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nikethestatue · 5 months

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A Match Baked In Heaven

Chapter IX

Too Afraid to Love You

Piglet has never been handled so roughly or with so much indignity. But despite his protests and super threatening growls, which could scare anyone, Elain didn’t even care. She jammed him into a doggy carrier, or what could be called a backpack with holes, and then threw on her jacket, while sliding into her trainers. She swung the carrier over her shoulder and then tugged the loops over her arms. Piglet was shoved face first into the mop of her hair, and he was of mind to maybe bite her, but he didn’t. But he was so mad, he couldn’t even look at her, so he just sat in his backpack with holes, and bounced about, while she ran down the street. He still considered biting her on the ear perhaps, but he couldn’t reach it. So his plan went to naught. But he was very angry with her, especially because she was running! Running. She didn’t run. But here she was, her feet slapping on the pavement loudly, while she jerked and jostled him in this abominable contraption. It’s like she didn’t even care! She didn’t care about his comfort and well-being. Not ever since dad came into her life. Not that he didn’t love dad–dad was the best, but still. Piglet was still important, and he felt that he did many incredible things for Elain, and she needed to think about them.

Piglet considered everything that Elain should’ve acknowledged and be grateful for. Did he not bring her fun things from the street? Shiny wrappers, dead squirrels, empty packets of things unknown? Didn’t that count for something? And how he sometimes woke her up at 7:09 am, even though his breakfast was at 7:02 am! He cared. He cared so much, he let her sleep an extra seven minutes! All all those late night walks, where he definitely, absolutely sensed serial killers in the bushes, and he was ready to protect her. Where was his ‘thank you’? All those go-potty-serial-killer-men-in-the-bushes that he was so vigilant about and ready to deliver a deadly strike at. And, he also always met and gave his seal of approval to all the random people that came to the office. He met them and he introduced himself, and he was polite, but he was also very vigilant, as usual. He didn’t even like anyone, except for two people, and one of them was dad anyway. And the other one was the big bloke that came with dad. The big bloke was alright too–he wanted paw and Piglet shook with him.

Oh…

Well then. At least Elain brought him to the butchers’. He loved this place. And they always gave him treats too. So, maybe he’d find it in himself to forgive her.

“Miss Elain, ‘morning!”

“Morning, Jack. How are you?”

“Working hard. How’s the matchmaking business?”

“Booming.”

“That right? Well, not surprising. Those Gen Xers don’t know how to talk to other humans, so they need all the help that they can get.”

Elain laughed, “You aren’t wrong.”

“How can I help? What would you like?”

“Chicken, please.”

Elain Archeron was a proper lady. She was of good stock, a fine beauty, polite and she knew her meat. She was one to keep traditions, and she patronised private businesses in the neighbourhood. People around here liked her. She was an integral part of the community.

“Piglet, how are you in that rucksack?” the butcher chuckled, as he weighed the chicken pieces.

“He is not very happy, but I am in a hurry,” Elain admitted.

“A romantic date for you then?” Jack joked, as he wrapped the chicken in paper, and then filled a bag with chicken feet and necks–Piglet’s favourites.

To his surprise, the pretty matchmaker got all red in the face and quickly waved her card over the reader, as she grabbed her packages.

“Something like that,” she muttered.

“Ahh well then. Good luck with that. Hope the fella treats you well, Miss.”

“He does,” she confirmed.

“Bye Piglet,” Jack called out. “Take care of Miss Elain and keep her safe.”

I always do Piglet snorted indignantly.

Piglet alerted Elain that Azriel was coming. Nowadays, she had no doubts about what was to happen–if her dog began going crazy by the door, she knew that Azriel was nearby.

And Elain was…excited.

It’s only been 3 days, barely, since he came to cook for her and her sisters, and she was excited to see Azriel. She was also very concerned about his injury and his general well-being, and needed to see him with her eyes and ensure that he was actually okay.

She’s been pacing for an hour, aimlessly cleaning all the counters, and while Piglet was able to go downstairs and hang out in the library room, and by ‘hang out’ she meant sleep, snoring loudly, she couldn’t do the same. She was thinking, her head aching from all the intrusive thoughts, which were mostly about Azriel Night. And she wished she didn’t have to think quite so much, but all she could imagine and think of was him here, in this space, with her, where he seemed to belong. And she didn’t know what to make of it. She didn’t know why he consumed her and why she wanted to care for him, and why she worried about him, and why she wanted to cry when he held Piglet, and why she was proud of how he treated her sisters and how kind he’s been to all of them.

Therefore, when the knock came, she was already waiting. And she didn’t even care if she seemed overly eager and borderline desperate. She needed to see him. She almost ripped the door off the hinges, since she pulled it so hard.

Azriel was pale, dressed in a black windbreaker, black Adidas trainers and black joggers. He was a far cry from the usual confident and cocky Azriel, the football superstar. He was wearing a hood, but his black hair stuck to his forehead, and his shoulders seemed to stoop.

“Hey gorgeous girl,” he smiled at her, his eyes widening a bit when he beheld her. “May I come in?”

Elain shook her head and then took him by the hand and drew him inside, while muttering, “it’s like inviting a vampire into your house…”

Azriel smiled and then threaded his fingers with hers, while picking up Piglet with his other hand. The pug was quiet, but happy. He put his big round head on Azriel’s shoulder and sighed contently, while murmuring and singing something under his breath.

“Cassian said that he cried,” Azriel said softly, watching Elain, who looked…scrumptious. She was wearing a loose knit jumper, little knit shorts, and knit knee highs, which ended just above her knee. He was trying to avert his eyes, but who was he kidding? Those soft, pale thighs were the death of him. He was obsessed with her figure on any day, but this…well, this was a very special and a very delightful present for him.

“You spoke with Cassian?” Elain asked quickly, as she blushed and lowered her eyes. Azriel gently pulled her to him and she was forced to stand in front of him, as he towered over her, while she stubbornly looked down at the floor.

“I have. He rung and told me that you were ‘spewing fire and brimstone’–his words–and told me that Pink cried because he was so upset when I took a tumble,”

“TOOK A TUMBLE!!??” Elain cried out, “are you kidding me?! You were pushed and I thought your leg was broken! That’s how it looked on the telly,”

“And then you rang me like eleven times and messaged me another six?” he smirked like an asshole, and Elain made to pull her hand away, huffing with anger and embarrassment.

“Leave me alone,” she hissed. “Why are you even here?”

He shrugged indifferently,

“Suppose I wanted to be with my favourite person. And my favourite dog.”

“As if I am your favourite person…” Elain even rolled her eyes, but the flush of her skin told Azriel everything he needed to know. She liked it. She liked the compliment. No matter what she said and how far she rolled her eyes, she liked being his favourite person.

“You are. And besides, you want me here,” he told her, and his fingers squeezing hers tighter.

“The cheek of you is unbelievable,” she complained, annoyed and looking absolutely adorable. All her huffing and indignation were offset by her sublimely sexy outfit and the endless blushes on her cheeks. “I don’t want you here,”

“I wasn’t the one who was blowing up the phone,” he commented innocently, burying his nose in Piglet’s neck.

“I was simply inquiring after your well-being!” she yelled. “It was nothing more! I was being polite. I think it’s quite normal for a person to reach out and inquire after someone’s health, when they are injured or ill!”

“And I appreciate that more than you can imagine,” Azriel said gently, and then lifted her hand to his face, to his mouth. “And Cassian demanded to know why I haven’t put a ring on this pretty finger yet?” With that, he pressed his lips to her ring finger, and she gulped loudly, unable to respond. What the hell was happening? Why would Cassian ask something so absurd? Both of these brothers were completely bonkers.

Azriel continued, unperturbed, “and you know what I told him? Not yet, but I will.”

Elain’s saucer-like eyes flickered with its warm brown light. She seemed both shocked, and mollified by his words. But…

The sheer dominance of him. The presumption. The proprietary ownership.

He displayed no hesitation. And his confidence wasn’t arrogant, but just annoyingly self-assured. As if he decided that this was going to be the way, and he was going to make it so. Like she was his.

“Mr. Night!” Elain growled at him. “Every single time. Every. Single. Time. We’ve been together you told me that you will marry me,”

“Which I will,” he concurred confidently.

“No you will not! This is abnormal behaviour. You cannot tell me things like these!”

“Well, that’s where you are mistaken, gorgeous girl. See, if a man tells a woman that he will marry her–at any point in their association–that just means that he will. He set his eyes on her. He is now a hunter. And he will hunt her until she is his. Until she bears his young,”

“Ew. What?!” Elain winced, grossed out.

He laughed.

“It is what it is, Ms. Archeron.”

“I am not marrying you,” she declared.

He only shrugged.

“We’ll see.”

“Nothing to see. I am not your type,” she reminded him.

“You grew on me,” he parried.

“Like a rash?”

“Like a wart.”

“Wonderful. You can go now,” she jerked her shoulder towards the door, by which they were still loitering.

“Mmm, no, I don’t think I will,” he decided, and began to remove his jacket, though it was a tricky thing to do, since Piglet just snuggled closely to him and wouldn’t budge.

Elain gave an exaggerated sigh and tugged on Azriel’s sleeve, to help him take off his jacket.

“Did my boy really cry?” Azriel asked again, stroking Piglet’s back.

“He did,” she nodded. “He didn’t like seeing you hurt.”

Azriel’s sharp, usually severe, if beautiful face, suddenly melted into a loving smile and he hugged the pug closer to his chest.

“Why is he not looking at me? Is he sad and angry?” he worried.

Elain lightly patted Piglet’s head and said, “No. He is super happy. That’s how he gets when he is very happy. Quiet and still.

“If he was mad, you’d know it,”

“Oh yeah?” Azriel grinned, “What would he do?”

“He’d give you the biggest side eye in history and would not interact, and wouldn’t look at you.” She chuckled to herself and then recalled, “Once, he had an…” she cleared her throat and half whispered, “anal abscess.”

“What. The. Fuck?” Azriel’s mouth fell open.

“Hmmm, yeah,” Elain opened her hands helplessly. “I took him to the vet, and…well…they probed. And they had to go in kinda deep. He was not a fan.”

“I am absolutely not surprised that he wasn’t a fan!” Azriel agreed, trying to stifle his laughter, while stroking Piglet’s back soothingly.

“So they gave him some antibiotics and an ointment and then when I took him home–and mind you, he refused to walk, so I had to carry him for like four miles–he wouldn’t look at me the entire time. When we came home, he went to his bed and wouldn’t move or pay me any heed. As if I was the one who fingered him in the butt.”

“Let me stop you right here, matchmaker,” Azriel raised his hand.

Elain stopped abruptly and looked at him with expectation.

“Nowhere in my life, not since I’ve met you, did I ever expect to hear the words ‘fingered him in the butt’ or ‘anal abscess’ come out of your mouth! This is some kind of parallel universe I am in right now.”

