You're on his lap in his truck sharing a magnum he bought at the-run down CVS a few blocks from your house. He's had a few licks eating majority of the chocolate coating giving the rest up for you. He's regretting the hell of it it now
He watches as your mouth opens wide, sucking the tip of the ice-cream all the way down to the base of the desert, deep-throating the treat. He gulps, his eyes trailing the vanilla cream dripping down your fingers a few drops hitting your thighs, the bulge in his jeans beginning to grow as wet slurps fill the air
you have to be doing this on purpose
You tilt your head up meeting his gaze. Hazy eyes bore into yours. "Wanna finish it off?" you ask, pulling off with a pop
he shakes his head, jaw slack, fingers tugging you closer by your belt loop.
"you're missing out," you shrug, sliding the rest back in your mouth.
"you think we can get more?" you ask, but he barely registers your question, swiping the corner of your mouth with his thumb, slipping it between his lips
cw ﹏ ( +18 ) mdni / smut blurb. afab!reader. mention of multiple sex rounds. praise. messy kissing. cockwarming. somnophilia w/ mention of consent. unprotected piv. creampie. aftercare.
reblog is a creator's best-friend, thank you!!
Ray’s room always felt like a little sanctuary away from the rest of the world; tucked up on the edge of town where the only noise came from the cicadas outside the window and the low hum of his fan.
Carp's summer heat always clung to your skin, even though the sun had dipped hours ago. The thin sheets twisted around your legs did nothing to cool you down, but it didn’t matter. You had Ray. And Ray was warm in a way that wasn’t just body heat—he wrapped around you like he was afraid you might vanish if he let go.
You were stretched half across his chest, your cheek pressed against his skin, still damp with sweat from the day. His heartbeat was steady beneath your ear, a rhythm you’d learned to recognize as yours. Ray’s fingers traced lazily along your back, skimming sweat-damp curves, teasing circles over the thin strap of your tank top.
You could tell by the heavy weight of his touch that he was tired, but he kept doing it anyway, like he didn’t want the night to stop.
“You’re quiet,” he murmured, voice gravelled from hours of kissing, biting, whispering. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”
You tilted your chin up to look at him, shadows cutting across his sharp jaw. “Just thinking about how I should be too tired to move, but…” You let your hand trail down his chest, the ridges of his muscles sticky with heat, then lower, hovering just above the waistband of his sweats. His eyes flicked down, following the movement.
“But?” he prompted, already smirking.
“But you’re impossible to resist.”
His laugh was soft, low, and cocky all at once: so Ray. He shifted beneath you, rolling so that your back pressed to the sheets and he hovered over you, braced on his forearm. The look in his eyes was half hunger, half adoration, and it made your stomach flutter.
“Guess I’ll just have to wear you out then,” he teased, brushing his lips against yours. “See if you still feel like starting something after I’m through with you.”
You smiled into the kiss, fingers sliding into his damp hair, tugging lightly. “Is that a threat or a promise?” Ray groaned against your mouth, already pressing closer, already proving that he meant every word.
Ray kissed you hard, the kind of kiss that blurred into heat and teeth and need. His mouth was rough but steady, the sort of kiss that made you arch into him, chasing more before you even realized you were doing it. His hand slid under your tank top, calloused fingers dragging up your ribs before he tugged the fabric over your head and tossed it somewhere on the floor.
“God, look at you,” he muttered, half dazed, half cocky as he leaned back just far enough to take you in. His thumb brushed over your nipple, making you shiver. “Never gonna get over this. Over you.”
His praise lit you up, sent warmth rushing through your body that had nothing to do with the sticky heat of summer. You pulled him back down, biting his lower lip until he groaned, his hips rutting against you in a way that left no question of what he wanted.
The first round was fast. Desperate. Ray pressed you into the mattress, your legs hooked around his waist, his thrusts sharp and hungry. He kissed you through it, groaning when your nails dragged down his back, urging him harder, deeper. The fan whirred uselessly in the corner as sweat slicked your skin, every movement loud in the quiet room—the creak of the bed, the slap of his hips, the breathless way he whispered your name.
You came quickly, your body wound tight from hours of teasing touches before. Ray followed right after, burying himself deep with a broken groan, his forehead pressed to yours like he could fuse you together.
You thought that would be it; that he’d collapse and you’d both drift off. But Ray wasn’t finished.
Not even close.
Round two started with him rolling you onto your stomach, kissing down your spine as he lined himself up again. He pushed in slower this time, savoring the way you clenched around him, savoring your gasp into the pillow. His hands gripped your hips hard enough to bruise as he pulled you back against him, setting a steady, relentless pace. You cried out, muffled, and he chuckled breathlessly.
“That’s it, take it for me. Doing so good.”
The second orgasm left your legs trembling, your voice broken. Ray followed not long after, collapsing against your back, his body heavy and hot. But even then, he didn’t stop.
The third time, he took it slower, softer; kissing your face, your neck, whispering how perfect you were while he rocked into you at a lazy rhythm. You held him close, nails scraping gently through his hair as he chased another release, his stamina surprising you.
