#(but that's only possible if I'm doing it WITHOUT borrowing from the rest of the week's mental energy)

[ckret2]

hey what the fuck

I have 7000/8000 word days from time to time; but usually that's an all day marathon, "I'm so inspired I'm staying up til 3 am," mentally drained the next 4 days.

Today it's not even my bedtime; i'm feeling chill and reasonably energetic for 10 pm; no signs of the Hyperfocus Hangover headache brewing; well fed and hydrated; and it came so easily and effortlessly that if you'd asked me how much I wrote today I'd have said "idk like 3k?"

The real test of how much energy I spent will be seeing whether I'm a braindead zombie tomorrow; but right now, I'm not getting any of the usual "you've written too close to the sun" warning symptoms.

Which god's favor have I unknowingly earned. Which muse has bestowed her blessings upon my work. Does she accept roses and chocolates. Is she single. Is she free tomorrow

is this the spirit of nanowrimo

[gracieheartspedro]

Somewhere With You

Part 4 of How Long

pairing: f!reader x brother-in-law!joel miller

FIND Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 HERE!!

description: sleeping with your exes brother is one thing, but envisioning a whole life with him? that's a dangerous game. but you did it. now you're here, and tommy is fucking pissed.

word count: 5.3k

warnings: MINORS DNI! this is 18+, pre!outbreak joel, there is smut in this part!! fear of being caught by sarah?, unprotected p in v, oral sex (f receiving), joel is a CONSENT KING, dirty talk, overstimulation, titty fucking (yw caly), light violence, tommy is literally evil.

author's note: jesus christ i'm so glad I am finally here with this. I feel like finishing this is my greatest success in life lmao. I will probably continue this series but this is the last part for a while. I appreciate everyone's love on it and I can't wait to get more stuff out to y'all!

“Are we going to have a celebration when we get home?”

Joel laughs, “Yeah, we can. What did you wanna do?”

You just listen to Sarah list off all the possible ways to celebrate winning the tournament. The movies, going to the mall for new jeans, going to the local ice cream parlor every night of the week. Joel shakes his head at that one as he turns the truck onto the highway. You have your knees up to your chest, the zip up Joel let you borrow hanging off your shoulders. You had complained about how cold you were all weekend, so Joel shut you up by tossing you his zip up. You haven’t taken it off since. 

The sun was setting over the horizon, drawing the Sunday to a close. You had to work in the morning and you were dreading concluding the weekend you spent with Joel and Sarah. 

Everything with them seems natural. It felt like family. 

You did not want to face tomorrow, especially when there was no set plans as to when you would be hanging out with them again. 

Luckily, Sarah has not mentioned much of anything about what she saw early Saturday morning, so there was no awkward tension. The only time it came up was when you all were tired from Saturday’s events and you arrived back to the hotel room.

“You two sleeping together tonight, too?” She asked, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. She wasn’t even trying to be rude or demeaning, she just wanted to know if she could fall asleep in one of the beds without being stirred. 

“Yeah, you can have that bed hun.” Joel answered. 

Sitting on those horribly uncomfortable bleachers and cheering Sarah on had taken a lot out of you, so you were ready to throw yourself into the plush mattress, too. 

You watched Sarah throw herself onto of the comforter, sinking into the pillows face first. It makes you giggle while you grab your pajamas to change. 

Joel nudges you while you dig through your duffle, “No funny business tonight, ma’am.” 

You shake your head, his comment making your stomach turn upside down with nerves. You smack his chest with the back of your hand, “No duh, asshole.”

Sarah puts her headphones on, drowning out Joel’s humming to an old country song. You just stare ahead, watching him speed pass car after car. His truck revs every time he does it which makes you clench your knees a bit tighter. 

“In a rush, dear?”

The nickname makes his heart race.

He taps his fingers, trying to act like that nickname doesn’t drive him insane. “Want to make sure to get you home so you can be rested up for work in the morning.”

“That’s mighty sweet of you, but take your time. I’m in no rush.”

He eases off the gas a bit, taking your advice. 

“You talk to your Mama lately? She still likin’ Maine?” 

It wasn’t a question you were expecting coming from Joel. You had told him about your mom around the time that she moved away, however long ago that was. You truly didn’t expect him to even remember.

“We talk every week, she likes it there. Wants me to come experience a winter there, so I may go up for Christmas,” You explain, remembering back to conversation you two just had last week. She wanted you to feel what fluffy snow felt like and maybe go skiing with her. 

It makes Joel’s heart sink a bit. Not because you would be visiting your mother, but instead you would not be here to spend Christmas with him and Sarah. He had already planned on making a spot for you at the dining table. 

“That’d be nice,” He licks his lips, contemplating if he should say what he really wants to say, “‘M bettin’ she misses seein’ your beautiful face everyday.”

You smile, your cheeks burning hot at Joel calling you beautiful. You knew you had to throw him off and give him a sarcastic response to keep him on his toes.

“Gonna freeze my ass off there. May have to borrow some of your flannels.”

He chuckles, tilting his head towards you, “You already havta’ have about four of my t-shirts, now that hoodie. You wanna raid me some more?”

“If I’m remembering correctly, you said I just had to “get with you” to get clothes,” You’re whispering, leaning into him. You don’t want Sarah to hear the words you’re speaking to her father, “How many times do we need to go at it before I get one of those denim jackets you own?”

He peers over at you. You smirk, quirking one eyebrow up.

“You with me to get my clothes or somethin’?”

“That and other things,” You tease, pulling away, leaning your back against the seat again. 

Joel peers into the rear view mirror. Sarah is asleep, her headphones blasting her favorite pop album. He tilts his head towards you, his eyes not leaving the road, “You’ll havta remind me of those other things when we get home.”

He could get used to always having you in his passenger seat. 

-

Sarah was dead asleep in the backseat, so you both decided to get all the stuff from the back inside before nudging her awake. You quietly shut the door, grabbing Joel’s one bag from the driveway and slinging it over your shoulder. 

You follow close behind him as he unlocks the front door and places Sarah’s stuff on the staircase. 

The idea of having to leave made you want to scream. You didn’t feel like driving home and laying lonely in your own bed. You didn’t want to resume your boring life at work. You just wanted him. 

This weekend made you realize that you really couldn’t live without him. You’re not only comfortable around him, but he’s exciting. He cracks jokes and compliments you when you don’t expect it. Those couple of months without him were still months he was plaguing your mind, even though he wasn’t physically around you. 

You snap out of your thoughts quickly. You start watching Joel’s muscles restrict over his gray t-shirt and it’s enough to send you to your knees. You didn’t even realize how crazy he was driving you. His messy curls that were trapped under a hat most of the weekend are finally loose and curling up his neck. And the way his jeans hugged his ass while he walked away from you? You didn’t know how long to could refrain from telling him you needed him, right this second. 

“I may call out tomorrow. Too tired to sit on my computer all day and run reports,” You say while he wonders back to you from his bedroom down the hall. You’re hoping it leads to an offer.  

He nods, tossing his keys on the entry table next to you,“Yeah, I am off tomorrow. Have to get this house in order and make sure Sarah actually wakes up for school in the morning.”

No offer. Maybe you could propose it?

“Maybe I could just spend the night.”

The air is thick instantly with tension. You can hear the hitch in his throat. Once you say it, you realize how desperate you must sound. But you want to be able to lay next to him again. You want and need him. 

“If that’s what you wanna do, sweetheart. I don’t mind none. Love havin’ you here.”

He grabs your waist lazily, pulling you into his chest. The connection sends chills down your arms. 

“Are you sure? I don’t want to you to think I’m being needy.”

He doesn’t even hesitate, he just bows his head to capture your lips with his, giving you a slow sensual kiss. You move your hands up to his neck, pulling him down further into you, eager to be close to him. 

When he realizes that’s where it’s going, he pulls up for air. 

“Lemme go get the last couple bags and get Sarah inside.”

As he says that, the door flings open behind you. A sleepy Sarah blinks at both of you, shaking her head instantly when she sees her Dad’s arms wrapped around you. You push back, flinging yourself backwards and away from Joel. 

“Can you lovebirds do that somewhere else,” She groans, while rubbing her eyes, “Don’t need another sibling created right in front of m-”

“Sarah Jane!”

-

You smile when Joel drops onto his mattress with a huff. 

“So…” You drift off, crawling onto Joel’s lap, “You come here often?”

He chuckles, his hands beginning to trail your waist.

“Come here quite often, actually,” He jokes, his hands resting right under your shirt and on your hips. “How about you?”

You hum, “Not really. Maybe a couple times. Would love to come around, more though.”

“That so?”

You lean down, using your fingers to pull back his brown locks and pivot his head upward. You kiss him gingerly, smiling at his small groan.

You pull away, “I’d love to come to your bed every night, Joel Miller.”

The guttural moan he makes sends a rush to your core. He grabs the nape of your neck and brings you back down to his lips. He takes control of your movements, switching positions by gently laying you back. He leans over your body, his lips carrying the weight of his emotion. You’re scrambling though, tugging at his shirt, trying to rid it off his body. He pulls away to throw it off his body, motioning you to do the same. Soon, you two are completely naked.

“I never get sick of this view,” He rasps, his eyes raking your body. 

You smirk, “Back atcha, babe.”

He positions himself on top of you, his lips lingering on your neck and collarbones. 

Joel’s kisses are always intentional. It’s like he knows every pressure point on your body. His lips are always wet and supple, dragging across your soft skin. 

When his mouth reaches the skin around your breast, you start to arch up for more contact. He grabs your stomach, pushing it softly down onto the bed. 

“Patience, baby,” He mumbles, kissing the same area on the other breast. You jerk up again, absentmindedly.

“Can’t help it,” You whine, trying not to sound so desperate. 

He clicks his tongue, “You can and you will.”

His lips wrap around your nipple and you just watch with hooded lids. His eyes are closed, so focus on teasing every inch of your body. You can feel the slick pool between your legs at the sight. 

“Joel, please.”

He releases the pink nub, “What, baby? Use those words.”

“I want you all over, Joel.”

“Yeah? Where? Here?” 

He grabs your breast roughly, making you mewl. 

You finally gesture down. Your hand slides between your legs, dragging up and down your own slit. You gather as much slick as you can, bringing it up to Joel’s surprised expression. 

“I see…” He brings your fingers up to his lips. You gape at his next actions, amazed that he’s so filthy. He takes your two fingers and licks them like a popsicle. You audible sigh as he sucks on your fingers like a man starved. 

“You goin’ to be extra good for me?” He asks when your digits escape his mouth. 

“Always am.”

Your voice is shaky when you say it. It makes Joel smirk. He loves when you sound ruined.

“Love hearing those words come out of your pretty little mouth.”

He crawls down your body, peppering kisses from your stomach down to your thighs. You watch him closely as he props your thighs over his shoulders. He does not waste time, diving straight into your divine center. You try to refrain from screaming his name, knowing Sarah may not be asleep yet. You clap your hand over your mouth while he licks your sensitive clit. He lays his tongue flat, pressing into you as he shakes his head back and forth. When he does that, you yelp into your palm. 

“Mmm, baby girl wants to be loud so bad,” He chuckles darkly, using his fingers to spread your lips, “You wanna be loud for me huh?”

“Yes, please, God,” You pant, “Need you in me, Joel.”

“Yeah? Lets stretch you out a bit,” He doesn’t even give any warning when he sinks his fingers inside your pussy. “Gotta make sure you’re nice and ready, baby girl. Want you to cum before I stick this cock in ya.”

You swallow, letting him take the lead like usual. You liked it this way, when he ravishes you with his abilities and you get to cum several times. You never had sex like this in your life, especially consistently. 

His fingers curl inside you, pumping in and out. You can hear how wet you are, the wetness sequelching against Joel’s fingers. Your pussy is graced with his tongue again while he fucks you with his digits. It’s like it’s pulled out of you. The orgasm sends white hot flashes to your vision. You know you’re saying something, but it’s no word in the English language. 

When you come back down from euphoria, Joel’s ontop of you again. He’s kissing your cheeks, mumbling something about how beautiful you are when you cum. 

“Joel, please,” Your hands grab onto his biceps, “Want you inside me.”

His cock drags along your navel, as he situates himself between your legs. 

“Yeah? Always so eager,” He grabs his cock with his free hand, “Wanna try something a little different?”

Your stomach drops, “Like what?”

He toys with your nipple with his pointer and thumb, “Always wanted to fuck these.”

You smirk at the thought, your stomach finally at ease.

“You want to fuck my titties, Joel?”

“If you’ll let me,” He squeezes your boob gently, “Think these things are perfect. Want my cock right between them.”

You nod, “Fuck ‘em then, baby.”

He pulls you up, practically shoving you on the ground beside his bed. He wasn’t being aggressive, just guiding you to follow his lead. You sit on your knees, watching up at him as he pumps his cock over you. You use both hands to push your tits together. He grins as he touches the head of his cock to your hard nipples. 

“So good for me,” He groans, slipping his cock between your cleavage, “Obeyin’ me and doin’ everythin’ I want. My fuckin’ dream girl.”

He starts to fuck your squeezed together tits as you stare up at him with a completely spent expression. You dribble some spit down between the break in your breast to lube up the area. Your pupils are blown and you feel the wetness of you slit soaking the skin of your legs. You can tell by the look on Joel’s face that he could cum at the sight of you. 

But he stops and instead, grabs your bicep and tosses you back on the bed. You watch him crawl up between your legs, his face untamed and filled with anticipation. 

“Need to cum in that pussy,” He pumps it a couple times before slipping in between your pussy lips, “Do you need me to put on a condom or anything? I don’t have to fuck you raw every time.”

You bite your lip, “I like feeling every part of you, Joel. I promise.”

“Mmm,” He hums, sinking his cock head inside you, “Love to hear that, baby.”

You circle your hips, practically fiening for him to sink all the way into you. He takes the hint, plunging into you with one snap. Once he’s finally sheathed in you, you groan out which only instigates him. He draws out and back in, his pace painstakingly slow. You grip onto his forearms, digging your nails into them. Maybe he will take the hint that you need it faster. 

But, no.

“Words, darlin’. Tell me what you need.”

You choke out the words, “Faster. Harder.”

He kisses your lips, shushing you as his tempo picks up. He wants to feel the vibrations of your moans. He knows if you’re too loud there may be listening ears, so kissing you will hush the sounds of pleasure. He sits up and repositions, grabbing the back of both of your legs, practically folding you in half. You smirk in delight, watching his furrowed expression focus on your body’s reactions. 

“This pussy is mine,” He huffs, watching himself plow into you, “All fuckin’ mine. Ya know that?”

“Yes,” You manage to peep out, “It’s yours, Joel.”

“Jesus fuckin’ Christ,” He spreads your legs, opening you up nice and wide. His thumb finds your responsive clit, circling it with the momentum of his hips, “Cum for me, baby. Soak this fuckin’ cock.”

Your body reacts in the way he finds so satisfying. Your hips lift up as the climax takes over, your whole body shaking at the ecstasy he brings you. He doesn’t let up, chasing his own bliss. You are so overstimulated, you are just gasping for air. He starts to falter, his pace slowing as he coats your insides with his cum. 

You start to chuckle when his body practically collapses onto you. His sweaty curls stick to your perspiring cheek. You find yourself kissing his temple, practically thanking him for fucking you so good every time.

He stands up, his half-hard dick slipping out of you pain-stakingly slow. You whimper at the feeling, still a mess from your orgasm. 

“God, you are perfect,” He mumbles, his hand slipping down your bare thigh, “Could fuck you every day for the rest of my life.”

You are still awestruck by the interaction, you don’t even know you’re saying it, “Why don’t you?”

He smiles while he helps you sit up, “I will. Now let’s get you all showered and ready for bed, huh?”

“Yes, please.”

-

Luckily for you, your body naturally wakes up at 5:30AM. You creep out of the bedroom, making sure not to stir Joel awake. You find the house phone and call your boss, letting her know you were “sick” and needed to use a sick day. She just mumbled a “whatever” and you hung up, heading back to the warmth of Joel’s bed. 

Joel wakes up as soon as you crawl back into bed, but he knew he had to get up and make sure Sarah got ready and off to school, anway. He cuddles you for a bit, watching you nod back off to sleep. He let you sleep in while he cleaned up the house a bit. He tries his best not to much too much noise, not wanting to rattle you awake. 

You did wake back up when you heard the vacuum. You pull yourself together, putting your hair up into a bun as you stumble out of the bedroom. Joel stands in the living room, not even aware you’re behind him. He jumps when he notices you in the threshold, turning off the vacuum. 

“Mornin’ sleepin’ beauty,” He laughs as he wraps up the vacuum cord. 

“Mornin’ handsome.”

You watch him roll the machine back into the hall closet before taking note to how nice and clean the house looked. 

