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starberryes · 2 years

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don't you (forget about me) | steve harrington x reader

“Oh, great, she’s here,” Steve says, stepping away from the door. "First of all, Harrington," You scoff, glaring at that mop of hair with all the rage you can muster. "I have a name. Second of all, we are talking here—” Steve rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever—" "You did not just roll your eyes at me—” Dustin sighs. "Here they go." (or: You've always thought Steve Harrington was a weirdo. When you find out you might be in terrible danger, he might be just what you need.)

pairing: steve harrington x fem!henderson!reader (she/her pronouns used), lots of henderson siblings bonding <3

words: 13.9k

a/n: gif by @dailysteveharrington. thank you all for being patient and i hope you all like it<3 i loved this season and i love steve so i hope you enjoy this lil enemies to lovers fic. this fic is a one shot, but let me know if you'd like a sequel once vol 2 is out bc its a bit of an open, ambiguous ending ;) also some fun facts before this fic starts: dustin's dad appears at will's funeral in s1 and there are several theories about him-- officially, he and dustin's mother are divorced in canon. i'll explore that in this fic. ST4 SPOILERS. this is set in season 4 ep 3 "the monster and the superhero" and follows vol 1 canon also sorry if this doesnt follow canon pretty well i mostly did it from memory cause the wiki still isnt fully updated 💀

disclaimer: this fic discusses the topic of an absent parent, please proceed with caution if this is hurtful to you. also warning for canon typical violence and cursing. english is not my first language so please let me know if there are any mistakes.

📼 NOW PLAYING: Don't You (Forget About Me) by Simple Mind

Your mother had always been slightly overbearing and fearful, but the murder of Chrissy Cunnigham you think might actually kill her. Or at least will force her to lock you in your bedroom and flush the key down the toilet.

“You can’t go anywhere without telling me,” your mother tells you over breakfast, worriedly overcooking her bacon. “You hear me? I don’t want you running around town without me knowing. Or better yet, don’t go anywhere at all!”

You glare at Dustin’s chair, where your brother is munching on toast and eggs, hoping your mother takes the hint. She does, and so she shakes her head and says, “Dustin’s different.”

“You’re kidding me, right?”

“Maybe this killer has a thing for pretty girls,” your mother shakes her head, shivering. “Chrissy Cunningham was such a nice and pretty girl, right your age.”

“You don’t know what that killer was thinking!” You groan. “Why can Dustin leave but I can’t?!”

“Dustin’s not an eighteen year old girl with an easily breakable neck.”

“He’s easier to man-handle!”

Dustin frowns, finally looking up from his breakfast. “I’m not!”

”Besides, do you even know where he was last night?” You ignore your brother’s protests, choosing to point at him as he scoffs in offense. “I bet you don’t, because he’s always sneaking out!”

“I’m not always sneaking out!”

“I try my best with you, Dusty,” she sighs, finally sitting down. “But your sister is right, you’re difficult to keep track of. You’re always running around, like those little legs have minds of their own.” She points the spoon she was using for her coffee at your face. “Don’t you throw that in my face, (Y/N).”

“Mom, you’re right,” you nod, sipping your orange juice, trying to appeal to her soft spot. “He is difficult to keep track off, and there’s a dangerous killer on the loose. How about I keep track of him? Make sure he’s not getting into any trouble, hm? I’ll make sure we’re always safe, together.”

Of course, you were planning on bolting as soon as you were out of your mom’s sight. You mom’s cat Tews meows somewhere across the room, as if he knows not to trust you. That damned furball.

“What the fuck? No!”

“Dusty! Language.”

“Mom,” Dustin says, exasperated. “I don’t need a babysitter. Much less a babysitter that’s also my annoying older sister.”

“No, you have Steve Harrington for that,” you mutter under your breath, and Dustin manages to kick you under the table. You glare at your little brother, then turn to address your mom once again. “I promise we’ll stay together. I know— no, I understand that it’s scary out there right now, but I can take care of myself. And Dustin. You have to trust me.”

“I trust you. It’s the murderer I don’t trust.”

“Mom—”

“Let me finish,” she stares pointedly at you, and you promptly shut up. “I don’t want you two sneaking out. But, it’ll make me feel better if the both of you are together.”

Dustin covers his face with his hands. “Shit.”

“Yes!” You squeal. You stick out your tongue at him, and he rolls his eyes. “Guess you’re stuck with me, Dusty.”

“Screw you.”

“Dusty, it’ll be fun. (Y/N), don’t taunt your little brother,” your mom scolds both of you into silence. “It’ll be like old times, won’t it? Aw, you two used to be thick as thieves back then.”

Dustin sighs, picking at his toast absent-mindedly. “Was there a murderer on the loose back then too?”

📼📼📼📼📼📼📼📼📼

After breakfast, you give Dustin a ride until you arrive in a neighborhood that is most definitely not Lucas Sinclair’s like he told you it would be. You turn to stare at your brother before you unlock the car’s door, confused.

“Where are we?”

Dustin looks at your shoes. “I told you. Lucas’s.”

“Okay, you might lie to me whenever you want, just not to my actual face, Dustin.” You roll your eyes, and he mirrors you. “Seriously, why did you make me come all the way down here?”

“Why do you care?”

“I know we’re doing this to get mom off our backs, but there is actually a killer on the loose,” you say. “So, excuse me if I’m also a little wary about dropping you off at unknown locations, or whatever.”

“Fine,” Dustin sighs. “I’m here to see Max and Steve.”

“Steve?”

“Harrington.”

You blink at him. “Fucking Steve Harrington?”

“See?” Dustin rolls his eyes again. “This is why I didn’t tell you! You are extremely uncool about Steve, you know.”

“I’m not!” You try not to dwell about how defensive you sound even to yourself. “I’m extremely cool about him. I’m extremely cool about the fact you hang out with that douchebag with stupid hair.”

“He’s not a douchebag! I don’t get why you hate him so much.”

Because you remember him and his friends making fun of you all throughout High School, his sneering and stupid stares. Like your brother, you’d never fit in— you never liked going to parties or drinking and you never made an effort to be liked by him and his group of popular dorks, instead you spent most of your days in the library, reading, hiding from Steve and his friends. Whatever honorable things Dustin saw in Steve Harrington you think he might have imagined them.

Now, in your last year of High School and with Steve becoming a social pariah, you don’t have to hide the fact that you still dislike Steve as much as you did back when he was still King Steve. Steve, for however much Dustin insists that he’s changed, upon first meeting you had tried to sweet talk you as if he didn’t know who you were. And you had barely kept it together enough to tell him to fuck off. Ever since then, you and Steve Harrington had hated each other’s guts. Your mutual dislike of each other is not lost on Dustin, who continues to mostly ignore it and tiptoe around it as best as he can.

“He’s not not a douchebag,” You murmur. “Why is he hanging out with two fourteen year olds during spring break? Isn’t the barf bag, like, supposed to be in college, going to frat parties, having a life of his own?”

Dustin doesn’t appreciate the way you talk about him, clearly, but he still replies, albeit unhappily. “He’s helping me with something.”

“With what?”

Before Dustin can respond, someone knocks on Dustin’s window. You jump, surprised, but it’s just Steve and Dustin’s friend redhead Max, looking bored and impatient. You groan and reach over Dustin’s seat to roll the window down.

“Do you mind?” You say to Steve. “We’re talking.”

“Oh, great, she’s here,” Steve says, stepping away from the door.

"First of all, Harrington," You scoff, glaring at that mop of hair with all the rage you can muster. You ignore Dustin’s groan. "I have a name. Second of all, we are talking here—”

Steve rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever—"

"You did not just roll your eyes at me—”

Dustin sighs. "Here they go."

“I did not roll my eyes—”

“You absolutely did!”

“There was something in my eyes.”

“That something was lies!”

“Jesus fuck,” Steve finally throws his arms up in exasperation and turns to your brother, ignoring your insults. “You done talking to your lovely sister there, Henderson? We got a counselor to see.”

“What?” You frown at Dustin, irritation immediately melting into concern. “What’s he talking about?”

“Steve, shut your mouth,” Dustin glares at Steve, who shrugs and finally steps away from the car. “Nothing, (Y/N), seriously. See you later?”

“No.” You shake your head. “What does he mean a counselor? Are you seeing Ms Kelly?”

“Nothing’s wrong, I promise. It’s—” he looks like he’s scrambling to think of an excuse, then his eyes land on Max. Something flashes across her face and she speaks next.

“It’s for me.” she says, “Chrissy died in my neighborhood.”

“She’s kind of freaking out,” Dustin says, and when you finally turn to look at Max you realize how tense she is, her shoulders square, with her lips forming a straight line.

“Oh. That sucks. Hey, Max.”

“Hey,” she greets, awkwardly. It’s part of her charm, you think.

“See?” Dustin asks. “Can I go now?”

You nod, a little shaken up for some reason. Maybe Chrissy’s murder still made you feel slightly ill, and the mention of it made you feel even worse. You couldn’t imagine what Max might be going through. It didn’t help that they had found another body this morning, either.

“Ye— yeah. Sorry. I hope everything’s alright, Max.”

“Yeah,” she nods.

Dustin nods to the door. “Can you unlock the car, then?”

You wordlessly comply, and as your little brother steps out of your mom’s blue Ford Cortina, you talk to Max once again. “Ms Kelly is great help. I’m sure she’ll make you feel better. She really helped me this year, you know, she’s a great listener.”

“Yeah, I know,” Max says. “I’ve been thinking about seeing her for a while, a—actually. I’ve heard she’s well… you know… fine, or whatever.”

“Hey, there’s no shame in that,” you shrug. “Lots of people go to see Ms Kelly… Actually, now that you mention it, Fred Benson, the guy they found this morning, was seeing Ms Kelly too. And Chrissy Cunningham.”

Dustin pauses before closing the car door. “What do you mean?”

You blink, slightly confused as to why you’d even bring it up. “I’ve seen them in Ms Kelly’s office before. I’m not sure why I’m even mentioning it, sorry.”

“No, no, (Y/N), that’s…” Dustin says, then doesn’t finish. “You’ve been seeing Ms Kelly too?”

“Yeah,” you nod, a little ashamed. You think about telling Dustin about everything that’s been going on, the nightmares, the guilt— but then you glance at his friends looking expectantly at him and cower. So you don’t continue.

It’s Steve who breaks the silence. “Henderson, chop chop, let’s go.”

“I’ll see you at home?” Dustin says, a little softer.

“Yeah, yeah. I was gonna go to Dinah’s near Ave Park, but do you think you’ll need a ride later?”

“Steve’s got his car,” he says. “Don’t wait up, okay?”

You nod, watching him leave.

📼📼📼📼📼📼📼📼📼

It’s around eight PM, and Dinah is painting her toenails as you skim through one of her books, the soft hum of the TV in the background, entering through the open bedroom door. Her parents are watching the news, the news anchors are urging people to stay home and to lock their doors to be safe of this new serial killer.

Dinah’s house is your usual hangout spot beside your own. You don’t have many other friends, and there’s only so many times you can force Dustin to watch The Breakfast Club before he’s fighting you for the remote.

“It was all Matty could talk about,” Dinah continues to rant. “I can’t stand this murder talk any longer! I can only hear about Chrissy Cunningham’s missing eyeballs so many times, (Y/N), it’s way too fucking gruesome, but it’s all everyone in this town seems to care about.”

“It’s a pretty pressing issue,” when Dinah glares, you shrug. “I’m just saying! You know I agree with you. I don’t want to hear about it anymore.”

“Chrissy was always so nice, wasn’t she?” Dinah shakes her head, putting her nail polish back in her nightstand, then wraps her arms around her legs, hugging herself. “And Fred had a future in front of him. It’s so unfair. They had a family that loved them.”

“Dinah, I really don’t wanna talk about it,” you say, feeling yourself shiver. You don’t want to think about poor Fred or Chrissy, or the families mourning them. You try to focus on the book in your hands, but the words start blurring together, becoming harder and harder to read.

You blink, confused, then realize Dinah is still talking.

“It’s the truth, isn’t it? I think about their dads too. Chrissy’s dad was crying so much at her wake. Do you think your dad would ever cry for you like that?”

You finally snap to look back at your friend. She’s staring at you like you’re small, like an insect she could stomp on. You’ve never seen her black eyes seem so soulless, so empty.

“Maybe they’ll be tears of joy, don’t you think? After all, weren’t you the one who made him walk away?” She tilts her head to the side, a sneer forming in her lips. “They could be a family without you.”

There’s something wrong in Dinah’s eyes. There’s something wrong about all of this, but you can’t point to what, where are you, when, why…what…?

When you blink, Dinah’s eyes look normal again.

“(Y/N),” She asks, frowning. “Are you there?”

You shake your head. What the fuck was all that?

“What?”

“You were staring at me like you weren’t all here,” she explains, grimacing. “Where did you go just now?”

“Sorry…” When you speak you feel a dull ache around your temple, and you lift a hand to rest against it, trying to soothe the pain aimlessly. “I think I need some painkillers or something, my head’s killing me.”

“Again?”

“Yeah,” even before spring break you had confided in your friend about the headaches and the nightmares— you never told her why, but she at least knew you were seeing Ms Kelly.

Dinah stands up, careful not to stain the carpet with her fresh black nail polish. “I’ll ask my dad for some Tylenol. Stay here, I’ll be back in a sec.”

Before Dinah is out the door she’s interrupted by the doorbell, which rings once, twice, three times and more. Dinah frowns, as her dad yells I’m coming, Jesus!

“Someone’s impatient…” you murmur, hand still resting on your temple.

“Hey,” Dinah, who has always had great hearing, says. “I think it’s your brother.”

You frown, and when Dinah’s father confirms it’s your brother by yelling out that It’s little Henderson!, you and Dinah head downstairs to find a heavy breathing Dustin, Max, Lucas and even Steve Harrington, looking as if they just ran a marathon.

Dustin’s eyes land on you. “(Y/N)!”

“Dustin?” you say, “What are you doing here? You need a ride ho—?”

Dustin runs to hug you by the waist, almost knocking the air out of you.

“Are you okay? Do you have a headache? Is your nose bleeding? Do you feel—?”

“Woah, Dustin,” you don’t know what to do with your hands— you and Dustin hadn’t hugged since he turned twelve and he and you both deemed it lame. “What’s going on? Did something happen?”

Dustin finally lets go of your waist to grab you by the face and inspect it properly. He roughly pulls your face down and tries to pull up your nose to look at your nostrils. “No nosebleed yet?”

Steve tries to stop him. “Dustin, buddy—”

Lucas adds a sustancial, “Dude.”

“Dustin!” you push his hands off your face, feeling your cheeks heat up when you notice everyone looking at you. “What the hell are you doing?”

Your brother opens his mouth to speak, but then seems to notice Dinah behind you and seems to think better of it. “We need to talk,” he says instead, “Like, right now.”

“Right now?” You ask. “I already told Dinah’s mom I’m staying for dinner. Dustin, what the hell is going on with you?”

Dinah clears her throat. “I’m… just gonna go get that Tylenol.”

“Tylenol?” Dustin asks when she walks away. “What for?”

“I have a headache.”

“Shit,” Max says, still by the door frame with Lucas and Steve.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Dustin curses, deep in thought. “It’s already started.”

“What?” You ask as Dustin starts pacing back and forth.

“We need to find out how to stop this right fucking now,” Dustin starts pacing back and forth. “Think, everyone.”

“Maybe Robin and Nancy found something in the library,” Steve offers.

“Yeah,” Lucas nods. “C’mon, man. Let’s go find them.”

“Okay, yeah. Okay, okay.” Dustin calms himself down, manages to stop his pacing. “Let’s go wait for them at the Wheeler’s. (Y/N), let’s go.”

You throw your hands up in disbelief. “Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?”

“(Y/N),” Dustin says, his voice unfaltering. Dustin is never serious about much, and this renders you speechless. “I need you to listen to me for once in your goddamn life, okay? We need to go. Now.”

“Okay, Jesus,” you say finally. “Dinah’s mom is making Lasagna so this better be worth it, Dustin.”

📼📼📼📼📼📼📼📼📼

On the way to Nancy Wheeler’s house, you learn two things: One, Dustin knows where a serial killer might be hiding, and two, your brother thinks you’re cursed and are going to die in, give or take, twenty four hours.

You glare at Steve Harrington in the rearview mirror. “What the fuck have you been giving him?”

“I’m serious!” Dustin yells. “I knew you wouldn’t fucking believe me.”

“I’m sorry,” you say, because he looks genuinely frustrated, but a second dimension and a supervillain? Does your brother think you’re stupid? Just how many movies has he been watching? “I just think D&D might actually be getting to your head, Dustin. There’s no way what you just told me is real.”

“Lucas and Max know it’s real too!”

Both of them nod furiously.

“Are the other two fourteen year olds your only source?”

“Steve too!”

Steve winks at you through the rearview mirror.

“Even worse,” you say.

“Listen,” Lucas tries to reason when Dustin groans in frustration, cursing under his breath at you. “I know this sounds absolutely crazy, I wouldn’t believe it either. But I promise you it’s all true, and if we don’t do something soon about it you’ll end up like Chrissy and Fred.”

An involuntary chill runs down your spine every time you think about them.

“Guys,” you say, slowly, “I know things are scary right now, but I’m sure there’s a logical explanation for the murders besides a demon supervillain.”

“I didn’t believe it at first either,” Max shakes her head. “Not until I saw it with my own eyes.”

“Didn’t Ms Kelly’s file say the others who were cursed were also having hallucinations?” Steve asks the kids, looking for a place to park. “So, have you gotten any weird visions lately?”

Hallucinations? You think back, but can’t seem to pinpoint anything similar to that. Except tonight at Dinah’s place, before Dustin and the rest had rung the doorbell. Suddenly you grow a little paler, uncomfortable at the memory being brought back. That had been weird, but you were exhausted and knowing a serial killer, Eddie Munson, who apparently your brother knew, was out there still was making you restless.

“I wouldn’t really call them visions,” you murmur.

“Shit,” Dustin breathes, looking at you with wide eyes. “It’s spreading faster.”

“Listen, Dustin, I may be going through some shit lately, but I promise you I’m okay. I just need some painkillers for my head, seriously.”

“(Y/N)!” Your brother takes you by the shoulders and shakes you. “Your life is in imminent danger! You don’t need painkillers!”

“I do if you keep shaking me like a ragdoll!”

“Listen,” Lucas says, grabbing Dustin and prying him off you despite his protests. “Just stay with us tonight, okay? We’ll sleep at the Wheeler’s and it’ll make Dustin feel better, right? We’re all tired.”

“Dude—”

Lucas cuts Dustin off and whispers, “We’ll wait for what Nancy and Robin have to say and then figure out how to convince her later, yeah?”

Dustin sighs. “This was so much easier when El had her powers.”

“So yeah? You’ll stay the night?” Lucas asks, hopeful.

You see all three of the kids staring at you and cave in. “Yeah, yeah. Okay.” You say, at the same time Steve parks right in front of the Wheeler residence. Before you can even step out of the car another car pulls over by the garage and Nancy Wheeler and another girl you don’t know step out of it.

“Nance, Robin!” Steve exclaims as he stops the car and steps out. “Had fun at the library? I sure didn’t.”

“It went well, I think—”

“We have a situation,” Dustin is quick to interrupt, reaching over your space and popping his head out from the open window. “It’s my sister. We think Vecna cursed her.”

“Whatever that means,” you mumble, getting out of the car, Dustin trailing behind you and slamming the door shut.

“She doesn’t believe us,” Max explains.

“Well, I personally would be more weirded out if she did,” The girl you don’t know shrugs a little. You recognize her now— she worked with Steve at Scoops Ahoy last summer before the fire at Starcourt, and now works at Family Video. You’ve spoken a bit with her before.

“She’s been having visions, headaches, nosebleeds,” Dustin continues, “like Fred and Chrissy were, according to Ms Kelly’s files. I think Vecna is preying on vulnerable people, people dealing with...” he looks at you for a second, then back at the girls, settling on saying: “Some shit.”

“We found some articles about Victor Creel at the library,” Nancy says, then motions at the house with her chin. “Let’s talk inside.”

📼📼📼📼📼📼📼📼📼

Nancy and Robin turn out to be as crazy as the rest of them— they tell the story of Victor Creel, infamous in Hawkins for murdering his entire family, and about how he was supposedly possesed by the devil according to some conspiracy newspaper. They want to talk to Victor, but the problem is that he’s now a patient at Pennhurst Mental Hospital and completely unreachable to the public. They plan to go first thing in the morning and the rest of the group seems to agree.

“We’ll need a disguise,” is Nancy’s big plan.

You never quite get that Tylenol, because the strongest thing Ms Wheeler has is green tea. You think everyone’s lost their goddamned minds.

“So what do you want me to do while all of you plan?” You ask, sitting on the couch. Nancy and Robin leave to Nancy’s room. Max and Lucas are by the desk in the corner speaking softly, Dustin is pacing around the room impatiently as he usually does when he’s this restless, while Steve is sitting on the couch beside you, playing with Dustin’s (or is it Mike’s?) walkie-talkie. “Am I allowed to eat something? Because I’m starving.”

Dustin snatches the walkie-talkie from Steve’s hand. “You’re gonna break that.”

Dustin’s, then.

“We don’t know yet,” Lucas says, walking over to where you are, holding Max’s hand gently. “We’re hoping the girls find out something from Victor. In the meantime…”

“You can eat,” Steve concludes. “... Right?”

“Right,” Max nods.

“We have to do something soon,” Dustin’s the most anxious you’ve ever seen him, even before you took him to see The Empire Strikes Back. “We don’t know how much time you even have once the visions and all the hallucinations start. We said twenty four hours but we can’t be sure.”

“If it helps, they started today. At Dinah’s.”

“You snapped out of it, right?” When you nod, Steve shrugs. “Henderson, I think we have time to order some pizza, at least.”

