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chimcess · 11 months

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A Picture’s Worth || jjk (I)

Pairings: Jungkook x Reader Other Tags: Ex-Art Thief!Reader, Ex-Assassin!Reader, Ex-Gang member!Reader, Gang member!Jungkook, Assassin!Jungkook, Hitman!Jungkook, Thief!Jungkook Genre: Strangers to lovers, gang AU, mafia AU, Fluff, Angst, Smut Word Count: 23.2k+ Summary: After pulling off the largest art heist of her career, Y/N has put that life behind her. However, after 4 years out of the business, she comes home to find a stranger in her house. Warnings: violence, blood, gang activity, mafia activity, mentions of death, actual death, crime, robberies, pickpocketing, graphic depictions of injuries, guns, knives, mentions of past torture, body branding (not too graphic), major character(s) injured, STRONG LANGUAGE, Gang tattoos, Abuse (not JK and Reader), JK is a bit of a himbo, but only with his friends, he’s actually quite scary, I’m not a gang member or anything so I could be wrong about that stuff, I tried my best, eventual smut, mutual pining, kissing (let me know if I missing anything) Author’s Note:Things were getting out of hand, so I made the executive decision to split this into two parts. This one is establishing plot so no smut (yet). Thanks so much for reading. She’s a big girl.

Listen to the Playlist || cross posted to ao3: here

Five years ago

There comes a point in a child’s life that they begin to ponder over what they will become. Some girls I knew dreamt of becoming lawyers, doctors, or astronauts. I remember there being a time when I had thought of more than the mountains I had lived in, possibly moving to California and starting my life over after I was finished with school. I had even played with the idea of owning a salon. I hoped that I would be pretty when I grew up with bright red hair just like Ariel. It was strange looking back on that time and how little had truly changed.

While I had, in some ways, deviated from the life my family had wanted for me, I was still lurking in the shadows and biding my time. Instead of hiring me for hits, the players I worked for enjoyed the finer things in life. Patrons of the arts if you will. Staring up at the Rembrandt painting, it was not a wonder as to why.

Looking over my shoulder, I was relieved to see Hoseok in position. Locking eyes momentarily, I gave him a small, polite smile and returned to the painting in front of me. To the security cameras, we were simply two strangers who had a small moment in time. I knew that we were trying to use signals as much as we could without looking suspicious. A smile normally meant that I was confident I could pull this off. Hoseok’s returning nod was his way of saying he was happy with his own assessments.

The heist would take a few more weeks to plan out. Our buyer wanted 18 different art pieces from this museum, something that was doable with our team, as well as 38 pieces of jewelry. Taehyung and Jimin would be in charge of the operation. Walking away from the Rambrandt, I looked over other pieces with the same intensity to not raise suspicions. While the cameras here were not of great quality, they could still see us and that alone was enough to bother me.

Stealing has always come naturally to me. Second nature. When I was young I pickpocketed, the artform far more refined now that I was much older, and my parents enjoyed how sneaky I could be when I wanted to be. We never stayed anywhere for too long, the last place I had seen them was Aspen six years ago, but my favorite years were London. The Underground was a perfect place to pickpocket. In a day I could swipe over 100 items and no one would be the wiser.

My tastes changed as I grew. There was a time when I hated the idea of being a criminal like my parents were. I disdain violence at the best of times, but there were very few ways of getting out unscathed. It was when I managed to steal jewels from a heavily secured store that I caught the eyes of The Saints. Hoseok was impressed by my attention to detail and offered me a way to get out of my family home. I was sixteen and impulsive. A little over ten years later I was still standing here, pickpocketing the wealthy and giving it to those just as fortunate. It had stopped bothering me years ago, the guilt, but there was always a piece of me that longed for those far away dreams of cutting hair. It almost made me laugh just thinking about it.

“It’s a beautiful painting, isn’t it?” A soft voice asked, suddenly beside me.

Turning, I was confronted with a familiar face. Yoongi hardly changed, his set lips and keen eyes unwavering. There was a long, jagged scar that ran down his forehead, over his eye, and down his cheek. He got the scar when he was still in the Irish Mob back in Boston. He was an earner with those boys and they gave him hell about leaving. Still, he had managed to walk away only to join a different side of organized crime.

“Yes, but not really to my taste,” I joked.

I had never been the biggest fan of abstract work. I liked it a great deal more than landscapes, it was at least interesting to look at, but the lack of effort had bothered me. It would never take off anyway. No one liked over priced paint splatters. Yoongi hummed.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it.”

Taking the cue, I stood as he walked off and began counting back from 500 in my head. Everyone would be heading back to the command now. Everything had been squared away for now. Taking one more passing glance at the Rembrandt, I sighed. Hopefully, when this is all done, I could walk away.

With my head held high, I slowly drifted toward the exit. Taking the time to look over art was another great way to cover my tracks. In order to stay a nobody, I had to be a nobody, and only a nobody would stop to look at a still-life of a bowl of fruit. I never did understand why these things were popular. Then, finally, after five more minutes of “ooo”ing an “ahh”ing at pieces I’ve seen every week for the last month, I was out of the door.

Three years ago

Blinking, I stood motionless as I stared at the cracks in the little apartment’s ceilings. It had been a difficult find, something so cheap in San Diego was a steal even if it was only 300 square feet. Smiling, I threw my duffel bag of belongings onto the futon I had brought earlier that day. Finally, things were going to start looking up.

I had flown in from Kansas the week prior and had made the most of cheap motel rooms until I scored this place. I had always loved California and finally I had made it home. Looking around, I found I was not as upset by the lack of space or functioning stove. In fact, it had been the lightest I had felt in a very long time. Only second to when I graduated from Aveda last fall.

Deciding to pick up what little boxes I had with me, I broke them down and tore them into strips that were easily thrown away. I was lucky the place had come with a small, countertop fridge and microwave. The only sink was in the bathroom, a room that was floor-to-ceiling covered in tile with a toilet, small sink, and a shower head. I would have to wear flip flops just in case. The landlord had recommended using a bucket since the hot water only lasted for about 10 minutes.

I did not have much. I had gotten into the habit of packing light and living even lighter, but I was determined to try this differently. I’ve gotten what I have always wanted and I was going to let anyone, or anything, take it away from me. Going to my duffel bag, I began packing out my folded clothes and organizing them into different piles before putting them away. I had bought a tall, skinny wardrobe at the same GoodWill I had gotten the futon from.

Calling out to my phone, I asked Siri to play some music and got to work. I hated silence. Using the small drawers on the left side, I stuffed my underwear and pajamas on that side of the wardrobe. The right side was meant to hang nice things on, but I did not own nice things anymore. Instead hung were two pairs of jeans, a few dresses, and some shirts. I only owned black now. It was the dress code for every salon I had ever worked at- including the newest one. My shoes went on the shelves above the drawers and I made a mental note to buy a better pair of sneakers. I wanted to get outside more often.

Putting away the rest of my things was just as quick. My makeup was stored away on the desk that was attached to the wall beside the fridge. It was meant to be a dining area, but I doubted I would ever have company over to make use of it. My few skincare products were safely stored away in the bathroom mirror, and my kit was under my bed for safe keeping. I was suddenly acutely aware of just how sad everything truly was.

“Well,” I mumbled to myself. “Hopefully I can get enough clientele to get out of this shithole.”

At least, I thought to myself, at least I was free.

With that in mind, I grabbed my keys and headed out into the city. It had been hours since I last stopped for anything and I would have no luck here for the night. Slipping into the hallway, I realized that I was happy. For the first time in a while I felt unadulterated. Things were going to be fine.

Two years ago

Clutching the pizza box with one hand and balancing it on my hip, I cradle my phone with my shoulder as I open the door to my building.

“The earliest I’ll be available is Thursday,” I said, my voice sickeningly sweet.

The customer, Jules, cheerfully asked if I had any availability on Sunday instead. Rolling my eyes, I reminded her that the salon was closed on both Sunday and Monday. This would be the third time I had to repeat myself.

“What about Saturday?” She asked, still as clueless as she had been since I had picked up.

“I’m free from 2pm until 3pm, but if you want a haircut and balayage I will need longer than an hour.”

“How long do you need?” Finally, I heard a hint of frustration slipping through her otherwise cheery voice.

“If you want the full layered balayage it can take up to three hours for hair as long as yours is. It can be shorter if you just want a partial- between 45 minutes to an hour and a half.”

Huffing up the stairs, I struggled to open the door to my floor and used my foot to keep it open while I awkwardly hobbled. Rolling my eyes, I wanted to pull my hair out. This would be the fourth time now.

“I can put you in Thursday morning from 8am until noon. I can also do Friday from 5pm until 8pm. I’m not available again until the following Wednesday.”

Jules hummed, unable to stay silent I found. We had been on the phone for twenty five minutes and I was beginning to get a migraine. She was sweet, and I appreciated her never ending patience, but I was not blessed with the same superpower. I had never been known for my temperament or politeness. I only had patience when money was involved. Shoving my door open with my shoulder, I willed those thoughts away. That was the last thing I needed to think about right now.

Jules was going to make me go rob a fucking bank at this rate. Banks weren’t even my thing. That brought a smile to my face and I put the pizza down on the single counter I had in the kitchen.

“I guess Thursday will work then. I was just hoping to get it done before my birthday.”

Pausing, I sighed heavily. Wonderful. She was a guilt tripper. Little shit.

“What day is your birthday?” I asked.

“Oh! It’s Tuesday. My girls and I are going to the Cheesecake Factory to celebrate.”

And despite my better judgment, I opened my calendar and began looking at my schedule on Tuesday. Knowing I had taken the bait hook, line, and sinker, I just went right out with it.

“We can try something if you’re open to it.”

“Sure, what’s up?” Jules asked, voice perking up.

“I can give you a partial balayage Tuesday and then you can come back Thursday to finish the rest if you want to after seeing the results.”

Jules squealed and began talking very quickly, her excitement palpable. I cringed away from the speaker of my phone.

“That would be Ah-mazing! What time on Tuesday could you see me?”

“I had a cancellation first thing in the morning. I’m free from 8am until 9:45. We’ll get as much as we can during that time.”

“Oh! I can definitely make that. Can we do the haircut on Tuesday instead of Thursday?”

Biting my tongue, I had to stop the smart ass comment I wanted to make from coming out. She was obviously very young or had little experience going to a salon. Still, it’s common sense that we would cut first. I’m not wasting products like that.

“That’s what I was thinking, too,” I settled on.

“Thanks so much, Y/N! See you Tuesday!”

“See you then, Jules. Before you go, can I get some information from you so I can put you down properly?”

After getting her full name, phone number, and email address, I let her go and logged into the salon’s appointment system to add her in. Our receptionist had quit two months ago and we were having a hard time finding a replacement. I tried to tell Tony he needed to raise the pay but he was not budging. Right now we were all stuck keeping track of everything ourselves.

The pizza was not very hot anymore but was warm enough to not be too bothersome. Happy to have some extra money coming in, I went to the fridge and grabbed a soda from it. I bought a small cart to put my microwave on. The mini fridge just happened to fit perfectly below it. The small Keurig I bought myself for Black Friday was right beside the microwave. A snug fit but it worked. Taking a bite of the pizza, I leaned against the counter and groaned.

I was so happy to be home.

Home. It was a word I was still hesitant to say. It was hard to believe things were permanent even after all this time. Some nights I stared up at the ceiling and waited for a knock on my door. Even if Hoseok promised emergencies only it was difficult to know what the guys would consider an emergency. That world was so far removed from this new reality of mine that I feared I was losing my edge. Would I even be able to help them anymore?

With doubt and a recurring nightmare, I fell asleep and dreamt of casinos and Rembrandt.

One year later

Sweeping up the floor, I glanced around the room to find myself alone.

“Great,” I huffed. “I’m going to have to talk to Tony about this bullshit.”

It had been the third time the new hire, Sasha, had left without helping with cleanup. First he snuck out of the back when he was helping Tiesha, and the last two times had been with me. While we tried to keep the boss out of the personal issues we had at the shop, I was not about to let some 19-year-old walk around like he’s above it all. Angrily, I kept sweeping and hoped that the bastard got stuck in the worst traffic getting back on the I-5.

Walking over to Andrea’s station, I rolled my eyes. She always forgot to put her combs in the sterilizing solution. Making quick work of that, I went around checking everyone’s stations to be sure it was all in order. Even Sasha’s. His desk was immaculately cleaned and I gritted my teeth harder. Seems like he’s one of those people. Feeling petty, I skipped sweeping under his vanity and kept going. Not like it made much of a difference anyway. Maybe I should steal his wallet tomorrow and help him look for it.

Fucking idiot.

No, I scolded myself. I am not that person anymore. I would definitely not go back to that lifestyle for Alexander Ivanov. Reminding myself that he was just a spoiled little brat, I continued sweeping hoping it would calm me down long enough to clear my head. If I let any of those ideas foster that would be bad. I’d have every valuable item that boy owned by lunch.

Suddenly the front desk phone began to ring and I chose to ignore it. It was five minutes after closing time and I did not feel like dealing with anyone else today. Sasha had pissed me off enough. I did not want some snotty customer adding to it. The ringing stopped and I was satisfied that they simply left a voicemail.

Turning to go back to the staff room to gather the Swiffer, I was stopped in my tracks by the phone. A part of me wanted to answer it now. It had to be the same person. Still, I was off the clock and that was not a part of my job description. Destiny would handle it in the morning. The ringing stopped. I started walking. It started up again.

Peeved but resigned, I walked to the front desk and checked the number flashing on the screen. It was from out of state. Figures. Usually clients who wanted to come in on vacation called without realizing the time zone difference. Forcing a smile to my face, I picked up.

“Mane Street, this is Y/N speaking. How can I help you?”

“Ten minutes.” The line died.

I knew that voice from anywhere. Shaking, I placed the phone back on its modem and took a second to gather myself. Whatever the emergency was, I only had ten minutes to finish cleaning and get outside. Knowing Hoseok, he would be waiting for me near my car. Better yet, he’d already be in the passenger seat.

Scrambling, I began to mop the floors and Windex the mirrors. I refused to let this unexpected visit stop me from performing my job. I was happy Sasha had left. I probably looked like I’d seen a ghost. You have definitely heard one, my subconscious screamed.

I was locked up eight minutes later. I had been keeping count in my head just as I always had before. It was unsettling just how quickly I had transformed back into the person I had once been. Who was I fooling? I’ve been covering her up with scissors, a shitty studio apartment, and take out. That did not change the overseas accounts, fake names, and stolen jewelry I’ve kept. That doesn’t change the stolen art hanging on my walls.

Rounding the back of the store, I was not surprised to see my vehicle was the only one still there. Squinting, I could see the silhouette of a person’s head in the passenger side. The street light just in front of the pickup was facing the front, their side profile obscured by the light, but I would recognize Hoseok anywhere. He was hard but soft, jagged but gentle, and most importantly, his face was oval with a pointed chin. Anxiety bubbling in my stomach, I put on a brave face and marched forward. I would be right on time.

Hoseok did not say a word as I slid into the driver’s seat or when I closed the door. Not waiting for him to make a demand, I started the engine and turned on the AC. It was stuffy. Hoseok continued to look straight while I buckled my seatbelt and put the truck in reverse.

“Don’t go home,” He finally said.

Dread filled my stomach but I did as he said. Instead of turning left, I went right and headed for the little diner I enjoyed getting a late dinner at. It was the best place for steak and eggs. I was not sure if Hoseok would be hungry but I did not care. We never really thought about those things before.

“I’m glad to see you’re doing what you like,” He spoke again, his voice still gentle. “You look very nice, too. Like the new hair.”

I was always unnerved by this side of Hoseok. He was typically a very loud, energetic, and passionate man. Soft spoken and Hoseok had never gone together. Then again, it had been almost five years since I had seen him. A lot could change within that time. That, or whatever he was going to tell me would require softness. I hoped it was just a personality change from getting older.

“Yeah,” I said. “I’m glad to see you’re healthy.”

Finally, he cracked a smile. “Hadn’t realized you thought about me at all.”

I scoffed, “Of course I think about you. I think about all of you very often.”

This seemed to throw him for a loop. It was weird to speak so openly about my feelings. We had always gone about life with coldness. Being sharp and intense was the only way to survive out there. If anyone saw you as weak or vulnerable then you were finished. That was why Yoongi usually acted as a middle man. He was the hardest, coldest, most impenetrable wall there ever was. Just looking into his eyes you could see that. Shivering, I recalled the time he killed a man with a set of chopsticks while we were in Korea.

“We think about you, too,” Hoseok said, sounding far away.

Turning into the diner’s parking lot, I turned off the engine and got out. Hoseok followed closely behind me and I asked him if he wanted anything.

“I hear the steak and eggs are nice,” He commented, eyes downcasted.

“Is Taehyung keeping tabs on me?” I sneered, anxiety turning into anger.

Taehyung was the tech guy when he wasn’t stealing jewels. He was also a royal pain in the ass who never knew when to cool it. He had been the most upset when he heard that I was leaving the crew and I would not put it past him. Taehyung was just that kind of guy. The gesture was kind, I was certain of that, and came from a place of love. Still, I had asked to be left alone. It seemed like no one really accepted that.

“I tried to stop it but it’s impossible to keep track of everything he does,” Hoseok admitted. “After a while we just accepted the fact that he wouldn’t give it up. He is trying to check in less and less, though. He’s just worried someone will come around and we won’t know about it.”

“And that’s how you knew where I worked?”

Holding the door open, Hoseok thanked me before going inside. Doris smiled at me when I walked inside. She was an elderly woman who liked to help me with my Sudoku puzzles on Sunday mornings. Eyeing Hoseok curiously, I waved at her before finding an open booth. I normally sat at the bar but I did not want prying eyes. Doris would not go away if we sat there and Hoseok was obviously wanting privacy.

“Hey sugar,” Dixie, a waitress from Alabama, greeted us.

She put down two menus and asked us what we wanted to drink. Hoseok ordered a coffee while I got a glass of chocolate milk. The man looked me up and down, amusement coloring every one of his features. I waved him off and looked at the menu. If he ordered steak and eggs I would order something else. Hoseok was a big fan of sharing food even if we both had our own portions.

Hoseok, like many of the guys from the crew, was South Korean. He was born in Gwangju, a city in the southern part of the country, and moved to the US with his friend Namjoon during university. Namjoon went on to become a campaign manager in New York City while Hoseok became an associate of the Gambino family after killing a few guys. Over time the two went their separate ways, but Hoseok always spoke fondly of him. Last he heard, Namjoon had moved to Seoul and was working at the Blue House.

“You all figured out what you want?” Dixie asked, reappearing with our drinks.

Hoseok ordered the steak and eggs while I got their “Rising Roadhouse'' meal. It came with waffles and I knew that would make Hoseok happy. When we were alone again, Hoseok sighed.

“It’s Jimin,” He said.

Bracing myself, I leaned in closer so we could speak quietly. The diner was almost empty at this time of night and I was nervous. This was shit no one needed to hear about. Hoseok got closer to me.

“What’s going on?” I demanded, whispering harshly.

“He’s gotten into some shit with Winter Hill again. Yoongi bailed him out but things are going to shit. They want us to get some things for them to make up for it. We weren’t sure where to go, and Georgie was very specific.”

I breathed through my nose. Jimin was my closest friend during my time with the crew. We thought the most alike, worked the best, and trusted one another. However, we were also hot heads. I had worked on myself tremendously over the years, but Jimin had the worst kind of anger. Talking out the mouth. And to talk to somebody in Winter Hill the way I assumed he had? Jimin was asking to lose a finger. That’s if he hadn’t already. Looking at Hoseok, he seemed to know what question I had on my mind.

“Yoongi made him cut the first joint off. I told him to write an apology letter in blood. I also sent the boss the piece in a medicine jar. Just to be sure.”

Grimacing, I rubbed my forehead. I had almost forgotten the way they do things in the mafia. The letter in blood, however, seemed more of a New York thing. I’d have to get clarification on that later. Leaning back in my chair, I shook my head.

“Unbelievable,” I mumbled absentmindedly.

On one hand, I was very angry that either of them would humiliate Jimin like that. On the other hand, I knew that the boy had put them in a very, very fucked up spot. Either they make amends and punish him or they lose the entire East Coast. If Boston doesn’t want anything to do with them, New York will become weary as well. Even if Hoseok was a Red Pull at one time, he is still an outsider. He was still just an associate.

“What is he looking for?” I finally asked, leaning back in.

“Jewelry. Said they wanted something ‘your old girl’ would like. Said you’d know what to do.”

I smirked. Georgie Boy had always been impressed with my taste. Still, I was not sure about getting involved with all of this. In order to do so would mean helping them stake out a place and I was not going there. I had made my peace. Still, I could not help the part of me that felt excited. I squashed it like a bug.

“I’m not helping you with anything,” I said.

“I’m not asking you to,” He replied. “Just tell us if you’ve seen anything noteworthy lately.”

Dixie came back with our food and I used it as a distraction. I needed time to think. Hoseok and I ate off of one another and I continued to sit and ponder over the new things I had seen at the museum in town. I had gone many times, I had always tried to desensitize myself to the feeling I got when I walked in, but each time I looked around. I knew where every single camera was, I knew how to get into the back, and I was familiar enough with the security system to work around it. Every detail of a heist had already formed in my head that I refused to act on. Just as I knew every museum all the way up to Orange County. There were quite a few jewelers that had caught my eye as well. Still, I knew my answer after a few minutes of silence.

“His daughter’s birthday is soon, isn’t it?” I clarified, making sure my memory serves me well.

“In a few weeks,” Hoseok nodded.

“There’s a pair of earrings at Beverly Hills Jewelers,” I started. “They’re 2 carat, T.W, diamonds. They’re heart shaped. Halo. They’re beautiful.”

“Price?”

“I believe $15,000. They have some nice tennis chains as well that could match.”

He hummed, “I don’t know if it’ll be enough.”

I nodded, “I’ll include a personalized letter as well as a ring from my own collection if that helps.”

Hoseok smiled brightly at me. I knew that had pleased him. Georgie Boy would also be happy. His little girl gets some nice gifts and he gets to wave his dick around like the narcissist is is. In my head, I was already trying to remember the layout of the store. I had only gone inside twice when I took a trip to Beverly Hills. I was having a rough day and I wanted to get back in my element for a while. Scoping out places was always a relaxing thing for me to do. I ended up buying a necklace while I was there so they wouldn’t become suspicious of me. Still, I would have to see it again and show the guys what I was talking about so they could do the hit. That place was heavily secured.

“Thanks, Y/N,” Hoseok said, pushing the last piece of steak closer to me.

Grinning at him I replied, “It was an emergency.”

And then I popped the steak in my mouth and savored the taste. Just for now I would have a little bit of chaos. It would just be Hoseok and I, so that made the guilt lessen. At least this wasn’t something I would have to actually perform. Still, I thought to myself, I was incredibly bored without the little bit of chaos I had before.

Present

Laughing, I cut another piece of brown hair off. Jules stared at me, her hands covering her mouth, while she shook. She was a regular now, always got the same treatment, but when she called about her appointment last week she asked for a bob. Well, giving it to her, it was difficult to imagine just how upset she would become.

Her mother had recently been diagnosed with cancer and she wanted to show her that she was standing with her. The chemo had made chunks fall out and her mother decided to buzz her head. I had been the person to do that and give her a pamphlet of local stores she could go to and buy nice wigs. Jules, however, had called me late and said she wanted to donate her own hair for her mom. Tony had recently registered the salon with Locks of Love and trained us all in it. Sasha had been the most excited about the prospect. His mother had died from cancer when he was in highschool.

Jules’s hair was thick, dark brown, and wavy. Everything about it was perfect and she was a dream to work with. She always took things in stride and tipped well. Today, I was worried if she would ever come back.

Her hair was long enough that we could keep it at her shoulders. She had always kept it past her butt, just barely grazing her upper thighs, and took pride in it. I was still planning to give her plenty of highlights and a blowout- on the house. I had nothing but love for the girl and I knew how difficult this would be for her. Glancing at Tiesha, she smiled.

“Girl, what are you crying for?” She joked, parting another section of her client’s hair.

I recognized her but was not sure of her name. She always came in for installations or silk presses. Tiesha was always happy to see her, at the very least, so I knew she was a nice enough person.

“I don’t know,” Jules whined back, sniffling and rubbing her reddening eyes.

“Now, you are too damn pretty to be looking like that,” She replied, braiding back another section. “Make an appointment with momma and I’ll hook you up.”

I scoffed, “I can do extensions, too.”

“Oh, I know. But you’re most definitely a colorist. Julie, baby, Ty will take good care of you, okay?”

“Your mom will be very happy,” Sasha chimed in, his Russian accent thick.

Jules nodded, “Yeah, she will.”

I smiled to myself. That was the best motivator to get through this. I kept as much length as I could and I was still going to try to make her feel pretty with the new style. She had said her friends were excited but her boyfriend was conflicted. He loved her hair. That made me frown. Who the fuck says that to their girlfriend? Especially one who’s doing it for their sick mother.

“I’ve never gone this short before,” Jules said, her composure coming back. “It’s scary.”

“Don’t worry,” Sasha soothed, cleaning up from his last client. “You’ve got the best in the house. Y/N’ll take care of you.”

I winked at the boy. Sasha had grown on me considerably since he was first hired. I had not gone to Tony about his skipping after all, instead I cornered him at work and told him if he ever ditched me again I would get him fired. We were rocky after that but I knew his respect for me had gone up. A friendship blossomed when he confessed he was clueless about doing color. Sasha was an amazing stylist and his precion was otherworldly, but Destiny was right to never give him color clients. I spent a few nights helping him practice on some mannequin heads and he followed me around like a puppy. He had even agreed to clean up alone for two nights while I was in Beverly Hills helping Hoseok scope out the place. We were thick as thieves after that.

“I know that,” Jules cracked a smile. “She always takes care of me.”

“I’m flattered,” I finally said. “Don’t worry, I’ve got plans for you.”

Her smile grew. Jules had been very excited about free coloring. I had told her I was giving myself free reign, and I wondered if she thought I was going to go manic pixie on her. Hopefully some lowlights and babylights would suffice. We had never gone darker before and I thought it would suit the new cut well.

Cutting in her layers, I was happy with how it looked. Her hair framed her face nicely and she would still have enough length to play around with it if she wanted. Jules was a fan of those half-up, half-down looks. Using my comb, I ran through her hair and cut. So far, she had not looked back at the mirror. She seemed nervous too.

“Do you want me to cut your bangs blunt or keep them split?” I asked.

Jules perked up, “Oh! I was actually thinking about trying a new bang style.”

I nodded, “Do you have a picture?”

She opened her gallery and pulled it up. I smiled to myself. Jameela Jamil really did pull off the schoolgirl bangs.

“So in between?” I walked around so she was facing me.

“Do you think it’ll look nice?” She asked, chewing her bottom lip.

I studied her face for a moment.

“You’ll look great, but it might take some time to get used to. They’re a bit more maintenance than blunt or curtain.”

She smiled, “I figured that.”

Working quietly, I began to trim her bangs into the correct shape. They will look their best after I finish styling the rest of her hair. Jules loved it when I straightened her hair after our visits. She never had the patience for it at home and it made her feel special when she got it done here. I would have to let her know that her bangs will look pretty if she curled the longer side pieces to blend them in with her natural waves. With the cutting done, it was time to start the lowlights.

“When is your next appointment?” I asked Sasha.

He was sitting in his chair and texting someone on his phone. He glanced at me before getting back to his screen.

“About twenty minutes. He’s new.”

“Oh, a man?” Tiesha dramatically emphasized the man part. It was not often that men booked with us. Sasha had gone to barber school and did amazing work, but for some reason the idea of going to a salon bothered most men. “He from out of town?”

“I think so,” The Russian nodded. “He definitely sounded foreign. I couldn’t tell where from. Maybe Asia?”

I froze for a moment. I took a breath. There was absolutely no way that any of them would do that. Then I thought of Taehyung. Absolutely not, I scolded myself. That boy feared me more than anybody else. I would ring him by his neck and then let Yoongi know about it. Besides, I said emergencies only. They would have scheduled with me if they were trying to talk. Walking back to my chair, I placed the dye and bleach down on the metal tray next to me. Opening one of the drawers at my desk, I grabbed some latex gloves and foil.

Getting started was simple. Getting the brown, I began painting sections of her hair and foiling them. The foil was not really necessary, but I always got nervous that the parts I did not want colored would get touched. Lowlights were more sparsely added, and unlike highlights, never layers. Making my way around her head, I was excited to see if she would like it. I only went a shade darker than her natural color, so the color contrast was not extremely stark. The highlights were the most important part of the look.

Foiling the last piece of hair, I took the bowl to the sink near the back as well as the brush I was using. Tossing them in and removing my gloves, I heard the bell chime and Sasha’s customer service voice begin. No one could beat Tiesha’s, that woman had client relationships like no one I had ever met. They adored her.

“Come sit and we can get started,” Sasha seemed more excited than usual.

I guessed the guy wanted something a bit different from his normal caseload.

“Alright,” I sighed, clapping my hands. “Let's get this bleach started.”

Walking back into the main room, I paid no mind to the customer sitting in Sasha’s chair. Jules was FaceTiming with someone and I grinned when I recognized her mom’s voice. She seemed very cheery today.

“Oh, I love that length on you,” Martha gushed, her accent only picking up on certain words.

“Gracias, mami,” Jules beamed. “Do you think Carlos will like it?”

Martha waved her hands around animatedly when she talked. I had learned that from the many times she came to the salon with Jules. Now, she was shaking them violently.

“Who cares?”

I laughed and got to work on her highlights.

“I said the same thing,” I chimed.

The three of us talked as I worked. Martha always enjoyed asking me about the craziest customer of the week, and I usually indulge her. This week it had been a very convoluted, pastel rainbow color job. She wanted the top half white and the bottom portion colored. She booked out my entire day, gave me hell about every insignificant detail, and then left a $2 tip. Sasha got to hear me rant and rave about it when we were cleaning that night.

“She’s never allowed in my chair again,” I finished, setting a timer for everything.

The lowlights had been sitting for twenty minutes while the babylights would need about 15 in order to develop the way I want them to. Thinking, I was certain the lowlights would be fine going two minutes over the usual time. They would be hardly noticeable regardless.

“You’ve had worse,” Sasha pointed out.

“Yeah,” I nodded. “But those women tip well. I don’t care how rude you are- money is money. That chick is a pain in the ass without the benefits.”

“She has nothing on Kimberly,” Tiesha joked.

I groaned, “God, don’t even put that name into the universe. She’s due back soon.”

Sasha laughed. “She does pay very well. Don’t blame you.”

“Who’s Kimberly?” Jules asked.

I gave Tiesha a look before answering her.

“She’s a regular. Tony was her go-to guy, but he’s only in twice a week and it doesn’t line up with her schedule. He sent her over to me. Let’s just say she takes picky to a new level.”

Jules snickered, “What does she like to get?”

“Usually a platinum blonde, layered cut. On paper it’s not the most difficult thing in the world, but she makes it much more complicated than it needs to be.”

“Complicated?” Tiesha exclaimed. “That woman is super rude, always late, and acts like she knows everything. I’d tell that bitch to kick rocks.”

Her client laughed out loud.

“That might be true,” I reasoned, checking the foils. “But, she always tips well and shouts me out on her socials. So, can I really complain? Besides, I’m used to her.”

Checking the foils again, I was happy with the color they were and decided to take the foils off early. Stopping my timer, I asked Jules to walk over to the rinsing station. I was happy this was my last client. Sweeping up the hair, I left it in the dustpan until I was ready to begin the tedious task of preparing it for donation. Putting on a new pair of gloves, I willed this day to be over already.

I knew something was off when a new motorcycle was parked out front. Briefly checking the plates, I was even more weary when they were from Jersey. I knew far too many people in that corner of the US. Still, I told myself that it could be anybody. Perhaps one of my new neighbors was from Hobokan. That was highly unlikely, though. Eyeing the red leather jacket hanging from one of the handles, I only knew one person who owned something like that. I guess I will be seeing Jimin tonight. The thought bothered me far more than I thought it would.

Taking my time going up the stairs, I considered calling Hoseok and demanding to know why Park was sniffing around my apartment. I knew I should have moved out, should have tried something new, but the thought of leaving the only home I ever knew bothered me. Using the time climbing to my advantage, I slowly steeled myself. Jimin could smell weakness from a mile away. He was also one person who could convince me to do bad things.

The excitement that ran through me at the idea sickened me.

Starting at the 4 on the door, I braced myself. When I walked into that hallway all traces of the new me had to disappear. There can be no laughter, no crying, and no open hostility. I would have to be a blank slate. With one small breath, I pulled the door and went into the hall.

There wasn’t a body in sight, but I knew better than to go off of that. Jimin could get into my apartment with relative ease. No one would notice either. Everyone else that lived was too busy making ends meet to pay attention to the stranger sneaking into my house.

Taking my keys out of my purse, I unlocked the door and walked inside. I could smell him. It was, however, not Jimin. Jimin only wore Orange Blossom by Jo Malone. Whoever this was smelled like baby powder and flowers. My guard completely up now, I continued further into the studio and kicked the door closed behind me. Whoever it was, I knew had been standing behind the door. The smell was not as potent as it had been before.

Going into the kitchen, I shrugged my coat off before throwing it behind me. I heard it hit something and it was a blur after that. I quickly snatched a kitchen knife from the drying rack and threw myself to the ground. The man grabbed my hands. Kicking his inner thigh, I rolled from underneath him and shot up. He threw his arms up.

“Stop!”

Ignoring him, I threw the knife. The man reacted quickly, catching the blade in between his hands before throwing it down on the floor. While he was distracted, I slid on the floor and grabbed the pistol from under my bed. Pointing it at the man, he rolled his eyes dramatically.

“What are you going to do? Shoot me?”

Without saying anything, I aimed for his left shoulder and fired. The silencer muzzled the shot, though the pop was still nasty. It worked better with a pillow added to the equation. I doubted any of my neighbors would notice the sound, however. The man shouted, stumbled back, and leaned against the fridge.

“You shot me,” He exclaimed, shocked.

“Who the fuck are you?” I barked, aimed for his other shoulder.

