#'you're my brother' 'i know. i know' continues to be my cause of death put it on my death certificate

[reconstructs]

some 2 am john marston braindump

john and arthur are the epitome of the golden child/scapegoat (respectively), until john became dutch’s scapegoat. john’s never been academically inclined but has always been cunning and skeptical. have lots of thoughts but i do definitely think that the stark age difference between dutch and john (dutch is 30-ish when he takes john in vs being only mid-20s when arthur is taken in) + the fact that dutch is quite literally the only father john has ever known makes this even more apparent. dutch is arthur’s father-figure but he’s always had hosea; while hosea's always been a paternal presence to john there’s always been an intrinsic bond between john and dutch. dutch taught everything john he knows about gunslinging and hunting and fishing, areas where john excels compared to arthur. arthur’s ‘i just always thought everything came easy to you’ makes me :(((

their sibling dynamic means sm to me n they both deserved better when it came to their pasts fr, but john genuinely cannot conceptualize any sort of family outside of the gang which is why he leaves, understanding dutch’s true nature before anyone really does (+also being a deadbeat dad), then comes back a year later.

john's unable to cope with his grief over arthur's death, and when the opportunity arises to get revenge on micah, he gets tunnel vision and eagerly takes it. of course, this is at the cost of his own life as his actions would have dire consequences; but there's no way it wasn't, at least in a small way, what he wanted. after spending years purposely creating chaos to emulate his life in the gang, he's proved he's unable to fully move on from the past.

as for high/low honor, my john is probably medium, teetering very close to low honor and is outright dishonorable while working for ross.. while i think arthur’s story and arc is about redemption, john’s has always been about survival. he’s never quite believed he’s had a choice. some trees flourish, others die. and he’s done whatever it takes for his family, whether said family is the van der linde gang, arthur, or abigail and jack, to live and thrive even if it’s all been in vain, and even if it’s involved doing the worst things a person can do. also a habit he’s learned from dutch, lmao.

speaking of which - so many of the toxic, manipulative habits and tendencies he’s taken on as a father are learned from dutch and somewhat unlearned in beecher’s hope with jack. a large part of their tragedy is that the day john died is the day that he and jack were finally on the same wavelength. they'd spent so long misunderstanding one another.

also – my john is blind in his left eye, with some light perception, and by 1911 regularly wears an eyepatch to aid in gunslinging and hunting. the visual impairment occurred as a result of being attacked by wolves in 1899; it also means he has no depth perception and is susceptible to being ambushed by those who know about it (looking at javier for throwing that box on top of him in rdr1, lmao). it has helped him as a gunslinger, though.

moreover. my john's hat is arthur's hat with feathers added that charles gave to him, and his classic revolver is dutch's :')

[the-ellia-west]

How to make your readers Feel emotions for Dummies

(Characters crying edition!)

So... You can't write characters crying? (Or you just want to read this for some reason) Well, neither do I so let's get right into it! I should be packing for a trip but oh well who cares? Not me!

Yeah. Your character is crying and you want to know...

How to not make it cringe af

How to make the Readers relate to it

How to make the readers not only relate to it, but feel DEPRESSED

Step 1 - Do NOT over describe it I've tried to write this so many times and failed that I've realized it's just like good horror. If anything, don't describe the tears, describe their impact, describe the horror of why they're happening, what they're doing to your character. (Example at the end)

Step 2 - Make it at a time when we've had time to connect to the character Put it in the middle of the 1st or only book at the earliest. Other than that, put it later. The more time you spend with the characters, the more their breaking down will emotionally scar you. And that's what we want

Step 3 - Describe other actions for the character Deep breaths, falling to their knees, screaming, choking, cradling the body of a loved one, sad dialogue, other concerned characters, ect. Actions speak louder than words and that is sooooo true in writing. This one of those rare cases where show don't tell is a must.

Ex. (I'm using A and B for the character names cause I'm lazy)

The world seemed to slow as everything came crashing down around her as his body hit the ground, a soft thud the only sound she heard as the grass slowly turned from the light lively emerald of life, to the deep crimson red of death. He was gone. She ran over to him, his quickly fading labored breaths and her crunching footsteps the only sound as the sun shone into her eyes, blinding her. She dropped to her knees beside him, the tears already beginning to fall as she began to choke on her own words, unable to speak as she grabbed his hand. It felt warm in her palm as she clutched his hand close to her chest as the world came crashing back. The burning light of the sun in her eyes, the heat of it and the adrenaline on her skin, her brother's cooling hand, his raspy breaths, her sobbing gasps, the clash of metal against metal, the falling bodies, the raining blood. Then the screams. "A! A! What are you doing?! We're in the middle of a fight! Don't you remember what I taught you?" B nearly screamed at her, causing A to cry out in a mix of anguish and agony, panic finally reaching her as the impact of what had just happened finally hit her.

(Side note: If you liked the example, it will be part of my Fantasy Book series Coming out soon! More in my profile if you're at all interested)

That wasn't as sad as it could of been because you didn't know the characters, but it's definitely better than just an extended description of crying.

Anyway, thank you lovelies and I hope this helps you even a little bit! Love you, continue being awesome!

[Edit: WHY DO YOU LIKE THIS SO MUCH WHAT DID I DO TO GET SO MANY PEOPLE TO LIKE THIS???? I am flattered... Thank you?]

[allpiesforourown]

Okay here's my Lan Qiren apologist masterpost

"He had Lan Wangji whipped! He's an abuser!"

That was Lan Wangji's punishment for injuring 33 Lan elders while defending a demonic cultivator who caused innumerable deaths in the cultivation community. You need to remember the setting of this story: Madame Yu whipped Wei Ying half to death just because she went "you didn't do anything wrong, your general existence is just mildly annoying to me." Lan Qiren deciding Lan Wangji get one lash for every person he hurt is NOTHING in comparison to the punishment he would have gotten if anyone else was in charge and it was the only way to clear his name.

2. "The Lan sect rules he enforces are too strict."

First of all, Lan Qiren is an old Asian person. I feel like that would be enough to make my point, but I will continue regardless.

The Lans have so many rules because they have extreme self-regulation issues when it comes to their emotions. We've seen Lan Wangji's dad ruin his life by trying to atticwife his lover, but Lan Wangji wasn't any better. If you've read the incense burner extra you know he got his first crush at 15 and his brain immediately went to fantasizing about violently assaulting Wei Ying in the library. Their hundreds of rules are stifling because they're supposed to be. If the Lans don't try to contain themselves they will ruin their lives and the lives of people they care about.

Is "don't talk while you're eating" even that extreme of a household rule? Like every family has some variation of "don't do ____ at the dinner table" and the Lans having their own version is not that insane.

3. "He was against Lan Wangji loving Wei Wuxian."

I need you to spend like. 2 minutes putting yourself in Lan Qiren's shoes.

Imagine you are Lan Qiren. Imagine you find out your brother broke his family apart by forcing his wife to stay with him. Lan Qiren was just a man who was thrust into not only taking care of the Lan clan, one of the biggest cultivation sects you can think of, but also his two traumatized nephews. Imagine cleaning up the mess your brother left you while having to raise two children that aren't yours.

Then you see your nephew, who you have raised like your own son, helplessly pining after the infamous demonic cultivator who has rejected him and teased him. You watch him turn against and injure his own family members to protect a literal criminal.

Then he comes home holding the child of the man he loves and you let him keep that baby and raise him. Because you see yourself in him. You see someone who just lost a loved one who was not a good person but someone you loved regardless. How many times do you think he saw Lan Wangji raising Lan Yuan and remembered himself raising someone else's children because their father was no longer there?

And then after all that Lan Qiren had been through, he didn't even try to keep Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian apart once he found out the truth. When Wei Ying explained how he'd been set up, he was one of the first elders in the cultivation community to give him a chance to explain himself. And after that even if he was cold to Wei Ying, he didn't say shit about the two of them having nasty loud gay sex in gusu every night.

I don't care. Lan Qiren hate will always be forced to me, he did literally nothing wrong and if I was in his shoes I would not have been able to handle it

[eu-nicola]

arranged marriage part 1

sinopsis: After the death of his girlfriend in an accident, Rafe falls into a severe depression. His family offers him a family friend, Arabella, with whom he has always had a bad relationship, to marry him for the good of the family.

warnings: death, arranged marriage, etc

author's note: english is not my first language and this story is very long and it is only the first part

word count: 8647

some labels are not correct

Arabella had always lived a quiet life on the Outer Banks. Her family was very close to the Camerons, and family reunions were a tradition. Since they were little, she and Sarah Cameron had become inseparable. They spent summers together, swimming, exploring the small islands around the coast, or just talking. However, Arabella's relationship with the other brother, Rafe, had always been different.

Rafe Cameron was everything Arabella hated: arrogant, conceited, and with an ego that barely fit in the room. Every time they met at a family reunion or event, their exchanges were cold and tense. They didn't openly insult each other, of course, but the looks and sarcastic comments were constant. The truth is that Rafe also saw her the same way: he thought Arabella was a haughty girl who thought the world revolved around her. Despite everything, they both knew how to behave in front of others. It was a tacit agreement, a sort of silent truce to not cause problems in their families.

Parallel to their tensions, both their lives had continued on their course. Arabella had been dating a boy from the Outer Banks, Matthew, for a year. Matthew was the complete opposite of Rafe: charming, humble, and always ready to make her laugh. He was easy to be with, and their relationship gave her the peace of mind she had always sought. For his part, Rafe had met a young woman a few years ago and, in an unexpected turn, was preparing to marry her. The wedding was the most talked about event on the island. Everyone seemed to be excited, from close families to childhood friends.

Arabella, in particular, couldn't help but joke about it with Sarah. Every time the topic of the wedding came up, she and Sarah used to laugh and say that, once Rafe got married, they could get rid of him once and for all. "Can you imagine?" Sarah said with a laugh, "we'll finally not have to put up with his 'I'm better than all of you' attitude." Arabella smirked, knowing that even though they were joking, a part of her actually believed it would be a relief to not have to deal with Rafe on a regular basis anymore. With the wedding approaching, he'd be busy with his new life, and she could enjoy her days in peace.

One afternoon, while helping Sarah pick out a dress for her brother's wedding, Arabella and Sarah sat on the store's couch, surrounded by fabrics and catalogs. Sarah showed her one of the dresses, and Arabella looked at it, nodding in approval. "It's beautiful, Sarah. You're going to be the prettiest bridesmaid I've ever seen."

"And you? Do you know what you're going to wear yet?" Sarah asked curiously, glancing at her friend out of the corner of her eye.

Arabella let out a soft laugh, crossing her legs as she settled into the couch. "I haven't decided yet, but honestly, I don't care that much. The important thing is that you'll look spectacular and that your brother is finally getting married."

Sarah smiled. "Can you imagine what it'll be like? It'll be weird not having him hanging around the house."

Arabella laughed, nodding again. "Exactly. It's like he always has to remind us that he's Rafe Cameron, as if we could ever forget." She paused, leaning forward. “Speaking of which, how is everything going with him and his fiancée? Do they have everything ready yet?”

Sarah sighed. “Mostly everything. I won’t lie to you, though, there have been tense moments. You know how my brother is. Everything has to be perfect for him, and his fiancée seems to be the same way. It’s like two perfectionists have met, which should be a good thing, but… sometimes I think they’re going crazy with the details.”

Arabella nodded, imagining Rafe being picky about every little aspect of the wedding. “I can see that. He’s probably checking every flower, every napkin, to make sure everything is up to par.”

“Exactly,” Sarah said, laughing. “But, well, it’ll be a wedding everyone will remember, for better or worse.”

The days leading up to the wedding were complete chaos. Arabella had anticipated it, but nothing could prepare her for the magnitude of the storm that was brewing. Between last-minute meetings, planning details, and the endless list of tasks Sarah had set out to complete, they were both swept up in a maelstrom of stress. Rafe, of course, was at the center of it all, making sure every aspect of the ceremony and reception was flawless. It was nearly impossible to see him without a worried or annoyed expression on his face, which, to Arabella, was a normal occurrence for him.

Despite everything, Arabella tried to stay out of the way. She reminded herself that this wasn't her wedding, and that no matter how much everything got out of hand, the best thing she could do was stay calm, help Sarah when necessary, and avoid Rafe as much as possible. But things didn't always go as planned. During the days leading up to it, she was forced to cross paths with Rafe more times than she would have liked. Every time she saw him, he was arguing with someone: an organizer, a caterer, or even his own sister.

The wedding day finally arrived, bringing with it a mix of emotions. The Cameron household was bustling early, with servants and family members running back and forth to make sure everything was ready. Arabella had slept there the night before, as part of tradition. Sarah had convinced her that it would be easier to get ready together from the Cameron household. They had both thought they would get ready with the bride, as was customary for close friends and family of the couple. However, that expectation was quickly dashed.

At the last minute, Rafe's fiancée had decided that she preferred to get ready elsewhere, alongside her mother and some members of her family. Not only that, but neither Arabella nor Sarah had been invited to join them. It was a clear sign of distancing, and although Sarah tried to hide her irritation, Arabella noticed how she clenched her jaw at the news.

Arabella, for her part, considered it disrespectful. Wasn't Sarah Rafe's sister? And hadn't she, Arabella, been by Sarah's side all these years, sharing every important moment in the Camerons' lives? She tried to ignore the small flicker of anger that was beginning to form inside her. There was no point in making a scene over something so trivial. Besides, she had Sarah, and the two of them could turn any awkward situation into something fun. If the bride didn't want them there, then they would enjoy getting ready on their own.

“Can you believe it?” Sarah said, slamming the bedroom door shut as they entered. “He didn’t even tell me directly, can you imagine?”

Arabella, sitting on the edge of the bed, shrugged. “Truth be told, I was expecting it. He doesn’t seem like the kind of person who wants to share his day with us. At the end of the day, it’s his wedding, and he can do whatever he wants.”

Sarah let out a sarcastic laugh as she sat down in front of the mirror. “Yeah, sure. But I’m his future sister-in-law. And you’re my best friend. I don’t know, he just seems… cold.”

“Well, better for us,” Arabella said, getting up to find her dress. “At least we won’t have to pretend to like his every comment and smile all the time. We’ll get ready together, like always.”

Sarah let out a sigh and looked at herself in the mirror. "You're right. But it still bothers me. Anyway, let her get ready by herself. Today's all about my brother getting married and I honestly want this all to be over with."

Arabella laughed softly, patting him on the shoulder before starting to change. The sun's rays streamed through the curtains, illuminating the room in a warm, golden light. Although they were annoyed by the bride's lack of consideration, there was something almost magical about those moments.

As they both got ready, the silence was filled with soft murmurs and occasional laughter. Sarah tried to comb her hair while talking non-stop about how chaotic everything had been, and Arabella, who had already finished getting dressed, helped her with some details. It seemed like the small frustrations of the day were being left behind.

As Arabella and Sarah got ready in the bedroom, chaos quickly took over the house. The screams and constant movement of people running through the halls soon interrupted the calm that had prevailed only a few minutes before. Arabella, who was finishing adjusting her dress in front of the mirror, frowned as she noticed the growing sense of anxiety that was beginning to fill the air.

“What’s going on?” Sarah asked, glancing out the window and then back to the door. The door to her room opened and closed frequently, but no one stopped to give them an explanation. Servants walked back and forth with tense faces, exchanging hurried whispers. The two friends began to grow restless.

