#not when steve finally looks up at him… wide eyed and cradling eddies hand between two of his.. soft smile on his face and asks ‘you ok?’

[stevieschrodinger]

Dustin’s crying so loud, Steve can barely hear when Eddie speaks, “trust me, Stevie?”

Eddie’s never called him that before. Eddie coughs again, bloody, and it spatters his lips and stains in between his teeth, mutely, Steve nods.

Eddie grabs Steve by the collar of his own denim jacket, pulling himself up and Steve down. He’s surprisingly strong considering Steve is absolutely certain that Eddie’s about to die. That’s what makes Steve close his eyes and open his mouth; lets Eddie have whatever he wants. Invites it when Eddie invades with a wet and bloody tongue. It’s a battle of a kiss, and Steve soaks it up.

Eddie disappears from under Steve’s hands, and he almost falls forward, Eddie disintegrating into a cloud of fiery ash. It settles, and in the middle, there’s an egg.

It’s shocking enough that Dustin stops crying, “what the fuuuuuck?” Dustin reaches for the egg, pulls his hand back, hissing, sucking his fingers.

Steve reaches for it next, “it’s too hot,” Dustin tries to warn him...but it isn’t. It’s pleasantly warm in Steve’s hand and he lifts it comfortably.

They take it with them.

They have absolutely no fucking explanation for what the hell just happened. Steve, instinctively, refuses to put the egg down anywhere. He sits, staring at it, cataloguing the slightly speckled pattern, watching how it catches the light as he turns it in his palms, pale and diffuse in the lamplight of the lounge.

He doesn’t really like other people touching it, but allows Robin to brush it with her fingertips; she draws them back sharply, hissing, blisters already forming. He carries it with him, even going so far as to showering one handed so he can hold it. He curls around it that night in bed and isn’t even worried that he might accidentally break it; he knows he won’t.

They have a day to recuperate, the party all together again, and safe; Vecna is defeated.

Eddie has one living relative that everyone knows about; Wayne Munson. It’s the only possible place they may get some answers; the trailer is just...gone. They contact Hopper, who contacts Owens, and an hour later he calls Steve back. The trailer was impounded by Owens team to study the damage and now closed gate inside; Wayne Munson is in a Motel.

Everyone piles into the beemer.

Wayne looks sallow when he opens the door, distraught, but in a kind of worn in way. Like he’s already accepted it. No one speaks, they just watch as Steve produces the egg, cupped carefully in his hands. Wayne’s face crumples, his eyes well up, and he pulls Steve into a hug, “thank you. I thought I’d lost him, thank you.”

“Okay,” Steve replies, “but we have no idea what’s going on.”

Wayne shoos them into the room. There’s two doubles, Dustin, Robin, Nancy and Jonathan climb onto the still made bed; not the one that’s clearly been slept in. Wayne sits at the foot of his bed, Steve remains standing, carefully cradling the egg.

“He never told you what he is?”

Everyone on the bed is staring at Wayne wide eyed, Steve almost laughs at them, but he’s too busy shaking his head at Wayne.

Wayne nods, scratching his head, “so how long have you and my Eddie been seeing each other?”

Everyone on the bed turns to look at Steve instead, eyes, if anything, even wider, “we...aren’t. That’s not. We’re not…” The egg pulses hotly in Steve’s hands; for a brief moment, it’s unpleasant.

“You must be something, or you wouldn’t be able to touch his egg. Bound in blood?”

“There was blood, he was coughing up blood...when he was dying and he…”

“They kissed,” Dustin interjects, super unhelpful, “right before Eddie…” Dustin makes the form of an explosion with his hands, “you know, went poof.”

Wayne nods, “it’s enough, this time, for Eddie to come back. But if you don’t complete the bond, he won’t last long. Eddie must love you a hell of a lot.”

“Love me?” Steve asks weakly.

“Yeah,” Wayne says, “phoenix’s mate for life, and they won’t come back for anything less.”

There’s a long, drawn out silence, before Steve, finally offers a weak, “we hardly even know each other.”

“Eddie knows. A phoenix always knows. And you have to complete the bond, or he won’t be able to stay.”

“What?” Dustin asks, panicked, “what do you mean, stay?”

Wayne shrugs, “a phoenix, rejected by their mate, will burn up from the inside. He’ll wither and die unless Steve...reciprocates.”

Steve, weak limbed, just gives up and sits on the floor.

“What about you, Mr. Munson, are you a phoenix?” Dustin’s going to start in with fifty million questions. Steve’s kind of glad, gives him a moment to sit here and...stroke Eddie’s egg.

“Nah, I’m his dad’s brother. Him mom was the phoenix; that’s how she died. My brother wasn’t the best of guys and when he fucked it up...she died. Didn’t take long. Eddie’s a half breed, they can see it on sight, so the other phoenix, they rejected him. He’s been with me ever since. Not human enough to fit in here, not...good enough for them.”

Dustin looks affronted on Eddie’s behalf, “that’s not fair, Eddie’s a great guy. They’re...prejudiced, Eddie’s better off without them, anyway.”

Wayne hums agreeable, “they put a lot of stock in their feathers, what they look like. His mom knew at birth he’d never be accepted, but we had to try after she died. I’d hoped that they would take pity on him but...no. They said his colors were an ill omen.”

“What’s wrong with his colors? What colors? Eddie doesn’t even have feathers.”

“He will when he hatches, and they’ll be black as night.”

Steve figures it’s been around seventy nine ish hours when the first crack appears in the shell. He has no idea if there’s a significance to the amount of time, but he doesn’t interfere. He just turns the volume of the television down low and sits and watches, fascinated, as the crack widens and little, damp, black chick gets itself free. The inside of the shell shines like dark mother of pearl; like an oil slick.

Steve already knows he will hide the egg away and treasure it forever. He had sworn again and again to Dustin that the second Eddie showed signs of hatching, Steve would call him. He couldn’t though. He just couldn’t. Something in him screamed loudly that it would be wrong. It would be so wrong for someone else to be here.

He decides to let them have one night together, just him and the tiny, feather light ball of blackness sitting on his thighs. He’ll call Dustin in the morning.

Steve tries to put Eddie down to go to the bathroom before bed; Eddie chirps miserably the whole time. He walks around on top of the comforter once Steve is in bed, and Steve watches in the lamplight as the tiny chick negotiates the mountains and valleys of Steve's bedding. He falls asleep finally, bored of exploring, nestled against the side of Steve’s neck.

“You said you’d call!”

“I know, I know, I’m sorry, it’s just it was late and-”

“He’s so big!”

