Tw Bruises - Blog Posts

Goretober days 2-3, bruises n teeth

>tw bruises n blood<

They're amazing im keeping them forever

June of Doom Day 5

“It’s not as bad as it looks.” | Bite | Swelling | Disfiguration |

Caretaker gasped as they saw Whumpee's hand swollen and bleeding.

"Whumpee! What happened? That looks terrible!"

"Eh, it's not as bad as it looks. Just accidentally slammed it in the door.

"Don't lie to me. Let me go get the first aid-"

"No, really. It's not that bad. It barely even hurts. I'll be fine."

Caretaker sighed, "If you say so."

Caretaker came back a while later to see Whumpee cradling their hand with a pained expression on their face. Whumpee quickly hid behind a smile as Caretaker walked in. Caretaker looked at them sternly as they noticed bruises blooming on Whumpee's face.

"I know you didn't just slam your hand in the door. Would you like to tell me what happened?"

"Uh... not really?"

Caretaker glared at them.

"Okay! I just got in a fight. No big deal."

"No big deal?! You can't just hide things like that from me Whumpee. This is happening way too often."

Whumpee thought for a moment. "I mean, where do you think I got it from? You used to get in fights all the time."

"Yeah, but I was a spy! You're not."

"Wellll, it's not that different. You never know when Whumper might snatch me off the street again," Whumpee laughed.

Caretaker couldn't argue with that. Whumpee hadn't been this animated since before Whumper, and they were even making jokes about it.

Caretaker's lips quirked into a half smile, "What will I ever do with you Whumpee?"

just so you know, people

this is, by far, my most favourite post

it hits me every time i read it

and i love it

thanks for your attention

Dinner Is Not Over

A bit bloody innit

—

Here’s some of the progress shots!!!

Sleazy

Dabi x F!Reader smut

Warnings: +18 MINORS DNI! Nonconish/dubcon, blackmail, gaslighting, manhandling, Stockholm syndrome, smut, penetration, biting, bruises, creampie

Synopsis: Dabi blackmails you, a sidekick of a famous pro-hero, into a relationship, which in his terms mean that whenever he texts you time and place for a fuck, you obey no questions asked

Word count: 2.4k

DISCLAIMER: Characters belong to Kohei Horikoshi

Shame is unavoidable when crossing the border into the city’s seedy underbelly. With a hood over your head to shield yourself from the rain and more importantly, prying eyes, you sneak to the reception of a rundown motel. As you mumble awkwardly that you’re in need of a room, the sour receptionist hands you the key and out of pure embarrassment, you grab it without another word. Going upstairs to search for the room, you wanna convince yourself that the employees must witness worse secrets than what yours is. 

You spend the rainy evening standing by the window, waiting, and staring at the neon signs flashing outside, their lights reflecting from the puddles on the ground. Brows furrowing, you sigh heavily as despite your agreement, Dabi is once again late.

Because of him, you had to make up another excuse for your boss of why you needed to leave early again, but since your working time ended a while ago, it was all in vain. You are running out of good reasons and using the last proper ones for nothing is beyond frustrating. 

Dabi’s carelessness towards you isn’t anything new though. He doesn’t mind causing you inconveniences or even serious troubles since he sees you as mere entertainment. 

Draping an arm over your belly, you begin to pace back and forth nervously and bite your nails, wishing you could come up with a plan how to get out of this. 

His mean schemes have been messing up your life for months. You’re constantly under pressure to manage hero-work and close relationships without anyone finding out the dark deal he blackmailed you into. Your sleepless nights have become countless in numbers and your heart pounds whenever his name pops into your screen. 

Suddenly a key twists inside the lock and ceases your agonizing thoughts. You turn to see Dabi entering like he just didn’t force you to wait unreasonably long. 

“What took you so long?!” You ask while storming closer to him.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” he says with a lazy grin, while shutting the door, “Guess I just lost track of time.” 

“I had to leave work early for nothing and I’ve been waiting for hours! I’ve told you I could lose my job over this!”

“Relax hero,” he responds and throws his jacket on the floor, “It’s not like there ain’t a line of heroes ready to replace you,” he adds and shuffles up to you. 

“But it’s my livelihood and you know that!”

“Your good looks goes to waste in that profession anyway,” he shrugs and puts his hands in his pockets, his dismissive attitude ticking you off. 

