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starkstruck27 · 1 year

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Harringrove Week Day 4

Prompt(s): Steve Harrington's Closet During his Spring Break Party, Praise and/or Degredation

Dialogue Challenge: "Did your wish come true?"

Word Count: 3,003

Tw(s): Smut, Mildly Dubious Consent

Billy parked his car down the street from Harrington’s big, too-fancy house. He wasn’t exactly thrilled that he was the one throwing this party, but hey, it was spring break, and what better way to show up the former king than to crash his party? And anyway, it was better than being at home. At least there would be alcohol here.

When he actually got inside the house, something inside his guts twisted, though he’s not sure if the feeling was good or bad. On one hand, this was the first time in years that he was at a party on his birthday, surrounded by other kids his age just having fun and being stupid. On the other hand, it was Harrington’s house, and he wasn’t 100% sure he wouldn’t get thrown out on his ass just for existing in here. Either way, he was going to get a drink before he left, so he began to make his way through the maze of hallways and people and finally found the kitchen. He helped himself to a beer and began looking for something to open it with when he heard a mass of people start to gather behind him.

“Well, well, well, look who decided to show his pretty face,” a voice said from behind Billy as he finally found the bottle opener and began to drink. Of course, the voice was none other than Harrington himself, mocking and casual as ever. Billy gripped his beer bottle tighter and turned on his charm, trying to prepare himself to face his rival.

“Of course I came. Wanted to show everyone how much prettier their new king is than their old one. Honestly, I’m surprised at the turnout. I’d have thought no one would want to be caught dead around a king fallen from grace,” Billy tried to taunt, but his heart just wasn’t in it. He wasn’t in the mood for a fight tonight. Tommy H., though, who was already drunk out of his mind, seemed to think it was a great insult, because he started squealing like a 5th grader as soon as it had left Billy’s mouth.

“Ooh, that sounds like a challenge, huh?” Tommy asked to nobody in particular. “I mean, there’s a keg set up out back if you want a rematch.”

“You know what, Tommy? That’s the first good idea you’ve had in… the past 6 years, I think. What do you say, Hargrove? You up for it?” Steve asked, leaning into Billy’s face and grinning like a shark. Billy wanted to smack it off of his face, but decided proving he was better at the keg stand would be a safer option.

“You’re on, Harrington,” Billy said, setting down his drink and cracking his neck.

“Good,” Harrington said, then leaned in closer and whispered so that only Billy could hear, “Because I’ve wanted to put you back in your place so bad, I’ve been working on my swallowing skills. Have you?”

Billy was glad that there weren’t very many lights on, because he could feel his face going hot and bright red. Harrington was so close, though, he must’ve felt it, because he chuckled lowly and stared with hooded eyes, like he was assessing him. Billy was so ready to shove Harrington backwards and punch him in the face, but by the time he’d recovered from the shock, Harrington was walking away, leading him to the backyard.

There was already a crowd formed around the keg by the time Billy made it outside, and he felt his throat go dry. Harrington, the bastard, was tying his precious hair back with a bandana, and he took his shirt off so as not to get anything on it. He flashed a devilish smile and strutted over to Billy, gesturing at the keg as Billy took his own shirt and jacket off, despite the chill in the air.

“Ladies first,” Harrington said, and Billy wished he would’ve just hit him.

“Then why are you still standing here? Get up there,” Billy retorted, hoping it was too dark for anyone else to notice his blush getting darker. Harrington only laughed, shrugging and going over to the keg. He must’ve been true to his word about practicing, because when he was finished, he’d beaten his own record and Billy’s latest one by almost half a minute, and when he was done, he just grinned and walked back up to Billy, licking his lips seductively.

“Beat that,” he said, in a tone that was less challenging and more suggestive. Billy knew he couldn’t beat that record, he’d barely beaten his record the last time, but he wasn’t going to chicken out now. He got up to the keg and did the best he could, drinking until he felt he might drown, and barely beating his previous record by five seconds. It was over. He’d lost.

“Harrington reclaims his crown!” Someone shouted in the crowd, and a loud cheer went up, but Billy wasn’t paying attention. He didn’t want to be here anymore. But he was still wet with beer and though he hadn’t drank much, his head was still too foggy to drive home, so he had to stay a little longer to try and sober up. He’d lost track of Harrington in his rush to get back inside the house, but any fight he had in him was long gone. He just wanted to go home.

He’d only been leaning on the wall by the door for maybe twenty minutes when he had to go find the bathroom. He’d been drinking as much water as he could and stolen a loaf of bread from the kitchen pantry to try and flush some of the alcohol out of his system, and he was starting to feel a little bit better. He decided that he would find the bathroom, do his business, and then head out to his car so he could finally go home. The thought of his warm bed and maybe a sandwich before crashing was the only thing keeping him going right now, and it was also the only thing motivating him to walk back into the house and down the hallway until he found a bathroom.

Billy was walking back down the hallway a few minutes later, just about to reach in his pocket for his keys when, as he passed by a hall closet, someone reached out and grabbed him. He yelped, but was dragged inside anyway, stumbling from both the surprise of being grabbed and the remaining alcohol. There wasn’t very much light in the room, only one bulb overhead that was hanging from a string, but it was just bright enough to make out the figure of the person who’d grabbed him. The person who was now pinning him against the closed door with one hand over his mouth and the other on his hip.

“Don’t scream,” Harrington said, his eyes playful and his grin salacious. “I’m not going to do anything you don’t want me to. But a little birdie told me that today was your birthday, and it just occurred to me that I didn’t happen to get you a present.”

Billy mumbled something, but it was muffled by Steve’s hand, so he moved it a little, letting Billy speak.

“I don’t want you to do anything but let me go home,” Billy said, “I’ve had enough of your shit for one night.”

“Aww, now that’s not very nice, honey. Besides, I think you’re lying. You want me as much as I want you,” Steve said, getting closer and moving his hand from Billy’s hip around to the small of his back. “C’mon,” he whispered, “I didn’t get you a cake, but if you drop the attitude, maybe I’ll give you a creampie instead.”

Billy felt his mouth go dry once again as he heard the words, and he once again felt a fire light in his gut that told him to beat Harrington’s pretty face in. But once again, Steve was too quick, and he moved with one fast motion, taking his hand away from Billy’s mouth and replacing it with his own. His hands gripped Billy’s ass and he lifted him off the ground, making Billy shriek, but the sound got lost somewhere in Steve’s throat. Billy wrapped his legs around Steve so that he wouldn’t fall, and Steve just pressed closer to him, and finally, in that moment, it clicked. This was real. Steve Harrington, newly recrowned keg king, rich bastard, ladies’ man, and whatever else he was known for, was holding him off the ground, groping his ass, and kissing the fight out of him bit by bit. And Billy knew he would never get this opportunity again. So instead of rallying against it, he finally let himself give in.

Billy began to kiss back as he was held there, moving his hands to tangle in Steve’s thick hair and tilting his own head to get a better angle. Steve hummed in what seemed like delight, using the new angle to his advantage and shoving his tongue into Billy’s mouth. Billy followed the example and did the same, allowing himself to enjoy finding out exactly what Steve tasted like. He was sweet, with a slight tanginess from the beer and a little bit bitter from something else. It was exhilarating.

“I meant what I said,” Steve said, a little breathless as he switched to nibbling on the soft skin of Billy’s neck. “If you want me to stop, I will. I won’t do anything you don’t want me to. You just have to tell me what you want, baby.”

Billy let out a high pitched whine as Steve began to suck on his Adam's apple, holding onto him for dear life as he nodded his head. He wasn’t going to deny himself this anymore. After all, it was his birthday. He deserved a little treat.

“I want… I want you to use me,” he said, clearing his throat, “I want you to do whatever you want to me, anything you want. Just make it rough. Make me your bitch.”

“Oh, honey,” Steve said, pulling back and giving his ass an extra squeeze, “I already have.”

Billy felt himself going a little weak in the knees. If he had been standing, he surely would’ve toppled over from it, but Steve was still holding him up, making sure he didn’t. Billy liked the way Steve was able to manhandle him so easily, how strong he was to be able to hold him up even as he was going almost limp in his arms. He liked that he was still able to drive him crazy with his mouth on his neck even as he supported most of his weight. Billy could feel his mind getting hazy the more worked up he got, and he could tell Steve was getting just as aroused, even if he still had his wits about him.

“Alright, baby, I’ll tell you how it’s gonna go,” Steve said, “I’m gonna put you down and you’re going to get on your knees. You’re going to put your hands behind your back and you’re going to open your mouth and you’re not going to move. I’m gonna fuck your face and you’re going to sit there and enjoy it. If it starts to be more than you can handle, I want you to grab my thighs, alright? Can you handle that?”

Billy nodded his head and waited for Steve to let him down, immediately getting on his knees as soon as he could. He opened his mouth and held his hands behind his back, staring up at Steve with bright, desperate eyes.

“Aw, you’re quite the little whore, aren’t you Hargrove? That’s a good boy,” Steve said as he took his cock out with one hand and used the other to pet Billy’s head like a dog. It was humiliating. Billy loved it. He felt a little shiver go through him as Harrington began tapping his dick on his tongue, making Billy drool. He closed his mouth around it a little, beginning to put it to work.

“I hope you made a wish before you started blowing, baby,” Steve laughed, continuing to pet Billy’s head as he let him take a moment to get used to it. Billy hummed around him, making Steve shudder out another laugh, before he gripped his curls tightly and said, “Good.”

Steve used his grip on Billy’s hair to keep his head still as he began to fuck his mouth, starting slowly at first, but quickly picking up his pace. The sounds it was making were obscene, and Billy wasn’t exactly quiet, either, moaning and choking a little around Steve as he shoved in and out as rough as he pleased. And Billy just took it like he’d wanted him to, even when Steve’s big cock hit the back of his throat over and over and he started having trouble breathing. He made himself keep still, and let himself be used however Steve wanted to use him. His entire face felt wet from sweat, tears and especially spit as his mouth was fucked relentlessly.

“You’re like a goddamn wet dream, baby,” Steve praised, his breathing ragged and his voice uneven. “My own personal little fuck doll, unable to do anything but what you’re fucking told, isn’t that right?”

“Mm-hmm,” Billy hummed, licking and slurping with his lips and tongue to accentuate his words, making Steve nearly scream.

“That’s right, baby. Just like that, j-just like- ah!” Steve said, slapping a hand over his mouth to muffle his shouts as he pulled his cock out of Billy’s mouth and shot his load all over him. Billy could feel his own erection aching in his tight jeans as the white ropes coated him from head to toe, some getting in his mouth and on his face, but most of it hitting his chest. Steve had stroked himself through his orgasm, moving his hand from his mouth once he’d gotten himself under control and bracing himself on the wall behind Billy.

“Jesus Christ, baby,” he said, taking a moment to catch his breath before standing upright again and using his hand to lift Billy’s chin and make him look at him. “Did your wish come true?”

“Uh-huh,” Billy responded, his brain too fuzzed to be able to come up with much more than that. Steve grinned.

“You’re such a fucking slut, baby,” he said, leaning down and running his fingers through the come on Billy’s chest. He spread it around like he was a three year old making a finger painting, trailing his fingers everywhere, and eventually pausing to pinch Billy’s nipples. It made the other boy’s breath hitch as he tried to hold in a whimper, and Steve chuckled lowly, pleased with himself.

“You like that, huh?” He asked, pinching harder, making the sound tumble out of Billy’s throat easily. “You’re such a good little whore. I think you deserve a reward. Take your jeans off.”

Billy could do nothing but comply. He was up and stripping off his clothes the second the command registered in his mind, and eagerly waiting for the next one, his eyes glazed and his heart fluttering.

“I’m gonna lay on the floor. As soon as I do, I want you to straddle me and wait. Your hands will go behind your back again. You won’t move until I tell you. Do you understand me?” Steve asked, fumbling around for something in his discarded pants pocket.

“Yeah,” Billy responded, waiting. Steve laid down on the floor and put whatever he was looking for beside him, not hiding it from Billy, the other boy just didn’t care to know what it was. He knelt down, hovering over Steve’s hips and clasping his hands behind his back, waiting for instructions. The come drying on his chest was starting to feel a little tacky, but Billy hardly noticed. He felt Steve’s fingers, now coated in lube, starting to probe at his hole. He bit his lip to stifle a moan as Steve began to finger him, working him open easily with little effort.

“You’re already so loose for me, baby,” Steve said, adding another finger, “Tell me, do you open yourself up like this when you’re alone? Do you think of me? I bet you do.”

“Yes,” Billy admitted, “I do. I think of you and what you’d do to me and how good it would feel and I fuck myself open.”

“Fuck, baby, that’s hot,” Steve said. He sat up a bit and dragged Billy into another kiss, soft, but no less heated. He used the gesture as a distraction so he could add a third finger, and once he felt Billy was ready, he broke the kiss and laid back down.

“I know what I said earlier, but do you want me to use a rubber anyway?” Steve asked. Billy knew from the way he was looking at him that if he had a problem with it, he would’ve put on a condom, as long as it made Billy happy. It made his insides feel like goo to know that he was being taken care of so nicely.

“No,” he replied, and he meant it. He wanted whatever Steve was willing to give him, and he wanted it now.

“Alright, baby,” Steve said, and as he lined himself up, he added, “I don’t care about anyone else out there. I want you to be loud. I want to hear you. I don’t want you to hold anything back.”

“Okay,” Billy replied, though it was cut off by a loud moan. Steve began to fuck him hard, and Billy met his thrusts as he bounced on top of him. He was drooling again, all over the place, and he didn’t even remember that people existed outside of the closet.

None of them mattered when Steve was keeping his promise and giving him a creampie for his birthday.

#HarringroveWeek #billy hargrove #steve harrington #harringrove #billy hargrove x steve harrington #stranger things

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dontfeeltoohot · 2 years

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St*nger Th*ngs fic for @stormyweaver Eddie starts getting sick, Steve is there for him. 1.6k No spoilers aside from the vague ones in the very first sentence.

XXX

The past month has been nothing short of a shit show- running from the law, running from insane basketball freaks, dealing with monsters and death, learning about alternate dimensions….it’s been a tough four weeks. Everything is starting to drift back to normal; whatever that is, aside from the fact that he and Mister popular himself are hanging out more, getting closer.

Between a few hidden makeout sessions and hand jobs, Eddie’s starting to realize he may be in deep shit with this guy- he might actually be falling for Steve fucking Harrington. Unbelievable. Thinking about it all makes his head hurt, which in turn makes him slam his old notebook shut and toss it back in his bag. He ignores the look Ms.Grady shoots him from the front of the classroom, not in the mood to deal with teachers today.

There’s a steady pulse right behind his eyes, just bothersome enough that it’s making him want to unscrew his head and chuck it somewhere, a la Day of the Dead style. He’s barely halfway through the day, and the idea of skipping the rest sounds more than appealing. As the bell rings, Eddie stands from the uncomfortable desk chair, eyes shutting as congestion floods his head, the shift from sitting to standing knocking it loose. The long haired man blinks, sniffling and wincing.

If there’s one thing Eddie Munson prides himself on, aside from his music taste, style, hair, and ability to take just the right amount of drugs, it’s that he doesn’t get sick. His body seems to have other plans though, because by the end of his last period, he’s feeling particularly shitty. The man is acutely aware of his sudden sore throat when a buzzing feeling winds its way through his sinuses and he has to aim his face down towards the ground.

“h’NGkT! ghXT!”

The breath he lets out is stuffy, and his throat feels raw from the stifled sneezes that scrape against his throat. 4 hours ago he felt fine, and now he feels like has the plague. What in the holy fresh hell is happening. Coughing a little, Eddie all but throws himself out of his chair the second the end of the day bell rings. The curly haired man ignores his classmates' looks as he scrambles out of the room, surprised at how much energy he’s able to muster.

The outside air is a little too warm for his liking as it hits him, but he keeps his worn leather jacket on and beenlines it for his car, but freezes when he sees a very familiar burgundy BMW sitting next to his own van. Sniffling thickly and scrunching his nose, he moves closer, seeing the iconic hair everyone in Hawkins has learned to either love or idolize.

“Harrington, can’t get enough of me?”

Eddie somehow manages to keep his face neutral, but Steve winces as he speaks. His voice sounds terrible, certain sounds rounded and nasally, a bit more of a rasp than usual resulting in him clearing his throat after.

“Jesus you sound like shit. I was going to ask if you wanted to come and swim, Robin’s been begging for a get together at my place and my parents are gone for the week, but-“

“Nah, I’m down. It’s too hot for much else, plus D&D isn’t tonight.”

Again, Steve winces, and again, Eddie ignores. Or, he tries his best, but then his nostrils are twitching and the urge to sneeze prickles in his head again. Steve starts to talk but the older of the two shakes his head.

“H-Hold ohhhn…h’GHkt! hih’KXT! Fuck.” The sneezes sound disgusting, even to his own ears. He snags the black bandana out of his back left pocket and blows his nose, the productivity of it making him glad he’s not looking in Harrington’s direction, with how soupy it is. Finally, shoving it into his front pocket, Eddie turns back and glances towards the other.

Steve looks less disgusted than he’s been expecting, if anything, there’s a hint of…worry? Brushing it off, Eddie clears his throat.

“What were you saying?”

“Uh…right. Party tonight. Sort of. Robin and Nance and Jonathan…”

“Still surprising you’re so cool with your ex and her boyfriend.”

“Yeah, well…I got someone else in mind,” Steve shrugs, but throws Eddie a wink that makes his heart falter slightly in surprise. And really, what the fuck. How can a guy like Harrington make him feel like that?

“Yeah, I’ll be there, what time does..” Eddie rubs his nose with the back of his hand, but all touching it serves to do is make the low itch flare, and he’s once again turning away, not bothering to tell Steve to shut up this time.

“NgKT! gktchh!” The noise he makes after is close to a snort rather than a sniffle, congestion wanting nothing more than get out.

“Bless you. If you’re sick, you don’t have to come.”

“I’m coming, Killer. I’m fine.”

“If you say so, oh wise one.”

XXX

Eddie pulls up in front of Harrington’s too-nice house, feeling more than a little anxious to be in such a nice area of town. He’s always felt out of place in areas like this, with the perfect yards and pristine houses. If only Steve knew what his house looked like, he’d probably laugh in his damn face, or maybe give him that annoying pitied look. He’s grabbed a new, clean bandana to keep with him for the night, but now he’s wishing he had snagged a back up.

If he’s honest, the last thing he feels like doing right now is swimming and partying, but it’s not like he can back out now. No-showing would make Harrington get that sad puppy dog look on his dumb face, and hes not going to be one of the assholes who causes that.

Before he steps out, Eddie snuffles into his bandana and coughs, wondering briefly if he’s running a fever. The fact he feels almost cold in 80 degree weather is a tad concerning, but nothing he can’t handle. Hopping out of the large van, it hits him then, that maybe Harrington wanted him to bring drugs. Fuck. He definitely doesn’t have anything, he’d left it all back at his place. Oh well, they’ll have to get over it.

Coughing into the air, Eddie walks up the path and knocks on the door. A moment later, Robin answers, but freezes a millisecond later, eyebrow raising.

“Why aren’t you wearing something to swim in? Unless you’re swimming naked, which, hey, that’s cool too, though I’m sure Nancy wouldn’t approve…” she trails off.

Once again, feeling foggy headed, Eddie realizes he’s messed up. He can now remember Harrington talking about swimming, hell, he himself had acknowledged it, but now he feels stupid, standing in the door way with jeans and an Aerosmith tee on, vest on top. Fuck.

“Uhh…”

He’s saved from saying anything when Harrington comes to the door, looking confused.

“You coming in? Or do I need to invite you in like one of those vampires…right? That’s a thing right? Dustin said-“

“Yeah, you gotta invite vampires in. So invite me in, Harrington.”

“Come in Munson.”

They both roll their eyes, and Robin snorts.

“God Steve, you’re becoming such a nerd.”

Steve stammers and Eddie walks past him, taking his bandana out to rub at his nose. An achy chill runs through him, leaving him shivering for a second, but the man ignores it, continuing in, standing himself by the couch. He spies Nancy and Jonathan outside, both in the pool. Right. Pool. Shit.

“Harrington, you got any water in this place?” His throat’s stinging, and Steve’s suddenly there, a glass in his hand. He blinks, wondering if he somehow knew he’d want one. Robin’s already outside again and it makes Eddie feel disoriented. Wasn’t she behind him?

“Hey….look, uhm. We can stay inside, if you want. Maybe order pizza? I know I said it earlier but…you really do look like shit, are you okay?”

Eddie isn’t sure what he wants to say. He could play it off, try and push through. But with every passing minute his body is feeling heavier, his throat’s feeling worse, his head feels like there are bees buzzing around in it, as well as like it’s stuffed with cotton.

“Uhm…y-yeah, that. That sounds good.” Eddie feels uncharacteristically out of place and shy, so he sits himself down, taking the water from the younger man, taking a sip. “Sorry I didn’t bring anything tonight, uh…drug wise. I didn’t really remem-“

“I don’t care about that dude. I’m not friends with you because you have drugs.”

“Oh.”

“Look. Let’s just…get pizza and relax. We can watch some tv, and try to ignore those knuckleheads out there okay?”

Hesitantly, Steve presses the back of his hand to Eddie’s forehead, which makes Eddie freeze. He can’t remember the last time someone did that.

“If you want…I have extra sweatpants upstairs? You’re probably not comfortable, right?”

“Right. I didn’t really uh…it’s been a lohng…day..-gkXT! hih’dxztch! Damn, sorry-snf! A long day…”

The second sneeze bursts out of him as he scrambles for his bandana, just barely managing to catch the last half into it. His head gives a miserable throb from the first sneeze and he coughs.

“I’ll go get the pants. You try not to die. You can lay down or whatever on the couch if you want. Just take your shoes off, my mom will kill me if she comes home and sees anything’s been made dirty.”

“You got it killer.” Eddie sniffles and slips his shoes off, planting himself on the couch and waiting for Steve.

#my fic #s/t

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rosalynshields · 1 year

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The Mate (Chapter 11)

Chapter 11 - Officer’s Club (Steve and Bucky)

Pairing: Werewolf Alpha Steve Rogers x Original Character & Werewolf Alpha Bucky Barnes x Original Character

Summary: As far as anyone knows Steve Rogers downed the Valkyrie and woke up 66 years later after being frozen in the Arctic missing his date with Peggy Carter. No one knew the secrets he kept from the world and the government. The first being that he was an Alpha Werewolf. The second being that he had a Mate and it was not Peggy Carter.

Warnings: Cursing

Word Count: 5.5K

Chapter Summary: Bucky and Steve enter the scene

The Mate - Masterlist

Chapter 11 - Officer’s Club (Steve and Bucky)

Steve and Bucky walked into the Officer’s Club together, Natasha taking off on her own as soon as they arrived. Bucky and Steve thought privately that she was a lot more intense on this mission, at least more intense than normal. Shrugging it off Steve and Bucky smiled at each other as they observed the sea of uniforms. The congregation of military members brought back fond memories. The band started bringing back even more memories of dance halls and whirling dresses.

Steve patted Bucky on the shoulder before they split up. Steve heads off to the left and Bucky to the right side of the Officer Club as planned. Bucky walked around the Officer’s Club keeping a lookout for women who were wearing WWII uniforms that fit LCDR Hunt’s general description. He made sure to smile charmingly at people as he walked around, it wasn’t hard. Being at this place brought back pleasant memories of Dance Halls and seamed stockings.

He was amused that despite being in the 21st century the so-called digital age, they are still trying to locate someone by going off of physical description. It reminded him of some of the work he did with the Howling Commandos hunting down HYDRA high ranking officers. Bucky checked in with Steve and Natasha before making another sweep of his designated area, the music and people putting him in high spirits despite the mission. As Bucky looked around, he felt the Soldier stir in the back of his mind.

‘Find her’ the Soldier whispered in his mind.