“You wait to ask me after you-”

I shot again. He gritted his teeth and sank to the floor. The wounds were leaking blood but I tried to not let it bother me. This guy broke into my house. This time, I aimed for his right knee.

“Who are you?” I asked again.

“Jungkook,” The man, Jungkook, answered. “I’m with The Saints.”

Lowering the barrel of the gun, I stared at him for a second. He was with my crew? Since when?

“Who sent you?” I asked, aiming at his chest now.

If he was going to get found out, he might be more inclined to lunge before I could call anyone.

“Yoongi.”

Slowly, I reached into my back pocket and got my phone. I was relieved the screen hadn’t cracked during the outfall. Slowly, keeping my eyes on Jungkook, I started typing in the number I knew by heart. If he was lucky, Yoongi would pick up. If not, then we weren’t moving until someone did. After the second ring, a rough voice greeted me.

“August.”

Training my gun on his head, I spoke.

“There’s someone claiming they know you in my apartment.”

After a few seconds, Yoongi’s voice was hard when he replied.

“Who is it?”

“Says his name is Jungkook,” I replied evenly.

I was fully prepared to pull the trigger. Jungkook stared the barrel down without fear. I only hoped he would go down quickly and quietly.

Yoongi sighed harshly, “Fucking Jimin.”

Gripping the handle tightly, I placed my finger on the trigger. I only needed the okay now.

“He’s fine,” Yoongi was annoyed. “I sent Jimin but I guess he got the kid to go instead.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, I put the gun down. Jungkook visibly relaxed then and moaned in pain. Raising a hand, he cradled his left shoulder and hissed in pain.

“Fucked him up,” I admitted. “He was in my apartment when I got home.”

Yoongi hummed, “Take care of him. He’ll let you know what’s going on. We have a problem.”

He hung up before I could respond.

I hated when he did that. I had no idea who Jungkook was, or what he was here to tell me, but we were on the same team. And I just shot him. Twice. Putting the gun back in its original spot, I reached a little further behind it and retrieved my first aid kit. Jungkook sagged in relief.

“Sorry,” I apologized, helping him take his shirt off. “Didn’t realize you were with us.”

Jungkook hissed when I applied alcohol to the wounds. It would take me a while to get his patched up, but I was capable of doing it. Years of friendship with The Saints would do that to you. Looking at Jungkook, I was taken aback by how attractive he was.

All of the Saints were good looking, but this guy had an aura about him. His hair was wild, pitch black, and down to his shoulders. His skin was gently tanned with small moles dotted sporadically across his body. What caught my attention the most was the shiny, silver lip ring he donned. That was an oddity in our world.

“My fault, shouldn’t have broken in without a warning,” He replied.

“I saw the bike outside and thought you were Jimin.”

He hummed then winced. I knew those bullets did not feel nice. Taking my time and trying to be gentle, I used a pair of tweezers to get them out. Jungkook bit his lip so hard he drew blood.

“Yeah,” He breathed out. “Let me borrow it for the ride.”

“Park,” We both knew what I meant by that.

For the next hour we sat in silence. He let me work and I listened to every sharp intake of breath, groan, and moan. I felt guilty about everything, but I also had a certain level of apathy. The guy was nobody to me. Not really. Same crew doesn’t mean we’re friends. Still, if they sent him here then that meant they trusted him enough to come. That told me a lot about him.

After I placed gauze over the stitches, Jungkook finally spoke again.

“Jin hyung said you were harmless,” He chuckled. “I’ll let him know he’s wrong.”

Ignoring his comment, I went to find him something to wear. I doubted he would be able to fit any of my things. He was huge, a tall man with big arms, but I could make something work. Grabbing a loose fitting dress, I threw it to him.

“I don’t have anything for a man, so that will have to do.”

He nodded and put the dress on without complaint.

“I’ll pick up something for you later,” I continued. “Did you come alone?”

Jungkook shook his head, “Hyung’s around. He was going to come but an old friend called so he sent me.”

“Kai?” I wondered, already knowing the answer.

Jimin and Kai were good friends. They had known one another since they were kids and got involved in crime together. I’d only met the guy in passing the few times he had visited Boston, but I was not very familiar with him. I knew he was a drug runner on the west coast but that was where my knowledge stopped.

“Yeah, said they had business or something.”

I hummed, “Would you like to lay down for a moment?”

Jungkook was very obviously in pain. He tried to deny it for a minute but ultimately took my offer. Going to the fridge, I pulled out a can of Ginger Ale and gave it to him. He accepted it readily.

“Sorry about the gun,” I offered, sitting on the floor. “Jin’s right. I’m usually pretty harmless. I didn’t even own a gun until I left The Saints.”

Jungkook shook his head, “Don’t worry about it. You weren’t expecting company.”

Opening my own drink, I eyed him. He was far too calm. My guess was this was not his first time being shot. Trying to find other wounds was pointless, however, he was too clothed. I hadn’t even thought to check when I was helping him earlier.

“Why’d you come inside anyway?” I asked.

Jungkook grinned ruefully.

“Hyung said he’d call you.”

That pulled a laugh out of me. Park probably forgot about it. For someone as dangerous as he was, he could be irresponsible. I remember when we were scoping a jewelry store together a few years back, Jimin had completely forgotten where the cameras were by the time we left. I had to go back myself a few days later to make sure his guesses were right. We had never let him live it down. Yoongi did not think it was very funny.

“Typical,” I said.

“Yeah.”

Jungkook’s eyes slipped closed. He was so completely at ease in my presence it was unnerving. Taking a sip of my drink, I looked at him in bewilderment. He was so much like Taehyung, trusting and easy going. It was difficult to imagine what role he played in the crew. He could have taken my place but I doubted he was as good. He had come here, hid behind my door, and then ambushed me. Then he was surprised when I acted like he was an enemy. Chuckling, I put my drink down. Yeah, just like Taehyung.

“What’s funny?” He asked, eyes still closed.

Wiping the smile off my face, I replied. “Just thinking.”

We did not talk again. I was sure Jungkook had dozed off, but he kept waking back up again. Getting up, I began looking for some pain medicine to no avail. I had not needed to put myself to sleep in a long time. Grabbing my keys from the floor, I told Jungkook I was heading out for a bit. I got no response. Patting myself down, I knew I did not have my phone and picked it up from beside the bed. Jungkook was lightly snoring.

Slipping from the room, I locked up and went downstairs. Typing in the last number I had for Jimin, I was not surprised that it was no longer in service. He changed phones like you change clothes. Deciding to call Taehyung, I went to my contacts to find him. He was the only person I saved.

“Hello?” His voice was deep and hoarse.

Glancing at the time, I realized it was much later than I thought.

“Sorry about the time,” I replied. “It’s Mouse.”

I heard shuffling on the other side. Taehyung had gotten himself a girlfriend, Jennie, and I was almost positive she was relatively clueless about his life. The last time I talked to Hoseok, he had said she thought he was a tech guy who was helping a start up. He must have been with her now if his silence was anything to go by.

“Sorry,” He said, voice low. “I’m not alone.”

“I just need Park’s number and you can get back to bed.”

Saying the numbers slowly, I typed them into my keypad as I made my way through the dark streets.

“Thanks,” I stopped walking once I got to the gas station around the corner. “Get some sleep.”

“It was good to hear your voice,” He replied, more awake than he had been. “I’ll be seeing you.”

“Night, V.”

“Night, Mouse.”

Hanging up, I stuffed my phone into my back pocket and walked into the store. It was deserted except for the cashier. Giving me a stiff nod, I ignored the man before going to the back of the store and getting some bottled water. I never trusted the tap in the building. Afterwards, I got a bottle of Nyquil and Advil before going to the register.

“Let me get a pack of Marlboro Black Menthols,” I told the cashier.

Taking out my phone, I took my ID from the attached wallet as well as my debit card. The man held the pack of cigarettes and took my ID. Briefly looking it over, he scanned the barcode before scanning the cigarettes. Handing the ID back to me, he began scanning my other items before bagging them.

“Your total is $26.87.”

Nodding, I inserted my card and typed my pin. Putting my card back into the small wallet, I put my phone into my pocket and took the bag.

“Have a good night,” I said.

“You too,” He replied.

Leaving the store, I opened up my keypad and pressed the call button. Jimin picked up after four rings.

“Hello?” He answered, voice brightly and bubbly.

He always answered unknown numbers like that just in case. Jimin always prioritized having the upper hand over anything else. Anyone looking for Park would never connect him to the voice on the other side. I, however, was familiar enough with him to see through the facade.

“You got your boy hit,” I said, cutting right to the chase. “I had to give him a dress and Nyquil after popping two in him.”

Jimin laughed loudly, his fake voice gone. This was why we were friends. Our senses of humor were far too warped due to our upbringings. In another world we would have been enemies belonging to different clans, but I liked this timeline far more. Park was a great guy when you looked past the insecurities, anger issues, and tendency to seek violence.

“Jungkook’s wearing a dress?” He exclaimed, still laughing. “God, you have to take a picture for me.”

I rolled my eyes, “Explain why he’s here. I would ask him but I stepped out to get some medicine for him.”

Jimin’s laughter abruptly cut off. That feeling of dread returned. If Park was getting serious then that meant whatever the situation was must be more than I thought it would be. I was expecting them to need me to help them with a heist, but I was getting the feeling it might be more than that. Jimin sighed.

“I can’t get into specifics right now, but you need to get the fuck out of California.”

Going up the stairs of my complex, I paused.

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re not safe here anymore.”

Growing angry, I shouted. “Enough with the cryptic messages, Park!”

Continuing to go up, I kept looking around every corner I went to. This was the worst fucking timing I could have had. Things were finally going well for me, I had friends and a job that I actually liked, and I had to give it all up again. Tears filling my eyes, I shoved open my door and slammed it behind me.

“I told you I can’t get into specifics, but there’s a reason I’m with Kai right now. You and Jungkook need to get out of that apartment as soon as possible. I don’t care where you go but you need to leave.”

Jungkook sprung up when I kicked the edge of my bed. Pointing to my phone, I mouth ‘Jimin.’ Getting on my knees, I pulled out my duffle bag from underneath the bed and threw it at the other man. He looked at me when he stood up. I noticed the way he winced and held up the bag in my hand.

“Copy,” Was all I replied.

“Get to Boston. Don’t take the truck.”

“Give me something to work with,” I demanded, taking the Advil out of the bag and tossing it to Jungkook. “I can’t be blind.”

“Cмерть не за горами.”

My entire world stopped spinning. I could hear my heart beating, feel my lungs pushing the air out of my body, while my eyes were frozen. Every single inch of my skin shivered, goosebumps springing up, and I broke out into a cold sweat. This was no heist.

Hanging up on Jimin, I went to the window above my bed and opened it. Throwing the phone as far as I could, I turned to find Jungkook waiting for instructions. Staring at him, I decided to take a leap of faith.

“Ты один из нас?” I asked.

Jungkook raised an eyebrow at me. “What?”

Gritting my teeth, I snatched the duffle from him. Jungkook continued waiting for me to tell him what to do. I pointed to my bathroom.

“Take everything from the mirror cabinet and put it in the bag. After that, grab what you can from the wardrobe and stuff it. Only take one pair of shoes and a pair of heels. That’s all I’ll need.”

He got to work quickly. Going back to the bed, I took out my gun and the spare ammo I kept locked up at the very back corner. Placing the ammo in the duffle, I took my first aid kit from the kitchen floor and tossed it in as well.

“Do you have a gun?” I asked Jungkook.

“Yeah,” He replied. “It’s in the jacket downstairs. I thought you would feel more comfortable if I wasn’t armed.”

Packing my small makeup collection, I felt myself shutting down. Bad girls don’t have feelings, and I was fucking heartless. Yes, I told myself, heartless. It was harder to pretend now than it had been, I was rusty and in desperate need of a distraction. The thought of finding my old family in the shadows was always frightening, but the thought of them looking for me was far more unsettling.

“Done,” Jungkook announced.

Realizing I had zoned out, I quickly put my makeup in the duffle bag and closed it. I had no time to dwell or be afraid. Heartless, Mouse, Heartless. I hated that name. Shaking my head, I pulled myself together enough to sling the duffle over my shoulder. Jungkook went to take it but I held my hand up.

“You’re not carrying this with your injuries. Just take that bag and this-” I handed him my gun. “I don’t know how quick you are but it’s probably better than me. I’m rusty.”

He nodded and we made our way down the stairs. Thinking, I began to categorize the cars that were in the parking lot and on the street. My truck was near the front but the streets were shrouded in light at this time. Jungkook’s bike was also out front. The back had security cameras but was pitch black at this time. I decided the front was the risk I was more willing to take and went through the hallway door on the first floor. Passing the doors, I paid no mind to Jungkook. He was capable and stayed in step with me effortlessly.

We would drive for a few hours, probably stopping at a diner so I could get another car, and keep going until we hit Arizona or New Mexico. I had not decided yet. Going out the front doors, I waved Jungkook away while I walked down the street. He went to get his jacket but left the bike behind. He was back beside me in a few seconds.

Crossing the street, I had my eyes on a Honda Accord parked on the curb. It was definitely a ‘97 model. I could start her up in a heartbeat. Unzipping one of the side pockets of my bag, I pulled out a switchblade and zipped it back up. Going to the driver’s side, Jungkook stayed at my back while I tried the handle. To my surprise, it opened. Stepping to the side, I gently tapped Jungkook’s back. Turning, he quickly shoved the gun into the backseat as I opened the door. After seeing that the coast was clear, I motioned for him to go around the car while I popped the truck. He said it was fine.

Nodding at him, I got into the car. Kicking the steering wheel, I heard the column lock break before swapping the ECUs. Taking my knife, I ripped off the lower center cover. Getting back out of the car, I opened the backseat and threw my duffle inside. Putting my knife back in its pocket, I opened the long side pocket along the front and pulled out my old screwdriver. This was far from the first jacking I had done.

Getting back into the car, I began to pry the steel cover away. Asking Jungkook for a light, I waited while he pulled out his phone from the pocket of the red jacket. He was lucky no one had taken it. With the flashlight on, I turned the switch from off, past run, to start. The car came to life instantaneously. Waving the light away, I threw the screwdriver into the center console and placed the car in drive. Finally closing the driver’s side door, I peeled off into the night.

The radio came to life and Amy Winehouse sang loudly as I got onto the I-5.

“Til’ the chips were down

Know you were a gambling man.

Love is a losing hand.”

Jungkook was very quiet. I had just followed exit sounds and continued to drive toward Arizona. It was the least exciting state, and the people who lived there were far too judgemental outside of Phoenix, but it was the best way to get to the airport. That airport was far too big and strangely laid out that I knew we would be difficult to pick out in a crowd. Glazing over at Jungkook, he was holding the pack of cigarettes I had bought earlier.

“They’re for Jimin,” I suddenly said, switching lanes. “They were his favorite last time I saw him.”

“I think he’s smoking Camels now,” Jungkook replied.

“Can’t win them all.”

Sighing, I relaxed a bit more in my seat. So far, we have not been followed. Then again, I could be missing something. Tracking was not a strong suit of mine, and in my experience, the Russians were very, very evasive when they wanted to be. Still, I allowed myself a moment to breathe.

“How do you know the boys in Brighton?” Jungkook asked, voice quiet and soft.

I thought about it for a moment. It was a rather long story, but knowing that we were familiar with the same people made it feel easier. Deciding to probe him for information first, I formed a plan in my head on how to go about this conversation.

“Have you ever heard of the person called Pыбка?” I asked, my American accent showing through. It had been a very, very long time since I had spoken Russian, and even then it had always been a second language that I learned from my time with the Shulaya.

“Ivan’s girl, right? The one who was murdered a few years back? What about her?”

Sparing him a quick glance, I spoke.

“Do I look dead to you?”

Jimin and I had known one another longer than anyone else in The Saints. He had been the last person to join the crew, and was deep within the Shulaya before he went to Jersey to join Hoseok’s team. I would never forget the look on his face the first time he saw me, or the fact that it took him all of ten minutes to get fully committed to keeping me safe. Everyone called me Mouse. Jin had come up with it after joking about me being able to live in someone’s attic and they would never know. It caught on and it was the only name anyone on the streets knew about. The ‘Little Fish’ of Shulaya long forgotten after the first two years of hiding. However, it seemed like my face had been seen by somebody and Ivan was not happy about my disappearing act.

“Holy shit,” Jungkook said in awe. “We’re so fucked.”

I laughed, “Have some faith. Ivan is scary, but he’s also impulsive. I know him better than most and trust me- he doesn’t know how to keep his cool. Between Boston and NYC, I doubt he’ll get very far into their territory without raising hell.”

Jungkook made a strange noise.

“I’d be far more afraid of Yoongi than any of those Wiseguys.”

Scoffing, I saw the exit I needed to take in order to pull up at the last Holiday Inn before the long stretch of nothing at all. Jungkook seemed to see where my mind was going and began to look out of the window. After briefly going over what food options we had, we landed on Taco Bell.

Ordering our food was simple enough. Jungkook was a huge tomato hater and was very upset to find that his Crunch Wrap had been ‘ruined.’ The motel seemed to have a few quests and I hoped we could get a room. Jungkook offered to pay. The frontdesk lady was kind and found us a room within 5 minutes.

Using the elevator, I asked Jungkook if he still had the ‘thing’ with him. He nodded but said no more. It was probably better that way. Throwing my duffle bag onto my bed, I realized that Jungkook was still wearing a dress with the pants he had come inside in.

Digging through my bag, I found a pair of sweatpants that would fit him well enough as well as an oversized nightshirt I rarely ever wore. I usually slept naked. Tonight, I will try to make my partner feel comfortable.

Throwing the clothes on his bed, Jungkook perked up a bit and seemed to be fine with their sizes. I wondered if he had been wearing more uncomfortable clothes at one time and shook my head. He had walked into this motel wearing that. Yes, Y/N, he has definitely been far more uncomfortable than tightly sweats.

“You can take the bathroom first,” I pointed to the door. “You need it more than I do.”

Jungkook nodded, “Would you mind helping me get out of this thing? It still hurts to move my arms around too much.

Looking at him, I pinned him with an unimpressed look. We were not having one of those moments. Still looking at Jungkook, I unzipped the pouching with my switchblade in it and pulled the knife out. Walking to Jungkook, I quickly worked on the right side of the fabric. The left side was even quicker. Gently lifting his arm just enough to see his armpit, I cut the short sleeve from the bottom, following up with the top, and up the high neckline. Repeating it on the other side, the blood-soaked garment pooling to the floor.

Jungkook seemed frozen. Looking at his face, his eyes were wide and staring at the blade in my hand. Thinking he might be uncomfortable with me standing so close to him with a weapon, I walked back to my bed.

“If you need help getting the shirt on, just let me know.”

“Thanks,” Jungkook replied.

Picking up the spare clothes, he walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. The water was on a few seconds later. Fully alone in the room, I looked around and decided to throw out the dress. With the torn up dress safely put away in my duffle, I tried to figure out what to do while I waited.

Taking Jungkook’s phone off of his bed (he used a flip phone just like Yoongi did on the job), I quickly found my way to the contacts. Hovering over Jimin’s number, I paused. Not thinking about it for too long, I pressed it and placed my phone to my ear. He answered quickly.

“Where are you?” Jimin asked, voice very low.

“Are you safe to talk?” I replied, voice just as low.

I could hear the way Jimin rolled his eyes, a small groan leaving his lips.

“I’m fine,” His voice was still soft. “I’m at a casino right now. Did you steal his phone?”

My blood ran cold. Most of our guys loved gambling, but Jimin had always thought it was a dumb pastime. I knew Ivan had been trying to expand the Russian influence in Los Angeles, and I hoped that he knew what he was doing. Jimin tended to run into situations without contemplating everything. Instead of grilling him, I decided to ease his worries.

“We’re safe. Heading east.” I looked around the room distractedly. “And no. I’m using it while he’s taking a shower.”

Jimin sighed in relief, “Kook is a good guy. He’ll keep you safe long enough to make it back to Boston. I’ll be on my way back in a few hours.”

It was better to keep things vague. Just like I had not said where we were headed, Jimin’s answer could mean anything. I heard Jungkook cry out but he was quiet soon after. I hoped the work I had done was keeping. I had told him to keep the stitches covered.

“See you soon,” I forced a smile on my face. “I got you a pack of cigarettes.”

Jimin laughed, though it sounded more forced than normal.

“Stay safe. I have to go.”

I hung up without another word. If he had to go then he had to go. The shower was still running and I was bored again. Looking at the door, I was tempted to walk around for a while. I had a feeling I would get myself into trouble if I did, but I was curious to see if I could get some extra clothes for Jungkook. Possibly a set of car keys, too. Looking at the bathroom door, I figured he was going to be there for a while.

“Fuck it,” I said under my breath.

Getting my room key, I slipped out of the room quietly.

The hallway was deserted, not a body in sight, but I had a feeling I could get something if I looked hard enough. Going to the elevator, I spotted a young couple laughing. Slowing my walk, I was happy to see that they were getting on the elevator.

Angling my body, I was practically jumping up and down when my eye caught on their room key. This would be too easy. The elevator chimed signaling someone was getting off. Quickly moving my body, I relied on their clinginess to sneak into the corridor without a problem. A group of people pooled out of the elevator and I drifted into their numbers.

The couple stood to the side and waited for us to pass. Using my foot, I tripped a young woman in front of me. She stumbled while I placed myself in a position to trip over her. The both of us dropped. The woman fell into the man. Falling, I shuffled closer to the man’s hand while the woman began apologizing profusely.

Quickly snatching the card from him, I slipped it into my pocket while I stood up. Adjusting my clothes, I quickly apologized as well. The couple waved the both of us off, seemingly unbothered, before getting on the elevator. Nodding to the woman, I turned toward the way the couple had come from. Looking at the keycard, I made my way toward the door with the number on it. I was lucky the woman and I had similar hair styles, but I was aware of Holiday Inn well enough to say that most of their cameras did not work.

Glancing up at the camera in the middle of the hallway, I was positive it was not working. Typically there would be a small, red dot that showed it was recording. Today, it was off. Letting myself in, I knew I had to be quick and clean.

Tonight I would only get clothes. Car keys were something I would have to snatch in the morning over breakfast. Someone would notice their keys missing in the middle of the night. Locating a large, black suitcase on the floor by the foot of the bed, I pulled it up onto the bed and unzipped it.

Carefully sifting through the clothes, I only pulled out enough for two outfits before gently placing everything back smoothly. They would probably be a bit big on Jungkook, but I doubted he would mind very much. I swore he was wearing a belt, but I had not been paying enough attention to know for sure.

Going to the pockets of the bag, I was happy to find a container of hair pomade and hoped it might make Jungkook happy. He would be able to do his hair if he wanted. Grabbing a pack of hair bands and a pair of boxers, I was ready to leave. Going into the dresser, I pulled out the complimentary bag they gave every guest, I shoved the clothes in it before leaving the room. With the keycard in my hand, I dropped it in the spot the couple had been before making my way back to my own room.

Jungkook was sitting on his bed drying his hair when I came in. He was wearing the sweatpants and t-shirt I had given him. I was glad he was able to get it on alone, but I felt bad I had not been here to help him. Holding up the bag, I tossed it his way.

“The first robbery I’ve done in four years,” I shook my head. “You should feel special.”

Jungkook opened the bag and grinned at me. His hair went just past his shoulders when it was wet, his fluffy curls weighed down by the water. Sifting through the bag, he seemed the happiest about the hair ties.

Getting my own clothes, I let him know I was going to take a shower. Getting under the hot water was a healing experience, and for the first time today I let a few tears slip out.

I was terrified, frustrated, but mostly- pissed.

Twelve years ago

Hands bound, I let my body relax. Ivan’s eyes were blazing, his anger palpable, but I refused to look away. He would never think I was weak again. Walking closer, the Russian yanked me up roughly, one of the straps of my sundress breaking.

“What the fuck did you do?” He seethed, his accent thick and almost incoherent through gritted teeth. “You always ruin everything you touch.”

Slowly, and with great care, I pooled spit into my mouth. With a quick gurgle, I spit in Ivan’s eye. My rebellion had angered just as much as it had excited Ivan. The thought made me sick to my stomach. I wanted to be as far away from him as possible, his hands burning my skin. Slamming me down, Ivan roared in anger before delivering a swift kick to my stomach.

Gasping, I tried my hardest to keep the vomit down. I refused to give him the satisfaction. I wished I was with Alexei. He would never have treated me like this. As if the thought had transferred over to the man beside me, he kicked me again.

“Alexei is dead, Лох,” He shouted. “You’re mine now.”

With another swift kick, I cried out. Then, without warning my stomach twisted. Another kick. Finally, I threw up all over the concrete floor beneath me.

For now. I was yours for now.

Present

With a new set of car keys in my hand, I walked into the parking lot. Jungkook was on the phone, but quickly hung up when he saw me approaching. Raising an eyebrow at him, I waved him over and we began walking together. Clicking the unlock button, I smiled when I saw the yellow Porsche. The two of us placed our things inside without a care in the world and drove off quickly after.

I had found the targets for today the night before while walking around the hotel late last night. It was a young woman and her mother. The two of them had been a whirlwind and gave the staff hell. Unable to sleep, my head headaches from exhaustion, and their bickering only pissed me off more. Unfortunately for them, they had made a big show of their money and decided to brag about their car.

It took a few minutes to switch out license plates and even less time to steal her car keys this morning during breakfast. They were staying for another day and had not planned on leaving the hotel at all. Jungkook laughed once we were a safe distance away.

“I’m still in shock at that woman’s entitlement,” He shook his head. “Did you see the way she flipped out when they ran out of bacon before her ‘precious angel’ could get any?”

Chuckling, I kept my attention on the road.

“Her attitude was the only reason I swiped this thing. I would never get into something so obvious.”

“It was as easy as stealing candy from a baby.”

Feeling confident from the jacking, I decided to play along.

“Do you steal from babies often?”

Jungkook giggled cutely, “I’ve cut down to twice a year.”

“Oh?”

“Halloween-” He counted with one finger, and lifted another, “-and Easter.”

“Easter?” My eyebrows pulled in as I laughed incredulously.

Jungkook grinned lazily.

“Stockings are so last year.”

It was becoming increasingly more difficult to think of him as a member of the mafia. While my age had made others test my abilities far more often than the others I never believed anyone doubted who I was. There was a look in your eye, this coldness, that separated you from the rest. I could pick out a killer in a line up- we were one in the same. However, Jungkook was impossible to get a read on. His boyish charms and good looks were not uncommon, but the innocence in his smile and the brightness that remained in his eyes were unsettling. Everything about him was unnerving. He was disarming and that alone was frightening.

Realizing the car had become quiet, I turned the radio on. It was a habit of mine. I did not like the silence. I hated it. Some trashy pop song blasted but I did not care. Jungkook did and began to look for something he liked more.

“What do you like?” He asked, pressing the screen to change the stations.

“Pick whatever,” I replied, flipping off the guy who cut me off.

Arizona was the worst state I had ever been to. The drive was not as awful as Texas, nothing will ever beat the twelve hours of hell to still be in that damned state, but it was not much better. Outside of Phoenix the towns were not as grand. Tucson gave her a run for her money, but never came close to the busy city. Driving through the desert, I asked Jungkook to pull up the directions to the airport. I no longer knew my way.

“How did you meet the guys?” I asked, eyes on the road.

Jungkook picked a pop station and leaned back in his seat.

“Through Jimin,” He replied. “They needed help dealing with someone. I had just left New York and we ran into each other in Vegas. I liked everyone so I decided to join.”

Raising an eyebrow, I quickly turned my head so he could see my expression.

“Ivan let you leave?”

“I wasn’t a member,” Jungkook mumbled. “Just an acquaintance. I was for hire.”

That was not what I had expected. Jungkook did not seem like a killer, but I had been proven wrong many times. When I lived with my parents I had met many assassins I would have never guessed who they were just looking at them. Even talking with them it was impossible to detect. Looking at the man, I found it hard to believe that we were from the same background. While I had ran from that life, Jungkook ran toward it with open arms. In fact, he seemed to pay it little mind.

“What family are you from?” I asked. “My family was under The Table.”

Jungkook’s eyebrows shot up.

“You’re from the Underground?”

I nodded, “I never really wanted that life. I’m a much better thief anyway.”

Jungkook rubbed his bottom lip. I forced myself to focus on the road. Even if we were the only people out here, I did not want to risk anything. I had stolen the car and the plate and getting stuck out here would be hell.

“I’m with Sacarii.”

The Sacarii was the sister organization to The Table. While my family had mostly dealt with members of gangs and high profile families, members of the Sacarii were the people who went after other assassins. Stealing another look at Jungkook, I looked at the tattoos on his arm and tried to find his symbol. All of us got one, mine was a tiger on my right side, but the ink was too difficult to look at while driving.

“I have a tiger lily,” Jungkook said, noticing my assessment. “I have a few of them, actually.”

Lilies are from Japan, but I knew Jungkook was Korean. His name alone gave him away. Waving my hand, I asked him to explain when he got it.

“My family moved to Japan when I was fifteen. I had my first kill there so we decided that I would get something to represent that. The prayer hands on my back were done by the organization after the ordainment.”

Ordainments were very common. It was the process an assassin went through to become an official member of their organization. Their families were no longer defined by blood but the common experiences each one shared. The Table and the Sacarii were one big family, but oftentimes we did not get along with one another. Civil at best and competition at worst. Prayer hands with a rosary were the tattoos everyone got. It was large, covering the entire center of the back, with the family oath written above and below it.

“I never got mine,” I admitted. “I ran off before my ceremony. That’s when I met Alexei.”

“How old were you?”

Smiling sadly, I replied. “Thirteen.”

“Oh,” He said. “I didn’t know they got people that young.”

“Well, he saw me kill someone and wanted to keep me. I doubt you knew him- he died a few years ago.”

Jungkook nodded, “Yeah. What was he like?”

Laughing, I spotted a gas station and decided to stop. We were at half a tank, but I wanted to be safe. Jungkook took out his wallet and handed me a twenty.

“He was a better man than his brother,” I answered, taking the money. “He knew how to stay calm and respect other people. Alexei always kept good relationships with the other families. Ivan is an idiot who can’t handle criticisms of any kind.”

“He’s that awful? I mean, I only know him through brief meetings.”

“I’d rather be dead than serve him again,” I opened my door. “But you already know that.”

Settling in my seat, I glanced over at Jungkook. He looked tired and I let him know it was fine to sleep. He nodded and slipped his eyes closed shortly after. Taking my new phone out of my pocket, I decided to make a quick phone call before we took off. Jungkook and I had picked up a flip phone from Walmart on our way to the airport. It was more secure than any smartphone. Dialing the number, I waited.

“Hello?” Hoseok picked up.

“I’m landing in Massachusetts,” I replied, knowing he was aware of the situation by now. It had been a day and a half. “Pick me up at our spot.”

“Jin will be there.”

“Copy.”

Hoseok sighed heavily, “Is the kid okay? Heard you shook him up.”

Glancing at Jungkook, I was shocked he was snoring.

“He’s fine,” I replied. “He’s definitely in pain, and tries to keep his movement to a minimum, but hides it from me. Attempts to, I should say. I took care of him as best I could but Agust should get his hands on his ASAP.”

Hoseok hummed and I knew he was nodding. He was a very animated, lively person and could not sit still for long. He got into a fist fight with a Russian who took offense to his hand movements.

“See you when I see you.”

“Three o’clock,” I said before hanging up.

Sliding my phone back into my pocket, I finally buckled my seat. Shaking Jungkook awake, I told him to put his belt on. He grinned at me lazily before doing it. He fell asleep again quickly.

Happy to have a window seat, I watched as we began to take off. It had been a while since I was on a plane. The last time was when I was running to California as quickly as I could. Kansas had been nice when I had first left The Saints, but it quickly became suffocating. The silence and mundane town life made my skin crawl. California had seemed like it would be better, more fun, but it had become just as mundane after a while.

I had always gotten bored easily. It was why I enjoyed pickpocketing. As a kid, my little hands and unassuming looks had made it easy. I never planned on getting good at it. At the time it felt less damning in comparison to what the people in my life wanted me to do.

There was a time when I was happy killing, pleasing my family had always felt good, but that faded when my teenage years approached. Running away to New York was a quick, impulsive decision I had made when I was afraid of my future. Staring at the clear, blue sky, I scoffed.

I had run away from one hell into another. I went from that one into another. The Saints were my family, but I would be lying if I said I felt they were any different from what I had always done. Kansas had been my first attempt at normalcy, and San Diego had been me living in that world.

And I loved it, in my own way. It was nice to have a routine. It felt good to have friends, even if they were the most surface level friendships I could allow myself to have, and I owned my own things. I had earned what I had.

Now I was flying back to a place I was not sure I belonged anymore. I felt two halves of myself fighting one another. One half wanted to run again, to disappear, and get as far away from this place as possible. Then there was the other side of me, the twisted, dark, nasty side of myself that was reveling in all of this. My excitement was hard for me to figure out, and I began to doubt myself.

Had I ever really wanted this life? Has it all been a dream? A fantasy of a perfectly serene, normal, and legal lifestyle I had never known? Finding a cloud, I rubbed my temples and sighed.

I doubted I would ever have an answer to that question.

Five years ago

Standing around the table, all of us went over the plan again. They were doing construction on the roof, so that would be the quickest, and easiest, point of entrance. I would go first while Hoseok and Jin dressed as police officers to take out the security guards in the back. Taehyung would take care of the cameras before this. Yoongi would follow behind me along with Jimin. I would lead the team after we had taken over the museum.

Looking over at Jimin, he was already looking at me. Everyone knew that this would be my last mission, and he had taken it the worst. We hardly spoke and he actively ignored me. I was surprised he was acknowledging me at all. Breaking eye contact, I went back to explaining the pieces we would be taking.

“Don was very specific about these three pieces,” I said, pointing to the Rembrandt and two pieces of jewelry. “These are our high payouts. Get these first. After that we can make quick work of the rest.”

“Who did you say the others were going to?” Yoongi asked.

“The rest are split up between some vendors I know,” I replied. “Freddie Newman, Diane Pollack, and Dwayne Smith. The jewels are for Georgie Boy, Archie, and two others. Park’s handling that.”

