"You liking the place?" He asked, the hand that was guiding you from the small of your back had moved to you shoulder and was now pushing you to sit on his mattress. You turn around to face him, looking up at him from your place near the ground  and nod enthusiastically. "Good, I pride myself on my sense for interior design."

He's sinking down next to you on the mattress and only now do you realize it's an air mattress, his weight propping the side you're sitting on up. You stop yourself from giggling once more.

"C'mere pretty girl, I know you're just itching to get touched." His voice dropped into a seductive tone and you notice he's right, ever since he'd kissed you you'd wanted more.

You're nodding along as he reaches out to your face, pulling you into another kiss that feels like the centre of your universe. Though that universe expands the second Sero's hand slips into your pants.

Every place he'd touched you had felt hot so far but the sensation of his hand on your pussy nearly drove you wild.

"S-sero," you managed between frantic kissing. In response he just hummed, not letting your lips stray far as his fingers started playing with you.

"What is it pretty girl? Enjoying yourself? I knew you'd look even prettier like this," he says, his hand picking up speed. Your hands are clutching both his hair and his shirt, he's making you feel like you're floating and you're desperately holding on to something.

"Sero I can't-" you interrupt yourself with a moan, you can't keep yourself quiet. His touch feels divine, silencing yourself would be blasphemy and yet his unoccupied hand hands you the same pillow you'd been admiring before.

"Bite it princess, you wouldn't want everyone to hear now would you?" His words feel like they're meant to tease you but right now, you'd agree with anything he told you. And so you bite down, the fabric feels weird between your teeth. As you do so, he picks up the pace, fingers dancing around inside you as if they're as desperate to please as you are.

And please they do, in Sero's eyes you're practically begging him to let you cum. He's never been one to deny a pretty girl.

Before you know it your pants are off and you underwear is pushed to the side. You hardly even registered him moving you onto your back. You certainly did register his breath on your cunt though.

His tongue made quick work of sucking on your clit and his fingers never did light up on the pace from before so you're screaming into the pillow as you cum on his face in no time at all.

His fingers keep thrusting as he speaks into your pussy, "oh yeah baby, give me all of it." Though he lets up as soon as you start whining in overstimulation.

He chuckles as you start fumbling around with the buttons on his pants. Even though you just came you had to feel if his cock could send you into outer space as well. "Damn (y/n), you want it that bad, huh? Maybe I let you smoke too much," he says, petting your hair as you finally get his pants off. Your hands are teasing his rock hard dick through his boxers. Once both of you manage to get out of the last of your clothes, you lean down attempting to return the favor. He stops you, "Baby, no, I'm taking care of you, remember?" He explains, urging you to lay down on your stomach.

He props a different pillow from the one you're holding up under your hips. Facing away from him is a double edged sword, you couldn't see him, but every touch he laid on you was felt tenfold. You shiver as he drags a finger up you spine, other hand firmly holding your hips in place.

"You ready for this pretty girl? Remember your surprise tool for keeping quiet." He's referring to the pillow but all though leaves your mind as soon as the thick head of his cock drags through your folds. You bite down on the pillow and hug it to your chest tightly. 

He holds his cock up to your entrance and he finally pushes in. He moans quietly as he slips all the way into you, the sound would drive you mad if the feeling of him filling you entirely hadn't already. You'd had sex before but just as your kiss with Sero had been different, this was too.

He's only just pushed in and you already felt on the verge of climax. "Damn baby, you liking it that much? You're like a fucking vice," he tells you, both his hands coming up to your hips, pushing you down into the mattress so he could fuck into you.

You're making what you hope are small noises of approval and he seems to take it as a sign to really start fucking you, or taking care of you as he'd call it.

You hadn't been wrong, his cock was taking you to outer space if the stars you were seeing were any indication. You don't know how long he's pushing into you like that but you do know that before long he's pumping his cum into you with a deep groan, but not quite stopping before he feels you cum all over his dick again.

"See? Took real good care of you right?" He praises himself as he gets up. You're about to whine about him leaving when he comes back with a couple of napkins. "Sorry about this pretty girl, but I wasn't exactly prepared for this today," he apologizes. "I'd have at least brought wet wipes." He cleans you up as good as he can and the next hour or so is spent cuddling and snacking on whatever Sero puts into your hands. Before you know it you're dozing off.

You blink the sleep out of your eyes as you roll around on the air mattress, hands finding paper instead of a warm body next to you. You groggily get up, patting the bed until you found the note again.

Sleep leaves you quickly when you see the money taped to the note. You snort at what you read.

"Dear (y/n), my favorite customer.

Pussy too good to charge. Gotta go back to my small business now, keep the pillow you liked so much as a reminder.

And whenever you want more than just a reminder, call me.

xxx-xxx-xx"

You snort again at his antics before pulling yourself together and climbing out of his tent. You'd decided that it was for the best if you went back to your own tent for the night. Hopefully you'd find your friends there too.

You weaved through the crowd effortlessly now that you'd slept off whatever that stuff did to you. The walk over was giving you time to consider your night. It wasn't like you'd had a bad time, you bite your lip remembering it, quite the opposite actually. The only part that bothered you was the way you'd been ditched by your friends and left with a guy whose clear intent was to fuck you.

Your friends have quite something to make up to you, is the conclusion you come to as your arrive at your shared tent. You hear the commotion before you can even enter.

"How was I supposed to know that was THE slimetown freeloader?" your annoying friend called out. She had her hands buried in her face and she looked like she'd been crying.

"How about you just don't let random men BLINDFOLD you in our tent next time? That way they can't run off with our pillows!" Your other friend replied, obviously pissed off at the loss of the fluffy item.

The two of you take a bit to notice you but they gawk the second they see you hug the furry yellow pillow closer to your chest. "Where'd you get that pillow?" The question sounds more like an accusation coming from the pillowless girls but you're the one with a reason to be upset here so you just shrug and say, "Sero gave it to me, along with a refund and his number."

[jellyfishoreo1206]

I really wasn't expecting so many people to like my Mirage x reader so much! I'm glad you guys liked it!

Though this is a rewrite, because I accidentally deleted the original. I'm still a little salty about it but it's whatever

Though there will be a small few changes that aren't updated in the part 1, but nothing much, just how the text will be colored. And some inconsistent POV changes

Y/N-Pink

Mirage-Blue

Noah-Orange

But anyway, here's part two!

Part one is here btw

Meeting Mirage ;)

Warnings: Suggested drug usage, language

"So is there a reason why we're walking instead of taking your car?" Currently right now, Y/N, who was about to go to bed several minutes ago, is now walking the empty streets of Brooklyn with Noah right beside her. And in addition of that, a blindfold for some reason that she's still trying to figure out. It was nearly midnight and this man literally just told her he had something important to show her. Many questions asked, and no answers yet.

He just kept responding with, 'you'll see when we get there', which is slowly starting to tick her off. And to make it just a little worse, she's still in her PJ's, a black tank top, some baggy white sweatpants that aren't even hers, and some worn out spiderman slippers. And it's fucking cold.

"It's close by, not even that long of a walk."

"It better be, because I swear to God Noah if whatever you're about to show me is something stupid I'm going to fucking kick you."

"I swear it's not."

"Also why did it have to be at night? Why not early in the morning?!"

"Because it couldn't wait until early in the morning!"

"Mhm, yeah right. You didn't even let me have time to put on a jacket. It's fucking cold."

"It's summer."

"You know how cold I am naturally!"

"Wouldn't be surprised if you were a lizard."

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm just befriending you so I can slowly take over humanity! Maybe so I can lick all the things I want without getting weird looks from people because it'll all be lizards!"

It was quiet for a moment, before the pair started to laugh at the comment. Sometimes they can't take each other seriously. It's always one of the two that makes the most random comments to ever been said.

"I'll get you some of those croissant thingys from that bakery you like. As a, 'Sorry for dragging you out of your apartment to show you something' apology."

"You better, you mother fucker...and bring some milk too."

"You're the only person I know that likes milk as a beverage."

"Hey! You can make all kinds of shit out of milk! It's not weird to like it as a beverage. Hell, you were drinking it out of your mother once!"

"Never say that sentence ever again."

Sooner or later, they finally arrived at their destination. With the jingling of keys, Noah unlocks a door before gently pulling her into the building. She was immediately hit with the smell of oil, the fumes of paint, and the smell of gas. Wherever they are, Y/N's guessing they're in Noah's garage.

Now, Noah was nervous, the whole entire time they walked here, he was fidgeting with his finger every so often. He fears how his best friend will react to Mirage, and hoping, hoping it's a good reaction. Though, it might be a small chance, but that's not stopping him from praying to the point someone passing by will probably think he's a little crazy.

"Heyyy you're back! And you brought the pretty lady too~" Now Y/N wasn't expecting another person to be here. She thought it would just be the two of them. Not that she was complaining, maybe this important thing needed someone to look after it so it wouldn't break or something.

Though in reality, it's a huge 12ft robot chilling on the floor, waiting for the both of them. But she doesn't know that. Yet.

"Y/N, I want you to me-"

Noah was cut off by Mirage, a pout on his face as he crosses his arms. "Nu uh man! Lemme have this one!" He quickly clears his throat, with a flirtatious smirk replacing that pout in seconds.

"The names Mirage, bonita~ But you can call me yours~" There was a playfulness in his tone, and to Y/N, he seemed very confident and outgoing. Maybe a little flirty, but that's fine with her. Though he does sound rather young, maybe around the same age as Noah? (I don't know how old he is, but I'm guessing maybe around 19-21, also reader is like 6 years older than Noah) And what a strange name, maybe it's a nickname he likes to go by.

"That's the most cheesiest line I've ever heard in my entire life." Y/N let's a chuckle slip through, snapping out of her little mind rant, a small smile making it's way onto her lips.

"Hey I spent a good amount of time on that! Plus, it's not that cheesey.."

"..Was that too cheesey?"

"Dude you're the one who came up with it, not me."

"But you're supposed to be my wingman here! I scratch your back, you scratch mine." There was a small stare down between the two, before Noah sighed.

"...okay maybe it was a little too cheesey-"

"I may not be able to see, but you guys are horrible at whispering."

Y/N was still standing somewhat next to Noah, arms crossed over her chest as she waited for their so called secret conversation to be over with. All the things she wants do is to go to sleep and enjoy her day-off the next day. That's all she asks for.

"Anyway, what's that important thing you wanted to show me, Noah?" She goes to remove the blindfold, but was stopped by a frantic Noah holding her wrists in a soft, but firm, grip.

"Shit! S-Sorry, it's just.." Noah sighs out in frustration, letting go of Y/N's wrists. "I gotta tell you something before I show you the thing." Said woman raised her brow at Noah's behavior. Now's she getting a little worried for what the hell Noah might show her.

"It's.. It's not something illegal, right?"

"No!" He pauses for a few seconds, "At least I don't thin-"

"NOAH-??"

"Right. So, uh, I think it's best if you just..see for yourself?"

"Why do you sound so unsure." Finally glad to be able to take off the damn fabric, Y/N looks at her surroundings, blinking rapidly to adjust her eyes. Her suspicions of being in Noah's garage was correct. But what she wasn't expecting was a huge metal being sitting in the middle of the room, optics on her with a mischievous smile on his face.

"Hey~"

It takes a few seconds before her mind could catch up, her expression blank. When the scene in front of her processed completely, she immediately turned around, walking towards the door with fast and hurried steps.

"Nope. Nu-uh. Not dealing with this shit tonight. Fuck this shit. I'm out. Peace. Adíos. Goodbye forever. So lon-"

"Y/N wait c-come back!"

"And I will walk 500 miles, and I'll walk 500 more-" Grabbing onto the handle, she tries to open it. Only thing was the door jammed repeatedly. "Fucking shit."

"Ouch, they never treated E.T like this." He pouts, dramatically putting the back of his hand to his forehelm. Now he was kind of expecting her to scream or least for her to faint, but this reaction was more amusing.

"Just let me, uh, us explain-!" Noah forcefully put himself between Y/N and the door, holding out his arms so she wouldn't try to go around. A staredown ensues.

"Please..?" Shrugging his shoulders a little with an unsure smile on his face, his attempt to make himself as convincing as possible. With a sigh, she nods, backing away from the door with slight hesitation. Turning back to the robot in question, Mirage has a bubbly smile on his face, optics lighting up.

"There you go! I ain' gonna hurt you," The mech coos teasingly. "Quite a show you put up though, ever thought of doing stand-up comedy?"

Y/N was still a bit tense, looking at the bot in caution. She doesn't even know what to do in a kind of situation like this. Hell, what do you even do in a kind of situation like this?

But despite that, Noah seems to know, Mirage was his name? He seems to know him pretty well, from how well Noah and him seem to get along. It actually explains a lot of things, that you didn't realize until then. How Noah seemed to be very secretive whenever it came to his garage, and seemed to be somewhat cautious whenever someone looks through his things.

"It's okay mami, you can admire this handsome face as long as you like~" Mirage's flirtatious voice broke you out of your mind ramble, a blush covering your face in an instant. You spaced out without realizing it.

"S-shit my bad."

"Heyy, it's alright~ Not often you come across a face like this!" He sticks his glossa out, making a peace sign with his servos as he winks at her. It, oddly made him cute. A small chuckle comes out of the woman, posture now slightly relaxed a little more, but still tense. Thinking this was a dream, she goes to pinch her arm as hard as she can, but no it's no dream. Maybe she had to much edibles before going to bed, and she was just in the streets all sluggish and her mind is throwing delusions at her, just for entertainment. Like a jester of sorts.

But she ran out of edibles 3 days ago, so that's most likely not the reason why.

Like promised, Noah and Mirage explained what, where, who, and why he was on Earth. And that there's more of him. And that they can transform into cars. And he demonstrated this, by transforming into a car himself. The Frankenstein car you were inside not longer than a week ago.

Now the dots were finally connecting.

She continues to ask him a variety of questions, each of which ranging from how long he's been on Earth, why he choose a Porsche to be his alt mode (to which he responded with, "A cool guy like me needs to have a pretty cool alt to go along with it" followed by a flirtatious wink), and how many other people know about his existence. By know your shoulders are less tense, posture completely relaxed as she continues a conversation with (mainly Mirage) the two of them.

And Mirage, being the big flirt he is, kept throwing pick-up lines whenever the chance showed itself, accompanied by a wink and a cute smirk. Each one making you a little flustered.

Eventually Noah had to leave, because apparently Kris never went to sleep in the first place, to busy to defeat Bowser. He knew because Kris accidentally blew his cover via walkie-talkie. So now it's just you and Mirage, all alone in the garage.

It felt somewhat awkward, but Mirage always found a way to break the silence of everything.

"So how'd you meet my boy?"

"His mom, she was a co-worker of mine a few years ago, and decided to invite me over to her house to meet her kids."

"And what, you guys hit it off there?"

Y/N let's out a small chuckle, shaking her head. "Not exactly. He was a little nervous at the start. We only started talking when I offered to babysit Kris." And the conversation continued on from there, leaking into the early hours of the morning.

Mirage knew he wanted to know and see more about the human, she's just so pretty and fascinating! And her reactions and little faces she makes are so cute to him, make him wanna squeeze her little cheeks. His tanks are filled with the fluttery feeling again, the more they talk, the more it increases. Now he knew when to take risks, and this is one of them definitely. He knows he wants to see more of her, to keep talking with her. Just makes his spark go absolutely crazy.

So why not ask her out?

Alright Mirage, you can do this, my man! Don't let that nervous feeling pull you down. C'mon c'mon c'mon! When will you get another chance like this ever again?

