#elle means well i promise

[ralvezfanatic]

Y/N: I need someone to take me out already

Derek: Like on a date or with a sniper?

Y/N: Either works but at this point I rather a sniper

Hotch: Do I need to have you evaluated?

Elle, texting Penelope to ask how much a hitman costs:

Spencer, texting Penelope to ask her for tips on how to ask you out:

Penelope, very confused at the two types of text she got: ???

#elle means well i promise #spencer probably wouldn't text #i just thought of this #well not just now #when i was about to sleep #very random post #criminal minds imagine #criminal minds incorrect quotes #criminal minds x reader #criminal minds #criminal minds x male reader #bau x reader #bau x male reader #derek morgan #aaron hotchner #elle greenaway #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid x male reader #elle greenaway x reader #elle greenaway x male reader #those are there #if you squint #i promise

[softspiderling]

elle’s archive

-ˏˋ. stiles stilinski ˊˎ-

we always find a way (to make it out alive) ➵ beacon hills holds a lot of bad memories for you. you’re still not sure how you let yourself be persuaded to go back.

-ˏˋ. derek hale ˊˎ-

but I need your lips on mine ➵ derek hale is a mystery you have yet to solve

How You Get The Girl ➵ it’s been six months since Derek stopped replying to your texts, so why was he suddenly standing in front of your door?

-ˏˋ. jake "hangman" seresin ˊˎ-

જ⁀➴ drabbles

how you first met (and how you became more)

you’re dating (but no one knows)

you’re married (but in secret)

you pick him up from the airport

જ⁀➴fics

songs about girls (like you) ➵ Jake has finally returned from his mission.

how do you love somebody else? ➵ the one where you and Jake are exes.

get like me ➵ the one where you defend Jake’s honor.

five kisses ➵ five kisses with Jake

never knew (that I could fall so hard) ➵ You and Jake are friends. Just friends

── ࣪˖ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ── wingman's best friend universe ── ࣪˖ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ──

all the fics below are part of the same universe, but can be read as stand-alone fics!

hooked from hour one ➵ the one where you share a mutual friend, but are unaware of it

baby, you down? ➵ your best friend is a naval aviator, but apparently so is the guy you’ve been dating? Yeah, funny how life works.

cruel existence ➵ you get hurt at work and Jake spirals

-ˏˋ. bradley "rooster" bradshaw ˊˎ-

જ⁀➴ drabbles

you're married (but in secret)

જ⁀➴fics

summer days (drifting away) ➵ Bradley bumped into you at the beach and then just keeps doing it

speak now (or forever hold your peace) ➵ it’s supposed to be the happiest day of your life.

cross my heart (hope to die) ➵ it’s easy to fall in love with Rooster. It’s a bit harder to be in love with him.

-ˏˋ. natasha "phoenix" trace ˊˎ-

you're married but in secret

-ˏˋ. pete "maverick" mitchell ˊˎ-

he likes you (but in an annoying way)

do you believe in love at first sight (or should I walk by again) ➵ the one where you keep running into Maverick.

-ˏˋ. tom holland ˊˎ-

you mocha me crazy ➵ an encounter at a coffee shop leaves you with more than a cup full of coffee

summer days ➵ it’s just one of those rare summer mornings. They were Tom’s favorite

five signs you’re too close to your boss ➵ you liked being the personal assistant of the CEO of Holland Enterprises. But sometimes you wondered if you were too close to your boss.

dance your worries away ➵ when you signed up for a beginners ballroom dancing class with your boyfriend, you hadn’t expected to be standing without a dancing partner. But then again, life has a funny way of working out

things you left unsaid ➵ having casual sex with Tom despite having feelings for him? What could go wrong?

put in love and don’t give up ➵ honestly, you never pegged Tom for the kind of guy that ghosts people, but here you are. Ghosted.

will you find me (afterlife) ➵ the five stages of grief start with denial and it didn’t seem like Tom was going leave that stage anytime soon.

honest feelings and bad timing | Teaser | One | Two ➵ It’s always been you, Tom and Harrison. A package deal. But sometimes things change.

swanky fortune ➵ when you clicked the ‘donate’ button on the GoFundMe page, you never would have expected to actually win. But are you going to take advantage of the opportunity or will you embarrass yourself in front of your celebrity crush?

of broken promises and heartbreak ➵ It’s been six years since you and Tom broke up, six years since you’ve last seen each other. A lot has happened, Tom got insanely famous, making countless billion dollar movies, attending one red-carpet event after the other. But now he was attending one event, he wasn’t sure he was ready for. Your wedding. And he wasn’t attending as your groom.

-ˏˋ. peter parker ˊˎ-

need a ride? ➵ just because you were at a country club, doesn’t mean you had to behave well

Talk To A Stranger! ➵ you liked talking to strangers. Well, when it’s not in real life, that is.

no air ➵ Short breath, panic flooding through the veins, sweat trickling down the sides. Peter knew the symptoms of a panic attack just all too well after a fight with a certain villain from space. Didn’t mean he knew how to prevent them, though. Luckily, you were by his side to help.

heavy burden ➵ you liked to live your life like you want it, but there was always someone who stood in the way of that. Always.

#stiles stilinski #derek hale #jake seresin #bradley bradshaw #tom holland #peter parker #hangman x reader #jake seresin x reader #bradley bradshaw x reader #rooster x reader #stiles x reader #derek hale x reader #tom holland fanfiction #tom holland x reader

[spencest]

FIRST... DATE?

pair: Spencer Reid x fem!YN Hotchner

synopsis: Gideon gives Spencer tickets to a Bruins game, with the excuse of inviting Y/N. However, things don´t go as they both planned after he asks his friends for advice.

warnings: none, just fluff, corny, and awkward Spencer

inspired by: S1 E4: “Plain Sight”

words: 2,2k

A/N: Sorry, this is really bad. This is the first one, i promise the rest will be better. Take it as an introduction to the story

Y/N'S POV

it had been one of those cases that left you thinking for a few hours, so i decided to settle into my seat on the jet, trying to find something that could distract me. It was then that my gaze went to Spencer, who as always was playing chess with Gideon.

i couldn't help but feel bad for him, his birthday had been interrupted by a case, and one of those that left you with the worst feelings. He didn't even complain when he had the chance, i just saw his joy fade when my dad interrupted the little celebration we had prepared for him.

i wanted to continue with the celebration that Morgan, Elle, JJ and i had prepared for him, but i know that my friends were too tired and that he would probably refuse this time.

i let out a sigh, remembering the way he smiled when he saw the cake, or the way he kept trying to beat the infinite candles despite explaining him why it wouldn't work.

my chest felt warm when that happened. Spencer has a comforting smile, the kind you would love to see over and over again, because he will always give you that nice feeling.

you would know he was a sweet, innocent soul just by seeing him smile.

a clearing of the throat brought me out of my thoughts, it was coming from my side so i turned my head to see who was calling my attention.

it was Spencer.

- hey, uhm... Gideon just gave me some tickets to go see the Bruins tomorrow, and i found out that you really like them... - After saying that there was silence, i looked at him for a few seconds, waiting to see if he would say anything else.

- uh yeah, actually i love them, why?

- well, i wanted to know if you... uh.... wanna go with me to watch the game - i saw him playing with his hands and looking towards Gideon's seat.

i felt my cheeks heat up, was he inviting me to a Bruins game? me?

i cleared my throat, trying not to make my nervousness so obvious.

- sure, i'd love that, Spence

i saw his cheeks turn red in the same way, which made me feel a little more confident.

after that we stayed talking for a few minutes, agreeing on a time to see each other before the game and once ready, Spencer sat down with Gideon again, but not before turning to look at me before sitting down.

JJ suddenly appeared next to me, smiling.

- so, a date with Reid? - She murmured as she sat next to me.

i hit her with my elbow, embarrassed again.

it's not a date, it's just hanging out as friends.

once i got to my apartment i started to prepare dinner. After dinner i usually call my mom to talk to her about my day and keep in good contact.

she's my best friend, the only person in the world i would tell everything to. Even if it means having my dad listen to some of the conversations from time to time, especially now that my little brother Jack has born, since he usually comes into the room he shares with her, telling her that Jack misses his mother, and then he just didn't come out again.

however, the ringtone on my phone alerted me while i was cooking, so i quickly took it out of my pocket.

INCOMING CALL

mama

- hi? - i asked her, fearing that something had happened.

- when were you going to tell me? - she asked me, with a very serious tone of voice, so much so that she scared me.

what did i do?

- what are you talking about, mom? - The nervousness was clear

- about your date with Spencer!

wait... what?

- how...? - Then something clicked in my head. - was it dad?

- it doesn't matter! why hadn't you told me?

- i was just getting home! you know i always call you after dinner. - I tried to defend myself, but i heard her snort on the other side of the line.

- this is more important than routine! it's your first date since you broke up with...

- it's not a date. - i let out a sigh.

- your dad said it's a date.

- don't believe him anything!

- what are you gonna wear?

- i don't know, he'll take me to watch the Bruins game...

i heard her scream, which made my eyes widen.

- is he going to take you to watch the Bruins game? Y/N, honey, that's a date.

- but…

she interrupted me and started giving me advice for “the date.”

my noodles were forgotten when i heard her enter the non-verbal language tips.

- hey, Spence. - i greeted him, watching him quickly get out of his car to get to the passenger side and open the door for me. - Thank you

after getting in and closing the door, i hurriedly put on the seat belt while he returned to his place.

- hi Y/N, you look... g-good - i heard him stutter.

my clothes were pretty casual. I decided to ignore much of the advice i received the night before, choosing to be myself.

this is what i would wear to watch the Bruins, but a little prettier.

- thanks, Spence. You look good too.

he looked quite formal, but still casual. It wasn't exactly the same outfit i would see him in on a day at work.

i have to admit, it looks more than just “good.”

his cheeks reddened as he began to drive. A somewhat uncomfortable silence settled in the atmosphere.

- is this your first time watching the Bruins?

- do you wanna eat something?

we both asked at the same time, so we looked at each other a little surprised, and then started laughing.

- for me it would be nice to eat something before going. -I decided to answer his question, still laughing a little.

- cool, i actually know a place near where we should go

he started to tell me a little about that eating place, but i noticed that he sometimes stopped himself when he felt like he was talking too much, so i tried to ask more. I want him to feel comfortable today. I want him to be himself.

when we arrived he asked me not to get out of the car, and instead he got out, walking around the front until he reached my door, which he opened for me.

after unbuckling my seat belt i got off and we both started walking inside the place.

calm music played in the background, and the atmosphere was cozy. I saw some families eating quietly at some of the tables. The conversations were not so loud, there was no smell of food, the colors were pleasing to the eye.

it was the perfect place to go to eat, so i turned to see Spencer, smiling at him and thanking him with my eyes for that.

we quickly found a table and went to sit down. The silence is more comfortable now, but i still feel like Reid was avoiding talking and that was getting me a little upset.

- is everything okay, Spence? -His eyes widened, he seemed surprised, almost scared by the question.

- yeah, why do you ask?

- for no reason, don't worry. - I smiled at him again, trying to convey confidence. - And tell me, is this your first time watching the Bruins?

- oh, n-no, no. I had already gone before. - He was quick to respond.

that surprised me. He doesn't seem like the type of person who is passionate about hockey. It almost sounded like a lie

- really? what other game have you gone to? - I rested my elbows on the table, getting a little closer to him.

- well... - He closed his eyes for a moment, as if he were trying to remember. - i went to see the one a few days ago against Pittsburgh

before i could ask anything else, a waiter came to us with two menus in his hands.

- hi, sorry to interrupt you, here's the menu. In a few minutes i'll come back. - We both nodded, watching him leave.

during our stay at the place i decided not to ask him any more questions about hockey, focusing on knowing a little more about his personal life, about the things he does outside of the BAU. I discovered his passion for certain writers, and i even tried to convince him to read some novels, arguing the entertainment it would bring to his life.

he seemed more relaxed at that moment, his shoulders no longer looked tense and he no longer stuttered. He was being him for a moment and that really made me happy.

once we finished eating he offered to pay, being faster than me and paying before i could even say anything to him.

the game had already started, it had been 10 minutes since it had started and Spencer didn't say a word. He was attentive watching the game.

normally someone would think that he was just enjoying the game, but from the corner of my eye i could see him moving in his spot and playing with his hands constantly. That distracted me, so i couldn't really focus too much on the game the Boston Bruins and the Florida Panthers were playing.

- Spence, are you okay? - He was startled when i called him

- Yeah! Why? I don't look good? - He stammered again

- Spence, do you really like hockey? -I saw him bite the inside of his cheek, still playing with his hands, so i decided to take one of his hands when i noticed that he was distracted by his thoughts.

- Not really, i mean, i'd never been interested in hockey before, but Gideon gave me the tickets and…- His voice was getting faster, so i gently squeezed his hand, making him stop. - Sorry, i shouldn't be talking so much either.

- What are you talking about? Spence, it's okay if you don't like this, we can leave and do something else if you want. -I offered him, but he started to shake his head, telling me no.

- No! Well i... actually i wanted to learn so i could understand it and that you wouldn't be the only one who know about this but... uh, when i had everything ready they told me to try not to give so many data or statistics and to be more of a gentleman, but they don't understand that if If they take away my statistics, things get a little more complicated and i... - He started talking faster again, so i squeezed his hand again.

- Spence, who told you that?

For a moment i saw him hesitate

- Well... Morgan... JJ... Elle...

i let out a sigh, relaxing my shoulders, which i didn't even notice were tense.

- Spence, i don't want you to stop giving me your data and statistics, even if that means you´ll tell me all the time. That's fine with me, i love it when you do it.

his cheeks turned red again.

- Really? I know it can be suffocating and i don't know when to stop...

- Really, you can tell me whatever you want, i just want you to be you, relax and do what you really want to do. So, do you wanna keep watching the game or should we leave?

- I wanna continue watching it, the truth is it's quite entertaining to analyze the possible plays, plus the Bruins are playing better, so i can't take this opportunity away from you.

i smiled at his words. That's when we were finally able to concentrate. Spencer talked to me the entire game about different tactics they could use, or why the other team was losing.

and yes, we earned bad looks from those near to us.

and yeah, maybe i still don't know if this was a date or just hanging out as friends.

but i know that i have a beautiful experience to tell mom that same night, and three people to hit when i see them.

Spencer is a lovely person, and getting to know him better helped me see that comforting smile again. Even at the end of our date / not / date he hugged me for a few seconds. For a moment I feared that he might feel my strong, rapid heartbeat against his chest, but if he did then he didn't show it, and that's something I was grateful for.

Spencer, what exactly are we doing?

#spencer reid x reader #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid angst #spencer reid smut #spencer reid #criminal minds fluff #criminal minds smut #criminal minds #spencer reid x y/n #spencer reid x you

[elliesmainhoe]

New Year's Day

Ellie Williams x Fem! Reader

summary: you and Ellie host your first ever New years Eve party, and as you both clean up the mess your friends had left in their wake.

Content Warnings: alcohol?, nothing really just fluff tbh.

(based on 'new years day' by Taylor Swift)

there's glitter on the floor after the party.

as your eyes flickered open, the smell of alcohol and cheap perfume immediately hitting you, immediately feeling regret of offering up yours an Ellie's shared apartment to host your friends annual New Year's Eve party.

"g'mornin' pretty girl" a rough voice rasped out, the feeling of your girlfriends hands brushing through your hair as you both slowly awoke from your slumber on the leather couch.

the sight of Ellie was amusing for sure. hair tussled and frizzy, your lipstick mark on her cheek and glitter speckled around her face from the cheesy sparkly 2024 glasses you had forced her into wearing.

"morning Ells."

girls carrying their shoes down in the lobby.

dinas arms wrapped around you in a goodbye, promising you to send the pictures of you and Ellie kissing under the fireworks that you watched on your balcony and thanked you for the cheap champagne and food.

you glanced over your shoulder to see Ellie talking to Jesse, who looked just as... worn out. soon her eyes focused back on you as the two approached you and Dina. Jesse's hand reaching for dinas, dinas free hand interlocking with Jesse's, her occupied one clutching her heels that she had given up on wearing a long time ago.

after bidding each other farewell Dina and Jessie left your apartment, Dina walking barefoot towards the elevator. a smile graced your lips, you'd been there too. who hasn't? dancing too much where heeld feet turn blistered and sore.

candle wax and polaroids on the hard floor, you and me from the night before, but

after the door closed and the last person left your messy apartment, Ellie's arms snaked around your waist, synchronised sighs leaving both of you as you looked around the post-party mess.

melted candles that used to be standing proud in cake now discarded on kitchen counter tops. an old Polaroid camera laying on the couch, pictures it produced scattered around like a treasure house.

there was one of the cake

the champagne

you and Ellie dancing

you sitting on Ellie's lap, head resting on her shoulder

your lips touching in a tender kiss while fireworks explode behind you.

don't read the last page, but I can stay when you're lost and I'm scared.

new year means new challenges and as Ellie's lips press softly against your temple, swaying side to side in eachother's embrace, moving to the sound of Ellie's humming a song you can't quite remember the name of, you know it'll be alright.

"I love you" you whisper softly.

"I love you too" comes the reply.

and your turning away, I want your midnights

you remember the fun from last night, the cheers of triumph after winning a stupid party game, the clinks of champagne flutes and the sensation of the bass of the music that shook the floor.

but I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day

but now here you both are, kneeling on the hardwood floors as you pick up empty bottles of beer and discarded glasses of half drunken wine glasses and flutes of bubbly.

the smile on your face is beaming despite the thudding headache your hangover had so kindly given you. the warmth in your chest still blossoming. the boring clean up feeling just as special as the night of fun before.

you glance up as Ellie silently puts various items in a large trash bag, her eyes meeting yours. and just from the loving glint in them you knew so well, you could tell those feelings were reciprocated.

you squeeze my hand three times at the back of the taxi, I can tell that it's going to be a long road.

you think back to yesterday, your group of friends piling in the back of a taxi after you had partook in pre drinks at your all time favourite bar. and now you were all on the way back to the apartment you had so enthusiastically decorated with gold '2024 ballons' and gold tinsel.

Ellie's hand was wrapped in yours, her thumb brushing over your knuckles as she squeezed three times, a gesture you knew too well.

three squeezes, three words.

i.

love.

you.

you squeezed back four times.

i.

love.

you.

too.

I'll be there if you're the toast of the town, babe or if you strike out and you're crawling home

2024 will be the fourth year you and Ellie have been together, four years. the road was bumpy, you both had the highest highs followed by the lowest of lows, but there was one thing that stayed constant. the warmth you felt when you looked at her, and the feeling of you heart growing more and more every word she spoke of endearment.

and Ellie felt it too, which was why a diamond encrusted ring was hidden in the back of the closet. this would be the year she popped the question.

Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you. Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you. Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you And I will hold on to you

New year's day came and gone, polaroids now hung on the wall by the front door, a ring now adorning your finger. Dina was giggling through the phone as you jokingly scolded her for not telling you that Ellie was going to propose, that the girls spa day and manicure was all a ploy for good engagement pictures.

Ellie sat behind you on the couch after grabbing you both drinks from the kitchenette, pressing a kiss to your forehead and waving to Dina who waved back.

"oh God you should have seen it, Ellie, Joel, Jesse and me all huddled into the poor jewelers shop downtown- I'm honestly surprised we weren't kicked out." she laughed. "but I think it paid off- I mean, you're never going to be able to shake Ellie off now, she's going to hold onto you forever, I pity you." she joked which was swiftly replied by Ellie in a middle finger.

Please don't ever become a stranger, whose laugh I could recognize anywhere

Ellie's face was flushed and red, her soft hair falling in front of her face covering up the tears that stained her rosy freckled cheeks, your hands interlocked, both ring fingers dressed in golden rings.

"I now pronounce you wife and wife. you may kiss the bride."

the world seemed to slow, the congregation of guests vanishing as you both leaned in, lips meeting as the sound of muffled cheers hit your ears. you could feel the way ellies lips twisted into a smile as you kissed.

as soon as you pulled apart you heard the joyous laughter resonating from her chest as she offered you her hand, an offer you gladly took.

your footsteps land in sync as you walk back down the aisle.

3 squeezes, 3 words.

i.

love.

you.

4 squeezes, 4 words.

i.

love.

you.

too.

•••••••••••••••••••

A/N: I had to describe holding hands one too many times. anyways HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

NOT PROOFREAD

#the last of us #ellie williams #lesbian #wlw #ellie williams fic #ellie the last of us #ellie williams x reader #ellie williams imagine #ellie williams fluff #happy new year #tlou 2 #ellie tlou

[shelyue99]

You see the three musketeers sit around the table here shooting the bull, so while it rolls on I'll see if I can make any sense out of this. The three are Irishmen-one Capt. Nixon, and Lt. Welsh and last of all the Major. Now Capt. Nixon is the biggest drunk I've ever seen, known, or hope to see. He's worth a small fortune, never'll have to work a lick in his life, but absolutely the most reliable man I've ever known. Welsh is as bullheaded as you'd expect an Irishman to be.

—May 16, 1945, Letter to DeEtta

At the present time we're (Nixon and I) ribbing Lt. Welsh about marrying an Irish girl by the name of Kitty Grogan. He hopes to be married inside of four months. We're carefully explaining that some 4F will grab her off before that. If he does manage to get married, we promise to steal the bride for the balance of his leave unless he hires us to protect him from others who may have the same intentions. Price is 1 qt. of scotch for Nixon and 1 qt. of ice cream for myself. He doesn't take us seriously.

—May 30, 1945, Letter to DeEtta

I've mentioned Capt. Nixon I believe, of Nixon, N.J. [W]ell I've got him writing his first letter since last Nov. to his wife. Quite a guy, he's having one hell of a time getting organized and down to work. Claims he hasn't anything to say to her, just to his dog. He has a baby boy that he's never seen, but he won't talk about his son, it's always his dog. Knowing you, why I know you could spend an enjoyable two or three hours talking about how awful he is-if you knew him. However I'll tell you he's idealistic. I've known him three years and lived and slept aside and fought with him for two. This guy loves one thing right at this stage of life: a bottle of spirits or a fight. He's OK in a fight, but Jesus, outside of that he's absolutely the most undependable man you'd ever want to find.

Since we've been overseas he's only run around with one girl. An English girl and she was anything but beautiful. However she was a good listener and companion. In fact I am not too sure but this guy might end up staying over here in England. Ah yes, things are really snafu-and don't ask me what that means.

Now here we have Welsh & Nixon mixing Vodka, rum & vermouth-oh boy it won't be long now.

—June 2, 1945, Letter to DeEtta

(Writing about the job offer at Nixon Nitration Works) “I don't count on a thing until I have it," Dick confessed, "but it sounds good."

—September 2,  1945, Letter to DeEtta

Do you know what this new regimental C.O. has gone and done? Declared me essential. Why? Well you know all those nice things one can say at a time like that. Me, with 100 points as of V-E Day, and about the only officer in the regiment who has enough points to get out, and who doesn't want any part of the army, stuck until the division goes home. Which won't be this year. Boy, do you smell smoke? Don't worry, it's just me.

Capt. Nixon left this week, which makes everything just dandy. I am about as lonesome as a lovesick swab who married a Wave on an eight hour pass.

—September 16, 1945, Letter to DeEtta

From “Hang Tough: The WWII Letters and Artifacts of Major Dick Winters”

#band of brothers #dick winters #lewis nixon #winnix #sassy Dick

[topguncortez]

Nightly Interruptions pairing: Jake x Shy!Wife word count: 2.0k warnings: smut, oral sex (f receiving), language, The Seresins need to install locks on their doors. A/N: I promise Jo (@mayhem24-7forever) that I would stop hurting Shy Wifey so here is my formal apology for todays whumpfic

|| masterlist || opposites attract masterlist || library ||

The Seresins nightly routine had changed drastically over the years. Jake had a strict nightly routine, one that he had established years ago at the academy, and it had stuck with him. When he would come home from work, he would start dinner, making a meal every single night like his mother did. When he was done eating, he would clean the kitchen and his bags from the day. He would then go to his office, sit at his desk and study or review the material of the day for about two hours. Then he would shower, lay out his clothes for the morning, set up his breakfast meal, and then read a book for about an hour before going to bed. Jake Seresin made sure he got his eight hours of sleep. 