“Yeah,” Steve replies. Nothing else to say really. Eddie seemed to have quadrupled in size overnight. He’s now the size of a chicken, covered in long, sleek black feathers. He has a long neck for his size, and his tail feathers sweep along the ground as he follows at Steve’s heels.

“Are you going to go and see Wayne?”

Eddie tilts his head at the sound of his uncles name, watching from his perch on the kitchen counter. Steve had tried him with a bowl of dry cereal, but Eddie had merely pecked at it a couple of times before ignoring it. Steve had added milk and eaten it himself.

“Nah,” Steve replies absently. The thought of leaving the house is...well. Steve doesn’t like it.

The next day, Eddie is the size of a very large turkey and his head, thanks to the long neck, can almost stretch to the height of Steve’s shoulder. When Steve sits on the couch, Eddie flaps up to sit on Steve’s lap, long neck winding around Steve’s, his head looping around to rest on Steve’s chest. His eyes are warm brown, just like Eddie’s human eyes, and Steve isn’t even a little worried about the huge talons or wickedly sharp beak.

On the seventh day, Steve wakes to find a man in his bed with him. He sighs with relief, pulling Eddie closer and whispering, “hello sweetheart,” into his fluffy hair.

Steve assumed they had time, he had hoped they could get to know each other; that Steve could do this properly, but by lunch Eddie is looking tired and has gray hairs at his temples so Steve simply says, “I love you, too,” over coffee and toast and hopes that it’s enough.

#stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson #the party #magic eddie munson #creature eddie munson #headcannon #steddie #steddie headcanon

[rebelspykatie]

that green light, i want it

Part 8

Hopper checks for a pulse and grimly shakes his head, finally lowering his gun. Steve doesn’t hesitate then, just sprints up the stairs and falls to his knees beside Nancy. 

“Nancy,” he shakes her shoulder gently, “Nance, please wake up.” 

Nothing. No movement, no fluttering behind her eyes. But when he checks her pulse and finds one, all the tension from the past hour leaks out of him. The breath he didn’t consciously start holding leaves him, rushing out and cutting the tension from his body. He collapses next to Nancy’s prone body. 

“Son, I gotta go make some calls.” Hopper stands and looks over his shoulder at Eddie, before bringing his gaze back to Steve. “Are you going to be okay out here, if I head inside?” 

“It’s not the first time I’ve seen a dead body, Hop,” Eddie calls from the front yard, voice getting closer as he comes up the steps. “I’ll stay with Steve.” 

Hopper claps Eddie on the shoulder in a way that’s probably meant to be comforting, but the wide-eyed, frightened deer in the headlights look doesn’t leave Eddie’s face, his eyes darting from Steve to the dead body laying just five feet away from them. 

“Go, Hopper,” Steve tilts his head towards the open door. “Before the neighbors get involved.” 

Steve stands up and wipes his sweaty palms on his jeans. He moves to stand between Nancy and Henry, gently pushing Eddie behind him again. He flicks his hands around in the same motion as when he hid his car. 

The hand on his shoulder startles him, his whole body jerks away, the past hour catching up to his frayed nerves. Eddie holds his hands up in front of him like Steve’s a spooked horse he’s trying to calm down. 

“Was that what you did to the car?” 

Steve’s shocked he can muster up curiosity in the midst of everything he’s witnessed in the last few hours. 

“Yeah,” Steve replies gruffly. “I can still see him, but everyone else can’t.” 

“Neat trick,” Eddie says, eyeing the blank ground with something like wonder. His eyes move over to Nancy after a moment. “Is she going to be ok?” 

“Not sure,” Steve shrugs. “She drained her power doing that spell. She was already too weak. Containing someone like Henry is like sticking your finger in an electric socket.” He kneels down beside Nancy again. “I might be able to help. Can you help me move her?” 

Eddie moves to Nancy’s other side right away, crouching down until he’s eye level with Steve. “What’d you have in mind?” 

“If I’m what he says I am, being on the ground will help.” He pitches his head towards the front yard. “We need to move her into the grass.”

“Aye aye, captain,” Eddie posits himself at the ready, arms circling around Nancy’s legs, while Steve closes his arms around her torso, lifting and shuffling slowly to the yard. 

Nancy doesn’t weigh much, barely over five feet tall and thin. She’s lost more weight than he realized. Steve’s afraid he’ll break her even further than she’s broken herself. 

The two of them easily get her comfortable in the grass, Eddie leaning back on his heels crouched down in the grass, watching Steve with this all too knowing look.

His hands are shaking, as they hover above Nancy. Healing and defensive magic have always come more easily to him than anything else. Green flows easily from his palms, sinking into Nancy’s chest, lifting her slightly off the ground when the connection is made. 

It takes a minute, Steve’s eyes closing in concentration, but she wakes up with a start, gasping and arms flailing until she feels the ground beneath her. Steve lowers her gently, letting himself be dragged into a hug when Nancy claws at his chest. 

“He’s dead,” Steve whispers into her hair. She’s trembling, shaking with a silent sob. “He can’t hurt anyone anymore.” 

“S-Steve-” Nancy gasps, throat too thick with emotion to get much out. 

“Where’s the rest of the coven, Nance?” He strokes one hand down her hair, cradling the back of her head protectively. 

She takes a deep breath, pulling away from him and wiping at the tear tracks on her cheeks. Nancy’s always had this uncanny ability to pull herself together. In the face of danger, or anything else life throws at her, she puts on a brave face in a world that’s only ever been cruel to her.

“They’re gone. Hopper got them out of here. It’s what took so long for us to join you.” She sniffles into the sleeve of her shirt. “They didn’t agree with Henry's methods. They said that they wanted to stop him, but they didn’t know how. He was too powerful. I told them our plan and they went along with it. I still don’t think we can trust them, but they weren’t on his side.” She looks over Steve’s shoulder, noticing Eddie for the first time. “Who is this?” 

“Eddie Munson,” he says before Steve can. “Nice to see you’re alive. Steve was worried about you.” His eyes dart from Steve to Nancy. “I can give you guys some privacy.” 

“No, it’s ok,” Steve adds quickly, reaching out to clasp Eddie’s wrist. “You already know everything.” 

Steve doesn't even have to look at Nancy to know her eyebrows are raised. They don’t just tell people about all of this. 

“He saw everything at the graveyard,” Steve answers the unspoken question. 

Nancy nods once. He can see the gears turning in her head.

“How did Hopper get involved?” Eddie asks, like he can’t help himself. His curiosity really might get him killed one day. They’ll work on that. 