She laughed at that. Then asked,

“Still want to have a dog? Because I had to put the ointment on him. In there.”

Azriel sighed, considering her words, and then nodded decisively.

“Still want him. And you. And I can finger both of your butts, if that’s what it comes to,” he promised.

The expression on Elain’s face told him enough, so that he quickly wrapped his arm around her waist and murmured, “Don’t faint, matchy. It’s okay. I am not offering to do it right this minute. Unless…”

“I will break your other leg!!!” Elain screeched, burying her face in her hands.

He burst out laughing, and then reminded her, “Hey, that’s not fair. I am injured!”

“I will injure you further if you won’t close your awful mouth right this minute!!!”

Azriel was laughing, until he started coughing, whole body wracked by his loud heaving.

Elain sighed dramatically, and said, “come on then, let’s go”. She tugged him into the informal family room, which lay across from the kitchen. It was a nice space–reeking of Elain-like cosiness. A comfortable sectional sofa, without frills, but obviously expensive, and as Azriel sunk into it, exceptionally well-cushioned. He almost crawled into the couchette side of the sofa and lay his head back, exhaling heavily. This was nice. Across from the sofa was a fireplace, with actual logs and an actual fire. The smell was delightful and the warmth substantial. There was a TV, which was turned to some cookery show. A corner was dedicated to built-in bookshelves, and there was a plush armchair there–he figured probably Elain’s favourite corner.

He kept coughing, feeling sweaty, and then suddenly chilled, even next to a roaring fire. Elain was mutely shaking her head, while Pinky licked his neck affably, comforting him.

“Thanks matey,” Azriel whispered, huffing like an asthmatic.

“You are completely totally ill!” Elain was muttering angrily under her breath, as she opened a chest and pulled out a throw. She came over and then pressed her palm to his forehead. Azriel smiled. It was such a tried and true ‘mom move’ and not for the first time he thought of what a wonderful mother she’d make to their children. Not for the first time he imagined her gorgeous curvaceous body carrying life, carrying his seed, morphing into something supple and even more beautiful.

“You are hot!” she declared.

He smirked and winked at her, “I know, baby.”

“No, I mean, you are hot hot,” she tried and he only nodded.

“You don’t need to pay me compliments, but if you insist…”

“Oh lord!” she exclaimed. “You are incorrigible. I am not paying you compliments. You are hot. Your body is hot.”

He only grinned at her, and lightly drew his knuckles over her cheek.

“Don’t worry. You are hot too,” he comforted her. “But you are right–my body is hot. If you’d like to see more of it, with a lot less clothes, you only have to say the words…”

“Mr. Night,” she growled at him, crossing her arms on her chest. “You are not attempting to harass me while you are burning up with a fever, are you?”

“Harass? No. I would call it ‘wooing’,” he told her, his insufferable smile still curving his lips. “But I am also attempting to stop you from constantly calling me Mr. Night. Can we move to Azriel?”

“Absolutely not!” she tucked the throw around him somewhat aggressively. “Also if this is your wooing, then it needs a lot of work!”

“Never had any complaints,” he shrugged.

“I guess the standards in an orgy are pretty low,” she snapped, and Azriel couldn’t help himself and laughed out loud. This girl’s tongue was sharper than a blade. She never failed to answer him and he loved it!

He rubbed his chin and explained,

“Just because I am a gentleman, doesn’t mean that I can’t fuck you like a savage. I am just balanced like that.”

As usual, Elain’s eyes popped open, because the girl squirmed and clutched her pearls at any sexual innuendo. Azriel liked unsettling her, but he also treaded carefully, and didn’t push too far or too hard.

“Are you comfortable?” she asked then, her expression softening just a fraction. Piglet crawled onto Azriel’s torso and made himself comfortable on his chest, tucking his blunt round head under Azriel’s chin. It was a good thing too, because the dog was nice and warm, and a bit heavy. Like a weighted blanket.

“Very,” Azriel assured her, and then brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. She looked down at him and then lightly drew her finger over a lock of his hair. “Thank you. Thank you for everything, Ms. Archeron.”

“You are welcome, Mr. Night. But you should’ve stayed home, in bed, and not exposed yourself to the elements to get here.”

He was quiet for a long time and then quietly, his voice barely audible, said, “What if this is the only home I want to be at?”

Elain sighed and offered him a small smile.

“I will make you a cuppa and,”

“With lemon and sugar,” he added quickly.

“Obviously. And then you can sleep a little.”

“You sure?”

“Well, I am not going to throw you out on the street if that’s what you are asking.”

He patted Piglet’s back and said, “Pink stays here. And I won’t anally violate him,” he gave her a meaningful look, “unlike some people.”

“Oh god, I shouldn’t have told you about that,” Elain lamented and he chuckled, nodding. “Probably not,” he agreed. Then, offering his best puppy eyes he inquired, “no chance of a little kiss?”

“That would be a definitive NO,” she threw sternly. “Besides, you want to give me your illness?”

“Couples who ill together stay together,” he tried.

“We are not a couple, and you are clearly delirious from your cold. Also, people don’t ‘ill’ together!”

Naturally, the moment Piglet senses that Elain was going to the kitchen, he jumped off Azriel and forgot about him, excited at the prospect of a treat.

Azriel sank deeper into the sofa, missing Pinky’s warmth, but Elain’s thoughtful throw kept him from shivering. God, he felt like shite. It’s been a while since he felt this bad, but this was the first time in his life when he didn’t actually mind it. Of course the chills and the chest congestion weren’t his favourite, but he was with his Elain and she was taking care of him, and that was enough.

Piglet was begging loudly, ‘wfff wwww waf fawww’ his voice high pitched and sounding kind of…human. Azriel had read somewhere that a smart dog is mentally equivalent to a two year old child, and now he was seeing that to be true. Being with Pinky was like having a somewhat hyper, perpetually hungry, narcoleptic toddler, who fell asleep in random places with no warning, wanted to play all the time, gave no opportunity for privacy and wanted to be the centre of attention at all times. He also refused to walk whenever he wanted, and sure enough, someone would readily carry him.

“Hold on,” Elain cautioned him, “let me make Az some tea.”

Az.

Az!

Az?

AZzzzz!!!

Azriel perked up on the sofa, listening closely. She actually called him–Az??? That’s what she called him in her head? She thought of him as ‘Az’? Not a lot of people called him that–Cassian, some of his veteran teammates, his cousin Rhys, but that’s about it. And now his girl used his private nickname, which just threw him into a tailspin inside his head.

Wahhwaaa-bark-wahawwf

Pinky responded impatiently.

“Okay, I’ll get you some treats,” Elain decided, her voice quiet, making sure she didn’t disturb Azriel, “but why don’t you run upstairs and bring your baby, so you can share with Az.”

Pinky snorted and Azriel watched him from his spot, as the pug took off down the hallway and then there was some grunting and plops leading up the stairs. Elain meanwhile brought him a cup of tea, with a small plate of lemon and ginger cakes, and a couple of pills.

“Here,” she muttered awkwardly. “It’s very hot.”

Azriel accepted the cup, and smiled at her, “thank you, matchy.”

“Do you ever run out of nicknames?” she wondered, as she sat on the edge of the sofa.

“Usually, yes. For you, no,” he told her, as he sipped his tea. It was perfect–tart from the lemon and sweet from the sugar.

“How’s your leg?” she asked, seeing as he winced when he shifted.

“Ehhh, a little fucked up, but I’ll live. They put a brace on it. That’s why I couldn’t respond to you–I was getting an MRI, and all kinds of X-rays and all that boring shite. Don’t think that I was ignoring you, beautiful.”

“Are you in pain?”

“Are you gonna kiss it all better?” he smirked at her, as he took another sip of his tea.

“Unlikely,” Elain rolled her eyes.

“If your leg was hurt, I’d kiss it better,” he immediately told her with a hurt expression.

“Yeah, I feel like you’d want to kiss more than just my leg,” she scoffed and Azriel shrugged innocently.

“Do you blame me?”

“Take the pills,” she ordered in her no nonsense tone.

“Yes, ma’am,” he obliged. “What are these? Are you gonna roofie me so you can have your way with me?”

“Gah. Why? Seems like you are willing and ready to have your way with me without the roofies!”

“True, true, but,”

At that moment, Piglet trotted back from his lair, his plushy baby in his teeth.

“Did you bring it for daddy?” Elain gushed, realising a second too late what she said and what Azriel heard.

Her face was a mask of horror.

Panicking, she began to mumble, “no, no, I mean…for Az…You brough Puglet for Az, right? For Mr. Night.”

Azriel was chewing the inside of his cheek, trying not to laugh out loud.

Quickly, she turned to him and said, “Mr. Night, this is not what I meant!”

“What did you not mean, Ms. Archeron?”

“I did not mean to call you that.”

“You don’t want me to be your daddy?” he finally let go and burst out laughing. Piglet looked between the two of them with his dark buggy eyes and gave an equivalent of a shrug, as he tossed his baby at Azriel.

“Is that for me?” Azriel took the toy and said, “thank you, baby boy.”

Elain jumped up, clearly grateful for the distraction, and beckoned Piglet after her. “Come on, treat time!” she cried overly-enthusiastically.

“This conversation isn’t over, matchy! I know you’re trying to weasel out of it, but come on ‘daddy’?”

“It was a mistake!!” she called out over her shoulder, while Piglet wiggled his arse, following her back to the kitchen.

“I don’t think so,” Azriel sang back, as he bit into the delicate little cake. This girl sure knew how to bake!

“Can I at least be a baby daddy?!” he requested.

“Ohmygod!” she moaned.

“I’ll make us a couple. Well, four. I’ll make us four.”

“Noooo!”

Waaaff waaaww wah hawww Piglet let himself be known, screeching loudly.

“Okay, you can have a whole banana or a piece of cheese,” Elain offered.

That did not go over well. There was dangerous growling, and demanding yips and pathetic howls. Piglet did not like making choices. He clearly wanted both.

“Ow, stop it…no, you can’t have both,” Elain scolded him, as Azriel listened and laughed. This was everything. This was his life. His best life. He was obsessed.

“The doctor said that you need to be on a diet,” Elain reminded her rowdy dog, who did not care at all. “And look, the banana is bigger, and you can have more of it. And it’s tasty too,” she was convincing him. Whether she was successful, Azriel wasn’t sure.

A couple of minutes later, Piglet arrived back to Azriel’s sofa, holding a banana in his teeth. He wasn’t looking particularly happy, but Azriel picked him up and sat him at his side, breaking small pieces of banana and feeding it to him.

“That’s right, my boy. Daddy, DA-DD-Y,” he yelled obnoxiously, “will feed you. Maybe will sneak some cheese in when ma isn’t looking,”

“Don’t you dare!” Elain warned, “he is supposed to be on a diet. You’ll lose pug privileges.”

