#realisation

[smokerslungsss]

Premise: Platonic! Yandere! Batfamily x Neglected! Addict! Suicidal! (No specific Gender.) Reader.

Tags : Use of They/them, you/rarely first!pov, No use of Y/n, Other ways to express names, Characters might not act canon!, Slow burn but not that slow!, probably slow due to explanation of backstory and everything!

Note: thank you all for the love and likes from the former two chapters!! i will definitely continue on with updating but just for today, it is only one chapter because of my birthday party!! yay!! ♡⸜(˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)⸝♡

Former chap: your friends came to the wayne manor, and the family inside had a cold reality check on the fact you barely knew why anyone was even there besides Damian being your half brother and Bruce your father!!

important note : I would like to say that if any of these days you accidentally see me using she/her on reader, forgive me!! sometimes my mind is so focused on writing that i dont even realise it!! once again, reader is gender neutral!!

Chapter two !

masterlist

⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔ ⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔ ⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔

𝔸 𝕕𝕚𝕤𝕘𝕦𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕕𝕚𝕗𝕗𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖.

You were never one to back down from anything.

Never backed down from arguments just because you were exhausted.

Never backed down from helping your friends.

Never even backed down to go skinny dipping in a random lake and then got a cold after.

So, why were you trying to back out of this dinner?

Were you that scared? was that it? was it the fact that you never had dinner with anyone in this family? not since you were 10. When you stopped wanting.

Your nerves were on fire, and the pill didn’t help you relax, and now you were in your room, 30 minutes before dinner, smoking a joint because it’ll relax you, make your heart stop pounding, mak—

‘Did you hear?’ Jacky said, going near you at the window.

‘What?’ you said, strained from holding in the weed to your lungs, to make it kick faster, better.

‘Stacy is fucking pregnant!’ She exclaimed, Daniel jumped up from the side of the bed, austen having been underneath him — doing gods knows what. — ‘Double SS is pregnant?!’ Daniel spoke as you coughed out the smoke.

‘Slutty stacy, yes! and theres a rumour that its Mr Handerson’s son baby!’

‘It’s Mr handerson’s son baby!’ you and Jacky both said at the same time, all laughed.

‘God, she is such a whore, no wonder her grades in math is basically the top.’

‘I feel bad, i mean, she’s what? 15?’ Austen said, pupils wide as his hands were on daniel’s waist.

‘16, and old enough to know the consequences of her actions. Ew! Austen! Daniel! stop dry-humping on my floor!’ You complain, throwing a nearby plush at their heads before leaning back.

A comfortable silence went between everyone as you and the others threw out the finished joints, cleared the smoke from the air.

And waited for a bit.

‘Oh, Nicole and Jacka were apparently got caught stealing and drug dealing.’

‘Of course they did-‘

‘____’ Alfred’s voice suddenly rang out from behind the door,, making everyone stop before starting to hide away pills and whatever weed and alcohol was around.

‘Yea?’ You said, and opened the door.

‘Dinner is ready, should you accompany the family.’ He spoke and you simply nodded, he turned and left.

‘Well..ugh.’ You groaned as Jacky pushed you out of the door, and the others following suit.

Right before you entered the diner room, you and the other shake slightly to appear sober, or as sober as someone who snorted opioids and smoked weed can act.

The doors opened as your friends walked in, Jacky and Daniel were giggling about goissp, Austen was trying to not fall down because he always trips on carpets.

The diner had a massive crystal chandelier, a candlelight dinner, and plates all around, steak was served with a side of wine or grape juice.

No one was there just yet, which made you relax.

Sitting down, you felt it, that relaxation that comes with the opioids and weed, that confidence it brings..the buzz.

You knew you were addicted, you knew it was bad.

You knew.

But you can’t stop, can’t go a day without weed, or pills, or alcohol, you just can’t.

You knew it was a problem but it was only a problem if you acknowledged it was.

And when you had fuck tons in your system, you tend to forget everything but your own happiness.

You liked it, liked the feeling that came with smoking, likes seeing the smoke drift, liked seeing pills scatter because of your shaky hands, liked toasting to one cup of shots before getting hammered.

You. Fucking. Loved. It.

You and your friends took a seat at the rear end of the table.

(Hi! for clarification, the table starts a few feet away from the door! and so you and your friends took the start at the end of the table where the doors would open! that’s the rear, i hope it makes sense!)

