#(but i got too attached to it and became paralyzed by the need to do it right)

[bookshelf-in-progress]

How many times do I have to learn the lesson that I should start the story when the story starts instead of trying to tack on introductory worldbuilding?

Seriously. My instincts about when to start the story are almost never wrong. But I always assume the first scene in my imagination requires set-up that people outside of my imagination don't have. So I tack on an intro to set the mood and to set up the plot and characters and world. And it's boring. When I should have just started where I wanted to start so I could weave explanations into a scene where things are actually happening.

[lilasamaaa]

Wicked games | Max Verstappen x Leclerc!Reader

Genre | Fluff, some light angst.

Word count | 1.5K.

Warnings | Some sexual innuendos, reader playfully gaslighting Max.

Summary | You love Max, you really do. But there’s just something about your brother’s teammate… as a driver, of course. 

Author's note | This piece was requested! Thanks to the lovely anon who came up with the idea, I had so much fun writing it! This is shorter than what I usually write, but I wanted to keep this one light and fun :)

"Babe?" Max's voice comes from the living room. "Are you ready to go?"

This weekend, it's the iconic Monaco Grand Prix, and you're delighted not to have to take a flight and endure jet lag from the other side of the world for once. Not that you're complaining about having the privilege to travel so much, but you understand what flight attendants mean when they say that flying makes you age prematurely. Before the bustling week begins and paralyzes the entire city, you, your brother, and Max had agreed to go eat lunch at your favorite place before the boys had to attend their pre-race press conference.

"I'm almost done," you shout back, placing bobby pins in your bun, when you hear the footsteps of your boyfriend approaching until they reach the door.

"We're..." Max starts before his gaze lands on you. "Oh, no, baby. There's no way you're wearing that."

You arch an eyebrow, observing your boyfriend in the large mirror of the bathroom.

"What's wrong with my outfit?" you ask, tilting your head.

"You're not really going to wear that, are you? Not while holding my hand?" Max replies, starring at your white tennis skirt and red Ferrari polo while you let out a hearty laugh.

"I might be your girlfriend, Max Verstappen, but I'm a Ferrari fan first and foremost. You knew this when you first asked me out."

"Of course I know, baby, but there's a difference between supporting Ferrari and... walking around with their colors on the street. With me."

"Are you playing territorial right now?" you ask, putting both hands on his chest, struggling to suppress your laughter.

"If you're so set on wearing red, why don't you try something more... Discreet? Like the red dress I brought you from Miami?"

"I'm wearing the polo, Max. It'll make Charles happy. And Carlos too," you add, winking at your boyfriend before walking towards the living room.

"Huh? What's the connection with Carlos?" Max asks, following you. "Is Carlos invited to the restaurant?"

Ever since Max and you started dating, several years ago, this has been your favorite game. Never gets old. You just love mentioning the Scuderia and its drivers. It's not that he hates the team, no, after all, as Sebastian once said, everyone's a Ferrari fan. But while Max understands your attachment to the team in relation with your brothers, there's one thing he finds less understandable... Your fascination with the other driver.

"You didn't tell me Carlos was coming," Max says again, still following around while you put on your jewelry.

"I didn't think it was important," you shrug, smirking.

Let it be clear : you don't feel anything for Carlos. No attraction whatsoever. But ever since the Spaniard joined the team and became a close friend of Charles, your relationship naturally developed to the point where today, you genuinely consider Carlos as a member of your family. You've even met his own, spent holidays with them, and you've crashed at Carlos' place multiple times before. Sometimes, when you need someone to talk to and Charles and Max are too biased, too closely involved with you to provide good insight, you call Carlos. The same way the driver always comes to you when he's got girls troubles. Yes, the two of you share a beautiful, tight bond. And knowing there's no ambiguity between the two of you (Max knows it too, deep down), you love driving your boyfriend crazy by mentioning Carlos.

"What's the matter, Max?" you ask, turning around, smiling at him.

"Look, I don't say anything when you sleep on his couch, or when you spend hours on the phone with his sisters. It doesn't even bother me when you check his results, and I surely didn't say anything when you celebrated his victory in Australia while my car was giving me hell," Max continues, gesturing with his hands. "But isn't this a bit much?"

"What is?"

"You said we were going out... As a family? Like, your brother, you and me?"

"Carlos is family," you reply, playing dumb.

"You..." Max starts, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Okay, yeah. Whatever." your boyfriend says, throwing his hands in the air.

As Max and you arrive hand in hand in front of the restaurant where Charles and Carlos are waiting, you don't miss the look your brother gives you upon seeing you dressed in the red polo.

"You're fucking impossible," Charles mutters while kissing your cheek.

Once inside, as the four of you walk over to your table, you still see the opportunity to drive Max crazy by sitting across from Charles. Next to Carlos. Diagonally, your boyfriend watches you, eyebrows furrowed, a hint of annoyance in his eyes.

"Miami was so fun," you start, taking the menu.

"You and I must have a different definition of the word" Max says, rolling his eyes.

"Well, it's not so unpleasant to see someone else cross the finish line before you, for once," you reply teasingly.

"Like in Melbourne?" Max asks with an ironic smile.

"Like in Melbourne," you nod, winking at your boyfriend before turning your attention to the Spaniard. "You did so good, Carlos. I'll have you know that I was rooting for you from the start."

"Yeah," Charles interjects, rolling his eyes. "We know."

The table is engulfed in a heavy silence, and you enjoy yourself so much, your eyes sparkling mischievously.

"There's some tension in here, am I right?" Carlos asks after some time, looking at all three of you in turn.

"She's been bugging me about you all morning," Max replies, taking a sip of his coke. "She thinks it's funny."

"Why would you do that?" Carlos asks, looking at you, eyes wide. "You know he's going to push me off-track because of you, next time."

"You're better than them, that's all," you reply, eyes fixated on the menu in front of you. "They just can't admit it."

"Now, that's just nasty coming from my own sister," Charles says, laughing. "Take that back."

"Leave her to it," Max says to your brother, giving you a meaningful look. "She's decided to be bratty today. She knows it drives me crazy."

"We should all know less about each other," Carlos says before gesturing for the waiter to come over, while Charles tries to hide the red from his face with his menu.

The meal goes well, the false tensions easing over a succession of delicious dishes. But you're not done with your little game. Not yet. As the server clears your plates and refills your wine, you lean in towards Carlos.

"What dessert do you recommend? I'm in the mood for something sweet," you ask Carlos, fluttering your eyelashes innocently.

Across from you, your brother sighs, running a hand across his face, while Max stares at you in a way you know all too well. A look that tells you that once the two of you set foot back in your shared apartment, you're going to pay for your behavior. Big time. But for now, you don't care, leaning over Carlos' menu, your shoulders pressed together. The Spaniard is so innocent, so far from imagining that you're using him to lead your boyfriend exactly where you want him.

"Their crème brûlée is delicious," the driver replies mechanically, eyes still looming over the piece of paper.

"Crème brûlée it is, then," you reply, setting back in your chair. "I just love to make them crack," you finish, locking eyes with Max.

That's it. You're fucked. Max's usually clear eyes are dark with annoyance and desire. Feeling the heat in your lower belly, you lower your gaze, finding it hard to meet your boyfriend's eyes. You can't wait to get home, knowing that with the afternoon of interviews ahead of him, your boyfriend will have to suppress his desire until tonight, amplifying his frustration. After dessert, the four of you head to the cashier, where Max pays for everyone before leading you all outside.

Carlos gives you a quick hug before heading back to his car, promising to call you soon, knowing that the other two drivers will follow him in a few moments. Charles approaches you, and you throw yourself in his arms, pressing your nose against his neck.

"You've got to stop doing that," your brother mumbles playfully in your ear. "You're not the one who has to deal with his awful mood in the paddock afterward."

"He's just so easy to rile up," you say, as both of you let out a laugh.

Charles pinches your cheek before waving to Max and joining Carlos in his car. You find yourself facing Max and give him a radiant smile. Perfectly innocent.

"You're the worst," your boyfriend starts, crossing his arms against his chest.

"You just love me," you say, sticking out your tongue.

"I'm going to ruin you tonight," he concludes, pulling you towards him before kissing you passionately, his hands grazing your buttocks, barely covered by your short skirt. "Show you who's better than who."

"I can't wait," you mutter against his mouth, softly biting his lower lip before taking the keys from his car in the back pocket of his jeans.

"Can't wait," you repeat, watching your boyfriend walk away until he disappears into the backseat of Carlos' car.

[feakwierdodotgov]

Small rant + what Saturn by SZA means to me

I have been trying to continue this for a fucking month, but school demands all my time and effort and has frankly, burnt me out. SO here's a half-assed lyric breakdown/song review of saturn by sza, school can go get fucked.

“Saturn” By SZA Lyrical Analysis

“If there's another universe

Please make some noise (noise)

Give me a sign (sign)

This can't be life”

This is the song's opening, and it perfectly encapsulates the entire song's message. This track is a needed escape from the poison of everyday American life. 

I checked on my YouTube the other day and started scrolling, looking for a topic to focus my brain on. The first clip I came across was of a woman holding a microphone, talking about abortion when another woman quickly approached her. The other woman greeted her with kindness, but her attitude instantly changed when they refocused on abortion. The woman holding the microphone and the lady that came up to her seemed to naturally speak “perfectly”. I can only describe how they spoke as “computer generated”. 

Whenever I see people debate online or in real life, they try to distract or bring down the other person by critiquing their terminology and generalizations. These two people were talking in perfect terminology and heavily over-explaining what they were saying so the other person couldn’t critique or distract them. I became worried because human beings don’t naturally talk this way. They were talking like robot alien lizard people. Just by waking up in the morning, you provoke the unwanted criticisms of the robot alien lizard people. It seems that the people of this world cannot understand or simply talk to one another. We are trying to eliminate our human-isms to achieve perfection, intelligence, and power. I realized that humanity is denying the pillars of its existence. I too want to know if there's another universe. Is that universe possible? I need a new planet. Maybe I can live and breathe on Saturn. Anything is better than Earth. 

“If there's a point to losing love

Repeating pain (why?)

It's all the same

I hate this place” I don’t personally relate to this line, but I will do my best to break it down. I think she’s saying that she keeps getting trapped in these cycles of falling in love with people,

and just after getting attached, she loses them. In some way shape or form, something integral in their personalities cannot work. If there is a point to losing someone in that same way OVER and OVER again, why? 

“Stuck in this paradigm

Don't believe in paradise

This must be what Hell is like

There's got to be more, got to be more”

Again, she’s trapped in her way of thinking and it’s pushing away the people she loves. She expresses her doubt for change, she “don’t believe in paradise” where she can love other people without her own ‘being’ tearing that relationship apart. 

“Sick of this head of mine

Intrusive thoughts, they paralyze”

I understand that this is a continuation of her point, but I want to divulge my meaning.

I have struggled with anxiety for a long time, but it took over my life in high school. I think a little anxiety is warranted, healthy even, but it’s gotten to a point of hatred of other people and a poor outlook on life. I constantly project these judgemental personalities onto people. I project hatred, spite, and ignorance, and I don’t allow people to show kindness to me before making them out to be a bad person. After coming to this realization, I knew I had to change. In my experience, change like this is easy and pleasant, but my intrusive thoughts can come in and rip that away at any second. Out of habit, I return to my old ways of avoiding interaction. It hurts the people around me the most. They might have gone out of their way to offer their time to me, and I completely reject it again and again.  I paralyze myself in fear of how I sound, how I look, how I act, etc. I get to a point where I’d rather do nothing than something “embarrassing” or “cringy”. 

“Nirvana's not as advertised

There's got to be more, been here before”

I am getting nothing from this lyric, so I will just put it into a literal state. The idea of the perfect place is not widely accepted or known, but there has to be something, right?

“Ooh (ooh, ooh)

Life's better on Saturn

Got to break this pattern

Of floating away”

This world I’m living in is something that cannot keep me alive. Humans have sunk the hells of society so deep into earth, that life may be better on Saturn. Saturn doesn’t have judgment, it has happiness and freedom. Saturn has life. Like I said in paragraph four, she keeps ‘floating away’ into these cycles of pain. 

“Ooh (ooh, ooh)

Find something worth saving

It's all for the taking

I always say”

Is there something from Earth with value left? Is anything unaffected by us, the people? In the hypothetical situation that we pull a wall-e and escape to Saturn, what on earth (literally) would we bring with us?

“I'll be better on Saturn

None of this matters

Dreaming of Saturn, oh”

Is the complex nature of modern society undermining her efforts to be the best version of herself? It’s so upsetting to be human that dreams are the only place SZA can be free.

“None of this matters” is really important to me. I was stranded on a desert island with everything I’d ever need to stay happy, content, and alive, but there weren’t other people, would I want to change all these tiny cosmetic things about myself? The answer is just “no”, because, in the long run, NONE OF IT MATTERS!!! 

“If karma's really real

How am I still here?

Just seems so unfair

I could be wrong though”

[cntrl15]

Rules - Cissatrix

600 Words. Rated T. June 9th prompt: "Rules", from @sapphicmicrofics.

I know myself with more clarity than most. I am strong, I am raw, I am destructive. But I am no mad thing. I know myself, and I am my own master. I live by rules of my own design.

Many of them.

At first, I made them so I could never hurt her. We played hide-and-seek or hopscotch, never mercy or uncle. I refused to show her my knives, or the things I did with them. I would never touch the animals she doted on. I would never watch her cry.

It was easy enough when we were young. She looked up to me, had a streak of big sister worship that kept her blind to my flaws. Growing into our teens she became more aware that I was hiding things. There was talk at school about me, and she was perceptive enough to see the way I treated other girls. It didn’t bother her very much, as long as she didn’t hear about the specifics. I got the sense she wore it with a sort of pride, as if my love was all the more valuable for how cruel I could be.

I still did my best to keep her from the worst of me. When Lucius showed an interest in her, I tried to stay distant from him. I kept myself from getting in his way, and even managed to maintain a flat civility. I doubt we ever would have exchanged more than trite pleasantries if his father hadn’t encouraged him to get along with me. Once that business started, I swore him to secrecy and made sure she wouldn’t be involved. It was worthwhile, to have been able to do that.

The rules changed further, once they were attached. I stopped allowing her to tail me through free periods and told her to make new friends: social connections for the high life she was now promised to have. I dried up the stream of little gifts and keepsakes I used to find for her. I kept my hands to myself when her hair needed fixing and made sure not to look too long at her smile. I’d trained myself too well not to hurt her, and never taught myself not to love her.

---

After that, for a time, there were no rules at all.

---

And then, somehow, the days and nights bring me back to her. Our court of darkness descends upon her home, and I find my rules again. I don’t let her see my knives, or the things I do with them. I don’t touch the boy she dotes on. I never watch her cry.

I still try to keep her uninvolved, but the Dark Lord is sleeping in her halls. She drifts to my side when around the others, and Lucius is grateful that my unspoken attention discourages the worst of the hirelings. Unfortunately, I can do nothing to discourage Him. It is self-evident that He understands her centrality; that she is the key to three doors, myself and Malfoy elder and younger. The mere implications of that understanding are enough to keep us all at heel.

The old rules keep us safe, keep her mostly unmolested, perpetuate a status quo that I can do little to improve upon. I dreamt once of losing them again, a nightmare in which she danced over my paralyzed form and unwrapped me layer by layer, until blinding sunlight streamed in to illuminate the blank void of my hollow form within.

Do not hurt her. Do not love her. These are the rules of my own design.

Part of a series. 100 words longer each day. Link to AO3.

[may-fanfic]

Night Out

summary: after a night out, yelena confesses her feelings for you

warnings: romantic relationship

word count: 1,132

masterlist

((feel free to send in any request 💕 ))

--------

When Yelena first met you, she thought you simply did not like her, you hardly talked to her, and the only time you’d ever really say anything was when she addressed you directly. It wasn’t like Yelena to start liking one of her sister’s friends. Still, for some odd reason, she found herself attach to you. she liked the mystery that came with you. she wanted to find out everything about you; she wanted to know you better than anyone else. Still, whenever she was around, you simply chose not to talk.

It didn’t take long for Natasha to notice the way her little sister was when you were around; she was talkative, she’d blush at any type of thing that you did, and of course, Natasha made it her mission to tease Yelena about it despite how adorable she thought it was. You’d be sat there with the sisters and barely bat an eye at Yelena, and she hated it. She felt like some school girl with a crush, but Yelena had always been the determined type, and when she set her goal on something, she needed to have it.

------

Going to the bar with Yelena and Natasha hadn’t been a good idea; they were heavy drinkers, they could drink all night and still be fine to drive, but you could only have a few before you were completely shit-faced. When Yelena suggested to Natasha that she could out drink her, it became a drinking match, and you didn’t want to be the only one not taking part; so you drank, every shot they took, you took one. It wasn’t long before you were gone; you could barely hold your own weight. You had been leaning on Natasha for support by the end of the night while they had been perfectly stable.

“oh, dorogoy. you’re a mess.” Natasha commented as her sister ordered water for you. You knew that no matter the amount of water, nothing could sober you up, but you drank it anyway when Yelena handed it to you. You’d always been a bit scared of Yelena, but now as she was handing you water and brushing hair out of your face, you saw nothing but a giant puppy. She was soft, kind, and gentle.

“you’re okay, y/n?” she questioned softly over the loud music that played. you shrugged childishly, causing a giggle to slip past the woman’s lips. ” I’m cold.” you muttered, wrapping your arms around yourself as her hands settled over you, rubbing up and down your arms to keep you warm.

“Why do you always wear this?” you slurred out, dragging your finger along her chest to touch her vest; even though it was a simple touch, it left Yelena paralyzed.

“It was the first thing I ever bought for myself,” she answered honestly, gazing at you almost lovingly.

“Can I wear it?” you muttered out, flicking at one of the many buttons that the vest included. Yelena couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at the corners of her lips as your eyes met hers. “You want to wear it? Of course, you can,” she uttered out almost too eagerly, unwrapping her arms from you to slip out of the vest and hand it to you.

She watched as you slipped into it, it was much bigger on you than her, but she found it to be the most adorable thing ever. She could’ve stared at you all night if it wasn’t for Natasha calling out that you should head out.

-----

“you like her.” was the first thing that Natasha uttered out once the three of you got to Yelena‘s house. You had been lying on the couch as she fished your water in the kitchen. “No.” Yelena bluntly spoke, rolling her eyes so far that Natasha was sure they’d roll out of her head.

“So you don’t like her?” she rose an eyebrow at Yelena, who looked at her out of curiosity. “well then, you wouldn’t mind if I go ahead and ask her out, right?” Yelena laughed briefly at her sister’s outrageous questions, but when Natasha’s face grew serious, Yelena’s smile dropped.

“Why would you do that?”

“Why would you care?” Natasha challenged, crossing her arms over her chest and smirking slightly at her sister.

“You like y/n,” Natasha questioned again, causing Yelena to huff out. “Shut up.” she groaned out before pushing past Natasha to get to you and give you the water.

You had been moving around her living room, giggling quietly to yourself, and at that moment, Yelena thought you lost your mind. “Y/n?” she called out; you turned in her direction, a smile tugged at your lips.

“You can hold so many things with this.” you giggled, shaking the vest lightly, causing a loud riddling noise to sound.

