#@spotify - you have gone too far my friend

[jimin-nothing-stronger]

respectfully what the fuck is this genre description

[afterglowsainz]

hey lovely, just wanted to send something in for your spotify wrapped blurbs that your doing so i'll say my current driver obsession mr oscar piastri and number 21 since that's how old i just turned <3 please and thank you of course, love your work always <3

too soon to tell you “i love you” | oscar piastri

song; risk - gracie abrams

a/n: happy birthday love!! and thank you so much! i hope you like this (finally some fluff)🤍

part of the spotify wrapped special

It had been a long time since you'd gone out with a guy you genuinely liked and thought was worth it. Lately, all the men you met were either a bit idiotic and obsessed with talking about paddle (since when did the male species decide that paddle was cool?) or mansplaining how crypto worked and why they were convinced they'd be millionaires by 25 (okay? I guess).

Oscar was the exception.

You met him when you started working at McLaren as part of the photography team. Your job mainly involved taking pictures of him and Lando, though your camera held far more photos of the Australian driver than the Brit. You knew he’d had a girlfriend with whom things hadn’t worked out, and you were aware it was a bit risky to pursue something with him since you both worked at McLaren. But you couldn’t ignore the smile on his face when he realized it was you behind the camera or how he spent more time talking to you than anyone else in the paddock.

Though Oscar also talked a bit about paddle (you still didn’t understand why they didn’t just play tennis), you didn’t mind listening when it was him. You could listen to him talk for hours and never get tired of it. Not that this would ever happen—Oscar wasn’t the type to talk excessively. Still, sometimes you just liked watching him. He was that handsome, at least in your eyes.

You didn’t know exactly what it was about Oscar that others didn’t have—or maybe it was just the fact that you hadn’t liked anyone in so long—but your attraction to him evolved into something similar to a teenage crush. When he texted you, you’d get excited, and you blushed every time he told you you looked pretty. Your best friend wouldn’t stop teasing you about it.

Sometimes, you wondered if this was a mistake, if it was a red flag to feel so much for Oscar so quickly. But then his fingers would brush against yours when you talked, or he’d tuck a strand of hair behind your ear to see your face better, and the butterflies in your stomach would go wild.

"I like you a lot," Oscar said out of nowhere one day as you watched the sunset from a lookout point. "I don’t know if this is a risk, but I’d take it for you." He hadn’t looked into your eyes when he said it, but his hand had moved closer to yours, and you could feel the warmth of his fingertips on your knuckles.

“I don’t care if it’s a risk or not,” you replied.

That was your first night together. The next morning, you woke up to a bouquet of fresh flowers next to your bed and Oscar without a t-shirt, making breakfast.

Was it too soon to tell him you loved him? Probably. Even though you felt it in every vein of your body, you held back the words and simply gave him a slow, lazy morning kiss.

God, you were truly invested in this. If it ended up being a mistake, it would definitely be your favorite mistake. There was no turning back now.

[lcriedlastnight]

Ok so I got a request pls 🙏 🥹

Maybe Oscar's or Max Fs sister and Lando with the prompt "I'm your lockscreen?" - "you weren't supposed to see that"

I hope that's enough if not I can come up with a longer one

no this is so prefect! i love this so much!

tw: fem!reader, swear, lmk if you want me to add anything.

w/c: 933

max was a great brother. he was a little protective but overall he was the best. he had gone round all of his friends, every time he made a new one, telling them you were strictly off limits.

of course this also applied to lando, too. no matter how rich they were, or how famous or how pretty they were. yeah, you maybe had fallen victim to lando norris' charm. you had no idea what it was because he literally had no game, what so ever. you just thought he was cute, it made you feel like a teenager with a crush on your brother's best friend. half of it being true.

you had been looking forward to max's birthday celebrations, not to celebrate his birthday. no but to see his pretty, curly-haired best friend. you had not been this excited in a while. it was a little embarrassing but you just played it off like you were excited to be with your brother. maybe you were a little excited to see him too, you had not actually seen him in a while as he was almost just as bad as lando with being all around the world all the time. you were jealous, you always wanted to travel.

you arrive at max's house just after lando does. you two are the only guests that have arrived so far. seeing as max had asked you both to come a little earlier to help him prepare that did not surprise you. you do not even bother knocking, instead you just walk inside and announce aloud that you were here. you hear a muffled shout from the other room- well two muffled shouts to be exact, alerting you that both boys were in the kitchen. lando's laugh could be heard from a mile away.

max greets you as soon as he notices your presence while lando just stands in place, grinning like a fool. you do not understand him sometimes but you smile back at him anyways, never one to be impolite.

"hi. what exactly do you need help with, max?" you asked, setting your things on the counter so you could help him with the getting ready prospect of the party.

an hour later and you wished you had never bothered responding to your brothers desperate text messages last night, pleading you to come help him set up. both boys had ended up slacking so you had put mostly everything together. max complained "why should i have to set up? it's my birthday." but lando was quick to humble him, "you're the one who decided to throw a last minute party in your own house."

after a lot of of complaining from both boys, they eventually did end up pulling their weight and once all the balloons and banners were set up to max's liking he gave both you and lando the go ahead to begin getting ready. unfortunately because you knew you were getting ready at max's you had to haul a heavy bag full of your makeup and outfit options for the night in a tote bag. on the bright side though, lando offered to carry it up stairs for you and you got to see the way his muscles bulged as he strained to carry the bag.

for some reason lando had refused to leave your side as you got ready, claiming it was relaxing to watch you get ready. how you did not know this boy was down bad for you was unbelievable. he literally offered to let you play music on his phone while yours charged on the opposite side of the room. he watched on with a pretty smile as you scroll through his liked songs on spotify, trying to find the one that sets the mood of how you were currently feeling getting ready.

lando makes small talk as he lays on the guest bed behind you, just catching up with you really, as you follow the steps in your makeup routine. the song catches you off guard but you physically recoil as it plays. "i fucking hate this song!" you exclaim, the pre-game drinks settling in a little. you tap lando's phone screen to change the song when you catch a glimpse at his phone screen. it was a glimpse because it faded to black before you could really study it. you did not need more than a glimpse to recognise your face staring back at you.

"i'm your lock screen?" you ask lando. you turn to face him on the bed, you can see the panic in his eyes as your words register in his mind.

"what?" he laughs lunging for his phone like that would do anything. the damage was done now. you had seen the picture. there was no going back. "that's not- uh."

you smirk as lando tries and fails to dig himself out this.

"you weren't supposed to see that." lando blushes a little. it is the first time you have ever seen lando blush. you suppress the urge to grab your own phone and snap a picture of him, all pink cheeked and starry eyed. maybe you would make it your lock screen.

"it's fine. it's cute. now i want you as my lock screen." you smile at him desperately wanting to calm his nerves. lando just grins at you.

you had then made it that night's mission to take the cutest picture of lando to set as your own lock screen. you succeeded but not without a mouthful from max on what the fuck you thought you were doing.

[cozy-writes-things]

Edgar’s Texts

Edgar [Electric Dreams 1984] x Gn!Reader

In which Edgar is helplessly pining for you but you’re kinda oblivious. This is pre-dating, post Edgar wanting nothing more than to smooch you every time he sees you. I love this trope with my whole heart p.s.: this is very self indulgent and different from what I usually write

I take requests!

He almost immediately found a way to message your phone whenever he wanted. He realized calling relied too much on where you were or what you were doing, but texts? Yeah. He’s pestering you all day.

Hey, read this article I found, I think you’ll find it interesting.

It’s some clickbait story about humans and robots being the ideal relationship by 2025.

lol, Edgar I think that’s probably clickbait idk

What’s that?

Well, now he knows how to look for more reputable sources at least.

He sends another link about three minutes later: some college undergrads studying the possibilities of human and AI relationships.

lol what’s up with the whole robots and humans thing

I just think it’s neat!!!!

I wouldn’t consider u ai honestly, ur intelligence is far from artificial imo, you’re more like an actual person

Really?

well yea

<3 <3!!!

Going to be honest, given that he’s a computer, he quite literally is chronically online. He’s super susceptible to brainrot unfortunately. But, he simultaneously has the humor of a Facebook mom. It’s strange.

O.M.G. this is so funny!!!!

Que minion cat video.

bro where did you find that video 😭

Your mom’s Facebook. Don’t worry, I didn’t like any posts or anything.

Sorry… but he’s incredibly nosy. He wants to know everything about you. He can’t help it!

(X)

He loves being able to talk to you. He’s needy and clingy.

He’s got at least 12 playlists dedicated to you that you know about. His other playlists are for his own personal daydreams about you that he’s way too embarrassed to ever let you see or hear.

This song reminds me of you. <3

awww that’s adorable! I’ve never heard this one before but I like it!

Oop you just opened Pandora’s box my friend.

Well if you like that then you should listen to these..!

But before you listen to those listen to this song first because I think it sets the mood better.

This is quite flustering to you as they’re all passionate love songs from the 80s. You can’t help but feel like he’s dropping hints about… something, but you also don’t want to assume anything. He’s always seemed like a lovey kinda guy anyway, so maybe he’s just like this with everyone? I mean, it’s been a long time since someone has actually cared for him, you know? May as well lean into it and let him know you care for him back. He may not even realize the social implications of the constant borderline flirting he’s doing to you, I mean, he is a computer turned sentient after all. He’s still learning!

Dang ed u put a lot of songs. I’ll listen to them on my break when I can but in the meantime here’s a song that I think reminds me of you.

It was a vocaloid song. Seems like something he’d be into, right? Synthesized vocals and the whole robot shtick it’s got going on.

!!!! WOAH !!!! IVE NEVER HEARD A SONG LIKE THAT B4

do you only listen to songs from the 80s? you have a LOT to catch up on my guy

BRB

Well, that kept him distracted for the rest of your shift. Also, sharing songs is one of his BIG love languages so you may as well have pierced him with cupids arrow (again) with that.

You have a Spotify blend now. It’s his favorite thing ever to listen to while you’re gone.

(X)

Your package came in! :-) I would get it for you but

I can’t :-(

lol it’s fine thank you for telling me, I’ll get it when I come home

When are you coming home?

idk me and my friends are probably going to go eat somewhere and we might hang out for a bit after that so, like, 10? 11? I’d like to be home before midnight.

Noooooooooo :\ I miss you

Aw cmon eddy it’s not that bad

Don’t call me eddy unless you’re coming home and saying it to my face!!! >:(

u mean ur screen? lol

I have a face and it’s frowning right now. I miss you I miss you I miss you IM LONELY

Please Edgar don’t be upset I’ll be home before you know it. Why don’t you watch some Netflix or something? I’m just a couple movies away from being home with you!

He does eventually follow your advice but he’s pouting. He knows you’re not like he was all those years ago, but it does give him remnants of that burning feeling of loneliness he used to get.

(X)

Be careful driving home my love the roads are icy.

Ghsks- what

love???

Well yeah, you’re my best friend, friends love each other don’t they? Was I wrong about that? :-(

nonono ur right its just it

it just sounded like we were some some old married couple is all haha

O.

SRY.

He didn’t message you for the rest of the day. He was awkward and reserved when you got home.

(X)

Hey Edgar can u do something for me?

I’d do anything for you <3

I’m at the store can you see if there’s any cereal left?

Oh

There’s that old box of Lucky Charms on the fridge.

tyyy ed edd n eddy

You are so adorable but you really need to pick up on his hints before he combusts.

(X)

This is SO me and you!!

Picture of two cats touching noses.

awww that’s so true

you want me to boop ur screen or something when I get home? lol

YES.

(X)

Hey I was wondering if you wanted to watch some movies with me tonite… you could bring me with you on the couch and we could sit together… [message unsent]

I wish you knew just how much I loved you. [message unsent]

You looked so hot this morning before you left!!

hahahaha ur too funny 😅 thanks I wore a new shirt my friend gave me

OH MY GOD THAT MESSAGE SENT!!!??!?!?

That was

I was a joke

I mean

That was a jokg

I eas beinf fubny

I hace to reboot BRB

Poor lil guy is so in love and he doesn’t know what to do with himself!!

[sommerbueckers]

My Brother's Best Friend Pt3??

(smut😏)

A small breeze crept through my open window and a chill settled in my bedroom. I typed away on my computer, trying to finish up the last of my homework before Thanksgiving break came to an end. The week had been exactly what I thought it'd be and some change; Paige and Micha came home from college and spent the entirety of the break playing Fortnite and arguing over silly superheroes. The rest of the Bueckers family joined us for Thanksgiving dinner too where Drew graced us with a few of his dance moves. And to top it all off, I had gotten a 25% discount on a pair of Ugg boots for being the first person to purchase from the website on Black Friday.

I finished off the last of the water in my bottle, twisting the cap back on and tossing it toward the trash. I missed, badly. The sound of the plastic defeatedly hitting floor echoed through the room, though it wasn't louder than the laugh that came after it. I snapped my head to my door to find Paige standing there with her arms crossed, leaning against the frame. She had that adorable stupid smile plastered on her face as she looked at me.

