#senior year at liberty | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

tyunphoria · 6 months

Text

🌪️not in my movie ! — b.chan

- - - - -

⚠️NSFW CONTENT!⚠️

- - - - -

ghostface!bang chan x reader

SYNPNOSIS: just a fun game of cat and mouse till you fall in the lion’s den.

INCLUDES: AFAB reader, college!au, pet names, praise, ANGST and SMUTTT. Finding out he’s ghostface gee what a shocker, not proof read, rushed:p chan’s hella manipulative if you squint.

WARNINGS: threatening, mentions of death and murders, blood, slight degradation, fear play, slight dacryphilia, DOM!chan, p in v, oral (giving), fingering, hair pulling, uh tw just to make sure: non con that turns consensual, semi public not rlly?, UNPROTECTED SEX, mentions of vomiting.

[click here to read ghostface!hanjisung x reader.]

w.c: 4.5k

The leaves were ablaze with autumn hue as y/n walked across the quad of her college campus. She breathed in the crisp autumn air, savouring the hint of bonfire smoke that indicated the fair was being set up. Y/n loved this time of the year. Students milled about between classes, backpacks slung over shoulders, coffee cups warming hands. Some douchebags would even take the liberty to scare their peers and professors while clad in a black robe and a ghostface mask.

Speaking of, your senior Chan just fell victim to one of the pranks and it was hilarious how you got to witness it first hand.

“I hate Halloween…” Chan grumbled as he fell into step beside you.

Your body buzzed with laughter as you handed him the book that slipped from his grasp. “Are you going to that fair tonight?” You ask. Chan makes an expression you couldn’t read, akin to contemplation tinged with mild distaste at the idea. You knew him well enough to read the thoughts flitting across his face — he was tempted by the promise of candy apples and haunted houses but also felt the pull of responsibility to study for his upcoming exam.

“Oh come on, Christopher.” You roll your eyes, “a few hours of fun won’t kill you.”

“Hard pass.” He said. He wasn’t one to back down to these types of things but he claimed that there was something about Halloween which gave him the ‘ick’. “And it’s not just that… Changbin lost a bet so now he’s gonna have to wear a playboy bunny costume to the fair. Think I wanna see that?” You laugh and shake your head, bidding him goodbye as you turn to enter your apartment until Chan stopped you once more by grabbing ahold of your arm.

“Y/n,” he says, his voice stern. “I’m being serious this time. Just… how about you just don’t go? It’s dangerous, especially how late it is at night. Who knows… maybe ghostface himself would show up uninvited.”

His warning sent goosebumps to rise on your skin, making the hair on your nape stand. You mask it with a light scoff. “Really, Chris? When are you gonna drop this ghostface shit. Dude’s been M.I.A for years, I think I’ll be fine.”

You try to pull away but his grip around your wrist tightens before you find yourself being pulled against his chest, hands holding your waist in place as he buries his face against your neck. “Be careful out there, yeah?”

Your hard gaze softens. “I will.”

- - - - -

“Y/n!” Felix beams as he captures you in a tight embrace.

“Jesus Christ, lix.” You gently pull away from the hug to examine his costume. “Elsa?”

“It’s cute, no?” He pouts. “Aya’s over there by the dart booth.” You nod at him gratefully, giving him one last hug before making your way to Aya.

“Hey bitch!” You grin. Aya bounces over to you, planting a kiss on your cheek, staining your skin with the bright red lipstick she wore.

“You wore the costume I bought you, let me see,” she twirls you around. “Hot, hot, okay, but babes that jacket has gotta go.”

“It’s cold!” You protest. “And my tits are practically out.”

Aya sighed in exasperation. “Halloween is the one year where a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.” She quotes.

The fair was packed with hordes of costumed attendees, mostly college students from nearby universities. Your eyes widened as she took in the revealing outfits on display - girls in lingerie masquerading as "sexy cat" costumes, shirtless guys with lampshades on their heads.

"Is that chick only wearing a bra and a fucking g-string?" You murmured to Aya, who stood beside you nibbling on candy corn from a paper bag.

Aya followed her gaze to a scantily clad brunette in the distance. "Looks like it," she snorted.

"Thank god there are no kids around here tonight."

You said, finding the lack of children odd. Usually by 8pm, the fair would be swarming with kids getting high off of cotton candy and running around wildly.

"Yeah, the government placed a curfew," Aya explained after popping a few gummy worms into her mouth. "Didn't you hear?"

"A curfew? No, why?" You felt unease curl in your stomach. The last curfew had been years ago, when a killer in a mask murdered a group of teens.

Aya lowered her voice. "It's all over the news. Two days ago someone broke into this girl's house downtown. And then a bunch of people were found dead behind the HYBE office building."

Your brows furrowed. There's no way it could be Ghostface again, right? That killer had been caught years ago.

Chris’s words from this morning suddenly plagued your mind and it bothered you.

A theory was circulating online that there was more than one Ghostface. That a group of obsessed fans had taken up the killer mantle. Those amateur reddit detectives were digging far deeper than the useless ass police.

What if Chan had been right? Unease bloomed in your chest as you glanced around the fair.

Aya takes notes of her expression, attempting to lighten the mood by shoving some cotton candy in your mouth.

“Stop worrying. Let’s go ride the roller coaster and eat candy till we fucking barf!”

- - - - -

“Oh, fuck me, I’m gonna—“ Aya bends over the railing and hurled.

Your cheeks tint in embarrassment, an awkward smile on your lips as you pat her back, trying to ignore the disgusted looks both of you were receiving.

“Bitch you gotta go on without me,” she slumps against a nearby bench, chugging down a can of beer to wash off the vile taste.

“What!” You frown, “but the haunted house, you promised!” You tugged on her arm but she doesn’t budge. “Tsk, fine, I’ll go without you then.”

They built a new attraction that the place has been working on for years but it just now opened up today. It was a big haunted mansion. You wondered why it took so long for them to open it up, but you found out not too long ago that they didn’t hire any scare actors for this attraction, they were all animatronics.

You see your friend by the entrance, collecting tickets and admitting people in.

"Hyunjin!" you exclaimed, a wide smile lighting up your face as you spotted your friend stationed at the entrance, diligently collecting tickets and admitting people in. "I didn’t know your ass worked here."

The blond returned your smile and motioned for three more people to enter before making his way over to you. "Yeah, I actually wanted to take today off, but they were in desperate need of extra staff. I was looking forward to spending the night with my girlfriend too." he replied with a small sigh. "Surprisingly, it's even more crowded than last year. You'd think people would stay home, given the murder incident that happened at HYBE."

You crossed your arms. You really didn’t wanna think about that right now. casting a quick glance down at your heels, momentarily distracted by the discomfort throbbing in your feet. "I shouldn't have worn these," you gesture to your heels.

Something crossed Hyunjin’s face as his expression went blank. “It’s gonna bitch to run in those if that fucker catches you.”

You gape at him. Who the fuck says something like that so casually?

“Sorry,” Hyunjin chuckled. “It’s part of my script.” Oh right… yeah, of course, it being halloween and him working at a horror attraction explains it.

“Oh, it’s your turn, y/n. You going in alone?” He asks. You glance behind you past the long line of teenagers to spot your friend Aya flirting with some guy. You grunt. “Yeah. Just me.”

Hyunjin smiles, taking your ticket and opening up the doors for you. “Enjoy.” He puts it simply, closing the doors behind you.

Hyunjin glances at the rest of the people in the line, the smile falling from his face as he makes his announcement which results in a chorus of groans.

“Okay everyone! Haunted mansion’s closed for tonight.”

- - - - -

As you ventured further into the haunted mansion, the path guided you through a dimly lit corridor. The flickering candles along the walls cast eerie shadows, whispering secrets in the air.

"for something that took years to make, this is pretty boring," you muttered, your disappointment evident in your voice. The first half of the experience was extremely underwhelming. The animatronics were, at least. But as you stepped into the next room, your boredom quickly turned to awe.

Inside, the place was straight out of a Gothic horror story. The Victorian aesthetic engulfed you, transporting as if you were entering dracula’s house or some shit.

As you continued, animatronic figures lurched and screeched, attempting to startle you with their mechanical movements and eerie sounds. But let's be real, they were more comical than terrifying. Their jerky motions and predictable jump scares only elicited laughter instead of fear..

You couldn't help but chuckle, finding amusement in their exaggerated gestures and obvious gimmicks. It became a game to anticipate their predictable moves, mocking their feeble attempts at fright.

The vibe itself was pretty spooky.

The thing that genuinely terrified you was the sudden ear-piercing scream cutting through the air.

Was that from outside? You couldn’t tell. There weren’t any windows. Maybe it just came from one of the speakers.

How long has it been, seven minutes maybe? Well, for one the place was huge and you took up most of the time taking pictures of the place and messing with the bots.

Startled by the crashing sound of the picture frame hitting the floor, you couldn't help but leap in surprise. As your racing heart gradually settled, you cautiously rounded the corner, only to find yourself confronted with a seemingly endless maze of hallways. The disorienting sight added to your growing sense of unease.

Just as you began to collect your thoughts, your hand-held phone abruptly buzzed, causing you to jump once more. The unexpected vibration sent a jolt through your system, making you exclaim, "Jesus—fuck!" A nervous chuckle escaped your lips as you pressed a trembling hand against your chest, trying to calm your pounding heart.

Assuming it was Aya, you braced yourself for a string of impatient requests to hurry up and drive her home. However, to your surprise, the incoming text displayed an unknown number. Curiosity mingled with a tinge of annoyance as you read the message that flashed on your screen: "

“Let’s play a game:)”

Your heart rate quickened in response, you weren't in the mood for pranks, you grumbled and decided to power off your phone, hoping to put an end to the unsettling message.

Your phone buzzed again.

With a mix of frustration and apprehension, you reluctantly picked up your phone and saw another message from the same unknown number: "Don't fucking ignore me, l/n." The words sent a shiver down your spine.

Reluctantly, you type back, your fingers trembling on the keyboard.

"Who are you?" you ask, your anxiety building with each passing moment.

The chat bubbles appear on the screen, filled with an unsettling anticipation. The silence hangs heavy, broken only by the rapid beating of your heart.

"Let's play," the mysterious person replies.

Frustration bubbles up inside you, and you can't help but snap in response. "Look asshole, I don't have time for this," you retort, your patience wearing thin.

A pause follows, and then their next message appears, sending a chill down your spine. "I'm sure you do if your life depends on it," they jeer, their words laced with a sinister edge.

Confusion and fear intertwine within you, clouding your thoughts. Their cryptic statements leave you bewildered, struggling to grasp their true intentions.

Suddenly, a notification pops up, revealing an incoming image. With trembling hands, you open it, only to be met with a horrifying sight—Hyunjin covered in blood, and Aya who looked lifeless leaned up against a pole.

A scream escapes your lips as you drop your phone, shock coursing through your veins. Trembling, you gather the courage to pick up the device again, your mind racing with terror and desperation.

With a renewed sense of horror, you read the next message: "Don't worry, darling. They’re not dead yet. If you can be a good girl for me, I may just spare them."

Each word intensifies your panic, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

“Don’t hurt them. I’ll do whatever you want.”

The tears streaming down your face are uncontrollable, having to hold the wall for support so your legs didn’t give up on you.

“Let’s play a game of hide and seek.” It writes. “I’m giving you two minutes to hide. If I find you by the time it strikes 12,” then they stopped typing. Seconds felt like hours as you waited. “Let’s just say they don’t get to see another day. As for you, things won’t get pretty so make sure to hide well:)”

It’s a little after 11:40, so you only have twenty minutes till the game is over. You assume that the timer for the duration you had to hide already started so you wasted no time to break into a sprint.

The game seemed simple enough. All you needed to do was hide for fifteen more minutes and you were golden! Besides, it’s a pretty big mansion. You’re confident that it’ll take them hours to find you.

- - - - -

Two more minutes.

There were only two minutes left.

You sink down against the wall, pulling your legs close to your chest. Thoughts of Chris flood your mind. You imagine how he might be doing, picturing the moment when all of this would be over and you could finally return home. The image of him standing before you, his dimpled smile breaking through, teasingly claiming that going to the fair wasn't such a great idea after all, tugs at the corners of your lips and brings a glimmer of warmth to your heart.

"I told you so!" he would tease, his voice filled with both amusement and genuine concern. But deep down, you know that Chan would be consumed with worry for your well-being and safety. You already imagine him scolding you, all while showering you with hugs and gifts to make you feel better. As his junior, his guidance and advice always carried weight, and you never missed an opportunity to listen to his words.

You find yourself sinking deeper into the memories, recalling how Chan had always been so understanding. Whenever the principal's wrath came crashing down, he was there, standing by your side, ready to defend you with unwavering loyalty. And when the storms of heartbreak or failed hook-ups battered your heart, Chris, was there to console you in ways that went beyond words. It was as if you were a treasured princess in his eyes, deserving of nothing but the utmost care and tenderness.

But right now wasn’t exactly the best time to dwell on your fat crush on him.

Like, yes, sure you guys fucked one or twice before but they meant nothing. It was just a way to relieve frustrations with zero strings attached.

His warmth, his voice… his hands that touch you in all the right places.

You’re definitely gonna miss it if you die in this hell hole.

“What's on your pretty little mind that’s got you thinking so deeply, princess?”

You gasp and quickly shoot up to a sprint until your front is pushed up against a wall, feeling someone’s weight pressed against you along with a cold blade poking against your throat.

“I found youuuu,” he taunts.

The man wearing a ghostface mask chuckled as he pressed the knife more into your neck, enough to make a small cut. You wince and groan in pain. The situation is almost laughable, finding it somewhat cliché with the way you’re about to die.

“Fucking… let me go,”

“But princess, I won didn’t I? We had a deal.”

“Fine! You win! Just kill me already then, why drag longer?”

You squirm around to possibly irk him more to speed up the process but as you do, the further your backside gets pushed into his hard on making him groan into your left ear. “But what’s the fun in killing you right away. I’m here to claim my prize.”

Your eyes widen, realizing what his intentions were now.

An idea popped in your head. If you just played along for a few more, you can distract him and make a beeline for the exit.

A laugh slips past your lips. “What’s this? I didn’t expect mister ghostface to be such a perv.” You rub your ass against the tent of his sweats eliciting a strained grunt from the man behind you.

He drops the knife, closing your throat with his fist, bringing your head back. “Don’t fucking tempt me.”

You squeeze your eyes shut at the sensation of his gloved hand cupping your sensitive pussy. Slick begins to stain your lacy red panties as he hummed and dragged his middle finger along your slit. You gasp out in surprise, “don’t do that…”

“Oh? But you were rubbing against me not too long ago like a little slut, what happened to that confidence?” He reaches down further and gently parts the lips of your vulva before gently circling your entrance.

“Tell me to stop and I will.” Your eyes flutter open at his words. You both have already gone this far, why stop now? If you told him to stop, would it just prompt him to kill you? You wanted to atleast see Chris before you died… Well, he asked for permission at least so that was good… fuck it, what about this situation was considered good in the first place? Played with your feelings using fear and dread and now he has you pressed up against the wall with his hand down your underwear.

It was a bit of a turn on.

“Why don’t you kiss my ass and fuck me already.”

You couldn’t see his face but you knew from the tone of his voice that he was grinning, “Good choice.” You were wet and waiting, so he slips a finger inside, thumb circling your clit. You moan, back arching. He adds another finger and pumps his fingers, adjusting the pace while you fall apart in his arms. Your sighs and moans, the way your body responds to him. He hooks his fingers as he circles your clit, rewarded with a moan that sounds suspiciously like calling on the gods.

You tighten around his fingers as you cum, your cheeks flushed in mild embarrassment, with your lipstick smudged from his fingers stuffing your throat full. He strokes you through your orgasm, a beautiful sight to see you undone like this, having to fight the urge to rio off his mask and kiss you.

“Did that feel good, princess?”

“Don’t… call me that.”

“What’s wrong? Do you like being called derogatory names instead?”

Your cheeks flushed. “No! I just… only he can call me princess…”

Ghostface went quiet as he stilled momentarily. He takes his fingers out. “Is that so..” his laughter fills your ears and you can’t help but shy away by hiding your face. Your body was jerked around, forcing you to face him as he squished your cheeks together roughly.

“Open your eyes.”

You shake your head. He moved his hand from your cheeks to your hair making you moan out in surprise.

“Your mask scares me!” You cried out. Staring back at the two blank eyes of the costume while getting fucked isn’t exactly ideal.

“Then I’ll take it off.”

He’s bluffing. Cause there’s no way in hell — this dude’s gotta be bluffing. “You’d do that?”

“For you I would.”

‘Yeah. If you could just take off your mask so I could report you to the police when I’m outta here that’d be great.’

But you’d wish you told him to keep his mask on instead. You would’ve rather preferred that.

“Chris?”

He cradled your face in his hand. “Why do you look so sad, princess? Not what you were expecting?” All you could do was cry. You were confused. You felt betrayed. You wanted nothing more than to shove him away but also melt against the warmth of his touch, the gentle caress of his hands that once brought you comfort. “Shh… shh, don’t cry.” Chan leans in and kisses away your tears.

“Why?” You hiccuped.

“I didn’t want you finding out. I never meant for this to happen.” He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Hell, y/n, I didn’t want you getting roped into this mess but you drive me fucking insane.

I won’t kill you, I just wanted to be honest with you. I’m sorry if you had to find out this way—“

You swallow his next words with a kiss. You didn’t want to listen to his words anymore. You didn’t care if it’s an excuse, you didn’t care if it was a lie, you didn’t care about anything as long as it was him.

“Save it. Whatever lame ass excuse you’re about to come up with, I forgive you.” This catches him off guard. He opens his mouth to say something but you cut him off again, “I’m tired and my pussy’s throbbing so let’s hurry and wrap this up.”

He grinned, urging to your knees. He gave your cheek a rough couple pats as he brought his index and middle finger to your lips, “open.” You part your lips and with little to no warning, he shoves his fingers down your throat. With his other hand, he pulled his sweats and briefs halfway down his toned thighs. He rubbed your spit around the length of his dick, giving it a few strokes before tracing the tip against your lips.

You poke your tongue out just to get a little taste of him making Chris visibly shudder. He groans before pushing the tip past your lips. You wrapped your lips around his cock and his hand immediately found its way on the back of your head. “Yeah… fuck, just like that…” you wrapped both of your hands around his length and worked quick pumps around the head while the other worked its way along the base.

He felt his knees buckle a little when you started sucking his balls. “You look so pretty like this,” he urged himself back into your mouth. “And who do you belong to?”

“You.” You moan. “I’m all yours, Channie.”

That was all the confirmation he needed before he began to brutally fuck your little throat. Your dress had ridden up gave it the liberty to press the tip of his shoe against your cunt making your hips jerk forward. As he ruthlessly fucked your throat and the laces of his converse rubbed deliciously against uour clit the stimulation was beyond amazing. After holding your head firmly against his pelvic area for what seemed like eternity, he finally let you get some air, removing yourself from his dick with a sloppy pop.

“Come here, pretty princess. Wanna cum inside of you…” he was quick to pull you to your feet and pushed you back up against the wall. Your answering smile is a smug thing, as if you’re proud of the effect you had on him. He kisses you then, groaning as he tastes himself on your tongue. Chan gripped your plush thighs and lifted you up with ease. He was gentle and slow, despite the circumstances you were thrown into. He rips your panties in half trying to get them off, drowning out your protests with a slight chuckle. “I’ll buy you new one’s.” He shoves your panties in his pocket before swiping his tip against your wet folds. “Oh,” you breathe out, eyes fluttering shut as he begins to move. The rhythm is slow at first, your fingers pulling him closer, as if you could eliminate all space between the both of you. Your hips meet his every thrust as they move together at a languid pace, as if they have all the time in the world.

He can feel the way your heart races, the rush of blood in your veins. He tries to be as gentle as possible as he sinks his teeth into your neck, drawing a delicious gasp from your lips as he thrusts into you, hoping to balance out the sensation of pain and pleasure. His face hovers over yours, breaths mingling. “Can you hear how wet you are?” He grunts, adding his thumb to the mix by rubbing your almost painfully sensitive clit. You moan loudly, back arching against the wall when you felt chan begin to suck at your tits over the thin material of your dress.

“Been wanting to fuck you for so long… seeing you walk around all night looking dolled up, I felt so jealous.”

He pounds mercilessly into your poor pussy, salty tears beginning to run down your cheeks from the overwhelming pleasure. “You're so gorgeous… wanna make you all mine — fuck,” he moans. “You’re so naughty… I told you not to go, didn’t I?”

“Channniiieee…. I’m gonna,” you whimper, whining against his lips. “I’m cumming… oh fuck, I’m cumming…”

“so cute…” he cooed. “You disobeyed me, and look at where we’re at now.”

You tangle your fingers in his hair as you orgasm followed by a shudder.

What sounded like footsteps that were approaching closer and closer catches you off guard and it seemed to have a similar effect on him as well.

Sticking to your plan from earlier, you shove him off of you while he’s distracted trying to figure out who could be approaching and make a beeline for the exit. His back hits a table, eyes widening.

“Love you Channie!” You grinned and before he could grab you, you shut the two heavy metal doors in front of him.

He grumbled, pulling his pants back on and opening the door only to be met with a ghostface mask staring right back at him.

“Hey,” Jisung says as he rips the mask off him.

“The van’s parked outside, the other’s have been waiting for twenty fucking minutes.” He says but he only received a glare from his leader. “You look pissed. What the hell happened this time?”

“Change of plans,” Chan says as he picks up his knife and mask from the floor. “You guys go on ahead without me.”

“What?” Jisung scoffed. “You can’t just do that at the last minute. Look, we’ve been planning this shit for years, you can’t just back down ‘cause you can’t control your dick. The police are already on their way, and—!” Chan throws his knife, missing Han by a hair as it pierces through the portrait behind him. Han felt his breathing stop for a quick second.

“You had your fair share of fucking with your slut, so pipe down.”

Jisung glowered, hand tightening around the handle of his gun. “Don’t fucking call her that.” He says, but he knew better than to get into an argument with his boss.

“I’ll meet you guys tomorrow.” Chan slips his mask back on.

“I’m gonna go claim back what’s mine.”

a.n: ruh roh, alpha wolf chan is mad cs he didnt get to orgasm😕😕

and yall i get it, you want more skz ghostface content, im getting there okay😭

also pls lmk if you want me to make anime fics too, all ive been posting about are skz dhisbsje i can write genshin too. P.s all ghostface aus r connected, hyunjin is next methinks

#reader insert #stray kids #kpop scenarios #kpop x reader #x reader #stray kids smut #kpop smut #bang chan smut #bang chan x reader #ghostface au

1K notes · View notes

milksnake-tea · 9 months

Text

━━ under the lotus leaves.

You've known Dan Feng long before he became the High Elder of the Vidyadhara, before he donned the title of Imbibitor Lunae and became the legend he is known as now. Long ago, back when the two of you were mere children, playing in the waters of the Xianzhou Luofu.

imbibitor lunae (dan feng) x gn!reader

contains: childhood friends au, set before dan feng is a criminal, slow burn, long fic, ooc!character for the first half bc he's growing up and is an annoying teen, mentions of blade's real name, death, spoilers for 1.2

genres: mostly fluff, hurt/comfort, some angst bittersweet ending

word count: 8.6k

a/n: please do note that this is dan feng, not dan heng. and therefore i take a lot more liberties with how he is because i firmly believe that dan feng was more of a bitch than dan heng BYE ALSO THIS IS UNEDITED !! ILL EDIT IT TMRW WHEN I WAKE UP I JUST HAD TO GET THIS OUT BYE

Your best friend was an extraordinary being.

There was no doubt about it. Regarded as both the strongest and wisest of your people, he was chosen as the High Elder, Imbibitor Lunae. And he has served you well.

His feats are plenty, with his joining the esteemed High-Cloud Quintet, and you couldn't count the amount of time he'd saved the Xianzhou on one hand. He was smart, intelligent, and witty, quick to understand situations and formulate the best solutions. His enemies feared his presence on the battlefield, and his friends trusted him with their lives.

As did you.

You, a mere civilian. A single face among thousands of Vidyadhara, another footstep among the crowd. You, who have lived through his past and present. You, who knew him better than he knew himself.

You, who has been by his side since the very beginning.

━

It was a stormy day when you first met Dan Feng.

You were just a child back then, a Vidyadhara only eight years of age. Normally, at this stage in your life, you'd be guided by the current high elder, but it seems that you had undergone your cycle at the same time as the past high elder.

So as life would have it, you would instead be raised by your seniors, while the Preceptors tended to the newly reborn high elder. A skilled weaver in your past incarnation, you were taken in by your then coworkers, and raised within your craft of making lotus silk.

As such, your childhood was filled with looms, lotus flowers, and spinning threads. You spent your free time in the gardens of lotus flowers, hiding from your caretakers amongst the tall stems and diving into the waters to swim amongst them. You may not have had the draconic features of the High Elder, but you still adored the water like any other Vidyadhara.

And as it would seem, so did the High Elder.

It had been a hot and sunny day at the Luofu. The rays were smoldering on your back as you waded through the lotus fields, thankful for the cold water splashing against your legs. You squinted against the sun, adjusting your leaf hat on your head. Tucked against your arm was a woven basket filled with lotus stems, all of which would have fiber extracted from them.

The tall leaves and flowers of the lotuses dwarfed your child self in comparison, although you weren’t complaining. Although the water sloshed around your thighs, requiring you to roll up your pants more than your older coworkers, the leaves served as temporary relief from the sun’s rays.

You pushed stems aside, the field looking more akin to a jungle to you. You only needed one more before you could return home to the comfort of an air conditioner in order to extract the fibers for the threads. Thankfully, that wouldn’t have to wait long.

Once you found a suitable stem to harvest, you snapped it from its roots and began to wash it in the water. Your basket floated next to you, you keeping an eye on it to make sure it wouldn’t float away.

But then, you heard the stems rustle, and the waters splashing as something entered your field. Immediately, you stood up straight, holding the lotus stem more like a weapon than a crop.

“Who’s there?” you called out, your voice ringing through the silent and tranquil fields.

No response.

You huffed, carefully setting down your stem in the basket. Whoever it was probably thought you weren’t a threat merely because of your age. You’d prove them wrong.

You heard the stems rustle one more time, snapping your head towards the source. Picking up your basket, you marched over to a large clump of lotuses, a perfect hiding spot (you would know, you’ve used it many times before). A shadow around your size moved within them, submerging itself into the water.

You rolled your eyes. Another kid, then.

Pushing the stems aside, you saw the flicker of a draconic tail splashing the water, almost wagging as its owner lay face-first in the murky water. Without a second thought, you set aside your basket, grabbed the tail with your grubby little hands, and pulled hard.

“OW!”

The tail’s owner toppled out of the water, crashing into you in the process and knocking your foreheads together. You yelped, falling into the water with a splash as you held your aching forehead.

“What was that for?!” A child-like voice, much like your own berated you, a whine in his tone.

Glaring through your tears, you shouted back at him. “That was for bumming around on my farm!”

Your victim/intruder, a young boy with long hair, met your glare with equal fire. “I wasn’t ‘bumming around’, I was just… Cooling off! It’s hot today.”

You squinted, clearly not impressed. “I don’t care what you were doing! You’re not doing it on my farm.”

He lashed his tail angrily, splashing you in the process. “I’m the High Elder. I do what I want.”

You stared at him for a good second, taking in his appearance. He was a Vidyadhara around your age, only he had draconic-like horns protruding from his head. His long black hair flowed around him, and his fancy white robes were drenched in lotus water. It would’ve been obvious to anyone that he was a noble, someone of higher standing.

“No you’re not,” you said, deadpanning. “You’re too small.”

The self-proclaimed High Elder flushed red with embarrassment, jumping to his feet.

“I’m still growing!” he insisted, stamping his feet and splashing water everywhere.

“The High Elder’s supposed to be big and powerful!” you said, throwing your arms in the air to emphasize your point. “You’re… a kid!”

“You’re a kid too-!” The High Elder froze in the middle of his sentence, his tail stiffening at the sound voices - adult voices. Quickly, he grabbed you by the collar of your robe and pulled you into the shadows of the clump.

“Hey-!” He slapped his hand over your mouth to shut you up. In retaliation, you licked at his hand, the young boy recoiling in disgust.

“Did you just lick me?!” he hissed, looking at his hand in horror.

“You’re the one who just grabbed me-”

“Shh!!” He put a finger to his mouth, shushing you. “Be quiet! Can’t you see I’m hiding?”

“From what, the Cloud Knights?” you gasped, backing up. “Are you a criminal?!”

He gave you a look. “No! I told you, I’m the High-”

“High Elder? Are you there?”

This time, you both slapped a hand over each other’s mouths. An unfamiliar adult voice shouted over the fields, calling for the boy beside you. You both waited with bated breath as the man searched on the other side of the field, only letting go when he was far enough away.

“You weren’t lying?” you whispered excitedly, looking up at the boy with newfound respect. He crossed his arms, looking all high and mighty now.

“Why would I be lying?” he said matter-of-factly. “You were the one who didn’t believe me.”

You really wanted to make a witty comment, but then you remembered your stems, floating out in the sun. Panic seized you. You couldn’t let those stems dry. If they did, they’d be useless to you.

You jumped to your feet, hurriedly running to your stems. Thankfully, they were still where you left them, and in the shade. You sighed in relief, knowing that you would live to see another day.

You peeked your head over the lotus heads, spotting the man who was calling for the High Elder. He was wearing some pretty fancy robes himself, the robes you recognized as belonging to a Preceptor.

Cradling your basket once again, you walked back to where the High Elder was hiding. He looked up at you in surprise as you reached towards what used to be a preening lotus flower, now a pod filled with green seeds.

You snapped it off the stem and popped out one of the seeds. After peeling the green skin to reveal the white center, you handed it to the High Elder.

“Want one?”

The High Elder was wary at first, but eventually took the seed. He chewed it in his mouth for a little bit, his eyes brightening at the taste.

“It’s sweet,” he said in surprise. You nodded, taking one for yourself before giving him the pod.

“You have the rest on this one,” you said. You pointed in the direction of the Preceptor. “The big guy looking for you is over there, by the way.”

“Oh.” He took the pod in his hands, still a bit freaked out by how it looked. “Thank you.”

“Master always said I have to make it up when I do something bad,” you said, picking up your stems. With a start, the High Elder seemed to realize that you were apologizing. “Anyway, I have to go now. The fibers will dry up if I stay out here too long.”

“Wait!” The High Elder called out, reaching for you. You turned around, raising a brow. His tail waved nervously behind him as his hand faltered. “What’s your name?”

As you answered him, in the back of your head, you could’ve sworn you’d read this scene before.

You tilted your head curiously. “What’s yours?”

His expression was strange. It was a smile of relief and happiness, just from you not knowing his name. The waters responded to his joy, swirling gently around him.

“Dan Feng,” he said, his tail wagging slightly. “My name is Dan Feng.”

━

You remember seeing him dragged out of the fields a few hours later. You had been extracting fibers from the stems you’d collected when you’d heard the commotion.

Dan Feng was having his ear talked off by the Preceptor, but he was being awfully obedient. The two of you had met gazes, and he had sheepishly waved at you. Your hands were busy with your work, so all you could do was giggle at his predicament.

Of course, that wouldn’t be the last time you saw the High Elder - far from it.

Dan Feng would visit your farm often, whether it was for eating more lotus seeds, dragging you to go swim with him, or just to watch you work. Your mentors and coworkers grew accustomed to seeing the young Vidyadhara waiting for you outside the workshop.