“No way!”

…Elain’s voice woke Azriel up from his slumber. Whatever she gave him had knocked him out pretty well. He slept like the dead and even now, he was still out of it. The dog was snoring next to him and Elain was pacing in the kitchen, doing something. But it was her voice that woke him up. She was talking on the phone. He didn't want to eavesdrop but he couldn’t help overhearing what she was saying, especially because her tone was urgent and unhappy.

“Are you serious?” she demanded of whoever was on the other line. “Isn’t that excessive?”

“...Okay, I understand, but five months?”

Azriel moved quietly on the sofa, tugging the throw to his chin, feeling like he would never be able to move from here ever again, yet the fact that his girl was clearly displeased with some motherfucker made him want to fight.

Whoever she was talking to went on some long rant, while she listened patiently.

“Okay, I get it,” she said at last, her tone clipped, “but really? My birthday? Christmas?”

More talking.

“Eris–I am sorry to tell you, but this is what people do for each other!! Even when it’s inconvenient! Did I love flying to Beijing for 11 hours? Just so I can spend a week in the hotel room, when you didn’t make any time to be with me? To even show me around the city,”

“I don’t care that you had meetings! I flew there, to be with you. I left Piglet and my clients, just to see you, and,”

“Yes! He does matter to me. He is my dog, and I,”

“Don’t be ridiculous, I don’t love him more than you! But I am beginning to wonder if you love your high-flying job more than me?!”

“That’s a lot of words, but I don’t see any action,” she snapped. “I am not asking you to do anything unreasonable! You can come here, spend my birthday with me, then it’s going to be Christmas–”

“Okay, so what if it’s Feyre’s birthday too? It’s not going to interfere with any of our plans. Also, she is my sister. She is turning 25. I think I am allowed to be with my sisters on that day. Though no one said that you weren’t invited,”

“Well, I am sorry you don’t feel comfortable in the bohemian crowd! You don’t have to come, if it’s such a burden to you, but you can’t expect me to miss her birthday. Besides, we will be going out to a restaurant…”

“Moroccan”

“I am sure you can find something to eat there! It’s basic food–meat and rice pilaf and salads!”

“No, not Ethiopian–it’s Moroccan. No, it’s not going to give you diarrhoea!!!”

Azriel stifled a laugh at that. Poor Elain. Also, this Eris bloke didn’t know the difference between Ethiopia and Morocco.

“Fine. You don’t like kabobs. Whatever.”

Who the fuck didn’t like kabobs? They were delicious! Azriel thought.

After a long pause, where he assumed Elain was listening to the man, she said with a sigh,

“So you are certain? You won’t be coming for Christmas?”

“Okay. I can’t make you. But I will also tell you this–I won’t be Penelope,”

Who the heck was Penelope?

“Look it up!” Elain snarled.

Apparently Eris also didn’t know who Penelope was.

Azriel discreetly reached into his pocket and took out his phone, before Googling ‘Penelope’. No, not Cruz.

“Penelope, wife of Odysseus, Queen of Ithaca… She waited twenty years for Odysseus' return…”

Oh. Well, then.

Meanwhile, Elain said icily,

“No, I don’t think that I am being unreasonable. If I want my so-called boyfriend to come home to England for my birthday, and for Christmas and New Year’s, instead of staying in freakin’ China, then no, it doesn’t make me unreasonable. It’s entirely up to you what you do, I’ve said my piece.”

“Forgive me, Eris, if I find it hard to believe that you’ve been faithful to me for five months…and the four months before…”

“Whatever you say. Goodbye. Sure. We’ll talk later…Sure. When I cool off.”

Azriel wanted to say something. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn’t feel right infringing on her private life. He assumed that Eris was the ginger bloke. Stupid, for leaving his woman like that. Unattended and unsatisfied. Azriel wouldn’t make the same mistake.

He’d never leave Elain.

The next time Azriel woke up was when it was dusk. The world outside was coloured in greys and blues and purples. It was pretty–the foggy, ethereal beauty of London in the waning light of day.

His ridiculous dog was still snoring, unbothered. This time though, he was on his back though, his three paws high up in the air. Azriel wished he could snap a pic, but…his arms were occupied. His whole body was occupied. In the best possible way. His woman was sleeping on top of him.

He looked down. She was half-sprawled on top of his body, her leg tucked between his own, her cheek resting on his chest. Goodness…A beautiful woman. Not an attractive sleeper. Azriel smiled softly. Beautiful to him. Always. But, her hair was in disarray, her mouth open, and she was drooling on his shirt. What a far cry from Miss Priss in her pearl necklace. She was hugging him more sexually than he expected, and half of her ass was hanging out from her shorts. A big hunk of gorgeous fleshy butt.

Now, if Azriel was a proper bloke, with manners and a good head on his shoulders, he would've considered feelings, consent, appropriateness, and many other trendy things that were so en vogue these days. But he was lad from the council estate and didn’t rub shoulders with Lord Darling nearly long enough to have become a genteel gentleman. Therefore, he saw an ass, and he took it. In his defence, this was the best, most luxurious, prettiest, juiciest ass in existence. The best ass. His favourite ass. And his scarred, mangled hand couldn’t help itself and slipped down her back and cupped the bare perfection of her lush ass cheek. He didn’t squeeze, not wanting to wake her up, but he caressed her gently, while luxuriating in their closeness. She came to him. Following her obviously unpleasant conversation with that Eris bloke, Elain sought comfort with Azriel. She could’ve gone upstairs, could’ve done something private and personal, and licked her wounds on her own. But she came to him. She trusted him enough to splay herself atop of his body and now peacefully drool on his chest.

He couldn’t believe his luck.

Truly.

His girl finally thawed her icy little heart. Or maybe, her heart was always warm and loving, and beating like a fluttering bird, hoping that it wouldn’t be broken. He wouldn’t. He’d protect it with everything he got.

Elain shifted and he stilled, wondering if she was waking up and whether he was now obligated to remove his hand from the warm globe of her ass. He didn’t really want to. He found himself a girl who blushed like a virgin and hid her face in her hands when he said filthy things. Yet, he wondered if this same girl would suck his cock like his cum was oxygen and she needed it to survive.

He hoped so.

“Did you dedicate the goal to me?” Elain asked suddenly, but softly, without opening her eyes.

She startled him, but he answered,

“I did.”

“Was the ‘E’ for me?”

“You are the only ‘E’ in my life,” he clarified.

“Okay. Thank you. It was the most beautiful goal I’ve ever seen.”

“Thank you.”

“Is your hand on my arse?”

“It is.”

“Why?”

“Where else would it be when I have your bare butt showing and you are almost dry humping me?”

“Ohmygod, I am NOT,” she began arguing, but he just squeezed her soft butt cheek, digging his fingers into the delicate flesh.

“Shush, woman. Just stay there for a sec. Enjoy the moment.”

And to his utmost surprise, she obeyed. She didn’t move. She just lay there, and he stroked her head with his other hand.

Awawawawa wufff whaha

“And…he is up,” Azriel muttered, watching Pinky flop over and start talking at once.

“I have to take him out,” Elain said, reaching her hand to stroke the pug’s head.

“I’ll come with you,” Azriel told her.

“Are you sure? How do you feel?”

“Much better, actually, and I’ll have to protect you, you know.”

“I already have one to protect me–he thinks everyone is a serial killer. Serial killer neighbours. Serial killer post men. Serial killer squirrels. The butcher–he isn’t a serial killer. But everyone else–potential killer.”

“I respect his dark worldview. Everyone is a serial killer until they are not. Guilty until proven innocent.”

Elain rose awkwardly, because Azriel refused to remove his hand from her ass.

“You sure you don’t want to take me for a ride, beautiful?” he suggested.

“You are not at your best,” she raised her brow at him.

“My mediocre is most men’s ‘exceptional’,” he argued humbly.

“Your modesty knows no bounds,” she noted, as she finally got up.

“It smells amazing here, by the way,” Azriel commented, as he sat up on the sofa. He was feeling markedly better. The fever was gone.

“It’s dinner.”

And before he could say anything, she added, “Yes, yes you’re invited.”

“Well, that’s excellent. Maybe a sponge bath afterwards? In case I am back to having a raging fever?”

Elain scoffed and said, “Not sure how good Piglet is at giving sponge baths, but you two can work it out between the two of you. He likes a good bath.”

“Good idea,” Azriel decided, “I’ll discuss it with him.”

Elain went upstairs to change and it struck him how domestic they were together. He guessed that this was ‘family’. Them taking a nap together, dinner cooking on the stove, his woman upstairs, dressing in his presence, not at all perturbed by him being in the house, Pinky…well, Pinky was now running around and hiding from Elain, who came downstairs wearing jeans and holding some kind of onesie for him.

“Piglet, you need to wear it! It’s very cold outside. You’ll freeze!” she tried to reason with him, while he galloped between the kitchen and the lounge, dodging her and sliding under chairs and tables, until he was crawling along the kitchen counter, thinking that they couldn't see him.

Azriel put his finger to his lips, gesturing for Elain to keep distracting him, while he tiptoed closer.

“Piglet, where are you?” Elain called out, pretending like she couldn’t find him. “Come on! We got to go potty.”

Just then, Azriel made one of his ‘elite athlete’ moves and managed to grab the dog. Piglet wailed in disbelief, having thought that he was so stealthy and amazing with his evasion techniques.

“Come on, matchy, go for the kill!” he encouraged, while Elain thrust the coat on Piglet, who gave up his struggle pretty quickly, and compliantly got himself bundled up. On top of the coat, he also had to wear a hat with ear cutouts and which was tied under his chin.

“Jesus Christ,” Azriel chuckled. “He is like a smothered baby.” He set the dog down, and went to get his own coat.

“You feeling broody, beautiful?”

He held her jacket to her and she snorted, as she threaded her arms into the sleeves.

“And you are volunteering to relieve me of said broodiness, I reckon?”

He shrugged, “I’ve got all the equipment in working order.”

“So you keep telling me,”

“You still haven’t checked,” he noted and zipped her up.

Then he wrapped a scarf around his neck and said, “Your scarf, baby. Sorry I haven’t given it back to you. I love it, you know,”

“Keep it,” she suggested. “I want you to be warm.”

The moment they exited the townhome, Azriel draped his arm around Elain’s shoulders and pulled her closer. The street was quiet, but Piglet guided them where he wanted to go, and that was towards people, pubs and restaurants. Azriel limped noticeably and Elain worried about him, hoping that he was okay to walk, but thankfully, Piglet wasn’t in the mood to hurry and moved at a leisurely pace himself. He also found a stick, which he immediately brought to Elain, while Azriel murmured, “Yeah. Sticks, man. Bitches love sticks!”

“You are crazy,” Elain laughed.

“I am crazy? I am not the one standing in the middle of the street holding a stick, a limpy boyfriend and a dog in a knit hat.”

