All my Levi x reader fanfics and Levi fanart
Art Commission: CLOSED!
Writing Requests: CLOSED!
-> Little "toxic" things Levi does as a boyfriend
-> Levi dating a Swifty
-> Levi's s/o telling him she's pregnant
-> Virgin! Levi
-> Sexism in AoT
-> Homosexuality in AoT
-> Levi showing affection to his S/O in front of his kids
-> Levi having competition to wins your heart!
-> Canon! Levi (Scouts time) views on kids, marriage and romantic relationships
-> Alpha! Levi believes you would be a good mommy of his spawns
-> Wishing to be breed by Levi.
-> Levi accusing his partner of cheating?
-> Is Levi a virgin?
-> Is Levi conservative?
-> Levi's S/O with a contagious weird laugh
-> Levi in love
-> Connie having a crush on Levi's girlfriend
-> Levi reacting to his girlfriend giving birth
-> Petnames that Levi would use
-> Levi's reaction to his S/O getting assaulted NSFW
-> Levi's kinks
HEADCANONS MASTERLIST PART 2
I've reached the limit of this a single post by tumblr for links so. . . here's another masterlist lol.
-> Ackerman’s blood
Levi fears for the first time that perhaps his Ackerman's powers aren't a bleassing when his son suffers the consequences of them. Dad! Levi x Reader
-> Stoppers (NSFW!!)
Levi feels overwhelming jealous and decides that there's nothing better to set things clear of who owns who than a good old fucking. Levi x Reader.
-> Criminal Record Part 1 - Part 2
Levi insist he has done worse things in his life than, perhaps, sleeping with a subordinate.
-> Traidor
2020 what a time to be alive. The snk character are doing the same as old of us trying to survive the lockdown... playing among us! Levi x reader.
-> Father’s day
Having a soldier as a father is never easy, way less when your father is Humanity's strongest soldier. Levi's kid has the perfect gift but perhaps it's not the perfect scenario. Dad! Levi x Mom! reader
-> Couple goals
Levi hates military's formal events and you know it. Both of you still make the perfect team.
-> Baby boy
Hang out with your higher-ups as you just become Levi's girlfriend. What's the worse thing that could happen? Spoiler alert: Eren is not going to forget about this... neither Erwin.
-> Scratches down his back NSFW-ish
Repeat after me, nothing good happens in the common showers unless it’s Levi sandwiching you with the wet wall. Sadly, this is not the case. So, nothing good will happen.
-> Blackfire
Erwin insists that Levi should educate his squad on certain topics proper of their age. Levi isn't really convinced but Commander's orders are Commander's orders… However, Erwin didn't specify on what he should educate his bratty cadets about. Levi x reader!
-> ANGEL
You met Captain Levi while working as a teacher at one of the new orphanages that Queen Historia created. He seems so willying to help. (YANDERE! Levi x reader NSFW!!)
-> Tea time
Levi is deep down a huge gossip old lady. Levi x reader
-> An Old-fashioned Girl
You're a teen living her normal life until she travelled back on time to aot period.
-> Self-sabotage
Erwin begs Levi to buy him a coffee on his way to university. Having a crush in a barista is so hard when you don't like coffee. (Modern au! University student Levi having a crush on a barista)
-> Not in season? NSFW! Part 1 - Part 2
Winter had settled in, and the scouts were busy training and preparing for the prospects of spring, still far away, to retake Wall Maria. Despite the snow accumulating outside, the building was freezing cold, and the world had secluded itself until the temperature rose. So, why was Captain Levi boiling in his own body? Something felt off, but his mind was quickly slipping into insanity as he tried to find a rational explanation. OMEGAVERSE ALPHA LEVI X OMEGA READER.
-> Levi and the first encounter! Underground! Levi
Tales of Levi's life in the underground.
-> EXPLANATION OMEGAVERSE AU
-> Fifteen, what an age to be alive!
Steal your father's car! What could go wrong? Dad! Levi x Mom! Reader
-> Laundry Problems
Levi's a very stoic calm man. He always does laundry but as a unknown piece of clothe appear, Levi's life flash before his eyes. Levi x reader
-> Bed-head Levi
How are Captain Levi's mornings?
-> Boop! You've been chosen!
Levi and you decide to adopt a kitty.
-> My Teen! Levi's modern AU stories.
There's a lot of them so here's a link to all of them.
-> EUPHEMISMS (NSFW-ish)
Levi may not have attended school, but he knows a thing or two about pregnancy… and also periods. (Levi takes care of you during your period)
-> Transactional (PURE NSFW!!!)
When you go to ask Captain Levi for a promotion, it's important to remain humble.
-> Mother's smile (Dad! Levi angst)
Levi's son feels the pressure of being an Ackerman.
-> Levi isn't romantic
-> Levi as a father part 1 part2
-> Unpopular aot opinions
-> Levi growing up in the underground 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
-> Levi's morning with happy ending NSFW
-> Sick clingy Levi NSFWish
-> Soft Levi NSFWish
-> Horny Levi x nurse! reader NSFW
-> Levi x Passenger princess reader
-> Travelling with Levi
-> Girlfriend effect on Levi!
-> Levi loving calling his girlfriend "wife"
-> Levi and farlan as roomies
-> Levi as the father of a baby boy
-> Being humanity's strongest baby girl
-> SnK boys and pilates.
-> Levi's baby thinks Levi's tight chess works as mommy's chest lol
-> Erwin finds out that now Levi is busy at night 👀
-> Levi's only weakness... You, you and a sundress
-> Sexually frustrated Levi
-> Levi = female gaze
-> Levi using you as an excuse for anything
-> Modern au! Levi was a very attentive fuck buddy, even more attentive as a boyfriend.
-> Your horse doesn't want to share you with Levi.
-> Levi's daughter
-> Erwin introduce you to Levi
-> Rambling about gossip to your boyfriend while stealing his food >>> anything else
-> Deadly Occasion (Levi is forced to marry someone else) NSFW
-> Drunk Levi? Better say needy Levi! NSFW
-> Walking down the streets with Levi
Short multichapter where we follow Levi's awkward attempts to win the reader over.
"Alright, get comfortable because this is going to be a long, crappy tale. Join me as we travel down memory lane, back when Erwin wasn't yet a commander, when Mike and Nanaba couldn't keep their hands off each other, when Hange was... well, Hange. And Levi? Well, Levi was a twenty-four-year-old man who didn't give a damn about the rules. Are you ready?"
Have you ever wished you could ask Captain Levi a few questions and see his reaction? Well! say no more! I left Levi incharge of my blog for a few days. Enjoy the comic with hisreactions!
Have you ever wished you could ask Captain Levi a few questions and see his reaction? Well! say no more! I left Levi incharge of my blog for a few days. Enjoy the comic with hisreactions! Part 2! Levi's revenge.
63 and COUNTING silly posts of quotes that I think snk characters would say.
You think that art looks cute? I draw it! Here's a link to a few of my other pieces!
WANNA JOIN MY TAG LIST SO YOU DON’T LOSE A SINGLE POST? HERE!
characters: giyuu, tengen, sanemi, rengoku, obanai, muichiro, x fem!reader
warnings: fluffffff, strong language in sanemi’s (i called him a mean name :/)
AN: muichiro is aged up!!! also no gyomei bc i don’t write for him sry :/
i love them
this man is so soft
GIVING: kisses to the top of your head
like in the morning when you first wake up
after you make your coffee or tea or whatever u drink
your standing in the kitchen looking out of the window
and he comes up behind you
wraps his arms around your waist
your back pressed against his chest
and he just gives the sweetest lil kiss to the crown of your head
RECEIVING: nose kisses!!
fastest way to bring this man to his knees i swear
just something about you being so close to him but NOT pressing your lips to his
it’s both endearing and annoying lol
but really he loves it
finds it adorable and so so innocent
i want to be his 4th wife SO bad
anyways
GIVING: soft pecks on the lips
now
do not be fooled
tengen may start off with a soft quick peck
but the SECOND he pulls away
he’s coming back for more
how could he not?
he’s obsessed w u i’m ngl
anyways he’s comin back for another kiss
ands it’s not soft
and it’s not quick
after that initial peck it’s turning into a full on nasty slobbery makeout sesh
yuck
please let me experience this w him
he enjoys the soft pecks because he knows what’s coming after
RECEIVING: a sweet kiss on the arm
now tengens favorite kiss to receive is a lot more intimate than the ones he gives out
when you’re taking a walk together
holding hands
maybe you stop to look at a nice view
and you lean into his side
and give him a chaste kiss on his bicep before leaning your head against it
awhhhh
tengen is internally dying at how cute u are
i’m internally dying at how cute this is
my BOYFRIENDDDDDD
i’m sanemi trash and what abt it
GIVING: a neck kiss
NOW
before y’all get nasty thoughts
cause ik y’all did
this is innocent
he gives these kisses in the morning when he first wakes up
you’re probably still asleep
and he sits up enough to rest his head in his hand and just looks at you
thinking about how lucky he is
how gorgeous you are
he lays back down, pulling your body close to his
and he buries his head in the crook of your neck
laying a sweet kiss on your neck
on your pulse point
likes feeling the beat of your heart
it’s soothing to him
after he pulls away from your neck he cuddles you even closer than before
if that’s even possible
and goes back to sleep until it’s time for him to leave for a mission
RECEIVING: kisses to his scars
now we all know sanemi is a dumbass bitch that basically self harms right? okay right
so
when y’all have some downtime
and you settle yourself into his lap facing him
when u launch yourself at him and start littering his body with kisses
kissing each and every scar available to you
this man
MELTS
he MELTS BRO
to him, this is you letting him know how important he is to you
how beautiful he is to you
his ears are bright red
but he’s a puddle underneath you now
SUNSHINE MAN
such a gentleman!!!
sweetest human ever!!!
GIVING: all of the kisses!!
i’m talking forehead kiss, kiss to the top of your head, kiss on your cheek, kissing your hand
he loves you and wants you to know it
WANTS EVERYONE TO KNOW IT
how does he get everyone to know it?
by showering you in kisses of course!
low key more PDA w kyo then w tengen
but ofc he keeps it PG while tengen doesn’t lololol
RECEIVING: tippy toe kisses!!
this. is. my. fav. hc. for. him. ever.
he does NOT bend down to kiss you on the lips
simply will not do it
when you have to press up onto your tip toes and balance yourself by pressing your hands against his chest to kiss him
he thinks it’s adorable
he doesn’t mean to tease you or make you annoyed
but if you’re not basically climbing him to give him a kiss
then he. don’t. want. it.
it’s just so endearing to see you work for it
off brand orochimaru
*cough cough* ignore that^
i love him really i swear
ANYWAYS
GIVING: kisses to your hands
he may come off as a mean and scary little gremlin
but for u
he is as soft as a cotton ball
at this point you cannot hold hands w snake boy without him bringing your hands to his mouth and him laying a kiss on the back of your hand
get your nails done? show obanai
cause he’s taking your hand and laying a kiss to each finger
when y’all are laying in bed talking
he’s playing with ur hand
and he’s pressing a kiss to your ring finger!!!!!!
he’s gonna put a ring there someday soon omm
RECEIVING: a kiss to the corner of his mouth
y’all prolly coulda guessed this one if yk anything abt snake bby
but
when y’all are alone
and the bottom half of his face is uncovered
first of all- cover his WHOLE face in kisses
and then pay extra attention to the corners of his mouth
lay a kiss on the outer corner of the scars
and lay a kiss on the inner corner of the scars, right next to his mouth
repeat on the other side.
it’s mandatory when ur dating him i don’t make the rules
he’s insecure abt the scars
doesn’t want to freak people out when they see them
so for you to KISS THEM???
yeah
he’s gonna marry u fs
HE’S SO PRETTYYYYYYY
protect this boy at all costs
GIVING: forehead kiss
he is so sweet
an angel fr
there is not a single. day.
that muichiro is not laying a fat kiss
in the middle of ur forehead
oh he gets called out for a mission?
he’s kissing u on the forehead before running out the door
you cooked him dinner?
he’s kissing u on the forehead and then making his plate
y’all laying in the bed about to go to sleep?
he’s kissing u on the forehead before pulling you close to him for a snuggle
you’re doing anything?
HE’S KISSING U ON THE FOREHEAD
yeah
did i mention he’s kissing u on the forehead?
RECEIVING: surprise kisses
now
he’s a hashira so catching him off guard is quite the task
but!!!
if u manage to do it
like if he’s at the butterfly mansion
talking with tanjiro or som
his guard is down
sneak up on him and lay a kiss on his cheek before running away laughing
bro blushes red af
and then a cute lil smile stretches across his face
sometimes he’ll know you’re sneaking up on him
but he’ll let you do it anyways
he loves hearing your giggle as you run away thinking u caught him by surprise
he’s so in love w u
i was wondering if you could do an enemies to lover smut with percy jackson and reader??? like she beats him in a sword fight and then he takes his anger out on her in poseidon's cabin? but it starts as hate sex but turns into loving sex?
Pairing: enemies to lovers percy jackson x reader
Warnings: language, smut 18+, couple uses of y/n
Y/n didn't wanna wake up or get out of bed today. You may ask why it's a beautiful spring day and the weather is absolutely amazing. Well, she had a sparring session today with the person who she would describe as the definition of the word 'asshole' and 'piece of shit', and that is percy jackson himself.
She tried to go on about her day trying not to think about the shit she has to do after lunch today. She would absolutely rather be on dish washing duty for a whole week than to be in Percy's presence. She couldn't even look at him without wanting to rip his face to shreds. But, she still found herself starring at him. How his black hair looks good even after he just rolled out of bed and how...
"Okay what the fuck are you doing stop it" she thought to herself shaking her head a bit.
It's been 15 minutes since they started sparring. They're both sweating buckets and they both wanna get this over with.
Percy was stressed the fuck out because she was winning. The reason why she was training with him anyway was because she wanted to get better but she's somehow beating him.
Y/n was having the time of her life seeing him so worked up over a little sparring match.
"Are you sure you're the best around here?, cause I rarely pick up a sword and I'm winning" she said looking at him with a smirk.
"You need to drop the attitude or you're not gonna like what's gonna happen" percy said through gritted teeth.
Not even a second later he was disarmed and she had the tip of her sword on his Adam's apple.
They were both breathing hard and heavy it was hot as shit now. Percy's shirt stuck to his abdomen making her eyes suddenly drop on accident. He smirked seeing where she was looking.
She swore she could she incredible fury and anger in Percy's eyes over a stupid sword fight. But then he grabbed her sword and threw it on the ground.
"Drop. The. Attitude. Now." He said grabbing her face tightly squishing her cheeks.
"Or fucking what?" She said biting back.
Percy all of a sudden grabs her hand tightening his grip and dragging her to the poseidon cabin.
He closed the door behind him and threw her on the bed.
"What the fuck are you doing??" She said absolutely shocked at his behavior.
"You need someone to fuck the attitude out of you don't you?" He said taking his shirt off and crashing his lips to hers.
He bit her bottom lip and shoved his tongue in her mouth while touching all over her body. She started getting hot, secretly having thought about this too many times late at night alone in her cabin.
She kept kissing his lips till they couldn't function anymore.
"I need you now" percy said looking into her eyes.
"Then have me" She said kissing him aggressively again.
Percy flipped them over looking up at her.
"Ride me" He said in a demanding tone
"Aren't you like the guy you're supposed to take care of me during shit like this?" She lifts a brow in question.
" will with that attitude you gotta take care of both of us now pretty girl" He said slapping her ass.
She jolted forward out of surprise. Then began stripping and teasing him with her body. Gently swaying her hips on top of him. He immediately grabs her tits not believing that this is actually happening and the girl he wants but hates the most is naked in front of him right now.
She sank down onto his cock feeling the amazing but painful stretch of him. His tip nudging her cervix.
She started to move throwing her head back and putting her hands on his chest.
"Omg who would've thought you'd feel this fucking good?" She says moaning.
"Faster baby you can do it" percy egged her on.
She tried to go faster but couldn't. Percy was sick of it so he grabbed her hips slamming into her In a brutal force.
She was moaning like crazy and practically screaming his name. Percy looks down seeing the milky ring around his shaft from her pussy.
" holy fucking God, if only people knew how much you actually hate me right now, huh?" He says taunting her. She looks at him with teary eyes from the pleasure.
"Hey, hey baby you okay? Am I going too hard? I'm so sorry pretty girl" percy says stopping, hugging her to his chest.
"I'm okay I promise" She says softly whispering the words on his lips. He kept her close to his chest looking at her to check if it's okay to keep going.
She slightly nodded to let him know to keep going. He starts moving again but so slow and so sweet this time, taking all his time with her.
The truth is percy always had a crush on her but she hated him since the beginning for some reason so he didn't know what to do but reciprocate the hate back.
But y/n she liked percy ever since they met, she just didn't know how to deal with her feelings. She realizes that's no excuse for treating him that way, but she was just a kid afraid of her feelings.
Percy kept trusting into her, kissing her passionately, holding her to his chest feeling like she's going to disappear.
Moaning into each other's mouths "I'm gonna cum percy" she says looking at him with blury eyes.
"It's okay, baby cum for me come one. That's my good girl good job" He said praising her to no end while she spasms around his thick cock. He thrusts a couple more times before Cumming too.
They laid there in each other's arms so happy they finally got their feelings out of the way.
Y/n was falling asleep when percy gently kissed her face to wake her.
"Baby let's clean up together first before we sleep okay?" He said stroking her hair
"Mhmmm" She hums clearly out of it but agreeing with him.
Percy carries her to the bathroom in his cabin to clean her up. Then he tucks them both in all cozy.
"Goodnight, baby sweet dreams, we'll talk tomorrow" He says, kissing her forehead before passing out himself.
This list will be updated daily. Good reading💖
🌹 > smut
✨ > fluff
🍃 > angst
All versions of you: 🍃 ✨ 🌹
Resume Request: Years on The Commission made Five Hargreeves commit horrible atrocities, massacring his humanity and robbing his chances to belong to somewhere. Somewhere stable. But all the torture they put on his soul every day, was all worth when he found in that agency the one thing he knew he would love irrevocably until the end of time: You. But all that love hadn’t been able to stop the separation when he returned to his family, when the breakup was inevitable and took the last spark of happiness from him. Forever. Surviving the end of the 1960s world, and finally accepting that a reality where the Sparrow Academy existed was better than messing up the timeline all over again, Five was prepared to find everything in that chaotic place, except the one thing that could bring him to his knees: You.
And like Ben Hargreeves, you didn’t remember any Five.