“His kid,” Steve says, “she’s like us.” Steve wiggles his fingers in the air. 

Eddie nods in understanding. 

“None of this freaks you out?” Nancy asks. 

“I was raised by an old man with tales from the Appalachian mountains. Magic isn’t really all that big of a leap when you grow up hearing about skinwalkers.” Eddie shudders. “I might be more scared of it all now, knowing that magic is real. Wayne’s gonna lose his shit if he ever finds out.” 

“You can’t tell anyone,” Nance says sharply, that pragmatic fearlessness he’s always loved shining bright in her eyes. 

That deer in the headlights look is back on Eddie’s face. “Your secret’s safe with me, Wheeler.” He casts a glance at Steve, some unknown emotion passing over his face too quickly for Steve to take stock in it. “I won’t put you guys in danger.” 

Nancy’s scrutinizing Steve. He can see it out of the corner of his eye, but he refuses to give in and look her in the eye. She’ll see right through him. Knows him too well. 

Hopper comes back out, looks disconcertedly at the spot where Henry’s body should be. Good to know it unsettles the sheriff as much as it unsettles Eddie, that empty spot where he knows a corpse is bleeding out. 

“My guys are on their way.”

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight | Part Nine | Epilogue | AO3

#stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #katie writes

[blankdblank]

Brother Dearest Pt 15

Called off to meet up with some old school buddies Eddie was off for the day and with an early start you bought some flowers from Mrs Peppers stand and made your way to the cemetery. Right past the bustling city you found the zone of silence where the lost were laid to rest. Following the familiar path you found the trio of stones and already tearing up you nodded at Victor’s saying, “We have a friend a few lines over so we can give you a bit, Pipsqueak.” The pair of them kindly greeted your parents and uttered Steve’s name flatly and walked off saying, “If you need us we’re a call away.”

You nodded after passing them each a flower they kissed your cheeks in receiving and watched them go. Alone again your gaze dropped to the stone and in your green dress you lowered to crouch and set a single flower on your dad’s grave already feeling your face scrunch up.

The sniffle following in the drop of a tear down your cheek turned the heads of the guys seeing you wipe your cheek and look up trying to calm down reading the name etched in the polished stone. In a slightly squeaking whisper you said, “Hey Daddy.” Sniffling again. I’ve been away a while, I haven’t just been ignoring you. Got roped into nursing, Mom. But um,” weakly you squeaked out, “I’m ok. I’m back now.” Glancing down again leaving a flower for your mom too. “I, got medals. And my picture in the papers.” You sniffled again eyeing the final two flowers, “Daddy I don’t know if you could do what I can, but I can do so many things. But I swear I don’t use them unless I have to. And, I met Edie, she has a son few years younger than me. They were sent to these death camps. Broke out and we met in Paris, right after this big battle, it was huge. I think, even if I was a son you’d be proud of it…” hastily you wet your lips not knowing how deeply the words were hitting the men on the verge of tears staring at a practical stranger’s headstone they had helped bring home from the Civil War.

“And daddy I got my high school diploma, and all these schools have given me tours. Just visited Brown, going to Barnard next. You took those summer courses in Columbia that last year we had. And even President Truman invited us all out to the White House for a garden party, not sure what that entails. We met these brothers, we’re gonna be a family, me and Eddie spent the winter in Canada with them in their cabin. Got to see tons of animals and fish and hunt and even learn to cut down trees and make a bird feeder and little houses for them.” Again the guys were grinning.

“I’m not sure how school is going to go, or what’s going to happen. They’re not Catholic, or Jewish, so, who knows what some of the neighbors will say, but they’ve always been there and it really doesn’t matter. Because we’re safe now, and you’d love them Mom, you would too Dad. They bought our old building and we’re gonna fix it up, and maybe get a dog. Hopefully a huge fluffy one that loves to laze around and snuggle.” Sharply inhaling you wiped your other cheek dry, “We’re gonna do great things, you’ll see. And I’m not just going to be some housewife. I’m gonna work so hard, you’ll see, and I won’t ever forget what you both taught me.” Turning your head you said, “I just wish Steve, you could see it. Maybe then you wouldn’t have hated me so much. If you could have seen me grown up and know that I wasn’t your hassle anymore. Maybe you could have been an uncle, come around to talk, play charades or cards, helped to teach the kids the trumpet you could never get just right with those little lungs of yours.”

A flower was set down on his grave and James and Victor paced a lap through that row of stones to keep from racing back to you, “I think you could have been happy, after all this. We could have been friends. Heard you found a gal while you were in camp, our kids could have had a whole gaggle of cousins.” Again your voice cracked, “And you could have told me why-,” standing up you sniffled again holding the last flower you carried closer to the guys now turned to meet you that flanked you to see where you were going.

Victor’s arm wrapped around your back and he asked wiping away a stray tear, “You Alright?”

You nodded saying, “The Barnes’ are just over here.”

James, “Bucky then?”

You nodded, “Me and Eddie used to joke they might end up in lovers plots, side by side to the end of the line.”

James leaned over kissing your forehead, “They didn’t deserve you, you know.”

“The idiots still earned flowers at least. Never had any bodies to bury. Just stones. Bucky’s dad died hearing about him, his mom and sisters are still a few blocks over.”

Victor, “How old are they?”

“I think they were four when we left town.”

James, “How were his parents with you?”

“Not like Bucky. His dad owed money to the Brocks, drank a lot, used to play cards with them in the locked basement club.”

Victor, “Ah, so he knew who he was messing with when it came to you.”

You shrugged, “Stayed to himself most days, then he’d just show up, looking, mangled. Like he’d been drug around town and he’d come to the pool hall but he’d always swing at anyone but he wouldn’t touch me. One time I was in the back and he broke the door down and I was so scared but he saw me and turned away, started shouting for Dave breaking the other doors till he got thrown out. Used to think maybe, like my head zings. Maybe I did something to keep him away.”

Down the proper row you went and stopped at Bucky’s stone unsure of what to say just laying the flower on top of the stone. “I wish we could have known each other better, and you had more than just Steve to come after you in that camp. Bye Bucky.”

The pair eyed the picture of him left at the stone and turned with you. Warmly Victor’s lips met your forehead and he hummed out, “Come on, museum tour. Let’s go see what this state has to offer since our last visits.”

Museum of natural history, Museum of modern art, Brooklyn museum, New York historical society, Metropolitan museum of art three full days dedicated to soaking up all you could while Eddie relaxed enjoying time with his friends.

