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aircd · 2 months

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Stones ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚.˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

(Lesbian/wlw (romance?) fem reader¡¡

Includes/Warnings: yandere, manipulation/gaslighting, mentions of stalking, small threats, physical force, touch deprivation, first kiss, praise, cursing, (no sex).

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A new student had enrolled last fall, you can remember the first day you saw her; black raven like hair, pale skin, eye bags, that navy hoodie she always had up and her black ripped jeans. She was quiet but kind when introducing herself; the way she slowly glanced over at you made your spine shiver, was this excitement or fear.? She sat in the back with you three desks away, you always felt her presence deeply in the classroom as if she was the only one with an aura, something was off. You never got any paranormal vibes from her but you knew- somehow she’d be in your life, either you know it or not.

Gradually you worked your way up to talking to her, you felt a bit like a stalker keeping track of her classes and where she usually hung out, but you desperately wanted to give into this strong feeling of curiosity so it was necessary. You noticed she never really talked to anyone, she was always alone drawing or staring off into the distance, sometimes at others and at you. One day you decided to follow her to where she usually goes after spare time when she was done with lunch. She sat on the stairs at the back of the school listening to music as always. You waited awhile before going out there as to not seem creepy, you casually walk out and say “oh— I didn’t know anyone was out here..” she glances over and smiles softly. “You’re y/n right? Yeah! I have 3rd and fourth period with you!” You laugh awkwardly “Oh yeahh.! Jade-!” “the one and only.” She jokes “You mind if I sit out here with you.?” “Nahh!! Sit! sit!.”

That was the first time you two ever talked, it was awkward at first but you soon quickly became good friends, having inside jokes, hanging out after school at each others houses and exploring various places together. But.. sometimes you noticed odd things about jade; she would occasionally stare at you silently, you would find her peaking around a corner while you’re walking alone, waking up at sleepovers to her just staring at you or searching in your room, and sometimes your things would go missing.. but when you confronted her quickly in all these incidents she always had a good excuse and played it off. “Oh I was just spacing out.!” “I was looking for a notebook to sketch in.!” “I was trying to scare you as a joke by following you!!” Somehow you always believed her. Jade knew very personal things about you, you liked to talk a lot and oversharing was one of your bad habits, so when she’d mention very deep secrets you don’t remember telling her she’d just say you forgot. She was always a good shoulder to lean on and you’d try to comfort her too but she never seemed to have any problems? She told you the last school she had to leave because a girl she was friends with for a long time made rumors about her, like she was a stalker and gaslighted the hell out of her. You shrugged it off again because you were practically in love with this woman, she was your best friend and never ever hurt you.

One night before going to bed at 11:30pm you get a text from jade. (“Meet me at our spot. Urgent.”) obviously you shove some sweatpants on and a loose t shirt and your converse on and walk as fast as you can the whole way there, since “your spot” was a large rock in a nearby forest surrounded by tall trees and river. As soon as you get there you see jade wearing her navy hoody she never seems to take off and a nervous look on her face as if she’s scared you won’t come. “Jade!!” “Y/n! I’m so glad you came.!!” “Come come sit with me..!” “okay.!” you both sit on the rock and stare at the river reflecting the moonlight in the sky. “So.. we’ve known eachother for what feels like forever.. and i- I have something I need to say..” you gulp and turn your head as she puts her hand on yours. “Y/n I.. I love you..and—! And not as a friend..” “I— I love you too Jade.. but- why’d you decide to say that to me tonight..?” “I don’t know.. maybe because after watching you for so long I knew it was finally time..” “watching me.?!” “Y/n.. you could never understand how much I love you..” Jade leans in further putting her hands on the sides of your head staring at you with wide eyes and dilated pupils as if she was on drugs or had some psychological condition. You start to get nervous and your breathing is uneven. “Jade—“ she cuts you off. “baby~…” her voice gets shakey as she stares into your soul. “I’ve wanted you so bad.. for so long.. your heart, your body, your mind and your soul, your very being consumes me to my inner core.” She starts to breathe heavier as you’re in shock. “I’ve— I think I’d kill myself if you ever left me.. you— you won’t right..?!” “No!! No.!! I would never leave you like that, but— but why are you saying such things Jade..? This- this isn’t like you.” “Oh.. sweetie.. honey bear.. angel~.. you haven’t even begun to understand what I’m like.” “I— Jade.. what.. what do you mean..?!” “Everything I do is for you. I’ve known ever since I layed eyes on you that you were my everything..” you start to pull away slightly as one of her hands moves down to your waist gripping it tightly. “Jade.. just— just calm down okay..! I- I like you too but—“ “don’t.” She says sternly as she grips your waist once again pulling you back in. “Jade I— already.. I told you I loved you—“ Jade groans, “oh god say it again~..” she grips you even harsher and it starts to hurt. “Jade you’re hurting me.. please just— let go a little bit.” She squeezes your waist harder and pulls you in more. “I just wanna see you happy baby~.. I wanna give you the world.. I hate seeing you cry.. you- you know why all those girls that made you cry left..?! I did that. I did everything for you..!” her voice starts to shake as she’s practically an inch away from your face still keeping a tight grip on your waist she suddenly lets go and wraps both of her arms around you shoving you on her Lap. “Woah—! What the hell dude..?!” “oh shh.. shh.. I- I- know how much you need this.. yknow I’ve read your diaries over and over again..” she laughs creepily. Your legs are wrapped around her waist in the way you’re sitting you’re confused as to how she hasn’t lost her balance on the rock you’re both sitting on. “What—?! I didn’t even tell you about that.!! What the fuck Jade I trusted you.—“ She covers you mouth. “I’m the only one that truly knows you sweetheart.. I would never tell anyone anything.. I know you haven’t been touched in sooo~ long.. you poor baby.! all touch deprived and needy~..! why didn’t you come to me sooner.!” Your eyes widen further as she lets go of your mouth and starts to caress your cheek and hair. “j-jade..” you say breathy. “Ohh.. there it is.. you’re already blushing~ baby..! If I knew you needed this so bad I wouldn’t have hesitated for so long..” she then begins to lean in as she holds your cheeks. “Wait— Jade! I haven’t ever kis—“

