Cliff Burton X Reader - Tumblr Posts

Not really quick note: so ive never actually 'finished' any fics so i wasnt sure how to, this is also the first one ive posted on here, id love to have any tips even from people who dont really write, constructive critisism is always welcome. I think i stuck to the theme but im not sure lol. Ive edited most of it but some parts i only skimmed through after writing them so mistakes are probably present, anyways thanks for reading and i hope that this is enjoyable and not too goofy😭

(I love your work so much @mustainegf, thank you for the opportunity!<3)

Words: 2k

Warnings: my writing, fwb but no smut, mostly fluff, making out and a mention of smoking. I dont really think theres anything else

You noticed as you looked out the vehicle's window, intricate patters of frost decorating the glass. It was the middle of winter, and by the looks of it neither you or cliff would be trying to get anywhere else after you arrived at his place.

The changes in recent weather had been drastic. It had rained the night before, but now even the air was frozen forcing previous puddles to be formed into patches of slippery ice.

You two figured that after hitting up the grocery store, which had been before the heavy snowfall, you would hang out, watch a movie, share a smoke or get into some other suggestive activity.

You were quite content in that moment but the thought that you'd spent nights awake about itched at your mind again.

A while back Cliff had suggested to add a twist to your benevolence. "I was just thinkin' cause you're always complaining that you're not getting laid-" he  pauses to smirk. "And I'd also like to have a little fun now and then." He had previously explained that if uou were up to it, a freinds with benefits situation wouldnt be so bad.

Before you answered he made sure that you knew that he only wanted to if you were up for it, and that you could call it off at any point. "Its completely up to you, just think about it." He told you.

And you did. Of course you wanted it, or rather him, but you knew most of these sort of relationships excluded feelings. Cliff hadnt thrown in the rules yet so you asked him about them, clarifying that you were still only pondering the option.

Cliff said to you that he just wanted to discuss where boundaries lied, as well as any thoughts about the arrangement. He mentioned a few other things like being honest, which was important, but he never said anything regarding avoiding any romanticism. So you agreed.

There was this little sliver of hope deep in your heart hoping that maybe he didnt forbid those kind of feelings because he reciprocated them. However you countered with yourself that he would have just asked you out if he did, since he wasnt one to play with a person's emotions.

You opened your mouth to bring up the topic in the car, but stopped yourself. The different ways you believed he would respond forced you to change your mind.

You noticed after the first few weeks of the arrangement that cliff had been acting a little bit different. A change like that had been expected in some way by you, but he just wasn't the same. And though you knew that you should talk to him about it, the tension was currently a little weighted. You didnt feel like adding to it by asking anything that you deemed momentarily 'unnecessary.'

After a couple of minutes he pulled into the driveway, parking the car on the frozen cement with caution. The heater had previously been blasting hot air into the cab of Cliff's car. That being so, once  you opened the door and stepped into the fresh air, a harsh chill immediately encased your entire body.

Cliff quickly grabbed some of the grocery bags from the back, giving you a head start getting to the front door. Once you were inside, cliff swung the door shut, placing the bags down before beginning to shed his basic winter layers.

While you took off your own jacket, he decided to tease you, he grabbed your sides, icy fingers clawing at your covered flesh. His actions caused you to shriek. He snickered at your reaction, which drew out a scoff from your lips. "Meanie" you commented quietly. Cliff only chuckled and shook his head, smiling.

Once the two of you discarded all of your snow-packed apparel, he informed you that he was gonna grab a shit ton of blankets and haul them into the living room after he put the groceries away. "We can do whatever afterward, I just wanna get you warmed up." He winked, nudging you before dissapearing into the hallway.

You smiled, even without any cozy blankets you could feel a little bit of warmth in your heart already.  Although he was only a freind, he took care of you, which you could do by yourself easily but you needed to feel loved, as your life had been all sorts of messed up.

Suddenly remembering that he was nothing more than that; a freind, you started spiraling again. You knew you needed to finally talk to him about his difference in mood toward you, except you were intimidated by all of the possible outcomes.

As soon as you started to feel a farmiliar burn in your face from holding your tears from the confusion and longing, he staggered into the living room before you. A massive pile of blankets and quilts were stacked high in his arms. He struggled to avoid dropping any, but some dispersed onto the hardwood floor.

Luckily that made you smile before you could cry. You tried to stiffle a giggle, however failing miserably. Once he stubbed his toe on the coffee table next to the couch, you knew that was the breaking point. You bursted out laughing while he hissed in pain.

Cliff pouted, dropping all the fabric onto the loveseat. He turned around and huffed. "You're kind of mean yourself there, sweetheart." He claimed, chuckling. You only beamed at him, posing as innocent.

Feeling quite generous afterwards, you assisted in gathering the blankets and stacking them on the  couch neatly. During your time spent on making the couch look nice, your mind nagged at you once again to ask him, but you ignored your own persistence.

Cliff soon heads to the kitchen to grab the snacks and junk you had picked out for the movie, insisting that you pick what to watch while he left you in the den.

Once you finished, you sat down in front of the coffee table and looked under the tv, finding his vhs tape collection. After you sifted through the different movies for a bit, Cliff brought in a large bowl of popcorn and another small bowl of candy, a couple of drinks inside since his hands were mostly full.

"So what did you pick?" He wondered out loud. You grinned and held up the shining. He groans, placing down the bowls. "How many times have we watched that in this room alone??" He teased you.

"I just really love it, theres Shelley Duvall too" you quipped back, ignoring his faux annoyance. "And to be fair, you almost begged me to pick the movie." Cliff nodded, snickering softly. You slid the tape into the vhs player, sitting back onto the couch as soon as the beginning ads start playing.

You were sitting a little ways away from cliff on the couch. He noticed and pulled you toward him, now sitting sideways. Your legs rested over the arm of the loveseat as you flipped some of the blankets onto yourself.

About half an hour into the movie you could feel a new tension build. It had started modestly, but soon it seemed to be intolerable. You turned your neck a little ways to look at cliff, whose eyes were glued onto the screen. Regardless, you could sense that he wss struggling to pay attention to the film.