“Looks good in here,” You mumble, noting how every surface looks dusted, “It’s missing one thing. You have a vase?”

He silently nods, looking at you confused.

“Go fill it with water, I’ll be back.”

You walk towards the front door, swinging it open as you begin tip toeing to Joel’s side garden. He had started it with Sarah years ago, and for the most part, it was completely overgrown. Some flowers still bloom in the Texas sun, so you pick the prettiest from the dirt. Once you have a bundle, you practically jog inside to show Joel your bouquet. 

“Hmm,” He smirks, “Didn’t think we needed flowers.”

“Well, you do.”

He shows you the vase on the coffee table, letting you take on the responsibility to make it pretty. He watches you carefully, your tired eyes trained on the task. 

You were his dream girl, truly.

Once you’re satisfied with your arrangement, you make a grand gesture. 

“Beautiful, baby,” He beams, wrapping his arms around your waist. He drops down onto the couch, pulling you into his lap. 

“Who me or the flowers?” You joke.

“Both.”

You give him a lazy kiss, smirking into it. 

This part of life with Joel is so domestic and perfect. You two could create this little world and live in it forever. He appreciated your silly antics, knowing how neglected this side of you must have been with Tommy. He didn’t care about the small gestures like Joel did. 

It was so reassuring being with Joel. He praised you like you had never been before. 

As you pull away from his lips, you hear a door slam outside. Before you could even react, the front door swings open into the house. You sit on Joel’s lap, turned away from the front door, completely dumbfounded.

“What is going on here?”

His voice scares you. You don’t even want to turn around in Joel’s lap to face him. Joel slowly helps you out of his lap, his eyes never leaving Tommy’s. 

When you finally turn to face Tommy, his eyes are wild and bright red. He looks like he hasn’t showered in days, his longer hair greasy and standing in all sorts of directions. It’s not his appearance that scares you, it’s the energy he’s brought into Joel’s living room. It’s the same scary tension you experienced when he lashed out on you before. 

Joel finally speaks up, clearing his throat. “What do you mean?”

But Tommy isn’t talking to Joel. He’s looking at you. 

“Are you fuckin’ my brother?”

He’s pointing at you, his finger waving at you like an adult who’s scolding a child. You open your mouth, but you can’t say anything. Your throat is dry, the shock and terror taking ahold of your vocal chords. 

“Tommy, we aren’t doing this.”

Joel puts himself in between Tommy and you, ensuring he doesn’t creep closer to you. You want to believe Tommy would never get physical with you, but the way he looks now, you’re not one hundred percent positive. 

“That’s not what I fuckin’ asking, Joel. Are you two sleepin’ together?” 

His voice is booming, bouncing off every corner of the room. It makes you shrink three sizes. 

Joel places his head up, warning him silently not to get any closer, “Tommy-”

“Answer the fuckin’ question!”

You want to curl into a ball. You knew this would fucking happen. You knew he’d go insane. 

You look at Joel finally. You realize your eyes were trained on Tommy in terror, unsure on how to console him. Joel licks his lips, rolling his eyes a bit. You just nod, trying to answer Tommy’s question without saying anything. You didn’t want him to realize how shaky your voice was. 

Once he gets confirmation, all hell breaks loose. He’s pushing on Joel with his chest, screaming expletives at him. You stand in the corner of the living room, your body practically wedged between a lamp and the couch. You want to become one of the dustbunnies on the floor boards, not wanting to be apart of this situation.

“You’re a fuckin’ asshole! You fucked my girl-“

Before he can even finish the statement, Joel becomes a brick wall. He’s staring down at Tommy now, all the while snot is running down at his little brother’s face. He looked pathetic. As he nudges Joel’s chest, he hardly moves a milimeter. Joel doesn’t even hesitate when he says the next words. 

“Not your girl.”

You truly cannot believe the words coming out of Joel’s mouth. You knew what he was insinuating and it brought chills up your back. Tommy’s movements completely halt and he stands there in a stunned silence. Joel’s jaw is slack, his eyes trained down at Tommy. It’s a stand-off. 

Tommy crooks his head to the side, like he’s stretching it. “You want to pull that shit now, Joel? I knew you wanted my sloppy seconds the moment you told me she was at your house that night.”

Being referred as “sloppy seconds” makes your blood boil. It’s so dehumanizing. 

“Stop talking about her like that,” Joel warns, his voice a whole octave lower. 

“No,” Tommy growls, his gaze finally falling on you again, “You’re a whore. Just like your stupid sister.”

You swallow hard. It’s finally your moment to shine. The burst of adrenaline chorusing through your veins finally propels you forward, pushing Joel out of your way. 

“You’re the town whore, Tommy Miller. You fucked your way around Austin and then came home to me every night,” You are shaking. Luckily, your voice isn’t wavering, “You lie. You cheat. You are a decietiful little shit. And I’m so glad you are because if you hadn’t slept with my sister and told me, I would have never realized how terrible you were to me all these years. I wasted so much time on babying you.”

The vein in his forehead is bulging and it makes you smile a bit. 

“If I could go back in time, I would’ve saved my fucking tears and ran the other direction.”

He has the audacity to giggle, “Instead you ran right into Joel’s arms.”

You don’t hesitate, “You never gave a damn about me, he actually did. I should’ve taken the hint the moment he brought me flowers for my graduation, and you showed up with a flask.”

“You graduated college! Big fuckin’ deal! Get over yourself!”

Now you’re laughing. 

“Bite me, Tommy,” You reach out and grab his t-shirt, pulling him into you. It makes Joel super nervous how close he is to you. He knows Tommy’s temper and how easily he will snap. He doesn’t know the next words about to come out of your mouth. 

“You cheated on me, you fucking loser. I told you then we were done that night, did I not? What I did after that point is not your business. I’m not yours anymore. And your brother, he treats me real good. Way better than you ever did. He can actually last, unlike you,” You smack your lips together, “He can fuck me better than you, that’s for sure.”

Joel’s eyes widen at the words. Tommy looks completely dazed, but as soon as the last line leaves your mouth, he pushes you backward, right into Joel. You squeak at the contact, your brain registering that he actually put his hands on you. Joel quickly grabs you from tripping over him, and places you behind him quickly. Tommy reaches out for you, but Joel stops him meer inches from your face. 

“Fuck you!”

Tommy tries to throw his hand at Joel’s head next but it’s quickly stopped by Joel’s forearm. Instead of Tommy continuing the fight with you two, he takes it out on the new flowers and vase you just put out on Joel’s coffee table. He uses all his force, grabbing the vase and launching it towards the wall. The glasses shatters, water splashes on the wall, and pieces of flowers litter the floor. 

The action sends Joel pushing Tommy backward and against the wall. You want to yell out for them to stop, but all that comes out his Joel’s name. 

When he pins Tommy to the wall, he finally turns to you. 

“Don’t.”

It’s the only word you can say. You’re shaking, your eyes welling with tears. Joel knows you don’t want to see him demolish Tommy with his fists, so he thinks quick. He grabs Tommy’s collar, dragging him out the front door. 

You follow far behind, not sure what Joel’s gameplan is. 

Tommy is yelling, telling Joel to unhand him. Joel just tightens his grip. 

“Coming into my house, talking to my girl like that. Fuckin’ disrespectful little shit.”

“Fuck you, Joel,” Tommy yells, his voice probably waking the neighbors. Joel launches Tommy’s body into the front yard, right near the flower bed. You watch from the doorway, wanting to keep your distance from the confrontation. 

“Remember when you had temper tantrums when Momma told you no as a boy? Nothings changed. You’re an immature little brat.”

Joel reaches down into the flower bed, grabbing the hose. Tommy is still on the ground, scrambling to get up. Joel does something so unexpected, it makes you yelp. He starts soaking Tommy with the hose. 

“Yeah, like the girl said before,” He aims towards Tommy’s face, “bite me.”

Tommy starts to spit up water, jumping up and away from the stream of water. Instead of tackling Joel like you anticipate, he just shakingly wipes his hair out of his eyes. 

“You two are sick. Fuckin’ sick. And everyone will know about this.”

It makes your heart sink to your stomach. You don’t really care if anyone knows anymore. You knew this was going to be the worst part, but its the way he makes it sound like a threat. 

“I bet they will, I just don’t give a damn.”

Joel sprays him while he stands up, making Tommy groan and yell out in annoyance. Joel just smiles, sickly. 

Tommy storms off to his truck, dripping wet from the shower Joel just gave him on his front lawn. Joel tosses the hose back into the garden, satisfied with his work. You two stand there, watching Tommy do a burn out and speed off down the road. You breathe out loud, your hands finding your face. Joel glances between his neighbour’s houses, ensuring there is no one outside watching the events unfold. He did not care if they did watch, but he knew you would probably care. 

He grabs ahold of your shoulders, guiding you back inside the house. Your eyes instantly fall on all the shattered glass and flowers as you walk inside. Joel ignores it and brings you into the kitchen. 

Your mind is racing. You knew every word you said to Tommy was right deep down. But the girl you were, she wouldn’t have instigated his rage. She would’ve sat there and took every word he said to heart and believed them. 

But the girl you are now, that girl is completely ruthless. You are petty. You are harsh. You are angry. 

You kind of scared yourself. 

“Joel-”

“No baby,” he mutters, “You better not say what I think you’re gonna say.”

“Joel, we can’t d-”

“We can. Because fuck Tommy. Fuck everyone,” He grabs your hips, letting his hands settle softly on your curves, “I want you. I want you so bad. I am not lettin’ you get away. Tommy can tell everyone in the fuckin’ world about us, and I won’t fuckin’ care. What he says doesn’t reflect you. You did nothin’ wrong. Okay?”

You swallow. You know he’s right, but you’re so scared of all this fallout. You don’t want it to scare you away from Joel, but it’s nervewracking to wait around and anticipate all of the chaos that will follow this incident. You did not want to tear apart a family. It’s the same feeling you had the morning after you first slept with Joel.

You’re scared to have him because of what it means for him. It means weird holidays and weird stares at grocery stores. It means you will be known as his brother’s ex girlfriend never just his girl. 

You don’t realize it, but you’re staring past Joel. He tilts your head towards him, making your eyes connect. 

“I love you, okay?”

His words make your heart flutter with relief. Maybe that’s what you needed. You needed him to finally say those words. Because those words were hanging in the back of your mind, simmering, waiting to be said.

“I love you, too, Joel.”

[ezwezz]

HI HELLO could i request something for fem reader x yunjin being in their own world in a group vlive and fans going insane over it tysm 😋😋

yes of course, that's an adorable idea!! thank you for the ask :)

in plain sight

pairing: huh yunjin x f!reader genre: fluff, with pervading undertones of author's dumb humour words: 1.1K

"hello everyone, we are le sserafim!" the 6 of you announced in unison, waving towards the camera that was propped up to reveal the hybe lounge where you gathered comfortably.

woohoo!! no le sserafim no life hi guys :) i love you!!!!! can you say hi to me??

"hey everyone! so in honour of our new album, today we're going to do a Q&A! send us questions relating to it and we'll try to answer as many as possible!" chaewon explained, kneeled directly in front of the camera, whilst the rest of you nodded enthusiastically.

you and yunjin were settled on the couch, half-slouched against each other as you shared the blanket over your legs. eunchae sat beside you with a packet of chips that was occasionally distributed around the group.

while the other four girls addressed the viewers, amassing questions to answer, you noticed yunjin was strangely quiet. upon checking her expression, you could tell that she was zoned out as she leant against you, her head lolling to the side and nearly resting against your own. you smiled to yourself while gazing at the clueless beauty, wondering what could be occupying her mind. after a moment, eunchae acknowledged the silence beside her then let out a giggle when calculating the scene.

"aww look at how y/n is admiring yunjin! so adorable!" your face instantly flushed and yunjin was snapped out of her trance, her eyes flicking up to meet yours causing her cheeks to match the red tint of your own.

"eunchae!" you remarked, hiding your face in your hands as the girl continued to giggle.

this is why eunchae is best maknae hahah poor y/n yunjin doesn't know what to say LMAO

however, it didn't take long for yunjin to regain her composure as her surprised blush was soon replaced with a shit-eating smirk.

"well, y/n clearly has an eye for beauty." she leant closer to tease you, wrapping her arms around your torso and attempting to make eye contact which you profusely refused.

"go away yunjin." you mumbled, lifting your head to grab a chip from euchae before raising it to yunjin's mouth. she allowed you to feed it to her and shut up for a few seconds as she chewed, still chuckling.

the live resumed its pace once the other girls were done expressing their fondness towards you and yunjin as a pair, managing to steer the narrative away from romance and instead into just a close friendship, which you were grateful for. the dating rumours between you and yunjin were at a height and it was getting harder to hide your affection for the woman- but it didn't seem that she was aware of it, maybe for the best.

you contributed to the conversation every now and then, but you were becoming increasingly aware of the woman nestled against you. beneath the blanket, her leg almost overlapped yours, making it hard for you to focus on the live without your mind straying to the contact of your bare skin. moreover, yunjin would take your hand and absentmindedly play with it as she spoke, seemingly unaware of her actions.

after some time of this, you decided to pause her subconscious affections by giving her hand- that was already caressing yours- a squeeze.

yunjin quickly forgot the live and turned to meet your eyes instead, a smile gracing her features making your heart flutter.

"can i have my hand back?" you teased quietly, ensuring only she could hear.

"no, it's my new fidget toy." she responded playfully, grasping it tightly which caused you to roll your eyes.

"unfortunately i'm gonna need my hand at some point, so you can't keep it."

"may i borrow it then?"

"you're kinda holding it captive right now, do i even have a choice?"

"good point." yunjin's happy grin removed all traces of fake annoyance from your conversation and you couldn't help but return the smile.

suddenly, before you could process what was happening, yunjin had raised your hand to her mouth and bit it.

"yaa what the hell yunjin!?" you instinctively yanked your hand away from her.

the momentum forced you to recline into eunchae which simultaneously resulted in the bag of chips, previously nestled in her lap, dropping onto the floor into a pile of salty mess.

"no!" the maknae cried dramatically.

"those were my special chips!" sakura exclaimed, leaping to her feet.

"hah! now you all have to eat my special chips, which you shouldn't complain about because they're better than kkura's." kazuha chimed in gleefully.

you blurted apologies and quickly rushed to grab a vacuum cleaner. yunjin tried to help by gathering the chips into her hands but it only caused them to disperse into even more of a mess as she scattered them elsewhere.

"oh my god." chaewon muttered for the viewers to hear, her and sakura sharing a look of amused disbelief at your actions.

am i seeing things or did yunjin literally bite y/n's hand?!? yunjin omg please that was hilarious not yunjin BITING y/n's hand they're so gf coded that was adorable NOOO poor eunchae rip to kkura's infamous chips

the mess was eventually cleared up, no thanks to yunjin, and you went back to sitting beside each other.

"that was your fault." you stated, unable to resist the pettiness.

"i didn't even bite it hard, you're just a baby."

"you're the baby! only babies feel the need to put everything into their mouths."

"okay okay my bad, but what hand cream do you use? it was kind of tasty."

"seek help."

"why? you're everything i need."

you weren't sure if the comment was supposed to come off so flirty but it certainly had that effect on you; instead of coming up with a witty response, you resorted to spluttering aimlessly.

"get a room!" chaewon suddenly announced, alerting you to everyone's attention. they were all watching you with imperceptibly knowing looks, their backs turned so the viewers couldn't see their expressions- which didn't stop them from going haywire.

canon event: yunjin flirts, y/n gay panics this is so OBVIOUS!? chaewon is so done gay tension intensifies how can you not ship these two

"guys." you painfully stated, unable to conjure a reply. you had to admit, this moment was an anomaly in your usual smartass responses.

yunjin didn't say anything, she simply shrugged nonchalantly with a subtle smirk on her lips to which chaewon rolled her eyes.

"alright everyone, y/n has been humbled, meaning this live has reached its natural end."

"i will never be humbled...but i agree, i can't sit here with this annoying thing any longer." you indicated to yunjin who laughed loudly.

"we all know you secretly like it."

and with that, chaewon quickly wrapped up the live before anyone could look too deep into the comment, then proceeded to reprimand yunjin for her recklessness.

you watched victoriously from the sidelines, inwardly reprimanding yourself as well, because you knew yunjin was right.