“Only you two get so excited about those pockets.” Natasha groaned before announcing that she was going to bed, not that either of you cared.

“Drink this.” Yelena nudged your hand softly with the glass of water, and when you took it, her hands found the hem of the vest, straighten it out, smiling lightly at you as she zipped it up. “You can keep it.” she offered; it felt like a blessing to be able to see you wearing her vest; she felt some sort of pride.

“I can keep it?!?” you shouted like a child who just won a teddy bear at the carnival.

“It’s yours,” your smile dropped in that second, pouting at Yelena lightly. “but what would you wear?” Yelena shrugged, offering you a smile. Staring up at Yelena, you felt warm all over; Yelena had been one of the most beautiful people you’ve ever met, and now she was looking at you with so much care, you felt like you could melt. You leaned forward, wrapping your arms around her, and nuzzled your head into her neck.

She let out a soft laugh, nonetheless holding her close to her. You let out a soft hum when the woman rubbed at your back.

“why would you give it to me?” you whispered into her neck. She squeezed you lightly before muttering out, “Because I like you.”

You pulled away from Yelena slowly, your gaze fixed on nothing but her. “you like me?” She only nodded, her arms yet to part from your waist.

It was a surprise for Yelena when you leaned up and press a soft kiss to her lips as quick as it was; it still left her breathless. She knew she’d have to have a brand new conversation with you in the morning but now all she could focus on was the way her heart pounded and the way her lips burned.

“I like you too.”

[btsqualityy]

Assuage: Chapter 22

Yoongi x Reader

Genre: ABO (Alpha/Beta/Omega) dynamics, angst, fluff, smut, enemies to lovers

Warnings: Smut, dirty talk (like, it gets dirty lol), some light degradation, unprotected sex, choking, creampie

“Ow!” Jungkook shouted as he landed hard on his back, his eyes narrowing at Yoongi who was now standing over him. “What the fuck hyung?!”

“Hey, it’s training,” Yoongi shrugged. “Don’t be mad at me kid.”

“Yeah exactly, it’s training,” Jungkook scoffed. “That doesn’t mean to try and fucking paralyze me.”

“Come on kid,” Yoongi chuckled, extending his hand and waiting until Jungkook grabbed onto it before helping him back to his feet again.  Everyone was out in a clearing in the woods, preparing themselves for the war against Seo-hyun’s pack, just like they had been everyday for the past four days and Jungkook and Yoongi had been put together as sparring partners. 

“I see why everyone not so subtly refused to be your partner,” Jungkook groaned as he got into his fighting stance again and waited for Yoongi to do the same before throwing a punch.

“Everyone except Hobi,” Yoongi grunted, dodging Jungkook’s fist before retaliating with a shot at Jungkook’s arm. 

“He’s still mad at you?” Jungkook wondered with an oomph, Yoongi knocking the wind out of him when he raised his leg and kicked Jungkook on the side of his abdomen. 

“If you call staring at me with distain and looking as though he’s ready to kill me at any moment and the only thing holding him back is that Namjoon told him to let it go being mad, then yes,” Yoongi answered, lifting his leg again and doing a type of fan kick that caused him to hit Jungkook in the hip and drag him down onto the ground. 

“How are things going over here?” Namjoon wondered as he walked over to them. 

“I need a new partner,” Jungkook huffed. “Yoongi hyung’s trying to kill me.”

“I doubt that,” Namjoon laughed as he held his hand out and helped Jungkook stand up straight again. “We all know Taehyung would kill him if he tried and I doubt Yoongi wants those problems.”

“You got that right,” Yoongi muttered in agreement. “We’re doing good though. How’s everyone else?”

“I actually think we’ll have a chance to win tomorrow,” Namjoon smiled proudly. 

“Well, that’s reassuring to hear,” you spoke up as you walked up to them. Yoongi immediately leaned over so that you could press a quick kiss to his lips before pulling away.

“What are you doing here?” Yoongi asked. 

“Yeah, what are you doing here Y/N-ah?” Namjoon repeated. “You know what I told you.”

“I’m just here to get Yoongi since training is over for today,” you scoffed. “And yes, I remember what you told me even though I still strongly believe that you’re making a mistake by not letting me fight as well.”

“Y/N-ah, it just wouldn’t be smart,” he sighed. “You’re our Pack Physician now. Who’s going to take care of the inevitable injuries that are going to happen tomorrow if you don’t?”

“I get it, I get it,” you replied. “I just feel weird about the fact that everyone is going out to fight tomorrow and I’m not.”

“You’re still helping the pack baby,” Yoongi assured you. “Just in a different way.” You just smiled at him then, leaning over and kissing his cheek again. 

“As much as I do love to see you two be all fluffy with each other,” Jungkook groaned. “Are we free to go hyung? I wanted to spend some time with Tae hyung before tomorrow.”

“Yeah, just let me say something to everyone really quick,” Namjoon nodded before turning around to face everyone. “Alright guys, training’s over for the day and if I could get your attention, I’d like to say something to you all.” Everyone turned around to face Namjoon and silence fell over them all before Namjoon began to speak again. 

“Tomorrow is going to be a hard day,” he started. “There are some of us who are veterans when it comes to war and for others, this will be their first time. Regardless, the only thing that I can tell you all is to be as brave as you possibly can and fight for this pack. Until tomorrow though, when you’ll have to worry about that, go home. Go home and spend time with your families, your mates, your pups. Have a good meal and get a good night’s rest and tomorrow, we fight for the fate of this pack.” 

Everyone applauded once the short speech was over before beginning to disperse. Jungkook said goodbye to you all before walking away, and Namjoon did the same as well.

“So, wanna go back to mines?” You asked Yoongi and he nodded his head. 

“That sounds amazing,” he nodded. 

.............................................

“I wish you’d just be honest with me,” Yoongi groaned as he laid in your bed, watching you move around the room as you got ready for bed. 

“I am being honest,” you shot back as you pulled one of Yoongi’s t-shirt over your head, taking a second to throw the shirt that you had had on all day into the hamper before moving to unbutton your pants. 

“Baby, I can smell the worry in your scent,” Yoongi pointed out as he watched you take your pants off, leaving you in only your panties. You then walked over to the bed, crawling onto it and settling your body down right next to Yoongi’s. He raised his arm and allowed you to cuddle up to him so that you were resting your chin on his chest and looking up at him. 

“What do you want me to say?” You asked.

“I want you to talk to me,” he urged you. “It’s you and I right now, no one else.”

“What, you want me to tell you that I’m absolutely terrified of what might happen tomorrow?” You questioned. “You want me to tell you that I’m afraid of something happening not only to you, but to my brother and two of my closest friends too?”

“Yes, if that’s how you feel,” Yoongi nodded. “And you don’t have anything to worry about.”

“You don’t fucking know that so don’t try and sell me on a promise that you know you can’t keep,” you warned him.

“Well, what do you want me to do? Do you want me to not fight then?” He asked.

“When you first told Namjoon that you would, yes that’s exactly what I wanted but I don’t know now,” you shrugged. “I love the fact that you want to fight for the pack but I just...”

“You just what?”

“I don’t want to lose you,” you confessed, tears welling up in your eyes. “I’m a strong woman Yoongi but I’ve lost so much over the years, I don’t think I’d be able to handle loosing you too.”

“Hey baby, it’s ok,” he sighed as he reached down and grabbed your hand that had been resting on his chest, intertwining your fingers with his. “I know that I can’t make you any solid promises about what might or might not happen tomorrow so I won’t but I can promise you that I’ll try my damndest to make sure that I come home to you.”

“You promise? You won’t do anything crazy or stupid?”

“Considering that it’s my first time fighting in a war, I hope not,” he chuckled. “But I guarantee you, I’ll do everything in power to make sure that I’m able to come back here tomorrow night and tell you how much I love you.”

“I love you too Yoongi,” you whispered, leaning up and pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. That gentle kiss quickly became heated though, Yoongi’s hands moving down your body and settling on your ass as he pulled you closer to him.

“Missed you,” he murmured against your lips.

“Missed you too Alpha,” you replied. “I wanna feel you.”

“You wanna feel me where baby? You gotta use your words,” he smiled and you pulled away from his lips to look down at him. 

“Want to feel you inside of me. I want you to give me your knot.”

“Get on your back for me,” he instructed and you didn’t hesitate before rolling over, letting your legs fall open as he climbed on top of you. He leaned down and attached his lips to your scent gland, sucking on the skin there. 

“Ah, ah,” you moaned and you belatedly realized that it came out super high pitched but you could honestly care less because it feel good and you missed him. 

“Mm, baby likes that,” Yoongi teased and you rolled your eyes at the ceiling. 

“Don’t be mean,” you huffed and he just hummed in reply before sitting up again.

“Lift up for a second,” he said and you did so, lifting your arms afterwards so that he could take his shirt that you had on off, leaving you in just your panties. Once he threw it over his shoulder, he immediately grabbed ahold of your breasts and sucked your left nipple into his mouth. 

“Shit Yoongi,” you gasped as you fell back onto the bed, Yoongi following you easily. After a few seconds, he switched over to your right nipple to give it the same treatment. 

“I need more,” you whined as you lifted your hips up off of the bed and Yoongi pulled away from your breasts to look down at you. 

“What do you want baby?” He asked you, his thumbs skimming your now hardened nipples. “You know that all you have to do is tell me and I’ll give it to you.”

“I want you to fuck me,” you told him. “Now.”

“No foreplay?” He checked.

“As much as I love it, I just wanna feel you right now,” you replied. “Please?” 

“You got it baby,” he smiled. The both of you worked on getting completely undressed, you taking off your panties and Yoongi pushing his boxers and pajama pants down his legs. Once you were both bare, Yoongi settled himself in between your legs on his knees and he marveled at how slick you had gotten.

“Someone’s missed me,” he smirked, reaching out and lightly touching your clit which made you jolt for how sensitive you were. 

“D-don’t tease m-m-me,” you whimpered, biting your lip when he gently pushed his pointer finger inside of you. 

“I won’t for too long, I promise,” he murmured as he began to finger you slowly. Usually, one finger wasn’t enough for you but you were so turned on, it felt like heaven. 

“Yoongi, please,” you groaned. 

“Alright, alright,” he chuckled as he pulled his finger out of you, using some of your wetness to lubricate his cock. He then shuffled closer to you, grabbing ahold of the base of his cock before pushing himself inside of you. 

“Oh fuck,” you moaned loudly, your arms immediately coming up to rest around his shoulders. 

“Holy shit Y/N-ah,” he grumbled, making sure that he was steady on his knees before starting to fuck into you. “So tight for me.”

“Come here,” you whispered and Yoongi lowered his upper body so that he was hovering right over you. You leaned up to meet him and stuck your nose into his neck, deeply inhaling his fresh water and citrus scent.

“Oh, that’s what you wanted,” Yoongi chuckled as he continued to fuck you. “You know, you’re trying out to be a scent slut.”

“I can’t help it,” you whimpered, not even bothering to deny. “You just smell so fucking good Alpha.”

“You do too baby, you do too,” he huffed, your walls clenching around him making him feel like he could come at any moment. He tried to straighten up again but your arms wrapped around his shoulders prevented him from doing so.

“No,” you whined. 

“Baby, I wanna rub your clit and I can’t do that from this position,” he laughed and you reluctantly loosened your arms, letting them fall away as he sat up straight. “Aw, don’t pout baby. Don’t you want Alpha to make you come?”

“Please,” you nodded and Yoongi held his pointer, middle, and ring fingers in front of your face.

“Get them wet baby,” he instructed you and you quietly opened your mouth, wrapping your lips around all three digits and sucking on them. You rolled your tongue over and in between his fingers, making Yoongi groan because you were literally sucking on them as if they were his cock. 

“Fuck, you look so sexy like this,” he grunted, his hips snapping against yours harder now. “Drooling all over Alpha’s fingers. God, I could pop my knot just from watching you.”

“Dow rit,” you gurgled, trying to egg him on and he just chuckled as he pulled his fingers out of your mouth and set them on your clit.

“Gotta make you come first,” he smirked as he began to rub firm circles onto the nub, making you keen from how good it felt. As he continued to thrust into you and rub your clit, you felt your orgasm winding itself up in the pit of your abdomen. 

“Holy shit,” you gasped. “I-I’m gonna come.”

“I’m not stopping you baby,” Yoongi smiled as he rubbed your clit faster and that was what made you come undone. Your back arched up off of the bed, your body jerking lightly from how hard you were coming. Yoongi cooed at you as he watched, his Alpha feeling proud that he was able to make his Omega come so hard.

“P-please, slow down,” you huffed as you reached down to push your hand against his hip in an effort to stop him. He took his hand off of your clit and reached down to grab your hand, lifting it away from his hip and bringing it up to his lips in order to press a few soft kisses to your palm. 

“You wanna turn onto your side for me?” He wondered and you nodded your head, wincing a little when he pulled his cock out of you. You then turned over and laid on your right side while Yoongi settled himself behind you, scooting closer so that his chest was pressed against your back. He grabbed your thigh, pulling on it until it was hooked over his hip.

“This ok?” He checked in and you nodded, laying your head on his right arm that had snaked it’s way underneath you. Grabbing his cock, he slowly guided himself inside of you, making you sigh quietly when he bottomed out. 

“O-oh,” you moaned when he began to fuck you. “Fuck, that’s deep.”

“It is,” he agreed easily. “You’re opening up so good for me baby. Taking Alpha’s cock so well.”

“Mmm, yeah,” you whimpered. “Alpha’s cock feels so good.”

“I bet it does. You’re so wet that I can smell your scent from your pussy,” he grunted, moving his hips faster now. “You gonna come again for me?”

“F-fuh-fuck,” you stuttered, your hands scrambling on the bed and your fingers twisting themselves into the sheets. Taking his left hand that had been resting on your hip, he brought it upwards and wrapped his hand around your throat gently.

“If you want me to stop, tell me,” he whispered into your ear but you shook your hand, bringing one of your hands up to rest on top of his and squeezing it lightly to send him the message. He then squeezed the sides of your throat, which made the walls of your pussy clench around his cock.

“You’re so fucking perfect Y/N-ah,” he muttered as he began to fuck you even harder and faster. “You gonna cream on my cock like you did when I rubbed your clit? You gonna mark your Alpha?”

“Y-yes.”

“Fucking say it,” he demanded harshly. 

“G-gonna c-cream Alpha’s c-cock,” you stammered. Yoongi didn’t say anything else and it surprised you a little when you heard him letting out what could only be described as growling. Hearing it made your Omega happy though, because it meant that you were making your Alpha feel amazing. 

He didn’t let up the grip that he had around your throat and as he fucked you, it almost felt as though he wasn’t moving his hips anymore and was using his hand on your throat to pull you back against his cock. You felt like a ragdoll and that thought only quickened the pace at which your orgasm was hurtling towards you.

“Shit, I’m about to come,” he announced in a rough voice. “You want that? Wanna feel Alpha’s knot?”

“Fuck yes!” You exclaimed as you came, your orgasm slamming into you like a car with no brakes. As you came again, you were vaguely aware of Yoongi pushing his knot into you and his cum following swiftly behind, and this only prolonged your own orgasm. 

“Holy fuck Y/N-ah,” Yoongi chuckled, letting his hand fall away from your throat and letting his forehead rest against the back of your head as he wrapped his arms around you. 

“Same,” you giggled as you set your hands on top of his, letting your eyes flutter shut as your body calmed down.

“Can I make a confession?” Yoongi asked after a few minutes of silence and you just hummed in reply because you honestly were half-asleep. “At the end there, I wanted to bite you.” 

Your eyes immediately popped back open at those words, because you knew what they meant. Giving someone a mating bite was the equivalent of getting married, and admitting to wanting to give someone a bite was the same as confessing that you wanted to marry them. 

“Are you asking me something specific?” You wondered, trying to fish some extra information out of him. 

“Depends on how you feel about it,” he shot back and you couldn’t help but to roll your eyes because of course he would reply with that. As you thought about it though, you didn’t completely hate the idea. You knew that you had confessed to wanting him to bite you during your heat and you figured that if your Omega trusted him enough during what was easily the time when you were at your most vulnerable, then she must’ve been on to something. However, you knew that you two were gonna have to talk about it more and you didn’t want to do that with tomorrow looming over your heads.

“How about you come back home to me tomorrow, and then we’ll talk about it?” You suggested with a soft smile as you looked at him over your shoulder. 

“Sounds good to me,” he grinned, leaning over you and pressing his lips to yours.

.............................................

Tag List:  @jikook-enthusiasts @veryuniquenamegoeshere @seolarsyj @littlrmills14-blog @preciouschimine @kt-rny @copenhagenspirit @min-yus @cheysjimin @to-the-joon-and-back​ @jaiuneamesolitaiire @icycoldbeanieweanies​ @barbikatherine

[erigold13261]

i have this feeling that morris actually lost his parents to the same accident that rendered him paraplegic

I personally always felt that Morris was just born without the use of his legs. Either because he was born with a disorder like Spina Bifida or his spine was injured by the doctors when he was born.

If I were to think of a story where he became paralyzed post-birth I would probably say he fucked up on his trampolines at some point. Like imagine, I know it's a psychic wheelchair, but the fact that Morris uses trampolines to get around feels slightly weird for a wheelchair user.

NOW don't get me wrong! The trampolines are extremely useful and I do feel like Morris would at some point be very comfortable in his mobility to one day just start creating trampolines instead of ramps to get around if he was born as a wheelchair user, but I can see him having a knack for trampolines if he was able to walk around at some point.

But with him being so young and how proficient he is with the trampolines right now, it is pretty safe to assume he was super young when he started making them. Young and reckless. He probably got too high up or lost concentration at some point and as he came back down he accidentally dismissed his trampoline which caused an accident and forced him into a wheelchair.

I don't see him as an orphan personally, so either of these would be my take on the situation, however, I can think of reasons and a story that could fit your theory!

Firstly, correct me if I'm wrong, but we don't really hear Morris talk about his parents at all. We do hear him tell Norma to can it when she mentions her parents, that could either because he never wants to hear about parents, or just the situation they were in as cards. So that could go either way.

He's also VERY confident in himself. Very independent. Pretty much all the interns are, but the fact that he says things like "I didn't ask for a new intern" and is the one to push Raz away makes me feel like he either had to learn how to fend for himself because he lost his parents, or maybe he was just taught how to be independent. Some people put on confidence as a mask or safety measure so Morris could be doing that. I don't think we ever see his confidence slip, even in the fight with Maligula, so he's probably just naturally confident.

And finally, he is very attached to Milla. We know from Psychonauts 1 that Milla lost a lot of kids and she saw Raz as a baby with clairvoyance, so she probably sees some of the interns as babies to protect, or at least she did at some point. I can see her being protective and motherly to Morris as his mentor which Morris attached onto as he could have lost his own family. The two of them learning to come together after a past trauma of losing family could be a very nice thing.

Though I feel like the game more leans towards Morris having a crush on Milla instead, which I don't like that much, so I like this idea better, that he gets attached to Milla because he lost his parents, or in my born paralyzed theory, he could have been neglected by his parents and then got attached to Milla for finally getting the attention he needs.