By the time he came again, his body was shaking from exhaustion. He groaned into your neck, muttering something incoherent about how you were going to kill him, how he couldn’t get enough, how you ruined him in the best way. When he finally pulled back, his chest heaved with ragged breaths. His hair clung to his forehead, damp with sweat, and he looked like the most beautiful mess you’d ever seen.
You kissed him slow, catching his bottom lip between your teeth, whispering, “Still think you can wear me out?”
Ray laughed, hoarse and breathless, collapsing onto the bed beside you. “Pretty sure I just wore myself out,” he admitted, though the way his arm immediately wrapped around your waist betrayed how unwilling he was to let go.
But you weren’t about to let him leave you empty, not yet.
Ray’s arm was still heavy across your waist when you shifted closer, kissing the damp skin of his shoulder. He hummed, half-asleep already, but his grip tightened instinctively like he wasn’t ready to let you go. His chest rose and fell in uneven breaths, the kind that came after you’d wrung him dry, after you’d pulled three orgasms out of him like he didn’t know when to quit.
You brushed his messy hair back from his forehead. “Hey,” you whispered, a little teasing. “You tapping out on me already?” His lips curved into a lazy smirk without even opening his eyes. “Don’t… don’t push your luck,” he muttered, voice rough, slurred with exhaustion. “You wore me the fuck out, baby.”
“Mm. Maybe I just like keeping you close.”
You slid your hand down his stomach, over the trail of sweat-slick hair, until your fingers brushed him where he was still softening. He hissed quietly at the touch, eyelids fluttering open as he looked at you. His eyes were hazy but warm, that cocky edge softened by something almost tender.
“You’re insane,” he said, though his hips tilted up slightly into your hand. “Don’t tell me you want more.”
“Not more,” you admitted, kissing the corner of his mouth. “Just… this.”
Guiding him back between your thighs, you eased yourself down onto him again, slow and deliberate. He groaned low in his chest as you took him, the sound half protest, half pleasure, like he couldn’t believe you were doing this but wasn’t about to stop you. His arms tightened around you when you settled fully, his cock stretching you open even though he was softening, the sensation so deep it made you shiver.
“Fuck,” he breathed, forehead pressing to yours. “You’re—god, you’re warm. You’re crazy, but…” His words trailed off into another groan as you clenched gently around him. “...you feel too good.”
You smiled against his mouth, brushing your lips over his as you whispered, “Just stay like this. Just stay inside me, mh?”
Ray let out a shaky laugh, the kind that carried more affection than humor. He shifted enough to get comfortable, wrapping his arm tighter around your waist until your body was plastered against his chest, his cock buried deep and still.
“Guess I’m not going anywhere,” he murmured, finally giving in. “You win.” You kissed his throat, feeling his pulse thrum under your lips. The intimacy of it all—the fullness, the closeness, the heat of his skin pressed to yours—made you melt. Ray sighed, the sound low and content, and within minutes, his breathing evened out.
He fell asleep inside you, still buried in your warmth, his body wrapped around yours like you were the only thing tethering him to the world. And for a while, you just stayed there; cockwarming him, feeling every slow heartbeat between you, unwilling to let the moment end. You hadn’t meant to fall asleep like that.
One minute you were tucked into Ray’s chest, his cock buried deep and heavy inside you, his arm an anchor across your waist and the next, you were blinking awake in the dark, the air heavier, quieter, the cicadas replaced by the deeper silence of the dead of night.
Ray was still out cold beneath you. His chest rose and fell in slow, even breaths, warm puffs of air ghosting across your hair. His grip had loosened just enough for you to shift without waking him, though his cock was still sheathed inside you, thick and warm and pulsing faintly even in sleep. The awareness of it made your stomach twist with a needy ache you hadn’t expected.
You should’ve left it at that. You should’ve let him rest, content with the closeness but the dull throb between your thighs made it impossible to stay still.
At first, it was small. Just a subtle roll of your hips, testing. The drag of his softened length against your walls still sparked something electric, even this slow. You bit your lip, suppressing a whimper, your hand fisting in the sheets as you rocked again, just to feel that stretch.
Ray groaned faintly in his sleep, shifting beneath you, but didn’t wake. Encouraged, you let your hips roll more steadily, a lazy grind that sent tingles up your spine. Each movement stoked the fire lower in your belly, your clit brushing against the soft curls at his base, sending sparks of pleasure through you.
You pressed your forehead to his chest, muffling the quiet moan that slipped out. God, it felt good—indulgent, selfish, the kind of pleasure that came from using him while he slept; a reminder of the talk you both had about somnophilia before and how it's something you both agreed to.
He was warm, filling, his cock dragging deliciously against sensitive walls with every roll of your hips. Your pace grew a little bolder, a little more needy, your body betraying how badly you wanted release. You circled your hips, ground down harder, the wetness between your thighs making it easier, slicker, filthier.