Venom : 🌹 ✨ 🍃
Resume Request: Five and the Reader have hated each other for many years and nothing has ever changed that, but since Five has been spending so much time with Laila, the Reader are is extremely jealous. She always tries to ruin every time the two meet, but after a while, Five comes to understand where this anger that is bigger than usual comes from. And as much as the Reader is proud and would rather die than admit something, Five knows put she in her place.
Last night of the world: ✨
Resume Request : Luther’s wedding was an ironic joke for Five Hargreeves, especially with the apocalypse knocking at the door. But, that night, when Five looked at you and his breath escaped his lungs, he understood his brother. Beause he would marry you too on the last night of the world if he could.
Untouchable: 🌹 ✨ 🍃
Resume Request : The villain falls in love with the girl.
Felling:✨
Resume Request: Five is struggling with accepting the Reader trying to be like romantic or affectionate with him.
Baby :✨part.2 part.3
Resume Request: Are Reader afraid to tell Five that her are pregnant.
I want to do bad things with you : 🌹
Resume Request : Five want being domineering with Reader, but he asks if her really want this, because he can end up really hurting her.
You:🌹
Resume request: Reader and Five break up, and after he sees her kissing another guy in a nightclub, he’ll show her who really makes she feel good.
Attention:🌹
Resume Request: Five is focused on his equations for hours, but Reader have a plan B to distract him.
Invigorating:✨
Resume Request: Five finds that his powers are stronger near Reader.
Nobody can’t touch you :✨
Resume: Five never let anyone hurt Reader, and when The Handler kidnaps she to manipulate Five, he feels a hate he never felt in his life. (Little, really little, soft smut)
Geniuses: ✨
Resume Request: Reader are as smart as Five and he is not used to it.
I need you: 🍃✨
Resume request: Reader and five have been fighting a lot lately, and when he appears with the smell of The Handler perfume on his shirt, it was the fuse. (But it has a happy ending, I promise).
Heaven: 🌹✨
Resume Request: Five is an emotionless Assassin from the commission and does his job without remorse or mercy until he meets you. He will do anything to make you his. And will kill anyone who gets in his way between him and you.
Gold:✨
Resume Request: Five just fluff whit his wife.
Not you: 🍃✨
Resume Request: Five and You are both hit by one of Hazel and Cha-Cha’s bullets. Five wants you treated as soon as possible. after they’re fine, the siblings start to question them on Five’s protectiveness over You.
Secret 🌹
Resume Request: Five and you have to be silent because his siblings don’t know about you two.
Unbelievable:✨🌹
Resume Request: The Handler wants to you join the commission, but you is jealous/mad with the way the Handler flirts with Five.
Nobody else: ✨🌹
Resume Request: You is a super skilled fighter, and the other Hargreeves siblings can’t get over how amazing you are, but that causes Five to become a little jealous.
Be good: 🌹
Resume Request: The Reader are so cute and Five want take her so badly.
So good whit you:🌹
Sub!Five
Resume request: Reader and Five hate, but something happens to him when see her almost naked.
Distracted :🌹
Resume request: Five shows who’s really in control.
The sin you make me commit: 🌹
Resume Request: You’re Diego’s best friend, but Five desires you to much.
Started: July 7, 2023 Last updated: August 28, 2024
I write for:
The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Shadowhunters, the MCU, the Hunger Games series, and Criminal Minds. I may also write for Fate: The Winx Saga, Cobra Kai, Grey's Anatomy, 13rw, Gossip Girl, and Riverdale (even tho I have no idea what's happening in that show anymore). I typically write fem!reader-insert fics, but you might see a ship once in a while. Crossovers may happen. Btw, I add angst to like everything. Straight-up fluff is rare.
a/n: just wanted to let everyone know that requests are open rn, but that might change once summer's over. i update this list every time i post.
The Tribrid You're Klaus Mikaelson's long-lost daughter that he has no idea about, yet somehow you still find yourself getting entangled in the New Orleans wars, both with the city and then with your own family. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Should've Known Better After a thousand years of marriage, everything comes crumbling down, taking you with it. But you shouldn't have been so surprised; you knew that Klaus was fire, and you knew that fire burned. You should've known better. 1 2
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idk y'all but i had an idea so we'll see ab this one
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Our Song and Dance You'd grown used to dancing the same dance over and over again, the victor's dance, but then you start dancing with Finnick Odair and you feel things you never thought you'd feel. So you let yourself enjoy the dance, even though you knew that every song inevitably came to an end. 1 2 3 4 5 6
What's in a Name? 5 times you and Agent Hotchner questionably cross paths over the years, just for him to watch you walk away (+1 time you don't). The Grey Area You meet Aaron Hotchner and he makes you see everything in colour; he makes you feel like you're the only girl in the room. But then, as you find out that you're not, you realize the colour he actually makes you see the most is grey. (a/n: very scandal based). Series Masterlist
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pairing: regulus black x reader.
song inspiration: eyes don't lie by isabel larosa.
author's note: screaming, crying, throwing up. if regulus looked at me like that, i'd be wetter than the black lake. please enjoy my darlings 🤎
The first symptom reared its ugly head early Monday morning.
You were in the Great Hall eating breakfast with James, Remus, Sirius, and Peter when your skin suddenly felt like you were being engulfed by fiendfyre. The burning heat spread through your entire body, making you feel flushed and flustered. Your fork clattered against the table while you wiped the sweat off of your brow with clammy hands.
“Are you feeling alright, love?” asked Sirius.
You shook your head, fanning yourself. “Does anyone else feel hot all of a sudden? It feels like I’m getting burned alive.”
The boys shook their heads. Remus laid the back of his hand against your forehead. “You’re burning up, Y/N. I think you might be pitching a fever.”
James pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose and squinted. “Moony’s right. You’re sweating profusely and you look a bit peaked.”
Peter nodded in agreement. “It might be that new dragon flu that’s going around. Maybe you should head back to the dorms, Y/N.”
“I can’t miss class. There’s an assignment due in Transfiguration.”
Just then, a violent cramp seized your lower abdomen. You gripped the edge of the dining table so hard that you felt the wood splinter underneath your palm. Padfoot’s eyes widened at the appearance of your claws. It had only been a month since Sirius helped you summon your Animagus form and while you still had much to learn, you’ve never lost control like this before.
You needed to get out of there. Transforming into a giant snow leopard in the middle of the Great Hall would be very, very bad.
“Don’t worry about McGonagall,” Sirius said in a stern voice. “We’ll cover for you. Now come on, I’ll walk you back to your room.”
Fortunately, you managed to reach Gryffindor tower with no other incidents. After Sirius escorted you back to your dorm, he barred the door with magic and promised to check up on you after class.
The cramps only worsened. It felt like someone had buried a dagger into your stomach and was now twisting and turning it as they pleased. You doubled over in pain and clutched the poster of your canopy bed before curling up into a ball in the middle of your mattress. Not even your period cramps compared to this torment.
When you thought it couldn’t get any worse, an overwhelming ache blossomed between your thighs and made you groan with need. You twisted in your sheets and pressed your legs together to counteract the wave of lust coursing through your veins, but it only made it worse. You felt empty and hollow and the overwhelming desire to be filled was the only thing you could think about.
This was different from the surge of adolescent hormones that you had grown so familiar with. The desire was a living thing, sinking its claws into your very being. You felt feral, animalistic.
You burrowed into your pillows, your breaths growing ragged as you tried to regain control. A demanding knock against your door broke your concentration. You sniffed the air, whining softly as the intoxicating scent of eucalyptus, bergamot, and sandalwood overpowered your heightened senses. A part of you recalled the warning Sirius left you with. You were not, under any circumstances, supposed to open the door unless it was him or one of the boys on the other side, but the temptation was too strong.
As the knocks grew more insistent, the scent shifted into something sharper. You felt yourself drawn to it and before long, you were opening the door to satiate your curiosity. The person standing on the other side made your stomach lurch.
“Regulus,” you said through gritted teeth. The very presence of the younger Black brother made your entire body shake as you contended against the urge to transform. It was a losing battle. You could feel your canines elongating, making your gums feel sore and achy. “Now is not a good time.”
In fact, it was the worst bloody fucking time. On a normal day, you could barely tolerate Regulus. His surly attitude and cutting glare certainly left little to be desired. Then there was the matter of his falling out with Sirius, which only served to heighten the tension between you. When Professor McGonagall chose to make you partners, you at least attempted to keep things civil. Whatever was going on between your best friend and his younger brother was none of your business, but Regulus had practically made it impossible to stay impartial.
You had never met a broodier, haughtier, snootier arsehole than Regulus Arcturus Black. The pureblood prick acted like he was a prince amongst peasants just because he happened to be born into the right bloodline. Yet a muggleborn like yourself had managed to take the top spot in every class. A spot that previously belonged to him.
To be expected, Regulus wasn’t the least bit pleased about this. He was even less thrilled when McGonagall tasked him to drop off the latest lecture notes so that you wouldn’t fall behind in class. If she hadn’t threatened to deduct points from his house for refusing, Regulus would’ve never set foot in the godforsaken lion’s den.
He pushed his way inside, not bothering to wait for a proper invitation. “Here are the notes from class,” Regulus stated stiffly. “We’re required to transform a thimble into a thestral. I suggest you read up. I’ll not have you dragging me down just because you fancied playing hooky for the day.”
“I’m not skipping for the bloody hell of it,” you snapped. “If I had a choice, I would be in class not doubled over in pain—”
Regulus caught you just before you hit the ground. The dizzy spell had come out of nowhere, nearly knocking you to the floor from the sheer force of its effects. As Regulus snaked his arm around your waist, you almost wished it had. His scent hit you all at once. You whimpered as he tucked you against his side, feeling the heat of his touch even under all your layers of clothing.
The ringing in your ears subsided enough for you to hear the panic in Regulus’ voice. “Y/N, can you hear me? Are you alright?”
You pushed him off with what little strength remained in your body. “Thank you for the notes, but I’d appreciate it if you left.”
“No,” Regulus said.
“What do you mean, no?
“I mean, no. Do you want to hear it in French? Non.”
You frowned, clutching your stomach. The cramps were starting again, but it was different this time. The ache in your lower abdomen was excruciating and your current proximity to Regulus only seemed to make it worse. The slickness between your thighs certainly didn’t help the matter. It was humiliating, plain and simple.
“Get the fuck out, Regulus!”
Regulus caught your wrist. His fingers felt like ice against your overheated skin. “You don’t want that, darling. Not when I’m the only person who can help.”
“You know what’s wrong with me?”
He sighed. “Of course my brother would convince you to turn without thinking about the side effects. Classic Sirius, honestly.” You glared at him to get on with it. “You’re in heat, Y/N.”
You grimaced. There was no way in Godric’s green earth. “Like…a cat?”
Regulus smirked. “Is that what you transform into, little kitten?” You pursed your lips, which caused him to roll his eyes. “Please, I know your merry band of misfits have all conjured an animagus form. There’s no use hiding it. So what are you? A fuzzy little Persian cat?”
“No,” you said rather haughtily. Did he have to be so irritating? “My form is a snow leopard.”
“Still a kitten,” he responded with a shit eating grin. “The same rules apply. You’ll be in heat for at least a week, mon chaton.”
“You mean I have to suffer for seven whole days? This is hell. It feels like my uterus is being ripped apart. How am I supposed to endure this pain for an entire week?”
“Well, there are ways to find relief.”
“What kind of ways?”
Regulus gave you a knowing look. “You’re a smart girl. I’m sure you can figure it out. What’s the purpose of heat?”
“Reproduction,” you answered almost instantly. The realization left your mouth before your brain could even process it. Oh, you have got to be kidding. This was some sort of cruel joke. For Merlin’s fucking sake! This was horrifying. Downright humiliating. “You can’t possibly mean…”
The grin on the stupid twat’s face was growing wider by the second. “You don’t necessarily have to have sex,” he said in an amused tone. “An orgasm will do. I’m sure you can manage that with your fingers, can’t you princess?”
You swallowed thickly. “I—I’ve never—“
Was it possible to die from embarrassment? Discussing the details of your sex life would’ve been humiliating under any circumstance, but this? Standing here, telling Regulus fucking Black what you were about to tell him, this was truly rock bottom.
“Don’t tell me you’re a virgin.”
“No!” you snapped. You’ve had your fair share of experience in that department, no matter how awkward they might’ve been. “I’ve had sex, I just haven’t…”
“You’ve never had an orgasm?” Regulus said, entirely perplexed. “Not even once?”
You crossed your arms defensively, which turned out to be a big mistake. On top of everything else that you were already suffering through, your breasts now felt sore and sensitive.
“No,” you conceded with a sigh. “I don’t need you judging me for it either, so if you’re quite done then please get the bloody hell out of my dorm.”
It may have been your imagination, but you could’ve sworn that Regulus softened just a little bit. He at least loosened his grip on your wrist, rubbing up your arm in a gesture that might’ve been soothing if it weren’t coming from him.
“I’m not judging you. If anything, I’m judging whoever it is that failed to make you finish. It’s quite rude to leave a lady unsatisfied.”
“What would you even know about satisfying a woman, Regulus?”
“Trust me, darling. I know plenty.” Your cheeks heated as he traced circles on your forearm. “Tell me, kitten. Have you ever touched yourself?”
The conversation should have ended there. You should’ve put a stop to it. But this bloody fucking heat was doing strange things to your body. Your hormones were out of control and Regulus was standing way too close for comfort. So close that you could see the little golden flecks in his emerald eyes. So close that one of his curls was tickling your cheek. So close that those full, pillowy lips were mere inches away from your own.
He smirked when your gaze dipped down to his mouth. “My eyes are up here, Y/N and I asked you a question. The polite thing to do is answer.”
“Since when have you ever cared about being polite?”
“I don’t, but I think you and I are playing a very dangerous game here and I quite enjoy sparring with you, ma cherie.” Regulus tilted your chin up and cradled your jaw. “So, have you or have you not touched yourself?”
You glared up at him defiantly; a last ditch effort to keep your dignity intact. “No,” you said with your head held high. “I’ve never touched myself and I’ve never had an orgasm. Are you happy now, Regulus?”
“Quite the opposite,” he murmured. Regulus caressed your bottom lip with his thumb and tilted his head back to study you. His eyes were almost black when they flickered back up to meet yours. “I could teach you.”
“You want to teach me how to…”
“Masturbate. Wank. Get yourself off?” Regulus listed matter-of-factly. “Yes. Yes, I do, ma chérie.”
It should’ve been a no-brainer. This was a terrible, horrible fucking idea. An absolute hot mess that would yield calamitous results, but the ache in your core was too painful to ignore and you were willing to try just about anything to find relief. Including trusting someone you absolutely loathed.
“Fine. You can teach me, but that’s it. None of this goes any further than that.”
Regulus smirked. “I won’t touch you, princess. Not until you beg me to.”
You rolled your eyes, crossing your arms. “So?”
He nodded behind you. “Get on the bed.”
That was easy enough. You crawled into your mattress and sat cross legged on top of your sheets. “Not like that. Lie down on your back and take those ghastly pajamas off.”
Arsehole. You happened to like your red and gold striped bottoms, but to be fair, they were in the way. The mattress dipped beneath him as Regulus positioned himself at the very edge of the bed. He leaned against the wooden poster, his gaze transfixed on the sight before him.
“I wouldn’t have taken you as a red lace lingerie type of girl, mon chaton.” You frowned in response, which only made him chuckle. “As pretty as those panties are, you’ll need to take them off as well.”
You hesitated, hooking your thumb over the waistband of your knickers. Regulus raised a brow as if he were challenging you to back out. Like he half-expected you to be too scared to continue. He seriously underestimated that infamous brashness that Gryffindors were so well known for.
He inhaled sharply as you slipped out of your panties and tossed the discarded lace next to him. “Spread your legs, sweetheart.”
For once, you kept silent and did what you were told. Regulus nodded tightly. “Wider. Yeah, just like that.”
“What now?” you asked, trying to keep yourself from blushing at this totally undignified position. You were way past embarrassment now.
“Run a finger through your folds,” Regulus said, his voice sounding huskier than it did a second ago. He watched with dark eyes as you stroked your core. “Fuck, you’re soaked. I can see it on your fingers.”
You took a deep breath, feeling that tension coil in your lower abdomen. Every fiber of your being buzzed with lust. “Stroke yourself, kitten. Imagine that it’s someone else touching you.”
With your eyes closed, you let his voice guide you through the steps. You hated to admit it, but he was good at this. “Use your own slick to make it easier, darling. Gather it before rubbing your clit. That’s it, just like that. There’s a good girl.”
The words spurred you on, your fingers working that sensitive bundle of nerves to find release. You could feel the budding orgasm. It was spreading through you, setting your teeth on edge. You were close, so close.
When the momentum dropped, you nearly cried out of frustration. If you thought you were in pain before, this was ten-fold of that. For some reason, there was some sort of mental block that you couldn’t get past.
You looked up, your lower lip trembling. “I can’t do it. There’s this block and I freeze up and I just can’t do it on my own.”
Regulus looked unhinged. Like he was going to jump out of his skin any second. You’ve never seen him like this. Anything other than calm and collected was out of character for the youngest Black.
“Will you help me?” you whispered. To be honest, you weren’t above begging at this point.
He looked utterly conflicted. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Y/N. You’re in heat. I don’t want to take advantage when you’re in such a vulnerable state.”
You shook your head. “You wouldn’t be taking advantage. I know I’m hormonal, but oddly enough, I trust you. You know how to keep a secret. Just please, Regulus. I’m in so much pain.”
Regulus was silent for a moment. He seemed to be in deep contemplation. “Are you absolutely sure?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re aware of what you’re asking for and who you’re asking it from?”
“I am perfectly aware, thank you very much. Is this the most brilliant idea I’ve ever had? Fuck no. Do I still want to do it anyways? Fuck yes.”
The two of you stared at one another. Regulus clenched his jaw and then unclenched it. Finally, he sighed in resignation.
“C’mere then.”
He positioned himself against the headboard, his back pressed up on the wood. Regulus bent his long legs and pulled you against him, your back resting against the solid plane of his chest. You sighed as he rubbed soothing circles upon your skin, his rings kissing your hips with their cold bite. He shuffled behind you, adjusting himself just as you caught a glimpse of the two of you in your vanity mirror.
Regulus stuck his middle and pointer finger into his mouth, making sure they were nice and wet before he moved them lower. You whimpered as he caressed the inside of your thigh and clutched the sheets as he teased along your crease. When he stroked along your wetness, a choked moan escaped from your lips.