‘Think Mr Handerson is freaking out?’ Jacky asked, putting her phone down, her blond hair with streaks of purple and pink shining under the light, dark blue eyes fixed on the food and then you before moving on to the rest of the table.

‘I think i need to get my grades up for economics and science, Mr chen is such a bitch!’ Austen spoke, mouth filled with bread from the basket, blue hair slightly sticking out, brown eyes wide because of drugs and the food.

‘Maybe if you paid attention, you wouldn’t be failing anything.’ You spoke, not looking up from your phone as you typed something on it.

‘No, Mr chen is a bitch, she gave my paper a 57% because it had coffee spilled on it.’ Daniel finally spoke, changing his grape juice with wine as you giggled, looking up to see a brown haired, brown eyes boy staring at you with a stupid grin.

‘Since when did you drink coffee?’ You asked, head tilted slightly to the left, a stupid trait you did when you were confused.

‘I don’t, my stepdad does.’ Daniel said, just as you were about to speak, the doors opened.

They filed in, one by one.

Or more so by whoever they were with, you and your friends stopped talking immediately, looking at the family that walked in as if they weren’t welcomed.

‘Hey..Remember me? i’m dick.’ Dick spoke, staring at the fact you were between your two friends, something annoyed churned in his stomach when he saw that you were sitting between them.

God, why did he care?!

‘Hey.’ Daniel said, waving at the others as they came in.

A weird, strange silence came over as they sat around the table.

You hated silence, always needed something to fill it in.

Austen poked Jacky, leaning in near her ear.

‘This is fucking awkward.’

‘Right?’ She said back.

‘Hey..____..how’s school?’ Dick asked, making you turn your head over to him, it took a moment to process what he had said.

‘Oh! uh..good.’ You managed to say before turning to start eating.

‘Are you doing well in school?’ he asked again and you nodded.

‘Oh, my god! remember stacy? double ss?’ Jacky said, looking at you as you immediately looked back.

‘Yea? what about her?’ You asked.

‘Wait..? Stacy Handerson?’ Duke suddenly asked making your entire group and yourself go quiet before immediately laughing as you and Jacky spoke at the same time.

‘Incest stacy!’

‘Incest stacy!’

You and her curling up, laughing.

‘Ew! i thought double ss was stacy Jackson?!’ Aisten blurted, cutting his steak.

‘What?! i thought double ss was..shit, i don’t know who i thought it was.’ Daniel said, and just went back to eating as you and Jacky laughed.

Who were they to you?

Why were you laughing so hard with them?

Why couldn’t you see that your family was there with you?

Why?

Why?

WHY?

The rest of the family suddenly felt out of place, like they didn’t belong here.

No one really noticed.

No one noticed how Damian’s scowl went darker, looking at his food.

“Why did you never laugh like that with him? why them?” he thought to himself, stabbing a vegetable with too much force.

No one noticed how Dick’s smile froze before it tightened and he looked at Jason, whom looked like he was ready to murder someone.

“Who the hell did they think they were? You’re ours, not theirs, you shouldn’t laugh at them, fuck! you shouldn’t even lo—..what the fuck am i thinking?’ Jason was thinking, and he looked away, running a hand through his hair as he — too quietly — ate his food.

Dick didn’t think, not with how hard he was trying to memorize your laugh, your smile, how you curl forward and then lean back slightly to breath, ho—

…

“Stop it, richard, this isn’t you.” Dick thought to himself and immediately looked down at his lap, almost ashamed at himself.

No one noticed how Stephanie had gone too quiet, staring at you like the world just changed directions, her eyes wide with..was it awe? shock? happy? she didn’t know, but she knew that she needed to hear that laugh again.

More specifically towards her and not…them

No one had noticed how Cassandra had finally — after an hour of sitting too still, too quietly — relaxed, she could clearly see you were happy! that..that you were happy with others, that you..

“Why couldn’t you just be happy with me? with us?” Cassandra’s mind went wild with thoughts that got darker and darker, she hand to pinch herself hard enough for blood to spill to even realize what she was thinking.

“…”

Not one of them noticed how Duke remained quiet, his question being unanswered as he just chuckled awkwardly and looked away, going to silently eat his dinner, his gaze landing on you too many times to be normal.

“I didn’t know they could laugh like that..was it the door incident?* was that it? why they didn’t speak to me?” Duke’s thoughts immediately went to insecurity.