“Yeah, the only problem in this scenario seems to be the limpy ‘boyfriend’,” she made quotation marks with her fingers.

“No, that’s the only thing that makes sense in this equation, beautiful.”

Then Piglet decided that he wanted the stick back, so Elain gave it to him and he trotted along happily holding it in his teeth,

They walked slowly, Elain deep in thought. Azriel didn’t bother her, until he asked,

“Why are you fighting this?”

She glanced up at him and frowned with incomprehension,

“Fighting what exactly?”

“This.” He said firmly. “Us.”

“Us?”

“Yes,” he confirmed, his usually relaxed, playful tone gone. “This, Elain. Yes, Elain. Not Ms. Archeron. Not ‘beautiful’. Not matchmaker. Elain. And I am asking Elain as to why you insist on fighting this?”

“I am not,” she began.

“Every step of the way, you are. You ought to understand that this is it?!”

“What is?” she asked softly, her eyes luminous and full of questions.

“Us, Elain. You can’t be that thick not to understand that this,” and he waved his hand between the two of them, “is something special. This thing that we have going on, despite all the laughs and teasing, it’s something…” he paused. “I ain’t gonna scare you, Elain,” he promised, “but I ain’t gonna leave you alone either. That’s a vow,”

“And if I wanted you to?”

“That’s the thing. You don’t want me to. You want me, just like I want you. And I don’t know why you can’t just admit it?”

She sighed and said quietly,

“Men have hurt me. I’ve not been with many. I’ve had three boyfriends–one in school, the next one, Graysen, was in uni. And I loved him. Really, really loved him, and we got engaged, and then he cheated on me with my neighbour, Clare. And many others, as I found out later. I broke the engagement. It was all hush-hush, to avoid scandal because both of our families are prominent and scandal is a no-no.”

“And now it’s this bloke Eris?”

“How do you know?!”

“I know. What’s he?”

“Lord Eris, Earl Vanserra.”

Azriel rolled his eyes, shaking his head, his jowls ticking.

“Of course. Earl…Is this what it’s about? I am too low born? I know…I know you fucking have a title. What is it?”

“I am just a Lady,” she mumbled.

“You ain’t just a Lady. What are you?” he demanded. “A Duchess?”

“Nesta is the Duchess,” Elain said softly. “She is the eldest daughter, the title is hers. I am a…Marchioness.”

“So that’s it? Is this a class thing? Is that why you won’t give me a chance?”

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

“Am I?” he snapped.

“You are. It has nothing to do with any titles!”

“Then what? Explain it to me.”

She sighed and twisted her fingers,

“I feel like I haven’t done my job. I haven’t found you anyone. And I…”

“That’s what it’s about?!” he exclaimed incredulously.

“I don’t know…Yes. But also other things. Eris,”

“Eris is a fuck up who doesn’t care about you,” Azriel snapped roughly.

“Perhaps,” she sighed sadly. “I am beginning to see it now,”

“What else? You better tell me everything, because like I said, I am not leaving. I am not walking away from this.”

“Can you give me something?” she requested.

“Anything. What do you want?”

“A little time. To understand everything myself. I’ve never felt like this…I’ve never been swept away by a man. I find you…exciting. Interesting. You are so different from everyone I’ve ever met. You are raw and honest. There is a decency about you that’s so uncommon nowadays. You are brutal and chivalrous at once. I feel like you can beat someone to death, yet you hold the doors and you help me with my coat,”

“I can beat someone to death,” he assured her.

“I know. I can sense it. There is a wild, untamed beast prowling under your skin. I love it. I love how you make me feel–how I am free with you, and you just accept me. You accept me and Piglet, and I know that some view me as odd, because I am devoted to him. I am the weird lady with the pug and the pearls,”

Azriel smiled.

“That you are, beautiful. But that’s what I love about you. You are unapologetically yourself, and you love your ornery pug and you know who you are. I’ve also never met anyone like you–because most of the women I see around are either gold diggers or rather vacuous individuals obsessed with their looks and handbags.

“Everything about you is strange, Elain. Your job is strange. Your manner is strange. Your dress is strange. You are a girl from the past, who is also thoroughly modern. I don’t know what to make of you, but I know that I love it. I adore it all.”

They stopped in the middle of the street, while Piglet ambled aimlessly around their legs and Elain asked, her voice trembling with nerves,

“You like me?”

Azriel smiled at her and nodded.

“I do.”

“Even if I am weird?”

“Even then. I especially love that you are unique. Not weird. You are my Elain,” he cupped her cheek in his scarred hand. “You are one of a kind. And there is no one else I’d rather spend my perfect day with than you.”

“What is your perfect day?” she breathed, her eyes wet with tears. He brushed his thumb over her lashes and said,

“I’ll tell you one day, matchy. Or better yet, show you. It may or may not include an apple crisp with custard,”

“Oh yeah! I am excited.”

“You and Pinky are alike. Easily swayed by food,” he chuckled.

“Let’s go eat dinner then,” she pulled him to her.

“Let’s go then.”

Chicken and rice. Oh yeah. This was Piglet’s favourite meal. Well, his most MOST favourite was meatloaf. When Elain made meatloaf, it was the best day ever. But for that, Piglet had to be very, very good. He couldn’t make trouble, wake up in the middle of the night and alert Elain to a serial killer in the bushes, couldn’t steal anything from the kitchen, had to go potty on time, not tear up his chewies, and not lose his baby, so that Elain didn’t have to look for it everywhere. Meatloaf came with many conditions, and sometimes, it was worth it.

But chicken and rice was the next best thing. Piglet got two chicken feet, three necks, and a bunch of giblets, which was del-ici-ous.

Though while his dinner was making Piglet very happy, what made him ever happier, kind of giddy actually, which resulted in him stopping mid-meal and expelling a loud gagging wail of happiness, which made mom and dad stop eating and watch him warily, was that dad was now here, eating dinner with them, and he wasn’t gonna leave.

Yeah, Piglet knew that dad was here to stay. And that made him even happier than meatloaf.

“Is he…okay?” Azriel asked unsure.

Elain was stifling a laugh, as Piglet roared like a bear over his bowl.

“That’s him being extra happy,” she explained.

“What spurned this on?”

“Chicken and rice, I suppose,” Elain shrugged. “He loves it.”

Suddenly, Azriel leaned back in his chair, gripped the table and roared loudly, startling both Piglet and Elain. Piglet stared at him, until a piece of chicken fell out of his mouth, buggy eyes jumping from Azriel to Elain. When Azriel didn’t stop roaring, Piglet joined him and howled wildly.

“You two nutters!” Elain cried out, laughing and covering her ears. “Stop it! Look at the state of the two of you!”

“We both love chicken and rice!” Azriel howled.

And yes, Azriel really did love the incredible, flavourful and meltingly unctuous chicken soup that Elain served for dinner, but then they had buttered rice with herbs and chicken with ginger and garlic and it was the best thing that he’s ever eaten. Bar none. The soup melted over his bones, over his lungs, filling his chest with warmth and nutrition.

“I must tell you something, Ms. Archeron,” he decided, once the roaring and the howling was done, and Piglet resumed his munching.

“And that is what, Mr. Night?”

“Sleeping with you and eating your food, made by your lovely hands is the only panacea that I need in my life. Therefore, as you can understand, I can no longer leave you, because otherwise, I will wither from illness and die,” he concluded dramatically.

Elain clutched her chest and exclaimed, “oh, the exquisite drama of it all!”

“I should think so.”

“You’ll be fine,” she told him firmly.

“I will be. With you,” he agreed, and poured both of them more wine. “Thank you. For this,” he added sincerely. “Amazing dinner. Truly.”

“It's just chicken soup,” Elain shrugged, but she blushed and he knew that she liked the compliment.

“When is your birthday?” he asked suddenly.

She frowned and said, “December 23.”

“Oh, right before Christmas,”

“Yeah,” she sighed. “Not only that, but Feyre’s in on the 21st. The 21st is the Winter Solstice, so naturally, every year, Feyre suddenly turns into a pagan goddess and starts to celebrate with gusto, saying how she was born on the longest night of the year.

“And then it’s Christmas a week later, so normally, no one cares about my birthday. My sisters will ring me up, sometimes we’ll go for drinks, and that’s about it. Dad sends money,”

Azriel smiled at that, “that’s a dad move”.

“Yeah, fifty quid without fail. Every year. In a card. Pretty sure his secretary is the one responsible for sending it.”

“So, do you need a date for Feyre’s birthday then?” he inquired boldly.

Elain shook her head in disbelief,

“So you are inviting yourself?”

“Actually, I am inviting Rhys,”

“Oh, so you are bringing yourself AND your cousin to someone’s birthday?”

“Maybe Cass too,” Azriel shrugged.

“Oh, so it’s a Night brothers shindig then?”

“Yeah, we know how to party.”

“No doubt.”

“So then? Yeah. I am your date?” he pressed.

“I mean, do I even have a choice at this point?”

“Not really.”

“Seems like it.”

Azriel finished up his meal and looked outside the window. He folded his hands on his stomach, relaxing back in the chair.

“It’s late,” he said vaguely.

“It’s not even eight yet,” Elain commented, drawing her finger over the rim of the glass.

“Yeah. Late.”

“O-kay.”

“See, Pink is already asleep,” he motioned towards the dog, who was sprawled on the carpet, looking like a giant loaf, snoring peacefully.

“That’s just his after-dinner nap. He does that a lot.”

“Yeah…So I am thinking,” Azriel began and Elain tensed, looking at him apprehensively. He tsked and said, “I think I should stay over. Tonight. With my fever and all. Wouldn’t make sense to take a turn for the worse after making so much progress…Besides,” he gave a hammy exaggerated wince, “my leg hurts a lot.”

Elain crossed her arms on her chair, watching this piss poor performance.

“Is that so?”

“Yes! It’s all pretty dire, if I am being honest.”

“So dire that you are unable to call for an Uber or even your driver?”

“Dev has a hot date. Wouldn't be right to bother him. And Ubers are so…impersonal.”

“Are you just sitting in front of me, lying through your teeth?” she asked with a sigh.

“Maybe.”

“What do you want, Mr. Night?”

“I would like to spend the night, Ms. Archeron.”

#elriel #pro elriel #elain archeron #azriel and elain #azriel #elain x azriel #elain #A Match Baked In Heaven #My Writing #Elriel Fanfiction #Elriel fanfic #acotar fanfic #acotar fanfiction #New chapter #modern au

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crystallizsch · 9 days

Note

Hello Ian! ♡

I hope you're doing well!

I was thinking about our OC's, and I was wondering (since Ruthie is an NPC!) what Yuusha and Yuuna would think of her?

Do you think they would get along with her?