Each one opened for you and in a near grueling path through the city you managed simple tours of each. Including sections where the guys shared their own additions of events they had lived through with even a portrait they were both odd blob like figures in the back of they recalled exactly what had occurred while the artist was painting nearly making you burst out laughing. The last place being your safe haven, the crowning glory of your childhood, the New York Public Library.

“Ooh, lions.” Victor hummed snapping a picture of the one you were walking towards.

“This one’s Fortitude.” They glanced at you and you added, “The other one is named Patience.”

James, “So sweet.” Making you roll your eyes in his palm pressing to yours and fingers weaving together.

“Oh, good Lord…” Victor said tilting his head back inspecting the front hall of the library, “I should have expected this, but I didn’t… wow..”

Smirking to yourself you led the way in as the pair of architecture nerds adored each book and cranny of this place. You didn’t have long before it closed and there was just one stop you had to make. Straight to the office you went and were spotted right away by the little lady behind the counter who grinned widely. “Oh, there you are!” Giggling softly you approached the desk and James releases your hand so her hands on the counter between you could cradle yours in her loving gaze, “You’ve grown. Why the last time you were here you could barely see over the counter.” Making you smirk again. “Let’s get you a new library card, Miss Pear.”

After a step back her hands released yours and she said, “I will have you know it was stunning to have just stopped seeing you. Thought you might have been moved out of the city to relatives but then one day your face just popped up in the papers, receiving medals of valor and for service. Even out here there was an article President Truman himself was quoted in that you were among the most stunning of our returned heroes. Shot three times in service,” Her eyes focused on you while her hands continued to move through the task of making your card she filled out by memory. “Why I nearly choked on my breakfast reading that, but here you are intact and fully grown now. And that face, I could have known that face and smile anywhere. Welcome home my dear, to the state and the library.”

She looked at the men, “Why there wasn’t a weekend through school we wouldn’t find her curled up with a mountain of books just grinning as she blew through them. Wasn’t the same without you.” She said with her eyes on you again in her move to bring you the new card she folded into your palm, “Oh, I kept a list of all the new books for the sections you read through.”

Victor chuckled, “Sections?”

The woman nodded, “Any school would be thrilled to have such a mind among their alumni.”

Victor nodded, “We’re set to tour Barnard next week.”

She gasped, “Oh that is a great school! Well done!” Then she looked to the men sliding them two slips of paper, “Of you’ll fill these out I’ll have your cards out in a jiffy.” A stolen glimpse of the endless books and the hall of tables the men admired was all you were able before they had to lock up stirring grins on the faces of the guards recognizing you and welcoming you back again.

.

“I’m going to go make some meatloaf, loudly.” Victor said in a smirk earning an eye roll from you on your way up to the bedroom to change. James behind you smirked in removing his shoes he left by the door only to follow after you in Victor’s push to steal some time alone with you.

“I have a library card.” The words deepened the already spreading grin on his face in easing the door shut eyeing your excited twisting stance in the steps out of your heels unhooked in a backwards lift of each one to undo behind your back. It was a simple fact but the joy and pride in it had you as the most attractive person on the planet to him even more so than the rest of your days he utterly adored you.

“I noticed.” He hummed mirroring your steps closer. “It suits you, all those books…”

In the tracing of your fingers up his tie while you rose up on your toes he leaned in melting into the kiss clearly coming and a low hum left him in the hand stroking across his jaw, cheek and then into his hair. A dip of his later and at his side your legs were curled through his lifting you off the ground carrying to the bed. Over you he stretched out blindly weaving his legs with yours adoringly refusing to be the one to end the deepening lip lock. Under the vest you had undone muscles flexed against your palm sliding over the shirt covering his torso to clench on his back melting him even more against you. Sharply the phone by the bed rang making you flinch and break the kiss only to weakly chuckle. “Never did get used to phones. We never had one.”

Victor answered downstairs, and in a dip of James’ hand into his back pocket he pulled out his kerchief to wipe the lipstick off your face making you giggle again. “We don’t have to have one if you don’t like them.”

“We should have one. Just in case.” You said taking the cloth to wipe off his own face that when clean was stealing another kiss from you.

“Whatever you say,” stroking the side of your cheek in an adoring gaze, “I’m gonna build you an incredible library.”

“Careful, I may just take that as a proposal,” he wanted to smile, every muscle in his face wanted to shift into the biggest dopiest grin only to lose focus halfway in the warm lingering hold of your lips to his.

Again your lips broke and teasingly his nose stroked the side of yours in a ghost of his lips across yours, “I’m gonna build you that library and pack it with as many odd books as I can find that wouldn’t seem like a library would have them. All for you.”

Tracing a finger down his cheek his lips met the tip of your nose and your eyes eased from his blurry nose up to his refocusing adoring gaze, “What do you get out of it?”

“I get to build you a library, fill it and then watch you enjoy it.”

“That’s all?”

“It’s so much more than that, and you know it, My Darling.”

All at once in a moment his gaze flickered from unending adoration to something else in the press of his palm to mold against your cheek, “You’re doing it again.”

“Doing what?” he hummed back brushing a thumb across your cheek tenderly.

“Looking at me like I’m leaving.” Over you it washed again his lifetime of loss before he had met you, up you leaned to close the distance closing his eyes again with a tender kiss. Down on the pillow your head laid again and his eyes scanned over your face puzzled at what to say, what could be the right thing to say knowing he could be facing that agonizing loss and betrayal of time again to be with you. “I read once before the big bang that created the universe there were millions of atoms just floating around together.”

“Really now,” he smirked melting into what he assumed to be you changing the subject.

“All the atoms in the universe were pressed together in this one cluster until it all exploded.” His brows inched up in amusement through a creeping grin at your soft blush prickling across your cheeks. “For 13.7 billion years we’ve been bumping around this universe,” Instantly his grin split into a wide smile, “The moment you opened that door I knew you. You bumped into me once and you hit me again, I felt like I’d been looking for you everywhere. You’re mine, I’m-,” Firmly his lips melted onto yours into a seemingly endless kiss leaving you breathless and him barely able to whisper.

“You are the most stunning creature on the planet with that endless mind of yours. One day there’s going to be billions of books available with a flick of your adorable finger and I’m gonna make sure we live to see it. I give you my word on that if I have to build it myself.”

“You are skirting dangerously close to-,”

“Oh trust me, I am going to propose, but it certainly won’t be in a room with clowns on the wallpaper in the john.” Unable to help it you melted into giggles through his own chuckles, nuzzling into his chest to just hold each other close sharing hopes for the future you would see shape together through the rest of your lives.

