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#and i was like.. i fucking know right.... his side of the family is just... insane bruh...
princessbrunette · 3 days
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you wasn’t sure what to expect from your toxic ex boyfriend rafe when you finally caved and let him fuck you again. you told yourself it was a selfish act, that he was only getting what he wanted because you let him — but after sex was when you were the most vulnerable.
he’d been alluding to it for weeks, practically stalking you wherever you went to just stare you down and shove away any guy that spoke to you. you’re talking parties, the country club, even making an appearance at the restaurant bar alone when you were out to dinner with your family. rafe cameron had eyes everywhere, and those eyes were all set on making it impossible for you to move on.
you’d given in when he’d cornered you at the country club when you were a glass of wine down, surely knowing it was the best time to convince you. wine made you horny, too easy, and whilst you could deny all you wanted — the thing you needed the most was for your psycho ex boyfriend to have you on your back, cumming around his cock.
so you’d let him drive you back to tannyhill, let him lean over at the red stop light to put his tongue in your mouth, ringed fingers cupping and fondling your soaked cunt beneath your sundress until the light went green and cars were honking. let him walk you to his front door with a hand on your ass and his mouth at your ear telling you that you knew where home was, and that you knew no one could make you moan as pretty as he could. you let him bounce you on his dick until you were overstimulated and crying, teardrops splashing on his tanned abdomen as he threatens to cum inside you and trap you with him forever. it’s only the after math you didn’t feel too in control anymore, curled on your side as you catch your breath in fetal position.
he hadn’t made a move to scoop you up and cuddle you. honestly, he didn’t know if that was allowed. instead, stupidly he wakes you out of your sleepy haze with his voice.
“alright, up. c’mon kid.” he shuffles, sitting up against the headboard and your heart sinks. you don’t dare question, or argue and humiliate yourself — simply forcing yourself to sit up, disorientated and reaching for your dress.
“‘kay. sorry.” you whisper, and you despise the way your voice cracks, tears fat in your eyes as you work your arms through your dress to pull it on over your body. you shouldn’t have come here, all that work to move on destroyed within the space of a few hours just for him to kick you out when he got what he wanted.
“wh— hey, ‘fuck are you talkin’ about huh?” he scooches towards you, grabbing your hands to stop your movements. you gaze at him in upset confusion and he realises his mistake and softens just a tad. “i mean get up and go pee… okay? always make you pee after i fuck you i — i don’t know why you’re…” he shakes his head, trailing off as he watches you melt in relief, still equally embarrassed. “look at me.” he commands quietly and solemnly and you do so, a shameful gaze through your lashes.
he sighs out his nose, shuffling to a better spot to be able to cup your cheek with that same boyish but charming roughness he so often carried. “i’m not going to just kick you out, okay — i… i am proactively trying to show you that i’m not the bad guy here. shit, if it was up to me i’d never let you leave this house but uh… know you’re gonna come to your senses soon enough.” there’s a tinge of sadness in his tone that makes your heart twitch with sympathy, your brows knitting harder as you stare up at him, waiting for him to continue. “but… for now… m’tryna look after you… right? so… so go pee and then you get your ass back in here. wanna hold you n’shit.”
he gives your ass a little pat as you stand, busying himself with finding a pair of sweatpants to pull on, glancing over at you as you hobble shyly to the bathroom like you’d never been to his place before. he hated to admit it, but he was just as emotional and sensitive as you were at times.
when you’re out the room, he sniffs— talking to himself manically in a self deprecating whisper. “god — i suck. man up. she’s yours, alright — just - just gotta remind her.” he tells himself quietly through grit teeth as he pulls the grey material up his legs.
rafe was going to make you his again, and this time he would go to any length to keep you.
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calumfmu · 2 days
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your fics are godly. you wouldnt know you were in a slump!
could i request eddie and steve fighting over reader? like eddie shows up at family video and steve is stood between readers legs feeding her red vines and shes playing with his hair and eddie is like 😤 game on steven.
Hiii babe <3 thank you so muchhh. like genuinely, I could cry rn. Im really fucking trying lmfaoo so I hope this is good :)))) Steddie x Reader (who is playing them both) cw: swearing, allusions to sex, 2.1k+ words (I did it y'all + working on edits are next bc I'm shit at them, I can only do collage)
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“Just call me for what time to pick you up, okay?” Eddie’s voice was soft when he spoke to you, tires screeching to a halt as the van pulled up in front of the Family Video. You were shy behind the smile that nursed your lips, trying not to fully beam at him as he ran out to open your passenger door.
“Yeah, yeah, I know the deal, Munson,” you teased, hoping out with your bag thrown over your shoulder.
He stood up close in your space, nearly chest to chest with you as he reached up to tuck a strand of your hair behind your ear. He smelled like leather, the familiar scent filling your senses like a heated towel.
“Just looking out for my favorite girl,” he whispered, pecking your nose as you rolled your eyes playfully at his comment. You weren’t his girlfriend, but he loved to tease you when it came to claiming you as his. You couldn’t even pretend to be upset at it, loving the way he called you his and the pet names that followed.
“Is that what I am now?”
“My one and only.”
The look on his face warmed you up, his hair blowing in the wind as he leaned down to press his lips to yours. The kiss was soft, lips touching with the briefest sensation of want— remnants of your time spent in the hazy morning in his trailer, seated on his lap, pushing him down into the mattress.
You heard a throat clear to your right, only for you to look up and see Robin standing with her arms crossed, leaning against the glass door of the video store.
“You’re gonna be late,” she grumbled, shaking her head at the two of you intertwined. Blushing, you pulled away from him, his hand outstretching to hold yours for as long as possible while you took a few steps away. He reluctantly let go, your arms being stretched as the distance increased to be too much for contact.
“Call me!”
You nodded at him, waving him goodbye as he leaned against the van door. Meeting Robin’s side, you bumped your shoulder with hers.
“You know, you’re going to have to make a decision some day,” she said, holding the door open for you as you walked in. Your heart kicked up at her words, clearing your throat to ease away the discomfort.
“What do you mean?”
You fawned innocence, eyes batting up at her as she gave you that all knowing look. The two of you made it a few steps into the business, your eyes immediately searching for that chestnut colored mane, puppy dog eyes lingering amongst the aisles.
“You know what I mean,” she said, leaning into your ear so her words wouldn’t carry far. “They’re not dumb, you know.”
“Still don’t know what you’re talking about.” You called out behind you as you made your way around the counter. She grumbled something in reply, it being lost as you as your mind was set on one thing.
You gave her a cheery smile, walking to the back office to place your things down. Immediately upon entering, there he was— Steve, your other situation, if you could call it that. The serious look on his face immediately flipped around upon laying his eyes on you, teeth bared in a smile with his eyebrows raised.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this, no. You didn’t mean to be playing both sides of the fence, Eddie on one hand, reserved for late nights and early mornings, Steve on the other, day time charades and afternoon picnics.
It just happened. Maybe somewhere along the mysterious shit that always happened around Hawkins where you got to spend time with reformed king more or the effort to clear the Munson boys name, you happened to fall for the two of them. At the same time. It wasn’t your fault, okay? They were both too pretty to make a decision, too good to you in their different ways, too much to be able to put down.
“Hi, pretty girl,” he muttered before crossing the floor to meet you in an embrace. You felt safe in his arms too, chest broad in muscle, cinnamon scent encompassing you. It was different than Eddie’s, yet all the same. “You’re late.”
You looked up at him, chin at his chest as his eyes stared down at you. Sleep wore on his face, big eyes drooping slightly, exhaustion from the early morning showing.
“Only 5 minutes,” You pouted, bottom lip jutting out. “You’d cover for me right? My ride was a little hectic.”
“You know I always do.”
He pressed a kiss to your forehead, pulling you out of the break room to meet Robin on the floor. She was labeling VHS cases, tongue poked out at the corner of her mouth as she focused on getting the stickers straight. Following his lead, he settled next to her, dividing the pile while you took a seat on the countertop, opening a box of candy that had just been shipped in.
Your legs swung in front of you, hitting the backboard of the counter you sat on. While the three of you focused on morning duties, your foot hit Steve’s thigh every now and then, smirk on your lips as you knew he would get “frustrated” eventually and “snap”.
“Babe,” he warned, pushing your foot with his hip as he threw a tape down on the pile. You laughed under your breath, grabbing packs of Red Vines out of the case.
“What am I doing?” You cocked your head to the side, not yet wanting to look up at the look he was giving you. You tapped him again, toe pointed as his hand reached down to grab your ankle.
“Playing dumb is really your strong suit,” Robin commented, raising her eyebrows as she looked at the two of you. You shot her a look, urging her to not continue as Steve rose an eyebrow.
“Rob, shut up,” you laughed, throwing the balled up packing tape you had accumulated from the boxes at her. She dodged it as she laughed, throwing her own scraps from labels towards you.
Steve’s grip on your ankle tightened slightly, he slid in between your parted legs, hips pressed flush against the counter as you tried to maneuver out of the grip, laughing as he locked you in.
“Playing dumb? You’re the smartest girl I know,” he teased, helping you unpack the candy while still seated between your legs. Robin made a face at you from behind him, immediately going serious when Steve turned around to give her a look. She loved teasing you whenever she had the opportunity, all jokes in good fun, no matter what she thought of the predicament you found yourself in.
“That’s so rude, Harrington,” she said, rolling her eyes as she took a stack of tapes to re-shelf. You watched as she walked away, getting lost in an aisle closer to the door.
He ignored her, placing his hands on your thighs as he abandoned the candy. You held a box of licorice in your hands, toying at the corners as you looked at him. The look on his face grew more serious, eyes squinted as he pursed his lips.
“I wanna know though… what are you so good with playing dumb at that Robin had to be oh, so mysterious about?”
Your heart lurched at his question, eyes darting down to look at the blue box in hand. The corner ripped underneath your hand, plastic being pulled back as you found sudden interest in it.
“Nothing.”
He hummed at the short answer, fingers coming up to pull your chin to focus on him. You met his eyes, chocolate brown wide as you melted at the look.
“Is that so?” Steve’s voice was low, a deep grumble coming from his chest. His fingers found your hips, pulling him into you quickly that made you yelp, candy flying everywhere as your hands flew up to grab at him.
“Steve! Look what you made me do!”
“You still didn’t answer me.”
You groaned, looking at the mess of red candy that laid around you. He picked up a stick of licorice, taking a bite out of it before feeding it to you. You smiled around it, hand coming up to rest at his chest as you went to push him away from you. His scent of cinnamon hit you, preventing you from the motion, instead curling your fingers into the fabric of his striped shirt, sat under his vest. You dragged it up the length of his body, settling into his hair as you curled a piece of it between your fingertips.
“Hey, uhhh… you guys…” Robin’s voice was wary as she spoke across the floor, yet the two of you didn’t register it, focused on each other.
She hurriedly made her ways towards you guys, foot steps coming closer as her gaze was focused on something outside the doors. You took another bite of the candy from Steve’s fingers, looking up at him through your lashes as you made a show of it.
The bell above the door rang, signaling entry as the two of you remained distracted.
“You forgot your jacket in my…”
Your heart stopped. You recognized that voice. Eddie stood there, your jean jacket in his hand as he faltered his steps, feet away from the counter. The look on his face dropped, eyes glaring at Steve who stood in front of you. Pushing him away, you hoped off the counter.
Robin stood frazzled behind him, eyes wide as her eyes glinted between the three of you. Her mouth was dropped open, cringing at the awkward situation it was.
“Steve.”
The tone of the name had you cringing, realizing that Eddie saw you at no fault, this was up to Steve. He slowly made his way up to the counter, jean jacket being placed on the flat surface as he stared down the younger man.
“Than—” You cleared your throat. “Thank you, Eddie.”
He hummed in response, not breaking the staring contest that he found himself in. Steve shifted uncomfortably, quickly swallowing down the piece of candy he had.
“You had her jacket in your van?” The realization of the situation began to dawn on him, voice dripping with the same tone Eddie had. It was all directed towards the long haired man, leaving you out of it.
“Mhmm,” Eddie said, crossing his arms over his chest. You felt small between them, both boys beginning to size each other up. “She must have left it last night when she came over.”
You shot a look at Robin, begging her to help you as you didn’t know what to do. She shrugged at you, mouthing ‘told you so’ before turning on her heel, scurrying away from the budding altercation. Sighing, you placed a hand at your forehead, the temperature in the building rising suddenly.
“Came over?” Steve asked, stepping up to the counter, closer to him. You were grateful for the separation between them, not daring to think about what would’ve happened if it wasn’t there.
“That’s right, pretty boy.” You don’t think you had heard Eddie ever speak to Steve in that manner, them becoming ‘friends’ in the most recent months.
“That must have been after our trip in my car.” Steve’s eyebrow shot up. “To Skull Rock.” His palm pressed on the counter, leaning over in his direction. “After sunset.”
You could’ve passed out right then and there if it weren’t for the way Eddie suddenly smiled at him, teeth bared in a grin you had only seen reserved for you. He walked even closer to the counter, face inches away from Steve’s at this point.
“Touché, Harrington.”
With a quirk of his eyebrow, he turned away, walking towards the door. His hand shot out to push it open, lingering in the frame before turning to face you.
“See you later, sweetheart. Pick you up at 6, normal time?”
The subtle nod of your head had him smiling even wider, the chains around his neck clinking together as he tilted his head in response.
“She’s got plans with me at 7, Munson!” Steve’s voice shouted out to him as he exited, a loud ‘HA!’ left behind in his wake. The counter swung shut, bell ringing as the shutters on the door rattled.
You just stood there for a minute, wondering what the fuck you got yourself into. It wasn’t supposed to be like this, most definitely wasn’t supposed to be discovered like this. You closed your eyes, leaning onto the counter with your elbows, head rested in your hands.
“You are so fucked,” Robin laughed, returning to your side. You just nodded in response, palms digging into your eye sockets. Stars floated behind your closed lids, dancing in the darkness behind them.
“Shut it, Robin.”
Masterlist. Inbox and requests are open! <3
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igotanidea · 16 hours
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Somebody's watching me : AK!Jason x reader
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Request: AK! jason hears y/n’s name from his opponent and just goes nuts like he goes home looking for her.
A/N : the requests is a little twisted, as usual, but I hope you'll still like it anon :D
***
It was gone.
His old life was gone.
And with it, everyone he knew before.
All that was left was revenge, hate, rage. And this unstoppable need for killing someone, destroy something, wreck havoc on every single person who did him any wrong.
Bruce.
Fucking Batman.
He was the Arkham Knight now.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Focused on building his position so that no one, no fucking one, would ever hold any power over him.
And if that meant keeping tabs on everyone under his watchful gaze so be it.
And if that meant putting some pressure on everyone who dared to do as much as step a toe over the line, so be it.
And disturbances?
Defnitely not something he was about to allow.
And now he was holding a gun to one of his goons head.
"What did you do?" he hissed, his voice distorted by the helmet
"Sir, I --"
"What did you do?" Jason repeated pressing the metal more into man's head.
"I-- I disobeyed--"
"You disobeyed. And do you know what happens to people who disobey me?"
"Sir, please this is--"
Jason shot in the air and the man almost fell to his feet.
"It was-"
"I'm not going to give a warning shot again"
"I was-"
"I'm gonna count to three now. One."
"There's this girl."
"Two."
"Her name is Y/N."
"thr-- what?"
"She is very distant family, but --"
"Shut up!" Jason yelled, his face twisted with rage, not that anyone could see his expression hidden under the metal. "Shut the fuck up you hear me!" it took him two steps to be in front of the man, yanking him up by the collar and pinning to the wall with brutal force, half-chocking him "you ever do as much as think her name again and I'll kill you and put your head on a stick as a warning to anyone who dare have a thought of himself. YOU HEAR ME!?"
"y-ye-yes..."
"now get the fuck out of here!" the man was violently thrown on the floor, getting up as fast as he could and rushing out the door. It was truly a miracle he lived to tell the tale, cause Arkham Knight was not known for his leniency.
But Y/N.
Someone from his past.
More than someone.
A girl, a woman, he was once in love with.
A woman, whose name he forgot in the pursuit after Batman.
Or rather - tried to forget.
She was the only one who ever got him. The only one to accept him fully, with all his flaws.
His Y/N.
His Y/N who betrayed him just like anyone else. Who forgot him. Who moved on without giving as much as a single thought to him when he was lost. Who was never looking for him.
His Y/N.
It;s been years since he heard anyone mention her. Years since he swore to never get manipulated again.
And then.
Just a few letters mixed together. Just a few sounds.
And she was right behind his eyes, just like he remembered her. Because even his dark side refused to let go of the rememberance of their time together.
Her laugh. Her smile. Her eyes and freckles from the sun, as fleeting as the summer days they were spending together. Her calmness, care and tenderness when she was patching up his woudns, tiredlessly putting on bandaids and stitches.
Fuck!
He didn't need that.
Just another phase of brainwashing. If not from his capturers than from his own men.
Hell no.
He was going to say no to the past life once and for all.
Hunting her down, wherever she may be.
See her for the last time.
Pour hatred in his heart, destroying all the remaining piece of useless softness and caring he carried in his soul.
Burn the last link connecting him to the past down.
***
She was spending the night in her old apartment. Sitting by the same desk, with the same lamp, in the same posture she ever did.
One leg half bent and folded under her ass, the other hanging loose in the air.
"You're going to end up with numbness..." he muttered to himself, watching her from the opposite rooftop.