Bucky ignored him. They had a very uneasy truce but Bucky ignored him as much as possible. Engaging the Soldier only makes him stronger. He tries awfully hard not to engage. The only concession he really made was having a black bandana on his person at all times. So when he slips into the Soldier mindset, he has something to cover his face. It was a concession for the Soldier who believed that his identity could not be compromised and it would be compromised without something covering his face.

It was something that HYDRA had drilled into him. At this point it was more like a security blanket. Bucky looked over the tables as they slowly filled up. He smiled as he met the curious eyes of a petite redhead. He watched as she got up and headed towards him. She gave him a once over that would have had a lesser man blush but just made him smirk. He's been remembering how much he really enjoyed the appreciative looks he would get back in the day from both human and wolf alike.

He recently started to enjoy it again as he regained more of himself. As she got closer, they both took a breath scenting each other. He and Steve decided to forgo scent blockers once they found out that LCDR Hunt was a wolf as well. Scent is such a big part of a shifter's life as it helps process emotions, every emotion has its own smell. So, scent blockers are seen as a lack of trust within the Shifter community. Only those shifters in law enforcement positions can wear them without being seen as untrustworthy.

Every emotion has its own scent. Lying has its own scent. So, shifters have the ability to tell if someone is lying and a general idea of one’s emotions. He vaguely remembers his handlers spraying the scent blockers on him when he had a special target but it was really rare for them to send him after another shifter. They didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention to their mission and having packs of shifters after them in revenge would draw attention.

‘A wolf’ Bucky thought. He watched as the petite redhead came to the same conclusion. Once she reached a few feet he was able to feel some of her power. It was pretty clear that the she-wolf was also an Alpha.

“Well, aren't you everything a girl wants wrapped up in a tall, dark, handsome, alpha package?” She purred.

“Sorry Doll, I have a Mate.” Bucky replied automatically. Bucky paused as he absorbed what he just said, almost missing her response.

“That's a damn shame, Casey Andrews, Lieutenant. And you are?” she responded, biting her lip and holding her hand out for a shake.

“Nice to meet you Casey” Bucky responded completely bypassing the shake by bringing his head down to kiss her hand. Bucky looked up at her through his long eyelashes, completely distracting Casey from the fact he omitted his name.

“Wow, your Mate is one lucky bitch.” Casey tells him after staring at his piercing blue eyes for a brief moment before lowering her eyes in submission.

“Actually, I'm looking for someone.” He told her. At her nod he continued, “LCDR Rosalyn Hunt.”

“I swear Hunt Wifey gets all the smoking hot Alphas. Lucky bitch.” she responded.

“What?” Bucky asked, looking confused.

“Rosalyn is one of my work wives, so we call each other wifey.” Casey explains the amusement in her voice. She loves confusing people.

“I take it, you know her pretty well then?” Casey grinned at the handsome Alpha's confused face.

“Yes, she’s one of my Hunt Wifey’s.”

“Do you know where she is?”

“Yes, Rosalyn should be back soon assuming she doesn't get distracted,” Casey told him.

“Where did she go?”

“The bar.”

“Thank you, I'll head over there and see if I can catch her.”

“Okay, well don't be a stranger, stranger.” Casey told him letting him know that she noticed that he never gave her his name.

Bucky gave her a wry smile before telling her, “Call me James,” before walking away.

“Bye James,” she tells him before heading back to her table. Hm maybe she should have mentioned that Rosalyn should be heading back to their table instead of letting him go to the bar. Rosalyn was supposed to get drinks for them including Kaitlyn who was due to arrive any minute.

Kaitlyn was running late after her lunch with her Packmate Darcy trying to catch up on all of the family gossip. Of course, with that sweet piece of Alpha Male on her way over to her, she doubts Rosalyn will remember to get the drinks. She is one lucky bitch. She had never seen so many hot as fuck Alphas go after one she-wolf. Now the question was should she wait for Kaitlyn to get there or venture over to the bar and get her own drink….

Bucky narrows his eyes as he spots a woman across the dance floor heading away from the bar in a WWII military uniform. He could see the rage in her body as she stalked away from the bar towards the dance floor. She matched LCDR Hunt’s general description and body type, she had long black hair pinned up in loose curls. She had a body that would make pin-ups jealous of course that isn’t exactly vogue now, everyone wants to be stick thin but his tastes haven’t changed.

He couldn’t exactly confirm if she was LCDR Hunt without talking to her. He watched her slowly unpin her long black hair and pulled a hair tie out from one of the pockets of her uniform. Bucky watches as she stops and quickly French braids her hair into a loose bun at the bottom of her neck. It was clear that the braiding of her hair calmed her down enough that her anger didn’t telegraph in her body. After a moment, the mystery woman turned towards him giving him a clear view of her face.

“Stevie” Bucky says in the comms as he staggers to a stop as he’s hit with a storm of memories. моя сирена (my Siren) was the last conscious thought before the солдат (soldier) took over and Bucky’s conscious mind was pushed back.

“Bucky! Bucky! Report?!” The Soldier heard the man from the bridge over the comms but he only had one goal in mind моя сирена (my Siren).

“Nat, report. The soldier may have been triggered”

“отчет солдата” (Soldier, report) Steve said in the comms trying to reach Bucky again.

“Актив Зимний Солдат. находится актив зимней сирены. Готовы заниматься. В ожидании дальнейших заказов” (Asset Winter Soldier. Located Asset Snow Siren. Prepared to engage. Awaiting further orders)

“Актив Зимний Солдат. стоять вниз. Соблюдайте только цель. Не заниматься.” (Asset Winter Soldier. Stand down. Observe target only. Do not engage). Steve really only knows enough Russian to tell the Soldier to stand down, observe and to not engage.

The Soldier obeyed orders and observed his сирена (Siren) as she circulated the room. As expected, he saw her scan the area keeping alert of her surroundings. The солдат (soldier) watched as another male walked up to his сирена (Siren) and started talking to her. The солдат (soldier) narrowed his eyes as he saw the male gesture towards the dance floor. He saw her smile and nod at the male and started to see red. He never tolerated his сирена (Siren) in another’s arms for long.

Even during missions in which it was required he had trouble. She could be doing it on purpose. She could be using this male to taunt him into action. This was something they both have been known to do. It took all of his self-control not to rip her out of the offending male’s arms and kill him where he stood. The handler ordered him to stand down and observe. Disobedience would mean pain for both him and his сирена (Siren).

Perhaps he will be allowed to cut in and he would be allowed to dance with his сирена (Siren) before he took care of the offending male. He looked forward to getting her alone so they could reunite in private. Or public, neither of them is particularly picky about where they fuck. They do try to go somewhere private before the clothes get ripped off but time is not always a luxury that they get to have so they adapt as needed.

~~~~~~~~

Officer’s Club – Carter

“The beautiful Rosalyn Hunt, may I have this dance?” Carter asked bowing with his hand extended out.

Rosalyn smiled at Carter, nodding before taking his hand. He gave her the perfect excuse to check the surrounding area without it looking too suspicious. Dancing is the perfect tool when doing any type of recon and with him being an Alpha male he should be able to handle himself should HYDRA show up and attack. While Carter isn’t nearly as old as she is, he is still really powerful in his own right. Carter is the Pack Leader for the Washington D.C. Pack.

The D.C. Pack is one of the larger Pack’s on the East coast full of Alpha Males that he controls which isn’t exactly easy. Of course, being the Pack Leader gives an extra boost of power. This is on top of his personal power he has as an Alpha Wolf. He’d be even more powerful if he had a Mate. An Alpha Pair. If you manage to have an Alpha Pair as a joint Pack Leaders the power boost is astronomical but it's also extremely rare. It's a special version of Mating that not all shifters can obtain, so rare it's almost a myth.

Rosalyn grins as Carter pulls her into a simple West Coast swing. It isn’t the same as a waltz but completely appropriate for the time period. She had no problem remembering the steps. She was impressed that Carter knew it. She could do it in her sleep. It’s also slow enough that she could keep a look out for any HYDRA agents or the strange Natasha Romanoff. Rosalyn knew she was after something but what was the question.

“If I had known that this is what would have got you in my arms, I would have asked you to dance a long time ago.”

“Wow. That was cheesy Carter. Even for you.” Rosalyn smiled at him, meeting his eyes briefly before looking around and checking the surrounding area.

“And you are not taking the Mating suit seriously, are you?” Carter told her quietly as he noticed that he didn't have her complete attention.

“Carter, you don't want me for your Mate.”

“Rosalyn, I think I really do.” Carter passionately believed that they would make an amazing power couple.

“When I was really young, I fell in love and Mated.” Rosalyn started watching Carter as he processed that information.

“What happened?” Carter asked the sadness clearly in his voice and scent knowing that it wasn't a happy ending.

“Like all those wolves and humans alike during that time, I lost him. In battle. During WWII.” She resumed her surveillance of the surrounding area. Despite knowing that Steve was alive during this time it still hurts to talk about when she lost him.

“WWII?”

“Yes, Carter. I'm older than I look.” She grinned at him amused.

“You look amazing for your age Rosalyn dear.” Carter told her, attempting to lighten the mood.

“Ha ha.” she told him before continuing on seriously.

“There's been a couple of attempts to move on. Including a marriage that you know about to James and a Mating attempt.” She tells him omitting how the attempt at Mating with the Winter Soldier came about.

“Mating attempt? What happened?”

“The bond didn't properly form.” Rosalyn informed him, looking away.

“What? I never even heard of that happening, granted not many survive the loss of their Mate. So the pool of similar candidates is small.”

“Yes, well there were some side effects.”

“Side effects?”

“The biggest side effect was extreme territorial tendencies with a splash of homicidal jealous rage.” She did NOT want to go into details but she had to warn him.

“Excuse me?”

“Trust me when I say, you don't want to attempt to Mate with me.

“Rosalyn, you need a Mate.” Carter informs Rosalyn.

“I do not need a Mate.” She replies looking into his eyes annoyed that he was pushing.

“Yes, you do. Your body is telling you to complete the Mating bond, otherwise you wouldn’t have certain needs after a good fight.” Carter meets Rosalyn's eyes, conveying how serious he was.

“Really?” She asked him, narrowing her eyes.

‘And how do you know that?’ Rosalyn asks, sending her thoughts towards him. Carter just smiles in response.

“Yes. Look Rosalyn, I know you were pushed into our courtship but my suit is genuine and we still have 3 more months left.”

‘You were watching, weren’t you?’

‘Yes, I was. I was making sure you were okay after the dominance battle.’

‘Were you?’ Rosalyn asks, a huge part of her doesn’t believe his words or his worry. He saw what she did to that girl. He knows she can take care of herself.

‘Of course I was.’

“I honestly have no idea if it's even possible for me to take another Mate.” Rosalyn finally says out loud not wanting to continue the conversation mind to mind.

“You don't know if it’s possible?” Carter repeats clearly in shock. “Wait, are you Mated?”

“Carter, I am seriously considering your offer to join your Pack. It kind of depends on a few things, especially career wise.” Rosalyn tells him while ignoring the Mate question. It's not like she has an actual answer to that question anyways.

“That's great! We could use a Pack healer with your talents.” Carter exclaimed. Rosalyn smiled at the compliment.

“As for the suit to Mate… It's unlikely that I will ever be able to take another Mate.”

“Rose?” Rosalyn heard snapping her out of her memories. She turned around and smiled widely as she recognized the figure headed towards her and Carter.

“Darce?” Rosalyn replied, smiling widely before pulling her in for a hug.

“Oh my GOD! I tried to get a hold of you! Didn’t you get my message? I was able to get a hold of Kat yesterday and she was able to meet me for lunch. How are you doing? Kat mentioned that you guys have been crazy busy lately.”

“Oh Darce! It's so good to see you! I got your message last night but it was really late so I was going to call you this morning but I had a shit ton of meetings and a medical emergency. Things have been crazy.”

“Your life is always crazy, Rose.”

“Too true. How's Tall, Blonde and Godly?”

“He's good. Making bedrooms shake with Jane. Thank God my room is on the other side of their floor.” Rosalyn smiled widely at Darcy before remembering Carter.

Shit she thought. She had a feeling that Darcy and Kat forgot to go to Pack Headquarters to meet Carter. It's okay, she thought. I’ll just introduce them now. Rosalyn turned towards Carter pulling Darcy forward and gesturing Carter to a spot off to the side of the dance floor.

“Before I forget, Darcy, this is Carter Baizen, the top dog around here. My apologies Carter, this is my cousin Darcy Lewis.” Rosalyn introduced.

‘Carter this is my packmate, Darcy Lewis.’ Rosalyn thought towards Carter.

‘Darcy, this is Carter Baizen, the Pack Leader of D.C.’

She couldn’t exactly say it straight out but she can think it at them both and Carter can use his Alpha power to connect the two statements to all involved. Rosalyn watched as Carter turned on the charm as soon as they were introduced while Darcy wasn’t exactly at the same power level as her and Kaitlyn but she was an Alpha in her own right. Granted she doubts that Darcy would be willing to leave Jane at the drop of a hat even if she did find a Mate in Carter.

Rosalyn still couldn’t believe that when Darcy followed Jane to London and then Aliens invaded. Again! She was actually sad that she had been deployed to a ship when London happened. She was supposed to visit Jane and Darcy but then she was sent on a deployment. She would have loved to kick some Alien ass, it's rare that she gets to use her full strength. When the Destroyer attacked it was all about damage control and evacuating the civilians.

With the Dark Elves there would have been some hand-to-hand combat. Oh well. Granted she would have been even more on SHIELD’s radar had she been around for a second otherworldly event. Rosalyn inhaled roughly stilling briefly before forcing herself to act normal. She could feel several sets of eyes on her, sometimes it's nothing but usually it means trouble. She was kind of looking forward to a fight, it's been a while since she was in a serious fight where she could use her full strength.

While she doesn't relish in killing anyone, she does enjoy a good fight. Crushing men twice her size like a bug does things to her. It would send her into a micro heat, that really only lasted until she had sex or dished out more violence. She had figured it was a bi-product of her time as the Mate of the Winter Soldier, since they used to fuck after a good fight. Plus, she figured that the KGB fucked around with her biology, trying to bring about the next generation of assets.

When she had been with Steve, they would find time together to have sex before and after battles and fire-fights but it wasn’t quite the need that it is now. Before she married James, whenever HYDRA would catch up with her a fight would ensue. After she would dispatch those that came for her, she would go into her micro heat. So, she would go to one of the nearest bars and pick up a human for a quick and dirty fuck to take the edge off. This would usually calm down her heat symptoms.

If she didn’t at least take the edge off she would be unbearable to be around. The heat would get worse and with all the pheromones that she was constantly releasing. Fights would start up around her by both shifter and human alike, people would get either the urge to fight or to fuck. This would happen a lot especially when she first left the KGB and she lost access to the Winter Soldier. At least until she figured out that a quick and dirty fuck would calm her enough to bug out.

She'd be irritable for a few days but the fights wouldn’t happen and she’d be a bit more bearable to be around. Afterwards, she would meet up with Kaitlyn at their prearranged meeting place. She was fairly sure that Kaitlyn had a fairly good idea what would hold her up from meeting for a couple of hours. They didn’t talk about it. While she had never really been shy about her sexual exploits, Kaitlyn never really talked about her exploits much.

At least not since WWII when Kaitlyn and Bucky mated, it was payment she demanded after Rosalyn and Steve had to cover for them for that week they were in a Heat/Rut bonding cycle. They compared notes since Steve and Rosalyn had bonded 6 months prior. In any case neither of them liked to bring up how much the KGB affected her. It wasn’t until she married James that she figured out that the micro heats actually lasted a few days before it went away.

It wasn’t until she married James that she figured out that the micro heats actually lasted a few days before it went away. At least until the next fight. Granted after she married James the fights didn’t happen as often and HYDRA never came for her. When a fight did happen, she would go to him and they would fuck for a few days. James had amazing stamina especially for a human. Not quite the level of the super soldiers but better than any human before him.

~~~~~~~~~

3 Months Ago

The Pack had been respectful of her marriage even though she had been married to a human. A human that she wasn't Mated to. Well, at least until a few months after she had gotten word of James’ death. She could tell the Alpha males were trying to be respectful but they were constantly around. Which in turn pissed off all of the eligible Alpha females. There was one in particular who had her eye on the Pack Leader Alpha male Carter Baizen.

Carter was one of the few Alpha males that didn't hover. He was respecting her need to mourn even if James wasn't her Mate. Since Rosalyn was the temporary Pack healer, they had to deal with each other pretty regularly. This caused a lot of gossip within the Pack making it more scandalous than what it was. A rumor was going around that she was gunning to be the new Alpha Female and Mate to Carter. It was not true. She didn’t want anyone. She just lost her husband who she loved dearly.

She couldn’t even make herself go and see Steve again, much less go Mate hunting. She had been in a meeting with Carter all afternoon. They had been going through some Pack related business and they picked out the best spot to have the full moon hunt later that night. After, Rosalyn went home, she had wanted to change into clothes that were disposable in case she suddenly had to shift. Also, she wanted to check her messages.

She wanted to make sure the on-call nurse had everything she needed before she went off the grid. While she doesn’t need to shift all three days of the full moon, she would have to be available just in case. Later that night she arrived early at the clearing where the hunt was to start. Kaitlyn and Carter were both on the way not far behind her. As she waited for the hunt to start, she was challenged to a dominance battle by an idiot Alpha female which ended up becoming a Mating challenge as well.

Rosalyn, knowing that the fight would get her keyed up didn’t want to fight, but she also didn’t want to entertain the idea that the dumb as a rock Alpha bitch was more dominate then her. She wasn’t. Just because she didn’t participate in the Pack’s dominance battles didn’t mean she wasn’t dominant to most if not all of the Alpha females in the Pack. Challenging her was a mistake. Perhaps, the Pack hunt would get rid of some of that 'I need to fuck’ energy out. Just in case she tried to talk her way out of it.

“Listen here bitch, Carter is MINE.” Serena walked up to Rosalyn getting right in her face.

“Really?” Rosalyn replied drolly amused. As if Carter would want a vapid bitch such as Serena.

“You are not strong enough to be his Mate.”

“You think so?”

“I know so.”

“Serena, you really don't want to do this,” Rosalyn told her.

“That's where you are wrong bitch, I really want to do this.” Serena replied before slapping Rosalyn across the face. Rosalyn slowly blinks drawing in a deep ragged breath. She was trying to calm down a bit before the Siren took over and killed the dimwitted bitch. It was getting difficult as Rosalyn was beyond pissed.

She was well aware that most Alpha females believe that she was a pushover because she was a healer and avoided fights. Really though she avoided fights, so she doesn't accidentally kill anyone, especially with the Siren in the back of her head. Serena was power hungry and dumb as a box of rocks. She was about 5 seconds from making an exception to the no killing rule, she hated bullies and that’s exactly what Serena was, a bully. She was a lot like Steve in that way.

“That was a mistake,” Rosalyn informed her, giving her a cold smile.

“I challenge you.” Serena practically yelled, raising her hand again to hit Rosalyn. Rosalyn sees the hand coming towards her grabbing it before it hits her face again. She's quite sure if she hits her again the Siren will take over and rip her throat out and Rosalyn will just cheer her on.

“Fine.” Rosalyn finally replies, squeezing Serena's hand till she lets out a small, pained noise. Rosalyn just smiles at her before finally releasing her hand.

“Carter is MINE. I challenge you for Carter. I challenge you to a dominance battle. I am more dominant than you.”

“So you've said, I accept. Now are you going to bitch and moan or attack?” Rosalyn mocked. Rosalyn was tired of Serena, tired of her whining and posturing. If she was going to do this then she was going to beat the ever-loving-shit out of her. She hoped to teach all those Alpha bitches a lesson. Do not fuck with Rosalyn Hunt because she will kick your ass. She is not above using some of her skills.

She was going to enjoy asserting her dominance over Serena, who was more dominant than most females but she could have done without the Mating challenge. She doesn’t need another Mate. If she wins. She will win. She was more powerful. A trained fighter. She would win. Winning earns her the right to ‘court’ Carter exclusively for 6 months. Depending on how formal the Pack is, this could mean several different things. It could mean casual dates or formal dates with chaperones.

Rosalyn was so focused on Serena and her inner thoughts that she didn't notice more of the Pack arriving. A few of Serena’s cronies started to egg her on. They were trying to get the fight started without an official. Rosalyn just stood there calmly waiting, she figured that if she waited long enough Serena would get impatient and attack. It was clear that Serena wasn’t thinking with her head, she was probably running on her instincts, trying to secure a Mate.

Kaitlyn arrived in the designated area for the monthly hunt in her ratty shirt and yoga pants. She had spent the day in her office going through the huge amount of data she and Rosalyn pulled during the HYDRA data dump. It was all housed in a separate server disconnected from the internet with the hope to avoid activating tracers. With her mind on the latest information she found, she almost missed the Alpha bitch Serena slapping Rosalyn across the face.

Holy shit was the first thought that came into her head as she watched Rosalyn's face. Rosalyn has amazing amounts of control but there's only so much she will take before she will rip out something vital. As soon as Kaitlyn saw Serena attempt to hit Rosalyn again, she felt her shirt rip in the back as her wings came forth. If she allows them to fight Rosalyn will probably kill Serena but maybe in a controlled dominance battle Serena will survive. Maybe.

No one was more surprised than her when one day wings were added to her form. Rosalyn and Kaitlyn had been cornered by the KGB. Rosalyn had already broken the jaw of several agents who attempted to say her trigger words. But they were outnumbered and they kept cutting off their escape routes. Her wings exploded from her back and she was able to figure out how to use them enough to pick up Rosalyn and get the hell out of there.

“A formal challenge has been made. You'll have to wait until the Alpha arrives to mediate.”

“Fuck you BITCH, you’re just trying to cover for your tramp of a cousin.”

“Excuse me?” Kaitlyn replied with narrow eyes, she figured if Rosalyn didn’t kill the stupid Alpha bitch she might. If Rosalyn doesn’t kill Serena, then she is the luckiest bitch alive based on how annoying she has been since James died and Rosalyn became available to mate.

“What’s going on here?” Asked Carter as he walked up to the crowd of wolves, while it wasn’t unusual for crowds to form in a Pack this big, they usually dispersed before the hunt.

“Serena has formally challenged Rosalyn to a dominance battle, as well as a Mating challenge.” Kaitlyn informed Carter. She didn’t want to mention that the mating challenge is in fact over him, he could take that in a variety of different ways.

“A Mating Challenge? Over who?” Carter asked. If Rosalyn was trying to take a Wolf to Mate, then he had his own challenge to issue.

At first, no one spoke up. No one wanted to tell Carter that Serena had staked a claim on him to the point that she challenged Rosalyn Hunt. Rosalyn and Kaitlyn were amused by the entire situation and started to giggle once their eyes met. Carter could always read everyone’s minds to find out what was going on but due to the shift being so close he didn’t attempt it.

“Well?”

“Carter, Serena challenged me over you,” Rosalyn told him once she got control over the giggles.

“Ah. Oh. Well, then…” Carter started slightly flustered. He cleared his throat before continuing on completely composed.

“We are wasting the last of the daylight. As the Challenged, Rosalyn picks the form in which you want to fight the battle.”

She decided quickly on the human form and the half and half form in which they partially shift. Partially shifting gains their claws and fully shifting causes you to automatically lose. While Serena knew how to fight in her full wolf form Rosalyn could tell that she didn’t fight in the half and half form much, probably since it was a form only available to Alphas it wasn’t used as often. It was really only used during the fight for the Pack Leader.

“Human up to half and half form.” Rosalyn told him the amusement was clear in her voice.

“Shifting fully forfeits.” Carter informs the crowd.

“Magical abilities?”

“Optional”

At both Rosalyn and Serena’s nod. Carter gestured them to a clearing for the fight to begin. Once the Pack surrounded Rosalyn and Serena Carter nodded. Rosalyn started to hear music in her head giving her a beat to work with. The first notes of Black Betty by Ram Jam started in her head. She started to move, shifting from left to right the beats of the song motivating her.