“And a movie?” You ask, finally relaxing into the couch. You toss away your shoes and hug them to your chest. “Does Mike have The Breakfast Club somewhere around here?”

“Not that movie again,” Dustin groans.

You throw a pillow at your brother, who manages to dodge it easily. “It’s a great movie!”

“It lost its charm after the thirteen time you forced me to watch it with you.”

“The Breakfast Club?” Steve asks aloud. “(Y/N) Henderson is obsessed with The Breakfast Club? Is that why Dustin is always renting it at Family Video?”

Dustin huffs, offended. “Why else would I want to rent that stupid movie?”

“Molly Ringwald,” Steve answers, at the same time you yell out, “It’s not stupid!”

When Nancy comes downstairs she informs you that sadly no, she doesn’t have The Breakfast Club, but that she should. She does have the soundtrack, however, and you think about asking to borrow it tomorrow before she goes back upstairs to order a pizza.

A while later it’s almost midnight, everyone around you is tired, except maybe for Dustin, but the majority wins and you all decide getting some sleep is the best option. You agree, but know that you’re probably not getting any sleep tonight, either; you’ve been having nightmares every night for the past few days and you don’t believe today is going to be any different.

When the lights go off and everyone is already starting to doze off, Dustin is quick to turn his flashlight on.

“Dude! Turn that off!” Steve moans, launching a pillow straight into his face. Dustin doesn’t dodge this one this time, much to Robin and Steve’s satisfaction, who chuckle lightly.

“C’mon, Dustin, what the hell?” Lucas groans.

“Shut up! I’m trying to see if I can find something else in Ms Kelly’s files!”

“Dude,” Max sighs, “you’ve read them each four times already.”

“You won’t be able to find anything if you’re exhausted,” Nancy tries more softly. “Just try to sleep for a bit, okay?”

“Dustin, c’mon,” you reach for his hand— it’s a bit uncomfortable from your position on the couch and his on the floor, but you do it anyway. That seems to soothe him slightly, to see you still offering comfort, like you’re still yourself. He manages a weak nod, and he squeezes your hand slightly before turning the flashlight off.

After a few minutes, Dustin starts snoring loudly. Steve, who you’re unfortunately stuck sharing the couch with, chuckles.

“He’s a good kid,” he says.

“Yeah,” you can’t help but agree. You wouldn’t trade your dork brother for anything. “He’s great. When he was little, he used to wet his bed all time after watching scary movies with me, and he’d wake me up to change his sheets so my dad wouldn’t yell at him for ruining them.”

“Steve raises a silent eyebrow at you, sounding amused. “And you actually did that?”

“I forced him to watch them. I felt bad,” you smile at the memory. “He would offer to wash the dishes for me, though.”

“Your moral compass is stronger than mine,” he hums.

“You know, he…” you start, unsure if Dustin would be upset if you shared this, then decide it’s not as embarrassing as telling him he used to wet his bed, and continue, “he really admires you. God knows why, Harrington, but he worships the ground you walk on.”

“Henderson?” He asks, a little in disbelief. “I don’t know—”

“I’m serious, Harrington. He loves you,” You hoped you didn’t sound jealous. There had been a time where you thought Steve was almost a replacement for you as an older sibling, but as time went on you realized how important Steve was to him.

“Well. I’m pretty loveable.”

You roll your eyes. “Sure.”

“He’s pretty loveable, too,” Steve says after a few beats of silence, more softly now. “I don’t have any siblings, did you know that? So it’s… uhm, really cool to have him around. Even if he’s kind of a little shit sometimes.”

“Such a little shit,” you agree.

The rest of the group seems to be asleep already, or maybe they don’t care about the conversation enough to join you. Steve starts telling you about the time Dustin burrowed his hair gel and almost set fire to his bathroom, and you have to cover your mouth to stifle your giggles.

It’s not long before you start to feel abnormally cold, and can’t keep your body from trembling. Steve’s gentle voice is gone. The room is dark around you, and realizing that you must’ve fallen asleep while talking with Steve at some point, you hug yourself trying to seek some warmth. You try to grab a blanket from somewhere. Jesus, it’s spring for fuck’s sake, it shouldn’t be this cold. But you realize that despite the darkness you can see, and when you look up at the ceiling, you find a grandfather clock that most definitely doesn’t belong in the Wheeler’s basement.

“(Y/N).”

The voice calling your name is unfamiliar and it makes you feel ill almost immediately, like your stomach has turned into nothing but knots. You try to speak, to ask who it is, but nothing comes out, you can barely even breathe.

“Do you think you could ever keep living with this guilt?” The voice asks, somehow you feel as if the voice is right behind you, whispering into your ear. It’s like nails scraping against chalkboard in your eardrums. “Knowing what you did to your family?”

You want to turn around and find the voice, but you can’t, you can’t, you can’t. The clock is ticking, haunting you, calling for you. You want nothing but to run away from it, but you can’t move— you’re glued in place somehow, maybe in fear, you can’t tell. Everything is uncertain, except for the clock. The clock, you know, it’s real.

It’s counting down. You know what it’s trying to tell you. It’s coming for you and you can’t escape it. It’s only a matter of time now.

“Soon, (Y/N)...” It whispers. “Soon, I’ll come for you, and no one will be able to help you, (Y/N)... (Y/N). (Y/N)!”

You open your eyes with a gasp to find Steve’s arms around your shoulders, shaking you slightly. His eyes are wide, a little frightened. When you look around you find Lucas and Max draped all over a chair, their chests rising slowly, asleep. Dustin is in a sleeping bag on the floor, near Robin and Nancy, hugging each other tightly in their sleep. Steve is the only one awake.

“Shit,” you say, placing your hand in your heart. “Did I wake you?”

“We were talking and then you just went somewhere,” he says. “You don’t remember?”

You suddenly feel very cold. “I thought I was sleeping. I saw…” You think about telling Steve, but it seems pointless now, almost. What would you tell him? You saw a clock? “I think it was one of those hallucinations you guys keep talking about. You’re really freaking me the hell out, you know.”

“Fuck, I think Dustin’s right,” he says.

“About me being cursed by a being from another dimension? Are you kidding?”

Steve does manage to look apologetic. “I know it sounds bonkers, but that’s because it is. I’ve seen it.”

“What? This other dimension?” You were starting to think Dustin and his nanny were just trying to play an extremely elaborate joke on you.

“The Upside Down, but no,” he shakes his head, and then his eyes land somewhere around the room, focusing on one of Mike’s many posters. “The monsters.”

“Vecna?”

“Others,” he says, then murmurs, “Haven’t had the pleasure just yet.”

“The demoger…? What was it?”

“Demogorgon, yeah,” he grumbles. “The Mind flayer too. It’s all real. I wish Will and Eleven were here to actually explain this stuff; they are the ones who actually know their stuff about this.”

You have never seen Steve actually sound so… serious, before. It’s all actually starting to freak you out, you decide, and you aren’t sure if you actually want to find out if it’s all actually real or not. You stay silent for a few moments, sleep escaping you. You figure Steve’s fallen asleep until his voice startles you again.

“You okay there, Henderson?”

No, you want to say. You can’t shake the feeling that the voice is watching you, waiting to catch you by surprise. “Yeah,” you mumble, sleepless, scared.

Steve doesn’t seem to buy your answer however, because you feel his body shifting near your side of the couch, sitting right beside you. When you give him a look (he’s so close he can actually make it out) he clicks his tongue.

“See, I don’t really believe you, Henderson. So, I’m gonna stay near you, just in case you get another vision. Or if you want to hold my hand.”

“Screw you, Steve,” You glare, turning to the other side so that your view is Harrington-less. If you do feel better with him beside you, that’s between you and maybe Vecna, if he’s actually inside your head.

In the morning, when you wake up and Nancy and Robin are both gone (probably visiting a murderer in a mental hospital) and Steve is tangled up beside you, you decide you’ve had enough.

“So we’re just gonna wait around to see what happens?” Dustin argues, as Lucas and Max try to reason with him.

“What else can we do?” Lucas asks, frustrated.

“Literally anything else, dude! My sister might die!”

“Okay, Dustin, you need to stop and we need to go home, now,” you tell him, looking around the basement for your jacket.

“No!” he points at you. “You’re not going anywhere until we know what to do.”

“Dustin. I’m four years older than you,” you glare, placing your hands on your hips. “I’m the older sibling. I’ve entertained this enough already, but I left mom’s car at Dinah’s and we need to go get it and then get our asses home before mom loses her shit.”

“(Y/N)! Listen to me!”

“No, Dustin!” You finally snap, taking Dustin’s walkie-talkie from his hand and shoving it into your bag despite his protests. “I’ve had enough about monsters and other dimensions and whatever other nonsense Eddie Munson has been feeding you! We’re going home, now!”

“I can’t believe I’m actually trying to help you!” Dustin screams, “You suck!”

“Well, you’re stuck with me!”

“I wish I wasn’t,” he says, his eyes cold. “I wish you weren’t my sister.”

The chills return like a slap across your face, making you stumble backwards slightly. The room around you turns dark immediately, the only person left is Dustin in front of you. But it’s not him, it can’t be, his eyes have never looked this lifeless.

“You took his chance away, didn’t you?” The unfamiliar, bone chilling voice returns. “His chance of having a real family, or at least a father figure. He’s right in wishing you weren’t his sister. He deserves someone better.”

Again you want to scream, but it’s like your mouth is taped shut. Around you Mike Wheeler’s basement seems to fade away into blue, and suddenly you’re standing on your front porch, watching your dad walk away. You’re saying the hardness around your eyes, your lips drawn into a tight line. You don’t look like yourself; you look older, and tired, and disappointed, more like a woman than the girl you were when this happened, the girl you must’ve been.

“Don’t come back again,” you tell your father’s retreating form. But your voice is distorted, so far away.

“How many times has Dustin needed his father?” The voice asks. When you blink you’re somewhere else; not Mike’s basement, not your home. There’s splinters of wood scattered by your feet, like a house just destroyed. Everywhere around you is red, like blood, like the blood in those horror movies you forced Dustin to watch because he made them less scary when he squealed. “Are you proud you broke up your family?”

“I was a kid,” you manage to say, and only now you realize you’ve been crying all along, the salty tears wetting your dry lips. “I didn’t want Dustin to know what he did. I would take it back if I knew he wouldn’t actually come back.”

“But you did it anyway. You did.”

I did, I did, I did, you think, over and over. You close your eyes, hard, ignoring how it almost hurts.

“You miss him too, don’t you? Despite everything. You’re sadder about the fact that he left you, too. He left his daughter behind.”

“Who are you?” You hiss out, through your anguish.

“I’m part of you, (Y/N). Whether you want to or not.”

You’re not alone. When you open your eyes you see him — a monster, vicious even in looks, like someone slowly peeled away his skin, and all that was left of him was muscle and meat, not even blood. Vecna. Around you there are two different bloody columns, and you’re quick to notice they’re holding Chrissy and Fred’s bodies, like morbid museum displays, tokens. He was right, Dustin was telling the truth about everything, and now you were going to die because you didn’t listen to him.

“No,” you want to say, you want to scream. But you’re not strong enough, you can’t—

Hey, hey, hey, hey

You blink through your tears. You manage to recognize that melody in this unfamiliar place. You want to run towards it, but you’re not sure your legs can even respond to your commands right now.

Vecna seems to think something’s wrong, too, because as the song progresses he grows more impatient. “You think you can escape like this?”

Tell me your troubles and doubts

Giving everything inside and out and

Love's strange, so real in the dark

Think of the tender things that we were working on

His hands— his claws are stroking your cheeks, an aborted tender gesture, like he’s trying to soothe his prey before going for the kill. It’s over, you think, there’s nothing but this certain death. But then; you think of the hundreds of times you forced Dustin to watch this movie with you; of you both playing with Tews until he scratches one of you in annoyance; driving Mike, Lucas, Dustin and Will to the movies; getting ice cream at Scoops Ahoy and guggling when Steve gets rejected once again; putting Dustin’s hair in braids and practicong makeup on him when he was younger; asking Will Byers what he was sketching at the park; Dustin and you laughing during dinner because of some stupid joke. You think about last night, sleeping beside Steve, and the way he made you laugh.

Don't you, forget about me

Don't, don't, don't, don't

Don't you, forget about me

You can’t give up. You can’t leave Dustin.

Somehow you manage to pull Vecna off you with a shove, and you run. You run, you run as fast as your legs let you, as your jeans stain with what looks like blood, as Vecna screams at you. You run like you've never run before.

And then you gasp and you’re falling.

“Shit, fuck, shit!” Someone’s arms are around you, and it takes you a second to calm down to realize it’s Steve, and that you’re in Mike Wheeler’s basement and you’re alive, somehow.

“Holy fucking shit,” Max is saying, but you can barely hear her over the rapid beating of your own heart— erratic, but unquestionably alive.

“God, god, (Y/N),” Dustin’s voice stands out from the others, and when you look at him there are tears streaming down his eyes, and you can barely process anything before you’re trying to reach for him despite feeling like you’re not even in your own body.

“I’m okay,” you tell him, wrapping your arms around his shoulders, Steve letting go of yours. “I’m okay, I’m okay.”

“I thought you were gonna die,” he whimpers.

“I’m here,” you breathe out. “Oh my God, I’m here thanks to you.”

You realize that the song is still playing, only to notice the headphones in your ears. You see your scattered bag around the room, and the walkie-talkie that Dustin must’ve been looking for already on the floor. Don’t You (Forget About Me) slowly fades to an end before the next song on the soundtrack starts.

“I’m sorry,” Dustin says into your shirt. “I’m sorry I didn’t notice you were going through something, I should’ve noticed. I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” You shake your head, holding your little brother even closer. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. And I’m sorry I didn’t believe you. Fuck, Dustin, I’m so sorry.”

You stay like that for a moment, hugging Dustin on the carpet, Max and Lucas hovering near, and Steve’s hand on your shoulder, grounding you.

📼📼📼📼📼📼📼📼📼

When you explain to Nancy what happened and what you saw once she comes back from Pennhurst she’s quick to pinpoint the house you saw when you met Vecna as Victor Creel’s house. All of you grab your things and head to that location. You try to not feel so dreadful, and Dustin forcing you to listen to Don’t You the entire car ride and holding onto your jacket sleeve helps soothe your nerves, at least a little bit.

But Victor Creel’s house is something out of a horror story, dark and abandoned as it is, and the only light source in the house seems to be the hole Robin made when she smashed the window.

“Let’s split up,” Nancy offers, and everyone seems to comply much to your dismay.

Lucas and Max leave to investigate with Dustin (reluctantly parting from your side) trailing off behind them, Nancy and Robin head upstairs and you and Steve are stuck together and instructed to stay downstairs by Nancy, the only thing illuminating your way being your flashlights.

You wander through hallways, staring at ruined wallpaper and dusty portraits. Victor and his family seemed so happy in their pictures, and you wonder why nobody, family or not, ever came to look for their things. The house seemed frozen in time, like one day the family had decided to get up and leave everything behind, the house nothing more than ghosts.

“I hate this place,” you comment, trying to hug yourself tightly to keep the cold at bay. “Thinking that people died here is…”

“Horrible,” Steve finishes for you. “Yeah… Fuck this place, man.”

When you turn to a corner, you freeze in place.

“Steve.”

“Yeah?”

“You’re seeing this, right?” You point at a clock with your flashlight, unmoving. It’s the same clock from your visions, the one you saw before meeting Vecna.

“Yeah,” Steve frowns. “Real old. Why?”

“I saw it,” you try to explain through the rapid beating of your own heart. “In my visions, I mean. This clock was in them— well, the second one, mostly. In the Wheeler’s basement last night.”

“Shit…” Eloquent as ever, Steve Harrington. “Has to mean something, right?”

“If anything it proves Nancy and Robin were right. It all started here.” You finally force yourself to look away and continue forward, ignoring the way you feel your skin crawling. You hold up your cassette before re-starting the song. “What would happen if I suddenly got tired of this song? Will it no longer work? Does this mean Vecna will… come back for me?”

“Listen, I— I’m not a genius at this like your brother, or like Nancy, or even Robin,” Steve admits, very honestly. “But I promise we’ll find a way, even if that happens. Besides, Dustin told us how much you love this song. Seems kinda impossible you’ll ever get tired of it if you listen to it every day. And listen, I gotta ask. Breakfast club?”

“What?” You feel heat rise up to your cheeks, embarrassed. You start walking away from the clock, trying to get rid of the chills that had gotten ahold of you just a few moments before. “It’s a great movie.”

“Yeah, absolutely,” Steve says, and even though you can’t really see him in the dark, you can hear his smirk, picture his smile. He’s teasing, and you’re kind of glad for it. It helps. “I just didn’t think it would be your thing, is all.”

You raise an eyebrow. “Oh? What’s my thing then?”

“I don’t know. You seem like a Dune fan, maybe.” He wonders out loud, your flashlight lighting the way.

“I do like the book.”

“See?” Steve points at his temple. “I knew it.”

“I think working at Family Video is finally getting to you.”

“I’m good at reading people,” he says, and you raise another silent eyebrow at him. He continues, “I’d always thought of you as a little brainiac, and that you’d liked movies that were kinda difficult. You were always reading in school. I didn’t think you’d like teen flicks and Hughes.”

“Dune is not difficult. And maybe you don’t really know me enough to know what my thing is,” you shrug. “... Or maybe every girl is a little bit in love with Judd Nelson.”

“Yeah,” Steve actually laughs. “Can’t beat that hair.”

And you can’t help yourself, you smirk. You think you might actually be dreaming, or maybe this curse made Steve seem more tolerable than usual. “You give him a good run for his money.”

“We’re still talking about hair here, right?”

Now you point your flashlight at Steve and elbow him.

“I’m just asking!”

“It was a stupid question. And just so you know, there’s nothing wrong about liking teen flicks,” you say, continuing to walk and not waiting to see if Steve follows. “Pretty in Pink is my new favorite movie and my GPA is still 3.5.”

“Oh wow. Pretty in Pink?” He whistles. “You have a soft spot for Molly Ringwald.”

“Who doesn’t?”

He hums in response.

You stay like that for a moment, walking through dusty hallways and trying to avoid spider webs. Even with the flashlights the place looks abandoned and lonely, and there’s a coldness running down your spine that you can’t shake off no matter how much you try. You focus on trying to catch the sound of Steve’s breathing to somehow ground yourself to reality. It feels like ever since meeting Vecna your grip on reality slowly fades away, like someone is unraveling the carpet from underneath you, trying to catch you by surprise. Like you’re falling into an abyss of darkness and you can’t hold onto anything— because nothing around you is truly real. And so you bite your lip to keep yourself from reaching out to Steve and holding on. You can’t think of a moment you’ve felt as uncertain as you do now; but Steve’s teasing and your bickering back and forth is normal, makes you feel like you’re not actually in immediate danger. You figure if there’s a different dimension called the Upside Down, then you can most definitely forgive Steve Harrington for being a jerk in High School. He has more than proven himself to you.

Because the truth is that maybe Vecna will win. Maybe you will never beat this curse. And you’ll end up like Chrissy Cunningham, like Fred Benson, like Patrick McKinney; just dead bodies along the trail.

“Hey, Steve,” you call, slowing down to walk beside him. He turns to look at you, but you can’t bring yourself to look at him. “Uhm. If something… like, happened to me—”

“Woah, woah, wait,” Steve shakes his head. “Nothing will. We beat the curse, remember? With the song?”

“Yeah, but we didn’t actually beat it, did we?” Now you do turn to look at him, and his big eyes almost render you speechless. You don’t know what to call the look on his eyes, but it makes you want to look away from him; makes you want to run. “Listen, Steve, I just— I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” he says, quickly. You think he’s noticed how embarrassed you feel, and you look away, embarrassed. “You’re just scared shitless like the rest of us.”

“It’s not that,” you shake your head. “I’m sorry for being such a jerk around you and picking fights with you. You’ve— you’ve been there for Dustin when I wasn’t, and I guess you’re not actually a bad guy. So… I’m sorry I judged you. And thank you, I guess. For being there for Dustin. And… me.”

Steve doesn’t say anything for a second. You’re still looking anywhere but him, now focusing your eyes on a spider in one of the many spider webs in front of you. You feel embarrassed and stupid, but a little bit better. You know you’re doing the right thing by apologizing— you know Steve now, better than you’ve ever thought you would. You finally dare to take one look at him and his eyes are still on you, and when your eyes lock, he smiles softly.

“You’re apologizing for that?” Steve asks, and when you nod matter of factly, he tilts his head to the side. “Huh. Never thought I’d see the day Henderson’s sister apologized to me.”

“Don’t let it get to your head, Harrington,” you roll your eyes, but can’t help the small smile forming on your lips. “I’m only doing this because I might die.”

Steve chuckles, nodding. “Fair enough,” he says. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry too, Henderson. To be honest, I think I kind of deserved it. I was an asshole in High School, so… yeah. I, uh, I’m sorry it took me getting kicked off the clique to realize you’re not half bad.”

“Well,” Now it’s your turn to laugh. “It took me almost dying to realize you’re not half bad either. I think we’re even.”

Steve stops in his tracks, making you stop, too, a little confused. You turn to look at him, and you don’t think you’ve ever seen him look quite so… earnest, maybe. You can’t name the look on his face, but you can’t look away, can’t seem to be able to keep walking. You’re frozen in place.

“You’re not gonna die, Henderson,” he says, determined. “I won’t let you.”

Your mouth goes dry. All you can do in response is nod. You want to say something, but the words escape you, and so you stare at each other for a few seconds, neither of you saying anything. You wonder if Steve can hear the rapid beating of your heart, if he can make out the way your eyes drop to his lips for a slow second despite the darkness around you both.

Then you hear Dustin yell out, “Guys!” and the moment fades away.