I'm curious to know! ♡

Thank you! ♡

AHH HI HI sheep!!! 👋👋

i LOVE ruthie 😭😭😭💕💕💕 so sorry it took a bit so i can give interesting interactions hopefully 😭

but generally to answer your question, they'd both get along with her but in different ways!!

yuuna ━━━━━━✦

i’d like to think that it was cater who brought them to meet his girlfriend ruthie.

yuuna had heard all about ruthie before they met her (from cater and trey, mostly cater).

needless to say, yuuna already had a pretty positive opinion of her! so they'd get along well as soon as they meet 😤💕

after that i just imagine yuuna visiting often because they’d order sweets in general and just chat with ruthie!

(at least as long as they have funds to do so hfjdjdj)

and every now and then yuuna would probably drag along ace and deuce to eat there 😤

yuusha ━━━━━━✦

i feel like yuusha would just consider ruthie's cafe like a safe and comforting place.

so she’d often visit to just chill (and/or get herself buzzed with caffeine)

and she'd find ruthie's presence particularly warm and friendly so yuusha would always love her company!

(she's a bit skeptical of ruthie's matchmaking though mostly because she's in denial with her own situation)

(at the moment when they first met and learned about ruthie's matchmaking achievements, yuusha didn't believe it. she thought it was just luck so she was a bit too blunt about that to her)

(i’m not sure how that would affect ruthie’s opinion of yuusha especially since that was going to be her first impression of yuu 😭)

(they’d get along definitely though if ruthie forgives her for that 😖)

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honey-milk126 · 2 months

Note

I was thinking about Spinner with a quirkless reader?

Like the two of them have been friends for a while and one day reader’s ‘coworker friend’ wanted to play matchmaker, (Because they don’t know that she’s into dating villains) so her coworker friend tried to get her to go on a date with a ‘hero’ (not the pro hero kind just the lower class kind) And reader cringes at the idea of it so reader tells her friend Spinner about it. And she says that she feels uncomfortable about it so Spinner decided to save reader by taking her on this so-called ‘date’ instead? They go out and have a good time and then at the end of the night he told reader that he had feelings for her and then she kissed him and said that she likes him back.

How’s that for a fluff story?

Match maker (Fluff)

Spinner x GN! Reader

A/n: thank you for the request! Sorry it took so long. I do not own any gifs!!!!!

---------

It was Monday morning, after an eventful weekend of watching movies with your best friend, spinner. You were now at work, dreading the day.

As the day went on and on a few villains robbed the bank next door, one set fire to a building across the street, but it was kinda normal to you now, as spinner watched the building that you worked in all day to make sure nothing happened to it.

But what you didn't know was that, your dear co-worker wanted to play match maker, and the set you up with the number 2 hero, Hawks.

It was set up as a blind date, so you didn't know who you were meeting at first. Then once you got to the restaurant you seen hawks. As the date went on you started to regret showing up, leaving spinner at your home. Hawks wasn't that interesting, to you at least.

It was at the end of the date when Hawks flew off, and left you to walk by yourself.

As you made it home safely, to spinner watching TV, and checking his phone to see if he had a message.

"The date sucked" you said startling him a bit.

"Really?" He asked

"Yeah, it was Hawks so.. " you said

"Ahh, makes sense. " he said getting up.

"I'm tired"

"Let's go somewhere, ill make it up to you." He said

"Okay" you said.

As you both left your home, he took you to the beach were you watched the sun set, and he let you talk about how uncomfortable the date was and how Hawks didn't let you talk about yourself.

As the sun set and the stars came out along with the moon, he was just staring at you. He was looking at you like you were the only person in the world .

"So, yeah that's all that happened" you explained to him.

He sighed as you finished talking about the date.

"I know this is tacky but, I love you, y/n" he said blushing a bit, his hand going towards yours.

As you sat there holding his hand, looking at him like he was hanging the moon and stars for you. It didn't take you long to say it back.

"I love you to, spinner" you said cuddling up to him.

-------------------------------------------------------

It was now Tuesday, and you went into work smiling ear to ear.

"So how did the date go?" Your co-worker asked grinning

"Horrible, he has an ego" you said

"Oh, then why are you smiling? " they asked

"Because, I now have a boyfriend." You laughed

"Oo, who is it? " another co-worker asked

"You will see later!" You said excitedly

-------------------------------------------------------

After work you skipped out of work, smiling like you've never been happier. As you opened the door and you seen your best friend, now your boyfriend.

All your co-workers were at the door to see who you're new boyfriend was.

-------------------------------------------------------

Hope you enjoyed it❤

Let me know if you want more mha posts!!!!

#mha x reader #spinner x reader #mha spinner #anime x reader #spinner #bnha hawks #hawks #hawks x you

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lunarlegend · 5 months

Text

Stella Plays Matchmaker (For No Reason)

~ or, The Story of How Stella Accidentally Created a Love Triangle Out of Nothing

(Brotherhood Era - featuring Stella, age 16; Noctis & Prompto, 18; Ignis, 20; and Gladio, 21)

[ basically, Stella believes herself to be inherently irresistible to men, so naturally she mistook Prompto's growing crush on Noctis to be directed at her (despite there being absolutely no evidence to support this whatsoever)

...and decided to remedy the (very awkward and very imagined) situation by inviting a very confused Prompto over to her apartment one night so she could gently break the news to him that she only likes him as a friend.

and that's how it all started... ]

Stella: -opening the door- "Prompto! Come on in!" D:

Prompto: -cautiously steps inside and looks around- "Uh...I appreciate you having me over, but...why did you choose 9pm on a Wednesday?"

Stella: "Let's not worry about that." -pulls out a chair for him at the table- "Have a seat." D:

Prompto: .... -hesitates for a moment, then sits-

Stella: -also sits- "Would you like a cookie?" D: -holds out a plate of chocobo-shaped cookies-

Prompto: ...! -very carefully takes one- ... -suddenly blurts out- "...I-is something wrong?!"

Stella: "No no, of course not!" D: -stares at him-

Prompto: ...... -takes a small bite of the cookie-

Stella: -continues staring-

Prompto: "... ...S-Stella...?"

Stella: "Prompto, I need to talk to you." -reaches across the table and puts her hand on his hand-

Prompto: -jumps- ?!

Stella: -sighs deeply- "...This isn't easy..."

Prompto: -on the verge of an anxiety attack- "...O-oh gods, what's wrong?! Just tell me...!"

Stella: -dramatic pause- "...Prompto, I...I only like you as a friend."

Prompto: ....

Stella: ....

Prompto: "...I-I...I also like you as a friend...?"

Stella: -sighs again- "Prompto, you don't have to hide it anymore. I know you like me...I've seen the way you act when we all hang out at Noct's."

Prompto: -genuinely confused- "Uhh..."

Stella: -continues- "But I just don't feel that way about you. I already have someone who I like."

Prompto: -still confused- "...Uh...yeah, I know. You like Ignis."

Stella: -suddenly blushes bright red- "...H-How do you know about that?!" o//A//o;

Prompto: "Stella, you literally stuffed your bra with my socks."

Stella: -covering her face with her hands- "We don't talk about that...!" >//A//<;;

Prompto: "Besides, I..." -sighs- "...Well, I guess I appreciate you trying to let me down easy, but..." -takes another bite of the cookie, blushing slightly- "...I already have someone who I like, too..."

Stella: -looks up at him- ?

Prompto: -catches her gaze and looks away, blushing more- "...I-it's not important..."

Stella: -suddenly grabs his hand with both of her hands- "No, you have to tell me!" D:

Prompto: -jolts- "Uwah!"

Stella: "Tell me! Maybe I can help!" D:

Prompto: -stares at her for a moment- ... -looks down- "...It's...uhh..."

Stella: -waits expectantly- D: ?!

Prompto: "...I...I-I like..." -mumbles a bit- "...I like...Noctis..."

Stella: -practically shouting- "Noctis?!" D:

Prompto: -blushing profusely now- "Ahh, don't say it so loud...!"

Stella: -already in her own little world as she thinks about it- "...Of course..."

Prompto: "S-Stella...?!"

Stella: -looks up at him again- "Does he like you back?!" D:

Prompto: "...! I...well...I don't...know. I mean, I hope he does, but..."

Stella: "Let me find out!" D:

Prompto: -blinks- "...Y-yeah...?"

Stella: -nods confidently- "I can totally find out!" D:

Prompto: -stares at her for a moment- ... -slowly nods back- "...O-okay...just...just don't make it obvious that I like him, okay?"

Stella: "Of course! Your feelings are safe with me!" D:

[ so the next day, Stella headed across the hall to Noctis' apartment after school, determined to discreetly get some information out of her cousin. ...which went about as well as you'd expect. ]

Stella: -settling into the couch while Noctis starts the PS4- "Y'know..."

Noctis: -focused on what he's doing- ?

Stella: "Prompto's a really great guy, huh?"

Noctis: -grabs their controllers and sits down on the couch beside Stella- "Yeah, I guess so. He's my best friend, after all."

Stella: -nods, taking her controller as he hands it to her- "...He's pretty cute, too, huh?"

Noctis: .... -glances over at her for a moment- "...I mean, I guess. If you like blonde guys."

Stella: -with no hesitation whatsoever- "And those freckles! So adorable!" D:

Noctis: ........ -hesitates awkwardly and turns toward the TV- "...Can we just play the game?"

Stella: -nods and watches while he starts the match- ... -waits until they're in a middle of a round before she brings it up again- "...I wonder if Prompto likes anyone?"

Noctis: -jumps and misses his move, causing his character to throw the match- ...! -turns to Stella again- "...Why are you even thinking about that?!"

Stella: -practically oblivious to what's happening on the screen- "I'm just saying...guy like that, he could probably date anyone he wanted!" D:

Noctis: ...... -stares at her-

Stella: -stares back- D:

Noctis: ...........

Stella: D:

[ later that day ]

Stella: -on the phone with Prompto- "I haven't been able to get any information from him so far. ... ... Well, you know how he is. ... Yeah, I know. ... ....No, I don't think it's a lost cause! Just gotta do a little more investigating..." D:

[ even later that day ]

Noctis: -angrily tossing his dishes into the sink just as Ignis walks in the door-

Ignis: -blinks and pauses at the scene- "...I can see you're in a bad mood, so I take it you didn't get to the paperwork I left you?"

Noctis: -continues without even looking at him- "As if I have time for that!"

Ignis: -suppresses a sigh and places a bag of groceries down on the counter- "...What's going on? Did something happen?"

Noctis: -considers talking about it for a moment, but decides against it- "...No. It's fine."

Ignis: -raises an eyebrow- ... -surveys the mess in the kitchen before moving to start preparing dinner- "...Well, your father is waiting for those documents. So if you could at least glance at them before--"

Noctis: -suddenly blurts out- "I think Stella likes Prompto!"

Ignis: ....... -blinks-

Noctis: -staring down at the counter- .... -hesitates before he continues- "...She...she wouldn't stop asking about him today!"