Arabella stood up, smoothing out the folds of her dress as she walked to the door. “I’ll ask. This is already too weird.” Sarah nodded, following closely behind. They both stepped out into the hallway, hoping to find someone who could tell them what was going on. But every time they tried to stop someone, the employees avoided their gaze, mumbled apologies, and walked on, as if they were under strict orders not to say anything.

Nerves began to set in at Arabella’s stomach. The laughter and conversation that should be filling the house on a wedding day had turned into tense whispers and palpable nervousness. They tried to approach various people, but the answers were always vague, almost as if no one knew what to say or how to handle the situation.

Sarah, for her part, was starting to lose patience. “Is someone going to tell us what’s going on?!” she exclaimed, glaring at one of the servants who hurried past without stopping.

Their frustration grew by the second. Finally, they decided to try something more daring: approach Rafe’s room. They knew he must be getting ready there, and although they didn’t feel like facing him in the middle of a possible disaster, they couldn’t stand to be in the dark any longer.

The atmosphere around Rafe’s room was even stranger. The door was closed, but people passing by avoided looking at it as if they feared what was happening inside. Arabella and Sarah stopped in front of it, exchanging glances. Sarah, frowning, took a step towards the door, but before she could knock, a muffled scream came from someone behind them.

“No! Don’t go in there,” one of the women working in the house said, quickly approaching with a look of pure panic on her face.

Arabella crossed her arms, facing the woman with a mix of confusion and impatience. “What’s going on? No one’s telling us anything.”

The woman hesitated, nervously glancing at Rafe’s bedroom door before looking down. She seemed to be torn between what she should do and what she was supposed to keep secret.

“It’s… it’s the bride,” she finally murmured, her voice shaking. “She… she had an accident. On the way to church.”

Arabella’s world stopped for a second. Her brain was slow to process what she had just heard. Beside her, Sarah let out a soft gasp, her face paling.

“An accident?” Arabella repeated, trying to understand. “Is… is she okay?”

The woman looked down even further, unable to hold her eyes. “No… he didn’t survive,” she whispered.

The silence that followed was deafening. Arabella felt the room around her seem to fade away, her mind caught up in the brutality of that simple sentence. Rafe’s girlfriend, the woman he was set to marry in a matter of hours, was dead. There was no softening that reality. Arabella slowly turned her head to Sarah, who had stood frozen, her eyes filled with shock and horror.

“What…?” Sarah stammered, bringing a shaking hand to her mouth. “How… how did it happen?”

The woman, clearly uncomfortable and distraught, tried to explain. “It… it was a car accident. The car he was in lost control. He died instantly, we were told.”

Rafe’s life, as arrogant as he was, had just changed forever.

Before they could fully process what they had just heard, the silence of the hallway was suddenly broken by a crash coming from Rafe’s room. Both friends turned sharply toward the door, their hearts pounding.

The noise continued: something heavy had fallen, followed by a thud, and then more sounds of things breaking. It seemed like everything inside the room was falling apart. Arabella and Sarah exchanged a panicked glance, and in that instant they knew Rafe had heard.

"No," Sarah whispered, bringing a hand to her chest as she took a step toward the door, as if she wanted to enter.

Arabella grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Don't go in," she said quietly. She knew the last thing Rafe needed right now was for someone to see him in the midst of his pain.

The noises inside the room continued: more glass breaking, furniture being dragged or overturned, and the occasional muffled scream that could barely be heard. It was as if everything Rafe had held in for days, weeks, or maybe even years was finally coming out in the worst possible way. Arabella could imagine him throwing objects at the walls, taking out his fury, his pain, and his helplessness on anything that could be broken.

Arabella nodded slowly. She knew that the day they had joked about “getting rid of Rafe” once she was married seemed far away now. All that was left was unimaginable tragedy.

The day of the funeral arrived with a heavy, oppressive air enveloping the Cameron household like a suffocating blanket. From the moment the news of Rafe's fiancée's death had hit their lives, the atmosphere in the house had changed. Everyone, from the servants to the family members themselves, walked with a caution that had not been seen before. Arabella had hoped that the funeral would be the moment when, finally, everyone could begin to process what had happened. However, that day only brought more bewilderment.

At breakfast, Ward Cameron had summoned the entire family into the dining room. It was a strange scene: the sun shone softly through the windows, illuminating the table covered with plates of food that no one had any intention of touching. Arabella sat next to Sarah, both silent, waiting for Ward's words, who remained standing at the end of the table, a stern expression on his face.

When he finally spoke, his tone was cold and authoritative. “No one from this family will be attending the funeral,” he announced, his voice cutting through the air like a knife.

Arabella blinked, shocked by what she had just heard. She glanced sideways at Sarah, expecting her friend to protest, but she was motionless, her gaze fixed on her plate, her hands clenched in her lap. There were no murmurs of disagreement, no attempts to debate the decision. The silence was absolute.

Ward continued, as if he had not expected anyone to question him. “It is a tragedy what has happened, but it is not wise for us to be there. The family of… the deceased,” he said, pausing before mentioning Rafe’s fiancée, as if he could not bear to say her name, “can handle the funeral. We need not involve ourselves further in this matter.”

Arabella felt a wave of disbelief run through her body. How could she say such a thing? Her son’s fiancée had died tragically, and now they intended to simply ignore the funeral. It was inhuman. Yet the coldness with which Ward spoke made it clear that he was not willing to argue. To him, this was a matter of convenience, of avoiding further unwanted attention.

“This includes Arabella,” Ward added, giving her a brief but firm look. “You are part of our family and on this occasion, it is best that you follow our decision.”

Arabella felt a pang in her chest, but said nothing. This was not the time to challenge Ward’s authority, not when everyone was so tense.

Sarah, who had remained silent until this moment, finally spoke, though her voice was barely a whisper. “And Rafe?” she asked, her eyes lowered, as if she could not bear the answer.

Ward set his jaw. “Rafe won’t be attending. He’s not fit.” The way he said it made it clear that Rafe’s “condition” wasn’t something he was proud of.

Arabella knew what that meant. From the moment he’d learned of his fiancée’s death, Rafe had disappeared into a self-destructive cycle. Empty bottles piled up in his room, and servants whispered that they’d seen him with bloodshot eyes, walking the halls like a ghost. He was doing everything he could to avoid the pain, drowning himself in drink and other things to escape reality. He hadn’t bothered to see anyone or face what had happened. The funeral, of course, wasn’t an option for him. Not when his only concern was evading everything that made him feel vulnerable.

The weeks following the funeral were like a minefield in the lives of everyone around Rafe. There was no talk of the accident, or of Rafe’s fiancée. It was as if his name had been erased from everyone's memory. However, the absence of words did not mean that the pain had disappeared.

Arabella watched everything with a mixture of uneasiness and curiosity. She had grown accustomed to the rhythms of the Cameron family, to their coldness and the way they solved their problems without ever talking about them, but this time, the pressure was different. Something in the air indicated that, although Rafe had begun to get his life back on track, something had broken inside him that would never be the same again.

At first, Rafe had disappeared completely. He did not come down to meals, he was not seen at family gatherings, and the few times Arabella saw him around the house, he would stare blankly, walking like a shadow of the arrogant man she knew. But little by little, that changed. The nights when he would lock himself in his room with bottles of whiskey began to diminish, and, slowly, he began to appear again at social gatherings, resuming his place as the Prince Kook of always.

The first few days Rafe went out with his friends again, Arabella felt a kind of relief. She would watch him walk around the house with that same confidence that had always characterized him, his face unwavering as if nothing could disturb him. It was almost as if the tragedy had never happened. On the surface, Rafe was the same: the Camerons' golden son, the man who could have it all. He was seen with his old friends at clubs, sailing along the coast in his boat, and organizing parties that brought the hustle and bustle back to the quiet Outer Banks neighborhood.

But everyone knew that something in him had changed.

Sarah, who used to be the first to joke about her brother, now kept quiet when he was around. Sometimes, when Rafe walked past her and Arabella with his confident smile and sarcastic remarks, Sarah would just glance at him out of the corner of her eye, as if she expected the old Rafe, the one who laughed carefree at everything, to return at any moment. However, the silence that followed his words was almost unbearable, as if everyone knew that behind that mask of confidence there was something broken that had not yet healed.

One night, while Arabella and Sarah were in the living room of the Cameron house, Rafe walked in, fresh from one of his outings with the boys. His white shirt was open at the collar, and he smelled of alcohol and tobacco. However, his posture was as impeccable as ever.

"What, you're not going to say anything? Did you miss me?" Rafe threw the question into the air, with a lopsided smile that didn't reach his eyes. Sarah faked a laugh as Arabella watched him intently, noticing the details no one else saw: the slight tremor in his hands, the dull gleam in his eyes.

"You were quieter the last time I saw you," Arabella commented in a neutral tone, trying to test the waters. She knew that any comment that was too direct could be a bombshell for Rafe in this state.

He let out a short, hollow laugh, shrugging as he took a drink from the nearby cabinet. "Quiet? No, I was just... thinking about other things."

The weeks continued and Rafe was completely back to his usual routine. He began training and spending time with his friends. He seemed to have regained his place as the charismatic leader everyone admired and feared at the same time.

While to many everything seemed to be back to normal, in Ward's mind, the situation couldn't be further from that. The dream of seeing his son married, establishing a life of success and responsibility, was something he wasn't willing to give up, even after the tragedy. He knew that in order to maintain the Camerons' position at the top, Rafe needed to have a suitable wife at his side. The death of his young fiancée had only been a temporary obstacle in that plan.

Ward watched his son with a frown, aware that Rafe had returned to his old life, but without the purpose he believed necessary. Going out every night, surrounding himself with superficial friends, and getting drunk were not behaviors worthy of a Cameron with the responsibilities that corresponded to him. No, Rafe had to leave that life behind, and as soon as possible.

For several weeks, Ward had been looking around, evaluating options. The Camerons' social circle was extensive, but he couldn't just choose any woman. No, whoever married Rafe had to be someone suitable, someone who could not only handle his son's complex personality, but also bring respect and stability with her. But, as much as he searched among the young women of high society, he couldn't help but return to an idea that slowly began to grow in his mind.

Arabella.

He had known her forever, just like his family. She was someone he could trust. A strong, loyal young woman, and above all, someone who was already close to Rafe. Although their relationship had been strained over the years, Ward couldn't ignore that, of all the people in his environment, Arabella was the only one who had always been there, even in the darkest times. Perhaps, Ward thought, she could be the key to getting Rafe out of the abyss he was in, even if he didn't know it yet.

One night, as Ward was going through some paperwork in his office, that idea finally took shape. He closed the folder in front of him and leaned back in his chair, pondering what he had to do. He knew Rafe wouldn't take the suggestion well, not in his current state, but that had never stopped Ward before. It was his duty, as a father, to guide his son, even if Rafe didn't understand it.

Convinced that Arabella would be the ideal wife for Rafe, Ward decided to act. The next morning, he called Rose into his office and explained his plan. Rose, though initially surprised, didn't argue. She knew how her husband's mind worked and had learned not to question his decisions, especially when it came to Rafe.

"What about Arabella?" Rose asked, one eyebrow raised. "Don't you think she should have some say in the matter?"

Ward let out a dry laugh. "Arabella is a smart girl. She knows what's best for her family. And this is best for everyone."

Rose didn't answer, but a hint of doubt crossed her face. However, she left the subject up to her husband.

It was a few days before Ward decided to bring up the idea with Rafe. It wasn't an easy subject to broach, and his son was still dealing with the weight of loss, though he tried to disguise it behind his cocky smiles and carefree demeanor. He knew he would have to pick the right time.

The day came on a quiet afternoon. Rafe was in his father's office, going through some paperwork related to the family business, when Ward seized the opportunity. He looked at him from his desk, analyzing his expression, searching for a sign of an opening.

"Son," Ward began in his usual authoritative tone, "it's time for you to think about the future."

Rafe didn't look up from the papers. "What do you mean?" His voice was casual, but Ward noticed the tension in his shoulders.

"You know what I mean. We've talked about it before. You need stability. It's time for you to get married."

Rafe set the papers down on the table, his cold, disinterested eyes meeting his father's. "I thought that subject was closed. You know what happened."

Ward didn't flinch. "What happened was tragic, but it doesn't change the fact that you need a wife. Someone to help you build your life, settle down."

Rafe let out a bitter laugh, leaning back in his chair. “And who am I supposed to find now? Another girl who is willing to put up with me? I don’t think so.”

“I’ve already thought about that,” Ward said firmly, ignoring his son’s sarcastic tone. “And I think the answer has been in front of us all along.”

Rafe frowned, visibly irritated. “What are you talking about?”

“Arabella,” Ward said finally, dropping the bombshell.

Rafe fell silent, his face turning from confusion to disbelief. “Arabella? Are you kidding? Why her?”

Ward kept his gaze fixed on his son, his voice calm but full of authority. “Because she is a good young woman. She is trustworthy, we have known her forever, and she would be a good wife for you. It is not an absurd proposition, Rafe. It makes sense.”

Rafe stood up from his chair, his movements abrupt, visibly angry. "No, there's no point. I haven't even thought about getting married again, let alone to Arabella. I'm not going to."

"You will if it's what's best for the family," Ward replied coldly. "And this is what's best for you too, even if you don't see it now."

Rafe glared at him with fury in his eyes, but he knew arguing with his father was pointless. Ward always got what he wanted, one way or another. But this time, Rafe wasn't going to give in so easily.

Without another word, he walked out of the office, leaving Ward alone, pondering what had just happened. He knew his son wouldn't accept him right away, but he didn't need him to. As always, Ward had a plan. And sooner or later, Rafe would understand that Arabella was the right choice.

However, Arabella had no idea what was to come.

Arabella was in the living room with Sarah, laughing at one of the Kooks' absurd stories when Ward suddenly appeared in the doorway. His face was serious in a way that didn't go unnoticed by either of them, and Arabella felt the air grow heavy. Sarah, who knew that expression on her father all too well, fell silent.

"Arabella, can you come to my office? I need to talk to you in private," Ward said in his usual tone, one that left no room for questions.

Arabella exchanged a glance with Sarah, who gave her a small nod of support before she stood up from the chair. Although it seemed strange to her, there was no reason to hesitate, so she followed him. As she walked through the halls towards the office, a slight nervousness settled in her chest.

When she reached the office, the door was already ajar. Ward entered first and Arabella followed, but what she didn't expect was to see Rafe sitting in one of the chairs, arms crossed and a tense expression on his face. The atmosphere was thick, and she immediately knew that this was not just any conversation. Something was wrong.

Arabella frowned and, despite her discomfort, walked over to the free chair. She sat down stiffly, looking from Ward to Rafe, waiting for some explanation. The silence in the room was almost oppressive, until Ward decided to speak.

"I've been thinking a lot about your future, Arabella," Ward began, his tone trying to sound understanding. "And I think that, after everything that's happened, it's time for Rafe to move on. And since you both need stability, I think there's a solution that will be beneficial for everyone."

Arabella looked at him in confusion, her brain slowly processing his words. "What... what do you mean by that?" she asked, unsure of where he was going with this.

Ward paused, as if trying to find the right words, though his tone remained firm. "I think it would be best for both of you to get married."

Arabella froze. She looked at Rafe, expecting to see a reaction of surprise or disagreement, but he just watched her with a distant expression. She looked back at Ward, expecting there to be some misunderstanding. "I don't understand..." she stammered, trying to clarify what she had just heard. "Marry Rafe? That doesn't make sense."

Ward, ever calm, folded his hands on his desk. "It makes perfect sense. With his fiancée dead, and your family starting to look for a husband for you, Rafe is the best choice. You already know each other, your parents trust our family, and this would ensure the stability you both need."