“This is a big job,” Hoseok mumbled. “Will the six of us be able to get it done?”

I nodded easily.

“Yes, we’ll have all the time in the world once those guards are taken care of. I’m planning on this being an hour- two at most.”

Looking back at Jimin, I was happy to see he was grinning at me. We would be fine. Deciding we had gone over everything, I walked away from the table.

“We’ll leave at midnight.”

“Copy,” Jimin replied.

Smiling to myself, I left the room and went to the kitchen to find something to eat.

Getting off the plane, I kept Jungkook close as we made our way to baggage claim. Being on the East Coast again was uncomfortable. I knew this airport like the back of my hand, knew every nook and cranny of these streets, but I still felt out of place. I was even more unsettled knowing there were people looking for me.

Standing by the conveyor belt, we waited for my duffle bag to come out. Jungkook looked around, his scouting looking natural, and I kept my eyes on the bags. It came out a few minutes later, and I slung it over my shoulder. Jungkook wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me into him.

“They’re here,” He whispered, a soft smile on his face. Lips brushing the top of my head, he started walking and kept me close. “They don’t know me, so we’ll be fine.”

Forcing a smile on my face, I wrapped my arm around his waist. My heartbeat quickened, and I found myself enjoying the way his body pressed into mine. Allowing myself a small glance around us, I saw two familiar faces near the escalators. Dimitri and Anton. As we neared the escalators, I knew they would notice me unless I acted very differently than what they remembered.

Deciding to commit to our charade, I lifted my head up towards Jungkook. Kissing his cheek, I was able to hide my face from the two men. Jungkook stepped onto the elevator first. Turning him to face me, I grabbed his face and pressed our lips together. He was soft, gentle, and tasted like the licorice he’d gotten on the plane. He wrapped his arms around my waist and melted into the kiss. Pulling away, head pressed against his, I looked at the steps.

“We’re almost at the top,” I mumbled.

Jungkook nodded and slowly moved away from me. Angling his body towards the front, he kept an arm firmly around my waist as we got to the top. Sparing a single glance behind me, the two men were none the wiser. Smirking, I ran my hand up and down Jungkook’s back in silent praise.

Walking further and further away from the others, Jungkook’s arm did not move. I stayed close to his side, happy to have someone to lean on. It made sense now. Jimin sent him because he was less known to the others. Ivan would know him, and the people closest to him, but someone like Anton would be blindsided by his presence. They were expecting one of my boys. Stepping into the sun, the two of us were quick to hail down a taxi and slip inside.

“We’re running a bit late,” I announced, buckling in. “Can you take us to the Hood Milk Bottle?”

“No problem,” The cab driver replied.

It was barely a 10 minute drive, but airport traffic made it feel like forever. Jungkook and I did not talk. Our closeness from earlier was officially stopped, and I felt silly for missing his warmth. Looking at him out of the corner of my eye, I grew shy. Just moments ago, his arms were wrapped around me. Catching sight of the tiger lily on his elbow, I had to quickly look back out of the window.

God, he was fucking hot.

Pulling out my phone, I found a new message on it.

Unknown: Eating a lobster roll outside

Rolling my eyes, I replied.

Y/N: Of course you are. Two minutes.

Unknown: Lunch on me

Flipping the phone closed, I shoved it back in my back pocket. Looking out of the window, I did feel nostalgic. It had been such a long time and yet things stayed the same. There were a few new shops where old ones used to be, but the places I remembered the most fondly were still around. The mixed feelings I had were beginning to weigh down on me.

Pulling up, I smiled. Hood was such an iconic, fun place. Looking back at Jungkook, I was touched to see him paying the cabby. Saying goodbye, the two of us got out of the car. The duffle had been in my lap. Jungkook stared up at the giant milk bottle in awe.

“Jin said he'll buy us lunch.”

Jungkook smirked, “What do you recommend?”

Walking toward the snack stand, I shrugged my shoulders.

“I’m getting a lobster roll, but if you’re not into that, the soft serve is great.”

Walking around the side, I saw Jin sitting on one of the picnic benches eating. I was more surprised to see he was still enjoying his food than the purple hair. Jimin must have convinced him to do that. Whistling, I smirked at Jin and waved.

Jin was the oldest out of all of us, and spoke the least amount of English, but we were close. Standing, he offered me a hug which I happily accepted. Clearing my throat, I began speaking in Korean.

“You look nice,” I ruffled his hair. “This color looks really good on you.”

“Thanks,” He shoved my hand away. “Lobster roll? Thought you might have missed the New England taste.”

Nodded, I turned to Jungkook.

“What do you want?” I asked in English.

He shook his head at me, “Chocolate ice cream.”

When he spoke Korean, his voice was much deeper. Grinning at him, I looked back at Jin.

“One lobster roll and one chocolate soft serve.”

Going to order our food, Jin told us to sit and wait. Jungkook sat down next to me, his elbow on the table with his head resting on his fist. I was unsure of what to make of the look on his face. He seemed so… fond of me. No one had ever really looked at me like that before. I was used to anger, annoyance, or fear, but fondness was uncharted territory. The closest person I could think of had been Alexi, but even then he had always looked at me as a child. Jungkook did not.

“I didn’t know you spoke Korean,” He said, speaking the language.

“I know a lot of languages,” I replied. “I’m mostly fluent in English and Russian. My Korean is good, but I’m not fluent by any stretch of the imagination. I speak a decent amount of Spanish as well.”

“That’s so cool. Mine are Korean, Japanese, and English.”

Jin was back with our food.

“Eat it in the car,” He said, “Everyone is waiting for us.”

“Is Park back in town?” Jungkook asked.

Jin shook his head, “Not yet. We haven’t heard from since yesterday.”

I knew we would talk more once we were out of the public eye. There was only so much we could say out here. Taking my roll, I followed Jin. Jungkook ate his ice cream happily, his eyes sparkling with joy. It was my turn to smile fondly.

Pulling into a small driveway, I was confused. I did not recognize the house. Painted a calming sky blue with black shutters, a well-groomed lawn, and a small flower garden, it was unassuming and plain. Looking over at Jungkook, he seemed happy to be here.

“Where are we?” I asked.

Jungkook smiled at me, “Yoongi’s.”

Taken aback, I froze. That had been the last person I had thought of. The last time I had seen everyone, Yoongi and Hoseok were living in a shitty condo in South End. While I was confused, and even unsettled, by the changes I was also pleased. It felt good to see Yoongi living more civilly. I wondered what had changed.

Hopping out of the Jeep, I met up with Jin and Jungkook at the hood before following behind them. The house was pristine and the small cul de sac was quiet. Eyes bulging out of my head, I fought back the urge to laugh out loud at the sight of a bird feeder on the edge of the lawn.

Standing on the small porch, the three of us huddled close together. Jungkook gently moved my body in front of his, successfully shielding my body from the street. Leaning back slightly, I brushed my back against his chest quickly before straightening my back. I was beginning to lean into my growing attraction, but knew better than to take it any further than small touches. The airport had been for survival- nothing more.

Jin knocked, the rhythm the only familiar thing about this place, before the door swung open. On the other side, a woman peered out at us. Her hair was short, wildly frizzy with unkempt curls, and bright red. Her eyes were brown and skin alabaster. The green dress she wore looked nice on her full figure. She smiled brightly at Jin, saying hello with joy. Her voice had hints of an accent but it was too faint for me to pick up.

“It’s nice to see you Johanna,” Jin greeted, kissing the woman’s cheek before gesturing towards me. “Johanna, Mouse. Mouse, Johanna.”

The red head gave me a polite smile before offering her hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mouse.”

“Y/N,” I corrected, glaring at Jin. “Y/N is fine outside of business.”

“This is business though, isn’t it?” Johanna tilted her head at me, a mischievous glint in her eye. I decided right away that I liked her. “Come in. Hello Kookie.”

“Hey Jo,” The man replied.

Stepping inside, I looked around. The inside was just as perfect as the outside. Brightly colored walls with pops of color scattered around, mostly in the art hanging on the walls, with plants everywhere. It smelled like apple cinnamon and Pinesol. The hardwood floors were loud as we walked along them. The size of the living room was bigger than my entire apartment. Catching sight of a collage of photos, I looked over them the best I could as I walked.

All of them were nice photos, family photos, but one caught my eye. Yoongi was smiling, a rare sight, and his eyes were shining brightly. He was on the beach, arms wrapped around Johanna tenderly, while she had a large bouquet of flowers in her hand. She wore a white dress that hit her just at the ankle, a long, thin veil clipped onto the back of her head. The Saints were there along with a few people I did not recognize. Belatedly, I realized that I was looking at a wedding picture. A wedding I had missed. A wedding I had never been invited to. A wedding I had never even knew. Eyes glued to the photo, I cause a glimpse of Jungkook in a far-off corner, almost completely cut out, but he had been there.

I knew my hurt feelings were unjustified. I had been the one who told them to leave me out of their affairs. I had said emergencies only. Still, I found myself growing increasingly alienated. I truly had no place here anymore. The only purpose I had ever served was monetary gain. The friendships I had built along the way were as fickle as the ones I had in New York.

Arguing with myself, I struggled to stay present. As we walked deeper into the house, the need to run presented itself all over again. Everything I had known was gone. Everyone was different. Everything was different. Sparing a glance over at Jungkook, a seed of resentment began to grow in my chest.

No one had ever referred to me as affectionately as they had Jungkook. No one had ever seemed endeared by my failures. Hell, none of these guys even acknowledged my feelings half the time. Staring at the back of Johanna’s head, I found that I didn't really like her that much anymore. She was loved. I was tolerated.

Still, I told myself that they had come for me. They had wanted to keep me safe. And yet, the insecurities that had always lived in my head reared their ugly head and reminded me that it was for their own good. I was useful. As long as I would be of use to them, then I would be protected. It would never be the same reasons they would fight for Johanna. They would fight for her because they wanted to keep her safe.

I could feel eyes on me, but I ignored them. I did not want comfort from Jungkook. I just wanted to get this over with so I could go back to San Diego. Even if they were surface level, those friendships were still more loving than whatever the fuck I had here. I hated Boston. I hated New York. I hated the entire East Coast.

“Y/N?” Johanna called out, looking back at me with concern. “Are you alright?”

Nodding, I replied.

“I’m fine. Just lost in my head.”

I hated the edge my voice had taken on. I hated just how much I had to control myself around these people. I wanted to scream, shout, cry; whatever. I just wanted to feel myself lose control for a little while. The woman did not believe me but offered me a smile regardless.

“I asked if you would like a drink.”

“Water’s fine,” I replied.

Jin seemed suspicious of me but said nothing at all. He had always known I liked my space. Still, I could tell he was worried. I knew my thoughts were out of line, I knew that I was over thinking and attempting to overcompensate, but it was impossible to stop it from happening. The downward spiral was difficult to manage.

Suddenly, an arm was wrapped around my shoulder. Jumping, I whipped my head around to see Jungkook smiling at me. It was a goofy smile, one that he pulled when he was feeling playful, before he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“What happens when you get water on a table?” He asked.

Taken aback, I opened and closed my mouth several times.

“What?”

“It becomes a pool table.”

Mouth agape, I blinked in disbelief before shoving him away. I let out a small laugh and shook my head at him. Where in the world had that come from?

Seokjin was laughing, hands clapping, and praising the younger man for the joke. Jin was a big fan of dad jokes and enjoyed making them up whenever he could. Typically, you would have to know enough Korean for them to make sense, but they never failed to get a few chuckles out of me. The ridiculousness of the jokes coupled with the corny delivery was always funny. Johanna placed a glass in front of me smiling fondly at Jungkook.

“He’s a mess,” She said, looking at me in faux exasperation. “I don’t know how you survived the trip here. He talks too much.”

Shaking my head, I took a large sip of the water.

“It’s better than the awkward silence Yoongi brings along.”

She laughed, knocking her head back.

“Touche,” She giggled. “He is a bit intense sometimes.”

“You’ve been in Boston for an hour and you’re already turning my wife against me.”

The voice had come from behind me. Spinning around dumbly, I was face-to-face with Yoongi. The scar on his face was just as prominent as it had always been, taking up his entire left cheek into forehead, but his eyes seemed lighter than I remembered. He was skinnier than the last time I saw him, too. He was wearing a simple black shirt with a pair of jeans. He seemed completely at ease.

“Hey kid,” He greeted Jungkook with a grin. “Heard Mouse got you good.”

Jungkook flushed, ducking his head while rubbing his neck.

“Oh?” Jin chimed, his voice mocking. “The great Sacarii taken down by a little mouse?”

Rolling my eyes, I sighed heavily.

“He didn’t even try anything,” I admitted. “I was the aggressive one.”

“He was just an idiot,” Jin teased.

Yoongi tsked, “Park was the bigger idiot of the two. He’s going to give me an aneurysm.”

“You’re too hard on him,” Johanna gently scolded. “You know Jimin has a roundabout way of being right.”

Jungkook laughed, “A broken clock’s right twice a day.”

A silence fell over our group. It felt unnatural to be standing in a nice kitchen talking over mundane topics with everyone. It was a long ways away from the roach infested alleyways and closed off apartment complexes. I lived with Jin, Jimin, and Taehyung when I was in Boston. Our small one bedroom was always cluttered, overcrowded, and was the main spot for our meetups. The conference room had been stuffed between two twin-sized mattresses with a large, round table in the middle of it all. I slept on the pull-out sofa in the front.

“I guess we should talk,” Yoongi said, looking me up and down.

“I guess so,” I replied.

Walking over to him, I realized that no one else was following. Looking back at the other three, they simply looked back. Sighing, I let it go. Being alone with Yoongi was not an unwelcome thing, but it had always made me feel like I was in trouble. Laughing at myself, I followed the man out of the kitchen and into the dining room. This time I was the one who was in trouble.

Walking out of the dining room, we were now in a small reading room with a staircase. A green, stand-up piano was tucked away between tall bookshelves and more plants. Following Yoongi upstairs, I refrained from looking too closely at things. The house was much bigger than it looked. Walking past a few doors, we stopped before Yoongi opened one.

Gesturing me to follow, I smiled at the sight of the old table. It was far too large, held six chairs, and was cheaply made. Someone had refurbished it and I wondered if it had been Johanna. She seemed to like everything to be nice and neat. It was an aesthetically pleasing layout, but this room was all Yoongi. The dark colored walls and furniture were in stark contrast to the otherwise white house. Taking a seat at the table, I pulled out the chair directly across from him.

There was a line up of photos scattered on the desk along with a few letters. I recognized two of the women but the others were unfamiliar to me. Looking around, I scowled when I saw a picture of Ivan. I would be lying if I said he was physically unattractive. Ivan had always had this air around him and coupled with his angular features and blue eyes it was no wonder why women chased him. I knew him, however, and the slope of his cheekbones and the perfectly groomed dirty-blonde hair did nothing but repulse me. He looked everything like his brother. He looked nothing like his brother.

Picking the photo up, I looked closely. It was candid. Someone had been hiding when they took it since the man seemed to be unaware of the camera. He was smoking a cigarette and behind him was a beach. Trying to figure out where he could be was hard, but it was nowhere near New York. It was too sunny, the waves too high, and I could see a surfer in the background.

“Johanna took that,” Yoongi suddenly said. “We were in California. It’s where we got married.”

Mind racing, I kept looking at the picture. Ivan had been close to me. Very close, in fact. Trying to figure out how I could have been traced, I thought of Kimberly and winced. It would take no time at all to figure out if it really was me. He could just send some random into the salon after seeing a post. I looked different but I was still me. He could have scouted out the place for months without me being any wiser. Closing my eyes, I dropped the photo.

“He’s known where you are for a while,” He continued. “He had asked Jungkook to take care of you a few weeks ago, but the kid refused. He knew your face. Ivan’s been trying to figure out the best plan of getting to you without pissing us off.”

“So he thought forcing me back to New York was the best option?” I spat.

Yoongi nodded, “In his mind, you’d be under his claim again so we’d have no authority. Either he’s crazy or stupid.”

“Both,” I replied. “Always both.”

“I’ve noticed.”

Eyes searching the pictures for more signs, I grew angry.

“Why are you only just now telling me?” I demanded, picking apart each detail of the photographs. “I should have known from the very beginning.”

“I thought so, too,” Yoongi defended. “It was Jimin telling us to cool it. He thought he could get it under control since he’s known Ivan for so long. It didn’t work out and Jimin was kicked out of the family.”

“What?” I shouted.

Ivan was losing his damn mind. Jimin was the closest thing to Alexi those boy had after Ivan took over. They loved him, I loved him, and to watch him get kicked out over me would have been a massive blow to Ivan’s credibility. Loyalty was gone from New York it seemed, and it would only be a matter of time before Ivan came to the same conclusion. They don’t make them like Jimin anymore. He was only trying to keep the peace. Thinking of my friend, I willed back my tears. He had wanted me to stay in California. He didn’t want me to come back.

“They’re not doing well,” Yoongi admitted. “Georgie Boy and I talked and he’s with us regardless. The Italians haven’t been appreciating Ivan’s ways either. Hoseok spoke with the Gambinos and they said they’ll light up the Russians if they get into their territory again.”

“Again?”

Yoongi smiled without humor.

“Ivan’s boys were selling in the Gambino’s turf. Didn’t end well for them. They aren’t going to tolerate that shit again, and the other families are on the lookout as well. Have to say, the boy has lost his fucking mind.”

Going over the information, I felt more confident than I had before. Ivan was hoping to get me back into his arms first. Then he’d kill me. Or keep me. It was impossible to know for sure. Either way, he had a rude awakening if he thought my boys were going to let it happen without consequences. Thinking back to my thoughts when I first came inside, I reminded myself that we were connected. I meant more to them than property. They weren’t Ivan.

They weren’t Alexei either.

Shoving that thought down, I refocused on the photo of Ivan. He looked worse than I had last seen him. His age was beginning to show, and I sneered at the sight of the family tattoo. I had been claimed by many groups in my life. The tiger for my family, the slope-edged star on my collar bone for Alexei, the clerk on my ribs for my skill with a blade, and St. Anthony for The Saints. Ivan’s name had been cut into my skin by the man himself after I killed a rival without permission. The scars were faded now, but I never liked to show my stomach anymore. You could still see the carving and I would always know they were there.

Eyes zeroing in on Ivan’s calf, I saw red as I caught sight of the dagger entwined by a snake. It was in the same spot as mine. They all represented something.

The star was commonplace for all Russians while my clerk was far more specialized. I got it after I helped Alexei take care of a snitch. I hated thinking about that night, but it earned me my stripes. I got my dagger a few months later. The dagger was rare, only given out to a leader of a “suit” of thieves. Alexi had promoted me, and I controlled my own section of New York alongside him. Ivan did not deserve that tattoo even if he was the boss.

“Can I ask you something?” Yoongi said.

I nodded.

“Why would he want you back so badly? He hates you.”

I smiled ruefully, looking up from the picture.

“I’m Alexei’s girl and he finds great pleasure in keeping me around just to spite him. Even if he’s dead, it’ll never be enough. Breaking me down was always the goal.”

“Were you and Alexei…”

Yoongi did not need to finish the sentence. It was a fair question and one that everyone asked at some point. The Saints never liked picking into my past too much. They knew it had been rough, they knew what Ivan and I’s relationship was like, so they put it to rest. Yoongi had seen my stomach once, said he was going to kill him one day, and never brought it up again. Latching onto the memory, I further reinforced that they cared for me. This was not a dangerous place. These are my friends.

“No, Alexei would never. I was only 13 when we met. He was 19. We were like siblings more than anything. More than he and Ivan ever were.”

“Ivan was jealous?” I nodded. “Typical.”

“He’s the one who killed him, you know,” I leaned back in the chair. “I was there that night. That’s why Ivan hates me. I know too much.”

Yoongi shook his head in disbelief. It was a completely different world than he was used to. The Irish took care of their own. While it may have involved violence and punishments being handed out from time to time, there had always been unwavering loyalty to one another. For Hoseok it was the same. Snitches were snitches but you always had people you knew were on your corner. When Ivan saw an in he took it, even if it meant killing his older brother, and everyone suffered for it. I had not said anything out of the code of ethics we built, but that never stopped word from spreading. Everyone knew Ivan killed Alexei but no one could prove it.

Yoongi sucked his teeth, “They know you came home. Jimin let us know about that. He and Kai have been all over this shit.”

I hummed, “They had a couple guys at the airport. Jungkook and I got past them easily, though.”

Yoongi looked at me strangely now. It was in between concern and pride, but I figured it was the closest thing to friendly I would get from him. It was not his fault his face looked the way it did. Wanting to lighten the mood, I decided to ask him about his wife.

“So, who’s Johanna?”

Yoongi actually cracked a smile.

“She’s a nuclear engineer. Works at BU and moved to America seven years ago.”

“How’d that even happen?”

Yoongi shrugged, “I don’t even know. We met at a restaurant Georgie took me to. She was there with some friends. We bumped into one another and she gave me her number. I didn’t call but we ran into each other again at a bar. Stuck like glue ever since.”

Gently smiling I replied, “Sounds nice. I’m glad you found someone.”

Yoongi looked down bashfully. He was like an entirely new person now. Yoongi had never been one to show emotions outside of anger and annoyance. Even with us he had been a hardass. It was strange but nice at the same time. I liked it more than the robot I was used to.

“She’s a good person,” He whispered, suddenly serious. “Sometimes I wonder if I should have left her alone. She deserves better than a life of crime and being entangled in my bullshit.”

I understood where he was coming from.

“You could always leave. Runaway to Iceland and never look back.”

Yoongi grinned, “I thought about it but I don’t have any skills outside of this. What would I do? Unlike you, some of us have never thought past our horizons. Besides, I have other people to think about.”

I also understood that as well. I had been afraid of change for a long time, and I had known I wanted it for a while. I was unsure how long they had known one another, or had been together, but Yoongi had always said he’d die in Boston. I doubted he thought that way now.

“It’s okay to be selfish,” I mumbled. “Things haven’t been easy and there were times when I missed the craziness, but I can say it’s an experience everyone should have. I love both of my lives, but I’d be lying if I said I’d choose this over California.”

Yoongi nodded in thought. We would drop this conversation and likely never pick it back up again, so I knew I should say my peace now. Whatever he decided to do would ultimately be on his shoulders, but I thought it would be okay to push him to follow his heart’s desires. I was a dreamer and I hoped the others would find a dream to hold onto as well.

Walking downstairs, I was tired. The traveling had finally caught up to me and I wanted to get some rest while I could. Walking into the kitchen, the three of them were still talking. Johanna had started to cook something. It smelled nice but my stomach churned at the thought of food. Making my presence known, I yawned loudly and stretched my arms above my head.

“Sleepy?” Jungkook asked, completely at ease.

He looked right at home here. Briefly I wondered if he stayed here often enough for that to be the case. Yoongi hated other people in his space, but he had changed since I last saw him. Jungkook, however, did not seem like someone who would like living with other people. He was mostly quiet, sweet, but standoffish at times. Jin grinned at me.

“Sorry to say I’m full,” The older man took a sip from a glass. I could not tell what it was and did not care to know. I rubbed my eyes dramatically and yawned again. “Jimin and I are rooming together. I doubt you want to take the sofa. Let’s just say I’ve been taking advantage of his absence.”

“I’ll take what I can get at this point,” I replied with another yawn. Shaking my head, I groaned. “God, I hate it when that happens.”

“Jungkook can keep you,” Johanna offered. “I’d let you stay here but my niece is spending the weekend. I don’t want to put her in a bad position.”

I knew what she meant. I would not want to put a child in the middle of this bullshit either. Looking over at Jungkook, I raised my eyebrow in silent questioning. He nodded back at me with a grin. I smiled back at him.

“We should go while we have daylight,” Jungkook said, a pair of keys in his hands.

I had no idea where they had come from.

“I can wait,” I protested. “You should eat first.”

Jungkook rolled his eyes.

“I’ll be fine. You haven’t slept since yesterday.”

“Y/N!” Jin scolded.

I non committedly waved him off. Scrunching my face up at Jin, I mumbled something close to ‘leave me alone,’ but I was doubtful it came out properly. Fighting to keep my eyes open, I leaned into Jungkook’s side as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder. Guiding me away from the kitchen, I knew I heard Jin make a comment about how close we were.

“You’re just jealous she likes me more than you,” Jungkook snapped back.

“Does not,” Jin replied, childishly whining.

Johanna laughed and I could hear Yoongi coming down the stairs. Jungkook lead me back into the reading room and turned left. Going down two steps we were in front of a door.

“Be safe!” Johanna called out.

“Always, noona,” Jungkook replied.

Leading me to the room, I realized we were in a garage. I was again surprised. There were two cars, both of them very nice and sleek, surrounded by expensive tools and equipment. Back in the day, I would have swiped everything in this room and stole one of the cars. Now, I was being led toward the black Marcedes on the farthest side of the room.

“This one’s mine,” Jungkook said, attempting to fill the space.

“First one we haven’t stolen,” I joked.

Sliding into the passenger seat, I melted into the seat before Jungkook was in the vehicle. Opening the glovebox, I moved my legs out of the way as the man dug around the compartment. Finally he pulled a smartphone out and quickly turned it on. A few minutes later, the garage door was opening and we were pulling out of the large driveway. We passed Jin’s Jeep on the way out and Jungkook could not help but make a snide comment about the ugly car. I felt comfortable enough to try and fall asleep.

“You know,” Jungkook announced, making my eyes snap open. “You’re the coolest person I’ve ever worked with.”

I chuckled, my drowsiness making it difficult to focus.

“Thanks. You’re not that bad.”

“I’ve been useless for the entire trip,” Jungkook argued. “You stole the cars, got me clothes, made sure we were able to get flights without getting into some shit for it, and you always tried to make me feel more comfortable.”

Snorting, I looked over at the man.

“I shot you.”

Jungkook burst out laughing.

“I broke into your house.”

“Eye for an eye,” I offered, laughing.

Jungkook spared me a look in order to flash one of his blinding smiles. I noticed now that his front teeth were slightly bigger than they should be.

“Really,” Jungkook was serious again. “I feel bad for being dead weight. I’ll make it up to you, though. I’m not really known for stealing cars or running off into the night, but I know how to kill someone.”

Looking at me again, Jungkook’s boyish smile and light eyes were on. In their place were hard lines, a slightly down-turned pout, and a coldness that surrounded him I was unaccustomed to. While earnest, his expression felt wrong. Jungkook was sunshine and this felt like an eclipse.

“No one is going to touch you. I’ll cut their fucking hands off finger-by-finger if need be to get my point across.”

“Why would you do that?” I asked, confused.

We did not know one another. Hell, I shot this fucking guy. And yet here he was devoting his life to keeping me safe. It was crazy. Then again, this life was like that. Putting myself in Jungkook’s shoes, I thought about it the other way around. Would I kill for him?

“Because you’re my friend,” He answered without hesitation. “You’re my friend and I would like to get to know you better.”

Yes, I thought, I would kill for this kid.

Humming, I decided against saying anything else. I was far too tired for this conversation. Letting my body win, I closed my eyes and leaned against the car window. I fell asleep quickly, but I found no peace. Ivan’s face flashed through my mind, his eyes alight with anger, and my blood was all over his hands. My screams echoed in the background. He placed his knife against my skin again and drew a “V” right next to the “I.”

Eleven years ago

Standing beside Hoseok, I stared up at the apartment complex wearily. It was small, bricked, and disgusting. I could smell trash and smoke everywhere and people were yelling. I did not like it here. Not at all.

Looking over at the older boy, I made sure to show him my discontent. I could admit that South End was nicer than my old place in Brooklyn, but only for the quieter atmosphere. Everything else was just as nasty. Hoseok shoved me forward and scolded me for acting like a “freak.”

“People are going to know you’re new,” Hoseok complained. “Then I’m going to have to break their fucking head open for stepping out of line. Then Yoongi is going to dislike you. So, just fucking walk and keep your head down.”

Anger flaring, I stopped. Hoseok bumped into my back. Groaning loudly, he went to yell at me again. Scowling, I elbowed him in the stomach harshly. When he groaned and grabbed his stomach, I turned around and punched him in the face. While he barely moved, eating the hit easily, it seemed to get the message across.

“Don’t talk to me like that, bitch,” I seethed. “You’re not my dad.”

Waiting for Hoseok to hit me back, I stood there with my fists balled up. He looked at me intensely, his hands still clutching his stomach. His eyes went from my face to the small patch of exposed skin on my stomach. Knowing exactly what he was looking at, I pulled down the too-short shirt and yelled at him again to hit me.

Instead of violence, Hoseok simply took up straight. Breathing through his nostrils, he seemed to be calming himself down. I could see the start of a blackeye forming where I had hit him. My regret began eating away at me instantly, but I refused to back down. He deserved that hit. He needed to know I was not going to be his little plaything.

Hoseok just continued to walk, telling me to follow, and I could tell he was trying to be nicer this time around. Confused and more uneasy than before, I kept my hands ready for a fight. I was not sure when this nice-guy act would stop.

Being shaken awake, I realized we were at Jungkook’s. Glancing at the time, I was shocked we had driven almost two hours. We were parked in a small lot with a large brick building to the right. Jungkook turned the car off and got out. Quickly following him, I wondered where we were.

It was a nice place. They looked like townhomes and I could smell someone barbecuing. Jungkook looked back at me, a few paces ahead, and continued to walk around to the front. Every house had large bushes in the front yards. Hydrangeas grew vibrantly along the walkway with spaces to make way for the entryway to homes. Jungkook turned and I followed.

The front was identical to the others. The only difference I could see was Jungkook’s ‘no shoes’ sign right out front. Rubbing my eyes, I continued to wake up and get the crust off of my skin.

“It’s small,” Jungkook suddenly said, “But it’s nice.”

“Where are we?” I asked, stepping into the house and kicking off my shoes.

“Chatham,” He replied, shrugging his jacket off. “It’s out of the way but I like the beach.”

The first thing I noticed was the large, beige sectional in the living room. On the wall was a large television above a faux fireplace. The entire house smelled like wood polish and oranges. I liked the carpeted floors and was pleasantly surprised by how clean everything was. There were no photos or personalized art hanging on the walls, but I guessed Jungkook never really liked those sorts of things. He was personable but in the moment. Jimin was a photo monster.

Thinking of my friend, I hoped he was alright. It was unlike him to go full radio silent. At the very least he would have called and checked in. Perhaps he had and no one bothered to tell me. Catching a glimpse of myself in the large, gold framed mirror hanging above the dining table, I flinched.

I looked just as bad as I had begun to feel. I was tired, my eyes puffy, and I was embarrassed by the drool dried at the corner of my lip. My shoulder was stiff and uncomfortable from sleeping in the car and my clothes looked a mess. Jungkook had my duffle bag on his shoulder and I belatedly realized I have never even thought to grab it. I had not even brought it inside.

“Thank you,” I said.

Jungkook smiled at me.

“It’s no problem. The room’s not being used anyway.”

“No,” I shook my head and walked up to him. Carefully taking the bag, I slug it over my shoulder with a knowing look. “Thanks for grabbing my shit. And for the room. I appreciate it.”

Jungkook scratched the back of his neck and turned red. He was not good with compliments no matter how much he seemed to enjoy them.

“Friends, right?”

I nodded, “Yeah.”

Walking past him, I distracted myself from my racing heart by figuring out where his washing machine was.

After taking a shower, I tip-toed my way back to the room Jungkook had given me. I had been on edge since I got here. He was kind, caring, and attentive. I had never really seen someone show all three at the same time, and never toward me. My friends and I were subtle types, so to have someone so open and honest with their feelings was a hard pill to swallow. In California it was safe, in California it was expected, in California it was sacred; in Boston it was nerve wracking.

I could never be sure of how genuine Jungkook really was. When I was in his presence, it was easy to say that he was just that simple. Once I got alone it took all of me not to sneak out of a window and run. Hoseok had always said I needed to work on trusting people, so I would try.

I knew my behavior was only heightened by my attraction to him. Attractive people were the worst. Liking Jungkook would not do any favors for either one of us. I would get swallowed up by the life I so desperately wanted to leave, and Jungkook would be stuck in an awkward situation with the rest of the crew if it came to the light. No one would win and the outcome would be the same if I said anything or not. I was leaving Boston as soon as the situation was handled.

Luck was not on my side. As I turned the corner to reach the door of my bedroom, Jungkook was coming up the stairs. Carrying two cups, he flashed me a small smile and walked the rest of the way up. I froze in my spot. Caught red handed, I tried to play off my unsuccessful sneaking and took the cup with a smile. Jungkook did not seem to buy it but looked more amused than anything.

“What’s this?” I asked, smelling it.

“Cocoa,” He replied. “It’s not winter but still chilly.”

I nodded and took a generous sip. It was warm and silky. Humming in satisfaction, I took another sip and licked my top lip. Cocoa was one of my favorite things when I was a child. It was one of the few fond memories I had. Jungkook looked happy.

“Do you want to watch a movie?” He asked. “To get your mind off things?”

It was funny that he thought Ivan was what had been plaguing my mind. I may not be a very violent person now, but there was a time I was ruthless. The Russians did not scare me as much as they once had either. My initial response had been mostly shock, anger, and most of all, frustration. I had not been scared in a very long time. I doubted I ever would be.

“Sure,” I said, keeping my thoughts out of the conversation. What Jungkook did not know will not hurt him. He was only trying to help. “I’m not picky.”

Going down the stairs, I felt the same nervous butterflies growing in my stomach again. We were going to be closer than I would like to be. I was afraid of what that might do to the both of us. I did not know where Jungkook’s head was, but I was not foolish enough to believe that I was immune to any advances. The ball would stay in his court. I had enough self control to let that be a rule.

Sitting on the couch, I curled up on the end and waited. Netflix was already pulled up and waiting. Jungkook sat two cushions away. Picking up the remote from the coffee table, he began scrolling as we talked about possible movies to watch. We ended up on a random Jason Statham film. I watched mindlessly since every one of his movies were practically the same.

“Are you hungry?” Jungkook asked me fifteen minutes in, clearly bored and disinterested in the action sequence. I could not blame him. There was no way anyone could use a gun like that in real life, and I was becoming annoyed by the plot armor. “I have ramen.”