Obviously she couldn;t hear him, but something made her raise her head and look outside the window while simultaniously changing the position.
Jason smiled despite himself.
His heart skipped a beat and sudden warmth spread in his chest.
Only for a second though, since he rememembered why he was here in the first place.
Look at her.
So fucking good.
So fucking calm and happy, while he-
fuck!
traitorous bitch.
Maybe it was her plan from the very beggining. Conspiring with Batman only to get rid of him, so they could both be free of the burdening presence of a man once known as Jason Todd.
Y/N...
Regardless of how sweet her name may have tasted on his tongue he would rather cut it off than fall down that rabit hole again.
He was cold as ice. Brutal. Cruel. Ruthless.
And it was not going to change because he saw her.
Not in the million years.
She was the reason of his fallout. She should have stopped him from going on that stupid mission. She should have made him stay, showed him she cared enough to keep him grounded.
It was all her fault that that after being captured all he could think about was how she was going to survive without him. How her heart would break into million pieces, instead of figuring out a way to free himself.
It was all her fault that he became the Arkham Knight. Cause inhumanity was equal with survival. And survival meant living. And living meant keeping his legacy.
So yes, he hated her.
He hated her, because every single thing he did and every little thing done to him was because and thanks to her.
She was the reason of him getting on top, but also the person responsible for his failure as a person.
She was nothing.
She was everything.
And for the first time since capturing, torturing and tranformation Jason felt conflicted.
Y/N...
His Y/N...
Not his anymore...
***
When some force made her stand up and come to window all she saw was a blink of metal on the rooftop. And since she spend half of her life with vigilantes, it was easy to realise that this must have been one of them.
But the silhouette of a running man couldn;t have been Dick nor Tim nor any other hero she would recognise.
And despite herself, she felt a shiver running down her spine.
Someone was watching her.
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kittysarchive · 3 days
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Baby Daddy trope, Enhypen
*this is just my understanding of baby daddies :(
warnings- baby daddy/ no relationship, single parent? talks of abandonment
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Heeseung
One night stand
Cuming inside you shouldn't have lead to this.... Having a one night stand is bad enough...and getting pregnant from it is worse. You didn't have his phone number, his address, where he worked. Having taken him to your house, all you got from him was your name. Back tracing him, begging the bar for some camera footage and client in formation...finally you find him. Being already a month pregnant and finally tracking him down, you did not get a good reaction from him.
"Your fucking with me right?" Heeseung glared at you from over the counter. You had found his work and while on shift told him the news.
"I'm serious, why did you have to cum inside me!" You raised your voice, not caring f the customers heard. Cheeks blushing, Heeseung turned his face away, he didn't have enough money to raise a child at his age....how could this happen?
Jay
Boss
You were ashamed when you saw the pregnancy test. So much that you even quite the job, hoarding enough money to move house. Even just 10 minutes further from your old job, you never though you could show up there. Reason, sleeping with your boss who had a large age gap.... just to get a raise...and getting pregnant, you couldn't handle the incoming embarrassment. Having his number already, you called him over to your new house.
"What's this?" Jay gaslighted himself. He had a wife and three kids.....and he got you pregnant.
"You know what it is" You said annoyed. Being days pregnant, you felt the mood swings already. Hand covering his mouth, he didn't know how to react. All he knew was he wasn't going to let you suffer, he had enough money to help raise the child, in secret of course.
Jake
Brothers best friend
You were fucked. You had no other way then to say it like that. You couldn't tell you family and defiantly not your brother...whose father was his best friend. With only a three year age gap, it was bad enough with the relationship he had with your father, and you being fresh out of school... Contacting him was easy enough, actually telling him was the hard part. Meeting at a park....that's where you told him to meet.
"So what's so important?" Jake jogged over to you. Sighing, you had been hiding your pregnancy for a week and you had to tell him now.
"You know...how multiple flings?" You confessed, having exactly three flings beofrehand.....tahts all it took to get pregnant. Jake nodded his head, slowly getting anxious.
"Well....I'm pregnant" Jakes eyes widened. The last hookup being a daze, he always wore a condom....he never even though of cuming in side. But...last time you were both drunk.
Sunghoon
Collage
He was cute, you asked him out, he fucked you nice and now your pregnant. A month to be exact. Your roommate was aware, well are in fact but your hookup, Sunghoon wasn't. With your roommate begging you to tell him, he in fact could be of help. What if his parents were rich! Or he actually wanted to be in a relationship with you..... waiting outside of his lecture, you pulled him to the side when he came out.
"What would you do if I was pregnant?" You asked, no smile on your face. Sunghoon gulped, what type of prank was this.....what was your name again?
"Did I hookup with you?" Sunghoon didn't even know who you were. But you voice did sound familiar. You nod your head. Mind pacing back to the original question...why did you ask that?
"Are you...." He begins.
"Yeah" You smile as if this was some kind of sick joke.
Sunoo
underclass man
You took you only live once seriously. Hooking up with the cute and seemingly innocent boy who was a grade below was a thrill for you and him. Not going all night.... but you still made a mess with him. And of course, no protection, dumb highschoolers led to pregnancy. Being a senior....it was acceptable? But for hooking with a younger grade and getting pregnant and your parents not even approving of it, yeah you were ashamed. Finding him in the school halls, you pushed Sunoo into the girls bathroom.
"W-What" His eyes widen, he didn't want to be pushed let alone in the girls bathroom. Looking gup and seeing you made him nervous for some reason.
"You got me pregnant" You say blankly. Sunoo stumbles, finding the right words.
"H-hang what!" His face reddens, he still has another full year at school, his family could kick him out...he would loose all of his friends. Nodding your head as if you agreed with his inner thoughts, Sunoo couldn't stop the tears from coming out.
Jungwon
Same friend group
Having the same friends, in the same friend group, having many things in common led one thig to another. It was an accident! You never though of Jungwon in any romantic way or setting yet one night...you were all over each other. Unable to stop the passion, you became pregnant from the event/fling. Now here, staring at the pregenacy result, you felt weird. He was your friend! Not best friend but you knew a some decent facts about him and some, very honest truth and now he was a baby daddy...
"Heyy" You smile at the camera as he picked up the video call, smiling back he greeted you.
"Do you ever want to be dad?" You asked, turning serious, he laughs.
"No" Smile fading, there goes your helper for this child...lets hope he doesn't abandon you.
"To bad, I'm pregnant" You laugh, seeing Jungwon's smile fade as you tell hi the news, on a video call.
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puppy-steve · 1 day
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strawberry wine
real life has got me feeling stressed and uncertain so, naturally, i started thinking about a previous fic, which can also be read here
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The kitchen’s dark, save for the light above the sink. Steve is elbow deep in soapy dish water when the radio on the china hutch behind him clicks on, a soft country ballad trickling into the quiet space. Arms wrap around his waist and Steve huffs a laugh as he reaches for the dish rag to dry his hands.
He turns in Eddie’s arms and is met with an expression that’s so open and full of love. It still catches Steve off guard sometimes, still not used to being loved by someone who proudly shows all of his emotions on his sleeve.
Eddie takes Steve’s hand in his as they sway in the dim light. Steve buries his face in Eddie’s shoulder and closes his eyes, letting him take the lead.
I still remember
When thirty was old
My biggest fear was September
When he had to go
The lyrics are like an arrow in Steve’s stomach. He grips Eddie’s shoulder tighter and presses closer to him as they continue to sway in the slow circle. Eddie just rubs a soothing hand up and down his back.
A few cards and letters
And one long distance call
We drifted away
Like the leaves in the fall
Doesn’t mention the tears seeping through his shirt or the way Steve’s shoulders wrack with silent sobs. Eddie presses a kiss above his hair and holds him tighter while he croons softly.
Strawberry wine and seventeen
The hot July moon, saw everything
My first taste of love
Whoa, bittersweet
“I don’t want you to go,” Steve admits against his shoulder, feeling a bit like a child throwing a tantrum. He thinks he’s allowed to be a little selfish when it feels like his whole world is being ripped away from him.
Robin’s transferring her community college credits to a state school after her gap year ends and the kids are a month away from graduation and starting their own college journeys.
Corroded Coffin’s been noticed. Their gigs at The Hideout have been growing ever since Eddie’s name was cleared and the murder charges were dropped and there was an actual scout at their last one. Talked to the band and showed them a pretty picture of fame and fortune.
And a way out of this cursed town.
And Steve? Steve has no idea where he’s headed in life. He gave college a try three separate times after Vecna and dropped out each time after a semester. Too stupid to understand what his professors were talking about and unable to keep up with the workload while also working full time.
What good is he if the world isn’t ending? If he isn’t being the protector, the body they need when shit goes sideways (it always goes sideways.) His parents were at least kind enough to pay off the mortgage and cover the utilities for at least a year before they fucked off to God knows where, but once that’s up? Family Video only pays so much and he’s definitely not being paid to drive the brats around every weekend.
“I know,” Eddie says, because they’ve already talked about it. The band’s been invited up to Chicago to meet with label executives next month to let them hear some samples of their music, and that means the possibility of signing a contract and finally getting their big break.
Steve is so, so proud of him.
He’s also so, so lost.
They’ve stopped dancing. Eddie is still running his fingertips along his spine comfortingly. Steve sniffs and pulls back just enough to look at him. His boyfriend has opted for a flannel over a band t-shirt today. Steve fiddles with the collar and doesn’t meet Eddie’s concerned eyes.
“But you have to go.” He sounds like he’s trying to convince himself. “I can’t hold you back from something you’ve waited your whole life for.” He gives Eddie a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Corroded Coffin is your baby.”
Eddie cups his face and frowns. “You’ll always come first, you know that, right? Even if I’m on the other side of the world, as soon as you say the word, I’ll come right back to you.”
Steve does know that, and it scares the absolute shit out of him. Being loved so completely and unconditionally. It’s been almost three years and he’s is ashamed to admit he’s still waiting for the other shoe to drop, for Eddie to wake up and realize he could do so much better than a washed-up has-been who peaked in high school.
For him to realize that Steve Harrington isn’t actually a good dude after all.
But he wants this thing with Eddie to last longer than three years. He wants forever with him and he can only hope that Eddie wants the same. So he swallows down his insecurities and self doubt and leans into Eddie’s space, pressing their noses together and taking the lead of the dance this time.
“I promise not to call too often, then.”
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taglist (mutuals lmk if you want to be added!): @yournowheregirl @steves-strapcollection @thefreakandthehair @stobinesque @vecnuthy
@tboygareth @flowercrowngods @starryeyedjanai @matchingbatbites @corrodedbisexual
@theheadlessphilosopher @patchworkgargoyle @sentient-trash @wormdebut @legitcookie
@corrodedcoughin @steddieas-shegoes @wynnyfryd @sidekick-hero @simplebtromance
75 notes · View notes
athanza · 19 hours
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Starlett - Part 3
Cooper Howard/fem!OC (not self-insert)
Tags: Hurt/comfort (sort of?), non-allowed romantic connection, lots of tention, pre and post war drama, some fluff
Warnings: Mentions of domestic abuse and some mild scenes (no graphic scenes or descriptions of that nature), angst, canon wasteland violence
This branches out from canon but I thought it was a cute story idea so I had to write it. No idea how long this one's gonna be yet. Enjoy! ♡
Part 1 | Part 2
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Suddenly Irene looked unsteady and she held a hand to the wound on her side.
"Fancy seein' you here." She chuckled painfully.
"I know, I haven't changed a bit."
She laughed but immediately regretted it, groaning in pain.
"You uh," she said, blood dripping down her leg. "you wouldn't happen to have a stimpak on you would ya? I'm uh...I'm not feelin' too hot."
He looked her over, the gash was deep, she'd need more than one stimpak. "Unfortunately I don't think I do."
Suddenly her legs gave out from underneath her and she collapsed.
"Whoa." He said, catching her before she hit the ground.
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Irene woke up hours later, lying on her back in what looked like a small cave, her head resting on a saddle bag.
She didn't look any different than she did before the war, albeit a little dishevelled, Cooper figured that however Moldaver survived must've been how she did.
"Coop." Irene croaked.
He looked up from cleaning his revolver and saw her try to move.
"Easy there Starlett, you're pretty banged up."
She winced in pain again and lay back down. "I thought you were dead." She said, weak from the blood loss.
"I should be. So should you."
"Fate had other plans I guess."
Cooper scoffed quietly. She didn't press it, even though she wanted to know if Janey made it.
"You're gonna need some proper medical attention." He said. "Ain't much out here though."
"Eh, it's just a scratch." She joked, swallowing a mouth-full of blood.
Cooper got up and handed her a flask of water, half empty. She took a few sips and handed it back.
"I'm lookin' for Lee, you know where I can find 'er?
"I've been looking for her myself, I'm afraid I can't help you there, I've found nothing but dead ends. The bitch is hard to find even in a fucking desert."
He smiled a little at the very different tone coming out of her mouth than he remembered; she must've been in the wasteland for a little while, at least.
"I'm glad I found you cowboy. You're about the only fond memory I've got left. I needed that right about now."
"I'm not the man you remember."
"Doesn't matter. You've reminded me of something I haven't seen in years."
"And what's that?"
"Kindness."
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The doorbell rang and Cooper opened it to find Irene looking remarkably understated compared to her shows, but she still had that aire of grace that she always carried with her no matter where she was.
"Come on in." He smiled, stepping aside for her.
"I can't thank you enough for letting me stay, I know its a lot of ask of someone you just met."
"It's the least I can do."
He closed the door and took her suitcase for her.
Janey appeared with Roosevelt, having been playing in the backyard and Cooper gestured to her.
"Irene, this is my daughter Janey. Janey this is Irene, the friend from work I was telling you about."
"Irene Taylor!?" She said, her eyes sparkling. "I've seen you on TV! Your voice is sooo beautiful! You definitely should have won the award on last month's show."
Irene and Cooper both laughed.
"Looks like you have a fan."
"That's very kind of you." Irene smiled sweetly.
"Janey, why don't you watch some cartoons while I show Irene to her room?"
"Ok." She beamed and sat down with Roosevelt in front of the TV.
Irene followed Cooper to the back of the house where the guest room was and looked at all the family photos as they walked through. Wedding photos, Janey's baby photos, a puppy photo of Roosevelt. When they finally reached the room she felt even more uncomfortable.
"This is you." He said, placing her suitcase on the bed.
"I'm so sorry to put you in this position Mr. Howard, I do appreciate it very much. I didn't know who else to come to."
"Don't worry about it." He smiled warmly. "I'm just glad you decided to leave."
"So am I. You made me realise the cause wasn't worth the abuse, no matter how much I told myself it was. Lee won't be happy but it'll be worth it in the end."
"I'm sure it will."
She smiled softly at him. "I'll let you get back to your daughter. You'll barely know I'm here."
"Nonsense," he said. "You're joining us for dinner, plus I'm sure Janey would love to spend some time with you."
She got choked up a bit at that. Everything she had done since getting into show business had been for other people, someone doing something like this for her was something special.
"Thank you Mr. Howard."
"Cooper." He replied.
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Irene lay sleeping and Cooper sat wondering what to do with her.
He couldn't spare any resources, and he didn't need stimpaks, so he had none. Could he carry her to Filly and get her to a doctor? Sure, but that was in the opposite direction of where he was headed, where they were both headed.
It would be more humane to shoot her now to save her the pain, but he couldn't bring himself to do it and it angered him.
"Fuck." He said, getting to his feet and picking up his gun, walking out of the cave in search of supplies.
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Part 4 coming soon! ♡
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alisonfelixwrites · 3 days
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the deal - part 2/3 (*) [harry styles au]
//
part one, part three.
summary: harry & claire are in love and have a happy family of four. the only dark cloud hanging over them is the custody battle with claire's ex, who's atlas' dad
word count: 11, 074
content warnings: smut (unprotected sex, dirty talk), cutody battle, absent father, physical/emotional abuse (hitting leading to a hospital visit), pregnancy talk
_______________________________________________
“You’re kidding me, right?” Harry had a wide, sleepy smile on his face as he entered the kitchen. His hair was tousled, his shirt wrinkled and his skin still warm from crawling out of bed just minutes before.
The smell of fresh coffee had sort of woken him up as he blinked his eyes open in bed. Patting his hand to the side blindly to find Claire, he had found the space empty. Curiosity brought him downstairs to find a decorated kitchen and a wide selection of breakfast foods on the table.
Claire stood by the counter with his shirt on and a pair of shorts, her hair up in a messy ponytail and a steaming cup of coffee in her hands, “Happy one year anniversary.” She smiled.
“Shit, baby.” Harry chuckled, walking up to hers with his arms opening, wrapping around her frame easily, “This is so corny.” He teased.
“Oh, shut up.” Claire laughed, “I tried to be cute.”
Harry smiled, dipping his head to kiss her lips, “It is.” He murmured, “It’s very cute. Happy one year anniversary, babe.”
Claire pushed up her toes to kiss him back, her hand slipping to the back of his neck as she arched into him. “Are you surprised?” She asked against his lips and Harry nodded, “Mhm. Very. Thought you snuck off on me.” He teased again.
“You know, passing the one year mark…” Claire teased back, “I think I might stay.”
She had been staying for a year.
Exactly one year ago, Claire came back from a date where she got stood up. Atlas was spending the night at Harry’s house with Finn and Claire returned, not expecting to end that evening in Harry’s bed with him inside of her.
The next morning, Harry asked her to stay forever and Claire did. Easily.