[ageless-aislynn]

Title: “15 Minutes” (9/?) Author:  @ageless-aislynn​ Characters/fandom: Master Chief John-117/Reader, Halo the series Summary: You're in peril but don't be afraid, help is near. Series: How to date a Spartan (without even trying) Rating:  T (PG13) Length: 2,568 (this chapter, 22,261 total so far) Spoilers: Set in the Silver Timeline of Halo the series, not the games or novels. Though we began with the events of Halo 1x06, there will be no more show spoilers. We are still firmly seated in the AU Warthog, merrily driving out to places where there’s only a passing nod to canon. 😉 Trigger warning: claustrophobia Disclaimer: Definitely not mine but I do enjoy borrowing them just for a bit! 😉 A/N:  Text is both here in this post or available at AO3, however you like to read. Halo season 2 has finally arrived! However, this fic continues to zip along in the AU Party Warthog, so, while we began with season 1 way back when (and you’ll see a few more things from s1 along the way 😉), we’ll not be venturing into s2 territory at all. Unless s2 is going to take some verrrrry interesting twists, lol! Chapter 10 is in progress by hand but I hope to have it ready soon. 🤞😣🤞 The tags have been updated for hurt/comfort starting with this chapter. If you read, I hope you enjoy! ⭐💖⭐

Taglist: @pinheadbanger​ @mysardencut​ @laurenstacy610​ @sporadicbelievernightmare​ @ultrablackwidower​ @bxmxtx​ @jellotherelol

If you would like to be tagged in my John/Reader fics, just let me know! I also write John/Kai, John/Cortana and Kai/male Reader, so I’m glad to tag you for whatever you’d like. If you would like to be removed from the taglist, also feel free to let me know, no harm, no foul. 😉 💖

Halo fic masterlist ⭐

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8

Trigger warning again: claustrophobia If you need to avoid the actual scene, skip the entire first section but there will be a lot of mentions of it again through the rest of the chapter, just so you're aware. I don't want to cause any distress to anyone so if you'd like a recap of what happens in this chapter, feel free to contact me here and I'm happy to oblige so you can stay in-the-know without reading something that could trigger a bad reaction. Stay safe, my friends! 🤗

You tried to gasp in a breath but there was a weight pinning you down. Smoke burned your lungs and your eyes. Your left arm couldn't move but you were able to bring your right hand up to wipe your face, trying to clear your vision. The only light in the rubble came from a shower of sparks a few feet away, emitting from a panel half-ripped from the wall. There was very little to orientate yourself by.

"Hello?" you tried to call but you couldn't take a deep enough breath to yell. The muffled ring in your ears told you that at least one of your eardrums had ruptured.

Evaluate, you thought in the tone you used when triaging patients, shoving down a wave of panic. You tried to squeeze out from under whatever was pressed across your back. No good, too much weight.

There wasn't a tremendous amount of pain but you worried at the numbness from your waist down, behind whatever was restraining you.

Evaluate.

You tested moving your legs, your feet, your toes. It felt strange but yes, you had movement.

Spinal cord potentially compromised but not severed, you diagnosed as clinically as possible.

Something overhead gave an alarming groan.

Alert help. Report your position.

"Hello? I'm by the crane operator booth. Can anyone hear me?"

You couldn't get the volume you wanted and you automatically tried to inhale deeper. You couldn't and had to fight another wave of panic. The animal part of your brain wanted to claw the twisted metal of the deck, trying to squirm free, but when you twitched, something above you groaned again.

You had no way to know how perilous the collapsed structure was. A wrong move could bring it all down.

A fresh wave of smoke irritated your nose and you coughed weakly. From far away, you heard the muffled sound of a woman saying your rank and last name.

"Here," you choked out. "I'm here."

A blue light shimmered a few feet away, the lower half of a blue-tinted woman, her upper body phased through the rubble. Then she shrank until she fit the space, adjusting like a camera lens. A hologram.

She repeated your rank and last name. "We have your location," she said, your damaged hearing distorting her voice. "Sit tight, a rescue crew is on their way."

You tried to respond but the smoke triggered more coughing, so you nodded.

"I'll stay with you for as long as the holo-emiter holds," she said, gesturing towards the ruined wall panel that continued to spark.

"Thank you," you managed to say. "Casualties?"

She glanced up and away as if receiving new information. "Reports coming in of injuries but no fatalities. Your alert gave enough time for almost everyone to get clear."

"Good." You made yourself slow your breathing down, taking shallow breaths since you couldn't take deeper ones. For a moment, your head swam and it felt like the floor tipped. Your fingers scratched for a hold on the crumpled metal.

The sound of your rank and name cut through the terror. "You're all right," the woman assured you. "You're not falling. Try to stay still. Silver Team will be back on site in a few more minutes. John will be here soon."

It gave you something to focus on other than bring trapped. The way she knew that the mention of John would comfort you, that she didn't call him Master Chief like most people did, even the mannerism of how she'd looked away, like someone was speaking in her ear...

"Your name wouldn't be Ms. Classified, would it?" you asked haltingly and tried to smile.

"That's... not inaccurate," she said and maybe it was your blurry vision but you could've sworn she gave you a fond smile, like she knew you. "I'm not supposed to tell my name."

You tried to say it was all right but couldn't draw enough breath.

"Ah, screw it," she said. "What are they going to do, fire me? My name is Cortana."

You must've blacked out because the next thing you knew, she was kneeling next to you, her small holographic hand resting atop your outstretched arm as she repeated your rank and name.

If you could get a breath, you needed a good, solid breath. Your chest instinctively fought to expand but couldn't beneath the pressure bearing down on your back. Something above you slid and the pressure abruptly worsened. You clawed, you fought, you struggled to breathe. To live.

"John, get here now! The support beam is failing!"

"Not his fault," you tried to say. "Tell him. Not his--"

Metal screamed and everything went dark.

You woke, grasping at nothing. You still couldn't get a deep breath but this time you were on your back and it felt like someone had laced a corset brutally tight around you.

"Easy there. You're all right," said a deep voice.

Your vision swam and then Spartan Vannak-134 appeared out from the dim lighting. You were still clawing at the air, trying to sit up, and he caught your hand a little awkwardly in his much larger ones.

"Where?" you gasped.

"You're back on Reach, in medical."

Once he said it, details emerged like a black and white picture filling in with color: the beeps of the monitors, the distinctive antiseptic smell. Your hearing was still deadened but not as much as before, meaning they had already begun healing therapies on your eardrums.

Anything you might've wanted to say dissolved like sugar on your tongue before the words could be spoken. Your head seemed too full. I'm drugged, you thought and that was the last thing you knew for a while.

Voices drew you from the murky depths and you tried to open your eyes but couldn't.

"Hold her hand," Vannak said in a quiet rumble. "She likes that."

A new hand gently folded around yours and your fingers instinctively gripped hold.

You woke, feeling the phantom press of metal bearing down on you, forcing the air from your lungs. You tried to sit up, your limbs flailed, uncoordinated and leaden. A second hand closed around yours and a feminine voice began to softly sing, a lullaby in a language you didn't recognize.

The room was blurry but you caught a glimpse of red hair -- Spartan Riz-028. You went under once more, dreaming of music that soothed your fears.

Later, there was a new voice to lure you up from the sticky darkness.

"Poor little thing. She looks so small."

"She'll heal. Hold her hand, it helps."

At some point, you jolted awake to find your hand cradled carefully within Kai's.

"Hey," she said, sitting up straighter in the chair next to the bed. "You need anything?"

Your head felt less stuffed with cotton than before but now that cotton seemed to have been transferred to your mouth. "Water?" you croaked.

She jumped up and returned shortly, carrying a cup with a straw in it. You intended to sit up but a searing pain in your ribs immediately convinced you that was a bad idea and you let her help you by holding the straw to your lips.

"Slowly," she advised.

Once you'd taken a couple of sips, you mumbled your thanks then promptly passed out.

You thought you'd closed your eyes for a brief moment but when they fluttered open, it wasn't Kai sitting in the chair, holding your hand.

As soon as John knew you were awake, he was on his feet, carefully brushing the fingertips of his free hand along the curve of your cheek.

You mouthed his name.

"Rest," he said. "I'm here. You're safe."

For the first time in what seemed like forever, you truly felt as if you were. Your mind let go.

"And how's our favorite mech, the Hero of the Pit?"

"That's not a very heroic name," you confessed, smiling as Maria and then Jamie entered medical.

You were sitting on the side of the bed in generic gray scrubs, waiting for Dr. Savannah to give you final instructions before your release. It had been two days since the explosion. Your hearing had, thankfully, returned to normal. The rest of you... not so much but you were on the mend.

They both gave you careful hugs.

"You look a lot less like you were squashed by a building," Jamie said sincerely and Maria punched his arm. "Hey, that was a compliment!"

"Don't make me laugh," you begged, holding your left side. They'd fused your broken ribs back together but the tissue damage would take longer to resolve. Still, aches, pains, limited motion and all, you knew you were very lucky.

"I hope they're giving you a nice vacation, at least," Maria went on.

"I should be ready for light duty in a week."

"Technically, I said we'd evaluate you for light duty in a week," Dr. Savannah corrected as she entered. "Afraid your friends will have to catch up with you later."

They said their goodbyes and, as they left, you started to stand. The doctor quickly said, "No, you don't. I don't want you walking on that leg."

"It's not broken," you argued.

"Not anymore," she countered. "Stay put. I got you a ride."

"I don't need to be wheeled back to the barracks." You tried to keep your tone confident but the truth was even that little bit of exertion had left you feeling twinges all along your left leg. Your left shoulder throbbed with each heartbeat.

"Well, good thing you're wrong on both counts," she said, winking. "And here he is now."

John came through the door, dressed in his undersuit as if either about to head to the Brokkr stations to have his Mjolnir mounted up or returning from having it removed. You didn't even realize you'd moved to rise again until Dr. Savannah put a practiced hand on your good shoulder to keep you down.

"I'll be sending PT to you twice a day, starting tomorrow," she said. "They'll help you to get your strength and mobility back. Around that, rest. Catch up on your reading, watch some thoroughly trashy movies, and keep your feet up. Not too far up, though. Nothing too strenuous. Make him do all of the work."

That got you to look at her and she waggled her eyebrows.

John cleared his throat slightly, a faint but definite flush creeping up from his collar. "Yes, ma'am."

"All right, see you back in a few days, sooner if anything else develops. You know what to watch for."

It wasn't until she stepped back and John approached that it clicked.

"You're going to carry me?"

"Yes, ma'am," he repeated in a murmur that shivered straight down your spine.

Since your left side had taken the brunt of the damage, he put your right to his chest and cautiously picked you up in a bridal carry. Despite the care, being moved set a thousand things to hurting and your breath hitched as he straightened.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," you said, your tone tighter than you would've liked. You thought, I hope nobody sees me being toted around like this, but, as soon as you left medical, you realized that no one was actually looking at you.

I think if Master Chief offered to drop me and pick up any marine, ODST or officer in this hall, they'd be hopping into his arms before I even hit the floor!

At the first turn he made, you realized the rest of it. "This isn't the way to the barracks."

"Nope," he said and you knew him well enough now to see the hint of a smile in his eyes.

You didn't have to wait for further clues, there was only one place, then, that he could be taking you. "How many strings did you have to pull for this?"

"Not as many as you might think," he demurred. "Your actions saved lives."

And they could've blamed you for failing to make sure a bomb hadn't been sent to the Pit in the first place. The curly tailed Warthog had been your responsibility, after all. You'd been curtly informed of all that when they'd debriefed you the first day you'd had your eyes open for more than 15 minutes.

You doubted they'd told that to John, though.

When you reached his room, he maneuvered so to get his thumb on the panel without jostling you too much. The lights came on as he took you through the doorway and then he paused.

"Kai," he rumbled, shaking his head. "She said studies show people heal better with color. I should've known she'd overdo it. Say the word and I'll have her in here clearing this out."

"It's your room," you said, "but personally, I love it."

The duvet on the bed and the pillows on the couch were now a rainbow of jewel tones. A tapestry with a field of sunflowers dominated the wall at the foot of the bed and you could've sworn there was a dusting of diamond glitter shimmering on every wall, sending tiny holographic rainbows through the air in all directions. But the main thing that caught your attention was overhead.

"She put up stars," you said, brightening.

"Ah, that one was actually me," he confessed. "You seemed to really like those in her room so I thought..."

You stretched up in his arms, inhaling a little sharply at the stab of pain in your left side, and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I love them, John. Thank you."

A short time later, you found yourself lying on the bed in the darkened room, looking up at those stars. John had profusely apologized for not being able to stay after getting you settled in. He'd turned down the bed so you wouldn't have to, had put your padd close at hand on the nightstand to the right along with a bottle of water and a couple of emergency ration packs in case you got hungry before someone bought you a meal. He'd even procured you a set of unthinkably soft civvies to change into, exactly your size and in your favorite color.

You couldn't imagine that a Spartan had ever taken care of a sick or wounded person before, other than in a battlefield triage situation, so he'd probably found a checklist from somewhere to guide him. His earnestness to make sure he'd done everything right sent warmth flooding through you.

Before he left, he'd paused to kiss the top of your head.

"You know," you said, lifting your chin, "my lips aren't broken."

He hesitated. "The last time I did that, an entire base fell on you."

"Only the warehouse part," you said dismissively, "and there was absolutely no correlation, I promise."

He tried to smile at that but his eyes still showed concern.

"I promise," you repeated more seriously and he exhaled as if about to make a tremendous leap. His kiss was so soft and gentle, it was barely more than a whisper against your mouth.

Once he had left, you'd considered taking Dr. Savannah's advice and watching a holo, reading something on your padd, or doing any number of things to pass the time but ultimately, you'd wanted to appreciate his handiwork.

After all, it wasn't just anybody who could say a Spartan had literally hung the stars for them.

[f-imaginings]

Do you think its possible for Bill to even ‘love’ Stanford? Its a loaded question I know but I'm of the belief that he does love him in his version of what he believes love to be.

🤔 hmmmm I can only speak to his characterisation in kmky. Book of bill is a different story.

I think love can be an excellent redeeming force, and to truly be redeemed by love you have to be open to receiving it (self hatred can make that difficult, but to borrow a truism from Fruits Basket, the concept of "no one will love you until you love yourself" is flawed, sometimes we need the push and support of someone loving us for it to be easier to accept we are worthy of love). The key to making love "work" as a redeeming force is you've got to strive to be worthy of it. Love is constant innovation, "he loved her to the point of invention" is also a very true thing here.

I think if Bill were able to follow through on the progress he was making before chapter 34 he could have got there. He might have strived for a solution that would work for the both of them, invented a way he could have his cake and eat it too, and if Stanford didn't have his own abandonment issues and trust issues they could have kept blossoming.

Post portal Bill leans into the "if you love someone let them go" play, giving Stanford a looser leash than he could have with his multiversal travels. He kind of has to given project mentums coding. Even so there were a billion different ways he could have captured Ford sooner. He even tries again at fixing things with the date at the bibliosphere.

Bill has a habit of burning his bridges in response to setbacks though. It's a destructive "I'll hurt you before you hurt me" and a fall back into the coping strategy of "it hurts too much to care so I just won't care". Much of his life is also transactional so accepting something unconditionally without a catch wouldn't sit right with him. Love is also trusting someone with your most vulnerable parts, and years of having to project strength as a being of pure energy with no weaknesses would be hard to shake to properly bare those vulnerabilities.

Some of his deals are very telling though. The until the end of time deal is one of them.

I don't think I can say more without spoiling my plans for the ending of the fic but I am hoping to explore some of these themes in the spin off too. The rest I'll leave up to your interpretation 🤷

[purplesoulcollection]

Unnatural Love

Part 9 (1) Synopsis : Name has being transmigrated into the world of I'm Not That Kind Of Talent without ever reading the novel. She's not being reincarnated as a human but as a devil as well. Hi There! I want to let you know that this fanfiction story isn't solely my creation. I borrowed the concept from @quqiwo2. I haven't actually read the novel either, just some spoiler to the end.

I hope you'll excuse my spelling and grammar mistake, because English not my first language.

I find myself wishing I had made a different decision earlier. Even if I have no other options available to me now. Because...

"Everyone, this is Adele, my fiancé." Deon said while introducing me to the servants who work in his house. I can easily guess their reaction only with seeing their face; they were shocked and completely skeptical about it. It seems like being known as the Emperor's dog really weigh heavily on his personal life at all.

But their gaze still makes me so nervous...

"Young master, you got engaged to a woman without holding a big party. This is a crime for us." An old butler suddenly responded to Deon. Is he Head Servant here? Because usually the oldest and most strikingly dressed is the head servant.

"It can't be helped, I liked her first."

"Then why does your fiancé wear your clothes like this? You are the noble, why can't you treat her to some lovely clothes?"  He seems to notice my baggy clothes, which are actually Deon's, but you know what? They're super comfy!

"I'm in a hurry to go home, after all we rode horses to get here. It's impossible if she wears those heavy dress." He lied very easily, thanks to his experience.

But here I am, speechless with his flawless lie.

"Young master, you are so mature that you can have a fiancé now. This old man is touched for you." The old butler wiped away a single tear with a cloth in his pocket.

I, who watched the drama, just smiled awkwardly while holding both hands. My hands finally changed color to normal human skin color too.