After giving himself a small prep talk, Mirage finally asks. "Hey you wanna go to the drive-ins sometime tomorrow? I'd love to keep seeing that pretty face of yours more~" A wink following with a smirk. His confidence was all over the place, and his spark was beating rapidly, like it's going to come out of his chassis. Obviously it wasn't shown on his face, but internally he was a nervous wreck.

You were somewhat taken off-guard by his question, a blush covering your cheeks. Is he asking you out on a date? I mean, he could be asking to hang out more, but his various flirtatious comments and compliments thrown at you made you think otherwise.

Now that she thinks about, he's actually a lot better than any person she's been in a relationship with. He's actually makes her laugh, is nice and gentle, a good listener, and overall quite comfortable to be around with. And he's quite a cutie and handsome one too..fuck it.

"Sure. What time, handsome~?" The mech perked up at her response, optics lighting up. "How 'bout sometime at 7? I know a pretty good spot~"

"Then it's a date." Oh how that word made his spark flutter. He does a little dance and fists his hand in the air for his small victory, Y/N laughing a little at his antics. Her cheeks hurt so much from smiling so much. She's pretty excited for tomorrow's drive-in now.

When Mirage finally settles down, she beckons him down to be at her level, a small mischievous smile on her face. Confused, he does so, couching down until becoming face to face with her smiling face.

Warm lips peck his metal cheek, his optics widening in surprise at the bold gesture, a blue blush makes itself known on his face. The warmth spreading through his entire body as a shiver goes up his backstruts. Now he's for sure his spark might just beat out his chassis. She can practically hear it!

"Something for you to think about until tomorrow~ Goodnight Mirage~" And with that, she leaves the garage, a big smile on her face as she makes her way home, ready to finally crash into her bed and excited for the night tomorrow.

Mirage was left crouching in the garage, a surprised look still of his face, still trying to process what had just happen. His look of shock then quickly shifted to a look of giddiness, letting out a victory whoop as he tries to calm his beating spark.

"Man, what a woman!" And he cannot wait to see her again.

[chan-gbinsimp]

swinging | kakashi hatake x male reader

A new member of Konoha opened up an art shop in the village. Coincidentally, he managed to open Kakashi's heart up to parts of himself that he didn't know existed at the same time.

requested

word count: 6.4k (damn!)

reblogs and comments are always appreciated:)

a/n: it has been a while, hasn't it? I'd say I normally don't take this long for fics, but it turns out my writing speed and the flow of my creative juices has decreased substantially since the last time I did it consistently. the length of this one doesn't help either (I got really carried away><). either way, I hope it was worth the wait! and I'll be trying to get out the rest of the requests at a faster rate, now that I have a little more time on my hands.

another little note for the story! "geijutsuka-sama" is essentially "mr. artist!" or at least that what I hope it is. finally, enjoy!

It’s no secret that Kakashi had a reputation as a loner around Konoha. 

As much as the man was highly revered by many, he was an enigma, and most people simply gave up on trying to understand him. He was powerful, he was reliable (when he needed to be), and he was a loner. Simple as that. 

It’s due to this simple fact, however, that whispers were shared between the old ladies in the village over tea, students during break time, and shinobi during quiet moments on missions. The whispers started from a handful of observant people, and multiplied as time went on, blanketing the entire village in the sound like cicadas do trees on a warm summer’s night. 

It wasn’t easy to decipher the original meaning of the whispers, as each stream of sound differed in word choice and subtle meaning. Some claimed of a passionate night between two lovers, while others did of a newly blossomed friendship.

Funnily enough, the truth behind the whispers was rather simple.  

It was that Kakashi was fucked. 

Utterly, irrevocably fucked. 

The man himself realized this one night as he laid in bed, reviewing the events of the day. That night was a particularly mind blowing one, as it was the one in which he realized that he had a crush on you. 

________

It all started when you opened your shop. 

Kakashi had gotten back from a fairly simple mission, and decided to go on a walk for no particular reason. Guy had decided to do the same, and the two ended up walking together. The walk coincidentally happened on the same night that you were finishing up the preparations to open your art shop. You’d cleaned up the fresh canvas you called a rusty hut, and painted it until it was filled with artworks on display and ready to be sold. On the counters there were paintings, pottery, wood carvings, jewelry, and even some of your own writings. 

Guy, being the social Mothra that he is, heard of the new development and wanted to check it out asap. Unluckily for Kakashi, who was rather antisocial in comparison to his walking partner, he was dragged along to see the shop. 

It was late evening, when most street vendors and shops had closed, and bars began taking their place. The streets were silent, except for a handful of drunken men, and illuminated only by a few lamps and the brightness of the full moon. The air was crisp with cold, which Kakashi would’ve been appreciating, had he been allowed to enjoy it alone.

Yet there he was, approaching a small hut that was rather secluded, and would’ve hardly been visible had the street been as busy as it was during midday. It was a clearly old building, with the wood of the supports splintering and roof having the appearance of one that wouldn’t survive a single stormy night, but it was cleaned up nicely. The wood was newly painted, windows replaced, plants draped over the walls in a way that made it seem like the building was growing them. The main shop seemed to be inside the hut, but there was a section outside with tables that displayed a few of the artworks. 

Kakashi just about finished taking in the building, when Guy’s voice snapped him out of his haze. 

“Hello there! How are you this fine evening, sir?” He exclaimed in a tone that was far too energetic for such a dark and quiet night. Luckily, you didn’t seem to mind.

Kakashi watched as you came out from behind the hut, wearing an apron and disheveled. Strands of your hair stuck out in various directions, some of it clumped together by what appeared to be paint and clay, and your hands and clothes were covered in dust and various art supplies. You said something back to Guy, but Kakashi hardly noticed because he was too busy looking at your face.

He’s… smiling. He’s smiling?

As much as he loved the man, Kakashi couldn’t handle Guy’s eccentricity at times. You, however, seemed overjoyed to be greeted by a stranger in the middle of the night. In fact, it was like your face glowed in the moonlight, and your hair was illuminated by the lamp near your head. Like a halo, he thought absentmindedly. 

He didn’t notice you were talking to him, until Guy lightly jabbed his side. 

He blinked. 

“Oh, you’re talking to me.” He didn’t know what to do. He hadn’t heard what you’d said, what you and Guy were talking about, and what the appropriate response was. More than anything, he was a bit embarrassed at being caught looking at you so intently. Luckily, you said something for him.

“I know I’m not half bad, but I don’t look that good covered in all this dirt, do I?” 

Maybe unluckily, actually. 

Kakashi felt his face heat up more than it did when he read the most erotic of the Icha-Icha novels, and his brain short-circuited just a bit.

“Ah– that’s uh… My apologies for staring. I didn’t mean anything by it— not to say that you’re unattractive in any way, of course! You’re a very attractive man! I just wasn’t staring with any particular intention, is all.” Kakashi chose to stop before he said anything more embarrassing, if that were even possible. 

Guy was staring at him with an incredulous expression that would’ve made Kakashi tease him, had it not been directed at his foolishness. The same couldn’t be said for you.

“I get it! Guess I shouldn’t have assumed you swung that way, yeah?” You chuckled halfheartedly, looking substantially less happy than prior to when Kakashi spoke. He internally berated himself, but your words couldn’t help but make him think. 

Yeah, I don’t swing that way. Do I swing that way? I guess I haven’t really thought about it. I’ve never really thought about it for women either, but I just knew. Surely, if I were attracted to men too, I would’ve noticed by now as well. Then again, how can I know for sure?

Getting caught up in his thoughts, Kakashi forgot to respond, and you opted for a change in topic.

“Anyways, I think I’m done setting up! If you gentlemen don’t mind, could we continue this conversation tomorrow? I’d like to sleep early before opening day” you suggested more than said, clearly not wanting to come across as rude, but neither Guy nor Kakashi minded much.

“Well, of course! I’m sure you’ll be overwhelmed with customers tomorrow! In fact, I’ll guarantee it by being your personal walking advertisement!” Guy made sure to end with an exaggerated wink, although Kakashi was sure his words were nothing but. 

The rest of the interaction was a blur, and before Kakashi knew it, he was sitting on his favorite tree, basking in the glow of the full moon, and contemplating the burning question in the back of his mind. Although many women had made advances, which he rejected more often than not, never had a man. You were the first to imply anything beyond friendship, and the copy nin wasn’t quite sure how to feel about it. The only thing he was sure of was that his face felt a little bit hotter each time that scene played back in his mind. 

________

Kakashi was exhausted. 

It wasn’t a difficult mission by any means. At least, not in comparison to the ones Kakashi’s been on in the past, but it left him uncharacteristically worn down as he dragged himself through the village gates. It was already late enough for the sky to be glittering with stars, and for the typically hot air to have simmered down to a refreshing breeze. Kakashi took in a deep breath of the cooling air. 

He was contemplating what to make for dinner, if anything, when he heard a soft humming coming from somewhere. Under it was the soft sound of a knife slicing through wood. Kakashi recognized it immediately. 

Now, at this point, Kakashi had gotten substantially closer to you over the months you’d been a shop owner in Konoha. The aforementioned whispers were a result of the sudden development of him having a new friend, after all. 

The issue with this development, however, was that Kakashi wasn’t quite sure what to do with you. 

How long had you sat there, carving away?

He got closer to the now familiar hut and watched as you sat on a log disguised as a chair in front of the store next to a growing pile of wood shavings. You hunched over a palm sized piece of wood in one hand with a knife in the other, bottom lip caught between your teeth in concentration. The light from the lamp next to you was flickering, evidently having been lit for quite some time. 

Better question, how long had Kakashi stood there, leaning on a lamppost and watching you?

By the time the copy nin realized he was developing a dazed grin, you’d finally looked up from your artwork and noticed him. 

“Kakashi-san! Back from your mission, I see” you smiled and invited him over with a wave, scooting over on your log in case he wanted to sit. 

He accepted the invitation and sat on the now empty space, desperately trying to ignore the way his face flushed when his knees and shoulders brushed against yours. Gods, what were you doing to him?

You sat in silence for a moment, Kakashi content with watching you whittle away, and you being content with sitting in his company. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t want to lean his head against your shoulder.

“Is that a dog?” Kakashi finally spoke up once you’d gotten far enough along in your project for it to have taken refined form. 

“It is!” You replied, turning your head to look at the shinobi. You noticed him gazing at the little dog, and held it out closer to him. 

“You can hold it, if you’d like.”

Kakashi felt himself tense, albeit accidentally. 

“You trust me with it?” He reached out for carving as he spoke, but in a way that felt as though he were holding himself back.

“Of course! We’re friends, aren’t we?” 

When the comment did nothing to bring his hand closer, you took his hand into yours and rotated it so his palm faced skyward and placed the figure in his hand. If your touch lingered for a moment more than necessary, nobody commented on it. Kakashi simply couldn’t — not with the way the touch felt like a shock of electricity running up his arm and through his body.

“I.. guess we are'' the shinobi mumbled out the response, and he couldn’t explain why the title made his heart clench unpleasantly. Later, he would know that the inexplicable feeling was one of longing, but for now he directed his focus towards the piece of wood in his hands. He ran his fingers over the grooves you made to mimic the dog’s fur, finding it to be surprisingly smooth, and marveled at the craftsmanship. 

“I could teach you if you wanted, y’know.”

Kakashi merely hummed in the way a question mark in a comic book would sound, encouraging you to continue. 

“It’s just– I’ve caught you watching me work a couple times. I thought you might be interested in learning s’all” you shrugged. 

Kakashi was stunned. He wasn't used to the idea of his hands being used for creation, no. His hands were meant to destroy. To steal. To kill. They brought destruction and pain and death and nothing good came out of his hands. They were stained with blood that would never wash out. 

You watched as his hands stilled on the piece of wood and he stared at his hands, as though he were recalling a memory. The air around you suddenly felt slightly charged, making you feel like you shouldn’t break the spell in fear that the electricity would explode somehow. It was silent save for the sound of crickets, but even they died down to fit the mood. 

Kakashi broke the silence soon enough. 

"I couldn't. I'm… not a very crafty person, you see.” He looked up from his hands and made eye contact with you, but it was as though he were looking somewhere else. Somewhere far away, either in space or time.

Even so, you weren’t one to give up.

"You don't need to be talented to create. Nobody's good at something at the first try.”

That seemed to bring Kakashi back to the present, and he blinked the fog away from his visible eye. He turned his attention back to the little carving, seemingly thinking about your words. You gave him time to think, which Kakashi was eternally grateful for. 

Of course, he’d love to learn from you. He admired your artworks and the passion you put into your crafts endlessly. Watching you work and seeing the process of an ugly lump of wood becoming a gorgeous carving, a blank canvas becoming a breathtaking painting, or a lump of clay becoming an intricate piece of pottery, had undoubtedly become one of his few pastimes. To learn how to do the same — to be there next to you, just like now, talking to you, and spending more quality time with you — sounded like a dream.

But he couldn’t quite shake off the hesitation at allowing himself to indulge in such pleasures. The idea of getting closer to you, as incredible as it was, scared the shinobi. Besides that, trying to imagine himself doing something with a knife besides stabbing and slicing and covering it and himself with blood — it scared him. 

You seemed to notice his internal conflict, and tentatively placed a hand on his shoulder. It was such a soft touch Kakashi nearly didn’t notice it in his daze, but it grounded him more than he would've liked to admit. 

“You don’t have to decide anything now, Kakashi-san. Take all the time you need. I’ll be right here by your side, for as long as you accept me to be.”

You smiled at him when he looked up to meet your eyes again, and Kakashi felt the familiar tug in his heart again.

For the first time, Kakashi didn’t ignore the feeling. Even as you gifted him the little dog and he thanked you endlessly for it, even as he walked through the cold streets of Konoha on his way home, and even as he laid alone in the cold bed, covered in cold sheets, did he allow himself to be enveloped in the warmth of the feeling that you elicited deep inside of him. 

And it was that night that he laid in bed, holding the little wooden dog to his chest, that he allowed himself to think. He thought about how your mere presence was enough to make the exhaustion from the day a thousand times more bearable, and what implications it carried for his relationship with you. Or, his desired relationship with you. Would he have felt the same had it been anyone else? His friends? Acquaintances? Students? Does he want to feel the same with anyone else? 

What if, when you handed the carving to him, you didn’t pull your hand away? What if, while he was watching you work, he acted on his impulses and did lay his head on your shoulder? What if, instead of you calling him “Kakashi-san” you called him the pet names he read so often in his novels? Baby? Darling? Sweetheart? My love? 

The result was Kakashi nearly melting into his bed with how heated his face became, and ultimately being forced to concede. 

I have a crush on him. I have real, romantic feelings for him. I want to hold his hand and hug him and maybe even kiss him a little. I want him to put down the honorifics and call me stupid nicknames like baby or sweetheart. Holy shit. 

It was safe to say he got little sleep that night, but the sleep he did get differed from the ones that led to rude awakenings covered in cold sweat. For the first time, his dreams were filled with soft touches and smiles and so much affection that left him wanting more in the morning.

________

Nearly a year had passed since Kakashi realized his feelings for you, and he hadn’t made much progress. He did manage to get you to drop the honorifics, so he’s been upgraded to “Kakashi” status, but that was about it. Not that he’s complaining, of course. How could he possibly complain about his relationship with you when you let him into your personal friend circle?

Is what he would have said had it not been for Iruka Umino. 

Now, he had nothing against the teacher. He was good at his job — great, even — and Kakashi could even say he had a positive opinion of the man due to how much he looked out for Naruto during his childhood.

That was before he noticed your closeness with him. 