“Begin.”

AN: Next is the fight between Serena and Rosalyn and the aftermath.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rosalyn’s Masterlist

#werewolf universe #alternate universe #steve rogers x original female character #bucky barnes x original female character

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maddiwrites · 3 years

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The Hybrid (I)

Pairing: JJ x Reader

Summary: The Pogues rekindle their friendship with their old childhood best friend and JJ’s first crush, Y/N. Old feelings resurface for JJ and Y/N, possibly leading to a summer neither one of them could ever forget. Due to past trauma, Y/N is reluctant to let anyone into her heart, but JJ never backs down from a challenge, even if he knows it will come back to haunt him in the end.

Note: Thank you for being patient with me as I slowly write this series. I had this idea a long time ago and I’m not finding motivation to write it but the inspiration comes and go. I smile with every comment that is left on my fics and I’m so grateful for this community. Thank you for letting me pursue my creative writing without judgement. Love you guys! (Also, yes. If you didn’t see my last note, I based YN’s family off of the Gilmore Girls characters. That’s who I picture as them.)

Word Count: 8k

Masterlist Prologue

You wake up to someone falling on your bed next to you with a dramatic sigh. Knowing exactly who it is, you choose to ignore her and try getting back to the dreamless sleep you were peacefully having before you woke up.

That is, until she sighs again.

You flip onto your back and stare up at your ceiling fan that’s quickly spinning above you. “What, Rory?”

“How did it go with Andre and that boy?”

You look at her with one brow raised. “You woke me up to hear about Andre’s love life? That hardly sounds like you. You don’t care about high school drama or hookups.”

“You’re right,” Rory says. “But I thought I would ease you into what I actually need to tell you.”

You turn on right side and look at your sister confused. “What?”

She sighs. “The cafe’s basement flooded last night. Mom needs us there to help her clean up and take inventory on what’s salvageable.”

You turn back on you backside and close your eyes, exhaling a deep sigh. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Unfortunately not,” Rory says and pats you twice on your covered thigh as she sits up. “Come on. I made you pre-cafe coffee. It’s sitting in the kitchen.”

You throw your sheets off of you and trudge to the bathroom to brush your teeth and clean your face. It’s about 8 a.m. At least you were able to get about six hours of sleep.

Last night, it was hard to let your brain rest to fall asleep. You kept tossing and turning, thinking about the blonde Pogue who walked you home. You missed how easy it was to talk to someone who you felt truly knew you. Your banter rolled off your tongue easily and you never had to worry about offending him because you knew him like the back of your hand. You knew what he could take and what he couldn't.

Talking to him brought back childhood memories you had hidden deep in your mind. How JJ would constantly poke you until you ripped into a smile on days that were grey. How you used to steal John B’s bandanas until he was chasing you around his house to get them back. How you would draw a mustache and a unibrow on Pope’s face when he fell asleep by the water.

Those days felt like they were decades ago. So far away, you didn’t know if you’d be able to reach for them again. If it was even possible to get back.

You thought about texting him. Thanks for walking me back. We should all get together soon! You had written out. But then you deleted the whole message, telling yourself it was because you didn’t know if he even had the same number. But deep down, you were just afraid of the rejection.

Its been about three years since the four of you had been together in one place. You don’t know what they’ve been through or if they’ve changed. They for sure as hell don’t know what you’ve been through. You don’t know if they're dynamic has changed. Clearly you and JJ can still joke with each other but what about John B and Pope? You heard about John B’s father disappearing at sea, most people believing he’s dead, but John B holding onto hope that’s he’s alive. You always thought about calling him to reach out and offer your condolences. But for the same reason you didn’t text JJ, you never called. It didn’t feel like your place. They had Kie for that now. A little part of you felt jealous of her, like she had replaced you and any memory of you. She seemed nice, but she wasn’t you.

“Ready?” Rory pops her head in to your room as you slip on a cropped plain white zip up jacket over your cropped black tank.

“As I’ll ever be,” You say and snag the car keys out of her hands. “Don’t even think about it. I’m driving.”

Rory rolls her eyes. “I want to get there safely.”

“And I want to get there quickly.”

“Fine. But we’re taking my car. It actually has doors.”

For your sixteenth birthday, your grandparents gifted both you and Rory your own individual cars and even let you pick them out. Rory chose a black 2020 Honda Civic for it’s safety features and reputation for longevity as if she was planning on handing it down to her future kids. And you picked out a white 2020 Jeep Wrangler with a hard top that pops off along with the doors for a very open and thrilling ride. Everyone but you called it a death trap, but you found it to be the perfect summer car.

You park Rory’s boring Honda Civic in the back of the cafe in a lot used specifically for employees. The cafe is already booming with teens and families, waiting for their morning coffees and fresh pastries. Kids your age are running around behind the counter with sweat dripping down their brow bone to get everyone’s orders out in a timely manner.

In the back of the store, your mom walks up the steps from the basement with two large trash bags and immediately notices the two of you. “Oh good. You’re here. Rory, help the girls behind the counter. The dishwasher’s broken and poor Hailey is hand washing everything. Y/N, come with me downstairs.”

“Why does Rory get the fun job?” You grumble and follow your mom back downstairs after she tosses the two trash bags.

“Because she’s actually nice to the customers.”

“Treat others how you would like to be treated. Isn’t that what everyone always says?” You smirk. You never agreed with the phrase ‘the customer is always right.’ It’s complete bullshit and being the employee shouldn’t mean letting yourself getting verbally abused by a ‘Karen’ on the other side of the counter.

The basement is used for the cafe’s storage, lined with wooden shelves Steve put together that hold to go cups, back up espresso machines, boxes of coffee and food and ingredients, etc. Now all the boxes are dark and sopping, creating puddles on the concrete floor.

“Oh my god. Mom. How did this happen?”

“Jenky water pipe busted in the middle of the night,” Steve walks down the stairs and passes your mom a knowing look. It didn’t surprise you that he was here. He’s the jack of all trades. Owns his own automotive shop, builds a lot of his own furniture, actually cooks a decent meal, and has the same outlook on customer service as you do. He was probably your mom’s first call. “Talked to the plumber. They can’t get here until at least noon.”

“Noon? We’ll be underwater by noon. I might as well turn all my employees into a swim team,” Your mom says.

Steve shakes his head. “I was able to hold the leak until he gets here. You should be fine.”

Steve was the first person that actually helped your mother out when's she moved to the Cut. Six months pregnant, she pushed her car into his automotive shop after it broke down on the side of the road. Their banter was similar to the one you and JJ have. He helped save your mom money by building yours and Rory’s cribs, changing table, and dressers. And ever since, the two of them had been connected by the hip, although they both refuse to admit it. You think the pair are just trying to deny the love they clearly share for each other. And you think the main reason for that is because of the incident four years ago with your mom’s ex boyfriend. No thanks to you.

“Look at you constantly building your resume,” You smirk at him.

Steve scoffs. “It’s more than what you’re doing.”

You roll your eyes. Steve is the closest thing you have to a father. He practically helped raise you with your mom. He’s the one you turn to whenever a fight with your mom goes too far, which isn't too often but it happens. He usually lets you stay at his house for the night to let you cool off. But he’ll never sugar coat his advice when it comes time for him to give it. Even if you don’t ask for it. He knows growing up with Rory has been challenging. She was clearly your mom’s favorite, or at least that’s what you thought. She has a 4.0 GPA with a realistic dream to get into Brown University and study journalism. She played by every rule, never got into trouble, and spent most of her free nights getting ahead of her school work or staying late at the cafe with an open book from the library across the street. She was an absolute angel to everyone else, making you look like her evil twin.

You glare at him before turning to your mom with crossed arms. “What do you want me to do, Mom?”

“Actually honey. Can you go to Heywards and grab more coffee filters and napkins. The water soaked right through the plastic wrapping on our last box.”

You nod, leaving your mom and Steve to clean up the basement themselves. Before heading out, you sneak behind the counter and make yourself a quick coffee to go.

“Where you going?” Rory asks as she reaches behind you to grab a banana for her customer at the register.

“Heywards to grab a couple things for Mom.”

“Oh. Make sure to grab toilet paper while you’re out. I think we’re almost out of it.”

“Got it.”

Heywards is only a short drive from your mom’s cafe. It’s the closest convenient store that isn’t crazy pricey. It’s where your mom gets all her supplies whenever she runs out of things before shipment gets there.

You use to always come here when you were younger with the boys, each of you, even Pope, stealing a small bag of chips or a candy bar here and there. Little did any of you know, Mr. Heyward caught your thieving hands every time but never said anything.

The bell above the door chimes when you walk into the store. You know this place as well as you know the cafe, finding the toilet paper and coffee filter immediately.

When Mr. Heyward looks up from the counter, his smile grows. He can pick you out of a crowd anywhere, but he hasn’t seen you in a long time. Last time he saw you, you had braces and overgrown bushy brows. Now you had bushed hair and shaved legs.

“Hi. Mr. Heyward,” You grin shyly at him. You don’t know how he’s going to react to see you, unsure of what Pope might have told him about you.

“Little Miss Y/L/N? Is that you?” Heyward smiles widely, pulling your own lips into a wider smile. “I haven’t seen you for a long time.”

“Yeah, I’ve been busy with school and my mom’s cafe...” Both of those things were a lie. You just avoid the Cut to avoid the Pogues.

“How’s the fam?”

“They’re good,” You say as Heyward hands you your bags. “Mom says hello by the way. I’m actually taking these to her store now.”

“Well, don’t be a stranger. We miss your smiling face around her. Anette, too.” Heyward says, mentioning his wife.

“Tell her I said hi.”

“Of course, darling.”

Heyward and Anette always had a special place in their heart for you and Rory. They’re not one for gossip, but they knew a little bit about what your mom’s been through and have heard plenty of stories about your grandparents. They always thought, despite your mom’s background, that you and your sister were raised impressively. Anette always hoped that one day Pope and Rory would get together. Everyone always wanted their child to be with Rory.

As your about to leave the store, the bell chimes again with another customer. Only it’s not another customer. It’s Pope and John B. They don’t see you at first, and you wonder if maybe you can sneak out without them seeing you. But something about that felt wrong. Especially because Heyward would more than likely mention to them that you were here.

Pope sees you first and stops in his tracks. “Y/N?”

“Hey, guys. Long time no see,” You smile at both of them. You bite down on your lip awkwardly when you meet John B’s stare. You don’t know if you should mention anything about his dad’s disappearance. But what would you say? Sorry? What good would that do?

“How’ve you been?” Pope gives you a small side hug, then John B.

You shrug. “You know, living the dream.”

“How’s life as a Hybrid?” John B smirks.

You roll your eyes playfully and groan. “Oh god. Never call me that again.”

You may be considered a Hybrid by everyone else, but you would never put yourself into that category. You grew up a Pogue, the same way everyone else did around you. The only thing tying you to the Kooks are your grandparents.

“Why?” John B smirks. “I wish I was a Hybrid.”

You smirk back. “Maybe you will be one day. I hear you have a Kook of your own for arm candy.”

You saw a faint hint of blush on John B’s cheek at the mention of his girlfriend but you don’t mention it. “Sarah, yeah. She’s not like the other Kooks.”

“I would hope not. Her brother’s a dick.”

“Yeah,” They laugh.

“We miss you, you know.” John B says. Pope looks at you, trying to read your expression. John B’s not wrong. They do all miss you, especially Pope. He felt like you were the only one who really understood him. Of course his other friends are great, but you actually took the time to try and understand his passions. Like forensic science.

“I miss you guys too. It’s been a while.”

“Well, hey. We’re actually all getting together tonight at my place. Nothing big. Just a bonfire and a couple beers. You should stop by,” John B says.

“Yeah,” Pope says, immediately getting hopeful that you’ll show up.

Your smile falters. The invite makes your heart swell and your lungs contract. It’s an invite you’ve been wanting for three years. And now that you have it, you don’t know what to say. It’d be different if it was just the four of you like old times. But now there’s Kie and Sarah and although you have nothing against them, you’re afraid they won’t accept you. The thought of your boys picking them over you terrifies you.

“Okay. Yeah, sure. I’ll try to swing by later.”

Pope smiles wide and looks at his friend to see his reaction. John B grins and nods, almost impressed that you had agreed. But he saw the twitch in your lips when the question was asked.

“Great. I guess we’ll see you later then.”

You nod. “Okay. Bye guys.”

You suck in a deep breath when the fresh air outside of Heyward’s store brushes over you. Your heart thumps wildly with both excitement and nerves when you’re finally able to collect your thoughts. You don’t know what you’ll do tonight, but the possibilities can change your entire summer.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

You spent the rest of the day mopping up the cafe’s basement and rearranging the shelves. You smelled of sweat and coffee grounds by the time you were done and dreamt of the shower you would be taking when you got home.

Rory drove you home after the two of you closed up the cafe for the day. Neither of you said much. Rory was exhausted from running around behind the counter and you were too busy thinking about whether you’d go back to the place you used to call your second home.

You took a longer shower than usual, still pondering what your night would be like. Your head was telling you to stay home but your heart pulled you in the direction of the Cut. You yearned to hear about what the future held for Pope, and listen to John B retell stories of when you were kids, and be able to stare into JJ’s bright blue eyes without him noticing.

You changed into a pair of jean shorts and a plain red cropped tank. Rory walks into your room as your brushing out your hair and looks at you as if you lost your mind.

“Are you out of your mind? You can’t wear that,” She says.

You brows scrunch together in confusion. “What are you talking about? I wear shit like this all the time.”

“Not to the Country Club, you don’t.” That’s when it hits you. Today’s been so hectic, you forgot what day it was. “It’s Sunday.”

Sunday dinner at the Country Club is now a weekly commitment forced upon you by your grandparents. Each week, your mom, sister, and you are forced to spend one dinner with your grandma and grandpa. This is basically your mom’s payment back for sending you and Rory to Kook Academy. Only they actually pay for the dinner. It’s usually the longest two hours of your entire week. It’s hard to listen to your grandfather rant about Real Estate and your grandma slyly critique your mother in almost every aspect of her life.

“Shit. I completely forgot,” You say.

“Well, you better change. We’re leaving in about five minutes,” Rory says then plucks a gold necklace from your dresser. “Oh and can I wear this tonight?”

You sigh. “Sure.”

You change into a baby blue wrap around dress and pin your wet hair into a half up half down due. It’s gonna have to work for the limited time you have to get ready. After applying a thin layer of makeup to look the least bit presentable, you meet your mom and sister by the front door.

“Finally,” Your mom says when she sees you.

“Sorry. I didn’t realize it was Sunday.”

“It’s okay, honey. I just don’t think I can handle another late remark from Mom today.” She looks you up and down and grins. “You look great.”

Despite the many fiery fights you and your mom can have, she is also your best friend. It’s kind of like a love hate relationship. Steve says it’s because you’re exactly like your mom - almost like a sixteen year old version of her.

You really hope that isn’t true. You’re not ready to have a kid in two years.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Your grandparents are already sitting at a round table in the corner of the country club by the two tall windows that reach up to the ceiling with a view looking out into the golf course. The best seat in the house for the richest a holes on the island.

“Lorelai,” Your grandmother grins, but you can instantly tell it’s sarcastic. “Did you have to walk here?”

You speak up before your mom could. “Sorry Grandma. It’s my fault we’re late.”

Your grandparents are hard on your mom but easier on you and Rory, especially Rory.

“Well, you’re here now,” Your grandpa says. He’s usually the mediator between your mom and grandma. Although he’s usually sucks at it. “Sit. Sit.”

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, JJ shuffles through his many coworkers with his apron in one hand and a piece of fried calamari from Miss Carol’s appetizer in the other.

“JJ -” She scolds and slaps his hand away from going in for a second piece.

“Good evening Miss Carol,” JJ smirks and makes his way to the area between the kitchen and dining room where most of the servers and bust boys hang out. Some of the boys slap him on the back or shove him by the shoulder, chuckling to themselves. “What’s going on boys? Busy crowd?”

“What are you doing here? You never work Sundays,” His friend, Mitch, says.

Luke Maybank was behind on several bills - worse than it’s ever been. They already shut off their electricity and JJ wanted to make sure the water wouldn’t be next.

But JJ shrugs nonchalantly. “Little extra dough can't hurt.”

“Well, you picked a good day,” Raymond walks up to the blonde, rolling his sleeves. “You got Kook Royalty and their Hybrid offsprings in your section.”

“What?” JJ looks through the small square Plexiglas on the swinging door. He knows exactly where to look and immediately sees you sitting with King and Queen Kook, looking absolutely miserable, pushing around your food with your fork.

“Damn, Maybank. Almost broke your neck - you turned so fast.”

“Shut up, Easterling. I was just seeing how crowded we were,” JJ lied. He really just wanted to see if you were here. And now that he sees you are, he’s a little nervous to do his own damn job.

Raymond Easterling chuckles. “Yeah, I know what you were looking at. But don’t get your hopes up. There’s a reason Kooks call that girl the Heart Sucker. Not even the high and powerful JJ Maybank could get a piece of that.”

The guys around JJ and Raymond chuckle and nod in agreement, hearing the stories of how you’d reject every single guy that’s ever asked you out. Sometimes you’d go on a few dates, trying to push yourself out of your comfort zone, but then things would quickly become too much, and you’d get overwhelmed.

JJ didn’t like the way Raymond talked about you or how the others laughed at your expense. His hands clenched into fists, tempted to throw a punch in Ray’s cocky face. The guy’s just being a jerk because he’s one of the guys that got rejected by you, he thought.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” JJ shakes his head and ties his apron around his waist to distract his hands.

“No?” Raymond challenges him. “You think I’m wrong? You think you could pull the infamous Hybrid over there?”

JJ glances back through the window. You’re looking at your grandma with a clearly forced grin. You’re twirling your hair between your fingers, a habit you picked up when you were little to do when you’re bored. JJ would find you doing that in school all the time.

You’re gorgeous, he thought. It’s no wonder that almost every guy on this island has tried to make a pass on you, including JJ himself, but his remarks always come off as playful, afraid of actually telling you how he feels about you. His fantasies about you went further than just getting you between the sheets. He could picture getting married, having children, and growing old together. Years ago, the two of you would talk about your future. Neither one of you cared about money or fancy jobs. All you wanted was to be free - of this island, of each other’s families, of responsibilities placed on you from birth. You hold the same values as JJ, and he’s never met another person like you.

But JJ has a hard exterior. No one other than his best friends know his true heart, and he wasn’t going to let someone like Raymond Easterling find out about his soft spot for you. He would never hear the end of it.

JJ looks at you one last time. You’re talking to Rory, your face in his direction. This time you’re smiling, probably discussing something other than your grandparent’s expectations of you. He’d kill to see that smile every single day.

What’s the worst that could happen? You reject him? Yeah, that might kill JJ inside, but maybe you’d still be his friend, or continue to be acquaintances like you are now. As long as he gets to see you, he’d be okay. There was always the future. But who knows? Maybe you’d say yes? He’ll never know unless he tries. Right?

JJ fakes the same cocky grin that Raymond wears. “I haven’t failed yet.”

The guys around him whistle and shake their heads with smiles.

“All right, Maybank. Let’s make a bet. I’ll give you one hundred dollars to get Y/N Y/L/N in the sack by the fourth of July.”

JJ scoffs. “You like giving away free money?” He ignored his racing heart at the thought of being that intimate with you.

Raymond nods. “Okay. Let’s put your money where your mouth is. Get her to say ‘I love you’ by the end of the season and I’ll raise you an extra hundred and cover all your dishwasher shifts in September.”

JJ raises his brows with surprise. No one offers to take the dishwashing shift. Sometimes the boys are pulled back there when the kitchen is short staffed and it’s easily one of the worst jobs at the Club.

This bet was almost too good of an opportunity to pass up. “Deal.” JJ says.

The boys shake hands on it and the other guys whisper to each other about how intrigued they are to see this play out.

JJ wipes his sweaty palms against his apron and pushes the door open to approach your table, hoping he can hear you over his thudding heart.

“Good evening folks. May I take those empty plates out of your way?”

You look up at the voice you know so well and a smile raises on your lips. JJ meets your eyes and he winks at you, splattering your heart in flutters.

“Please.” Your grandmother pushes her plate away from her, stuffed with filet and red wine.

“JJ,” Your mom grins up at him. Growing up, your mom always had a soft spot for the blonde Pogue. She’s heard the stories about his father, mostly from Steve, who actually grew up with Luke Maybank, his cousin. As a child, he was sent to live with Luke Maybank and his single father. Lets just say, he’s not surprised by the way Luke turned out. “Look at you. You’re all grown up now. Last time I saw you, Y/N was still pushing your head in the sand for stealing her popsicle.”

“Yeah. I quickly learned no one should mess with Y/N and her food,” JJ says.

“Never stopped you though,” You smirk at him.

“Lorelai. Who is this?” Your grandma asks, disregarding the boy himself.

“Mom,” Lorelai gives her mom a warning look. “This is JJ Maybank. He went to school with Y/N and Rory.” Lorelai knew to play it safe with her wording. She didn’t know where you and JJ stood. It’s been so long since you’ve seen him and she knew better than to ask.

“Nice to meet you,” JJ says politely. “I’d shake your hand but mine are kinda full.” He motions to the plates in his hand.

“That’s quite all right.” Your grandma’s smile is so forced, it makes you uncomfortable.

“I won’t hold you up. Has your server been around with the dessert menu?” JJ looks at you. “We have chocolate cake tonight.”

Heat rushes up your neck. Not because of the cake itself but because JJ remembered your favorite dessert. Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate sprinkles. It was safe to save you were a choco-holic. The boys use to make it for you every year for your birthday. It usually came out burnt, none of them ever remembering how to properly make it. But it was all you needed to feel like a very special girl.

“Your favorite,” Rory elbows you.

Your grandma cringes. “Sounds like diabetes on a plate.”

“Mom,” Lorelai scolds.

“What?” She asks, not understanding the concept of a filter.

Now heat rushes to your cheeks for an entire different reason. “He did. We’re not doing dessert tonight. Thank you, though.”

JJ nods but feels disappointed by the way your face flinched at your grandmother’s comment.

“My pleasure,” He says like he was taught to do and excuses himself to drop the plates off in the back before he can say anything else that would probably get him fired.

Your mom looks at your with raised brows. “He’s cute, honey.”

“Lorelai, please. He’s the busboy,” Your grandma says.

“He’s a good kid, Mom.”

“If you’ll excuse me,” You stand up. “I have to use the restroom.”

Rory gives you a knowing grin as you walk away from the table. When you walk into the hallway between the dining area and the front lobby, you immediately feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Sometimes just the presence of your grandparents and their pompous judgements can be suffocating. You do your best to bite your tongue around them, excusing yourself when you feel yourself getting heated.

JJ catches a glimpse of your light blue dress out of the corner of his eye when he rounds the corner to collect the plates off a different table. He looks over his shoulder at Raymond, who’s staring at the blonde watching you, and winks.

“Hey, Y/N,” JJ says, walking up to you.

You look up from your phone and immediately smile. “Hey. I was actually hoping I’d catch you out here.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” You nervously tuck a piece of hair behind your ear. “I’m sorry about my grandmother. She can be...”

JJ shakes his head. “Hey. It’s okay. I work for Kooks almost every single day. I’m use to it.”

You sigh. “That doesn’t make me feel any better.”

“Don’t apologize for something you can’t control,” JJ says. “Besides, that’s probably the nicest she’s ever been to me.”

You hide your face in your hands. “Stop. You’re making it worse.”

JJ laughs and takes your wrists in his hands, slowly pulling them away from your face. Your eyes shoot up to his, immediately feeling a tingling feeling run through your skin, straight to your heart.

“It’s okay. I promise,” He says softly. His voice is so sincere that you have no other option but to believe him. It almost makes your feel guiltier, wondering how much bullshit he’s been through with ungrateful Kooks that it’s so easy for him to forgive and forget.