I’m really looking forward to seeing my reflection in the mirror!

Traveling by horse by the way is just a lie. To have a good reason to wear Deon's clothes because all I have is inappropriate clothes and to blend in with my camouflage as a human woman.

We walked into the human world, and ladies in this world is not known with their strength to walk that far away…

"At least let us change your fiancé's clothes into something more normal to wear!" But the butler still insisted to change my clothes.

I think my clothes really inappropriate in too many ways in his eyes.

Deon looks closely to my clothes too before he said "... Okay."

That was the moment when the maid pulled me away to put on a royal-era dress complete with a corset. I shot him a look of betrayal, but he turned his gaze away from me. He knows he's wrong.

‘Deon, you traitor!’

But at least, I can asked them to not to use corsets. They obeyed and told that it's fine if I don't wear a corset at home, but if I have to go to a party you must wear that.

But I'm confused, for some reason they already have women's dresses here. Is this what his mother left behind?

But it suits me somehow???

Is it possible that it could be like that....

But the more confusing one is…

Why do I have to be the doll of the servants here?

They mentioned that their goal was to find the perfect dress that would suit me best, all while considering my body measurements.

To reach that goal, I need to be caught up in the chaotic debate and wearing a disheveled outfit for nearly three hours.

"This lady looks best when she wears a blue dress!"

"Wrong, madam it looks best when you wear red!"

"Purple is good too!"

I'm tired. Can I just rest even though it's still early? Moreover, I didn't even sleep in order to come here.

“Can you take me to my room? I'm tired of traveling.“

My tired eyes are definitely craving some rest right now. My body also feel so sleazy after all of this.

"We'll escort you right away." They turned away and started talking softly. I have no idea what they're discussing, but my yawn makes me completely indifferent.

Then I went to my room, took a shower (thank goodness this wasn't the era of kingdoms where servants had to bathe their masters), slept like a log.

I fell asleep so fast that I didn't realize one thing.

Whose room is this?

"She’s sleeping?"

'Yes young master. She’s not even touch her lunch yet."

After a moment of silence, Deon tapped his finger on the teacup several times before finally speaking up.

"I'll take care of it. You can deliver her lunch in my room."

"I understand young master."

Only after saying that, Remember go away from Deon.

And after he sips his last drop of tea. Deon got up and went to his room. As soon as he opened the door, he could see Adele sleeping soundly without being disturbed by his presence.

He approach Adele and swipe her bangs from her face. Her expression radiates an otherworldly tranquility. Looks so peaceful and beautiful.

Adele's sleeping face was the new thing he saw in Adele. Adele in the devil's world always looked so alert, nervous, kind of sad.

She always looked like the outsider even if she's devil too in his eyes. Her nature does not reflect the nature of the devil.

He isn't joking when he said Adele looks like a human. Maybe she's born in wrong body. Not that he really care about her race.

Maybe she's suitable enough to be a human here.

She didn't even flinch when his finger touch her face. Maybe she's so tired or she's heavy sleeper.

Whatever the reason, he still wants to touch her face. So he stroke her cheeks and looking at her face before he kissed her. In the lips...

I saw a white roof when I woke up.

I also felt a soft mattress that I haven't felt for a long time. The maid mattress in the Devil's palace doesn't use much foam.

Sometimes I have insomnia because I'm not used to it, I can only fall asleep when I'm tired, no matter the place.

"Already up? " That noise is coming from my end. I'm twisting my head in surprise. The first thing I see is his red eyes staring at me so closely.

"D-Deon, what are you doing here?"

"This is my room."

HIS ROOM!! Not in the guest room!?!

"Could it be that the servants don't know that we sleep separately? That's why we were put together? We have to immediately ask for separate rooms!" I am speaking frantically.

I can't sleep here; I need to leave immediately. But before I could get up, Deon grabbed me and I stopped.

"Don't."

Only then I looked at him, his eyes looks so fierce. Make me flinch unknowingly.

"Why, we're just dating. It's not worth it to sharing a room like this."

"But we already love each other. Why not?"

His expression appears completely oblivious, contrasting sharply with my anxious thoughts.

"Privacy... Don't you want that from me?"

"In fact, I would be happy if you could accompany me here."

I'm blushing. He is the natural charmer for me with his good looking face and the sincere words.

Hm...

Why is Deon's pitiful face so cute? So dazzling...

Why his face have to be this good? I can't even compare to him!

Is it time to give up? Moreover, the highest quest was also more embarrassing than this. If my quest isn't done, I can't return to my world.

Finally I nodded and Deon was very happy.

To Be Continued

I cut part 9 into 2 parts. Enjoy the story...

[erinkeifer]

ℕ𝕠𝕥 𝕞𝕪 𝕔𝕠𝕕𝕖 - ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝕍𝕀𝕀𝕀 - 𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕖

[Anakin Skywalker x Padawan!Fem Reader]

Masterlist | Wattpad | AO3 Not My Code Masterlist

Summary: You were certain that the Order would never make itself known to you again until your communicator woke you up. You find out that Anakin has stepped onto a path he shouldn't have.

Warnings: angst | hurt | descriprions of pain | mentions of injuries | kissing | subtle sexual references | fluff Author Note: So, the inevitable has come – the finale! I can't believe it's over already – NMC has brought me immense joy, but it's now wrapped up, exactly in the way I envisioned this ending from the start. So, my dear ones – play Duel of the Fates and I invite you to enjoy the read! Word Count: 3,3k

When the first signal on your comlink sounded, you were so groggy that you thought you were still dreaming. You slept through the night without a single interruption, unable to determine whether it was due to emotional exhaustion from the previous day or thanks to Anakin's warm embrace, ensuring your utmost comfort until you fell asleep. In any case, you wanted to continue your carefree rest and reached out for Anakin, who should have been lying on your left. Well, he should have been. You groped around for him but only encountered a cold pillow, the realization of which made you instantly open your eyes.

"Ani?" you called out in a slightly hoarse, 'morning' voice, but all you heard in response was dead silence. Rubbing your eyes, you noticed that his side of the bed was in disarray. Completely disoriented, you took a few steps to see that his boots were missing by the door, and the coat you sometimes borrowed from him was absent from the wardrobe when you needed a quick cover-up. Trusting that he had just stepped out for a moment, you decided to go to the kitchen and grab something to eat. However, once again, you heard a sound that seemed like a dream – the sound of the communicator.

"Um… Who's speaking?" you asked, answering the call blindly. "It's Rex." you heard from the other side, and you couldn't hide your confusion. "Rex? What's going on? Why…"

"Ma'am, I'm afraid something really bad has happened." The captain cut into your words, and you instantly felt a chill running down your spine. It was a tone you definitely didn't like. "What happened?" you asked, becoming increasingly certain that what you were about to hear would cause you considerable pain. "It's about Anakin. Please come to the Temple, preferably as soon as possible."

You froze for a moment, envisioning hundreds of possible scenarios at once when you heard Rex's words. Did someone harm him? Is he in danger? You didn't want to get worked up, but you felt like you were panicking more and more.

"Rex, I'll do everything in my power, but please tell me, what happened? Did someone hurt him? Is he injured?" You could only think of him. Only about how maybe he wanted to avenge yesterday's events and got into a fight, that someone laid a hand on him. You didn't want to imagine it, not when you couldn't be there for him, when he might need you.

"I don't know about him, but there are wounded. There are also dead." .....................................................................................................................

You've never been more grateful for the existence of air taxis in Coruscant than now - if it weren't for the available fare, you probably wouldn't have had a way to reach the Temple. You were surprised when you noticed Anakin's ship wasn't on the landing platform when you disembarked, but the Captain you had been communicating with just a few minutes ago was waiting for you right at the entrance.

"I arrived as fast as I could… I thought I'd find Anakin's ship, but…"

"Ma'am, you need to know something, now." Rex caught you by your arms, interrupting whatever you were about to say.

"I'm not waiting." You replied, hearing muffled cries from a distance.

"We had a massacre here… Obi-Wan and Padmé went after Anakin, and he… lost his mind." Your insides boiled upon hearing the Captain's words.

"How did he lose his mind?? Where is he at all??? And what about… Padmé?" You weren't surprised that Anakin struggled to say her name - over time, you found yourself feeling the same way as your attachment to him strengthened, and jealousy grew in equal measure.

"On Mustafar, Ma'am. The Senator didn't get clearance, she shouldn't have been there, but…"

"Of course, she shouldn't have been there." At this point, you tried unsuccessfully to break free from the Captain's grip.

"Let me go, I need to…"

"This could be deadly danger for you, you can't…"

"If so, am I to understand that he is also in deadly danger?" You cut Rex off before he could finish his warning. "I'm afraid…"

"Don't finish. If he dies - I die too." You looked deeply into the captain's eyes before he released his grip and you could return to the landing platform.

"Please, be careful." he called after you, and you turned around to nod in gratitude. Among all the ships parked on the platform, you chose the one you were most familiar with, wasting no time as you jumped into the vehicle. Before even slamming the door shut, you punched the coordinates into the console. You had no idea what you would find, and your heart was pounding - not because you're heading towards the most fervent planet in the galaxy, not because you're flying completely unarmed - but because you're afraid you might lose him. ..................................................................................................................... You landed on the platform near the command chamber - there you also noticed two ships familiar to you, which you almost brushed against when positioning your own. As you stepped out, you almost recoiled from the heat - you had only been on this planet once, and its atmosphere sent shockwaves through your body. However, you quickly felt that the physical heat was a minor inconvenience - you felt a boiling sensation in your veins when you saw Padmé sitting at the end of the platform next to Obi-Wan's parked ship. The senator had her hands on her head, and although her posture wasn't standard, you could have ignored her and continued, but at this moment, you needed to know one thing - where is Anakin.

You had no intention of exchanging pleasantries; you were distant, and acutely aware of it. "Where is he..?" you asked with a cold voice, wanting only one straightforward answer in return. Amidala remained silent, locking eyes with you, and with each passing second, you felt yourself slipping into growing fury.

"If you don't tell me, I'll find him myself. But if, before I do, anything bad happens to him, I'll come back, and I'll make sure something bad happens to you. So, I'll ask one last time - where-is-he?" you uttered through gritted teeth, making dramatic pauses between each of your last three words."

"Now I have no doubt that it was you who got to him." Padmé declared, and without hearing the response you needed, you provocatively withdrew. "So, you've chosen option number two. An exceptionally unwise move…" you began to walk in the opposite direction very slowly, feeling the tension building within you. "He attacked Obi-Wan… And me… They went there, I didn't want to witness it..." she finally replied, then you turned towards the direction indicated by Amidala. "You shouldn't be here." you muttered under your breath as you walked where the two men were supposed to go.

"Especially not you." she replied, as long as she still had you in sight. You stopped before disappearing behind the command station wall and threw the senator a final glance.

"I'm here for someone I love because I know how to keep promises, unlike the ones you threw to the floor like dirty rags." you retorted, and you heard no response. Instead, the sound of clashing lightsabers reached your ears. You immediately quickened your pace, heading towards the source of the sound. You cast off your covering just as you approached the edge of the platform, which was being flooded by molten lava, and you froze when the silhouettes of the apprentice and the master finally came into view before your eyes.

"You underestimate my power…!" You heard Anakin's scream and tried to get as close as possible. Skywalker stood on a detached piece of ground amidst the spreading lava, with Obi-Wan above him, positioned on a secure spot on the edge. "Don't try it…" You didn't understand what Obi-Wan meant until your vision sharpened, and you saw that Anakin was attempting to jump towards him from his precarious position. Too late. "NO!" you screamed desperately, straining your lungs, as Kenobi severed Anakin's legs in mid-air, also cutting off his left arm, which remained suspended along with them. You ran desperately, stumbling over irregularities in your path, crying and shouting, seeing your beloved one fighting for survival, clinging with one hand to the rocks. You collided with Obi-Wan when you reached Anakin. He looked at you with eyes you had never seen before - you didn't care whether they were consumed by darkness - you were doing everything in your power to save him. Dazed by the drastic sight, you didn't even hear Obi-Wan's cries behind you.

You pulled Anakin up by his shoulders, trying not to slip off the cliff yourself - you sobbed and drowned in tears, hearing his agonizing groans. You couldn't lose him. "Please, lean on me, please…" you pleaded with a broken voice, doing your best to prevent him from coming into contact with the lava. "I loved you… Both of you... But I can't help you anymore." Obi-Wan managed to shout at you before he left, and you exchanged a last glance with him - probably the saddest you've ever shared.

When you managed to pull Anakin to a safe point, you fell powerless and laid him back on your knees. His face was worn out, eyes visibly circled and reddened - he breathed harshly and deeply as you combed through his sticky hair with trembling fingers, and your tears fell onto his torso. "I… I…" he tried to say between deep breaths, but you quickly interrupted him, seeing that speaking was causing him tremendous effort. "Shhh, I know… Please, breathe deeply." you whispered, seeing the pain written on his face. Each rise of his chest was torture for him, and you could do nothing but wait - wait for someone to take pity on you and come to help.

"Don't close your eyes, love, please, don't close your eyes!" you cradled Anakin's overheated face with your hand as his consciousness seemed to drift away - you weren't surprised he couldn't endure it- you doubted you could bear such pain yourself. "Please, stay with me! Ani, I love you, please, stay with me!" he heard from you before his conscious vision was covered by a haze. And then, darkness fell. .....................................................................................................................

"Does it hurt him? Please, do something…" you asked, leaning with trembling hands against the Venetian mirror that separated the spacious but dingy operating room. "You must know, young Lady, that this pain will strengthen him." replied Palpatine standing at your side. When he took you from Mustafar, you could barely recognize him - almost until now, you were afraid to look him in the face, but you had to get used to it - just as you would have to get used to the new shape of your beloved. Anakin looked as if he were sleeping, but he winced painfully with every movement of the surgical tools - each involuntary reaction of his body broke your heart. You couldn't stop the tears that flowed down your cheeks one after another.

"Don't worry. This boy is the strongest being I've ever known. And soon - even stronger." added Palpatine, seeing your despair. Your legs buckled under you from stress, so you sat on the nearest seat, in a section of the room that resembled a hospital waiting area - with the difference that everything around was incredibly sealed, as if prepared and reserved specifically for him, just in case.

"Only a blind man wouldn't see the feelings that connect you two. What a shame that the Jedi would prefer to exile both of you in the name of their code." you stared at the wall as Palpatine spoke those words, and at that moment, you felt how far you were from the life you once led. "This is not my code anymore." you responded with a somber but confident tone, drawing Palpatine's gaze. "And I have a feeling it never was." you added after a moment, and a semblance of a smile appeared on the hooded man's face.

"I believe so too. That's why I had to set you free." he responded to your words, and you didn't say anything, just looked at him, feeling a complete emptiness inside. "Anakin swore allegiance to me- our cooperation can be fruitful like never before. But if you harbor feelings for this boy, you'll have to stand by him and strengthen him, just as he does for you. Together, you can be stronger than anyone in history and build your own." he continued. Barely after he finished, you heard a signal coming from the adjacent room - the procedure was over, and the doors opened. You rose impulsively and felt the urge to run into the room immediately, but you knew you had to maintain relative calm. "Please be cautious, Ma'am." said one of the exiting medical droids as you approached the table where Anakin lay, and you nodded, not wanting to make any abrupt movements. His torso and thighs were half-covered with robes – from the knees down, new leg prosthetics were already in place, and his left arm also had a replacement – each clad in black, leather-like material.

Only his face was as it was before – maybe not as bright, but his facial features, beneath all that pain and exhaustion, were still beautiful – temporarily concealed by sleep that you didn't want to interrupt. Temporarily, because Anakin woke up as if he felt your presence nearby. You pulled a stool towards you and sat down, gently brushing the matted strands of hair from his warm forehead with a soft hand motion.

"Hey." his voice was still rough and tired, but as soon as you heard it, a smile appeared on your face.

"Hey, love." you replied in a whisper, seeing a smile growing on his face as well. His eyes were darker than ever before- you focused on them, remembering how dynamically their shade changed on Mustafar – back then, there was red, there was yellow, but now, there was definitely more calmness emanating from them.

"For a moment, I thought I lost you." you said, and after a while, you felt his right hand – the one you both were already accustomed to – reaching for your cheek.

"It seems you'll have to put up with me a little longer." he replied, and you laughed, a reaction he also instinctively mirrored, but he quickly got winded and started coughing.

"Slowly, my love, take it slowly." you signaled to Anakin, placing your hand on his chest, not wanting him to exert himself. "You need to rest… Your body needs to regenerate and… Adjust." you whispered to him, running your hand over his shoulder, looking at his new prosthetics, to which both of you would certainly need to adjust.

"Where will you be?" Anakin impulsively asked, seeing you rise from the chair.