No one noticed how Barbara clenched her iPad, her gaze locked on you, on the only person that she didn’t even think of.

“Who are they to you? were you always this happy?” Her thoughts continued to ramble as she looked down at her iPad, meeting Tim’s for a moment.

No one saw how tim went rigid and looked down, immediately his hands went to his phone, looking up things about your friend before he can stop himself.

“Austen..Daniel..Jacky.. fuck! what’s their last name? they surely went to your school, which means you had classes with them! bingo—…’ He froze at that moment, fingers just above your class schedule, this was wrong, he knew it.

No one noticed or saw how Bruces hand on the newspaper basically crumpled under his hands, how they trembled as he forced himself to stare at words he couldn’t make sense of.

“..Friends, why did you need friends? you have us, you have me. you—..” He let out a soft, and quiet sigh.

You were also neglected, forced to take comfort in others.

So why did they care? if anything they should be happy for you!

But should isn’t a good enough replacement for that cold feeling that settled in everyone.

You were theirs.

And surely, just surely, you’ll realize it.

Even if that thought made people disgusted.

Think about it! they were batman! robins! batgirls and other vigilantes! they fought against the law for crimes to go down!

They shouldn’t feel like this.

Shouldn’t want to feel like they wanted to keep you in a room until you complied with them..

‘Ew! stop talking with your mouth opened, Daniel!’ You complained, snapping everyone to attention from where they were as Daniel laughed and you leaned away.

Dinner ended with not a single new thing said.

But a whole lot of list needed to done.

And the first one involved you.

⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔ ⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔ ⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔

something super important!!

in some of the stories, if you see * then it means to look at the after notes! it will have clarification because sometimes some people can forget the other stories besides the important parts!!

After notes!

Omg! this was a bit short because i’m exhausted from my birthday party, the next part will be longer for sure! i hope you all like it! thank you all for the support!

* When duke said “was it the door?” it referred to the door he opened and you accidentally bumped into in but didn’t wait for him to apologize so he thinks thats why you dont talk to him!

The new story will come out the next day..depending on which one you guys want me to write next!

Lmk in the comments pls!!

Next part ˋ°•*⁀➷

Also! important for a specific person! @agosinemaeofficial, it is saying that no blogs are found!! i’m very sorry!!

TAGLIST!

@ghostlyworld @cheshire-kitsune @thatbitchanna27 @shirayukiuzukaze @fictionalwhor3 @diamondnightsky23 @cassbass2000 @agosinemaeofficial

[bonafidesocialite]

I was stumbling upon a Chinese blogger and she said “the most top-tier man is an average woman”, and it really sat with me.

What do you mean we praise and fawn over men that is literally the average expectation of our female friends. It just gives them the pass that they can stay mediocre because as long we praise them, women will always be expected to be godlike immortals and men can be the average woman.

[lali-animation]

What was Oswald thinking after seeing Selina for the first time?

Bro was panicking fr—— ... my guy keeps seeing his dead wife oh my goodness

Au by: @nortsauce @flygutzz @myth-of-the-machine

[starstruckwonders]

I think it’s time for my bi-yearly self reconstruction

[blurredlust]

❕ — The Version of You I Get

LISTEN TO LIABILITY BY LORDE.

He only comes to you when he’s drunk and lost. You stay long enough to realize love isn’t supposed to feel like disappearing.

This content contains emotional angst and heartbreak but also the painful truth that not all hearts are meant to be fixed.

Timeskip!Atsumu x Reader. around 1.1k wc

I recommend listening to the song above for maximum emotion.

The phone vibrates at 1:17 a.m.

You don’t need to look at the screen to know who it is. The timing is a signature—late enough to signify a disaster, early enough to catch you in the fragile space before deep sleep. The vibration hums against the nightstand, a low, tectonic rattle that settles somewhere behind your ribs.

atsumu:

‘m comin over

open pls

The spelling is sloppy, the words urgent and entitled. He never offers a greeting or an explanation. He moves through your life like he moves on the court: assuming the space is already his. You stare at the glow of the screen, your thumb hovering like this is still a choice you make freely, like history hasn’t already taught you what happens next.

You unlock the door. You don’t even check the peephole.

By the time the elevator chimes, you’re standing barefoot on the cool tile, the apartment quiet and dim. Tokyo stretches endlessly beyond the windows—a sprawl of cold neon and distant sirens, a city too vast to notice people like you learning the same devastating lesson over and over again.