That’s when you heard it; a sharp inhale above you. “...Baby?”
Ray’s voice was hoarse, thick with sleep. You froze for half a second, but his cock twitched inside you, and you knew he was awake now. He shifted beneath you, his hand sliding down to your hip, holding you still for a moment before squeezing, guiding.
“You’re—fuck—” He laughed softly, breathless, still half-asleep but already turned on. “You’re using me in my sleep? That's what I woke up to?” You bit your lip, heat rushing to your face, but you didn’t stop moving; just ground down slowly, deliberately, meeting his lazy gaze in the dark. “Couldn’t help it,” you whispered, voice trembling with need. “You feel so good, Ray.”
His grip on your hip tightened, his smirk sleepy but full of praise. “Fuck, of course you couldn’t. My girl’s insatiable.”
He let you keep grinding, let you ride the half-hard stretch of him, his thumb stroking circles on your skin as if to encourage you. “Go on,” he murmured, voice rough but tender. “Use me, baby. I’ll give you whatever you want.”
Ray’s palm splayed across your hip, heavy and grounding, but he didn’t stop you. He let you roll, let you grind, his body waking up to the slow rhythm of your need. His cock was swelling again inside you, stretching you tighter with every lazy rock of your hips.
“Jesus,” he muttered, his voice low, rough with sleep. “You’re really fuckin’ doing this.” His thumb brushed up your side, coaxing, encouraging. “Waking me up like this, grinding on me like you own me.”
You hid your face in his neck, whining softly as you kept moving, the drag of his length sparking all through you. “I do own you,” you whispered, muffled against his skin. Ray laughed, breathless, his hand sliding lower to grab your ass and squeeze. “Yeah, you do. You got me, baby. You can do whatever the hell you want with me.”
The praise only made you wetter, made the glide easier as you lifted yourself slightly and sank back down, slow and deliberate. He groaned at the motion, his cock now fully hard again, filling you in a way that made your toes curl. “Fuck,” Ray whispered, tilting his head back against the pillow, his jaw tight. “You’re so good, so greedy for me even after hours. Can’t even let me sleep, huh?”
“Needed you,” you admitted, your voice shaky as you rolled your hips again, finding that perfect angle that made your clit grind against him. “Couldn’t stop thinking about it. About you.”
Ray’s eyes fluttered shut, but the way his hand guided your hips betrayed just how much he loved hearing it. “God, you’re perfect,” he groaned. “So fuckin’ perfect when you use me like this. My girl.”
You set a slow rhythm, rocking into him, drawing out every sound he gave you—low groans, half-laughs, muttered curses that melted into praise. Every thrust down stretched you, filled you, built the heat in your belly higher until you were biting back moans against his chest.
He kept his eyes on you when they finally opened, glassy with arousal but soft with something else, something tender. His thumb brushed over your hipbone as he whispered, “That’s it, take your time. Ride me slow, baby, make yourself come.”
And with his praise ringing in your ears, you ground down harder, chasing the edge with a hunger that made you shake.
The room was hushed except for the slick sound of your hips meeting his, the wet drag of his cock as you worked him slowly, deliberately. Each grind sent a pulse of pleasure through you, slow-burning but relentless, winding tighter and tighter.
Ray’s hands never left you: one gripping your hip to steady your rhythm, the other tracing lazy circles over your lower back. His eyes were half-lidded, his grin lazy and wrecked, but the words spilling from his mouth made your whole body flush hot. “God, look at you, taking me so good. So fucking greedy, baby. You like riding me half-asleep? Like using me like this?”
“Yes,” you gasped, the word breaking as you circled your hips, grinding down harder. “Needed you, Ray—needed to feel you.” He groaned, his head tipping back into the pillow, neck taut with strain as he fought not to lose it too soon. “Fuck, you’re perfect. You’re mine, all mine.”
Your nails dug into his chest as your rhythm faltered, pleasure clawing up your spine. He noticed immediately, his hand pressing your hips down harder, guiding you through it. “That’s it. Don’t stop, come on me, baby, come on my cock.” The combination of his praise, the stretch, the delicious drag against your walls pushed you over. You came with a broken cry, pussy clenching tight around him, your thighs trembling as your body shook with release.
Ray cursed low and filthy, his grip on you tightening as your spasms milked him. He thrusted up into you once, twice, then groaned deep in his chest as he spilled inside you, hot and thick, his body arching off the mattress.
The rhythm dissolved into stillness, your body collapsing against his as both of you caught your breath. His arms wrapped around you instantly, pulling you tight against his chest, his cock still buried deep inside, twitching with aftershocks.
“Jesus Christ,” he whispered against your hair, still panting. “You’re gonna kill me one of these days.” You laughed weakly, pressing a kiss to his neck. “Worth it?”
He tilted your chin up, kissed you slow and messy, his lips tasting of sweat and exhaustion and pure affection. “Always worth it. You’re the best fucking thing that ever happened to me.”
You melted into him, your body still trembling but your heart so full it nearly hurt. His hands smoothed up and down your back, grounding you, his cock still softening inside you but neither of you making a move to separate.