I nodded, “That’s fine.”

Moving to stand up, Jungkook waved me off and went to the kitchen himself. Not arguing, I got more comfortable and zoned out once more. It was hard not to feel the pull towards him. All I kept thinking about was the way his lips felt at the airport. Refocusing on the movie, I rolled my eyes at the bomb scene. There was no way in hell you were getting up and walking away from something that big.

Of course, Jason Statham had done just that.

Jungkook came back a few minutes later, two large cups of ramen in hand, and sat down at the sofa. We ate in silence, neither one of us interrupting the bad movie again. When I went up to bed I could only think about how his hands would feel on me.

Taglist: @ippid @jkslaugh97 @destructive-memories @ash07128 @heartjiminie @adventures-in-bookland @canyon-lwt

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damon-loves-pie · 2 years

Text

Girls Talk Boys

"Girls Talk Boys."

Pairing: Eddie Munson x fem!reader.

Word count: About 3,200 words

Warnings: 18+, Some ‘smut’ not much though kissing, talking about sex, some touching, but nothing too vivid. Talks of sexual relations, hidden relationships, sex toys implied. Henderson reader, and of course Eddie and Max never got hurt.

ANOTHER WARNING: Max does imply asking about sex toys and how people are in bed just like most teenage girls I know, I know she’s young but going off how I was at 14/15 I was buying them already and experimenting with things like that. She DOES NOT DO anything sexual, she just teases Nancy and the reader and asks about their sex life. But if it’s going to bother you I ask you please to not read it, or hate on it since again I am writing based on how I have experienced life.

Summary: After defeating Vecna the party has made it mandatory to have dedicated hang out days. It is boys/girls night at Steve and El/the byers. Eddie and the older Henderson Sister have a secret relationship while people ask why they aren’t together.

Author’s note: Hello everyone! I am back with another story! I feel great to have been able to write not one, but two stories! Especially after not having had motivation to do anything in months. I had gotten inspiration for this actually weeks ago but just couldn’t find a way to put it in words. I was driving and girls talk boys by 5sos came on off my playlist and it got me thinking. And yes I did listen to the song 10 million times while writing this. It is 3 AM where I am, so I have not proofread and don’t want to wait to post because I was excited about this. I hope you all enjoy!

Writing Masterlist

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Summer of '86 was unlike any summer before. It felt like there was more pressure to make it as normal as possible for all of us, especially after what we've been through the last couple of years. We all realized after the final battle against Vecna we were bonded for life and needed to make sure we took care of each other.

Which is why that March after the government somehow cleared Eddie's name, we started having dedicated nights for the party outside of our usual hangouts. The second Saturday had became movie/game night for everyone. While the 4th Saturday of the month was dedicated to boys/girls night.

It was something that was all agreed upon. We would switch out homes, parents fully understanding the need of it. (Well besides Mr. Wheeler of course, but Mrs. Wheeler is quick to put him in his place.) Though it seems the usual hosts tend to be Steve and El/Byers. Steve's parents still don't seem to care to be home and Joyce somehow convinces Hopper we're all grown enough to be alone and that if anything were to happen, it would somehow happen even with them there by reminding him of high school.

All the parents knew of everything though. After the upside down broke through to the real world, there wasn't anyway of hiding what we all had been dealing with the last couple of years. Steve's parents just wanted to make sure their house was okay, while the Sinclair's were pissed to find out both of their children had put themselves into dangerous situations.

Dustin and I's mom wasn't happy with us, after having lost our father she didn't want to experience the loss of someone else important to her. (We didn't have the heart to tell her what happened to Mews though, that will forever be a secret.) Max's mom couldn't believe she had moved her daughter to a place more dangerous than California, when she moved here in hopes of keeping her safe.

Mrs. Wheeler and Mr. Wheeler didn't have a lot to say, Mr. Wheeler still doesn't believe that we've spent the last couple years actually fighting these things. He claimed we all had great imaginations, while Mrs. Wheeler was in shock but made us promise to tell her and the other parents if anything were to ever happen again.

Wayne didn't care about the upside down, or the monsters. He was just happy his boy was safe, and had gotten cleared of all chargers. He claimed to have known the government was hiding more than the masses were being told of. Said if they had just been honest, maybe none of this would of ever happen.

I don't really know what happen with Argyle’s parents, to be honest I'm not even sure if they know, with him being 18 when the events happened. Robin's parents at first wanted to move her away, to shelter her from all of this. She was supposed to be focused on graduating and band, not getting involved in this mess. But she convinced them to stay since she was already 18 and an adult, plus since she only had a few months till graduation.

Which talking about graduation; Nancy, Robin, and Eddie managed to graduate. Nancy and Robin were a given but Eddie got through with a loophole. After the 'earthquake' ruined half the town, they wanted to push out all of the students to make room for those who needed shelter. So basically everyone got passed for the remainder of the year.

But the weirdest thing to have happened since Vecna is Eddie and I. After Eddie almost got killed in the Upside Down, I couldn't keep my feelings a secret anymore. Little did I know before speaking out to him about it that night in my house, he himself was preparing to tell me how he felt.

Both of us couldn't imagine having not told each other how we felt and didn't want to risk another moment. That night lead to where I am today, pinned under Edward Munson as he begs me to skip girl's night.

It was June 28th, 1986. The last Saturday of the month and instead of getting prepared for going to El's, I was listening to Eddie's excuses.

"Come on sweetheart, do we really have to go tonight?" He teases against my neck, lips loosely moving against my skin while he leaves small, sweet kisses. The air was thick and heavy as he held me beneath him, letting his rough hands hold my hips in place while his lips explored my body.

My body ached with desire at the thought of staying in the sheets with Eddie. With my hands running beneath his shirt, nails lightly scratching into his back as he bites my earlobe slightly, causing me to gasp softy.

"No," I moan lightly, his tongue swirling around my collarbone before he bites the sensitive skin. "B-But, I think it would make everyone question where both of us were." I stutter, feeling his hands roam up underneath my shirt onto my stomach, shivering from the touch.

"We can just say we forgot," He breathes, continuing to work on my body. His lips trailing kisses up my neck to my lips, connecting his with mine. My brain fogged as his tongue traced my bottom lip before entering my mouth. Moaning into the kiss, I roll my tongue against Eddie’s, his hands moving to feel under my breast, cupping them slightly.

Part of me wanted to say fuck the others and stay right here melting beneath his touch. But I can't, we can't. Pulling away, I set my forehead against his. Both of us breathing heavy as we look into each other's eyes.

"Eddie, till we tell everyone, we can't risk anyone asking anymore questions than they already do." I tell him, feeling my chest move up and down heavily. Eddie nods slightly, understanding.

We both had wanted to keep it a secret because we hadn't wanted to give our friends another big change to deal with. We felt like it wasn't fair to them especially after everything that had happened, given we didn't expect to keep it a secret for so long. But the town was finally getting back to normal.

"We don't have to sneak around much longer, I promise." I smiled at him, pushing back his hair out of his face.

"I know, (Y/N). The town has almost everything rebuilt and people are finally starting to move back into their homes." He nods, leaning over to grab a cigarette off the nightstand. I watch as he sits up, lighting it before leaning against the wall of his bed.

Wayne and him had gotten a good amount of hush money from the 'misunderstanding' and bought a nice little house for the two of them here in Hawkins. People were fleeing after having realized Hawkins was more 'cursed' than they thought. But that meant that Wayne finally had his own room ever since having taken Eddie in when he was a boy. I hated how it had to of happened, but I was happy they were able to make the best of things.

I smiled at him as he offered the cigarette to me, taking it between my fingers. Bringing the cigarette to my lips, I inhaled deeply picturing the reactions of everyone once they knew.

"Do you think they would find it weird? Even though they keep asking why we aren't together yet?" I look at him, watching his eyebrow furrow as he takes the cigarette back between his fingers.

"Why would they find it weird?" He asks, blowing smoke out of his lips. Shrugging, I blush slightly.

"Because it actually happened? And maybe they will find it weird because they didn't expect it to." I tell him nervously.

"Do you think dating me is weird?" Eddie teases, passing the cigarette back to me.

"No," I laugh as the smoke bursts out of my mouth.

"Well then they shouldn't think any different." Eddie reassures me placing his hand on my knee, giving it a light squeeze before handing me the cigarette with his other hand.

"It's just this will be big news to them, especially Dustin. He looks up to you so much." I sigh, putting the cigarette out in his ashtray.

"I know sweetheart, but I don't think them knowing would change anything, hell like we said they keep asking both of us when it's going to happen." He reminds me, drawing circles on my knee with his finger lightly. Eddie chuckles, causing me to smile I turn towards him.

"What?" I laugh lightly.

He smiles slightly, shaking his head.

"It's just you've never actually told me what the girls say to you." Eddie tells me, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

I felt my face redden as he looked at me, knowing there was a reason I never told him about what goes down at girl's night. It's the same reason I try to not pry about boy's night.

Pulling my hands to my face, I feel a nervous laugh escape my lips.

"They just ask the normal things. Like what I think of you, if would I date you," I tell him, as my voice trails off " or If I would uh um sleep with you." I mumble, hoping he didn't hear the last part.

But unfortunately Eddie did, causing a grin to spread across his face, brown eyes shinning.

"Oh and what do you say? Would you sleep with the freak?" He teases.

"Wouldn't you wish to know." I laugh, shoving my shoulder against his.

"Well I tell the guys I think the world of you." Eddie smiles knowingly, connecting my hand with his.

--------------

Girls night has been a on full spring, El and Max shoving Chinese takeout into my hands as soon as I walked through the door. We watched some movies we all brought since we couldn't check out movies from Family Video after it had been destroyed. We also painted our nails, and even convinced El to let me pierce her ears after watching Grease.

It had been a fun night so far. Which is why at 1 am when we ended up laying around the living room, I knew it was far from over as our monthly talk was executed.

As always Max started the conversation, turning towards Nancy.

"Okay, so Nancy we need to know. How is it with Jonathan being back?" Max asks innocently, popping a piece of popcorn into her mouth, watching as Nancy smiles. "Leaving your bedside drawer alone now?" Max continues, getting straight to business as Nancy's eyes widen while her face goes red.

I laugh, as Nancy gasped.

"Max," She laughed nervously, tossing some popcorn at her. Giggling, Max puts her hands up in defense.

"Hey, were were all thinking it." Max shrugs as Robin chuckles at the sight.

"You still didn't answer her question Wheeler." Robin smirks making Nancy glow more as she pushes her hair off her shoulder nervously.

"It's uh- um been nice." Nancy admits, "And yes, I've-um been leaving my bedside drawer alone more often now." She said sheepishly, bringing her hands to her face as we all erupted in a howl to her response.

Still giggling Max turns towards me, still wanting to start off tonight's talk headstrong. I raise my eyebrow at her in challenge as she grins in acceptance.

"Now enough about Nancy, how about you (Y/N). Have you found someone to take place of the box in your closet?" She questions, making all the girls turn towards me. I shake my head, popping a few M&Ms into my mouth.

"I think you need to stop snooping through our rooms and take a look under your boyfriend's bed." I laugh, leaning back into the couch.

"Erica has said some things." I tell her as she shakes her head in disgust.

"Uh gross, I don't care to know what boys look at. They go feral over a piece of bread." Max shudders. Making us all snicker at her sudden repulsion.

"But let's be real, has anyone caught your eye yet?" Robin continues for Max, making eye contact with me. As I shake my head, shrugging.

"I'm just not looking to get into a new relationship." I admit, telling partially the truth. El furrows her eyebrows at me.

"Don't you want to be happy?" El asks, making me shake my head at what this poor girl has been taught.

"You don't need someone to be happy, and my box in my closet takes care of me very well." I tell them, pointing at the other three. They all share a glance before Nancy turns back towards me.

"You know who I think would be okay with your box?" Nancy says, making me hum in response as she gains confidence.

"Eddie." She smirks as Robin claps in excitement.

"Oh yes defiantly! Remember when we were in his room and saw the handcuffs on his wall!" Robin reminds Nancy. Causing Max to smile in response.

"He defiantly is a freak for reasons people don't know." Max nods as the older girls nod in agreement. Poor El looked confused, not understanding how far sex can actually go.

"Why would he have handcuffs in his room? He's not a police officer." El asks, causing all of us to laugh nervously.

"That's a conversation for another day honey." I tell her as she nods, understanding I'll explain it to her a different day. I was trying to not let my face redden at the conversation at hand, because I had defiantly used those handcuffs on multiple occasions; on me and Eddie.

"I still haven't heard a no, have you ladies?" Robin raises a eyebrow, glancing at the girls.

"I have not either Robin." Nancy agrees as all their eyes go back on me causing me to laugh lightly.

"Eddie is just a friend." I lie causing all of them to roll their eyes.

"So was Jonathan." Nancy states.

"And so was Lucas." Max reminds, making me feel defensive.

"That doesn't mean me and Eddie are going to become anything." I point out.

"But he likes you." El states, not understanding why we wouldn't date each other.

"What?" I choke on my drink, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

"He likes you, I can tell." She tells me.

"He most defiantly likes you." Nancy agrees.

"And you like him too." El points out.

"I don't think you guys know what you're seeing." I roll my eyes, throat starting to tighten under the pressure of the girls.

"(Y/N) will you please just admit you're into him." Robin begs. As Max fights herself on sharing a piece of information, before deciding to share it with the room.

"You're over there almost every night for some reason." Max speaks up.

"You pay attention to when I'm over there?" I look at her, raising an eyebrow.

Eddie's home hadn't been the only one available in the neighborhood he moved to, just like his trailer wasn't the only one to get ruined. Max once again had became his neighbor as her mom had to find a new place to live.

"Funny enough the nights you aren't there, Eddie doesn't seem to be home either." Max smirks, knowing she connected the dots a few months ago as the girls soak up the information.

Nancy's face lights up as she realizes what she just heard.

"OH MY GOD." She says sitting up, slamming her hands on the floor.

"OH MY GOD!" She squeals, "You two are already dating!" She points at me as my face turns red, not knowing how I could get out of this.

Everyone jumps up slightly at my face turning red. Sighing, I pick up a Twizzler.

"You can't tell anyone." I point it at them as they scream. After everyone calms down Max leans forward.

"So does he really live up to the freak title?" Max asks, causing a laugh to escape my lips.

------

Eddie's P.O.V

Instead of being in bed with (Y/N), I'm stuck here listening to Dustin give Steve Harrington love advice. Not that I don't find it amusing that King Steve is now needing a 15 year old to tell him what to do to find a girlfriend.

"I'm telling you that you need to find your Suzie dude." Dustin tells Steve while all of us guys lay in different parts of the living room. Steve looked annoyed with the young boy, wondering why he always felt the need to help him.

"How come you don't bug Eddie on finding his Suzie." Steve says defensively, wanting not to the the topic of conversation.

Curiously I glanced at Dustin, wondering why I haven't heard him bug me on finding someone for a few months actually.

Anyone could tell that Steve's words had taken Dustin aback especially by the way Dustin goes to speak and then pauses for a second when he realized all the eyes were on him. Putting his hands up in defense he goes to speak.

"Okay it's not my place, but I think Eddie has already found his Suzie." Dustin tells us, making my throat turn dry.

"What do you mean?" I ask, rubbing my neck slightly. Dustin turns to me, raising an eyebrow.

"I mean, I hear you sneak into my sister's room every other night." Dustin reveals, causing everyone to gasp. "My mom might be deaf but I'm not, and those walls are thin." He tells me.

"Hell yeah man, you found the girl of you dreams. Good for you dude." Argyle smiles, lifting a his drink at me in cheers. While I nod, before turning to Dustin.

"Dustin I don't know who you're hearing but it's not me." I shrug, trying to keep my cool as the boy rolls his eyes.

"How many other people roll up listening to heavy metal? Plus you park right down my alley." He tells me. "Also, I'm not stupid." The younger brother reminds me.

"I park down your alley at midnight, why are you out at midnight?" I question him, leaning towards him.

"Why are you down my alley if you're not dating my sister?" He challenges, leaning forward as well.

"Hold up, hold up. You're telling me Munson here is screwing Henderson?" Steve asks. "How the hell did that happen?" Causing a chuckle to escape my lips, I always knew he had a thing for her, it's probably why he was nice to Dustin in the first place.

I watch as Dustin physically gags.

"Ew dude, don't say that. She's still my sister." He shakes in disgust.

"Well it sounds like you've been listening to it for a few months." I laugh, pulling my beer up to my lips.

"They make Walkman's for a reason." Dustin shivers.

While everyone else caught onto the words that just left my mouth.

"Months?" Mike and Lucas's eye's widen.

"Months," I nod.

"Now that's not fair, I thought she was off limits." Steve shakes his head in annoyance.

"She was supposed to be, but it looks like someone didn't listen." Dustin eyes me, causing a chuckle to escape my lips.

"Okay, to end on a serious note. I am going to need you guys to not say anything because your sister will kill me if she knew I told." I explain to them.

-----

Thank you!

#eddie munson #eddie stranger things #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x female reader #eddie munson smut #eddie munson angst #eddie munson x plus size reader #eddie munson x you #stranger things #stranger things spoliers #stranger things season 4 #joseph quinn #joseph quinn imagine #joseph quinn x reader #joseph quinn imgine #eddie munson imagine

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stupittmoran · 10 months

Text

Did you know that Bill Gates' primary residence in Seattle boasts 7 bedrooms, 24 bathrooms, a 60-foot pool with an underwater music system, a 2,500-square-foot gym, a 1,000-square-foot dining room, six kitchens, and a trampoline room with a 20-foot ceiling? And let's not forget the 2,100-square-foot library, a home theater that seats up to 20 guests, and a massive 300-square-foot reception hall with room for 200 guests. And there's also a spacious guesthouse, a garage that fits 23 cars, and an artificial stream stocked with fish.

Depending on the source, its value is estimated at $127 to $170 million. But wait, there's more! Gates also owns homes in Del Mar, California at sea level ($43 million), Indian Wells, California ($12.5 million), Wellington, Florida ($8.7 million), and a ranch in Wyoming ($8.9 million). A fun little tidbit about his Florida property: In 2016, he paid $13.5 million for the neighboring house. Rumor has it he's also bought four other properties on the same street, making him the sole resident of the entire block.

While Bill doesn't own a mega-yacht, he regularly charters them for his vacations. He also has a penchant for spending big on luxury cars, and let's not forget his four private jets. In interviews, he's mentioned that purchasing private jets is his "guilty pleasure."

Now, isn't it ironic that one of the main proponents of reducing our carbon footprint lives like this? With such an expansive estate and luxurious lifestyle, we can't help but wonder how much his own carbon footprint is ballooning.

If the people who are urging us to reduce our carbon footprints are living lives of excess, how can we trust their motivations and the validity of their claims about man-made climate change?

Don't be like Bill!

--Dr. Simon Goddek on Twitter

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johnny-coxville · 1 year

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How about a really cute johnny and female reader (she's johnnys girlfriend but she doesn't do any of the stunts) fic where they're playing with the Super Mighty Glue for the third film and one of the other guys sticks the reader and Johnny together and he's really cute with it and finds it hilarious?

Figured I might as well mix the two aspects of the asks ;P

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Johnny x fem!reader fluff

♡

Too Close!

The glue that rested inside the wooden drawer was saved for a rainy day. That day. Was today. Johnny opened the blinds in the bedroom, squinting at the bright sunlight. The rain beat down on the window, giving cool air through the cracks.

He turned his head to you, where you slept softly. He made his way back over to the bed and sat down. Scratching your head, and brushing the hair out of your face. You slowly woke up, greeted by a soft kiss from Johnny. You smiled and kissed his lips. Laying your head back down on the pillow. You stretched your arms and yawned.

“Time to get up sweetheart, heading to Bam’s. It’s raining so you’re being dragged along to watch a stunt. I swear it’s harmless.” He said rubbing your shoulder. You sighed. “Alright. But if you get hurt I’m not driving you to the hospital this time.” You muttered. Of course, this was a bluff you always got so scared when he’d do such a dangerous stunt.

You two got up and dressed. Johnny slipped into his blue and white long-sleeve. Looping the belt through his black jeans. Tying his signature skull and crutches Converse. You took one of his flannels, sporting a black t-shirt underneath. Leaving it unbuttoned. You never bothered putting on a raincoat.

Finishing with your shoes, he slipped his jacket on. Grabbing the hotel keycard and sliding it into his jacket pocket. Passing you the car keys, you both headed into the heavy rain. Driving through PA wasn’t your favorite thing, but at least it wasn’t California traffic.

Johnny chatted the entire way there. Finally pulling into Bam’s driveway, multiple cars had already been pulled up. You were honestly nervous. You really weren’t interested in whatever house-destroying antics they were going to get up to.

Johnny reassured you, their plans wouldn’t be putting themselves in danger. You simply rolled your eyes and got prepared to run through the rain. Entering Bam’s parents, you shook yourself dry. Being greeted by April as usual.

She led you to the kitchen where the entire gang sat. You knew this would be trouble. All sitting at the table, like rowdy little children. They greeted you and Johnny. Sat on the table were a few containers of super glue. You looked at it unsure, looking over to Johnny.

Kosick stood leaning against the kitchen counter, camera mounted on his arm. Along with a few of the other film crew, just relaxing, waiting for the action to start. You were giving quite an unsure look. What were they going to do? Glue their lips to each other's assholes? See how far they could run with glue stuck to their feet? It had to have been something extremely outlandish.

¨Don’t look too excited for this Cons.” Dave giggled. You smiled. He always called you Cons because he could never remember your actual name. Converse were the only shoes you and Johnny ever wore, so the name stuck. “Not really. I mean. It’s probably a lot better than most of the things you’ve done.” You said pulling a chair at the table.

Bam took the initiative and stood at the foot of the table. “I say Johnny and Cons do something together! She’s never in our stunts. There’s no way we could hurt her with some super glue.” Bam said pointing at you. April facepalmed. She loved you dearly, and always talked you out of a stunt, no matter how small and stupid it was.

You nodded your head. “What are your plans.” You said caving. What’s the worse that could happen? “Alright, so you’re going to want to take your shirt o-” Before Bam could even finish Johnny cut him off with a flat no. Tremaine in the corner gave a suggestion. “Wee-man and Preston first. Just to see how it works out.” He said pointing to the two guys who uncomfortably shuffled. Sighing Preston got out of his seat.

Wee-man follows behind and stands with his arms folded. Never really fond of actually having to do a stunt. “Shirt off. Both of you” Tremaine said stepping closer with his smaller camera equipment. “Fucking seriously?” Preston scoffed.

He discarded his shirt, annoyed, and stood waiting for the next move. Wee-man reluctantly removed his shirt and stood face-palming. “Wait wait wait, I wanna do the glue!” You shouted. Tremaine shrugged his shoulders. “Works with me.” He said giving the go for filming. Everyone began to shuffle into place. Getting out of their chairs. The camera began to roll.

“Hello, I’m Johnny Knoxville! And this isss Super Mighty Glue!” He said reading the name off the glue bottle. You stood with an excited smile. “Here we have two very willing and lovely participants.” He said presenting Preston and Wee-man, with incredibly annoyed faces. You snickered taking over the bit.

“Alright, Preston you’re on the bottom, and wee-man you’re on top.” You said helping Preston slide onto the counter. The guys were already hysterical. Once Preston was on the table, you lathered his stomach full of glue. It smelled awful but surely felt even more often to feel on the skin. Wee-man was assisted onto the table, Bam shoving him backward while he was trying to balance.

“Bam!” April screamed, hitting him in the shoulder. Wee-man’s ass now glued to Preston's stomach. “Hold on! Hold on! I got this.” Johnny said pulling out a stun gun. Before he could even take a few steps Wee-man started to scream and fight, painfully ripping himself off of Preston's stomach. Preston screamed in pain pushing himself off the table. Both men jumping around and screaming.

“Someone fucking lather up Knoxville. This shit hurts!” Wee-man screamed out. Johnny wanting to prove some kind of point, maybe that he was tough, laid on the table, pulling his shirt off. “Lather me up, baby!” He said rubbing his hands together.

You squeezed two different bottles of glue onto his chest, cringing at the glue glopping and running down him. You crossed around the counter cautiously not to be stuck to Johnny in some stupid way. Just as you were ready to put the glue down, Dunn hauled you up by your shirt. You couldn’t fight his grip, being picked up like some kind of toddler by their onesie. He pressed you directly against Johnny’s bare sticky body. Johnny found this hysterical, you definitely did not.

“No fucking way! Get me off of him!” You shout. Everyone laughing except April. Johnny was nearly in tears by this point laughing, carefully trying to slide off the table. Every time you tried to pull yourself off of him, he’d squeal in pain. Your t-shirt was basically infused into his skin. Your flannel awkwardly stuck to the sides of his body where glue had seeped down.

Aww’s and laughter were spread throughout the room. You rested an angry face on his shoulder as he held you against his chest. “She’s reaallyyy stuck to me, man!” Johnny said showing you off to the camera. Flopping his body around trying to detach you. “Definitely going to have to cut her off of me..” Johnny said scratching his head. Glue stuck to his fingers getting caught up in his hair.

Looking into the camera he cringed. Ripping his fingers out of his hair, he pulled hair straight from his scalp. “Yep. I’m done! Can someone just. Set my shirt on top of her hand so she can change..” Knoxville asked.

April let out a heavy sigh. “I’ve got it.” She said leaving the kitchen. Coming back with one of her t-shirts for you to wear. You kept trying to kick at his knees, nearly having Johnny buckle over a few times. Giggling each time you made a poor attempt. “I’m going to glue your beard to someone’s pubes Dunn. I fucking swear on it.” You said as April wrapped the shirt around your neck for you to use shortly.

He giggled in the corner shaking his head. Johnny carried you around the house, holding you close. You felt like a baby strapped to his dad’s chest. Once you were nearly in the bathroom you could hear the other guys hollering. Assuming one of them had continued the bit.

He closed the bathroom door and shuffled himself to the counter to grab the scissors. You let out a heavy sigh. He giggled to himself, making eye contact from time to time. “I swear I could kill him PJ” You said pulling yourself slightly back to let him cut through the fabric. Thankfully these weren’t “good clothes”. You’d be fuming.

Once he had gotten the shirt undone, he just tore the flannel off. You finally were let go, sitting on the bathroom counter. You stared at his now extremely patchy chest, covered almost entirely in your shirt. You shrugged, sliding your new shirt on.

“Pugs! Not Drugs!” Johnny read your shirt. “That’s fucking great.” He sighed trying to relax his laughter. April always provided the best shirts. Another one to the collection. Once you had managed to clean the shirt pieces off Johnny, you both walked out to the kitchen. Dunn’s beard glued completely to the side of Bam’s face.

Idiots.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

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rustedhearts · 1 year

Text

Got It Bad (Boxer!Steve x Librarian!Fem!reader)

summary: steve's sudden rise to pro-boxing fame comes with a change of scenery, and new (old) friends

uses she/her pronouns and female anatomy.

♡ the steve collection ♡

♡ the rockstar!eddie setlist by @carolmunson ♡

warnings: a dash of angst, the return of our lovable rockstar (actually our first time meeting him in this au though), a smidge of smut, mention of alcohol, mention of drugs/addiction.

a/n: for reference, libby is 19, steve is 23, eddie is 25

february, 1990

Steve's rise to fame came faster than either of you could imagine.

The man himself seemed unprepared for how quickly endorsements flocked to him, willing to make up contracts and pay him a large chunk of change to promote them on his his first hop around the country. Steve signed a ten month contract at the end of December that went into affect New Year's day: his legal agreement to professionally beat the shit out of people on camera and make money doing it. His first televised fight was at the end of January, and he was a nervous wreck the whole month leading up to it.

When he inevitably won, he spent a little too much money on celebratory champagne and a hotel room, where you spent an entire weekend living a life you just couldn't get used to. Chocolate-covered strawberries, room service, sex all day, rose-petal baths, and everyone willing to make your stay as comfortable as possible. It didn't seem real, all this attention.

Now that he was making a name for himself—and making money he didn't know what to do with—he needed a manager. Big, his coach, made some calls and found Mikey Santorini, an LA based manager willing to take Steve on.

And for the promise you made to each other? Well, you didn't break it. Maybe that was the problem.

You told the library you'd be back soon, but you knew that was a lie. They made you a "bon voyage" basket, full of special edition covers of your favorite books and handmade bookmarks. You cried when your coworker, Lisa, presented it to you. The library wasn't just a job—it was your safe haven. You'd memorized every aisle, knew where every author lied. You had no idea when you'd see it again.

"We can visit a library in every city, I promise, baby," Steve told you when you came to his apartment sniffling.

You tried not to dwell on how easily he brushed aside the fact that you were putting your career on hold for him. You tried not to stop and think about that for too long, either. You loved Steve, didn't that matter more?

On the first of February, you said goodbye to your family.

Steve carried your luggage down the stairs from your bedroom. Your parents and younger brother, Nick, lined up near the front door, watching silently as he came in and out. Every time he hurried down the snow-coated front steps, your bedroom looked a little emptier.

When the last of it was in Steve's hands, you trudged down after him, heart tugging at the sight of your family all huddled together. Your mother wasn't doing much to conceal her tears, though your father seemed to be doing his best to console her. Nick looked unimpressed, a bored expression plastered across his chubby cheeks—but you knew him better than that, and those big eyes said it all. He was just as sad as you were to say goodbye.

Steve stopped near the front door, turning to flash you a small smile. "I'll give you a minute, okay?"

You nodded, accepting his gentle peck on the mouth. You watched him go, pulling the screen door closed behind him to bring warmth back to the house. A black SUV sat on the curb, supervised by Big in the driver seat. You only had a few hours before you had to be on the road. It would take all day to drive to California from here.

Rubbing your slick palms on your denim thighs, you turned to face your family.

"Um, so...this is it, I guess."

Your mother sniffled, wiping at her glistening cheeks. Her wedding ring glistened in the morning light. When she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around you, your heart burst. She smelled just how she always did, her perfume sweet and soothing, her hair drenched in the same hairspray she'd been using since you were a girl. Her sweater was soft, her skin warm, and you could feel the cool metal of the necklace she never took off pressing against your neck.

"I can't believe my baby girl is leaving," she hiccuped.

Your father reached forward and pinched the back of your mother's sweater, gently guiding her away from you. Tears pooled in your eyes and lodged in your throat, but you swallowed them down as your father opened his arms. You knew if you cried, so would your father, and then they'd never let you leave. But it suddenly felt so real, this departure.

"Call us every day, okay, pumpkin?" Your father muttered against the top of your hair.

You nodded, pressing your cheek to his chest, squeezing your arms tight around his stomach. He rubbed your back for a moment before letting go with a kiss to the head. You knew it was for his own good that he didn't hold on for too long.

You turned to Nick with a grin, punching his arm as hard as you could. He scowled, rubbing at it with a yelp.

"Gonna miss me, squirt?"

Nick rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure. Whatever."

You swallowed hard, chest growing tighter by the second. He was only a freshman in high school, and you grew up looking forward to helping him through it. Now, you wouldn't be here to see what sort of shit he got into, or bail him out of any trouble he'd inevitably get roped into. You'd miss his first homecoming, his first football game, his first girlfriend.

"I'll miss you," you admitted.

Nick's eyes cast down at his socked feet, arms dropping to his sides. He balled his hands into fists, and you knew he was inches away from tears.

"Whatever. Don't die, I guess."

You giggled. "Okay."

"Hey." Steve came rushing back into the house, cheeks pink from the wind, your luggage shoved into the trunk of the SUV. "Ready to go?"

You nodded, flashing your family another smile. "I guess I'll see you guys soon. I'll call the minute we get there. Steve's fight is on channel three, you can watch it!"

Steve cocked a sheepish grin, crossing his arms over his chest. Your mother barely glanced at him, reaching out to give you one last firm squeeze and a kiss on the cheek. You didn't even mind the glossy lip print she left in her wake.

Your father reached out and clasped Steve on the shoulder.

"You take good care of my girl, you hear me? If I find out anything happened to her, I swear to fucking god—"

"—Dad!"

Steve remained steadily stoic under your father's disapproving frown and sharp glare. "I understand, sir. I'd never let anything happen to her, I swear."

Your father nodded curtly before releasing Steve. Steve's hand instantly sought the small of your back, pulling you into him gently. You waved at your family, blowing your mother a kiss.

"Bye, I love you guys."

On your way down the street, you watched your mother cry in the front window, and your father wrap his arms around her.

♡ ♡

You had three days before the fight, though they all seemed jam-packed with events and training. You barely had a second to unpack your clothes at the hotel before you were being hauled off to another sweaty, humid gym.

But on the second day, Steve woke up early and rolled toward your side of the bed, smacking kisses all over your bare neck. You squirmed in your sleep, waking with a gasp when his teeth sank into your throat.

"Steve," you squeaked, sighing contentedly when he tugged you flush against his bare chest.

"Morning, my angel," he murmured into your bare skin.

Half-asleep and bleary, a hum rumbled through your throat, hand rising to bat around for Steve's fluffy hair. When you found it, you pushed your fingers through the heap of it, stroking for your own comfort. Steve nuzzled further into your neck, unable to control himself from pressing another eager kiss to the underside of the jaw. You smelled so good in the morning, and you skin was always so warm and soft.

"Morning, Stevie."

Your voice sent a jolt through his chest. He smiled to himself, tightening his arms around your waist. He couldn't believe this was his life.

"Got a call from an old buddy ," he announced, playing with the satin of your sleep tank. "He lives in California now, said he wants to get together and catch up. Invited us to his band practice today."

You hummed, rubbing at your eyes. You still weren't used to sleeping anywhere other than Steve's lumpy mattress at his old apartment, or the same bed you'd been sleeping in since you were young. Sleep didn't come easy away from home.

"He's in a band?" A yawn split your mouth open. You tossed around a moment, still caged in Steve's arms, until you were on your back.

You pried your eyes open and smiled at Steve, reaching up to scratch at the stubble on his jaw with your nails. He eased into it like a cat. He forced his eyes open, propping himself up on one elbow to gaze down at you. Fondness drenched his features, eyes twinkling with a look only you were lucky enough to see. He swept two fingers across your forehead to brush your hair out of your eyes, letting them drag down your cheek gently.