“Excited?” He rumbled in your move to sit up, his hand trailing down your back with fingers locking into your curled ponytail when he sat up in a gentle guiding hint to turn your head allowing him to kiss you again.

“About the clowns?” You teased making him chuckle again and drop his arm to rest around your side.

“Visiting Barnard. I do hope it’s better than Brown was.”

With a sigh your head tilted to rest against his shoulder, “Who knows. Maybe all I’ll end up as is a wife-,”

James scoffed, “You are not. No matter what you want we will make certain you get it. No matter how many etiquette blunder heads we have to sift through.”

Giggling softly you parroted back, “Blunder heads?”

He gave a curt nod, “Can’t think of a better insult right now without being rude. They’re just ladies following the path they’re allowed, we just need to break that path wide open. We can do it.”

“If I don’t kill anyone first.” Tilting your head back you said, “Oh, Momma Brock wanted us to go to Mass Sunday. Father Thomas wanted to speak with us. Did the same for all the boys coming home afterwards.”

James locked eyes with you in your shift back and he asked, “Did you want us to go?”

“You don’t have to. Not the most entertaining way to spend your Sunday.”

“It never is. I know our church used to last hours, tiny cramped with no heat or air circulation long before modern soaps and dental hygiene.”

“Oh, poor teddy bear.” That had you giggling in his scooping you up onto his lap smiling to himself at your forehead pressing to his, adoring the feel of your arms circling his shoulders. “What horrors you must have faced.”

“You have no idea. You think I smelled bad you should be glad you didn’t know half of my friends and neighbors. I am glad you did not have to live then with this adorably powerful nose of yours.”

“I would have lived in the woods.” Making him chuckle again in his next peck on your nose.

“I would have followed you there. No doubt you’d still smell like apples.” Kissing your nose again stirring another giggle from you.

.

With a wiggle of your shoulders your dress fell to the ground and a reach under your slip had your bra off and laying on the chair soon joined by your stockings and garter belt. Onto the bed you climbed and settled against the pillows brushing the covers down in a glance your way James smirked seeing your arms circling your legs pulled up to your chest. “I know that look.” He said tossing the tank top he threw on top of your clothes.

“Do you now?”

Undoing his belt he walked to the chair dropping his pants he added to the pile along with his socks then crossed to the bed to settle down beside you sliding his arm behind your back, “We have an early train.”

Sliding down on the bed as he did you turned onto your side, “I know that. There’s no look.”

Smirking through a chuckle he rumbled back shifting his head to face you brushing his nose against yours, “My mistake.” Planting his lips on yours in a loving kiss.

Afterwards he shifted with his free arm used to shut off the lamp by the bed then glanced your way in his adjusting the covers higher over you both smiling at your peck on his cheek. Tenderly your hand settled on top of his chest and deeply he exhaled in your fingertips gliding across his skin through the dark patch of hair. “My Dad had this picture, one I found in his book of favorite quotes. He had me on his chest, right here.” You said circling your fingers on that spot, “Used to say I wouldn’t sleep unless I was here. Do you think-,”

When your voice broke off his arm tightened around your back and he pressed a warm kiss to your forehead, “When we have children we can photograph them wherever you like on me.”

Softly you replied nestling your head against his cheek, “Thank you.”

“Victor wouldn’t let a moment go by undocumented. No doubt we’ll have ample with him as well. We will get through this together when the time comes.”

“How long did you want to wait?”

“For babies?” You nodded and he snuggled more around you after another kiss on your forehead, “After the wedding, few years at least if nature allows, so we can get you a firm footing. There’s no rush for all of that. We’ll get there, no pressure, just sleep.”

..

Lost in the middle of a ‘fun’ questionnaire at a club you had been somehow wrangled into once they had realized your name was the same as that of one of the potential students to woo James’ eyes turned to the den mother in charge of this side of the room’s sparse gentleman guests. “Miss Pear is quite the catch. Will she be moving close by?”

Eddie nodded saying, “We’ve got a place we’re going to fix up over the summer in Brooklyn, bit of a ride but it’s worth it.”

She nodded and forced a grin stating, “The four of you.” Again she forced a grin and asked, “Now, Mr Pear, clearly you two are related, but I am curious how, you two gentlemen are related to Miss Pear. We do have strict moral guidelines we wish from our pupils.”

James shifted a bit closer making her a bit nervous at first until she caught his gossiping grin, “If you can keep it a secret, a family ring is being resized. We’re an item now, but by September we’ll be engaged. And my brother Victor is gonna help us set up the house. Plenty of space.”

Eddie nodded, “Ample room, to grow into.”

She caught the hints and they could tell the silently tarnished reputation she had assumed that was also rippling through those you had met so far and withholding her gleeful gasp she said lowly, “Well that is just wonderful. And no doubt we will be honored to have her among the masses of minds to mold until situations change, that is.”

James smirked saying, “Call me a bit out of fashion, but, I admire her fire more than anything. Just that spunk to face anything. I wouldn’t dare try to smother that. For now family can wait, we all want to see how far she can go, and we can go, together.” She was stunned for a moment and he added, “This is a great school, it would be a shame to keep her here for just six months. Her father left funds for her schooling and we want to honor that, a sort of way to get his blessing for us.” Sentimentally her grin twitched wider and she turned to glance over the room allowing her a moment to keep from tearing up at the kind gesture from a man assumed to want to rule over his spouse.

Across the room however the brunette charged with guiding you around asked, “So, when are you and your fiancé settling down? It would be nice to know how soon we will be losing you.”

“You won’t be.” Her brow inched up, “We’re not engaged,” in her shifting expression you added, “It’s only been half a year,” her expression switched in confusion and you said, “But we’ve talked about families and James and Victor bought the building my family used to live in,”

That made her gasp, “The building?”

You nodded, “We’re going to remodel it before school starts and I’ll commute from there.”

“What does he do?”

“Well he was a Colonel, how we met,”

“Aww, I love a man in uniform.”

Smirking for a moment you paused then said, “Back in Canada there’s a lumber mill they work for.”

“Ooh, well we can’t wait to hear more about them when you join us.”

The female Professors were more of the same, all asking about the guys and how you would restore your honor in their eyes, with each of them calming at the rippled rumor of plans to come. The male Professors however, the few that there were, each held little interest in teaching just another future housewife wasting their time by taking up a seat.

Yet their smug grins faded when in the physics classroom you wiped away a word in the quote written across the board. Two of them got upset until you quoted it back to them word for word finding the book and correct spot stirring up a round of questioning leading to their realizing you had memorized more than half of the books they had set out on display in the classroom and had a vague knowledge of what the others held. Science clearly was your chosen field and they were uncertain of how long you would stay but all of them held a shared curiosity for what the next semester would bring. One class you had considered but nearly brushed aside was Mythology, mainly focused on Norse Mythology by a Professor Elliot Randolph.