📼📼📼📼📼📼📼📼📼

Finding Eddie at Skull Rock seems to be harder than it should be, and once you find him you’re made to follow Dustin’s apparently broken compass. You feel like you’re wandering through the desert, with no clear path in mind. Dustin is at the front, with Lucas and Max following closely behind, Eddie (who you now have a hard time believing would ever be able to kill anyone), Robin and Nancy in front of you and Steve.

You find yourself time and time again choosing to spend more time with Steve, that he seems to be the one able to actually make you feel grounded, like you’re not gonna die in the next three seconds. You feel like yourself around him; but different. Steve is different. This whole experience is making you rethink everything you’ve ever known.

You can’t help but wonder in the silence about Dustin and the others, guiding the rest of you through the night time in the forest. Despite all of them being younger than you, they don’t seem to need your help, especially Dustin, who you think is completely in his element leading the way.

After a while of walking in silence, Dustin announces that the compass seems to be going even crazier. At this, Robin pries it off his hands to confirm that it’s true. Eddie and Dustin argue for a second about following the compass and make another Lord of the Rings reference that has you smiling.

“He’s not half bad,” you comment. “Eddie, I mean.”

“I still don’t know what the hell Modor is,” Steve mumbles under his breath.

You don’t try to explain Lord of The Rings to him— you don’t think there’s even enough time. But, maybe one day, when Hawkins isn’t in imminent danger and Steve still wants to hang out with your uncool self for whatever reason.

“What do you think we’ll find wherever this stupid compass is taking us?” You ask him, trying to avoid accidentally stepping on some poison ivy. Just your luck to get cursed and also poisoned on the same week. “You know more about this than me.”

“I’m actually more like, the, uhm, action guy of the group.”

“So you’re telling me you don’t know where we’re going,” You conclude.

Steve nods. “No damn clue, Henderson.”

“Great,” you chuckle lightly.

“All I know is that it’s probably a portal Vecna opened after killing someone.”

“A portal. To the upside down?” When Steve nods in confirmation, you sigh. “I still can’t get used to how crazy this is.”

“The third time you do this you kind of just start going with the flow of things,” Steve admits. “Russian spies, MK-Ultra, different dimensions, monsters— it all just kind of starts to sound like background noise.”

“Dustin and the kids seem to really know about all of this.”

“They do,” Steve nods. “Dustin is like, their leader. Our leader, I guess.”

“My little brother… fighting communists and monsters.” You shake your head. “Yeah, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that. How did Nancy? With you and Mike?”

Steve stops for a second to frown at you. “With me?”

“You know, with Nancy and you dating.”

“Me and Nancy?” he asks, then shakes his head. “No, me and Nance just… we go way back, but she’s with Jonathan. That ship sailed a long time ago. We’re friends now. Besides, she’s the one killing more monsters than me.”

“Oh.”

There’s no way to ignore the way your heart skips a beat at this, or the hopeful glint in Steve’s eyes. The rest of the woods disappear and it’s only you and Steve and your rapidly beating heart. The others are lost to you, in their own little world, searching in the dark with their flashlights like fireflies.

“Yeah,” Steve scratches the back of his neck. “And, just in case, me and Robin are not a thing, either. Just friends.”

“Platonic with a capital P!” You hear Robin yell out in front of you.

You can’t help the laugh that bubbles out of you at Steve’s blush. “Yeah, yeah, think she got it, Buckley, thanks.”

“You’re welcome!”

“That’s… good to know,” you comment.

Steve raises his eyebrows at you, then scratches his chin. “Is it? Good to know?”

You nod slowly, avoiding his gaze. “Maybe.”

“Maybe. Okay. Maybe is—” he breathes out. “Maybe is cool.”

“Maybe is really cool,” you allow yourself a small smile.

“Really?” Steve inquires, and when he notices his smile he gifts you one of his own. “Okay. That’s great. Maybe is really cool. Cool. Cool beans.”

“Yeah?” You bite your lip, finally daring to look at him.

Steve follows your movement with his eyes. “Yeah,” he says, breathless.

“Hey guys,” Dustin’s voice rings out, the moment gone. “I think we found the portal!”

You both follow Dustin’s voice until you reach a lake, where Eddie explains Vecna killed Patrick when he was running away from Jason and the rest of the basketball team.

“So the portal is… what?” Robin asks, “Underwater?”

Dustin shrugs. “Worth a shot.”

He starts climbing up the boat, and you’re quick to grab him by the sleeves of his shirt to stop him.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” You ask him.

“Looking for the portal,” Dustin says, matter-of-factly.

“You told me this portal is supposed to teleport you to another dimension, one Will Byers got stuck in,” you reply, pulling him away from the boat. “You’re not going anywhere near that portal. None of you kids are.”

“Who died and made you the boss?”

“Three people died,” you note.

“I made her the boss,” Robin quips. “Well, Nancy might technically be the boss, actually. Nance?”

Nancy blinks at Robin’s words. “Uh, yeah. Sure.”

“Nance says yes.”

Eddie frowns. “Yes to being the boss or yes to—”

“Let’s just go,” Nancy urges, gesturing at Steve to help her drag the boat offshore. Steve complies, and helps Nancy climb into the boat, followed by Robin and then Eddie.

“But what about the curse?” Dustin wonders, looking at you.

“I have this, remember?” You hold up the cassette player, and wink at your brother. “Don’t worry about me, okay? Look after Lucas and Max. Nancy might be the boss, but you’re their leader.”

“Okay, yeah,” he nods, sounding more like he’s talking to reassure himself than anything.

“Compass, please,” you tell him, and Dustin complies unhappily. You can’t help yourself from grabbing him by the cheeks and kissing his forehead like you did when he was younger. Despite being a good leader, a fighter, he’ll always be little Dusty, who steals your waffles and makes really bad coffee. “See you soon.”

Steve offers his hand to help you climb the boat and you take it with a tiny smile.

The trip on the boat is short and dark. Even with Steve using his flashlight to try and light the way, it’s barely enough to keep you from being engulfed in the darkness of the night. When was the last time the moon shone down in Hawkins? There are almost no stars above, the view chillingly dark. You fear what you might find. Nancy stares at Dustin’s compass, trying to give any semblance of direction when the compass starts going crazy.

Steve starts pulling off his socks.

“Steve,” Nancy says slowly, “what are you doing?”

“Somebody’s gotta go down there and check this thing out. Was one of you four Hawkin’s High’s swimming co-captain and a certified lifeguard for three years?” He figures, already working on his other shoe. “It’s gotta be me, no complaints, alright?”

Eddie chuckles nervously. “Hey… I’m not complaining. I do not wanna go down there.”

You watch as Eddie takes something off his pocket and throws it on the boat’s floor. You want to stop Steve somehow, irrationally, because as far as you know Nancy, Robin and Eddie can’t dive, and you can barely float — but the words die on your throat when you look up and Steve is peeling off his shirt.

“Here,” Eddie says, and you realize now he had wrapped a plastic bag around a flashlight and is now handing it back to Steve. “Good luck.”

“Thanks,” Steve says, taking it from his hands.

“Steve,” Robin rasps out before he dives, and Steve stops to look at her. “Don’t… die?”

“Gee,” he scoffs. “Thanks for the encouraging speech, Robs.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Don’t die, seriously,” you manage to tell him, wanting to reach for his hand but stopping yourself. “Or I’ll kill you.”

Steve nods. He looks like he wants to say something else, but keeps his mouth shut before diving underwater.

The silence on the boat almost kills you, as it rocks quietly, everyone holds their breath waiting for Steve to come up once again. Your heart is in your throat, Don’t You still playing softly in your eardrums, the cassette player still on, a constant to remind you you’re still here. Miraculously.

“He’s…” Eddie whistles. “He’s got balls, King Steve.”

“Yeah,” you nod, looking at the water like you’re hypnotized, waiting for his soaked head to pop up.

“Not what you’d expect,” he adds, a little quietly.

“No,” Robin says, and the way she says it— so fond, so genuine. You couldn’t agree more. Steve is so much more than what you’d expected him to be. “Not at all.”

You stay silent for a few more seconds, all of you waiting for Steve to come back. When he does he emerges with a gasp for air, startling the rest of you. Eddie screams so loud you hear it perfectly well over the music.

“Found it,” Steve claims, holding onto the edge of the boat.

“You found it?” Nancy repeats.

“It was pretty wild,” Steve explains that he seemed to have stumbled into the portal, like an open gate illuminating the bottom of the lake and tinting it red. “It was pretty damn big—”

Before he can continue, Steve is pulled into the water once again, and you jump up instinctively, trying to reach for his hand, but he escapes your grasp quickly. He emerges again and you breathe a sigh of relief— but it’s short lived, because Steve is dragged under once again and he’s not coming up.

“Steve!” you yell. “Steve!”

“What the hell was that, man?!”

Between all the screaming going on, the only thing you can think about is Steve, Steve, Steve—

And so you stand up.

“Wait, (Y/N),” Nancy starts, “What are you—”

“You’re not going in there!” Eddie screams, trying to grab you by the arm.

“I—” You start, but can’t seem to decide on what to say. You don’t know what you’re trying to do, but you know you’ll do it anyway. You have no plan, that much is certain, you’ve never fought a day in your life. “I can’t just stay here!”

“Are you insane?!”

Robin pales. “No, (Y/N), wait—”

With one last look at the rest of the guys, you dive into the water and swim. You’ve never been a good swimmer, but you find yourself swimming like you’ve never had, quickly finding the red portal Steve had mentioned before being dragged down here. What you find on the other side reminds you of when you met Vecna— when he showed you your memories, cold, distorted and dark. You briefly wonder if Vecna had managed to drag you all the way here then, but you have no time to dwell on it too much.

Steve is laying on his back, as some creatures bite at his abdomen incessantly, like leeches. They are choking him, curling their tails around his neck. You stand up and run towards him, only to notice the others have followed behind you, their wet footsteps a reassurance.

“(Y/N)!” Nancy yells, making you turn. She throws one of the boat’s paddles at you, keeping one for herself.

You manage to catch it, God knows how. Steve is still struggling when you get to him, and the first thing you do is smack one of the things across the face, forcing it on its back and stopping it from further gnawing Steve’s abdomen. You see as Robin starts stomping on the one who has its tail curled around Steve’s neck, and Nancy takes on the other one.

“Shit,” Eddie murmurs when he looks up the sky and sees even more of them approaching.

One of them starts going after Nancy, Eddie trying to come to her rescue by grabbing Steve’s still working flashlight and smacking it as hard as he can manage. You help Robin by hitting the one she’s stomping on with the paddle, until Steve manages to bite its tail, forcing it to curl itself from his neck.

With more coming, you are distracted enough to barely notice when Steve manages to behead it, his lips stained with pitch black blood.

“Jesus christ,” Eddie mumbles. “Jesus H Christ!”

The adrenaline pumping through your veins, your heartbeat going faster— everything seems to go for so long, when in reality it must’ve been just a few minutes.

“Steve,” you manage to rasp out, walking towards him, only looking at his wounds, unsure of what you can do to help him. “Shit, Steve, are you okay?”

“They only took about a pound of flesh,” he says, making you sigh. “But other than that… Yeah, never better.”

He stares at you when he says it, and you can’t help the way your breath catches.

“You’ll need bandages,” Nancy notes.

“Do you guys know if these bats have like, rabbies?” Robin wonders aloud. Aware that everyone’s eyes are on her, Robin starts rambling about rabies symptoms and death. You and Steve glance at each other.

Steve’s chest is still rising erratically, exhausted, when he asks, “What the hell are you talking about, Robin?”

Before Robin can go on any longer though, the sky is tinted red again, and the screeching of even more approaching creatures gets you on edge.

“We need to get the fuck out of here,” you say, and the rest of the group seem to agree.

The five of you break into a run into the forest, as far as you can before Steve’s wounds start to appear more serious, and when Nancy deems it safe enough, you stop near a tree where Steve can lean against, still breathing rapidly. You remember that Nancy said he’d need bandages, and so you take the hem of your pants and start ripping them open.

“What are you—” Steve starts.

“Bandages,” you say. “I saw this in Indiana Jones.”

“Indiana Jones?” Steve asks with a chuckle, looking up at the sky, smiling. “Your movie choices keep surprising me, Henderson.”

You tie the cloth around his wounds as tightly as you can, hopeful that it’s a good enough job to keep him from bleeding out until you guys get out of here. The wounds don’t look too bad, but you have no idea how long you'll stay here for. Nancy, looking over your shoulders, seems to approve of your bandage work.

“Thanks,” Steve rasps out.

“Just don’t die on me,” you nod, staring at his eyes.

“I’ll try not to.”

He holds your gaze, your mouth going even more dry than it already is. “I’ll hold you to that, Harrington.”

You’re interrupted when Steve catches something behind you. It’s Eddie’s jean vest. When you turn, Eddie scrunches up his nose.

“For modesty, man.”

“We escaped now, but there’s more of those monsters than what we saw,” Nancy interrupts, walking around, trying to think. “They’ll come looking for us. We need to get out of here.”

“So,” Eddie starts, running a hand through his mouth. “What the hell do we do now? How do we get out of here, exactly?”

“We need to find another portal, right?” Robin replies. “That’s the only way to get out of here. But we can’t go back to Watergate, it’s probably full of those bats now. Those bats full of rabies!”

“Right now, the most important thing is to defend ourselves,” Nancy says. “We don’t know what kind of monsters are down here. Maybe they’re even worse than that.”

“Hell,” Eddie breathes. “You think Vecna is here?”

“I don’t know… Maybe.”

A chill runs down your spine at the mention of Vecna’s name. Your hand flies to your ear, and only then you realize you’ve jumped in the water with your headphones on, and when you reach the player secured inside your front pocket it’s wet and broken. Through the adrenaline of the fight, you hadn’t even noticed that the song was no longer playing.

“Shit,” Nancy breathes out, looking at your ruined headphones. “The player.”

“It’s ruined,” you lament, seeing the way it’s soaked. You toss the cassette player to the ground, near Steve’s feet, who pales even more, if it’s even possible.

“Fuck,” he says, breathless, the slight reassuring smile he’d been wearing disappears in an instant. He stands up straight despite his body clearly protesting against it. “We need to find another one before it’s too late.”

“Would it even work here?” Robin wonders. “If it’s one from the Upside Down, I mean. Things seem to be… kind of broken here, don’t they?”

“Then we need to get her out of here right now,” Steve urges, and when he starts trying to walk away it’s Eddie who stops him.

“Dude, do you want your intestines to hang out of your abdomen like some shitty Nightmare on Elm Street scene?” he asks, “Stay still! Those bats could be anywhere!”

“We need to move!”

“Steve, wait a second,” you urge after him.

“We could go to my house,” Nancy offers. “I have guns. We could use them to fend off the demo… bats, or whatever. And we need a player. We can use Mike’s, he has one he didn’t take to California.”

Eddie blinks. “You, Nancy Wheeler… have guns.”

Robin grins. “Full of surprises, isn’t she?”

Steve is already on his way despite his groans of pain, and even though the wounds had seemed pretty superficial to you when you wrapped them up, it doesn’t mean that they don’t hurt like a bitch.

“Steve, you’re just hurting yourself even more now,” Now Robin is sighing, exasperated. You briefly wonder how many times she’s had to deal with Steve like this.

“Let’s go,” he says, ignoring her.

“Steve...” you try to stop him, but he turns around quickly.

“Let’s go!”

Robin scoffs, crossing his arms. “Where are we even going, oh great leader?”

“Nancy’s!”

You all turn to look at each other, unsure if following Steve is the best idea, but with nothing else to do and no other ideas, there’s only one thing to do.

And so you all start walking.

📼📼📼📼📼📼📼📼📼

It’s a while before you arrive at the Wheeler’s, the five of you mostly exhausted from the fight, with Steve clutching his wounds but still leading the way, right next to Nancy. You’re all on edge the entire way back, but despite the lack of music you don’t feel different yet, and you don’t encounter any more demobats, as Nancy had called them.

Nancy’s house seems haunted in this place, just as much as the rest of Hawkins seems to be. Despite housing monsters, the Upside Down looks more like a ghost town than anything. You couldn’t help but wonder how tiny Will Byers had ever survived something like this so young… Nobody ever gives that kid enough credit.

Nancy wastes no time climbing up the stairs; she almost seems unaffected looking at her house like this, so… dead. She hovers near a door and turns to look at you.

“This is Mike’s room,” she nods at it. “His cassette player should be in there. Me, Eddie and Robin will get the guns and look for the cassette in my room.”

You agree to it, and she disappears down the hallway along with Eddie and Robin. You and Steve enter Mike’s room, start rummaging through cabinets. You work in silence. You’ve never seen Steve this quiet, this focused. You wonder if he’s mad at you— he had to be. Now besides demobats and trying to escape, he had to help you too because you’d went and done something stupid and completely irrational.

Steve clears his throat, holding up something in his hand. “Found it,” he calls. “Think it’ll work?” He wonders aloud, as you close the closet door before walking up to him.

“Here,” You say, then pull your ruined flashlight from your back pocket. You hit the back of it against the palm of your hand and the batteries come off. You’re not sure if this might work since the flashlight got wet and stopped working once you jumped into the water, but once you plug them into the cassette player it seems to come to life. Steve sighs, relieved. “Thank God that worked. Let’s get that stupid cassette and get out of here.”

“Sounds good to me,” he quips. He wets his lips, looking around. “You don’t feel any different, though, right?” When you shake your head, he seems to be able to relax a bit. “When we were on our way here, Eddie told me you didn’t waste a second to help me.”

You wait for Steve to continue, but he doesn’t.

“I’ve never been much of an adventurer when we were kids,” you say. “Dustin wanted to climb trees and go camping, and I wanted to stay home and read books. We used to fight all the time because I never wanted to play outside with him, because I was scared of bugs and dirt and I just wanted to stay inside.”

Steve doesn’t say anything to that, but he’s near you, hoving near your hand, like he knows you need the comfort, unsure if it’d be wanted from him.

“If I don’t make it out of this stupid curse, Steve,” you breathe out, legs feeling so shaky you want to throw up, “I need you to promise me you’ll take care of Dustin.”

“He’ll kill me before I let you die,” Steve says, trying t sound lighthearted but failing.

“Steve,” you rag out. “Promise me. Please.”

Steve nods, his voice soft in the way it does when he’s trying to be gentle. “Y—yeah. Of course. You know little Henderson’s like my own little brother.”

“I know,” you acknowledge. “You’ve been a way better sibling than me. I’ve been such a shitty sister and I’m… I’m really glad Dustin has you.”

“That’s not true,” he argues, reaching for your arm in the darkness of the room— you want to flinch away. “He loves you, (Y/N). Seriously, you should hear the way he talks about you when you’re not around.”

You ignore the sting in your eyes and berate yourself for tearing up.

“It’s my fault,” you whisper.

“What?”

“It’s my fault my dad walked away,” you shake your head, tearing your arm away from Steve’s touch, feeling cold as soon as you’re away from him. But you deserve it, you deserve the cold. “I told him I hated him after I learned he cheated on mom and that he had another family, and he never came back. I told him I never wanted to see him again. I’m the reason Dustin doesn’t have a dad now. But— but I was just fifteen, I didn’t— I didn’t know what I was asking—”

“Stop, stop,” Steve interrupts, and suddenly he’s pulling you close to your chest and holding you close.

And suddenly that’s all you need to break down, tears flowing freely down your cheeks. You feel embarrased, stupid for crying about something like this when the world might be about to end, horrifyingly guilty for everything— but for the first time you feel like something has been finally lifted off your chest and you can breathe, here, with Steve holding you. You’re glad Steve stayed behind with you. In truth, you think you might just be glad for Steve.

If someone had told you a week ago you’d be crying in Steve Harrington’s arms you would’ve smacked them. Life can change really fast, huh?

“Nobody is going to die,” his voice is so soft. You’d never thought you’d think of Steve’s voice as anything other than grating, but now you hold onto it like a lifeline. “I won’t let that happen.”

You breathe into his chest. You finally manage to let go of him, thanking God the others weren’t near. You miss the warmth almost immediately, as much as you don’t want to admit it. “Shit, sorry, your bandages.”

“You need to stop doing that,” he quips.

“What?”

“Apologizing so much,” he reaches for your arm again before walking, and you thank him silently. You have to bite your tongue not to apologize again. “Let’s go get that cassette.”

When you both step into Nancy’s room, the silence is almost deafening.

“What happened?”

“The guns,” Nancy explains, her eyes focused on her nightstand, not looking up at either of you. “They aren’t here. But so many things that shouldn’t be are. Like— like my curtains, and these— these toys I gifted my cousin Joanna. They haven’t been here since 1983.”

“We’re stuck in time, dude,” Eddie finishes for her.

“Three years, to be exact.”

“What?” Steve asks, confused. “Three years into the past?”

“... From when Will disappeared, you mean?” You question.

Nancy nods. “Yeah, I… think so. But, (Y/N), If we’re three years in the past, it means The Breakfast Club isn’t out yet,” Nancy swallows, hard, then finally looks up to stare into your eyes.

“What do you mean?” Steve asks, his chest rising erratically.

You bite your lip. “She means the song doesn’t exist, either.”

Nancy closes her eyes.

“I’m sorry, (Y/N).”

“Fuck!” Steve yells, “fuck!”

He kicks one of Nancy’s nightstands with so much force he manages to force it into the ground, Nancy’s belongings following suit, scattering around the carpet, making Nancy flinch.

“Steve,” you whisper, trying to reach for him. “Stop.”

Steve sits on Nancy’s bed, hand covering his mouth. He lets you rest your hand on his arm, and he breathes out another curse. He almost looks frozen in place like this, and it reminds you that everything in here feels like it is— ghosts, so many ghosts. You feel like you’re stuck in hell.

“Maybe any song will work,” Robin offers a little desperately, going through Nancy’s drawers, pulling out different cassettes and soundtracks, Duran Duran, Madonna, Elton John. “C’mon guys, one has to work.”

Eddie scratches his neck. “Doesn’t it have to be her favorite song? Isn’t that what Henderon said?”