she suddenly kisses you making you feel butterflies in your stomach and you moan softly, while feeling dizzy. She pulls back to see your red cheeks and heavy eyes. “I knew it~.. you can’t resist me.. can you.?” She whispers in Your ears. you can’t shake the overwhelming feelings you have at the moment, you know you should run away but you can’t. you stare at her in a state of bliss and panting. “awwh” she breaks into a small chuckle. “you’re so cute..! my poor poor baby~..” she holds the back of your neck firmly and starts kissing it gently licking causing you to gasp and whimper, you try to keep quiet out of embarrassment but the sensations are too much, you grip onto her arm. She chuckles “too much..~?” “Just— I- I- wh..” you stutter. “Shh.. shh.. don’t talk y/n.. it’s okay sweetheart.. I’m here..” “oh- okay..” she puts her hand on your back and leans you down to lay on her shoulder as she caresses the back of your head. “You really have to stop writing so much down in your diary.. you know some sicko like me could read it and use it against you..” you wrap you arms around her hesitantly knowing it’s wrong, but you still love her. She smiles and hugs you back harder. “mm.. just like that..” . She rubs your back and squeezes you tightly.

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(Made some recent adjustment’s)

Thoughts? Should I make this a series.?

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neonmoonlight514 · 8 months

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Touched Deprived Dabi x Reader Fluff

Been going through some stuff lately and today was the worst part of it. I've been feeling touched deprived and felt the need to write about someone that, I felt, was as well. I am also planning on doing a Hawks version, well maybe. Writing this one however made me feel a little better. Dabi x Reader, No warnings, just fluff.

Being new in the LoV had its downs. Everyone had already bonded and had trust in each other. You were the second female in the group. You had an interesting quirk, one that was useful to the villains. They try to include you, but your introverted ways keep you from really socializing with them. However, you stuck around. At least you knew you were safe.

Everyone had jobs today, except you and Dabi. He was a quiet guy and the more you tried to study him, you were intrigued by him. You watched as Toga bounced toward the door and patted Dabi on the head. You noticed the grimace and the hate behind the touch. Another curious mark to make in your Dabi study. Did he just not like to be touched, or did he not like Toga's touch?

You watched as his body relaxed on the sofa. How the silence filled the room between both of you, almost like a thick sludge that caused you to remain still, almost unable to breathe. Then, piercing icy blue eyes shifted in your direction.

You cough because you suddenly remember to breathe. When you finally were able to calm the cough attack, you gazed over at him, and his brow was quirked upward, clearly confused at your sudden outburst. "Sorry… I.. Um.. choked on my saliva.." You figured that excuse was much better than, 'I got lost in your eyes and forgot to breathe.'

However, your excuse got a--was that a smile? No, smirk? You wanted to squint to get a better look, but his features were already back to what they were prior. You decided to do something nice, yeah, unheard of in the LoV apparently, but what the Hell. You moved to the fridge, removed a bottle of water, and sighed at the assortment of drinks. Of course, they couldn't make this easy, could they? You wanted to surprise him with your generosity, so you winced and picked a soda. Soda? Would he like sodas?

You shut the door and walked toward the living room, deciding to hold up both. If he chose the water, you'd just settle for the soda. You'd survive. He went for the soda, you smiled, but he did not. "Y/N." You said in a soft tone. "Dabi right?" He twisted the cap off of the bottle and drank in silence. You frown. Okay, this was going to be harder than you thought. Without opening it, you sat the water down on the table.

You moved back against the couch, your left shoulder pressed against the cushion as one leg was tucked under the other so you could sit at an angle. "What if…" You said softly. "I can… make you laugh?"

"Not interested."

Woah! He spoke. HE CAN SPEAK! His voice was amazing. You needed to hear more. "No, hear me out. If I can make you laugh, you have to…" You quickly tried to think of something, anything. ".. Let me hug you."

He scoffed at you. "No. Although, that almost made me laugh at the stupidity of it."

You couldn't help your excitement as his words spilled out again. Your excitement however caused Dabi to ease back a little. This gave you a hint to tone it down. Which you tried to do. "I seriously think I can make you laugh."

"I doubt it."

"Then if you doubt it, accept my terms. Give me one try and if I get any bit of a smile, chuckle, or laugh, I get to hug you."

His eyes locked on yours. You two stared at each other for two minutes before he sighed. "Fine. One chance."