Her and Atlas went back and forth at first, but Harry and Claire made it a point to not hide their relationship for their sons. Atlas and Finn were over the moon and Claire and Atlas just… stayed. Claire cancelled her apartment a month after and they moved in permanently.
“Y’look sexy.” Harry breathed against her, his hand dropping to her ass. He fit his palm over one of her cheeks, squeezing the flesh before tucking his fingers underneath the fabric of her shorts to touch her bare. The thong covered up little to nothing and Harry groaned from the back of his throat, nudging Claire back into the counter. His free hand cupped her jaw to tip her chin back and take her in a deep kiss.
“Do we have time?” Claire was already pushing up to sit on the countertop, sliding to the edge and splitting her legs for Harry to stand in between. He grinned, humming at their dynamic. Quickies in the kitchen were their thing. Clothes didn’t even come off but they were their most primal and animalistic moments. Romance wasn’t in sight as Harry often fucked her hard and fast, just getting them both to a high. 
Not that Harry wasn’t a complete romantic. This little anniversary breakfast was Claire attempting to match his level a little bit. Most often it was Harry surprising her with his incredible cooking skills. She’d come home to find a candlelit dinner and soft music playing. Harry treasured her like no one else and continued to surprise her like that.
Harry was about to fit his fingers into the waistband of Claire’s panties to touche her bare when they heard a door upstairs.
He paused and Claire sighed out in frustration, “I guess not.”
“Guess not.” Harry smiled, retrieving his hand and kissing her lips again, “I love you, Claire bear.”
“I hate that nickname.” She whispered and Harry threw his head back in a laugh, “I know. I love it.”
Little footsteps sounded down the stairs as two seven year-olds ran down the stairs.
“No running!” Harry shouted, but their speed didn’t cease. Claire smiled at him, still sitting up on the countertop, “Okay, dad.”
“Daddy to you.” He murmured before shortly kissing her again. Claire blushed slightly as Harry patted her thighs and then stepped back. He adjusted his pyjama pants and she bit her lip, watching him. She couldn’t wipe the smile of her face and her cheeks almost hurt. Her stomach bubbled in butterflies and Claire just couldn’t believe how insanely happy she was.
And how insanely happy she had been all year. It was surreal.
Claire watched as Harry eagerly greeted Finn, who was usually first to get up. Atlas had a harder time waking up and Finn often pulled him out of bed. 
It was confirmed again when Atlas’ sleepy face appeared while Harry was hugging Finn good morning. Claire’s face lit up at the sight of Atlas. He had a haircut recently, cutting his shaggy blonde locks a little bit. It was still covering his ears but not long enough anymore for a bun or braid.
“Good morning, Finn.” Claire greeted, also bending down to hug the seven year-old. He hugged her back and kissed her cheek as Harry ruffled Atlas’ hair and the two bickered playfully. Atlas’ dimple popped as he grinned, “Mornin’, daddy Harry.”
“Hi, bud.” Harry smiled, “Want some orange juice?”
Atlas shook his head no, “Milk, please.”
Claire hopped off the counter, also greeting her boy by wrapping him in a tight hug. She didn’t have to bend down anymore to hug Atlas, who was a bit taller than Finn. 
“Is it someone’s birthday?” Finn quipped as he took a look at the decorated table. Harry squeezed his shoulders from behind, “Nope. You know what we’re celebrating?”
Chairs scraped back as both boys joined Harry and Claire at the breakfast table. Claire smiled at Harry and he winked at her before clearing his throat. She poured the coffee as Harry filled up Atlas’ glass with milk and Finn got himself some orange juice.
“Do you know what happened exactly one year ago?” Harry mused out loud.
Claire could almost see Finn’s brain working while Atlas was clearly not awake enough for trivia. She gently stroked her thumb over his shoulder as Harry and Finn had a staring match. Eventually Harry swallowed a sip of coffee, “One year ago, Atlas’ mum and I got together.”
“That was a year ago?” Atlas raised his brows, glancing at Claire, who offered him a smile, “Mhm.”
Atlas chewed, “Whoa.”
“Yep. One year ago we fell in love.” Harry smiled at Claire and Finn raised his brows while Atlas near spit out his milk, “One year ago you kissed!” He shouted before bursting out into a laugh.
Finn laughed along and Harry blushed softly while Claire giggled. The four of them were laughing and smiling around the table and Claire would’ve loved to think it was a rare sight, but it wasn’t. Every morning was like this.
There had of course been little spats in the past year, but no big fights. Atlas and Harry got along great, as did Finn and Claire. Harry and Claire continued discovering each other but kept their relationship sort of private.
They were aware basically everyone knew, like the other mums at school – but no one really asked or confronted them. Finn and Atlas didn’t make it a big deal and usually Harry dropped both of them off in the morning.
People whispered and pointed but no one actually spoke. 
And for a year, Harry and Claire had been in their bubble. They spent most of their time here at home, both not having a significant other to care for their children if they were to leave the house.
Speaking of significant others, Claire glanced at the clock. Dread filled her body knowing she was supposed to drop Atlas off at his dad’s in about two hours. Harry followed her gaze and sent her a sympathetic look.
Their boys’ attention didn’t stick with breakfast for too long. It was winter and snowy and soon enough, they were on the couch together watching a kid’s show which had a special Christmas episode. 
Harry squeezed Claire’s fingers as she started cleaning up the kitchen, “We’ll do that later.” He whispered, a small mischievous smile on his face.
“Later?” Claire repeated. He pulled her into his chest, “Mhm, later. Let’s have a shower first.”
Claire dropped the spoon she was washing off in the sink and immediately agreed. Finn and Atlas hardly paid them attention, eyes glued to the screen as Harry tugged her up the stairs, favouring their own bathroom which was furthest away from their kids.
Harry and Claire usually tried to get them to spend their time not in front of a screen, but other things were of more importance right now.
They teased for a bit, standing in front of the mirror. Making eyes at one another while brushing their teeth. Harry’s eyes lingered on her nipples through her shirt and right after Claire spit out the toothpaste, he pulled at her clothes.
Claire giggled as he got her naked, stumbling under the stream of the water together.
She moaned into his mouth, fingers raking through his hair as she felt his body pressing against hers. He was soft and smooth and warm and his hands were gentle yet needy as he roamed her body. Passion easily radiated and even if it was dirty, it was still sweet and vulnerable.
It was one year of kisses, I love you’s, gifts, early mornings together. They had spent the spring tending to Harry’s garden and spicing up the house a bit with Claire’s personal things. They spent summer by the pool and running around the garden with the boys. They spent fall jumping in the piles of leaves and carving pumpkins. 
One year of incredible sex and growing together. A year of Claire letting Harry into her life and breaking down her walls and a year of Harry opening up his heart for another woman and both learning how to love and trust again.
It felt light, the both of them together. They laughed and joked and had more fun than ever before. Harry didn’t remember that he could feel like this. 
He felt so young and every day was just so fun. Claire kept him on his toes and made him feel so fucking alive.
His fingers tangled in her wet hair as he whimpered into her mouth, warm water surrounding them. “I love you so fucking much.” He panted, hands slipping towards her thighs. 
She was free of make-up and her wet hair was pushed back, blonde locks cascading down her back. She looked young and fresh and Harry’s heart skipped a million beats, smiling uncontrollably as he shook his head to himself in disbelief, “Fucking hell.”
Claire giggled before their lips crashed together. They were aware that they didn’t have all day. Harry’s dick was painfully hard, pressing into Claire’s tummy before he pushed her against the shower wall. Claire thudded against the glass door as they continued kissing and Harry grinded into her hip, “You ready?” He spoke against her lips.
“Always for you.” She panted.
He smirked and found his footing before lifting her up. Claire squealed with a grin, glancing at his bulging biceps as he pushed her up against the glass wall, her thighs locked around his waist. 
“Slip me in.” He breathed, “Fuck, please, I need you.”
Claire moaned, her hand travelling between them to quickly slide a finger through her slit. She was wet, her legs spread for him. Her hand than reached for his shaft, feeling him solid and aching for her. Harry’s lips gaped at the feeling of a delicate touch, lowering Claire in his arms while she positioned him and he slipped inside of her.
“Oh god.” Claire sighed, her eyes closing at the feeling of Harry’s cock stretching her. The feeling never got old and her toes curled against his back when he filled her so perfectly.
Harry kept his eyes on her face, watching pure bliss take over her delicate features as they were joined together. He dropped his forehead to her shoulder, “Shit, baby. Feels so good.”
“I know,” Claire panted out, “fuck, I know.”
Harry tilted his head up to catch her in a kiss, grinding back and forth before pulling back a little more to thrust inside of her. Claire thudded against the glass wall with each rock of his hips, sinking his cock inside of her pussy.
“God – Harry…” Claire moaned, “Please.”
“Need me harder?” He panted, his arms aching from the position. Claire swallowed and nodded, tugging on his hair, “Y-Yeah.”
He nodded too, putting her down on the shower floor. Water streamed down his muscular back as he flipped Claire around. Her hands were flat against the glass wall, Harry pushing her against it until her breasts flattened and she turned her head to the side.
He tugged on her hips and used his foot to spread her legs a little, sinking down a little before he pushed back inside of her. Claire welcomed him easily and Harry immediately chose a quicker pace. They both needed it, and his hand curled into her hair to pull her back as his hips clashed against her ass. 
“You’re so fucking tight.” He groaned from behind, watching the back of Claire’s body. The length of her back, the way her shoulder blades tightened from tensing up, her slender waist and the curve of her hips. His free hand slid over her body, settling on her ass to give a stern little slap.
Claire squealed at that and Harry hunched over her more, “I love you,” he moaned, “fuck, I love you. ‘M gonna cum, baby.”
“M-Me too. Just a little more.” Claire gasped. Harry nodded, tugging her hair a little more and fucking he harder. Claire cried out in sensitivity, pushed against the shower completely as her knees felt weak and Harry fucked into her from behind.
Harry’s other hand moved around her hip and Claire’s eyes tightly closed when he rubbed circles on her clit, “Oh – fuck, right there.” She cried, “Yes, Harry… I love you.”
He hardly heard her, the pulsing of Claire’s pussy pulling him over the edge too. His hips slammed forward, balls snug against her as he gritted his teeth and cocked her head back further. Claire gasped at the sting in her scalp, staring up at the tiled bathroom ceiling as Harry finished inside of her.
He stayed inside of her for a moment, gently releasing her hair and stroking his palms over her skin as he puffed out breaths and kissed the back of her shoulder. “One year of finishing inside of you.” He teased and Claire breathed out a laugh, “Wondering when you’ll get me pregnant?”
The topic ignited butterflies in Harry’s tummy as he smiled against her shoulder. They had talked about it before, about having a baby of just the two of them. Finn felt like Claire’s and Atlas felt like Harry’s, but they definitely wouldn’t mind an extension of the family.
Claire needed some time to think at first, remembering how rough her first pregnancy was with Atlas. Her situation was completely different though. She had no money after her parents cut her off and she was stuck in an abusive relationship while dependant on drugs. It wasn’t a safe environment for either her or Atlas and getting them both away from there would always be the thing she was most proud of in life.
Whenever someone complimented Atlas on how polite or nice he was, it hit Claire a little harder. She took credit for that. And then maybe the thought of raising another little person didn’t sound bad at all. 
Harry had his own thinking to do, getting over his anxiety of Claire leaving him like Astrid had. The pictures of her were all gone and her old art studio actually became Atlas’ room. Harry took him on a tour around the house and he got to pick whichever room he liked most. The garden was Atlas’ favourite part of the house so he naturally chose a room with view on the pool and the garden. At first he was pouty that him and Finn couldn’t sleep in the same room, but they needed their own little space – Harry and Claire felt.
Harry’s office had moved to a downstairs room and the memory of Astrid was gone. Finn didn’t ask about his mum yet he knew if he ever had questions, Harry was there to answer them. It wasn’t their intention to replace either of the parents, and Finn also didn’t refer to Claire as mum. He called her Claire or Atlas’ mum.
But Harry hadn’t expected to fall so fucking hard for Claire. In theory, she wasn’t his type. Her personality was so far from any other girl he had dated in the past. She was a whirlwind, a hurricane and she had a big mouth. But he learned to love that about her. Unapologetically herself, Claire didn’t give a fuck what others thought. It pulled Harry out of his comfort zone and he had never felt more alive.
They balanced each other out, Harry felt. He was the calm in Claire’s storm, and she was the tequila in his coffee cup. She was just the kind of crazy he had been looking for and life had never been more fun with Claire and Atlas in it. Finn blossomed too at their hands, and it made Harry even emotional to see it.
It was hard to know what emotional turmoil Astrid’s departure left on Finn. He was a closed book and never really spoke much. Harry wasn’t sure at what age it was appropriate to maybe take him to a therapist but it didn’t seem like that was needed anymore. Him and Atlas were the best of friends and confided in each other.
Even if they did have separate rooms, during school breaks and vacations they preferred to stay in the same room. They referred to the other as brother.
And so Harry and Claire considered the idea of maybe giving them another brother or sister. Claire wasn’t on birth control anymore. She hadn’t been for a few months now and so they let the universe decide if one month she’d be pregnant.
They weren’t in a rush.
Harry slipped out of Claire and she hummed as she got to stretch her back. His release ran down her thigh and she turned around with a blissed look in her eyes. Harry pulled her under the stream of water to share kisses and wash her hair, caring for her in so many ways.
“Mummy?” Atlas’ voice was soft as he knocked the door of Harry and Claire’s bedroom. She was pulling on her socks as she turned her head to the open door, “Hm?”
Atlas pushed open the door more, dressed in a thick jumper and his pants. His cheeks were pink because inside the house was too warm for these clothes. Claire’s stomach dropped when she saw the pout on his lips and the tears in his eyes, “Atlas?” She frowned, “What’s wrong.”
“I don’t want to go to daddy.” He mumbled, his lip quivering. Claire swallowed thickly as she glanced at Harry, who shot her a wary look. Claire opened up her arms for Atlas and he fell into her, clinging to her body. Claire fought her tears as she stroked his hair, “’S okay, baby. You have fun when you go to daddy, hm?”
“No.” Atlas whispered, “I don’t want to go.”
Claire turned back to Harry again, “Harry…” She tried but he softly shook his head, “No, Claire, we’ve been over this… The lawyer told you just a few days ago.”
“I know.” Claire sighed, “But I can’t force him to go if he doesn’t want to go?! He’s crying!”
Harry sat down too, placing his hand on Atlas’ back to comfort him and he nodded, “Yeah. But you know what they’re going to say, right? They won’t believe it until you bring Atlas to his doorstep and he refuses to leave the car.”
Claire swallowed and angrily shook her head, “I’m not putting him through that. H-He’s seen enough, Harry.” She whispered, consoling Atlas as she tried to have this hushed conversation with Harry.
“Babe, I know.” He sympathized, “But when this gets taken to court again, you’re going to need everyone on your side. If you don’t bring him, he’ll say you violate the custody arrangement. He can go to the police.”
Claire closed her eyes, resting her cheeks on Atlas’ soft hair. Her heart broke every time this happened. Atlas was supposed to see his dad on Saturday, every two weeks. It got taken to court a few months ago and even though Evan asked for a full weekend, the judge disagreed. Atlas and Evan weren’t close and Atlas didn’t feel a thousand percent comfortable there. Asking him to stay a night, was too much.
Especially considering Evan didn’t have the most stable housing situation. He had moved about six times in the past year which didn’t provide a safe space for Atlas. He was always in a house he didn’t know, usually with a new girlfriend of Evan’s and whatever children she has. Atlas wasn’t too fussy about that but it was clear that he didn’t have any room for himself.
He often came back from Evan’s, exhausted and falling asleep the moment they picked him up. He ate like crazy when they got home and crawled incredibly close to Claire, sucking his thumb again. He regressed whenever he spent time with Evan.
Claire had tried to contest the arrangement countless times. Her and her lawyer argued that Evan was old enough to make his own decisions and if he said he didn’t want to go, than they had to respect that.
For now though, Claire had to follow the current arrangement even if it killed her.
“We’re going to be late.” Harry softly added. He knew that even if they showed up five minutes late, it meant Evan would call the police on Claire. It was venomous between them and Claire regretted him more than anything in her life.
Atlas was her everything, but he was also proof of a wound that would never close. Her and Evan would always be linked together unless Atlas one day decided to not want Evan as a father anymore. He could only do that if he was eighteen or older, so they had years and years of custody arrangements, split holidays and sidewalk arguments to do.
“Yeah.” Claire rasped back. With Atlas tucked into her neck, Claire let a few tears fall freely. He couldn’t see her but Harry could, and he brushed them away as Claire let out her emotions. 
“Atlas.” Claire murmured, urging him to stand up straight, “We have to leave.”
He casted his eyes down in defeat but didn’t fight her. He shortly nodded and trailed behind Harry, going downstairs.
Claire knew she was going to pick him up in about eight hours, but it still felt like an eternity away. She had no trust in Evan as a person or as a father. He had crossed lines too often. The fact that Claire had been to the hospital twice in the past year because he had hit her, wasn’t proof enough to the court that he was an aggressive person who was unfit to be alone with a seven year-old.
But Evan had a good lawyer who continuously tried to prove that he was bettering his life. He was apparently off of drugs and alcohol – even though Atlas sometimes told alarming stories after spending the day there. He had a job or was in counselling and he was in therapy. 
Claire didn’t believe any of it.