“Screw it,” Nancy shakes her head, taking in a shaky breath. “We have to try whatever we can. This is our only option.”

“Okay,” you nod, shakily, prying your hand off of Steve’s arm, reaching to cruch own next to Robin and look through the rest of Nancy’s cassettes. “Okay, let’s— let’s try it.”

Robin holds up Total Eclipse of the Heart. “You like Bonnie Tyler?”

“Seems as good as anything,” you nod, taking it from her hands. As the first notes of Total Eclipse start playing, you gulp nervously, praying this might work, that you have at least enough time to get out of here alive.

Steve still looks miserable, but seems a little calmer now. “We need to get out of here right now.”

“How?” Robin sighs. “How did Will ever manage to get out of this place?”

“There has to be a way,” Nancy figures, then something seems to dawn on her. “Will. Will used to talk to Joyce with the Christmas lights while he was stuck in the Upside Down.”

“The Christmas lights?” Eddie asks, incredulously. “What are you talking about?”

As she explains, you can’t help but think that Nancy Wheeler is absolutely brilliant. You can’t blame Steve for falling in love with her before. She’s interrupted by Robin rather quickly though, when she claims she can hear Dustin’s voice— soon enough, all of you start to hear him, distorted and distant, but it's there no less. Quickly Dustin communicates that he thinks there might be another portal in Eddie’s trailer and that seems to be your best shot at an escape.

Robin and Nancy leave to get some supplies for the trip— whatever they can find to use as a weapon, while Eddie wanders off behind them, with the excuse of rummaging through little Wheeler’s action figures. Steve stays with you, as you stare at Holly’s Lite Brite, unsure on what to do.

You trust Dustin and his plan, of course you do. Dustin’s done nothing but prove himself to you these past few days. Still, the thought that everything might go incredibly wrong is almost unshakable at this point. What was it Max said to you? Something about how Vecna’s curse made people feel hopeless and lonely.

“You okay, right?” Steve wonders aloud, searching your face. “You haven’t had any visions yet?”

You haven’t felt Vecna’s pull yet, but you don’t want to be overly optimistic just yet. “I’m okay, I think. Are you?”

You glance down at his bandages, but he only nods. “Yeah, they don’t hurt anymore. I’m more worried about you.”

Warmth spreads all over your cheeks and inside your chest, but now’s really not the time for all of these feelings, and so you try to squeeze them out, to focus on something else.

“I just hope the plan works,” you mumble. “I want to get out of here.”

“You—” Steve shakes his head, looks at you with a look you can’t name. But he sounds frustrated, exhausted. “You just jumped in after me? You didn’t even think…” he trails off. “Eddie said you just jumped. Fucking jumped. You’re unbelievable, you know that, don’t you, Henderson? Absolutely fucking unbelievable.”

You look down at your hands.

“It was stupid, I know, I—”

“Thank you,” Steve murmurs, honesty bleeding into every word he speaks. You look up at him, surprised. “You saved my ass back there.”

The truth is you hadn’t doubted one second— you hadn’t even stopped to think about what might happen to you. Helping Steve was more important to you than anything in that moment, and you didn’t regret it, how could you regret that?

“You saved my ass first, back at the Wheeler’s,” you smile at him. “Even later, in the woods, and at Creel’s house. I don’t know if I could have kept going without you… so thank you.”

Steve stays silent for a few seconds, unsure of how to continue. You can practically feel him grow nervous now, when he clears his throat and begins speaking. “Listen, I know we are on the brink of life and death and maybe world threatening danger, but I kinda need some motivation to get out of here.”

“Yeah?”

“So, now that you know me and Nancy aren’t really a thing, and that me and Robin are platonic with a capital P…”

“Keep going.”

“And since you know, maybe is really cool,” you nod, trying to fight off a smile. “We should, maybe, go on a date together.”

“Hm…” you place a hand on your chin. “I don’t know. I’m not sure I can go out with someone who doesn’t like Pretty in Pink.”

“I’ve never said I didn’t,” he shrugs. “I just haven’t even seen it.”

“You haven’t seen Pretty in Pink, you monster?!”

“You know, I’m actively bleeding out here,” Steve gestures at your last minute bandages, his smile almost as handsome as him, even more so after tearing off a bat monster’s head off. Even more so now that it seems you finally have a plan to get out of this goddamn place. “You’re gonna make a dying man wait?”

“You’re not dying, Harrington.” You smack him gently across the shoulders. “I won’t let you.”

Steve chuckles, his hand finding its way to yours, almost nervous, scared of rejection.

“So? What do you say?”

“I say that if we get out of here alive, and it seems like kind of a longshot right now…” you acknowledge, holding onto his hand and squeezing. “I would really, really like that.”

“Yeah?”

You’re smiling. “Yeah.”

You both might be the people with the worst timing in the entire world— you’re cursed by a demon villain from another dimension, and Steve is bleeding out while you’re both trapped inside the Upside Down, with no clue if you’ll be able to actually escape. Not to mention this is all happening in his ex's house. And yet you can’t help but laugh when Steve tries to reach for the back of your neck and fails miserably.

“I really want to kiss you,” he says, “but my abdomen still really hurts.”

“I have to do everything,” you tease, before closing the distance between you, your lips pressing against his with a sigh.

Steve’s lips are chapped, bloody, raw, and yours must be equally as bad, salty, open and bleeding raw. But despite everything the kiss is perfect, as imperfect and uncoordinated as it is; the way your lips fit together, the way Steve cradles your cheek, and how you hold the back of his neck while Bonnie Tyler plays in the background of it all. Now, more than anything, you feel hope.

When you break off the kiss, Steve is smiling.

“Let’s get out of here,” he says. And you just might.

#steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington one shot #steve harington fic #steve x reader #stranger things fic #stranger things imagine #stranger things scenario #steve harrington scenario #st4 #joe keery #female reader #dyfam #mine #stranger things

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whatdoeseverybodywant · 1 month

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All Falls Down - Chapter 12: The Finale

Authors Note: Whew, this has been a wild ride lmao, I just want to thank each and every one of you for the love y'all have given this story. The sequel is coming very soon. Love you all ❤️

I do NOT give permission for my work to be translated or reposted on here or any other site, even if you give me credit. DO NOT REPOST MY FICS

Reblogs, comments, likes, and feedback ALWAYS appreciated ❤

All OC Characters belong to me

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Kiyana woke up the next morning in a good ass mood, her pussy still tender to touch. Joe had wore her ass out in the best way possible. She let out a tiny moan as her pussy clenched as she thought about all the nasty shit she and Joe did last night.

“Fuck,” Joe groaned out “This pussy do fuckin good.” he groaned into her ear before burying his face in her neck, sucking a bruise into her carmel skin. Kiyana moaned as she raked her nails down his back, leaving red marks. “You know this my pussy now right?” He grunted, hips stuttering, close to his climax. “ Ain’t never letting you go.”

She sat up in the bed, still naked when Joe walked into the room dressed in his workout gear holding a bag of takeout food in one hand a styrofoam cup of orange juice.

“I’m surprised, you’re up.” He said in a cocky tone, causing Kiyana to snort and roll her eyes. “I gotchu something to eat.” She thanked him and took the platter, doing a little happy dance when she saw he got her french toast - her absolute favorite. Kiyana noticed as she took her first bite that he didn’t have anything to eat.

“Not hungry?”

“I am.” He smirked, “just in the mood for something else.” He said, eyeing her hungrily as she set her food container to the side and removed the sheets off her body.

“So, what you gon do about it?” She asked, smirking and cocking her head to the side. She let out a shriek/laugh when Joe pounced on her, attacking her neck with kisses.

Josh sat on the edge of the bed, staring at his discarded phone on the floor. He didn’t even know how long he'd been sitting there. All he knew was that he was numb and he was hurt. Josh knew he didn’t have a right to be hurt, because he cheated first. But for Kiyana to run to Joe of all people? It stung, it stung a lot.

He reached down and snatched the phone off the floor, glaring at his lockscreen. The picture of him , Kiyana and their kids staring back up at him. They all looked happy, he remembered when he took that picture of the five of them.

Josh had just picked up Kamari from school, Kaiden was sitting on Kiyana’s lap acting like the jealous baby boy because Kairo was getting ‘all the lovin from mommy. Josh remembers just standing by the living room entrance just watching his little family and he knew then, he had to break things off with Shanté, he wasn’t willing to give up his family for her. But that was then and this was now. He could forgive Kiyana if it was anybody else, but Joe? His couisn.. nah he didn't think he could forgive her for that.

Uh-oh, Kiki. We got company.” Joe chuckled as the bus pulled up to the back of the arena where the superstars entered. Kiyana stood from the couch and walked over to the window, letting out a sigh as Josh stood, leaning against the parking sign that had ‘Reserved for Roman/Joe Anoa’i’ written on it. He was angry, his jaw was clenched, arms crossed tight over his chest and he was muttering to himself.

“You think he knows what we did?”

“I know he knows.” Kiyana snapped her head over to look at Joe who had an indifferent look on his face. “He deserved Kiyana.”

“Leati, what did you do?” She scoffed, grabbing her bag and trying to walk off the bus but Joe grabbed her arm, stopping her.

“Does it matter? “ He was confused as to why she was mad at him. “Y’alls marriage is over Kiyana.” Kiyana narrowed her eyes at Joe and snatched her arm out of his grip. “He deserves to feel the hurt you felt.” Kiyana ignored him and stepped off the bus and stood face to face with Josh, who tried to move her out of the way.

“Imma deal witcho’ ass in a minute.” He growled, lip curling in disgust as he looked at her.

“Hey!” She yelled, “ Josh stop!” She exclaimed as she tried to block his way onto the bus.

“No fuck that Kiyana!” He screamed back. “How could you Key? With him of all fuckin’ people? And y’all had the fuckin’ nerve to call me!” Kiyana reared back as if he slapped her. How could she?

“How could I? No, how the fuck could you Joshua!” Kiyana was pissed off now. “You cheated on me, your wife first!” Joe called Josh while they were having sex?! She glared over at the bus where she could see Joe looking at the two of them out of the window.

“And I apologized!” He boomed back, bringing her attention back to him. “I apologized and we agreed we would work through it by going to therapy with Dr. Anderson.” Kiyana scoffed and shook her head.

“That was until I found out you were planning on actually leaving me to be with her! I gave you everything! Gave up my career so I could stay home and raise our kids while you traveled all over the world! And you gave up twenty-three years for someone who has slept with multiple of your coworkers. You gave your family up for some slut.”

“And you slept with my cousin so what does that make you?”

Kiyana gaped at him and Joe decided it was time to intervene but just like the day before ,Josh couldn’t control himself. He put all his weight into the punch, knocking Joe back into his bus, shaking it.

“You supposed to be my family!” Josh wasn’t stopping until he hurt Joe. Not even when the arena security came over and tried to pull him off of Joe and when they pulled his arms behind his back cuffing him, Josh started stomping on Joe the best he could.

As he was pulled away and placed in the cop car, he had his eyes on Kiyana the entire time, she wanted him to hurt, wanted him to feel the pain she felt, wanted him to feel like his heart was being ripped from his chest.. And she succeeded.

About two hours later, Josh was finally released from jail, with a hefty fine and a 2 week suspension. He sighed as he saw Kiyana waiting for him.

“Whatchu’ doin here Key?” He asked, rubbing his eyes. He was ready to go home. To get away from everybody and everything.

“Just get in the car, Joshua. We have a plane to catch.” Kiyana was already told about Josh’s suspension and took it upon herself to get all his stuff from his hotel room and surprisingly get him a ticket on the same flight she was on to go back to Pensacola.

As they were driving to the airport, Josh couldn’t help but stare at Kiyana, his wife. His loving, caring, heart breaking wife.

“How am I suppose to live without you Key?” He whispered and Kiyana cut her eyes over at him before looking back at the road.

“I don’t know Josh.” She whispered back, “How am I supposed to live without you? How am I going to raise the boys without you living in the same house?”

“I’m sorry Kiyana.” He said, not caring about the tears now falling down his face. “I fucked up so bad.”

“I’m sorry too. About sleeping with Joe.” He winced and closed his eyes with a deep sigh.

“I can’t live without you Kiyana. So I'm willing to forgive you and move on from this.” Kiyana furrowed her eyebrows and pulled over to the emergency lane, putting on the hazard lights.

“What Josh-”

“I am willing to forget and forgive you if you never speak to Joe again.” He cut her off, finally looking over at her and meeting her eyes. “Can you do that?”

Kiyana was confused as hell. In her mind the marriage was over, there was no coming back from both of their infidelity. He had an affair for four months and she slept with his cousin who he had considered a brother… She started to shake her head.

“Josh we can’t”

“Kiyana, please. I’ve been witchu’ all my life and I can’t, I can’t live without you so please.” She stared at him, mouth opening and closing as she tried to answer him. She could live her life without talking to Joe. It wouldn't be hard but she also knew how petty and vindictive her husband could be so,did she want to spend the rest of her life with him bringing up her sleeping with Joe everytime they had an argument? ..

“Kiyana, please.”

Could she go back to living her life with Josh pretending they were this happy ass couple?

Y'all know I love cliffhangers lmao.. WELP. This is it. The final chapter.

Once again I want to thank each and every single person who has showed love for this story. I will forever love you guys.

And don't forget, THE SEQUEL IS ON THE WAY!

Do y'all think Kiyana stays with Josh? And if she does will it be too hard for them to move past all of the infidelity?

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bizarrelittlemew · 2 months

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tagged by @chaotic-neutral-knitter and @spirker, thank you 💕

post the first line of your most recent ten fics, and see if there are any patterns.

“Lucius, I think I just told a stranger about my life for twenty minutes.” Turning a page, just them being obsessed with each other and cute about it

“For the last time, it’s not an illusion. It’s a skill.” Circus Nights, ongoing kinktober-inspired fic! Ed is talking about sword-swallowing (literally), of course

The heat has been stifling for days, and the aircon is, of course, broken. Heatwave, inspired by art (🫠), small stand-alone one-shot part of a larger (unpublished) au

The clock is about to strike seven when Stede clinks glasses with Lucius and Pete, and it’s exactly seven when Archie nearly smashes his glass with the force she brings to the toast. Five Hours and a Minute, follow-up to Five Birthdays and a Funeral

It’s been a long time—twenty years, to be exact—but Ed instantly recognizes Mary. Testing the waves, Ed/Mary/Stede with Ed/Stede endgame

The sun rises to break the night—a symphony of purple, beautiful and ethereal. Five Birthdays and a Funeral, the fic i'm perhaps most proud of. i actually did a thing in this where i chained the first and last line segments of the chapters and then included them all within the last one

It took Ed a little while to register why he had woken up. Out the gates, a sort of (smut) intermission for Throw away the oars while i finish the sequel

Ed went there to talk. They don't talk. Losing count, a S2E6 missing scene fic

Warmth. warmth, good food, orgasms, microfic written after S2E3 aired

Ed has been in many hotels over the years, for purposes ranging from business to pleasure and with standards ranging from luxury to wouldn’t-touch-the-bedspread. Five-star review, grindr hook-ups with feelings idk

i don't know if i see a pattern but looking back at this, i can't believe these span half a year and a whole second season + cancellation + renewal campaign + end of the renewal campaign 🫠 time is fake lmao

i went back and re-read a lot of comments recently and it gave me so much joy and love for this fandom. i do wish i had the spoons to answer them all, but just know they're immensely appreciated 💕

tagging anyone who wants to do this game 💖

#tag game #tag games #ofmd fic #my fics

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endergirlplayz · 2 months

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After valentines day sequel post : platonic shipping :D

See I got to it eventually:D

Anyway there is gonna be 1 big post instead of 3 small ones. I hope yall are chill with that. :3

(Warning for atrocious dialog, idk how to write thesse guys)

Tf2

Boots n bombs

They're rough housing don't mind them lol

Science party

I feel like they have some of the most messed up inside jokes. Also they probably gossip about there coworkers (I say this bc I read a fanfic where that was basically the premise and it stuck with me)

Pyro and engi (Texas toast? Is that the ship name?)

Pyro drew him and engi is so proud

Idv time!

Journalists novelist

Theyre childhood friends meeting for the first time in awhile:3 look how happy they are!

Joker and female dancer

If u dont know the idv lore, margarethas(female dancers) husband is abusive and when her husband is being awful she goes to see joker and he helps her feel better. I imagine them as close friends (at least b4 the incident )

Emma x Emily

Ok so two things abt this image 1. I think that Emma x Emily is platonic but very specifically belive that Emma has a tiny crush on Emily but Emily dosnt reciprocate. 2 I think Emma has a very high pain tolerance, and it stresses doctor out alot actually.

And finally ocs

Orenge 350 and blue312. Blues probably helping up orenge after a fight, abd orenge is lowkey still tryna throw hands

Pink 243 and blue 312

Pink and blue were absolutely study buddies in school

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highwaytothedangerzone502 · 7 months

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Foxtrot Alpha Alpha - Chapter 20

Pairing: Hangman x Female OC

Word Count: 2679

Warnings: Swearing

Summary: Hangman learned his lesson a long time ago to never show his true feelings when someone's words or actions hurt him. To do so showed weakness that could be exploited, and Seresin men couldn't show weakness. Of course, there was an exception to every rule, and Jake's always came in the form of women, three in particular: his mom, Juliette Kazansky, and the girl whose name he could no longer bring himself to speak. She was the girl that got away; she was his biggest 'what if' and his biggest regret; she would forever be the ghost that haunted his dreams. Jake believed that's where she'd stay, for he would surely never see her again after what he did.

Or so he thought.

Notes: This is the sequel to India Lima Yankee; I'm using the same callsign for the Female OC as in Ghost Story because I just really like it, but they are different characters; chapters in italics are flashbacks Half this chapter is from the promotional excerpt I did a while ago for it, but it's been altered to fit the route the story has gone :)

Chapter Songs: History This Everyday Love

****

Juliette

Rooster ambled into the kitchen, most likely due to the mouth-watering smell of bacon, eggs, and French Toast. Juliette bit back a smile at her hungover husband and wordlessly slid a bottle of ibuprofen and a glass of water over to him.

"How bad was I last night?" Rooster asked, scrunching his face in pre-mortification while he swallowed the medicine.

"How much do you remember?" she countered.

"I remember stumbling in and trying not to wake you and Ghost, but you two were already awake..."

"I'd been up, and Mav texted to let me know that I was about to have three men in a state about to enter my house."

"Fuck, I forgot Hangman and Coyote were there."

"I mean, none of you acted too differently than you normally do around each other. Coyote dropped to the floor to pet the dogs, you and Hangman were insulting each other, and Ghost, Mav, and I watched and laughed. Honestly, it wasn't that bad. The funniest thing was you and Hangman trying to whisper but doing it so loudly that you might as well have been speaking normally."

Rooster rubbed his face with his hands. "I'm so glad I didn't wake you up. You weren't waiting up for me, were you?"

"No, I'd fallen asleep and woken on my own when I started craving ice cream," Juliette said, sliding breakfast in front of him.

Rooster leaned over the counter and kissed her on the cheek, thanking her for breakfast. "How are you feeling?"

"Meh. I'm going to try to eat because I'm hungry, but I also feel like if I eat one wrong thing, I'll hurl. It's a very fine line right now."

"You take it easy today. I'm going to work on the nursery since the paint should be dry by now. I'll get the simple stuff out of the way- curtains hung, lamp put together, stuff like that- and then I'll start putting the cribs together."

"Do you need any help?"

Rooster stared at her in exasperation. "What did I just say? I said I wanted you to take it easy."

"I didn't mean from me. I was thinking Ghost or Mav."

"Oh! Yeah, that sounds good. By the way, is Ghost okay? She seems off."

Juliette hesitated, unsure how much her friend wanted Rooster to know of her inner troubles. "She's acclimating to returning from deployment and is trying to find her place."

"She's got a place with us. Why don't you call her and invite her over?"

"I will after breakfast. I think she's with Jackie at the moment, and I don't want to interrupt." Juliette took a bite of her French toast, relieved when the nausea didn't hit. She pulled out her phone and dialed Mav's number, putting it on speaker.

He picked up on the first ring. "Hey, Jules, how are you? Feeling any better?"

"Yeah, so far, but it's still early, so it could change," Juliette joked.

"How's Rooster doing?"

Rooster swallowed his food and replied, "Could be worse. Hey, what are you doing right now?"

"I'm at the hangar. Why?"

"Oh, I was going to ask if you wanted to help me with the nursery, but I'm going to take that as a no." Rooster's brow furrowed. "Why are you at the hangar? You good?"

"Yeah, yeah, had to do some maintenance on the plane. Listen, I'll be back tomorrow. Why don't I come over and help then?"

The couple agreed and hung up. Rooster shook his head. "He's not telling us everything. He was just there last week doing plane maintenance. It shouldn't need it again already. Something's on his mind."

"He doesn't have to tell us everything, Bradley. If something is on his mind, he'll tell us when he's ready," Jules admonished gently, sliding her half-eaten breakfast over to him when nausea rolled over her. "Finish it for me. If I eat anymore, I'm going to be sick."

Rooster happily obliged, albeit eyeing her worriedly. Jules ignored the look and called Ghost in the meantime but quickly hung up after ordering her friend to go back to sleep. She recognized that tiredness all too well. Ghost promised she'd come by afterward to hang out.

Once Rooster finished breakfast and did the dishes, he headed to the bathroom and took a quick shower before tackling the nursery. Meanwhile, Juliette sat on the couch and reviewed some documents for work. Her boss had become extremely lenient with her working hours after learning of her pregnancy complications, and Juliette couldn't be more grateful.

She'd gotten three-quarters of the way done when her phone buzzed with an incoming text. She snorted at Coyote's message: You'd think my hangover is from all the shots last night, but I'm pretty sure it's from Hangman and Rooster violently hitting me upside the head.

Rooster responded instantly: You should've been more quiet entering the house. You could've woken up the girls!