When it was just the two of them, Y/N had adapted to Jake’s schedule, knowing that he needed his sleep. His job was important and it made her nervous that he was flying at supersonic speeds anyway, she didn’t need the fear of him being tired adding to it. When Jake would come home, they would start dinner, and eat together. While he studied, she would clean the kitchen and his bags, set up his breakfast meal. They would usually shower together, or take a bath if there was time. Then Jake would make love to her and they’d fall asleep in each other's arms. 

But having kids, threw that ALL out the window. 

“Hey, if you’re done, plate in the sink!” Y/N said as she wiped the hands of her youngest twin, Jasper. Alex stood up from the table and grabbed his plate to take to the sink as Jake started to clean. Y/N and Jake moved like a well oiled machine. She would clear the kids from the table, and Jake would start the dishes. 

“I’ll bathe Jasper and Max in their bathroom, if you can shower Eli and Elle. Alex can shower himself,” Jake said, and walked over to the highchair their other twin was sitting in. 

“I can do that,” Y/N smiled, placing Jasper on her hip. They had moved into a bigger house nearly a year ago. Alex was 10 now, and Jake didn’t think it was fair that he had to share a room with his younger siblings. The Seresins had outgrown their first house in San Diego, and needed more space. Alex had his own room, while Ella and Eli shared one, and so did the twins. 

Y/N got the two middle children showered and dressed for bed, while Jake tackled bathtime with the twins. The boys seemed to listen better to Jake, and didn’t get him as soaking wet as they did Y/N. She was about to tuck in Ella and Eli and read them a book when Y/N heard the small footsteps of the twins and their contagious giggles. 

“You two need pants!” Jake yelled after them. Y/N shook her head and picked up the book that Ella suggested. After she read to them, Jake had wrangled up the twins and put them in their beds. 

“Eli has a book he wants to read, and I’m going to tuck Alex in. Twins in bed?” Y/N asked her husband. 

“Is there a law against duct taping your toddlers' pants to them?” Jake asked. 

“Probably,” Y/N giggled, “They are fine just sleeping in their pull ups. Eli and Alex never liked to wear pants to bed either.” 

Jake sighed and grabbed his wife’s hips, “It’s an early night. . . ya know what that means. . .” 

Y/N bit her lip, “Go read the book.” She patted Jake’s chest as she walked down the hall towards her eldest child’s room. Alex was reading his chapter book for class when she walked in. He smiled at her and closed it, taking off his glasses that looked almost identical to the ones that Bob wore. When Alex found out he had to get glasses, he wanted a pair to match exactly like his uncle’s. 

“Dad put pants on Jasper and Max?” Alex asked. 

“Yes, but they will wake up without them,” Y/N said, and pulled the dinosaur comforter up her son’s body, “You were quiet at dinner tonight. Everything okay?” 

“Yeah,” Alex sighed. Y/N knew her son like the back of her hand, and gave him a look, “I’m kind of having a hard time in math. . . The numbers sometimes get mixed up for me, and the teacher talks really fast. I can see the board now, which helps, but the numbers get all mixy.” 

Y/N nodded, “I’ll call Miss Blake in the morning and talk to her, would that help?” 

“Yeah,” Alex nodded, “Thanks momma.” 

“It’s what I’m here for,” Y/N smiled and leaned down to place a kiss on her son’s forehead, “Goodnight, baby.” 

“Goodnight, mom.” 

Y/N turned the lamp off and made sure that his night light was on before leaving the room. She stood in the hallway and basked in the silence. The house was never quiet when all the kids were home, unless they were outside or asleep. But Y/N liked the loudness of their house, the sounds of her kids' laughter was one of her favorite things. She sighed, and walked to her bedroom, going to jump in the shower, while Jake finished up some work things. 

Jake let out a yawn as he walked into his bedroom, and stopped in the doorway. The sight in front of him was enough to make his dick stir in his sweatpants. Y/N was wearing one of his old college t-shirts, her glasses on and her nose in a book. Her brow was creased as she read the words on the page. Jake sauntered to the edge of the bed, and crawled up to her. Y/N lifted her head at the feel of his body climbing on to her. She giggled as she set her book down and took her glasses off, but Jake stopped her. 

“You look so sexy with your glasses on,” He said, and leaned in to place kisses on her neck. Her hands went to his hair, tangling in the perfectly cut blonde locks. 

“Can I help you?” Y/N asked and Jake  lifted his head. 

“Mhm,” Jake nodded, leaning down on his elbow, propping his head up with one of his hands, and letting the other one trace up her body, “Kids are asleep, I’m hard as a rock, and you look as good as a Sin on Sunday.” 

Y/N rolled her eyes at his words, and leaned down to kiss him. He groaned into the kiss, tangling his hand into her hair, shifting their bodies so she was laying down on the bed, and he was on top of her. Y/N hands found their way under his shirt, feeling the muscles in his back flex. He grinded his hips into hers, feeling the heat from her cunt. It didn’t take much to turn her on, and after all these years, Jake knew exactly what to do to get her all hot and bothered. 

“Already wet for me, sweets,” Jake said, and ran a finger over her covered cunt, “God, you’re always so perfect for me.” 

“Jake, please,” Y/N moaned and thrusted her hips up. Jake smirked, and started kissing down her jaw, to her neck. He lifted up the blankets, and settled himself in between her legs. Her eyes rolled back at the feeling of him kissing her thighs, as his rough hands moved up to grab her panties and slide them down her legs. Jake groaned at the sight of her glistening cunt, grinding his own hips into the mattress. He rested her legs over his shoulders and leaned in to press a kiss to the top of her mound. 

“Don’t tease me Jake, please,” Y/N said, one hand going to his hair, and pulling gently. 

“As you requested, my dear,” Jake said, and Y/N could feel the smirk against her. He licked from her entrance to her clit, and she let out a gasp. Jake’s tongue swirled around her bud, before he found his way down to her entrance. Y/N’s back arched at the feeling of him lapping at her cunt, his tongue diving into her, his nose brushing at her clit. 

Her eyes closed tightly, one hand still in Jake’s hair and the other gripping the bed sheets tightly. Jake’s strong arms wrapped around her thighs to hold her still as he pleasured her. She couldn’t help but grind herself into his face, letting the pleasure control her. Jake grinded his hips into the bed, finding his own pleasure at the same time. 

“Use your fingers Jake,” Y/N pleaded and Jake hummed. He took one of his hands, running them through her folds before, sliding two fingers into her cunt, “Oh my god!” The wanton moan that left her mouth was both sinful and beautiful. Jake’s tongue went to her clit, switching between circling and sucking on it, “Oh Jake, don’t-don’t stop,” Y/N could feel the approach of her impending orgasm and so could Jake. Her thighs started to tremble against his head, and he could feel her walls starting to flutter around his fingers. The grip on his hair got tighter and she rode his face, “I’m close, fuck Jake. . . Fuck! Oh my-” 

“Mommy?” 

“Fuck!” Y/N sat up quickly and pushed Jake’s head away from her. Her eyes snapped open and looked at Jasper standing in the doorway of their room, “Jasper!” Jake’s eyes widened at the name of his son. He laid as flush to the bed as he could get himself, hoping Jasper wouldn’t notice him under the blankets, “What’s wrong sweetie?” 

“I had a bad dream,” Jasper mumbled and tightened the grip on his teddy bear. 

“Oh no! A bad dream?” 

“Yeah,” Jasper said, “Can I sleep with you and dad-” 

“No!” Y/N exclaimed as Jasper tried to take a step forward, “I mean. . . uh, not before you uh. . . go get another bedtime book. Yeah! Go get another bedtime book, so you can have good dreams.” 

“Okay!” Jasper nodded and ran down the hallway towards his room. 

Y/N flopped down on the pillows, as Jake crawled up from under the covers. There was a moment of silence, before Y/N and Jake bursted out in laughter. It was uncontrollable giggles as Jake pulled her into his chest, Y/N burying her head in her hands from embarrassment. 

“Did our child just walk in on us?” She asked, her face red as she looked up at her husband. 

“I’m pretty sure that just happened,” Jake shook his head, “Ten years and not a single walk-in. . . That’s gotta be a record.” 

“Are we counting that one time Rooster walked in on us?” 

“He may act like a child, but he is not our child,” Jake said and kissed her forehead, “Well, you probably should put your panties back on and I guess I better go change my shorts before Jasper comes in.”

“Yeah, I probably should,” Y/N reached over to where Jake threw her panties. He helped her slide them back up her legs and kissed her belly in the process, “Wait. . . Did you cum?” 

“. . . yes. . .” 

“Are you serious!? Really?!” 

“Hey! I tried! Blame it on the little cockblock!” 

“I got a book!” Jasper yelled as he ran back in. 

“Yay, buddy!” Jake smiled. He got out of bed, and luckily was wearing black shorts, and gently tossed Jasper up on the bed with Y/N. He grabbed a pair of shorts before stepping into the bathroom to change. Y/N had started reading Jasper his book as Jake got himself cleaned up. Jasper must’ve got his great timing from his father, because as Jake was opening the bathroom door he heard: 

“Mommy. . . what’s cockblock mean?”

#top gun #top gun fan fic #top gun fan fiction #top gun imagine #top gun maverick #top gun maverick fan fic #top gun maverick fan fiction #top gun maverick imagine #hangman #hangman imagine #hangman fan fic #hangman fan fiction #hangman x reader #Jake seresin #Jake seresin x reader #Jake seresin fan fic #Jake seresin fan fiction #Jake seresin imagine #Jake hangman seresin #Jake seresin x shy!wife #opposites attract

[mypoisonedvine]

contains adult themes such as sex and sexuality, drug use, violence/assault, and misogyny; other things to be prepared for include complete irrelevance to the canon of stranger things, 17-year-old jason is trying to bang 15-year-old elle which makes me wanna peel my face off (but it's accurate to the film), reader is adopted and has some issues with her bio parents, mileven and lumax with background robin/vickie, and dad!hopper being MVP as per usual

note: significant sections of dialogue were lifted directly from the film, because why mess with perfection? I still took liberties with it, but for some of those really iconic scenes, please know that I'm not the reason those lines are so hilarious. credit for the scenes I transcribed go to Karen McCullah & Kirsten Smith, the screenwriters of 10 Things I Hate About You, who of course themselves based the work on The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare.

length: 20k words

for @get-your-fics midsummer night's writing challenge!! thank you for hosting rosie!

As his hand slid up her creamy white thighs, she could feel his huge member pulsating with desire…

Mike was looking down at his hands, interlaced in his lap, until Ms. Kelley shut her laptop.  She smiled at him politely, and he smiled back.  “So!” she began, checking his file again.  “Michael—”

“Just Mike,” he nodded.

“Right.  Well, we’re glad to have you at Hawkins High— it shouldn’t be too different from your last high school!  You were well-behaved your freshman year, correct?”

“Uh, mostly… one or two tardies, that’s it,” he assured.

“Great!  That means if you see me again, something’s gone horribly wrong.”

“Huh?”

“This is where kids with behavior problems get sent.  Deviants, misfits, sluts, weirdos, creeps— they all have to come in and chat with me to get their shit straightened out.”

“Their what?” Mike repeated.  “Are you— am I in the right office?”

“Not anymore, my novel isn’t gonna finish itself,” she announced.  “So scoot.”

He didn’t, at first, too stunned.

“Scoot!”

He jumped up, trying to process what conversation just occurred, only to bump into someone as he backed out of the doorway.  “Watch it!” a firm voice warned him, and he spun to look up in ill-suppressed terror at the guy he’d just collided with.

Mike was too intimidated to even choke out an apology; it’s hard to say where to start with what scared him most.  Maybe the chains, maybe the leather jacket and denim vest, maybe the glare?  Yeah, it was definitely the glare— that was what made Mike cower and dart away before it could get any worse.

“Ah, Mister Munson!” Ms. Kelley greeted with faux sweetness.  “I see we're making our visits a weekly ritual.”

As her smile fell, Eddie’s grew.  “Only so we can have these moments together,” he cooed, taking another step inside.  “Should I hit the lights?”

“Oh, very clever, trailer park boy,” she offered flatly as she examined the incident report already in his file.  “Apparently you exposed yourself in the cafeteria?”

“I was just joking around with my bandmates,” he promised.  “It was a bratwurst.”

“Bratwurst,” she repeated, raising an eyebrow and glancing down— ostensibly at his handcuff belt buckle.  “Aren’t we the optimist?”

A hint of Eddie’s resolve faded as she tilted her head and smiled at him cheerily again.

“Next time, keep your dangler in your Wranglers, mkay?” she suggested, chipper yet hollow.

Eddie shook his head as he left, leaving Ms. Kelley to return to her desk and re-open her computer.  Examining her screen, she erased one word and replaced it.

…she could feel his huge bratwurst pulsating with desire…

~

“Hey!  Mike, right?” 

Mike turned, seeing another sophomore standing in front of him with a high top on his head and hightops on his feet.  “Yeah!” Mike answered.

“I’m Lucas,” the other student offered with an extended hand for a shake.

Mike sighed with relief as he returned the handshake energetically, noticing Lucas’ basketball uniform.  “You know, normally they send down one of those audio/video geeks.”

Lucas nodded; “Yeah, I know— I know what you mean.”

Right on cue, Dustin Henderson rolled by with the A/V cart.  “Hey, Lucas,” Dustin nodded, “where should I put the radio equipment?”

Lucas coughed and brushed Dustin away.  “Lucas?” he shook his head, pretending he had no idea who that could be, as he ditched a bewildered Dustin and guided Mike along down the hall.

As they walked past a crowd of popular seniors, Lucas motioned towards them.

“So, over here, you’ve got your basic beautiful people,” he explained, “unless they talk to you first, don’t talk to them.”

“Is that your rule or theirs?”

“Watch,” Lucas offered, nodding in their direction.  “Hey there,” he greeted.

“Who are you talking to?” Steve ‘the Hair’ Harrington asked with a sneer.

“See?” Lucas smiled at Mike, who shook his head as they moved along.  “Anyways, you’ve got your Diet Coke drinkers,” he explained as he motioned toward a crowd of students all holding red cans.  “Very edgy, don’t make any sudden movements around them.”

Mike nodded in understanding, trying to keep up— literally, since Lucas kept walking quickly, but also in terms of the explanation of Hawkins High’s social dynamics.

“You’ve got your basic stoners—”

A senior with long black hair and bloodshot eyes caught Mike’s attention.  “Hey, nice threads, man,” the stoner complimented with a smile, “Ocean Pacific?”

“And your surfers—”

Mike gawked at the muscular, tan guy with a blonde mullet and, for some reason, no shirt on.  “Does he walk around like that at school?” he wondered aloud, but Lucas didn’t notice.

“— even though the closest they’ve been to the ocean is when they drink Ocean Spray cranberry juice.”

As Lucas laughed at his own joke, they walked through the courtyard.  

“And this is our fearless Hawkins High basketball team!” Lucas explained, setting his hands on one of the player’s shoulders as they passed their lunch table.  “Go Tigers, huh?”

The players scowled at him as Lucas’ hand was shrugged off; he crossed his arms.

“Yesterday I was their up-and-coming star,” Lucas recalled with a roll of his eyes.

“What happened?” Mike asked.

“Patrick McKinney started a rumor that my Converse were fake,” Lucas explained with a sigh.  

“So they’re freezing you out?” Mike realized, offended on his behalf and concerned that everyone here was that superficial.

“I’ll get back in, don’t worry,” Lucas assured, but Mike wasn’t really worried about him so much as himself.

It was right then that Elle Hopper walked by, carrying with her the essence of youthful beauty and ingenue-ity.  Her busy patterned jumpsuit was every bit as colorful as her spirit; she laughed lightly with the redhead at her side, a few words of a conversation about a trip to the mall floating through the air.  

As time seemed to slow just for her, she tossed her hair over her shoulder, sending a wave of the scent of candy-sweet perfume right in Mike’s direction.

“Oh— wow,” Mike sighed like the wind had been knocked out of him.  “Who’s she?”

“She’s out of your league is who she is,” Lucas warned.

“And?”

“And she’s got this super scary dad— won’t let her or her sister date.  Ever,” Lucas announced firmly.

“How bad could he be, is he a hardened criminal or something?”

“Worse,” Lucas shook his head, “he’s the sheriff.”

“That’s worse?” Mike frowned.

“A criminal will just kill you.  The sheriff will actually get away with it.”

~

“So,” Ms. O’Donnell began, “what did everyone think of The Sun Also Rises?”

Bethany Walters raised her hand instantly, and you rolled your eyes— because of course she would.  “I loved it,” she cooed when she was called on.  “I was soooo romantic!”

You grimaced, unable to stop yourself from commenting (a habit of yours).  “Romantic?  Hemingway?!  Please— he was an abusive alcoholic misogynist—”

The rest of the class was already groaning and rolling their eyes, a few mutters of not this again here and there, but you kept going.

“— who squandered half his life hanging around Picasso trying to nail his leftovers.”

Yes, it was just like you to say something like that when Bethany was just trying to express a perfectly harmless opinion, but it was just like Jason to take it further.  “As opposed to an unlikeable, self-righteous loser with no friends?” he quipped.

You weren’t planning on saying anything, but thankfully Ms. O’Donnell stood up for you anyway.  “Quiet, Jason,” she scolded lightly— she was never that hard on him, because he was the star of the basketball team, but she also didn’t let him bully you that openly in class.

“I guess in this society, being male and an asshole makes you worthy of our time,” you concluded, shooting Jason a look over your shoulder, who simply smirked back at you.

And if it was just like you to say something snarky and politically-charged, and just like Jason to use it to insult you, then it was just like Eddie to show up late as if it were no trouble at all.  “What did I miss?” he asked with a smile as he burst in.

You answered instantly, without looking back: “The oppressive patriarchal values that dictate our education.”

“Great,” Eddie nodded, spinning on his heel and walking right back out again.

“W-wait!” Ms. O’Donnell called out, but Jason spoke again and took her attention away.

“How about we make a new rule— don’t come to class if you can’t handle your PMS,” he suggested jokingly.

“Jason!” she snapped.  “Watch your attitude.”

You smirked to yourself smugly, but that moment of righteous indignation didn’t last long.  

“And you,” she added, turning her attention to you, “go to the office.”

“What?  Why?!” you protested.

“Because— because you’re being disruptive!” she decided.

Sighing, you got up from your seat and slung your backpack over your shoulder.  As Jason snickered at you gleefully, you ‘accidentally’ let your textbook swing into his face, smacking that shit-eating look right off of him.

It was only a minute-or-so walk to the office, where you heard Ms. Kelley calling out to her assistant as you walked in. 

“What’s another word for engorged?” she asked her, stumping the receptionist.

“Tumescent?” you offered.

“Great!” she smiled, typing at her laptop; you had some inkling what she was using that word for, though you wish you were blissfully ignorant to her erotic exploits.  “So, were you terrorizing Ms. O’Donnell’s class again?”

You frowned.  “Terrorism is a pretty strong word for simply expressing my opinion.”

“How about the way you expressed your opinion to Billy Hargrove?  By the way, his testicle retrieval operation went quite well, if you were wondering.”

“In my defense,” you smirked, “I didn’t know he actually had balls when I kicked him.”

“The point is,” he sighed, less amused, “you tend to make a bad impression on others, and that’s not actually something to be proud of.  People see you as—”

“Opinionated?”

“The term used most often is ‘heinous bitch’,” she corrected.

The words themselves didn’t bother you too much— yes, they were sexist, but that was nothing new here— but the knowledge that people were actually saying this to Ms. Kelley gave you pause.  Were you really so traumatizing that they had to discuss you with the counselor?

“So, you might want to work on that,” she offered.  “Bye!”

You scoffed.  “As always,” you began as you stood, “thank you for your excellent guidance.  I’ll let you get back to writing about aching cores and quivering members.”

As you turned, quietly proud of yourself for standing up to her, you heard her ponder to herself, “huh… quivering member, I like that…”

~

In the parking lot, you and Robin were walking side-by-side to your car (since she’d gotten a ride from you today, and also every other day for the past year and a half) when you were nearly run over by Jason screeching up to the curb in his car; it was just like him: shiny and new, overvalued, a fabulous body with subpar machinery under the hood.

“Hey,” he nodded at you, flashing that taunting grin, “didn’t anyone ever tell you that you dress like a bog witch?”

“Aw, do you really mean that?” you beamed excitedly, and he frowned at his failed insult as he pulled his car up a little further.  If only he would’ve kept driving straight forward forever— he would’ve gone over the edge of the quarry eventually; but instead, he stopped… in front of your sister.

“Hi, ladies,” he greeted suavely, “care for a ride?”

You and Robin watched from beside your car— it was just like you, too: classic, older on the inside than it was on the outside, and debatably in need of a polish— in horror as Elle and Max hopped into the back of Jason’s convertible with all the girlish glee of two ingenues in over their head.

“Well, that’s a… charming new development,” Robin frowned.

“It’s disgusting,” you spat, hopping into the driver’s seat and turning the engine over.  As you pulled out of your spot, you nearly slammed into one of those varsity basketball dweebs speeding by on his bike.  “Hey!” you shouted at him, leaning out your window.  “Didn’t your mommy tell you to look both ways before riding that thing in the street?”

The kid cowered and biked away, and you shook your head as you pulled it back into the car.  

“I swear, these kids are getting dumber every year,” you sighed.  “I think there’s a little too much chlorine in the Hawkins gene pool.”

As Lucas pulled over by the curb by Mike, the new student stared at you and Robin driving away in the beat-up vintage.  “Are you okay?  She almost hit you,” Mike noticed.

“Oh, that’s nothing with your beloved’s older sister,” Lucas scoffed.  “I’m lucky I still have all my parts.”

“Wait, that’s Elle’s sister?!” Mike realized.

“Uh huh, in the legal sense,” Lucas agreed.  “Sheriff Hopper adopted them both when they were little— I assume he found his first daughter abandoned by a tribe of rampaging bitches or something.”

That was just one of many theories about how exactly your dad came to adopt you and your sister, though the real story was much less interesting; speaking of him, he usually got home from the station after you returned from school, with him working later in the afternoons and all.  When he returned home that particular day, he found you reading Jane Eyre on the sofa, and he smiled at you.  

“Hello, honey,” he greeted.  “Make anyone cry today?”

“Not yet,” you returned, “but it’s only four-thirty!”

He hummed and leaned in to kiss you on the forehead as you turned your page.  Right about then, Elle walked through the door— and you knew that she thought she would’ve just made it in time to beat Dad home by the cringe that crossed her face when she saw him.  “Hi Daddy!” she beamed, trying to play it cool.

“And where have you been?” you asked, getting a grimace from her for your shameless sell-out.

“Nowhere,” she dodged.

But Dad missed the exchange entirely, still going through the mail.  “What’s this?” he asked when he saw a massive white envelope.  “It says Sarah Lawrence?”

You hopped up off the couch at lightning speed, snatching the letter away and shredding it open like a kid on Christmas— but not you, some other generic kid, because even when you were little you liked to open presents carefully (it helped you temper your expectations).  “Oh my god!” you shrieked when you saw a massive congratulations.  “I got in!  I got in!!”

“Honey, that’s great,” your dad offered, “you can use that to negotiate better scholarships at Indiana State!”

You frowned.  “I know you want me to stay here—”

“We decided that you would stay here,” he countered.

“You decided.”

“So, what, you’re just gonna leave?” he realized with a saddened frown.

“We can dream,” Elle mumbled to herself— but not quite enough to herself, because you caught it and you raised your eyebrows in challenge.

“Why don’t you ask Elle who drove her home?”

“Don’t change the…” Dad trailed off, turning to Elle as he took the bait completely.  “Who drove you home?”

“N-now, don’t get upset, Daddy,” she pouted, “but… there’s this boy—”

“Who’s about as sharp as a marble,” you interjected.

“And I think he might ask me—” Elle continued, but this time your dad interrupted her.

“I think I know what he’s going to ask you.  And I think I know the answer: No!” he announced proudly.  “It’s always no!  You know the house rules: one, no dating until you graduate.  Two, no dating until you graduate!  Pretty simple stuff!”

“Daddyyyy,” Elle whined, making you roll your eyes at her.  “It’s so unfair!”

“You know what’s unfair?” he returned, looking at you too.  “Last week I had to drive a girl to the hospital, she went into labor alone in her car on the side of the road— and she’s fifteen.  You know what she said to me in between bouts of screaming in my backseat?”