“Gods, you’re fucking dripping.” His cold breath fanned over your neck just as he plunged his fingers deep within you. “Salazar fucking save me, you’re even tighter than I imagined.”
His strokes were languid, small ministrations as he buried his fingers inside of you. The cold metal rings that adorned his slender fingers hit your pubic bone every time he thrusted inside of you, but it wasn’t painful. In fact, seeing the Black heirloom ring soaked in your wetness might’ve been the most erotic sight you’ve ever witnessed.
You whimpered as his other hand disappeared underneath your shirt. “Can I touch you here, princess?”
The sound that came out of you barely sounded human. It was a purr more than anything. Regulus caressed your ribs with his knuckles. “I need words, kitten.”
“You can touch me, Regulus.”
Fire skittered along your skin as his hand traveled further up. He palmed you through your bra before he slipped under the fabric and squeezed your breast. Regulus paid equal attention to both of your breasts, admiring the curve and swell of them as he picked up the pace of his fingers. You moaned as he pinched your nipples, which only made you wetter still.
You fisted his curls in one hand as he curved them inside of you. Regulus chuckled darkly, pleased by your reaction. “Right there? Does that feel good, princess?”
“Yes,” you breathed. “Yes, gods that’s perfect.”
“You’re doing so well, ma cherie. That’s it. Ride my fingers just like that. Feels good, yeah?”
You nodded, blinking at the image in the mirror. Regulus had his hands all over you, his lips pressed lightly against your neck as he watched his fingers slide in and out of your tight cunt. His eyes caught yours in the reflection, the green completely swallowed by dark pools of lust.
“Look at you, all spread out for me. You’re fucking exquisite. The little moans you make are enough to drive me mad.”
“Regulus, please,” you keened. He smirked against your neck and picked up the pace. Your head fell against his shoulder as that familiar tense built. “Oh gods. Oh fuck. Reggie—“
You felt him grip your chin, tilting it towards the mirror. “Don’t close your eyes,” Regulus growled into your ear. “Watch, kitten. Watch as I make you cum.”
When you dragged your gaze upwards, you almost didn’t recognize yourself. You were in a state of disarray, cheeks flushed, hair matted, and lips parted as Regulus pushed you over the edge. His fingers were magic and every stroke unraveled you, hips bucking, back arching, begging for more and more and more. The orgasm rippled through you like a monsoon, completely swallowing you whole.
“That’s it, princess,” Regulus cooed. “Gods, you’re so fucking pretty when you cum. Darling, you look divine. Je suis raide dingue de toi.”
The comedown had you seeing stars. Behind your eyes was a whole galaxy, a cluster of constellations that you never would’ve reached without him. Regulus had made you cum so hard that your body felt like it was floating through outer space.
When you finally regained awareness, you were surprised to find Regulus gently brushing your hair back. “How was that, kitten?”
“That was—you were—fuck.”
“Well said, love. Shakespeare himself would envy your silver tongue.”
He slid his fingers out of you slowly and you tried and failed to suppress the little whine that escaped from the back of your throat.
Regulus smirked, feeling the way you clenched around his digits in an attempt to keep him in place. He stared at his hand, mesmerized by the arousal dripping off his fingers. You stirred, having every intention to find something that he could clean himself off with.
“Let me grab you a towel.”
He gripped your hips in place and looked you straight in the eyes as he brought his fingers to his lips. “No need, princess.”
Then he sucked, hard. The filthy image was enough to leave you gasping in shock. He lapped up every drop like you were the sweetest delicacy on this earth. Regulus groaned, his eyes rolling back as he savored the taste. The moan that rippled through him would forever be branded into your mind.
For Godric’s fucking sake, the man was downright obscene.
“That should hold you off for the rest of the day,” Regulus said. “You’ll still feel the effects of your heat, but it won’t be as bad. You might even be able to drag yourself down to dinner. If you can manage to walk on such shaky legs.”
You rolled your eyes, but softened a bit. If it weren’t for him, you would still be in excruciating pain. “Would it be strange to say thank you?”
Regulus shrugged nonchalantly as though you were merely discussing the weather. “Not strange at all. You’re very welcome, princess.”
“You’re…” you took a deep breath, like your body was rejecting whatever compliment was forming in your mind. “You’re really good at that.”
“Yeah? You think so?”
You quirked a brow. “Fishing for compliments, are we?”
“The only compliment I need is the sound of you moaning my name,” he said with a smile as he hooked your bra back in place and pulled your shirt back down. “I assure you that I intend to hear plenty of that in the near future. This is just the start.”
Regulus straightened, trailing his fingers along the sheets before snatching up the red lace underwear you’d thrown at him earlier. He pocketed the lingerie and smirked.
"You said something earlier," you recalled. "Before I..."
"Before I made you come so hard you saw stars?"
Heat flooded your cheeks at his vulgar choice of words. "Yes. Something in French. That's your native tongue, isn't it?"
"Thinking a lot about my tongue, are you love?"
You ignored the salacious comment. "What did you say?"
A devious smirk tugged at his lips. Regulus pierced you with his gaze, those emerald eyes burning with so much lust that you felt choked with desire.
"It's a secret," he whispered, his voice a deep and rough caress. "If you're good, then maybe you'll find out what my tongue and I have to say."
You rolled your eyes. "You're a pain in the arse, Regulus."
"Find me when you want to play again, princess," Regulus said with a dark chuckle. "I'll be waiting for those claws to come out. See you soon, mon chaton.”
Odd One Out
JJ Maybank x fem!reader
Summary: Reader feels invisible around the Pogues.
Warnings: Crying, feeling strongly excluded, comfort, mention of disease, etc.
Note: I know this wasn’t part of my “Future Stories” post, but it’s been a side story for too long so I decided to post it! Hope you like it!
Masterlist
“I’m tellin’ ya, pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza, that’s uh,” Pope chuckled at the silly conversation of debate whether the topping belongs on the delicious food or not before finishing his sentence, “the end of discussion. Debate closed.”
The whole room was still trying to wear off its laughter, a few people still going off in a fit before calming down again.
The girl was laughing too, just a lot softer and less full of….what’s the word….happiness.
Most of the time she didn’t know what the jokes were about, or the little references they would whisper to each other were on the topic of. It didn’t help the fact that she was sitting away from the majority of the group, the one sitter arm chair away from the couch they crowded.
She still remembers the encounter of them practically pushing her away from the group, forcing her to sit on the chair alone. She had walked in with them, all of them still laughing at some joke JJ said but of course she couldn’t get a word in on what he spoke at all, for she was always in the back of the group anyhow. The friends had walked in the house, one by one plopping on the couch or on the floor in front of it, so there wasn’t a single little space for her to squeeze in.
If she thought back deeper and shut her eyes, she could still feel the stare they laid upon her, waiting to see her point of action towards the matter. It was almost like they didn’t like her, like if she went near one of the particular that very person would be the unlucky girl or boy to have to deal with her for the rest of the hang out.
So yeah, her cheeks flushed deep red as she stumbled over crossed legs and ankles towards the back of the room, muttering soft pathetic apologies before sitting in the very chair she is sitting in now.
Now it wasn’t so bad, just that she was in the back, meaning all she could see were backs of heads and once in a while profiles. So the bit of participation she wished she had was no longer available, so now she was sitting in the chair, her legs crossed apple sauce style so they wouldn’t accidentally kick someone.
JJ was so close. So close that all she had to do in order to talk to him was tap him on the shoulder. He would turn around and talk to her and smile, giving her one of those blue eye sparkles. Maybe then she’d-
If she kept thinking like this she’d never be able to participate in the conversation. So she forced out a chuckle, trying to ease herself in.
Maybe she could squeeze her own voice in with all the others? If there’s room for them there has to be room for her too, right?
“One time I went to a pizza shop and-“
Her voice dyed out, the response being absolutely nothing. No eye contact, no expression change, not even a glance from anyone, almost like they didn’t even hear her.
She was speaking loud enough, the same volume of everyone else, but she also didn’t want to talk over the whole group just for a grab of attention.
So the conversation she wasn’t included in continued, someone else’s voice covering hers.
That someone else being Kiera, who of course everyone has to pay attention to. “Yeah, I agree, no more pineapple on pizza talk, maybe we should get actual pizza.” She suggested, and everyone loved the sound of that.
So did she, her stomach being the other thing she was thinking about besides the fact she wasn’t being included. She got up with the others, heading out the door behind JJ.
If she just tapped him on the shoulder-
He closed the door. Maybe he didn’t see her, since there was a corner to go around before exiting the house, but he didn’t forget about her, right?
She stared at the closed door, the past events causing small tears to arise in her eyes.
No.
She can’t cry just because someone closed the door in her face. It was such a small thing, a small action of a mistake he might’ve made. She almost expected him to come back, staring at the handle to see if it would twist, awaiting his face to pop in and apologize for the little thing he did.
But he never came.
She took a sharp breath in, reaching forward for the handle herself and leaving the house.
The group was outside piling into the Twinkie, talking about. She went to the side door too, hoping she could squeeze in somewhere.
But all the seats were full, and all the pitiful eyes were on her.
“Oh, there’s no room. Maybe you could drive in your car and meet us there?” Sarah suggested, and it was the first time that day they spoke directly to her. And it should’ve been something she enjoyed, like a little invitation to join the conversation or an offer to squeeze next to someone, them willing to be a little bit uncomfortable just so she could join.
But it was something she wished didn’t happen, because why did she even go to the side of the car in the first place? Did she really think there would be room for her?
“Or someone could squeeze over..?” Sarah trailed off, looking over at the rooms of people, and the girl couldn’t help but notice how John B moved closer to the edge with the window, covering a small space. Her heart broke.
“Or ya could sit on my lap, Princess.” She heard JJ chuckle, and she glanced at him, her broken little heart believing him for a second, her cheeks softly flushing, before realizing it was a joke. Some people laughed, Kie smacking JJ on the arm but there was a smirk on her lips.
The girl cleared her throat awkwardly, fiddling with her hands, all eyes still on her.
“Yeah, I’m not gonna go anymore, I’ll just go home…I’m not feeling so well.” She had to come up with some excuse, some ticket to get out of there, not like they would miss her at all.
She just walked away, heading to the sidewalk to walk home. Alone.
No one wished her well, despite her lie, but she still wished to at least get a “get well soon” or a “goodbye”.
Nothing. Just pity looks as she walked away, not long before chatter filled the car once more and they drove off.
She didn’t feel like eating anymore, despite her stomach yelling at her because she missed the only chance to eat; they would probably make her pay for her own meal anyway.
So she headed home, arms crossed as tears finally made their way down her cheeks. It hurt, the concept of not being included. She was the nickel out of all the pennies. They were all tan skin and smiles, considering themselves lucky because they found each other, very similar to being lucky when you find a penny. But she was all silver and plain, having a different engraving on her and being a different size than everyone else; they were all small and sweet, yet she was the biggest fool out of all of them.
She hated being a nickel. What did she have to do to be a penny?
She didn’t know, and that right there made her cry harder. She wiped at the tears but nothing worked, for whole rivers were already down her face by now. Her heart cracked, she felt it, because she knew if John B moved over just a little there would be enough room for her to sit with them.
But he didn’t want that. He didn’t want to sit next to her, like she was some sort of disgusting disease that he didn’t want to catch.
All she wanted was to be included, to feel loved and fit in by them. But she’ll always be the odd one out.
She fell asleep crying, and woke up hungry since she skipped dinner the day before.
She got out of bed, seeing her red-eyed self in the mirror while brushing her teeth.
She decided to go out today, to JJ’s house.
Now, it didn’t seem like a good decision, but she needed comfort and he was the only person she knew that would provide it. Maybe she would tell him how she’s feeling, not the crying all the way home part, and he would assure her he likes her in the group.
At least that’s what her brain told her he’d say.
Because her mother wouldn’t understand, plus she had other things to deal with, and she didn’t want to bother her father with all the work loads he had on his mind.
But JJ, he was the shiniest penny of all of them, and he seems like the only person to trust. Sadly she didn’t forget about the joke he made the day prior, suggesting she sat on his lap, but it was a one time thing and he could’ve been peer pressured to make it.
That’s what her brain kept telling her.
But the morning was sunny and warm, practically begging for her to enjoy it so she couldn’t refuse.
She put on some Jean shorts and a sun shirt, putting some knitted bracelets on her wrist because she saw everyone else wearing one; plus they were fun to make.
She had made one for JJ, his two favorite colors she overheard him reveal tied into the bracelet. She was gonna bring it to his house, maybe have the courage to give it to him.
She got to his house on foot, spotting his blob of blonde hair behind his car hood, where it normally was.
She shyly made her way over, gazing at his car to pass time. She liked how rusty it was, showing its age but it was still quite clean, like it was his prize possession. (It probably was)
“She looks good, doesn’t she?”
She flinched, looking over at him and making eye contact. His blues were something she admired, but looking directly into them overwhelmed her so she looked away. He chuckled.
One of the main reasons why she went to him was because JJ was the type of person who could talk to anybody. He knew the words to say or the way to talk to make the person comfortable (friend wise that is.)
She hoped he would do just that while he talks to her, and so far so good.
She nodded in response, hands in her back pockets of her shorts and fiddling with the bracelet she made him.
“Yeah, looks great.” She assured, despite the fact that she knew he already knew that, but then again it was all worth the smirk he gave in response, leaning back into the hood.
“What’s wrong with it?” She had the courage to ask, hands out of her pockets now and fingers fiddling together.
He shook his head. “Absolutely nothin’, just had to replace the engine.”
She smiled softly at that, glad that there wasn’t anything severely wrong with his car. “That’s good.”
He nodded, clearly half listening but she knew it was only because he was so focused on the task at hand.
They fell into silence for a little bit, and she was kinda glad he didn’t ask why she was there, mainly because she needed time to build up the courage to start the topic.
“Hey, JJ?” She blurted out, forcing her lips to move. Her heart started beating quite quickly. He looked up at her briefly at the acknowledgment before glancing back down, letting her know he was listening.
“Mm?” He hummed.
“Um,” she started, fiddling with her hands harder than before and trying to ignore the surprisingly annoying racing of her heart. “I noticed yesterday-“
“You noticed the toilet paper I put on John B’s shoe? You didn’t tell him, did you?” He interrupted, his eyes sparkling as he looked at her. She’s always wanted an eye sparkle from him, that meant the topic was mischievous and exciting for him.
But now wasn’t the time, for she needed to get to the point before her courage wore off. “Well, no, I didn’t tell him, but-“
He let out a sigh of relief. “Good, I wanted it to be there when we went to get pizza, which…”
He slowly trailed off, realizing she wasn’t there when they went out.
She swallowed nervously, feeling her cheeks flush. “Yeah, whatever, anyway, I really need to talk to you about something.”
She was satisfied that she could get that sentence out, for the courage in her chest hasn’t left yet.
His face drew back, twisting with confusion but he looked okay with it. “Okay, what’s up, sugar?” He said casually, leaning back down and popping the old engine out, lifting it before placing on the ground.
Her cheeks flushed red at the nickname, but brushed it off so she could stay on task. She kept telling herself that talking to him would help, so she really wanted to get her point across.
“Um, well, I’m feeling a bit, I don’t know, like I don’t…belong.”
The word: belong. It was something she always wanted to do, something she would die just for a taste of being it. It was something she so wanted to be that she held the word close to her heart, holding onto it tightly so it wouldn’t leave her. It was slowly fighting back against her grip ever since she met the group, yet she wanted friends so badly she kept trying.
She stared at JJ to see his reaction, watching as he lifted the new engine towards the car hood. He must have felt her stare because why else would he look up, eyes looking as clueless as ever.
“Did you say something?” He said, scratching his head, closing the hood.
“What?” She pathetically whispered, tears welling up but she blinked them away. She cleared her throat. “N-no, I didn’t say anything. I was gonna say I made this for you.”
Her voice was soft and helpless, setting the bracelet on the now closed hood of the car after taking it out of her pocket. He stared at it, eyes softening slightly before looking up, meeting her glossy eyes.
“I-I hope you like it,” She said, voice thick and her lips were quivering, tears so close to bursting themselves out.
“Woah, what’s wrong?” He said, stepping around his car and reaching for her, but she snatched her wrist out of his reach.
“You weren’t listening to me!” She sputtered. “Just like everyone else.”
“I’m sorry.” Was all he could get out because he was in shock at her outburst. Normally she is the quiet cute girl in the corner, now her eyebrows were furrowed in anger and her cheeks were red. Smoke was practically coming out of her ears.
“Sorry?” She quoted. “I have been feeling like this for weeks, and I finally had the courage to talk to someone, that someone being you of all people because I had a speck of hope that you would listen but when I do you can’t do that just this once?!”
“Feeling like what?” He said- almost demanded- his eyebrows furrowing. She threw her arms in the air in asasperation at his response, like out of the whole outburst she expressed the only thing he heard was that little part. “Does it even matter?” She almost yelled. “You had one chance to listen and you didn’t take it. If you cared you would’ve listened.”
“I do care, sugar,” he desperately assured. “I didn’t know you needed my full attention. I should’ve listened, and I’m sorry.”
“It doesn’t even matter anymore, forget about it, JJ,” she said, wiping her cheeks before turning away.
“No no talk to me, princess. I’m listening I promise,” he whispered, dirty fingers curved around her wrist.
She turned to him, desire for someone to listen to her was strong.
Once he knew she wasn’t gonna leave, he let go of her wrist, the warmth from his touch leaving her. She fiddled with her fingers, looking into his eyes that seemed so sincere.“You promise?”
He nodded almost instantly. “I promise.”
He even held out his pinkie to her, making her laugh but seal the promise nonetheless.
The rest of the morning they sat and talked, JJ’s smile as big as ever and the threads tied around his wrist.
She laughed.
Laughed.
And she actually got to hear his jokes for once. The ones she missed, misheard, and never repeated for her.
And those sounds were as genuine as they could get, her heart singing as he gave her a real eye twinkle.
It was at that moment her heart fell, fell hard for the boy next to her.
And at their next hangout she didn’t have to sit on the chair alone like she normally does, for now she got to see on Maybank’s lap (as offered) as she laughed with the group and got to have her say.
She felt loved. Felt like she was included.
And, most important of all, she felt belonged.