“Okay,” Your voice is a whisper, taken off guard by how close he is to you and how he still hasn't let go of your hands.

In that same moment, JJ realizes he’s still holding you and gently removes his hands. He coughs awkwardly and scratches the back of his neck, where sweat begins to bubble. Why is he so nervous?

“So um...” You say, suddenly feeling nervous too. “You going to John B’s tonight?”

JJ’s eyes shoot up in surprise. How did you know that? “Yeah. I’m heading over there after work.”

“I saw him and Pope at Heywards earlier today and they invited me over. I wasn’t sure if I should come or not.”

“Why wouldn’t you?”

Because it’s different now, you wanted to say. But you didn’t because you feel like the elephant in the room would only grow. And you didn’t want to admit you were nervous to meet Kie and Sarah outside of school.

You shrug. “I don’t know.”

“You should definitely come. The boys miss you.”

You pretend like a little piece of your heart didn’t just break when JJ didn’t say ‘we.’

“What time do you get off of work?”

“Around 9ish.”

You nod. “I can pick you up if you’d like and we could go together?”

Your heart races after you suggest it. What if he says no? Why were you feeling this way? This is the same kid you use to make fun of for pouring milk into his bowl before his cereal.

“Yeah. That’d be perfect.”

“Great!” Your phone pings with a text from Rory, telling you that your grandparents are wondering where you are. “Shit. I have to get back. I’ll see you at nine?”

“See you then,” JJ nods and turns back to the kitchen. When his eyes meet Raymond’s, he’s reminded of what he agreed to. Almost surprised how quickly he forgot about it. You were able to take his mind off of anything without even trying. He clears his throat to get rid of the giddy grin he was wearing after talking to you, wanting to look tough and casual in front of his coworker. “Easy.” He says to him. But that felt anything but easy. He could vomit with nerves.

“There’s still plenty of time for you to screw up, Maybank.”

JJ huffs. He’s not wrong.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

You drive up to the front of the country club and park in front of the main entrance. It’s 8:57. You’re early and will look eager. So you wait until 9:06 to text him that you’re here.

You changed into a pair of dark washed denim shorts, a yellow cropped tube top, a grey flannel, and navy converse. You changed your outfit about four times before deciding on your first one, not wanting to look too casual or too dressed up.

For the last three years, you wondered when the four of you would get back together as a group. You wondered if it would ever happen. And now that two Kooks are involved, you feel more nervous than excited.

You jump when the passenger seat door opens, lost in the depth of your own head. JJ smiles, not seeing your reaction.”Cool ride,” he says and looks around the interior.

“Thanks,” you say, pulling out into the road.

“I got you something,” JJ says.

You glance at him with furrowed brows. What could he have possibly gotten you since you saw him last? A book mark from the Country Club’s gift shop?

JJ reaches into his backpack and pulls out a plate with clear wrap around it. Your mouth drops when you see the chocolate cake on a plate in his hands, the smell immediately hitting your nose with pure delight.

“You saved me a piece?” You jump in your seat excitedly.

“Had to hide it good too or else Miss Carol would have had my ass handed to me,” JJ jokes and even pulls out two forks. He undoes the wrapping and cuts off a piece. He waits until you hit a stop sign and says, “Open up.”

You look at him and immediately open your mouth. He gently places the fork between your lips and you take the piece of cake off with your teeth. Like a baby.

Your eyes close with pure pleasure. “Oh my god. That’s amazing.”

“Miss Carol does know how to bake a mean cake,” JJ says and takes a bite of his own.

“Another one,” You say, glancing at the cake again. Like you said, choco-holic. “Please.” You say when JJ teases you by holding the fork away from you.

JJ laughs. “I like hearing you beg.”

You slap him in the arm with the back of your hand. “In your dreams, Maybank.”

“You got that right, Y/L/N.”

The two of you finish the cake with only a few bites each. Small but rich in chocolate that leaves you craving more. You were gonna have to meet this Miss Carol woman.

After he puts the plate back in his bag, JJ reaches for the aux cord, but you quickly slap his hand away. “Hey. What do you think you’re doing?”

“You’re seriously gonna make me listen to this the entire way to John B’s?”

You scoff. “I’ll have you know Blink-182 is one of my favorite bands.”

“It’s also soccer moms’ favorite band,” JJ laughs at you.

You turn up the volume, blasting ‘All the Small Things’ and point to your ear. “Sorry. Can’t hear you!”

JJ rolls his eyes but laughs along with you, even bopping his head to the beat. You drive with the windows down, dancing and singing along to a bunch of throwback songs with JJ as if the two of you have been doing this forever.

You pull up to John B’s and park behind his dad’s old van, better known as The Twinkie. When you turn down the music, JJ looks at you with a shake in his head. “Next time, I’m driving.”

“What was wrong with my driving?”

“We’re in the Outer Banks, Sparky, not NASCAR.”

You scoff and follow behind JJ who’s leading the way up John B’s driveway. As you get closer, you smell the smoky scent of a bonfire nearby and eventually hear John B’s laugh mixed in with a female’s. Your smile falters as nerves gather in the pit of your stomach.

“What’s wrong?” JJ asks.

“Nothing,” You say, but JJ easily catches your lie and gives you a knowing look. “What if they don’t like me?”

“Who? Pope and John B? I’m pretty sure they like you more than me even after three years -”

“Not them, you idiot,” You shove him playfully by the shoulder as you two let yourselves inside. “Sarah and Kie.”

“Don’t you go to school with them?”

“Yeah, but we don’t talk,” You say quietly, not wanting them to hear you.

“Hm.”

“What?” JJ shrugs. “Nothing. I just didn’t think you cared about what other people thought.”

“I don’t,” You say quickly. “But they're your best friends. It’s different.”

“You don’t need their approval. You technically were here first.”

“Yeah, but I’ve been replaced,” You try to say it as a joke and even throw a smirk in there.

But JJ stops in his track and looks at you seriously. “No one can replace you. Not even if they tried.”

You open your mouth to respond, but you’re at a loss for words. It’s not a common occurrence that JJ gets all serious on you. Warmth covers you like a blanket and the longer he holds your stare, the weaker your knees become.

“JJ! Is that you?” John B calls out from the backyard.

“Yeah,” JJ yells back. He opens the fridge in John B’s kitchen. “Want a beer?” He offers to you.

You shake your head. “No thanks.”

For the first time, you take in John B’s home. It looks the same as it did three years ago, only a lot messier. The pull out couch looks like its been used recently with blankets and sheets tossed about on it. Empty beer cans and cigarette butts are thrown messily on the coffee tables and the air smells faintly of old marijuana.

JJ leads you out to the back where four people are gathered around a fire. Three out of the four immediately smile when the two of you approach them, but Kie’s eyes narrow and her head tilts with confusion.

Shit, you think.

“You came!” Pope laughs and hops up from his beach chair and embraces you in a hug.

You laugh, not expecting the embrace, but welcoming it all the same. John B’s next, giving you a quick hug and shaking his head.

“I gotta say, I didn’t think you were going to come,” John B says.

“You can thank me for that later,” JJ says jokingly.

“Actually when I heard JJ was coming, I almost changed my mind and stayed home,” You joke and smirk JJ’s way.

“Just like old times,” Pope says, looking between you and the blonde. The banter felt like the yall never separated in the first place.

“Hey, you know Sarah and Kie, right?” John B points to the girls. Sarah stands up to say hi, and eventually Kie follows her, not wanting to look rude, but stays off to the side, keeping her distance.

“Yeah,” You wave awkwardly.

“Hey!” Sarah says sweetly. “I didn’t realize you guys use to all hang out.”

“Y/N grew up down the street,” JJ explains and sips at his beer.

“You want a drink or something?” Pope asks you, not knowing JJ already did.

“No thank you,” You say again.

“You don’t drink?” Kie asks. It was the first thing she’s said to you.

“Not usually,” You say and hold her stare. You try to get a read on her, but she’s had to get a tell on. You can’t tell if she just doesn’t like you or just doesn’t know you. Either way, it makes you uneasy.

“Here, I’ll go grab you a chair,” Pope says and walks to the side of the house to grab another beat up beach chair.

As the night goes on, you feel the tension in your shoulders loosen and your body feel lighter. Most of the night was spent retelling childhood stories the four of you shared. Sarah would laugh at most of them, occasionally rolling her eyes at her boyfriend from the stupid shit he would do, although it sounds like he’s no different to you now.

You talked about the time you and JJ stole a golf cart for a joy ride on Figure Eight, or when you and John B pranked Pope by putting a dead fish in his locker, or how you and John B learned how to play guitar from youtube tutorials.

Midnight came around quickly and exhaustion was slowly taking over your body. It’s been a long day between the cafe flooding, dinner with your grandparents, and now this.

JJ was the first to notice you slowly fading.

“You okay?” He asks you quietly as everyone else is caught up in conversation.

“Yeah,” You say, lazily grinning at him.

“We can leave if you want,” He says.

“You’re not staying?” You ask. It sounded like everyone was planning to spend the night here. And as much as you wanted to, you just didn’t feel comfortable enough yet.

JJ shrugs. “My dad’s out of town tonight. It’ll be nice to have the house to myself.” Before you can say anything, he stands and brushes his hands against his pants. “All right, losers. We’re out of here.”

“Aw, you’re leaving?” Sarah pouts.

“Yeah, I’m beat and Y/N’s my ride home,” JJ says.

You were glad he didn’t call you out for being tired. You didn’t want to look lame in front of everybody, especially Kie.

“Thanks for having me,” You say to everyone. It might have been John B’s house, but it was everyone’s night you intruded on.

John B stands up to hug you. “Don’t be a stranger, okay?”

You nod. “I won’t. I promise.”

Pope hugs you next. “Text me when you get back safe.”

“I will.”

“Bye!” Sarah waves and Kie exhales a ring of smoke from her blunt.

You wave at them before following JJ back to your car.

“Nuh-uh-uh,” JJ says. You didn’t realize you both walked to the driver’s side.

“What? No.”

JJ nods and holds his hands out for your keys. “I’m not dying tonight.”

“You’ve been drinking and smoking all night,” You say. You didn’t think JJ was drunk or even that high, but you were not going to let a teenager with an ounce of alcohol in his system get behind the wheel. “Next time. For now, hold on to the cupholder.”

JJ sighs dramatically and goes to the other side of the car and hops in the passenger seat.

This time you keep the music quiet, listening to the hum of the radio instead of your phone.

“Take a left,” JJ says.

“JJ, I know where you live. And it’s not left.”

“Don’t you trust me?”

You snicker. “Not in the slightest.”

JJ rolls his eyes. “Just take the left.”

You hold your hands up in surrender and take the left turn. He directs you for a couple more miles until he has you park in front of a 24 hour diner.

“What are we doing here?” You ask.

“I’m in the mood for a milkshake.”

“We just had cake!” You say.

“Come on, Sparky. Show me what that mouth can do,” JJ smirks.

You go to hit him again but he takes off running to the front entrance and pulls the door open. You chase after him, almost running into his back at the front host stand where JJ safely smirks at you in triumph.

“Two please,” He says to the hostess.

The old cranky woman leads you to a booth off to the side next to a window without a word.

A couple minutes later, a waitress walks by and asks if you’re ready to order.

“Yes. One chocolate milkshake and one black and white milkshake,” JJ orders for both of you, already knowing what flavor you’d want.

“And fries, please.” You say. The waitress nods, takes your menus, and walks off. JJ raises his brow at the extra order. “What?” You shrug. “Just showing you what my mouth can do.”

JJ scoffs. “What a tease.”

You playfully kick his shin under the table.

“Did you have fun tonight?” JJ asks.

“Yeah,” You answer. “Felt like old times. The girls are nice too.”

You were about to only mention Sarah, but you didn’t want to cause any issues with Kie. Not yet at least. Maybe she just needed time to warm up to you.

“See? I told you they wouldn’t bite.”

A couple minutes later, the waitress comes back with your milkshakes and fries.

“How’s John B doing? You know, with the whole Big John thing?” You ask delicately, unsure of how JJ would react to you pestering about John B’s business. “I didn’t want to ask and bring the mood down,” You explain yourself although you don’t need to.

JJ shrugs. “He’s in denial I think. Won’t sign a death certificate until he sees a body. He could be worse, though.”

“Yeah,” You say softly. You don’t know what you would do if you were in that situation. In a way you felt lucky that you never knew your dad at all. It would be harder to lose him, knowing who he was.

You take a fry and dip it into your milkshake before taking a bite. This makes JJ freeze and look at you like you have two heads.

“What?” You say with your mouth full.

“I can’t believe you just did that.”

“Don’t knock it till you try it,” You say and give him a look to do it.

JJ reluctantly picks up the fry and dunks it into his milkshake. He looks at the fry questioningly before popping it into his mouth. Somehow the sweetness of the milkshake and the saltiness of the french fry complement each other beautifully and his widen in pleasant surprise.

“Oh wow,” JJ says.

“Told you,” You smirk.

You spend the next hour catching up, trying to fit the last three years into an hour. JJ does most of the talking because you want to know more about what John B, Pope, and JJ have been up to. Your life was so boring and depressing, you didn’t want to bore JJ with the details.

You drive JJ home and talk for a few minutes more when you park. He seems to be procrastinating getting out of the car, but you don’t mind. You could talk to him all night, suddenly not feeling tired anymore.

“All right. I’ll let you get home before the sun rises,” He says and opens the door. He pauses when his feet hit the ground and he looks back at you. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

“I have to work at the shop, why?”

“Well, there’s a storm coming in. John B and I might go out to surf the surge before it hits. You still surf?”

You scoff. “Do I still surf?”

JJ holds his hands up in surrender. “Just checking. You think you can handle the surge?”

“Let’s not forget who the better surfer is, JJ.”

“I didn’t. It’s still me.”

“You wish.”

“So I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Now you have a point to prove. You have to show JJ that you’re still the better surfer.

“I'll see you tomorrow,” You agree.

“Great, it’s a date.” He winks and shuts the door before you can tell him otherwise.

You giggle to yourself as JJ walks up the front yard and stay there until he you see he gets in safely.

You pull out of the driveway, wishing he had asked you out on a real date. One that didn’t involve John B.

Tag list: @super-funky-bisexual @sunsetswithjj @moniamaybank @throwawayfish @poguestyle17 @5am-cigarette @jjpouggues @fly-away-from-here @buckys2thicc

#JJ Imagine #jj fic #jj maybank imagines #jj maybank x reader #jj maybank #jj obx #jj fanfiction #jj maybank imagine #outer banks imagine #outer banks imagines #outer banks fic #jj maybank one shot

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sh1tbird-shantytown · 3 years

Note

Billy has to go on a cigarette ban after Starcourt, because he has one lung left and Steve basically finds a huge cache of cigarettes that Billy has hidden because he can't smoke them.

the thing is. steve had his hand on the doorknob, about to scold billy to purgatory, when he realized he was in his own predicament. he heard the ruffling of sheets through the door as billy made the bed. his hand was stuck in the air, a hair away from touching the silver handle.

he found the crumpled up package in billy’s jewelry box. the pretty and detailed one made out of stained cherry wood. displayed on billy’s side of the bathroom counter. and something steve strictly had to have permission to open. which did sound odd to many people, but steve understood boundaries. he had his own. he didn’t like billy ruffling through the trunk of his car. where he kept his bat and the bandana and goggles that still had remanence of the upside down on them.

he hadn’t meant to. he’d just opened the box while dusting it off that morning. without thinking. and he’d seen the slightly flattened box of marlboros, beneath a few rings. he’d immediately fumed.

billy was still ill. he had an inhaler for christ’s sake. some days he had to go into the bathroom where there weren’t any windows and steam it up with the hottest water setting. he couldn’t afford using cigarettes. and yeah, steve had stopped too. hadn’t smoked a lot anyway, not as much as billy. so it was easier. but he’d trusted billy when he kept up with it. and billy always said that he hadn’t touched a single one.

steve was worked up all over again.

he pushed open the door, harder than necessary by the way it bounced off the wall.

billy looked up from flattening the comforter startled and opened his mouth. it shut tight when he noticed the package clutched in steve’s fist.

steve took a breath and calmed himself presentably, “please tell me, that you haven’t been using these.” billy squared his shoulders the way they did before a fight. “don’t do that to me,” steve stepped in and shook his head. “don’t resort back to that now,” he reached out even when billy continued to look impassive. he settled his free hand on billy’s cheek and made him look him in the eye. “i know it’s been difficult but,” he searched billy’s expression, “why?” billy closed his eyes and wouldn’t reopen them. steve ran a thumb gently across his cheek.

“i don’t— i don’t use them often,” billy mumbled, “i just...sometimes.” steve kept silent, knew nothing he felt like saying would help. “sometimes it gets too much and don’t know what else to do,” billy explained. he opened his eyes and steve watched three tears race down to his jaw.

he wiped them off, “then we’ll find something better,” he promised. billy looked skeptical but he didn’t dismiss him. steve held up the cigarettes, “these are nothing compared to your life.” billy’s brows furrowed but he nodded after he asked, “got that?”

steve tossed them into the bin by their shared desk and hugged him. brushed his fingers through billy’s hair as he continued to accept the moment they’d had.

“i’m sorry i opened your box, i was just cleaning and i forgot. but, i don’t regret finding those,” he insisted. billy clutched around his diaphragm a little rougher. steve smiled against the side of billy’s head. “but i apologize for invading your privacy like that and i won’t do that again unless i’m under specific suspicions. okay?”

billy leaned back and nodded, “yeah, i can get aboard that.” steve gave him a kiss on the forehead and ran his fingers down to billy’s hand. linking them.

for a little while, steve had wondered if billy hadn’t wanted him in that cherry box because of the cigarettes. that was incorrect, he found out later on in their lives. because not too far away from that box of marlboros, had been a delicate sapphire engagement ring. in a little wooden box made up of the same as the one that held it all.

that had been what was really hidden.

and steve got to wear that ring the rest of his life. on the same hand those dreadful cigarettes had been tossed out by. on the same hand that rescued billy hargrove.

send an ask :)

#billy hargrove #steve harrington #harringrove #thanks for the ask!#the amount of time i thought where he’d hide them was really something #hope you liked it!#:)

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hargrove-mayfields · 3 years

Text

Just A Dream Away

Chapter 12/13 read here on ao3!