“I’m a crackwhore who should have made my sleazy boyfriend wear a condom?” Elle assumed.

“No,” Dad frowned, “she said I should have listened to my father.”

“Oh, she did not,” Elle scoffed disbelievingly.

“Okay, no, she didn’t— but she was probably thinking it!” he insisted.

“Can we focus on me for a second please?” Elle pouted.  Like everything isn’t already focused on you, you thought to yourself.  “I’m the only girl in school who’s not dating.”

“No you’re not— your sister doesn’t date,” your dad reminded her.

You chimed in quickly: “And I don’t intend to.”

“And, why is that again?” he asked you with a pleased smile.

“Have you seen the unwashed champions of idiocracy that go to that school?!” you replied.

“God, where did you come from?  Planet Loser?” Elle spat.

“As opposed to Planet ‘Look at me! Look at me!’” you offered in your best passé, vapid voice with your eyes rolled back halfway.

“Okay, here’s a solution,” Dad decided suddenly, making you both perk up.  “Old rule’s stricken, new rule: Elle, you can date—”

She lit up immediately.

“When she does,” he finished, pointing at you.

“B-but, she’s a total freak!  What if she never dates?!” Elle whimpered.

“Then you’ll never date!  Oh, I like that,” he announced proudly.  “And I’ll get to sleep at night— the deep slumber of a father whose daughters aren’t out being impregnated.”

His police radio went off and he sighed.  

“I don’t have time for this right now,” he decided, directing his attention at you specifically for a moment: “We’ll talk about college later.”

Elle tried to get him to stay with a whine, but he was gone, and she was pissed at you once more.  “Can’t you find some loser sad enough to wanna go out with you so I can be normal?” she pouted.

“Sorry,” you shrugged, “guess you’ll miss out on some fabulously witty banter with Jason.”

“You suck!” she exclaimed as she stormed off.

“You suck!” you imitated her quietly before you went to your own room.

~

Mike’s patient, anxious waiting paid off when Elle sat down at the library table, setting down her books with a sigh.  

“Can we make this quick?” she asked, sounding a little exhausted already.  “Tammy Thompson and Tommy Hagan are having a horrendous, public break-up in the courtyard.  Again.”

“O-oh, yeah, okay,” Mike agreed, still a little stunned that he was sitting across from the object of his affection.  “I thought we’d start with pronunciation…”

“That’s the worst part,” Elle pouted, “I feel like I’m trying to cough up a loogie.”

“Well, then how about we start with cuisine?” he suggested, heart racing even though he’d practiced this a thousand times in the mirror at home.  “We could go to that French place on the square, maybe Saturday night?”

“You’re asking me out?” Elle realized, gentle shock lifting into a wide smile.  “That’s so cute!”

Mike’s eye twitched.

“What’s your name again?”

“Uh, it’s Mike,” he answered, “listen— I know your dad doesn’t let you date, but I thought if it was for French class—”

“Wait a minute, Mark,” she interrupted.

“Mike.”

“My dad just came up with a new rule!  He says I can date if my sister does,” she recalled.

“Really?” Mike perked up.  “Well, then let me ask you, do you like D&D?  ‘Cause we should totally do a oneshot together—”

“Uh, big problem, Mick,” Elle reminded him, “my sister is a perfect specimen of freakazoid.”

“Yeah, I noticed she’s… antisocial,” Mike offered sympathetically.  “Any idea why?”

“I don’t know,” Elle considered, glancing upward as she thought about it.  “She used to be, like, really popular, but it was like she got sick of it.  I’m pretty sure she’s just incapable of human interaction.  That or she has a brain tumor or something.  Either way, she’s a bitch.”

“Well, yeah,” Mike agreed half-heartedly, “but there’s plenty of guys who wouldn’t mind going out with a… difficult girl.  I mean, she’s not ugly; and people do crazier stuff all the time!  Jump out of airplanes, ski off cliffs, swim with sharks… it would be like extreme dating.”

Elle knitted her eyebrows together.  “You think you could find someone that extreme?”

“Why not?” Mike shrugged.

“And you’d do all that for me?” she pressed softly, reaching out to brush her hand over his arm.

Mike would do anything for her to touch his arm like that again.  “I-I mean, I could look into it…” he offered as his brain short-circuited.

And so he was determined. Which was why he and Lucas weren't actually paying any attention in science class that same day.

As they pretended to make progress on their frog dissection, Mike and his new friend were really scoping the room for local talent to potentially date Hawkins’ resident mega-bitch.  Their search so far had only turned up men like themselves: that being men afraid to get the Hargrove treatment and have their future generations compromised.  Turns out guys are generally pretty protective of their nuts.

“I told you it was impossible,” Lucas sighed, “no one will go out with her.”

Mike’s attention was taken by the partners two tables over— a massive, freckled kid with a leather jacket, and his buddy with a mess of rocker hair and a custom denim jacket; the latter was fooling around with butterfly knives, before using them to impale the frog carcass, because apparently the little pins provided just weren’t doing it for him.

“Hey, what about him?” Mike wondered, watching with a tilted head.    

“Woah, no, you don’t want to mess with that guy,” Lucas shook his head, “don’t even look at him.  He’s a criminal, he deals the harder stuff around school— you know, more than just pot.  I heard he lit a state trooper on fire.  He just did a year at Rikers.”

“Hey, well at least we know he’s horny,” Mike shrugged.

“I’m serious, he’s unhinged!” Lucas warned.  “He sold his own liver on the black market for a new set of speakers.”

Meanwhile, the metalhead had taken out a cigarette and was leaning down to light it on a Bunsen burner.  The display should’ve deterred anyone, but it made Mike smile optimistically.  “He’s our guy,” he insisted.

~

The basketball team was joking around at lunch as Chance shared an X-rated story from his date the night before, and Lucas took a deep breath as he waited for the perfect moment.

When all the guys laughed at something Chance had said, Lucas quickly slipped in and tried to blend in as he laughed along.

“Oh my— oh my god,” he got out breathlessly as he laughed, “wow, Chance, you’re hilarious.”

He wiped his eye, still laughing as the rest of the table’s reaction died down and they all glared at him.

“Are you lost?” Jason asked coldly.

Lucas sighed.  “No, I just… I thought maybe it was all water under the bridge by now.”

“It’s been less than forty-eight hours,” Andy noticed.

“Wow, nice counting, Andy— tomorrow we’ll work on shapes,” Lucas encouraged flatly.

Andy nearly jumped across the table, but Jason put a hand on his chest to hold him back.  

“Actually, truth is, I came here to… make a suggestion,” Lucas added, making Jason’s eyebrows raise.

“Go on…”

“You want Elle Hopper, right?  The sophomore?” Lucas continued.

“Yeah,” Jason shrugged, “she’s cute.”

“But she can’t date until her sister does,” Lucas went on.  “Your problem could be solved if you found someone to take her out.”

Jason laughed.  “Does anyone hate themselves that much?”

“Probably not, but people do like money…”

As Lucas bounced his eyebrows up and down, Jason seemed to put together what he was implying.  “You want me to pay someone off to date her?”

“I mean, I don’t want you to, but it’s an idea,” Lucas corrected.

“Do you know anyone that desperate for cash and unfazed by the prospect of emasculation?” Jason returned.

“Meet Eddie Munson,” Lucas beamed, motioning to the opposite end of the cafeteria where Eddie was ‘subtly’ trading a bag of pills for a twenty-dollar bill with another student.

“Munson?  The Freak?  I heard he ate a live duck once,” Jason grimaced.

“Everything but the beak and feet!  Clearly he’s a great investment,” Lucas beamed, but Jason remained suspicious.

“What’s in this for you?” he wondered.

“I think you know,” Lucas sighed, “I want back in— I know I’m still on the team, but I wanna be really on the team again.  I miss you guys!”

“You miss your chance to be popular,” Jason corrected.

“Also that!” Lucas agreed in a continued upbeat tone.

“Okay, I’ll see what I can do,” Jason agreed cautiously.  “Now, back to the loser table with you.”

As Jason shooed him away, Lucas moved across the way to the table where Mike was watching it all go down disapprovingly.  “Why do we need to get him involved again?” he wondered with a shudder.

“Calm down, he’s just our money man,” Lucas soothed.  “We let him think this is all his idea, meanwhile he’s busy dealing with Eddie and you have time with Elle.”

Mike sighed, concerned, but knowing he was out of other options.  Still, in a battle for ‘the girl’, he didn’t feel equipped to face a popular, handsome senior.

But when Eddie looked at Jason, he didn’t see a popular, handsome senior; none of that mattered to him.  He just saw: douche with a quaff.  So, while he was out taking a smoke break on the stands by the soccer field, he was surprised to see that very quaffed douche approaching him.

“Hey,” Jason offered Eddie with a nod— that very nod that made girls want him and guys want to be him, but it was powerless on Eddie, who just glared back at him while exhaling a cloud of smoke.  “How are you?”

Eddie blinked forward, barely aware of the Tiger-pride-green blur beside him.

Jason stammered as he tried again to break the ice.  “I, uh, had some great duck last night—”

“Do I know you?” Eddie wondered.  “Shit, are you buyin’?”  He didn’t seem the type, but hey— as long as he had cash, he was Eddie’s type, customer-wise.

“Uh, no,” Jason shook his head nervously.  “Well, actually, yes— but—”

“I don’t sell roofies, Romeo,” Eddie warned him.

“I’m not buying drugs!” Jason barked, a little too loud for something that’s supposed to be secret.  “I’m buying a date.”

Eddie’s eyes widened.  “Listen, Carver, you’re a good-looking guy, but—”

“No no!” Jason rushed out, face turning pink.  “Not for me!  For her!”

Jason pointed down the field to where you were running drills, sweating and determined, grunting as you kicked the ball across the grass.  “The Hopper chick?” Eddie noticed.

“Yeah!”

Eddie laughed sharply, and so did his friend beside him.  “Yeah, sure thing, champ— I’ll get right on that,” Eddie agreed sarcastically.

“Look, until someone goes out with her, I can’t bag her sister,” Jason explained with a sigh.

“What a shame,” Eddie stuck out his bottom lip, “how many years of therapy will you need to cope with this trauma?”

“I know you don’t care about me,” Jason crossed his arms, “but I’m thinking you care a bit about Andrew Jackson?”

“That racist son of a bitch?  He was a piece of—” Eddie began, but then Jason pulled the twenty out of his pocket and brandished it proudly, making Munson shut his mouth.

“Whaddaya say?” Jason prompted.  “For a crisp twenty, you could take out the lovely Miss Hopper—”

As they glanced down the field, the guys winced at the sight of you roughly body-checking another player, who fell to the ground with a cry.

“For a crisp thirty—” Jason began again, summoning a ten from his pocket.

“Well, now, let’s think about this,” Eddie pondered aloud.  “You’re paying me to take her out, but I’ve gotta actually take her somewhere: we’ll say the movies.  That’s fifteen bucks for two tickets.  We get popcorn, that’s… fifty.”

Jason scoffed.  He knew there was more than a little inflation going on in those numbers, but he also knew that the freak had him under his thumb in these negotiations.

“She’s gonna want Junior Mints, what do you know, we’re looking at seventy-five already,” Eddie smirked.

“What kind of gold-plated Junior Mints are you buying?” Jason rolled his eyes.

“What kind of girl is this chick’s little sister?” Eddie countered.  “Is she really worth it, or are you just blowing hot air?”

Jason was powerless to even such an obvious trap— he could never say no to a dare.  Eddie was really saying, are you chicken?  And Jason could probably be talked into fighting a bear while only armed with a butter knife if it was all to prove he was not, in fact, chicken.  “Fifty,” Jason spat, “final offer.”

A bill was produced from Carver’s designer wallet, and Eddie’s ring-covered fingers snatched it away and stuffed it into his pocket.  “Pleasure doing business with you,” Eddie offered with a sarcastically-saccharine smile, but Jason only rolled his eyes and wandered off.

Just then, Coach Hastings blew the whistle.  “Good hustle, girls, good hustle!” he offered to the team.  “Take a water break!”

Seeing the group of players disperse, Eddie waited until you were on your way to the cooler to snuff his cigarette and jog up beside you.  You shot him a look before he even said anything.  “Hey there, girlie,” Eddie greeted you, “how ya doin’?”

“Uh, sweating like a pig,” you answered, wiping your face on your uniform, “and yourself?”

“You sure know how to get a guy’s attention, huh?” he laughed nervously.

You seemed amused, but in more of an at way than a with way.  "My mission in life," you quipped.  "But, hey, clearly I captured your attention.  Lucky me."

He grinned as he watched you chug your water.  "So I'll pick you up Friday then?"

You choked, laughing as you nearly spit the water right onto him.  "Yeah," you agreed sarcastically as you wiped your chin, "sure, Friday."

"I'll take you places you've never been before," he promised lasciviously.

"Like where, the crackhouse on Miller Street?" you rolled your eyes.  "Do you even know my name, screwboy?"

"I know more than you think," he challenged.

"Well, for that to be true," you returned, "you'd have to know more than the average eighth-grade dropout."

You turned to leave, walking away with a shake of your head.  "Well that's easy!" he laughed as he called after you.  "I did eighth grade twice!"

From across the field, Mike and Lucas watched you ditch Eddie with cringes on their face.

"We're screwed," Mike sighed.

"Now wait a minute, where'd all your optimism go?  I wanna hear you upbeat!" Lucas beamed.

"We're screwed!" Mike repeated, a forced, cheesy smile glued to his face between two thumbs-up.

"That's better," Lucas approved, patting Mike on the back.

~

As you exited the local records store, empty handed due to the continued lack of good punk records available, you sighed at the sight of Eddie Munson leaning against your hood.

"Nice ride," he noticed.  "Vintage fenders?"

"Are you stalking me?" you asked instead, brushing past him to try to unlock your door, but he slid in front of you with crossed arms.

"I was in the laundromat," he assured, tilting his head to the washateria across the street, "I saw your car, that's all."

"Funny, you don't strike me as someone who washes their clothes," you mocked.

"Well, if you must know, I was there to make a sale," Eddie admitted.

"And what are you here for, blocking my door?" you wondered.

"To say hi!"

"Hi."

You tried to reach around him again to get the key in the lock but he put his hand over it.  "Not much of a talker, are you?"

"Not much of a listener, are you?  I'm not interested."

"Are you scared of me?" he asked— not a threat, not hopeful or disappointed, just a genuine question.

"Why would I be?"

"I dunno, most people are."

"Well, I'm not."

"Okay, you're not scared of me— but I bet you've thought about me naked," he purred, leaning in a little closer.

"Am I that transparent?" you gasped, faux worry dropping into deadpan disdain.  "I want you, I need you, oh baby, oh baby."

Just when he let you get into your car, finally, Jason Carver and his dick-compensation-mobile pulled up and screeched to a halt right behind you, blocking you in.

"The fuck?!  Is there some kind of creep convention going on at the record store?" you groaned, laying on your horn.  "Carver!" you barked as he hopped out and strolled by you.  "Move your gaudy-ass car!"

"No, thanks," he smiled at you as he walked along towards the storefront.

You felt helpless, until you got a dangerous idea— and fed up as you were, you couldn't resist it.  Flooring it in reverse, those vintage fenders of yours piercing right through the cherry-red paint and imported metal underneath.

Jason sure whipped his head around fast and gaped his mouth at the damage.  "You bitch!" he screeched.

Hearing Eddie's belly laugh, you looked at Jason and offered him only a flippant shrug and a "whoops!"

"WHOOPS?!" your dad repeated, pacing around the kitchen as you sat at the table.  "My insurance doesn't cover teen angst!"

You shrugged again.  "Then tell them it was a seizure or something."

"Are you punishing me?" he wondered.  "Because I don't want you to go to Sarah Lawrence?"

"Are you punishing me for standing up for myself?" you countered.

“No, but I’d prefer you didn’t do it in such an expensive way!”

You scoffed.  “I’d prefer that you stopped making my decisions for me.”

“Well—” he began, but he was cut off by his police radio sounding off.  

“Chief Hopper, come in— Chief Hopper, this is dispatch, we have a 10-54…” the nasal feminine voice came through.

You both sighed and he picked up the radio.  “Chief here, I’ll head there now.”  He turned to you with a pointed finger.  “We’ll discuss this later,” he promised, or threatened, depends on how you look at it.  As he left, Elle stormed in, fuming at you.

“Did you just maim Jason’s car?!” she yelped.

"Allegedly," you grinned.  "Looks like little miss princess is gonna have to ride the bus with the unwashed masses.”

~

As Eddie shut his locker, he was startled by Jason glowering on the other side.  “Shit,” Eddie blurted out.

“When I shell out fifty, I expect results,” Jason frowned.

“I’m working on it,” Eddie insisted, brushing Jason off as he grabbed his books and shut his locker.

“Standing by while she violated my car doesn’t count as a date,” Jason reminded him.  “I don’t get any if you don’t, so you better figure out how to charm this chick or—”

“I just upped my price,” Eddie decided suddenly.

Jason had just turned to walk away, but that made him look at Eddie again.  “Excuse me?”

“A hundred bucks a date, in advance,” Eddie announced.

“Forget it,” Jason dismissed.

“Then forget her sister,” Eddie shrugged.

Jason hesitated, wondering if Elle was really worth all the trouble.  Maybe she wasn’t, to him— but the street cred he’d get if he deflowered her was.  He groaned as he reached for his wallet, and Eddie grinned proudly.  “You’d better be as smooth as you think you are, Munson,” Jason warned as Eddie snatched up the bill.

The interaction still had Eddie in a particularly bad mood during shop class, making Mike even more hesitant to approach him;

“Wh-why can’t you talk to him?” he asked Lucas.

“I talked to Jason,” Lucas replied.

“Yeah, but you know Jason,” Mike reminded him, “and Jason isn’t… unstable.”

“Just go, chicken,” Lucas rolled his eyes, shoving Mike forward— and he stumbled, but made his way over to Eddie’s workstation.  

When he got a glare from under a curly fringe, Mike just blurted it out: “We know what you’re trying to do… with Hopper?”

“Yeah?  And what are you gonna do about it?” Eddie challenged.

“Uh— help you!  We wanna help you,” Mike explained quickly.

Eddie wrinkled his eyebrows together, standing up straighter and crossing his arms.  “Why, exactly?”

Lucas appeared behind Mike, resting his hands on his shoulders.  “You see, my friend here is… mildly obsessed with her sister, Elle.”

“What’s the deal with this girl, her tits shoot fireworks or something?” Eddie scoffed, and Mike nearly jumped on him for saying that— as if that fight wouldn’t be pitifully uneven.

“Mike’s love for her is… a little purer than that,” Lucas promised, “especially purer than Jason Carver’s.”

“Look,” Eddie leveled with the two of them, “I’m in this for the cash.  Carver can plow whoever he wants.”

“Okay, there will be no plowing!” Mike exclaimed, voice cracking.

“Listen, Eddie— uh, Ed,” Lucas smiled, “this whole thing— we set it all up!  We told Jason to pay you off, so Mike can get the girl.  Mr. Popular is just a pawn.”

Eddie seemed to like that; maybe even someone as detached from the popularity hierarchy could still enjoy a little humiliation for the star point guard.  “So, are you gonna help me tame the beast, then?” 

“Are you talking about Hopper, or your hair?” Lucas joked, though he dropped his smile when Eddie glared at him.  “O-okay, yeah, we’re gonna do some research, we can find out what she likes and stuff.  We’re your guys.”

“In a strictly non-prison-movie way,” Mike added anxiously.

~

Mike and Elle were walking around the old bridge— she promised to show him the prettiest place in Hawkins, he thought about turning it into a line but he resisted the urge, and he delicately broke the pleasant silence.  “So, have you heard about the party Steve Harrington is throwing at his parents’ lake house?”

“Yes,” Elle pouted, “and I really really wanna go, but I can’t.  Not unless my sister goes.”

“I’m working on that,” Mike promised, “but she’s not going for my guy.”  He paused before he continued, narrowing his eyes.  “She’s not a, uh…”

"A friend of Billie Jean?” Elle finished.

“No, I’m not asking if she’s a Michael Jackson fan,” Mike corrected, “I meant—”

“I know what you meant!” Elle rolled her eyes.  “Billie Jean King?  Tennis player, women’s rights advocate, giant flaming lesbian?”

“O-oh,” Mike stuttered, “I don’t really watch tennis…”

“Or the news, apparently,” Elle sighed.  “The point is, no, I don't think so.  I found a picture of Rob Lowe in her drawer once so she's at least got some interest in men.  Jury's still out on her bestie Robin Buckley, though…"

"But that's the kind of guys she likes?  Pretty guys?"

Elle shrugged.  "All I know is she said she'd never date a smoker."

“Okay, no smoking,” Mike nodded, “what else?”

“Listen, I try not to get too deep into my sister’s twisted psyche,” Elle sighed.

“But we need to know more!” Mike insisted.  “We need to go behind enemy lines…”

Even though it was his idea, Mike felt a little out of his depth watching Elle go through your room; it looked sort of how he imagined it might, except for missing a giant cork board with pins and red yarn outlining your plan to cause men as much suffering as possible.

“Okay, here we go!” Elle announced excitedly as she rifled through a drawer.  “Class schedule, reading list, concert tickets… ha!  Black panties!”

Mike cleared his throat as she held up the offending pair of lacy underthings.  “What does that tell us?”

“That she wants to have sex some day.”

“Couldn’t she just like the color?” Mike wondered, flustered.

“You don’t buy lingerie unless you want someone to see it,” Elle insisted.

“Oh,” Mike nodded, perking up slightly.  “So… can I see your room?”

Elle blinked quickly, getting a bit tender all of a sudden.  “No… a girl’s room is very personal…” she explained shyly.

“Right,” Mike agreed nervously.

~

Two sophomores didn’t exactly blend in at The Hideout— it was a dingy old hole-in-the-wall, with grimey old bikers getting drunk in every corner… and Eddie, shooting pool by himself in the back.  He straightened up when they approached him, nursing his beer with a raised eyebrow.

“We have information for you,” Mike explained.

“Don’t say it like that, it sounds weird,” Eddie frowned, “she’s just a girl, not a… spy or something.”

“Right,” Lucas agreed as Eddie took another sip from the brown bottle.

Mike narrowed his eyes.  “Should you be drinking alcohol when you don’t have a liver?”

“What?!” Eddie scrunched up his nose.

“Nothing,” Lucas shook his head.

“The first thing is she hates smokers,” Mike explained.

Eddie groaned.  “I’m gonna have to quit?  Fuck, this is getting more unpleasant by the minute—”

“Just for now!” Lucas bargained.  

"And there’s another problem: Elle said that her sister likes, uh, pretty guys,” Mike added.

There was a tense pause, until Eddie’s eyes widened.  “Are you saying I’m not a pretty guy?”

“H-he’s very pretty!” Lucas smacked Mike on the back.  “He’s gorgeous, look at him!”

“S-sorry, I wasn’t sure,” Mike mumbled awkwardly.

Eddie brushed off the insult quickly, taking a big puff off of his cigarette— maybe he appreciated it more, knowing he’d have to cut back for a while after this.  Meanwhile, Mike pulled out a folded up piece of heart-shaped mini-notebook paper (borrowed stationary from Elle, obviously) and read the list aloud.

“Okay, ‘likes: Thai food, feminist prose, and—’” he cleared his throat before he continued— “‘angry girl music of the indie-rock persuasion.’  Here’s a list of CDs that she has in her room.”

Eddie looked at the list in disdain.  “So I’m supposed to, what, take her out for noodles and spoken word and sit around listening to chicks who can’t play their instruments?”

“Have you ever been to Club Nina?” Lucas wondered.

“Her favorite band is playing there tomorrow night,” Mike explained, and Eddie sighed as he pressed his lips together.

“I can’t be seen at Club Nina,” Eddie shook his head.  “First of all, that’s rival turf, second of all—”

“She’ll be there, she’s already got tickets for her and Robin,” Lucas pressed.  “Just… tolerate it, for a night.  And maybe don’t deal any drugs there.”

“Can I at least do some drugs there?” Eddie frowned.

“As long as you’re not too out of sorts to do some major seducing,” Mike offered.  “She has a pair of black underwear!  If that helps.”

“I mean, it couldn’t hurt, right?” Lucas elbowed Eddie playfully, who jerked away.