"Yep, ever since Hawkins days."

Your brows jumped. "Oh, he's from Hawkins, too?"

Steve pinched your chin between his thumb and knuckle, tipping your head up to bare your mouth to him.

"Yep." He bent and pressed your mouths together. "Went..." Another kiss, head tipping to explore different angles of your mouth. "...to high school..." He flicked his tongue along your bottom lip and nipped at it. "...together."

You squirmed on the mattress below him, cheeks warming and thighs squeezing together. Your fingers dug into his bulging biceps with need as he situated himself over you. Your thighs stung with the stretch needed to accommodate him.

"Can't wait to meet him."

Steve lowered his pelvis to press flush against yours, snatching a sharp gasp from your throat. His erection throbbed against your panties, satin sleep shorts abandoned on the floor from last night. He smirked at the little sound, running the tip of his nose along your collarbones, blowing hot air across your tender morning skin. He had you shivering like the cold and he'd barely even touched you.

"Mhm, later. Right now, I gotta take care a' my girl."

He disappeared beneath the covers, wedged between your legs thrown over his shoulders. He spent thirty minutes suffocating between them just to hear you whine and cry, and didn't let up until your face was burning red.

♡ ♡

After three hours in the gym and a quick shower, you climbed into the SUV with Steve to meet his friend. It was much warmer here in California—you weren't used to having bare shoulders and exposed legs in February. You wore one of Steve's favorite dresses, a piece from your mother's closet that she gifted to you when she could no longer fit into it. Steve said it made you look like "one of those disco girls, but in a really hot way."

You expected to arrive at a shabby house with a garage full of instruments, so all you could do was frown in confusion when Steve pulled against the curb of The Troubadour.

"Um...Steve?"

Steve popped the glovebox, rifling through the mess of papers and cassettes before pulling out his sunglasses. He shoved them over his eyes and slammed it closed. "Huh?"

You were slow to take your seatbelt off, still glancing through the window with a pout. "What band did you say your friend was in?"

Steve hopped out of the car, and you instantly pulled the visor down to check your lipstick and the state of your hair before he reached your side. When he helped you out of the car, he was quick to wrap his arm around your shoulders and guide you toward the door, though he hadn't answered your question.

Inside, any glimpse of the California sunlight disappeared into darkness. The stage was massive, much too big for a small time band, and you found your eyes bouncing around frantically toward each band poster on the wall for some sort of hint. Steve seemed to know exactly where he was going, though, and guided you toward a door just off the stage.

The plucky twang of guitar strings and the rowdy chorus of male laughter echoed from a room down the hall. Your nerves suddenly felt cold. This was a big time band, and you were just some small town girl.

Sunglasses and brown bomber jacket on, Steve stomped down the hall with you under his arm like he'd been here all his life. You admired that air of confidence and ease.

Steve shoved the door at the end of the hall open, revealing a small cinderblock room with a sectional, tables of alcohol and food wrappers, and a gaggle of men in black leather.

Corroded Coffin.

"Holy shi—"

"Harrington! You made it, man."

Eddie Munson, frontman for Corroded Coffin, came staggering toward Steve with his arms out. Steve kept one around you as he clasped Eddie on the back; two large, leather-padded smacks rang through the room. Your cheeks suddenly felt very warm and swollen. You glanced past Eddie toward the rest of the band, talking amongst themselves and nursing beer. They all glistened with a sheen of sweat, and the room reeked with a haze of alcohol and cigarettes.

You never thought you'd see them outside of the poster on your closet door or the album on your bookshelf.

"And who's this cutie?"

You turned, feeling the heat of the sun gather in your face at the sight of two black eyes steadied on you. Eddie's hair was as large and wild as ever, eyes rimmed with smudged eyeliner, a heavy silver chain around his neck, another one clinking on the low belt loop of his jeans when he crossed his arms and smirked at you. You swallowed, pressing closer to Steve.

"This is my girl, Libby. Libby, this is—"

"—I know who you are," you squeaked. You seemed to be growing hotter by the second, though that seemed out of the realm of possibility.

Eddie's brows shot up, and he tossed a quick glance toward Steve. "That so? Harrington, you didn't tell me you caught yourself a little metalhead."

Steve pushed his glasses to the top of his head, sliding his hand down to your waist. "News to me, Munson."

To ease the sudden stiffness between the two hulking men, you shot your hand out toward Eddie with a saccharine smile. "Nice to meet you."

Eddie's laughter made you start to pull back, but he suddenly bent at the waist and accepted your hand, shaking it with a gentle bow. "And you, sweetheart. C'mon, take a seat. I wanna hear all about this fight, Harrington."

Steve pulled you onto his lap when he sank down on the leather sectional, and you were slightly grateful for it after seeing the sight of those sticky cushions. His big hands splayed across your bare thighs, pulling the hem of your dress down a little further.

Eddie sat across from you, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, ringed hands reaching toward a bottle of Jack Daniels on the floor. He pulled the top and poured a stream into his mouth. You inwardly winced when he gulped it down like water, wiping his shiny mouth with the back of his palm.

Eddie held the bottle out, but Steve waved his hand dismissively. Eddie angled the top of the bottle toward you, brows raised. Steve's hand tightened on your thigh, and you smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, no thank you."

If Eddie thought you were lame for denying the alcohol, he didn't show it. Instead, he took another swig and set the bottle on the floor.

"So," he mused, easing back on the sofa, "how'd you two meet?"

Steve drummed his fingers on your thigh, making small tapping sounds, and you slid your fingers through his to interlock them.

"At a party," Steve replied.

Eddie stretched his arm along the back of the sofa. The band lingered in the corner, chatting amongst themselves, though curiously glancing at the pair of you on the sofa. You averted your gaze when the one with shaggy hair dropped his eye in a wink, cheeks burning. If Steve had seen, you knew he would've tossed you aside and gotten his knuckles bloody in a heartbeat.

"Oh! Still the life of the party, Harrington?" Eddie snickered.

You giggled, but Steve only mustered a combination of a smirk and a scowl. "She's from Hawkins, too."

Eddie's eyes rounded with delight, plump lips parting with genuine surprise. He turned to you, and you squished a little closer to Steve, who tapped the side of your thigh with his open palm. "Get my lighter for me, baby?"

You nodded, dipping your hand into the inner pocket of his jacket to fish out the silver zippo. In that time, he'd swiped a cigarette from the table in a random pack, and you brought the lighter to his mouth where the cigarette waited.

"If you're from Hawkins, how come I don't remember you?" Eddie inquired, watching the interaction with amusement.

You snapped the lighter shut and dropped it back into Steve's pocket, watching him inhale a deep drag before blowing it away toward the door. The stench of tobacco used to make you sick, but now it smelled like Steve.

You turned to Eddie and grinned, full-cheeked and sweet. "Oh, you were already in the band by the time I got to high school, and Steve had graduated."

Eddie's smile slipped, eyes sliding to Steve beside you with a slow cock of his head. You tried not to let your smile mimic Eddie's—of disappointment and dismay—and tapped Steve's shoulder.

"I'll be right back."

You placed your heels on the floor to push off and stand up, but Steve tugged you back gently by the arm, cigarette propped in the corner of his mouth. Brows furrowed and lips pulled into a frown, he shook his head.

"Where y' goin', angel?"

You giggled nervously, the back of your neck gathering sweat. "Just to the bathroom, Stevie."

Eddie snickered, sliding a cigarette out of the pack on the table. He brought it to his mouth with his eyes trained solely on the two of you. Steve released your arm and you stood to your feet, bending to press a quick kiss to his cheek.

"Be right back, promise," you cooed.

You were a few steps from the door when you heard Eddie chuckle. "Yeah, Stevie, she promises."

You skittered down the hall toward the ladies' room, closing the door and sliding the lock over.

While you were gone, Eddie lit his cigarette and leaned forward again, hunched over his lap toward Steve.

"Harrington, how the fuck old is this girl?" His voice was low and grumbly.

Steve rolled his eyes, plucking his sunglasses from the crown of his head to tuck them into his jacket. "She's nineteen, Munson, lay the fuck off."

Eddie chuckled, spluttering clouds of smoke into the air.

"Harrington, be honest with me, did you 'nap her?"

Steve shook his head, tonguing away a sideways grin. It'd been a long time since he'd seen Eddie. Though they went to high school together, they never ran in the same crowds. It wasn't until Steve graduated that he met Eddie at a party, woozy out on coke and Jack with a girl under each arm. At first, they just nodded to each other at parties. But when they got to talking, they realized they could make each other laugh, and bonded over their mutual love for women. That was all it took for a friendship to form.

It seemed Eddie had fallen drunk to the rock and roll life. Steve eyed the end of a tied baggie hanging out of Eddie's jacket wearily. He'd been here with his friend before.

"Nah, man, she uh...she's really great," Steve admitted, trying not to let it show just how much he truly ached for you.

"God, she must be. Callin' you Stevie, laying all over your lap. You got it bad, Harrington," Eddie teased in a musical tone.

Steve tapped his ashes toward the floor, shooting Eddie a glare.

"Not bad enough to stop me kickin' your ass."

Eddie's hands flew up with a giggle. "Oh-ho-ho. C'mon, lemme see those jabs, King Steve. I heard you're taking bodies in the ring."

Eddie leaned over the table, a quick fist appearing to shoot out and punch Steve's arm. Steve quickly retaliated, smacking Eddie upside the head in a much more humiliating act that had Eddie's cheeks burning pink.

The door chittered on its hinges, and all heads turned to watch you quietly tiptoe in. You kept your eyes on the floor the whole brisk journey toward Steve, taking tiny but quick steps. You instantly slid back into his lap, comforted by the weight of his arm around your waist, the callused feel of his hand on your thigh.

Eddie leaned back into the sofa again, all wide shoulders and black hair. He hollowed his cheeks around his cigarette and pulled at his jacket until his arms were free of it, revealing two ivory biceps cut with lean muscle. You instantly burned at the sight of them, scrawled with tattoos, and placed your eyes on your lap.

"So, what d' you do, sweet thing? You in college?" Eddie asked, words escaping him with a coil of smoke.

You glanced at Steve, shaking your head in response. Steve was as stoically blank as ever, and you weren't sure if Eddie's use of pet names bothered him or not.

"Um, no, I'm a librarian—"

"—ooh," Eddie interrupted the moment your occupation left your mouth, lips pouted in an 'o' shape, brows furrowed and eyes scrunched, "sexy."

Steve's fingers dug into your thigh, his spare hand ripping the cigarette from his mouth. You barely had a moment to turn your head and clock the angled position of his brows, the crease in his forehead, before he was pointing his cigarette at Eddie.

"Munson." The single utterance was sharp with warning.

The room went quiet for a split second. You brought your hand to the back of Steve's neck, playing with the ends of his hair, and Eddie's face slowly relaxed into another wide, dimpled smile. His hands rose again, though this time in surrender.

The men shared a look of understanding that went unseen by you. But Steve could see it, the appreciative cock of Eddie's head, the small 'I'm happy for you' coded in the way he nodded. They both knew, deep down, that all Steve ever wanted was to know he could be loved.

"So," Eddie cleared his throat, clasping his hands together with a sharp smack, "you guys stickin' around for the show tonight?"

You visibly perked up, grin returning with a twitch of your lips. Before Steve could even dismiss the idea, you pushed your fingers through his hair and turned to Eddie.

"I'd love to!"

Eddie mirrored your grin, his all dimples and charm, and turned his attention to your scowling boyfriend. Only Steve could see through his friendly joy, and note the mocking amusement that lingered beneath.

"She'd love to, Harrington," Eddie cooed.

Cheeks burning, you peered down at Steve with big, round eyes. "It'll be fun, Steve. Beats being cooped up in that hotel room all night."

You stroked the back of his head languidly, feathering his satin locks between your fingers. You could see the gears turning in his head, thinking over your request. His fingers drummed on your thigh again, arm pressing into your spine. Steve hated saying no to you, but he wasn't sure he could handle a crowded club full of screeching guitars and girls too young to be throwing bras and panties at Eddie.

"Ah, nobody wants that! Come on, Harrington, your girl wants to rock!" Eddie reached out and slapped Steve's knee with the back of his hand.

Steve made a "psh" sound, pinching the bridge of his nose. You pressed a kiss to his cheek, sweet and scented of vanilla flavored lipgloss, and Steve's resolve fizzled into nothing.

"Fuck—fine, whatever," he grumbled.

That earned him a soft squeal of excitement from you, and his face scrunched when you grabbed it with both hands to plant a sticky kiss on his mouth. Eddie grinned at it, the way you could squish Steve's cheeks together and smear pink glitter across his face without being reprimanded for it. It was the clear the hulking athlete had it bad for you.

As Steve gently pulled your hands away, the trill of a phone broke through the muffled chatter and low strum of guitars in the dressing room. Before either of you could stop to wonder where it was coming from, Eddie leapt from the couch. He toppled over bottles on the floor, half tripping on the end of the coffee table on his way to the phone hanging on the wall.

"Hey gorgeous," he gasped into the receiver, slamming himself against the wall, out of breath and eager.

The rest of the band assumed Eddie's side of the sectional, and it was the shaggy blond, Gareth, that leaned forward and grinned. "That's gotta be Rink."

You pulled your brows together. "Rink?"

"Stella? Stella Rink? His girlfriend," Gareth explained.

Your head snapped over to Steve, eyes blown wide. "Stella Rink? Eddie's dating Stella Rink?"

Steve shrugged, pulling the hem of your dress down again. He glared toward the band, whose eyes were skimming over the shape of you.

"Dunno who that is, angel."

You cocked your head at Steve, eyes rolling. "We just saw one of her movies last week. She was the main character, Steve, the really pretty one."

Steve let his head fall back against the leather couch cushions, fixing you with an unamused look.

"Now, why would I be lookin' at another girl when I got you, hmm?"

Your eyes rolled again on their own, though your cheeks grew sore from your giddy smile. Steve ate it up, wrapping a hand around the underside of your jaw to pull you down and attach your mouths together. The band of men on the other couch became forgotten at the taste of foreign cigarettes on his mouth, the stiffness of his lap beneath you.

"You're so full of shit," you giggled against the swipe of his tongue.

Steve nipped at your bottom lip and shrugged. "S' the truth. Can't deny the truth, baby."

The phone returned to the cradle on the wall with a bell's chime, and you pulled away from Steve just in time to see Eddie trudging back. Steve brought his arm up to rest around your shoulders, yanking you down until your head knocked into his.

"How's America's sweetheart, Munson?" Gareth snickered, watching Eddie pout.

"Too busy," the rockstar huffed.

You gnawed on your lip a moment, cheeks warm again. "So, you're really dating Stella Rink?"

Eddie spun to face you with such fervor that you recoiled into Steve, and his hand tightened on your thigh to pull you closer.

"Dating her? Honey, that's my wife."

Confusion twisted on your face, but the band just snickered at Eddie's whole-hearted declaration.

"They've been dating for, like, three months," Jeff, the bassist, chuckled.

Eddie waved his hands, brushing off the band's dismissal. He perched on the arm of the couch on the other side of Steve, all pale limbs and black attire. He placed one foot on the cushion next to Steve and bent over his knee, speaking to the pair of you like telling a secret.

"Well, when you know, you know. Right, Harrington?"

At this angle, Steve got a better look at the baggie in Eddie's pocket—a familiar white powder coated the plastic. Steve tore his eyes slowly away from the baggie and met Eddie's gaze, making sure the shaggy-haired man knew what Steve had been looking at.

Eddie swallowed, smile slipping, but Steve's eyes were steadily narrowed with suspicious warning.

"Right," Steve agreed.

They continued to stare at each other—Steve unnervingly calm and Eddie a little squirmy—while you murmured amongst the band members about Stella and Eddie, and how bloody Steve's fights usually got. They were surprisingly curious about how violent boxing could get.

But Steve put an end to the conversation with a gentle tap to your thigh, pushing off the back of the couch to sit up and guide you with him.

"C'mon, baby, you wanna go eat?"

The question seemed rhetorical, the both of you already on your feet and your hand grasped tightly in Steve's before you could even excuse yourself from the band conversation. You waved goodbye to them, pairing it with a cute, rosy-cheeked smile that made them swoon.

"See you guys tonight, right?" Eddie asked, following the pair of you toward the door. "And we should get together again sometime, Harrington. It's been a while."

A big, ringed hand clasped down on Steve's shoulder, and the boxer stopped short in the doorway to turn to his friend. You stopped with him, leaning into his side. For a moment, you were certain they'd have another vague and ominous staring match. But then Steve leaned forward, jerked his chin toward Eddie's legs, and blinked blankly at Eddie.

"You watchin' that?"

Eddie blinked back, his scoff a secondary, delayed reaction yanked from him by disbelief. He glanced at you for a moment, uncertain how much he wanted to say in front of you, and placed his hand on the door.

"I got it covered, Harrington, but thanks."

His tone was sharp but not cruel, and it took you a moment to even pick up on the underlying stiffness between the two men. Clearly, there was something wrong, but you just couldn't figure out what. Did Eddie have an accident, were his legs okay? The dimpled grin he flashed Steve seemed irritated.

Steve clapped Eddie on the arm: a friendly, smidge-too-hard pat. "Alright, man. Catch you guys tonight, gotta go get some earplugs."

The irritation was slow to melt from Eddie's smile, but he chuckled all the same. You cleared your throat, raising your hand in a tiny wave toward Eddie.

"Bye, Eddie, it was nice to meet you."

Eddie bent at the waist again in another bow, and you couldn't help but giggle dazedly. "And you. See you tonight, sweetheart."

♡ ♡

At dinner, Steve smoked another cigarette on the patio of a Mexican restaurant, sunglasses shielding him from the evening sun. He hadn't said much since you left Troubadour, and you could only sip your lemonade for so long in silence before you huffed.

"Baby, what's wrong? Are you mad we're going to the concert tonight, because we don't have to if you really don't want to."

Steve tapped his cigarette over the pavement, head shaking. "Nah, angel, s' not it."

You frowned, reaching over to grab his hand on the table. His watch knocked on the white cloth, and you traced your finger over the leather band.

"Then what is it?"

Steve took a drag of the cigarette and blew a thin stream of smoke toward the street.

"Nothin', baby. Just a headache."

You nodded, flashing a tight-lipped smile. You dipped into your purse on the chair beside you, fishing out the metal pill container you always carried on hand. You swiped two pain pills for him and placed them beside his Coke. Steve followed your movements, a huff of laughter shooting through his nose. He placed his cigarette in his mouth, refusing to drop your hand, and collected them in his hand.

"Thanks, angel."

You beamed. "Of course, Stevie. Now come on, I wanna go to the hotel and get ready. I can't believe I'm finally seeing Corroded Coffin live."

Steve stamped out his cigarette and plopped the pills in his mouth. He watched you, unable to contain your ecstatic smile, though you tried by pursing your lips and gazing down at your plate. He'd been watching you since you sat down—he watched you gaze around Sunset Strip like you were in another world, wide-eyed and curious.

He said nothing of Eddie's drug habit, or his mother's when he was a child that made him weary around Eddie because of it. Steve said nothing about hearing you sniffle in the bathroom at one a.m because you tried calling your parents and they didn't answer, and you missed them so bad that you seemed off in your own world ever since you got here.

Because right now, you were happy. And that's all that mattered to Steve.

"Let's go, baby."

♡ ♡

563 notes · View notes

happyk44 · 1 month

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Percy: I don't get it - why would your siblings even want to "manage" us?

Nico: It's not that we ever wanted to deal with you like a person trying to domesticate a bunch of feral dogs. It's more like we had to do it because no one else was capable. Kind of like how my dad doesn't want to have to go Olympus to be mediator whenever your dads start fistfighting each other, but he does it anyway because Hestia is begging and if he doesn't, the world will probably explode and then the Underworld is going to be way busier than it already is and he's already got so much on his plate, he doesn't need more.

Thalia: I think you're exaggerating here, Nico. I can't imagine our siblings have always been at each other's throats to the point we need one of you to step in all the time. I mean, Percy and I worked together just fine during the last Titan war!

Nico: Okay, well, first of all, people who can work together can still want to kill each other. They aren't mutually exclusive. Case in point: both your dads whenever they think my dad is wrong or get mad about the same dumb thing. Also all siblings everywhere in the world. I would know - yesterday I helped Hazel decorate her room at Dad's house, and wanted to strangle her with the string lights because she was making fun of my room because I was making fun of her room.

Nico: Secondly, camp now has a giant crater that definitely wasn't there before, and I had to be called to shadowtravel from California because no one else could get through the storms you made or make either of you listen.

Nico: Also I can and have talked to a lot of our mortal siblings who frequently warned me about this exact scenario and were extremely relieved that neither of you would be living at camp together long-term, so your thoughts and opinions mean nothing to me right now.

Thalia:

Thalia: Fuck off.

Percy: I just want to say that I believe you, and I would never dismiss you or curse you out like she did just now. I think that was very rude of her, and she should be the one who stays tied up, while I am let go.

Nico: I know the fight was your fault, Percy.

Percy: What! I have no idea what you're talking about. I was just being my usual kind, polite self and she blew on me for no reason.

Nico: I can see your soul, Percy, I know you're lying.

Thalia: Ha! Idiot.

Percy: Shut up.

Nico: I need you both to stop talking to each other for the next ten days.

#happy talks pjo #nico di angelo #thalia grace #percy jackson #they're both being bound by shadows and bones so they cant keep fighting

96 notes · View notes

equallyshaw · 5 months

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ᴅᴀʏ ᴇʟᴇᴠᴇɴ: ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʜᴏʟɪᴅᴀʏꜱ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴜɢʜᴇꜱ- ʙᴀʀᴢᴀʟ ꜰᴀᴍɪʟʏ - ᴍᴀᴛ ʙᴀʀᴢᴀʟ x ᴏᴄ ʜᴜɢʜᴇꜱ

part of holidays with equallyshaw

warnings: none! just angsty and sad :( - but happy ending !

word count: 3.7k+

also oc hughes is 28 going on 29. so two in a half years older than mat.

social media edit.

ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀꜱᴛ 5 ʏᴇᴀʀꜱ ɴᴏᴡ, the hughes brothers, barzal children, both sets of parents, and the barzals have gotten together in sunny california to spend their few days off together. miranda 'randy' barzal is a content creator and an og vlogger from back in the day on youtube. for the past 5 years she's vlogged their time as a family and it has been an absolute success, even doing a summer series as well, during the offseason.

what could this holiday get-together bring?

❅

"hey guys welcome back to vlogmas, i hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season so far! i know we've had a very busy one and we've loved every minute of it! today we are traveling from long island to orange county, so you'll see some of our chaotic travel! mat will be meeting us in orange county tomorrow morning after a red eye from carolinas. without further ado, lets get this show on the road!" she squealed into the camera, before turning it off. her fake smile quickly dropped, and she felt her nausea grow stronger.

she pushed it aside once she heard her eldest child, marie coming into the room with her baby brother, theo. "hi guys. you guys excited to see grandma, grandpa and nana papa?" she grinned, pulling them onto her lap. they nodded, "yeah grandma and grandpa gives us chocolate." theo gushed, and she giggled thinking about how her kids at her parents wrapped around their finger. "well mama and papa are picking us up soon with tie tie so we can go to california." miranda explained right as the doorbell went off, and then she heard the voices of mat's family echo throughout the townhouse.

miranda pulled out her vlog camera and marie quickly took it and began to make faces and that made miranda giggle, and then liana came into the frame and made them as well. theo came over from across the airport lounge, from his babbling with nana and papa. theo made grabby hands to miranda and she pulled him up. "where are we going marie?" miranda questioned as marie flipped the camera towards her mom. "californiaaaaaa!" she yelled into the camera, and miranda did her best to shoosh her. "inside voices baby." she said pulling some hair out of her daughters face, but she pushed her mom's hand away. liana giggled, and took the vlog camera, moving it out in front of her so all four of them were in frame. "barzal hughes holiday commences!" liana grinned into the camera, while marie made jazz hands and theo bobbed up and down on mirands lap.

"hey guys, our flight is boarding." mat's mom said walking over to help with the kids. "time to go guys!" miranda softly smiled.

she would be lying to herself if she wasn't dreading this holiday get-together.

❅

the minute she walked into the beach house that they rented this year, she felt herself sigh. her parents had gotten there a bit earlier and were quickly engulfing the two kids into big hugs. "im gonna take these upstairs, ill be down soon." miranda said to mat's parents, and they went to go greet her parents. she felt herself on the verge of throwing up, and she quickly dropped the bags and went straight to her and mat's ensemble washroom. she let out as much as she could, and groaned.

she knew what she had to do.

she pulled out her toiletry bags and then pulled out her vlog camera, setting it down on the counter. even if she didn't put this out, she thought she'd get a little bit of footage. she sat down on the toilet, staring daggers a the pregnancy test. she sighed, putting the cap back on and putting on a timer. she turned on the camera, "well looks like things are shaping out to be a bit different this year. i just ended up taking a pregnancy test. typically with my past pregnancies, i deal with sickness throughout the day and not in the morning, and I've been feeling like shit the past few days so i thought, why not?! ill check back with you guys as soon as the timer goes off!" she said before turning off the camera. she headed back into the bedroom, and pulled her kids suitcase into their room, across the hall. miranda felt her phone buzz, and she pulled it out to see a message from mat. she responded back, letting him know that they had made it to the beach house.

after taking out her suitcase dividers, her phone went off. she grabbed the camera and turned it on, filming herself from the chest up. she looked down at it, and gave a weak smile. she didn't even bother looking at it yet, just letting herself cry a bit. it was the first time all month she'd let herself be vulnerable on camera. her and mat had been having a rough patch. it was like one thing after another this season, and now that the holidays had rolled around - she wasn't thrilled about putting on a fake smile 24/7. this wasn't the first rough patch in their 8 year relationship, it was just the worst one thus far.

she wiped some tears, sniffling as she smiled. "its been a hard holiday season and its just, been a lot recently. mentally especially, and this whole what if does not help." she said, chuckling at the end. she breathed in and out deeply, before picking up the test that was upside down. she felt her heartbeat begin to pick up, as she saw the positive result. "and we're pregnant!" she said softly, turning the test around. she sniffled staring at it, and smiled back at the camera. a weak one. "well! that's quite the surprise." she paused chuckling, "we'll pick this back up in a bit." she finished, and turned off the camera. she texted her mom quickly, asking her to come see her.

a few minutes later there was a knock on the door. ellen walked in and shut the door behind her, and then quickly walked over to her daughter. who as soon as ellen's arms wrapped around her, she was falling onto her knees. she sobbed into her mom's arms. "whats going on sweetie?" she questioned, rubbing her daughters back. she sniffled, pointing back towards the washroom. ellen stood up, and saw the test on the counter. she didn't react like one usually would, instead she could read the situation with her daughter. she knew how her and mat had been doing recently, and could tell this pregnancy was just adding an extra toll on her.

"oh sweetie." ellen said wrapping her arms around her again, "he's gonna think this is a 'fix it' baby, an attempt to keep him. he's gonna think i did it on purpose-" and ellen cut her off, "no he wont. i promise. i promise." she said trying to reassure her daughter. if there was one thing about mat, was that he always thought the best of everybody and every situation- this wasn't gonna change that.

❅

the next morning around 6 am, she felt the bed dip next to her. she didn't feel mat get closer to her, she didn't feel his arms around her, she knew there was a nice amount of space between the two. and that made her silently cry. she threw off the covers, threw on her cotton robe, and headed down the stairs with her phone. mat looked up at the door once it opened and heard footsteps going downstairs. he sighed following her.

she turned on the camera, filming the expresso machine intently. she heard somebody walk in, and she jumped seeing mat. he knew that he wouldn't be getting any sleep now, so he pulled out a mug as well to make coffee. she stayed silent as she flipped the camera towards her, "its about 6 am now, i just woke up for the day and right now its all about getting some coffee and food in me, before i go check in with the kiddos. and then I'll see where the morning takes us. probably will involve some pancakes, courtesy of grandma and grandpa hughes." she grinned before turning the camera back off.

she took her cup of decaf and headed outside to the deck, and mat knew that she was brewing. he knew that her silent treatment was for a reason and that he was in for one. his expresso finished, and he followed her outside. he sat down across from her, as she looked out at the ocean. "how was the flight?" he questioned, and she shrugged. "same old same old. thankfully your sister and parents were with us. that helped." she said sipping some expresso. mat nodded, "is everything ok?" he questioned a few minutes later. she sniffled, "has anything been ok recently?" she spat. he sighed, "i really don't have the patience this morning, we'll talk about this later." she said through strained tears. she stood up and walked back inside and upstairs.

mat stayed downstairs, and shut his eyes in frustration. the glass door slid open and he heard the patter of small feet coming running towards him. "daddy!" marie screamed and he quickly pulled the two of them in his arms. "did you miss daddy?" mat questioned, and they both nodded. "are you guys happy to be here for christmas?" mat asked and the two screamed. "morning voices lovies, please." he said and the two nodded pulling a finger to there mouth to shush each other. he smiled, and they then got more comfier. their heads rested on his chest as his mom came out. "hey mama." he said and she smiled. "hi hun." she said sitting where miranda had just sat. "is everything ok with miranda?" she questioned and mat shrugged. "hey kids, why don't you go see papa in the kitchen...i heard he's making pancakes with grandpa!" his mom said excitedly, and that was enough for the two to run off.

"no seriously, whats going on with miranda?" she asked and mat's eyebrows crinkled, "i don't know what you're getting at." he said, annoyance lacing his words. "last night she spent two hours with ellen up in your guys' room. ellen then said that it was a bug but you and i know damn well what her pregnancy symptoms are." his mom explained, and mat was dumbfounded. when the hell would she have been able to get pregnant? then he remembered, they had a fight back during american thanksgiving, and a little bit of wine had one thing leading to another. "i also know there's a lot going on between you to but please don't make her any more upset than she already is. you know you can be a real piece of work, right?" his mom asked and he rolled his eyes. "got it mom." he said picking up his cup of cold expresso, and heading inside.

back upstairs, she had filmed herself doing her skin care and getting changed for the day, but found herself just sitting at the vanity not doing her makeup like she had planned to. she knew she had to get a move on so they could have breakfast as a family and then head to the beach. she didn't have to look behind her to see who had walked into he room. mat sat down on the bed, his back facing her and she bit her lip. she turned off the camera, and began to put some light makeup on. anything to cover up her anxiety and trembling hands.

"are you pregnant?" he blurted, and she stayed silent. he turned back towards her, "are you pregnant?" he questioned again and she still said nothing. mat sighed, standing up, and headed over to the washroom. he began to look through her things, and in the drawers before he found what he was looking for. he stared down at the positive pregnancy result, and miranda felt like she could vomit. she sighed, spraying some setting spray before standing up. "miranda..." he said softly, and that made her stop in her tracks. she turned back towards him, and she saw the tears pooling in his eyes. she swallowed, waiting for him to say something but he didn't. she nodded, before heading downstairs with her phone and camera.

she took that as his reaction.

she walked down stairs and heard her brothers in the kitchen. her kids laughed loudly, at whatever their uncles had said. "hey sis." luke said stepping over from a few feet and hugged her. "hi." she said softly, before quinn made his way over. "hey q." she said as he pulled her in for a hug, then jack walked over as well. "randy." jack said giving her a longer hug, and then stepped back to his niece and nephew. "wheres mat?" quinn asked drinking his starbucks coffee. "he's upstairs." she responded. she checked with them before turning on the camera, and videoed them a bit with luke offering her the most content to work with. quinn just stared at it with an amused look while jack pushed it away playfully before taking over, while him and luke caught the audience up on what they had done recently. then jack got on the kid's level and talked to the camera with them. miranda made herself busy helping her dad with the pancakes at the stove, hoping that time would pass quickly.

jim stared down at his eldest child, the one who had always been the strongest and most determined, who seemed so lifeless and oh so weak. she gave him a weak smile before she heard mat's voice echo through the kitchen, as he went to go greet the brothers. she swallowed hard, turning around holding a plate of pancakes with a fake smile.

❅

after a whole day of recording at the beach, the hughes and barzals headed back up to the beachouse while ellen and jim had just gone to a restaurant for a traditional Jewish dinner. tomorrow, would be the typical american christmas dinner. but a hughes tradition, was to have a traditional meal on christmas eve. once the kids were sent to bed after eating, she'd be able to shower and then edit the vlog from that day.

they all piled into the dining room, the kiddos going wild over food as they were famished. also, grandpa hughes and papa barzal had promised a little bit of dessert beforehand. and now they were being rewarded, for waiting. back in the kitchen miranda began to get the sippy cups ready with juice for the kids, and while she was putting the juice back mat walked into the kitchen. the two hadn't had a quiet moment between them since that morning, when he didn't say anything about the test.

he was bold and wrapped his arms around her from behind, making her freeze. she was about to shove him off when he spoke. "please...let me have these few seconds. then we can talk once we put the kids down." he whispered close to her ear. she leaned back into him letting him cloud her senses, before grabbing the sippy cups and walking out of his arms. mat sighed as she walked out of the room, and he cursed himself for being so bold.

dinner was going to be interesting.

❅

it was around 2 am when she finished up her vlog, and she ripped off her blue light glasses and set her laptop down on the coffee table. she stretched when she stood up, and then headed upstairs to bed. she didn't think mat would be up, but he was. he was reading a book she had picked up a few months back. "was wondering when you were gonna come to bed." he said as she slid into bed. she shrugged, rubbing her face.

"i didnt purposely get pregnant, if you were wondering." she stated and his eyebrows crinkled, "what? i was not thinking that and i would never think that, ever randy and you know that." he said as he put his book down. she shook her head, "i don't know what to think anymore mat. with the way you've been treating me recently has been hard. its made me question everything." she whispered, and he quickly pulled her into his arms.

"we've lost our way thats all, but its not the end for us randy i promise. don't give up on us. we'll get through this." he said. she sniffled, "i want this to work mat i really do, but i don't know." she said full on crying now. mat rocked her a bit before joining in himself. he couldn't lie and say that these past few months had not been a toll. he did his best and worst thinking on roadtrips, and being alone in a hotel room did not help. "i don't want to give up on us miranda, i don't. i know that I've done a lot over these past few months, i know this but im not ready to give up on us or our family." he said and she looked up at him. her blue eyes wide and full of worry.