It kinda goes into his internship duties too with him having to connect to people/the world. He probably self isolates a bunch and so Milla is pushing him to make connections which for him, the best way to do that is one-sided relations through radio instead of making real connection face-to-face. If Morris did lose his family, especially in a very traumatic way that he will never really be able to ignore, then trying to make new relationships and friendships might be very hard for someone like him.

Those are my thoughts on Morris. I am actually leaning more towards the trampoline accident and neglect from parents idea, but I can totally see him as being born that way or losing his family in an accident and becoming paralyzed.

[another-fantasy-world]

Strings Pt. 2

Pairing: Rosalie Hale x Fem!OC

Summary: in which the true queen of vampires found love when she least expected.

Warnings: ...Light Angst? Slowburn and mentions of death,trauma and depression

Timeline: Breaking Dawn - Post-Twilight

Word count: 4, 200 words

!Extra long chapter!

GIF isn’t mine

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧    ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧    ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧  

The witch couple somehow got Rosalie to agree to their terms, much to her distaste. She still doesn’t know what it is that irks her about the couple, she does not trust them, at all but, she trusts Carlisle. Plus, right now, they have more important matters to attend to.

Various thoughts run through Rosalie’s head, as she stands in the vast snow covered field. She may not show it, but she worries for her adoptive sister as Alice strides through the field handing Aro her hand for him to go through her thoughts and visions.

“Now you know. That’s your future, unless you decide on another course.” Alice states when Aro dropped her hand in shock

Rosalie stands rigid, observing silently as she glares and snarls at their “Royalty”, eyes pitch black. She knows in herself that she would do everything for her family, even if it costs her, her life. She stands there, watching as another hybrid walks into the field, she watches as they question him, She watches as Bella sags slightly in relief knowing that Renesmee is immortal and finally, she smiles knowing that they’ve won as the red-coated vampires blurs into the distance.

Joyous screams of victory rips through the air as she joins her family as they rejoice, happy that they did not have to fight the Volturi today. Together, they walk back to their house where their witnesses say their farewells and leaving.

“We won!” Maggie squeals are she rushed into Rosalie’s arms with Emmett trailing behind her

“Yeah, Yeah. Now I have to suffer an immortal life with the smell of wet dog wafting through the air.” Rosalie smirks

“Hey! I heard that!” Jacob complains

“Tsk. You were supposed to.” She retorts as she walks to Carlisle who was holding Esme in his arms.

But as she was walking, she was suddenly thrown into a void, cold, dark, and starry? She was confused as she looks around, panicking when she couldn’t move.

“What the fuck is going on?!” She tries to move her body but she couldn't, she then feels her body get thrown around like a rag doll.

“This is worse than being forced to ride that death machine. What was is called? Rollie? Roller coaster?” She grumbles in her head as she wills herself to not puke. She didn't even think vampires could still be nauseous.

That went on for what seemed to be hours before she was finally dropped into the ground. Opening her golden eyes, her orbs seemed to hyper focus on the gigantic trees and the creatures that live in it. Her ears then pick up the sound of groaning, turning her head, she sees the rest of her family sprawled all over the forest floor.

“Oh my God! Amore! You didn't have to paralyze them that hard!” Veronica thumps Amore in the head.

“I sincerely apologize for what she has done. We needed to take you far away from Forks, The Volturi Coven changed their minds and decided to ambush you and your witnesses. Fear not, your witnesses have been teleported to their homes safe and sound.” Veronica explains while still glaring at the pouting Amore.

“What was that anyways?” Edward groans as he sits up'

“Teleportation. I needed to paralyze you, that lowers the chance of you losing a limb.” Amore explains while Veronica cast a cloud of blue upon them, seemingly healing their “injuries”

“Cooooool. Can we do it again?” Emmett brightens like a child getting a puppy for the first time.

“No.” They all deadpanned at him making Veronica and Amore chuckle.

“Well, I suggest we get going now, even with our speed, it's still a long way to run.” Veronica dusts herself off as she and Amore help the family up and the still dazed shifters.

“Long way to run where?” Jacob asks, utterly confused.

“To the palace of course.” Veronica smiles

“It's high time you guys meet the Queen.” Amore smirks and winks as she speeds off, followed by Veronica then the Cullens and then the Black Pack.

Anastasia pinched her temples in pure stress, the Cullens were coming to visit and everything was in utter chaos. Mud was smeared all over the walls, broken dishes and glass cluttered the floor as little children run past her, screaming her ears off.

“Lance, darling. Clean this up before I rip someone's head off. Make sure this place is spotless before the guests arrive. Get the pups back to their mothers, the children back to the village and contact Maxine, there's a few shifters accompanying the Cullens. I'll be in my lab.” She orders her personal butler who scrambles around trying to get people to help him.

Anastasia ventures down, down until she reaches her own personal laboratory where she herself develops her own type of blood. She's repulsed by the thought of drinking from a clueless human no matter how annoying they are and disgusted at the thought of killing an innocent animal just so she could satiate her desire of drinking blood. And because of this artificial blood, her eyes slowly turn into the rich dark violet that it is now.

As she works, combining different substances and powders that vary colors, her mind drifts to a certain blonde girl. Anastasia for the life of her, cannot even think of what she would do where she faces the blonde beauty, not when her heart if filled with guilt.

1932 Rochester, New York

Anastasia roamed the streets as she keeps her eyes trained on the single glowing golden string attached to her, amongst the other colors. She was born this way, even when she was just a little human, she could always see strings. Of course her feeble mind at that time didn't understand what it was, but now she could. As a vampire, she practiced and willed her strings to be more color coded, since the mere chaos of tangled strings give her a headache. The strings connected each creature in this world, once you make an acquaintance, a blue string connects the two of you and that soon escalates into different colors, However, one color lets her see soulmates, and that's green, which is why she's now following this glowing gold string to wherever it may go. She was tempted to just yank the string as hard as she could and let the creature on the other side find her but somehow, something was holding her back.

As she walked the streets of New York, head held high, she also ignored the stares that she got while walking. She knew why of course, her Italian clothing much different from the posh American clothing everyone around her has, not to mention she was wearing clothes meant for “men” but she never was the one to abide to gender constructs. She also couldn't, for the life of her, think about what she would do when she meets the creature on the other end of the string. Should she kill it? Should she keep it? Should she protect it? Should she-

Her thoughts were then interrupted when her eyes suddenly tunnel visioned. There 'it' was, the 'creature' on the other end of her string, 'it' was actually a woman. An insanely attractive human, being fawned over by boys as she walks by and she was smiling at the small group girls crowding her. Anastasia could suddenly feel the emotions of the said woman: Happiness, Pride, and a little twinge of loneliness and sadness. Anastasia's heart (despite being half-dead) tightened in her chest, she wanted to do everything and anything to make the woman happy. She didn't even care that she just saw her mere minutes ago, she wanted her and only her. And that's when she realized, this woman, no, this angel was meant to be hers. But then again, Anastasia knew that the woman was too good for her, she doesn't deserve this life of pain and eternal suffering, seeing the people you once loved grow old and eventually die, yet she also knew that she cannot live without her, so she settled with being her protector.

“Mr. Lombardi? Did I pronounce that right?” Mr. Hale questioned her, she had managed to manipulate her looks to make her look like a man.

“Yes sir.” Anastasia answered, she named herself Gioele for the sake of her facade.

“And why should I let you protect my daughter?” Mr. Hale raised his eyebrows, staring at the 'guy' infront of him.

“With The Great Depression still happening, I believe your daughter might be in danger. You and your success may make you a target for those who are below you, poor unfortunate...” She trailed off, her moral compass preventing her from saying derogatory words but she knew she had to play by his personality and rules

“We do not talk about them.” Mr. Hale deadpanned

“Yes sir.” 'Gioele' agreed, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

“Very well then. You have piqued my interest. One wrong move and you'll find yourself hanging on a rope by your neck.” He threatened just as someone entered.

“Father? Mother requested your presence.” Anastasia's eyes widen when she hears the soft, melodic voice right behind her.

“Rosalie! Perfect timing. This is Gioele Lombardi, he will be protecting you from those awful lowlifes scattered around the streets.” Mr. Hale introduces Anastasia to Rosalie who in turn looked at her.

“Rosalie. Rosalie Hale.” She introduces her self while Anastasia promply goes down on one knee and kisses her hand.

“My Pleasure.” She smiled, seeing the faint blush on Rosalie's cheeks.  

Anastasia stood up, offering her arm to Rosalie who accepted and they both followed Mr. Hale outside, Anastasia holding up an umbrella to shield Rosalie and herself from the sun. She didn't sparkle as much as other vampires do but it would have been really suspicious when people see her faint sparkle as her marble like skin hits the rays of the sun.

And in that afternoon alone, Rosalie Hale became more popular, people talked about the attractive guard and of course Rosalie's beauty. Anastasia was annoyed at how people spoke about her and her mate, while they were walking around the city. Rosalie noticed and distracted her by asking her questions and answering questions directed to her as well.

Anastasia just felt herself fall even more as days pass by, She would sit by Rosalie's side while she reads her books, She would accompany her on walks and would help her pick flowers as well. She knew all about Rosalie but Rosalie only knew things Anastasia want her to, that doesn't include the fact that she's a woman and not a man and also the fact that she's an actual vampire. And that proved to be in her disadvantage later on.

A year pass by quickly with Anastasia enjoying every single second she spends with her soulmate, she could feel Rosalie radiating happiness whenever she's around, but of course, Rosalie was getting suspicious as well. It may be because of that one time where they were caught in the rain and their umbrella was much too small for 2 persons so Anastasia insist on Rosalie using it, leaving her wet, making her clothes stick to her body, and even under the dim light, Rosalie could make out a feminine body, toned but still feminine and that left her thinking if she truly knew her guard as well as she thought she did.

One day, Rosalie was sent on an errand to deliver her father's 'forgotten' lunch, and Anastasia knew it was a bunch of shit. She heard the couple discussing their plans to hopefully attract the attention of  Royce King II and they succeeded, she had to watch as Rosalie and Royce flirt with each other, with her silently seething, forgotten. She had to hide her growls and snarls whenever flowers would be delivered at the Hale Household, but she couldn't do anything, Rosalie deserved someone who could grow old with her, and not a half-ling  abomination like her. So she accepted the fate she wished upon herself and made the hardest decision of her life.

The day Rosalie was engaged, she packed her bags and set to leave but unfortunately, Rosalie caught her. And what she did that day, she still regrets up until now.

“Gioele? You are leaving.” Rosalie states, stunned.

“Don't. Don't stop me Ms. Hale. Or should I say Mrs. King?” Anastasia spat out, and she internally flinched when she saw the pain in Rosalie's eyes.

“Where did this come from Gio?” Gio, Rosalie's nickname for her alter ego. She couldn't handle it anymore and looked around before gently dragging Rosalie into an empty room in their house.

“Look, my name's not Gioele.” Anastasia removes the glamour she placed on herself and watched as Rosalie stare at her in shock.

“It's Anastasia. And yes. I am leaving. You are to be married to Royce King II and I cannot get in between that.” She stares at Rosalie's eyes, hoping to relay her feelings, but Rosalie was still much too hurt from her best friend lying to her.

“You lied. You broke two of your promises Lombardi. Is that even your real surname? It is not, is it? God. Why must I be so stupid! Go! Leave! Find some other woman to lie to!” Rosalie walks away from her

“Rosalie! Wait!” She tried to chase after her but Rosalie just turned around and slapped her, she was shocked, not only because the love of her life slapped her, it's also because Rosalie managed to crack the base of her neck. She lifted her hand to cover the cracks that were covering the base of her marble like neck.

“Rose...” She stared at Rosalie.

“Leave.” Rosalie glared, and Anastasia knew that this was her chance... to let go of her soulmate... in the most painful way possible.

“Fine...” She growled out “...I never liked you anyways, You self-centered, smug woman who only lives to please her father and the people around you. I hope you and your cold heart enjoy your loveless marriage!” She grabs her bags and walks away, not bothering to turn back, knowing that if she sees Rosalie's face and the raw emotions in her eyes, she'll just turn back and beg for forgiveness.

But of course, she couldn't stay away, no matter how hard she tried, she just can't so she lingered, hiding herself in the shadows, watching as Rosalie walked the paths they used to walk on, with Royce accompanying her, his arm hooked on hers as they chatted happily. It took everything in Anastasia to not rip off Royce's head whenever she knew he was making Rosalie uncomfortable and It took everything in her to not steal Rosalie away from him.

She was lingering around Vera's house, Rosalie was in there, cradling the baby boy in her arms as she cooed at him. Anastasia smiled as she saw her mate being all cute, she longed to have that with her, but alas she couldn't.

She was just enjoying herself when suddenly a body slammed into her, they fought for the upper hand as they kept tumbling around. Anastasia would straddle the man and he would flip her as well, she knew he was a vampire and didn't bother to pull her punches, cracking his marble like skin while he, in turn would also punch her face. The only difference they had was, Anastasia is actually bleeding. After what went on like hours, something snapped, Anastasia knew something was wrong with her mate so her eyes glowed a bright red, she threw the man off her and tied him with her strings. She growled at him before speeding off, following the slowly fading golden string. She ran as fast as she could, but she was too late.

“Rose?” she stared in horror as the body of her beloved, sprawled on the sidewalk, bleeding out.

“Stasia?” She turned her head and saw Carlisle standing behind her.

“Carlisle! I beg of you, Please save her. Turn her Carlisle please!” Anastasia begged Carlisle

“What happened? I smelt the blood.” Carlisle knelt beside the barely alive Rosalie.

“Turn her first then I'll explain.” Anastasia choked out as she closed her eyes just in time for Carlisle's teeth sinking into Rosalie's skin

She shook with anger and decided that she'll chase after whoever did this to her, her ears hyper focused, trying to find whoever did it. And that's when she heard it: Royce King II.

“I need to find a new fiancee now.” He laughed as his friends expressed their joy in letting them-

Anastasia let out a loud guttural growl as she prepared to speed away but Carlisle held her back.

“Don't. She needs you first.” Carlisle motioned to Rosalie who's writhing in pain. She immediately scooped her mate into her arms and followed Carlisle's mate string, which led her to a two floor house, she barged in with Carlisle hot on her heels.

“Lay her here.” He instructed the distressed Queen.

“Will she be okay Carlisle?” She asked the doctor as he kissed his mate in her forehead.

“Yes. Give it a couple of days, Your Highness.” Carlisle reassured her as she swallowed back her sobs.

“Very well. Uh. My apologies, I barged in without your permission. My name is Anastasia. You must be Carlisle's lover?” She offered her hand to the older woman who in turn just gave her a hug.

“It's fine. Really. You are welcome here. Carlisle told me all about you.” Esme smiled and Anastasia just smirked at Carlisle.

“Still thinking about me Cullen?” Anastasia teased, taking Rosalie's hand into hers and gripping it, calming her nerves.

“He talks about you everyday.” Esme smiled at her.

Anastasia was about to reply when the doors opened and in came...

“You.” Anastasia growled and lunged at the man. He dodged but she caught his arm and used her momentum to flip him over, throwing him through the wall and into the backyard, making him land flat on his back. The man coughed as Anastasia straddled him, planting her foot to the ground, her strings glowing a bright red as they wrap around him as she slowly ripped his head off.

“Anastasia! He's my son!” Carlisle cried out as Anastasia snapped at him, eyes widening in surprise.

“He's yours?” Anastasia's eyes glowed a bright red and Carlisle felt his entire body shiver.

“Y-Yes.” Carlisle stuttered, the murderous aura surrounding Anastasia triggering his fight or flight.

“He is the reason why I didn't get to my mate fast enough. He lunged at me for no reason, leaving my mate in a vulnerable position AND LOOK WHERE SHE IS RIGHT NOW! SHE'S FIGHTING FOR HER LIFE CARLISLE!” Anastasia's body shook in anger

Carlisle could see the cracks growing on Edward's skin, and he slowly approached the furious queen. He managed to calm Anastasia down by sending calming waves into his strings, decades of working alongside the queen was proven to be useful in this moment. The ropes that were once wrapped around Edward slowly loosened until they retreated  back into her body.  

Edward wheezed as he moved away from her while Anastasia composed herself.

“Teach your son better manner s, Carlisle or the next time we meet, you'll see his decapitated head decorating the Volturi Walls.” Anastasia threatened as she walks calmly back into the house through the wall that she made and sat beside her unconscious mate. She noticed the golden string slowly go back to it's natural glow, which made her sigh in relief.

A couple of hours pass by and Anastasia was feeling hungry, she asked for Carlisle's help in looking for food in the forest and he told her where the majority of the animals lived and she set off. While she was hunting, she couldn't help but feel like she failed Rosalie. She let her become something that she protected her from. A Vampire.

Once she had her fill, she slowly walked back to where Carlisle lives, delaying her arrival as much as possible, dreading the fact that she knew Rosalie was awake. She could feel it. She took a deep breath and opened the door, making everyone's head snap towards her. Her eyes caught Rosalie's and instantly, they connected, more so than before, which means that Anastasia feels what Rosalie feels 100 times more than before. Pain, Sadness, Longing and Hatred. And that's when she knew, she knew that Rosalie hated her. Her soulmate hated her. The thought weighed on top of her, slowly crushing her heart, she physically gasped for breath as she could feel Rosalie's anger increased tenfold.

“Rose. Let me-”

“Don't Anastasia. Do what you do best, leave.” Rosalie answered her, putting emphasis on her real name. She tried to move closer but Rosalie only moved and sped out of the house, with Carlisle trailing after the newborn.

She was about to follow as well when Edward stopped her.

“I apologize for my actions earlier, I truly believed that you were preying on them, that's why I attacked you, but you should really trust me when I say that you shouldn't follow her. She's angry.” Edward quickly explained

“And how do you know that?” She asked.

“I can read minds.” Edward simply states, nodding at her.

Anastasia nodded, defeated and sat on a chair with Esme right beside her.

“Give her some time.” Esme advises, rubbing the girl's back.

She gritted her teeth when she felt Rosalie's pain. Not physical, emotional. And she has the power to take it away. But with a great price. A price she was willing to take.

When the Cullen family was complete, with Rosalie, Anastasia quickly worked her gift. Wrapping her strings around them and re-writing their memories, without her in it. Except for Carlisle's, she left some memories of him working alongside her while in the Volturi. Once she finished, she quickly speeds away and forces herself to leave the memories and pain she just took into the back of her mind as she wiped her bleeding nose, her body collapsing under a big tree due to the exhaustion.

She was pulled back into reality when the beaker she was holding in her hand exploded, drenching her in artificial blood. She gritted her teeth, there were two things that could've happened. One, she mixed the wrong chemicals while day dreaming or two, Amore decided to switch the labels again.

She checked everything, and then found out the second one was the truth, she stormed out of her lab, blood dripping from every inch of her body. Her annoyance clouded her brain, forgetting that she sent Amore to pick up the Cullens and if she was here, then so were The Cullens.

She spotted Amore from afar and sped towards her, slamming her against the brick walls of her “castle” . She hated that term.

“What did I tell you about switching my labels Lewis?! Look at me! Blood is in every crevice in my body! There's blood in parts that I didn't even knew were exposed!” She growled out

“Well, to be f-fair, You aren't wearing your usual lab attire so that's partially your fault.” Amore choked out. Anastasia just growls in response.