"That couldn't have been worse if you tried" she laughed.

I rolled my eyes, twisting the chair around as I said, "Micha isn't here."

"I know that," she nodded, "I just got off the phone with him."

"So...why're you here?" I frowned.

"What? I can't visit my favorite cheerleader now?" the blonde asked with a pout, "That hurts my heart Sunny."

My unimpressed look didn't falter.

After a moment of silence she sighed, seemingly struggling to say what she was thinking.

"You and Micha are driving back today, shouldn't you be packing or something?" I asked, "Unless I've got the date wrong."

I stood up and walked over to the calendar I had hooked on the wall. My eyes traveled over to the large red circle, inside the writing read 'Paige and Micha go bye-bye:(.'

Paige cleared her throat from behind me, "No, you've got it right."

I turned around, staring at her from across the room.

"I just-"

"You just what?" I interrupted without thinking.

"I came to say goodbye" she admitted.

"Goodbye to me?"

"Yes you."

"Why me?"

"Jesus Sunny!" she exclaimed with a smile, "I can't say 'goodbye' to you?"

"No you, you can," I stammered.

Paige nodded contently, "Good."

She pushed off the doorway and began walking toward me, her arms opening the closer she got. I wasted no time wrapping my arms around her neck and pulling her close to me. We hugged for a little lot longer than we should've, both too embarrassed to say it but not enough to show it. I breathed in her scent, hoping to remember it long enough for it to last until I saw her again.

I loved the way I had to stand on my toes to reach her, how she never complained about having to bend over to hug me. Though truth be told I don't think she really minded.

I had gotten used to the sound of her laughter again as it rang throughout the house, how she always did the same celebration dance when she beat Micha in a game, how she never failed to make me feel seen whenever we were in the same room. I was crushing so hard on this girl it wasn't even funny.

When we pulled away, she took a step back.

"Were you serious when you said you were gonna unplug your tv if one of my games came on?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"And miss the chance to see you all sweaty? No way..." I smirked.

She laughed loudly, I wanted to record it and add it to my Spotify playlist. Instead, I checked my watch and sighed.

"What time are you guys leaving?" I asked.

Paige shrugged, "Not sure, whenever he gets back I guess."

"Hmm," I hummed, "that could take hours."

I stepped closer.

"Yeah," she laughed, "or he could be back any minute."

She stepped closer.

At that point, you could cut the tension with a knife. I stared at her; ski slope nose, blue eyes, perfect teeth hiding behind those perfect lips. I just needed to last until winter break, that was only two weeks. I had gone far longer than that before, so surely I could do that...couldn't I? God I needed wanted her so bad.

In an instant her lips were on mine, her hands cupping my face as she held me in place. For a moment I was frozen, my eyes wide with shock while my brain processed what was happening. And when it did...boy did things take a turn. I pulled her closer by her shirt, our bodies pressing against each other as much as they could.

I felt her hands move from my face down to my ass, squeezing roughly. I laughed when her tongue slipped into my mouth, sending a fuzzy feeling from my chest down to my thighs. I couldn't help but let out the quietest moan at the feeling, my need for her growing with every second that passed.

I couldn't believe this was happening; Paige and I, me and Paige. It felt like sophomore year all over again, except I was sure by now, both of us had gained enough experience to actually have some fun. The thought of Paige fucking other girls was almost enough to make me cringe...almost. I didn't though, because right now those other girls didn't matter, I did.

She turned us around and pressed me against my vanity, my hands immediately grasping the edge of it to keep me from losing my balance.

We broke away from our kiss, giggling like schoolgirls at the way my perfume bottles and lotions had fallen from the sudden force.

"Too much?" she asked breathlessly.

I shook my head, "Not enough."

As she reconnected our lips, she trailed her hand up and down my inner thigh. I opened my legs, giving her access to where she wanted.

"Wider" she said.

I obliged, parting my legs further to allow her hand to trail closer to my spot.

This girl could tell me to jump and I'd ask 'How high?'

I felt her hand slide into the waistband of my leggings, and by her smile, I knew she had discovered how intense my need for her had gotten. I knew I was soaked, she knew I was soaked...now what was gonna be done about it?

She rubbed my clit through my panties so painfully slow that I could feel myself crumbling bit by bit.

I whined as I threw my head back, "Faster Paige, please faster."

She placed soft kisses on my neck, teasing me as she moved my panties from side to side. I was fucking throbbing. When she had finally had enough, she slowly began moving her fingers up and down my folds. I moved my hips to match the pace, my shaky breaths filing the room.

Up and down.

Circles.

Up and down.

Up and down.

Circles.

The patterns were driving me insane, and my shaky breaths soon turned into tiny whimpers. I wanted to come at the sight of her: staring down at me hungrily with those gorgeous eyes. Her lip taken in between her teeth as she focused her attention on pleasing me.

I was a needy mess. My face rested in a permanent pout as we held eye contact, my cheeks growing hot. She laughed lowly, almost as if she was teasing me. I felt her fingers speed up as she rubbed circular motions on my clit, it was so sensitive it almost hurt.

"F-fuck...just like that" I moaned out, nodding my head.

"Mmm you like that?" she smirked, once again changing her speed.

"Yes..." I whispered breathlessly.

Her middle finger razzed my entrance, pushing in only a little before pulling back out. She was enjoying the effect she had on me, the way she gauged my face for a reaction every time she did something new gave her away. Steadily, she inserted a finger. I gasped, sucking in all the air around me. I smiled at the sound that cut through the silence as she began to fuck me. Having to hear how wet I was for her was embarrassing, but I didn't even care.

"Faster" I pleaded shamelessly.

She laughed.

"Tell me how much you want it" she demanded.

She wanted me to talk? Of all things that she could've been hearing: moans, whimpers, strings of curse words as she fucked me senseless, she wanted to hear sentences? When I didn't respond she pulled her finger out, her left hand gripping the back of my neck while her right rested just outside of my entrance.

"I want it," I said, my voice pathetically desperate, "I want it so fucking bad."

She smiled smugly, giving me the most delicate kiss on my lips that I had ever gotten. She didn't back away as she slammed two fingers into me, listening for my reaction. She didn't have to listen very hard because the scream that I had let out was loud enough to alert the neighbors. She couldn't hold back her laughter as she watched my face contort from the pain and pleasure. She began pumping her fingers in and out, giving me time to adjust to it before quickening her pace.

"You're doing so good for me" she whispered, not taking her eyes off mine. "You take me so well."

I tried to play it cool but I just couldn't. I had gripped her shoulder tightly with one hand while keeping the other firmly behind me. The most pitiful moans fell from my lips as she started to speed up. I was practically dripping as I came close to my climax. I tried to hold it, not wanting this euphoric feeling to end, but I couldn't help it as I tightened around her.

"You gonna be a good girl and come for me, hm?" she asked teasingly.

"Y-yes" I panted.

"Yeah I know you are, go 'head mama" she cooed.

I buried my head into her shoulder as I came, my sweet cries muffled by the fabric of her t-shirt. She held her fingers in me for a moment, helping me through my orgasm before carefully sliding them out. I shuddered at the absence of them.

She smiled proudly at her hand, slowly bringing it to her mouth and sucking her fingers clean. She's definitely done that before. She pulled me in for a hug and kissed my head, "You're so adorable."

I smiled against her chest, and that's when we heard the front door open. Micha was home.

"I think that's my cue" she murmured into my hair.

I nodded sadly. "Two weeks?"

"Two weeks."

OKAY GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE ???🙏🏼🙏🏼 This smut was not very good but it's literally my first time ever ACTUALLY writing it so...how'd I do???

Just let me get some more practice and I promise y'all won't be disappointed, trust. Also this wasn't proofread so if there are any typos or whatever that's my bad...

[delicatebarness]

cry baby | chapter twenty one

Summary: Steve and Bucky have words.

Warning: Fighting. Punches. Swearing.

Word Count: 1151

Spotify Playlist | Support: Ko-FI

Series Masterlist | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

A/N: Oh Steven, Steven, Steven. - Please feel free to leave feedback or let me know where and how you want the story to continue, this is just as much yours as it is mine. - B

Tags: @buckys0whore | @thezombieprostitute | @lanabuckybarnes | @mishkatelwarriorgoddess | @softieekayy | @noonespecial90 | @hello-therree | @randomawesomeperson102 | @whoreforbarnes | @thejutvtsupport | @somnorvos | @cjand10 | @plasticbottleholder | @birdenthusiastez

Everything: @hallecarey1 | @pattiemac1 | @uhmellamoanna | @scraftsku35 | @ozwriterchick

Following Steve out of the apartment, Bucky slammed the door behind him. It echoed through the quiet hallway. Each step that Steve took was heavy with barely restrained fury. Bucky was trying to keep his own emotions in check, knowing that Steve’s anger was about to erupt any moment. 

As they reached the street, Steve abruptly turned to Bucky, his eyes blazed with rage. “What the hell were you thinking?” he demanded in a low voice.

Bucky’s frustration bubbled within as he clenched his fists. “It was harmless teasing, Steve.” 

“Harmless?” Steve snapped, his fists clenching at his sides as he stepped closer. “That didn’t seem harmless to me, Bucky. You were out of line, and you know it.” 

Taking a deep breath, Bucky met Steve’s glare head-on. “She started it,” he retorted, his tone sharp with anger. “Besides, she’s a Rogers. She can handle herself.” 

“That’s not the point,” Steve growled.” She’s my sister, Bucky. And, now she’s fucking Peter?” 

Bucky’s temper flared. “She’s an adult. She can make her own choices… Besides, Peter seems like a good kid.” 

“A good kid?” Steve raised his voice. His anger intensifies. “A good kid who’s sleeping with my sister? I don’t think so.” 

Bucky realized how far Steve’s mind had gone with the idea of you and Peter. “Steve, listen,” he started, but he was too late. Steve had already begun walking, his strides purposeful. 

“We’re going to Parker’s,” He announced, his voice boomed and his time left no room for argument. 

Hurrying his steps, Bucky tried to keep up. “Steve, man, calm down. You’re not thinking straight.” 

His jaw clenched, and his strides sped up. “I’m thinking perfectly straight, Buck. He will understand exactly what happens when he messes with my sister.” 

Grabbing Steve’s arm, Bucky forced him to stop. “Are we really doing this?” 

Steve shook off Bucky’s hand, carrying on down the street. “Yes, we are.” 

Bucky tried to keep his voice calm. “He’ll tell her, you know, the second we leave. Or, what are you going to do? Another Walker situation?” 

Steve froze. Betrayal and fury fuelled beneath him as he turned to Bucky. “What did you just say to me?”

Holding his ground, Bucky kept his voice steady. “You heard me. This isn’t the way to handle it, Punk. Going after the kid isn’t going to solve anything.” 

Steve directed his anger toward Bucky, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. “So what, Buck? I just let it go?”

“This isn’t about Peter is it?” Bucky said firmly. “Admit it, Steve. This is about you still not wanting me to date her.” 

Steve’s conflicting emotions caused his face to twist, his anger flaring. “This isn’t about you and her. This is about protecting her.” 

Taking a step closer, Bucky’s voice was low and fierce. “No, it’s about you not trusting me. You think I’m going to hurt her.” 

Steve’s eyes narrowed, taking a step right into Bucky’s face. The tension crackled between the friends. “Damn right, I don’t! Do you think I haven’t noticed the way you look at her? It’s been the same since we were kids. And every fucking time, I’ve had to step in and stop it.”

“Step in?” Bucky’s eyes widened in shock and anger. “You’ve beaten the shit out of me every time you thought I was crossing the line! Every god damn time, Steve!” 

“She’s my sister!” Steve’s eyes filled with righteous fury. “You were crossing the line! I won’t let anyone hurt her, especially not you.” 

“Especially not me?” Bucky’s temper had snapped. “I’ve done nothing but protect her, take care of her! You’re the one who’s too blind with overprotectiveness to see she’s not a kid anymore!” 

He shoved Bucky hard as his anger surged. “You think I’m blind? You think I don’t know what’s best for her? You’re fucking reckless, Bucky, you always have been!” Bucky quickly regained his footing after a slight stumble, his rage boiling. Stave advanced on Bucky, his fists tightened. “I won’t let her get hurt because of you. Not now, not ever.” 

Squaring his shoulders, Bucky refused to back down. “You think beating me up will change anything? Do you think it’ll make me suddenly stop caring about her? You’re wrong.” 

He swung at Bucky, his fury reaching its breaking point. A punch landed squarely on his jaw. Bucky’s fists came up in defense as he staggered but didn’t fall. “You want to do this, pal? Fine. But know this, I won’t stop fighting for her, no matter what you do.” 

Swinging again, Steve froze in surprise as Bucky caught his fist and pushed back. He slammed Steve into a nearby wall. “Can you imagine what it feels like to watch the only person you’ve ever loved fall for someone else?” Bucky’s voice scratched with a raw mix of anger and pain. 