You looked back, and were on the verge of speaking up when cliff opened his mouth. "I think we should call it off." He said. He couldnt see the the sudden shock that took over your face because he was still staring straight at the TV. There was no real emotion present in his voice when he told you that, which threw you off.

You knew that he was talking about the arramgement  but you wanted to be clear. Shifting in your spot, you asked him, your tone almost more bewildered than you were. "What do you mean call it off?"

"I mean I cant do this anymore." He claimed, finally looking toward you. He winced at your slight scowl. "Thats not a reason Cliff, you said that we had to be honest." He groaned at your reminder and huffed, putting a hand over his face.

He mumbled something, but you couldnt hear him cause he spoke so quietly. "What?" You asked. This time he spoke louder. "I didnt mean for it to happen!" He stated, which confused you.

"For what to happen?" you were confused, the movie continued to play in the background as you scoffed at him again.

He sighed "Im sorry" he said quietly. "What happened Cliff?" You huffed, getting a little tired of going back and a little concerned. "What did you do?"

"I love you." He says bluntly, he was unable to look you in the eye as he scrunched his face and stood up.

You sat on the couch, no words could explain how many emotions were trying to unscramble themselves in your brain, but the gears started turning so you tried. "Cliff I-" you sputtered. "Why were you apologising before?"

He raised an eyebrow and dropped his hands to his side, your sudden calmness unnerved him. "I thought that it was a basic kind of 'rule' in these kinds of...relationships" He raised an eyebrow.

"Well you never mentioned it." You told him. He thought back to when he suggested it and nodded. "I guess I didnt but I thought that you'd-" he began ro ramble again before you cut him off.

"I love you too, cliff." God, was that a great way to shut him up at first his expression was flat. Eventually he just stood and smiled like a little kid. He did nothing until you rolled your eyes and patted the couch. "Just come here, you dumbass," you chuckled and shook your head. He obliged, pulling you even closer once he sat down.

For a moment you two just looked at eachother admiringly. You had thought Cliff was at an absolute loss of words but he proved you wrong. "Can I kiss you?" He wondered out loud. You smiled and reached your hands to hold both sides of his face, bringing him forward and allowing him to reach your lips in a soft kiss.

You had kissed Cliff before, but this time it felt different. It didnt feel rushed or cloddish. It was sensual, and a little strange. You felt as if every weight had been lifted off of your shoulders. Butterflies started stirring in your stomach, which  made you feel giggly and lovesick.

Slowly, the kisses moved on to small touches, and though it had almost been a routine as well, this too felt different for you and cliff. It felt strange, but amazing both at once.

You broke away and tucked your head into the crook if his neck, littering small kisses and nips on his skin. Cliff groaned and made little sounds every once in a while, he smiled widely, basking in the moment.

Your tounge darted out and you licked over where you had nipped, smoothing over some of the purple marks you had sucked as well.

You kissed back up his jawline to his face, planting a singular kiss on his cheek before pulling away to gaze at him again. His eyes flutter open, his grin staying as it was as he sinks into the back cushions.

He holds you by the small of your back with both hands as you straddle him. Leaning forward, you hug him. "Can we just stay like this?" You asked, feeling no urgency for anything at the moment. Cliff agreed, smiling and kissing your cheek before rubbing your back, the light pressure making you sigh happily.

He held you close. It felt good, to finally be like that with him. The tension was long dissipated and he made it clear that he was only acting strange as to not scare you away with his confession.

The only occurence that disturbed your peaceful atmosphere being a playful popcorn fight, which started because of a small tiff about the movie neither of you remembered by the time it was over.

AGHHHHH idk how anybody writes anything so fast ive been working and procrastinating on working on this for probably four or five days😭

I really hope this was okay, thank youu<3

YALL IM DYING THERE ARE LEGIT NO CLIFF FICS somebody pls i beg of you🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏😭☹😡😟😔😞😖

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

If cliff has 100,000 fans, I'm one of them. If cliff has 10,000 fans, I'm one of them. If cliff has 1,000 fans, I'm one of them. If cliff has 1 fan, I'm that 1 fan. If the world is against cliff I'm against the world, if cliff has 0 fans IM DEAD 😵.

You Make Loving Fun ✍︎ Cliff Burton

for @metallicaislife ♡ for whom (the bell tolls) i love endlessly

Worn out cotton tickles the tip of your nose as you twist your body to hug the pillow beneath you, the furrow between your eyebrows concaving into a deep and temporary divot as you blindly shove your face into the pillowcase and groan out a halfhearted protest. The sun beams down on and in through the aged and crooked blinds, and you grimace as you feel the slight tinge of sweat culminate on the skin of your left arm and shoulder blade.

You exhale out a sigh of relief as you untangle a limb and use it to toss the embroidered and heavy blanket off of your upper half, and a smile twitches itself onto your yawning lips, as the faint and barely-there scent of your boyfriend's herbs and stale cigarette smoke wafts and dances its way up to you from the movement of the fabric.

You sluggishly sit up and immediately make eye contact with the most recent picture that was taken of Cliff and sent your way, via mail, and a deep sense of yearning and excited anxiety fills you to the brim as you take in the sight. In the photo you kept in safe keeping, your boyfriend can be seen grinning down at a letter you wrote only a few days prior, the delicate skin around his eyes stretching and wrinkling with glee as he takes in your adoration-filled words. Your fingers grip onto the fabric of his shirt surrounding you as you embrace the flutter that creates dormancy in your chest. You blink back the sting that starts behind your eyelids as you think of your partner, before turning your attention elsewhere, suddenly needing a distraction from the onslaught of emotions trying to overwhelm you so early in the morning.

The smile that once teased your lips comes back to, you unable to fight back the amusement you feel as soon as the sticker on the postcard to your left comes into view, as you turn your head away from the polaroid thumbtacked on the wall opposite of the bed.

'Metallica up your ass!' stares back up at you in an overused and obnoxious font, the beginning and ending of the band's logo's letters turning into plungers and bleeding their way down the paper in front of you in a muddy and russet brown color.