She didn’t even believe Evan truly wanted a connection to Atlas. He just did it all to spite her because he apparently hated her that much.
Finn and Atlas were in the backseat. Claire wanted to cry again when she saw they were holding hands and everyone in the car could sense that today would fucking suck. There was no music playing, no chattering from the backseat. Finn wasn’t his bubbly self and somehow sensed he’d had to miss his best friend all day. 
Claire felt uneasy as Harry started the drive to Evan’s house. 
He insisted on coming along even if Evan refused to even look at him. They had deemed it best that Harry simply waited in the car as Claire dropped off Atlas. And naturally, Finn couldn’t be at the house by himself so they brought him too.
“Are you excited for swim practice today?” Claire tried to break the silence, glancing over her shoulder to see Atlas. His face perked up a little bit and he nodded, “Yes. Will I be big enough to play in daddy Harry’s pool then next summer?”
“You will.” Claire smiled and Atlas gasped excitedly, “Without floaties?”
Claire pressed her lips together, “We’ll see.” 
Harry chuckled from next to her, squeezing her thigh gently as they followed the GPS towards yet another new address of Evan’s. It was about a thirty minute drive and the pool where Atlas had his swim classes was actually about ten minutes away from Evan’s place.
Claire mourned the fact that she wouldn’t be able to sit at the sidelines of the pool, cheering on Atlas as he learned how to swim. He was the oldest out of the group but Claire was excited to finally get him to learn these things. Just like her and Harry had been teaching both boys to ride a bike during summer.
Atlas was such a wild child and he loved being outside, it was just necessary for him to know these things even if he was a little behind. Before being with Harry, Claire never had the funds to do anything like that for him. Without having to pay rent, she had extra to spoil him and this was part of that.
“Are you sure this is the right place?” Harry slightly frowned as they drove slowly into one of the streets. Claire glanced out the window, seeing the muddy snow off to the side of the roads and the less than nice houses. She tried not to judge because she had lived in places like this for years in a row. She pulled out her phone to check the email from the lawyer, nodding at Harry, “Yes.”
He pressed his lips together, “Okay.”
She felt sick to her stomach when Harry pulled over and Claire got out, grabbing Atlas’ bags from the trunk. He exited the car with little enthusiasm and Harry got out for a moment, giving Atlas a tight hug and promising him his favourite food tonight. Atlas perked up a little and then said goodbye to Finn.
He held Claire’s hand as they walked up to the door of the house, and Claire shivered in the cold December air when she had rang the bell.
The stench of smoke and tobacco hit her nostrils when the door opened to reveal Evan. He looked dishevelled as always. Blonde, messy hair that actually resembled Atlas. He wore shorts and a shirt and the heat from inside the house almost made Claire nauseous. Evan’s previous place was cold as fuck which is why she had dressed Atlas in such thick clothes. He’d sweat like crazy inside of this room.
“Hi.” Claire forced out. Evan’s eyes dragged up her body, lingering on her breasts as always. Claire wanted to cry. He then crouched down in front of Atlas with a smile on his face, “Hey, little man.”
Atlas swallowed and Claire could tell his smile wasn’t reaching his eyes, “Hi, daddy.” He let go of Claire’s hand to give Evan a hug. Claire already knew she’d never get the smell of smoke out of his clothes. 
Claire shortly glanced inside the house, “New place?”
“Yeah.” Evan shortly answered. He then glanced behind her to see Harry’s car. Evan’s jaw tightened as he swallowed, “Still with mister perfect over there?”
Claire exhaled a breath, “Mhm. His name is Harry.”
“Don’t remind me.” Evan scoffed, dropping his eyes to the bags in Claire’s hands, “What’s all that?”
“Uh – just some of his clothes, in case he wants to play outside and gets them dirty.” Claire explained. Evan took the bag from her with little enthusiasm, “I have clothes for him here.” He argued and she shook her head, “He grew again, those don’t fit anymore.” She then held out the other bag, “And this is his swim stuff. He has practice at four.”
“What?”
“His swim stuff.” Claire repeated, “He’s in swim class now, it was said in court.” She explained, “Every Saturday.”
She wanted to add that he wouldn’t know. It was actually Atlas’ fourth class but the previous Saturday, Evan was too busy moving to spend time with his son and skipped out on his time with him. Claire had been driving Atlas for the past three weeks to the swimming pool.
“Claire, I don’t have a fucking car.” Evan frowned. Claire swallowed, “Look, it was said in court that he has swim class every Saturday and you and your lawyer agreed to take him on your time.”
Even huffed, “Am I supposed to teleport there?!”
“I don’t care how you get him there.” Claire kept her voice steady, “There’s busses you can take.”
Evan grumbled something under his breath and then exhaled, “Why does he need swim practice anyway.”
“Daddy Harry has a pool.” Atlas piped out. Evan rolled his eyes, “Of course fucking prince charming has a pool, hm?” He flicked his eyes up to Claire, “How long before your sugar daddy drops you?”
Claire swallowed and shook her head, “Stop. Don’t do this in front of Atlas.”
“He’ll learn soon enough.” Evan bit back, keeping a hand on Atlas’ shoulder, “There’s only a few correct ways to treat women, hm?” He had a sick smirk on his face before slamming the door. Claire gasped and put her foot between, “I-I haven’t said goodbye to him!” She tried to fight the door.
Evan harshly shoved it open again, near hitting Claire in the face, “Are you trespassing?” He seethed, taking a step closer to her and Claire quickly stumbled back, “No!” She shook her head, “Just let me say goodbye to him.” She leaned down and Atlas quickly fell into her hug. He clung to her tightly and Claire kissed his head a few times, “It’s okay, baby. It’s okay.”
“When will you be back?” Atlas whispered.
“At six.” Claire mumbled, “After swim practice.”
Atlas softly nodded, “Okay.” He seemed to talk to himself, counting on his fingers, “Swim practice, mum.” He whispered to himself before nodding. Claire gave him an encouraging nod and then the door got slammed shut and she was alone on the sidewalk.
Even if it was below zero, Claire was burning in rage and anxiety when she got back in the car. Harry frowned at her, “What did he say?”
“Nothing.” She quickly dismissed, “Please, drive.”
“Cl-“
“No.” Claire shook her head and swallowed thickly, “Please, get me out of here.”
Harry kept his eyes on her for a moment longer before sighing out. He did as she asked, driving away from Evan’s house and leaving Atlas behind as they drove back home.
Claire was noticeable silent every time Atlas wasn’t around. She sat on the couch, staring ahead of her and Harry didn’t know what she was thinking of. Finn was helping Harry in the kitchen, preparing lunch.
“Claire’s sad.” Finn spoke as he put the sliced cucumbers into the bowl. Harry glanced at him and slowly nodded, “Mhm. She misses Atlas.”
“Me too.”
Harry ruffled Finn’s hair, “I know, bub. It’s strange not having him in the house, isn’t it?”
Finn ate one of the cherry tomatoes and nodded, “Yes. He’s my best friend.”
“Ouch.” Harry chuckled, teasingly poking Finn’s rib as he sat up on the counter, “I thought I was your best friend.”
Finn burst out into a giggle, “Silly daddy. You’re my daddy, not my friend.”
“I can be your daddy and your friend.” Harry shrugged, “What does being a friend mean?”
Finn seemed to think hard about that before he spoke up, “Someone I can tell everything to.”
Harry hummed, “You can tell anything to me, right?”
“Yes.” Finn seemed a little stumped as he thought again, “And someone I can play with.”
“I play with you all the time!” Harry argued playfully and Finn giggled again, “You’re right. I suppose you’re my friend.”
“I’m so honoured.” Harry teased, wrapping Finn up in a hug before he put him down on the floor, “Thank you for helping in the kitchen.” He sincerely spoke and Finn proudly nodded, “Did I do good?”
“So good.” Harry spoke without missing a beat, “Couldn’t of done it without you.”
Finn’s teeth showed as he smiled, crooked and with gaps between. Harry adored him like nothing else and his insides melted as he stared at his smiling boy. He then squeezed Finn’s shoulder, “Can you maybe go cheer up Claire a little bit? I think she could use a hug.”
“I think so too.” Finn agreed. He was about to turn around before stopping himself, nibbling his lip, “Would it cheer her up if I start calling her mummy?”
Harry’s heart stopped for a moment before he exhaled a breath, “Not necessarily. It’s your choice what you call her, Finn. She’s just as happy with you calling her Claire. If you don’t want to call her mummy, that’s okay. She’s not waiting for that.”
Finn seemed to think of Harry’s words, and Harry squeezed his shoulder again, “Do you understand?”
“I think so. I can call her whatever I want? But I can also call her Claire?”
“Of course.” Harry nodded, “She’s just sad because of Atlas.”
Finn nodded too, “Atlas doesn’t have a nice daddy. Not like you.”
“That’s true.” Harry refrained from elaborating even if there’s plenty of things he’d like to say about Evan. He cleared his throat and nudged Finn in Claire’s direction. He caught on easily and made his way over. 
Claire forced a smile at him when Finn stood in front of her. 
“Hi.” He softly spoke. Claire chuckled, “Hi, bub.”
“Are you sad about Atlas?”
Claire swallowed away the lump in her throat, “Yeah, I am.”
“I miss him too.”
“I know you do.” Claire sighed, opening her arms and Finn hugged her. He stood in between her legs with his arms around her shoulders. Upon pulling back, he cupped her cheeks. His small, warm hands felt gentle around Claire’s jaws and he pulled Harry’s move, using his thumbs to wipe away a few stray tears.
The sentiment melted her heart and she was so, so glad for Finn that he learned how to be a gentle person because of his father. Harry was an incredible example and it only amplified how horrific of an example Evan was.
“I wish Atlas had a nice daddy, like mine.” Finn spoke.
Claire exhaled, “Me too. I wish he had your daddy as his daddy.”
Finn nodded too, “And I wish you were my real mummy.”
Claire shot him a soft smile, “You do?”
“Yes.” He nodded immediately, “You’re a really sweet mummy to me. You always hug me and take care of me when I’m hurt.”
“Well that’s because I love you.” Claire smiled. Finn nodded again, “Mhm. You love me like a real mummy.”
Claire closed her eyes as her and Finn hugged, and for the rest of the day she could tell they both tried to cheer her up. Her and Harry did some online Christmas shopping together. Claire couldn’t bring herself to go into town and hit the shops without Atlas there. Her mind was constantly with him and she kept checking her phone every few minutes.
She helped Finn with some of his reading and busied herself by cleaning a bit in the afternoon, until her phone rang at about four thirty.
Immediate panic seeped into her bones when Evan’s name showed up on the screen. Atlas was supposed to be at swim practice and the worst case scenarios popped into her head. What if something happened? What if Atlas was hurt? What if he was in the hospital? Evan would never let her live it down, knowing Claire signed him up for those classes in the first place. 
“Hello?!” She instantly picked up the phone, dropping the laundry she was holding in her hand.
“Mummy?” Atlas’ hushed whisper sounded through the phone and Claire’s stomach dropped, “Atlas, baby? W-What’s going on? Why aren’t you at swim practice?”
She heard his breathing on the other side of the phone and Claire pressed her lips together, “Atlas, where’s your dad?”
“He… He’s asleep. I think.”
Claire pressed her palm to her mouth to stifle a whimper, “Asleep?”
“He went upstairs a few hours ago and… and I haven’t seen him.” Atlas sounded small and Claire could hear the sadness in his voice through the phone.
She closed her eyes, “A few hours ago, you say? What have you been doing the entire time, baby?”
“Nothing. I waited.” Atlas whispered, “Mum, can you come pick me up?”
Claire sniffed as she hopped down the stairs, “Yes, me and Harry are coming to get you right away, alright? Sit tight, sweetheart, we’ll be there soon.”
Harry’s head lifted as he heard Claire speaking on the phone. He put down his newspaper, “Babe? Everything okay?”
“Atlas called.” Claire rushed out, grabbing her coat, “Evan fell asleep hours ago, he’s been by himself in that house trying to keep busy.” Her voice trembled from emotion, “He didn’t bring him to swim practice and he begged me to come pick him up.”
Harry quickly got up his feet, “Are you serious?”
“Yes.” Claire sniffed and Harry cupped her cheeks, “Baby, calm down.”
“I can’t.” Claire’s voice cracked, “He’s asleep at four in the afternoon, Harry. I-I don’t trust this one bit. What do you mean you leave your seven year old fucking kid alone?! In the few hours you get to spend with him every other week?!” She was rambling now, “He fought so fucking hard in court for those few hours and then you climb in bed and leave him in that boiling house?! No fucking way.” She seethed, “I’m going to pick him up.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“Harry, I’ll be f-“
“No, I’m not arguing with you on this. I’m coming with you.” He sternly spoke before turning towards the stairs, “Finn!” He shouted.
Only a few minutes later, the three of them were in the car again. Harry’s knuckles were white around the steering wheel as he tried to drive quick but the snow and traffic prevented him from doing so. “Tell me what he said again?” He asked.
Claire took a breath, “He said his father went upstairs a few hours ago and Atlas thinks he’s asleep. He’s been by himself, doing nothing all afternoon. And he’s not at swim practice.” Right as she said it, she got a call from his swim teacher. Claire winced under her breath, “Now this.” She showed the screen to Harry and he held out his hand, “I’ll take the call, I’ll explain.” He offered.
“No, no, you’re driving, it’s fine.” Claire shook her head, answering the call and explaining why Atlas didn’t attend his class today. The teacher was understanding but felt a little worried because no one let them know in advance. Claire promised he’d be there next week and they talked shortly about Atlas’ progression in swimming.
By the time Claire ended the call, Harry’s Tesla was in Evan’s neighbourhood. The car was hardly to a stop before Claire jumped out and ran through the muddy snow towards the front door.
Harry knew it was no use trying to stop her, but this wasn’t going to turn out well. Evan called the police for everything these days. Claire showing up here at least thirty minutes early would probably not sit right with him even if it was in Atlas’ best interest. Evan got the lawyers involved when Claire showed up just a few minutes early. It was unnecessary but he just made sure everything got dragged out and he hit Claire where it hurt.
“Evan!” Claire shouted as she banged her fist on the door, “Open the door.”
It took long. Too long, Claire felt. Her fingers were itching to fucking open the door herself but after a bit, she heard the fumbling of the lock and then the door opened. The insane warmth of the house greeted her once more, almost like she opened up an oven. 
Evan was frowning, his face angry as he stared at her, “What the fuck?!” He sneered, “It’s not six yet.”
“He’s supposed to be at swim practice.” Claire breathed, “Where is he? Atlas!” She shouted into the house.
Evan stepped in front of her, wearing the same clothes as before, “He’ll come out when it’s six.”
“Don’t fucking pretend you’ve been spending time with him.” Claire bit, “I know you’ve been asleep all afternoon.” Her eyes glanced over his features, “Are you high?”
“How fucking dare you.” Evan near growled, “No, I’m not fucking high. I’m not using anymore, Claire.”
“Then why are you asleep at four in the afternoon when you only get to spend a few hours with him?! God, I can’t fucking believe you.” She muttered under her breath, “Atlas!” She shouted again.
Finally, he appeared from behind Evan. His eyes glanced at his father and Evan stood in front if him, “No, he’s not leaving yet.”
“You’ve been asleep all afternoon.” Claire repeated, “You made him miss swim practice.”
Evan’s jaw clenched, “How the fuck do you even know that? You’ve got no proof of anything.” He looked at Atlas, “Atlas, have we been playing together all afternoon? We have, haven’t we?” 
Atlas pressed his lips together and looked at Claire, who shook her head, “No, come here. It’s okay, baby. Come on.” She coaxed him. Evan’s hand yanked on Atlas’ shoulder, “No, he stays here. You can wait in your car until it’s six. He’s not coming out sooner than that.” He warned, “Claire, I swear to fucking god…”
“Don’t touch him like that!” Claire immediately intervened, stepping in as Atlas was between the two of them. Evan gave him a firm yank until Atlas was behind him again, “I said no!”
“Mummy…” Atlas whined softly from behind Evan. Tears formed in Claire’s eyes and she swallowed thickly as she stared at Evan, “I hate you.” She murmured, “I hate you so much.”
He didn’t do anything besides smirk a little, “There used to be a time that you loved me, C. You loved all of me. Even begged for me.”
“Stop.” Claire shook her head. Evan’s eyes lingered on Harry’s car on the street, jealousy evident in every little detail of him, “Six. No earlier.”
Claire felt powerless and glanced at Atlas, who pleaded with her through his eyes. And Claire took a breath, “No.” She tried to sound firm, “I’m taking him now.”
“Then I’m calling my lawyer.” Evan warned and Claire bit her tongue, “Then I’ll call mine and explain what Atlas said on the phone.”
“What?!” Evan’s eyes blazed fire as he looked at Atlas over his shoulder, “You took my phone?”
“Evan, h-“ Claire tried, panic making her ears ring as Evan’s shoulders tensed, “You fucking little piece of s-“ He raised his arm towards Atlas and Claire’s eyes widened, “No!” She grabbed his shoulder and Evan briskly turned around, shoving her harshly. Claire stumbled back into the wall behind her with a smack, gasping from the pain in the back of her head. 
She hardly had time to really feel it before her head whipped to the side, a sharp sting in her jaw from where he slapped her.
“Mummy!” Atlas shouted desperately. Claire heard a car door and urgent footsteps, “Hey!” Harry barked, “Did you fucking hit her?!”