“My whole life could be ruined! I could lose everything and you act like this is just some game to you!” 

“It is,” he replies carefreely and with an unbearable smirk. Your hands ball into fists as rage bubbles up in your gut. 

“You are insufferable,” you retort through gritted teeth, but it does nothing to that sardonic smile on his face. 

“No need to be so hostile, sweetheart. I’m just playing here,” he responds innocently. 

“It’s not funny!” You shout, finally ready to stand up for yourself, “You’re purposely trying to ruin my life and I’m sick of it! I’m not gonna tolerate it any longer!”

“What other choice do you have?” 

You freeze at the question. It’s a problem you haven’t found an answer to, even during all these months. Your reaction causes a conniving grin as he slightly tilts his head.

“Or rather— What makes you think you have any other choice?” He asks. You stare up at him with lips little agape, unable to come up with a response. He then takes a step forward, forcing you to back away. 

“There’s absolutely nothing you can do,” he points out. His usual husky tone remains, but the way his turquoise eyes bore into yours appears threatening and reminds you of who you’re talking to.

“You’ll show up whenever I tell you to,” he says and continues to back you against the window sill, “Even if it’s in the middle of some shitty hero-work and for a sleazy fuck in an alley,” when your back hits the sill, Dabi places his hands on it, trapping you. 

“You are my toy. And I’m not done playing with you,“ he says with the most wicked smirk and for a moment you can only stare up at him, your heart sinking at the thought of continuing this forever. 

He then tilts his head, “And why is it that you’ll comply?”

Your gut twists from the painful reminder that makes you lower your head. Tightness spreads in your throat, making your breath hitch a little, “B-because—“ you reluctantly stutter, and your words come out as nothing more than a sad mumble.

“You’ll hurt my loved ones...”

“That’s right. Because I hold the lives of your loved ones over your head. Don’t you think it’d be a pity for them to get incinerated just because you wanna act like a brat?” He asks with a tone that’s nearly berating. Feeling ashamed to have even considered disobedience at the possible cost of their lives, you keep your head lowered. 

“Besides—” He cups your chin and makes you look up at the mischievous glint in his haunting eyes.

“We both know you’re far too weak to fight me anyway. You should just focus on what you’re good at and that’s spreading your legs for me.”

Your lips purse in frustration as your pride takes another hit. Dabi is far more stronger than you, but pointing out your inferiority is a taste too bitter to swallow. 

“...When you’ll get thrown into Tartarus, I’ll make sure to be there to lock the cell myself,” you growl, but your voice breaks as tears threaten to fall. 

“Dream big, sweetheart,” he replies with an encouraging tone as he obviously doesn’t take you seriously. You keep glaring up at him, not wanting to grant him the satisfaction of reducing you into tears, unfortunately though, one manages to roll down your cheek. Dabi reacts to your misery like it’s a mere tantrum. He puts his hands on your waist and hoists you up on the window sill. 

 “You get cute when you’re angry,“ he points out while tucking stray strands behind your ear. 

His remark humiliates you, but since there’s indeed nothing you can do about him, you leave any comments unsaid and lower your gaze. Dabi is pleased with your submissive reaction. While holding his hands on your waist tenderly, he starts planting soft kisses down your neck, which makes you face away in discomfort.

“Please.. Don’t leave any marks… They’re so hard to cover,“ you whine.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he murmurs, but you know he won’t. 

Bringing his lips on yours then, you don’t pull away but answer it bashfully. His lips move against yours gently, calming your resistant heart. Shifting your trembling hands, you hesitate but place them doubtfully on his chest and hum softly as his tongue invades your mouth. It’s warm and a little dominant when rubbing against yours. 

Slowly his hands slide on your hips and down on your thighs as he carefully lifts you in his arms. You wrap your arms around his neck as he carries you towards the bed and places you on the mattress. With your lips still attached, he starts peeling the clothes off of your bodies. 

He’s considerate of your comfort in the beginning. Removing garment after another, his touch is skillful, discreet and easy to melt into. The demureness of your whines turn into subtle moans as his hands roam on your naked skin admiringly. 

A gasp, tormented in bliss, escapes your lips as he sucks one of your peaked nipples. His tongue sweeps against it, sending pleasurable vibrations all over your squirming body. While groping your breasts, he starts littering your body with kisses. 