The heart beating inside of your chest pauses, and then sporadically beats as your partially numb fingertips run their way over the smudged and messy ink on the bottom of the postcard, your arms feeling like lead as they slowly wake themselves up.

Soon, is the only word scrawled on the dilapidated piece of paper, and you caress your bottom lip with the tip of your tongue as you take in a deep and unsteady breath. Biting back a wince as your uncovered and bare feet make contact with the chilled hardwood floor underneath you as you begin to stand up, your amused smile relaxes itself into a small grin as you make your way down into another room of the shared living space. Old group posters absorb themselves into the chipped, yellow paint of the hallway's walls and vinyl's haphazardly rest on uneven and homemade shelves, the sight greeting you warmly as you tiredly stumble through the small living room area and into the dimly lit kitchen.

You temporarily flutter your eyes shut as the coffee machine buzzes and vibrates to life against the scratched marble counter you lean against with your cocked hip, the sound comforting and grounding as you slowly begin to come to full consciousness. The tips of your nails tap against the hardened material of your favorite mug with a familiar beat, and your chest heaves in a silent laugh as you acknowledge the original source.

"Two hours, two hours." You murmur out into the chilled air, your eyes finally opening back up and making their way upward to stare up at the clock above the refrigerator. Your palm reddens as you press it against your now filled and warmed up coffee mug and you hum in contentment, before pushing yourself off of the countertop with your free elbow and making your way back toward the bedroom once again.

Reaching out to entangle your fingers in the multitude of band and long sleeve t-shirts Cliff left behind as you make your way past your guys' closet, you swallow a large gulp of the caffeinated drink and glance at the outfit you already have placed out and folded on top of a chair, on the outskirts of the bedroom. Anticipation enraptures you as you pitter over to the dress, and you mirthfully grin to yourself and against the heat emanating from your coffee as you picture his reaction to the ensemble. You already know what your reaction to seeing him again will be like, somewhat already familiarized with the sense of longing that comes with the partially long-distance relationship the two of you were in. But you hope the letter you wrote last night and the effort you put in to surprising him will show him how much you truly care for him, love him. And you also, maybe, want to floor him on his ass just a little bit. Lovingly, of course.

✉

Fleetwood Mac harmonizes out of the record player and into the frenzied air of the dining room as you run your way around the small apartment, the mirth and confidence you felt earlier being shoved back and away and replaced with exerted exhaustion. You let out a puff of air and bite back a giggle as it sways the hair resting against the crown of your head and your temples. You lean back and rest against the wall connecting the two nearest rooms and wipe the sudsy water off of the palms of your hands, the caffeine in your system now completely gone after the last hour and a half of cooking and getting yourself ready. You freeze in place at an unexpected and too-early sound coming from the front door only a few feet away from you; the grip you have on the apron you're trying to remove slipping as you suddenly hear a key slide into the deadbolt.

"Oh shit." You whisper, before hurriedly yanking the stained protectant off and tossing it over and onto the sofa, the doorknob now being twisted and pushed on with impatient haste.

You place your hands behind your back and wrap them around the opposite wrist, your stomach sucking in densely with a heavy inhalation as you ready yourself for the sight of your boyfriend. The heart in your chest begins to thunder and catapult as he shoves his way in, his arms weighed down by multiple duffle bags and heavy carry on's. Cliff visibly deflates as soon as you come into view, the annoyed expression on his facial features crumbling and his eyes widening with anew light. Before either one of you could utter out a single word, your feet begin to move on their own accord, and your arms encircle themselves around his broad shoulders as you guide him down into an abrupt embrace. Cliff lets out a surprised grunt as you make harsh contact with him, and he carefully allows his bags to thud against the welcoming rug as soon as he's sure your feet are in the clear and a safe distance away. Cliff gently guides you backwards and further into the warmth of the lived in space, his right and booted foot blindly kicking the door behind him closed as he wholly and intentionally focuses in on you.

"Hi, sweetheart." He coos out, his eyebrows raising in muted amusement as he feels you shake against him with poorly hidden tremors. His hand dips down to your lower back to rub soothing and placating circles in the intimate and sensitive skin, causing you to take in a deep breath of his scent and sigh out, feeling immense exasperated relief as he temporarily brings his body closer to yours.

"Where's the funeral?" Cliff muses, gently unwrapping your arms from around him and shuffling you until you're at an arm's length of distance. Large and warm calloused hands cup your cheeks as tears stream down from your eyes, and you let out a sound of embarrassment as soon as you look up at him and make bashful eye contact.

"I had the whole day planned out, and I swore to myself I wouldn't cry." You admit, an unfightable smile breaking through and ending the waterwork of tears as your boyfriend's warm and soft laughter fills the room around you two. "If a reunion between us doesn't start with you crying as soon as you see me, then you didn't miss me all that much." You raise an arm to playfully collide it with his arm but pause as you get lost in the way he looks down at you. Warmth spreads through you as Cliff caresses your cheeks and bends down to meet you halfway, his lips feeling more homelike than the apartment the two or you share.

The music playing from a room away bleeds into a cacophony of static and gentle white noise as he delicately breathes out against you and his stubble brushes against your cupid's bow. The hand you have paused and already raised goes to wrap around his wrist instead, and you let out a sigh of fulfillment as you feel his steady and thrumming heartbeat underneath your slightly trembling fingertips. The hand you aren't holding on to slides down and grips onto the back of your neck and onto your nape, the firm grasp making you melt into the embrace and fully relax. The never-ending worrying of his health and safety and if he'll make it home all in one piece finally stops and you nearly slump in overwhelming consolation, before letting out a whine as he pulls away and disconnects his lips from yours.

Cliff smiles widely, his eyes doing that endearing squint that you love so much as he takes in your appearance, inch by inch. Heat bleeds from the apples of your cheeks down to your chest, and you're close to shying away before he speaks up and begins his praise. "And look at you, my love, all dressed up for me." You let out a gentle bout of laughter as his hand glides to yours and raises to spin you in a dramatic and slow circle.