Oh, the challenge was on! You knew he didn't believe you could do it, and honestly, you didn't have much faith in yourself either, but one shot. You thought a moment and then remembered the almost laugh you thought you saw earlier. It was the best shot you had. Would it work?

"Okay!" You said as you clasped your hands together. "Over there when I started choking. I didn't choke on my spit." This got his attention, causing his brow to raise in question. "You looked at me and your eyes took my breath away…" He stopped a moment and then finished with a small laugh. "I had to remember to breathe!"

Dabi just blinked at you. "You… forgot to breathe…?"

You started to laugh as you realized how stupid it was. You started to lean your head into the cushion, laughing hard. "When--When I realized that I wasn't breathing, I started choking!"

He smirked. He smirked! "You are stupid, huh?" He let one laugh out. "To think someone makes you forget to breathe."

"You laughed! I heard it."

"…."

"…!"

"Get it over with." He finally said, lifting his soda to his lips where he took a drink. You waited for him to drink his soda and then as he lowered it back down to the table, you moved closer to him and wrapped your arms around his neck. You leaned down and hugged him lightly. You could hear his breath catching, this caused a smile to flow over your lips.

"Don't forget to breathe."

He laughed again. "I'm not as stupid as you."

You didn't take anything he said to heart, to be honest, the tone he said it in didn't seem as if it was anything other than a joke, a tease. "You laughed again."

"So I did."

"I guess I need to hug longer."

"…. that wasn't a part of the deal."

"When has the LoV ever followed the rules.."

There was silence between the both of you, but he didn't push you away. You remained against his chest, your head lying on his shoulder. You oddly felt comfortable. He oddly felt comfortable. He wanted to hate this, but the so-called hug was something didn't know he needed.

Dabi had noticed how you didn't flinch when it came to where you laid against him. How you continued to huddle up against him, arms around his shoulders. You didn't cringe at the sight of his massive scars that covered over half of your body. Why weren't you disgusted? He would curl his fingers into a fist, feeling the frustrations of this whole situation build up, however, you still didn't move.

He could grab you by the shirt and throw you, but--

As you lay there, breathing softly, content, his mind began to wonder. Was this that bad? He wasn't used to someone that just wanted to touch him, to hug him. Toga clung to him, but it was always her need for attention and his blood. This? There was nothing other than the need to touch.

He finally gave in, his hand lifted to touch your back. It was warm to the touch, almost too warm as if he had just extinguished his fire. He still didn't speak, only closed his eyes. The silence between you two was comforting. His need to feel affection from someone, even a touch, and your need to give that to him.

He felt the buzz, and instead of moving you, he shifted under you and fished his phone out of his pocket. A soft grumble seemed to vibrate in his throat, his eyes closing for a moment. "Toga. She's coming back."

This caused a groan to escape you in protest. You pulled back from him and for a moment you two stared at each other. You felt his hand on your arm, a light grasp as if to hang onto you just a little longer. "Next time, maybe without having to make you laugh?"

You felt his hand release you slowly. "Yeah."

"Next time, perhaps you can hug me back."

"Maybe."

#my hero academia #dabi fluff #dabi x reader #touchstarved #touch deprived #just let me hug you #just let me love you #dabi #touya todoroki #touya todoroki x reader

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heart-writesss · 11 days

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cuddling with geto is an amazing experience i just know like. you and him tangled in each other on a rainy day keeping each other warm. he definitely is rubbing you softly up and down your back slowly lulling you to sleep. you guys just lay around all day ignoring the outside world.

#geto suguru #heart-writesss #random thoughts #i need in such a way #touch deprived #black reader #jjk #jjk geto

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foreverdolly · 2 years

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cherry bomb (pt 1) | fan!eddie munson x famous!reader

summary: eddie is devastated when he hears the news that his favorite guitarist quit her band with no explanation. he doesn't find out the exact reason until he runs into her. runs into you. temporarily moving in with your mother was never part of the plan, and staying in hawkins for any extended period of time is a nightmare, but she needs help taking care of her bar and tying up loose ends after the sudden death of your stepfather. "the hideout" is a dive on the outskirts of the small midwestern town- and it was your stepfather's pride and joy , and you intend on helping your mom upkeep it. your band gives you six months to change your mind about quitting. any later than that and they're going to be forced to replace you. that seemed like plenty of time to take a break from the fast paced life of a rock star. . . that is until you meet your biggest fan. that complicates things.

pairing: fan!eddie munson x famous!fem reader

word count: 6,135

warnings/notes: eddie is severely touch starved in this fic, and it's fuckin' adorable. i've seen a lot of fics where eddie is the famous musician, and i'm all about role reversals. basically you're a bad ass and eddie worships the ground you walk on.

“Well someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.” Gareth narrowed his eyes as he roughly swiped his drumsticks off of his father’s workbench. Summer was in full swing with fall right around the corner, so the garage was still stiflingly hot. Despite the fact that he had opened up the doors before the boys even showed up for band practice, it didn’t help cool it down any. He would have plugged in the big fan they had, but his mother complained about their amps possibly blowing out her circuitbox. It had happened one time two years ago, and she still talked about it every week. Gareth didn’t think that it was the heat that had Eddie’s panties in a twist though. He rarely complained about things like heat, especially since his uncle Wayne hadn’t purchased an A.C unit for their trailer until the year before last, and it was only because Eddie had gotten a summer job working at the record store in the Star Court mall. What the long haired boy hadn’t spent on a new amp, concert tickets, and a new spark plug for the van, he saved and squirreled away for Wayne to use as he saw fit.