“Stasia, calm yourself. First impressions are important.” Veronica waves her hand and Anastasia's clothes were back to normal, dry and there was no trace of blood anywhere.

First Impressions? Anastasia then mentally facepalmed herself. She had forgotten the Cullen Family. She releases Amore, then turned to the family, recalling her speech, she started to talk.

“Hello. Sorry you had to see that, but you should really get used to it. My name is Anastasia...” She drifted off as her violet orbs met golden ones. In her brief moment of surprise, she unknowingly let down her guard, causing her previously cast spell break. She knew that her mate would be there and she mentally prepared herself but turns out, she wasn’t prepared at all.  When she recovered from her shock, she could feel that her spell had been broken. The entire coven looked at her with various emotions: Happiness, Confusion, Longing and Familiarity. She may or may not have met all the members before and also wiped their memories.

“Gio...” Rosalie whispered.

“Shit...” Anastasia cursed, she somehow knew this would happen, just not this soon.

“Rose...” She stared at her mate for what seemed like years before Rosalie glared at her with so much anger she didn't know it was possible, and stormed off. Again.

'She always does that.' Anastasia sighs.

“Well, that secret's out. I'll escort you to you ro-”

“We'll do it. Chase after her.” Veronica pats her back before escorting the Family to their respective chambers, but Carlisle stayed behind.

“That... was messed up Anastasiarine.” Carlisle expressed his disappointment before pulling the girl in a brief hug.

“I missed you too Cullen.” She whispered before letting go to chase after her mate.

“I'm sorry. Please forgive me.” She sent that thought to the Cullen Family, including Rosalie and went back to what she did 75 years ago.

She was once again, chasing the glowing gold string.  

[p3achysuki]

Aaah that Compress was so good! Anyway, how would Stain be like if he found himself falling for a hero who was one of the many heroes he wished to purge, and he can't help but be extremely pissed off by his feelings.

Thank you!! And We need more Stain appreciation post

Warning: Blood/ Stain being a yandere at some point/ torture.

Stain never and I mean never got attached to heroes the only person he deemed worthy of a hero was All Might, so why were you so different? He’s seen your interviews and you were just like the rest of the heroes just searching for fame you weren’t worthy of being called a hero. He knew he was going to come after you next, but something in him felt excited to see you he tried pushing down those feelings he had; but they still continued to come back.

“What a pain in the ass..” he growled out as he watched the city below him. He already knew your patrolling routes, in exactly 10 minutes you’ll turn the corner as usual and look around for any suspicious activities. If you didn’t see anything you’d leave and if you did you’d make an arrest right away. He was right his the little mouse showed up as usual the look on your face made him irritated.

It shouldn’t have he tried thinking about all the wrong things you did as a “hero” yet all he could think about was how beautiful you were, the way your hair flowed perfectly with the gust of wind, the way your perfect skin sparkled against the sunlight. “What a fake hero.. pretending they care about society.” He needed to kill you quick, his feelings were already bottling up inside and he didn’t want to hesitate in killing you. You walked into an empty alley alone that’s when he made his move he knew citizens wouldn’t walk into an alley alone especially with all types of danger lurking around.

As he got closer he could hear you sniffle and weep what were you crying about? “Tensei.. I-I’m so happy to hear your voice..” Stain instantly knew who you were talking about and he felt his anger boil even more what was this feeling? He shouldn’t care who you were talking to just get it over with already they’re distracted he told himself.

“I’ll promise to come visit you in the hospital as soon as my patrol is over.. I’ll be safe.. I love you too.” You said whispering the last part, but stain already heard “what a tragic love story.” He mocked making you jump in surprise he could laugh are your reaction it was priceless. The way your eyes widen, the way you trembled in fear it fed his ego “H-Hero killer.. S-Stay back I’m warning you!” You shouted at him quickly activating your quirk. He clicked his tongue in annoyance “I should’ve just killed you when you were on the phone.”

You felt a cold sweat drip from you-you attacked him without hesitation, but he was more faster he had already cut your skin making you yelp out in pain. Before you knew it you were paralyzed on the ground “w-what have you done to me?” You tried moving your body yet nothing happened, you even tried moving your fingers yet they wouldn’t move an inch you cried out in frustration and fear “don’t cry little mouse I’m doing society a favor by removing fake heroes..” you gritted your teeth.

“I’m not a fake hero and neither was Ingenium!” You shouted at him Stain narrowed his eyes at you in annoyance he took his blade and stabbed it in your hand you wanted to scream out, but you knew that’s what the hero killer wanted. You bit your lip until a metallic flavor filled your mouth Stain chuckled in amusement “whats it to you? Is he your lover?”

You blushed turning your head away Tch you were driving his patiences.. Stain’s mind shouted at him to just kill you off already and move onto the next fake hero.. but what if he could make you into a real hero? and show you how much fake heroes were in this society? He could make you see what he sees.. “congratulations little mouse you’re the first fake hero to survive and have my mercy..” you mentally sighed in relief.

Stain removed his blade from your hand and you could finally move your body around again at first you thought he was really going to let you go.. until your body became paralyzed again your eyes widen as you stared up at Stain in confusion “y-you said you would let me go-“ “I didn’t say that you did.” He said crouching beside you.

“I’m not going to kill you, but I’ll make you see what I see.” He said as he picked up your body you started crying “n-no please I need to go see Tensei I promised him!” You shouted he didn’t listen he finally got what he wanted. You

[bbhyeoliskooks]

Hi, could you make a scenario when one day txt wake up with cat/dog ears and tails on them? I was thinking of this bc I saw how taejun are called 냥냥즈 (kittenz XD) and the rest are 댕댕즈 (puppiez XD). Thank you so much and also, I love your carrd XD

﹡⊹﹡ 𝟐𝟒 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬, 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐏𝐞𝐭? ﹡⊹﹡

Cat boys and dog boys were certainly the end of you... 

﹤⳾⳾⳾ U・ﻌ・U ..﹡⊹﹡.. ໒・ﻌ・७  ⳾⳾⳾﹥

Genre: 9 3/4 cups of fluff !!

Warnings: Unedited~~

Song: Cat and Dog

(Omg, I'm so sorry that this took so long! As you can expect, this girl who wrote it had a project right here and needed to do it before the due date since she procrastinated??? Yes that, but i'm so sorry that it’s a bit short too :cc However, I hope you enjoy! I wrote this in an hour, so I hope it’s good enough !)

﹤⳾⳾⳾  /ᐠܻܻ   ့⑅ܻᐟ\  ..﹡⊹﹡..（๑´ﻌ｀๑）⳾⳾⳾﹥

"Y/N, Y/N! Wake up, please wake up!"

At eight am in the morning, the side of your cheek was being tickled with something soft...? Something... something... wait, is that supposed to be fur? Yeonjun's velvety voice echoed through the room worriedly as if there was an important event you were missing, and you could say you were tempted to open your eyes until you remembered one, particular thing.

Groaning quietly, you turned to the side while shaking your head in annoyance. If this was another one of his pranks, you swore you were going to punch him in the gut for disrupting your beauty sleep. You shouldn't expect so much from him when you knew he should've been sleeping during this time anyway. Normally you'd gone up to help him, but after everything that happened this week it was safe to say you wanted nothing to do with him- yet. This was one of the only days you could catch up on sleep after stressing about the things you had to do, and you weren't going to lose it to some tiny prank he'll laugh about all day.

For a few moments, you thought he was finally going to leave you alone, the silence being refreshing for you to fall back into the soft arms of comfortable sleep. Well, that was until the boy screamed into your hear again.

"Y/NNN," he whined, tugging your blanket enough to make it scramble off the bed, landing on the floor with a quiet yet noticeable, ploof.

Okay, this was enough.

Throwing the pillow you were holding so dearly in your arm with a harsh grimace quickly permeating throughout your face, you were going to slap him away when you noticed that in your blurry vision... there were grey, furry cat ears on Yeonjun?

It wasn't your usual cat ears on the headband that kids bought whenever they wanted to pretend to be a feline, but those grey cat ears were seemingly attached to his head, almost as if it was sewn into the crown of his head. Stunned, you gasped at the sight, your right hand flying up to cover your dropped mouth.

His eyes were blown wide in pure innocence too, causing you to subconsciously gush at the sight. They both watched your movements intently, sparkling with what you could see mischievousness as well. From before, you knew that they were like this but... they weren't as gigantic and cute from before?!

You weren't able to stop yourself now, rubbing on his ears as he sighed in euphoria. As you expected, the ears were soft and you petted them all the more, feeling satisfied when you felt him seemingly purr due to what you assumed, your touch. He melted into your embrace, nuzzling his cheek against your neck while you giggled with delight.

"Yeonjun, what did you do? Question is, how did you do this all without me knowing?" It was at the very least to say that Yeonjun was simply adorable as his fur tickled the top of your chin, choosing to snuggle up against your chest in blissfulness.

From the corner of your eye, you could see his grey tail lazily spin around in circles while you ran your fingers through his freshly dyed, hair. You weren't sure how he became like this, but you had to admit that you weren't complaining! It was a secret to everyone that you adored cat boys and now that Yeonjun was like this, you could feel your heart swell with joy.

"I didn't do anything," he murmured, closing his eyes when you scratched the back of his ears, "I just woke up like this, next to you." A content smile spread throughout his face and you could feel your own human ears burn from how nonchalant he was about that last sentence. You couldn't recall how you didn't feel him squeeze up next to you last night while you slept soundly, but obviously there were no complaints either.

"Hey, it's alright! We'll figure this out later when all the other boys wake up. Maybe at least one of them would know these things?"

Speaking of the devil, you heard the door slam open with two of the boys running around in circles just to see you. They ceased their steps at the doorway, paralyzed when they both saw Yeonjun in your arms, stopping as if they walked into something they shouldn't have.

The amount of gasps you elicited once you saw them, gently pushing Yeonjun away from you, your steps carrying you towards Beomgyu whose sighed mixed with a low groan. His ears were ones of a golden puppy dog, twitching when you neared closer, pressing up a hand against the top of his head. Oh my goodness, talk about cuteness 1000%?!

Taehyun, on the other hand, was adorned with brown cat ears, revolving around in circles when you stared at him with wide, surprised eyes. He didn't allow you to touch his ears until you shot him a grin- a sign you weren't going to do anything bad to him. Eventually he softened up, turning his head to the side so that you wouldn't see his cherry cheeks while you petted him.

Yeonjun then stomped to the three of you, clinging onto your back with possessiveness. There wasn't anything much that happened other than him waking up with cat ears and a tail to along with that as well, but when you easily got up just to wonder thoughtlessly about their condition, he felt himself burning up from the inside with jealousy. Maybe it was his instincts that came along- like he noticed the first time you petted Beomgyu- but there was no denying he was turning green.

You laughed at the predicament, shaking your head without a care in the world. What really happened last night that you didn't know of? They couldn't have been that bored that they figured out how to appear as hybrids when they woke up.

"You guys... don't tell me that the rest of you are like this too? Because Yeonjun woke up with cat ears, although it can't get that much worse..."

You spoke too soon.

Another pair of puppy dog ears bust through the doorway, budging between the clingy bodies of Taehyun and Beomgyu while panting loudly. Your face turned white at the sight, all the warmness in your forehead disappearing without a trace. Why were you shocked at this point? If the three of them woke up with new body parts, then there would be no surprise if the rest of them did as well.

Your smile could only grow even wider, taking in the endearing pile of boys who zoomed close enough to feel their breath against your nose. Both Kai and Soobin were both playful puppies along with Beomgyu too?! Yes, and with the ears and tails too that stirred in several shapes! You held back a high-pitched scream that could possibly damage their sensitive drums. 

“Soobin...? Kai...? The same thing happened with you too?” 

They just had to be the cutest babies you’d ever seen before, despite them fiddling with their fingers in a nervous fit in fear that you weren’t going to like it.

“No, no, no! I’m the one who should protect Y/N since I was the first one she saw,” Yeonjun whined, pulling you against his chest. You fell against his warm embrace, feeling the corners of your lips turn into a tiny grin that clearly didn’t go unnoticed by the others. 

“Yeonjun, that’s not fair! You didn’t even let us get a chance with her yet!” Soobin pulled you away from Yeonjun and you giggled at the two of them fighting as Taehyun spoke up again.”

“Um first of all, we shouldn’t expect a lot from her? She wouldn’t want to be near any of your musty as-”

“Shut up Taehyun!” They all yelled, and you groaned at how complicated the problem became now.

You ran your hands over your face, the fatigue in your body definitely catching up after staying up to turn in an important document. All of this yelling back and forth about who was going to spend time with you got to your tiredness, and you made a suggestion of which you hoped with all your heart that they would accept. 

“Guys, I know I’m the only one who needs sleep here after staying up into the wee hours of the night, but can we please figure this out when I’m more awake? I need to get some sleep for the time being so that I can understand these things.”

You weren’t surprised when they all cuddled up against you while you tried to doze off for the nth time. 

﹤⳾⳾⳾ U・ﻌ・U ..﹡⊹﹡.. ໒・ﻌ・७  ⳾⳾⳾﹥

“Oh my gosh! They’re adorable, aren’t they?!”

“Who could’ve believed this would happen?

“Awwe, Y/N with fluffy ears? This must be a disease!”

“Beomgyu, hurry up and take some pictures!”

Kai’s voice was the last thing you heard in your sleep then you stirred, taking a look at all the boys who crowded around you. 

What was happening now? It must’ve been two hours since you dozed off, your eyes landing on the clock that read 10:47am. Tiredly, you stretched and the whispers of the boys grew louder with every second that passed. Your arms made contact with something soft and you assumed that was one of the boys ears until you felt something so foreign twitch on the top of your head. It was almost like... almost like- wait a minute!

Now the same exact thing was happening to you. 

---

Posted: 2/27/21- 5:00pm

Tags: 

[alfredosauce50]

What makes me human [Cyberpunk! America x reader] 11

Wordcount: 5,150 Rating: M for strong language, ideologically sensitive and mature themes, gore “In a society that normalizes cybernetic enhancements, many forget what it is to be human. He never did.” Chapter synopsis: Allen and Arthur race to find you both, but it proves to be harder without knowing your whereabouts. Meanwhile, you've successfully helped Alfred find the chip. Before leaving, you have a long-awaited conversation with your father to realize he's more insane than you thought. The reader is referred to as she/her.

Songs to listen to while you read (in order as found in playlist): Cyberninja,  Trouble finds trouble, Tower Lockdown, Me!Me!Me!, Pt. 2, Him & I (with Halsey), Atlantis. I have indented song titles throughout the chapter so you can change accordingly. Starting now:

Cyberninja

Before Arthur could even buckle himself in, Allen rammed his foot into the gas pedal. He was thrown back in a violent manner, and hit his head against the headrest. But the mechanic never complained. He looked stressed enough as is, continually scanning the road while murmuring to himself as if he’d really gone mad. “Hell, that motherfucker could be anywhere in the whole fucking city right now.” He hissed, pulling out of the driveway and into the main road.

“We can’t call him. Track him. Nothing. Same goes for (F/N). They’re off the map.” Turning to his companion numerous times in distress, he sped through the streets, though he had no particular destination in mind.

The indicator clicked. Allen cursed at the car in front of them, but never made a move to overtake. As Arthur became overwhelmed by these stimulants, he opened his mouth, defeated. “If you’re in such a hurry, why--why bother following traffic rules? You never have before, so why now?” He asked with a shake of the head, earning a loud scoff from the other.

The car windows glowed with a flurry of pinks and purples as they moved closer to the commercial district. They were near their first stop.

“Trust me, I wouldn’t give a damn if I didn’t have to.” The whites of his eyes reflected a mosaic of color as he never looked away from the road. “But that was when I was working for my boss. I had protection. I could do a hit and run if I wanted, and without the running part.” The redhead breathed. Then, he stuck his head out of the window with a huff. Immediately, he was choked by the city smog, and deafened by the blaring of car horns.

“Friggen’ prick...” He flipped off the driver in front of him. Sitting back into his seat, he flashed Arthur a grin, though the man couldn’t return the energy.

“Did you get fired? Or did you quit?” This wasn’t the best time to ask about the past, but he had been dying to know why he wound up half-dead on his doorstep. So what better a time to do it than now?

“I quit.” Allen answered point-blank. “Old man didn’t take it well. Decided to kill me. Didn’t.” Slowing the vehicle, they arrived at a parking-lot surrounded by backdoors of multiple piss-poor establishments. One of which was illuminated by a flickering red neon sign that read ‘no-tell motel’.

“He thinks I’m dead, so the rest of the city has to think that too.”

Arthur gawked at him. “That makes you no better than a fugitive! And it’s not just anybody after you--Allen, he’ll kill you when he finds out you’re still alive!”

“And that’s why he won’t find out.” Tapping the side of his neck for a flap to open, the said man slotted a small disk inside. “Disables cybernetic upgrades in a twenty foot radius. Means I can’t use mine, but it stops other people from figuring out who I am.” He dug through one of the compartments for a muffler, which he wrapped around the bottom half of his face.

What he did next was alarming, however. Sticking his hand further in, he pulled out a gun and cocked it.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! What the hell are you doing--!?” Arthur exclaimed, fumbling with a face mask Allen tossed his way. He didn’t see a silencer anywhere either. “If I can call the police without any upgrades, so can everyone else!”

His statement couldn’t ring any truer, and yet, it never slowed down the other’s movements as he climbed out of the car. Unsatisfied by his silence, he wound up getting out to follow him. “Oi, say something! At least let me know you’re not gonna shoot up a restaurant!” Whispering that part out, he had to speed up a few steps to catch up with the man, now marching to the backdoor of a motel.

“Put the mask on.” Allen murmured without sparing him a single glance. But he paused briefly to process what he said. “... A motel, you mean. But I’m hoping we won’t have to resort to that.”

Arthur’s eyes went round. “You were considering--”

He could share the desperation to save Alfred’s life, but he had a hard time following how. Shooting up a motel? What was he thinking?

“Yes.” Attaching his hand to the door, it creaked open. Before Allen took another step, he faced him with a serious glower. “Now when we get inside, I want you to walk up to the receptionist. He’s programmed to greet you. Ask him for a room, and while you do, I’ll approach him from behind and deactivate him. Kapeesh?”

But then again, he was in the dark here. Arthur hadn’t the slightest clue on what Alfred’s circumstances were, as mysterious as the man was, so he had no idea how he was on the verge of dying.

So naturally, he wouldn’t know how to save him either.

But he trusted Allen to know what to do.

“... Alright. You better not make me regret this, you tyke.” 

“You can call me anything you want, just not that. I’m not a kid anymore.” Those words would become apparent as they walked inside, where their plan went by without a hitch. They heard the automated voice of superficial kindness, which stopped abruptly to the sound of an android powering off. Its body fell to the ground to reveal Allen standing behind. Without wasting a second, he leaned over and typed furiously on the keyboard of the computer.

Trouble finds trouble

“Lemme see if this has a log of everybody who came by...” A few moments later, he started nodding at what he saw. “Bingo...” On their private encrypted server, stored the history of all the guests who booked a night. “Well, what do you know... Alfred checked out two days ago. But he’s on the move.” Pulling away to stand up straight, he jogged over to the exit.