"let me take some time off, let me take the next month off. let us work on us-" she cut him off, "i cant ask you to do that." she said shaking her head. he shook his head, "you arent asking, im volunteering. our relationship and family mean more than hockey. you guys are more important than hockey, always." he said placing a hand behind her head. she nodded softly, and he leaned in to kiss her. she softened, pulling him in closer by the neck.

❅

around 7 am the next morning, the door of their bedroom opened and then two sets of small feet tapped against the floor before they jumped onto the bed. mat woke up first, tickling marie making her laugh which then woke up miranda. ellen walked in after peaking her head in with the camera recording, catching a sweet moment between the family of four. theo jumped up and down between them, trying to get them to move quicker- just so they could open presents. "wake up wake up wake up!" marie screamed, joining her brother in jumping. mat and miranda just laughed, watching as they did so. "morning baby." mat whispered, as miranda leaned in to peck him. ellen smiled softly before miranda took the camera from her and videoed the two kiddos jump off the bed and follow their grandma out the door. "we'll be down in ten." mat said and ellen nodded before shutting the door.

she made her way to the washroom, setting up her tripod and proceeded to brush her teeth, hair and wash her face. as she was brushing her teeth, mat came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. she leaned back into him, and he pressed a sly kiss to her neck. she grinned before cleaning up her chin from toothpaste. "do we tell them?" he questioned, and she nodded. "we'll announce after all the presents are done?" she questioned and he nodded kissing her passionately. "you're not gonna be able to keep your hands to yourself mr, are ya?" she grinned, as his hands slowly made their way to her butt. he clicked his tongue, and shrugged. "oh god, you're already horny aren't you?" she rolled her eyes playfully before kissing him once more. "lets go, too bad first trimester dictates everything." she hummed walking towards the door, leaving a groaning matt in her wake.

❅

the tripod had picked up the present unwrapping, and miranda had been ansty the whole time. she just wanted to tell them. "okay mat and i have something to announce." miranda after getting their attention. the hughes brothers all looked at one another, while ellen and him looked at each other. all the while the barzals looked at one another. they were unsure of what was going to be announced.

a divorce or separation...they couldn't decipher.

mat took miranda's hand in his and smiled widely, "we are expecting." miranda announced and the family were stunned for a brief few seconds before rushing over to congratulate them. quinn pulled her in for a big hug, then it was luke and then she would hug jack later as he was spinning the two young kids around in circles. "you two ok?" mat's mom whispered as she brought her in for a hug. "yes! we'll be more than ok." she responded and his mom nodded.

after talking for a few minutes, breakfast was to be devoured. miranda took the camera, and mat came and wrapped an arm around her from the side. "well looks like that will be all for this vlog! apparently, there's footage from my brothers on here and ill be sure to edit whatever is salvageable but were gonna have a full day on our hands, and spend some quality time with one another but ill be back after new years with some exciting news! see you then, and until then its miranda barzal, lets get the show on the road! but as always, happy holidays from the barzal-hughes family!" she smiled widely, and then mat kissed her on the cheek, before she stopped recording.

"ive texted my agent about the next month, its final." he said and she sighed, as he pulled her in for a hug. "this needs to be done, i cant push it off anymore." he said and she nodded pulling back just a bit so they were now looking at each other.

"merry christmas honey, thankyou for our little family and thankyou for your work on being the best husband and father for me and the kids. we are forever grateful." she smiled widely, before leaning in for a kiss.

"yo barzal, what do you mean you arent playing us next month?!" they both heard jack scream from the kitchen causing the two to pull away and chuckle. marie and theo both ran towards their parents, as christmas music started blasting throughout the beach house. mat picked up marie while miranda picked up theo.

a precious moment shared between the small family, only to be ruined by jack and luke coming in to ask mat a million questions about mat apparently chickening out on a rival rematch.

hope you all enjoyed!

tags: @cuttergauthier @jayda12 @dancerbailey3 @jackhues @toasttt11

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hornyforherbert · 3 months

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Fallen For You ✧

WC: 1093

Pairing: Justin X Female Reader (Y/N)

CW: Kissing

A/N: I’m sooo sorry for the long wait! I unfortunately got sick again recently and have been recovering. I also know most of you love friends to lovers so… I hope you enjoy reading this!

Disclaimer! I do NOT own the Los Angeles Chargers or Justin Herbert and I am NOT affiliated with either of them in any way. This is simply fiction! Enjoy reading.

The warm California sun lazily streamed through the window, casting a golden light across the cozy living room of Justin's house. Justin, the handsome Los Angeles Chargers quarterback, was flipping through some different game tapes on his computer, his brow furrowed in concentration.

“Hey, Justin,” I called out as I entered the room, a gentle smile playing on my lips. Justin looked up, his eyes lighting up at the sight of me. “Hey, Y/n, what's up?” he replied, setting down his computer aside.

We've been best friends for years, sharing laughter, secrets, and adventures. But lately, i felt that something had shifted between us. Something unspoken lingered in the air, a subtle tension that left my heart racing whenever he smiled at me.

“I just wanted to hang out!” I said, flopping down on the couch beside him. Justin chuckled, his deep voice rumbling through the room like a soothing melody. “Well, you're always welcome here no matter what, you know that.”

As we chatted and caught up on each other's lives, I couldn't help but steal glances at Justin. His easy charm, his infectious laughter, the way his eyes creased when he smiled—it all made my heart skip a beat.

Suddenly, Justin's phone buzzed, breaking the peaceful silence. He glanced at the screen and his expression softened. “It's my agent,” he said, regretfully while looking a bit hesitant. “I have to take this, I’m so sorry, give me a few minutes.”

As Justin stepped out of the room to take the call, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment. Alone in the room, I let out a soft sigh, the sound almost a whisper in the quiet space.

Minutes ticked by, and I couldn't shake off the feeling of longing in my chest. I knew I had to tell Justin how I felt, but the fear of losing our friendship held me back like an invisible barrier.

When Justin returned, I gathered up the courage to confess my feelings. “Hey, Justin... I have something to tell you,” I muttered out, my heart threatening to jump out of my chest.

Justin turned to me, his eyes searching mine with a mix of curiosity and concern. “What is it, Y/n?” he asked, his voice gentle like a soothing breeze.

I took a deep breath, the air catching in my throat. “I... I think I've fallen for you, Justin,” I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper. A deafening silence hung between us, filled only by the sound of my own heartbeat.

Justin's eyes widened, a look of surprise flashing across his face. “Y/n...” he began, his voice a mix of emotions. We locked eyes, and in that moment, I felt the weight of my confession, heavy and daunting. I began to regret confessing my feelings, thinking I completely ruined our friendship.

Suddenly, Justin's expression softened, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “I think I've fallen for you too, Y/n,” he whispered, his words washing over me like a warm, comforting wave.

A burst of joy erupted within me, and a delighted laugh bubbled from my lips, the sound ringing in the air like a melody of pure happiness. Justin's smile grew wider, his eyes sparkling with newfound warmth.

Without another word, Justin leaned in, his eyes locked on mine, and pressed his lips against mine in a soft, passionate and tender kiss. My heart soared, the sensation electric and sweet, like a promise of new beginnings.

And as we pulled away, a sense of serenity settled between us, the unspoken words now tangible in the air. Justin cupped my face in his hands, his touch gentle and reassuring as usual.

“I've always loved the way you make me feel, Justin,” I confessed, my voice filled with sincerity and affection. Justin's eyes held mine, a silent understanding passing between us.

“And I've always loved the way you sound in the morning,” Justin spoke, his voice a quiet hum of adoration. “We're on the phone and without a warning, I realize your laugh is the best sound I have ever heard.”

The memory of those words wrapped around my heart like a warm embrace, a reminder of the love that had bloomed between us, sweet and tender like the morning sun. Justin's hand found mine, his touch grounding and comforting.

“I like the way we can't keep our focus,” Justin continued, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. “I watch you talk, you don't notice... but all I can think is we should be together.”

A surge of affection and gratitude flooded through me, and I leaned into Justin's embrace, feeling the beat of his heart against mine. In that moment, the world faded away, leaving only the two of us, tangled in whispers of love.

Days turned into weeks, and our bond grew stronger with each passing moment. We shared laughter, dreams, and quiet nights under the stars, savoring every precious moment together.

“Every time you smile, I smile,” Justin murmured one evening as we strolled hand in hand along the beach, the sound of crashing waves a soothing backdrop to our conversation.

“And every time you shine, I'll shine for you,” I replied, a soft laugh escaping my lips. The cool breeze tousled our hair, and a sense of contentment settled within me, a feeling of being exactly where I belonged.

Our journey from friends to lovers felt like a natural progression, a seamless transition from shared glances to stolen kisses, from playful banter to whispered confessions of love.

Justin hummed, his voice a soft melody in the twilight. “Don't be afraid to jump then fall... into me.”

The words hung in the air, a silent promise of unwavering devotion and endless love. I squeezed Justin's hand, a smile tugging at my lips, my heart overflowing with gratitude and affection.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold, Justin pulled me close, his arms wrapping around me in a warm, protective embrace. The world felt still, as if holding its breath in anticipation of what was to come.

“Babygirl, I'm never gonna leave you,” Justin whispered, his words a solemn vow. “Say that you wanna be with me too... so I'm gonna stay through it all.”

And in that moment, surrounded by the beauty of the setting sun and the promise of a future filled with love, I looked into Justin's eyes and knew that this was where I belonged—by his side, as his girl, forever and always.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed!

Please do NOT repost/copy my writing without asking first and getting permission from me. (Reblogs are fine and well appreciated!)

#nfl imagine #justin herbert #nfl #justin herbert fanfic #justin herbert imagine #la chargers #justin herbert x reader #Justin herbert fluff #Fanfiction #nfl fanfic #nfl fanfiction #nfl fic #justin fic #rpf #nfl rpf

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toomanystoriessolittletime · 6 months

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A walk in the woods

Week 1 of the Winter Writing Challenge

Prompt: "I can't believe you talked me into this"

Summary: Frankie talks you into taking a walk to the local farm to pick out a Christmas tree.

Pairing: Frankie Morales x fem. reader

Wordcount: 1.3k

Rating: G

Warnings: fluff, fluff, fluff

If you want to get notified when I post new fics follow @toomanystoriessolittletime-fics and turn on notifications

This was not how you had planned to spend your Saturday. It had been snowing all week. And with having to leave the house for work every single day, you were looking forward to catching up on housework and not leaving the house. Or wear pants.

People were going fucking crazy the closer Christmas came and you were looking forward to not dealing with stupid people for at least 48 hours.

Maybe bake a cake.

Or talk Frankie into spending the whole day cuddling on the couch while watching some shitty Christmas movie on TV.

Frankie and you had only moved to this neighbourhood three months ago.

You had gotten the job offer you had always dreamed of. The only problem was that it was in another state, far away from all your friends and family.

Ready to decline the offer, it was Frankie who told you to take it. Who made plans with you, talked to real estate agents to find the perfect home for the two of you. More than once you asked him if he was sure it was the right thing to do.

And he, like the perfect man he was, told you everything would be okay as long as you two were together.

Moving states also meant moving to a whole other climate with actual seasons, leaving you to experience your first real winter in twenty years.

„I can’t believe you talked me into this,“ you pouted, zipping up your winter coat. Frankie grinned at you, wrapping a scarf around your neck, kissing your nose.

Bella, your three year old Jack Russel terrier was already excitedly circling around the two of you, waiting to get outside.

„Come ooon. It stopped snowing for the first time in days. We’re just walking up to the Farm to find the perfect Christmas tree, and then we can go home,“ he hummed.

You sighed.

„I put on pants for you. I was looking forward to no pants today,“ you dramatically whined.

He grinned.

„I’ll help you get out of them later,“ he winked before he kissed you.

Okay this… wasn’t so bad.

When you got to the farm they had hot drinks and some snacks. The area was huge, so you did not see many people on the hunt for the perfect Christmas tree, which you found rather quickly, letting Frankie handle the reservation and making a date to pick it up at the end of the next week.

You powered out your dog in the meantime. Forming and throwing snow balls for her which she tried to catch with her little snout, barking at you when it disappeared and coming back for more.

You picked her up after a while, just in time for Frankie to be finished, making his way back to you.

„Ready to go home?“ He asked, taking your hand. You nodded and he took Bella from you to set her down, taking her leash.

„Let’s take the way back through the woods,“ he kissed you softly and you smiled.

„Okay I gotta admit, getting out of the house wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,“ you said as you slowly walked through the woods, back to you house. You looked up at Frankie who was still holding your hand, smiling up at him.

Sometimes you were scared of how much you loved him.

Things hadn’t always been easy, but you grew with every challenge, choosing to work through your problems, coming out stronger every single time.

Frankie was your person, and he would not get rid of you so easily.

„Told you so,“ Frankie said. Bella barked in that moment, making you both laugh.

„You know I have to admit I was scared to just pack up our life and leave. And sometimes I miss our life back in California, well, I miss the people but… I’m glad you talked me into taking the job.“

„Couldn’t let my girl say no to her dream job. You are killing it. And honestly, I miss our friends too, but it’s also nice to have you all to myself,“ Frankie stopped walking and pulled you into his arms, kissing you. You wrapped your arms behind his back, smiling against his lips.

„I’m so proud of you baby,“ he whispered and you pecked his lips.

„Proud of you too. Three months and already getting promoted. We are killing this adult life thing,“ you kissed him again, both of you chuckling. Frankie had quickly found a job as a helicopter pilot for local emergency services.

Parting from him you took his hand and started walking again.

„I’m freezing. Let’s get home,“ you said, only to cry out in surprise when the wind picked up and a whole bunch of snow from the trees above dumped down on both of you.

„Oh my god,“ you began to laugh, wiping your eyes with your glove, Frankie’s hand still in yours.

„What the fuck?“ Frankie laughed and you shook your head to get the remains of the snow off of you. You were still laughing when Frankie let go of you hand, and you looked at him just in time to see him dropping down to one knee in front of you.

First alarmed that he had hurt himself you frantically searched for any injury when you noticed the small velvet box in his hand.

Eyes widening your mouth dropped open in surprise, watching him smile cheekily up at you.

„Frankie…“ you whispered.

„Baby… I’ve been trying to figure out how to ask this question. I should have done this a long time ago, because I knew you were the one on the day that we met. I was pretty much in love with you the moment you walked through the door of the coffee shop where we met. These last years… Fuck I’ve never been so happy in my life and I keep waking up every day next to you, waiting that something is gonna happen, but all you do is love me for me. It’s… I love you. So much. And I want to spend the rest of my life loving you and making you smile and laugh and cum…“ he winked and you laughed, tears in the corner of your eyes.

„I love you baby, will you marry me?“ He finally asked and you nodded.

„Of course I’ll marry you Frankie,“ you smiled and he seemed to breath out relieved. It was only then that you realised he had opened the box, revealing a beautiful ring. He got up from his knee, taking your hand and slowly pulling your glove off.

„This ring was my grandmother’s. She and my pa were married for 64 years before they both died,“ he explained, taking the ring out of its box.

It was a golden band with a small green stone.

„It’s an emerald. Apparently it’s known as a symbol of truth and love,“ he explained while slipping the ring on your finger. It fit perfectly.

„It’s beautiful,“ you whispered and he looked at you.

„Yeah?“ He asked.

You nodded.

He kissed you then, wrapping his arms around you, pulling you as close as possible.

„We’re gonna get married,“ he whispered in between kisses.

„We’re gonna get married,“ you giggled back, your hand playing with the hair that was in his neck.

Bella barked and you both looked down at her, having forgotten about her for a moment. She had found a huge branch, her whole body shaking excitedly as she nudged her nose against it, waiting for someone to throw it for her.

You both laughed.

„Come on, let’s get home,“ you said and he nodded. He carefully helped you put your glove back on, kissing your hand, before one of his arms pulled you against his side.

„I gotta get my fiancé out of her pants,“ he whispered against your ear and you let your head fall against his shoulder.

Happier than ever before.

#my fic #stephswinterwritingchallenge #Frankie morales #Frankie Morales x fem. reader #Pedro pascal #fanfiction #fan fiction #francisco morales

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marvel-fanfic-writer-8675 · 1 year

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Road Trip

Pairing: Bucky x reader

Warnings: fluff, innuendoes, more fluff

Summary: a road trip and family time with your husband

You were headed off on a road trip to your family’s house for Memorial Day weekend, but first you had to stop at the gas station and get gas, snacks and clean off the windshield real quick. Normally you would both fly, either commercially or with a quinjet but Bucky had convinced you it would be fun to drive the 8 hours together.

Your husband insisted on pumping the gas and cleaning the windshield as you went in and got snacks. You got back in your seat right as he started wiping the windshield with the squeegee. In true Bucky fashion, he decided to show off his muscles he knew you loved a little, as he moved the wiper back and forth. He finished putting on his show that made you turn red as a tomato. Even after 2 years of marriage and 2 years of dating, he was still able to make you blush with the simplest of things.

Bucky jumped back in the car and cranked it up. “So what’d ya get doll?” “Other than a show from my lovely husband?” you teased. Bucky chuckled, “glad you enjoyed it,” he pressed a quick kiss to your lips. “ I grabbed your favorites my favorites and some water for us,” you explained. Seeing all his favorite snacks he smiled, “you know me so well doll.” You smiled as Bucky pulled out of the gas station and headed onwards towards your family’s home.

The ride there was like from a movie. There was karaoke to songs like Party in the USA and California Girls, there were times where you fell asleep and Bucky could look over and smiling softly at his girl, peacefully asleep and looking as beautiful as always in his opinion. Bucky’s hand always resting on your thigh, a slight touch that kept his touchy side under control. Bucky was always wanting to be closer to you and cuddle, not that you were ever opposed, you loved all the cuddling, hugs and kisses.

You guys didn’t need to stop much, since Bucky was a super soldier his stamina for driving long distances was also longer. You did of course get slushies when you stopped for a bathroom break. You had gotten cherry and he had gotten blue raspberry, yet somehow both your tongue’s were purple.

Eventually you made it to your childhood home, your 2 brothers already there with their families as they had a shorter distance to drive. The plan was to all spend the weekend there, and have a big lunch BBQ and pool party on Memorial Day before heading home for work the next day.

You got out of the car, Bucky insisting on taking the heavier of the bags as you walked up to the door. You didn’t even have a chance to knock before 3 kids came barreling out the door towards you and your husband. Behind them came your parents, siblings and their partners walking and laughing at their kids’ and grandkids’ behavior. You and Bucky set the bags down and opened your arms for hugs from your niece and nephews. “UNCLE BUCKY! AUNTIE Y/N!!!” They all yelled, super excited to see their superhero aunt and uncle. “Hey kiddos,” Bucky replied, picking up one kid in each arm as you picked up the 3rd. “How about you guys let Y/N and Bucky bring their stuff in before you jump on em?” Your oldest brother suggested. The kids immediately jumped down and ran inside to get the first game ready as you and Bucky finished heading inside.

“Sorry about the welcome party,” your other older brother, the middle child, greeted. “You know we love them,” you replied waving off the apology. “You guys are in your bedroom, Y/N, the kids decided they wanted to sleep in the living room.” You smiled at the antics similar to what you and your brothers used to do as kids. “Sounds good, we’re gonna go set our bags down and freshen up but we’ll be back down soon.” You both headed up the stairs to your childhood bedroom.

After an amazing dinner, a good night’s rest and an amazing Sunday filled with family fun it was time for the Memorial Day celebration.

You had gotten up early with your husband and gone on a morning run, well, he ran and you jogged, you gave up trying to keep up with him a long time ago. You got inside and showered off all the sweat, deciding to not waste time putting on real clothes and just wear your swimsuit.

“New bikini doll?” Bucky asked as you stepped out of the bathroom. “Maybe, why, see something you like?” Bucky smirked and nodded stepping closer to you. “Very much so doll face.” He put his arms around your waist as yours went up around his neck. He gave you a very passionate kiss proving just how much he liked your new bathing suit. Just as things were getting slightly more heated, there was a knock at your door. With a groan from Bucky and a “come in” from you, your brother came in. “Sorry to interrupt, whatever was going on, but mom asked if y’all could go get mayonnaise and cheese from the store.” Bucky went to grab the keys as you agreed to go out and get the ingredients after putting clothes on over your bikini.

After you got back, your brother had started grilling as your other brother and his wife helped your mom in the kitchen with sides and toppings. The kids were in the pool so after asking if anyone needed help you and Bucky were tasked with watching the kids.

Everyone had eaten and most were in the pool or having a beer, talking in the pool chairs. You were sitting a ways away in the grass. watching your husband swim around, shirtless and god it was a sight to behold. You were lost in thought so you didn’t hear your dad tell Bucky to grab you and toss you in. You didn’t realize what was happening till Bucky had picked you up bridal style and was rushing you towards the pool.

“James Buchanan Barnes don’t you dare!” You yelled. He just laughed and continued, knowing you weren’t actually going to be mad. After being tossed in the pool and getting out to dry off, slightly irritated at your husband for getting your hair wet, he came over to you. “Babe, doll,” he tried to hug you but you avoided him, walking closer to the pool, a plan formulating in your head. “Honey, I’m sorry, doll, are you mad, doll please talk to me, I’m real sorry, I didn’t think you’d be mad.” You smirked and turned around, shoving him into the pool, then bursting out laughing at his surprised face. “Now we’re even,” you determined. Bucky laughed it off and got out of the pool, you gave him a kiss to show you weren’t mad, and you both went inside to shower and pack up.

The car ride home was similar to the one there, with slightly more sleeping on your part after all the swimming. After getting back to your shared room at the tower you both laid down to cuddle and fall asleep for the night, dreading when Steve would come wake Bucky up for early mornin training. He’d much rather stay in bed and cuddle you.

#marvel #bucky barnes #bucky fic #bucky x reader #bucky fluff #bucky barnes fic #bucky barnes x reader #bucky x female reader #bucky x you #james bucky barnes #bucky #bucky barnes fluff #marvel fic #marvel fanfic #marvel fluff

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greazyfloz · 1 year

Note

“I’m not wearing anything under” and “daddy” with Jamie:))

Combining Requests :)

Smut: 8. “daddy” , 15. “I’m not wearing anything underneath” & 28. "We are Leaving"

Another Commitment

It was a hot day in Anaheim, almost too hot to be out with Jamie at his meet and greet with fans. Usually Jamie goes these things alone but the team thought it would be nice if the wags and families joined as well.

Event was almost over, and the players were leaving the signing table one by one. Of course Jamie being Jamie was too nice to leave when he saw a line for fans still wanting his signature. I stood over with Trevor’s new girlfriend, Molly, as we were both dying from the California heat watching her boyfriends interact with fans.

As odd as it sounds watching Jamie around kids turns me on. I watch him laugh and joke around with little boys as I watch from across the small plaza. when there’s a break in the line, I made my way over to Jamie and bent down in his ear so only he could hear.

“I’m not wearing anything underneath my dress“ I say, leaning back up, so I’m standing straight and watching Jamie as he turns around to look at me with a sparkle in his eye. I lean back down, “we should go home, and practice the whole baby making process”

"Just a few more minutes" he says obviously aroused

“the thought of you leaving to fuck me doesn’t make you hard?“ I say to him and I watch his jaw clench, “cause I’m dying to feel you inside of me“ I continue, “tell me you don’t wanna fuck me“

“we are leaving“ he says, and I smile, knowing I just won. He then steps away from where we are standing and announces to the group of guys that I have another commitment to get to and then we have to leave.

I watched Jamie stand and say goodbye to a couple of people before grabbing my hand and take him to his car. We hop in, and I feel his hand travel up my thigh immediately after he turns onto the main road.

“what commitment do I have?”

“oh, you’re about to find out” he says as his fingers brush against my panties underneath my dress, “oh so you’re a liar"

“I had to get your home to fuck me somehow“ I say looking over at him with a smirk

“ you wait till we get home” he says, smirking back at me

As we drive home, he continues rubbing his hands against my panties feelings me get wetter and wetter. He turns into our driveway and he walks around his car to open my door. he opens his door and stands in between it in the car, and leans and pressing a kiss against my lips. We began making out in his driveway until his hands squirm underneath my ass, lifting me out of the seat and carrying me into the house.

He kicks the front door shut and carries me to the kitchen setting me down in front of the island. He lifts his shirt off him as I push my panties down. He then reaches for the bottom of the skirt of my dress and lifts it up and off of me, leaving me naked. He picks me up and places me on the island pushing my legs apart and standing between them.

He begins making out with me as I reach down and undo his belt, then his button and zipper to his pants and he massages my tits. His hands leave my tits to push his pants and boxers down. I stroke his cock gently as me continue making out.

He slides 2 fingers into be making me moan out onto his lips. This motivates him to pump his fingers in and out of me even faster. I whimper at the speed his fingers hit my g-spot making me through my head back breaking the kiss. "Fuck, you're so wet" Jamie says as he pulls his fingers out and pushes me back so I am laying across the island

He rubs circles around my clit and I moan out, "J-Jamie" I moan and he smiles before leaning in and licks up my slit making me squirm. I arch my back as I feel his tongue lick around my pussy before pushing it inside my. His mouth tighten around his tongue that explores inside of me as he sucks hard as well, "O-oh my godddd" I moan again, "Yes, daddy!"

Jamie releases his tongue from inside of me the sucks my clit hard once, kissing it then pulling away. "Sit up" he instructs. I sit up and he presses his lips hard against mine as I wrap my arms and legs around him. He picks me up and brings me over to the couch the sits beside me.

I make out with him as I stoke his cock then pull away lowering myself down and wrapping my lips against the tip of his cock. Jamie's hand finds the back of my head and as he pushes my head up and down on his cock. "Fuck, keep going" he moans as I begin sucking fast enough that gucking noises fill the room as the tip of his cock reaches the back of me throat.

I pull him out on my mouth and look up at him, we immediately makeout again before Jamie pushes away, "Sit of daddy's cock" he says making me bite my lip. I stand up and cradle his hips and reach down to level his cock to my entrance before sinking down on his cock.

"Fuck Daddy!" I moan as I sink all the way down.

“Good girl” he growls, “Love watching your titties bouncing while you're bouncing on daddy's dick”.

"You like my" I start breathlessly, "my w-wet p-pussy daddy" I moan

"Keep bouncing on daddy's dick baby" he says before leaning his head back against the couch. My neck throws back soon after as I begin to cum on his dick.

"Yes Daddy Yes!" I moan as I cum. I lean forward and attach my lips to his neck as I begin sucking on his neck. My hips grind hard with his dick inside of me as a moan escapes his mouth.

"Oh fuck I-I'm" he starts but presses his eyes hard shut as his cock twitches inside of me, filling me up. "Fuck!" he moans, "I just came babe" he says and I look down at him as he looks back up at me, pressing our lips together once more before we end up staying on the couch cuddling for the rest of the day.

#jamie drysdale #jamie drysdale imagine #jamie drysdale x reader #jamie drysdale smut #nhl writing #nhl smut #nhl imagine #nhl fic #nhl fanfiction #hockey writing #hockey imagines #hockey smut

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littlemisslipbalm · 8 months

Text

Friday, I’m in Love

Josh Kiszka x f!reader

(mostly gn/afab I think but there might be something in there that leans fem so I don’t want to say gn! And be inaccurate)

Summary: As summer wanes, things become clear between you two. Your friendship is forever and Josh wants to show you that.

A weekend with your best friend Josh filled with a concert, a dinner party, lots of wine and loving tender moments.

Word Count: 8.3k | Warnings: profanity, sweet tender tension, friends to lovers, drinking

Enjoy!

“Hello, Joshua darling,” You cooed, wrapping your arms around Josh’s shoulders.

He wrapped his arms snuggly around your waist and squeezed as he pushed his head into the crook of your neck, breathing in his best friend’s familiar perfume. You rarely changed it or you always made sure to wear the same one when you knew you’d be seeing Josh. He didn’t know which one.

“Friday,” His voice is soft and your nickname reverberates through your skin. “Thanks for coming, I didn’t want to go alone and my brothers all bailed.”

You smile at him, before flicking a piece of his hair out of place.

“I couldn’t leave you to go to Fleet Foxes without me. That’s like sending the kid into the candy shop with no one around to witness his joy.”

Josh rolled his eyes and petted the hair back into place. “You flew out from California just for a concert…” He took a hold of your suitcase handle standing at attention beside you.

“As if you wouldn’t do the exact same thing!”

Josh smiles down at his feet, feeling bashful around his friend for some reason. “You’re right. Can you be ready to head out in 30? We gotta walk, but it’s not far.”

You agreed and beelined for the guest bedroom in Josh’s house. Josh followed behind you with your bags as if he was the guest in his own home.

–

“How do I look?” You twirled into Josh’s open bathroom door where he was fussing with his hair like always.

Josh paused, his hands near the crown of his head as he looked at you through the mirror, a smile spreading across his pink lips. His toothy smile said it all, but he spun around and took you by the hips anyway. “Fuckin’ divine, Friday. Fuckin’ divine.” He winked once you had laughed and then turned back to focus on his task.

You settled onto the lip of the bathtub behind Josh, watching him work. Your old blue jean skirt was short, showing off your summer legs and blundstones while the tank-style top you wore fell to the top of your hips. The crisp white fabric hung loose in a slight babydoll effect with a low cross cut over cleavage. It was the perfect summer in Tennesse outfit for an outdoor ampitheater Fleet Foxes concert.

Josh was, as expected, in his white t-shirt and khaki shorts with white vans uniform. He had his mustard yellow jacket beside him and a necklace laying on the counter, waiting for him to put it on.

“So…” You start.

Josh hums in response, raising a brow in the mirror as he dabbed some concealer under his eyes.

“What’s new?”

“We text almost every day,” Josh laughs, “What could I possibly tell you, you don’t already know?”

You yawn dramatically. “God, you’re so boring, where's the rock n’ roll diva with all the hot goss I know?!”

Josh rolls his eyes and grabs his jacket, walking out of the bathroom, hitting the light as an act of defiance. “My only hot goss is that my brothers are idiots who do not know how to use a calendar for the life of them.” He suppresses his smile with an unsuccessful frown as you scoff, catching up with him as he walks towards the front door.

“Don’t you guys have assistants who do that shit for you now?” You kicked a pebble as you walked side by side down the road. Josh made sure you were on the inside of the sidewalk like the midwestern gentleman he had been brought up to be.

Josh sunk his hands into his pockets and stared down the street. “Nah. Not for personal stuff. There’s calendars with all our band stuff, but right now it’s just like free time blocks.”

“Well, Danny, Jake and Sam are stupid for missing out, but their loss is my gain, I guess. I’ve been needing a reason to come here and bug you.”

Josh brightens at that and he throws an arm around your shoulders, hugging you close as he ‘aw’s’. You laugh and nuzzle your head into his shoulder, happy he’s happy.

–

At the concert, you and Josh find a spot at the top of the ampitheater seating opposite the center of the stage setup. You both used their jackets as seats and caught your breath from hiking up the steps. You smiled at him as he looked out at the open sky above the stage and you followed his eye. It was a little cloudy, making it all the more interesting. The clouds came together and dispersed at their own will as people filed into the venue. Josh said he’d go get the drinks while you leaned back on your hands and tilted your head to the sky.

You told him to surprise you and you looked at each other blankly with your sunglasses obstructing your eyes until Josh broke, a grin cracking onto his face once more.

“Back in a jiffy!” He snapped finger guns at her before diappearing up the steps.

“Freak!” You called. It was half-hearted at best with how overjoyed you were to be able to spend alone time with him when you saw him so rarely these days. Since you moved to California a couple years ago for a job, you couldn’t go out on the town with Josh every weekend he was home and you couldn’t meet him on the road with your old flexible hours. This job was far more intensive, but also actually what you wanted to be doing with your life so you couldn’t really complain. You were lucky you had some PTO saved that you hadn’t used to make your weekend getaway into a four-day trip.

But work was at the back of your mind now. You got to be with Josh, your best friend. He was the kindest and softest person you’d ever encountered, while also being the funniest and loudest one as well. He had these dualing personality traits that he somehow managed to meld into one fantastic and fascinating human that you always felt so lucky to get to be around. His energy melted into you and brightened you. Josh made you feel happy to be alive. He was special to you and you treasured this time with him more than most things in your life.

You felt something cool on your cheek and opened your eyes with minor surprise before quickly seeing Josh holding a cold cup of rosé against you. You grabbed the cup from him and then pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, just to the left of his lips, so close that you felt a tickle of his mustache. “Thanks, Joshua darling.”

He had folded his sunglasses onto the collar of his shirt, not feeling the implicit need to wear sunglasses when it wasn’t necessary like his twin or you, who both wore sunglasses inside or in the dark when it was completely inappropriate. Like now with the clouds covering the sun almost entirely.

He winked at you and you clinked plastic cups, settling into your seats and beginning to chat aimlessly until the opener came on. You had never heard them before but you were quickly won over. You were nodding and swaying and hollering when the songs would finish. They could absolutely jam and you and Josh would share impressed looks every so often.

“Gonna give you guys a run for your money,” You said into his ear as the guitar solo extended for the better part of 10 minutes.

Josh shrugged with an ambivalent smile. “His vocals don’t compare to mine and you know it.”

“Your modesty becomes you.”

Josh smirked and looked at you out of the corner of his eye as the song wrapped up and he clapped and then stuck his fingers in his mouth to whistle loudly. He looked cocky and you couldn’t help but admire this side of him, he was your best friend but even you couldn’t deny how sexy it was. His chest was puffed out a bit, his biceps bulging as he moved his arms and he kept smiling knowingly.

You smacked his chest lightly after a minute of that same look on his face. “Quit it.”

He offered a pout in return.

In between the openers and Fleet Foxes, you went to the bathroom and grabbed your second round of drinks and a bag of potato chips to share. You bumped the back of Josh’s head with the new cup of the white wine he had been drinking and he turned around quickly, looking up at you and immediately recognizing you even in the dark of the now night sky.