Kakashi didn’t get jealous often. He liked to think he was a master at keeping a level head and observing all relationships and situations with an objective eye (pun intended), but it appears that his ability to do so took a quick trip out the window when it came to you. 

He’d make time out of his week to spend time with you, whether it was after a mission, lesson, training, or getting groceries, and it quickly became one of his favorite times of the week. Unfortunately, there were moments when said times went sour. 

He noticed you started getting closer to the teacher after he stopped by your shop one day, and more often than not, you were talking to him while working on something. It wasn’t a bother the first few times, but it became a problem when you said you couldn’t talk or have a drink because you were busy. With Iruka. At your shop. On the log that Kakashi was supposed to be sitting on. 

Today was one of those days. Having successfully convinced Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke to train without him, he had the day free, and wanted to spend it with you. He hopped over to your shop over rooftops, but stopped on the building across from yours when he noticed you were with Iruka again. 

Rather than jumping in and trying to make small talk with you, as he usually does, he watched how the two of you interacted from behind a copy of Icha-Icha. Iruka was sitting next to you on a separate log — something Kakashi appreciated much more than he would’ve liked to admit — while you were busy at work creating a pile of wood shavings at your feet. You would stop once in a while to show him what you were working on, and continue when the teacher nodded in what appeared to be approval. The copy nin frowned when he made your shoulder brushed after he made you laugh, and you playfully hit his shoulder.

Then, the atmosphere changed. Became more charged. Your body deflated and your wrists went limp, letting go of the wood and knife, and Iruka took your hands into his. He shifted his position until he was able to meet your eyes, and even from a distance was Kakashi able to make out the furrow in your brow. Kakashi watched with a careful eye as Iruka leaned in, and you leaned in, and your hands stayed connected, and something was surely about to happen, when—

“Kakashi-sensei! What’re you looking at?” 

His vision was filled with a blur of orange, pink, and dark blue, and suddenly Kakashi knew how it felt when Naruto tried so desperately to get a glimpse of his face. 

“Wha– hey! I thought you guys were training!” 

The three stood in front of him, and the entire group had shared knowing looks painted on their faces. Even Sasuke replaced his typical brooding expression with a slightly smug one. 

“Why were you looking at geijutsuka-sama like that? Hm? Hmm? Hmmmmm??” Naruto dragged out the hum while wiggling his eyebrows until Sakura rolled her eyes and hit him to stop. 

“We know you like him, Kakashi-sensei” Sakura had her hands on her hips, looking extremely proud of her deduction. 

“What are you guys on about? I don’t like anyone.” 

“Liars get stitches, sensei!” 

“It’s ‘snitches get stitches,’ idiot.”

“Potato, potahto, either way he’s totally lying! You totally like geijutsuka-sama, we all know it!”

“That’s right! Why won’t you just admit it?”

“I’m not admitting anything because there’s nothing to admit. I don’t have romantic feelings for anyone.” 

Naruto and Sakura stilled. They then shared a look that consisted of waggling eyebrows and eyerolls, and ended in mutual stoic expressions. 

“I guess that’s a shame, then” Sakura began, crossing her arms.

“Yeah, ‘cause we all know that he likes you a ton too!” Naruto picked up, crossing his arms also. 

“Even you could figure it out, it’s so obvious” Sasuke finished with an eye roll.

Kakashi blinked. 

He what? No, that couldn’t be. He’s clearly already in a relationship with Iruka. I can’t believe them, they’re just kids. Don’t get your hopes up. You’re just friends. 

“He does?” 

Hopeful. Undoubtedly, he sounded hopeful.

The moment the words escaped his lips, he regretted it. Naruto’s grin morphed into the largest smile he’d ever smiled, Sakura’s smugness seemed to only intensify, and Sasuke’s additional eye roll told Kakashi everything he needed to know. 

Gods, they know.

Kakashi pocketed Icha-Icha and sighed. He could feel his face go hot. 

“Fine. I do… have feelings. For him.”

The effect was immediate.

“Then you should confess! Let’s do it now! He’s right over there, and he’s about to close his shop too, it’s the perfect time!” Sakura tugged on Kakashi’s hand and pointed at you, who was still with Iruka. 

You weren’t holding hands with him anymore, and you were smiling. A stark contrast to the gloomy atmosphere from the last time he saw you. You were using sandpaper now, indicating that your project was coming to an end. Iruka said something. You laughed. You shone.

Kakashi’s heart retracted into itself. 

“Calm down and look at them.”

It was as though his voice were a kunai slicing through the air. The students went silent and opted for listening, turning to take in the sight of you with their old teacher. 

“They’re clearly in a relationship. I couldn’t, also shouldn’t, intrude on it with my own feelings.” 

There was a moment of silence, rare for the group, until–

“You really are blind.”

Sasuke’s voice pierced through the silence, making Kakashi’s visible brow lift. 

“Isn’t taking in your surroundings one of the most basic things a ninja should do? Look at what he’s making. It’s Pakkun. Something related to you, sensei. What could it be if not a gift for you?” Sasuke turned to face Kakashi, rolling his eyes once more. 

“Stop jumping to conclusions and ask him directly. I’m getting tired of you pining after him and these idiots making me care about it.” He nods his head towards Naruto and Sakura, both of whom looked ready to push a mountain in protest. 

“Are we done here? I’d like to do something valuable with my time.”

Another moment of silence. The back and forth between speaking and thinking was akin to the blinking of fireflies in the night, or the on and off buzzing of cicadas, but the entire group could sense that it was over. 

A nod was all it took. The group left Kakashi alone to go god knows where (likely to spy on Kakashi during his attempt to confess), and Kakashi willed his heart to stop attempting to escape the jail cell of his ribcage. 

He took a moment to observe you once more. The shop was evidently closed now, with the only light being a lamp sitting on the table next to where you stood. You were sweeping up leftover wood shavings from earlier, humming along to something only Kakashi could hear if he strained his ears. Your movements were fluid — graceful, even, with muscles moving in a way that only could with years of practice with this particular action. 

He couldn’t help but think you were beautiful.

He took a deep breath, steeled his will once more, and jumped down from the rooftop.

“Evening.” 

With that simple greeting, you ceased your humming and looked up from the shavings on the ground. Your lips were turned up in a smile, and Kakashi felt a blossom of warmth bloom in his chest at the sight. 

“Kakashi! I thought you weren’t coming by today.” You set the broom against the front door and stepped closer to the shinobi. Kakashi opted for leaning against one of the wooden supports next to him. 

“I wanted to come earlier, but I didn���t want to disturb you and your boyfriend.” He lifted his eyebrow and watched for your reaction. Your eyebrows furrowed and your head tilted. 

Confusion! That’s good… right?

“I’m not sure who you’re referring to, but I don’t have a partner.” 

“Not even Iruka?” 

It was your turn to raise an eyebrow. 

“Iruka-san? Why would you bring him up?”

It was Kakashi’s turn to be utterly flabbergasted. 

“You don’t see it?”

You simply shook your head in response. 

“He’s been here nearly every day for weeks, and you always seem brighter when you’re around him. You’re always smiling and laughing at — what does he say that makes you so happy, anyway? Not only that, but I’ve seen you holding hands with him multiple times!” 

“Are those all the requirements of being a couple?” 

“Sorry?”

“Spending time together nearly every day, smiling and laughing together, holding hands — are those the requirements of being a couple?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say requirements, but they’re very romantic things to do. Most people who do them are probably together, aren’t they?”

“I guess that means we’re only one step away from probably being a couple, then?”

At that, Kakashi choked on air. Not his most graceful moment, but he believed his reaction was justified. As he settled down from his coughing fit, you seemed entirely unphased at the implication of your words, simply standing in front of him with your arms crossed and a slight smirk on your face. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, I’m glad you asked, Kakashi! Let’s think for a moment, shall we?” You took a few sweeping steps to get even closer to him. You stepped closer and closer until Kakashi had nowhere to go between the wooden pillar and your body. His back straightened. 

“Who else, besides Iruka-san, comes by the shop nearly every day?” You lighty jabbed a finger at Kakashi’s chest with a soft thud. The impact felt equivalent to a fly landing on his arm with all the protection his vest provided, but the heat that spread from the point of impact outwards was equivalent to the eruption of a volcano. 

“And who else, besides Iruka-san, do I laugh and smile with every time I’m near him?” You jabbed him once more, sending another shot of lava through the ninja’s veins. 

“W-well, that’s different! I mean—”

“Who else, Kakashi?”

With your finger putting pressure on his chest, and the heat under his skin creating pressure on his brain, Kakashi was helpless to the truth, toppling out of his lips like a wingless bird attempting to take flight. 

“Me.”

Similarly to the volcano that erupted under his skin, the grin on your face was instantaneous, and made Kakashi a little more immune to the chill of the night air. Then, you huffed and pulled away from the puddle of blush disguised as the copy nin, turning away. 

“With your logic, the only thing we’d need to do to date is hold hands.” You made your way over to the table where the lamp sat, still facing away from Kakashi. He thanked every god in every religion that you weren’t looking at him. It gave him a moment of respite, so he could become his calm and collected self once more (ignoring the fact that he hadn’t been calm nor collected near you in months). 

“Anyways, I have a present for you!” 

Lo and behold, Sasuke was right. 

When you’d turned, your arm was outstretched, and in it was a wood carving of Pakkun that just covered the surface of your palm. He looked as grumpy as he did in real life, just without the disapproving grunts. It was, frankly, adorable. 

“You made this for me?” He tentatively reached out for the carving, unsure if he was allowed to touch it or not. When you nodded and encouraged him to accept it with a nudge of your hand, he finally allowed himself to accept it.

It was smooth and soft, likely a result of the sandpapering he saw earlier, and the grooves meant to imitate the look of fur were dull enough to eliminate any risk of being hurt. The time he introduced you to Pakkun and the other ninken made a lot more sense as he took in the detailing on the clothes and his facial expression. You’d had a sketchbook and pencil out the entire time, although you paid equal attention to it and the dogs. You must’ve sketched them out and used it as reference for the carving.

That was months ago. 

“Have you been planning this since you first met the ninken?” Kakashi finally looked up from the little piece of wood at you. You, who now sat on the table, leaning back onto your arms, looking proud of yourself. 

“No, actually,” your voice floated in the air, as though you didn’t want to break the fragile glass that was the atmosphere. “The sketches I did then were just because I wanted to draw them. The idea to carve Pakkun came from Iruka-san about a month ago.” At that, Kakashi’s eyes widened. 

“Iruka?”

You nodded and chuckled, enjoying the confusion on Kakashi’s face. 

“I heard about your birthday from Guy. I wanted to give you something, but also wanted to surprise you, and Iruka-san offered to help,” you explained with a cheshire grin.

“I didn’t realize you’d get so jealous.” 

“I was not—!”

“I can see right through that skin-tight mask of yours, Kakashi, you’re so obviously jealous!” 

“That—”

Kakashi sighed in defeat. After his accusation from earlier, he couldn’t possibly hide his true emotions for longer. He returned his gaze to the little wooden figure in his hands, running a thumb over each and every groove. Funnily enough, it was him that felt like a puppy at the moment. One that was denied a walk, or his favorite treat. 

This confession was not going in the direction he planned. 

Apparently, his disappointment was far more evident in his expression than he’d thought. You hopped down from the table and stepped in front of Kakashi, lightly placing a hand on the side of his face and lifting it. Your grin took on the form of a soft smile, and there was something in your eyes that made Kakashi feel safe. You were safe. To him, you were like the lamp on the table — a light in the darkness, repelling the cold with your comforting warmth. 

How could he possibly confess in a way that would put these feelings to justice? How could he possibly handle the rejection? 

“Could you… sit down, for a sec? I want to tell you something.” 

You looked confused, but complied anyway. You sat on the table and Kakashi brought the log closer to the table to sit in front of you. The height difference made it so Kakashi’s face was level with your chin — perfect for avoiding eye contact in case this went badly. 

Kakashi took one last moment of silence to gather himself. To lasso all the furiously flying thoughts and nerves in his body into a functional state, just for a few minutes. You waited patiently, although the silence did nothing to soothe the nerves now beginning to bubble under your skin. 

“Do you remember what you said to me the first time we met?” He looked up to make eye contact with you, a new determination set in his iris. Goosebumps formed on your arms at the intensity. 

“I… flirted with you, if I remember correctly.” You hummed in thought and looked away for a moment. “I noticed you looking at me, so I thought flirting was the right move,” you looked back at Kakashi, trying to fight the slight embarrassment at the memory. 

“It wasn’t, because you don’t swing that way.” 

Kakashi coughed, the sound echoing awkwardly in the silent night.

“You’re right. I don’t swing that way.” Kakashi fidgeted with the Pakkun carving slightly, already getting used to its presence. He would remember your friendship by it, if you decided to end it after hearing his confession. Strangely, the thought comforted him. It also made his eyes feel like they were being assaulted by a thousand microscopic kunai. 

“At least, that’s what I thought at the time.” 

Your eyes widened. Deciding it was best to get it over with before you came to your own conclusions, Kakashi pressed on. 

“I did a lot of thinking since then, and I’ve come to a lot of realizations about myself — about my sexuality. I couldn’t exactly do much exploring when I was young, considering my life story—” he chuckled humorlessly “—but now, I can. I did, and it’s all thanks to you.”

“Me?” 

Kakashi nodded, laughing an empty laugh once more, “yes, you.” 

“And I know that you won’t feel the same, but—”

It was as though someone were shoving a wad of paper filled with harsh words up his throat. He swallowed thickly to get rid of it, but it only served to embed it deeper into the walls of his throat. He instead tried a deep breath, but that only blew away the dam that held back a stream of tears. He let them fall. 

“What I’m trying to say is, I like you. Romantically.” 

Kakashi couldn’t handle keeping eye contact with you any longer. He ducked his head down and watched the ground, watching the packed dirt turn dark with tears. What would’ve normally been absorbed quickly stayed on the surface of the dirt for quite some time — likely due to the cold, dark atmosphere. 

He opened his mouth to speak again, but was cut off by the feeling of your hand on the side of his face. It only sat there for a moment, as though giving Kakashi a moment to adjust to the feeling, before it applied slight pressure to bring his face back to its original position. The ninja could’ve easily resisted, but he felt it in every fiber of his being. He could never resist you. 

When your gazes connected once more, Kakashi was shocked to find that you were smiling. A soft smile — similar to the one you had earlier before the beginning of his confession. A smile of comfort and of understanding. A smile that never failed to envelop the ninja in a blanket of safety. 

You ran your thumb under his eye, wiping a few loose tears away. Even after his cheek was clean of tears, you continued the movement. A silent message. I’m here. You’re safe. 

Kakashi waited for you to make your move. 

You moved your hand down to his shoulder, running it down his arm with a feather-light touch. Kakashi naturally brought his arm up to allow you to continue the movement without needing to bend down. You stopped your hand at his wrist — right before it reached his free hand. He couldn’t help the tug on the corners of his lips. 

You spoke. 

“This is your fifth time here this week, and it’s only Tuesday.” 

You ran your thumb against the inside of his wrist. It tickled slightly, but Kakashi didn’t mind. 

“We never fail to make each other smile and laugh — even though our sense of humor is horrible.” 

As though on cue, Kakashi snorted softly. It was true. The two of you had an entire library full of inside jokes and bad puns that would make all fathers blanch in horror. 

“The only thing we’re missing is…”

You slid your hand down a few more inches, finally landing on Kakashi’s gloved palm. You curled your fingers in between his, and he did the same. Your fingers were cold — likely a result of having worked with your hands outside so late at night — but Kakashi didn’t mind the chill. The heat of the interaction was more than enough to make up for it. 