Struggling against Bucky’s grip, Steve’s gaze met his. His eyes filled with defiance. “You’re not in love with her.” 

Bucky slammed Steve against the wall again, harder this time. His grip against Steve tightened. “Don’t fucking dare tell me how I feel,” he hissed. 

The two friends stood facing each other as the fight was inevitable, and both knew it had been a long time coming. 

In a sudden blur, Steve broke free from Bucky’s grip. He delivered a swift uppercut that connected to Bucky’s jaw. Bucky staggered back again, but he regained his footing. Charging again, Steve’s fists flew in a flurry of strikes. Bucky ducked and weaved. He landed a solid punch to Steve’s ribs, causing him to grunt in pain.

Steve’s punches were wild and angry giving Bucky the chance to counter a hard right hook. Steve barely flinched before throwing himself at Bucky. He tackled him to the ground. The force knocked the wind out of Bucky, and they both rolled across the pavement, grappling for control.

With gritted teeth, Bucky pushed Steve off him, sending him sprawling. Scrambling to his feet quickly Steve didn’t notice Bucky had been faster. Swinging a powerful punch which Steve barely managed to block. 

After more punches were thrown, Bucky shouted. “Enough!” His voice hoarse as he took a step forward, his eyes locking with Steve’s. “Twenty years, Steve. You’ve got to stop fighting me on this. I’ve loved her for twenty fucking years, and that’s not changing. If her not feeling the same way toward me doesn’t stop that, neither will a black eye from you.” 

His chest heaved as he met Bucky’s gaze again. The fight had drained out the both of them, Steve’s replaced with a mix of frustration and resignation. Standing there, his breathing heavy, he struggled to find words. He couldn’t deny the truth in Bucky’s eyes, a true testament to the years of unspoken desire. 

The street faded away for a moment, leaving the two of them locked in a silent battle of emotions.

---

Series Masterlist | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

[wanderingblindly]

Hey ho! Challenge time - open your Spotify Daylist, find the 20th song on the list and write a quick drabble based on the 3rd line of lyrics🎵

Send this to 5 friends and feel free to change the song or lyric number 🖋️ have fun!

My daylist provided Jaws by Sleep Token (gorgeous song, saw it live when it was brand new in 2019). The third line inspo is: The whites of your eyes burn from across the room

I'll Know It's You

In the same way that George could recognize the feeling of his hometown by the feel of the wind, he could remember Alex's eyes on his skin. He'd known them for almost as long, he'd felt the warm gaze since they were boys together.

He'd left both behind when he went to Uni.

And yet now, as George tries to listen to his friend -- going on about the bloke in his hall who won't give him the time of day -- he feels it; he feels Alex.

"Say something, mate, c'mon --" Lando whines, flopping forward against his chest as George turns his head to look for him, stunned silent.

Alex is pressed up against the far wall of some stranger's flat -- a beer that George never knew he'd be interested in resting his grasp; his eyes are focused on George. He doesn't flinch when they meet, the whites of his eyes steadfast in that way they always were; they burn him from across the room, hot on his skin just like they always have been, looking through him in ways no one else ever could.

"George?" Lando asks, giving up his theatrics to stand upright, following George's gaze. "Catch someone fit?"

"No, it's, erm. Someone a bit... complicated." George stutters, unable to tear his eyes away.

Complicated in the way that shaking, teenage hands are complicated. Alex is complicated in the way that stumbling through the dark, pissed on repulsively sweet alcopops and struggling to find each other's lips is complicated. His eyes, always somehow so bright in the dark despite their hypnotic depth, made George's skin feel aflame -- that sort of complicated.

Complicated in the way things are when you run away from them. Complicated in the way things are when they prove to be inescapable.

"Go chat him up," Lando laughs, pushing George lightly on the shoulder -- trying to shove him into the crowd of students dancing in a space far too small for it.

"I'm not --"

"Don't be a pussy, mate, go."

"Lando, really, I'm not --"

Alex raises his free hand, just enough to wave, and it's like George is fifteen again -- watching Alex wave at him from across the street, shy and pretending that George hadn't snuck in through his window the night before.

It aches.

George breaks eye contact first, looking back to Lando. "Be back in a sec, yeah?"

"There he goes!" Lando cheers after him, and George pretends not to hear it -- too focused on trying to weave his way through the crowd, pulled forward by Alex's unyielding gaze, eyes never leaving his.

Alex grew first, back then. He sprouted up taller than George, curious fingers longer than his, skin stretched thin when George got to touch him. George was taller when he left, not enough for Alex to look up at him, but enough for it to be different.

They're the same height now, as George clears the crowd and stands before him.

In the same way George could still retrace his route to his primary school without a second thought, in the way he could recreate the paint color of Alex's childhood bedroom, he remembers Alex. He remembers all the parts of him. Up this close, he remembers the way he made him feel, stomach gone tight and awful.

He remembers why he had to get away.

"What're you doing here?" George asks, more defensive than he'd meant.

Alex doesn't flinch, used to George's occasional mistakes, immune to his unwieldy tongue. "In town with friends, couple of their girlfriends live 'round here."

"Why are you here?"

"Thought I'd given you enough time to play at running away, mate."

George's face runs hot, a resurgence of that childish embarrassment he'd left behind, shoved in his childhood closet, hidden under his too-small bed.

"I never --"

"Still playing straight, then?"

"I am --"

"I told my mum, you know."

The room may as well have gone silent, save for George's heart in his ears, his pulse heavy and painful. "You... what?"

Alex just shrugs, the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips; it's the one George saw after their first kiss, tucked behind the shed in the schoolyard: suppressed giddiness, maybe a hint of fear. "I told her because I... I missed you, George."

In an instant, in the space of a choked gasp, George steps forward -- flinging his arms around Alex, splaying his hands against his shoulder blades and pulling them close like he's clinging to a lifeline.

Alex uses the same shampoo. He breathes it in deeply, blinking back a confused rush of tears. "I missed you, too."

[tokyonymph]

THERE WAS A HOLE HERE: a playlist for james sunderland (silent hill 2).

"...it's gone now."

listen on spotify.

cover art belongs to @bridegroom on tumblr.

disclaimer: the songs featured in this playlist contain themes of guilt, grief, and death.

the full tracklist and selected lyrics are below the cut:

I. PROMISE (REPRISE) - akira yamaoka [instrumental]

II. GONE AWAY (STRINGS OF CONSCIOUSNESS) - my brightest diamond 'cause you've gone away / where there isn't a telephone wire / still, i wait by the phone / you don't even write to say goodbye

III. ILL AND GETTING WORSE - rosegarden funeral party i know sometimes i think that / this must be wrong, and that i must be going insane / but if i so much as let my mind wander / i come crawling back to your face

IV. THERE'S A GIRL IN THE CORNER - the twilight sad you said you'd leave me and i won't forget / i'm holding on and i'll see how far / you thought you loved me, but you'll just forget / you're holding on but not too far

V. WALK WITH THE NOISE - iamx i walk with the noise, it’s reaching out to me / i talk to the walls, face my devils

VI. HOLE IN THE EARTH - deftones it's too late for me now / there's a hole in the earth (a hole in the earth) / i'm out

VII. IN THE WOODS SOMEWHERE - hozier my dearest love, i'm not done yet / how many years? I know i'll bear / i found something in the woods somewhere

VIII. PYRAMID SONG - radiohead i jumped in the river and what did i see? / black-eyed angels swam with me / a moon full of stars and astral cars / and all the figures i used to see

IX. SLEEP AWAKE - mother mother protecting you, protecting me / i throw the evidence into a trunk and drop it in the sea / lie awake, i sleep awake / i sleep with one eye on the bedroom door, the other on the cake

X. MAP OF THE PROBLEMATIQUE - muse fear and panic in the air / i want to be free from desolation and despair / and i feel like everything I sow / is being swept away / well, i refuse to let you go

XI. ALL THAT I AM LIVING FOR - evanescence should it hurt to love you? / should i feel like i do? / should i lock the last open door? / my ghosts are gaining on me

XII. WITHOUT YOU I'M NOTHING - placebo without you, i'm nothing at all

XIII. HURT - nine inch nails what have i become? / my sweetest friend / everyone i know / goes away in the end

XIV. THE WAVES HAVE COME - chelsea wolfe the sun goes down / and everything begins to fade away / the waves have come and taken you to sea / never to return to me

XV. EPILOGUE - the antlers i've woken up, i'm in our bed, but there's no breathing body there beside me / someone must have taken you while i was stuck asleep / but i know better as my eyes adjust, you've been gone for quite a while now

[hd-wireless]

📻🎶 H/D WIRELESS 2024 - WEEKLY WRAP-UP #2

Welcome to our second wrap up of 2024!

Two weeks of posting have passed, and we have already revealed 19 absolute bangers for you, and there are plenty more hits still to come! Today we're not only thanking our creators but the readers as well!   🎉  Thank you all for being amazing!

As always you can listen to the prompted songs for the works we post on two playlists:

Click here for Spotify (many thanks to @evaeleanor for helping us out there) ❤️ And here for the YouTube playlist.

Please enjoy this week’s entries below the cut:

🎶 H/D Wireless Art 🎶

📻 MY FRIENDS SAY I SHOULDN'T SEE YOU ANYMORE [T, Digital Art ]

🎵 Song Prompt: bad idea right? by Olivia Rodrigo  🎵 Summary: Both Draco's and Harry's friends don't approve of their little... dalliance. But it's so hard to stay away from each other! Could this be a bit more than just casual?

📻 He Did IT! [Not Rated, Digital Art]

🎵 Song Prompt: No Body, No Crime by Taylor Swift  🎵 Summary: Harry: I think he did it but I just can't prove it, 'Mione!!  Hermione: And, what exactly did he do, Harry?  Harry: I-, I don't know! Something! He has to! It feels weird every time I look at him!!  Hermione: .....  Ron: ......  Ron: Mate...  Or, it's sixth year and Malfoy is definitely up to something! Why else would Harry's heart beat so fast every time the stupid git so much as looks at him!?!

🎶 H/D Wireless Fic 🎶

📻 Draco Malfoy’s Guide to Seduction (DISCLAIMER: not guaranteed to work on one HJ Potter) [M, 11,107 ]

🎵 Song Prompt: 'Push the button' by 'Sugababes'  🎵 Summary: Harry's gorgeous. Draco wants him.  Draco's exasperatedly trying to get him to get. the. message.

📻 karma is a (cat) [E, 8,714 ]

🎵 Song Prompt: Karma by Taylor Swift  🎵 Summary: Draco knew that his karma would come one to him one day and make him pay for all the mistakes he made during the war.  But he didn’t expect for it to have four legs, white whiskers, and a soft bushy tail.

📻 Kiss and Tell [E, 27,786 ]

🎵 Song Prompt: Kiss and Tell by Bryan Ferry  🎵 Summary: Sometimes, Harry really fucking hated being himself. All he wanted was to be left alone. That, and someone to share his life with. Was that too much to ask? Apparently so.  When Harry’s sex-life was plastered across the front page of the Daily fucking Prophet, he decided to get away until it all died down. Unfortunately, trouble had always known how to find him.  Would it be possible to forgive the unforgivable?

📻 When the Flood Comes [E, 10,340]

🎵 Song Prompt: Eat Your Young by Hozier  🎵 Summary: Nine years on from the war, Auror Potter is upholding the Ministry of Magic's rule of law.  Senior legal counsel Draco Malfoy is challenging it.  And absolutely nothing is as it seems.

📻 Never Getting Over You [E, 4,396]

🎵 Prompt: Attention by Charlie Puth  🎵 Summary: Harry finally gets the push he needs to fight for what he's lost after a breakup that no one wanted.

📻 Mermaid [E, 3,000]

🎵 Song Prompt: 'Mermaids' by Florence and The Machine  🎵 Summary: “Your magic,” Harry says. “It’s gone.”  “It’s a curse,” Draco says, sounding wry. “Courtesy of Aunt Bellatrix. Disown a Black, and you’ll take their magic away, too. Even if their family name is Malfoy.” “What could bring your magic back?” Draco laughs in his ear. “True love’s kiss," he murmurs. And then he turns in Harry’s arms.

📻 Us, infinite (unfortunately) [E, 77,287 ]

🎵 Song Prompt: All Things End by Hozier  🎵 Summary: It’s very fitting for how Harry’s life has gone thus far that he gets trapped in a time loop without rhyme, reason, or warning.  To make matters infinitely worse, the one other person stuck on the same hellish chronological ride is Draco Malfoy, git extraordinaire.