As stupid as it was, Eddie found himself still wondering about your alleged black panties as he walked into the club to look for you the next night. He found you horribly frustrating, sure, and the feeling was mutual, but picturing you in something like that was... not too terrible.

Eddie noticed the looks he was getting from the girls at Club Nina, and they weren’t exactly approving; a man invading their space was bad enough, but a metalhead in the land of the soft-rockers was turning heads.

He ignored it for the most part and sat down at the bar, ordering something light enough that he could keep his wits about him, but hard enough that he could tolerate this whole situation.  Believe it or not, he didn’t actually like getting repeatedly insulted and degraded by you— it wasn’t even the sexy kind of degrading, just your incessant hatefulness chipping away at his dignity.  But damn, he could feel the added weight of Carver’s money in his wallet, and he liked that.

Thankfully, it didn’t take too long for you to show up at the bar, ordering two waters like the lightweight you were.  He pretended not to see you, but you didn’t offer the same courtesy, making a groan of disgust at him.  “If you’re planning on asking me out again, just get it over with,” you pleaded distastefully.

He looked at you with an irritated frown, pointing at the band behind him.  “Keep it down, maybe?  I’m trying to listen.”

That seemed to throw you off, and he enjoyed your moment of bewilderment.  “Did you leave your cancer sticks behind?” you asked.

“Yeah, permanently,” he nodded.  “Turns out they’re bad for you.”

He shrugged, and you dropped the sarcasm for a split-second.  “You did?” you pressed, surprised.

“You know,” he changed the subject instead, “these guys are no Adolescents or Souixsie and the Banshees, but they’re alright.”

“You know Souixsie and the Banshees?” you repeated, flabbergasted.

“Why, don��t you?” he joked.  He got down another sip of watered-down liquor, before turning to face you directly.  “You know, I was watching you before,” he admitted, yelling to be heard over the crescendo of the song, “I’ve never seen you look so sexy!”

Of course, that was right about when the song ended, and Eddie looked around the club as he realized the entire swarm of alt chicks had heard him.  As they laughed at the scene, he smiled awkwardly and watched you get visibly embarrassed— good to know you had emotions other than rage, contempt, and boredom.

“Why don’t you come to Steve Harrington’s party with me?” he challenged, and the moment faded as the next song began.

“You never give up, do you?” you frowned, starting to walk away and back into the dancing crowd.

“Was that a yes?” he wondered.

“No!” you shouted back to him.

“Was it a no?” he added.

“No!” you said again, and he smiled.

“I’ll pick you up at nine-thirty, then!” he called to you, but you were lost to him again— for now.

~

Elle and Max, dolled up in their finest party gear, crept carefully across the foyer towards the front door.  Elle knew all the creaky floorboards to avoid, yet even in their silence they seemed to trigger Chief Hopper’s sixth sense.  “You should have used the window,” he announced as they deflated.

“H-hi Daddy,” she greeted as if all were normal.

“Hi,” he returned as he looked at them.  “Where are we going?”

“Um, just a small study group of friends,” Elle insisted, and Max nodded along.

“Otherwise known as an orgy?!” Dad barked.

“Mr. Hopper— Chief, sir— it’s just a party,” Max soothed.

“And Hell is just a sauna!” he returned.

As you came walking down the stairs into the middle of the argument, oblivious, your dad snagged your attention.  

“Are you aware of this party?” he asked.  You simply shrugged, on a mission for snacks.  

“People expect me to be there!” Elle complained.  “I have friends waiting for me!  Daaaddddyyy!!”

“If your sister’s not going, you’re not going,” he stood fast.

Of course, that turned her ire towards you.  “Why can’t you be normal?” she whined.

“Define ‘normal’,” you challenged as you crossed your arms.

“Going to Steve’s party is normal!”

You scoffed.  “Steve’s party is just a lame excuse for all the youthful morons of Hawkins High to drink beer and rub up against each other in hopes of distracting themselves the pathetic emptiness of their—”

Elle and Max interrupted to finish your rant: “meaningless, consumer-driven lives,” they groaned in unison.

You hadn’t realized you were so predictable, and your shock gave Elle an opportunity to make one more plea.

“Can you just, for one night, forget about your crusade against all things enjoyable and just be my sister?  please?  C’mon,” she begged, stepping up closer, “please, do this for me.”

It was more sincere than you were used to from her, and it reminded you of simpler times, of when she thought you were the coolest big sister ever and she was your favorite person— before she was spoiled by the world and you were soured by it.  Those memories were what convinced you to somberly nod.  “I’ll make an appearance,” you agreed, and she squealed as she hugged you joyfully.

“Oh god, it’s starting,” your dad mumbled to himself in a daze.

“It’s just a party,” Elle promised him, but he stiffened up suddenly.

“I want you to wear the belly,” he announced.

Elle whimpered out her “Daddy, no!” but it was too late, he’d already gone to fetch it from the closet, and you watched with schadenfreude as he pulled out the padded faux-pregnancy jacket.  

“Not all night,” he promised, “just around the living room for a minute while you contemplate the weight of your decisions.”

She held her arms out in defeat as he slipped it on over her dress, smiling proudly at his work.

“Every time you even think about kissing a boy,” Dad lectured, “just imagine wearing this all the time.”

“You’re such a space cadet,” she sighed.

“Okay, we’re going now,” you announced as you headed for the door, but he stopped you.

“Wait a minute: no drinking, no drugs, no kissing, no tattoos, no piercings, no getting in vans, no— no ritual animal slaughter!” he enumerated.  “Oh god, I’m giving them ideas…”

You startled when you opened the door and saw Eddie standing there, fist raised as he was about to knock.  “What are you doing here?” you asked him flatly.

“Nine-thirty, right?” he smiled, “I’m early.”

“Whatever, I’m driving,” you insisted.

He leaned to the side to look over your shoulder, raising an eyebrow.  “Who knocked up your sister?”

~

Lucas held on tight to his drink in a plastic cup as he attempted to keep Max Mayfield’s attention for at least a few minutes at a time.

“You know, I’m on the basketball team,” he reminded her with a grin.

“Right,” she mumbled, unimpressed, but he was a little too tipsy to notice that his lines weren’t working.

“Do you, uh, play any sports?” he asked.

“I skate, if that counts,” she shrugged.

“Oh, rollerblading is cool!” Lucas beamed, but Max rolled her eyes and walked away at his incorrect guess of what kind of skating she meant.  “Ever been to Rink-O-Mania?” he called after her, sighing when he realized he’d officially struck out.

You brushed past him, knocking into his shoulder as he pouted.  Eddie was still following you, for some reason, dodging dancing girls and kissing couples along the way.

Jason clicked his tongue at you as you passed by.  “Lookin’ fresh,” he cooed, in that way that was mostly mocking yet probably a real come-on if you went for it: Schrödinger’s pick-up line, if you will.

“Oh my god, did you feel that?” you looked around at the air.  “My pussy just dried up so fast it actually dropped the humidity in here!”

Jason seemed a little too interested in an update on your genitals, but you were already walking away, trying to lose him and Eddie now.  “Hey, is your sister here?” he asked you loudly.

“Stay away from my sister,” you warned.

“I will,” he promised, “but, you know, I can’t guarantee that she’ll stay away from me…”

You shook your head as you shoved your way into another room of the Harrington’s massive lodge, accidentally stumbling upon two jocks wrestling and throwing punches on the floor.  A crowd had gathered around the scene to cheer them on, and you sneered in disgust at the uncivil display.

“Hey, hey!” Steve himself appeared, trying to break it up.  “Take it outside!”

One jock pulled the other up by his shirt, and the two of them went tumbling back— right through the window.  They didn’t even stop swinging as they fell onto the grass, and Steve’s face went blank with numb shock.

“Th-thanks,” he mumbled to himself, and you gave him a pat on the shoulder as you passed by.

“At least we’re on the ground floor,” you offered him quickly, but a tap on your shoulder pulled your attention away.  

“Hey,” Jason smirked as he let you get a good look at him with his arm around your sister’s shoulders, “look who found me.”

You weren’t even angry— which was a nice break, really— you were just worried now.  “Elle, wait,” you called to her as they walked away.          

“Please don’t address me in public,” Elle requested with a roll of her eyes.

“I just wanna tell you something!” you pleaded.

“I’m being a normal teenager for a night— you should try it,” she suggested, and the two of them disappeared into the crowd again.

Just in time for your impending breakdown, some guy walked by holding a tray of shots.  “Shots, anyone?  Ladies?”

You grabbed one with each hand and tossed them back in rapid succession.  You reached for a third when Eddie reappeared, snagging it out of your hand.  “What are you doing?” he asked, concerned.

“I’m getting trashed, dude,” you offered in a fake party-boy voice.  “Isn’t that the point of all this?”

Eddie shrugged.  “Think the point is to just… be yourself.”

You snorted.  “You might be the only person who thinks I should be myself.”

At the same time that you were ditching Eddie again, Mike was finding Lucas.  “Have you seen her around anywhere?” he asked as he scanned the crowd.  For all his excitement to find her, he seemed to get overwhelmed when he saw Elle coming down the stairs with Max.

“Come on, man, relax,” Lucas assured as he patted his shoulders.  Mike took a deep breath.  “Just be yourself.”

Nodding, Mike summoned his courage and approached the girls.  “H-hey, Elle,” he greeted politely.

“Hey,” Elle returned, “Mike, um— do you know Max?”

Elle grabbed the redhead and shoved her towards Mike so she could try to break away.

“Oh, yeah,” Mike nodded, “we have Math together, right?”

Max hummed as she crossed her arms; “Great,” she offered unenthusiastically.

“You, uh, look really amazing tonight,” Mike offered Elle, and Max cringed as he failed to take the hint.

“Oh— um,” Elle stalled, and Jason descended the stairs to slip his arm around her.

“And we all know I look amazing,” he interjected, making the girls giggle and Mike roll his eyes.  “C’mon, Elle, let’s go— there are jell-o shots in the kitchen.”

He was already turning her around to guide her away, forcing her to look over her shoulder to wave at Mike: “See you around, okay?” 

Mike watched helplessly as Jason took his dream girl from right in front of him— the blonde even offered him a thumbs up on his way out, to add insult to injury.

Eddie found you again in the study, starting to work on another drink.  “Hey hey hey,” he interrupted as he gently lifted it away from you, watching you whine and make grabby hands for it.  “Why don’t you let me have this one, hm?”

“No!” you pouted, jumping for it, but he held it up higher— it forced you to push yourself up against him to try to get it, and he forced himself not to notice how it felt to be close to you.

Someone walked by with their own drink, just about to have a sip when you snatched it away instead, running off before Eddie could set down the cup and catch up.  “Shit,” he hissed to himself.

As he tried to navigate past other partygoers to get to the kitchen, he heard the blasting stereo change songs to something not actually awful (in his opinion): Def Leppard.  Unfortunately, you seemed to like Pour Some Sugar On Me, too— considering you hopped up on a table and started dancing there instead.

“How’d you get her to be normal?” Jason laughed as he appeared beside Eddie— and he couldn’t decide if he was more disgusted by Carver’s glee watching you, or Carver’s chumminess with him.

“Hey!” Eddie called to you, getting through the crowd of cheering guys as quickly as he could, but you couldn’t hear him through the overwhelming sound and the haze of drunkenness.  He watched you dance, a mix of concern, embarrassment, and arousal stirring in him as your moves became more and more suggestive.  “HEY!” 

When he shouted the second time, it didn’t quite get you to look at him but it did startle you, making you whack your head on the chandelier— which in turn made you stumble and fall.  When you came down dramatically, he held out his arms and managed to catch you, looking at your startled, panting face.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly, but you looked angry at him again.

“I’m fine,” you insisted, trying to wiggle out of his embrace, but failing.

“You’re not fine,” he groaned, “c’mon…”

He didn’t exactly carry you, mostly because you wouldn’t let him, but he didn’t let you walk on your own when he saw how wobbly your legs were.

The sounds of the party faded into the distance as you walked in the grass, up to the shore of Lover’s Lake where the Harrington’s had some rustic old swings hanging from under a massive tree by the water.

“I-I just need to lie down somewhere,” you insisted, stumbling again as Eddie had to grab at your waist to keep you upright.

“No, you can’t lie down right now,” he sighed.  “If you lie down you’ll go to sleep.”

You pouted as he set you down on a swing.  “I like sleep,” you protested.

“Can’t sleep if you might have a concussion,” he explained, watching you slump against the rope beside you.

He was about to fuss over you a little more, try to keep you awake somehow, but he saw Mike storming down across the grass.  

“Hey,” Mike greeted as Eddie stepped past you slightly to meet him.  “We need to talk.”

“I’m a little busy at the moment,” Eddie informed him, gesturing towards you.

“Well— it’s over, okay?  All of this— the deal’s off,” Mike frowned.

“Huh?”

“She never wanted me,” he realized with a sigh.  “She wanted Jason the whole time.”

Eddie rolled his eyes.  “Listen— do you really like this girl?”

“Yeah!” Mike assured.

“And she’s worth going through all this trouble?” he pressed, stepping forward towards the new kid.

“I— I think so.”

“Either she is or she isn’t,” Eddie frowned, “and considering we made it this far, she must be— so you need to keep fighting for her!  You’re twice the man that Jason is, if she’s got two brain cells to rub together she’ll figure out she’s better off with you.  Capice?”

Mike puffed up his chest a bit.  “O-okay!” he decided.  “I’m gonna go for it!”

“Yeah, that’s the spirit!” Eddie cheered, slapping Mike on the shoulder before he ran off back to the party.

Eddie was smiling as he turned to you, only to lose his grin and rush over as you started to fall forward out of the swing.

“Woah woah!” he yelped as he knelt down in front of you and held your face with both hands.  “Gotta stay awake, remember, sweetheart?”

You stuck your bottom lip out.  “You’re so patronizing.”

He smirked.  “Leave it to you to use your vocabulary words when you’re totally shitfaced.”

When you fluttered your eyes shut, he lightly smacked your cheek, the rings hitting a little extra hard on your jaw as you groaned.  “What are you hitting me for?”

“Because you might have a concussion,” he reminded you.  

“And you want to add to it?” you assumed, awake enough for him to let go of your face, which he did.

“If you go to sleep now, you might not wake up.”

“You don’t care if I never wake up,” you dismissed.

He smiled at you, a little too amused by such a morbid sentiment.  “Sure I do!”

“Why?” 

He almost let his smile falter.  “If you died, I might have to go out with a girl who actually likes me,” he answered.

“If you could find one,” you snorted, eyes still shut but face curling into a proud grin at your own joke.

“See?  Who needs affection when I have blind hatred?” he teased.

You sniffled and sat up a little straighter, so Eddie stepped back and sat down on the swing beside you.

“So, why’d you let him get to you?” he wondered, looking out across the lake sparkling under the glow of a half-moon.

“Who?”

“Jason.  You’re normally so unaffected.”

“He always drives me crazy,” you admitted, “but messing with my sister is crossing the line.”

“Well, you’ve chosen some creative revenge,” he laughed, “by drinking through the Harrington’s liquor cabinet.”

You laughed along with him, a rare moment where you two overlapped— and not even in a negative emotion!  “You know what they say,” you replied.

“What’s that?” he wondered.  But you didn’t continue.  He looked to the side and saw you falling down again.

“Shit,” he spat, leaning forward and catching you at your shoulders, tilting your face up to his.  “Wake up!  C’mon, look at me, sweetheart, listen to me— open your eyes…”

He was a little overwhelmed by the way you did exactly as he’d asked, fluttering your eyes open at him, something entirely new in them that he’d never seen on you before— or maybe anyone, at least this up close.  “Hey,” you smiled softly.  “Did you know your eyes are a little bit hazel?”

He smiled back at you, examining your face, wondering for a split second if he should go for it.

But before he could, you keeled over and wretched— right on his white Reeboks.  “Shit,” he said again.

~

Elle was waiting out in the cool night air, her thin cardigan not doing much for her as she watched Jason drive off with a slew of girls in tow; he’d tried to get her to go to another party, but along with her curfew coming up, it turned out that he was sort of a dud.  For all his alleged charisma as one of the most popular guys in school, he didn’t know how to talk about anything but basketball, plus his ‘boys’ and their misadventures— usually drunken ones.  She tried to cut him some slack since he was likely a little tipsy, but she still couldn’t justify the way he talked about his ex-girlfriend.  It was just tacky!

As she waited for you to hopefully reappear soon and drive her home, Mike brushed by.  “Have fun tonight?” he asked, somewhat sharply.

“Tons,” Elle sighed, expecting him to stop and getting a little more shy when he didn’t. “Hey, um, Mike?” 

He stopped and turned, and she gave him a pitiful look.

“Any chance you could give me a ride home?”

Eddie hadn’t driven a car as small as yours in a while— and it wasn’t even small, it just felt that way compared to his van.

You reached forward and turned up the stereo, a Patti Smith song getting louder as you did.  “I should do this,” you announced.

“What?” he wondered.

“This!” you said again, pointing to the radio.  “Make music, start a band!  Aren’t you in a band?”

“Yeah, I didn’t know you knew that,” he admitted.

“Yeah, that’s what I’m gonna do, too,” you decided with firm defiance.  “My father would love that.”

“I didn’t think you were the type to worry about what your father thought,” Eddie noticed.

“Oh, so now you’ve got me all figured out?” you scoffed.

He shrugged.  “I’m getting there.”

You deflated slightly as you looked out the window.  “Nobody knows anything about me,” you admitted, “except that I’m ‘scary’ or whatever.”

He smirked slightly at your air quotes.  “I’m not known to be particularly enjoyable either.”

When you looked at him, he felt a little penetrated by your stare, so he looked back at the road ahead.

“Look at us, having a little talk about real stuff,” he blurted out, trying to break the tension.  “I mean, you’re usually so closed off and now I think you might spill your guts or something.  Oh, right— you already did…”

And you stiffened up again.  Right on cue.

Whereas your conversation with Eddie died a few minutes before you pulled up to your house, Elle and Mike’s only began when he put the car in park.  “You never wanted to hang out with me, did you?” he realized, irritation tinting his voice.

“I— I did!” Elle lied, trying to be nice.  But she was always trying to be nice, and that wasn’t enough; Mike scoffed in frustrated disbelief.

“You didn’t!”

Elle deflated.  “Yeah… okay.  Not really.”

“Well, then that’s all you had to say!  You could’ve just said you weren’t interested and none of this would’ve happened— but then you wouldn’t have gotten your night with Jason.  That’s what this was all about, wasn’t it?”

“But I—” she began, cut off by Mike’s rant.

“You know, you can’t just treat people however you want because you’re beautiful.  Lucas told me you were vapid, and I defended you!  I— I learned French for you!  And then you just—”

She cut him off with a kiss— a sweet kiss, not too short, but exactly the sort of kiss two sophomores should share in a car after a party.  When she pulled away, she smiled a little, and Mike blinked at her a couple times.

“Goodnight,” she offered softly, getting out of the car and walking up the steps to her front door.

Mike turned to face forward again, dumbfounded expression morphing slowly into a grin.  “And I’m back in the game!” he beamed, pumping his fist triumphantly.

~

As you walked into class, you tried to avoid the eyes on you— but you couldn’t, just like you couldn’t avoid throbbing in your head.

“Nice moves last night, señorita,” one of the stoners in class nodded approvingly as you came in.

“That was radical, dude,” a surfer boy offered with a ‘hang tight’ hand symbol.

And then there was Jason.  “What do you owe you for the table dance, babe?” he taunted.

Shuddering, you sat down as Ms. O’Donnell began.  “Settle down, please,” she begged the class.  “Whatever happened outside of school hours is not to be discussed now.  Wouldn’t you rather hear about your midterm assignment?”

The class groaned in unison.

“You’ll be writing a sonnet,” she explained, “in the style of William Shakespeare.”

When you raised your hand, you saw the look on her face, and you knew what she was expecting.  And you didn’t blame her.  You spoke when she pointed towards you.  “Should it be in iambic pentameter?”

She seemed suspicious of such a simple question.  “Um, no, it doesn’t have to be,” she replied.  “Why?”

“I just wanted to know…” you mumbled sheepishly.  “Is that so wrong?”

“Um, no,” she decided.  “That’s a good question, Miss Hopper… and it doesn’t.  Thank you for asking.”

She wasn’t the only one shocked by your sudden interest in her teaching, and you noticed the way the entire class was looking at you.  “What?” you scoffed, and you shook the moment off as Ms. O’Donnell began lecturing again.

~

Mike and Eddie sat beside each other as they watched your soccer practice from a safe distance.  “What’d you do to her?” Mike wondered.

“What?  I didn’t do anything— did you see how drunk she was?” Eddie shook his head.  “What made you think something happened, anyways?”

“The fact that the plan was working,” Mike answered.

“Why do you care?  I thought it was over.”

“It was,” Mike agreed, smiling, “until she kissed me.”

“Aw, that’s sweet,” Eddie congratulated, “I told you to go for it.”

Lucas, meanwhile, was running the track— and he stopped when he passed the two other boys.  “Alright, I talked to her,” he informed them, “I got the scoop.”

“What’d she say?” Mike wondered excitedly.

“Hates him with the fire of a thousand suns,” he announced with a sarcastic smile.  “That’s a direct quote.”

Eddie sighed, looking a little defeated.

“H-hey,” Mike tried to comfort him, “maybe she just needs a day to cool off?”

But the three of them had to lean away to dodge a soccer ball that came flying over, narrowly avoiding nailing Eddie in the head.  When they looked up together at the source, they caught your glare coming their way.

“...or two,” Eddie added.

~

You groaned as you sat with Robin on the bench, watching the prom committee hang up posters all over the courtyard for the wretched event.

“Can you imagine going to that brainless display of teenage vapidity?” you rolled your eyes.  

“Uh, I can,” Robin admitted, “if I had a date.”

“I thought things were going okay with Vickie,” you frowned at her.  

“Well, yeah, they’re okay, but it’s not like that, yet,” she explained.  

“You’re sparing yourself by not going,” you insisted, “the whole thing is a patriarchal sham anyways.”

“Even if you go with a girl?”

“Yes,” you groaned, “because you’re still supporting the institution.  It’s basically a mating ritual you have to dress up for!”

“Alright, we won’t go,” she promised.  “I didn’t have anything to wear, even if I knew how to ask Vickie…”

“You’re looking at this all backwards,” you sighed, “we’re not missing out— we’re making a statement!”

“Oh, great,” Robin beamed sarcastically, “something new and different for us!”

Across the courtyard, Elle was busy reviewing her Science homework at a table when Jason popped in beside her.  “Hey there, cutie,” he cooed.

“Hey…” she mumbled, focusing still on her textbook, in fact she hadn’t even looked up at him.

“Studying hard, huh?” he noticed, trying to prompt her again.         

“Can I help you?” she wondered flatly.

“Well, it would help me a lot if you say yes when I ask you to prom,” he quipped.

Elle only sighed, turning the page in her book.  “You know the deal, Jay— I can’t go if my sister doesn’t go.”

“Good thing she will.”

That got Elle to tear her eyes away from cell biology so she could look at the senior beside her.  “Since when?!” she gasped.

“Let’s just say,” Jason purred, scooting closer to her, “I’m taking care of it.”

~

Eddie chewed on the inside of his cheek as Jason rambled about the money he’d just handed him.  “That’ll cover flowers, limo, tux, the whole enchilada.  I don’t care what you do, just make sure she gets to the prom.”

Eddie suddenly handed the money back.  “You know what?  I’m sick of being a pawn in your little game, okay?”

Jason scoffed at the money.  “Then make it two hundred,” he decided, summing another bill to add onto the small pile in Eddie’s palm.

Hesitating, and then sneering, Eddie stuffed it into his pocket.  The money felt like it would burn a hole through the denim if he left it there too long— he went to the music store first, wondering if he should spent it; wondering if he should try to talk to you instead of just watching you play around on a bass you’d borrowed from the wall of instruments.

In a moment entirely out of character for him, Eddie just couldn’t muster up the courage to do it, to tap you on the shoulder and get your attention.  He could stand on tables in the cafeteria and make a fool of himself playing at the Hideout for whatever crowd of drunks accidentally stayed for Corroded Coffin’s show, but he couldn’t just… say hi to you.  You just looked so at peace sitting there on the amp, rocking your head between the big headphones that dwarfed your face; he was happier just watching you play for a few minutes, leaving before you opened your eyes and noticed him.