He took the drink as well as yours when you held it out to him so that you could climb over the barrier and get back to your spot. He shuffled himself closer to you because there were more people around and also because he wanted to be close to his friend and your warmth, now that the first 10 ounces of wine were doing their job.

They tapped glasses again and laughed about the story you retold of the server at the wine stand. He had filled your glasses extra high and told you “Have a real good time now.” Easily putting at least an extra two ounces in each of their glasses.

Josh shook his head, resting it on your shoulder for a moment. He spoke with a theatric sigh. “Pretty privilege, Jesus.”

“You’re just mad no one at this local music venue has recognized you, huh?”

“No! I’m overjoyed to be an anonymous concert-goer. An ordinary, run-of-the-mill anyguy audience member.”

You pursed your lip and nodded, unconvinced. “Yeah, right.”

A tap on Josh’s shoulder brought his attention away from his Friday and you grinned at the interruption, feeling an inexplicable glee that comes from a situation immediately proving a friend wrong.

Josh greets the person with all the charm and grace that you knew he possessed in spades. He threw a glance back at you though and you smiled triumphantly at him. He whispered noiselessly a ‘shut up’ to her before returning to the fan talking to him. They asked for a photo and you offered to take it, promising to get the best angles of them as you smiled and got drunk on her rosé. It was a lovely moment, you were happy for the person who got to meet Josh and you were happy for Josh, joking aside, that he had people who loved his art so much.

The fan leaves and you have a little more time alone before Fleet Foxes go on stage. The music swells of an orchestra run by a genius clad in Arizona birkenstocks. His voice sounds incredible and the songs travel through your bodies.

It’s dark out as they play the songs and you and Josh sing along, swaying and holding onto each other. You find yourself staring at the sky or staring at Josh most of the time, forgetting about the musicians on stage. He keeps getting distracted by the cloudy night sky as well.

There’s one moment where both your heads are raised to the night sky, taking it in when Josh feels a shift beside him and he turns his eyes to you. You’re looking at him watching the sky and your eyes meet. His smile comes from the depths of his soul. First small and hesitant and then large and toothy. You match it, enthralled, and Josh reaches his right hand out in between your legs.

You meet him and your hands intertwine softly and Josh begins to sing softly along to Sunblind. His brown eyes are barely alight from the stage lights but you can see him staring at you, singing just for you.

His hand is particularly warm in yours and you rub your thumb along the curve between his and his pointer as he pulls your held hands onto his lap. The song ends and you flutter your eyes closed and rest your head on Josh’s shoulder, firm and warm too. He was constant, he was steady, he was reliable.

Silver Dagger starts up and you try not to listen to the lyrics of the song even though it’s usually one of your favorites. You don't think you want Josh as more than a friend, but you also don't truly want to sleep alone all your life with a silver dagger in your palm. He knew you better than anyone else and as time goes on, you keep getting stuck on the thought that no one will ever know you as well as he does. It will never feel like this. Easy.

Josh hears you whispering the words to yourself, moving your head minutely along his shirt, but he can’t see the way your eyes won’t stop watching the changing lights across the skin of your hands resting on Josh’s thigh.

“Let’s get outta here,” Josh murmurs in your ear when he senses the concert winding down. He wanted them to beat the crowds and he also wanted to spend some time alone with his best friend. “Friday, c’mon.”

“You wanna go before it’s over?” You ask, lifting your head from its happy place against Josh’s form.

“Yeah, let's enjoy the night. I’m tipsy and I want to walk.”

You grin, looking from the stage to Josh and then quickly following him over the concrete slab behind you onto the walkway.

“You know, I’ve heard you tell people leaving your show early to go fuck themselves,” You mention as the music fades to a far away din.

“That’s completely different,” Josh shakes his head with a grin as he pulls you into his side, arm wrapping around your shoulders as he nestles his lips into the side of your head, a sweet kiss to the temple. “Plus, how many times have we seen their show before?”

You nod and rub your hands along the length of Josh’s back. “Upwards of ten.”

“Yeah, we can miss a few songs.”

You hum in agreement. The conversation dies as the night swells around them. The air is cool as the hours tick by in darkness. It was getting closer to fall so after the first few hours of darkness, it had started to drop in temperature in Nashville thankfully. Josh leads the walk back to the house and he hums the tune to one of the songs, content to just be close to Friday.

–

Back in the house, Josh turns on his speaker and connects his phone before handing it to you to play whatever you want. You smiled and watched him pull out a three quarters full bottle of white wine from his fridge and two glasses from a cupboard to your left. Soft instrumental jazz flows through the speaker and Josh grins, handing you a glass.

On the couch, you curl close to one another, heads almost touching and legs tangled up in one another. You and Josh sip at the wine as the bottle and the speaker sit on the coffee table before you. The lights have been set on low and it leaves Josh’s living room in an almost candlelit glow. You remembered when he had first bought this place and how empty it had seemed and then, one week later, it was filled to the brim with Josh. You never wanted to see it any other way, every painting Josh had ever bought, every unique souvenir he had thrifted and every picture he’d framed of his family and friends.

“So dinner party tomorrow night, still okay with you?” Josh asks.

You nod, the soft smile on your woozy lips taking up a permanent residence on your face for as long as you’re with him. “Course. It’ll be nice to see your brothers even if we all know that I really only came here to see you.”

“They better know it,” Josh laughs with a tip of his head. His neck lengthening and the light catches his beautiful high cheekbones that seem to sparkle even without the stage rhinestones he’d grown so fond of.

You laugh along with him and place your empty glasses beside the empty bottle before settling back into Josh. His arms encircle your shoulders as you get comfortable, staring at him as he scans your face. A way to memorize you or a search for anything he might have missed, you’re not sure.

Your free hands go up to touch the cheekbones that had caught your attention. Your fingertips delicately touch down on his angel soft skin and he hums, a flutter to his pretty lashes at your touch. “Pretty boy,” you murmur, tracing the natural contours of his face. He was art in itself.

“Thank you,” he replies sincerely. The theatrics had fallen away for the night. This was Josh and Friday. This was just you and him.

“I miss you,” you say, leaning closer and feeling Josh’s hold grow firmer at your words.

He leans his forehead against yours. “I’m right here, Friday,” he whispers.

His warmth, his breath, his touch, it’s all consuming and you wish you could stay in this moment. Stay forever in his embrace and you breathe out a half-laugh, half-sob.

“You know what I meant, Josh.” You whisper back.

He wets his lips and you shift your hips to rearrange your legs around his, slotting even closer. “Yeah, I do. I miss you.”

It’s silent for a moment between you two. No words pass, just a piano off in the distance barely registering anymore. Josh’s eyes flicker down to your lips making yours venture down to his. His that are lush and pink, wet and parted, inviting you to lean forward and close the smallest distance you’ve ever had to cross for a kiss. He sees the way your breathing hitches and his perfect brown eyes reconnect with yours and they crinkle at the edges. You’re both smiling even if you both might want to cry.

You shift your face and bury your head into the crook of Josh’s shoulder. Your hands wrap around his frame, one curling into his hair and one caressing the skin of the back of his neck, where his shirt connects.

“Oh, Josh,” you murmur against his warm skin, lips brushing like a feather against it.

Goosebumps raise along his neck, just below his jaw, everywhere he wishes was being kissed and his laugh is wet with emotion. “I got you, Friday. I have you.”

You squeeze him harder to you and he holds you to him, something about the compression feeling sublime.

Eventually, you and Josh migrate from the couch and get into sleep clothes. You join him in his bed, the guest room essentially a glorified dressing room for you. Neither of you pretend to plan on sleep on opposite sides of the bed. You gravitate towards one another, magnets pulled together with a greater force than the moon with the tide. Perhaps you spun on your axis with Josh as your sun. Clouds came and went, but Josh was constant. You two were circling one another over and over again. Forever.

You curled into his side as he pulled you towards him. His bare chest the perfect place to rest your weary head. He was smooth and warm and you were grateful for the way his strong arms wrapped around you again making you feel safer than you ever did anywhere else. He hummed as your free hand traveled from the place over the plain of his chest up to his cheek. His head turned into the sensation and you smiled up at him. Even in the darkness of the room, you could make each other out. Sleepy outlines and fluttering eyelashes. Your fingers scrunch softly and scrub over his stubble making him hum in satisfaction again. His hands tap at the skin on your waist. Your thumb sweeps over his cupid’s bow and full bottom lip, catching ever so slightly that you feel a bit of his saliva touch your skin.

You let your hand fall away as he murmurs a goodnight and you reply, settling it back onto his chest. The two of you reaquainting yourselves with each other’s bodies in the riskiest platonic ways you could, just excited to feel one another again.

–

In the morning, Josh is still with you when you blink your eyes open. The pair of you had shifted in your sleep. Now his head rested on your chest, his legs wrapped around yours. Your hands wrapped up in his hair again, keeping him close to your bosom. He nuzzled absently into your skin. Your tank style dress allows for him to be skin to skin with the top of your cleavage.

He hummed in satisfaction at the warmth against him and you smiled up at the ceiling, hands drifting to skim over his shoulders and the golden skin stretching across them. The fuzzy warmth of being wrapped up in Josh and his decadent bed has you drifting into another state of sleep. Darkness overtakes you but you still feel the firm press of Josh’s body against yours. You hear his breathing soft and consistent, feeling the air against your skin like a soothing massage.

The word ‘forever’ passed through your mind again. This is how it was supposed to be forever.

Eventually, Josh stirs and the kiss he presses just below your collarbone is probably meant just for him to know about but you feel it. His sweet lips linger against your skin and you feel a quirk of a smile and suppress every bit of your mind telling you to pull him up to place that same kiss against your lips. You two were better off as friends, especially when you lived so far away now. A romantic relationship with Josh would be torture. At least this didn’t cause you as much pain.

“I felt that,” you murmur.

Josh’s morning raspy voice is heavenly as he laughs against you, vibrating your bodies slightly, and rests his chin on your chest to look up at your face. You cast your eyes down at him, barely open at this angle. You smile at one another.

“Just love waking up so close to you,” he states and clears his throat when the rasp doesn’t leave naturally. “Thankful for the beautiful body that your soul inhabits.”

You shut one eye, embarrassed by the tender statement. He reaches his hands up to delicately trace your facial features, smoothing where you had scrunched up your face. He shushes you even if your resistance had already been silent and you let him. His fingertips are welcome as he touches you so gently, smoothing along the lines of your face and over the arch of your nose.

He pauses and you two shift automatically, back to the way you had fallen asleep. You rest in his arms a little while longer until he begins to stretch his arms over his head.

“Let’s make some coffee, how about that?” He tilts his head to you. “Or else I think we’ll stay here all day.”

“I like the second option,” you say, hooking your leg over his lean hips to keep him from sitting up.

“We have to go grocery shopping eventually so I don’t think it’s viable, Friday love.” He pauses to move your leg off of him with his strong grip and you swallow thickly. He sits at the edge of the bed and looks over his shoulder as he steels himself for fully rising from this bed he truly didn’t want to leave. “I can make you coffee alone, though. How’s that for a compromise?”

You shuffle into a seated position behind him, a mess of white sheets and a discarded quilted blanket surrounding your legs. “Ooh, did you learn that in your ‘managing a band with your twin’ therapy sessions? Good for you, Joshua darling.” You coo as you wrap your arms around his tanned shoulders from behind, one last attempt to get him to stay even though you know he should go.

This has been indulgent even for the pair of you. The sun was clearly high in the sky, alerting the two of you to the fact that it was likely close to noon already. He hums at your touch, your chin coming to rest between his shoulder and neck. His hand comes up to meet your crossed arms over his chest. He runs it softly across you, petting your arm in reassurance.

“Ha ha. They were court mandated actually after the last album,” he speaks dryly. “You can koala onto me for a ride into the kitchen if you can’t stand a moment without me, but if not, you gotta let go, my darling.”

You groan and release him from your hold. You flop back onto the center of the bed with a loud sigh. “Fine.”

Josh stands and looks at you with a grin. An angel in his bed, your thighs sinfully inviting, barely covered by the thin cream fabric of your sleeping dress.

“I’ll be in there soon, this bed is just so fucking comfy.”

“Yeah I know,” he says softly at the edge of the door already. He winks knowingly and then he’s out of sight.

You roll around on the bed and then muster the strength to get up and go to the guest room, to do your morning skin care routine and find a change of clothes. In the kitchen, Josh makes coffee as sighs to himself about how he had woken up. Your skin pressing against him, your breast heaving evenly below him. He had to fight the urge to peak his tongue and lave adoring licks against you until you were begging breathlessly for him. It took him every ounce of restraint to not flip around when you had wrapped your arms around him to not go to the kitchen. His heartbeat barely quickened in these moments because he had grown so accustomed to them, to every feeling you gave him. He didn’t realize it picked up slightly whenever you were around and stayed at a slightly higher beat rate until you were gone.

When you appeared in comfortable clothing that were different from your pajamas, Josh nodded in registration and then handed you your favorite mug of his filled with piping hot coffee.

“What are we thinking for this dinner?” You ask after a few sips of coffee with your hip leaned against the counter Josh had perched himself on.

“Whatever you want,” Josh shrugs both his shoulders with his hands resting on the countertop beside him, coffee discarded for the moment. His biceps bulged like this and you wished he’d stop.

You roll your eyes. “Thanks. Putting the menu on me…connivingly cruel.”

Josh tries to protest but you just shake your head, a whisper of a smile on your lips saying you’re actually fine with it. He knew you loved to make food for loved ones so this was actually a treat for you. You eventually wave him off and walk around his kitchen that was still familiar to you. It was strange in these moments. You hadn’t been there in a while, but with muscle memory and no direction from Josh, you located his catch-all drawer and took out his notepad and a black felt-tip pen. It was like how it felt to visit your parents when you came home in college, the house felt different but usually things were just as you left them. Nothing changes as fast as you sometimes think.

“Okay…” you say, opening the pen and thinking about what you should make for the evening. “Peaches, of course.”

“Of course,” Josh echoes you with a smile in his voice.

“Maybe like an arugula salad with burrata and tomatoes? Sam is just vegetarian, right? Not vegan?”

“Right.” He confirms. “Sounds yum, maybe some peaches in the salad.”

You hum in confirmation, scribbling down ingredients. “I can make, like, a potato salad or something like that if one of you will grill? I can do it, I just don’t want to.”

“Don’t do anything you don’t want to do. I can do it or I can ask the grillmasters Dan and Jake. I’m sure they’re rearing to get one last summer grill in.”

You laugh at Josh’s attempts to sell that Jake and Danny loved grilling so much. You were pretty sure they were ambivalent about the subject, maybe positive, but you’d never seen either of them be so enthusiastic about the skill in the way Josh was saying. More likely he didn’t want to do it either. Neither of you were raw meat fans.

You write down ribs, corn, peppers and portobello mushrooms, as well as ingredients for a sauce you liked with ribs. You asked Josh about his drink selection and he scoffed saying he was stocked like always, until you inquired about whether he had specific la croix flavors or iced tea or the brand of rosé you preferred.

“Okay, well, not those, but everything else you could ever want is under this roof.” He shakes his head indignantly and you watch the muscles in his neck flex and strain causing you to bite the inside of your lip.

You always knew the night before was too much if you were still yearning for your best friend’s touch in the sober light of day. You cap the pen and smile, resolute to get yourself in hand.

“Let’s hop to it,” you say. “We don’t have all day.”

Josh nods and exaggeratedly hops down from the counter, sticking the landing with jazz hands. Your unamused look in response makes him snicker before he plucks his car keys from the hanger they live on at the edge of the room.

—

“Thanks guys for doing the grilling. We wouldn’t be eating until midnight otherwise,” you say as you pat Danny on his shoulder, looking over the smokey grill. “My dad taught me a million times but it still takes me forever.”

Jake tilts the neck of his beer bottle up towards his lips and hums in acknowledgement. He was helping Danny in the lightest sense of the word, but you knew if you didn’t thank both of them you’d get a special kind of silent treatment mixed with haggling from Josh’s twin that you didn’t enjoy.

“Happy to help,” Danny assures with a winning smile. “It’s the end of grilling season afterall…Gotta get one last grill in.”

You narrow your eyes at him and then turn to look over your shoulder, catching the end of Josh’s wink and thumbs up to Daniel as if he had been coaching him to say that. Josh had insisted he help prep all the vegetables and sides leaving the grilling to Danny and Jake who had seemed reluctant when they had first arrived. Thus began Josh insisting that they were happy about it. This reassurance from Danny seemed to be like the final piece of Josh’s show. You nodded your head at Danny with silent acknowledgment of seeing through the facade and thanked him again.

Sam lounged on a chaise by Josh’s pool that would soon be covered up when fall rolled in. Rose was wandering around the spacious backyard, sniffing and enjoying the familiar but still different enclosure to her own backyard. Josh had asked them all to keep the gathering small so none of them brough dates or significant others, you weren’t one hundred percent sure who had what these days. It didn’t bother you that you hadn’t stayed caught up on the rest of the band’s lives when you left town. Josh had been your best friend and while you loved the other three, they were just a part of the package. Like free add-ons that were great, but they were never your main focus. Josh loved them and you and that was enough for you.

After a few rounds of drinks for everyone and some final prepping, dinner is ready and Sam finally offers to help with carrying things from the kitchen to Josh’s beautiful outdoor dining table in the corner of the backyard.

The natural wood table existed on a stone grotto and had a pergola to offer it shade when the sun was shining high above. Sunset was well on its way so it simply was a place for Josh’s beloved wisteria to bloom and hang above the table and wrap around the sides. Beautiful white wisteria with tinges of lilac seeping through the petals were thriving and hanging around the table mixed with some hanging lights Josh had installed since the last time you were here. They weren’t lit yet but you were sure they would turn on once it got darker.

One last touch that you had contributed when he had first gotten the table were two miniature vintage chandeliers that held four candles each. All of them had been burned to short nubs now, but Josh insisted he liked them like that, showing someone had been there. The crystal balls glinted in the fading light, wrapped in the copper piping that kept them together. It was a beautiful little area, surrounded by the beautiful greenery of Josh’s garden that he made sure to nurture as best he could with some help from gardeners when he wasn’t home. It was a space that was so Josh, a mix of the natural and the decadent, you wondered what he would do if he ever moved again.

Sam carefully moved the abalone shells adorning the actual table to the far end since there were only five of you and began to arrange the food on the table. You brought out the salad and thanked him for his help and he winked with a sly smile. You two understood each other as fellow youngest siblings, always trying your best to avoid more work than was necessary.

Josh sat at the head of the table with you and Danny to his left and Jake and Sam to his right. Josh pulled you into his side and placed a quick kiss to your hair before either of you could sit down and you laughed.

“Glad you’re here, Friday.” He murmurs in your ear before letting you go and you smile as you flutter your eyelashes to meet his eye.

“Alright, alright,” Jake murmurs gruffly, watching you and his twin with his usual suspicion.

“I’m hungry!” Sam interjects, cutting Jake off from saying anything else.

“Yeah, let’s eat before it gets too dark and the food gets cold!” Danny adds reason before anyone can lose their head.

Josh makes a tutting sound with his mouth, “First, a toast…” He raises his glass of wine and waits with a raised brow for everyone to put their drinks into the center of the table. “To my family. You all mean so much to me. And especially to my Friday, anyone would be lucky for you to come into their lives and I sure am glad I’m not one of those sorry sons of bitches waiting for you to walk through the door ‘cause they’re gonna be waiting a long fucking time. You’re in it for life with me, I hope you know that.”

He chuckles and you laugh, confirming you knew. Your eyes shining up at him from your seat, love and admiration twisting around in your irises. Jake and Sam and Danny all share a look with each other.

“Thanks for coming, darling.” He reiterates a little more sincerity seeping into his throat.

Everyone echoed their salutations and took a sip with chatter falling over all of you as plates and bowls started getting passed around the table. The evening air was settling over the backyard, the smell of the wisteria mixing with the food in a wonderful way.

Laughter and the rustling of leaves and melting ice cubes clinking around in glasses is all that can be heard for a while. No one had wanted to put on any music for once and you couldn’t believe it, but it was quite nice. Out where Josh lived there wasn’t much to cause any distracting sounds, just nature. Birds calling to one another, water running and all that was good and beautiful. It was calming, disrupted only by the loud voices of you and your companions growing roudier as food diminished and you all got further into your portion of drinks for the night.

“I’ll go get another bottle,” You said when Danny held up the empty wine bottle that had been sitting in the ice bucket for barely a minute before anyone took notice. A sheepish look from Sam said it all.

“I’ll come assist,” Josh jumps up from his seat before you’ve taken two steps away from the table. “Uncorking,” he adds when he sees the look on Jake’s face.

He slings an arm across your shoulders as you two hurriedly walk a little drunkenly to the back door of the kitchen. You were buzzing with energy. The dinner had been a success, the guys were good eaters so it was always pleasing to make food for them. It all disappeared by the end and they always made sure to effuse how good it all was. The alcohol in your system also contributed to the energy. You were sure your cheeks were flushed hot against the cooling night air. Josh leaned against you and you basked in the cool touch of his skin against you.

In the kitchen, he tugged on the hem of the white summer skirt you were wearing and you made a small yelping sound, pulling the fabric back from his touch with a smile.

“Paws off!” You teasingly chastised and swiveled to the fridge, searching for another bottle of white. “Should we bring dessert out now too, do you think?”

Josh had leaned himself up against the counter since you’d shrugged him off. His head leaned back, elongating his neck again. His adam’s apple bobbing along his strong throat as he contemplated your question and clenched his jaw. That skirt had been teasing him all night long and as you twirled around in it, more and more of your thighs would show themselves to him.

“I already cut the peaches,” you say, tilting your head to the side, wanting his response on the issue. You pursed your lips as you waited, holding the bottle out to him so that he would open it like he promised.

The movement brought Josh out of his reverie and he took the bottle deftly. His eyes were still sweeping across your figure, where the skirt skimmed your thighs and where your collarbone poked from beneath your black halter top. He loved how effortless you always looked yet still put together. You were barefoot in his kitchen looking like a god to him, your hair in his favorite style. He wanted to sweep you off your feet and kiss you blind, dessert and his brothers be damned.

“Peaches,” he repeated absently, beginning to open the bottle without looking.

You rolled your eyes at his dreamy stare. The way he was looking at you was a little unnerving, but you knew it was just drunk Josh. You were more thrown off by him being so quiet. By now, there should have been an impromptu performance of some song that had been on his mind since you’d gotten in here or a little dance about the wine. He always came up with something and yet tonight so far it was just ‘peaches’ said like he was a hundred miles away.

“Okay…” You pull out the word and grab the desserts from the fridge and place them on the island before crossing to him, wanting to get more of his attention.

The cork pops and it brings Josh’s eyes back to your face, closer now. His lips quirk up into a smile and he flicks his eyes to his hands around the neck of the wine. He drops the opener to the counter and lifts his hand up from the wine between you two. His thumb had a few drops of wine on it, spilled from the uncorking process.

His open-mouthed smile is intoxicating more than the alcohol as he raises the thumb to your lips, pressing the liquid to them without any hesitation. Your tongue peaks out to get a better taste and you exhale a small laugh through your nose. His hand lingers by your face as the two of you stare deeply into each other's eyes. Last night you two had been alone, but tonight with other people around, these stolen moments of privacy held greater intensity. You were toeing the line of what was acceptable for friends to do in private just in case someone came in. The thrill of getting caught seemed irresistible.

As Josh is retracting his touch after what felt like an eternity, Jake was popping his head around the corner with a raised brow and a bored look. “Dessert time yet? Or is that bottle too difficult for you children?”

You take a step back from Josh, eyes returning to the desserts on the table and Josh laughs his big boisterous laugh, gaining Jake’s full attention and holding up the successfully opened bottle.

“When you’re right, you’re right, Jake. Wine and desserts coming your way,” He walks over to Jake and guides him by the shoulders back towards the door. He overwhelms Jake’s focus by talking in his theatric muttering way, “You know, patience is a virtue or so they say…”

As he walks with Jake in front of him he turns back to you with a cheeky wink you’d never seen directed at you and you wondered if the little game you two had just played really had been just for you two. And perhaps not a game at all.

You carry the plate filled with peach slices and the blackberry tart you and Josh had thought looked the best from the bakery out to the table. The evening has grown and as you’d expected the little lights keep the area visible. Aglow in a warm light, the space takes on a calmer atmosphere. Sam and Danny clear the dinner plates as you, Jake and Josh settle back down. You murmur about the smell of the wisteria and Josh agrees, planting his left hand over your right.

Your hand flips instinctively and your fingers lace, threading like a needle through silk. Josh’s eye flick to your hands and then he cranes his neck in wonderment of the night, taking it all in. Jake drinks in silence. It is peaceful and you’re happy to let it flow for a while, basking in this evening.

“When do you go back to California?” Jake asks carefully, uncharacteristically choosing to break the silence.

Josh doesn’t make his attention known to the question, still staring through the slats of the pergola up at the star-filled sky. You clear your throat and smile down at your lap, slightly saddened by the reminder you were leaving.

“Monday morning.” You say and Jake nods. “When does the next leg of tour start up?”

“Friday,” He shrugs, unbothered.

This word, Josh’s nickname for you, finally catches his attention, bringing his gaze straight to you. You meet it and he smiles, eyes lighting up with that boyish wonder that made everyone’s hearts swoon, yours included.

Smiling at each other, hands intertwined beneath the stars. A cool breeze sweeping across your skin. It felt like time froze, everything else fading to the background.

“I need to talk to you,” Josh murmurs after a moment when the sound of the back door and Sam and Danny returning clicks him from his thoughts.

You quirk your brows at this statement but you nod and turn to smile up at the men rejoining the conversation. Talk of tour and work falls back into place and you laugh over their complaints about playing arenas and they laugh at your issues with your own job. All of you seeing what’s not so green on the other side. Hazy plans for the future of the band get brought up over the desserts you all indulge in and the greater amounts of water everyone’s consuming rather than more alcohol. The rush was slowing down, the night winding itself to a natural ending place. Somehow Rosie ended up in Sam’s lap, her face resting on his arm that curls protectively around her.

Jake is the first to call it a night, the way he looks between you and Josh makes you think it has something to do with him overhearing Josh’s request. He gives you a quick hug, not unaffectionate but it’s extremely balanced which was unusual for Jake at this time. Sam and Danny are quick to agree, Sam offering to take them all home given his sobriety. Their hugs are more comforting and you feel grateful for them even if you didn’t realize how much they truly meant to you.

Josh insists you sit outside while he walks them out and gets the kitchen in order. Your protests are half-hearted before you let him follow them into the house. He kisses the crown of your head once more and his hand drifts back towards you as he walks away. A physical promise that he doesn’t wish to part from you.

You walk around the backyard, your barefoot feet happy against the still warm stones. Your hands skim across the table, replacing the shells back to the center. Every so often you look back to the door into the kitchen thinking you heard Josh coming back out, but no head of curls appears just yet. You begin to walk the perimeter of the pool, with one foot directly in front of the other with your arms out wide, as if it were a balance beam. The stakes were low on one side while the other was a bit more treacherous now that the sun had been gone for more than an hour.

Josh manages to sneak up on you when you’re staring up at the stars, arms wrapped around your frame. He places his chin on the crook of your shoulder and you can hear him smiling before he even speaks. His arms encirlcing yours, his smooth delicate fingers skimming over your wrists and forearms until they lace infront of your waist.

You try to peek at him with your eyes but it’s mostly a blur of his prominent nose, handsome facial hair and fluttery lashes. He hums at the warmth of you and you sway a little in his hold.

“What did you want to talk to me about?” You whisper, moving your gaze back to the sky and your hands down to his arms.

You lean into his hold and he tightens his grip. A deep breath floats past your ear and you wonder why he won’t let you turn around.

“Friday,” he sighs and he sounds almost dejected, something you rarely hear from him unless in jest. “I’m in love with you. Not just as a best friend, but more.”

Tears prick your eyes immediately as the words wash over you. This time you yank out of his hold and whip around to face him, a slightly bewildered and nervous expression on his angelic features. Your palms are quick to grip his jaw, tilting his face to really look at you.

“And I know we’ve got our separate lives in different states,” He decides to continue before you can speak. “And I know I’m always touring so I’m not asking you to move back here or anything, and I know we haven’t technically dated but–”

“Josh,” You stop him and his lips are parted in the sweetest way. Your thumb brushes against his bottom lip like before and you smile as he lets you, his eyes growing in intensity under the string lights.

“But,” He tilts his head seriously, ignoring your distracting touch. “I think you’re the only one for me and I want to make it official.”

You stare at him silently, your own mouth agape slightly because you knew what Josh was saying. In his Josh way, he wasn’t just asking for you to be his partner for now, he meant for life.

But still you wanted to confirm, “Are you asking me to marry you?”

Josh smiles with a bit of a laugh to himself, his eyes looking to the small space between your bodies for a beat before back at you. “It can be a long engagement. Five years or however much you need, but I don’t want to spend another second where I’m not able to tell people I’m yours.”

“You’re fascinating,” you breathe and then bring his lips to yours for the first time with purely romantic intentions behind it. It’s short, but the way his mustache tickles you makes you immediately think that you could get used to this being a regular thing. “I’ve always been yours, but if you want to make it official with a ring, I’m there too. I love you.”

He grins at you before pulling you back in for another kiss. This one is longer as his hands slip around the back of your neck and to cradle your jaw, begging you to get even closer. He sighs into your mouth and it’s like a wall has been lifted that you didn’t know existed. Tongues clashing in a perfect rhythm as he kisses you senseless beneath the stars. Your hands wandering across his back and feeling at total peace knowing this was about to be the rest of your life. Completely safe in the arms of your home, never having to know a life with a dagger in your palm just your sweet sweet Josh and his heart cradled perfectly within your hold. Everything else would fall into place, as long as you had him you weren’t worried.

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justbusterkeaton · 1 year

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Buster’s Best Loved Stunts

Steamboat Bill Jr. 1928

Two tons of house front falls on top of Buster in what is surely his most famous stunt, if not the most famous stunt of all time. His salvation comes in the form of a small upstairs window, wider than his shoulders by only a couple of inches.

Were he to fail to stand exactly where the nails that had been driven into the ground to mark the spot, were he to move forward even slightly, he would be killed instantly.

Co-director Chuck Reisner couldn’t bear to witness the scene. “My father, who was a very religious man, a Christian Scientist, had a practitioner up there,” his son, Dean, remembered, “and they were praying all day because here comes this stunt and my father couldn’t bear to see it. He and the practitioner were off praying in one corner and waiting to find out whether Buster came through it or not.

“Two extra women on the sidelines fainted,” Keaton said in 1930, relishing the memory, “and the cameramen turned their backs as they ground out the film.” The thrilling shot came off beautifully. “But it’s a one-take scene and we got it that way. You don’t do those things twice.” He would later claim that the house scene was one of his "greatest thrills," before noting, "I was mad at the time, or I would never have done the thing."

Cops 1922

Although by his own admission Buster only ever had one day of schooling, he must have learned a little about physics along the way.

I don’t know how else he was able to convince himself that he could perform this iconic stunt Cops without ripping his arm out of its socket.

No special affects were used here, and no camera trickery either. Just incredible timing, incredible strength and somehow managing to factor his height and weight with the speed of the car and deciding to risk it.

The Navigator 1924

This scene was originally intended to be filmed in a swimming pool, but Buster wanted deeper water, so after destroying an indoor pool in Riversdale California by over-filling it with water and cracking the bottom, he decided to film in Lake Tahoe where the water was deep, very clear but very cold. Buster could only stay underwater for a few minutes at a time.

As always Buster insisted on doing it himself despite the dangers and even had a special divers helmet made with a clear front screen so that the audience could see his face and know he wasn’t cheating them.

The General 1926

In what filmmaker James Blue would call “a moment of almost almost pathetic beauty,” Buster sits dejectedly on the coupling rod that connects the great metal wheels of the General and remains there, frozen in place, as the engine begins to move towards the tunnel. For this stunt Buster only had to sit very still, but as with the Steamboat Bill stunt, it also required nerves of steel.

“I was running the engine myself all through the picture. I could handle that thing so well I was stopping it on a dime. But when it came to the shot, I asked the engineer whether we could do it. He said “there’s only one danger. A fraction too much steam and the wheel spins, and if it spins it will kill you then and there”. We tried it four or five times and in the end the engineer was satisfied that he could handle it. So we went ahead and did it”

Our Hospitality 1923

Two stunts could have resulted in Buster’s death in Our Hospitality.

The film climaxes in a daring rescue of the heroine Virginia, whose boat is being swept downstream through the rapids. As usual, Buster had refused to use a double. As a safety precaution, wire was attached to his body and to make sure he would stay within camera range.

When the cameras started to roll, he plunged into the fierce current of the Truckee River and began to swim. A few seconds later, the wire snapped and he shot forward, tumbling over rocks and boulders, swallowing great mouthfuls of foam as he was borne toward the rapids. It took all his strength to maneuver himself to the river's edge so that he could grab an overhanging branch.

The cameraman did as was always ordered to by Buster and kept filming. When he was found ten minutes later, Buster lay in the underbrush along the riverbank facedown in the mud, his feet still dangling in the water. He did not move when they pulled him out. His first words as he lifted his head were: "Did Nate see it” Nate was Natalie Talmadge his wife and co star. She had seen it.

The footage of the accident was used in the final film.

Back in Hollywood, he completed the rescue sequence on the lot. A waterfall was constructed over the swimming pool. To create the distant valley below the falls, a miniature set was planted with hundreds of tiny trees. As Virginia's boat plunges over the falls, Willie uses a rope to swing out over the waterfall and grab her at the last moment. Although a dummy was substituted for Natalie, Buster performed the dangerous stunt himself. Hanging upside down underneath the waterfall, he swallowed so much water that a doctor was called to give him first aid.

Sherlock Jr. 1924

The film critic David Thomson described Keaton's style of comedy thusly: "Buster plainly is a man inclined towards a belief in nothing but mathematics and absurdity ... like a number that has always been searching for the right equation”

Many of Buster’s stunts comprised of a perfect combination of “mathematics and absurdity” including this stunt from Sherlock Jr. which involved his holding onto an upright roadblock gate that swings down, with him jumping onto an oncoming car at the right moment. It has an almost James Bond like quality of humour and coolness about it.