Her sight was blurry as she was down on the floor, pain somehow everywhere before she realized she fell right into a plant pot and it’s why her stomach was burning so much. She blinked a few times, tasting blood in her mouth before her vision focussed on Harry – who had Evan pinned up against the door.
Evan struggled, but Harry saw red. He had never felt such anger in his life and he wouldn’t ever consider himself a violent or aggressive person. It took a lot to get him riled up and he had never been in a physical fight before.
Sitting in the car, he had been restraining himself from intervening. He knew Claire didn’t want him to because it made everything messier. But he cared for Atlas like he was his own, and he cared for Claire in a way words couldn’t even explain. He adored both of them tremendously and so when he saw Claire’s body colliding with that wall, he gasped in a way that Finn jumped up from the noise in the backseat.
When he saw Evan raising his hand, Harry opened up his door on instinct. And when Evan didn’t even hesitate to strike Claire across her face, Harry was already running up to him. She collapsed from the force, falling down to her side with a whimper as Harry quickly shoved Evan up against the door, holding him against it.
“Harry!” Claire gasped, getting up again and ignoring the sharp pains running through her body. Atlas was frozen in the doorway as Harry used every ounce of strength to not punch Evan’s teeth out. “Harry!” Claire grabbed his shoulder, “Don’t!” She tried to pull Harry off, “Please.”
Evan was breathing heavily and Atlas took it as his moment to run out of the house. His bags were right where Claire had left them when dropping Atlas off and when she finally managed to pull Harry off of Evan before things escalated even more, she quickly reached for Atlas’ stuff.
Her eyes were wide and teary, a line of blood running down the side of her mouth from where Evan had hit her and her entire body sore and aching. She sniffed and stared at Evan, “I will literally fight until you never see him again.”
“You can’t take him away from me, Claire.” Evan shook his head, “He’s mine too.”
“Unfortunately.” She mumbled. With that, Harry gave him one last shove before he helped Claire to the car. Evan didn’t come after them, but watched as Atlas hurried into the car to get away from him and then they drove off.
Finn was silent but held Atlas’ hand again, who worried for his mum. Claire breathed heavily as she used a tissue to clean off the blood. 
“I’m driving you to the hospital.” Harry spoke. Claire winced and shook her head, “No, I’m fine. J-Just take me home.”
He swallowed and shook his head, “No.”
“Harry, I swear, just d-“
“What if you’re pregnant?” He softly spoke. He kept his eyes ahead and felt Claire’s gaze on him. His hands were tight around the wheel and he clenched his jaw. Claire’s face softened when she saw the clear worry in his face and she took a breath, “Yeah. Okay. We can go to the hospital.” She had fallen on that fucking flower pot and bruised her abdomen. They had been sort of trying for a baby and this couldn’t be good if Claire actually was pregnant.
The car ride progressed in silence and Harry pulled up to the emergency room soon after. He was on the phone with the lawyer and the cops when Claire got taken into a separate room by the doctor. They took pictures of her injuries first as proof and then the nurse helped clean her up.
Claire explained to them what happened. Her cheek would be bruised and she had a slight scrape in her forehead. Lifting her shirt, she could see bruising and swelling and she winced out when the doctor gently prodded her.
“There’s – uh… there’s a chance I might be pregnant.” She mumbled, staring up at the ceiling and avoiding the doctor’s eyes, “Me and my boyfriend have been trying. Not too actively, but we have been trying. I haven’t taken a test yet and I don’t feel anything, but…”
The doctor nodded, “Alright. Let me get an ultrasound machine to check. We need to assess internal damage either way. Afterwards, I can have a look to get you some pain medication.” His voice was soft and gentle and Claire exhaled a breath she felt like she had been holding for a long time.
Nerves took over as the doctor spread the gel over her skin and Claire held up her jumper. 
“How long have you been trying?” The doctor questioned as he had his eyes locked on the screen. Claire swallowed, “I stopped my birth control about four months ago.”
He nodded, “Okay.” He moved the transducer and tilted his head to the side, “I don’t see anything, I’m afraid. I’m sorry if that’s not the news you were hoping for.”
“No, it’s okay.” Claire breathed, “I didn’t think I was.”
“I’m not sure how to say this, but it might’ve been for the best.” He turned off the machine with a sigh, “If you did have a little foetus in there, chances of it surviving a fall like this would’ve been slim.”
Claire lowered her eyes, nodding to herself, “Right.”
“I don’t see any damage inside. There’s no internal bleeding and this will just be a painful bruise. I’ll prescribe you pain medication and a follow-up appointment next week to do another ultrasound. Your ribs aren’t broken either, so I just advise you to rest and not move around too much.” He spoke.
Claire swallowed and forced a smile, “Thank you.”
“No problem.” He shook his head and glanced at his beeper, “I see police and social services have arrived. Do you feel ready to talk to them?”
“Mhm.” Claire bit her lip as she tried to get up but the doctor shook his head, “I’ll get you a wheelchair and those painkillers first. Like I said, you need rest.”
Claire had a band-aid on her forehead and bags underneath her eyes when she was wheeled back into the waiting room. Police officers were talking to Harry and Finn and Atlas were colouring a little bit in the kid’s corner.
“Hey.” Harry rushed over to Claire when he saw her, crouching down and stroking his fingers over her jaw, “Hey, baby.” He crooned, “How do you feel?”
“Okay.” She nodded, her voice soft. She offered Harry a smile, “Really, I’m okay, Harry. Thank you.”
Her words pained him, because she shouldn’t be okay. It went to show how often Claire had been in here, in that same position for her to hardly flinch from Evan’s behaviour. She was used to being thrown around by him. Harry bit his lip, “A-And… are you?”
“No.” She breathed, shaking her head, “I wasn’t.”
Harry felt relief, knowing there wasn’t a baby inside of her who would be hurt because of what happened. He kissed her knuckles, “Okay. Yeah, okay.”
“Nothing’s damaged, I’ll just be black and blue for a little bit.” Claire sighed and Harry nodded, “Okay.” He leaned in to softly kiss her, “I love you. And I’m really proud of you.”
“I love you too. Thank you for everything.” Claire whispered back, nuzzling her nose with his. She knew she came with baggage. If either had a choice, Evan wouldn’t even exist. But it was Claire’s life and Harry was a part of that.
He took a breath, “Social services want to talk to Atlas. Alone.”
“Alone?” Claire frowned and he nodded, “Yeah. He’ll be fine, babe.”
She sighed, “Yeah, I know.” She glanced at the social worker, who shot her a warm smile. After a short moment with Atlas, Claire watched him disappear in one of the rooms with the woman. Someone else was talking to Finn and Harry and the police was talking to Claire.
She explained everything and they wrote everything down, asking her some questions. Claire sent them the pictures of her injuries and she was sure that if they laid hers, Harry’s and Atlas’ stories next to one another, they’d add up.
It was dark by the time they drove back to the house. Not many words were spoken and glancing the backseat, both Finn and Atlas had dozed off.
Harry had a hand on Claire’s thigh, gently squeezing every once in a while. She let out a breath, “This is not I wanted this anniversary to go.” She mumbled.
“We should’ve celebrated months ago.” Harry spoke. Claire turned to face him, “What? Why?”
He had a small smile on his lips, “Because I fell for you months before we first kissed.”
“I know.” She smiled back, “I knew you had a little crush on me.”
“Was more than a little crush.” Harry admitted, “I felt so jealous knowing you were going on dates with these other guys.”
“You called yourself an eternal bachelor.” Claire remembered, “Didn’t sound like you were available.”
Harry shrugged, “And I didn’t think I was. You proved me wrong. Haven’t been available for anyone besides you and I don’t plan on it.”
Claire held his hand as they drove through the dark streets, “You cursed me out the first time we met.”
He shortly glanced in the rearview mirror to see both boys asleep, “I was an asshole.” He muttered. Claire giggled under her breath, “A bit, yeah.”
They both smiled to themselves when they remembered how their relationship came to be. How unconventional it was. They came from different worlds and backgrounds but somehow both found their perfect match in one another. A blended family with some rough edges, but so much love.
Harry remembered their first time. How nervous he was and how he fell in love with Claire’s body. Even the scars from what Evan put her through. He loved on her scars, kissing away the memories as often as he could. In bed, in the shower, in the kitchen, in the car… Wherever they could get some time for themselves.
And Claire remembered the huge change in her life when she accepted Harry’s love. When she accepted Finn into her life and nurtured him like he was her own. Harry’s fingers played with Claire, “What do you want for dinner tonight?”
“Didn’t you say we were having Atlas’ favourite meal?” Claire smiled. Her heart felt heavy thinking of Atlas and the conversations they were yet to have. He saw too much today. He didn’t have to live through those hours feeling like his father didn’t want him. Claire wanted to promise him he’d never have to see him again if he didn’t want to. 
It was a horrible position, wanting your children to have two parents. She didn’t want to take it away from him, the possibility of having a father. But she also didn’t want to witness him being so disappointed by Evan over and over again. He saw her get hit today and he saw violence, even in Harry. He was too young for that. Claire wasn’t sure how he coped.
Atlas crawled into her side later that night. On the couch, he fell asleep almost immediately with his thumb in his mouth and his head on her chest. It hurt her breasts and his knee pushed into her sore stomach but she let him. She stroked his hair in comfort and when Claire had to get up to pee, he cuddled into Harry instead. Finn and Atlas both leaned into a side of his and he kissed both their foreheads as Claire watched.
They tucked them in bed and allowed them to sleep in the same room tonight. It would comfort Atlas, they both thought. And Harry spooned Claire later that evening. He was careful and gentle, sponging kisses over her bare shoulder as she felt warm and safe against his chest.
“Are you sure?” He asked and Claire nodded, staring into the darkness of their bedroom, “Yes. I’m taking him back to court. I-I can’t keep doing this.” She decided.
Harry hummed, “I’m so proud of you, my love. I think it’s the right decision. Atlas is safest here with you.”
Claire thought back of the entire day. How the lady from social services came to her after talking to Atlas, how she told Claire that apparently Atlas heard Evan cursing Claire out. Calling her a whore. No seven year-old should know those words.
Social services were also going to have a chat with Evan, but the proof spoke for itself. According to her lawyer, it’d be an easy win in court to get her full custody. 
“Do you think it’s what Atlas wants?” Claire softly asked.
“I’m sure of it.” Harry spoke without missing a beat, “You’re the best person for him, Claire. He’s not an idiot, he knows how much you do for him. He respects you so much and he loves you so much.”
Claire let out a breath, rolling on her back with a soft wince. Harry stared at her face and leaned in to kiss her, “You’re so strong.” He murmured against her lips, “I admire you so much. I could never do what you do.”
“I don’t think I have a choice.” Claire whispered back. Harry hummed and kissed her again, “Maybe not. But Atlas will never forget this.”
“I just want to move on.” Claire spoke, “Without him. Like close that chapter of life and… move onto the next. With Atlas and you and Finn. Start our family like we want to without constantly looking over my shoulder. I-I don’t even want or need his money, I just want him gone.”
“I know.” Harry nodded, “We’ll get there.”
She sighed, “I hope so.”
“And we can start trying again whenever you think you’re ready.” Harry assured her, kissing her softly again. Their lips kept brushing together as they exchanged soft whispers.
“I am ready.” Claire spoke, “So ready. I-I think I’ll start tracking it better too, like when I’m ovulating and everything. I really want this baby, Harry.”
His heart skipped a beat and he felt Claire’s hand running through his curls, “Me too.”
Claire licked her lip, “Would you want a boy or a girl?”
Harry smiled and puckered his lips, “I’m honesty fine with either. I think I’d be so worried if it’s a girl though. Like I’d go all dad-mode on her and overprotect her. She wouldn’t be allowed to leave the house ever.”
Claire giggled, fighting the pain in her stomach as she did so, “That’d be funny.”
“For us, yes. For her, no.” He chuckled, bumping his nose with Claire’s, “How about you.”
“I like having boys.” She whispered, “I think I’m a boy-mum. But I wouldn’t mind having a girl either.”
Harry hummed, getting slightly more comfortable, “How many more kids do you want?”
“Two.” Claire whispered.
“You want four in total?” Harry raised his brows and Claire nibbled her lip, “Mhm. I like Finn and Atlas being close in age. I’d like that for the next two also.”
“How about twins?”
Claire breathed out a chuckle, “I’d be huge.”
“You’d be amazing.” Harry smiled back, “And so sexy. Your tits would be incredible.”
“Oh my god.” Claire laughed, “You’re unbelievable.”
“I love your body, Claire. Pregnant or not. I’ll always worship you.” He promised, “Kiss you and make love to you.”
“I sense an obsession.”
“You sensed correctly.”
They laughed while kissing and Claire stroked her fingers, playing with the curls in the back of his neck, “When are you going to put a ring on my finger?”
“So impatient.” Harry teased, kissing down her throat, “You’ll see.”
Claire’s cheeks flushed as she smiled up at the ceiling, “So you plan on it?”
“Of course. I’ve been planning for a long time.” He murmured, “Wife you up.”
Claire sputtered out a laugh, “You sound like a frat boy saying that.”
“What can I say, you make me feel young again.” Harry smiled. He felt so light and breezy around Claire. Like there were no worries around them and they hadn’t just had this shitty day. Like all was well in the world. She just made him feel like that, every single day.
No stress, no hurries, no nothing.
“How about after Christmas break we drop the boys off at school together?” Harry suggested, “There’s family meet-ups too in January. I want us to go together, as a couple. For Finn and Atlas.”
“You do?” Claire asked and Harry nodded, “Mhm. I mean, I think it’s obvious already since you went to pick up Finn when he was sick that one time I was with a client.” He remembered the moment right before summer and Claire hummed, “Yeah. Dolores looked like her eyes were going to pop out of her head.”
“You know she’s going to invite you to play golf with her, right?” Harry teased, “When she finds out we’re together?”
Claire huffed, “I’m sure she’ll ask all sorts of questions, she’s obsessed with you.”
“She thinks you’re a bad influence on me. With your foul mouth.”
“Oh, please.” Claire laughed, “She just wants to hop on your dick. I’m sure she’ll ask me all sorts of details.”
“Yeah?” Harry rolled on top of Claire again, a shit-eating grin on his lips, “Are you going to tell her how I make you scream?”
Claire arched into him, “Mhm. Big time.”
“And how I make you squirt?”
“That was one time.” Claire deadpanned and Harry laughed into her neck, “Yeah, the first time we had sex. It was fucking hot.”
“You’re never going to let me live that down.”
“I felt like I’d won the lottery.” He admitted and Claire shook her head with a laugh, “You’re insufferable. And you still won the lottery with me, hm?”
“I sure did.” Harry murmured, kissing her deeply again. He could feel Claire’s thighs tensing around him, her foot trying to slide the boxers down his thighs. He smiled into her lips, “Are you going to tell Dolores about my tongue?”
Claire bit her lip, “You might have to remind me.”
“Fuck, gladly.” Harry ducked underneath the sheets in an instant, not wasting any time. He loved going down on Claire more than anything. She was sensitive to him and she breathed out shakily by the time Harry spread her thighs with his fingers and pulled her panties to the side.
His eyes closed when he got his mouth on her, licking and flicking to drive her crazy. She tasted sweet and familiar, a sense of comfort washing over Harry to be so intimate with someone he felt so comfortable around. It was a dream, being like this with Claire.
His nose pressed into her clit as his tongue pulsed in and out of her. Claire gasped and stuttered out praises before pulling his hair and Harry caught on, feeling how wet she was. He locked his lips around her clit to suck in soft pulses, and her fingers tightly grabbed the pillow next to her as she bucked her hips back into him.
Claire finished on his tongue and begged for his cock next. Harry laced their fingers together before easily sliding inside of her. Claire keened, exhaling in relief at the feeling of his cock filling her again. She was greedy for him and so open.
“Are you gonna tell Dolores I make you cry?” He rasped, keeping his thrusts slow and savouring, yettaking Claire deep and hard at the same time. She lolled her head to the side, “Stop talking about Dolores when you’re fucking me.” She squeaked out and Harry breathed out a laugh, “I wanna get you pregnant.” He whispered.
Claire moaned and nodded quickly, “Yes – fuck, yes. Please… Get me pregnant. Fill me.”
“’M gonna make it stick, babe.” Harry promised lowly, squeezing her fingers as he rocked his hips passionately, taking her in missionary and catching her breaths between his lips, “Gonna get you all filled up and stay inside of you.”
“Yes.” Claire lazily breathed, “Please, please… I need it.”
“I know.” Harry panted, “Fuck – I know. Claire, ‘m gonna cum if you keep clenching like that.” He warned lowly. She gasped at the feeling of a rough thrust and nodded, “Uh-huh.”
Claire kept bucking against him as Harry came inside of her for the second time that day. He buried his face in the crook of her neck to keep down his moans, his knuckles white from squeezing her fingers so hard. Claire squeezed back, their hands interlocking as he filled her with his release.
She kept clenching and he kept grinding, giving her every little drop until he shuddered and whimpered in sensitivity. Harry tried to hold up his weight and not hurt Claire, but he couldn’t. His muscles gave up as he panted out harshly, gasping into her neck. His cock twitched between her warm walls and Claire sighed out too.
The position was slightly painful but not too uncomfortable. Harry kissed the swell of her breast, “Fuck, I love you.” He breathed.
“I love you too.” She whispered, “So much.”
He hummed and closed his eyes, staying entwined for a bit.