"And only for you," you reassure him in a quiet tone, your blush becoming a bright red hue as his eyes slightly darken at your affirmation. "Who takes care of me, no matter how far away he may be," Cliff quickly clears his throat and looks away as he starts to flush, only glancing over at you to playfully glare as you let out a sound of amused enjoyment. "Go and take your jacket and your shoes off for me, big boy. I made us dinner."

You watch as your boyfriend seems to physically shake his head to get out of his own stupor, and you bite onto the tip of your thumb as a wide grin sores your cheeks. You quickly turn around and slide the envelope underneath his tablecloth before he could see it and make your way over to your chair. You look up amid filling up both of your plates as you hear a throat clear itself and a zipper shudder to a close, and your lips gape open in surprise as you're greeted with your partner holding out a bouquet of flowers to you. Pink roses are hugged up against tulips and blooming sunflowers, and surrounding all of it, a ribbon tied in a perfect knot with all of your favorite colors.

"Cliff," you start and then stop, your eyes threatening to water as you take in his sheepish grin. His socked feet shuffle in barely contained nervousness, causing the bell bottoms of his flared jeans to rub against each other and irritate his ankle's skin. "I knew I was going to come home, and you'd be looking as gorgeous as you usually do, with a mountain full of food out on the table and our songs already playing. It really isn't that big of a deal, baby. Just wanted to let you know that I was thinking about you on the way over here and wanted to gift you a little token of appreciation." Cliff feels his heart flutter in his chest as he takes in your wide eyes and unsteady hands, fighting back the urge to discard the flowers and give you comfort instead.

"Everything you do for me is a big deal, because it comes from you," you swallow thickly and force yourself to take in a deep breath before continuing. "The man who's taught me what healthy love is and what a relationship is supposed to be and feel like. You're everything, especially to me, so every little thing you do for me will always be insurmountable." Cliff lets out a disbelieving laugh as his eyes begin to tear up, and he quickly makes his way over to the table to sit next to you, as close as physically possible without bringing you onto his lap. You both wince at the sound of his chair squeaking out in protest against the tiles underneath it and let out shy laughs at the closeness once you two meet in the middle. No matter how many years the two of you have been together and have met up after a long leg of a tour, it all still felt so brand new and refreshing. And as you thumb a thick strand of hair behind your ear and glance over to see the content smile on your partner's face, you silently wish for the butterflies and the excitement to never end. And as he turns to look at you, he silently does the same, his hands reaching over to entangle themselves in yours to hold you close.

✉

A whoosh flies out of you as you twist your body to face Cliff halfway, your now protruding tummy protesting the movement as you fight to keep the atrocious amount of food you ate down. Your boyfriend looks no better off, the overeating seeming like a good idea at first, but soon becoming a sullen regret as he slumps back in his dining room chair and brings your feet up to rest against the jean material hugging his slender thighs. Your eyes flit over to the dessert you made early last night resting on the stove, and Cliff lets out a deep groan as he follows your line of sight.

"Absolutely fucking not." He refuses, squinting up at you from his lowered position, his face set in a mild grimace and his fingertips drawing firm figure 8's in your bare calves.

"You'll regret saying that when the crust hardens in the morning and the cherry filling dries up." You retort, letting out a chortle as he sarcastically rolls his eyes at your rebuttal. "As long as the pie's the only thing drying up around here, I don't mind."

You smack his shoulder, causing him to beam wide and let out a cackle as he takes in your incredulous expression. "Clifford Lee Burton, you are nothing less of a pervert!" You yell, before sharing a grin as you both acknowledge the hypocrisy in your playful outburst. You were almost always the first one to initiate intimacy between the two of you, shocking the musician who was already known for not being too shy himself once he feels comfortable and in tune with everyone around him. He couldn't help it, turning into a softened mess whenever you were around, his hesitancy only proving his utmost respect for you and only going after whatever you were ready for at any given moment.

"C'mere real quick, I've got something else for you." He murmurs after taking in a few deep breaths, a hand on your leg stopping all movement and removing itself to reach behind his back and grab onto an item from one of his pockets. You furrow your eyebrows in confusion, before looking over at the incredible bouquet lying against the edge of the table. He had already done more than enough; he was here, and he was present, and that was all you could possibly want and ask for.

You relay the same sentiment out loud and get a small smile in response, and an almond-colored envelope waved in your direction. Your eyes widen in surprise at the rarity of him writing you a letter, his thing more of a late-night phone call after an exhilarating performance and him falling asleep to the sound of your voice. "I figured I'd write you one back after the dozens you wrote me over the past few months that have helped keep me sane, with all of the traveling and roadies we've got running all around. Might not be as good as one of yours, but." Cliff shrugs nonchalantly, but the glassiness of his eyes present a wide array of nervousness and timidness. You hide an enamored grin behind the gift as you feel his leg begin to bounce underneath your own.

"I'd accept and take anything you give me without complaint, and you know that." You almost whisper, the pads of your thumbs indenting themselves into the envelope that's nestled in your palms, as you smile down at the messy scrawling of the nickname that he's been calling you since high school.

Sunshine.

You tear open the sealed backing of the letter with excited haste and ignore the sound of your boyfriend's amused laughter, his hands encircling their way around your calves once again as you unfold the contents inside. Your heart stops in time as you grasp onto a mini polaroid picture of the two of you on your first date. October 12th, 1979, is written on the bottom of the image, and you let out a tear-filled laugh as you run a fingertip over the crooked heart drawn near your connected hands. You quickly unfold the letter and begin to read it with rapt and undeterred attention.