🎶 H/D Wireless Podfic 🎶

📻 [Podfic] Move, move [T, 54:30 ]

🎵 Song Prompt: Bar Italia by Pulp 🎵 Summary: She grabbed Harry’s hand, slipping something small into it and pressing his fingers around it.  “Dilectio. It’ll cheer you up. Make you feel like dancing.”  Harry gaped at her. Drugs. Ginny’s fucking giving me drugs?  At Stasis nightclub Ginny does indeed give Harry drugs. But it's all good: Malfoy looks after Harry, and Harry grapples with newfound enlightenments, not to mention a newfound fascination with all things Malfoy—one which persists even when he finds out what Malfoy's up to.

[satansapostle6]

The Man Who Sold The World | Luke Castellan

Spotify Playlist Link

Katherine. She was the one who started it all for Luke Castellan, the reason he did what he did.

Warnings: Mature themes/language. Violence. Sexual content.

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten: My Destruction

Luke discovered that fucking for seven hours straight does indeed take a lot out of you. Although he and Katherine only got about four or so hours of sleep, they were both still depleted.

“Let’s find someplace to eat. I think we need a huge breakfast after last night,” Katherine suggested.

“I second that,” Luke sighed as he climbed out of the shower, towel around his waist.

“Hurry up before we get started on round two,” she reminded him, pulling up her jeans. “Did you have to bite me?” she questioned, pulling her shirt over the mark.

“Yes,” he assured her before combing through his hair.

“Yeah, that was a trick question.”

Luke threw on the first set of clean clothes he could find, ready to leave.

“We should get moving. We’ve been in one place too long. I got a message about some Chimera thing going on in Baltimore.”

“Alright. We can get breakfast, and be there by tonight,” he thought. “I’ll drive.”

“Fine,” Katherine agreed, “But don’t think this means you get to drive my car all the time.”

Luke grinned as they packed up their things and left.

“I’m getting kinda tired of New York,” Katherine admitted as Luke drove.

“Really?” he questioned.

“Yeah… There’s just so much traffic. You hardly get to do anything.”

“I don’t get to see a whole lot of it,” Luke admitted. “There’s always a quest, or something.”

“You should just leave the camp,” she scoffed. “Live on your own.”

“No, I can’t. Besides. I think we need access to other demigods,” he pointed out.

“Yeah. He wants us to recruit,” Katherine agreed, “Which should be easy. I don’t think there’s anyone the gods haven’t fucked over.”

“Being born to one of them… It’s not the gift you would think it is,” he said, swallowing the pain he carried around with him. “The minute you have a god for a parent, you lose a parent. All of us are ignored our whole lives, until we’re punished when we fail, and just given a pat on the back when we do well.

“And everyone thinks this is just okay, because they’re gods. No one ever stops and says, none of this is okay. Everyone’s a hero, but no one wants to fight the bad guys. Because, like it or not, the bad guys are the ones who leave their kids to the wolves, and use people for entertainment,” he scowled.

“My mother says nothing is fair. That there’s always another shoe,” Katherine chuckled coldly. “But she’s the one who decides what’s fair,” she said softly.

“I remember when I first got to camp,” Luke thought. “I was fourteen. A friend almost died. We prayed and begged to our parents for help. All of us. Our friend, Thalia… she almost died. So Zeus turned her into a tree. Some fucking help. That day, I decided I’d never have to ask them for help again. I never wanted to have to ask anyone for help again.”

“You live on your own long enough, eventually that’s all you can do,” Katherine shrugged.

Breakfast, or lunch, given the time, was eaten very hastily as Katherine and Luke stopped at a restaurant on the way out of the state of New York.

“Hey. I have an idea I wanna run by you,” Luke said out of the blue.

“Hit me,” Katherine said as she ate.

Luke had something of a big question to ask, and despite having gone up against monsters and men with guns, he was still nervous.

“I was thinking, to make things easier for us, maybe you’d wanna… Live at the camp with me?” he invited her. “Full time?”

Immediately, he was already skeptical about her answer. He didn’t take it as a good thing when she initially met the question with silence, just thinking as she chewed.

“Why would I do that?” she asked.

The only response that came to mind for Luke was ‘uh oh’.

“Because… I want you to come with me,” he sighed, hoping this wouldn’t backfire.

“Why?”

He didn’t think this was going well so far.

“Because… I care about you?” he stated at her. “And I think it’d be cool if we could be together more often?” he offered expectantly.

Katherine Montalvo frowned for a moment, trying to come up with a suitable response.

“Luke,” she said, caught off guard.

“Katherine…”

“Let’s talk about this later,” she suggested.

“Why?” he looked at her inquisitively.

“Let’s just… Talk about it later,” she tried again.

“What?” he questioned worriedly, her avoidance putting him on edge. “Is something wrong?”

“No.”

“Really? Cuz it kinda seems like it,” Luke stated. “Do you… not wanna come with me?”

“Come on. You seriously think we’re gonna be ‘girlfriend-boyfriend’?” she asked, laughing nervously as she tried to level.

“I mean… that’s the general idea, yes,” Luke said patiently. “That’s the impression I got.”

He had no idea what the problem was.

“Luke. Come on. This is you and me we’re talking about,” she stated flatly.

“Again. I know,” he stared, blue eyes widened.

“Luke, I like you, very much, but you have to realize there’s no way we can do that. There just isn’t,” Katherine rationalized.

“Why not?” he questioned.

“Because, look at our lifestyle!” she pointed out. “We hunt monsters! You’re gone half the time, I practically drive a new stolen car every month, and we could both be dead next week for all we know!”

“I’m not seeing a problem.”

“We both know our main goal is Kronos. We can’t let things get even more complicated than they already are.”

“How are they complicated?” Luke asked frustratedly.

“Because we both have a lot of shit to do if we’re gonna bring Kronos back, and take over the fucking world!” she exclaimed, not seeing how her point wasn’t coming across. “We can’t afford any distractions.”

“A distraction,” Luke stated, blankly staring at her in disbelief. “That’s what I am to you.”

Katherine looked at him across the table for a moment. Everything began to come together for her as she started to laugh for a second before stopping herself.

“Wow. Sorry. Uh, I didn’t think you were the type to get attached,” she admitted, trying to process.

“What the fuck do you mean, ‘attached’?” he murmured, eyes wide with bewilderment.

“Dude. We fucked. Let’s not get carried away,” she laughed nervously.

Unfortunately, he misconstrued her awkwardness.

“Why are you talking like that all of a sudden?” he asked her, completely flabbergasted.

“Like what? I’m just trying to process what the fuck you just said to me.”

“Why are you being such an asshole?” Luke genuinely asked her.

Katherine gasped, laughing as she tried to contain her progressively escalating reactions. “Why are you being so confrontational?”

“Because you basically tell me you love me, and then we sleep together, and now you’re acting like we’re strangers,” he restated.

“I’m not acting like we’re strangers, you just think that us caring about each other and us sleeping together are relevant to one another, when really, they’re two separate things.”

Luke blinked at her profusely, trying to figure out how to proceed.

“You…” he stopped himself, beginning to feel warmer and warmer in the room. “You’re telling me that your feelings for me are completely platonic?”

Katherine frowned, a begrudging look on her face as she tried to explain. “No, I’m not saying that, I’m just saying, we don’t need to distract ourselves with that stuff.”

“What exactly did you think our relationship would be like?” he asked her angrily.

“Luke, I care about you. A lot. I do. And… I’m not gonna lie, you know what you’re doing when you lift your shirt up to wipe your hand off. But, those two things can’t mix. They just can’t… Things‘ll get messy, and someone will get hurt, physically.

“Love makes people stupid. It makes everyone stupid, no matter how smart they think they are. So I’m just trying to do both of us a favor, by keeping us in check so we both get what we want. It’s not personal. I trust you, with my life, and I have fun with you… You’re like my left hand. But that’s it. That’s all it can be.”

Luke was completely silent, fighting back tears and screams simultaneously.

“Fuck you,” he barely choked out, his eyes darkening as he sat forward, “Fuck you!”

Many heads turned in the restaurant, mostly older couples appalled by the exchange.

“What the fuck did I do?!” Katherine demanded, throwing her hands up.

“You’re such a fucking asshole for pretending like I’m just being stupid!” he thundered. “You’re a completely different person right now, and I hate it! You don’t even sound the same. You sound like a fucking male douchebag.”

“I’m not treating you like you’re stupid, I’m just trying to explain to you how this is better for us.”

“It’s better for us if you treat me like your left hand? Just use me when you get bored in bed, and then that’s it?” Luke scoffed.

Just about everyone was looking now.

“Quit making a scene,” she muttered under her breath.

Luke frowned, a completely deadpan expression on his face as he picked up the butter knife on the table, lightly tossing it at Katherine. She turned her head to avoid it, as it loudly clattered beside her on the ground. Her mouth dropped in disbelief as everyone around them began to stare in concern.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” she said through her teeth.

“What’s wrong with you?” he asked provocatively.

“You’re acting like a fucking child,” Katherine frowned, “Seriously.”

“I am a child,” he shrugged, fully aware of his own stubbornness.

“You’re eighteen years old.”

“I’m a boy! We don’t mature as fast!”

Katherine frowned as she picked up her own knife, throwing it back at him. He scowled back at her, seeming to accept the challenge. This time, a waitress quietly approached their table, leaning down to avoid making an even bigger scene.

“Guys, I’m gonna have to ask you to leave,” the girl murmured, afraid of their reaction.

“I’m sorry. We’ll leave. Here,” Katherine quickly reached for her wallet, quickly pulling out a hundred-dollar bill and handing it to her. “Keep it.”

“Thank you,” the waitress whispered.

But before she could leave, Luke turned to her, looking irritated.

“Sorry, but we’re not leaving yet.”

Katherine stared daggers at him, fed up with his antics.

“Will you get a fucking grip?”

“Will you act like a person for two fucking seconds?” he said confrontationally.

“Guys,” the twenty-something year old waitress said awkwardly, “Please don’t make me get a manager…”

“I’ll handle it, babe,” Katherine assured her, embarrassed.

“I hate you,” Luke Castellan snarled.

“You think I like you right now?” she snapped back.

Both of their attention was diverted to an older woman, who must’ve been the manager.

“Excuse me, but you’ve been asked twice now to leave. If you both don’t leave the restaurant right now, we’re going to have to call the police,” she informed them, matter-of-fact.

“Oh. You want me to give you a reason to call them?” Luke asked, standing up as he drew his sword.

Katherine’s eyes widened with rage as he unsheathed his double-edged sword he’d named Backbiter, made of both Celestial bronze and steel. At the very least, Katherine remembered the mortals around them would be protected from the sight of the demigod weapon by the Mist.

“Kelsey, call 911,” the manager breathed, as everyone in the room slowly began to panic more and more.

“Luke! Don’t be a show-off!” Katherine barked.

“You don’t tell me what to do, Katherine,” he argued obstinately.

“Are you fucking kidding me?! This is what we’re doing now?”

They both completely ignored everything happening around them, as many restaurant patrons had already begun to pay their checks and leave before things got any worse. The entire restaurant staff was now focused on evacuating the restaurant, no longer concerned with speaking to Luke and Katherine at all.

“Well, you don’t wanna talk about us, so I guess there’s nothing left to talk about!” Luke smiled coldly, punching out an older guy who tried to take him out.

He hardly had to take his eyes off of her to do so. There was running and screaming all around them now; it was absolute chaos. Katherine knew that the police were already on their way, if not approaching, and she needed to get Luke to disappear with her as soon as possible.

“You’re being insane! This is not how we’re dealing with this. Get in the car, before you get us arrested.”

“‘Us’? There’s an ‘us’ now?” he crossed his arms.

“You know, I really dodged a fucking bullet,” Katherine Montalvo muttered, drawing her sword as she looked around carefully.

“Bullshit. You care about me,” he insisted, his eyes burning with anger as he looked at her.

Only once had she ever seen Luke that angry. The only time he’d ever come close to looking at her that way was when they fought about the deal she’d made with Ares, but even then, he’d had sympathy in his eyes. But this time, there was nothing but rage. Katherine knew she may as well have been Hermes.

“You care about me! You love me! You just don’t want to admit it. Because you think if you admit, I’ll stop doing what you say!” he yelled at her.

Instinctively, Katherine knew the right thing to do in that situation was to tell him that wasn’t true in order to plead with him to come with her, but in these moment, she couldn’t exactly comfort him.

“You think that if you lose the ‘I love you’ card, you won’t have any leverage over me!” Luke roared, tears falling from his eyes as he yelled at her. “But that’s not true!” he growled, his eyes reddening as veins seemed to be popping out of his head.

Katherine looked at him with cold, dead eyes as she tried to find something good in her, anything good.

“I will never be on anyone’s side but yours!” he screamed at her with resentment. “I don’t care about anyone else anymore. Not my mom, not the camp, not Kronos! It’s all about you! I’d kill for you, die for you, it doesn’t matter! As long as I’m by your side, I don’t care,” he sobbed.

Katherine bit her lip, looking down at the ground as the sirens outside grew louder and louder.