“You didn’t hear?” Jeff’s eyebrows pinched together as he slid the strap of his rhythm guitar over his shoulder. Gareth froze, his eyes widening as he realized that something big must have happened. The drummer was Eddie’s best friend. . . or, at least, Eddie was his best friend. He prided himself in the fact that he knew just about everything there was to know about the older male. “Did his dad break outta jail or something?” He lowered his voice, leaning in close to Jeff so that Andy wouldn’t overhear them. Jeff quickly shook his head. “No- Oh god, no. I’m pretty sure he would be halfway to Nebraska by now if that happened. You haven’t heard about the news? About Social Misconduct?” Now Gareth was beyond confused. Eddie was moving in what appeared to be slow motion, unlatching his guitar case, his eyes solemn. It looked like he hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep the night before. His hair was an absolute wreck, he had dark circles under his eyes, and he was wearing his old Social Misconduct shirt that Wayne had accidentally shrunk in the wash a few months back. “. . . No? Wait- don’t tell me one of them died, man. Social is one of my favorite bands and-” “Y/n left the band.” The second that Eddie heard his favorite guitarist's name, he let out a loud sniffle, his bottom lip quivering.

Damn him and his sensitive nature. He’d been crying all night, having gotten a call from the venue up in Indianapolis where he had tickets to see their upcoming show. He was told that he would be mailed a refund, but none of that mattered. “You’re kidding. We were supposed to see them in November!” It was Gareth’s turn to let out a wail, his drumsticks falling out of his hands as he began pacing the expanse of the garage. “She was the heart of the band! I mean. . .” Eddie quickly joined in, standing up from the ground so that he could throw his own hands up in frustration. “She’s the entire reason why most people listened to them in the first place! I-I mean. . . She was a female thrash metal guitarist. She shreds. Is she going to join another band? What if she drops off the face of the planet and we never see her again. . . she’s a musical genius. I feel like my heart has been carved out of my chest.” He was rambling, tapping his fingers against his temples as he spoke. He felt like he was going to lose his mind. Social Misconduct had gotten him through some of the hardest years of his life. To say that he admired the guitarist was an understatement. She was his absolute hero. Females, especially in the metal and hard rock genre, were a commodity. Not only that but they were seen as the underdogs solely based on the fact that they were women. Y/n had managed to take that unfair stigma and smash it to pieces. Most metalheads worshipped her like a god, Eddie included. The “SM” shirt was absolutely tiny on him all thanks to his uncle- god bless his soul- so it fit him more like a baby tee than a regular shirt. It brushed against the top of his black jeans, and as he raised his arms, the hem of the shirt moved up his stomach, showing off the small patch of hair that grew beneath his naval and disappeared beneath his belt.

Andy licked his lips, looking between the two fretting males, and decides that instead of comforting them, he’ll try to do the next best thing. Criticize them. “Don’t you think that the two of you are being a little bit. . . I don’t know. . . dramatic? The member’s probably got into a fight or something. We broke up for a month back when Gareth was a sophomore, remember?” Eddie’s jaw dropped, his brown eyes widening to the size of saucers. Gareth let out a deep groan, lowering his head into his hands. “Oh, you did not just say that.” The Munson boy mumbled quickly, shaking his head in disbelief. “They’re rock stars, Andrew. Professional rock stars. They just got done doing a world tour with Kiss. They wouldn’t just announce that Y/n’s leaving only for her to pop back up a week later.” Andy nodded his head, not noticing how stupid the point that he was trying to make was until the words had finally left his mouth. He bit his lip, throwing his hands up in surrender. “Yeah, you’ve got a point.” Jeff plugged his guitar into the amp, leaning down to fiddle with the volume. “Well let’s just get through today's practice, alright? It’s too late to cancel tonight’s show, and the last thing we want to do is make Miss Marie’s life even harder right now.” Eddie and Gareth sucked in a small breath, sharing a look before nodding in agreement. “No, no. . . you’re right.” Andy quickly held his hand out, gesturing towards the two boys. Both Eddie and Gareth were easy to motivate, so he was quick to raise an eyebrow at them. “What would Y\n do?” Gareth was quick to reach down, picking his drum sticks up off of the floor. “She’d probably get drunk and-” “No, no. . . what’s the other thing she’d do?” Eddie was quick to slide the guitar strap over his shoulder, clenching his jaw. “She’d play the show, no matter how upset she was.” Andy smiled, gesturing towards Jeff who gave him a thumbs up, letting him know that they were all set up. That had worked like a charm. “Well let’s do it then.”

The Hideout was more of a dive bar than a restaurant. Sure, they had great food, but people went there for the booze, pool tables, and pinball machines. Some of the high school kids would stop by on the weekends to grab a greasy burger and play the machines until their pockets were devoid of all quarters, but the people that really kept the place afloat were the local drunks. The building wasn’t run down by any means, but most of the preppier Hawkins inhabitants liked to label the place as “unsavory”. They saw the motorcycles and muscle cars parked outside and turned their cheeks. It was situated quite a ways outside of town, far enough down the main road that it was within spitting distance to the interstate. A lot of truckers liked to frequent the place, and Miss Marie and her husband Stuart were nice enough to let them sleep in their trucks in the empty lot behind the bar. Speaking of Mr Stuart. . .