Seven Chances 1925

Buster did not want to do Seven Chances. He was not happy with the script but was compelled to make it as the studio had already bought it.

At the first test screening he was disappointed by how disengaged the audience were. The only time they seemed to perk up was towards the end of the movie. He is being chased by the pack of brides and runs down the side of a hill to get away when some boulders start falling behind him. He manages to dodge them just in time.

Buster took note of this reaction and just went with it. He had papier-mâché boulders made in various sizes and created a whole new scene carrying on from that point. It is one of the most memorable moments in the whole movie.

Although the boulders were fake, due to the size of some of them if they’d hit him they would no doubt have caused some damage. Buster had to be super fast and super nimble to avoid getting hit. Fortunately he was both.

I sometimes wonder if this scene influenced the famous boulder scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Sherlock Jr. 1924

"Of course all my weight pulls on the rope, and I pull the spout down and it drenches me with water. I didn't know how strong that water pressure was. Well, it just tore my grip loose as if I had no grip at all and dropped me the minute it hit me. And I lit on my back with my head right across the rail right on my neck. It was a pretty hard fall, and that water pushed me down....I had a headache for a few hours.... I said, 'I want a drink.' I turned at the next block coming back from location-it was out there in the [San Fernando] Valley someplace. I went in to see Mildred Harris, Charlie Chaplin's first wife, and I went into her house and she gave me a couple of stiff drinks. During Prohibition, see, when you couldn't just stop anyplace to get a drink. So, that numbed me enough that I woke up the following morning, my head was clear and I never stopped working”.

-Buster Keaton

Reader, he’d broken his neck.

Three Ages 1923

“So, my scene was that with the cops chasing me, I took advantage of the lid of a skylight and laid it over the edge of the roof to use as a springboard. I backed up, hit it, and tried to make it to the other side, which was probably about eighteen feet. Well, I misjudged the spring of that board and didn’t make it. I hit flat up against the other set and fell to the net, but I hit hard enough that I jammed my knees a little bit, and hips and elbows and I had to go home and stay in bed for about three days. And, of course, at the same time, me and the scenario department were a little sick because we can’t make that leap. That throws the whole chase sequence, that routine, right out the window. So the boys the next day went into the projecting room and saw the scene anyhow, ’cause they had it printed to look at it. Well, they got a thrill out of it, so they came back and told me about it. I say ‘Well, if it looks that good let’s see if we can pick it up this way: The best thing to do is to put an awning on a window, just a little small awning, just enough to break my fall.’ ’Cause on the screen you could see that I fell about sixteen feet. I must have passed two stories. So now you go in and drop into something just to slow me up, to break my fall, and I can swing from that onto a rainspout, and when I get a hold of it, it breaks and lets me sway out away from the building hanging onto it. And for a finish, it collapses enough that it hinges and throws me down through a window a couple of floors below. Well, when this pipe broke and threw me through the window, we went in there and built the sleeping quarters of the fire department with a sliding pole in the background. Well, it ended up…It was the biggest laughing sequence in the picture…because I missed it in the original trick.”

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eddiemunsons80sbaby · 1 year

Text

A Moment Changes Everything

Pairing: EddieMunsonxReader

Request: I had one in mind where reader and Eddie are about to face the bats with Dustin and they are dating and she's the Byers sister too but she decided to go to California to help the others and her and Eddie say goodbye and promise to see each other soon and she hears Eddie died but when she comes back they find out he's in the hospital alive and when he is healed and back at her house she cries and they comfort each other and when the entire gang decided to celebrate they go to the beach in California and they know Eddie is gonna propose and he foes om the beach with everyone and later they are together and make love and after that they talk about the future in bed? :)

18+ Only

“Shit,” muttered Eddie, grasping your hands like a vice in his large ones, so tight his rings were digging into your skin, but you didn’t care. “I hate this.”

“I know. Me too,” you said softly, blinking back the tears that had been threatening to fall since you’d made your decision yesterday and booked a flight to California. When your mom chose to move, you had begged her to let you finish your senior year, not wanting to leave your boyfriend and all your friends. You’d hoped it might actually be a normal year but you should have known better. “But Will is my brother, and he’s in trouble…again. And Jonathan and El…Eddie, I have to help them.”

“I know. I understand why but that doesn’t mean I have to like it,” Eddie replied, each word coming out choked with tears that hadn’t yet fallen but broke your heart just the same. “I can’t lose you, princess. I hate the thought of you going halfway across the country to face this thing without me.”

“You’re going to be facing this thing without me, too,” you countered. “Do you think I love the idea of you and Dustin facing those demon bats? Do you think I love the idea of Steve, Robin, and Nancy going into that house to face Vecna himself? I don’t. I hate it, but this is what we do. It’s what we’ve done ever since my brother disappeared. We step up, we look out for each other, and we kick evil’s ass.”

A harsh laugh rose up from Eddie as he shook his head, “This shit is insane. I still can’t believe there is a whole other dimension with monsters and bad shit. I can’t believe that you’ve been fighting this shit for three years. When you told me…Will, the mall fire…I mean, this is Hawkins. Nothing happens in this shithole.”

“Well, this is happening,” you stated. “Eddie, we have to do this. We have to take down Vecna so he can’t hurt anyone else and we have to clear your name.”

“Yeah,” he scoffed,eyes dropping to the ground, “fat chance there. This whole town has already convicted me. I’m a devil worshiping freak, remember?”

“Hey,” you protested, taking his chin in your hand and lifting his eyes to yours. Those soft pools the color of the Earth peeked at you through his mess of hair, so sad, so full of anguish, that it almost caused you to change your mind and your plan. But no, you had to do this. When Will called, you couldn’t tell him no. Your little brother needed you, your mom was in Alaska for a work conference, and you weren’t letting him face the bastard who’d been tormenting him for years without you. “Eddie, you are a freak. You’re my freak and I adore you. You are unapologetically you and I love that about you. You don’t walk around, pretending to be something, pretending to fit into some tidy little box, just to make people happy. Fuck all these townies. Who cares what they think. We are going to clear you name and then you and I are going to start our lives.”

“Promise?” he asked, hands coming to your hips and pulling you against him. “Promise that you’re coming home? Promise that you’ll always be my girl?”

“I promise,” you assured him, the easiest promise you’d ever made. “There is no one but you. I am coming home to you when this is all over. Promise me that you’ll be careful and you’ll make it out of this thing in one piece, okay? No crazy hero antics.”

“Princess, look at me,” Eddie said with a small smile. “I am no hero.”

“You’re my hero,” you argued, pulling down the neck of your shirt to show the angry red bite mark you still had. “If you hadn’t been there with that oar, this could have gone a whole lot differently. Don’t sell yourself short, Munson. You dove right into that lake with the rest of us. You’re brave. You just don’t like people to know it.”

“I only dove in because you did, you asshole,” he snorted. “I couldn’t let you swim off to save Steve and die or something.”

“But that’s my point. You could have stayed in the boat and let us handle it, but you didn’t. You dove in because someone you care about was in trouble.”

“No,” he said slowly, his tongue darting out to run along his bottom lip, back and forth, back and forth, just like it always did when he was deep in thought or on edge. “I dove in because…” Eddie paused, meeting your eyes with his own, “someone I love was in trouble.”

Your breath caught at his words. Had he really just said that? You and Eddie had been dating for a year now and you’d known how you felt about him six months ago but had been terrified to be the first to say it. What if it scared him away? But if finding out the Upside Down exists, that the mall fire was actually a giant body part goo monster, and that you’ve battled misshapen dogs with flowers for faces hadn’t scared him away, then nothing could, right?

“You love me?” you asked hesitantly, needing verification that you’d heard what you’d thought you’d heard.

“Yeah, I do,” Eddie nodded, swallowing so hard you could see his Adam’s apple bob with the force. “Look, you don’t have to say it back. I just needed to tell you before…you know.” There went that tongue again. “Anyway, I’m not just saying it because we could die. I mean, I am, but I mean it. I really fucking mean it, sweetheart. I’ve loved you from the moment you hit my van in the school parking lot. I was so pissed and then you stepped out of the car and it was like…bam, heart gone. I just, I didn’t want to scare you off by being too aggressive. I mean, who thought love at first sight was real, right? Like, that’s some bullshit that…”

“Eddie,” you said, cutting off his nervous rambling, taking his face in your hands. “I love you too.”

“Really?” he asked tentatively, one side of his mouth curving into a hopeful smile. “You’re not saying that because I said it?”

“No, you doofus,” you laughed. “I love you. So, you have to stay alive, okay? This isn’t some dumbass movie where they finally admit their feelings and then the worst happens. I want my future with you. So, you better be careful.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he nodded. “This isn’t goodbye. This is see you soon.”

Then he pulled you in, pressing his lips to yours in a kiss that felt very much like a goodbye. You pushed the thought away, telling yourself it was going to be fine. You’d fought these monsters before and you always won. You tried not to think about those who didn’t make it out because that wasn’t going to happen this time. Everything was going to be okay.

____________________________________________________________

“Is it over?” you asked, your eyes darting to your brother, Jonathan’s, as El clung to Mike, soaked from the sensory deprivation bath you’d made her in the deep freezer.

“No idea,” he admitted, eyes wide, shaking his head.

Mike helped El climb out of the freezer and you grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around the shivering girl’s shoulders. She looked so small and frail in this moment but you knew she was anything but. This girl was a force, a damn superhero. You knew when you’d spoken to Jonathan a few days ago that El was your best shot at defeating this bastard once and for all. You just hoped she’d succeeded, having no idea what had happened in her mind fight with Vecna.

“Man, that was the craziest shit I have ever seen,” Argyle announced. “You were all shaking and the lights were flickering. Did you kick his ass? Is he gone?”

El’s eyes met yours and you knew something had gone wrong, something had gone horribly wrong. Her eyes should have shown relief, a sense of victory, but all you saw was despair, pain, and regret. Dropping to your knees in front of you, you took El’s hands, warming them with your own, needing to know what she knew.

“El…what happened?”

Her eyes brimmed with tears as she looked at each of you in turn, “I…he’s weak, but he’s not gone. Max…he got Max before I could stop him. I let him overpower me and Max is really hurt. I don’t know if she’s okay.” El paused, pressing her lips together, and then she was holding your hands, she was comforting you instead of the other way around and it felt like ice water had been poured down your spine. “I am so sorry. I saw…everything he was doing. He showed me all our friends, the way he was hurting them. Most of them got out okay but Eddie…” She stopped, one hand coming to cup your cheek. “I am so sorry. Eddie didn’t make it. He…”

You snatched your hands from her, falling backward onto your butt, shaking your head to clear away the words she’d just spoken. No. You couldn’t believe it. You wouldn’t believe it. Eddie couldn’t be gone. It wasn’t possible. He’d promised he’d see you again. You’d promised. You and him were supposed to graduate and start your life together. He couldn’t be gone.

“No…no…” you mumbled over and over.

“He fought so hard. He helped save the others. He was a hero but the bats…there were too many and he…”

“Stop!” you screamed, covering your ears with your hands. “Shut up! Just stop!”

“Hey,” Jonathan said softly, kneeling next to you, placing his hands on your shoulders.

“Don’t touch me! No! You say friends don’t lie but you’re lying!” you yelled and then a sound clawed its way up from your throat, a desperate scream that tore from you. Your body was ripping apart, pieces of you being shred away and you couldn’t do this. You couldn’t be here with these people anymore. These people who couldn’t understand, would never understand, who barely even knew him.

“I am so sorry, but just try to take some deep breaths and calm down,” Will pleaded, dropping to your other side.

The world was closing in on you. You grasped at your shirt, unable to breathe, a noose tightening around your neck, your heart in a vice that was squeezing until it was fracturing into tiny pieces. You leapt up from the floor and ran from the pizza place, having no idea where you were going, not even caring, just knowing you had to get away. You had to get away from those words.

___________________________________________________________

You sat in silence in the back of the Surfer Boy Pizza van as the others talked. It had been a long road trip from California to Indiana but everyone was desperate to get home and see the faces of those they loved, to prove to themselves that they were alright. You wanted that too but it felt like a punch to the gut every single time you remembered that the face you ached to see the most wouldn’t be there.

You had been driving straight through, Jonathan and Argyle taking turns napping in the back of the van. They hadn’t asked you to drive, which was fine with you. You weren’t sure you could focus enough to get everyone there safe. Mike had tried calling every time you had stopped for restroom breaks or food but it was always a busy signal, like the lines were down. If El’s visions were correct, Hawkins was in bad shape.

Jonathan and Will had taken turns trying to talk to you but you simply kept your gaze focused out the window. You knew your brothers meant well. They didn’t want to see you hurting. They only wanted to make you feel better but there was nothing anyone could do, nothing anyone could say. Your grief was a gaping chasm, swallowing you whole and no one could stop it.

You closed your eyes, those warm brown eyes, the color of the Earth that nurtures new life, the color of a warm cup of soothing tea, the color of melted chocolate, instantly popping into your vision. You squeezed your eyes tighter, swallowing down the lump of tears that were lodging in your throat. How could you face another sunrise knowing you wouldn’t see his face? How could you face another sunset knowing his arms wouldn’t be there to hold you while you slept? You couldn’t. This wasn’t life…this was mere existence.

“Holy shit,” you heard Jonathan say from the driver’s seat.

Slowly opening your eyes, you took in the sight of car after car heading in the opposite direction, away from Hawkins, away from the hell on Earth that this place had become. Jonathan turned into town and your jaw dropped, eyes widening, a knot forming in your gut at the sight of your home. The library was destroyed, appearing as if a flaming sword had cleaved it in two. The streets were rubble, power lines down, emergency crews blocking off everything. You saw people standing in line outside of the school, looking for shelter. It was a national disaster of epic proportions and no one knew the real reason why.

“Damn…this place is crispy fried,” Argyle commented, turning his head to take in the sights.

Jonathan headed toward the Wheeler’s, where everyone usually congregated in the hopes your friends would be there. As a familiar head of curly hair came into view, a small sob erupted from within you. Dustin had always been your favorite of Will’s friends and he was the whole reason you and Eddie had become a couple. Jonathan laid on the horn, the now familiar tune playing and catching everyone’s attention.

They all turned, identical looks of confusion on their faces. Until you parked and started to climb out. Then those confused faces became relieved faces, smiles breaking out. The Hawkins crew raced forward, everyone embracing each other in relief. You stood back by the van, unsure what to do with yourself. You were so happy to see so many of them were okay but unable to join in.

Dustin glanced over Mike’s shoulder to you, his brow furrowing in concern. He walked over, pulling you into an embrace and all those tears you’d been fighting back came pouring out. He had to be just as brokenhearted as you were, having loved Eddie almost, if not just as much as you did.

“Whoa, hey, Mike said you guys are all okay,” Dustin said softly, his hand rubbing your back gently. “Did something else happen?”

“El…Eddie…she saw…bats…” you choked, incapable of getting completely thoughts out. “I can’t…oh god…Dustin…”

His hands gripped your shoulders, holding you at arm’s length, “Hey, it’s okay. I mean, yeah, he did get attacked by bats in the Upside Down but he…” Dustin paused. “Shit, you don’t know…”

___________________________________________________________

You paused outside the hospital room, placing your hand on the wall for support. You’d just spent the last two days thinking he was gone. When Dustin told you that he’d survived, your heart had swelled with joy and then your entire body deflated with a relief that had your knees buckling, hitting the ground. Dustin said he was alive but in pretty bad shape and you had no idea what that meant. You tried to mentally prepare yourself for what you were about to see but how could you prepare yourself when you had no idea what to expect?

“Hey, it’s okay,” Dustin assured you, taking your hand in his own. “I’m going to be with you the whole time, okay?”

You nodded, inhaling through your nose and slowly releasing it through your lips. The two of you passed through the doorway and an animalist keening rose from within you at the sight before you. Dustin wrapped his arm around your waist, helping to steady you as he guided you toward the bed.

“I know. It looks bad. He…he hasn’t woken up yet,” Dustin said softly, his voice choked with emotion. “But he’s Eddie. He’s stubborn as hell. He’s going to pull through this. I know he is.”

The words would not come. You couldn’t respond as you took in the sight of the man you loved more than anything in the world laying in the bed in front of you. His neck, shoulder, torso, and legs were covered in bandages. He was hooked up to a ventilator to help him breathe.

“He was so damn brave. I mean stupid as shit, but brave. He cut the sheet and moved the mattress so I couldn’t follow him. He decided to be bait for the bats to give the others more time. I tried to get to him. I jumped through the gate but…I fell and I hurt myself and I just wasn’t fast enough. By the time I got there, Jesus, I thought he was a goner. I’m so sorry I couldn’t get there in time.”

You wrapped your arm around the sweet boy’s shoulders, pulling him into your side, “No, Dustin. You can’t blame yourself. Eddie made a choice and you…jumping through that gate, going after him like that, you were so brave too. Don’t ever think anything different. If you guys hadn’t gone through, none of us might be standing here right now.”

“Yeah, but now Eddie is in this hospital and we don’t know if he’s even going to be okay. Was it even worth it?”

“Of course it was,” you assured him. “Eddie…it’s awful, but so many people would have lost their lives if we hadn’t done what we did. It was the only option. None of us could have lived with ourselves if we had let Vecna win.”

Dustin nodded and you slowly released him, going to sit on the edge of Eddie’s bed. Your finger gently traced along his nose, his cheekbones, those beautifully full lips. He had to be okay. He just had to be. You already thought you’d lost him once. The world could not be so cruel as to make you lose him twice. It just couldn’t.

“Eddie, it’s me,” you whispered, your words wracked with sobs. “I’m here, baby. You were so damn brave. I am so fucking mad at you for it but you’re my hero. We won, baby. We won and we never could have done it without you. But I need you to wake up now, okay? I need you to open those sweet brown eyes for me because we have so much still to do together. You promised me, remember? You promised you’d come back and we would start our lives together. I won’t let you out of it. You have to come back to me.”

Dustin’s hand landed on your shoulder, squeezing lightly as you both looked at your favorite person in the world, willing him to wake up. All the monsters, all the fighting, all the bullshit and for what? For you to lose the one person you couldn’t live without? Hadn’t your group lost enough over the last few years? Hadn’t you been through enough pain, enough trauma, for ten lifetimes? This wasn’t fair. This would never be fair. But then that was life, wasn’t it? It kicked you when you were down and it didn’t care how badly it tore you up. Barb, Bob, Billy…it was too much. You couldn’t survive if you lost Eddie too.

“Hey, maybe we should go so you can get some rest,” offered Dustin after what felt like hours of the two of you just anxiously watching Eddie for any change. “You’ve been through hell and you guys drove all the way here from California.”

“No,” you asserted, shaking your head. “No. I am not going anywhere until I know if he’s okay. I’m not leaving him again.”

“Okay, I just…”

Dustin gasped and you followed his line of sight to Eddie. His eyes were blinking open. Your heart seized in your chest as you grasped his hand.

“Eddie?” you asked hopefully.

“Hey princess,” he murmured. “I promised you I’d come back, didn’t I?”

____________________________________________________________

“Seriously guys, I can walk myself,” grumbled Eddie, slung between Steve and Dustin as they half carried him into the house.

After three weeks in the hospital, he’d finally been released. You’d spent every single day by his side. He wasn’t completely healed. Eddie was going to need some time but he was definitely better, the bites having scarred over, the skin around them tough and jagged. You’d caught glimpses of them here and there but Eddie kept insisting that you leave the room when the nurse came in to change his dressings.

“No can do, man,” Steve stated, waiting for you to open the door before helping him over to the couch and gently easing him back onto it. “The doctor said for you to take it easy.”

“Yeah. Take it easy, not have The Hair and Dusty Bun carry me around everywhere like I’m some damn invalid,” he huffed, glaring at the two guys standing in front of him. “My wounds are all healed. Yeah, I’m a little slow still but I can walk around on my own.”

“Maybe, but…look, you saved our asses down there,” Steve explained. “You saved my ass. You’ve been so hard on yourself for running after Chrissy but anyone would have done the same thing in your situation. And there was nothing you could have done for her. But when it came time, you stepped up. You’re a goddamn hero, man. You risked your life to help the rest of us without a second thought.”

Eddie swallowed hard before his eyes met Steve’s, “Thanks man, but I didn’t do anything the rest of you wouldn’t have done.”

“Maybe, but you still did it. You told me when you see danger you turn heel and run but that’s not what you did. Yeah, you ran. You ran right into the danger.”

“It’s not that big of a deal, seriously. I didn’t do anything really except be a midnight snack for a bunch of bloodsuckers,” muttered Eddie, rubbing his forehead with his fingers. You could see how tired he was just from the ordeal of getting discharged and home and Dustin picked up on it as well.

“Alright, how about we go?” Dustin offered, giving Steve a look to let him know it was time to let Eddie relax. “You enjoy getting to be home and get some rest. We’ll check in tomorrow, okay?”

“Yeah, man, fine.”

You walked Dustin and Steve to the door, thanking them both for all their help. Eddie’s room had been filled with a constant procession of friends coming and going. Uncle Wayne had spent every minute off work sitting with you by Eddie’s side, so relieved to see his nephew with his eyes open, to hear the doctors say he was going to come through okay.

Closing the door behind them, you made your back to Eddie, sitting on the couch next to him, curling your legs up under you. You propped your arm on the back of the couch, staring at him, something you found yourself doing a lot these past few weeks. It was like your eyes had to verify that he was really there, he was really okay, and this wasn’t all some fever dream you'd concocted out of desperation.

“Sweetheart, why are you staring at me?” Eddie asked, his head tilted back, eyes closed, yet still somehow knowing.

“I just…I need to…I don’t know…I’m sorry…” you whispered, squeezing your eyes shut, willing the tears to stay away. You’d done so well keeping them under control these last few weeks but now they were threatening to pour from you as everything hit you all at once.

“Whoa,” Eddie said, lifting his head to look at you in concern. “What is it, princess? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m sorry. I’m being stupid.” You stood up, needing to do something to keep you busy so you wouldn’t fall apart in front of him. “Are you hungry? Thirsty? I can make you a sandwich or some eggs or…”

“Hey.” He reached for your hand, pulling you down into his lap. Those large hands cupped your face, bare of rings as they had to be removed at the hospital. “I’m good, okay? You’re not being stupid. You’re the smartest person I know…well, besides maybe Henderson but he makes all of us look like morons. Tell me why you’re so upset.”

“I thought I lost you,” you choked out. “El saw you. Vecna showed her and she told me you were gone. I spent two days thinking you were gone. It was…” You shook your head, closing your eyes.

Eddie pulled you into his chest, his arms coming around you tightly and you melted against him, needing the comfort that only his body could provide. Your own arms wound around him, crushing your bodies together, unable to get close enough and then you felt it. His body shaking beneath you as sobs took him over. The two of you sat like that, holding each other, crying, releasing all the fear and pain together.

“I thought I was gone too,” he admitted. “Jesus Christ. Your face…” Pulling back, he took your face in his hands again. “This face was the last thing I thought about before everything went dark. All I could think was that I was never going to see this beautiful face again. I was never going to kiss those lips again. I wasn’t going to get to spend the rest of my life with you and I wasn’t going to keep my promise. I…baby, I am so sorry. I wanted to keep my promise.”

“And you did,” you told him, “you’re here. You came back to me. I just…I don’t know how I would survive without you. It was like this black hole of nothingness when I thought. I just couldn’t…I…”

Then you were pressing kisses all over his face, kisses that were full of need and love and reassurance. Reassurance that he was here, that you were together, that everything was going to be okay.

“You’re still mine,” you said softly, pressing your lips to his. “You’re always mine.”

“Always,” Eddie agreed, his lips meeting yours with the same intense need but then he let out a yelp of pain and you darted off of him. “Hey, it’s okay. I’m okay…damn…” He held his side gently, grimacing.

“Shit, I am so sorry.”

“No, don’t be sorry. I want you, princess. I want you so bad but I don’t think I’m up for it yet.”

“That’s okay.” You climbed back onto the couch, next to him, gently easing his head down against your chest. “We don’t have to rush anything. I am just happy to have you home with me. I am just happy to have you here.”

“Hey, if it means I get to spend the next few days right here, with my face pressed against your boobs, I am more than happy.”

You snorted, rolling your eyes, “Leave it to you to ruin the sweet moment.”

___________________________________________________________

“This was the perfect idea,” Robin exclaimed, holding her arms out to her side as she spun in the sand. “I needed this. Sun, sand, ocean…we all deserve this after all the shit we’ve dealt with this past couple of years.”

“I agree,” Steve added. “We have more than earned a relaxing vacation and some fun in the sun.”

You closed your eyes, soaking in the warmth of the sun as it enveloped your body like a warm hug. All of you had decided that you needed a break from the trauma and the horror that had become your life. Argyle had recommended that you all head out to California to visit him for a week or two and you’d jumped at the chance. Between Eddie’s van and Steve’s car, you had all made it and standing here, staring out at the ocean, at all the people you loved laughing and splashing and having fun, you didn’t think there could be a more perfect moment than this.

“Hey there beautiful.” Two arms slid around your waist from behind and you melted against him, so very grateful for the ability to do so, remembering how close you’d come to losing the chance to ever be in his arms again. Eddie’s lips grazed your jaw before he propped his chin on your shoulder.

“Are you heading into the ocean?” you asked, laughing as you watched Dustin, Mike, Lucas, and Will playing a game of chicken in the waves.

“Me? Nope. Absolutely not.”

You spun in his arms, lopping yours around his neck. You knew exactly why he was so against going in the water as he stood there, in the warm California sun, in jeans and his three quarter sleeve Hellfire tee. Eddie had been self conscious ever since the attack. His torso, arms, neck, and legs were covered in scars, a road map to the battle he’d won.

The first time you tried to be intimate, he hesitated, which was so unlike Eddie who jumped at any opportunity to get you naked. You’d worried that his feelings for you had changed in some way with everything the two of you had been through. He had the all clear from the doctor, he was feeling way better, and you couldn’t understand why he wasn’t jumping at the chance for sex. It was so out of character for your horndog boyfriend. You’d quickly pulled your shirt over your head, embarrassed and mortified that he was turning you down.

Things were awkward for a couple weeks after that. He hesitated to touch you. He tensed up whenever you touched him. Finally, you exploded, screaming that if he wanted to break up with you then he needed to just say it because you couldn’t keep walking around just waiting for him to shatter you into pieces.

Eddie had been shocked and immediately began backpedaling and apologizing, assuring you that was the last thing he wanted. It took a lot of urging and demanding on your part, but he finally told you that he was scared for you to see him because he looked like a monster now. He shattered your heart anyway with his words but for an entirely different reason. You couldn’t believe that he would think your love for him was so shallow that something like scars would matter to you and you told him so. You told him those scars were badges of courage and he should never be ashamed of them. Eddie had gotten past it with you, but he still didn’t like anyone else to see and you decided this perfect day on the beach was not the time to push it.

“Okay,” you replied, pressing your lips to his, “then what would you like to do?”

“I know exactly what I would like to do.”

“Oh yeah?” you asked, assuming you knew where this was going.

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat and his tongue darted out, running back and forth across the corner of his mouth.

“Eddie, are you okay?” you asked and then your eyes went wide as you realized that all of your friends had gathered around you in a circle. “Okay. What the hell is going on?”

“Princess, you asked me not too long ago if I wanted to end things with you,” Eddie began and your heart stuttered in your chest, wondering where this was going. He wouldn’t possibly break up with you in front of everybody, would he? “I told you that was the last thing I wanted and it’s true. I don’t…Jesus, I can’t ever be without you. You are absolutely everything to me. I almost lost you because of…well, you know. Anyway, I don’t ever want to lose you. I don’t ever want to be without you. I,uhh…fuck. I’m so bad at this shit.” He reached into his pocket, pulling out a silver ring with a small green gemstone in the center and your eyebrows creased in confusion until he dropped to the sand on one knee.

“Oh shit…oh god…” you mumbled, staring at him in disbelief.

“Sweetheart, I love you so much. Like, I love you more than I have ever loved anything. I might love you more than anyone has ever loved anything. I know we’re young but I know I want you, forever. Will you marry me?”

Your breath caught in your throat as you stared down into his hopeful eyes, gazing up at yours. Your friend stood silent, still as statues as they waited for your answer. Tears filled your eyes and all you could do was nod, incapable of speaking.

“Yes?” asked Eddie hesitantly.

“Yes!” you shrieked, lunging and knocking him back onto the sand. Falling on top of him, you peppered his face with kisses and he laughed. “Yes! I love you so much. I want you forever. Yes I’ll marry you.”

All your friends cheered, Dustin the loudest of them all, screaming and jumping in the sand. But you couldn’t hear any of it because all you were focused on was the feel of Eddie’s lips on yours and the knowledge that he was going to be yours forever.

____________________________________________________________

“My future wife,” Eddie murmured against your skin, lips trailing over your stomach, his fingers moving your shirt higher and higher. “My bride.” Hot, wet kisses across your breasts, his tongue leaving a blazing wet trail over your nipples as he flicked his tongue over them before pulling them between his lips, one and then the other. “Mrs. Munson…shit, I could get used to that.”

“Mmm, me too,” you purred, lost in the feel of his lips exploring every inch of skin as his fingers exposed it. Now he was moving over your shoulder, down your arm, over your hip, hands pulling your panties down as those lips moved along your pubic bone.

“Mine,” he growled, his tongue licking a strip from your entrance up to your clit. “Forever mine now.”

“Always yours,” you gasped, fingers tangling in his waves, pressing yourself against him. His tongue teased your entrance, his nose running over your clit, the combined sensation had you writhing, rolling yourself into him. “Only yours…”

“That’s right,” he rumbled, his tongue running over the length of you before pulling your clit between his lips. “Fuck princess. I am the luckiest bastard in the world.”

You felt like you were the luckiest person in the world as he pressed his middle finger into you, curling, searching, until it found exactly what it was looking for, causing you to cry his name as your hips bucked up off the bed. Eddie’s other hand pressed against your stomach, holding you down on the bed as his tongue rolled around your clit. He added another finger and you moaned, pressing your hips down against his hand as you raced quickly toward release.

“Eddie, don’t stop. Oh Jesus, baby, yes…right there,” you managed, gasping between each word, your body completely outside of your control as his fingers and tongue worked you expertly.

He groaned in appreciation, the vibrations sending you over the edge. Your body trembled but he never let up, working you through the waves of pleasure that sent you helplessly out to sea, shaking, eyes rolling back, helpless whimpers falling from your lips.

Eddie kissed his way back up your body, eyes holding yours as he grabbed a condom, sliding it over his length. He guided himself to your entrance with one hand, the other cradling the back of your neck. He pushed into you slowly until he bottomed out within you as he pressed his lips to yours and you squeaked in pleasure at the feel of your bodies joining together.

“I love you so goddamn much,” he whispered, pressing his forehead against yours, his body still, just relishing the feel of being completely surrounded by you. “I can’t wait to start my life with you.”

“Me too,” you sighed, eyes rolling back as he slowly began to rock his hips, pulling out until just the tip of him remained and then pressing back into you in long, slow thrusts. “I love you more than I’ve ever loved anything in my life.”

Eddie’s arms came around you, cradling you to him as your bodies moved together. You rocked your hips forward as he did, meeting his thrusts each time, until you both couldn’t take the slow pace anymore. He buried his face against your neck as he plunged into you more frantically, the bed rocking along with the two of you.

“Fuck sweetheart, I’m close,” he growled against your ear.

“Come for me baby,” you urged, hands gripping his ass, rocking against him with an urgent need.

“Oh shit!” he cried out, bucking against you and then stilling as he reached his own climax. His body shuddered above you, pitiful moans rumbling out of him, and you wrapped your arms around him, holding him to you until it subsided. “Jesus…” he muttered, slowly pulling from you, removing the condom and tossing it in the trash can before collapsing next to you, resting his head on your chest.

“I can’t believe we get to do that for the rest of our lives,” you sighed happily, your hand running gently over his hair.

“Every damn day,” he stated, nipping playfully at your shoulder. “Even when we’re old. I am making you mine every single day for the rest of our forever.”

“Sounds like bliss. So…” Eddie stilled, looking up at you, his eyebrows raised curiously. “I know you proposed and everything but did you plan on us having a long engagement? I mean, we are young so I would understand.”

“Shit, no,” he laughed, propping himself on his elbow, trailing the back of his hand down between your breasts and along your stomach. “I want to marry you as soon as possible but I know it will probably take you a while to plan a big wedding.”

“Big?” you asked, shaking your head. “No. I don’t need anything big. I just want to marry you. I don’t want to go into debt to do it. I would marry you in a damn shack.”

“While I appreciate the sentiment, princess, I am not marrying you in a shack.”

“Okay. What about the beach?” “You mean the lake at home?” he asked, wrinkling his nose.

“No…” you said slowly. “What about the beach here in California?”

“You want to come back here?”

“No. I was thinking…what if we got married on this trip?”

Eddie’s brow furrowed further, “Isn’t that kind of fast? I mean, don’t

you need a dress and flowers and shit?”

“No. All I need is you. I mean, all our friends are here with us. We’re on a beach in California. Can you think of a more perfect place?”

“No. I guess not. But princess, what about when we get home? I don’t even have a job. Hawkins gave me a diploma just to cover their own asses after the whole town accused me of a murder I didn’t commit. I mean…”

You took his face in your hands, “We’ll figure all of that out. None of that matters. The rest will fall into place. All we need is us.”

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Eddie, I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life but if you’re not, then we can wait a while.”

“Sweetheart, I would marry you this very second if that’s what you want,” Eddie replied, his hands taking yours, thumbs running over the backs. “When I think about the future, the only thing I am sure about is that I want you in it.”

“Me too. So, let’s do this and then figure out the rest of it together.”

He smiled, his lips finding yours in a sweet, gentle kiss, “Alright. Let’s do this. Let’s get married.”

“I can’t wait to make you mine.”

“Darling, I’m already yours,” he grinned, pulling you down to the bed again in a kiss that held all the promise of tomorrow and every day after that.

#eddie munson #eddie munson smut #stranger things eddie #eddie the banished #eddie munson fic #eddie munson x reader #smut requests #request #eddie munson x you

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