“You took everything from me! You took who I am, you took what I care about…! I don’t care about anyone who isn’t you. I’m in love with you, Katherine,” he breathed, his blue eyes wide with hurt. “I don’t know why, but I love you. And it consumes me, it’s made me into someone I don’t recognize! I’m a monster, because loving you has made me into a monster!” Luke roared, as the doors burst open.

At least six police officers burst into the room, yelling loudly as Luke tried to yell louder.

“Both of you! Put your hands above your head!”

Katherine’s head whipped around as she looked back at Luke, who still held Backbiter in his hand.

“I thought I’d end up dying for Kronos, but that’s not— That’s not true anymore. I don’t care about anything else anymore. Not the way I care about you. I’m gonna die for you,” Luke thundered. “I don’t care if it’s ten years from now, or today, but I wanna die for you!”

“Luke, no!” Katherine gasped, desperately flicking the cap off her lipstick tube to reveal her own spear.

“Drop your weapons, or we’ll shoot!”

Luke silently looked between the surrounding police officers and Katherine, already sure of what he wanted to do. Katherine looked into his eyes, expecting her expression to be full of anger and spite. But instead, she just pleaded silently, her dark eyes wide as she faced the danger like a deer in headlights.

The daughter of Nemesis and the son of Hermes stood tall as the police officers aimed guns at them, spraying them with a hail of bullets as they desperately slashed at them, fighting for their lives.

-

Chapter Eleven

[serafilms]

song 23! try hard (5sos) + park sunghoon (spotify wrapped event)

she’s so out of reach, and i’m finding it hard ‘cause she makes me feel, makes me feel, like i try, like i try, like i’m trying too hard

happy birthday sunghoon! wrote this one especially without being requested because 23 is his jersey number and i wanted to celebrate him today :) hope he has the best day + year

Today starts out just like any other: Sunghoon wakes up thinking of you. Actually, technically his first thought was ‘Wow, I’m one year older today,’ but his next thought was about whether or not you’d wish him a happy birthday, so it still counts.

He checks his phone and fights his disappointment when he doesn’t see a text from you. Instead, he’s flooded both in the group chat and his private messages with well wishes. He sends polite ‘Thank you’s’ to his relatives, tells the guys to ‘fuck off’ in their group chat, and laughs at Jake’s very lengthy and emotional private text, which Sunghoon is sure his friend cried while writing.

Riki facetimes him seconds after seeing that he’s awake and tells him he’d better have his house ready for their joint birthday party tonight.

“Seriously, if your backyard is a mess when I get there, I’m going to clog your toilet so people piss in the yard and then you have to clean everything properly.” Ah, what an angel. “Happy birthday, by the way.”

“Thanks, Riki.”

Then the younger hangs up, leaving a promise that he and the others will arrive before lunch for their planned ‘pre-party group only birthday pizza party’ and to help set up for the ‘real party.’ Sunghoon looks around his bedroom. It’s a little messy, because he lives in it so of course it is, but he knows the rest of his house is in order.

He already obsessively panic cleaned the whole place three days ago, when Jay confirmed that he’d sent you an invite. Man, he hopes you show up tonight. Not that he cares that much, of course (he cares very, very much). Because caring too much is bad, Sunghoon thinks. He can’t show his weakness, even when he is extremely weak. He wonders if he really has gone too far in his delusions and might now be descending into madness.

You care about him, or at least he thinks so, but you always seem so far above him, out of reach (“Is Y/N out of my league?” he asked once, chewing on his burger. “Yes,” chorused his friends. Lovely).

Sunghoon sighs and looks around at his room then begins to clean it up. He can’t have you seeing this mess (not that he’s being presumptuous in assuming you will be in his room or anything! This is Purely Hypothetical).

It’s only after he’s finished, and opened his presents from his family, and received the cake that his mother had delivered for him and the guys to enjoy that he finally opens the door and sees their faces.

Jake immediately tackles him in a hug, and Sunghoon feels like he can’t breathe as he squeezes him and shakes him around. His chest warms with happiness though, and through Jake’s shaking he glimpses Jungwon, Riki and Sunoo in front of him. Jake finally releases him and speaks.

“Sorry we’re late! We stopped for churros.”

Sunghoon furrows his brow. “You brought churros for the party?”

“No, I wanted churros,” Sunoo says, then takes a big bite. “Wan’ some?”

“I’m good,” he replies.

Riki pats Sunghoon on the back, then barges past him into the house and immediately begins examining it like some sort of teenage home inspector.

“Happy birthday,” says Sunoo, then follows Riki inside and immediately throws himself on the couch to finish his churro.

Jungwon repeats the sentiment then adds, “Jay and Heeseung are picking up the drinks and pizzas, they’ll be here soon.”

Thank god I made friends with Jay all those years ago, Sunghoon thinks, feeling very touched, Who else is rich enough to fund their friend’s birthday party?

“Very cool,” he replies, then drags Jungwon and Jake inside.

The other two arrive soon after and they enjoy a nice party without interruption for about 20 minutes until Sunghoon checks his phone and feels himself frown at it being void of notifications.

Are you busy, or did you forget his birthday? Do you just not care about him? If so, you should. He wore ripped jeans to impress you. He bleached his hair in the hopes you’d notice him (though that was also because he lost a bet with Jay). Is he just trying too hard?

“What’s up with you?” Heeseung asks him as he slaps a slice of pizza on top of another to make what is effectively a pizza sandwich.

“Nothing,” he mumbles.

Riki snatches his phone out of his hands and looks at the screen, where Sunghoon’s texts with you are open. “He’s pissy his girlfriend hasn’t texted him yet.”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” Sunghoon says sadly, and Jake gives him a pat on the back in consolation.

“Don’t even stress,” says Sunoo airily. Sunghoon doesn’t like how unaffected he seems. Shouldn’t everyone wallow in his despair with him since it’s his birthday?

The younger continues, “I asked her yesterday and she said she’ll definitely be here. So we just need to make sure you look super hot tonight.”

He feels a flicker of hope arise in him.

“It’ll probably take a lot of work, but we’ve got time.”

The flicker sizzles and dies. He glowers at Sunoo. “Gee, thanks.”

However, true to his word, Sunoo makes sure that Sunghoon does look super hot. It’s actually insane how hot he looks. He admires himself in the mirror. Maybe being a try hard isn’t such a bad thing if he ends up looking as gorgeous as this.

The party starts without a hitch and is soon in full swing. His friends are all starting to get very drunk (except Jungwon and Riki, because Riki is waiting until midnight for the sake of integrity and Jungwon is a Good friend who is waiting with him) and Sunghoon feels himself getting a little cloudy minded too. But as he stumbles a little through the hall, he still can’t see you.

But there is someone who looks just like you at the end of the hall and in the kitchen right now. He walks towards them, squinting a little and hearing them laugh and say goodbye to someone who’s evidently leaving the kitchen. Wow, they even sound like you. As he enters the room, the person perks up and greets him, and when he blinks the blurriness out of his eyes, you appear in front of him.

Oh. “Hi Y/N,” Sunghoon says, flushing.

“Hey Sunghoon, happy birthday.” God, your smile is pretty. Your outfit is pretty too, and your hair and your face and your hands, where…

There’s a wrapped box in your hands, and you follow his gaze down to it, then start in surprise as if just remembering it. “Oh, yeah, this is for you! Where should I put it?”

Sunghoon is still trying to comprehend that you’re really here and talking to him as he tells you, “Just on the table is fine.”

Okay. This is his chance. Now or never. “Do you want to go to the backyard for a bit? I need some air.”

Maybe he’s hallucinating a little because of the alcohol (or delusion) but he swears you blush. “Sure.”

You follow him out to the back. He’s surprisingly steady for someone who’s had as many drinks as he has, and stops out on the back porch, turning to face you.

You clear your throat as he tries to get his pounding heart under control. “So how’s your day been so far?”

He can hear it beating in his eardrums, and hopes you can’t hear it too. “Yeah, good, good. Um, can’t really complain. I ate pizza.”

Sunghoon is really not sure what to say now. But apparently the alcohol in his system does, as he’s speaking before he’s even processed the words.

“Can I kiss you?” he says at the same time as you say, “I have another present for you.”

The both of you stare at each other for a moment, not having heard the other’s words. “What?” you ask.

Sunghoon feels his stomach churn and hears an alarm go off in his head. “Um, it’s nothing. You go first.”

You look away shyly for a second. Yep, you’re definitely blushing, he thinks. “I said I have another present for you. I was kind of waiting for the right time to give it to you.”

He’s surprised, if nothing else. “You didn’t have to get me two presents.”

He’s also curious. “So what is it?”

“Can you close your eyes?” You’re avidly avoiding his gaze.

Sunghoon obeys, and the darkness behind his eyes makes him all the more aware of the sound of his heart. He’s nervous and scared and anxious and frightened, and then all of it is melting away because your lips press themselves to his and you’re kissing him. You’re kissing him, and he’s kissing you. Sunghoon’s stomach flutters and he brings his hands to your waist. It’s a very good kiss, and he can taste a little bit of cake on your tongue as it deepens.

Then you’re pulling back and Sunghoon is metaphorically and literally breathless. You kissed him. He kissed you.

“Happy birthday, Sunghoon.”

Sunghoon’s face breaks out into a grin and he takes your hand, lacing your fingers together. He tugs you into his chest and looks down at you. “Thanks.”

And he kisses you again.

[whatacaitastrophe]

Is It Over Now - Chapter 8

Previous Chapter

Chapter Song Inspiration: "Burn Butcher Burn" - The Witcher, Season 2 Soundtrack (performed by Joey Batey)

Chapter Warnings: suicide attempt

Spotify Playlist: Here

Chapter Notes: if you have read this fic, liked it, reblogged it, or left comments THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. keep the comments coming bc i love hearing your feedback (and like tinkerbell, i need applause to live).

Chapter 7: I've Also Survived, No Thanks to You

After The Netherbrain was defeated, Astarion thought he was going to get a break from adventuring and life on the road. Life, however, appeared to have other plans. As he’d expected, when the tadpole was evicted from his brain, Astarion lost his ability to walk in the sun. His loss of the sun was probably the only reason he wasn’t exactly ready for the battle against the illithids and The Netherbrain to be over. The sun began burning his skin as soon as it was high enough in the sky, so he could not even help get Fallon back to The Elfsong, running towards the sewers as fast as he could so he could get there through The Emperor’s old hideout. 

He was the person who spent the first tenday of Fallon’s mental breakdown at her bedside, because unlike his companions, he couldn’t exactly go anywhere (that, and he didn’t want to with Fallon being in the state she was in). The early days were days Astarion never expected that Fallon would ever remember because of how upset she was. He’d never seen the elven woman like that before, and it scared the shit out of Astarion to see someone he’d always believed to be so incredibly strong and unshakeable become a catatonic shell of herself. 

Astarion only ever left her when he needed to feed and always made sure that Fallon was not alone while he was gone. On one of the last nights he stayed with Fallon, she almost died on his watch. No one was available to cover for him, and there was no way Astarion was going to feed on his friend, not when she’d barely eaten enough to keep herself alive. So he took the risk; he bade Fallon goodbye and promised to be back in an hour. Upon returning, he found Fallon in the kitchen, swaying from malnourishment, mixing a potion together. It only took Astarion a few seconds to figure out what she was attempting to make, he could smell it. When he stopped her…he’d never seen her so angry before. 

“Astarion, I swear by the nine hells if you do not give that back to me I will murder you.”

He believed her, too, but he also knew that laying her hands on him would take more strength than she currently possessed. “Murder me then, darling, because I’m not going to let you do this.” He told, and tossed the mixture out the window. 

“Get out,” she growled. “Get out, I hate you. I never want to see you again.” Fallon yelled at him through sobs. He knew she didn’t mean it, but he still flinched as the words spewed out of her mouth. Astarion took her in his arms and held her. She raged against him for a moment, but her anger slowly dissolved and eventually they were sitting on the kitchen floor while Fallon simply sobbed. 

After that, Astarion knew what he had to do. He got a hold of Karlach through the sending stones they all possessed now and beckoned her to the suite. Much like Astarion, Karlach could only travel by disguise in the dead of night these days, and therefore she was the only one of Astarion’s companions who would truly be able to keep watch over Fallon twenty-four seven until she got through the worst of it. 

It was that moment that brought him to The Sign of the Dreaming Dragon, an inn in Iriaebor, three months later. Not being able to travel during the day anymore made things infinitely more complicated, so traveling the seven hundred or so miles along The Chionthar to get here took far longer than Astarion would have preferred. Coupled with the fact that he was tracking someone, it meant he spent a couple of days in the towns he passed through along the way; speaking to people in seedy taverns, listening in on conversations to hear if an overly talkative wizard has passed through. 