All of his visits would end in the same way - a Preceptor would come and take him away for his studies, droning on about his duty as the High Elder while Dan Feng rolled his eyes behind their back.

It wasn’t like he hated his duty. You knew better than anyone that Dan Feng took pride in his role, he was just… stubborn.

“What are you doing?”

You flinched at the boy in question’s voice. Dan Feng was practically talking in your ears, his face right next to yours. You leaned away, batting away at him.

“None of your business,” you said, turning your back towards him as to hide your hands. Dan Feng pouted but didn’t push.

“If you say so.” He turned his gaze back to the open fields. His legs kicked as he dangled on the stone wall alongside you.

You sat in comfortable silence, feeling as the spring breeze blew gently around you. It was tranquil and quiet, as the lotus fields always were.

Dan Feng found he preferred it that way. It was nice to get away from the droning words of the Preceptors, and this little farm served as his favorite sanctuary. He could spend his days here forever, just being by your side.

His eyes shifted towards you again. You were oddly concentrated today, he noted, working on whatever was in your hands right now. It was unlike you to be so quiet. Usually, you’d be talking about the latest gossip you’d heard from your mentors, or complaining about the weather again.

He strained his neck, trying to see just what was taking your attention away from him. But alas, you saw him and snatched it away from him again. Frustrated, he blew at his hair, lashing his tail in impatience.

Oh, well. If you weren’t going to show him, you weren’t going to show it. It wasn’t like he wanted to see it anyways.

Dan Feng went back to spacing out, closing his eyes, crossing his legs, and focusing on the world around him. If he wasn’t going to do anything, he might as well meditate.

He reached his senses into the fields, losing himself in the environment. His ears were filled with the rustle of each individual leaf, the soft splashing of water, the croak of the frogs, and the buzzing of insects that inhabited the fields.

He could feel how the wind felt on every plant, the warmth of the sun not just on his skin, but on the skin of the other aquatic animals. At that moment, Dan Feng became one with the world. Nothing could break his concentration.

Nothing, except perhaps for you, who was trying to grab his hand as stealthily as possible.

Dan Feng snapped his eyes open when you took his left hand in yours. Apparently, you were too engrossed in your task to notice his eyes on you.

You slid something onto his ring finger. Dan Feng tilted his head, raising his hand to stare at whatever it was you put on him.

A band of woven grasses encircled his finger, the braid intricate and tight. Dan Feng looked at it in confusion, rotating his hand to get a better view of it.

“Do you like it?” you said proudly.

“What is it?” he asked, bringing it to his face to observe.

“It’s a ring,” you said obviously. You showed him your dominant hand, which had a matching ring on it. “I saw a couple of girls the other day with those friendship bracelets. I figured since we’ve known each other for a few years now, we should have something like that too.”

“Oh.” Dan Feng blushed at your words, a giddy feeling bubbling within his chest. Suddenly, the ring on his finger felt heavier, but also much, much warmer.

“It’s nice, right?” you hummed, holding your hand to the sky. “I mean, it’s not like one of those beads you can just buy, but I think it’s pretty special.”

“I love it.” Dan Feng beamed softly, holding his hand close to his chest. “I’ll treasure it forever.”

It melted your heart to see him so ecstatic over something as simple as a grass ring. He was quite literally glowing from happiness, his draconic parts illuminating with a soft sea green.

“I’m glad,” you said, hugging your knees to your chest.

Dan Feng looked at you, gratitude brimming in his eyes. He didn’t reach out to hug you (although he certainly wanted to), but rather, only wrapped his tail around your waist, tugging you closer to him.

━

You loved Dan Feng, you really did. But sometimes, you really wanted to tie him up and throw him in a ditch.

You sigh loudly in frustration, jabbing at Dan Feng’s wound with an alcohol-infused pad. The boy in question hissed in pain at your actions.

“Would it kill you to be gentler?” he attempted to jolt away, but your hold on his arm was firm.

It had been many years since you two had first met. The two of you were adolescents now, nearing adulthood.

Dan Feng had appeared at your doorstep after training once again to escape his mentors, only this time with a bloodied gash on his shoulder. He’d tried to hide it from you, but to little success.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone about this?” you shot back, angrily wrapping his wound with bandages. Dan Feng averted his gaze.

“It wasn’t anything they needed to know,” he said quietly. You paused in your wrapping to stare at him incredulously.

“Are you kidding me?!” You pulled on the bandages, tightening them. Dan Feng winced at your loud voice, waving his hand for you to quiet down. Granted, you did, but you still decided on berating him.

“Feng'er, this is serious,” you said through gritted teeth. “It’s not one of those scratches you can just lick away. What if it had gotten infected?”

Dan Feng sighed, opting to stay silent and instead watch you work. Despite your harsh tone, he knew that you were just worried about him. He didn’t blame you, the wound was pretty serious.

His eyes softened as he saw your hands trembling as they worked. Your face was a mask of angry calm, but he could see the shake in your eyes.

“...sorry.”

You blinked. “What was that?”

Dan Feng dropped his gaze guiltily. “I’m sorry. I made you worry.”

“When do you not make me worry?” you joke, tying the bandage into a bow. Dan Feng smiled sheepishly.

“I’m sorry,” he repeated, touching your hand with his tail. “How should I make it up to you this time?”

“Hm…” You pondered the question, tapping at your chin before brightening with an idea. “I got it. How about showing me that little trick you were bragging to me about earlier, with the cloudhymm?”

Dan Feng laughed airily. “You always ask for that.”

“Well, no one around here knows cloudhymm except for you,” you said, crossing your legs on the floor. Your eyes practically glowed in anticipation - Dan Feng wanted to compare you to a puppy awaiting a treat.

The thought made his lips twitch as he held back his laugh. You rolled your eyes playfully, nudging him eagerly.

“So pushy,” he said dramatically, but you knew he was just teasing. He sat up straight, smoothed out his robes, and without further ado, he began his personal spectacle for you.

With just a flick of his finger, water materialized around him, taking the form of white lotus flowers in the air. Droplets stilled, as though someone had stopped time in the middle of a rainstorm.

You’ve seen this view many times before, but you were still amazed each and every time. A lotus flower hovered in front of you, bursting into a cloud of mist as you touched it.

You giggled, leaning back onto your hands, watching the lotuses drift off into the air. Unbeknownst to you, Dan Feng was preparing a whole nother surprise for you.

As your attention was captured by the lotuses, Dan Feng swirled his finger in the air. His signature teal water erupted in a spiral, taking the form of a roaring dragon. You jumped in surprise as it circled around you, flying toward the ceiling.

Dan Feng made the dragon dance around the lotuses, even bumping against your cheek. You squeaked as it did, light-heartedly glaring at Dan Feng. He only smirked back at you, before he enraptured your gaze with the dragon once again.

It glided towards the ceiling again, curling into a glowing orb of water. Dan Feng made a fist, and the dragon and the lotuses burst into a fine mist, making rainbows in the late evening light.

You were glimmering with awe, a permanent smile fixed onto your lips as you reached towards the ceiling to catch the mist. It was cool against your skin, like a little kiss from the rain.

“Am I forgiven now?” Dan Feng asked, amused.

You rolled your eyes. “Only if you promise to tell someone the next time you get injured.”

Dan Feng laughed. “Yes, yes, of course.”

You turned to look at him, only to find that he had been watching you this entire time, a fond smile on his lips.

━

“Are you sure about this?”

Dan Feng whispered anxiously as you skillfully maneuvered through dark alleyways and streetlights, your hand clasped tightly in his.

He kept looking back behind him, just to make sure that you weren’t being followed. He’d changed his appearance somewhat, making sure to hide his horns and tail, but he was still paranoid.

“Obviously!” you chirped back. You didn’t bother looking back at him, currently fixated on your destination - a crowd of bright lights, the smell of food, and the chatter of people. In other words, the night market.

Dan Feng let himself be dragged off by you, trusting that you knew these streets better than he did. He looked urgently back at you.

“When we get caught-”

“If we get caught,” you corrected, stopping momentarily to pull Dan Feng towards you. You let go of his hand to hold his face, pulling him to meet yours. “You trust me, right?”

Dan Feng sighed. “Yes, but-”

You squished his cheeks, effectively shutting him up. “No ‘buts’. What happened to the kid who would sneak off to swim in my farm?”

Dan Feng gave you a look, but with his face all squished up like that, you couldn’t take him seriously. Fighting down a giggle, you squeezed him one last time before letting go.

“Trust me on this,” you insisted, the lights of the market illuminating your back. “You couldn’t have lived for this long and not have been to the night market. You’ll love it, I promise.”

“And if I don’t?” Dan Feng hummed. You snorted, interlacing your fingers with his once again.

“Then I’ll do whatever you want later, alright?”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

Dan Feng squinted as you pulled him into the depths of the market, the bright lights blinding him momentarily. The savory aroma of grilled meat and fried vegetables wafted into his nose, the chatter of friends, families, and lovers filling the air. The two of you were practically consumed by the crowd, the only thing keeping him from being swept away was your hand in his.

It was overwhelming, but not in a bad way. Dan Feng’s eyes widened with wonder as he took in the atmosphere around him. He wasn’t used to so many people being in one place, at the same time. In the lotus fields and in his palace, things were always quiet, still.

He could see children playing silly games with one another, jewelers selling their handcrafted trinkets, and so many street chefs, cooking right on the spot over open flames.

A tug on his hand broke him out of his stupor. You had been watching him all this time, a knowing smile on your face. You tugged him over to a stand that was selling what looked to be skewered balls of meat, dripping with a sweet glaze.

“They’re berrypheasant skewers,” you explained. You noticed Dan Feng’s disgruntled look and nudged him. “Don’t worry, it’s just the fruit that comes off their tails. They didn’t actually kill anything.”

“Oh… I see.” Dan Feng relaxed a bit after hearing that. You gave him a smile before talking to the vendor. Once you had acquired your skewers, you grabbed his hand once more, moving to a secluded corner of the market to enjoy them.

You wasted no time in biting off one of the fruit balls, closing your eyes in delight as you let it slowly melt in your mouth.

“That’s amazing,” you sighed in contentment, leaning back on a wall. You opened your eyes to see Dan Feng silently chewing on his. “How is it?”

“Sweet,” he said, swallowing it. “It’s not bad. Although, I prefer lotus seeds.”

“Really?” you asked, finishing off your skewer. “I like these better. Or maybe that’s because I’ve spent my whole life eating lotus seeds.”

“Perhaps,” Dan Feng agreed. He looked off in the direction of the market. “This place, it’s…”

“Loud?” you jested. Dan Feng chuckled.

“That too,” he admitted, “but the word I had in mind was ‘comfortable’.”

You hummed in agreement. “Well,” you said, pushing yourself off the wall. “We’ve only just scratched the surface. Are you ready?”

Dan Feng nodded. “Let’s go.”

Whatever happened next was a blur. What had started as you dragging Dan Feng around to try different food turned into Dan Feng pulling you to whichever jewelry store caught his attention. Sometimes, you’d lose him in the crowd, and run around panicked only to find him in the middle of getting scammed (to which you’d drag him off, giving death glares to whoever decided to prey on him).

You soon learned that this was a lot more tiring task than you’d originally anticipated. It was like babysitting a toddler - one minute he’d be standing at your side, watching you as you bargained with the vendor, and the next minute, he’d be across the street, trying on some new earrings.

And to make matters worse, every time you wanted to wring Dan Feng’s throat the second you caught up to him, he’d turn to you with that stupidly pretty smile of his, showing off whatever trinkets he managed to pick up this time.

And of course, like the weak soul you were, you couldn’t stay angry at a face like that for long.

But safe to say, you were relieved when you reached the end of the market and instead came to the edges of Central Starskiff Haven, right in front of the Jade Gate.

Here, the crowds had parted, allowing you to take a breather from your exhausting task. Of course, you were the only one who was tired - Dan Feng was vibrating with excitement, the brightest grin you’ve ever seen on his face.

“I take it you had fun?” you said good-naturedly, coming up beside your friend to watch the flow of starskiffs in and out of the Luofu. Dan Feng nodded, crossing his arms behind him.

“Most definitely,” he said happily. “The outworlder merchants have so many interesting things, I can’t help but be intrigued by them.”

“I could tell,” you chuckled. “I could barely catch up to you with the way you were running around. Imagine what the Preceptors would say.”

“We did agree that they would never find out, no?” Dan Feng pointed out. You shrugged.

“Fair enough,” you acknowledged. You gazed out into the glowing light of the Jade Gate before suddenly jolting in realization. “Lan above, I almost forgot!”

Dan Feng looked at you questioningly as you riffled through your pockets. His confusion only increased as you pulled out a small box, barely the size of your palm.

You opened it to reveal two jade rings, each with the image of a lotus carved into its band. Dan Feng feels his breath hitch at the sight, and something in his chest tightened.

“What…” he couldn’t even finish his sentence.

“It’s your birthday, isn’t it?” you said. “I figured that now would be a good time to replace the ones I made when we were kids.”

That’s right. You didn’t just choose today of all days randomly. Today was Dan Feng’s birthday, and the day he officially became of age. Today was the last day of his childhood before he would fully take on the title of Imbibitor Lunae and the responsibilities that came with being the High Elder.

You couldn’t help but feel proud as you watched him take the rings with shaking hands. He’s still that stubborn child who listens to no one but himself, but he’s become so much more. He’s grown taller, more mature, more dignified.

And yet, he still looked like he might cry from your gift. He mumbled something under his breath, something you couldn’t catch.

“What was that?” you asked, only to be pulled tightly into his chest. Dan Feng squeezed you into his embrace as he tried to steady his breathing.

Slowly, you wrapped your arms around his waist, melting into his hold. Such moments like these were rare, after all. The furthest Dan Feng had ever gone with you was holding hands. Hugs weren’t part of his vocabulary.

“You know…” he murmured. “In human cultures, rings symbolize marriage.”

“Well,” you laughed into his skin. “We’re not human, are we?”

“Yes, but…”

“Are you trying to propose to me, gege?” You looked up at him, raising your brow playfully. Dan Feng blushed at the nickname, averting his gaze.

“That wasn’t my intention,” he mumbled, flustered. He quickly let go of you, hiding his face behind his hand as he tried to calm his rapidly increasing heartbeat.

You snickered at him. “I know, I’m only teasing. Here, give me those; I’ll put them on for you.”

But despite your words, Dan Feng couldn’t help the burning heat that enveloped him as you took his hand delicately in yours, sliding on the ring. He couldn’t stop his heart from pounding, couldn’t stop his thoughts of newly engaged couples doing exactly what you were doing.

And most of all, he couldn’t stop thinking of how badly he wanted to kiss you in that moment.

━

Ever since that day, neither you nor Dan Feng have taken off your respective rings. Dan Feng always kept it hidden beneath his gloves, while you showed it off even while you worked. You’ve been asked many times who the other ring belonged to, but you’ve never given them an answer.

One of these questionees was Yingxing, a passionate young outworlder who had come to the Luofu hearing of the feats made by Vidyadhara craftsmen. You’d met through a common friend of Jingliu, one of Dan Feng’s friends in the renowned High Cloud Quintet.

While Yingxing was a blacksmith and you a weaver, the two of you hit it off immediately. The two of you bonded over creating for the members of the Quintet, with you being responsible for the threads that made up their clothes, and Yingxing their armor and weapons. Many times, when one of you had a day off, one could find you in the other’s workshop.

You coughed as smoke arose from the furnace, fanning yourself. Yingxing glanced over momentarily.

“Are you alright?” he asked, a bubbling laugh in his voice. You nodded.

“Yes, just not used to so much smoke,” you sighed. Yingxing wiped at his brow as he took out the pot from the furnace, pouring the molten metal into the mold beneath him.

“If it bothers you too much,” he advised, “you should step outside.”

You shook your head, jumping down from your spot by the window. “I’m fine, don’t worry. But enough about me, what’s this you’re making?”

“It’s a spear for the High Elder.” Yingxing moved aside as you came up next to him. “See the way the metal glows from a certain angle? That’s the remnants of the Reignbow Arbiter’s arrow.”

“Fascinating.” So this was the weapon Dan Feng would wield.

You waved away embers from your face, and for a moment, their light caught on the ring on your finger.

“You’re married?” said Yingxing in surprise. You stared at him inquisitively.

“No? What made you think that?”

“Your ring,” he said, nodding at your finger. You looked down before spurting a laugh.

“Oh, this?” You toyed with it, fidgeting it on your hand. “It’s nothing like that.”

“You don’t sound so sure,” Yingxing commented. You huff.

“I am,” you retorted, nudging him. Yingxing whined at the jab, complaining.

“Don’t you know not to provoke a man with a hammer?” he threatened good-naturedly. You, being the very mature person you are, stuck your tongue out at him.

“Yingxing?”

The sound of your best friend’s voice interrupted your play argument as the both of you perked your heads. Dan Feng bent down as he entered the forgery so as to not hit his horns on the door frame.

“Dan Feng!” Yingxing greeted, waving. “What brings you here?”

“Don’t let me disturb you,” the Vidyadhara said, his nose wrinkling at the smoke filling the forge. “I’m merely here to check on the progress of the spear.”

“It’s still in the process of being smelted, as you can see.” Yingxing pounded away at the spear, shaping it into his desired form.

“Ah, is that so?” Dan Feng nodded. “I’ll come back tomorrow, then. Keep up the good work.”

“You’re going to leave without saying hi?” you interjected, fake hurt lacing your voice. “I’m hurt, Feng’er.”

Dan Feng flinched, as though he hadn’t noticed you at all.

“[Name]?” He straightens, blinking rapidly in surprise. Yingxing swore he’d never seen the High Elder brighten so quickly - he almost didn't believe his eyes when he saw his tail wag with joy. “I apologize, I didn’t see you.”

“It’s alright,” you laugh, walking over to him. “I haven’t seen you in a while. How have you been?”

“You two know each other?” Yingxing asked. Dan Feng narrowed his eyes, fixing the younger man with a glare.

“I should be the one asking you that, Yingxing,” he said lowly, wrapping an arm around you and pulling you close. “When did you and them get so close?”

“We’ve been friends for a while,” you answered for Yingxing, lightly hitting Dan Feng’s chest. “Be nice to him.”

Dan Feng pouted, reluctantly letting you go. “But-”

“No ‘buts’,” you scolded, crossing your arms. “If you’re not going to be nice, you can step outside.”

Dan Feng looked akin to a kicked puppy, but he relented. Although, when he saw Yingxing, trying his absolute best not to laugh, Dan Feng felt murderous intent for the first time.

His tail lashed angrily behind him as he watched you converse with the blacksmith, Yingxing sweating from the pure pressure of Dan Feng’s stare. He’d never been so relieved to see you go.

“I have to go now, but I’ll come back later, alright?” you said, waving at Yingxing. You squeezed Dan Feng’s shoulder on your way to the door, leaning in to whisper in his ear. “Don’t give him a hard time, okay?”

Dan Feng only nodded, briefly touching his hand to yours before you finally left, leaving the two men alone.

“So,” Yingxing coughed, looking anywhere but Dan Feng’s eyes. “Feng’er, was it?”

“You will not speak of this,” Dan Feng warned. Yingxing raised his hands in surrender.

“My lips are sealed, High Elder.” Yingxing smiled. “Although, if I were you, I wouldn’t wait.”

Dan Feng narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”

“How should I say this…” Yingxing pondered. “If you stall for too long, someone will sweep them away.”

Horror shot through Dan Feng like a bullet as he gaped at Yingxing. The thought of you leaving him for someone else, replacing him, hadn’t even crossed his mind.

“I don’t know what you mean,” he gritted out, taking a deep breath to calm down. “They would never replace me.”

Yingxing blinked. “Don’t tell me you haven’t realized.” He shook his head in disbelief. “Dan Feng, you’re-”

“Dan Feng, Yingxing, there you are.”

Jingliu crossed her arms in the doorway, her apprentice, Jing Yuan by her side.

“Was that [Name] I just saw run out?” she asked, raising a brow. She shook her head. “Nevermind that. I needed to talk to you two anyways. We’re heading out in a week’s time.”

“What for?” Dan Feng questioned, furrowing his brows.

“The Denizens of Abundance have invaded our ally Thalassa,” Jingliu disclosed, her voice tight at the mere mention of the Xianzhou’s sworn enemies. “We’ve been ordered to drive them out.”

“Very well,” said Dan Feng. “We’ll see you then, Jingliu.”

She nodded. “Until then.”

━

It was the first time Dan Feng had seen death.

War was never pretty for anyone, soldier or civilian. It was dirty, dark, and grimy. In war, you had two objects: one, defeat the enemy. Two, survive.

Dan Feng cursed as he ran his spear through another borison, the ocean of Thalassa responding to his anger. Dragons made from water, the same ones he showed to you all those years ago, drove back the enemy, blasting them away and incapacitating them in the process.

He kept his eyes ahead of him, deliberately avoiding the ground. There, laid corpses of allies and enemies alike.

Death was uncommon on the Xianzhou, especially for a Vidyadhara. There were no soulless eyes on the Luofu, no limp bodies littering the ground. There were no pleas for mercy, no screams of pain and fear.

But here, in the midst of a foreign battlefield, all of those horrors revealed themselves, and bared their teeth.

Dan Feng made the mistake of looking down. His eyes met with that of a deceased borison, its own lifeless eyes glazed over. Instantly, Dan Feng faltered.

The borison looked nothing but a Vidyadhara, but their eyes were the same. It might’ve been a different species, following a different Aeon, but the intelligence and sentience were the same. They were a person, just like anyone else. Just like you.

Only this one wouldn’t rebirth into a new life. No, this one was spoken for, done in by his spear. They would never live again.

The battle blurred around him as he spiraled deeper into his thoughts. He knew that realistically, it would never happen, but he couldn’t stop the thought from resurfacing in his mind.

What if one day, you ended up just like that borison?

Dan Feng shook his head, raising his spear just in time to block an attack from an enemy. No. It would never happen. He’d be there to protect you. The Cloud Knights would protect you. Xianzhou would protect you.

But what if they couldn’t?

“Dan Feng!” Jingliu’s shout snapped him out of his daze. Dan Feng clicked his tongue, irritated at his own absentmindedness. The battlefield was no place for distraction; he of all people should know this.

With a thrust of his hands, his dragons came to Jingliu’s aid, healing her wounds and fending off the borison attacking her.

He was being ridiculous, Dan Feng berated himself. The enemy was vastly overpowered. Their victory would come soon. And when it did, he would be able to come home, home to you.

And he did.

It was nighttime when he returned to the Luofu. You were just finishing up before bed, setting aside the fabrics you’d woven that day. Your former mentor had just checked in on you, making sure that you were doing alright before they went to sleep.

You heaved a heavy sigh to yourself, folding the final sheet before setting it on a shelf. Dan Feng and the others had been at war for months now.

“I wonder how they’re doing,” you muttered to yourself, closing your eyes. You knew they would be fine. Jingliu, Dan Feng, and every other member of the High Cloud Quintet were blessed with powers that you couldn’t even begin to imagine. The invading Denizens would be no match for them.

But still… You couldn’t help but worry.

What didn’t help was how obvious Dan Feng’s absence was. You often looked over your shoulder as you wove, as though expecting the young man to be standing there, watching. The night market didn’t feel the same without him being dragged around to every stall.

The lotus fields, with all their flowers and pads, seemed empty.

It was as though a hole had been ripped out of your heart, leaving only a dull ache.

The sound of your door opening startled you. You swiveled around, utterly confused. Just who would be here at this hour? Very few people had access to the key to your home.

Perhaps one of the other weavers? Or perhaps your mentor again, worried that you weren’t getting enough sleep?

The answer was neither. A strangled whisper of your name, in such a familiar voice, cut through the night air like a knife. Tears welled in your eyes as you took in the sight of your best friend, finally home after so long.

“Feng’er?” you whispered. He nodded wordlessly, taking a few hesitant steps into your home.

You met him halfway, reaching up to hold his face delicately. Dan Feng closed his eyes for a moment, letting out a little sigh. His arm came to the small of your back, pulling you in as he buried his face into the crook of your neck, breathing in your scent.

“You’re late,” you murmured, brushing your hand through his hair. Dan Feng tightened his arms around you.

“I’m sorry.”

“You should be,” you laughed, sniffling. “Do you know how worried you made me?”

Dan Feng pulled away from your neck, gazing into your eyes. His tail swayed, eventually circling around your waist. He gingerly held your chin between his thumb and index finger as though you’d break if he was any rougher with you.

“I’m sorry,” he repeated, brows crinkling. Quickly, he wiped away your tears. Of all else, Dan Feng hated seeing you cry, and hated it even more if it was because of him. “I’m here now.”

You nodded tearfully. “And you’re not leaving, right?”

“Not for a while,” he promised. “Even the Abundance will need time to recover from the damage we did to them.”

“Good.” You held his face in your hands. “Because right now, you’re mine.”

“Is that so?” Dan Feng said softly. His eyes lingered on your lips, his lips slightly parted. “I’m yours, is that right?”

“Mhm.” You smiled as you felt him press your bodies impossibly closer together, one arm around your waist and the other behind your head. Your lips brushed against each other, your voice a whisper as you two danced on the edge. “Mine.”

A push from Dan Feng’s hand, and he sealed his lips with yours.

Immediately, you closed your eyes, savoring the taste of his kiss. His lips were soft, yet cool, like the touch of a river on a summer afternoon. He kissed you with a hidden desperation, years of pining and longing unleashing themselves in this torrent of affection. You almost couldn’t keep up with him, letting out a whimper as he tilted your face gently, deepening the kiss.

Even when you parted for air, it wasn’t long before Dan Feng greedily pulled you back in, addicted to the feeling of your lips on his. His hands wouldn’t stop wandering in a languid motion, slowly roaming all over you, from your waist to your back to your neck, and back to your waist again, squeezing every bit he could find.

By the time Dan Feng’s relentless assault ended, the two of you were breathless. Words failed to form on your tongue as you simply stared into Dan Feng’s eyes, trying to catch your breath.

Dan Feng pressed his forehead against yours, his horns bumping against you.

"You don't know how long I waited for that,” he whispered huskily. You let out a breathless chuckle, wrapping your arms around his neck and nuzzling his nose with yours.

“I think I did.”

The corners of Dan Feng’s eyes crinkled. You’ve never seen them so up close before. The colors reminded you of a stone in a river, with cool grey giving way to gorgeous teal.

And the way he looked at you made your heart melt - it’s so tender, so soft, so filled with love that you can practically feel how much he cares about you.

And you can only hope that he saw the same in your eyes.

“I love you,” he confessed, like it was a secret. But even still, him being able to say those three words made it worth more than anything in the world. “I’ve always loved you, ever since we were children.”

Joy bubbled up in your chest, and you couldn’t stop yourself from giggling. Your hand came to his scalp, bunching up his hair in your fingers.

“I love you too, you dork.” You pecked him on his nose, and then his forehead, laughing as he wrinkled his nose in response.

Reluctantly, you released him from your grasp, instead tugging his hand into your abode.

“It’s late already,” you explained. “The Preceptors won’t mind if you come home late, right?”

“They no longer control me,” Dan Feng affirmed. You grinned.

“That’s good.” You lead him into your bedroom, glancing over to make sure he was fine with it. “I don’t have a guest room, so are you alright with sharing a bed?”

Dan Feng flustered, but he nodded. “Th- That’s fine with me.”

You would learn that Dan Feng was incredibly clingy in bed. He practically enveloped you in his arms, tangling your legs together as he hugged your shoulders. His tail was conflicted - either thumping happily against the bed or wrapping around you like a possessive snake.

But it was worth all of it. You felt safe in Dan Feng’s embrace, loved. In his arms, you slept the most soundly you’ve ever slept. It was as though you had found your other half.

You truly felt blessed when you woke up to Dan Feng’s sleeping face, so serene and tranquil. And fortunately for the both of you, that wouldn’t be the last time you woke up next to the other.

━

But those happy days were not made to last.

There would be many more feats Dan Feng would accomplish as the High Elder. He would become one of the most prolific Vidyadhara ever, forever documenting his name in history books.

You two would eventually marry, sealing your love not just with those rings. It was a marriage in the palaces of Scalegorge Waterscape, only the best for the High Elder. All of your friends attended, Yingxing and Baiheng especially praising Dan Feng (and lamenting about how he of all people got married before they did).

Jing Yuan had grown into a fine young man, his intellect and skill with the Lightning Lord being parallel to none. Yingxing was beginning to age, being a short-lived species. Jingliu had retired, aiming to end her days peacefully.

But as said before, that wasn’t what fate had planned for the quintet.

Jingliu would be driven mad with mara, her only solace being the blade of her former mentor. Baiheng would be missing in action. Yingxing would be killed long before his time, leaving Dan Feng in despair over losing three beloved friends so soon.

Perhaps that is what drove him to do what he did.

“How could you?”

Dan Feng winced at the crack in your voice as you screamed at him. You were crying, angry tears streaming down your face.

“My love, please-”

“Do not call me that!” you snapped, making him flinch. “You don’t get to call me ‘my love’ after that. What were you thinking?!”

“It was the only way!” Dan Feng insisted.

“It was cruel,” you hissed. “You know that more than anyone here.”

“They stole them from me,” Dan Feng growled, his eyes flashing. “It wasn’t their time.”

“I know,” you whispered, your voice hoarse from crying and screaming. “I know it wasn’t. But you know what immortality will do to them, Feng’er. You know what the curse of Abundance does.”

Dan Feng averted his eyes guiltily. You wipe at your eyes hurriedly, taking big, gulping breaths to calm down.

“What did the Preceptors say?” you finally asked. Dan Feng’s gaze lowered, a shadow cast over his face. A pit dropped in your stomach.

“They’re waiting outside,” he revealed. “I’m to be taken to the Shackling Prison, and forced into rebirth. They only let me be here to say goodbye.”

It was as though an anvil had been dropped on you, crushing you.

“No.”

It was the only thing you could muster out. You shook your head in disbelief.

“No. No, no, no!” you croaked out. “They can’t do that. Not to you.”

Ironic, how only a few minutes prior you were berating Dan Feng as though your life depended on it. Now, you were pleading for him to be forgiven, for a lighter sentence to be dealt out. Because for a Vidyadhara, a forced rebirth was practically the same as a death sentence.

“Isn’t there another way?”

Dan Feng shook his head, taking your arms in his hands.

“I’m afraid not. This is the only way the public will forgive my sins.”

He took a deep breath.

“Please, my love,” he begged quietly. “Look at me.”

You did.

“You have to be strong,” said Dan Feng, cradling your face one last time. “Promise me that you’ll be alright, even after I am reborn.”

You shook your head. “Feng’er, please.”

“Promise me,” he urged.

“I…” You faltered. “I promise.”

Dan Feng smiled sadly - the last smile you’d ever see from your husband.

“Thank you.” He pressed a sweet kiss to your lips, a kiss to last you the lifetimes he wouldn’t be at your side. “I love you, [Name]. And I’m sorry for being such a selfish husband.”

You closed your eyes, savoring him for the last time. Silently, you told him your forgiveness.

“I love you too, Dan Feng.”

That was the day the love of your life died.

━

Centuries have passed since then.

You’re still weaving, now taking care of your rebirthed mentors as they had cared for you. There are children under your wing now, hoping to learn your craft and one day start a business of their own.

You still keep in touch with Jing Yuan, the general visiting your farm every so often. Each time, you offer him a taste of the lotus seeds Dan Feng loved, but each time, he refuses.

Yingxing has become the Stellaron Hunter Blade, cursed with immortality and the mara that comes with it. If he remembered you, he never showed it.