To my sunshine, who I met back in 1979. August 31st, to be exact. I can almost remember it like it was yesterday. You floated into homeroom like you owned the place, although you expression screamed that you wanted to be anywhere else at that moment. Your undeniable beauty is what caught my attention at first, but your personality is what caused me to stick around. You enrapture me, with your kindness and your openness, the way you welcome all kinds of people in and give them emotional shelter. I've never met someone like you before, and I don't think I ever will. I've known you for 2,372 days, and I think I've been in love with you for every single one of them. I cannot picture myself without you, and when I do, I feel nothing but alone and starving. Even when I'm on tour and I'm surrounded by the smell of the other guys and enough weed to power a greenhouse, I still feel your presence around me. You are my everything, and everything else, all at once. And you complete me. Thank you for always sticking by my side, and for believing in the band when we had absolutely nothing. You cheered us on while we were ripping out foam from the walls to make beds in a one room apartment, and you continue to cheer us on in front of hundreds of thousands of people today. Your love is universal, and I hope to be the main person you show it to until we're old and withered, but still young together and at heart. I cannot wait to be able to come home and to have you and hold you in my arms, I've been dreaming about it and yearning for it for months. Hold on, because I'm coming home to you. Love yours, your bellbottom wearing, hippie asshole.

"Six years in counting, and sixty-six more to go." You nearly weep out, your body instinctively reaching out for Cliff as you drop the letter and photo in your lap. Cliff instantly lifts and brings you into and onto his own, gently guiding your head to rest on his chest as he runs his large palms up and down your wracking and trembling back.

"Everything is alright, sweet thing. Just breathe for me." Your partner reassures, the cadence in his voice and his natural comforting aura causing you to calm down much faster than you normally would if he wasn't around.

"Doing so well for me, always so good." Cliff smiles down at you with a soft look as you blearily look up into his bright, green eyes. "When was the last time I told you how much I love you?" You ask him once you trust your voice enough not to crack or break, and an unsteady smile makes its way on to your lips as your boyfriend bends down to place a warm kiss on the center of your forehead.

"Yesterday morning. And then yesterday afternoon, and then last night, again." Cliff drones out, the faux tone of annoyance in his voice making you shake your head in mirth and rest it against his chest once again. You place a kiss there and beam to yourself as he shivers from the notion, before leaning back and sliding your hand underneath his tablecloth to get your own letter this time. "How about I remind you again?"

Cliff lets out a warm spell of laughter as you hand him over a matching-colored envelope, almost the same in size and all. "I bet you won't one up me at all," he jokes to you, before pausing midway while opening it. "Read it to me? Missed the sound of your actual voice. Sweden's phone reception is actual shit, and you sound much better in person." You squint your eyes at his obvious ass kissing but turn around to rest against his front and to lean your head against his clothed shoulder. "Alright, brat."

You lift your hand for the envelope and let out a huff as he playfully tugs it away from you, going to fully open it himself and then placing it in your awaiting hand. You momentarily close your eyes at the sensation of his stubble making contact with your exposed collarbone, before opening them once again to start reading your letter out loud.

"To my hippie rockstar, I miss you even though we already spoke over the phone tonight. The excitement in your voice when you told me about how filled and interactive the crowd was made me want to cry. It reminds me of the times we used to sit in your parent's living room and watch the tapes your parents filmed of you, Scott and Connie. You banging on empty and already-eaten spaghetti cans and your older siblings playing their actual instruments, but you still kept up with them with your insane enthusiasm. I know Connie is proud of you, she told me the other night when I called her home. But I know Scott would be losing his shit right now. He'd be the first person in line at every single venue, and the last person standing out there, cheering you on while everyone else headed on home. I know he isn't with us anymore, but he's still your older brother no matter how you look at it, and I just know he's exuberant and standing on the tips of his toes looking down at you. We all are, because you are our star. I knew it the first moment I saw you, in that overworn jean jacket you still somehow fit into today, and that bellbottom jean style you still hold on to, that we all secretly love. When I first saw you and spoke to you outside of class, I knew you were different. The shy smiles you'd send my way and the little notes we'd pass to each other when the teacher wasn't looking. The first time you held my hand on our first date and refused to let go until I promised you that I'd allow you to take me out on another one. You are tenacious and hardworking and everyone around you is so proud, including me. I cannot wait to see you and our best friends on tour in person once again, and I can't wait to see how we end up in the future. Together, I know that. Hopefully in a home much larger and filled with our children and future nieces and nephews, and with that specific type of breed of dog you've always wanted. But even if in fifteen years down the road and we're still in this old apartment, with the same crooked blinds and the same scratched marble countertops, I would still be content. Because as long as I have you by my side and still feel you even if you're not here with me physically, I'll still have you in my heart and you'll always be here. You are my other half, my overindulgent, loving and caring, hippie rockstar. And I wouldn't have you any other way. Until I see you again, your Sunshine. Six years in counting, and sixty-six more to go."

You sniffle once you finish, the tip of your nose being tickled and irritated by a teardrop refusing to fall down. The music is the only sound emanating throughout the apartment, but you know that your boyfriend held on to every single word and syllable, if his shaking shoulders were any indication and proof of that. You let out a coo as you feel his arms encircle their way around your middle from behind, and you twist your head to the side to place a kiss on his now damp and tear-stained jawline.

"We're all so proud of you. You know that, right?" You ask him quietly, not wanting to fright him or break the delicate scene the two letters of yours made. You feel him nod against you and you let go of your letter to wrap your hands around his. "You do so well for everyone, and if I have to remind you myself every day, then I will."

"I love you so much." Cliff declares, the tremble in his voice causing you to press yourself against him even more, wanting to give him as much comfort as physically possible. "And I love you." You answer, simply and softly. Because it was the truth, and you always will. You made that promise to him five years ago on your first anniversary, and you intend to keep it until that right is taken away from you.

Cliff kisses the tears away of his that landed on your shoulders during your reading, and carefully scoots his chair back until it lightly raps itself against the yellow-colored wall. Before you could even ask what he was doing, you're spontaneously picked up with little to no effort, and then placed unsteadily on your bare feet. "Let's dance." He says, before dramatically holding a hand out to you and bowing his head. You let out a confused laugh but decide to go with the flow anyway, reaching your hand up to grasp onto his.

A squeal exits your lips as you're playfully tugged around the dining room table, and on to the crossroads of the living room and the kitchen. You instinctually wrap your arms around his shoulders as soon as he lifts you once again to place your feet on top of his. "I don't want the first day of me being back to be nothing but tears and stomachaches. Granted, the food was amazing, and your letter means the world to me, but I finally have you back in my arms after so long, and I want to take full advantage of it."