"If you want, I'll be here with you, but you need to rest." you replied, and you saw a smile on his face – now, without a doubt, knowing he wants you by his side.

So, you sat back down, glancing occasionally at the apparatus surrounding you. Anakin's heartbeat was stabilizing, and at this moment, that was the most reassuring thing for you. As usual, you would want to listen to it as closely as possible – just like you used to fall asleep, with your head on his chest – but you couldn't afford that, not yet. Instead, you leaned against the free space on the headrest of his medical table and gently stroked his exposed arm, ensuring he felt as comfortable as possible.

"Hold my hand." his eyes were closed when he whispered these words to you, and you immediately reached for his hand, enveloping it with your warm fingers, hoping he could feel your touch to some extent, as if it were his own skin.

"One more thing." you heard after a moment, and your eyes once again shifted to his, still peacefully closed. "Kiss me, please." he added in a whisper after a while, and you instantly felt warmth in your heart. You rose very gently from your seat and pressed your lips to his, uniting them in a sweet, tender kiss. His lips had a metallic taste of blood, which came from the small wounds caused by biting them in pain. You didn't want to press too hard to avoid additional pain, but Anakin deepened the kiss, so you held as much as he needed. Well, both of you needed it so much that you certainly wouldn't leave this room for a long time, but for now, it had to be enough.

When your lips finally parted, you returned to your position, never letting go of Anakin's hand. For the first few minutes, it was tightly clenched in yours, but little by little, the grip loosened, and his breathing evened out. You watched with tenderness as his chest rose and fell calmly, and his tired face peacefully sank into the pillow. In a moment, there was no more pain, no more fear and sadness – there was only a peaceful sleep that soon visited both of you. .....................................................................................................................

"Watch out, QT." you said to your droid, who occasionally had a habit of rolling over your long, trailing black gown that you decided to wear today. The past month had turned your lives upside down, but it was better. You could feel it.

"You are so…beautiful." you heard behind you as you combed your hair in front of the mirror. In the reflection, you saw Anakin, leaning against one of the pillars in your new apartment. His new style was much darker, but it suited him well. Your style had also changed, and you could almost say it had adapted to Anakin's. You chose long dresses more often than jumpsuits, while Anakin opted for black robes with small metallic accents that complemented his leather gloves.

"It’s only because I’m so in love." you responded, turning to your beloved and smiling at the sight of his dreamy face. "No. No, it’s because I’m so in love with you." he replied, approaching you with a wide smile, grabbing your hands—adorned with lace, black gloves to harmonize with his.

You left a short, sweet kiss on his lips and playfully grabbed his cheek, unable to look away from his face, which had remarkably healed since you started your new life. "I see you're getting used to it already." you said, looking first at the hand embracing you and then at Anakin's legs. "It was easier with the hand. Well, I'll definitely miss them…" he chuckled, but quickly returned to a neutral expression, his hand gently gripping your chin. "Do you know what else I miss?" he asked after a moment, and you quickly understood what Anakin meant, even just by his gaze.

"I know." you responded with a tender tone, and it was evident that both of you missed it. "Aren't you afraid anymore, the first time? With this?" Anakin whispered. "Honey, you know I'm not. I just don't want to cause you pain." you replied, stroking his cheek, to which he smiled gently. "You won't, I believe it will be perfect…" you approached each other, but soon heard a knocking on the door. "Come in." you said, and soon R2-D2 emerged from behind the door, emitting a few informational beeps.

"Yes, yes, we're coming." Anakin responded to his droid, and you looked at him with interest. "Are you ready?" he asked after a while. "If you kiss me, maybe I will be." you replied teasingly, but Anakin fulfilled your wish faster than expected, pinning you against the wall and overpowering you in a passionate kiss. "So, are you ready now?" he replied breathlessly after a short attack on your lips. "Like never before." you answered, embracing Anakin at the waist, but soon one of your hands dropped to grab his.

"I can't believe it… We're getting married, my love…" "We're getting married."

[50calmadeuce]

Ch. 25 Home Between the Holidays

Warning: Mention of miscarriage. Some chapters have sex.

Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Top Gun: Maverick world, trademarked by Paramount Pictures Corporation. I do not claim ownership of the characters and the world that I am borrowing.

The story and situation I am creating are a work of my imagination and I do not ascribe them to official story canon. This work is for entertainment only and is not a part of the storyline.

I am not profiting financially from the creation and publication of this story, but I do hope it gives you happy thoughts.

These stories are my own, so please do not take them and use them for yourself without my permission. If you see them somewhere else, please let me know. :)

You and Jake returned to your home in Wisconsin early on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. True to his nature, Jake insisted on handling all the heavy lifting himself, ensuring you remained comfortable. While he brought in your luggage, you strolled into the kitchen.

Your cell phone buzzed, and you saw that it was Dr. Colson calling. You answered with a casual, "Hey, Jason."

"Y/N, I was just calling to follow up on the Wyoming study," Jason said, diving straight into business.

You let out a sigh, feeling the weight of the conversation. You still hadn't broached the subject with Jake, and you knew how he'd react. Heading towards the office for some privacy, you replied, "I reviewed what you sent, and you're right. It doesn't add up. But, Jason, I can't go to Wyoming right now. Jake's home, and I need to talk to him about it."

Jason's voice was sympathetic. "I understand, Y/N. Family comes first. Just keep me posted on when you can make it out there. We need to get to the bottom of this."

"Of course," you replied, grateful for his understanding. "I'll talk to Jake tonight and let you know as soon as possible."

After ending the call, you took a deep breath, resting your head in your hands, you were lost in thought when you heard Jake's voice.

"Darlin', you alright?"

Startled, you lifted your head and turned to see Jake standing in the doorway of the office, concern etched on his face.

You managed a small smile, trying to mask your inner turmoil. "Yeah, I'm fine," you replied, hoping he wouldn't see through the facade.

Jake stepped into the room, his concern deepening as he approached you. "You sure? You seem a bit off."

You hesitated, debating whether to confide in him about the Wyoming study. But you knew you couldn't keep it from him any longer. Taking a deep breath, you decided to be honest. "Actually, Jake, there's something we need to talk about." You slowly walked over to him. "Before Thanksgiving, Jason asked if I would travel to Wyoming," you began, meeting Jake's gaze. "Apparently, Stryker's info isn't making any sense. Even the information he sent me isn't adding up."

Jake listened quietly as you spoke, his expression becoming more serious with each word. When you finished, he remained silent for a moment, processing the information.

Finally, he spoke, his voice calm but firm. "You know how I feel about Stryker," Jake said with a hint of frustration.

"I do," you replied softly.

He walked over to you, his hands gently finding their place on your slightly swollen tummy. "And you know how I feel about the pregnancy."

You placed your hand on his, the connection between you grounding and reassuring. The two of you locked eyes, sharing an unspoken understanding. "I do." Feeling the weight of his words, you took a deep breath, the reality of the situation settling in. Despite the challenges and uncertainties, you found solace in the unwavering support and love you shared with Jake.

"I just want to protect you and our baby," Jake said, his voice filled with emotion.

"I know, Jake," you replied, your voice gentle yet resolute. "And I appreciate that more than you'll ever know, but I still have a job to do."

"A job you said you didn't want, that's why you took the one here," Jake stated, his tone tinged with a mixture of concern and apprehension.

You nodded, acknowledging his concern. "I know, Jake. But this isn't about what I want anymore. It's about doing what's necessary to ensure our family's future, especially with the baby on the way."

Jake sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I just don't want you putting yourself in danger, especially now."

"I'll be careful, Jake. And I won't do anything without talking to you first," you assured him, your voice soft but determined. "But right now, we need to figure out what's going on with Stryker and the Wyoming study."

Jake looked at you, his expression softening as he realized the weight of your words. "Alright," he said finally, a hint of resignation in his voice. "But I'm going with."

You looked at him, incredulous. "Seriously?"

He met your gaze with a firm nod. "Seriously."

"I'll call Jason and let him know then," you said, determination in your voice.

"And Chuck is coming too," Jake added, confirming the decision.

"Okay," you replied, a bit surprised by the sudden addition but trusting Jake's judgment. "I'll let him know."

With the decision made, you felt a sense of relief wash over you.

"I'll call work and talk with them to see when we can leave," you said, already heading over to the desk.

"I'll finish bringing in the luggage," Jake offered.

"Just leave it in the mudroom," you instructed, already dialing John Andrysiak's number.

Jake nodded and exited the room, leaving you to make your call. As he left, Chuck entered the kitchen.

"Lieutenant. Welcome home. I have to say, I was shocked when Doc texted me that you were home," Chuck greeted, his surprise evident in his tone.

Jake looked at Chuck with a serious expression. "Chuck, what do you know about this Doctor Stryker?"

Chuck's surprise was evident as he considered the question. "I'm not a fan of his, that's for sure. Why do you ask?"

"Y/N has to go to Wyoming to fix something he screwed up," Jake explained, his frustration evident. "I want you to go with us."

Chuck nodded without hesitation. "Of course. I'll make sure everything is taken care of before we leave," Chuck assured.

"I'd appreciate it," Jake said, acknowledging Chuck's words, just as you walked out of the hallway from the office.

"It's all set. We leave Wednesday," you announced, glancing at Chuck. "Did he tell you?"

Chuck nodded. "Yes, Ma'am. I'll make sure everything is squared away by then."

"Thank you, Chuck," you replied gratefully, then turned back to Jake. "I'm going to go check on some emails."

"That's fine, darlin'. I'll take care of things here," Jake assured you with a reassuring smile.

You turned back around and headed towards the office.

You sat at your desk, your eyes fixed on the numbers displayed on the computer screen. You were trying to decipher what Stryker had done differently compared to the first time you went to Wyoming. While you understood that circumstances could change, the magnitude of the discrepancies suggested something more was at play. It was clear to you that there was more to this situation than initially met the eye.

There was a gentle knock on the door and you looked up and saw Jake.

"You looked so lost in thought that I didn't want to startle you," Jake said softly as he walked into the room.

You smiled warmly at him. "I don't think there's ever been a time when you've startled me, Jake. Surprised me, yes. Startled, no."

He approached you, his concern evident in his eyes. "Darlin', why don't you come eat dinner and get some rest? It's been a long day."

"You're right," you admitted, realizing just how exhausted you felt after the day's events. "Dinner and rest sound perfect." You slowly stood up, neatly organizing the papers into a pile and shutting down your computer.

Jake couldn't help but notice the weariness etched on your face. "Y/N, don't you think you're overdoing things?" he asked, his concern evident in his tone.

You paused, considering Jake's words. His concern was always genuine, and you appreciated his attentiveness to your well-being.

"I might be," you admitted with a soft sigh, feeling the weight of the day's responsibilities settling on your shoulders. "But this is my life, Jake. Just like being a fighter pilot is yours, this is mine," you explained, a hint of frustration in your voice. You wobbled slightly, feeling the strain of the day, and Jake rushed to your side.

"How about you go and take a bath, and I'll bring dinner to you?" Jake suggested gently, his concern evident in his voice. "Y/N, I know this is your life, and I still struggle with it, but you're wearing yourself out."

You paused, considering Jake's suggestion. His caring tone softened your frustration, and you realized he was right—you were pushing yourself too hard. Taking a deep breath, you nodded in agreement.

"Okay," you conceded, giving Jake a grateful smile. "A bath sounds heavenly right now."

Jake's concern melted into a gentle smile of his own. "I'll get everything ready for you," he promised, guiding you towards the bathroom with a supportive arm around your waist.

In the bathroom, Jake started running the bathwater as you began to undress, feeling the warmth of the steam from the water already soothing your tired muscles. You reached for a hair clip, quickly securing your hair into a loose bun to keep it from getting wet.

As you settled into the warm water, you let out a contented sigh, feeling the tension slowly melting away. The soothing aroma of lavender filled the air, calming your mind and easing your tired muscles. It was like stepping into a sanctuary, a moment of tranquility amidst the chaos of your day.

Jake kissed your forehead tenderly, his gesture filled with love and care, before quietly leaving you to relax and unwind in the comforting warmth of the bath.

With each passing minute, you could feel yourself unwinding, the weight of responsibility lifting from your shoulders. Jake's thoughtful gesture brought a sense of comfort and relief, reminding you that you didn't have to face life's challenges alone.

As you soaked in the bath, your thoughts began to wander, despite your earlier hesitations about Jake re-entering your life after four years. You couldn't help but imagine what it might have been like if you had chosen a different path, if you had quit your job and embraced the life of a Navy pilot's wife.

You imagined a life where you and Jake navigated the challenges of military life together, supporting each other through deployments and homecomings, sharing the joys and sorrows of a life intertwined with the Navy. You envisioned quiet moments at home, curled up together on the couch, sharing stories and dreams as the world outside seemed to fade away. Would you have had more than one child by now?

But alongside those idyllic visions, doubts and uncertainties lingered. Would you have been content living in the shadow of Jake's career, sacrificing your own aspirations for the sake of his? Would you have felt fulfilled without the sense of purpose and accomplishment that came from your work?

As the water began to cool, you found yourself torn between the familiarity of the life you had built for yourself and the allure of the possibilities that might have been. But amidst the swirling currents of doubt and longing, one thing remained clear: whatever path you had chosen, Jake would always be an integral part of your life, a constant source of love and support, guiding you through the twists and turns of fate. You loved him and he loved you even without each other for four years.

You sighed as you thought about your husband's handsome face and your hand gently touched your stomach. Would this child be more like you, more like Jake or a mix of the both of you?

As the water began to cool, you found yourself torn between the familiarity of the life you had built for yourself and the allure of the possibilities that might have been. But amidst the swirling currents of doubt and longing, one thing remained clear: whatever path you had chosen, Jake would always be an integral part of your life, a constant source of love and support, guiding you through the twists and turns of fate.

After a while, Jake gently knocked on the bathroom door, his voice warm and reassuring. "Dinner's ready, darlin'. Whenever you're ready to come out. Just come to the bedroom."

"Okay," you replied softly as you reached for the drain, allowing the water to begin its slow descent.

Carefully, you stepped out of the bathtub, the cool air enveloping your skin as you grabbed a plush towel and began to dry yourself off, feeling the tension slowly dissipating with each gentle stroke.

The softness of the towel against your skin was soothing, and you relished the simple comfort it offered as you dried yourself off. With each stroke, you felt the tension of the day melting away, leaving behind a sense of calm and relaxation.

As you wrapped the towel around yourself and stepped out of the bathroom, you were greeted by the familiar warmth of your bedroom. The soft glow of lamplight cast a gentle ambiance, inviting you to unwind and let go of the stresses of the day.

You walked over to your dresser, selecting a pair of comfortable lounge pants and a tank top. Just as you were about to dress, Jake walked in, closing the door behind him. He paused, his gaze fixed on you, clad only in a towel.

Slowly, he approached you, his steps measured. Coming up from behind, he enveloped you in his arms, gently placing his hands on your swollen tummy, a gesture filled with tenderness and warmth.

He kissed the back of your neck, his breath warm against your skin. "You are so beautiful," he whispered softly.

You closed your eyes, allowing yourself to be enveloped by his touch. The towel slipped to the floor, forgotten, as Jake's hands gently cradled your swollen belly, the moment filled with tenderness and love.

You turned towards him, your eyes meeting briefly before your lips touched in a gentle, loving kiss.

The kiss was tender and reassuring, a moment of connection that reaffirmed the bond between you. As your lips parted, you felt a sense of calm and comfort wash over you, knowing that despite the challenges and uncertainties, you had each other to lean on.

Jake's hand gently cupped your cheek, his thumb softly caressing your skin. "I love you, Y/N," he whispered, his voice filled with sincerity and warmth.

"I love you too, Jake," you replied, your voice equally soft but firm with conviction.

He pulled you close, wrapping his arms around you in a protective embrace.

Tags: @buckysteveloki-me @bellyliveslife @tgmreader @callsign-barbell @86laura11 @dizzybee03 @kmc1989 @guacam011y @nerdgirljen @hookslove1592 @dempy @djs8891

[silent-stories]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐇𝐔𝐈𝐙𝐎𝐓𝐋 - 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟐

Summary: When Y/N needs help on a hunt, she doesn't expect Bobby to send Dean Winchester to her. Now the two must work together to solve the case and Dean has to deal with Y/N's sarcastic and biting personality, that maybe he likes a little too much.

Pairing: Dean × F!Reader

Warnings: nightmares, swearing, cheating

Word count: 2283

Series

A house on fire, screams, his father, a crying child, creatures hidden in the shadows.

"Dean?"

Dean opened his eyes, and could see with relief that he had only had a damn nightmare.

Y/N seemed to be awake for hours and was standing in front of the bed.

"Hey. Are you okay?" She asked.

The man rubbed his face, holding back a huge yawn. He noticed with surprise that it was already morning from the rays of the sun that filtered through the window into the motel room, yet the time he rested had seemed so short.