This time, Hangman chimed in: Says the guy who whispered louder than most people talk.

You did the same! Rooster said, his indignance clear through the four simple words. The text was followed by Rooster verbally saying from the other room, "The God damn snark of- OW!"

"You okay?" Juliette hollered in concern.

Ruefully, he answered, "Yeah, Raptor knocked the lamp over, and it hit my head."

"Maybe he was trying to tell you to lighten up." Silence ensued briefly, but she heard Rooster shuffling down the hallway. He appeared in the doorway and said nothing, only staring at her in entertained exasperation. Grinning, she said, "Oh, come on, you know you want to laugh."

He pursed his lips and then lied, "Absolutely not. Not a single laugh at that. I don't know watt you were thinking."

Juliette opened her mouth to respond, but an incoming text cut her off. Snickering to himself, Rooster returned to the nursery while she read the message. It was from Hangman, but this time, sent only to her: Joking aside, did we bother you too much last night?

Not at all. Ghost and I found the whole scene pretty funny. Besides, I knew you were coming. Mav forewarned me.

Lol how's Bradshaw doing this morning? I haven't seen him drink that much in ages.

Shockingly well, actually. He's working on the nursery right now- trying to put the cribs together now by the sound of his cursing. How are you holding up?

I'm good. It takes a lot to get me drunk, let alone hungover. Texan genes doing me proud. Does Bradshaw need help with the nursery? Hangman queried. The question took her by surprise, but she wasn't going to pass up on the offer since both Maverick and Ghost were currently unavailable.

Bradley will never admit it, but yes.

Be over in thirty.

Juliette smiled to herself, pleased Hangman decided to join. She'd been concerned about him lately. While he hid it well, she could sense the hidden troubles in her friend that all started the night Ghost arrived. How much it had to do with her, and how much it had to do with the out-of-the-blue call from his family, Juliette hadn't figured out.

Right at the half-hour mark, the doorbell rang. Juliette struggled off the couch and hollered, "I got it!"

Rooster let her, continuing his attempt (but failing) to construct the extravagant cribs that Sarah Kazansky had gifted the couple upon the announcement of her daughter's pregnancy. Jules shuffled to the door and, ordering Raptor and Lightning to stay back, swung it open, beaming at the man before her. "Hey, Hangman."

In his endearing Texan drawl and with his ever-present smirk, he replied, "Hey, Princess."

The two had formed a close friendship ever since the special training detachment mere months ago. Rooster didn't know it yet, but Juliette planned on making Hangman one of the twins' godfather. She'd seen him around her nephews at family barbecues and how wonderful he was with kids. She had swiftly made up her mind about it afterward.

"How are my three favorite people?" Hangman asked, gently hugging Juliette and being careful to avoid her ever-growing belly. Then he knelt down to pet the excited German Shepherds.

"Nauseous, as usual, although it's slightly abated for now." Juliette moved aside to allow him entry. "Come on in. Bradley-"

"Hangman?" Rooster sounded from behind, his voice growing closer as he walked up behind his fiancée. "What are you doing here?"

"Princess said you needed help-" Hangman held out his arms- "so here I am. Your Lord and Savior."

Rooster looked down at Juliette. "Honey, I meant competent help."

"Any man who saved your life is competent in my book," she responded matter-of-factly, patting his cheek. "You work well together when you're not at each other's throats."

"And here I thought we were making headway, Bradshaw," Hangman teased. "Hell, I even brought sustenance."

Hangman lifted a six-pack of beer, and Rooster raised his eyebrows. "Sustenance or a bribe?"

"Both."

Rooster grinned. "Well, I guess some help is better than none. Come on."

"Before we get started-" Hangman pulled out a carton of ice cream and handed it to her- "I brought something for you too."

Juliette greedily snatched it up because despite having chills from all the nausea, something about the sight of the ice cream made her appetite return. Shooting Hangman a thankful smile, she hurried to the kitchen and ripped off the lid. Juliette grabbed a spoon and plopped happily on the couch, nausea miraculously gone, although she wouldn't complain or think about that too much. After all, she welcomed the reprieve.

For the first hour, Rooster and Hangman sounded like they were getting along. Juliette even swore they clinked beer bottles a couple of times. Of course, once that initial hour passed, she could hear some of their frustration coming out.

After killing half the ice cream carton, Juliette went to put it away. As she shut the freezer, the doorbell rang. Perplexed as to who it could be, she went to answer it. Opening the door, Jules found Ghost standing before her. "Hey! What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you for another hour or so."

Ghost shrugged. "Couldn't stay asleep. Is it still okay for me to hang out?"

"Of course! Besides-" Juliette stepped aside and allowed her friend in- "you're just in time for the entertainment."

"I always did have perfect timing," her friend joked, shrugging off her jacket. "Is someone else here?"

"Hangman. He's helping Rooster put the cribs together, and I use the term 'help' loosely."

Distaste flickered across Ghost's face at his name, but she refrained from remarking about it. The two girls made their way to the couch and sat down. Raptor and Lightning lay on their feet. Ghost asked, "So, how's the nursery coming along?"

Juliette started to answer but stopped short when she heard Hangman demand in annoyance, "Bradshaw, is there anything you're actually capable of doing?"

Rooster responded with equal irritation and without a beat, "Putting up with you. You're supposed to be helping here!"

"It's not my fault the instructions are in Chinese and that you can't find the ones in English!"

"There are pictures for each step!"

"They're not clear enough!"

"Come on, we're smarter than this," Rooster said. Juliette could hear the confusion in his voice.

"Clearly, we're not," Hangman retorted before laughing mischievously and adding, "What does this look like?"

"You have the mind of a child."

"And yet, I'm still more intelligent than you."

"That's rich coming from the guy who forgot the word for 'sting ray' and called it a 'sea pancake.'"

"What does it say about you that you knew exactly what I was talking about?"

"That I am fluent in child from having worked with you for so long."

The boys continued their jesting while Ghost and Juliette eavesdropped, smothering their laughter at the continuous insults the boys hurled at each other and watching TV, content with each other's company. Another hour passed before Rooster and Hangman emerged from the nursery. The latter zeroed in on Ghost the moment he laid eyes on her, but he swiftly shifted his gaze to Juliette.

"So-" Jules began, barely keeping a straight face as she feigned ignorance- "how's it coming along?"

"We're getting there," Rooster blatantly lied. "We're taking a break to go get dinner. What do you ladies want?"

"I'll defer to Juliette," Ghost responded. "Whatever she craves is the best way to go."

"I am craving seafood," Juliette admitted shyly, not wanting to force anyone to eat something they weren't in the mood for. "Is that okay?"

"Seafood it is, Princess," Hangman promised, bowing his head. "What would y'all like, and from where?"

"If you go to Pappa's Seafood, Rooster knows my answer," Jules said, standing up with the help of Bradley. "Crawfish platter."

"Ooh, what's on that?" Ghost asked.

"Fried crawfish, crawfish etouffee, and French fries."

"How big is it?"

"Enough for one person."

Ghost looked at Rooster. "Make that two crawfish platters."

"You got it," he said. He kissed Juliette and bid Ghost goodbye before strutting out the door. Hangman pecked Jules on the cheek, bowed his head at Ghost in acknowledgment, then followed Rooster.

Juliette waited until the door shut behind them before saying, "Want to take a shot at putting the cribs together?"

"Absolutely," Ghost agreed, following her friend to the nursery. The girls entered a chaotic scene. Bits and pieces were scattered across the floor in no particular order; some were put together but with no obvious evidence of where they belonged on the crib, and Juliette could only be thankful it belonged to only one crib instead of two—at least the second remained safely in the box.

"We have our work cut out for us," Ghost mused, sitting on the floor in the middle of the madness. Juliette gently lowered herself to the ground across from her. "At least they had the sense to leave the nails and bolts in the packaging."

"I knew I should've supervised them," Juliette said, shaking her head. "Okay, where are the instructions? The English ones, I mean. I'm sure they're around here somewhere. Rooster probably set them down in some weird place. I'd say grab them from the second box, but I don't know where they are in there, and I don't want to risk adding-" she motioned at the parts strewn about- "to this insanity."

"You stay seated. I'll get up and look around," Ghost ordered, standing up.

Juliette watched her friend, unable to hold back the question that had been on the tip of her tongue since Ghost's first day when she ran into Hangman. Leaning back on her hands, she asked hesitantly, "So, are you ever going to tell me how you and Hangman know each other? Because you are obviously more than old acquaintances."

Although Ghost didn't face her, Juliette saw the girl's shoulders sag. "How long have you known?"

"A while. Between the blatant tension between you two and the fact that Hangman called you an 'old acquaintance'- which is the same thing I called Rooster when Phoenix and Hangman picked up on our chemistry the day he arrived for the special training detachment- it wasn't hard to figure out."

Ghost scoffed. "Hangman and I don't have chemistry."

Uh-huh, and Rooster and I aren't about to have twins. Juliette disagreed with her friend but kept the opinion to herself. Now was not the time. "I wanted to wait until you told me about it, but something tells me it's been eating at you, him being here, I mean. So what is it? What happened between you two?"

Ghost sighed and shut the top dresser drawer she'd been searching. Facing Juliette, the female pilot said sadly, "Once upon a time, Hangman and I were best friends. We met in high school and were inseparable for almost a decade."

Bracing her elbows on her knees and leaning forward eagerly, Juliette asked, "What happened between you two?"

Ghost dropped her gaze to the floor. "He nearly got me killed."

****

Tags: @lgg5989 @shanimallina87 @polikszena @summ3rlotus @icemansgirl1999 @supernaturaldawning @thedarkinmansfield @lyannaforpresident @lapilark @getmyprettynameoutofyourmouth @simpofthecentury @shadeops21 @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @double-j @bradshawsandbridgetons @catsandgeekyandnerd @peachiicherries @multifandomcnova @fandomsstolemylife00 @bookloverhorses @mak-32 @midnightmagpiemama @luckyladycreator2 @ellamae021 @kmc1989

Chapters: Chp 1 Chp 2 Chp 3 Chp 4 Chp 5 Chp 6 Chp 7 Chp 8 Chp 9 Chp 10 Chp 11 Chp 12 Chp 13 Chp 14 Chp 15 Chp 16 Chp 17 Chp 18 Chp 19 Chp 20

If you're not on the tag list and want to be, just let me know :)

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eradicatetehnormal · 3 months

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It's Over For Now

The questions! Lilith made a deal to stay in heaven? BITCH. What do you want Alastor? To be free, I guess. They formed parts of the hotel around angelic metal and that's how the building falling hurt that angel. Sir Pentious went to heaven? So is hell essentially more like a purgatory as opposed to a final destination? You would think that human souls would have more incentive to fight off the angels than the citizens of cannibal town. Aren't they natives of hell?

That's the main issue with the show. Partially because they didn't have the time, and partially because they were moving too fast, there's not a lot of good world-building or lore. The lore that does exist is in the comics or the live streams and it's like, I shouldn't have to do homework to watch something that isn't a sequel. (Though, I'm hypocritical as a KH and Descendants fan. Maybe I should just watch and play better shit, idk).

I generally liked the series though. I just wished it had more time. Like everyone else has already said, the standout is the songs. Man, these songs slapp. I even like the ones hated by song writers like the songs in episode 2 and 6. Although the one in episode 7 where she goes to Cannibal Town? I didn't like that one at all. It was not a vibe.

Even with its lack of world and character building, there are still characters that manage to stand out. Namely, Angel, Alastor, and Lucifer, though Charlie is also great.

I remember Korey Coleman from Double Toasted saying that this Lucifer was his favorite iteration of the character. I see why. A lot of iterations portray him as pure evil and if they go for good, he's straight up a good guy. I guess Persona 5 is the best example of what I can come up with right now. Here, he's still a good guy, but he's torn down by his loneliness and feels like a failure. A decent reimagining of the cocky, manipulative, self-righteous, biblical character.

The reason Angel is so good is pretty simple. The show actually took the time to humanize him and get us to understand him. When you think back to episode 4, it's almost disappointing that Sir Pentious got to heaven before he did. That's all I'll say about episode 4. I feel like if you're anywhere that isn't Twitter, you've seen more people, survivors and others alike, defend the episode as opposed to despise it.

Alastor is by far my favorite character even if he didn't do much. Most people agree that they're happy that he's the one thing the show has managed to shroud in mystery. Who's leash is he on? How is Charlie going to help him? What favor did he ask of Charlie? Why was he so into the idea of rebelling against heaven? What made him think he could take on Adam? Was the whole Charlie's Dad thing a jist? If so, why was he irritated at Lucifer showing he was close with his daughter? Why was there an emphasis on Charlie being under his guidance in the episode 7 song? IT'S GOTTA BE LILITH'S LEASH HE'S ON.

Technically, this show isn't more than a 6 out of 10 and that might be generous, but, so much has changed for me and everyone, really since the pilot last dropped 4 years ago. Combined with the years of fan songs, animatics, VA Q&As (Man, rip the old vas dude, that's some bullshit), fan art, HELLUVA BOSS (HOW IS THE ENDING GOING TO EFFECT HELLUVA BOSS?), the property is almost nostalgic for me. I was going to see this thing through to the end no matter what. It could've been a lot worse, and I'm fairly satisfied with what I have.

#hazbin hotel

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maddie-grove · 1 year

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Little Book Review: General Fiction Round-Up (May-December 2022)

Maddaddam by Margaret Atwood (2013): In the final volume of Atwood's environmental dystopian trilogy (preceded by Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood), the survivors of a manmade eco-fascist plague, along with a population of genetically engineered humanoids, must try to make a life in the ruins. Atwood is one of my favorite authors and, while I generally prefer her non-speculative fiction, I really enjoyed the whole trilogy. She's really engaged with the ideas she explores (mostly related to GMOs and income inequality) and grounds them vividly in everyday life. I especially like the way the genetically engineered humanoids (the Crakers) process the world around them.

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood (2019): In the sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, Atwood tells the story of three women in the same universe: a Commander's daughter in Gilead, a daughter of Mayday operatives living in Toronto, and Aunt Lydia, first seen "training" Handmaids in The Handmaid's Tale. I liked The Handmaid's Tale in high school, but I can't say I came away wanting to know more about that world...yet, as it turns out, I totally did want to know more about the pastel horrors of an elite Gilead girlhood. The audiobook is also top-notch, with Ann Dowd, Ann Whitman, and Bryce Dallas Howard doing the three main POVs.

Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link (2005): In nine "short" stories (many of them are quite long), Link writes about absurd things happening in mundane settings. Pretty Monsters, another short story collection of hers with some overlap, was one of my favorite books I read in 2014, but this time I wasn't feeling it. I'd already read the three best entries: "Stone Animals" (about a nebulously haunted house in a suburb of NYC), "Magic for Beginners" (about a mysterious TV show and a teen boy whose father is maybe trying to murder him via writing a novel), and "The Faery Handbag" (about a girl whose grandmother carries around an entire lost country in her purse). The others never really came together. I might have lost my taste for whimsy.

Dune by Frank Herbert (1965): In the very distant future, fifteen-year-old Paul Atreides has to move to a different planet for his father's work, and it only gets worse from there. I resisted reading Dune for the longest time because it sounded as dry as a desert planet where you have to reabsorb your own urine to survive. However, it fucks. I loved the layers of power dynamics and game-playing, especially in the scenes with Lady Jessica. Evil, horny Baron Harkonnen and his weirdly tragic nephew Feyd-Rautha were also great. I didn't like it so much after the time skip, though, and I think I'll give the sequels a pass.

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix (2021): Paranoid and reclusive after being targeted twice by Christmas-themed killers, Lynette Tarkington's social life consists of a support group for "final girls" (women who have survived grisly massacres that were adapted into horror movies). I never quite got on board with this one, for two major reasons. The first is that I was irrationally annoyed by the idea that horror movies were seemingly all one-to-one true crime stories in this universe. That's on me. The second is that Hendrix never managed to convince me that most of these women had ever had a significantly positive relationship with each other. This novel could've been a Toast article.

Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix (2014): Amy, a cash-strapped and unhappy twenty-something working at an IKEA knockoff, is offered a transfer to a better store if she'll stay after-hours to investigate some strange recent happenings. This isn't my favorite Hendrix novel; however, it is the fucking scariest. The characterization isn't as rich as it is in most of his other novels--I would describe it as efficient--but the pacing is effectively brisk and the nature of the fake-IKEA haunting almost made me shit my pants.

We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix (2018): Kris Pulaski, once a guitarist/songwriter for up-and-coming heavy metal group Dürt Würk, now lives a life of resignation as a hotel night manager. Meanwhile, her ex-bandmate Terry Hunt is still a massively successful rock star after going nu-metal...and suddenly Kris has reason to believe that he did something truly sinister to make that happen. After My Best Friend's Exorcism, this is my favorite Hendrix novel. He's unusually moderate in putting his heroine through the mill, both in terms of physical peril and self-flagellation, and balances it with the joy she finds in her creative life. The otherworldly threat she faces is nicely chilling, and I loved the bittersweet ending.

Stranger Things: The Other Side by Jody Houser (2019): In this tie-in comic to Stranger Things, we see the first season from twelve-year-old Will Byers's point-of-view as he struggles to survive in the Upside Down. There's some good characterization of Will and a few cool visuals, but overall it's pretty inessential. The writing is kind of flat and sometimes awkward, and the art style is overall muddy and unappealing.

Mysterious Skin by Scott Heim (1995): Neil and Brian, two kids growing up in the same midsized Kansas town, both have life-altering traumatic experiences in the summer of 1981. Brian doesn't remember what happened, and comes to believe in the following years that he was abducted by aliens; Neil knows exactly what went on between him and his sexually predatory Little League coach, but that doesn't mean he understands it. Several years ago, I saw the 2004 movie version, which is amazing both as an adaptation and on its own terms: nuanced, well-paced, beautifully acted and shot, and faithful to all that's good in the source material. Unfortunately, this did slightly lessen the impact of the (also stellar) novel.

Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss (2018): In the early 1990s, working-class seventeen-year-old Silvie spends a summer holiday in a Northumberland village, reenacting Iron Age life with her churlish history buff father, her downtrodden mother, a pompous anthropology professor, and three of his students. It's promising to be more miserable than your average family camping trip, between the lack of modern tech/food and Silvie's father's domestic tyrannies, but are we getting into The Wicker Man territory? This is a tense, deliciously creepy, and lyrical little novella that I finished in one evening because it was so exciting.

Normal People by Sally Rooney (2018): Withdrawn rich girl Marianne, despised at home and at school, starts a no-strings-attached relationship with working-class Connell, who's handsome and bright but kind of a follower. Thus begins an on-again, off-again thing that will follow them through college and change them forever. I really liked this romance between two troubled yet essentially sensible and sweet college students, although it's a bit slow at times. I especially enjoyed the first time that Connell and Marianne's power dynamic flips; she's kind of an It Girl at university, while he's out of his depth.

Summerwater by Sarah Moss (2020): Several families "enjoy" a miserable summer holiday by a Scottish lake over the course of a rainy day. We get the perspectives of several vacationers--judgmental moms, crotchety old men, worried newlyweds, teenagers desperate for wifi and privacy, anxious little kids--with several dark hints that someone will meet a terrible fate. Moss's writing is pleasurable to read and often funny, but I needed a damn flow chart for these people.

The Brittanys by Brittany Ackerman (2021): Brittany, a Floridian high school freshman in 2004, navigates life in her gated community and her suburban high school, hanging out with her friends (most of whom are also named Brittany) and wearing low-rise jeans. Maybe I was unduly influenced by the author being named Brittany, but this novel reads like a bunch of fond adolescent memories with the occasional gesture at some larger meaning. It feels like the author couldn't decide between trying to do an emotional mid-oughts coming-of-age story (like Lady Bird) or a slice-of-life portrait of a certain type of high school experience (like Fast Times at Ridgemont High). The stakes aren't high enough for the first (the biggest through-line is that Brittany's BFF Brittany might be a lesbian but neither of them seems to know it) and the scope isn't wide enough for the second. I think the book would've been better off as, like, two short stories.

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lulupen2023 · 11 months

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Matt's birthday fic

Setting: 9th June 2023, yep, exactly THAT day! Pairing: mainly BellDom, you know, but there’s also some Matt/Elle and implied Dom/Stacie Disclaimer: faker than a 600$ note, the characters only belong to themselves, I don’t know Muse, nor the people around them Summary: Sequel of ‘My first choice’. It's Matt's birthday, will he get the gift he desires the most?

Particularly satisfied after the performance of 'You make me feel like it's Halloween', even more adrenaline-pumping than usual, Matthew approaches the crowd, reaching the end of the platform.

Over the years he has gone from total shyness, which barely made him say the title of the song they were about to play, to increasingly loving the attention of the public, until he catalyzed it.

When he can he likes to run along the barriers to shake hands and give smiles, he likes to incite the audience to sing with him, indeed, sometimes he just makes them sing, he likes to talk to them from the stage.

And that's what he's about to do, except that the audience precedes him.

A unanimous chorus rises and from the very first syllables he understands what it is about: it's a song for his birthday.

It's certainly not the first time this has happened to him and it won't be the last, but seeing an immense crowd of people singing in his honor is something that always touches him a lot.

Especially when, whipping around, he sees Dominic's smug smile.

Matthew finds himself taking stock of his life, where he started from and what he finds now.

A global success.

An abundant discography, the result of a constant search for renewal.

Wonderful, important and consolidated friendships.

An outstanding team of professionals.

A beautiful, sweet, kind, caring wife who supports him on every occasion she can.

A daughter who grows visibly and becomes more beautiful every day, like her mother.

A son who fills him with satisfaction, whose twelfth birthday he will celebrate next month.

And then there's him, the one he can't just place in the 'wonderful friendships' category, because he is so much more.

The person who knows him best and has known him the longest.

The co-founder of his own dream.

His most trusted confidant.

The body that most loves to hug.

The arms he most wants to wrap around him.