Your eyes soften as you look up into his and nod mutely, his hands caressing your lower waist bringing warmth back into you as your combined feet chill from the minor draft breezing itself inside from the front door.

You place a gentle kiss on his chin before resting your forehead against his chest and closing your eyes, the sound of the song that you two danced to on your first date crooning around the two of you like a comforting serenade as you both sway back and forth.

'Sweet, wonderful you. You make me happy with the things you do. Oh, can it be so? This feeling follows me wherever I go.'

"One day," Cliff starts, causing you to hum against him for him to continue. "One day, I'm going to make enough money and I'll propose, and we'll get married, and we can go and look for that perfect home you're always talking about. The white picket fence and the two floors, the walk-in closet, with a garage that's big enough to fit the both of our car's in."

"As long as you're here with me, I don't mind where we go or where we'll end up. That's just fairytales, you and I are the present, so let's focus on that instead," you lean back to look up in his eyes, that already seemed to be looking down at you. "You are my home, and we've got all of the time in the world. So, let's just focus on what we've got now, because that's all that I truly need."

Cliff nods back at you and slightly raises you off of the tops of his feet to bring you into a warm hug and embrace. You wrap your legs around his waist like it's second nature, and you feel complete and at ease as he rests his head in the space between your neck and your shoulder.

"But I'll accept that marriage proposal right away, if you were serious about that one." Your boyfriend lets out a laugh against your flushed skin and you grin widely to yourself as his vibration tickles your skin.

Cliff momentarily glances over at his jean jacket and the little red box that peeks out of its breast pocket, before resting his head against you once again and tightening his grip around you.

For once is his life, or in the past six years of the best part of his life he's spent with you, he's finally got one up on you. And he cannot wait to see your reaction. And he also, maybe, wants to floor you on your ass just a little bit. Lovingly, of course.

'You, you make loving fun. It's all I want to do.'

Metallica Masterlist

⭒ James Hetfield ⭒ Requests (open)

Playtime (16+) ˚ (suggestive, bondage contemplation, ambiguous ending)

Play Me (18+) ˚ (phone sex, partial long-distance relationship, ambiguous ending)

Taste Test (18+) ⭒ (threesome with jason, vampire!au, ambiguous ending)

Summon Me (18+) It Will Come Back (18+) ˚ (demon!james, dorm sex, oral sex while standing/carrying receiver, fingering, minor blood play, unprotected sex, multiple orgasms, creampie, ambiguous/happy ending)

Deprivation (18+) ˚ (breath play, hotel sex, happy ending)

Sunny Side Up (18+) ˚ (morning sex, kitchen sex, creampie, happy ending)

Missus Eat Pavement (18+) Mister Meet Gravel (18+) ˚ (rockstar!james, smalltown!reader, oral sex, ambiguous ending)

Desert Hills Motel (18+) ˚ (traveling!james, smalltown!reader, hotel sex, happy ending)

Add One More ˚ (domestic fluff, partial angst, happy ending)

Leap Of Faith (18+) ˚ (angst, backstage sex, rough sex, happy ending)

After Afterparty (18+) ˚ (fluff, hotel sex, shower sex, long-distance relationship, happy ending)

Hell's Angel (18+) ˚ (hellsangels!au, angst, violence, sex on top of a desk, drug use, happy ending)

Backseat Paradise (18+) ˚ (car sex, light angst, fluff, partial long-distance relationship, happy ending)

Counterproductive Tendencies (multi-chapter, 18+) ˚ part one, part two, part three, part four (fluff, smut, angst, drug use, alcoholism, semi-public sex, oral sex) ⭒ ongoing series

Needy Little Fucking Thing (18+) ˚ (softdom!james, semi-public sex, unprotected sex, creampie, happy ending)

(Un)Still Shots (18+) ˚ (semi-public sex, sexually explicit photography, breath play, fingering, dry humping, happy ending)

A to Z (18+) ˚ (alphabetical sex list, oral sex, semi-public sex, fingering, bondage, phone sex, mutual masturbation, creampie, happy ending)

Backstage Birthday Pass (18+) ˚ (birthday surprise, fluff, smut, oral sex, fingering, dressing room sex, mirror sex, unprotected sex, creampie, happy ending)

⭒ Kirk Hammett

A Nightmare On Elm Street ˚ (fluff, slightly suggestive, happy ending)

Scream (18+) ˚ (couch sex, rough sex, horror movie elements, happy ending)

Unwind Me (18+) ˚ (fluff, backstage sex, happy ending)

Room For More (18+) ˚ (threesome with jason, dominant!jason, submissive!kirk, backstage sex, oral sex, fluff, light angst, happy ending, polyamory)

A to Z (18+) ˚ (alphabetical sex list, oral sex, mutual masturbation, public sex, cumshot, bondage, sex tape, roleplay, voyeurism, happy ending)

Pages Deep (18+) ˚ (fluff, smut, mutual masturbation, fingering, partial edging, unprotected sex, creampie, happy ending)

⭒ Jason Newsted

Taste Test (18+) ⭒ (threesome with james, vampire!au, ambiguous ending)

Extended Cut (18+) ˚ (submissive!jason, studio sex, oral sex, ambiguous ending)

Room For More (18+) ˚ (threesome with kirk, dominant!jason, submissive!kirk, backstage sex, oral sex, fluff, light angst, happy ending, polyamory)

A to Z (18+) ˚ (alphabetical sex list, begging, bondage, fingering, oral sex, unprotected sex, sixty-nine, creampie, roleplaying, semi-public sex, voyeurism, vibrators, happy ending)

⭒ Lars Ulrich

Ride The Lightning (18+) ˚ (angst, rough sex, sex against drum set, happy ending)

Baseline (18+) ˚ (partial angst, fluff, oral sex, public sex in shower room, rough sex, creampie, happy ending)

⭒ Cliff Burton

You Make Loving Fun ˚ (domestic fluff, partial long-distance relationship, happy ending)

Follow My Lead ˚ (fluff, surprise birthday party, happy ending)

Follow My Lead ⭒ Cliff Burton

You wince as the front door is loudly slammed to a close behind you, eyes wide as you glance over at James and Lars sprawled out on a rickety couch only a few feet away, almost already fully inebriated and looking high out of their minds. They loudly greet you with slowly raising arms and maniac waving hands, and you send them a panicked grin before gesturing at them to lower their voices. The guitar case in your arms and pressed against your upper half weighs you down as you try to shuffle as carefully as you can through the ever-growing crowd, purposefully keeping your head down to hide your face from your boyfriend, his melodic laughter audible and near enough to make you attempt to move at an even faster pace.