Eventually, Ray shifted, pulling the sheets higher over both of you, wrapping you even closer. His voice was low, tender now, stripped of all cocky edges.
“Sleep, baby,” he murmured, brushing a kiss to your temple. “I’ve got you.”
And with him still filling you, his arms tight around you, you finally drifted off—sated, loved, and completely his.
thinking about good ol’ dodge mason who is utterly in love and very much obsessed with you, his hot girlfriend. and i’m talking head over heels, would do anything, and everyone needs to know who his girlfriend is and how much he loves and adores you and.. well, how he gets to fuck you.
he keeps photos of you and him in his wallet. and he rotates the pictures around every week or so, and takes a new one of you whenever he can. it’s definitely not in a creepy or perverted way. totally not. just in a way that he can see you when he's away, or jerk off to something when you're gone.
he just loves to show you off, can’t believe a girl like you would be down to be for a guy like him. how you saw him in a crowded room, how you want him around, how you kiss him gently as the sun rises, how your laugh makes his stomach turn and cheeks flush, how you say his name in bed like he’s the only person in the world you know. the breathless, whiny moans of his name, slipping form between your lips, getting caught in the back of your throat. yea, he loves that shit.
Walking down the sidewalk, you let out a sigh of relief when you spotted a familiar diner’s exterior. After a grueling shift at work dealing with a micromanaging boss, incompetent coworkers, and entitled customers, all you wanted to do is sit down and enjoy a nice warm meal before you headed home where you would pass out for who knows how long.
Pushing the door open, the bell announced your entrance as you stepped in, the door closing behind you with another chime. Scanning the room, you took note of how empty it was - it was pretty earlier in the morning and people were probably just waking up - before you took your usual seat at the counter. Looking at the window connected the kitchen to the seating area, your eyes meet Dodge’s blue ones. “Hey Dodge,” you said, waving at him with one hand as your other rested on the counter, propped up on one elbow, hand supporting your head.
“Hey [Name].” He gave you a nod. “You’re here earlier than usual.” You knew he wasn’t saying it like it was a bad thing but rather just commenting on it.
You were about to say something when you began hearing sizzling coming from his side. He was making you something to eat and it made you smile. Letting out a sigh, you told him: “Had to pick up someone’s shift and I just don’t want to talk about it.”
Dodge raised an eyebrow at this. “Why didn’t you just go home and sleep? You look like you’re ready to pass out from exhaustion.”
“Wow, Dodge. You really know how to make a girl feel special.”
He shook his head with a laugh. “You know I didn’t mean it like that.”
𓏵 ⋮ bisexual , nonbinary , taken outside of tumblr
hihi welcome to my blog, i will be posting my writing here as my little outlet, i am mainly focused on west side story, challengers, and panic. but i will also take reqs for hunger games, cod, saw, yellowjackets, starkid, marauders, and doctor who.
i prefer for those 18+ to be viewing my blog only, my writing is nsfw and i dont want any young ppl exposed to that, despite me also being young
warnings: talking about death. burrying someone. claustrophobia? my hard try to make soft!dodge.
i hope you guys like it! <3 (btw mcr title i hope you guys got that one haha!
btw! what do you guys think about a taglist? if you want to be tagged just say so and i'll add you!
getting the text "feels like paying your little brother a visit, y/n/n?" made the girl hold her breath. she knew. she knew it way too quickly for her liking. making her way in slow steps to the graveyard was uncomfortable, but realizing someone else knew about that was even worse.
individual challenges were always the worst part. being vulnerable and completely alone could make anyone crawl around their on skin. but with y/n was different.
stepping into the graveyard made the girl shiver almost instantly. seeing the white bouquets positioned for every grave in the whole place, following the red petals scattered around the grass, taking deep breaths while doing it in a failed attempt to calm herself down.
listening to the tree's sawing, she got closer and closer to her brother's grave. arriving, finally, to see a memorial exactly the same as the one she's been a couple of months ago.
the flowers were the same. white lilies, instead of the traditional funeral flowers, that made her sick to her stomach. instead of her brother's picture in the frame, it was her's. y/n's yearbook picture. the blue background and the akward smile she always had on situations like that.
"y/n, welcome to your individual challenge." diggins was there. making her shoulder's relax for a couple of seconds, seeing a familiar face wasn't that bad. until the girl noticed the shovel he was holding.
that's when it came to her.
the empty grave, the open coffin, right next to her brother's one. . .
"this is fucked up." she said, with laugh filled with nervousness. "this is really fucked up."
"take some time to read it, and then, you know.."
the girl let herself come closer to the table, seeing some of her favorites books there, some of her t-shirts, even the bracelet dodge gave her. it was starting to go to far. focusing her eyes on the letters, feeling her heart on her throat, she started reading it.
"the man who invented it,
doesn't want it for himself.
the man who bought it,
doesn't need it for himself.
the man who needs it,
doesn't know it when he needs it."
she started losing it.
looking at her feet with big, watery eyes. she couldn't.