He loves to hear your soft moans. They are proof of how he can tame you from reluctant and hateful into this sweet little mess. Just a moment ago you were spewing bitterness, but now with heat on your cheeks, his name rolls off your tongue smoothly as he pulls down your panties. 

Moving himself on top of you, you wrap your arms around his neck, your hooded eyes meeting his briefly as he presses another kiss on your lips. Grinding his hardened cock against your fluttering entrance, you moan into his mouth as your arousal coats the head of his cock. 

Lining his cock with your sloppy hole, he pulls away from your lips and starts pushing past your tight walls. Throwing your head back, agony spreads on your features momentarily as your pussy adjusts around his cock.

Dabi loves watching your face scrunch as he penetrates you. Your pussy wrapping around him while he enters deeper, your back arches as your whole body reacts to him. Whimpering quietly, you hold onto his forearms for comfort when he presses his forehead against yours. 

“Nnh, you feel good, baby,” he groans and starts to rock his hips gently. 

A breathy moan leaves your lips as a shiver of pleasure runs through your body. It’s a cue that you’re ready. Dabi intertwines his fingers with yours and starts thrusting into you steadily. Your other hand caresses his back, nails scratching his skin while he pants into your ear. 

As his pace becomes faster, your moans get louder, desperate. Closing your eyes, your other senses numb as you only focus on the pleasure that surges through you. He continues to fuck you, soon placing his weight on his forearms to see the blissful look on your face.

When you open your eyes, you meet his mesmerizing gaze as he pants above you, then slowly, his lips twist into a debauched smirk that tugs at the staples on the corner of his mouth. 

“How’s my cock feeling inside you, hero?” 

“Mmh.. G-good,” you moan. Suddenly he slams inside you hard, making you throw your head back and cry out. 

“Oh yeah? Nngh, then scream for me, baby,” another ruthless slam of his hips against yours. Hands gripping the sheets, you try to suppress your voice that comes out as choked screams, your vision blurring as he abuses your sweet spot so sinfully good. Your eyes screw shut as you bite your bottom lip, feeling him getting more rough with you. His hands groping your chest, teeth sinking into your delicate skin, despite his earlier promise. 

It’s sudden when he decides to pull out and flip you on your stomach. There’s no more consideration in his motions as he grabs your hips and forces them up. Wrapping a hand around his cock, he guides it back into your warmth, no longer expressing any gentleness as he starts pounding into you roughly. 

Your brows furrow and lips fall agape as the pleasure surges through you in powerful waves, making your legs quiver. The obscene sound of your squelching pussy and his skin slamming against yours echoes in the dim-lighted motel room. Your tormented moans piercing the thin walls into the ears of whoever happens to listen.

Another gasp tumbles down your lips as Dabi grasps a handful of your hair and presses your head down on the mattress. With your cheek squished against it, he holds you there and gets on top of you, supporting himself with his other hand that he places next to your head. 

Tears of overstimulation fall from your eyes, your hands gripping the bed sheets in sheer desperation as his pace is merciless. Your bodies covered sweat that makes strands of hair stick onto your face as he keeps fucking you. 

Dabi pants in pleasure with a look of depravity on his face, pleased by the sight of you and the jolts your body gives whenever he smacks your ass. You shut your eyes, feeling his thrusts becoming faster and sloppier as he nears his climax. Your legs give in and he leans himself over you, continuing to pound into you. 

“Fuck, ahh— I’m gonna cum inside you, baby,” he pants. You don’t want that, but know better than to defy him, especially when he’s on the brink of an orgasm. Sinking his teeth in your shoulder, his hot breath fans your skin as he grunts, releasing his seeds deep inside you. 

Holding still, a tiny drop of sweat trails down your temple as you keep panting quietly, waiting for him to empty himself inside you. Soon he loosens his grip and frees you from his grasp, allowing you to collapse on the bed with bruises and teeth marks on your skin.

You both lie on your back and pull the covers over yourselves, staring at the ceiling while basking in the afterglow. Dabi, with his every possible need satisfied, has his arms folded behind his head and he still pants quietly. You adjust the covers around your naked chest and turn on your side as guilt is quick to settle in.