The short man just barely your height with your heels grinned at you in the sea of young women practically ignoring the men around you. “Miss Pear,” his hand remained at his side but with a nod of his head had you looking him over a bit confused at his almost eager greeting. “My name is Elliot Randolph. This would be my first semester here. And I heard you might be considering this school. Are you interested in Mythology?”

“I haven’t really touched on it yet.”

“Ah,” his eyes lit up and he stepped aside allowing a group past. “Well then I don’t doubt you wouldn’t enjoy it. Everyone loves a good story. Grand deeds, sinister motives and plots. Centuries of stigma and history all tangled in these magnificent creatures who could do spectacular things, heirs to the Gods.”

A motion of his hand to his classroom had him showing you a brief intro on what was around the room. Subtly it seemed he was wooing you in with hints of stories on these stunning creatures and lands from long ago and as another string of ladies came in you said, “I think you might have just convinced me to give Mythology a shot.”

At that his grin split widely into a smile, “Oh that is wonderful news. I have seen your record and I can tell you will be a marvelous student. I shall dust off my best in anticipation of granting you a challenge on learning past what is in the text.”

“I look forward to it, Mr Randolph.” The women swooped in and swarmed him causing your slip away. Hushed conversation on the eager Professor in the bunch ended at another aid coming to guide you to your next set of courses to meet those Professors as well.

Nearly all your classes would be on the women’s campus, but three of the ones you would want to take guided your tour to the men’s campus. There the men in your group were drawn forward and boasted to endlessly on the benefits of the campus until the Professor came to greet James with his hand extended, “And am I to assume I have another group of boys in blue to join my ranks of minds to mold?”

James shook his head, “No, we’re here with my girl,” his head nodded your way turning his head to the stack of books on his desk you were reading the titles of. “Moral support and all that. She wasn’t in blue, neither were we, Canadian Forces.”

The Professor nodded, “Ah, yes, another Nurse, lo-,”

Victor cut him off, “Corporal,” that turned the heads of the potential students and Professor, “Corporal Pear, Medic of the Canadian Forces, first woman to have earned an officers position and to earn the Medic patch.”

The Professor asked, “How’d she manage Corporal? That’s what, E-4?”

“I got shot,” his head turned to you and you flashed him a wide grin, “Three of your books have been discredited. I hope they’re not on the syllabus.”

His brow inched up and he moved closer as you named them and the man who disproved their theories making him scoff, “Communist rhetoric.”

“He’s Swedish,”

“My point exactly, I don’t bend to foreigners opinions in my classroom.”

You nodded, “Then I suppose all Greek and Roman Philosophers would be banned as well, leaving, well, not much really once you drop all the books from Eastern Europe.”

His eyes narrowed, “Clearly you do not understand just how vast this subject is and I doubt you could begin to comprehend-,”

“Mr Crane, I could fill a naval carrier with all the doubts people have had about me. You don’t have to like me, but I do suppose we will have to wait until the first lecture to see which one of us wins on grounds of competency.” His mouth dropped open, “Because I’ve read two thirds of the books on physics in the New York Public Library so far, and I do hope with that big brain of yours you might be able to see past the dress and try not to talk to me like I’m some idiot waiting on my pot roast to bake.”

“For competency’s sake, I do, hope, you do arrive ready for a battle of wits.”

Smirking to his back in his turn away you fired back, “I’m not the one who’s unarmed.” The phrase halting him in his tracks making him turn only to see you walking with your smirking men around you on the way to your next class a few hallways over, “Clearly we’ll be best friends.”

James chuckled lowly easing his hand across your back through the sea of staring men looking you over from head to toe. “Once he licks his wounds.”

Victor, “Sweden is Communist,” your group chuckled, “Who’d have thunk.”

Again you giggled saying, “Hopefully the Philosophy Professor won’t have negated his syllabus as well.”

James rumbled back, “If he has it would be a very glum class. Glum and dull.”

This one at least spoke to you and seemed eager to have another woman in the class, sharing that his own daughter would be attending one day hopefully. It did seem word got around that he was more respectful of a Professor for female students leading to their taking his course over the other male Professor. The day wasn’t a complete failure in your self esteem as you left the joint campus closing ceremony looping James’ arm around your back by swinging your joined hands over your head drawing a smile from him to you. Clearly for the men this wasn’t the same education the men would be getting but no doubt you could get the degrees you wanted and fill in the blanks. Against his side you slumped slightly anxious for all of this, wanting to forget the lingering male students staring your way.

All the way to the station you stayed under his arm only to end up seated by Eddie on the train on the seat across from the brothers, who got pulled into a conversation with the little girl beside Victor that lasted until she got off the train a few stops before yours. Smiles came from the pair and when the people around you left they jumped at the chance to sit beside you. Victoriously James slung his arm around you again making you giggle in his splitting grin and peck on your forehead.

A stop at the markets came with mingling people in town all glad to see you at mass the following morning and followed with a jumble of arms in the kitchen to make dinner. As if you blinked you were laid out on your side in bed feeling yourself drift off in the warm body easing up behind you to fold around you tightly.

…

In a floral white blouse tucked into your navy skirt you adjusted the waistband turning in front of the mirror on your toes spotting James in the mirror holding up your black heels he bent to help you into. Gently kissing each knee in buckling the strap around your ankle while you secured the side of your hair back with a pink petal coated pin that would be seen under the navy bowknot fascinator of your mother’s the Brocks had brought over from storage. “You look very beautiful, in a modest and religiously respectful sort of way.”

Giggles escaped you and your hands smoothed over his vest deepening his grin, “You can put down the shovel, and thank you.”

When your hands moved to the tie he left slung over his chest he smoothed his hands around your hips and asked, “I’m not going to have to sit across the room from you am I?”

“No. Just unfortunately can’t hold hands through it.”

Lowly he chuckled, “Kind of figured that part.” His eyes lovingly inspecting your expression while you tied his tie for him and tucked it into his vest smoothing your hands over it again.

“You don’t have to go.”

“I know,” Leaning in his lips tenderly pressed to yours and he said, “This is a part of your life. They are all Catholic and welcoming you home. If it helps, I suppose you could call me lapsed. Hard to have religion if you can’t die and have spikes jutting out of your fists. Wars didn’t help either.”

After wetting your lips you asked, “What happens if I don’t die?”

Deeply inhaling his eyes locked on yours again and he answered, “We’ll be here for you. Always.”