-Tell me what you think? 🫶🏻
in the almost two years that you and katsuki have been dating, marriage has never been brought up.
not even once.
you’re not worried about it though. the thought is one that must’ve crossed his mind at one point or another and simply not been verbalized. after all—he’s still learning that he is in fact allowed to both have and express his emotions.
alternatively, your brain is certainly no stranger to being graced with images of your boyfriend—well, husband—in a suit and tie, with a handful of three tiered vanilla cake smeared on his face. courtesy of you, of course.
it’s a sweet thought, but one that you tuck away—because now just, isn’t the time.
you’re still so young, and there’s many memories to be made before your wedding becomes one of them. also, you don’t even really have the time to begin with. your boyfriend currently has almost all of his focus on his career as a pro, and as bitter as the words taste—that line of work does require a one day at a time mindset. he knows better than anyone that he can’t gaze too far into the future.
so, marriage remains a topic that you and katsuki have yet to touch on.
however, the two of you attended izuku’s wedding this evening, and much to your surprise—he has a lot to say about it upon returning home.
in fact, you don’t even end up here until two in the morning, and now—at quarter to three—neither of you seem willing to put the conversation to bed.
you’re sitting on the sofa with your legs slung over katsuki’s lap, and he’s mindlessly kneading at the skin on your thighs. he’s definitely not drunk, but after snagging three consecutive days off for this whole ordeal—a miracle, really—he had a drink or two (or three) at the reception, and so yes, he has a bit of a buzz going on. but, he’s not any less him.
“katsuki,” you drawl—tone vaguely similar to that of a parent scolding their child. “stop it, his vows were not cheesy.”
“yeah they were,” he mutters. he’s still in his white button up and black dress pants, although the tie and suit jacket that went along with them are long gone. “almost as cheesy as the fuckin’,” he pauses to lean his head back against the cushions. “tears running down his face.”
and well, it was a beautiful ceremony—an outdoor event that unfolded beneath the pinky-orange sky and the warmth of the evening sun.
candles lined the aisle, and a slew of white roses adorned the archway at the end of it—details that you know izuku didn’t have much to do with, but that he visibly adored no less. he was as happy as you think you’ve ever seen him. in a way, you envy the outward tenderness of his affection.
“i thought it was cute,” you respond. “you can tell that he’s in love.”
having already changed into pyjamas, your thumb and index finger tug and fiddle with a loose thread on the sleeve of your (katsuki’s) shirt, and you find yourself wondering if the possibility of him crying at your ceremony is one that exists.
“yeah, that’s enough love for me.” he turns to you—scarlet gaze lidded with what could be fatigue, the lingering effects of rum, or, a little bit of both. “don’t think i’m cut out for this wedding bullshit.”
he means this wedding guest bullshit, surely.
“well,” you bend your knees, planting your feet flat against his thighs, which prompts him to slide two fingers beneath the silver jewelry wrapped around your ankle. “then i guess now is a bad time to tell you that i caught the bouquet.”
it was an honest mistake. you intentionally placed yourself at the very back of the group, primarily to avoid any potential scuffles, but lo and behold— izuku’s wife has quite the arm. you had to catch it simply to prevent being hit by it.
but apparently your boyfriend didn’t notice the dishevelled bundle of foliage in your hands upon returning to the table.
“you wanna trophy or somethin’?” he deadpans.
“uh, i believe it’s called a ring,” you hum playfully—half poking fun at him, and half hoping that you feel his palm heat up against your skin. he’s pretty easy to read, so long as you know what to look for.
but he doesn’t have much of a reaction.
whatever’s playing on the television is in the midst of bathing him in a blue-ish hue, and so you can’t really make out any of the finer details of his face—the crease between his brows or the sharpness of his jaw. but, you know that katsuki’s wheels are turning. you can feel it in the absentminded graze of his fingertips along the back of your thigh. it’s as if he’s getting a feel for the idea of marriage for the first time, tossing and turning it around in his head. has he really never thought about it before?
“that superstition is bullshit,” he blurts out after a minute or two of silence.
“marriage?” you furrow your brows at him.
katsuki mirrors your look with triple the sass and a little scowl to boot—crease now very, very visible. “no moron, the bouquet toss. jesus, denki sat next to you for twenty minutes and was able to kill that many of your brain cells, or what?” he asks—smirk threatening the corners of his lips. “i thought i told that dumbass to stop flirting with you.”
“don’t worry,” you laugh a little even though you know you shouldn’t. “he won’t remember flirting with me.”
“good,” katsuki mumbles.
you watch quietly as he turns to the television. the shitty comedy movie you’re watching continues to paint him in various colours—a muted orange that softens his features, and a shade of royal blue that makes the scar on his face appear a deep purple.
he’s pretty, you think. in any and every colour.
“so,” you begin, redirecting your gaze to your nails in a painfully obvious attempt at avoiding his. “do you not want to marry me?”
it’s a lighthearted question. some casual late night conversation. you’re going to take his reply with a grain of salt regardless of what it is.
but again, in the blurry background of your vision, you see katsuki with that same look on his face—confusion and bewilderment all wrapped into one.
“did i say that i didn’t wanna marry you?” he asks.
and well, no. however, his apparent distaste for all things wedding related can be interpreted as such—can’t it?
“i read between the lines,” you chuckle and swing your feet onto the floor—sitting back upright.
“well don’t,” he grumbles. you can feel his eyes on you as you stretch your arms out above your head, and when you stand up and start shuffling away—you think you can feel a hole burning into the back of your skull. “hey, get your ass back here.”
“katsuki, i’m tired,” you groan over your shoulder, already knowing that he’s right there behind you.
“listen to me,” he insists, but his voice is soft, light—as if he’s well aware that the topic isn’t. then, he reaches out and tangles his fingers in the excess fabric of your shirt, pulling you flush against the eternal warmth of his chest. he ducks down a bit, breath tickling the shell of your ear. “i’ll give you that ring when i’m damn good and ready, alright?”
you wiggle in his grasp, turning yourself around to face him as his rather interesting choice of words begins to settle.
“what ring?” you smile up at him, and again—he’s easy to read so long as you know what to look for, and so as you watch the tips of his ears flush red, you think you’ve got him all figured out. “baby—”
katsuki’s palm gently greets your face before you can start doting on him. he pushes lightly—using just enough force to get his point across.
“yeah, yeah. save it for later,” he advises, and you swear your heart leaps into your throat at the all but confirmed meaning of those words. “since you’re so good at reading between lines and shit,” he adds.
and even at a time like this, he’s as smug as ever.
but you’re happy—so incredibly happy. of course you are. knowing that the picture perfect images of katsuki as your groom will eventually leave the confines of your mind is all you really wanted. still, there’s a small part of you that feels guilty for even bringing it up in the first place, because you’ve completely eliminated any element of surprise. is he upset about that? it doesn’t look like—
“what, no i love you? no you’re the best boyfriend ever?” his voice fills your ears—extinguishing the prior thought. “can make you wait longer, y’know.”
“shut up,” you curl into his chest, breathing in the faint scent of cologne that’s lingering on his shirt—the same one he’s worn on every date he’s ever taken you on. “you know how much i love you.”
“yeah, ditto.”
and katsuki wants to argue that point further, but he doesn’t.
he’s never been the best at expressing himself. he knows this, and he knows that you do as well. his affection isn’t like izuku’s. his tenderness doesn’t come in the form of words.
instead, he weaves it into everything he does.
it’s in the way he sleeps—always with an arm or a leg or some part of his body touching yours, and always with you positioned further from the door. god forbid soembody enter your home, he needs himself to be the first (and last) person that they encounter. it’s in the way he eats, too—because despite his relentless appetite, he always makes sure you’ve had your fill before he thinks about going back for seconds. above all, he holds you with a tenderness that even izuku couldn’t match. he holds you so close, and he holds you so tight—like the thought of losing you is one that’s forever on his mind and always scaring him shitless.
and so, while he knows better than anyone that he can’t gaze too far into the future, he did.
he bought a ring eight and a half months into your relationship, and has been waiting for a time that the larger part of society would deem acceptable. having to work beneath the scrutinizing eye of the public is shitty, but the way he sees it—there’s no title or piece of paperwork that’s going to change what you mean to him anyways.
nevertheless, katsuki hasn’t doubted for a second that the colour you would look best in is white.
Masterlist
Pairing: Eddie Munson x f!reader
Word Count: 15.9k
Content: Fluff
Summary: When Eddie Munson starts paying attention to the host of Hawkins best radio station, he finds himself transfixed with a mystery. Who is Radio Girl?
**Hiya! I have an idea for a really heartbreaking epilogue to this little one shot. Let me know if you're interested! I hope to have more stuff coming out soon.**
______________________________________________________________
"HEY THERE HAWKINS! Boys and girls, ladies and gents, preppy snobs and the rest of you normal folk, it's a lovely 30 degrees on this Manic Monday morning. So, I suggest a sweater or jacket unless you're expecting help from that 'special' someone. If you're hoping to be late for work or school, take Addams Ave. Seems a log truck has tipped over, or maybe God's playing Lincoln Logs. Either way, a great way to waste forty-five minutes on your morning drive. Well, that's all the news for this sleepy town at the top of the hour. It's 6am, March 3rd guys. This has been your best friend, nagging mother, annoying little sister, girl in the hall, fantasy mystery girl starting off your morn by opening your mind. Let's get back to the music! Here's Van Halen..."
Thundering drums shook the floor of the trailer. The vibration was enough to start lulling him back to sleep. Crashing symbols finally jerked the boy fully awake, half scaring him to death. Eddie was surprised to find it more appealing than his usual wake up call from his Uncle. One thing was sure, his blood was pumping now. He found himself humming along as he got around for school. The older man was making breakfast, both looking tired from his late shift and pleased thanks to the radio.
"This station is alright," Wayne noted, turning the music down now that Eddie was awake. That was high praise from the man.
"Better than what you usually wake me up with," Eddie chuckled and listened, fully amused, as his Uncle grumbled about how disappointing it was that no one listened to Johnny Cash anymore. They shuffled around one another in a familiar rhythm. Plates were filled with eggs and toast. Coffee was poured. Songs began to switch in the background, never something Eddie recognized but not overall terrible. Better than anything the other radio stations around Hawkins played.
"I like the girl," Wayne commented when his plate was finally clean.
"What girl?"
"The one who hosts the show. C'mon Ed, you're smarter than that."
Eddie sighed, pushing the food around on his plate. "Oh. I always tune out the announcers. It's not like anything they say will matter for me."
"Well that's a load of bull. I know you don't exactly like it here, but maybe there are some things worth hearing about." Wayne was always trying to get Eddie out into the town. Eddie assumed it was because his Uncle wanted him to get a job or a life outside of his interests. It never occurred to him that Wayne might want his nephew to be seen as the good kid he actually was. But before Eddie could argue, Wayne was turning up the volume once more.
"That was Burning Down The House, Talking Heads. This short little break is to remind folks that Cookie Season is almost over! Only a few more weeks left to order those tantalizing, hip widening, good for the soul, Girl Scout Cookies. Hawkins Troop 815 will be down by Bradley's Big Buy from 4 to 5pm, Monday through Thursday. Ring the station for more direct information and help those girls get to summer camp!
And of course we can not forget that Spring Break is on the way. Hawkins YMCA, in conjunction with the Public Pool, are hosting free swimming lessons for kids four to eight. Jerry and Gina want to thank all the listeners who got out and donated to make this opportunity possible.
Last thing gang, Hawkins High and Middle School will be doing a book drive starting at the end of March. They want to get the word out to you fine people early to put it on your calendars! All books will be split between the Elementary, Middle, and High School. Get some forgotten books into the hands of an excited kid. We're taking everything from textbooks to comic books, so get to boxing!
That's enough of me. Thanks so much for this special request song, may it remind you of your dwarvish homeland while on adventures dear Nog."
So many things surprised Eddie that he wasn't sure what to latch onto. For one, his uncle was smiling a great deal. Two, the radio announcer was a girl. Three, she'd just mentioned Dustin Henderson's Dungeons and Dragons character as the person who sent in a special request. And four, Dio was playing on the radio. Rainbow in the Dark. So many thoughts raced through his head, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. He didn't have a lot of time to ruminate on things before his uncle was lecturing him again.
"Like that girl. See son, you've got so many things goin' on that you can take advantage of. Sure they'll need help at that book thing that's coming up. You like to read. Could be a good time."
"Not sure they'll like havin' me. My grimey fingers getting all over the books," Eddie sighed, pushing away his plate. His mind was still on overdrive about the announcer.
"Never know 'til ya ask. Plus you could learn a few things from that show. This morning, right when I was getting off work, there was a whole talking section about the detriment of societal structures. Something about how school popularity contests are taking away from the real purpose of group education. Didn't mean a ton to me, but sounded like something you'd agree with." With that, Wayne ruffled the boy's mop of hair and drug himself to the couch to sleep.
For a moment, Eddie sat perplexed at the small kitchen table. The music surrounded him, comfortable and familiar. His foot absentmindedly tapped along while his thoughts raced out ahead of him. He didn't think any girl at Hawkins High would openly defy the popularity caste system. And she had to be a student, she knew Henderson. The only person that kid knew outside of the school was Steve Harrington. Eddie was lucky that the radio volume was still up, or else he would've stayed locked in his thoughts when the most important announcement was given.
"Alright people, coming up is our non-stop hour of rock. You know what that means! It's 7am. See you all on the other side."
If it wasn't for that, Eddie definitely would have been late for school.
***
"Phew. Right, okay. Set the cassettes in the player... timer on for automatic switch over..." You felt the sting of stress in your forehead as you concentrated on the machines. Though you'd set this up over a hundred times at this point, the process always offered a heavy wave of anxiety. Even the thought of dead air was something you couldn't allow; it had happened once and the police had been called - someone thought you were having some emergency. Luckily the old sheriff didn't hold it against you. Even more luckily, Mr.Clark had done all the talking and you didn't have to face the terrifying prospect of directly communicating with anyone new.
"All set?" The teacher poked his head in the door.
"All set."
"Good because you'll have to book it," The man swung open the AV room, more like closet, door and waved a frantic hand.
You followed his prompting, throwing your bag over your shoulder and rushing down the hall.
"Thanks Mr.C!" The call over your shoulder stopped him by the side door, him needing to head back across the parking lot to the middle school.
He gave a wave, accompanied by a reminder, "Don't forget Kaminsky is helping you lock up today!"
A brief nod was all the response you had time for. The crowds had already thinned, allowing for faster travel in the hallways. By the time the bell rang, you were non-discriptly slipping into your seat. Incessant chatter rattled around the classroom. It was easy to let the white noise lull your sleep deprived body. A sudden rapping on your desk brought you back to reality. Ahead of you, a stern looking older man was forcing together fluffy gray eyebrows. The look was harsh, but the words he muttered were layered with a kinder tone.
"Take a nap in study hall y/l/n, not my class."
"Sorry Mr. Kaminsky," Your hands brushed through your hair as you gave a sheepish smile. The tiniest relaxation of his brow confirmed he wasn't truly upset.
Conversations dwindled to hushed whispers as the man took command of the room. Cool sunlight flushed the blackboard, chilly air penetrated the window panes and seeped through your clothes. Now shivering and scribbling pencils accompanied the rhythm of murmurs around you. Staring at your own notes, you couldn't help but focus in on the gossip around you over the repeat introduction of Newton's laws.
"I couldn't believe it! That freak took up the whole lesson yesterday asking questions about ... I don't even remember... like narration something? ...Basically how a book should like, be structured to make sense. We spent the whole lesson! Like, excuse me psycho, but some of us want to just get the answers for the test and move on."
"Ugh. If that devil worshiper thinks anyone's gonna care about some freak story he comes up with - he's even crazier than he acts."
"Bet it'd be some like, horror thing. Like a sacrifice manual."
The conversation dissolved into cruel snickers. Your expression had tightened, frustration building in your chest. Still, the lack of sleep had left your mind unprepared to hold back your sharpened tongue. "Yes, because having a genuine academic interest in something must be a mark of the beast. Everyone knows shopping is close to godliness."
"What?" The girl behind you shrieked. Your pencil ripped a gash across the page, eyes widening a fraction and jaw clenching closed. You held your breath and silently gave thanks for Mr.Kaminsky handling his classroom.
"Miss Charmichael! Is there something confusing about Newton's Laws of Motion?" The old man's tone was just as harsh and biting as your own. You had to bite your lip harshly to keep from laughing.
"N-no! Y/l/n said something and-"
"Has anyone here ever heard Miss y/l/n speak out of turn?"
Suddenly your face was burning. It seemed particularly cruel of the teacher to embarrass you whilst dealing with the bratty girl behind you. But, you guessed it was fair - seeing as you had been talking during the class. The classroom was uncomfortably quiet under the hawk-like eye of Kaminsky. However, he actually seemed to want an answer this time, refusing to move on with the lesson while his question was unfulfilled. Truthfully, you were close to confessing just to get out of the discomfort.
Then someone came to the rescue.
"Y/l/n talk in class? Never."
You couldn't help but crane your head around, glancing past the obnoxious girls behind you to the lab table beside them. There, sharing a mischievous smile, was none other than the 'freak' Charmichael was talking about: Eddie Munson.
He locked eyes with you for a second. An incredibly brief flash of a softer, yet guarded look passed over his features. You quickly turned back to face your desk. The last thing you wanted was any more attention.
"First question you've answered in my class Mr.Munson, and correctly too. May this nice turn of events continue." Kaminsky nodded and returned to the lesson.
Your notes, however, were no longer focused on the laws of motion. Instead, a new radio discussion was taking shape on the page.
***
Eddie's day was starting off better than he'd expected. Good music thanks to his Uncle and this new Hawkins radio station, having y/l/n stick up for him before class could even begin, and the mystery of this radio jockey to keep his mind occupied. Y/l/n had quickly evaded him when he tried to say thank you. The poor girl's face went white. Her grip on a particularly thick collection of Poe stories tightened. She offered only a hasty nod before disappearing down the hall. Her doe eyed expression had brightened his smile even more. He couldn’t help it, she was positively adorable. Eddie hoped he hadn't scared her.
His thoughts didn't linger there much longer as a curly headed fiend dropped into his seat. The cafeteria was crowded and loud, but Eddie was too focused to let anything other than the mystery take hold of him. Dustin Henderson had the answer to his question and he was going to get it out of him no matter what.
"Man, everyone is so testy today. I kid you not! Mrs.Click is totally out to get us. I dropped my pencil and she chewed my head off. I -" Dustin rapidly rambled, organizing his lunch before cutting himself off with a large bite.
"Great. Who's the radio girl?"
Dustin nearly choked. Mike stiffened, shooting a look at Lucas before shoving his own lunch in his mouth. Apparently having a full mouth was the first safe guard to not answering Eddie's question.
"Who are you talking about?" Lucas gave a lackluster performance.