You know Dabi is forcing you to do this and you adapt yourself in order to survive, yet at the same time you can’t help but be disappointed in yourself for enjoying it. Sighing deeply, you reach for your pants that were discarded on the floor in the heat of the moment. Digging your phone from the pocket, you check up for any notifications. 

Your face goes pale when you see a bunch of emergency calls and texts from your colleagues and even your boss, urging you to hurry up as there’s a major incident in downtown Musutafu.

“Shit!” You jump from the bed and start quickly gathering your scattered clothes.

“What?” Dabi asks, but seems uninterested to hear the answer. 

“My phone was mute and we’ve been summoned downtown!” You panic while dressing yourself up. 

“So?”

“So! Even my boss has tried to call me, which means since he contacted me personally, he’s fed up with me!” You add, quickly fixing your hair and grabbing your purse from the nightstand. 

Dabi merely scorns in boredom, “Just tell him you had more important shit to do,” he says which makes you stop and whip your head around as you open the door. 

“Endeavor’s a strict man! He’s not gonna tolerate me much longer if I keep failing him like this!” You shout before slamming the door shut. 

As an ironic smile spreads on his face, Dabi turns his gaze into the ceiling again. 

“Yeah. I know.”

!MAJOR GORE! 

I finished the WIP. I don’t usually draw much gore, but I did want to draw this. Trying your best to make something look as scary/disturbing as possible is definitely a challenge, props to all the horror game creators!

FUCK ALL THE PEOPLE BASICALLY DEFENDING WILLIAM GOLD (WILBUR SOOT) BY SAYING HE'S AUTISTIC.

(starting notes: this is most likely going to be very much rambling and jumping from one thing to another. I am just very upset about the situation and what some people are saying about it and needed to clear my head.)

I, myself am autistic and ADHD and regardless of whether you realize it or not, you are stereotyping autistic people by basically saying that they don't know when to stop when asked and can't understand boundaries. Well!! spoiler alert!!! WE DO UNDERSTAND BOUNDARIES. AND IF SOMEONE ASKS US TO STOP IF WE'RE HURTING THEM/MAKING THEM UNCOMFORTABLE? WE WILL!!! WHY??? BECAUSE IT'S BASIC HUMAN DECANCY.

Autistic people are people too. With feelings, emotions, opinions, and boundaries. Just like every other human being on this planet. We are human, just with a more different mindset than most. And most Autistic people try their best to respect people's boundaries and to listen to people when they say no or to stop. If William Gold really is autistic and has a known habit of biting, he could have easily gone on Amazon and gotten a chewing necklace to help with the habit. They're like $5-11 and they almost always come in packs of 3-5 or more. I've had several throughout my life, and they really do help with said habit. So he has NO reason and NO excuse to be biting someone else instead. ESPECIALLY TO THE POINT THE PERSON IS SCREAMING AT THEM AND USING A SAFE WORD TO STOP.

And you people have to keep in mind that the biting isn't the only awful thing he's done to Shelby. He has physically abused her. He had pinned her down and had told her to try her hardest to get him off with full knowledge that she has been $e×ually assaulted before and then said something along the lines of that, he was so much stronger than her and that "she wouldn't be able to fight back". Had likely loved bombed her at the beginning of the relationship to make her stay(which, if you didn't know is a big red flag). Threw away almost all of her things after they broke up without even telling her. Manipulated her and gaslighted her (saying he wanted kids/marriage and then further into the relationship telling her he never wanted that & never said that) plus A LOT more.

Long story short:

-The autistic excuse is a load of fucking bullshit.

-PLEASE do some research about Neurodivergent people before you say anything relating to them online.

-While you're at it, research different kinds of abuse and manipulative behavior because you obviously don't understand that THIS? BITING someone to the point it HURTS AND THEY ARE SCREAMING? IS VERY CLEARLY ABUSE.

-Stop defending someone who already owned up to it (in the most shittiest and self-centered way possible, making it all about himself and also not even mentioning her NAME ONCE).

-Get off whatever social media platform you're on and either go play a game, go outside, read a book, or go to sleep if its late.

-And Always Support The Victim. NEVER The Fucking Abuser.

___________________________________________

(Final notes: I seriously recommend that you watch Shelby's VOD of you haven't and read these websites start to finish. You'll find a lot that relates back to William's behavior. Both inside and outside this relationship.