“There. We’re officially probably a couple.” You finished with a wider smile than when you began. 

Kakashi was at a loss for words. The tears started building up again, but they were different. This time, the paper was covered in good words — words of happiness, contentment, safety, love. This time, the stream flowed freely, because there was no need for the dam. 

“Care to make it officially definitely a couple?” 

With the wad of paper still stuck in his throat, all Kakashi could do was nod and lean up in an attempt to close the gap between your faces. You giggled, but pulled away at the last second. 

“Words, Kashi. I need words.” 

With another deep breath, Kakashi rid himself of the cursed paper and cleared his throat just enough to speak once more. 

“Yes. I want to officially, definitely, 100% be a couple.” Both of you shared a laugh in the middle of his sentence. Another inside joke to add to the library. 

“Good. So do I.” 

And with that, finally, finally, did you lean down to meet Kakashi where he left off. His mask was in the way, but neither Kakashi nor you could find it in yourselves to care. 

The kiss was chaste — hardly more than an extended peck — but it made both streams of tears turn into rivers. Kakashi wrapped his free arm around your waist and pulled you closer into a half hug, tightening his grip around your hand with it. When you gripped his hand tighter in response, he felt it — the everlasting swinging of his heart becoming in sync with yours. And it was at this point that he knew he would never let it swing in another direction ever again. 

[skepsiss]

For Steddie prompts -- I'm always a fan of older Steve and Eddie, like them in the 90's and still pining type of nonsense

That or them as camp councilors, for Summertime for us Northern Hemispherers ♥️✨

Pining in the 90s.... hmmm, as in they're not together yet? I'm going to take this in a rather AU way, hope you like it! Ooops, it's almost 2,000 words.... but whatever. (Anyone can send me a prompt! Please do) --

Eddie hoisted his guitar up his shoulder, grunting as he picking up his duffle and staggered away from the bus. It was a mild summer day, and he was pleased he had gotten in early to camp, even if he missed getting the extra sleep.

Eddie wasn't exactly 'a morning person,' but mornings came with their perks as Eddie took in the familiar sight of Camp Callingwood. He had never frequented the camp as a kid, but he had started as a seasonal camp counsellor in the late 80s as a last-ditch effort to not be homeless for the summer. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of his life because he had met some of the best people in the world. It was 'one of those perks' and Eddie couldn't help but look around to try and catch a glimpse of the guy he was looking for.

Like a sunbeam on a cloudy day, Eddie caught sight of Steve Harrington making his way down the dirt path toward the bus drop-off. He was talking to a younger woman who was also wearing the counsellor uniform, but Eddie didn't waste time waving Steve over. It took a beat, but Steve smiled wide when he saw Eddie.

"Hey!" Steve called over before saying something quickly to the young woman and then trotting up to Eddie. "Hey, man. I wasn't sure if you'd be coming around this summer."

"Wouldn't miss it," Eddie said cheerfully, letting Steve grab his duffle bag so they could start walking toward the cabins.

"No big break yet then, huh?" Steve asked, saying a few quick hellos to the other counsellors that had just been dropped off.

"You seen my name in the tabloids?" Eddie joked, only feeling a small pinch of embarrassment over Steve's comment. He hadn't made it big despite how much he talked up his music. He knew he was good, but there wasn't always an agent who could see that in the music biz. Still, he was nearly 26 now, and without a break soon, he feared he wouldn't make it at all.

"I guess not," Steve laughed, talking easily with Eddie along the quiet forest path. "Definitely would have taken notice to seeing you. You still selling songs?"

"Yeah, doing pretty good there," Eddie admitted, shyly glancing at Steve as he tried to gauge his attitude toward all of this.

Eddie was doing well in the 'selling songs' department; he could churn out hits for anyone, but it wasn't the music he wanted to play. It sucked that metal didn't seem to be in fashion right now, but no part of him wanted to change his whole personality to fit what was 'popular.'

"Wrote one for Whitney Houston recently," Eddie proclaimed, feeling a bit proud of that sell.

"No shit?" Steve asked, sounding surprised before he bumped his shoulder into Eddie's. "Good for you, man. Cool."

Eddie smiled stupidly, liking the roughness and how boyishly charming it was. When he had first gotten to Camp Callingwood all those years ago, Steve had already been a seasoned veteran at the game. From what Eddie knew, he ran the site year-round now, and maintained the grounds during the off-season too. Eddie was only a temp, but Steve seemed so pleased to see him every year. And every year… Eddie always tentatively sussed out whether or not Steve was still single.

"Any interesting changes?" Eddie asked, glancing at Steve from under his lashes, trying to keep things casual. "No… well, I got a dog," Steve smiled, opening the door to Eddie's cabin for him. "Pepper--she's great company during the winter. It can get pretty lonely up here by yourself."

"New dog, but no lady?" Eddie joked lightly, hoping the answer was no.

"No, no lady," Steve laughed, dropping Eddie's bag on the bunk bed. "They tend not to be great company in the winter when they have to rough it--in my experience."

Eddie laughed lightly, unable to hold back the little bloom of heat in his chest. Steve really was 'one of those perks' and Eddie could hardly wait for camping season to begin so he could sign up as a counsellor again. He liked the kids, and he had fun teaching everyone how to play the guitar, or hosting the 'in-door activities' for the kids that didn't quite fit in with the others, but the real reason he kept coming back was Steve. He wished it wasn't just a temporary thing, but he chickened out asking for more every year he was here.

"Don't get too comfortable," Steve offered, swaying and leaning on the pole of the bunk bed, looking casual as could be. "We've got a lot of kids these first few weeks so I might need to move you into the big house. You don't mind dogs, right?"

The big house was Steve's permanent residence, and it was a proper home rather than the bunk rooms the counsellors and kids usually slept in.

"No--yeah, dogs are fine," Eddie said quickly, "wouldn't mind meeting Pepper though--if you're not up to anything else right now?"

"Sure, I'll see if I can find her. She's probably running around somewhere. She's a bear dog, you know? Well, not for like attacking bears or whatever, but she does a good job of keeping them away," Steve explained, motioning for Eddie to follow him.

Eddie put his guitar down on the bed and followed Steve out, not sure if he knew what Steve meant by 'bear-dog.'

Almost as soon as they got outside Steve was yelling Pepper's name and whistling as he walked toward the mess hall.

"Did you get some new tattoos?" Steve asked as they continued to walk around the camp. Other counsellors were moving about and setting things up or settling into their cabins, the site a hive of activity.

"Yeah, one on my arm and one on my thigh," Eddie said, twisting to show off his new ink. That was another thing he liked about Steve: he didn't seem bothered at all that Eddie had tattoos, even though they were still considered quite scandalous to most employers.

"One more too on my chest, but I'll save that one for later," Eddie joked lightly, pleased to be asked about his ink.

"Later for sure," Steve retorted with a smile, and Eddie blinked at him as he tried to decipher what he meant by that. Later how?

Eddie didn't get the chance to dwell on that thought though as Steve hollered Pepper's name again and Eddie watched as a large white mass bounded toward them through the trees.

"There she is," Steve said pleasantly, crouching down to greet the dog.

Pepper was a Great Pyrenees and far too big for Steve to be crouching down for.

She bounded into him and turned happily, letting Steve rough her up with pets and scratches. He was cooing and making pleasant sounds of affection at her as she wagged her tall and rubbed her head under his chin.

"She's still a puppy, only a little over one year old," Steve explained as he stood back up and Pepper turned her attention to Eddie.

"She's big," Eddie said, a little surprised by the dog's size as she bumped into his hip, looking for attention. He gave her a few good scratches, unable to stop himself from smiling.

"She's friendly--might try and sleep with you," Steve joked lightly, motioning for Pepper to sit.

She obeyed quickly and Eddie grinned as he watched her pant happily, looking for more commands.

"So this is her first summer with the kids?" Eddie asked, crouching down like Steve had before and scratching and rubbing Pepper's neck.

"Yeah, well, in this amount. We get some winter scouts and groups like that, so she has been around kids and she's great with them, but she'll probably be excited to have so many people to spoil her."

Eddie laughed, charmed by how in love Steve was with his dog. If Steve was still single, and he was pouring all of his affection in to a dog… Eddie couldn't see why shooting his shot would hurt. He had backed off every year since he met Steve, but he was feeling determined to at least confirm that Steve wasn't interested in him. They were pals, and sometimes they wrote to one another during the year, but Eddie really wasn't sure how receptive Steve was to the whole… queer thing. He did know that they'd had queer kids at camp before, and Steve had always been gentle and accepting of them, so his attitude couldn't be all negative.

"Let's go grab your keys," Steve said suddenly, and Eddie stood up to follow him. "I'll just give you a master this year, easier that way. It opens all the bunk houses and the utility rooms--and the big house. Easier than trying to sort out all the rings."

Eddie nodded, feeling a small flush creep up his cheeks. It felt rather intimate to be given a key to Steve's house, even if it technically was part of camp property.

Steve handed him the kitschy keychain and Eddie quickly added it to his own keyring.

"Don't lose it," Steve said, sounding only moderately strict. "I only have three of those. You and me are the only ones that'll have them, I don't want to hand out the spare."

"Oh," Eddie frowned, glancing up at Steve. "Are you sure you want to give it to me?"

"Yeah, I trust you, man. Plus, I don't mind you letting yourself in whenever," Steve grinned, walking over to his desk and rooting around the papers there.

Eddie pinched his brow in with confusion, not sure how to react to that. What did he mean by 'letting yourself in whenever'? It sounded so off-handed, but Eddie had no clue if he was supposed to take that seriously or… flirtatiously.

Steve had always been friendly, but this felt like it went a bit beyond friendly.

Eddie swallowed lightly, mustering the courage to speak as Steve turned back around with a clipboard in his hand.

"I could move my stuff into your place now, if you want," Eddie asked, idly picking his nail polish. "Easier than having to do it later. Just… make it my spot for the summer."

It was Steve's turn to stare as they stood there quietly for a beat, before Steve seemed to shake himself from his astonishment.

"Yeah! For sure---that's cool, let's do that," Steve agreed quickly, smiling again but not making a move toward the door.

"You want to show me the room I'll be staying in?" Eddie asked, feeling his confidence grow a bit.

"Yes--yeah," Steve waffled, sounding pleased but a bit surprised for some reason. "Follow me."

Eddie chewed his lip lightly and looped his arms behind his back as he followed Steve out of the cabin. He wasn't certain, but Steve had seemed sort of… flustered by the prospect of them actually sharing a living space. The idea of that encouraged Eddie, and he grinned privately to himself as he thought about retiring for the evening with Steve in his little cabin in the woods. It felt… romantic and it really did set Eddie up to succeed.

Eddie was going to make this summer the summer he asked Steve on a date. He wasn't going to chicken out again.

[klaprisun]

One Sunny Day

(Stardew Valley)(Haley x Female Farmer)

Chapter 41

🌻~THE NEXT SUMMER ~🌻

Eventually, all of the sunflowers had perished by the end of fall last year. I told Haley that just means we can look forward to replanting them this summer. She really took me up on that because just two weeks ago we had planted them all once again.

The sunflowers aren't quite as tall yet this season, but by fall they will be towering over our heads. They are currently still tall enough to make the little bench area secluded from the rest of the world, just the way Haley likes it.

This morning though, is anything but sunny. It's raining total buckets outside today which limits the things I can do today. But then I got an idea.

Running to the telephone in my room, I dial Haley's number.

"Darling! Hi!" her voice sings through the phone.

"Meet me in the sunflower field in an hour," is all I tell her.

"In this weather? Are you insane?" She questions me.

"Trust me," I breathe out, heart pounding in my chest.

"Hm. Okay then," she huffs.

"Make sure to wear something you consider nice. You'll thank me later." Without another word from her, I hung up the phone.

I quickly throw on my signature overalls, work boots and cowboy hat. I have on a light pink t-shirt underneath my overalls as an attempt to look nice. I tie my hair back to my favorite half up half down style. My hair has been making its way back to its original length now. At this point it just passed my shoulders in length.

Without an umbrella or any rain protection, I set out into the nasty weather without a second thought. I know what I am going to do.

Haley and I have been going strong since we established our feelings for one another. All of our previous fighting and sass was all due to us being head over heels with one another at first sight. Who would've guessed? The perfect, pretty, pristine, boy obsessed girl was really into the dingy, dirty, farm girl the whole time. The way the world works goes completely over my head. If you were to tell me I'd be in this position 2 years ago, I would've never believed you. I'm sure Haley would feel the same way. I am so obsessed with her and don't think I'll ever be able to live my life normally if she wasn't with me. Which is why I am going to do this.

"Ahhh Danny. I knew you'd be coming soon enough. I could feel it in the damp, musty, rainy air." The way this guy spoke was absolutely creeping me out. I had chills going down my body, causing my arms to have goosebumps.

"Five thousand coins please," he says before I can even say anything. Cringing over how expensive that is, I reach into my backpack and rifle around until I pull out five thousand coins.

"Wonderful. Here you go..." He holds his hand out to me, dropping something into the palm of my hand.

"Thank you...Old Mariner?" I say questioningly. Unsure if he likes to be addressed as that.

I take a minute to admire the misty ocean water ahead of us. The rain blocks any view of the far away horizon. The rough waters sway and crash about, threatening anyone who dares to enter them in these conditions. It is almost an eerie sight to see when looking out into the rainy abyss of the ocean. I see why this creepy Old Mariner likes to show up when it rains. Really adds to this guy's dumb performance.

I turn to face the Old Mariner one more time before heading out. Except he wasn't there. Confused, I whip my head in every direction looking for him. How did he get so far from the short amount of time I didn't face him? And where does he even go?

Still chilled to the bone over this unnerving experience, I turn on my heels and scurry away from the beach. After all, I have a pretty lady waiting for me back at the farm.

Before entering the sunflower field to wait for Haley, I had tossed my backpack inside so as to not kill the mood with it on. It's not really the most romantic article of clothing in the world, and I'm already pushing it with what I have on now. I also cleaned myself up quickly so I wasn't all muddy and damp. I will end up getting damp from the rain all over again once I go back out to meet Haley, but it won't be as bad. Knowing her, she will show up with an umbrella so she doesn't get her outfit all wet and gross. I don't know what she will do about her shoes though.

I push my way through the thick stems of the sunflower field so that I'm ready when Haley arrives. If she is right on time, I won't have to wait much longer. I tried to time it so that I'm not waiting outside for too long.

To my amusement, I begin to see a cute, little, blue umbrella bobbing its way over the top of all the sunflowers. Haley held it higher up so that it wouldn't get caught in all the leaves and stems of the sunflowers most likely.

"I'm here!" she joyfully bounces into the clearing of the field where I wait. My arms are twisted behind my back nervously, carefully hiding my hands as well.

"Hi here. I thought you were Haley?" I tease, causing her to nudge my shoulder playfully.

"Why did you ask me to come here? It better be worth it. I'm ruining my good shoes for this," she rolls her eyes but cracks a big smile knowing that whatever I asked her here for will be worth it.

"I think you look gorgeous," I mentioned. She really does look so pretty. She is wearing a baby blue sundress with a small pink bow in the middle of the chest area. She has pink pumps on that match the small bow as well. It looks like she was extra careful with those shoes on the way here because they are barely dirty. Her golden hair is, as always, draped over her shoulders, cascading in a way that doesn't cover her beautiful face.

"Emily helped me do my nails this morning for some reason. I didn't think they were that wrecked yet, but she insisted on redoing them when I mentioned where I was going today."