He watched you from between the stacks at the bookstore, too, swallowing as you flipped through Sylvia Plath.  What was it that was making him so nervous to approach you all of a sudden?  It’s not a crush, is it?  No…  no, it’s probably my natural aversion to pain.

Just when he was afraid you were about to leave and he would miss his chance, he jumped up from behind Adult Non-fiction and surprised you before you could head for the door.  “Excuse me,” he smiled, “have you seen The Feminine Mystique?  I lost track of mine.”

You looked appropriately disappointed and unamused, but he was used to that by now.  “What are you doing here?” you asked him flatly.

“I heard there was a poetry reading,” he replied, not even trying that hard to sound believable, since you’d never believe it.  You knitted your eyebrows together and opened your mouth, apparently searching for the exact words to cut him down.

“Y-you… you’re so…” you started a few times, and Eddie grinned as he realized he’d stumped you for the moment.

“Charming?” he finished for you.

And in a moment entirely out of character for you, you gave up, shaking your head and trying to step past him to walk away.  He side-stepped and planted himself in front of you.

“Irresistible,” he offered instead.

“Unavoidable,” you corrected.

“Inevitable,” he agreed with a wink.  “Love always is.”

“Love?!  Jesus Christ,” you spat, laughing sharply at how absurd it was.

“You do realize you’re not as mean as you think you are, right?” Eddie wondered, following you closely as you kept marching towards the door to leave.

You spun to look at him as you replied, “and you’re not as badass as you think you are.”

“Ooh,” he winced playfully, “someone still has their panties in a twist.”

“Don’t even for a minute worry that you have any effect whatsoever on my panties,” you snapped.

“Then what did I have an effect on?” he encouraged.

“Other than my gag reflex, not much,” you frowned.

“Gag reflex, huh?” he purred, and you grimaced as you rolled your eyes.

“God, you’re barbaric!” you announced as you shoved a book into his chest— The Feminine Mystique, of course— and utilized the moment he spent looking at it to exit the store.  He didn’t even really process that you were already gone until he heard the little bell on the door chime, and he sighed.

~

Eddie just wanted to get his lunch in peace, but those two pipsqueak sophomores flanked him as he moved through the line.  “What’s the word?” Mike asked.

“Well, you were right— she’s still pissed,” Eddie replied.

“Sweet love, renew thy force!” Lucas exclaimed, and Eddie made a face at him.

“Don’t say shit like that to me, people can hear you,” Eddie warned him.

“Look,” Mike interjected, “she’s embarrassed!  Sacrifice yourself on the altar of dignity and even the score.”

Rolling his eyes, Eddie departed the lunch line early— he didn’t want green bean casserole anyways— and left Mike and Lucas to look at each other.  “Don’t say shit like that to him,” Lucas soberly instructed Mike, “people can hear you.”

They were right, though, and the next day, he acted on their advice.

You were out on the field with the team, running drills, clearing your head in the only way you knew how.  Of course, Eddie couldn’t stay out of your head for long— or out of your way.  

You didn’t notice the speakers turning on at first; you heard it, but you didn’t think much of the static buzz of silence.  It wasn’t silent for long, though, and everyone turned their heads when they heard an electric guitar begin playing.  You looked up in the bleachers, and widened your eyes at the sight of Eddie hopping up into view as he played, a long black cord trailing behind him.  The marching band had left some of their equipment up after practice, including the microphone intended for the national anthem singer, and Eddie leaned into it as he began to sing along with his own playing.

“I gotta tell you what I'm feeling inside, I could lie to myself, but it's true—”

“Oh my god, is that—?” you heard a teammate of yours whisper to another, and they were all looking at you suddenly— and so was he.

“There's no denying when I look in your eyes,” he continued to sing, “girl, I'm out of my head over you…”

You turned around when drums and bass began to play as well, from the other side, and you laughed at the sight of the other members of Corroded Coffin— the logo made in tape on the kick-drum was a good sign that that’s who they were.

“And I lived so long believing all love is blind,” Eddie continued, “but everything about you is telling me this time, it’s forever—”

You finally recognized the KISS song and laughed in some impossible combination of disbelief and unsurprise: because of course Eddie would pick a KISS song to serenade you, but oh my god, was he really serenading you right now?  In front of everyone?

“This time I know, and there’s no doubt in my mind,” he sang passionately as he played, “forever, until my life is through, girl I’ll be loving you forever…”

The other musicians were singing harmonizing vocals, and your team was staring at you in shock as Eddie pointed at you in a break from his guitar playing; they knew before then that he was singing to you, but apparently even further confirmation continued to blow their minds.  You couldn’t believe it either, because, you know… it was you, and this was some kind of modern-fairytale bullshit, and you realized that you only never wanted it because you never thought it could happen.  Romantic surprises, sudden music, kisses in the rain?  Maybe for other girls— girls like Elle— but never for you.

Except here it was happening to you.  “I never thought I’d lay my heart on the line,” Eddie sang into the microphone, “but everything about you is—”

It came to a literal screeching halt, and everyone covered their ears at the feedback from the speakers.  Vice Principal Owens apparently didn’t take too kindly to the noise and disruption, as he appeared on the side of the field to chew Eddie out.  “What is the meaning of this?!” he yelled, and the drummer bailed first, tossing his sticks and grabbing a hi-hat and tom and making a break for it.  As the soccer team cheered and clapped for the performance, Eddie unplugged his guitar and sprinted from the Vice Principal.  “That’s school property!  That’s school equipment you stole!”

You laughed as the chase began, and Eddie caught your gaze for a second to give you a shrug as he swung the Gremlin over his back and dove off the bleachers.

“I hope you enjoy detention, Munson!” Owens yelled his threatening promise as he shook his fist— obviously incapable of keeping up with a freak on the run.

~

Coach Hastings stalked the columns of uniform plastic seats-and-desks, eyeing his quarry of quivering detention-goers.  A split-second of eye contact with one of them, before the kid jolted and stared down into his lap, made the coach smile somewhat menacingly and approach his desk.

“You look nervous, son,” he noticed with a grin, and the boy hesitantly blinked up at him.

“Yes, sir,” he agreed.

“You’re sweating like a pig,” the coach continued.

“Y-yes, sir,” the student agreed again.

“Your eyes are red!  You’ve got pot, don’t you?”

Apparently too scared (and stoned) to deny it, the kid awkwardly pulled a baggy out of his pants pocket and let Hastings snatch it away.

“I’m confiscating this,” he announced as he took it, marching back down the row and snagging a snack bag of Cheetos on his way as well.

Eddie scoffed slightly to himself as he saw it; not exactly a subtle plan, especially to Eddie, whose occupation at the school’s main dealer gave him unique knowledge of the coach’s habit.

He was just preparing to space out for an afternoon of mind-numbing boredom when you came in through the door, and he sat up slightly in surprise.

“Um, sir?” you got the Coach’s attention, meeting him at his desk at the front.  “I… have some ideas for practice tomorrow.”

“Now’s not the best time, Miss Hopper,” he replied quickly.

As he turned his back to the class, you made quick eye contact with Eddie to motion to him, pointing towards the window.  He sat up further, but tilted his head.  “The window!” you mouthed.

When Hastings turned around to look at you again, you played it off with a forced laugh.  

“Y-you know, we have that really big game soon against the Paxville Poodles…” you began again, stalling poorly.  Eddie quietly got up from his seat, just as Hastings made a move to turn around, and you unthinkingly reached out and grabbed his arm, making him look at you suspiciously.  “Your bicep is huge!” you blurted out.  “Wow— and look—” you grabbed the other— “this one’s even bigger.  You don’t take steroids, do you?  Because I’ve heard steroids can cause some shrinking of the, uh, package.”

The other students murmured and snickered to each other as Eddie crept around the back of the room, towards the open window at the front; you repositioned yourself and Mr. Hastings to keep Eddie’s path exactly behind him.

“But I didn’t come here to talk about your package!” you added.

“God, I hope not,” the coach agreed.

Eddie’s next step made a bit of noise— that damn chain on his jeans wasn’t very quiet— but you stopped him from turning to look by talking more.  “The point is, they always beat us,” you continued, “and I’ve got this plan to help us win this year!”

“Which is?”

“That… thing you taught us!” you answered chipperly as Eddie kept creeping towards the open window.

“What thing?” Hastings wondered.

“Misdirection.”

He narrowed his eyes.  “I taught you that?”

“Yeah!  You, o-or, you know, Siegfried and Roy— anyway—”

When he tried to turn his head over his shoulder, you had to reach out and grab his chin to turn his bewildered face towards you.

“They look left, we go right!  Bang, we score, we win,” you tilted your head and smiled wide.  Panic was setting in because you really thought Eddie would’ve made it out by now— he was close, but not there, and the coach was clearly losing his patience.

“But, how do we make them look left?” he wondered.  Eddie was halfway out the window, no looking back now… literally, meaning he didn’t see what you were about to do.

“Uh— like this!”

A rush of adrenaline compelled you to do it— or maybe it came right after you did it, honestly it was all a blur— and you lifted the bottom of your shirt up to your chin.  The classroom gasped, the coach’s chin dropped, and you cringed internally as you realized how far you’d gone: but you didn’t regret it, yet.  Actually, it was pretty funny, if you thought about it… not that you had exactly thought this through.

Hastings stared at you, dumbstruck and more concerned than aroused, the thoughts of what the hell is wrong with this girl? and oh god, am I gonna lose my job? obvious on his face.  The detention attendees began to whoop and holler as you dropped your shirt and Eddie was long-since freed.  “Okay!” you said with a thin voice, clearing your throat.  “Well, now that you’ve seen… the plan… I’m gonna go… and show the plan to someone else.  Okay.”

He said nothing, watching you walk away, and the classroom applauded you on your way out.

~

“I can’t thank you enough for breaking me out,” Eddie smiled as he paddled the rickety canoe.

“Oh, I do that all the time,” you dismissed jokingly.  

“How’d you keep him from seeing me?” he wondered.

You snorted a bit.  “I, uh, dazzled him with my… wits.”

Eddie shrugged and looked out at the water on every side, pulling the oars in now that you were stuck in the smackdab middle of Lover’s Lake.  “So, what’s your excuse?” he asked suddenly.

“Hm?”

“For acting the way we do.”

You considered that for a second, glancing out over the lake.  “Maybe it’s, like, daddy issues— ‘cause I don’t know my biological parents or anything.  Elle’s write her letters and stuff but mine don’t want anything to do with me.”

“Okay, maybe it’s that,” he nodded, “or…”

You sighed.  “I don't like to do what people expect.  Why should I live up to other people’s expectations instead of my own?”

He smiled, clearly proud of himself for getting you to fess up.  “So you disappoint them from the start and then you're covered, right?” he suggested, and you shrugged.

“Something like that.”

“Then you fucked it up,” he laughed.

“Huh?” you frowned.

His eyes seemed to sparkle more right before he said it— did he have some way of voluntarily doing that?  “You never disappointed me.”

You smiled a bit, but hoped he wouldn’t see that stupid, girlish emotion on your face.  “What about you?” you countered quickly.  “What’s your damage?”

“Oh, gosh, where to start,” he began, tapping his chin as he looked up and to the right like he was picturing it all, and you laughed.  “Daddy’s in prison, mommy’s… god knows where— last I heard she was in Washington?”

“Wait, the state, or D.C.?” you asked.

“I don’t even know!” he chuckled..

“If it makes you feel any better, I’ve got no clue where my mom is, either,” you shrugged. 

“I know misery allegedly loves company but, no, that doesn’t make me feel better.”

“There were a lot of rumors about what your parents were up to,” you admitted.  “Cult and traveling band were both popular.”

“Well, there are a lot of rumors about a lot of things,” he replied, “but they’re all bullshit.”

“So, the state trooper?” you challenged.

“Ridiculous,” he shot it down.  “You made out with a chick at a party?”

“Fantasy,” you rolled your eyes.  “Of theirs!  Not mine— I don’t wanna kiss anyone in public.  The duck?”

“Hearsay,” he smirked.  “Billy Hargrove’s balls?”

“Well, that one’s actually true,” you admitted, “but he deserved it!  He groped me in the lunch line.”

“Ah, don’t tell me that,” Eddie warned, “or I’ll go kick ‘em back up again myself.”  He clicked his tongue and tossed his fist as if to demonstrate.

“Why were you held back again?  I know the porn career’s a lie.”

“Do you?” he challenged.

You tried not to get too flushed imagining that.  You were strictly against porn, on feminist grounds, but… it was an interesting mental image.

He laughed first, then you followed suit.  “I missed a lot of classes, yeah, but I don’t have any good excuse.  I— to be honest, I have a lot of trouble with reading.  It takes me hours, gives me a headache… so I keep failing English.  And it’s not like I’m making ‘A’s in anything else…”

You tilted your head as you looked at him.  “Eddie, are you dyslexic?”

He raised an eyebrow.  “No, I’m bisexual,” he corrected.

“Dyslexia is a learning disorder, it causes difficulty in reading,” you explained.

“Not even gonna react to the bisexual thing, huh?” he pressed.

“Maybe you should see a doctor,” you encouraged.

“No cure for it,” he shook his head.

“For the dyslexia, dumbass!” you snapped, and he laughed.

“Okay, okay, I will,” he promised, “if you go see about getting that stick up your ass surgically removed.”

You rolled your eyes, but you still couldn’t stop a smile from filling your face.  “I thought you didn’t mind it.”

“I don’t,” he smiled.  “‘Cause I know you’re actually just a hopeless romantic under all that venom.”

You glanced down at the floor of the boat, at Eddie’s Reeboks across from your worn-out Converse.  You heard him whisper your name, so you looked up again, and he pulled you into a sudden kiss.

Kissing in a boat on Lover’s Lake— a little on-the-nose, maybe, and another one of those things you never expected to happen to you.  You never expected to like it so much, either, but you smiled into it and wrapped your arms around his neck.  Pulling you back with him, he fell into the front end of the canoe with you on top of him, kissing you harder.

Unfortunately, you both got a little carried away… and when he tried to roll you onto your back so he could lay above you, it knocked the small boat off-balance and sent you both tumbling into the lake.

You came up with a gasp, and a laugh, as Eddie came back facing the wrong way and yelling your name fearfully— like you’d drowned in the last three seconds.  Hearing your laugh, he spun around and put on a self-effacing smile before swimming a little closer and kissing you again.  You let him, even though that warm feeling in your chest was just getting hotter until you worried it would burn you up from the inside out; you brushed dripping, limp curls out of his face and grabbed him by the back of the neck to keep him close.

~

Half-dry from the journey home, Eddie walked beside you up to your front porch.  Not exactly wanting to bring in a lake-damp drug dealer, you guided him to sit next to you on the steps, and he seemed to look somewhat reverently out at the surrounding neighborhood.  “Beats the trailer park?” you assumed.

“Yeah,” he smiled, “but it’s not as bad as people think it is— I guess neither are we, though.”

“Okay, then tell me the truth,” you requested.

“The truth?  I’m afraid of the dark,” he grinned.

“No, something real,” you protested.

“Okay…” he agreed, lowering his voice and leaning in to kiss your neck.  “You’re sweet.”

You smiled, and he moved around to kiss the other side, giving you an eyeful of his fringe.

“And sexy,” he added.  “And completely hot for me.”

“You’re… very self-assured,” you giggled, “anybody ever told you that?”

“I tell myself every morning,” he agreed with a smile, “part of my daily affirmations.”

Your eyes drifted over his face— over his gentle eyes and soft lips and strong jaw— and you wondered how you never noticed how perfect he was before.

“Go to prom with me,” he said suddenly.

The moment left and you felt a little suspicious.  “Um, are you asking me, or telling me?” you wondered with a raised brow.

“C’mon, it’ll be fun,” he promised.

“No it won’t, it’ll be a circus of patriarchy and the hypersexualization of the American teenager,” you insisted.

“It’ll be fun if you come with me,” he clarified.  “I thought you liked doing what nobody expects?  The only one who expects you to go to prom is me.”

“Why do you even wanna go to the prom?!” you wondered.

“Maybe I’m more conventional than I look!” he defended.  “Maybe I only never went because I never had a beautiful girl to take.”

“I don’t buy it,” you scoffed.  “Why are you so insistent on this?  What’s in it for you?”

“Do I need to have a reason to want to be with you?”

“You tell me,” you challenged.

“You know something?  You need therapy,” he frowned.  “Maybe a shrink can help you unpack this inability to accept affection.  Were you not hugged as a child or something?”

“Right,” you snapped, “because all my problems are caused by being adopted— I forgot.”

“I didn’t— that’s not what I was saying,” he defended.

“So, what are you saying?  If I’m not madly in love with you, something must be wrong with me?”

“I think if you don’t trust me by now—!”

“By now?  One kiss and you’re totally trustworthy?” you tilted your head.

“We kissed twice,” he reminded you.

“Yeah, my mistake,” you scoffed, leaving the question of whether the number or the kisses were the mistake hanging in the air.  Shaking his head, Eddie pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his vest pocket.

“Damn it, they’re soaked,” he groaned as he opened it.

You snatched it away.  “I’ll throw them out for you,” you offered sharply as you stood up and stormed inside, slamming the door behind you.

~

Max Mayfield startled when she opened her locker, a flood of folded papers spilling out— origami stars.  She tilted her head as she knelt down, picking one up to unfold.  Because you’re funnier than people realize, it had written inside in somewhat poor, yet meticulous, handwriting.  Wrinkling her eyebrows together, she snagged another from on top of her textbooks.  Because you’re the most beautiful when you’re in class, listening and thinking.  It was cheesy, but she bit her lip as she imagined who this… extravagant secret admirer might be.  About to unfold another, Lucas leaned beside her at the lockers.

“Huh,” he noticed, “wonder who did all this just to ask you to prom.”

As he crossed his arms in front of his chest, she noticed the band-aids around the ends of many of his fingers.  “Basketball injury?” she assumed.

“No,” he denied sheepishly, “just, uh, papercuts…”

She smiled as she raised an eyebrow at him.  “So, you think this… stalker guy is asking me to prom?” she noticed.

“I— um, I assume,” he shrugged.

“That’s presumptuous of you,” she laughed.

Across the hall, Vickie was emphatically agreeing to Robin’s more tree-friendly prom invite: no letter or origami or notes or anything, just the courage to finally ask, and that was all she had wanted anyways.

All across the school, plans were being made, except for Elle: she had more options than most for her date, yet was forced to choose none because you were still resisting Eddie with what little fight you had left in you. 

After catching her glare each time you passed in the hall at school, you decided to attempt a peace offering at home.

You hesitantly knocked on her bedroom door after dinner.  “Come in,” she called from the other side, but her annoyance was obvious.  Especially when you entered and found her sitting on the bed, reading a book, ignoring you completely.

“Listen,” you sighed, “I know…”

She didn’t shut her book or look up at you.  You sat down near her feet and carefully took the book away; she crossed her arms as she finally returned your gaze— though hers was much sharper.

“I know you hate having to sit around at home because I’m not, you know, popular or dating or anything,” you informed her.

“You don’t care,” she rolled her eyes.

“I do care!” you insisted.  “But I believe you should do things for your own reasons, not someone else’s.”

“I wish I had that luxury,” Elle snapped, “but I can’t do anything because you don’t want to!  You know I was the only sophomore asked to prom?  And I can’t go because you’re too uptight and feminist-y to just go out with that Eddie guy.”

You frowned.  “How do you know about Eddie?”

She rolled her eyes.  “I’m sixteen, I’m not stupid.  And everyone heard about him serenading you on the soccer field anyways.”

Your cheeks warmed at the memory.  “Well, that’s not the point.  I can go out with him if I want, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to prom.”

“Prom is actually gonna be fun you know, it’s not this horrible institution that you think it is,” Elle promised.  “And Jason asked me and—”

“He never told you we went out, did he?” you interrupted, and Elle’s jaw dropped.

“You’re joking, right?” she assumed; you shook your head.  “You and Jason?!”

“For a few months, freshman year.”

“Why?” she asked.

“Because he’s sooo cute,” you answered with a Valley-girl-voice, but it didn’t do as much to diffuse the tension as you’d hoped.

“You hate him!” Elle noticed.

“I do now.”

“What happened?” she wondered, and you looked away because you thought it might be easier to say it if you weren’t looking right at her.  Even if she hated you, you didn’t want your little sister to think of you in the way she might when you admitted it.

“Well…” you trailed off, but she beat you to it.

“No,” she sighed, “you didn’t— you did it?!”

“Once,” you interjected firmly, as if that made it any better.  “Just once, because, you know, everyone was doing it.  I wanted to be cool— I wanted to feel normal.  But afterwards, I told him I didn’t wanna do it anymore because I wasn’t ready.  Aaaaand he dumped me.”

Elle blinked at you in bewilderment.

“After that, I decided to never do anything else again just because everyone else was doing it.  I haven’t since!  Well, except, you know, going to Steve Harrington’s party and getting wasted.”

“How did I not know about this?” Elle wondered.  Apparently she confused being popular with being omniscient.

“I warned him that if he told anyone, all the cheerleaders would find out how small his dick is,” you snorted.  Elle didn’t seem as amused, though.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she wondered.

“I wanted you to make up your own mind about him,” you replied.

“Then why did you help Daddy keep me hostage here?!”

She got up off the bed and stood, frustration switching to anger, and you wrinkled your eyebrows as well.  “Because I wanted to protect you!” you replied.

“By not letting me experience anything?” she countered.

“Not everything is worth experiencing, Elle!” you snapped.  “Not everyone can be trusted!”

“I wouldn’t know!” she announced furiously.  “You were too busy worrying I’d make the same mistakes as you to let me make my own!”

She stormed out of her own room and left you alone in it with a slam of the door.  You sat on the bed for a minute, considering what she’d said.  Noticing the picture on her nightstand, you sighed at the shot your dad had taken of the two of you, years ago, in line at Disneyland.  She used to think you hung the moon back then… why couldn’t things still be that easy?

~

You glided down the stairs quickly, holding up the end of your dress, and passed Dad as he watched TV.  “Bye, I’m going to prom,” you offered him flippantly as you passed.

“Ha ha, very funny,” he returned flatly.  Of course, when he caught you and your outfit in the corner of his eye, he realized you were serious.

Before he could even ask what was going on, you were out the door.  He would’ve chased you in search of more information, but he was distracted by Elle marching by next in her sparkly, colorful gown.

“What’s that?” he asked when he saw the midriff-baring garment.

“A prom dress!” she answered joyfully.

“I seem to be hearing that word a lot lately,” he frowned.

The doorbell rang, and Elle scampered across the foyer to answer it.  On the other side, Mike was waiting in a suit with a corsage in hand ready to give her— but he stalled when he got a look at her all dolled up (even more than usual).  “Wow,” he beamed, “you look… bitchin’.”

She smiled and started to leave with only a wave to her dad, but he crossed his arms.  “Stop,” he insisted, and Elle sighed as she froze.  “Turn.” 

The young couple turned, Mike looking a bit anxious as Elle prepared for the usual.

“Explain,” Hopper demanded.

“Well, you know how you said I could date if my lovely, wonderful big sister dated?” she batted her eyelashes.  “Turns out she found this guy who’s sort of perfect for her, which is sort of perfect for me, because Mike invited me to the prom—” she squeezed her date’s hand for emphasis— “and I really wanna go and I’m technically allowed since she’s going, and I know you’re a man of your word so you’ll stick to the rule you made.  Right?”

There was a heavy pause; Mike extended his hand to the Chief politely.  “Nice to meet you,” he greeted.

Elle took his hand instead and guided him out the front door.  Powerless, Hopper stepped up to the open doorway and watched them run to the waiting limousine together.  “Back by eleven, you hear me?” he called out.  “One minute past and the entire police department will be looking for you!”

They got in the car and drove off as he watched with a sigh.

~

You’d sort of been expecting Eddie to wear a t-shirt with a tuxedo pattern printed on it… maybe that’s what everyone expected of him.  But he was wearing a real one, in a dark cranberry color that seemed to bring out that little bit of hazel in his deep brown eyes.

It was stupid how easily his one simple glance over your body could make you fight the urge to blush.  You knew you looked good, you actually felt good, but it was different to see Eddie acknowledge it.  “Wow,” he offered with a wide smile.

“Yeah,” you agreed, “uh, you too.”