Shelby Shubble VOD

SCIE

Types and indicators of abuse: Safeguarding adults - SCIE

STYLECRAZE

19 Signs Of Manipulation & How To Deal With Manipulative People

Doyou know a particular person who always gets what they want, when they want? Have you been awed by this person’s perseverance

After reading them, I still recommend that you do more research about the topics I brought up. It could save your life one day.)

I Lost The Ability To Love Years Ago

TRIGGER WARNING:

BLOOD

BRUISES

SELF-INFLICTED HARM

DO NOT SCROLL DOWN IF SENSITIVE

a steadfast heart will conquer

summary: you show up at frankie’s doorstep in the middle of the night after your boyfriend gets violent. he invites you in and lets you stay with him.

pairings: frankie morales x fem!reader

word count: 2.5k

warnings: mentions of domestic abuse, mentions of bruises

At midnight, you speak in fragments.

“I’m at your front door.”

He’s more asleep than awake. He doesn’t have the brain to question you.

“It’s raining.”

He can tell. He can hear it through the phone and from his bedroom window.

“Can you come let me in? Please?” You ask, and before he can say anything, you hang up. He stares at his phone, but figures there’s a girl at his front door, waiting to be let in.

He takes a second to unlock the door, in his groggy state, and sure enough, there you are, in all your midnight glory, on his front doorstep. It’s more romantic in movies, he thinks.

There’s nobody outside except for you. The streets are desolate, and the lamplight is obscured by the pouring rain. It thuds off of your car that’s parked in his driveway, and he knows it’ll bleed in through the crack in the door that doesn’t quite meet the frame.

He’ll help you fix it tomorrow.

But right now, you lean into him, slowly, and wrap your arms around his neck. You're wet, he notes. Wet and cold. He’s sure you're soaked down to your socks. Hair, jacket, shoes, all dripping onto his hardwood floor. You're still on the steps, so he pulls you in, but you refuse to untangle yourself from him. The wind sounds even harder now with the two of you inside.

“Hey, hey, what’s wrong?” he mutters, wrapping his arms around your shoulders. He pulls back to look at your face, but you're buried deep in his chest. He wishes it was under different circumstances.

The pouring rain punctuates every silence. He can feel you shaking.

You don’t answer.

He lets you not answer.

There’s a storm brewing in his chest. He has a sickening premonition as to why you’re here. He tries to ignore it, but his gut instinct is always right.

He shuffles awkwardly to close the door, and it muffles the rain. He can hear you sniffling now.

“What happened?”

There is only moonlight streaming in from the window over the couch. You keep your face buried in his chest when he flicks the light on. It’s harsh and bright and he grabs you by the shoulders, pulling you back to look at him but you don't remove your face from his warm, dry chest.

So he waits.

“What’s wrong?” he asks again, softer, in your ear. You rub your forehead on his worn t-shirt, and his arms find their way around your shoulders.

You find the strength to look at him from somewhere deep inside you, eyes red and swollen, eyelashes dark with tears. You squint almost imperceptibly, adjusting to the light. You’ve never felt more safe than in his embrace. Your noses almost touch.

The last and only thing he wants to do is kiss you.

He notices the red mark right away.

On your temple. His eyes soften. You watch him look at you, almost like it’s the first time.

“He hit me,” you say, congested from the tears.

Like he doesn’t notice. Like he doesn’t feel anger shoot up into his chest, heat and warmth and fire in his fingertips, down the back of his calves and aching his face. His sickening premonition coming true. He can’t come up with a single reason as to why he would do this to you. It makes fury throb in his bones. He can see your boyfriend throwing the punch and it makes him want to vomit how enraged he is.

“What do you want me to do?” he asks sincerely.

“Want me to hurt him? I’ll hurt him, you know I will. I’ll hurt him so bad,” he trails off, jaw hard and teeth grinding. Nostrils flared and lip twitching.

“No.”

He watches you rest your head on his chest, the side that your good-for-nothing dick stick didn’t punch, and he’s so careful with you, soft hands and rigid muscles.

“I just...” you start, and he’s listening. He’s listening to every word.