for @harringrovebigbang

~~~~

They don’t have time to wait for Steve.

Over the radio he’s told very bluntly that Billy is not going to make it if they wait for Steve to find them first, and they have to get him to the hospital immediately.

He understands, but they say they can’t even put him on the radio, and he hears coughing in the background before the radio is turned off, so he has to find his way out of the woods alone, then wait on his front porch, bat clutched tightly in his hands just in case, for Joyce with a car full of kids to pick him up and drive him to the hospital.

The half hour it takes is the longest of his life, so that by the time he’s in the hospital, he’s running on waxed floors, tennis shoes skidding as he pushes forward into the endless labyrinth of white tiles and fluorescent lights.

Billy. The boy he'd held as he died in this very hospital. Now alive and breathing in room 340, just a floor above from where he’d thought he’d lost him forever. His legs can’t carry him there fast enough.

He’s only vaguely aware of the kids running behind him, or of the nurses who shout at them that visiting hours are over, unaware that they have a free pass, a special government sanctioned patient to visit. He thinks he hears Max, just as breathless as he is, shout something vulgar back at one of them.

They pass by room after room, Steve muttering the numbers under his breath as they skip the until they reach the start of the wing Billy’s being kept in, and he sprints so fast the numbers are too blurry to count.

He catches himself with both hands on the door frame of 340, leaving small scuff marks on the floor as he skids to a stop. There isn’t even time to take a breath and prepare himself before he’s rushing into the room.

The small group that he hadn’t left out in the hall is already in the tiny hospital room, Kali and El and Robin standing around the bed, talking to Billy. That’s a good enough sign, but they’re still in Steve’s way, the one last barrier keeping him from reuniting with his love. He has to see him.

“Move.” He hears himself breathe out, and they do, stepping aside each with matching looks of respect and sympathy for all that had got them to this point.

Billy looks up at him, the closed off, traumatized expression behind his eyes melting into one of relief and love that was mirrored perfectly in Steve’s own features. He’s sitting on the side of the bed, feet flat on the floor so he’s facing the door. An oxygen mask not much unlike the one that had kept him, or not really him, alive for so many months strapped to his face and a bandage wrapped tightly around his arm. Tired, deep blue eyes glassy with tears stare straight back at him.

Steve is completely frozen in place, can’t process the fact that he’s standing across from the boy he’d buried a year ago now. The one he never stopped mourning. Never stopped loving.

Billy’s the first of the two to say something, his voice cracking with the effort, with emotion , as a tear slips down his grimy cheek, “C’mere, Stevie.”

Steve practically trips over his own two feet, throwing himself into Billy’s open arms, “Baby, oh my god.”

“I know, Stevie.” Billy comforts, rubbing soothing circles into his back, but it only makes Steve cry harder, nuzzling Billy’s mess of hair and sobbing, “I lost you.”

“No, baby, I was here. I was here the whole time.”

Steve nods, sniffling as he tries to calm his tears, “I’m sorry.” He’s apologizing for everything, from crying to not saving him sooner to not being there in the first place.

“Sorry? Stevie, you saved me.” He thumbs over the bloody scratch on Steve’s cheek, “You could’ve been killed doing that for me with just a baseball bat.”

Insistently, Steve shakes his head, “Don’t make this about me. Look at you , you’re covered in blood.”

“Most of it’s not mine. There’s so many of those fuckers over there. They used to mind their own but something was different. Had to kill tons of ‘em.”

“But you’re okay?”

“Mhm. Doc says I’ll be on oxygen for as long as I breathed that shit in, maybe longer, and this damn bite’s getting infected, but s’nothin they can’t fix.”

“Good. I was so scared.” Steve sighs, relieved, and Billy chuckles, somehow despite everything still like himself as he teases, “You were scared? How do you think I felt?”

“Oh shut up. I’m serious. I thought you were gone, and then they said you might not make it.”

“We’ll I’m here now, baby, and I’m doing just fine.” Billy assures, so much confidence in his voice, albeit tired and worn, that Steve believes him.

Steve smiles, Billy’s attitude being back such a relief to his worry, “I love you, Bill.”

“Love you too.”

“Is that my bandana?” Steve gently tugs on the bandana tied at the back of Billy’s neck, the tiniest blush appearing on his face, but before he can answer, Max pipes up from the doorway, “And is that my watch?”

Billy’s face lights up all over again, “Maxi! C’mere, shitbird.”

Max runs up to her brother, stopping just short of the bed, her freckled cheeks already tracked with tears, “Am I allowed to hug you?”

“I fought monsters and you’re worried a hug’s gonna hurt me?” Billy smiles and holds his arms out for her, “Give your big brother a hug.”

Still just on the side of apprehensive, Max hugs him, and Billy starts to interrogate her, asking quietly, “Are you okay, Maxi? How’s home been? Has Neil hurt you?”

Max shakes her head, “Your dad’s been all depressed since you.. well since you died. He hasn’t hit my mom since before your funeral.”

“You telling me the truth?” He looks to Steve for confirmation, who nods as well, had heard the same from Max.

“Well don't congratulate him for that. I have half a mind to take that shotgun down there and give it to him for everything he did before.” Billy continues, voice grumbly, but Max pulls away from his hug to tell him, “Please don’t. You don’t ever even have to come home again. I never want to see you act how you used to have to around your dad again.”

“I’m not leaving you, Max.”

“You won’t be. Like I said, he doesn’t bother us anymore.” Max drops her voice to a whisper, her face somber and serious, “Just move in with Steve, please. That would make me feel better.”

It won’t be that easy, the two of them both know that if the glance they share says anything, but Billy agrees regardless, can’t bear to crush his sisters optimism after everything she already had gone through because of him.

“Alright, Maxi. I trust you.” Billy undoes the small yellow watch on his wrist, handing it back to her, “You can have this back. Sorry if it’s broken.”

Max takes the watch gently, holding it tightly in her hand and throwing herself into him for another hug, sobbing hard into Billy’s chest as her well-kept composure comes undone. He holds her and runs his fingers through her hair, mumbling on repeat, “I gotcha, Maxi. M’sorry.”

It takes until Joyce comes back in the room with news for her crying to calm down, pulling away from him and retreating to stand by El while she listens, a couple of the other kids thumbing away discreet tears from the emotional display as well.

Joyce had at first ushered all the kids in the room and told them to be supportive of Max, before leaving to talk with Billy’s doctors in the absence of his parents. Now she was back with something to say, and Billy looks to her expectantly, “So? How long’re they keepin’ me in this hell hole?”

“A month at least. They’re going to want to do a lot of tests. Monitor how you’re adjusting.” She smiles sympathetically, “I wish I had better news, but it’s for the best they keep you a while.”

Steve looks to Billy, holding his hand for assurance, worried he’ll take it badly, but he only nods determinedly, “Whatever it takes.”

#harringrove big bang 2021 #harringrove #billy hargrove #steve harrington #billy x steve #billy & max #max mayfield #ej writer #story by ej!#almost done! we’re in the home stretch y’all!

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coffeeandchemicals · 4 years

Note

Combo of 2, 17 & 38 for the Harringrove horror prompts. Please and thank you!

Thank you @introvertia for the prompts! Sorry it took so long - I hope you enjoy this!

The prompt list is here, if anyone wants to send me more!

Trigger warning for homophobic language and gore.

all that's left is a ghost of you

Billy had only been town for a few days, but he’d already noticed something wasn’t quite right with this King Steve that everyone was talking about. Something wasn’t right, but no one seemed to notice. Not the ex-girlfriend who kept giving Steve wide-eyed sad looks as if she couldn’t quell her own guilt. Not the ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend who actively avoided Steve’s gaze whenever Steve saw him in the hallways. Not the kids that Steve drove around taking them from school to the arcade to home and back again as if Steve was their personal chauffer.

But Billy noticed.

And Billy watched to see what would happen. To see what Steve would do. To see if Steve would finally snap.

And Billy needled Steve to see if he could get a rise out of him. To see what emotions, if any, would cross Steve’s face. To see if Steve would give in to whatever he was trying not to feel.

And Billy waited.

On the basketball court, Billy pushed into Steve’s space, plastered himself against Steve’s back, and let himself feel the heat of another body against his own. Billy almost made a move in the showers, but he saw Steve’s flat, emotionless face, anger flashing for the briefest moment when Tommy had brought up the ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend. (Billy wasn’t sure why Steve was surprised – those two had sexual chemistry that could light shit on fire.) So, Billy pulled back, he didn’t want to work with anger at someone else. If Steve had felt anger towards Billy, Billy could twist that into something more visceral, something baser. But Steve hadn’t, so Billy decided to wait. Billy decided to bide his time.

Then things became truly fucked up.

Billy had been out looking for Max on the orders of his dad, sporting a necklace of bruises, and a healthy dose of rage that simmered under his skin. He was focusing on tamping it down, trying to contain it, when he pulled up to the Byers’ place. Before he even got out of the car, he could see Max’s head peaking through the window, her orange hair glinting in the dim light.

Then Billy saw Steve, looking resigned and rejected as always.

“Am I dreaming, or is that you, Harrington?” Billy drawled, letting the cigarette smoke curl out of his mouth, as he took Steve in. Steve didn’t even flinch.

“Yeah, it’s me. Don’t cream your pants,” Steve replied, his tone lacking any kind of bite.

Billy sauntered up, letting his rage flicker into something more physical, definitely something more like lust. He put a hand on Steve’s shoulder and said, “I won’t–”

“Steve!” someone yelled as they come barreling out of the house, past him, and past Billy in three seconds flat. It was the curly haired kid – Billy couldn’t remember his name – and his face was covered in panic.

“Dustin, I thought I–” Steve started to say, but is cut off.

“Steve, we gotta go now. Like right now. Like should have left ten minutes ago now.”

Steve sighed, long and drawn out. But the other kids had already come tumbling out of the house, herding him forward towards his car.

Max stared at Billy, her eyes wide. “Look,” she muttered, “Billy, I can’t explain. But I have to help.”

Billy glared at her and the other kids, taking in the organized chaos that shifted more towards chaos as the kids tried to pile into Steve’s car.

“Fine,” he snapped, then he grabbed the keys from Steve’s loose grip. “I’m driving. Max, you tell me what’s going on.”

Steve attempted to protest, but his words and tone were lackluster at best, like he’d slipped into some sort of apathy.

“C’mon, Harrington,” Billy said, as he circled his hand around Steve’s wrist, “let’s go.” Billy maneuvered Steve into the passenger seat without any protest. He wondered what was going on in Steve’s head, why his eyes were so blank and empty. He dropped into a crouch in front of the open door and snapped his fingers in front of Steve’s unfocused gaze.

“Huh,” Steve muttered, “I’m not a dog, Hargrove.”

“Sure,” countered Billy, “But, man, you’re gone. I watched you disappear in the span of two minutes. What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Steve snapped, spinning to face the front.

“Monsters,” yelled the curly-haired kid – Dustin – “we need to go now!”

Monsters and tunnels were apparently the things plaguing Hawkins. Billy pieced together the fucked-up picture from the kids talking over each other. He kept making eye contact with Max in the rear-view mirror to confirm that this was, in fact, not a joke. She looked terrified enough that Billy decided the story must be true – or at least partially true.

“Right,” said Billy, as he rummaged through Steve’s trunk to find some sort of weapon – a tire iron would do nicely – “all you kids stay here.”

“What –”

“No!”

“Billy!”

Billy stopped them all with his practiced glare. “Me and King Steve here will go check it out.”

“Yep,” Steve said, twirling his bat, looking more awake than Billy had ever seen him. Maybe Steve was sporting a death wish. Maybe he was looking for that adrenaline high.

“It’s toxic,” Dustin said, passing bandanas and goggles first to Billy and then to Steve. Billy took them and wondered how a bandana would save him from a poisonous atmosphere, but he put it on anyway and checked to make sure that Steve was doing the same.

“You just need to distract them,” said the pinched-faced kid, who Billy thought was named Matt or Mick or Mike. “You need to give El time to close it.”

“Uh huh,” said Billy, “let’s go, pretty boy, we gotta save a town. Or some shit.” But Steve had already walked to the hole in the ground and jumped in by the time Billy had finished talking. He rolled his eyes and jumped down after Steve.

The tunnels were eery. The lighting was dim and diffuse, as if things couldn’t quite get into focus until they were right in front of your face. The vines – or whatever the fuck they were – shifted constantly, creating rustling noises that echoed through the enclosed space. The air felt heavy as if it weighed Billy down and stole his energy. It made goosebumps crawl up the back of Billy’s neck.

“Well,” muttered Billy, “isn’t this a nice place.” He heard piercing screams in the distance and footsteps that sounded like they were coming closer.

“C’mon,” said Steve, voice muffled under his bandana, “we gotta go this way.” He jerked his head back indicating a direction that Billy was pretty sure went the opposite way of the town, but he could tell that it would be incredibly easy to get lost in this maze. Billy picked up the can of gasoline that one of the kids had dropped down and headed after Steve, wondering if this was some sort of nightmare he was going to wake up from.

“You alright, amigo?” Billy asked, after the silence had stretched out between them for a few minutes. He needed something to cover the squelching noises that the vines made every time he stepped on one. It made him think of intestines spilling out of some monstrous abdominal cavity. It caused his stomach to roll and bile to rise in the back of his throat.

“We’re walking in some creepy tunnels, going to fight fucking monsters. We’re armed with a bat and a tire iron. What the fuck do you think, Hargrove? Are you alright?” Steve snapped, spinning around on his heel to face Billy.

“I’m just peachy,” said Billy, grinning, even though he knew that Steve wouldn’t be able to see it. “I finally got to meet the King Steve everyone’s been talking about.” He gave Steve’s shoulder a little shove and Steve responded by balling his fist up in Billy’s shirt.

“Do you think this a joke, man?” Steve spat out. “Can’t you take something seriously for once in your life?”

“My whole fucking life is a joke,” Billy muttered, as he grabbed Steve’s wrist in an effort to pull him off. “I’m gonna die a fucking virgin in some toxic tunnels filled with demon dogs. And my dad will laugh at my funeral.”

“What,” said Steve, stepping back. “What about all those girls I see you with?”

“Just for show,” whispered Billy, heart pounding and stomach clenching, feeling more fear than when he’d dropped down into the tunnels. “Gotta keep up the image. Otherwise Neil will kill me. And he’ll still laugh at my funeral.”

Steve dropped his hand and just stared at Billy. Billy couldn’t read his expression, just saw his brown eyes, obscured by goggles, flit up and down.

“What,” said Billy, throwing his arms out, “you ain’t ever seen a fucking faggot before?”

“You–” Steve started to say, but then his jerked his head back. “Billy, c’mon, they’re coming.” He grabbed Billy’s wrist and yanked him forward as Billy suddenly heard the approaching din balloon in volume.

“Fuck,” Billy gasped out and took off after Steve. “How did they find us?” he panted out, as he caught up to Steve.

“Oh, I dunno, maybe it was all the talking – you’re not exactly subtle.”

“I’m not subtle? Amigo, I’m as subtle as they come.”

Steve peeled around the corner and yelled over his shoulder, “Dude, you hit on me in the showers. At school. You were fucking naked. You don’t think I didn’t notice that?” Steve dropped his gaze to Billy’s crotch in an exaggerated gesture.

Billy flushed. Yeah, that hadn’t been exactly inconspicuous.

“That was one time,” Billy yelled back, as he stumbled over the vines and almost fell into Steve. Because Steve had stopped short. Because there was a pack of fucking monsters staring them down only twenty feet away.

They were trapped.

“Well. Shit,” said Billy, as he glanced over his shoulder to see the other pack closing in. “Am I going to die?” he forced out.

“It would appear that way,” whispered Steve, as he backed against the wall, but jumped forward almost immediately as the vines shifted behind him.

“Fuck it,” said Billy, dropping both the tire iron and can of gasoline. He wrenched down his bandana.

“What are you doing?” Steve asked, as he put two hands on the bat, getting ready to swing at the monsters.

“Being unsubtle,” responded Billy, as he yanked down Steve’s bandana. Then he leaned in and kissed him, trying to inject all the feelings of wanting, desire, fear, and hope into it. At first, Steve didn’t respond, but then he kissed Billy back, bringing one of his hands to cradle the back of Billy’s head. Billy licked his tongue across the seam of Steve’s lips and sighed when Steve opened to him. He let his hands move up and down Steve’s back, feeling the muscles shift beneath his fingertips.

Steve jerked back, “Not now.”

“We’re gonna die, seems as good a time as any,” muttered Billy, leaning forward, trying to catch Steve’s lips in another kiss.

Steve shook his head, pulled up his bandana, and then pulled up Billy’s. He dropped down in a crouch and eyed both packs. Then he picked up the tire iron and tipped over the can of gasoline, letting it spill down the tunnel.

“I’m gonna light this,” said Steve, softly, “and then we’re gonna run that way. There’s fewer of them. Are you ready?”

“No.”

“Too fucking bad. Run!”

Steve dropped his lighter and the gas whooshed into flame. Then he grabbed Billy and took off towards the smaller group. Billy started swinging as soon as they were in range, but one of the monsters took a huge gouge out of his thigh and another locked onto his forearm. He gritted his teeth and tried to fight against the pain. His managed to shake the monster off his arm, but blood was pouring out of both wounds. He dropped to all fours, hoping that his death would be quick, but fearing that it wouldn’t be. Then Steve was wrapping an arm around his middle, trying to pull him up.

“Why,” Steve gasped out, swinging the bat to knock another monster away, “are you so fucking heavy?”

“’m not,” slurred Billy, as he tried to get to his feet. The tunnel was filled with smoke, further decreasing visibility. And then all the monsters took off, running down the tunnel as if they’d been summoned.

“What the fuck?” Steve said, as he finally got Billy standing.

Billy surveyed Steve, he didn’t seem to be hurt too badly, just scratches on his arms and legs.

“C’mon, we gotta go.” Steve pulled on Billy’s arm, trying to get him moving.

Billy took a few shuffling steps forward. “I don’t think I can make it.”

“Bullshit,” said Steve, “don’t tell me after all the shit you’ve been through in your joke of a life that some teeny tiny flesh wounds are gonna stop you now.”

“And what if they are,” Billy forced out as he took a few more steps.

“Then there was really no point in kissing me,” Steve said, throwing Billy’s arm over his shoulder to take some of Billy’s weight off his injured leg. They took a few more steps, but the blood was still streaming out of the wound on Billy’s thigh.

“Hang on,” Steve said, as he ripped off his jacket and dropped down in front of Billy. And wasn’t that a heady vision – Steve on his knees in front of him. Billy would have liked it more if he could’ve seen Steve’s face, but by the time that thought had crossed his brain, Steve had finished tying the makeshift bandage around Billy’s thigh.

“Let’s go.” Steve got Billy’s arm over his shoulder, put his arm around Billy’s waist, and they started their awkward shuffle run down the tunnels.

Billy heard the kids before he saw them. They were leaning down into the hole, yelling their heads off for Billy and Steve to hurry up. One of them had found a rope, which was good, because as they got closer to the opening, Billy was sure they wouldn’t be able to climb out.

“Guys,” snapped Steve, “he’s gonna need some help. I’m gonna boost him, you guys try to grab him.”

“I’m fine,” countered Billy, as a he reached for the rope with his injured arm. His fingers wouldn’t close around it, he couldn’t maintain a good grip.

“Billy,” Steve said, “you’re going to have to use your legs and it’s gonna fucking hurt. But if you don’t, there’s no way you’re gonna get outta here.” Then he clasped his fingers together so Billy could step in the bucket of his intertwined hands.

Billy did as he was told. Steve was able to lift him higher than Billy would have gotten if he’d taken a running leap it. He clung to the rope as he tried to shimmy up it. He could feel hands grasping at his shoulders, trying to pull him up. Then he saw Steve on the rope below him, trying to give him something to push off of. And, finally, Billy was able to throw himself out of the hole, with Max pulling on the shoulders of his jacket so he wouldn’t slide back down.

He saw Steve’s very tired face, but something surprisingly animated given how blank those eyes had been earlier. Then he saw nothing but darkness as he passed out.

“Billy, you’re at the Byers’, we’ve patched you up. Max said you probably wouldn’t want to go to the hospital,” Steve said, as his face swam into view.

Billy blinked a few times to clear the haze. His throat was dry; he swallowed a few times and then Steve was there, passing him a glass of water. Billy sat up and looked himself over – both his arm and leg were wrapped in a clean, white bandages. And he wasn’t wearing pants. A blanket was draped over his lap and Billy wondered who had undressed him.

“You always go commando, or is that for special occasions?” Steve asked, as he sat back on the coffee table, next to the couch that Billy was lying on.

“Special occasions,” countered Billy, his voice was rough as if he’d been asleep for awhile.

“Yeah?” said Steve, raising his eyebrows and leaning forward, dropping his elbows to his knees. “Don’t worry, it was only me that saw you.”

“I dunno if that makes me feel better or worse,” muttered Billy, closing his eyes as he slumped back down.

“That depends on if you want to kiss me again or not.”

“Always want to kiss you,” Billy slurred out, as exhaustion began to take hold. He cracked open his eyes to stare at Steve. “Do you want me to?”

Steve leaned forward, eyes twinkling with amusement and… something that looked like affection, “Yes,” he whispered.

And Billy drifted off feeling the ghost of Steve’s lips against his own.

#harringrove #steve harrington #billy hargrove #billy x steve #prompt fill #my fic #tw: homophobic language #tw: gore #stranger things #fanfic

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honeyhan-123 · 4 years

Text

The Artist ~ I

Summary: When Steve meets the reader at an art class he immediately becomes enticed and maybe, just maybe, she can help heal his wounded heart.

Warnings: None for this chapter but smut will be present in later chapters

Pairings: Steve x reader, Steve x Bucky

AN: I meant to post this tomorrow but I realised today was Chris Evans’ birthday as well as @jtargaryen18 who inspired me to start writing so I decided to post it early in celebration. This is also the first chapter of my entry to @that-damn-girl pride writing challenge. I would like to say a massive thank you to @imanuglywombat for the absolutely stunning moodboard and @magdaleneruth for being an awesome beta!

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He couldn’t believe it.

Even watching the flyer hang from the board on the wall with his own two eyes, Steve could barely remember the conversation with Nat that led to this moment as he was sat on a bench outside a classroom for the first time in eighty years.

He hadn’t drawn seriously in decades, probably since before the Battle of New York. The rest had just been little doodles, here and there. Nothing really came from it. But here he was standing in the doorway of a studio, ready for a life drawing class.

Steve couldn’t understand the nerves racking his body—he was Captain America for crying out loud, he’s been in far worse situations than attending an art class.

Why on earth couldn’t he bring himself to walk through a silly little doorway? He was pulled from his thoughts by a soft delicate voice.

‘Excuse me...’ He was pulled from his thoughts by a voice, soft and delicate. His head snapped to the left, his jaw drifting slightly ajar as he took you in. ‘Are you headed inside?’ You were dressed casually, a warm jacket over what was clearly a man’s button down shirt and your jeans had little doodles on the rough denim canvass. Little splats of paint here and there coated the entire look. Steve didn’t know quite why, but he was immediately enticed.

‘I - uh, yeah. I am, sorry I’m in your way.’ He hastily moved out of the doorway, gesturing for you to enter first but you didn’t make a move as your eyes clearly sized him up and he was thankful he had pulled the dark blue baseball cap low over his brow. It wasn’t much in terms of a disguise but that paired with the thick beard that coated his jaw made it harder for the average person to recognise him.

‘Is this your first drawing class?’ You framed it as a question, but it was clear you already knew the answer.

He nodded a little sheepishly. ‘How could you tell?’

‘You just seem a little nervous. Don’t worry, though. It’s really not as scary as it might seem. I remember when I first signed up, I was terrified that someone would say I wasn’t good enough for the class. I could barely keep my hands steady. So, naturally, that turned out to be one of the worst drawings of my life but no one said a word. You have nothing to worry about - you don’t need to prove yourself here.’

‘Anytime, but if you are going to come in I suggest you do it sooner rather than later. Madame Maxine absolutely hates tardiness and it’s nearly seven.’ You gave him a small but genuine smile before you excused yourself, your hips swaying slightly as you walked through the doorway and over to an easel.

He let out a sigh of relief when you’d left - it gave him some privacy to hype himself up and quiet the inner critic screaming his anxieties.Taking a steadying breath, he followed your footsteps and headed for an unclaimed easel towards the back as the rest of the class made idle chit chat, clearly all familiar with one another as they readied themselves for the lesson.

He rolled out his shoulders before sitting on the small stool, pulling his sketchbook and set of charcoal pencils from his satchel. It was a mixed media class and Steve watched in awe as some people set canvases up on their easels, their palets already covered with various colours of paint.

He felt woefully underprepared with his worn leather bound sketchbook and collection of pencils, but it was how he had always drawn. His mother had barely been able to afford the splurge for real drawing pencils, nevermind paints or canvases.

There was a portly man standing in the corner of the room stretching his muscles this way and that, and he figured this must be their model for the day. Most of the drawing Steve had done in the past few years had been of inanimate objects, it was much easier than asking one of his many busy friends to sit still for a few hours as he drew them. If he’d felt more in the mood for a portrait, he generally used photographs as a reference point, so having a real live model would be a nice change.

A few more minutes passed before an elderly woman entered the room. Her hair was grey and her curls frayed out in every direction from the messy bun she has tied it in. She wore a green and yellow bandana around her face keeping her hair away and a matching flowy dress with a dark blue half apron tied around her waist. Immediately, Steve knew this woman had to be Maxine.

She clapped her hands together, drawing the class’s attention as she neared the front of the room. ‘Good evening, I am Maxine Winnefred and I will be your instructor over the next few weeks as we explore the human form. I recognise some of you from my Summer course focussed on the true form of still life in fruits and flowers, and I would just like to say it’s lovely to see you all again.’ She smiled as her eyes rested on those who must be the familiar faces.