“Are you guys going to the funeral?” Eddie asked, lifting up in his seat a little so that he could look at his friends in the rearview mirror. Jeff was quick to pop a cheese doodle into his mouth before handing the bag back off to Andy. “Of course I’m going. What about you?” Gareth let out a small sigh, stretching his legs from his spot in the passenger side seat until he heard his back pop. Eddie grimaced at the noise, giving the other male’s side a quick slap. “Gross, man. Keep your rickety joints to yourself.” Gareth was quick to flip him the bird as a response before turning to face Jeff. “I’m still trying to talk my mom into it. She never met Mr Stuart, so she thinks it’s weird that I want to go to his funeral.” Eddie knew that Gar’s mom could be a bit overbearing, and as aggravating as he thought that it was, a part of him was always a bit jealous. Sure, there were things that Wayne didn’t let him do before he finally turned twenty-one, but he never hovered. Eddie didn’t have a loving mother breathing down his back at all hours of the day, or a father that showed up to all of his baseball games as a kid. None of that is to say that he didn’t appreciate what he already had though. Wayne loved him when nobody else did, and that was enough for him. However, if he had hovered a bit more, last spring break might have never happened. At least. . . not with him so involved, at least. He gripped a little harder onto the steering wheel, fighting off the memories the best he could. He could feel the phantom pain from his many scars, rudely reminding him that they were still there and just as gnarly. “Mr Stuart is the only reason why we started playing live shows in the first place. Your mom should get that, man.” Andy folded the bag of chips up as he spoke, shoving them underneath the seat where Eddie was sure to find them weeks later, stale and full of ants. The chocolate eyed boy made a mental note to remember to throw it away once he got home, but he was positive that he would forget the second he got back into his car after the gig. “Let me talk to your mom. She loves me.” Jeff grinned at Gareth, who was quick to agree. “She loves you more than she loves me. Probably because you’re mister ‘full ride’.” Eddie smiled over his shoulder at Jeff, a silent ‘congratulations’ before facing the road again.

Jeff had been waiting anxiously for the acceptance letters for what seemed like months, and made it the entire Hellfire Club’s problem. His GPA was great, his SAT scores were off the charts, and he was a dedicated young man that came from a working middle class family. None of the boys were surprised when the letter finally came back, stating that he had been accepted on a scholarship to the local university. The recent trauma had pushed Jeff in a direction that no one saw coming. Even Henderson had been stunned into silence when Jeff finally got the boys together and told them that he wanted to be a lawyer. Watching one of his best friend’s name get slandered had made him take a big step back, really honing in on what he wanted to do with his life. Anyone with half a brain would be able to see that the Munson boy was no murderer- it wasn’t in his nature. Jeff wanted to make sure that nothing happened like that again.

Knowing that Eddie would eventually have to find a replacement for one of the beloved members of his band was a tough pill to swallow, but after a few days of wallowing in self pity, he learned to embrace the change. He’d been hanging posters up all over town, but no fishies had bitten the bait yet. Jeff was shipping off in two months, which meant he could kiss his dreams goodbye if he couldn’t find anyone soon. He was already twenty-two, and he certainly wasn’t getting any younger. He had wasted precious years repeating his senior year three times, and the possibility of getting signed to a label is higher when you’re young. Hell, Kirk Hammett had started the band Exodus when he was only sixteen, and joined Metallica when he was twenty-one. The talented guitarist’s golden years were ticking by.

He might have been able to fight off demon bats, but time? There was no stopping that.

Eddie parked right in front of the bar, turning his body so that he could face the boys all at once. “This is our first time seeing her since he died, so let’s stay on our best behavior.” Which meant that Eddie would not be buying Gareth and Andy beers, no matter how much they begged. The last thing he needed was for the two eighteen year olds to get wasted, stumbling around the bar like idiots. With the sweet middle aged woman in mind, the boys all piled out of the car, dragging their equipment right along with them.

Forty-nine was too young. You didn’t understand how someone could be perfectly healthy one second, and then on their deathbed the next. It didn’t make sense to you. You hoped that being with your mother might bring you some closure, but all it did was make you feel worse somehow. Grief hits everyone in different ways. You found that it came in waves; the tide was either high or low. It struck you at random points of the day. You’d catch a whiff of a scent that reminded you of your step father, or stare too long at an old family photo that he had hanging up on the wall. Right now you were busy staring at the hole in a leather seat, your right knee propped up against the old booth so that you could wipe off the table tops. Your parents- the very same ones that had loved and raised you- had been busy trying to make ends meet, all while you were jetting off all over the world. You bought whatever you wanted, fucked whoever you wanted, and got paid to strut around onstage in leather outfits, doing what you loved. Your bottom lip quivered as you ran your finger over the tear in the upholstery, moving to shuffle back over towards the bar so that you could speak with your mother. “Why didn’t you tell me about how old the furniture was? I would have gotten you new seats made.” You rested your elbows against the varnished wooden bar, staring at her intently.