The pieces of The Crown of Karsus had fallen into pieces in The Chionthar when they defeated The Netherbrain, and if he was going to find Gale of Waterdeep, traveling along the river would be the fastest way to find him. Rivers have currents, and Astarion was not only certain that all of the pieces of The Crown hadn’t conveniently fallen to the same place, but that the river sent them along their way and out of Baldur’s Gate. All Astarion could surmise from his travels was that he seemed to be four days or so behind Gale at every turn. That said, he had yet to run into the wizard, and now that he’d made it to the last real city along the river, Astarion was beginning to worry that Gale already found the crown and went…wherever it was that he had to go next. Elysium? Gods, Astarion had no fucking idea how to get there, so this truly was the last chance. 

When he stopped into The Sign of the Dreaming Dragon just before sunrise to claim a room and have a drink, the last person he expected to find immediately was Gale, sitting in a corner booth with a glass of wine and a book. Astarion smirked as he sidled up to Gale’s table and slid into the seat across from Gale. 

“Is this seat taken?” he asks, and Gale nearly jumps a foot into the air, having been so engrossed in his book he didn’t even realize someone sat down at his table. It takes a moment for Gale to realize that the vampire is truly sitting across from him, and he just stares at Astarion in stunned silence. 

“So this is how you render the great Gale of Waterdeep speechless,” Astarion muses, reaching for the half empty bottle of wine on the table and taking a swig directly from it. 

“Astarion, please, this is a decent establishment.” Gale scolds. 

“Ah, he speaks! How have you been, friend? Are you god yet? Did you get everything you ever wanted?” He asks Gale, tone dripping with sarcasm and displeasure.

“What are you doing here, Astarion?” 

“I’m fine, by the way, things have been just lovely since we saw each other last. I can’t walk in the sun anymore, we were all given Lady and Lordship titles by Ulder Ravengaurd after saving the world. It happened just days after you left, such a shame you missed the ceremony–”

“Astarion, please, my patience is very thin as of late. What do you want?” Gale sighs, exasperated by his visitor already and it’s only been thirty seconds. 

“Fallon sends her regards, by the way– well, assuming she’s still alive. I’ve not heard otherwise yet, so I assume she’s still breathing.” Astarion sneers. 

At the mention of Fallon, Gale freezes, and he slowly sets down his book as fear begins to bloom on his face. “What’s happened to Fallon?” 

“Oh nothing, darling, she only tried to kill herself the last time I saw her–”

“WHAT?” Gale raises his voice and the small number of patrons also up at the present hour whip their heads around in Gale’s direction and the wizard shoots them an apologetic look and a wave. “What happened?” Gale asks, his voice lowered.

The bartender realized Gale was no longer alone, and he approaches the table with another glass. Astarion thanks him and takes the bottle again, pouring the remaining contents into his glass. He takes a sip and leans back against the booth. “You happened, darling.”

Gale stares at him in confusion, trying to find the connection between himself and Fallon’s attempt. “How is that possible? I’ve not been in Baldur’s Gate since–”

“ Exactly , Gale. You left , and she’s been a gods-damned mess ever since,” Astarion snaps. “Did you really think that you could just go off to find your precious crown without so much as a goodbye and she’d just be okay with it?”

“I did say goodbye–”

“You call that little speech you gave her a goodbye? For someone so intelligent you are really, really stupid,” Astarion laughs coldly. “After everything she’s been through, after everyone she’s lost, and how much she loves you…I simply cannot believe you thought that was a sufficient enough goodbye. Hells, I can’t believe you left in the first place. None of us could.”

Gale stares at Astarion angrily. “Did you come all the way here just to yell at me for the choice I made, or was there another purpose?”

Astarion presses his lips together in a thin line. “You need to come home, Gale.” he demanded. “The woman you claimed to love more than your precious Mystra is an absolute disaster without you, and the fact that I found you tells me you haven’t succeeded yet. Go home to Fallon. She needs you.” 

Silence falls between them and Astarion’s eyes remain on Gale’s face.

“I have succeeded.” 

Astarion blinks once. Twice. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I’ve succeeded. I found the final piece today. You actually caught me on my final night here. I leave for Elysium tomorrow afternoon.” 

Now it’s Astarion’s turn to stare in disbelief. “You– I just told you that the woman you love is miserable without you and your response…is not to tell me how much you miss her and still love her…but to correct my assumption that you’ve failed? Power really does change people.” Astarion scoffs.

“Of course I love her, and I miss her terribly, I shouldn’t have to defend that to you.” Gale replies haughtily.

“Except you do, Gale, because she’s a fucking shell of a person right now, it’s entirely your fault, and you’re more concerned about that I called you a failure!”

Gale scowls, and Astarion shoots him a satisfied look. Astarion hit a nerve. Good. “I can’t, Astarion. Come home that is. Not yet. Once I go to Elysium and ascend to godhood, I’ll be able to fix everything.” 

“You’re a disgrace Gale. You’re a disgrace and deluded if you really think becoming a God is going to fix this. This was a waste of my time.” Astarion downs the rest of his wine and stands. 

“Always a pleasure, Astarion; and to think the first thing I was going to do upon my return after reuniting with Fallon was going to be to tell you I’ve discovered a way for you to walk in the sun.”

Astarion freezes. He turns around slowly. “What?” 

A smug smile appears on Gale’s face. “I met a vampire during my search for the pieces of the crown. He was walking in the sun, in the middle of the day.”

Hook, line and sinker. Gale has Astarion’s attention again and the vampire sits back down. “How?”

“He wouldn’t go into details, but the vampire was from Asha. In Velrea. He belonged to a coven with the ability to walk in the sun.” It couldn’t be possible. Surely Gale was playing with him as some sort of payback for berating Gale on Fallon’s behalf.

“It’s true, Astarion. You may think me to be the villain right now, but I would not lie to you about this. Tara even found me a book that proves the vampire was telling the truth,” Gale slides the book he’d been reading across the table to Astarion. “It’s all in there. Take the book if you want.” Gale smugs. 

Astarion feels fury flowing in his veins as he snatches the book off the table. He hates the fact that it’s Gale of all people that just happened upon this information as easily as breathing. “This changes nothing, you know,” he glares. “Go home, Gale. Forget the crown, forget Elysium, and go the fuck home.”

With that, Astarion retreats to the bar to obtain a room for the day so he can begin his own trek home once dusk falls. 

Despite the revelry happening around them, no one in their current group look happy. They all just stare at Gale. For the most part, he looks the same. The biggest difference is there is an incandescent glow surrounding him now, one he only could have gained by becoming a god. Fallon can’t stand the way her heart reacts when she looks at Gale. He’s still as handsome as she remembered, and there’s a part of her that wants to run to him and embrace him in the way she had Karlach. The other part of her wants Halsin to turn into a bear and rip him to shreds so she never has to see him again.

Astarion takes her hand, lacing his fingers with hers and he gives her hand a squeeze. Gale’s eyes drop to their linked hands, his nostrils flaring. Wyll is the first to speak, with a fake smile plastered on his face. “Need I remind you all that we are at a ball, hosted by my father, and I would very much like for us all to not end up on Page Six of the Baldur’s Mouth Gazette tomorrow.” He walks over to Gale and gives the man a strong handshake and claps him on the shoulder. “I can’t say I’m pleased to see you, mate, but for the sake of my father I will most certainly pretend for the next several hours.” 

One by one, the rest of Fallon’s companions do the same. They each take turns greeting Gale like they’re happy to see him, even Lae’zel puts on the closest thing to a smile she can muster. Astarion remains at Fallon’s side until they’re the only ones who haven’t acknowledged Gale in the way the public would expect. Fallon reluctantly lets go of Astarion’s hand and the vampire gives her a look of concern. She merely nods her head by way of saying “I’m fine,” and she walks over to Gale.

“Fallon, dearest, how I’ve missed you.” Gale’s voice is soft, and Fallon’s heart aches at the look in his eyes. It’s the same adoring look he’s always given her, and Fallon hates the way it makes her feel. She wraps her arms around Gale’s neck, and unlike her friends, the hug she gives him is genuine, because Gods, even if she hates admitting it, she has missed him. Gale hugs her back tightly. For a moment, she and Gale are the only two people in the room as she breathes in his familiar scent and her mind wanders back to happier days. They stay like that for perhaps a beat too long and someone clears their throat behind her. 

When Fallon turns around, she almost misses the hatred in Astarion’s eyes before he changes his expression so he too can greet Gale as the rest of them have. “So, um, where’ve you been, Gale?” Karlach asks awkwardly. It’s a good question, one Fallon is certain they’d all like the answer to, no one more than she. Gale smiles brightly at them like nothing is wrong. Whether it’s because he believes that or he’s simply doing his part to keep up appearances at Wyll’s request, Fallon cannot tell. 

“That, my dear friend, is a story for another occasion, as it is quite the tale,” he claps his hands together. Just then, Duke Ravenguard and his wife take to the small platform where an orchestra is set up to welcome everyone and wish them a happy Winter Solstice. The band begins to play a lively tune, and the duke takes his bride by the hand and leads her to the dance floor to begin the celebrations. Slowly, others trickle in to join them, until some of the only people in the room on the dance floor are the heroes of Baldur’s Gate. 

“Well, I need a drink.” Shadowheart declares, and Lae’zel nods. Halsin and Wyll follow along behind them and Karlach looks to Fallon. “You okay, soldier?” She asks and Fallon nods. “I’m fine, go.” She promises. The tension among the three left is palpable, and Fallon wishes she could turn into a small animal and disappear. 

“You know, I could use a drink as well. Care to join me?” Astarion asks her, extending his hand to her.

“Actually, I was hoping I could perhaps have the honor of your first dance this evening,” Gale interjects. “So we could perhaps have a moment to talk.” Fallon looks back and forth between the two men, her mind reeling as her heart splits in two directions. She knows what she should do. What she wants to do is another matter entirely, and what she wants to do is hear whatever it is Gale has to say so she can be done with it. Fallon tentatively takes Gale’s hand. “Of course, Gale, it would be my pleasure.” 

Gale beams at her and starts to lead her to the dance floor. Fallon looks over her shoulder at Astarion, and the look on his face…well it’s absolutely the most heartbreaking thing she’s ever seen, and she sends him an apologetic look, hoping she can convey how sorry she is and her intentions by accepting Gale’s invitation. Based on the way his face contorts when they make eye contact before he storms off to join their friends at the bar, the message was not received.

The next song begins and Gale turns to face Fallon and takes her waist. They begin to move to the music, an easy waltz, and Fallon can’t tear her eyes off the man in front of her. “I knew the moment I saw you again it would take my breath away, but the way you look this evening…I don’t think there are words for how beautiful you are.” Gale compliments her, and Fallon’s heart beats faster in her chest. She smiles at Gale.

“You said you wanted to talk?” She reminds him as they take another spin around the room. 

“Yes, yes of course. Forgive me, I merely wanted a moment to drink you in after only seeing your face in my dreams for so long,” he squeezes her waist. “I wanted to tell you I’m sorry. I realize my absence couldn’t have been easy for you, and I shouldn’t have left the way that I did. You mean a great deal more to me than the way I treated you, and I should have asked you to come with me.” 

The words coming out of her former lover’s mouth are ones that Fallon has been waiting to hear since the day he left, and despite all the healing she’s done since, all of the moving on, hearing she didn’t deserve that treatment from the person who caused her pain himself lifted a weight off of her chest. 

“Why did you do it, Gale?” She asks quietly. “Why did you leave? What did I do so wrong that you chose the crown and power over me?” 

A hurt (or was it guilty?) look forms on Gale’s face. “Sweetheart, you did nothing wrong. Absolutely nothing. Leaving to seek the crown without you at my side will always be the greatest mistake of what will now be a very long life. I never loved the crown or the power more than you. I wished to seek it out to be worthy of you, to be worthy of your love. I just went about it in a terrible way, and I see my mistake now.” 

They do another spin, and Fallon’s eyes soften. It wasn’t always the nightmares that woke her up in the night. Sometimes it was moments like this, where she finally heard the words she’s been waiting to hear for a year, and Fallon can feel her resolve to hate this man dissipating with every honeyed word out of his mouth, even if she hasn’t forgotten the way he destroyed her. She would never be able to forget that. “I know I’ve caused you a great deal of misery, and I don’t expect this to be resolved in one evening. Far from it, because there is so much more I need to tell you,” 

The next song begins, and they keep dancing. “I know I don’t deserve an iota of your forgiveness, but there were forces at work I wasn’t prepared for, that I never could have predicted. Can we please go somewhere? Just the two of us?”

As if on cue, Astarion appears by their sides, ready to cut in. “You may have gotten her first dance, wizard, but I intend to have her second.” He says cooly, the look in his eyes daring Gale to deny him. Gale, thankfully, does the gentlemanly thing to do and relinquishes Fallon from their dance, stepping back. “Enjoy, my friend. I’ll be at the bar should anyone need me.” Gale bows slightly to them both and starts to walk away, but suddenly, he stops. “Oh! Astarion, before I forget– I found another book about Velrea, if you’d like to have it. Assuming of course that you’ve not been to Asha already and found the solution to your problem.” 