The Ambrosial Arbor, reawakened by the Denizens of Abundance, runs rampant, threatening the existence of the Luofu itself. You hear from friends that Jing Yuan had enlisted a group of outworlders - the Astral Express - to help him with the crisis.

And now, those very outworlders were standing outside your door.

“Par-” Jing Yuan coughed, cutting himself off. “Pardon the intrusion, [Name].”

He was currently being held by a young Vidyadhara, one that… Your breath hitched.

One that looked almost identical to Dan Feng.

Your lover’s lookalike noticed your gaze at him. The second you met eyes, he seemed to know exactly what was going through your mind.

“...I’m not him.” He repeated this sentence for the nth time today.

You smiled sadly.

“I know.”

You turned to Jing Yuan, taking in the general’s sorry state. The outworlders, a young girl with pink hair, an older brunette man, and a grey-haired teenager all seemed to be in similar shape, although definitely better than the general.

You stepped aside. “Why don’t you all come in? It’s been a while since I’ve had company.”

“Thank you.” The brunette, who you would later come to know as Welt, thanked.

As you turned away, Dan Feng’s reincarnation noticed a jade ring on your finger, recognizing it as the one he had woken up in.

“That’s…”

You hummed, raising your hand. You’ve never taken it off, not even when Dan Feng was reborn.

“You recognize it,” you mused. “I suppose that means he still has it?”

The reincarnation hesitated, but nodded. You smiled.

“That’s good. Say, what’s your name, little one?”

“Dan Heng,” he answered.

“It’s a good name.” You stepped away for a moment to the kitchen. “I apologize; the tea may take a while. I wasn’t expecting guests.”

“It’s no matter,” Jing Yuan assured.

And as you served tea to the Astral Express, you couldn’t help but notice: five people, seated around a table, enjoying tea. Just like a scene hundreds of years ago.

You chuckle to yourself, a carved lotus glimmering in the light on your ring.

reblogs w comments are appreciated !!

#honkai star rail #honkai star rail x reader #hsr #hsr x reader #dan heng #dan feng #imbibitor lunae #dan feng x reader #imbibitor lunae x reader #dan heng x reader #x reader #reader insert #y/n #hsr 1.2 spoilers #archives 🏵️

2K notes · View notes

themuse-if · 3 months

Text

DEMO (TBA) | Cast Profiles | Cast Interviews

The Muse is a 18+ slice of life interactive fiction novel set at NYU focusing mostly on the art departments in the Steinhardt and Tisch schools. Inspired by my love for shows and movies like Felicity, Fame (the show), Skins UK, and Center Stage. This will not be an accurate depiction of school life at NYU, I'll be taking lots of creative liberties.

Content Warnings: explicit language, sexual themes, substance use, violence, mention of SA

You come from a family of artists and art lovers. Your mother is a passionate curator for a small gallery in the city and your father is a sculptor and painter with a very dedicated cult following. They met when they were just starting out and have built a lovely life for themselves and their two children, you and your older brother Cameron.

Your parents have always been super supportive of you and your brother’s dreams and ambitions. They were a great source of encouragement and guidance for your brother on his path to discovering his goal to become a game designer and you on your path to become whatever you choose.

Growing up surrounded by such creativity just so happened to inspired you to want to create something of your own.

Now that you’ve graduated high school it’s time for you to head off to university! You’ve decided to leave the mid sized city that you call your hometown, and go to the big city NYC! You’ll be attending NYU more specifically, but you won’t be making this move alone you’ll be attending with your best friend Maxine!

What will you discover in your university life?

Will you solely focus on schoolwork or wind up in the raging party scene?

Will you explore new creative endeavors or solely focus on honing your craft?

With so much going on will you even have the time to possibly find your muse, or maybe even become someone else’s?

Design your mc from clothing style to physical appearance to pronouns, gender identity, name, looks, and more.

Choose 1 of 9 majors that grant you different classes with new students and professors: (Studio Arts, Dance, Drama, Photography and Imaging, Jazz Studies, Songwriting, Recorded Music, Collaborative Arts, Dramatic Writing )

Curate your MCs personality and how they react to all the drama and excitement university life has to offer. Style your MC’s dorm room and their aesthetic style.

Navigate the cliques and scenes to figure out where your MC fits in. Maybe you're a social butterfly and you just float from one social group to another!

Engage in a romance with 1 of 10 characters. 5 female/male gender selectable and 5 gender set characters. And 2 poly routes one with The Rebel Rejects and on with The Exes.

Choose one of three part time jobs to give you a little extra spending money for things like spring break and birthday gifts for your new friends.

Follow The Muse through your MC’s freshman and sophomore years. Junior and senior year will come much later in Book Two of The Muse. The third and final book in The Muse series will cover the start of MC's new life after graduation.

Roxanne/Robbie Sawyer: (f/m) The lead singer and guitarist of The Rebel Rejects. Ro is everything you would want in a lead singer cool, charismatic, and super talented. Don’t let their dazzling aura intimidate you though because though they may have a raging wild side they can also be extremely down to earth.

Joleen/Johnny Nielsen: (f/m) The drummer of The Rebel Rejects. Jo is the oddball of the band with a sunny exterior and twisted flower child past. They may be a sweet boho bimbo with a heart of gold, but there’s a lot more that lies behind those blue green eyes.

Delphine/Desmond Hartley: (f/m) The bassist for The Rebel Rejects. De is the super glue propelling the group forward. With high expectations from her parent, and dreams that soar even higher, success is the only option.

Rina/Ren Fukushi: (f/m) R is the best ballet dancer in this incoming freshman class, and no one would ever think to say otherwise. They’re cold and closed off, if it isn’t about ballet then they don’t want to hear it.

Everly/Everett Thompson: (f/m) Eve is a triple threat. Singing, dancing, acting they can do it all. They hope to complete their EGOT before they turn 40.

Karla Reyes: (she/her) Karla is a sophomore at NYU studying Studio Arts. Their favorite medium is watercolor on canvas. They’ve dabbled with sculpting and ceramics...until they broke up with their ex, Faye, and can’t stand to be in the same studio with them.

Faye Winters: (she/they) Fae is every bit the ethereal being they seem to be, and just as flighty. She is a sophomore majoring in dance with a minor in studio arts. She has this effortless charm and beauty that extends to her art whether its her dancing or her sculptures.

Sebastien Auclair: (he/him) Sebastien is in his third year of university, he’s an exchange student from the Paris College of Art. He is studying photography and imaging. Sebastian loves Paris, but he is excited for this change of scenery.

Maxine Matthews: (she/her)Max is your best friend in the world! Your parents are friends so you were destined to best pals since birth, thank god you actually like each other or all those shared family functions would have been really awkward. Max is funny and always has great commentary for every show or movie that you watch together. Which is why you weren’t surprised when they decided to major in dramatic writing. Some people think that you’re too close. They wonder how is it possible that you could be just friends.

Silas Walker: (he/him) Silas is your RA. As your Resident Advisor he's super helpful and friendly. You have question about the best study spots, bad professors, how to use the subway, well he's got answers. He keeps all his advisees at arms length because everyone knows RAs can't canoodle with their advisees. And that just makes it all the more enticing.

#interactive fiction #dashingdon #twine if #twine interactive fiction #interactive novel #interactive if #choice of games #choice script #choose your own adventure #choose your own story #twine game #twine story #if: intro #if: themuse #interact if #interact-if #if wip

547 notes · View notes

eddiesghxst · 7 months

Text

PRICE OF FAME (PART 4/12)

AHHH HERE WE GO, ENJOY!!!

————

18+ — MINORS DNI

pairing: rockstar!eddie x journalist!reader

summary: wayne is in town and eddie thinks he kind of hates you... maybe

contains: enemies to lovers trope, smoking, drug and alcohol use, scary and sticky feelings, king richie being king richie, and eddie thinks you taste sweet <3

word count: 3.8k

| previous part | next part |

| series masterlist | -main masterlist- |

Eddie’s going insane, he thinks.

There’s something wrong with him. Something seriously wrong.

It’s been two days since Eddie slept in your room. Forty-eight hours have passed since you so graciously offered him the peace and solace of your extra hotel bed, and Eddie has yet to stop thinking about you.

The morning after sleeping in your room, Eddie snuck out as quietly as possible to avoid any awkward conversation, even if nothing was particularly awkward about the situation. He didn’t want to have to thank you for letting him stay with you, and he knew that if he’d waited until you woke up, he would have to thank you. So, he escaped first thing in the morning, as any avoidant and coward-like person would do.

He spent all day with fleeting thoughts of you— remembering the sight of you smiling under the light of the TV, the sound of you laughing, the visual of you swallowed beneath fluffy sheets and pillows, pouty lips parted to let out the cutest, most annoying, and fucking nerve-grating snores that gently lulled Eddie to sleep.

He spent time wondering what you were doing, how you looked and sounded in the morning, and being annoyed with himself for depriving himself of the chance to witness that. He wondered if you looked for him when you realized he was no longer in the room— if you were annoyed that he left without saying anything, or if you didn’t care. God, why does he care? It’s not like you two fucked, he just crashed in your room.

That same morning, Eddie had the phantom of your scent all around him. Soft, inviting, and all things alluring, and Eddie wanted to sink his teeth into it and gnaw at it like some fucking teething dog. What the fuck?

There’s something wrong.

However, those weird and unwanted feelings have died down since Eddie hasn’t seen you in the past forty-eight hours. Granted, that’s probably because he’s been subconsciously avoiding you like the plague, which has been relatively easy, considering they’ve been on a short break.

Thankfully, Eddie had a solid reason as to why he fled your room so early that morning— to pick up Wayne from the airport. He took Wayne to a breakfast diner and treated him to a warm meal and coffee to ease the stress of traveling from his bones.

And Wayne has never been to New York, so Eddie took the time to show him around. Eddie’s been to the city many times, and he likes to think he’s somewhat of a pro now that he knows his way around the subway. Eddie swears learning the subway was easier than passing senior year, and that says something.

After breakfast, Eddie took Wayne to the Brooklyn Bridge, where they could see the Statue of Liberty in the distance. From there, they took a cab to Times Square so Wayne could witness the absolute chaos that is New York City. They spent some time in Times Square, watching street performances and snacking on greasy foods, and they had a good time until a few people spotted Eddie.

Wayne always tells Eddie he doesn’t mind fans coming up to them and enjoys watching Eddie interact with his supporters. Still, Eddie gets weary of crowds becoming rowdy around anybody he loves, so he tries to keep the interactions to a minimum when he’s out with company.

And Wayne isn’t much of an expressive person, but Eddie’s been around him long enough to read his microexpressions easily and understand that Wayne seemed to like New York so far.

Eddie hasn’t told Wayne about Gareth, partly because he knows he’ll get a long talk about how violence solves nothing, but more importantly, because Eddie doesn’t want to admit that Wayne was right about Chrissy.

Wayne never trusted Chrissy all that much. Chrissy was friendly, respectful, and all things socially acceptable, but she lacked in the caring department. Wayne didn’t like that Chrissy never supported Eddie’s dreams, never showed up to a single show, or didn’t even bother learning the lyrics to at least one song. She didn’t care to show up for Eddie, but Eddie was always there for her. Always.

Chrissy was greedy with love, and Wayne saw right through her innocent act.

And given that Wayne is quite the expert at seeing people for who they really are, Eddie doesn’t understand why he doesn’t see through your innocent act.

It’s Wayne’s third night in New York when you finally cross paths. You’d been passing by each other in the hotel lobby; Eddie, Wayne, and Richie leaving while you were on your way in— and Eddie was content with ignoring you, but god, you just couldn’t help yourself, could you?

“You must be the infamous Wayne,” You smile as you shake the older man’s hand. Eddie stands between Wayne and Richie as he stuffs his hands in his pockets while Wayne greets you, pursing his lips and rocking on the heels of his feet as you and Wayne share a short introduction— Richie snickers beside him.

“You three look fancy; what’s the occasion?” You wonder aloud. Wayne smiles, and Eddie doesn’t know when Wayne became so kind to strangers, especially annoying strangers. “Eddie here is treating us to dinner,” Wayne explains, reaching over to pat Eddie’s stiff shoulder. Eddie thinks that may be your indication to leave, but he’s sadly mistaken when Richie adds, “Have you eaten yet? Would you like to tag along?”

Eddie thinks the age is getting to Richie’s head because Richie must be out of his fucking mind.

His head snaps to glare at Richie, about to cut in until you speak up, “Oh! I couldn’t; I don’t want to impose.” You shake your head with a kind smile. Good, Eddie thinks. Don’t impose, stay far a-fucking-way.

But Richie— god, Eddie can’t believe Richie, “Ah, the more, the merrier,” he waves you off, “And the rockstar will pay for us. Who turns down a free meal?” Wayne jumps in, causing you to erupt in soft laughter.

Eddie has to end this, obviously.

“The reservation is for three,” Eddie chips in, and finally, the three of you acknowledge his presence, turning to him as he shifts on his feet. “And we don’t have time to wait for you to get ready.” He adds, pursing his lips and shrugging in an ‘oh well’ gesture.

If Eddie weren’t watching you so intently, he wouldn’t have noticed the tiny shift of you caving into yourself, but he does, and he kind of feels bad for a quick second. He doesn’t know why he feels bad because he wasn’t even lying. The reservation was for three, and with New York traffic, they should’ve been on their way roughly fifteen minutes ago.

You open your mouth to respond, probably throw in the flag and let the three men be on their way, but Richie opens his fucking mouth again, “Well, we can wait, and I’m sure you can pull some strings for a third chair, son.”

And Eddie could. He can definitely get a fourth seat because he’s friends with the restaurant owner, but Eddie doesn’t want to. And he sure as hell doesn’t want to pay for your goddamn meal, but, as always, despite Eddie’s wishes, Richie insists you tag along.

He, Wayne, and Richie end up sitting in the lobby waiting for you to get dressed in your room. Wayne and Richie are sitting on opposite sides of the couch, Wayne quietly flipping through a magazine and Richie mindlessly people-watching as Eddie impatiently bounces his leg and pouts in the seat across them. Wayne doesn’t bother looking at Eddie when he says, “You’re gonna leave a dent in the floor, son.”

Eddie glares at Wayne and Richie, “Why did you invite her?” He snaps.

Wayne flips the page of the flimsy book, heavily sighing and shifting in his seat, “This is the girl you mentioned at breakfast, right?”

Richie snickers and raises an eyebrow at Eddie, “You mentioned Birdie at breakfast? That’s interesting.” He jokes, to which Eddie grumbles a short and snippy, “Shut up.”

And yeah, maybe Eddie did mention you to Wayne, but it wasn’t… it wasn’t like that, okay? You just piss Eddie off, and now that he’s not on good terms with Gareth, and Jeff is too busy with his head stuck up his girlfriend's ass, Eddie has nobody to turn to for a good rant, and Wayne— well, Wayne was just there.

“Yes. But did you also hear me mention that I can’t stand her, or did you just stop listening after I said her name?” Eddie grumbles. Wayne smiles behind the magazine, and Eddie can hear it in his voice when he responds, “No, I heard it all… sounded like a load of bullshit.”

Richie laughs, but Eddie ignores it as his face twists in confusion at Wayne’s words, “Excuse me?”

Wayne closes the magazine and looks at Eddie, “Boy, did fame take away what little common sense you had? You don’t hate the girl.”

Before Eddie can respond to Wayne’s encrypted comment, you appear, pulling their attention, “Thank you for waiting; I hope I wasn’t too long,” you huff while hastily adjusting the strap of your bag over your shoulder.

For a moment, Eddie doesn’t remember what he was groveling about or that he kind of hates you.

And you’ve always been pretty. Eddie never thought you were ugly, and quite honestly, if you’d met under different circumstances and you weren’t a pain in the ass, Eddie might’ve fucked you. But Eddie’s hatred for you outshined your beauty… most of the time. However, that film of dusty and grey disdain has been clearing recently, and Eddie’s not sure if he should turn away or keep looking because you’re breathtaking.

He doesn’t know what it is. Maybe it’s the dress you’ve chosen and how perfectly crafted it is for you, how the colors compliment your skin in an achingly perfect way. Maybe it’s the way your eyeliner is slightly smudged and smoky from your rushed movements to avoid being late for the reservation. Or maybe Eddie’s just lost his mind right along with Wayne and Richie. For now, he’ll stick with the latter.

Eddie stands up with a loud huff, “Let's go. Before they give someone else our table.” He grumbles, brushing past you and walking off without another word.

Eddie misses the slight and amused smirk on Wayne’s lips.

Wayne, you come to learn, is funny.

You’d thought the ride to the restaurant would be awkward, given that Eddie clearly doesn’t want you here, but Wayne and Richie left no room for the tension to rise. They both told stories and jokes the entire drive, and by the time you arrived at the restaurant, your stomach was sore from laughter. Honestly, you’re not sure how Wayne raised Eddie only for Eddie to end up like… Eddie. Wayne is kind and inviting and all things opposite of Eddie. You almost believe they’re tricking you.

“Since when did you become a stand-up comedian, Wayne?” Eddie sarcastically asks as he opens the door to the restaurant. Wayne had just made a joke about how Eddie was a troublemaker in high school, which Eddie clearly didn’t think was funny, given the scowl on his face.

“I’ve always been a comedian, son.” Wayne pats Eddie on the back as he steps into the fancy establishment. You glance at Eddie and thank him for holding the door as you follow behind Wayne, Richie stepping in behind you.

Eddie was able to get a change of tables, so you were able to join, and you thanked him on your way to the table as the waiter walked you all to your new designated seats. Eddie either didn’t hear you, or he didn’t care to respond; either way, you don’t take it to heart.

Once you reach your table, Wayne and Richie take the seats on the other side of the table, leaving you no other option but to take the seat next to Eddie. Eddie scoffs upon this realization, and you subconsciously chew the inside of your cheek as you settle in the chair.

For the most part, dinner goes by smoothly. You suppose Eddie’s distasteful attitude diffused once the food satiated his hunger— and you think Eddie has the character of a toddler that’s missed their nap time, and a part of you thinks it’s cute, watching him huff and fuss until he’s happily eating. You try your best to focus on the plate of food in front of you and the conversations between the four of you, but you often find yourself glancing over at Eddie.

Because the way Eddie moves is like a movie.

Animated and smooth and all things annoyingly beautiful. The way he speaks with his hands, the way his hair brushes and sways back and forth over his shoulders when he shifts, the sound his rings make when clinking against the silverware. The way his cheeks carve lines when his lips stretch in a smile-soaked laugh, and his eyes widen when he gets excited while telling a story.

It’s captivating.

And a few days ago, you’d thought the wine was the cause for your unwanted attraction, but alas.

You blink away the haze of your short-lived trance and resume eating. Better to leave that road untouched.

Despite Eddie’s low expectations, dinner was good.

He had a nice plate full of food he couldn’t be bothered to learn how to pronounce and a glass of whiskey to wash it down. Wayne and Richie held a good conversation, though those two have always gotten along well since Richie entered Eddie’s life. Richie and Eddie tell Wayne all about life on the road, updating him on the craziest shows and sights, and Wayne informs Eddie about everybody back home.

The kids are soaking up their last weeks of freedom before college, and Max even got a nose piercing, “Somehow, that made her even more of a firecracker, that kid.” Wayne joked.

Wayne says he doesn’t know much about the older half of them, but he runs into one of them every now and then at the grocery store and such, and Eddie makes a mental note to call and check in before the holidays.

And then there’s you.

Eddie wanted to believe you were ruining the vibe of dinner, but you annoyingly made it… better.

You eased into the atmosphere as if you weren’t a complete stranger, asking questions about Hawkins and adding stories of your childhood in Michigan. Eddie had expected you to shy away for most of the dinner since they were mostly discussing things you weren’t there for, but you were as involved as the three of them, if not more.

And Wayne and Richie adore you.

Richie has always made it known that he has no problem with you, and some might even think the two of you have a relationship akin to a father and daughter. But Richie has always been that way. He’s always quick to accept people into their circle and give them a chance.

But Eddie didn’t expect Wayne to warm up to you as quickly as he did.

Wayne is usually wary of strangers, and just like Eddie, Wayne hates the media. Wayne witnessed the hell Eddie initially went through with the press— messy rumors and misconstrued words— and when Eddie almost threw in the towel for good, Wayne was there to wrap it back around Eddie’s knuckles and shove him back into the game. So, you can imagine the confusion reeling through Eddie’s mind when Wayne immediately becomes fond of you.

It’s annoying and stupid, and Eddie thinks you might be a witch because you have everybody under this weird spell that makes them like you.

After dinner, everyone decided to enjoy the nice weather on a walk back to the hotel. Even though Eddie would’ve much rather liked to call a car and make it back to the hotel in less than ten minutes, he can admit that it feels nice to just walk around in light conversation. He doesn’t get much of this anymore. Most days, Eddie is busy doing shows, writing songs, talking to the press, and rolling through each day, so he doesn’t have the time to have simple and lighthearted moments like these.

He’s walking beside Richie, blowing through a cigarette and listening to Richie ramble on about… well, Eddie’s not sure what Richie is talking about because he’s so focused on you.

A few paces ahead of Richie and Eddie, you and Wayne walk together, wrapped up in an intriguing conversation, considering how intently you seem to be listening. You’re watching where you’re stepping, but you routinely turn to Wayne and nod to let him know you’re listening, and every now and then, you even glance back at Eddie and Richie with a soft smile.

And you’re so fucking cute for that.

Eddie thinks he might admire you for that— for being so kind and attentive to Wayne. And you’re like that with everyone: kind and perceptive in a way that makes people feel like they matter, like every word they speak matters. But this… this is different, Eddie thinks.

He’s unsure what it is, but seeing how you interact with Wayne makes his chest warm— like he’s drinking tea on a cold autumn day. Like he’s spent the day shivering in a cold building only to step out into a sunny sky and thaw the cold from his ribs.

It’s endearing, watching you.

Chrissy was never close with Wayne in any way, shape, or form. And although Eddie would’ve loved to see Chrissy interact and get along with Wayne, it just never happened. Not because Wayne was adamant about hating Chrissy or because Chrissy hated Wayne but because they just… never clicked. (And yeah, maybe Wayne disliking Chrissy had something to do with that, but that’s neither here nor there.)

And Wayne is a big part of Eddie’s life. He’s the main reason why Eddie is where he is today and not following in his deadbeat father's footsteps.

Wayne is Eddie’s family.

And the fact that you can acknowledge that and treat their relationship with such respect and care— it makes Eddie feel things that he’s not very keen on feeling.

But the moment of admiration for you is quickly shattered when he catches a snippet of your and Wayne’s conversation.

“You’re a good journalist, I take it. Will I be getting interviewed for this article, too?” Wayne jokes, and you laugh, “If you’d like to, I'm sure I can make the time before you leave.” You respond.

And Eddie doesn’t like that. He hates that actually.

It’s nearly one in the morning when Eddie knocks on your door. They returned from dinner hours ago and called it a night, but Eddie is standing at your hotel room door, knocking at one in the morning. It’s a heavy and loud knock, enough to wake you out of the deep slumber you’d been in, given the way you grimace when you open the door.

You rub your eyes, blinking a few times before settling into a visible state of confusion once you realize the person in front of you is Eddie. You clear the sleep from your throat before sleepily blinking at Eddie and asking if everything is okay.

Eddie doesn’t waste time cutting to the chase, “Are you trying to get my uncle in your piece?”

And yeah, maybe the question could have waited until tomorrow, and maybe the question is dumb and not all that serious considering it was clearly a joke, but Eddie smoked a blunt and couldn’t stop thinking about you— and looking at you now, god, Eddie believes if he hadn’t smoked too much to teeter on the edge of paranoid, he’d kiss you. You’re so cute; painted toes digging into the plush carpet (he thinks he should ask if you’ve iced your ankle tonight), oversized shirt hanging over your body like a blanket, messy imprinted lines of sheets on your cheek from your slumber, and a cute little frown gracing your lips. Eddie’s chest tightens.

“…Huh?”

Eddie almost forgot you were stupid.

“Wayne. Are you interviewing him for the article?” Eddie repeats.

You blink a few times, glancing around the empty hallway and shaking your head, “Eddie, this— this couldn’t have waited?” Your voice teeters on the edge of whiney as you speak.

Eddie raises an eyebrow, and you huff, rubbing your eyes again before shrugging, “No, I— I don’t think so. I mean… he’s the one who offered to talk. I’m down to do it if he’d like—” “That’s not happening.”

Your eyebrows pinch together in confusion, “Excuse me?”

Eddie shakes his head, “Leave Wayne out of your stupid piece, okay? I don’t want you interviewing him, asking him stupid questions, and twisting his words. He doesn’t need any of that shit.”

And you blink up at him like you’re having trouble processing what he’s saying, and Eddie really wants to fucking kiss you.

Too much weed, he thinks. He should’ve never smoked that much after such a long T-break.

“Um,” you hum, taking a moment to register Eddie’s words before speaking, “Okay… I didn’t realize I had overstepped. I won’t interview Wayne.” You respond. Kind, polite, sweet, and all things that make Eddie’s brain waves spike.

You yawn into the back of your hand, “Can I— can I go back to sleep now?”

And you’re standing there, blinking up at Eddie with these soft and pretty eyes, and Eddie thinks… Eddie thinks, fuck it.

Now, Eddie hadn’t exactly planned to come here and kiss you. Or maybe he had; he’s not exactly sure at this point, but he can’t find it in himself to care because kissing you feels better than any drug Eddie could ever get his hands on.

Your lips are soft and sweet and taste like the lip balm you’d applied before bed. And here, this close to you, Eddie can smell the shampoo in your hair, the clean, scented body wash you use, and the fresh linen lingering scent of the hotel sheets, and it’s intoxicating.

You’re shocked at first; Eddie can tell from how still your lips are, but when you realize that Eddie is kissing you, god, Eddie nearly melts.

You kiss like nobody Eddie has ever kissed before. Like you’ve spent years perfecting every single move, calculated and precise and all things electrifying. And if this is how you kiss when you’re grumpy and sleepy, Eddie can’t imagine how you kiss regularly.

But he shouldn’t be imagining that, and he shouldn’t be kissing you, and he shouldn’t even be here, for fucks sake!

It takes nearly everything in Eddie's body and soul to pull away from you, and it pains him when he loses the feeling of your lips against his, but Jesus Christ, Eddie doesn’t know what came over him.

You look at him in shock, almost like you’ve seen a ghost, and Eddie doesn’t know what to do or say.

All he can do is turn around and go back to his room without another word, leaving you speechless and confused, with only the echo of his door slamming to aid both of your whirling thoughts.

————

part five

————

a/n: GASSSPPP A KISS ?? LMAOO NEXT PART WILL BE A BIT MORE DRAMA FILLED SO LOCK IN BESTIES! AS ALWAYS, I LOVE ALL AND ANY FEEDBACK SO PLS LMK HOW U FEEL <3

————

cutie lil taglist: @mastermindmiko @whataboutbibi @ryanmxrie @ihatepeanutss @tlclick73 @motherfckerrr @emxxblog @jesssssmaybankk @eddiesguitarskills @bibieddiesgf @chloe-6123 @micheledawn1975 @demxnicprxncess @emma77645 @sidthedollface2 @mvnsonslvt @s-u-t @hereforshmut @welcometohellsock @lma1986 @animechick555 @sheneedsrocknroll92

575 notes · View notes

mikaswannabe · 1 year

Text

OVERACHIEVING MOUTH

— ❣︎✰︎☮︎ — "let's see how else you can use this overachieving mouth." — ☮︎✰︎❣︎ —

IN WHICH a class project brings two senior students together as an unlikely pair.

content includes: hotnerd!reader, studypartner!eren, athlete!eren, enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, possessiveness, slow burn but not too slow, small bit of angst, dom!eren, fingering, a lot of penetration, cunnilingus, slight breeding kink.

"I've done a randomization on who will work with who on this project, so that conflicts will be less likely."

When your film teacher gave that disclaimer, your eyes instantly widened. You don't talk to anybody in this period anymore, and she was likely enforcing this because of you.

With the last project, you allowed a girl who you got along with in this class to work with you, but you found out that she was an inconsiderate freeloader, so yes you gave her a piece of your mind! Maybe you blew it out of proportion, but you couldn't see any wrong in it.

But now this was the outcome, and you were wishing you were calmer about it now. Your teacher went over to her laptop, and on the board, she showed the pairings.

Some people hit a 777, but meanwhile, you were thinking that this lottery was a scam, because how the hell did you get Eren Jaeger?!

You're a girl at the top of your class, most of your grades being in the triple digits and you had already accepted a full-ride scholarship to an prestigious college three hours out of the city. It's your senior year, and this was just one of your electives, but you liked this class, and you like to give everything your all.

So how could the stars have possibly aligned you with Eren? This pretty-boy athlete. You've had a few other classes with him in these 4 years, but never a conversation. You just recognized that his handsome face only pops up in these classes every once in a blue moon.

He was sitting on the opposite side of the room from you. Your head was leaning on your hand, and you glanced over to him from across the classroom. He always sat with his legs spread. Slutty and Obnoxious. He was sitting up straight in his chair with his arms crossed, and then you saw those dark hues of green in his eyes go to you. That's when you looked away, looking down at your phone as if something super interesting was going on in it.

People started to move around to go sit with their partners, so he took the liberty to come up to you. Huge feet made their way under your vision, so that's when you looked up from your phone. Looking through your rectangle frames, you saw his stoic face looking down at you, his hands in his pockets and his crotch uncomfortably near your face.

"Hey."

That deep voice is what you're gonna have to tolerate until the due date next week. But not if you could help it.

"Excuse me." You stood up and moved past him. You went over to Miss Sullivan's desk, and she slowly turned her head to acknowledge you after you said her name. She knew that it was always most likely to be bullshit coming out of your overachieving mouth.

"Yes?"

"Is it alright if I work alone?"

She glanced over to your desk, where Eren had pulled a chair up and sat on the side of it. Then, those judgy eyes moved back over to you. "Go sit down, Miss Johnson."

Your mouth fell open in offense, but you wiped your arrogant expression off. "Can I go use the bathroom, though?"

She picked up a pre-written pass and handed it to you between two fingers. You really did have to pee, and you also just needed a minute to cope.

When you got back, you guys — particularly you — spent the rest of that period organizing what to do with the project. He recognized that you just kept talking, and talking, and talking. He felt like his head was spinning.

"How do you even know so much stuff?"

The fact that he practically cut you off irritated you. "Hm?"

"Like, how could you pay attention to the movie this much? I fell asleep on it."

It was a crime-based movie. It kept you probed. You weren't surprised that he fell asleep though. "It was interesting."

You were a very pretty girl, makeup always on point and displaying personality, even though you had a mysterious aura surrounding you since you didn't talk to too many people here. You had a nose stud and a septum, and the blue evil eye charm layered over your other necklaces stood out. Your locs were platinum blond at the top and went to being hot pink at the bottom, and your bold hairstyles always struck you a compliment that you would smile and give a soft thanks to.

All of this, and no one would think you were such a nerd. Even with your cute glasses.

"Hm. Well, at least I'll see you in homeroom. Can we rewatch it in there?"

Eren Jaeger. Y/N Johnson. It's been four years that you've had to be in a homeroom with him because of how your last names are matched up. But still, to his response, all you could think of was Who is we? "Um..."

You had tightened your lips, but he needed them open so he could get an answer. "What's wrong?"

You scratched the back of your head, "You can't just research it on your own time?"

"You know so much about it though. It would be really helpful."