Ignis: ... -chooses his words carefully- "...If she does, would that bother you?"

Noctis: -looks up at him- "Of course it would!"

Ignis: ...! -pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose- ...

Noctis: -looks back down- "...I mean..."

Ignis: ... -quietly starts preparing dinner, giving him time to continue-

Noctis: "...Well six, why did it have to be Prompto?!"

Ignis: -glances up at him calmly as he begins dicing veggies- "...Why does it bother you so much?"

Noctis: -abruptly yells- "Because I like Prompto!"

[ later that night ]

Ignis: -sighs as he unlocks the door to his apartment-

Gladio: -had been waiting for him inside- "There you are. Did Noct give you a fight about the paperwork?"

Ignis: -takes his shoes off and sets his bag down, looking even more stressed than usual- "Not exactly..."

Gladio: -places comforting hands on his shoulders- "You wanna talk about it?"

Ignis: -sighs again as he leans into the touch- "...I think...I think Noct has a problem I can't help him with."

Gladio: -barely suppresses a snort- "Well yeah, that kid has lots of problems..."

Ignis: -ignores his comment and continues- "...He's upset because he found out Stella likes Prompto, apparently."

Gladio: -pauses- ...

Ignis: "He's really distraught about it. I'm not sure what to do..."

Gladio: ... -hides a chuckle- "...So you...you think Stella likes Prompto?"

Ignis: ...? -turns to look up at him, raising an eyebrow in confusion- ...

Gladio: -trying not to laugh- "...No, it's just..." -sighs and leans down to kiss Ignis on the forehead- "...I just think it's cute that you think Stella likes Prompto."

Ignis: ...???

[ and that's the story of how Stella inadvertently caused all sorts of drama by literally being the worst matchmaker in history. obviously Noctis & Prompto eventually did figure out their feelings for each other, but not before several more weeks of this, and with absolutely no real help from Stella.

she's an idiot, your honor. ]

#Stella is a well-intentioned disaster #final fantasy xv #ffxv #prompto argentum #noctis lucis caelum #ignis scientia #gladiolus amicitia #stella maris #my OC #promptis #gladnis (at the end)

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haisuu · 9 months

Note

ABAIJSJS OMG UR WRITING IS SOOOOO GOOD (I want to eat it) Is it possible for you to write maybe Xander (drdt), Whit (drdt), and Nikei (SDRA2) with a fem!reader (or crush? Idk) who ‘looks like a guy’, but doesn’t really bother correcting people whenever they misgender them (kind of like Haruhi from OHSHC). Specifically the unintentional reveal, but you could be a lil creative if you’d like.

Sort of bordering the gender neutral label ig? If this makes you uncomfortable feel free to ignore this request !! Have a wonderful day/night wherever you are :)

STOP I REMEMBER READING A FIC LIKE THIS AND IT WAS SO GOOOOOD-

Why Is He- Wait, She?!

Xander; Whit; Nikei x Reader (separate)

Summary: You’re whole life, people have mistook you for a guy, it never really bothered you however, so you didn’t correct them. This also translated to the situation you’ve now found yourself in, how will they react when they realize?

———————————————

Xander Matthews!

The possibility of you being a girl has never even crossed his mind!

Your vibe, clothing style, and everything else pretty much made an image in his mind, which was a guy!

You two have grown incredibly close during your time in this..well..”game.”

The two of you have worked out together quite a bit, and you’ve helped Xander keep track of his fitness, Xander wanted to check on yours! Even if you didn’t work out nearly as much as him. (mby not even at all lol)

He was going to ask you to take your shirt off in order to keep track…except when he opened the door, you were already changing.

I’m so original hahaha

Yeah..safe to say he wasn’t expecting that..he most definitely ran out the room blushing to cool off and to leave you alone for the time being.

“Hey, Y/n! I was just wondering if you…- Ahh! I-I’m sorry! I’ll leave now!”

Whit Young!

The Ultimate Matchmaker loves spending time with you! You, him, and Charles, you guys are just the Ultimate Group at this point!

Even in this killing game, he still wants to have fun with all of you, so he wants to organize a miniature party!

But he doesn’t necessarily know what you like, so he books it to his nearby friend, Charles! He desperately asks some questions about your interests, and he notices something..

He realizes that Charles is addressing you as ‘She/Her,’ he doesn’t notice at first, and then it hits him like a truck! “WAITT! Y/N’S A GIRLL..?? That’s wack, in a good way!” “Yes, Whit…Y/n’s a girl…”

He runs over to confirm it with you, and it’s true! He’ll admit it caught him a little off guard, but in the end, it didn’t matter! He still loved you! Wait what?

yay yay you two kiss and fall in love, or not..idk whatever you want

Nikei Yomiuri!

Because he is a part of Void, there’s a very high chance he knew before hand, and doesn’t care…But let’s ignore all that!

I think that he actually found out quite early on, mainly due to any interviews that he would do to learn about his peers!

When he initially interviewed you, he did indeed address you as masculine pronouns but as usual, you didn’t correct him because you didn’t necessarily care.

But a few days later, he would end up seeing Yuri grabbing your leg as you dragged him along, clearly uncomfortable from the situation.

After helping you get Yuri off your leg, he put two and two together and realized that Yuri would only attach himself to you if you were a girl!

“Aha! Y/n? Does this mean that you’re actually a girl? What a scoop!”

Alright! At this point I’ll have an official schedule for 1 post a month..jk lol. But seriously, I’m very happy I’m able to get this out for you Anon, and also a little disappointed in my schedule. Oh well, anyways.. Have a good day and please take care of yourself!

#drdt #danganronpa #danganronpa despair time #fem reader #x reader #nikei yomiuri #Nikei x reader #Xander x reader #xander matthews #whit young #whit x reader #drdt x reader #drdt xander #drdt whit #sdra2 nikei #haisuu-requests #sdra2 x reader #danganronpa x y/n #danganronpa x reader

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sherifftillman · 2 years

Text

An Unambiguous Love [1/10]: First Day Out Front

:: 1 :: 2 :: 3 :: 4 :: 5 :: 6 :: 7 :: 8 :: 9 :: 10 ::

alternate AO3 link

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Eddie Munson x f!Reader

Genre: fluff

Summary: Your favourite customers really make it easier returning to the town you never went to school in. If only your friends at work would stop trying to play matchmaker between you.

Chapter 1 word count: 2428

A/N: Ahh, here it is! The thing I keep saying has been kicking my ass lately!! I really hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I've ultimately enjoyed writing it. Also big big love to @denim-mixtapes for beta-ing/de-British-ing the things I write.

“Heads up!” You look up at the source of the command you just heard to witness a paper ball leave your colleague Jesse’s hand, swing through the air as though in slow motion, and collide directly with your forehead. You give him a stern look, and he smirks while shaking with laughter. “I mean, I did warn you.”

You flip him off, “Way to kick off my first day on the shop floor.”

“I am your mentor out here, I need to prepare you for anything. Be grateful it wasn’t a figurine, that would have hurt,” Jesse points out. “Nah, it’s easy enough out here. You’ll even be able to run shifts all by yourself in no time.”

You hold up your index finger this time, “Correction, you could in no time. You know how many dirty looks I get just from saying the word comic in front of most men?”

He pulls a face. “I’m sure most of our customers are just like me, and I’m one of those female-ists! I let you join my D&D campaign, remember? That was great!”

You think back to the group containing mostly your fellow employees, and a couple of other guys around your age from Jesse’s past, who may not have directly said anything against you, but who certainly treated his poorly-written female NPCs far worse than his mediocrely-written male ones, constantly trying to pursue them until Jesse would throw a tantrum and refuse to “flirt'' with his players. Instead of arguing, you simply opt to look down so he doesn’t see the resigned expression that so badly insists on creeping along your face.

As you’re looking down, you notice the crumpled up paper isn’t just plain, it’s a half-written Dungeons and Dragons character sheet. Curious as to why it was abandoned, you unfurl it and read the first box.

Name: Steve Harr Bashemall

You chuckle at a half-orc fighter being essentially called "bash them all". You never really made any lasting friends before you moved out of Hawkins in your elementary years, and you and your family moved back just after you graduated high school, but this town's small enough that you know who Steve Harrington, King of Hawkins High is. He works at the Family Video right opposite your store, with the clumsy girl who you once literally bumped into on one of your trash runs after you had to deal with a delivery of misprints. She had at least helped you run around the blustery parking lot collecting them all back up again, and you'd sworn you could never show your face in front of him again after seeing the silhouette of his broad shoulders and swooping hair in the store window, clearly watching you run around like a headless chicken.

Jesse sees you reading the sheet and chuckles. "Ah, is that Harrington's garbage? Yeah, I was here when he came in with that, uh… Trailer boy. Munson."

"You say that like I'm just supposed to know them," you retort.

Jesse shrugs, "Anyway, Munson got his wires crossed, thought it was last week that we were launching D&D supplies. Brought in his own blank character sheet to, what was it he said? 'Keep Stevie busy', or something." You allow yourself a small laugh at the nickname. "But obviously that was pretty short-lived. He kept trying to name his character real boring names like Brian until -" Jesse makes some kind of unintelligible groan. "Until I said it might suit him to play an unassuming human rogue with a deadly secret, but he called that “pretentious” until he started yelling "Bash 'em! I wanna bash 'em all! That's my character!" so Munson told him to write it down. I don't think they got too much farther with it. I only found it 'cause I realised just now I hadn't thrown it away, it was just trash."

You fold it away and tuck it into a drawer in your desk. There's a very brief character description, if it gets quiet you could always use some extra drawing practice.

The morning goes by pretty smoothly, the register is easy enough to use, the clientele haven't been too harsh. Which means Jesse has “decided” to let you fly solo until someone else takes over. "I can’t stay anyway, I, uh… I’ve told Cam already that I’ve got a migraine coming on.” If he’s telling the truth, he’s weirdly unaffected for someone whose symptoms are so bad he apparently can’t work any longer. “It's not like you're on your own, Tiffany's just dealing with this week's delivery out back, you can call on her if you really need anything!" he calls over his shoulder as the door hits the bell that dangles just above it.

Sighing in resignation, you shout out, “Tiff?”

“One second, hun!” The other female player in Jesse’s D&D campaign calls out.

“Oh, it’s all good as long as you can hear me. Just thought I’d tell you Jesse’s gone for the day. Says it’s a migraine.”

You hear the clatter of something being dropped and soon after, Tiffany rushedly appears at the back room door. “What a jerk! You want me to put a word in with the big guy about him?”

You shake your head. “I’ll be fine, I’m sure. Cameron’s in the office today, and I don’t want him to think I need my hand held all the time. Just wanted to check that you were within shouting distance if I needed you for something.”