‘To the new faces in the room, there are a few things you should know about me.While I do understand everyone has lives outside of the art world, tardiness remains unacceptable as a hard and fast rule–especially where live models are concerned. Secondly, whether about your own piece or someone else’s, I will not stand for any negative thoughts. We are all here to learn and the only way you can truly achieve that is with a positive mindset. If you feel negatively about a particular piece of yours, you must think of it as a stepping stone. What did you do wrong? What can you improve on next time? The human form is incredibly complicated and it may take a while getting used to if you’re not familiar with it.’

‘Since you have all elected to pay for the entire course, if for some reason you are unable to make it to a session, I also run a Thursday night class. You must call me and let me know that you will be attending that class as I will need to make sure there are enough easels and stools. I will hand out my number at the end of class. Are there any questions?’

Although it had barely been five minutes, Steve could already tell he would enjoy this class, especially being under Maxine’s tutelage. She had a no nonsense air that was rare to find in the art world and despite this being a fairly casual, once a week type of get together, Steve knew she took her work seriously. She wanted all of her pupils to be their best.

The room fell into silence as her eagle eye flickered around the sea of faces. When moments had passed in silence, she continued.

‘This is Jerry,’ she held her arm out, becaning the man over. ‘He will be our first model. We will be drawing him for the first two weeks, once with clothes and once without, we will then move onto our next model and the same process will follow.’ Everyone nodded their heads in understanding but Steve felt his cheeks flush slightly. He had known that there would be nude models and he knew that it was all purely professional but still… the small kid from the forties never would have even thought about doing something like this.

‘Right. Jerry,’ she clapped her hands again, eyes locked on just where her model would go in the scene. ‘If you could please get into position A, we can get started. To the class, we’ll have him sit for an hour and twenty minutes. Then another hour after that with a break in between. Somewhere in there we’ll have a vote on whether or not we would like to see a new pose or the same.’ Maxine checked the time as Jerry found his seating on the lone stool in the front of the room. Once he was in position, she prompted the class to begin.

Although he’d been wanting to avoid detection, Steve was deeply regretting choosing a seat so far from the front. On the surface level, his better than average eyesight would be acceptable - and yet, being the perfectionist that he was, he wanted to get up and close with Jerry. He wanted to be able to mark every tiny blemish on his skin, every line of sadness or laughter.

Steve sighed to himself before he picked up his HB pencil, getting to work on his main outline. He hadn’t been working long when he felt a presence at his shoulder, peering over at his work. He’d just finished the vague outline of Jerry’s clothes and the stool beneath him when she spoke. ‘Back in my day, it was considered rude to wear a hat indoors, Mr…?’

He had to at least try and hide his smile over her words, being at least forty years her senior.

‘Just Steve.’ Quickly he swiped the cap from his head, placing it down in his satchel on the floor. ‘I’m sorry ma’am.’

‘That’s okay son, just don’t let it happen again.’ She gave him a small smile before setting off, perusing the pieces of the other artists and Steve got back to work.

His neck ached from the awkward position it had been contorted to for the past ninety minutes. He could feel the muscles in his hand beginning their protest. It had been a long time since he’d drawn so intently and he wasn’t used to it quite yet.

He stood from his stool, stretching out his back as he did so, wandering over to the small table of refreshments after a few moments. He swiped a lemon biscuit from the tray, catching sight of you from his periphery. You were gesturing wildly as you chatted up an older fellow. Your face was the picture of sincerity and Steve couldn’t help but smile as he eavesdropped.

‘One of these days you have to teach me your shading technique, Albert. The way you make a simple shadow have so much depth and colour is incredible,’ you gushed.

‘So long as you teach me how you do the detail work around the eyes. Whenever I try, they just come out looking blank!’ he shot back with a smile on his lips.

‘It’s a deal.’ You held your hand jokingly Albert took it, shaking it vigorously as you chuckled. Feeling his eyes on you, your head quirked in Steve’s direction and you quickly excused yourself.

Steve tried to busy himself and pretend that he hadn’t been caught awkwardly staring at you but your footsteps were growing closer by the second.

‘So? How are you feeling, newbie? Not as daunting as you thought, huh?’ There was a small teasing smile playing along the corner of your lips and Steve couldn't help but laugh along with you.

‘I really don’t know why I was so nervous, but what you said… Well, it really helped. So, thank you for that. I assume you took Maxine’s summer course?’ he asked, trying to make conversation.

‘Yeah, it was a fruit and flower class, plus I also took her winter human form class before that. I fell hard for portraits, so I just knew I had to take it again this year.’ Steve nodded in understanding, taking a class this way was the perfect opportunity to work on portraiture. ‘And what about yourself? I may have snuck a peek at your easel. You have an incredible eye from what I can tell. How did you capture such detail in only pencils?’

Steve felt his face heat as he took your compliment. ‘I’m honestly not quite sure, but I’ve had a lot of practice. Growing up, I was bedridden more often than not and my best friend used to come over and sit with me for hours. I probably know his face better than my own.’ He felt the familiar pang that echoed around his heart every time he thought of Bucky and those days that stretched into nights when all he would do was stare at the other man, trying to capture his beauty on the page. Steve forced himself to shake off the memories to try and keep his tone light. He hadn’t intended on saying something so personal but there was just something about you that made him want to let down his guard and that was dangerous.

‘Really? You were bedridden?’ Your mouth gaped slightly and Steve couldn’t help but notice the way your eyes danced slightly down his body. ‘But you look so perfect now - I mean, uh. You look… You look very healthy.’

He smiled, trying not to laugh as dread coated your face. He’s reminded so much of the man he left behind all those years ago…the boy in the back of the car, driving through Brooklyn, although he had to admit, you were far cuter than he had ever been.

‘How long have you been painting for?’ Steve tried to brush the conversation away, he liked talking to you just as a fellow artist and he wasn’t ready for you to recognise him. ‘You’re very talented.’

‘Oh, it’s just sort of a hobby that I do in my spare time. I went to uni and got an Arts degree, but you know how it goes. It only gets you so far in the real world.’

‘If you’re not an artist, what do you do for a living?’

‘I’m a secretary at a law firm.’ He nodded trying to maintain control of his thoughts. Being a secretary wasn’t a filler job for a woman any more. Not like it had been in his day. ‘You?’

‘Oh…’ The question took him completely by surprise and his mind went blank. He needed to think fast. ‘I uh… I work for Stark Enterprises. I’m on his PR team.’ Steve tried to justify it in his mind as it wasn’t a complete lie he was a part of the PR team. Plus, he couldn’t have said he was a scientist or something. It would have been clear he was lying if you asked him any type of even remotely science question.

‘Ah, maybe that’s why you look kind of familiar. Are you a part of his press conferences?’

Steve nodded, feeling his throat start to tighten. He wasn’t ready for this to end. Call him selfish but he didn’t want this to end. For someone to treat him as he was, rather than who he was. He hadn’t felt so at home with himself, with someone else, in a long time.

He was saved from further interrogation by the chime of a bell. The ten minute break was up. The group had already opted to keep Jerry in the same reclined pose, so he quickly found his position and the class returned to their sketching.

While Steve tried to keep his eyes focussed on his drawing, he couldn’t help the constant flicker of his eyes over to where to sat, paintbrush in hand, looking like one of the Greek Muses.

He only prayed you were one of the merciful ones.

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#steve rogers #steve rogers x reader #apridec1 #marvel #mcu #steve x reader #honeyhan writes #q it up

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stevesnailbat · 4 years

Text

realizations | steve harrington

REQUESTS USED:

hi love!! could you write a fluffy steve harrington x reader that takes place during season 2? like maybe she stays behind with the kids and steve when the others go to get the mindflayer out of will and seeing steve protect the kids just makes the reader realize she’s in love w/ him. i’ll leave the rest of the plot up to you, don’t feel any pressure to write it if you’re too busy or not inspired! thanks! 🦋💕

hi! could you write steve x fem!reader where she is waiting for him come back from his date and realizes how much she likes him? pls and thank u

warnings: none really?

word count: 2.0K

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Nothing felt okay, but it wasn’t like she could change what was happening. The world felt like it was falling apart as she sped through Hawkins in the dead of night with four kids packed into Billy Hargrove’s Camaro with a very unconscious Steve Harrington in the backseat. Pure chaos had ensued a few hours before, but there had been no time for her to process what was happening until this moment. Her eyes flickered to the rearview mirror occasionally, checking on Dustin as he tended to Steve’s battered face as a sinking feeling settled in her stomach.

What was it that she was feeling? She couldn’t decipher her emotions in the moment, couldn’t understand what the nauseousness she felt every time she looked at Steve actually meant. But there was no time for that, so she distracted herself by staring at the road in front of her.

A few groans came from the backseat and Dustin began to whisper something that she couldn’t decipher from the front seat, but she knew that Steve was waking up. She looked to Lucas, who sat in the passenger seat, to seek some kind of ease, but was only met with the same worried expression that she held. As expected, the boy in the backseat began to panic soon after, voice filled with terror as realization hit him.

She couldn’t focus on what was happening in the backseat as Lucas began to shout nonsense directions her way, telling her to turn into a field instead of onto a road. Still, she did what he said, because she was sure he knew more about the situation than she did. There was a collective scream that echoed through the car as she pulled the sharp left, followed by whines of pain as she brought the car to a halting stop.

Soon enough, they were all piling out of the car and grabbing their things from the trunk of the car. She looked over to Steve, seeing the utterly confused and upset look on his face as she put a bandana over her mouth for protection.

“Hey, where do you think you’re going?” Steve demanded, watching as Mike walked towards the hole that seemed to lead straight to hell. “What are you, deaf? Hello? We are not going down there right now. I made myself clear.”

She looked to Steve once more, noticing each of the kids purposefully ignoring his protests as he grew angrier. There wasn’t much she knew about the situation, but she knew that Steve was only trying to protect them from the demodogs that they had ran into earlier in the day.

“Hey, there’s no chance we’re going into that hole, all right? This ends right now!” he exclaimed once more, only getting a reaction out of Dustin.

“Steve, you’re upset, I get it. But the bottom line is, a party member requires assistance, and it is our duty to provide that assistance.” Dustin explained as Steve narrowed his eyes at the boy. “Now, I know you promised Nance that you would keep us safe. So, keep us safe.”

Begrudgingly, Steve followed them into the hole after pulling a bandana and goggles on. She watched as he dropped into the hole, following close behind him. She nearly tripped as she dropped down, but Steve caught her before she could fall to the vine-covered ground.

“Be careful, alright?” he said to her as he steadied her on her feet, voice muffled by the bandana around his face. “We don’t need you all beat up too, right?”

“Yeah, sorry.” she laughed bitterly, heart fluttering slightly as she could tell he was smiling under all of the protection.

They looked at each other for a fleeting moment, fear and wonder apparent in the air without saying a word. The kids were talking, but she couldn’t hear what they were saying over the sound of her own heartbeat. Sure, Steve had looked at her for longer than a second before, they were best friends for fucks sake. But, there was something hidden in the look that she couldn’t quite understand yet, and she knew she didn’t have the time to comprehend it. Before either of them could say anything to the other, Steve snapped his attention to the kids in front of them who were already navigating through the tunnel.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, hey, hey, hey. I don’t think so.” he called out, starting towards the front of the group as Mike questioned him. “Any of you little shits die down here, I’m getting the blame. Got it, dipshit? From here on out, I’m leading the way. Come on, let’s go.”

Minutes felt like hours as they trudged through the tunnels, a feeling of dread taking over while watching the kids struggle. The only thing she could seem to think of to distract herself was Steve and how he was leading them to this hub with damn near no fear, like he’d rather himself get hurt than any of the others. After a few minor complications, they reached what they were looking for, the hub. They drenched the area with gasoline, and Steve pulled his lighter from his pocket, flicking the top of it open. His eyes flickered to hers for a moment, full of fear as the flame started in his hands.

“I am in such deep shit.” he scoffed to her, throwing the lighter towards the gas-covered vines.

Steve pushed her and the kids in the other direction, trying to make it to the exit as quickly as possible. The rest of the time in the tunnels went by in an instant, her heart racing at a thousand miles a minute. When they got back to the hole, she nearly fell on top of Steve as she came up, but he caught her again.

“What’d I tell you about being careful?” Steve teased, an exhausted smile on his lips as he pulled his bandana off.

That day came and went slowly, but it was finally over, and that’s all she could ask for. Steve did everything in his power to protect her and the kids that day and she couldn’t get it out of her mind.

Weeks passed and things seemed to be getting back to normal. Her and Steve were back to being just best friends, not partners in fighting other-worldly monsters. They were back to telling each other everything, like the old times. But, something was different. Steve was still coping with losing Nancy during the whole mess, so he was a little more distant than before. She didn’t mind, though. She needed her own time do cope with the fact that life as she knew it had been changed forever. And, she needed her own time to deal with whatever she had felt that night when she saw Steve unconscious in the backseat of the Camaro.

“I think things are finally looking up again.” Steve said confidently to her over the phone one day.

“Oh yeah? Why’s that?” she asked with genuine curiosity, laughing to herself at Steve’s sudden optimism.

“I got a date for today, with Stacey Adams.” he said matter-of-factly, she could tell he was smiling through the phone, but her heart sunk as he spoke.

“Well that sounds—fun.” she said while cringing, trying to sound happy for him as she spoke. “We’re still having movie night tonight though, right? We always have movie nights on Sunday’s.”

“Of course! I planned it for during the day so I could still come over tonight.” he replied. “But, I gotta go get ready, alright? I’ll see you tonight at 7!”

Before she could respond, the line went dead with a dial tone. She let her hand fall slack, nearly dropping the phone as she did. Putting the phone up, she felt that sinking feeling settle into her stomach once more. The dull ache grew stronger as she moved to lie down on her back and stare at the ceiling.

It wasn’t until she heard Steve say that he was going out with someone else that she realized what she had been so worried about on that night when she saw her unconscious best friend in the backseat. She finally understood that she wanted to be something more than just a best friend to Steve Harrington, she wanted to be his. The sinking feeling in her stomach was heartache and love mixed together, for someone who had never shown any signs of either towards her.

The next five hours were spent by trying to fully comprehend her feelings and how she could tell him—or not tell him—about what was happening. She went back and forth between putting their friendship on the line by confessing everything to him and keeping it all bottled up for the rest of their lives.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a rapid knock on the front door that she recognized immediately, it was Steve. She put on a fake smile as she rushed to the front door, taking deep breaths to compose herself as she opened it. The look on Steve’s face was confusing to her, it wasn’t overly excited or overly upset.

“Hey, how was your date?” she blurted out, almost unable to stop her nosy thoughts as she let him in.

“It was okay.” he shrugged, shuffling into the living room with an unamused expression. “She was boring, all she wanted to do was gossip and I honestly couldn’t care less about any of the shit she was talking about.”

“Sounds like you’re never going to ask her out again, right?” she teased, hope creeping up in her as she spoke.

“Yeah, probably not.” he chuckled, plopping down on the couch. “I just—I don’t know what to expect from girls now, I guess? I have too high of standards, maybe.”

“Your standards are high after dating a girl who dumped you for the guy she told you not to worry about?” she implored, eyes narrowed as Steve rolled his eyes at her.

“No, not because of Nancy.” he sighed, voice wavering as he spoke, as if he was nervous about something.

“Then why do you think they’re so high?” she asked while searching through the TV stand cabinets for a movie, faced away from Steve to save herself from more heartbreak and unable to see him staring at her.

“Because the best person for me has been right in front of me forever, but I didn’t know how to tell her.” he said quickly, making her heart and the movie in her hands drop. “It took me going on a date with Stacey to realize that I’ve been right next to the right girl for me this whole time."

“Steve—“ she started, but couldn’t bring herself to finish as she processed what he had said.

“Yeah?” he said, almost regretting what he had said as she refused to look back at him. “Y’know, actually? Just—Just forget I said that, it was stupid.”

“No, it wasn’t stupid, Steve.” she said softly, finally daring to lock eyes with him; the look on his face was serious but more nervous than she had ever seen.

“You don’t think so?” he asked hopefully, watching as she walked towards the couch carefully.

“As long as you were talking about me, then yes. I don’t think it’s stupid.” she laughed, sitting down next to him. “I think I feel the same. Seeing you with those kids, putting your life on the line them so selflessly and seeing you protect us made me realize what I had been missing out on this whole time.”

“Well, in that case. I can finally do what I’ve been waiting to do all day.” he mumbled, inching his face dangerously close to hers.

There was only a small gap between them as she looked up at him, a smile on his lips as he looked at her lovingly. His lips were soft and the kiss was gentle, nothing like what she expected their first kiss to be like. It was almost calming, how sweet the kiss was. That sinking feeling that had settled in her stomach weeks before was finally all the way gone, she felt like she didn’t have anything to worry about anymore. It wasn’t supposed to be like this, she wasn’t supposed to fall in love with her best friend, but it was okay. Everything felt alright now.

tags: @sourapplebaby @harringtown @charmed-asylum @lemonypink @daddystevee @jxnehxpper @a-magey @igotmadskills @heart-eye-harrington @queenofthehairharrington

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the-mighty-jellybean · 4 years

Note

Hi lovely Can I make a request with some prompts You said go wild 😅 25 49 52 54 55 67 if that is too much you can choose which ones you want lol but may I request a Stucky x ShortPetite!Reader who has Rockabilly style She is super in love with them but is insecure to tell them She is a close good friend of their but think but thinks because of their unbelievable bond they could never love and especially the level they love each other Smut with some Hurt/Confront please Love you and your writing

25-“When you love someone, you don’t just stop. Ever. Even when people roll their eyes or call you crazy… even then. Especially then!” I’m going to rule out No. 25, just because it was quite difficult to fit it in

49-“I may be an idiot, but I’m your idiot.”

52-“I think I’m in love with you and that scares me half to death.”

54-“I’m not good enough for you.”

55-“I fell in love with my best friend.”

67-“Oh my god! You’re in love with them!” I think I’m going to have to rule out 67 just because it didn’t quite work with what I wanted to do.

~This one gets very hot and heavy. You have been warned (18+ only)

“How do I look?” you stroll out of the bedroom, your legs looking lengthier than usual in your checkered green slacks. Your height was also elevated with a pair of black pin-up heels, which matched the skin tight, black Bardot top, which showed off your shoulders.

Steve and Bucky’s mouthes fell open, their eyes wondering your body, you caught Bucky not so subtly licking his lips, which made your cheeks warm a little.

“Is it too much?” you asked suddenly feeling self-conscious, when the gap of silence remained unbroken, by the males’ voices. You fiddled with the bandana in your hair, nervously.

“No, it’s just you look...amazing.” Steve sighed, smacking Bucky on the shoulder, nearly knocking the man’s eye balls out, as he cleared his throat.

“Yeah.. yeah you look...you look...incredible, Y/N.” Bucky fumbled out, struggling to form a sentence.

“You’re such an idiot, Buck.” you shake your head, walking over to a nearby wall mirror, and fixing your red lipstick.

“I may be an idiot, but I’m your idiot.” you laughed at Bucky’s words, but you couldn't help the flutter your heart made, when he said he belonged to you.

Oh how you wished that were true. You wanted nothing more than both the super soldiers, currently perched on the edge of your bed. But you knew that would be impossible. They were your closest friends, they saw you as a sister, and nothing more, that was what it was always destined to be.

“Seriously though, Y/N. We’re going to need to keep an eye on you tonight. Don’t want Sam or Thor to get any ideas.” Steve spoke protectively, once again the big brother tone made its grand appearance. You craved his and Bucky’s protectiveness be for another reason, other than just to ‘look out’ for you.

“Oh Stevie, you know I can take care of myself.” You turned, slightly startled, when you almost collided with Steve’s chest, after you didn't notice he had stood up from the bed, and was standing behind you.

“Oh we know, don't worry.” There was a glint in Steve’s eye, that made your head tilt, but you shook your head mentally of that thought.

“You guys are looking pretty sharp yourselves, might have to keep Nat on a tight leash tonight.” you tighten the bow tie that Steve was wearing, as you spoke, hoping to hide the jealousy woven in the words.

“Don’t worry, doll. Think we’ll all just hang out tonight.” your heart fluttered once again, when Bucky called you ‘doll’. It always did.

You wanted...no needed to just tell them how you felt, but you couldn't, anytime you had gotten close to forming any kind of romantic sentence, your words caught in your throat, to afraid that it would severe the bond between you all.

“Come on, we’re going to be late.” Steve announced looking to his watch, Bucky stood from the bed, and headed for the door, along with Steve, you however; stayed frozen, lost in your own deep thought.

“You coming, Y/N?” Steve asked, as he grasped the door handle, he glanced over his shoulder, and immediately released the handle, and walked to you, when he saw the look of confliction on your face.

“Y/N, what’s the matter?” Steve placed his warm palm on the small of your back, and you pushed back against it, the feeling of him being so close to you helping you relax.

“What’s wrong, doll?” Bucky joined Steve, standing on your other side, and he pushed your hair off your shoulder, so he could rub up and down your arm.

“I...um...er..it doesn't...” you stammer, looking between Bucky and Steve panic was setting in.

“Come and sit down.” Steve guided you to the bed, before you could protest, you were immediately squished between the two men, “you can tell us, Y/N.”

“What ever it is, Y/N, we can talk through this together.” Bucky backed Steve, and he tried to search your face, but your eyes were fixed upon the ground.

“I’m scared.” you cursed at the way your voice shook, but could do nothing to stop it, the feeling of both these mens hands, rubbing you in a comforting manner, had you melting into a puddle of arousal.

“Scared of what, Y/N, what are you scared of?” Steve asked, almost in a panic.

This is it, this is your chance, just tell them, just tell them now...

Your mind screamed, and you took a deep breath in, a heavily exhale following behind it, “I think I’m in love with you...and it scares me to death.”

You hold your breath, you eyes clamp shut, when the rubbing movements stop, and you can sense the way their heart beats begin to speed up. The silence is long, and you could feel your eyes stinging with tears, when neither of the men had spoken, after a significant amount of time.

“I know I’m not good enough for you, but...”

“Why wouldn't you be good enough for us?” Steve cut you off, and you’re left a little shocked by his words, “who says you wouldn't be good enough?”

You don't know what to say, as you peel your eyes, open to look at Steve, his eyes are swimming with concern, but you did notice the way his pupils dilated when you met his gaze.

“No one, just myself.” you mumble, you flick your eyes to Bucky, to see that he is also staring intently at you, and you feel your body heat up, most of the heat coming from your core.

“How long have you felt like this, Y/N?” Steve asked, he had taken your hand, and was holding it in his lap.

“Like I wasn't good enough or...”

“How long have you felt the same way as us?” Bucky cut you off, before you could put yourself down any further.

You breath catches in your throat, as Bucky tells you his words, you almost don't believe him, and turn back just to double check you had heard right.

“Pardon?”

“How long have we been in love?” Bucky repeated his question once again, and your heart went from flatlining to a million miles per hour.

“I don’t understand.” You looked between Steve and Bucky, both of them, are smiling warmly at you.

“I fell in love with my best friends, a long time ago.” Steve moved towards you, and his lips brushed yours, but he pulled away, and placed a soft peck on the sweet spot on your neck.

Your eyes close at his gentle movement, and you felt the heat once again wash over you.

“Why didn't you tell me?” you asked, when you felt Bucky moving closer to you. He kissed along your neck, and along your exposed shoulder, you shudder slightly, when he pulls at your top.

“We were worried, you wouldn't feel the same way, and that you would be weirded out by the idea of us both wanting you.” Steve explained, his hands had moved from yours, and one of them rested on your thigh, and was slowly creeping upwards.

“I thought you wouldn't want me, because I’m not pretty enough like Nat, or have the power that Wanda does, I thought you’d want a super heroine, rather than some stubby agent.” you listed off all the qualities you hated about yourself.

“Enough Y/N.” Steve silenced your self-deprication, with one sentence, and you immediately bowed your head, “You are so beautiful, we can't take our eyes off you whenever, you walk through the door, me and Buck are scrambling around trying to pick up our jaws.”

You give him a small smile, but gasp when you feel Steve and Bucky pushing your shoulders back, so you were laying on your back on the mattress.

“What are you doing?” You tried to sit back up, but Steve just pushed you lightly, so you went back onto the bed.

“We’re going to show you, how beautiful, we think you are.” Bucky mumbles, as he begins to kiss all over your chest, up your throat, along your jaw, before eventually planting his lips on your.

You savour the taste of his plump lips, reviling in how surprisingly smooth they felt, against yours.

When he pulls back you giggle slightly, when you notice that some of your loud red lipstick had morphed onto his own lips. You wiped at them with your thumb, but Bucky caught it between his lips, and sucked on the digit.

You watched him swirl his tongue over it, and it just made your wetness even worst. Bucky released your thumb with a ‘pop’, and you watched him sit back, you looked down to see, Steve reaching for the buttons of your tapered trousers.