He handed you a rose before you hooked your arm in his to walk inside to the decorated gymnasium.

“Where’d you get a tux?” you wondered.

“Wayne had one,” Eddie shrugged.

“Really?” you pressed, and Eddie laughed.

“Hell no, he couldn’t even help me with my tie!  I… had a friend help me get this,” Eddie admitted, internally disgusted with himself for referring to Jason Carver as a friend.  Then again, he was disgusted with himself for doing this for Jason’s benefit at all, but at least there was a real benefit for himself, too: the only girl he’d ever really fallen for walking arm-in-arm with him to prom.  “Where’d you get the dress?” he wondered.

“Oh, um,” you blinked quickly, “I guess I really was a hopeless romantic deep down after all… ‘cause I had a nice dress in the back of my closet, just in case someone ever wanted to see me in it.”

There was a little moment of pause as Eddie imagined you saving a dress like this for someone special, hardly believing it was him.

“Listen, I shouldn’t have questioned your motives for asking me out,” you blurted out suddenly.  “I was wrong.  I’m sorry.”

He’d never seen you so… humbled?  And it made his heart twist.  “Don’t sweat it,” he encouraged, “you’re here with me now— that’s all that matters.”

~

Jason was already wearing his tux— and a sparkling-white smile— as your father opened the door.  “Hello, Mr. Hopper,” he offered charmingly, even though anyone with half a brain knows to call him Chief Hopper.  “I’m here to pick up Elle for the prom?”

Saying nothing, the Chief shut the door as suddenly as he’d opened it.

~

As you walked in to the room, dancing and general merriment in every direction, you caught Elle and Mike dancing cheek-to-cheek not too far off— and your sister offered you a quick wave and a gentler smile than you’d seen on her (directed at you, at least) in years.

Robin and Vickie, as always, were dancing to the beat of their own song, ignorant and uncaring to the judgment of others; Lucas guided Max to the dance floor, and you were one of many who noticed how good the unlikely pair looked together.

You were so caught up in it that you almost didn’t notice the music changing to another song— your favorite song.  Eddie nudged you with his elbow and pointed at the stage, where the band from Club Nina joined the musicians already playing, and you gasped.  “Oh my god!” you choked.  “It’s—!”

“I had a friend help me with that, too,” Eddie grinned at you, drinking in your ecstatic excitement.  You looked like a kid in a candy store as the lead singer waved at you; first humbled, then unabashedly joyful… so many new emotions that Eddie wasn’t used to seeing you show, but he liked this one so far.  He liked how beautiful you were when you let yourself be openly happy— it reminded him of the way you looked dancing to this song at that club all those weeks ago.  He hadn’t just been putting on the moves, he really thought you looked sexy when you let go and enjoyed yourself.  And now you looked that way again, but you were dancing with him.  You looked, and felt, freer than ever.

~

Elle was on her way to freshen up in the girls’ room— because the last thing she needed now was a lifting false lash with everything else going so perfectly— when Andy and Patrick stopped her.  “Woah, hey,” Andy said as he grabbed her shoulder, “what’s going on?”

“What?” she wondered.

“Where’s Jason?” they pressed.

“I dunno, probably off somewhere picking his nose?” she replied sarcastically.

“Oh my god,” Patrick laughed.  “I knew he couldn’t do it!”

“Huh?” she asked.

“He was so sure he could pop your cherry tonight,” Andy explained, bemused, “but he was full of shit— as per usual.”

Elle stepped back.  “What a creep!” she spat, but they weren’t even paying attention anymore, just chuckling to each other about how they wouldn’t let their team captain live this one down for a while.

As for Jason, he wasn’t too far away after all— he was angrily storming through the dancing crowd towards you and Eddie.  “Hey, freak!” he yelped just before grabbing him by the collar of his jacket and pulling him aside, though not quite far enough away.  “What’s Elle doing here with that pipsqueak?!  I didn’t pay you to take out her sister just so some little weirdo could get with her instead.”

Eddie whipped his head around, praying to whatever deity would listen that you hadn’t heard, but it only took a split-second to see the look in your eyes.  And there was a third emotion he’d never seen on you before: real heartbreak.  No anger, no rage, just devastation.

“Wait,” he pleaded as you began to walk away.

“I can’t believe I was right about you,” you replied with a shake of your head, “the first time.”

Jason let Eddie go to unsuccessfully chase after you; he was disinterested in the Freak versus Bitch drama unfolding once again, much more focused on getting back at Mike Wheeler for screwing him over.

Lucas tried to intercept him, but he got shoved roughly to the ground on the way to Mike.  “You messed with the wrong guy,” Jason informed him with a sneer, “and now you’re so done.  You and that prissy bitch.”

“Watch what you say about her,” Mike warned angrily, but Jason wasn’t exactly intimidated— in fact, he almost looked amused right before his fist collided with the sophomore’s face.  Mike crumpled to the ground, not exactly a match for Jason’s strength… but then again, neither was Elle, and she was the one who swung back— right in the nose.

“That’s for making my boyfriend bleed!” she explained as he clutched his face.  “That’s for my sister,” she added as she kneed him in the gut, “and this… is for me.”

A swift kick to the crotch sent him to the ground, and Elle stepped over him to offer a hand to Mike.  He took it, looking up at her in awe as she helped him stand again.  “Uh, boyfriend?” he noticed.

It was the kind of move you would’ve been proud of, if you were there to see it; apparently ball-kicking ran in the Hopper family, and not just in the soccer sense.

“Please, let me explain,” Eddie begged as he chased you out of the gym.

“I think it’s pretty self-explanatory!” you returned sharply.  “It was all a set-up, by fucking Jason!  I should’ve known it was too…”

Too good to be true.  You couldn’t admit that, you’d already given away so much.  “It wasn’t— that was just how it started!” Eddie promised.  “But I really fell for you.”

“Yeah?  Funny what money can do to a person.”

“I never cared about the money!” he insisted, and when you spun around to challenge that, he grabbed your shoulders.  “I only cared about you.”

“You’ve got a funny way of showing it,” you sneered, and he did want to show you— he wanted to wipe that all-too-familiar look off your face and go back to how things were.  He kissed you, hard and forceful, but you pushed him off with a whine.  “I hate you!” you spat as you managed to fight him off— not that he was trying that hard to force you to stay, he knew that was wrong… though he wished he could.  He wished he could hug you tight enough to keep you here until you would listen, but you were too stubborn for it to work anyways.  It was that stubbornness that made him resent you in the beginning, then it was one of the things he fell for— and now it was the reason you were walking away, and he was just watching you go, unwilling to hurt you anymore.

~

“You’re sure you don’t wanna come?” Elle asked again, pityingly, as Mike held her hand.  You shook your head.  “Okay, well, we’ll miss you.”

It was sweet, but it was a lie; a young couple didn’t want you chaperoning their movie date.  Lies can be so sweet that way, the best ones usually are.  You watched them walk together down the sidewalk, knowing it wouldn’t cheer you up to go with them.  “Is she gonna be okay?” Mike whispered to his girlfriend, though not quietly enough.

“I hope so,” Elle replied softly.

As they left, your dad appeared and sat next to you on the steps, groaning as his older joints made it a bit more of a task.  “Where’s she going?” he wondered.

“To meet a bunch of bikers,” you offered quickly.  “Big ones… full of sperm.”

“Not funny,” Hopper frowned.  You gave him a look, and he smiled slightly.  “A little funny.”

It still wasn’t enough to make you smile back, and you looked forward at the houses across the street again.  

“So… the dance,” he remembered, “was it groovy?”

Even that couldn’t make you crack a smirk, though you wanted to.  “Some parts…”

“Which parts?” he wondered.

“The part where Elle beat the crap out of some loser,” you recalled— the stories around school were already glorious.  You were pretty sure the rumor that she pulled some Karate Kid moves and spin-kicked him in the face was just a rumor, but you liked picturing it anyways.

“Elle did what?” he gasped.

“What, are you afraid she’s taking after me?” you challenged.

“No,” he answered quickly, “I’m impressed.”

You looked at him again, soaking in that all-too-rare approval.  It’s not that he wasn’t affectionate… well, he wasn’t, but it was only because he had trouble expressing himself.  It made his eloquence going forward even more unexpected.

“You know, fathers don’t like to admit when their daughters become capable of running their own lives,” he explained.  “It means we’re obsolete… we’re spectators.  Elle still lets me play a few innings— you’ve had me on the bench for years— and when you go to Sarah Lawrence, I won’t even be able to watch the game.”

You were about to complain about the baseball metaphor until you realized what he was really saying.  “When I go?” you repeated excitedly.

“Don’t tell me you changed your mind now!  I already sent them a check,” he answered with a slightly mischievous smile.  Exclaiming in joy, you threw yourself on him for a tight hug.

~

“I assume you’ve all prepared your sonnets for today?” Ms. O’Donnell looked over the room.  She frowned when she saw Jason sinking into his chair.  “Mr. Carver?”

“Uh… I, uh, have a doctor’s note,” he explained.

“Oh— well, regardless, sunglasses are not permitted indoors,” she reminded him.

Sighing, he took the aviators off, and the class snickered at the sight of two black eyes on either side of his bandaged nose.

“Would anyone else like to read theirs for us?” she encouraged, and you waited a second before raising your hand.

That seemed to surprise everyone— most of all Eddie, who lifted his head from where it had been resting on his desk.  Some of your classmates assumed the worst— here we go and time for a feminist lecture that rhymes and all that— but some seemed to sense what was really coming.  Ms. O’Donnell, pleasantly surprised, stepped aside to let you come stand at the front.

You opened your notebook and did your best not to look at everyone looking at you.

Clearing your throat, you began.  “I hate the way you talk to me,” you read aloud, “and the way you cut your hair.  I hate the way you drive my car, I hate it when you stare.”

Your reading was particularly flat and unemotional, just hoping to get this over with, yet at the same time, so many emotions were flooding you inside.

“I hate your stupid white Reeboks, and the way you read my mind— I hate you so much it make me sick, it even makes me rhyme.”

You spared one half-second glance up, and even just in your peripheral you saw Eddie’s face, and you had to fight getting choked up.

“I hate… I hate the way you’re always right, I hate it when you lie,” you whimpered, voice breaking, “I hate it when you make me laugh, even worse when— when you make me cry.”

As a hot tear crossed your cheek, you fought the instinct to defiantly wipe it away— for once, you wanted to feel this, and you wanted to be seen even at your most vulnerable.

“I hate it when you’re not around, and the fact that you didn’t call,” you continued, approaching the end.  “But mostly I hate the way I don’t hate you; not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.”

The way Eddie was looking at you was just too much; the way everyone was looking at you was just too much.  You stormed out of the class, leaving them in stunned silence, crying harder as you ran down the hall.

~

Your face was dry by the time you got to your car; maybe you’d let Eddie play with your heart and invade your mind and cry way too much, but you decided that was over now— no more tears over boys.  Especially dumbass, annoying, sexy, horrible, gorgeous boys who play you for a fool and have the audacity to fall for you in the process.

You were about you open your driver’s side door when you saw the sparkling white resin in the front seat, and you bent down, greeted by the Fender Stratocaster you’d been eying resting in your seat.

Reaching in through the open window, you pulled it out delicately and inspected it like it was magic— because maybe it was.

“Nice, huh?”

Eddie’s voice behind you made you jump and spin, and he smiled at you expectantly as he shoved his hands in his pockets and tilted back on his heels for a second.  “A Fender Strat?” you noticed.  “Is this— is this mine?”

“I figured you could use it,” he shrugged, “when you start your band.  Or join mine.”

You smiled slowly as you looked at it again, and then back at him.

“Besides, I had some extra cash,” he explained.  “Some jerk paid me to take out this amazing girl…”

“Yeah?” you smirked.

“Yeah,” he nodded, “but, uh, I kinda fucked it up.  ‘Cause I totally fell for her.”

You loved the way he looked with a flush tinting his cheeks.  “Really?” you pressed.

“Of course,” he grinned.  “Very rare to find a girl who’ll flash someone to break you out of detention.”

It was your turn to feel your face warm, then, wondering how long ago he found out about that.  Dropping your forehead into one of your hands in embarrassment, you laughed shamefully at the memory, hardly believing you’d done something so impulsive.  As risky as it was, you actually kind of liked the person you were when you were with Eddie.

With a gentle grip on your wrist he moved your hand away from your face, the other tilting up your chin so he could kiss you.  You let him, for a moment, but before you could properly melt into him you carefully pushed him back by his shoulders.  

“You know you can’t just buy me a guitar whenever you screw up, right?” you asked.

“I know,” he agreed, “but hey!  There’s always drums, bass, tambourine… triangle…”

You snorted your laugh and he kissed you again.  You pushed him away again.  “And don’t just think you can—”

He kissed you again, a little harder, and you gave in to it willingly.

Yeah, all that cheesy romance stuff? Sappy poems, public serenading, making out in front of everyone as the bell rang and the day ended? Turns out it really can happen for a girl like you. It can happen for a guy like Eddie, too; neither of you expected it to, but it did. And as you spent the rest of your senior year getting to know him better, you found a lot more things about Eddie Munson that you would've hated if you learned them before— but they only made you love him more instead.

#eddie munson x reader #eddie munson fluff #10 things I hate about you #mileven #lumax #rovickie #stranger things fanfiction #AMidsummerNightsWritingChallenge

[bordysbae]

Could you do aftermath of quinn or luke getting their wisdom teeth out?

“how are you real?”

quinn hughes x reader

“y/n, are you sure you’re alright to take him home after getting his wisdom teeth out? i totally forgot i had plans when i scheduled his appointment.” ellen asks you over the phone. originally you were going to come over and help out at the house after his surgery, but ellen ended up needing you to take him home as well.

“of course elle! i don’t mind at all. what time is his surgery over?” you ask, grabbing your wallet and keys from your desk.

“his surgery is done in about half an hour. do you mind coming to the dentist office now?” “not at all, see you soon!” you say and hang up. you head to your car and begin driving to the place ellen told you to. when you walk inside you see ellen in the waiting area, and sit down next to her.

“oh y/n hi darling! perfect timing! thank you so much, i need to get going but they’ll come get you when quinn is done.” “alright!” you smile and wave her off as she leaves. about fifteen minutes later the nurse comes to get you, and you follow her into a small room towards the back. when you walk in you see quinn with his mouth wide open staring into space.

“quinn, hi baby!” you say, grabbing his attention. suddenly he gasps loudly, “how are you real?” he asks you, making both you and the nurse laugh. “what? what do you mean?” you ask, unaware of what he was trying to say.

“you’re so pretty, there’s no way you’re real!” he smiles at you, very much loopy from the drugs given to him. “aww quinny!” you blush, as you walk over to kiss the top of his head.“call me quinny again. i like when you call me that”

“oh you’re so loopy quinn” you laugh to yourself. suddenly quinn makes an angry expression instead of the happy one he had just a minute ago. “don’t call me that!” he yells. “shhh quinny shh you have to be quiet” you say, using a hand gesture to tell him to lower his voice.

“only cause you called me quinny” he pouts and crosses his arms across his chest. as the nurse is finishing up paperwork you sit with quinn to keep him company. he then begins to start pushing the gauze out of his mouth with his tongue, which he was instructed not to do.

“babe you have to keep that in your mouth!” you say, rushing to help him put it back in his mouth despite how gross it is. “oh my god y/n! my tongue fell off! you took my tongue! i cant feel it!” he says as he starts patting his tongue with his index and middle finger.

“quinn you have your tongue i promise, now be quiet we have to listen to the nurse okay?”

“you’re trying to tell me to shut up!”

“this is gonna be a long day” you groan and rub your hands across your face. the nurse gives you instructions on how to take care of him for the next few days, and sends you both on your way.

getting quinn in the car was a hassle in itself, but driving home with him was worse. he’s sat in your passenger seat playing with all of the little buttons and knobs on the dash. he discovers the fan button and the air starts blowing on his face, making him very giggly. “what’s so funny?” you look at him as you pull up to a red light.

“the air is tickling me!” he laughs to himself still touching buttons. “why don’t you try and sleep for a bit. you need to rest when we get yo your house anyways” you suggest

“no!” he says, acting like a toddler. you roll your eyes and groan. who knew your boyfriend being doped up would be such a pain? eventually you guys make it to the hughes household, and you help quinn get out of the car. you lead him to the front door where his youngest brother luke helps you lead him upstairs to his bedroom.

“how is he doing?” luke asks you. “he’s literally crazy” you groan, making luke laugh.

“well, as much as you’re gonna hate me for this. i have plans in fifteen minutes soooo…” he drags out the o sound, forcing you to finish his sentence for him. “i’m alone to deal with quinn aren’t i?”

“possibly..” luke grins, making you playfully his his shoulder. before either of you can get a word out, quinn opens his bedroom door and starts walking down the stairs. “quinn, babe you need to be in bed resting!” you exclaim.

“but i don’t wanna rest! you aren’t in bed with me i cant sleep!” he cries out. you chuckle and walk up the stairs towards quinn. you then begin to lead him back to his bedroom, “i’ll come lay with you okay? you need to sleep”

“only if you’re with me” he pouts. “i like this side of you, you’re so clingy” you say as you close his bedroom door.

“you guys are you disgusting!” luke shouts, making you start laughing.

“are you laughing at me?” quinn asks as he crawls into his bed.

“please just go to sleep” you huff.

#quinn hughes x reader #quinn hughes #quinn hughes imagine #quinn hughes blurb #hockey blurb #hockey imagine #luke hughes

[hotxcheeto]

one-shot for Ellie x gn reader, please and thank you <3

fluffy start in Jackson, but then Reader gets bitten during a patrol gone wrong. they cry in Ellie’s arms waiting to die and trying to reassure her it’s not her fault, leading to Ellie confessing her feelings for Reader, along with a dying kiss…

…except the next day Reader wakes up perfectly fine with the bite now healing. both realize Reader is immune too and Ellie proceeds to smother them with more emotional kisses 🥰

for some extra spice: Ellie knows she has a crush on reader and is trying to flirt but reader is “we’re just really close friends” type oblivious 💀

━ 𝐖𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐔𝐏 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍

𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜(𝙨) - Ellie Williams x G/N!Reader

𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 - Cursing, mentions and alludes to death, reader gets bit but lives, happy ending but still emotional, sadness throughout, fluff, angst, fluffy, talk of the stages of grief

𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 ? - Yeah/Nope

𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧'𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚 - twisted this a little since I'm not the biggest fan of immune reader but I thought this was sadly cute, I'm sorry for taking so dang long!!! ily!!

It was unknown when your silly sleepovers turned into going to one's house and calling it home when talking to others. Changing after a long day, barely speaking to each other out of exhaustion, maybe eating on the couch before going to sleep in the same bed.

Dina joked it was like you were in a rocky marriage, a couple that didn't act romantic though lived with one another and still shared a mattress. It made you and her laugh at the time, wallowing in the smiles and the truthfulness of the comment.

But despite Dina making comments to both of you, going even further than just jokes, you still maintained a friendship. Just a friendship, that was all.

To you anyway.

"Ellie?" She snapped awake, eyes fluttering open to look at you leaning above her, arm still tightly around your waist. "I gotta go Ells." "No."

You huffed a breath of laughter, Ellie leaning into your touch when you ran your fingers along her cheek. Brushing away her hair from her mouth which was stuck by half dried drool.

"I'll be back before you know it." Ellie shook her head again, pulling you towards her, the corners of her lips pulling upwards as you giggled. "I promise."

"You always take longer when you're with Dina. Why couldn't you just let me be your partner?"

"Because I like talking to her and you need a damn break, you've worked for a month straight." You lifted your head, looking up at her tired green eyes that swirled with content.

"She's gonna be mad if I'm late, I gotta go. " You laughed, finally successfully pulling away from her and standing up. Stretching out so far that your shirt rode up on your belly, showing off the way your pants dipped right in the front.

"You wearin' that?" Her voice was rough like every other morning, followed by her trying to clear it only for her to still sound dead.

"No silly, I gotta change, turn around." You spoke, walking around the bed while very aware that she was watching you as you did.

"Oh c'mon, can't give me a good view before I have to get up?" You shook your head, motioning with your head for her to look away. "Alright, alright."

"Best friends only get so many privileges."

"That's bullshit, they should get all privileges."

"Maybe later."

Ellie snorted, rubbing her face while listening to your clothes ruffle and your light footsteps move around.

"Okay, I'll see you later?" You asked, slipping on your shoes, seeing her sit up and yawn, nodding. "Yeah, I'll get sandwiches for us." You smiled, pulling on your jacket. "Sounds good to me. Take the day, okay? Get some extra sleep or something."

"I know, I know, I will."

You grinned, kissing her cheek before turning around, opening up the front door but not before one last passing comment.

"I mean it Ellie!"

"Okay! Be careful out there."

And when you left all was well. Knowing you'd get to go back to her in a short amount of time. Excited for food and the silent invitation back to your favorite thing, sleep.

It created a small pep in your step as you met up with Dina, the girl asking what was with the smile but you only shrugged. Deciding then and there it would be a good day.

The sun shining, clouds seldom passing by, the birds singing. All you could do was laugh and talk as you and Dina made your way along.

Sightseeing making you both take a bit longer than expected but neither of you cared. And Ellie wouldn't mind, she already knew it was bound to happen.

First it was post one then two then... three.

Three.

Three, Dina had said it a few times, but why?

"One, two, three."

"One... two... three..."

"In, out, one.. two.. three."

Again and again.

She whispered to you, holding a rag she'd brought on your arm, riding as fast as possible back to the gates. But you didn't hear her, you didn't hear anything. Tears dripping down your face.

You weren't even sure you were breathing, you weren't sure of anything. Numb, staring forward at the back of the horse's head that went up and down from trying its best to get back.

"Breathe Y/n." You hadn't been, shakily taking in air when her voice finally reached you. Looking up through blurry pupils to see Jackson in front of you, taunting you, reminding you of what you'd left behind.

What was waiting for you, standing still for your return. Time hadn't stopped for it.

Oh but you wish it had.

You slid off Dina's horse before she barely got a chance to stop him, hurrying to try and help you. But you were already stumbling to where Joel was, begging for familiarity and trying your hardest to get away from the outside.

"Is Ellie home?" He looked over to you, dropping what he was doing to meet you halfway. "The hell happened out there?" "I..."

His eyes danced their way to your arm, rag gone and all you could see was the teeth marks. Surrounded by yellow veiny lines that he knew were not veins, it was the infection beneath your flesh.

"Shit." He rubbed his mouth while the other picked up your arm, eyes wide in fear and disbelief. He then looked at Dina, standing back a bit further, sadness in her stare and streaks of wetness down her cheeks.

"C'mon, c'mon let's go see her, okay?"

"Okay."

And that's how you ended up back at her front door, opening it as it wasn't locked in her anticipation for you to return. Her back to you, sitting at her desk, she was drawing. Drawing a portrait of you, you didn't know that, but she did.

It was a gift to go with the flowers. The flowers Jesse was holding for her so you didn't see them.

The girl didn't hear you either until the door had shut. Turning around with a grin only for it to fall away and shatter on the cold wooden floorboards.

You wore Joel's jacket, cradling your covered forearm with your other hand, staring at the ground to avoid her gaze.

"Y/n/n? What's wrong?"

You didn't cry at first, until a broken sob cracked through the air like thunder, your entire body falling to the floor. Ellie not hesitating to rush over and kneel in front of you, grabbing your shoulders while trying to figure out what was wrong.

"I'm sorry– I'm sorry– I shou– should've just stayed here–" You cried so hard you were unaware if your words were actual words or if they were only sounds.

"What happened? Is it Dina?" You shook your head, still clutching your bite. "No– I'm sorry– I'm so sorry Ellie–"

She'd finally noticed you holding it, looking at your broken face that stayed facing the ground. Her motions didn't mean to come off so harsh, but she just couldn't help it.

She roughly grabbed your arm and ripped up the sleeve of the jacket, only making you cry harder when you saw it once again.

"Fuck–" She breathed. A chill ran down her spine, fear creeping throughout her entire being, she felt like she could vomit, faint and scream all at the same time but not a thing came out.

Gagging but choking it back along with her tears.