"Mh, yeah, I'm fine. What time is it?" he asked hoarsely, his brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed, confused by sleep.

"It's almost seven a.m," Y/N replied, giving him one last look as if to make sure he was really fine, then shaking her head and going back to what she was doing, getting ready to leave. She was wearing some kind of secretary's suit and Dean couldn't help but think that it fit her very well.

He found himself observing the way her clothes enhanced her body in all the right places.

"Well, that sure doesn't help," he muttered to himself, alluding to something that usually happened to all men early in the morning.

"What?"

"Nothing," he murmured, waving a hand dismissively. "Forget it."

He sat up and sighed. Y/N repeatedly told him to hurry up, that whatever they were hunting would attack again. Dean, after getting ready like her, dressed in a suit and tie, reminded her that without having breakfast he would not go anywhere.

So, after three pancakes and a slice of pie, the hunter got behind the wheel and Y/N got into the passenger seat.

"Recap: I'm Agent Hetfield, FBI. You're my lovely colleague. We're here because we find there are similarities to some of our old cold cases. Okay?"

"It's not the first time I've pretended to be an FBI agent, Dean" she replied "And I can even pick better fake names than yours. James Hetfield? Seriously? Just hope that woman isn't a Metallica fan." She laughed reaching out her hand to remove his badge from his jacket and check with her own eyes that that was the right name. Dean let her do it, not giving her the slack she wanted.

"Fix your tie," she murmured waiting for someone to open the door.

"Okay, mom," muttered Dean in a childish way but following her advice that seemed more a threat.

When an elegant woman appeared before their eyes, dressed in black and with a handkerchief in her hand, they understood that they were facing the widow Dubois, wife of the first victim.

Before Dean could pull his badge out of his pocket, taken away from Y/N's hands only at the end of the car ride, the girl anticipated him.

"Hello Mrs. Dubois, I'm Agent Cobain and this is Agent Hetfield," she indicated him with a quick serious and professional glance.

Dean nearly rolled his eyes, so he couldn't pick the Metallica singer's name but she could use that surname surely borrowed from the Nirvana singer.

"We'd like to ask you a few questions about your husband."

The woman, at first seemed reluctant to let them in but then she made them sit inside her immense residence.

The house very large and obviously belonged to someone very rich.

Bernard Dubois was a financier, the woman explained.

"In the financial field, it's impossible not to have enemies," said Fleur, also of French origins like her husband, between sobs. "The police said it was a wild animal."

A wild animal? In their house??

"We have to consider all possibilities," Dean informed her cordially. Routine sentence of a hunter that everyone believed.

"Do you know if your husband knew this man?" Y/N asked, showing her the photo of the second victim who died under the same circumstances.

"Of course. He was my beloved Bernard's business partner. The manager."

Bingo!, Y/N thought immediately, exchanging a knowing look with Dean, sitting next to him.

So as Dean imagined the two victims had known each other and also for quite some time.

"They were working on the Lake Eire project," explained the woman, her nose red and her eyes tired.

Dean and Y/N raised their eyebrows in the exact same confused expression.

"They're building a dam," she added, when she noticed their questioning faces.

"Oh," they said in unison.

There was a silent pause during which Y/N ​​and Dean looked at each other, accomplices. Both were thinking the same thing: it was a matter of revenge, and since the victims were business partners and therefore knew each other, there was a sure connection to that lake.

"Your husband was found here, right?" Dean asked.

"Yes" the woman nodded and began to sob again.

Dean and Y/N felt sudden discomfort, both of them looking in opposite directions, not knowing what to say. "He was in our bedroom...how a-am I going to live without him?!"

Dean cleared his throat and asked Mrs. Dubois where the bathroom was. He followed the staircase, as suggested, but instead of reaching the last door on the left, he sneaked into the woman's bedroom, where the victim had been found. He pulled out the electro magnetic frequency detector, hopeful. But it didn't light up, nor did it make that weird, usual sound.

So he put aside the revenge-seeking ghost theory.

He sighed deeply and shook his head slightly then noticed something on the floor, it looked like a leaf or something. Dean frowned and picked it up. It was a seaweed... what was a seaweed doing in Bernard Dubois' bedroom?

So the targets all had something to do with that project. Y/N really hoped that that was the right lead because, frankly, she didn't see any other way to solve that fucking case.

As soon as she saw Dean get up from the couch, she knew his intentions. He would check upstairs while she continued to question the woman, even though she didn't seem to know much about business, at least not as much as her husband.

"Has this project been going on for a long time?" She could hardly ask her: the widow kept sobbing and sniffing.

The woman shook her head but not to convey her ignorance about it: it was a no.

"We came back from Paris specifically for this job. We've been here for a week... and now my beloved Bernard is dead!" And she started crying again.

"Excuse me, but these days have not been easy..."

"I can imagine that," Y/N nodded.

"I've seen him so seldom. Since the works began he was always on site: he monitored progress to calculate an approximate deadline." The woman said blowing her nose.

"So the dam is already under construction?"

"Agent Cobain, it will be better to go back to the police station" Dean's voice announced as he returned to the room: he had found something.

"Look at this!" Dean said handing her a plastic bag, back in the Impala.

"What the hell is that?" she asked looking at it.

"What does it look like to you?"

“Okay, let me ask you in another simpler way: what do you think a seaweed was doing in that guy's bedroom?”

He shrugged. "We need to check that dam."

It was quite obvious at that point that the answers to their questions were in that project. Whatever was affecting the victims was in that lake and had left them a souvenir before leaving.

"I bet that crap was also in the second victim's room," Dean said with conviction.

He drove until he reached Lake Eiere, where the dam seemed to be already under construction. There were a couple of workers here and there in orange hats setting up a surveillance system. A man dressed in black, in a suit and tie, observed the area with a dull gaze. Another, a little taller, clapped him on the shoulder in consoling pats.

Dean and Y/N glanced at each other and, as if reading each other's minds, decided that those two were the right ones.

"Hi," Dean said, showing them his FBI badge. "Agent Hetfield, and this is my partner, Agent Cobain."

“We're investigating the deaths of Bernard Dubois and Mark Stern,” he added professionally.

"Weren't they attacked by a…?" stammered one of them, the shortest, in confusion.

"No," Dean replied dryly. "They were killed."

The two looked frightened, as if they were aware of the danger they were all in, because they were the other two business partners.

"You are?" Y/N asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Michael Connors and Peter Johnson," answered the taller man, considerably less traumatized than his colleague. “Bernard and Mark worked with us on this project.”

Dean and Y/N exchanged a quick glance, aware that those two would be the next victims.

After the usual routine questions, they didn't come up with anything new: no enemies in particular (not to want them dead, at least), no suspicious behavior from builders, engineers or anyone working on that project.

"We have to follow them," said Y/N as they walked away, raising her head to the sky, noticing that the sun was already setting over the construction site. And from what they understood that thing that was attacking business partners especially loved the dark. "We'd better keep an eye on them, after all that thing probably lived in the lake and could attack them even now." Y/N said next to Dean once they got back into the Impala.

They walked around the block to make the two think they were gone but after a few minutes they were hiding in the small place around the lake, an ideal location for a stakeout.

"So we are going to follow them, probably spend a sleepless night and wait for a monster to attack them. And we don't even know what it is or how to kill it?" She heard Dean complain. "Right, that's so clever!"

“But it's the only thing we can do. We don't have time to go back to the motel and do more research, we risk losing another fucking partner!"

"We don't even have anything to eat!" Added Dean dramatically, Y/N rolled her eyes even though, thinking about it, it wasn't a good plan at all.

"And which of the two are we gonna follow?" He asked indicating Michael and Peter with a nod of his head. "As lucky as we are, we'll end up following the man dropped from that bastard's menu."

"I don't think it will be a problem," she murmured with a frown, following the shadows of the two men moving towards the same car. "Company car?"

"I don't know, but we'd better keep up with them."

The two partners got into the dark and shiny car, then they left and Dean did the same, following them staying a bit far away, without attracting attention. The journey was very silent, neither of them spoke, maybe because they were too tired even to fight, even though that was their favorite hobby when they were together.

"Look" Y/N said after a while, nodding towards the car in front of them.

It had just turned right, entered an alley that led to the garage of a small house. Dean watched the scene frowning, then exchanged a look with his colleague. He pulled up across the street and they both stopped to look at the two guys. They looked like they were hiding something, and they moved stealthily, as if they were afraid of being discovered. Were they going to do something illegal or something?

It was clearer when, after the two men had entered the house, one of the ground floor windows lit up and they saw the two guys right there, looking into each other's eyes. The taller man slowly approached the other and then pulled him to him to kiss him on the lips.

Dean's eyes widened.

"Well, they say never reveal your next move, right?" The girl sitting next to him laughed.

"Y/N, c'mon! Those two are married and have kids."

"Do you think I've never seen worse?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

Dean rolled his eyes. “D-do you think… we should go in there?”

"What is it, you wanna join them?" She laughed and Dean just snorted.

Night continued to fall, dark, making that scene more intimate for the two in the house and more complicated for the hunters in the car who, unlike the first ones, were certainly not having a good time.

"How do we kill it?"

"I like to improvise," Y/N said, brushing her hair back with a lazy wave of her hand: just another way of saying she didn't have the faintest idea.

"Very enlightening, thank you," Dean said sarcastically, shaking his head.

He noticed with relief the two had disappeared from in front of that window. They had probably moved upstairs to the bedroom. He glanced at his watch: midnight.

"Well, at least they'll die happy and fulfilled," he joked, with a smirk that faded as Y/N glared at him. "I'm just trying to look on the bright side."

Several hours passed and when Dean checked his watch again, it said two in the morning. He was desperately trying to keep his eyes wide open, but his lids were closing on their own from exhaustion. Y/N, on the other hand, seemed attentive, staring at the house as if she expected to see something at any moment.

"Dean?"

"I'm awake!" he exclaimed suddenly. He was not always a good liar.

He had dozed off despite his best efforts, but he opened his eyes and rubbed his face, stifling a yawn.

"What's up?"

"The thing. It's here."

Tags: @eevvvaa @spn730015 @supernatural111222 @youcancallmelily @clairenovakanddeanwinchester @dads-on-a-hunting-trip @3amstillawake @supernaturalmess @marvelandsupernatural @agirlwatchingalotoftvshows @candy-coated-misery0731 @impalaslytherin @rudy-the-winged-wolf @dean-winchester-6767 @samanddeansannoyingsis @roseblue373 @waynes-multiverse @random-spn-fan

Series: @stitchintimefan

[blueberrypie20]

A hand of generosity

Warnings: none

Characters: Hyuga Kojiro, Misugi Jun

Written on 2024.8.11

***

Summary:

"The Hyuga family receive money from an anonymous source that Kojiro happens to know about."

As the subway roared through the dark tunnel toward the next stop, next to the window, a certain tan-skinned male sat, head up and resting on the seat while his eyes were digging holes onto the lamps of the metro in frustration.

What could he possibly do? They had fallen in a serious debt in which Kojiro couldn't do anything about. The person needed their money back in the next few days, while the large family barely saved themselves from starvation with that borrowed money and now had nothing to give back.

Tears slowly started to form in his vermillion eyes, him quickly sitting straight and wiping them off violently as the metro stopped. The doors opened, a wave of passengers rushing outside and another wave getting in.

There were a lot of students getting on board, including Kojiro himself. He absent-mindedly watched all the people settle in, not noticing another boy with hazel hair coming right toward him until he was called.

"Hey, Hyuga! Good evening!" The boy greeted with a smile. Hyuga blinked himself out of the haze, nodding hesitantly in reply.

The boy raised his brow, a small grin sitting in the corner of his lips. "What is it? How come the fierce tiger has lost his focus?" The noirette's expression swiftly changed into an annoyed face, making the brunette chuckle.

"I'm just not very well today, Misugi..."

A flash of worry appeared in Jun's face, blurring away with him sending Hyuga another smile. "Well, a medical student is sitting right next to you. Tell me, what's wrong?"

Hyuga barely held back his eyes from rolling up, remaining stoic. "It's not your business." Misugi just leaned forward. "well, I won't stop asking until I get a word out of your mouth! What's wrong?"

They shared a long stare that neither gave nor received any words. And Hyuga finally gave in to the hazel eyes that saw right into his soul.

"Fine. Huh..."

"Oh..."

"Don't get sad over it, Misugi. As I said, this isn't your thing to worry over. You have other things to be concerned for, no need to care about me."

But still, the sadness in Jun's eyes was so visible that made Hyuga really confused. Misugi almost never showed genuine sadness over anything to this extent– topics about social status most likely make him uncomfortable.

However, just as the brunette was going to comment something, the announcer took away both the boys' attention by stating "current stop: Musashino!".

Misugi had to get off board, but as he stood up to leave Hyuga alone, he sent him a serious but sympathetic look. "You'll definitely get through it without any fights breaking out, Hyuga. I'm deeply hopeful for that." He whispered before walking off to the doors of the metro, easily blending along with the many other passengers getting outside.

Hyuga spent the rest of the trip thinking about Misugi and the small talk they had. Could he call him and ask him for some money? No, that'd be rude ... He fell asleep with infinite thoughts devouring his mind, waking up only to the sound of the metro stopping at the point where he had to change trains in order to go back to his home in Saitama. He had to do something for his family.

Misugi walked the way home, with a delicate touch of a soft autumn rain getting the crowded, rich streets of Musashino slightly wet. He watched the movements of cars, people and the birds occasionally flying through his sight, deep in thought of how to help Hyuga. Could he offer him some money? No, absolutely not, he'd definitely refuse and it'd be awkward. He didn't want them to be stuck in such a situation while his family was enjoying the riches of life a bit too much. He had to do something for his family.

The next afternoon, as Hyuga is walking back home, still immersed in concerned thoughts, a voice pulls him back to reality as it rushes toward him.

"Heeeeey! Brotherrrr!!"

"it's you, Takeru..!" Kojiro exclaims with a light smile as his younger brother takes his hand and runs back towards the house enthusiastically.

Inside the house is lightened up by the smiles and giggles of His two other siblings, and the small smile on the pale face of his beloved mother who's sitting down on the sofa while shaking a fancy gift card in front of her face.

"Someone gave us money! A lot of money!" Masaru exclaims, showing the gift card. His mother nods: "yeah, Kojiro, it's even more more than debt we have. Now i can buy the kids some toys as well as pay the debt."

Hyuga's eyes are wide and filled with tears. He faces up and shouts a thank you with all he's got. Then he clears his throat, looking at the gift card again and hearing a bell ring in His mind.

"Is the sender anonymous?"

Naoko shakes her little head. "No, big brother. They left a small letter with the money. They introduced themselves as one of your acquaintances."

The house shakes from the thud that Hyuga's knees make when falling to the ground. He cries and cries and cries his heart out—

the prince himself has lent him a hand of generosity.

***

Author's note:

This one-shot is an early celebration for Hyuga's birthday! Also the idea comes from the two's complicated relationship in elementary and middle school because of their social status differences, and a headcanon that I have for Misugi who sends Hyuga's fam big amounts of money at random holidays etc. Hope you enjoyed! <3

[transingthoseformers]

OK here are my thoughts on the world building with Megatron insisting on fusion cannon weddings for the bitties.

While Megs is the Champion of Koan, Megatron of Tarn was D-16 long before he was a gladiator and god of war.

So I'm thinking he has some cultural biases from being a Tarnian Miner. And I'd imaging with the danger of the mines and the Functionism very few low caste sparklings had both parents. And they suffered for it. both in terms of being orphaned and lacking legal protections including inheritance rights because their parents weren't permitted to be conjuxed without permission rarely given to miners.

Worse laws came into place that single parent sparklings and sparklings who's parents weren't conjuxed could be taken by the state at any time for any reason under the sun. Clearly non-Forged Sparklings need stable conjuxed families so they could receive the light of Primus not coming from his spark. And Tarn already had a strong taboo about not having a sparkling outside of being conjuxed.

Worse, the right to be conjuxed was something that was slowly being striped from everyone but the elite. The process by Megatron's youth became something you had to pay heavily for. Upper middle cast could still afford it with much saving or borrowing but imagine the cost for the Marriage license instead of being $60 USD the license itself costs the full average price of a wedding $30,000 USD. And the equivalent of a Justice of the Peace wedding cost instead of $120-150 cost $75,000. The lower cast and the lower middle cast are priced out of being able to get conjuxed. For Disposables not only did they need to find the cash, they also needed permission from the one/company who owned their contract and sponsorship/vetting form a Priest of the Thirteen. Said Priest could choose to waive the fee if he felt the applicants were worthy. In theory it's possible but in reality impossible.