Was he trying to butter you up? You were really just trying to get this 100. "Uh-"

"Oh, bell rings in 5 minutes." He closed his Chromebook that he had barely been doing work on and put it in his bag. "I'll see you later."

He picked up his bag and walked back over to his seat, just as everyone else who had rearranged did under Miss Sullivan instructions.

You spent the next period dreading what was gonna be after it. Your homeroom took place in the theater. The drama teacher was your homeroom teacher, so after he would call roll, everyone would go to doing their own thing.

You took your usual seat at the end of a row, about 10 rows away from the stage with your bookbag in the seat next to you. Everyone else was usually spaced out, and there were small clusters of groups getting along in their own areas.

For example, the white boys would always banter on the stage, either playing with the props, doing something else foolish, or just laying there talking or on their phones.

Eren was always a part of this group, but after the roll was called today, he easily hopped off of the stage with those long legs of his and moseyed his way on over to you.

Instead of just saying excuse me like a regular human being, he walked over the seat in the row in front of your bookbag's seat, forcing you to look up from your phone at this bizarre act. When he completed that step, he moved your bookbag onto the floor and sat down.

"Hey."

You didn't say anything, just staring at him. He took the liberty to start again. "So, I left my Chromebook up there. Hope yours is charged."

You gave him a few slow blinks, and then you reached past his knee to unzip your bag and take the laptop out. Of course it was charged. You started typing into your browser, but he was confused. "What streaming service are we gonna watch it on?"

This was the third sentence he's said, and this one was gonna be the first to incite a response out of you...

Or was it? Why the fuck were you taking so long to open that overachieving mouth and give him an answer?

"I was just gonna try Soap2Day." Your voice was small and shy, even though he had a feeling you were far from shy. He just wanted to get it out of you, though.

"What's that?"

He saw the website you stated as you pulled it up on the computer, and you began typing in the name of the movie that was the subject of the presentation.

"Ohhh, you bootleg shit. Cool. I'm gonna use this."

When you pulled up the movie tab, there was porn on the side of the screen, and he held in a laugh as you rushed to put the videoplayer in full-screen.

Five minutes into the movie, he was engrossed, but you couldn't tell with how he made the move to put his arm around your shoulder. Even though you were shutting that shit down real quick, he savored the feeling of your soft hand on his when you grabbed him and gently put his arm back where it belonged.

"No?" He asked to confirm his rejection.

"No." You repeated.

He was actually interested in the movie, and he kept pausing it and asking you questions. "So you're telling me she pushed her friend off the bridge? Why?"

If he watched the first time, he would know why. But his entertainment was amusing. "Just keep watching."

About 30 minutes into watching, Eren was completely focused. Then, a certain buzzcut boy made his way down the walkway to you two. "Yo, Jaeger!"

Connie Springer. Don't know why the fuck he was in here, but he was here. You weren't complaining, though. His attractiveness was something you couldn't deny. Sexy ass Columbian basketball player with undeniable charm and a pretty ass smile. You had your head rested on your hand, watching him in adoration as Eren paused the movie to dap his homeboy up.

"What's up, Con. You skipping again?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I was never even here, bro. What y'all over here doing, though?"

"We got paired together for a project in film, so I forced her to stay with me to watch the movie again."

Connie laughed. "Working with him hasn't killed you yet, huh Y/N?"

It's been four years that you've been around this man and you haven't had any significant interaction with him. So you grinned when you heard that he knew your name. "It's probably coming soon."

Eren gave a nasty sneer. He's been bending over backwards all day to try to get along with you, but how come you showed that pretty smile to Connie before you could show it to him?

"Whatever. Connie you don't have anywhere else you could be that doesn't involve bullying me?"

Connie's face showed shock to Eren's audacity, "I'm a bully? Tuh. Actually, my next stop is the snack lady, and I'ma go bully my way into a free honeybun."

He dapped Eren up one more time, "See you at practice." Directing a smile to you, he waved and began to walk away.

You thought it would be best to go straight back to the movie, and that's why you directed your hand towards the space bar, but Eren had something to offer. "You wanna go to the snack lady with me? I'm hungry."

"I have food." You moved your laptop off of your lap and onto his. Partially leaning over his knee again, you pulled a purple bag of sweet and salty flavored popcorn out of your bag.

Crazy. You had other things in your bag besides books. He put his hand out, but you just gave him a side eye and looked back at the computer, pressing play before putting a handful in your mouth.

He was looking at you in disbelief, and it was 30 seconds of his glare poking through the side of your head, but you continued to stoically watch the movie. That was until he smashed the space bar. You slowly turned your head to have your eyes on him.

"Why do you hate me? Seriously, have I done something to you that I don't remember, or what?"

Now you kind of felt bad. "You just seem like bad news."

"How? You don't even know me like that. And you're not even trying to get to know anything good about me. Meanwhile, I'm ready to tear my head off from tolerating your stingy ass all morning."

Your mouth fell open in offense. "If you wanna tear your head off, do it. I wanna do it since I'm paired with you. You just don't seem like the type to commit to an assignment the way that I do."

"Once again: You don't know me. And I gotta admit, you're probably right. I'm not as much of a nerd as you."

You showed offense to the term he used as if he wasn't accurate. "What? I don't mean it offensively. You're like, really smart. I just have a lot of other things to focus on. Sports are more fun than fuckass assignments to me, but I do try to get it done."

"Football season's been over." You stated. With this fact, sports couldn't have had him too busy.

But he was ready to disprove you. "I do baseball and track, too. Since you know every fucking thing."

Your mouth fell open. Maybe you did overstep. "Sorry then... What do you do in track?"

You didn't know anything about baseball, but track & field was interesting to watch. "Long jump, pole vault, long distance, and sprints."

He saw your eyes round with intrigue. "Are you any good?"

You saw the corner of his mouth pull up in a curve. "Come to my track meet tomorrow and find out."

Your glossy lips poked out in decision. "Hmm."

"Come on. After, I can take you back to my house and we can work on the project."

That's where you were out. "Umm, I don't even know you like that."

"Yeah, and that's the problem."

"My mom don't even know your mom or nothing."

"You're 18, right?" You nodded to his question. "And you still have to ask your mom to go places after school?"

He's made your mouth fall open so much in offense that you're surprised a bug hasn't flown in it. You picked up your phone and started typing.

you mama this boy asked me to hangout with him after school tomorrow.

mama dearest Thank God. 🙏

you ???

i don't even know him like that though.

mama dearest If you could tolerate talking to him long enough where he got to the point of asking you out, then get to know him like that.

you omg????

say no!!!!

mama dearest I'll say no to you asking me to say no. 🤷‍♀️

you mama?!!!

what if i'm out having sex doing drugs robbing cars?

mama dearest You a punk!!!

you PLEASE

mama dearest Live outside of academics for a minute please.

In fact, if you come home before sundown today I'm taking your keys away.

you i rode the bus today anyway!!! look in the driveway she broke down again hater 😪

Eren was looking all in your phone, laughing mad hard. "Our mom's funny as fuck, huh?"

You hit his obnoxious ass on his shoulder. "Shut up."

"So, where you wanna meet up after school?"

"Who said I was agreeing?"

"Don't go sit in a library until sundown like the nerd you are."

You pouted, "I was gonna go to Chick-Fil-A, actually."

"If you don't wanna tell me where you'll be at, that's fine. I'm gonna track you down though."

"You scaring me. This why I didn't wanna be around you."

His grinning teeth showed as he looked at you, "Not my fault you're doing this the hard way."

You rolled your eyes, "Meet me at 500 hall's exit 10 minutes after the bell, then."

"The one that goes out towards the bus ramp?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. You should give me your number, in case things get mixed up."

Your eyelashes went up, then down, and every time they did that, he would still be looking at you as serious as ever. Instead of letting those sassy lips say something that would piss him off, he just snatched your phone and swiped to the right of your lockscreen. You tried to reach for your phone back, but he was snapping pictures of him and you, even if it was chaotic as he posed and you hid your face and struggled.

"Boom. Now you got a nice selection for a contact picture. You gotta get my number first though."

"Not happening."

He nodded his head as if he was accepting defeat, but then he directed your phone towards your face with reflexes of a cheetah. "Too bad you're not smart enough to close your eyes." Now your phone was unlocked and you were practically at his mercy.

"What is wrong with you? Why are you going through my phone? What if you find something you don't wanna see?"

Your phone was Hello Kitty themed, and he had to make his way through the pink ocean to get to the phone app. "I'm just trying to put my number in your phone. I feel like in here I'll only find the cure to cancer, or a text from your boyfriend or something."

"Who told you I had a boyfriend?"

He shrugged, "I was just assuming. Smart, pretty, sassy as fuck. Somebody must be crawling after you."

He called you pretty? "...No, I don't fool with nobody like that."

Either you were bullshitting, or you saw him smirk a little as he heard that. He typed his contact name in as "bestieboo eren" with a plethora of hearts and outrageous emojis behind it.

"Eren, please."

"Don't change it, either."

Who did this white man think he was telling you what to do like this? "Or what?"

"Or I'll show you how it is when I'm really scaring someone." He handed your phone back to you, his green eyes staring into you with a layer of cockiness over his face. You took it while your gaze swirled into his. "Got it?"

This was the first time he got a smirk out of you, and your eyes narrowed as you answered him with, "Okay then."

You picked your laptop back up and woke it up from its nap of inactivity, and then you two resumed the movie. He laid his head on your shoulder like he was slick. You pushed his head away, but he laughed and kept his head near. "Come on, let me lay down. The computer's on your lap. It makes everything easier for me."

You just rolled your eyes and complied, and he laid down as he continued to watch, even eating some of the popcorn that you had a change of heart over.

During your last period, he texted you.

bestieboo eren 💕💕🫦🫦🫶🏾🫶🏾😚😚 hi best friend

you please

bestieboo eren 💕💕🫦🫦🫶🏾🫶🏾😚😚 already begging for me i knew it was real

you what the hell do you need?

bestieboo eren 💕💕🫦🫦🫶🏾🫶🏾😚😚 sorry to interrupt you during ur very important class

but i just remembered

i have practice after school

so i can't meet up w you immediately

you thank goodness. 🙏🏾

bestieboo eren 💕💕🫦🫦🫶🏾🫶🏾😚😚 tf you think this is

you're not getting away from me that easily bestie

you 😧

bestieboo eren 💕💕🫦🫦🫶🏾🫶🏾😚😚 u could send me ur addy and i'll pick u up after i'm out

you absolutely not.

bestieboo eren 💕💕🫦🫦🫶🏾🫶🏾😚😚 or u could wait for me here until i get out of practice

you BAHHAA ur hilarious.😭

bestieboo eren 💕💕🫦🫦🫶🏾🫶🏾😚😚 i don't want u riding that dingy ass bus tho

just wait for me stink

you i am not tems no waiting will be done.

how about we dead this me going over to your house idea.

bestieboo eren 💕💕🫦🫦🫶🏾🫶🏾😚😚 here u go again being negative

now i gotta go back to square one

you ?

bestieboo eren 💕💕🫦🫦🫶🏾🫶🏾😚😚 tracking u tf down

you sir???

scary ass individual.

bestieboo eren 💕💕🫦🫦🫶🏾🫶🏾😚😚 yeah ik where you are right now be prepared to see me

you be prepared to NOT see me tf. bye.

bestieboo eren 💕💕🫦🫦🫶🏾🫶🏾😚😚 no byes see u in 15 minutes

You were the first one to walk out your classroom door, so that means that everyone else behind you saw when you got snatched by your arm from the side of the door. Eren was your abductor. He was really serious about it, and now he had his hand on your lower back and a grip around your wrist as he led you away.

"Eren, let me go!" You didn't like causing a scene, but the halls were already crowded and loud with people as soon as the bell rang.

He didn't give you a response, but you could feel the amusement radiating off him. He dragged you to a hall that led to the office. People were still walking through it, but it was much clearer than the hall you two came from.

"What is wrong with you?!" You reprimanded as you snatched yourself away from his grasp.

"Hey. How's your day been without me?" With a smile on his face, he was acting so casual as if he didn't just manhandle you.

"Bye. My bus is first wave."

When you tried to walk away, he snatched your bookbag and easily pulled you back to him. "Let me get this off of you."

You must've softened up, because you allowed him to take your bag off of your shoulders. "How did you know where I was?"

"Your friend Ashyra was in my class. I don't know how she feels about me taking her best friend position, but she'll be okay."

You were instantly ready to beat your actual best friend's ass seeing as she reported your location to this opp. "Eren, I don't wanna stay after school. Why would I wanna be here any longer than I already am?"

"To stay with your best friend, duh."

Not a smile grazed your face as you tilted your head to the side. He tilted his back with sass to match your energy. No matter how bad you thought you could intimidate him, he was gonna double back.

"Whatever. I'll walk to the café across the street, since you want me here so bad."

"And do. If you wanna get something, I'll Venmo you."

"No, you don't have to do that."

"Well I don't have cash on me right now, so that's the only way this'll work."

"Well I kind of didn't ask for money anyway."

"Nevermind on Venmo, accept the Apple Pay I just sent you."

"White boy, stop treating me like a charity case."

"What? I'm not. You're changing your schedule and staying after school just because of me. This is the least I could do. It's just $15. Text me when you get over there, or I'ma blow up your phone, alright?"

You didn't respond, but you had a smirk on as you grabbed your bag back from him turned around. He grabbed your hand and spun you back, "You deaf? Text me when you get over there."

"Eren, okaaay. I will."

"Okay, can I get a hug?"

You laughed, "See you in an hour."

"Come on, I'm gonna get a hug out of you today. Would you rather it be now, or after practice when I'm all sweaty and gross?"

"Never-"

"Isn't an option. Come here, mama."

He knew that when you rolled your eyes, he got you. Usually you would roll your eyes or give him a smirk, one or the other, separate not together. This time he got both as he pulled you in, swinging you side to side as your arms wrapped around his firm and fit torso.

"Okay, I'll see you later, Eren."

"Yeah, see you later."

One thing you learned about Eren today is that he was gonna stand behind his words. He really did blow up your phone 15 minutes later! It took a five minute phone call for you to get him to shut up, and at 4:45, he called you again and told you he was driving over.

He found you sitting in a booth at the McDonald's. Your laptop was open in front of you but you were on your phone.

"You texting somebody that's not me?"

"Or me?"

Two separate voices that both know how to grind your gears. You looked up to see Eren sliding into the booth with your best friend Ashyra sliding in on the other side of him. "Not both of y'all here to torcher me."

"You finally met my favorite white boy! Didn't I tell you he cool people?"

"Yeah, but I been knew you was a liar, too, Shy."

Her mouth fell open, and then an order came out. "Eren, kick her."

You shrieked as you tried to avoid his gruesome, manly feet, but he got your ass. "Ow! I hate that y'all know each other. Y'all are gonna make my life hell."

"You know it. Did you get anything?"

"Nah."

Fed up with you, he rolled his eyes with a "Stand up."

Ashyra got up and allowed him to get up too, but you were still sitting there. "What?"

"What do you want? A cookie? Fries?"

"She has a sweet tooth. Can you get me a caramel frappe?"

"Bet."

"Shy." You called reprimandingly.

"What? He's offering, I'm taking. You smart, but that's something else you can learn."

Eren leaned down, his hand placed on the table. You didn't expect it, and that's why you were looking so directly at him when his face got closer to yours. "What do you want me to get you?"

His voice was so much calmer than it's been before, but it was still commanding. "Can you get me a cookie... and a McFlurry."

"Oreo?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. You wanna stand in line with us?"

"No, I'ma stay right here and pack my bag."

His face lifted from yours, and you allowed yourself to breathe again. "Okay."

For him to have been fresh out of practice, he didn't smell bad. It was a natural musk. Did he hit the showers before he came over here? You would hope so. You're gonna be in a whole car ride with him.

You were thinking all of this through as you put your laptop and binder in your bag, but then, you recognized. You were thinking. About a different person. A boy, at that. You tried to just abort from that, but your homegirl came over ready to put it back in your mind.

"So, you gon' fuck him?"

Chin propped up on her hands, her nosey ass had a cheesy grin on as she looked at you.

"Girl, no. What is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with you? You playin' hard to get with that fine ass boy. He cheesin' you up, paying for your stuff. Be nicer to him, please."

"I'm really just tryna get a good grade."

"Fuck a good grade. Get a D, for once."

Your mouth fell open, and you kicked her from under the table. Then, Eren came over, holding the frappe and an ice cream cone both in one hand, with four bags with individual cookies in the other hand. He put the cookies down in front of you, grabbing one bag and passing it to 'Shy, and keeping one for himself.

"Thank you."

"No problem."

"Oop, my brother outside. I gotta go before he start honking." Shy said as she picked up her bags.

"Okay, I'll go say hi to him." When you got up, you tried to pick up your own bag, but Eren did that instead. You and Eren waved to Ashyra's brother as she got in his car that had music blasting out of it, and then he walked you to his dark grey Silverado.

In the car ride, you and Eren didn't talk much. His music just played, and if you knew a song, you would tap your foot and keep looking out the window as he hummed. He would speak, and you would respond, but you didn't initiate any of the conversations.

In a gated community is when you knew that the ride was coming closer to an end. Every house looked similar to the one next to it, and they all looked spacious and nice. Just like his. He pulled into one of the spots of his three car garage, and then he got out and opened the door for you. Even with holding his sports bag and his own bookbag, he still put in the effort to hold yours.

"Where's your parents?" You questioned, looking around the nicely decorated suburban home when you got inside. He took his shoes off by the door, and you followed.

"Dad's at work."

He was about to walk up the stairs, but you stayed right where you stood, "W-Wait. We're going to your bedroom?"

He sighed, and then he descended from the two stairs he walked up and went over to the dining room. He flicked the light switch up, but nothing changed in the scenery. "Last light bulb went out last night. He's going to get a new box after he gets off."

"Oh, what about your couch, though?"

"My room has a desk. I thought it would be in your nerd rulebook to have good posture when you work."

He saw you considering your dilemma as he walked closer to you. "You still scared of me, or what?"

His deep and husky voice intimidated you, but you wouldn't admit that. You didn't even wanna show it, so you straightened your posture and tried to show a brave face. "I'm not scared."

"Really? 'Cause you've been shaking like a leaf, tough girl."

He was towering over you, so he had a clear view of your two-toned lips falling apart in offense and your eyes narrowing. He laughed, "I'm kidding with you. We can work on the couch."

"No. We can go up to your room."

"Nah, better TV view. I gotta finish watching the movie, anyway." He put all the bags down behind the couch, and made way to the kitchen, "Get comfortable. You want snacks? I'm nicer than you, so I actually plan on sharing."

A scoff left your mouth, "Sure."

He was on one couch cushion, you were on the one next to him. A good amount of space was between you two, and he was still invested in this movie as he munched on some Sour Patch Kids.

Meanwhile, you were struggling to keep your head up and your eyes open. He gave you some chips, but the bag was tilting in your hands, going the same way that your head was going. Down.

It was when the chips started spilling that you jumped up, making even more chips fly out the bag. It made Eren jump too. "Shit, are you alright? You can't do stuff like that when we're watching a thriller."

You started picking the chips up, "Yeah, my bad."

"Oh, are you tired?" Eren paused the movie, and he put a hand out to stop you from picking up the chips, taking that task for his own. "Grab that pillow. Lay down if you're sleepy."

You shook your head, "No, I'm okay. Thank you, though."

He stopped moving, and you saw him looking at you with an unenthusiastic straight face. "Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"You know what I'm talking about." He said as he continued picking up the chips, "You wanna lay on me instead?"

You didn't respond, even though you wanted to say something. A hum, a one-word answer —anything would suffice. But you couldn't get anything out. He put the bag to the side of him when he finished cleaning up your mess, and then he put his arm around your shoulders. "Come on."

You were on auto-pilot, and you leaned into him, winding up with your head on his lap and his hand on your back, slowly rubbing it up and down. It was so soothing to hear his heartbeat as you dozed off, and when you woke back up, Eren was patting you on your back and calling your name softly.

"Yeah? Did you finish the movie?" Your hazy voice questioned as you sat up, moving your glasses to rub your eyes. You saw that the sun was barely lighting the sky anymore through the windows.

"I did. It pissed me off."

You grinned, "Yeah, it pissed me off too. But it was good though."

"Yeah, the ending was a really big plot twist." You and Eren continued to talk about the movie, until your mouth opened and nothing came out since the sound of the door opening paused you.

A matured man with round glasses, stubble, and his straight brown hair neatly running down his back came in. "What's up, Dad?" Eren called.

"Hey, Eren. How was your day?"

"It was nice."

Grisha walked through the foyer, and he saw you sitting next to his son when he entered the living room. You could see the shock on his face to the sight of an unexpected guest, but it subsided after a second. "You have a friend over?"

"Yeah, this is Y/N."

The smile you gave him was probably crooked with nerves, and you waved as you gave him a small, "Hi."

He gave you a tight-lipped smile as he waved back, "Nice to meet you."

He handed a drugstore bag with a box of lightbulbs in it to Eren. "Go ahead and put these in. I'll be upstairs if you need me."

"I know." Eren replied as he put the bulbs to the side of him.

"Wow, you weren't lying."

"You thought I was?"

"Mmm, maybe just a little."

He scoffed out a laugh, "Yeah. I totally just turned a breaker off for the dining room just to not have to sit there with you."

You shrugged, "Doesn't even sound too extreme. It's smart, if anything."

You saw his teeth as he laughed at you, "Thanks. I'll use that next time you come over. Force your scary ass to come up to my room."

He stood up off the couch, and he grabbed you by your hands and pulled you up too. "How am I scary?"

"W-wait! W-we're going up to your— your b-bedroom?" He mocked as he walked over to the dining room.

"I did not sound like that. And it's valid! My first time coming over here and you want me in your bedroom."

"Okay. When should I wait until? Third time? Fourth?"

"How about never?"

Another cocky chuckle came from him, "Second it is, then."

"You wish."

"You're right." He opened the box as you stood and watched him as he stood on a chair, focused as he unscrewed one light bulb and put the next in, the room slowly filling with light as he repeated the process four times.

He got down and dusted his hands off on his pants. "You wanna work on the project now?"

"Okay, we can."

You two sat on the couch, barely an inch of space between you two as you sat on your knees, him having his laptop on his lap. "Do you think this Google Slides template is nice? I like it."

You looked at the one he recommended. "It doesn't fit what we're talking about."

"Yeah, but it's cute."

"Yeah, but the movie is about fraud, scheming, and murder. How cute is that?"

He shrugged, "Depends on who you're asking."

You rolled your eyes, "Let me see." You typed 'crime' in on the website's search bar, and immediately saw a few that you liked. "See? Isn't this one more accurate?"

His face was scary unenthusiastic as you looked at him. "I see why that girl fell out with you after y'all did that project together."

You didn't see where this was coming from. "What? Why?"

"Don't take all the fun out of this with trying to control everything."

Your eyebrows sink down a little bit. "It was just constructive criticism."

"Mmm, okay."

You didn't say anything else after that. He kind of made you feel bad with that line, but maybe he was right. You didn't like that it gave you something to think about, though.

A few minutes passed before Eren's dad came downstairs. "Eren. When you take her home, can you go pick up some food I just ordered?"

"Sure. What did you order?"

"Chinese."

"Bet. Y/N, you ready to go?"

You closed your own laptop, getting ready to put it in your bag. "Sure."

During the car ride, you were silent as he listened to his music. You knew the songs, but you didn't sing along with him. Not a hum or a tap of the foot.

"Come inside with me." He said when he pulled up to the restaurant.

"No, I'll stay out here."

He didn't respond, just tightening his lips as he turned off the engine and got out. Instead of walking into the restaurant, he walked over to your door, and you had to catch yourself as he opened it.

"I said come inside with me." He unbuckled your seatbelt and grabbed your hand, helping you down from the truck even though you seethed with frustration.

You let his hand go when you got down, but he grabbed you by your belt as you two crossed the parking lot. When a car was passing, he pulled you closer to him to make you stop.

"Stop handling me like I'm a ragdoll."

"So your silly ass can get hit? No. You'll be okay."

You had your arms crossed as you and Eren waited for the food. He walked closer to you, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong."

He knew that was bullshit. "You still tired? Is that why you wanted to stay in the car so bad?"

You shook your head, "I'm fine."

"You know why I couldn't leave you in the car. If I went back and someone had taken you or something I would have to burn the whole city down."

You almost cracked a smile, but he saw you try to keep it back. "Are you mad at me because I pulled you in the parking lot?"

You didn't answer as you looked up at him. "How would you think I would feel if I watched that Dodge Ram squish you like a pancake?"

"Order for Jaeger?" The waitress called. Eren thanked her and took the bag. Then, he grabbed your jacket again.

"To answer my own question, it would not feel good. But if you keep giving me an attitude, I'll be the one to push you in front of the next truck."

In the car, he opened his plate up excitedly. He picked up a fork and picked up some orange chicken, holding it towards you. "Here. Taste this."

Another shake of your head, "I don't want any."

"It's so good. Blow it, because I know you don't want me to do it."

It hovered in front of you for another few seconds before you started blowing it. Before you could put it in your mouth, Eren redirected towards himself and ate it. The obnoxious hums and moans that he exuded as he chewed on the food pissed you off. You sucked your teeth and leaned against the door, looking out the window.

"Okay, okay. I was just playing with you. Here. I'll get a different fork and actually give you a piece."

"No, I don't want it. Drive me home."

"Oou, fiesty again. You're probably just hangry. Eat this."

He held the fork out to you again, and this time you grabbed the fork out of his hand and ate it yourself. "It's good, isn't it?"

"Mmhmm." You answered as you kept chewing. You two ate a little bit more, before he closed the container and started driving you to your house.

When he pulled into your driveway, he got out the car first and opened the door for you, picking up your bookbag. He closed the door behind you when you got out, leaving you standing in front of him. You tried to grab your bookbag back, but he wouldn't give it to you.

"Tell me. What's really the matter?"

"I told you, Eren. Nothing's wrong."

"I'm not buying that. What is it? Did I do something? Again?"

You didn't say anything, only tilting your head to the side.

"It's because I told you about yourself with that project, isn't it?"

You sighed, "I'm sorry. I'm just not good with group projects."

"Nah, from what I learned, you're good at just about everything. Everything but being nice to people."

Your lips poked out in a pout. "I'm trying my best, Eren."

"And I'm trying my best to get along with you too. So I'm sorry for hurting your feelings."

"It's fine. I could be less rude, I guess."

He chuckled, then handing you your bookbag. "I'm just asking you to try to get along with me more. If you do that, maybe you won't hate me when this is all over."

You took your bookbag with a grin, "Maybe I won't."

He walked you to your doorstep, and he gave you a nice hug before you walked inside. You were honestly cheesed up when you got through that door, but to see your birthgiver sitting right on the couch and looking at you made you freeze.

"Sit. I need to hear about this young colonizer."

When you got to film class the next day, you and Eren actually made a little bit of positive progress on the project, but you two did more talking than working. He spent most of the time making sure you would be at his track meet later that day.

And to the track meet you went. You walked in probably 3 events in, holding an icee that you bought from concessions in your hand as you walked over to your school's section.

You heard the aluminum stairs clanging with fast footsteps as you walked over, and you chuckled as you watched Ashyra speed down the steps towards you. "Y/N!"

She jumped on you in a hug, "Hey Shy. I told you I was coming."

"I didn't think you really meant it. Oh my gosh, the hermit really left her Hello Kitty room! I'm so proud!"

"Tch, girl." You began walking up the stairs, "When's your race?"

"I gotta go down there in like 5 minutes. I was 'bout ready to shit myself getting ready for this 200 but you popping out made me feel better."

You laughed, and as you walked up the steps, a handsome buzzcut boy called out your name and walked over to you from his row. "Hey pretty, what's up? I rarely see you come out and support."

He gave you a side hug, and it shocked you and flattered you altogether. "I come out sometimes to see Shy, but I usually leave after she's finished."

"You gonna stay the whole thing today?"

"Yeah, she will." A masculine voice that you've grown fond of called. You were looking for Eren as you walked up, but so many people came to see you before you could see him. So he came to you, wrapping his arm around your shoulders in a hug. "You really came."

"I did. I didn't wanna find out what your annoying ass would do to me if I didn't." You told him as you hugged his torso in return.

He chuckled, "Come on. Sit with me."

He led you up the stairs, and you two were sitting in a row behind a bunch of a boys on the team. They would occasionally turn around and look at you both, and while Eren was talking to you, you couldn't even pay attention to him.

You beckoned him closer with your hand, and he brought his head closer to yours so you could whisper to him. "Why do your homeboys keep turning around and looking at us?"

"Why do you think they're looking at us?" He asked at a normal volume as he pulled away from you.

You shrugged, "I don't know. That's why I asked you."

He chuckled, "Probably just because I'm sitting with one of the prettiest girls in this school."

You tried to hide your incoming smirk by drinking from your icee. "What events do you have today?"

"Just long jump and pole vault today. 12'6 is the highest."

"Oh? Twelve feet is high."

"Yeah. You think I got it?"

You smirked, "You know I gotta see what you 'bout, first."

"Mmhmm, you'll see what I'm about."

"Why you not doing any running today?"

"I do not feel like doing any bullshit races. Pole vault is already not for the weak."

"Yeah, you got it, though."

He smiled, "Why you think so? You haven't even seen what I can do yet."

With him wearing his track uniform, his strong, muscular arms showed with the sleeveless shirt he wore. And these shorts were pretty tight. They gripped onto his strong thighs and something else that you liked to see.

You didn't even catch yourself looking him up and down. "No reason. Just predicting."

He clearly saw you checking him out, and it made him laugh. You were gonna ask him why he was laughing, but Ashyra came and gave you a hug, "Wish me luck! I'm about to go down to the field."

You turned around and gave her a full hug, wishing her the luck she asked for even though she didn't need it. Shy was the type of girl to tell the girls next to her at the line that she's nervous, and wish them luck. And then she hits a clean walkover into the blocks.

When that gun went off, Shy was gone. Just about everyone repping your school was stood at the front of the bleachers, leaning on the fence to cheer her on.

After they got past the curve, there was only one girl in front of her. The walk-down that Ashyra gave her probably made her feel wind as she flew by. The race felt like it went by so fast, because Shy made it past that finish line in what had to be a record.

When Shy came back up, she received daps and hugs from all over. Then she came up and sat by you as you sat alone. "Eren went to the field already?"

"Yeah, only like five minutes ago."

She looked through the field for him, and she pointed to him standing by a tent and stretching with some guy from a different school to the side of him who he was chatting with. "There he go right there. I bet I can tell you what his ass is saying right now."

"What?" You asked.

"Girl, he be going down there and telling the people he goes up against that he's new and it's his first year doing this. He is sick."

You laughed at that information, "Are you kidding? So he's good?"

"Bitch, he's great. He grunt like a bear when he run. That's how you know it's serious. Hold on, come close." She lowered her tone as she pointed towards a ginger boy who was sitting a few rows in front of you two. "You see him?"

"That's Floch, right? I can't stand his ass, and he kept turning around and looking at me and Eren."

"Girl, when Eren chooses not to do the 4-by-4, that leprechaun motherfucker right there is the reason we don't make the podium."

"Just taking up space." You were trying to make sure your laughs wouldn't be too loud, in case he would turn around and look at you again. But Ashyra didn't tone shit down, and he looked at y'all anyway.

That's when Shy cocked her neck at him. "Hello? Fuck are you looking at, Floch?"

He turned his ass back around, and you had to turn away as you laughed so hard that no sound came out of your throat until 20 seconds later.