"i'm gonna be sick-" she muttered, staring at the opened coffin, and the free grave right beside it. right beside his.
"ten points for every hour you're in there."
"this has to be a joke." the girl looked at him with pleading eyes. she could feel her hands already shaking. "diggins, i - please tell me that's not it."
"it's panic, y/n." the boy shook his head and shrugged, unable to help. "i'll stay and when you get sick and tired i'll take you out in no time, alright?"
it terrified her. she didn't even know what part of it was worst. being burried right next to her brother and staying in a coffin all night while being alive? maybe playing panic wasn't a good idea after all.
"okay, that's -" she sighed. "that's fine."
nodding to herself, the girl took careful steps to the coffin, taking a deep breath before getting in, laying down, seeing the boy getting closer, fixing her arms in a "x" position, before looking at her for confirmation.
everything about it reminded her of back then. seeing her brother's dead body in the same position as she was right now, it almost made her throw up. forcing herself to forget about that, she nodded, and waited for him to close the lid.
once he did, y/n started to feel like the air was missing. she took short sighs and closed her eyes, in a failed attempt to fall asleep, listening to the dirt falling on top of the coffin.
it started to get unbearable. the girl could feel the scream trapped right on her throat. it would only take a second and she would be out of there in no time. she thought about it. though about quitting.
then, she thought about dodge. sweet, caring dodge, that was probably facing his deep shitty fear without quiting or complaining. she needed to make a sacrifice herself.
"diggins?" the girl exclaimed.
"yeah?" he stopped, holding the shovel up, already waiting to take all that dirt back where it belonged, taking the girl out of there.
"just-" she cried, taking a few deep breaths before continuing. "when you finish it, just go home, okay?"
"are you sure?" he questioned, doubtful. "i can stay, ill help you stay in at least three hours if you-"
"no, no- just," her voice was completely shaken up by then. "just go. please. take my out in the morning."
"okay.."
it took about ten minutes to the boy finish up to slightly cover the lid with dirty. once he was done, diggins left the shove on top of it, making a clash that almost made the girl more nervous, if that was even possible.
trapped there, in the dark, with her whole body shaking at that point, the night went on.
when dodge came home, after his on individual challenge, feeling like punching someone, even a wall would do, he checked his phone immediately once he got out of the tumbleweed maze.
not a single text from his lover.
he started to get worried. it was almost 2 a.m. and y/n's individual challenge wasn't done yet? dodge tried to relax, wanting nothing more than to feel the girl's arms wrapped around him, taking deep breaths while getting in the car to go back home. waiting was his only choice.
the waiting got unberable around 5 a.m. he couldn't sleep, and calling y/n wasn't even working. he grabbed his phone once more, texting diggins and summer, the only ones who the boy actually know had something to do with the game. getting no awnser as expected.
around 8 a.m. the dark circles under his eyes were very clear, but nevertheless he couldn't keep them shut. the second his phone made a notification noise he grabbed it, seeing only a tiny gravestone emoji sent from diggins. he got up quickly, running to his car, already knowing where to drive.
"where's y/n, diggins?" he said sternely, once he finally arrivied at the graveyard, feeling his stomach twist when the other boy signalized to the almost covered grave. "you guys are fucking sick. she spent the whole night here?"
"even i am worried about her." he addmited, shruggin, "i was supposed to stay, but she told me to-"
"okay, let's just-" he interrupted "get her out for fuck's sake."
all the memorial decorations were, thankfully, removed, and even before asking, dodge started to take some dirt out of there with his own hands. the red-haired boy helped with the shovel, opening the coffin lid as fast as he could.
"are you okay? holy shit." doge came closer, kneeling to the grass trying to get her out. her whole face was swollen and the tears stain were still there. "i was so worried." he muttered once the girl was out, hugging her closely, resting his chin on top of her head.
"yeah, i'm-" the crack on her voice made her quietened up, only absorbing her boyfriend's kind reassuring words on her ear, and the soft caressing on her back. "i'm disguting right now, i'm sorry."
being the last thing ge worried about, the boy simply sushed her, continuing with the soft carressing, lefting a gentle kiss on top of her hair.
"you get a hundred points, y/n." diggins said, grabbing the couple's attention, with a proud grin on his face. "you're in the lead."
the boy laughed loudly, unlike him, probably releasing all the stress left in his bones, lifting y/n up in a twirl, lefting a kiss on her cheek.
"you're in the lead!" he smiled gently at the girl, still holding her up on his arms, staring at the eyes he missed way too much.