Her secret lover for the past twenty-three years.

His indissoluble soulmate.

Dominic.

Their love has faced even the most insurmountable obstacles and is ready to face any new battle that arises.

Because together they are invincible.

Matthew is almost sorry that that song isn't in the lineup that evening, but he remembers where he is and what he's doing, he stops the choir that has started and gets ready to start 'Madness', but not before thanking the audience as they deserve.

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

At the afterparty Matthew has now lost count of how many toasts he made, how many people hugged him to wish him well, and how many gifts he received.

However, he is well aware of the gift he did not receive, the post on social media that was not dedicated to him, the almost absent physical contact that evening.

It almost seems to him that Dom is mad at him, but at the same time he knows it's not like that, he just needs to look him in the eye when their gazes meet.

It's nearly three in the morning and Matthew just wants to make things clearer, but he also knows that the situation he's in at the moment makes it difficult, starting with the fact that Elle sits next to him, not to mention on his lap.

And it is she who distracts him from his thoughts.

"Matt, love, shall we go out for a moment and get some fresh air?" She asks in his ear, drowning out the sound of the music.

He follows her, reaching the back of the club, the most private of spots.

"Elle, if you're tired, we'll leave soon..."

"No, my dear, you're the one who's leaving," she interrupts him, "To Dom. I know you want it, you need it, you don't even need to try to hide it from me."

Matthew can hardly believe what he is hearing. "But.."

“Honey, it's your party after all. And then Lovella and I pretty much hogged you since this morning until rehearsal, so that's okay." corroborates her case Elle.

"And you're really okay with that?" The singer scrutinizes her thoroughly.

She takes his face in her hands.

“Matthew, listen to me. You are a wonderful man. The best husband I could wish for. You're my angel. You are an amazing father. A formidable lover. And to have all this I have to 'just' share you with someone equally special. I'd be a fool not to accept that."

Matthew pulls her to him and kisses her softly.

“Elle, love, sometimes I think I don't deserve you…” He murmurs against her lips.

“Second choice, remember? And look at all that you have given me and continue to give me.” The model smiles at him.

“But you deserve so much more, you deserve someone who loves you one hundred percent, who is completely dedicated to you.”

"Don’t be silly, my percentage is more than enough!" She heartens him, as understanding as few people can be. “So now you and him will leave. Lovella is with Guetcha, so Stacie and I will continue to party, even without you. By now, she knows how things go, too.”

“Dom and I were too lucky to meet you.” He smiles, stroking her long and silky golden hair.

"Just know that tomorrow I'll be so drunk that I won't even want to get out of bed all day and you'll take care of Lovella!" the model makes him laugh.

Matt, however, is serious in what he says.

“Honey, you are the best wife ever, you know that, right?” He kisses her again.

“Yes, but keep repeating that, my angel.” She giggles.

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

“I'm not sure what happened out there, but when you got back Elle took Stacie away like a hurricane,” Dominic mutters, following his best friend out.

"It’s happening that I had a gift within the gift and so you and I can have some time for ourselves... shall we say even all night?" Matthew smiles at him, while they wait for the taxi that he has already called.

“So now do you want to tell me why you've been so detached all day long?” Investigates the frontman, once they are comfortably seated on the back seats, with the divider up to give them the right amount of privacy.

“You’re saying that because I haven't made any post to wish you a happy birthday; it hurts, doesn’t it? You, little bitch!” The drummer teases him, mindful of the treatment he received on his birthday.

“Yeah, it does, a little…now I understand what it means to taste your own medicine.” Mutters the other. "But you're not angry with me.. are you?"

Dom shakes his head, smiling.

“Nope, of course, not, if anything, I was just stepping aside, to leave you with your family…”

Matt holds his best friend's hands tight.

“Dommeh, how many times do I have to repeat this to you? You are my family, too."

The blond smiles at him, resuming his speech.

"So, even the gift, I would have given you mine another time..."

"Ah, but then you do have a gift for me!" Grins the other, happy as a child, in contrast with the age he has just reached.

“Of course, you had doubts? And since we're on our way to the hotel, I guess I can give it to you now."

“You guess right.”

Once they get out of the cab, a giggling Matt sprints for the hotel elevator, with Dom following suit.

“Easy, you don't want to wake everyone up, do you?” Acts as Jiminy Cricket Dom.

The Pinocchio in question looks at him with a clear invitation in his gaze.

“Then find a way to shut me up!”

Time to say it and Dom pulls him to him for a kiss that lasts for all eleven floors, up to their suites.

Matt gives him just enough time to open the door to his room, before returning to kiss him, with his hands starting to make their way under his clothing.

“Slow down, Matteh, do you want to unwrap the gift… or me?” Chuckles Dom, pulling away from him before things get too hot between the two.

“Uhmm.. both?” The birthday boy pushes his luck, but his wish is not fulfilled, since the blond goes away.

He pouts, but he is immediately back to his best mood when he sees him returning with a rather bulky gift package in his hand.

Once unwrapped, the case makes him guess it's a guitar, but when he opens it he's stunned.

She has almost every shade of blue that his eyes contain, she's doused in glitter, she's beautiful, yet that's not what amazes him so much.

“But… Dom, it's all foam rubber on the outside!” He comments, fascinated, touching every fret, string and button, thus making sure that she is in perfect working order.

“Yeah, it’ something your Manson guys have been secretly working on for me for months.” Dom smugly reveals. "'At least you can throw this one at me without the risk of making me have brain damage!"

Matt laughs in amusement, playing the guitar for a few seconds, in her feeble unamplified condition, of course, and then grabs the neck and taps Dom on the head.

“Go on…it's even pleasant!” Chuckles the drummer.

“Guess what, Dommeh, I got you a present too.” Matt surprises him, putting the guitar back in the shoulder case.

"But how? It's your birthday and do you want to give me a present?”

“You've known me for thirty-one years and you still haven't figured it out? I'm unpredictable."

“One of the countless reasons I love you so much, Matteh. But be a good boy, get your gift first.”

Matthew's face lights up.

"Why? Do I have another one?”

“This was for for fun. Now follow me."

Matthew is startled when he sees them leave the suite and Dominic anticipates his questions.

"For obvious reasons I couldn't keep it in the room, Stacie only knew about the guitar... and again for obvious reasons I couldn't wrap it." he explains, walking down the corridor that leads to another room that he has booked, smaller, also because what he simply needs is a little hidden place.

Dominic opens the room, turns on the light and... there's no need to say more.

"But.. it's a bike!" Matt observes, removing the red rosette that that mountain bike has on the handlebars, the only thing that gives it the appearance of a gift.

"Yes. Do you remember that trip to Vienna? It was romantic, but renting them is so impersonal, isn't it nicer to have our own bikes to take for rides everywhere we visit?”

Matthew continues to inspect the bike, squeezing the handlebars, spinning the wheels, when he notices something.

"But.. my saddle has 'Dom' engraved on it!"

Dom walks away and then drags another bike with him.

“That's right and my saddle has 'Bells' engraved on it,” he adds, showing him his.

“So we have BellDom bikes, don’t we?” The pianist shows off a toothy grin.

“That was just the idea. Now that's really romantic." Murmurs Dom.

Matthew pulls him to himself to kiss him intensely.

"Of course... I did everything in a hurry, because the idea came to me in Vienna, if I had had more time I would have had yours made red and glittered," the blond justifies himself, between kisses.

“Sure, and your leopard print!” Matthew laughs. “Trust me, they're perfect like this, black and shiny. A little sobriety doesn't kill us. Would you like to try them right away?”

“Uh? I think we were busy doing something very interesting…” Dom protests, still looking for his lips to nibble.

“Uhmm, nice, but… it's about the gift I want to give you. I would have taken you there by taxi, but this is even better!” the frontman decides, dragging him with him towards the blond's suite.

"Are you really suggesting that we go around the streets of Cologne by bike at four in the morning, drunk, getting lost?" mumbles Dom very unconvinced, putting on his jacket.

“Yes, but we won't get lost… I set the navigator… And then it was close to tonight's stadium, more or less. And pedaling is what it takes to get sober, at least a little.” Matt insists,

putting on his padded jacket, to then also slip the guitar case over his shoulder.

“Uh? Do you take that with you too?”

“Yes, it's part of the gift… Of course, acoustics would have had a completely different effect, but I'll make it enough for me. I'm intriguing you, right?"

“Damn you and your persuasion skills, Bells! Come on, let's go get the bikes, let's get them out of here without waking up the whole hotel and then show me the way!"

When they venture into the now isolated streets, Dom has to admit that the sense of freedom that the night gives them is beautiful.

He faithfully follows Matt, who in turn faithfully follows his navigator and they arrive at a plateau from which they can enjoy a beautiful view of the city.

And kissing, remaining on their bikes, in front of that enchanting panorama is even more suggestive.

Both seem oblivious to the crisp air that whips their faces and hands.

“Actually, we could have stayed in the hotel, I already have the gift in my inside jacket pocket, but I wanted to give you this view.” Matt confides in him.

“I approve of the decision.” Dom sighs in ecstasy. “It's beautiful here, it's oh-so-romantic."

He can't resist the temptation to take out his cell phone and take a panoramic video first and then turning the camera towards the two of them for the last few seconds.

“Wait put your phone away, I suggest you film this too.”

Saying it, Matt opens the case, takes the guitar, sits cross-legged on the floor.

Before playing, he hands Dom a red velvet box.

“Another pendant, right?” the blond guesses.

“That spoke too much about you. And then I associated it with this song" winks the other, starting to play.

From the very first chords, subdued but perfect, Dominic, who is already filming it, understands that it's not a Muse song nor is it part of their cover repertoire.

It's a song with a vintage flavor and a bittersweet melody at the same time.

And Matt still has to sing.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

You make me happy when skies are gray

Matt intones, with his voice almost broken, the cadence slow, the chords that follow one another fluidly and his eyes focused on the blonde, while he opens the box: there is a pendant in the shape of a sunflower.

Matthew signals to him that he must open it, before starting to sing again

You'll never know dear, how much I love you

Please don't take my sunshine away

Matt finishes his performance, while Dominic follows that advice and discovers that hidden in the pendant there is a round tag with the words 'You are my sunshine'

“Oh, Matt, that's beautiful, thank you.” He bows down to him, to kiss him. “And I liked the song too, but I know how much you love me, it's about as much as I love you!”

Matthew moves away from him, gets up and puts the guitar back in her case.

“Bloody hell, you screw it up! Even in 'Sing for absolution' I say that you will never know, yet you love it every time I sing you that song!" Matthew points out to him, a little annoyed.

“You are right, Matteh, I need to analyze less and enjoy the moment more.” Dom repents, scratching him behind the ear, which he knows pretty well how that sends the other into raptures.

From there to kissing again the step is short, but when they separate, Matthew has a gloomy expression on his face.

There's something else he absolutely needs to know.

“Dominic, please don't take what I'm about to say wrong, because I know first that's not the right word I want to use..."

“Come on, Bells, what are these hesitations on your part? You know you can tell me everything."

"Would you ever want to 'heal' from this… thing we have?" Mutters the singer.

“Explain yourself better.” Frowns the percussionist.

“Suppose that there is a potion that can cancel this constant need for each other that we have, this visceral desire to be together in every sense. A sip of the potion and… BAM, you and I become just and only friends, as we are with Chris, as we are with Tom… and so I can be a perfect husband and you can be a flawless fiancèè. Would you drink it?” Matthew asks him, as serious as ever.

"Forty-five gets to your head, Bells!" Laughs Dominic.

“Dom, don't joke!”

"Okay, I'm not kidding. If that potion existed, I would take it." Dominic confesses and Matt feels a little dying inside, even if he doesn't show it.

"I would take that potion in my hands just to throw it to the ground, with all the strength I have, and shatter it, so even if you wanted to lick it off the ground, you would also have to drink all the glasses together, because if you really wanted such a thing, well, I wouldn’t surely make things easy for you!"

A smile lights up Matthew's face again.

“Dommeh, but I’d never want to drink it either. That's what I was hoping to hear from you."

“Did you really think I was going to say something different?”

"Well, you and Stacie…maybe you…you…" Matt stumbles over his words

“What about you and Elle, then? And you have kids too, Matt! Yet you see, whatever bond arises between us, no matter how beautiful and pleasant it is, cannot break ours, never will. Dom reassures him. “And you're right, it's an uphill life, it's made of subterfuge, dark moments where we both wonder if it's still worth it. The point is, we both always know it's worth it and as much as that makes everything more complicated, it's exactly what makes us us and I wouldn't want anything different, ever, my love."

"Oh, Dommeh..." Matt looks at him moved. “What you said is so romantic.”

“You make me romantic.” Dominic whispers, stroking his hair.

“You're Dom… and it was romantic…” Matthew broods.

“No, Bells, don't say that."

'You are Domantic!' Matt chuckles, proud of the term he invented.

“Shall we talk about what you did for me earlier? The sunflower, the song…It was romantic, you're Matt…”

“Oh no, no, Dom, please don't."

“You are roMattic!” concludes his absurd reasoning Dom.

The two friends and lovers burst out laughing, perhaps as they haven't done for a long time.

“We are just two idiots!” Comments Matt.

“Made for each other!" Points out Dom.

“Oh well, whether domantic or romattic, I’m gonna ask you: do you still have the tag I gave you on your birthday?”

“What stupid questions. I will never part from it." reveals the blond, extracting the named object from the inside pocket of his jacket. "And you?"

In response, the brunette takes his from a compartment in his wallet.

The two cannot resist the temptation to join them, before putting them away again for safety.

“And this is also another one of your gifts that I will have to hide.” Dom mutters, waving the open sunflower in front of him.

“Well technically if you leave it closed it hides itself and you can always say it's a gift from a fan.. I'm your biggest fan after all!”

“Uhmm yes, that's true, but I prefer you as a groupie!” Dom replies lasciviously, groping his butt to highlight the concept.

“We'll also have to hide the bikes..” Dom continues, going up to stroke his forearms.

“For that it will be enough to buy some seat covers, there I could have a glittery one and you a leopard print one!" The singer snatches a smile from him.

Dom turns serious, a little melancholy.

“However, the fact remains that we always have to hide, we have been doing that for more than twenty years now..."

“I know, Dommeh, I would like to give you much more than this.”

Dominic shuts him up first with his index finger on his lips and then with a kiss

‘Shh, Matteh, what you already give me will always be worth it.”

THE END

Notes:

Blame Dom’s Vienna post on instagram for that XD And also a commercial that has been hunting me on facebooks for months, lol, yep, the sunflower pendant exist for real (along with the song Matt covered, which is ‘You are my sunshine’ written by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell in 1939) Of course, if I wish things could have gone like that, it doesn’t mean they actually did, never forget this is a fanfic. You can figure out how fake it is just by the successful Happy Birthday plan in the crowd that actually never happened as it was supposed to do ^^’ If Manson guys can create an amazing 3d WOTP mask guitar, it must be a piece of cake for them to make a foam rubber covered one! XD I’m a BellDommer, I always will be, but Elle is so so sooooo beautiful, and seems also to be very supportive, sweet and kind, so as long as Matt is happy I’m happy, long life to Matt and her, but, of course, longer life to BellDom ^^ Hope you’ll like it, but I have the feeling you won’t… However, late (I didn’t manage to post in on time, geez!) HAPPY BIRTHDAYYYYYYY, BELLS!!!!!

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sunnydaleherald · 1 year

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The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter - Monday, November 28th

JOYCE: (points) Buffy, he-he's over here! (The vampire faces her and roars.) Oh, my God! It's Mr. Sanderson from the bank!

~~Gingerbread~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Where You Stand (Buffy/Devil May Cry/Resident Evil/Background NCIS Crossover, T) by madimpossibledreamer

Fire in Her Veins (Knew It Wasn't Rage) (Doctor Who crossover, G) by regenderate

A chain reaction (Willow/Tara, T) by Bl4ckHunter

The Sound You Found for Me (Willow/Tara, G) by punch_kicker15

A Halloween Tradition (Angel/Buffy, T) by angelus2hot

Dusted (Buffy/Spike, G) by theultimatezero

[Chaptered Fiction]

You Drive Me Out Of My Mind Chapter 6 (Buffy/Spike, M) by Geliot99

The Thing About Being on the Road Chapter 11 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by scratchmeout

2187 Days Chapter 8 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Irishrose

The Road to Hell.... Chapter 28 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by All4Spike

D'hummy Story Chapter 7 (Buffy/Spike, PG) by DHoffryn

Something Worth Dying For Chapter 1-5 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by violettathepiratequeen

Favor Chapter 7 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by EllieRose101

Her Prophecy Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, R) by BewitchedXx

Learning To Be Love's Bitch Chapter 17 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Desicat

Carpe Diem, baby Chapter 11 (Buffy/Spike, Adult Only) by Axell

Bound Chapter 33 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by RavenLove12

Hold My Hand Even Though I'm a Sinner! Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by CheekyKitten

Vacation with a vampire (Sequel to The Sphere) - Part 2 Chapter 11 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Coraline

Sorry Chapter 5 (Buffy/Spike, PG) by EllieRose101

Sand and Fire Chapter 10 (Dresden Files crossover, FR15) by batzulger

[Images, Audio & Video]

Art: BTVS “Every Outfit” “Checkpoint” part 1 Xx by whatshisfaceblogs

Art: 🤷🏻‍♂️ BtVS 420. The Yoko Factor 🤷🏻‍♂️ by tmcarlee

[Fandom Discussions]

buffy is such a bad flirt by silvermars

hilarious to me when people try to explain btvs soul lore by looking at angel by invisible-pink-toast

Was AtS the 'grown up' show? by HardlyThere

What are y'all thoughts on Faith? by gmac

Buffy in a mental hospital continued by Priceless

Making Connor Angel son was a mistake by Guywhoknownothing

Has anyone heard anything from the reboot? by Cyberdemon

Is Buffy a good example of a feminist icon? by Wesxfred

Discussion of The Vampire Slayer #8 - Released 11/23/22 (Boom! Studios) by Buffy Summers

Disharmony by eebieteebie

what’s the most underrated season? by moonwalker_96

Heart Breaking by davect01

When buffy was changed into a rat they had no problem changing her back right away by jschweige

did The Writers not Really follow through with the Riley Drug storyline by sjsharksfan12

Just an appreciation post for Eliza Dushku slayin her sobriety by K0nstantine1313

Justice for Season 6 by iwabs_iwda

I like the ending of the unaired pilot by GreyStagg

how did Angel just enter the property by jschweige

Which "Everyone loses their memory" episode did you like more? by Almighty_Push91

Faith by PopularScarcity2243

Faith and The Mayor by LightBlueSky55

Does anyone have a list of who wrote which episodes? by MachersHouse

Dark Willow is on another level by Omix592

If one of them could survive in S2, who would you pick? by Opening_Knowledge868

Did Buffy confide in Angel? by Itchy_Initiative6180

Thoughts On Buffy's "Chloe was an idiot" speech in Get It Done? by Defvac2

If Whedon wasn't a petty asshole, how might the Buffyverse have changed? by VerbiageBarrage

Interesting that disney+ call it an lgbt show by PICONEdeJIM

Why didn't the Watchers Council kill Faith while she was in a coma/in prison by welmanshirezeo

The Angel Alphabet by moonwalker_96

The Buffy Alphabet by moonwalker_96

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

#buffy #btvs #Buffy The Vampire Slayer #angel #ats #angel the series

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supremeuppityone · 2 years

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Sneak peeks of what I’m doing so far for @klarolineauseason Klaroline AU Season 2022:

Week 2: All Human:

The last thing Caroline wanted to do was talk to Klaus’ scary dad. But the rent was past due and her mom didn’t give her a choice. But then her day gets even worse when Klaus is there to witness her humiliation.

The Mikaelsons were a scary family. Their oldest, Finn, was off at a fancy college up north, but when he bothered to come home, he went around loudly talking about how awful their little town was compared to the big cities back north. Rebekah was in her class and ruined Caroline’s life when she told the whole middle school how all of Caroline’s outfits came from clothes the Mikaelsons had donated to Goodwill. She even posted pics online that proved all of Caroline’s clothes were once worn by Rebekah and her older sister, Freya.

And then there was Klaus. But Caroline really didn’t like to think about him. All those Mikaelsons were what her Grandma Forbes used to call “proof the good Lord sometimes gave with both hands and then gave again with his feet”, but Klaus was...Klaus.

____________________________

Week 4: Historical:

Lord Finn Mikaelson is tired of Niklaus’ disreputable behavior with a common shopgirl. Fortunately, he has a plan to quietly end this embarrassing liaison before things get out of hand.

As Finn passed by a shadowy corner where the club’s members gave wide berth, the disgraced Lord Salvatore drunkenly slurred, “It’s a fool’s errand you’re on about, Mikaelson.”

At his raised brow, the disheveled cretin prodded, “You’re off to see Caroline, eh?” Raking fingers through his greasy dark locks, a peculiar glint of madness seemed to come over him as he warned, “Stay your prideful intentions. It will lead to your ruin.”

“Miss Forbes will lead to my ruin,” Finn scoffed incredulously. “She’s but a coarse little shopgirl whose grasping ambitions have far exceeded her station.”

As he exited the private gentlemen’s club, Lord Salvatore’s final urging lingered in his ear. “This vendetta will become your greatest regret.”

____________________________

Week 6: Crossovers/Fusions:

This is a sequel to Chapters 110 & 157: The Lies We Need in A Beautiful Symmetry. In this Klaroline fusion with Dollhouse, Klaus and Kol are playing unlikely heroes as they work together to save Caroline. But can they set aside their selfishness when her salvation comes at a steep price?

It was quiet on the plane. Too quiet. A tomb would’ve been more welcoming than Kol’s dead-eyed stare and Caroline’s disturbingly blank expression. Klaus downed another scotch, eyeing the sterling ice bucket that was overturned on the marble counter. It had chilled the rare vintage Amara Anchor champagne to a perfect temperature on the trip to Florence, and Caroline had linked his arm in hers as they toasted to new adventures.