You open the door before he can knock.

Atsumu stumbles inside with a familiarity that used to feel like intimacy, but now just feels like a trespass. He’s too large for the narrow entryway, his shoulder clipping the frame. He kicks his shoes off—one hitting the wall, the other overturned—and the air in the apartment shifts. He brings the outside in with him: the smell of stale whiskey, the ozone of a storm, and the sharp, metallic tang of blood.

He’s a mess of jagged edges. There’s a split at the corner of his mouth and a bruise already blooming like a dark, ugly flower along the sharp line of his jaw. He looks like a masterpiece that someone took a hammer to.

“Hey,” he says. His voice is a rough sandpaper rasp, but it softens when it lands on you, that familiar Kansai lilt dragging over your name like a hook.

You don’t comment on his face. You never do. To speak of it is to acknowledge the cycle, and you aren't ready to break the silence yet. You just step aside and gesture toward the bathroom. He follows without protest, his gait heavy and uncoordinated, his presence sucking the oxygen out of the hallway.

The bathroom light is a clinical, unforgiving white. It strips away the glamour of the MSBY star, the "Miya Atsumu" the world worships, and leaves only the wreckage. You soak a cloth at the sink, wring it out carefully, and turn back to him.

He’s sitting on the edge of the tub, elbows on his knees, watching you from beneath his gold-tinged lashes. In this light, he looks stripped down—unguarded in a way the cameras never see. It’s the look he saves just for you, a curated vulnerability that he uses to keep you tethered.

“You’re good at this,” he murmurs as you press the cool cloth to his split knuckles.

The words weigh more than he knows. You don’t answer though. You focus on the rhythm of the work—the steady pressure, the way his breath catches when you hit a sensitive spot. You’ve memorized the map of his endurance. You know exactly when to pull back and when to hold firm.

Your knees brush as you crouch before him. He’s warm, radiating a heat that makes your chest ache. He leans into your touch slightly, instinctive, trusting, like this is where he’s meant to be when things fall apart.

“Ran into some idiots,” he says lightly, trying to find his swagger. “Nothin’ big. Just some guys with loud mouths.”

You hum, a low, noncommittal sound. Outside, a siren wails in the distance, a lonely sound that matches the hollow feeling in your gut. You clean the cut above his brow with surgical precision. This part is easy. It’s the "after" that hurts—the part where he leaves and takes all the light with him.

“You didn’t have to come here, Atsumu,” you say quietly.

He lets out a breathy, jagged laugh that smells of bourbon. “Yeah, I did. Didn't know where else to go.”

“You have other places,” you reply, your voice cracking despite your best efforts to remain cool. “You have a high-rise, a team, a life. Other people.”

His jaw tightens. The softness in the room curdles into something sour. He looks away, his eyes fixing on the grout of the tiled wall.

“She just—” He stops, shaking his head as if the rest of the sentence is too heavy to lift. “Forget it. It doesn’t matter.”

But it does. Her presence is a third person in the cramped bathroom. She is the reason for the blood on his shirt and the hollow look in his eyes. You’ve learned to live in her shadow, convincing yourself you were "strong" for being the one who picks up the pieces she breaks. Some nights, it feels more like you’re just… convenient. A safety net he doesn't have to thank.

“You know she shouldn’t hit you,” you say, the words finally slipping out.

The shift is instantaneous. The vulnerability vanishes, replaced by the iron-clad ego that made him a legend. He straightens his spine, his posture becoming a shield.

“Don’t start,” he says, his voice dropping an octave, warning.

“I’m not starting anything. I’m just saying what I see.”

“You always think you see everythin’,” he snaps, pushing to his feet too fast. He sways, his balance betrayed by the alcohol, and instinct wins—you reach out, steadying him by the forearms.

He doesn’t pull away.

Instead, his hands find your waist, heavy and possessive. His forehead drops to yours, his breath warm and smelling of regret. For a heartbeat, the world shrinks to this: the heat of him, the familiar weight, and the way your heart betrays you by wanting to stay right here in the wreckage.

“You’re makin’ it a bigger deal than it is,” he whispers against your skin, his thumb tracing the hem of your shirt. “It ain't like that.”

“Then what is it like?” Your voice is shaking now, tears pricking the backs of your eyes. “Because from where I’m standing, you argue, she hits you, you fight strangers, and you end up here.”