"No, this can't be!" Arabella stood up from her seat, her heart pounding. "I don't want to marry Rafe. This doesn't make sense. We're not... we don't get along!" She looked at Rafe for some sign of support, but he just watched her silently, his dark eyes reflecting resignation.

Rafe finally spoke, his voice low but laden with a strange mix of resignation and mockery. “Don’t resist, Arabella. There’s no escape for any of us.”

Arabella stared at him in disbelief. “What are you talking about? This doesn’t have to happen. I don’t… I don’t want this, Rafe. It doesn’t make any sense.”

Ward slowly rose from his seat and walked around his desk, approaching Arabella with calculated steps. “I understand that you’re shocked, but believe me, it’s what’s best for you. Your family is already starting to look for a good match for you, and what I’m offering is the best option. You won’t have to marry a stranger, you won’t have to fear for your future. Rafe will be a good husband for you.”

Arabella took a step back, shaking her head, fear and frustration invading every fiber of her being. “No, Ward. I can’t do this. I don’t want to.”

Ward looked at her with a mix of patience and determination. "I know you think you can run away from this situation, but you can't. Your family is already considering alternatives, and if you don't accept, there will be other decisions you won't like. This is for the best, Arabella. For you, for Rafe, for our families."

Arabella's mind raced, trying to find a way out. But every word Ward said caged her further in. She knew she didn't have much choice. If her family was already involved in the arrangements, she wouldn't have much room to maneuver. And Ward... Ward wasn't a man to take 'no' for an answer.

She took a deep breath, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. Frustration, fear, and despair washed over her, but deep down she knew there was no way out. This was the reality she was in, and she couldn't change it.

After the conversation with Ward and Rafe, the tension between him and Arabella had grown almost unbearable. They could barely be in the same room without feeling an overwhelming pressure in the air. Before, even though they didn't get along, they could at least maintain a polite conversation, but now not even that. Arabella avoided any encounter with him, aware that she was trapped in a situation from which there was no escape. The very idea of ​​marrying Rafe, of sharing a life together, was overwhelming, almost claustrophobic.

Every time she thought about the wedding, she felt a mixture of frustration and resignation. Sarah, however, seemed to be delighted with the idea of ​​organizing the event. She was more than willing to take care of every detail, from the flowers to the dress. Sarah tried to cheer Arabella up, but even with her enthusiasm, it was clear that her friend knew that things were not right.

One afternoon, as the sun filtered through the windows of Arabella's room, Sarah entered without knocking, as she always did, and found her sitting on the edge of the bed, staring into a corner of the room. Arabella's expression was blank, as if she were trapped in her own thoughts, absent from the world around her.

"Hey, Bells," Sarah said softly, closing the door behind her. "How are you feeling?"

Arabella looked up and forced a smile, but Sarah knew her too well to believe that gesture. She sat down beside her on the bed, taking Arabella's hand lovingly.

"You know you don't have to pretend with me," Sarah continued. "I know this isn't what you want."

Arabella sighed deeply, letting out all the air she had been holding. She knew Sarah wouldn't judge her, that she could speak to her with complete honesty. "I don't want to marry him, Sarah," she admitted, her voice breaking. "I never wanted this. And now... I'm trapped. I have no choice."

Sarah squeezed her hand, as if with that gesture she could transfer some of her strength to her. "I know. This isn't fair."

Arabella lowered her head, her eyes beginning to fill with tears that she struggled to hold back. "It's just... even the thought of having kids with him terrifies me. I don't see myself building a family with Rafe. I don't see myself sharing my life like that. This whole thing... is a nightmare."

Sarah looked at her, feeling her friend's anguish as if it were her own. "Bells, I'm here with you. Always. No matter what happens, you're not going to face this alone."

Arabella smiled weakly, grateful for Sarah's words, though the fear was still present. "Thank you, Sar. You're the only reason I haven't gone crazy over all of this yet."

Sarah gave her a small push on the shoulder, trying to ease the tension of the moment. "Hey, you can't tell me that planning a wedding with me doesn't have its fun side, right?"

Arabella laughed through her tears. "Yeah, right, 'fun' is exactly the word I would use to describe this."

Sarah smiled back, though she knew there was little she could do to ease the weight her friend was carrying. "This is all bullshit, I'm not going to lie to you. But no matter what happens, I'll be with you every step of the way. And if you need to run away, I'll help you escape. I know a guy who has a boat."

Arabella laughed, louder this time, imagining the absurd scene Sarah was describing. "It's good to know you have an escape plan ready."

Sarah's humor always managed to calm her down a bit.

Sarah, despite her unconditional support, felt the frustration of not being able to do more. She wanted to free Arabella from this situation, but she also knew that her family, her father in particular, was an impossible obstacle to overcome. So, as the wedding progressed, the only thing she could offer was her company, her loyalty, and a firm hand in the darkest moments.

It wasn't long before the wedding planning was set in motion. The Cameron machinery, with its unlimited power and resources, made everything happen surprisingly quickly. Arabella watched with resignation as the planning took shape almost overnight. Dozens of people were involved, each responsible for a specific detail: the flowers, the music, the decorations. Everything was being managed with surgical precision, as if the fact that she and Rafe could barely stand each other was irrelevant.

Chaos reigned in the house. Employees were running around, phones were ringing off the hook, and vendors were constantly visiting. Arabella couldn't believe how everyone seemed to be so excited about a wedding that, for her, represented the end of any hope of controlling her own destiny.

However, in the midst of the chaos, a problem arose unexpectedly: the family of Rafe's ex-fiancée showed up, outraged by how quickly the Camerons had decided to go ahead. It couldn't be any other way, Arabella thought. The news that Rafe was getting married again had reached them, and it hadn't gone down well with them.

One morning, as Arabella sat in the kitchen drinking tea, she heard the commotion from the hall. The angry voices of the ex-fiancée's parents filled the house, and through the half-open door she could hear the dead girl's mother accusing Ward and the entire Cameron family of being insensitive and heartless. "It's disrespectful to our daughter's memory!" the woman screamed, her eyes filled with tears. "It's barely been a while since she died, and you're already planning another wedding as if it meant nothing to you!"

Arabella felt a knot in her stomach as she listened. She couldn't help but feel bad for them. Although she hadn't been close to Rafe's ex-fiancée, she knew that the young woman had been loved by her family. And now, here they were, protesting what they felt was a betrayal.

Ward, for his part, showed not a hint of remorse. With his usual coldness, he assured them that this was all for the best for both families, and that there was nothing they could do to change it. "We deeply regret your loss," he said in a calculated, distant tone, "but life goes on. Rafe needs a wife, and this wedding is the solution."

The ex-fiancée's parents were not intimidated. “This is disgusting! There hasn’t even been enough time to grieve properly! And you’re already pushing your son into another wedding!”

Arabella felt the awkwardness building, but Ward seemed to have it all under control. That’s when he made his masterstroke. He offered them a considerable sum of money, with the promise that they would never speak of it again. Silence fell over the room as the ex-fiancée’s parents stared at Ward, stunned. But money solved everything in their world, and little by little, the family’s resistance crumbled. After one last hate-filled look, they left, accepting the implicit deal Ward had offered them.

Arabella, from the kitchen, watched silently as Ward waved them off without blinking. The contrast between his sincere grief and Ward’s icy pragmatism left her even more empty. She knew that at that moment, any chance of her wedding being delayed or even cancelled was gone. Everything was already underway, and no one—not even the deceased's family—could stop it.

When it was all over, Ward returned to the living room with a calm that bordered on the eerie. As if nothing had happened, he met with some of the organizers to discuss last-minute details, completely ignoring the spectacle that had just taken place.

Arabella slowly got up from the table and left the kitchen, trying not to think too much about what she had just witnessed. She knew that in the Cameron world, feelings always took second place to appearances and power.

The wedding day arrived quicker than Arabella could have imagined. Every step in the organization had passed like a whirlwind, and despite her inner resistance, everything had come together with astonishing precision. The Cameron home was decorated in dazzling fashion, as if the event were a celebration fit for royalty. White flowers hung in every corner, chandeliers sparkled, and the golden light of dusk filtered through the windows, adding an almost ethereal glow to the scene.

Arabella was in her room, surrounded by bridesmaids and stylists, as she prepared for the most important day of her life—or at least, the most forced. Sarah was by her side, adjusting the last details of the dress and making sure her friend didn’t fall apart before the ceremony.

Arabella’s dress was something everyone would talk about. The dress was made of a sheer, almost second-skin-like fabric that hinted at more than it covered, though the lace details gave it an air of elegance, both delicate and sensual. Each thread of lace had been strategically placed to create the illusion that the fabric was gliding smoothly over her figure, covering just enough but still revealing the shape of her body in a subtle way. The plunging neckline at the back and the embroidered details on the long sleeves made the dress sophisticated, yet bold.

The skirt flared slightly as it went down, lending an air of grace to her every move. But the real center of attention was the veil. Long and airy, the veil almost floated behind her, like a cloud of lace that seemed to have no end. It fell from a simple silver tiara that held her hair in loose waves, giving her an angelic appearance, but in her mind, it didn't feel that way at all.

Arabella looked at herself in the mirror, and for a moment she didn't recognize herself. The woman staring back at her was everything the world expected of her: perfect, beautiful, untouchable. But beneath that facade, all she felt was a mix of anguish and resignation. The dress might be the most stunning one she had ever worn, but she couldn't enjoy it knowing what it represented.

"You look gorgeous, Bells," Sarah said, trying to cheer her up as she finished adjusting the veil. "I know it's not what you want most, but at least, today you'll be the most beautiful bride of all."

Arabella gave her a weak smile in gratitude. She knew Sarah was trying to do her best in such a difficult situation, but that didn't ease the weight she felt in her chest. "Thank you, Sar. I really don't know what I would do without you."

The bustle outside intensified as the guests arrived. The murmurs, the sound of musicians tuning their instruments, all blended together in a distant echo as Arabella tried to focus on the present. She knew Rafe was somewhere in the house, probably getting ready as well, though she had no idea how he felt.

As she was being helped into her veil, she heard the door open behind her. Her father entered, dressed impeccably for the occasion. He looked at her with tacit approval in his gaze, as if she were a masterpiece he had created and was now displaying to the world. "You look perfect, daughter. I couldn't have imagined a better match for Rafe."

She swallowed hard, unable to find the words to respond. She didn't want to be the "perfect match," but she knew protesting at that moment wouldn't change anything.

"It's time for us to go downstairs," her father said, offering his arm to walk her to the ceremony site. Arabella took a deep breath and took his arm, feeling like she was giving up a part of herself with every step she took toward the wedding.

The garden where the ceremony would take place was a spectacle in itself. White flowers adorned the entrance arches, and the guests were seated in perfectly aligned rows, all waiting to see the bride. The sun was beginning to set, lighting up the sky with golden and pink hues, adding an almost magical touch to the setting.

In the distance, Arabella saw Rafe waiting for her at the altar, with his usual serious and impenetrable expression. Dressed in an elegant black suit. There was no emotion on his face, as if he were fulfilling one more task, another obligation imposed by his father and by the world around them.

With each step she took towards him, Arabella felt the distance between them grow, not physically, but emotionally. They were both on the verge of joining their lives, but they had never been further from each other. When she finally reached the altar, Rafe offered her his hand without saying a word, and the silence between them was more eloquent than any promise they could exchange.

The ceremony was brief. Arabella could barely process what was happening as the priest spoke the words, whispering the promises she and Rafe were to exchange. Their voices were barely audible, a distant echo amidst the murmur of the crowd. It all felt unreal, as if she were watching her own wedding from outside her body. The cold ring Rafe slipped onto her finger was the only tangible thing amidst the fog clouding her thoughts.

Once the vows were concluded, the guests stood up, applauding with a mix of enthusiasm and protocol, celebrating the union. Fake smiles and gestures were what they had expected of her, and though her stomach was churning, she reciprocated with weak smiles.

The transition to dinner and the party was almost immediate. The organizers moved with precision, guiding the guests towards the large tent decorated with lights and flowers, where the tables were impeccably set. Arabella and Rafe were led to the main table, seated like a royal couple under the watchful gaze of all the attendees. Rafe was at her side, but there was no contact, not even a word. All between them was silence and distance.

The dinner passed in the blink of an eye. Waiters paraded around with carefully prepared dishes, and champagne glasses were raised again and again in endless toasts. Arabella tried to keep her composure, but with each toast, she felt the tension in her chest grow. She knew what was coming next. The dance.

When the time came, the music began to play softly and the lights dimmed. Arabella felt her body tense as Rafe took her by the waist, his cold hands on her body.

The music started, and the two of them moved gracefully, but without a hint of connection. Arabella followed the steps as if it were a memorized choreography, feeling the pressure of each guest's gaze. She knew that everyone present was paying attention to them. Rafe's touch on her skin did not provoke the typical nervousness of a bride at her wedding, but a mixture of resentment and despair.

When the dance finally ended, applause filled the room. Arabella let out a sigh of relief. At least that part was over. But what came next weighed even more on her mind: the wedding night. She couldn't stop thinking about what awaited her at the end of the night, and although she tried to convince herself that everything would pass quickly, fear and uncertainty consumed her.

The party continued, but Arabella barely participated. She smiled when she should have, exchanged a few words with the guests, and accepted compliments about her dress and the beauty of the ceremony, but every minute that passed brought her closer to the inevitable.

Finally, the night came to an end. The guests began to leave, and the Cameron house fell back into a sort of calm after the bustle. Arabella and Rafe were escorted to their new room, a luxuriously decorated suite within the Cameron family home. Everything was perfect in the eyes of others, but to her, the silence of that room felt like a prison.

Arabella sat on the edge of the bed, her dress still clinging to her body, feeling the weight of the moment. She was alone with Rafe, and although they had been cold to each other for weeks, the intimacy that being in that room entailed made her feel even more vulnerable.

Rafe stood near the window, looking out. The silence between them was awkward, but Arabella was too nervous to break it. Finally, it was he who spoke, his voice low and sharp.

“I’m not going to touch you, Arabella,” he said without looking at her.

The words hit her with an unexpected harshness. Arabella felt her body tense, her hands tightening on the edge of the bed. It wasn’t what she had expected to hear, but at the same time, it wasn’t a surprise either. Part of her should have been relieved by Rafe’s confession, by the idea of ​​not having to endure this forced intimacy. But instead of relief, what she felt was something far more painful: rejection.

“I don’t want to make this any harder than it already is. But don’t flatter yourself. This is what it is. A farce,” Rafe continued, his voice laced with contempt.

Arabella swallowed, trying not to show how bad those words made her feel. She was supposed to feel happy that she didn't have to endure a wedding night with a man she didn't want, but instead, Rafe's contempt cut right through her. There was something in his tone, in the way he looked at her, that made her feel small, unwanted. For a moment, she wished he had ignored her instead of attacking her so coldly.

Without another word, Rafe left the room, slamming the door shut. Arabella was left alone, sitting on the bed, surrounded by the opulence of the room she now shared with him. The moon shone faintly through the curtains, and the silence grew heavier.

She was supposed to feel relieved, but the opposite was true. She felt an immense emptiness, a loneliness that enveloped her completely. Tears began to fill her eyes, but she refused to cry. This was not the time to show weakness, even though every part of her felt broken.