“I didn’t want him to hurt me. And I didn’t want to hurt him. So I... left. I went and sat in the CVS parking lot,” you admit. He figures you needed someone to talk to. He wanted someone to listen to. He’s wide awake now. He still has fight in his blood, so he repurposes it. He holds you, securely. Strong and firm.

“I was gonna fight back... but I didn’t want anyone to get hurt, I really didn’t.” you say. He closes his eyes. He steadies his breathing. How could someone so sweet, so powerful, so kind, end up with the exact antithesis of all of those things?

“I know,” he reassures, “I know you didn’t.”

You sigh shakily into his chest. He’s there for you. He’s steadfast and unwavering. You could collapse into him and you trust he would catch you, help you up, dust you off, or in your case, dry you off. But you don’t. You stand strong with him, and you let herself be supported by him. You yourself whole still. Shaky, and faltering, but whole, all by yourself. With him there, you feel a little steadier, resolute in your decisions. He supports you, and you love him for it.

“Can I stay here?” you ask.

“Of course,” he replies.

His clothes don’t fit you, but you don’t mind and neither does he.

Your hair smells like roses and rain.

You take his bed; he takes the couch.

It’s hard for him to fall asleep there, but he doesn’t mind that, either.

It’s four AM when you wake him up for the second time this morning. The grogginess is stronger than before, it seems. You’re on your knees in front of the couch, face level with him, and he jerks back in surprise.

“I’m sorry,” you say, placing a hand on his chest. His bare chest. His shirt is somewhere, he doesn’t care where. It got hot, he recalls.

“Y’scared me,” he mumbles. Would this girl let him get any sleep?

“Come sleep with me. I feel bad,” you say.

“Woke me up ‘cause y’feel bad?” he asks, and you can tell he’s irritated, but tired more than anything. Sleep carries heavily through his voice.

“No,” you clarify, “I woke you up ‘cause I had a nightmare.”

Now he’s the one that feels bad.

He lets you lead him to his own bed, but he makes a pit stop on the way to use the bathroom. He finds you curled up under his covers, staring at the doorway, waiting for him.

He smiles and joins you. He sleeps on his back. You sleep on your stomach.

He has one pillow. you have one too.

You both listen to each other breathe.

You throw an arm over his stomach. He rubs his thumb over your hand.

It’s not storming anymore, but you can both feel the electricity in the sky.

The old, squeaky mattress creaks as you move, swapping your pillow for his shoulder. It’s not as bony as you thought it would be.

You only wake up when his alarm goes off on the nightstand beside you.

You groan, and realize you’re curled up with someone in a bed that’s not your own. Your face aches as you relive the events of last night.

He wakes up when you shift to turn off the alarm, taking his time to notice you.

“Hey,” you say, in his shirt.

“Morning,” he yawns, not in his shirt.

“Thank you,” you start, but he cuts you off.

“No no no, don’t do that, don’t make it...” he trails, sitting up in bed. He rubs the sleep from his eyes again. All things considered, he got some decent sleep. He thinks it might have something to do with the warm body that was pressed up against him all night.

“No, really,” you say. You sit criss-cross on your side of the bed, and he has to remind himself that it’s his own bed (singular), not your bed (plural), and the whole bed is his bed. But for now, he can say it’s your side of the bed. At least to himself.

“Thank you for being there for me.” you say finally. He smiles at you.

“Of course.” He whines as he yawns, and things are okay for now. The storm is over.

“You want breakfast?” He asks, getting up and stopping at his dresser to put on shorts. His boxers were fine last night, but now that the sun is shining through the window, it’s kind of weird. He pulls on a shirt too.

“I have taquitos,” he says walking into his kitchen, and you squint at him, hot on his tail.

“Taquitos for breakfast?” you ask skeptically, and he makes his way over to the freezer.

“Taquito time is all the time.” He clarifies, taking the cardboard box from underneath a tub of ice cream and a bag of frozen peas. He freezes, before he turns around to look at you.

“Do you, uh, want some ice for that?” He says, and it takes you a second to realize what he means.

You touch the bruise softly, applying light pressure and wincing when it hurts.

He notices and puts the box down on the counter, wrapping the peas thoroughly in paper towels before handing them to you.

You nod a thank you, and hop up on his counter, holding them to your face.

He notices his shirt on you again, and his shorts on you, and how domestic this would be if that mistake hadn’t laid his hands on you. Though he does admit, you probably wouldn’t have been here in the first place without that run in.