Eventually Harry want back to spooning Claire, using the tip of his softened dick to scoop up any of his spilled release and pushing back into her. She squeaked at that, melting into his chest as he held her close.
The next few months would consist of trying to get rid of Evan for good. It’d be a battle and something Claire really rather wouldn’t do. For her, and mostly for Atlas. She felt incredibly guilty putting him through all of that. But Claire felt loved and supported and Harry was steady as a rock behind her, catching her every single time.
And knowing that, Claire and Harry knew they’d always have their happy ending one way or another.
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velvet-lounge · 1 day
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Why the TF2 Defense Trio deserve more recognition
The people have spoken, I have decided to create an essay disguised as a post on this godforsaken website because it's a free country goddammit! (I would have done it either way lmaooo, I have a lot of shit to say about these maniacs) To start this formal essay glorified very serious shitpost, why should you as a tf2 fan care about these 3 men? They're so "boring" and there's not much going on with them. If ya took a second, let's pause with what was being said. YOU MUST BE OUT OF YOUR GODDAMN MIND to think such thoughts, we must shake you out of cuckoo land by giving you an in-depth look into these three so that you understand where I'm coming from. Let's start in order:
Demoman:
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After being in the fandom since 2019, there's always one character I always thought wasn't given much anything in the fandom at all. Even taking ships out of the equation, there's barely any fics I've that focus on Tavish Finneagan Degroot specifically that I've seen that isn't a compilation fic (I read a lot of x readers, don't judge me). Believe me, I checked ao3. I went through Demoman's tags and I tried very hard to filter a lot of the crossover and relationship tags, yet there's less of Demoman himself, than there's him just existing as a side character of a story. Which is honestly sad, I honestly think Demo is one of the more kinder mercs compared to a lot of the team. This man made friends with the BLU soldier, despite knowing that they were supposed to be killing each other. Sure, it's unclear whether or not Demo did actually go through with it and it's just a ruse, because the voicelines in WAR! don't have a set timeline. But I do think that Demo would have tried to keep his friendship with BLU soldier. He's very chill. I've never actually seen him get violent against his friends and family, despite being a drunkard. I honestly think he's one of the sweetest people in TF2, he takes good care of his mom and haunted sword lmaoooo. Jokes aside, he seems like a genuinely good man and I barely see anything that suggests he's sadistic. He's a chaotic and loud, but not bad. Not bad at all. The fact he can still do his job well, even after drinking so much that his body created a whole distillery, is even more impressive. He is damn good at what he does and works very hard. He's had multiple jobs, even as wee little lad. Despite what people think of him, the fact he's getting paid 5 million dollars a year, is proof he knows what he's doing. He loves his job and couldn't bear the thought of not working. I feel like his backstory isn't talked about enough in the fandom either. When you think about it, it's kinda fucked up that he was put in an orphanage by his biological parents until he was in the right age to be blowing people up. Not only that, his eye socket was haunted by the Bombinomicon so that every halloween a giant eye would manifest, attacking him and his friends. Even Medic couldn't help him and instead resorting to scooping the part of Demo's brain where he remembered so he would stop asking. He most likely has a lot of stories for you, I see him as the type that has a lot to say. His past is the most fleshed out and complete out of all the mercs, which I really appreciate, you can do a lot more with him. Also another thing, during Unhappy Returns, he took the time to reassure Soldier that he wouldn't think he's a civilian. He didn't brush Soldier's worries aside and instead comforted him. I wish I had a lot more to say about Demo because I am baffled that he isn't being gushed about as a potential partner. He has the excitement and like zero baggage. A thing I also wanna point out is that he seems to be insecure of the fact he's a black scottish man with only one eye during Meet The Demoman. I may be reading into things a bit too much, but it makes me wanna be like "NOOOO don't talk about yourself like that, bro. You're so cute UGHHH" Also also he's handsome. Sure looks can be subjective, but I still think Demo has a face I would kiss hehe. He looks great with his beard and his cheeky ass smile. GOD I could gush about him all day, but I have to move on rip.
Heavy:
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Honestly, I'm having a hard time just finding the words to describe this amazing man without giving him the respect he deserves. But I'll sure try. Heavy has had a difficult life and I've always admired how strong he was. Not just of his muscles, but he endured one of the toughest situations and still kept moving forward with his life even though it was traumatizing. You see why I'm even having a hard time talking about him? I can't really get down into the weeds, without getting serious for a min. I feel like the fandom doesn't give him much credit for being able to deal with so much. He's the rock for his family after his father disappeared (atp I think he's dead, which is the cherry on top this depressing sundae) and I wouldn't doubt that he would be the same for his team. He's a man of few words, but that makes him all the more intriguing. Just because this man has a lot of brawn does not mean he's dumb at all. Despite how he acts in the battlefield, Heavy is observant and clever. Although, it's implied that Spy being Scout's dad is an open secret between the mercs and Miss Pauling, the fact he figured it out without saying it directly must mean he has a lot more going on. He's also educated, getting a phD in Russian Literature. It's not a STEM program, but he actually got a doctorate and went to college, that's a lot more than half of what the mercs did lmaooo. Also he has a bit of a softie side, not just for his mom and sisters, but also other creatures as well. I respect him so much for avoiding violence against those dogs during the Showdown comic. Not only shows what an absolute sweetheart he is, but also how much he's able to think quickly on his feet. Heavy is very direct and blunt, I don't see him as the type to lie about his feelings. I appreciate that he doesn't feel the need to sugarcoat anything, he'll get the job done and he ain't playing. There's no fluff, he knows what he wants and that's to rev up Sasha and ram through sons of bitches without any worries.
I feel like I wanna point out, his story seems the most unexplored in the fandom, even though it has a lot of potential for ANGST factor. I already broke down how sad it is, but I just feel like it isn't said enough. Can I just say how cuddly he looks?! GAH, I feel like he would give the warmest hugs! The way he smiled in Unhappy Returns when he finds out his family doesn't need to live in fear anymore, just melts my heart! He's so protective over his family and friends! I wish I had a lot more to say about this guy because I just can't stop finding more things about him that go unappreciated. I had to literally edit this part so many times before moving on, he just has those little details you don't notice until you take a second and have that OH MY GOD moment
Engineer:
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I was getting so hyped, when it was finally our resident southern nerd's time to shine. GOD I have so much to say about this man. It's been over 5 fucking years and I have never stopped simping for this man since 2019, I think I'm gonna go insane from how much I've been repressing, I go feral when he's around. Anyways enough stalling. I don't ever think a fictional character has ever made me swoon quite like Engineer, I really mean that. I have ask and pleaded to whatever god was listening to give me a man like Engie. To me, he is everything I ever wanted and more.
First, I wanna talk about what makes him attractive to me. His accent. His southern charm, UGH he's killing me with that smooth voice and chivalry! I swear this man could make me faint just from existing. The way he smiles is so warm, his insults are so corny I love them. That five o clock shadow GAHH! I'm getting butterflies all over again. I swear I love all three of the defense bois, but Dell Conagher has my heart wrapped around his gunslinger metal finger. All those personal reasons aside, I've always thought Dell Conagher was a very interesting character in the world of TF2. He might not have much screen time or goofy shenanigans like the other mercs, but that doesn't mean you can ignore him oh no no no. This man is important within the whole story of Mann Co and TF industries, his grandfather being the catalyst of the game's events and the comics going forward. The Conaghers are the SOLE REASON why Team Fortress 2's story exists. I find it strange that the fandom hasn't done much with this fact because you can do a lot with this idea. Engineer knows a lot of shit and would be the biggest threat to Helen, if not for the fact that his family has been helping her for years.
Like his backstory, he's not seen much in the battlefield, but he has a lot more going on behind the scenes. Imagine the possibilities. He is damn intelligent and he knows it. While Dell is very sweet and has a southern charm, this is a facade to hide his God complex and sadistic tendencies. If you think this man is just your boring gentle engineer, you've got a big storm coming. It's heavily implied that he sawed off his own arm so that he could use the gunslinger. This man works on projects with Medic and doesn't question the moral implications of putting a human brain in a pumpkin. Hell, he threatened his own employer, even if he was an old man (Granted, Blutarch dug up his grandpa's grave, so he probably should have gotten something a lot worse than just Dell telling him to fuck off). Engineer is more than the texan egghead sweetie pie, he is a mercenary for a reason and I would argue that he might be as insane, if not more than, the rest of the team. No sane man would willingly work with a bunch of war criminals if he wasn't also crazy. That's the thing I really like about him. I love playing as him in the game because it represents his character very well. He technically serves a supportive role to the team with his buildings, but he is a killer with a lot of tools in his disposal, With the right amount of training, he can absolutely dominate in the battlefield.
I feel like he's one of the people that underestimate and assume that he's an easy target, but he's a lot more than that. He has a lot of layers that makes me want to learn more about him and what he has to offer.
In Conclusion:
These guys are cool. Lmaooo okay I won't just end it there. I genuinely believe that they're not getting the recognition that they deserve, they've got a lot more going for them if you pay attention. Sure they might not always be the loudest or most prominant character in the story, but what they lack in quantity, they make up for in quality TEN FOLD. They don't have to be your favourite, but you should at least give them a chance. You never know, they may surprise you.
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Okay so thats enough of that, I couldn't find a divider above this message, so you're getting this grainy ass gif. Honestly, I put way too much effort on this shitpost lmaooo, but I just wanted to get my thoughts out in a more concise manner. If you want to add more stuff about these three that I didn't mention, feel free to do so. Anyways thanks for reading
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sinner-sunflower · 1 day
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P.2 HH Lucifer-centric AU 9/?
STORY 1, PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, PART 4, PART 5, PART 6, PART 7, PART 8
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Charlie likes eating with people.
For a long time, it would be her and mom and dad. Then it dwindled down to just her and her mom, until eventually she found herself eating alone for the first time after her mom left.
The very same night, she swiftly disposed of the large dining table. Then, over the years, dining arrangements shifted; she often used a small coffee table or skipped the using one altogether, considering that Razzle and Dazzle didn't require food, and Keekee preferred eating on the floor.
Vaggie: Uhm, Charlie?
Charlie: Yeah?
Vaggie: Why does our dining area have ni table?
Charlie: What do you mean? There are tables right here.
Vaggie: That's cute and all but I think a giant communal table would be better. Don't we want people here to er get along and socialize?
Charlie: Ohmigosh! You're so right, Vaggie! How did I not think of that?! I'm ordering one right now!
Vaggie: Charlie, wait! Let see some options first!
When it arrived, they sat side-by-side to eat.
Vaggie: Don't worry. One day, this table will be full.
Charlie never imagined those words would become reality as she observes her friends—no, her family—exchanging stories, laughter filling the room every few moments. The lively chatter fills her with joy, making her feel giddy. She never wants to stop hearing it.
Vaggie: Hey. You alright?
Charlie: Mmm. Just got lost in thought.
Vaggie: If you're sure… Now eat. You know how Al gets when someone isn't eating his food.
She joined in with a few jokes, and even Alastor surprised everyone with a particularly risqué one that left Angel in a state of shock.
Alastor seized the moment to make his exit, but Angel refused to let him slip away.
Angel: Oh hell no! Come back here , Smiles! Who taught you that??? Smiles!-
She can hear Alastor bursting into mischievous cackling while Angel runs to catch him. Husk grumbles something about 'babysitting' but moves to follow nonetheless.
Husk: I guess I have to make sure the fucker doesn't get killed.
Cherri: Oh!!! I wanna see that! 50 bucks says freaky smile snaps.
Husk: I know better than to make a losing bet.
Nifty: Me! Me! I would bet my entire bug collection to Alastor sir saying a dirtier joke.
Cherri: Fuck yeah! That's the spirit!
Vaggie and Charlie are left to clean the dishes, enveloped in pure domestic bliss, only hearing the clinking of plates and running water. They worked together in comfortable silence until the task was completed, and then Charlie finally broke the quiet with her voice.
Charlie: I think I'm gonna go to my dad now.
Vaggie: Okay. Careful okay?
Charlie gives her lover a kiss before leaving. Before she even reaches the door, she sees Alastor there waiting for her by the entrance.
Charlie: Hey, Al. I thought you were with Angel and the others?
Alastor: I've sent them on a wild goose chase for now.
Charlie: Okay.. I'm going to my dad right now. Do you uhhh need me to pass a message to him?
Alastor only smiles like he usually does and produces a bouquet of flowers from behind. Marigolds.
Alastor: Just this, my dear.
Charlie's heart can't help but flutter.
Charlie: Dad will love these. Thanks, Al.
Alastor: Yes yes. Go along now. Your father awaits!
Her hotelier practically ushered her out the door, but despite his efforts to maintain his usual composed demeanour, Charlie couldn't help but notice the subtle blush creeping onto his face and the faint flattening of his ears.
Who knew Alastor could make an expression like that?
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Keekee manages to beat Charlie by a significant time at arriving at the Morningstar Palace, though Charlie can't help but chuckle despite her competitive spirit. Though she did kinda forget that she needs her to know where her dad actually is.
Charlie: Hey, can you show me where dad is?
The familiar happily skipped through the labyrinth halls and as Keekee effortlessly morphed into the wall, Charlie's confusion shifted into realization. The walls split open just like it did to Lucifer.
She remembered now why she could never find the entrance to their old sanctuary despite countless attempts. After not finding the place by the 100th sweep, she just chalked it up to another made-up memory. But, it had always been right here.
'Hidden in plain sight.'
With her heart racing and excitement coursing through her veins, Charlie watched as the entrance widened before her. However, instead of the warm, nostalgic breeze that she had anticipated, she was met with a thick, dark smoke and fierce winds. She feels herself shiver from an unbearable cold- the type that's so cold, it burns.
Charlie: Dad! W-wah Where are you?!
Despite the pain of her constant hacking, Charlie steeled herself and pushed forward. She needs to get inside, her dad is in there!
Summoning a flame, she uses it to guide herself into the raging storm whilst shouting for her father.
Charlie: Dad, please!
And then, amidst the swirling smoke and harsh winds, she saw it: a figure lying on the ground, her dad! His eyes wide open and mouth agape as smoke comes out from within.
Charlie: Dad!
He can't hear her. Why?
Charlie: Dad! Wake up!
He always hears her.
Charlie: DAD!
She doesn't see the note clutched in his chest.
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Luci just can't catch a break.
We going back to his POV next chap!
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crookedteethed · 3 hours
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18+ Thinking about the Rafe’s receiving a blowjob from reader
a/n: sorry this was longer then expected, I was def picturing reader as me 😭
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Season One Rafe, god, you don't know why you asked him. You two were at a kook party (you were out of your element). He said he got some Mary Jane. When you asked if he had anything stronger, he pulled out a small white baggy filled with a white substance. He calls it yayo.
When you reached for the tiny bag, he drew his hand back, talking out the side of his mouth, which his blunt didn't reside on, asking you, "what the fuck are you going to do for me?"
He could tell by your bronzy sun tan and too scruffed-up shoes that you were from the cut, so he knew you wouldn't have the money; that's why he also raised the price on his drugs as soon as he saw you approach him.
You were the one to offer up the BJ, which was an offer Rafe couldn't decline. It'd be so sinister to him: getting a blow job from a pogue? Your pogue lips on his kook cock? Fucking disgusting yet appealing.
After the deed is done and you both get what you want, Rafe's telling all his kook friends about how he'd let you blow him just for a bag of coke and telling them how much of a slut you are.
"And I told her," He tells Kelce. "I would have given the bag to her for a buck, but the bitch just wanted my dick so bad."
Season Two this is a hottake, but I totally can see season two Rafe hiring a sex worker to give him a blow job. I mean, the boy's family is in complete disarray; he has no friends (besides Berry?), and he has blood dripping down from his nose to his chin (I'm talking about the one GIF of him, you know, the one). He needs to blow off some steam.
He sits and waits outside the local strip club. He waits until midnight when the strip club is closed, and some of the girls who strip during the day also trick at night.
He sees you standing in the corner with ripped fishnet stockings and a stubbed cigarette between your fingers. He rolls over to you with a wad of cash already in his hand. You hop into his car, and right then, he tells you to suck it now.
Poor girl, for the next thirty minutes, you'd have to endure Rafe's constant head pushing, the sounds of your gurgling and gagging around his cock, and his dirty mouth telling you:
"Take it, you can take it, can't you? Don't you do this to men for a living? Take it, you slut." : (
Season Three I don't think Rafe would particularly ask you for a blow job. I mean, yeah, he loves them, but I wholeheartedly believe that in season three, Rafe is a pussy eater. But he'd only eat your pussy out of necessity.
He needs an alibi for the night the cross was stolen; he was at home eating his girl out, your honor.
You find out he stole and melted the Pogue's cross, you yell at him for how villainess that was, he guilt trips you on how he doesn't know any better, then he distracts you by eating you out.
He doesn't want you (his first actual girlfriend) to see how everyone else sees him on Kildare Island, so he's laying your body supine on your shared bed, making love to your little clit, and eating your pussy like he's a starved man.
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greenerteacups · 14 hours
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What do you think as Hermione's career would be post battle of Hogwarts? To me her being minister for magic really doesn't make sense. She does not have patience or tact to wade through murky waters of politics 😭😭
So hard to say! The Trio are so, so young when we leave them, I find it almost impossible to project their futures farther than a few years out. The job that suited me at 17 would be radically unsuited to me now. That's why of all the Trio, Ron's ending strikes me as the most realistic — he jumps straight into the save-the-world business again, burns out, realizes he's actually Done The Fuck Enough, Thanks, and pivots into a low-stress career where he gets to see his family a lot. Feels accurate! The others are weirder to me because they do seem to just... pick a lane and stay there.