When it got time for the pole vault, you, Shy, and many other people went up to the fence, leaning on it as you all watched Eren's event. When it was his turn, he did the 10' and the 10'6" like it wasn't there, only a few other guys struggling with that one. On his first 11'6", he knocked the pole down, and then he went clean over it on the next attempt.

Once it got higher you all could see that the first few guys who went for the 12' must've been having a bad day. Multiple knocked the pole down on their first attempt, then some doing better on the next attempts. One guy broke the bar and his pole in his attempts. The guy who went right before Eren was pretty good, barely grazing the pole when he went over it on the 12'.

When it got to the 12', Eren was doing high knee stretches before he picked up his pole. On the first attempt, he knocked the pole down, and when he was on the mat, you all could see him cursing as he stood back up.

"You got it, Eren!" A girl who was standing on the other side of you yelled. Others clapped and cheered him on too, but you stayed quiet and just clapped.

With his second attempt, everybody could just feel inside of them that it was gonna be better. Connie was standing to the side of the pole vault lane, watching up close as he and others waited for the men's 4-by-4, and he dapped him up and cheered him on.

As he ran with the pole, his form was absolutely beautiful, being completely upside-down when the pole was at it's straightest height, then not even touching the bar when he went over it.

Everyone watching this who was repping the school was clapping and cheering him on, and him and Connie dapped each other up again and again, so hard their hands were probably stinging when they finished.

"Do that shit again, Eren!" Shy shouted.

Now it was the 12'6". The last one and the highest one. You all saw Eren take a deep breath before he started running. His strides were clean and long, and he repeated the same thing that he did on his last attempt. Same lovely form, just going a necessary 9 inches higher.

Everyone was hype, clapping, and cheering after seeing Eren clear out his first attempt on the highest one like that. Your cheeks were hurting from how hard you were smiling as Shy shook you by your shoulders.

In the next 15 minutes, he was at long jump. If you listened close enough, you could hear Eren's grunts as he ran. He made it look easy, going so damn far when he jumped that people who weren't even repping your school were paying attention as his feet landed only around a foot away from the end of the pit.

"EREN THAT'S A RECORD! THAT'S A FUCKING RECORD!" Eren instantly jumped up from the sand pit, hype as fuck and matching Connie's energy. Your school section was too gassed at Eren eating this meet the hell up.

"He gotta have a lil' nigga in him." Shy said.

"I'm saying!" You proclaimed. Connie was pushing limits staying and watching Eren's events so long like he wasn't the first leg in the 4-by-4 that was about to start very soon. He had to dash to the line and catch his breath with the time he had, but when the gun shot, he was out of those blocks like that gun was being shot straight at him.

"You better run like they coming to send you back to South America, Con!" Shy yelled, and that's exactly what he did. He got around the track before all the other guys, and the hand-off with Floch could've been better, but it wasn't terrible. Floch was in fourth when he got around the second curve, but he was able to walk one guy down by the next hand-off.

"Okay, leprechaun didn't do terrible." Ashyra commented. The guy who ran the third leg got your school back to second, by the fourth leg, this tall boy who you knew to be called Berthdolt was going stride for stride with a guy from another school.

"RUN LIKE A NIGGA FINNA SHOOT YOU IN YOUR FOOT, BERT!" The whole crowd was loud as everybody cheered for their school. You knew that Berthdolt was quiet, but when it came to sports, he would be locked the fuck in. And that's why with the last 100 meters, he absolutely dusted the guy who he was running against.

That 400 knocks motherfuckers out. After Berthdolt got past the line, he fell off to the side and laid down on the grass next to where Connie had been since he finished his lap. Your section stayed lit way after the race was over, and a bunch of the runners stayed sprawled out way after the race was over.

"Are those niggas ever gonna get up?" You questioned, seeing Eren squirt water into his teammates' mouths from the second bottle he's had to bring.

"Girl, you don't understand the pain."

When all those boys finally did get up and come back to the bleachers, they were receiving daps and congratulations from all over. You and Shy were sitting back down, and it took so long for Eren to get from the bottom of the steps to where you guys were.

"Good job, best!" Shy said as she dapped him up.

"Thank you, thank you."

"Good job, Eren." You'd been waiting for him to get up to you for so long. For some reason you wanted to say more, but that was the only thing that would make sense at the time.

While he was down there, he had put some sweatpants on. He looked calm and tired as he looked at you, and you were surprised as he pulled you up by your arm and embraced you in a big bear hug, balancing his weight out on you.

Your giggles warmed his heart, "Eren, you're too heavy for this!"

"Just let it happen." He said as he rocked you back and forth, feeling your arms wrap around his torso.

When he let you go, he reached into his sports bag and grabbed some money. "Shy, you want anything from concessions?"

"Can you get me a pickle?"

"Okay. Come on, Y/N."

He walked down the stairs with you, and Connie said, "He's taking our good luck charm away, y'all."

You chuckled in flattery as he said that, but Eren kept looking forward. "You know Connie's feeling you, right?" He told you as you both walked to concessions.

"Yeah I can tell. But I also know another guy who's feeling me too." You teased.

"Really? What's this one like?"

"Well, he's a little annoying. But I found out today that he's really good on the field."

Eren chuckled as you two stood in line, "What do you wanna get?"

"Umm, some nachos."

"Okay. Do you get yours with jalapeños on them?"

"No, not usually."

"Oh. Loser."

You hit him on his arm, "Stop it."

"I'm kidding. I'll get my own, since you don't know what life is about."

"Yeah. I wasn't gonna let your hungry ass share with me anyway."

He scoffed, "Why?"

"Because, after all the events you just did? That tray would be more yours than mine."

"Yeah, I showed you what I'm about. How you feel now?"

"I already told you you did a good job, Eren."

"That's not enough. Were you cheering for me?"

"Well, I was definitely clapping."

"I know you hear all the fangirls I have in those stands. How you gonna outdo them?"

"I'm not your fangirl, Eren."

He was very close to you, and you liked the way he looked at you from above. "What do you wanna be to me, then?"

You didn't say anything, and he saw your shock as your mouth fell open. The lady at the counter called out "Next!" It pulled you two out of your moment, and you two moved up in the line and Eren gave the woman your order.

"Okay. The nachos will be ready in a minute." You and Eren stood off to the side to wait, him holding Shy's pickle, and then a matured but fit man walked up and acknowledged him.

"Jaeger, right?"

You and him both shared some skepticism. "Who's asking?"

The man chuckled, "A guy who's glad he came to this meet today. Look, I'm a recruit from Harvard. The name's Dean Washington."

Eren's eyes widened and he firmly shook the man's hand. "Oh, yeah. I'm Eren Jaeger. Nice to meet you."

"I can't believe this. I mean, we've had our eyes on you since your sophomore year. A tri-athlete that gets better every time he hits any field, and today you broke two of your school's records."

"Wait, I broke a pole vault record too?"

"Hell yeah! You're a force, and you'll definitely hear from Harvard soon. Here, take my card."

Eren took the business card that the recruit handed to him, and with a few more polite exchanges and another handshake, the man was on his way.

"Okay, big shot. Is that the first scholarship you've been offered?"

"Nah. The one's I've been considering have been the full-rides from LSU and Notre Dame."

Your eyes were the size of golf balls, "And those aren't the only ones?"

"No. The other ones haven't pulled me enough. LSU's been begging."

"Well that's a good pick for football."

"Yeah, you're right. But Harvard? This is crazy." He said, picking up his tray of nacho's from the concession counter.

"It gives you a lot to think about." You two began walking back to the seats.

"You're smart. Have you gotten any scholarship offers?"

"Well I've taken a lot of merit scholarships, but I did get a full ride that's gonna take me to a nice tech school."

"Where?"

"Umm, MIT." The only reason you sounded shaky when giving him this answer his because this school was in the same city as Harvard.

He smiled, as you expected him to. "Well that's gonna make me consider Harvard more. You still don't wanna be my fangirl?"

You stopped walking, and he turned around and stopped with you. You looked him in his eyes when you said, "You're the best, Eren."

He held his smile back while he poked his tongue through his cheek, staring at you for a while and looking you in your sultry, adoring eyes. His eyes traveled your body up and down, before he grabbed your free hand and said "Come on."

You two got back up to Shy, and you guys ate your snacks, bantered with each other and others who came over, and watched the remaining races. When it was time for awards to be given at the end of the track meet, Eren and Shy just told you to come down to the field with them.

"The highest score comes from the phenomenal Paradis High! Both of today's MVP's come from this team as well. Ashyra Ross for her performance in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 4-by-1 races, and Eren Jaeger who broke two of his school's records in long jump and pole vaulting." A commentator announced over the speakers.

Everyone who was still here was clapping as Eren and Shy went up and got their medals, taking the picture that represented the school.

Your mom was the one who dropped you off today, and when you told him that, he took the liberty of commanding you to let him drive you home. "But before that, we're going out to eat."

"Oh, so we're not gonna go over to your house and work on the project anymore?"

"Hell no. We're gonna go to Chipotle and fuck up burritos. Shit, I could eat a quesadilla too."

The next day came, and Eren didn't seem too ecstatic at school for him to have been one of the most-valued D-1 athletes walking through this campus. He didn't seem necessarily sad, but he wasn't smiling as much or being as annoying during film. And he was actually working at some minutes, and then the next minute you would find him with his head in the clouds. You didn't say anything about it, but during homeroom, you called it out.

"Eren, are you good?"

He was on his phone but just staring at it before you said something, and your voice calling his name seemed to pull him out of his trance. "Y-Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know, you just seem like you're in your own world. You sure everything's alright?"

He hesitated, but then he answered with, "I'm fine, Y/N. Thanks for asking, though."

You weren't sure he was being complete with you, but you didn't wanna push it. "Okay."

Thursday came, and you didn't see him pop up in first period.

you wya?

mvp sorry i'm busy today

you wow

day before due date too?

mvp you can still come over to my house later tho if it's that serious

you fine then

Your mom pulled off once he let you inside the house. He was wearing a hoodie and some sweat shorts, and his hair was out of it's usual bun, those brown tresses of his grazing his shoulders.

"We're working in my room today."

"Why? The couch has been fine."

"I'm not working on shit if I'm not in my bed."

With proper study skills being considered, that didn't make sense to you, but you didn't wanna question him. His room wasn't bad. It was spacious, and there was a bunch of stylish art, memorable photos, & decor on his dark grey walls. But it was still the room of a teenage boy, so you couldn't help but recognize the unmade bed and the junk food wrappers & empty dishes that were around and on his bed.

"So, where were you today?" You asked him as you opened your laptop while sitting at his desk, him comfy under the blankets of his mattress with his laptop open on his lap.

"I told you. I was busy."

"That's not what I- Nevermind."

About half of a minute passed before he gave you a proper answer. "I was at a dinner."

"Wow. I was listening to Miss Sullivan run her mouth and you were dining away."

"Yeah, lucky me then." His voice was drained of any warmth, and you just decided that it would be best for you to not talk to him unless necessary today.

About 20 minutes passed before you two shared any words. Then, you broke the silence. "When are you gonna add pictures to your slides?"

Looking through the slides, they were good and accurate, proper spelling and capitalization too. That's something you could appreciate in a partner, but the issue with the pictures was the only one you had.

"I'm gonna do it soon."

"Well... Can you do it now? So we can be done."

He sighed, "You're doing it again."

"Doing what, Eren?"

"That control freak in you is coming out." He answered, still nonchalantly scrolling through his phone.

"Well if being a control freak might get you to act like you care then I'll be that."

"It's just like five pictures."

"Exactly. It's just like five pictures. Quick and easy."

"Exactly. That's why you can wait."

"Do you want me to do it for you? Because I'm fine with that since you seem to be in such a bad mood."

"I'll do the goddamn work. Fuck. Just be quiet."

You turned around completely in the chair, "Who the fuck are you talking to? You invited me over here."

"Yeah. We can both probably see why I'm regretting that today."

Your laptop was loud when you slammed it shut, not wasting any time to put it in your bookbag. "Right. So I'll be downstairs waiting for my ride, since you wanna talk to me like you weren't raised right."

"Fuck did you just say to me?" Eren closed his laptop too, moving his comforter and getting out of his bed.

"You wanna talk to me like that, talk to your fucking mama like that, hoe." You would tell that line to any person who got out of line with you, but this seemed to push a button of his.

It took only a few long strides for him to beat you to the door. You had swung your bag over your shoulder, and as you were opening his bedroom door to leave, he was slamming it shut with one hand as he looked down on you.

"My mom's fucking dead, Y/N."

His voice was deep and husky, but it also shook when he said that. Your hard exterior instantly softened, "Eren..."

He took a shuddering breath, and then he turned around and slowly began walking back to his bed. "Why do you think I wasn't there today? I was at a damn memorial dinner."

You put your bag back down, "I'm sorry."

"Thanks." He sat down on his bed, legs spread and arms hung to the sides of them, "You can go now."

You approached him slowly with ease. Sitting down by him on his comfortable mattress, the touch of your hand on him lightened his temper. You ran your hand through his hair, showing his face to you more.

"You're sad. Why would you make time for me if you're feeling like this today?"

"I've been sad for a while. Nothing new."

Your hand traveled down to the back of his neck, rubbing his nape soothingly. "What's wrong today, then?"

He took a second, and then he ran his own hand through his hair before he answered you. "Today makes seven years. It's just different."

"I'm sorry, again."

"No reason to be. You're not Lupus."

"I was giving you a hard time. That's why I'm sorry."

You just wanted to be there for him, especially after being so rude earlier. He turned to look at you, and his eyes were glossy and flooded, and that made your eyes fill up with tears too.

Sad boy or not, he was still strong as hell. So when he wrapped his arm around your torso and pulled you in for a hug, your whole body shifted over to him, and you straddled his lap to be comfortable.

"It's okay. It's your thing to give me a hard time."

You kept running your nails through his hair, and he adored the feeling. He stayed with his face buried in your chest, loving the feeling, loving the smell, loving the care, loving the comfort.

He lifted his face up, his chin nuzzled in your chest as he looked up at you. "I did really good at the track meet the other day."

You saw the damp tracks of his salty tears spread under his eyes. You placed both hands on the sides of his face, "You did."

"Guess who else reached out."

You tilted your head, softly asking, "Who?"

"UCLA."

"Oh. Another D-1?"

A meek close-lipped grin showed as he nodded. You used each thumb to wipe his tears. "I told you you're the best."

He gave you a real grin this time, then laying the side of his face on your chest. "She can't see it, though."

You began rubbing his head again. "You think she's not watching you?"

"I want her to be there watching me. I wish she could— I just—"

You quietly shushed him, holding him close. "She would be proud of you, baby."

He looked up at you. "You think so?"

"I know so... If it helps, I'm proud of you."

His lips were slightly parted as he looked at you, and then he was only looking at your lips. The next thing he knew, his lips were on yours. Slow, soft. He didn't wanna stop. He couldn't be off of you.

He was so gentle, just as you were with him. Your body curved into his, and his hand trailed under your hoodie, slowly running his palm up the middle of your back and keeping you close to him while you subconsciously grinded down on him.

When he pulled his lips away, his hand was unbuckling your bra as you felt him growing under you. "Eren."

His lips were occupied kissing your neck, but he put in the effort to answer you. "What?"

"Are you sure this is what you need right now?"

"I'm sure that what I need right now is you."

He kissed your lips again, and a string of saliva connected between your lips and his when he pulled away. Picking you up so easy, he changed your positions, you being laid on your back as he hovered over you now. "Can I have you?"

"Are you gonna even take no for an answer?"

He smirked, and then he shook his head no.

"Then you already got me, baby."

Your hoodie was off. His hoodie was off. His shorts were getting pulled down. Your jeans were on the floor. The door was locked. His hair was tied up. Your glasses were on the nightstand.

All you saw was his chiseled abs, his defined V-line, and that huge print showing through his briefs, and all he saw was your pretty half-naked self laying on his sheets under him.

You lifted your arms up so he could take your bra off, and then your pretty tits jiggled as they laid out under him. He whispered a curse as he threw your bra to the side. He leaned down and kissed your neck, and you felt shivers trickle up your thighs as his fingers met the sensations in the middle.

"You came here wearing a matching set for me." He grazed his fingers past the pink lace that made the panties of this matching set.

"I didn't think this was gonna happen." Every word coming from your overachieving mouth would be soft and shy, shyer than he knew you to be. He liked that he made you get like this as your pussy twitched under his fingers.

"Mmm, you were ready for me though." He slid your panties to the side, and your back arched off the bed when he drove his fingers in you. You let out a shriek that would've been a moan if you didn't hold back.

It sounded like ocean sounds were playing as he filled you up with his two digits, pulling them out, then jutting them back in again and again. His lips were wrapped around your chocolate areola, his tongue swirling around it like the delectable desert that it was to him.

Your back was arching off the bed, and he just kept hitting a spot deep inside that would turn your moans into whines. He looked up into your eyes from where he lay, and you were looking down at his hand going in and out of you at a dangerous speed. He pulled his mouth away and hovered over your face, and he began guiding you through your high.

"Like that, baby?"

"Yeah, like that."

"You look so damn pretty. So pretty when you're cumming on my fucking fingers."

You wrapped an arm around his neck, holding onto him tight and your back hovering off the bed as he hit that spot again, and again, and one more time before—

"Fuck! Eren!" You flooded his fingers and his wrist, and your hips kept grinding onto his hand as you rode out your high.

"That's it, pretty girl. Keep cumming for me."

When he pulled his hand out, you fell down onto the mattress. Your legs instantly closed, just like your eyelids as you caught your breath with the back of your forehead. He kissed your jawline and rubbed his hand up and down your body, taking your panties off then bringing his kisses down low and reopening your legs, kissing on the warm wetness of your clit.

"Eren." You cooed, and you called his name again but more hastily when he slid a broad lick across your sensitive slit.

He changed positions but left you where you were, now propped up in between your legs and his hands reopening them. He pulled you by your thighs closer to him, leaning to the side to reach in his nightstand and pull out a condom.

Your fat pussy was pressed up against his thick, clothed bulge. He whipped it out, and your shock was evident when seeing his long dick out of the clothes. "Oh."

He laid it on you as he unwrapped the condom, and the tip went all the way to your belly button. "You okay?"

You sat up partially to get a better view of this monster that he was planning on putting inside of you. "Y-Yeah."

He breathed out a laugh at your nerves, sliding the rubber onto his hard length. "You think you got it?"

"Umm, we'll see."

He aligned his tip with your hole, slapping it on your clit a few times. You and him both watched as he began to slowly push inside of you, until you couldn't watch anymore. Your eyes filled with tears and you had to squeeze them shut as you cursed.

"Fuck, are you a virgin? You're tight as hell."

"No, you're just big!"

You could cry and whine all you wanted. Unless you said something, he was gonna do his best to fit his thick cock in your tight hole. He grabbed the ankle of one of your legs that were thrown over his shoulder, rubbing it and pecking it with kisses as he slid inside of you.

"Relax, mama. I need this pussy to stop squeezing me so tight."

You had your toes curled and one hand gripping his sheets, the other holding your breast like it was a stress ball. When he kept pushing inch after inch in, you let your head fall back on the sheets. You hadn't fucked in a while. It hurt, but it hurt so good.

"There you go, gorgeous. I know you can take me." It wasn't all of him. There was about an inch of his shaft that couldn't go in anymore, but his tip was pressed in as deep as it could go.

You let out the cutest, shuddering moan when he started thrusting slowly in and out of you. Everytime that he would go in, he could see the imprint of his dick poking through the pudge of your stomach.

You were leaving a creamy layer of your juices on the condom as he fucked your sweet hole, "All this 's for me, right baby?"

"Yesss. It's all yours."

He held your face in his hand, "Open those pretty eyes and look at me."

You did as he said, caressing his hand with yours and leaning into him. Looking into his green eyes so innocently, yet he knew you were far from that by the way you were taking him. You were so smart. Smart enough to recognize that when you moaned the way that you did, needily called his name the way you did, grinded your hips onto his cock the way you did, that you had him wrapped around your finger.

Your lips parted more as he jutted his hips in deep. A guttural moan from your throat came out as he hit your spot purposely rougher this time. You couldn't help it, especially with the way that he looked so sexy when he looked down at you like this. His thick brows were furrowed, hanging over desiring dark eyes that were hazy with lust. His skin was damp with sweat. His soft lips were hanging open, letting his groans out as your pussy milked him.

"Eren, come closer baby. I need to feel you." You were spiraling with passion, and he was entwining in pleasure from finally satisfying his craving that was you. He leaned down and kissed you, enjoying how sloppy and erotic it was.

"You wanna feel me even more than you already are?"

"I needed..."

Your hand was roaming, holding him close by rubbing at his nape. "Your skin..."

Then his shoulder, "I wanted it on me." then his arm, squeezing him tight with your nails digging into his arm.

"Shit." The low growl that came from him as you left your marks made your whole body shiver. You just repeated the coo of the word "Baby" over and over again, the speed of it mounting as he kept going.

"I know, ma. I know. I'm... Close... Too."

You came first, you releasing a high-pitched moan with your juices that wet him up as his thrusts got more sporadic, yet still giving all his force.

"Ah, fuck." You felt his breath on your face as he pushed out his last few movements of his hips. You both were breathing gently on each other, him holding your face in his hand while you ran your hands through his hair, giving each other wet, soft kisses on each other's lips.

When he lifted up, the condom was filled with a fat heap of his nut before he pulled it off, tying it up and taking a tired walk to the trash can to throw it away.

You were still laying down when he got back over, just propped up on your elbows as you watched him.

He stood in front of you, rubbing your legs. "Were you just looking at my ass?"

You were feeling extremely relaxed, and your laugh represented that. "I was looking at everything, baby."

Even the fresh scars you left on his shoulders and arms. The way his body flexed with every movement, a different muscle being highlighted with every step. His sexy mannerisms, like the way he walked, the way he ran his hands through his hair, or the way he would look back at you. Damn. He was so fine for you.

And he was looking at everything you did. Your eyes were on his, so they were watching as he trailed down your body, looking at your full breasts, the texture of your warm brown skin, and the way that your plump ass still was visible even while you were laid down like this.

"You're so damn sexy."

"Mmm." You lifted up, running your hands up his chiseled body until they got to his pecks, "Let me hear that again."

He chuckled, "You're a slut, too. How did I not know that?"

Craning down, he pecked your smirking lips. "Yeah, I wanna hear that again too."

He bagged not just a beautiful genius, but a perfectly lewd freak. He held you by the back of your neck to give you another sweet kiss.

"Do you think your dad heard us?"

"Hmm, if so, it's a hard day. I'm sure he'll understand."

You grinned as you looked up at him, and he did the same as he towered down on you. You both could tell what was going on behind each other's eyes.

"Do you have any more condoms?"

Laid on your side. He would slow it down then speed it up, harassing that pussy like it wronged his whole bloodline. One hand was under your bent knees, and the other hand traveled from your ass to your neck, gripping your throat and holding you steady when he filled you up with the length of his cock.

You were wise, but you learned more and more everyday. Something you observed from Eren is that he's a feen for a fat ass. That's why the third condom you two were on broke when he was hitting it from the back.

And something that he learned about you was that you craved the feeling of his touch and his warm skin on your own. So when he slowed his pace down with the next trial from the back, he pulled you by your neck closer to him, your back centimeters away from his chest in this steamy room as he caressed your breasts and kissed your shoulders.

And when you slutted him out while riding? He was trying to match your energy first, bucking his hips up while you were slamming yours down. The headboard was rocking into the wall so much that one time it might've been his dad knocking on the door to make sure you two were okay.

He couldn't hear that though, especially over your moans and his combining in harmony. His moans were dragging out of him, exhausted rambles leaving his mouth as he held you close, his face rubbing against your titties as you went up and down on him, leaving a creamy mess between you two.

The last nut from the night didn't need a condom. You were hovered over his face, but then he just pulled you down and put that tongue to work as he jerked himself off, receiving help from you when you could move your body accordingly to your mind, which was almost broken with the persistence of Eren eating you out.

He kept going on for what was probably a whole hour. You weren't sure. He just said that you weren't moving until he was done eating, but when he freed you from his hold, you laid your ass down.

You woke up in a haze in this dark room, a ringing sound filling your ears. Eren was laid on your ass like it was a cushion, and you could hear his soft snoring.

"Fuck, what time is it?"

You had to put your glasses on, and you saw that his digital clock read 1:37. Your phone was ringing, and it was your mom.

"Shit, shit, shit."

Eren was waking up, but his head plopped onto the mattress when you — his human pillow — hastily moved.

"Hey baby. You alright? I've been calling you, it's late."

"Y-Yeah. I'm sorry mama. I just fell asleep." Eren tapped back into consciousness when you turned his lamp on as you talked on the phone and hastily tried to collect your clothes at the same time.

"It's okay if you were doing unspeakable things, honey. As long as you were being responsible."

You sighed, "I love you, mom. Thank you for being chill."

"Yeah, I'm chill, but I'm still a worried mother. I'm parked outside of his house. Get down here, because I'm not letting you go to school in the same clothes two days in a row or a boy's. Bye."

She hung up the phone, so you put it down as you kept getting changed. He rubbed his eyes and sat up on the bed and watched you.

"That's my sock."

You cursed, almost having a white and a black sock on.

"The hoodie's inside out."

You sighed, pulling it off and reversing it.

He got up and put his briefs on, covering his dick up in time to catch your next mistake.

"Jeans on and no panties? Fuck, just stop moving. Calm down."

He helped you get your jeans back off, picking up your panties and allowing you to step into them. Then he helped you jump into your jeans, slapping your ass when you finished that task.

"Stop." You slapped his hand away from your butt.

"Uptight again like you weren't about to break my dick off like three, four hours ago. Okay."

"Quit it." You slid into your crocs and picked up your bag, "Okay, I'll finish the last few details of the slideshow. I'll see you tomorrow— I mean, today, okay?"

"Mmhmm." Despite this tired response that you expected to be the end of the interaction, he grabbed you by your hood and spun you back around, planting a warm kiss on your lips that almost paused all of your panic.

And when you pulled away, it almost came back, until he started talking. "I'll finish the slideshow right now, okay? Go home and lay down, you overachiever."

You breathed in through your nose, "Okay. Make it look pretty, alright?"

"I will, baby."

One more kiss, before you turned around and walked out of the door.

"See you later." He told you.

"Yeah, see you later, love."

You tried to get downstairs quietly, not sure if Mr. Grisha would be down there or not. When you thought you were in the clear, you were proved wrong.

"Have a nice night, Y/N." He was sitting in a living chair, and you couldn't tell how you didn't see him. He shot you a warm smile as he looked up from the book he was reading, and the one you gave him back was probably crooked.

"You too, Mr. J."

You cursed at yourself in your head as you turned away from him and rushed your way out.

In the morning, Eren did most of the presenting since you were the main worker. The presentation was actually fun. Eren kept comically teasing you, but you weren't opposed to it. It actually surprised the people in your class when seeing you smile.

When walking out of the class, Eren held your hand and spun you around for the direction he was walking in. "You told me you have Miss Russé next. She'll be okay if you're a few minutes late."

You grinned and chuckled, "Where you taking me?"

"Just somewhere where I can talk to you." He led you through the front exit passing by the office, just so you two could sit at the empty benches that are out there.

"Do you know how tempted I was to slap your ass when you were sitting back down?"

"Still severely horny, huh?"

Grabbing your jean pocket, he pulled you closer to him and wrapped his arm around your shoulder, "After last night? Of course I am."

He placed his hand on your jaw as he locked his lips with yours, him leading the kiss. When he pulled away, you had your hands on his chest, "Yeah, I actually wanted to talk about that."

His head tilted, eyes narrowing too, "Yeah?"

"Um, I think— I think it was us getting carried away."

The look on his face wasn't neutral, although others might think that if not knowing the context. But you saw his jaw clench as he swallowed, and his eyebrows slowly furrowing over his darkening green eyes.

"I was in between your legs like, what, nine hours ago. And now you think it was a mistake?"

"No, no. Not a mistake. I just looked back on it and I was thinking, maybe sex wasn't what you needed at the time."

The way he was looking at you made you feel so small. "Did I not make you feel good? Be honest."

"No, that's not it. You made me feel great."

"I could tell. So what the fuck is the problem?"

"Eren, you heard me. You were very sad and then we just had sex like that fixed everything. That's what's not making me feel good."

He stood up, and at this point you felt like you were buried into the ground, your head being the only thing above the surface so you could look at him. "Why the fuck are you doing this to me?"

"Eren, I'm not doing this to you. I was just saying it! I still adore you."

"Really? I can't tell." He picked his bag up and walked away from you, but not into the building. He walked out into the parking lot, and you walked back in the building before you could see where he was off too.

You didn't cry. No. You just felt like you were crying inside though. This was weird. You haven't thought about boys like this in forever. Then all of a sudden, one charms you on a Monday, and by the end of the week he's rearranged your guts.

At homeroom, you didn't see him. There was a possibility he was just going in his car to cool off earlier, and then there was the possibility that he drove home. He did the latter, and you were kind of relieved. Him ignoring you while being in the same room as you would've made you want to bury yourself in a hole.

Then the day went on. You got home, and you still wanted to sink into the ground. Not because of the reason from earlier. It changed into something else. You were craving him. You didn't care how awkward it would be, or how mad he could get, or how much he would yell at you. You wanted your body on his. You wanted to be around him. You wanted to be laughing with him, cumming with him.

You were obsessed with little shame about it, and that's why he got multiple rings on his doorbell and knocks on his from door at 7 in the evening.

"Wow. You came to see your mistake."

You were wearing another one of your hoodies, and this time a patterned pair of flair pants. Your slides were plush. Probably not the best choice for the rain that was just starting. But you still looked cute to Eren, and that made him even more frustrated.

"I never said that." Your pleading voice was so cute, and he was trying to make sure his dick wouldn't get hard as he looked at your doe brown eyes looking at him.

"Tch, come inside before it starts pouring."

You walked inside, turning around to face him once he closed and locked the door behind him. He was wearing grey sweatpants and a black tank top. He had his hands in his pockets, and before looking at his face, you were looking at his toned muscles and the print showing through his pants.

You were looking at him, and he was looking at you. You saw his Adam's Apple bob as he took a deep breath and got ready to talk. "Well, you drove your raggedy ass car to come see me. What do you have to say?"

You were standing with your hands behind your back, and a courage-building inhale preluded your sentence. "I'm sorry. I do mean what I said, but the delivery could've been better. Especially since it made you think that I don't want you, and I do want you. A lot. I was just thinking about it, and I don't regret what we did at all, but what led to it is what I was thinking about.

"But we can't change what was done. And I don't wanna change what was done, at all. I would sound like a hypocrite if I let on that I did, because a lot of the things that I said last night wouldn't elude that. Like when I said you're the best, I meant that. I mean, you're the best I've had, considering I've only had one other perso— Can you accept my apology already?"

He was smiling at you so hard that his cheeks were hurting. "C'mere."

You took the embrace that he was offering, him rocking you side to side as he laughed. You wanted your hands wrapped around him like this as long as possible, along with the feeling of him rocking you back and forth.

"Who was this other guy you fucked?" He asked you in the hug.

You lifted your face from his chest and looked up at him. "You in my business right now?"

"Yeah. You owe me."

"Why?"

"Because, I didn't say I accepted your apology. After how you made me feel earlier, I deserve something generous from you."

"Really?"

"Really." His hands went down to your ass, and you loved the way he touched on you, rubbing and massaging it. "Answer the question. Who took your virginity?"

"It was my boyfriend from sophomore year."

"Oh, yeah. I used to see you walking around with him. He's a loser."