"we're in the lead."
she muttered, locking lips with him in a soft motion that they were used to it. no need for rushing, because if things kept going the way they planned, both of them had way too much time ahead to stay together and kiss.
anything with a protective dodge mason please i beg
steal my girl - one shot
fluff
(panic — romantic! dodge mason x fem! reader)
while a select few participate in the wicked game of panic, the annual player's ball that comes with it is the highlight of the summer. however, for some, the party brings trouble when an alum of the game comes back to steal dodge mason's girl
cw / underage drinking, non-consensual touching, descriptions of an altercation/argument
a/n — i don't want to bore you with my love for dodge mason, so have this fic instead ! but i'm also letting you know now in case there’s any confusion that any panic content i write/create will take inspiration from the book and show. i really hope you enjoy, seeing as i’m v nervous, but i hope it reaches y'all mike faist stans (@mysticstarrysiren, @inkandpen22, @queen-ofbrooklyn, @ilovey0us0, etc.) in one way or another so we can all yell about panic. love you ! ps, bianca my beloved, thank you for your guidance throughout this fic, it wouldn't be here without you.
as alcohol sprinkled through the air and shitty music traveled through the dancing bodies in the backyard, the player’s ball seemed to be in full swing by the time you had arrived at la casa diggins with dodge and your friends. after hurriedly greeting the host, it took no time at all to blend in, bopping your heads to the beat and yelling to the very few lyrics you did know. letting nat and heather take the lead in favor of staying close to dodge, he gave your hand a squeeze, effectively keeping you grounded amidst the blur caused by the busy crowd. although that was short lived when the girls came to an abrupt stop, which ended up with you bumping into heather. muttering an apology, you moved beside her, tugging at dodge to follow along. you didn’t receive a response from heather, who seemed entranced by something, or rather, someone in their sight.
“oh, holy shit. luke hall is here.” the sheriff’s daughter pointed out. snapping your head up to see luke in his element, surrounded by an aura of smoke and girls dancing, tossing oblivious, flirtatious smiles their way. the mere sight made your stomach swirl uncomfortably.
“i thought he moved away. or like wasn’t he in jail or something?” heather questioned.
“yeah, for carjacking. i can’t believe he’s back.” you gulped. your words went unnoticed by the girls, who began to immerse themselves in a neighboring conversation concerning the eldest of the hall brothers, which you were quite grateful for. as much as you wanted to rip your eyes away from luke, you couldn’t bring yourself to do so. but almost like he could feel someone staring at him, luke threw a glance back. instinctively, you darted your eyes elsewhere, only to be met with dodge’s soft, concerned stare.
“hey, sweetheart. you okay? you’re holding my hand a little tight there.” you looked down to see dodge’s hand stuck in your deathly grip, nearing a ghostly white. had you not loosened up, you were afraid he’d end up turning blue. you attempted to let go of dodge entirely with apologies sputtering from your lips, but he insisted that he was okay. dodge had even joked that you needed his hand more than he did before asking if you were okay once more.
“uh yeah! i’m fine. are you?” you replied.
“of course. why wouldn’t i be?” dodge’s eyes flickered back to where you had last seen luke. you paid no mind, assuming he wanted to get in on the fun after standing still for so long.
“no reason.” you shrugged. he pressed a kiss to the back of your hand, then leaned in to capture you in a kiss. however, the moment was ruined when you were both pushed apart by nat with an almost cynical laugh.
“okay lovebirds, enough chatting. let’s have some fun. it’s time to get drunk!” she shook dodge with a cheer. meanwhile, heather looped her arm through yours, nudging you with her hip.
“and you…” the blonde girl booped your nose, giggling feverishly at your widened eyes and parted lips. you were surprised heather was stone cold sober, but nevertheless, she continued, “are coming with me. do you want shots? because i want shots. let’s go get shots!” and in the blink of an eye, you two were whisked away into the summer wind. before dodge could even get a foot in, nat managed to keep him in place by grabbing a fistful of his button up.
“ah ah ah! you’re staying here. i promise she’ll be fine with heather. just let y/n have fun! isn’t that why we’re here?” nat pointed at dodge as if she were scolding a little kid. dodge looked at nat, into the crowd, and back at nat, sighing in defeat. she hummed triumphantly, pulling him closer to the table where their fellow panic competitors currently played a game of cards.
“you know dodge, you’re making it real easy for luke to sweep y/n off her feet tonight.” summer calvo, who watched the entire exchange, teased.
“as if. you know it’s not like that between them!-” nat attempted to dismiss summer’s statement, but dodge was quick to react.
“what’s that supposed to mean?” he challenged.
“just that luke’s been into your girl since sophomore year.” shawna kenny scoffed as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. but, to most teenagers in carp, it was.
“hey, it’s not like y/n would ever go for him anyway!” nat mentioned, remembering the numerous rejections she’d witnessed.
“yeah, but i heard that just before luke got arrested, he asked y/n to run away with him.” summer gossipped with glee.
“i heard about that too! why didn’t she? he had the money and everything.” drew santiago piped up as he took a card from the deck next to dodge.
“easy. she met you.” summer smirked, nodding towards your boyfriend.
“see?! what’d i tell ya? there’s nothing there.” nat swatted his shoulder. out of the corner of his eye, dodge spotted luke shotgunning a can of beer. he nodded stiffly, taking a large swig of the nearest drink he could get his hands on. clearing his throat, he acknowledged nat’s numerous affirmations.