With Hermione, you could spin her a couple ways. You could say that she leans into her bookish side and does research or teaching, which is not my preference for a couple reasons (namely, I don't think Hermione would like academia as a profession; she finds her classwork interesting and enjoys intellectual validation, but she'd be stifled and wasted in a DPhil program, and she'd be infuriated by the administrative politicking of your average higher-ed faculty). You could say that she gets disaffected with politics and ends up as a barrister or a lobbyist of some kind, but if anything that requires more political finesse, because you don't actually have institutional power, you're just handling the people who make decisions and trying to persuade them of your goals. This is not Hermione's preferred method of influence. She's not even particularly good at persuasion, she just happens to be smart enough (and right often enough) that people take her ideas seriously.
Or you could say her brashness fades with the years into a softened flavor of tell-you-like-it-is honesty, which some politicians actually do successfully trade on; as we see in British politics today, you don't have to be all that charming or clever to get ahead, you just need to be really driven and well-connected (which Hermione completely is; she fought shoulder-to-shoulder with the first postwar Minister and her bestie, the Literal Messiah, runs the Auror Office.) But I don't know if Hermione especially wants to be Minister, after the war. She's just watched years of horrendous bureaucratic incompetence plunge the country into a violent civil conflict. She's had not one, but two Ministers of Magic try to bully or shame her friends into complicity with fascism. Her view of government is... likely extremely dark.
But Hermione also isn't the kind of person who sees her life as a quest for happiness. Babygirl has a savior complex that makes Harry look selfish. (She basically kills her parents — yeah, obliviating is a form of murder, #changemymind — "for their own good," and justifies every batshit, vindictive, mean-spirited move she ever pulls on the grounds that it "helps" one of her friends.) She is a mean, lean, dragon-slaying machine, and she needs a dragon. After Voldemort, the Ministry is the no. 1 threat to muggle-borns and non-wizarding Beings. As a war heroine with basically infinite political capital, I'd be surprised if she didn't try to do something there. That said, Hermione is so vivacious and dynamic that she could potentially grow in a hundred different directions; it's possible that all of this, while true of her at 18, becomes completely inaccurate by 22. That's why I'm not too fussed about any particular fanon interpretation.
#greenteacup asks#sidebar: I know Minister “of” Magic is an Americanism but mea culpa#Someday I might actually bite it and pay someone to britpick Lionheart but I can't do it now#because I have a ban on editing published fic unless it's finished. Otherwise I'll never get around to writing the actual ending#I have a Process#is it the best process? likely not! but it makes the words go. so here we are.#I also think the fact that JKR is Gen X makes a difference here. careers worked differently in the 80s and 90s than they do now#i.e. we have the gig economy and a lot more mobility and EXPECTATION of mobility in your early life#that means career changes & professional pivots through your 20s and 30s are increasingly normal#and in fact have always been normal — but the image of the 'true' or 'ideal' career has changed#so we look at those careers and go hm. really? none of them changed?#none of them even went to uni? do wizards... just not?#but again. I believe the epilogue was written almost completely without consideration as to what happened between the BOH and then#I really believe that JKR did not know what happened to Harry except a wedding and 3 kids. because that was the whole point#I don't think she even knew what his career was when she wrote that scene#It existed to marry everyone off and do a quick munchkin headcount#because of the understandable temptation as an author to keep your hand on the wheel. but it didn't even matter!#the epilogue changed NOTHING! it was the most useless chapter in the series! I just — GOD#you can absolutely accuse me of being sour grapes about my ships getting nixed. I AM sour grapes. I AM a hater.#AND I have plot/theme/craft reasons for disliking it.#I'm not objective. I just want credit for being a sophisticated hater. my grapes may be sour but they're still artisinal.
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bullet-prooflove · 22 hours
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Girl With The Crooked Smile: David Hale x Reader
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Tagging: @kmc1989 @hatersaremymotivators @bennykk @kelpies-shed
Companion piece to Graffiti, Crime Wave, Distraction Art School & Feminism
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It’s your smile that David falls in love with, the way the left side of your mouth quirks up just a little higher than the right. It makes something warm blossom in his chest as you catch him watching you over his coffee cup. His cheeks flush as you laugh and he tries to hide his own grin by taking another sip.
This feeling, he’s never had it with anyone else. He’s never felt so light, so free.
It’s the first time you’ve stepped outside in Charming as a couple. You’re sitting in the diner waiting for your pancakes to arrive. Usually your dates take place in Stockton closer to where you live but you’d wanted to see his place, his world and honestly he’d liked having you there, amongst his things, in his bed.
“Are you sure you want to be seen with me?” You asked him when he’d offered to take you out for breakfast. It’s the first time he’s seen you unsure of anything.
“Why wouldn’t I?” He asks you, his thumb ghosting over your cheek as he looks into those beautiful eyes of yours. A man could lose himself for hours when he looks at you, David has several times.
“You’re the Deputy Chief and I’m…”
You trail off and it takes him a minute to decipher what the problem is. You know his family is political, his father was a county judge and his brother’s on the town council. All the men in his family hold positions of power, they chase wealth, vote conservatively and discuss optics. They expect David to do the same.
You subvert all of that.
You’re an outspoken feminist, who creates art and makes her living from taking off her clothes.
It’s going to be the talk of the town and David could not find himself giving less of a fuck. He’s so stupidly in love with you, he doesn’t give a shit who knows it.
“You are beautiful, sexy and fiercely talented.” He’d told you, completing your sentence as his forehead had come to rest on yours. “And I am lucky to have you in my life.”
You’d blushed then and David, he had kissed you until you were breathless underneath him all over again.
“I meant what I said.” He says as he sits across from you in the diner, his fingers entwining with yours. “I’m incredibly lucky you chose to be with me.”
“I don’t think luck had anything to do with it.” You tell him, your thumb chasing along the inside of his hand. “Me and you, I think it was always meant to happen.”
David swallows hard past the well of emotion in his chest because truthfully, he believes that too.
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Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee
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munsonsmixtapes · 2 days
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Teach Me
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Part One Part Two
Part Three: Lesson Two
Steve x bi!fem!reader
summary: you and Steve are forced to share a shift at Family Video the morning after your date
word count: 5,094
cw: mention of reader’s rough home life, her mother calls her a “bitch”, mention of both homophobia and biphobia, use of the word “dyke”, make out session between reader and Eddie
You woke up the next morning, grateful to find that everything had just been a dream. You knew it had to have been if you had realized you were having feelings for someone. Especially Steve. Oh, how silly you had been. You rolled out of bed and stood in your doorway, listening for any signs that your parents had been awake. Once you were met with silence, you headed into the kitchen to make some breakfast for you and Callie.
You passed by the answering machine and noticed that the light was blinking, signaling that you had a message. Your curiosity got the best of you and you pressed the play button before heading into the kitchen. There was a beep and you gasped when you heard Steve’s voice.
So it wasn’t a dream. That had actually happened. You had embarrassed yourself by denying his kiss and made him feel like an idiot even though you had wanted it as much as he did. You should have just gone for it despite how scared your were.
He had called you? When? You definitely would have heard it, so it must have been before you had gotten home. Maybe you actually hadn’t blown your chance.
“Hey, y/n,” he sighed. “It’s Steve. You just left and I know it’s a bit early after a date to be calling, but I uh-I just wanted to say that I’m sorry for what happened. I shouldn’t have tried to-you know-” There was a long pause before he spoke up again. “I hope you’re okay. I hope you’re not mad at me. And I want to continue our lessons because I had a lot of fun. Bye.”
There was another beep after the message played out and you stood there, trying to gather your thoughts. You were the one who screwed up and he was the one who was apologizing? Of course he was. He didn’t even have anything to apologize for. What had happened had been all your fault and you were going to make it right.
A door on the other side of the trailer opened and your mother shuffled out of your parents’ room looking like the main character in a movie that has just woken up. Her hair looked perfect and she clearly still had some leftover makeup on her face from the night before.
You always thought your mother was beautiful. You and Callie had clearly gotten your features from her and while it should have been a compliment, it always felt like a slap to the face. She might have been attractive on the outside, but she was so fucking ugly on the inside.
Her and your father had been some of the worst people you had known. They were selfish, awful people with the way they never seemed to think of you unless they wanted something. It was usually money but sometimes they would surprise you by asking for a favor. Since they always seemed to work all the time, you wondered where all their extra money seemed to go after they paid rent and utilities. Neither of them did drugs or drank much so it had to be going somewhere else.
You could tell your mother was in a good mood by the way she walked down the hallway. Maybe you could have actually had a civil conversation with her. It always seemed like you argued over the same thing. You’d always get upset because she was never home and when she was, she wasn’t actually there. At least not mentally. It seemed as if she saved up all her thoughts for her arguments with your father.
“Hey, sweetpea,” she gave your cheek a pat before grabbing a mug from the cabinet and pouring herself some coffee. Yeah, she was definitely in a good mood.
“Morning, mom.” You cracked some eggs into a pan and pushed them around with a spatula before putting some waffles into the toaster.
“You’re up early.” Leave it to her to completely forget that you worked. Maybe she would have if she ever came home after her shifts at Enzo’s. She always seemed to disappear for days on end then would show up out of nowhere in a good mood. You assumed that she was cheating on your father. You should have been upset by that, that your family was broken, but you didn’t have it in you to give a single fuck.
“Have a shift at Family Video.” Sundays always got crowded in the afternoon so you had hoped it would get busy.
“Who’s watching your sister?” It was as if she had forgotten every time. She never remembered anything you told her. You were honestly surprised that she remembered that Callie even existed.
“Wayne.” She had met Wayne multiple times and had even had lengthy conversations with him.
“What about what’s his name?” She snapped her fingers a few times, trying to recall the person she was thinking of. You knew exactly who she was referring to.
“Eddie.” He had only been your best friend for twelve years. God forbid you ask her to remember something about her own daughter.
“Eddie,” she repeated with a nod. “Right.”
“He’s working.” It just so happened that Eddie was working on Wayne’s day off so the man had insisted on watching Callie for a change.
“Why do you even have a job? Your father and I work so we can take care of you.” You let out a laugh at that. You couldn’t even recall the last time they had taken care of you. Your earliest memory was being left home alone when you were around five years old. They had set you in front of the television with a TV dinner and told you to “be safe” before heading out the door. What kind of parent leaves their five year old home alone?
“Right, because you both do so well at that.” You knew that the only reason they had you was because of the societal pressure to have children after getting married. Not only that, but your grandparents had constantly claimed that they wanted grandbabies. Neither of them had the desire to be parents and had even told you that they would have aborted you if they could have afforded it.
“Excuse me?” You had clearly hit a nerve but you didn’t care. She needed to know how you really felt since she always had no problem with telling you that she despised you.
“You haven’t taken care of me since I was a baby. I’m honestly surprised you did that.” Her eyebrows furrowed in anger and she stepped closer to you. You had crossed a line but you didn’t care. You were tired of walking on eggshells around her.
“You’ve always been such an ungrateful bitch.” She pointed her freshly manicured finger directly in front of your face. When had she gotten that done and how could she have afforded it?
“And you’ve always been a terrible mother. What else is new?” You stomped away before she could touch you. She chased after you, trying to grab at your t-shirt but you got out the front door before she could.
You pushed through the door of Eddie’s trailer and made a beeline for his room, knowing that neither him nor Wayne cared if you let yourself in. The place was a wreck as per usual, but that didn’t bother you. They were too busy working to keep the place clean and you were in no place to judge because you knew that oftentimes, a person’s living space reflected what was going on in their head.
Eddie was still in bed when you entered his room and you were honestly surprised that he was alone. If he wasn’t hooking up with you, he usually had someone else to invite over.
You went through the clothes on the floor, looking for your other vest for Family Video that you always seemed to leave there. Once you didn’t see it there, you opened his closet, wondering how the hell he found anything in there. There was clothing shoved into every nook and cranny and the thing was so full that you were surprised that everything hadn’t fallen out.
“Morning sunshine,” Eddie greeted. You pulled out every item and threw them onto the bed behind you, careful not to hit Eddie. “I must be pretty lucky if I get to wake up to this view.” His eyes immediately went to your sleep shorts that had ridden up, giving him a perfect view of your ass.
“Hey, Eds.” You didn’t even bother to turn to look at him. You were on a mission and couldn’t get distracted by him or his body.
“Missed you last night, sweetheart. Think I deserve some sugar for that.” You rolled your eyes at him. The man always seemed to wake up horny.
“Thought I was a taken woman.” He laughed at that, amused that you had thrown his words back at him. He liked when you sassed him like that.
“Oh, don’t give me that.” He threw his blanket off himself and stood from the bed. He stretched with a yawn and made a beeline for you. He didn’t like being far from you for too long. But you liked that he was clingy. At least you were getting attention from someone.
“You said it, not me.” You turned around to face him. He stepped forward and took you into his arms. “Face it, you just miss this ass.”
“You’re so right,” he grabbed onto it and gave it a squeeze, causing you to let out a squeal. “I do love your ass.”
“You know, if anything, you owe me some sugar for leaving me last night.” He was quick to capture your lips between his roughly, his hands gripping your hips.
His tongue slipped into your mouth as his hands moved to the strip of skin between the bottom of your shirt and the top of your shorts. They slowly moved up your shirt, trying to lift it over your head, but you pulled it back down.
“I have to go to work,” you mumbled against his lips.
“So do I.” His hands stayed at your back, keeping you in place. The two of you usually liked to get in a quick fuck before work, but you really didn’t have time.
“So, we don’t have time for this.”
“Are you really denying a fuck? Who are you?” He asked, moving his hands to your hips, wanting to feel your soft skin against his.
“We have to go to work and neither of us can afford to get fired.” He knew you were right, but he really needed your pussy. He supposed he could wait until you came over later.
“Damn, I love when you talk logically to me, baby.” You just rolled your eyes and removed yourself from him.
“Shut up and get dressed.”
“Fine,” he stole one last kiss before grabbing a shirt from the floor and giving it a sniff. It apparently didn’t smell since he replaced it with the one he had worn to bed. He then changed into some new underwear and a pair of jeans while you still looked through his closet for your uniform.
You had thirty minutes before you had to be at work and you were panicking that you were going to get fired. In Keith’s eyes, you had already been late too many times. You only had one more strike and you were out.
You found your vest hanging on Eddie’s door and quickly grabbed it. You pressed a kiss to Eddie’s cheek and rushed out the door back to your trailer. Your parents had left for work so you were able to finish getting ready in peace.
Callie was at the kitchen table eating the breakfast you had made for her and you had hoped that your argument with your mother hadn’t woken her up. She needed rest just as much as you did.
She gave you a warm smile as she bit into her waffle and your heart warmed seeing her sweet smile that consisted of multiple missing teeth she had lost throughout the past few months.
She always seemed to be so happy despite her living situation and you wondered how she was able to stay so positive. She was the one who calmed you down when things got too much. She was the one who would bring you a flower she had picked in the field from behind the trailer park with a wide smile on her face. Whatever the reason, you were grateful that she wasn’t cynical like you.
You entered your room and threw on a bra and some underwear. You then rushed to the bathroom quickly brushed your teeth and hair before throwing on your shoes and letting Wayne know that you were leaving and hurrying to your car.
You got to the store with five minutes to spare which was only because of your speeding. You were just grateful that there weren’t any cops around that would have pulled you over. You couldn’t have risked being late and getting a ticket.
Steve was by the door when you got there and he unlocked it before opening it for you. In all of the chaos with your mother, you had completely forgotten about the message he had left on your machine. You hoped he would have heard you out even if you didn’t think you deserved it.
You headed to the break room and clocked in, taking your time to put on your vest. You wanted to put off seeing Steve as much as possible. The whole thing just made you feel embarrassed, replaying in your head over and over on a torturous loop.
You stood by your locker, staring into the thing while you thought about what had happened the night before. Your date. The way you denied Steve’s kiss. The look on his face when he left. The way you came to the realization that you maybe, sort of liked him as more than a friend.
And that was why you had run. You wanted to tell him that. That everything was your fault and that he wasn’t to blame. You had been such a fucking coward and had lost yet another person because of it. A person that you were really growing to care about. A person that had been nice enough to help you when you had asked and now you had ruined everything.
You let out a long sigh then finally opened the door, the thing swinging wide as you walked through it. You were so in your head that you had barely noticed Steve standing there, holding his nose. You hadn’t even seen him and had hit him with the door when you opened it.
“Steve,” you gasped, rushing over to him. You took him into your arms and helped him into the break room so he could sit. You helped him sit in one of the chairs at the table and sat in the one next to him.
You kept your distance, but your eyes didn’t leave his face. Not only had you hurt him emotionally, you had also now done it physically. You were honestly going to be surprised if he had ever forgiven you. You didn’t think you deserved him. You didn’t blame him if he didn’t want to carry on with the lessons, you didn’t need them anymore, after all. That night with Steve just showed you that you weren’t ready to start dating.
Steve had gone through all the stages of grief the night before. Now he was just bitter. He wasn’t so mad about you not wanting to kiss you, he couldn’t blame you for that. He was more upset about the fact that you had run off with no explanation. He thought he at least deserved that. He had even taken a chance to call you out of desperation only for him to receive nothing back.