Hearing Haley say that causes me to sweat and grit my teeth. Does Haley know? How did Emily know? I didn't tell anyone, I just came up with the idea today! I mean I was thinking about it since the new year, but I had never told anyone.

"Emily did a wonderful job," I had taken her hand in mine, looking over her blue ombre nails.

"Now are you going to tell me why you asked me here!" she gleefully exclaims, clearly on her toes about whatever may happen.

"Ahem..." I clear my throat, suddenly feeling much more nervous and choked up. It's really happening. "Haley... I had woken up today on this gloomy, gloomy day with a thought in my head I just couldn't shake. On gloomy days like this, I heard there is a visitor that appears on the island that you may have heard of. Now when I saw the rain, something clicked in my head, so I went to pay that guy a visit. Haley, I don't want to spend any more gloomy, rainy days waking up alone. I don't want to spend ANY day waking up alone anymore. I want you by my side every second of every day. You are my reason for getting up in the morning and making this farm the way it is. You give me the motivation to keep this farm up and running and you give me a reason to stay here instead of going back to the city. If I hadn't met you, I would've chickened out and ran back to the city to live a life I definitely didn't want. The forces of the universe clearly wanted me to come here for a reason, and that reason was you. I love you Haley."

As I blurted out my on-the-spot speech, Haley's eyes had widened to the size of saucers once she realized what was happening. Her hand slowly makes its way up to cover her mouth in shock.

"Um..." I awkwardly try to bend down on one knee, but realize that may not be part of the tradition so I stand back up. Then I realize that is whatever I want for this moment, so then I lower myself back down to one knee. Haley begins to giggle over my uncertainty. I take my hands out from behind my back and present them in front of Haley, holding the Mermaid's Pendant. One hand holds the chain, while the other one has the pendant part displayed on the palm.

"My pretty lady. My beautiful, beautiful Haley... will you marry me?" My words ring out into the air for a moment. Neither of us grasping that this is really happening.

Haley nearly drops her umbrella as she starts jumping with joy. She squeals excitedly a few times before collapsing into me, bawling her eyes out. I catch her just before her knees touch the ground so she doesn't fall straight into the muddy grass. The rest of her body falls more into my chest.

"Yes! A thousand times yes! I love you too, Danny," she sobs, muffled by my chest. I move her hair back while she sobs away into me so I can clip the Mermaid Pendant around her neck. I gently lay my arms around her shoulders after to reciprocate her hug.

The sunflowers around us dance in the warm, summer breeze. It makes them look like they are cheering for us. I pull Haley tighter to me and give her a tight squeeze. I'm having a full celebration with plenty of cheering in my head.

"We have to go tell everyone! We have to tell Emily so she can start making our wedding outfits! Hopefully she can do it all in three days but-" Haley starts.

"THREE DAYS? THE WEDDING IS IN THREE DAYS?" I shout, startled about the wedding date being so soon.

"We get married quickly here in Pelican Town," she sheepishly smiles, a blush spreading across her face. "Is it too soon? Do you want to wait?"

"I'd marry you right now if I could. Three days is perfectly okay with me," I reassure her.

🌻 🌻 🌻

Those three days couldn't have gone by any slower. The two of us were raring to get married the second we got engaged. We could hardly keep our hands off each other either. We had started construction on my farmhouse to give her an area of her own for when she moves in, but in the process of building and decorating we had a few... celebration breaks. Like I said, we couldn't keep our hands off each other.

When the whole town found out we were engaged, they all started planning the wedding, Pelican Town style. Apparently it gets set up in the middle of town square like a lot of the other events they put on. They keep all of the outdated ceremony decorations stored away for every single wedding that is held here. It's hard to believe that Haley is okay with a wedding like this. She did add her own touches to it all though, but everything else she was happy with.

When we told Emily, she immediately started planning our outfits right away. She dragged us into her sewing room and started measurements. The two of them couldn't stop laughing at how much I didn't belong there with all the frilly clothes surrounding me. Emily was even going to put me in a dress for the wedding until I gave her a very very long, hard stare. When has she seen me in a dress? What made her think I'd want a dress? My dress denial made them laugh even harder. Emily, of course, respected my wishes and started designing me a suit instead. At least that's what I THOUGHT it was going to be.

When I showed up to get dressed for the wedding today, she pulled out the most outrageous outfit I've ever seen. Not in a bad way though, but in a way that I had never seen anything like it.

"White overalls? Are you kidding me?" I excitedly started laughing over how funny Emily is, taking them by the hanger from her hands.

"Haley knew you'd like it. She suggested it," Emily chuckles.

"Really? Haley suggested this? That girl surprises me more and more each day. Where is she anyway?"

"She went over to Evelyn's house to get ready. I'm going over as soon as you are done getting ready here. I figured you wouldn't take too long and she takes forever so it works out great." Emily pulls out a fancy white shirt to go under my white overalls. She also goes over to a shelf and grabs a pink flower.

"Since you aren't in a suit, you can put this flower in the front pocket of the overalls." Emily hands over the rest of my outfit and starts walking away to let me get ready.

"Thank you so much Emily. This is all so great. You've been a great friend and the best sister to Haley. We wouldn't be here without you," I call over to her before she walks out of the sewing room to her own room.

"Thank you, Danny. You make her so happy. You bring out a side of Haley we had never seen until you showed up. I can't thank you enough for being patient with her and letting her find her true self. I knew it was in there somewhere!" she laughs as she walks away.

Once I was all dressed in my wedding attire, Emily came right back to help straighten everything up and made sure it fits okay. She helped do my hair up nicely in the same way I always have it, but this time it looks better than when I do it. She smoothed back my hair to tie the top part into a ponytail, and brushed the hairs underneath so that they lay nicely down my back. She didn't let me wear my hat unfortunately as it would "ruin it". She said I could have it back after the ceremony. Haley had told Emily that she wants to be able to see my face in pictures. I guess I got away with wearing overalls to my wedding so I should be thankful for that.

I mosey my way out to the wedding area after getting dressed. That's where I see everyone else continuing to set up the last minute things for the big day. The one thing that catches my eye is that there are no chairs.

"Y'all don't sit or anything?" I asked the person closest to me which was Alex. He was in the midst of carrying a big flower pot.

"It's crazy isn't it? I always wondered that too," he replies. I watch as he looks me up and down quickly. "You look hot. Haley is gonna drool when she sees you."

"Why thank you. Sorry again for stealing your girl," I jokingly say.

"Oh please. You are everything I could never be. For one, a girl and two, into girls. I can't believe I never came out sooner. It would've saved Haley the headache I gave her. I feel terrible about everything I put her through and I hope she can forgive me one day. You really saved her from me. I'm glad you moved here and she took a liking to you. Anyways, congratulations on your big day. You two deserve it." He gives me a genuine smile and continues walking to wherever the big flower pot goes.

I wanted to help with all the rest of the setting up, but everyone kept saying no. All I could do was stand helplessly, watching everyone carrying decorations around. Leah and Elliot came over to chat with me and keep me busy too.

"See Leah. What did I tell you? They were meant to get married!" Elliot goofs.

"And I was the one who told them to go at their own pace. You wanted them to get married on the spot you wacko!" Leah responds to Elliot.

"Regardless, they made it this far and I see a bright future between the two of them. Lots of sex and lots of happiness. Cheers to that." That gets him a smack on the arm from Leah. I could see the laugh playing on her lips that she is trying so hard to hold in.

"I couldn't have asked for better friends when moving here. You guys have been such a help to me and made me feel comfortable moving in here. You accepted me as part of the town and I will forever be grateful," I sappily pour my heart out to them.

"We actually never accepted you, you just made that up in your head. I don't know where you got that from," Leah smirks and looks at Elliot. "Isn't that right Elliot?"

"Pfff yeah. We never liked you one bit. You are such a burden to us and should've never moved here. My Yoba, Danny." Elliot holds his palm out to me and turns his head away in disgust.

"Get in here you two," I take both of them into my arms and give them a big squeeze. They both return the hug by squeezing me back.

"It's been so great getting to know you Danny. Thank you for being our friend and putting up with us," Elliot says.

"You've been a lot of fun to tease and have fun with. You sure have a lot of patience," Leah adds. "I'm glad we met you."

"Looks like it's time!" Elliot excitedly informs me. He points at Mayor Lewis who is trying to wave me over to stand under the flower arch. Everyone else is standing in the audience, waiting for the big event to begin. I see Evelyn and Emily have weaved their way into the crowd which means Haley is fully ready and waiting.

Taking a deep breath, I take my place underneath the gorgeous archway decorated with pale pink flowers. I watch as every head in the crowd turns to look down the aisle. Jas and Vincent make their way towards me up the aisle, tossing flower petals as they go. I can't help but smile at how cute they are.

A moment later, everyone gasps. Haley appears at the end of the aisle staring back at me. She looks absolutely stunning. Her dress looks as if it came out of a fairytale. It has a big poofy skirt trimmed with the same light pink flowers as the one in my front pocket. The bodice hugs her body tightly, but loose enough to let her breathe comfortably. The straps of the dress are an off the shoulder design made out of tulle. Her hair was left down, but some front pieces were all tucked and braided to the back of her head with a few strands left out to frame her face. In her hands was the same style of bouquet I gave her when I wanted to show her I was romantically interested. Down to the same color ribbon I had tied around the stems.

My brain had gone completely blank. I was absolutely speechless and bursting with excitement. She slowly glides down the aisle, stirring up some flower petals from the ground as she moves. She looks absolutely magical.

She takes her stand next to me under the arch. The two of us looking into each other's eyes, forgetting everyone else exists. In the background, I hear Mayor Lewis begin speaking.

"When Danny first arrived in Pelican Town, no one knew if she'd fit in with our community... But from this day forward, Danny is going to be as much a part of this town as any of us!" The town folk start cheering at Lewis's declaration. Haley and I break our gaze as soon as we hear the last of his speech. "You may kiss!"

Without another thought, I sweep Haley into my arms like the world is ending and she is my only source of life. Her soft, glossed lips connect with mine instantly. The audience continues to cheer over our passionate, loving kiss. I would've kissed her longer if we weren't right in front of everyone, but eventually we broke apart. I take her hand in mine as we face the crowd. The wind picks up for a minute and it causes all of the flower petals to take to the air. I twirl Haley around to face me again and bring her back for another heart melting kiss.

"I get to be a farmer now, too!" she squeals, squeezing my hands in hers.

"And you are going to be the best wife anyone could ever ask for," I whisper as I tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear, daydreaming over the beautiful future we are going to have.

[coyotescribbles]

The Next 100 Years

The day was clear and bright, and dappled summer sunlight shone through the leaves as they rustled gently in the breeze. Billy whistled a cheerful tune as he made his way down the sidewalk, arms laden with bags filled with various lunch orders.

Finally, he ducked through a tall wrought-iron gate, nodding to the groundskeeper before following the well-worn path to his destination.

"Afternoon, ladies!" He called out in greeting. "Bet you thought I forgot about today, huh? Well, you know I could never let you guys down."

Maybe his knees creaked a little, but he ignored that as he settled himself in front of the stone monument that marked the grave of the other Cunning Hares.

...The closest thing to an actual family that he'd ever had...

"Aaaand here you go..."

A burger for Anby.

Nicole's favorite noodle bowl.

Fried mackerel for Nekomiya.

And three cans of cola, though he hoped that Nicole didn't mind the fact that it wasn't her preferred brand. That company had gone under fifty years ago, after all.

Then, sitting back on his heels. Billy vented a sigh and shuttered his optics for a moment, imagining that he was literally anywhere else, and that his girls were there with him. Maybe they were at the park, relaxing under a tree. Or maybe it was Lumina Square, weaving through the hustle and bustle.

Or maybe they were at home, sprawled across that old broken-down couch in a comfortable heap while someone's favorite movie played on the TV.

But he couldn't hide in those memories forever.

"...I miss you guys. But you probably already know that, huh?" A sad smile colored his voice as he reached out to brush some dust from the monument. "Sometimes it's hard to believe that so much time has passed since I last got to talk to any of you. It's been, what? Sixty years, this year? And sometimes I still feel like you're all gonna be there when I get home at night..."

He vented another soft sigh, resting his hands on his knees.

"I wonder if you can see it - how New Eridu gets bigger and brighter every year. With no more Hollows, there's not much left to keep it from growing. To keep the whole world from growing..."

And we did that. Or, well, we helped, at least.

"I wish I could say that there was much to talk about this year, but... it's actually been pretty quiet. I think you all would enjoy it, honestly. Business has been great - bet that makes you happy, huh, Nicole? I thought it might. Oh! That new shopping mall Belabog was building last year finally opened last week. There's a new Random Play there - the biggest one yet! Heh... Wise would probably hate it, it looks all slick and high-tech, nothing like the original store... but I think it's pretty cool. And you'll never guess who's got one of the prime spots in the food court! That place is gonna put all the little Chops through college..."

He let out a weak little laugh.

"...There's a mural, too. Man, I wish you guys could see it, it's a lot cooler than the one they made for the Centennial celebration. We're in it! And we - we look like real heroes..."

Lifting one hand, he pressed his palm to his faceplate, and let his shoulders tremble quietly for a minute.

Maybe next year would be the year someone would finally come out with a mod that would let him cry.

Eventually, though...

"...I really wish I could stay longer, but I've still gotta swing by and say hi to a few more people before I head in for my tune-up. You girls enjoy your lunch, okay? If things aren't too busy, I'll try to swing by again soon..."

Once more ignoring the creaking in his knees, Billy rose to his feet, and brushed his fingertips fondly across the top of the monument with a smile, before continuing on his rounds.

~~~

The years were merciless, each one more so than the last.

Even with Belabog running support, there was only so far his component parts could be pushed before they gave out. Only so many times pieces of him could be repaired before they needed to be replaced.

Only so many times he could watch another piece of himself be disconnected and swapped out for something newer.

He couldn't hide it any longer - for the first time in his very.

Very.

Very long life...

Billy was tired.

Not the tired that came from staying up late to watch his favorite soap operas. Not even the kind of tired that came from chasing a kid through a Hollow until he thought his air filters might blow and his knees might give out.

No, he was tired-tired. The kind of tired that came from burying everyone he'd ever loved, one by one by one, while he somehow remained.

And remained.

And remained.

Theoretically, with consistent tech support, he could have lived long enough to see the Hollows pass from living memory and into ancient history. Theoretically, he could have kept going indefinitely, if he just kept replacing himself over and over again.

Every last bit of him had been replaced at least half a dozen times over by now... except for one part: his brain module. The part of him that was the most "him." The part that held every program, every memory file, everything he'd ever experienced was in there, and... he was afraid to replace it. Afraid that, even if he downloaded everything to a shiny new unit, he would still lose something, maybe something important.

Like the weight of Anby's head resting on his shoulder, whenever she fell asleep mid-movie night.

The way Nicole's eyes sparkled when she was excited, or flashed when she was angry.

The way Nekomiya's ears twitched at the sound of a bird singing.

Belle's laugh. Wise's smile. Lycaon's measured footsteps. Corin's anxious little stammers.

Rina. Ellen Joe. Koleda. Anton. Grace. Ben. Everyone.

He couldn't bear the thought of losing even a single nanosecond of any of it.

So he just... never risked it.

"Man, when was the last time you updated your CPU?" The maintenance tech handling his tune-up asked. "This hardware in ancient."

"Eh... it's been a while," he half-shrugged in response. "It's no big deal, it still works just fine."

The tech didn't seem convinced. "How's your boot time?"

"Same as it's been for the past hundred years... maaaaybe a little bit slower? I don't really pay too much attention anymore."

"Do you wanna schedule a replacement? Or maybe I could just see about fine-tuning it a little, maybe squeezing a few more months out of it so you can weigh your options...?"

Billy paused, and thought it over.

"...Nah, it's all right. I mean, it's lasted me this long, right?"

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." He smiled. "Whatever happens, happens. It's okay."

"Well, if you change your mind, just gimme a call and I'll get you in ASAP."

"Thanks."

The drive home seemed extra lonely that night, and his apartment felt extra empty when he pushed the door open.