Arabella slowly stood up, carefully removing her dress, letting it fall to the floor in a heap of lace and silk. She sat on the bed, hugging herself as the chill of the room took over her body. This was not the life she had imagined, and though she had never wanted to be married to Rafe, the feeling of being rejected in such a brutal way hurt her deeply.

[zkvry]

Are You Laughing at My Brother? | Shelby Brothers x Sister!Reader

Summary : Y/N is just a year younger than John Shelby, though her immense instinct to protect her older brothers against their enemies reveals that the Shelby name is not to be trifled with.

Warnings : cussing, misogyny, death threats, guns, descriptions of violence, racism

Additional Information : > takes place in early season 1 ; Billy Kimber era (minor spoilers) > written in third person perspective (she/her) > 847 words | 6 minutes

Author's Note : decided to use some gifs along the way, might be distracting for your reading - I apologise. My first work on here, please let me know how you find it! Enjoy <3

-------------------------------------------------------------------

"Are you laughing, at my brother?" She speaks, appearing from behind the bar. For the first time since they've dared to enter the Garrison, Billy Kimber and his two men flinched slightly at her sternness. This only lasted a split second. Still, it didn't go unnoticed.

Billy Kimber flashes a cocksure smirk, pleased at the presence of something less dreadful than matter at hand. "And what do we have here,"

John lets out a humourless laugh. "I'd be careful with that one. She's feisty," He warns Billy Kimber with an all-knowing look.

Billy Kimber rakes his eyes over her physique. "This is no place for a whore - even a pretty one at that," He tuts mockingly, shaking his head.

Arthur inhales deeply as he fights the very last nerve to not cut the cheeky bastard across the face - to not slice his eyes for looking at his dearest little sister. The word 'whore' bounces around in his head. Arthur's lips twitch, knuckles turning white as he grips onto the arm rest for restraint.

He was waiting for a signal - a sound or nod of approval from Tommy or Her. Hell, he thinks, even John could command it and he would bloody do it. No questions asked.

Nonetheless, She makes her presence known. Almost like clockwork - one of the Shelby brothers stand and holds out his chair. In this moment, it was John. He extends his hand and escorts her to his previously occupied seat with care. Recklessly, he drags a chair for himself from a nearby table beside them, and plops down.

Billy Kimber clears his throat wearily but still as arrogant as before. "Right, he's the oldest, you're the thickest. I'm told the boss is called tommy so it can't be this woman you lot here seem to worship. Then I'm guessing that's you, cause you're looking at me up and down like I'm a fucking tart, " He spits out.

Thomas finally unclenches his jaw, the throbbing pain creeping onto him. He puts on a calm façade. Unmoving, he looks to Her direction.

Only when he saw She hadn't intervene, he spoke. "I want to know what you want. And which one am I talking to, which one of you is the boss?" Thomas breathes out as he takes a puff from a cigarette. His finger darting around from Billy Kimber to the two men that accompanied him.

Billy Kimber shoots up from his seat, knocking it to the ground. "I'm the fucking boss, alright!? Enough parley, you fixed the race without my permission. You fucking Gypsy scum. I run the races. You fixed one of 'em, so I'm going to have you shot against the post!" He declares - finger pointing threateningly to Thomas.

"Pick it up," She leans forward onto the table, hands intertwined infront of her.

Billy Kimber looks at her flabbergasted, "What?" He furrows his eyebrows, offended.

She stands slowly, the men around her straightening their backs in alert at her movement. She stares at him, unfriendly.

"I said," She continues, leaning forward once more, arms stretched out on the sides of the table, dominating the space at the table. "Pick. my chair. up," She repeats.

Billy Kimber remains stunned, seemingly not knowing what to do. The audacity of such a woman to demand him to pick up a chair? He was shocked to say the least, and outrageously insulted.

Ready to argue and humiliate her, Billy Kimber opens his mouth but She was quicker.

"You swayed your arse in here like you own the place. Guns out like you're flaunting fuck knows what," She speaks fluently, rage settling in. "We fixed your race, you put a bullet in my ceiling. That's fair, but then you had to run that fucking mouthpiece of yours didn't ya eh?"

"Want to put a bullet in my brother's head, is that it?" Like a predator, She stalks closer to him.

As She approaches, one of Billy Kimber's men crouched down and picked up the fallen chair. Just as the chair was upright, She gathered her strength and slammed Kimber's shoulders down onto the seat and held him still.

"Why don't we put one in yours?" She whispers into his ear, patting harshly on his right shoulder.

In an instant, Kimber's two men draw their guns.

The Shelby brothers lurch forward, in efforts to protect their sister infront of them, moving to draw their own guns as well.

However, the men who were supposedly loyal to Billy Kimber pointed their guns at the man himself. A sinister smile creeps onto Her face.

"Let's do proper business, shall we Mister Kimber? Starting off with your races, " She declares, moving to lower the guns that have been drawn by her brothers and the two men working for Her.

She turns abruptly to face Kimber. "Though, they wouldn't be your races any longer after we're done here, would they? " Her face suggestive of diplomacy, but voice laced with threat.

[ciel-yuu]

"I have something for you."

Scene: You are sitting bored when suddenly remember a trend in the Human World. It is intentionally saying that you have something for them and then rummaging through your pocket and them giving them a heart shape from your thumb and index finger. You get up and immediately go find him to try.

Pairing: The Demon Brothers x gn!reader. Warning: None

==

Lucifer

You run to his room and politely knock on his office door before entering because you know Lucifer will get angry if you barge in. You are not very interested in being punished right now.

"What's wrong, MC?"

He looks up when you walk in, still holding a fountain pen, mentally preparing to go back and finish the paperwork after he's done with you.

You walk up to his desk with an amused face that makes him raise his eyebrows slightly, he's suspecting that you're up to something no good.

"I have something for you!"

He watches intently as you begin to carefully rummage through the inside pocket of your jacket, braced for some curse or magical device you might throw at him.

"Ta-da! It's my little love for you!"

He was totally taken aback by this, he was prepared for something more of a prank, he couldn't have guessed that you will give him something as adorable as this. The cuteness from your smiling face and the small heart in your hand makes him feel like he is being overloaded with cuteness. You truly are the death of him.

"Oh Luci, are you blushing?"

He doesn't realize he's blushing but you do and of course you have to poke fun at him because seeing The Avatar of Pride blush is not an easy thing to do.

You giggled while turning your head to run away when he noticed.

Catch you before you can run out of the room and make you stay in his office with him for the rest of the day because of this. (And he wants to spend time with you too)

Mammon

You burst into his room causing Mammon to jump from his sofa in shock and look out the door in a panic, when he saw you were the one to rush in he let out a breath of relieved.

"Why did ya barge into my room like that?! I thought you were Lucifer!"

This makes you roll your eyes slightly because he's obviously the one who often bursts into your room without even knocking.

He was about to nag you again when you ran up to him with an amused smile on your face, it made him just shut up, how can he continue nagging you when you smile like that!

"I have something for you!"

He looks at you rummaging through your pocket with an excited look, thinking you're going to give him something precious. (Actually, as long as it is your gift, he will think it is precious.)

"Ta-da! It's my little love for you!"

Blushing and starting to stutter when you show him your heart finger with a big smile. Telling you stammeringly that he will accept your love so you should be honored when the Great Mammon takes it.

You pretend to put it back in your pocket to tease him saying you've reconsidered and don't want to give it anymore. This make Mammon quickly grabs your hand and tells you that once you give it to him, you can't take it back!

He blushes a second time because he realizes he's holding your hand now but won't let go for fear you'll want to pull it back again. The fact that you giggle and call him cute doesn't really help much.

Hold your hand and don't let go for the rest of the day while you both watch movies in his room all day. He wants to be near you as much as possible especially after you give him such an adorable gift ^^!

Leviathan

You knock on Levi's door and after reading the password he lets you in. You see him sitting on the floor playing game.

"MC, do you want to play along? I just bought some new two-player games!"

He happily tells you when he sees you walk in, only to be surprised to see that you are smiling the same big smile and walking quickly in front of him causing him to quickly blush.

"I have something for you!"

Pause the game and look at you curiously as you start rummaging through your coat pocket.

"Ta-da! It's my little love for you!"

Leviathan.exe has stopped working.

How can you be so cute?? It overloaded his little otaku heart you know?! Are you trying to kill him with love? If you are, then it's working because his heart is beating so fast it could fly out of his chest and come hug you!

Blushing fiercely while stammering how a useless and introverted otaku like him is worthy of your love before being interrupted by you saying that you are the one to decide who is worthy and you see how great he is.

Crying out of happiness and wondering how he can have someone as amazing as you by his side.

He give you a handmade Henry plushie as a thank you <3.

Satan

He's sitting in the library when you go to find him, a thick book in his hand. He seems to be aware of your presence as he immediately looks up as you push through the door and greets you with a gentle smile.

"MC, you seem to have come across something funny, don't you?"

He commented when he saw your grin face, from his point of view you now look like a cat that just stole something precious and brought it to its owner to show off.

"I have something for you!"

Eyebrows raised in amusement as you rummaged through your pocket and closed the book that he were reading after putting the bookmark in. He has a feeling that what you are going to show him will be much more interesting than this book.

"Ta-da! It's my little love for you!"

Thump

That is the sound of the Avatar of Wrath's heart skipping a beat at the cuteness of the human before him. You really know how to make him fall in love with you deeper dont you? But he didn't complain either.

He gives you a sweet smile and takes your hand gently, thanking you for the wonderful gift, that he'll cherish it and placing a light kiss on the back of your hand.

He invites you to go on a date with him at the cat cafe as a thank you for your lovely gift.

Asmodeus

You go to his room and find him sitting reading a magazine by his dressing table. He gives you a lovely smile when he sees you coming to his room.

"MC! I'm glad that you came to see me hon, I'm starting to get bored."

You nodded and happily walked over to him. Your happy smile makes him happy too because he knows it's your "I have something very interesting" smile.

"I have something for you!"

"Oh what is it?"

He watches you rummage through your pocket excitedly, trying to guess what it will be when he finds you searching for a long time in your coat pocket. Is it perfume or some magic item that Solomon gave you?

"Ta-da! It's my little love for you!"

Squeal! He squeal happily before rushing to hug you in a tight hug. Why are you so cute! This is truly the cutest gift in the world!

Fill your face with little kisses while thanking you for this sweet gift. Tell you that he'll appreciate it and that he loves you too. Love you very much - he said while rubbing his face against your cheek.

Posting on Devilgram to brag to everyone about his human cuteness.

Take you shopping with him right after, let him spoil you all day as a thank you gift MC!

Beelzebub

Beel is emptying the fridge for the nth time of the day when you run to find him. As soon as he heard someone coming, he quickly turned his head thinking that you were Lucifer, but when he saw that the person coming was you, he immediately greeted you with a small smile.

"Oh MC, did you come here to get some snacks too?"

You shook your head and walked up to him with a cheerful face.

"No, I have something for you Beel!"

He looks at you curiously as you start rummaging through your pockets, he doesn't smell any food so he can't guess what you're going to give him. But for Beel, he's happy to receive a gift from you, so he doesn't really care what it is, as long as you're the one giving it, he likes it all.

"Ta-da! It's my little love for you!"

Beel will blush and almost drop the dish in his hand when he sees you pull out the little heart in your hand with a sweet smile for him. And in an instant you're wrapped in a warm embrace by this giant orange teddy, who spins you around for a moment before dropping you off.

Put on the sweetest smile in the world and take your hand seriously, telling you that he appreciates your gift and promises to protect it well.

He won't let go of your hand and hold your hand all day protecting it (and you) like he promised.

He'll invite you out for a meal at Hell's Kitchen as a thank you ^^!

Belphego

You find him sleeping soundly in his bed in the attic. Everyone knows that whenever the Avatar of Sloth sleep he won't wake up even if there's an earthquake, so it takes you a long time to wake him up.

At first he was quite annoyed at being woken up but it quickly disappeared when he realized the person who woke him up was you.

"Ah…so you're the one who called me up MC. What's wrong?"

His sleepy face makes you chuckle and pat his head a bit before backing away a little with a grin.

"I have something for you!"

He slowly sits up when he sees your smile, something he knows usually shows up when you're about to tease him. When he sees you start rummaging through your pocket, he thinks maybe you have a new toy from Thirteen or something.

"Ta-da! It's my little love for you"

Blink in surprise at your cheerful smile and the heart of your finger then giggle. You're just too cute for your own good, making him want to keep you in the attic so no one can see your cuteness but him.

Taking your hand and pulling you down to the bed, he said he would gladly accept your gift and that he would keep it forever and then hugged you tightly.

Congratulations, you've captured the sloth demon's heart and your reward is a nap with him. You won't be able to escape his iron grip anytime soon so making yourself comfortable is the best thing you can do right now.

If you're not sleepy, his warm hug and soft hum will also put you to sleep quickly.

Whisper softly he loves you when he saw you fell asleep with a gentle smile and fell asleep soon after to meet you in the dream world <3

==

master list | thanks for reading ^^!

[chimindity]

She's my sister

Summary | your brother doesn't really like the idea of you dating his bestfriend. Request by @nemesyaaa

Pairing | Topper's sister!reader x Rafe

Warning | NSFW; no smut but kind off sexual (between reader and Rafe!!), rafe being gross.. and driving kind off dangerously.

A/N | I hope you like it nem nem!! Thanks you so much I feel so honored getting a request from youu♡

︵︵⠀⠀ ݁ 𓂃୨ 🎀 ୧𓂃 ݁ ⠀⠀︵︵

Topper wasn't a big fan of your boyfriend, even though he's his best friend. He always thought you deserve someone better than Rafe. Your boyfriend always brings you along whenever he hangs out with your brother.

-"Dude! Like I get it, she's your girlfriend, but my sister didn't have to come with us. She doesn't even play golf," as you sit in the golf cart, you hear your brother complaining about your presence. You decide to get out of the cart and walk to them. You feel your heart beating faster at the sight of Rafe in his tight shirt, wearing his usual cap backward. -"What's up, princess? Come give your man a kiss," his grin appears on his face as soon as he sees you.

You run to him, wrapping your arms around his neck and pampering him with kisses. You jolt when you feel his hand sliding under your skirt. Your eyes widen at the sound of his chuckle. -"atta girl, not wearing panties like I told you, uh?" He says out loud for your brother to hear. You suddenly feel small and embarrassed at the thought of Topper knowing that you're sexually active.

Topper rolls his eyes, he can't help but feel a slight anger towards Rafe. -"Are you corrupting my sister?" He steps closer to both of you and gently yanks you away from Rafe's grip. You look up at Topper feeling guilty. -"What? You're jealous or something, Top?" Rafe speaks while smirking, his eyes not leaving yours.

-"you're disgusting, I can't believe what I am hearing," Topper responds, you watch your brother leave, making his way to the golf cart. Rafe pulls you closer to him and grabs your face with his hand, -"open up" he whispers to you, and before you can understand what's happening you slowly open your mouth, causing your boyfriend to spit in your mouth, -"and yet she loves it" Rafe yells loud enough for your brother to hear it.

You hit Rafe's chest, a wave of embarrassment running through your mind. But you quickly get put in your place as he taps on your cheek. -"Swallow and behave, don't make me tell it twice." He grabs you by the hand to join Topper in the golf cart.

As soon as Topper sees Rafe sitting in the passenger seat, knowing exactly what he has in mind, Topper says, -"No way. Rafe you're driving. I'm not letting my sister sit on your lap right next to me," pointing his finger at Rafe's chest and pulling him out of the car. -"Are you serious right now? I can't have my girl sitting on my lap?" Rafe responds, keeping his eyes on you as Topper takes the passenger seat.