Tiffany pads over and reaches around behind your back to give you a quick squeeze of encouragement. “I’ll always have your back here! Especially over my lame-ass brother,” she pulls a face and you laugh. Fresh into high school, Tiffany has all the nerdy know-how Jesse does, and thankfully a far more palatable personality. “And don’t be scared of Cameron. He’s cool when he wants to be.”

“Yeah, I know. I just spent… So damn long in that back room. I don’t want to cause trouble on my first day out.” You sigh.

“I’m gonna miss having my behind-the-scenes sister with me!” Tiff pouts.

You grin, “Just makes us the dream team now, right?”

“The face and the brains!” She mirrors your expression, pointing at you and then herself, and runs off before she can see your borderline offended look.

A little while after noon hits, after a dull enough morning that you’ve been spending your time absent-mindely drawing, the doorbell tolls. You look up to see the familiar silhouette of a stocky man with perfect hair, but this time you can see his warm eyes and chiselled jaw. He at first goes straight for the comic section, thumbing through different boxes with his tongue poking his cheek out and looking confused.

“Need some help?” You offer, and he gets snapped out of his trance to look at you for the first time. His expression when he locks eyes with you is so much softer than you were expecting from the charismatic reputation that has preceded him.

“Uh, yeah, actually, sorry. Friend of mine wanted me to pick him up a… number 200 Lantern? Said I should get here nice and early in case it sells out fast. Apparently it’s a big one?” he asks, blowing air through his lips in a rasp and holding his arm out in a half-shrug.

For a moment, you understand the power trip that knowing more than someone else can have, but you’re no Jesse. Instead, you nod understandingly. “Got it, Green Lantern #200. Yeah, it’s literally a big one. Poor Tiff’s been fighting with them all day back there,” you gesture with your head to the back room door. “They came in this morning, but they don’t hit the shelves until tomorrow. Same day the D&D stuff gets out, too. Sorry.”

He groans, “Stupid Dustin, getting the date wrong… Sorry for wasting your time,” he states as he wanders up to your counter. He notices that you’re drawing something and leans over to look. “I’m Steve, by the - oh,” he stops suddenly when he recognises the crumpled up paper you’ve been using for reference. “Is that -”

You don’t usually embarrass easily, but your cheeks do tint pink. “Uh, yeah, one of my colleagues used this sheet as a missile and I figured since I haven’t had much practice drawing orcs - or half-orcs, in this case - I could give it a go.”

“So this is what Bashemall looks like, huh?” he asks, swivelling himself around to angle his point of view to look at it from your perspective. “That’s amazing.”

“Well, ultimately only you know that. I’m just going by what little is written here, and some reference of my own knowledge of orcs’ anatomy. Um, you haven’t really said anything about hair, though, so I’m not sure what would look best on him…” you study your sketchbook page, tilting your head from side to side as you try to imagine different hairstyles on him.

“Well, I mean, I put enough effort into my own hair that I’d like to think it would look good no matter what kind of face I had, so… Maybe he could have hair like mine?”

You look back up at him, eyes narrowing as you study the way his hair looks for a moment. “Sure, I could do that,” you nod. “Mind if I use you as reference, or do you gotta head back?”

“Ah, Robin can cope without me for a few minutes,” he waves off before snorting a quick chuckle out of a half-smile. “She, uh, she’s the one who helped you whip the parking lot back into shape a couple weeks back.”

You raise your eyebrows at him. “Wow, so you are the one who just stood watching in the window! How heroic,” you smile sarcastically and he laughs harder. “Alright, well, I’ve been drawing this guy at a ¾ view so if you could just move your head…” you try and gesture with your hands how you want his head positioned, but he doesn’t seem to be getting it. Instead, you opt for using the end of your pencil to push his jaw up slightly, then across slightly until it’s angled just right.

“You need me to make a face for you?” Steve asks, immediately cycling through an array of facial expressions.

You giggle, “Not for the drawing, but for my own entertainment, sure!” He continues pulling faces until you’ve sketched a full head of hair. You hold your sketchbook up and he finally breaks pose to look at it in full.

His face is filled with admiration. “This is so good! Almost makes me want to pick it up. Almost,” he points at you, eyes wide. “But not totally. It’s still very much Munson’s and the kids’ thing,” he shakes his head. “I can’t wrap my head around it all.”

“Well, then, I’m super honoured that you entertained the idea of me drawing a D&D character that’ll never see the light of day,” you smile, before having an idea. Holding a single finger up, you ask, “Please hold just a second,” before slinking back to the back room.

You open the door to find Tiff backing away, far closer than she should have been if she were at her post. “Is that the Steve Harrington out there I hear?!”

“Yeah… Yeah,” you nod, half-distractedly. Despite the fact he’s only a door away, part of you just wants him back in your field of vision as soon as possible. Looking over at the manager’s office’s closed door, trying to stay out of its earshot, you ask in a hushed tone, “Uh, hey, I don’t suppose you could slide me a copy of Green Lantern a day early? I’ll make sure it all gets paid for, I jus-”

“Say no more,” Tiffany singsongs as she presses a copy into your chest. “Just remember to ask me to be your maid of honour.”

You roll your eyes at her as you head back out to the shop floor. You toss the issue onto the counter and gesture to it. “There you go. For being such a good model. Don’t go telling anybody you got it a day early, though.”

Steve gasps deeply, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Oh, I’m definitely gonna be Henderson’s favourite for this! Thanks, I seriously owe you!”

You narrow your eyes, “I literally just said this makes up for letting me draw your hair! You don’t owe me shit now.”

“Oh no, trust me, you have no idea what this is going to do to my reputation. I still owe you so hard,” Steve picks the issue up and tucks it beneath his jacket.

“Just… Maybe come back every once in a while? It’d be nice to have a friendly face around every now and again to chat to,” you suggest.

Steve salutes, “You got it…” He leans in to read your name badge and calls you by name. Huh, guess you forgot to introduce yourself. Maybe you should be doing that more.

He rushes out of the store, back to his own workplace, and you step back to rap your knuckles against the back room door. “You can come out now, Tiff,” you murmur just loud enough to be heard on the other side.

Sure enough, Tiffany opens the door just enough to poke her head through the gap. “Oh my god, he is so into you.”

You shake your head in disbelief. “Please, he’s just being friendly. There was nothing flirty about anything either of us said.”

“Exactly!” Tiffany hisses. “If I know anything about Steve Harrington, from what I’ve heard, he usually flirts so hard! You clearly make him nervous, he’s obviously intimidated by you. Trust me.”

“You want me to ‘trust’ what you’ve ‘heard’ about someone who graduated last year, before you were even at that school?” you ask in disbelief, shaking your head. “He just seemed like he was being nice. I dunno. It’d be cool to have a friend outside of here, too.”

“Well, I’m still gonna have hope,” Tiffany shrugs as she sneaks back to her work.

When your shift finally ends, as you get to your car you look up at Family Video one last time to see Steve at the window. He lifts his hand to just in front of his chest to give you a small wave goodbye with a soft smile to match. You wave back, feeling a sensation of warmth emanate all through your body.

#steve harrington x eddie munson x reader #steddie x reader #steve harrington x eddie munson x you #steddie x you #steddie imagine #stranger things fanfic #stranger things fic #stranger things imagine #stranger things x reader #fluff #aul #*myfics

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fizzigigsimmer · 4 months

Note

i wanna hear about all your fics!! so bachelor au, blinding baby like city lights, news paper au and love aint fair at all!!

Ahh bless you nonny. Some of these are still just outlines but a few have chapters posted.

Starting with OUTLINES

The Bachelor Au: This is still one of my favorite ideas lol, born of my love of the insanity that is the bachelor franchise and the poorly concealed producer plants who are clearly just there for the drama. You can't tell me Billy wouldn't make a perfect Chad. The gist is Steve is the first Bisexual bachelor contestant. An icon, An American sweetheart looking for love. Robin and The Party are crew members and all the stranger things teens are contestants (Nancy, Chrissy, Eddie, Jason, Argyle, Heather) vying for his hand and represent various types of typical bachelor contestants. The funny ones, the good guys, the people there for clout, the people who somehow think they can get away with going on a dating show while still involved in a situationship back home, and the people who decide to do a reality show instead of go to therapy for their bag of issues. Billy is an instagram model hired by producers to be the seasons 'villian' and be hated by the audience. It's just supposed to be a free vacation where he gets to make some extra cash to be his most extra before he's finally sent home. But oops, they fall in love. Leaving them to figure out how they build a life together after the show when there are NDA's involved and they are the most hated ship in America.

Newspaper Club Au: This is a no upside down college fic featuring Billy/Nancy friendship, nerd!billy and jock!Steve. I haven't decided yet whether it's modern, 80s, or an ambiguous setting but the basic gist is the boys meet in college. Steve is there on a sports scholarship and chose California to follow Nancy, now his ex-girlfriend. Billy's an English major who works on the school paper with Nancy (one of his electives). He's pissed when she puts him on the sports column as it means he actually has to attend the games. He starts using the column to flirt with/aka harass swimmer Steve through increasingly ridiculous and suggestive commentary. The campus thinks it's a riot. Steve thinks Billy's an asshole and making him the butt of a joke just because he's a "dumb jock". Nancy plays matchmaker and also saves the integrity of her paper by finagling Billy into helping Steve write an essay for his English literature elective. Billy takes the opportunity to show him he was 1000 percent serious about wanting to know if his dick is even bigger out of the speedo.

Onto the POSTED fics

Blinding Baby Like City Lights: Is a dom/sub au where everyone is either a dominant, submissive, or switch. Basically some people need to dominate to stay balanced and others need to submit, or some mix of the two. And everyone responds differently to different things, creating many different 'types.' Naturally not all types are good for each other. Billy is a masochistic sub, has known it for a long time but wasn't safe to explore it growing up with an abusive sadist for a father. He's managed to claw his way out of his abusive home and become a successful business man who is often mistaken for a dom. He found family in Heather & Chrissy, but never a dominant he can trust enough to handle him and give him exactly what he needs. Steve's a recovering sadist. Too much privilege and neglectful parents lead him to some pretty unhealthy and toxic tendencies in his relationship with his first love Nancy. Losing his sub nearly broke him, but he broke good and has been rebuilding his life with his best friend Robin for the last few years. He just wants to take care of people by making good food, and find someone he can take care of always, without having to be afraid of his own desires. Steve might just be perfect for Billy, and Billy might just be what Steve needs to finally embrace who he is.

*** EDIT

When you have so many WIPs you confuse two of them.

Love Aint Fair At All: Werewolf au + a/b/o dynamics. This is a retelling of Snow White that takes place in an alternate version of Hawkins where magic exists. Some peoples magic makes them Wolf Shifters (people who are born with the ability to turn into wolves) and others use their magic to bend the external elements, these people are called Hags. Steve lives in the Cold Zone, a portion of the country that is suffering under a powerful Hags curse. Billy is a Wolf Shifter, exiled from their former pack in California, he and Neil make their way as huntsmen for hire. But everything goes to shit wen Neil brings the family to Hawkins to serve Steve's cousin Elsie, a powerful and mysterious Hag whose obsession with beauty and power threatens to cover the world in ice. The only thing holding her at bay is an old curse that limits her powers and a prophecy that promised one day an omega child would be born who was fairer than her. Good thing Steve is a perfectly normal bland beta boy - until he isn't.