Your mouth fell open, "Eren, be nice. He wasn't bad."

"Mmhmm." His mouth went down to your ear, "This ass isn't for him though, yeah?"

"N-No. It isn't."

"Neither is that pretty pussy though, right?"

"Right, baby."

"Who does it belong to?"

You looked up into his eyes, your hands on his chest. "It belongs to you, Eren."

"That's right. You belong to me. Don't ever try to fucking leave me or pull the shit you pulled earlier again, alright?"

Your lashes batted, but you still looked at him with adoration. "Okay, baby. I won't."

"Good girl." Gripping your ass cheeks, he shook one in his hold before he told you, "Get on your knees."

You did what he said, and he held your locs in his hand as you looked up at him. "What about your dad, though?"

"He's a surgeon. Working overtime tonight. Now, go ahead and pull it out. Let's see how else you can use this overachieving mouth."

He was right. You tried to overachieve in everything that you did. Even sucking dick. When you pulled his already hard dick out of his pants, you kissed the tip, using his drops of pre-cum as an extra layer of lip gloss.

You jerked him off with both hands, using your saliva from the licks you placed up his shaft as lubricant. Your hand ran up his torso, and you only had your eyes on his dick as you kissed it and slapped it against your lips.

When you actually started taking it in your mouth is when he got more vocal. You would hum every time you would slowly bob your head back and forth, taking more and more of his length everytime, until his whole shaft was in your mouth and you had your hand placed on the back of his waist to keep it there.

You pulled away and caught your breath, looking up at his hazy teal orbs that were looking straight back down at you in awe. "How many times have you fucked?"

All you gave to that question was a smirk, caressing his dick in your palm and using your wet lips to kiss and suck his fat balls. You practically gargled them in your spitty mouth while you sped up the pace of pumping his thick dick in your hand.

"Fuuuuuck." His groan was low and raspy as he took your throat as his own personal belonging.

You took his length back into your mouth, and the more of a mess you made increased to how much he was turned on. He felt every time his inches would go past your plump lips into your warm mouth. Your tongue kept licking that big vein that ran down the middle of his cock.

"Shit, I accept your apology. It's okay, it's okay baby. Fuck."

Your eyes shut and you stopped moving after he said that, and you took a deep breath and wiped your mouth. "I didn't— I didn't cum yet."

"I know that. I was paying you back what I owed." You got off of your knees and walked past him, "You were being really mean, though. Now I feel like I'm owed something. Come on."

You scurried up the stairs, and he didn't even tuck his dick back in to follow you. You were ahead of him, but him skipping stairs when he walked helped close the distance.

"I owe you?" He asked when he met you in his bedroom.

"Yeah. You do." He didn't expect it, and that's why it was so easy for you to push him on his bed. He sat up on his elbows as he watched you pull your pants down.

"Hold on, I don't want you to take your panties off y—"

"Eren, you don't get a say right now, baby. I'm sorry to break it to you."

His eyebrow furrowed, him looking like he was in complete disbelief. "What?"

"You heard me." Your juicy pussy was nude and aligned with his wet and hard cock as you took off your hoodie, then your bra, unleashing your yummy breasts right in his face.

But he couldn't touch them, or even lift up and suck them, because after you helped him take his shirt off, you pinned his hands down to the bed with your own, even humming in sadistic satisfaction when you did it. You used one hand to put him inside of you, and you moaned so sexily that he could've came right there.

But he didn't, he tried to push through. Even when you started bouncing that ass up and down on him ruthlessly, clapping sounds filling the room.

"So good, baby. You feel so fucking good." Your pussy was waiting for him, missing him desperately after last night. You didn't waste a second when on top of him.

You watched as his face scrunched up while you were milking the soul out of him through his dick. He was looking to the side, repeating, "Oh my god." with his deep moans.

He should've known you were gonna double back. Two strong-willed people having sex with each other just seems to lead to it lasting all night. But riding him like this right after sucking him so good and not letting him cum was just cruel.

That's why it took less than two minutes for him to give you the warning, forcing out an, "I'm— cumming." You got off of him, and watched as his spurts of cum came out like a fountain. It got all over his chest and yours, mixing in with the hair from his happy trail and dripping down from your tits to your stomach.

Your hand was on the bottom of his shaft, and you were gently pumping him as he came, so you loved the feeling of his dick pulsating as he emptied his balls. Once he was finished, you dragged your hand up his shaft, and he watched as you licked the cum off your fingers.

"Shit, come here."

You laid down on your stomach next to him and kissed him. "You're such a fucking freak." He told you, intertwining his fingers with your soft locs.

"And you aren't?"

"I never said I wasn't. That's why I like fucking you so much."

After a few minutes of you two making out, a struggle for dominance ensued. He quickly won it though, with him gripping your ass helping him get on top of you.

To your surprise, his dick was still hard, and he laid it over your stomach. "You're crazy, y'know? Fucking me like that without a condom."

"It felt better that way. And, I'm on birth control anyway."

"Hmm, good. Because we ran out of condoms last night."

"Oh."

"So, you okay if I fill you up?" He slid inside as he asked you this, and that familiar imprint in your stomach came back. "Make you mine?"

"Y-Yeah. Fill me up baby."

Eren loved hickeys, but not during the school year. He's literally always involved with a sport, so unless it's a winter practice, they're gonna be seen on him. But thankfully, he loved giving them too. So he took the liberty to grab your legs and fold you in half, allowing himself to lean down and kiss you as he gave you those magnificent thrusts. Those kisses went lower, and his mouth stayed in spots on your neck as his groans easily traveled to your ears.

When he sat back up, his pace got brutal, and you felt every last thrust hit so deep inside of you. "It's deep, Eren. So fucking deep."

Your breathy whimpers turned him on so much. He was focused on trying to make your pussy remember his shape fondly down to every last vein, hoping that he could make every one of his eight inches get in there.

He had a goal, and that's why he was being so relentless. You put your hand on his chest, whining and whimpering, but he moved it away. When he moved his hand back, he decided to hold your hands and your legs in his holds together.

"Fuck! Baby, slow downnn."

He was gonna keep plowing into you, even faster now that you said something. "Take it. You got it, ma."

"Eren, Eren! Fuck!" Your eyes were rolling back, and he was glad to see that he could make your eyes roll back in another way than you having sass.

You started repeating a slur of yeses when you were cumming, and as your body shook with your orgasm, you left a milky puddle of your cream under you.

Now is when he slowed down, to ride out his own high. He kept holding you where you were as his eyes shut, groaning and moaning while he filled you up, as he said he would do.

When he pulled out, the creamy concoction that was left on him was falling out of you. "Come here, mama."

He picked you up, and you held onto him tight as he rubbed your back up and down. "You're mine, baby."

You were mindfucked and hazy, but you still responded with, "I'm yours."

"All fucking mine."

#4+4???? yup!#monica's works #eren smut #eren jaeger #eren x black!reader #eren yeager #blackfem!reader #black!reader #attack on titan #aot smut #eren jaeger x reader #eren yeager x reader #eren yeager smut #eren yeager imagines #eren aot

1K notes · View notes

drabblesandimagines · 6 months

Text

Promises

Leon Kennedy x female reader Fluffy nonsense, taken some liberties with timeline of RE2R.

“There.” You hop off the desk and turn back round to admire your handiwork, hands on your hips and tilting your head a little at the banner now hanging from the ceiling tiles, surrounded by streamers. “Hey – does that look squint to you?” It had looked level when you were stood up there, but now you’re back on the ground the banner proudly displaying Welcome Leon looked a little off.

“Does it matter?” Edward steps behind you, files in hand after rummaging through the filing cabinet. “He’s not going to take a spirit level to it.”

“No, but…” You sigh, tilting your head in the other direction to see if that made a difference.

“You were off the clock 40 minutes ago, rookie, and I ain’t paying overtime.” Branagh’s voice booms from his office door and you turn, shrugging your shoulders in acknowledgement. He’s got his jacket over his arm, briefcase in hand, looking to be heading home for the evening.

“Of course, Lieutenant. I just wanted to get this up before I left for the day. He still starts the day after tomorrow, right?”

“Mm-hm. I don’t know why Chief Irons is insisting on this morale-boosting bullshit.”

You hold your tongue – calling it bullshit is exactly why the captain is insisting on it, and when Branagh had tasked you to do something to make the new recruit – one Leon S Kennedy – feel welcome upon joining the force, you’d thought the idea was quite sweet. It had been daunting enough for you almost six months earlier, joining a police station where everyone else was a few years your senior and friends for a good while. It had been difficult gaining their respect, proving your worth but, hey, you had it now… more or less.

Branagh sighs – you must’ve been pouting. “It’s not squint, rookie.” He walks over, looking at the banner and streamers with a stoic expression. “As long as you haven’t wasted taxpayers’ money with that and that weird lock puzzle you’ve set up, then I shouldn’t complain.”

“No, sir. I got the locks from storage and the banner and streamers are all on me. And we could re-use it, if you switch some letters around…”

He scoffs, taking in the sign again. “To what?”

“Er…” You look at the letters. “O clown melee.”

Branagh sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Go home.” He turns to your fellow officer, then. “Edward, I expect that report on my desk first thing tomorrow.”

“You got it, Lieutenant.” Branagh nods as he leaves the room. “Why are you so excited about the new guy anyway, rookie?” Edward is at his desk now, flipping through the pile of arrest records.

“Isn’t it obvious, Edward?” You grin, picking up your rucksack from beneath your desk.

“Ah, you want a boyfriend, I get it.”

“Ugh.” You scoff. “No, it means I won’t be the rookie anymore.”

Edward cocks his eyebrow at you before shaking his head. “Nah, I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“Hello?” The voice on the other end of the line is casual, upbeat. It’s nice to hear after the last 24 hours has been anything but. It matches the photo in the file you have, one finger still besides his contact number. Blonde hair, cute face. Too sweet to come here now.

“Leon Kennedy?” You try and steady your voice, sitting at the desk in Branagh’s office. You can see some streamers dangling from the ceiling and you hope the broadcast that’s been playing for the last few hours can’t be picked up on the line.

“Speaking. Who’s this?”

“I’m with the Raccoon Police Department.” There’s blood on your forearm, but you’re not sure if it’s yours. “I know you were meant to start tomorrow, but there’s been a… delay with the paperwork. Our end, not yours. We’ll be in touch with a new date.”

“Oh. That’s…” He sounds disappointed, but if you told him the real reason he wouldn’t believe it. You don’t believe it. “Er, that’s okay. Thanks for letting me know. You’ll definitely been in touch?”

There’s a bang at the window. A man, blood dripping down from his mouth, a gouge out of his own neck snarls at you through the pane of glass.

“We will.”

“All rig-” There’s no dial tone, no beep of disconnection – just silence. They’ve cut the phonelines.

Seven days of hell. This wasn’t covered at the academy – whatever this is. They said it was a radiation leak at first – that was what was making people act so feral. You’d seen the worst of humanity over the days and no-one seemed to be coming to help anymore. The army had been drafted in, at first evacuating bus-loads of civilians out before that was deemed too risky. They then tried to quarantine everyone, everything in but nothing is working – blockades go up, they come down, more and more people die, your colleagues die.

Or do they, really? Scott, Ford and Carlsen were definitely upright, shuffling towards you the third or fourth time you resorted to shooting them in the head.

The police station was designated a shelter, a sanctuary. It’s a sturdy building, that’s for sure – solid walls of a former art museum – but it’s not enough to stop whatever has happened to the people you tried so hard to protect.

You don’t know where Phillips, Edward or Branagh are, or if they are still even them. It’s impossible to know how long you’ve been down in the cells now – power’s out, it’s dark all of the time. The only way you know that time has passed at all is by the hunger pangs in your stomach.

You’re just glad that they’re not for human flesh.

Yet.

You’d found Irons down here. His last orders were for everyone to stay in the station itself, but Branagh had sent you down, reluctantly, in the hopes of finding any sort of supplies that hadn’t already been picked apart. Everyone assumed the chief was dead - hadn’t been seen in days. As you’d headed down to the cells, you’d heard raised voices, arguing. You couldn’t work out what they were saying at first, concentrating too much on the fact that they were real voices, saying real words and not guttural growls.

Chief Irons holding a gun in a man’s face, forcing him into in a cell and slamming the door shut is not what you’re expecting to see.

“Don’t just stand there,” the new prisoner called out to you, “help me! The guy’s a madman. He’s been selling us all out to Umbrella this whole time. He’s responsible for this all!”

Chief Irons turns to you, pupils blown out, looking fed up, gun still held aloft but now in your direction.

“What are you doing down here? You were told to all stay up in the station.”

“Sorry, Chief. We thought… Branagh told me to come down. What’s going on?”

“Er, hello! Did you hear me?” The man is holding the bars of the cell. “He caused this.”

You ignore your gut in the presence of authority, “Is it wise, sir, to leave him in there? He’ll be a sitting duck.”

“He’s not the only one.” And you see his trigger finger flex.

You run then, an attempt at a sprint from the adrenaline, but there’s a hot, searing pain in your thigh. You’re fast, but he’s faster, an arm wrapped around your windpipe, cutting off the oxygen. You stomp on his foot, jerk your head back, anything to try and make him release his grip but the world is swimming before you.

Perhaps this is the most peaceful death you could wish for.

There is a bitter feeling when you wake up, locked in a cell further down the corridor from where you’d been, without your gun, thigh tacky with blood and painful to move. There is a crude bandage wrapped around it, preventing blood loss but it feels more a death sentence than a blessing, surrounded by echoing snarls and rats that need kicking away.

You wake up to repetitive, methodical gunshots. Someone is going cell by cell, peering in and eliminating those inside.

Maybe the army is back, maybe they’re cleaning up the mess.

You’d fallen asleep sat in the corner on the cot, back leaned up against the wall. The rats didn’t seem to climb up here as much at least – you’d feel them before they managed to get a nibble.

The footsteps are getting closer and closer before a flashlight is shone around your cell, investigating every nook and cranny before it lands on your face, causing you to squint. You hold up your hands.

“I’m not one of them.” You plead, your voice raspy from sleep. You desperately want to cough but worry that’ll make too much of a them sound.

“Are you hurt?” The voice sounds fleetingly familiar. You blink in the light before it dips a little and you can see who’s wielding it.

Although his hair is mussed, a little bloody, you recognize the sweet face from the file on Branagh’s desk all those days ago and a certain something clipped on the end of his gun.

“You got your welcome present.” “Huh?”

“You’re Leon, right?” He nods. You get to your feet, cautiously, using the last of your energy to limp across to the bars, curling your fingers around them to steady yourself. You offer your name - as if it would mean anything to him. “I put that in your desk. Did you solve the lock or did you just smash your way through?”

“No, no, I solved ‘em.” He bites his tongue, doesn’t tell you that when he solved them was moments after he had to shoot that certain colleague in the head. “Did you put that all together?”

You smile, “And the banner – if it’s still up.”

“No, it is.” He wraps his hand on top of yours, maybe as desperate for human contact as you’d been. “Thank you – I wish I could’ve seen it on a day as it should’ve been seen.”

“Me too. But… why are you here? I told you to stay away.”

“That was you as well?” His eyes widen – beautiful blue things. If Edward could see you the smitten look on your face now, he’d be intolerable. He’d caught you making eyes over guys being booked in the past, after all.

“I wish you’d listened.”

“You said you’d be in touch.” He teases, before settling into something more serious. “I’m glad I didn’t cos it looks like you’re in quite the predicament. Why are you in there?”

“Long story. Can you get me out? There should be an override switch for all the cells – runs on a generator. Not sure if things have been messing with it.”

“I’ll work something out.” He smiles, squeezing your hand before he lets go. “Just… sit tight. I’ll be back – I promise.”

And, as you stagger back to the cot, head falling back against the wall, you believe him.

Time is fuzzy now, or maybe you’re just weak from hunger, weak from pain. Water from the cell sink has been the only thing that’s kept you going. But now there’s an alarm sounding and mechanical locks clunking and so much groaning.

Your name is being called, shoulders shaken but you can’t focus. You’re heaved up from the cot, arms wrapped around your waist and over someone’s shoulder. A hand squeezes your backside before there’s an apology and it shifts back to your waist. There’s gunshots, hissing, snarling, screaming, swearing all around you but all you can do is hang limply, catching glimpses of limbs and blood smears on the floor before it all goes black again.

“She’s dead weight.” A new voice – female – echoes around your head, though you’re in a different position now – cradled in someone’s arms, face pressed against the weirdly familiar feeling of a bulletproof vest.

“Ada.” A warning tone.

“What? You can’t carry her and shoot.”

“It’s fine.”

“Not where we’re going.”

“Where are we going?” You mumble, forcing your eyes open and up to see that picture perfect smile once more.

“Hey. How you feeling?”

“I’ve felt better.”

“I’m sure. This is Ada – she’s with the FBI.” A woman in sunglasses and a white coat shoots you a disinterested look. “We’re going to Umbrella’s lab. This whole thing’s a virus – we need to stop…” He smiles, noting your bemused expression. “I’ll explain later. You just rest, okay? We’ll find you somewhere safe whilst we deal with this.”

“Safe?” You want to laugh. “Good luck.”

Leon finds something though – an armored military truck the south side of town. No windows, a box of rations still intact.

“Okay, you stay set up in here.” He’s crouched in front of you, Ada hanging back at the door. “I promise I’ll be back for you afterwards.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

He squeezes your hand. “I’m gonna keep it – just you see.” Leon gets to his feet and Ada steps aside as he exits, before peering at you over her shades.

“Here.” She withdraws a gun from within her coat, slides it over the metal flooring of the truck. “Just in case.”

Leon puts on a smile behind her, hand aloft in a wave and Ada slams the door shut.

You don’t need to check the barrel to know there’s only one bullet in there.

More time passes through a combination of consciousness and unconsciousness. Opening up packets of dry, dusty crackers that tasted euphoric on an empty stomach and bottled water, gun still within reach and blissful silence as the thick metal walls obscured all sound from outside.

The door opens, morning light flooding behind, illuminating Leon as an angelic figure – his shoulder now wrapped in a bloodied bandage. A woman sporting a ponytail behind him, a little girl too, but no Ada.

“You came back.” You breathe out as he crouches in front of you, taking your hand.

“I promised, didn’t I? This is Claire and Sherry, and we’re all getting out of here.”

You kiss him, clumsily, head still woozy, but his hand comes up to rest on the back of your head, holding you steady before someone clears their throat behind.

“Ahem, Leon…” Claire jerks her head towards Sherry, the girl staring wide-eyed.

“Sorry.” He’s flustered – adorably so – but he drops his hand from your head and helps you to your feet, keeping you close to his uninjured side. He presses his lips to the side of your temple as Claire and Sherry turn, mumbling into your ear.

“And I promise to come back for your kiss too.”

You wake with a start, sitting up in the bed, trying to catch your breath. You were back in the police station, hands grabbing at you from boarded up windows, guttural wet sounds from things no longer human.

There’s movement besides you, followed by a click, a soft, yellow light illuminating the room as a warm hand rubs your back.

“You with me, sweetheart?” Leon asks, cautiously. He knows how it feels to wake from a nightmare, how disorientating it can be.

You reach for his hand, lacing his fingers between your own, grounding yourself. You're in bed, you're home, you're safe, you're with him. “You came back.”

“Always will.”

Comments, likes and reblogs make my whole day x

Masterlist . Requests welcome . Ko-fi

#ghostdogwrites #leon kennedy x reader #leon kennedy x you #leon kennedy fluff

268 notes · View notes

mostlysignssomeportents · 1 year

Text

1,000,000 stranded Southwest passengers deserved better from Pete Buttigieg

The catastrophic failure of Southwest Air over Christmas 2022 was the worst single-airline aviation failure in American history, stranding over 1,000,000 passengers. But while it was exceptional, it was also foreseeable: 2022 saw Southwest and the other carriers rack up record numbers of cancellations, leaving crews and fliers stranded.

It’s not like the carriers can’t afford to improve things. After pulling in $54 billion in covid relief, the airlines are swimming in cash, showering executives with record bonuses and paying titanic dividends to shareholders. Southwest has announced a $428m dividend.

This isn’t a new problem. Trump’s Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao was a paragon of inaction and neglect, refusing even to meet with consumer advocacy groups. This is bad, because under US law, state attorneys general are not allowed to punish misbehaving airlines — that power vests solely and entirely with the Secretary of Transport.

It’s been two years since Biden appointed Pete Buttigieg to be the human race’s most powerful aviation regulator. Buttigieg started his tenure on a promising note, meeting with the same consumer groups that Chao had snubbed, but after that hopeful beginning, things ground to a halt.

As Corporate Crime Reporter details, William McGee of the American Economic Liberties Project was impressed by the Secretary: “He was intelligent, articulate, he had good questions for us, he was taking notes, he seemed concerned.” But 18 months later, McGee describes Buttigieg’s leadership as “lax.”

https://www.corporatecrimereporter.com/news/200/pete-buttigieg-and-the-southwest-airlines-meltdown/

Buttigieg likes to tout a single enforcement action as his signature achievement: fining six airlines and ordering them to issue refunds to US passengers. But only one of those airlines was a US carrier: Frontier, which only accounts for 2% of all US flights. The US monopoly carriers have gone unscathed.

The US carriers are in sore need of regulatory discipline. In 2020 alone, United racked up 10,000 consumer complaints, twice as many as any other carrier. Under Buttigieg, the DOT investigated these airlines and closed every one of these complaints without taking any against them.

This is part of a wider pattern. In Buttigieg’s 18 month tenure, not a single airline has been ordered to pay any fines as a result of cancellations. In the absence of oversight and accountability, the airlines have made a habit out of scheduling flights they know they don’t have the crew to fly (they used public covid funds to buy out senior crew contracts, retiring much of their workforce).

This gives the airlines the flexibility to offer many flights they know they can’t service, and to allocate crew to whichever runs will generate the most profit, stranding US passengers and holding onto their money for months or years before paying refunds — if they ever do.

Consumer groups weren’t alone in sounding the alarm over the deteriorating conditions in the airline sector. In 2022, dozens of state attorneys general — Democrats and Republicans — sent open letters to Buttigieg begging him to use his broad powers as Secretary of Transport to hold the airlines accountable.

What are those powers? Well, the big one is USC40 Section 41712(a), the “unfair and deceptive” authority modeled on Section 5 of the FTC Act. This authority allows the Secretary to act without further Congressional action, to order airlines to end practices that are “unfair and deceptive,” and to extract massive fines from companies that don’t comply.

As McGee told CCR, “the scheduling and canceling of flights is both unfair and deceptive.” In order to force the airlines to end this practice, Buttigieg would have to initiate an investigation into the practice. The American Economic Liberties Project called on Buttigieg to open an investigation months ago. There has not been such an investigation.

Even on refunds, Buttigieg’s much-touted signature achievement, the Secretary has left Americans in the cold. US law requires airlines to give cash refunds to passengers on cancelled flights. But to this day, passengers are sent unfair and deceptive messages by airlines offering them credit for cancellations, and fliers must fight their way through a bureaucratic quagmire to get cash refunds.

McGee and other advocates met with Buttigieg twelve times sking him to address this. When he finally took action, he ignored the domestic airlines — which racked up 5,700% more complaints in his first year on the job than in the previous year — except for tiny, largely irrelevant Frontier. If you are an American whose journey on an American airline was cancelled, there’s a 98% chance that Buttigieg let them off without a single dollar in fines.

McGee isn’t an armchair quarterback. He is an industry veteran, an FAA-licensed aircraft dispatcher: “I canceled flights. I rescheduled flights. I diverted flights. I delayed flights. I did that every day.”

Apologists for Buttigieg claim that he’s doing all he can: “Pete isn’t in charge of airline IT!” But while USC 40 doesn’t mention computer systems or staffing levels directly, it doesn’t have to: the “unfair and deceptive” standard is deliberately broad, to give regulators the powers they need to protect the American people.

In understanding whether the million fliers that Southwest stranded on the way to their Christmas vacations could have expected more from their DOT, it’s worth looking at how other regulators have used similar authority to protect the American people.

Exhibit A here has to be FTC Chair Lina Khan, whose powers under FTCA5 are nearly identical to Buttigieg’s power under 41712(a) (the DOT language was copied nearly verbatim from the FTCA). Two years ago, Khan began an in-depth investigation into the use of nonompete agreements in the US labor market.

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/events/2020/01/non-competes-workplace-examining-antitrust-consumer-protection-issues

This investigation created an extensive evidentiary record on the ways that workers are harmed by these agreements, and collected empirical observations about whether industries really needed noncompetes to thrive (for example, noncompetes are banned in California, home to the most profitable, most knowledge-intensive businesses in the world, undermining claims that these businesses need noncompetes to survive).

Then, right as Southwest was stranding a million Americans, Khan unveiled a rulemaking to ban noncompetes for every American worker, using her Section 5 powers. Khan’s rule is retroactive, undoing every existing noncompete as well as banning them into the future.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/10/the-courage-to-govern/#whos-in-charge

This is what a fully operational battle-station looks like! Khan and Buttigieg are among the most powerful people who have ever lived, with more and farther-reaching regulatory authority, more power to alter the lives of millions of people, than almost anyone who every drew breath.

And yet, when Secretary Buttigieg jawbones about the airlines, it’s all pleading, not threats. As McGee says, “If you have a Secretary of Transportation who does not punish the airlines when they act terribly, then we should not be surprised when they continue to behave terribly.”

State AGs from both parties are desperate for Buttigieg to back legislation that would return their right to punish airlines. So far, he has not voiced his support for this regulation. When the Secretary of Transport won’t act, and when he won’t support the right of other officials to act, the American traveler is truly stranded.

Image: Tomás Del Coro (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/tomasdelcoro/24575277589

Japanexperterna.se (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/japanexperterna/15251188384/

CC BY-SA 2.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

—

Tarcil (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_Brea_Tar_Pits_Elephant_Statues_1990_right.jpg

CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

[Image ID: The La Brea tar-pits. A Southwest jet is nose-down in the tar, next to a stranded mastodon. In the foreground are the three wise monkeys, their faces replaced with that of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.]

#pluralistic #inaction #regulation #swa #southwest air #corporate crime reporter #pete buttigieg #Section 41712(a)

715 notes · View notes

hotluncheddie · 1 year

Text

for @thefreakandthehair spring fanworks challenge! i chose the dialogue prompt “Listen, I’m a fern, okay? I need sunlight.” thanks so much lex for doing this again! so fun!!

(high school steddie, post s2 pre s3, 1.6k)

(now on Ao3 !)

🌱

Eddies Munson is the Marmite of middle ages female teachers. They either take his theatrics and short attention span in stride, seeing that yes he is trying he just needs things done a little differently. That he does genuinely think he’s funny when he spouts his little lines, the joke being aimed at the room and not at the teachers expense. That yes he is trying actually and does want to graduate, a lil’ help maybe?

They either see that for what it is. Or, they hate his fucking guts.

The theater teacher, much to his continued chagrin, seems to be in the latter. Which is abysmal, awful. Genuinely soul crushing for one Eddie munson.

Why? Because he needs to pass theater, with extra credit (for being ‘an integral and helpful part of the spring show’) in order to potentially scrape through and pass the year. Having to take senior year again you’d think some teachers would cut you a little slack, even to just see the back of you. But no, not in Eddie's experience. They fuck you over same as always.

That's how he’s sitting out back on the theater building steps, dying for the cigarettes in his van. But he doesn’t wanna go over there. Can’t go over there, because he's dressed like a glorified shrub.

‘Oof, what are you supposed to be?’

Oh how wonderful, beautiful, a truly glorious turn of events. Steve Harrinton is here. Eddie rests his face in his hands for a moment and resists the urge to scream. Steve Harrington in his stupid blue jeans and his new stupid glasses that he sometimes wears, which shouldn’t look as good as they do. Shouldn’t fit his stupid pretty face but they do. They do and Eddie wants to cry.

Squinting up at Steve, who's haloed by sun rays because his giant, massive head is directly over the spring sunshine, Eddie sighs.

‘I was supposed to be Puc, but noooo I'm the dry ass narrator with no creative freedom.’ He flings his arms up and glares down at the toes of his sneakers. Away from Harrington's big, stupid face.

Because that's the real kicker. He likes theater, wants to be in the play, but whenever he tries to act the teacher just seems to think he's goofing off. And sure, maybe he took some creative liberties with the audition script. Maybe they’ve been in a sort of stalemate with the tone of voice the narrator should deliver certain lines in. But that's art, man! Interpretation! But the iron fisted Ms Farrel is having none of it. So Eddie has to take regular breaks to seeth.

‘Puc? like hockey puck?’ Steve interrupts Eddie’s internal monologue, sounds actually confused. Oh to be pretty.

‘Listen, I’m a fern, okay? I need sunlight. so move outta the way would you. you're harshing my mellow.’

‘Geez sorry dude.’ Steve moves so he's next to Eddie, leaning up against the building wall. He messes with something in his jacket, moving it to the back of his jeans, then slips a pack and lighter out and lights up, talking out the corner of his mouth. ‘You want one? apology for the mellow? condolences for the outfit?’

Eddie rolls his eyes, fights down his smile. That was actually funny, maybe there were genuine reasons this guy was popular. Ones beyond generational wealth.

‘Apology accepted Harrington.’ Eddie hums, plucks a smoke from Steve’s carton. Tries to steady his heart rate at Steve lighting if for him, leaning in and cupping his hand to protect the flame from the breeze and everything.

Eddie inhales deep, closing his eyes to savor the taste. Feels a bit calmer now, less like screaming. ‘What are you doing here anyway? it’s Friday at 4, you not got fair maidens swooning for a romp with king Steve?’ Eddie peeks back over at him, sees Steve looking Eddies hand holding the smoke poised by his lips.

‘Huh?’ Steve’s eyes snap up to meet Eddie’s eyes, ears tinting pink. Weird.

‘You looking to score huh? Well, not right now, I’m wallowing.’ Eddie rubs at his eyes, glowers at the rustling of his costume.

‘Oh nah, no, I needed some uh, extra credit. Had to talk to Ms. O’Donald.’ Steve pulls some rolled up papers out of his other back pocket and wiggles them.

‘Ah a man after my own heart, I see.. Or are you just doing it to get into some Ivy League?’ Eddie cocks his head, sneers at the rich boy.

Steve just laughs, no anger. Scratches the back of his neck. ‘God no, I think I uh, missed the application deadline actually. Had, um, some health issues, so.’ He fiddles with his wire frames, looks embarrassed, maybe a little sad.

Eddie eyes him, The Fallen King. Steve Harrington. Eddie never really had that much of an issue with him. Always paid for his weed upfront and seemed to interact with Eddie with an air of vague boredom rather than, like, wishing Eddie was dead in a ditch. Plus there were those couple parties where Steve was wasted and spent some of the night just hanging around Eddie while he dealt. He was kind of a goofy drunk, kept asking Eddie what shampoo he used, refusing to take ‘whatever's cheapest’ for an answer. So, seeing him looking even slightly like a kicked puppy has Eddie’s “look out for people who know how cruel the world can be” radar going off. He doesn’t know the story but some shit went down with Harrington, you can't cover bruises like that.

‘Well, don’t sweat it too much. Doubt anyones gonna start calling you four eyes. You’re still the cream of Hawkins crop dude, Ivy league or not.’ Eddie heaves himself up to stand, crushing the but of his cigarette out under his shoe.

‘Plus, your extra credit looks like that.’ Eddie points at Steve's fist of papers. ‘While mine looks like this.’ Eddie holds his arms out, giving Steve a twirl and ending with a bow. ‘So cheer up buttercup.’