-"It's okay, Rafe, don't worry," you try to reason with him as he walks to the other side of the car. -"Dude! Are you five? Drive us to the house now; I don't have all day," your brother starts to yell as he makes you sit on his lap and then buckles the seatbelt over both of you.

Rafe lets out a loud sigh as he sits in the passenger seat and starts the engine. During the journey, there is a loud silence; none of you dare to talk. All of a sudden, Topper breaks the silence when he sees Rafe's hand slowly sliding under your skirt. -"Rafe, get your hand off my sister!" your brother yells, wrapping his arm around you.

Your boyfriend rolls his eyes, -"you know, I can't let this slide, she's my girl, alright?" He looks at you, sending death stares at Topper from time to time. -"Rafe, keep your eyes on the road, please," you start to fidget with the hem of your skirt, afraid of what could happen if your boyfriend continues not looking at the road. -"Yeah, listen to your princess, eyes on the road, man," Topper sighs.

Rafe eventually drives you home safely. As soon as you end up alone with him in your room, he starts getting touchy, as if he hasn't seen you in a long time. It's safe to say that your brother is not home tonight.

Taglist

@nemesyaaa @jjsfavgirl @marvelfanfics1 @ziggyfaremen @mrvlxgrl @wearemadeofstardust0

[kitashinsukehoney]

Angry Sex - Satan Obey Me

(requested by anon)

TW: MDNI!! Angry sex, rough sex, creampie, choking, spitting, hair pulling, missionary, HOT SATAN, downgrading kink, fingering, overstimulation.

Satan the Wrath Demon. You and him are compatible, and would spend most of your time together reading books, doing research and even doing homework together. He enjoys his time with you as staying home with his brothers has been stressing him out and causing him unable to focus on his studies.

"I can't believe it. He chose Mammon to handle the class event instead of me! Mammon is incapable to do anything but troubles! Lucifer even doubted my whole ability just because I got B in Potion subject!", Satan complained to me. He has been mad about this topic for hours.

"Satan, calm down okay? Your brother wouldn't want to put more burden on your shoulder. Let's think positively", I said to him as I'm arranging new books on the shelf.

"Y/N, you don't understand! You think it's that simple but having someone to doubt your whole ability is suck!", he yelled. At this point, his wrath is creeping up on me, making me mad too.

I slammed the books down on my study table and turned around to look at him.

"I know it's sucks! But getting mad over a small thing is childish, Satan. Plus Mammon is not that bad, he has the ability to handle this event too. You shouldn't be looking down on him when you hate someone does that to you too!", I snapped.

I was hoping he would calm down a bit but he frowned more.

"What did you say, woman?", he uttered as he's changing into his demon form. He took few steps closer to me, and his energy is so intimidating. I didn't ask for this, did I?

"I'm just saying that Mammon wasn't that bad... Plus Asmo is assisting him too. Just hope that the event would be successful", I said while froze. I was so scared, too scared to move because he would've strangle me.

"You're asking for a death wish, woman. You know how many merits i can get from this event? I've been practicing for months only for it to be snatch away from me", he snarled.

He grabbed my hand tightly.

"I thought you're so bold? What happened now? Unable to speak anymore?" he said to me. He grabbed a fistful of my hair and tilted my head so my eyes would meet his gaze.

"Ow! Let me go. You're hurting me", I said.

"This is nothing compared to be replaced by stupid Mammon, woman", he said.

His low and dangerous voice sent shivers to my body.

"I'm sorry... Please", i pleaded. His eyebrows furrowed and he won't budged. Instead of letting me go, he pulled my closer to his body and wrapped his arm around my waist. He smashed his lips onto mine, sucking my lower lips and his hand groped my breast harshly. He was BEING so rough right now. My make up that was done so nicely, smudged as the two of us kissed sloppily.

"Mmmh!", my muffled sound as I'm trying to fight him but failed. He wrapped his other hand around my neck and causing me unable to breath. He wanted to see me break but his wrath is too unbearable. He pulled me harshly towards my bed and pushed me down.

"Fuck this family, fuck those brothers! I'm better than those idiots", he nagged as he stripped off his clothes. He hovered himself over me and leaned in to bite my shoulder, leaving trails of love bites and marks. His hands ripped off my nightgown.

"Satan, don't be so rough", i pleaded. I looked away as I was scared of him when he is in his demon form.

"Oi, eyes on me. Open your mouth", he said. I focused back my gaze on him and obeyed him by opening my mouth. He spat into my mouth and pulled me for a deep sloppy kiss.

He hummed, feeling a bit satisfied.

His hands touched and caressed my naked body underneath him, until his hand arrived at my private part. His fingers rubbed against my heated folds and clit dangerously. As I was whining and squirmed in pleasures, he slapped my pussy.

"Stay still, woman", he snarled. He continues fingering my pussy skillfully. At first he used one finger, then two fingers and now he's using three fingers to prep me.

"Satan! I'm closer", I moaned as I gripped his hair. He groaned slightly but he didn't stop at all. He can feel my pussy clenched around his fingers so securely and smirked.

Instead of letting me cum, he stopped fingering me.

I whined, feeling overstimulated. "No, that's unfair! You're supposed to-", I whined but he shoved the fingers he used earlier into my mouth.

"Taste yourself", he said, taunting me with his wrath. I taste myself, sucking his fingers nicely.

As I was sucking his fingers, he slapped my cheek lightly while uttering, "Good slut listens to her demon. You're a good slut, serving me with this holy pussy that asking to be breed nonstop today".

Without a warning, he shoved himself inside my pussy, and moved in a rough pace. He drove himself angrily while gripping the headboard of my bed hard. My bed creaking crazily and the headboard broke. I gasped but he didn't stopped for a second. He kept on thrusting inside me, using my pussy for himself. He's upset and I'd let him vent his wrath on me through sex.

His hand wrapped around my neck and he pinned my legs to my chest to have a better angle to thrust deeper. I was crying in pleasures, choking and dumbfucked by him.

"Sa...satan, fuck! S-slow it, Ah~", i moaned, choking each words. He was still upset and thrusted harder.

"Love it when I can fuck your pussy angrily like this. You're so pathetic right now", he downgraded me. I kept on moaning and whimpering. His lips latched onto my breast, biting my nipple playfully which completely made me aroused.

My free hands scratched his back, and even dug my nails into his skin. At this point, we're fucking like wolves. His pace getting harsher before he released his thick cum inside me.

He let go his grip from my neck and pulled me in for a kiss.

"Fuck, that sex was good. One more", he said before he started to thrust angrily again, fucking his cum deep into my womb. Maybe I should ask Mammon or Asmo to make him angry again.

Credit to headers: @/dollywons (tumblr)

[dalekofchaos]

FNAF au the tale of Springtrap and Beartrap

FNAF au where Henry was springlocked with William.

Was inspired by TeRa__art1's fanart.

William killed the kids as per canon, but Henry covered it up.

He lost Charlie and could not bear(heh) to lose the company and the pizzeria.

So Henry covered up the deaths and personally removed the kids remains so no one would find out.

This all changes when Henry finds out William killed Charlie.

After William destroys the animatronics, Henry confronts William.

Henry lets William have it. He blames him for Charlie's death and all the kids who died. William retorts by saying he could've stopped this anytime he wanted, but couldn't. He was blinded by Freddy's and his love for him, just like he is. The aura is too great to let go over something as simple as morality. He tells Henry why he did it, his discovery of remnant and how they can not only live forever, but bring their children back. Henry calls him insane and a fucking monster. and all William can say. "what kind of monster hides the evidence to keep our business a float?" "After all this time, my old friend, you don't get it do you?" "What are you talk-" "Why, you're my accomplice. I kill the kids, YOU hid the evidence. YOU protected Michael and pinned my boy's death on Michael's friend. YOU removed the bodies from the animatronics and you kept the old Fazbear Entertainment spirit of ignoring everything. You are every bit of a monster as I am, the only difference is I don't hide who I am" "FUCK YOU WILLIAM!"

and then it happens. the ghost of the children appears.

William panics and tells Henry to put on their suits on. Henry questions why, William tells him they wouldn't hurt "one of them"

William laughs and reminds them "I'M ONE OF YOU"

William continues to laugh only to have a bit of rain to fall and cause the springlock.

and as Henry is about to take the suit off. Charlie appears.

"Daddy? Did you really help HIM?

"Charlie? Is that really you? I-"

"DID YOU HELP HIM OR NOT?"

"...I'm sorry, you died and all I had was Freddy's. I couldn't lose this place. I'm sorry"

and after that, the ghosts push Henry into the visible hole for the rain to pour in and cause the springlock failure.

William and Henry now trapped together for 30 years.

William becomes Springtrap, while Henry becomes Beartrap.

Henry can't bring himself to kill William. William won't kill Henry because his punishment is too perfect. "Like it or not, we're partners from beginning to bitter end, YOU'RE STUCK WITH ME HAHAHAHA"

William kills, while Henry protects.

Henry saves Michael and keeps William in Fazbear Frights while they burn.

Now who is helping Mike end it all in this au?

Charlie. Much like the FNAF VHS tapes by he who must not be named, Charlie helps Mike end it all and a chance to get redemption in the end while Mike helps Charlie free the children and get revenge on their fathers.

William is Scraptrap, while Henry is Scrapbear.

Art bys Shadowof1987

Henry foolishly tries to stop William and Elizabeth from hurting the children.

Scrapbear's lines

"I just wanted to protect Freddy's"

"Please let me die"

"Charlie, please forgive me"

"Mike, I'm sorry."

"Your father is a monster, please end my suffering and this nightmare"

Mike is the one who gives the speech.

"DON'T KEEP THE DEVIL WAITING, FATHA"

"And to Henry, I couldn't believe it when she told me what you did. But now you're reunited and she's going to make sure you burn in the business you are oh so proud of that you kept so many suffering families from their loved ones remains. Goodbye Henry."

queue an image of The Puppet holding onto Scrapbear while they burn.

"Elizabeth, I forgive you. Mother and Little brother, I don't know if you're in that pile of molten scrap, but if you are. I am sorry, I put you back together and now we'll die as a family. It's time for us all to rest. Goodbye, end of communication"

[demiesworld]

How They React When You Fight Pt. 2 (Tokyo Revengers)

pairings: ran, rindou, sanzu, kakucho, hanma, kokonoi x reader synopsis: a continuation of my last post contents: suggestive themes (in sanzu's), violence, fighting and swearing

RAN HAITANI

Everyone and their mother knew about Ran's girlfriend. They knew of her temper, her possessiveness over Ran, and her protective mindset when it came to her boyfriend. That's why when Ran had a woman that wasn't his girlfriend flirting with him he would immediately shut them down. Sometimes Rindou would do it for him too when given the opportunity on his behalf. Everyone knew when it came to Y/N's man don't fuck with him. Not unless you want to end up in a hospital bed.

Ran was also possessive over his girlfriend too. Maybe that's why they clicked, they both had that "You're mine and I'm yours, can't nobody fuck with us" mindset. He loved her to death.

He was at the club he and Rindou operated, seated in a booth with Kokonoi, Kakucho, and Takeomi. Rindou went off to the restroom and you were at the bar ordering more drinks for the table you were at with your boyfriend and his comrades. Apparently this was the perfect opportunity for some broad to slither into the booth and try to steal your man.

As the woman joined and smiled lustfully at Ran, Kakucho and Kokonoi shared a look. Takeomi grinned knowing what was going to come. As for Ran he just sat there not responding to the woman when she tucked her hair over her shoulder and had the audacity to put her chapped nail polished fingers on Ran's tie.

"So what do you think, handsome? Do you want to come home with me?" She coos. Not knowing that you were returning with a tray of shots in your hands.

"He won't be going anywhere with you, bitch." She jumped when she heard your venomous voice and looked at you scared. "You got five seconds to get your grimy fingers off of my man. Five,"

She retracted her hand away from Ran, who was smirking in amusement at the situation, and scooted away from him. "No, no you got it all wrong-"

You walked around the side of the table and snatched up the woman by her hair. Pulling her away from your boyfriend and dragging her out of the booth. She was screaming for help, "No don't scream now bitch, you wanna go touch on someone's man do it, but it ain't gonna be mine!" You tossed her into the crowd of dancers like she was yesterday's trash.

Ran chuckled, leaning over to grab a shot of liquor and manspread on the sofa, "That's my girl, come sit on my lap princess."

RINDOU HAITANI

Rindou knew you could fight before you two started dating, which is why when you two would have arguments he never let you or him go to bed angry. If there's one thing Rindou loves more than his older brother it's you and your relationship. He wouldn't do anything to cause trouble between the two of you.

You were spending time with your boyfriend at an arcade when his phone continuously was getting spammed with phone calls. The first few rings you didn't pay it no mind, but after the umpteenth ring you grew annoyed. You stopped playing the virtual hockey game with Rindou and turned to him. "Who is calling you?"

"I don't know! Must be one of the guys, just ignore it." He tells you, but you knew it wasn't just one of the guys. Your eyes narrowed at Rindou and you folded your arms. "Show me your phone." Rindou sighed, "Y/N…"

"Phone!" You held out your hand and he gave it to you. You unlocked it and saw an unknown number calling him again. Your eyes widened when you saw who's number it was. It was your best friend. "Why the fuck is Y/F/N calling you?"

"I don't know! She's been calling me for a week and I sent her a message saying to leave me alone!"

"That doesn't answer my question, you dumbass!" The phone rang again and this time you answered it, but held the phone up to your boyfriend's ear. "Talk to her."

"Babe- hello? Oh hey Y/F/N." Rindou shoved his hands into his pockets, his eyes averting your glare. When your friend asked where he was you told him to say he was at the arcade and he was alone. "Tell her to meet you up here." You said and he repeated it to her. Your friend, stupidly agreed to meet him up there and you two went outside waiting for her.

You sat on a bench with a newspaper in front of you covering your face and Rindou stood in front of the entrance of the arcade with his hands in his pockets. Just then your friend showed up beaming at your boyfriend and waving at him. "Hey there Rinnie! I see Y/N is not here with you today. What happened?"

"Oh, um she's just not feeling good right now." He swallowed feeling guilty that he was setting her up for her demise. Before your friend could answer you shot up from your seat and tossed the newspaper away. "Trying to talk to my man behind my back huh? Really Y/F/N?"

She jolted, taking a step back and smiled sheepishly. "Y-Y/N, I didn't know you were here!" You stomped closer to her and yelled, "Yeah because you were too busy trying to get," your hand went over your head and slapped her across her face. "dick from my boyfriend!" The impact of the slap sent her on the ground, holding her cheek and scattering to get away from you. "The fuck are you looking at slut?! Go!" Your now ex-friend scrambled to her feet and ran away from you and Rindou still holding her cheek.

You turn your attention to your boyfriend, "And you, if something like this happens again and you don't tell me, your ass is going to be just like her dickless."

Rindou nodded his head stiffly, he knew you weren't playing either this time.

SANZU HARUCHIYO

"Oh Y/N… my pretty angel, the most beautiful girl in the world, my cherry pie, the apple of my-"

"Who is it that I have to fight now, Sanzu?" You deadpanned.

Your lover rested his chin in his hands as he looked at you from across the table. You were preoccupied with arranging a dinner for the weekend for you and him before he interrupted. Sanzu slid his phone across the table, a picture of a woman with short blue hair. His finger tapped on her face, "Her. She's a nuisance to me, and she shows up at the bar whenever I'm with the guys desperately trying to get my number." He pouts like a child, then starts to smile wickedly, "I need for you to teach her a lesson for me please."