You nodded and said, “We should go.” Turning to grab the white gloves and your purse holding your mother’s rosary. Down you went and with the others and into the sidewalk you went joining the other families on the way to the gothic church seeming more ominous than when you were little. From the walk in past the bowl of holy water used for people to mark a cross over their head, shoulders and chest to claiming your seat on one of the rows the Brocks usually took up you settled after a rusty step back through all the tiny details.

The lengthy mass and words after flooded into the group pot luck in the hall and gardens behind the church for the returned soldiers upon the looming anniversaries of certain battles. Yet alone you walked inside with Father Thomas after his time speaking with Eddie alone, “I am glad you were able to come home to us. You have been a steady fixture on our prayer lists.”

“Thank you, Father.”

His hand motioned and inside his office you stepped and stood in front of one of the leather chairs as he closed the door behind himself. Straight to his chair on the other side of the desk he asked, “I know it has been some time since you have attended our services,” you nodded still keeping the rosary tucked in your palm with your thumb stroking one of the beads in a subtle way. “I have offered a sort of counseling session with each of the boys returned home, I wished to offer that to you. War, war is a very troubling time on the soul. Are you finding any difficulty in your return?”

“To be perfectly frank,” he nodded, “I was 15 when we got moved to Canada, 16 when our Hospital was attacked. I was terrified, but I was a kid and now I’m almost 21. The men all looked after me, kept me safe, never treated me like I was beneath them. And I come back here, and it’s dresses, heels, make up, all these lessons and back to a world where the best thing I could ever hope to achieve is get married and have babies.” He nodded again, “Please don’t get me wrong I know the birth of woman and their roles in the gospel is to serve their father’s and then husbands, just, I have a brain, and opinions, and I want to do great things. We went to Barnard college yesterday and even there the male Professors just look at us like we’re cattle, wasting his time because all we will ever be is someone’s wife.”

Lowly he chuckled, “It is troubling. I know my niece had a hard time last Spring with a project her teacher demanded a boy handle even though she was the best juggler in the theater group. I also know you, I never saw you without a book, or pile of them. They will bend to your stubborn will.” Slowly he let out a breath and said, “I would like to offer my sincerest condolences for your brother, Steve.” It was your turn to nod, “I understand he wasn’t the best guardian, but he did serve honorably. You will always have family here, even if you are tied to marry a Canadian. Is he Catholic?”

“Lapsed, his family was. He’s faced a lot of loss, but he’s supportive of my coming here, if that is what you are worried about.”

He shook his head, “No doubt. We have heard great things. We all look forward to getting to know him better. You will be down the block after your old building is rebuilt.”

Anxiously you wet your lower lip and said, “I have a question,”

“Of course, ask away.”

“When we were going through Paris, a bit after Normandy, I ran into a cousin and aunt of mine I didn’t know I had.” His brow inched up, “They had broken out of a death camp,” parting his lips, “Turns out my father’s family was Jewish, he came to New  York to be safe. My question is, if he was Jewish does that mean I have to be too?”

Shaking his head he said patting his hand on the table in a comforting way, “Truly if his intention was to protect himself and his family by not telling you or forcing your mother to change her religion it would not be mandatory for you to convert. And I can say this truthfully, none of us would turn you or your relatives away for not being Catholic. Truly they have been through harsh faces of the world and we will pray for them to find comfort, are they still in Paris?”

You shook your head, “No, James and Victor helped Eddie set up travel to get them to Canada. Erik’s in a great school now, Edie’s got a good job. They’re finding comfort again.”

“That is good news. Marvelous news.” He looked you over again in your glance at the rosary in your hands.

“I’m sorry, I’m trying to get comfortable. But, I feel so out of place. I killed a lot of people. I won medals, but, that doesn’t change anything. I’ve done terrible things, and I’m just supposed, to come to mass…”

Onto his feet he stood and walked around the desk to sit in the chair beside yours drawing your attention to him in his hand patting the arm of your chair, “Absolution comes in time. I can tell you have repented, truly remorseful. Peace will find you.”

“In time.”

He nodded, “Yes, more troubling than helpful right now. Until then, we should eat.” You nodded and joined him on your feet again walking with him out to rejoin everyone else taking up the seat Eddie saved for you and the plate Victor had filled for you while James fetched drinks wading through the women trying to talk to him.

Pt 16

@himoverflowers​, @theincaprincess​, @aspiringtranslator​, @sweeticedtea​, @thegreyberet​, @patanghill17​​, @jesgisborne​​, @curvestrology​​, @alishlieb​​, @jogregor​​, @armitageadoration​​, @fizzyxcustard​​, @here2have-fun​​, @lilith15000​​, @marvels-ghost​​, @catthefearless​​, @imjusthereforthereads​​, @c-s-stars​​, @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore​​, @mariannetora​​, @shes-a-killer-kween​, @ggbbhehe4455

@changlingkhat​

#James Howlett x Reader OC #Victor Creed #Eddie Brock #Venom

[burnsopale]

Beyblade WIP2: Truth or dare

Working title: Truth or Dare Summary: The BBA, PPB and Majestics, along with Mao, Rai, Yuriy and Sergei, are staying in Olivier’s summer house for a week. They blade, swim, explore the cliffs, hang out and enjoy themselves, but when you have so many hormonal seventeen-year-olds in the same house, tensions will arise. To settle them, Olivier proposes a special game of Truth or dare. Story rating: Mature Excerpt rating: PG-13 for horny teenagers and some alcohol.

Author’s notes: I promised myself that if I managed to write something on tuesday and wednesday, I’d post another excerpt. So here it is. This takes place a little while after the first, once they reach the end of the questions round. To recap, they are currently playing Never Have I Ever; Olivier reads out statements, and the players drink if the answer is yes.

(Btw, there’s a beydish in the copse. It’ll make sense.)

Takao had kicked off his shoes and tucked his feet in under him. He rubbed his hands together. "Bring on statement number ten! I want to get to the dares." He shadowboxed the coming challenge, throwing a random punch in Kai's direction that Kai caught without effort.

"In that case, Takao,” Olivier said, “you're going to have to tell me if you have ever ... gone skinny dipping."

Takao shook his head. "Not unless you count hot springs."

"What does skinny dipping mean?" Rai's grasp of English apparently didn't extend to this particular concept.

"Bathing naked in a lake or a river or the sea."

"Ah." Rai drank. "I don't see what is so unusual about that."

And yet only about half of the players actually drunk. Mao and Rei drank along with Rai, and Yuriy and Sergei. Giancarlo, Ralf and Johnny drank, but the remaining members of the BBA did not, and of the PPB, only Michael had experienced it.