All of Prima's Priests have to come from the Priestly Caste. Most of the rest had to as well in practice even if it wasn't forbidden in the holy texts but there is one Priesthood that accepts Mechs outside of the Priestly Cast. Megatronus, god of War only accepts Warriors for Priests. And in Megatron's stint in the Pits of Kaon, some bright spark thought Megatron becoming a fake Priest of Megatronus for publicity would be a great idea, kinda like a preacher gimmick for pro-wrestling. Megatron refused because while he's not overly religious, it gives him bad vibes. Just spiting on the culture of his city and playing into so many stereotypes. Gladiators like all athletes are superstitious. Megatron is able to insist his adamate refusal is to not risk offending his names sake and his city's patron. He doesn't want his streak at the top cursed.

This old Tank, the priest of Megatronus, is nearly offended as Megatron by the idea of presiding over a fake religious ceremony for the Pit. Even if his temple he can't afford to refuse. the Wheels and gears on Meg's head start turning. Being a real priest even of the Fallen would grant him more social clout and freedom of movement. It would also give his nacient Cause a touch more legitimacy.

So when the Priest coldly rises to stalk out, Megatron rises and state he has no intention in taking part in a religiously themed farce, he also has all the qualifications for being an acolyte aspirant to the priesthood which doubles the insult to Tarn and it's patron. Which gets the Priest's attention. Megatron's manager is chased out of his own office while the Priest and Megatron have a very intense talk about Megatron's motivations.

Megs is a silver tonged bastard and the old priest recognized he has a potential brilliant general on his hands. The youngster has given him a chance to maybe eventually put Prima's priesthood in it's place. The manager is being permitted back to his office so the Priest can inform him Megatron is now in training to be a priest of Megatronus and a dispensation is granted for him to do so in Kaon. The Major Rites of course are to be publicly witnessed and broadcast but only in full. This is when Megatron realizes the old mech in front of him is actually the High Priest of Megatronus.

Megatron becomes a priest of Megatronus and is actually, to his embarrassment, the High Priest by both seniority and military rank by the time the cons get to Earth.

So Megatron through a mixture of spite, using the Autobot code against the Autobots(their own laws force them to return the sparkling to their creators or their designated next of kin,) and lingering Tarnish cultural baggage is enforcing you get someone heavy you gotta marry them. It doesn't happen often because sparking is rare any how and baffles are mandatory, but it does happen. Megatron's point on this is absolute. This has resulted in Autobots and Neutrals being taken prisoner so they can "make an honest mech" out of someone, or be "Made an honest mech" if the Deceptacon sparked them up instead. One of the practical reasons why Fraternization is frowned upon by Autobots.

O yes

Let's break tgus down

Makes sense in a dangerous environment growing up Megatron wouldn't see many dual parents and he saw a lot of bullshit, and how this manifests into mandated shotgun weddings

Also I'm biased but a wedding for 30,000 is very ouch imo

This is fascinating because yeah i can totally see this happening in an au, and i can see why it profoundly affected how he wishes to run things

jesus fucking christ megatron as technically priest, technically, is not something i ever expected to read

Megatron:

Megatron: projects childhood onto his faction

Megs is trying, i can see the gears turning and see what he means, but fuck this is a funny way to go about it, that there is a recipe of a person

Like just fucking imagine getting kidnapped and finding out it was because you got someone pregnant, which you didn't know beforehand. Delightful.

This makes me wonder if anyone was actually banking on this in order to marry the love of their live officially looks at kobd

[robin374]

Okay one more I promise-

(Unless you don't mind me sending more requests-?👀)

Okay so what about-

RED Medic x Reader x BLU Medic? 👀

So the Reader is on RED team and RED Medic and them get along pretty quickly and end up falling for each other

A reasonable amount of time later (they still haven't confessed to Medic at this point), the Reader is in town for some reason (maybe shopping or something)

When they suddenly run into BLU Medic

The two of them start chatting as if they don't have to kill each other every mission and hey- would ya look at that! The two of them bond and also catch feelings and decide to start meeting up

I'd like to think that RED and BLU Medic are two different people with different names and slightly different personalities and just so happen to look alike

RED Medic x Reader x BLU Medic

Don´t worry, I love your ideas! I finally finished this one-shot for you.

Warnings: None.

(Unedited)

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

The silence at the RED team's base was unusual, very unusual. There was always someone yelling or arguing with someone else. Whenever I found Scout and Spy arguing about something stupid, all I could think of was that Sniper was the smartest of them all, staying away from the others in his camper. Right now, I was in the common room reading the book Medic had in his hands. My head resting on his shoulder and my arm around his, every now and then Medic would turn the pages and sigh as he saw that they were filled with paragraphs without any dialogue. "Liebe, can you do me a favor?" I lifted my head from his shoulder and met the gaze of his pale blue eyes, his gentle smile making my heart race slightly. "You still haven't told me what 'Liebe' means, Josef."

"The time will come. But are you going to do me the favor or not?" he asked, leaning toward me slightly. "Depends on what the favor is. I'm not going to steal Heavy's sandwich again," I noticed a shiver run down my back as I remembered Heavy chasing me around the base with a shotgun in his hands "You know it ended very badly." I finished, and smiled as I heard Josef chuckle. He shook his head as he told me he didn't want to experiment with Heavy's sandwich again. Ever since I met Medic I couldn't help but feel a fuzzy feeling in my stomach every time I was around him. I didn't know if it was nervousness or if I was sick, but I was afraid to tell Medic. I didn't want him to tell me I was a coward or something. "Can you go into town to get some metal blades? Engie asked me a few days ago and I can't do it, can you go for me?" I got up from the couch knowing I would say yes without hesitation a couple of times, I noticed his gaze on the back of my neck as I walked out of the room. I stopped in my tracks when I was in front of the door and turned to look at him.

"Only if you give me something in return." I said, his eyes lit up with a different spark, I couldn't tell exactly what he was thinking at that moment. Before he could respond, I went to the garage and borrowed the van where it said Red Bread. After a few minutes, I arrived at the nearest town to the base and walked to the square. Now that I was there, I realized a rather serious problem; I had never been to that town and I didn't know where they sold metal blades. I thought about the possibility of asking some locals, but with the uniform I was wearing and my likely smell of blood and car oil, I wouldn't make a good first impression. 

"Y/N? Is that you?"

A voice called my name, it sounded familiar from hearing it shouting on the battlefield. I heard footsteps approaching me, then I noticed a hand gently resting on my shoulder. When I turned around I met the blue eyes of the BLU Medic. He smiled at me and slid his hand down to grasp mine, he lifted my hand and kissed it just like a gentleman would. "It's good to see you around; somewhere other than the battlefield." I laughed softly, occasionally I would talk to him outside of battles. Other times, when Josef was busy healing another of my team, Fritz would help me. "What are you doing over here, Fritz?" I asked, realizing he still hadn't let go of my hand. "Oh, I was going to get some meds for Demoman." He let out a chuckle, "Looks like he drank more than usual yesterday."

"Really? Josef doesn't usually do that for us." I replied remembering the time Medic threw Scout and I a human arm after asking him for some headache pills. "Although, he's a good man. And I know deep down he's fond of us." As I finished the sentence I noticed a glint of some unknown feeling in Fritz's vivid blue eyes as he mumbled something between his teeth. "Hey, are you feeling alright? You're a little red." He put his hands on my cheeks, his palms as smooth as silk, contrasting with Josef's rough ones. Suddenly, he moved closer to me and rested his lips on my forehead for a few seconds. "Hmm, you don't look like you have a fever." 

I shook my head insisting that I felt fine and that I wasn't sick. Fritz's hand didn't let go of mine at any point. We both talked some more and went our separate ways, he gave me a kiss on the cheek before disappearing down the streets of town. I went back to the car with the metal blades for Engie and handed them to him. I noticed Josef's gaze on me as I arrived, he smiled at me and left for his lab.

╰☆╮

"That Fritz is trying to steal my Y/N."

[akehoshimystar]

Chapter 7

Chef: One plate...?

Ito: By adjusting the assembly of dishes and the portion size of each item, we can keep the total cost and cooking time down to this bit.

We want our guests to enjoy the taste of the food at this venue.

Chef: Well, I understand what you're saying. But a course meal won’t be complete unless we start with appetizers and end with desserts.

To be honest, I'm not keen on it even if you ask me to only partially cooperate.

Ito: …….

Even the owner agreed. He said, “As long as the chef agrees, there's no problem.” About 10 minutes into our conversation, I found myself breaking out in a cold sweat as the chef kept a stern look on his face.

Chef: I guess my personal feelings mean nothing to you.

Ito: No... I mean, your opinion is very reasonable.

(...This is not going well.)

(As Kosaka-san said, the issue is not about advantage or disadvantage, but about "feelings".)

In this case, there’s a limit to what I can do since we have no trust for each other, not to mention, it's our first meeting.

Ito: (.….From my experience, it is possible to break through situations like this with enthusiasm, sincerity, and passion.)

(Unfortunately, I have a reputation for not being able to convey that kind of thing...!)

Yu: …….

Ito: (...And Nina-san isn't the type to be full of passion either. I guess.)

Chef: Also. They offer free samples at the bridal fair, but now people have to pay for a plate of the same items with even fewer of them.

Ito: It’s just as you said. And that made me wonder if I could consult you about that matter when we proceed with the “arrangement to a plate format.”

Chef: Here we go again with that consultation…

Yu: ……What matters here is that there’s a way to distinguish our food from the course meal that's handed out for free, and produce a sense of satisfaction beyond the amount you serve.

Chef: Huh?

Ito: (Nina-san...?)

Yu: Am I wrong?

Chef: N-Not really...? I guess not.

The chef seemed surprised that Nina-san, who had been silent the whole time, had joined the conversation. Nina-san then continued calmly.

Yu: With this one-plate format, you can include a main dish at its original quality, which you can’t do for the free course.

Or, if there is a new menu that you would like to serve in the future, you can use this chance to experiment.

Either way, distinguishing them is possible.

Chef: !

Ito: (...Woah.)

I felt an invisible change in the flow of conversation. Without rushing, I started talking so as not to miss this godsend chance.

Ito: Since the tastings at the fair are not profitable, the chefs are only able to serve a small amount of their pride and joy meat dish on the plate.

I heard from the owner that he feels frustrated and believes that the meat should be eaten while feeling its usual thickness.

If possible, he would like as many people as possible to try it in its original form.

Chef: The owner really said that…?

Ito: (...Riku-san and the rest of the department taught me the timing of presenting benefits.)

(“Don't miss the moment the other person looks at you”. This is probably what they mean.)

On the day of the event, we will conduct a visitor survey and share the results with you.

We will include multiple items related to your dishes, so please let us know your preferences regarding the content if you wish.

Yu: ………..

Chef: …….. I see.

Well, I'll think about it.

Ito: …..!

Thank you very much.

Chef: It's too early to bow your head. I haven’t agreed yet, whether putting the whole course on one plate will work or not is another matter.

It doesn't change the fact that I can't serve food that I'm not satisfied with. I've heard that you guys will do all the cooking on that day.

If you're going to serve it as an introduction to our cuisine, I need you to maintain a certain level of quality. Can you do that?

Ito: Well….

Yu: I'll borrow your kitchen for a bit.

Chef: Eh? Kitchen? ...Now?

Ito: We’ve already got permission from the owner.

Yu: I'm in charge of cooking, including preparation. Be it skill, finished product, or taste. Please check them.

If you still don’t find me trustworthy enough, just say so.

Chef: I see. It’s good that you’re making this simple.

Now, let's see what you can do.

Ito: (...That was incredible...)

Shortly after…… Nina-san stood in the kitchen and made a sample. Apparently, the chef was completely charmed by his skill. It's still hard to believe that the chef, who had such a grim expression on his face, sent us off with a smile and told us to do our best.

Ito: …………Nina-san. Thank you so much for today.

Yu: I just did what Kosaka told me to. Sit next to Yashiro and listen before having him check out my cooking skills.

Ito: It's not just that... If Nina-san hadn't been there, things wouldn’t have worked out.

Yu: ………

I guess so.

I wasn’t sure whether he really accepted my compliment or just wanted to avoid further conversation. After Nina-san's brief response, silence fell over the car.

Ito: (I'm still not used to event preparation after all, but...)

I realize that it's also a valuable opportunity to talk to people I don't usually have contact with during my regular work. Feeling this new sense of purpose, I squinted my eyes at the sunset that could be seen from the window.

After that, preparations for the dress-up event proceeded smoothly, and the meeting with Kyoka-san’s mother was completed without a hitch. It seems that the "mother-in-law”, Sumire-san, has taken a liking to Aizawa-kun, and that was truly a relief.

The wedding preparation is now in its final stage, and today we came to choose a dress.

Kyoka: ……

Ito: (Everything suits Kyoka-san perfectly, she’s very beautiful... But is it just me or does she seem a bit stiff? She’s kind of gloomy or maybe more like….. anxious?)

Should I ask the staff to bring you some other dresses?

There are many kinds here.

Kyoka: Oh, sure... Thank you.

Ito: .….If you have any concerns or worries, I can lend you an ear.

Kyoka: Eh?

Ito: It doesn't matter if it's something trivial other than the dress. I'll try to resolve it as best as I can.

Kyoka: .…..Thank you.

I know this is not something I should say to Yashiro-san, who has helped me so much...

We’ve already come this far, but I'm a bit worried about my mother.

Ito: .…..Worried?

Kyoka: My mother is truly happy about my “marriage”.

But I've been deceiving her. I realized this again when we met the other day.

I can't stop thinking about whether this is really okay.

Ito: …….

Kyoka: It's always like this for me. I can't say what I need to say when it matters.

Sugio-kun... My ex-boyfriend. That trait of mine is probably the cause of all this.

Ito: (Kyoka-san...)

I failed to find the words to say to the dejected Kyoka-san.

Ito: (Just what should I say?)

Kyoka: Umm...Yashiro-san.

Ito: ...Yes?

Kyoka: Actually, I…..

---Knock knock

Kyoka & Ito: !

Shinobu: Good work. Aizawa is back~

May I come in?

Kyoka: ......Oh! Yes, go ahead.

Ito: ………

While I was wondering what to do for a moment, Kyoka-san wiped her eyes and answered brightly. “It's okay, thank you very much for listening.” Kyoka-san lowered her voice before I got up and unlocked the door. I welcomed Aizawa-kun with hesitation.

Shinobu: I bought some drinks for you.

Ito: Thank you. I’ll have it.

Shinobu: Trying on clothes may be fun and all, but it takes a lot of energy. Let's take a break.

Kyoka: Thank you... Ah!?

Shinobu: Woah.

Ito: !

Kyoka-san's hand slipped. The cup that she failed to pick up fell and the lid came off, spilling coffee all over the table. To make matters worse, there was a bouquet there.

Kyoka: What should I do now? I'm really sorry!

Shinobu: It's okay, it's okay, that should be my line! I should have just left it there.

It didn’t get on Kyoka-san, right?

Kyoka: Uh, yeah. Ah, but the bouquet…

Ito: We have a spare, you don't have to worry.

Kyoka: I'm sorry...

Shinobu: That’s enough apologies. Look, I've already wiped it off! Nothing went wrong. Right, Yashiro-san?

Ito: Exactly as he said.

Kyoka: …….

Ito: I need to make a call. The spare bouquet order was handled by Sei-san, so I'll check with him.

Shinobu: Understood. I’ll take care of her here.

Ito: …….

(.….I couldn't follow up at all.)

(I wonder what she was about to say earlier... Her “it’s okay” didn’t sound okay at all.)

Sei: [Hello, this is Okiya. How can I help you?]

Ito: Hello. I want to talk about the bouquet…

Sei: Oh, what do we have here...?

Don't worry. The other bouquet is scheduled to be delivered to the office the day after tomorrow. 

It should arrive in time for the ceremony without any problems.

Ito: [That's good to hear... Thank you very much. If you hadn't reminded me about a backup at that time, we wouldn't have had it made in time.]

Sei: I'm glad I was of help. By the way...

Anything else you need?

Ito: [Eh?]

Sei: Fufu. You don't show it on your face, or should I say, your voice really can’t hide it... 

You sound like you're worried about something today, that’s what I gathered.

Ito: (My voice gave it away, huh.….I've never been told that, but really? Isn’t it just Sei-san’s special ability...?)

Sei: [That's why I was hoping that our conversation the other day would bear fruits and you would rely on me. Did I get it wrong?]

Ito: The other day... Ah.

“When you're working hard on something, actively choose to rely on those around you.”

I could still hear Sei-san’s voice that I was grateful to receive back then.

Ito: ...Just now. The client just told me that she was unsure whether it was okay to lie to her mother.

And I didn’t know how to respond at all.

Sei: […….]

Ito: I have been wondering about what the best response would have been. 

Sei: [A response to clear up her doubts?]

[You really are kind.]

Ito: I’m not sure if I can call this kindness.