She was setting up glasses behind the bar to get everything ready for the night. In about thirty minutes, once rush hour hit and people were off of work, the place would be packed. She waved you off with a flick of her risk, scoffing to herself. “You don’t need to spend any money on this old place. I’m doing just fine with the old furniture. People don’t care about what they’re sitting on. As long as I have good quality beer on tap, they’ll never stop coming.” That wasn’t the point and she knew it. Your mother had always been so against you helping them out financially. It drove her crazy thinking about you supporting her in any way. You were supposed to be her baby, not the other way around. You wanted your mother to feel proud of what her and your step father had built together. You wanted her to own a nice place. The Hideout was Stuart’s legacy, so you refused to turn a blind eye to all of the things that were going wrong in the place. “Mom. . . I have more money than I know what to do with. Honestly, it would make me happy if you let me fix some things around here. Just to give the place a little facelift- nothing major.” You assured, flashing her your most convincing smile.

You never could understand why your parents had moved all the way to Indiana and bought an old building on the outskirts of a tiny town. You had already moved out by the time that they packed up themselves and left home. You had visited a couple of times over the last few years, but you never stayed long. Hawkins was small enough to where you felt claustrophobic after spending just a few days there. You regretted not staying longer while you still had that chance though. Now that your step father was gone, all you had left was a sinking feeling of regret. The least you could do was temporarily move in with your mother so that you could help her iron things out. You being there was the only thing keeping her together, and you could tell. She hadn’t fallen apart yet, but you’d be there for her when it finally did happen. At some point the levee has to break.

The news of you leaving the band had already hit mainstream media. You were too scared to call up any of your old bandmates to check in on them, not wanting to know whether or not they forgave you for making such a brash decision. You knew that there would be offers to join new bands the second you got back into the swing of things- hell, Ozzy had already reached out to you. Ever since the death of Randy Rhoads, he’d been floundering to get back on his feet and find a good guitarist. You had half the mind to take him up on it. The boys had taken the news pretty well when you initially told them that you were quitting. Your father had died, and that was a good enough reason for you to take a break from the band. They had made it clear that they would leave the door open for you. As long as you gave them a call within six months, they’d be more than happy to take you back. Any later than that, they’d be forced to find a replacement. You had exactly six months to make sure that your mom was healthy and happy.

“I just. . . I feel rotten about letting you spend your own money on me. I’m the parent. I’m supposed to be the one that helps you out, remember?” She gave your hand a soft pat, flashing you one of her famous smiles. It was painful, but you’d noticed that it didn’t quite reach her eyes anymore. You hadn’t said anything about it. “That’s the joy of getting old. It’s my turn to pay you back for all those years you took care of me. Being a single mom is hard, but you managed. Let me do something nice for you, ma.” You didn’t give her any time to object, rather you just turned on the heel of your boot so that you could make your way back into the kitchen to check on the cook. You wanted to make sure that he was fully prepped for tonight, and if not, you’d be more than willing to help.

Your mother busied herself yet again with setting up the bar to perfection. She liked to have things neat and tidy. It made her feel less overwhelmed later on, and she was positive that her heart couldn’t take much more. “You boys need any help?” Marie looked up from her spot behind the bar, watching as the group of boys dragged their heavy amps through the front doors. “Nah, nah. We got it. We do this every Tuesday.” Eddie told her with a smile. He was a lot less animated than he usually was, and she was quick to pick up on the fact that it must be for her sake. He wasn’t sure how to treat her after the recent tragedy. “My daughter is here. You know. . . the one that I've told you that you’d like?” She always thought that you and Eddie would get along like a house on fire. She had been eager for you two to meet for years. She just wished that it wasn’t under these circumstances. Eddie hung back from the group as they began walking their way back out to the van, ready to grab another load of equipment. “Yeah? Must be good to have her home.” Eddie sauntered up to the bar, tapping his ringed fingers against the wood. He looked over his shoulder at the young couple that were seated in the opposite corner of the stage. They were deep in conversation, sharing a basket of curly fries. They were in for a rude awakening- Corroded Coffin played fast, hard and loud. “Where is she now?” There had never been any weird undertone in the way that Marie spoke to him about her daughter. You would have killed her if you caught wind of her trying to set you up with a blind date, and Eddie would have felt horribly embarrassed as well.

He wasn’t exactly. . . Mr Popular. Not by any means. Unless it was his friend Robin, he never talked to girls. He practically repelled them. “She’s in the back doing something. She’s been staying busy these last few days. She’s so used to constant chaos. . . I think she misses it already.” She joked, wrinkling her nose a bit. Marie had never gone into too much depth about you, so he had no clue who you were, where you lived, or what you did for a living. What he did know was that the two of you dressed similarly and had the same taste in music. He was intrigued to say the least. It wasn’t every day that someone get’s the opportunity to meet a girl that’s actually into thrash metal. You were also the only real reason that Marie and Stuart allowed Corroded Coffin to play once every week. They were desensitized to your fast paced, heavy music. If anything, they actually had come to really enjoy it. “Chaos? What kind of chaos are we talkin’ about here? Does she live in a city or something?” Your mother nodded, turning her attention to the lemon that she was currently slicing up for garnishes to be used later. “Los Angeles. She moved out there the second that she graduated from high school. The girl saw a chance and took it. She’s always been independent like that.” Eddie felt a pang of jealousy. Sure, it was nice to be able to finally financially help Wayne out after all those years of constant care, but he would have liked to be able to move out and be on his own. There was a large part of him that was too scared to leave Wayne though. The man worked the graveyard shift at the plant, so Eddie had been the one to do the grocery shopping, cooking, and tidying up (even though the trailer was often a wreck). How was he supposed to do all of that by himself while he worked as many hours as he did?