He thinks he’d rather never see you again rather than have you come to him hurt like that.

He moves over to you, and carefully moves your head away from the cabinets holding the dish ware so he can open it. There’s tension in the air. He plates the taquitos and you listen to the buzz of the microwave as they warm up.

Neither of you touch your respective phones while you eat your taquitos. There are decisions to be made that will have consequences. You glance at your phone, but look away each time. Your eyes never meet. You both focus on the plate of miniature crunchy tortillas made with fake corn, filled with beef that was probably artificial. Neither of you mind.

After breakfast, or what could be sufficed as breakfast, he watches you finally check your phone.

“seventeen missed calls,” you read, “and thirty something texts.”

“Wow.”

“Not as crazy as I expected,” you note.

“Wanna see if he left any batshit voicemails?” you ask, grinning. He’s less than excited. Your smile falters as you read the texts.

“What? What’d he say?” he asks, getting up from the table to read over your shoulder. You make no move to hide the texts from him and something like relief floods his veins for a split second.

“Nothing,” you clarify, “just that... he’s so sorry… how he’s such a terrible person, that he’ll never do it again.”

He stares at you.

You ignore the messages and lock your phone.

You look up at Frankie.

“So?” he asks.

“So?” you ask back. He clears his throat.

“What are you gonna tell him?”

“I don’t know,” you sigh, grabbing the empty plate and sliding past him. You turn on the faucet in the sink and wait for it to get hot.

“You don’t have to do that,” he says, but you don’t respond.

You add soap to a sponge and start washing the minimal dishes there: a bowl, a few spoons, your plate, a whisky glass.

He stands by you, grabbing a hand towel from the countertop and wiping the dishes down before putting them away.

“Why don’t you have a drying rack?” you ask, as he puts away the last of the glasses.

“I dunno,” he says, “I don’t have that many plates and forks and stuff, so I just dry it and put it away as I go.”

“Hmm,” you remark, and turn off the faucet. He hands you the dish towel and you wipe your hands dry before folding it and placing it on the counter. You look at him and sigh. The elephant in the room is demanding your attention.

“What do you think I should tell him?”

He stares at your bruise, and he feels the anger from last night bubble up in his throat again.

“That you’re gonna send me to beat him the fuck up.” He says, and you roll your eyes, staring at him endearingly.

“I’m not getting back together with him.” you say, and he feels his heart do some weird stuff in his chest.

“It’s over for us. I’m breaking up with him the next time I see him.” you say, a finality in your words that make him confident you would do as you said.

“Good.” He crosses his arms and shifts his weight to one side.

“Should I go see him today?” you ask.

“Do you want to?” he questions. You sigh and shake your head.

“You’re no help.”

“Hey! I’m so much help,” he defends, and you smile at him.

“Sure.”

“I can go with you if you want,” he says seriously. You stare at him.

“If you want,” you offer, and he nods his head.

“Okay.” you say.

He watches you grab your phone and your now dry clothes and make your way into his bathroom. He listens as you close the door and waits until he hears the water start running, accompanied by soft music.

He squeezes the bridge of his nose and takes a second to examine the thawing bag of peas on his kitchen table.

He smiles to himself as he makes out the lyrics of your song.

As he puts the bag back in his freezer, he runs a nervous hand through his hair and stares at your car in his driveway.

He wants nothing more than to bruise you up himself, his mouth on your skin, his hands on your hips.

But that thought is fleeting. He gets closer to the bathroom and can hear you singing clearly, and he takes a second to listen before he speaks.

“Hey, I’m gonna go take a quick look at your car, okay?”

The water turns off.

“What?”

“I’m—I’m gonna go look at your car!” he says loudly, “the leaky door!”

There’s quiet for a moment before you’re unlocking the door, in only a towel. His towel.

“Thank you!” you beam, and with one hand clutching the towel to your chest, you hand him your car keys.

“They were in my pocket. It’d be kinda hard to get in without them,” you joke.

“Yeah, ‘course.” He grins lopsidedly, keeping his eyes a respectable distance from your naked torso.

With a smile, you close the door in his face.

The music resumes, as does the water, and Frankie breathes.

It would be a miracle if he made it through the day without sending someone to the hospital.