Steve dips his head and chuckles, looks up at Eddie through his lashes, grinning. It’s all sunshine and long days, sun warm skin and freckles.

Eddie swallows and looks away. Bounces his shoulders against the brick.

Steve clears his throat, mirrors Eddie’s positions against the wall. ‘Look, there is actually something I want to talk to you about. You run the D&D club right?’

Eddie hardens a little, see Harrington’s pretty chill, especially for the past year. But Hellfire is his baby. Eddie’s baby, full of Eddie’s people.

‘I do.’

‘Right, so there's these kids I babysit and uh, they really like that game. They start highschool in the fall and I just wondered if you’d tell the other members to maybe keep an eye on them? Let them join and like, you know.’ Steve gestures vaguely to the school around them.

Eddie can't help it, he moves so he’s back standing, facing Steve. Steve Harrington who just asked him to look out for kids, who he babysits for. Wearing glasses and looking like honey. While Eddie is covered in paper leaves and wearing what could honestly be argued as tights. What the fuck?

‘Babysitter huh?’ Eddie smirks but sees the way Steve squares his shoulders and turns to face him, daring him to keep going. Eddie’s smirk softens to a smile. ‘I’ll let the guys know Harrington. Or, uh, recruit them myself if, you know, the extra credit doesn’t work out.’ And Steve smiles, understanding but there's no pity on his face.

‘Thanks Eddie, appreciate it.’ Steve tugs on one of his leaves which makes Eddie blush because he's stupid and the straight boy in front of him is being nice. His name in Steve's mouth getting tucked away for a rainy day.

‘Anytime.’ Eddie says quietly, finally noticing how close they’ve gotten.

‘I’ll have to come see the play. Make sure to voice how “that narrator really puts on a show, truly spectacular”.’ Steve crosses his arms and brings a hand up to his chin, as if he's some snotty theater critic. Eddie snorts. ‘Butter up Ms Farrel for you.’ and Steve winks. Eddie's breath catching in his throat.

‘I’d like that.’ Eddie rasps. Lame. Why is he so LAME.

‘It’s settled then. See you front row.’ Steve smiles, boyish and charming. Eddie swears Steve's eyes flick down to his lips. But he's also willingly dressed as a tree so his judgment can't be trusted right now.

‘Munson!!’ A voice calls from inside making Steve and Eddie jump, moving so they’re no longer standing almost toe to toe. Breaks over it seems. Eddie is definitely not looking forward to going back in there but, needs must.

‘Well, uhm, duty calls.’ Eddie steps back. Giving Steve a little two finger salute, turning to go back up the steps.

‘Break a leg’ Steve watches him go, a little amused glint to his smile. Eddie only trips over his feet a little ascending the stairs.

Steve starts to walk backwards, towards the parking lot. He raises his voice slightly and Eddie stops in his tracks to listen. ‘Nice seeing you in a different outfit. You look a lot less scary.’ and that amused glint flashes in his eye, like he knows Eddie’s never really been scary at all. ‘I’ve been trying out a new look myself, sort of inspired by you.’ Steve winks again, turning on his heel and Eddie gets a full view of the light blue hanky shoved in Steve's right back pocket.

Eddie coughs, splutters, feels his brain fizzle and the blood in his body moves treacherously to one place. Sees Steve throw his head back and laugh as he walks away, must have heard Eddie choke on his own tongue.

He needs a moment, slumping back down on the steps. Steve Harrington who babysits. Steve Harrington who's gonna come see his play. Steve harrington who might not be so straight after all.

Maybe spring is his season.

#lets everyone have a moment of silence for my guy eddie here #steddie #lexsspringfanworkschallenge #my fic #hotlunch #highschool steddie #steve x eddie #bisexual steve harrington #*sponegebob voice* one year later eddie decides maybe spring isn’t his season #steddie drabble

418 notes · View notes

misschanadlerbong · 11 months

Text

Chapter 12 - Let's Kick Some Ass

Summary: Charlie struggles to propose a promposal to Alex, while Y/N struggles to prove her worth yet again in the team.

Warnings: Mentions of sexual assault.

Genre: Fluff, Clay x Reader

Word Count: 1.6k

< Previous | Next >

Your last couple of weeks were pretty hard but finally, you gathered up all the courage to tell people what Bryce had done with you. You told your parents the night Clay came to visit you and gratefully your parents were incredibly supportive. They did not overreact at all and acted rationally with the situation. Though it was hard to control the testosterone energy of the group.

Everyone was filled with rage, but you never wanted to fight with violence, you complained about Bryce to the Principal, and he was given suspension and a probation order from the police. Days passed eventually and every day felt a little better and with Clay, by your side, you had a sense of relief.

You were back to practice and now all you focused on was the finals of the Basketball Tournament which was being hosted by your school this was the first time your school qualified for finals and providing the fact that this was the last game you will play with the team made it more important.

You reached school, today was important because it was the game night and you agreed to help Charlie with his plan of asking out Alex for the prom. Charlie had an overly sweet and romantic plan, he decorated the main hallway and Jessica, and you were supposed to hold a huge banner written “PROM?” on it, Charlie stood beside the banner with Alex’s favorite flowers in his hands.

Alex entered the hallway and gave an opposite reaction to what you guys were expecting, all you got from him was a sigh of disappointment. Alex was never a fan of cheesy romance but Charlie on the other hand was the king of cheesy romance.

“Oh, Alex! Enough with your tantrums, just say ‘yes’ already. If you don’t go, I will go with him” you say to Alex.

Alex chuckles and walks up to Charlie and says “If I will not go with you then with whom will I go, Charlie? You did not have to do all this. It is obvious that if I go, you will be my date.”

Charlie was still not satisfied and said “You did not answer my question. So, Alexander Dean Standall, will you be my date to the senior prom?”

“You’re lucky you’re adorable otherwise I would have dumped you a long time back, and Yes Charles Hayden Brixton St. George it would be an honor to be your date.” Charlie started deep into Alex’s eyes and gave him a sweet passionate kiss.

The school air was filled with promposals, and every room and every corridor was full of red roses and confetti.

“It sucks to see all these people happy when your boyfriend has not even asked you about prom yet,” said Jessica.

“He hasn’t yet? But aren’t you guys dating for like a couple of years now? Isn’t it obvious?” you asked.

“But still you know.”

You could hear the frustration in her voice. Making Jessica mad is one of the many things that you should never do in your life. To calm her down you said, “If Justin doesn’t ask then I’ll go with you because Nerd hasn’t asked me yet too.”

“Yes, screw the boys, they are of no use”.

After your fourth period, you were supposed to go to the gym and get ready for the game tonight. Before going you met Clay to see him for the last time before the evening.

“Sup Nerd?”

“Hey, you look pretty happy. Excited about the game?”

“Yeah, more like nervous but yeah excited too. Anyways I’ll go for the practice so see you at the game?”

“My fifth is free so I can hang around longer.”

“Good, you can help me stretch” you winked at him.

“Nah, you can do it. If a coach sees me then he will make me exercise too.”

“Okay then, I’ll just ask Zach to help.” You say teasing him and starting to walk away.

“No Y/N wait, I’ll be there. I will just keep my stuff in the locker, okay?”

You smile at his innocence and proceed toward the gym. When you enter the gym, you see Justin standing beside one of the machines. You walk up to him and say, “Hey Justy, we have a problem.”

“What? What is it Y/N?”

“You have not asked your girlfriend yet to be your date to the senior prom.”

“Holy shit, just tell the coach I’ll be right back” While saying this Justin ran out of the gym as fast as he could panicking. That was the effect Jessica had on him. As the gym was almost empty you hear your coach and principal having a conversation in the coach’s office. You go there and knock on the door.

“Y/N, good you are here. We want your opinion on something.” Said the Coach.

“Yes sir, what is it?”

“Umm, Principal thinks that we should not let play Bryce today’s game. I know it is not easy for you to play with him, but still, what do you think?”

You turn to the principal and say “Uh sir, Coach is right. Whatever he did to me shall not come in between the game we are going to play. We cannot let it ignore the fact that he is one of the best players we have on the team that can guarantee a win. I think we should let him play, otherwise sir, it is your call.”

Principal Bolan was convinced by your point, and it was true that above everything it was more important to win the trophy for the school.

The decisive moment arrived. All the Liberty Tigers gathered in the locker room and Justin gave a pre-match motivating speech as his duty as the captain. Everyone was filled with a desire to win the goddamn match and show the opposite team who the Liberty Tigers are. The cheerleading squad did their segment before the game began.

After that, both the teams entered the basketball court to start the battle. You found it hard to admit but the other team was playing too well which made the chance of the Liberty Tigers winning less.

As you looked at the crowd who came to watch the game, you caught Clay’s eyes which were gleaming at you. He raised both his thumbs to cheer you up and you turned your focus back to the game after a five-minute break.

While Clay was attentively watching the game Tyler approached him with the camera. He was taking pictures for the yearbook and went up to Clay to say ‘hi.’

“Clay! Hi! Since when you started liking sports?”

“Oh, hey Tyler. Uh I am here for Y/N”.

“Yeah, I get it. She is pretty hot, isn’t she? And when she plays”

“Um, bro she is my girlfriend.”

There was an awkward silence between the two, but Tyler had to make it worse and asked with disbelief “Really?” Clay simply nodded to Tyler’s question and Tyler shrugged and went to a different location to take pictures.

It was halftime and the score was 20-15 and your team was losing. Everybody went inside the locker room to cool themselves down and discuss the strategy for the other half of the game. Justin was going to give another speech, but you cut him off by saying “Justin, can I take this?” Justin nodded in trust, and he let you speak.

“Guys, many of you think I do not belong on this team. But today the game is not about me or you or the school. It is about the fact that this is our last game together before we graduate. Now, will it not be better if we win that goddamn trophy in our last game rather than losing to some private school that think they are better than everyone. So, let us play. Let us play for that sportsmen spirit inside us which will not take losing as an option.” You stretched out your hand and made eye contact with Zach “So...”

Zach cut you off, said, “Whatever it takes?” and put his hand on your hand.

“No, let’s kick some ass”.

Everyone held hands and unity and said in unison, “Let’s kick some ass.”

Everyone went back to the court filled with new energy and you did kick all the asses. Your team won by 35-28. In excitement, the whole team lifted you on their shoulders as you were the lightest and made a round of the whole court. Principal Bolan announced the winner and handed over the trophy to the team. After giving his speech of gratitude you asked him for the mic.

The audience was still cheering as you said “Thank you all for your support, now I wanted to say something. This guy in this crowd is supposed to be my boyfriend and hasn’t asked me to the prom yet. So, I thought why not make this big gesture and ask him myself.” The crowd started cheering with anticipation. Hearing this Clay was both embarrassed and confused. You continued “So Nerd, would you like to be my date to the prom?”

Clay climbed down from the audience stand and started walking towards you. You gave the mic to Justin and ran towards him. You looked at him with hope in your eyes. He held your hands and said, “Yes Y/N I’ll go with you to the prom.” He kissed your forehead, and you hugged him with excitement. While you hugged him you realized that he was not hugging you back. You said, “Clay, you should hug me back otherwise it will be very awkward.”

Clay struggled to speak “Yeah, I will if you leave my hands free.” You let go of him you both laughed at your stupidity. Clay hugged you firmly and the entire crowd started cheering for your courage.

Shower your love by liking and commenting on the post. Refrain from copying, plagiarism, or posting on any other platform.

THANK YOU!!!

P.S.: I also upload on Wattpad @immafreakingmoonstone, feel free to check out my account :)

45 notes · View notes

formosusiniquis · 7 months

Text

today is a new day to find you

Eddie is having the worst day known to man. It might qualify as a catastrophic event. Missing homework, lunch spilled on the cafeteria floor, broken strings at band practice, and that's not even touching Steve Harrington.

Steve Harrington who keeps talking to him like they're friends. Steve Harrington who has become a new person overnight. Steve Harrington who keeps making hypotheticals about time loops. Steve Harrington who is somehow the best and worst part of his day.

AKA my @steddiebang fic!!

Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson; Tommy Hagan & Steve Harrington & Carol Perkins; Past Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler; Corroded Coffin & Eddie Munson WC: 57K | Rated M | Tags/Themes: Time Loop, Sort of No Upside Down AU, Angst w/Happy Ending, King Steve Growth Arc

Check out my fantastic artists who brought this fic to life, I've been so blessed to have them pick out my fic to make art for! You can find @sammichtastic on twitter at sammichesnstuff and her piece here! You can find @milkychai on twitter too at at milkychai and their piece here!

And a special thank you to my Beta @rainingingeorgia who really helped whip what you're seeing into shape!

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five (FINISHED)

It was, in a word, fucked that he had to take gym a second time along with the rest of senior year. It was, in several words, absolutely fucking bullshit because he had actually passed gym the first time. Surely, his senior gym credit should still count, even if he’d treated it like office hours to set up deals with meatheads in a venue that didn’t actively put him in harm's way. Well, mostly out of harm’s way, as the blood spotting his uniform shirt can attest.

Hell, there were some days his last block gym class was the only one he’d attend. Slipping in with the bell at 2:15 in time to be the last one in the locker room and out on the line for attendance. Now he’s being forced back through it for what? No seriously, for what? Surely there was some other elective that could fit in this block, shouldn’t the second year senior get first dibs at study hall or something.

Maybe if he complains enough about the loss of his civil liberties. His freedom of expression is being taken from him by forcing him into this shit uniform. Maybe if he’s a big enough headache they’ll just let him leave. He’s learned the rules to enough of these little sports, there had to be a test he could take to prove that he doesn’t need to be a walking target on a volleyball court.

Not that he thinks Jenny Marshall meant to peg him in the face and give him a bloody nose, but the sentiment stands. Between the shorts and the blood he looks like a sad shaky shelter dog or something.

There are, of course, some fringe benefits. Eddie may have to wear the signature Tiger green, but so does Steve Harrington, who definitely has the legs for the outrageously short gym uniform they’re forced to dress out in. And if he’s going to keep looking for that silver fucking lining like he promised Uncle Wayne he would; thanks to Jenny Marshall he gets to ride the bleachers and watch pretty, pretty Steve Harrington bounce around in those shorts for the rest of class. Maybe a more bronzed lining than silver, Harrington hangs onto the sun warmed summer glow even with the October chill creeping in. Freckled thighs with nary a tan line in sight Eddie lets himself wonder if the rumors that had circled the big 18th birthday bash are true: when Harrington’s not in the swim team speedo he doesn’t swim in anything at all.

The volleyball net that Steve is playing at, floppy and torn, is more of a suggestion than a barrier. Now that Eddie is benched, it’s Harrington’s five against Hargrove’s four. The tides haven’t changed in anyone’s favor.

Billy had placed himself across from Harrington at the start of the game, his patience rewarded now as they rotate positions and the King is once again opposite him in the front row. That not-barrier doing all it can to keep the two a foot apart, Hargrove pacing in the eighteen inches of space his position in front of Steve allows. Jenny and her nose killer serve send the ball over to Hargrove’s side of the net. They get it up in the air again and Hargrove smacks the ball down hard between Steve and Sarah Smith.

It hits the floor with a thwack that makes Eddie wince. Almost drowning out Billy’s mean little laugh, but there’s no missing the smug look on his face. The far too proud of himself smirk he sends somewhere to the left of Steve.

It’s for Steve though. Definitely for Steve.

The usurper to the throne, Hargrove has been sniffing for weakness that Eddie was pretty sure wasn’t there. The closest Harrington has ever come to failure was last year’s attempts at Nancy Wheeler, one he seemed to give up as soon as it started.

Tommy H. would be the reason, if Eddie had any guesses. He tried to base an NPC group around the Harrington court once. Tommy a loyal knight to a mostly inept king. Tommy who sidles up close to Sarah, despite his own maiden the Lady Carol playing one net over, smirking the same smug smile as Hargrove -- maybe another weak spot in the Harrington reign -- he says something loud enough to embarrass Sarah if the way she flushes and scurries closer to Harrington’s side is any indication but not enough for Eddie to make out.

He never did get the character balances to work in the game. He scripted and broke down motivation and drive but every time he just couldn’t figure out what Hagan did for Steve. Couldn’t figure out why Harrington kept his so-called friends around.

Gym takes too damn long to end. Or maybe it ends too soon. The final bell that releases him from his prison like Cthulu from the deep is buried quickly under the ringing in his ears as Steve Harrington is calling his name. Resignation fills his spirit, but when the King beckons you wait.

#my fic #steddie #steddie fic #steddie big bang #steddiebang23 #time loop #this will be the fic masterpost so get ready to see it so much #screaming forever #so excited you all are going to see this thing ive been working on for the last forever #and even more excited for you to see the dope art!!!

151 notes · View notes

dontmeantobepoliticalbut · 9 months

Text

Young women are more likely to identify as liberal now than at any time in the past two decades, a trend that puts them squarely at odds with young men.

44% of young women counted themselves liberal in 2021, compared to 25% of young men, according to Gallup Poll data analyzed by the Survey Center on American Life. The gender gap is the largest recorded in 24 years of polling. The finding culminates years of rising liberalism among women ages 18 to 29, without any increase among their male peers.

Several societal forces have conspired to push young women to the left in recent years, including the #MeToo movement, former President Trump, rising LGBTQ identification and, most recently, abortion policy. Slower-cooking trends in marital status and educational attainment have also nudged the needle.

“I think there is a big generational shift that happened with Generation Z women who were really coming of age in the last five years,” said Kelsy Kretschmer, a sociologist at Oregon State University who studies gender politics.

The rift between young men and women may widen further. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a precedent that had protected abortion as a constitutional right for nearly half a century. The ruling has energized young women. New survey data, released this week, shows that 61% of young women consider abortion a critical issue, compared with 36% of all Americans.

“I would always choose a candidate that’s pro-abortion,” said Rose Merjos, 21, a government major at Wesleyan University in Connecticut who is an avowed liberal. “Almost everyone either knows someone who has had an abortion or has had one themselves. This is something everyone can relate to.”

The share of men who identify as liberal has held fairly steady for almost 25 years, according to annual Gallup surveys. Roughly one-quarter of men ages 18 to 29 term themselves liberal, year after year.

Meanwhile, among young women, liberalism has exploded. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, fewer than 30% of women identified as liberal. The liberal camp grew through the second term of former President George W. Bush. It expanded further during the tenure of former President Obama. It reached 39% in 2017 with the inauguration of Trump. In the last two years, liberalism surged anew.

“Young women today are much more liberal than young men,” Daniel Cox wrote in a June newsletter of the Survey Center on American Life, a project of the American Enterprise Institute. His work documents “a growing political rift” between young women and men.

Merjos attends a university long associated with both liberalism and activism. These days, though, she senses more of both among the women.

“In all of my government classes, there are probably two men out of 18 people,” she said. “ACLU [American Civil Liberties Union], that’s mostly women. I’m wondering if women are maybe just more inclined to be involved in the community, engaged in the community. And that liberalizes them.”

Ezra Meyer, 22, is a senior at the George Washington (GW) University who leads the College Republicans. He is a conservative on a campus that is overwhelmingly liberal and largely female. In conversations with classmates about politics, he treads lightly.

“My metric for deciding if I’m going to be friends with someone really does not come down to what their politics are,” he said. “It comes down to how tolerant they are.”

Meyer doesn’t know whether the men at GW skew more liberal or conservative than the women. But he has noticed a distinct trend among campus conservatives this fall.

“We’ve been doing a lot of recruiting of freshmen on campus,” he said. “And I would say, overwhelmingly, it has been male. The conservative females that do get involved, there’s fewer of them, but they tend to be way more passionate and way more involved.”

Several factors have liberalized the nation’s 20-something women. The most recent, and perhaps the most powerful, is #MeToo, an uprising against sexual assault, abuse and harassment that caught fire in 2017, empowering millions of women to come forward and seek justice.

The inauguration of Trump in the same year pushed more young women into the liberal column. The 45th president battled his own #MeToo allegations and proved uniquely unpopular among young, female voters. Polling in 2016 showed that only 25% of women ages 18 to 34 favored Trump, compared with 40% of same-aged men.

The rise of liberalism among young women has also marched apace with a dramatic increase in young people identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. In a recent survey, 56% of young women reported exclusive attraction to men, while three-quarters of young men said they were solely attracted to women. Prior research suggests LGBTQ Americans of all ages trend toward liberalism.

Several longer-term trends have fed the liberalization of young women as well. One is marriage. The share of women ages 18-29 who are married has fallen by half in twenty years, from 31% in 2000 to 15% in 2021, according to the National Opinion Research Center.

The growing ranks of single, 20-something women feel a sense of “linked fate,” researchers say. They gravitate toward female friends in political views, whereas married women more often mirror the politics of their spouses.

“The correlation between women’s sense of linked fate and liberal political preferences suggests that the Democratic Party will benefit” from declining marriage rates among young women, Kretschmer and two co-authors wrote in a 2017 paper for the journal Political Research Quarterly. They noted that “women make up the majority of the population and vote at high rates.”

Women also outpace men in educational attainment, a trend that dates to the 1980s. The ratio of women to men in college enrollment now stands at roughly 60 to 40, and it continues to grow. Americans who complete college are more liberal than those who do not.

“Putting off marriage, going to college, entering the workforce, women are doing that at much higher rates than they used to,” said Marc Hetherington, a professor of political science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “And all of those things are going to make conservatism and the Republicans significantly less attractive to women.”

In 1998, the first year of data collected by Gallup in its Social Series surveys, 28% of young men and 29% of young women identified as liberal. The gender gap in liberalism grew steadily wider in the 2000s, wider still in the 2010s. The 2021 poll yielded a 19-point spread between young men and young women, the largest on record.

“I do have some male friends that are moderate,” said Luci Paczkowski, 20, a California liberal. “And it annoys the hell out of me.”

What bothers Paczkowski about her nonliberal friends is not their centrism but her suspicion that they “do not have any clue why they are moderate. They just do not want to pick a side and, therefore, they are apathetic.”

#us politics #news #the hill #2022 #liberals #liberalism #Democrats #polls #polling #Survey Center on American Life #Gallup Poll #conservatives #conservatism #republicans #graphs #data #National Opinion Research Center

363 notes · View notes

liberalsarecool · 1 year

Text

25 years of 'thoughts and prayers'.

Thurston High School

Columbine High School

Heritage High School

Deming Middle School

Fort Gibson Middle School

Buell Elementary School

Lake Worth Middle School

University of Arkansas

Junipero Serra High School

Santana High School

Bishop Neumann High School

Pacific Lutheran University

Granite Hills High School

Lew Wallace High School

Martin Luther King, Jr High School

Appalachian School of Law

Washington High School

Conception Abbey

Benjamin Tasker Middle School

University of Arizona

Lincoln High School

John McDonogh High School

Red Lion Area Junior High School

Case Western Reserve University

Rocori High School

Ballou High School

Randallstown High School

Bowen High School

Red Lake Senior High School

Harlan Community Academy High School

Campbell County High School

Milwee Middle School

Roseburg High School

Pine Middle School

Essex Elementary School

Duquesne University

Platte Canyon High School

Weston High School

West Nickel Mines School

Joplin Memorial Middle School

Henry Foss High School

Compton Centennial High School

Virginia Tech

Success Tech Academy

Miami Carol City Senior High School

Hamilton High School

Louisiana Technical College

Mitchell High School

EO Green Junior High School

Northern Illinois University

Lakota Middle School

Knoxville Central High School

Willoughby South High School

Henry Ford High School

University of Central Arkansas

Dillard High School

Dunbar High School

Hampton University

Harvard College

Larose-Cut Off Middle School

International Studies Academy

Skyline College

Discovery Middle School

University of Alabama

DeKalb School

Deer Creek Middle School

Ohio State University

Mumford High School

University of Texas

Kelly Elementary School

Marinette High School

Aurora Central High School

Millard South High School

Martinsville West Middle School

Worthing High School

Millard South High School

Highlands Intermediate School

Cape Fear High School

Chardon High School

Episcopal School of Jacksonville

Oikos University

Hamilton High School

Perry Hall School

Normal Community High School

University of South Alabama

Banner Academy South

University of Southern California

Sandy Hook Elementary School

Apostolic Revival Center Christian School

Taft Union High School

Osborn High School

Stevens Institute of Business and Arts

Hazard Community and Technical College

Chicago State University

Lone Star College-North

Cesar Chavez High School

Price Middle School

University of Central Florida

New River Community College

Grambling State University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Ossie Ware Mitchell Middle School

Ronald E McNair Discovery Academy

North Panola High School

Carver High School

Agape Christian Academy

Sparks Middle School

North Carolina A&T State University

Stephenson High School

Brashear High School

West Orange High School

Arapahoe High School

Edison High School

Liberty Technology Magnet High School

Hillhouse High School

Berrendo Middle School

Purdue University

South Carolina State University

Los Angeles Valley College

Charles F Brush High School

University of Southern California

Georgia Regents University

Academy of Knowledge Preschool

Benjamin Banneker High School

D H Conley High School

East English Village Preparatory Academy

Paine College

Georgia Gwinnett College

John F Kennedy High School

Seattle Pacific University

Reynolds High School

Indiana State University

Albemarle High School

Fern Creek Traditional High School

Langston Hughes High School

Marysville Pilchuck High School

Florida State University

Miami Carol City High School

Rogers State University

Rosemary Anderson High School

Wisconsin Lutheran High School

Frederick High School

Tenaya Middle School

Bethune-Cookman University

Pershing Elementary School

Wayne Community College

JB Martin Middle School

Southwestern Classical Academy

Savannah State University

Harrisburg High School

Umpqua Community College

Northern Arizona University

Texas Southern University

Tennessee State University

Winston-Salem State University

Mojave High School

Lawrence Central High School

Franklin High School

Muskegon Heights High School

Independence High School

Madison High School

Antigo High School

University of California-Los Angeles

Jeremiah Burke High School

Alpine High School

Townville Elementary School

Vigor High School

Linden McKinley STEM Academy

June Jordan High School for Equity

Union Middle School

Mueller Park Junior High School

West Liberty-Salem High School

University of Washington

King City High School

North Park Elementary School

North Lake College

Freeman High School

Mattoon High School

Rancho Tehama Elementary School

Aztec High School

Wake Forest University

Italy High School

NET Charter High School

Marshall County High School

Sal Castro Middle School

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

Great Mills High School

Central Michigan University

Huffman High School

Frederick Douglass High School

Forest High School

Highland High School

Dixon High School

Santa Fe High School

Noblesville West Middle School

University of North Carolina Charlotte

STEM School Highlands Ranch

Edgewood High School

Palm Beach Central High School

Providence Career & Technical Academy

Fairley High School (school bus)

Canyon Springs High School

Dennis Intermediate School

Florida International University

Central Elementary School

Cascade Middle School

Davidson High School

Prairie View A & M University

Altascocita High School

Central Academy of Excellence

Cleveland High School

Robert E Lee High School

Cheyenne South High School

Grambling State University

Blountsville Elementary School

Holmes County, Mississippi (school bus)

Prescott High School

College of the Mainland

Wynbrooke Elementary School

UNC Charlotte

Riverview Florida (school bus)

Second Chance High School

Carman-Ainsworth High School

Williwaw Elementary School

Monroe Clark Middle School

Central Catholic High School

Jeanette High School

Eastern Hills High School

DeAnza High School

Ridgway High School

Reginald F Lewis High School

Saugus High School

Pleasantville High School

Waukesha South High School

Oshkosh High School

Catholic Academy of New Haven

Bellaire High School

North Crowley High School

McAuliffe Elementary School

South Oak Cliff High School

Texas A&M University-Commerce

Sonora High School

Western Illinois University

Oxford High School

Robb Elementary SchoolThurston High School

Columbine High School

Heritage High School

Deming Middle School

Fort Gibson Middle School

Buell Elementary School

Lake Worth Middle School

University of Arkansas

Junipero Serra High School

Santana High School

Bishop Neumann High School

Pacific Lutheran University

Granite Hills High School

Lew Wallace High School

Martin Luther King, Jr High School

Appalachian School of Law

Washington High School

Conception Abbey

Benjamin Tasker Middle School

University of Arizona

Lincoln High School

John McDonogh High School

Red Lion Area Junior High School

Case Western Reserve University

Rocori High School

Ballou High School

Randallstown High School

Bowen High School

Red Lake Senior High School

Harlan Community Academy High School

Campbell County High School

Milwee Middle School

Roseburg High School

Pine Middle School

Essex Elementary School

Duquesne University

Platte Canyon High School

Weston High School

West Nickel Mines School

Joplin Memorial Middle School

Henry Foss High School

Compton Centennial High School

Virginia Tech

Success Tech Academy

Miami Carol City Senior High School

Hamilton High School

Louisiana Technical College

Mitchell High School

EO Green Junior High School

Northern Illinois University

Lakota Middle School

Knoxville Central High School

Willoughby South High School

Henry Ford High School

University of Central Arkansas

Dillard High School

Dunbar High School

Hampton University

Harvard College

Larose-Cut Off Middle School

International Studies Academy

Skyline College

Discovery Middle School

University of Alabama

DeKalb School

Deer Creek Middle School

Ohio State University

Mumford High School

University of Texas

Kelly Elementary School

Marinette High School

Aurora Central High School

Millard South High School

Martinsville West Middle School

Worthing High School

Millard South High School

Highlands Intermediate School

Cape Fear High School

Chardon High School

Episcopal School of Jacksonville

Oikos University

Hamilton High School

Perry Hall School

Normal Community High School

University of South Alabama

Banner Academy South

University of Southern California

Sandy Hook Elementary School

Apostolic Revival Center Christian School

Taft Union High School

Osborn High School

Stevens Institute of Business and Arts

Hazard Community and Technical College

Chicago State University

Lone Star College-North

Cesar Chavez High School

Price Middle School

University of Central Florida

New River Community College

Grambling State University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Ossie Ware Mitchell Middle School

Ronald E McNair Discovery Academy

North Panola High School

Carver High School

Agape Christian Academy

Sparks Middle School

North Carolina A&T State University

Stephenson High School

Brashear High School

West Orange High School

Arapahoe High School

Edison High School

Liberty Technology Magnet High School

Hillhouse High School

Berrendo Middle School

Purdue University

South Carolina State University

Los Angeles Valley College

Charles F Brush High School

University of Southern California

Georgia Regents University

Academy of Knowledge Preschool

Benjamin Banneker High School

D H Conley High School

East English Village Preparatory Academy

Paine College

Georgia Gwinnett College

John F Kennedy High School

Seattle Pacific University

Reynolds High School

Indiana State University

Albemarle High School

Fern Creek Traditional High School

Langston Hughes High School

Marysville Pilchuck High School

Florida State University

Miami Carol City High School

Rogers State University

Rosemary Anderson High School

Wisconsin Lutheran High School

Frederick High School

Tenaya Middle School

Bethune-Cookman University

Pershing Elementary School

Wayne Community College

JB Martin Middle School

Southwestern Classical Academy

Savannah State University

Harrisburg High School

Umpqua Community College

Northern Arizona University

Texas Southern University

Tennessee State University

Winston-Salem State University

Mojave High School

Lawrence Central High School

Franklin High School

Muskegon Heights High School

Independence High School

Madison High School

Antigo High School

University of California-Los Angeles

Jeremiah Burke High School

Alpine High School

Townville Elementary School

Vigor High School

Linden McKinley STEM Academy

June Jordan High School for Equity

Union Middle School

Mueller Park Junior High School

West Liberty-Salem High School

University of Washington

King City High School

North Park Elementary School

North Lake College

Freeman High School

Mattoon High School

Rancho Tehama Elementary School

Aztec High School

Wake Forest University

Italy High School

NET Charter High School

Marshall County High School

Sal Castro Middle School

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

Great Mills High School

Central Michigan University

Huffman High School

Frederick Douglass High School

Forest High School

Highland High School

Dixon High School

Santa Fe High School

Noblesville West Middle School

University of North Carolina Charlotte

STEM School Highlands Ranch

Edgewood High School

Palm Beach Central High School

Providence Career & Technical Academy

Fairley High School (school bus)

Canyon Springs High School

Dennis Intermediate School

Florida International University

Central Elementary School

Cascade Middle School

Davidson High School

Prairie View A & M University

Altascocita High School

Central Academy of Excellence

Cleveland High School

Robert E Lee High School

Cheyenne South High School

Grambling State University

Blountsville Elementary School

Holmes County, Mississippi (school bus)

Prescott High School

College of the Mainland

Wynbrooke Elementary School

UNC Charlotte

Riverview Florida (school bus)

Second Chance High School

Carman-Ainsworth High School

Williwaw Elementary School

Monroe Clark Middle School

Central Catholic High School

Jeanette High School

Eastern Hills High School

DeAnza High School

Ridgway High School

Reginald F Lewis High School

Saugus High School

Pleasantville High School

Waukesha South High School

Oshkosh High School

Catholic Academy of New Haven

Bellaire High School

North Crowley High School

McAuliffe Elementary School

South Oak Cliff High School

Texas A&M University-Commerce

Sonora High School

Western Illinois University

Oxford High School

Bridgewater University

Robb Elementary School

Michigan State University

Covenant Christian School

TBA

***feel free to copy and paste, then share ****

602 notes · View notes

cellythefloshie · 11 months

Text

;; Cruel Summer Dedicated to @snugglyducklingbrewhouse for her birthday bingo

Summary: There was nothing more you looked forward to than summer after a long academic year of studies. You and your best friend are set to hit the road for a cross-country road trip, but with her comes her boyfriend, Jack Hughes, and with him his best friend and college hockey captain Nico Hischier - who just happens to be the bane of your college existence. M's Bingo Card Tropes: Taylor Swift Song AU - Enemies to Lovers - Summer / Off-season - Roommates - College AU - Sharing a Bed Kinks & TW: unprotected sex (are we surprised?) - pull out method (please don't rely on this at all it will fail you), morning sex, casual sex, hook-ups, secret relationship, situationship, drunk confessions Word Count: 7k+ A/N: We haven't been a part of each other's communities long, but you have been nothing but a welcome presence since! I am so happy that I am able to celebrate your birthday with you with this fic! I stepped out of my comfort zones a lot with this one by writing for Nico and using Taylor's Cruel Summer as the main inspiration for the fic. And somehow I managed to roll all of those amazing tropes into one fic! Happy Birthday, Hun! I hope you enjoy! 🎉 I also made a quick Pinterest board for the vibes. Playlist.