"How– What the fuck?" It was anger that came first, noticing the way the bite got worse in just the few seconds she'd been staring at it. "Dina didn't seem them Ellie– it was an–"

"If you say that you getting bit was a fucking accident I–" She shut herself up, clenching her jaw so hard you could've sworn her teeth were on the verge of breaking. "C'mere." She pulled you forward, hugging you, letting you bury yourself in her neck and cry.

"I should've been there– I should've–" She coddled you like a child, clutching you like you were going to disappear at that very moment. "I should've just went with you." "It's not your fault Ellie, you deserved time–" "Stop. Please."

Anger, denial, anger, denial, anger, denial.

"I love you." She whispered, "You can't fucking leave me."

A confession in the quiet, a regret she didn't have. Even if you didn't feel the same, you were going to be gone either way. What the fuck did it matter?

"I love you too but it's over Ellie." She wanted to cry, just hearing you say that, "Don't say that, please– don't–" She kept her face pressed on your head, wishing that she'd wake up, that it was just a nightmare that seemed awfully real.

"Don't leave me okay? I don't wanna be alone Ellie."

"I know, I won't. I'll be right here, okay?"

You sat like that for what felt like forever, Ellie leaning you both against her bed. Hearing your hard cries turn into soft spurs of air.

Muttering that you loved her more before you had cried yourself to sleep. Laying in her lap while she just stared at the unchanging bite. Running her thumb over it once you couldn't feel its pain anymore.

Occasionally she'd pull back the collar of your shirt to see if the infection had spread, but it hadn't, not visibly. And somewhere inside her, she'd hoped that meant something.

She hoped that all you both had gone through wasn't for nothing.

The cries turned into dead silence to which she closed her eyes, then when they opened again, morning came.

A rainy morning, nothing like the day before. A day you'd been so excited for that was now turned into nothing but a memory. A bad memory.

She slept for God knows how long in wait for the impending doom. She wanted to puke, staring at her wall of pictures you made her hang up. Most of them were you, smiling or posing with your other friends. Sketches of you all over the room that continued to remind her of the fact that you were most likely gone.

Laying in her lap was only a shell.

She didn't want to try and wake your body though, she couldn't, not until you did yourself. When you were one of them, she'd face you, but not when you still looked so much like yourself.

You sputtered and groaned as you finally did wake, shifting and rolling while going to sit up, turning to look at her.

She hadn't even taken out her knife, she couldn't.

"What happened?" You mumbled, rubbing your face. She swore it that her heart burst out of her chest. Ellie had never felt so fucking scared yet when you spoke it felt like it all washed away.

Disbelief.

"How do you feel?" The hope crawled back up her throat making her choke on it, shaking as you shrugged. "Tired, my eyes hurt." "I know, look at me."

You did, Ellie pushing your head up to look at your eyes in the light.

Clear as they were the night before. Not a sight of infection.

"I don't think it's spreading," She dared to whisper, her grip on your jaw not faulting for a second. "Does that mean m'not gonna change?" "I don't know, just..." She pulled you to her chest once again, allowing you to listen to her petrified heartbeat thump against her ribcage.

"I don't feel any different." You said, "M'just tired.."

Ellie tried to remember what she'd felt like when she was bitten, she tried pulling all the painful memories forward. Squeezing her eyes shut, remembering how Riley turned in mere hours yet here you were after almost an entire day.

Tess's had grown exponentially in just two of those sixty minute intervals and yet yours stayed the same.

Sam died overnight.

She was still alive though.

Your arm wasn't getting worse, at least visually, and she'd seen it happen before. Comparing Tess's bite, Riley's, Sam's, hers, over and over.

Running the images through her mind again and again while staring at the back of her eyelids.

"Ellie..." Her eyes opened, seeing you leaning over her with her arm around your waist. "I would've turned by now... right?" "I–"

Her sentences fumbled and her vocal cords failed her, unsure of the answer.

"Yeah."

You were gonna be okay, right?

"Okay.. that's good." You sat up straight, wiping your face with the backs of your hands. "So– so I'm gonna be okay right? You began to cry, unsure if it was relief or every other emotion that coursed through yourself.

"M'not gonna have to leave you?" Your voice cracked, Ellie shook her head, holding onto you. "No, not like this anyway." "What if–" "It won't, not if you're like me." "But what if I'm not?"

Ellie shook her head even harder, as if she was trying to shake the questions away herself. The letters disbanding and bouncing away.

"What if I'm not like you?"

"So far I'm the only person that's survived that, now so are you. You are, I know it." No she didn't, but watching you sigh a breath of slight relief made it feel okay for her to lie.

"Look at me.." You did just that, feeling her warm hands wipe away your tear tracks, pressing your forehead against her own.

"I meant it."

You kissed her without another thought, feeling yourself being pushed back from her reciprocation. Still afraid you'd poof into a thousand feathers and she'd open her eyes once more to nothing but empty arms.

"I know, I think I always have."

PLEASE REBLOG MY STUFF!! Liking doesn’t boost and I like when people read my stuff!!

#ellie x reader #ellie the last of us #ellie williams x reader #ellie #ellie williams imagine #ellie williams x you #ellie williams x y/n #ellie williams angst #tlou 2 #tlou #the last of us #the last of us part 2

[cyberghu0l]

Liar

Staying mad at Ellie was impossible. Even in the most heated arguments, she always found her way back to you.

Ellie Williams × fem!reader

Ellie would do anything for you, she made it clear before you guys were together and even now. You wish she wouldn't though, it scared you and sometimes even ended with her hurting herself.

The routine was the same. Come back home and sat in her lap for hours cleaning and bandaging her wounds. The silence was deadly and she knew it. She knew you hated whenever she put herself in harms way for you, but her even being able to be at your side means so much to her already.

You two were out on patrol like any other day, when an infected came your way. "Y/N!" Ellie screamed pushing you behind her, onto the floor. You had little to no time to react, only to watch the infected scratch her face leaving cuts along her cheek. She quickly got her gun and held it up, but to her disappointment, her trigger was stuck. "Shit!" She quickly ducked under the swing that came her way and took out her knife.

It was too fast and knocked it out of her hand pinning her to the floor. You scrambled to your feet after regaining strength and shot the mutant causing it to limp at her side. You exhaled a breath you didn't realize you held after. She moved the now dead infected off her and went to her gun.

"How is the trigger stuck, I just used it this morning." She muttered. You were in shock at how quickly she just got up not even trying to process what happened. You stuck the gun back in your belt and walked away, the gravel beneath you giving away your exit. Ellie perched up and saw you leaving. "Fuck." She cursed. She quickly put her gun in her backpack and ran to catch up with you.

You opened the door to your shared room and dropped your bag at the front. Ellie followed soon after. "Babe?" She questioned, almost waiting for you to say something. You put your hands on your hips and turned around to face her. "Turn your head." You pointed to her right cheek. She turned slowly revealing the cuts. "Jesus fucking Christ Ellie." You huffed out and grabbed the first aid kit. She knew what to do, only this time you sat next to her.

"You know I can't help it." She started.

"You know I can handle myself." You spat.

She must've realized your new spot because she started rubbing her thighs anxiously. "You can't keep doing this Ellie. I know we're bound to get hurt, but please just let me do what you taught me. I know what to do, I can use a gun, and I can handle a knife. Why is that not enough for you?" You finished cleaning the cuts and looked at her. Her green irises stared back at you.

"I know." She sighed. "But can't I just look out for you?" You scoffed. "Unbelievable." You got up off the couch and put away the first aid kit. "I can look out for myself, Ellie." She only sat from the couch, listening. You had this same talk millions of times. You knew she only had your best interest at heart, but you couldn't stand seeing her getting hurt on your own accord.

"I know." She sighed. "I know, and I'm sorry. I keep getting in the way and it's not fair to you. I'll be better. I promise, baby." She stood looking at you with pleading eyes.

Fuck

It was hard to stay mad at her whenever she looked at you like that. You muscled everything up and turned away from her, not wanting to see her. Ellie, on the other hand, knew this well. She smirked and came closer to you, holding your upper frame. Your arms were crossed, but your head turned to look anywhere, but at her.

"Y/N..." She purred.

A smile threatened to spread across your face. "I'm not looking at you. I'm still mad at you. You could've gotten bit again." You spoke. She only laughed at your concern. "I'm immune!" She joked. You held in your laugh. "C'mon!" She couldn't give up, not now. She took your hand, and held it in hers.

"Y/N.." Then she came to your neck, lingering. Only her shallow breaths could be felt. Once she connected her lips, you forgot everything. "Ellie." You breathed out. "I-I'm still mad at you." You stuttered. Your fingers were tangled in her short hair, letting her do anything she wanted. Her kisses trailed up to your lips. She only looked at you with the same pleading eyes. She spoke to you without even opening her mouth. Her eyes said everything.

"Liar."

She pulled you to her, clashing your lips with hers. This wasn't like any other kiss you'd shared. It said sorry better than any word can. "I forgive you." You managed to speak in between. She only smirked.

#tlou fic #tloudaily #tlou hbo #tlou series #tlou game #tlou2 #tlou x reader #tlou ellie #ellie williams #ellie williams x reader #ellie x fem reader #ellie x you #ellie williams tlou #the last of us hbo #the last of us #ellie the last of us #lgbtq #black reader #black y/n #ellie williams headcanons #tlou spoilers #the last of us ellie #fem reader #fem

[jackactuallywrites]

I am asking very nicely for part 2

I need our pathetic duo

Besties are making fun of MC for being an idiot and they take her to a club and WHO'S THERE? 💀

They meet in a smoking area and MC is going through all stages of grief

That's us btw

Drunk and Disorderly

Pairing: Simon Ghost Riley x You

Rating: Still pretty mild

Warnings: Alcohol, smoking, clubbing, Liverpudlians

Summary: You to the club assuming Ghost won’t be there. More fool you!

Notes: we simp for @xxven providing all these excellent plot ideas it would not happen without her 🫡

Word count: 1,666 (spooky!)

“I’m not going back to the pub.”

You were being uncharacteristically firm; usually, enough badgering from Katy and Elle would have you giving in and trudging off to the pub, but this time you were absolutely resolute. Elle was less than impressed, letting out a heavy groan as you vetoed the classic Friday evening plans, “Is this because of the whole Ghost thing?” You glowered at her, and Katy snickered, “Can’t believe you thought Soap was some girl chatting him up.” You huffed, “It’s hard to tell in that lighting! Plus, a lot of the girls around here have that haircut.” Elle did her best to hold back her amusement, whereas Katy did no such thing, cackling at you outright, “You twat.” You made a face at her, “Bite me. We’re not going to the pub.” Elle acquiesced, “Alright, fine, fine. What about the club?” Katy grimaced, “So we can watch you get embroiled in lesbian drama again?” Elle grinned, “I mean, what’s a night out without a little drama?” “A little drama? You almost got your extensions ripped out.” “But I didn’t.” You interrupted, “I vote to go to the club as well.” Katy huffed, “That’s because you know you won’t see Ghost in a gay bar, isn’t it?” You saluted, “Absolutely. Two against one.” She sighed, knowing she’d been beaten, “Fine. But no drama!” Elle held her hand over her heart, “No drama!”

Of course, it had been a promise that couldn’t be kept. Elle had a habit of finding herself in the middle of arguments, no matter how hard she supposedly tried to keep out of them. It was lucky for her that Katy was there to console the jilted lover and convince her not to throw her drink over Elle’s head. Elle was unbothered as always, already finding some beautiful person to dance with. With Katy busy soothing troubled lesbians and Elle trying to seduce anything even remotely sexual, you were left alone, though you didn’t mind.

You couldn’t think of a better place to bury your embarrassment than in the middle of a gay club, your face painted with colour and sparkles, your tits pushed up so high they practically touched your chin, and your waist cinched by your corset, your confidence absolutely untouchable. You’d already gotten several numbers that night, not that you planned on using any of them, still silently pining for a certain murderous spectre, but it had done wonders to restore your self-esteem after that dreadful night the week before.

The memory had long since faded into irrelevance in your mind, the music seeming to pump directly into your veins, the bass pounding along with the beat of your heart, your hips swaying, your hands touching your hair, your neck, absolutely enraptured by everything in that moment, lost in the sensations of absolute peace that only pounding music and heavy drinks could provide. You danced until your feet hurt, and the sweat began to bead up on your forehead, threatening to ruin the intricate swirls Elle had spent so long on, finally taking a break from your dancing and heading out for a breath of fresh air—in the smoking area.

You paid little attention to the patrons as you pushed open the heavy door into the cool night air, letting it flow over your face, enjoying the smoke-tainted breeze. The door shifted slightly behind you, someone taking the weight of it out of your hands, holding it open as they came into what was generously called a garden, though was more accurately a group of cheap metal chairs on fake grass, grouped around a single space heater. Most of the chairs were occupied by a group already deep in conversation, some of them known to you, huddled together, with two chairs left out. You were too happy to sink into the available chair, taking the weight off your feet, leaning back and stretching out your ankles, only somewhat regretting your decision to wear heels. The person who’d come along behind you sunk into the last available chair, and you finally looked over at them, wondering if they’d be good conversation.

Fate, it seemed, had a very funny sense of humour.

Ghost was sitting in the chair beside you. Ghost, terrifying Lieutenant, was in the smoking area of a gay bar. He was looking at you curiously, still wearing that trademark skull balaclava, inexplicably allowed to wear it no matter where he was, dressed in a slightly more casual version of his usual uniform, a thick black jumper paired with the classic cargo trousers that every soldier favoured. And there you were, in your skimpy sparkly dress, arse out, tits out, dignity left somewhere behind on the dancefloor. Your only saving grace was the hope that he might not recognise you, as crushing as that might have been.

The nod he gave you was friendly enough, as well as the “Alright?” he offered in your direction, and you did your best to squeak out an “Alright!” in response. Thankfully, he didn’t seem entirely bothered by your practically virginal awkwardness around him, his attention on the cigarettes in his pocket, digging out his lighter as he pulled up his mask, revealing a clean-shaven jaw as he clamped the cigarette between his lips. You were clearly not one for subtlety, as he offered the pack out to you, clearly noticing you staring.

Broke and gasping for a quick smoke was probably a better look for you than desperate, so you took one from the pack, trying to remember where you’d stashed your lighter, but Ghost was already leaning in with his, the tip of his cigarette touching against yours as he sparked them up, taking in a deep breath to encourage the embers to catch. You were absolutely spellbound to be so close to him, able to smell the slight hint of cologne that lingered around him, but you leaned away the moment he did, trying to look at least somewhat casual about it, as though smoking with your lieutenant was something you did every day. It was an undeniably insane scenario, yet when he settled back into his chair, entirely at ease, the tension seemed to dissipate from your body. He wasn’t judging you or staring at you with murderous intent, nor was he stained in blood with sweat trickling over his sculpted chest. He was just a man, sitting in a rusted chair, smoking cheap cigs out in the cold. It might have been the alcohol that caused this revelation, or perhaps the soothing effects of the nicotine, but you could feel the anxiety fade away as you looked at him, noticing just how ordinary he seemed.

“I’m not gonna grass you up for being drunk and disorderly if that’s what you’re worried about.” Ghost’s soft voice snapped you out of your revelation, the man clearly having cottoned on to your weird behaviour around him, yet he’d entirely misconstrued the true cause and given you a perfect excuse. You leapt on the opportunity, smiling, “Hey, I might be drunk, but I wouldn’t say I’ve crossed into disorderly just yet. I’m just worried what Elle will say if she catches me talking to a Manc.” He hummed at that, “What, she a scouser?” You nodded, “And proud of it.” He snorted, his lips curling into a slight smirk, “Why would anyone be proud of being from that shithole?” You gently kicked his leg with the toe of your heel, “Hey, nothing wrong with Liverpool!” “Scousers are what’s wrong with Liverpool. And the world.” You rolled your eyes at him, “Yeah, yeah, get over it. She’s perfect.”

There was something easy about his company, the conversation flowing like water as you idly gossiped about the various officers you’d seen out that night, some of whom were decidedly less than single, as well as occasionally dipping into the finer points of what military equipment you each favoured, with him favouring the classic goretex and you preferring the AKUs. Your cigarettes had long been stubbed out, and the psychological warming effects of the alcohol were beginning to fade, your skimpy dress doing very little to protect you from the chill.

After the third time you’d been wracked with shivers and the second time you’d refused his jumper, Ghost took matters into his own hands, tugging it over his head and offering it out to you. You opened your mouth to protest, but he cut you off, “If you don’t take it, I’ll give you a formal reprimand.” You pursed your lips, rolling your eyes at him, but you took the jumper from his hands, tugging the warm material over your head and letting it fall down over your body, shifting in the chair so it covered more of your exposed skin. The fabric swamped you, but you weren’t complaining, amused that the hem of his jumper was longer than your dress. You grinned at Ghost, holding your arms out to showcase how long the sleeves were on you, “How do I look?” Ghost had long since pulled his mask back down, but you could see the slight crinkle at the corner of his eyes as he smiled underneath it, “Warm.”

The heavy door opened again, revealing a very happy-looking Elle with a big lipstick smudge on her cheek and a somewhat tired-looking Katy. Elle pointed at Ghost, wrinkling her nose and booing loudly, “Manc!” Ghost looked at you, then back at Elle, folding his arms over his chest, showcasing the tattoo sleeve that wrapped around his forearm, “Scouser.” She responded with a childish stream of incoherent babble, and Katy sighed, “Come on, we’re off.” You weren't about to bicker with Katy, so you pushed yourself up from the chair, looking down at Ghost, “You’re not getting this back, you know.” He shrugged, “Fine by me.” You smiled down at him, “In a bit then.” He nodded as you left, his eyes flicking over your body, drowned by his jumper, “In a bit.”

#jack writes #ghost cod #simon ghost riley #simon riley #cod #cod fanfic #cod mw2 #ghost mw2 #cod fic #simon ghost x reader #ghost x female reader

[prentisssgf]

| sweet nothing

| criminal minds

| emily prentiss x reader

| fluff

| 1378 words

It was early in October, close to Emily’s birthday and you and Emily had been planning what you were going to do for it

You had still been mentally planning it out when you realised that your girlfriend was right behind you, her hands on your shoulders, she shuffled backwards slowly without anyone else noticing, you only did due to the fact that her hands left your body.

"Emily?" You turned around as you noticed she hasn't said anything in a while, you knew her so well that you knew how and what she was feeling without her even saying anything, you could tell she was anxious, but due to how stubborn Emily Prentiss was, she never said.

"Em?" you questioned again as she didn't say anything, you got up and stood next to her squeezing her hand once to let her know that you were there for her and that she was going to be okay.

"Bathroom?" was all she could manage to say through choked sobs.

"Yep" You grabbed her hand and dragged her to the bathroom, knowing that she hated crying in front of other people, quickly excusing yourself by making up that Emily felt sick and you were going to check up on her.

Your hand in hers as you led her to the bathroom, you stopped right before entering and looked around before entering the bathroom to see if anyone else was in there before you continued the conversation.

"Emily you know what the bureau therapist said"

"No holding it in ever" you said at the same time and you both nodded.

"Please talk to me darling" you persuaded.

"It's just- I don't want to lose you" she managed through sobs.

"Why would you say that?" you asked sadly "What makes you think that I would leave you?" you sighed

"No it's stupid" Emily said annoyed at herself for letting herself become worried over nothing.

"Your feeling are never stupid Em" you smiled gently and kissed her head, making Emily laugh softly because you had to reach up to kiss head.

"I know" Emily said after gentle persuasion.

"What is it?" You asked as she avoided eye contact.

"It's just- the team were really close to finding us out and Im scared, I mean Hotch already knows and he’s fine with it but what if the others weren’t" Emily said honestly

"Scared? Why would you be-" you asked with genuine confusion

"Oh" You said after the realization that your relationship might not be the same after your team finding out.

"Just promise me that you won't leave if the team finds out about us" Emily stuck out her pinkie finger

"Emily you know I won't" you quickly kissed her lips before pulling back.

Emily glared at you as you didn't take your pinkie finger around hers

"I promise" you laughed as you stuck out your pinkie finger

"Em, how long have you been feeling like this?" you shook your head, not understanding why she would not tell you

"Not long just a few days?" Emily lied.

"Emily I know when you lie" You said sternly but in a gentle manner.

"Remember that christmas party? When Hotch bought Beth and JJ bought Will? and Elle came?" she said honestly, tears coming down her face.

Tears streaming down your face also you were taken aback "10 months? Why didn't you tell me honey?"

"I wanted to so badly but I didn't want you to see me any differently" she said as she lowered her head and sat on the floor, pushing herself down with one hand, you knelt in front of her balancing yourself with your hands on her legs

"Em, nothing will ever make me see you any differently I promise you, if the team do find out about our relationship- when we want to tell them, not before okay?- nothing will happen and no one will be going anywhere, lots of more paperwork maybe, but i'll be there with you- every step of the way" you crawled to hug Emily, which she stroked your hair knowing it calmed her down.

"Wheels up in 20" you could hear JJ say from outside of the bathroom.

"Do you want me to leave or stay?" you asked as you helped Emily back up to her feet

"Stay please?" Emily questioned.

"For as long as you need" you said as you hugged her waist.

When you and Emily both left the bathroom, you were the last two to get on the jet, so you took the window seat so Emily could lie down on you whilst facing her team, she was exhausted and you both knew it, luckily everyone else was pretty tired due to how early it was, so everyone slept apart from you and Emily.

“Em” you smiled looking down at her while her head was on your knees.

“Yeah baby?” she looked up at you.

“You wanna sleep?” you gently prompted, both of you knowing that you should.

Emily shook her head whilst she extended her hand to take your fingers and play with them, something she did out of nervousness.

“Emily I will be right here, I promise, nothing bad is going to happen to you when you sleep” you sighed, smiling slightly.

Emily always had trouble with nightmares but recently and they’ve been occurring for the past month, it was bad enough that Emily couldn’t go a whole night where she wouldn’t wake up, it was so tiring for her and she didn’t want the team to also be aware.

“Emily honey, you really really need to sleep” you whispered “I promise you that I will be here” you stroked her face gently, swiping her hair behind her ears, you leaned down slightly to get a blanket to drape over her.

You got out a book and raised a brow to Emily, silently asking her if she wanted you to read her to sleep, something that calmed her and you both.

She nodded slightly, her fingers still tight around your own, you kissed her head slowly and you started reading until she fell asleep, which wasn’t long at all.

You left her sleep until JJ woke up, JJ was sitting opposite you, and she had woken up overly exaggerating a stretch “good morning to ya JJ” you smirked as you teased her.

“Good morning to you too? or you didn’t sleep?” JJ worriedly questioned.

You laughed it off “Didn’t sleep” you gestured to a sleeping Emily in front of you, JJ nodded and laughed in understanding.

“So are you two…” she scrunched her nose and closed one eye, her tell when she was trying to get some information out of someone, not trying to out your relationship without Emily, you just smiled and shrugged, JJ catching on very fast, you decided to get some sleep too

“Hey” you smiled down at her as she started to stir, waking up about an hour later

“Hi baby” Emily smiled as she turned around and faced you, her hand gripping around your waist, unbeknownst to Emily, the whole team was watching, you and Emily.

“Uh hi?” you questioned as you realised everyone was staring.

“Prentiss calling you baby?” Derek raised his eyebrows “what’s up with that?”

You looked down at Emily, giving her the ‘should we tell them look’ Emily nodded straight away.

“We’re together” Emily said, point blankly.

“For about a year maybe” you look around to see everyone’s shocked reactions, expect Hotch who smirked, he found out after he walked in on you and Emily making out in the bathroom 11 months ago.

“Finally” Hotch blurted out, making you and Emily both laugh.

“You knew?” Derek looked up at Hotch with a hint of surprise on his face.

He got up and shrugged, walking away and laughing to himself.

“Wow” Derek scoffed playfully as he looked between the two of you.

“Wheels up” Hotch said wanting to change the subject.

“So you and-“ Derek asked you putting an arm around your shoulder

“Hotch said wheels up” you retailed as you slowly peeled his arm off and put slid your hand in the back of Emily’s jeans pocket as she walked in front of you which which made everyone laugh.

“I’m happy for you” Spencer smiled.

“Thank you pretty boy” you laughed slightly as you turned around to hug him.

#criminal minds #criminal minds x reader #emily prentiss #emily prentiss x reader #emily prentiss x you #paget brewster #criminal minds x you #emily x reader #emily x you

[radiant-reid]

HEYY! can you please do a blurb on spencer telling his gf about the lila thing and down playijg it how you say in the post but then she hears the truth from someone else

Spencer’s dreading tell you what happened in LA.