“Even if someone tried to look for him in one a’ these places, he’d have to get behind the reception and do exactly what I did.” This someone referred to Matsumoto, but death already followed Alfred wherever he went. Not that Alfred knew that. “The perks of a no-tell motel. Even if they reek of piss, so long as there’s crime, they’ll never go out of business.” He beckoned Arthur to follow him with a tilt of the head. 

“One down, twenty-seven more to go. And that’s only in the direction he’s going... And under the assumption he’s only staying at these motels. So, uh, let’s hope he didn’t try to be too unpredictable.” 

The Brit huffed. This wasn’t going to be easy. 

“I think he’d be predictable to do that if you asked me.” He murmured. “But you call the shots. I’ll just be... Moral support.” 

Allen already disappeared out the door, but his head poked into the doorframe at that. “Nah. You have the most important job outta’ the both of us.” 

That was right. He didn’t tell him yet. He really should’ve a while ago, but he got caught up in the chase. 

“Whether you remove a chip from his head or not will determine if he lives or not.” 

Arthur paled. 

“He’s the guy my boss wanted me to kill. Remember the dude I told you about? The one who tried to steal a prototype chip three years ago?” Now that he mentioned it, he recalled the conversation a few weeks ago. But wait a minute. 

The mechanic felt his face scrunch up as he was hit with a major epiphany. That was Alfred? The terrorist Allen had been updating him about? He was the man who tore up three floors of the headquarters of Matsumoto Optics, and simultaneously, the same customer he had been serving for the last few years.

Before he could even process his shock, he was presented with even more appalling information. 

“He stole it this time. That’s what he and (F/N) disappeared to do. But now that it’s in his head, it’ll overwrite his consciousness until he’s a fucking vegetable.” 

Arthur was horrified. “Then why would he even--” 

“Because he doesn’t know.” Allen cut in with a grim expression. “He thought the chip was supposed to give him immortality, so he wanted to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. Like my boss. But no. It’s the opposite. It was all a ploy to kill him.” At this point, the blonde was at loss for words. As a doctor and mechanic, he was quite frankly terrified of how devilishly clever Matsumoto was. But he couldn’t expect any less from him, could he?

They made it back to the car, and he could only stare aimlessly out the windshield, paralyzed. 

“That’s why we need you.” He heard him say. Turning to the man, albeit slowly, he felt a hand slap down on his shoulder. Allen gave him a lopsided grin. “You’re the smartest guy I know, second to my boss. You were always great at fixing stuff. Cars, enhancements, people--so what’s a mixture of all three?”

Arthur dug a hand through his hair stressfully. “... You’re kidding.” And yet, he already knew he was on board. “... Are you calling him a car?” 

The other flattened his lips. “... He technically could be.” 

“Just to be clear, I fucking hate you.” 

Allen laughed. “Sure.”

“But otherwise, we’re wasting time.” He couldn’t believe the words falling from his lips. This was really happening, wasn’t it? After taking him in as an apprentice for his auto shop, the roles were finally reversed. He no longer took charge as the teacher. Or rather, he became the student caught up in the most difficult assignment yet. Having a taste of Allen’s work. 

“That’s what I’m talking about!” 

***

Tower Lockdown

You had all the reasons in the world to be anxious coming home. 

On top of worrying over Alfred, who had hundreds of trained assassins coming at him all at once, during every minute of the heist, you had to face an aspect of reality you avoided until now. You were in the building, and he had already stolen the chip. It was slotted comfortably in his head, ready to leave the premises.

 How come your father never appeared? Was he really just going to let you go just like that?

But the real question was this--should you stay or leave? 

Yes, you hardly approved of anything he’d done. Done to the world like Alfred always mentioned, and to Alfred himself. But you weren’t prepared to abandon him yet. He was still your father, and the only family you had. If you had to make a decision, you needed some closure. If not, a discussion. 

And you expected him to give it to you as the least he could do. 

As Alfred stood among a pile of dead bodies bathing in red, his mantis blades trembled against a katana blade. Even with his hands full, he made the time to check on you. “(F/N)! Stay away from walls! Just hang on for a second longer!” He shouted, turning to you briefly before diverting his attention back to his opponent. “We’re nearly home free!” 

Pulling away to give him a swift jab in the chest, blood sprayed onto his face, but he wasn’t fazed.

What did, however, was the sight of you being thrown over the shoulder of one of the bodyguards. Color drained from his face and he burst into a sprint. 

“(F/N)! No!” Watching you disappear into an elevator, he slammed right into the closing metal doors. “Fuck!” He slammed his fist against them to hear a loud bang. Before he could linger too long, he hastily made his way to a door adjacent. The emergency stairs would take a hell lot longer, but as if he’d wait for the elevator to come back down. 

Even if he needed to climb up a hundred flights to get to you, he would--all the way to the penthouse where Matsumoto was. 

When those men approached you, there was no struggle on your end. You knew where they were going to take you. And you wanted them to. It could even be said you were relieved, because that meant your father was thinking of you. After a minute or so, the soft whirring fell silent, followed by a soft ‘ding’. 

They moved outside the elevator, and after a few steps, they set you down on your feet. Right in the middle of your father’s office. At the very end behind a desk sat the man himself, and he was eyeing you with an unreadable expression. Upon returning his stare, came an onslaught of emotions. But the most prominent was incapacitating anxiety.

Even as his daughter, you could never see through him. He was impossible to read. So you had no idea what to expect. 

“Dad... We need to talk.” You began, walking up to him warily. This was what you wished for at the start, cried for, even. To return home. And yet, the nervous pounding in your chest seemed to worsen with every step you took. It was jarring to confront how much had changed since then. So while you barely managed any words, you were already overwhelmed, struggling to choke back tears. 

“For once, I need to know what you’re thinking.” 

He inhaled deeply before responding. “I was under the same impression that we’d have this conversation.” Standing up from his chair, he furrowed his brows at the sight of you clenching the fabric of your pants. “Don’t look so nervous, child. You haven’t done anything to anger or disappoint me.” Reaching out to your head, he settled a hand on it. 

“... Really?” You whispered out. Hearing his assurances calmed you down a touch. But when you saw the forlorn gaze he cast down at you, your heart was crushed. “... Dad?”

Me!Me!Me!, Pt.2

Any existing contempt for him melted away just like that, but you weren’t upset at yourself for it. Your father hardly expressed any emotion besides calm indifference. And when he did, it always felt like the world was ending. 

“I’m the one who deserves your anger.” He clarified, lowering his hands to your shoulders. “I’ve left you by yourself for far too long, (F/N). I hope you don’t hold it against me that you had to come home yourself.” You hung your head, unable to meet his saddened gray eyes. If you were to hold a grudge at him for it, you’d start by avoiding his gaze. “And I understand why you would’ve wanted to help him. He has a way with words, and a naïve sense of justice. But it’s a warped perception of reality.”  

You’d hate to admit it, but no matter how cruel he seemed to be, there was a method to his madness. 

And you were perhaps the only person in the world to know it. 

That was why you were so torn. Torn between hating him and understanding him. After all, you couldn’t have both. “You can’t blame him after what you did to him.” Glancing up at that, you felt bile rise in your throat. Then, your vision blurred. “I don’t know what you’re aiming for--for this company, and this world. But you can’t expect him to accept this world you created when you stole him from his. He had a life!” 

Staring at him through hot tears, he breathed out a soft sigh before rubbing them away with a swipe of the thumb. “I’m not asking for your forgiveness. And I won’t expect you to forgive me even after telling you the reasons for my actions.”  

He pulled away from you to begin walking back to his desk, but not to sit down. Instead, he stood by the window to watch the blinking lights of skyscrapers and small moving dots of cars on the streets. “In a society that normalizes cybernetic enhancements, many forget what it is to be human. He never did. So of course, he would reject the idea of immortality. The destruction of the most human quality there is.” 

He paused briefly to scan the landscape.

“Mortality. One’s inevitable end gives everything they do meaning.” 

Wrinkles creased between your brows. It was confusing to hear him speak so highly of death, frustrating, even. Wasn’t he the one investing billions into correcting it like a flaw? “If that’s what you really think, then why? Why would you make something that would take that all away?” 

He held his hands behind his back. “To serve the greater good. A sacrifice, if you will.” The man turned to you, this time with a serious glower. “Alfred thinks I would commercialize it. Sell it to the public. But he’s wrong. Immortality will only be available to the leaders of the world.”

By leaders, you could only assume he meant people like him. Not politicians, but business men and women. Company owners. The most powerful forces of the present. “The inability to die is a curse. You never move on because you’re still breathing. But that may be just what the world needs. Stagnation. An absence of change.” 

It was daunting to know this man was your father. You couldn’t say you were born with half as many of these attributes he had. Intelligence was easily passed down, but there was something else written in his genes you could never dream of having. “With every passing year, decade, and century, humanity frays like a rope. Society continues to deteriorate... All until self-destruction becomes a matter of time.” Facing the window again, he scanned the impressive architecture he was proud to call his own. And it looked as pristine as it did yesterday. 

“The only way to stop this was to take control of it myself. And that’s how I came to found this company. I’ve found a way to govern the people. To invest in science as the world’s last and only hope. But it’s a job that will last eons, so I was prepared to do it until the end of time.” 

He was right in saying that society was inevitably doomed with the direction it was heading. That technology was the only solution, along with a world government. Matsumoto Optics. A cosmocracy with jurisdiction over the whole planet. There would be no wars. No conflict. And with only one state to call the shots, things could be done so much faster on a global scale. 

It was a radical concept to grasp, but you couldn’t say there was no logic to it. “Alfred was meant to do it with me. To reincarnate again and again as my closest aide on my quest to preserve the world. But he ended up being the opposite. My foil.” Matsumoto shook his head. “Alfred is a nostalgic soul. He’s too attached to the past. But the way of the old can never last with how fast it makes the world burn. Even if he realized that, he would want to exact revenge on me after what I’ve done to him.” 

“So before he destroys everything I’ve created, I have to destroy him first.” 

Him & I (with Halsey)

You tensed up all over, but before you could ask him what he meant by destroy, the doors burst open. The very subject of the conversation had appeared, and just in time for the conclusion of it. His arrival caught you completely off guard, successfully derailing your train of thought, but your father merely acknowledged his arrival. “Ah. Speak of the devil.” 

“Speak for yourself, you fucking demon.” He spat, marching over to your side to pull you into his chest. Immediately putting his hands all over your face, he was riddled with concern as he inspected you. “You okay? I’m sorry I couldn’t get to you in time. What are you still doing here? C’mon, let’s go.” While he reached down to your hand to lead you away, you stayed put. 

As relieved as you were to see him here, you couldn’t follow him out yet. You gave his hand a squeeze, then a soft smile of reassurance. Then, you turned to your father. 

This time, you held him in a firm stare. 

“Even if everyone thinks you’re crazy, I always knew you’d have some kind of justification for everything.” You started. Little did you know, you would take back this statement in the very near future. “But I can’t forgive you for what you did to Alfred. He never ended up doing anything you wanted him to, so giving him all those adjustments was pointless for you. But not for him. If you wanted to get rid of him, it wouldn't be easy.”

Matsumoto closed his eyes as if to agree. That was what you interpreted it as, at least. But unbeknownst to you, he was doing anything but. “I wouldn’t know what’s best for this world.” 

“But what I do know is that I won’t let you hurt him.” 

You spoke those words with a conviction so strong, Alfred’s eyes widened when he heard it. It wasn’t news you cared deeply for him, but to hear you say it to your father like that, and Matsumoto, no less, it made his mechanical heart pound more than he could fathom. You were actively disobeying him, a man you previously revolved your life around, for his sake. To say he was infatuated would be an understatement. 

You felt his grip on you tighten. 

“Say what you will, and I’ll respect your conviction. But I will come for him.” The bearded man murmured in a foreboding tone. A sinister light glinted in his dark gray irises. “And in the most unexpected way he could ever imagine. You will never want to see me again when that happens.” 

“If.” Your voice was a little strained. As much as you wanted to hate him and move on, you couldn’t. Every single fiber of your being was urging you to find a reason, any reason, to not despise the man who raised you. “If, dad. Because if you did, I really will never forgive you. I’ll hate you forever.” 

A grim expression contorted at his face. In his many decades on the planet, he’d never felt more dread. But one had to wonder if that was the right word. The regret had already arrived, because he’d already done something unforgivable. It was only a matter of time before you’d find out. “I’ve already done something to earn your unconditional hatred, child.” 

That was right. He’d killed Allen, your best friend and only other semblance of family in your life. And perhaps, the person you held the closest to your heart. “Soon, you will learn what it is. So I’ll let you leave today because you will never want to come back. I’d imagine that to be more… Convenient for you.” 

It was only your ignorance that blessed him this last moment. The last moment where you’d see him as your father with eyes unclouded by hatred. But it was short-lived. 

It didn’t take long for you to put two and two together, and in your short silence, you came to remember someone that had been gone for a while. Allen. 

Atlantis

You woke up in a cold sweat. For just one measly second as you oriented yourself, you weren’t tortured by a fury. Betrayal. Disgust. But it all came rushing back to you like the memories of that Godforsaken day you met with your father.

Sitting up with a deep frown, you felt heat build up around your face. It would be etched in your mind forever. The memory of Allen laying in the dump. Tossed out like a broken toy. Then, the stench of blood and rust as he was left for dead. 

You always knew your father was mad, but he kept on surprising you with how mad he was. Turning to the figure beside you, tears only overwhelmed your waterline to see his chest rise and fall steadily. 

He was still here. Alive and well. You could only hope the same for Allen.

It had been ten days since the heist. There hadn’t been a single sign of Matsumoto or his men, meaning Alfred really did do his research on the best places to hide. Climbing onto his form, you wound up laying on his chest. Then, you peered down at his sleeping face. 

As you got comfortable, you felt a smile creep onto your lips. If the you from a few months ago saw what you were doing, she’d be flabbergasted. Since when did you like him this much? 

Your cheeks grew a little rosy as you became self-aware of the position you were in. Full-on embarrassment hit you when he began to stir, but before you could get off of him, his eyes fluttered open. Uh oh. Now this warranted an explanation. 

For a second, he was confused, but when he saw that it was just you, he grinned lazily. “Morning, babe. Care to tell me why you’re not sleeping on your side of the bed?” 

He’d totally cornered you. And did he just call you babe? “Um... I, well... I woke up on you, so don’t get the wrong idea. I was just about to get off.” Sliding yourself off of him at that, you tried your damndest to simmer down. But he never gave you the chance. Rolling over to face you, he pulled you in around your waist much to your surprise. “Hey!” 

You never got around to pointing out that pet name, either. 

He caught you in a serious stare. “Don’t be so shy. We’re close, aren’t we?” Alfred was never one to beat around the bush. You knew that better than anyone, but that didn’t mean you were used to it. Lowering your head at that, you fixated on his chest. 

“... I guess so. That doesn’t mean I can sleep on you like that, though. And plus, it must’ve been uncomfortable.” 

“Nah. You’re light as hell.” He hummed. Sitting up with you on his lap, his statement became more apparent in how effortless he made it seem. “You’re like a few grapes, really. So don’t worry about it.” 

Why he chose to focus on that part of your argument was beyond you. Did he really not see anything wrong with what you were doing? Or maybe he did, and didn’t want to mention it. He’d been hugging you a lot lately the past week, but that wasn’t as deserving of your attention as spooning you while he slept. 

Wasn’t he pushing the envelope? It would make sense he was just trying to comfort you after your run-in with your father, and your discovery that he was the one who attempted to off your best friend. But wasn’t this a bit much? 

He wrapped his arms around your neck. There was nothing between you both, and yet, he was holding you like there was. Like you were his. 

"...” It was in his smile. It was different to how he always looked at you, as if there was finally something behind those electric blue irises. Something alive. Something hot. As you played around with the idea, you lit up like a Christmas tree and pushed his mouth away. “Don’t look at me like that.” 

Almost as if he read your mind, he relented. But only reluctantly. Picking you up from under your arms, he set you onto the mattress so he could get out of bed. Looking back at you over his shoulder, he gave your cheek an affectionate pinch. “Whatever you say. I’ll be back after a piss.” 

When he left the room, you were left to your own devices. As you brought your knees to your chest, you came to realize how tight it was. He’d only left for a few seconds, and you were already waiting for him to return. It was ridiculous to think about, but it was almost as if you missed him. Already.

Did spending all this time with him give you some kind of separation anxiety? 

Or was it something more? 

You couldn’t tell. 

The fact that he mentioned ‘I’ll be back’ suggested he was aware of your attachment to him. You buried your face into your knees. 

Turns out, you weren’t the only one having a hard time processing your feelings. 

When he disappeared into the bathroom, he pressed his back against the wall. Reaching up to his chest, he scrunched up a part of his shirt as the pounding in his heart subsided--his metaphorical one. Alfred didn’t think it was weird to find you on top of him like that, let alone dislike it. In fact, he loved it. It gave him a shred of hope that maybe, you did like him the way he liked you. 

But that didn’t change the fact that he couldn’t be with you. 

This was the fifth motel he’d been to after the heist. There was no saying he’d be dead by the end of the day. Not when your father was after his head. So he wasn’t about to start anything. That would be too selfish, even for him--though one had to wonder if ‘selfish’ could even describe him anymore. He was anything but. At least, for you he wasn’t. 

Alfred would only be proven right when he took a step towards the toilet. His vision started to glitch. Then, he lost his balance, falling over the sink and slamming his head against the mirror. “Fuck--!” Stumbling back onto his feet, he was engulfed in black for a few seconds. What the hell was going on? 

His bout of disorientation lasted for far too long to be normal.

Before he would start accepting the prospect of going blind, his vision returned. He thought he would celebrate that moment, but he forgot what he was even fussing about. What happened? Lowering his gaze to his hands, he stared at them for a while before looking back up. What was he doing here? Where was he? 

That was right. He was in a motel. With you. Running away from uncertain death. It took a minute or so to recall all of these things, and that was what alarmed him. It seemed like his body wasn’t accepting the chip very well. 

Temporary memory loss and blindness was just apart of the transition, right? 

Little did he know, it was anything but. 

Outside that very district sat two men in a car. Bags hung under their dull eyes as they scanned the streets as vigilantly as their sleep deprivation let them. It had been two days since they slept, but they wouldn’t rest until they found him. There were only four days until the damage was done.

If they didn’t get to the man before then, he would be as good as dead. 

[tansypoisoning]

Yandere asks Prompt 35 with thor please ( if you write for him ) otherwise anyone of your choice

Not the best way to defend a fair maiden. Idk if I wrote Thor well - I think he sounds larpy.

Yandere asks

Warnings: Not very descriptive smut, alcohol drinking (reader is a bartender in this) anal play, oral sex (female receiving), yandere, violence, blood, gore and death of a side character.

When you landed on the County Line to work your first job as a bartender you were excited to make all the cocktails you’d spent hours perfecting. You should’ve known it was all for naught. Brentwood was a small town, filled with people with small minds; if someone ordered anything more complex than a rum and coke you had cause to celebrate.

Your days at the bar dragged by, and you longed to escape to a place that was less dead, where people gave you the chance to show your artistry. With your pay, that was nothing but a pipe dream.

That is, until he walked into the bar.