You let out a sigh of relief once you get halfway through the packed living and dining room and see the familiar hallway in your line of sight, only to jolt in fright as a hand encircles itself around your arm from behind and gently turns you around.

"Thought it was you! Walking around like Samara from The Ring," Kirk greets and teases, his grin turning into a wide smile as he registers what you're trying to hide. "Holy shit, is that what I think it is?" You smile despite your worry of being seen, your best friend's energy contagious and enough to help you partially calm down. You nod and let out a laugh as he shakes his head in disbelief, immediately following behind you as you continue your way to Cliff's bedroom.

Kirk discards his half empty beer bottle on the nearest flat surface and uses his newly freed hand to grasp onto and lift the upper half of the case, nodding off the grateful look you send his way. "Think he'll lose his shit once he sees it?" You ask, hiding your nervousness behind a halfhearted, mirthful upturn of lips. Kirk lets out a scoff and helps you place the present on the carpeted floor safely in front of your boyfriend's door, stepping aside as you lean forward to test the handle. You temporarily close your eyes in relief as it slides open, the musky and heady scent of his strains and cologne greeting you and welcoming you in warmly as you take a step inside.

"Think if he doesn't cry or pass out on the spot, I'll take it as a gift instead," you let out a bout of laughter as you flick the nearest light switch upward and glance down the hallway once more, before bending down to carefully maneuver the guitar case into a standing position. "He brings this specific guitar up every time we go shopping for new equipment, he's going to spaz. No doubt. Where'd you even find this? It's damn near a one of a kind."

You smile to yourself and lightly graze a fingertip over the newly engraved name in the case, sending your best friend a cheeky look once he crouches down beside you to get a better look. "Called in during a radio questionnaire, won, and got a good percentage off from the state store for the personal engraving," you admit, steadying yourself as Kirk curses out loud and tries to call you out for bullshit. "I'm being serious! Maybe you should listen to the radio more often."

"And be stuck listening to bullshit repeats, and commercials about hemorrhoid cream? I'm good," you bite back a laugh at his absurdity and jab your elbow against his, letting out a huff as he shoves you back with just as much force and nearly sends you off kilter. "Let's get this inside before his birthday party is over, and he's too smacked off his tits to realize how much of a big deal this is."

You nod along to his words and take a deep breath, smiling to yourself as you two pick up and place the present on Cliff's unruly and unmade bed. Kirk sends you a half tipsy thumbs up and tosses an arm over your shoulders once you two make it back outside and into the hallway.

"Don't worry about it, he'll love it. And if he doesn't, you can give it to me. I accept second-hand things."

"Kirk!" "I'm kidding! Mostly."

⭒

All of the nervousness and anticipatory anxiety thrumming through you, vanishes as soon as Cliff's laughter and joyous cadence is back in earshot. Kirk squeezes your arm and wishes you good luck, before sliding over to a rowdy and drunken group and tunneling down the contents handed to him in a solo cup. Arms encircle themselves around you as you watch him finish it in one go, the familiar scent of natural musk and smoke invading your senses and engulfing itself around you like a flame, as you cheer him on.

Brown, curly hair tickles the side of your neck as Cliff places a delicate kiss to your shoulder blade and guides you around to fully face him. Green and blown wide eyes beam down at you with a smile to match, and you can't help but wrap your arms around him and bring him even closer. Denim blue bell bottom jeans brush against your bare ankles as you rest your chin upon his chest and look up at him with love-filled eyes.

"There's my girl," he announces, the loud tone in his voice now gone and replaced with something much softer, private. Callous laden fingers and knuckles glide their way across and down your hips and back, and you have to force your eyes to stay open as your boyfriend speaks up again. "Where'd you go? You got all of this prepared for me, and you almost missed out on us cutting the cake."

You hum dismissively, temporarily removing yourself to look down and hold back a delighted and luminescent smile and laugh. "Brought something from outside in for you, is all. No big deal." Cliff purses his lips and nods resolutely, before shaking his head and lifting you off of your feet and the floor beneath you.

"Sounds like bullshit to me. You've always been such a terrible liar," he laughs brightly as you scramble to grab ahold of his jacket and let out a sound of shock. "You aren't as subliminal as I think you wish to be and think you are, baby," a loud smack of an amused kiss is pressed to your pouting lips once you're raised high enough to be near the same height as him, your own pair immediately latching onto his and bringing him into a legitimate kiss before he can pull away. Cliff exhales blissfully after you two disconnect, his once large eyes now hooded and his arms securely pressing the entirety of you to his front. "Want to tell me what you were carrying in, or should I start guessing?" Your heart flutters at the content and at peace tone in his voice.

You border your arms around his neck and let out a faux sigh of defeat. "Follow me to the bedroom and I'll show you." A red hue makes its way to your cheeks as you take in your own words, sending Cliff a playful look of warning as his expression perks up with newfound interest. Your boyfriend reaches down to lightly pat you on your ass, before muttering out, "You will never have to repeat that sentence to me twice, ever."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it." You retort back, unserious, your feet making contact with his shins as he walks you two through the crowd, before you raise your legs to encase them around his waist. Large and calloused palms rest on the precipice of the back of your upper thighs, and you squeal as a pinch is placed right underneath your backside. Cliff presses his smile against the top of your head and pulls you in even closer.

"Right."

⭒

"Close your eyes!" You insist once you two make it back to his bedroom door, reaching up to try and place a hand in his line of sight much more of a struggle for you at your natural height. Cliff grins widely down at you and interlaces his fingers with yours instead, backing you up against the door and brushing your hair away from your eyes with his free hand.