“That’s none of your business,” he says, the coldness returning to his tone like a sudden frost.

“You make it my business,” you reply, finally wrenching yourself out of his grip. The loss of his heat is a physical shock. “Every time you knock on my door at 1 a.m. because you're too ashamed to go anywhere else, you make it my business.”

He scoffs, a sharp, ugly sound. “I didn’t ask you to take care of me. You just do it.”

“Because I thought I was helping you,” you whisper.

The silence that follows is thick.

“She’s perfect,” he says suddenly, the words flying out of his mouth like a defensive reflex, as if it’s a fact that should end the conversation.

You stare at him, truly seeing him for the first time in years. “Perfect? Atsumu, look at your face. Look at your hands. Look at this room.”

“Oi,” he snaps, his eyes flashing with a dangerous, petty fire. “You don't understand her. You don't understand what we have.”

“I understand more than you think,” you say, words spilling now, unstoppable. “I understand that I’m the one cleaning your blood off my towels while she’s sleeping in your bed. I see you chasing someone who hurts you. I see you breaking yourself in half trying to be enough for her. And I see myself standing here, pretending it doesn’t kill me.”

His expression hardens into a mask of pure, arrogant ice. This is the Atsumu who crushes opponents, the one who doesn't know how to lose. He looks down at you with a chilling indifference.

“You’re takin’ this too personal,” he says.

“Because it is personal,” you snap back. “You come here when she’s done with you. You let me clean up the mess. And the second I say something you don’t like, I’m ‘overstepping.’”

“You don’t know your place. You never did.”

The words land with more force than any punch he took tonight. The "place" he’s assigned you—the secondary character, the silent healer, the footnote.

Something inside you finally gives. It isn't a loud, dramatic break; it's a quiet, devastating clarity. It’s the sound of a key turning in a lock for the last time. You realize that you aren't the person who saves him—you're the person who makes it possible for him to keep being destroyed. By being his safety net, you’ve become his enabler.

You slap him.

The sound is a gunshot in the small bathroom. His head snaps to the side, his blond hair falling over his eyes. He goes completely still. His eyes go wide, stunned into a silence he hasn't felt in years. Your hand stings—a sharp, electric heat that makes you feel more alive than you have in months—but you don’t pull it back.

“Fuck you,” you say, your voice terrifyingly steady. “I’m done being the place you land when everything else falls apart.”

He opens his mouth, his tongue darting out to touch the new copper taste of blood on his lip. He looks like he’s searching for a joke, an insult, a way to regain the upper hand, but for once, he finds nothing. You step back, putting a chasm between you that no amount of history can bridge.

“Get some sleep,” you say, walking toward the door. “You know where the couch is. You’ll be gone by the time I wake up. And don't bother ever coming back here.”

“Wait—”

You close your bedroom door before he can finish. You turn the lock. It’s a small, metallic click, but in the heavy silence of the apartment, it sounds like a funeral bell.

You lean your back against the wood, sliding down until you’re sitting on the floor. You listen to the muffled, clumsy sounds of him moving in the other room, the rustle of the couch cushions, the eventually heavy silence of a man who has lost the only real person in his life.

Outside, Tokyo keeps glowing, beautiful and indifferent. Your chest aches with a weight that feels like it might actually kill you. But as you sit there in the dark, listening to the city hum, you realize that some hearts aren't meant to be fixed by other people. Some hearts are meant to stay broken until they learn how to beat for themselves.

end

A/n: I wanted to write something raw and emotional —about loving someone you shouldn’t, about heartbreak that feels inescapable, and moments where love and pain collide. Atsumu was always such a complicated character to me, and I needed to explore him in a way that’s messy, emotional, and real. So, thank you for letting me share this version of him to you (even though it is terribly devastating to read).

mavis

[blog-of-agony-and-despair]

Right in front of you..

Steve Harrington X Henderson!Reader.

You’ve been in love with Steve for years now..but he’s always been too busy worrying about Nancy wheeler to realise that- even if she has Jonathan now. But will a late-night trip to your local park shit-faced change that?..

Warnings: swearing, reader is the older sister of Dustin, slightly oblivious Steve, some drinking, smoking, mentions of the monsters/eleven, reader can drive, they’ve both graduated- set after season 3 but before season 4, reader knows about everything that’s gone on, drunkenness, drunken confession/confrontation, one mention of a boner.