He was a beautiful man, and huge too. Unlike the locals, who dragged their tired feet to a seat and ordered their beers sullenly, he waltzed to the bar, a big smile on his face, slapped the counter-top and asked for your best drink.

“No preference?” You asked. This never happened.

“I’ll drink whatever you give me,” he declared, puffing out his chest “You are the mead master.”

You laughed. “Mead master? I like that.”

You mixed him a Last Word, and he chugged it down in one gulp.

“Another!” He called, setting the glass down with almost too much strength.

“The same one?”

“Anything you want to make.”

“Right, mead master,” you grinned.

You fed him drink after drink, at first worried that he was ingesting enough alcohol to kill him, but by the time the bar closed, he only looked a little buzzed. You felt a little buzzed too. His joy was just that contagious. He loved the Dark and Stormy, and he was very impressed with your Tiki drinks pyrotechnics. It was so refreshing to have someone who wanted to talk about fun subjects, and asked you questions and showed so much interest in your craft. Most clients spared you no more than a greeting, and the ones who did were usually just looking for someone to share their problems with, or trying to be sleazy. Not this guy, though. He was way too boisterous to be called a gentleman, but he was nice, and friendly, and respectful, and a respite from your daily grind.

Letting him wait for you while you locked the bar felt right, as it did letting him walk you home. You two made jokes on the way, laughing like old friends. The hand he would sometimes press against your waist or hip was very much not a friendly gesture, though.

You asked him up; asked him if he wanted coffee. Way past midnight. He kept his hand on your ass as you climbed the steps up to your studio apartment, above the drugstore. You two fell onto your bed, a heap of limbs pulling at clothes just as soon as you’d closed the door.

It was the best sex you’d ever had, and he had the biggest cock you’d ever had. It startled you when you reached into his pants to pull it out. He chuckled at your reaction, and watched as you stroke him to full hardness, fascinated. You were worried you might not be able to take him.

He ate you out, and he was unfairly gifted in that area too, making you cum with his tongue alone. You were face down on the mattress before you even knew what was going on. It was disorienting, but you couldn't say you were unhappy with the position.

With his fact cock in your pussy and two fingers in your asshole he brought you to one earth-shattering orgasm after another. You were sobbing on your pillows by the time he finally reached his own end.

You passed out with a heavy, yet surprisingly comforting weight on top of you.

The mysterious stranger came back to the bar the next night, and you got to ask him his name. Thor. Weird, but it suited him.

He was just as charming and just as eager to try your concoctions as before. The rest of the patrons all but vanished as you listened to him talk about how long he’d been in town, what he liked best about it and for how long he planned to stay. He gave you the impression his date of departure was malleable.

You went home with him again, and spent the better part of the night riding him. The other part you spent being bounced on his cock while he kissed your collarbone and breasts.

It became a daily thing fast. You’d wake up in the morning, slide from under his arm and watch him snooze on your bed like a big lazy cat while you made coffee. You’d eat breakfast together before sending him on his way while you went about your day, did your chores and ran your errands. He would already be waiting at the bar when your shift started, and he would sit at the counter while you served him drink after drink and you two talked until closing time. He’d walk you home and then fuck you senseless until the sun came up – then you’d do it all over again. This was the kind of routine you could get used to.

The sound of a shot glass hitting the wooden surface of the bar drew your eyes from the spot you were wiping. More than a week into your strange relationship, Thor was bright as ever and ready to imbibe as ever. Looking into his blue eyes, crinkling with his smile, you knew this would come to an end, likely sooner rather than later, but you were determined to enjoy his company while it lasted.

“Another!” He cried out and you laughed.

You were reaching for the wine to make his New York Sour when you heard one of the stools creak under the weight of another patron. You raised your head and smiled to the customer. You didn’t recognize him – probably from out of town. The grin you received in return wasn’t very charming.

“Can I get a beer, hun?” He drawled, emphasizing the last word.

“Sure.” You struggled to maintain your smile as you went back to your work.

You handed Thor his drink and filled a glass with beer from the tap. The stranger kept his eyes on you as he drained his cup, but you were lucky to have Thor there to keep your mind off of him.

“This is the best one yet,” Thor said.

“You only say that because I made it.”

“You have caught me,” he grinned, rising his hands in mock surrender. “I would drink anything that came from you.”

You placed a hand over your burning cheeks and turned away.

“Beer me,” the other man said, sliding his glass over the counter to you.

You filled it back up again and set it in front of him. This time, though, his fingers wrapped around your wrist before you could pull away.

“Excuse me...” You tried to free yourself from his hold while not calling attention to yourself.

“C’mon. Isn’t that why girls get jobs in places like this? To get attention?”

“Sir, you need to stop this,” you said, a little louder this time, pulling away harder.

His grin grew wider and sleazier. “You’re really gonna make me work-”

The man gasped when a third hand joined your tug o’ war contest. Thor had reached across the bar and grasped the stranger’s wrist, bending it at an awkward angle.

“Let go,” he said, his already deep voice even lower. A growl bubbled in his throat like a storm brewing inside of him.

“Hey, man,” the other gave a nervous giggle. “My bad. I wasn’t trying to steal your mark.”

You screamed when your arm was yanked up, then fell on your ass when your wrist was freed. There were shouts on the other side of the counter, then the loud noise of something crashing on the ground and a scream. You didn’t have the courage to stand up and see what had happened. It took your boss storming in from the backroom and pulling you to your feet while she yelled at the patrons.

“Get out!” She pointed at the scumbag who had harassed you and was now lying on the floor, crawling away from the broken stool just an inch away from him. She then turned to Thor. “You gotta leave too.”

He bristled at her request. “What?! I was defending her!”

“I don’t care. Just be thankful I’m not going to charge you for that stool. Get out before I call the cops.”

Thor’s breathing was labored, his powerful chest and shoulders rising and falling rapidly. He looked from your boss to you, his face contorted into an outraged scowl. He was so large – that had been a plus before, but now something inside you was afraid of his size, of what he could do with it.

With a final heave and a roll of his shoulders, Thor walked out of the bar, stepping over the man on the ground.

Your boss asked you if you needed the rest of the day off, but you declined. If you didn’t have something to occupy yourself you’d mull over what happened before you were ready to do it.

Even busy serving the customers that hadn’t left after that fight, you still found yourself thinking about what was no doubt the end of your relationship with Thor. Maybe he wouldn't even want to see you anymore, after you didn’t back him up. You were thankful for his defending you, but the way he went about doing it… You didn’t feel bad about the harasser, but the wrath in Thor’s eyes was paralyzing. You could barely look at him, let alone defend him.

You finished your shift and dragged yourself out of the building. Just knowing you’d not see Thor that night, that you’d probably never see him again, weighed on you like a ton of bricks. You’d grown more attached than you’d expected. You didn’t see yourself rejecting him if he came to the bar the next day to see you.

You weren’t paying attention as you made your way to your apartment, thus you only noticed the puddle on the ground when you stepped on it. It didn’t feel like rain. The fluid was too tacky for that. You started walking around the puddle and only stopped when you noticed you left a footprint.

Now fully awake, you examined your surroundings. The puddle was coming from an alley, and you couldn't see anything beyond it, but you could hear sounds from the darkness. There was a gurgling like a fountain pumping something thicker than water and a dull scratching. You didn’t know and you didn’t want to know what was hiding in the shadows, but your feet refused to run to safety.

The noises died down, leaving only a slow dripping behind. Something dropped to the ground and footsteps echoed in your direction. You could almost get your legs to move when a hand emerged from the shadows and pulled you in.

A wet palm covered your mouth before you could scream, and you were whirled around and pushed against a wall. You whimpered when your eyes adjusted to the dark and you recognized your captor. You had wanted to see Thor again, but now you weren’t happy to meet him.

“Finally,” he sighed, resting his free hand on your shoulder and letting it slide down your arms. His fingers felt warm and sticky. “I thought you were coming out sooner.”

“What are you doing here?” You tried pulling away and his hand squeezed your arm to the point it hurt.

“Waiting for you,” he frowned. “I’m sorry for how I behaved in the bar, and I’m sorry I rushed things.”

You were about to tell him you didn’t think he’d rushed anything when he adjusted his position and you spotted something on the ground. You thought it was a sack at first – you wanted it to be just a sack – but it was too large and too solid. You didn’t know how you recognized him, with blood staining his clothes and his face beaten into a pulp, but you knew this was the guy who had harassed you in the bar.

Your limbs started shaking. You couldn't tear your eyes from the bloodied corpse. It felt as if something perverse was holding your head in place and your lids wide open. Your lips parted, and even though you didn’t remember using them to say anything you must’ve had, because Thor began speaking again as if answering a question.

“I defended your honor! I thought you might like to watch his last moments, but I couldn't get him to stay alive longer.”

You finally managed to look at him again. The smile on his face turned into a pout when you remained silent.

“What’s the matter?”

You started shaking your head and you couldn't stop. “You killed him. You killed him. Why did you…?” Your voice dwindled to a whine and you didn’t know what you were saying anymore. At the corner of your eyes, you could still see the man lying on the ground. The ex-man. The pile of meat that was walking and talking and breathing just a while ago.

Thor held you by the shoulders as he peered into your eyes. It reminded you of the times he would look at you while you were having sex, too steady and too intense. It was clear now that all those times he’d looked at you, he saw you with feelings much stronger than the ones you had for him. “I was protecting you! I could tell what he wanted just by looking at him. He was a vermin.”

“Please let go of me.”

“No, no!” Thor shook his head and brought you even closer. “I can’t let you go. Do you know how many people like that exist? They’re countless! If you can’t protect yourself, and if none else is going to stand up for you… I felt this was destined, and now I know it is.” He moved his hands to the side of your face and held you in place as he leaned in. “I’m madly in love with you, and I will always protect you.”

He crashed upon you, his lips devouring yours and his body caging you against the brick wall. The taste of iron in his mouth, combined with the awful smell of the alley or the corpse, you couldn't tell, did something to you. Your head pounded and your stomach revolted, but before you could expel all its contents, the floor vanished beneath your feet and the world went dark.

[serum23nm]

Dream 9/21/2021

...I lived somewhere where they spoke Spanish. Not sure where or when. I looked similar to how I am now, same height, same long hair (but fully black, never dyed). I lived with my aunties and my mom and sisters. They all looked different from my actual family. They were a pale tan. My mother in the dream was much older, with white/grey hair. She was shorter, plumper. My sisters were all about the same height as me, two of them. Long hair, brown, with brown eyes. Did not live with any men. We were in a simple house and the surface of the walls were bumpy. It was basically one big room separated by a wall with a large door shaped opening, rounded at the top. Clothing was plain, but also colorful some days (months/years passed by in the dream).

The dream was pretty much like a life. I was going through the days doing chores, helping my mom and aunties, keeping my siblings safe. Life was disrupted by a foreigner, a male doctor who spoke both Spanish and English. He was tall, paler than my family. He had lighter hair, almost blond, but still brown. He was taller than me by a foot, which was striking since my sisters and I were taller than most men in our community. I don't remember his name, but it was strange to "my" ears, something I couldn't pronounce well. He spoke Spanish to me but the "me" in the dream didn't understand English. I could though, so I knew what he was saying when he didn't want me to hear. That's how I knew I couldn't trust him, that he was a bad person. The "I" in reality informed the "me" in my dream on the decision to reject him.

I don't really want to get into details, but one day, tired of my constant rejections, he came into my family's small clinic. The clinic was very tiny, one room. It was where women who are pregnant come to give birth. There's one small cot and a table where my aunties and mom will help the women through the dire moment. I was the only one in there, cleaning things up. It was very sunny outside, the light streaming through one small window at the side of the building. I felt the moment he stepped inside like cold water down my back.

Anyways, after that day, I lived in fear. My sisters would help me hide from him by warning me when he was seen in the town. I would go to our home and stay with my aunties and my mom. They knew what had happened, but there was nothing we could do. I didn't question that in the dream, but now that I'm awake, I wish I had done something. The "me" in the dream was just trying to avoid remembering what had happened. The knowledge was enough to make me curl up and shake on the floor, but that was useless to everyone. In order to stay sane and still be a help to my family, I just avoided the situation all together.

However, two months later, I realized that I was pregnant. I worked in a clinic for pregnant women, I knew the signs. I also "felt" something, not sure what it was anymore, but the only word that comes to mind is pressure. Pressure in my abdomen. This made my soul even more conflicted. I wanted to get rid of it, but I also wanted to keep it. I think I was of the mind that killing it would be killing a piece of myself, but also I didn't want any memory of that doctor. My mind couldn't reconcile the two needs. So I became ill.

My entire family agreed to keep my condition a secret too, reasoning along the same lines as why they kept my rape secret. It would only bring trouble to us and bring the doctor to our door. We didn't know what to do, in truth, but some of my aunties hoped it would die. My mom wanted it to live. I couldn't decide.

My illness became severe and I wasn't able to move from my bed/pallet, an eventuality that I dreaded. I hated being still or confined to the house. Finally, on a day that's beauty mocked my bed-bound soul, I got up. As soon as I stood, something burst inside me. Blood ran down my legs. I screamed for my sister. She saw me, helped me back on the bed, then ran out of the room. Some of this part of the dream is a blur.

I can't remember how or when, but suddenly there were other women in the room. Strangers. They were nobody I knew, no one from my town. I looked at the opening into the other room and saw my family confined to the other side of our home, kneeling on the floor and praying. In front of them, pacing back and forth, was the doctor. I swear, it felt like my heart stopped in the dream. Like it thumped loudly once, then stopped for too long. He looked over and saw me staring. I breathed in a rush and then screamed at the strange women to not let him touch, not let him near me. One of them came over and patted my head soothingly. She spoke words I couldn't understand. I tried to get up but I couldn't feel my legs. I couldn't feel my hands. Only my head moved back and forth. I could feel my chest area, my stomach even, but not my limbs or pelvic region. Panic can't describe what I felt. He came into the room, yelling at the nurse. "I" couldn't understand, but I could. He was asking the nurse to relieve my stress or something like that. He wanted her to calm me somehow. I have no idea what he wanted, but I was determined to escape. I thrashed around but then the lady who had been calming me grabbed my right hand. She leaned over it and stabbed a needle at the corner of the first line close to my fingertip.

This is another part of the dream that's super real. Everything about this sequence of events stood out vividly. She stuck the needle into a small, rubber point against my finger, only the very tip of it. Though I couldn't move my limbs, I felt the prick of it. The needle was long, about the length of my middle finger. A thin plastic tube was attached to the end. I guess the needle was hollow, because blood started to come into the tube. It slowly went down the curling length of the plastic and my eyes were riveted to it. I didn't notice anything else that was happening at that moment. When the blood reached the end of the tube, a drop of it started to form. Before it could fall, a small brown bowl was placed beneath it. The doctor held it. When I met his eyes over the bowl, my panic returned. I thought he was stealing my blood for some kind of curse on me. I turned my head to stare at the women near my legs, preparing to catch my baby. Apparently, the needle trick worked so well I didn't even notice what was happening. I desperately looked past the doctor to my family but they were all still praying loudly in the other room. I tried to move my hand away but the doctor was gripping my wrist and I still couldn't really feel it. He was talking at me. However, my level of panic had reached a point past comprehension. All I could hear was a ringing in my ears.

What finally broke past that high pitch was the cry of a baby.

Time sped back up.

The doctor's face broke into a joyful smile. My limbs filled with fire and I slapped the bowl of blood away. It hit the doctor and distracted him. I sat up as if I hadn't been paralyzed at all and grabbed my baby from the nurse who held him. He was still attached to me.

The dream jumps into hyperdrive.

I am no longer in my house, but I'm holding onto my son and walking quickly down a shaded walkway. It's high noon, the sun is directly above the ceiling. My baby is sleeping, unaware of his surroundings.

Then I'm in a market, my son on my back in a sling contraption. He’s about a year old now. His coloring is after me, dark brown eyes and black hair, for which I am eternally grateful. He’s lighter skinned, but so am I. His name I can’t recall. He is a quiet child and he listens to me. When I tell him to hush, he does. When I need to carry him for long periods of time, he doesn’t fuss. I love him with my entire being and I know I would die for him. But I intend to live long enough to raise him and teach him to defend himself.

Another few years are gone. We are in a church, Catholic I believe. He is a small man, still only 4 or 5, but so wise. He talks intelligently, asks probing questions. I think we have sheltered in this church for the past few years. I am still taught as a bow, no matter what. I am still on the lookout for the doctor. I avoid large towns. I have gone far away from my home, my family, just to keep him safe. When the doctor smiled at my child’s birth, I knew he would have taken him and I never would have seen my baby again. I still lived in fear of that happening...

The dream ends there. Honestly, there were a lot of missing parts, but I can’t remember it all. I have chosen not to remember the rape , but I might end up just typing it all out. It depends. I think it’s crazy how much I dreamed in a single night. It was like living a memory at some points, but other times were too rushed. I wonder if I should turn this into a novel? Or maybe a novella. What do you think?

[gwynposting]

All Along the Watchtower (Ch. 2)

This story takes place after the “All Along the Watchtower” ending of Cyberpunk 2077, so spoilers ahead.

Ch. 1 | AO3 Link

The gentle glow of neon red fought against the encroaching abyss of the deep. It felt dreamlike, in a way, to have everything suspended in place, weightless, drifting through the sea. Here it wasn’t just her body drifting aimlessly through the water, it felt like the weight crushing her very soul began to lift, she felt as if she could finally breathe free. 

But the depths were also a bit disorienting - it was difficult to make heads and tails of direction or speed down here. The only thing V had for reference was the figure in front of her, illuminated by the twin headlamps attached to her diving suit. She was V’s rock, her guiding hand through the unknown, the abyss.

“I wish Evie could’ve seen this,” Judy said as she looked to the towering church before them, it’s darkened silhouette like a leviathan

Evelyn’s name caught V’s breath. She felt the blood drain from her face. Her pulse quickened. Her pupils dilated. 

Evelyn’s bruised and beaten body, lying in the middle of the room.

V sought breath after breath in frantic hyperventilation but nothing came. No air would sate her lung’s desire.

Her body lying in the tub. 

Judy turned in curiosity to find V flailing in the water. V tugged and grabbed at her throat as if she were trying to free herself from a vice wrapped around her neck. “V?” began in confusion before she realized something was seriously wrong, “V!” she shouted. 

Judy...

Her lungs were on fire, as if they contained a dozen lit matches. She felt paralyzed by her visions. 

“No, no, NO,” she heard Judy’s desperate voice becoming increasingly frantic, “Stay with me V.”

Judy made a dash over to V to hold her steady, but V didn’t even react to her presence. The sounds around her became murky, like the bass of a concert bleeding through cement wall. All she could see was Judy’s frantic display. It consumed her.

“V! She pleaded, “Not you too,” her voice was a cry to the gods, to anyone who would listen, “I can’t lose you too V. I can’t do it again. Please, Valerie. Stay with me.” 

And then nothing.

V awoke with a shock. The snug embrace of her blanket that had been so welcoming before now acted like a vice trapping her in its confines. With one motion she stripped the blanket off and to the side. Her shirt clung to her form, caked with sweat. She tried to gasp for air but nothing would come, as if she were being strangled, like water had seeped into her lungs. She made a mad dash for the sink.