~~~

Slowly, bit by bit, byte by byte, everything slowed to a crawl.

Days bled into weeks into months and soon...

[Hey, Fairy?]

[Yes, Billy Kid?]

He vented a sigh. Tried to, at least, out of habit if nothing else.

[I keep telling you, it's just - ahh, I guess it doesn't really matter. Can I ask a favor?]

[Of course.]

[I know it's a lot to ask, but... when I finally shut down, can you make sure my brain module is mulched and interred with the other Hares? I don't care about the rest of me, I just...]

[...I understand. Yes, I can do this for you, Billy.]

[...Thanks.]

[You are welcome.]

He let his head fall back against the couch cushions, resting his arm across his midsection. There was a show playing on the television, but he wasn't paying enough attention to have said what it was. It was just pleasant background noise, something to drown out the sounds of his body struggling harder with each passing week.

Billy shuttered his optics and let himself go slack, feeling the tension drain from his limbs.

His whole body, which had previously felt indescribably heavy, suddenly felt so much lighter, like passing out of a Hollow and into the open air beyond.

A sudden pounding on his door had him jerking awake to liquid golden sunlight pouring in through the window and the sound of voices down the hall.

"Billy, come on already! Wake up! We've been waiting on you forever!"

"!!!" Suddenly wide awake, he lurched up out of bed, nearly tripping over his own two feet as he scrambled to the door; he didn't even think to grab his jacket before flinging the door open and scooping Nicole up into a tight hug. "Boss-!!!"

"Hey-!" She squeaked indignantly, squirming and smacking at his side; "you are cold! Did you seriously sleep without a blanket again?! Put me down and go put on a shirt or something!"

"Ah, sorry, boss!" With a sheepish laugh, he set her back on her feet and reached up to run his fingers through his hair. "Guess I got a little wound up, huh? I had this weird dream..."

"Well you can tell everyone about it later. Hurry up and get dressed, it's time for our yearly lunch meetup and I don't want to be late!"

"Right, right, sorry! I almost forgot...!"

Snagging his jacket off the back of his gaming chair, he shrugged into it as he slipped on his sneakers.

Then, after taking a moment to make sure his hair was neat, he hurried after her, to where the rest of his family was waiting.

[wisssp]

Whistling in the Dark

this is a weasley twins x oc piece, if you don't like it-don't read it(:

female reader; first person pov; slow burn; smut; minors-DNI

wc: 1,535

Chapter 1

whistling in the dark- to make a show of bravery despite one's fears

I don't know much but I do know that the Hogwarts Express is the best place to take a nap. With my head on my sister's shoulder, my eyes roll back and a deep sigh escapes my lips. Peace at last.

That is, until the Weasleys find us.

"Rise 'n' shine, Lady Bird. Our endeavors have only just begun!" George bursts into our car with a grumpy-looking Fred in tow. They shimmy in and I let out a groan, making it clear that I didn't want to move.

"I'm with Lady Bird on this one - it's too early for all this rubbish." Fred huffs and falls into the seat next to me, his shaggy hair falling in his eyes. I scoot over and shoot him a glare while he beams right back, shooting me a wink. Had I mentioned both of the twins hit their growth spurt this past summer, making them that much more attractive? Anyways, a moment later Ron shows up all disheveled, scolding his rat.

"Ron, I swear you just need to lose the damn rat. It's gross." Paige pipes up and as per usual, has the group in stitches while Ron pouts in his seat. He acts as if he's offended but we all know he loves any attention she gives him, even if it's mainly negative.

Ron and Paige soon start arguing about which diseases rats carry, while Fred keeps complaining that George is kicking him. I patiently wait for the group to come to their senses considering it's 8 in the morning and some people are tired but yet again, I have to be the bad guy.

"Everyone has three seconds to shut the fuck up before I shove my wand so far up your asses you can taste the dragon heart string. Got it?" I looked around the train car as everyone froze. I sat back down and opened my book, unable to read due to the snickering redhead beside me.

"Frederick, what the fuck could possibly be so funny?" I whipped my head to the right and sneered at him. He pulled his lips into his mouth, stifling a laugh. I rolled my eyes and began to get back to my book until I felt an elbow in my ribs.

"Fred I swear to Merlin I will hurt you." I could feel his eyes on me as I attempted to read my book once more, but he had other plans. He snatched it from my hands and put it on top of the overhead luggage- Just where I couldn't reach.

He sat back down and triumphantly crossed his arms with- and I hate to say it- a gorgeous smirk on his face. I rolled my eyes and shook my head at him while I stood up with my arms above my head, trying to get my book back. I glanced down to see his golden brown eyes focused in on me with this look.

In the midst of the fifteen seconds I had to decipher this look, the train jolted to a start, sending me right into Fred's lap. I could barely hear his deep chuckle over the rest of the train car hollering.

"If you want it, Lady bird, you just have to ask." His voice in my ear did things I didn't expect, making me immediately jump up and sit back down next to him. I'm certain my face is bright red at this point so I shove my headphones on and cross my arms, peering over at Fred who is smirking at a pissed off-looking George.

This is gonna be quite the trip.

~

Eventually, we get back to the castle and Paige is herding us like cattle over to see Hagrid, ensuring that none of our stuff goes unaccounted for in the process.

"Well hey there Weasleys 'N friends. How was the ride on the good ol' express, eh?" Hagrid throws a thumb over his shoulder and Harry starts rambling about the muggle trains. I've tuned out by now because Fred is over talking to a cute blonde that happens to be about 5 inches taller than me. Not wanting them to catch me staring, I avert my eyes and as I feel the pit growing in my stomach, I feel a breath on the back of my neck that encapsulates me in goosebumps.

"Jealousy doesn't look good on you, love. Don't pay him any mind. She obviously doesn't hold a candle if he's interested in us rather than her." George whispers in my ear, drawing my attention back to Fred, who is practically fuming. I'm frozen, unable to comprehend what all this animosity between the twins is about or why i'm involved.

"Don't panic." I hear right before I feel lips on the side of my neck. My eyes drift closed and my head falls back, a slight gasp escaping me. I'm then aware of the strong hands gripping my hips and his fingertips skating under the hem of my shirt. It all happens so fast but by the time I open my eyes, Fred is gone and George is standing in front of me. Did all of that really just happen or have I not woken up from my train nap yet?

"See ya in a bit, Lady Bird." With a wink, he too was gone. I scan the crowd for Paige and find her staring at me with her jaw hanging open. I frantically gesture in front of me, as if to say I know, what the fuck- but our telepathic conversation was cut short when I saw her body tense and her face go a bright shade of pink. Seconds later, Ron appeared from behind her in a laughing fit.

Hm, interesting.

~

Shortly after orientation, Paige and I make our way down the moving stairs and towards the Hufflepuff common room. This year, Paige was Head Girl and she couldn't be happier. To be completely honest, I, too, am thrilled that she got elected Head Girl because this means my curfew is now nonexistent along with a few other benefits, like the special bedroom.

While they were pinning the badge on her, I was hollering and clapping and I could tell from where I was sitting that she knew this only meant trouble. Life's too short, right? Pick the flower, kiss the boy, seize the gap.

As we come up on the barrels to the basement, Paige does the honors of showing the newbies how to get in. Once all the first day shenanigans have simmered down, her and I make our way over to what we call the suite of the common room- the Head Girl suite.

The view from the door consists of two queen beds pushed against the opposite wall with two nightstands separating them. Theres a hallway between the nightstands leading to the ensuite bathroom. On each side of the room there's a walk-in closet that definitely has room for my clothes and more. As i'm standing there in awe, Paige is squealing and jumping on the bed like we just got a call from the Magpies themselves, needing a keeper and beater.

"While you get that out of your system, I'm going to go for a walk and see if they've got anything left in the dining hall." I drop everything at the foot of the bed on the right and turn around on my heel.

"Hungry again already?" Paige raises an eyebrow at me, knowing I don't eat that much as is. I smile at her concern.

"Dessert goes to the heart not the stomach, babe." I throw her a wink and hustle out the door so I can catch the scraps before they're gone.

I reach the dining hall to find none other than Fuckface Weasley himself, shooting the shit with his Gryffindor buddies. I roll my eyes and steer myself in the opposite direction, hoping some blueberry tarts are left on the Hufflepuff table. To my complete surprise there are two left and I rush to grab both until a drastically bigger hand engulfs mine.

"Don't become a hog, now, Scamander. These happen to also be my favorite, or have you forgotten?" he grumbles the last part awfully close to my ear, a warmth spread through me and transported me back to this past summer. If only he knew I didn't forget, in fact I didn't stop thinking about it. Us making his mom's famous blueberry tarts, feeding them to each other, licking the blueberry compote off of his fingers.

I was snapped back to reality when I heard his buddies calling him from behind us.

"Oi Freddie, you just gonna humor her all day or are we putting this fire whiskey to good use?" Lee chuckles at what he thought was a dig at me, to which I respond with a fake barking laugh and a middle finger. I hear Fred exhale a laugh beside me and watch his hands flex as he wraps up his tart. Oh, Merlin.

"Maybe I can refresh your memory one day." He smirks at me and walks back over to his friends, leaving me a hot and confused mess.

Frederick Weasley is a dangerous one.

[sketchfanda]

Kirishima's Mystique:Skater Girl

There were more than a few words one could use to describe a girl like Jackie Lynn Thomas of which to name some in particular. Chill, pretty, sexy, laidback and of course THICC as eff are among those that come to mind. But for someone usually cool as an ocean breeze, she was in a mood that was anything but. Hence why she'd be more than happy to take some part time job in the summer in Japan to be a surfing instructor.

She had to say it was quite the climate around these parts especially at this time of the year. The beaches all having the ideal 3 S: sun, sand and surf all in ideal pristine condition making for some premium waves to ride and catch. Which would normally do the bottom heavy babe wonders for her mood but she was still feeling a little sour and why you might ask? Well it was to do with a boy back home you see, that Jackie thought might be going somewhere in terms of a potential relationship and commitment. But it didn't quite workout that way for one reason or another and right now she needed some space.

But damn if she wasn't feeling the slightest bit lonesome, sure she wasn't looking for a committed sort of union right now but she sure as hell wasn't going to settle for some random fling!! She wasn't a slut who just spread her legs for any guy, or hell even just any girl but hey least she was making a friend or two while she was here. Case in point a regular bestie she clicked with immediately who was a fellow instructor in the surf class and damn if she wasn't a hell of a looker. But then again it wasn't everyday you taught and rode waves alongside the one and only Maya Diva, Jagua del Toro's Lady of the Waves, current exchange student at UA high school.

Jackie:*sipped her drink as she and Maya sat by a local beachside diner on their break on a cozy bench under the shade of a tree. The chill babe softly sighing.*"I got to be honest with you Maya, I'm not having a bad time here but I know I seriously got to do something to just forget that deadbeat back home....."*The aqua streaked blonde mumbled to herself, pinching her brow. Stupid indecisive pretty boys and their unintentional Latin magnetism.*

Maya:*sitting in a way that just naturally oozed her raw sex appeal, rocking her quirkless form look as her and Jackie were turning heads in their surfwear. Eyeing the chill gal with concern while stealthily checking out her bombshell body.* "Would it be too direct for me to say you seriously need to get laid? Because I might have a solution to your problem...."*The shapeshifting babe grinned sensually as Jackie gave her a look of curiosity. The blue haired babe knew she had her, hook and line, now to see if she could reel in.*

Jackie:"It's not a gigolo or something is it? I mean I've heard there are a lot of dudes who got all sorts of weird quirks when it comes their junk or just sex in general but you know I'm not that sort of girl..." *That she certainly wasn't. Hell she left quite a string of putdowns on wanna be Casanovas and flirts who tried picking her up thinking she'd be an easy time. Don't let that thicc body and cool attitude fool you, this girl could be a shark. Which Maya knew made her ideal...*

Maya:*waved her off as she reassured her.*"Nah trust me, this guy is a total teddy bear. You know I mentioned my relationship before right?" *Maya's inner minx felt giddy as Jackie nodded. Oh yes the blonde had been told that Maya was in a threesome relationship with a guy and a girl. But she hadn't quite told her ALL the juicy, spicy details...yet.*

Jackie:"Yeah at your school right? What's that got to with helping out my problem?"*She knew she should suspicious, wary even. More so as Maya gave her a look she could recall seeing the blue haired shapeshifting bombshell was no stranger to pulling. The kind she made when she was likely on the phone to said guy and or girl. Or when she got a no doubt sexy text or picture from them.*

Maya:"Well you see me and my girl love to, what's the word? Oh yeah put our ma out to stud. Believe you me nothing gets me and Pinky so damn wet than seeing himbo rut another girl so bad that he wants to make sure she's getting a bun in her oven. Oh and you my bottom heavy babelicious work of art, I think are just the kind of girl who'd enjoy what he's packing..."*the shapeshifting hottie couldn't help but giggle at jackie's reaction. Yeah lot of women learning for the first time about her, Mina and their kink with their chivalrous stud always got looks like that. But she knew she had curiosity, morbid as it was. Now she had to keep her attention.*

Jackie:"Hold up just to be clear. You're basically telling me you and your co-girlfriend like to have your boyfriend bang other girls? You're saying you're pimping him out to me?" *She could hardly comprehend how Maya was so casual about it. Yet all the same she could feel her snatch quiver and pulse. Arousal flowing as her mind subconsciously wondered what this boyfriend was like. To be able to handle two girls at the same time so well that they even needed extra bodies just to keep him satisfied.*

Maya:*her inner devil screamed Sinker and Jackpot, knowing she had her now. Everyone knows what happens with cats and curiosity but never the part about satisfaction. And Jackie was sure to be getting it plenty. Taking out a pen and paper as she drew-up a rough map and wrote out details like a date and time, handing it to her.* "Oooh yeah, well we prefer to say put him out to stud, pimping implies we'd be making money from it. Our only price is the show we get and if you want to be the next headline act? Just come to the time and place right here."

Jackie shot Maya a suspicious look but accepted the scrap of paper all the same. Putting it away for safe keeping later as they enjoyed the rest of their break and finished off their surf classes for the day before they parted ways. At least for now as Jackie was soon on her fateful skateboard, making her way through the crowds as she had Dead Kennedys playing on her headphones. Soon finding herself at the address, one of UA's College campus dorms as she went to a certain floor and door number and knocked.

It seemed like maybe nobody was home at first before the chill babe certainly heard the approach of voices and footsteps. Definitely no turning back now as the door opened to show none other than Maya who was rocking her au naturale sclay blue form. While standing beside in all her cotton Candy pink glory was Mina Ashido herself and the horned girl eyed snd sized up, clearly liking what she was seeing. Sharing a look with her girlfriend as they grinned and gently pulled Jackie into the apartment and shut the door behind him.

Jackie couldn’t help but blush, she wasn’t usually bicurious but damn if Mina and Maya together could make a girl turn heads and questiin her own sexuality. The fact they were both we earring tank tops and booty shorts certainly was a factor in that as they brought her into a bedroom. This had to be their boyfriend’s for sure as the decor just screamed absolute fitness and machismo. And from the sounds of it, he seemed to be in the bathroom having a shower as she turned to fsce the naughty pair.