“Wait...” your hands go over his, “what about the party?” the event that was taking place as you laid here was currently happening a few floors above you, but Steve just hushed you, as he popped the buttons of your trousers, and began to tug them off your legs.

“Shh Y/N, baby let us take care of you. Let us love you.” you couldn't take it anymore, you needed them, you didn't care how, or when, but you just needed to have them both now.

You didn't say anything else, as Steve wiggled your trousers off, your back lace thong, was the next to go, and you squeezed your legs shut, when Steve lifted them to his face, smelling the fabric.

“Oh my...you smell amazing, sweetheart. I need to taste you.” Steve pries your thighs apart, and you shiver when the cool air, brushes your wetness, and you quiver once more when Steve licks at strip up your slit.

You moan out, when Steve wraps his lips around your clit, sucking harshly, your legs immediately clamping around his head.

You felt the bed dip beside you, in all the haze of pleasure you were experiencing, you felt Bucky pull the top of your Bardot down, and your breasts came spilling over the top of the tight fabric.

“No bra, naughty girl.” Bucky flicks one of your nipples, and you groan again, reaching for Bucky’s crouch, as you palmed him through his jeans. He groans at your touch, and he quickly unzips himself from his pants, pulling his throbbing cock, free of his trousers.

You eyes go wide at how big he is, but you clamp them shut, as your legs tremble, when you fast approach an orgasm. Your fingers lace in Steve’s hair, and you cry out with pleasure, when he adds two of his fingers, pumping them quickly in and out of you.

“Cum, baby, I know you want to.” Bucky edges you on, pinching and twisting your nipples, only bringing you closer, before eventually you come undone.

You hips sputtering and jerking, as the stimulation on your clit, was almost too much.

“Can I take your pussy, doll, if Bucky takes that sweet little mouth?” Steve asks, as he sits up, his chin was glistening with your juices, which he wipes with his fingers, before sucking on them.

You don't have the energy to give him an answer, and merely nod. Steve settling on his knees, as he undoes his belt, and reaches into his trousers, pulling his own super soldier cock free.

You panic slightly, as you hadn't taken anything quite this big before, but you don't have time to think too much on the matter, when the angry and swollen tip of Bucky’s member, is positioned within your eye line.

Out of instinct you lean upwards kissing the head, before licking the tip, cleaning it of any precum.

Bucky’s shaft distracts you, as you don’t notice Steve pushing in, until he’s already half way in, and you feel like you’re being impaled.

“Fuck Steve, you’re so big, I don't think I can take it all.” you shake your head, but Steve hushes you, and keeps pushing in, he rubs at your clit, and your hips jolt, as the nub still remained sensitive after your last orgasm.

“It will, baby. I’m going to stretch this tight little pussy, don't worry.” within one quick movement, Steve pushes all of the way in, bottoming out, and before you can halfheartedly protest, Bucky took the way you gasped as an opportunity, pushing his length into your mouth.

You wrap your lips around his skin, and bob your head to meet Steve’s thrusts.

Soon both the men, were moan and groaning in unison, the occasion squeak, made it’s way out of you. It was Bucky, who gave the first sign that he was close, as he began to get over excited. He fisted your hair, and began to fuck your throat, which you gladly allowed, relaxing your throat as best you could, so he could get more of his length in.

“I’m so close.” He wheezed, looking to Steve, who had sweat beading down his forehead, both men still wore their outfits for tonight’s party. However, now the attire was slightly tarnished by sweat, and soon bodily fluid of the sexual kind.

You knew you probably looked a complete mess, with the way you were being fucked by the two men, your eyes were watering, mainly from the pleasure that was being given to you, so your eyeliner must be pouring down your face, the red lip stick was already smudged from when Bucky had kissed you, and the curls in your hair, had probably gone flat, at the way you had ironed them out from laying on them.

But for the first time in a long time, you didn't care how you looked, you were too absorbed in the pleasure, and the ball in your stomach that was expanding was on the verge of exploding.

Steve could sense that you too were close, by the way you clenched on him.

“You going to cum, to baby girl. You going to cum for us?” Steve asked you, all you could do was moan onto Bucky’s cock, the vibrations was enough to send Bucky over the edge, and he shot his hot seed straight down your throat, and you happily drank it down. The feeling of Bucky’s cum in your throat, also pushed you into your own orgasm, and you shook and spasmed on Steve’s dick.

The way your pussy clamped down onto Steve’s cock, made Steve pull out, he rubbed your clit, as he helped you through your high, but kept rubbing his shaft, as he was approaching his release.

Once you had milked Bucky’s cock, and saw Steve pumping his own, close to climax, you managed to catch Steve’s attention, and he looked at you with hooded eyes.

“You want my cum, baby. You want to drink both of us?’ Steve shuffled up on the bed, so he was kneeling by your head, and you gladly took him into your mouth. Just in time, as Steve released his load.

After all of you had calmed down, you were laying on the bed, you were curled into Steve’s chest, Bucky holding on to you.

“So I’m guessing we aren't going to the party?” you giggled, both men chuckling.

“Tony’s parties are overrated anyway.”

#stucky #stuckyprompt #stucky imagine #marvel prompt #stucky x reader

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windless-hurricane · 4 years

Text

She's the One

Chapter 4: The Tunnels

A Billy x Reader x Steve Fanfic

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SUMMARY: You’re One, one of the many kids experimented on in Hawkins lab. Eleven’s sister. You were found and now, you’re here to stay.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This took a lot longer than expected, but hopefully, I’ll make up for it with its length. It’s practically two chapters in one! Enjoy!

WARNINGS: Language, violence, and graphic scenes involving blood and/or death.

WORD COUNT: 4.8k

TAGLIST: @cherrym4rk @acidrain707 @torntaltos @evelynfreakinaddams @bun-dpdbny @qtmeryr @art-flirt @5sosxwinchester @kayln97 @uwu-bucky @thecornerstoreoftheuniverse @book--butterfly @laurmillen @gabyer0309 @bonnieelizabethparker @supernaturalvikingwhore @gothackedalready @xxalice98xxblog @bhad-disposition @frozenhuntress67 @loveofmonstersandroses

PREVIOUS CHAPTER

SHE'S THE ONE MASTERLIST

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“What-what's happening?”

You felt Steve’s head slowly lift from your shoulder as you turned to him in concern. His eyes were half lidded and swollen, but they were getting wider by the second. At first, he was just trying to figure out what was going on; but as he was becoming more aware of it, he started to panic and Dustin took notice.

“Hey, shh,” he cooed. “It's gonna be okay. She's driven before.”

“Yeah, in a parking lot,” Mike corrected.

“That counts,” Lucas defended, but Steve wasn't reassured in the slightest. Because once he saw Max at the driver's seat, he gasped sharply.

“Oh my god-”

“They wanted to leave you behind,” Dustin explained. “But I promised them you'd be cool.”

“Oh my god!” Steve repeated, more exasperatedly than before. “Stop - stop the car!” You could feel that everyone was growing more anxious at Steve’s tone, especially Max who was trying to focus on the road.

“See I told you he’d freak out!”

“Hey,” you soothed, rubbing his shoulder. “It’s okay. We’re almost there...I think.”

“Why’d you let them drive,” he exclaimed.

“Cause I don’t know how to,” you informed, just as loudly.

“Can everyone shut up? I’m trying to focus,” Max yelled abruptly.

“Turn left on Mount Sinai,” Lucas shouted at her.

“What?!”

“Turn left now!”

“Shit!” She gripped the wheel tightly and spun it to the left, causing everyone including yourself to scream as you were all sent flying into the person or window beside you. You cringed as the car swerved and ran something over. You just hoped it wasn’t anything too bad.

As Max gained control of the car once again, you let out a breath of relief, but Steve on the other hand looked like he was about to vomit. You felt bad for him, but all you could do was continue to rub his shoulder. You didn’t notice the way he stared at you from the corner of his eye as you did so.

____________________________________

The car screeched to a halt about five minutes later and you grunted as your back hit the car seat. You felt Steve contort beneath your hand and you realized that he was gagging. You stroked his back softly as the kids hurried out of the car.

“Come on, One,” Dustin shouted, making his way to the trunk of the car with the others. You nodded quickly and gripped Steve’s arm.

“Alright, let’s go,” you muttered, tugging on him. He shook his head.

“We’re not doing this,” he grumbled. “We-we gotta stop them.” You sighed as Steve attempted to get out of the car, stumbling in the process. You followed after him and noticed the way he was staggering towards the kids and how they still chose to ignore him. They were too busy distributing goggles, bandanas, and gloves amongst themselves.

“Here, One,” Dustin gestured, handing you your own garments. You took them quickly and started to pull the leather gloves over your hands as you heard Steve shouting behind you.

“Hey, guys!” You tied the bandana loosely around your neck. “Guys!” You pulled the goggles over your eyes. “HELLO?!”

You turned to look at him once you were done and his eyes were full of disbelief, dizziness, and anger.

“You think you're going down there - you're - you're wrong! Okay?! This,” he pointed. “This ends now!” While you sighed deeply, the kids barely spared him a glance before making their way to the hole in the ground.

“Listen, Steve,” you started. “I know you're upset...but this is what we really have to do to help Eleven.” You paused as you heard the kids already dropping down into the hole and you felt him becoming anxious again. “We’re the babysitters...and you promised to keep them safe too... So let's keep them safe together,” you finished.

You hoped your statement would ease his mind and it did, but he still looked hesitant. He still kept gazing into your eyes as his jaw kept flexing over and over. In actuality, he was just finding it harder and harder to deny you the longer he looked into your wide eyes. The way you looked at him...he never wanted to say no to you when it came to anything.

“Well,” Dustin quipped, making you and Steve turn to him. He was already holding a pair of goggles and a bandana in one hand and Steve’s spiked bat in the other. Steve knew he had no choice at this point despite how reluctant he was being. So, he simply rolled his eyes before snatching the bat from Dustin and flipping his hair out of his face.

“I swear if we die, I’m going to kill all of you,” he mumbled.

____________________________________

You dropped to the ground with a small thud and Steve followed shortly after. You both locked eyes before shifting your gazes, and flashlights, to the front of you. Your eyes widened at the sight.

“What the-” you didn’t get to finish as Steve interrupted you with his own word of astonishment.

“Shit.” Shit…? Shit.

“What the...shit,” you repeated. What the shit indeed. You never been down tunnels before, but you never expected them to be this disgusting and unsettling. They were slimy with vines and webs as far as the eye could see. The air was littered with snow-like dust and the ground crunched beneath your feet like bones. The sound was especially unnerving because it sounded like it was breathing, like it was alive. You then realized why you were wearing bandanas over your mouths when you looked up and saw a pulsing growth on the ceiling. It was thumping slow and quietly, but it kept getting faster by the second. Soon, it let out an exhale so deep that it shot a puff of dust out of its mouth. You grimaced at the sight, tearing your gaze away from it and towards the kids. It seemed like Mike was already explaining the plan to them, so you walked over in order not to miss anything.

“This is our goal,” he explained, pointing to the map he drew out earlier. “All we have to do is light up the hub and cause a distraction long enough for El to close the gate. We don’t have much time, so we have to find it quickly. Everyone stay close to me, okay?”

“You mean everyone stay close to me,” you corrected. You were the one with the powers after all.

“Yeah. If any of you little shits die down here, we’re getting blamed,” Steve informed, pulling the map away from Mike. “So, from here on out, (Y/N) and I are leading the way.” You found yourself blushing once he used the name he gave you for the first time. Now, you knew for a fact, you liked the name-

“(Y/N),” Mike questioned.

“Yeah, (Y/N),” Steve confirmed. “It’s better than One. Gotta problem with it?”

“No-”

“It’s pretty,” Max nodded and judging by the squintiness of her eyes, she was smiling at you. You couldn’t help but do the same despite the situation.

“Alright. Let’s get going then,” Steve announced, motioning for you to join him. You hurriedly did and made sure the kids were close behind as you all pushed forward. You expected this to be easy. It was an in-and-out type situation. You just had to set the hub on fire and leave, but the closer you got to it, a dark feeling was becoming more apparent within you. This place, it just didn’t sit right with you.

“You okay,” you heard Steve ask and you glanced at him in surprise. You didn’t realize that he was keeping a close eye on you along with the map.

“Yeah,” you uttered. “I just have a bad feeling about this place...and it’s getting worse.” You both paused when you saw a bend in the distance and looked to the map. It was the right way, but it seemed like the bad feeling was emitting the most from there. “We’re almost there,” you gulped.

So, you all continued to push forward and round the bend, only to be met with an indescribable sight. The area was filled with more growths and the air was denser than ever. They were spitting out dust at an alarming rate and it was getting harder to see.

“What is this place,” Max asked in awe and fortunately, you didn’t have an answer. You just knew you had to get out of there.

“Steve,” you called out and he nodded, shaking himself out of it.

“Guys, come on,” Steve nudged. “Let’s keep moving.” They nodded and followed him towards the tunnel opposite to this one. You saw Mike, Lucas, and Max, but where was-

You turned around and saw Dustin with his flashlight pointed at one of the growths, examining it closely.

“Dustin, get away from there,” you urged, but before you knew it, it spat all over his face. He immediately started screaming and you swiped your hand towards yourself to bring him to you. The action made your veins burn, but not by a lot luckily. Dustin was too in distress to even notice that you used your powers on him.

“I think some-I think some got in my mouth,” he shouted and you cupped his face gently as you surveyed his face. You heard the others running behind you and Steve yell-

“What happened?!” You tilted his head to the side to get a good look of the knot holding his bandana together and as you expected, it was still so tight that it couldn’t have slipped off.

“Nothing,” you chuckled, patting Dustin on the cheek. “It was an...overreaction.” At that, the kids immediately scolded Dustin for his antics while he tried to defend himself.

“Hey, guys. We’re already low on time and I’m pretty sure the hub is right over there,” Steve informed. “So, let’s get a move on.” You all nodded and within a matter of minutes, you were all at the hub - the spot that connected all the tunnels underneath Hawkins.

“Let’s drench it,” Mike stated.

____________________________________

“You ready,” Steve asked lowly and you nodded,

“Eleven and Hopper are already in the lab. It’s time to clear it up for them.” The kids nodded in agreement as Steve flicked the lighter open and spun the wheel of it, igniting the flame.

“Light her up.”

“I’m in such deep shit” was the last thing Steve said before he threw the lighter.

The moment the fire met the gasoline, the hub was engulfed by large and blinding flames. You winced, but winced even more when the vines around you started to shriek in pain. You felt the amount of pain being felt at this very moment, the pain within Will and the pain within...the demodogs! Shit.

“Guys,” you called out. “We have to go…now. The dogs are already on their way.”

“Y-yeah,” Steve stuttered out. “Let’s go!”

You took off, running through the maze as best as you could. You hadn’t realized it until now, but you were really out of shape. Your lungs felt like they were on fire too and your legs were aching immensely. After this, you should really go on runs everyday - to at least rebuild your stamina to where it was before the chamber.

Just ignore the pain and keep pushing.

You gulped deeply and looked ahead, seeing three tunnels going separate ways. Which way?

“Steve,” you pant.

He looked down at the map urgently before pointing to the one to the left, “This one! This way!” He ran toward it with the kids following close behind and you were about to join them until you heard a loud thud followed by screaming.

“Help! Help!” Mike. You whipped your head around and saw that he was struggling against the ground, kicking at it rapidly. You didn’t know why at first until you saw a vine wrapped tightly around his leg, only getting higher up his body by the second.

Get him out of there!

“(Y/N)!”

You ran over to him in an instant and took his hand. You held onto it tightly as you raised your other and snapped it to the side quickly. With that, the vine twisted within itself and snapped in half, spewing black blood onto your face. It made you stumble back a bit, but you still managed to look past it and pull Mike back up and behind you.

“What happened,” Steve yelled as he and the others came rushing back toward the two of you.

“We’re fin-” you began, but you weren’t able to finish as a deep growl echoed within the room. You froze and turned to the sight of a demodog, ready to pounce at any moment. You frowned and raised your hand quickly, ready to throw it.

“Wait, One,” Dustin exclaimed abruptly and you looked at him in confusion. “It’s Dart.” Dart?

He started to take slow steps toward it and your eyes widened as Steve scolded him.

“Dustin, get over here now. Get away from it.”

“Dustin, come back,” Max pleaded. “(Y/N), do something.”

“Wait,” you whispered.

“It’s okay, Dart,” Dustin cooed. “It’s me, remember? Your friend - Dustin.” Your heart was pounding within your chest and you could feel sweat dripping down your face. The blood on your face was starting to stick and you didn’t know if it was the blood from the vine or your own. Probably both. Either way, the nervousness was killing you. You had a feeling it was going to attack, but at the same time, you think it was starting to recognize him. Whatever it was, you could tell that there was some sort of bond between them and that it wouldn’t attack.

“Will you let us pass?” He took another step forward and it growled again, making you doubt yourself. Then, Dustin slowly unzipped his bag and started to dig through it until he pulled out what looked like a bar.

“You hungry?” Food. He tore it open and offered it up to the dog. “Nougat, remember? Your favorite.” Then, he dropped it in front of it and took a step back. It slowly made its way to the nougat and finally, it began to eat. “That’s a good boy. Good boy.” You released a breath you didn’t know you were holding in and gave Steve a look of unease. He returned it and a moment later, Dustin looked back at all of you and waved you off. You all took that as the cue to sneak past, so you did and took off down the tunnels once again.

You kept going until you heard a large boom echo within the tunnels and start to shake.

“What the hell was that?” And the question was answered the moment you heard growling. It was the demodogs! And it was the whole herd of them too, but why were they coming this way? The hub was in the opposite direction. Then, you felt it. Anger, pain, sadness, fear, hope. It was Eleven. She was closing the gate. The mind flayer, it was sending them to stop her.

“Run!” You snapped out of it just in time to run with everyone else.

“They’re going after Eleven,” you shouted.

“What?!”

“They’re trying to stop her! I have an idea, but we have to get out first!”

“There,” Lucas pointed and you could see the moonlight pouring in from the exit. Perfect.

You stopped as Steve lifted each kid to the hole one by one, the demodogs drawing closer and closer. The growling continued to grow louder and it made you uneasy, but you had to remember that they weren’t after you. They were after Eleven. Still, you couldn’t let that many of them pass through. That would defeat the purpose of your plan.

“(Y/N), what’s the plan,” Steve asked and you looked back at him in shock.

“What are you still doing down here,” you questioned loudly.

“You expected me to leave you down here?!” Then, you saw his eyes widen as he looked behind you, causing you to do the same. The demodogs rounded the corner and were about to charge the two of you until you looked back at him again.

“I’m sorry about this,” you apologized.

“Sorry for wha-” he didn’t get to finish as you jerked your head up, sending him flying up the hole with a scream. You felt blood rush down your nose, but you ignored it as you pulled some of the ground beneath you to give you a boost big enough to grab the rope. You were about to pull yourself up until one of the demodogs rushed past you and made you lose your footing. You grunted as your chin hit the wall, but you were still able to hold on.

Then, Steve appeared out of nowhere with his hand extended out to you, “Come on!”

You gripped it tightly as he pulled you through the hole and fell back with you on top of him. You felt heat creep onto your face, but now wasn’t the time. You had a job to do. You pulled away from him and placed both of your palms into the earth.

“What’re you doing,” Steve panted.

“You might want to take a step back,” you warned before starting to gather all the power you could possibly muster up.

You honestly didn’t know if you’d be able to do this in your condition. You barely woke up 2 hours ago and you just hit your head. You still had to try though. You had to try for eleven. No, you had to for everyone. You just had to… Push through the pain. Yeah, that’s what you had to do. Even if it hurts... Even if the veins along your neck and temples were burning, you had to… Ignore it and keep going no matter what. Even if you felt all the blood rushing to your head and going out your nose, you had to keep going… Because that’s what you were made for. You were made to endure.

You screamed as you made the ground collapse within itself, crushing the demodogs beneath you. You already felt some pass through and you weren’t going to let them get away either. You kept going, flattening the ground until you reached the end of the tunnel. Hell, when you were done, there wasn’t even a tunnel left. It was just dirt and rubble and the others couldn’t help but stare in amazement. They knew you were strong, but they didn’t know that you were that strong. It was unbelievable. You-you were unbelievable.

You released your hold on the ground moments later and fell back, feeling completely exhausted. You expected to hit the ground, but instead, your head was met with a firm chest and a pair of warm arms embracing you. You twisted your head back and met Steve’s eyes. You smirked softly. Of course it would be him.

You let your head fall against his chest once again, liking the feel of another person - liking the feeling of having done something for a change. You were never going back…

...and luckily, you would never have to.

Because not even a month later, the lab was shut down for good.

You knew it was happening, but you still had to see it for yourself. Why? Because it was the place that had always caused you so much pain and turmoil and it was finally being locked down. It was long overdue, but it was better late than never. It was enough to make you smile, a smile that you didn’t even know you had in you. You weren’t the only one that was happy either, just like you weren’t the only one watching. There was another man there too - older and balding with dark-rimmed glasses over his eyes. Hell, he even brought a lawn chair to watch. He seemed happier than you if that was even possible, but to each their own you guess.

It had been an interesting month overall to say the least. What had been just you living with Hopper and Eleven for a while, turned into a permanent adoption. You weren’t One anymore and you weren’t just (Y/N). You were (Y/N) Hopper. The thought was enough to make you cry. You were actually in a family with your sister and actually had friends. One of them being Steve.

You spent a good portion of your time with him and him showing you around town. You would think that maybe it wasn’t a good idea for you to be out and about, but your situation was a lot different than Eleven’s. People knew about Eleven. Yes, very few people, but they still knew and it wasn’t safe for her just yet. The reason why it didn’t matter with you was because no one knew you existed. You weren’t a recent “project” like Eleven. You were practically buried 5 years ago and all the files regarding you must’ve been buried too. You suspected that that was Brenner’s doing as he most likely didn’t want anyone else getting their hands on his best experiment, but you didn’t care now. According to Eleven, he was most likely dead... which was good. Because that meant you were finally free, and you honestly didn’t want anyone stopping you from getting to tonight.

Tonight, as Eleven told you, was the snowball dance and while you obviously couldn’t go because you weren’t a twelve year-old, you still wanted to see her off. You gazed at her from the rearview mirror and she looked so pretty. You helped choose the dress at the store and Hopper surprisingly did her hair... very well. While she was excited, she was also just as nervous.

“It’ll be okay,” you reassured her with a smile. “You look amazing and Mike will love it.”

“Hopefully not too much,” Hopper retorted with a glare in his eyes. How like a dad.

“He’ll love it,” you stated again and she smiled gently.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“I think we should lay some ground rules before you go,” Hopper started to say, but you immediately cut him off.

“Yeah, have fun.”

“No, I think we should really-”

“No, no, no,” you insisted, practically talking to him now. “It’s going to be fun and if something were to happen, Hop’s out here. Okay?”

She nodded, “Okay.”

“Okay,” you asked again, still looking at Hopper who was rolling his eyes. “We need okay’s all around.”

“Okay,” he gruffly responded and you smirked at your small victory before stepping out of the car. Once she did the same, you pulled her into a tight hug, not wanting to forget this moment. “Have fun, El,” you whispered. “I mean it.”

And she quickly nodded before pulling away.

You watched as Hopper led her to the entrance and still kept smiling even as he turned back to glare at you.

“What was that for,” he questioned, walking back over to you.

“I already knew what you were going to say,” you answered. “No kissing. No holding hands. Stay this far away from each other. Just let her have some fun, Hop. These past few months have been a lot for her.”

“I guess you’re right,” he conceded. “But still...boys.”

“Well, you’re out here with your gun, so I think she’ll be alright,” you joked. Then, a feeling emerged within you. You smiled. “Joyce is here. I’m pretty sure she’ll help take your mind off things. I think she needs it too.”

He nodded slowly, “How about you?”

“I feel Steve around,” you blushed and he eyed you suspiciously.

“Maybe Eleven isn’t the one I should be worried about,” he concluded as you gasped.

“I’m just fine,” you lied. “But I am going to see him.” You started to walk off until-

“Don’t try to have too much fun.” You gaped at him.

“Hopper!”

____________________________________

It didn’t take long for you to find Steve. It was maybe only five minutes until you scared the shit out of him by popping your head through the window of his car.

“Hi, Steve,” you greeted.

“Jesus, (Y/N). Where the hell did you come from,” he shouted, clutching his chest.

“Sorry,” you apologized. “Just...Hopper brought Eleven to the dance and...I didn’t want to stay in the cabin alone, so I came along. I’m glad I found you though.” You smiled, but Steve didn’t seem to be matching it. Quite frankly, he felt a bit off. Maybe even a bit sad.

“Yeah, I was just bringing Dustin,” he told you, but he didn’t sound like himself either.

“That was nice of you.” His gaze actually kept flickering elsewhere, to you and to someone else.

You turned your head and the first person you saw was Nancy...oh. It made sense now. You knew about him and Nancy. He never told you directly because he never wanted to talk about it, but whenever he saw her, it was always the same heartbroken look. Dustin told you that he loved her, but that she didn’t love him back. That she left him for Jonathan and it hurt him... a lot. It wasn’t something he was just going to get over, but as his friend...you would try to make the process go by smoother.

“Wanna get outta here,” you asked abruptly and his attention immediately reverted back to you.

“What,” he furrowed his eyebrows.

“Wanna get outta here? Take your mind off things.” And he seemed to catch on.

“Where do you wanna go,” he smirked.

“Anywhere but here.”

“How about Hopper?”