"Well I'm not sure, that's why I asked. Woke up this morning to an energetic voice giving out a special request song to Nog. Figured that few people knew of that guy, so you have to know her. Right Dustin?" Eddie kept eyeing the boy, leaning forward to help increase the pressure.
"I- uh, psh, I dunno what you're talking about. Eddie, man, dude, there's no way I know about someone you don't know about."
"Wow. That was crap." Mike's voice was deadpan.
Dustin, immediately, fought back, "Thanks Mike! You're really helping out here. Think you could do more than sit on your ass? Party sticks together man. Coulda backed me up!"
The two boys began bickering animatedly. Eddie sighed, shaking his head before ultimately intervening.
"That's enough. I don't care who tells me. I just want to know how you three losers know this radio girl."
Lucas, Mike, and Dustin shared looks of concern. Then, their shoulders slumped in and Eddie knew he'd won.
"We know her from AV club," Mike answered slowly.
"You're in another club?" This took Eddie off track for a moment.
The boys nodded. Mike continued, "We did it mostly in middle school. But y-... our friend, she was the only member for years so she came over and helped us out when Mr.Clark started it up again."
Before Eddie could ask his next question, Lucas was already answering it. "We can't tell you who she is, man. She's like, really really shy. Even though she's older than us, she was terrified the first time we met her."
"Seriously. She's great, awesome, stupid smart, but meeting you would probably kill her." Dustin shook his head.
"Are we talking about the same person? The one who apparently gives radio shows calling out how dumb popularity is and plays decent music? She's shy?"
"Deathly dude. Why do you think she runs a radio show?" Dustin looked at Eddie as if he'd just cheered over a nat one.
Lucas continued to flex his emotional maturity, calmly and clearly stating the situation. "She has a hard time talking in front of people. That was why she joined AV club in the first place. It's a lot easier for her to communicate over the phone or walkie. Somehow it got her excited enough to start the show. We give her requests and she uses our D&D names so no one knows it's her."
"Oh."
"Yeah, so you can't just go asking around and trying to figure it out, okay? It's like a big deal. She'd totally be hounded every day. No one can know. And dude, imagine being absolutely terrified of talking to people and then loud mouth of the school Eddie Munson shows up trying to talk to you. It'd scare you to death." Mike interjected.
"I'm not a loud mouth!"
"Eccentric then," Dustin rolled his eyes.
"You do realize this makes me want to figure it out more, right?" Eddie sighed, clearly frustrated by his friends.
"You can either track her down and cause her to panic, or you can leave her alone and keep the best radio station in Hawkins going. That's up to you man," Dustin shoved a finger into Eddie's shoulder.
Their table sat in an awkward silence for a moment, no one quite sure what to say after the freshman had dressed down their fearless leader. Everyone seemed lost in thought.
"I'll leave it alone... for now," Eddie relented. "I'd never want to scare anyone."
"You're not scary!" Dustin squealed, now overcome with guilt from playing into the rest of the school's view of him.
"We just mean, like you're an excitable guy and talk loud and that would totally make her feel insanely shy." Lucas explained.
"Let's- let's listen! The show's on now!" Mike suggested.
"How? It's lunch?"
All the boys smiled softly and shrugged at Eddie. It was clear they enjoyed holding some information over their dungeon master.
"She's just that good," Dustin beamed.
***
"Today's Lunchtime Layout is an offshoot of the Five AM Free Meeting. We're continuing to look into the current state of education. Parents and teachers alike are in an uproar over the low testing scores. If you're looking for a way to bolster education, here's your sign. Lunchtime Layout proudly presents... How Music and Art helps your kids more than Sports -"
You heard your voice switch off from one of the tables as you passed by. Focusing on the surprisingly decent lunch on your tray allowed you to hide the smile that crept onto your lips. It was funny to see the athletes pissed off. They were too stupid to understand that almost none of them could score a scholarship with just their atheletic performance, which just proved your Lunchtime Layout even more. Still, somewhere in the cacophony of voices, your own could still be heard. At least someone thought you were still worth listening to.
Clattering your tray next to Robin, a girl from your band class, you let yourself be content in her conversation. Robin could always talk enough for the both of you - it's part of what made her a good friend.
"D'you think that Kaminsky is an alien? I wouldn't be surprised. The way he runs things feels so foreign, weird. I swear I heard him speaking another language the other day. Just out of the blue! Like he forgot English. That's some alien crap, right?"
You chuckled, as always finding Robin amusing. "It's Polish. His family's from Poland, they escaped to America because of World War II. Thought you would recognize it since you supposedly speak Russian."
"Okay we'll circle back to that in a minute because you just said three full sentences. In a row. At lunch," Robin was very surprised. You must've still been tired.
"Don't get used to it," You teased before starting to eat.
She returned to her theory stating that instead of an alien, Kaminsky could be a secret agent posted here in Hawkins to ensure that Russians didn't take control of the town - cause 1) clearly the Russians would need control of Hawkins, Indiana and 2) the Polish hate the Russians right?
You weren't so sure about that, but continued to let her babble. It was hard to miss that your own voice was still cutting through the crowd. Most people had turned off the discussion, not willing to let their popularity status be questioned by a random stranger. But there was someone listening. And before you could stop yourself, you were scanning the room for the sound.
Dustin Henderson looked right at you and then immediately away. That boy couldn't be more obvious if he tried. An eyebrow raised as you waited for him to flick his eyes back to you. With a simple nod you directed his attention and gave a small excuse to Robin.
"Vending machine. Want anything?"
"Yoohoo if they have it."
"You do realize that you can get actual chocolate milk in the cafeteria, right?" You couldn't help but scold her a bit.
"I see nothing wrong with Chocolate drink," She chuckled, shooing you away.
Rowdy conversation attacked your ears as you slipped through the lunchroom practically unnoticed. Irritated grumbles from the basketball team caused you to quickly skirt their realm of influence, coming up to the vending machine just behind the curly haired kid. Dustin pretended to be thinking.
"You don't have any change, do you?" You rolled your eyes.
"Didn't expect to have a secret spy mission today," He retorted.
"Well, you tell me what you're acting so squirrely about and I'll get you whatever you like." You knew bribery would do wonders. Afterall, you were bribing him to be on your side.
"Even... Reece's Pieces?"
"You heard me, Henderson."
"We were listening to the show."
"See I gathered as much. Why did you stare at me, dummy?"
"Couldn't help it. Eddie was asking and-"
"What?"
You whipped Dustin around to look at you, fear being held just behind your stony countenance. The poor kid cowered for a moment before recognizing this similar frustration and hanging his head in shame. You moved him out of the way and bought the candy and a soda. With strict gestures, you handed the package out to the boy. Your words were stringent, "Please, just... Dustin I-I can't-"
"I know. We have your back. Swear."
A bit of a smile tickled the corner of your lips. At least you could always count on these dorks.
"Thank you. Oh, and let me know if they ever get that new microphone in at Radio Shack."
And then, just as you were turning to leave, you fully registered what Dustin had told you.
"Wait... Eddie Munson?"
***
Eddie was perplexed. It seemed to be the theme of the day. He drowned himself in the words coming through the walkie ahead of him. An inspiring speech, a clear concise argument built off of interviews and sound science, as well as a complete and unyielding passion held Eddie's attention tightly. He'd never heard anyone speak so candidly. He'd never thought anyone could validate his interests with such fervor and true excitement. In the crowded, painfully loud cafeteria, all Eddie could hear was this radio voice.
When the boy turned to comment to his friends, Dustin was missing. Eddie couldn't help but look for him. He was nearly back at their table, candy pouring into his hand. The boy downed a handful, a smile appearing on his face.
"Where did you get that?" He barked.
Dustin's eyes went wide before offering a clearly fake shrug. "The vending machine, dummy."
"You never have money for the vending machine. Why'd you even go up there?" Lucas eyed him. A blatant look of 'stop asking' was shared. It didn't take long for Eddie to connect the dots.
"She's here?"
The three boys were struck with fear. They began clamoring over one another, desperetly trying to keep Eddie from doing anything rash, reckless, or downright stupid. He'd never seen them beg like this before. It reminded him that just minutes ago they were telling him to back off of the radio girl, to not stress out their extremely shy friend. At least he could trust their loyalty - seeing them rabidly snapping at him proved as much.
He held a finger up to his lips. "I'm just surprised is all. I haven't even looked around the room yet -" Though the more he fought his curiosity, the more he wanted to give into it - "Just let me listen to the rest of this. Okay?"
He pulled the walkie closer to him, getting distracted by the conversation again. The band teacher was explaining how all students involved in a musical pursuit within the school, on average, scored higher on math testing. Radio girl then added that students involved in theatre or vocal music tended to achieve higher standards in English and Literature in comparison to non-artistically involved students. Eddie was blissfully unaware of the younger boys watching him, cataloging every tiny nod and slight smile at the girl's words. They didn't miss the subtle disappointment that wrinkled his forehead as the segment came to a close. Nor did they miss the sparkle in the boy's eye when the Live at Five Q&A segment was mentioned.
***
Eddie sped home that afternoon, immediately turning on the radio and sitting ceremoniously by the phone. As soon as the number was laid out for callers, he dialed at lightning speed. His leg bounced rapidly as the line rang over and over. Eddie almost hung up when a few other people got answered before him. It was stupid to be waiting on some unseen person to answer a question he hadn't even come up with yet. Why was this such a big deal anyway? He was acting irrational and-
"Hey there, you're on the air! What's your name?"
Eddie froze. Sure he'd just imagined it, he went back to waiting. The radio hissed, empty.
"Hello? Anybody home?"
"Yes! Hi! Hello!" He nearly jumped out of his seat. His own voice echoed back to him.
"Phew, thought I'd lost ya there. What's your name?"
"Um, Ed-ward. Edward."
"Well, Edward, what's your question?"
Eddie wasn't sure what was going on. He hadn't thought this far ahead when it came to talking to, finding this radio girl. Luckily, his mouth was already running ahead of him. It had offered a fairly thoughtful question.
"Your discussion earlier talked about the academic success of artistic and musical students. I'd consider myself those things, but I haven't done well in school at all. What should I do?"
"Hmm." The girl's voice was soft, pressed as tightly to his ear as he could get it through the receiver. "Okay... do you test well?"
Eddie was surprised. He didn't think he was going to be answering any questions. "Uh, yeah. I guess so?"
"And do you happen to be heavily dedicated to a few, highly specific creative endeavors?"
"Yes, but what does that have to do with it?"
"Edward, my friend, I have a possible answer to your question. The fact is, most artistically gifted students have a difficult time being successful in school. Current curriculums don't satisfy the creative instinct nor the competitive drive. Seeing as you hyper focus and test well, I'd wager you have some sort of Attention Deficit Disorder. Now, I'm not a psychologist, but the chance is high. It would explain how commonplace studies don't interest you and therefore your focus turns to more satisfying pursuits such as music and stories. Most artistic types are what psychologists call, neurodivergent. Basically, our brains don't work the same as other peoples. That's why normal methods don't always work for you. Things that can help include making games out of studying, imploring methods to keep you working - reward systems."
Eddie seemed transfixed. Other than the kids, no one ever deigned to speak to him as an equal. Classmates looked down on him, condescended to him. Teachers either did the same or spoke over his head. Who the hell was this girl? Before their conversation could continue, a strange and angry tone buzzed through the radio and phone.
"Hang on there. Stay on the line," The girl said into the phone. Then her voice was loudly coming through the speakers again. "Thanks for the question! That was the signal for our music break folks. We'll be back with more questions after this."
Laid back guitar riffs filled the empty space her voice left behind. Eddie hung onto the phone, not willing to hang up but unsure he'd heard her correctly.
"Hey, still there?"
He'd heard her correctly. Eddie wasn't sure why he was so nervous. It felt like a delicate situation, music in the background as he now conversed with the girl off the air.
"Y-yeah, I'm still here."
"Good. I just wanted to say... you're not stupid. Whatever you have going on, just know that. Okay?"
Eddie was frozen again.
"Edward?"
He smiled at her using his full name. No one ever did that. He wasn't sure why he'd given it except it made him feel less like 'Eddie the freak'. He didn't know who she was and she wouldn't know who he was. It felt right. Dramatic irony even.
"Thank you, Radio Girl." He couldn't help but smile.
"Anytime."
***
Eddie was howling. Tears were forming in his eyes and he had to gasp to catch his breath. A chorus of giggles continued on the other end of the line. It was a killer sound. For the fifth afternoon in a row, his right ear was glued to the phone. Somehow their discussion of reader engagement had turned into a chat about Dracula, which had then dissolved into campish, drawn out, terrible jokes. Still, they were both laughing.
He'd slowly figured out things about the girl. She was in fact a student at Hawkins, likely a senior as she was taking the few advanced classes the school offered. He was certain they even had classes together: English and Physics to be exact. Radio Girl loved high fantasy, having nearly gone to tears discussing Arwen's plight of troth to Aragorn - a fact that surprised Eddie with a weak-kneed response. Even more than high fantasy, she adored gothic literature. He could remember the exact English project she'd done, detailing the history of the gothic writer's 'party'. A near thirty minute presentation discussing how Mary Shelley, her husband, and Lord Byron created both Frankenstein and Vampires over one hang-out. Hearing her talk about it again had pulled every memory back.
Except, of course, who she was.
"It just is so damn funny that Polidori and Bram Stoker thought Lord Byron was so damn dramatic that he'd be the perfect person to shift the vampire character to. I love the idea of this overly dramatic dude being considered a supernatural creature ‘cause he dislikes people and pulls chicks left and right!"
"I can't imagine Dracula any other way. Dude, when I learned about who Byron based vampires on, I nearly wet myself. That dude was scary. I prefer dark, mysterious man who's so hot women let him kill them."
"Well, it is killing them with a dramatic flair. So I kinda see the appeal." Radio Girl was still laughing. Joking around as if they were long time friends.
A sneaky smile tugged at Eddie's lips, "You find dramatics appealing?"
There was a bit of silence, the girl either confused or flustered at his question. But her wit seemed to regain itself, "I find all dramatics from dark, mysterious men appealing. Did you not know I'm a renaissance woman reincarnate?"
He laughed again.
"But back to the point from, wow, fifty minutes ago - make sure your friends feel invested in the story. You have to help them get attached to the characters you are writing about. Make the characters' hopes and dreams their hopes and dreams. Get your friends on the characters' side: have them love the loved ones, sidekicks, etc. just as much as the characters do. That way when the bad guy steals the main character's one chance at... I don't know, bringing their parent's killer to justice, your friends feel just as betrayed as the character does. Make it hurt, man."
"Was that a Batman reference?" Eddie teased. In truth, he was deflecting from the overwhelming grip she had on his chest. The kids weren't lying when they'd told him about how eloquent she was over the phone or radio. He couldn't imagine her stumbling for a phrase as she apparently did in real life. Every word out of her seemed to be an instant masterpiece.
Eddie could listen to her talk for hours, and had every day since he'd first paid attention to her show. They’d gone back and forth, Eddie hiding his D&D campaign as a story he was writing - still keeping their identities vague. He needed more puzzle pieces before revealing himself.
"What part of 'I find dark, mysterious, dramatic men appealing' don't you get?"
Their laughter echoed in his ears, but her words began to replay in his mind. Maybe he would be able to tell her who he was. After all, some people would say he was dark, mysterious, and dramatic-
"EDDIE! C'MON MAN! WE WERE SUPPOSED TO START FIFTEEN MINUTES AGO!" Mike Wheeler's voice cut through the thin walls of the trailer.
"Edward? Is that-" Radio Girl's voice had shrunk significantly. A slight waver shook his name.
"I'm really sorry. I forgot about this thing with my friends and they've been waiting. Talk tomorrow. Bye Radio Girl!" He slammed the phone down on the receiver. The door to the trailer whipped open, Eddie peering down in frustration at the Hellfire Club outside his door.
Mike grumbled to himself as he ignored the glare, "The least you could do is let us in on time since we had to do this here instead of school."
"You just interrupted an incredibly important phone call, Wheeler. If you want death, I am more than happy to oblige." Eddie snapped back.
Instead of the fear Eddie had anticipated, Mike, as well as Dustin and Lucas, had the biggest grin on his face. The three kids tried to cover their snickers. Eddie only got more frustrated.
"Oh, we know about your phone calls," Dustin hummed. "Heard you call in every night this week and ask a question. Seems like Max was right."
Mike groaned, "Man, I owe her five bucks."
"What are you talking about?" Eddie offered his most intimidating look. They all got their acts back together. It didn't last long. They could help but send shit-eating grins his way as Lucas answered.
"Max said she heard you talking to a girl on the phone. Apparently you're a noisy neighbor. I recognized that our friend was mysteriously absent during the hour of rock. No ads, no track listings."
"That's not-"
"Don't even lie. We just heard everything." Mike grinned. The whole group, not just the freshmen, began mocking Eddie's recent laughs and compliments and comments to the Radio Girl. Each time he tried to stop them, they got worse. He was tamping down a heavy blush as much as he could. He was glad to think of her nonetheless. And to be reminded of her advice.
The campaign tonight? He was definitely gonna make it hurt.
***
The calls became a habit. For two weeks, 'Edward' would call in for the Q&A. He always seemed much more prepared than your usual callers. His questions were thoughtful, not just asking for a restating of what had already been said. He also seemed to be perfectly placed in the call line, redirecting your attention and lightening your mood after particularly aggressive or rude individuals. When your classmate inspired discussion on narrative structure came out, Edward had had so many questions that you had him call back. Your music hour was exactly that, the boy on the other side of the phone dragging you into passionate conversation that kept you from even giving track listings out. The next ten days followed the same pattern. You found yourself pleased at his consistency. That pleasure became an excitement, an anticipation. By the time you noticed the change, you were considering opening the phone lines in the morning in the hopes that he'd call.
In a worried haze, you wandered through the crowded halls. Crystal clear chimes of the bell meant nothing to your furiously thinking mind. If you'd slowed yourself down, you would have realized that you were about to walk directly into the closed doors. But you were processing a mile a minute and were lining up the perfect shot. It was by grace of the universe alone that someone stopped you.
"Hey! Watch out!"
You blinked. Your nose was an inch away from the glass. Stumbling back, you felt your heart pounding in your chest. A pair of hands lightly landed on your shoulders, a slightly blurry figure coming into focus. Soft, sweet brown eyes blinked at you. They were filled with worry and the tiniest glint of humor. It would have been funny to you too if you weren't about to freak out.
"Hate to break it to ya y/l/n, but you can't walk through walls."
"Can't blame a girl for trying."