“thanks, but it’s not y/n i’m worried about.”
in any scenario, it was never a good idea to deny natalie williams. which was how she and dodge ended up in the hot tub, claiming he needed to destress from the mere mention of luke hall. shortly after, you joined them, party clothes and all, in the warm water with a sweet smile, carrying a handful of drinks that you figured nat would need to get through the rest of the night. as soon as dodge placed his arm around your shoulders, it was so easy to forget everything else that surrounded you three. you hadn’t even realized how much time had passed by until nat slammed down the last of her smirnoff smash. taking in the party scene that was still surprisingly active, you realized that the presence of your blonde beauty of a friend was nowhere to be found since you’d been with dodge and nat. with the duo caught up in a conversation, you made little ripples with the tips of your fingers, effectively cutting them off when they turned to you attentively.
“i think we should check on heather.” you mentioned.
“yeah, it’s been a while since we’ve seen her actually.” nat agreed. you nodded, pushing yourself up, grimacing as the summer air stuck to your soaked skin when dodge placed a hand on your shoulder. gently pushing you back down, he was out of the tub to take your place.
“i can go. i need to sober up anyway.” dodge offered.
“please, you had one sip of drew’s beer.” nat replied.
“better safe than sorry.” he shrugged. you turned around to face him (not so subtly checking him out in the process), placing your chin on the palm of your hand.
“want me to go with you?” you asked.
“nah, stay here. have fun or nat will probably execute us both.” the girl in question feigned offense, letting him take up the opportunity to make his exit, but not before plopping a quick kiss to the top of your head. watching him walk away until he became just another pretty face in the sea of people, all your focus was gravitated towards nat, who began to laugh obnoxiously at her own joke.
“he’s right. i have a guillotine waiting in the back of his car just waiting to be used.” it became blatantly obvious that nat’s tolerance to alcohol was being tested, but the energy she exuded was contagious. you couldn’t help but get in on it, interrupting her humor fest with a large wave to her face. she defended herself by covering her face with her arms, but it was no use. gaping, it was your turn to laugh as she let out a shorter laugh, wiping the ruined mascara trickling down her cheeks as though they were tears. but your laugh turned into a high pitched shriek as nat lunged towards you, vowing to get you for that. you were just about to dunk nat under to reveal the rest of her voluminous curls when one of the knots keeping your top up loosened and slipped off your shoulders. sliding off nat’s back to fix the minor mishap, upon tying the thread off, it was proven extremely difficult when you had limited mobility, resulting in it falling apart repeatedly.
“okay, just let me. at this point, it’s just painful watching you do it on your own.” nat stepped in, taking the strands of fabric into her nimble fingers. you thanked her, adjusting your top in order to appear decent. however, after nat finished up her handy work, your face felt hot despite the shudder that ran through your spine. seeing the sudden shift in attitude, she shot you a puzzled look, stepping in front of you completely with her hands on her hips to ask, “what’s wrong?” you avoided her gaze trying to cut deeper into you for an answer, which you finally gave with a falter in your voice.
“is it just me or does it feel like someone’s watching us?” nat scrunched her nose at the thought.
“maybe…it’s a judge?” she assumed. looking around in hopes of catching the culprit possibly captivated by a few of its players, she only found someone worse. nat went stiff as by the time they briefly made eye contact, it was too late to leave. letting a few snarky curses slip from under her breath, she groaned. “nevermind. shit, luke is coming over.” there had been no time to react to her words, as the aforementioned man stood before you with a cigarette rolling between his fingers and that mischievous smirk of his that could never seem to stay in your past.
“hey, y/n. long time no see.” he greeted.
“hi luke.” you deadpanned.
“how’ve ya been, sweetheart?” when luke received nothing but a frown from the nickname solely reserved by one mystery of a man you were lucky to call yours, he dragged on his words, “you know, i’m surprised you’re not chatting me up like you used to. but i guess that’s cause you’ve been talking to other guys now. and i gotta say, i’m wounded!”
“that’s cause dodge is my boyfriend. and he’s the only guy.” you scowled, crossing your arms to your chest. avoiding his eyes, you tried to search for dodge, heather, hell even diggins for a way out. but with no such luck, luke laughed heartily, which only increased your irritation.
“come on, don’t be like that! what’s so special about him anyway? i bet i could show you a better time-” his free hand that wasn’t holding his cigarette was used to push your hair out of your face before grazing your jawline. truth be told, you didn’t realize what was happening, only taking notice of cheap, strong spirits and nicotine that acted as cologne tickling your nose, along with calloused fingers going from your jawline and treading lower. it wasn’t until luke’s flirtations were cut off by nat, who slapped him so hard that the imprint of her small hand was tattooed red onto his alabaster skin.