After she learned the truth, she’d hurled the ice bucket across the private jet when they brought her back on board.

“Why?” Her voice was little more than a strangled whisper and was muffled by the engines, so it sat there unanswered, polluting the air of the cabin.

The brothers exchanged an uneasy glance, and Klaus finally was brave enough to ask, “Why what, sweetheart?”

#klarolineauseason #klaroline fanfic #uppity bitch fanfic #klaroline #sneak peek

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miyu-writings · 1 year

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Fairy Tail Reread 2023 part 2

It's been hard to sit down and read all of a sudden. Whew. It's quite annoying to want to do this but not having the chance. Sheesh.

Anyways~

Welp, I really am forgetful.

I mean, I like the Galuna Island Arc because it's the first time where we learn about Gray's past. What can I say, Gray's type is right up my alley, trauma included lol.

Moving on to the actual story in this book...

So, Natsu and Lucy are going on their first mission ever. Woot! Natsu behaves like Natsu and gotta love the twisted sense of humour as we're seeing that old saying "to those who love ugly, it looks pretty" - I couldn't think of an English saying that expresses that so, there, literal translation. There's something in the servants that makes me think of Oda's writing (or, drawing?) - the type of gag at least.

Anyway, look, it's a library!! And Natsu gets where he is!!! Wow. Such a difference... I wonder what happened... to make Natsu behave like Natsu here and then later he's a toddler. Seriously, Igneel would cry over how Natsu's being written in 100YQ - good thing he stayed in the canon story and didn't go to the sequel. Or so I hope, I have no clue if he appears once again.

Okay, Natsu finds the book, Daybreak! MC sure is lucky... xD

And then we have the opening for a fight scene. Very tense, very serious, very... Lucy? The way she's entranced in the book cracks me up. And she leaves Natsu HANGING to go read further in a calm corner! I love how shameless she is. But at the same time, seriously? Are you for real, girl???

Good thing that Natsu doesn't seem to mind. He's there to kick ass and that's what he will do. Even though two against one is quite unfair. Natsu was assessing his opponents, also letting them get close enough to hit him, to then give the final punch. No surprises he won.

One thing I quite enjoyed about the worldbuilding in the manga was the trinkets and whatnot, sometimes things that would be so damn useful irl. I wish I had those glasses Lucy wears - I would be finishing a few more books instead of just spending my time reading fanfic. Haha... It also does inspire me to add little artifacts and such while writing - I like to add to the lore lol.

Anyway, we're back to Lucy and the bad guy has caught her. He's such a disgusting dude. Very skeevy, makes my skin crawl and Lucy's too, tbh. Though, well, everyone has their taste at what they like - even lecherous and disgusting people like Count Ebar. YKINMK and all that.

The problem with being a celestial mage though is that if Lucy doesn't have her keys, she's toast. So far, Happy has been coming to her rescue quite a bit. And, is it me or in that mansion, Lucy is the only person with any actual reading comprehension? xD

The actual story of Daybreak is sad. I mean, how it came to be. And then Lucy fights!

How the fuck did Natsu survive the travel with Virgo - we will never know... only shows how super-human he kind of is... ('nuff said for now...)

But the battle was won, the Count was punished (and lost his remaining hair) as well as the book.

Good on Lucy, to give the punchline - you're just a secondary character - she's quite proud of completing her first mission, she's an actual member of Fairy Tail.

Then, we finally get the actual story of the book. Seriously, so much lack of communication and empathy. I mean, as a child who was kind of abandoned by his father, then seeing him chop off his hand, no discernible reason, and after writing such a pitiful book - a shameful book, even! - Kaby really wasn't very forgiving of his father. Going to the extent of really ignoring the words his bedridden father was telling him.

Lucy did great with unlocking the hidden words. Daybreak became Dear Kaby and I like the magic here. All the potential, the wonder and whimsy that is shown to us. How in the end, love does end up speaking louder. I'm a sap so yeah, this is touching.

Natsu waving off the fee - and seeing Lucy basically seeing the jewels gaining wings and flying away from her grasp, that made me laugh a bit.

And here we learn yet another important thing about Lucy. Her goal is to write a novel too, she wants to be a writer. In a way, I totally relate with the cringe of someone irl seeing what I've written.

Hang in there, Lucy! 😂

Next chapter: we're introduced to Erza!

So the chapter begins with Lucy adjusting to life at the guild. All the missions one can choose from are on the mission board and we also get to see a bit more of the background characters.

Mirajane tells Lucy that the Master is away for an important meeting and, just like that, we're given information of what's coming towards us. More of the magical artifacts (this magical pen is just neat!) and that's a small touch I really like. It helped quite a bit with settling the world we're in. Anyway, exposition about how the world is organized - with the guilds and whatnot - and Natsu gives Lucy a fucking scare!

His face cracks me up every time. He's such an asshole. 😂

He wants to team up with Lucy but Gray and Loke scoff at how badly served she would be. And it's back to reinforcing Gray and Natsu's rivalry and Gray's penchant for losing his clothes.

Natsu and Gray fight. Their rivalry was such an important element at the beginning, as well as a comic relief moment. Loke tries to flirt with Lucy but upon realizing she's a celestial mage, he's running away as if the hounds of hell were at his heels. This bit of foreshadowing is well-played, I find. It had happened already but twice is a pattern and it makes one wonder "wtf is wrong with him?" but then he comes back with urgent news.

Erza is back!

The faces of horror will never cease to make me laugh.

Next thing we know, the air in the guild has changed. And we get to meet another very important character.

Erza Scarlett.

Girl, you're insane! 😆 Such a badass.

Most of the members of the guild barely dare to breathe with her there. She definitely imposes respect.

The boys here make me laugh. It is quite a common occurrence in the beginning but throughout the story, their relationship changes and they do become friends. In the meantime, it's hilarious to me seeing how they change completely the moment Erza is mentioned.

Lucy (and us readers) is shocked! Natsu who, so far, has been both assured and goofy - he acts in this very out-of-character way now. And Mira isn't that good at drawing. 😂

Back to business. Erza has something to propose, she needs Gray and Natsu's help. A huge shocker because Erza is pretty much at the top of the guild, powers-wise, so why would she need them?

Mirajane's mumblings surprise Lucy but, well, she might be new but she trusts her elder and if Mira says that could be the strongest team at the guild, then it most certainly might be!

Gray's self-awareness...

(Also, it might be just me but he looks cute here...)

And Natsu is goofy.

At him being topless I just wondered if Gray wasn't being a bad influence already. Also, I realize I didn't remember that scar he has on his neck. Then again, when I visualize Natsu he's wearing the scarf...

Lucy looks cute in Natsu's clothes. Her "I'm so done with you" expression makes me smile a lot. Happy's such a troll.

And for the end of the chapter, we have a small yet ominous introduction to what certainly is the bad guys.

OoOoO

So yeah, here we go for the Lullaby Arc! I feel like I should be listening to the OST, because the music really helps with the whole ambiance.

///\\\

Gotta love how full of themselves both Natsu and Gray are. Of course that the whole rivalry is at play here but Mira sure set Lucy up. However, she was so right in toying with them. Just saying "Erza" and the boys were all buddy-buddy. Very well-done!

Erza sure is an exaggerated person. All that luggage. Sure, she can carry it all but, goodness. There's so. much. stuff!! Mte, Lucy, mte.

Then a small touch at "serious business" with setting up a match, which Natsu is sure to win. Of course...

And then the dichotomy: Natsu all fired up vs Natsu all passed out.

It's a funny gag.

Also Erza is tough and she likes to spread some tough love too. Poor Natsu, no wonder he got K.O. - how does he have the gall to challenge her and say he's going to defeat her when this also happens? Well, he's in a moving train but still.

The trepidation in Lucy's voice while addressing Erza... totally understandable to happen at this point but fun to see how their relationship evolves.

Then we have Gray demonstrate his powers and Lucy has that lightbulb moment as to why they are so at odds. Seriously, that's the foundation of things for me and I'm fine with it, haha.

Now with a passed-out Natsu, Erza gets down to business. She relays what she heard - and it's bad news. A dark guild is never good news, this is what we're learning. More so when they can get their hands on dark spells and use them.

The conversation is so serious that everyone forgets Natsu - even Happy! And the train is moving again so he's kind of defenseless. And we meet the next character.

Ahh, Erza is so tough that punishment is hitting. Why did she ask Lucy for that? I can't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation because on the one hand, there is serious and important stuff happening but at the same time, all the Fairy Tail mages are super weird. Even Erza who looks so serious and straight-laced is so silly!

But back to the serious matters, Kageyama is with a big conversation about legal guilds and illegal ones and the indoctrination seems to have been successful to him. And as Natsu is in such a low shape, he has the chance to kick him and have high airs. But Natsu does fight back, when the train stops. And we get a glimpse at the flute though we do not know its importance at first.

Natsu is crazy. He jumped out of the train because it's better to face death than to stay in that shitty contraption for another second. Lucky for him, his friends are there. And what's better to cushion a fall than your rival/friend's forehead? The bonk noise their heads made was enough to incapacitate a normal human. Fortunately the insanity coursing through both Natsu and Gray's bodies saves them from that fate.

Erza was quite unreasonable though. Natsu was totally out of it and they, idk, left the train while having the conversation - how was Natsu supposed to know he had to apprehend Kageyama? As far as Natsu knew, the dude was just an asshole from a dark guild and while dark mages should be stopped or whatever, he wouldn't have much of a leg to stand on if he started apprehending all the assholes that crossed his path, right? (Lucy noticed it but, rightfully, didn't dare say a thing)

Lucy's bookish knowledge allows her to connect the dots. And that makes our friends have a new goal.

The bad guys are making their move and we now have a better realization of the stakes. It's a race against time!

Everyone is moving towards the most logical place.

The Oshibana Station.

I find that this Erza from the beginning was so awkward and funny. Love how tough she is in her own way of being. I ask you a question and you don't answer? Forehead knock is the answer! xD

Now Lucy understands the respect (yes, we'll call it that) everyone has for Erza even further. So scary. xD

And before nothing, they're facing the bad guys. And learn their actual plan to spread the sound of the Lullaby.

Many fights are about to begin and, as Natsu said, at least now he's in firm land and the terrain is a bit more leveled.

Yet, Eligoal seems to have something more up his sleeve. It doesn't look like it's going to be easy...

And the book ends here.

OoOoOoO

I was going to ramble about the whole Lullaby arc but this book's ramble has taken me two weeks too long to write (RL is a mess rn) and so I'm doing this book by book, apparently? Or, maybe not. I'm just rambling about silliness so yeah.

It's quite noticeable how the characters were still at the early stages, their quirks and whatnot still being defined, the art was kind of charming and the silliness and moments where you just go "wtf?" abounded a bit. It's nice. I'm quite fond of this beginning.

@watcher-ofthe-sky hope your reread is going better than mine. Or at least faster.

Hopefully, will have time to go through the next book sooner. But I can say that rereading this is making me smile and in a way find my love for the characters back again. Super needed that. And a good revision of the characters, as I need to have them present for the wack-ass AUs I'm placing them in. 😅

#ft reread 2023 #fairy tail

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joytraveler · 1 year

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70: Brass Knuckle Boxing

This seems to be a sequel to the strangely gory boxing game Bea played earlier, but this time there are some new additions: you can choose to play a male or female fighter, and there seems to be a store where you can buy upgrades for your fighter!

"Oh I'm picking her! And now we're gonna get some real good spiky torture gloves, if they- oh. Wow they actually do, holy cow. Okay. Sold!"

"I SHOULDN'T be surprised, but.."

Syrupentine: Co-ed boxing?? YES Llord_Kuruku: Sisters are doing it for themselves berd_snurglar: but, but women can't do a sports, they'll get their hair all tangled in their boobs and get the game will get called on account of period Baconnaise: Yeah I flooded the stage at the school play one time Klickitat_Street: Is it bad that this talk really does make me uncomfortable? -_-;

The first opponent on this circuit is "Half Jones". who waves to the crowd while facing Bea's left, but then turns to reveal he's entirely robotic on his right side! And that's a wicked-looking piston he's got instead of a right fist!

Glockroach: Look at this fuckin guy, Bea's here to make sure there's No Jones left after this HNV: Bea, I don't want to tell you how to play the game, but I think his weakness is going to be his left side. Just a hunch.

"Yeah he's pretty smug look- wait wait don't talk at me while I'm trying not to get my knock blocked off!!"

"Looks like someone still has their pitiful human kidney!" PUNCH

Half Jones really doesn't like having his flesh parts punched into his metal parts! Eventually his eye is swollen shut and he can only see with his glowing red optical sensor on the other side, which defends a lot better-- but Bea can tell when he's looking away and that's a cue when to hammer him!

"Good thing I got these gloves or my hands would be almost as mushy as you are, buddy!" When he finally shoots off some sparks and goes down!

Llord_Kuruku: Toasted! HNV: Maybe you should take on Tyson one of these nights after all!

The purse you win for putting down Jones enables Bea to purchase some newly unlocked gear-- some of which are parts she recognizes from Half Jones himself. But the most expensive thing that she can't afford yet in the shop seems to be just a small blue pill!

TaichouSenseiKun: Bea will MegaMan her way to boxing stardom. Then box the stars Baconnaise: Bea, save up for matrix pills

"Nothing actually says what it DOES of course, you have to buy it first.. Oh well, gonna get some shoes for a speed up and we'll keep going, if I make the same amount again, with what's left that should be plenty!"

Glockroach: Bea those are steroids, don't. HNV: I hope those aren't continues or something, that would be a ripoff

The next boxer in line is Sunshine, a friendly-looking freckle-faced hick who wears overalls but no shirt-- and who happens to have a pitchfork instead of a right hand. He even laughs good-naturedly when he accidentally(?) offers the wrong "glove" to touch before the fight.

DueyDecimal: WATCH! THAT! RIGHT!

#jtnuggets #mar 19 #bea #syrupentine #llord kuruku #berd #baconnaise #klickitat street #hnv #taichousenseikun #glockroach #dueydecimal

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dhr-deleted · 2 years

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No more updates till 2023 I hope you all have a good holiday season.

2022 October - Uploaded

accio_jackrabbit Another Form of Relief (7KB - One Shot - NC-17) Draco is feeling conflicted after joining the Order and giving up his father. He and Hermione find a moment of peace together.

aeternamdelecto Fur-Ball Foe (4KB - One Shot - PG-13) Draco makes his displeasure known, Hermione and Blaise distract and redirect, while the source of his displeasure ignores them all.... D/B/Hr

Two Too Many (6KB - One Shot - PG-13) Five years after the war, Hermione, the newly hired number one potions and charms researcher in the premiere research branch of the most successful company in the wizarding world, is trying to get her work done. Trying, because there seem to be two too many somebody's polluting her pristine lab. Will she catch on? Or be caught?

Agent Henry All I Want For Christmas Is You (6KB - One Shot - G) Hermione decides that everyone should write what they want for Christmas but what do they really want?

Draco's Christmas Carol (22KB - 5 Chapters - G) It's Christmas eve, Draco's least favorite holiday but can visits from three ghosts change that?

If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time (6KB - One Shot - G) Sequel to What If? Draco misses Hermione and Blaise tries to get him to talk to her.

Keep Moving (91KB - 19 Chapters - R) Hermione has to get away; she takes the kids and she goes to the last place He would find her and to the last person anyone would expect her to go to.

Keeping Secrets (33KB - Incomplete - R) Sequel to Keep Moving. It's been eleven years since Ron was sent away and life is normal again. But when he escapes, Scorpius feels it's up to him and Albus to stop him. Even if they have to keep secrets from their family to do it.

Love Is Worth It (6KB - One Shot - G) A conversation with Draco Malfoy in the astronomy tower changes Hermione's perspective on love and maybe even changes her life.

Takin' Back My Love (10KB - One Shot - R) It takes a huge fight to find out where they stand with each other.

The Domino Effect (7KB - Incomplete - R) The plan was simple in theory; find a donor, get pregnant, have a baby. But then Fate had to choose that moment to bring one Draco Malfoy back into Hermione Granger's life. And everything slowly seemed to fall into place. Eventually.

The Show Must Go On (7KB - One Shot - PG-13) Draco's thoughts while on his way to the Astronomy Tower.

To Get The Girl (5KB - Incomplete - PG) Sequel to Wagers. Draco and Theo think Blaise can't get a girl and Blaise is determined to prove them wrong. But the girl he wants may not be as easy to get as he thought.

Unable To Stay, Unwilling To Leave (5KB - One Shot - PG-13) Sequel to The Show Must Go On. Draco is being dragged away by Snape and the Death Eaters. But will he go back to Voldemort? Or will he risk it all to stay with Hermione?

Veritaserum (KB - 2 Chapters - PG) Head Boy Draco get whatever and whoever he wants by lying and Head Girl Hermione has had enough. She wants to know how he really feels about her and will do anything to find out. But will she get the answer she wants.

Wagers (16KB - 4 Chapters - PG) Harry, Ron, Blaise and Theo make bets on the lives of Draco and Hermione. Who will win?

What If? (6KB - One Shot - G) Nearly a year after Draco left Hermione she finds her time-turner from third year. What if she could stop him from leaving? What if Draco had never changed? What if...?

Akshaya The Reason (540KB - 36 Chapters - NC-17) Labeled by her peers as the brightest witch of the age, Hermione had no problem in landing a prestigious professor's position at the infamous Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Having recently recovered from a failed relationship, the last thing on her mind was falling in love... Until he entered her life for the second time, and on brand new terms.

Ai Kemi Give and Take (3KB - One Shot - R) He couldn’t get enough of their little game of give and take.

Alice in Muggleland Burnt Toast and Violets (11KB - One Shot - PG-13) Fluffity, fluff, fluff! Was there ever a worse Valentine’s day? Hermione has a fight with Draco, who seems to have saved up for an attack of stinginess on the absolute worse day of the year for frugality. Can this couple be saved?

Draco's Delicate Condition (520KB - 14 Chapters - R) Let's face it - Draco's life is tough. The pressure and expectations from the parental units, a Dark Lord breathing down his back, keeping his grades up when there are babes to check out, and all those inferior enemies to insult and aggravate. What's a budding, young sex god to do? Join a still immature Draco starting his fifth year at Hogwarts. HP and the gang are present mostly as they relate to Draco. Oooo! So break out the Butterbeer, sit back, relax and explore why Draco's Condition is so 'Delicate'. This story is more fun than a barrel of fermented grindylows - but then, what isn't?

Draco's Other Delicate Condition (164KB - Incomplete - R) The war is over – Draco is grown, lives the good life and litters the landscape with his cast off girlfriends. But the memory of one true love beckons and he tries to reclaim the witch he could not shake, forget, or quit rowing with - Hermione. But this is no cauldron cakewalk for Draco; there is a little matter, two of them actually, for him to deal with before the happily-ever-aftering can begin. Worse, Hermione expects him to toe the line. Can Draco win his heart’s desire while keeping his oh-so-essential Slytherin dignity? Is any witch worth that kind of aggravation? This is the sequel to Draco’s Delicate Condition.

A Hogwarts Christmas Carol (21KB - One Shot - PG-13) Come on. Someone had to write this, and I've thrown myself to the task so we can all enjoy a little overly predictable Christmas Cheer featuring Draco 'tightwad' Malfoy. I just love the Dickens out of 'A Christmas Carol', so I have endeavored to bring to the light of day this ghostly little Hogwarts story guaranteed to make dear Charles Dickens to roll over in his grave and someone whose name rhymes with 'J.K. Bowling' get back to work on her novel so we'll stop writing this fan fic stuff and make her richer. So pour yourself a little Ogden's Old Firewhiskey in your eggnog, sit by the fireplace, or an exceedingly large candle, with your favorite house-elf or loved one and enjoy 'A Hogwarts Christmas Carol'.

The Horizontal Air Dance (10KB - One Shot - NC-17) A short romp in which Draco has a creative solution for Hermione’s dread of flying, and er... to be truthful, his solution does not work, but what matters that? His efforts earn him a little nookie and the rest of us, a lovely read. This short fic takes place in an alternate Hogwarts Universe, during of D & H’s 6th year.

Spark (26KB - Incomplete - PG) I put it to you - if Draco and Hermione were destined one day to become lovers, their attraction to each other must have had a start somewhere, and this story tells that tale. You will learn how when they were only stubborn ikle first years, Draco and Hermione formed the beginnings of an understanding. Now mind – there is no hand holding or even any words spoken between the two in this tale but you will observe how Hermione’s curiosity crosses paths with Draco’s closely guarded “talent” and how both of them are somehow linked through a small fuzzy, foul-mouthed magical animal. Yes, I know – I didn’t see that coming either.

Bunney An Artful Game (15KB - One Shot - NC-17) Voldemort has won and Hermione Granger has been claimed by Lucius Malfoy as his lover, but he finds himself enslaved by her desires. One of those desires is his son, Draco.

Rising Son (13KB - One Shot - NC-17) It's Christmas Eve and Lucius has a surprise for Draco.

CharlotteBlack My Brother Blaise (117KB - 15 Chapters - R) A magical virus contracted during Hermione's Healer training reveals a side of her that she never knew existed...

Ixexa Drei Lange Monate (153KB - 18 Chapters - NC-17) Harry argues for Draco’s release at his parole hearing, two years after he was incarcerated. When Draco is released into his care, Ron Weasley promptly arrives at the house to ‘protect’ Harry, and Hermione arrives to try and keep Ron on the straight and narrow. A story of difficult and changing relationships.

Every exit is an entrance somewhere else (122KB - 32 Chapters - NC-17) No summary

Moving Staircases (24KB - One Shot - NC-17) Hermione loses her balance and Draco isn't sure whether to be glad that he caught her.