With final exams behind you, there was nothing more that you were looking forward to than summer. The warmth of the sun, the carefree freedom that was already ready to consume every bit of you as you left all your responsibilities behind you. There was nothing better than the summer vacation after a hectic academic season, especially after the stressful junior year you had. The stress of your studies aside, you could have considered it to be a great year, that was if it hadn’t been for your roommate.

At the beginning of the term, you and your best friend had decided that you wanted to live off campus. Tired of the dorm life there was nothing more exciting than having your own place, but that came with a great cost - which meant rooming with more people than just your best friend. The three-bedroom duplex apartment you have been able to secure not far from campus was perfect, especially since your best friend had gotten her boyfriend, Jack Hughes, to room with her - but that had left a spare room to be filled. And Jack had taken the liberty of offering it to his college hockey captain: Nico Hischier.

This hadn’t been an issue at first. He was easy enough on the eyes that you didn't complain, but it quickly become clear that the two of you weren’t going to get along. He seemed to know how to press all of your buttons, your days starting and ending with snide comments or heated arguments that left you both returning to your respective rooms - and you couldn’t wait to put that all behind you.

With summer, you could leave that animosity behind you. You wouldn’t have to see him until you both returned for your senior year in the fall. That thought alone excited you as you packed a single duffle bag, but what excited you more was the trip you and your bestie had planned to take. You had been looking forward to it for months. The two of you had rented a van - one of those ones with the small bed and kitchen in the back. You were going to travel the country together, take in the sights and monuments the great country of America offered you. But the excitement quickly faded as you threw your bag over your shoulder and made your way down to the van that waited in the driveway.

You wore a smile as you spotted your best friend throwing her back into the back, but then it wavered as she tossed in one bag and then another. Your lips parted to call out to her, but your throat was left weak at the sight in front of you. The devils and angels had been gambling with your happiness as with your bestie came her boyfriend Jack and with him Nico. Your biggest college nemesis would be joining you on what was supposed to be your greatest escape from him.

Most nights, the four of you piled into the back of the van. You would all sleep stuffed into the cot, elbows bent into backs and uncomfortably hot as you found yourself venturing into the southern states. It left tensions high, and you constantly on edge, especially when Nico tested the boundaries of just how much room he was allowed to take up on the bed. He was by far the biggest of the four of you, standing at 6’1 - a whole 2 inches taller than Jack - and broad with muscle he seemed to take up more and more room as the nights went on. It sent your blood boiling as you fought him on it, as it sent Jack closer to the center of the bed, and your best friend further into you, and in turn you were forced closer to the wall of the van. It left you claustrophobic and struggling through sleepless nights so finally after mere days of driving the four of you agreed to check into a motel for a proper night of sleep.

What the four of you couldn’t agree on was the sleeping arrangements. With your best friend dating Jack she was quick to state they would be sharing a room, but you couldn’t afford a room all to yourself and that only meant sharing with Nico. You were far from interested in that.

“We could share a room, and the boys could share a room,” you insisted, your arms coming to cross your chest as you leaned up against the van, “it’s not like they haven’t shared a room before - and we used to share a bed all the time-”

“Tell us more,” Jack was wearing a wide grin as he grabbed his bag from the back, earning a displeased groan from your lips.

“You wish Hughes,” you scoffed at him and looked at your best friend with pleading eyes. She had to be able to see this from your perspective. She had to understand why you couldn’t stand to spend another moment with Nico never mind having to share a room with him. “Do me a solid, just this once-”

But her mind was clouded by one thing, and one thing only. Sex. You could see it on her face as a blush crept up onto her features and her words became a soft, unapologetic, “sorry.” And you couldn’t blame her. The pair of them were like two love-sick puppies that fucked like rabbits, and they hadn’t been able to fuck since the four of you had left Newerk - though you were sure Jack had finger-fucked her at least once when they thought you were asleep in the passenger’s seat during Nico’s turn to drive.

As much as you wanted to protest, to stop your foot and throw a tantrum because Nico wasn’t even supposed to be on this trip you conceded and pointed a finger at Hughes and narrowed your eyes, “You owe me one.”

“We’ll make it up to you,” his smile didn’t waiver as he tossed your bag at you, and locked up the back doors of the van before the couple ran off to one of the two rooms Nico had gone to the front desk to secure.

They left you both to stand in the parking lot, a standoff of sorts as he held up the remaining key. “I’m about as excited about this as you are.” Which meant he was dreading it fully, with his entire being. He’d rather die than have to be rooming with you on the road, and yet you both stood there, full of life but seething.

“One room?”

“Yup.”

“One bed?”

“Yup,” Nico answered again, and you could have sworn you saw the corner of his lip threaten to curl up into a smirk.

“Fuck me,” you groaned out as you reached out to snag the key from his hand, but he pulled it back, just out of your reach. Hearing your words sent his smirk blossoming into a full grin now.

“Keep dreaming,” and when he said your name, you were on the verge of letting out an annoyed scream.

“I wouldn’t fuck you if we were the last people on the planet and the fate of humanity was solely up to you and me,” you assured him.

“If we were the last people on the planet, it wouldn’t be long until you were the only one left-”

Your lips curled up into a smirk of your own as your stepped forward, “Let’s play a little bit of pretend, shall we? Our planet is the hotel room, and it’s just you and me alone on that planet - so why don’t you just fuck off, sleep in the van and let me enjoy the bed.”

“Not a chance,” his eyes narrowed, “if you want the van, go right ahead but I’m not missing out on sleeping in a bed even if it means having to share it with you.”

You had dipped into your saving to be able to cover your share of the room, you weren’t going to concede for a second time. “Just get us in the room for fuck sake, I want a real shower.”

In an instant, you knew you should have bit your tongue as Nico’s dark gaze had risen to meet your and there was a flicker of light in them that sparked like the ignition of a flame. A shower. A real shower. No one had one in days. You were sure you stunk. You knew he did. And now you would be fighting him for it.

You couldn’t fight Nico for the key. Not with how he towered over you, and not with how the strength of his hands had fisted the key in his palm for safekeeping. Holding it down by his side, he stalked off in search of the room, but you never let him get too far out of your reach. For as soon as you heard the lock of the door disengage you had thrown a shoulder into his chest in a desperate attempt to shove him out of the way. Yet, he barely budged. Hell, you hadn’t even thrown him off balance. The only thing you had managed to do was coax a smile onto his lips as he leaned into the door, the heavy weight of him easing it open.

Stumbling in after him, you reached your hands out to give him a good shove. Your palms met the plains of his back, your breath catching in your throat as you felt the strength of him flex beneath your touch. It was almost enough to have you conceding, your mind suddenly clouded when it shouldn’t have been. You had lived with each other for the entirety of a semester. You knew how strong he was. You had seen it when he had worn a tight t-shirt to class or had caught a glimpse of him as he made the short walk from the bathroom to his bedroom in nothing but a towel when he was sure no one would notice - because if there was one thing he was that you didn’t really mind, it was that he was modest.

He didn’t flaunt himself around the house or the campus like the other players seemed to. His appointment of being the team Captain didn’t go to his head either. He respected his position and accepted any and all responsibilities that came with it. He didn’t even use it as a way to get girls to come back to the house - hell, had you ever seen him bring a girl home at all?

It was a thought that left your brows furrowed as you battle him along the path towards the bathroom. You would push him, and he would shove you back - but his hands were careful, calculated in just where he touched you. Finding your waist at its curves or against the back of your shoulder as he tried to move you out of his way. But neither of you would concede. Not even as you both tried to jam your way through the bathroom door. Your bodies collided, pressed firm together at your sides and earning an exasperated sigh from both of your lips.

Groaning you let out a sigh as you turned just enough so that your back was pressed against the cold frame. Nico did the same but stretched an arm across the doorway to grip at the frame as he tower over you. Suddenly you felt claustrophobic and small as he looked down over you, his dark hair hanging into his eyes and his smile crooked - conniving.

“Hischier,” you swallowed hard, challenging him with nothing but his name. What was he thinking?

Whatever it was, you didn’t wait long enough to find out. You wanted to shower, and you were going to be the first one to indulge in it. Even if that meant stooping low. Easing away from the door, you inch dangerously close to Nico, giving yourself just enough room to reach down and draw your shirt up over your head. Then you reached down to your shorts, thumbing the button free before letting them fall to the floor before you were standing there in nothing but your bra and panties.

You watched as his face softened, his dark gaze raising just enough for you to know you had some kind of effect on him. Cocking your head, you smiled, pressing up onto your toes just enough to mutter up to him, your words hot against his cheek, “I’ll try to leave some hot water for you. Now, be a gentleman and shut the door.”

Ducking under his arm you sauntered off into the bathroom with your bag in hand and a bit of a hop in your step. You would celebrate every single one of your little victories.

With Nico’s silent surrender, you heard the door close behind you and you let yourself undress and relish under the heated embrace of the water - but you did keep the shower quick. It was the least you could do when he was nice enough to concede when you challenged him.

Exiting the bathroom, you were dressed in an oversized t-shirt and a pair of barely there shorts. You had hoped that you would be able to sleep without pants for the first time in days but there was no way that was going to happen now. Nico wasn’t about to get a free show, not from you.

“There’s still hot water there for you,” you told Nico firmly as you moved for the bed and crawled up onto the side of the bed that was left for you.

It wasn’t the side you normally slept on, but you weren’t going to fight him on it. You had gotten to shower first, so he could have his preferred side of the bed. You settled into the bed, it was stiff and the sheets a bit scratchy but it would do. Anything was better than sleeping in the van at this point.

You had hoped to be asleep before Nico had come out of the shower, but the rush of the water in the next room was all too loud and you couldn’t get comfortable. Worst of all, when the tattooing of the water against the tub had seized, your discomfort only intensified when Nico had come to bed. You could feel his heat radiating across the safe distance you had both agreed upon - a good foot of mattress that left you both sleeping on the very edge - and to your distaste he had decided to sleep shirtless.

Every opportunity you felt sleep had to take you, you ruined it with one accidental glance over at Nico who fell asleep all too quickly at your side. You would catch a glimpse of his soft features, or the flex of his all-too-impressive muscles and it would leave you tossing and turning in bed in a desperate attempt to get comfortable. But your mind continued to haunt you: How unfair it was to have someone so irritable look like that?

Scoffing to yourself you curled up with your back to him. You thought of literally anything else but him in an attempt to bring yourself to a state where maybe, just maybe you would be able to fall asleep - but Nico had found yet another way to keep you awake. He was talking in his sleep.

You let out a long, agonized groan as you took your pillow and shoved it over your face. You would have to go out and sleep in the van at this rate.

Rolling over you contemplated waking him up, but the shimmer of sweat on his skin and hardening of his features was almost enough to leave you concerned. Was it a nightmare? You leaned in, encroaching on the space between you both, a careful hand coming to rest on his shoulder - it was then his lips parted, muttering an almost silent word before you heard something all too familiar: your name. Nico was dreaming about you. You swallowed hard, your eyes widening in shock before falling back into their heavily lidded state. That had to be a coincidence. Maybe you had heard him wrong.

That was what you told yourself as you settled back into your place in bed. And with a final huff sleep crept on you, one final thought on your mind: If he was dreaming of you, you hoped it was a nightmare.

Come morning, the space at the center of the bed no longer existed. Your bodies had both moved inwards on the surface to avoid tumbling over the edge in the night - and with that, your bodies had become intertwined. You could feel Nico against your back, his legs tangled with yours, and you could feel the stiffness of his cock pressed up the back of your thigh. For a moment you almost forgot that it was Nico in bed next to you, a faint smile on your lips as you wiggled your hips back into his cock. His cock was impressive, to say the least, the outline of it felt so clear as he snuggled a little closer - but as Nico cuddled in close you caught a breath of the unique scent of him and it sent your heart plummeting.

This was the worst-case scenario - and you hadn’t even thought once that it might happen. You couldn’t hate yourself more than you did at the moment as you shifted just enough to press your ass into the girth of his cock. And you chastised yourself for it, disgusted with your own actions as you wiggled and pressed yourself against Nico to feel all of him. He would notice, he was still asleep - and with how carefully and subtly you moved you hoped in the off chance that he did wake up that he would think you were still sleeping too.

But then you felt a hot, heavy breath blossom out and over your shoulder and the strength of his arms was coiling around you like a boa constrictor. Nico had been awake the whole time. You should have pulled away at the realization, but instead, you were frozen, petrified as he leaned in and nuzzled his face into your hair. Then, with sleep still heavy on him, he leaned in and placed a lazy kiss on your neck. And when he finally spoke you could hear the amusement in his words, “I won’t tell them if you don’t.”

For a moment, you think it might be some kind of joke. Something that will end with him peeling away from you with laughter at your willingness if you were to agree with him. A cruel joke for him to play, but then you feel his hips as he presses his hips up against your ass as if you hadn’t felt his hard-on already. It was that action, that really had you entertaining the idea of letting him fuck you. You really should have, not with how much you loathed him, and not with how much he loathed you. He was all around intolerable, you knew it. Everyone knew it - and yet, when he shifted just enough to ease his cock from his boxers and ease it into the small triangle of space between your thighs and clothed cunt you were caving.

“For fuck sake, Nico,” you groaned out, using his first name for the first time. It felt foreign as it slipped off your tongue, having only exclusively addressed him by his last name until that moment as he slowly fucked that space between your thighs and your judgement waivered.

“Is that a yes?” he spoke against the sensitive skin of your neck, his voice low, sultry hum that left your arousal puddling between your legs.

Your head cocked, “You won’t say anything?”

“Not a damn word,” he promised, angling his hips just right to press the head of his cock up against the sensitivity of your clit as thrust lazily.

You had to bite your lip to combat the shutter that threatened to crawl up your spine and the soft sound that would have left your lips with it. Fuck, what an embarrassing thing it was to be so desperately wet for him - but he was hard for you, and something now was telling you that the dream that left him muttering your name in the night was no nightmare, but a sex dream. You almost smiled. Almost. But you didn’t want to give him the wrong idea. This was nothing but an agreement of convenience.

“Then stop teasing me and fuck me properly, or did you need me to teach you how to do that?” Even in bed, you wouldn’t let your rivalry wouldn’t subside.

Drawing back, Nico was free of the space between your legs and he had given you just enough room to roll over and push the flimsy fabric of your panties down the length of your legs. You didn’t even think to discard your shirt until you were climbing into his lap, taking the dominant position on top of him, and meeting him at the mouth.

You had never considered kissing Nico. Not once, not ever. But now as you were, feeling his soft lips against your own, and tasting his morning breath - which really wasn’t all that bad - in your mouth you started to question why it had never crossed your mind. He was a very attractive man after all, and he was very, very good at it - not that you could have predicted that when you seemed to do nothing but challenge and throw childish insults at one another.

The caress of his tongue against your own left you melting into him, your hands exploring the shape of his body - something you hadn’t done so much as catch glimpses of before. You could feel every ripple of his muscle as his hands moved to hold you just right, and every twitch of his cock as you let your hips roll up and down the length of him without taking him inside you. It left his coated in the slick of your arousal, sending tingles down to your toes, but you were impatient - and your best friend would be too when they would be kept waiting on the both of you.

Reaching down between the both of you, you took hold of his cock in your hand and stroked it slowly. Nico let out a soft sound against your lips, coaxing a smile onto your lips as you guided him to the entrance of your cunt and eased yourself down onto him. His cock stretched out in all the best ways, sending a burn of pleasure to spread throughout your body in a heatwave as you rode him in a steady rhythm.

For a time, you thought Nico was just going to fall into submission. That he was going to let you ride him hard and steady as you would your fingers into his messy hair and relish in how you tugged it - but you could always count on Nico to challenge you. His large hands spread over your hips, lulling you into the false sense that he was going to help guide you up and down the length of his cock but he was only trying to find his leverage. Soon, he was holding you firmly in his hands, flipping you so that your back was against the bed - and not once had his cock left you to feel void.

You could feel every inch of him with every thrust as his large hands guided your legs up to wrap around his hips. The simple action had left your lips parting to protest him - there was something too intimate about missionary, the last thing you wanted was to be looking him straight in the face as he fucked you - but your words were silenced completely by a moan. He was bringing pleasure to you that the frat boy hookups you had collected during your time in college could only dream of bringing you.

It left you reeling against the mattress, your head thrown back into the pillows as you reached out to grasp at anything to ground you. The mattress, the T-shirt that still hung off your body, and Nico. You clung to Nico as if he was the very source of your gravity. Your hands found his shoulders, clutching at his strength desperately as your legs wound around his middle. Heels pressed into his back and the pressure of his weight against your inner thighs as each deep thrust tested the depth of your flexibility but you were desperate to take him to your limits.

It left your head spinning as the pleasure of him fucking you - and not just fucking you, fucking you hard. His every thrust fueled with every ounce of animosity the two of you had held since September - threw you into ecstasy, your mouth agape with a silent moan as you refused to give him the satisfaction of hearing you - and you could not risk anyone hearing you both from outside the motel door.

But Nico wasn’t as discrete. His lips parted in a soft moan that had you drawing him into you to place one last hungry kiss on his lips before he was pulling back and pulled out of you. His face was soft, completely and utterly relaxed as he took hold of his cock and stroked it until his cum had shot out over the thin fabric of your oversized t-shirt.

It left you cursing. You slept in that shirt more often than you would like to admit, and now it was going to be a mess you had to hide - but at least he hadn’t cum inside you.

Pulling off the shirt, you stepped into the bathroom to clean yourselves up in silence. You shared nothing more than careful glances as you dressed and you didn’t speak to one another until you were both standing at the motel room door, staring at it as if it were going to open itself.

“This never happened?” You quirked a brow up at him.

“What never happened?” he met your gaze, his face expressionless but you could see the playful smile that lingered in his dark eyes.

“Exactly,” you breathed out and reached for the handle.

You were both hit with the blinding light of the morning, your eyes squinting before you could pull your sunglasses down to shield them. You tried to keep your head down, to make your way to the van with the hope that Jack and your best friend had yet to finish up your own fun - but it was that very pair that greeted you, her voice all too chipper for you to be happy about so early in the morning, “we were starting to think you killed each other-

Groaning, you opened the side door of the van and tossed your bag into the back. It wasn’t abnormal for you to be irritable in the morning, you were in no way a morning person, but the last thing you wanted to talk about was Nico. Especially when you could still feel the ghost of his touch on your body, and the heat of him as he trapped you between his body and the van as he reached around you to toss your own bad inside. Sure, you could pretend he hadn’t just fucked the life out of you, but it wasn’t going to be something you forgot about. Not when your legs were still on the verge of trembling and not when you could feel Nico’s eyes dragging over the curves of your body - undoubtedly admiring how you looked in the little sundress you had put on.

He would have to get better at hiding that stare of his. Climbing into the back of the van you let yourself glance back at Nico, your eyes meeting his as your lips pressed into a firm line to suppress that smile you wanted to give him It was then you finally answered your best friend, “Yeah, well, there’s still time.”

The rest of the summer had been cruel. Both June and July had been heated, and not just because of the rising temperatures. As you travelled from state to state you teetered on the tightrope walk of secrecy you had created with Nico. Since the two of you had shared the bed back in at the cheap motel there was no ignoring the magnetic draw you had towards one another. Don’t get it wrong, you still hated him - or at least that’s what you told yourself as you travelled across the country with him, your best friend and Jack.

The two of you would start fights just for the hell of it. The arguments were mundane and heated to distract your friends and yourselves from the lingering glances the two of your found yourself sharing, or the lingering of his hand against your thigh as you both sat in the back seats and you were sure your friend and Jack couldn’t see a damn thing - and not once did they think anything was going on between the two of you because on the surface nothing had changed.

It was in secret, between breaths and late nights that you and Nico had stolen your moments. Time in time again the two of you would sneak away - sometimes it was Jack and your best friend that left you alone when they would sneak off for some shameless fun of their own - to break the tension that would build in the hours, minutes and seconds from the last time you would have indulged in one another. It was a whirlwind of emotion to go from fighting one moment to having Nico’s hands on your body the next. It was an exhilaration you chased right down to the very last day of your trip.

You relished in every moment of no-rule, no-strings-attached affection the two of you indulge yourselves in over your 100 days of summer. Even now as you sipped back your drink in the dim light of the dive bar you frequented on campus you struggled to forget the hookups and makeup sessions that had been the highlights of your summer fling.

Shutting your eyes, you sighed out, the memories so clear as you let your mind wander. You could remember so clearly how the two of you had stood in the warm embrace of the van’s bright headlights, your silhouettes stretching out over the motel’s brick walls. You were mere feet apart, the spotlight on you keeping you at bay as you exchanged subtle glances. His dark eyes left you melting, your heart racing with excitement as your best friend and Jack had already run off to their motel room. You and Nico had put on your usual charade, protesting about having to share a room with one another again. It had become a version of foreplay more than anything as when the van’s headlights dimmed, and his features were left aglow from the buzzing light that flickered above the nearby vending machines there was no stopping the two of you.

His gaze had dropped, his lips curling up into the cocky smirk he often found himself wearing when it was just the two of you before the space between you was stolen and he was pressing you back against the hood of the van and kissing you. The kiss had been far from chaste. There was always an insatiable hunger the two of you shared, one that could only be combatted by the touch of his hand against your skin, or the taste of his tongue in your mouth. You remembered it all so fondly, and you wish you hadn't because it left you to drown your longing in your drink as you watched Nico as he leaned up against the bar. His features were illuminated by the neon glow of the neon bar lights. He was entertaining the attention of a pretty girl, one that had been shamelessly flirting with him for the last 45 minutes - not that you were counting or anything.

Upon arriving back on campus after your summer-long adventure together your secret summer fling had been left behind. It was easier that way, at least that was what you told him. You needed to focus on your studies, and he was juggling his college hockey career and maintaining a high enough GPA not to get kicked from the team. With your responsibilities aside, it had been a relationship of convenience, you had been stuck with him all summer, so it just made sense. Right?

That thought didn’t make the jealousy any less tolerable as your empty glass met the tabletop and you excused yourself to get some fresh air. You had thought the crisp autumn breeze would have been enough to calm you. That it would ease the race of your mind and draw you from the void you felt aching deep in your chest. But the chill only brought attention to how you missed the warmth of his body against your own and it left you sinking to the ground, your head in your hands as you sat on the curb as you let out a sob.

As much as you tried to hide it, the crying drew the attention of those outside taking long drags of cigarettes and those coming and going from the bar. There was a time nobody would have given a damn. When they would have just passed you without looking twice, but you were best friends with Jack Hugh’s girlfriend and no longer got to slip beneath the radar.

It only took a few minutes for your best friend to come running out of the bar, her face blanketed with concern and Jack in tow. Even he, who seemed to be the embodiment of smiles and sunshine, had let his face go soft. They had never seen you like this before. Your name was a mere echo in your mind as your best friend’s voice echoed in your mind.

“Hun, what’s wrong?” she spoke out to you in a soft tone, her hands on your shoulders as she tried to get you to look at her, “did something happen?”

“No, no,” you shook your head, your hands raising to wipe your cheeks free of your tears, “I’m fine, really.”

It was a lie. You knew it. They knew it, but you refused to tell them the truth. You couldn’t exactly tell them that you hated seeing Nico with someone else. Not when they thought you hated him - not while you were still trying to convince yourself you hated him too, but there was a very thin line between love and hate and you had broken it.

Through vision blurred by your tears, you watched as Jack and your best friend exchanged worried looks, and without exchanging a single word they had reached a decision. “Com’on let’s get you home,” your friend sighed, her arms wrapped around your shoulder to help you into a standing position, and when she spoke again you almost vomited, “Jack, go get Nico-”

“No!” You blurted out, your eyes wide and your stomach in knots.

And they don’t question it, because why would they? To them, you hated Nico and leaving him behind had always been something you had been advocated for - especially since that often meant you had more time away from him. Yet, it didn’t stop Jack from going back into the bar as your best friend helped you into the back seat of the car where she would sit with you for the duration of the ride home. Her hand stroked over your hair, her arms keeping you pulled into her as you couldn’t shake the cries that consumed you.

You choked back each sob, your face burying into your friend's shoulder as Jack, who was always your designated driver, drove through the campus traffic and back to the house. But it didn’t stop the tears from leaving the hot trails down your cheeks and you couldn’t ignore how Nico’s stare had been fixed on the rearview mirror that was angled just right for him to take in the sight of you. With just a single glance at the mirror, you were left to fight a shiver that threatened to travel up your spine. You didn’t like the way he was looking at you. It wasn’t with annoyance, frustration or anger for pulling him away from the nightlife, but instead, he was looking at you with concern.

Feeling the heavy weight of his stare on you for the duration of the car ride, you were quick to get out of the car the moment it had been thrown into park. Your limbs felt numb, and your heart was racing. Your tears had seized, but you had been thrown into a flight response. Quick steps carried you up the driveway as you pleaded with your friend. Your words assured her that you were fine as you abandoned them in the driveway and disappeared through the gates of the garden.

You were welcomed by the garden that had already welcomed the embrace of autumn. Flowers wilted, and leaves began to change into brilliant shades of red, orange and gold before tumbling to the ground with the gentle embrace of the breeze. It sent a chill through your body as you settled yourself down on one of the garden benches, and it left you contemplating about going inside and locking yourself in your room but you needed the distraction. You needed to hear the rustle of the leaves. You needed to smell the unique scent of their decay. You need to feel the change of the season, the changes that came with life that you would be forced through and accept. In that you found your calm, one that was challenged in an instant as you heard a pair of footsteps against the cobblestone path that wound its way through the garden.

Looking up, you had expected to welcome your best friend, she had never failed to make sure you were taken care of and yet it wasn’t the sight of her that greeted you. Somehow, some way, Nico must have convinced her that this was a job he was suited for and it left you sick to your stomach.

“Can I help you with something?” you didn’t mean to be so polite, you should have bit out some kind of snarky remark at him, but your voice was weak and you didn’t have enough energy for a fight.

Nico was silent for a moment as he came to sit down at your side on the bench. He didn’t meet your gaze, his hand folded in the hold of one another as he fidgeted with his fingers. You watched him out of the corner of your eye as he looked down at the ground, his dark hair falling down into his eyes as his lips parted in an uneven breath. “No, I ah-” he rambled out gently, you had never seen him as such a loss for words before. Nico had always been so quick to counter you, to challenge you and you so quick to do so in return and yet you both had been reduced to tiptoeing around just the right words to say, “I just, wanted to- Are you okay?”

You answered with a stiff; “Ha!” Your gaze cast to the side as you rolled your eyes, “as if you care.”

Your words left him wincing, his head cocking to the side. You had his full attention now as his jaw slacked, and his mouth was left gaping as if to say, did you really just say that to me?

“Of course I fucking care,” he bit out, your name followed after, his voice raised. Offended.

You could only scoff again, “Why would you?”

“Why would I?” he echoed you, a thick brow raising up, “you damn well know why. So why don’t you tell me what happened, and whatever asshole did this to you is going to have to deal with the entire hockey team-”

You near groaned, he would never understand. There was no one to punish because the person who did this to you was yourself. You chose to push Nico away after returning home. You chose not to sneak around anymore and that meant you couldn’t have him. Then, the protectiveness of his tone dawned on you and you almost laughed. He had no reason to be getting that way. Not when he had no claim on you, not when you had both agreed to act like what happened during the summer didn’t happen - and yet your heart still ached for him, and it seemed he struggled to put it behind him as well. But if his words were enough to lull you into a false hope that maybe he had fallen for you too, you couldn’t let yourself admit it to him - you hadn’t even fully admitted it to yourself either. Pushing up from your seat you began to walk away from him, your hand waiving him off carelessly.

“Just as I said earlier, I’m fine,” you did your best to assure him as you tried to leave him at the centre of the garden, but in one rushed stride and he was close enough to reach out for your wrist.

“For fuck sake, talk to me,” he demanded, his voice raised as he tugged on your arm just hard enough to turn you back around to face him.

You didn’t know if it was his tone or the way his skin felt against your own but it felt a rage inside you, one that wasn’t quite an anger, and not quite desire, but it left you to shout, “I love you” before you could stop yourself. Then your eyes went wide with the sudden realization of what you had just let yourself say. Then your words fell into a scoff, your head shaking as if you were talking to yourself and yourself alone, “Ain’t that the worst thing you’ve ever heard?”

Your words had sealed your fate, leaving your heart racing as Nico had lost every sense of hesitation. Shoving your hand to the side he stepped in to steal the air between your breath and took your face in his hands. And as his name was but a mere whisper on your lips he was guiding you in, his lips coming crashing down onto yours. Your cruel summer may have ended, but autumn was just the beginning for Nico and you.

#nico hischier #hockey imagines #hockey rpf #hockey smut #nhl rpf #nhl fanfiction #nhl imagine #M's Birthday Bingo #aestethic

342 notes · View notes