It’s late..you haven’t been out this late since before 1983, when Byer went missing- when you were younger and much more foolish than you are now. You’d be able to fight anyone that went for you, you’ve definitely faced worse, but that’s entirely besides the point..Hawkins is a weird place..you know that much.

You are totally and utterly in love with Steve Harrington. At first, you thought he was..a total dick. Wait- no, correction, he was a total dick. Someone you’d never even think about hanging out with and someone you know would rather die than hang out with someone like you. A Henderson and member of the DnD club.

You were the one who got your younger brother, Dustin, into the game after being a huge fan of it for years- you taught him everything he knows.

You only actually started talking to Steve after your first little run-in with the hellish monsters and he saved your life without a second thought.

Then, after graduating and maturing a little bit, he started to hang out with Dustin- which made you..suspicious at first- but when your brother came home happier than he’d ever been you realised maybe he wasn’t as bad as you thought he was…

But then the feelings started.

Not long after he and Nancy broke up and he fought off Demodogs with you for the kids and found out more about the upside down with you and went though shitty trauma with him- you realised that he was..kinda cute. You started hanging out more just the two of you..

You realised you had a teeny-tiny crush on him after that and wanted to become something so much more than a friend to him.

But you knew you could never tell him- not that you didn’t make it obvious anyway -he’s always been hung up on Nancy.

It was always Nancy this, Nancy that- you knew he prayed on Jonathan’s downfall for days on end not long after they broke up.

Robin, who quickly became an extremely good friend to you, realised it straight away- and tried to convince you to ask him about but you kept saying no..you gave her a new, lame excuse every-time- excuses she rolled her eyes at and flipped you off for. You denied your feelings for him countless times- but she knew.

She saw how you looked at him in his scoops ahoy uniform for his first real job and she knew you found him even cuter..and that was when you realised yourself that you had fallen for him- and hard.

Because who the fuck finds a scoops ahoy uniform attractive?!

When you found the two- high as fuck after they were taken by the Russians, you were worried. You got them to the cinema and left for a couple of minutes to get some water- and they were gone when you got back..

You were going to tell Steve how you felt when he was stable and sober again because you almost lost him.

And you wouldn’t be able to live with yourself if he died and you never told him how you truly felt.

When Robin told you later on- after the fighting and chaos had ended -what had happened with the drugs and the bathroom visit and how Steve admitted that he liked her..

Your heart broke a little bit. Because it just seemed like..he liked everyone but you. Nancy..Robin- who was very obviously a lesbian, anyone with two eyes and a brain would have been able to figure that one out.

So you gave up on trying to tell him and simply avoided him. Or tried to- Steve, the obvious idiot he was, didn’t know how to stop talking to you- even after you walked away from his conversations mid sentence.

When the Byers moved to California not long after July 4th, Steve saw this as a potential new chance to be with Nancy again- since Jonathan would be gone..

you were on the literal verge of telling him you felt when you heard his plan to ask Nancy about the long distance relationship...and you once again, gave up- telling yourself he’d never get over Nancy motherfucking Wheeler.

It’s been just over a year since you realised you liked Steve..and you’re almost certain he doesn’t and never will like you back.

Which is why your here, alone, sat on a swing in a small, grassy playground- a bottle of whiskey in your hand, sunglasses on your face. You don’t live far and your home alone got the next couple of days- and you’ve fought of monsters you’d only see in horror movies so who really cares?

You close your eyes as you lean your head against the metal swing hanger, taking a slightly sloppy sip of the drink as you do.

“Y/n?” You hear from a short distance away and turn turn your head slowly, the sunglasses on your nose sliding down slightly as you do..great! Just who you wanted to see..Harrington himself.

“What are you doing here?!” You sigh- “your the- fucking last person I wanna see!” You close your eyes and start thinking over all of your life decisions, pushing yourself further into the metal.

He stops in front of you..and you can see how shitty he looks- not as shitty as you but definitely shitty..wheeler again if you had to make a guess. “you’re drunk..and your obviously upset.” He sighs. You roll your eyes. “No shit.” You grumble, taking another sip of the drink..

You expect him to ridicule you or give you the same lecture on how alcohol is bad for you that you get every time..but your suprised when he sits down on the swing next to you and holds his hand out for the drink. You raise an eyebrow..but comply- handing him the whiskey.