"What's so special about bathing naked anyway?" Takao asked. "I’m naked in the tub all the time."

"Oh, mon ami," Olivier said, biting his lower lip on a smile. "Giancarlo and I will take you swimming in the moonlight. You have not lived until you have felt your body be cradled by the sea, with nothing between you and the water. It’s like swimming in your mother's womb."

"Aaand now it's creepy," Johnny said.

"What Olivier is trying to say is that it feels freeing," Giancarlo mended.

"And primal," Yuriy added. "Especially in winter."

"I agree with the first part," Rai said slowly.

"Maybe we should all go," Giancarlo said thoughtfully. "When we're done with the game."

It had a strange, silencing effect, and like a ripple in water the same thought seemed to pass through the circle, everyone looking at each other and realising all over again that they were here, they were young, and they had bodies that longed for new and secret things. They were far from home, in a summer paradise by the sea, and they could do ... anything.

Johnny glanced involuntarily in Ralf's direction and was startled for the second time that day to find his friend looking back at him.

Ralf looked away first.

"A fine idea, mon coeur," Olivier said. "But we are not finished with our little game just yet, though this round is about to end. The final statement of round one is ... I have had sexual fantasies about someone in this room."

Johnny's heart thudded hard against his ribcage. For a moment the room was suspended in unbreathing silence.

Giancarlo drank. Then, surprisingly, Kyouju did as well. Takao looked at him, and slowly, guardedly, tipped his own apple cider, creating a moment between them based on a timorous, mutual understanding. Mao drank, glancing at Rei. He drank too. Max drank with one hand tucked between his knees, visibly self-conscious for the first time this evening. Then Michael closed his eyes and poured back the rest of his beer like he was yanking off a band aid.

Ralf did not drink. Why would he.

Johnny tried to breathe evenly, telling himself this was one lie they would never catch him at.

Kai crooked a half-smile and drank. Yuriy shrugged and followed suit, and finally, Rai, staring at his glass like he feared to betray himself if he let his eyes wander, took a sip. Michael had no such control, giving away everything he felt in the covetous way he watched the glass touch Rai's lips.

Olivier exhaled slowly. "My brave champions ... I know we have some liars here, but it's a hard thing to prove, non? So we move on. I would ask you who you've dreamed of, but ... you would not tell me. Not yet."

Liars? The ones who hadn't drunk ... Eddie, Steve and Emily ... Sergei ... Ralf and Johnny ... Who did Olivier suspect?

It was impossible to tell, as the French boy raised his second champagne glass in one last toast. "To a round well played, and to daring hearts who will, I hope, want to play some more."

"Is it dares now?" Max asked after they had drunk the toast.

Olivier nodded, leaning back and reaching for the bowl on the table. "But ..." He hesitated, pursing his lips in consideration. "Maybe you would like to stretch your legs a little first? On the balcony perhaps?"

They threw the doors wide, and everyone went outside, stretching their bodies and groaning. The air was full of the mingled scents of flowers and salt, clearing Johnny's head of the wine-induced fog. He felt a little dizzy, but if he held off on drinking for a while, it would quickly fade.

Some of the boys and girls flopped down in the grass to watch the rapidly darkening sky, while others wandered towards the cliff-side to watch the black ocean melt into the horizon.

Johnny stepped down into the cool grass just to feel it tickle his bare feet. The wind from the sea stroked his knees and thighs. It felt good. His body was awakening again after it's slumber, getting eager to play. He looked around and wondered who he might end up kissing later.

"I suppose, so far, it's not a complete disaster."

Ralf. Johnny looked up at him, mustering a smile, stamping down on his body's immediate response of you could kiss him.

"So you're gonna keep playing?"

Ralf nodded slowly. "Olivier is clever. I believe we will all feel closer to each other now that we've shared secrets."

"Heh ... yeah." How he longed to be closer. Wanted to know what Ralf's waist would feel like in his arms. Wanted to press his lips against the patch of skin behind his ear.

He looked down. Breathed through pain and arousal.

"So, Kai," Max stepped up next to his captain with a show of casualness. "Who have you been fantasising about?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Kai, as helpless before Max' charms as everyone else, only rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Wouldn't you like to know."

"It's me, isn't it?" Johnny said with a sudden burst of inspiration. He grinned. "You can admit it, Hiwatari. I won't be mad." He'd forgotten to keep up his usual behaviour; he had to keep them from looking at him too closely, which they would if he acted out of character.

Kai crossed his arms over his chest. "The only fantasy I've had of you, McGregor, is blading you into the ground."

"Fantasise all you like, cause that's the only way you'll see it happen." He made a rude grimace.

"Meet me in the copse after the game and I'll make it real for you," Kai offered.

"Really? Meet me in the bushes after dark? That's your come on? You're not even gonna offer me a bed?"

But rather than spark Kai's temper, the question made a dangerous light appear in his eyes, and the smile turn sharp.

"Since you're so eager for it, McGregor, maybe the game will give me an opportunity to put you on your back."

Johnny couldn't help the full-bodied shudder that gripped him at the naked insinuation.

"Hiwatari." Ralf's voice was deep and cold. "Watch your tone."

Kai's eyes shifted to Ralf's, and there was a surge of electricity in the air, making it hard to breathe. Johnny watched without comprehending as the two predators tested each other's strength. Why was Ralf angry?

"Guys." Max stepped in between them. "Don’t fight."

Takao and Steve, down in the grass, had sat up and were watching, waiting to see what would happen.

For another endless second, the two red-eyed boys stared each other down. Then the challenge faded from the air. They exhaled.

Kai righted the collar of his grey shirt and turned away. "This misery is all yours, Jürgens. Enjoy it."

Ralf's lips pulled back from his teeth in a silent little snarl.

"Seriously? Are you drunk already?" Johnny looked at Ralf uncertainly. "What even was that?"

Ralf looked at him, and the hardness left his expression. "Nothing, I ... I suppose I am a little tipsy." He dragged a hand through his hair, thumbed open another button on his own shirt.

Johnny's mouth went try at the glimpse of a pale collar bone. He licked his lips. Turned away.

Luckily, Olivier chose that moment to call them back inside. "Are you ready to play some more?"

There was a chorus of yes-es, but Johnny wasn't so sure.

#Beyblade #Kai Hiwatari #Johnny McGregor #BBA #Majestics #Judin writes #Truth or dare WIP #RalfJohnny #Max #Ralf #Olivier #Rai #Not gonna list all the characters