"If I teach her a lesson what sort of reward will I be getting?"

Sanzu leans across the table and sweetly kisses your lips. "You'll get to do that thing you always wanted to do to me." Your face heats up for a moment and you nod your head agreeing to his terms.

That's how you find yourself in the parking lot of the local bar fighting with the woman. Sanzu stood by watching as you had her against a car and were kicking her in her stomach. He licked his lips at the sight of blood trickling from the woman's head when you had hit her with a steel pipe earlier. The sounds of her pathetic groans for you to stop were arousing to him.

"Don't. You. Ever. Look. At. Him. Again." you say as you finish your final kick with your steel-toed boot colliding with her face. She slumped forward coughing out blood and weakly told you she won't look at him again. Satisfied with your results of the fight you walked away from her and locked your arms with Sanzu.

"Oh, princess that was so hot of you to do that for me." Sanzu croons, as he opens the door for you to enter the car. You thank him and watches as he shuts your passenger door and goes to enter on the driver's side. "The pleasure is all mine, princess, and speaking of pleasure," your cheeks are squished in between his fingers as he leans over the center console to kiss your lips.

Sanzu nibbles at your bottom lip with his teeth, tugging at the flesh as he pulls away. "I hope that what you do to me tonight really pleases me."

SHUJI HANMA

"You know when you said we were going out to have fun," you start just before a girl lunges for you and you punch her in the stomach. She groans in pain from the impact, giving you the chance to elbow her on the top of her head knocking her down. "I didn't think fighting a group of coeds would be it."

Hanma slugs a guy in the face just as he charges towards him. A manic laugh leaving from his mouth when his fist collided with the man's cheek. He felt the bones of his opponent's face crack upon the blow. "Aha! Then what did you think we're going to do baby?"

You shrug your shoulders, and reply back, "I don't know maybe terrorize the convenience store owner again." You duck when a girl swings a bat at your head, narrowly missing it. You dodge her swings and block another attempted hit with your arm. It hurt like hell, but you fought through the pain and kicked the girl in her groin. She loosens her grip on the bat and you snatch it from her hands, bashing the end of it at her skull. From the corner of your eye you saw a guy heading towards Hanma. "At your 6 babe!"

Hanma laughs boisterously, he blocks the man's jab and snatches him by his nose. "Come on baby! I thought you knew me better than that!" The crazed smile of his never once falters from his face as he lifts the guy by his nose and throws him on the ground. "Surely this is more thrilling!" He stands above the man, stomping at his head with his heavy feet. The sounds of bones cracking encourage Hanma to further disfigure the man underneath him.

You look around at the several bodies scattered in the alleyway, unmoving bodies of both male and female on the ground. Hanma stops stomping the man's head in once he sees his teeth caving in. You walk towards your boyfriend holding the arm that had blocked the hit earlier. "I think they're all done for Shuji. Let's go."

Hanma smiles at you and tosses his arm over your shoulders leading you out of the alleyway. "You got hurt baby," you scoff and turn your head away from his gaze. "It's nothing that a little ice won't fix." You say to him, and smirk, "Besides I had some fun back there."

His eyes brightened as you two made it to his bike and hopped on the ride, "Great~ Would you do it again for me, baby?"

"Absolutely not."

Cue Hanma pouting.

KOKONOI HAJIME

For him it was never easy dealing with your feisty attitude and short temper. He didn't know how to control you, and frankly didn't want to even do it. He was afraid he'd wind up at the end of a closed fist to his face if he were to defy or deny you of anything. If you told him to jump he would ask you how high. That's how committed he was to not pissing you off.

He felt pity for those who fought with you because they would end up seriously hurt. He remembered the one time a girl was picking on him at a party. She was calling him lizard man because of his habit of sticking out his tongue. What really ticked him off was when she went up to him, flicked his nose, and called him a pussy. She was a bold woman. He will give her credit for that.

If only she knew just who she was fucking with. The words that the girl said to him went through the grapevine to you at the party. "Where is she?" you said as you push through people to reach your boyfriend. Koko stood there looking scared, meanwhile Ran answered the question for you. He pointed his finger at the entrance of the club, "She just went outside for a smoke."

"Y/N wait!" Koko called out but it was too late. You were already running out of the club to go and get the girl. "Shit, Ran why did you tell her where she was!" Koko shouted to the purple-haired man, Ran shrugged his shoulders. "I wanna see a cat fight." Koko scoffs at him and leaves to go stop you from fighting with the girl. The last thing he needed was you in jail tonight.

Meanwhile you were outside searching for the girl. As you rounded the corner you saw the girl smoking a cigarette underneath a lamp pole. "Hey, bitch!" You shout, and slide your heel off of your feet. "You got some nerve to be talking about my boyfriend with those grandma titties you got!"

She gasped and flicked her cigarette away, "Excuse me," You grinned at her and held your shoe tighter in your hand. "You heard me!" She went to say something else, but you had enough of the talking. Using the heel in your right hand you whacked her with the steel tip end of the heel, successfully smashing her temple with it. You whacked her with it again on the other side of her head. "I'm not done with you bitch," You pulled her by her hair and started punching her on the top of her head. Little whimpers came from the woman and she tried to defend herself by hitting you in your stomach. "You crazy fucking slut!" She shouts.

Koko showed up outside with Ran, Kakucho, Rindou and Sanzu behind him. He saw you about to pull your killer move on the woman and immediately he charged to stop you. "No!" he cried as he tackled you to the ground; you both grunt at the impact. "Y/N are you crazy?! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

You thrashed in his hold, "Get off of me Koko!" you sneered.

"Hell no, I just paid for your nails and I'd be damned if you're gonna fuck them up by fighting some whore!"

And that is why Koko tells people who talk ill about him, "My girlfriend isn't afraid to do jail time over you."

HITTO KAKUCHO

If there was one word to describe Kakucho, it would be his undying loyalty for those he grew to love. He was loyal to Izana, his closest friend until his untimely passing, and he was just as loyal to you, his girlfriend. Never did Kakucho complain about you to anyone or talked about you in vain behind your back. He respected you just as much as you respected him.

Though he never would have guessed how protective you were over him until the incident at the park happened. It was on a late, cool night when he was at home polishing the magazine of his gun and he heard rapid heavy knocks on his door. He stopped what he was doing and went to answer it. As soon as he pulled the door open he saw the sight of one of your friends. “Y/F/N? What are you doing here this late?” He asked, and she shook her head. “I can’t explain to you, but you gotta come with me Y/N is in danger!”

The second your name was mentioned, Kakucho quickly snatched his house keys and locked his door before following your friend. She led him to a park that was just a few blocks out of his home and there he saw you fighting two men. Scattered on the ground were incapacitated men, and Kakucho believed you must have been the cause of that. “Y/N,” he whispered, as he stopped in his tracks and stood there in a trance.

You fought so elegantly, yet with a vengeance in your hits. You were dodging hits, blocking punches with your arms, and serving strong kicks to the opponents abdomen. When one of them picked up a bat to swing it at your head, that’s when Kakucho snapped out of his trance and started to run towards the man. “Y/N!” he cries. Everything seems to move in slow motion for him. Kakucho intercepted the melee attack with his hands grasping the bat and halting it from striking you.

You gasp, “Kakucho!” the guy in front of you tried punching you but you blocked it and swung your left fist up to his chin. The man’s eyes rolled to the back of his head and he stumbled on his feet. “Bastard!” You stood there as he fell backwards, he was out. Your attention went to your boyfriend, looking at him worriedly as he used his strength to push the man away from you. His jaw clenched, arms straining to stop the attacker from hurting you or him. “I won’t let you touch her, you piece of shit.”

Just then you appeared from behind the man, pulling him into a chokehold. He loosened his grip on the bat and Kakucho took it away from him, tossing it away from his grasp. The man gasped for air, his eyes bulging from his head as you held him there. “Y/N,” Kakucho began, your cold eyes met his heterochromatic ones, “What are you doing here? Why are you doing this?”

“These guys were talking crap about you Kakucho. They mentioned Izana’s death, they said they were glad he died because he was nothing but a pathetic leader.” Kakucho’s breath hitched as he looked down at the faces of the men surrounding him. He recognized them as former Tenjiku members. He swallowed, as distraught as he was right now he couldn’t let you do this. “You don’t have to do this Y/N, this isn’t what I want you to do.”

You look at the man still struggling to break free from your deathly hold. Your eyes were unreadable and void of emotion. Kakucho couldn’t guess what you were going to do next. “Let him go, please.” You shook your head at your boyfriend. “Please Y/N.” Suddenly he fell to his knees and you sucked in a sharp breath. “Release him.”

With your body trembling you let the man go and he collapsed to his knees before Kakucho. He hunched over gasping for air to enter his lungs. Your boyfriend stood to his full height, his eyes glaring down at the man at his feet. “You will thank me for telling her to stop.” He then looked up at you, “I understand what you were trying to do, but that doesn’t mean you have to kill these traitors.” You took a step forward, stepping over the hunched form of the man, and wrap your arms around your boyfriend’s body.

Kakucho’s strong arms held you close to him, his warm hands caressing your back up and down in gentle strokes. His lips ghosted over your ear, “I love you Y/N.”

That’s how he found out that you were the one for him. His undying loyalty for you and your never-ending love for him.

a/n: ugh i might have did word vomit with kakucho’s! but i hope you enjoy!

[freesia-writes]

Ch 44: Full Circle

Master List ~~ Previous Chapter ~~ WC: 2.5k

Last chapter, friends. 🥹💕

This is a song that my husband and I love, and it’s so pretty, but the lyrics aren’t quite what I was going for this chapter, just the longevity of love. 😊 Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Follow You Into The Dark +Lyrics (youtube.com)

. 

A number of months later…

"The balmy sea breeze ruffled the tablecloth and made the string lights dance merrily above the jovial scene below as the clinking of silverware on plates punctuated the steady hubbub of conversation that rose and fell with the emotion of what was being shared. Some overly-optimistic sea birds hovered above on a swell, fastidiously watching for any dropped crumbs before swooping gracefully into another updraft. The setting was the same, the voices and faces different, but a shared sense of gratitude and contentment prevailed over all."

“I know,” Wrecker said dramatically, gesturing broadly with the drumstick of meat he was holding. “Right after I finish my porch, he comes up with this.”

“You cannot assume that his timing was intentional–” Tech protested fruitlessly.

“I’ll sit on your porch for you so someone can enjoy it while you're out working,” Echo interrupted, flashing a grin at Tech to release him from the increasing indignation Wrecker was goading out of him. “It’ll be great. I’ll put one of Hunter’s dusty old quilts over these creaky old legs and just watch the birds fly from tree to tree.”

“Your prosthetics are hardly creaky–” Tech returned, having gotten no more than two words out in a side conversation with Phee before being lured back in by his brothers. “Nevermind,” he said, more slowly now. “I see the caricature you are attempting to paint.”

“Paint? Oh, that sounds good. I’ll paint on the porch too,” Echo continued, undaunted. The Zygerrian beside Crosshair was smiling broadly at the interchange, his distinctive leonine face relaxed into inquisitive openness. Finally, he spoke up.

“You can paint?” His sibilant tone caught Echo’s attention, and he pointed an unthreatening scomp in his direction. 

“Anyone can paint, Ky’tal. Might look like kark, but–”

“Language, Echo!” Omega teased, giggling from her seat beside Breslin. His eyes sparkled with unspeakable depths of affection as he met her playful gaze for a moment before flashing a rude hand signal in her direction, much to her delight. Echo looked at Hunter, who was staring at him with an entirely flat affect, and opted to return to the main conversation. 

“Anyway,” he said, taking a leisurely sip from his wooden cup. “If you and Crosshair want to come paint on my porch, you’re welcome anytime.”

“It’s not your porch!!” Wrecker laughed, smacking the table with a bit too much gusto and causing a few utensils to clatter off their plates. Lyra jumped, her hand quickly covering her mouth in embarrassment – she still wasn’t unfazed by Wrecker’s jubilant outbursts. Hunter’s hand found her leg, giving her knee a soft squeeze, and she covered his fingers with her own, casting him a grateful smile. 

“Well it sounds like it’s my porch now…” Echo was relentless, and as the two of them dissolved into pointless arguing, Ky’tal shifted his gaze back to Crosshair. 

“What do you think? Want to paint the sunset?” He chuckled at the faintest of blushes that tinted Crosshair’s cheeks, then quickly rearranged his features into seriousness as the sniper fixed him with an entirely harmless glare. “Or perhaps we should paint guns instead…”

“Now wouldn’t that be just precious…” Phee interjected as Crosshair snorted, relaxing into his mirth and allowing the warmth in his eyes to show. “We can hang them all over our walls. Right, Brown Eyes?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Hmm. Well, I tried,” she sighed, shrugging and offering a belabored sigh of solidarity. Ky’tal laughed, a rich, deep sound, and draped his arm across the back of Crosshair’s chair. Hunter kept his mouth in a straight line to restrain his smile as he watched his brother’s shoulders relax a few inches.

“...a good find in a relatively abandoned sector,” Phee was saying, continuing her conversation with Tech.

“Allow me to gather some supplemental information and we can leave in two days, if that is acceptable?” he offered, trying and failing to hide the spark in his eye that always appeared at the opportunity for exploration and discovery. 

“Sounds good. I’ll prep the ship and update MEL’s interface,” she nodded, patting the back of his hand. 

“More pirate adventures?” Hunter asked, watching Tech’s eyebrows lower a bit as he regarded him from behind his spectacles. 

“It is not piracy,” he objected. “It is–”

“Liberation of ancient wonders,” chorused half the table.

“We know,” Omega added with a grin.

“If you’re looking for some more ‘respectable’ work, you can expand your module for the Defense Training Academy,” Echo interjected. “There are a handful that seem to be particularly interested in that field, and the more well-rounded they all are, the better.” 

“That would be enjoyable,” Tech answered, perking up again quickly. 

“Yeah. It’s been great getting more of our brothers here, where they can live their own lives and pursue what they want instead of being puppets,” Echo said.

“They do seem to thrive in their autonomy," Tech agreed. " "You’ve created an excellent opportunity for them to continue in their desired purposes while also allowing ample rest and rejuvenation.”

“Well thanks,” Echo said, a touch of surprise in his voice at the rather effusive praise. 

“Have you showed them the new armory yet?” Lyra ventured. Hunter chuckled, giving her a wink before turning to Echo for his response. 

“Armory??” Wrecker interrupted. “Where?”

“Oh, didn’t I tell you?” Echo feigned innocence. “Well… Lyra had an entire room of long-range communication equipment as well as a ridiculous amount of weaponry, remember? Apparently she’s not going to need it for her gardening and baking or whatever she does… So she passed it on to me for the DTA.”

“What! I’ve gotta see this…” Wrecker’s face was alight with glee, and he rubbed his hands together as though he couldn’t wait to get them on the goods. 

“You can look, but no touching,” Echo teased. 

“I would also like to inspect the communicators,” Tech added, index finger in the air.

"Sounds like getting conned by a pirate worked out in the end..." Crosshair's comment slithered across the table, and Lyra laughed, meeting his gaze with the tiniest flash of a smirk.

"Listen... He was very persuasive..." she began, but gave up quickly at the chortles that broke out. "Alright, I know... Silly mistake. But hey -- if you all think it's so funny, I can take back my arsenal."

Wrecker gasped loudly, and whether it was feigned or genuine, it was difficult to tell. Hunter laughed, resting his arm across the back of Lyra's chair and giving her opposite shoulder a little squeeze.