He takes a large sip and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand in silence.

..you sigh and look over at him. You know for a fact it has something to do with her. And you can’t blame him to be honest..she’s pretty..but you just wish he’d see that you weren’t all bad too.

“Nancy-” he starts but you can’t..you just can’t- you groan. “Don’t. God- im begging- I don’t give a fuck about wheeler. Not right now.”

His eyebrows furrow in confusion as he turns to you, still on the swing- “what?”

“You go on and on and onononon- about Wheeler but nobody cares! She doesn’t like you, Steve- she probably never did, ok? And there are- so many other options out there! If your just open your eyes for once!” You snatch back the drink, pouting at him as you talk before taking a large swig of it.

“…right..” he says quietly, turning back so he’s having forwards. You sigh- rubbing your head with your free hand. “okay, I’m sorry..that was mean..”

“No, you’re right..” he sniffles awkwardly and shrugs, shifting slightly on the rubber.

“I..I know you’ve always wanted her to be your childhood sweetheart. You want the wife, the house the kids..but Nancy isn’t that type of girl. And she loves Jonathan, you know she does. I’m sick of seeing you try and ruin that for her- she’s happy with him. Even if he is halfway across the country.” You take a small sip of the drink. “She isn’t your soulmate. Never has been.”

He nods slowly, reaching out for the drink. You pass him it and grab harshly onto the fabric of your pant..

“I know that..but she was..”

“I know.” You close your eyes. “But you need to see that sometimes..the thing- or person -you truly need..is right in front of you. Not with another guy.” You take off your sunglasses as you spin the seat to face him slightly, your eyes meeting his.

He stares at you..and you can hear the gears turning in his head-

“You need to get over her.” You move closer to him, the swing creaks slightly as you do. “And fast before all those pretty features disappear and that hair goes grey.” You smile teasingly. “Your..so beautiful. And you deserve someone who’ll see that..like I do.” You tuck some hair behind his ear, scanning over his features.

His lips part slightly and he lets himself admire you, his eyes looking over your hair and your lips..since when did your lips look so kissable?

“And you need a haircut.” You lean in and kiss his cheek, playfully running your hair through those soft fucking locks as you stand up, putting the glasses back over your eyes. “Call me, alright?” You walk towards the path to your right, one that takes you on the road home.

His cheeks burn as you kiss him, his whole body tensing and lighting up at the gesture. And when you run your fingers through his hair he has to stop himself from moving into the touch-

He brings his hand to his cheek as he watches you walk away, his eyes on the back of your head..why did he like that so much? “Need me to walk you home-?” He calls out weakly..too weak.

“No!” You call back quickly, opening the gate and walking out of the park.

He spends the next two days working at the Family Video- deep in thought. He’s accidentally put the horror movies in the kids sections twice now- and the love movies in the documentaries section three times..robins called him a dunce more times during the last two shifts than she ever has..ever.

“Okay, what’s up?” She stops him before he can grab a single dvd. “Is it your dad?” Steve furrows his eyebrows slightly- “nothings up.” Robin gives him a- don’t lie to me face. “Your mom then?” He shakes his head- “a girl?” Steve’s lips part slightly and he goes to say something but leans back and scoffs- “what?..no-” Robin sighs.

“It’s Nancy again- what did I say about seeing her again?! You always come back depressed-”

“It’s not. It’s not Nancy this time…surprisingly.” He admits as he walks past Robin, snatching the dvds as he does.

“What?..then who? Bad date?” She follows him.

“No..” he shrugs. “It’s nothing-” he stops at the family friendly section.

“Bullshit. It’s something- you haven’t been this weird in ages- and those are romance.” She grabs his shoulders and turns him towards the love section.

He rolls his eyes and walks. “Fine- it’s yeah, okay I’ll admit it- it’s something..well- someone..a girl..”

“Do I know this girl?” She raises her eyebrows in question, leaning on the stand next to where he’s stacking. “Yes, you know her..”

Robin thinks for a moment or two- and Steve swears he can see the gears slowly turning in her head.

“It’s y/n..what’s got you- nervous about her? There’s nothing up with her- what would possibly be up with y/n?” She covers her mouth with her hands, staring at Steve with obvious anxiety.

“Nothing- we just..I saw her at the park a couple of days ago and she was drinking- I drank a lil’ bit with her- and she just..seemed..different.”