“He knows how to handle himself,” and he chuckled deeply.

“Then, get in,” and you obliged without hesitation.

Steve didn’t mention where you were going, but you didn't really care. This was enough for the time being. To be in his company with the radio on and the windows down as the wind blew through your hair. Listening to him hum along with the music and giggling when he started to sing terribly on purpose. Yeah, you thought. This was enough.

You laughed as he continued to sing, shaking your head in the process, “You’re funny.”

“Funny how,” he asked with a smile gracing his lips. “Funny, like I’m funny, or I’m funny looking?”

“Just funny,” you teased. “Where are we going anyway?”

“There’s this place that I like going to,” he revealed. “And I think you’ll like it too.” And he was right. It was a small clearing in the woods with a pier leading to the lake. How he found it, you didn’t know, but it was still quite beautiful with the way the moon reflected off the water. He pulled into the clearing and you both got out of the car once he parked, shutting the doors at the same time. He watched you as you made your way to the shoreline and smiled when you gasped in awe.

“It’s so pretty,” you gleamed and you paused when you turned back to look at him, another idea popping in your head. “Do you want to dance?”

“What,” he asked, sitting up from his spot on the hood of his car.

“Well, you left the lights and the music on,” you mentioned. “So, I’m asking you - do you want to dance?”

“Do you even know how to dance?”

“Well, no,” you responded, slowly walking over to him. “But do you think...you can show me how to?” His eyes widened at your suggestion, clearly shocked that you would ask him such a thing, but he had no reason not to.

“Yeah-yeah, sure.” He quickly got up and met you halfway across the shore.

“Um, well...this is the first step,” he explained, grabbing your hands gently and placing them on his shoulders. You felt your face begin to heat up, but little did you know, he was feeling it too. “Then, step two, I place my hands on your waist...if that’s okay.” You nodded and he did it so delicately that you thought he was touching a porcelain doll instead. “Now,” he pulled you a bit closer. “We just sway to the music.”

You started to sway, smiling shyly as he did the same.

“Yeah, like that,” he motivated, swaying a bit faster before letting go of one of your hands and spinning you around until you fell against his chest.

“Woah,” you chuckled. “That was a bit...dizzy.”

“That’s the point,” he chuckled, keeping you firmly against him now and you couldn’t help but lean into him.

Yeah, you thought to yourself as you closed your eyes. I’m never going back.

74 notes · View notes

wkemeup · 5 years

Text

Fireworks

summary: Bucky Barnes doesn’t do crowds. He certainly doesn’t do fireworks. But he’d follow you just about anywhere.

pairing: bucky x reader

word count: 3.1k

warnings: PTSD symptoms, panic attack, a very sweet bucky

author’s note: So I had no intentions of writing anything for today until I woke up at 6am and had this idea and couldn’t fall back asleep. This fic is shorter than my usual and didnt go through the pretty long drafting/editing period as my other fics, but I hope you like it just the same! ❣️

“Bucky you have to come with us,” you urged light-heartedly, tugging on his sleeve as he kept himself planted on the couch; nose deep in To Kill a Mockingbird, the lasted book on the line of a long list you had written up for him. A smile pulled at his lips, though he made every effort to suppress it.

He allowed his eyes to glance up to you over the top of his book to find you dressed in a red and white striped blouse that tied at your waist, revealing just an ounce of skin above your jean skirt, a red bandana in your hair tied up away from your face, and press on tattoos of Steve’s shield and the American flag on your cheeks. Bucky did his best to hide how endearing he found you.

“It’s Steve’s birthday, too, you know,” you drawled out, pulling out your last resort with a slight whine in your voice as you purse your lips into a frown. Puppy dog eyes and all, even Bucky had a hard time holding his ground.

“I’m not good at this kind of stuff, doll,” Bucky finally admits, setting the book down on his lap. He sent you an apologetic smile, mouth pressed out into a thin line. “You have fun for me, won’t you?”

You eventually nod, though your heart breaks a little every time Bucky shoots you down politely, keeping himself isolated and alone at every opportunity. He hid under the disguise of soft smiles, of wanting to finish his latest read, or the certain knowledge he carried that his presence would only end up being unwanted. He was wrong, and you told him so every time, but Bucky Barnes was a stubborn man.

“Ok Buck. You know where we’ll be if you change your mind,” you reply, careful to hide the hurt in your voice though Bucky picked up on it rather quickly. You brush your hand over his hair, the only person he ever let do that, and retreated over to the elevator to meet the rest of the team.

Bucky watched as you disappeared, swallowing back the guilt in his chest every time he had to say no to you.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go, didn’t want to spent time with you, because he did. He latched onto every moment he could get with you. But there was something about large crowds and the Fourth of July particularly that didn’t sit well with him.

He knew you’d stand next to him the entire time, keep yourself at just the right distance away in case he needed an escape or something to ground himself to. You’d done it for him in the few times he had allowed himself to venture out to these public events Stark put together, but it never ended well for him.

He’d either end up having a panic attack in closet by himself after he ran from you in the brief moment your back was turned or he’d have to struggle simply to endure the whispers of Tony’s guests mumbling about whether he deserved to join the avengers after all he’d done and if he was even still human at all. Sometimes he wondered that himself.

Bucky let out a heavy breath. The tower was always so quiet when you were gone. He used to enjoy the quiet. Somewhere, along the line since he met you, that had begun to change.

He missed your laugh as it echoed down the hall, the sweet sound of your voice as you teasing argued with Sam over the last bowl of cereal, the soft patter of your footsteps upon the hardwood floors in the early hours of the morning to make the first pot of coffee.

Bucky tried to concentrate on his book instead of the image of you in the back of his mind, but found he could hardly get past the next page. He chewed on his lower lip, willing himself to at least finish the chapter. You had so many books on his list for him to read and he wanted every excuse to make you smile, and nothing did that quite like when he finished one of your favorite novels and you could finally talk about it with him. The excitement in your face, the passion behind your words; it was enough to make his heart sore.

His concentration was shot.

Bucky groaned, setting the book down on the coffee table, and found himself glancing back towards the elevator.

“No, don’t be an idiot,” he grumbled to himself, getting up to grab a glass of water from the kitchen. Even as he poured the water to his glass, brought it to his lips, and drank it dry, he still couldn’t seem to pull his eyes away from where you had left.

“Shit,” he cursed, the weight of the realization that he’d follow you just about anywhere heavy on his chest, even if it was to some glorified propaganda style event with a crap-ton of people that were guaranteed to set him on edge.

Bucky set the glass in the sink and stalked off over to his room. A quick glance through his closet and he didn’t seem to have much along the times of America themed attire. His red henley, the only bit of color in a sea of black clothing, sat at the bottom of his laundry basket. Couldn’t be easy for him, could it?

So, he found himself in Steve’s closet. He rummaged through the motorcycle jackets, the white button down dress shirts, the series of navy skin tight t-shirts, until he found the shirt he was looking for. It was a loose fitting, heather blue t-shirt with the Captain America insignia at the center. You had bought it for Steve jokingly after he found out about his merch line.

Bucky pulled the shirt over his head and adjusted the bottom as it sat on the edge of his jeans. He caught a quick glimpse of himself in the mirror and grimaced at how silly he felt. Grabbing his navy bomber and shrugging it over his shoulders to hide the reflection of his left arm, he did his best to exhale away the nerves in his stomach. He shook his head, not giving himself another chance to back out, and made his way to the elevator.

The streets of New York were always busy, but it seemed that everyone was out tonight. Back before the war, Bucky had loved the Fourth of July; the picnics in the park, the celebration of the country he had loved, the hot dogs and hamburgers, the fireworks.

These days, crowds weren’t his friend and the fireworks presented a problem all their own, though he did his best to push that to the back burner for now.

Bucky twisted his way through the upstream of pedestrians, keeping his head down and hands tucked into his pockets to avoid recognition. He wasn’t too far away. He’d only have to spend another few minutes on his own before you’d find a way to help calm him down. He tried to focus on the smile upon your face when you realized he came. The thought alone was enough to make the corners of his lips twitch up.

By the time Bucky found himself in yet another elevator, this time on his way up to the rooftop where he’d be sure to find the rest of the team, his heart was beating rapidly in his chest. The doors parted to an influx of Bruce Springsteen playing over the speakers, the loud chatter of the guests, and the sizzling of the grill to his left.

Bucky stepped out into the crowd, hands clenching in his pockets as he searched for you amongst the sea of faces. He kept himself still, just waiting for the moment you’d come into view, when suddenly a hand clamped down on his shoulder. It nearly set off his defenses enough to rip the arm off whoever laid a hand on him when he turned around to find Steve staring at him.

“Wow, Buck, I didn’t think you’d make it,” Steve grinned, looking him over and his eyes narrowed on his shirt. He lifted an eyebrow quizzically. “Is that my shirt?”

“It’s all I could find,” Bucky grumbled, offering Steve an apologetic glance though he brushed it off rather quickly as he swung an arm around Bucky’s back. Bucky sighed, trying to let himself relax. “Is everyone here?”

“Everyone but Sam,” Steve replied. “He usually gets a cabin out in the woods on the Fourth. You know, to get away from the fireworks and stuff.”

“Right,” Bucky nodded, exchanging a kind of knowing look with Steve.

“Y/n should be over by the bar,” Steve said after a moment, a smirk upon his face letting Bucky know he was fully aware of the reason why he was at this party and it wasn’t for him. He didn’t seem to mind much at all. “Try to have a good time, Buck.”

Bucky pressed his lips into a thin line, the best he could do for right now, as Steve disappeared back into the crowd towards Natasha who was waiting for him by a table with a series of cups standing in the shape of a pyramid and waving a ping pong ball in her hand.

Clenching at his jaw, Bucky turned back to the crowd. It took a moment longer, but then he spotted you standing by the edge of the roof, leaning against the barrier as you sipped from your drink. Bucky found himself smiling, his heart rate already coming back down, before he could realize it. He carefully weaved his way through the crowd until he stood just behind you.

“The city’s real pretty from up here,” he said casually, watching as your shoulders froze at the sound of his voice. You set the glass down on the wall and turned ever so slowly to face him, as if you were worried your ears were playing tricks on you.

The smile that curved up on your lips, the light in your eye, was enough to make Bucky’s knees weak. You shouted his name, half-laughing as you swung your arms around his neck, pulling him flush against you as you squeezed him. He chuckled, letting his arms drape over your waist as he caught the scent of your shampoo in your hair.

“You’re here!” you exclaimed giddily, pulling back enough to see his face. He nodded, trying to act more nonchalant than he felt. You ran your hand over his shoulder, somehow still able to sense the tenseness in his muscles even under layers of clothes. “I’m proud of you, Buck.”

“Yeah, well, it was about time I got out of that tower, huh?”

“I’m really glad you did. This’ll be so much more fun now that you’re here!” you replied, grabbing a hold of his hand to drag him over to the table where Steve and Natasha were throwing ping pong balls into plastic cups full of beer. He tried to ignore the jolt in his heart at the feeling of your hand in his. “Come on, Buck! We’re going to destroy Steve and Nat in beer pong.”

An hour later, and you were right. Bucky never missed a shot. Nat had complained that he was a sniper and that put her and Steve at a disadvantage, to which you argued back that Steve was a super solider and Nat was a world class assassin. It all seemed to even out alright when Nat brought up the fact that you were trained by Clint before you were even a Shield agent.

It was coming up on ten o’clock, when the crowd began to gather over by the edge of the roof. Bucky narrowed his eyes, watching as everyone seemed to know what was happening before he did.

“What’s going on?” he asked you as you began to drag him over to the edge of the crowd, standing just enough away that he could still be a part of it with standing too close to the strangers. He appreciated you more than he could ever say aloud.

“Fireworks,” you replied with an excited grin as bright as your eyes.

Bucky swallowed, forcing out a smile, and turned away from you to face the night sky before you could see the panic in his features.

He’d dealt with fireworks before, heard them in the distance on unexpected nights in the tower. They never triggered him into the winter soldier but they did find a way to bring his heart up to a rate that felt like it could pump right out of his chest and onto the floor at his feet, make his breathing so tight he could hardly get air in, and brings thick line of sweat to his brow.

Tonight though, he’d find a way through it, he decided. For you.

When the first one shot into the sky, he had to admit it was beautiful; red and gold sparkled amongst the dark blue of the sky, peppering amongst the stars. He only flinched a little.

The second one was bigger, completely gold in color and it seemed to last for eternity as the colors brushed upon the darkness like tinsel. He tried to focus on the beauty of it, on the ‘ooo’s and ‘aww’s of the crowd, but found that the booming sound settled too deep in his chest. He hadn’t even noticed your hand slip into his.

After a few minutes, he couldn’t even look at the fireworks anymore, unable to find the beauty in the sparkling colors when he was wincing at every thunderous explosion.

A flash of the trenches in France, to the roar of the train, to the bombs that took out his friends in Germany; dozens of images clouded his mind, bringing him far away from the rooftop garden. His chest was aching, heart pounding painfully through his veins, and he found himself stepping back, retreating away from the crowd. He couldn’t hear your worried voice call his name, not with the pounding in his ears.

Bucky couldn’t quite focus on where he was going, breaths catching in his lungs and unable to find air despite the rapid intake of his breathing. He stumbled through the sliding glass doors, searching desperately for a dark space, somewhere isolated, somewhere he could get a grip before someone noticed.

That’s when he felt a gentle tugging on his hand. He couldn’t quite make out what it was, his vision blurring, as his feet led him through the loft. Then, he was ushered into a back room and helped to the bed where his aching legs gave out. The door to the room was closed and the explosions were muffled.

Hands brushed along his thighs, then up the sides of his arms to cup at his face. He was breathing too fast, becoming light-headed in the effort, but somehow he could still catch sight of you standing cautiously over him, worry etched in your features as your thumbs brushed against his cheekbones.

“Bucky, I need you to breathe,” you said calmly, offering him the sweetest smile he’d ever seen. He nodded, doing his best to follow your request. Your hand swept over his hair, pushing it behind his ears. “You can do this, sweetheart. Here, try and breathe with me.”

Bucky watched as you took in an exaggerated breath, letting your chest raise as you inhaled, held it for a moment, and exhaled with your whole body. You nodded for him to try and he reached out to grab onto the fabric of your shirt by your waist, bunching it into his hands just to find something to hold onto.

He took in a breath, though it was shallow, it was more than he had a second ago, and he let it go.

“Good. You’re doing so well, Bucky,” you praised, nodding encouragingly for him to try again. You took in a deep breath yourself and Bucky followed, focusing on the gentle hue of your eyes, how you watched him struggle to breath without an ounce of pity, with only a sea of adoration and sincerity.

Slowly, he began to find his breath again. Though his lips felt numb and his head was a little dizzy, his heart came back to a normal pace and you let out a sigh of relief. He barely registered you leaning forward to kiss his forehead before you sat next to him on the bed.

“Sorry, doll,” Bucky said after a long moment of silence. He winced it his own voice as it came out, breathy and rough around the edges.

“Oh, no, please don’t apologize,” you shook your head quickly, turning to face him. “I should have never pressured you to come. I should have realized the fireworks would affect you like this. We could have gone somewhere like Sam does...”

“You’d do that for me?” Bucky asked, genuinely shocked.

“Of course,” you said, as if it were obvious, as if it didn’t make Bucky’s heart skip a whole beat. “Maybe next year? I think we’re safe before the next round in an hour. If we head out now, I can have FRIDAY can soundproof your room and we can catch up on the next show on your list. What was it again?”

“Parks and Recreation,” Bucky replied, a smile upon his face.

He couldn’t seem to fathom how you had stumbled into his life and took on his burdens so willingly. It was a constant effort to remind himself that he was allowed to enjoy the small things, like reading with you on the couch and watching tv through the early hours of the morning, that maybe he deserved to find happiness.

“Oh right! That’ll be a good one,” you giggled, tugging on his hands to help him back to his feet. “I’ll text Steve so he knows we’re heading out. He’ll understand if we don’t say goodbye. No need to get back out into that chaos huh?”

You really thought of everything.

Bucky could only nod, too caught up in how much his heart had begun to swell. A blush in his cheeks as you took his hand in yours, so casually, like it didn’t mean the entire world to him, and led him back to the elevator. You didn’t let go the entire walk back to the tower.

Even as you helped weave him through the sea of people bumping into his shoulders that would have normally set him off, your cautious glanced back to him and the gentle squeeze in his hand was enough to keep him grounded. He found that he didn’t much mind the crowds, didn’t mind much of anything at all.

Not when he was with you.

Thank you so much for reading! ❤️ If you enjoyed this fic, please consider supporting me at my ko-fi account ✨

#bucky barnes #bucky x reader #bucky barnes x reader #bucky x you #marvel #marvel imagine #mcu imagine #bucky barnes imagine #bucky barnes one shot #bucky barnes fic #reader insert #my writing #bucky fic #bucky x female reader #tw: panic attack #tw: ptsd

2K notes · View notes

screensirenfic · 4 years

Text

Menthol Cigarettes - Chapter 5 - NSFW Warnings: Slight dub-con

“Don’t move.”

My entire body tensed up on instinct at the sound of that voice; shivers running down my spine as I felt a firm, hard body pressed against my back, breath hot down the back of my neck.

Still; I did as he said, relaxing underneath him as he kept his hand pressed firmly to my mouth with barely enough space to breathe.

“You’re late.”

He drawled, and I tried not to think back to how Lucas had accused Mike of the exact same thing under very different circumstances.

Still; he was right, and I already knew what question would come next.

“Did you go and see Harrington again?”

I guessed right; his voice keeping a low even tone that betrayed none of his true thoughts on the matter.

Maybe I should’ve been scared; anyone else in the same situation would be practically shaking, and I was no different, though I’m certain my chills were for a completely different reason.

I struggled a little bit under his hand; opening my mouth in a silent petition for him to let me explain myself.

He loosened his grip, letting his hand slide down to cup my chin in a way that kept me looking straight ahead.

“I was dropping off the Wheeler kid-“ I panted; my heart already racing at fifty miles an hour as I felt his hips grind against my ass; already hard in his tight jeans.

“Don’t lie to me. You know I hate it when you lie.” He snapped, hand automatically going to clamp round my neck in a alarmingly firm grip that sent my heart jumping out of my chest entirely.

“Billy; stop...” I whined, reaching to pull his hand loose, because even though I knew he was just messing around, he was getting too rough; and he knew how I felt about him grabbing my throat.

He loosened his grip again, letting his hand fall to my sternum as he pushed me back into him, keeping a steady control of my body without any of the triggers.

“So; you gonna tell me where you were?” He asked again; his lips hot and wet against my neck as he kissed his way up my spine, ending with a light nip at my earlobe.

I sighed, taking a deep breath as I tried to centre myself on something other than the feeling of his mouth sucking hickeys onto my skin.

“I only saw Steve for a minute...” I admitted, leaning back against him slightly as I felt his other hand reach round to cup my chest, kneading gently against my breasts.

“But what I said was true...” I hastily continued, but he cut me off with a sharp nip to the juncture of my shoulder.

“You know I don’t like waiting around...” He warned; his voice somewhere between a purr and a growl as it fanned directly over my ear, fingers digging harshly into my breast.

“I know, but I can’t exactly come straight here; my dad would kill me if he found out...” I reasoned, closing my eyes as I enjoyed Billy’s hands’ and lips’ assault on my skin.

“Always such a good daddy’s girl. You gonna be good for me now?” He purred into my ear, hips practically bucking into me now, forcing a soft whimper from my throat.

“Billy...” I sighed, because I don’t know why he had this effect on me; having me mewling and keening before he’d even taken my clothes off, but I loved it all the same.

“Tell me you’re gonna be my good girl and I’ll let you get up...” He bartered; keeping his tone the perfect blend between soft and demanding as he let his hand on my chest trail down to my stomach, pressing down with just enough promise for me to bend.

“I’ll be good, Billy. I promise...” I sighed, giving in far quicker than I usually would, because Billy was wound up, and I’m pretty sure if I kept him waiting much longer; he might not have control of how rough he got.

He relented, moving his hands and backing off enough for me to scramble to my feet; my legs feeling like jelly beneath me after his successful attempts at dirty talk.

I don’t know what had gone on with Billy today, but he was probably the tightest wound I’d seen him in a long time; the bite in his voice just a little more feral than he usually was when we did a bit of role play.

I wondered if his dad had hit him again; though I couldn’t see any bruises, but I guess it was too dark to tell.

I mean; he couldn’t really be this pissed off about Steve, could he?

I stood up straight, turning to face him as he began methodically pulling things out of his nightstand; his calm, level demeanour only increasing my tension.

“Okay; what do you want me to do now?” I asked nervously, fiddling with the fringe of my jacket as I automatically took the submissive role, waiting for further instructions.

“Strip.” He stated; not taking his eyes away from his drawers as he pulled out his Polaroid camera, checking there was still film inside.

“Don’t you wanna watch?” I asked, surprised that he hadn’t sat himself on his bed like he usually did, letting himself sit back and enjoy the show and maybe take a few pictures for his private collection.

He just gave me a hard look over his shoulder that told me he didn’t want me to tease; just submit and listen to him for this one night.

I began pulling off my clothes, starting with shrugging off my leather jacket and letting it fall into a heap on the floor.

Billy really was tense.

I could tell by the way the muscles in his shoulders rolled every time he rifled through the drawer, stopping to pull out a bright red bandana along the way.

I pulled off my boots, hopping on one leg at a time as Billy organised his haul in a line on his nightstand, reaching into his back jeans’ pocket to pull out his cigarettes and a lighter, letting them join the queue of supplies.

Maybe I should’ve been more nervous; Billy was treating our tryst like an army operation, down to the strictly ordered supplies and the cold hard demeanour.

Still; it was incredibly hot, especially when he stripped out of his white wife beater, revealing stretch after stretch of hard muscle pulled tight under sun kissed skin.

I followed his lead pulling off my t shirt and shorts, before taking off my underwear, leaving me standing stark naked in the middle of his bedroom.

He turned then, walking over to me with such deliberate purpose that I could feel my nipples stiffen into peaks, and I don’t think it was from the slight breeze coming from the window.

I stood up straighter, putting my nude form on display for him as he paced around me, eyes trailing up and down me as if to check if anything was out of place.

“See something you like?” I smirked, unable to keep myself from being a little bit of a tease when he looked at me like that, pretty pink tongue peaking out to run over his bottom lip.

“Nothing I don’t own already.” He stated; unbuckling his belt with slow teasing movements, before pulling it clean from his jeans and letting it trail from his hand like a bull whip.

I know I should’ve felt intimidated; a man twice my size staring down at me like a horse for slaughter; blue eyes sinfully hard as he ran them over every peak, every crevice with near clinical focus.

But Billy was always a scary choice of lover; his brand of lovemaking far too aggressive and domineering to be seen as vanilla, but I had to admit I liked it.

Billy pushed all my buttons; sometimes ones that would better be left untouched, but I loved how he made me work for it; how every second at his mercy was a glorious rollercoaster ride between heaven and hell that I wanted to ride out in full.

After a couple more circles, he stopped to the left of me; hand reaching up to cup my chin and angle me for a kiss; mouth hard and demanding against my own.

I softened into it, allowing him to take control as he snaked his tongue into my mouth; the familiar taste of cigarettes and spearmint strong against my tongue.

He wouldn’t let me reciprocate, forcing me just to take what he gave me as he domineered the kiss; tongue and teeth working in tandem to make my head swimmy.

Eventually he pulled away, and I couldn’t help but moan, finding Billy so irresistible like this; when he was toeing the edge between aggressive and attractive.

He didn’t smile like he usually did, but I could see the hints of a self satisfied smirk peaking at the corners of his lips, reminding me that despite his demeanour; this was all a game designed to get me off harder and faster.

“Billy; please...” I sighed, committing fully to the role of belligerent sub as he let his fingers trail down my throat, stroking slowly in a way that made me gulp with apprehension.

Billy knew choking was off limits after the Byers, but it didn’t stop him from testing the waters, if only to get a reaction from my fear.

“Go get on the bed on your hands and knees.” Billy instructed, giving me the slightest of shoves that warned me not to argue with him this time.

Of course; I was tempted to defy him, to offer up some sweet pouty protests that would force him to manhandle me into position, but Billy’s eyes were hard today, and that was a dangerous thing.

Instead I was a good girl and made my way over to the bed with minimal teasing, crawling onto the mattress on my hands and knees until I was braced ready for him.

I could hear the sound of Billy pulling off his jeans, and instinctively turned my head, eager to get an eyeful of his naked form.

“Face the wall.” He barked, refusing to even give me the pleasure of looking at him in all his glory; all dirty blonde hair and hard muscle.

I sighed in protest, but kept my head straight, knowing that if I didn’t, he’d just grab hold of my hair and force me to.

I felt the mattress dip, and felt the sudden heat of Billy’s body behind me; my muscles tensing in anticipation of him just diving in and getting to it, fucking me hard and fast into the mattress.

Instead he leant over me, encasing me in that familiar scent of smoke, strong cologne and sweat that always reminded me of him.

“Do you trust me?”

TAGLIST: @lemonypink @daringvixon

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