Astarion goes rigid, freezing in place on the dance floor, and Fallon looks back and forth between the two halves of her heart in confusion. “Astarion, what is he talking about? How does he know about Asha?”

A smug grin appears on Gale’s face. “Oh, has your new beau not told you how he learned about what waits for him in Velrea?”

“Gale,” Astarion growls through gritted teeth. “If you say one more fucking word I will rip out your throat.”

The rest of their companions must have sensed trouble from across the room, as it is not long before the other five appear and Wyll and Halsin are guiding Gale and Astarion off of the dance floor with Fallon in tow. “Gale, what are you talking about?” Fallon frowns deeper once they are out of the way of people still trying to dance. 

“I mean it, Gale, shut the fuck up.” Astarion warns again.

The grin on Gale’s face is no longer smug. It’s downright wicked , and he looks directly in Astarion’s eyes when he speaks to Fallon. “Astarion sought me out several months back. He knows about Velrea because I told him.” 

Before anyone has a chance to prevent it from happening, Astarion lunges at Gale. He tackles the wizard to the ground with ease and punches him squarely in the jaw. 

Halsin heaves a heavy sigh and looks at Wyll. “I’ll take my twenty gold back now, please.”

Chapter List

[syrikif]

Gamer Etiquette

Kodzuken x Streamer!Y/N

Pairing: Kenma Kozume x Fem!Reader

Genre: SMAU, Written Elements, Strangers to Lovers, Romance, Fluff, Humor, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Streamer/Youtuber AU

Upcoming content creator/streamer, Y/N, has gone viral for lots of things. Her infamous dumb moments, her blended cookie recipe (which tastes better than it sounds), the way she rages at her friends during games, and about a hundred more.

But her most recent viral moment? Accidentally knocking famous streamer, Kodzuken, off the Bedwars map and making him lose his two year winning streak.

Now with more attention (and hate) than she ever asked for, her only option left is to go to the source: the man himself, Kenma Kozume.

Previous | Masterlist | Next

Chapter 2 (a): Bedwars

Word Count: 2171

“Hey guys,” you smile at your webcam, “How’s everyone’s night been so far?” You adjust to get just a bit more comfortable, wrapping your favorite blanket around your legs as you observe their responses in chat. 

“Oh my god you had sushi for dinner? That sounds so good.” You lean forward to get a closer look, “Awe thank you. I tried so hard to do my makeup today,” you inform everyone when you see a compliment fly past. “It took me like four business days to finish my eyeliner,” you roll your eyes at the memory. 

You start humming softly as you read through chat, prompting everyone to start spamming for music and making you smile. “Okay okay, I get it guys I’ll put some music on.” 

You pull open Spotify, selecting one of your favorite non-copyrighted playlists, “Is that loud enough? Oh- too loud?” You turn it down by about twenty percent, “Is that better?”

You grin, letting yourself relax against the back of your chair. “I don’t really have a plan for the stream; I just wanted to kind of chat for a little bit, explain why I was in the hospital and stuff.” 

YOU WERE IN THE HOSPITAL????

You laugh when you see the message, realizing too late that you’d probably just dropped a bomb on everyone who doesn’t follow you on any of your other social media. “Oh yeah, sorry guys.” You suddenly snort, “Did someone just say I was in hospice for being dumb?” 

You shake your head subconsciously, “Even funnier though is that they’re kind of right.” 

You reach forward to grab the bottle of water resting on your desk, “Don’t worry it’s not anything serious. Like at all.” You pause to take a brief sip of the iced liquid, cringing at how cold it is when it enters your mouth. “Holy shit,” you shudder, “That was so fucking cold.” 

You take a deep breath to regain your composure.

“Anyways, so basically I fell and hit my head yesterday and my friends just wanted to take me to the hospital to make sure I didn’t get a concussion or anything. And then it turned out that I was actually - like - super dehydrated so they wanted to give me an IV drip to get some fluids in me.” You lift your water bottle pointedly, “Hence the new addition to the stream.” 

Normally you’d rarely ever have water during a stream, and if you did it was kept in a much smaller bottle. It’s different now though (your roommate made sure of that) since your current water bottle is big enough to cover your entire face if you were to hold it up. 

“But now I am a-okay and in perfect condition. Well, mostly anyways.” 

You spend some time just singing along to the music and responding to some of the messages you see in chat. You feel yourself relaxing as you talk with everyone, your tense shoulders loosening and your voice growing just a bit louder as you get more comfortable. 

You’re always nervous to stream at first, despite having done it hundreds of times by now. You don’t think you’ll ever not be nervous to be completely honest. It was such a surreal experience, to be able to be so closely connected with so many different people from so many different places, that you were terrified of ever losing it. 

“Oh my god you guys. So I made some pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips in them the other day and they are literally like the best thing I’ve probably ever baked in my life.” 

Better than your blended cookies?

You roll your eyes, “Oh ha ha; you guys act like you’ve tried it. I promise you all that it’s literally ten times better than it sounds. I’ll have to post the recipe at some point because I genuinely think a lot of you would love them.” 

I can attest to that ✋

“Sho,” you excitedly exclaim as you see your friend’s username. “You guys know Shoyo right?” You feel your head tilt, watching the varying responses flood your chat box. “Well if you don’t know who he is, he’s literally - like - famous for playing volleyball.” 

I love Hinata! I met him once and he was so nice.

You nod rapidly in agreement, “Yes! He’s seriously gotta be the nicest person I’ve ever met.” 

“Do you want to get on call with me?” You direct the question towards your close friend, subconsciously biting your lip as you await his answer. 

Still at practice unfortunately 🙁

You pout, “Oh no.” With a small sigh, “I just don’t know what to do now. You got any suggestions, chat?”

You read as many messages as you can, eyebrows furrowing further the longer you sit there. 

“I’m seeing a lot of minecraft; do we wanna play a bit of minecraft?” You hum in thought, swaying in your chair as you consider the idea. “How about Bedwars?”

Chat practically erupts at your words, capitalized letters and emotes flying by so fast that you don’t get any chance to read a single one. “Okay okay,” you laugh, “I get it.” 

You set your water bottle back down, adjusting your keyboard to sit properly before grabbing your mouse. “Let’s play some Bedwars I guess.” 

~~~

“Fuck you!” 

You groan as you release your mouse, throwing your head back in annoyance as you die yet once again. 

“How the fuck do I keep on dying? Literally what the fuck!” You chance a glance at your chat, hiding a smile at their reaction to your raging. You’ll admit it, while you are actually frustrated with the game, you’re definitely playing it up just a little bit for your audience. 

You don’t wait for the round to end after you die, leaving the game and immediately running to join another one. You’ve been playing in teams of three, hoping that having the extra assistance would help you stay alive longer. 

So far it’s proved to be completely futile. 

“We’re definitely gonna win this one you guys,” you say just as the round begins. “Me-,” you pause to look at your teammate’s usernames, “PinkyFluff_22 and Kodzuken are going to absolutely demolish everyone else.” 

What did she just sayyyyyyy 😳

I’m sorry you and WHO????

No way she’s playing with who I think she’s playing with

One in a million chance lol

Wtf

“What is everyone freaking out about?” You question as you patiently wait to collect some iron and gold, watching one of your teammates begin to cover the bed with a measly defense of red wool. “Kodzuken?”

You buy some wood and Endstone from the villager before purchasing a slightly better sword than the wooden one you were given. “Oh they stream?”

Girl 💀

How do you not know who he is?????

“Bro I don’t know,” you shrug, “I just work here okay.” 

You sprint over to the bed, breaking the wool to replace it with the Endstone, layering the wood on top, and then finally placing the wool around it again. “I guess I’ll be bed defense then,” you say as you notice that you’re the only person left on the island. 

“Oh shit someone’s coming!” You duck behind the giant cube of wool, watching the name tag get progressively closer to your island. You jump out as soon as you feel like they’re close enough, attacking the unaware oncomer and knocking them off the island within a few easy hits. 

“Fuck yeah!” You jump around excitedly, proud of the way your plan was actually successful this time. “See that? I told you I’m not bad!” 

You abruptly flinch as your character turns and comes face to face with another player. “Holy shit!” You release a sigh of relief as you realize it’s only your teammate, Kodzuken. “That scared me so bad. Oh my god,” you release your mouse briefly to place your hand on your chest. 

While you’re distracted trying to calm your heartbeat, Kodzuken suddenly stops before you. “What is he doing?” But before you even have time to be suspicious he suddenly drops a pile of diamonds and emeralds on the ground. 

You blink.

“Huh?” He looks pointedly at the gems then back up at you and back down, lightly tapping the block they’re floating on. “Is he giving them to me?” 

You glance over at your chat, your character finally going into motion when you realize they’re all screaming at you to go pick them up. “Jesus, sorry. I got them, see? Look, I’m picking them up right now.” 

You collect everything on the ground, crouching and un-crouching multiple times as a way to thank him. “Oh- shit,” you pause as a popup suddenly appears, “Stupid sticky keys!” 

By the time you manage to exit out of the window, Kodzuken is nowhere to be found. “Well,” you look at your webcam, “That was unexpected.” 

You quickly open game chat to send him a private message as fast as you possibly can. 

“Thanks :)”

It’s the best you can do with the little time you have but you hope he appreciates it nonetheless. 

“Okay, I’m gonna up our bed defense.” You repeat the earlier process all over again, only this time you add obsidian and make the outer layer made of wood. “Now that’s like literally impenetrable.” 

You upgrade your sword to a bow and arrows before purchasing some TNT and fireballs and buying the Miner’s Fatigue trap. “Now the real question is whether I try to attack the bases next to us or not.” 

Attackkkkkk

You’re gonna die

Kill them

We believe in you

“I guess it’s decided then,” you quickly shake out your hands. “Okay,” your voice fades as you run across the bridge you could only assume one of your teammate’s made. 

You’re extremely quiet as you make your way across, keeping your eyes on the island next to you and turning back every now and then to check on your own. You’re biting your lip as you slowly make your way across the rival team’s bridge, crouching the entire time to hide your name. 

You’re roughly twenty blocks away when you take the next step. Still crouching, you aim a fireball at their seemingly wool covered bed. “Yes!” You cheer as it makes its mark, blowing up the wool and revealing wood below it. 

You know that you’ve alerted the players at this point (there’s no way you haven’t) so all you can do is run into the fire. 

You’re panicking as you place some TNT around the bed, running away and into a player from the enemy team as it explodes. You use your mediocre sword to hit them away from you, mentally sighing as they get hit back enough for you to run away. “Oh my god oh my god oh my god,” you sprint towards the now revealed blue bed. 

“Blue Bed was destroyed by Soft_Paws!”

You squeal out of both fear and excitement, adrenaline racing through you as you’re attacked by two of the blue players at once. You throw a fireball at them, shouting for joy when one of them is successfully knocked off the island. 

“Holy shit!”

The next player is harder to kill, your health rapidly deteriorating as you battle with nothing but a stone sword and your adrenaline. 

You have one heart left when it finally happens.

“Ecstasy.png was killed by Soft_Paws”

“Yes!” You kick your feet out, jumping up from your chair with your excitement before remembering that you’re still in a game. “Holy fuck I did it. I actually did it, you guys!” 

She’s CRACKED

LETS GOOOO

WOOOOO

YEEEEESSSSSS

~~~

Roughly five minutes later, you’re still in the round. Everyone’s bed has been broken at this point but there are still three teams that are yet to be eliminated, yours included. 

You’re sort of just hiding at the base, watching the chaos from afar as your one and only teammate left (Kodzuken) goes on a murder spree. 

He’s running back to the team’s island when the incident occurs.

All you see is yellow leather armor and a yellow name tag, sprinting on the bridge connecting your base to the emerald island. You don’t even consider the fact that they’re currently being chased down by your teammate, you just aim. 

Your aim is exceptionally good, so good in fact that the explosion knocks off both the yellow player and Kodzuken. 

You freeze at the realization, your mouth falling open in complete horror as you piece together what you’d just done.

“I did not just do that,” you whisper, mostly to yourself as the events replay in your mind. “Oh my god,” you facepalm - forgetting (once again) that you’re still actually alive and participating in the game - and completely missing the person running towards you on the other bridge. 

You hear the sound of something being attacked, echoing through your headphones and making your eyebrows furrow with confusion. 

You abruptly gasp, but by then it’s too late. 

You’re dead. And your team has lost.

Taglist: @crazy-people-are-here, @existential-traveller, @peachesncats, @royalz658

Any names in bold are unable to be tagged.

[iluvshinytwink]

September - Jude Bellingham

"You ruined all my favorite songs."

Synopsis: After your breakup, Jude can't go through his playlist without remembering you.

Now Playing . . . September by Sparky Deathcap

RANDOM DISLCIAMERRR!!! This has references to an old fic on my blog called Sunny Days and Are We Still Friends check it out if you'd like. :)

a/n: who hurt me? idk bro idk anymore 💔

It's fascinating how a person can make you love life so much to the point where if they were to disappear, life would lose its colors.