“Different how?” She says desperately, her finger beginning to tap on the shelf.

“Like..she was telling me to get over Nancy and that there’s someone who wants me right in front of me- and I’d see that if I opened my eyes?..then she kinda kissed my cheek and ruffled my hair as she left.” He shrugs, scoffing slightly as he does. “It just..got me thinking.”

Robins eyes widen slightly and she brings both of her hands in front of her, her fingers put together in slight shock. “Thinking..what?” She gives him..a look. One Steve hadn’t seen in awhile.

…

“I don’t know-”

“Oh my god, you’re a dumbass.” She says in disbelief. How can he not see what the fucks happening?!

“Okay! So- I’m thinking- maybe..y/n..is kinda hot. But not in like- a weird way! She’s just a friend-”

Robins eyes close in pure rage..“just a friend? You think it’s normal to think one of your best friends is hot?..”

“Yeah..maybe- I don’t know! I was just- into it!” He walks towards the counter. “Like- weirdly into it.”

“You don’t think that’s a sign?! That maybe- she isn’t just a friend?! Not anymore-” Steve groans and puts his elbows on the top of the counter, his hands going to hide in his hands.

“I..” he shrugs and rubs his eyes, looking up at a..feather emotional Robin. “I don’t know, man..”

Just then..the doors bell goes, snapping them both out of the friend/not friend situation at the sight of a customer.

Steve thinks about you all day- pondering and blushing at times, realising things he’s never realised before- the way you smile when your favourite song comes on the radio of your car, the way you like to mess and play DnD with the kids, the way you don’t hesitate to offer him and Robin a ride to work when his car breaks down- the way you shove your hair out of your face rather then gently tuck it-

It’s safe to say that by the end of his shift, he was puzzled…and he had gained a..somewhat crush on you? He doesn’t know!

He went to bed and literally dreamed about the way you had kissed him. And that was his last straw- waiting up with a problem at 3:00 in the morning was not on his agenda.

For the next two days he dreams and thinks about and smiles at just the thought of you. He can’t fucking function without something reminding him of you-

He’s at the store? He sees your favourite drink. Hes looking for a film to watch on Saturday? Your favourite movies playing at the cinema.

He never noticed these things..because he wasn’t paying attention to- oh….

What was right in front of him. You! You were right in front of him- oh Robin was right, he is a dumbass.

He sees you the next day, he asked you to meet him after work at the diner just across from family video. Obviously, you did- how could you not?!

It’s how you end up awkwardly sat in front of Steve, sipping a smoothie out of a colourful, bendy, straw whilst he finishes off his fries, pushing his plate to the side as he does. “Your probably wondering why I wanted to talk to you-”

“There wasn’t much talking going on.” You say, eyeing the plate that had two burgers and countless fries on it about five minutes ago. “But whatever.”

“Right- well, it’s about the other day…”

You sigh. “Look, I’m sorry. I was drunk and tired and..just- out of it.”

“Yeah- yeahyeah..but..I..” he lets out a small noise and takes a sip of his own smoothie to calm himself down. “I liked it. What happened.”

…

Your heart pounds faster and your palms get sweaty. “The drinking? The swings?..”

“That kiss..and when you touched my hair-” your breath hitches. “And I..I’ve realised that you’re actually kinda hot- but like- not in a weird way! And I- I was thinking, if you found me hot too we could go out! But not like this-! On a real date..us. Because I’ve been thinking about you- and I haven’t been able to get you off my mind-”

You could pass out..you tense up on your side of the booth and stare. You- just stare..

“Well?” He looks at you for a couple of seconds, he’s obviously nervous..

Is this it?..has he finally realised that you could treat him better than Nancy ever has or will..that you can make him happy and that your fucking in love with him after almost two years of pinning?

“Yes- we- I…yes, I would fucking- love that. Yeah- just us..no Nancy talk- or Jonathan..” you laugh in slight disbelief and nod. “You- don’t know how long I’ve waited for this.”

He smiles- “yeah?…yeah- cool..I’d love that too.”

When the two of you got back into his car, you made out for a good half-hour and had your official first date the Friday after. And from there, Nancy was practically gone. He barely thought about her anymore and when he did it was only when someone else mentioned her. You’ve managed to do in three days what Robin had been trying to do for over six months.

[dr-spectre]

Guys... is it bad that i just now realised that Shiver is actually sticking her tongue out and not grinning in this render?