"I don't see what the big deal is, you've already thrown me a party. But whatever it is, I'll love it, because it's coming from you." You rest the back of your head on the wooden door behind you as a kiss is placed on your forehead, to try and placate you.

"It's the guitar we saw and found on our first date," you start, watching with satisfaction as he pauses his ministrations and realization dawns on him. Baby hairs fall back into their previous placement and tickle at your temples, as your boyfriend takes a step back to look at you in shock. "The white one, electric. The one you said felt perfect in your hands? The one that was auctioned off and sold a week later, the one you said you'll always save up and try to find, because it meant something to you. Meant something to the both of us."

"The one I said I'd play a song for you on if I could ever afford it," Cliff whispers, his eyes glassy as he looks down at you in amazement, his hands unfreezing at his sides to come up and cup your chin. You grin in his grip and hold onto his wrists as he shakes his head. "There's no way you found it, at least the exact same one. Babe, that was years ago, and the buyer said he lived out of state."

You place a hand on his chest to gently maneuver him backwards a few steps, before twisting your arm behind your back to push his bedroom door open. Stepping aside, you nod your head to the left and gently tug him forward. "Take a look for yourself." Cliff's eyes widen as a familiar and long, slightly battered guitar case comes into view, it's russet brown and black finish starkly standing out against and on top of his lightly colored linen. His footsteps are heavy and nearly dragged as he makes his way over to the bed, his eyes enlarged with wonder and awe.

Cliff turns to look at you in disbelief, before leaning forward to peer at the engraving now permanently etched in the case. 'Clifford Lee Burton, for you and for us' Tears sting his eyes as he rereads it fervently, none of this night feeling real to him. "How the hell were you able to pull this off?"

You shrug and walk over to him, resting your head on his shoulder as he carefully opens up the case. You both gape as if it was the first time seeing it, the strings looking brand new and refurbished and its white paint and coating looking as it if had never once been touched. "I won a questionnaire on the radio, and here we are."

"The hemorrhoid one?" Cliff asks you, laughter bubbling up in his tone and pouring out as you look at him exasperatedly. "Yes, babe. The hemorrhoid one." You can't help but laugh with him as well, your body feeling light and you feeling at home and at ease with your partner.

You glance up as he readjusts the electric guitar back into its casing and turns to look at you, his expression unreadable. "So, you called into a radio station and took time out of your day, because the guitar they were speaking about sounded familiar and like the one we saw on our first date, over two years ago?" at your nod of confirmation, he continues, his tone turning incredulous. "And you went out of you way to go and get it, got its case engraved, and then surprised me with a birthday party?"

You look at him in confusion, before nodding again. "Yeah, I did. What's the big deal? We always surprise each other on our birthday's." Cliff shakes his head and looks away momentarily, before crossing over to the other side of his room and grabbing ahold of a guitar strap. You watch as he carefully picks up the new piece of equipment and attaches the strap to the back of it, your confusion turning into endearment as he tunes the guitar like it's second nature.

"I don't know how good acoustic is going to sound on an electric guitar, but we can figure it out," Cliff voices out distractedly, somehow still being able to reach out and guide you towards his bed to sit comfortably as he gets everything set up and together. "Our song might sound like shit, but the sentiment is still there."

Your eyes begin to tear up once the first string is strung, moving over to make space as your boyfriend sits down next to you and gently raises your hand to place it on top of his. "Just follow my lead." He instructs, not knowing his words would kickstart you back to an even older memory, before your very own first date.

"I need you to hold onto my hand and kick forward." Cliff says to you in a gentle tone, looking over his shoulder to send a glare to the rest of your guys' mutual friends as someone lets out a laugh.

You stare up at him with wide eyes, a stray tear making its way down your cheek as your legs unsteadily shake underneath you and on top of the skateboard. "I don't think I can do this, maybe this was a bad idea."

Your best friend shakes his head at you adamantly, before reaching forward to place his hands on top of yours and squeezes them reassuringly, his steady grip enough to stabilize you and give you enough courage to keep pushing forward and to try again. "Just follow my lead," he promises. "I won't let you fall."

You nod and squeeze your eyes shut, your heart incessantly pounding erratically in your chest as you feel the wheels begin to move forward again. Warm and larger palms keep you steady and safe the entire time, and once you open your eyes again, your friends are no longer laughing, and you officially made it to the end of the landing.

"You did it!" Your best friend exclaims, putting his foot in between yours so it would be safe enough for you to step off and jump onto the even and unmoving concrete. You shake your head and keep one of his hands on top of yours as you two make your way back over. "No, we did it." Cliff smiles down at you as you hold your head up triumphantly and hold onto his hand even prouder. "Yeah," he murmurs to himself. "We did."

You close your eyes as each string vibrates and bends back into place beneath your guys' fingertips, the song still as beautiful on an electric as it would be on an acoustic. Your boyfriend's steady and warm breath heats up the side of your neck as he strums with you, and a delicate smile lifts your lips as his chin goes to rest on your relaxed shoulder. Once the song is done, you turn your head to the side and give him a passionate kiss, holding in a petal of laughter as Cliff lets out a soft sound of surprise against your upturned lips.

"What was that for?" He asks, resting the guitar on his middle and lap and encapsulating you in his arms. You move over until your side is clad with his, and simply say, "Because I love you." "I love you too."

Cliff smiles, his waterline set anew as he looks down at you and places his hands on top of yours. You rest your head on the middle of his bicep and reach down to pinch at his thigh, a cheeky grin on your face as he lets out a resounding yelp.

"For the pinch by my ass earlier," you chortle out before he can even open his mouth. "Next year, I'm getting you the hemorrhoid cream." Cliff bellows out a hysterical laugh and leans back on the bed, letting out a sarcastic oof as your upper half lands on his lap from his spontaneous movement.

"Want to go cut the cake?" He asks you, a grin nearly splitting his face in half at your next words. You move from his lap to stand up from the bed and offer him a hand, once the guitar is placed safely back onto the bed and the strap is removed.

"Just follow my lead."