“Can I see it?” You asked and he reluctantly pulled his hand away from his nose. You leaned closer to him to get a better look and he let you, staying still. You were grateful to see that it was just red and that there was no actual damage to it. You wouldn’t have been able to live with yourself if you had broken his nose too.
“How is it?” You asked and he just turned away from you.
“Fine,” he grumbled. “I’m fine.”
“Steve, I’m so sorry,” you sighed. “For everything.” He responded by standing up from the table and headed back out to the floor, trying his best to get away from you.
He felt like he had every right to be mad at you even though he could tell that you were overwhelmed. He wasn’t even mad at you for not wanting to kiss him. He wasn’t going to blame you for that. He had been upset because you had never given him an explanation. You just left without a word and had completely ghosted you.
He had even called you afterward to apologize and to make sure that you were okay. But you had just ignored him and now he felt like a fucking idiot. Maybe you hadn’t liked him as much as he thought you did. He could have sworn that the two of you had a connection, but he guessed he was the only one who thought so.
You followed him out onto the floor in silence and you headed to the counter as customers entered the building. It was a couple-a guy and a girl-around your age. They were holding onto each other and giggling as they stepped inside and you couldn’t help but want what they had.
“Hey, welcome in! Is there anything in particular you’re looking for?” You pushed the whole thing with Steve out of your head and tried to focus on the task at hand. For the next eight hours, it was going to be as if nothing had happened.
“Actually,” the girl replied. “We’re looking for a romcom.” Of fucking course. That seemed to be one of the more popular genres among customers. Why anyone would have wanted to subject themselves you didn’t know. Watching two people fall in love sounded so boring to you. You preferred either action or horror. Those always seemed to interest you, keeping you on the edge of your seat.
“Was there one in particular that you were looking for?”
“We’re just browsing,” the guy responded.
“Okay, well, the romcoms are on the very back wall.” You pointed in that direction and watched them head that way. “Let me know if you need anything else!”
You leaned onto the counter, resting your chin into the palm of your hand as you spotted Steve helping the couple find a specific title. You couldn’t help but feel like he was much better at the job than you were. He was always so friendly as if he knew the customers personally. He assisted them with a bright smile on his face, like he couldn’t have been happier to help them.
He always went above and beyond to make sure that everyone was happy and if they weren’t, he’d do whatever he could to appease them. It didn’t matter if it was ordering a movie the store didn’t carry or just straight up giving them a full refund if they weren’t satisfied. He was definitely the best employee and you envied him for it.
You turned to the computer and signed into it to put some returns back into the system. Steve clearly had the floor handled so you figured you’d actually be productive instead of letting your thoughts eat away at you. You also didn’t want to risk Keith coming out of his office and seeing you not working.
You booted up the computer and turned to the door when the bell had chimed, signaling that another customer had entered. She stepped over to the counter, resting her arms on top of it.
“Is Steve working today?” It wasn’t the first time you’d heard that question and it definitely wouldn’t have been the last.
“Romcoms,” you responded, pointing in the general direction. You watched her head that way in the corner of your eye and continued to type away.
Steve had finished with the customers and took to fixing up the section he was in to pass the time. It always seemed super slow in the mornings. He stood up from putting some videos away from the bottom shelf and noticed a girl approaching him.
He recognized her, but felt bad that he had completely forgotten her name. She had come in a few times and had flirted with him every time without fail. He wasn’t interested, though. He only had eyes for one woman even though he knew he’d never be with her.
“Hey, Stevie,” she greeted and he closed his eyes tight at the nickname. He hated it. It was so grating, like nails on a chalkboard.
“Hey,” he turned around with a smile. He didn’t like being mean and felt like it was rude to ignore her. She had come all that way to see him and all.
“How’s it going?” Her tone was a little too flirty for his liking. He was going to let her down easy. If he could ever get the guts.
“Oh, you know,” he chuckled. “Just working.”
“Well, what time do you get off?” He had no idea how he was going to break the news that he wasn’t intrested to the poor girl and he was wracking his brain for an excuse. He needed to wash his hair. He had to walk his dog. He needed to visit a family member in the hospital. Literally anything to get her to leave him alone.
“Oh, I don’t-” his words were caught off by an arm snaking around his waist. He turned to his right to see you and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion but still draped his arm over your shoulders.
“Hey honey,” you smiled at him and you could see him gulp, making his Adam’s apple bob. “Miss me?” You asked and you could see the gears turning in his head as he tried to figure out what was going on.
“So much,” he replied, and for a second, you almost believed it. He had been looking at you with so much love that it almost seemed real.
“I’m sorry, who are you?” She eyed the two of you suspiciously and you couldn’t blame her. It was kind of weird. The two of you definitely didn’t look like you belonged together.
“I’m his girlfriend.” You could see her eyes narrow and you were hoping that she would just let it go, but she seemed pretty determined to prove your relationship to be bullshit.
“I didn’t know you had a girlfriend.” A smirk appeared on her glossy lips and you knew that you weren’t going to like what she was going to say next.
“Well, now you do.” Your grip on Steve’s tightened and he was confused as to why he liked the feeling.
“You never told me that you were seeing someone.” He hadn’t, but he also was unsure of how to tell her didn’t want to go out with her to begin with.
“It’s new and I honestly didn’t know we were exclusive until yesterday.” Steve was mentally high-fiving himself for that one. He had never come up with something that quick in his life.
“Right,” she nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. “You’re y/n.” She turned to you and you didn’t like the tone she was using.
“That’s me,” you nodded. “And you’re Melissa.” Right, that was her name.
“You live in the trailer park, right? Forest Hills?” You knew exactly what she was getting at and had to resist the urge to roll your eyes. People just weren’t original with their insults anymore.
“Why do you care?” You genuinely wanted to know why everyone was so judgmental about where you had lived. As if it had affected them directly that you lived in a trailer park.
“Oh, I don’t. But other people do and what would they say if they found out that King Steve was dating trailer trash?” Steve’s mouth dropped open at her words. No one was going to speak to you that way and get away with it.
“What did you just call her?” His arm dropped from your shoulders and he stepped in front of you as if to act as a human shield to protect you from Melissa’s words.
“Steve-” you rested a hand on his shoulder, wanting to tell him to drop it, but he just shrugged your hand off, stepping closer to the girl.
“I asked you a question.”
“C’mon Steve. We both know you’re out of her league. You could do so much better.” He couldn’t believe that she had insulted you and hyped herself up in the same sentence.
“You’re talking about yourself, right?” He crossed his arms over his chest.
“Of course I am. Isn’t she a dyke anyway?” Steve’s face was rapidly turning red in anger. He balled his fists, knowing that if a man had said that word, he wouldn’t have hesitated to deck him. He knew that you were bisexual, but he didn’t see a single problem with that like other people in town seemed to. He didn’t think that your sexuality was anyone’s business but your own so he was going to let you decide if you wanted to correct Melissa.
“I’m bisexual, actually,” you corrected.
“Not that that’s any of your business,” Steve added. “Get. Out.” He was gritting his teeth so hard that you were sure sure that it was probably causing pain to his jaw.
“Excuse me?” She scoffed. Clearly she needed to be knocked down a peg or two and Steve was more than happy to do so.
“Did you not hear me? I said get the fuck out!” He pointed to the door and Melissa was quick to hurry in that direction.
You heard the bell on the door chime, signaling that she had exited the building and Steve was quick to turn to you to see how you were holding up. Your face hadn’t changed and he assumed that you were just holding in your pain like you always did.
You stood a few feet apart and you didn’t know why you felt the urge to hug him. It was the least he deserved for standing up for you. If it had been Eddie who had done it, you wouldn’t have hesitated. But it was Steve and you and Steve didn’t hug.
“What a fucking bitch,” he muttered under his breath but you still heard it. You were honestly surprised that he had defended you. You were the one who wanted to help him but he had stepped in to protect you once again. He had done it despite being upset with you and you couldn’t have been more grateful and thought he deserved much more than just an apology. What, you didn’t know.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“Are you kidding? Of course I did.”
“Even after what I did last night? I didn’t deserve your defense.”
“What are you talking about? Just because I’m mad at you doesn’t mean that I’m not going to stand up for you when people are dicks. That’s what friends do, y/n.”
You honestly thought you had blown it so hearing him still refer to you as his friend, made you let out a sigh of relief. A small amount of the pressure on your shoulder released and you gave Steve a small smile
“I owe you an apology for the way I acted,” you looked up at him and there was no trace of anger on his face. He was back to regular old Steve. “I’m sorry. I just-I got scared and I panicked and-”
“Don’t worry about it, okay?” He gave your shoulder a pat. “Consider it water under the bridge.”
“So, do you still want to continue the lessons?” He hadn’t been aware that they had been off the table and felt bad that you actually thought that he would have ended things without discussing it first.
“As long as you do,” he shrugged.
“I do,” you nodded and he smiled in response.
“Great,” he nodded. “It’s a date,” he winked to which you rolled your eyes.
“I'm sorry.”
“You’re forgiven,” he rested his hands on your shoulders, giving them a reassuring squeeze. “Let’s just start all over, alright? Clean slate.”
“Okay,” you agreed, grateful that you had settled your argument.
“Good. Now let’s get back to work before Keith gets here. I’ll take the floor and you sit pretty at the counter alright?” Your cheeks turned pink at the word “pretty” and you resisted the urge to turn away from him so he couldn’t see it.
“Anything you say, Stevie,” you brushed past him to get back to the counter. You then turned back to him and pressed a quick peck to his cheek. “Thanks for defending me.”
“Oh,” he chuckled. “It was nothing.” As soon as your back was turned to him, he reached up and rested his hand on the spot where you had kissed him, staring at you lovingly.
God, he really was in deep, wasn’t he? What had started as a little crush was rapidly turning into full-on love and he was falling deeper and deeper. And with someone who hadn’t felt the same way nor ever could. He was in deep shit, but he didn’t even care. He was going to let himself feel it. He had to. You had reached into his chest and taken his heart and he let you happily.
You got to the counter and turned to Steve who had already been looking at you. If you were already starting to feel a little something for him, you were afraid of what was going to come from the dates you still hadn’t gone on. For once, you wanted to find out even though the thought of actually falling in love terrified you. For once, you wanted to see what all the hype was about. You were fully prepared to dive in head first, knowing that Steve would be right there to catch you.
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hella1975 · 11 months
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hella idk what to send to you for aftg im either bored or annoyed and I don't wanna just say bad things about it 😭 like that's just rude and yall obviously like it I DONT WANNA BE SOME DEBBY DOWNER MDMWKEM
I looked at the anti aftg tag too to see if I could intermingle there and last I checked it was a mix of fans obsessed with the series and haters being just a tad harsh imo, so i couldn't even do that RIP. I'm so lonesome in what is maybe a whole group of people gaslighting me 😔👊
honestly ive said this before and i always have to tread a very fine line with it because this isn't me saying it's OKAY or like. promotable. but i do think to an extent that aftg's problematicness is actually an aspect of what draws people in a lot. like the characters and their reactions to things feel real for who they are, what they've been through and the environments they were raised in if that makes sense? and then you go in the anti-aftg tag and it's just again and again 'they said THIS thing and acted THIS way in response to THIS scenario and it was PROBLEMATIC' and like. yeah. outside of the internet bubble you're in people do actually do that. like that behaviour exists. it IS problematic, well done. you pointed at a wall and called it a wall. but like? in real life people - PARTICULARLY deprived, traumatised people that typically don't ever get therapy or community or someone telling them why something is bad - DO act this way. ive said half of my love for andrew is literally just because he took an awful backstory and let it make him a complete cunt and ive NEVER seen a character do it as shamelessly as him before. and yeah there's the argument for how it's never resolved in the book where nora ties it with a bow and points at the bad behaviour so the readers can go 'see, this is wrong' and we all clap, but idk it just for me feels that when people point at the aftg characters and go problematic! problematic! problematic! it's like they're missing the point a bit.
the point being? that we need to be putting WAY more heat on the author. i really dislike her and a lot of her writing choices and her insistance of using slurs that aren't hers to reclaim and just because it happened to make the characters feel just that bit more authentic i can still acknowledge that she CLEARLY wrote it without characterisation in mind and just added all that problematic shit anyway. like i never get why there's so little focus on nora's writing decisions and thousands of posts just fucking CRUCIFYING the characters themselves and 'let's explain in detail why this behaviour is Morally Reprehensible and they should be Locked Up Forever'. like if u want to focus on the characters so bad and pretend they're the sole reason why aftg is Problematic and Bad then why is it so hard to acknowledge that someone raised the way they were might have some misinformed, ignorant beliefs. idk lol
#but i do also think im prone to viewing these characters as TOO real and i understand there's a line to be drawn between media and reality#like at what point does 'life imitates art' become just a genuinely shit piece of media#and at the end of the day im fully aware which end of the spectrum aftg is on LMAO but this is my 2 cents#like ive met so many people that have said absolutely heinous things that the internet would eat them alive for#like homophobic sexist shit you name it they've said it and it IS problematic and uncomfortable to listen to#but i also know that while teenagers online that would call them problematic were busy claiming some new fucking buzz word to throw around#those people were actively just fucking trying to survive. like they weren't learning about why misogyny is bad#because they were fucking addicted to drugs or living through poverty or some shit like they had BIGGER PROBLEMS#like not everyone got the education or life experiences you got and while it's valid to assume someone saying horrible things#is horrible themselves there's also the times it's just genuinely a misinformed ignorant person#like they'll say 'problematic' things and i'll point out why it's bad and they'll literally go 'oh i never thought of that.' that's it!!!#like i have this childhood friend whose life has been an absolute circus start to finish like COMPLETE instability i wont even get into it#low and behold she had NO ONE educating her about things and one time i had to explain to her why having abortion rights was important#bc she just out of nowhere said she was against abortions. and i initially was outraged and disappointed that this came from her#but i didn't patronise her or shout i just explained my angle on why i think they're good and she was on side immediately#cause she always had bigger problems than researching ethics and no one to guide her so she just absorbed the first opinion she came across#and in a small town from a working class family that opinion is typically not the nice woke answer the internet demands#and with aftg particularly andrew bc he's the one who gets a lot of slack for being violent and generally unreasonable#you have someone who has literally not had someone treat him kindly a single time in his life and each new person is a genuine safety threa#like the average person just does not have to deal with that! ofc they have more time to decide their political and moral compass!#and that's so relevant to real life! popularity for the monarchy is highest amongst the working class! the people voted for brexit! trump!#the lower classes and marginalised simply do not have the resources that higher classes do#and someone fighting for survival is not going to be reading twitter threads on cancel culture in their spare time#so many issues in the world can be eased so much quicker by kindness and patient non-patronising education#than just. pointing and calling 'problematic' at anything remotely uncomfortable#idk where this came from its 2am i should go to bed and instead im ranting not even about aftg anmore this is completely it's own thing now#i feel like i worded this badly too im gonna wake up to anons in the morning accusing me of like. condoning spiking#also gloomy i am SO sorry you are the true victim of this i went ENTIRELY off piste on this one please ignore this 😭#ask
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divorcetual · 17 days
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this is horrifying . i dont think you should be on roads i think the peacocks around your hosue should just take you everywhere . this ks so fucked up
I AGREE WITH THIS cars are an affront to humanity and every one of them is born with the intent to harm as many living beings as possible
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hauntingblue · 1 month
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One thing oden and ace teach us is that bad bitches go early so you can understand how worried I am for nami....
#oden asking if they still love him after beating a whole village of criminals up as the sun rises behind him...#oden sama..... 20 (maybe???) father of like 5 and boyfriend to many#KIKUS SISTER(BROTHER I DONT REALLY KNOW) IS THE ONE ON THE WHITEBEARD PIRATES???? KIKU IS THE LITTLE ONE!!!#talking tag#watching one piece#episode 962#another oden panty shot....#another oden panty shot as he begs for shirohige to take him to the sea with him.... which could mean anything...#marco teasing shirohige about liking oden.... this cant be true...#how is izu jumping that much omg... we ard not taking oden but this random samurai will do#toki can fight??? oden like that akdhakshdkshsks he looks like the harkonnen guy akdjajaja#he has sanji's radar.... amazing#episode 963#shirohige is gonna break down when he finds out oden left him for a woman.... so sad....#also the size difference.... poor woman.....#shirohige came back for him omg.....#THE BLONDE GUY WITH THE LASHES AND THE WOMAN WITH BLUE HAIR ARE FRANKYS PARENTS RIGHT???#already having babies in year 2..... momo was born in shirohiges boat... legend#orochi chosen as a substitute for oden omg.....#FUCKING TEECH!!! DIEE!!!! I CURSE THE DAY SHIROHIGE LET YOU ON HIS SHIP#episode 964#OROCHI DIEEEE CHALLENGE!!!! but this scene with the witch is a banger... such a shame he is a pathetic villain i mean he could be scary and#with his power he is..... facades and all....#sukiyaki coughing sounds like that GOO GOO GOO GOO cupcakke sound..... maybe its just me...#THEY KILLED SUKIYAKI ALREADY???? OMG ODEN!!!#why is he-man on shurohiges crew akdjsks... also so funny there is just a royal family in there...#roger talking about how his time is coming and he wants to fight shirohige again.... GO BE WITH YOUR BABY MAMA DEAD(heehee)BEAT!!!#another pantyshot akdjskks the animators are on my side.... i love how everyone wants oden now... roger and shirohige passing him around#roger skipping to go fight him akdjsksj he is the moment....#episode 965
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