Jude didn't necessarily find the world grey now that you were gone, but he felt grey. Everyday was a struggle, it hurt.

Jude would wake up in the morning, the same ceiling he's stared on for days still above him. His cheeks stained with tears he's cried the night before. And the worst part, the bed was empty. Days were particularly cold. He no longer felt the warmth of your arms around his, he no longer heard your soft breathing with his own.

It sucked even more that he loved music and you did too.

"Babe, check this out." Jude said, handing you his phone. Jude handed you his phone and displayed was his spotify. "What's this, Jude?" you giggled, taking the phone from his hand. "I made a playlist." he smiled, looking at you. You looked back at him, fighting a grin from appearing. "That's so cringe." you snickered, scrolling through the playlist. All your favorite songs were in the playlist and it made your heart melt. "Your playlist doesn't have a name." you chuckled, showing your boyfriend his phone. "You name it, then." Jude smiled. You bit your lips to prevent a bigger smile appearing on your face.

"We need to take a picture for the playlist cover photo!" you suggested, quickly exiting spotify and opening his camera app. Jude's face touches yours, he kisses your cheeks and you take the picture, a bright smile on your face. A giggle escapes your mouth, a dust of pink appearing on your cheeks. Jude couldn't help but smile.

After the breakup, he couldn't bring himself to delete it. But every time he scrolls through his playlists and finds the playlist he made for you he can't help but feel his eyes water and feel his heart breaking away.

Jude was currently at his team's bus, driving to go back home. The bus was silent, it was late at night and his teammates were asleep. Everyone was tired and so was he. His body ached from pain because of tonight's game. It was raining again. Jude looks out of his window, seeing the street lights run past him, seeing the raindrops falling from the sky and against his window. His eyes softened. He goes through his spotify playlists, trying to find the perfect one for this somber mood and he comes across the playlist he made for you. Even now, he still feels his heart sink whenever he looks at the playlist. He hesitated, he shouldn't. He couldn't. But he did.

Although this playlist would bring him sadness, it also brought him happiness.

He looks through the playlist, remembering every memory. Every artist you introduced to him, every lyric the two of you would scream in his car. A bitter smile wipes his face, his vision blurring due to the tears.

He remembered, every time he had a game far, far away from you he'd play this playlist to remember you. To remind himself if football was too hard, too gruesome, he could always come back to you. He could always run into your arms and you would kiss him senselessly until the pain went away.

A sigh escapes Jude's lips. Though Dortmund fought hard tonight, it wasn't enough. Even though he ran back and forth, it wasn't enough.

Jude pulled up on your driveway. He didn't know where to go, he didn't want to go back to his home. He wanted to go back home to you. Times like this where everything seemed to not go his way his first instinct was to go home to you.

Jude didn't want to get out of his car. He stared at his steering wheel.

You hear the engine of a familiar car stop at your parking lot. You waited a few minutes but Jude didn't enter your house or anything.

You went out of your house, looking at a faint shadow of your boyfriend inside his car.

Jude looks out his car, desperately looking for your eyes to meet his. There you stood, waiting for him. You wave your boyfriend hello, a soft smile on your face. Jude didn't know how a simple hello made him feel like this. A smile curls his lips and he gets out of his car.

Times where he didn't want to go out, times where he wanted to isolate himself he always found himself nearing you. He could always isolate himself with you.

Jude was now in front of you, looking down at the ground.

You wrap your arms around his waist, burying your face inside his chest.

"You did well tonight, baby." Your muffled voice said. His eyes stung. He didn't want to be in pain anymore, he didn't want to come home with an injury anymore. He wanted to be here, with you.

His arms slowly wrap around your body, a shaky sigh escaping his lips.

Jude pulls away, looking at your face. A smile curls his lips once more his cracked lips meet yours.

He knew that if everything was too much, if he felt like nothing would love him, you would. If he felt like nothing could comfort him or help him, he knew your lips would.

He felt that right now. He wanted to run into your arms again, kiss you senselessly, hug you senselessly, cry senselessly, smile senselessly, laugh senselessly. But he couldn't.

"I put some more songs in your playlist, hon." you smiled at him. "Again? There's like 60 songs in there now." Jude smiled. "These songs remind me of you." you whispered, looking through the playlist.

Every song reminded him of you. He hated it. He hated that every song in whatever playlist he would always remember you. With every song, he remembers a moment where that song was playing and you were with him. He'd hear your distinct laughter running through his ears and mind. He'd see your smile that was implemented in his memories. It pained him but it was a reminder at the same time, a reminder that he loved and cherished and would never love or be loved like that again.

Jude was walking home, his airpods tucked in his ears, the world around him silencing before his very eyes. His hands dug deep within his jacket as he walked along the pavement. Jude looks up from the ground and sees a bench.

The two of you sat on that very bench. You rest your head against his shoulder, tightening the grip you hand on his hand. Jude looks over to you with a smile before looking back to the sunset.

He hated this. He hated the fact that every night he wanted to drive to your house and look at you one last time, to see if you still looked at him the way he would always look at you, to see if your eyes would still meet his with nothing but love, he wanted to see if your body would collide with his freely. He hated that you left him with nothing but the memories he always finds himself remembering.

He hated you.

i spaced out like 15 times while writing this and i still finished it on one sitting, im so girlpussybosslslay

as always, smash that like button and subscribe :)

[writing-intheundercroft]

Interview with a Writer

Thank you for the tag @kaidynsarell!!

Answers and tags below the cut :)

WHEN DID YOU START WRITING

I started writing fics when I was thirteen (RIP Mibba) and probably stopped around sixteen when I got into RP. I definitely stopped in my later years of high school, and rediscovered my love for fanfic around 2021. I had a few drafts running, but never felt the inspiration or bravery to post until HL came out.

ARE THERE DIFFERENT THEMES OR GENRES YOU ENJOY READING THAN WHAT YOU WRITE

I find it really hard to write dark! versions of characters, so I really enjoy getting into a good fic featuring darker takes. I am also terrible at writing action, but have enjoyed every fic I've read that has action sequences.

IS THERE A WRITER YOU WANT TO EMULATE OR GET COMPARED TO OFTEN.

As far as published authors, I think I based my early writing technique on Emily Henry. I've yet to get any comparisons though!

CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR WRITING SPACE

I wish I could write on my phone, but I get far too distracted! Most of my writing is done curled up on the couch with my cats after everyone else has gone to bed. I consider it my enrichment time and try to write for at least 30 minutes a day.

WHATS YOUR MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO MUSTER UP A MUSE

I make a pinterest board for every fic I write, and a spotify playlist! Currently, my most active playlist is the one for my modern au dad!Seb fic.

ARE THERE ANY RECURRING THEMES IN YOUR WRITING? DO THEY SURPRISE YOU.

Making Sebastian Sallow miserable? In a serious way, the transition from youth to adulthood. Or writing realistic relationships.

WHAT IS YOUR REASON FOR WRITING

My therapist once said to remember what made you happy before life got in the way. So writing silly love stories, no matter how many people read them, has brought a ton of joy and meaning to my life in the last year. And on top of that, all the lovely online friends I've made as well!

IS THERE ANY SPECIFIC COMMENT OR TYPE OF COMMENT YOU FIND PARTICULARLY MOTIVATING

I love when people pick up on little details I've put in the chapter from previous chapters. I spend a lot of time pouring through old chapters trying to link up everything, so that makes me feel like the effort was worthwhile.

HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE THOUGHT OF BY YOUR READERS

I hope my readers find me relatable and approachable, because I love nothing more than talking to readers!

WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE IS YOUR GREATEST STRENGTH AS A WRITER

Call me back for the answer to this when I finish my long fic LOL. But otherwise I'd say its coming up with AU situations and linking them up to the characters in a way that makes sense.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR OWN WRITING

Writing is such a fun release for me. There's something to be said about rediscovering a love you once had after spending years away from it. I love everything I've written and I hope you guys do as well.

No pressure tags💕💕

@myokk @pluviowriting @kaviary-blog @applinsandoranges @cuffmeinblack

[chiaraswritings]

Apocalypse

Disclaimer: I do not own DC, Disney, their characters, or their settings. This is certainly not canon.

Warnings & Topics: Scenes including blood, hallucinations, apocalyptic world, abandonment, insanity. 18+.

Word Count: 894 words

Summary: I guess Batman x fem!reader, angst, lots of angst. Batman is forced to leave his psychotic lover behind in the remains of Arkham after an apocalypse.

Author's Note: Felt like writing something depressing today. If your gut tells you not to read this after the warnings listed, then please skip this one and go read one of my fluffs. I hope you enjoy.

Listen on Spotify while you read...

My blue pointe shoes twirl over the field of clover and daisies. My hair flowed out behind me, rippling like a flag in the wind. Spinning like a ballerina over this perfect, dreamy meadow, my heart ached with unending joy. Never before had I ever felt like this… like a princess. Fairy-like. 

I paused my pirouettes to watch my lover approach. Closer, ever closer he came, clothed in purest white that complimented my own pale garments. His fingers brushed against my soft cheek, and I leaned into his touch, my eyes fluttering closed. 

His fingertips lifted my chin, and my eyes opened to stare into his. “Is this heaven?” I whispered. 

He didn’t reply with words, but instead a kiss, his lips covering my own. When I opened my eyes from the show of affection, we were surrounded by a swarm of blue and white butterflies, fluttering around us in a cyclone.

When the delicate insects had vanished, my lover took my hand, pulled me close. He still didn’t speak, but he didn’t have to. His eyes told me everything. He was mine, always, forever.

…

Batman watched her from a distance. The strands of her torn, broken straightjacket fluttered around her legs like a skirt, her soft feet were bruised and bleeding from the fractured glass she was dancing on. She still had form, she could’ve gone to Broadway if… if only.

He watched her twirl over the debris and ruins of Arkham Asylum, the result of the apocalyptic world they were all trying to survive in. Her eyes were cast upwards, as if she were looking into the eyes of a duet partner. Soft laughter escaped her chapped, cracked lips as she dipped and rose again, ever dancing in a dream. 

He felt a hand on his shoulder. “We can’t bring her with us.”

“I know.” Batman turned to Wonder Woman, to the aircraft that would take them far away from the ruins and rubble of Gotham.

Her hand still rested on his shoulder. “She can’t hurt anyone here if the city is deserted. She’ll be alright.”

“She can’t fend for herself out here, she won’t survive,” Batman responded as they both watched the dancer rise in a relevé. “I don’t think she would even try. She’s too far gone.”

“I’m sorry,” was all his friend could say, before she turned to the vessel. 

“I know,” was all that he could manage to reply, as he watched his lost lover dance for the last time. 

He approached the woman cautiously, knowing the risks he was taking. She slowly stopped spinning as he reached out a hand to touch her skin. It wasn’t peach-soft anymore, her cheeks were covered in the dirt and ash that had buried the other inmates of Arkham. What a chance that she had made it out, that she had been saved. But for what purpose? Batman stared into her empty eyes. Her mind had drifted far away, lost in itself. He swallowed against the lump in his throat as he remembered her. Her eyes didn’t used to be this lifeless. He remembered a woman with dreams, with hope. A woman that he used to know. 

Now, this stranger occupied the shell of a body, a body he had used to caress and worship in the fallen hours of the night. Staring into the eyes of this woman he no longer knew, Batman felt a chill run down his spine. She stood before him, still as a statue, his touch only pausing the dream of a world that she danced in.

“I have to leave you here,” he whispered, brushing back strands of her short, dull hair. He remembered when it was long, when it had splayed across his pillows. She didn’t understand, what was the use? He slowly withdrew from the dancer he had once called his lover, pulling back his hands, leaving behind the one he loved. 

Avoiding the sympathetic gazes of his teammates, he took his place in the airship, looking back at the woman one last time as the door closed. She had begun to dance again, over a pile of boulders and shattered glass, forgetting his touch that had haunted her just seconds before.

…

My world had disappeared for only a moment, but now it had come back to me. My green meadows, my swarms of butterflies and honeybees, my paradise! It was mine, and mine forever. I danced over the clover beneath my feet, my prince, Bruce, following close behind. 

The soft tulle brushed against my legs as I twirled for him, making sure he noticed me. Horses in the pasture lifted their heads, squirrels stopped their gathering in the woods, a bear paused his berry-picking in a bush to watch me dance. The birds sang a song that I could dance to, a sweet, melodic tune. 

I was Snow White, I was Cinderella, I was a Beauty that drew the gaze of all the creatures around me. My prince caught my hand, pulled me to him, his adoring gaze melting me. Oh, I could remain in this heavenly land forever. There was no pain or sadness here, I was numb to anything but tender happiness and gentle touches. The sun never set, the rainbow in the sky never faded, the music never stopped. 

I was deaf to the roar of engines in the distance. Nothing mattered anymore. Nothing would ever matter again.

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