With a grotesque retch, she purged herself into the sink. But before she was done, she began to violently cough into her hand. Her throat burned with each hack until she was left breathless, in a sort of daze staring down at the sink below. Blood stained her hand and seeped down into the sink below. With the blockage free, V finally took her first breath. It came like fire, as the air traveled through her roughened throat to fill her aching lungs. 

V collapsed onto her forearms that shakily held her upright. Her breathing was rapid and shaky, with each labored breath feeling like daggers dragged along her throat. 

She glanced up into the mirror. Her eyes were lidded, dark circles present underneath. Her skin was flushed. V was hardly able to keep herself stable. She could feel her faculties, both physical and mental, slipping from her grasp.

“Walking talking corpses,” she began to hear, a faint echo in a fading mind. The dread began to seep through her once more. The unshakeable feeling of inevitability, forever present in the back of V’s thoughts, once more resurfacing. How many times had she faced death at this point? Deshawn, Mikoshi. And now she’d have to die once more? 

But this time the stakes were different. It wasn’t just about the loss of her own life anymore. It wasn’t about becoming the legend of Night City and going out in spectacular fashion. She had a family. She had Judy. She would have to leave Judy behind. 

“Fuck, V. I was so worried. I saw what was happening on the news and you weren’t getting back to me and-”

“I know, Judy,” V cut her off, switching off the car radio’s live coverage of the chaos at Arasaka tower, “I’m sorry. I’m okay. I’ll fill you when I get there, be home soon.” 

She couldn’t believe she almost did.

The rhythmic drum of rain droplets bounced against the window. The diver on Judy’s wall glowed under the soft blue lighting, as if they were traveling down the ocean depths. 

“What happened in there? In this ‘Mikoshi’?” Judy took the cigarette out of V’s mouth and inhaled, “You still haven’t said anything about it.” 

Judy’s eyes were filled with worry, and it killed V to see them so afraid. V closed her eyes and looked away, she didn’t think she even had the strength to tell her if she had to face the hurt.

“Well,” V hesitated, her voice shaky and unsure, holding back tears, “Johnny’s out. But uh,” her breath hitched, “I guess my brain isn’t mine anymore. I only got about 6 months left.” 

“F-fuck,” Judy stuttered, her breath caught in her throat. She took a deep inhale from her cigarette, “Fuck, V. You sure?” Judy’s voice was weak, a shadow of its usual strength. 

“No, but that’s what Alt said.” V looked down to what she feared - tears streamed down Judy’s face. 

“Is there -” Judy began, “there has to be something you can do.” Judy pleaded more than affirmed. 

V looked away and wiped the tears from her eyes. “V?” Judy croaked.

“The Aldecados have some contacts that might be able to help, but...” V paused and let the silence linger. She still hadn’t come to grips with it herself, “I was called a ticking time bomb by Alt Cunningham. The AI who instantaneously fried everyone in Arasaka tower.”

The silence was suffocating.

“I’m sorry, Jude.” V’s voice was withered, stripped away by the knowledge that Judy would have to go through yet more loss. That Night City would claim everything that she held close.

Judy wiped the tears from her eyes, “You don’t worry about me, okay? We’re gonna try every last option on this earth before we give up.” Her voice was more assured, as if she were trying to convince V that it would all be okay. 

Or maybe she was trying to convince herself.

“And no matter what, V, I will be here with you ‘till the end.”

With that, V began openly weeping, seeking out Judy’s breast to curl into. Judy lovingly wrapped her arms around V and brought her close as she whispered sweet comforts. Each muffled cry sent daggers through Judy’s heart. 

“I can’t do it again, Judy. I’m so tired.” 

V’s cracked voice pained Judy. But even though it felt like Judy’s own world was crumbling apart around her, she had to be strong for V, “You can, and you will.” Judy gave herself a few moments to steel herself, “You have a family. You have me. We will be there every single step of the way. You don’t need to go through this alone anymore.” 

V remained silent, through Judy’s soothings and touches, before finally sitting up. “I think I need a smoke,” almost as faint as a whisper. Judy nodded and retrieved another stick from her pack and held it out for V. She captured the cigarette between her lips and held still as Judy set it alight. She took several draws before she was sated. 

“Can I tell you something?” V asked hesitantly. 

Judy blew a puff of smoke into the air and turned to her, her cheeks puffy and eyes still bloodshot, “Shoot, V.” 

“After I left Arasaka, I couldn’t stop thinking about Jackie. About his funeral. About Mama Welles and Misty and Vik. About how I’d never see that goofy smile anymore.” V took another draw before continuing. “Then I thought about my own funeral, and saw you standing over my body, just like Evelyn. Part of me just, I don’t know, wanted to run off to die on my own and spare you the grief of another loved one dying. Make you hate me instead.” 

Judy reached over and grabbed one of V’s nipples, squeezed, and twisted. V squeaked out in shock. “Fuckin’ gonk,” she said, icily, before letting go, “I’d have hunted you down and killed you myself.” 

“I don’t doubt it,” V chuckled and took another draw, gently massaging away the pain with her fingers. “Intrusive thought, I guess. In my defence, I went from thinking I was dead meat to actually having some real hope to then have it all stripped away. My state of mind wasn’t exactly in the best place. Sorry, Jude.” 

“Don’t apologize,” Judy softened her tone, her eyes becoming more sympathetic, “I can’t even begin to understand what that must feel like.” Judy took one long draw from her cigarette and let out a slow cloud of smoke. 

“Just promise me one thing, V?” Judy’s voice became calm, but serious, “no matter what happens, no matter where this trail leads, we do this together, okay?”

V nodded, “Together.” 

V felt as if she’d radiated every bit of heat away from her body. Her muscles ached, her throat was on fire, and she couldn’t stop the ceaseless shivers that wracked her body. 

She flinched as she felt something brush along her shoulder, but settled into the touch once she looked up and saw Judy’s reflection in the mirror. V tried a smile of assurance but the smeared blood along her lips wasn’t terribly convincing. Judy leaned her head against V’s back, as if to hug her from behind without being too constricting. “C’mon,” Judy cooed, “can I draw you up a warm bath?” 

V’s voice was hoarse, rough with exhaustion and fatigue, “Yeah, thanks Jude.” V felt enough strength to start cleaning out the sink and whipping the blood from her hands. She had to shake the memories that cropped up.

Jackie’s blood.

“What time is it?” V croaked, splashing cold water over her tired eyes. 

“Just a bit before 5,” Judy cooed. 

The sound of rushing water filled their cozy home. They didn’t have a water heater, but they at least had some running water. The Aldecados had set up in a ghost town much like Rocky Ridge about an hour outside Tuscon while they established a basis of communication with their contacts in the city. Most of the old-timers stuck with their own tents that they peppered around town, while Judy and V were more than happy to claim a cozy house off the main street. 

“Let me go heat up some water,” V said, feeling silly she’s not being useful.

“You’ll do no such thing,” Judy tutted her teeth. “You stay put.”

Judy held V’s hand to help guide her down onto the ledge of the tub. With V safe, she made her way over to the kitchen and grabbed the tea kettle out of the cupboard. Judy filled it with water then placed it on the stove, turning it on. 

While she was waiting for the kettle to reach boiling, Judy returned to their bedroom and picked out a plush blanket. She returned to the bathroom to see V stripped down, sitting on the edge of the tub. She was hunched over, shivering. Goosebumps lined her arms. When Judy entered, V looked up to her. Judy saw it in her eyes, how much everything was getting to her. To see the uncertainty and fear looking back at her made Judy’s heart drop in that moment. V looked so small, so vulnerable.

V shook her head, “It’ll just get dirty,” V muttered, gesturing to the blanket in Judy’s arms. 

“Hush, you,” Judy sidled up beside her and wrapped it around V. Despite her protests, V quickly grabbed the edges and brought them close. Judy kept an arm around V and leant her head on V’s shoulders. They didn’t say anything, they didn’t need to. They sat in silence until the gentle whine of steam began to fill the air. 

“Don’t go anywhere,” Judy tried to joke, before making her way to the kitchen to grab the boiling kettle. Judy carefully picked up the whistling pot and brought it back to warm up the cool water. Judy kneeled besides V and began to pour. The splash of pouring water and clouds of steam filled the air as she emptied its contents into the bath. Judy tested the temperature of the water with prodding fingertips, then plunged her hand in to stir and distribute the heat. 

“I think we’re all set,” Judy said as she shook off her dripping hand. Judy began to shuck off her sweatpants and shirt. “How’d you like to do it?”

“Can you hold me?” V whispered. Judy felt her heart drop. 

“Por supuesto, calabacita” Judy soothed as she tried to keep her own voice steady. As difficult as it was to see the woman she loved so vulnerable and hurt, she had to be the emotional rock V had been for her. Judy shed her underwear and dipped her toes in before fully submerging herself. Judy let herself enjoy the comfortable warmth for a moment before making room for V to get in. 

V quickly followed suit, tossing the blanket in the laundry pile before dipping herself in the bath, being careful to take her time. Her arms shook with fatigue as she lowered herself down.

She sought Judy’s outstretched arms and sank back into their embrace. V clung to the arms wrapped around her as if she were never to let go again. Judy sat herself out of the water more so that V could snuggle into her without her head dipping below the water level. Judy’s breasts became dotted with goosebumps as they became exposed to the cooler air. 

“This is the second time this week, Jude,” V shook in Judy’s grasp. 

“I know,” Judy sighed. They both understood the rising frequency of the attacks. 

“I’m scared,” V squeaked, almost a whisper.

“Fuck,” Judy mouthed to herself to herself, as if viscerally reacting to the pain laced in V’s voice crack. Fuck this was hard. “I know,” she tried to calm her shaking voice, “But hey, we meet with Mitch’s contact tomorrow. Your fate isn’t written in stone here. Remember that feeling in Vik’s clinic when he broke the news that the relic was killing you? You had no hope of surviving. Every single lead went bust. But you managed to survive V, because you’re one of a kind. I know we’ll find something.”

“Maybe. I’m just… tired, Jude. I’ve been dying for how long now? It feels like I’m just... prolonging the inevitable. Like I’m… stretching myself thin.” 

Judy placed a kiss on the top of V’s head, “I know, hun. But the important thing is that now you’re not alone. You don’t need to be strong anymore, we’re all here to help you.”

V allowed Judy’s words to sink in before she tightened her grip on Judy’s forearm, “I don’t like to think of where I’d be without you, Judy.” 

“Good thing I’m stickin’ around then, hm?” Judy leaned in to V’s ears and whispered, “can’t get rid of me that easy~”

V let out a small chuckle, “I love ya, y’gonk.”

“I love you too.” 

***

“What was he like?”

V stared off aimlessly into the valley below, idly massaging her forearm. Her legs dangled down the small cliffside. The sky bled deep reds and purples as it prepared the way for the sun’s arrival. Clouds caught and mixed the colors to produce vibrant displays.

“V?” Judy repeated.

V’s name caught her ear and brought her out of her reverie. She turned to Judy, a light blush of embarrassment creeping up on her cheeks.

“What was he like?” Judy repeated, motioning down to the spot on V’s forearm that she was palming over - a tattoo that said “Johnny + V” inside of a heart. 

V followed Judy’s gaze and recognized what she was getting at. She reflexively moved her hand away from the tattoo, as if she hadn’t realized she’d even been so sentimental about it. She was still rather bitter about that night.

“He was…” V paused in reflection. She still hadn’t come to terms with… everything. She still caught herself thinking out to Johnny, only to get nothing but silence in return. 

“You would’ve hated him,” V said with a short laugh, “he was one massive prick. But at the same time, I miss the guy.” 

V sought out Judy’s hand and Judy received it readily. Judy remained quiet, letting V have the floor to continue when she was ready.

“He did end up liking you though,” V glanced over to Judy with a smirk, “even with the whole diving business. I guess he was thalassophobic.”

“And we kinda proved him right with that eh,” Judy aired.

“Think it rubbed off on me too after that,” V tried to smile, but the thought of returning back to those depths made her palms feel clammy and cold. She could feel the familiar tightened around her throat return, like a phantom grip threatening to squeeze the life out of her. 

“Sorry if you had any plans to do some more diving with me,” V chuckled in a morbid laugh, “Guess I’ll have to stick to experiencing the BDs that you scroll, so I don’t have to feel the anxiety going out myself. For now, I guess.”

Judy brought V’s hand up to her lips and placed a lingering kiss, “You go at your own pace, V. Even if that means you never step foot in the water again, or even watch a BD. Don’t ever feel like you need to push yourself past your limits for me.”

“Yeah… thanks, Judy.” 

The silence returned once more as the tips of the sun’s rays began to clip over the horizon. The valley was basked in royal shades, a mixture of vibrant colors and long cast shadows. 

“It feels weird that he’s not poking around in my head anymore,” V said solemnly. 

“Was he always around or…?” Judy floated.

“I think so, to some extent. Even when I’d take my blockers I guess he’d still experience everything. Just… we wouldn’t be able to communicate.” 

V thought a moment before continuing, “I’m assuming it’s similar to the night I got this,” she waved around her tattooed arm, “little present from Johnny. The first time I gave him control of my body,” V’s voice turned icy. “I had to watch that trainwreck of a night unfurl before my eyes and have absolutely 0 control over it.” 

V sat still for a few moments. She had never really ever had the chance to vent out to anybody about Johnny, the good or the bad. Her entire life until recently was foot on the chooh, just trying to stay alive. No time for reflection.

“But,” V’s voice began to quiver, “I still think he was a good person. Underneath it all. Think in the end he recognized how badly he fucked up his old friendships, hell, even fucked it up with me.” 

“Aww did you fix the bad boy up?” Judy giggled.

V couldn’t hold back a smile and playfully elbowed Judy in the arm. “I guess it’s more that we rubbed off on each other, over time.” V looked over to Judy with a cheeky look, “And before you ask, no, I did not take on his delusions of grandeur. Did start smoking again though.”

“Guess you and me got that in common,” Judy replied with a single huff. 

V held the silence for a while, collecting her thoughts. “But I am glad we took out Mikoshi. Not just for Johnny, it was the right thing to do. And I have him to thank for getting me to come around.”

“I’ll mark your relationship as ‘It’s complicated’ eh?” Judy leaned her head on V’s shoulder. 

“I think,” V started, “when all of this is over… y’know, if we pump the brakes on me dying… I’d like to return to Night City and do a proper send off.” 

“Then I guess we better focus on not dying then,” Judy replied. 

The pair winced and squinted their eyes as the sun finally crested into the sky. Its radiance began to creep down their bodies and chase away the chills of the desert morning. Judy’s familiar hum was a welcome addition, and V leaned her cheek on Judy’s head and basked in the moment. She would make sure to cherish every single moment, because sooner or later, she knew she wouldn’t be able to. 

And then she heard that familiar voice ring through her head as if he never left, “Happy endings? Wrong city. Wrong people.”

Author’s Note: Chapter 3 is out on AO3 already. I’d post it here but I don’t want to spam this tag so I’ll post the tumblr link in a few days (when I remember). I’m not nearly as dutiful about posting to my tumblr as I will be with AO3 so if you want consistent updates, be sure to check there.

[songbird-wings]

These Bad Dreams Feel More Than True - A Clone Wars Fic

These Bad Dreams Feel More Than True - On AO3

Summary: After an alarming nightmare, a young Padawan needs some comfort.

There was something comforting about her quarters back on the Resolute. After days of sleeping outside on the dirt and rocks of the planet below, the thin cot and blanket felt like a dream to Ahsoka. She was exhausted. Her muscles burned and ached even as she took the simple step to climb into her bed. Raising her arm to place her saber under her pillow caused her to flinch as the muscles in her shoulder screamed, but once her head hit the pillow and her eyes fluttered shut, the pain and the soreness melted away. 

“Alright men, squadron A will take the south and squadron B and C will take the north and west. Ahsoka and I have the east. Is that clear?” Her Masters' familiar, commanding voice instructed the troops. 

“Yes sir!” Came a resounding response. She looked up and Rex who gave her a smile before putting on his helmet. 

“Good luck, kid.” He told her. She grinned back. But it felt wrong. Her face was...heavy.

“Come on Ahsoka, we have a lot of ground to cover.” Anakin called for her. She shook off the strange feeling and followed her Master.

“I’m coming!” She yelled back, but her voice was muffled, as if it were coming from the inside of her skull. But Anakin seemed to have heard her, so she kept moving on. The planet they were on seemed strange. She swears her and Anakin have walked in a circle about three times but somehow they still reach their destination. They stood side by side atop a cliff overlooking a Seperatist base. It was heavily guarded. Ahsoka tried to focus on the droid pattern but her vision was blurry. She rubbed her eyes, but the haze only intensified. 

“Master I-” 

“Stay low!” He interrupted her with a hushed warning. She felt his hand on her shoulder and he pushed her down just as a searchlight scanned their location. Still, Ahsoka's vision would not focus. She blinked rapidly and shook her head. 

“Snap out of it, snips.” He seemed to scold her. “Focus!” 

“I’m trying but- '' Then he was gone. She couldn’t see well, but she heard Anakin slide down the cliff and moments later, the smell of burning metal and blaster fire filled her senses. 

She had to follow him. Someone needed to watch his back. Through hazy vision Ahsoka felt her way to the edge of the cliff, and configured her feet in front of her in case she would lose the balance. Then, she pushed off. It wasn’t as steep as she was expecting, however it was still coated in large rocks and slick mud, her foot caught on the rocks and she felt her body tumble over itself all the way to the bottom of the cliff. She felt every twig, and every rock poke and bruise herself on the way down. 

She closed her eyes, only for a moment, trying to subside the pain. But, the sounds of blasters and the yells of the troops forced them open again. This time, the world was suddenly clearer, and she was standing up. Confusion rattled her mind as her eyes adjusted. Her hand held her lightsaber, glowing a vibrant green. Ahsoka looked around and saw she was inside the compound. The compound that was filled with droids. An alarm blared in her mind and she quickly turned and deflected the blaster aimed for her head, taking out the droid that fired it.  

“Ahsoka, get over here!” Anakin's voice instructed, somehow louder than the battle around her. He was nowhere insight. All she saw were the scraps of droids and the horrifying sight of her fallen soldiers. 

“Ahsoka!” His voice echoed, her eyes frantically scanned the battlefield for her Master, but a cloud of dust was forming from all the fighting and she felt as though she were going blind again. 

“Anakin!” She shouted back, dodging more enemy fire. The dust stung her eyes. There was her name again. “Anakin, where are you?” As loud as her Master's voice was, she seemed to only be whispering no matter how hard she yelled, now her throat ached. 

“Ahsoka!” Finally. She let out a breath of relief when he stepped into her view. The dust surrounded them, and she could only see Anakin, as the dust thickened. 

“Anakin, where were you-” The red light was too quick to stop. He didn’t deflect it in time. She couldn't move, she could only watch. The blast went through his chest. Through his armor. Through his heart. He stood still a moment after it hit him, Ahsoka trying all her might to move her now paralyzed legs. And then he fell onto his back, his lightsaber dropped from his hand and rolled away. Her legs finally moved.  

“No!” Ahsoka wailed. Her voice now louder than a whisper. Loud enough to have stopped the battle outside the plume of dust, everything around her seemed to fall silent. Except for the sounds of her footsteps as she sprinted over to Anakin's side. She slid in the dirt, scraping her knees. “Master!” She whimpered, grasping his hand and hovering the other hand over the wound. 