"Okay, Wreck. You can keep the goods," Hunter grinned.

"Oh, now they're yours to give?" Lyra teased, beaming as Hunter's eyebrows climbed up his forehead in surprise and admiration, and he lifted both hands in temporary surrender.

"Alright, alright... I guess I'm just--"

"The snack. The eye candy. The trophy..." Lyra interrupted, trailing off at the end as she wasn't sure what word to use there.

"Hunter is the trophy?" Crosshair mused, peering across Ky'tal's broad chest to peer at her again.

"Hey. Eat your peas," Lyra returned, earning a guffaw of delight from a few of the group. Hunter shook his head, eyes on the plate before him but mind far away as he marveled at the depth of her personality that had been gradually unfolding in the safe, steady comfort they continued to build.

"Yeah, Crosshair," Omega joined in. "Got to get your vitamins!"

"It's true," Tech interjected, a touch of mirth on his solemn face. "Peas are a fantastic legume made up of complex carbohydrates and quite a variety of vitamins and minerals. They also offer a significant amount of fiber, which can be helpful with digestive issues--"

"Ohhhh, so that's what's up his--"

"I wasn't finished!" Tech was unstoppable, brimming with the incredible nutritional breakdown that he was far too eager to share. "While often considered vegetables, they are obviously not, as I previously identified them as legumes. But they do stand out from vegetables with their high protein content--"

"You've got to be kidding me," Crosshair muttered.

"Furthermore," Tech continued, "They are rich in polyphenol antioxidants, which--"

"Okay, Tech," Hunter stepped in. "Why don't you save that kind of talk for the bedroom?"

"Peas and polyphenols?" Phee said, waggling her eyebrows suggestively. "We might need to leave right now..."

"I'm losing my appetite," Echo muttered.

"Alright, alright," Phee grinned. "You give us something better to talk about, then." And off they went.

“Hey, thanks again for all your help at the cottage.” Lyra turned to Wrecker, offering a warm smile as the group's conversation continued without them. “I can’t believe how easy that seemed for you. You’re incredibly strong!” Wrecker blushed and grinned bashfully, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Aw, it was nothin…” 

“Are you kidding?” Lyra continued. “To combine two rooms, maintain the structural integrity, AND make it look even better than before? It’s a huge gift. Really. Thank you.” Her face was earnest, voice sincere, and she rested a hand on his shoulder for a moment to convey the depth of her appreciation. 

“I’m strong too…” Hunter muttered, shooting her a roguish grin behind lowered brows. She laughed, leaning toward him instead and resting her head on his shoulder before looking up at him with unabashed admiration. 

“So strong,” she purred, only partially teasing. 

“Ha! I could throw you from the docks to the Archium!” Wrecker snorted.

“That is a physical impossibility, Wrecker,” came Tech’s taunt from the other end of the table, but Wrecker ignored him. 

“Besides… How are those office ladies doin?” Wrecker asked, waggling his eyebrows at Lyra as Hunter rolled his eyes with a groan.

“Oh, you left quite an impression,” she smirked. Hunter had brought a large crate of steaks, sausages, and roasts to the school for the end-of-term staff party with Lyra proudly on his arm. He’d given them one last opportunity to get all of their innuendos and flirtation out of their system.

A few of them had taken him up on it, but when they’d laid eyes on Wrecker carrying the huge crate on one shoulder with a single arm around it, Hunter had been instantly forgotten. They’d mobbed the large clone like gaja birds on a pile of mantell mix, squawking and fawning over how massive his muscles were and how wonderful his charitable generosity was, and Hunter’s allure seemed to vanish as quickly as the selection of meat.

His undecipherable mutter about their fickleness had been quickly quelled by the shock of Lyra grabbing both his arms and kissing him firmly, and when she’d released him, she hadn’t been able to stifle her giggle at the dumbfounded expression on his face. 

“Guess I’ll have to make deliveries more often then, eh?” Wrecker grinned. 

“Well you can find your own stuff to deliver now,” Hunter muttered with a harmless scowl.

“I’m sure they’ll find plenty of ways I could help out,” came Wrecker’s playful jab, resulting in a sigh from his brother. 

“Do you want their attention?” Lyra said, poking Hunter in the side so unexpectedly that he jerked in his chair and turned his joke of a scowl onto her. 

“No…” he said, softening as she reached up to stroke the backs of her fingers along his cheek.

“Maybe I’ll just have to keep finding ways to show you…” she drifted off, casting a surreptitious glance around the table, too embarrassed to finish her sentence. He leaned in, nudging her cheek with his nose. 

“Hmm? Go on… You were saying?”

She turned to nestle her face against his, whispering something in his ear that made him press his lips together tightly in a barely-restrained smile, but he couldn’t hide the faint redness that colored his cheeks. He pulled back to look at her, equal parts desire and love on his face, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pushing his plate away. 

“I think we’re gonna call it a night,” he announced, winking at Lyra, who dropped her head to hide her own blushing grin. “As Tech would say, we’re going to tackle a new endeavor together.”

A cacophony of responses broke out, everything from “gross!” to “oh yeah!” as Hunter pulled Lyra to her feet, ignoring the hoots and taunts as they made for the door.

They began their stroll down the familiar path, weaving through the homes of the island, and when they came to a flat, grassy knoll that overlooked the sea, they came to a halt. Lyra’s questioning glance was mollified as she watched him gazing far into the distance, both present and far away in his thoughts, and she leaned into his side, snuggling her arm through his and resting her cheek on his shoulder. 

He sighed contently, as though years of stress and turmoil were gently being washed away by the sea. Wave after wave settled his shoulders more and more, and he was struck by a sudden flashback of his encounter with a native Xyloan upon their arrival to the island. "Fragmented," she had said, assessing him with a keen eye that saw much more than just the surface, and she'd left him with some rather cryptic words: But even shattered shards find smoothing and settling in the steadiness of the sea.

A bit of mirth touched the memory as he remembered Tech’s delight at the “astonishing alliteration” when he’d shared the details of the encounter, and he continued watching the waves in silence, Lyra leaning lightly against him in quiet solidarity. He hadn’t understood it then, but now the sentiment seemed to settle into his soul, a comfortable, familiar weight that grounded and reassured. The sea was never still; it was constantly shifting with the winds and tides, and yet it was consistent, dependable, beautiful. With a steady roll between sand and stone, it softened the edges of even the sharpest fragments of glass, pieces that had been broken by the abrasive relentlessness of life.

Like him. 

And yet, throughout a process that seemed arbitrary or tumultuous at times, something was being formed. Something with a new purpose. Something to be treasured. 

A light breeze caressed him, brushing tendrils of hair out of his face and providing a cool contrast to the balmy rays of the setting sun. He closed his eyes. Inhaled a deep, cleansing breath. Let it out slowly through his mouth. Then opened his eyes with a relaxed smile. 

He turned toward Lyra, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and regarding her fondly. She said nothing, simply gazed at him with radiant affection, and moved her arm to rest around his waist. He pressed his lips to her hair in a long, lingering kiss, murmuring gratitude and love before pulling away. 

Perhaps he could allow himself to settle into a new purpose. Perhaps he could allow himself to be treasured. Perhaps he could rest in the deep sense of reassurance that invited him to be at peace. 

Their eyes met again, and with a simple, small nod from each of them that spoke volumes, they continued on their way, hand in hand. 

Hunter found himself looking forward to the future, whatever it held, knowing that he was where he was supposed to be. Beyond the shadow of a doubt.

.

A little animation from one of my favorite artists, @thattoothpick, that I thought of when writing this:

. The End.

Previous Chapter ~ Master List

.

Y'ALL. It has been SUCH a treat sharing this with you after working on it for months. 🥹 THANK YOU for all the reblogs, comments, delight, and enjoyment along the way.

If you enjoyed this, I have two other full-length fics: a Howzer x OC and a Tech x OC. Both are PG-13 and similar to this one. I also have a full-length spicy Crosshair x Reader over on @spicy-clones.

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[dogsayswoof]

Hounds from Hell Chapter 1

Summary: Wednesday Addams takes an interest in a certain football player.

Word Count: 1.1k Pairing: Wednesday Addams x Reader (Hounds from Hell Masterlist)

Next Chapter

Wednesday Addams has always noticed your presence as you have always noticed hers. She was quiet but observant, but you were also not hard to miss. As the star quarterback of the Nevermore football team, you were not hard to miss. When she asked Enid about you all she could do was squeal in excitement.

"Fiiiiinally, you're taking an interest in something other than death around here. Y/N is the quarterback for the Nevermore Ravens, our football team. She's kind of a fur as she isn't a werewolf but she is a wolf of some sort. They're all really quiet about what they are-"

"They?" Wednesday cut off and Enid nodded,

"Her and her pack. The Hemingways, or the twins, George and Elizabeth, with the white hair both extremely quiet, and the Bassets... ugh Benton's shimmering black hair, and then his younger brother Atwell. They usually get picked up on full moons by their families. I guess they must be pretty wealthy because they usually get picked up in a limo, they don't appear until the next morning."

Wednesday nodded processing this information.

"Thank you for this information"

"Do you like her?" Enid asked a grin from ear to ear.

"What?"

"Y/N? We are somewhat friends if you want me to put in a good word" she said giggling at the thought.

"That will not be necessary" Wednesday replied coldly, turning on her heel and heading for the door.

"Whatever you say Wednesday" she called out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You were fresh out of football practice when you were approached by the small dark girl.

"Y/N Y/L/N"

"Wednesday Addams" you said coolly, running a hand through your sweaty hair.

She stared at you studying your features.

"Did you need something from me? I am quite a busy woman" you said and she just stared a deep hole into you, causing you to shift.

"I noticed you are doing.. less than adequate in chemistry. I am offering my assistance so you can keep participating in your extracurriculars."

Your face burned hot at the thought of Wednesday noticing your failing grades.

"And.. how did you come to know that information?" you asked.

She crossed her arms,

"I just know these sorts of things" she replied in her typical monotone voice.

"Alright fine. Yes I need help."

"Then it is a deal. I shall help you and you will help me"

"How will I help you?" you looked confused, tilting your head sideways.

"I shall inform you of that later. Come to my dorm tonight. 7pm. Do NOT be late."

She turned to walk away as you watched.

"Yes ma'am" you called out after her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You and Wednesday continued your study sessions, planned around times that Enid was not there, as not to be plagued by her suggestive looks and constant teasing.

One night, you were lying on the floor, books and papers spread in front of you, a massive headache on the rise when you hit the floor, pushing yourself up.

"Alright, I can't do it anymore" you said roughly.

Wednesday looked over at you from her desk.

"Well you are hopeless. Your brain's ability to retain basic scientific information is incredibly lacking."

"Thank you Wednesday" you said groaning and falling back onto Enid's bed with an arm over your eyes, "I have gotten a bit better"

"Yes, you have gone from D average to a C average." she admits.

You sat back up on the bed and you looked at her, studying her features as she carefully dissected the homework in front of her.

"Do you want to talk about something more interesting?" You asked and she looked up at you again.

You both stared at each other, a small familiar burning sensation growing in your stomach. You quickly looked away and tried to force the feeling away as you recognized what it was immediately.

"I suppose we could take a break."

"Alright, then, fire away. Ask me anything you want to know."

"What are you?"

You were taken aback by the abruptness of her question causing your face to drop before a small smile took it's place.

"The truth?"

"That would be preferred."

"A hellhound" you said casually getting up to play with different trinkets on her bookshelves, "My ancestors from years and years ago made a deal with the devil that they couldn't repay. Instead of turning over their lives to him they became servants to Hades."

You flipped a dagger as she watched intently absorbing this newfound side of you.

"My family became hellhounds. The Bassets, bloodhounds, and the Hemingways, soulhounds. As time progressed their loyalty was rewarded, the ability to live human lives and roam the world but as long as they remained loyal. Every full moon we have a duty to perform."

Her dark eyes bore into yours as you turned to look at her.

"What are your duties?"

"The soulhounds herd the souls of the unfortunate victims. The bloodhounds collect blood from the bodies. The hellhounds, are the right hand men to Hades."

Wednesday was entranced by every word you uttered.

"What do those duties consist of?"

You walked over to her, leaning on her desk with both of your arms and leaning in.

"I am responsible for the death and destruction of who Hades demands"

Wednesday felt the shiver down her spine as you whispered that to her. She followed you as you flopped back onto Enid's bed some sort of puzzle box in hand. Every ounce of her wanted to learn more about what you just told her, but she was at a loss for words for once in her life.

"You kill people then?"

"Yeah, but I try not to kill people who don't deserve it. My brothers and I have always followed that rule and it has satisficed Hades so far"

You rolled the puzzle box in your hand before glancing at your watch.

"Shit. I have to go. Curfew" you said flying off Enid's bed and shoving your homework into your backpack.

Wednesday stood up from her desk and in front of you.

"Thank you for sharing that with me" she said and you halted your actions. You smiled down at her and you thought for a second that there was the slightest hint of a smile in return, until the door flew open and Enid was standing there in an excited shock at the scene playing out in front of her.

"Oh... my... GOD" she screamed 

"That's my cue to leave" you said breaking away from Wednesday and heading towards the door. 

With your body inside the hallway, one hand on the door, you leaned back in and smiled.

"Come to the game tomorrow?" you asked and Wednesday crossed her arms again.

"I could think of several other more interesting activities to torture myself with than watch a bunch of boys tackle each other for fun."

"Good. See you tomorrow then." you glanced at Enid, "Goodnight Enid"

You took off down the hallway in order to get to your dorm before getting caught.

Enid looked at Wednesday and if looks could kill Wednesday would have been dead.

"So how long exactly have you been seeing Y/N?"

[watchingblsnowandforever]

Hello!!!

Welcome back to my crack posts! =D

We Are ep 9 is as hilarious as it's frustrating, and I will continue to the whys below with a healthy dose of crack. <3

Warning: long post 😊😅

Ohoho, our little boy is jealous and... its not even 5 minutes in (2 minutes since the actual start). Is that a new record?

Kluen: can I just sleep beside you- 😊

Phum: No. 🙂

Poor Toey getting roped into this too 😭

(something something, Chain helping Toey get Q jealous while Phum uses Toey as a buffer for the cause of his jealousy)

Our favourite old married couple hehe (who aren't actually dating yet-)

My poor Phum 😭

Okay, as much as I don't like Kluen, I have to give it to him for being so straightforward, going as far as telling Phum that he likes Peem when he realizes that Phum might does like him too.

Also the t-shirt: We Are Volunteer.

Yes! Call him out!

We really need more call out-ers in BL.

I laughed so hard my cat looked at me weird 😭😂

Children really are the best eyy

Phum looks so betrayed oh gods 😭

The 'I know what you're doing but I'll still play along cause I like you too, ai'kwai' look. Ah, a classic from thai bl.

This reminds me of when Tinn says "How can I be your friend? I like you!" when Gun finds him after he ran away from the MV shoot.

(And Gun replies, "You think I can?")

On one hand we have Phum who bribes children with chocolates (that he just happens to have in his pocket) to lure away his crush from his rival.

On the other we have Q who simply up and runs away when his friend faux-swipes his crush's sweat simply to make him jealous.