“get off of her asshole! she was never interested. deal with it.” jumping at the volume her voice carried, you watched as the situation caught the attention of certain partygoers. as they began to whisper and point, you watched nat glare at luke as though it would land him six feet under. you knew word traveled fast in a small town, which meant putting a stop to it before things could get blown out of proportion. reaching for nat, you coaxed her into exiting the hot tub. you were ready to walk away when luke moved closer to the ladder of the small body of water, ready to pin you and nat into a corner. while nat acted as a barrier between you and the eldest hall brother, you debated going back into the hot tub and running off in the opposite direction. luckily, the logicless plan didn’t need to be executed when the love of your life intervened.
“leave them alone, luke.” your savior shoved luke’s shoulder. out of habit, you leaned into dodge’s familiar hold as he came up to you.
“and what if i don’t? the pretty lady and i were just about to have some fun.” luke asked.
“trust me when i say that having fun doesn’t mean harassing people.” dodge retorted, ready to get up in luke’s face when you stopped him.
“dodge,” you laid a hand on his chest, whispering, “let’s just find heather and go home. please.” upon noticing you trembling beneath him, his stoney exterior immediately crumbled. he nodded, standing down when luke began to push his buttons.
“you’re the mysterious dodge mason? you definitely don’t live up to the hype.” luke looked him up and down before speaking to you again, “come on, sweetheart. you and i know he’s not much. i could be better-” everything happened so fast that the sudden slam startled you and nat. next thing you knew, dodge had him by the collar of his shirt.
“listen to me very carefully, luke. you leave us alone, and i mean it. you even think about going near y/n like that again and this’ll be the last time you’re seen standing. you got that?” he threatened. you couldn’t hear what he said, but it was enough for you to step in. slipping away from nat, she wasn’t in the mindset to stop you from approaching them. a hand made its way onto dodge’s back, the other going to his clenching wrists.
“dodge, he’s not worth the trouble, and we shouldn’t give him the satisfaction, especially when he’s shit-faced.” you nodded towards luke. you were stuck in a wordless war with your stern stare while he furrowed his eyebrows in response. reluctantly, he let go. nat ran to your side, and the three began to walk away. but not before dodge pulled back, managing to get one punch in and ultimately knocking luke into the hot tub. you silently cringed at the impact while your raven haired friend cheered for him loudly. playing along with the act, he courteously bowed, a quirk appearing at the corner of his lips. wrapping his arms around you and nat, he began to walk you both towards the car when another round of whispers ripped through the air. except this time, it wasn’t your doing.
when people began pushing past you, it led you three to turn around, only for nat to gasp loudly at the sight of red paint dripping down diggins’ walls. you knew it could only mean one thing, but your feet were frozen to the ground, still processing the events that occurred moments before. with everyone caught up with the clue, you felt foolish for looking at the floor, all while dodge cautiously eyed you the entire time. from the corner of her eye, nat could see that you two needed time together, and as your best friend, she made sure to provide that for you. removing herself from dodge, she pointed to the people.
“i’m gonna see if heather’s in the crowd, check the clue out while i’m at it.” she left as quickly as she spoke. dodge didn’t miss a beat once he noticed the nod nat gave him. mentally reminding himself to thank her whenever possible, dodge took notice of you fidgeting under his arm and trying to hide yourself. the motion alone was enough for him to pull away, but not without watching you with a careful eye.
“how’re you feeling?” dodge thought he knew the answer, but thinking back to how unresponsive or monotonous you were during the altercation quickly made him realize he had absolutely no idea. with that, another wave of concern crashed over him, his fingers tapping against himself.
“i’m fine. we should be with nat, checking out the clue.” you shrugged, avoiding him by staring distantly. you could feel him draping his button up around your shoulders, and you were going to walk away from him in order to continue avoiding the repercussions of the situation, to deal with it on your own when dodge caught you by the wrist in a silent plea to stay. when you didn’t take a step further into the crowd, he walked up to you, his hands coming up to cup your cheeks.
“i don’t care about the clue right now. i care about you.” he assured you. that was all it took for you to tear up. pressing his forehead to yours, as soon as a sob ripped from your throat, he pulled you into him, ready to comfort you. his mere presence alone put you at ease because his warmth was like no other. dodge carried the feeling of being loved kindly, passionately, and wholly by and for someone who didn’t get enough love. it was different, but a good difference compared to the years you’d been tormented by luke. it felt like forever in his embrace, but you wouldn’t trade it for anything else.
“y/n!” you pulled your head up from dodge to hear heather’s voice carrying through the crowd. nat wasn’t too far behind, but you yelped loudly as her head fell limp onto your shoulder. heather was clearly intoxicated as she slurred out her question, “are you okay?” the sight was enough to elicit a chuckle.
“mhm. now, let’s get you home. i’m sure lily’s waiting for you.” you pat her head, actually putting on dodge’s button up before wrapping an arm around heather’s waist. taking your boyfriend’s hand, nat took heather’s and the four of you walked away from the chaos of the party to the silent song of the starry night. you smiled, ready to get out of there. and with a squeeze of your hand, courtesy of dodge to keep you grounded, it was enough to know that you would forever be his, and he’d be yours through anything.