“In all the years that we’ve been coming here, I’ve never seen her. Is she that busy out in LA?” That came out a lot harsher than Eddie wanted it to, and he couldn’t help but flinch, snapping his mouth shut so hard that his teeth clattered together. He had never been good at socializing, and had a hard time picking up on social cues most of the time. His cheeks heated up with embarrassment, but Marie simply nodded her head. “She’s actually in a band. I mean. . . she was in a band. She’s going to be staying with me for a few months to help tie up loose ends now that Stuart is gone.” The long haired man could have punched himself. He had gone out of his way to lecture the boys earlier about not bringing up anything too heavy around Marie, and here he was, pointing out her only child’s absence and reminding her of her dead husband. All it took was a two minute conversation, and Eddie had already blown it. “A-A band? What kind of band?” He tried to change the subject, flashing her a smile in the hopes of lightening the mood. “It’s your kinda music. Maybe you two could get together some time and “jam” out,” He cracked another smile, a laugh shaking his broad shoulders. Marie smiled back, giving his arm a small smack. “Or whatever it is you kids say.” “Play. We can play together.” Marie mumbled a quick “yeah, yeah” at his correction. Eddie was a good kid, and reminded her a lot of you. Maybe that was why she loved him so damn much.

“Is she a good singer?” Marie gave him a look as if to say ‘are you crazy?’ “That girl can’t carry a tune to save her life. She plays-” “Electric guitar. Lead.” You called out to them as you walked through the double doors of the kitchen, tossing a dish rag over your shoulder. You hadn’t heard the entire conversation, just the tail end of it. Giving the boy a quick once over, you made a mental note that cute boys did live in Hawkins, before turning to face your mom. “You’ve gotta eighty-six the the onion rings. Jim ran out of panko, and the next shipment isn’t until tomorrow.” You turned to face your mom, slowly raising an eyebrow at her wide smile. It was practically splitting her cheeks at this point. “Y\n, this is the boy that I’ve been talking about the last couple of years.” Ah- right. She had told you about the town reject that she had taken under her wing. You were impressed to hear that he had started up his own metal band all the way back in middle school. From what you heard from her, he seemed to be a pretty talented guitarist himself. “Uh. . . Freddie, right?” Your rings caught the dim overhead lights, your sharp, black lined eyes locked on him.

He felt like he was going to piss himself. Or throw up- maybe both. Fainting was also on the table too. There was no way this was real. Eddie was probably still in his room, having a dream about you after crying himself to sleep due to the unfortunate news. He had conjured all of this up somehow. This was the most lucid dream that he’s ever had. “E-Eddie.” He squeaked out the correction, brown eyes wide as he stared at you. He wanted to have the opportunity to properly check you out. He’d stared at pictures of you for years- hell, he had a poster of you hanging up on his wall, right beside his bed for. . . well, obvious reasons. He couldn’t take his eyes off of your face though. Even in person, you were the most beautiful female he had ever seen. No questions asked. Girls like you didn’t exist. Couldn’t exist. He didn’t expect for you to be so tiny though, especially compared to him. He wasn’t the tallest guy around, but working with heavy equipment all day had caused him to build up a fair bit of body mass over the last year since graduation.

You didn’t seem intimidated by his form though. You were a female in a mainly male dominated genre. You were known for your snarky comebacks and quick witted humor. He would know. He’s seen every interview you’ve ever done. It was easy to spot a look of recognition in somebody's eyes. You expected him to at least know your band name, but the look on his face told you everything you needed to know. The kid was freaking out. That and the fact that he was wearing a shirt with your band's logo on it. You shot him a small smile, reaching out to give his chest a quick poke. “Like your shirt, man.” Your mother blinked, her eyes widening as if she was just now putting two and two together. “So you already know who she is then? Oh, wow. That’s great! Now that formalities are out of the way, you guys should be fast friends.” You weren’t the type of person to take advantage of your status. You knew a lot of guys in the music business that took advantage of fans. Sure, your band had plenty of groupies, and you’d be lying if you said that you hadn’t gone on at least one date with a fan. You weren’t about to tease Eddie for it though, especially not in front of your mother. So you merely nodded your head, offering him your hand to shake. “I’m here all night, so I’m excited to see you play.” He seemed to move in slow motion, reaching out for your hand. His plush lips parted, mahogany eyes blown out wide. He looked like he was having a heart attack. After what felt like minutes the boy finally clasped his hand with yours, giving it a firm shake. His hand felt nice in yours, and his calluses were no joke. The guy was a religious player, you could tell just by the feel of his hands and the shape of the calluses. “R-Right. We go on in just a few minutes.” He spoke dazedly, his eyes bouncing over your features. He was trying to commit them to memory. “Yeah. . . I know. . .” You shot him a playful smile before motioning back towards the kitchen. “I’ve gotta help our cook with a few more things, and then I’ll be back out.” And with that you took a few steps backward, giving him a small wave before disappearing in the back. Marie was about to turn and face Eddie again, but when she moved to face him, he was already gone, the front door swinging closed.