“A-Ahsoka…” His voice was weak and she could sense his pain. Ahsoka was filled with agony as she felt the tears, warm, fall on her cheeks. 

“I’m here Master. I’m here, Anakin.” She responded between sobs. The cloud of dust seemed to be closing in around her, darkening and looming. “Don’t go.” She cried squeezing his hand as tight as she could. “Please.” Then his hand became heavy in hers, and the cloud engulfed her, filling her throat, suffocating her until-

She sat up gasping for air and coughing out the particles which were not really there. Her hand was still clutching her neck as she tried to steady her heart. Adrenaline course through her body and there was only one thing she could think of to do. Ahsoka got to her feet, exited her room, walking quickly down the corridor past a few concerned troopers, and knocked on Anakin's door. There was no answer for a few moments and she contemplated just going back to bed to try and forget the whole dream...vision?

She waited still. He probably wasn’t even in his quarters. He was the general, he was busy with other important tasks. She should go. 

“Snips?” His door opened and Anakin was standing on the other side in his sleep tunic and trousers. His hair was slightly tossed and eyes squinted at the bright lights from the hallway. He was sleeping and she had woken him up. But seeing him, alive, sleepy but alive, was enough to ground Ahsoka. She let out a breath she’d been holding since she had woken up. 

“I’m sorry, I don’t need anything. I shouldn't have woken you up, I’m fine.” Ahsoka explained. The words cascading from her mouth before she even processed them. She wasn’t fine. The image of him and the shot were still present and fresh in her mind, and every time she spoke she expected the dust to choke her. But she had to tell him she was fine. “I’m heading back to bed.” She pointed down the corridor and spun on her heels. She only made it five steps before he called after her. 

“Ahsoka.” She stopped walking and looked behind her shoulder. He had stepped out of his quarters now. “Do you want to talk about your dream?” 

“How did you know?” She turned to face him now. He only motioned into his room. 

Anakin's room was larger than hers. As was expected for the general's quarters. He also had more clutter than her. A work table on the far left of the room was littered in scrapes and caused the room to smell faintly of engine oil. His robes and armor were discarded on the floor and she noticed his lightsaber, just as he’d taught her, was beneath his pillow. She watched as Anakin switched on a lamp hung on the wall above his cot. The light coated the room in a calming orange. Anakin sat at the top of his cot and patted the space next to him for Ahsoka to sit. Once next to him Anakin let out a sigh. 

“I’m no stranger to bad dreams myself.” He admits. “To answer your question of how I knew; I could sense it off of you.” She lowered her eyes. “So, what happened?” 

Ahsoka felt something catch in her throat and her eyes sting. She closed them again, an attempt to hold back the tears, but that only caused the vision of her Master dying to flash again before her.

 “You died!” She exclaimed, letting the tears finally escape. She felt so embarrassed. It was just a dream and here she was, literally crying about it to her Master. What would he think of her?

“Come here.” Anakin said gently and suddenly arms were around her and she was pulled close to his side. 

“You were there, and- and the blaster fire hit your chest, and I couldn't move or say anything and then the dust-” She rambled and only paused because her lungs ran out of breath. She wiped at her eyes and nose, clearing her face. “You must think I’m acting like a child.” She sniffled. A short laugh escaped from Anakin.

“You still are a child, Ahsoka.” That didn’t make her feel any better. “But I’m not judging you, if that’s what you’re worried about. It’s normal for padawans to have dreams or visions of such things.” He told her calmly.

“It is?” 

He nodded. “I had vivid dreams of Obi-Wan getting hurt or dying while I was a Padawan. It took me a while to get over them. You’re not the only one, Snips.” Anakin said looking down at her. 

“How did you get over them?” Ahsoka asked, she felt her breathing steady and the warmth from Anakin's hug calmed the excessive beating of her heart. 

“Well, I realized my fear of losing him was causing the dreams in the first place.” Anakin explained. “I began trusting my Master more, and I trained harder so I could prevent anything happening to him. Attachment is frowned upon, Ahsoka. But, trust is not.” That statement repeated in her mind. 

“I do trust you, Master.” Ahsoka yawned, looking up at Anakin. She could sense the fatigue radiating from him and she felt herself crashing from the loss of adrenaline as well. She slowly placed her head onto his shoulder, waiting for him to tell her to go back to her quarters, but he never did. Instead he shifted slightly and she felt the blanket be pulled around her as her eyes drooped and grew heavy. 

“I know you do, snips. But I’m not going anywhere.” She heard Anakin whisper seconds before she drifted off. 

<<<>>>

Obi-Wan knocked. One tap, two taps, three. He waited. Four taps, five. No answer. He knew Anakin was in there, he was probably over-sleeping after a long mission again. Obi-Wan opened the door to a warmly lit room. There was a small snore coming from the cot and Obi-Wan rolled his eyes, stepping inside. 

“Anakin I-” He freezes. There was the young one, nestled under Anakin's arm and laying next to him, sound asleep. Next to her, Obi-Wan's former apprentice snored softly, head leaning against the wall behind him, but deep in a slumber. A memory of years ago played in the Masters mind, of a young boy who would sneak into Obi-Wan’s quarters late at night and make a bed from his own pillows and blankets so he could sleep peacefully next to him. But, that was a long time ago. Now, that boy was a man and he had his own apprentice to comfort after a restless night.

Obi-Wan leaned down and pulled the corner of the blanket over Anakin's shoulder. He didn’t want him getting cold, as these large ships tend to make one feel. Reaching up he switched the lamp off and headed for the door. He turned and glanced at them once more before closing the door behind him. He wouldn’t wake them, not this time.

[neighborhoodmoonchild]

ᾰ̓γᾰ́πη - Pt. II

Pairing(s): Cursed!Seokjin x Reader

Genre(s): Fantasy Au, Fluff, Soulmate Au

Summary: “There’s a story whispered around here. One surrounding the beautifully carved statue of a man at the center of the town. Legend says that when the hand of his true love graces his palm, he shall wake from his cursed marbled slumber. It’s always been a silly old wives tale, until you give in to a friend’s dare.” (prompt idea from writing-prompt-s)

Warning(s): mild language

Word Count: 2.8k

Part I, Part 2, Part 3, ...

taglist: @best-space-boy​ @maryelixabeth @mochimaw​ @yeontanismypresident​ @hannahantonette17​ @ign-is​ @fanfuckingfic​ @koala-wonderland​ @suchgayaesthetic​ @dulcaet​

~ if you want to be added to the tag list for this fic, feel free to send me an ask! thank you💜

For the record, you’d never once been so thoroughly stupefied by anything the entirety of your existence. Not that much has ever happened before this...debacle, but still.

Lying on the ground, however, draped with a recently statue-turned-man as the faces of every person who’d openly mocked your beliefs sit painted with the same concoction of horrified wonder, it was safe to say, this was definitely a first.

It was like your mind was awake while your body lay paralyzed. Thought after thought, albeit incoherent, made rounds throughout your consciousness. Limbs splayed across the dirt, useless, like those of a rag doll.

Perhaps part of the initial stun could be blamed by the impact with which the body crashed into yours, as well as the force of hitting the ground.

Maybe, in your likely now-concussed state, you were not actually under a man who a mere moment ago was marble. It’s believable that this was all just some brain-trauma induced hallucination. You probably just tripped on your way to the statue and hit your head. Really, really hard.

That scenario could have very much been the one you decided to go with, that is, until the man started to lift himself up, just enough to look down at you.

Even if you didn’t want to lock eyes with the, admittedly, incredibly handsome man you found yourself in such a precarious situation with, it wasn’t like you had any other choice.

Space only big enough for a single breathe lay between you.

His eyes, a lovely dark, warm brown shade that gave you such an odd sense of security, studied your own.

This close, every detail of his face was on HD display for you, from the length of his lashes, the slope of his nose, to the curve and plushness of his lips. Horrifyingly enough for you, that meant every one of your flaws must be painfully on display for him as well. Look at you now, suddenly worried about how you looked to a once-inanimate object.

It was an oddly intimate moment, one that you weren’t quite sure you wanted to end before it had begun, or to continue forever, until the sun set and the stars shone and everything in-between. The way your head swam, thoughts torn between two opposing sides, a regular Capulet-Montague affair within, it was like losing sense of yourself.

There was no way this was really happening; that this man has come to life at your hand. However, you couldn’t deny the tangible evidence that is the vessel hovering over you now. Oh yeah, there’s a strange man on top of you...and everyone is watching.

Like a cadaver reanimated by a bolt of lightning, you shot away from the man, pushing yourself back on your butt and scooching like a child until you were satisfied with the distance between. Skin painfully alight with the burn of embarrassment, you didn’t dare look back into the eyes of your ‘soulmate’ just yet.

‘Soulmate,’ it’s like that very word incited an allergic reaction in which your body suddenly had the urge to convulse until whatever contents remained in your stomach were one with the earth.

Trying merely to catch your breathe, you almost didn’t register the warmth of a hand pressing firmly to your back.

“I, um, think we should take this somewhere more...private, perhaps?”

That voice, the slightly monotone, yet strangely comforting voice of the girl you both tolerated and treasured. The only one that treated you as an equal; an actual human being.

“Mira...” It sounded choked, weak, like saying her name was a laboring task you weren’t sure you could handle. Turning back to look at her, you could tell how horrified you must have looked based on her own expression.

If anyone knew what to do in this insane situation, it’d be her.

Rising to her feet, Mira took in the way your body curled in on itself, to shield you from the alarming situation of which you had no control over and no clue how to precede. It stung at a piece of her that had been buried deep down inside for a long time.

Strange, was all she could pen it as, but you are her companion here, and it was her duty to aid you in this, especially considering the circumstances.

———

The walk home was quiet. One on the outside might almost call it peaceful, tranquil, but it was none of the above.

After suggesting to take this to her home, Mira helped you and the stranger to your feet and broke up the little side-show that had gathered. The townspeople were a mixture of curious, horrified, and smug; seeing the girl they taunted get stuck in this situation was irony at its finest.

While there were plenty of broken hearts staggering their way back to their homes with heavy souls, no one could deny that this was fate, and whether they agreed with the outcome or not, it was not their place to question.

Many, however, did get a good laugh in when you had paced frantically around the circle created around you, practically begging people to take the man instead. It was pathetic, sad, pitiful, and it left all with a disturbing sense of pride.

‘Serves her right,’ they all thought, only speaking it aloud once they were sheltered within their own walls.

They weren’t wrong though, you did look and feel wholly pathetic. On the verge of tears, begging people you loathed to help you, and right in front of the poor, confused man who was at no more fault than you. It wasn’t your best moment.

Thus, the journey to Mira’s was awkward if anything. You strode a few paces ahead, mind foggy and emotions scattered like confetti. Mira made a comfortable wall between you and the man, who brought up the rear, taking in his surroundings with curiosity and a weird sense of familiarity.

Nobody dared say anything, not that there was much to talk about at the moment. Tensions were running high, and a calm, quiet, middle ground was needed before any successful conversations were to be had.

You couldn’t help the slight tears pricking at your lash line, threatening to spill over any second. It made you feel dumb, crying over something as if you were a child who didn’t get their way.

But the thought of spending the rest of your life otherworldly attached to a person you’ve never met before was terrifying. It has always been you on your own. You have enough struggles as it is. Oh, how mother will get a kick out of this.

Your mind wondered if she would even understand what was going on. She’d been in the home on the east side for a few years now, after the dementia got to be too much for you to deal with alone. She’s doing better there anyways, and it wasn’t like you weren’t unaccustomed to going it solo anyways.

Your head slowly swiveled back to catch a quick glimpse of the man behind you. He was swinging his head side to side, back and forth, taking in everything like a puppy. His clothes, now that you were looking, were very outdated, things you’d never seen before except in history books or century dramas on Netflix. He didn’t look real. Another irony, you guess.

Before you could turn back and focus on the road ahead of you, his eyes shot down to catch yours. He didn’t seem scared, upset, or even worried. In fact, he looked almost sympathetic. It probably had to do with the terrified expression you had a hard time fighting every time he caught your gaze. The heat crept up your neck quickly and you shot your head forward to get away from his stare.

Before you knew it, you were standing shoulder to shoulder with the man as Mira unlocked and swung her front door open. The porch creaked under your weight as you shifted to gain some space, the nervousness making you antsy and unable to stand still. He didn’t seem to notice you move away from him, but you weren’t about to look at him and check.

Once inside, you placed yourself in one of the large wicker dining chairs you occupied often during long debates with Mira over the years. Her house was quaint and quite charming. A decent size, especially for her living alone, and giving off a rustic, bohemian air that made it feel homey to even the most distant of strangers.

Speaking of strangers, it was an odd sight to say the least, watching the tall man cross the room stiffly, dropping down onto the velvet couch with a sigh. The humanness he possessed after being rock only a few hours ago was unsettling. You don’t know what you expected him to act like, but then again, any expectations were out the window and 100 miles downwind by now.

Considering how off-put you are by the whole thing, it both amazed and scared you how easy it was for your gaze to linger over him. What it was that pulled you to him, you couldn’t put your finger on- no, you didn’t want to put your finger on in fear of the implications. The longer you were in his presence, though, the more curious you became. And we all know how curiosity plays out, just ask the cat.

Again, as if you both really were connected in some fantastical way, his eyes instantly found yours. This time, however, the nervous heat that usually accompanied it vanished. Instead, locking eyes almost brought an innate sense of peace within you; comfort.

“So, would either of you like some tea?” Mira’s way of easing the awkward air quickly broke the two of you from...whatever that was, and it immediately threw you back on edge. Grabbing the edge of the chair till your knuckles paled, your voice took on a defensive tone.

“ I’d like to know what the hell is going on.” Laced with a sharp venom you weren’t even aware you were capable of, the statement immediately caught all attentions, air increasing in its thickness instead of dissipating like Mira had hoped.

You couldn’t bring yourself to look back at the man, so instead you focused all of your negative energy, unfairly, on Mira. Her face twisted into an uncomfortable grimace as she thought of the best way to talk you down from your growing agitation, but before she could speak, a light chuckle wafted through the tiny room.

That snapped both of your heads towards Mr. post-statue.

Even with both of your uncomfortable gazes, he didn’t seem affected. It wasn’t like he couldn’t read the room, or understand the gravity of the situation. It was more like he had this innate sense of optimism; that everything was going to work out and he just didn’t see the point in getting so serious.

“I think it’s pretty obvious what’s going on.” You wouldn’t say you were surprised by the soft, honey-tone of his voice, or that you were entranced by it, but if you were to deny, you’d be utterly lying to yourself.

Maybe there was more to this soulmate thing than just waking him up and living ‘happily ever after’. Was it possible there were physical and psychological changes that came along with it? It doesn’t seem too far fetched considering the events that have taken place today. At this point, anything could happen and you wouldn’t be any more surprised. Maybe it’s the shock talking.

“What?” Once you said it, you want to take it back. God, could you sound any dumber? The first thing you say directly to him, and it’s an idiotic reiteration that makes you sound like you can’t infer from context clues and common-freaking-sense what he means.

A quick urge to bury yourself somewhere far away from here shoots through your being, but it’s not a look of disdain that you are met with, but a sweet, soft, smile. It’s not that he seems to pity you in any way, but that somehow knows exactly what you’re feeling without you having to say it. Although, now that you’ve realized it, that small sense of fright wiggles in the back of your mind. A stranger should not be able to read you as easily as he is.

“If I’m awake, it means the spell is broken.”

You stare at him as his face lights up, as if remembering something wonderful; a long lost memory just now recalled.

Suddenly, he bolts up, coming straight for you. Despite your heart protesting, your body starts, pushing yourself as far against the chair and curling tight to protect yourself. As you flinch, your eyes shut and you suck a quick breath in. Like being charged by a fearsome beast, you react in such a way that you don’t even have to open your eyes to know the affect.

The footsteps stop instantly, and when you do open your eyes, you see the man frozen in place, face paled and arms limp at his sides. He was only a few feet away, but even when he shortened the distance between you, he suddenly felt further away now than before.

The guilt of reacting in such a way was a feeling you weren’t accustomed to, and you couldn’t lie that you felt worse after seeing the pained expression on his face.

He slowly backed his way back to the couch, lowering down onto it while avoiding your gaze. Strange how quickly it went from you avoiding his, to him avoiding yours.

“I’m sorry...I know...I know how scary this must be, and I shouldn’t have gotten so excited,” he started, voice low and cautious, like he was afraid to scare you again. Seeing the hurt in his eyes and hearing the strain in his voice affected you more than it should.

Carefully, your body returned to its original position, unfurling to show him that you weren’t afraid of him. You don’t know why it was suddenly so important for you to assure him but it was a natural reaction you didn’t think twice about.

Brown eyes once again catching your own, you tried your best to give him an apathetic smile, something to rid his beautiful features of that sorrow you inadvertently caused. When his eyes shone with a newly-gained light as the corner of his mouth upturned the slightest bit to return your gesture, you knew that no matter the insanity of this situation, you’d probably do just about anything to keep that smile on his face.

“I just never thought this would happen.” A slight pink hue rises to the apples of his cheeks and it takes a strong part of you to hold yourself together and not swoon at how adorable he looked.

“That what would happen?” Mira speaks up and reminds you that you are, in fact, not alone and you recompose yourself.

The man clears his throat and despite the increasing blush on his cheeks, he manages to look from Mira back to you, bringing his hand up to scratch the back of his neck.

“That my soulmate would find me.” This time it’s you whose blushing, the heat creeping up and spreading to every part of your body. The implications of being a soulmate, let alone to someone you don’t know, made the uneasiness resurface. Even though you felt a growing warmth for this random man, you weren’t about to throw your inhibitions out the window all for the sake of being ‘soulmates.’

As cliché-fairy-tale-garbage as this whole thing seems, you weren’t some dim-witted damsel who’d fall for a man she just met.

“Maybe you should start with introductions, stave off the soulmate thing for a moment.” Mira sends you an understanding smile, knowing that you’d lack the frame of mind to conduct this conversation without her assistance.

A breath you hadn’t known you’d been holding escapes your lips in a relieved sigh. Turning back to the man, you muster up enough courage to rise from your seat, cross the wooden floor, and stop before him. Shaking slightly, your right hand reaches out to rest midair in front of him, fingers open and waiting.

“I’m Y/N.”

He looks at your fingers, then up at you, then fingers again. Slowly, his hand approaches yours, gliding softly against the pads of your fingertips before lightly grasping your hand in his. Before you can signal your arm to start a shaking motion, he brings your hand towards him and delicately places a soft kiss to the skin of your knuckles. You can feel his lips curl into a smile against your skin, and suddenly it feels like the Sahara desert in the sweltering summer months.

“My name is Seokjin. It’s nice to finally meet you, Y/N.”

To Be Continued...

_________________________________________________________________

A.N., 

 This part is more-so an establishing piece. I know not much goes on plot-wise, but I needed to develop the dynamic before any of the juicy bits can happen. I hope you all understand and like this newest edition to the story. I originally planned this to be a 3 part series, but there will definitely be more than 3 parts, oops. I hope you all stick around for the ride, and thank you for all the love and support!💜

-Moonie🌙