You weren't sure how a coherent sentence came out of you. Especially not one that made the boy ahead of you laugh. It was ironic, being kept out of harms way by Eddie Munson only to have him drop a massive bomb in your life. And he didn't know it at all. But that laugh? You knew that laugh very well.
With ease, your mind pieced together a puzzle that should have been obvious: Edward "Eddie" Munson.
***
"You WHAT?"
"You heard me."
"How did this happen?"
"It's not my fault! It just happened!" Exasperation strained your voice. Robin looked at you, gaping. All she could offer was disbelief.
"Things like this don't just happen y/n! You've just been what, conversing with some metalhead on the daily? When? What class? Because I've never gotten more than two sentences out of you in a row. Do you even have a class together? How do you know him? True, Steve and I know of him ‘cause of the twerps, but that doesn't explain you. I mean, how, how, do you of all people get into conversations with Eddie Munson? To the point that you're clearly flustered about it?"
A long, stringent sigh escaped your lips. An overwhelming blush covered your whole body. "Well, you may not believe me if I tell you."
"Then come up with some sort of proof. I mean, this is insane-" Robin was about to go into another rant.
"I have a way. But you have to swear not to mention this."
"Why?"
"Because my how is unbelievable and the proof of it comes in the form of three kids."
***
The AV room seemed a lot less impressive when you were going to have guests. The recordings were going to plan, finished homework laid strewn atop your backpack, and dust sat in little sweeped piles just cleared from the heavy machines. Large headphones hung around your neck while a pre-recorded ad played over the radio. Music would be going when people arrived. There'd be time enough to hush their voices, prove your point to Robin, and likely enter the most embarrassing conversation of your life when Dustin, Lucas, and Mike asked why you were revealing this secret to your friend.
The phone rang, an odd occurrence so early in the morning. You thought about letting it go to the machine, but the nerves of the coming confession had you going on muscle memory.
"Hello?"
"Oh, you're there! I mean, of course you are the show is going. I-I just didn't expect an answer this early."
"Ed-ward?"
Without warning your heart was thundering in your chest. You blinked back the surprise. Everyone you knew was on the way at this very moment. You had to get off the phone with Eddie and calm down.
With Eddie.
It was the first time you'd thought of him that way; using a colloquial title, nickname, something that made you feel closer than over the phone companions.
"I was just hoping to leave ya a fun message, say good morning. Thought it might be a nice idea. Ya know. Just a normal, non-creepy, morning wake-up call... er... greeting. Wanting to ensure a day of merriment for you dear lady! And now I'm going crazy. Anyway, I won't see you around the school or I will. Who knows?! Think I should hang up now lest I verbally vomit some more-"
"E-Ed-ward?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you. I hope you have a good morning too."
Goodbyes were offered softly, a rosy blush burning your face. With a sturdy click, the next tape began to whir. The last one before you needed to take charge of everything again. The headphones around your neck buzzed with rock. You realized you’d been snuck in more metal than you used to. You hoped Eddie appreciated that, knew it was for him. What was supposed to be your next discussion topic turned into a gushing dorkfest as your pencil drug silly little hearts across the page.
The door swung open with a loud squeal. You shook in your chair, surprised and irritated. The group filed in, Dustin quickly grabbing the door and slamming it shut. His eyes had gone wide looking down the hallway. A tiny click told you he’d locked the door. Words stoppered in your throat, making it difficult to swallow and impossible to speak. Mike and Lucas were jammed into a corner, looking far too big for the space. Dustin offered a big smile, leaning his full weight against the locked door. And Robin stood, gangly and confused next to another person. When you finally registered the last person, you thought you’d throw up.
“Steve insisted. Sorry,” Robin glared.
“I don’t mean to pry. I just got interested when everyone started in together. I hope this is alright. I can totally leave if you need,” The boy offered with a shrug. You couldn’t form words, just shook your head to indicate he didn’t have to leave.
If you could have predicted your own death, you assumed it’d be something like this; being stared at by strangers while your insides clawed themselves to bits. How you were going to explain yourself was a complete mystery. Had you thought about the consequences of being in front of a group of people and having to speak, you never would have said anything to Robin. The lump in your throat felt rock solid as you swallowed. Your heart hammered against your chest - so much for calming down before they arrived.
“Y/n? You good?” Lucas spoke quietly. You shook your head.
“So why are you here anyway?” Mike asked. His blunt question bounced off Robin like it was nothing.
“Well little miss can’t speak over here has gotten herself into a situation and needs my help. However, I need some clarification on the circumstances. Thus this weird robot closet,” Robin smarted back.
“I-I,” You tried to speak. You felt faint but wired, light headed but completely amped. The choked sound that came out of you redirected everyone’s attention, their eyes on you. That was so much worse.
Steve questioned, “Is she alright?”
“Hey, maybe we should... Uh-, let's turn around. If we don’t look at her it’ll help,” Lucas piped up. That kid deserved all good things. The relief was immediate.
“Thanks Lucas.”
You weren’t sure how to begin at first, just filling your lungs with air to ease the shakiness of your hands. Eventually, you began the painful process of explaining. “S-so you’re all… all here- and S-s-steve? - all here because Robin knows s-something. A-and she needs… Robin needs context. And proof. So… so um… you- you guys are the proof. Yes.”
Everyone stayed quiet, waiting for you to continue. You thought you heard a rustle outside the door but wrote it off as some strange sound from your headphones. The music was still going. You had time.
“I… I am the one that hosts Hawkins 68.8.”
Robin whipped around, eyes wide, mouth agape. “Seriously?”
“She’s not lying!” Dustin yelled over his shoulder.
“Dustin, don’t yell in here,” You sighed.
“There’s no way.” Robin spoke. Steve agreed with her. Suddenly the two people around your age were arguing with the freshmen, snapping at one another and growing louder. The room was much too small for this many people. And the music was beginning to wind down. You only had about twenty seconds before you were live.
“SHUT UP!”
Everyone turned to look at you. Silence hung tight in the air. You motioned a zipper over your lips and put on the headphones. The ragtag team stood motionless as you flicked on the red ‘On Air’ light and rolled towards the microphone. With a simple turn of a dial, the music playing on the radio filled the room. It slowly faded as you adjusted your own microphone volume.
“HEY THERE HAWKINS! Just letting you know that it’s 7am. Unless you’re playing hookie, it’s time to get out that door and on the road. Speaking of on the road, there’s been an accident on Lakeview Road that is blocking traffic. Hope you're ready to rock this morning. This one goes out to my favorite trumpet player. Robin, happy Friday.”
Blondie blasted through the speaker. You shut off your mic, set up the next few tracks, and finally cut off the light. Still, it stayed silent.
“Holy shit.”
You couldn’t help but chuckle at the look on Robin’s face. You sent her a measly shrug.
“So, you’ve obviously been doing this for a while. When… when did…?”
“Only a couple weeks ago.”
“And, on the air?”
“No… no. Not really. Like answering questions, yes. Full, really great conversations, all off air.”
“Wow. So you didn’t know who it was, not at all, until-”
“Yesterday. Yep.”
“What are you talking about?” Dustin whined, clearly voicing the opinion of all the boys in the room.
“Nothing!” You and Robin nodded at one another.
“Bullshit.”
“Dustin, language man!” Steve scolded the boy. “Clearly this is a private, albeit interesting conversation. So let’s all just leave the two girls alone.” He went to the door, allowing Dustin to open it a fraction. Steve stepped out, waving the boys along. All they did was shove him out and slam the door.
“This is about Eddie, isn’t it?” Dustin offered the loudest whisper imaginable. The blood in your body ran cold everywhere except for your face, which you were sure was burning to the touch. All three boys began furiously discussing with one another, Dustin mostly repeating ‘I knew it!’ and Mike grumbling about owing someone some money. Defeated and irritated sighs bonded you and Robin together.
“You twerps want to explain how you know about all this?” Robin took charge.
“Eddie can’t hide anything from us.”
“Totally transparent.”
“He just came into school one day and was on a mission to figure out who you were.” You nearly puked at the thought. Lucas continued, hoping to help you keep from tipping over, “But we were adamant that he leave you alone. Never told him who you were. He totally doesn’t know.”
“Usually he drops this kinda stuff, gets bored. But he didn’t with you… that’s when we noticed he was asking to listen at lunch every day and calling into the show after school,” Mike’s eyebrows nearly touched his hair. His desperate attempt to keep from cracking a smile at your expense was admirable even though it was a complete failure.
“Dude’s got it bad. Hundred percent,” Dustin beamed at you. At least someone was enjoying the situation you were in.
“You’re sure about that? What do you babies know about it?” Robin came to your defense. “You can’t just say that if you aren’t sure.”
“I am sure! Y/n! Robin is-”
“Dustin, shut up.” Lucas sighed. “You figured it out while you were talking to Eddie yesterday?”
You nodded.
“Duh. You’re like, the smartest. Eddie couldn’t put two and two together if he tried. He’ll never know.” Dustin was laughing to himself.
“He stopped me from walking into the wall. I made a joke and he laughed. That’s how I figured it out. And I had thought I’d heard Mike at one point, on the other end of the line. It was faint, but now I know it was you.” You quietly explained.
There was another ruckus, the boys and Robin hollering over one another. It was clear that they were all surprised. In truth, you were too. You couldn’t believe that two times you’d gotten yourself into a situation where Edward Munson was saving you from harm's way and enjoying your sarcasm. You could barely believe that you’d spent nearly two weeks talking with him every night. But here you were, a blushy mess just thinking about it all. Your normal embarrassment around people was gone and replaced with a new kind.
“So you’re telling me, you, you, interacted and talked in person with Eddie Munson without exploding?” You nodded. Mike continued, “And he didn’t immediately figure out it was you?” You shook your head.
“What an idiot,” Dustin shot the boys a look of disappointment.
“Don’t say that. It isn’t true.”
Everyone turned to look at you again. Robin gave you that look of pity reserved solely for friends feeling hopeless in romantic endeavors. You’d shared it before many times. You took the silence to give out the host farewell. Dustin, sweet as ever, helped get everything set up for the school day. Mike and Lucas quietly conversed with one another. Robin, sneaking a peak at your notes, gave you a wide-eyed look. You warned her with as good of hand signals as you could.
“You know…” Lucas began, “Eddie is really a nice guy.”
“Yeah! Y/n, he’s into a lot of the stuff you like. And he’s always looking out for us.” Mike added, clearly trying to talk up his friend. There wasn’t a need.
“I know,” You replied simply.
Again all eyes were on you. This time, there was nothing to distract from the clear fondness written all over your face. It was just as much of a surprise to you as it was to everyone else. Shocked glances flicked around the room. For once, you were the only person willing to talk.
“Robin’s right. It’s not smart to make assumptions. I mean, Dusty, you thought Steve and Robin should date and clearly they’d never work. It isn’t a big deal. He has no clue who I am… which is good! You know? This way we never have to meet in person and… and I-I can’t mess it up …Let’s not be late for class.”
Very quickly, you stuffed your homework into your backpack. You nodded to them, pushing the door open. It was heavy, likely a little stuck at first. But you shoved your way out nonetheless and held the door open as everyone filed out. The boys surrounded you, an odd act that made you realize they weren’t little anymore. The keys clicked the lock on the door and you headed off into the school, strange gaggle of friends following behind you due to their complete confusion. Each step led you further and further into terror.
Why had you told them?
***
Eddie couldn’t see her. He’d just barely heard her and only for a few words each time. The complete embarrassment he felt from her answering the phone, from him calling her from the front office, and then noticing Dustin with Harrington and Robin in the school was the final straw. He had to know who she was. He followed them, getting shoved from entering what he now realized was the AV room. Steve Harrington had sent him the lamest look when he got kicked out. And then, on top of it all, he’d been sitting at the door with his ear pressed against it when they tried to leave. He’d been nudged out of the way and just when he thought he’d finally get to see Radio Girl, the freshmen were waving him off. Their wild gestures ending as they swiftly barricaded the girl from view.
Aside from thinking how cute and short the girl must be, Eddie was devastated. He’d narrowed down his search from every girl in school to those he had English and Physics with. The list was quite short now and left him feeling dismal. There wasn’t a single person it could be that he genuinely liked in real life, except y/n y/l/n - she was nice. At least, she’d never openly been mean to him. She’d defended him in class once with quite the sharp wit actually. But she always seemed scared to death to talk to him.
Sitting outside the now locked AV room, Eddie couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for himself. Two weeks. He’d been trying and failing to figure the Radio Girl out for two weeks. And nothing. He could hear her morning announcement in his head again, muffled through the heavy wooden door. And the crystal clear command she’d used to quiet everyone in the room. He knew her voice. Hell, he knew everything that she’d ever said to him. He knew her love of The Fall of the House of Usher and her hatred of The Raven. He knew she only liked strawberry ice cream when it was in neapolitan. He knew how she would gasp if she laughed and lost her breath. How could he not know her sitting in the same room as him? Walking down the same hall?
That thought brought him back to reality. She was right down the hall. Before the group could disappear around the corner, Eddie was running towards them. Radio Girl was still blocked from view, but he saw the kids abruptly stop and halted himself. He padded forward, trying to keep quiet.
“Guys, I… I know that you’re excitab-able and all… and-and you prob-obably… you wanna talk abou-about well… you know. B-bu- but… but… please, just don’t say any-anything. I have a friend now. One that gets to really talk to me. He… he would b-be so disappointed finding out it’s me. I’m not getting any hopes up… not yours… and-and not mine either.”
The way the girl’s voice shook broke Eddie’s heart. He knew it was his Radio Girl, but she barely resembled herself now. He could hear the echoes of other student chatter, the growing crowd and secret conversation likely pressing her into a corner of herself. Lucas had said she was awfully shy. Her sighs were fully defeated. Whatever she had been discussing with them, she’d already lost. Memories of her perfect soliloquies, descriptions and stories, all their private conversations flooded his mind. Eddie couldn’t imagine anyone being disappointed in her, whether or not she was frightened to speak in person. All he wanted was to wrap his arms around the girl and help her feel safe - the way she did when she hid behind the phone. He’d love to see her smile while hearing her laugh. He’d love to see the look in her eyes, whatever color they were, as she wistfully waxed about a story. His body had decided before his mind that he was going to go right up to her.
He didn’t get that far.
As if sensing him, Dustin whipped around and barreled right into him. He was talking at a rapid pace and Eddie had to grab onto the lockers to not fall over.
“Hey Henderson. Oh Christ,” The wind was nearly knocked out of him. Dustin was still chattering on. “I can’t understand you, doofus. Slow down.”
“Do you like the radio girl? Why do you keep calling her? Have you figured out who she is? When were you going to tell us that you were talking to her every day? For hours! What do you know about her? Why were you following me? What is your deal Eddie? What is it?”
The string of questions got more pushy the longer Dustin went on.
“Okay, okay, okay! Chill out, dude!” Eddie held his hands up in defense. “I followed you because I was confused about you guys with Harrington and Robin. Then you slammed the door in my face and I realized you were in the AV room.”
“And the other stuff?”
Mike’s voice scared Eddie shitless. Where had the little creep come from? Getting his bearings, Eddie noted Lucas had joined them as well. It was going to be a long morning.
“We’re waiting!” Dustin’s sing-song voice hit a sour note. They all seemed very frustrated with him.
The older boy sighed, tugging at his hair and mentally cursing himself for going along with the antics of three fifteen year olds. Nonetheless, he answered, “Well, I know she goes to school here. She’s a senior - no underclassman is self-loathing enough to take the advanced history class early. She likes Poe, Frankenstein, Dracula, dark romance stuff - but The Curious Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is her favorite. …Thinking about it, it is fitting… She’s a hell of a strategist. That session where Kas and Vecna kidnapped all the people you previously saved? Her idea. I… well, I started calling her to ask questions. I mean, her talk show stuff is seriously thought out, so interesting and I couldn’t help but wonder about it. And then she was so sweet, told me to call back since she didn’t have time for all my questions. We just got into the habit of it. It’s insane. You weren’t kidding when you said she was smart, but she doesn’t treat me like a complete idiot. Not at all like anyone here. I know she broke her arm twice, in two different places. I know we have to be in the same English class… I swear I’ve heard her talk about gothic literature in person. And she’s in my physics class too - was complaining about Kaminsky’s homework. Girl can curse. It was so funny. She’s so funny. And her laugh? Huh, um, yes. Anyway, yeah I guess I’ve kept calling cause it’s fun. She’s fun. I don’t know. It’s nice to talk to someone without them treating me like a freak. I don’t know man, I don’t know. This morning she was playing Ozzy and Dio and Iron Maiden and all I could think about was how badly I wanted to talk to her again. How stupid I have to be to not see her and immediately know, there’s my girl. I couldn’t help when I saw you guys cause I thought that maybe, just maybe if I could see her that I’d be able to get her out of my head. Get on with normal life. But hell, at this point it’s a lost cause and I don’t want anything but her in my head. I feel crazy. I can’t go after her. Partially cause you three keep getting in the way, partially cause if she knew it was me she would probably freak out, and partially because she seemed so scared just talking to you guys. Yes, I heard. At least the part just now in the hall. And I don’t think I could stand causing her to feel that way.”
Eddie was pretty sure that was the longest he’d talked without being interrupted aside from campaigns. The silence in the hallway now was palpable. Even with students rushing by to get to class, the emptiness around the group of boys continued to echo. Eddie felt tired. He felt like he’d just dumped out two weeks worth of thoughts; that his brain was accepting the release and ready to rest after carrying it all for so long.
“So he likes her,” Lucas stated matter-of-factly. It wasn’t even directed to Eddie.
“No shit,” Eddie mumbled, starting to notice heat creeping up his neck.
“You called her ‘my girl’,” Dustin snickered. It earned him a firm slap on the arm.
“Should we tell him?” Mike asked.
“What?”
“I think we could?” Lucas shrugged.
“Tell me what?”
“Depends. Do you think she’ll be more upset if we tell him? Or will the pros outweigh the cons?” Dustin offered.
“Just tell me you idiots!”
“Impatient,” Lucas scoffed. “I think we have to tell him.”
“It’s on you if she gets upset!” Mike held his hands up, wiping away any guilt he might find later.
Eddie began to growl in frustration, “If you three don’t tell-”
“She knows it's you.”
Eddie stared at Lucas. The heat from his neck took over his whole head, burning his ears and face. They had to be kidding. There was no way. He hadn’t given any indication. Never mentioned Hellfire, or his band, or went by Eddie. How did she figure him out so easily when she was still a complete mystery?
“Apparently, she thought she heard me over the phone one time… probably when we had that session at your place and I- uh- I interrupted your call. But she wasn’t sure until she made you laugh,” Mike explained.
“What?”