The moment you start thinking about what the right answer is, I don't think it's pure consideration...

Sei: [I beg to differ. No matter what it is about, I think when someone thinks deeply about someone else and worries for them, it can be called kindness.]

[Your client's doubt is also the same.]

Ito: (…………Sei-san.)

Sei: She knows her mother best, that’s why she is in doubt. I don't think that is something to be taken lightly.

After all, this whole fake wedding is no more than a postponement of the problem, and a stopgap measure.

Ito: [Just a temporary solution, huh.....]

Sei: However, I don't think the request was made lightly, and even if the request is withdrawn, her mother's circumstances will not change.

That must have been difficult for her.

Ito: [I know…..]

Sei: But if she doesn't want you to worry for her….

Then, I think there's only one thing we at Aporia can do.

Ito: [One thing?]

Sei: Yes.

She, who has been anxious all this time, decided to lie. For her mother’s sake.

Do your best to provide a “temporary solution” that is necessary for her and her mother.

Ito: …….

Sei: [What is the real joy for her right now? Maybe you should check on her again.]

Ito: (Doing our best to provide a quick fix for someone. That's what Aporia's service is... I see. That's right.)

.….Thank you. My mind is all sorted out now.

I'm not sure if I can say it well, but I'd like to talk a little bit more…

Ito: Aizawa-kun?

Shinobu: Oh, thank goodness you're nearby. Please come back. The fitting is canceled, and we have to be there right away.

Ito: ! Don’t tell me…,

Shinobu: Yes. Shizuka-san just contacted me….

Saying that he had confirmed the movement of the target.

Chapter 8

[catofadifferentcolor]

Terrible Fic Ideas #29: GOT, but make Joffrey legitimate

There is a part of me that will always wonder whether Cersei loves Jaime as much as she did because she genuinely truly loved him, or because she was so caught up in Lannister exceptionalism she saw her twin as her only possible romantic and/or sexual partner.

That being said, I've always sort of wondered how GOT might have gone if all of Cersei's children were legitimate - she just thought they were her brother's.

Just bear with me:

Robert Baratheon is not stupid. He understands the link between sex and pregnancy, and so cannot expect to have children with his wife without having sex with her several months before hand.

Historically, "[...] no woman could be absolutely certain she was pregnant until the fifth month" [x]. The early signs of pregnancy can be difficult to detect, and some women naturally have intermittent periods or experience intermediate bleeding during pregnancy that might be interpreted as periods.

All of which means Cersei would have had to have sex with her husband before she knew for certain she was pregnant in order to pass her child off as his. This opens the possibility for her to be mistaken about her pregnancy, and thus get pregnant from her sexual encounter with Robert.

Or: it is not impossible that all three of Cersei's golden-haired, purebred Lannister children are honestly and truly golden-haired, legitimate Baratheon heirs.

But what does this mean?

Honestly? Nothing. I just love the idea of The War of Five Kings being built on a lie - that Joffrey is, in fact, Robert Baratheon's legitimate male heir. He's not the king any sane person would want, but by all the inheritance laws of Westeros, he's king.

It also means that, in addition to (potentially) stealing Jon Snow's throne by hiding his true parentage, Ned Stark does it again by altering Robert's will as he lays dying, which is a bit of narrative symmetry I quite enjoy.

Then you have Cersei, so proud of her purebred Lannister children that she willfully disregards any Baratheon in their appearance - perhaps Joffrey and the rest come to resemble Robert more as they grow older, maybe they always look pure Lannister. Either way, she spends the entire series thinking she's getting one over on all of Westeros... and in truth her children aren't Jaime's.

IDK what I'm really going for here, other than I've been reading a lot of fic lately where Jon Snow gets a lot of praise for being skilled for a bastard, noble for a bastard, honorable for a bastard, etc which seem to be saying birth doesn't matter, actions do but then later have him revealed to be the legitimate, true heir to the Iron Throne and no wonder he acted so knightly, so kingly all along, especially in comparison to that bastard Lannister.

Or: I want GOT without the legitimacy of the characters' births coming into it. I want Joffrey to be a legitimate Baratheon, but a horrible person regardless. I want the War of Five Kings to be entirely about power (Stannis, Renly, and Balon) and revenge (Robb) against the lawful - and awful - king.

That's it. That's all I really have. A fic idea where nothing changes in the source material but the underlying message. I don't know if this is a bun that can be adopted, but feel free to borrow. Just link back if you decide to do anything with it.

More Terrible Fic Ideas

[kayla-crazy-stuffs]

Awww no am sorry to about that! I would've love to see it :(

oOoOO en serio?? 👀 I'd honestly love some more Hermandad obscura, maybe the g!brotherhood deciding what to do w tiny Quackity (or who will get to nom him sksksk) lotsa angst! :D

Or if we feeling fluffy, t!Vegetta and g!Rubius having a canon typical silly argument, so basically this;

(but g/t and Vegetta ends up grounded XD)

Btw you can request some Karmaland as well! :] I never get to write them and I'd love to (just know I didn't watch much of 4 and I mostly know the main guys of 5)

I'm finally answering this!! I'm sorry it took so long! D:

I decided to go with the first option, although, in this first part, from the dark brotherhood, only Rubius appears. The rest will appear in a future, anyways, hope you enjoy :]

TW: Safe/HARD vore, blood, cannibalism mention (kinda), fearplay

It had been a few weeks since Rubius suspected something was lurking around his house. He thought it could be a carnivorous or omnivorous animal, since it apparently liked to eat pieces of his meat.

He usually woke up with various wounds on his hands, ears, or neck, and although he wasn't particularly interested in knowing what this creature was, it bothered him to have to constantly use a regeneration potion.

And one day, the straw that broke the camel's back fell. He was not going to forgive him for this.

The fucking creature had torn up the photo of his deceased 8 year old son, Brayan! Rubius began to place quite a few traps around the house. He would catch that creature without hesitation.

Once he placed them all, he put on his dark brotherhood outfit and left the house. He had to work, he would be able to see if the creature had fallen into any of the traps when he returned.

//

Quackity slowly came out of hiding once the 'human' left the house. The little duck-hybrid Borrower carefully walked around to confirm that the 'human' was gone.

Once he was able to confirm that the bear was gone and wouldn't be back for a few hours, he began "borrowing," collecting some things he needed.

It didn't take him long to get everything, but when he was going to go back, he couldn't move. Quackity should have watched where he was stepping on...

He looked down in horror, seeing that both of his feet were caught in a glue trap. He used both hands to help his legs to try to get his feet out of the glue as soon as possible.

It would be really bad if the 'human' found him, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get away from the trap. He even thought about removing his feet from the slippers, but good luck was not on his side as the trap was so deep that it had stuck up to his shins.

He continued trying to get away, not realizing that a few hours had already passed, which meant that... The main door opened and in a few seconds it closed again. Footsteps approached towards the place where he was trapped.

He looked up, his eyes widening in fear, staring in terror at the black mask with a completely white smile and bright, scary red eyes. The 'human' was back.

//

Rubius let out a sigh as he finally returned to his house. He opened the door and without removing his mask or suit yet, he entered, closing the door once inside. He headed to his room, the place where he set one of the many glue traps, although he didn't think he had caught the creature.

However, he was quite surprised when he saw that something actually fell into the trap. A large smile formed behind his mask, as he stepped closer to the creature.

"Well well, what do we have here, huh? The disgusting creature that ate pieces of my flesh and tore up my son's photo, has turned out to be an insignificant borrower..." he said, still smiling behind the mask, while his hand grabbed the borrower and pulled him out of the trap, not caring at all that he was harming him.

The borrower squirms trying to get out of Rubius's grasp. The bear hybrid let out a laugh, bringing the borrower closer to his face. “Squirming is not going to help you at all, you are wasting your energy.”

Rubius thought for a few minutes about what he should do with the little duck hybrid. Soon, an idea crossed his mind, the smile he had behind the mask, widening. He lifted his mask slightly, just enough so that his mouth was visible.

"You know? I have an idea about what to do with you.” The borrower continued to squirm in fear. “Since you have eaten pieces of meat from my hands and ears, I will do you the same favor.”

The duck hybrid froze, terrified. Rubius brought him closer to his mouth as it opened, showing his sharp, completely white teeth. The bear hybrid put one of Borrower's small legs in his mouth, closing it around the leg. He licked it for a moment before biting the leg hard.

The borrower let out a cry of pain when Rubius bit his leg, now moving him away from his mouth and placing him on the table for a few seconds while he chewed the leg inside his mouth, he did not want the borrower's blood to stain the floor.

Once he was satisfied, he swallowed, humming lightly. "You're tastier than I expected... We should do this more often." The duck hybrid looked at him terrified, while Rubius picked him up again.

The bear hybrid simply popped him into his mouth, sucking on the small body for a few seconds before swallowing it whole.

Rubius let out a sigh of satisfaction as he felt the borrower enter his second stomach. He took a regeneration potion and once he was sure it had taken effect, he took a healing potion. He wasn't going to let the little duck die just yet.

Not when he had just started.

taglist: @local-squishmallow @brick-a-doodle-do

[herzzgeist]

"Beautiful Mind" - 7) Well Deserved Rest

Pairing: Law x fem!reader | Word count: 1.6k | Warnings: slighty suggestive

Time goes by slowly since that day the mission failed. The sun rises, the golden orb emerging from the glittering waves on the horizon. Still in bed you let out a strained yawn.

The crew is already up on their feet and by the sound of it, the breakfast rush hour is beginning to subside. Everybody takes up on their duties and either leaves the submarine for attendancies in town or stays here for maintenance.

Fortunately for you, you can move again. The broken ribs being a nuisance and tremendously painful if handled incorrectly. One haste move and a strong sting hits your sides. Lifting yourself out of the warm sheets, you try to find some clothes to get dressed and make your way to the kitchen. If only you had some with you.

Your tummy gives off a low rumble. This is the moment where you should get some grub.

Just in your undergarments and bandages you wobble around the infirmary to borrow some clothing. Oh, there's a black hoodie jacket hanging on a chair. Without taking a better look at it you swing it around your shoulders and pull the zipper up. "Mh, comfy.", you simper.

The hoody could be a baggy cocktail dress for your shape and size. Thighs barely covered, but it will do. It's just a short trip to the kitchen, what can possibly go wrong. Oh boy.

"(Y-Y/n)!? What are you doing here?" - "I'm so hungry and I wanted to stretch my feet for a change. So, here I am. Good morning!", Shachi exclaimed as he saw you waltzing into the dining room. With a low groan you sit on the bar stool next to the cooking island.

The red head gets even redder, his face bubbling. Is that even possible? He points at you with a shaky finger: "I-s that C-Captain's hoodie?" This reaction wasn't what you've been expecting. Hands hidden in the dark sleeves you bring them up to your face, recognizing the scent. How the tables have turned, you are now the one with a bright flushed face.

"You...ermm...might be right. I-", what a stuttering mess you are. Alright, now what? You don't want to stumble back to the infirmary again. The man asks you to turn around, only to see a yellow Jolly Roger sign on your back: "Yeah no kidding!"

Shachi gulps exceptionally loud and tries to play it cool: "It's...fine! It's fine. Come on, I'll give you the left over pancakes. Want a hot chocolate along with it?" Almost immediatly your worried expression switches to a beaming one.

The man sweat drops, but grins thinking to himself: "Enviably cute." You never cease to make people smile around you. True, you might be an odd ball, but that's the point. The crew is happy to have you and you feel the appreciation glow inside you. You feel loved. It's a family you wish you had a long time before.

Placing the white mug of hot chocolate next to your already half empty plate, Shachi presumes: "Ready for another round?" - "You bet!"

The door behind you swings open and who would have thought, your Captain comes walking in. "Shachi would you be so kind to-", he stops when his eyes land on your back. You turn your head with your stuffed with pancakes cheeks, trying to flash him the most innocent of puppy eyes.

"Shachi, I told you to bring her breakfast over early!" - "S-sorry Captain, she was here so much sooner than I expected.", Law's facial expression changed from shocked to unnerved. He came up to you, oberserving your every move like you were his worst enemy.

Flustered you keep on munching on your pancakes: "G-good morning, Captain." - "Haven't I told you to stay in bed for at least five to ten hours before you go up and about by yourself again?" Ashamed you chew down the last crumb of breakfast, apologizing meekly, your gaze averting him.

He sighs and takes a seat next to you: "As I was saying, Shachi, you got a coffee for me?" - "Coming up, Captain!" The black cup of coffee was on the table after mere fifteen seconds. What witch craft is this, you wonder. Did the red head keep an extra storage full of already brewed coffee somehwere, only for the doctor to enjoy? How is that even fair.

A low "thank you" resonates from beside you as he takes a sip of the dark brown liquid. It animates you to drink your own hot beverage, which is way sweeter than his. You take the mug into both of your hands and you relish the chocolate flavor savouring your mouth.

"(Y/n)-ya", you flinch by his voice getting closer to you, "May I ask why you're wearing my hoodie?" - "Uh I...didn't find anything else to wear in the infirmary so I borrowed this one."

What else was there to do? The hunger nearly killed you, not even kidding. Fidgeting around the warm cup, you play coy by pursing your lips and swinging your legs back and forth like a little child.

"That was intended for you to not find any clothes there...you always escape the infirmary prematurely.", you hum happily at his comment which was followed by a long sigh.

Law keeps a neutral face, but hides his amusement rather poorly: "First you keep secrets from me and now you steal my things? Tough break." You snap back at him in a playful manner: "Oi, I told you everything in the end. And this is an emergency."

Not taking you seriously, he only answers with a deep grunt, chugging down the last drops of his coffee. To your notice your hot chocolate ran out too. Both of you now ordering more, trying to drown out one another on who gets his drink first. Shachi could watch you tease eachother for hours.

A loud voice beckons the red head: "Oi Shachi, could you come over for a minute, we're nearly done with the heating system!" - "Oh crud, here's your drinks guys! G-gotta run!" So he teeters himself out of the kitchen, slamming the door behind him.

The two of you now alone, sitting next to eachother quietly. Why did the situation become so awkward so suddenly? Holding onto your mug you drift off daydreaming, when Law suddenly decides to interrupt you by chuckling to himself.

"What's so funny?" - "I just can't believe you face planted onto the floor that one cold night, out of sheer panic of me catching you.", is he holding in a laugh? Feeling a warmth emitting from your heart you can't help but to burst into laughter with a snort: "Shut up! I was embarrassed ok?"

The awkwardness fades drasticly, leaving you tear eyed and holding your stomach. The Captain doesn't completely engage in the laughter, but a wide grin passes over him.

You reach for your hot chocolate, placing your lips onto the warm cup and take a quick sip, only to realise: "C-Coffee?" The mug in your hand, wasn't it white before? Is it a special colour changing one? Wow, that's a crazy cool feature if it can turn black. Wait a second.

It hits you. The man next to you takes a sip from the cup, his eyes widening in surprise: "Chocolate?" Good lord. Pointing at what seems to be your white mug in his hands you snicker bashfully: "Captain, I think you got my-"

As if he were about to throw the beverage far away from him, he slams it onto the table and then pushes it slowly in your direction: "Sorry."

Is he blushing? Quite understandable, you theoretically just kissed eachother indirectly. Hold on, what? Oh, how fast your heart starts to beat right now. Shachi, you’re in for it big time.

Shit, I let my guard down, Law curses inwardly while tipping his hat further down to hide the redness. He swears he never felt so close to a cardiac arrest. And that beeing said, or let's say thought, by Dr. Heart Stealer himself is a big deal.

The silence bothers you way too much. You only hear your Captain's nervous breathing, so you decide to take your leave: "Sorry Captain, I think I'll go back to rest a bit." - "Good! You'll need it."

Simultaniously you get up from your seats. You land on your feet with a little struggle, but it feels good to be in motion again. The hoodie falls back over your thighs.

"So, good luck with your daily chores, Captain.", you coo, but he doesn't answer. That's when you notice how his gaze is fixed on your hips and thighs. Sweat trickles down his temple as he swallows hard. Did you break that poor man entirely now? Your oh so lost mind doesn't catch up.

"Yeah! You go take a shower now!" - "A sho-", even more confused by his sudden outburst of exclamation, he shakes his head infruriatingly while turning away from you: "Rest! Go take some rest!"

He practically runs out of the kitchen, holding the door open for you. Like a puppy you follow him, not sure what is happening right now. Gods, why are you so oblivious, the doctor thought to himself. It's not making it any easier for him and he's absolutely sure he is being way too obvious.

"See you." - "Later", with haste he dismisses himself to his office, trying to shake off the scene he just witnessed in front of him. After that, he feels like he needs some rest as well, but before that he'll definitely seek up a cold shower. "Those curves.", realizing where his head is spinning about, he drags his fluffy white hat over his bashfulness.