It’ll break your heart, and although he would prefer he’s the one hurting, it’ll break his heart as well. It’s not going to be good. No, it’s going to be a hurtful conversation that will leave nothing but negative feelings and as he’s waking to your door, he wishes it were a conversation he didn’t need to have.

You look and sound so happy jumping up to greet him, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling his body into yours. It’s been a while since you’ve seen him, the profiling seminar being extended for a serial killer hunt- so his texts told you.

“Hi, sweetheart.” He greets you, wishing he could relax in the warmth that being with you brings. He really wants to, but he doesn’t allow himself to. Not when he doesn’t deserve it.

“How was your case?” You ask, pulling him through your apartment to your living room.

Spencer bites down on his bottom lip, knowing it’s now or never, except it can’t be never. “I was playing bodyguard and I got dragged into a pool and kissed.”

Your mouth falls open, heart plummeting straight down and preparing to shatter against concrete. “What?” You ask breathlessly.

“She kissed me.” He repeats, forcing himself to look at your tears. He needs to see them as his own form of punishment, although it will never be enough. He keeps talking before you can make any move to get him away from you. “I pushed her off, Y/n, I swear. It was one kiss and then I told her I had a girlfriend and even if I didn’t, I would never go there since she’s part of our case.” He claims.

There’s too many negative thoughts running through your head for one not to slip out. “Is she pretty?”

You’re breaking his heart just sitting there looking like you think you’re not enough, but he knows you're not going to accept him hugging you.

"Y/n, it meant nothing." He promises from so deep in his heart that you believe it. "You're all I was thinking about. I love you and I think you're the most beautiful person in the world." He knows he shouldn't say something so meaningful to get you to forgive him.

Spencer's been nothing but good to you since you met, and you can't lose that, not when you've never had that before and doubt you will again.

"It didn't mean anything?" You doubt check.

"Absolutely nothing." He promises, finally taking your hand. "It was one kiss, and I pushed her away."

You don't see it, the way he twitches slightly as he pulls you into a hug and the deep breath he takes when he realizes the lie has worked.

"I really missed you." You tell him, moving closer to him.

He reciprocates your physical affection, holding you as tightly as he wanted to on the jet home knowing you might break up with him. "I really missed you more."

He feels like dirt for it, so guilty that he barely sleeps that night.

It gets easier. The lie is never too far from the front of his mind, but after that night he realized he couldn't tell you the truth ever.

You barely think about it again. Spencer's lips become exclusively yours and it feels like nothing has changed. He's just your caring, wonderful boyfriend again.

In fact, the first time you've thought about it in a month is when Elle mentions it on a night out. "So, you and Reid are you?" She asks.

"Yeah." You say, slightly confused like the answer should be obvious.

"I hate to bring it up, but you know I'll smack him if you need me to." She assures you, and you nod, wanting her to continue as the sense that you're missing something strikes you. "He's an idiot, seriously. Making out with Lila in her pool was the dumbest thing I've seen him do."

Your heart drops again like it did that night, clenching in your chest, but you have to push her to keep going or you might never know. "Was it more than a casual kiss? Tell me the truth."

She cringes at your paled face but figures she would want to know, so she answers honestly. "Yes, multiple, and they weren't pecks."

"I need to go and talk to him." You realize, standing up and looking for him at the bar before turning back to her. "Thank you."

He greets you happily, blissfully unaware of how you're feeling- for now. "Hey, Y/n, what's up?"

"We're going." You announce, not caring about if it's rude to pull him away from his friends.

He frowns at you, trying to figure out what you're thinking. Whatever it is, it's not good, but his brain doesn't jump to his damaging lie.

Morgan thinks it's something else, patting Spencer on the back. "Ooo, someone's getting some tonight."

You don't look at him as you drag him out of the bar, anger covering your upset. It's colder outside, and he goes to hand you his jacket when you angrily spin around to face him.

"What's wrong?" He wonders carefully.

"You lied to me." You accuse him, but it still doesn't stick. "You told me it was one kiss!" Oh. He gets it then, the realization and accusation hitting him forcefully. "I actually can't believe you. You swore- promised- it was one kiss that you rejected, not a long make-out session. How could you lie to me like that?" You don't give him time to answer. "Were you just going to go on lying to me forever?"

"It was a mistake." He assures you, not comforting you at all.

You shake your head, not wanting to hear another excuse that you can't trust. "Your lying was intentional." You remind him firmly. "How would I ever trust you again?"

#spencer reid #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid x y/n #spencer reid x you #spencer reid blurb

[xxmrs-waynexx]

Gloss & Glasses: Chapter One (940 words)

Pairing: Clark Kent x reader

Warnings: none for this chapter

___

The people wanted to know. That’s what you told yourself as you walked through Arkham Asylum. You were being escorted by two armed guards and trying not to make eye contact with anyone in the cells. You had heard of Gotham’s crazies but you’d never come face to face with any. But the criminals around you weren’t who you were worried about. 

Last week, you paced your father’s office venting to him about how boring your magazine seemed. You were running out of shocking fashion trends and celebrity scandals to report on. So, as your heels clicked back and forth and you reapplied your lipgloss anxiously for the third time, your father sighed.

“Why don’t you try reporting on crime? And real important events?” He suggested, as he always did. Perry White was so proud when his daughter told him she was going to college for journalism. However, after she graduated, and showed no interest in newspapers, crime, or anything of the sort, he was very disappointed.

“What billionaires are up to is important. The people wanna know. And besides-” you were cut off by one of your dad’s reporters.

He poked his head in, “Harley Quinn’s been arrested again. Sent to Arkham.”

“Bill, if you have to say again in a tone like that, do you really think it’s news?” Perry looked at him, unamused.

Bill said nothing, simply nodded, and stepped out again. 

“What were you saying?” your dad brought his attention back to you.

“I just had an idea…”

—

So, here you were, sitting across the glass from the infamous Harley Quinn. She sat criss-cross on the ground on her side of the glass and smiled eerily at you.

“I love all the pink,” she told you, motioning to your outfit. You could most commonly be seen wearing pink and/or preppy clothes. Though your father worked for everything your family had, you very much dressed in the old money style mixed with a bit of Mean Girls. You’ve even been compared to Elle Woods. 

You smiled back at her, though yours was much less ‘I’m-going-to-kill-you’ and more genuine. “Thank you. Mind if I record?” You showed her your audio recorder. 

Harley tightened her pigtails one by one and grinned, “Go for it, kiddo. I gotta say… No one’s ever come here to ask me about my style before.”

As you hit record, you chuckled, “Yeah, and I think that is so unfair. I mean, come on, you even made your jumpsuit look cute. You’ve got to be one of the top three best-dressed criminals.”

—

After an hour of chatting, the interview turned into a casual conversation. You’d actually gotten to know Harley Quinn and the evolution of her costumes pretty well. And after another hour, you were ready to write up a whole two-pager all about her and her style. 

“Thank you so much for the interview. I promise I’ll get you a copy- I’m allowed to do that, right?” you stood, looking back at one of the guards who had escorted you. He gave a simple nod and that was enough.

“Ah! I’m so excited! Thank you for the girl talk. It’s been too long since anyone tried to talk to me like a person,” Harley also stood, walking backward to sit on her bed.

—

The day you returned to Metropolis was a Sunday. You silently cursed yourself for telling your dad you’d be in the office Monday. Though you didn’t work for him, he did let you take up office space at the Daily Planet and use his software (as well as your own, of course) all for free. 

Out of habit, before bed, you looked out your window to see if you could catch a glimpse of Superman. He was a new hero in Metropolis and you, along with most cityfolk, were very eager to see what he could do. 

With no sign of him this time around, you decided to start up your skincare. The routine you had was incredible. You knew you had an addiction to buying creams, face masks, and new things to keep yourself looking good, but who cared? Your skin was clear, and your heart was happy.

As soon as you put on the same mask you usually wear to bed, you heard car alarms down below your apartment. Rushing to grab your camera, you raced to your back porch and looked down. You fumbled with the camera, trying your best to capture what you could see. Of course it would fall ten stories down.

“No!” You tried to grab it but it was just out of your reach.

Then, the exact thing you were trying to photograph flew your camera up to you. “Drop something, miss?” he had a kind and very handsome voice. It was deep and confident.

“Suh- Suh- Suh-” You slowly took your camera from his hand while he hovered just above the ground.

“Hi, I’m Superman.”

—

The next day, you rushed into work eager to tell your father who you met. But when you walked into (more barged into) his office, he had a young man with glasses sitting at the desk.

“Oh, Clark, this is (Y/N), my daughter. Her office is that obnoxiously decorated one next door. (Y/N), this is Clark, my newest reporter.”

As the two of you were introduced, you couldn’t help but feel he seemed familiar to you somehow.

He politely waved at you with an awkward and shy smile, “Hi, there. Good to meet you.” His voice had a sweetness to it, and a midwestern accent. However, he looked at you like he already knew you.

#dc imagine #dc #dc comics #dc fanfic #superman x reader #superman #clark kent x reader #clark kent #gloss & glasses #series

[elliesmainhoe]

Heyyy so this is like my 4th time trying to make a request but tumblr keeps acting weird but anyways

I noticed your request are open so I wanted to ask if you could write something about Ellie x reader where Ellie is on her period and she’s kinda moody and stuff so she just snaps at reader and is mean but she feels guilty and the reader understands that she was in pain and she reassures Ellie that it’s fine and tries to comfort her give her cuddle take care of her you know all that fluffy stuff.

I always noticed that on most stories I’ve read it’s always the reader who’s on her period and Ellie comforts her so I wanted to change it up a bit you know wanted to read something different and also I got my period yesterday and I was being moody and mean to everyone every little thing would irritate me but it was just because I was in pain so idk you don’t have to write it if you don’t feel like writing it I’ll understand!! :)) and sorry if this is too long 😭haven’t really request it anything in a while.

Ellie Williams Headcanons: Taking care of Ellie on her period

She's such a baby~

This woman kills infected, hunts people like their animals and does all sorts of things like that.

But on her period? She's curled up in bed under the blankets with her head buried into your tummy as you play with her hair <3

She's so cuteeeee- I'm actually giggling and kicking my feet rn.

Her waking up in the morning, sleep in the corner of her eyes and she's all clingy- whining about having to get up to go on patrol

It takes you about 40 minutes to get Ellie out of bed with the promise of a warm shower together.

She ends up going on a short patrol.

In the mean while you decide to bake her favorite sweet treats.

Vanilla cupcakes with chocolate icing and rainbow sprinkles? Check. ✅

Gooey chocolate chip cookies? Check. ✅

Chocolate covered strawberries? Check. ✅

You were pretty impressed with yourself at how much you made in only three hours.

The key turning in the lock of your front door told you that Ellie had returned. "Ells!! C'mere- im in the kitchen!!!" You yelled to the woman- the sound of her converse clad feet coming towards the kitchen diner.

Her eyes widened as she looked at all the homemade goods, tears welling in her eyes due to the hormones and the sentiment.

"tada!!" You sung, giggling as she scooped you into her embrace. "You're the best baby.." she whispered kissing your forehead.

She's so whiny~

Such a baby (affectionately🥰)

Loves back massages and back rubs <33

Warm baths, newly washed clothes, hit water bottle and soft sheets always

She hates her period, but she loves how you treat her

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

Taglist:@aunslie @lonelyfooryouonly @eywaskisses @daryldixonh0e @kittynnie @lovelyyevelyn @randomhoex @moonlightdivine @haerinwho @mufflaa @mial1l @sarahsmileslikesarahd0esntcare @moonlighting87 @escaping-reality8 @magicalfreakcowboylawyer @hejdevkdbdjsd @dergy @half-of-a-gay @ellieismami @cyberlainn @gollumsmygel @sseorii @kyleeservopoulos @taloulalila @ellieluhme @kiiyoooo @delusionalvioleht @joelscharm @hi2647 @gumdropkoo @coffeeandbookskeepmealive @womaniza @namgification @kimiisims-blog @tayyyystan @abigaillovestoread @whoreshores @kylieeluvstlou @knowitsforthebetterr @endureher @erikaar @lanasluverr @sayah13 @ilovebufflesbians @srryhoneyy @222fine444u

#ellie williams #lesbian #the last of us #wlw #ellie williams fic #ellie williams x fem!reader #ellie williams x female reader #ellie williams x reader #lesbian fic #ellie x reader #ellie williams headcanons #ellie the last of us #ellie #ellie x fem reader #ellie williams fluff #ellie williams comfort #period comfort #tlou fic #the last of us fic #tlou #the last of us part 2 #the last of us 2 #ellie x you #ellie x y/n

[igotanidea]

Someone special : batboys x ADHD!autistic!anxiety!Enby!reader

Request: batbros with a Enby reader who has some mental disabilities: Autistic, ADHD and anxiety who is pretty smart with random information and info dumps but is slow with processing things

DICK

„Hey, what’s with the long face?” Dick asked seeing them frowning in the corner of the batcave avoiding any other member of the family.

“Nothing….” They muttered, not facing him, making Dick crouch just to look straight into their eyes.

“Hey….” He repeated, a bit gentler this time “you can tell me, love. What’s going on?’

“I… I didn’t quite catch on the plan you were describing” they muttered, blush creeping on their face “God, I am so stupid!’

“You’re not stupid, peanut” Dick grabbed their hands in his reassuringly “I can describe it again to you if…..”

“That is the whole point, Dick!” they exclaimed “you shouldn’t have to! I’m just so sick of myself and of making you say everything twice just because I cannot process information fast enough. God!” they groaned getting up and starting to walk around the batcave in circles.

“Honey…..”

“Stop honeying me! I shouldn’t even be at this team! I’m like a threat to everyone’s safety while on patrol.”

“Ok, now you are exaggerating.”

“How am I….. how am I exaggerating?!”

“You’re like a mine of knowledge, if you don’t mind me using that term.”

“Yeah, sure.” They scoffed “completely random, useless information.”

“I wish I had as much of those as you do.” Dick mumbled under his nose

“You…. you what?”

“Yeah, you heard me.” He smiled “Come here.” Grayson patted the spot next to him and they obediently approached him, sitting down and letting him put an arm around their shoulders reassuringly. “Back in the days, when I was a detective….”

“Oh, that is an old time ago, you dinosaur.” They laughed

“Well, thank you very much. Someone once called me ancient, so sorry to disappoint but you are not the first. But. As I was saying, when I was a cop…..”

“Did you know that there are less than 1000 cops in Bludhaven and even less in Gotham?” they blurted “And statistically, each year there are less new and more retiring, so most probably in the next 5 or so years we will be left without any PD to protect us?”

“Y/N….”

“Ohmygod I did it again!” they covered their mouth instantly regretting each words said “Imsosorry, Dick, Ireallydidntmeantoburstoutlikethis.”

“Hey, hey, breathe.” Dick pulled them closer to him, rubbing soothing circles on their chest “It���s all good. I was going to say that random information are usually what helps crack the case, you know. Something completely unrelated is helping with the solution”

“Ho… how?”

“Have you watched legally blonde?”

“what does that have to do with anything?” they frowned searching for an answer in the back of their mind, Dick not helping just watching them with that smile of his, waiting patiently “Oh…..” once they realized what was the point their eyes went wide “you mean the part when Elle figured that the daughter killed the father, because she couldn’t have been at the shower at the time because of the perm?”

“Yes. And you are babbling again.” Dick grinned

“I’m sorry……” they looked down, ashamed. If only they could be different…..

“Why?” Dick kissed the top of their head “you are so cute. Everything you do or say is always so cute. And damn, I love you because of all that. So don’t ever be sorry for being an amazing human being.”

“All right….” They mumbled, leaning into Dick’s touch.

“Pinky promise?” he asked pointing a finger towards them.

“Sure, Grayson. Pinky promise.”

JASON

Everyone in the room where laughing at some joke he just said, but instead of joining the group in the joy, Y/N stood up and walked away, without a single word. At first, Jason didn’t even notice that being too caught up in being the center of attention (good for once in his life), but barely  a few seconds after he run the corridor just to find them. Fuck, what kind of boyfriend was he to miss their disappearance.

“Sunshine? Come on, where are you?”

“Hey Jace…..” they emerged from the nearest room smiling widely ‘what’s up?”

“You’re asking me?” Jason was dumbfounded “You.. you left and I though…..”

“Oh, were you worried about me? “

“Um, yeah.”

“Why?” they tilted their head and Jason started wondering whether that was just some silly game or if something really happened.

“Um… cause I was worried?”

“Oh, that is so sweet.” They cooed taking a step forward “but you really shouldn’t have. Your joke just reminded me of some book I was reading and I came here to check if I was right about the reference. And on my way I realized I left my cup of tea in the kitchen. But while I was in the kitchen, I realized I wanted to talk to Tim about one of his crazy plans that truly have like zero chances on succeeding, even if he insists on doing it.”

“Sure.” Jason crossed his arm on the chest, those stupidly big biceps flexing making their mind go blank. “Is it your anxiety again?”

“Yeah….” They played with their fingers in embarrassment “no? yes? Maybe? I don’t know. I just got giddy for no particular reason. Guess it’s more the ADHD thing than anxiety this time. I….” their mind was now running with the speed of light, their thoughts unable to stop and making them space out.

“Sunshine?” Jason put  a hand on their shoulder throwing them off the reverie and only that made them realize he was actually talking for the last minute or so, probably finishing with a question and awaiting answer.

“Hm?” they tried to cover for being so recklessly distracted

“I know that look.” Jason said “where were you?”

“too far from you…..”

“That’s not possible.” He laughed, cupping and caressing their cheek “you can never get far form me, cause if you do, I will come find you and bring you back home.”

“Jace…. I…..”

“Hush, little one. It’s my job. To keep you safe. “

“Even from my own nature? You must hate me for it.”

“Did you hate me when I was having panic attacks, trauma and when I was dealing with post-pit aggression? Yeah, we both now you did not. So how can I hate you? I …. I feel a lot for you, you know it, but hate?” he shook his head “hate is none of those things, baby.”

“Thank you….” a single tear flew down her cheek. Just one since Jason skillfully stopped the rest that might even dare to uglify their pretty face

“Wanna get out of here?”

“Yes, please….”

“Let me rescue you then.” He grinned, picked them up and carried outside, ready for a night bike ride to help them clear their mind and stop the pacing thoughts.

TIM

“You’re back!” Tim only did as much as step though the threshold when they threw themselves at him, arms wrapping tightly around his back pulling him close “I was so worried, Tim!”

“Hey, love.” He smiled and kissed their temple “I am back. I’m safe. You can relax now.”

“No….no… I really can’t …. I…. I can’t” their whole body started to shake, as they took a step back from Tim “what if…. What if?”

“What if what?”

“What if you were followed? Or poisoned with some crazy substance with slow-paced activity? Do you even realize how many of those are there in the open?”

“I actually do.” He muttered, not able to stop the self-proud creeping in

“And …. And the scientist are constantly coming up with new ones. Like Crane for instance. His fear toxin is just one of them. What if he creates something better? I mean, worse? I mean….”

“Were you reading one of my reports again?”

“What? No. I was just browsing the web…..”

“On my computer?” he asked quietly, trying not to startle them

“Uh, um, kinda…. Please don’t be mad at me, but you always have those interesting sides on. Truly, I have no idea why would you even search for half of those things, but you always got me curious.”

“I’m not mad” Tim shook his head “but look how it made you feel. You are trembling.”

“I’m not….” they objected, but Tim was no fool.

“Perhaps I should just use the parental blockade on some of those. Reading about murder is no good to you.”

“No!” they squealed “it’s fine. I’m fine, just a bit….”

“…projecting?” Tim asked, eyeing them closely, searching for any change in the body posture or face expression. Anything that would be the reflection of Y/N’s mental state.

“Maybe… All those photos and mugshots and police reports and the crime descriptions. All of that could happen to you any night you are out. Do you know the statistics on….?”

“I do.” He cut them off “And I have no intention of enlarging them. Ever. You know I’m careful, right?”

“Yes.” They squealed, but it was not convincing at all, they were still shaking

“Do you want a hug?”

“Please…” the second Tim opened his arms, Y/N dived right into them, pulling him close, making sure he truly was with them, safe and unharmed. And getting completely lost in his warm, comforting embrace. This was nice. This was calming and their breath slowly started getting back to normal.

“You are my number one reason to stay safe out there. Unlike my brothers I think before I do something so the chances of getting injured …..” he started, and the fatal word made them tighten the grip on him “sorry.” Tim caressed their back “the thing is, I can’t let anything happen to me, because I can’t let anything happen to you. You gave me your heart and I just have to make sure it’s safe so….” he blushed a bit in that cute way that always made Y/N’s pulse speed up “so that’s pretty much it.”

“I love you too, Tim.” They muttered “can you just hold me like this some more?”

“However long you like.” he said pulling them closer, just standing in the door, unbothered by anyone, at least for the time being, enjoying being together in this little silent bubble they created for themselves.

DAMIAN

‘They have been here for like two hours and they barely exchanged any word with anyone.”

“I was trying to talk to them and they didn’t even look me in the eyes. That’s so rude, don’t you think.”

“Maybe they are just crazy? Wonder why Wayne let his blood son get together with such a freak….”

Y/N was not deaf. Despite the opinion amongst people they were also not stupid, crazy or insane. Just a bit different, but it was easier to call them a freak than actually try to understand. Those people at the gala had no idea what they were talking about, but it didn’t lessen the pain at all. However, while they decided to just ignore it, instead standing by the bar, counting the glasses all over again and trying to stay strong, Damian was not the one to hold back.

Ever.

Especially when it came to them.

“I dare to say it again. Johnson.” a familiar voice reverberated from behind and despite knowing better Y/N turned around noticing Damian confronting one of the gossipers, his face absolutely blank which was enough indication that he was pure rage inside. Thank God, he had no weapon on him while at the party. At least, seemingly, it was Damian Wayne after all.

“Oh, come on, Wayne. Relax a bit. We were just joking. No one here means any harm to your partner.”

Y/N frowned. Maybe it really was just a joke? Sometimes they had trouble in recognizing irony and sarcasm and metaphors, so perhaps it was just one big misunderstanding?

“Really?” Damian hissed “do you see anyone laughing? Do you see Y/N laughing?”

“It’s not like they would get the joke after all.” One the jokers took a sip from his glass. Just one before the glass broke in his hands, debris and the rest of drink falling on the floor.

Mhm. So he actually had a weapon on him.

“What the fuck, Wayne?! Are you insane?!”

“Not more than them.” Damian smirked throwing a glance at Y/N. “Guess that’s what makes us a great couple.”

“You little piece of shit! Do you have any idea how expensive this suit was!?” the man’s face was now red from barely held rage as he took a few steps towards Damian, readying to strike

“Don’t know. Don’t care. And if you are trying to scare me…”

“DAMIAN!” before he could throw a threat at his father’s guests Y/N rushed towards him, grabbing his arm and stopping him in his tracks “let’s just go. Please. It’s not worth it.”

“But they….”

“It doesn’t matter, really.” They shook their head and tugged at his sleeve “please, I’m tired.”

“Yeah, you two weirdos better leave now, before….”

Johnson never got to finish this sentence

***

“You really shouldn’t have done that.” Y/N muttered when ten minutes later they and Damian were sitting on the bed in his room, next to each other.

They both got kicked out the gala by Bruce himself when Damian could not control himself any longer and threw a perfectly aimed punch at Johnson’s face.

“He got that coming.” Daman shrugged “the only person who can make fun out of you is me.”

“Am I supposed to be touched by that?” they asked tilting head “is that another of those sarcastic jokes I don’t get?”

“No. No it’s not. I really mean it. Cause even I mock you, it’s still just teasing you know it, right?” they nodded “gotta keep the appearances.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means if anyone else ever say as much as a bad word about you, would probably lose a tongue.”

“Damian!”

“An ear?”

“No.”

“A finger?” he whined “please, give me something to work with.”

“As cute as it is, I’m not going to let you mutilate anyone because they offended me. But I appreciate the gesture.” They pocked at his belly and laughed a bit.

“I’m not cute…..” Damian pouted, falling onto the bed next to them.

Whatever Y/N said, he was going to have some fun with a person daring to criticize them. They didn’t really need to know, right?

@1witchy-crow-48

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