“Eddie, man, she made you laugh. Recently! Like, yesterday,” Dustin chuckled, shaking his head as the older boy’s face screwed up in confusion.
“So, she figured out it was me?” Was all he could squeeze out. His mind raced, going back over the previous day as best he could. He had to remember. She’d been right there and he’d missed her.
“Yep. And yet she was mysteriously missing from last night's hour of rock again,” Lucas added, scuffing his shoe on the floor as if the information was boring. But he was right. They’d talked for hours and she knew it was him the whole time.
Before he could get anything else out of the kids, the bell was screaming at them. As much as he was hoping to throttle information out of the sneaky little bastards, he refused to miss class. He was going to figure out who she was. Today. Starting with Physics.
***
Five minutes into Kaminsky’s class Eddie had rounded the corner from hopeful to hopeless. Every time he sized someone up, wondering if they were his Radio Girl, something would prove him wrong. He was certain he’d heard all the possible voices during roll. Nothing. The gloom and doom of failing so swiftly pushed him down in his seat. He moped the whole class. And though he frequently felt eyes on him, when he turned to look, no one was looking his direction. At least he wasn’t alone in his agitated state - y/l/n had been wringing her hands and bouncing her leg the entire class.
Kaminsky dismissed the class after the bell cried out. Homework was offered, a few students held back to chat with him. Eddie, scuffing his sneakers on the floor, missed his classmate blushing as he passed. He set his focus on the wrong thing, searching the hallway with an eagle eye, scouring every face for the proof he was looking for. Desperate ears waited for the voice he longed to hear.
By the time he did hear it, he was halfway down the hall, surrounded by people and the ability to find the girl gone.
“Thank you Mr. Kaminsky. I’ll be fine on my own tonight. Have a good weekend!”
Eddie whipped around. The boy got shoved back and forth. When his eye caught the door to the physics classroom it was completely empty. A frustrated groan slipped past his lips, fists clenching and head dropping down. A sea of confused students milled around him, avoiding the quiet outburst. Though he wanted to, he couldn’t bring himself to look up. Somewhere, likely walking past him at that exact moment, his Radio Girl was slipping through his grasp. How badly must she think of him for not recognizing her? He hoped she didn’t blame his lack of recognition on herself. She was amazing, all the time. Eddie was just so focused he couldn’t see what was right in front of him.
“Eddie!”
The boy sighed, looking up to find Mike waving him over. Questions about Hellfire rained down. Eddie had to shake his head to refocus. His fixation on Radio Girl had distracted him from the campaign tonight. He’d finished it already, with the girl’s help of course, but he couldn’t help his embarrassed feelings over being caught unprepared.
“I’m losing it,” He mumbled to himself.
Mike patted his arm, offering a smug smile with his shrugging shoulders, “Yeah. You haven’t once realized that you and Radio Girl are gonna be in the same place all night.”
“Holy shit!” Eddie beamed, nearly jumping. “She’s closing up by herself. I heard her tell Kaminsky!”
Together, in quiet excitement, the two boys rejoiced at the elder’s good luck. He’d be suave, they decided, casually walking out of the drama room at the exact right time. Mike assured him that girls loved that stuff. Eddie’s mind drifted to the Radio Girl’s admission of her preference for the dark, mysterious, and dramatic. He’d be a total gentleman. Swoon worthy. He’d be high on a destructive game of D&D and it’d be perfect.
“Where’s Henderson? You gotta tell the rest of the club to come battle ready. I’m gonna be on top of the world boys!” Eddie cackled. His yo-yoing emotions were toying with him. No girl had ever held so much control over him - especially without knowing. The childish giddiness of adolescent love had thrown him out of whack. Now, despite his earlier hopeless droning, he was soaring. It was this happy-go-lucky burst that sent him spinning around, searching the emptying hallway for the curly-headed kid.
If he thought his heart couldn’t beat any faster, Dustin was animatedly talking at a girl as she placed books in her locker. Eddie immediately recognized the brightly colored title: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. As if wanting to supply him more proof, the girl handed a pack of Reece’s pieces over her shoulder. Dustin snatched them gratefully. He must have mentioned something exciting, the girl stilling before whipping around.
There she was.
Time seemed to slow. A bright, lively look lit up her face. Her shoulders were relaxed, her chin lifting with certainty. And then, the final knife in his chest, she smiled. Eddie stood there, unwilling to stop himself from soaking in every moment he was in her presence. He didn’t mind how oblivious he’d been.
Eddie audibly sighed, leaning back against the lockers and watching the interaction. Dustin was yanking a large box from his backpack. The girl’s delicate hands snatched it with intensity, her grin only growing. The bell cut his reverie short. He watched as she tousled the younger boy’s hair and waved him off to class. And then, Eddie watched the transformation take place. The mask was taken away and replaced with the secret identity. The once confident frame curled around a set of books and notebooks. Starry eyes were downcast, hidden from his view. Something within him ached to run right up to her. It all made sense. She could barely stand to talk in class. The teachers loved her - likely due to the value she attributed to their work. Now that he thought about it, he had seen her sweet face nodding along as the kids pestered her. Even better, two times - two - she had revealed herself. Two wonderfully witty moments that, while she likely hadn’t meant to share, he had been privy to. She’d been sitting two feet away from him the whole time. Eddie’s eyes shamelessly followed her down the hallway, his smile spreading ear to ear.
Y/n had pulled a total Clark Kent on him.
***
A rapid, jolting knock shook the door. Soft music hummed through the concealed room. Steady fingers gripped the knobs on the sound board, adjusting the gain as a louder song faded in. Another knock echoed through the room. The wheels of your stool creaked as you rolled over and flicked the lock with a loud click.
“I told Dustin I’d be fine. I don’t need anyone to help me lock up boys,” Your voice carried as you headed back to the desk. Another knock came, this one more tentative, and you noticed the person on the other side didn’t take advantage of the unlocked door. The music drifted off, quieter as you set down your headphones, and stood hesitantly on the other side of the door. Your heart pounded against your chest. The pads of your fingertips grazed the wooden door, hesitant as your mind wandered to one sole thought.
“Edward?”
You weren’t sure what you were expecting. There was a chance your voice hadn’t even carried through to the other side.
“Hey Radio Girl.”
Your heart seemed to stop up your throat. Eddie Munson was on the other side of the AV Room door. You weren’t sure what to say. The terrifying thought of the door opening kept you silent. It wasn’t a worry you needed to hold onto - Eddie would never take advantage of you. Before you could respond, he was already talking a mile a minute.
“I just want to tell you that I won’t be able to call tonight. I, uh, I have a meeting tonight. A club thing. I didn’t… I didn’t want you to think that I was blowing you off.”
Fondness spread through every inch of your body. How you could have ever felt nervous around him, you couldn’t understand. A goofy grin was pulling across your face. You leaned into the door, forehead resting against it. “Shame you’re gonna miss out on all the calls today. Sure I’ll get some real invested folks in your stead.”
Eddie laughed. Your smile only brightened.
“Don’t go snatching up some new person with lots of questions. I want my spot when I call back.” You could hear him smiling too. It felt so good to hear his voice without all the static. And though your hand hovered over the doorknob, you couldn’t quite bring yourself to open it. Just evident enough in the back of your mind, the nagging voice reminded you that you would be a disappointment to him.
“Doubt anyone else would indulge my dorky conversations.”
He laughed again.
“Well, don’t be late on my account,” Nerves began to take root once more. “I don’t want to keep you from anything important.”
“Oh believe me, if this wasn’t a promise to the kids then you’d never get rid of me,” He was chuckling. It buzzed through the door, warm against your chest. Silly dramatic daydreams filled your mind and before you knew it, the boy was saying goodbye.
“B-bye!” You called out. Embarrassment colored your face at your outburst. Still, you couldn’t bring yourself to do anything but giggle. You were giggling. Nothing could take away the quiet excitement buried deep in your chest. Not embarrassment, not worry, nothing. Eddie Munson had had the chance to burst through your door, find out who you were and make his judgment. But he didn’t. He didn’t take the unlocking door as an answer to his knock. He had waited; waited to see if you would open the door.
Maybe, just maybe you could open that door the next time…
You just hoped he knocked again.
***
Eddie was about to knock when the teens yanked him back. Their whispers echoed through the darkened, empty hall. They were furious, fussy, frantic in their desire to help set everything right. He was sure their nervousness was starting to rub off on him.
“Why is he wearing a cape?”
“Cause it’s cool!”
“It’s stupid!”
“I have to agree, Henderson this is a bit much.”
“Give him his jacket back.”
“Not the vest. Just the jacket. You said she said dark and mysterious right?”
“Y-yeah but-”
“No vest. It’s too light. Stuff it in your bag.”
“Oh that’s good! Maybe you can offer it if she’s cold. Nice, nice.”
“Get that stupid thing out of here!”
“It totally would’ve worked.”
Dustin grumbled as he stomped back through the hallway, long black fabric trailing behind him. Eddie brushed the boys off of him, hands waving them away. Bright smiles and thumbs up were offered as he was left alone in the hall. They’d ended the session early - partly because Eddie had nearly killed their entire party and partly to ensure that he didn’t miss his shot with y/n. The amount of times that Mike Wheeler had drilled into him that he only had one chance to make this work equaled the amount of knots tied in Eddie’s stomach. Knowing no one could see him, he practiced how he’d stand. He leaned on the lockers in different ways, shifted his weight from foot to foot, and tried stilling himself. Nothing worked. His energy outweighed everything else, his knees practically shaking as he paced back and forth in front of the door. It was as if he had to move. His body not knowing what else to do with the crashing waves of emotions roiling through his chest. But then his ears perked, the confirmation that y/n hadn’t left yet coming muffled through the door.
“That was… and… one of… and a favorite of mine…”
Eddie found himself crouched by the door again, ear pressed firmly as the faint music began to play. It was almost nine. Radio Girl - y/n - always said goodnight at nine. They’d stayed up talking later than that many times. Eddie wondered if it’d been a burden, staying so late at the school every night just to talk to him. He hoped it wasn’t. Soft guitar drifted through the door. A smile twitched at his lips. In an easy adjustment, he rested his back against the door, head nodding along softly.
“It’s one of your favorites, right?”
Eddie jumped. A small snicker whispered past his ear.
“Sorry. Pretty sure I just gave you a heart attack. I- uh… I heard voices in the hall and I guessed you might be out here.”
From the sound of it, y/n had joined him on the other side of the door. Her voice was so close, like she was mirroring his position. He imagined her knees pulled up to her chest, hair shifting around her face as she pressed her head back to the door. Maybe her hands were just at the edge of the door; their fingers mere centimeters from touching if he slipped his back. His breath felt thunderous, invasive and unwelcome in the silent hallway. He needed to calm down. He needed to say something back.
“Hope I didn’t intrude,” He squeezed out.
He could hear her laugh, light as a feather, “Oh the intrusion was blaring. Whispering? In a hallway? Outside a closed door? You ought to know better.”
“Guess the mysterious entrance is out of the question now, seeing as I’ve blown my cover,” He whined, gauging her reaction.
“Giving up that easily? Oh, I’m ashamed. Don’t tell me you of all people didn’t think of a back-up plan!”
Eddie perked up. He couldn’t help it. She hadn’t said no to his idea. Hope fluttered, a relentless bird in his chest, pushing his next words out in a yelp.
“I never said I hadn’t thought of a dramatic one!” His grin could have lit up the whole school. “However, I did happen to relinquish my cape.”
Her laughter reinforced his resolve. “You had the option of a cape and you didn’t choose it? Amature hour, Munson.”
Eddie was too gregarious to notice the slip. “Damn. Can’t believe Henderson was right. He’s gonna be such a shit about it.”
“Oh absolutely.”
And then the lightbulb went off. Though he’d been told that y/n knew it was him, he’d been skeptical until now. But she’d said his name, a smile evident in her voice. And Eddie was desperate for her to do it again.
He cleared his throat, mind wildly searching for the right thing to say. “By the way, I think you’re in need of a ride. The terrible trio were so frantic ‘cause Harrington was waiting on them. Mike said something about the teachers giving you a ride… and I may have overheard your conversation with Kaminsky…”
It was silent. Alarm bells rang out in Eddie’s head. He was sure he’d just screwed up the whole situation. Y/n would think he was a complete creep and never speak to him again.
“A young, helpless girl being escorted home by a man she’s yet to meet face to face?”
Eddie winced.
“Sounds dark and mysterious to me.”
He could tell she was tentative, but it was definitely her way of saying yes.
“R-really? You’d let me give you a ride?”
“Is there a reason I shouldn’t?” Now she was teasing him.
“No! Just playing hard to get. Dark mysterious men let the ladies come to them… right?”
Incredible laughter shook the door. Her giggles played a light tune. Eddie let it drown out everything else. If she’d ever played it over the radio, he had no doubt that everyone would fall in love with her in an instant.
“You know, I have absolutely nothing to disprove that logic,” Her words came out shaky; part laughter, part sigh. A hole opened up, silence spreading between them. Eddie’s immediate concern that she was changing her mind was quickly eased. “Not to mention I’m starving. The teachers never really want to stop for something. Think I could convince a dark, mysterious, dramatic figure to grab a bite?”
Eddie sat dumbfounded. His wide eyes softened the hallway around him, blurring everything all at once. He replayed the moment in his mind, forcing himself to make sure he’d actually heard the girl correctly.
Had y/n just asked him out?
***
DID I JUST ASK HIM OUT? The thought pounded against your brain over and over again. What had you been thinking? Not a single word had been spoken since. At least thirty seconds of dead air had gathered around the two of you. From inside the AV room you had no way of knowing what was going on in Eddie Munson’s mind. Was he even still sitting there? You were sure he’d left. Realizing how incredibly presumptuous and ridiculous you had been, you shoved away from the door. On your feet you paced, and fixed a few tapes. You packed your things only to find, as usual, that there was only one way out of this broom closet of a space. It occurred to you that maybe you could pile things up and fit into the air vents. The first two attempts to reach it failed and a beep on the cassette player reminded you you still had obligations left.
You weren’t exactly sure how you were going to get through a sign-off. Not after clearly striking out in your first and only attempt of asking someone out. You wished you’d wasted that blunder on someone who didn’t matter, someone who wouldn’t leave a gaping hole in your life by disappearing. The fact that Eddie Munson had garnered such a spot within your regard was a testament to how special he was. You could only come to one conclusion: You screwed up.
“H-hey there Hawkins. That-that was Mötley Crüe with Home Sweet Home. Speaking of, the sky is dark, the hour is late, and it’s time to say goodnight. Music will carry you through till tomorrow. Tune in at 5am for the weather report. Night Hawkins.”
Fingers tugged at your face, your hands dragging down your frustration and pulling you into yourself. That was your worst sign off in years. You slowly cut off all the equipment but the broadcast relay and the nightly cassette tower. It was eerily quiet. Your gaze drifted to the door. And, without meaning to, unable to stop it, the most defeated sigh fell from your lips. It ached in your chest. At least the walk home would offer a distraction.
“You know, I was terrified of not being able to shut up. All throughout school, since like the first day of kindergarten, I just couldn’t be quiet. Couldn’t sit still, always had something to say. And it freaked me out constantly. No one could talk to me cause I just kept blabbing. So, obviously, it didn’t help me make many friends. And it got me in tons of trouble. Not only would I be a constant interruption, but I had no filter. So literally anything in my mind came out of my mouth. Called my third grade teacher a grizzly bear and got in-school suspension. Which, if it hadn’t been for the teacher falling asleep, I surely would have stayed there forever cause I still couldn’t stop talking. When middle school came around, I’d figured out I could whisper to myself and get caught less. Thinking about it now is so insanely creepy. Some buzzcut kid whispering to themselves in the corner of the room? No wonder people think I worship the devil or some shit. I guess it was around junior year that I figured out I could just chat with myself in my head. I hold fake conversations with people a lot, try out voices and dialogue for campaigns, win my argument with Henderson from lunch, stuff like that. Until recently, I’ve never had the skill of listening outside of D&D. But for the past few weeks all I’ve wanted to do is shut up and listen. Of course, the one time that I need to come up with a response I go completely blank. And you probably think I’m some jerk who ignored what you had to say. I just feel like you should know that you- you shouldn’t be nervous to talk to me. Cause if you wanna not talk I’m sure I can talk enough for the both of us. But if you do want to, I’d be totally down to listen. I mean, hell, you’ve been all superhero secret identity-ing me for days and as soon as I realized it I lost all my cool. But of course y/n y/l/n is a secret badass. I mean, killer smart, flies under the radar, has surprisingly witty retorts whenever needed. Literally pulling a whole Clark Kent on all of Hawkins and-”
As soon as you’d opened the door, the floodgates opened with it. Leaning on the doorframe, hands wildly gesturing, Eddie Munson captured your entire attention. He was still there. Taking in his words, you held back a blush as best you could. It was very uncommon for you to be this close to the boy, the last time being when you figured out he was your mystery caller. Up close you could take in the wonder in his eyes, the overexertion in every expression, his unfairly sweet smile that came packaged with dimples. Your heart was bursting at his confession, his desire to make you comfortable winning you over instantly. It didn’t hurt that his leaning over you had you weak in the knees.
You wanted to respond in some elegant way. Show him his efforts weren’t in vain. Maybe even charm him so as to forget your earlier blunder. However, what came out didn’t exactly meet your expectations for your first real face to face conversation.
“Clark Kent? Really?”
The slight look of concern on the boy’s face melted away. In its place, an enchanting smile bloomed. You couldn’t help but reciprocate a small one of your own. With a tentative reach you waited for a handshake.
“H-hi, I’m y/n y/l/n.”
In a charming fashion only he could pull off, the curly headed boy turned your handshake into a romantic gesture, cradling your hand to his lips. “Edward Munson, dear lady.”
***
The buzz of the neon ‘open’ sign filled the space between Eddie and y/n. It exemplified the charge he felt. He kept looking over the menu, eyes dancing across her partially hidden face. Every part of him was begging for another close look into her eyes. What had often been a fleeting glance in his direction had become a soft, starlit gaze that held him transfixed.
Her quiet laughter had spurred him on, his antics fueled by adoration. She’d listened intently as he chattered on. The small, precious smile never left her face, even when she was too nervous to look at him. She’d bobbed her head with the music, he teased that the host must have good taste. The drive had left him wondering if he’d talked too much. But her lips never downturned and he didn’t miss the looks she thought were secret. He was sure they had been in the past, but now that he knew? There was no way he’d ever miss one again.