*looks between them and shakes head* these boys are absolutely hopeless

Our favourite married couple part 2 (who are actually dating)

continued:

Pun and Mick just here playing around 😭👍🏼

Peem was right, if they were the only ones in charge of cooking, no one would get any food T~T

But... how exactly did "cut into round shapes" get converted to "cut into round glasses" to "rectangles"? 😶

Fang is so done with these idiots 😭👍🏼

In this moment, I kid you not, my brain played the "what did he sayyy" meme 😶

Phum: *bombastic side eye of death*

Yes, please. We've been waiting for this for 8 and a half episodes.

Yes, and you are the nosiest peep, now continue.

Ah, so Fang is actually the violent sibling, and him and Phum (and Tan, apparently) got into frequent fights, it seems like.

Got caught red handed 😭

Tan is so dead

Wait... so Tan and Fang had a beginning much like Phum and Peem? 👀

Rivals to lovers for both brothers it is, then.

And I feel so bad for Phum, poor guy has been a third wheel since his high school days 😭

...somehow, I think Chain and Pun will put even TanFang to shame when they actually start dating 😶

'Course you have. You just played with water with your besties the other day

And with friends like yours, Peem? It's unlikely you'll go one day without playing around with something or the other

Beer doing God's work here 😭🙏🏼

I love how Beer is both perceptive and observant of his friends, and knows just what to say to get them moving.

He wants the best for Phum and even tells him how he's happy that Peem came into his life, and Phum is a lot more lively these days. (MSP flashbacks again anyone? No? Just me?)

He might not be as playful or enthusiastic as Peem's friends, but he knows what his friends need and he'll try his hardest to make sure they have it. He's just such a good friend.

Phum telling him about the Deal™ also shows us just how much he trusts Beer.

Love him <3

Sweetie, I understand you need some space, but you don't talk to your future boyfriend possible crush like that 😭

Nothing to see here, just a goodnight kiss.

Jokes aside, I like that Peem tries to figure out what's wrong, but he doesn't push too hard. And even tries to provide some comfort to Phum.

And in these moments with just them, Phum has bursts of courage to show his affection, and show Peem how much he means to him, instead of just telling him.

I don't think this is him being emotionally constipated (he is, no doubt about it, but strangely not as much when it comes to Peem), but more of him being unsure of where he stands with Peem (as I mentioned in last week's post).

Are they just friends because their friend groups merged? Acquaintances forced to be close due to circumstances? Just creditor and debtor? Is the deal all that's holding them together?

Well, Phum needs to find the answers. (Preferably and possibly within the next episode)

*sigh* they're gonna kill me with fluff (and I'm gonna die happy)

This is my favourite scene of this ep. Just crushes cuddling each other with sleep, the rest of the evil world (Kluen) forgotten for the moment.

Ah. I love cuddles even more than kisses, not gonna lie

Also, ep 10 seems promising!

Anyways, that's all for now, see you next week! And if you made it this far, thank you so much for reading! 😊

Here, have a bubble tea and a cookie 🧋🍪

[raxistaicho]

Felix's anger towards Dimitri in Three Houses is the most misunderstood aspect of their relationship and I will die on this hill.

Felix's problem with Dimitri isn't that he can't see that what Dimitri went through was traumatic. It's not that he's running away from his own trauma regarding the death of Glenn.

Its the fact that Dimitri uses the deaths of their loved ones as an excuse to be monstrous.

And the proof of that is in their A-Support.

Felix: Sometimes you have an animal's face, contorted with anger and bloodlust. At other times, a man's, with a friendly smile. Which is your true face? Dimitri: Do not waste your breath on questions with such obvious answers. They are both the real me. My father, my friends, Glenn… They all meant a great deal to me. And they were all brutally slaughtered. I alone survived. If I do not shoulder the anguish and regret they must have felt, who will? Felix: Hah. So, that's how you justify your atrocities.

Dimitri is so far into his own head with his grief and anger that he's using the dead as an excuse to go on his quest for vengeance, hurting anyone and everyone in his path and treating everyone around him cruelly. This desire for vengeance isn't for the dead. It's for himself.

And Felix rightly calls him out on that.

Felix: "I will fulfill my duty to the late king." My old man used to say that over and over, like a mantra. How nauseating. No one seems to understand. The dead won't acknowledge your loyalty. They don't care. What a load of bunk it is, pretending to serve a corpse. You're serving your own ego. Dimitri: You are wrong. Felix: No, I'm not. The dead are dead, the living are living. You have to respect that boundary. If you keep stringing gravestones around your neck, you'll snap.

Dimitri doesn't respect the boundary between the living and the dead. He doesn't understand it, and none of the people who should have been taking care of him made sure to teach him to respect it. And as a result, we're left with a man who uses being "the voice of the dead" to justify his cruelty.

And Dimitri is absolutely aware of what he is doing. He's not well, but he's still very clearly concious of what he's doing. And we know this because of what he says to Byleth following the death of Randolph.

Dimitri: If you do not approve of what I have become, then kill me. If you insist that you cannot...then I will continue to use you and your friends until the flesh falls from your bones.

Dimitri is actively choosing to be a dick. There is no kinder way to put it. He's being a dick, and using the deaths of Lambert, Glenn, and the people of Duscur as an excuse.

And it isn't like Felix doesn't understand on some level. If anything, he's one of the few members of the cast who CAN understand. Glenn was HIS older brother. Rodrigue HIS father. And despite the fact that Dimitri is considered more important and he was often left to the wayside, Felix still loved and cared about them. They're his family. And he knows they loved him too, even if it wasn't in the way he should have been shown (I have so many issues with the fact that Dimitri is more important to Rodrigue than Felix is but that's a rant for another day). If anyone should have the right to be angry about their deaths, it's him.

But he doesn't hold onto that anger. Not in the same way.

Felix: I'm not immune to emotion, you know. Far from it. I haven't gone a day without questioning why my father and brother had to die, while I survived. I'll bear this pain until the day I die, but I refuse to wallow in it. I have more important things to do than blubber for my whole life.

Felix does not and will not allow his anger and grief to allow him to cause atrocious acts in the same way. And he backs up his words with actions. Which is something Dimitri needs to do for their relationship to improve at all. Which is shown in Chapter 18 if you make sure their C-Support has been viewed.

Felix: Hmph. And how do you intend to make up for my father's death? Dimitri: Felix… I realize words alone are not enough to repent, but I fear they are all I have. Felix: I'm not after more empty words. I want you to speak through your actions.

If you don't have their C-Support, Felix won't say he'll agree to help take back Fhirdihad. He will, of course, as he's a playable unit. But because of both the actions of the player and, as a result, Dimitri's actions, Felix won't vocalize his support.

Dimitri can say he has changed and realized the errors of his ways and offer apologies, but for Felix, they mean nothing if those words aren't also put to action.

And THAT is what the entirety of their issues is.

Both of them lost many of the same loved ones.

But while one chooses to move forward, the other chooses to wallow back. While one chooses not use that pain to commit atrocious acts of violence, the other uses it as his justification.

And THIS is why it makes sense for Felix to leave. On top of just not liking being a noble with those kinds of responsibilities, his head of state is someone who he is diametrically opposed. They might have been "friends" once (and I say it like that because prior to the Tragedy their friendship looks very one sided), but friendship doesn't mean you accept and partake in torture and unwarranted levels of slaughter.

And Felix outright tells us this.

But both those around him and a lot of the audience do not want to listen.

Oh, that's good, thanks for breaking that down! :)

Like I've said, Felix is one of the characters I haven't analyzed super well, so I appreciate the breakdown from someone who knows him better.

[silversnakes-yan]

✲ 𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝓫𝓲𝓻𝓽𝓱𝓭𝓪𝔂 𝔀/ 𝓘𝓼𝓪𝓲𝓪𝓱 (𝓼𝓾𝓰𝓰𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓿𝓮)✲

There’s a familiar feeling of light kisses on your face and an arm draped over your waist from beside you. This caused you to stir from a blissful sleep. The feeling of love is so euphoric, you’d wish it would never stop. So pretending to be asleep for a little longer wouldn’t hurt.

“I know you're awake, baby.” Isaiah says in a voice that’s gentle yet husky from sleep. The sound makes a shiver run down your spine. How can he be so damn attractive without even trying? You swear he’ll be the death of you. You decide to stop playing with him just to see his face and it was worth it.

You open your eyes and turn your head and his face has never looked so angelic. The way the morning light peeping through the windows lights up his face makes his dark brown skin look golden. His deep brown eyes were shining too and his long lashes were more prominent. You smile as you trace every detail of him with your eyes and this causes Isaiah to smile back, embarrassed. He quickly nuzzles his head in your neck after realizing you’re admiring him. “What are you doing?” You ask with a giggle.

“I’m supposed to make you flustered.” You can tell he’s pouting by his tone being whiny. It makes your heart flutter imagining a man as big and scary looking as Isaiah acting so soft around you. It would surely ruin his reputation if his brothers saw him like this. He wouldn’t hear the end of it.

“Why?” You put your hand over his. He looks up at you after a second, confusion clear on his face.

“What do you mean? It’s your birthday.” You finally realize why he was acting so cuddly this morning.

“Oh yeah, I totally forgot.” You say looking at the ceiling. “I guess we should get a cake. I’m thinking of ice cream cake. Does that sound good?” He was silent for a few seconds before putting his head back to your neck. It seems like his thoughts made him shy.

“Ice cream’s good but I want a different kind of dessert.”

You look back at him, a little confused. “We can eat cupcakes instead or just a regular cake?”

“No, I mean I want to taste something else.” This time he leans up above me and holds his weight on one arm. The other is now moving down your waist to your thigh. He traces light circles to your inner thigh. That finally makes you realize the kind of “tasting” he wanted to do. The thought of Isaiah between your legs makes your eyes go wide. He usually isn’t this direct but you certainly aren’t complaining.

“Will you let me, Baby?” He asks while peppering kisses from your cheek to your neck. “Taste you. I mean.” He adds, after pausing. You raise my hand to drag your fingers through his twisted hair.

“Yes.” You say breathlessly as he sucks on a sweet spot on your neck. Isaiah sits up after a while of kissing down your neck to your chest. He moves down the bed to get in between your thighs. When he looks back up at you the flustered feeling returns full force. You cover your face to hide the nervousness.

“I want to see you.” He’s pouting again. Looking between your fingers, you retort.

“I’ve never done this, babe.” Isaiah chuckles at your whiny voice while his fingers gently play with the edge of your underwear.

“If you want to stop, I’ll stop.” He says sincerely. It makes you feel warm for a bit before you realize he was really going to stop.

“No, no. You can continue.” You say shyly. He smiles at that and leans down to kiss below your navel. He makes direct eye contact while his kisses get lower. Your breathing is heavier when he gets to the only layer of clothing between you two. Isaiah pulls them off your body slowly. Slow enough to make you angry but the anger doesn’t last long when he dives back in between your legs but not before whispering, “Happy birthday, Baby.”

[666writingcafe]

Gluttony

I should have known this was going to happen sooner rather than later.

Over the last few weeks, I've gradually grown less and less hungry. At first, I chalked it up to stress from these mock classes at RAD that me and my brothers have had to take, but anything I've done to relieve said stress only seems to exacerbate it.

And then one day I overheard Barbatos tell Diavolo that according to Solomon, Zephyr's been experiencing the munchies more frequently, and the pieces fell into place in my head.

Well, all but one: why is this experience different for me? If Zephyr's getting more gluttonous, shouldn't I be, too? Why have I not been consumed by my sin the way the others have?

"You're not good enough."

Its voice calls out to me from within the void I suddenly find myself in. I don't remember nodding off, but maybe I was forced to. Like the others have.

"What?" I ask. A little red demon steps out of the shadows. This must be my spiritual counterpart: No. 6.

"Ever since the day I was born, I've been watching you," it states calmly. "And you, Beelzebub, are truly pathetic."

"Excuse me?!" No. 6 merely laughs.

"I'm the hunger that used to burn inside you. But you've proven yourself unworthy of my services, and so I've found another host." I feel my eyes widening.

"You mean you did this intentionally?" Another laugh, much more raucous than the last.

"Of course! Gods, you're slow!" No. 6 takes a moment to compose itself. "It's not just about food, you know. You have to desire more. My counterpart should want to swallow the world whole with no hesitation, but you're too sentimental and weak." This is beginning to piss me off.

"I won't hurt my brothers."

"And there lies the problem. You put their needs above yours. Avatars aren't supposed to care about others." A brief pause. "Then again, you've always been the most angelic out of everyone, haven't you?"

Instantly, the void transforms into the Celestial Realm. A rather familiar part of it.

"If you hadn't spent so much time debating whose death would affect your so-called brothers the most, you could have saved them both."

"They were too far apart!" The scene quickly materializes around me: angels on opposite ends taking aim at an already-wounded Belphie and Lilith. "I only had time to save one!"

"You can control the wind, can't you? You could have easily used it to bring them closer to you or push the angels away from them." No. 6's grin grows larger, showing off its wicked sharp fangs. "Of course, I would have focused on saving myself. The two of them were dead weight, anyway."

"They were my family!"

"They were poor excuses for angels! I mean, developing such fascination for humans that you end up falling in love with one? They are inferior in every way!"

"Stop it!"

"Not until you accept the truth, Beelzebub! What good has your dear twin been since your arrival here? He's still obsessed over those stupid humans!"

"They're not stupid!"

"Sure they are. The only thing humans are good for is being a vessel for us to control. Free will is an experiment that failed a long time ago. They're little more than sheep, and some of them don't even taste all that great."

"And some of us have horns." Lilith stands up, except she's quickly transforming into something else.

Or rather, someone else.

"You are a conniving son of a bitch, aren't you?" Zephyr continues, fully in their demon form. "You thought you could use me to hurt Beel and get away with it?!" For the first time in this entire encounter, No. 6's demeanor changes. He's no longer confident; he's actually starting to shake as he stammers incoherently.

"I don't want to hear your excuses. You did what you did, and now you must pay the price." Zephyr crouches down, staring intently at No. 6. "I have had all kinds of things in order to satiate this hunger, but none of them have hit the spot. But I think I've just found the perfect meal." Zephyr licks their lips, causing No. 6 to squeak. Turning around, it begins running away, but Zephyr's much faster.

I don't get to see the carnage that they cause, for soon I'm sitting upright, covered in sweat.

"Good. You're awake." A bowl of soup is soon thrust in front of me. "Drink. It'll last you a couple hours."

"Where am I?"

"The castle." Of course. I recognize the servant's uniform now. "I've been assigned to tend to you until you're back to normal." I bring the bowl to my mouth and gently tip it upwards. It's warm, but not hatefully so.

"What about Zephyr?" The servant grimaces slightly.

"They'll be okay. They just have to..." He swallows. "...adjust back to their stomach."

"What do you...oh." The servant softly smiles.

"From what I've heard, it's not pretty. Only those with a strong disposition can be around them right now, and I'm--"

"--not one of those people. Got it." I quickly finish the soup and set the bowl off to the side. "So, how exactly are you supposed to 'tend to me'?"

"Basically, I'm your personal food delivery service. Whatever you're hungry for, I'll get it straight to you."

"And this applies to anything?" The servant nods his head.

"Direct order from the prince himself. All restaurants are on standby. Just one phone call, and they'll prepare whatever your heart desires."

"And they're okay with this?" He shrugs.

"It's all going on the prince's tab. Plus, I've heard he's promised all of them lucrative tips for their efforts."

Taglist: @lost-in-time-wanderer, @fuzztacular, @dianedancer18, @sweetbrier2908, @flare-love, @completelyshatteredbrokenmschf, @thunderlightning351, @l3v1chan, @anxious-chick, @5mary5, @expressionless-fr, @tenkobitch, @budbuddnbuddy