Mina:”You know Maya told me so much about you but seeing you in person is a whole other story. I just know Eiji is gonna LOVE you..” *The acid maker purred affectionately as she ran her hands along Jackie’s curves. Getting a good feel of her waist and hips as she made her twitch and squirm. There was no doubt about it, Mina was comfy with other girls as she was with her and Maya’s man. Talk about your dirty pair.*

Maya:”Knew you’d like Pinky and now that Jackie here has your seal of approval, we got the next stage here. Welcome to Casa Amore Jackie girl, now all you got to do is stand there looking pretty while the man of the hour makes his entrance. Then the fun really begins.. *Jackie had a feeling it was too late to backdown now. She pretty much consented the moment she knocked on the door as she turned to the door to the bathroom, seeing no steam or hearing the sounds of the shower running. Her pulse racing as she felt the anticipation tingle within as the door opened. Out stepping Kirishima with his sculpted Herculean body glistening sparkly clean and his modesty preserved by a towel around his waist.*

Kirishima:”Hey girls sorry to keep you waiting, you know I got to get the post workout scent off and I…”*The sturdy stud paused in the middle of his sentence as he noticed they had company. Seeing Jackie who looked at him like she was laying eyes on a work of art. Blushing slightly as he himself found it too easy to look at her and why not? She was a feast for the eyes and she wasn't even naked...yet.*"Hi uh, let me guess, friend of Mina or Maya's"

Jackie:*simply nodded in reply to his query, seeing him grasp his towel around his waist as she took in the view of his upper torso. Those powerful arms, those warm, inviting pecs and those abs. But of course the face was a work of art itself, not overly pretty and angel-faced but certainly not too rugged and macho, if anything it struck an ideal balance between cute and handsome.*"Yeah and right about now...I'm really glad to be so..."*Her voice coming out with a rather husky sensual whisper as she walked up to him close and personal.*

Jackie wasn't sure what had come over her but seeing Kirishima in his current state just seemed to flip a switch in her brain. Suddenly her dry spell issues and her hang-ups back in Echo Creek were becoming a thing of the past. Her face kissing distance from the sturdy hero as she caressed his chest and abs with one hand, the other gently grasping the towel preserving his modesty. Sensual blue eyes locked on curious crimson blood red as she closed the distance between them.

There was a lot she could've said then and there, all variations one way of another of telling this Adonis of a caveman to drop the towel, take that cock and bang her goddamn brains out. But as they say actions spoke much louder than words and this guy was clearly god at reading body language. Any shock or what not gone from his eyes as instead they became soft but determined as his own free hand moved to gently grasp the back of her head. The thicc cutie softly moaning as she soon found her lips being pressed to his as they kissed, proceeding to make out.

Mina and Maya of course were still in the room watching with voyeuristic delight, not that it was bothering her none. Oh no, she was on cloud 9 and it was honestly quite a turn-on, as she and Kirishima deepened their lip-lock. Their tongues dancing together as she traced and felt those shark-like teeth of his. Before she heard the sound of his towel dropping and found his now bare cock pressing itself between her juicy thighs.

her blue eyes glanced downed, a sensual awe filling her as she could tell it was quite a bit of length and girth, pressing against the camel tone of her denim shorts. Unable to help herself as she squeezed and rubbed her thighs against that meat stick as she gasped find Kirishima pulling her shirt up to whip out her tits. A sensual shudder escaping her as she sensually but her lower lip to find the himbo kiss along her neck and grasp her now exposed boobs a firm squeeze. It was surreal to her how much just this fore play alone was making her feel orgasmic before she soon found it getting even better.

Jackie found herself being gently pushed and laid back onto the bed behind them, their lips pressing to each other once more as her tits pressed and rubbed up against those firm pecs. Moaning and gasping as she found that hunk of sexual meat pressing and rubbing against her slit, sticky warm nectar coating that length and girth with plenty of lubrication. Before she soon broke their kiss to let out a deepthroated moan as she felt it penetrate her, inch after inch of Kirishima’s Lil’ Riot sinking into her as it hit just the right sweet spots. Causing her nerves to surge with absolute bliss and pleasure as spine tingling ecstasy flooded her brain.

To think she was cumming from just the penetration when Kirishima soon really got going, his powerful muscles flexing as he pumped his hips. A slow and steady rhythm that to Jackie felt akin to rolling down a hill or swimming out to catch a wave to ride as she held onto those strong powerful arms pinned beside her head. Looking down in awe at their connected loins to see her stomach swollen with the bulge of his cock indicating his size and depth. That womb hammer really standing out as she tucked her tummy, showing off quite the set of abs and highlighting his length and girth all the more.

Jackie:*looks at Kirishima, her blue eyes locked in his blood red ones as they flowed with lust. Sensually biting her lip as she massaged his arms before wrapping hers around his shoulders. Her voice a sexy husky whisper as she was lost in the absolute sexual bliss.*”Mm handsome I’ve only just met you and you’ve made my day. So you take thick juicy meat and fuck, me, hard.”*the moment she said that, she knew her world was about to get rocked.*

Rocked it certainly did as she soon found Kirishima's pelvic thrusts picking up a nice steady increase in intensity and speed. Not to mention force as his hips pumped away like the drill of a jackhammer, those heavy balls slapping her jiggling booty as she curled her spine and toes, holding on for dear life. Hearts glowing in her eyes as orgasms rocked her one after another, her stomach's bulge going up and down in tempo to this biological sex machine who couldn't help but lavish attention on her bouncing tits. Deep-throated moans escaping her as she felt those sharp pointy teeth of his graze her booby skin sensually, her nips being licked and suckled on as if trying to coax milk out of them.

How she loved every second of it, being held in the embrace of such a caveman, yet showered with such passionate sensual affection. Those hands of his working so firmly on her tits and her ass, to say nothing of how he was quite the kisser. Their tongues dancing together in a sloppy tango of spit swapping as that cock continued to work away at moulding the walls of her pussy to its shape. That length and girth hammering out all those annoying little memories buzzing in her head about her woes back in Echo creek especially in regards to that insensitive two timing jackass.

It was a rush of ecstasy on par with the adrenaline she'd feel from riding a high tidal wave or nailing some major tricks and air in the skate park. Seconds to minutes passing their way into hours as Kirishima fucked her raw and with passionate abandon, going from their intimate missionary to a sideways spooning before she found herself grasping and biting the bedsheets as he took her prone bone style. Her apple-bottomed booty jiggling with every delicious impact of their loins as her spine tingled with every orgasm rocking her brain as it hit that sort of primal switch deep inside. Deep subconscious desires equating herself as a bitch in heat being mounted and claimed by an absolute unit of an alpha male as he was rutting her like he intended put a baby inside her. A thought that she absolutely found herself embracing, thinking of herself going around with her belly swelling as it grew with a child from this passionate caveman.

A thought that only made her arousal skyrocket all the more especially as she felt him bite down on her shoulder, their bodies shuddering as they came together. Her pussy squirting as it erupted like a volcano spewing magma, in tandem with that juicy sex meat of his proceeding to pump his baby batter into her womb, ensuring her over was definitely getting some buns inside. Before the skater girl gasped in the midst of her high to find not only had Kirishima not pulled out yet but he was still hard and ready to go. Before she looked aside to see Mina and Maya looming over like a pair of erotic menaces, shamelessly nude as their respective pink and blue bombshells made it clear they were very turned on at this little act of erotic acquaintance between their alpha male and their newfound sex bestie and down to fuck.

Not that Jackie was in any position to protest as her state of horniness was hitting sexual nirvana with the addition of two very equally horny babes. A constant tangle of limbs and torsos as they shifted between combinations of 2 to 3 on one or taking turns one on one whenever someone needed to catch their breath. More so especially when Jackie was given a show of a neat little trick Kirishima could pull off by focusing 1% of his quirk on his dick, ensuring his Lil' Riot wasn't being left out of this game of adult twister. One moment one of them would be getting fucked by that himbo doggy style as she ate out another girl's pussy, the next ould see one sitting on his face as he ate them out while another rode him cowgirl style and made out with the other.

Or gave him a tag team blowjob or boobjob, even jerk him off with their ass which was all the more fun for him given he had 3 prime qualities of buns to hotdog his meat between. For Jackie of course this being her first time being so lewd, each and every position or combination was an unreal but thrilling experience such as having her head hang off the edge of the bed as her newfound bull facefucked her, that glorious hunk of juicy meat pounding her mouth and throat like it was an oral pussy. Her tongue tasting the sublime mix of his seed and the pussy juices of herself, Mina and Maya who of course were no slouches in lavishing her and their man with pornographic affection either. Currently enjoying riding their Red Riot himbo stud in reverse cowgirl as he enjoyed the view of her glorious backside, jiggling booty and all while the alien queen and the lady of the waves were either playing with her tits or kissing her with sloppy passion, tongues dancing together.

Hours ticked on that it wasn't until a few orgasms later that Jackie found herself seeing what time it was as se heard her phone going off. Picking up the vibrating device as she saw a notification indicating a text message, the chill babe frowning as she felt her mood soured to see it was from her ex. oh so now the indecisive simp was looking to make amends? She knew he had his chances and he damn well blew it, quite frankly after today especially, she was considering living and working in japan full time just to have the space and distance between her and that jackass.

Just before she considered deleting the text message and blocking him of course, she looked over to see Kirishima sitting on the bed, that sweet teddy bear of a muscle mountain concerned. Even as Mina and Maya were performing a tandem fellatio on him which made Jackie smile sensually before her brain went off with a lightbulb. Getting a wonderful idea as she typed her response to her ex before setting her phone onto photo and video mode. Seriously feeling her pussy gush at what sort of naughty act she was about to commence as she set her phone on a stand at just the right angle and went back into the fray.

"Hey Diaz, here's what I have to show you about your message. Get. WRECKED!!" was what her text read as her ex would soon get flooded with a series of pictures and videos of Jackie in her latest round of fun with Mina, Maya and their himbo stud. Saucy images one after another spamming his phone with the intent to NTR and cuckold the guy. The cotton candy/bubble gum duo of course adding to it as they took some pretty sweet shots and angles of Jackie's one on ones with their Red Riot. The extreme sports hottie gladly and lustfully declaring herself Kirishima's property which was especially evident by the shark like bite marks marking her skin and the overflow of seed pouring from their conjoined loins.

Suffice to say once Jackie sent one final lewd selfie of her, Mina and Maya resting and laying atop or beside Kirishima, she officially called it quits with her ex and blocked him. Deleting his number as she basked in the welcome afterglow, reminding herself to make plans about moving and setting up residency in Japan. After all, it would help to stay close to her two new besties and the new man in their life. Especially if every other time after this first would just as good,if not better......

[thedaddydeath]

The Woods Pt. 1

cw: cnc, knifeplay, stalking, kidnapping This won't be my best work but these ideas were floating in my head. 10 a.m. First day of fall. You are your girlfriends are going to go shopping downtown to get ready for Halloween. The day starts out as it always does, a quick text to the boyfriend to wish him a good morning, he doesn't respond. Usually he's awake by now. You suppose he must've had a rough night at work yesterday. You grab something small to eat so you don't spoil your appetite for lunch with the ladies. Time to get dressed. It's still somewhat warm out so you decide on a pair of thigh high leggings, a ruffled skirt and a crop top. Now for the shoes, it's just a day out with the girls. Nothing special, the black boots will suffice.

As you lace them up you think to yourself, "Why isn't he awake yet? Well I'll send him a picture. He'll enjoy that when he wakes up." It's now nearly noon. The ladies are ready to meet up. As you drive yourself to the mall, the scent of the freshly fallen leaves permeates the air. It's sweet and comforting. As you arrive to the mall you notice Halloween decorations in the windows. The retail season always starts early. Skulls and bats, the normal. Witches and ghouls adorn the walls by the doors. It's adorable, not even the least bit scary. Out of the corner of your eye you notice the girls waving you down, they saved you a spot to park so you'd all be next to each other. After the hugs and pleasantries you all head inside. First stop? Hot Topic, not that it's the same anymore. Too much pop influence these days but they still have the cute clothes you enjoy. But with this time of the year they bring out the horror icons. Ghostface being your favorite, you look for anything you don't already have. There's a POP! Figure of your favorite slasher. "Oh I'm definitely getting this. He's gonna want one too. What should i get him?" You see a Tokyo Ghoul figure he doesn't have. As you head over to it your stomach drops.. this overwhelming uneasiness hits you. You look around and your friends are checking out. Behind them, outside the store you see a shadowy figure. You can't make it out. Your vision is a bit blurry. You walk up to them to buy your items, looking outside again the figure you saw is gone. Maybe it was nothing you think, "I'm hungry girls, i didn't eat much this morning. Where should we go?" You all agree on Chinese food. As you all sit in the Food Court that uneasy feeling persists but you're unsure why. As you look around you don't see anything out of the ordinary. There's some children and teenagers dressed up for the Halloween event they're having later at the mall. As you eat, your phone vibrates. It's a text but you don't recognize the number. "Enjoying yourself?" Weird. You ignore it and go back to talking and laughing with your friends. Another vibration... it's that same number. "Don't you dare ignore me slut." "What the fuck?!" the sudden outburst causes your friends to stop and look at you, they're curious what's going on. "I don't know, this random number is texting me, I have no idea who it is." They question if it's your boyfriend, "No he's still sleeping." They tell you to just ignore, it's probably just some guy pulling a prank. It's a believable excuse. But that feeling in your stomach is getting worse, even after eating. "I'm sorry girls, I think I'm going to head home. I don't feel good and this is just making it worse." You say your goodbyes, grab your things and head back to where you all parked. As you exit the mall, the sun is beating down like it's still summer. The kind of heat that makes you start sweating instantly. This makes you feel worse. "I have to hurry home, maybe I'll stop by his place. It's shorter." The car is just ahead, you look down and start rifling through your clutch to find your car keys. A flash of pain... something hit your head... no that's wrong.. your head was pushed into your car. as you crumple to the ground your body twists to see the sky. Your consciousness wavers. You're about to pass out.. just before everything goes dark you see a figure. A tall figure, wearing all black. A mask covers his face, a demon. Black. Horns. "ᵢ ₜₒₗd yₒᵤ ₙₒₜ ₜₒ ᵢgₙₒᵣₑ ₘₑ, yₒᵤ ₚₐₜₕₑₜᵢc ₛₗᵤₜ" You can't make out the voice. You're too far gone. Everything fades. What now? Part 2 later????? If you want me to continue this, please, reblog it, like it. Tell me. It's not often I write stuff like this so I'm not the greatest but I hope you all enjoy it none the less.

[lovebillyhargrove]

Chapter 2 of "Wake me up when July is around"

Proofread by the amazing @dragonflylady77 thank you for your much appreciated help ❤️

Chapter 1

***

Notes: So, to avoid confusion: I've changed the timeline of canon events

Steve gets together with Nancy in spring 1984. In June Barb goes missing. Summer wasn't as fun as he had wanted it to be, obviously.

No fight with Jonathan, not yet. Jonathan hasn't developed the film yet. School was closed, summer was busy. They just got Will back, so he's waiting for September to develop the film when he gets access to the photography lab.

After that, certain events will start to unfold.

*** Billy's pov

As much as he hates being here, Billy's first day at Hawkins high is okay, all things considered. He is so beyond giving a shit, he just has to get through this year, it's not like he's desperate to make friends.

However, Billy won't mind a little fun, no harm in that. Especially when new acquaintances come looking for him. Also, getting through the year means taking each fucking day at a time, and even though he doesn't want to be talking to any of these people, he'll probably have to, eventually.