“What can I get for ya sweetie?” The older waitress gave Eddie a crinkly smile before looking at the girl. Y/n went wide eyed. To his pleasure, she looked right at him. The tension in her brow relaxed and he watched the transformation, in reverse from the last time. She blossomed like a rose.
“I’ll have a double cheeseburger, extra bacon, grilled onions, with fries and a chocolate milkshake. Oo! Could I also get some ranch?”
“You’re killing me y/l/n,” Eddie mumbled to himself. He nodded to the waitress when she asked if he wanted the usual.
“What?” The girl eyed him when they were left alone. All he could do was smile, shaking his head and covering his face with his hands. “What?”
“Nothing, nothing… It’s just… it’s you.”
“Is that a good thing?”
Eddie heard the tiniest shift in her voice. It yanked his heart into his throat. She had no clue the effect she had on him. Since he’d truly heard her, y/n had turned him into a puddle. “I, uh, I feel like Aragorn when he first met Arwen.”
His concern at freaking her out was unfounded. When he got the courage to look up at her, she was blushing heavily and fighting a smile. Once again she was having a hard time finding words.
“Something to say?” Eddie teased.
“Yeah,” She finally mustered, taking a deep breath and flashing him the sneakiest grin, “Shut up.”
The food arrived, their conversation finally finding its pace. The once quiet diner was full of laughter. Every inch of Eddie’s body felt light with wonder, abuzz with electricity. Crackling static initiated the shifts between songs. Their conversation had meandered for hours, requiring an extra helping of fries, a second milkshake, and a stolen cherry. Cool evening air seeped through the windows chilling the leather seats. Tiny hills and valleys appeared on y/n’s arms, tiny shivers sliding easily up and down her spine. Eddie fought the urge to reach out and pull her tight, warm her up. But things were too delicate. Anything he did could cause the moment to collapse around him.
Then she touched his arm.
In truth, it was to put money in his jacket pocket for dinner. She said she couldn’t let him pay when she’d eaten half the restaurant. Their waitress made a point to tell him he’d found a good match. All he could do was nod and leave a great tip. The night air chilled them to the bone and when y/n shivered just outside the safety of the diner, Eddie jumped at the chance to offer his coat. The heavy leather jacket sat large on her shoulders. Eddie wasn’t sure whether or not the cold or his gesture dusted pink across the girl’s face, but he accepted it nonetheless. He scrambled to help her into the van, jumping in himself to blast the heat.
***
The drive to your house was both too long and too short. Too short because you desperately wanted the night to keep going - fearful that you’d wake up tomorrow to find that you’d dreamt the whole thing. And too long because you were positive that you’d not picked a bunch of love songs for the late hours, and yet here they were playing on your station. Everything was labeled with the date and you’d picked them out days ago. You were certain you didn’t pick the songs. You didn’t play this much lovey-dovey stuff except for Valentine’s Day. Still, three songs in a row now had clearly been love songs. It caused your face to burn. Nimble fingers gripped at the cuffs of Eddie’s jacket around your shoulders as you aimed to shift your thoughts.
Specifically trying not to focus on the incredibly sweet and attractive boy humming along next to you. Eddie brought the van to a halt, muttering his understanding at your quiet directions. You hoped he didn’t notice your reddened complexion. It didn’t help one bit that I Want To Know What Love Is was scoring the goodbye.
“Th-thank you for bringing me home.” You offered a delicate smile, “I had a lot of fun.” Your hands felt clammy and you resisted the urge to look at the boy next to you for more than a few seconds. It wasn’t a date. No one had acknowledged the date-like nature the outing had. When Eddie hadn’t mentioned it or teased about it, you were certain he didn’t see it in the same light as you. All you had to do was make it out of the car and into your house without fumbling. You’d stay friends, your now certified crush would be deeply hidden, and you could go on as if you hadn’t fallen head over heels for someone via a few phone calls. Just as your hand touched the door, you heard it. Unmistakable and deadly.
Dead air.
And it wasn’t Eddie. It was the radio. You were certain that you’d set everything up correctly.
“What's wrong?” Eddie noted your hesitation, big brown eyes offering sincere concern.
“Dead air? I set everything up before we left. Everything was in order. It was all labeled and…”
“-it. Hello Hawkins. Just a… few technical difficulties. Mike! We’ll be right back with, uh, rock and stuff… for fu-”
“SH! The mic is on!”
“H-Here is… is… Foreigner! Yep. Foreigner!”
You heard the distinct click of the microphone, the silent buzz, and finally another track began to play. As your mind raced, shivers took over your arms and legs. Thoughts raced through your mind and frustration began to build, winding tightly into your shoulders.
“I’m gonna kill them.”
Eddie took the words right out of your mouth. You looked over to him and watched his lithe fingers rub circles into his temples. His brows knitted together. If you hadn’t been so irritated yourself, you would have allowed yourself to melt at the way he scrunched his face up in frustration. When he finally turned to look at you, an unmistakable blush had risen across his face. The thought occurred to you that he’d offered you a ride home so the boys could have a crack at the radio station. It didn’t make complete sense, as you would have allowed them to try if they’d asked, but you couldn’t help the worry.
With a weak smile, he threw that concern out the window, “I’m so sorry. I… well, it seems that the brats have taken it upon themselves to… help. I’ll kick the crap out of them if you want. This wasn’t part of the plan at all.”
“Plan?”
Eddie’s blush deepened. You could feel yourself begin to match, your cheeks setting afire. His sheepish smile did you in, “Well, I… oh man… I’d planned on surprising you after the sign off. Pull a whole dark and mysterious gentleman thing. I- uh, I’ve just really liked our calls and was thinking it’d be nice to spend time together in person. And-”
“And in true Dracula fashion, you somehow got me to do the asking out for you?” You teased.
“You asked me out?” Eddie looked shocked. Though, the glint in his eye told you he was just as in on the joke. You couldn’t stop your giggles. He continued, “But it seems the boys thought that we needed um… a better score for the evening. Decided to put on every romantic song you have in that closet it seems.”
“You really need that much help, Munson?” The teasing wouldn’t stop spilling out of you. You couldn’t help it. You were overflowing with a fondness that felt neverending.
“That depends…” He hopped out of the car, walking around to let you out. Eddie took his hand in yours and guided you slowly to your front door. You looked at the door with dismay before turning back to the much more interesting character beside you. “I had a really good time with you tonight y/n.”
The chill of the air brought your two figures together, huddled closely under the glow of a yellow porchlight. His dimples were back, situated just so next to his heartwarming smile. It was hard to look away, so you didn’t. Your sigh, however, was kept to the quietest possible release. Muffled singing could be heard just over his humming engine - the radio still playing love songs. You’d already forgiven the rugrats. It was easy to forgive almost anything with Eddie Munson holding your hands ever so softly. His thumbs swiped over your knuckles.
“I really like your jacket. I think I ought to get one just like it,” Eddie changed the subject. You suspected it was just an excuse to touch you more, his hands sliding along his jacket that hung over your shoulders. You didn’t mind at all.
“I’d give you this one, but I’m actually quite partial to it,” You beamed.
Eddie chuckled, head dipping down to look at your face more closely, “I can understand. You make it look good.” He was spurred on by your blush, suddenly gentle as he detailed your beauty. His voice, a whisper in the night, took hold of your chest and left you breathless. A calloused hand softly brushed your cheek, you leaning in to meet it with an unabashed certainty. “I’ve never looked forward to anything more than hearing your voice. I’m serious about not finding any other phone partners. I doubt I could make it a day without listening to you.”
“Now you’re just being nice.” You shook your head, “You can’t seriously want to hear me chat every minute of every day.”
“You’re right,” He grinned, mischievous as ever, “Sometimes I want to do this.” Smooth and steady, Eddie pulled you flush to his chest. One hand tilted your chin up to him, the other resting snug on your lower back. His lips brushed over yours, tentative and sweet. And then in one moment of impulse, you kissed him back. It was intoxicating to hold him. After weeks of being held only in conversation, the physical sensation sent tendrils of sparks dancing across your skin.
“Okay, full honesty, I may want to do that more than just sometimes,” He snickered, nose brushing up against yours as he pulled away. A smile spread across your face, wider than a mile. “But I should, uh, I should ask, would you like to go out with me? On an official date next time?”
“Oh Eddie,” You shook your head, unable to stop the teasing, “You know I only answer questions between five and seven pm.”
He laughed and you soaked it in. It was better than anything you played on the radio.
“Alright, alright,” He gave you a sneaky look.
“So… you’ll call me?” You grinned.
“Absolutely.”
You raised to your tiptoes, pressing a soft kiss to his lips and nudging him towards his van. “Good, because I’m dying to answer.”
◜♡﹒﹒𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭﹒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭﹒𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐬
ㅤ ˖ㅤㅤ۫ㅤ ˚ ۪˖𓏲﹒smut﹒fluff﹒angst
﹒ ◠ list under cut ! ͘ ౨ ⸝⸝ most rec ꒰ twt links
୨୧ 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐡𝐲 . ৎ .ᐟ ۫
birthday wish - ModernAU! Throwing a surprise birthday for Murphy, but what happens if the guest of honor is late for the party?
mine - Murphy was always protective of you, so when he thought Jasper sparked an interest in you- he was quick to shut it down. the moon, the sun - When Titus died you set out in search of a new fleimkepa, only finding Murphy; a misunderstood roach. full of hate - You hated Murphy since you landed on the ground, you didn't expect him to awaken something in you.
୨୧ 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐲 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞 . ৎ .ᐟ ۫ useless - you feel useless to the people of Arkadia, maybe Bellamy could help with that. wooden deer - you met in the shop's area of Polis, you trading Bellamy a small wooden sculpture, which he kept. Thinking of you every day, every day for 2,026 days. divine - ever since the massacre of the grounder army he's been different, but you don't give up on him haircuts - bellamy noticed you have been losing sleep over your son, so he decided to help out. Only, he doesn't stop helping out.
failed mission - Azgeda assassins are supposed to be stone-cold, and feel nothing, but what happens when a certain boy tries to gain your trust jealous meeting - bellamy calls a group meeting to decide certain defense plans and catch up with everyone, but his jealousy gets the best of him. longing dreams- you had a dream about your best friend Bellamy, and you try to suppress the feelings by avoiding him. Bellamy doesn't let this slide. flowers of you - when the second praimfaya hit you thought you were the last person on Earth, until the group came back down, landing in your valley. the wolf and the lamb - you stumble across a knocked-out person, doing the only thing you can do you save him; not knowing with that would lead to. pyramid - it wasn't uncommon for you to flirt with Bellamy, but it was unusual for him to flirt with you back. friends with benefits - you and Bellamy were friends, friends who often did each other favors.
୨୧ 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 . ৎ .ᐟ ۫ whenever you want - you've been crushing on Monty for years now, and you decide it's time to give him a hint, which doesn't go as planned
୨୧ 𝐉𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐉𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐧 . ৎ .ᐟ ۫ loading. . .
୨୧ 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐧 . ৎ .ᐟ ۫ loading. . .
୨୧ 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐊𝐚𝐧𝐞 . ৎ .ᐟ ۫ loading. . .
୨୧ 𝐑𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 . ৎ .ᐟ ۫ loading. . .
୨୧ 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞 . ৎ .ᐟ ۫ loading. . .
୨୧ 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐧 . ৎ .ᐟ ۫ loading. . .
୨୧ 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐧 . ৎ .ᐟ ۫ loading. . .
୨୧ 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐭 . ৎ .ᐟ ۫ sneaky memories - You got captured in Bardo, and while Levitt was sifting through your memories he came across a more private one.
⸝⸝ incest ╰﹐siblings, parent/child, cousins
⸝⸝ pedophilia ╰﹐if the reader or character is a minor I won't do it
⸝⸝ inflation
⸝⸝ sexual assault ╰﹐this goes for cnc, and rape
⸝⸝ scat play ╰﹐piss, and shit
⸝⸝ safe age gap ╰﹐they are still of age, but there's a gap
⸝⸝ stalking ╰﹐not yandere stalking
⸝⸝ twt smut visuals ╰﹐twitter porn I think matches a character's vibe
⸝⸝ anything else you can think of ╰﹐if I don't like your request, I wont write it, but that's rare
just call me baby.
i am 19 years old, this is my main blog that I've now abandoned but cant delete > @saturdaykrualt
my discord is 'itsjustbaby'
im really passionate about creative arts, such as painting, writing, and music.
i have to listen to music while writing, here's the playlist!
and this is my main playlist
ㅤ ˖ㅤ ㅤ۫ ㅤ if you have any questions don't be scared to ask﹗✦
Incl: Gojo, Geto, Toji, Megumi, Sukuna (18+)
"Megs, can I have all of your hoodies?" Burying your head into the black fabric you sighed, a drowsiness emerging from his clean scent. Your nostrils sung.
But the actual source was much better.
Hugging your boyfriend you whispered thanks into his bare chest. He made many sacrifices (which weren't actually sacrifices in his eyee) to ensure you are happy.
"No problem." He mumbled, trying to hide how bashful you made him. Hugging you back to hide said embarrassed face, he kissed your forehead.
"Come on baby, bed time." Snuggling closer you soughed, "Megs can you carry me to bed?" Humoured by your ask he couldn't help but point out you were five feet from the bed, "Please Megs, my legs are tired and you are strong and comfy." Giving in, as he was always going to, he wrapped his arms around your waist and lifted you.
Coiling your legs around his waist you hummed happily, portraying your thanks. Three seconds later and you were safely tucked under the sheets, latched onto Megumi.
"Thanks Megs, for carrying me and-" A yawn escaped your lips, "And your hoodies." Sliding a hand under his - your - hoodie he pawed at your hip, your heart fluttering at his touch.
"Any time baby."
"Sukuna?" Plucking at the appetising hoodie on his chest, you batted your lashes. The curse gazed down at you, curious as to what you could possibly want.
You were fed, fucked and showered.
"Yes princess?" Straddling his lap, you slid your hands onto his lower abs, "Can I have your hoodies?" A single, attractive brow cocked, "All of them?" A cheeky smile and a nod, "Not sure princess. I like my hoodies." He was only teasing, he had enough hoodies to clothe a small village, but he loved seeing the little pout on your lips as you asked him.
"But they are so comfortable, and they smell just like you." Cute, Sukuna thought you were cute.
"That is a good reason princess. But what will I get in return for losing all of my hoodies, hm?" Chewing on your lip you wandered into thought.
What would pursude the King of curses to hand over his hoodies?
Sukuna watched with a lazy smirk on his face. If only you understood everything that was his was yours you wouldn't ask him for things all the time. If he didn't enjoy how you did it he would drill the fact into you like an owner training a puppy.
"How about you let me finally take your ass princess?" Your pout deepend, "That doesn't seem like a fair trade." Tugging you up off his lap, ready to deposit you at the side he bit back a laugh at how your hands flailed.
Adorable.
"How about I let you take my ass with your fingers. Ease me into it?" That was good enough for him. He would have you taking both of his cocks soon enough, in his true form.
"I guess that will have to do princess." Shoving your hand in front of his face, you wiggled your fingers, "You can only actually take my ass when you out a ring on it." Digging his fingers into your hips, he flipped you, his cock hardening in his pants.
"What type of ring do you want princess?"
Leaving your shared closet, you halted at the foot of Satoru's abnormally large bed and crossed your arms.
"Something wrong sweetheart?" Looking up from his phone fully (away from the designer dress he was looking to buy you), he drank in your adorable pout, "Where is my favourite hoodie?" Ah. That's why you were pouting so adorably for him.
"I put it in the wash sweetheart." Throwing your hands in the air you wondered how he could be so stupid, "Satoru!" Internally he was laughing at your elaborate reaction but externally he had on a poker face. He couldn't risk you withholding sex again.
"I'm sorry sweetheart, but it needed washing." That didn't improve your mood. "There is only one solution to this." Intrigued, Satoru played along, "Oh?"
"I need you to give me all of your hoodies." That did make Satoru smirk, even the strongest had his limits. "Is that so?" A firm nod only caused his smirk to tug wider.
"In that case sweetheart, they are all yours. Now c'mere and give me a kiss." Now all of his hoodies were yours, who were you to say no?
Freezing didn't even describe the chill that racked your bones as you stepped inside yours and Suguru's apartment. The rain had lashed against you mercilessly leaving you sodden, as though you'd just showered.
At the sight of you Suguru frowned, concerned your weaker immune system would catch a cold.
"What happened pretty girl? Why didn't you ring me to pick you up?" You cast your eyes down at the little scalding your boyfriend was giving you, "I didn't want to bother you on your day off." That reminded Suguru why he loved you so much, "Pretty girl, you are never a bother. I'd have happily picked you up if I'd known you were walking in this weather." His words touched you.
But not as much as his actions.
He immediately stripped you of your drenched clothes, numerous kisses placed on your face, lastly your lips.
"Warm bath or shower?" He breathed against your now swollen lips, "Shower please. And Suguru?"
"Yes pretty girl." Perching your chin on his chest, you smiled wanting to weaken his resolve, "Can I have all of your hoodies?" A laugh broke free from his chest at the question, shaking not only his body but yours.
You loved that sound from him.
"All of my hoodies were already yours pretty girl. Always have been, always will be. No need to ask." Grinning, you pecked his lips, "I love you Sugu."
"I love you too pretty girl."
"Why do you never buy me new clothes Toji?" A little humour packed huff left his lips, "I do buy you clothes doll." That displeased you a whole bunch, a very deep frown settling on your lips.
If Toji had bothered to look away from the TV he would have seen that.
"Dresses and lingerie are not clothes. I need things to wear on regular days." If Toji had his way you'd only wear lingerie around the house, but you were resistant to the idea. He couldn't help that.
A lazy smirk crawled up his lips at the idea of you in some cute white lingerie, cooking for him, cleaning around, bending over so that tight, perky ass of yours was on full display.
He really didn't see why you hated the idea.
"You don't need any more regular clothes doll." His continued refusal had a plan surfacing in your mind.
If he wasn't going to buy you new clothes then you'd just have to share. What else could you do?
"So I can't have new clothes?" His answer remained constant, 'no'. "Then, can I have your hoodies?" Crawling onto his lap, you toyed with a strand of his hair, biting onto your bottom lip in an enticing display. Hoping - needing - for him to agree.
You were fast running out of options.
"My hoodies?" Nodding, you gave him bedroom eyes, "Fuck." He grumbled, his resolve ever thinning.
Just one little push, "Please Toji, I need-" Pressing your hips down into his you smirked internally at how he jolted, desire beginning to plague him.
Grinding your hips, you kissed his jaw, devious in every move. "Shit, shit, alright doll they are yours. Now ride my fucking cock and finish what you started."