Stress Relief, or Pass the Salt (22KB - One Shot - NC-17) Why does everyone keep on accusing Hermione of having a crush on Draco Malfoy? He's smug, irritating and he would never like her, anyway, right? Not to mention that annoying stalking habit of his.Sometimes, when you really like someone, you just want to be with them, share your life with them and do everything you can to make them happy. And sometimes, they are annoying ferrets, and you just want to throw something at them and tell them to LEAVE YOU ALONE.

geoblock Irk (330KB - 41 Chapters - R) Eighth-year. Hermione and Draco have been chosen as Head Boy and Girl, a move McGonagall thinks will bring the houses (and Hogwarts) closer together after the Wizarding War. But with both Heads enjoying their new found freedom to be normal teens, who knows what they'll get up to... Dramione and general teen magic mischief.

Janus-Faced (73KB Incomplete - R) Hermione is twenty one, and her life is laid out perfectly. She has the dream job, loving fiancé, and mortgage free apartment, all in a blissful post-war utopia. Yet when she's forced to defend Draco Malfoy in court on a murder charge, she realises that there is more to her school-time nemesis than meets the eye.

The Lead Casket (129KB - Incomplete - R) The Malfoy family is devastated by the war, and Draco struggles to see a future for himself in the ruins. But then he stumbles upon an artefact that gives him the chance to go back and try again, manipulating the events around him to achieve his happy ending. But he doesn't really think through the far-reaching consequences of his actions, and who gets caught in the plot.

Seeking Asylum (25KB - Incomplete - R) After a chaotic sixth year, both sides want Draco Malfoy dead. A group of neutrals draw up a plan to keep the boy safe from the wrath of Voldemort, while hiding his identity from the Order of the Phoenix. So Draco finds himself at Hogwarts once more, relishing the freedom of his new self. And all is well, until a particularly determined Muggle-Born witch decides to investigate...

gushazelgrace (sinmiaki) Adhere (23KB - Incomplete - R) Harry and Ron barely escaped with their lives when snatchers brought them to Malfoy Manor, with Hermione's selfless sacrifice, they went on to find the remaining Horcuxes. Voldemort understanding that Harry Potter's mudblood friend was the brains of their group saw the potential of the girl as a bargaining tool and gave her to Draco to tame.

Collared (23KB - Incomplete - R) A few years after the dark has won against the light. Hermione is a slave in her own home. First chapter reposted.

jmalfoy Cater To You (11KB - One Shot - R) Draco wants to cater to his wife's every whim, but in the end finds out that he doesn't have to. Fluffy

Climbing The Walls (46KB - 3 Chapters - PG-13) Hermione's depression after a failed relationship takes a drastic turn when Draco Malfoy decides to interfere.

Eternity With You (199KB - Incomplete - R) After a brush with death, Draco binds himself to Hermione for the rest of their lives. Will Draco and Hermione find a way to protect their most precious treasure? What does his mother have to do with anything?

I Can't Hate You Anymore (292KB - 22 Chapters - R) Being forced to marry a man you hate is not as bad as loving him after he destroyed your life. After years of heartache, will Draco and Hermione ever find true happiness?

Make Me Forget His Name (263KB - 23 Chapters - R) Tired of her husband being unfaithful, Hermione turns to the arms of the least likely person… her one time enemy and her husband's best friend. Sometimes remembering the person who has loved you most is the hardest thing to do.

The Heart Behind Those Eyes (19KB - One Shot - R) Hermione reminices about the short time she was able to see the real Draco before his death.

The Man Behind Those Eyes (122KB - Incomplete - R) Sequel to 'The Heart Behind Those Eyes.' Five years after his supposed death, Draco returns to Hermione's life with a new name and face and meets a son he hardly knows. Will Hermione ever learn to love the man behind the façade?

Vanilla Orchids (17KB - One Shot - PG-13) Draco and Hermione had a huge row that resulted in their break-up. Now the whole school holds their breath every time these two explosive people come within feet of each other. Can their relationship survive doubt, distrust and fear?

Without You (15KB - One Shot - R) Bitter, angry, and cold after tragedy strikes her, what will it take for Hermione to see that her happiness is right in front of her?

LifesPassion (MarissaWalkerWriter) Dreams and Love Scenes (15KB - 3 Chapters - R) A collection of Dramione one shots ranging from fluffy and lemons to the explicit and detailed. They are meant to stand on their own but can also act as a supplemental text to "Left Behind" Warning: contains smut, explicit sex and unabashed Dramione Love.

OphiliaLane Designs Of Our Makers (77KB - Incomplete - NC-17) Lord Voldemort has been in power since his murders of the entire Potter family. His rule started brutal and grotesque, but now, 25 years later, the Wizarding World, as a majority, has learned to live under the new reign. Well... for the most part. While the Dark Lord continues to design, The Order and other rebellions see hope on the horizon and are willing to create and use whatever they have to end the classism and darkness.

perennial i feel alive when i'm with you, baby (15KB - One Shot - PG-13) Draco wants to find a way to bring himself back to life. The other ghosts want to be named England’s scariest haunted house. And Hermione just wants to sell the place.

medicine (25KB - One Shot - PG-13) Slowly, steadily, Draco becomes part of the cement of their group; so much so that his presence among them is expected instead of requested, and they all modify their wards to grant him access, and Harry's kids include him in their drawings. Hermione feels like she's watching someone come to life.

untell me you love me (16KB - One Shot - G) The sea wind whips his hair into his eyes. He stands in front of her, gripping the crate, staring in shock. She has forgotten the docks, forgotten her companions, forgotten everything around her. Her heart is pounding at double speed. Him. She opens her mouth— He turns away, striding down the dock without a backward glance.

you were sorta punk rock, i grew up on hip hop (26KB - One Shot - PG-13) but you fit me better than my favorite sweater -- The lindworm shedding a skin was akin to watching a cicada crack open its husk and step out, though the thick shell he left behind collapsed somewhat, like a hot air balloon still holding air but without hot flames keeping it taut. "Ta-da," he said. The disappointment was hope-crushing. He was less black underneath, more streaks of brilliant new iridescent green, but the shape and size of him didn't look any different. Hermione breathed through her panic. After this she only had nine dresses left.

WaitTilMyFatherHearsAboutThis (BuckMeBarnes) After the Battle (109KB - Incomplete - R) The Battle of Hogwarts is over. Not ten minutes ago, Harry Potter defeated Tom Riddle once and for all. As the initial cheering and celebrating dies down, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger look at each other from opposite ends of the Great Hall and visibly sag with relief. He's alive.. She survived..

Amor (67KB - Incomplete - R) When his father was sent to prison and his rival, Draco Malfoy, became a Death Eater over him, Theodore Nott was angry. He was so angry, in fact, that he set out to ruin not only Draco, but the entire Malfoy family. Little did he know that Hermione Granger would turn out to be the perfect bait.

#updates: uploaded

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wri0thesley · 3 years

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I'd love to request more Naoya smut with him and a now pregnant!reader from that breeding fic because him busting a nut thinking about how good they'll look knocked up really made me feel some type of way!!! maybe reader-chan will even finally get a smooch from this HORRIBLE man. If you are not into doing continuations on requests no worries tho and thank you for your incredible writing as always, Nat!

reader can have a little smooch. as a treat. don’t let naoya hear you say he’s not a good husband <3

Expecting - Naoya x Fem!Reader (3.3k)

Both of you got what you wanted. Naoya got more than he bargained for. sequel to covet.

warnings: not sfw, minors dni! afab reader, fem pronouns. pregnancy sex, light lactation, misogyny, power imbalance, breeding kink, mentions of alcohol, naoya perhaps having some Feelings???.

[comments/reblogs are much appreciated! // my jjk masterlist]

Naoya catches you every so often for the next month and you easily roll onto your back for him, helpless under the brush of his fingers and the snap of his hips. He smirks at you when he passes you in the corridor, but you have nothing to show for all of the times you’ve warmed his bed – yet.

When you do, though – when a month and a half passes, and you are beginning to feel sick in a morning, and your monthly bleed has still not made itself known – you go to Naoya with deference in your eye. Once a servant, always a servant – and you are not stupid. You know that what you carry inside you is a bargaining chip.

Naoya wants someone who will submit, and you want an end to the life of drudgery and roughened hands and back-breaking work, of being ignored or reviled or mocked for having the misfortune to not be born with Zenin as a surname. Naoya takes you to a private, discreet physician with an iron grip on your arm and his light eyes sharp.

It’s amazing, how quickly a man like Naoya Zenin can set things in motion – when it’s not simply confirmed that you’re carrying his child, but that you’re carrying his son. His heir.

It’s so easy for him.

Suddenly you are no longer a maid, but Naoya’s betrothed – and though the other members of the household look at you in disgust, knowing that you spread your legs for the title, none of them dare risk Naoya’s ire by being outright rude to you. He and his family spin it like silk; not that Naoya took advantage of a servant, but that you have been part of some grand, beautiful Cinderella story – that Naoya is in love with you.

(It’s probably for the better that the Zenins prefer servants who can see cursed spirits, at the very least – if you had not had any kind of talent for jujutsu, who knows what would have happened to you? Naoya would not have risked his son being born utterly ordinary).

And then you are Naoya’s wife. It wouldn’t do, of course, for the future head of the family to have his heir and son born out of wedlock, even if society have progressed enough that you falling pregnant with said son was before the betrothal. The latter is a disgrace; the former is a laugh over a cup of sake in the dark, a toast to Naoya’s virility, a wink-wink-nudge-nudge at how lucky Naoya is to have found someone who gives themselves up so utterly and completely and easily, including their virtue--

You know that Naoya is not in love with you. You are fairly certain that the only thing Naoya loves is his name, and the power imbued therein. Still. You share a bed with him, and you’re given silken kimonos and pretty hair ornaments and anything that you ask for, and you are . . .

Respected is not quite the right word. Not for a woman who is Naoya’s. Certainly, he does not respect you.

But you are not reviled, not ignored, not beholden to the demands of your betters. Now, you are one of the betters, and if your fellow servants are frustrated that they have to bow to you in deference, they do not dare show it knowing that if you asked Naoya, he would have them punished for the transgression.

You had perhaps thought that once you were bearing his child, Naoya would lose interest in you. You know as well as anyone that nobody would bat an eyelid at Naoya seeking his pleasure somewhere else; it’s almost expected of him to have a mistress, a concubine, to go and sow his wild oats just in case the one he has placed inside of you does not yield the crop expected--

But he doesn’t.

Naoya hates you out of his sight. He is always touching you; hands sliding over your hips, cupping where your bump has become soft and round and pronounced, snapping servants to attention if he thinks you look tired or wan or pale. You accompany him almost everywhere. He looks up from speaking to his father to seek you out, as if to reassure himself that you are still there – and some tension in his shoulders seems to drain away.

He is still Naoya, of course.

You are still swiftly reprimanded by him if you speak out of turn, he still gets servants to do anything for you so he doesn’t have to do it himself, you still walk three steps behind him with your head bowed unless he bids you to do something else – but as time goes on, and your hips widen and your stomach grows and you feel the baby kick, something in him softens.

And something else hardens.

His desire on your flesh, on your form, does not wane. You grow used to the feeling of tangled silken bedsheets below you, of Naoya’s handsome face above you, of the groan and the whine as he spills himself inside of you for the third time that night. And you would be lying if you said you didn’t like it.

That initial thrill, of being wanted by someone like Naoya, doesn’t fade at all, even though you too are now bowed to in the corridors and the people below you have to jump at your command. And Naoya is not cruel for no reason. Despite the arrogance in his tone, the condescension that drips off of his slow, drawling words, the particular way he has of raising one eyebrow and letting his gaze crawl over you – you have come to enjoy being his.

You did not want equality, after all. You knew your place.

You just wanted better – and Naoya has provided you that in spades.

He’s got his arms spread out over the pillows, his shoulders strong, his eyes hungry as he watches you strip off the kimono you have been wearing today. Your wardrobe now is the height of luxury; all beautiful embroidery, delicate colours, fabrics that cost more than your former monthly salary. Kimono are not made to cling to your body; though people can tell that you are pregnant, it does not over-emphasise your hips or the newly swollen, heavy breast, or the curve of your stomach. Those are things that Naoya never tires of seeing, as the fabric pools around your ankles and the hadajuban is discarded and so are your underwear, and you stand before him utterly bare and unmistakably carrying his child.

“Stay there,” he says, “let me look at you.”

You are a good, well-trained, obedient thing. You stand there as Naoya’s gaze roves over you, straying over and over again to where your hips have filled out even more, where your stomach is curved – where your breasts have begun to droop a little from how heavy and swollen with milk they are. He sighs as he looks you over, and it is the sigh of a man who is indeed very pleased with his work.

“You can move,” he says. He moves the covers off of him, and you are not surprised to see that he is bare; that his cock is already stirring, heavy and thick between his thighs. “Come.” He crooks a finger at you, and you are grateful to be able to move, to take the weight off your ankles as you’re permitted to sit on the bed beside him. His arms wrap around you – they are strong, and certain, and he holds you like you are his property.

Which you suppose you are. Your head lolls back onto his shoulder and he makes a soft huff of amusement, but doesn’t say anything about how brazen you are. You are permitted some special favours, now that you are Naoya’s, and now that you are fulfilling your purpose so beautifully.

Naoya’s lips brush your ear, his tongue lapping at the curve of your neck, the joint between throat and shoulder. You sigh prettily, the warmth of his mouth on you making you shiver. One of his hands curls around your breast, enjoying the heavy weight of you in his hand. Thumb and forefinger gently pinch your nipple.

He was rough with you the first time, but now he treats you like porcelain – and the idea that you are precious to Naoya Zenin sets your stomach aflame, makes your breath stick in your throat. He tugs at it softly, coaxing you to sigh, a drop of liquid leaking from the sensitive nub as you squirm backwards into his lap. His tone is lightly warning as he says;

“Come on, be good. It’s a good sign, sweetheart.”

He calls you sweetheart in front of other people and the ones who have bought this rags-to-riches Cinderella story exchange looks that say ‘isn’t she lucky?’. You hear the light edge in it, the smirk, the loftiness – but it always seems to break into something that’s almost fond, when he’s inside you and touching you and his teeth bite into your neck.

“Just that your body is doing what it’s supposed to do,” your other nipple is subjected to the same treatment, and you feel Naoya’s breath hitch, his cock stir behind you and dig into the small of your back. “I think the moment he’s in his nursery I’m going to fuck another son into you, dearest.”

“Mm?” You say, a little breathless as his hand goes lower. He sweeps his palm over the curve of your stomach, pausing where the skin is tight and swollen. His cock twitches once more at the reminder of how utterly his you are, and how wonderfully you are doing your purpose. How lucky he is, to have found someone submissive and well-trained and obedient and sweet, who looks so luscious full of him.

You drive him to distraction even when you don’t realise he’s looking at you.

“Thighs apart,” he grunts, into your ear, and you comply with the docile nature of someone raised to serve. He loves that about you. Loves, too, when he dips his fingers between your legs and your slick coats his digits, a soft whine catching in the back of your throat as he circles your clit and little shocks spark all through you, making you almost clamp your thighs back around his hand.

You do not, though. You are well-behaved. And you and Naoya have played this game enough times that you know that this is leading to relief for both of you.

One of his long fingers slides inside of you and you widen your thighs more, your soft whimper breaking and pitching – it’s such a servile, sweet little noise that Naoya cannot help but crook his finger, let it rub against the textured spot on your inner walls that has you clenching and gasping.

Since your pregnancy, you have become so sensitive. Naoya is the kind of man who hates working to pleasure a woman – who considers your orgasm a choice, and his a foregone conclusion. But with you swollen and full with his seed, he is slow and indulgent – and it is so easy, now that a brush of his palm makes you shiver and a tug of his teeth on your earlobe makes you gasp.

The finger is pulled out of you, and Naoya raises it to your lips, hooking his finger inside so you open your mouth and let him press your own slick onto your tongue.

Your tongue gently suckling at his finger reminds him of the insistent pounding of need inside of him; the stiff cock, leaking pre-come. He’d gotten so distracted touching you and enjoying you he’d almost forgotten about his own pleasure, and he sighs as he props himself up on pillows and reaches for you.

“Get comfortable,” he tells you.

His preference is to have you beneath him; that, he thinks, is his wife’s proper place. But it has begun to be difficult, with your stomach so distended – and he is nothing, he thinks to himself with more than a touch of smugness, if not an indulgent provider. A good husband.

(That’s what he thinks, anyway. You are not hurt. You get pretty things, and him in your bed, and the estate’s servants at your beck and call, an expensive wedding ring on your finger and the honour of his name affixed to yours, and his seed taking root inside of you. What else could you ask of him?)

So you are permitted to spread your knees, to climb on top of him – to gently sink your tight, wet, heat about his cock and seat yourself comfortably on the muscle of his thighs and the flat planes of his stomach.

“If you had my view,” he says, teasingly. “Mm, you were really made as breeding stock, weren’t you?” The words make heat rush to your face as he cups your hips in his hand again, squeezing the new covering of plush flesh that you’ve acquired since your pregnancy. “My wife.”

The words send a quiet thrill through you. You sigh as he bottoms out, as your body meets his entirely; your hands splaying on his shoulders. He is not flat against the bed – that position is too weak, not fitting for a man of his stature. But he is propped up with pillows behind him, so that he can admire how you look as your teeth bite into your plump bottom lip and you lift yourself just a little off his straining cock, before letting yourself fall back down.

He lets you set the pace. If you are to be permitted to ride him, he thinks, you may as well be the one doing all of the work. Part of him, too, is afraid of touching you too much – of hurting you, when you have something so precious inside of you. He would not admit that to himself – that’s not a thought process befitting of someone of his stature. But . . . it nibbles at the corners of his consciousness.

He cares about you. He does not want to hurt you. He does not want you to be uncomfortable – not when you are doing such a good job, when you are so lovely for him, when he is so grateful to have found you--

It’s no more than I deserve, he reminds himself.

And to brush back thoughts that are not proper for his elevation station in life, he lets himself watch the bounce of your breasts. Lets his fingers dig into the even softer, rounder thighs. Enjoys the sight of your mound bouncing on his cock, the feel of your slick walls clinging to his cock.

You are so beautiful, swollen with his child.

It is the first time he has ever looked at a woman and saw power in them. There is, he thinks, a power in what you have – in the glow about your skin, the brightness of your eyes, the curves and roundness and soft, supple flesh. The thought almost frightens him – but then, you push up again and your eyes meet his own for just a moment and he remembers that you are swollen with his child and have the power of him inside of you, and it becomes comforting.

Without him, you’d be nothing.

So he watches you with hungry eyes as you move your hips on his cock; as his length sinks inside of you, as you angle yourself just so – so that every stroke of your hips makes his cock rub against the place inside you that earlier had you seeing stars. Your breath is getting faster and faster, your fingers on his shoulders flexing as the tight string of your release is wound inexorably closer and closer.

Naoya allows himself a groan; a light thrust of his hips, in time with your own. The chase of your warm, tight walls as you try and pull away. He lets his gaze wander to how his cock is coated in your slick, all wet and shining in the light of the bedroom – and he is once more reassured. This is his. You are his. This wetness, this need – this is all for him. The way your body has changed is because of him.

His own release is creeping up on him.

Today, though, he decides he will be merciful – he reaches forward , curving his fingers just so, so that he can toy with your clit as you continue to fuck him. He rolls the bud with the pad of his fingers (soft; he wields just one weapon, and most people do not get to see it. Most of his harder work is done with his technique, and you have seen him apply expensive hand cream to keep himself handsome), knowing your body as well as he knows his own.

He prides himself on that, and you have spent enough nights in his bed that it is second nature to him. Women are predictable, he thinks, smirk on his face as your channel clenches around his hard cock and you come, whimpering out his name--

(In bed, he prefers Naoya-sama, and you are a good wife. Your tone is servile, soft, obedient – and in return, Naoya is almost sweet to you.)

He thrusts his hips roughly up into you, chasing his own release as your body spasms and trembles about him. You are still so tight; so hot and taut where the aftershocks are making you tremble. It’s the sight of your body, quivering under your release, that does it in the end.

Your hips and stomach and breasts and thighs, all rounded with the miracle of bearing life. All softened and plump; meek and pliant, a perfect little wife. His perfect little wife.

As he feels the tension inside of him snap, one of his hands winds about the back of your neck, pulling you closer.

Naoya’s grunt of pleasure is lost in the kiss, his mouth against yours hard and hungry. He is not willing to give up his dominance even here – but . . .

He has not kissed you so intimately before.

He has always avoided your mouth, preferring his lips on your chest or neck – turning your face away if it had seemed you might go for his mouth (later on, he had not bothered – he knows you well enough now to know that you would not dare.)

He tastes like wine. Like fancy, expensive sweets; the kind that you could have never afforded before you were his, but he has had at his disposal for his whole life. Like a cross between freedom and a prison--

He groans as he fills you up; his cock twitching, shooting out thick ropes of his come to land thick and heavy in your insides. Your whimper at the sensation is lost in his mouth, but Naoya fails to miss it – the fingers around the nape of your neck stroke through your hair, almost comforting, as he pulls back from you.

His lips are shiny, full and pretty. The grin that he gives you is crooked – and though you know it should not, though you know you should hate him for being arrogant and cruel and considering you lesser than him, the grin sends a rush of affection all through you.

If you were sentimental, you would say that the affection is mirrored in his own pale eyes.

(Naoya is glad you are not; you cannot see, beneath the triumph that you are claimed and carrying his heir and the hunger for your body and the pleasure that you are exactly the kind of wife that he wanted, that perhaps he does care about you.)

“My little wife,” he says, and he brushes his thumb over your cheek, hot with the rush of blood. “You’re so good for me.”

And you’ll carry on being so.

You’re so lovely when you’re expecting.

#naoya x reader #naoya zenin x reader #naoya x you #naoya smut #jjk x reader #naoya zenin smut #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen smut #not sfw #afab reader #fem pronouns #pregnancy for ts #breeding kink for ts #misogyny for ts #Anonymous

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