Motherfucking Hawkins. It's giving him a dull neverending headache.

During his first lunch when, as a new kid, he is of course sitting alone and feeling very comfortable about it, a couple of girls get close to his table. The one with light brown frizzy hair is clutching her tray nervously but is brave enough to start a whole conversation, although Billy can see the blush hiding under the layers of makeup. Come on, sweetie, I don't bite.

Or do I ?

"Hi."

"Hi." Billy is looking at her like he's looking at the dazzling sun, smiling languidly and squinting his eyes a little, letting his eyelashes do the dance. Add the husk, add the drawl, which he doesn't have to force, it comes naturally. The girl stutters.

"Are .. are you n-new here?"

"Yeah. Just moved from California." He should probably go easier on her, so he stops with the lashes.

"Oh, California? Wow. Uhm .. I'm Vicky. This is Tina."

"I'm Billy."

"Hi, Billy. Nice to meet you." Tina's joining in.

"The pleasure is all mine."

Billy can feel that practically all the girls' eyes in the lunch hall are on them.

"We wanted to ask you if you're free next Saturday cause I'm throwing a party. You know, the beginning of senior year. Uhm .. you are a senior, right?"

"Why, do I look like a freshman to you?"

Both girls are giggling. Billy knows how to party, so he's gonna say

"Yeah, I'm free next Saturday."

"Okay, great!" Vicky would be clapping her hands now if not for the tray. "I'll catch you later for the details?"

"Sure. Thanks for the invite, gorgeous."

Gorgeous is an exaggeration, but Billy always aims to please the ladies.

"See you around, Billy."

Tina is whispering something in Vicky's ear, and they again giggle sweetly, walking away.

Billy notices later that the dark-haired one, Tina, apparently is taken, cause a tall athletic-looking guy is hugging her and kissing her on the lips. He throws Billy a glance like a warning to stay away from his girl.

Noted. Billy's aware of the no trespassing signs.

Trespassing is super fun and risky, but it has to be really worth it.

Billy sips cola from a can and looks around the place absentmindedly. A usual scene, nothing extraordinary. There are guys from the basketball team, nerds, geeks, loners, all types of kids.

He misses being at his school in San Diego like crazy, sitting together with his buddies, listening to their stories about the summer, making plans for the year.

Fuck you, dad. I didn't want to move. I liked the way things were, but you just had to do it, didn’t you? Had to fuck up my last school year, the last year I'm under your roof and control.

Billy's eyes land on that jock who he's seen in the parking lot, again surrounded by the same company, a frail girl with brown hair, his girlfriend obviously, although ... something seems to be wrong there. Billy might be a dumb teenager but he's pretty good at reading people and the situation. He'd give them a couple of months, three tops. The other couple? The guy with freckles and his bitchy half, the one who's been flashing interested looks at Billy across the hall now and earlier in the parking lot? These two are solid, you can tell right away, despite his girlfriend's alluring glances.

If he puts a little effort into it, he'll be fine here. Even if he doesn't, he'll still be fine.

***

Or not. Jesus fucking christ. These small-town morons can't play basketball, like at all. He gets to know Tommy and Andy and Roy and other guys from the team during their first practice. Coach Nelson shows a spark of interest in Billy when he hears California. He doesn't seem super excited to be back to work at the beginning of the new school year, but who would, with this bunch of losers.

That stuck-up polo shirt guy is apparently captain of the team. Steve Harrington.

Give me a fucking break. More like a pretty bitch, busy styling his hair ninety percent of his time. Captain, my ass.

After the introduction and a long warm-up coach splits them up into two teams. Skins and shirts, let's go. Billy takes his shirt off and feels proud of his sculpted tanned body. Fucking superior. Everyone here definitely needs some sunshine and work outs. How uninteresting. No wonder the honeys are already throwing themselves at Billy, with such a gloomy landscape to look at. They play for like ten minutes and Billy is trying his best not to destroy the other team completely. Like, he's trying his hardest to let other guys show what they've got but

They haven't got much.

Faaantastic. Guess he'll glow here as well, like the bright ray of motherfucking sunshine that he is.

He can see that while the others are mostly looking at him in awe, as if he was some NBA super star, the captain? Steve .. what? Hair-rington? Ooohh, the captain is pissed, even though he's doing his best not to show it. That bratty curve of his lips says everything without words. Billy can feel the vicious energy here — the dislike, the jealousy? Something's definitely off, and Billy thinks there will come a time when the rich boy's gonna have to meet his fists.

Well, you better learn how to play, sucker, and hold that attitude back, or you'll get your ass handed to you for the whole fucking year.

The coach is whistling.

"You see, boys? That's how they play in California! Hargrove, you said, right? Billy Hargrove?"

Billy is nodding while going off to the showers. The skins have won, of fucking course. He has won.

With the amount of time Billy has spent on the streets playing basketball? He'll wipe the floor with these snotty idiots. Every damn game.

The idiots don't seem to mind that much. Only one is boring a hole in his back during the shower. What the fuck is his problem. If he's got a huge dick, which he does, he thinks he's king of the world? Billy's not small himself, so. Just learn to play the game, asshole, and maybe the attitude is not gonna be an issue. All the boys, even Tina's boyfriend, Andy, are like "Go Tigers" and "Maybe now we're actually gonna win some fucking matches", but the captain still hasn't said a word to Hargrove, which is very strange.

Tommy, the freckled dude? He's all over Billy. Asks him if he's gonna be at the party on Saturday. You wanna be best friends with me?

I don't think so.

***

Max is on time for the pick-up after her classes, and thank fuck for that, because Billy is not in the mood to be having siblings squabbles right now. He's speeding again, but just a teeny tiny bit. Still needs to find out the whole police situation here. Bets they have a very stern sheriff patrolling the roads.

"First day okay?" He's muttering through clenched teeth.

What the fuck is wrong with him? Does he want to talk to her? No. Then why the fuck?

"Fine."

"Anyone gave you shit?"

"No. Everyone seems friendly."

Alright, Billy's just checking. He couldn't care less about what's happening in the red-haired dweeb's life.

She's not his sister.

***

When Neil gets home, they all gather for family dinner. Neil likes it that way. Billy hates it with all his heart.

"How was your first school day, son?"

"It was good, dad."

Oops.

"Sir."

"I expect you to be on your best behavior here, do you hear me?"

When the fuck am I not on my best behavior.

"Of course, sir. I understand."

That's it, that's the conversation. Susan then asks Max about her day and Billy zones out. He hopes they aren't gonna sit at the table together every fucking day. Back in San Diego such dinners happened, but thankfully not every evening. Neil had different shifts, and Billy always tried to sneak away to shoot some hoops or go to the beach. It's been a week of such numbing dinners already, and Billy truly hopes he'll find an out.

He helps Susan with the dishes, and goes to his room. They already have some homework, not right for tomorrow but he can do it now since there's nothing else to do in this fucking town anyways. He's gonna ace all of his subjects if it goes on like that.

When Billy gets under the blanket and closes his eyes, he hears the ocean waves whispering their magic on the beach sand. It lulls him to sleep, and Billy dreams of the hot asphalt and the sun burning down on him. He's driving around in swim shorts and a tank top, cigarette between the lips, music blasting, flip flops on his feet and sand in his car.

Free.

***

In the next couple of days, Billy is already sitting with the guys from the basketball team during lunch, surrounded by Vicky, Laura, Katie, Tina, all the prime ladies of Hawkins High.

He can do absolute fine without all the attention, but if it's coming to him that easy, why not take advantage of it?

Billy wants to call his friend Nick so bad, but interstate calls are fucking expensive, and Neil is definitely gonna be mad when he sees the phone bill.

Billy has some cash saved from his San Diego jobs, but that's like ... for emergencies, until he finds a job here. Dad gives him an allowance, mostly because he drives Max around, well, and lunch at school, but that's it. Susan sometimes slips him a couple of bucks extra for gas, Billy spends it on cigarettes and beer. He thinks it's her way of saying sorry. For not seeing the problem. Whatever.

Billy needs a job. Needs to ask around. He'll get to it, soon.

*** Steve's pov

Steve is actually feeling pretty good at the start of the year. He's got a girl, his friends, this is his last year at Hawkins High which he is King of. He's a senior now, so he's got serious stuff on his mind like graduation and applying to colleges which, he fears, is not gonna go that smooth, but anyways, he's feeling good. Okay, the accident with Barb was terrible and it weighs him down, and Nancy sulks sometimes too much or gets in a mood, but hey, where was his fault in that? Exactly. It's not like he killed the girl. No-one knows what happened. It's creepy as fuck and Steve has never swum in his pool alone since that time, but nobody knows exactly what really went down in his backyard that night. Maybe she'd wandered off and got kidnapped by a maniac in the woods. The police have no clue. Steve doesn't either.

Steve can see that his friends still don't like his girlfriend, and she doesn't like them, but it's fine for now, they tolerate each other. He doesn't know how long it'll last though.

Anyways, he needs to focus on what's important this year. His parents have been nagging him with endless questions about his future - that is, when they are around. Steve's best shot is at a sports scholarship, he's not only King here, he's also captain of the Hawkins Tigers. They aren't a very prominent team, that's true, but .. the title is still his.

There's one little thing that's been on his mind for a few days already, and it's a bit of an annoyance. Like a splinter you catch by accident and then it poisons your entire existence until you take it out. That new guy, Hargrove or something. Steve doesn't like him. He plays basketball too well, he's smart and has all the girls spun around his finger, he looks too good. Other guys seem to like him. Steve doesn't get it why they do. He's a show-off, a fucking nobody. An exotic thing, who soon will stop being so interesting. Until then, Steve will have to put up with his bullshit, but the problem is, it’s been a week of school and he's already had enough. Hawkins High doesn't need a guy like Hargrove. It's got its current King, and Steve wants to be crowned at prom. He's studied in this school all twelve fucking years, so that's his god given right. There's a potential danger in Hargrove, like he just might ruin Steve's game, and that's not what he needs this year.

He doesn't like the dude. The mullet is atrocious. There's something in his whole look and his entire being that just puts Steve off. It's annoying, like an irritating itch.

***

The party at Vicky's place is loud and buzzing with all the summer energy that's still left in everyone's veins, multiplied by the last year of school drive. The doors of the house never close, it's a warm evening, and people are going in for a shot of excitement and deafening music, and out for a breath of fresh air. There's no keg, cause Vicky's cousin promised to get her one, but something went wrong, and he didn't deliver. The hostess is devastated, however, the hiccup turns out to be less of a problem than Vicky imagines it to be and is soon forgotten. People get drunk anyways. Punch saves the party. The crowd still needs some kind of a show though, so at some point Tommy shouts he's gonna arm wrestle Hargrove, and the entertainment begins. Everyone gathers round the dining room table.

Steve's with Nancy, sipping punch and watching how the new guy easily beats Tommy, Roy, Rick, Andy, Kevin, Johnny, Adam and Ryan. Against his will Steve has to agree that Hargrove looks good. He's wearing dark blue jeans and a black button down. His chest is out in the open, the right side of the shirt is tucked into those tight jeans while the left one is hanging loose. The pendant on his tanned chest is glistening. His mullet is a wild mess, like he didn't even brush it after getting out of bed in the morning.

Steve always styles his hair.

"King Steve!!" Tommy's drunkenly hollering. "King Steve, everyone!" and the crowd joins him.

Nancy is rolling her eyes, slightly, but Steve sees it.

"Promise me you'll take me home after this?"

"Why, you don't want to stay?"

"I'd rather study. We have this big project in Chemistry coming up."

"Are you sure?"

"Steeeeve. You know I don't really like all of," - she's gesturing around - "this."

God, she's always like that. Okay, Steve's happy he's with her, but why can't she just have a little bit of fun?

"Yeah .. Yeah of course, I'll drive you."

Nancy is looking at the red plastic cup of punch he's holding. There's a question, but Steve has been expecting this look all along

"Don't worry, it's just my first one, and I'm not drinking anymore."

Steve puts the cup down.

Tommy is already putting his arm around his shoulders

"Listen, man, the guy is crazy strong..." Tommy's punch scented breath is all in Steve's face. "You gotta show him that Hawkins still got it. You're our last hope. Whip his ass!"

Steve gets dragged to the table where Hargrove is waiting for his next opponent.

Harrington sits down opposite him. He can see that Hargrove's more drunk than he is, it's in the glint of his eyes. Deep blue.

Why is he paying attention to the colour of this asshole's eyes, anyways.

Hargrove's elbow is already on the table, expectant.

He's not saying anything and Steve's silent as well.

He puts his left arm on the field, and the battle begins.

Hargrove's hand is warm, hot even, and dry. Steve's slightly embarrassed cause his hands are just a bit sweaty, and getting sweatier under Hargrove's hard stare. The dude's grip is like iron.

Fuck, it's impossible to win, but Steve's trying, putting all of his body strength into the push. Hargrove's immovable and there's a disgusting smirk on his face

"The King doesn't like losing?"

"Fuck you."

With one swift motion Billy brings Steve's arm down. The crowd is whooping, Tommy's going insane.

"No, loser. Fuck you."

Billy's standing up and yelling.

"Anyone else?"

The guys are laughing, shaking heads and clinging to their alcohol. The party goes on, Vicky comes up to Billy, all flustered and touching his bicep. Harrington can't hear their conversation, but he knows it's something stupid like Wooow. Oh my god, Billy? .. You're sooo strong.

Lift me up with your strong arms and carry me upstairs.

Something like that.

Steve remembers about his promise to Nancy, and searches for her in the crowd.

***

He comes back about half an hour later to see the same scene, only everybody's more drunk. The majority of people are dancing, some have gone upstairs. Steve's gonna miss these stupid teenage parties. He should also throw one this year, for old times' sake.

Hargrove is nowhere to be seen. Steve thinks he's already slipping his dirty paws in Vicky's panties in her room, but then he sees Vicky all sad and disappointed near Tina who's trying to console her friend. Turns out, Hargrove ditched the party early, sending all the girls' hopes down the drain. Harrington is slightly amused. The Californian beach boy needs to get in bed in time for his beauty sleep? Who does he think he is, really, playing hard to get?

*** mixed povs

God knows what has gotten into him, but on Monday, at the beginning of History class Harrington sticks his foot out when Hargrove's passing him on the way to his desk. Just to mess with the Californian macho man. Maybe he's gonna trip and make an ass of himself. For funsies.

The asshole pays attention though, and sees it. Stops.

"Get your foot out of my way, dickhead."

"If it's in your way, I dunno ..." - Steve's shrugging his shoulders. "Just step over it."

Billy is aware that the entitled polo-wearing piece of Indiana cowshit wanted him to trip. What kind of kindergarten game is that? Are you for real? Dumbass.

He grabs Steve by the collar and gets closer to his pretty boy face.

"Mr. Hargrove!! The lesson is in progress."

Shit.

"Oh? I'm sorry, Mrs. Jenkins."

Mrs. Jenkins is as old as the first Pilgrim who stepped on the blessed new land.

"Just some trash on the floor. Must teach the kids to pick up after themselves."

He lets go of the collar and pats Steve's shoulder. Kicks Harrington's foot out of the way so hard it hurts.

Tommy is grinning like an idiot. The whole class is watching.

Billy takes a seat.

"I apologize for the interruption, ma'm. You have my undivided attention."

Shows Steve the middle finger the moment the teacher turns away to the blackboard.

Mother.

Fucker.

Harrington is fuming. It's like he doesn't have enough problems already.

***

Chapter 3