Gareth watched Eddie with wide eyes as the man collapsed to his knees on the side of the building, dry heaving loudly into the nearest bush. The drummer had only seen Eddie puke a handful of times, none of which had been because of stagefright. The long haired brunette could play the guitar in his sleep. Not to mention the fact that they weren’t planning on performing any of their newer material. Today's gig was routine. “Hey, are you alright, man?” Gareth approached slowly, not wanting his sneakers to get puked on. Eddie gave up after a few seconds, realizing that he was just nauseous due to shock and nerves, and that his lunch would remain in his stomach. “How do I look?” Eddie rushed to ask, stumbling to stand up so that he could brush his pants off. Gareth’s head reared back, his eyebrows drawn together in utter confusion. Eddie was acting weirder than usual, and that was really saying something. Maybe this was some sort of a test? Was Gareth supposed to go out of his way to compliment him or something? The mousy haired brunette had a girlfriend two years ago that would ask how she would look in the hopes of being fervently complimented. “You look great?” It sounded more like a question than a statement, and Eddie lurched forward, gripping the smaller boy by the shoulders so that he could give him a shake. “Seriously, dude. How do I look?” Gareth slowly looked down at Eddie’s black combat boots, trailing them up his ripped black jeans, to his favorite handcuff belt, and then to his shirt. Sure, the top had shrunk in the wash, but Eddie was in shape. He knew that some people might even see him wearing a tighter fitting shirt as androgynous and daring. He was wearing the same accessories that he always did. Same rings. Same chain bracelet, and the same guitar pick necklace was dangling from his neck.

“You look like you always do. Why? Did you get a haircut and I didn’t notice or something?” Eddie’s shoulders slumped, taking a step back from him so that he could take a few seconds to calm down. He was positive that he was dreaming up until the point that you shook his hand. You felt very warm and very real. He was a nerd that spent his free time playing the guitar, planning dungeon and dragons campaigns, and reading fantasy novels. The metalhead wasn’t afraid to admit that he was the type of person that daydreamed on a regular basis. This wasn’t how he had imagined this situation would go down. He met you while wearing your t-shirt. He looked like an absolute asshole. Eddie hadn’t deluded himself into thinking that he actually had any sort of shot with you, but he at least wanted you to think that he was cool. “This needs to be the best show we’ve ever played.” He quickly called out to the boys, grabbing the wires from the back of his van before slamming the door shut. “What the hell is going on, man? You’re acting weird.” Jeff told him, finally joining in on the conversation. The wavy haired man held his arm out so that he could motion towards the building, keeping his eyes locked on his friends. “Marie’s daughter? The one that we’ve never met before? It’s fucking Y/n.” Gareth let out a small laugh, kicking at a rough patch of gravel. A few rocks flung across the parking lot, clattering loudly. “Come on man, cut the bullshit.” Eddie blinked, moving his arm up and down more wildly. “I’m not fucking with you, man. That's the reason we’ve never met her. Think about it- she leaves the band suddenly with no explanation? Her dad just died.” Andy shook his head. “Maybe she just looks like her? Her and Marie don’t have the same last names.” Eddie’s arms fell to his sides. “Stuart wasn’t her real dad. He was her-” Jeff snapped, pointing at Eddie as he finally clued in. “Stepfather.” Eddie pointed right back at Jeff, nodding his head. “Exactly!” His excitement quickly waned though, the ugly truth tickling at the back of his brain.

He had made a horrible first impression.

He had just stood there, gaping at you like a mouth breather. He was sure that his palms were dripping with sweat too. Was it too late to turn back around and just go home? He loved performing, but playing his guitar in front of you? He wasn’t sure whether or not he could make it through a single song without messing up, let alone an entire setlist. Gareth was quick to march away from the boys, off in the direction of the front door. He wanted to see whether or not Eddie was just seeing things due to his grief. The taller male reached out to grab the small drummer by the back of the shirt, effortlessly yanking him back. “Hey! What are you doing?” He hissed out, his eyes wide. “Are you crazy?” His voice raised an octave in his panic. “I just want to see her? Besides. . . we all have to go back in at some point.” The long haired brunette slowly loosened his hold on Gareth’s black W.A.S.P shirt, mumbling out an apology. Eddie stalked past the group after sucking in a shaky breath, pushing his way through the front door. “Holy. Fucking. Shit.” Gareth’s voice is incredibly loud as he walks through the front doors, staring at you from across the bar. You had changed into a fresh shirt that didn’t smell like chili dogs and french fries, what with your mother living on the top floor above the bar. You had been busy talking to the middle aged cook, who had stepped outside of the kitchen to grab a drink. The second that you heard Gareth’s voice you looked up, your plush lips twitching up into a smile. You said something under your breath to the cook, giving his back a quick pat before walking over to them. “So this is your band?” You looked over to the stage, squinting your eyes so that you could read what had been painted onto the bass drum. “Corroded Coffin. Huh. . . Nice.” The youngest looking member of the group looked like he was going to explode, his cheeks a bright pink and his eyes wide. “Just pretend like I’m not here, guys.” Eddie ruffled the back of his hair, looking down at you nervously. “Yeah. Totally. We’re excited for you to hear us play.” More like they were dreading it. If you thought that they sucked, none of them would ever be able to live the embarrassment down. Suddenly Eddie felt like he was in the upside down all over again, performing like his life depended on it. . . because it really felt like it did.

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