#harringrove #billy hargrove #steve harrington #answered asks #FWF

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barnesafterglow · 2 years

Text

the long haul

pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader

summary: while trying to console steve at his own party, a liquor cabinet and blondie lead to a confession you could only imagine in your dreams

word count: 2.1k

warnings: underage drinking, best friends to lovers, a hint of nancy slander but it gets resolved dw, nancy is lowkey a matchmaker, cheesy confessions (my speciality), blink and you miss it marvel reference, set *gestures vaguely* between s2 and s3 i guess

a/n: ahh here is my first steve harrington fic!! i have been in love with this man since 2016 and will continue to love him for the rest of my days <3 this is also the first thing i have enjoyed writing in months, so i really hope y'all enjoy it too :) special thanks to @pellucid-constellations and her steve harrington playlist for making this possible

main masterlist ─ stranger things masterlist

i no longer have a taglist, but you can follow @theafterglowlibrary and turn on notifications to get fic updates!

“Steve. Steve!” You had been saying his name for the entirety of the last song and, despite the fact that he was less than 10 feet away from you, he hadn’t even glanced in your direction. You weren’t sure whether to blame it on the speakers or the booze.

“Harrington!” You finally pushed your way through the small crowd, tugging on his hair, until his attention was at last on you.

“Hey!” He wrapped you in a hug once the glassiness in his eyes gave way to recognition. “Everything okay?”

“If Nancy spilling an entire wine cooler down the front of her dress is ‘okay' to you, then yeah everything is totally rad.” You tried to keep the bitterness out of your tone, you really did, but somehow it crept in anyways.

“Nancy’s here?” It was a wonder he didn’t know the second she walked in. They had broken up months ago and it was like she was still the center of his universe - even when he was screwing everything that walked and complaining to you about his lack of a relationship afterwards. “Where?”

His head swiveled around, scanning the throng of your friends and whoever else had shown up, until he caught a glimpse of her in the kitchen.

“I don’t even know why she’s here,” you muttered, though he either didn’t hear you or opted to ignore you, instead making his way towards her. You followed, begrudgingly, and hoped he wouldn’t do anything too stupid.

You watched the floor as you walked, determined not to have another incident like last weekend - which involved cheap beer and a pair of skimpy underwear - and didn’t notice Steve had come to a halt until you smacked into the broad expanse of his back.

“What the f- oh.” You peered around him to see what had him so tripped up, and were both surprised and disgusted to see Nancy practically wrapped around Jonathan, the two of them pressed against Steve’s kitchen counter.

You scoffed at the sight because, really, who goes to a party at their ex’s house just to hook up with the guy you dumped him for? It was just another reason for your bitterness towards the girl - a list filled with disgustingly petty revelations that spoke more on yourself than her, if you thought about it too long.

“C’mon, Harrington, let’s get another drink.” You pulled on the hem of his t-shirt, finally getting him to turn towards you, though his eyes lingered in the opposite direction for just a moment longer.

“But all the -”

“A good drink, Steve.” The corner of his mouth ticked up at your suggestion, and seeing Nancy must have really struck him to the core if he wasn’t even going to pretend to argue with you about raiding his dad’s expensive liquor.

As platonically as you could manage, you linked your fingers with his and coaxed him towards the basement door. To your surprise, no one even glanced in your direction as the two of you made your way back through the crowd, and the beat of Duran Duran quieted as the door clicked shut behind Steve.

He padded across the carpeted floor towards the liquor cabinet, and the smile he gave you when he picked the old lock was the first time he truly felt like your best friend again since the night he got with Nancy.

And you really needed to stop thinking about her.

He flopped down on the couch beside you, a half full bottle of rum in his hand, and took a swig before passing it over. The burn was welcome, much better than the warm beer you had been drinking upstairs, and soon enough you were coaxing the last drops from the dregs of the bottle.

“I hope my dad won’t miss this one.” Steve said, feet hung over the back over the couch, his hair grazing the floor. You hoped he wouldn’t barf once he sat upright again, because you knew you would be the one cleaning him up.

“You took this one from the back, right?” He nodded. “I bet you a movie rental that he doesn’t notice for at least a month. Just invite Tommy over before then and you can blame it on him.”

Steve laughed, even though you were right, and shifted on the couch so his head rested in your lap. As if on instinct, you carded your fingers through the long strands, mussing it up even more than the sweat and dancing from the hours before. You looked down at his face to see a content smile there, before a pinch of disappointment appeared between his eyebrows and the look in his eyes as he opened them was no longer carefree, but forlorn.

“Why would she even come?” His voice was barely a whisper, and if you hadn’t been mere inches from his face, you were sure you wouldn’t have even heard it. “Do you think she just wants to rub it in? Her and Jonathan?”

“Steve, honey,” you sighed, bringing your thumb down to his forehead to smooth the worry lines between his eyes. “You were the one who wanted to ‘try being friends’ after she broke up with you.”

“It was mutual,” he insisted.

“Right. You were the one who insisted on trying to be friends after your mutual breakup, and I think her coming was her trying to do that. But we all make stupid decisions when we’re drunk and around someone we love. I don’t think she was trying to hurt you.”

It was surprising how much clearer your drunk mind was, that you could admit to yourself that you didn’t dislike Nancy as much as you told yourself you did, and that she really wasn’t a bad person at all. She had just hurt your best friend - the one you had been telling yourself for at least a decade that you weren’t in love with - and it wasn’t even intentional. Suddenly, every scoff and eyeroll seemed stupid, and you felt like a raging bitch.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” His eyes closed again, your fingers still gently combing through his hair.

“Don’t you know I’m always right, Stevie?” You tried to come off as joking, but your voice cracked, the alcohol in your system breaking down a dam of emotions you tried desperately to keep at bay. Hearing the waiver in your words, his peaked one eye open, and it suddenly registered how close you were to him, bent over his head, so close that if he leaned up just a few scant inches, your lips would be pressed together.

His hand searched out yours - the one that wasn’t playing with his hair - and intertwined your fingers together, squeezing gently; an unspoken are you okay?

You nodded and then suddenly the basement door cracked open. You both stilled, waiting for someone to interrupt you, but no one appeared and instead notes of Blondie drifted down the stairs.

“Is this -”

“The song we danced to at the eighth grade talent show? Yes.”

Suddenly, Steve was on his feet, pulling you with him, and the former melancholic mood was wiped away as he spun you around and around, trying to mimic the moves that didn’t win you any awards when you were 14 and certainly weren’t any better now.

The two of you danced until you were dizzy and giggling, and you had to lean on your best friend to keep from falling down. Once your head stopped swimming, you realized Steve was staring at you, a sparkle in his eye that you had never seen before, not even when he had looked at Nancy.

But that just couldn’t be right. You were the one pining for your best friend for years, not him. Right?

That sliver of hope burned bright as his fingertips traced a gentle pattern over your face; the line of your nose, the curve of your cheekbone, landing on the cushion of your bottom lip. Your mouth parted and before you could make sense of it, his lips were covering yours and it was everything you had ever wanted but never dared hope for.

You had always imagined your first kiss with Steve would come in the middle of a fight, after a confession that you just couldn’t keep in anymore. You always imagined heat and hands and losing your minds in each other, but instead it was soft and sweet and tasted of alcohol, and yet somehow it was still utterly perfect.

He pulled away, just far enough to separate your lips, but instead pressed his forehead to yours, breath a little heavy, mingling with yours.

“I’m -”

“Why -”

You spoke at the same time, both giggling at the overlap of voices, and you gently poked his side, prompting him to talk first.

“I’m not sure why I did that.” You frowned, suddenly terrified that it didn’t mean what you thought it meant. When you tried to pull away, he hooked his fingers in the loop of your jeans, pulling you tight against him. “No, no, that came out wrong. I don’t know why I did that now, when I should have done it a long time ago.

“I’ve always loved you, I think. I just never really knew what it meant. It took Nancy telling me to get a clue before I figured out that the funny feeling I got in my stomach every time you laughed or fell asleep on my shoulder wasn’t platonic. I thought it was just you and that’s why I never felt that way with anyone else.”

“Not even Nancy?” You cursed yourself for asking the question, cringing at the insecurity laced through your voice.

“Not even Nancy,” Steve confirmed.

“But you two broke up months ago. Why did you wait so long to say anything? Why did you -” You swallowed around the lump in your throat. “Why did you go on all those dates and everything?”

“You’re gonna think I’m stupid if I tell you.” You huffed at his answer, shifting your body and stepping on his toes until he yelped and shuffled away. “Fine, fine, just stay off my toes.”

He closed the small gap of space that had crept between you, his hands gentle where they settled at your hips. You let yourself melt into him, your own hands wrapping around his neck and tangling in the soft hair at his nape.

“You’ve been my best friend for longer than I can even remember. We’ve been through everything together. First, I was scared that you would never feel the same way, then when I started thinking you just might, I was terrified of ruining our friendship. I mean, I don’t exactly have a stellar track record when it comes to dating.”

You made a noise - half scoff and half laugh - and he brought a hand up to flick your nose.

“Hey! You wanted to know, and I told you that you would think I’m stupid. Which I am, because if you’ve made it this long without killing me, I think you could probably handle me for the long haul.”

“The long haul?” It was like every moment you had spent secretly pining and drawing Mrs. Harrington in the margins of your diary had led to this moment. “You saying you wanna go steady with me?”

“Go steady? You’ve been reading too many of those Captain Brooklyn comics.”

“It’s Captain America, Steve.”

“Whatever.” He smiled that ridiculous lopsided grin that turned your insides out and you got a sudden jolt of courage, tilting your head up to press your lips to his again and, yeah, it was just as amazing the second time around.

Then the basement door was flung open, and what once was barely a crack gave way to strobe lights and booming bass.

“Harrington!” Someone shouted, followed by the sound of what may have been glass breaking, and Steve pulled away with a sigh.

“Tomorrow night, after you help me clean this mess, I’m taking you for a movie and ice cream. Heard that new place in the mall is really good.”

“What makes you think I’m helping you clean up?”

“Because you're my best friend. And you love me.” He finally stepped away from you, placing a quick kiss on your forehead before turning to the stairs. When he made it to the top, he looked back down at you and gave you a small wink before disappearing into the party.

#steve harrington #steve harrington fic #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington fanfic #steve harrington x female!reader #stranger things fic #strangers things #stranger things fanfiction #joe keery #steve harrington x you #tiff writes #the long haul

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